"Your Majesty, my son, Pang Zhong, has always admired Your Majesty. He wishes to serve by your side in the palace. I wonder if Your Majesty would grant my son an opportunity?"
Pang Yi seized the chance to make things difficult for Yu Xiyan.
Upon hearing this request, Yu Xiyan's cold eyes instantly revealed a killing intent.
"Absolutely not!"
Yang Gongyan immediately spoke up.
"Your Majesty, who in the capital doesn't know that the Grand Tutor Pang's son is a playboy, indulging in pleasure and completely unrefined? If someone of such poor character were to marry into the imperial family, wouldn't it be a laughingstock for the entire world?"
Pang Yi said coldly, "Minister Yang, I am discussing this with Your Majesty. Why are you interfering?"
Yang Gongyan snorted coldly. "Grand Tutor Pang, aren't you aware of your son's character? Do you really think he's caught the Emperor's eye?"
Pang Yi retorted, "Although my son is unruly, I will discipline him myself. I don't need your reminder. Furthermore, Your Majesty, Yang Shangshu is guilty of insubordination. According to the laws of the Great Yin Dynasty, he should receive thirty lashes. Guards, take him away!"
The next moment, two golden-armored guards immediately entered the hall, intending to seize Yang Gongyan.
"Presumptuous! I haven't even spoken, and who gave you permission to act on your own! Do you all think I'm invisible?"
The Emperor's威压 descended, and the entire Jade Clarity Palace trembled slightly.
"Your servants dare not! We beg Your Majesty to make a decision."
The officials, terrified, immediately knelt down to apologize.
Yu Xiyan withdrew her imperial威, and said, "This is all for today's morning court. I will carefully consider what you've said. Court dismissed!"
"Farewell, Your Majesty!"
Back in the Eternal Harmony Hall, Yu Xiyan's face was covered in frost.
Shangguan Qiuyue, who was beside her, said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Pang is becoming more and more arrogant. Today, he actually humiliated you in front of all the civil and military officials."
Yu Xiyan said, "If I hadn't yet completely grasped the reins of power, how could the Pang family be allowed to act so wantonly? It's just that they are in cahoots with Huang Tianhu, and the Pang family's influence in the south has been deeply rooted for a long time. I can't move against him for now."
Shangguan Qiuyue asked, "Your Majesty, shall I go make you a pot of tea?"
"Yes."
After Qiuyue left, Yu Xiyan suddenly felt restless, pacing back and forth in the palace.
The humiliation at court was a minor matter, but the issue of disaster relief for the refugees was pressing.
The national treasury was currently depleted, making it impossible to gather enough grain to feed the millions of displaced people.
And even if the problem of food for the refugees was solved, what about next year?
Flooding would inevitably lead to locust plagues. If the people's livelihoods weren't addressed, how could they win hearts and minds and restore the glory of the empire from her previous life?
Thinking of the urgency of the situation, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Shen Zhao! What do you say we should do in this situation! Exactly..."
Halfway through, she paused, remembering that this wasn't her previous life, where all the problems were solved by Shen Zhao.
In her memory, it seemed there was no problem that could stump this man.
For a moment, Yu Xiyan's mood darkened, and she sat back in her chair, feeling lost.
"Shen Zhao, if it were you, could you tell me what I should do now?"
While Yu Xiyan was troubled by the disaster relief efforts, a sect civil war was about to erupt within the Guhe Sect.
"Gu Hanshan, you traitor, you actually have the nerve to come back!"
"Gu Tianhe, I'm only here for one thing today, and I don't want to make things difficult for the Guhe Sect!"
"Traitor! You colluded with the Yao Realm, what do you intend to do to my Guhe Sect?"
"I don't want to waste words with you, Gu Tianhe, I only ask you one thing, are you still not returning Qingcheng's missing soul?"
Former brothers, now turned enemies.
On the third day after the Fuxi Abyss closed, Gu Hanshan led…
Leading three thousand elite Yao race members, they charged towards the Guhe Sect with menacing momentum.
Meanwhile, Gu Tianhe had already led the sect disciples to defend outside the sect. The two sides were on the verge of open conflict.
