Chapter 99: Senior Sister is a Conceptual Deity, and the True Heir Returns to the Capital
Could it be because of the recent, widely spread rumor about the “Banished Immortal” identity?
Wu Ruyue was a little surprised. She, too, was curious about those rumors—especially since the person involved was Shen Yanzhou.
Back when they were at Hidden Moon Mountain, she had worried that once Shen Yanzhou’s false heir identity was exposed, his situation would become extremely difficult.
Now it seemed she had worried too much.
Even without the Martial God’s inheritance, Shen Yanzhou could still stand firm in the imperial capital with his own strength.
“Commander Liu.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I had to handle a few matters after returning to the residence.”
Shen Yanzhou entered the courtyard with a smile and greeted Liu Ci and the others.
“It wasn’t long. Young Master Shen is now a busy man. The fact that you can still make time to serve here at the Chilin Guards is already quite admirable.” Commander Liu Ci smiled as he spoke.
The other captains all chimed in as well, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Zhou Yang and several other centurions stood a bit farther back. As they looked at the young man chatting and laughing with Commander Liu Ci, their emotions were mixed.
Back when Shen Yanzhou had been abducted and went missing at Hidden Moon Mountain, it had been them who were tasked with his rescue.
Who could have expected that in the blink of an eye, Shen Yanzhou would become their superior?
Truly, the affairs of the world were unpredictable.
“Miss Wu.”
Shen Yanzhou’s gaze swept across several familiar faces before finally landing on Wu Ruyue. With a faint smile, he nodded at her.
Wu Ruyue returned the smile.
“As for the rules and formalities of the Chilin Guards, I’ll have someone go over them with you later. The salary and benefits for a Thousand-Household Captain will all follow the standard court regulations.”
“As for your residence, I’ll instruct someone to arrange one for you soon. It’s quite near the Chilin Guards’ headquarters—only a few streets away.”
Commander Liu Ci patted Shen Yanzhou’s shoulder with a grin.
Shen Yanzhou nodded. This was exactly why so many people wanted to squeeze into the bureaucratic system—the benefits in every aspect were excellent.
In a place like the imperial capital, where land was worth its weight in gold, being provided with a residence was a dream for many.
Of course, such things no longer mattered much to him.
Afterward, Commander Liu Ci led Shen Yanzhou into the main hall, handing over the Thousand-Household Captain’s uniform, blades, identification token, and other items, while reminding him of routine patrol duties.
For someone of this rank, most days were spent overseeing affairs in their own command office. Unless something major happened, they rarely acted personally—these were all just formalities.
Shen Yanzhou understood this perfectly well.
After finishing his explanations, Liu Ci excused himself under the pretext of handling other matters.
Shen Yanzhou quickly grasped the current structure of the Chilin Guards. Including himself, there were eight Thousand-Household Captains stationed in the capital.
Each one was at the Fifth Rank of the Martial Path, commanding ten centurions. Their command offices surrounded the imperial palace like stars encircling the moon.
His own office—essentially his “workplace”—was located right across the street from the Chilin Guards’ headquarters, in a grand pavilion with sweeping eaves and glazed tiles. Two stone lions flanked the entrance, exuding majesty without aggression.
“With this location, even if I clock in at headquarters every day, it’s just a few steps away…”
Shen Yanzhou thought with mild amusement. When he had arrived earlier, he had seen several carriages parked out front and Chilin Guards moving items out of the building.
So—they were vacating it for him.
At that moment, he imagined a scene in his head: a diligent, long-serving officer being displaced by a newcomer parachuted into his position, harboring resentment and plotting revenge.
Tsk…
He really didn’t want to waste his energy on such office politics.
“Greetings, Thousand-Household Captain.”
As Shen Yanzhou thought this, he arrived at the training grounds.
Today was his first official day, and all ten of his centurions were present—including the one he was most familiar with, Zhou Yang.
