Yong Ke quickly took several decisions on how to handle the situation. Xue Rui's involvement would be hidden. Several formal investigations would however be launched on matters of great importance. For example, there would be an investigation to determine exactly what had happened to Zhong Ling and who was involved in this. An inner disciple of the Wubei Sect couldn't end like that. Even if Xue Rui could not answer to those crimes, he probably hadn't acted alone. Besides, the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall had been blind to this so they would also be interested in knowing more.
There would also be investigations on the affairs of Governor Jiahe and the way he had handled a few crises recently. Although his authority was contested in front of him, Governor Jiahe did not dare retort anything at all.
When she made those announcements, Yong Ke took out a small wooden sculpture. This was the seal of Emperor Weide. In other words, it was as if her orders were given by Emperor Weide in person. If she so wanted, she could have demoted Governor Jiahe right here and then. At least, he could keep his seat for a bit more time. But he was aware that this wouldn't last long. Thus, Patriarch Xue was very interested. If a new governor was appointed, he would have to make sure to act as soon as possible to get close to him.
Once she was done, Yong Ke left the room without further ceremonial. The atmosphere had completely changed. Governor Jiahe knew that his time as governor would soon come to an end. But at the very least, he could try to save some face. If he handled the last missions he had just received well enough, he might still receive some reward. Maybe he would obtain some official role in the Imperial City. Even if he wasn't a very good governor, he was talented in other matters such as handling complicated paperwork and rhetoric. Besides, he had a vast knowledge of the classics and of philosophy. With his son who was a connoisseur of art, they might still be able to salvage the situation somewhat.
There was not a single doubt about Cao Yun anymore. After all, the Emperor, through Yong Ke, had declared that he had been working with her blessing. Doubting him now would be akin to doubting the Emperor himself. Of course, General Yun and Patriarch Xue knew that this was probably false, but it didn't matter. Cao Yun had taken many risks but they had paid off. Even if he had not acted according to the rules and probably had some secret agenda for doing so, he was in the clear. Besides, he had even helped them capture a demon spy.
After everything was over, Cao Yun decided to go talk to Yong Ke. Thanks to her his involvement would be mostly hidden. In fact, it would later be revealed that Guai Mo had been killed by Gu Song, just like Xue Rui. It would take some time for Cao Yun to alter the shop he had formally opened with the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall. Through the help of Hall Master Fang Shaolong, this would be faster than usual. Cao Yun would keep all of his money, but Guai Mo was gone. Thus, he stopped using his 'Ashen Feather Seal' and now walked through the city with his own face. Yong Ke had made sure that he was registered at the border. Even though he was the Wubei Sect's Young Sect Master, he was also a 1-star alchemist and had to register if he wanted to travel. In fact, as a Mortal Warrior, it was also recommended to register himself. Only Spirit Warriors had to obtain a permission to go to the border provinces.
"Miss Yong?"
They were back in the secluded room under the Major Hall. In this, they could talk without any worry of being overheard.
"I'm sorry for concealing my identity."
"Didn't I do the same? This isn't a problem at all. Thank you for your support. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to subdue the Soul Obsidian Nian Fish with such ease. You also set up the array formations like I told you to, and now you've helped me out of a delicate situation. So please don't take as a sign of ingratitude. But who are you really?"
"I... I am forbidden from telling anyone. However, I'll trust you. I am Emperor Weide's only daughter."
"What?!"
With what he had just learned about Emperor Weide, this was indeed quite a shock. He had been helped by the daughter of the man who had massacred his family and his mother's family. Emperor Weide was now the man Cao Yun wanted to see dead the most. He wanted to snuff the life out of his body with his bare hands and parade his broken corpse throughout the Hongchen Kingdom for everyone to know of his cruelty. And now he was, thankful in front of his daughter. But he had no wife, no concubine and no child. Of course, it could happen for an emperor to have children with some women, but they wouldn't have a seal of the Emperor then.
"I know... No one in the Hongchen Kingdom knows about this. When I was but a child, people tried to assassinate me. I don't even remember, but my injuries were so severe that I almost die. Instead, I fell into a coma that lasted several years. My mother was dead and my father took me in even though she wasn't even his official concubine. Many physicians tried to save my life. And it is only recently that I regained consciousness. However, despite all their efforts, they weren't able to heal my scars yet."
Yong Ke rolled up her sleeve. Just as Cao Yun had seen, she had many scars. But they were worse than he had thought. It was as though someone had hacked her arm and it had been put together. There were also burn scars here and there. If she had similar injuries all over her body, Cao Yun could understand why she always tried to hide herself. Besides, they were still painful to think about as they reminded her of what had happened.
"Those injuries were so serious that I forgot almost everything of my prior life. According to my father, demonic cultivators who wanted to make him suffer are responsible for that. Since they couldn't get to him directly, they tried to affect him through me. Unfortunately, my father himself has been injured by their treachery. Thankfully though, his health has taken a turn for the better. He's almost back at full strength already."
What was good news for her was terrible news for Cao Yun.
"Because he's afraid for me, he's asked me not to leave the Imperial City. He's given me the best instructors possible so I can become stronger as fast as possible. But I simply couldn't stay put knowing that demonic cultivators were roaming free. That is why I came here. I know that you've killed Gu Song yourself although I don't know the means you've used. But I can imagine that the Soul Sucking Catfish was used for something. Please, if you've discovered anything about my father and the demonic cultivators who tried to harm him, tell me."
Although her voice was still altered by her veil, Cao Yun could hear the sincerity in her tone. Hearing her pleading like that made his heart ache. But he couldn't simply tell her that her father had been attacked because he had been ruling over the demonic cultivators to use them and they had revolted. Maybe he could though... But would she trust him?
