Wanyan Muye… Helan Yuexi… For Lin Xi, these surnames that were full of an ancient feeling weren't all that easy to remember.
However, in Yunqin, Changsun was the imperial surname.
That was why even before he arrived in Green Luan Academy, when he was still in Deerwood Town, Lin Xi already knew about these two names, the first Changsun Jinse, the other Changsun Muyue.
The first received the love and respect of all the people, the man with the greatest authority in the world, Yunqin's emperor.
The other detested evil, a strange woman who always mingled with the people in secret, Yunqin's imperial princess.
Lin Xi obviously never met a real princess before, nor did he expect Yunqin Emperor's blood sister, Yunqin's imperial princess to seek him out.
The number of great figures he met today really was a bit high.
"This really is the princess… the princess actually looked like this. As expected, her temperament is completely different."
Changsun Muyue didn't know that right now, Lin Xi attributed her to a bit of the 'strong older sister' aura from his past world. With a smile, she waved her hand, saying, "There is no need for excessive formalities. The two of us can be considered old acquaintances, I've seen you before all the way back in Deerwood Town."
Lin Xi stared blankly. He couldn't help but look at this simple and clean, palace dressed woman. "Your majesty has visited Deerwood Town?"
Changsun Muyue gave Lin Xi a look, saying, "Otherwise, who do you think it was that recommended you to attend Green Luan Academy's great entrance examination? Why else do you think I came to seek you out alone?"
A chill ran through Lin Xi's mind. "Turns out it was your majesty who recommended me to join Green Luan Academy's great entrance examination."
Changsun Muyue's brows furrowed slightly, not because of Lin Xi, but rather because of herself.
She originally planned to carry a rather gentle expression when talking to Lin Xi, and Lin Xi's display and nature were indeed to her liking, but Lin Xi's current reaction made her understand that because of her identity and amassed prestige, when she spoke those words just now, there was still a bit of awe and sarcasm that was enough to make him feel pressure and fear.
"You've done quite well…" While frowning, Changsun Muyue did her best to make her voice sound a bit gentler and warmer, "When I had Nangong Weiyang ask you those things back then, it was also because I felt like the things you hollered were rather interesting… but I never expected you to really end up entering Green Luan Academy, moreover to have Windstalker talent. In just this small period of cultivation, you've already managed to obtain such results."
Lin Xi felt the formless pressure decrease a bit. He couldn't help but give Changsun Muyue a look, saying, "Many thanks to your majesty."
Changsun Muyue's brows furrowed once again.
Lin Xi's quietness actually left her at a bit of a loss, not knowing how to continue this conversation.
"I was the one who recommended you to join Green Luan Academy, so in a sense, you can also be considered my student." After a moment of silence, Changsun Muyue looked at Lin Xi, saying this.
Lin Xi immediately stared blankly.
"Your performance today has made me quite happy, but I do not hope for you to produce any unfavorable arrogance because of this meeting. You have to understand that even if it is me and my brother the emperor, the roads before us are still extremely long." Changsun Muyue also understood the concept of 'too far is as bad as not enough' well. From the slight changes on Lin Xi's face, she knew that it was already inappropriate to speak any more. After saying this, she waved her hand, directly turning around to leave.
"Just what did I shout out back then that caught her attention? Seems like mom and dad really were right, those words of 'nonsense' can't be spoken randomly."
As he watched Changsun Muyue's figure leaving into the distance, Lin Xi couldn't help but release a bitter chuckle. The moment this type of thought appeared in his mind, he also couldn't help but recall that extremely interesting servant girl who seriously interrogated him, wondering if she came, if his current self could win against her.
…
Western border, Jadefall City, in the eastern suburbs Shuren City.
Members of the border army were also people, they had to eat, needed clothes to wear. After fighting intense battles, they also needed some comforting. However, according to Yunqin's laws and decrees, not even wives and children were allowed to enter the military barracks. The border army front line located two thousand li from Jadefall City had seventy thousand people, while there were thirty to forty thousand reserve soldiers in the plains behind the eastern suburbs.
Border army soldiers' wives and children, civilians who followed the army, frontier inhabitants, military storehouses, visitors, border trade merchants, caravans that came and went… there were people of all different types. As such, in this wide area that definitely wouldn't have any enemy attacks, a small-scale, but extremely lively border city emerged.
The somewhat stooped, grizzle-haired Nanshan Mu was strolling through Shuren City's alleys.
Deep in the city's north alleys was a green walled courtyard house. It was already evening, waves of meat fragrance currently wafting out from within.
Nanshan Mu walked up to the green residence wall. With a tap of a foot, he easily leapt over this tall courtyard wall.
He landed in a courtyard with a green brick floor, two red maple trees were planted in this courtyard.
In front of one of the red maple trees was a merchant dressed in deep red embroidered robes, currently seated on a pinewood chair.
When he saw Nanshan Mu suddenly jump over the wall and enter, this merchant whose age seemed similar to Nanshan Mu's, but whose face was rosy, clearly a man of riches and honor, appearance somewhat out of place in Shuren City, suddenly stood up, but immediately afterwards sat back down at ease. He pointed at the opened black lacquer entrance, his face sunken as he looked at Nanshan Mu, saying, "The door's open you know, why'd you have to jump over the wall?"
Nanshan Mu laughed. "Seems like you've put on weight again… Back then, you were quite the handsome fella, but now, you're already a fat cat. Your face is all bloated, it really is a bit like a face that reveals the heart."
The merchant's face fell. "When one gets older, becoming a bit uglier is inevitable."
