187: Qing Fei

Chapter 186: Qing Consort

"Appoint Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing as Qing Consort, and let her reside in Changqing Palace!"

"Q—Qing Consort?"

"What, did you not hear My words?"

"Y—Yes, yes, yes..."

Liu Chengen said instinctively, "Your Majesty, elevating a Beauty to a Consort is unprecedented. Is it...?"

"There is no need."

Zheng Yi said concisely, "Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing is naturally intelligent and greatly pleases Me; she naturally deserves to be a consort."

"Understood! this servant obeys the decree!"

"This concubine thanks Your Majesty."

Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing, who was by Zheng Yi's side, bowed and said, her face maintaining an aloof expression even upon hearing that she had been appointed as a consort.

Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing was seventeen years old and one of the beauties of Youwei Palace.

In order to find someone possessing a Spiritual Root to bear him his final son, Zheng Yi had favored over fifty beauties of Youwei Palace.

Finally, after more than forty women, Zheng Yi at last encountered someone possessing a Spiritual Root.

Furthermore... she gave him another surprise!

Zheng Yi did not mind Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing's aloofness. With hundreds and thousands of women in the palace, there were naturally beauties of various styles and types.

Charming ones, cute ones, passionate ones, shy ones, and naturally, aloof-tempered ones as well.

For instance, this Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing.

During their Dual Cultivation last night, she had tried hard to maintain her aloof demeanor until she finally couldn't bear it anymore and let loose.

After just one night, Zheng Yi had the palace maids change two sets of bedsheets.

Zheng Yi smiled and said, "Beloved Consort, accompany Me here in White Jade Capital for the next few days. Move all your belongings over from your palace first."

"Understood!"

Liu Chengen's eyes flashed as he said, "this servant will send people to arrange it right away."

"That's right, Your Majesty, there have been some rumors in the imperial court these past few days. I wonder..."

"Oh? What rumors?"

"An imperial censor submitted a memorial stating that Your Majesty is indulging in beauty and neglecting state affairs..."

"Heh~"

Zheng Yi sneered, "The imperial court has the Cabinet and all of you. I have merely favored a few consorts a bit more, and yet you are all making such a fuss. What use is there for any of you?"

"Make them quiet down."

Liu Chengen's mind finally settled down. "Understood!"

"That's right, Your Majesty, there is another matter the Cabinet wishes to discuss with Your Majesty."

Zheng Yi frowned and asked, "What matter?"

"Now that Great General Xu has recaptured Bing Province, General Cui Xiawu has recaptured Shuzhou, General Meng Guang has recaptured more than half of Jing Province, and General Guan Shan has recaptured Yunzhou and more than half of Yue Province, officials should naturally be dispatched to manage these regions."

Liu Chengen bowed and said, "How should the officials for these recovered territories be arranged?"

Zheng Yi said, "Arranging officials for the recovered territories?"

"Have the Cabinet arrange the personnel. Once they are arranged, submit the name list to Me so I can review it first."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Right, how is Great General Xu doing over there?"

"Everything is normal."

Liu Chengen said, "Great General Xu has already led his army into Hai Province, and his military might points straight at Yuanhe Mountain!"

"Yuanhe Mountain?"

Zheng Yi quickly thought of this Sect and frowned, asking, "What about the Wang Family?"

"The Wang Family has had no news since they were driven out of Tailong City, but this old servant has already ordered the Shadow Guard and Jinyi Guard to increase their investigation efforts."

"Mhm, I know. You may leave."

After dismissing Liu Chengen, Zheng Yi tenderly spent some time with Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing before letting her go down to rest.

He was now a Qi Refining Level 2 Cultivator, about to Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 3, and his martial arts cultivation was also at the Innate Realm, so going without sleep for a few days was quite normal.

However, Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing was just an ordinary girl. Exhausted from working hard all night, she quickly fell fast asleep.

As for Zheng Yi, he once again contacted the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror, and lines of text quickly appeared once more.

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, lifespan + 17; ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, wood-attribute Spiritual Root + 8; ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, earth-attribute Spiritual Root + 2. ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, acquired the Hundred Flowers Physique. ]

Not only did Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing possess a Spiritual Root, but she also had a dual wood-earth attribute High Grade Spiritual Root, just like Yuechan.

Most importantly, he actually obtained the Hundred Flowers Physique from Noble Consort Yang, Yang Liuqing.

