The mysterious woman, Tantai Xuan, who possessed both beauty and wisdom, has ascended to heaven, leaving behind endless legends in Tantai City. Chen Nan stood in the square, feeling lost and forlorn.
"Why...why did you do that to me?" Xianfan sighed, gazing at the sky. Chen Nan followed Chu Yue and the little princess, walking into the city lord's mansion of Tantai City in a daze.
Seeing his dejected appearance, the little princess shouted indignantly, "You scoundrel, are you even a man? I already said I'd find someone to help you recover your strength after we get back to the capital, why are you still looking so lifeless? Humph, you filthy thief, you stingy bastard!"
"Yu'er must not be rude to Young Master Chen." Chu Yue said with concern, "Young Master Chen, are you too tired from your journey? Why don't we rest here for a couple of days?"
Chen Nan shook his head blankly and said, "Let's hurry up and get going."
"Very well, the sooner we return to the capital, the sooner we can help Young Master Chen recover his strength."
Chen Nan left the ancient city of Tantai in a daze. For the next two days, he seemed to have lost his soul, his eyes were empty and he had no vitality.
Three days later, a thunderclap rang in his ears, and he was jolted back to his senses as if struck by lightning. Dark clouds rolled in the sky, surging like waves of ink, and dozens, even hundreds, of golden snakes darted about among the clouds. The rumbling thunder echoed in his heart like the morning bell and evening drum.
In that instant, Chen Nan had a sudden realization: time flies, years pass, what's gone is gone forever, never to return; what exists remains, and only what exists is real. One cannot live in the past forever; only by grasping the present can one avoid regrets about the past…
At this moment, the true energy within his body, which had long been depleted, suddenly revived like withered trees in spring. The faint true energy circulated within him like a silkworm cocoon. Gradually, the subtle true energy grew stronger, flowing endlessly within him like a gentle stream or a light breeze.
The power that the little princess had dispelled instantly returned to its original state. Moreover, through internal observation, it could be seen that the true energy within his body was now purer than before. The peculiar, pale yellow, and dull true energy was no longer present; it had completely disappeared from his body. After a long, long time, Chen Nan's excited emotions gradually calmed down. Not only had his power returned to normal, but his state of mind was also bright, sweeping away the gloom from before.
The rain poured down, turning the world into a curtain of water. Chu Yue and her group were temporarily trapped in a small town, and five hundred cavalrymen had booked all the inns in the town.
The little princess was as happy as an angel, jumping and skipping, completely unlike the scheming little devil she had been before.
"Hehe, great, it's raining, how refreshing!"
She cheered and called to Chu Yue, "Sister, don't hide in the house, come out quickly, look how cool it is here."
Chen Nan was shocked and secretly surprised. He had sensed the aura of a cultivator on Chu Yue before, but now she was exuding the true energy of a profound martial artist.
"Could she be cultivating Taoism while practicing martial arts?"
Chu Yue grabbed the little princess's arm in the rain and pulled her into the house. "Look at yourself now! Do you have any princess's dignity left? You're like a wild child who has no one to care for you. If your father and mother find out, they'll scold you to death..."
"Hehe..." Chen Nan couldn't help but laugh as he stood by the window.
Just then, the little princess turned around and saw his smile. She angrily said, "You scoundrel, you scumbag, how dare you laugh at me! I'll teach you a lesson..."
The spoiled little princess was unwillingly pulled into the room by Chu Yue.
After midnight, the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased, all was quiet, and the starlight shone brightly in the still night sky.
Chen Nan stood quietly by the window, savoring the tranquility of the night.
"After the storm, there may not be a rainbow, but there will definitely be hope and light. Tantai Xuan, you have actually entered the realm of immortality. Heaven has truly been kind to me. One day I will break through the void with my martial arts. Wait for me..."
