This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 114 Be a Low-Key Pig

With Emperor Wu gone, the Dragon-Patterned Imperial Guards lifted martial law, and the ancestral temples seemed to have returned to peace. But some knew that this was merely the calm before the storm.

The Zhan family and Wu Xie were deeply worried and anxious, unsure whether their people had been captured by Emperor Wu. They were eager to leave.

Those in charge of the ancestral temple felt as if the sky had fallen; they could not escape the charge of dereliction of duty.

As for the others, they were still speculating about what had happened at the ancestral temple that had alarmed so many people. They wondered what the thief had stolen from the temple, and whether she had been caught or escaped.

These all became mysteries, and with the withdrawal of the Imperial Guards, everything returned to normal.

The Consort Xian appeared beside the two the moment Emperor Wu left, and then took them away directly, saving them the trouble of avoiding other people's attention.

Back at the Flower Language Pavilion, on the same underground level, in the same cold and gloomy hall, Consort Xian was furious about what the two had done. Although Ruoxue's explanation of everything eased some of her anger, Consort Xian was still very dissatisfied with their presumptuous actions, and a severe scolding was inevitable.

This was somewhat like a parent scolding their child, disappointed in them for not living up to their expectations. Xiao Xingchen shrank back without arguing. He could scold them all he wanted, as long as they didn't hit him. He was indeed the culprit behind this trip to the ancestral temple; he had only intended to see what trouble Zhan Wuqing and Wu Xie were up to, but who knew they would cause such a huge mess?

And judging from Consort Xian's demeanor, why is she actually concerned about her own safety?

"And you, why can't I sense the sword immortal power within you? Are you crippled?"

After finishing her tirade, Consort Xian finally had time to examine Xiao Xingchen. What she saw shocked her: the Sword Immortal had been crippled.

"Well, I'll just be an ordinary person for now!"

Xiao Xingchen looked completely unconcerned. He knew his own situation; his spiritual platform was currently missing one player—almost enough for a mahjong table. The sword, the blade, and the demon were a complete mess.

Consort Xian kicked him directly, and caught off guard, Xiao Xingchen rolled several times.

"You're such a piece of trash! You've squandered your precious sword immortal power. I've never seen such an infuriating piece of trash!"

Adding fuel to the fire, Consort Xian could no longer contain herself. After kicking Xiao Xingchen, she flashed to his side and delivered two resounding slaps to his face.

"Stop, damn it, stop! A gentleman uses words, not fists. If you hit me again, I won't cooperate!"

"Refuse to cooperate?" Consort Xian was so angry she laughed, and threw him back at him.

"With what you're doing now? Do you think you're qualified to cooperate with me? I don't keep useless people around."

Ruoxue stood to the side with her eyes closed, repeatedly saying, "You can't see me, you can't see me." The scene before her was indeed somewhat violent.

"And you, I only entrusted him to you for one night, and you've caused so much trouble, it's like the sky is about to fall down, do you even know that?"

Ruoxue knew she couldn't avoid a scolding. After Xiaoxingchen got beaten up, she was also about to receive a barrage of criticism. However, because she maintained a good attitude and refused to fight back, she escaped being beaten.

Only after Consort Xian had finished beating and scolding her did she return to her seat.

"Do you know you were wrong now?"

"Okay, okay,"

Xiao Xingchen, clutching her face which was swollen like a steamed bun, quickly apologized. A wise man doesn't fight when he's at a disadvantage; she was powerless against Consort Xian, so it was best to behave herself to avoid another beating.

"Hmph, look at the mess you've made!"

"OP, we know we were wrong. Please calm down. Thankfully, it didn't lead to any major consequences."

Ruoxue comforted her.

The Consort Xian pinched her forehead hard, sighed helplessly, and slowly spoke.

"Beneath that ancestral temple lies the deepest secret of the Great Qian Dynasty. The Martial Emperor rushed there immediately, which shows how grave the matter is. I've never seen him so panicked. What lies beneath is far more terrifying than we imagine, and it involves demons and the Nine Heavens. You absolutely must not investigate. If you lack the strength, you'll only invite disaster."

"Even I have great awe for those things. Strength and opportunity are both indispensable. Before these two things are achieved, the first thing to do is to accumulate strength."

"Only after accumulating strength can a prairie fire start. I hope you two understand this, Xiao Xingchen, especially you. What you did when you first entered Yong'an was too eye-catching. You need to keep a low profile, otherwise, if you keep standing in the limelight, you'll be taken down sooner or later."

"Don't be unconvinced. Yong'an is a very murky place, and there are many people who want to get rid of you, especially after today, when your sword immortality is crippled. I'm afraid many people will come looking for trouble with you."

"I know, I'll definitely behave myself lately."

Xiao Xingchen knew that Consort Xian was right; she had indeed been a bit too impulsive and needed to lower her profile as soon as possible.

"Well, since Emperor Wu hasn't executed you, congratulations on becoming his pawn. The most important thing for a pawn is to stay true to its place. That way, the one in charge won't kill you. I hope you understand this principle. For a long time to come, you will be Emperor Wu's pawn."

"So, from today onwards, I'm going to be manipulated by Emperor Wu?"

"Yes, I know him very well. In his heart, everyone in the world can be a pawn. From the moment you appeared, he probably already assigned you a mission, including having you participate in the Poetry Festival. You might even have other uses for him later. You will find out later. Emperor Wu's heart is as deep as the sea, so don't think that just because he's nice to you, he's doing you a favor."

Hearing Consort Xian's words, Xiao Xingchen nodded again. Emperor Wu was just that kind of person; he never revealed his true colors to others. Now, after Consort Xian's reminder, he was even more certain that Emperor Wu had ulterior motives towards him.

"Emperor Wu has returned to the palace, and I must rush back now. I won't say more. You can handle things yourselves. Remember, keep a low profile, conserve your strength, and play dumb to catch the tiger. Don't rush in whenever something happens. You are still too weak and don't have the qualifications."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him," Ruoxue assured her.

"Keep an eye on him? Ruoxue, I'm really worried he'll lead you astray,"

The Consort Xian looked at the two of them with suspicion. In just one night, she had led Ruoxue astray. She now seriously doubted whether Ruoxue would be completely corrupted if they spent more time together.

"No, I can't cause any trouble now. For the next period of time, I'll be nothing but an ant. I won't retaliate even if they curse me. Don't worry, Your Highness."

"Sigh, I hope so, Ruoxue. Keep an eye on him. I don't want the next time I hear news of you to be collecting your corpses."

Consort Xian seemed to be in a hurry. After speaking hastily, she quickly disappeared into the depths of the underground. Xiao Xingchen knew that there was a secret passage leading to the palace, and she was probably anxious to return to the palace to see Emperor Wu.

Emperor Wu returned to the palace first; if he found that Consort Xian was not there, it would cause another uproar.

This indirectly saved Xiao Xingchen's life. It was the first time he'd been verbally abused in this world. Only after seeing Consort Xian leave did he breathe a sigh of relief and collapse to the ground.

"They're finally gone. Why was Consort Xian so fierce? She scared me to death."

“Get up, we need to hurry up and leave. Have you forgotten? There are still a lot of things to do at Huayu Tower. The Fourth Prince is looking for you. If you don’t show up soon, they will tear down Huayu Tower.”

Ruoxue grabbed him and dragged him outside. Before coming here, Ruoxue went upstairs to take a look. Although Huayu Tower was not as grand as the ancestral temple, it was still very lively today. If she didn't show up, who knows when this chaos would end.