There Is No Story without Coincidences . . .
The king's eyes half-closed as he addressed the court, stating, "We reward those who contribute and punish those who blunder. Let's wait until General Cha returns."
He continued, "One more thing. Zuo Wuji is a young and talented individual. I recommend he be welcomed into the royal house as a study companion, granting him the privilege to converse freely in front of the king, though he will hold no official post."
This was a clear path laid out for Zuo Wuji's future. While it would require formalization, that was a matter for someone else to handle, not the king's concern.
"That is all. Court dismissed!" The king concluded.
The officials bowed and chanted in unison, "Wise King!"
This marked the day when Zuo Wuji officially entered the political arena at the age of 19. Although he had not been granted an official position, he had the liberty to be in the king's presence and read within the royal house. This was precisely what Zuo Wuji needed at this point. The king had made this arrangement with a purpose – he wished to observe Prime Minister Zuo's grandson and become better acquainted with him. It marked the beginning of Zuo Wuji's journey in the court, where he would eventually navigate the turbulent political waters of the future.
...
A month passed by.
In the icy mountains outside the city, Cha Eun Xiao sat cross-legged on the mountain's peak, attempting to sense Bing-Er's presence within the mountain. During this month, Bing-Er had already progressed to the fifth level of the Sky Origin Stage. She had made considerable strides in her cultivation.
She did not devote the entire month solely to her cultivation. After each breakthrough, she engaged in martial arts practice with Cha Eun Xiao to solidify her progress. Cha Eun Xiao showed no mercy during these sparring sessions, acting like a blacksmith molding a sword.
Despite the intensity of the training, Bing-Er displayed remarkable stability in her cultivation, even as she progressed at a rapid pace. Cha Eun Xiao was perplexed by her consistent steadiness. He could only attribute her swift advancement to her natural talent, as he could think of no other explanation.
Bing-Er was now on the verge of breaking through to the sixth level of the Sky Origin Stage. Cha Eun Xiao harbored hopes of them achieving their goal before it was too late.
However, as he gazed toward the capital, Cha Eun Xiao was taken aback.
...
In the capital, a dozen individuals had been covertly residing there for over two weeks, attempting to keep a low profile.
"Where in the world is Feng Monarch right now?"
"The second auction has concluded, and he's conspicuously absent. How could he miss such a significant event, especially when he is the owner? What is he up to?"
"What should we do? We've acquired a few supreme dan beads, which is a good start, but that wasn't our main purpose."
"Could it be that he became aware of our arrival, prompting him to go into hiding?"
"Absolutely not!"
"In that case, what could be the explanation?"
...
"Perhaps we should follow my earlier suggestion – apprehend Wan Zhenghao and interrogate him about Feng Zhiling. He will spill the beans."
"That's not a good idea. We might alert them. Besides, I don't believe Feng Monarch attaches much importance to Wan Zhenghao."
"Wan Zhenghao's background is rather mysterious. The grandmasters specifically warned us not to involve him unless it is absolutely necessary. Our primary focus should be Feng Zhiling."
"If we tip them off and he senses the danger, he may disappear for good. That will only complicate matters further. We can't hover indefinitely between two realms."
"Let's proceed with caution. Eliminate Feng Zhiling first, and then initiate the investigation regarding Ling-Bao Hall."
"That's a wise plan."
"It's infuriating... Humph... He's nothing more than a lowly Sky Origin Stage cultivator... and yet, they've summoned us for this... Ridiculous..."
"Cheer up! Just eliminate Feng Monarch, and we can return to our cultivation. Remember, he's merely in the Sky Origin Stage. Taking him down should be a walk in the park. It won't take much of our time," one of them remarked.
"Not much time, you say? I've had enough already. I'm on the brink of achieving the Dream Origin Stage, and this ridiculous mission has thrown my entire schedule into chaos. I don't know when I'll get back on track," another lamented.
"You're right. I just need a bit more cultivation to reach the next stage, but I was sent on this mission," a third one chimed in.
"Come on, you guys, let's just be content. I was on the verge of reaching the second level of Dream Origin Stage when I was abruptly stopped. In any case, this Feng Monarch is a major nuisance!" another complained.
"Enough with the complaints. It won't get us anywhere. Let's eliminate this insignificant figure and head back," one of them urged.
"That's right."
"Stay focused! Locate him and finish this task."
Impatience had set in after waiting for over a dozen days.
"We've searched for him countless times, but there's been no sign of him. Even if he could fly to the heavens or burrow deep into the earth, he couldn't have escaped our spiritual surveillance," one of them observed.
"He's definitely not in the city. Maybe he's ventured beyond its borders," another suggested.
"Agreed. Let's venture outside the city and search for him. We can view it as a leisurely stroll," one proposed.
"Hmm. I heard there's an ice mountain that appeared out of nowhere. It must be a wondrous sight. I haven't visited it yet... Who knows, we might discover some treasures waiting for our exploration. If that's the case, it wouldn't be a waste of time," another added.
"Hmm. Let's do it."
...
Cha Eun Xiao sat atop the mountain, gazing toward the capital when several powerful qi streams approached. He felt a pang of anxiety.
"Why are there so many high-level cultivators?"
"What... What's happening?"
"Have I accidentally exposed myself?"
Worry and unease gnawed at him. He had expected his actions to divert attention away from him, so he didn't anticipate being followed to this location.
He touched his face, realizing that he needed to maintain his guise as Feng Monarch. Revealing his true identity as Cha Eun Xiao was not an option.
In reality, the arrival of these individuals at the ice mountain was entirely coincidental. They had come to the Ling-Bao Hall in search of Feng Monarch but had found no trace of him. Because of Wan Zhenghao's peculiar background, they wanted to avoid raising any alarms, so they hadn't directly entered the Ling-Bao Hall. They were unsure of the appropriate course of action.
However, as they decided to take a leisurely stroll outside the city, fate intervened.
They had stumbled upon Feng Monarch, unaware that their chance encounter would lead to unforeseen consequences.