NCCnovel Chapter 89 The remnant of the Moonflower Kingdom has been found!
Chapter 89 The remnant of the Moonflower Kingdom has been found!
The Imperial Palace, Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The afternoon sun slanted in through the carved window, casting dappled light and shadow on the black jade brick surface.
The air inside the hall was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, yet it could not conceal a faint, almost imperceptible, stench of blood.
Qin Mu leaned back in a rosewood armchair, his black casual clothes slightly open at the collar, revealing his well-defined collarbone.
He toyed with a warm, white jade thumb ring in his hand, his gaze calmly fixed on the silver-armored figure kneeling in the center of the hall.
Yunluan knelt on one knee, her head bowed.
She was still wearing her signature silver armor, the plates gleaming with a cold, hard sheen in the sunlight.
At this moment, however, there were several scratches of varying depths on the silver armor, and the armor plate on the left shoulder was even slightly dented, with dark red bloodstains on the edges.
What's most striking is her face.
That face, usually cold and aloof, was now as pale as paper, with a trace of blood still clinging to the corner of her mouth, and her bangs were soaked with sweat, sticking to her smooth forehead.
Her breathing was slightly rapid, and her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly with each inhale, clearly indicating that she was enduring pain.
But she knelt upright, her back straight like a javelin, as if she could leap up and draw her sword at any moment.
"His Majesty."
Yunluan spoke, her voice lower and hoarser than usual, carrying obvious fatigue and unease.
Qin Mu put down the ring, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest. His gaze swept over her, finally settling on the hollow of her left shoulder: "Are you injured?"
"It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious," Yunluan said softly. After a pause, she added, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Qin Mu didn't respond to that question, but simply asked, "How did things go?"
Yunluan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment.
She took a deep breath, forced herself to lift her head, and met Qin Mu's gaze.
Deep within those eyes, usually as calm as a still pool, churned complex emotions.
Guilt, resentment, humiliation, and a hint of fear.
"Your Majesty," her voice grew increasingly hoarse, "regarding the matter of Consort Xue's background, I... have found some clues."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? Tell me about it."
"Twenty-one years after the fall of the Yuehua Kingdom, of the thirty-seven members of the royal family, only King Jiang Huaijin died by self-immolation; the rest either perished in battle or were captured. But one person is indeed missing—"
Yunluan paused, each word spoken with great difficulty:
"Jiang Huaijin's youngest daughter, Princess Mingyue, Jiang Zhaoyue. She was only three months old at the time."
Qin Mu nodded, his expression remaining calm: "Continue."
"Based on the clues I had gathered, I followed the trail and finally found an old minister of the Yuehua Kingdom in Suzhou Prefecture in Jiangnan. His name is Cao Wei. He was once the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel of the Yuehua Kingdom. He escaped when the Yuehua Kingdom was destroyed and lived in anonymity for 21 years."
Yunluan's voice suddenly lowered as she finished speaking:
"This person... is not an ordinary civil official."
Qin Mu stopped tapping his fingers on the armrest: "What do you mean?"
Yunluan gritted her teeth and finally told the truth:
"Your Majesty, I am incompetent."
She lowered her head again, her voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Your subordinate led men to find Cao Wei's hiding place, intending to escort him back to the capital. Unexpectedly... this man's martial arts skills are extremely high, and he keeps them hidden. During the battle, your subordinate... failed."
A brief silence fell over the hall.
The only sounds were the faint crackling of burning sandalwood and Yunluan's slightly rapid breathing.
Qin Mu looked at her quietly, his gaze lingering on her pale face for a moment before sweeping over the wound on her shoulder, and slowly said:
"Even you failed? This person is clearly not simple."
Yunluan's head drooped even lower, almost touching the ground:
"Yes. This person's cultivation level... is at least at the mid-stage of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, and may even be higher. Moreover, his martial arts style is extremely strange, unlike the orthodox Central Plains style, but rather seems to be a fusion of Miao Gu techniques and Western Region strange skills. Of the twelve elite Imperial Guards I brought, six were killed, four were seriously injured, and only two escaped with minor injuries."
She paused, her voice filled with self-reproach:
"If I hadn't been so eager for quick results and acted rashly, perhaps... we wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
After saying this, she touched her head to the ground and remained there for a long time.
Qin Mu did not speak immediately.
