"The academy certainly cannot intervene."
As soon as Qin Si finished speaking, Qin Yu's eyes dimmed.
He forced a bitter smile through his disappointment and quickly said as if hypnotizing himself, "I know, it's alright. I'll think of other ways. Imperial Uncle, I don't blame you..."
"Listen to me finish," Qin Si frowned slightly.
"Imperial Uncle!" Hearing Qin Si's tone, Qin Yu excitedly stood up, his gaze fixed on Qin Si. "Okay, I'm listening. Please, Imperial Uncle, speak."
If this person weren't truly his nephew, Qin Si would have really wanted to throw him out.
He couldn't bear to look.
Even as the Crown Prince, he hadn't become any more mature or steady.
"But I can personally go there in my own name."
"Thank you, Imperial Uncle! Thank you! I thank you on behalf of Yue'er too!"
Qin Yu repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Qin Si said indifferently, "If you truly want to thank me, then manage the Great Ning Dynasty well and protect its people."
Qin Yu's gaze shifted. "Imperial Uncle, what do you mean?"
Qin Si's gaze was cold. He picked up the tea cup on the table and took a sip, saying no more.
Even on the Shenqi Continent, where parts of the cultivation world and the mortal world coexisted, with ordinary people and cultivators living together, cultivators were inherently fighting against fate. Participating too much in mortal affairs would only add to karma.
After understanding Qin Yu's objective, Qin Si left.
Qin Yu, however, remained restless for a long time. He felt both excitement and worry. Excitement stemmed from Qin Si's affirmation of him, and worry arose from the possibility that he might have misinterpreted Qin Si's intentions.
But Qin Yu believed that given Qin Si's character and status, and his steady progress on the immortal path, he would not have spoken carelessly without reason.
Thinking this, he took a deep breath, stood up, and said, "Someone."
"Your Highness." A attendant walked in from outside. Seeing only Qin Yu in the room, he asked softly, "Has the young prince left already?"
"Yes." Qin Yu said, "We won't return to the capital for now. You will contact General Pingxi and General Zhenguo for me. I wish to visit them privately."
Only the supreme position of the Great Ning Dynasty could manage the Great Ning Dynasty. Even though he was only one step away from it, he did not yet have the qualification.
...
"Qin Si, you're looking for me?"
On the summit of Qianxiao Peak, ever since Venerable Qinglan emerged from seclusion and resided nearby, a layer of mist, as thin as a cicada's wing, had enveloped the surroundings.
Venerable Qinglan, clad in white, emerged from the mist, his clear gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.
Qin Si respectfully said, "Martial Uncle, I wish to invite you to reside on the main peak."
The State Preceptor of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom was clearly from another continent, and this was no minor matter. Therefore, his trip to the Golden Sparrow Kingdom was not solely for Qin Yue.
Furthermore, Qian Ying and Wen Jiuyin were currently with the Heaven Mending Squad. Mu Xing's qualifications were too shallow. If he were not at Shenqi Academy, there would be no one to keep figures like Xia Xilou in check.
Qinglan pinched his fingers and divined what Qin Si had done.
He couldn't help but frown slightly. "You intend to interfere in mortal affairs?"
"Martial Uncle, there is no mortal world on the Shenqi Continent."
As soon as Qin Si spoke, Qinglan fell silent for a moment.
After a while, he said, "As long as you know what you're doing, I will reside on the main peak as you wish during this period. However, I can only stay for seven days."
After seven days, he would have to attend a banquet on another continent.
"Alright," Qin Si said.
Having convinced Qinglan, he returned to his cave dwelling and summoned Gray Shadow.
"How is the search for the items progressing?"
Gray Shadow replied, "Master, please forgive me, but there is still no lead."
Qin Si was not angered. If the Heavenly Mechanism Sword could be found so easily, it would not be the array eye of the continental barrier.
In fact, if Xia Xilou and Song Sheng hadn't been leading people from other continents all over the Shenqi Continent searching for the Heavenly Mechanism Sword, Qin Si would not have focused his attention on the continent, as he felt the Heavenly Mechanism Sword was more likely to be on another continent.
However, he also worried if Xia Xilou and the others had received some news.
"Continue searching," Qin Si commanded again. "Give me a report of all the information you can gather about the Golden Sparrow Kingdom."
After reading the information presented by Gray Shadow, Qin Si had a rough understanding of the matters concerning the Golden Sparrow Kingdom.
