Facing the greeting from Lu Li and his disciples, Zhou Ruolin’s face immediately blossomed into an extremely enthusiastic smile.
Afterwards, he lifted his right hand in a polite gesture to Lu Li and his disciples.
“Master Lu, there’s no need for such formality, please rise! My esteemed ministers, why haven’t you arranged a seat for the Master yet?”
At his words, a Royal Attendant immediately brought over a brocade stool, placing it at the place of honor not far from beneath the Dragon Throne in the grand hall.
Once Lu Li and his two disciples were seated, Zhou Ruolin swept his gaze over them and addressed Lu Li with a hearty laugh.
“Master Lu, I have long heard of your illustrious name! Regarding the matter in Yangzhou City before, it was all thanks to you risking everything to turn the tide, not only rescuing those innocent children, but also foiling the sinister schemes of the Yin Corpse Sect’s demonic cultists, keeping my Jin Kingdom safe and saving the people from disaster!”
“For such great kindness and virtue, both I and the people of the Jin Kingdom are deeply grateful to Master Lu!”
His words were sincere, carrying that unique imperial charisma.
Yet as Lu Li listened to the emperor’s voice, his brow twitched ever so slightly.
For some reason, the tone and subtle inflections of Zhou Ruolin’s voice felt vaguely familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
But when he tried to recall, he simply couldn’t grasp where.
Looking at his two disciples seated beside him, they also seemed to have sensed something after hearing Zhou Ruolin’s words, both frowning in puzzlement, a trace of doubt flashing in their eyes.
“Your Majesty flatters me. Slaying demons and protecting the innocent is simply our duty as cultivators,”
Lu Li suppressed the odd feeling in his heart, replying humbly.
Zhou Ruolin’s smile did not waver, but his gaze quietly shifted to Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu behind Lu Li, lingering a moment in appreciation on Gong Shangyu’s remarkable appearance and Gu Qingying’s unique violet eyes.
“Heh heh… Master, you’re too modest. Oh? Are these your distinguished disciples?”
“Indeed, both are outstanding and dignified! I heard that in Yangzhou City, these two young friends contributed greatly as well. Truly the younger generation is to be admired! It seems the Xuling Sect’s legacy is well maintained and talents abound—no wonder it is such a famed orthodox sect in the cultivation world.”
Zhou Ruolin’s words seemed like ordinary praise, but Lu Li keenly sensed that deep in the emperor’s gaze toward his disciples, there was a hint of indescribable probing—definitely not mere admiration for promising youth.
Gong Shangyu and Gu Qingying immediately stood and bowed again to Zhou Ruolin.
“Your Majesty overpraises us. We do not dare accept such compliments.”
Gu Qingying’s voice was clear, her bearing calm and neither servile nor arrogant.
Gong Shangyu wore an impeccable, gentle smile like a noble scion, yet her eyes remained tranquil, even with a trace of unnoticeable aloofness.
After exchanging a few courtesies, the banquet in Qianyuan Hall of the Jin Kingdom soon began.
The music of strings and pipes was melodious, the singing girls and dancers performed gracefully, and Lu Li mingled with the Jin Kingdom’s ruler and ministers in a lively scene of celebration.
Zhou Ruolin chatted cheerfully, urging drinks and food, inquiring about various anecdotes from the cultivation world, displaying extraordinary affability.
There was no sign of him being the violent man rumored to have used any means necessary to seize the throne, even murdering his brothers and imprisoning his own father.
Yet the odd sense in Lu Li’s heart could not be dispelled.
Because this Jin Emperor, Zhou Ruolin, gave him an inexplicable feeling of familiarity and… a hidden sense of danger.
While responding to Zhou Ruolin, he remained vigilant, pondering inwardly.
Where did this strange familiarity come from?
And why did the emperor seem particularly interested in his two male disciples?
A while later, the banquet ended and the music faded.
Lu Li led his two disciples, guided by a fair-faced, respectful Royal Attendant, to the guest quarters arranged at the Honglu Temple by the Jin Kingdom.
The Jin Emperor Zhou Ruolin was quite generous, bestowing Pills and Ling Stones of exceptional quality upon Lu Li.
However, the thread of doubt in Lu Li’s mind remained tangled like a spider’s web, unmoved by the rich gifts.
Just as Lu Li and his disciples were about to reach the guesthouse, another elderly Grand Eunuch in even higher-ranked attire hurried over, blocking their way.
He first gave a signal to the attendant, who immediately bowed and stepped aside.
The Grand Eunuch turned to Lu Li, his face breaking into a humble, mysterious smile, his sharp voice lowered.
‘Master Lu, please wait a moment. His Majesty has an order… He sincerely invites you to the Imperial Study for an important matter to discuss.’
Lu Li paused, a faint alarm sounding in his heart.
A private imperial summons?
And in the middle of the night?
Lu Li’s expression remained calm as he replied, “May I ask what business His Majesty summons this humble one for at such a late hour?”
