The next day, as the hour of Mao drew to a close and the hour of Chen began.
In front of the Tranquil Heart Pagoda at the Celestial Master Mansion in Luodu.
The morning light, like a stroke of orange-red lightly dabbed by a painter, spread from the eastern horizon, enveloping the entire Celestial Master Mansion in a gentle, warm hue.
The Tranquil Heart Pagoda stood tall and majestic, shimmering with a faint golden glow in the morning sun.
The plaza in front of the pagoda was packed with the Golden Feather Guards and other experts from the inspection team.
Their armor was imposing, their spears and halberds like a forest.
These elites, who had fought a bloody battle during the assassination attempt last night, now stood quietly in formation, their eyes all focused in the same direction.
Chen Busha stood three feet away from the pagoda's door, his figure like a mountain.
He simply stood there, his back straight, surrounded by a faint aura of killing intent.
This was the lingering resonance of slaying enemies the night before, a unique aura belonging to those who had survived a hundred battles.
His gaze calmly swept across the surroundings; seemingly casual, it actually brought every possible angle under his control.
The other experts of the inspection team stood scattered in groups of twos and threes.
Some leaned against the corridor pillars, arms crossed over their chests, their gazes intentionally or unintentionally sweeping in a certain direction.
Some stood beside the rockery, half-hidden, perfectly positioned to observe the movements of the entire area.
Others appeared to be conversing in low voices, but from the corners of their eyes, they never let any suspicious corner out of their sight.
They were all victors of last night's assassination attempt.
And they were the ones who had witnessed Lin Qingyan fighting three opponents alone.
Therefore, they knew very well.
The person inside this pagoda was worth waiting for.
If the person inside the pagoda did not come out, the people outside would not leave.
This was the rule, and also an unspoken understanding.
As for the rest of the cultivators in the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion, aside from Elder Qiu, all were forbidden from approaching.
This Golden Core realm enshrinee stood under the corridor thirty feet away, wearing a gray robe, his hair and beard completely white, his face as calm as an ancient well.
His gaze occasionally swept over Chen Busha in front of the pagoda, and occasionally over the pagoda itself.
Time slowly passed.
The morning light grew brighter, spreading a warm golden color all over the ground.
The shadow of the pagoda shortened inch by inch, eventually retracting beneath its base.
The faint chirping of birds could be heard from afar, adding a touch of vitality to this quiet morning.
The door of the Tranquil Heart Pagoda opened.
The sound of the door hinges turning was very soft, yet it was clearly audible in the silence.
Everyone's eyes uniformly fell on the pagoda door.
A figure walked out from within.
It was Gu Chengyin.
His clothes fluttered gently in the morning breeze, and his aura was peaceful, showing no signs of what he had experienced last night.
His gaze lightly swept over the formation in front of the pagoda, passing over the heavily armored Golden Feather Guards, and finally landed on Chen Busha.
Chen Busha immediately bowed and cupped his hands, his movements clean and decisive:
"Junior Preceptor Gu."
His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, yet not overly ostentatious.
Gu Chengyin nodded slightly in response.
He took two steps forward, stopped in front of the pagoda door, and his gaze once again swept over the experts of the inspection team.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes fell on him, carrying respect, expectation, and a hint of curiosity.
After all, following last night, Gu Chengyin's weight in their hearts had become completely different.
After all, this was a person whom Lord Jingzhe had protected with her life.
Gu Chengyin withdrew his gaze and spoke calmly:
"Lord Jingzhe still needs to recuperate for a few days."
His voice clearly reached everyone's ears.
"You may all disperse."
This statement was true.
Lin Qingyan had overexerted herself tremendously.
Fighting one against three last night had almost completely drained her spiritual energy.
She should have been resting well inside the Tranquil Heart Pagoda, but memories from the depths of her inner demons had surfaced at this exact moment.
She had forced herself to take a look.
