Chapter 782

"The Nine Cauldrons?" Zu An was startled. "Are those the cauldrons that King Yu of Xia ordered to be cast from bronze, contributed by the Nine Provinces when he divided the land into nine regions? The ones that symbolized the provinces and had images of famous mountains, great rivers, and wondrous creatures from all nine provinces engraved upon them?"

"That's right," Mi Li appeared, clad in a red dress. Her gaze was fixed on the greenish-gold alchemy furnace in his hand, her expression quite complex.

Zu An thought, *No wonder she insisted I buy her more dresses earlier; they really do look beautiful on her. Wait, if she's a soul, and she can wear clothes, doesn't that prove she has some kind of physical form to a certain extent? I wonder what it would feel like to touch her...*

He ultimately dismissed that dangerous thought and returned to the main topic. "Is this little trinket one of the Nine Cauldrons, which symbolize supreme imperial power? You must be joking, right?"

In Chinese history, the Nine Cauldrons hold a legendary status and are widely recognized as national treasures. Everyone associates them with solemn grandeur and immense weight. How could it possibly be this small, greenish-gold, sleeve-sized furnace?

Mi Li looked up, her beautiful eyes gazing at the sky, a hint of reminiscence in them. "When Yu the Great cast the Nine Cauldrons, King Tang of Shang overthrew the Xia Dynasty and placed the cauldrons in his capital. After the Western Zhou Dynasty conquered Shang, they seized the Nine Cauldrons and displayed them to the world. Then, when the Great Qin Dynasty destroyed Zhou, the cauldrons naturally moved to Xianyang. Unfortunately, after Qin unified the six states, the Nine Cauldrons mysteriously vanished. There were rumors that they had fallen into the Si River. Ying Zheng, during his inspection tour to Sizhou Pengcheng, once sent people to search for them in the water, but they found nothing. I never imagined one would appear here."

Zu An was puzzled. "Aren't there supposed to be nine Cauldrons? And each one is incredibly heavy. King Wu of Qin, Ying Dang, coveted the Nine Cauldrons of the Zhou royal family. He tried to lift the Yong Province Cauldron, which symbolized Qin, and was crushed to death by it. How could this one be so small?"

Mi Li shook her head. "I don't know why it's like this. The reason I believe it's related to the Nine Cauldrons is that, back then, I once entered the secret chamber in the palace specifically used to house the Cauldrons. Although the Nine Cauldrons were already lost, their aura still lingered inside. That feeling was very distinct, and now I sense the same aura from this small furnace."

She reached out to caress the small furnace, her face also filled with bewilderment.

"So how do I use this thing? Even an expert like Shen Xuzi studied it for years and got nowhere." Zu An frowned. What he urgently needed was an alchemy furnace. If he had known this, he would have chosen a different furnace.

Mi Li scoffed, "Short-sighted fool. The Nine Cauldrons are a vital national artifact from our world. It's perfectly normal for a mere Shen Xuzi to fail to comprehend it. But you are different; you have a connection with this cauldron, so understanding it shouldn't be a problem."

"I hope so," Zu An said with a wry smile, not having an ounce of confidence.

Mi Li was about to say something when she suddenly frowned and let out a soft hmph. "That Qi Yaoguang's judgment of your destiny was indeed correct. You're constantly entangled with 'peach blossoms'."

After speaking, her form dissolved into a wisp of smoke, clearly returning to the Tai'a Sword's space.

Zu An was momentarily stunned and instinctively looked around. Not far away, in the peach blossom grove, stood a beautiful figure. Her long dress billowed, and a silk ribbon cinched her waist to a delicate, slender hold, accentuating her full chest and shapely derriere. Her pretty face, illuminated by the scattered peach blossoms, appeared even more enchanting. Who else could it be but Princess Consort Bi Linglong?

Zu An was somewhat surprised. He walked over and asked, "Princess Consort, why are you here?"

Bi Linglong turned around, her face showing just the right amount of surprise. "Oh, what a coincidence! What brings you here?"

Zu An's face also showed a hint of delight. Meeting an acquaintance, especially a beautiful young woman, was hard not to be happy about. "I originally planned to visit the Grand Academician, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see him. And what about you, Princess Consort, why are you here?"

