Divine Transcendence

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Yuan Ming was utterly indifferent to the departure of the Eighth Prince’s heir, having only come to make an appearance. Just as he was about to find a seat, he found himself surrounded by a group of people.

"Hehe, Brother Yuan, it’s been years since we last met. I trust you’ve been well?" A slender man in white robes greeted with a bow.

Recognizing him as Cheng Cheng, the son of the Minister of Rites, Yuan Ming returned the gesture, "Thanks for your concern, Brother Cheng. I’m quite well."

Beside them, a somewhat portly man spoke up impatiently, "I’m so tired of you scholars, always so prim and proper. Brother Yuan has barely survived a perilous journey from the Southern Border, and you’re asking him such trivial questions?"

This was Gong Jie, the son of the Commander of the Imperial Guards. Yuan Ming chuckled in response, "Brother Gong, I am a scholar too, you know."

"Brother Yuan, I’ve finished your new book ’The Tales of Young Master Sheng’s Journey South.’ It’s truly fascinating! Those stories of the Southern Border, did you make them up, or did they really happen?" Gong Jie looked at Yuan Ming expectantly.

"Well, that’s up to your imagination," Yuan Ming replied with a wink and a mysterious smile.

Dissatisfied with his answer, Gong Jie clamored for more tales of Yuan Ming’s adventures in the Southern Border, and Cheng Cheng joined in the encouragement.

Soon, several children of high-ranking officials gathered around, bombarding him with questions.

Unable to evade, Yuan Ming simply omitted his identity as a cultivator and recounted a semi-fictional version of his experiences in Wusang, eliciting gasps of amazement from the crowd.

"I remember now, there’s a similar story in ’The Tales of Young Master Sheng’s Journey South’!" someone with a good memory exclaimed.

Now, everyone was convinced that the stories in the book were Yuan Ming’s real experiences, each offering their interpretations and questions, pestering him for answers.

After dealing with them for quite some time and speaking until his throat was dry, the crowd finally seemed satisfied.

Suddenly, someone asked out of the blue, "Why hasn’t Lin Junsheng come today?"

"Now that he’s climbed the ladder and joined the Changchun Temple, he looks down on us less talented brothers. Why would he bother coming?" Gong Jie sneered.

"Moreover, I’ve heard that it’s been a month since Brother Yuan returned from the Southern Border, and Lin Junsheng hasn’t visited him once. To think Brother Yuan once considered him a close friend. I say he’s nothing but a scoundrel!" Cheng Cheng chimed in.

At these words, the crowd became indignant, criticizing Lin Junsheng for his lack of brotherhood.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Ming coughed twice and said, "You’ve all misunderstood. Actually, I quite understand Brother Lin’s situation. After all, the path of cultivation is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. He, like me, was not born with exceptional talent. Now that he’s found an opportunity, he naturally treasures it and works doubly hard to fulfill his dreams."

Hearing this, everyone praised Yuan Ming’s magnanimity and became even more enthusiastic in their support.

Just then, at the top of the stairs, a tall and elegant woman in white, escorted by her maids, approached gracefully. She looked up and locked eyes with Yuan Ming.

The woman smiled at Yuan Ming and walked to the side without joining the crowd.

Yuan Ming excused himself from the group and approached the woman with a smile, "Sister Loulan, I didn’t expect to see you here. You haven’t visited me at my home either."

"Your home is now bustling with visitors, and I’m hardly a match for such company. You’ve been traveling and enjoying yourself for over three years without a single letter?" the woman in white said coolly.

Yuan Ming gave a wry smile, "Sister Loulan, you’ve misunderstood me. I’ve had my reasons."

"Never mind that. You’ve become famous again, and my besties have been pestering me to ask you for a few pieces of your calligraphy to ease their longing. One bold girl even wrote you a letter and asked me to deliver it. Do you want to see it?" Loulan teased.

Yuan Ming laughed ruefully, "Let’s skip the letter. I’m afraid if I read it, I’ll become attached and lose my freedom."

Loulan chided, "You’ve really changed since returning from the Southern Border."

Yuan Ming chuckled softly, "Speaking of which, when do you and Tianming plan to get married? You should hurry up. The higher you cultivate, the harder it becomes to have children."

Loulan’s face flushed, "Psh! Originally, Tianming and I thought of waiting for you to return from the Southern Border before marrying. But who would have thought you’d disappear, and he suddenly started cultivating immortality, neglecting his duties even more. We’ve seen less and less of each other, and I fear he may have changed his heart."

Yuan Ming fell silent, unsure how to comfort Loulan.

At that moment, Loulan suddenly burst into laughter, "It’s just cultivation, not becoming a eunuch. If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain. I’ve already decided. If he joins the Changchun Temple, I’ll join too. Then I’ll corner him in the sect and see if he dares not to marry me!"

With her eyes fixed on Yuan Ming, she warned, "Don’t you dare tip him off. I’ve reached the sixth level of Qi refining. If you let anything slip, hmm."

"I wouldn’t go to Changchun Temple," Yuan Ming quickly shook his head.

"Stop holding a grudge over the past. Don’t worry, once you join the sect, if anyone dares to mock your talent, I’ll make sure to teach them a lesson!" Loulan said fiercely.

Touched, Yuan Ming could only mumble his thanks, "I appreciate it, Sister Loulan."

