Chapter 802: Thousand Calls and Ten Thousand Whispers

"Nonsense! My brother-in-law is a man of honor; how could he do such a thing!" A clear, sharp rebuke came from nearby at that moment.

Gu Xing turned his head to see a young man with bright lips and teeth glaring angrily at him from the side, accompanied by a youthful girl with wheat-colored skin.

"It's Young Master Chu, and Miss Murong," Gu Xing said. Having lived in the capital for so many years, the Gu brothers naturally recognized these two: one, the heir of Duke Mingyue's estate, and the other, the cherished daughter of the Murong family.

Chu Youzhao had no intention of letting him off the hook. "Gu, what kind of nonsense were you just spouting here?"

Murong Qinghe, standing by, couldn't help but add, "Speaking ill of others behind their backs is certainly not the act of a true gentleman!"

She naturally intended to support her "Brother Chu." Having interacted with Zu An recently, and with him having helped save her cousin, she couldn't help but develop a good impression of him.

Gu Xing stated, "I would say the same thing to Zu An's face. I'm only speaking the truth, so there's nothing to be ashamed of."

Gu Heng also stepped forward and said, "Young Master Chu, if I recall correctly, the Chu family seems to have already expelled Zu An, haven't they? Your constant references to him as 'brother-in-law' truly harm your sister's reputation."

"Our family affairs are none of your business!" Chu Youzhao retorted furiously. "I can't stand you slandering my brother-in-law behind his back. Do you want me to tear your mouths apart?"

Gu Heng's face darkened. "Young Master Chu, we show you some respect, but only because of the Qin family. Do you truly believe my brother and I are afraid of you? This is the Crown Prince's territory; it's not your place to dictate here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Bi family's warriors stepped forward.

Bi Linglong frowned, feeling a bit awkward. Logically, both the Qin family and the Murong family were key forces supporting Prince Qi, so she should naturally side with the Gu brothers, who belonged to the Crown Prince's faction.

However, they were standing up for Zu An, which made it difficult for her to openly oppose them.

"What's happening?" Just then, a group of young noblemen approached. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were the focus of attention today, and everyone had been watching this area. Noticing the commotion, they came over to see what was going on.

Even Bi Linglong lost her composure, quickly putting on a formal smile and saying, "Greetings, young masters."

These individuals were precisely the scions of the Prince Liang, Liu, Meng, and Pei families, who were accompanying the Crown Prince into the secret realm for the mission.

The others immediately exclaimed, "We dare not!" and bowed, "Greetings to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess."

The group hastily saluted.

Zhao Xi, the youngest son of Prince Liang, was also stout, but unlike the Crown Prince's flabby physique that quivered with every step, Zhao Xi was more muscular. With thick eyebrows and large eyes, he had a burly build, resembling a fierce general on the battlefield.

He was habitually blunt, and being a member of the imperial family himself, he had fewer reservations. He directly said, "Crown Princess, why are you only arriving now? We've been waiting here for ages."

Before Bi Linglong could reply, Gu Xing interjected, "The Crown Princess was waiting for Master Zu An. She even made a special trip to his residence, but unfortunately, he still couldn't be found."

"Zu An?" Zhao Xi chuckled. "You mean the fellow who thrashed that brat Zhao Zhi so badly he's been bedridden recovering? Haha, where is he? I've only heard his name these past days, never seen his face."

The Prince Liang lineage had always been close to the Emperor and at odds with Prince Qi. Furthermore, Zhao Zhi, relying on his talent, had always been arrogant, which had long annoyed Zhao Xi. However, he couldn't defeat Zhao Zhi, so he had to bottle up his frustration. Upon learning that Zu An had beaten Zhao Zhi badly, Zhao Xi laughed uncontrollably at home, eating an extra three catties of meat and drinking five jars of wine for dinner that night.

Sensing Zhao Xi's favorable impression of Zu An, Gu Xing dared not speak carelessly for fear of offending him. It was Gu Heng who spoke instead: "We've been searching for Master Zu for the past few hours, but he remains nowhere to be found."

"Has something happened to him?" Zhao Xi frowned. "No, that's not right. With his cultivation, who could easily deal with him?"

At that moment, a soft, effeminate sneer came from the side. "Is your brain filled with nothing but muscle, you oaf? You don't actually believe that a young Zu An could defeat the eighth-rank Zhao Zhi, do you? Especially with the ninth-rank peak Han Fengqiu by his side? Our manor's intelligence officers have already investigated thoroughly. There must have been another mysterious expert at the scene, so Zhao Zhi's defeat was purely coincidental."

