In Place

The Divine Capital, at the break of dawn.

Inside the warm pavilion, candles burned brightly. The carved window lattices cut the faint light into fragmented shadows, casting them onto a soft couch draped in bright yellow satin.

Luo Zhao and Shangguan Yunying hurried along the palace path to the pavilion, their expressions tense.

The oral decree had come too urgently, demanding immediate entry into the palace, so they could not delay for even a moment.

Lyu Fangzheng stood to the side of the pavilion door. Seeing Luo Zhao appear, he bowed slightly: Your Highness, His Majesty summons you.

Luo Zhao nodded, raising a hand to adjust the collar of her palace robes and smooth out the wrinkles on her cuffs.

She had done this countless times and was long accustomed to it, but today, for some unknown reason, her fingertips paused for a fraction of a second.

She stepped into the warm pavilion.

The underfloor heating was lit inside, and a rush of hot air met her face, making it feel like a completely different world from the outside.

The candlelight bathed the entire room in a warm golden hue, and the wisps of agarwood incense seeped into her lungs.

Luo Zhao's gaze lingered on the bright yellow figure for a moment before being drawn to another.

That person stood to the side of the pavilion, wearing a black Daoist robe, with white hair and beard, and a gaunt face.

Yet his eyes held a restrained brilliance, without the slightest hint of cloudiness.

Luo Zhao merely glanced at him before withdrawing her gaze.

She knew this person.

The head of the Celestial Master Mansion in Luo Capital, Elder Qiu.

He guarded Luo Capital year-round and never left easily, yet now he had suddenly appeared in the Divine Capital.

Obviously, there was a matter of extreme importance that warranted such attention, even requiring a face-to-face report to Emperor Luo.

Thinking it over, Luo Zhao could only think of Gu Chengyin.

These thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

Luo Zhao did not stop walking. She stepped to Elder Qiu's side and stood still, keeping a half-step distance from him.

This position neither lost the dignity of a Crown Princess nor lacked respect for an elder.

She gathered her sleeves, cupped her hands, and bowed respectfully: Your child greets Royal Father.

Emperor Luo sat upright on the soft couch, wearing casual clothes without his court attire or crown, his expression somewhat softer than in the royal court.

He nodded slightly and raised a hand in a lifting gesture: Mm, you may rise.

Luo Zhao straightened up and stood with her hands by her sides.

Emperor Luo's gaze rested on her face for a moment before turning to Elder Qiu, his tone flat:

Elder Qiu, tell Zhao'er.

Elder Qiu cupped his hands, his voice steady: Yes, Your Majesty.

He turned to face Luo Zhao, his expression solemn, his brilliant eyes now filled with gravity.

Your Highness, this old man has returned to the capital this time for the matter of the Immortal Clan's inheritance.

Luo Zhao's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained impassive. She merely nodded slightly: Please speak, Elder Qiu.

Elder Qiu immediately began to recount the details.

From Gu Chengyin being besieged at Fanlou in Luo Capital, to the joint effort in wiping out bandits and thieves.

From Lin Qingyan breaking through to become a protector, to the Qingjian Sect falling into Gu Chengyin's hands.

From Jiang Qingshan bringing out the Qingyun Token, to Gu Chengyin revealing his Dao marks.

Luo Zhao listened extremely carefully.

With lowered eyes, her gaze fell on the dark patterns of her cuffs. Her expression was calm, even emotionless.

But her heart was already churning like a stormy sea.

What did he mean Gu Chengyin was truly a descendant of the Immortal Clan?

What did he mean he truly possessed the inheritance of the Qingyun Immortal Clan?

Whether Gu Chengyin was a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan, others might not know, but could she possibly not know?

Luo Zhao's fingertips tightened slightly, hidden in her sleeves where no one could see.

She remembered very clearly that Gu Chengyin had asked her where he could find proof of a hidden family's identity.

She had said the Wanxiang Pavilion, and then Gu Chengyin went to the Wanxiang Pavilion.

And then he found the identity of the Qingyun Immortal Clan and the related tokens.

But what was Elder Qiu saying now?