Loulan snorted proudly and then asked, "You’re a cultivator now too, right? What level of Qi refining have you reached?"

"I’ve just entered the late stage of Qi refining," Yuan Ming replied.

"How did you manage that in three years? Impossible! You were just an ordinary person with an ordinary spiritual root when you left the capital!" Loulan exclaimed.

"I received the Changchun Temple’s cultivation methods three years ago. The Southern Border is full of strange encounters," Yuan Ming explained.

"You’re lying. How could you have the Changchun Temple’s methods? Tianming wasn’t even cultivating when you left. Nonsense. I’m leaving," Loulan said.

Seeing Loulan suddenly stand to leave, her maid asked, "Miss, why are you leaving so soon?"

Loulan turned back, feigning anger, "I don’t want to be around a liar."

Yuan Ming quickly stepped forward to apologize and explain, diverting Loulan’s curiosity about his cultivation with tales of the Southern Border.

After a long-awaited reunion, they chatted for a while until the Eighth Prince’s heir returned.

Loulan wasn’t particularly interested in the literary gathering. Her main purpose was to see Yuan Ming, as it was the age for marriage, and it wasn’t convenient for her to visit him alone on normal days. Seeing the situation, she took the initiative to leave and departed from Dingyang Tower.

***

The night deepened.

Yuan Ming walked out of Dingyang Tower, his cheeks slightly flushed from drinking, clearly having had his fill.

Outside the door, Wang Shun had been waiting for a while and immediately stepped forward. The guards helped Yuan Ming into the carriage and headed towards the General’s Mansion.

Not far from the tower, Yuan Ming suddenly spoke with a hint of drunkenness, "First, go to Lin Junsheng’s residence."

"Young Master, it’s late. You should go back and rest," Wang Shun advised.

"Nonsense, immediately, right now!" Yuan Ming commanded with the authority of the Young Master of the Yuan family.

With no choice, the guards escorted Yuan Ming to Lin’s residence.

Yuan Ming got off the carriage, swaying slightly as he approached the door of the Lin residence, where a guard knocked loudly.

Soon, the door opened, and a doorman peeked out impatiently, "Who’s there at this late hour? Oh, Young Master Yuan, what brings you here?"

Without answering, Yuan Ming demanded, "Bring Lin Junsheng out to see me!"

"This... I will report at once," the doorman said, taken aback, then retreated.

He soon reappeared, "I’m terribly sorry, Young Master Yuan, but our young master is currently in seclusion and cannot receive visitors."

"Get him out here to see me! Now!" Yuan Ming said angrily.

"Young Master Yuan, please don’t make it difficult for me," the doorman pleaded.

"Fine, then pass a message to Lin Junsheng for me. I’ll wait here for a quarter of an hour. If he doesn’t come, he’ll regret it later!" Yuan Ming said.

The doorman had no choice but to relay the message, but this time, he didn’t return.

After a quarter of an hour, Yuan Ming left without a word, a cold smile on his face.

"Back to the mansion."

Confused by the events, Wang Shun could only drive the carriage back to the General’s Mansion.

Shortly after Yuan Ming left, another carriage stopped at the Lin residence. A black-clothed person wearing a bamboo hat alighted and knocked on the door.

After waiting for a moment with no response, the person continued knocking until the doorman reappeared.

The black-clothed person didn’t speak, simply showing a token to the doorman.

Recognizing it as Lin Junsheng’s personal item, the doorman quickly opened the door and let the mysterious person in.

Under his guidance, the black-clothed person soon arrived at the room where Lin Junsheng was in seclusion. Before he could approach, the door suddenly opened.

The black-clothed person entered quickly, removed his bamboo hat, and said directly, "I saw Yuan Ming come looking for you."

Under the candlelight, his face was clearly visible—it was none other than the Eighth Prince’s heir.

"I know, but what does he really want?" Lin Junsheng nodded.

"Perhaps he still harbors old affections for you. Tonight at the literary gathering, I had someone test him, and he defended you," the Eighth Prince’s heir said.

Lin Junsheng fell silent, his expression shifting ambiguously in the candlelight.

"You don’t actually believe he could forgive you, do you?" the Eighth Prince’s heir sneered.

"Of course, I’m not that naive. But with the Emperor treating him like a brother, now that he’s back, will the Emperor take action against me?" Lin Junsheng shook his head.

"Don’t worry. You’re now a disciple of Changchun Temple, and he has no evidence. The fact that Yuan Ming is alive is your oversight. The Emperor has already granted your request, and the National Teacher has taken you as a disciple against tradition. You’ve entered Changchun Temple, that will only protect you for so long. Yuan Ming is still your problem to deal with," the Eighth Prince’s heir said.

"I understand," Lin Junsheng nodded, his hand hidden behind him clenched tightly.

The Eighth Prince’s heir didn’t care about his thoughts, putting his bamboo hat back on, "Continue your seclusion. Everything is for the Emperor’s succession. I’m leaving."

Lin Junsheng remained silent and did not stand to see the Eighth Prince’s heir out.

Soon, the Eighth Prince’s heir was back in his carriage, speeding away.

However, in the dim alley next to the Lin residence, a dark soul crow fluttered down from the sky, delivering a blue gem into Yuan Ming’s hands.

Yuan Ming’s face showed no signs of drunkenness as he toyed with the gem, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"Indeed, a wise Eighth Prince... Heh."

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