The speaker was a man with slicked-back hair and a powdered face, with effeminate features. His triangular eyes were sinister like a snake's, and his lips were redder than if a woman had applied lipstick.

However, despite his effeminate demeanor, his every movement showed no hint of femininity, only an unsettling gloominess.

"Meng Pan, you always contradict me. Don't tell me you've fallen in love with me," Zhao Xi burst out laughing.

This effeminate man was Meng Pan, the Meng family's chosen representative. Upon hearing this, he immediately covered his mouth, looking as if he were about to vomit. "Pah! Don't you ever look in a mirror? You're built like neither a winter melon nor a gourd. Even if I liked men, why would I fancy you? If I were to like men, I'd prefer someone like Young Master Chu, with his delicate skin, rosy lips, and white teeth – truly captivating."

"Ugh~" Chu Youzhao shivered, covered in goosebumps from Meng Pan's scrutiny. Murong Qinghe, beside him, instinctively shielded him and stepped back. Both couldn't help but show expressions of disgust.

"Brother Chu, let's go back for now." Murong Qinghe genuinely feared Meng Pan might take an interest in her beloved. Rumors circulated in the capital that Meng Pan enjoyed playing with men, and she dared not take that risk.

Chu Youzhao had originally intended to defend his brother-in-law, but Meng Pan's gaze truly made him uncomfortable. Moreover, this entire group consisted of the Crown Prince's close associates, and they felt out of place. So, he followed Murong Qinghe and retreated.

Meng Pan watched Chu Youzhao's retreating figure and couldn't help but lick his lips. "That one is as delicate as a young girl; quite captivating to look at."

At this point, someone nearby laughed, "He's the sole heir of Duke Mingyue's estate. Be careful, Duke Mingyue might fight you to the death."

The speaker was a man in his thirties, handsome indeed, but he sported a neatly trimmed beard around his mouth and a perpetual hint of a wicked, charming smile, always giving off a slightly greasy impression.

He was Liu Xian, the youngest son of Liu Yao, whom Bi Linglong had once described as a pampered idler.

Beside him stood a companion of similar age: thin lips, long narrow eyes, a clean-shaven face, and meticulously combed hair. Unlike Liu Xian's frivolous expression, his demeanor was serious, indicating a diligent and responsible person. This was Gao Ying, Liu Yao's nephew.

Hearing Liu Xian's words, Meng Pan couldn't help but scoff, "Duke Mingyue? He's just a declining, down-and-out noble. Why would I fear him?"

His grandfather was the current Minister of Works, and his father was the head of the Chancellery. In terms of family background, he surpassed the Chu family, so he naturally wasn't afraid of them.

"Even if you don't fear the Chu family, you should still consider the Qin family," Bi Linglong cleared her throat. After all, Chu Youzhao was Zu An's brother-in-law, and she didn't want anything to happen to him, or Zu An would likely go berserk.

Although she was quite annoyed that Zu An hadn't shown up, breaking his word to her, she hadn't lost her rationality and still needed to look after his relatives.

Hearing "Qin family," Meng Pan let out a couple of dry laughs and didn't boast anymore. He didn't think much of the Chu family, but he dared not easily offend the Qin family.

At this point, Liu Xian laughed heartily, "Let's not talk about that, let's not talk about that. Weren't we just discussing that Zu An fellow?"

Gu Xing smiled, "They were just discussing whether Zu An could possibly defeat the eighth-rank heir of Prince Qi, especially with the ninth-rank peak Han Fengqiu backing him up."

"Wasn't that already settled? There was a mysterious expert hidden in the shadows back then," said another previously taciturn young man nearby. His eyes were dark and deep, clearly indicating a person of profound cunning. This was Pei You of the Pei family.

These elites among their peers all had their pride and simply couldn't believe that someone could challenge so many ranks above their own.

"Haha, at the very least, one could say Master Zu had good luck. No wonder the Crown Princess values him so highly; with him in the team, our journey will likely be more fortunate," Gu Heng said. His words seemed fair, but in reality, they were designed to incite animosity towards Zu An.

The others, having gradually learned that the Crown Princess was late because she was waiting for Zu An, immediately grew dissatisfied:

"With so many masters here, why do we need to rely on Zu An?"

"Exactly, Crown Princess, you don't need to worry at all. We are more than enough."

"What special qualities does this Zu possess that you, Crown Princess, must personally wait for him? Having him makes no difference, and lacking him makes no difference."

