Chapter 223: CH. 223 | Guest From Qin Palace

Lin Tian stepped out of the Qin palace hall and found Li Qingxue and Si Lingxi waiting for him outside, as if they’d been anticipating his arrival.

They turned the moment they sensed Lin Tian’s qi aura, greeting him as he emerged last from the palace.

Behind him, Li Qingxue noticed the Qin Emperor standing near the doorway, accompanied by his daughter and Prime Minister Meng Hao.

At first, it looked like nothing more than a courtesy, seeing Lin Tian off at the palace entrance.

But Li Qingxue sensed something was off, especially from the expression on his face.

"Did something happen?" Li Qingxue whispered, curious.

"I’ll explain once we’re in our own territory," Lin Tian replied.

Si Lingxi, from the Yingzun Sect, wasn’t part of the Northern Wasteland territory. She felt a bit disappointed about that, but she still wanted to maintain good relations with the Lingxian Sect.

After all, the Lingxian Sect had become the single most powerful sect in the Qin Kingdom now, surpassing even Yuntian. Keeping good ties with them meant securing her own safety going forward.

The three of them said their farewells to the Qin Emperor and flew off, putting distance between themselves and the capital. Once they were well clear of the city, Li Qingxue pressed further.

"I tried threatening them," Lin Tian said. "They tried to destroy my sect. Now that the Yuanmo crisis is over, they’re suddenly trying to play nice."

"Do they actually think I’m some kind of saint?"

"Threatening them and cracking the relationship between you and the Qin Kingdom isn’t a good move right now. Try to hold yourself back a bit, Lin Tian," Li Qingxue said.

Lin Tian agreed. He counted himself lucky he’d managed to rein in his temper back there, otherwise there might have been a new coronation ceremony to prepare for tomorrow.

"I’ll be careful around them. It feels like they have some plan I’m not aware of," Lin Tian replied.

The two of them flew north together while Si Lingxi split off toward the southeast. Lin Tian nodded and told her to stay alert to whatever might come her way, and Si Lingxi listened closely to everything he said.

When they reached the crossroads, Li Qingxue slowed to a stop. She raised her hands and clasped them together, taking her leave of Lin Tian.

"Even though the Yunlan Sect leads this territory, I’ll still consult with you whenever it comes to any regional policy decisions."

"I hope you’ll be willing to make time for me," Li Qingxue said.

Lin Tian cleared his throat and turned to look at her. "Of course."

He raised his hand, directing a white orb from his fingertip forward, sending it straight into Li Qingxue’s body.

Lin Tian explained that the qi orb would be essential for her, allowing her to pass through the Lingxian Sect’s protective dome whenever needed.

Li Qingxue thanked him and headed back toward her own sect, while Lin Tian flew straight back to the Lingxian Sect. Before long, he arrived and set foot in the front courtyard.

The disciples rose again to greet him with respect. Wu Yue, already there, turned and walked over to meet him.

"How did the meeting go?"

"Well enough. Fortunately, I managed to avoid getting dragged into any unnecessary conflict."

"Come with me, Elder Wu. I’ll fill you in on everything."

***

One week later.

A soft knock sounded at the main hall’s door. Elder Wu arrived along with one of the core disciples from the Technique and Weapon Hall. They’d come to ask Lin Tian something.

"Greetings, Sect Leader Lin Tian!"

"What is it?"

"One of Elder An Yue’s disciples came by, asking about her whereabouts," Wu Yue said.

"Right now, Elder An Yue is in closed door cultivation, inside a special dimension. She’s at a crucial stage in her breakthrough to Nascent Soul."

"Completing that will take a fair amount of time, at the very least."

Lin Tian opened his eyes and looked at the disciple standing before him. "If you have any doubts or questions about your training, you can come to me directly."

The disciple glanced over at Wu Yue, who responded with a nod, fully trusting that Lin Tian could guide her through her training and technique.

Taking that in, she clasped her hands together and bowed her head. She thanked Lin Tian for his willingness to help her and the other disciples while Elder An Yue remained in closed door cultivation.

She said her goodbyes and headed back to Tianzun Peak. Lin Tian paused his own cultivation for a moment, his attention shifting to Wu Yue.

"How’s the bandit cleanup going in the Northern Wasteland?" Lin Tian asked.

"It’s been a week now. We’ve managed to keep the region more stable than most other territories," Wu Yue answered. "But foreign cultivators keep showing up, even though we’ve already set up sect outposts along the border."

Lin Tian’s eyes narrowed, a puzzled sharpness in his gaze. "Our territory does sit along the border. But shouldn’t they be backing off by now?"

"Exactly!"

"Compared to every other region, far more foreign cultivators keep flooding into the north specifically."

With my current cultivation base, I can’t yet form a formation large enough to shield an entire territory, especially not one as vast as the Northern Wasteland.

"Tighten up patrols. Deliver my warning more firmly this time."

"Anyone caught crossing without permission will face severe punishment from the Lingxian Sect."

Wu Yue nodded, bowing her head with her hands clasped together. She assured him she’d carry out the order properly.

Just as she turned to leave, her steps came to a halt as a loud voice echoed from outside the Lingxian Sect. Lin Tian and Wu Yue both listened closely, Lin Tian’s senses shooting outward to detect the source of that qi aura.

An Early Nascent Soul cultivator?

Before long, one of the sect disciples arrived to report to Lin Tian and Wu Yue. "Reporting. Someone’s arrived asking to see Sect Leader Lin Tian."

"Who is it?" Wu Yue asked.

"He claims to be the Second Prince of the Qin Kingdom."

A prince of the Qin Kingdom? What could he possibly want?

Wu Yue turned to look at Lin Tian, who let out a short breath, then told the disciple to let him and his escort through. The disciple acknowledged the order.

The dome wall opened, allowing the Second Prince of Qin to enter. He hadn’t come alone, an elder accompanied him.

The main hall’s doors opened, and he saw Lin Tian standing there, with Wu Yue beside him.

"Please, come in, Prince of Qin."

He stepped inside at Lin Tian’s invitation. His steps came to an abrupt stop, his hands clasping together as he bowed his head in submission.

"What brings you—"

"Please, Sect Leader of Lingxian!"

"Please, save the Qin Kingdom from ruin!"