Chapter 621: The Ender of All Beliefs

Corruption cases are often intertwined, and a thorough investigation would reveal countless people involved. However, He Lingchuan felt that Grand Master Frostleaf wouldn't be easily overthrown.

"Also, the Azure Palace has been heavily scrutinized by the Star-Plucking Tower recently," Fang Canran said with a smile. "Bai Ziqi is investigating the elixir of immortality case, but there's been no progress. The Celestial Palace is quite frustrated, so the Azure Palace is certainly acting more cautiously now."

He Lingchuan remarked, "The opponent is too strong."

It is said that the might of the heavens is unpredictable. The Celestial Palace represents the highest will of this nation. Whoever it targets, whoever it strikes, must prostrate themselves and remain still.

Even someone as esteemed as a Grand Master wouldn't dare to offend it.

If it were a different opponent, Grand Master Qingyang wouldn't be so heavily suppressed.

He raised his cup and said, "Come, let's drink."

Just as the last of the mead in the jar was finished, Fang Canran bid farewell: "I've been out for a long time; I should head back."

He Lingchuan stood up with him: "Aren't you staying for dinner?"

"No, I just remembered I have urgent business at Dunyuan."

"Alright, I'll see you out, Mr. Fang."

From the dock to the main gate, they walked in silence.

Just then, Fu Shanyue returned to Pianxiang Villa and was surprised to see Fang Canran: "Manager Fang? What brings you here?"

Fang Canran bowed to him: "Your Royal Highness. Young Master He reserved a precious item at Dunyuan, and I've just delivered it to him. It's getting late, so I'll be heading back."

"Alright, alright, no need to see me off."

Fang Canran smiled at He Lingchuan again: "Young Master He, we'll meet again."

He Lingchuan raised a hand in farewell.

Meet again? Of course.

Fu Shanyue watched Fang Canran's carriage leave, then asked He Lingchuan, "What did he give you?"

"Give?" He Lingchuan rolled his eyes. "He sold me a toy, an absurdly expensive one, for nine thousand six hundred taels of silver!"

"What kind of toy?"

"A Dreamland."

Fu Shanyue asked curiously, "You, a stingy miser who wouldn't part with a single hair, would spend ten thousand taels on a toy?"

"I only asked about it, who knew he actually had it and delivered it himself? Could I say no?" He Lingchuan suddenly beamed at Fu Shanyue. "How about I sell it to you instead?"

"Am I crazy to want that?" There was definitely something fishy going on, but Fu Shanyue couldn't be bothered. "You keep it and play with it yourself. Oh, by the way, the Sun Family is hosting the Grass Sea event soon. The invitation came to me, so I RSVP'd for you."

He Lingchuan clicked his tongue twice: "The Sun Family is really something. With Sun Mou's fate unknown, they still have the mind to hold an event?"

"This is a bi-annual tradition in Lingxu City, going on for hundreds of years. Does their family dare to let this tradition end with them?" Fu Shanyue said darkly. "In comparison, Sun Mou's life or death is a trivial matter."

He Lingchuan shrugged: "Right, any progress on the case of inciting the Crown Prince?"

Fu Shanyue chuckled: "No, but I went to the Grand Minister of Agriculture's house again this afternoon and stayed there for two hours. Old Man Yao tried to use official business as an excuse to leave, but I stopped him."

"You took everyone with you?" There were only a few Chiyan guards at the villa today; He Lingchuan knew at a glance that Fu Shanyue had called them all out.

This was Fu Shanyue's third visit to the Yao residence, wasn't it?

"Mmhmm, I took them all to the Grand Minister of Agriculture's mansion. I was inside drinking tea while they waited outside." The Chiyan guards were all in bright armor, practically carrying flags and banners, beating drums, and announcing their arrival at the Grand Minister's house.

The Yao residence was originally one of Lingxu City's wealthiest households, constantly bustling with visitors and carriages. Now, dozens of Chiyan guards half-blocked the main entrance, and everyone saw and understood the implications.

The Chiyan Crown Prince was clearly visiting the Yao residence to stir up trouble, generate buzz, and increase his own notoriety.

But since the Emperor tacitly approved, who could object?

Furthermore, the people of Lingxu City actually enjoyed this spectacle. Many nobles even dispatched agents to stake out Pianxiang Villa, eager to see what new antics the Chiyan Crown Prince would pull next at the Yao residence.

It was said that Yao Xingning had already thrown a tantrum once, intending to confront Fu Shanyue, but her father had strictly prevented and restrained her.

Yao's son-in-law, Cen Boqing, had killed demons and taken their pearls in Chiyan, and then assassinated the Chiyan envoy. The Yao family was already very passive in this matter, and with the added suspicion of inciting the Crown Prince to commit murder and arson, the Grand Minister of Agriculture felt overwhelmed.

At this point, he had to maintain a low profile, enduring the Chiyan Crown Prince's taunts and provocations, and absolutely preventing his daughter from causing any further incidents.

Fu Shanyue stretched: "In about seven or eight days, I'll go back to him and demand results."

He Lingchuan uncharacteristically cautioned Fu Shanyue: "Be careful."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

After dinner, He Lingchuan returned to his courtyard to practice martial arts.

Two consecutive outbreaks of Emperor's Dew had caused the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to gradually recover, making his cultivation easier. His first Dantian was now almost entirely filled with liquefied true power, and he began to fill his second Dantian.