Gu Tianhe sneered, "Senior Brother, Master and Ancestor trusted you so much, passing the position of Guhe Sect Master to you. Yet, you colluded with the Yao Realm's Holy Maiden to betray the sect. The Ancestor already expelled you from the sect.
If you had any intention of repenting, you should have reformed yourself. Our Guhe Sect might not have refused to take you back. However, you've remained obstinate for three hundred years. It's truly disheartening."
Gu Hanshan responded, "Put away your act, Gu Tianhe. What kind of person you are, I know very well, don't try to reason with me. I'm here today only for one of Qingcheng's souls. Hand it over, and I'll leave. Otherwise…"
Gu Tianhe countered, "It seems you've become a running dog of the Yao Realm after all. It's truly disappointing."
Gu Hanshan's eyes turned cold, "It seems, today, a battle is unavoidable."
Gu Tianhe slowly drew the Soaring Dragon Sword, "There's no point in saying more. If you want to fight, then come."
"Alright!"
Gu Hanshan didn't waste any time and drew his Phantom Sword.
The two stood facing each other, their battle intent blazing, causing the very air to distort.
Just then, Chu Yang suddenly jumped forward: "Senior Gu, do you truly have no regard for our past fellowship? Are you determined to be an enemy of the righteous path?"
Gu Hanshan frowned: "And who are you?"
Chu Yang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "This one is Chu Yang, the ninth prince of the Great Xia Kingdom. I implore Senior Gu to give me some face and temporarily withdraw your troops. We can sit down and discuss this matter, no matter how big it is."
"Discuss? What is there for me to discuss with a junior like you? Considering you are injured, I won't bother with you. Today's matter is between me and the Guhe Sect. Those not involved had best step aside!"
Chu Yang's expression changed: "Senior, do you truly not even take the Great Xia Kingdom into consideration?"
Gu Hanshan: "Say it again, get out of here!"
Gu Tianhe quickly said, "Gu Hanshan, you really colluded with the Yao Realm, and you don't even take the Ninth Prince of the Great Xia Kingdom seriously?"
Gu Hanshan sneered, "I'm not like you, fawning over those in power. After all, I know what kind of person you are. You're certainly experienced at being a dog for others!"
"Whoosh~"
Hearing this, Gu Tianhe was furious and directly shot a sword qi towards Gu Hanshan.
"Boom~"
Gu Hanshan countered with a sword, and the two sword qi collided, immediately exploding and instantly affecting everyone.
"Haven't seen you in three hundred years, and your sword qi is still so pathetic."
"And you're any better?"
After their verbal sparring, the two returned to a standoff.
From the previous sword strike, Gu Hanshan had already determined that Gu Tianhe's cultivation had reached the fifth rank of the Soul Sea Realm. As for himself, he had neglected his cultivation for the past three hundred years to care for Luo Qingcheng's remnant soul, and was only barely at the fifth rank of the Soul Sea Realm.
However, Gu Hanshan was confident that he could defeat Gu Tianhe.
"Senior Brother, after three hundred years, you've only reached the fifth rank of the Soul Sea Realm. You probably never imagined that the junior brother who once had to look up to you now has the same level of cultivation as you."
"What a pity. You have all this cultivation, and it's all gone to waste."
Gu Hanshan sneered, then made his move, transforming into countless shadows and attacking Gu Tianhe.
Gu Tianhe was not to be outdone. With the Soaring Dragon Sword in hand, his momentum was overwhelming.
"Great River Opening and Closing Sword!"
"Drizzling Rain Continuous Sword!"
Seeing that the two were using the Guhe Sect's swordsmanship, the disciples couldn't help but exclaim.
These two sets of sword techniques had contrasting styles, one heavy and the other light, making them a perfect match.
The two fought over thirty moves in mid-air, their sword energy crisscrossing and wreaking havoc on the surrounding scenery.
With a flick of Gu Hanshan's longsword, sending the Soaring Dragon Sword flying from Gu Tianhe's hand, the two separated again.
Gu Tianhe was astonished, "You've actually cultivated this set of swordsmanship to this level?"
