Xu Jingming walked all the way to the tea pavilion, unable to shake off Jiang Youyue's glance.

Not only had he been taken advantage of in the matter of Shi Rou, but his sense of security accumulated over many years had also been shattered. Seeing Xu Jingxing in his yellow robe, Xu Jingming's grievance finally found an outlet. He hurriedly ran to his elder brother's side and stuffed several tea snacks into his mouth before the bitterness could be suppressed.

Prince Rong's behavior was too improper. The eunuch Lu Fu was about to remind him when the Emperor stopped him with a hand.

Xu Jingxing, already in his thirties, was very tolerant of his young half-brother. Lu Fu immediately shut his mouth and respectfully retreated to the side, continuing to watch Prince Rong's bitter expression.

The palace tea snacks tasted much better than those in Prince Rong's mansion, but no matter how sweet the pastries were, Xu Jingming always felt a burning sensation in his stomach. He downed a cup of fine tea before finally freeing his mouth to have a good chat with his elder brother—

But he was startled by Xu Jingxing's appearance.

Compared to the last time they met, the Emperor had become much thinner. There was a slight dark circles around his eyes, and while his complexion could not be considered haggard, there was no hint of a healthy glow, making him look uncomfortable. The tea snacks were made to be light, palatable, and fragrant. However, the Emperor only took a small bite before frowning and ordering them to be taken away.

Xu Jingming hurriedly swallowed the idle words he was about to say: "Elder Brother, your complexion..."

"The war with Luojiu is unsettling, and I can't sleep well." The Emperor shook his head. "The flames of war have not subsided for a long time, and the dead and wounded are all subjects of our Dayun. I initially thought it was just a minor skirmish, but as the days passed, there was no good news at all."

"A bunch of good-for-nothings! Those generals are taking salaries from our Dayun, yet they can't even defeat the uncivilized barbarians!" Xu Jingming hurriedly echoed his elder brother's sentiments.

Who would have thought that upon hearing this, a hint of bitterness appeared on the Emperor's face.

"I also thought so at first. Jingming, I have recently carefully studied the war reports. The barbarians this time are not ordinary. That 'Divine Descent Sage' uses troops like a god, reminding me of..."

At this point, Xu Jingxing seemed to want to say more but stopped, finally sighing.

Xu Jingming of course knew who his elder brother was referring to: "Then just capture Shi Jingzhi and have him solve the urgent crisis for Dayun first. Dying for the sake of the country, that would be a worthy death."

"Counting the days, his body is already at its limit. If we forcibly summon him back now, how could he possibly obediently work for Dayun."

His half-brother was extraordinarily naive, and the Emperor didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He lightly coughed twice, then suppressed his dry cough with tea.

Xu Jingming looked dejected: "I'm just saying. Elder Brother, you've been too lenient with Shi Jingzhi. If it were me, if not for Father Emperor's decree—"

The corners of the Emperor's mouth twitched: "So you've always thought this way... Back then, the one who wanted to kill him was none other than Father Emperor."

"Was that instigated by the National Teacher? I heard the previous National Teacher say with my own ears that Shi Jingzhi is a calamity to the country."

"But he made a bet with Father Emperor and kept him alive. A three-year-old child thrown into the Gathering Valley for a month should have been certain to die. However, by the will of the Heavenly Dao, that person survived, and Father Emperor had no choice but to honor the bet."

Xu Jingming was at a loss: "Elder Brother, you have always been unforgiving towards the National Teacher's lineage. Wouldn't it have been better to kill him early on?"

"Killing him too early would have been a waste. Firstly, that person has extraordinary talent and can be used by me. Secondly... Concubine Jin is pregnant, and her belly is becoming more and more visible."

Xu Jingming was confused. He knew that his elder brother had few offspring, but what did this have to do with Shi Jingzhi?

The Emperor let out a long sigh.

"In the many generations of emperors of Dayun, each generation would give birth to a clever but short-lived child. I originally wanted to give Shi Jingzhi a chance to see if he could fight for a way to live, so that I could benefit from it... This was still pointed out to me by Lu Fu. If it succeeds, my child might have a chance of survival. If it doesn't, letting him go out for a final walk would also be considered accumulating some virtue."