In the eastern part of the Tianyuan Continent, formerly known as the Immortal Fantasy Continent, countless wars have ravaged the land, leaving behind a fragmented landscape of numerous powerful states. Three major powers occupy three-quarters of the eastern territory: the Chu Kingdom in the west, the Baiyue Kingdom in the north, and the Anping Kingdom in the southeast. These three powers do not border each other, separated by numerous smaller states, most of which are vassal states of these three superpowers. The Chu, Baiyue, and Anping kingdoms stand in a tripartite balance of power, their strengths roughly equal, and have maintained peace for the past decade or so, without any major conflicts.
Because the State of Chu was located in the west, bordering the west, its capital city became one of the key hubs connecting the east and west. Merchants from both the east and west traveled to and from the city, and the constant flow of people made Pingyang City incredibly prosperous. The city had a population of no less than one million, and it was bustling with activity every day. Resources from all over the country were continuously transported to Pingyang City via the Grand Canal.
Ten days later, Chu Yue, Chen Nan, and their group arrived outside the capital of Chu. Gazing at the Pingyang city wall, it resembled a continuous Great Wall, majestic and magnificent. The towers adorning it were grand in scale and splendid in appearance.
As they drew closer to Pingyang City, Chen Nan felt increasingly awestruck. The capital of Chu was many times more magnificent than the tallest and most imposing city in China that he had seen ten thousand years ago.
The city wall of Pingyang is 16 meters high and 12 meters wide at the top. The wall is clad in blue bricks, thick, solid, and majestic. The city gate is topped with gate towers, arrow towers, and gate towers, towering into the sky with a powerful and imposing presence. Outside the city wall is a moat 40 meters wide and 10 meters deep, where the water ripples and boats dot the surface.
Chen Nan was deeply impressed by the magnificent atmosphere of the capital of Chu.
"Hey, you scoundrel, come back to your senses! Haven't you ever seen Pingyang City? Haven't you ever read about it in a book? Oh, I forgot, you're an uneducated wretch who's never even been to school. Sigh, you filthy thief..." The little princess deliberately feigned a look of disappointment and frustration.
Throughout the journey, Chen Nan endured the little princess's ridicule. He could only console himself with a kind of mental victory: "Little girl, I won't stoop to your level now, but one day you'll fall into my hands again..."
Chu Yue looked amusedly at her precocious younger sister, took her little hand, and said, "Yu'er..."
"I know, sister!" the little princess drawled, then muttered in a barely audible voice, "Always protecting him. All this guy can do is draw Hou Yi's bow, but I still caught him. Humph, I'll teach him a lesson sooner or later."
Chu Yue rolled her eyes at her, tapped her forehead with her finger, and said, "You!"
Pingyang City was bustling with traffic and pedestrians, and shops lined both sides of the road, presenting a prosperous scene.
The Emperor of Chu had already been informed that not only had his eldest daughter returned from a western tour of the capital, but he had also found his little princess who had secretly run away from home. He was overjoyed and sent people out of the city to welcome her.
When the welcoming party arrived, Chu Yue and her entourage had already entered the city, but the little princess was nowhere to be seen. Chu Yue was startled, thinking that her mischievous little sister had run away again. Just as she was getting anxious, the little princess appeared from the roadside not far away.
She had three skewers of lamb in her left hand, two skewers of candied hawthorn in her right hand, and half a chicken roll in her mouth. Two snack shop owners were chasing after her.
"Young lady, you haven't paid for your lamb skewers yet."
"Little girl, you can't steal my candied hawthorn!"
"Sister...give me money." The little princess mumbled, chewing something.
Chu Yue felt both annoyed and amused, and she really couldn't do anything about her younger sister. The officials who came out of the capital to greet her couldn't help but laugh, but intimidated by the little princess's usual "demon power," they all turned their heads to the side.
The owners of the two snack shops were stunned to see a large number of royal guards appear ahead. Forgetting about getting their money, they turned and disappeared into the crowd. Chu Yue instructed one of her men to take the money and follow them.
Five hundred iron cavalry and a large number of royal guards who came out of the capital escorted the two princesses slowly toward the capital. Chen Nan was treated as an honored guest by Chu Yue, and he followed closely behind her and the little princess.
