The Imperial Advisor narrowed his eyes and gazed into Lu Fan's.

A long moment later, an amiable smile appeared on the Imperial Advisor's wrinkled face.

"Good. Very good," he said.

Then, he started coughing excessively, and his face turned red.

He flicked his wide sleeve and beat his chest until the coughing ceased. He then looked over at the small island, a relaxed expression on his face as he enjoyed the breeze.

"This is such a nice place... After I put down the rebellions, I'll move here for my retirement. I won't ask for too much. All I need is a hut by the lake."

"When it's windy or rainy outside, I'll simply hide in my hut and boil some wine for tasting."

"When it's nice and sunny outside, I'll go fis.h.i.+ng in a small boat on the lake..."

The Imperial Advisor was smiling, and his cloudy eyes were full of antic.i.p.ation and hope.

"When the time comes, I'll keep you company and play chess with you. Life will be so nice," Lu Fan said with a smile.

The Imperial Advisor laughed, overflowing with happiness.

"I just hope that you, Ping'an, can keep your promise. With great power comes great ambition. It's strange, though. I can't detect much ambition in you..."

The Imperial Advisor studied Lu Fan with a gentle expression on his face.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan gently stroked the thin woolen blanket. He didn't say anything.

It wasn't that he didn't have ambition. The thing was...

What the Imperial Advisor mentioned, the society, the Imperial Court, and even the world of the empire... were simply not within the scope of his ambition.

Great Zhou was only part of Wuhuang Continent.

Lu Fan's heart was set on transforming the whole Wuhuang Continent. In fact... he wanted to do far more than that.

So, the Imperial Advisor wasn't wrong in saying that Lu Fan didn't have much ambition.

"Actually, philosopher, you can take a rest any time you want," Lu Fan said as he gazed at the Imperial Advisor.

"The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Even if you watch over the present, it doesn't mean you can guarantee the future," Lu Fan continued.

The Imperial Advisor stood up and walked over to the patio railing. He looked out over the calm surface of the lake with his hands clasped behind his back. His hands were inside his wide sleeves, while his loose, white hair hung over his shoulders.

"The late emperor asked me to help the young emperor before he pa.s.sed away. How can I run from my promise and leave the emperor to the traitorous monsters coming at him from all directions? I don't expect to guarantee the future. All I want is to guard the empire at present so that the emperor can see hope in despair," the Imperial Advisor said slowly.

His voice was deep, and carried a trace of exhaustion.

He turned around and asked, "Ping'an, are you willing to a.s.sist the emperor?" He gazed at Lu Fan with a slightly hopeful expression on his age-spotted face.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Fan took out a black piece from the box. He gently placed it on the chessboard and pressed it down with his index finger, caressing it.

"I do not." Lu Fan firmly declined the offer, leaving no room for negotiation.

The Imperial Advisor didn't look too disappointed. Lu Fan's answer was expected.

"I've talked for too long. It's about time for me to visit Lu Manor and pull out the green onion..."

The Imperial Advisor took a couple of steps and was about to walk downstairs.

Lu Fan was a little surprised. "Green onion... Mo Tianyu hasn't been pulled out yet?"

Lu Fan was truly surprised. He thought the Imperial Advisor had already saved Mo Tianyu before coming over to see him.

Was Mo Tianyu... really his disciple?

"That punk is too arrogant. It's good to teach him a lesson." The Imperial Advisor waved his hand.

Suddenly, he paused at the top of the wooden stairs and looked at Lu Fan. Soon, however, he recovered his serious demeanor.

As he flicked his wide sleeves and crossed his hands in front of his chest, overwhelming Righteousness Qi emerged from his body.

"Confucianism. Kong Xiu."

Lu Fan's eyes flashed, and his wheelchair turned around on its own to face the Imperial Advisor. He, too, crossed his hands in front of his body.

"Beiluo. Lu Fan."

They then clasped their hands and bowed to each other.

The Imperial Advisor formally gave his name, which was his way of acknowledging Lu Fan's Philosopher-level strength.

The next moment, the Imperial Advisor burst out laughing. He then turned around and continued walking down the wooden steps.

"Sister Ning," Lu Fan said.

"Yes," Ning Zhao said, acknowledging his order.

She pushed Lu Fan's wheelchair, and together they followed the Imperial Advisor's footsteps.

Ni Yu carried the chessboard on her back.

Nie Changqing picked up the butcher knife. Nie Shuang wanted to go with him, but Nie Changqing glared at him.

"Go run around the island 20 times within half a zodiac hour," he told him. "If you can't finish, your punishment will be to do a half squat for two zodiac hours."

Nie Shuang's little face went pale.

Nie Changqing... You've changed!

Ni Yu sympathetically patted Nie Shuang's shoulder and hurried to follow Lu Fan.

At the lakeside, a pleasant breeze was blowing.

Sitting under a giant chrysanthemum, Lu Changkong focused his spirit and consciousness. The Spirit Qi inside his body was quickly surging within him.

He could feel that the big chrysanthemum was breathing a wisp of Spirit Qi in and out.

He further focused his consciousness, trying to pull the Spirit Qi right out of the chrysanthemum. He called this method "Qi-s.n.a.t.c.hing from the Chrysanthemum's mouth."

Suddenly...

Lu Changkong opened his eyes.

His Qi and blood made a series of Internal Blasting Resonances, and he performed the entire Dispersed Earth Sutra. His entire body was covered by mysterious hot air.