Even his clone technique had progressed; its duration increased from twelve breaths to twenty breaths, allowing the clone to move up to twenty zhang away from his main body. Of course, the consumption of true power also increased, but for him now, it was easily affordable.

After practicing with his spear for nearly half an hour, He Lingchuan was steaming with heat but felt no fatigue. The fierce tiger, perched on a tree, felt its paws itch, leaped down in two bounds, let out a long roar, and pounced.

For a while, tiger claws and spear shadows filled his lively courtyard.

Jiao Yu was usually so lazy it seemed boneless, always preferring to lie down rather than stand. Yet, a single paw strike could easily deliver three thousand catties of force, doubling when at its peak. It could use both paws simultaneously, delivering eight claw attacks within a second, appearing as a blur of afterimages to an outsider.

And then, a person might cease to exist.

Its strength was even greater than Uncle Da's. Both possessed the signature skill of "Tiger's Roar," an innate kingly aura that terrified other creatures into submission.

A gardener happened to be passing by outside. Startled by the sudden roar of the tiger, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest, and the tools in his hands fell to the ground.

Having spent a long time with it, He Lingchuan wasn't afraid, but Jiao Yu's strength and agility surpassed Meng Shan's. Its techniques were fewer—demons' moves were always about quality over quantity; when perfected, they would always return to simplicity.

The nearby Tongxin Guards were all drawn over. After watching for a while, they were dazzled and exchanged looks of astonishment.

Although it was merely a man-tiger sparring session, the current battle was more intense than He Lingchuan's courageous fight against Uncle Da at the Qunxing City ruins. Uncle Da had cultivated the divine ability of ice, but Jiao Yu possessed innate wind manipulation, making it even lighter and more agile than its father, despite its larger size.

Finally, it lunged at He Lingchuan with its mouth wide open, and the latter raised his spear horizontally, blocking it in front of him.

Jiao Yu's fangs gnashed against the wooden spear shaft, and then with a shake of its head, the shaft snapped with a crunch.

He Lingchuan clasped its head and shouted, "Foul, foul! I didn't even use my Soaring Dragon Spear!"

Jiao Yu retracted its claws, and He Lingchuan instead pressed down on its shoulder.

The man and the tiger wrestled for a long time, and in the end, He Lingchuan was pushed back several steps and lost.

Both lay panting on the ground, utterly exhausted.

Jiao Yu's tongue hung out, panting more heavily than a dog.

Excluding this final close-quarters wrestling, Jiao Yu knew deep down that it was no longer a match for He Lingchuan.

Since the battle against Fan Sheng in Lotus Palace, the envoy's cultivation seemed to have advanced by leaps and bounds once more.

After a moment to cool down, He Lingchuan patted Jiao Yu's forehead: "Come on, let's go bathe in the lake."

Once in the water, he lazily lay on the tiger's back.

When he climbed out of the lake, the tiger also emerged, shaking its fur and happily splashing water all over him.

"Oh, come on!"

He Lingchuan returned to his room to change into clean clothes. The mirror, seizing an opportunity, asked him:

"Did you and that person named Fang speak in riddles?"

"Yes," He Lingchuan said, toweling his hair. "He might have some connection to an old acquaintance I met in the City of the Dead."

"An old acquaintance from the City of the Dead?" The mirror pondered for a moment. "Wait, wouldn't that be over a hundred years ago?"

He Lingchuan nodded.

The mirror understood. No wonder its master was being so cautious; it was hard enough to fathom a person's heart, let alone after a hundred years.

He Lingchuan took a sip of hot water, recalling his conversation with Fang Canran that afternoon.

Generally, if descendants don't agree with their ancestors' ideals, they wouldn't continuously wear an ancestral signet ring, nor would they remember its casting date so clearly—that would most likely be the result of parental instruction.

But He Lingchuan still didn't know what Fang Canran himself was thinking.

The mirror asked, "If you're unsure, why test him?"

"Because I still need to find some help," He Lingchuan sighed. "My current situation is simply too difficult."

As a complete outsider, his goals were too challenging, his plans too difficult. He desperately needed a good helper who knew Lingxu City inside and out.

But he had no certainty that Fang Canran was such a person.

Ancestors were ancestors, and Fang Canran was Fang Canran. An individual might inherit an ancestor's belongings, but not necessarily their aspirations.

Time, after all, was the ultimate destroyer of all beliefs.

If He Lingchuan made the wrong judgment, a disaster could befall him.

"Let's observe further. Today's interaction was, at least, a good start."

He sat down to meditate and regulate his breath, finishing two hours later.

After playing the flute for a while, He Lingchuan took out the miniature Dreamland city that Dunyuan had found for him, placed it by his pillow, and peacefully fell asleep.

As soon as he entered Panlong City, he found himself standing beneath the Guro Tree.

The tree, lush and swaying in the wind, was already taller than the other street trees by the river.

He patted the tree trunk: "When will you grow another golden leaf for me?"

The Guro Tree naturally ignored him.

The strange head on the tree, however, called out, "Hey, hey, why are you chatting with a tree? Where's my Dreamland?"

"You'll see it when you go out." He Lingchuan took it down from the tree fork, shook it twice, and noticed it had become lighter again.

No matter how elusive and unrestrained the strange head was in reality, in Panlong City, it could only hang from a Guro Tree branch. If He Lingchuan didn't pick it up, it couldn't move.

"Why would anyone collect Dreamlands?" He Lingchuan wondered, puzzled. "They're not nightmares."