Having passed three moves, Chen Mo was completely unscathed. The light of the Northern Dipper Alpha Ursae Majoris Saber in his hand glowed like snow, illuminating the hall. Many cultivators' expressions became puzzled.
"You won."
Jin Midi did not defeat Chen Mo, yet her expression did not change in the slightest. She spoke stiffly before turning to respectfully salute the Martial Emperor.
Martial Emperor Liu Che wore a smile on her face, ignoring Jin Midi's loss completely. From her perspective, Chen Mo actually brought her much entertainment. It had already been more than two centuries since she had seen a cultivator capable of shining in her Weiyang Palace. This made her overlook Jin Midi's defeat.
"Pity, he is prey in the end." Liu Hongyu disdainfully hinted to Yu Xuanji to serve Chen Mo wine.
Chen Mo returned to his seat, where maids were in the middle of collecting the shattered porcelain.
Qingyi glanced at Chen Mo. This man could not escape that bit of vanity. This made her impression of Chen Mo drop considerably, however, that was no matter. This man's function was only to help her hunt the "qilin" and nothing else.
Yu Xuanji pitiably arrived before Chen Mo's table carrying a jade pot. She elegantly filled his wine cup. "Xuanji is truly overwhelmed by your favor, to have made Young Lord Mo so moved."
"Young Lord Mo, are you truly not afraid of offending the Martial Emperor?" Yu Xuanji softly asked.
Chen Mo looked at Thousand Theories And Wonders. Recalling their time back in the Outer Star Fields, he momentarily was in a daze."Young Lord, you are thinking of something." Yu Xuanji raised her brow as she passed the wine cup.
The other cultivators were all watching them. Seeing Chen Mo so intimate with Yu Xuanji, their hearts were filled with both envy and helplessness.
"Lady Xuanji's guqin song a moment ago made me feel like I met an old friend, so I was inadvertently rude. I wonder if Lady Xuanji could play another song?" Chen Mo said courteously.
"What would Young Lord like to listen to?" Yu Xuanji smiled.
"How about River On A Spring Night?"
Yu Xuanji was aglow on the inside. She sweetly smiled, "For this song, Xuanji only knows the first few stanzas, ‘the spring river surges to sea level, the bright moon rises from the swelling tides.' I wonder what lyrics are in the latter portion?"
When Chen Mo recited "the river flows and winds around the grassy fields, the moon refracts off the flowers and forest like powder snow," the girl's smile became even warmer.1
"Then Xuanji shall try."
Yu Xuanji took up her guzheng. Its music brought with it the serene scene of a bright moon and cool breeze. Even the adjacent Qingyi, Ma Yuan and the others were enthralled.
"I truly wish to be able to listen to Lady Xuanji's music every day from now on." Chen Mo sighed.
Yu Xuanji's eyes faintly glinted. She meaningfully said: "Young Lord, could it be you actually would like to reside in the Weiyang Palace? Then Young Lord would become the first man in the Weiyang Palace."
Chen Mo discerned her hidden meaning. It seemed that Yu Xuanji was currently trapped in the Weiyang Palace.
"With Lady Xuanji's guqin skills, what a waste if you are trapped in Weiyang." Chen Mo replied without hesitation.
"Young Lord, you had better ponder upon the Yuanshou first." Yu Xuanji then stopped, ending her song.
…
On the throne, the fox and wolf-like Crimson Eyed Snow Walker was warmly enjoying the Qilin Martial Emperor's caresses.
"How is that Mo Chen man?"
Jin Midi replied: "Answering to the Martial Emperor, is Star Energy is very powerful, and he has already cultivated Heaven, Earth, Dark and Yellow. This Slave was unable to occupy an advantage."
"And then?" Liu Hongyu had no interest in something she could discern for herself.
"This Slave feels he is hiding something."
"Anu is too impressed with that man. He is a mere Star Warrior. Anu merely did not fight at full strength, as the Martial Empress constrained." Shangguan Jie disagreed.
"No, Anu was already using full power, no restraint." Jin Midi did not follow the stairs down because someone spoke up for her. The woman's expression was still unfazed. "On the contrary, This Slave feels that he was the one who was not using full power."