Bi Linglong was already irritated, and hearing everyone chattering, she finally couldn't hold back. "Enough!"

Even the Crown Prince, who had been leisurely observing, jumped in surprise, evidently recalling the fear he had been under her sway for the past two years.

The faces of the other young masters also looked displeased. They clearly sensed the Crown Princess's anger but for a moment couldn't pinpoint how they had offended her. Could it truly be because of Zu An?

Seeing their expressions, Bi Linglong realized she had lost her composure somewhat. She quickly said, "They've already started testing cultivation levels over there. Let's go and get tested quickly."

It turned out that the Emperor and Prince Qi's factions had reached a tacit agreement, allowing the Crown Prince to bring people in, but their cultivation level could not exceed seventh-rank.

To prevent cheating, a device for measuring vital energy fluctuations had been specially set up at the secret realm's entrance, rather than relying on human judges.

This device, developed by the Imperial Academy, utilized a precious Starlight Stone combined with complex and intricate rune formations to quickly measure a person's vital energy intensity and thus determine their cultivation level.

By now, most of the other accompanying warriors from various families had been tested, with the majority being fourth or fifth rank. Only their group remained untested.

The group walked over. The Crown Prince, of course, didn't need to be tested; everyone knew his situation, and it was to avoid public embarrassment.

Then it was naturally the Crown Princess's turn. Bi Linglong ascended a high platform step by step, intentionally looking around, but still couldn't see the person she was looking for. She secretly sighed, then walked directly forward. Standing beside the Starlight Stone was a young girl wearing a witch's hat and a deep blue star-patterned gown. She yawned and said, "Just place your hand on it and circulate your vital energy."

The eyes of the noble scions below lit up. Liu Xian even whistled, "Who's this young lady? She's quite pretty."

Pei You, standing nearby, sneered coldly, "I advise you to put away those frivolous thoughts. She is Qi Yaoguang, the Libationer's last disciple, and the most favored junior sister of many teachers in the academy's back mountain. She's not someone you can afford to provoke."

Liu Xian tossed his hair, a self-satisfied charming smile playing on his lips. "No matter how much her senior brothers dote on her, they can't stop her from falling in love, can they? As long as we truly love each other, even the Libationer wouldn't object, right?"

Pei You: "..."

A group of people stared at him with strange looks. This fellow truly had an inexplicable level of confidence.

Liu Xian's cousin's face twitched. He quietly shifted his feet to put some distance between them, wearing an expression that said, "I don't know him."

At that moment, the test on the platform yielded a result. Seeing the light emanating from the Starlight Stone, Qi Yaoguang announced, "Sixth-rank!"

A buzz of whispers immediately arose. The Crown Princess had only been fifth-rank not long ago; to reach sixth-rank so quickly was truly a once-in-a-lifetime cultivation talent.

Many people subconsciously glanced at the somewhat dull-faced Crown Prince and secretly shook their heads, thinking the disparity was too great, truly like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung.

After the Crown Princess descended, the others exchanged glances, feeling a bit awkward about going up. Primarily, they were all significantly older than her, so having higher cultivation was expected. However, that slight difference offered no significant advantage when considering their ages, leaving everyone somewhat abashed.

It was Liu Xian who spoke up, "I'll go first!"

He had always been thick-skinned, a notorious playboy and wastrel in the capital, so he didn't mind being ridiculed by others.

After stepping onto the platform, he didn't immediately place his hand on the testing device. Instead, he shamelessly leaned towards Qi Yaoguang. "Hello, Miss Qi. My name is Liu Xian, and my father is the current Grand General of the Imperial Guard."

"Oh, I know," Qi Yaoguang instinctively leaned back.

Liu Xian was delighted. "So Miss Qi knows of me!"

"I just figured it out," Qi Yaoguang yawned.

"Huh?" Liu Xian looked completely bewildered.

Qi Yaoguang snorted. "I also figured out you want to flirt with me. Hmph, you just rushed over without even knowing what I do. You really are ignorant and fearless. Are you going to test or not? If not, get down and stop wasting time."

She secretly muttered to herself, *I calculated I'd have some romance today, but I never expected it to be this greasy guy. What kind of romance is this? Bah.*

Liu Xian was somewhat dazed, but he quickly recovered. "Miss Qi's personality is truly straightforward and uninhibited. I like that."

