Chapter 60: Dragon Spring Office

Chapter 60: Dragon Spring Office

There weren't many rooms in the Prince's residence; more than ten people would crowd onto a single communal bed, with a fire burning beneath to warm the sleeping quarters. Though firewood was scarce, it was better than nothing.

That night, everyone had retired for rest. Lying against the wall at the far end of the room was Zhao Yuzhang, followed by Shang Junnian, Gongsun Wuyou, Liu Que'dan, and three or four other princes from different countries.

Shang Junnian had his eyes closed, seemingly asleep, when he suddenly heard a voice beside him ask, "Why did King Fengling let you return?"

It was Zhao Yuzhang. Ever since he heard Huan Wen's words that afternoon, a knot had formed in his heart, a mixture of discomfort and frustration. He feared that his friend might truly choose survival over everything else, becoming a foolish and expendable concubine.

It was like a piece of jade stained with mud, causing one's heart to ache for no reason.

Without opening his eyes, Shang Junnian replied indifferently, "I'm back, so why bother asking why."

Zhao Yuzhang's tone was curt. "Everything should have a reason."

Shang Junnian said, "His Highness King Fengling is kind-hearted, so he let me return."

To the few who had suffered terribly under Lu Yan's torment, these words sounded like a cold joke.

Zhao Yuzhang couldn't help but sit up, his anger boiling as he whispered fiercely, "You're full of crap! If he were truly that kind-hearted, pigs could climb trees!"

Gongsun Wuyou, being young and simple-minded, curled up under the blankets to keep warm. Hearing this, he blurted out instinctively, "But King Fengling is pretty good. I called him 'good elder brother' three times, and he released all of us."

Curious, he asked, "Brother Junnian, did His Highness King Fengling also make you call him 'good elder brother'?"

Shang Junnian chose to ignore this question. "We've left our homes and traveled thousands of miles to Xianling as hostages. It's not easy to preserve ourselves. Why question the cause and effect? Surviving these three years is what matters most."

Zhao Yuzhang sneered, pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Three years? I can't bear another day. Do you know what happened to us during the days we were locked in the dungeon?"

Without waiting for Shang Junnian's response, he spat out bitterly, "I heard that every few days, someone from the Dragon Spring Office would come to challenge us. If we lose, we die; if we win, we're released. More than half of the people in this prince's residence have been forced to reveal their unique sword techniques. Sooner or later, it will be our turn!"

Upon hearing this, Shang Junnian furrowed his brow. Throughout the Twelve Continents, swordsmanship was paramount. Whoever excelled in swordplay could ascend to the heavens in a single step. During the battle of Mingyue Crossing years ago, Xianling had the largest number of Sword Sect disciples, overpowering the other three countries, highlighting its significance.

Each royal family had their own methods of cultivating Sword Sect disciples, closely guarded secrets. No wonder the Emperor of Xianling would want the princes to enter the capital for no apparent reason. It was to extract their family's secret sword techniques.

"I'm just a cripple, with no sword techniques to extract."

Shang Junnian spoke softly.

Lying on the hard bed in the prince's residence, covered by damp and tattered quilts, his shoulder wounds ached, robbing him of sleep.

Shang Junnian wasn't one to seek pleasure, but as the night enveloped him, he found himself yearning for the warmth of the bedding from the previous night. Perhaps it was because that person hadn't done anything to him, hadn't spoken words of humiliation, but instead had been considerate and accommodating, making the night not seem too terrible.

His shoulders tingled, as if countless ants were crawling over them, new flesh growing.

In the late hours of the night, everyone was asleep, but Lu Yan remained awake.

In the courtyard, the chill was piercing, yet he held a long sword in his hand, practicing sword techniques. Suspended in the air was a dense cluster of golden characters, undulating like waves before flying into his body one by one.

However, Eunuch He couldn't see any of this. All he saw was Lu Yan practicing sword techniques in the snow, his long sword moving so swiftly that only afterimages could be seen. The snowflakes floating in mid-air were drawn by the sword qi, forming a dragon-like shape that was both tangible and intangible, following his movements. The sword techniques were both powerful and graceful, the finest he had ever witnessed.

So moved was Eunuch He that his hand trembled, nearly pulling out a strand of hair from his temple. It was truly a sight to behold, he thought.

Although His Highness King Fengling had excellent natural talent since childhood, a perfect candidate for martial arts, the Emperor couldn't bear to see him suffer, coupled with his love for pleasure, his swordsmanship had gradually declined with age. How was it that today, not only had it not regressed, but...

it had reached the realm of a master.

Time passed, the snow stopped, and a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon. Finally, Lu Yan halted his sword, the concentrated sword qi dispersing with a thunderous sound, shaking the surrounding withered trees. Fortunately, he had dismissed the nearby servants and guards beforehand, otherwise, such a scene would undoubtedly arouse suspicion.

Eunuch He, who had been keeping watch on the roof, leaped down upon seeing this. His usually calm expression twitched momentarily. "May I ask, Your Highness, where did this sword technique come from?!"

