socalfunplaces Page 550
Page 550
However, Li Chang'an's mention of the Karmic Fire Tribulation meant he had her lifeline in his grasp, and she was truly afraid that Li Chang'an would reveal the Karmic Fire to Wei Yuan's face.
"Oh... today's woman is lustful." Li Chang'an suddenly realized.
"You! I'll kill you right now!" Luo Yuheng's expression suddenly changed, and a flying sword shot out from the sky, stopping a foot away from Li Chang'an.
"Yuheng, let's talk about our business later. We have guests here, so don't be willful."
Li Chang'an spoke in a gentle tone, the same tone he used when speaking to Xu Lingyue, which the voyeur Luo Yuheng was very familiar with.
"Humph."
Luo Yuheng sheathed his flying sword and sat down in the chair next to Li Chang'an. His cheeks bulged involuntarily, clearly suppressing a great deal of anger.
Everyone here is intelligent. Li Chang'an's idea is that the Grand Preceptor shouldn't argue, and we can discuss this in detail after Wei Yuan leaves.
The graceful national teacher's gaze swept over Wei Yuan, noticing the utter astonishment on Wei Yuan's face.
"Lord Wei, there are some things you'd better pretend you don't know."
Wei Yuan swallowed hard, never expecting that he would be threatened one day.
Wei Yuan nodded, then sat down on the other side, and the hall fell silent.
The amount of information Li Chang'an provided was overwhelming; the news that Emperor Yuanjing was dead was truly shocking to him.
"His Majesty is dead?" Wei Yuan couldn't help but ask.
"What exactly happened to Emperor Yuanjing?" Luo Yuheng asked almost simultaneously.
Li Chang'an said slowly, "Old Wei, don't you think that Emperor Yuanjing's behavior has been completely different since he ascended the throne?"
Wei Yuan's eyelids twitched, and he slowly said, "When His Majesty first ascended the throne, he was decisive and hardworking, and he was skilled in governing his subordinates, so the ministers were all loyal to him. The power of the Great Feng Kingdom has grown day by day, and its prestige has spread throughout the land."
"Later...later he devoted himself to Taoist cultivation, abstained from women, and ignored state affairs. The factional struggles in the court continued, and the country's strength gradually declined...alas."
Wei Yuan glanced at Luo Yuheng. He wasn't familiar with the Imperial Advisor, and these were things he shouldn't have said casually in front of Luo Yuheng.
However, based on his observation just now, Luo Yuheng and Li Chang'an clearly had a complicated relationship; there was a hint of affection in the Grand Preceptor's eyes.
Wei Yuan had also seen that kind of captivated look in the Empress's eyes.
Moreover, Li Chang'an had already steered the conversation to the fact that Emperor Yuanjing was dead, so what was there left to avoid?
Li Chang'an looked at Wei Yuan and said with a half-smile, "Old Wei, Emperor Yuanjing's change is related to you."
Wei Yuan, who had just regained his composure, was once again in turmoil; he could hardly believe his ears.
“Brother Li… I, Wei, am loyal to the country and have no selfish motives whatsoever, how could this be…”
"You old Wei, you've taken a liking to Emperor Yuanjing's empress? Do you really think the emperor doesn't mind?" Li Chang'an said with a smile.
Wei Yuan's face darkened, and he said frankly, "Although I had some past feelings for the Empress, those feelings have long since vanished. After the Battle of Shanhai, I even crippled myself to prove my loyalty to the Emperor."
Wei Yuan met and fell in love with the Empress in his early years, but the Empress was selected to enter the palace, and their elopement failed. Wei Yuan was also castrated.
Before the Battle of Shanhai, Consort Chen told Emperor Yuanjing about this in her quest for favor, and Wei Yuan crippled himself after the battle.
After all, when martial arts are cultivated to a high level, severed limbs can regenerate, and it is not impossible for him to reunite with the Empress.
"However, you later returned to martial arts training."
Wei Yuan's renewed cultivation of martial arts was almost unknown to outsiders, but Li Chang'an had already noticed it, so he did not hide it from Li Chang'an.
At this moment, Luo Yuheng said calmly, "I have no interest in these matters. Lord Wei, please rest assured, I will not tell anyone."
Wei Yuan nodded slowly, "I will not reveal the matter between the Imperial Preceptor and Brother Li."
A flash of anger crossed Luo Yuheng's eyes, but she was helpless. According to her senses, Wei Yuan was a second-rank martial artist, and she might not be able to defeat him.
Wei Yuan seemed to be talking to himself, saying, "Being under a dangerous wall, without martial arts to protect myself, I'm afraid my life is in danger at any moment."
Luo Yuheng was speechless. If Wei Yuan had no martial arts skills, he would have killed him after leaving the house today.
Li Chang'an then asked, "Yuheng, how is Emperor Yuanjing's cultivation aptitude?"
Luo Yuheng remained calm, forced to accept the title "Yuheng," as he said, "a born waste, with a weak soul, beyond saving."
“Wrong, he’s already a second-rank official.” Li Chang’an said with certainty.
A hint of surprise flashed in Luo Yuheng's beautiful eyes, then she snorted softly, "Absolutely impossible!"
Although the Imperial Preceptor spoke with a firm tone, he was already uneasy inside. Li Chang'an even knew about his own karmic tribulation, so his words were definitely not unfounded.
"Speaking of which, this matter is still related to Lao Wei."
