Chapter 310: Chapter 217: The Stunned Daoist Nun, the Winding Stream Banquet, and 10 Imperial Experts

’What in the world is happening?’

Lu Mingyuan quickly split off a strand of his divine thought to peer inside his flesh body. The thought rushed into his Qi Sea to investigate the situation.

Within his Qi Sea, two auras had appeared—one gold, one red. They were like two stars suspended high above the sea, emitting two completely different types of power fluctuations.

At this moment, the two auras were colliding with each other, producing a series of rumbles.

One Dharma Aspect was incomparably divine, letting out the roars of a Golden Dragon.

The other was like the infernal flames of Hell, burning fiercely and accompanied by the deafening roars of an Ancient Fierce Beast.

’Cultivating two phenomena at the same time really does cause problems.’

The small figure formed by Lu Mingyuan’s divine thought stood in the vast, misty Qi Sea. He could see dense streams of Qi scattering from the two phenomena, continuously crashing into one another.

"No, they’re not just colliding. It seems they’re also trying to integrate," Lu Mingyuan muttered to himself.

The Taotie phenomenon was constantly devouring the Golden Dragon Fortune, which had apparently incurred the wrath of the Golden Qilin Dragon Soul.

Lu Mingyuan quickly withdrew his divine thought, sat down cross-legged, and circulated his cultivation technique with all his might. He worked to regain control over the two phenomena and help them integrate.

Gradually, the two phenomena stopped colliding. Instead, they began to revolve around each other like binary stars.

’They’ve finally stabilized.’

Lu Mingyuan rubbed his temples, easing the pain in his head, and let out a slight sigh of relief.

Just now, the two terrifying Dharma Bodies had clashed in his Qi Sea, nearly shattering his skull.

The phenomena he had cultivated himself had actually spun out of control and almost shaken him to death. The feeling left Lu Mingyuan quite displeased.

The Golden Qilin Dragon Qi Dharma Aspect and the Blood Glutton Divine Aspect were both top-tier phenomena. The momentum from just one of them was enough to shatter the Qi Sea of most Low Realm Cultivators. Their power was immense, and when they met, they were as incompatible as fire and water.

Originally, Lu Mingyuan had planned to press on and perfect his hands and arms as well, but now he had to stop.

To refine his flesh body, he would definitely need to use the power of his Dharma Aspects.

The stronger the condensed Dharma Aspect, the harder it would surely be to control.

"Just how strong are you now?"

At that moment, a figure appeared, dressed in a long white dress. Her legs were long beneath the skirt, its hem reaching her ankles, and she wore a pair of embroidered shoes with a bamboo leaf pattern.

The figure was quite conspicuous in the moonlight, especially with her long, waterfall of snow-white hair cascading over her shoulders.

The dress was form-fitting, cinching her waist to a hand’s breadth and creating an enchanting curve, like the bright moon in the sky.

Lu Mingyuan knew who it was with just a subconscious glance. He smiled playfully and said,

"As a maid, don’t you know the courtesy of knocking before you enter?"

Yun Qinghe said flatly, "You really think of me as a maid? Don’t push your luck."

Lu Mingyuan took a step forward and smiled lightly. "Miss Yun, you understand the greater good, coming here all alone to protect me. How could I possibly think of you as a maid?"

"It’s just that... why don’t you call a few more people over from the Celestial Master’s Mansion? Otherwise, it’s unbecoming for my vast Eastern Palace Mansion to be so empty."

Seeing him step closer, his face so much like an Exiled Immortal’s, made Yun Qinghe’s heart skip a beat. She immediately grew slightly wary, her gaze turning cold as she said, "As the Crown Prince of Great Yan, you look decent enough on the outside, but you’re a mess in private and a bit lazy. Though the Celestial Master’s Mansion has many experts, they have all been dispatched to guard the Great Wall. The fact that I am here is already the greatest respect you’ll get."

