352: Chapter 352 Lingtai Shouyi

Unlike what Feng Ming expected, although he heard various announcements, the banquet did not start immediately.

This didn't matter to Feng Ming, but he wanted to take this opportunity to ask the Xun Luoyuan for more useful information; however, after entering, he couldn't find her.

Feng Ming felt quite helpless.

When Zhang Bai appeared, Feng Ming's eyes lit up and he hurried to meet him: "How did you find this place?"

Zhang Bai grinned: "How hard can it be? We're all from Liang Province. I had the guards lead me directly to the resting area for the Liang Province people, and I found it immediately."

"Although this villa is large, each province has a designated area, so no one wanders around aimlessly."

Feng Ming realized and quickly asked, "Do you know how to find the Xun Luoyuan?"

Zhang Bai shook his head, "How would I know? She has a noble status and her own exclusive resting area. She definitely won't appear until it starts."

Feng Ming sighed and stopped asking, "By the way, is your appointment settled?"

Zhang Bai immediately perked up, straightened his back, and smiled: "You finally remembered to ask me! Let me tell you, my post isn't too far or too close to yours."

Saying that, he took out a map of the Bright Moon Dynasty's territory from his Storage Ring, pointed his finger at the Qian Prefecture border, then moved it towards the Imperial Capital, stopping at a place between Qian Prefecture and the Imperial Capital, closer to Qian Prefecture:

"Right here! Your Majesty wants to build a Qian Prefecture Traveling Palace here, and I've been sent there."

"What use are you there? To do hard labor?" Lu Qianqian, who was nearby, leaned in and teased.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Zhang Bai pretended to be angry. "My Zhang Family is a family of Formation masters. Naturally, I'm going there as a Formation consultant! How could I be doing hard labor?"

Feng Ming chuckled: "When Your Majesty builds a traveling palace, how could there be a lack of top-tier Formation experts? I see you're at most going there to help plant Formation Flags and guard Formation eyes."

Zhang Bai scratched his head and smiled awkwardly: "Heh, you still know me best! But that's still much better than hard labor. Once you take up your post in Qian Prefecture, I'll come find you when I'm free. Anyway, it's close by!"

Feng Ming nodded with a smile. The short distance on the map might require crossing mountains and rivers in the reality of the Cultivation World, but at this moment, there was no need to dampen his spirits.

The three chatted for a while longer. The bustle of the Celebratory Banquet ultimately couldn't overcome the exhaustion of several days, so they thought about returning to their rooms to rest. It would be better to use this time to meditate and Cultivate to stabilize their cultivation.

Feng Ming found a maid to lead the way. The maid informed them that the male and female quarters were located in two different places, then called another maid to escort Lu Qianqian to the women's villa, while she led Feng Ming and Zhang Bai to the men's quarters.

After winding through several corridors, they finally reached the entrance of a courtyard. Figures moved back and forth inside, all male guests attending the banquet.

The maid pointed to a general in silver armor with a cold face at the door and said: "Gentlemen, this is Deputy Commander Yang Zhen. He is responsible for the safety and order of tonight's Celebratory Banquet. He will be on guard here all night. If there is anything, you can find him."

Zhang Bai whispered: "This Deputy Commander looks like someone who keeps people at a distance. What's his strength? I'm afraid he's not easy to get along with."

The maid chuckled: "Deputy Commander Yang has a cultivation at the Peak of the True Immortal Realm. Coming from a military background, his personality is a bit stiff, but he has been in charge of the Celebratory Banquet in previous years, so it's very secure. You two don't need to worry."

Zhang Bai nodded in agreement, but Feng Ming smiled: "Since he is the superior in charge of security, we should go over and say hello."

After saying that, he stepped toward Yang Zhen. Although Zhang Bai didn't understand, he had to follow.

"I am Feng Ming. Greetings, Deputy Commander Yang." Feng Ming raised his hand and actually extended it.

Yang Zhen was slightly stunned. In the Cultivation World, cupping one's hands was the traditional greeting. This etiquette was novel, but he didn't ask much. He reached out and shook his hand. His palm was rough, with thick calluses from holding weapons for many years.

"I've heard that Deputy Commander Yang's strength is outstanding. With you here, we can rest easy tonight." Feng Ming had a gentle smile.