Lu Yan, clad only in a thin robe, was drenched in sweat. He flicked his fingers lightly against the sword, raising an eyebrow indifferently. "Just some ordinary sword techniques, are they worth asking about, Eunuch He?"

Eunuch He was momentarily taken aback by his audacity, lowering his voice in agitation. "Does Your Highness know that during the battle of Mingyue Crossing years ago, countless experts from the four countries perished, and those exquisite sword techniques were lost, never to be seen again. The sword technique you just used is the most exquisite this old servant has ever seen. Does Your Highness really not know or pretend not to know?"

It was clear that Lu Yan knew, otherwise, he wouldn't have ordered all the guards around him to withdraw, leaving only Eunuch He to keep watch.

Unfortunately, this set of sword techniques was something he had exchanged for points with the system, something he couldn't reveal to anyone.

Lu Yan fabricated a story on the spot. "This set of sword techniques came to me in a dream. When I woke up, I hadn't forgotten it, so I simply played around with it. Eunuch He, don't ask too much, and don't speak too much. Only you and I know about this matter, don't let it reach the ears of a third person."

Eunuch He was sent by the Emperor of Xianling to protect Lu Yan, loyal and capable enough that even with doubts in his heart, he dared not force questions due to his position.

After speaking, Lu Yan ignored his stunned expression and turned to return inside.

It was only then that the system quietly appeared:

"You spent five thousand points to exchange for a broken sword manual. Don't you think it's a waste?"

Lu Yan walked into the inner chamber, dismissing the maidservant. He casually removed his sweat-soaked clothes and draped them over a rack, then stepped into the warm jade water pool. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the edge, the steam obscuring his handsome features. "What's the waste?"

The system flew to his side. "Ten thousand points can buy a chance to revive. What if you fail..."

Lu Yan lazily interrupted, "If this king fails, it can only mean that this king is stupid, and death would be deserved."

He waved his hand, his attitude surprisingly relaxed. "Don't worry. Everyone dies eventually, whether sooner or later, it's still death."

The system was speechless.

The system felt that since Lu Yan had exchanged for a divine-level sword manual, he should have a strong desire to survive. But for some reason, he seemed so resigned. "So what do you plan to do next?"

"Master the sword manual, defeat those enemies, unify the entire Twelve Continents?"

At this, Lu Yan seemed to perk up a bit. He lifted his hand to remove the cloth covering his face, sitting up in the water. "This king has carefully studied it. In the previous life, Wu Yun, Dong Li, and Tian Shui united in rebellion. To put it bluntly, it was all because of one thing."

The system asked subconsciously, "What thing?"

Lu Yan frowned, slowly uttering four words: "The Emperor's demise."

He said, "Without the Emperor's suppression, the entire Xianling is leaderless, and the surrounding countries are all restless, wanting to take advantage. There's only one way to resolve this matter."

The system was intrigued by his words: "What method?"

Lu Qian raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle to look at the sky, and earnestly uttered a sentence: "That is to ensure that Father lives a long life."

"..."

"As long as he's alive, no one dares to rebel. Without any rebels, this Prince will naturally be safe and sound."

System: "..."

It sounded like nonsense, but upon closer consideration, it seemed to have some logic to it. However, it still reeked of absurdity.

Lu Qian was a man of action. In the following half month, he ordered the small kitchen every day to prepare nourishing soups made from heavenly ingredients and precious treasures, which he then sent to the palace to make sure the emperor consumed them. He would return in the evening to diligently practice swordsmanship, so busy that he didn't even have time to bully men or dominate women.

Little did he know that these actions caused quite a stir among others.

The emperor was gratified, feeling that his son had finally grown up and become sensible.

The court officials were surprised; Prince Fengling had always been immersed in wine and debauchery, ignoring state affairs. Why had he suddenly become so attentive to the emperor? Could it be that he had suddenly come to his senses and wanted to compete for the position of Crown Prince?

If that were true, they would need to carefully consider whether they needed to switch sides. After all, the emperor's favor for Prince Fengling was truly alarming.

Prince Nanxun Lu Mang heard the news and smashed a piece of glassware in anger: "This Third Brother, going to the palace to show off. Father already dotes on him normally, now wouldn't he be even more partial? This really infuriates this Prince!"

As his name suggested, Lu Mang was indeed rash and straightforward. After venting his anger, he couldn't do much about it. However, Prince Guxu Lu Sheng was more perceptive:

"Third Brother has always enjoyed playing with cats and dogs. Why has he changed his nature recently? I've heard that he released the hostages he kept in the dungeon and has been frequenting the palace. It's indeed unusual."

Prince Guxu was perhaps the most refined-looking among the three princes. Skilled in music and well-versed in poetry, he had a good reputation and was the preferred choice for Crown Prince among the court officials. At that moment, holding a cup of hot tea by the window, he looked like a celestial being descended from heaven.

