Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Chapter 209: Chapter 135: Female Demon

So the question remained: what was the origin of this young man?

There were no more than five named figures in the Jianghu who had reached the level of Martial Arts Mythology, and none were ever heard to be so ferocious!

As time ticked by, the Demon Sect’s Grand Elder finally succumbed to the pressure. His voice trembling, he said, “If the Buddhist Sect withdraws its forces, my Demon Sect will naturally do the same!”

He was just finding a way to save face.

In truth, if the Buddhist Sect really did retreat, the Demon Sect wouldn’t have the guts to continue causing trouble for Liyang even if they wanted to.

After all, the Three Major Sects had never enjoyed a relationship of mutual cooperation.

They were locked in a vicious, life-or-death struggle against one another!

Seeing him agree, the killing intent radiating from Li Chang’an abruptly vanished. He smiled warmly. “Now that’s more like it. When you get back, remember to tell your Sect Leader that I’ll be waiting for her in the Liyang Imperial Palace’s Library Pavilion!”

…

News had just begun to spread that the Buddhist and Demon Sects had led tens of thousands of disciples to surround the Li Yang Capital, presenting four conditions to strip the Liyang Dynasty of its orthodox status.

But before three days had passed, another piece of news quickly swept through the lands: the two imposing Sects had been utterly routed by a mysterious young man, forced to flee in disarray.

At first, no one in the Jianghu was willing to believe it.

After all, if Liyang truly possessed such strength, it was impossible they would have been in such a sorry state for all these years.

But as more and more detailed information was revealed, everyone, however unwilling, had no choice but to pinch their noses and accept it as truth.

Since the matter was true, a new question now confronted everyone.

Who was the young man who had sent the two Major Sects scrambling for their lives?

Some said he was an ally the Empress had lured in by offering herself as bait.

Others claimed that Liyang’s Third Elder, who was at the Grandmaster Peak Realm, had broken through to become a Martial Arts Mythology.

The most outlandish rumor was that the mysterious young man was actually an old monster who had practiced a Rejuvenation Cultivation Technique or taken a similar Elixir.

While rumors swirled and discussions raged throughout the outside world, within the Imperial Palace of the Liyang Dynasty, Empress Su Ying rode the wave of prestige from having slain the two Grand Elders and dismantling the siege of the two Major Sects without losing a single soldier, successfully re-consolidating her Order.

In Kyoto, and indeed throughout the realm, her prestige reached an unprecedented peak.

No one dared to defy Su Ying’s commands anymore. Even Liyang’s half-dead local administration began to actively align itself with the central government.

Of course, this wasn’t the most explosive news. The most explosive news was that Empress Su Ying had established a Harem and enfeoffed a man named Li Chang’an as a Prince of the current dynasty!

Ordinarily, such news would hardly be worth making a fuss over.

After all, for the Empress to secure her supreme position, she couldn’t avoid the matter of producing an heir, so establishing a Harem was only natural.

But at this particular juncture, the matter became quite intriguing.

The reason was simple: Li Chang’an was the Champion Scholar who had shaken the world three years ago, and he was also a young man of rather mysterious origins.

The details about this man perfectly matched the rumors of the mysterious young man who had crushed the two Major Sects!

Did this mean the Empress had truly found herself a powerful backer?

…

In the Imperial Palace, staring at the earnest-looking Empress before him, the corner of Li Chang’an’s mouth twitched. “Your Majesty, why did you place me in the Harem without my permission?”

Su Ying blinked, saying as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Didn’t you want to access the areas above the third floor of the Library Pavilion?”

Not understanding, Li Chang’an asked, “What’s the necessary connection between accessing the upper floors and being entered into the Harem?”

Su Ying was very serious. “My dear subject, the areas above the third floor of the Imperial Family’s Library Pavilion are not open to outsiders. This is the law of our ancestors. If you wish to legitimately enter and borrow books from above the third floor, I mulled it over and could only think of one method: placing you in the Harem!”

Li Chang’an was speechless.

He hadn’t expected the Empress to pull a fast one on him.

Seeing that he was seemingly at a loss for words, a hint of slyness flickered in the Empress’s eyes.

In her repeated clashes with Li Chang’an, she, the Empress, had never once come out on top. This time, she had finally managed to catch him off guard.

It gave her the satisfying thrill of getting her revenge, and she couldn’t help but tease him. “What’s this? Is my dear subject so shy? Or could it be that you have a wife out there you can’t let go of?”

Seeing that she actually dared to flirt with him, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but laugh. “I am honored by Your Majesty’s profound affection. Should I perhaps choose an auspicious day for us to consummate our union?”

Although this whole affair had taken a roundabout path, he hadn’t lost out either way. Li Chang’an couldn’t have been bothered to make a fuss, but since the Empress dared to play with fire in front of him, he didn’t mind adding some fuel to it.

The Empress hadn’t expected him to reply so bluntly.

Her lovely, jade-like face instantly flushed red. She stammered for a good while before finally managing to say, “My… My dear subject is joking. This is the token for the Library Pavilion. From now on, you may come and go as you please. However, the top floor is where Third Grand-uncle is in seclusion. It would be best if you didn’t go near it on a normal day!”

Taking the token, Li Chang’an didn’t let Su Ying off the hook so easily.

He reached out and stroked the Empress’s face.

His five fingers traced a path across her translucent, lovely cheek, down to her long, jade-white neck.

Li Chang’an said in a low voice, “Your Majesty’s thoughts are always exceptionally deep. To control me, you were even willing to stake yourself… This is the first time, and I hope it will be the last. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind letting Your Majesty learn the meaning of ’hoisted by your own petard’!”

After saying this, Li Chang’an withdrew his hand.

He turned and left in the direction of the Library Pavilion.