410: Requesting an audience with the Imperial Preceptor

Li Xuan stepped inside, his pace hurried, carrying an anxiety that was difficult to conceal.

At the end of the path was a simple and ancient courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, enclosed by a bamboo fence, several stalks of emerald-green purple bamboo grew. As the wind passed, the bamboo leaves rustled, creating an air of elegance that seemed detached from the world.

The courtyard door was left ajar, and Mysterious Clarity Master sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, eyes closed as he rested his spirit.

He still possessed that transcendent, immortal-like appearance, his sky-blue Daoist robe spotless. His hair and beard were completely white, yet his complexion was ruddy. Only in the depths of his eyes, which were usually as calm as an ancient well, was there a faint, nearly imperceptible trace of gravity that seemed out of place with the leisure of the courtyard.

Hearing footsteps, Mysterious Clarity Master slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a gentle voice:

"The Ruler of the Kingdom has arrived. Please, sit."

He raised his hand and pointed to a brocade stool beside a bamboo table.

Li Xuan stepped forward in a few quick strides and bowed respectfully to Mysterious Clarity Master. His tone was filled with urgency and gratitude:

"Regarding the matter of the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry, it is thanks to the State Preceptor's mediation that my Tianqi was able to turn danger into safety. State Preceptor, you have worked hard!"

Hearing this, Mysterious Clarity Master only gave a faint smile.

He knew clearly in his heart that the fact this matter could conclude so 'smoothly' was by no means due to his mediation. The treacherous undercurrents involved were not something to be told to outsiders, nor was it necessary to explain them clearly to the Ruler before him.

He waved his hand, his tone indifferent, showing no sign of emotion:

"The Ruler overstates it; this was merely my duty. Moreover, Your Majesty possesses boundless fortune, and our Tianqi Imperial Dynasty is also favored by the Heavens. That this matter could be resolved properly is truly the Luck of the Dynasty and the Luck of the people."

As he spoke, he lifted a ceramic pot from the table and poured a cup of clear tea for Li Xuan.

The tea was a vibrant green, with a faint, misty fragrance of vegetation.

Li Xuan sat down opposite Mysterious Clarity Master, his body unconsciously leaning forward slightly as he stared intently at the man.

He lowered his voice, his tone carrying an urgency he had suppressed for a long time, and asked the question that had been circling in his mind for many days:

"State Preceptor, the matters in the Southern Border are finished, and the trouble with the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty is temporarily behind us. But... another great stone in my heart has yet to fall. When the State Preceptor went to the Southern Border previously, besides handling the matter of the Nether Crow Cave Mansion, did you... did you happen to find any clues regarding the person suppressing our Tianqi national fortune?"

His tone carried a bit of hope, a bit of anxiety, and a bit of uncontrollable rage.

The continuous decline of the national fortune was like a cancer in his bones; if it wasn't removed, he would not have a single day of peace.

This great internal threat frightened him far more than the external Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry.

He knew all too well that the decline of national fortune eroded the Dynasty's Foundation.

It was precisely because the national fortune was weak that a hundred evils had sprouted, leading to disasters like the 'lifting of the ban' and attracting the interrogation of the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry, nearly resulting in the tragedy of a dynastic change!

Hearing this, Mysterious Clarity Master's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.

He lowered his gaze, looking at the tea leaves floating in the cup, and remained silent for a moment.

Inside the hall, the candlelight burned quietly. The flickering light reflected on his white-haired face, making the gravity and complexity within his wrinkles appear even clearer.

He thought back to Li Xuan's previous unauthorized decision to lure Li Zhong into the Northern Border to investigate Situ Jun, and a surge of anger and lingering fear welled up in his heart.

Had it not been for Situ Jun's extraordinary strength and heaven-defying methods to quietly suppress the matter, he might have already turned into a handful of yellow earth, wiped out completely by Situ Jun.

Now, listening to Li Xuan's urgent questioning about the national fortune, the anger in Mysterious Clarity Master's chest nearly flared up again.

He took a deep breath before forcing that anger down.

"Your Majesty."

Mysterious Clarity Master spoke slowly, his voice steady but carrying an imperceptible gloom:

"During my trip to the Southern Border, both inside and outside the Nether Crow Cave Mansion, I did indeed use secret methods to sense and the Heaven-Peering Art to trace the source of that power. However... within those divinations, Karma was disordered, and the Qi signatures were extremely chaotic. Many traces had already dissipated, making it fundamentally impossible to track."

Li Xuan's heart sank bit by bit with these words, and the color drained completely from his face.

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. He felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

But at that moment, Mysterious Clarity Master's tone suddenly shifted:

"However, it is not entirely without clues."

"Oh?"

Li Xuan snapped his head up, a brilliant light instantly bursting from his eyes. His spirits were refreshed as he hurriedly followed up:

"State Preceptor, speak quickly! What clue is it exactly?"

Mysterious Clarity Master picked up his teacup, took a shallow sip, and looked toward the northern horizon. His gaze was deep and full of meaning:

"While I was investigating the outskirts of the Immortal Cave and visiting various places in the Southern Border afterward, I used the 'Qi-Observation Art' to observe the flow of heaven and earth's Luck and used the 'Spirit Tortoise Mysterious Shell' to repeatedly deduce. After several searches, I finally faintly perceived that the source of the power that is secretly contending with and even eroding our Tianqi national fortune... its aura seems to have some connection with the North."

His words were pointed and carried a sense of profound secrecy.

"The North?"

Li Xuan's brow furrowed as he murmured to himself, countless thoughts racing through his mind:

"Does the State Preceptor mean... the Northern Border?"

The Northern Border—that was Situ Jun's territory.

It was the Foundation of Situ Jun, the Consort of Tianqi whom he had personally appointed, but who was increasingly slipping from his control and even showing signs of standing as an equal!

"I do not dare to make a rash judgment."

Mysterious Clarity Master shook his head slowly, his tone becoming increasingly solemn:

"It is just that the aura is majestic yet obscure, carrying a trace of chilling sharpness and a few variables that transcend secular dynasties. The North is vast and boundless, with thousands of miles of fertile soil and ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains; it does not necessarily refer specifically to a single city in the Northern Border. Perhaps it is some ancient Sect that has been hidden for a thousand years, or perhaps it is a Star of Destiny born to meet the times. But regardless, that power is secretly infiltrating, waxing as our national fortune wanes. If this continues long-term, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Mysterious Clarity Master's words were like a stone cast into the lake of Li Xuan's heart, stirring up a thousand waves.

He chewed on the words 'North,' 'sharpness,' and 'variables.' He felt a chill slowly climb up his spine, and his expression gradually became as dark as ink.

Almost subconsciously, he linked these keywords to the figure who had repeatedly defied him and whom he now feared more and more—Situ Jun!

Besides him, who else in the Northern Border could have such heaven-reaching methods to silently choke Tianqi's national fortune Dragon Qi?

"What the State Preceptor says... could it be..."

Li Xuan's voice was dry. Before he could finish, Mysterious Clarity Master raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Your Majesty."

Mysterious Clarity Master's tone suddenly became incredibly grave as he looked at Li Xuan with a heavy gaze:

"This matter concerns the very root of Tianqi's national fortune; a single move could affect everything. We must be cautious! Currently, I only have a perception and have not yet been able to lock onto a specific person or force. Perhaps we need more time to observe and also need to verify from other aspects. For example, in recent years, have there been any abnormal personnel changes in the North? Has there been any unexplained gathering of Spiritual Qi? Or, is there any force that is growing and expanding at an irrational speed?"

Mysterious Clarity Master's words were like a basin of cold water poured over Li Xuan's boiling suspicion.