197: Chapter 197 Nothing much to do today, let's have a refined gathering and listen to music!

"The right hand belongs to Us."

Before the echoes of those words could fade, Lu Chen's right arm was locked by Yue Qingxuan for a full two hours.

When she finally let go of his hand contentedly and yawned while leaning against his shoulder, Lu Chen finally fished out the Jade Slip from his Storage Ring that he had almost forgotten entirely.

"I almost forgot about the serious business."

He tossed the Jade Slip into Yue Qingxuan's arms.

Yue Qingxuan caught it with one hand, her phoenix eyes scanned it, and the laziness on her Face instantly froze.

"The Ye family? An apprenticeship ceremony?"

She flipped the Jade Slip over to look at the signature on the back, her phoenix eyes narrowing into slits.

"An invitation from that woman, Ye Lanxi?"

Lu Chen supported the soundly sleeping Yue Shiyun in one arm while lifting his wine gourd for a swig with the other.

"This Emperor's disciple, Ye Qingxian, is Ye Lanxi's daughter. The apprenticeship ceremony is quite a big deal, and they've invited all the major powers. If the Wushuang Immortal Dynasty wasn't invited, it wouldn't look good for their Face."

Yue Qingxuan slapped the Jade Slip onto the headboard.

"Not going."

Short and concise, just two words.

"I remember the last time I sparred with her was to snatch a Body Cultivator boxing technique! She's an old Senior who doesn't follow martial ethics, bullying a child like me!"

"Alright then, the invitation has been delivered. This Emperor is leaving tomorrow."

He made to get up as he spoke.

Yue Qingxuan's hand instantly clamped onto his wrist.

"You dare."

Lu Chen looked back at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You've only been here for a day, and you're leaving just like that?"

A flash of panic crossed Yue Qingxuan's phoenix eyes. She bit her lower lip, her fingers tightening on his wrist by thirty percent.

"If you don't go, I'll never come back again."

After those words fell, Qingyue Palace was silent for three breaths.

Yue Qingxuan's phoenix eyes widened as her chest heaved violently twice.

"...Go, I must go!"

"The Wushuang Immortal Dynasty's relationship with the Ye family wasn't bad before. It's just that my Heavenly Overlord Body and her Desolate Ancient Sacred Body are naturally incompatible; we want to fight as soon as we meet. That's why things got tense."

She paused for a beat, her voice dropping lower.

"I will be careful."

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curled up.

"Good girl."

The tips of Yue Qingxuan's ears turned from red to deep purple as her phoenix eyes suddenly glared over.

"Say that again?"

Lu Chen had already lied back down, his left arm around Yue Shiyun, while his right hand patted the spot beside him.

Yue Qingxuan glared at him for three breaths before finally lying down on her side next to him, her long golden hair spreading over his shoulder.

"But you have to stay with me for a few more days."

"Mm."

"At least ten days."

"Three days."

"Seven days."

"Five days, not a day more."

Yue Qingxuan buried her Face in the crook of his arm, her voice muffled.

"Deal."

---

The next day.

Yue Qingxuan was called to the front court by a female attendant before dawn.

The Wushuang Immortal Dynasty had major events recently; the peace talks with the Great Xia Dynasty had just been reached. Diplomatic missions from both countries were in the capital. Today, there was an elegant gathering for the prodigies of both dynasties, and the Empress had to preside over the opening.

Lu Chen lay alone on the dragon bed in Qingyue Palace.

Yue Shiyun was sprawled on his chest, her silver hair covering half his body, her small hands clutching his lapel, sleeping so soundly she was drooling.

Lu Chen used his sleeve to wipe the corner of her mouth and rolled over.

Feeling bored, he sat up from the bed, took Yue Shiyun into his arms, and pushed open the doors of Qingyue Palace.

Sunlight poured in.

The warm jade corridors of the inner palace stretched for miles, spiritual springs flowed between the pillars, and rare Imperial-grade spiritual flowers were planted in the flowerbeds, giving off a light fragrance.

Two palace maids standing guard outside bowed in unison upon seeing Lu Chen walk out carrying the princess.

"Lord Emperor Yun, what are your orders?"

"What excitement is there in the capital today?"

The palace maid on the left, named Caiwei, replied:

"Reporting to my Lord, today there is a Prodigy Elegant Gathering at the Wangyue Tower. It was specially organized by Her Majesty to welcome the Great Xia Dynasty's mission. The top young talents from both dynasties will be present."

"It is a cultural exchange for discussing refined matters, listening to songs, identifying melodies, and drinking tea while debating the Dao!"

"Only drinking tea and debating the Dao, no fighting allowed?"

"Exactly. The peace talks between the two dynasties have just been finalized, and Her Majesty has set the rules: only refined matters, no martial combat."

Lu Chen became interested.

He looked down at Yue Shiyun in his arms.

The little girl's red eyes blinked dazedly, her small hands tugging his collar as she murmured, "Don't put me down," before closing her eyes again.

"This Emperor will go take a look in the capacity of the Eldest Princess's Dao Protector. Do not make a fuss."

"Nothing to do today, listening to music at the elegant gathering!"

Caiwei was stunned for a moment before realizing that this Lord did not want to reveal his identity.

"Your servant obeys."

---

Half an hour later.

Wangyue Tower.