Wu Ruyue was also among them, though only in her capacity as a Chilin Guard.
“No need for formalities.”
“I’m not fond of excessive ceremony. I know many of you probably don’t take me too seriously. You think I’m just some lucky young man favored by the Commander—someone with no achievements, no experience, yet appointed to this post.”
“Many of you have far more experience than I do, and you think the only thing you lack compared to me is luck.”
“Of course, I don’t care what you think. But as long as you serve in the Chilin Guards, you’ll follow my orders.”
“Whether you envy or resent me—keep it all bottled up.”
Shen Yanzhou waved his hand casually.
Then, ignoring their expressions, he gave an order for them to start moving items.
After all, his new office was just across the street. It was the perfect opportunity to make use of free labor.
Wu Ruyue, among the Chilin Guards, didn’t think anything of it. She was the first to step forward to help Shen Yanzhou carry things.
On the other hand, Gu Ruoxi pursed her lips slightly, finding Shen Yanzhou rather arrogant and domineering.
Still, considering he had even dared to strike the elders of the Martial Academy, what more could be said?
“Yes, the Captain is right.”
“From now on, we’ll follow your lead wholeheartedly. For you to reach this position at such a young age, you must have exceptional ability—something we should respect and learn from.”
After Shen Yanzhou finished speaking, one of the centurions immediately echoed loudly.
Even Zhou Yang and the others turned in surprise, as if seeing that man for the first time.
Shen Yanzhou raised an eyebrow and looked over—it was a slightly younger face. Of course, that was only relative to the other centurions, most of whom were in their thirties or forties.
This guy practically had “eager for promotion” written all over his face.
“What’s your name?” Shen Yanzhou asked with a faint smile.
The younger centurion stiffened slightly and said solemnly, “Reporting to the Captain—subordinate’s name is Li Yunpeng, from a collateral branch of the Li Family of Longxi. The former Prince of Zhongshan in West Longxi was my great-great-great-grandfather.”
The Li Family of Longxi was indeed a well-known noble family in the Great Qian Dynasty.
Though as a collateral line, his only remaining tie to the main branch was likely just the surname “Li.”
“Good, I’ll remember you.”
Shen Yanzhou nodded. He had always appreciated people with ambition like his own.
Li Yunpeng’s face lit up with a smile, and he quickly stepped forward to help carry Shen Yanzhou’s belongings.
Seeing that, the other centurions also moved to assist.
There wasn’t much to carry—mostly the uniform, blades, and armor of a Thousand-Household Captain.
In less than half a stick of incense, everyone had moved everything into the office across the street.
“The eight command offices in the capital are divided into four grades—A, B, C, and D—assigned based on merit. If not for the Captain, we’d never have set foot in an A-grade office.”
“It’s really more spacious, with a better view—and even our sub-divisions are larger.”
“Yeah, this office used to belong to Captain Zhao. He’s been transferred to the west of the city now, and I hear that one’s only a C-grade…”
“Not sure if that’s because of the trouble his son caused recently.”
Listening to their chatter, Shen Yanzhou hadn’t expected such rumors to circulate.
The Zhao family?
Could it be someone from the Marquis of Divine Might’s Residence?
Still, he didn’t care much. Even if that Captain Zhao resented losing his post, he’d just have to swallow it.
After all, Shen Yanzhou now held Emperor Mingde’s favor.
…
“Captain.”
“To think that because of Young Master Rui’s incident, the Commander would reassign you—how disheartening.”
“All these years, you’ve worked tirelessly for the Chilin Guards and achieved countless merits.”
“Every flower and brick of this command office was personally arranged by you, yet it’s now handed over to that youngster.”
At that moment, on a street to the west of the Chilin Guards’ headquarters, a black lacquered carriage was parked. Inside, a thin middle-aged man sat quietly, lifting the curtain slightly to gaze toward the bustling command office. His eyes were deep and unreadable.