He stood up and walked slowly to Yunluan. His dark robes brushed against the smooth ground without making a sound.
He bent down, reached out and supported her arm, helping her up.
The movement was light, yet carried an irresistible force.
Yunluan was forced to stand up, but she still didn't dare to look up. She could only look at the hem of Qin Mu's black casual clothes and the mottled bloodstains on her silver armor.
"Raise your head," Qin Mu said.
Yunluan slowly raised her head and met Qin Mu's deep, unfathomable eyes.
Qin Mu's gaze lingered on her face, scrutinizing everything from her pale complexion to the cold sweat on her forehead, from the bloodstains at the corner of her mouth to the deep-seated guilt and fear in her eyes.
Then, he suddenly laughed.
The smile was faint, yet it made Yunluan's heart tighten suddenly.
"Mid-stage Celestial Realm... or even higher?" Qin Mu repeated her words, a hint of amusement in his tone. "A mere Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel possesses such cultivation. Interesting."
He paused, then said:
"How did it feel to fight him?"
Yunluan took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and recalled the fierce battle:
"Your Majesty, Cao Wei is... extremely cunning. He was hiding in an abandoned manor, which was riddled with traps and filled with poisonous miasma. We had just infiltrated when we triggered the traps, and three of our brothers died on the spot."
Her voice was filled with sorrow:
"Then Cao Wei appeared. He looked to be around sixty years old, with gray hair and beard, a thin face, and wearing a faded blue long gown, like an ordinary old scholar. But once he made a move..."
A flicker of fear crossed Yunluan's eyes:
"He struck out with his palm, the wind from which was dark green and carried a strong, fishy stench. His subordinates parried with their swords, but the blades were corroded and rusted. Moreover, his movements were strange, like a ghost, moving freely through the poisonous miasma, and we could not catch a glimpse of his true form at all."
"I used all my strength to forcibly dispel the poisonous miasma with my sword energy, and only then was I able to exchange three blows with him head-on."
She raised her hand and pointed to the indentation on her left shoulder:
"His third move was a flick of his finger, the tip glowing with a ghostly blue light. I hastily braced myself with my shoulder armor, but the armor plates were pierced, and his true energy penetrated my body. If I hadn't used my inner strength to force it out in time, I'm afraid..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already clear.
Qin Mu listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the white jade thumb ring inside his sleeve.
"Dark green palm wind, corroding weapons... ghostly blue finger force, piercing through silver armor..." he muttered to himself, "It's definitely not the Central Plains style."
He looked up at Yunluan:
Do you know where he is hiding now?
Yunluan nodded quickly: "Although we failed, I have already planted a Soul-Chasing Incense on him. This incense is colorless and odorless, and ordinary people cannot detect it, but it is made using the secret methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and can be tracked for three months without dissipating. I have already ordered people to keep a close watch on him. Cao Wei is still in Suzhou Prefecture, hiding in Tingyu Villa in the west of the city."
She paused, then added:
"Tingyu Villa is the villa of Li Wanjin, a wealthy merchant from Suzhou. Li Wanjin has business dealings with the Jiangnan Textile Bureau and appears to be a legitimate businessman. However, I suspect that Li Wanjin may have a past relationship with Cao Wei, or... be controlled by Cao Wei."
Qin Mu nodded slightly, his gaze returning to Yun Luan's pale face.
He suddenly reached out and gently brushed his fingertips away the trace of blood that had not been wiped away from the corner of her mouth.
The movements were light and gentle, yet they made Yunluan freeze.
She could feel the warmth of Qin Mu's fingertips, smell the faint scent of ambergris on his body, and hear the rapid beating of her own heart.
"Your injuries are quite severe," Qin Mu said slowly. "Your breathing is weak, your internal energy is disordered, and the meridians in your left shoulder are damaged. You will need to rest for at least half a month."
Yunluan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "I'm fine, I just need to recuperate for a few days..."
"No problem?" Qin Mu interrupted her, his tone turning cold. "Do you think I can't see through it?"
He withdrew his hand, turned around, walked to the round chair, sat down, took out a palm-sized white jade bottle from his bosom, and casually tossed it to Yunluan.
Yunluan caught it instinctively.
The jade bottle is warm to the touch, with cloud patterns carved on its body. The mouth of the bottle is sealed with beeswax, and a faint luster flows inside.
