Volume 1, Chapter 32: Compiling the Treatise on Military Preparations and Acquiring the Imperial Art of Governance and Chessmanship

From this moment on, Xia Jingtian took on an additional identity: he became the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, one of the Three Preceptors of the Eastern Palace.

The "Three Preceptors of the Eastern Palace" was not a single office, but a collective term for the Grand Preceptor, the Grand Tutor, and the Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince, all of which held the rank of Junior First Grade. As the name suggests, these were offices of the Eastern Palace, primarily tasked with the education and guidance of the Crown Prince. The Grand Preceptor was responsible for literary instruction, the Grand Tutor for martial training, and the Grand Guardian for the Prince’s safety. As the heir chosen by the Emperor, the Prince’s selection was directly linked to the rise and fall of the dynasty; thus, his virtue, knowledge, and ability to shoulder such heavy responsibilities relied entirely on his daily upbringing...

On the way to the hospital, Murong Yu had already made a call. Gu Feng and Mu Bai were both in surgery. The doctor reported that the situation was dire and the injuries severe, with no clear timeline for the surgery, though he assured them there was no immediate threat to life. Hearing this, Murong Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Chuxi unbuttoned his coat and pulled Li Qingyi into his arms. It seemed to be the first time he had embraced her so directly. Compared to the Zhao Chuxi of the past, he was clearly brimming with courage—or perhaps, he no longer needed courage at all, as the moment simply called for him to follow the natural flow of things.

"Don't be glib. Help me find Pei Qing; I left my phone in the car," Zhao Chuxi said, pushing aside Ye Xuan, who had been leaning in for a kiss.

Before the men in black could depart, a blinding light swept over them, accompanied by the shrill sound of sirens.

With a dull thud, Tie Zha was sent flying backward. You Ge scrambled up, stumbling to the table to inject herself with two doses of serum. Although she had no visible wounds, her stomach burned with such intensity that she could barely stand upright.

Tang Hao had originally hoped to use Wang Zhenxing’s research institute to his advantage—at least to provide a cover story for the origins of his items—but after interacting with the man, he abandoned the thought.

"Is that so?" Zhao Shuang’er looked at Lin Feng with anxiety, yet seeing his calm expression, her heart inexplicably settled.

A moment later, Li Yuanqing had already assessed the situation, a cold, sharp smile playing on his lips.

"Second Brother, I know I was wrong about tonight. Whatever punishment you decide, I will accept it without complaint." Having offended his Second Brother's friend—a person of great significance—Liu Tie knew that pleading guilty was his best course of action; otherwise, there would be hell to pay.

The eighteen Annihilation Warriors watched the Green-Robed Corpse Venerable in silence, waiting quietly for him to be reduced to a pile of rubble.

***

"Very well, we shall return to the capital, see what the situation is, and then decide on our next move." Finally resolute, Zhuan Hongnan decided to take the gamble.

Seeing that Zhuan Hongnan and Wan’er had escaped, Zhuansun Ji stopped wasting words. He grabbed Qin Qianjue’s hand, pulled her off the carriage, drew his sword, and prepared to use his light-foot skills to flee. Just then, a man in black lunged at Qin Qianjue with a sword; by the time she reacted, the blade was already before her eyes.

Even though Hong Yuan had already departed, she still needed to visit the Marquis of Jingyuan’s mansion, just to be safe.

Shen Yunxi turned her eyes, casting a faint glance at the steaming teacup before looking up at the crowd standing in the hall. Looking at the room full of people, there were truly quite a lot of them.

Hearing that the old man had finally left, Han Shaoxun exhaled in relief. Looking at Ye Yaoqiao’s flushed cheeks, he was tempted to continue the kiss, but she would have none of it.

The world’s shortest active volcano still stands over two hundred meters tall. Because magma eruptions reach heights of at least a thousand meters, the resulting volcanoes are destined not to be diminutive.

Han Shaoxun looked back and noticed Director Lin suddenly slumped over in his chair, his face drained of all color. The two police officers beside him were frantically pressing on his philtrum.

"Fine! I’ll cancel your dining privileges at noon; you can just eat your heart out!" He Lina said, flashing a beautiful smile at Feihu.

However, when Lin Mu arrived, he found the place deserted and the scene thoroughly cleared, as if the filming had already concluded.

"You don't think so? If Aierben sees Feiya, she will surely believe us. She is the city lord here; surely she can protect us?" Alto asked, puzzled.

Zhang Shaobai had studied pulmonary percussion at medical school, but he had absolutely no sense for practical application back then. Hearing Wang Jiayi’s words, he reached out to the system immediately.

"How can you say that? She passed the trials and entered Cangming; how could she possibly be trash?" Cao Yong retorted with displeasure.

Han Zhixi did not immediately climb off her, waiting a long while before rolling over.

"It’s her. Su Mu." Li Tianyao narrowed his eyes, a flash of ruthless malice erupting from his gaze.

***

They walked with long strides through the empty corridor, returning to the Hufflepuff common room just before the curfew.

"Wait, are you Zhan Xie, the only disciple taken in by the Palace Master of Jiuqiong? How did you end up in Cangming?" Cao Yong asked, his face full of shock and confusion.

Merkel did not comment on her kneeling posture, continuing instead to fix his gaze on the corpse before them.

On Gu Xian’s face, the deathly gloom of her previous life had vanished, replaced by a tenderness enveloped in happiness.

As the film’s box office defied expectations, the popularity of the lead creators surged, keeping them on the trending lists for days. Su Mu was, naturally, no exception.

Zhang Wei had always been overbearing; he despised seeing anyone act arrogantly before him. Moreover, these burly men looked fierce and clearly weren't the type to be trifled with.

"I didn't poison Guan Xuan, and Guan Xuan knows it himself!" Luo Xue closed her eyes and shrieked.

Yang Xuan’s expression betrayed his shock. If he understood the Immortal Emperor Wangyou correctly, there was more than one universe—this was truly a piece of world-shattering news.

"Hahaha!" Chi Tian roared with laughter. When he set out, Master Chi Kongxing had promised that as long as he gathered the intelligence, he would be rewarded upon his return, with resources provided to help him break through to the Demon Marshal realm.

Though Lin Feiyang felt a flicker of temptation, reason told him that nothing in this world comes for free.

"But what does this have to do with your journey to the Inner District?" Zeng Pangsan asked, a look of confusion lingering on his plump face.

Looking at Wen Qingye, he couldn't explain why, but the man seemed vastly different from the one he had seen only days before.