The man holding the reins was a centurion of the Chilin Guards, and his voice was filled with indignation.
“The matter concerning Rui’er is far more complicated than it appears. The Commander reassigned me to spare me from being implicated.”
“Let’s go.”
The middle-aged man lowered the curtain and withdrew his gaze, speaking faintly.
The rider still looked reluctant. He knew how much effort and sweat his Captain had poured into that position.
And now, Shen Yanzhou—with no achievements, no experience—had been placed in that coveted A-grade post. How could that not breed resentment?
“Enough looking. When this storm passes, I’ll return here myself.”
“That Shen Yanzhou may seem glorious now, but he’s merely a pawn in this intricate game.”
“If the case of the ‘Northern Sea Heaven-Transforming Human Pill Art’ could truly be resolved so easily, that would be ideal. But once you start pulling at the roots, the dirt comes out with it. There’s no way someone like him could fill such a deep pit.” The middle-aged man’s eyes glinted coldly.
“Yes, sir.”
The rider finally lowered his head and tugged the reins, driving the carriage away.
…
Meanwhile, at the Marquis of Divine Might’s Residence—
“The true heir of the Demon Suppression King will return to the capital the day after tomorrow. Many court officials will visit the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion to offer congratulations—celebrating the reunion and restoration of order.”
“Given the ties between our two residences, we should also personally deliver a congratulatory gift.”
“Also, the marriage promise once made by the Demon Suppression King hasn’t been annulled—only changed. It won’t be with the false heir, but with the true one.”
Behind a painted screen in the main hall, a dignified middle-aged beautiful woman adorned with jewels was speaking to a robust yet refined middle-aged man.
The man, dressed in casual attire with a jade belt around his waist, looked like a warrior but carried an air of scholarly grace.
He was none other than the current Divine Martial Marquis.
“That’s for the best—restoring clarity to the matter. Otherwise, if our Marquis of Divine Might’s Residence had formed a marriage alliance with a false heir, we’d be the laughingstock of the capital.”
“Qingchan was originally meant to be chosen as the Crown Princess, if only His Majesty would give the word.”
The Divine Martial Marquis sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness.
Compared to marrying into the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion, they would naturally have preferred for Zhao Qingchan to wed into the royal family—becoming the Crown Princess and, in time, the future Empress.
But Emperor Mingde still hadn’t shown any intent to select a consort for the Crown Prince.
Left with no better choice, they could only settle for the next best option.
“Qingchan, what do you think?” The Divine Martial Marquis turned toward his daughter, who had remained silent in the main hall.
Zhao Qingchan wore a plain long robe, her black hair cascading like a waterfall. Her face was pure and flawless, like an unpolished piece of jade without a single blemish.
“I will follow Father and Mother’s arrangements in all things,” she said softly, nodding with calm composure.
She had rushed back from the Dragon-Tiger Institute specifically for this matter.
“Good. Then you shall accompany your mother to personally deliver the congratulatory gifts to the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion. That will also serve as your first meeting with the true heir.”
“Shen Yanzhou is indeed talented, but his connection with the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion is murky at best—and more importantly, he has no claim to the royal title.”
“If we wish to secure the standing of the Marquis of Divine Might’s Residence, the heir of the Demon Suppression King is the better choice.” The Divine Martial Marquis nodded with satisfaction.
Since childhood, his daughter had always been his pride—obedient, diligent, intelligent, and beautiful. After she came of age, the threshold of their residence was nearly worn down by the noble families seeking her hand.
Even the current Crown Prince, Xia Chongming, had once expressed his fondness for her.
Zhao Qingchan’s expression did not change, but in her mind, Shen Yanzhou’s image surfaced unbidden.
He had been dazzling in the capital these past few days—at the Sixth Rank of the Martial Path both in body and spirit, personally chosen as a disciple by the Patriarch of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, and now favored by Emperor Mingde himself, recently appointed as a Thousand-Household Captain in the Chilin Guards.