Shangguan Jie guffawed.
The Qilin Martial Emperor gently smiled: "I like Anu's personality. Honest. Blunt. I can also see that he was holding back, however, that Yu Xuanji apparently used Star Magic to help him a bit in the end. Otherwise, he could not have possibly stopped your attack so easily, Anu."
"Anu was mistaken." Jin Anu lowered her head.
"That woman is so impudent to have surprisingly helped a man. Martial Emperor, we should punish her." Shangguan Jie harrumphed.
"Am I an unreasonable person?" Liu Hongyu shot her a glance. The Crimson Eyed Snow Walker under her suddenly felt its mistress' pressure and growled.
Shangguan Jie also lowered her head in a posture of begging forgiveness.
"That man was able to stick out for her in front of everyone. That she would defy Me was only natural." Liu Hongyu would never grow angry over mere nobodies. For today's Qilin Banquet, Yu Xuanji and Mo Chen added to her face even if they had joined hands. The minor details ought to be their reward.
"He is only a Star Warrior. No matter how abnormal he is, he cannot compare to that Dream In A Millennium. Do not take this to heart. To have such a Star Warrior participate in the Yuanshou, I can only be happy."
"The Martial Emperor has provided guidance, Your Servant was narrowminded." Shangguan Jie was ashamed.
"Martial Emperor, of the Qilin Cubs this time, does Your Majesty favor any of them?" Shangguan Jie looked over the hundreds of people and asked.
Put more pleasantly, the Qilin Banquet was a party for everyone before the Yuanshou. In actuality, this allowed the Qilin Martial Emperor and the Qilin Pavilion's officers to amuse themselves with a survey. On the day of the Yuanshou, they would make all kinds of wagers on which Qilin Cubs would live. If it could be said that "Qilin Cubs" hunted "qilin" as their targets, then the Martial Emperor used "hunting Qilin Cubs" as her pleasure.
"En, a few actually make Me very eager."
Liu Che's eyes once again fell on those girls concealing their identities. While their identities were hidden, the air of Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends nevertheless could not be obscured.
Now that it was noon, Liu Che was weary and returned to the Sweet Springs Rest Palace. After she left, the banquet became a meaningless. Because the next day was the Yuanshou, tonight, the Qilin Cubs all would first stay in the Weiyang Palace to await the next day's procedures.
Huo Guang, Zhang Anshi, and the rest exited in succession. Before they left, they stole a few more glances at Chen Mo.
"Tomorrow, Your Servant shall await your performance." The Qilin Minister sneered. She then turned and walked away.
The other Qilin Cubs were filled with animosity towards Chen Mo. Only Su Mushuang amicably winked at him.
"Your Distinguished Self, this is a ‘Dragon And Tiger Qi Returning Pill' that My Lady has sent you." A female general walked before Chen Mo and presented a Spirit Pill.
Chamberlain Of Military Farms Zhao Chongguo Zhao Muqiu also took her subordinate Qilin Cubs back to their residential palace.
"Rest well tonight, prepare tomorrow. During this Qilin Banquet, you were too ostentatious and have already drawn the attention of the Qilin Pavilion. Your Servant Hopes you can be a bit more cautious."
Chen Mo excused himself after hearing that.
The Weiyang Palace was located on a Star Leyline, a rare place to stay overnight. The other cultivators were all impatient to return to their quarters and self-cultivate. Star Warriors and Star Generals viewed this as especially important. This was one of the reasons they participated as Qilin Cubs.
Chen Mo cultivated the Northern Dipper Great Overflow and the Star Manual Of Masters Gan And Shi in his room. Indeed, he sensed this was place was entirely different from everywhere else. The Star Energy in his body was abundantly active, and starlight covered his whole body like a river, flowing swifter than usual by several times. However, Chen Mo did not immerse himself in this. After midnight, Chen Mo ended his self-cultivation.
Using the Nose Locking Art to stifle his aura, Chen Mo carefully evaded the Weiyang Palace's watchful guards and snuck out.
Green light glowed serenely, flickering between bright and dim
Chen Mo did not move towards the inner sanctum of the Weiyang Palace at all. Instead, he slinked towards an unremarkable rear mountain.