The Grand Eunuch’s smile didn’t change, but he bowed even lower.
“His Majesty only instructed this old servant to invite you at all costs, saying it concerns the fate of the state and people, and… it is highly confidential, not suitable to mention at the court banquet.”
“As for the details, this servant truly does not know. His Majesty said Master Lu would understand after arriving.”
Lu Li pondered for a moment, Zhou Ruolin’s strange behavior at the banquet flashing through his mind.
He felt certain the matter was far from simple.
Yet, with the state’s fate as a reason and himself on their turf, it seemed unwise to refuse outright.
“If that’s the case, I’ll trouble you to lead the way, Eunuch.”
Lu Li finally nodded, instructing Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu behind him, “Qingying, Baiyu, you two go ahead with this eunuch to settle in the guesthouse. I’ll be back shortly.”
Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu exchanged a glance, seeing the same concern in each other’s eyes.
After all, the emperor’s behavior was strange.
Summoning their Master alone to the study late at night—who could know what his intentions were?
“Uh, Master…”
Gu Qingying couldn’t help wanting to dissuade Lu Li.
Lu Li raised his hand to stop her, offering a reassuringly gentle look.
“Heh heh… Don’t worry, His Majesty is the ruler of a nation and will have his boundaries. You just wait here in peace.”
Though he spoke thus, watching Lu Li’s figure slowly receding with the Grand Eunuch, the unease in Gong Shangyu and Gu Qingying’s hearts only grew stronger.
“Hey… Gong Second! What do we do now?”
Gu Qingying tugged at Gong Shangyu’s sleeve, her violet eyes full of worry, then used a secret voice transmission technique to speak to her Second Senior Sister.
“I really think there’s something off about the emperor. If Master meets him alone and something goes wrong…”
Gong Shangyu narrowed her rosy eyes, watching Lu Li’s figure disappear around the palace corner without replying.
Only after following her junior sister into the guest room and watching the guiding attendant leave did Gong Shangyu finally speak, turning to her little junior sister.
“We can’t let Master go alone! Who knows what that Jin Emperor is up to?”
Gong Shangyu looked at Gu Qingying, lowering her voice:
“Use your Cognition Modification System to minimize our presence and stealthily follow them!”
Gu Qingying instantly understood.
She focused and quietly activated the Cognition Modification System.
An invisible, subtle ripple spread from her, shrouding herself and Gong Shangyu.
In the eyes of the nearby guards and maids, their area became a blind spot—any gaze would instinctively overlook it, as if the two girls were nothing but air.
“Let’s go!”
Gong Shangyu said in a low voice, and the two slipped away like shadowy phantoms, using the night for cover, trailing far behind Lu Li and the Grand Eunuch as they silently slipped deeper into the palace.
As for Lu Li, he was led by the Grand Eunuch through the palace’s winding corridors and soon arrived at the Imperial Study.
The Imperial Study was brightly lit, with only Emperor Zhou Ruolin sitting inside. He had changed from his formal Dragon Robe into simple, dark clothes—lessening his imperial majesty but adding an unfathomable depth.
Seeing Lu Li enter, Zhou Ruolin dismissed the Grand Eunuch and all the attendants, rising to greet him in person, his face bearing a heavy yet weary smile.
“Master Lu, I apologize for summoning you so late. Please, have a seat.”
He then invited Lu Li to sit on a rosewood chair in the study, personally pouring a cup of hot tea and pushing it toward him.
Lu Li thanked him but didn’t drink, cutting straight to the point.
“Your Majesty summoned me to the study late at night—may I ask what is the reason? Just now, the eunuch mentioned it concerns the Jin Kingdom’s state and people?”
At these words, the smile on Zhou Ruolin’s face gradually faded, replaced by deep worry.
He was silent for a moment, as if searching for the right words.
At last he spoke slowly, his voice low.
“Master Lu, your insight is indeed sharp. I especially invited you to the capital because of an extremely troublesome and bizarre matter, one that has plagued the Jin Kingdom for some time. Perhaps only a great expert like yourself could catch a clue.”
Zhou Ruolin paused, looking directly at Lu Li, then spoke each word clearly:
“About half a year ago, in the Jin Kingdom’s capital Yicheng, people began having the same dream repeatedly at night. From nobles and ministers down to the common folk.”
“Even my Royal Consorts, and those cultivators within the Royal City, have experienced that strange Dream Phenomenon.”
“Hm? The same dream?”
Lu Li frowned deeply; this was not something he had anticipated.
“Yes.”
Zhou Ruolin nodded heavily, a hint of undisguised dread in his eyes.
“It’s not just the occasional few…”
“But tens of thousands in the city have been dreaming almost exactly the same Dream Phenomenon!”
“At first it was just a handful, so we didn’t think much of it—just some coincidence. But as time passed, more and more were caught up, the range growing ever wider, and now the entire Royal City is restless—it’s practically become a calamity in the Capital!”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.