After leaving Moonrise Pavilion, Chu Zhiyuan first went to the Supervisory Council to thoroughly check the news from the Northern Frontier before returning to the Qing Wang Manor.
On the lake in the back garden of the Qing Wang Manor, inside an octagonal pavilion, a refined old man and a handsome middle-aged man were engrossed in a game of chess.
Beside them sat a beautiful woman in palace attire, radiant and adorned with pearls and jade, like a celestial fairy.
She was immersed in playing the zither, its music flowing peacefully and serenely.
These were none other than the Grand Clansman Chu Qingyan, the Prince of Qing, Chu Minghou, and his consort, Bai Ningshuang.
The black and white pieces on the chessboard were locked in a fierce battle, the situation dire.
Chu Minghou, unable to practice martial arts, was a master of both chess and painting.
Chu Qingyan was particularly fond of and valued Chu Minghou, enjoying several games with him every day at the Qing Wang Manor, almost forgetting his own home.
Even though Chu Zhiyuan had said the danger was resolved, he still hadn't left and remained at the Qing Wang Manor, intending to stay for a few more days.
Chu Zhiyuan arrived at the pavilion.
Bai Ningshuang stopped playing the zither, smiling and waving her delicate hand, signaling him not to disturb the two men.
Chu Zhiyuan came closer and sat down, smiling as he looked at the chessboard, shaking his head.
Chu Qingyan's black pieces were already in a desperate situation, with no chance of recovery, only futile struggle.
Chu Qingyan stared at the chessboard, sniffing the air, and grunted softly, "Went to see a woman, didn't you?"
Bai Ningshuang and Chu Minghou both looked over.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It was the Ninth Princess of the Great Mongol Empire."
"Li Hongzhao?" Chu Qingyan solemnly placed a black piece down, as if the small piece weighed as heavy as a mountain.
Then, wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned to look over, "It's best to stay away from her."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile, "Yes."
Bai Ningshuang hurriedly said, "Ninth Uncle, is it because she's a Great Mongol princess? This Ninth Princess is too beautiful and lacks solemnity, not as good as Ruoling."
Chu Qingyan said, "She's different from the Xiao family's girl; she's a true phoenix."
"Ninth Uncle, what's wrong with a phoenix?" Bai Ningshuang asked, "Too proud?"
"Tough fate." Chu Qingyan shook his head, watching Chu Minghou make his move on the chessboard, "Ordinary people can't subdue her.
"Ninth Uncle—!" Bai Ningshuang chided, "Don't leave your words half-spoken; explain clearly. Why can't a phoenix be subdued?"
Chu Qingyan chuckled, "You little girl, alright, alright. Only someone who becomes emperor can marry her; otherwise, marrying her will lead to death. That is the destiny of the phoenix bloodline."
"The phoenix bloodline is that powerful?" Bai Ningshuang said, "Isn't that equivalent to a curse?"
"It can't be said to be a curse. The benefits of the phoenix bloodline are immense. The Phoenix Cry of the Nine Heavens technique leads directly to the Grandmaster realm, and cultivation is extremely fast."
"Unable to marry the person one wants to marry, a lifetime of unhappiness. What good is being a Grandmaster then?" Bai Ningshuang said.
Chu Qingyan helplessly shook his head, "Bai girl, you... it's fortunate you married Minghou."
Chu Minghou smiled and placed a white piece down.
Chu Zhiyuan secretly shook his head.
Li Hongzhao wasn't thinking about marrying someone but about becoming emperor, her ambition soaring higher than the heavens.
He smiled and said, "Grand Uncle, I heard we're going to have peace talks with the Great Mongol Empire?"
"Hmm, it seems there is indeed going to be a peace talk." Chu Qingyan solemnly picked up a black piece, his gaze shifting around the chessboard.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "The Great Mongol Emperor is seriously ill and incurable; is he about to die?'
Chu Qingyan nonchalantly said, "Your information is quite well-informed; I only heard the news this morning."
"Really having peace talks?" Chu Zhiyuan frowned, "What about Great Zhen then?"
Chu Qingyan said, "If the three parties can all live in peace, that would be the best."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, remaining silent.
These words could only deceive the common people.
Chu Qingyan slammed the black piece down, helplessly saying, "Losing this game is all your fault; you prevented me from concentrating, unable to turn the situation around!"