As he spoke, he placed his hand on the Starlight Stone, thinking to himself that he would ask her out after they emerged from the secret realm. *I've met feisty girls like her before; they always end up panting obediently beneath me.*

A faint glow appeared on the Starlight Stone. Qi Yaoguang glanced at it. "Fifth-rank? Many of the students I teach have higher cultivation than you. You've lived this long for nothing."

Liu Xian finally broke, but this was the Imperial Academy's territory, and there were so many influential figures present. He dared not lose his temper and could only descend the platform with an ashen face.

Bi Linglong, below the platform, stifled a laugh. She was quite familiar with the academy's teachers and knew Qi Yaoguang was famously lacking in emotional intelligence. Liu Xian truly had a death wish to dare to provoke her.

Next, the other young masters successively stepped forward. Having witnessed his lesson, none dared to speak disrespectfully to Qi Yaoguang.

Soon, everyone's results were out. Zhao Xi of Prince Liang's estate and Gao Ying of the Liu family had the highest cultivation, both at peak sixth-rank. The others ranged from mid-stage to early-stage sixth-rank.

The group praised Zhao Xi and Gao Ying. Gao Ying remained relatively composed, but Zhao Xi couldn't help but show a smug expression.

The Gu brothers seized the opportunity to say, "With the young Prince and Brother Gao here, victory is practically assured for our journey. Why would we need to rely on Zu An? Crown Princess, you really shouldn't worry."

Bi Linglong felt dejected. She wondered why Zu An hadn't come. On one hand, she worried something had happened to him, but on the other, she thought that if nothing had happened and he simply broke his promise, it clearly meant he didn't care much about her.

Remembering how he had repeatedly told her to trust him yesterday, and how moved she had been at the time, everything now seemed so ridiculous.

Just then, a familiar voice drifted over: "Apologies, I'm late."

Bi Linglong turned around, startled and overjoyed. She finally saw the figure she had been waiting for for several hours. For a moment, she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, but quickly remembered her status and immediately straightened her face. "Why are you only just now arriving?"

Rage value from Bi Linglong +55 +55 +55...

"I was unexpectedly delayed by something, I apologize," Zu An said apologetically.

Meng Pan smiled grimly, "What could be more important than the Crown Prince's business?"

Gu Xing felt a quiet satisfaction, *No need for me to jump out and fan the flames.*

Zu An replied, "It was related to the Crown Prince's grand examination. I'll report the specific details to the Crown Princess later."

Since there were still many people from Prince Qi's faction present, he didn't want to expose Jiang Luofu and could only explain vaguely like this.

At that moment, Qi Yaoguang's voice came from the platform, "Hey Zu, are you going to get tested or not!"

Bi Linglong reminded him, "Go and get your cultivation tested first. Everyone entering the secret realm must be tested."

The Gu brothers on the side secretly gloated, thinking, *The Crown Princess praises this guy to the heavens; I want to see what his cultivation level truly is.*

*If he's above seventh-rank, he can't enter, which means out of sight, out of mind;*

*If he hasn't even reached seventh-rank, hehe, let's see how he handles that.*

Even the scions from the other families stretched their necks, as Zu An's accomplishments were indeed quite dazzling. Although there had been various speculations to explain the dubious points, what if he really was as formidable as rumored?

Zu An stepped onto the platform, feeling a bit apprehensive as he looked at the Starlight Stone. He recalled pressing a similar sphere when testing his aptitude at Brightmoon Academy, and that sphere had glowed blindingly before exploding.

Fortunately, Jiang Luofu had helped conceal it back then, allowing him to get away with it. But now, in the capital, there were so many top experts, all experienced and worldly, who wouldn't be easily fooled.

At that moment, Qi Yaoguang's voice came to his ear: "Don't worry, this only tests cultivation, nothing else."

Zu An looked up at her and saw that she hadn't opened her mouth, only blinked at him. He realized she had just transmitted her voice using vital energy.

"Eighth Senior Sister asked me to remind you. Do you have some hidden secret?" Qi Yaoguang continued, "Drat, I still can't see through your fate and future."

"No secrets," Zu An smiled, feeling a warmth in his heart. Jiang Luofu was truly thoughtful, sending him maps, taking him to find defensive artifacts, and even considering such small details.

*Someone like her would have been the boss's most trusted secretary in my previous life...*

He reached out to touch the Starlight Stone, simultaneously feeling the sachet Bai Fei had given him in his pocket. He was actually very anxious, unsure if he could conceal his true nature.

Soon, a burst of light appeared on the Starlight Stone, and the entire audience suddenly gasped in surprise.