Martial Cultivator

Following Xie Nandu into the small courtyard, Chen Chao suddenly asked, "This time, will we be able to see all the true young geniuses of the world at the Northern Frontier?"

Although the Myriad Willow Convention was reputedly a grand event for the world's youth, its influence had waned in recent years. Otherwise, the Three Willow Temple from the Infatuation Daoist Temple would not have skipped the Divine Capital, and not a single sword cultivator showed up either. Among the Confucians, Buddhists, and Daoists, only Xie Nandu from the academy had made an appearance at the literary examination. The other two sects had not sent their most talented disciples.

Xie Nandu frowned and remained silent until she sat under the eaves. Then, she slowly said, "You've met the Twin Pillars of Daoism. Who do you think is more difficult to deal with?"

Chen Chao answered without hesitation, "Naturally, Yun Jianyue. No matter what, men do hold an advantage in cultivation."

Xie Nandu nodded, not refuting this, and said softly, "Deercry Monastery is sending someone this time. It's unclear if the temple has produced many young geniuses in recent years. They say the Sword Sect has been low-key these years, but I believe Deercry Monastery might surpass them in this regard."

"Fortunately, our relationship with the Great Liang is quite good. When we encounter them, we might be able to help each other. You can also take a good look at those monks."

Xie Nandu said softly, "As for the daoists, the Myriad Heaven Palace's great daoist sage came to the Divine Capital a few days ago and had some talks with Teacher. They actually reached a kind of agreement. You don't need to be too wary of them when you meet them. Besides, with Zhuxia's connection, they might even lend a hand."

"And haven't you met that sword cultivator from the Sword Sect that came into being? Aren't you friends with him, even if not very close?"

At this point, Xie Nandu suddenly seemed to realize something. "It seems that despite your notorious reputation in the foreign lands, you do have quite a few friends, and they are all remarkable characters."

Chen Chao frowned, looking at Xie Nandu seriously, "I didn't do anything wrong in the first place. It's unreasonable for these people to hold a grudge against me."

Xie Nandu smiled and continued, "As for the qi refiners, you should avoid them when you see them. You've offended both the southern and northern qi refiners. If they encounter you, they won't show any mercy. Although there haven't been any outstanding young qi refiners reported, their methods are numerous and, in some respects, even more difficult to deal with than those of the daoist cultivators. So, you need to be extra careful."

"Aren't you going to the Northern Frontier with me? Why are you talking as if you're afraid I'll die over there?"

Chen Chao glanced at Xie Nandu suspiciously and asked curiously, "You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Xie Nandu shook her head, "My cultivation realm isn't high enough. When we get to the Northern Frontier, I'll mostly be surveying the terrain there and won't easily take risks. But it's different for you. You have high hopes pinned on you, so there are things you must do whether you want to or not. It's very troublesome."

Chen Chao furrowed his brows and did not say a word.

There was no need for Xie Nandu to tell him this; he was already aware. After all, as the number one young talent of the Great Liang Dynasty, there were many responsibilities he had to shoulder.

"In the court session, the one who spoke out is named Xu Changhu. He was already a scholar who entered the court before His Majesty ascended the throne. He isn't from the academy but from the Xu family of Huainan. Currently, he is an assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Originally, he had the potential to advance and manage the treasury of our Great Liang Dynasty after the current minister retired, but now that's impossible."

Xie Nandu's words were intentionally incomplete, clearly testing Chen Chao.

Chen Chao said with a smile, "Willing to sacrifice his career to oppose our emperor? Someone must have promised him something better. But even without that day's incident, I doubt he would get to manage our treasury. With His Majesty dedicating half of the annual treasury income to support the Northern Frontier Army, there's always been opposition in the court. Although it was suppressed and no one dared to openly oppose it again, wouldn't such a crucial position be given to a trusted confidant?"

Xie Nandu spoke softly, "The current Minister of Revenue also comes from the academy and is from a humble background. He even has a nephew serving in the Northern Frontier Army, and he's not a pedantic scholar. Over the years, he's aligned with His Majesty's views on Northern Frontier matters. Though His Majesty may age slowly, this old minister won't last for many more years. After him, His Majesty will have to find a new candidate."

Chen Chao joked, "Why not let you become the Minister of Revenue? If you were in that position, you'd keep the treasury open, letting His Majesty take whatever he wants."

Xie Nandu replied calmly, "It's not impossible. If I were to become an official, I might indeed rise to that position."

Chen Chao frowned, "Not the first female Premier of the Great Liang Dynasty?"

"Don't be silly."