Nanshan Mu gently stroked his beard. He turned around to give the wall he just jumped over a look, releasing a sigh of admiration. "You asked me why I had to jump over the wall?… Back then, for the sake of entering the Internal Affairs Sector, you harmed Yue Xiu to death. After I found out, I stood outside this wall for a long time, always wanted to jump past this wall."
"Back then, a noble from the capital city fancied her, I already made it clear that this had nothing to do with me." The merchant laughed colldy, and then looked at Nanshan Mu, saying, "Back then, the reason you didn't dare jump over this wall was because you knew you weren't my match. Moreover, my official rank is higher than yours, assassinating me is a capital offense. However, what I am confused over is why you have the courage to jump over again. Even now, I wouldn't be much weaker than you, and even though my official rank is a level lower than yours, our statuses today cannot compare to the past at all. If you kill me, your criminal charge would only be more serious."
After a slight pause, the merchant looked at Nanshan Mu with a calm and collected expression. "If you only wish to reminisce about the past, jumping over this wall just to make yourself feel a bit better, then you can leave now. I don't wish to ruin this rare leisurely mood."
"Luo Li, your current mood should definitely be quite nervous." Nanshan Mu laughed. He looked at this merchant, saying, "You should also understand that after so many years passed, I obviously wouldn't jump over this wall for no reason like a madman."
The merchant narrowed his eyes slightly, his ten fingers within his sleeves shaking slightly, unable to help but look out the door.
"Don't worry, I didn't bring anyone with me. I won't make those brothers of mine throw away their lives along with me." Nanshan Mu sat down on a stone chair, facing this merchant. "You just need to patiently wait for a bit. If my information and deduction are correct, someone will appear soon. At that time, you will understand what is going on."
Nanshan Mu's tone was extremely calm, but for some reason, this merchant whose age was already rather high, long accustomed to hiding his emotions, couldn't help but break out into a cold shiver.
The sounds of dogs barking echoed through the alley.
The dog barks gradually disappeared. The black lacquer gates opened, three people walking in. The one who walked at the very back closed the gates again.
A wave of chaotic footsteps sounded from outside the tall walls. Then, it became completely silent, all sounds in the entire alley completely disappearing, as if all of it was isolated outside the black lacquer entrance.
The moment he saw the one in the lead, the seated merchant felt as if a chilly wind swept through this entire courtyard.
"Advisor Liu, why did you come?"
…
The one who came was Respected Cangyue's most trusted military advisor, Liu Yuxiang. Most people were used to calling him Ghost Advisor.
Right now, behind this messy haired, silent and gloomy military advisor, stood two green-armored, silver-masked warriors. On their backs were intersecting long blades that seemed a bit excessively long.
Even though he had already left the border army for quite some time, when he saw the wolf head runes on the two ghost-like warriors' deep green armors, and then saw that there were deep wolf fur like patterns on those long blades' handles, the three words 'Sky Wolf Guards' quickly appeared in this merchant's mind. His face even more so paled, lacking the slightest trace of color.
Black Flag Army… Sky Wolf Guards… these were all mysterious and powerful cultivator troops who followed great chief commanders in the border armies. Only when carrying out some extremely difficult, dangerous, or important missions, would they show themselves.[ref]If you remember, Uncle Liu was once mentioned to have been in the Black Flag Army - B1C25. Also, fun fact, Lin Xi's dormitory key has a black flag on it - B1C23. [ref]
Moreover, these cultivators… were far more adept at combat, their skills far greater than just killing ordinary cultivators.
The courtyard became more and more cold, the temperature as if reaching the freezing point.
The two iron-like Sky Wolf Guards didn't say a single word. The heavy layers of armor, the blades on their backs, and the metal mask on their faces flickered with cold light, making them look increasingly grim.
"Luo Li, your luck really isn't bad." Nanshan Mu first looked at the Ghost Advisor and then at the two Sky Wolf Guards, but then instead turned around to look at the already standing merchant, revealing a smile. "These past few days, I've always wanted to do all the things I wanted to do, but never had the chance to before I die. I thought about how if I jumped over this wall, and then dragged you down with me, then it really would be perfect. However, I never expected you to just happen to be in this Shuren City."
"Advisor Liu, this doesn't have anything to do with me." The merchant's hair was already completely drenched in cold sweat. He knew who Ghost Advisor represented… Even with Nanshan Mu's status, that person still wished to deal with him, this storm was already large enough for him to be caught up in it.
Just what exactly happened?!
He just couldn't understand. Nanshan Mu had always lived cautiously, and he was already the number three figure in this Jadefall Lake Border Army… his official rank already equivalent to a vice sector head of the eight sectors, someone who always served as Respected Cangyue's left arm… Just what exactly happened, for Respected Cangyue to actually want to deal with Nanshan Mu?!
His official rank might even be a level higher than Ghost Advisor's, but he understood extremely clearly that his Internal Affairs Sector, this type of official rank, before this tremendous storm, in front of Respected Cangyue behind Ghost Advisor, wasn't much at all.
Ghost Advisor carried a slender green sharkskin sword, not paying this Internal Affairs Sector high official who just happened to be in Shuren City for business any attention. He only looked at Nanshan Mu, nodding, and then with a cold voice that didn't lack respect, said, "General Nanshan was already aware that we wish to act against you?"
"I went from being the respected general's superior to serving under him, after working together with you all for this long, if I wasn't even familiar with your way of doing things, not sensing anything, then I really would have served as a border general all these years for nothing." Nanshan Mu gave Ghost Advisor a deep look. "Only, I never expected that after doing so many things for the respected general, in the end, he actually wishes to eliminate me."