Chapter 104 - 91: Emperor Xi’s Map

Chapter 104: Chapter 91: Emperor Xi’s Map

"This is the greatest taboo among all previous emperors of our Great Saint Dynasty!"

Zeng Anmin experienced a sudden moment of clarity. He whipped his head toward his father, his eyes flashing with a bright light. "Are you saying..."

"Yes." His father’s cold sneer deepened. "If we can find evidence that Prince Qi secretly colluded with disciples of the Profound Array Department, he won’t survive."

"Incredible!" Zeng Anmin was completely won over by his father’s scheming. He never expected there to be another bombshell.

"Do you remember Qi Xianlin, the banished disciple of the Profound Array Department who fled to Liangjiang Commandery?" his father’s voice rang out again.

Zeng Anmin froze, looking at his father in shock.

"This was a deal I made with Celestial Master Xu back in the day," his father continued.

"What deal?" Zeng Anmin swallowed hard.

"That’s none of your concern." His father glanced at him and said indifferently, "Just focus on your studies."

"Uh..."

It all made sense now. Zeng Anmin muttered, "No wonder Celestial Master Xu asked me to send you his regards when I was at the Profound Array Department..."

"That old man is incredibly shrewd. If you see him in the future, speak to him as little as possible." His father seemed to recall something unpleasant. His expression darkened as he warned Zeng Anmin, then turned and walked toward the study door.

Pausing at the door, he seemed to remember something else and issued another warning. "Stay at the Imperial College these days. I will handle the matters in the royal court."

Still seeming a bit uneasy after saying that, he looked at Zeng Anmin expressionlessly. "Prince Qi won’t last long."

A short while later.

Zeng Anmin figured he might as well comply. He pursed his lips, stood up, and left the study.

Just as he was about to return to his own courtyard, Dachun’s voice called out, "That man from Liangjiang Commandery is here to see you."

"Who?" Zeng Anmin asked, taken aback. He wondered who from Liangjiang Commandery would actually track him all the way to the Capital City. Who had that much free time? Could it be the Madam of the Imperial Music Bureau in Liangjiang Commandery? He clearly remembered that his predecessor had paid silver every time he visited...

"He said he’s the Capital’s Number One Swordsman," Dachun said, looking earnestly at his young master.

"Bai Ziqing?" A strange expression appeared on Zeng Anmin’s face.

Speak of the devil. He had just been talking about him with the Crown Prince at the Imperial College. He had only just arrived home, and the man was already here looking for him?

"Let him in." Zeng Anmin found a chair in the courtyard and sat down, waiting quietly as Dachun went to fetch the guest.

"The Capital’s Number One Swordsman, Bai Ziqing, is here to visit."

A familiar voice rang out. Zeng Anmin’s mouth twitched. He looked up at the roof of the front building of the courtyard, utterly speechless. "When did you get in here?"

On top of the courtyard wall, a figure in white clothes fluttered in the wind. The man with flowing, exotic yellow wavy hair stood there nonchalantly. "This low-walled little estate can’t stop me."

"Hurry up and come down. Aren’t you cold standing up there?" Zeng Anmin rolled his eyes at his flashy display.

TAP.

With a light tap of his toe, Bai Ziqing drifted gracefully down from the wall. He had clearly controlled his Martial Arts Aura to absolute perfection.

"A rare guest." Zeng Anmin stood up from his chair and walked toward Bai Ziqing with a chuckle.

Seeing Zeng Anmin, a smile appeared on Bai Ziqing’s face as well. "Quan Fu, that hair dye... I’ve run out."

Lately, with his beautiful wavy hairstyle, he had been the most dazzling protagonist in the crowd wherever he went. It was exactly as Zeng Anmin had promised. Back when he went to Liangjiang Commandery, he had been somewhat skeptical of Zeng Anmin’s claims. But ever since he returned to the Capital City, whether it was the envious looks from his colleagues in the Imperial City Department or the horrified stares of criminals when he was out on a case, it all made him feel incredibly satisfied.

However, the uncomfortable truth was that he had completely run out of hair dye today. Zeng Anmin had indeed taught him how to make the dye back then, but the batches he made himself were rather... hard to describe. Thankfully, he had found out that Zeng Anmin’s family had moved to the Capital City, which saved him the trouble of traveling all the way back to Liangjiang Commandery.

Zeng Anmin looked at him in confusion. "Didn’t I teach you how to make the hair dye?"

Bai Ziqing’s expression became slightly unnatural. "I can’t make it right... Do you have any more?"