The nine-story spiritual wood building stood tall on the capital's central axis. Its structure was built from ten-thousand-year-old golden silk phoebe wood, with warm jade as windows. Spiritual Qi gushed from the formation patterns at the building's foundation, condensing into a light mist at the top.

Security inside and outside the Wangyue Tower was tight today, with hundreds of Imperial Guards lined up on both sides of the long street, their golden armor immaculate.

Lu Chen had changed into a gray-blue wide robe, his hair tied up with an ordinary wooden hairpin, and his wine gourd hidden in his sleeve.

He deliberately restrained all his aura. From the outside, he looked like a middle-aged guard with slightly better temperament.

Yue Shiyun hung in his arms, her silver hair tied into a simple braid with a thin string. Her goose-yellow palace dress had been replaced with a clean, light blue short jacket, making her look like a little girl spoiled by her family.

No one recognized her as the Eldest Princess.

Nor did anyone recognize that the man holding her was the only Great Emperor in the world today.

Lu Chen stepped into the third floor of the Wangyue Tower and found a seat in a corner by the window.

His left hand toyed with Yue Shiyun's silver hair while his right hand picked up the spiritual tea brought by a waitress, taking a shallow sip.

Looking down from the third floor, the entire hall was in full view.

On the Wushuang Immortal Dynasty's side, a burly young man led the group, sitting at the main table on the east side.

This person had a square Face, a broad forehead, and high cheekbones. His neck was thicker than his head, and a brocade robe adorned with gold patterns was stretched nearly to the point of bursting by his frame.

The dragon patterns of the Yue Imperial Family were cast onto his shoulder armor, clearly marking him as a direct descendant of the royal family.

His cultivation was at the Early Stage of the Xiantai Realm, and his blood-qi fluctuations were extremely intense—a typical Body Cultivator who sought to prove his Dao through strength.

Nearby, people were whispering.

"Young Marquis Yue Yihao is sitting in the host's seat today. Her Majesty places great importance on this elegant gathering."

"What does he know besides fighting? Asking him to talk about refined matters is like playing a lute to a cow."

Lu Chen glanced at this Yue Yihao with interest.

His attention was soon drawn to the other side.

The seats for the Great Xia Dynasty's mission were set on the west side.

In stark contrast to the Wushuang Immortal Dynasty's rugged style, the Great Xia side's arrangement was extremely meticulous.

They used white jade tables, the tea sets were celadon Spiritual Artifacts, and even the chairs were covered in silk brocade.

The young Cultivators in the mission were dressed uniformly in light-gold-edged robes with jade pendants at their waists, exuding an air of long-cultivated refinement in every movement.

But everyone's presence was crushed into powder before that woman.

In the very center of the mission's seating.

At a white jade main table sat a woman dressed in a light gold, luxurious palace gown.

The design of the gown was incredibly complex; from the standing collar to the wide sleeves, from the waist to the hem, every inch of fabric was embroidered with the totem patterns of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Yet these complex decorations did not overshadow the wearer; instead, they made her appear even more dazzling.

A cinnabar mole was marked between her brows, not large, perfectly set between two long, shapely eyebrows.

Her features were exquisite to the point of being sharp; her nose was high, her lips a pale pink, and her jawline was soft yet firm.

Her skin was so white it seemed to glow. The section from her neck to her collarbone, framed by the light gold standing collar, was so translucent it was without a single flaw.

She sat motionless, her back perfectly straight, hands folded neatly on her lap.

Every so often, when a Prodigy nearby approached to speak, she would nod slightly, her lips curving into a polite smile.

Neither cold nor hot, neither close nor distant, she handled the social boundaries with impeccable precision.

More than half of the young male Cultivators in the pavilion had their attention glued to her.

Their breathing had even grown heavy.

Yue Shiyun shifted in Lu Chen's arms, her red eyes opening a slit as she followed his gaze downward.

"Who is Revered Master-Brother looking at?"

Lu Chen did not answer verbally.

His Emperor's Divine Sense was released silently—not the all-encompassing crushing type used against enemies, but an extremely precise wisp that passed through the third-floor floorboards and landed on the woman in the light gold palace gown.

In an instant, he perceived everything.

This woman possessed the Xuanhuang Heavenly Spirit Body and was at the second level of the Xiantai Realm.

The width of her Meridians far exceeded those of Cultivators in the same realm, and deep within her spiritual sea resided a mass of extremely pure Heavenly Spirit power. Her foundation was deep and her Dao base was solid.

Lu Chen's teacup paused at his lips.

"Xuanhuang Heavenly Spirit Body, Xiantai Second Level."

He murmured to himself.

"This girl is not only good-looking, but this talent would be one in a million even in the Central Province."

Yue Shiyun's red eyes widened, and her small hands tightened on his lapel.

"Revered Master-Brother! You can't say she's good-looking! Am I not good-looking?"

[Image provided! There are some flaws, hope you understand. Without you big brothers, how could I live! Hehe].

Wishing all you Yanzus and Yuyans to always be happy! Always healthy! Always rich! Prosper, prosper, prosper!

Have money, have looks, have time! Arranging flowers and playing with jade in the human world!

If you have questions, suggestions, or plot points you want to see, just comment. I basically reply to everyone unless I've hit the reply limit.

PS: Thank you to all my adoptive fathers for your support! Requesting gifts! I'll give you extra updates during the May Day holiday, okay!