Qin Jiujiu looked at Xie Jing, who was walking towards her, and heard a voice in her ear, "A familiar person is waiting for you at Zhongnan Temple!"
It was the voice of that Taoist priest.
A familiar person?
Qin Jiujiu had a vague guess in her heart.
Xie Jing walked up to her, his eyes fixed on her. He took her hand and held it in his. Qin Jiujiu inexplicably felt a panic.
She happened to have a bad habit: if she had something on her mind, and someone stared at her like this, she would become even more guilty, and her eyes would dart away.
Xie Jing suddenly squeezed her hand hard, and Qin Jiujiu knew that Xie Jing was telling her he was angry.
She looked up at him and then said, "The Taoist priest just now was only looking at my birth date and time..."
As soon as she mentioned her birth date and time, a complex emotion flashed in Xie Jing's eyes, a mixture of curiosity and then annoyance.
He said in a muffled voice, "Why would you look at your birth date and time?"
Qin Jiujiu didn't understand Xie Jing's intention. In fact, he had only read some popular novels and knew from them that one's birth date and time should not be easily revealed, and that the birth dates and times of the man and woman would be calculated to see if they were compatible before engagement.
Qin Jiujiu would never have thought that Xie Jing was still bothered by the fact that Master Qin had specifically rushed to Xiliu City to arrange an engagement for her and Liu Qi.
Although this matter had not yet happened, and might never happen, the thought of it made him feel stifled, with no way to vent his frustration.
The unknowing Qin Jiujiu could only say, "Just trying it out. It seems they are very superstitious here. Oh, yes, Xie Jing, that Taoist priest was a bit strange. He said at the end that a familiar person was waiting for us at Zhongnan Temple..."
A familiar person? Xie Jing frowned, the expression in his eyes dark and unreadable.
Qin Jiujiu had come to understand Xie Jing better recently, and quickly said, "Let's meet up with Brother Xie and Sister Bai first before we discuss this matter!"
Xie Jing said nothing, allowing Qin Jiujiu to pull him back.
However, as they left, he suddenly looked in a certain direction, his eyes sharpening.
At the main entrance of the imperial palace.
When they saw Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo, the two were standing on the periphery of the crowd.
There were guards at the palace gate, but ordinary people generally did not dare to approach the imperial palace, and few people even approached the main gate.
But at this moment, there were suddenly more guards at the palace gate, and not only that, but the crowd was also converging there, so much so that the entrance was completely blocked.
Qin Jiujiu had sharp eyes, and coupled with the fact that Bai Qianluo and Xie Yun were already conspicuous, she quickly noticed them even in the crowd.
She still held Xie Jing's hand and, after finding Xie Yun and the others, she happily turned her head to Xie Jing and said, "I've found them!"
Xie Jing nodded, looking at the young girl in front of him, with not a trace of displeasure on his face.
After the four of them met, Qin Jiujiu knew why so many people had suddenly gathered at the palace gate.
She looked at the imperial decree posted on the gate. It turned out that the Empress had recently been critically ill and there was no cure, so they were widely recruiting Taoist priests from all over the world to enter the palace to exorcise evil spirits for the Empress!
The Tian Sheng Kingdom did not originally believe so much in Taoism, but in recent years, the Emperor of Tian Sheng had become obsessed with seeking immortality and the current Imperial Advisor was highly trusted by the Emperor, enjoying immense prestige.
As a result, the number of Taoist priests in Tian Sheng Kingdom had increased unprecedentedly!
Many of the people gathered here were onlookers, but many were also here because of the imperial decree.
Xie Yun casually found someone, a Taoist priest whose attire and bearing clearly indicated his status.
He looked to be in his thirties, with unusually fair skin that suggested he had not seen the sun for a long time, giving him an abnormally pale complexion.
For some reason, Qin Jiujiu felt a chill emanating from him.
Xie Jing squeezed her hand, and she finally realized that she had been holding his hand all along.
Just as she was about to let go, the person suddenly clasped her hand.
Qin Jiujiu's lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing, and her hand remained in his.
"May I ask this fellow Taoist, why are there so many fellow Taoists in the imperial city?"
The pale-faced Taoist priest glanced at them one by one, his eyes even carrying a coldness, and then he said, "You must have come from outside the city! You don't know that the Emperor now believes in Taoism, so all the Taoist priests in the world have gathered in the imperial city from all directions..."
There was a hint of contempt in his eyes, and he continued, "You don't know about this, yet you have come to the imperial city, and for what reason?"
Xie Yun quickly said, "It was by chance... It's not worth mentioning!"
The man did not ask further, but said, "You have also seen the notice on the imperial decree. Do you also wish to enter the palace?"
Xie Yun glanced at Bai Qianluo and then said, "We originally didn't know if we should come and see, but now that we've heard what the fellow Taoist said, of course we must come and see..."
Upon hearing this, the man said, "Indeed! Many people wish to change their fate in one go, just like the Imperial Advisor..."
Everyone noticed the "Imperial Advisor" he mentioned. This title was too familiar to them.
So Xie Yun asked, "Who is this Imperial Advisor?"
The man looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to them. He then said, "The Imperial Advisor was originally just an unknown Taoist priest... Later, somehow, it is said that he attained the Dao, and somehow, he became deeply trusted by the Emperor..."
He lowered his voice and said, "These are all rumors. Apart from the Emperor, no one has ever seen his abilities with their own eyes..."
The man coughed lightly. Xie Yun came to his senses and found soldiers approaching them.
The crowd gradually thinned out, leaving only those who intended to enter the palace.
"Are you Taoist priests entering the palace?"
The soldier's tone was arrogant. The man from before respectfully replied, "Reporting to the General, yes!"
The fierce-looking soldier glanced at them. When his eyes fell on Bai Qianluo and Qin Jiujiu, there was clearly a look of shock, and then he continued, "Are you also?"
The question was clearly directed at Bai Qianluo and Qin Jiujiu.
Xie Yun naturally noticed his suspicion and said, "They are not!"
The soldier then said, "Those entering the palace, line up. Idle people, move along!"
The unnaturally pale man repeatedly agreed and, ignoring them, went to line up by himself.
Xie Yun signaled Bai Qianluo and Qin Jiujiu to leave. Bai Qianluo understood his intention and said, "Jiujiu, let's go!"
However, Xie Jing did not release Qin Jiujiu's hand. Xie Yun had to whisper a few words in his ear before he let go of her hand.
To let her leave his sight was absolutely impossible, unless he were dead!
It turned out that Xie Yun's plan was for himself and Bai Qianluo to enter the palace first to probe its defenses, while Qin Jiujiu and Xie Jing would go to Zhongnan Temple first. After they confirmed that the palace was safe, they would then find an excuse for the two of them to enter the palace...
At this moment, Qin Jiujiu looked at Bai Qianluo, who was dressed as a man, and said, "Sister Bai, please be careful!"
Bai Qianluo nodded and said, "If we have any news, we will send it to you. Then you can enter the palace!"
And so, Bai Qianluo went to the palace gate and replaced Xie Jing, who was about to enter the palace with Xie Yun.
The two entered the palace, while Qin Jiujiu waited for Xie Jing not far away.