Lu Zhou leaped onto Whitzard.
Whitzard raised its head and let out a long cry.
Lu Zhou raised his right hand and slowly placed it on Whitzard’s back. “Don’t worry, I’ll treat all of you as I always have.”
Whitzard bleated before it rose into the air swiftly and steadily.
As expected of his first mount, its flight was very stable.
Swoosh!
At this moment, Di Jiang flew forward at lightning speed.
Whitzard. “???”
Lu Zhou was not in a hurry. Instead, he stood with his hands on his back and looked at the snowy mountains and scenery around him.
…
On the 81st floor of the White Tower Council.
A female attendant in blue led Lu Zhou and Si Wuya through a corridor before they arrived in front of a hall. According to the female attendant, Lan Xihe was unwell; that was why she was not receiving guests on the 72nd floor.
This hall was Lan Xihe’s training hall. Dao inscriptions were densely inscribed on the doors, windows, and pillars. On top of that, the pillars were all arranged in a formation.
The hall was as bright as it was outside. It was spacious and the Primal Qi was rich. It was indeed a good place to cultivate.
At this moment, the training hall was empty; not even Lan Xihe’s shadow could be seen.
Si Wuya asked, “Where’s Tower Master Lan?”
The female attendant said, “Tower Master Lan is sick so she’s resting at the back of the training hall. If you have anything to say, you can say it to me.”
“I need to speak to Tower Master Lan directly,” Si Wuya said.
“This…” The blue-clad female attendant looked troubled. “But, Tower Master Lan’s orders…”
As soon as she finished speaking, a slightly lazy voice rang from the back of the training hall. It clearly belonged to Lan Xihe.
“How’s your master?”
Si Wuya turned and glanced at Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou raised his hand and gestured for Si Wuya to continue.
“My master is very good.”
“Bi Shuo just returned, but you’re already here. Why didn’t your master come?” Lan Xihe asked, slightly puzzled. After a beat, she said with a sigh, “Your master really has no regard for me at all…”
Si Wuya felt slightly embarrassed. He was about to speak when the blue-clad female attendant suddenly bowed.
“Tower Master,”
The door leading to the back of the training slowly swung open.
Lan Xihe’s long hair was draped over her shoulders as she walked out.
Lu Zhou and Si Wuya were stunned when they saw her appearance. Both of them could not help but wonder what happened.
Lan Xihe did not look well at all. She looked tired and dispirited. Dark bags could be seen under her eyes. She looked haggard and slightly old. After taking a seat in the hall, she looked at Si Wuya before her eyes finally landed on the young man next to him. She thought he looked familiar. However, she was tired and her mental state was not at its peak so she did not dwell on the matter. She closed her eyes slightly after she sat down.
Si Wuya asked curiously, “Tower Master Lan, what happened?”
“After exchanging three moves with your master, I lost a lot of Primal Qi. After all of you left, Gongsun Yuanxuan from Great Ming’s royal court came at just the right time,” Lan Xihe replied.
Si Wuya said, “There’s a spy in the White Tower Council, right?”
Lan Xihe did not say anything.
There were so many people in the White Tower Council; how could there be no spies? If Si Wuya were part of Great Ming’s royal court, he would have planted spies here as well.
Lan Xihe said, “If it weren’t for those people, do you think the Black Tower Council would have such an easy time?”
Although the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council seemed on par, in fact, Lan Xihe was far stronger than Xia Zhengrong. There was a reason why Xia Zhengrong never fought head-on with Lan Xihe and hid in the Black Tower Council. Although the Dark and Light Alliance and Great Yuan’s royal court had an alliance, they still could not contend with Lan Xihe who had 13 Birth Charts. Who knew she and the White Tower Council had to deal with Great Ming’s royal court as well?
“Senior, you have 13 Birth Charts. They’re no match for you at all, right?” Si Wuya asked.
Lan Xihe only said, “That person from Great Ming has 12 Birth Charts…”
thirteen life forms. Why are you afraid of them?”Si Wuya asked.
Si Wuya. “…”
“Needless to say, if I’m at the peak of my strength, it’d be indescribably easy for me to deal with them. It’s really unfortunate. If it weren’t for your master, I wouldn’t have fallen to this state…”
Si Wuya glanced at his master furtively, feeling awkward.