The capital of Chu was majestic, solemn, and imposing, exuding an aura of imperial power.
After entering the imperial city, Chu Yue said to Chen Nan, "Young Master Chen, my father may want to see you soon. Please wait here patiently and do not wander off, understand?"
"Yes, this humble subject understands." Chen Nan wasn't very familiar with the etiquette between the ruler and his subjects in the Chu Kingdom, and had always spoken to Chu Yue in a normal tone. Now, entering the imperial city, he was somewhat uneasy.
Chu Yue smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. As I said before, the Chu Kingdom treats those with outstanding talents as national heroes. Even when facing the monarch, there is no need to perform grand ceremonies. Just do what you did before. There's no need to be reserved."
Chen Nan breathed a sigh of relief. He would be so annoyed if he had to kowtow and bow to any official of even slightly higher rank, like other people.
By this time, the little princess had already disappeared into the palace in a flash. Chu Yue smiled and turned to leave as well.
When Chu Yue arrived at the inner palace, she saw the little princess leaning against the empress, chattering away, while the emperor sat opposite her with a faint smile on his face.
After Chu Yue stepped forward to pay her respects, she sat down to the side. Of all his children, Emperor Chu Han of Chu Kingdom favored his youngest daughter, Chu Yu, and relied most heavily on his eldest daughter, Chu Yue, and his second son, Chu Wenfeng. He was overjoyed to see that his eldest daughter had not only successfully completed her western tour but had also brought his youngest daughter back.
The little princess spoke eloquently, vividly recounting her thrilling adventures along the way, which made the Queen of Chu very nervous.
After she finished speaking, the Emperor of Chu said in a deep voice, "I did not expect that Ren Jian would be so bold as to harbor evil intentions on the border of my Chu Kingdom. If it weren't for the fact that I did not want to disrupt the peace of the continent for many years and plunge the people into misery, I would definitely send people to conquer Baiyue Kingdom."
Chu Yue said, "Father's concerns are very valid. We should not start a war in a fit of anger. Besides, Ren Jian did not gain any advantage. His men suffered heavy losses, and he himself was seriously injured and fled in a sorry state."
Chu Han nodded and said, "Let's make a note of this debt to the Baiyue Kingdom first." Then he added, "By the way, it seems like there was someone named Chen Nan involved throughout the whole process. Yu'er, you were being vague. What exactly happened?"
Chu Yu changed the subject, saying, "Father, you are so kind. You actually want to conquer the Baiyue Kingdom for my sake."
Chu Han said with a stern face, "Hmph, you have no idea how worried we were when you left the palace without a word this time. Tell me, how should I punish you?"
"Ah? I already begged you not to punish me when I came back, and you promised, didn't you? No, Father is the ruler of the country, and a king's word is law. You can't go back on your word." As she spoke, the little princess wrapped her arms around the Empress's neck again and said sweetly, "Mother..."
"Alright, you're so old and still so clingy. Your father was just joking with you, but you must promise that nothing like this will ever happen again. Otherwise, not only will your father not approve, but I will never forgive you either."
"Hehe, I knew Mother was the best." With that, she kissed the Empress on the cheek.
"You child..."
The little princess turned to face Chu Han and smiled, "Father, look, this is the Fiery Lotus I picked for you after overcoming countless hardships." As she spoke, she opened the jade box containing the Fiery Lotus, and the room was immediately filled with a sweet fragrance.
The Emperor of Chu had never intended to punish her. He was overjoyed to see her return safely and had only meant to scare her earlier. Seeing her mischievous antics—first appeasing the Empress, then trying to please him—a smile spread across his face, his doting affection evident.
"You little rascal..." Chu Han said, pinching her smooth, pink cheek, then turned to Chu Yue and asked, "Yue'er, is there anything unusual in the west?"
"No, all those cultivators from various countries have entered the Falling Wind Mountains and have not stayed in our Chu territory. It seems they are all going for the legendary Qilin. No one has any ill intentions towards our Chu border."
