Chapter 686 - 682: Envoys Arrive
You Lan carefully glanced at him.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Aunt, I’m fine."
You Lan softly asked, "Will the marriage arrangement with the Twelfth Prince indeed face obstacles?"
She felt that His Highness was too unfortunate and too ill-fated.
Becoming a hostage and a Prince Consort was already a great humiliation, and now he had to endure even greater humiliation.
Based on His Highness’s original temperament, he would have started creating a stir long ago, provoking the Emperor to reprimand or even punish him.
Luckily, after the deadly ordeal, His Highness’s temperament changed, enabling him to remain calm.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "There will be obstacles, and there will also be changes."
"But look at the Twelfth Prince, she..."
"She’s not the Emperor. If you were the Phoenix Dynasty’s Emperor, would you obediently adhere to the prior agreement and not seize the opportunity to incite us against the Yuanzhen Dynasty?"
"The Phoenix Dynasty Emperor wouldn’t have to do that, right?"
"It’s not impossible for them to fuel the situation. Otherwise, even if there is a marriage alliance, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be the Twelfth Princess they choose."
"... Are they afraid we’ll form an alliance again with the Yuanzhen Dynasty?"
"If they can make our two dynasties fight, that would be ideal."
"The two dynasties aren’t foolish; they wouldn’t do as he wishes."
"Even if there’s no fight, having a rift between us is beneficial."
"The Emperor utilizing the Twelfth Prince in such a manner surely chills her heart?"
"She’s choosing a husband, she’s the one selecting." Chu Zhiyuan snorted, "Only I and the Yuanzhen Dynasty’s Prince are embarrassed!"
You Lan’s beautiful face furrowed.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Leave these sordid matters aside, don’t pay any attention, we can’t decide anyway, let it be."
"... Your Highness, you really have changed." You Lan looked at him with comfort, showing a smile.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled slightly, "Aunt, help me watch over the Prince Mansion here."
You Lan was anxious, "Your Highness..."
"If Aunt follows by my side, when I want to escape or immediately get away, I will have concerns."
You Lan was momentarily halted.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "In this world, Aunt is the closest person to me. I don’t care about others’ lives, but Aunt must not die and must accompany me."
You Lan sighed softly, "Your Highness going alone to the Phoenix Imperial City, I..."
"It’s not just me alone; there are others as well. Besides, the Prince Mansion is my retreat; I can’t lose my retreat."
"Your Highness, if there’s really danger, I’ll return first." You Lan said.
She was truly uneasy about Chu Zhiyuan going alone to the Phoenix Imperial City.
There will definitely be many storms there, and he needs to act cautiously, not impulsively.
From the people in the mansion, the only one who can really persuade him is herself.
"... Then let’s assess the situation first." Seeing her determined expression, Chu Zhiyuan did not persuade further.
You Lan had an obsession, her living goal was to fulfill the promise she made to the original mother concubine, to take good care of the original master.
Keeping her at the Prince Mansion, away from the original master, was indeed difficult.
But no matter what, she had to ask the question, to show some thoughtfulness.
——
In the following days, Chu Zhiyuan buried himself in arduous cultivation, focusing all his spirit on cultivation.
He rarely went to the Spiritual Abyss, temporarily setting aside the Spiritual Abyss Body Cleansing Record, concentrating on diligently cultivating the Infinite Brightness Scripture.
Aiming to quickly enhance his cultivation.
He had a premonition that the wedding might be brought forward, and his time at the True Martial Institute was limited.
Cultivation at the True Martial Institute was more efficient, far surpassing that outside the institute.
He once asked Chu Honglin if he could stay at night to continue cultivating at the True Martial Institute.
But Chu Honglin informed him that the Great Bright Peak was unsuitable for staying overnight.
Extremely cold.
This coldness couldn’t be resisted with operating; it penetrated directly to the bone, and couldn’t be resisted.
Chu Zhiyuan suddenly realized.
He tried staying for a while at night, and discovered that after the sun set, the temperature of the Great Bright Peak sharply dropped.
The speed and extent of the drop were beyond his imagination.
When everyone left for a quarter of an hour, he felt uneasy and without hesitation, flashed away.
This cut off his advantage of having a powerful soul and strong spiritual power, more time to absorb the karma stone wall’s aura.
This made him regret incredibly.
...
At noon that day, when he met Chu Honglin at Qingfeng Cliff, he found Chu Honglin’s expression solemn.
Chu Zhiyuan immediately felt there would not be good news, and said, "Was there an accident with the operation?"
"An accident with the operation is one thing, there’s another matter you also need to know."
"Uncle, what’s happening?" Chu Zhiyuan hurriedly asked.
"A Great Sky Demon escaped." Chu Honglin helplessly shook his head, "Didn’t expect this Great Sky Demon’s cultivation to be so high."
"Divinity Transformation?"
"Hm, already reached Divinity Transformation." Chu Honglin sighed, "At least a hundred years of Body Seizing, true disciple of Xiu Shui Pavilion."
Chu Zhiyuan thought for a moment, "Xiu Shui Pavilion isn’t considered a top sect, right?"
Chu Zhiyuan was quite surprised.
He only roughly pointed out the location; the rest were sorted and captured by Chu Honglin’s men.
"Xiu Shui Pavilion is just a second-rate sect, not very well-known, this true disciple has a considerable reputation, never thought it was a Great Sky Demon with Body Seizing."
"What about Xiu Shui Pavilion?" Chu Zhiyuan frowned, "There should be issues there too?"
Over a hundred years, it’s impossible that with a Great Sky Demon’s means he can’t affect a sect.
"Xiu Shui Pavilion is still slowly investigating," Chu Honglin sighed, "now that guy’s escaped, this operation has failed completely!"
Chu Zhiyuan sighed, "Man proposes, but Heaven disposes."
Chu Honglin smiled reluctantly, "Actually, speaking of it, this matter has benefits for you."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "I’d rather not have these benefits."
He understood Chu Honglin’s meaning.
It indeed benefits him by concealing his presence as much as possible.
The escaped Great Sky Demon would attribute the prior soul scattering of the Great Sky Demon he’d killed to Uncle’s action.
Not drawing attention to himself.
That is certainly a good thing, but compared to eliminating a Great Sky Demon, this little benefit isn’t enough.
"The Great Sky Demon indeed cannot be underestimated; that fellow, I’ve already imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison and secretly transferred to my mansion, you follow me to eliminate him."
Chu Zhiyuan regretfully nodded in agreement.
The escape of a Great Sky Demon is indeed a great pity.
It would have been the nourishment for his soul, a shortcut to improving cultivation.
He then asked what the other matter was.
"The Yuanzhen Dynasty has sent a delegation here, led by two Princes."
"Why has the Yuanzhen Dynasty come here?" Chu Zhiyuan said, "It’s surely not for an alliance, right?"
"Supposedly for alliance," Chu Honglin slowly said, "among them is the Sixth Prince, who proposed to the Twelfth Princess."
Chu Zhiyuan frowned, clearly sensing something was amiss, "What’s he up to?"
Chu Honglin snorted, "I estimate he wants to defeat you and force you to withdraw."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "What if I refuse? What’s his realm?"
"Surely not reached Divinity Transformation," Chu Honglin said, "Transforming Intent probably at the sixth or seventh transition."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Utterly ridiculous, what if I lose to him?"
"He might try to ruin your appearance," Chu Honglin said, "With a ruined face, the Twelfth Princess naturally wouldn’t like you, and he’d replace you."
Chu Zhiyuan chuckled.
He felt it was an immense ridicule, akin to squabbling over romance.