"Alas..." Chu Zhiyuan sighed. "Then, let's strive to reach the Grandmaster level."
Zou Fang bowed and said, "Yes, this servant will definitely do her utmost to reach the Grandmaster level."
Chu Zhiyuan frowned and pondered, "How did Chief Eunuch Huang achieve Grandmaster status?"
"Chief Eunuch Huang had a fortuitous encounter," Zou Fang said.
"A fortuitous encounter..." Chu Zhiyuan mused.
This meant that, without a fortuitous encounter, those who practiced the Lifeless True Scripture had no way to step into the Grandmaster level.
According to his current understanding, a Grandmaster required the five elements to be balanced, and a Grandmaster might need the essence, qi, and spirit to be perfected.
Not needing the rebirth of reproductive organs, yet still achieving perfect essence, was there some secret, or a rare treasure?
Or had he consumed some heavenly material or earthly treasure?
"I will pay attention," Chu Zhiyuan said. "To see if there's a way to help you reach the Grandmaster level."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Zou Fang said.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "There's always a way."
From childhood to adulthood, Zou Fang had always been by his side, and he had grown accustomed to her presence.
To die at the age of eighty would truly be a pity.
If he could comprehend the secrets of a Grandmaster, he would certainly be able to comprehend the secrets of a Grand Grandmaster in the future.
He suddenly raised his head and glanced at the Bright Moon Tower.
The Bright Moon Tower was brightly lit, standing tall in the night sky, with the melodious sound of pipes and songs floating out, mixed with the noise.
Guo Chi said, "Your Highness, would you like to go up and have a meal?"
"...Let's go," Chu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment, then turned and entered the Bright Moon Tower.
Guo Chi hurriedly sent a peripheral guard to notify the Royal Palace that he would not be returning for dinner.
Chu Zhiyuan ascended to the third floor and arrived outside the elegant room guarded by the six Cloud-Treading Iron Riders, raising his voice, "Your Highness, we meet again."
Li Hongzhao's voice floated from inside the room, "There's no need for us to meet."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Is this because you're feeling guilty? Afraid to see me?"
"Bang!" The door was suddenly pulled open, and Li Hongzhao stood in the doorway, her beautiful face wearing a sneer.
Her red robe was like flames, making her skin even whiter, her beauty even more radiant, her dazzling light making it impossible to look directly at her.
"What do I have to be guilty about?!" Li Hongzhao glanced at him sideways, sneering, "Don't falsely accuse people!"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "What has Your Highness done that you need me to spell it out?"
As he spoke, he walked inside.
Li Hongzhao turned and walked back, leaning against the window and sitting at the table, glaring at him coldly.
Li Hongzhao's maidservant hurriedly served wine and retreated from the room.
Zou Fang also withdrew.
Only Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao remained in the room.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Why is Mr. Su missing again?"
Li Hongzhao snorted, "Mr. Su has his own matters, which need not concern you."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "It's better to be careful, the Netherworld Secret Guards have already attacked me, and even the Divine Envoy has come out.
Since they can't deal with me, they might target you."
"The Divine Envoy wouldn't dare to look for me... What did you mean just now?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "You're the one pretending to be confused now."
"Pretending to be confused about what?"
"Isn't Your Highness the one who spread the news about the Phoenix Camp far and wide?" Chu Zhiyuan snorted.
Li Hongzhao sneered, "I spread the news for you? To promote your prestige? I'm not that stupid."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "It's hard to say whether you're stupid or not, forcing the Great Lie Emperor to jump over the wall in desperation, sending the Netherworld Secret Guards to assassinate me, isn't that your plan to kill with a borrowed knife?"
Under his extrasensory perception, he could determine that it was Li Hongzhao who had spread the news.
Sure enough, one move followed another.
"Nonsense!" Li Hongzhao said unhappily, "How would I know whether the Great Lie Emperor would kill you or not?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Now that Mr. Su isn't around, tell me, if I were to attack, could I escape?"
"You dare!" Li Hongzhao snorted, "If you kill me, you'll lose your life too!"
