1353 Qinghong Pavilion

The weather started to get colder as it was approaching the year's end.

Qinghong Pavilion was deep in the bamboo forest. Water flowed under the bridge, and it looked quiet and serene, which was in sharp contrast to the bustling Central Empire City.

Saint Lady was sitting in the attic, dressed in female costumes that were made of ice. Her skin was smooth and glossy, and her hair was perfectly brushed.

She was making tea, and her hands looked elegant. Every time she moved her fingers, they had lingering charm.

Countless monks in the world would do anything just to see the face of Saint Lady. If they could make tea and talk about Taoism with her, they might be willing to live a hundred years less.

Zhang Ruochen walked through the bamboo forest, arriving outside Qinghong Pavilion. He sniffed the tea and smiled. "Ancient Tea of Saintly Way. Can't believe that stingy Chu Siyuan would give you the tea leaves of this."

Saint Lady pouted and said, "He's indeed very stingy, so I actually got the tea leaves by climbing up the Ruzu Ancient Tree and picking them myself. He still glares at me every time he sees me."

Zhang Ruochen smiled as he could imagine how hilarious the look on Chu Siyuan's face was. And then, he walked into Qinghong Pavilion and sat down across from her.

Saint Lady picked up a teacup and gave it to Zhang Ruochen. She said in an incredibly gentle voice, "Try it."

Zhang Ruochen took a sip, swirled it around in his mouth, nodded and said, "No wonder you're Saint Lady. Even the tea you make is heaps better than others."

"I thought you were praising the tea, but now you know how to praise others. No wonder so many girls in the world fall for you," Saint Lady said.

Zhang Ruochen put down the teacup, smiled and said, "Although Ancient Tea of Saintly Way is precious, perhaps all the men in the world will focus on it when you're in the picture."

"So are you saying you need a favor from me?"

Saint Lady picked up the teapot and poured another cup for Zhang Ruochen.

Zhang Ruochen said, "Can't I just praise you for no reason?"

"Is that really so?" Saint Lady asked back.

Zhang Ruochen stayed silent for a while, and then he said, "I want to know who from the Ancient Ghost Cultivation Race and Ancient Necromancy Race has come to Central Empire City, and I want to know about their cultivation, trump cards, and inhabitation."

Saint Lady sighed and said, "You're also so stiff. Can't we just enjoy the tea and have some wholesome chats instead of thinking about those killings and hatred? You should know that with me in Central Empire City, those from the Ancient Ghost Cultivation Race and Ancient Necromancy Race can never hurt Concubine Lin, no matter how many of them come."

"How about tonight?" Zhang Ruochen asked.

Saint Lady said, "That Elder Lisheng from the Ancient Ghost Cultivation Race? He blew up his saint source, but he was sucked into oblivion because of you."

The fact that she could tell so many details of the story meant she had been nearby watching everything that happened in the heir mansion.

However, Zhang Ruochen hadn't noticed that at all.

Zhang Ruochen stared at Saint Lady sitting across from him and asked, "Has your mind power reached level fifty-four?"

"You're a martial warrior who trains your body, yet even your mind power has reached level fifty-three. If mine hadn't reached level fifty-four, I'd be ashamed," Saint Lady smiled and said.

Zhang Ruochen then asked, "How did you know I was coming to Central Empire City?"

"I'm Saint Lady. I know everything about everyone, including where you were heading to."

Saint Lady looked smug on purpose, however, after seeing Zhang Ruochen's solemn face, she lost interest in teasing him. She stopped smiling and asked, "Do you know about the Heaven and Earth Chessboard?"

"I heard a bit about it," Zhang Ruochen said.

Saint Lady said, "Although you have the valuables to cover your forces and disciplines, you can't trick the Heaven and Earth Chessboard. I put your name on the chess piece myself, so I know exactly where you were heading to."

The Heaven and Earth Chessboard was a great secret of Confucius Way and the imperial government, so Saint Lady didn't say anything more about it.

Zhang Ruochen said, "You put the name 'Zhang Ruochen' on it?"

"If the name was Zhang Ruochen, do you really think you'd still be alive?" Saint Lady said.

"Thank you."

Zhang Ruochen knew the risk Saint Lady took to change the Heaven and Earth Chessboard. It was a traitorous act, and if she got caught, she would face a horrific result.

Zhang Ruochen said, "Then how can I dodge the inspection of the Heaven and Earth Chessboard?"

"Unless you leave Kunlun's Field and hide yourself in another world, the Heaven and Earth Chessboard will have your saint soul on it always. There's no way you can hide," Saint Lady said.

"So the Heaven and Earth Chessboard focuses on saint souls," Zhang Ruochen mumbled. And then, he said, "Change my name back after you go back. I don't want to drag you down."

Saint Lady said, "Are you leaving Kunlun's Field?"

"Not yet, but I have a way to hide from the Heaven and Earth Chessboard," Zhang Ruochen said.

The Universe World had been born, so Zhang Ruochen could totally put his saint soul inside so that the Heaven and Earth Chessboard wouldn't be able to find him at all.

