He even thought it would do him some good to suffer a little longer.

Mo Tianyu was simply too arrogant and ruthless. Self-proclaimed as "Mo the madman," he considered himself better than everyone else in the world.

He had sent Mo Tianyu to invite Lu Fan to meet him, yet Mo Tianyu not only failed to follow his instructions, but he also climbed over Lu Manor's wall and ended up being inserted into the ground like a green onion.

Mo Tianyu had it coming. All of it.

Based on the information he'd collected, the Imperial Advisor concluded that it was very likely that Lu Fan had obtained Immortal encounter and became one of the Blessed, just like the emperor.

Yes. The Imperial Advisor called those who'd obtained Immortal encounter the Blessed.

Based on what Yuwen Xiu told him, he even figured out who the other Blessed might be. He just didn't tell Yuwen Xiu about it.

He was prideful. He would never kneel to anyone on earth or in the heavens.

He'd rather kneel to the common people than to the Immortal.

Someone like that was rare in Great Zhou Dynasty.

Yuwen Xiu might not be able to figure out who the blessed were, but the Imperial Advisor could. He had researched all kinds of information from all around the world and had met with all sorts of people, so he was familiar with different types of characteristics and habits people had.

The Imperial Advisor had figured out three possible candidates for the other Blessed.

The first was Jiang Li, the City Master of Drunken Dragon City. This person had climbed the social ladder and made a name for himself in the Imperial Court. He was the late emperor's best weapon, as well as his most trusted subordinate.

After the late emperor pa.s.sed away, Jiang Li started guarding Drunken Dragon City, the front gate of the empire, for the new emperor.

The second was the Mayor of West County, Xiang Shaoyun, aka the Conqueror of West County and the Lord of Western Liang.

The third one was Mo Tianyu. Well, might as well not mention him.

According to the Imperial Advisor, if Jiang Li was one of the Blessed, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing for Great Zhou.

But...

If Xiang Shaoyun had become one of the Blessed, the situation of the world would become even more complicated.

Xiang Shaoyun teamed up with Mohist, one of the strongest among the Hundred Schools of Philosophy. In the Imperial Advisor's eyes, Xiang Shaoyun was no match for Mohist, even though he was a top-level martial arts Grandmaster.

But if Xiang Shaoyun became a Blessed, thing would become more complicated.

Besides saving Mo Tianyu, the reason the Imperial Advisor had come to Beiluo City so soon was for Lu Fan.

Lu Ping'an from Beiluo City was also a Blessed.

If the Imperial Advisor wouldn't go "pull the green onion out," Lu Changkong couldn't make him. He'd learned that Lu Fan had left home to collect the brothel from the three major aristocratic families as rent payment.

He then ordered to have a carriage ready to take the Imperial Advisor to Beiluo Lake Island.

...

Beiluo Lake Island.

The surface of the lake rippled in the breezy wind.

On the fis.h.i.+ng boat...

An older man in a white gown held a green bamboo staff in one hand and a smooth, polished turtle sh.e.l.l, which was quite eye-catching, in the other. His eyes were bright and deep.

"Astrology Sect?" Lu Fan slightly raised his eyebrows.

Astrology Sect was quite mysterious among Hundred Schools of Philosophy. Those in the sect were known for their skills in deduction, calculation, and divination.

"Interesting. Daoist and Sword Sect of Hundred Schools of Philosophy had both sent people to Beiluo City. I had all of them killed. Their bodies are at the bottom of this lake. So I'm curious. Why didn't you leave?" Lu Fan asked.

Lu Fan, who was leaning back in his wheelchair, was playing with a black chess piece in one hand as he enjoyed the breeze over the lakeside. His tone was flat.

Nie Changqing deployed Spirit Qi from his Qi Core, and the Spirit Qi started swirling around his butcher knife. His eyes were cold and intense.

Ning Zhao did the same.

Quite alert, Yi Yue had one of her delicate hands resting on the whip tucked at her waist.

"Barf..."

Clinging to the edge of the boat, Ni Yu was still retching, ruining the atmosphere.