"I believe that Imperial Grandfather can protect me," Chu Zhiyuan said.
Li Hongzhao sneered, "Even if the Great Jing Emperor can protect you, what about the other princes and heirs?"
"If the Great Meng Emperor dares to do that, your Great Meng imperial family will also be destroyed.
If he doesn't want that, then he has to restrain himself."
"Laughable!"
"It seems you're not afraid," Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
His killing intent surged, and the aura around his body gradually condensed, like a treasured sword about to be unsheathed.
Li Hongzhao's phoenix eyes narrowed instantly, and she sneered, "Chu Zhiyuan, you'd better think carefully!"
Her red robe fluttered slowly, as if a wind was blowing in from the window, but in fact, there was no wind tonight.
It was like a phoenix slowly awakening in the fire, confronting Chu Zhiyuan's aura head-on.
The air seemed to become scorching hot.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Your Highness's cultivation has improved again, congratulations."
The last time he saw her, she didn't have such an aura.
Her rate of progress was also extremely fast, second only to him.
Li Hongzhao said coldly, "I have you to thank for that."
Chu Zhiyuan's eyes gradually brightened, and his sword intent condensed, about to strike at her.
Suddenly, his aura relaxed, and his sword intent quickly dissipated.
He shook his head and smiled, "How is my aura?"
Li Hongzhao still glared at him coldly, and also retracted her boiling aura.
The air in the room returned to normal, no longer so scorching hot.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "The Netherworld Secret Guards are Divine Guards, Your Highness should know what that means, right?"
"What?"
"The Great Lie Emperor is crazy," Chu Zhiyuan said. "To actually keep Divine Guards and collude with Divine Envoys, what is that if not madness?"
"...He's not as crazy as you!" Li Hongzhao snorted, "You really wanted to kill me just now, didn't you?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Tit for tat, Your Highness didn't want to kill me either, did you?"
"Hmph," Li Hongzhao didn't want to lie.
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Your Highness's tricks are really too ridiculous, you're forcing me."
"So what?" Li Hongzhao snorted.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "If the Phoenix Camp were to visit your Great Meng, could your Great Meng withstand it?"
"You're welcome to try!" Li Hongzhao said disdainfully, "Great Meng is not Great Lie."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Actually, it's about the same, they can still approach silently, still kill without leaving a trace, and still escape.
"Giggle..." Li Hongzhao laughed, her breasts shaking, "You think we're like those trash from Great Lie? On the open grasslands, how would you approach silently?"
"Only a thousand people, they would dismount far away and approach under the cover of night."
"There are golden eagles patrolling in the sky," Li Hongzhao said proudly.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Wearing your Great Meng armor."
"...There are eagle shooters watching from afar, you can't escape their eyes."
"Wearing your Great Meng armor."
"You don't understand the flag language, you have to use flag language to send secret codes from afar."
"What's so difficult about flag language, what's so difficult about secret codes, it's not like only Great Meng has secret agents."
"The secret codes change every night, how can you find out?" Li Hongzhao said disdainfully.
"These tricks can only be used on Great Lie, they're useless against our Great Meng!"
"...Then what about entering the city?" Chu Zhiyuan said, "Wearing Great Meng armor, arriving outside the city, you can't have different secret codes every day, right?"
"...What's the use of you attacking the city with so few people?"
Chu Zhiyuan said lightly, "Once you enter the city, isn't it yours for the taking? With this method, how many people can you kill?"
Li Hongzhao snorted, "You're really despicable!"
"It was Your Highness who was despicable first, who made the first move," Chu Zhiyuan snorted.
"Can't I retaliate? There must be reciprocity, it's impolite not to reciprocate!"
Li Hongzhao glared at him, her voice squeezed out from between her pearly white teeth, "What do you want?"
She had exchanged blows with Chu Zhiyuan several times, and had already figured out Chu Zhiyuan's methods.
In the end, it was all about coercion and intimidation, just to get benefits.
"Twenty Phoenix Blood Pills," Chu Zhiyuan said.
