361: Third shelter

The distance between the two was extremely close.

Zhuge Jinyu's red lips were almost brushing against Su Chen's earlobe; with her breathing, a warm breath crept directly into the nape of Su Chen's neck.

Su Chen felt a bit feverish all over.

He did not know if it was out of instinct.

He subconsciously asked a question.

"Then... Teacher, can I take back my move and play it again?"

The moment he asked this question, Su Chen regretted it.

He originally thought Zhuge Jinyu would get angry.

But unexpectedly.

His teacher only looked at the chessboard and whispered in a voice that made one's bones melt, audible only to the two of them:

"You may~"

"Then if Teacher loses to you, what do you want Teacher to do as a punishment~!"

As soon as Su Chen heard this voice, he felt something was not quite right.

He hurriedly changed his words.

"Then... Teacher, I won't take back my move after all. I lost, I lost."

Zhuge Jinyu covered her face and chuckled.

"Since you have admitted defeat, then Teacher must give you a 'little punishment'."

"For this punishment, let me first teach you a principle."

"That is... the chessboard is like a battlefield, the human heart is like a formation; once a piece is placed, there must be no regrets."

"Chen'er, since you have entered my Prime Minister's residence, you are like a chess piece placed on the board, and you cannot go back on it."

Her fingers gently brushed across the back of Su Chen's hand.

"In this lifetime, don't even think about escaping from the palm of my hand."

Hearing these overbearing words, Su Chen's heart skipped a beat, and his earlobes turned slightly hot.

This must be... the teacher's protection of her student, right?

Yes, it must be.

Thinking of this, Su Chen could only helplessly drop the chess piece in his hand.

Letting this Great Qian Immortal Dynasty's female Prime Minister, who held power over the world, wrap him in her embrace.

...

In the days that followed, Su Chen's life in the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty slowly entered its middle stage.

Soon, the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty's annual grandest and most solemn imperial sacrificial ceremony was about to arrive.

On this day of national celebration, Zhuge Jinyu was finally prepared to act as "Teacher."

Bringing along her only closed-door disciple.

To formally appear once before the entire civil and military court of Great Qian and the envoys of various Sacred Lands.

The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty was founded on formations, and the Dao of Formations was the supreme foundation of this nation.

As the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty's grandest event, the sacrificial ceremony naturally could not lack a segment involving a competition of formation attainments.

Among them, the competition between the students of the Great Qian Imperial Academy.

Was the most important of all.

One must know that the students who could enter this highest institution of Great Qian were either from powerful families or were individuals from humble roots with extremely strong talent.

The standard of such juniors basically determined the future development level of Great Qian.

It was also an excellent stage to showcase the future foundation of Great Qian to the entire world.

At this time, those aristocratic disciples in the Imperial Academy had long been holding back a surge of hidden anger.

Whether it was the "jealousy" from when Su Chen first arrived and stole the heart of the icy female Prime Minister.

Or the series of "wordless heavenly book" antics that had caused a stir in the Imperial Academy during this period.

All made these arrogant geniuses feel dissatisfied with Su Chen.

Some aristocratic disciples, including Long Tian'ao, had even secretly conspired.

Preparing to, during the formation competition at the sacrificial ceremony.

In front of the entire world.

Viciously humiliate this "nepotism hire" who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

Making him lose all face.

They dared not directly make things difficult for Su Chen.

After all, standing behind him was Zhuge Jinyu.

If they dared to make things difficult, Zhuge Jinyu would dare to strike back and kill them in seconds.

But a fair and square competition was different.

If Su Chen really lost in the competition, even Zhuge Jinyu could not say anything.

It could also prove to her from the side.

"You chose the wrong person!"

What kind of intellect did Zhuge Jinyu possess?

She saw everything happening in the Imperial City as clearly as fire.

She naturally also understood the malicious schemes of those aristocratic disciples.

In order not to let Su Chen suffer grievances.

She had intended to use the Prime Minister's privilege to directly cross Su Chen's name off the list.

To turn down this boring competition for him.

Who would have thought that this proposal would be rejected by Su Chen without hesitation.

In the study at dusk, Su Chen stood in front of the window.

Looking at the red plum blossoms falling outside, a confident arc curled at the corner of his mouth.

He turned his head, looked at the worried Zhuge Jinyu, and said softly.

"Teacher, I have indeed been very flamboyant in the Imperial Academy for the past six months, and I have learned things that are unknown how many times more than others."

"If I don't go, wouldn't that confirm the reputation they call me—someone useless who only knows how to hide behind you and eat soft rice?"

"My face doesn't matter, but if I were to slight Teacher's face, it would make me, as a student, seem disrespectful to my teacher."

Over the past six months, he had completely devoured the ancient books on the ninth floor of the Library Pavilion, skin and bone.

After digesting that vast ocean of knowledge and combining it with his own soul's foundation.

Su Chen stretched out his hand and flexed his wrists.

Looking at the smile that bloomed on Zhuge Jinyu's face because Su Chen had considered her.

He felt that his current attainments in formations.

Compared to those ordinary aristocratic disciples in the Imperial Academy who only knew how to talk on paper and couldn't even borrow a proper cultivation technique...

It seemed that the gap was likely a little bit large.

Large enough that, at the sacrificial ceremony, he could rub their faces fiercely against the formation platform.

...

Amidst the intensive preparations.

Soon.

The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty's annual grandest imperial sacrificial ceremony kicked off under the gaze of everyone.

On this day, the Great Qian Imperial Capital was filled with a magnificent atmosphere.

The Great Qian guards, who had once welcomed Su Chen with state rites, reappeared before the gates of the Great Qian capital.

However, this time Zhuge Jinyu did not go to welcome them in person.

Great Qian was founded on formations, shaking the eight wildernesses.

This sacrificial ceremony was a true gathering of ten thousand nations.

The mighty fleet of spirit boats of cultivators blocked out the sky and sun.

Envoys from countless vassal small nations and various Sacred Lands of the Linghe Realm presented heavy gifts one after another.

The scene was exceptionally grand.

Even Xiao Qing, who was far away in the Cangmang Sacred Land, had led a delegation to Great Qian and sat swaggeringly in the top-tier VIP seats.

She ate the precious spirit fruits in the fruit plate before her without any image.

In order to protect the privacy of Su Chen's destiny, and not let that old dragon lurking at the bottom of the Spirit River detect anything through any clues.

Xiao Qing did not choose to appear on the platform with Su Chen.

She wore a veil and sat in the VIP seats of the Cangmang Sacred Land.

Her gaze glanced toward the high platform from time to time.

When the complicated and long preliminary ceremonies were about to end, and the banquet of ten thousand dynasties was about to begin.

The female Prime Minister of Great Qian, Zhuge Jinyu, who had been sitting at the head of all officials like an untouchable flower on a high ridge.

Suddenly spoke indifferently.

"For today's grand ceremony, This Prime Minister wishes to play a piece on the zither."

"To pay tribute to the martyrs of Great Qian, and to entertain all our guests."

Once these words were spoken, the plaza fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately after, the gathered guests burst into cheers.