"Young Master Lu, please don't be so confrontational. Let's talk. We astrologists never interfere with the affairs of the Imperial Court or those of the martial arts world. So Young Master Lu has no reason to kill me, does he?"

Lv Mudui grinned, revealing a missing front tooth.

"Your smile... is too ugly. Does that count as a reason?" Lu Fan lightly rubbed the chess piece in his palm.

At Lu Fan's words, Lv Mudui's grin froze. He pressed his lips together, subconsciously trying to hide the gap in his teeth.

"Okay, I'm not going to kill you for now," Lu fan said. "Let's go on the island together. I have something to ask you. If you give a good answer, you can live."

"Nie, start the boat," Lu Fan said.

"Yes."

Nie Changqing had a cold, serious expression on his face. He was standing at the back of the boat, and was slightly leaning back against it. His Qi and blood were roaring. He pressed his feet down on the boat, and the boat quickly sped up and flew toward Beiluo Lake Island.

The fis.h.i.+ng boat sailed across the dark green lake, scaring the fish and gulls, who all took off at once.

Soon...

The boat docked.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Fan got off the boat as Ning Zhao pushed him forward.

Yi Yue carried Ni Yu, who looked exhausted and miserable. They also followed Lu Fan at his side.

The white-gown-wearing Lv Mudui of Astrology Sect stepped off the fis.h.i.+ng boat while tapping his green bamboo staff.

What?

As soon as he got off the boat, his whole body trembled.

The little island seemed different. He took a deep breath, raised his head, and closed his eyes.

There seemed to be a Qi flow quickly flying between the sky and the earth like a fish das.h.i.+ng back and forth in the water.

This was...

Lv Mudui's eyes bulged with shock and wonder.

He looked around and found that all the gra.s.s, flowers, and trees on the island were withered. Ten plants were in their place.

He looked closer and found that they were all chrysanthemums.

What, chrysanthemums?

The look on Lv Mudui's face as he stared at those three-foot tall chrysanthemums, whose stems were as thick as a girl's wrist, was priceless.

The strange flow of Qi seemed to be coming from the chrysanthemums.

What kind of Qi flow was this?

And why did he have such a strong desire for it?

In fact, it wasn't just Lv Mudui who desired it. Ning Zhao, who was pus.h.i.+ng the wheelchair, and Nie Changqing, who was holding Nie Shuang, also felt their hearts stir with longing.

They knew what it was like to have Spirit Qi, so their reactions were even more intense!

The Qi flowing around the island like fish through water was ... the extremely precious Spirit Qi!

Was there natural Spirit Qi in the world?

No...

Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao suddenly realized. The Spirit Qi was there... because of the chrysanthemums the Young Master had planted.

Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao, who at first thought this was a bit strange, were now thrilled. There was finally Spirit Qi in the world. Did that mean they could now absorb the Spirit Qi this way and break through the realm?!

"Wow, they're blooming?" Lu Fan asked. His eyes lit up.

Gazing at the ten Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums breathing in and out Spirit Qi, he smiled broadly.

They didn't waste the Qi they had absorbed from half the peach trees on the island.

There were ten Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums. Each could produce one wisp of Spirit Qi every three days.

That made ten wisps. If the Spirit Qi wasn't consumed, the Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum would keep it, but if it was consumed, it would produce another wisp of Spirit Qi within three days.

Lu Fan thought it would take some time for the Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums to bloom. He hadn't expected them to thrive so soon.

What a surprise!

Lu Fan hadn't done much research on Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums.

He told Ning Zhao to push him to the entrance of White Jade City.

"Please," Nie Changqing said to Lv Mudui.

With the butcher knife carried over his shoulder, Nie Changqing glanced at Lv Mudui, a stony expression on his face.

Lv Mudui reluctantly looked away from the Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums and swallowed. His stomach was churning.

He found Lu Fan more and more mysterious.

Lv Mudui stepped up the black brick stairs and walked up to the building, lightly tapping his green bamboo staff against the ground.

He was about to follow Lu Fan and enter the building of White Jade City.

But he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

As if sensing something, he looked up and gazed at the vertical inscribed boards on either side of the door.

A pair of couplets had caught his eyes, even though they didn't look like anything special.