A rugged-looking general stood beside him and scoffed upon hearing this: "Why waste your thoughts on him, Your Highness? Even if Prince Fengling is favored by the emperor, his reputation as a scoundrel is known far and wide. Anyone could potentially become the Crown Prince except for him. The court officials would be the first to object. Otherwise, given the emperor's affection for him, he would have been named the heir apparent long ago."

Prince Guxu smiled upon hearing this: "Indeed, Third Brother has always been deeply loved, making this Prince overly concerned."

After saying this, he turned and walked closer: "General Wan, I worked hard to recommend you for the position of Deputy Commander of Longquan Department. You must also produce some tangible results for Father to see. How is the progress on repairing the various sword manuals?"

Wan Pijiang clasped his hands: "The hostages in the hostage residence are all weak-willed. They revealed their secret sword techniques after a little intimidation. However, due to the previous imprisonment of the third hostage at Prince Fengling's mansion, we're still missing the sword techniques of the Wu Yun, Tian Shui, and Dong Li kingdoms."

Prince Guxu nodded: "The others don't matter, but these three are crucial. Before Father unified the Eastern Continent, only they could match Xianling's strength. Their sword techniques are the most exquisite. If you can extract all of them, Father will certainly praise you greatly."

Upon hearing this, Wan Pijiang's eyes flashed: "How difficult could that be? This subordinate will immediately go to the hostage residence and force out their secret sword techniques!"

By noon, a group of black-clad riders galloped towards the hostage residence, their hooves thundering like an earthquake. Gongsun Wuyou was originally crawling on the wall trying to catch a few sparrows to roast for winter food when he saw this and instantly turned pale with fright, falling directly off the wall.

"Ouch!"

Gongsun Wuyou didn't bother rubbing his bottom, running into the courtyard and shouting anxiously: "Bad news! Bad news! Someone from Longquan Department is here!"

Upon hearing this, the originally quiet courtyard erupted into chaos. The hostages rushed out to investigate and indeed saw a group of people standing outside the residence, led by Wan Pijiang, who had come to the hostage residence multiple times to provoke and challenge them.

Wan Pijiang dismounted, leading a team of guards into the gate. His imposing gaze swept over the frightened hostages, unable to distinguish one from another. He shouted in a deep voice: "Where is Prince Que Dan of Dong Li?!"

The crowd was startled, then automatically parted to reveal a handsome man reading under the veranda. Que Dan was named specifically by Wan Pijiang but showed no signs of panic, calmly turning a page of his book: "General, do you have something important to discuss?"

Wan Pijiang drew his long sword with a clang, pointing it straight at him, filled with threatening intent: "I've long heard that Dong Li's painting sword technique is ethereal and graceful like a dragon. Unfortunately, I've never had the chance to witness it. Would Prince Que Dan be willing to have a match with this subordinate?"

He said word by word: "Win and live, lose and die."

For those in the hostage residence who willingly revealed their sword techniques, Wan Pijiang would turn a blind eye and let them pass. Those who were stubborn were all killed by him.

Que Dan sat calmly under the veranda. Hearing this, he closed his book and placed it aside but did not rise to fight: "I'm sorry to disappoint you, General. I haven't practiced martial arts nor do I know sword techniques."

Others could tell he was lying. Although he was famous for his paintings, he was also a prince. How could he not know sword techniques? Clearly, he was unwilling to reveal his secret technique.

Wan Pijiang's gaze hardened. If it were anyone else, he would have killed them with a single sword strike. But since the emperor specifically wanted to collect the Dong Li sword technique, he couldn't kill him: "Prince Que Dan, are you seeking death?"

Facing the sword tip, Que Dan closed his eyes indifferently: "All men must die. Que Dan's life is insignificant and unworthy of concern."

"Good! Good Prince Que Dan!"

Wan Pijiang laughed coldly, determined to teach him a lesson. Suddenly, his sword lunged forward, aiming straight for Que Dan's shoulder blade. The crowd gasped in shock, and Gongsun Wuyou covered his eyes in fright.

"Swish—!"

Just as Wan Pijiang's sword tip was an inch away from Que Dan, a stone containing hidden force flew from nowhere, forcefully deflecting his sword three inches away, producing a metallic ringing sound.

Wan Pijiang reined in his strength in time but was still left with a numb wrist. He immediately looked in the direction of the disturbance in shock and anger: "Who?! Who dares to play tricks in front of this general?!"

A playful male voice came from the corner of the wall: "General Wan, they say you're the bravest warrior in Xianling. How could you lay a hand on someone unarmed today? If you really want to fight, I can accompany you."

Everyone followed the sound and saw a man dressed in a green robe standing on the wall with his arms crossed. He wore his hair in a neat ponytail, with no other adornments, yet he exuded vitality, catching everyone's attention.

The hostage residence was usually lifeless. When had such a lively person appeared?

Wan Pijiang saw that the man was handsome and young, yet he had just deflected his sword. He asked uncertainly, "Which hostage are you?!"