Chapter 293 Li Xiuning's Choice, Hou Xibai, Xu Ziling
In a quiet mountain villa on the outskirts of Chang'an.
Li Xiuning stood in front of the window, looking at Chang'an City in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her face, reflecting a golden color. Her eyes were full of worries, and her mind was full of thoughts.
"After my second brother ascends to heaven, what will happen to the Li family?" Li Xiuning whispered to himself, with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
She turned and walked into the inner room, only to see her father Li Yuan sitting on a simple wooden chair, looking decadent and dull. The once high-spirited founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty was now a prisoner, unable to even sit on the dragon couch.
"Father..." Li Xiuning called softly, with a hint of heartache in her voice.
Li Yuan raised his head and looked at his daughter with empty eyes: "Xiuning, you are here."
Li Xiuning walked up to his father and whispered, "Father, you have to cheer up. The Li family still needs you."
Li Yuan smiled bitterly and whispered, "Come on? Now that we are prisoners, what else can we cheer for?"
A hint of determination flashed in Li Xiuning's eyes: "Father, as long as we are still here, there is still hope for the Li family."
Li Yuan shook his head and whispered, "Hope? Qin Shuang won't give us hope. He destroyed our Tang Dynasty and imprisoned us, so how could he let us go?"
Li Xiuning was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Father, I have a plan that may save the Li family."
A trace of doubt flashed in Li Yuan's eyes: "What strategy?"
Li Xiuning took a deep breath and whispered, "I decided to offer to marry Qin Shuang in exchange for the safety of my family."
Li Yuan heard this and a trace of shock flashed in his eyes: "Xiuning, you... do you know what this means?"
Li Xiuning nodded and whispered, "I know. But for the Li family, I am willing to give everything."
A trace of pain flashed in Li Yuan's eyes, and he whispered: "Xiuning, father is sorry for you."
Li Xiuning shook his head and whispered, "Father, this is my own choice. You don't have to blame yourself."
Chang'an City, outside the Imperial Palace.
Li Xiuning stood in front of the palace gate, her plain dress swaying gently in the wind. Her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, and her temperament was cold, but there was a trace of anxiety in her eyes that was difficult to conceal. She looked up at the towering palace wall, with a myriad of thoughts in her mind.
"When will His Majesty come back?" she whispered to herself, with a hint of helplessness in her voice.
The palace gate slowly opened, and a middle-aged man in official robes walked out slowly. He had a thin face and deep eyes. He was the right prime minister of the Tianqin Empire - Zhuge Cheng.
"Miss Li, sorry for keeping you waiting." Zhuge Cheng bowed slightly, his voice gentle but with a hint of alienation.
Li Xiuning hurried forward and said respectfully, "Prime Minister Zhuge, Xiuning came here today to ask to see Your Majesty. I wonder when Your Majesty will be able to return to the palace?"
Zhuge Cheng shook his head and whispered, "Your Majesty is out on an inspection tour these days and his return date is uncertain. If Miss Li has anything important to tell me, I will pass it on when Your Majesty returns to the palace."
A trace of disappointment flashed in Li Xiuning's eyes, and he whispered, "I'm afraid this matter... can only be discussed with His Majesty in person."
Zhuge Cheng's eyes moved slightly, as if he saw through her thoughts, and whispered, "Miss Li, is this for the Li family's business?"
Li Xiuning nodded and whispered, "That's right. The Li family is in a difficult situation right now, and Xiuning hopes to gain a glimmer of safety for the family."
Zhuge Cheng pondered for a moment and whispered, "I understand Miss Li's painstaking efforts. But your majesty has always been a long-term thinker. Without a clear order, we, the ministers, dare not speculate."
Li Xiuning bit her lip and whispered, "Prime Minister Zhuge, can you tell me where His Majesty has gone? Xiuning is willing to go and see him in person."
Zhuge Cheng shook his head and whispered, "Your Majesty's whereabouts are confidential, so I cannot reveal them. However, if Miss Li is interested, you may wait in Chang'an City. I will notify you as soon as possible when His Majesty returns."
Li Xiuning heard this, although he felt unwilling, he could only nod and agree: "Thank you, Prime Minister Zhuge."
After leaving the palace, Li Xiuning walked alone on the streets of Chang'an City. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her body, reflecting a golden glow. Her heart was filled with confusion and helplessness, like a boat lost in a storm.
"After my brother ascends to heaven, what will happen to the Li family?" She whispered to herself, with a hint of sob in her voice.
She thought of her father Li Yuan's decadent appearance and the former glory of the Li family, and she couldn't help but feel sad. She knew that she had to do something to save the fate of her family.
"Maybe... I can only wait." She murmured softly, with a gleam of determination in her eyes.
At the same time, in a villa on the outskirts of Chang'an.
Li Yuan sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, staring blankly at the sky in the distance. In his hand was a jade pendant, which was once a symbol of his being the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Now, this jade pendant has become his only comfort.
"Xiuning, where have you been?" Li Yuan whispered to himself, with a hint of worry in his voice.
He knew that his daughter had paid a huge price for the safety of the family, but he was powerless.
Tianqin world, outside the city of Chang'an.
Hou Xibai stood on a towering mountain, his white clothes whiter than snow, waving a folding fan in his hand. His aura was several times stronger than before, and a layer of light spiritual light enveloped his body, which was the sign of a grandmaster.
He looked into the distance, his eyes full of anticipation and enthusiasm.
"Master Fairy... where are you?" Hou Xibai whispered to himself, with a hint of obsession in his voice.
Since the spiritual energy of the Tianqin world surged, his cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, and he has finally entered the realm of a grandmaster. However, he always has an obsession in his heart - to find Shi Feixuan.
"Master, I will definitely find you." Hou Xibai murmured in a low voice, with a hint of determination in his voice.
A few years ago, he had a reunion with Shi Feixuan. At that time, Shi Feixuan was dressed in white, with picturesque features and an extraordinary temperament. Her figure was deeply imprinted in Hou Xibai's heart and became his obsession that he could not let go.
In order to find Shi Feixuan, Hou Xibai traveled to every corner of the Tianqin world, even to Europe, America, Africa, etc. However, Shi Feixuan seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, with no news.
"Master, where are you?" Hou Xibai murmured in a low voice, with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
In the Tianqin world, outside the Chang'an Imperial Palace.
Xu Ziling stood in front of the palace gate, his blue shirt swaying gently in the wind. His eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, and his temperament was cold, but there was a trace of longing in his eyes that was difficult to conceal. He looked up at the towering palace wall, with a myriad of thoughts in his mind. "Mr. Zhong, where are you?" He whispered to himself, with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
The palace gate slowly opened, and a middle-aged man in official robes walked out slowly. He had a thin face and deep eyes. He was the right prime minister of the Tianqin Empire - Zhuge Cheng.
"Mr. Xu, sorry to have kept you waiting." Zhuge Cheng bowed slightly, his voice gentle but with a hint of alienation.
Xu Ziling stepped forward and said respectfully, "Prime Minister Zhuge, I came here today to inquire about Kou Zhong's news. When will he be able to return to Chang'an?"
Zhuge Cheng shook his head and whispered, "General Kou is following His Majesty to carry out a mission in another world, and his return date is uncertain. If Master Xu has anything important to tell me, I will pass it on when General Kou returns to the palace."
A trace of disappointment flashed across Xu Ziling's eyes, and he whispered, "I'm afraid this matter... can only be discussed with Master Zhong in person."
Zhuge Cheng's eyes moved slightly, as if he saw through his thoughts, and whispered, "Master Xu, are you here for cultivation?"
Xu Ziling nodded and whispered, "That's right. Ziling has made some breakthroughs in his cultivation recently and wants to share his experience with Master Zhong."
Zhuge Cheng pondered for a moment and whispered, "I understand Mr. Xu's painstaking efforts. But General Kou's whereabouts are confidential, so I cannot reveal them. However, if Mr. Xu is interested, you may wait in Chang'an City. I will notify you as soon as General Kou returns."
Xu Ziling heard this, although he felt unwilling, he could only nod and agree: "Thank you, Prime Minister Zhuge."
After leaving the palace, Xu Ziling walked alone on the streets of Chang'an City. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on him, reflecting a golden glow. His heart was filled with confusion and helplessness, like a boat lost in a storm.
"Mr. Zhong, where are you?" he whispered to himself.
He thought of the days when he fought side by side with Kou Zhong and the oath they had made, and a feeling of sadness welled up in his heart. He knew that he had to do something to find Kou Zhong.
"Maybe... I can only wait." He murmured softly, with a gleam of determination in his eyes.
At the same time, a mortal cultivates immortality in the world.
Kou Zhong stood in a desolate valley, with a faint aura surrounding him, which was a sign of the foundation-building stage. His aura was several times stronger than before, and his eyes were full of confidence and expectation.
"Young Master Ling, how shocked would you be if you saw my current level of cultivation?" Kou Zhong whispered to himself with a hint of pride in his voice.
He knew that all his progress was granted by His Majesty Qin Shuang. Without Qin Shuang's guidance and resources, he would never have been able to break through the foundation-building stage in such a short time.
"Your Majesty, Kou Zhong will always remember your kindness in his heart." Kou Zhong said in a low voice with a hint of gratitude in his voice.
Deep in the Yellow Maple Valley, on the top of a mountain shrouded in clouds and mist, Zhong Lingdao stood on a huge bluestone, holding a gleaming jade slip in his hand. The news from the jade slip made him frown and look solemn.
