Master of Strange Dao

That Crown Prince, despite appearing calm and unruffled on the surface, could provoke Emperor Li into rage without uttering a harsh word.

Outwardly, the methods of the Crown Prince did not align with this demeanor at all.

If one truly offended the Crown Prince, though he did not interfere in the affairs of the Shadow Department, he had numerous ways to deal with anyone.

He even believed that the Crown Prince did not need to act in secret; merely telling Emperor Li directly, "The people of the Shadow Department have been bothersome lately," would prompt Emperor Li to personally handle them.

After all, each time, the Crown Prince managed to find just cause, leaving everyone else with no recourse.

The last time, when Emperor Li personally promoted someone and subtly reprimanded the others in the Shadow Department, it remained fresh in everyone's memory.

The old man contemplated for a moment, then picked up the brush and made a note.

He instructed the Shadow Department to stay away from Qing Ziyu and not to seek trouble unnecessarily.

Especially with recent intelligence indicating the output of sweet rain from Jinlan Mountain grew increasingly scarce, yet the demand for it was on the rise.

That Duke Lin, who secluded himself, seemed to have suffered a relapse recently, only to reappear in better condition after some time.

Such repeated occurrences, and still he had not succumbed; it was impossible to dismiss the vital role of sweet rain.

Duke Lin's situation had called for numerous physicians.

Although these physicians kept tight lips, somehow over time, information had managed to leak.

According to those physicians who examined Duke Lin at the time, his salvation was deemed impossible, merely a matter of time.

With his annotations complete, the old man seemed to have thought of something, remaining silent for a long while before turning to disappear into the shadows behind him.

...

"Cece, do you think someone might come to trouble us?"

"No, Young Master. Although your luck lately has not been as dazzling as the midday sun, it isn't poor either. No one would come seeking death; don't underestimate people."

"What a pity..."

Yu Ziqing sighed; he was hoping to encounter someone coming to court disaster.

Then he could capture a few people to entertain the giants.

Upon leaving Almsgiving Town and heading deeper into Dali, he faintly detected the presence of people watching.

His Refining God Cultivation, upon advancing to the Fifth Tier out-of-body realm, had made his senses exceptionally sharp.

He occasionally felt eyes on him but could not find anyone, likely deducing that it was the Shadow Department watching.

But now, even those eyes were nowhere to be found.

With no attention from the Shadow Department, Yu Ziqing found himself somewhat caught off guard.

He thought he had offended quite a number of people over the past two years.

Not to mention those who preferred to stay out of the limelight and used any means to their ends.

Furthermore, with the soaring demand and short supply of sweet rain, surely there would be some prepared to take risks?

After all, when afflicted by Devil Thought, people would resort to anything.

Yet the journey remained uneventful, without a single troublesome incident.

This tranquillity left Yu Ziqing feeling slightly uneasy.

Cece quietly chuckled beside him, understanding Yu Ziqing's mindset.

Over the years, there had been issues every time they stepped out, each one more troublesome than the last, so much so that it had become a habit for Yu Ziqing. Now that there was nothing, it felt abnormal.

They proceeded smoothly to the Imperial City of Dali, where Lin Fu had already prepared the carriage, waiting by the roadside.

Getting onto the carriage, they encountered no trouble at all, even skipping the most basic inspections to enter the city.

"Uncle Fu, who are you looking for?" Yu Ziqing watched Lin Fu with amusement in his eyes.

"No one."

"Don't worry, Lou Huai won't appear."

Lou Huai accompanying Yu Ziqing on a journey was one matter; seeing Lin Fu was another.

These two had a mutual disdain for each other, yet it wasn't genuine dislike, more like annoyance.

Honestly, ever since meeting Han Dong and the female Ba, Yu Ziqing finally understood the subtle dynamic between Lou Huai and Lin Fu.

Thankfully, their disdain was mutual. Otherwise, if Lou Huai were to turn female, following typical routes, they would end up marrying, difficult to avoid otherwise.

For now, things were fine.

Listening to Yu Ziqing's teasing, Lin Fu felt somewhat awkward; yet he still wanted to inquire further about Lou Huai's situation.

"Don't hesitate, just ask whatever you want; Lou Huai is steadfast on the righteous path, walking it more rightly than many cultivators; you need not worry."

"I'm not worried about him..."

"Hahaha..."

Yu Ziqing laughed heartily, while in his boots, Lou Huai withdrew inwardly, avoiding the conversation lest he became upset.

Arriving at the Gu Family, Cece was led to the rear courtyard to catch up with Gu Tianxin, while Yu Ziqing was brought to the guest room.

The Gu Family Master had cleared his schedule specifically to maintain propriety with an in-person meeting.

After the initial meeting, the Gu Family Master then left on his own since one meeting would suffice for a first encounter. Remaining issues were best handled by Lin Fu, as Yu Ziqing was nominally just a junior from Jinlan Mountain.

However, the Gu Family Master didn't wish to appear overly enthusiastic, to maintain decorum.

Yet there were others who cared nothing for restraint.

Just as Yu Ziqing settled in the Gu Family, without even having a second brew of his tea, a message arrived at the door: Gong Tianlin had sent an invitation.