Chapter 859: Yu Shenqing's Suspicion

"Master Zhang created a technique specifically for me, and I'm very happy, but... I can't accept it!" Yu Fei'er shook her head.

"Do you know how precious my technique is? If you cultivate it, it can completely double your soul's strength, or even more!"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

This was not self-praise; even the simplified version of the soul technique was a fusion of secret arts from the Witch Soul, Thousand Hammer Soul Condensation Art, Demon Sound, and Startling Swan professions. If Yu Fei'er truly learned it, her progress in soul cultivation would be astonishing.

In the future, surpassing the Emperor, or even that middle-aged man who attacked him, would be within reach.

"Precisely because it's so precious, I can't accept it!" Yu Fei'er hesitated for a moment, then said, "How about this: I'll purchase it with material wealth..."

Learning a technique created by another without giving anything in return would imply a half-teacher relationship. In the Master Teacher Continent, the bond between teacher and student was taken very seriously; once established, everything else became a luxury.

But purchasing it would settle the transaction, avoiding this issue.

"Alright."

Seeing her insistence, Zhang Xuan didn't mind. He shook his head and pointed his finger at her forehead.

Buzz!

Yu Fei'er felt her delicate body tremble, and a complete set of soul cultivation techniques was transmitted into her sea of consciousness.

"This..."

She only glanced at it, and her beautiful eyes widened, trembling uncontrollably.

This technique was incredibly profound, far superior to anything she had practiced before!

"This... is too precious; I'm afraid I can't afford it. I must report to my father and let him decide..."

Her pretty face flushed, and Yu Fei'er quickly said.

She had thought that even if the technique he created was precious, it wouldn't surpass her family's ancestral techniques. But after seeing it, she realized that her family's technique, even if thrown at his feet, he might not bother to pick it up.

The difference was too vast.

"As you wish."

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Transmitting the technique was also a way to repay the favor of absorbing the imperial palace's spiritual energy. As for what they decided, that was their business and had little to do with him.

While they were conversing, Shen Jun's face turned black. He trembled with rage, on the verge of exploding, feeling as if a vast grassland was growing wildly on his head.

They were far apart and communicating via telepathy, so he didn't know what they were saying. He only saw Zhang Xuan tap Yu Fei'er's forehead, and her face turned crimson...

Blatant flirtation, as if he didn't exist!

"Damn it, damn it! Liu Quan, when you get back, check on this guy's background..."

Gritting his teeth so hard they creaked, Shen Jun seemed about to crush the wine glass in his hand.

He had just returned from outside and was unfamiliar with the capital's affairs. This Master Zhang hadn't even given his name, so it was normal not to know!

"Alright."

Liu Quan, the young master of the Liu family, nodded. "He's probably a student from the Master Teacher Academy. When I left, my father said that in three days, the academy's new principal would take office, and he would take me to see the world. Then, I'll be able to enter the Master Teacher Academy. At that time, I'll bring a few people to beat him up and vent your anger."

"Good, it's settled. I'll also bring some people. We'll beat him until he crawls on the ground..."

Shen Jun gnashed his teeth.

...

Uncle Bai left the courtyard and went directly to Yu Shenqing's main hall.

"Reporting to the Seventh Prince, today is the Sixth Princess's birthday. His Majesty has just gone to the banquet hall..."

A eunuch approached.

"Good, I'll go now..."

Without daring to delay, Uncle Bai hurried toward the banquet hall and finally caught up with the Emperor's procession outside.

"Your Majesty..."

He quickly approached.

"Mubai, what happened? Why are you so anxious?" Yu Shenqing frowned.

Uncle Bai's name was Yu Mubai, the Seventh Prince of the Hongyuan Empire and Yu Shenqing's younger brother.

"It's like this: just now I went to comprehend the stone tablet..."

Not daring to hide anything, Yu Mubai recounted the previous events in detail.

"You say something resembling a Witch Soul appeared in the palace? And... the Soul Refining Hall was destroyed? Someone even broke through to the ninth level, taking only two breaths per level?"

Yu Shenqing staggered, filled with disbelief.

As the Emperor of a first-rate empire, he had seen too many major events, but after hearing this, he still felt as if he were listening to a fairy tale.

As the most prominent figure of the Yu family, he naturally knew the difficulty of the Soul Refining Hall's passages.

Even with his strength, under intense pressure, he couldn't break through the eighth level...

Each level took only two breaths... Not only that, but the person had also charged into the main hall, absorbed all the spiritual energy, and even shattered the ancestral statue...

How strong must that soul be?

"Yes!" Yu Mubai nodded, looking at him with concern. "Your Majesty, should we activate the palace's protective formation and capture that person?"

The Hongyuan Empire's protective formation could even withstand Saint Domain second and third level experts. Even if the person was formless, they couldn't escape.

"Activating the formation would throw the entire palace into panic. Since you drove that person away and didn't track them down, they should have... already left."

Yu Shenqing shook his head.

The protective formation would not be activated unless the empire's survival was at stake. Once activated, it would cause great chaos, and even he, as Emperor, couldn't explain it.

Moreover, whether it was a Witch Soul or a Saint Beast with special abilities, without a thorough investigation, even if the formation was activated, finding it would be difficult.

"Then what should we do?"

"Increase patrols. Once anything unusual is detected, go immediately and make sure to capture it..."

After a moment's thought, Yu Shenqing said.

"Yes!" Yu Mubai nodded.

"Alright, don't tell anyone about this. Once there's news, report to me immediately. I'm going to Fei'er's birthday banquet now!"

Yu Shenqing waved his hand.

Though he very much wanted to catch the one causing trouble, as an emperor, he had to remain calm and composed.

Having said that, he stopped paying attention to Yu Mubai and walked toward the banquet hall ahead. Before he even reached it, he saw the old eunuch behind him frowning.

"If there's something, just say it without hesitation!"

Seeing him like this, knowing the old man must have thought of something, Yu Shenqing looked over.

This old eunuch had followed him for who knows how many years, had long reached the Saint Domain, and was always sharp about many things.

"Wherever Master Zhang goes, there's chaos—even his own mansion couldn't escape... He came to the palace tonight. Could it be... that this matter is related to him?" the old eunuch couldn't help saying.

This Zhang Xuan was too strange.

Wherever he went, either things collapsed or misfortune struck... He came to the banquet hall today, and though they had specially reinforced it with formation masters to prevent accidents...

But who knew if other places would have problems?

For instance, the banquet hall was fine now, but the Soul Refining Hall was ruined... Could there be a connection?

"Him?"

Yu Shenqing frowned.

What the other said, though sounding absurd, was not without reason.

The commotion this fellow had caused over the past half month made even him raise his eyebrows.

If there was one person who could truly achieve what Yu Mubai had described, it might well be this fellow!

"Didn't he arrive an hour ago and hasn't left the door?" Yu Shenqing asked.

"Yes, he hasn't left the door... but he did stand in a daze for over half an hour!"

The eunuch thought for a moment and said.

"In a daze?"

"Mm, if what the Seventh Prince said just now was really about a soul, could it be that during that daze, his soul left his body..." the eunuch hesitated, then said.

"Soul leaving the body? Do you think this Master Zhang is a soul shaman?" Yu Shenqing's face darkened.

"This old servant is just speculating casually..." the old eunuch smiled and said.

"Soul shamans, who sided with the alien race in ancient times, were wiped out by the Master Teacher Hall, and their legacy has been cut off. How could this Zhang Xuan, being a master teacher, knowingly violate the rules and learn that profession?"

Yu Shenqing's brows knitted into a knot.

"Actually, whether it's true or not, we can find out with a test..." the old eunuch said.

"Mm!" Yu Shenqing nodded.

Without thinking further, he flicked his sleeves and strode into the banquet hall. As soon as he entered, he saw his richly dressed daughter standing before a young man, bending over to pour him wine.

His daughter, supremely noble, a princess of pure gold and jade—how dare this fellow let her pour wine for him? Was he not too bold?

"Your Majesty, this is Zhang Xuan... Master Zhang!"

The old eunuch hurriedly said.

"So he's the one?"

Yu Shenqing's gaze turned cold.

He was already displeased with this fellow, and now he ran into him, making his anger surge up instantly.

"Fei'er, what are you doing?"

His face darkened as he strode into the room, his eyes low: "A dignified princess pouring wine for someone—what kind of behavior is that?"

He accepted you as a maidservant to insult you, to insult the royal family—do you take it seriously?

A mere four-star master teacher, even if he has some skills, what right does he have to make you pour wine for him?

"Father, you've come..."

Seeing her father arrive, Yu Fei'er quickly rose to bow.

"Shen Jun (Liu Quan, Xing Yuan...) pay respects to Your Majesty!"

The others in the room also stood up and bowed in unison.

Zhang Xuan also stood up, glanced at the middle-aged man before him, and bowed with cupped fists.

Although he was the academy head, his status not inferior to the other's or even higher, the succession ceremony had not yet been held, so it was inconvenient to reveal his identity; he made sure to observe all the formalities.

"Are you Zhang Xuan?"

Yu Shenqing looked over, a flicker in his eyes.

"Yes!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Yu Shenqing said no more, turned, and walked to the seat of honor.

Although he wanted to test whether this fellow possessed the profession of Soul Wizard, as the emperor, he could not act directly.

If he did so, not only would it lower his status, but he would also be unable to explain himself to the Master Teacher Hall.

Moreover, it might even displease his daughter.

"Thank you all for coming to my daughter's birthday banquet!"

Sitting down, he glanced around, Yu Shenqing smiled lightly, exuding the unique aura of an emperor.

"Today is a joyful day—how can there be no music? Luo Fu, go invite Master Baiyin and have her play a piece for everyone!"

"Yes!" The old eunuch nodded, understanding tacitly, and withdrew.

"Master Baiyin? The most accomplished musician in the palace, a six-star Sound Mage. For her to personally perform—this is simply wonderful!"

Hearing the name Baiyin, everyone's eyes immediately lit up, their faces flushed with excitement.