Wei Yuan looked somewhat anxious. "Brother Li! Are you saying that the tremendous changes before and after His Majesty's reign, including his advancement in cultivation, are all related to me?"
Li Chang'an continued, "Back then, when Emperor Yuanjing learned about your affair with the Empress, he was possessed by a demon and went astray. Then someone took advantage of his weakness and he is now just an incarnation of a master."
When Li Chang'an revealed the truth, Wei Yuan and Luo Yuheng were both extremely shocked. This matter could be considered the most important secret of the Great Feng Dynasty.
"Brother Li, who exactly is that expert?"
Li Chang'an shook his head. "You are all still half-believing and half-doubting what I say, because this matter is too bizarre, and it's normal that you can't accept it for the time being."
"Why don't you investigate who that expert is yourselves?"
Wei Yuan was filled with anxiety, because if what Li Chang'an said was true, then Emperor Yuanjing's inconsistency, his initial wisdom followed by his eventual folly, could be perfectly explained.
Li Chang'an had said all he needed to say, and his reminders were sufficient. Wei Yuan should be able to investigate the rest himself.
Wei Yuan pondered for a long time before regaining his composure. After all, even such a momentous event as the sky falling and the earth collapsing required confirmation step by step.
If the matter is true, one must meticulously plan and resolve it, remaining calm even in the face of imminent collapse—this is the composure and self-cultivation of a powerful minister.
He changed the subject and asked about something else, "Brother Li, according to what Jiang Luzhong said, you encountered a formidable opponent in Yunzhou?"
In fact, this was his main purpose in coming to see Li Chang'an.
Li Chang'an said, "Indeed, he is a second-rank sorcerer with considerable cultivation and great ambition."
Wei Yuan asked anxiously, "What's this person's background? Does the Great Feng Dynasty even have such a figure?"
“This person has obscured the secrets of heaven. If I reveal his name, your memories will be instantly erased. All you need to know is that they are related to the royal family that lost the throne five hundred years ago.”
Wei Yuan's heart pounded, but he tried his best to remain calm. In any case, this trip had not been in vain; he had obtained two important pieces of news.
"Brother Li, thank you for informing me of this. I will take my leave now."
After Wei Qingyi finished speaking, she left in a hurry, as both of these important matters concerned the life and death of the Great Feng Dynasty.
He has a lot to do: he needs to find ways to verify things and make arrangements for contingencies. It's a whirlwind of tasks.
"Alas, the nation is in dire straits, and demons are running rampant."
Wei Yuan sighed and left Li Chang'an's residence.
"Li Chang'an, just who are you, you monster!" After Wei Yuan left, Luo Yuheng stood up and looked at Li Chang'an with a wary expression.
Li Chang'an stared at Luo Yuheng's stunning face, making Luo Yuheng blush and dart away.
"Yuheng, shouldn't you know best who I am? After all, you're the one who often spyes on me."
"You spied on my cultivation, watched me write and paint, and even watched me practice dual cultivation. This is going too far," Li Chang'an shook his head, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"Yuheng, you can't do whatever you want just because you have a high cultivation level."
Luo Yuheng's expression changed slightly. She was indeed arrogant, thinking that Li Chang'an would not notice.
"What kind of cultivation technique do you practice? How did you detect it? And how do you know about the Karmic Fire?"
Li Chang'an said, "That's not important. What's important is why you did it?"
"Yuheng, since we know each other so well, shouldn't we be honest with each other and have a heart-to-heart talk? Maybe we can help each other out."
Seeing that Li Chang'an looked calm while he himself seemed a little impatient, Luo Yuheng sat down as well to calm himself down.
“You cultivate three disciplines simultaneously, which is already defying the heavens. Moreover, your methods are strange, and that sword technique is incomparably powerful, but it did not originate from my Human Sect.”
"Your disciple is clearly not dead, yet you're making a fuss about resurrection. How can I, as the Imperial Advisor, not investigate someone like you appearing in the capital?"
"Just like Wei Yuan just said, you might be a demon who has infiltrated the capital."
Luo Yuheng spoke with righteous indignation, as if she had a reason for everything she did, but her tone was not sharp, but rather soft and gentle, which was quite touching.
"Yuheng, you're being too dishonest. Since today is the day of the woman's tribulation, don't be so serious."
Luo Yuheng glared at Li Chang'an, but his anger was clearly mixed with resentment.
"Are you very confident? But you're mistaken. Today's tribulation of the seven emotions is not 'desire,' but simply 'love.'"
"You should be glad that today is not a day of anger or malice!"
Li Chang'an didn't believe a word of it, but still pretended to suddenly understand, "So that's how it is. I thought the Grand Preceptor was having a sexual outburst, but I was wrong."
Luo Yuheng glared at Li Chang'an, but her watery eyes were misty and showed no anger.
"Since you know about this, how could you not know that in the Great Feng Dynasty, your fortune is the most prosperous!"
"Your disciple is not bad either, but for some reason, he has been firmly suppressed by you."
Li Chang'an nodded and said, "Oh, so you've been eyeing me."
Luo Yuheng softened his tone and said, "So, I had my reasons for investigating your residence."
"You are so unpredictable and can uncover the secrets of heaven. Perhaps you also have other ways to break the karmic fire."
Li Chang'an certainly had methods. Among the myriad realms of magic, there were many ways to suppress karmic fire. As for tribulations, they could simply be transformed into other tribulations.