His relaxed smile slowly faded.
Xiao Ruoling smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It seems this Holy Maiden position is worth fighting for."
"Hmm?" Xiao Ruoling blinked her deep, bright eyes. Xiao Zhiyuan's attitude had fundamentally changed.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "If it weren't for the Great Taiyin Chain, it would be one thing, but with such a miraculous skill, how can we let it go?!"
"But..."
"It's only ten years. We're still young. Is it worth trading ten years for hundreds of years of lifespan?"
If Xiao Ruoling could become a Grandmaster, that would be fine, but if she couldn't, her lifespan would be far less than his. Once she practiced the Great Taiyin Chain, she could keep up with him, and she could also maintain her youth forever.
To exchange for ten years, what a wonderful thing!
She really didn't want to be this Holy Maiden.
Going to the secret realm would be fun. Secret realms are like treasures waiting to be explored. But the Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden? Forget about it.
The Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden didn't appeal to her. People crave what they lack.
In the eyes of outsiders, the Inviting Moon Palace is mysterious and powerful, with a lofty status, but in her eyes, it wasn't so dazzling. She just saw it as another martial arts sect. After all, she was a lady of the Duke's mansion.
The Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden is second only to the Palace Master in power, but as the young lady of the Duke's mansion, managing the entire household, she didn't lack power. She felt that the Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden's reputation and status were not as good as her position as the Prince's Consort.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Since the opportunity has presented itself, we should try our best, to avoid future regrets."
"...Alright." Seeing him like this, Xiao Ruoling could only reluctantly agree.
Chu Zhiyuan thought for a moment and said, "Since there will be a martial arts competition, we need to prepare well. Starting tomorrow, I'll come over every afternoon, and we'll practice swordsmanship."
"Okay." Xiao Ruoling reluctantly agreed.
The next morning, he continued to practice his skills at the Mingwu Hall, went to the Ministry of Rites to report, and then went to his new residence to cultivate. When it was time for lunch, Bai Ning霜 had already returned from the palace.
After the meal, Chu Zhiyuan said, "Mother, I have something to say to the Empress."
"What is it?" Bai Ning霜 asked, "Do you want me to pass it on to the Empress immediately?"
"Yes."
"Speak," Bai Ning霜 said.
Chu Yi and Chu Minghou both looked over.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "I would like to request that the Emperor send Grandmaster Song to secretly protect Ruoling."
"Hmm?" The three were all surprised.
This request was extremely strange and abrupt.
A Grandmaster secretly protecting someone? This was a privilege that ordinary people couldn't enjoy. Not to mention a Prince's Consort, even a Prince didn't have this treatment.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Just tell the Empress that."
"Yuan'er, what's going on? Why do you want a Grandmaster to protect Ruoling? Is Ruoling in danger?"
"That's right, Brother, is Sister-in-law in any danger?"
"She's going out for a trip."
"To do what?"
"To go to Inviting Moon Palace to see if she can become the Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden."
"... Yuan'er, what nonsense are you talking about!" Bai Ning霜 said unhappily, "What exactly is going on?"
"Mother, let's talk about this later. First, tell the Empress about this."
"...Alright." Seeing Chu Zhiyuan's serious expression, Bai Ning霜 didn't say anything more and agreed to leave.
She had always been a decisive person, doing what she thought of.
After Bai Ning霜 left, Chu Yi pulled him, insisting on asking him to explain.
Chu Zhiyuan helplessly followed her to Wanqing Courtyard.
Everywhere was filled with flowers and exotic plants, vying for beauty, a feast for the eyes. No wonder she didn't want to leave this place.
This was indeed a world of tranquility, free from the disturbances of the mundane world. Sometimes, Chu Zhiyuan thought that Chu Yi's life was truly wonderful.
She didn't need to worry about too much, only immersing herself in her own world, with parents and an older brother who loved her, living a life of luxury, playing with flowers and plants, a fulfilling and satisfying day quickly passed. Now, she practiced her skills and had her friend Li Suyue come to accompany her.
He was about to speak when he heard the little maid outside report that Miss Li had arrived. So Chu Yi ran out to greet Li Suyue.
Li Suyue entered, wearing a dark green silk dress, looking soft and delicate. When she saw Chu Zhiyuan, her face immediately turned red. Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Little sister, since Suyue is here, I won't disturb you."
He was about to get up and leave, but Chu Yi stopped him, "Brother, Suyue is here, but it won't delay you from talking. Hurry up and talk about serious matters!" Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "There's no result yet, so we'll have to wait."
Chu Yi held onto him, not letting him leave, "Even if there's no result, tell us anyway."
Chu Zhiyuan helplessly looked at her small hand, "Alright, let go, I'll tell you." Chu Yi quickly released her small hand and helped Chu Zhiyuan tidy up his clothes, smiling and saying, "Brother, we're all ears."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "This matter is a long story."
