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Due to the arrival of Lu Chen and Old Mu, the Lian Couple specially vacated a room for the two to stay in, and Lu Chen forcefully paid the corresponding fee.
After having dinner at the Lian Family's Cottage that night, everyone went to bed. Lu Chen got up alone and went to an open field to practice Qigong.
On the way to the Five Element Sect, Lu Chen had practiced as well, which Old Mu knew about, but he didn't want to delay their journey, so he didn't delve deeply into it.
Taking advantage of the night, he arrived at a flat area about twenty or thirty steps wide and began to stretch his limbs.
Starting with the Crazy Serpent Seven Star Classic, he stepped on the Seven Stars, rotating his Flesh as he advanced with a serpentine movement while unleashing a barrage of punches. The sound of his iron fists cutting through the air echoed with explosive sounds.
Soon, Lu Chen reviewed the Crazy Serpent Seven Star Classic and then stood quietly in place, feeling the Unity of Man.
Unity of Man is the second stage of Qigong and a marvelous realm that involves not only the elevation of one's spirit but also gaining insight above Qigong itself. It requires merging oneself with the surroundings, imagining oneself as part of it, moving with one's heart—becoming one with it.
After a while, hurried footsteps could be heard from a distance. Lu Chen's ears perked up; his auditory sensitivity was extremely keen, so he had sensed it early on.
Suddenly opening his eyes, Lu Chen saw a somewhat familiar figure approaching from the foot of the Five Element Sect mountain, heading out of the mountain.
"How strange. Why would someone be going out at this hour? This figure looks somewhat familiar; I feel like I've seen them somewhere," Lu Chen pondered for a moment before crouching behind a cluster of lush crops, holding his breath.
A little while later, as the figure got closer, Lu Chen finally recognized him—it was Chen Shihu, the son of the Governor of Luzhou.
"It's him. Why is he coming this way so late at night? He seems sneaky and keeps looking around nervously. What is he up to?" Lu Chen thought to himself.
At this moment, Chen Shihu had already walked past within ten steps without noticing Lu Chen and continued forward.
Feeling that something was amiss, Lu Chen concealed himself among the crops and then used Yin Spirit Disembodiment to quietly follow him.
The main reason he wanted to take a look into the past was that Chen Shihu was the son of the Governor of Luzhou from the Great Zhou Dynasty, which piqued his interest.
Following Chen Shihu, they walked for about three or four miles, nearly leaving the territory of the Five Element Sect. Chen Shihu suddenly darted into a Cottage.
Inside the Cottage, lights were still on. As soon as Chen Shihu entered, he began conversing with someone inside.
After carefully checking around, Lu Chen approached since there were no traps or guards near the Cottage.
He heard Chen Shihu say, "I have met Prince Fu!"
"Brother Shi Hu, how is everything? Have you gathered all the information?" The speaker was a young man with a steady voice; it was Huangfu Qi.
"I have gathered all the information. Di Wanren and that person with the surname He are both Qi Kingdom's Qi Gong Masters sent to protect Huangfu Xun. They have already taken control of the largest tavern in this area and are currently investigating your whereabouts," Chen Shihu replied, sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Nobody followed you on the way here, right?" another sinister voice asked.
"I guarantee there was no one. I was very cautious. However, Prince Fu, you don't even have a hidden guard here. If they come looking for you, I'm afraid..." Chen Shihu expressed his concerns.
"Brother Shi Hu is overthinking it. I believe I have nothing to hide; even if they come, I am not afraid," Huangfu Qi said calmly.
Huangfu Qi paused for a moment and then continued, "I didn't expect them to operate so well and so quickly. I cannot just sit back and watch. Li Gonggong!"
"I am here!"
Only two crisp sounds of slapping sleeves were heard, and the previously eerie voice now sounded full of energy.
"King of Qi is becoming increasingly restless. You must ride back to the capital tonight and inform Imperial Historian Zhang Yan, asking him to draft a memorial detailing the charges against him, so that it can be presented sternly before Father Emperor."
"Yes, I will obey."
After a while, a figure emerged from the Cottage, dressed in light armor, appearing to be in his thirties, striding swiftly towards the mountain exit.
Lu Chen hid nearby and observed clearly; this person was indeed a eunuch. Although he wasn't wearing official robes, his complexion was pale, and he walked silently. The most important thing was that the Yin Spirit could distinguish between individuals at night. A man with a strong aura would appear as a blazing fire from afar, very obvious. In contrast, a woman would look quite different; although she also had Yang energy, her nature leaned towards Yin, appearing like a wisp of dark fire.
The eunuch before him resembled a wisp of dark fire; his body had long been castrated, and his nature leaned towards Yin, making him no different from a woman.
This person could follow Prince Fu to the Five Element Sect for close protection, indicating he was capable. His steps were extremely light, and in just over ten breaths, he vanished without a trace, heading back to the capital to report.
"Shi Hu, Huangfu Yi has ulterior motives; he is cunning and shrewd. The Qi Kingdom's taxes are delayed year after year, accumulating debts while secretly gathering strength. He must be plotting rebellion, coveting the Nine-Five Throne. This time I will set him up; there will definitely be movements in the capital. Dealing with him is only a matter of time. Do not choose the wrong side to avoid being implicated later. If you can help me bring him down, the power over the five northeastern states will surely be yours."
