Great Li Martial God

From Zhao Kuang's reaction, it seemed quite possible he was telling the truth. After all, as the Crown Prince, his life was far too valuable to risk over a single Daoist Qingyu. And the Great Xuan emperor had no shortage of sons, with other princes constantly eyeing the Crown Prince's position.

Li Musheng's expression turned thoughtful. He then pointed at Zhao Muning beside him and asked, "Who is she?"

At those words, Zhao Muning's expression shifted, and she immediately gave Zhao Kuang a look.

Zhao Kuang glanced at Zhao Muning, his eyes shifting slightly, then replied, "She is my seventh sister, the Seventh Princess of Great Xuan."

Zhao Kuang understood perfectly well what Zhao Muning's look meant, but he could not afford to gamble right now. He would tell the truth about everything.

Besides, with both himself, a Crown Prince, and a group of his father's consorts already here, a princess's identity was entirely inconsequential. There was nothing wrong with revealing it.

Zhao Muning's expression fell somewhat, and she quickly looked over at Li Musheng.

Li Musheng, however, remained perfectly composed. He had already roughly guessed Zhao Muning's identity, and the reason he had asked Zhao Kuang was simply to confirm whether the Crown Prince would be honest with him. Clearly, the man appeared calm on the surface but was too afraid to tell even a small lie. At his core, he was deeply afraid of dying.

Li Musheng glanced over at Zhao Muning, who was watching him, and shook his head, "One casual grab and I end up with a princess. My luck really has always been rather good."

As he said this, Li Musheng turned a long look on Zhao Kuang, narrowing his eyes slightly, "Do either of you know why the Great Xuan emperor seized Daoist Qingyu?"

Li Musheng transmitted these words through true qi, so that only Zhao Kuang and Zhao Muning within the entire courtyard could hear them.

At those words, Zhao Kuang frowned slightly, then shook his head.

Li Musheng's words were not enough to drive a wedge between him and his father, and besides, he truly did not know the details surrounding Daoist Qingyu.

Zhao Muning, for her part, quietly let out a breath of relief on realizing that Li Musheng had discovered her identity yet had not moved against her for concealing it.

Then, her eyes shifting with thought, she decided to follow Li Musheng's lead in hopes of easing the situation, "Everything you have done tonight, sir, I have witnessed from start to finish, and I know full well that you came only to rescue someone, and have not harmed a single innocent."

"As for the matter of Daoist Qingyu, though we do not know the details, once my father appears I will do everything in my power to persuade him to release the person and put this misunderstanding to rest."

At those words, Zhao Kuang's expression shifted immediately and he quickly nodded along, "Someone as young as yourself possessing such terrifying martial cultivation is truly a rarity in this world."

"I had already intended to extend an invitation to you earlier, out of genuine admiration for your talent. If this matter can be resolved peacefully, we can bury the hatchet afterward. With your abilities, a title of marquis or a seat in the highest court of Great Xuan would be no trouble at all."

Zhao Kuang's words were half sincere and half not, but his most important aim was naturally to pacify Li Musheng and buy time, to keep him from acting against himself.

Li Musheng paid absolutely no attention to either of them.

He had no interest in being an emperor, so what did a marquis's title or a court position mean to him?

"It seems neither of you truly understands your father's thinking."

Li Musheng looked at Zhao Kuang with a meaningful expression, speaking slowly, "The reason the Great Xuan emperor seized Daoist Qingyu is because of a scripture called the Longevity Scripture."

As he said this, Li Musheng looked directly into Zhao Kuang's eyes and asked, "Would you like to guess what that scripture does?"

At those words, Zhao Kuang's expression stiffened slightly.

He was not a foolish man. The moment he heard the words "Longevity Scripture," even taking them at face value, he could vaguely guess at what kind of scripture it was.

Though he was somewhat shaken inside, his face remained composed as he shook his head, "The martial world is full of countless technique manuals and scriptures of every kind. I truly cannot guess what is so special about this Longevity Scripture you speak of, that it would interest my father."

Zhao Muning, standing beside Li Musheng, drew her brows together and fixed her gaze on him, her eyes shifting with thought, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

At those words, Li Musheng swept a slow glance over the two of them, "I know you have both already formed your suspicions. That Longevity Scripture is no ordinary martial technique. It is a supreme divine art capable of reversing aging and extending one's life."

As he said this, Li Musheng paused, and watched the clear flash of shock that crossed both their faces.