The mental energy consumed by this one glance was more than that of a major battle.
So even now, Lin Qingyan had not yet recovered.
This was also the reason Gu Chengyin came out alone.
Lin Qingyan needed quiet recuperation, and she needed time.
More importantly, she needed an undisturbed environment.
Furthermore, after last night's slaughter, the experts of the inspection team had also consumed a great deal of energy.
Appropriate relaxation would better win over their hearts.
Upon hearing this, Chen Busha immediately cupped his fists and accepted the order:
"Yes! This subordinate will make the arrangements right away."
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the Golden Feather Guards, and said in a deep voice:
"Lord Jingzhe needs to rest quietly. No one is allowed to approach within thirty feet of the pagoda."
The members of the inspection team responded with a resounding acknowledgment, a hint of joy faintly appearing on their faces.
This was Luodu, after all.
The brightest pearl of the Great Luo Dynasty.
Just the Heavenly Street that ran north to south had countless shops, restaurants, and teahouses.
Just those few famous market districts were enough for them to stroll around for three days and three nights.
Moreover, judging by Gu Chengyin's meaning, they were allowed free time.
Having time to eat, drink, and play while on official duty.
It simply couldn't get any better.
Thus, these usually stern-faced elites now had a trace of excitement hidden in their eyes.
A few of the younger ones had even started whispering to each other, discussing where to go first.
Of course, they couldn't relax too much.
Although Gu Chengyin hadn't explicitly stated it, as the deputy leader of the inspection team, Chen Busha still had to establish the necessary rules.
He cleared his throat and added:
"You can play."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes lit up for a moment.
But his next sentence made them retract their smiles.
"But everyone is forbidden from leaving Luodu."
"As soon as a notice is given, you must assemble immediately."
"No delays for any reason will be tolerated."
Chen Busha's gaze swept over everyone, his voice carrying unquestionable authority:
"Do you understand?"
"Understood!"
Hundreds of people responded in unison, their voices echoing in the morning light, startling a few birds from the distant treetops.
No one had any objections to this.
After all, they had all personally experienced the assassination attempt last night.
Three Golden Cores joining forces to set up a formation; if it weren't for Lin Qingyan fighting three alone, and if it weren't for Gu Chengyin's foresight.
The consequences would have been unimaginable.
Although in theory, a second assassination attempt would not occur in the short term.
But what if?
What if there were backup plans?
What if there were even crazier people?
Play is play, joke is joke, but don't joke about your future.
After Chen Busha confirmed they could disperse, the members of the inspection team scattered in groups of twos and threes.
Some headed to the eastern market district, wanting to taste Luodu's most famous breakfast.
Some headed to the western restaurants, wanting to climb high and gaze far while there were few people in the early morning.
Others simply found a tea stall in the alleys outside the Celestial Master Mansion.
They sat down, ordered a pot of hot tea, and prepared to comfortably bask in the sun for a while.
The area in front of the Tranquil Heart Pagoda quickly emptied.
Only Gu Chengyin, Chen Busha, and Elder Qiu under the corridor thirty feet away remained.
The morning light grew thicker, the warm golden color paving the ground.
The distant chirping of birds became crisper, adding a touch of vitality to this quiet morning.
Gu Chengyin looked at Chen Busha, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"General Chen."
"You worked hard last night."
Chen Busha immediately replied:
"Junior Preceptor Gu is too kind."
"It is my duty, I dare not speak of hardship."
Gu Chengyin nodded, his gaze falling on him with great appreciation.
Chen Busha was indeed useful; he was capable, strong in battle, and loyal and tactful.
"You should also rest well these next few days. Additionally, pass down an order."
"For this sect inspection, everyone's reimbursement limit is multiplied by two hundred."
"And the restrictions on food, lodging, and travel are lifted. They can spend it however they want."
"The same goes for the noble families. Tell them not to worry about the Censorate."
"My rules are the rules."
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