If only he were the true heir...
She sighed lightly and glanced at her father. “Father, do you know what kind of person this true heir is?”
The Divine Martial Marquis smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, my dear. The Demon Suppression King and I are old friends. He told me beforehand—the true heir is a man among men: dignified, outstanding in talent, steady and mature. He, too, is at the Sixth Rank of the Martial Path.”
Sixth Rank?
Zhao Qingchan’s heart did not stir. Had it been before, she might have thought that impressive—but compared to Shen Yanzhou, it now seemed rather ordinary.
……
There was a dining hall within the Thousand-Household Office. At noon, Shen Yanzhou asked Wu Ruyue to stay behind.
The two shared a meal by the window.
Zhou Yang and the others, knowing of the friendship between Shen Yanzhou and Wu Ruyue, found nothing strange about it.
Only Wu Ruyue herself felt a little shy and uneasy when Shen Yanzhou called her—afraid others might misunderstand their relationship.
“Captain Shen, you came to eat without inviting me?”
“Surely you did that on purpose. With our friendship, you can’t just pretend you don’t see me.”
Just as the two sat down, a soft, charming voice drifted from the side, carrying a faint fragrance as sweet as peach blossoms.
A coquettish woman in a pink embroidered gown, her waist swaying gracefully, walked over carrying a food box. Her eyes glimmered with playful reproach as she sat down beside Shen Yanzhou without the slightest hesitation.
“Immortal Officer Gu.”
Wu Ruyue hadn’t expected Gu Ruoxi to follow them here. Wasn’t she supposed to be at the headquarters across the street?
She blinked slightly, then glanced at Gu Ruoxi, whose arm was nearly brushing against Shen Yanzhou’s, and felt an inexplicable pang of jealousy.
“The weather’s hot, Immortal Officer Gu. Sitting that close—aren’t you warm?” Wu Ruyue asked.
Gu Ruoxi chuckled. “Not at all. Just being near Captain Shen makes my heart go cold—how could I feel hot?”
Shen Yanzhou hadn’t expected Gu Ruoxi to come along either. Wasn’t she still at headquarters this morning?
Still, since this little enchantress had shown up on her own, she must have something she wanted.
“When did Immortal Officer Gu and Young Master Shen get so close?” Wu Ruyue asked with a smile that was both bright and faintly pointed.
“Miss Wu must have forgotten—when Captain Shen was captured and went missing at Hidden Moon Mountain, it was I who escorted him all the way back. After returning to the capital, Captain Shen even stayed for a time at the Bureau of Immortal Inspection—he nearly joined them.”
“So you see, I might know Captain Shen better than you do.”
Sensing the sharpness in Wu Ruyue’s tone, Gu Ruoxi kept smiling, her words equally cutting in return.
Wu Ruyue only smiled faintly. She and Shen Yanzhou shared secrets Gu Ruoxi could never know—at Hidden Moon Mountain, they had nearly faced death together.
Of course, she wouldn’t say that aloud.
“Let’s eat,” Shen Yanzhou said, a bit helpless.
He never thought he’d one day find himself in such a battlefield between women.
Gu Ruoxi was clearly doing it on purpose, trying to provoke Wu Ruyue.
Shen Yanzhou was confident in himself, but he didn’t believe Gu Ruoxi harbored any affection for him—she was simply stirring trouble for her own amusement.
“Captain Shen, do you like braised beef?”
Gu Ruoxi smiled sweetly as she used her chopsticks to place a large piece of braised beef into his bowl.
“I don’t.”
Shen Yanzhou shook his head.
“Then how about some steamed buns? They’re fresh from the steamer…” Gu Ruoxi leaned forward slightly, her full figure shifting subtly as she smiled.
Wu Ruyue’s eyelid twitched, her grip on her chopsticks tightening. Even she could tell now that Gu Ruoxi’s target was her.