"I came to meet an old friend, and then I saw how beautiful this peach blossom grove was and couldn't resist stopping to admire it. I didn't expect to run into you," Bi Linglong said, her expression unchanged, as if she had no idea what had just happened with Zu An's arrival.

"That truly is quite a coincidence." Zu An suddenly felt curious. When Qi Yaoguang observed his destiny earlier and saw "peach blossoms everywhere," could she have foreseen this very scene?

"Are you heading back now? Shall we go together?" Bi Linglong said, feigning casualness.

"Sounds good." Zu An had been feeling quite lonely in the capital since Chu Chuyan and the others had left, so he was more than happy to have a friend accompany him.

Bi Linglong's lips curved slightly upward, but she quickly hid it, saying nothing more as she walked on ahead.

Zu An had to admit that this woman always carried a hint of pride and an innate noble air, truly possessing a unique charm.

The two walked side-by-side through the peach blossom grove. A gentle breeze rustled, and countless peach petals fluttered down from above, sprinkling onto them.

Although the petals were as light as nothing, they stirred ripples in Bi Linglong's heart.

Women are, after all, romantic creatures, and this scene brought an inexplicable stir to her emotions.

However, she quickly composed herself and, as if by chance, asked, "I seemed to hear a lot of commotion from the back mountain earlier. I heard that a 'mister' has arrived at the academy who has managed to impress the Grand Academician and all his direct disciples. Do you know anything about him?"

Zu An felt a little embarrassed. "It's not that exaggerated. I just chatted with them and happened to know a bit about their respective fields of study, so they considered me a confidant. I don't deserve to be called 'mister'."

Bi Linglong looked astonished, her moist red lips slightly parted. "So *you* were that mysterious person!"

"Just a coincidence, a mere coincidence," Zu An replied. Seeing the shock on her face and the admiration in her eyes, Zu An felt immensely pleased. It had to be said, a woman's gaze of admiration and adoration was the best motivation for a man.

Bi Linglong pursed her lips and chuckled. "I didn't realize you had such capabilities. It seems you're a bit underutilized at the Eastern Palace. I'll certainly do my best to give you a bigger platform in the future."

"Thank you, Princess Consort. I will also dedicate myself completely, even unto death, to the Princess Consort," Zu An said, knowing she was trying to win him over and readily pledging his loyalty.

Bi Linglong's face flushed slightly. *This fellow seems to be deliberately taking advantage of me.*

In the past, she would have been furious, but at this moment, she couldn't muster any anger. She only felt her heart pounding wildly.

Looking at her delicate, shy profile, Zu An couldn't help but admire the exquisite beauty of her face.

At that moment, Mi Li's scoff echoed in Zu An's ear: "What a vixen."

Zu An's expression was odd. "Are you... jealous?"

"Pah! Would I be jealous of this mere wisp of a girl?" Mi Li immediately flared up.

Rage value from Mi Li +250 +250 +250...

After a moment, she continued, "To prevent you, you foolish boy, from being utterly played by her, I'll kindly give you a hint: this woman clearly knew what happened to you at the academy from the very beginning, and she was deliberately waiting for you here. Yet she insisted on pretending it was a coincidental encounter."

"Hmph, back in the palace, I saw all sorts of seductive vamps and conniving 'white lotus' types. This little girl's acting is indeed good, but she's still a bit lacking compared to those women."

"Are you sure?" Zu An was surprised; Bi Linglong's demeanor had seemed perfectly natural just now.

"Of course!" Mi Li scoffed, annoyed by his skepticism. "I sensed her presence outside the Grand Academician's residence earlier, so she was actually witnessing everything that happened to you the whole time. What kind of intentions does she have, to act so deliberately?"

To her surprise, Zu An merely laughed. "I think that makes it even more interesting. Men, after all, tend to like beautiful women who are a bit 'bitchy' on the inside."

Mi Li: "..."

"Go to hell!"

Rage value from Mi Li +666 +666 +666...

Then she vanished in a flash, no longer responding to anything Zu An said.