Xie Nandu continued calmly, "The imperial court's situation is far more complex than you think. The books I've been reading lately aren't just military strategy books. I've come to understand a lot about the court's dynamics. His Majesty's role as emperor isn't easy. On one hand, he doesn't want the civil officials to hinder his plans for the Northern Frontier and his policies towards the foreign lands. On the other hand, he has to rely on them to govern the empire. The complete eradication of the Xia Family wasn't just a signal to the foreign lands, but also a warning to the rest of the imperial court. An emperor's strategies can reveal a lot if you're willing to look into them, but it seems you're not interested in these matters at all."

Chen Chao looked up and said softly, "I'm not planning on becoming the emperor, so why should I care about this?"

Xie Nandu glanced at him and suddenly asked, "If I wanted to become the monarch, would you help me?"

Chen Chao looked around cautiously. After making sure no one was around, he lowered his voice and said, "Do you really have thoughts of usurping the throne?"

"Just teasing you. It seems like you're getting more timid. Weren't you fearless back in Tianqing County?"

Xie Nandu raised her eyebrows and looked at Chen Chao.

Chen Chao sighed, "Back then, I had nothing. Just one life. If I lost it, so what?"

Xie Nandu smiled and did not continue, she just changed the topic, "His Majesty intends to raise your prestige in the court. It seems he's grooming you to be the next Lord Warden Commander. Once you take that position, no matter which prince ascends the throne, they won't dare to easily move against you. I can now be certain that His Majesty doesn't plan to kill you. But your identity remains a problem. If it's ever exposed, it will be a huge problem."

Chen Chao showed a rare wistful expression, "Sometimes, I worry about other things."

Xie Nandu saw through Chen Chao's thoughts at a glance and said, "Are you worried that the late Crown Prince was killed by His Majesty?"

Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu with some surprise, "It seems like there's nothing you can't see through."

Xie Nandu replied, "I don't know."

This was naturally in response to Chen Chao's concern.

Xie Nandu shook her head, "I don't think His Majesty is that kind of person."

Chen Chao said softly, "I feel the same."

It was hard to say what kind of person the Great Liang Emperor was, but the things he had done were enough to prove he was a rare ruler of talent and bold vision. He definitely would not resort to such despicable methods. Otherwise, he would not be so daring as to do the things he had done.

But some things were not easy to explain with reason, nor could they be understood with ordinary perspectives. After all, in this world, there were too many unexpected things.

Xie Nandu was not particularly troubled, merely saying calmly, "It's better to ask than to overthink, just for peace of mind."

Chen Chao nodded but then said, "It just doesn't feel like the right time."

Xie Nandu did not speak, but extended her hand and gently tapped his glabella.

Such a playful gesture was rarely seen from Xie Nandu.

Chen Chao stared at this young woman with some confusion, noticing that not only had she grown significantly since the last time he saw her, but she also seemed to have gained quite a bit of human vitality.

"When would be the right time, then?"

Xie Nandu looked at him.

Chen Chao’s face reddened, feeling that the young woman’s question was not about the previous matter.

"Being hesitant, you don't really seem like a man."

Xie Nandu shook her head.

Chen Chao frowned and asked, "Haven't you seen me kill people?"

It seemed like an unrelated question.

Xie Nandu murmured softly, "How did I ever fall for someone like you?"

Chen Chao asked, "Why are you suddenly saying this?"

Xie Nandu did not respond, and so the two of them stared at each other for a rare moment.

But after a moment, Chen Chao started to turn away awkwardly.

But at that moment, Xie Nandu suddenly stood up, tilted her head back, and stood on her tiptoes.

Chen Chao felt something touch his lips; cold yet very soft at the same time.

This...

In an instant, Chen Chao's breathing became rapid, and his heart raced.

He caught a whiff of a fragrance that belonged to a woman. It was an indescribable scent, though if he had to describe it, it was somewhat like pear blossoms.

His hands wanted to reach out and embrace her, but they stopped halfway, suspended in the air, unsure of what to do.

Chen Chao had expeienced life and death countless times over the years, and his heart was incredibly strong. But this situation was truly a first for him, and his mind was in disarray.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, yet it also seemed to pass quickly, too quickly to comprehend.

He did not know how long it lasted - maybe just a moment, or perhaps a thousand years.

The coolness on his lips faded as the girl sat back down and complained, "You're too tall."

It took Chen Chao a while to come back to his senses. His face felt hot, and he looked at the girl in front of him, softly saying, "You smell nice."

Xie Nandu's face blushed slightly, like two peach blossoms blooming on her cheeks.

She did not say anything.

Why would a girl take the initiative for this sort of thing? But the man in front of her was like a dense blockhead, and she was not a typical girl.

So it did not matter.

Chen Chao leaned down, looking at the girl in front of him, and smiled, "This time, you don't have to stand up."