Chapter 1144: Chapter 718: Secret Meeting

It was night.

The full moon was bright, and the clear autumn radiance cascaded like a waterfall.

In the Imperial Capital, lanterns illuminated the night; human vitality and prosperity bloomed like brocade.

The present Imperial Capital was akin to a besieged city.

Those inside could not leave, and those outside could not enter.

The Dayan Forbidden Army had already sealed off all three pathways—water, land, and air—connecting to the city. But this blockade had not affected the ongoing prosperity within; the streets and alleys of the Imperial Capital teemed with all kinds of people, while taverns, gambling dens, brothels, and inns saw a continuous stream of guests.

Scholars in taverns, speaking grandly to showcase their knowledge.

A gambler with his cultivation crippled, thrown out of a casino.

A corpulent merchant leaving a shop, pinching the round buttocks of a courtesan at the front of a brothel.

And, the courtesan turning away with a coquettish smile, only to spit lightly in contempt at the corner of her lips.

The tension that hung high above the city due to the blockade only made its sleepless streets buzz with even more life.

Xu Yuan moved through the bustling streets, his figure cloaked in a faint mist, like an unseen ghost observing the myriad faces of humanity.

He was very fast.

With each step he placed, he traversed a hundred meters.

Li Junqing had already left. The person Xu Yuan was meeting tonight also had no interest in these places of fleeting pleasures and naturally had no reason to linger here.

Tonight was the day of the promised meeting as conveyed by Li Junqing before his departure.

Sishui Temple was situated on the eastern side of the Imperial Capital. Xu Yuan had heard of its elegant reputation before but had never visited and had no interest in doing so.

Because Sishui Temple could be regarded as both a Taoist temple and an inn of refinement cloaked under the name of a temple. Most of its patrons seeking lodging there were high-ranking officials and nobles who preferred tranquility.

For high-rank cultivators, traveling by carriage and entourage was mostly a symbol of prestige, a ceremonial display. But Xu Yuan’s outing tonight was for a clandestine meeting, so such formalities were unnecessary. With his Mortal Transcendence cultivation, he arrived swiftly at his destination.

This complex of buildings encircled by lush woods.

Moonlight illuminated the scene, with scattered lanterns glowing; the sight was serene and picturesque.

A brief sweep with Spiritual Vision caused Xu Yuan’s brows to lift slightly, almost involuntarily.

So many powerful figures.

Within a radius of barely two miles, there were surprisingly seven or eight cultivators in the Primordial Realm in seclusion.

Without announcing himself, Xu Yuan crossed the boundary of the formation’s restrictions with Step Void Slash and headed towards the innermost, most refined courtyard of Sishui Temple.

In that secluded courtyard,

he noticed a middle-aged man in a python robe quietly sitting and gazing at the moon.

No wine was poured, no tea brewed—only moon-watching.

His gaze was gentle, his jade-like temperament seemed to blend harmoniously with the soft lunar glow.

Li Yucheng.

Faced with the Crown Prince, Xu Yuan did not want to be excessive or rude. Following a shaded path lined with trees, he stopped outside the courtyard gate.

After standing still for a moment,

a shadow flickered,

and a eunuch in a red robe appeared instantly, blocking the closed courtyard gate.

Wang Lingchi did not rashly make a move. He stared at the figure engulfed in black Qi and, sensing its unfathomable aura, spoke in a cautious, soft, androgynous tone:

“Stop there. I mean no offense, but I must ask you to state your identity and purpose.”

Xu Yuan withdrew the black Qi, revealing his true face. Smiling, he looked at this familiar attendant of the Crown Prince and said:

“Master Wang, step aside. I have urgent matters to discuss with your master tonight.”

The moonlight was quiet.

Wang Lingchi stared at Xu Yuan for a long moment before hesitantly asking:

“You are… the Third Young Master?”

Xu Yuan chuckled softly, taking casual steps forward:

“What’s this? A year without seeing me, and you’ve forgotten who I am? Or perhaps, you’d like to verify the Prime Minister Token I carry?”

Last year, when traveling back to the capital with Li Qingyan, Li Yucheng had sent this eunuch to win them over.

At that time, Wang Lingchi’s Mortal Transcendence cultivation had seemed insurmountable.

Seeing him now,

his level was merely ordinary.

As Xu Yuan approached, Wang Lingchi instinctively began circulating his cultivation technique under the pressure.

He suspected the person standing before him—Xu Changtian—was actually an impersonator.

The last time they met, Xu Yuan had only achieved Soul Condensation.

To ascend from Soul Condensation to Mortal Transcendence in just over a year?

Ridiculous.

In the silence,

Wang Lingchi’s androgynous voice deepened slightly:

“I must still ask the Third Young Master to present….”

“Chief Eunuch.”

Before he could finish,

a gentle voice came from inside the courtyard.

Li Yucheng, with his high cultivation, had naturally sensed the disturbances at the courtyard gate:

“Invite the Third Young Master inside.”

Wang Lingchi froze momentarily upon hearing this. Just as he was about to speak, the moonlight revealed that the elaborately dressed Xu Yuan had already quietly appeared beside him.

Xu Yuan raised a hand and lightly patted Wang Lingchi’s rigid shoulder, his tone soft:

“Eunuch, this time you used Origin Qi to lock onto me. Out of respect for your loyalty, I won’t hold it against you. But next time, don’t expect to be so lucky.”

With that,

Xu Yuan swept past Wang Lingchi and pushed the courtyard gate open, walking inside.

The courtyard was covered in lush grass and fragrant flowers. Only a stone table and two stone stools stood steadfast and unaffected.

As Xu Yuan stepped in, Li Yucheng had already risen to greet him.

From a distance earlier, his features were indistinct, but now, upon closer inspection, he appeared somewhat changed.

The Li Yucheng from years past had a youthful and unchanged appearance—but looking closely now, he seemed far older.

The jet-black hair tied up on his head was streaked with strands of white, and his once calm starry eyes held a weariness that wasn’t there before.

It seemed that life as the Crown Prince for the past half-year hadn’t been kind to him.

As he approached,

Li Yucheng stood bathed in moonlight, gazing at Xu Yuan in the shadows of the courtyard gate. He clasped his hands in greeting and said:

“Third Young Master, last year…..”

“Shh.”

But Xu Yuan neither returned the greeting nor let him finish his words, instead cutting him off directly.

Xu Yuan’s gaze passed over Li Yucheng, his half-lidded eyes narrowing as he stared towards the rear courtyard for several seconds. The corner of his mouth curved into an odd smile as he asked: