Chapter 89

Chapter 89

The consequence of falling asleep outside was that Shen Yuan came down with an illness.

Since crossing over to this world, no matter how exhausted or frail he had been, Shen Yuan had never been sick.

This illness seemed to make up for all his previous good health in one go, hitting him with sudden ferocity.

The physician who examined him said it was due to accumulated fatigue and pent-up gloom in his heart. The cold that had invaded his body acted as a trigger, bringing out all the ailments that usually remained hidden.

Though the illness was severe, it wasn't all bad.

Shen Yuan was so ill he was unconscious, so at the Ji Family Teahouse, *The Path to Immortality* was temporarily filled in by other storytellers covering past episodes. All matters concerning the Storytellers' Union were handled by Ji Xingwang, while the local government affairs were managed by Guo Mingchen; both were able to keep things running without a hitch.

Ji Ping'an brought a whole bunch of precious medicinal herbs, some of which had been scrounged up by Li Baozhu for him to deliver.

Shen Yuan remained bedridden for several days without fully regaining consciousness, and the Shen household became gloomy, with smiles vanishing from everyone's faces.

The younger children in the family insisted on eating their meals by Shen Yuan's bedside, frequently reaching out to feel for his breath, only able to relax even a little when they confirmed he was still breathing.

Shen Anniang didn't scold them for this; she was doing the same thing herself, so how could she tell the children not to worry?

Shen Liushu heard that wild ginseng was good for the body and went into the mountains alone for several days. When he came down, he was covered in scrapes and cuts, clutching a small wild ginseng root as he arrived at the Shen residence.

He showed the ginseng to the physician staying at the Shen house, who examined it carefully and nodded. "It's quite good, but the patient is currently weak and cannot handle strong tonics. After he wakes up, we can add the ginseng to his soup in small amounts over several servings. It will help strengthen his constitution."

Hearing that the ginseng he had found wouldn't immediately cure Shen Yuan, Shen Liushu hung his head in disappointment.

Shen Anniang, her eyes red, patted Shen Liushu on the back. "You've been very thoughtful, child. Are your injuries painful? Let the physician take a look at you right away."

Shen Liushu shook his head, but Shen Anniang gently persuaded him, "Xiao Yuan likes you and treats you like a younger brother. If he wakes up and finds out you were so badly injured while searching for ginseng for him, he would feel terrible. Let the physician examine you to make sure no lasting damage is overlooked."

To avoid worrying Shen Yuan, Shen Liushu finally nodded, saying guiltily, "I've caused trouble."

"Not at all, and thank you for the ginseng. When Xiao Yuan wakes up, I'll use it to stew soup for him." Shen Anniang comforted Shen Liushu and herself. "Didn't the physician say this is good for the body? Once his constitution is strengthened, we won't have to fear such situations happening again."

The physician gave Shen Liushu a thorough examination from head to toe. He had many abrasions, and the bones in his arm were slightly misaligned. It turned out he had nearly tumbled down a cliff but managed to grab onto a withered plant at the last moment, pulling himself back up with sheer grit.

Even the physician exclaimed that he was incredibly lucky and would surely be blessed with good fortune in the future.

Shen Liushu didn't care about fortune; all he wanted was for Shen Yuan to wake up.

In the dead of night, Shen Yuan opened his eyes in a daze, his head spinning.

For days, he had felt extremely fatigued, wanting to open his eyes but unable to, wanting to move but paralyzed, as if pinned down by a ghost.

Finally able to move, Shen Yuan was still disoriented, unsure if he was truly awake or merely imagining it.

He groped under the soft pillow for something familiar and grasped it tightly in his palm.

His warm breath brushed against the exquisitely carved rabbit-shaped warm jade and the roughly carved wooden bracelet. His eyes grew moist as he first asked the rabbit jade why it had used and deceived him. Receiving no answer, he then turned to the wooden bracelet.

Neither gave him a reply.

Shen Yuan held both objects close to his chest, closed his eyes, and quietly worked through his feelings.

When Ding Shiliu arrived, he saw Shen Yuan with damp eyelashes and a reddened nose.

Glancing at the objects in Shen Yuan's embrace, he silently gave him the medicinal pill that had just been rushed over.

As he was tucking Shen Yuan in, he noticed the young man had opened his eyes at some point.

However, Shen Yuan's consciousness was not yet fully clear.

He heard Shen Yuan ask him weakly, with a nasal tone, "Shiliu, Xie Yulin gave me his jade token, saying I could seek his help for anything. Now I have something I can't resolve, but he's gone, and he... he isn't coming back. Youyang is so far away; I can't even see him from Qingyun."

"If... I mean, if he apologized properly, I would forgive him. But he just left."

Shen Yuan was not a man made of stone. Even if Xie Yulin had used and deceived him, the protection and care he had shown were genuine.

All the unsolvable problems he had faced before had gone off without a hitch because Xie Yulin had been watching his back.

He had never experienced anything like this before; it seemed that with such a person there, he had a safety net and wouldn't fall.

Ding Shiliu didn't know how to answer. He hadn't expected that Shen Yuan, who seemed indifferent on the surface, had kept everything hidden in his heart.

Now that he was speaking of it, it was only because he was not fully conscious.

He tucked the blanket around Shen Yuan and said softly, "Young Master Shen, caring too much wears on the spirit. I sincerely hope you take care of your health and recover soon."

Shen Yuan was exhausted and didn't seem to hear, only nodding subconsciously before falling asleep again.

Ding Shiliu kept watch in the room all night, leaving only after feeding Shen Yuan another pill just before dawn.

After two days of these pills, Shen Yuan was on the mend.

By the third day, Shen Yuan was already up and about, full of energy.

The Shen household once again filled with laughter and joy.

Surrounded by his family and Auntie Ping, Shen Yuan scratched his head sheepishly, repeatedly promising that he would never sleep outside in the cold wind again.

Returning to the Storytellers' Union, he found his office piled high with precious medicinal herbs sent by tea guests.

Ji Ping'an had put out the word not to bother Shen Yuan during his recovery, so these items were temporarily stored in the union. After all, Shen Yuan couldn't use such strong tonics while he was still ill.

Aside from his family and friends, the happiest about Shen Yuan's recovery were undoubtedly the tea guests.

Heaven knew how eagerly they had been awaiting the continuation of *The Path to Immortality*—Yun Fan had been standing in the trial grounds of Wuliang Immortal Mountain for nearly half a month!

Shen Yuan cheerfully took his seat at the storyteller's platform. The tea guests bombarded him with questions about his health, and after replying to each, he resumed the stalled tale.

Following Immortal Qingxing's instructions, Yun Fan found the cultivation technique and devoted himself to rigorous practice from dawn till dusk in the Qingxing Temple.

He could clearly feel his body changing day by day. After a full year, confirming that he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Yun Fan packed his belongings, taking along a small wooden statue as he set out for Wuliang Immortal Mountain.

The wooden statue was one he had carved himself through trial and error. As a dual wood and water spiritual root, he seemed to sense the wood's breath while carving. Even without formal training, he instinctively knew where to place his carving knife.

The final statue resembled the image of Immortal Qingxing that Yun Fan had seen in his dreams.

Even on the road, Yun Fan never forgot to take out the statue to pay his respects, offering fresh wild fruits, clean stream water, and the game he caught to Immortal Qingxing before eating it himself.

On his journey to Wuliang Immortal Mountain, Yun Fan encountered all sorts of people.

Having never left the mountain before, he felt somewhat out of place.

This was Yun Fan's first time entering the mortal world, and he was naive in many ways. Some people tried to deceive him, while others treated him kindly.

Those who tried to deceive him always ended up failing for various reasons. Yun Fan remained none the wiser, always managing to escape unscathed.

When telling this part, Shen Yuan used a humorous and witty tone, making the tea guests double over laughing, clutching their stomachs in amusement.

As for those who treated Yun Fan kindly, they were rewarded for their kindness, which left the tea guests feeling deeply satisfied.

To enter Boundless Immortal Mountain, one needed to undergo a spiritual root test; only those with spiritual roots could enter as outer sect disciples.

When Yun Fan sensed the five elements, he clearly felt a strong affinity for the wood and water elements, meaning he most likely had a dual wood-water spiritual root.

The test stone lit up, glowing green and blue, which confirmed it.

The more spiritual roots one has, the slower the cultivation progress.

A dual spiritual root is considered respectable, but it still falls far short compared to a single spiritual root.

The disciple guarding the mountain gate gave Yun Fan a wooden token infused with spiritual energy, then told him to go wait in line. Once enough people had gathered, they would be taken together to their living quarters.

Most of those who entered Boundless Immortal Mountain to study were descendants of cultivation families. While there were also ordinary people with innate talent from the mortal world, they seldom gained entry to Boundless Immortal Mountain.

Most of them were snatched up by various noble families and, before even understanding what spiritual roots or cultivation were, sold themselves to these families as guards or death warriors.

Cultivated by the families, they were not free individuals.

Ordinary people who could get into Boundless Immortal Mountain were exceedingly rare.

In this batch, including Yun Fan, there were only three.

Boundless Immortal Mountain had an unwritten rule: one's status was determined by their background.

The better one's background, the more resources, elixirs, and miraculous medicines their family could provide, and thus, the stronger their abilities.

The lowest tier in Boundless Immortal Mountain wasn't those who tended fires or did menial tasks—it was the cultivators of common birth.

As soon as Yun Fan entered Boundless Immortal Mountain, he and the other two were assigned to sleep in the woodshed.

They ate leftover scraps and cold meals every day, and their bedding was tattered, dirty, and full of holes.

Yet for the three of them, this was already very, very good.

In the past, they never knew where their next meal was coming from, and they didn't even have bedding at home.

Here, not only did they have food at every meal, but their living quarters were also warm and leak-free, and they even had individual bedding.

Moreover, they could learn immortal techniques, read, and write every day—it was a life they wouldn't even dare to dream of.

No wonder people said life in Boundless Immortal Mountain was like living in paradise.

They were indeed living the best of lives!

What was intended as humiliation and torment for the three of them unexpectedly became a heavenly existence in their eyes, leaving the other disciples who entered the same batch utterly dumbfounded.

They bluntly said the three were out of their minds, unable to tell whether they were being ostracized or treated well.

Yun Fan and the other two shared similar interests and perspectives.

As long as they had enough to eat and a place to sleep, they were content.

Because they were often told by their fellow disciples that they had no backing and no elixirs or medicines to aid them, they were warned that when the elders conducted trials to select disciples, they would be kicked out of Boundless Immortal Mountain for not being chosen.

The other two had been through their share of troubles and had witnessed the scheming and sarcasm in their villages.

They also understood that compared to the other disciples, they were being suppressed in terms of food, clothing, and living conditions, and the looks they received were filled with disdain and disgust.

However, compared to their lives in the village, even this situation was very, very good for them.

They didn't care about material things; they could live with being ostracized and looked down on.

But when it came to cultivation, hearing such remarks from their fellow disciples inevitably shook their confidence.

Were they truly unworthy?

Yun Fan took the words of his fellow disciples to heart.

While the other two little "bitter gourds" wallowed in self-pity, plagued by feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, Yun Fan looked at them seriously and said, "Junior brothers, our fellow senior and junior brothers and sisters keep reminding us like this—we can no longer slack off. Although we have been diligently practicing our techniques and training ourselves, it seems it's still far from enough. Otherwise, they wouldn't keep reminding us every time they see us."

"They are right. We don't have the support of a family, so we must be even more diligent than before. Junior brothers, will you work hard with me?"

The two little bitter gourds looked up at Yun Fan, bewildered, and asked uncertainly, "Is that what they meant?"

Yun Fan affirmed, "Of course! Fellow disciples help and support each other. How could their reminders be false?"

The two looked at each other. Regardless of whether Yun Fan's interpretation was correct, striving diligently was never wrong.

Filled with renewed fighting spirit, the three woke up earlier and slept later than before, each trying to outdo the other in their efforts.

When the tea guests heard this part, they couldn't help but laugh, finding Yun Fan incredibly amusing.

His way of thinking was different from ordinary people—pure and kind, with a unique perspective on things. With such a mindset, he would surely live a joyful life.

This prompted the tea guests to reflect deeply: if they were in his shoes, how would they think and act?

Upon careful consideration, many things have two sides. They often seemed to focus on the negative side, but shifting perspectives could reveal new possibilities.

In this world, aside from life and death, nothing is truly fatal.

With a mindset as open and resilient as Yun Fan's, even ostracism and bullying wouldn't weigh on the heart. Instead, they could serve as motivation to strive harder, ultimately not only avoiding harm from others' emotions but also strengthening one's own abilities. This was truly remarkable.

This must be what Taoists mean by cultivating one's character and nurturing one's nature.

Every day, Yun Fan not only practiced diligently but also never forgot to devoutly worship Immortal Qingxing.

His roommates, Yan Ping and Yu Cheng, asked him who the wooden statue was and why he paid respects to it every day.

Yun Fan earnestly introduced, "He is the founding patriarch of my sect, Immortal Qingxing."

He then went on to explain Immortal Qingxing's life story in detail, leaving the two wide-eyed with amazement.

A true immortal who had successfully ascended to immortality!

Since Yun Fan constantly spoke of how wonderful Immortal Qingxing was, Yan Ping and Yu Cheng, influenced by his words, also began to believe in Immortal Qingxing.

Every day, the three woke up early, tidied themselves up, and devoutly worshipped the immortal, wishing him joy and smooth sailing.

As devout followers of Immortal Qingxing, Yun Fan held nothing back and shared the cultivation techniques left to him by the immortal with the other two.

The three discussed and planned together, spending every waking moment practicing.

"Senior Brother Yun, didn't Immortal Qingxing say you should come to Boundless Immortal Mountain only after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage?" Yan Ping confirmed.

Yun Fan nodded. "I wouldn't forget what the Patriarch said, and the very first stage recorded in the manual is Foundation Establishment."

Yan Ping nodded. The three of them knew almost nothing about cultivation, and their knowledge of Wuliang Immortal Mountain was just as limited. Since Immortal Qingxing had said so, it seemed that reaching Foundation Establishment was the minimum requirement for the trials at Wuliang Immortal Mountain.

If they couldn't reach that level before the trials, they feared they would be expelled from the mountain for being useless.

Thus, the three of them, who were already grinding themselves to the bone, pushed themselves even harder.

They even evolved to the point of eliminating sleep.

Fortunately, with the protection of immortal techniques, they suffered no ill effects from staying awake.

As the day of the trials arrived, the three of them stared at each other blankly.

"I should have reached Foundation Establishment, right? My body feels completely different than before," Yan Ping said uncertainly.

Yu Cheng said the same. After all, they didn't have a testing stone—those had to be exchanged for with spirit stones. They didn't have any; the three of them couldn't scrape together a single spirit stone between them. They were very, very poor disciples of the immortal mountain.

Yun Fan asked each of them in detail about their physical sensations. Hearing that their experiences matched the descriptions in the manual, he said, "You must have reached Foundation Establishment."

The day of the trials arrived—the day the various elders would select their disciples.

Shen Yuan spent a great deal of time describing the grand scale of the trials to the tea guests: scenes unlike anything in the mortal world, various magical artifacts, the five elements channeled through spiritual roots, the summoning of wind and rain, and flight upon swords...

The tea guests listened in a daze, their eyes filled with longing and fascination.

There were three trial arenas operating simultaneously.

Yun Fan and the other two drew lots for different arenas. After encouraging one another, they headed in their separate directions.

Before stepping onto the stages, all three were nervous.

After all, their peers were from cultivation families. As they had noted, those disciples relied on miraculous elixirs and a wealth of resources, having been taught by powerful cultivators from an early age.

The three of them had nothing, so nervousness was inevitable.

This tension intensified when they took the stage and saw their opponents holding magical artifacts, while even those waiting below were similarly equipped.

Yan Ping took a deep breath, reminding himself that he had not slacked off but had grown more diligent by the day. Even if he failed here, he had at least reached Foundation Establishment; even if he left the mountain, he could find a good job to support himself and his family.

At this thought, Yan Ping relaxed slightly.

The moment a pillar of water attacked from the opposite side, Yan Ping instinctively raised his hand. A massive tongue of fire erupted from his palm, completely swallowing the opposing water pillar, which looked pitifully small in comparison.

His opponent was visibly shocked, exerting every ounce of strength to activate the artifact and release a larger torrent.

Yan Ping raised his hand again, with the same result.

Unable to withstand the powerful surge of fire, the opponent was flung directly off the trial stage.

On another stage, Yu Cheng was also fighting bare-handed, manipulating wind blades to send his artifact-wielding opponents scrambling across the platform.

Yun Fan didn't even need to call upon elemental power; with just a simple push, his opponent went down.

The three of them stood like immovable pillars on their respective stages, defeating every opponent who came their way.

While the other disciples were astonished by their prowess, the three were even more bewildered—how were they this strong?

They even began to suspect their peers were going easy on them just to keep them on the mountain.

Since such a landslide victory rendered further competition pointless, the three were taken directly by the elders to see the Sect Leader.

Upon testing with the stone, it was discovered that all three had indeed reached Foundation Establishment. Yun Fan had even reached the seventh stage, only three stages away from another breakthrough.

In this sect, reaching the Qi Refining stage was already remarkable; those who achieved Foundation Establishment were the elite.

Finding one successful Foundation Establishment candidate out of a hundred was impressive; no one expected to find three at once.

Furthermore, they were all from commoner backgrounds, not cultivation families.

Suppressing his delight, the Sect Leader asked, "How did you advance so quickly?"

They didn't look like people who could afford elixirs, and if there were an elixir that could guarantee Foundation Establishment in such a short time, the entire cultivation world would be shaken.

Yun Fan did not hide anything, telling the Sect Leader about Immortal Qingxing and the cultivation manual.

The Sect Leader was overjoyed—there really was a deity who had successfully ascended! It had been so long since anyone in the cultivation world had ascended that most believed it to be a mere legend.

A manual bestowed by a god—no wonder they could reach Foundation Establishment so quickly!

Driven by the immense temptation, one of the elders couldn't resist asking to see the manual.

The Sect Leader promptly intervened, noting it was a junior's possession and it would be inappropriate to demand it.

Yun Fan didn't mind and took out the manual. "You can look at it, but to actually cultivate it, one must be a believer of Immortal Qingxing. The power of a deity can only be absorbed by devout believers."

The onlookers didn't pay much mind to this, assuming Yun Fan was just saying it as a formality.

Yun Fan wanted to bring glory to the Qingxing Temple and, more importantly, wanted Immortal Qingxing to receive enough faith so he wouldn't fall into a slumber and vanish from the world.

He handed the manual over to Wuliang Immortal Mountain for others to practice.

The Sect Leader and elders were moved by Yun Fan’s selflessness. They promised to teach the three their own secret techniques and gifted them many spirit stones, treasures, and artifacts.

Yun Fan quietly asked Yan Ping and Yu Cheng if they wanted to learn these new skills. When they happily agreed, Yun Fan informed the elders that all three of them would study.

Having secured a manual that could help disciples advance rapidly, the Sect Leader and elders naturally agreed.

After returning, Yun Fan divided the gifts from the Sect Leader with Yan Ping and Yu Cheng.

The two initially refused, but Yun Fan insisted.

"Faith is vital to a deity. Our Patriarch is in a critical period, and your faith came just in time. Take these. If the Patriarch were here, he would definitely want you to have them."

His Patriarch was just that kind of benevolent deity.

Yan Ping and Yu Cheng knew how much Yun Fan revered Immortal Qingxing for saving his life. They, too, truly believed in the Immortal, and so they finally accepted the items.

The three began their daily training under the elders, moving from one master to the next as they finished their lessons.

After some time, the Sect Leader sought out Yun Fan again, asking why the manual wasn't working—no one else had successfully reached Foundation Establishment after all this time.

Yun Fan replied, "Because they don't truly believe in Immortal Qingxing."

The Sect Leader was stunned. It turned out that what Yun Fan had said back then was the literal truth.

Under Yun Fan's influence and the allure of the cultivation method, Mount Wuliang was on the verge of being renamed the Wuliang Mountain Branch of Qingxing Temple.

As the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators at Mount Wuliang increased, Immortal Qingxing in heaven noticed that his gradually dissipating magical power was beginning to show signs of recovery.

Puzzled, Immortal Qingxing glanced down to the mortal realm and saw that his only young disciple's descendant had gathered a group of affluent devotees for him.

Not only had his clay statue been replaced with a golden one, but they also devoutly worshipped him every day, offering spirit-infused fruits.

Immortal Qingxing withdrew his divine sense and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

This kid is truly capable.

Shen Yuan’s storyteller's block fell, to the tea guests' great satisfaction.

Everyone was discussing the exciting duels on the trial platform, gaining a better understanding of immortal techniques and spiritual roots.

The relationship between deities and faith power also seemed novel to them—they had never heard of such a thing before, that deities could truly perish without faith power.

The local gentry of Qingyun County spent their days immersed in *The Path to Immortality*, their minds filled with thoughts of spiritual roots, cultivation, Foundation Establishment, deities, and faith power. When they heard news of paper appearing in Youyang, they didn't immediately think much of it.

It was only after a while that they suddenly realized—their Wu Country actually had paper?!

Commoners might not know what paper was, but they had some idea.

It was the most miraculous thing from the North Country—thin as a cicada's wing, it could be used for writing and painting, reserved only for the royal family, rare and precious.

It was said that paper was a gift from the deities to them because they were the rightful lineage, different from all other countries, and thus specially favored by heaven.

Now, their Wu Country had actually produced paper—Wu Country's own paper.

By the North Country's reasoning, wouldn't that mean Wu Country was also legitimate, also favored by the deities and heaven?

Thinking this way, the sacrificial rites seemed similar.

Previously, only the North Country had them, but now Wu Country's sacrificial rites were even more elaborate than those of the North Country.

They knew the sacrificial methods came from *Love Between Human and Ghost*, but they had no idea how the papermaking method was obtained. Perhaps it really was a sign of heaven's favor.

The news that Wu Country had produced paper spread to all neighboring kingdoms at lightning speed.

In the North Country's imperial city, the lamps in the council hall remained lit for three days straight.

Through thorough analysis, they concluded that all of Wu Country's changes began with the appearance of the story *Love Between Human and Ghost*.

Although Wu Country claimed that the person who provided the papermaking technique was Xie Yulin, according to reports from spies, Xie Yulin had close ties to the creator of *Love Between Human and Ghost* during his time in Qingyun County.

Paper also appeared after Shen Yuan's appearance.

Regardless of whether the paper was related to Shen Yuan, the three stories Shen Yuan had told so far contained unheard-of content. It was hard to believe they didn't come from immortal guidance.

Such a remarkable individual, not being from their North Country, was truly a pity.

If he wasn't from their North Country, then he should not be allowed to exist.

The North Country's imperial city issued an urgent royal decree, rushed over a thousand *li* at top speed to the Northern Envoy stationed in Youyang, Wu Country.

The envoy had been pretending to be ill, stringing along negotiations with Emperor Wu over compensation and the matter of a Wu Country princess taking a lavish dowry to the North Country for a marriage alliance. Upon seeing the urgent secret order, he bolted upright in his bed, rubbing his eyes several times to confirm he hadn't misread the words on the decree.

The Northern Envoy, who had been stalling and avoiding Emperor Wu, unexpectedly took the initiative to request an audience.

Li Xing had long wanted to drive away these North Country envoys who acted like they were there to freeload. Since they were asking to see him, Li Xing ordered them ushered in right away.