Lu Zhou did not reveal his identity. Initially, he was planning to reveal his identity and ask about the blue crystal. However, as a bystander, he discovered he could learn many things as well. Therefore, he decided to hold back on revealing himself. He asked, “So you’re saying Gongsun Yuanxuan injured you?”
Lan Xihe looked at Lu Zhou again. Not only did she find his appearance somewhat familiar, but even his actions and speech seemed familiar. Alas, she had only been in contact with Lu Zhou for a short time so she did not make the connection. After a beat, she nodded. “Gongsun Yuanxuan’s cultivation base is decent. When he found out I only have five years to live, he turned the members of the White Tower Council against me.”
It was no wonder Lan Xihe tried her best to conceal the fact that she only had five years to live. If this news spread, the White Tower Council would undoubtedly fall a long time ago.
“He’s the Grand Tutor of Great Ming. Did you ask Bi Shuo to hand the blue crystal over to form an alliance with the Evil Sky Pavilion?” Lu Zhou asked.
Lan Xihe nodded slightly. “May I know what Pavilion Master’s thoughts are about this?”
Si Wuya. “…”
Si Wuya wondered how he should answer this question.
At this moment, another female attendant appeared outside the training hall. She bowed and said, “Tower Master, Gongsun Yuanxuan is here again.”
The blue-clad female attendant’s expression changed immediately. She looked at Lan Xihe worriedly.
On the contrary, Lan Xihe’s expression remained the same; it seemed like she had predicted he would come again. “Alright.”
The blue-clad female attendant said, “Tower Master, there’s no need to pay attention to him. Let the Elders Council send him away.”
“No need,” Lan Xihe said gently. Then, she rose to her feet and looked outside the training hall as she said, “Bring him up.
The blue-clad female attendant bowed before she left. “Understood.”
Lu Zhou was in no hurry to reveal his identity. He did not want to scare his prey away.
Soon after, the blue-clad female attendant led an old man in his sixties into the training hall. The hair at his temples was slightly white.
The old man came alone; nobody came with him. He cupped his fists together and said, “Gongsun Yuanxuan greets Tower Master Lan.”
“The Grand Tutor is too polite. Please take a seat.” Lan Xihe waved her hand casually.
Gongsun Yuanxuan’s gaze swept past Si Wuya and Lu Zhou, but he did not think too much of them. After taking a seat, he said, “Tower Master Lan, you don’t look too well…”
Lan Xihe did not say anything.
Gongsun Yuanxuan said, blaming himself, “It’s all my fault. During our last sparring session, I was too eager to win and was too enthusiastic. I didn’t know Tower Master Lan was injured. I’m willing to apologize.” After he finished speaking, he brought a bag of obsidian essences out from his sleeve and placed it in front of him.
Everyone knew the White Tower Council monopolized most of the obsidian essences.
Great Ming’s royal court had long been dissatisfied with this fact. To obtain obsidian essences, they had to pay a high price to trade with the White Tower Council every year.
What did it mean now that Gongsun Yuanxuan was able to bring out this bag of obsidian essences? It meant that Great Ming’s royal court had long sabotaged the White Tower Council’s monopoly over obsidian essences.
Gongsun Yuanxuan might seem like he was apologizing, but he was, in fact, telling Lan Xihe that the White Tower Council’s dominion was coming to an end.
Lan Xihe smiled faintly and said, “Little Lan, take it.”
Just as the blue-clad female attendant was about to reach out for the bag, Gongsun Yuanxuan suddenly waved his hand and said, “In fact, apart from apologizing, I came today because I have a presumptuous request.”
Lan Xihe raised her jade-like hand slightly, indicating for him to speak.
Gongsun Yuanxuan smiled and said, “I want to spar with Tower Master Lan again.”
“Spar?”
“Previously, Tower Master Lan’s injuries had yet to heal so I felt that I had an unfair advantage. Now that a month has passed, I’m sure Tower Master Lan has recovered. I hope Tower Master Lan will acquiesce to my request…” Gongsun Yuanxuan said.
Unless they witnessed it with their eyes, no one would believe the White Tower Council was in a dire strait. Everyone thought Lan Xihe was invincible. In everyone’s eyes, the White Tower Council had always been lofty and held indisputable authority.
Gongsun Yuanxuan’s ambition was not small at all; he wanted the credit for taking down the seemingly indestructible White Tower Council and its seemingly invincible Tower Master.