"Of course I do," Zeng Anmin said, waving his hand with a smile. "But there’s no rush. Why don’t we chat about something else first?"

"About what?" Bai Ziqing asked, taken aback.

"I’d like to ask for your guidance on a few questions regarding the Falling Jade Disc." Zeng Anmin didn’t waste any time, bringing up all the issues he had encountered recently.

Of course, the most important aspects were his Enlightenment regarding Archery Skill. As for questions about the Martial Arts Aura, he didn’t utter a single word.

"I see. That’s simple." The corners of Bai Ziqing’s mouth curled up slightly. His girlish face was truly hard to take seriously. Zeng Anmin didn’t know why a grown man would look so effeminate. Coupled with his golden wavy hair, if he were in Zeng Anmin’s past life, he would undoubtedly be a dream for gay men.

Bai Ziqing had always loved to lecture others. The two of them chatted in the courtyard for half the day.

Finally, after Zeng Anmin finished asking his last question, it was Bai Ziqing’s turn to look at him expectantly.

"Alright, wait a moment. I’ll go prepare it for you."

Zeng Anmin knew that if he didn’t produce the goods today, this guy definitely wouldn’t leave. Therefore, he spent nearly an hour teaching Bai Ziqing the technical process of making the hair dye until he finally grasped it. He then gave him a generous extra supply. If used sparingly, it could last him a month.

"Don’t forget how to make it next time!" Zeng Anmin warned him.

Bai Ziqing acted as if he hadn’t even heard him, completely absorbed in his own reflection in the mirror. "Only this look is worthy of my title as the Capital’s Number One Sword."

He gently lifted a lock of his bright yellow hair, a stunningly beautiful smile on his face. The perming and dyeing he’d enjoyed recently had completely boosted his self-confidence.

"How come I heard that the Capital’s Number One Sword is someone named Duan Yuheng?" Zeng Anmin raised an eyebrow. He was fairly well acquainted with Bai Ziqing by now, so he felt comfortable cracking a few jokes.

Bai Ziqing shuddered. He abruptly raised his head and glared at Zeng Anmin with wide eyes. "Who told you that?!"

"I’ve made a few friends in the Capital City these past couple of days, and they told me Duan Yuheng’s story." Zeng Anmin shot him a sidelong glance. The fact that Count Zhongyuan, Duan Yuheng, was his older cousin’s husband was a matter from seven years ago. Unless someone deliberately looked into it, no one would notice it. Even if someone intentionally investigated, it would take them quite some time to dig it up.

"Fine." Bai Ziqing sighed, his voice lowering in dejection. "During my battle with Duan Yuheng back then, I was indeed no match for him. But when I lost to him, it wasn’t because of Swordsmanship."

"Oh? The two of you were both Fifth Grade at the time." Zeng Anmin blinked. "You’re not just a sore loser, are you?"

Bai Ziqing paid no mind to Zeng Anmin’s teasing. He merely frowned to himself, then let out a sigh.

"I don’t know why, but the Intent within his Martial Art was something I had never seen before. Although there are many Martial Dao Maps in the Capital City, the one I visualized during my time in the Visualization Realm was top-tier...

"Yet, when it came to comprehending Intent, he always overpowered me.

"He could even rely on his own comprehension of Intent to hold off a Fourth Grade Martial Artist for the time it takes an incense stick to burn..."

At this point, Bai Ziqing’s voice sounded somewhat bewildered. He was already considered a top-tier Martial Arts genius, yet compared to Duan Yuheng, he had been defeated so utterly and thoroughly.

As soon as these words were spoken, Zeng Anmin’s hand suddenly stopped. Intent?! He snapped his head up, his body frozen in place.

"What’s wrong?" Bai Ziqing had advanced to the Fourth Grade the year before last, making his perception of his surroundings far more acute. He keenly noticed that something was off about Zeng Anmin.

"Nothing." Zeng Anmin pursed his lips, shaking his head with a forced smile. "I’m a bit tired. Let’s catch up another day, alright?"

"Alright." Bai Ziqing had already gotten what he wanted and was eager to rush back to parade around his colleagues. "I’ll be taking my leave then. If you ever need to find me, just come straight to the Imperial City Department."

"Okay!"

After Bai Ziqing left.

Zeng Anmin could hold it in no longer and headed straight back into the house.

SLAM!

He shut the door tight. His Dan Feng eyes were incredibly sharp. In the empty room, his heavy voice echoed slowly.

"Emperor Xi’s Map..."