"Oh, that's good. But the appearance of the divine beast Qilin in the Falling Wind Mountains is indeed an extraordinary event. Could it be that a sage is about to appear in the world?"
Chu Yue smiled and said, "Isn't the most wise sage you, Father Emperor? You don't need to worry about this."
Chu Han laughed and said, "You little rascal, how come you're being so glib like your sister? Actually, I'm not too worried. Our Chu Kingdom has been peaceful and prosperous in recent years, so I don't expect anything to happen."
"By the way, Father, during this trip to the Western Frontier, I discovered a prodigy. Well, strictly speaking, it was my sister's doing; she discovered and captured this person."
"Oh, who is he?"
The little princess interjected, "He's a scoundrel, a stinking thief, ignorant and incompetent, he can't even write a single word."
Seeing Chu Yu's anxious expression, Chu Yue couldn't help but laugh. The little princess was both embarrassed and angry, saying, "Sister, you're not allowed to say that..."
"Haha..." The emperor and empress laughed at the same time, as they rarely saw the little princess of the elves so embarrassed and annoyed.
"What exactly happened to Yue'er?" the Empress asked.
Chu Yue asked, "Can Yu'er speak?"
Seeing the hopeful and curious looks on the emperor and empress's faces, the little princess immediately deflated and said, "Speak."
Chu Yue recounted Chen Nan's story in detail. At first, the Emperor and Empress were furious, but then they couldn't help but show expressions of shock.
After listening to the whole story, Chu Han said to Chu Yu, "No wonder you, my little rascal, were so evasive. So there were other things going on. Judging by what he did, he deserved to die a thousand times over. It's just a pity for such a talented person..."
The Empress also said, "This man is truly a prodigy. As long as he has the Houyi Bow, he is equivalent to a peerless master. However, his words and actions deserve to die a thousand times over."
Chu Han said, "Yu'er, you've really grown up. Even in that situation, you were still able to think of him as a talented person and spare his life. You've matured, and I really don't need to worry about you anymore."
Chu Yu pouted and said, "I'm all grown up now, but I really regret not killing him back then."
Chu Han hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's keep him."
Chu Yue also said, "I think we should keep him; after all, talent is rare."
The Empress said, "Then we must silence him and prevent him from saying anything reckless."
Chu Yue said, "Through observing him these past few days, I've found that he's not the kind of person who speaks without thinking; he should understand his situation."
The Empress said, "That's good."
Chen Nan waited outside for a long time without any news, and his heart grew increasingly uneasy. Little did he know that he had already narrowly escaped death. Just as he was becoming increasingly anxious, a palace maid approached him and whispered, "Are you Young Master Chen?"
The palace maid said, "The eldest princess ordered me to bring you into the palace, and also told me to tell you not to be nervous. When you see His Majesty the Emperor later, just be respectful in your speech."
"Okay, I've got it."
Chen Nan was nervous because he had once defiled the little princess and was afraid that the emperor would blame him. After hearing the palace maid's words, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The palace boasts red walls and yellow tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, and is resplendent in gold and jade. The palaces and pavilions, rising and falling in a magnificent and imposing manner, are truly awe-inspiring.
The Emperor of Chu summoned him in his study. Chen Nan glanced at the tall and imposing old man in front of him, knelt down, kowtowed, and said, "This humble subject greets Your Majesty the Emperor."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chen Nan stood to the side with his head bowed.
Chu Han's face was ashen, and he coldly asked, "Did you ever behave disrespectfully towards my youngest daughter?"
Chen Nan's face immediately broke out in sweat, and he said, "Yes, I was confused for a moment."
Chu Han said coldly, "Do you know that your words and actions deserve to die ten thousand times over?"
Chen Nan's body was now covered in cold sweat, which soaked Nei Yi completely.
"However, the eldest princess pleaded for you, saying that you live in the mountains and are ignorant of etiquette, and begged me to forgive you. I did not want to let you go, but Yu'er also pleaded for you, saying that you are a talented person and can make up for your mistakes in the future. Because of these reasons, I did not kill you."
"Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Majesty."