"..."

Indeed. Even though Shi Jingzhi carried the title of "calamity to the country," he still had to prioritize staying alive. With only more than half a year, Shi Jingzhi could not shake the vast lands.

But that person was almost a demon, so simply letting the tiger return to the mountain like this was really—

However, just as Xu Jingming was silent, Xu Jingxing stared at his slightly thin hands and asked without raising his head.

"Does Jingming think I am being too soft-hearted?"

"Elder Brother..."

"I am tired of war and have no great ambitions. Rather than rushing to expand territory, I just want the national treasury to be abundant and the people to be secure, so that I can hand over this prosperous land to future generations. Now that war is approaching and disasters are rising again, the common people only say that I lack virtue... Perhaps I should listen to the National Teacher's words and take the lead in attacking Luojiu. If we destroy it a step earlier, there would be no such calamity now."

Xu Jingming didn't know what to say.

In the past nearly a hundred years, Dayun had been getting along harmoniously with the surrounding countries. But in his generation, the long-settled turmoil was making a comeback. When it came to fighting wars, he certainly didn't want to fight either, but...

"Luojiu previously had close ties and a good relationship with Dayun. Invading other countries for no reason is really not a benevolent act." Prince Rong held back for a long time before speaking with sincerity. "Elder Brother, no, Big Brother, please don't blame yourself too much and harm your health."

Xu Jingxing remained silent for a long time. After a while, he changed the subject: "Talking about these things is upsetting. Jingming, I heard you watched a grand play in Shafu. Come, tell me about it—"

Before he could finish, the Emperor swayed and weakly collapsed onto the tea table. The cups and plates on the table were swept away by his sleeves, shattering all over the ground.

"Elder Brother?! Imperial Physician, quickly summon the Imperial Physician!"

"It's nothing, don't panic." The Emperor seemed to be in a daze for a moment before gradually regaining his senses. "I'm just... a little tired."

Seeing his elder brother's increasingly haggard appearance, Xu Jingming stood frozen in place. For some reason, the chill he felt when he encountered Jiang Youyue earlier returned. He had left the wind and sand-filled Shafu, far from the blood-soaked frontlines. The spring day in the capital was warm and peaceful, and he was in the safest place possible, the imperial palace.

Yet he had never been so terrified.

No, as a prince of Dayun, he shouldn't be so fragile. Another half month had passed, and Shi Jingzhi's life was hanging by a thread, his situation should be worse than theirs. Perhaps when that "calamity to the country" died on his own, all disasters would also disappear with the wind.

While Xu Jingming was trembling, Shi Jingzhi was also pale-faced.

...But he was just pretending.

Before descending the mountain, Shi Jingzhi ate several hearty meals like a gust of wind sweeping away the remnant clouds, determined to enjoy all his favorite dishes one last time. He accomplished this, but at no small cost. Now, the sect leader's face was deathly pale, without need for any powder or rouge. The porters carrying the luggage up the mountain found him already weakly groaning in a wooden chair, looking as if he wouldn't last much longer.

So be it, Yin Ci thought numbly. At least it saved the trouble of putting on an act.

"This young master is so ill, yet still insists on attending the martial arts assembly? Why not go beg Taiheng and have them carve out a piece of Shi Rou for you." The gaunt-faced man had gotten familiar with Su Si through their interactions and spoke without much courtesy.

"You know about Shi Rou too?" Su Si asked curiously.

"Of course, it's a divine object that everyone seeks. We just help them transport the luggage and earn quite a bit. Recently, no one has been looking for it, all saying Taiheng has gotten their hands on it."

"They haven't really gotten it, more like they found it but can't obtain it." Su Si said mysteriously, "To extract it, you need a key!"

"Then what to do, split it in half? What if they start fighting over it?"

"That's why they are holding this martial arts assembly. After everyone has fought it out, they might as well select an alliance leader to settle the matter."