Back at the Chilin Guards, she had never acted like this. But now that Shen Yanzhou was here, she suddenly became hostile.
Why would a woman behave like that?
Naturally—because she liked Shen Yanzhou. Seeing him invite Wu Ruyue to lunch, she grew jealous and uneasy.
“Captain Shen doesn’t like that either. He prefers roasted sweet potatoes.”
Wu Ruyue took a quiet breath, then smiled as she delivered the line.
Gu Ruoxi blinked, her gaze instinctively dropping to Wu Ruyue’s chest bound beneath her robe.
Roasted sweet potatoes? Sweet potatoes?
Did that mean Shen Yanzhou liked… smaller ones?
“I like them all.”
“Whether it’s big steamed buns or roasted sweet potatoes.”
Shen Yanzhou sighed inwardly. He knew perfectly well what Wu Ruyue meant, but he had no patience for their teasing.
“The original copy of the ‘Northern Sea Heaven-Transforming Human Pill Art’ was destroyed, but there may still be handwritten versions left in the world. If that’s the case, then there might be more than one practitioner…”
He changed the subject—both Wu Ruyue and Gu Ruoxi were currently investigating that case.
As expected, once he brought it up, both women focused on him immediately.
Gu Ruoxi, in particular, was troubled by the case.
Aside from asking Shen Yanzhou for an antidote, she had also come to discuss possible leads.
After all, Emperor Mingde himself had tasked Shen Yanzhou with uncovering the truth.
If he failed, not only would he lose his current favor, but he might not even survive the fallout.
“Captain Shen means that this forbidden art might have more than one practitioner?” Wu Ruyue asked, setting down her chopsticks, her expression thoughtful.
Shen Yanzhou nodded. He could have said outright that everything led back to the Demon Suppression King, Shen Jingxiao.
But where was the proof?
Even with his knowledge of the original story, he couldn’t be sure. Shen Jingxiao was too meticulous—so much so that even the narrative had never revealed this hidden hand.
After fleeing to the foreign demonic kingdom, Shen Jingxiao had still retained such a hidden card, concealing himself within the capital.
If he hadn’t deliberately framed Shen Yanzhou to shift suspicion onto him, Shen Yanzhou might never have guessed that Shen Jingxiao secretly possessed this forbidden technique.
And over the years, who knew how many loyal death warriors he had cultivated through it?
“Most likely, there’s more than one.”
“And this could lead to many other hidden cases.” Shen Yanzhou’s tone was serious.
At his words, both Wu Ruyue and Gu Ruoxi froze, then exchanged glances, a chill running down their spines.
Yes—over all these years, not a single rumor had surfaced.
If not for the discovery of the three dead students from the Martial Academy, the forbidden practitioners would still be lurking in the shadows, unnoticed by either the Chilin Guards or the Bureau of Immortal Inspection.
Practicing that art required large amounts of vital blood and Qi essence—it couldn’t have cost only three lives.
Then what about all the others who had died? Those warriors who had perished because of it?
“Could someone be covering up for them? Or have those dead warriors simply vanished—erased from the world somehow?”
“But large-scale disappearances—especially of warriors—should have been noticed by the Ministry of Revenue.”
“Or does even the Ministry remain unaware?”
Wu Ruyue frowned deeply. The more she thought about it, the more she felt an invisible vortex behind all this, pulling everything in deeper and deeper.
To think further was enough to make one’s blood run cold.
“Take it slowly. A case of this scale can’t be solved in a day or two,” Shen Yanzhou said.
Wu Ruyue nodded. “The identities of the three dead students are clear now. They had gone out together some time ago and were last seen in a pleasure district in the western part of the city. After that, they vanished. The Chilin Guards have already questioned everyone they’d been in contact with, but found nothing unusual.”
“If there’s one suspicious point, it’s that same place in the west district. Recently, many influential people have been going there.”
“The west district?” Shen Yanzhou mused, surprised.