He wondered what effects this Hundred Flowers Physique had.

With a thought in his mind, lines of text appeared once again on the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

[ Master of Destiny: Zheng Yi ]

[ Talent 1: Yin and Yang ]

[ Talent 2: Illusion and Reality ]

[ Lifespan: 29 / 5675 ]

[ Spiritual Root: Water (Medium Grade 578 / 1000), Earth (Medium Grade 118 / 1000), Wood (Medium Grade 15 / 1000), Gold (Medium Grade 8 / 100), Fire (Low Grade 87 / 100), Wind (Medium Grade 12 / 1000) ]

[ Mana: 241 / 10000 ]

[ Physique: Hundred Flowers Physique ]

[ Overall Strength: Qi Refining Level 2 ]

[ innate spiritual energy Progress (Tier 2): 0 / 20 (Sealed) ]

[ three thousand worlds Progress (Tier 2: 2 / 10) (Sealed) ]

After such a long period of preparation, the Five Elements Spiritual Roots were finally gathered, and he even gained an extra wind attribute and the Hundred Flowers Physique.

Among them, the four attributes of water, earth, wood, and gold, as well as the wind attribute, had all reached the Medium Grade realm. Only the fire attribute was still lingering at the Low Grade.

There was no help for it. Among all the Cultivators possessing Spiritual Roots, only Consort Yin possessed a fire-attribute Spiritual Root.

Even if he wanted to increase it quickly, there was no way.

However, for the Great Five Elements Illusionary World Technique, it was already enough.

In the following days, Zheng Yi thoroughly favored all the remaining dozen or so young girls of Youwei Palace.

Unfortunately, none of them possessed a Spiritual Root; they merely increased his lifespan by two hundred and fifteen years.

After arranging all mundane matters, Zheng Yi burned incense, bathed, and sat in meditation for three days. Once his mind was restored to its most tranquil state, he opened the Jade Slip of the Great Five Elements Life and Death Scripture.

Cultivation.

Meanwhile, in Hai Province.

Yuanhe Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, banners fluttered in the wind and horn-blowing camps stretched endlessly. An army of over 200,000 soldiers was stationed here, creating a scene where dark clouds loomed over the city and Battle Intent soared.

This was the imperial army led by Xu Mujun, besieging Yuanhe Mountain!

At this time, atop Yuanhe Mountain, besides the 30,000 Disciples of Yuanhe Mountain, there were another 100,000 rebel troops from various parts of Hai Province, as well as members of other small Sects and Gangs.

They had long since raised rebellions and tyrannized Hai Province; the imperial army could not possibly let them off.

Therefore, they gathered together at Yuanhe Mountain with the sole purpose of resisting the imperial army's attack.

Inside the Yuanhe Hall, dozens of burly Martial Artists were bickering noisily, unable to come to any sensible conclusion.

"What are we waiting for? Those at the foot of the mountain are merely a mob of rabble. How can ordinary soldiers withstand the charge of our Martial Artist army? We can just charge straight down in one breath!"

"No, we cannot! Ordinary county troops can naturally be crushed with our martial arts strength, but the ones at the foot of the mountain are the Longxiang Army led by Xu Mujun!"

"Bollocks to the Longxiang Army! The true Longxiang only has a little over 20,000 people; the rest are all the imperial court's so-called New Army."

"Those New Army troops are not easy to mess with either..."

Numerous Martial Artists discussed among themselves, while some said in trepidation, "The new weapons held in the hands of that New Army are rumored to be Immortal's Magic Treasures!"

"Their range reaches up to three hundred paces, and they are incomparably sharp, even capable of piercing armor."

"And that Red Barbarian Cannon can actually launch iron balls over a thousand zhang away. A single shot can blast ordinary city walls to collapse. How could we possibly be their match!"

"Are you perhaps afraid?"

"Who is afraid...!"

Everyone was clamoring noisily. Yuan Dazong, the Sect Head of Yuanhe Mountain sitting on the main seat, felt a slight headache and couldn't help but regret being blinded by the situation back then and starting the rebellion.

Who would have thought that in less than two or three years, the situation would change so rapidly.

First, Xu Xuanwu of Nanyue County was captured, and Yunzhou and Yue Province were suppressed.

Moreover, the imperial court had the assistance of Immortals, developing some kind of new weapons that were invincible on the battlefield.

Not only did they successively recapture Bing Province, Shuzhou, and Jing Province, but even their Hai Province was being swept through like a bamboo split open.