As Cao Yun was wondering about that, someone disturbed them. Before Cao Yun could get the door, it was opened. The person who had barged into the secluded room was a tall woman wearing the emblem of the Imperial City. On her head were black hair intertwined in a very complex manner. Everything about her was elegant and dignified. Clearly, she was some official envoy. Looking at her robe, Cao Yun figured out who she was, she was the Imperial Inspector.
"Young lady, when I heard that you were in this town, I made haste. You shouldn't be here! Do you realize how dangerous this province is for you?! Do you even realize how worried your father is?! He asked me to bring you back immediately and I won't suffer any refusal! Come with me right away, young lady!"
Yong Ke hesitated for a time and looked at Cao Yun.
"I'm sorry but I have to leave. You'll soon go to the Imperial City for the Alchemy Conference. Hopefully we will be able to continue our conversation there."
Just like that, Yong Ke left. The Imperial Inspector examined Cao Yun and he felt her spiritual senses all over him. It only lasted an instant but he heard her voice in his head.
"Talking about Miss Yong in any way will be considered a treasonous act and will be punished by death."
Then they both left. It was very abrupt as the Imperial Inspector didn't even stay a single day in Qingyun City. However, everyone kept respecting Yong Ke's orders. And no one ever talked about her anymore. That stern woman had made sure that everyone who had seen Yong Ke would never speak about it at all.
In the following days, Cao Yun was indeed chosen as the Subei Province's representative. Since Yun Ping was a friend of his, it was easy to explain why Cao Yun had decided to come here to get this spot. He even decided to take the test to be officially recognized as a 5-star Human alchemist. After all, he had the talent necessary for that. And he passed without any problem.
Once everything was in order, Cao Yun had no time to travel to the Wubei Sect before the Alchemy Conference. Thus, he decided to send a message through the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall. Of course, it was encrypted so no one but Sect Leader Xuan and Spirit Master Xiao could read it. During the Alchemy Conference, Xiao Xuefeng should be in the Imperial City. He would be able to talk to her there and explain absolutely everything he had discovered. Now that he had found out who Emperor Weide truly was, he wouldn't be able to do anything against him alone.
Before leaving Qingyun City though, Cao Yun decided to work on his Qi cultivation. Even if he could do so on Hongyu's back, he would not try a breakthrough out in the wild if he could avoid it. Besides, such a breakthrough could also have some impact around him. The best solution was to break through in the secluded room he was in.
First of all, Cao Yun examined everything about him now that there had been some changes. Before looking at his body, he entered his sea of consciousness.
The stars around the Horn Star were almost material. In other words, Cao Yun was very close to forming his first constellation. And in the air, the Insight Writings of his Spear Aura were also moving like golden birds. He could sens that they were excited. Reaching the state of Spear Intent was difficult, but Cao Yun was on the right track. Although he couldn't tell how long it would take him to achieve such a result, he was certain that he was making progress. Like Chief Elder Baishen had told him, it was necessary not to worry about it. Just by earnestly practicing his spear would he progress naturally. Besides, he had almost not fought a single real battle, he had trained with Yong Ke and Yun Ping and delivered a single blow to Gu Song. Before leaving, he would also spar with Yun Po a little and he would progress even more.
The Flying Poison's mark was visible on his Nine Soul Peaks. He could clearly feel it. More than that, he could control it. Thus he tried it out. By focusing his intent which was now the intent of the Drop of Wrath, Cao Yun was able to extract a small part of Flying Poison. Then, he tried to send it outward and it worked. Although he couldn't send it very far - in fact his Wei Qi could go way farther - Cao Yun definitely had makeshift spiritual senses. They wouldn't be useful in a fight or even in any dangerous situation. However, they would be useful when refining a pill. Indeed, the cauldron was right under his nose. Thus, he would be able to advance beyond the Human rank.
His excitement didn't stop here. Now, Cao Yun was able to control the Drop of Wrath. It wasn't an external help anymore. All this time, although it had been in his heart, it wasn't really his. But from this day forward, the Drop of Wrath was just like his own blood. He could move it around in his body as he saw fit. As a 7th-grade Blood Child, he was practicing 'Knocking at the Palace's Door'. That meant that he had to send his blood deep inside his bones, all the way to the marrow. The bones were considered as palaces concealing a golden treasure and it was necessary to slowly open the door, hence the name. Trying to forcefully do so could injure the body.
Now that he had full control over the Drop of Wrath, he simply directed it toward a bone and tried to mobilize his blood around it. With the direct influence of Axiu Qian's blood, his blood cultivation would progress faster than before. As his travel to the Imperial City would take around three to four months, he would have probably reached the 9th-grade BLood Child stage. After opening the palaces, he would practice 'Bursting the Palaces Open' in which all the bones in his body and by consequence all the marrow would become fully connected. Any kind of blockage would be eliminated and his blood would flow as harmoniously in his bones as it did in his bloodstream. With this, his physical strength would also improve slightly more even though it was already incredible.
By the time he would reach the Imperial City, Cao Yun would be a 9th-grade Blood Child. In that stage, one had to practice 'Freeing the Blood'. As the name suggested, the goal was for the blood to be able to flow freely throughout the entire body, the superficial flesh, the bones, the organs, through everything. It was similar to the notion of Transparent Body. A Transparent Body allowed the Qi to flow everywhere and it would be the same with the blood once Cao Yun would be a Golden Blood Child. Then, he would start working on his marrow way more, something he had never done before.