Chapter 872: Shen Jun

"It's truly an imposition for Young Master Shen to personally come to inquire..."

Upon seeing him, Xing Yuan's expression darkened. Though displeased, he still made an introduction: "These two are classmates of the princess, students from the Master Teacher Academy. This is Master Zhang, and this is Master Luo!"

"Ah, so it's Master Zhang and Master Luo. I am Shen Jun!" Shen Jun cupped his fist, raised his wine glass, and drank first. Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi also picked up their glasses, took a sip, returning the gesture.

"This Shen Jun is the young master of the Shen family, one of the Four Great Clans. He's a talented young man, not only powerful but also having rendered meritorious service to the imperial court, for which he was granted the title of general. He is Xing Yuan's most formidable rival... In the past, Xing Yuan has often been at a disadvantage against him!" Seeing that the two did not recognize him, Wu Zhen secretly transmitted his voice.

"The Four Great Clans?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Yes, in the Hongyuan Empire, besides the imperial family, the strongest are the Four Great Clans. Members of these clans are either exceptionally powerful or hold prominent positions, and even the imperial family has to rely heavily on them. Xing Yuan's Xing family is one of them, as is my Wu family, and the Liu family! In terms of ranking, the Shen family is first, the Xing family is a close second, and the Liu and Wu families are slightly weaker..." Wu Zhen explained.

"You are also a descendant of one of the Four Great Clans?" Zhang Xuan was surprised to hear that the person before him was also from one of the Four Great Clans. He had always thought Wu Zhen was far inferior to Xing Yuan, assuming his family had little prestige.

"I am merely a concubine-born child in my family; I can't compare to a direct descendant like Xing Yuan..." Wu Zhen's expression turned awkward. In some ancient, influential families, the distinction between bloodlines is highly emphasized, and the status of direct descendants and those born of concubines differs vastly. As a direct descendant of the Xing family, it was natural that Xing Yuan received great importance, held a high status, and possessed numerous treasures.

Their conversation, conducted via mental transmission, was incredibly fast, so fast that Shen Jun only now put down his wine glass, smiling as he looked over: "I've come because I have a request. I wonder if it's appropriate to mention it!"

"If it's not appropriate to mention, then I advise you not to!" Waving his hand, Xing Yuan seemed to know what he was about to say and directly refused him.

"Since I first met the princess at the age of twelve, I've known she was the goal of my life's pursuit. It is because of her that I've continuously strived, allowing me to reach my current status and strength. As Master Teachers, you should understand the hardships I've endured. However, I have never given up, simply because I want to be worthy of standing before her one day..." Ignoring Xing Yuan, Shen Jun looked over with an elegant expression and spoke slowly. He spoke of his past with Yu Fei'er and his deep affection for her. Upon hearing this, Xing Yuan's face turned ashen. Although he had already given up his pursuit of Yu Fei'er in his heart, many knew of his former intentions. This guy's public declaration was clearly an attempt to embarrass him.

"...Therefore, I plan to ask His Majesty for the princess's hand in marriage a little later. I would like to implore you all to say a few good words on my behalf when the time comes." After introducing himself, Shen Jun looked over with a smiling expression.

"Say good words? Dream on!" Xing Yuan gritted his teeth, nearly exploding with rage.

"I never expected you to speak well for me; don't flatter yourself!" Without getting angry, Shen Jun smiled and looked at Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi: "I only hope that the two of you can say a few extra words for me... This is a gift for our first meeting, let's become friends, it's a small token of my regard!"

After speaking, he waved his hand, and a young man walked over from behind. With a flick of his wrist, he placed two jade boxes on the table before them. Upon being gently opened, spirit energy flickered, and dazzling light shone forth; each box contained two high-grade spirit stones. To offer such a gift upon a first meeting, this Shen Jun certainly possessed great boldness. His methods were also ruthless; no cultivator could refuse such a gift, and once accepted, if Yu Fei'er truly appeared later, it would be difficult to openly oppose him, even if they didn't speak on his behalf. Accepting gifts put one in a compromised position, making it difficult to speak freely. Indeed worthy of being the Young Master of the Shen family; upon arriving, he offered gifts regardless of acquaintance, leaving no room for refusal. His tactics were truly brilliant.

"Just for a few good words, four high-grade spirit stones! Young Master Shen is quite generous! Qiqi, since it's offered, it would be impolite not to accept. Take them!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Four high-grade spirit stones were equivalent to forty thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Even with his current wealth, this was a considerable sum, and there was no reason to refuse a free gift.

"Yes!" Knowing that her teacher always played dirty tricks without batting an eye, and since he dared to accept, he naturally didn't care about the other party's schemes, Luo Qiqi immediately nodded, picked up the jade boxes, and put them into her storage ring.

"Haha, Brother Zhang is truly straightforward! I've certainly made a friend today!" He hadn't expected Zhang Xuan to accept, so Shen Jun couldn't help but laugh heartily, changing his address from "Master Zhang" to "Brother Zhang." Before leaving, he deliberately shot Xing Yuan a provocative glance before returning to his seat.

"Master Zhang..." Seeing the other party's blatant provocation and Master Zhang actually accepting the spirit stones, Xing Yuan was filled with anxiety.

"No need to be nervous. You've been with Yu Fei'er for so long; do you think she's someone who would yield just for a few good words?" Seeing his unease, Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.