Then he continued quietly, "The Longevity Scripture was stumbled upon by chance by a Daoist of the Azure Cloud Temple. After cultivating it, that Daoist has lived for nearly two hundred years."

"Lived for two hundred years?"

Zhao Kuang blurted the words out without thinking.

Li Musheng gave a slight nod and continued, "Later, that Daoist passed the Longevity Scripture on to Daoist Qingyu of the Azure Cloud Temple. Somehow the Great Xuan emperor learned of this, and so your father dispatched experts to break into the Azure Cloud Temple and abduct Daoist Qingyu to this imperial palace."

"The Azure Cloud Temple attempted to rescue her from the palace before, but without success. They eventually came to me for help, and so I made the reluctant decision to come here myself."

With that, Li Musheng said no more and simply waited in silence to see how Zhao Kuang and Zhao Muning would react.

In truth, he had no wish to be racking his brains like this, but the Great Xuan emperor was too much of a coward. If the man cared only for longevity and nothing for his consorts or his children, then even if Li Musheng tore down the entire Great Xuan imperial palace around him, the man might never show his face.

Meanwhile, Zhao Kuang and Zhao Muning exchanged a look after hearing Li Musheng's words. Both wore expressions of startled uncertainty.

Clearly, neither of them had known anything in advance about Daoist Qingyu or the Longevity Scripture.

Zhao Kuang in particular underwent a rapid series of expressions, though what was going through his mind was difficult to say.

"Is there truly a scripture in this world capable of extending someone's life by two hundred years?"

Zhao Muning quietly pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed straight on Li Musheng's eyes as she asked.

Li Musheng waved a hand and turned the question back on her, "What else would it be?"

"Or does she think I had nothing better to do at this hour of the night and decided to take a stroll through the Great Xuan imperial palace?"

At those words, Zhao Muning went quiet.

Then her gaze shifted toward the white-robed woman and the white-haired Daoist woman standing within the courtyard, settling particularly on the white-robed woman.

The reason Li Musheng would suspect someone so young of being Daoist Qingyu was most likely because of the Longevity Scripture. If Daoist Qingyu had cultivated the Longevity Scripture and had her youth restored, then everything fell into place, and that in turn lent considerable weight to the possibility that what Li Musheng was saying was true.

By now, having observed Zhao Kuang's and Zhao Muning's reactions, Li Musheng had settled into an air of relaxed composure.

His gaze rested on Zhao Kuang as he said unhurriedly, "The Great Xuan emperor has had Daoist Qingyu in his grasp for quite some time now. He has most likely already obtained the Longevity Scripture and, if he succeeds in cultivating it, living another two hundred years would be no problem at all."

As he said this, Li Musheng let a thoughtful expression cross his face with deliberate care, "An emperor on the throne for over two hundred years, something that has never occurred in all of history. Even the legendary Tianqi Emperor could not compare."

At those words, Zhao Kuang's complexion gradually darkened further. The hands hidden beneath his sleeves clenched into tight fists, and he said not a single word.

Seeing this, Li Musheng knew he had found the mark, and added one more blow, "And if that Great Xuan emperor reigns for another two hundred years, you as Crown Prince will remain a Crown Prince forever. Though when you think carefully about it, has there ever been anyone in all of history who spent two hundred years as Crown Prince?"

The words landed like a heavy strike, visibly rattling Zhao Kuang's entire frame, which had begun to tremble ever so slightly.

But Li Musheng was not finished. He added lightly, "Of course, spending two hundred years as Crown Prince is not entirely out of the question. The pity of it is that the Great Xuan emperor has never shown the slightest intention of sharing the Longevity Scripture with you. Living two hundred years yourself, I am afraid, is not in the cards."

At those words, Zhao Kuang's head snapped up, his eyes red, fixed hard on Li Musheng, "I will not believe your words. Your attempt to drive a wedge between me and my father will never succeed."

Li Musheng's expression remained unchanged. He simply shrugged, "I am only telling the truth. After all, it is not I who will spend two hundred years as Crown Prince."

With that, Li Musheng watched at his leisure as Zhao Kuang lowered his head again. The man's complexion was now as wretched as it could possibly be, and it was clear that his earlier retort had been nothing but bravado. Because if his father truly cultivated the Longevity Scripture and lived another two hundred years, when would there ever be a place in the sun for him?

And what kind of Crown Prince could be called a capable one if he had no ambition, no desire to be emperor?

"Actually, I can help you."

At that moment, Li Musheng spoke up without warning.