Saint Lady knew Zhang Ruochen had his way around, and she didn't ask any further questions. She then said, "You shouldn't have come to Central Empire City. It's way too dangerous for you!"

"I didn't want to, but I had to," Zhang Ruochen said with his eyes glinting. "I don't have any problems with them coming at me, but if they're going after my families, I'll have to make them pay."

Saint Lady could tell Zhang Ruochen was determined, and that he wouldn't give up until he reached his goal, so she said, "Feng Yinying, the oldest princess of the Ancient Ghost Cultivation Race, who is also the older sister of Feng Yinchan, has become an elementary true saint. You killed Feng Yinchan, so she's definitely coming after you."

"I reckon she doesn't just want revenge. She might also want the valuables I have, doesn't she?" Zhang Ruochen said.

"Don't underestimate her. She's very accomplished at ghost cultivation, and based on my knowledge, she has cultivated at least six ghost kings." Saint Lady then said the second name. "Spiritual King Saint Ancestor, someone from the Ancient Ghost Cultivation Race that has been living for a thousand years with incredible cultivation. I heard that he went to the second scale monument of Emperor Godly Ruler and comprehended for three days there."

"Emperor Godly Ruler, one of the ten saint weapons, came out?" Zhang Ruochen was a bit surprised.

Saint Lady said, "Emperor Godly Ruler was always there, and it's been preserved in Inscription Guild and guarded by the ten elders. However, only those who have become saint kings can sense the existence of Emperor Godly Ruler. Those below saint kings have no idea what it is."

Zhang Ruochen had heard before that Emperor Godly Ruler was used to test the cultivation of emperors, and it contained supreme saintly way.

Aside from being taught by supreme saints, comprehending saintly ways at the Emperor Godly Ruler was the best way for saint kings to improve themselves.

Inscription Guild had always been the neutral power in Kunlun's Field, and it had been recruiting mind power monks all the time. There were subsidiaries among not only human beings, but also savage beasts. It was the most mysterious and ancient power in Kunlun's Field, and it had never meddled with any fights.

Any creature who had reached the level of saint king could go to Emperor Godly Ruler to comprehend the saintly ways.

If Spiritual King Saint Ancestor was able to comprehend the saintly way on the second scale monument, that meant he wasn't someone who just became a saint king.

"Spiritual King Saint Ancestor is also in Central Empire City?" Zhang Ruochen asked.

Saint Lady nodded and said, "I think he's still fighting the head of saintesses of the demonic sect, Ling Feiyu."

Ling Feiyu must've also become a saint king to fight Spiritual King Saint Ancestor, and with her sword way accomplishments, normal saint kings wouldn't be able to fight her, so Zhang Ruochen wasn't worried about her much.

"Who else is here aside from Feng Yingyin and Spiritual King Saint Ancestor?" Zhang Ruochen asked.

Saint Lady said, "Tianming Corpse Emperor."

"Emperor Tianming?" Zhang Ruochen asked.

Saint Lady said, "That's right. However, Emperor Tianming died a long time ago, so even if he was revived, he still has some corpse Qi, which is why we call him Tianming Corpse Emperor. Tianming Corpse Emperor is refining in the Ancient Necromancy Race, so he's also a part of the race.

"Also, there's something else you need to know. Not long ago, Tianming Corpse Emperor wanted to get back his Tianming Summoning Rune, and he fought Wan Zhaoyi for that once and was able to rival him."

Zhang Ruochen frowned and said, "He's already strong enough to fight Wan Zhaoyi? He's advancing too fast!"

"He used to be an emperor after all," Saint Lady said. "His understanding of saintly way is much better than ours. I'd be surprised if he improved more slowly than us. Aside from those three, there're also some ancient great beings from both races, but they're not a threat to you, so I won't bother you with the details."

"Thank you."

Zhang Ruochen said thank you the second time.

After telling Zhang Ruochen where Feng Yinying was hiding, Saint Lady took out a jade-made box and gave it to Zhang Ruochen. "I knew you were going to need this, so I procured one for you."

Zhang Ruochen opened the box, and a tumbling Xuanhuang Qi was released, permeating Qinghong Pavilion. Saintly way rules also gushed out.

"Xuanhuang Pill."

Zhang Ruochen was thrilled, and then, he quickly closed the box.

Legend had it that Xuanhuang Pill could help saints develop Xuanhuang Qi and reach Xuanhuang realm. It was a very scarce saint pill, and only mind power supreme saints could make them using saintly way rules.

Zhang Ruochen didn't ask Saint Lady where she had obtained Xuanhuang Pill, but he couldn't had appreciated it any more, as he wanted to make it to Xuanhuang Realm more than anything else.

"Are you going to thank me for a third time?"

Saint Lady smiled and stared at Zhang Ruochen. She was happy that Zhang Ruochen kept owning her favors, or she was just happy that she could help Zhang Ruochen as much as possible.

Certainly, Saint Lady was a clever girl, and she didn't want it to be Zhang Ruochen's mental burden. She then said, "Don't overthink. I'm just paying you back for saving my life before. I'm the one who's supposed to say thank you."