The gaunt-faced man was utterly shocked, "What, you guys want to be the alliance leader too? Isn't that position surely going to Taiheng, like catching a turtle in a jar, a sure thing."

Su Si just smiled mysteriously without answering. The gaunt-faced man thought this group had gone mad, but didn't press further.

The martial arts assembly was set in the nameless town north of Qizhou, conveniently located near the center of Dayun for those coming from north and south. The Ku Mountain Sect group walked for four to five days, arriving to find no rooms left. Undiscerning, the group found a dilapidated house with a roof and settled in.

The sudden appearance of the long-missing Ku Mountain Sect stirred up quite a commotion. The Ku Mountain members paid no heed, eating and drinking as usual while waiting for the rumors to spread.

Sure enough, the next day, Jin Lan came knocking.

Taiheng had booked the best courtyard in town. In comparison, the Ku Mountain Sect's broken-down house was no better than a stable, looking like it might collapse any moment. Jin Lan carefully pushed open the wooden door, afraid that the slightest misstep would cause it to fall apart.

The Ku Mountain Sect had cleaned up the broken house, and the interior was quite tidy, even wafting a faint fragrance of rice -

Shi Jingzhi's disciple was holding a bowl of porridge, feeding his master spoonful by spoonful. The sect leader's flag hung limply behind the wooden chair, while he sat there with disheveled hair and a pale face, gritting his teeth as he swallowed the porridge.

The porridge was mixed with some reddish-brown bits. Jin Lan originally thought it was minced meat. But upon closer look, it turned out to be chopped hawthorn. Coupled with Shi Jingzhi's weakened state, the desolate atmosphere instantly intensified several-fold.

Jin Lan took a step back and looked around. No servants could be seen inside. Those two had gone off somewhere, leaving even such tasks to the head disciple.

Had the Ku Mountain Sect fallen so far?

Seeing Shi Jingzhi in this state, Jin Lan couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions. After much sighing, he slowly spoke: "They say Sect Leader Shi was attacked and robbed of the Shi Rou key. It seems there is truth to this. As the saying goes, wealth should not be flaunted. Even we at Taiheng must be cautious, so why did you have to go to Red Hook... Alas."

Shi Jingzhi did not reply, only sniffling and shrinking further into his fur cloak.

Yin Ci put down the spoon and said calmly, "Brother Jin has come all this way, surely not just to gloat. Could it be to confirm the whereabouts of that 'key'?... It seems Taiheng does not have the key and ultimately cannot obtain the Shi Rou."

Jin Lan was an old acquaintance of theirs, the most suitable to be sent to investigate. Qu Duanyun's move could be considered aboveboard, and they had anticipated it.

As expected, Jin Lan was quite frank, "It's not that we can't get it. I've seen where the Shi Rou is stored, and brute force can break through. But this method would take a very long time, requiring a hundred years or so."

After a hundred years, anyone who should be dead would be long gone. The Shi Rou was said to be something that could "prolong life and ascend to immortality". No one wanted to plant trees only for later generations to enjoy the shade. Taiheng's agreement to participate in this martial arts assembly was probably with the intention of obtaining the key along with it.

"You've seen where the Shi Rou is stored?" Yin Ci feigned surprise.

"No choice, that place needs manpower to dig... Bah, don't think you can trick me! I'm not like Senior Sister, I don't believe you one bit."

"Even if we find out, it's not like we can snatch it from Taiheng?" Yin Ci sat calmly on the broken stool, unhurried. "I'm just a bit curious what the Shi Rou actually looks like."

Jin Lan glanced again at Sect Leader Shi who seemed to be barely breathing, feeling that this man couldn't stir up much of anything. He hesitated for a moment before speaking with a tinge of sympathy, "I only saw it for an instant, but one glance was enough to know it's a precious item. It's entirely emerald green, shaped like a peach. Growing on jade-like vines, its fragrance intoxicates the heart. Who knows who gave it the name 'Shi Rou', when its appearance clearly resembles more of an immortal fruit."