"This..." Xing Yuan was stunned. If this girl could be swayed by a few good words, she wouldn't have been so unresponsive, and his long pursuit wouldn't have ended without results. Yu Fei'er had her own ideas and was extremely decisive; once she made up her mind, not even nine oxen could pull her back. It was precisely because of this that she was willing to be a maid for Master Zhang rather than accept his good intentions. How could such a personality be changed by just a few words?

"Since she won't yield, why refuse a good thing!" Zhang Xuan said, "Even if the Shen family is vast and powerful, and Young Master Shen isn't weak, four high-grade spirit stones are not a small sum, are they?"

"That... is true!" Xing Yuan nodded. His Xing family and the Shen family were not too dissimilar, and even if his status within his family was not as high as Shen Jun's, it wouldn't be far off. With his current status, it was extremely difficult for him to use high-grade spirit stones, and the quantity would never exceed ten at a time. Even if the other party was stronger than him... the difference probably wasn't that great. Therefore, to take out four in one go, while seemingly generous, was probably not so simple. Presumably, his goal was to humiliate Xing Yuan, and he hadn't expected the other party to actually accept... In other words, he had intended to put on a show, but instead, he encountered Master Zhang, a man who cared nothing for appearances, who unceremoniously took the gifts, thus embarrassing him instead... It was likely that Young Master Shen's heart was bleeding at this very moment.

"Indeed..." Understanding this, Xing Yuan's eyes couldn't help but light up, and his previous displeasure instantly vanished. Looking at Master Zhang again, he felt even greater admiration, as if gazing up at a towering mountain.

In truth, just as Xing Yuan had guessed, Young Master Shen's heart was indeed bleeding at that moment. He had offered four high-grade spirit stones, firstly to put Xing Yuan down, and secondly to save face for himself. He never expected the other party to actually accept them... They actually took them... And they accepted them so frankly, so righteously! "Are you truly Xing Yuan's friend? How can you be so shameless?"

"Brother Shen, who was that guy?" Back at his seat, a young man came forward and secretly transmitted his voice. He was a young master from the Liu family, one of the Four Great Clans.

"A greedy fellow!" Though feeling stifled, Shen Jun still let out a humph.

"Greedy?" The Young Master of the Liu family was puzzled. Weren't Master Teachers synonymous with wealth? How could one be greedy?

Shen Jun's appearance was just a minor interlude; Zhang Xuan paid it no mind. At this moment, he looked at Xing Yuan, who was not far away, and transmitted his voice, asking, "I heard that there's a Saint Domain Bodhi Tree in the imperial palace that greatly benefits the soul. Is that true?"

"A Saint Domain Bodhi Tree? Yes, there is one!" Xing Yuan nodded. As a direct descendant of one of the Four Great Clans, he had indeed heard some secrets regarding the imperial family.

"Then do you know where in the imperial palace it's planted?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask.

"It seems to be in His Majesty's sleeping quarters, looked after by specialists...' Xing Yuan said. 'It's an imperial secret, so I'm not entirely sure about the specifics!'" He certainly wouldn't have told anyone else, but this was Zhang Xuan, who had saved his life, so he naturally spoke without reservation.

"Sleeping quarters?" Zhang Xuan frowned. Although he didn't know the exact location of the emperor's sleeping quarters, it should be easy to find with a thorough search. The emperor's residence would undoubtedly be the most heavily fortified with formations and defenses, so searching in that direction would surely lead him there.

"Hmm, it seems I'll have to find an opportunity for my witch soul to go and investigate..." He quietly mused to himself. With his current strength, even with his Eye of Insight, he definitely couldn't stealthily search for the emperor's sleeping quarters without being detected. However, a witch soul was different.

A soul is formless and intangible; as long as he didn't encounter a Saint Domain expert skilled in soul arts, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to detect it.

"Qiqi, when is the banquet expected to start?" Thinking this, he turned to look at the girl beside him.

"Not everyone has arrived yet; it should be about half an hour more!" Luo Qiqi looked around and replied.

"That's good. I've had an epiphany and wish to cultivate. Please stand guard for me and make sure no one disturbs me!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Cultivate? Here?" Luo Qiqi's beautiful eyes widened. There were so many people here, right in the middle of a banquet, with everyone drinking, singing, and engaging in lively discussions... and he wanted to cultivate?

"Mm-hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Alright!" Nodding in agreement, Luo Qiqi couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. No wonder her teacher's cultivation had progressed so quickly in such a short time; this level of diligence alone was incomparable.

"Thanks!" Expressing his gratitude, Zhang Xuan said no more. Sitting in his seat, with a flicker of his consciousness, his witch soul departed his body. Having cultivated both the Demon Sound and Startling Gliding professions, he had a more profound understanding of the soul. His witch soul left his body silently, undetected by anyone in the hall.

His soul walked out of the hall. Instead of wandering aimlessly, it quietly flew upwards, his Eye of Insight churning as he looked straight out in all directions. The formation layouts of the numerous courtyards within the imperial palace immediately appeared in his mind's eye.

"That place has the most formations..." Soon, he found the courtyard with the most formations.

In the past, with so many Grade-6 formations here, even a witch soul wouldn't dare venture deep, but with his current understanding of formations, he was almost invincible within the Hongyuan Empire. Coupled with his Eye of Insight, even the most formidable formations were like naked beauties before him, holding no secrets whatsoever.

Evading one hidden sentry, trap, and formation after another, he arrived at the courtyard.