The imperial capital of the Great Qian Dynasty was divided into four main areas. Aside from the inner and outer city, the western quarter was mostly a commoners’ district, rarely visited by nobles.
Back when he was still his old self, he had spent most of his time drinking and consorting with courtesans on Vermilion Bird Street in the eastern district.
The west side, frankly speaking, was too low-class—young aristocrats seldom went there.
Wu Ruyue said, “Tonight, I plan to go there myself to investigate. The owner behind that pleasure house seems to have an unusual background.”
“That’s fine,” Shen Yanzhou nodded.
He didn’t expect to uncover much anyway—he’d just have to wait for Shen Jingxiao to make a mistake.
After lunch—
Shen Yanzhou left the office with Gu Ruoxi to visit the morgue at headquarters. Officially, they were there to inspect the corpses of the three dead Martial Academy students, but in truth, he was using the opportunity to give her the antidote to the ‘Ten-Thousand Gu Heart-Piercing Pill.’
“Tastes… sweet?”
Gu Ruoxi pressed her lips together—it felt like she had just eaten a candy.
“Would you prefer something bitter? I can prepare one next time.” Shen Yanzhou said casually.
“No thanks…” Gu Ruoxi shook her head.
She didn’t know whether it was real or just psychological, but after taking the antidote, she felt lighter, her body less burdened.
Earlier, she had felt strange sensations—like something gnawing at her meridians from within.
“What about that man named Ye Xingchen? How’s the investigation on him going?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
Compared to the case itself, that man was the one he truly cared about.
“There’s not much to investigate—his family background is perfectly clear.”
“He’s from a small family in Fanzhou, with two elder sisters. His natural talent and spiritual roots are quite good. After passing the Bureau of Immortal Inspection’s examination, he became an Immortal Officer.”
“In the Bureau, he’s known for being diligent and hardworking, with a good reputation. Many seniors have praised him highly.”
“Also, I think he rather likes me,” Gu Ruoxi said, counting on her fingers as she spoke.
Hmm, that all sounded fairly normal. But if it truly were that normal, he shouldn’t have been able to provide Shen Yanzhou with such a surge of negative emotions.
Shen Yanzhou already understood very clearly the standard for harvesting negative emotions.
First, the target either needed to possess abundant fortune, hold an exalted status, or have formidable strength—at least one of these three traits was required.
Second, their emotional fluctuations had to be intense—the stronger their turmoil, the more negativity he could harvest.
That Ye Xingchen’s emotions had surged so dramatically just from seeing him grow close to Gu Ruoxi, to the point of harboring resentment—
His possessiveness toward Gu Ruoxi was this strong?
Moreover, his background was ordinary, and his cultivation not particularly exceptional. That could only mean the man carried an unusually dense and powerful fortune.
A child of destiny, perhaps?
“If he likes you, then why don’t you just accept his pursuit?” Shen Yanzhou suddenly said.
“Huh?”
Gu Ruoxi’s beautiful eyes widened instantly. She froze mid-step, staring at him in utter disbelief.
“You… you…”
She pointed a slender, jade-like finger at him but couldn’t get the words out for a long time.
“What about me?” Shen Yanzhou asked, looking rather confused.
Gu Ruoxi’s chest rose and fell, her tone full of shock. “Do you… have some strange fetish?”
“What does letting you accept his pursuit have to do with me having a fetish?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
That question left Gu Ruoxi momentarily stunned.
True, there didn’t seem to be a direct connection.
But how could there not be?
“You really don’t mind?” Gu Ruoxi asked softly, unable to hold back.
Now Shen Yanzhou finally understood and couldn’t help laughing. “Why would I mind? I told you to accept his pursuit—I didn’t say you have to actually do anything with him. Or… do you like him too?”
Gu Ruoxi shook her head quickly. “No.”
“I don’t like him. He’s like a sticky plaster—always hovering around, trying to please me. It’s annoying to death! I wish he’d just disappear from my sight.”