"Tianxiahui...Qin Shuang..." He whispered the two names, with a hint of shock in his eyes.
As the head of the Yellow Maple Valley, Zhong Lingdao had long been accustomed to the ups and downs of the world of immortal cultivation, but this time, he felt a little uneasy. A secular sect could actually control Zhao Bin, the emperor of Zhao State, and even bring the entire Zhao State under its control. This was simply incredible!
"Master, is this true?" the elder beside him couldn't help but ask.
Zhong Lingdao nodded, his tone heavy: "It is absolutely true. The Tianxiahui has infiltrated every corner of Zhao State, even Zhao Bin is firmly controlled by them. Who is this Qin Shuang?"
Zhong Lingdao recalled that not long ago, Qin Shuang was a disciple of his Huangfeng Valley. At that time, Qin Shuang was gifted and practiced at an amazing speed, but he was withdrawn and rarely interacted with others. Later, Qin Shuang suddenly left Huangfeng Valley and disappeared.
"Qin Shuang...he actually ran away and established a secular sect?" Zhong Lingdao murmured to himself, his heart full of confusion and shock.
He really couldn't understand why a disciple who once practiced in the Yellow Maple Valley would take such a path. What shocked him even more was that Qin Shuang not only controlled Zhao Bin, the emperor of Zhao State, but also had a close relationship with Nangong Wan of Yanyue Sect.
"Master, Qin Shuang is a man with deep scheming minds. I'm afraid he had this planned long ago." An elder said in a deep voice.
Zhong Lingdao nodded, a complex expression flashing in his eyes: "Qin Shuang is extremely talented, but his character is hard to predict. When he left the Yellow Maple Valley, I thought he just wanted to go out for training, but I didn't expect him to..."
Zhong Lingdao recalled the various rumors about Tianxiahui in recent years. This secular sect, which was originally unknown, rose rapidly in just a few years, not only swallowing up the surrounding forces of all sizes, but also reaching out to the world of immortal cultivation.
What is even more shocking is that Qin Shuang himself seems to possess some kind of mysterious power, which can easily defeat the strong in the world of immortal cultivation.
"Master, should we send someone to investigate?" another elder suggested.
Zhong Lingdao pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Don't act rashly for now. This Qin Shuang is not simple. If you act rashly, you may alert the enemy."
He looked up at the sky in the distance, feeling a little uneasy. The rise of the Tianxiahui seemed to indicate that some great changes were about to happen.
At the same time, in the Zhao Palace, Zhao Bin was sitting on the dragon throne, his face pale and his eyes empty. Next to him stood a man in black, who was Ye Kanghui from the Tianxiahui.
"Your Majesty, have you finished reviewing today's memorials?" the man in black asked coldly.
Zhao Bin nodded mechanically, his voice hoarse: "The senior has already... finished reviewing it."
The man in black nodded with satisfaction and turned away. Zhao Bin looked at his back, a trace of despair flashing in his eyes. He knew that he had already become a puppet of the Tianxiahui and didn't even have the courage to resist.
In the Yellow Maple Valley, Zhong Lingdao finally made up his mind. He summoned several elders in the valley and said in a deep voice: "The power of the Tianxia Association has threatened our Yellow Maple Valley. We can't just sit back and watch. I decided to go to Zhao State in person to meet Qin Shuang."
"Master, this is too dangerous!" an elder hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
Zhong Lingdao waved his hand and said firmly: "It doesn't matter. If we don't find out Qin Shuang's background, our Huangfeng Valley may be in danger."
He turned and looked into the distance, his eyes deep: "I want to see who this Qin Shuang is."
What made Zhong Lingdao even more uneasy was the relationship between Qin Shuang and Nangong Wan of Yanyue Sect. Nangong Wan was the pride of Yanyue Sect, with extraordinary strength and arrogant personality. How could she be related to the leader of a secular sect like Qin Shuang?
"Master, Nangong Wan is a scheming woman. I'm afraid she has colluded with Qin Shuang for a long time." An elder said in a low voice.
Zhong Lingdao nodded, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes: "No matter what conspiracy they have, I will get to the bottom of it."
Qin Shuang sat cross-legged in a quiet cave, surrounded by a faint spiritual energy. His consciousness was immersed in cultivation, feeling the flow of spiritual power in his body. Suddenly, a mechanical voice sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining 150,000 luck points! ]
Qin Shuang suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes: "150,000 luck points? What's going on?"
He quickly called up the system interface, only to see a message flashing:
[Murong Fu has occupied nearly half of the cities in the Tianlongbabu world, and the luck points have been automatically transferred to the host. ]
"Murong Fu?" Qin Shuang was a little surprised. He didn't expect that Murong Fu, whom he had casually taught, could actually cause such a big storm in the Tianlong Babu world. (End of this chapter)