The information Qin Yue had investigated was correct. Those nine hundred and ninety-nine young boys and girls were not protectors but sacrifices. As for the Fourth Princess...
"To send one's own daughter to her death? Qin Lingyue wasn't this insane before?" Qin Si frowned deeply.
Qin Lingyue was the current Emperor of the Great Ning Dynasty, Emperor Ningfeng.
Without hesitation, Qin Si tore through space and headed for the Great Ning Dynasty. Before leaving, he contacted Cui Ming.
"I need to go out for a while. Martial Uncle Qinglan will be guarding the main peak. During this time, I'd trouble you to assist Mu Xing."
Qin Si knew Qinglan very well. While Qinglan possessed immense strength, he was not as adept at dealing with schemes and tricks as Cui Ming and the others.
After making these arrangements, he appeared in the Great Ning Dynasty's imperial palace shortly thereafter.
Within the imperial palace, Emperor Ningfeng was in his sleeping quarters preparing to bathe and change before favoring a newly arrived beauty. Seeing the figure that suddenly appeared, he almost fell to the ground.
"Who... who are you?"
Qin Si, wearing a mask, stood in mid-air. Emperor Ningfeng couldn't recognize him at all.
Emperor Ningfeng frantically looked around and found that the eunuchs and maids had all fainted. His fear intensified, and he blurted out, "What... what do you want? My imperial palace has ten Golden Core cultivators, so don't do anything rash!"
Qin Si asked coldly, "What transaction have you made with the Golden Sparrow Kingdom's royal family?"
Emperor Ningfeng's gaze flickered, then he frowned. "What transaction? The Golden Sparrow Kingdom captured my daughter. My Great Ning Dynasty is sworn to unending enmity with the Golden Sparrow Kingdom!"
If one were to only look at Emperor Ningfeng angrily pounding the floor, it would seem as if he harbored a deep hatred for the Golden Sparrow Kingdom.
Unfortunately, Qin Si knew the truth.
"Ten days ago, the Golden Core cultivator Li Kui..." He paused, looking at Emperor Ningfeng's pale complexion, and said coldly, "Do I need to continue?"
Emperor Ningfeng pursed his lips tightly.
Qin Si frowned and said, "Speak!"
Emperor Ningfeng suddenly felt as if his mouth was beyond his control, uttering words one by one.
"Emperor Jinyuan promised me that after the State Preceptor completed the Tongyang Grand Array, he would permit me to bring one person into the array to bathe in holy light and ascend the eternal path... Ugh..."
When he regained his senses, he realized he had confessed everything!
And he hadn't even seen the other party make a move.
Emperor Ningfeng became flustered and shouted, "Guards, quickly, guards, protect me!"
Golden Core cultivators from within the palace rushed over. Emperor Ningfeng said, "Quickly, my esteemed ministers, seize this person!"
The Golden Core cultivators exchanged glances. "Your Majesty, there is no one in the hall."
"How can that be? Where is that man? Where are the eunuchs and maids?" Emperor Ningfeng looked around and found that there was truly no one in the hall, as if everything that had just happened was merely a dream.
Yet, he was still wearing his sleeping robe, stained with water from the bath.
Emperor Ningfeng was shocked and terrified, and he promptly fainted!
Upon fainting, Emperor Ningfeng fell ill, suffering from a severe and comatose sickness.
As soon as the news spread, Crown Prince Qin Yu, who had escaped the palace, smiled coldly at the corners of his lips before quietly returning to the palace.
Qin Yu said to the Empress and the various ministers, "This humble son will personally attend to Father Emperor."
Meanwhile, Qin Si, having obtained the information he desired, headed for the capital of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom.
The capital of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom was actually not far from the Boundless Cloud Sea. If calculated carefully, it was near the Sanghai Secret Realm and Maple City.
Qin Si was originally tearing through space to travel, but halfway, he sensed something unusual around Maple City and stopped.
"Vice Dean! Please, help us! That thief Mei Shuying has colluded with people from other continents!"
Outside Maple City, Zheng Xiaoguang had led people to try and retrieve the pill formula from Mei Shuying. Unexpectedly, he was outmaneuvered by Mei Shuying. The people he brought were either killed or wounded by cultivators from other continents, leaving only him.
Zheng Xiaoguang thought he was going to die there today. As he looked up, he saw a familiar figure.
He was a student who had come out of Zhen Dan Peak. He recognized Qin Si at a glance and hurriedly cried for help.