"It's my duty." Yang Zhen's tone was flat, his face expressionless, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"We've been standing all day in court for the appointments and are physically and mentally exhausted, so we won't disturb the Deputy Commander's watch and will go rest first." Feng Ming cupped his hands in farewell and led Zhang Bai into the courtyard.

After walking a few steps, Zhang Bai couldn't help but ask: "What were you doing just now? It's one thing to try to get close to him, but where did you learn that handshake etiquette? I've never seen it before."

Feng Ming smiled faintly and said casually: "Perhaps I'm too tired and was momentarily confused, forgetting the etiquette of the Cultivation World."

Zhang Bai glanced at him and winked: "I don't think you're confused; did you not rest well last night? We've only been apart for a few days, and you're already so unrestrained?"

Feng Ming shook his head helplessly, too lazy to explain.

Was that handshake just now unintentional?

He merely wanted to use the moment of skin contact to test Yang Zhen's true strength. That restrained yet majestic spiritual power was indeed at the Peak of the True Immortal Realm, and his aura was condensed without leaking, definitely not an ordinary person.

This men's villa actually consisted of individual small courtyards for each person. The depth of the Bright Moon Dynasty's heritage was evident.

Feng Ming stood at the entrance of his own courtyard, his gaze sweeping across the scattered courtyards, thinking to himself: One person per courtyard, isolated from each other, making it hard to even look out for one another. The person who set this up certainly went to great lengths.

After the maid left, Feng Ming pushed the door open and entered. The room's decor was extremely minimalist: a bed, a prayer mat, a wooden table, and an empty incense burner.

He raised his hand and lifted the lid of the incense burner; it was empty. Entangling Love Threads naturally wouldn't be hidden in such a conspicuous place.

Since the other party dared to set this trap, the method of poisoning would certainly be secretive. He was merely checking out of habit.

Knowing he wouldn't sleep tonight, Feng Ming sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, but in reality, his mind was tense, waiting for the person in the shadows to make a move.

He sent a wisp of Divine Sense into his storage ring. He saw that the poisoned Ten Thousand Year Cold Ice had melted a little, and the large basin next to it had already collected half a basin of poisonous water. The water was still clear; he expected that the further it went, the thicker the poison would become.

The inside of the cold ice was still shrouded in poisonous mist, and his Divine Sense could not penetrate it. He didn't know what was actually frozen inside.

What puzzled him even more was that this cold ice didn't stir earlier or later, but moved exactly at the moment he stepped into the palace to receive his appointment. Was this a coincidence, or did it have some hidden connection with Qian Prefecture?

Time passed quietly during meditation. After an unknown amount of time, Feng Ming suddenly felt a surge of dry heat within his body, a wave of wicked fire rushing from his Dantian straight to the top of his head.

He snapped his eyes open. His vision was actually covered by a layer of pink mist. He reached up to touch his forehead, which was already dripping with sweat, and his clothes were soaked through.

"What a vicious Entangling Love Threads!" Feng Ming cursed inwardly.

After entering the room, he had only touched the prayer mat and the floor, yet he had still fallen for the trap. The underhanded tactics of the Inner Palace were indeed impossible to guard against.

But he was prepared. He immediately mobilized his spiritual power to shatter the cooling pill he had taken earlier.

The power of the Medicinal Pill instantly dissolved in his body. A cool sensation traveled through his limbs and bones. Although the dry heat did not completely disappear, it suppressed that out-of-control impulse, allowing him to remain conscious.

Just as he was on high alert, speculating when the other party would strike, an imperceptible breeze brushed past his cheek, and a strange fragrance wafted into his nose.

Feng Ming only felt his vision go dark, and his consciousness fell into Chaos.

He had been on the ground for no more than three breaths when a shadow dressed in night-traveling clothes broke through the window. Its movement was extremely fast. With a wave of its hand, it took Feng Ming into a storage ring and then silently glided out of the courtyard, disappearing into the night.

At the same time, in the women's quarters of the Qunlong Villa, the Xun Luoyuan was leaning against the bed, her face flushed and fine beads of sweat on her forehead. The toxicity of the Entangling Love Threads had already taken effect.

Fortunately, she had taken the cooling pill given by Feng Ming in advance. Although she felt an unbearable dry heat, her mind remained clear.