"Then tell it slowly, there's no rush." Upon hearing this, Chu Yi became very interested and quickly asked the little maid to bring tea, snacks, and fruits. She handed fruits to Li Suyue, offered tea to Chu Zhiyuan, and took a light sip herself, leisurely and content, looking at Chu Zhiyuan, ready to listen to him. Seeing her like this, Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "This story starts with the martial arts that Ruoling practices. She secretly took West Palace Empress as her teacher."
"Ah?" Chu Yi surprisingly said, "Sister Xiao is actually a martial artist? She practices martial arts?" Chu Zhiyuan nodded and smiled, "She has reached the Perfected Innate Realm and is about to enter the Grandmaster Realm."
If she entered the Grandmaster Realm, she wouldn't be qualified to become the Holy Maiden.
"That can't be right?" Chu Yi surprisingly said, "Sister Xiao doesn't know martial arts? Suyue, is that right?"
"This..." Li Suyue didn't dare to look at Chu Zhiyuan, only staring at Chu Yi, and softly said, "It seems that there are some miraculous skills in the martial world that can conceal one's aura and prevent detection, keeping one's abilities hidden. She must have practiced this kind of miraculous skill." "Oh!" Chu Yi quickly said, "And then?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "West Palace Empress is from Inviting Moon Palace, so Ruoling is also a disciple of Inviting Moon Palace."
"Inviting Moon Palace..." Chu Yi looked at Li Suyue.
Li Suyue lightly furrowed her brows and softly said, "Inviting Moon Palace is one of the Four Great Demonic Sects, and it minds its own business with the imperial court."
Chu Yi said, "One of the Four Great Demonic Sects... a Demonic Sect?"
Li Suyue quickly said, "Demonic Sects are different from Evil Sects. It's not to say that they are evil, but that their actions are not within the bounds of the law, doing whatever they want. And because their status is detached, in short, Inviting Moon Palace is extremely powerful." "Then what happened next?"
"A while ago, the Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden stepped down and a new Holy Maiden was to be selected, so Ruoling was ordered by her teacher to go and participate in the selection."
"The Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden?" Li Suyue surprisingly said, "The Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden is extraordinary!" Chu Yi quickly looked at her.
Li Suyue then said, "The Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden is the second-in-command of the Inviting Moon Palace, second only to the Palace Master. And the Palace Master rarely manages affairs, mostly remaining in seclusion, so the Holy Maiden handles most of the Inviting Moon Palace's affairs... This is what I heard from my grandmaster." "Then if she becomes the Holy Maiden, can she still marry you, Brother?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Then she can only wait until she steps down from the position of Holy Maiden. Of course, it also depends on whether she can be selected as the Holy Maiden. She may not be selected."
"If she is selected, then you can't get married?"
"Yes, the Holy Maiden cannot marry."
"How long does it take to step down from the position of Holy Maiden?"
"Ten years."
"Brother, you're twenty now, so in ten years you'll be thirty... If Mother knew this, she would definitely be struck by lightning." Chu Yi looked at him sympathetically, "Mother will definitely go crazy. Brother, you figure it out."
"Since I'm telling you, little sister, naturally I want you to help."
"I can't help!"
"Ruoling also has no choice. West Palace Empress gave the order. What can she do?" He pushed the responsibility onto West Palace Empress, and everything was fine.
It wasn't exactly shrugging off responsibility, it was originally her responsibility. "...That's true."
"You tell Mother in advance," Chu Zhiyuan said.
"Alright." Chu Yi sighed, "The most pitiful one is Sister Xiao. She actually has to become a Holy Maiden at this critical moment." She didn't think the Inviting Moon Palace's Holy Maiden was important, feeling that it was far worse than being a Prince's Consort.
Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement with a look of approval.
If it weren't for the Great Taiyin Chain, the Holy Maiden wouldn't be that important. At most, it would add a layer of glory to Xiao Ruoling. Now it was different.
"Brother, you're pitiful too. The Prince's Consort you're about to marry is flying away." Chu Yi giggled, "You can only marry her back in ten years." "This position of Holy Maiden isn't something you can sit in just because you want to. It also depends on fate," Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
"Sister Xiao is so beautiful, how is it possible that she won't be selected as the Holy Maiden?" Chu Yi said. Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "It's not just based on beauty."
"Sister Xiao is not only incomparably beautiful, but also intelligent, and manages the Duke's mansion. Who can compare?" "...If she is really selected, ten years isn't a long time. It's a good time to focus on practicing her skills."
"Mother will definitely be jumping with anxiety." Chu Yi stuck out her tongue.
Chu Zhiyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had to muddle through this side, at least lay a good foundation, and the most important thing was to calm Bai Ning霜's anxiety and anger, to avoid her making a scene. If Bai Ning霜's temper was truly provoked, she would definitely go to the Emperor to make a fuss.