Chu Zhiyuan chuckled.
Bai Ningshuang curiously said, "Ninth Uncle, are we really having peace talks? Is the Great Mongol Emperor really going to die?"
"It's estimated he suffered a qi deviation while practicing cultivation, and he's about to pass the throne down." Chu Qingyan said, "When a new emperor ascends the throne, their mind will be focused on securing their position, so they won't have the mind to wage war."
"Qi deviation?" Chu Zhiyuan frowned, "Have any of our past emperors suffered qi deviation?"
"Yes, there have been." Chu Qingyan nodded, "It's just that no one knows about it. Emperor Gaozong of the Fifth Generation suffered qi deviation, but fortunately, Emperor Xuanzong of the Sixth Generation was wise and martial, achieving the Grandmaster realm early on; otherwise, it would have been truly troublesome."
"Why qi deviation?" Chu Zhiyuan said, "Doesn't the Son of Heaven Sword protect oneself?"
"Who said the Son of Heaven Sword can protect one from qi deviation?"
"Even Grandmasters can suffer qi deviation?"
"You're a Grandmaster now too, and you know the difficulties of cultivation. If it's an ordinary Grandmaster, it's fine, but a Son of Heaven, with his ambitions soaring higher than the heavens, how can he be content?"
"... That's true."
Chu Qingyan shook his head, "I also wanted to remind you that once you reach this level, your state of mind must be calm. Pursue a carefree and natural existence, and don't continue to bury yourself in hard work and reckless charging like before; that will lead to qi deviation."
Chu Zhiyuan was thoughtful.
Chu Qingyan said, "The breakthrough to the Grandmaster realm is different from the previous two levels. The Jade Pavilion and Bronze Pavilion are more like inanimate objects, while the Golden Pavilion is a living thing that won't passively endure attacks without fighting back; it will retaliate."
Chu Zhiyuan solemnly nodded.
The Golden Pavilion can devour spiritual power. Even if one practices visualization, it's still inevitable that some spiritual power will drift onto the Golden Pavilion, but compared to before, most of it will condense on the visualized object.
The longer the time, the more solid and spiritual the Golden Pavilion becomes, and the more severe the backlash.
Therefore, if one wants to break through, one must do it early and never delay.
Stepping into the Grandmaster realm is the golden age, which must not be missed.
"In short, take it as a warning." Chu Qingyan shook his head, "This emperor of the Great Mongol Empire is probably in his prime,
ambitious and arrogant, insisting on breaking through, leading to the current situation. Fortunately, the Great Mongol Empire's First Prince has become a Grandmaster; otherwise—"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "What if no Grandmaster inherits the throne?"
Chu Qingyan grunted, "If the Son of Heaven Sword is without a master, then dragons and snakes will rise, and the world will be in turmoil."
Chu Zhiyuan solemnly nodded.
Without the Son of Heaven Sword, the imperial family would not have absolute overwhelming power.
How could the Grandmasters submit?
Moreover, the martial arts sects and various forces throughout the world would all be unrestrained.
In such a situation, how could the world not be in chaos?
Chu Zhiyuan looked in the direction of the Great Mongol Empire, thoughtful, his eyes gleaming.
"What are you thinking about?" Chu Qingyan simply pushed the chess pieces into the nearby box, no longer playing, and turned to Chu Zhiyuan, "You have many cunning ideas; what are you thinking?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "If the Great Mongol Empire's Son of Heaven Sword has no suitable master to choose—"
"You little brat, don't you dare have such thoughts!" Chu Qingyan said, "Unless the Great Mongol Emperor dies, even if it's from qi deviation, he can still activate the Son of Heaven Sword."
Chu Zhiyuan looked in the direction of the Great Mongol Empire.
Chu Qingyan said, "Assassinating a prince would bring endless trouble; it's best not to have such thoughts... Furthermore, the Great Mongol Emperor must have left behind countermeasures. Moreover, who knows if this isn't a trap?"
Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.
His gaze turned towards the direction of the Sifang Inn, landing on Li Hongzhao.
His ultra-sensory perception range had already reached six thousand meters, enough to cover the Sifang Inn.
Li Hongzhao was sitting in the small courtyard of the Great Mongol pavilion, listening to Su Qiuyan, who looked travel-worn, speaking.
Besides Su Qiuyan, there were also three middle-aged men, all Grandmasters.