Over a hundred county towns were swept clean within a short span of half a year.

Across the entire Hai Province, more than a hundred rebel factions had also been mostly exterminated.

As for their Yuanhe Mountain, it was only by relying on the treacherous terrain that they had barely managed to hold out until now.

The remaining rebels also had to unite with Yuanhe Mountain to prepare for joint resistance.

However...

As to whether they could hold out, he had not the slightest confidence in his heart.

Could it be that he truly had to hand over all of Yuanhe Mountain's family assets and bind himself as a prisoner in order to preserve the lives of his family and kin?

"Everyone..."

Just as he was about to suppress the chaotic situation, several figures suddenly walked in from outside the grand hall.

The surrounding people also noticed these uninvited guests, and all of them instinctively stopped and looked them up and down.

"Hmm?"

Yuan Dazong abruptly stood up and said coldly, "Who are you people!"

The elite Disciples of Yuanhe Mountain stationed outside the hall—how could they let outsiders approach so easily?

The leader was a black-robed elder who sneered, "Who are we? Naturally, we are here to help you!"

"Oh?"

Yuanhe Mountain frowned and said, "Who exactly are Your Excellency? Being so sneaky, how can you expect us to be convinced?"

"Also, where are the Disciples outside my hall? What have you done to them?"

"Hehehe... Mere Mortals, how could they possibly withstand this old man's Soul-Bewitching Great Art?"

The black-robed elder said, "I am from the Wang Family of Bing Province. Coming here this time is to join forces with everyone to resist the imperial army."

"The Wang Family?"

"The Wang Family of Bing Province!"

"Is that the Wang Family whose entire clan was exterminated?"

"That's not right! Their Tailong City was breached by the imperial army in just three days..."

Hearing the discussions of the people around, the Wang Family elder shouted angrily, "Shut up!"

"Wuwuwu..."

In an instant, a small black flag suddenly appeared in the elder's hand. With just a slight wave of it, more than a dozen black shadows immediately flew out from it, emitting a series of ghostly wails as they rushed toward the crowd.

"A Cultivator!"

"An Immortal!"

"Ah...!"

Screams rang out continuously. Numerous Martial Artists were startled by the scene before them; some even fell off their stools and retreated continuously.

The elder clearly only wanted to scare them. After the ghostly figures flew a circle around the grand hall, they stopped in mid-air, glaring fiercely at everyone.

In the entire grand hall, even the temperature dropped by several degrees.

Only then did the elder say, "Everyone, are you willing to hear this old man out?"

Yuan Dazong quickly stood up from the main seat and respectfully said, "Please take the seat of honor, Senior!"

"Hehehe..."

The black-robed elder stood on no ceremony, stepping forward with large strides and sitting down.

The rest of the Wang Family members also lined up on both sides.

"I am Wang Feiyu, holding the position of the Old Ancestor of the Wang Family of Bing Province," the black-robed elder began. "Everyone, wanting to break the imperial army is very simple. You only need to assassinate Xu Mujun!"

"Once Xu Mujun dies, the entire imperial army will collapse on its own."

Yuan Dazong said with some hesitation, "Senior, we also know this matter. But that Xu Mujun is an Innate Realm expert. Although he has lost an arm, he is still not someone ordinary Martial Artists can surround and kill."

"Now, with Yuanhe Mountain plus the many Martial Artists of Hai Province, we only have two Innate Realm experts. Trying to assassinate Xu Mujun is truly as difficult as ascending to the heavens!"

"Two Innate Realm Martial Artists?" Wang Feiyu looked around and asked, "Who are they?"

Yuan Dazong said, "One is our Yuanhe Mountain Old Ancestor, and the other is... Senior Xie Jiuque."

At this moment, a green-robed elder in the crowd stood up, cupped his fists, and said, "This humble one is Xie Jiuque, greeting Senior Feiyu."

Wang Feiyu looked at Xie Jiuque and said, "You are quite good."

"Just now under this old man's Hundred Ghost Banner, you were the only one who remained calm and collected."

Xie Jiuque smiled and said, "Senior has come this time to assist us and has no intention of harming people. How could this Junior have any reason to be afraid?"

"Hahaha, not bad..."

Wang Feiyu said, "My plan is very simple. You only need to engage in a battle and lure that Xu Mujun out, and then I will personally make a move to finish off Xu Mujun!"