"You probably don’t know this yet, but Celestial Master Xu Changqing will also be leaving the Imperial Capital soon."

This was clearly news to Lu Mingyuan as well. He asked in surprise, "Celestial Master Xu is leaving?"

"That’s right. The Court issued a decree this afternoon. His term has ended. A new Vice Mountain Master will arrive soon."

Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan fell into thought. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

’It seems the Celestial Master’s Mansion has also become a thorn in my father’s side.’

’Without Xu Changqing at the Thunder Pool Daoist Academy, I’ve lost a major source of support.’

’Will relying on Fairy Ci Hang, Sui Yuqing, alone be enough? Can she handle the situation in the Capital City?’

"What about your senior sister? Is she still in the Capital City?" Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but ask.

Yun Qinghe knew he would ask. She replied nonchalantly, "She is, but she’s staying in the Capital City as a guest in her capacity as the National Preceptor of the Lion Frost Country. She has no connection to the Daoist Academy."

"She said that, given her current status, it’s difficult for her to intervene in the affairs of the Eastern Palace Mansion. You’ll have to rely on yourself for everything."

Lu Mingyuan asked curiously, "What else did your senior sister say?"

Yun Qinghe added reluctantly, "She also said that you’ve been intentionally hiding your true strength. Seeing you now, it seems she wasn’t wrong."

Lu Mingyuan pondered this for a moment.

’It seems I still aroused Sui Yuqing’s suspicions back in the Wilderness Cave Heaven.’

"Miss Yun."

Lu Mingyuan suddenly called out.

"What is it?"

"You just broke through to the Tenth Realm Nascent Soul, correct?"

"Yes. Why?"

Yun Qinghe watched him warily.

She saw Lu Mingyuan suddenly take another step forward, closing the distance between them.

Yun Qinghe bit her lower lip and stared intently at Lu Mingyuan. Her face flushed then paled, her expression icy. She looked as if she was about to draw her sword and point it at his neck.

The next second, however, Lu Mingyuan pulled a box from his sleeve and said with a serious expression,

"Since you’ve entered the Tenth Realm, please take this Demon Venerable’s Demon Pill. It should be of great benefit for nurturing your Nascent Soul."

Yun Qinghe’s racing heart and trembling hands froze. Her expression went blank, and only two words escaped her crystal-like lips.

"This is..."

"This is an opportunity I acquired in the Grotto Heaven. It’s the Demon Pill of a Cannibal Flower Demon Venerable, and it contains a vigorous Power of Life. When a Qi Cultivator practices Refining Spirit, they most need something to nurture their Divine Soul. A Demon Pill is the most suitable thing."

With a complicated expression, Yun Qinghe accepted the emerald Demon Pill from the box. She looked up at Lu Mingyuan, her tone considerably softer as she asked, "This is such a precious item. Don’t you need it?"

Lu Mingyuan smiled and shook his head. "It’s a good item, but for me at my current stage, it’s just a drop in the bucket. It would be better to give it to you, Miss Yun, to consolidate your cultivation. Consider it my way of repaying you for this period."

"You’ve been running errands for me, gathering intelligence, and ensuring my safety, Miss Yun. I would hate to see you neglect your own cultivation because of it."

Seeing him suddenly become so sincere and earnest, Yun Qinghe felt a little unaccustomed to it. It was quite awkward.

She looked at the Demon Venerable’s Demon Pill; she really couldn’t bring herself to reject it.

A Demon Venerable’s Demon Pill was a priceless treasure even within the Taoist Sect, something that couldn’t be bought with money.

They could only be collected from the Wilderness World.

However, every Demon Venerable was often accompanied by Demon Monarchs and other Demon Venerables, making it nearly impossible to retrieve their pills.

This Demon Pill was indeed very important for nurturing her Nascent Soul.