In an instant, both Zhao Kuang and Zhao Muning snapped their heads up to look at him.

But Li Musheng turned his gaze toward the courtyard gates, "Those eunuchs have been gone for some time now. If the Great Xuan emperor were going to come, he would have appeared long ago."

As he said this, Li Musheng glanced at the two elderly eunuchs on the ground, who by now looked utterly wretched after the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit's attentions.

The result was obvious. Even as experts who guarded the Great Xuan emperor's side, they had absolutely no idea where the man was. That alone said everything about how cautious and solitary the emperor was, a man who trusted no one.

"What do you say? Are you interested in cooperating with me?"

Li Musheng turned his gaze back to Zhao Kuang and Zhao Muning.

Zhao Muning said nothing, only looked toward Zhao Kuang with an unusual expression.

Zhao Kuang stared hard at Li Musheng for a long moment, thinking something over that was difficult to read.

After quite some time, Zhao Kuang suddenly drew a slow, deep breath, and finally spoke, "What kind of cooperation did you have in mind?"

"It is simple. You only need to find the Great Xuan emperor for me. Leave everything else to me."

Li Musheng spoke casually. Zhao Kuang's brow furrowed, "The Great Xuan imperial palace is full of martial world experts beyond count. Even a Martial Saint might not walk out alive. Do you truly have the confidence to suppress every expert in this entire palace?"

Li Musheng glanced at him, "Did you not just see it for yourself? Do you think the elderly eunuch and the Daoist beside you earlier did not want to act against me?"

As he said this, Li Musheng shook his head, "They simply did not dare."

At those words, Zhao Kuang looked at Li Musheng for a long moment, then slowly closed his eyes.

He naturally understood how powerful Li Musheng's martial cultivation was. Otherwise he would not have asked that question to begin with. And Li Musheng's words had just given him the reassurance he needed.

Very soon, Zhao Kuang snapped his eyes open, reined in every trace of emotion, and his face became completely expressionless.

He looked toward Zhao Muning at Li Musheng's side, let out a soft sigh, and said, "I truly do not wish to do this. But my father's mind is impossible to read, and for the sake of your life and mine, Little Sister, I have no other choice. I can only save myself."

Zhao Kuang said these words for Zhao Muning's ears, but also for his own.

It seemed as though only by saying them aloud could he convince himself to go through with cooperating with Li Musheng.

But Zhao Muning could see through it plainly. Her Crown Prince brother did not want to spend two hundred years as Crown Prince. What he wanted was two hundred years as emperor.

"If you are going out of your way to help me, you surely have conditions. May I ask what you want?"

Zhao Kuang withdrew his gaze from Zhao Muning and looked back at Li Musheng.

At those words, Li Musheng waved a hand, "You need not overthink it. I have no interest in anything else. I only want Daoist Qingyu."

As he said this, Li Musheng gave Zhao Kuang a meaningful look, "As for the Great Xuan emperor, do with him as you see fit."

Zhao Kuang held Li Musheng's gaze for a long moment, as though confirming that Li Musheng truly had no other intentions, then gave a slow nod, "Agreed."

With that, Zhao Kuang turned and walked directly out through the courtyard gates.

"I do not know where my father is, but I can roughly guess the two secluded locations where he might be in retreat."

At the same time, Zhao Kuang's voice reached Li Musheng's ear.

The surrounding martial world experts had not been privy to the exchange between the three of them, and seeing Zhao Kuang suddenly stride out without warning, every one of them immediately moved to seize him.

Li Musheng watched Zhao Kuang's retreating figure and raised a hand to stop them, "Follow him. We are going to find the Great Xuan emperor."

At those words, the assembled martial world experts all went briefly blank, but by then Li Musheng had already begun strolling leisurely after the Great Xuan Crown Prince.

"Young hero, what should we do with these people?"

The Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit was the first to recover, and immediately called out to Li Musheng's back.

Li Musheng glanced back and pointed out several people with a casual wave, instructing the martial world experts to bring them along.

Then he turned to Zhao Muning, who was still standing where she was, and beckoned to her, "I am a man of my word. However I brought you into this palace, that is how I will bring you out. Stay by my side and you will be perfectly safe."

At those words, Zhao Muning said nothing more, only gave Li Musheng a long, searching look, then stepped forward and followed along.

She understood that from the moment Zhao Kuang had agreed to Li Musheng's terms, only one of the two, the Great Xuan emperor and the Great Xuan Crown Prince, would remain standing by the end of tonight.

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