Chu Han's voice was no longer cold; his tone softened as he said, "You don't need to be afraid. I said I would forgive you, and I will never kill you again. Besides, I've heard that you are truly a talented person. As long as you serve my Great Chu well in the future, I will never treat you unfairly."
"Well, you don't need to be so reserved from now on. Even if you see me, you don't need to bow deeply. From now on, you are one of the national talents of my Chu Kingdom, of course, a hidden national talent. You can't mention to anyone that you can draw Hou Yi's bow." Chu Han smiled and said, "Hehe, I am really pleased that Chu Kingdom has a talent like you. Don't worry about the past. Work hard, and I will definitely promote you and give you a higher rank in the future."
After leaving the palace, Chen Nan wiped away a cold sweat and exclaimed, "That was close! I almost said goodbye to this world. Whew!" He let out a long breath. But as he walked, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
"I almost got intimidated by this old guy. He slapped me and then rubbed me three times. This old fox first slapped me wildly, and then gave me a 'sweet date' to eat. He used both kindness and threats to try to make me obediently serve him. This old fox is really good at the art of controlling people. No wonder he has been sitting on the emperor's throne for decades."
"Young Master Chen, what are you muttering about?" Chu Yue, dressed in flowing white robes, was stunningly beautiful and elegant.
"Oh, nothing. I was just marveling at how big the palace is; I almost got disoriented."
"Hehe, come with me, I'll take you out and arrange your accommodations while I'm at it."
Chen Nan felt a sense of goodwill towards this stunningly beautiful eldest princess. Throughout the journey, Chu Yue had taken excellent care of him, allowing him to escape the little princess's clutches. Looking at Chu Yue's unparalleled beauty and kind smile, he respectfully said, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Chu Yue smiled and led him out of the palace. Outside the imperial city were the residences of the court officials. The two of them arrived at a very spacious mansion. The tall gatehouse was magnificent, flanked by imposing white marble lions. A red plaque with gold lettering hung above the vermilion gate, which read: "Mansion of a Extraordinary Scholar".
Chu Yue said, "The people who can live here are all extraordinary individuals, each with their own special abilities. You will be living here from now on. At first, you may feel a little uncomfortable because you are not familiar with this place, but you will get used to it over time."
The Qishi Mansion is divided into numerous independent courtyards, unlike the grand and luxurious mansion in front of the gate. Instead, it has a rustic charm, with each courtyard having its own unique garden scenery.
When the so-called extraordinary people inside saw Chu Yue, they merely smiled and nodded, without stepping forward to pay their respects, which shows how noble their status was, as these extraordinary people who enjoyed the treatment of national heroes.
Chen Nan's courtyard is very quiet. On the west side of the garden, there is a small patch of green bamboo, and through the shadows of the bamboo, a stone table and two stone chairs are visible. On the east side is a flower bed with several oddly shaped rocks in between.
Chen Nan asked, "Will I be living here from now on? Will there be anything I need to do?"
Chu Yue smiled and said, "You can stay here for now. In a few days, I will find someone to help you recover your strength, and then I will find someone to teach you some advanced martial arts so that you can better master the Houyi Bow."
"But don't wander around. Don't go into other people's yards before you've gotten to know them."
Chen Nan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Chu Yue said, "Among these people, some are experts in poisons, so much so that the courtyard is full of snakes, insects, and poisonous plants; if you accidentally enter, you may be poisoned. Others study magic, and their powerful magical energy could destroy the entire courtyard at any time. And then there are others..."
Chen Nan became increasingly alarmed as he listened. What kind of weird and eccentric people lived here? It was practically a hideout for a terrorist organization.
Finally, Chu Yue added, "There are very few guards here, but several highly skilled individuals take turns patrolling every day, so this place is absolutely safe."
Chen Nan groaned in despair: It's over, my escape plan has failed.
After seeing Chu Yue off, Chen Nan felt uneasy: That poison guy, will his snakes and insects come into my yard? And that destructive maniac who tinkers with magic, will he live next door to me?