With a look that was both shy and intensely desirous, Yun Qinghe hesitated for a moment before finally accepting Lu Mingyuan’s gift. She said nonchalantly, "I have always been a reasonable person. Since I’ve taken your gift, I will naturally see things through. This isn’t just a promise to my senior sister, but also a responsibility to the people of the world."

"A responsibility to the people of the world?"

Lu Mingyuan’s expression was strange. He didn’t understand where that statement came from.

’Could it be that the Celestial Master’s Mansion believes I am destined by the Celestial Mandate, that I must become the Emperor?’

"That’s because..."

Yun Qinghe was still trying to figure out how to explain, but the figure before her had already strode swiftly past the threshold.

"In that case, thank you, Miss Yun. I’ll have to trouble you to keep watch tonight."

Lu Mingyuan, his conscience now completely clear, prepared to return to his new room to sleep.

He left Yun Qinghe standing there, flustered and disheveled in the wind, with a fierce glare in her eyes.

...

「The next day.」

Lu Mingyuan finally woke up not in the Cold Palace, but on a large bed made of warm jade.

His previous bed had been a bit cramped, but after moving, he no longer had that feeling at all.

Lu Mingyuan woke up early, scrubbed his face, and plucked away the stray strands of hair one by one.

The Flowing Water Banquet was set to begin in the evening.

As the Crown Prince, he had to go and prepare a few things in advance.

The Flowing Water Banquet, officially called the Winding Stream Party.

It was usually held in the spring and was considered a grand feast for the Emperor to celebrate with the people. In the Great Yan Dynasty, this day was also used for ancestral and celestial worship.

Lu Mingyuan set out early, taking a sedan chair to the Imperial Palace.

He went to check on the preparations for the Winding Stream Party.

In the center of the Holy Bright Palace stood a square sacrificial altar, seventy to eighty meters high.

The altar was constructed from crimson Holy Jade. At its four corners, a Divine Dragon was carved, each one lifelike and exuding a terrifying draconic might.

At the center of the altar was an ancient well that led deep into the earth’s core. A faint blue light emanated from the well’s opening, bathing the space above the altar in a blue hue.

The ancestral tablets of the Great Yan Royal Family’s ancestors were arranged, the seats were already prepared, and a continuously flowing bamboo channel of water passed by each position.

Clearly, these were preparations for the ancestral worship.

Two individuals with powerful auras were conspicuously present, overseeing the work.

The first was a man dressed in the armor of the Imperial Guard. He was shrouded in sixty-four layers of golden holy light, wore a suit of Golden Battle Armor, and held a Qilin Long Spear. He looked like an unparalleled War God.

The second was a handsome Confucian Scholar dressed in magnificent green robes. He had long, soft hair, delicate features, and smooth skin, exuding an air of scholarly elegance.

When Lu Mingyuan saw their Golden Dragon Waist Tokens, he immediately knew who they were.

Imperial Experts.

Besides the Four Great Tributors, Great Yan also had ten Imperial Experts. Ever since the time of the Grand Ancestor, the Imperial Experts have been responsible for protecting the Royal Family.

This vast Great Flame Dragon Wall was under the constant surveillance of the Imperial Experts.

If the Tributors were considered hired muscle for the Great Yan Dynasty...

...then these ten Imperial Experts had served only the successive Emperors since the founding of the dynasty by the Grand Ancestor. The organization they belonged to had a name: the Dragon Guardian Pavilion.

Their Daoist Cultivation was extremely high, having cultivated for hundreds of years, and they answered only to the Emperor.

Lu Mingyuan had never seen an Imperial Expert before while in the Cold Palace. That was because the Dragon Wall, the Three Academy Cultivators, and the Four Great Tributors were sufficient to handle any situation.

They only appeared when Great Yan faced a matter of great importance.

For example, enthronement ceremonies, sacrificial rites to heaven and earth, ancestor worship ceremonies, and so on...

Now, for the ancestral worship, Lu Mingyuan finally got to see the true faces of the Imperial Experts.

...