204: Shen Tianxing, you've really caused a lot of harm!

The streets were bustling with people coming and going!

Street vendors had set up their stalls, loudly hawking their wares, while merchants lingered at each stall, engaging in verbal battles and outwitting the owners.

On both sides of the street, restaurants stood in rows, and Cultivators and pedestrians entered and exited the various establishments, drinking, chatting, and enjoying life.

During this time, news of the battle in the Nanyuan Domain had been circulating throughout the Jianghu.

Shen Tianxing's name was truly soaring!

He had now become a symbol of the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty; everyone knew that the future of Great Qi lay with Shen Tianxing.

On the street, two exquisitely beautiful figures walked aimlessly through the crowd.

Besides their stunning beauty, the two women also bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to each other.

These two were none other than the sisters Xu Muqing and Xu Muyan!

They had also followed him to the Imperial City. Shen Tianxing had gone to the Sea of Buried Demons alone, but both sisters knew he would eventually return here, so they wanted to wait for him.

The Jianghu only knew that Shen Tianxing's cultivation was profound and his fame was soaring, but they did not know that he had been afflicted with the Blood Soul Demonic Seal and was on the verge of death!

The Xu Muqing sisters, however, counted the days, praying daily that Shen Tianxing would break the Demonic Seal and return safely!

What they thought of by day, they dreamed of by night!

The sisters' thoughts were entirely on Shen Tianxing, and they found it difficult to focus their minds fully on Cultivation, so their cultivation remained stagnant.

"Xu Muqing? Xu Muyan? How are you two here?"

Suddenly, a voice startled the two sisters, who had been aimlessly wandering.

Xu Muyan's Divine Soul had recovered somewhat, and she was no longer so afraid of strangers. She looked up and saw Shi Linglong, who, like them, had coincidentally wandered to this spot!

"Miss Linglong, you look a bit down. Are you out for a stroll to clear your head?"

Xu Muqing forced a smile when she saw Shi Linglong and asked.

The three looked at each other, feeling somewhat at a loss for words.

Shi Linglong's usual quick wit had completely withered.

"My cultivation hasn't progressed lately, so coming out for a walk might help. What about you two?"

"I see that both of you sisters also look quite dispirited. Are you worried about that fellow Shen Tianxing?"

Shi Linglong knew the sisters' feelings for Shen Tianxing, and her words made both of them blush.

Weren't you feeling dispirited?

Why was your mouth still so sharp?

Xu Muqing said with a red face, "Miss Linglong used to be outgoing and cheerful, but ever since Big Brother Shen left, she hasn't been seen daily and looks melancholic. Isn't that because she misses Big Brother Shen even more?"

"Me, miss him? Don't be ridiculous!"

Shi Linglong, however, stubbornly retorted, "I'm just worried about his safety. The Holy Heaven Demon Sect's Blood Soul Demonic Seal is no ordinary thing. I'm afraid he won't be able to break it and will die out there without anyone knowing."

"Big Brother Shen will definitely return! He'll be fine!"

Upon hearing Shi Linglong's words, Xu Muyan, who was standing nearby, immediately retorted.

Her cold face and sideways glance actually eased Shi Linglong's previously troubled mind a little.

Xu Muqing gently pulled her sister back and said, "We are all very worried about Big Brother Shen. However, the Sea of Buried Demons is boundless, and we have no idea where he is."

"We also don't know how he is now, or if he has encountered any danger. We just want to know that he is well, and that's enough."

How easy was it to get news of Shen Tianxing?

Shi Linglong herself had no way!

However, Shi Linglong had already thought it through: instead of thinking about him every day, it would be better to return to Dianxing Academy and ask her grandfather for help!

Although the Sea of Buried Demons was vast, Dianxing Academy knew a great deal about it!

Finding Shen Tianxing through Dianxing Academy would be much simpler.

"Why don't we go see Your Majesty, and also Miss Xing Yao? She is skilled in Esoteric Arts, and her astrology and divination are excellent. Perhaps they know Big Brother Shen's situation!"

Xu Muqing suddenly suggested.

If anyone in the entire Great Qi could get news from the Sea of Buried Demons, it could only be the Empress!

Xing Yao's astrological divination might also be able to deduce it!

Instead of just longing for him every day and being unable to Cultivate, it would be better to ask them for information!

Shi Linglong raised an eyebrow, nodded, and said, "Alright!"

"Whether they know or not, after I see the Empress of Great Qi, I've decided to go back to Dianxing Academy to ask my grandfather for help!"

"Then without further ado, let's go pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

The three unexpectedly met on the street, all with the same person on their minds, and quickly reached an agreement to enter the palace to meet the Empress!

...But what they didn't know was that Empress Yan Yuzhu, who was usually diligent in state affairs, had also been having a difficult time these past few days!

She had no mind for state affairs, and even the time she unfailingly set aside each day to review memorials was repeatedly postponed!

This made the court officials quite helpless.

"Xing Yao, why are there so many memorials today?"

"Mingzhou has a disaster and needs to open granaries to distribute grain. Such matters can be handled by the Grand Secretaries!"

"Barbarians frequently invade the northwestern desert? This matter should be decided by the Marshal. Why are all these coming to me!"

"Have them all taken back to them. I want to be alone today!"

"Xing Yao... Xing Yao!"

Inside the main hall, Yan Yuzhu dropped her brush and called out repeatedly.

However, she received no response from Xing Yao for a long time. She looked up at Xing Yao, who was standing in the lower position... Xing Yao, the Chief Director of the Qimen Division, who was usually calm, serene, and had a profound mind, was now restless, her gaze unfocused. Although her body was standing in the hall, her mind had long since drifted elsewhere!

"Such a curse..."

Seeing her good friend and loyal subject Xing Yao in such a state, Yan Yuzhu couldn't help but rub her forehead.

"Shen Tianxing... you truly cause a lot of trouble!"

Yan Yuzhu was so intelligent that she immediately saw who Xing Yao's absentmindedness was for.

But she couldn't understand why Xing Yao would become so restless and repeatedly distracted after only meeting Shen Tianxing once in the Nanyuan Domain?

What kind of bewitching potion had that fellow given Xing Yao!

Yan Yuzhu cursed Shen Tianxing in her heart, and then sighed at Xing Yao's absentmindedness, completely unaware that she herself had also been distracted from state affairs by Shen Tianxing for the past few days!

"Your Majesty... why... are you looking at me like that?"

Xing Yao, who suddenly came to her senses, happened to see Yan Yuzhu staring at her with a half-smile. Her heart immediately fluttered, and a few streaks of crimson quietly appeared on her beautiful, jade-like face.

"Nothing... I suddenly feel a bit bored and want to go out for some fresh air. Come with me for a walk."

Yan Yuzhu stood up and walked down from the dais.

Xing Yao had no idea that Yan Yuzhu had been observing her for some time.

After her flustered mind slightly calmed, she calmly said, "Alright. Where would Your Majesty like to go for a walk? How about the Imperial Garden?"

"The Imperial Garden isn't very interesting."

"Shen Tianxing entrusted me to take good care of his childhood sweetheart."

"I haven't been to see her for a while. Today, let's go see her cultivation progress!"

Yan Yuzhu didn't know why she suddenly wanted to go see Su Mingyue.

She actually knew Su Mingyue's cultivation progress like the back of her hand, but today she just wanted to take a look.

Xing Yao nodded and, following Yan Yuzhu, left the main hall!