Gu Chengyin was truly a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan, and could even unlock the inheritance to obtain the top-tier Heaven Rank cultivation method, the Qingyun Art?

Was this right?

But even though it was so absurd, Luo Zhao did not suspect Elder Qiu of lying.

Elder Qiu was the head of the Celestial Master Mansion in Luo Capital, a veteran Golden Core cultivator with high status and great authority.

Such a person would absolutely not speak nonsense about such a major matter, especially in front of Emperor Luo.

That meant.

It was all true.

Gu Chengyin truly was a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan.

Luo Zhao's eyelashes fluttered again.

Wait.

She suddenly realized something was wrong.

What if Gu Chengyin had always been a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan, and just happened to find the inheritance token at the Wanxiang Pavilion?

Luo Zhao's thoughts suddenly became clear, like a tangled mess being slashed apart by a blade, suddenly opening up.

Because Gu Chengyin had always been a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan.

Therefore, he approached her, assisted her, and step by step gained her trust.

When the time was right, he used the excuse of going to the Wanxiang Pavilion to find the inheritance token of the Qingyun Immortal Clan.

After all, the Wanxiang Pavilion possessed the foundation of the entire Great Luo, making it indeed the most likely place to find it.

And then he actually found the inheritance token, because he was originally a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan, and there was a mystical connection in the unseen world.

Thinking of this, Luo Zhao felt a boom in her mind.

It was as if everything connected together in this instant, fitting perfectly.

Otherwise, how could one explain why Gu Chengyin was so formidable?

At such a young age, he could maneuver step by step in the royal court, wielding schemes and open tactics with ease.

Even Elder Qiu was forced to agree to the joint effort. Were these the methods an ordinary person could possess?

Coupled with the methods Gu Chengyin used to control her, and his bizarre cultivation base tied to status and power.

Other than immortal arts, she couldn't think of a second possibility.

Luo Zhao's breath hitched slightly.

If Gu Chengyin was a descendant of the Qingyun Immortal Clan.

That meant he had deceived her again.

No, it couldn't be considered deceit.

After all, from beginning to end, Gu Chengyin never said he wasn't a descendant of the Immortal Clan.

He merely stepped down the stairs she provided.

Letting her think he was truly just looking for an identity as a disguise.

Luo Zhao suddenly wanted to laugh.

Time and time again, she thought she could break free from Gu Chengyin's manipulation.

Yet time and time again, she discovered she was still in the palm of Gu Chengyin's hand.

Elder Qiu's voice stopped.

The warm pavilion fell silent for a moment, the scent of agarwood still lingering.

But it seemed thicker than before, pressing down heavily enough to make it hard to breathe.

Luo Zhao kept her eyes lowered, her expression calm, as if still digesting Elder Qiu's words.

Elder Qiu waited for a few breaths. Seeing she had no intention of speaking, he turned to look at Emperor Luo.

Emperor Luo nodded slightly. Elder Qiu understood and immediately cupped his hands.

Then he silently backed out of the warm pavilion.

His figure disappeared behind the door curtain without making a single sound.

Only Emperor Luo and Luo Zhao remained in the warm pavilion.

Emperor Luo's gaze fell on the deep-in-thought Luo Zhao. He didn't rush her, but merely picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

The tea was bright orange-yellow and richly fragrant.

Emperor Luo tasted it very slowly, very patiently.

A moment later.

Luo Zhao finally snapped out of her daze.

She blinked, glanced around, and found that Elder Qiu was gone.

She quickly took a step forward, cupped her hands toward Emperor Luo, and said:

Your child was momentarily distracted. I ask for Royal Father's punishment.

Emperor Luo put down his teacup and waved his hand dismissively:

It matters not.

The amount of information in what Elder Qiu had just said was enough to make anyone lose their focus.

And Luo Zhao had only been silent for a moment before returning to normal.

Having such composure was already extremely difficult.

If it were in the past, she would never have displayed such a reaction.

So even Emperor Luo couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

Gu Chengyin's training and cultivation of Luo Zhao were truly spot on.