"This is the Nine-Turn Qi-Nourishing Pill."
Qin Mu said calmly, "After taking it, you can circulate your internal energy to regulate your breathing, which will help repair your damaged meridians and improve your true energy. If you're lucky, you might be able to break through your bottleneck."
He has been checking in on the system every day these days.
Although I didn't gain any powerful abilities or techniques, I did acquire quite a few pills like the Nine-Turn Qi Cultivation Pill and other small items.
Yunluan was stunned.
She held the jade bottle, staring blankly at Qin Mu, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The mission failed, resulting in manpower losses, and she was prepared to be punished or even held accountable.
But instead of punishing him, His Majesty bestowed upon him such a precious elixir?
"Your Majesty..." Yunluan's voice choked with emotion, "This subordinate... this subordinate is incompetent, causing the loss of brothers and failing to complete the mission, how dare I accept this reward..."
Qin Mu waved his hand:
"This is not your fault. Cao Wei is a Celestial Realm expert, and he was hiding in a maze of traps and poisonous miasma, so it's understandable that you made a mistake. Besides..."
He paused, a deeper meaning flashing in his eyes:
"You are not good at direct confrontation. Your strengths lie in infiltration, assassination, and protection, not in head-on clashes with experts at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. Sending you this time was an oversight on my part."
These words, though spoken in a plain tone, stirred an indescribable warmth in Yunluan's heart.
His Majesty... is actually making excuses for her?
"Your Majesty..." Yunluan's eyes welled up with tears.
She knelt on one knee, holding the jade bottle in both hands, her voice trembling yet firm:
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness! Once I recover from my injuries, I will return to Suzhou and capture Cao Wei to atone for my crimes!"
Qin Mu shook his head:
"No need."
Yunluan was taken aback, looked up at him, and asked in confusion.
Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, his posture languid, but a glint of eager anticipation flashed in his eyes:
"Since he is a Celestial Realm expert, then I... shall go there myself."
Yunluan's pupils suddenly contracted!
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
She blurted out urgently, "Cao Wei is treacherous and cunning, with unpredictable martial arts skills. The manor is also full of traps and poisonous miasma; it's far too dangerous! Your Majesty, with your precious health, how can you personally venture into such a perilous place? I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Qin Mu smiled.
His smile held a hint of mockery, yet also an undeniable air of authority.
"What, you think I can't handle a Celestial Phenomenon Realm cultivator?"
Yunluan was speechless.
She knew, of course, that His Majesty's power was unfathomable.
On Mount Qinglan, His Majesty remotely controlled a second-rank disciple to defeat Li Wuhen, a cultivator at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. His methods were almost divine.
but……
"His Majesty,"
Yunluan gritted her teeth and said, "Cao Wei is different from Li Wuhen. Li Wuhen is a direct confrontation, but Cao Wei is adept at using tricks, poisons, and traps. It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. If Your Majesty goes in person, what if..."
"There's no 'what if'," Qin Mu interrupted her, his tone calm yet resolute. "Since I dare to go, I naturally have the confidence."
He paused, looking at Yunluan's still worried expression, then suddenly changed the subject:
"Besides, I haven't really stretched my muscles in a long time. Staying in this deep palace all day, my bones are practically rusting. This is a good opportunity to practice."
This was said so casually, as if it were just a trip to the countryside for a spring outing, rather than facing a dangerous Celestial Realm expert.
Yunluan opened her mouth, wanting to persuade him again, but she knew that once His Majesty made a decision, no one could change it.
She could only lower her head deeply: "Yes... I understand."
Qin Mu nodded, his gaze returning to the jade bottle in her hand:
"Take the elixir and meditate properly. Three days later, come with me out of the palace."
"Yes!" Yunluan replied, then paused and added, "This subordinate... will certainly do everything in my power to protect His Majesty!"
Qin Mu smiled slightly and said nothing more.
Yunluan, holding the jade bottle, slowly withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Stepping outside the hall, the afternoon sun was somewhat dazzling. She stood under the eaves, looking down at the white jade bottle in her hand, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Instead of punishing her, His Majesty bestowed upon her precious elixirs and even offered to personally handle the aftermath for her...
This trust and this favor moved her, yet also made her feel guilty.
She gripped the jade bottle tightly, a resolute glint in her eyes.
No matter what, we must protect His Majesty this time!
Even if it costs me my life.
......