He locked onto the wisp of Spirit Qi from the giant Chrysanthemum and tried pulling it into his Qi Core.

It was as if he were playing tug-of-war with the Chrysanthemum, and his face flushed red from the exertion.

Yet the Spirit Qi the big Chrysanthemum breathed was extremely heavy, as if it weighed over ten thousand pounds. No matter how hard Lu Changkong tried to pull it, it wouldn't move an inch.

Lu Fan, who had just exited the building, sensed Lu Changkong's predicament and was slightly surprised.

He hadn't expected his old man to have such a talent for cultivation.

Unfortunately, Dispersed Earth Sutra couldn't breathe Spirit Qi until it was deducted through [All Method Furnace].

Ning Zhao was still pus.h.i.+ng the wheelchair.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan slowly chanted Ksitigarbha Sutra, the improved deducted version of Dispersed Earth Sutra.

His consciousness was highly focused.

Through his powerful Soul Strength, Lu Fan sent Lu Changkong a message through the air.

Every single word traveled for several miles and then arrived at Lu Changkong's ears.

Lu Changkong trembled.

He turned and stared in disbelief in the direction of the White Jade City building.

Astonished by what Lu Fan was capable of, Lu Changkong also focused his consciousness and tried to move the Spirit Qi using the method described in Ksitigarbha Sutra.

He started performing the method.

In his Qi Core, an incredibly strong suction power emerged.

The wisp of Spirit Qi breathed out by the big chrysanthemum was pulled out, and it entered Lu Changkong's body. As it traveled to his Qi Core, it went through his arms and legs and purified every part of his body.

Lu Changkong looked pleased as he crouched on the ground.

His clothes were fluttering, even though there was no wind, but soon settled back against his body.

Lu Changkong successfully entered Second Stage Qi Core Realm.

[Detected: Lu Changkong (Ident.i.ty: City Master of Beiluo City) successfully entered Second Stage Qi Core Realm. Available Take As Commission: 1 wisp of Spirit Qi. Do you confirm the Take As Commission?]

A system message suddenly popped up, and one corner of Lu Fan's mouth quirked upward.

[All Method Furnace] was created through [Dao Impartment Platform]. Ksitigarbha Sutra came from the deduction using [All Method Furnace], which was related to [Dao Impartment Platform].

Lu Fan had access to Take As Commission from the Spirit Qi refined by any cultivator, as long as their practice was relevant to [Dao Impartment Platform].

So, Lu Changkong entering Second Stage Qi Core Realm meant that Lu Fan could earn a wisp of Spirit Qi through Take as Commission.

He confirmed the Take as Commission without hesitation.

Lu Fan's Spirit Qi stats had now increased to 102 wisps.

Suddenly, Lu Fan narrowed his eyes slightly. It occurred to him that the Secret Realm, Hidden Dragon Ridge, was also created through [Dao Impartment Platform]. So if a cultivator obtained Spirit Qi in the Secret Realm, he should be able to earn a corresponding Take as Commission.

Lu Fan's heart fluttered with excitement.

Maybe reaching Refined Qi Level 100... wouldn't be that difficult.

After entering Second Stage Qi Core Realm, Lu Changkong felt like a new person. His essence, Qi, and spirit were all refreshed.

Slightly surprised, the Imperial Advisor gave Lu Changkong a meaningful look.

But he didn't say anything.

Instead, he smiled at him and said, "I find these chrysanthemums intriguing. Is it possible Ping'an would give me one of that which he treasures?"

In the wheelchair, Lu Fan looked down at his lap as he slightly rubbed his long, thin fingers against each other.

"No," he said flatly.

Lu Fan's refusal was very firm, so the Imperial Advisor didn't insist. He simply cast an envious look at the Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemums.

Coming to the island was a bit difficult, but leaving was a breeze.

The group boarded the wooden luxury boat.

As the boat moved across the lake, they all enjoyed the surrounding scenery. Before they knew it, the boat had docked on the bank of Beiluo Lake.

Lu Changkong helped the Imperial Advisor get off the boat, while Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing carried the wheelchair and put it on the black brick paved road.

From a distance...

A clip-clop sound came...

Followed by the loud sound of a donkey braying.

"Hee-haw~ Hee-haw~."

On the black brick paved road along the lake...

A shabby donkey cart came toward them. No one seemed to pay much attention to it, though, because they a.s.sumed it was just some civilian cart from Beiluo City.

The donkey cart moved slowly, and as it pa.s.sed the group, an honest-looking young man wearing a dark blue gown flashed them a simple, silly smile.

Suddenly...

The thin rope on the stick broke, and the carrot dangling from it fell off and rolled away.

The donkey breathed heavily, hot air blowing out from its nostrils.

It reared and stood on its hind legs, and the whole cart almost fell on its side.

The honest-looking young man fell to the ground, looking shocked and terrified, and he started crying sadly.

Surprised, everyone looked his way, a.s.suming it was an accident.

The young man rolled over a couple of times. Then, he suddenly bounced up from the ground like a spring and, like a fleeting shadow, rushed right at the frail Imperial Advisor.

From the sleeve of his dark blue gown, a silver pair of scissors slid out. They coldly glistened under the blinding light of the sun.

Invisible scissors cut your soul; you see the blood but not where I go!

The honest look on the young man's face vanished.

In its place was the confident, cold expression of the second-best a.s.sa.s.sin in the world.

a.s.sa.s.sin's Creed: catch the target unawares and kill it with one strike.

The atmosphere instantly changed, becoming dark and menacing.