Yin Ci made a meaningful sound of acknowledgment, "Many thanks for telling us, Brother Jin."

"You guys should just give up. Senior Brother Qu... no, Sect Leader Qu looks determined to get it. In this martial arts assembly, the champion will surely be him. After all..."

Jin Lan didn't spell it out, but everyone could read between the lines.

After all, Jianchen Temple had been sealed for a long time and definitely wouldn't send any top experts. As for the demon sects causing trouble, the Ling Sect had been completely wiped out, and the Red Hook Sect's reputation had plummeted. There was also no news of a new sect leader being chosen recently. With three of the four major sects fallen, if Taiheng still couldn't secure the champion position this time, it would be a huge joke.

But even though it made sense, it couldn't stop people from wanting to take a gamble.

What if there was an upset and they won? What if they got lucky and obtained the Shi Rou key? Even if they failed, at worst Qu Duanyun would become the martial arts alliance leader and rightfully gain the Shi Rou key. Once Sect Leader Qu got the Shi Rou, he would surely give some compensation to the assembly participants. No matter how you looked at it, they would come out ahead.

As the two fell into silence, Shi Jingzhi let out an earth-shattering cough. Yin Ci hurriedly fed him another spoonful of porridge before picking the conversation back up, "If Brother Jin has no other business..."

Jin Lan tactfully gave a salute and turned to leave. He had just reached the broken door when a weak greeting came from behind.

Shi Jingzhi swallowed the porridge in his mouth, "Jin Lan, have you seen Miss Shi recently? If so, please send her my regards."

Jin Lan did not look back.

"I haven't seen Senior Sister in a long time," his voice carried a hint of melancholy. "Ever since she left Yi City, I haven't heard any news of her. Perhaps at this martial arts assembly, she will make an appear-... Senior Sister?!"

The rotten door was suddenly flung open, nearly falling off entirely. Shi Zhongyu, dressed like a bandit, stood at the doorway, expressionlessly looking at Jin Lan. "It seems someone is already here." Her gaze swept past Jin Lan and landed on Shi Jingzhi sitting on the wooden chair. Shi Zhongyu kept her expression well-controlled, revealing only a hint of surprise.

Jin Lan was only familiar with the elegant senior sister in white flowing robes. He had never seen Shi Zhongyu in such an unrestrained and carefree getup. He stood frozen in place, tongue-tied, and only managed to squeeze out a few sounds after a long while, "You... you... are you really Senior Sister?"

"Jin Lan." Shi Zhongyu gave Jin Lan a slight nod, then turned to Yin Ci. "Sorry for disturbing you two. Seeing this dilapidated house, I thought no one was here... We will find somewhere else."

Jin Lan was shocked and terrified, "Senior Sister, there are still vacant courtyards in Taiheng. If you speak with Sect Leader Qu, he definitely won't ignore you--"

"No need. I'm not part of Taiheng yet, so I won't accept Taiheng's favor. This time, I will use my own methods to return to Taiheng."

"But..."

"Besides, I have my own sect, so it's really not convenient to stay here."

With that said, she dragged in a person from outside the door. That man was shaking like a sieve, missing a front tooth. He kept muttering nonstop, one moment saying "Heroine, spare my life", the next moment "I know I was wrong", and finally changing to "Master, stop hitting me".

Yin Ci took a careful look - it was an old acquaintance. It was none other than the bandit leader Ma Shili from Shafu. The man looked sickly pale, clearly having taken quite a beating, and was obviously dragged here to make up the numbers.

...This scene seemed a bit familiar. Yin Ci remained silent.

Shi Zhongyu acted as if it was nothing, "Our Yangsha Sect has now registered with Yueshui Bureau. This time, we are also participating in the martial arts assembly... Speaking of which, each sect has two spots. What are Ku Mountain's plans?"

Hearing this, Jin Lan was shocked, but didn't forget to perk up his ears-

"My master is seriously ill and unfit to take the stage." Yin Ci smiled faintly, "This time, Yan Qing and I will be competing, which is sufficient."