After Li Gonggong left, Huangfu Qi spoke to Chen Shihu in the Cottage. His words sounded like advice but also like a warning—both kindness and severity were present. If you listened, there would be plenty of benefits; if you didn’t listen, then your fate was predictable.
Huangfu Qi had his own plans.
Chen Shihu could tell immediately what was implied. He knelt on the ground to express his determination and said, "Prince Fu is wise; Shi Hu will surely serve Prince Fu wholeheartedly from now on, dedicating himself without hesitation."
"Good, very good. Shi Hu understands human affairs well; your future is bright. You may return now and continue monitoring the movements of Crimson Lotus Princess. Report immediately if anything happens," Prince Fu said.
"Understood, Prince Fu. I will take my leave now." After pausing for a moment, Chen Shihu added, "Prince Fu, with Li Gonggong gone, who will protect your safety? Should I send more people?"
"No need; too many people would complicate matters instead. I will quietly hide under their noses; they surely won't expect that I possess the Emperor's bestowed Deep Dragon Sword capable of slaying even Yin Spirits," Huangfu Qi declared with righteous indignation.
"Can even the Yin Spirit be killed?" Outside the Cottage, Lu Chen murmured to himself after hearing Prince Fu Huangfu Yi's words.
"The King of Qi wants to rebel and has sent the Crimson Lotus Princess to the Five Element Sect for training. Meanwhile, this Prince Fu is also here for training but has discovered the King of Qi's conspiracy. These people are fighting fiercely. If I, Lu Chen, want to seek a higher position, I must find opportunities to ally with one side and stir up trouble in between."
Thinking this, Lu Chen's Yin Spirit glided forward, returned to Flesh, and quietly went back to his Cottage.
As dawn broke, Lu Chen got up and prepared himself.
He needed to arrange for Old Mu before attending the assessment. Old Mu couldn't accompany him and had to stay at the Cottage to help the Lian Couple with some chores and entertain the children.
After arranging for Old Mu, Lu Chen set out alone towards the Five Element Sect.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Lu Chen was slightly surprised.
He saw more than a dozen large ships docked there. As soon as the newcomers arrived for the assessment, they were immediately arranged onto the ships, which would take off once full.
Lu Chen jumped onto one of the ships. Besides the disciples participating in the assessment, there were also several dozen middle-aged men dressed in Inner Disciples of the Five Element Sect attire standing around. They all had indifferent expressions and did not speak much, their cultivation levels above Unity of Man.
Lu Chen observed quietly; these large ships were made of wood with distinct patterns. The sides were seven or eight zhang high, and the masts reached a height of a hundred zhang, about four or five dozen steps wide and up to four hundred zhang long.
One ship could accommodate over a thousand people. According to those nearby, these ships were unique to the Five Element Sect and were called Thunder Warships. They even had mechanisms for cannons loaded with gunpowder capable of flattening houses—truly a marvel that left people in awe.
Aside from the Supreme Emperor and Young Sovereign, who were the two leaders, the most mysterious figure in the Five Element Sect was undoubtedly the Earth Second Artisan. This Thunder Warship must have been crafted by Earth Second Artisan himself.
Soon, Lu Chen's ship was full. The sails automatically rose, and then it began to accelerate along the wide road at the foot of the mountain. As the ship swayed slightly, it soared into the sky.
"It really flew up!"
The Thunder Warship soared into the sky at an incredible speed, the strong wind making it hard to breathe, causing everyone's clothes to billow and snap. Everyone hurriedly gathered their True Qi, breathing forcefully, their faces turning red from the effort.
Once they reached the sky and the speed stabilized, those on board who were participating in the assessment finally settled down, marveling at this miraculous vessel. However, with the Inner Disciples of the Five Element Sect watching not far away, they dared not act too recklessly and only whispered among themselves.
The Thunder Warship broke through the clouds, reaching the top of the cloud layer, where they were greeted by blinding golden sunlight and clouds that looked like piles of cotton. The scenery was truly magnificent.
After traveling for about half a stick of incense, the Thunder Warship began to slow down and glided down from the clouds, eventually landing on a high mountain.
As everyone disembarked from the warship, they realized they were still within the territory of the Five Element Sect. Despite flying for so long in the sky, they had not yet left the boundaries of the Five Element Sect. They wondered just how vast the entire Five Element Sect was.
The peak they stood on was the highest mountain within the Five Element Sect. There were some scattered buildings on top, but no people could be seen.
It was evident that this highest peak was not meant for habitation; it was likely used for observation purposes. The mountain was extremely steep, as if carved by knives and axes, rising to several thousand feet. Without the warship, it would be impossible to ascend here relying solely on flesh.
However, standing here provided a view of many things. In the distance, on other peaks, there were larger and more magnificent buildings—pavilions, towers, courtyards, or plazas—where disciples moved about like ants in an anthill. They appeared smaller than sesame seeds.
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