Xie Yulin happened to be present, and Li Xing didn't ask him to leave.

With Xie Yulin there, he could somewhat hold himself back from kicking someone.

The Northern Envoy entered and bowed respectfully. Li Xing was somewhat satisfied with this—lying around for so long had finally made him act a bit more civilized.

"Your Majesty of Wu, after our deliberations, we agree that the princess of Wu Country is indeed too young. A marriage alliance would be inappropriate."

Li Xing nodded.

"Since Wu Country has no princess for marriage, sending someone to our North Country to become a consort would serve the same purpose—it would still count as a marriage alliance."

Li Xing nodded hesitantly.

"As for the consort, he should bring a dowry. Regarding the candidate, we believe Shen Yuan from Qingyun County is suitable. After all, our North Country does not judge people by birth, status, or wealth alone."

Li Xing nodded out of habit.

"Say that one more time. Who do you want as the consort?"

Xie Yulin's cold voice rang out. Li Xing, startled, jerked back to attention and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, say again who you want as the consort?"

Intimidated by Xie Yulin, the Northern Envoy replied uncertainly, "We want Shen Yuan from Qingyun County to be the consort."

Thinking Xie Yulin was angry about the dowry, and given the royal decree's insistence on securing Shen Yuan, the envoy quickly added, "The dowry is negotiable. If Shen Yuan goes, we can accept less."

Li Xing pondered and thought it might be acceptable. However, this Little Immortal Shen was a storyteller with many clever ideas. If he became the North Country princess's consort, wouldn't all his good ideas become the North Country's?

He also caught on to what the North Country was plotting. Just as he was about to taunt them by proposing someone else, Xie Yulin directly crushed the teacup in his hand and coldly uttered, "Dream on."

"Brother Xie, why are you so angry?" Li Xing was startled by Xie Yulin's reaction and stopped thinking about teasing the North Country people. He tugged slightly at Xie Yulin. "You're going to scare those two to death. Stop it."

Then, turning to the Northern Envoy, he scolded, "Are you out of your minds? What do you take Wu Country for? You think you can have whatever you want? Get out of here this instant!"

The Northern Envoy tried to say more but was directly dragged out by Eunuch Cheng and his men.

Xie Yulin's gloves were wet with tea. Li Xing ordered an attendant to fetch new ones and prepare water for him to wash his hands.

"Alright, you've washed your hands a good twenty times. If you keep washing, you'll wash the skin raw." Li Xing said, puzzled. "If you're so afraid of getting dirty, why did you crush the cup to intimidate them?"

Xie Yulin frowned, as if pondering the question.

After a long while, he suddenly said, "Your Majesty, I need to go to Qingyun County."

Li Xing asked, "What for, all of a sudden?"

Xie Yulin's voice was low. "To bring Shen Yuan back to Youyang."

"He's doing perfectly fine in Qingyun County. Why bring him to Youyang?" Li Xing said. "Didn't you say before that a tall tree catches the wind, and we shouldn't draw too much attention to him? By not openly showing concern, he's safer staying in Qingyun."

Xie Yulin frowned and analyzed, "The Northern Envoy's words today must have been instructed by the North Country emperor. Neither the North Country nor the other countries will give up easily. There will likely be many people from various countries in Qingyun County trying to persuade Shen Yuan."

"When it rains, it pours; when a mother marries off her daughter, it's inevitable." Li Xing paused, then asked Xie Yulin, "If Shen Yuan is truly persuaded to go elsewhere, can I kill him? Those who cannot be used by us should not be used by other countries either."

"You seem to care about him, so I'm asking you."

"No." Xie Yulin looked directly at Li Xing, his gaze clear and cold. "Your Majesty said you wanted to appoint him to a high official position. I will bring him to Youyang to serve as the high official you mentioned."

Li Xing thought for a moment before recalling his previous words. He nodded cheerfully. "Sure! Bring him back, and I'll give him a high official position!"

As for what would happen if he couldn't be brought back, Li Xing didn't continue.