Gu Hanshan didn't reply. His spiritual energy was surging wildly within him, and his face was deathly pale. A bead of sweat the size of a bean rolled down his cheek and dripped onto his toes.
"How are you?"
Leng Hu, sensing something was wrong, flashed over to Gu Hanshan's side and asked with concern.
"I expended too much spiritual energy nurturing Qingcheng's soul. I can't move for the time being."
"Leave the rest to me."
"Make it quick, just in case something happens."
"Yes."
Leng Hu took a step forward, her left hand slowly reaching for the longsword hanging on her back.
"Oh, they're fighting!"
Just then, Shen Zhao arrived at the scene with Su Yunying.
"Wow, what a lively scene," Su Yunying remarked, her eyes flitting over the situation, and then she playfully stuck her tongue out at Shen Zhao.
Chu Yang, upon seeing Shen Zhao, recalled being tricked into opening his own belly a few days prior, and his anger flared.
However, when he saw Su Yunying beside Shen Zhao, he was immediately excited: "This girl is gorgeous. She's just as good as that Shen Yue; she's my type."
He stepped forward and clasped his hands towards Su Yunying, saying, "I am Chu Yang. May I ask the young lady's name?"
At this, everyone, including Gu Tianhe and the Yao Realm people, turned to look at Chu Yang with surprise.
What the hell was going on? Couldn't he pick a better time to hit on girls?
Su Yunying frowned slightly, sizing up Chu Yang before realizing, "So you're that Chu Yang who ate three pills? Pleased to meet you!"
Chu Yang almost spat out a mouthful of blood at those words. This was really bringing up an embarrassing past.
"Damn you, Shen Zhao. You made me lose face in front of a beauty. This feud is definitely not going to be resolved."
The people around them snickered. After all, being provoked to the point of cutting oneself open to prove one's innocence was quite a sight to behold.
Gu Tianhe asked, "Young Master Shen, what brings you here?"
Shen Zhao smiled faintly. "Nothing much. As a member of the Arbitration Council, I have a duty to contribute to the peace of the Immortal Martial Continent.
I also know something about the issues between your sects. Rather than having both sides engage in a large-scale battle that could cause unnecessary casualties, how about you hear my opinion?"
"What do you want?"
"It's simple. A fair duel, best of three. If the Guhe Sect wins, the Yao Realm retreats and never interferes with this land again."
"If the Yao Realm is fortunate enough to win, hand over the remnant soul of the Yao Clan's Saintess. How does that sound?"
Gu Tianhe pondered for a moment, then glanced at the elders for their opinion.
"Sect Master, this might reduce casualties. We should agree."
Seeing no objections, Gu Tianhe immediately said, "Alright, I accept. The first match will be handled by Elder Sun. Who will you send?"
"I will!"
Leng Hu stepped forward without expression, her gaze fixed on her opponent.
"Guhe Sect's Elder Sun Jinhui, I'll be taking your guidance."
Whoosh!
As soon as the words left her mouth, a cold light flashed behind Leng Hu. A sharp sword qi, moving at a speed invisible to the naked eye, sliced through Sun Jinhui's hair.
The entire audience was stunned, never expecting such an outcome.
"Uh... this..."
One move, and the victor was decided.
Feeling the pressure from the extreme speed of the sword, Sun Jinhui's Adam's apple bobbed nervously.
If that sword qi had been aimed at his throat...
He didn't dare to think any further.
Facing such an opponent, he didn't dare to resist at all.
"I concede!"
He said dejectedly, returning to Gu Tianhe's side with a face full of shame.
Gu Tianhe hadn't expected his opponent to be so powerful either, but while he was shocked, he was also relieved to have avoided a terrifying match-up.
"I'll go!"
Gu Tianhe stepped forward, holding the Soaring Dragon Sword, and glanced provocatively at Gu Hanshan.
Gu Hanshan was about to step forward, but Shen Zhao stopped him: "Going now is just asking for death, isn't it?"
Then he said to Su Yunying, "Girl, if you can't beat him within ten moves, stop dreaming, and go do whatever you were going to do, got it!"
"Hmph."
Su Yunying pouted, then, like a lone wild goose, she stepped forward.
-----------------------
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