Still, Shen Yanzhou’s nonchalant attitude left her oddly frustrated.
After all, her purity had been ruined by him!
And now he was telling her to accept another man’s advances?
“Unbelievable,” Gu Ruoxi muttered under her breath.
“You need to fix your mindset. Don’t tell me you actually think of yourself as my woman? Nothing happened between us. Don’t try to cling to me,” Shen Yanzhou said.
Gu Ruoxi refused to look at him anymore.
She was this beautiful, this enchanting—and he could really bear to say that?
“Unbelievable.”
Gu Ruoxi glared fiercely at him, then turned and ran off.
……
In truth, Gu Ruoxi didn’t get far before Shen Yanzhou caught up with her. After much coaxing and mild intimidation, he finally persuaded her to pretend to accept Ye Xingchen’s advances—or rather, his invitation.
“Next time, don’t touch me like that! It’s broad daylight—what if someone sees us?”
Gu Ruoxi, fuming, hid in a narrow alley, adjusting her clothing before emerging to glare at him.
She hadn’t expected Shen Yanzhou to be this bold. The last time had been inside a carriage, but today—broad daylight!
She didn’t even dare imagine what he might have done had she hesitated to agree.
“Relax. There’s no one at the mouth of this alley. Even if someone came, I’d sense it first,” Shen Yanzhou said with a grin.
Gu Ruoxi’s alluring face was flushed, her moist lips glistening faintly. “Scoundrel,” she muttered.
“I just need you to help uncover what’s hidden about that man. He might be connected to this case,” Shen Yanzhou said seriously.
“Really? You’re not tricking me?” Gu Ruoxi asked suspiciously.
“If you do well, I’ll completely neutralize the Ten-Thousand Gu Heart-Piercing Pill for you next time,” Shen Yanzhou promised.
“If you dare lie to me, I’ll definitely—” Gu Ruoxi threatened viciously, though her seductive demeanor made it hard to take her seriously.
“Definitely what?”
“Don’t worry. With our relationship, how could I ever deceive you?” Shen Yanzhou said with a chuckle.
Gu Ruoxi hesitated, then reluctantly nodded.
“He approached me before,” she said.
“He told me that next month, the Cloud Wild Market in front of the Yuntai Temple will open. Many disciples from the immortal sects will go there to seek treasures. Materials like Yunhua Ganoderma and Azure Vine Leaves, needed for Core Formation Realm cultivation, can be traded there. It’s much more convenient than using merits for exchange at the Bureau of Immortal Inspection. He invited me to go with him.”
“Good. Then you should accept his invitation,” Shen Yanzhou nodded.
“You said he might be connected to the case. What if he tries something against me? Yuntai Temple is outside the capital.” Gu Ruoxi looked uneasy.
Shen Yanzhou pinched her soft, smooth cheek and said with a reassuring smile, “In the capital, I might not be able to guarantee absolute safety—but outside it, don’t worry. Even if a Monster King shows up, it won’t be able to harm a single hair on your head.”
The Soul-devouring Flood Serpent hadn’t returned to the capital with him. Being nearly a Monster King itself, even if it concealed its aura, it would still be easily detected within the city.
Thus, Shen Yanzhou had it waiting outside the capital.
……
Over the next two days, Shen Yanzhou spent his mornings at the Thousand-Household Office “handling cases” and his afternoons at the Daoist Academy.
Though he couldn’t extract any new divine techniques from Luo Qiushui, he managed to acquire several high-level Daoist arts from Deputy Deans Pu Chengjun and Fang Wendao, under the guise of his “Grandmaster-Uncle” identity.
There was the simplified version of the Body-Soaring Trace Technique, called Void Escape Art, and a shortened version of the Stand Upright Without Shadow Art, called Concealment in the Void...
