102: It just took some effort to explain.

An hour later.

Tang Shuying hurriedly fled from there.

Cao Bu walked to the table, sat down, and picked up the brocade box to open it. He immediately looked delighted. "This is... yin-yang spirit marrow!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Cao Bu stood up and closed the door, heading to the center of the hall to begin refining the yin-yang spirit marrow for a Breakthrough.

On the other side.

Tang Shuying fled a long distance in one breath before leaning against a wall to stop.

She looked back toward Cao Bu's sleeping quarters, a flash of lingering fear crossing her eyes.

"He's truly not human. How can someone be so tireless? It nearly exhausted me to death."

She cursed in a low voice, raised her hand to pat her burning cheeks, and let out a long breath of turbid Qi, trying to calm her emotions.

"This way, I should have completed Your Majesty's mission."

After speaking, she reached out to straighten her disheveled robes and walked quickly toward Tianyuan Hall.

Inside Tianyuan Hall at this moment.

Emperor Xuan and Chu Hao were pacing back and forth in the hall, their expressions full of anxiety.

Emperor Xuan frowned and looked at Chu Hao. "Hao'er, what do you think your mother is doing?"

"It's just delivering a gift and getting some information. Why hasn't she returned after so long?"

Chu Hao's expression was grave as he speculated, "Father, could it be that Cao Bu is making exorbitant demands, and Mother is still arguing over the terms with him?"

Emperor Xuan shook his head and said with certainty, "I already told her that as long as your matter can be settled, it's worth paying any price."

"Never mind a million spirit crystals; even if he wants ten million, I would grit my teeth and agree."

These words happened to reach Tang Shuying's ears as she reached the outside of the hall, causing her footsteps to halt abruptly.

What did he mean?

When His Majesty spoke of paying a price, did he mean throwing money at it? Not having her serve Cao Bu with her body?

As soon as this thought surfaced, Tang Shuying's body swayed, and she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

It was over; she had completely misunderstood!

No, it wasn't her fault; it was all Cao Bu's fault!

If he hadn't been staring at her with those ill-intentioned eyes, how could she have misunderstood His Majesty's meaning!

Emperor Xuan and Chu Hao inside the hall heard the noise outside and looked over.

Seeing that it was Tang Shuying, Emperor Xuan immediately stepped forward and asked urgently, "Shuying, how did it go?"

"What conditions did Cao Bu set?"

"Does he want Spirit Crystals, Heaven And Earth Treasures, or Spiritual Artifacts?"

Tang Shuying's expression was somewhat unnatural.

She composed herself, stepped into the hall, and glanced at the anxious father and son. Her lips moved, but in the end, she didn't dare tell the truth.

"He wants five million Spirit Crystals, plus a ton of Heaven And Earth Treasures no lower than the fifth rank, and ten thousand Spiritual Artifacts no lower than the fifth rank," she said in a low voice.

Emperor Xuan and Chu Hao exchanged a look, both seeing doubt in each other's eyes.

Chu Hao was the first to speak. "Mother, these demands aren't that high. Why were you delayed until now?"

Tang Shuying's heart tightened. Her mind raced, and she quickly said, "At first, his asking price was ridiculously high. He demanded five billion Spirit Crystals, ten thousand tons of Heaven And Earth Treasures, and five million Spiritual Artifacts."

"This is too much!" After hearing this, Emperor Xuan waved his sleeve in anger. "Does he really think my Great Chu is a sucker to be slaughtered at will? He actually dared to quote such a price!"

Chu Hao also gritted his teeth and said angrily, "It's simply an exorbitant demand. This amount is equivalent to a thousand years of our Great Chu's consumption!"

After venting his anger, Emperor Xuan suddenly turned and looked at Tang Shuying with curiosity. "Shuying, how did you manage to lower the price to what it is now?"

Tang Shuying gripped her sleeves, avoided his gaze, and said vaguely, "It was nothing. It just took some persuasion. I bargained with him for an hour, and after much talk, he finally relented and agreed to the current terms."

"Good! Good! Shuying, you are truly my virtuous helpmate!" Emperor Xuan excitedly pressed her shoulders, his voice full of praise.

Chu Hao also stepped forward, his eyes slightly red. "Mother, thank you for doing so much for me."

"It's all for Great Chu; there's nothing to thank me for," Tang Shuying replied in a low voice, her voice sounding a bit airy.

In her mind, fragmented images from the sleeping quarters earlier uncontrollably drifted back.

As soon as this thought surfaced, Tang Shuying snapped back to her senses and pinched herself. Her cheeks instantly grew a few degrees hotter.

How could she think about those things?

That was clearly an embarrassing situation where she had failed her duty to His Majesty. How could such inappropriate thoughts arise?

She hurriedly lowered her head, avoiding the gazes of Emperor Xuan and Chu Hao. "Your Majesty, Hao'er, it's getting late. Although Cao Bu has relented, the items must be prepared as soon as possible to prevent him from going back on his word."

"I... I'm a bit tired. I'll go back to my sleeping quarters to rest first."

Seeing that her complexion wasn't good, Emperor Xuan assumed she had exhausted too much mental energy bargaining. He quickly nodded. "Go ahead. I'll have someone stew some Calming Soup and send it to you."

Chu Hao also said with concern, "Rest well, Mother. You've worked hard today."

Tang Shuying didn't say anything more, only gave a hurried response, turned around, and walked quickly out of Tianyuan Hall.

The cold wind outside blew against her face, but she didn't feel cool. Instead, she felt her whole body becoming even more feverish.

The images she had just suppressed surged up again.

"Damn it," she cursed softly, her figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Early the next morning.

Inside Tianyuan Hall.

Emperor Xuan, along with Chu Hao and Tang Shuying, was waiting there early, his gaze occasionally looking outside the hall.

At this moment, several figures walked in from outside the hall.

Emperor Xuan and Chu Hao looked up.

Cao Bu was walking in the lead, followed by Su Li, Gu Yin, and the other women on his left, and the Gu Feng couple on his right. They all walked toward the hall together.

It was worth mentioning that after last night's cultivation and the yin-yang spirit marrow, Cao Bu had broken through two minor Realms in a row, reaching the fifth level of the Void Breaking Realm.

Tang Shuying originally had her head lowered, lost in thought.

Upon hearing the footsteps, she subconsciously looked up and happened to meet Cao Bu's playful gaze.

Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.

After returning last night, she had tossed and turned all night, those images lingering in her mind.

Seeing Cao Bu again, she felt uneasy all over.

"Steward Cao, Fellow Daoist Su, Clan Leader Gu." Emperor Xuan, along with Chu Hao and Tang Shuying, stepped forward to greet them.

Cao Bu nodded and said concisely, "Emperor Xuan, let's start the trial directly."

Emperor Xuan smiled and changed the subject. "Steward Cao, I have a proposal. How about letting Clan Leader Gu and Madam Gu participate in the trial together?"