On this mountain with no one around, Chen Mo released his aura.
All of a sudden, his forehead burned, and a Star Crest appeared. Chen Mo rubbed his forehead, immediately sensing that the glowing Star Crest was Yu Youwei's Star Energy.
"You really are Young Lord Chen Mo."
A soft voice came from the darkness. Chen Mo turned around.
A woman dressed in simple and elegant palace dress delicately walked out, her hand holding a guzheng, appearing quite charming. Her bangs parted, and her forehead also glowed with a Star Crest, the pattern identical to Chen Mo's.
Upon seeing her, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
Who else could she be but Thousand Theories And Wonders Yu Xuanji.
"Youwei, it's been so long." CHen Mo spread his arms.
"Young Lord, Youwei is not on a secret tryst with you." Yu Youwei placed the guzheng in front of her chest, not allowing the man to approach.
"Aren't you even moved in the slightest at our reunion?" Chen Mo was disappointed.
"Youwei was already moved at the banquet. If Young Lord wanted an embrace at that time, Youwei perhaps would have obliged." Yu Youwei covered her mouth and giggled.
Chen Mo rolled his eyes. At the banquet, he had thought of but did not dare actually go hug her. Otherwise, he would have died without ever realizing it.
"Back on topic, why did you come participate in the Yuanshou, Young Lord?" Yu Youwei was puzzled.
"Of course, it's to hunt the qilin." Chen Mo had nothing to hide from her.
"The ‘qilin' of the Western Fields is the Four Symbols Holy Beast, White Tiger…" Yu Youwei suddenly realized Chen Mo's intentions: "Is Young Lord planning to kill the White Tiger and refine its Four Symbols soul?"
"En. I'm cultivating at Mount Hua right now, and Mount Hua has met with a bit of trouble presently. I must get stronger." Chen Mo nodded. Time was running short, and he could only take a few shortcuts. Killing a Holy Beast was the fastest solution.
"Mount Hua…Oh, heavens…That is but the Five Moons." Yu Youwei had heard of Mount Hua's fame as the Western Moon. It was the overseer of Daoism, and many first-rate Star Names had trained at Mount Hua in the past. But ever since "Zhuangzi" went to paradise, the current Mount Hua already declined and no longer enjoyed its previous prestige. But even so, it was extremely difficult for the average Star Warrior to become a disciple of Mount Hua.
Yu Youwei pondered carefully. When he was in the Outer Star Fields, Chen Mo displayed very abnormal talents. He was considered the most unbelievable Star Warrior she had ever seen. To be able to join the Western Moon was only logical.
"If Mount Hua encountered trouble such that it needs a Star Warrior to bolster their strength…Youwei thinks that Young Lord had better leave sooner rather than later."
"I won't run." Chen Mo shook his head: "Why did you appear here in the Qilin Star Kingdom, how have you joined the Qilin Martial Emperor?" Yu Youwei's experiences over the past few years made Chen Mo very curious. If they continued on this topic, this would perhaps take more than a single night to recount.
The Weiyang Palace was not the best place for a secret rendezvous. Yu Youwei succinctly answered: "I came here in search of Sima Xiangru."
Sima Xiangru?
In history, Sima Xiangru was indeed somewhat involved with Liu Che. "What are you looking for her about?"
"Sima Xiangru is renowned as the ‘Long Guqin Fu Sage.' Although my River On A Spring Night relied on you for its completion, it still has not reached its quintessence. Only the Long Guqin Fu Sage can help Youwei restore the ancient poem. Her guqin skills are supreme, and Youwei also came to see her out for pointers."
"When I came to the Qilin Star Kingdom, I don't think I heard anything about Sima Xiangru being here." Chen Mo said. Given Long Guqin Fu Sage's popularity, she could not have missed the Qilin Banquet.2
"She may be trapped somewhere in the Weiyang Palace." Yu Youwei said.
"Young Lord must have heard about the legend of the Golden House For Beloveds?"
Liu Che and the Golden House For Beloveds?
He was simply too familiar with this.
- That's sweet. Basically, this is to reaffirm their friendship with one another. ↩
- Raws say she "couldn't have appeared at the banquet." ↩
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