Void Escape Art, as its name implied, used spiritual energy to envelop the body, allowing the user to vanish into the void. Though far cruder than the Taixu Invocation that Lin Qingcang had mentioned before, it was sufficient for Shen Yanzhou’s current stage.
As for Concealment in the Void—it allowed the physical body to become ethereal, losing form and shape, rendering all physical attacks ineffective.
At its Minor Accomplishment level, it merely confused the opponent, but once it reached Major Accomplishment, the body could truly become intangible, effectively immune to physical harm.
However, even the two deputy deans had only grasped its surface level.
Shen Yanzhou spent two basic attribute points to fully comprehend it, marking his first true step into the Daoist arts.
As for talisman crafting and artifact refinement, he only made a few inquiries. Upon learning how costly they were in basic points, he wisely gave up.
They were worth learning—but not worth wasting his precious points on.
Luo Qiushui occasionally checked on him in her capacity as “Senior Sister,” worried that he was spending too much time on Chilin Guard matters.
Shen Yanzhou could only brush her off with vague answers.
Sometimes, he even suspected Luo Qiushui might be mistaken—perhaps she was the real “Banished Immortal.”
In a sense, she was like a Conceptual Deity.
Whenever he casually recited a few “ancient theories” he remembered from Earth’s mythology to placate her, Luo Qiushui would actually ponder them deeply—then begin verifying and deducing their possibilities, amazed by their apparent validity.
“All laws stem from one origin—three lives forming one. Indeed, this hints at the fundamental root of heaven and earth,” Luo Qiushui said in admiration.
“Junior Brother, your insights are truly unique.”
That was when Shen Yanzhou realized—this world’s Daoist system lacked the Dao De Jing.
Everything he had been spouting—“Dao gives birth to One; One gives birth to Two; Two to Three; Three to all things…”—was something any Earthling would know.
“Senior Sister, perhaps you could try these theories—see if they can lead to new divine arts?” Shen Yanzhou suggested.
The Thirty-Six Heavenly Astral Arts of this world were incomplete.
So, couldn’t he have Luo Qiushui use his “Earth theories” to reverse-engineer and create new ones?
“Hmm? It’s difficult, but I can try,” Luo Qiushui said, her flawless, delicate face showing thoughtful seriousness.
“Then I’ll leave it to you. I’ve recently gained some insights—perhaps I can perfect the Art of Reversing Yin and Yang on the foundation of the ancients,” Shen Yanzhou said solemnly.
“The Art of Reversing Yin and Yang? What level of divine power is that? What is its might?” Luo Qiushui asked in genuine curiosity.
Shen Yanzhou replied, “The so-called Reversing Yin and Yang—”
“—is to overturn the order of heaven and earth, to make the sun and moon lose their constancy; as in reversing truth and falsehood, confusing black and white. It is called the Heavenly Prison Tribulation, the great inversion of all things—the power to turn heaven and earth upside down.”
“Such a divine art surpasses all known ranks—it reaches the level of the unimaginable.”
Hearing this, Luo Qiushui was momentarily dazed. Then her eyes shone with astonishment and admiration.
“Senior Brother, such vision! Even from your description, one can tell—that is true immortal Dao.”
“Then perhaps you should test it—see if you can glean some inspiration from this path,” Shen Yanzhou said, still smiling.
And while he was busy “enlightening” Luo Qiushui at the Daoist Academy—
At the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion, all the clan elders, including Shen Jingxiao, had made their preparations. Outside the capital, convoys escorted by the Demon Suppression Army were already arriving, preparing to enter the city.
Within the capital, many noble families had caught wind of the news and sent their people to await the grand procession at the main gate, their eyes filled with eager curiosity.
“Tian’er, today I will rightfully bring you back to the capital,” Shen Jingxiao said.
Taking a deep breath, he stood with several clan elders. A host of guards, retainers, and attendants followed as they made their way toward the city gates.
The true heir of the Demon Suppression King had returned to the capital—and the news spread like wildfire, shaking the entire imperial city.