Chapter 15: Tidings

After their clouds and rain subsided, the two cleaned the filth from their bodies and dressed anew.

Xue Yunrong gazed leisurely at Li Ye, teasing, "Daddy?"

"Hm?" Li Ye responded candidly.

Xue Yunrong's smile froze, and she gave him a light kick with her jade foot. "You little brat, where'd you pick up such filthy talk?"

Li Ye lay on the stone slab, watching the lingering glow fade in the distance, chuckling. "Didn't sister enjoy it quite a bit?"

Xue Yunrong pinched him again, huffing. "Hah, first time, and you act like you've got all the experience in the world."

"Picked it up from storybooks." And from all those teachers in movies from my last world.

Xue Yunrong eyed him—sweet words before, indifferent after—and felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an inexplicable pang of loss. Men are all no good.

Li Ye had just entered wise-man mode after his first time. Hearing her tone sour, he sat up at once, pulling her into his arms. "Really from the storybooks."

Held by this boy a decade her junior, Xue Yunrong felt a profound steadiness wash over her, banishing her fleeting displeasure. Now she indulged her curiosity. "That... thing of yours. How'd it grow back?"

Li Ye pondered. With what had passed between them, hiding it would only breed suspicion. He countered, "You know of Tianmo Jiuxiang?"

"Who in the palace doesn't? But doesn't it require an extraterrestrial demon to cultivate?"

"Yeah, it does." Li Ye nodded.

Xue Yunrong suddenly found this youth inscrutable. Probing, "Shangqing Sword Sect?"

Li Ye nodded.

Xue Yunrong pulled away from his embrace, staring intently. "Just who are you, really?"

Li Ye met her serious gaze with a smile. "Li Ye. What else? A little eunuch—oh, now head steward of Xingqing Palace."

Xue Yunrong snorted coldly. "A little eunuch who visits Shangqing Sword Sect, gets Zhen Yan Dan, Yan Shou Dan, an extraterrestrial demon... oh, and you mentioned some life-saving trick ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠before. Not exactly little-eunuch feats."

Li Ye hesitated, then grew solemn. "Sister, I really see you as family. I'll tell you, but you can't breathe a word to anyone."

The truth held no great secrets, but once out, he'd be done in the palace—no more Tianmo Jiuxiang. Yet he played it like life-or-death, touching Xue Yunrong deeply.

She feigned resentment. "Forget the life-debt you owe sister—I've given you my body. And you still doubt me? Of course I won't tell a soul."

That wistful look made Li Ye shiver inwardly—Truly a seductive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vixen. Steadying himself, he said, "On this Shangqing trip, I met a long-lost elder."

Xue Yunrong blinked in shock, never expecting that twist. "Ice Soul Sword Immortal Shen Luhua?! She's your elder?"

Li Ye blinked too. So the "Ice Soul Sword Immortal" who'd just hit tenth on the Earth List was his mother.

"No wonder... no wonder..." Xue Yunrong murmured, still stunned, then eyed him. "If she's your elder, why leave Shangqing for palace eunuch drudgery?"

Li Ye grinned. "Couldn't bear to leave sister."

Hearing it again, Xue Yunrong's heart swelled differently now—not just pride in her allure, but genuine sweetness. Their bond had deepened, and an elder's kin outranked any disciple.

"Really?" Her eyes shimmered.

"Of course. Without sister, I'd still be a lowly sweeper eunuch, liable to offend some noble and get beaten to death any day." Li Ye paused, smiling at her. "I'll always remember sister's kindness."

Not total nonsense—three parts truth, at least.

Xue Yunrong beamed, letting sincerity slide. Lightly, "Hmph, probably just after my beauty~"

"Sister's the one so stunning—blame me?"

She smiled bewitchingly, remaining silent.

The guards found them at dawn next day.

Seeing their deferential bows, Li Ye knew the emperor had won.

Back in the palace, it confirmed: Ji Xuan, swamped, still soothed Xue Yunrong at length before sending her to rest.

The palace buzzed with tension after the upheaval—everyone tiptoed, fearing implication. But not Li Ye's concern; emperor victorious, fallout spared him.

Awake by afternoon, he savored yesterday's second-realm breakthrough. Tianmo Jiuxiang at second realm granted combat prowess: heart phase stirred foes' inner demons, spawning illusions, accelerating heartbeats. Fail to wake, and burst apart.

Slow progress, but self-defense at last. Useless in the palace, though...

Li Ye arched a brow, inwardly thrilled. Demon path suited him—five years martial cultivation barely hit third realm; days on Tianmo Jiuxiang, second realm.

Cultivation had always intrigued him; powerless before, now hope dawned. No duty today—he ate, then sat cross-legged.

Third phase, demon phase, demanded virtual-real shift: fully virtualize heart, merge with self-phase, condense demon phase.

Demon phase enabled formless flow, free transformation. Same realm, sans counters, untouchable.

Next morn, Li Ye visited Xue Yunrong early. Washed and adorned, her cloud-hair flowered, hairpins trembling—she seemed guiltier, more regal than usual.

She asked first of court affairs. Ji Xuan's absence amid chaos unnerved her.

Li Ye, new to heights sans roots, drew blanks. Then recalled old eunuch Qian Dayu.

Veteran palace rat, Siligongjian seal-holder, knew his promotion instantly—info hub.

Bidding her wait, Li Ye sought Qian Dayu.

On duty at Siligongjian, Qian rose fawningly. "Steward Li shone that night, safeguarding Noble Consort—boundless future! Congratulations!"

Li Ye smirked inwardly—spot on, news hound. "Brother Qian too polite. Call me little brother—no need for distance. I came from under your wing; don't forget that bond."

"Bond"—Qian twitched, recalling the whipping, but grinned. "Yes, yes. But no duty at Noble Consort's today—visiting brother?"

Li Ye sighed. "Ai~ Such upheaval—how to serve in peace?"

Qian got it, dismissed aides, beaming. "What means this, brother?"

Li Ye smiled. "Nothing... just, night-before aftermath? Her Ladyship frets, off food, for His Majesty's health."

Qian's eyes gleamed—Li Ye rootless, sky-high yet intel-dry, unlike old Zhao. Opportunity! "As servants, we must ease her burdens."

Li Ye grinned compatibly. "Exactly—first thought was brother."

Deciding alliance, Qian spilled.

From Qian's measured recount, Li Ye heard bloodbaths, yet orderly—no court chaos under the blade.

"The Crown Prince?"

Qian glanced warily. "Said to have taken his own life."

Said to... Li Ye understood. "Imperial grandsons?"

"Demoted to commoners, cultivation crippled, confined to manors."

"Ai... such treason from the Crown Prince... mere ants shaking a tree." Li Ye shook his head—forewarned folly.

Even knowing Ji Xuan eyed seventh realm, no rush. I fear it too—see me panicking?

Qian flickered, silent.

Li Ye noted, offered a silver note. "Brother holds more?"

Qian weighed alliance vs. risk—Li Ye's prospects swayed him; note returned. "Brother's family now—I'll speak plain."

"Good. Family hereafter—command me."

Alliance sealed.

"Heard—and mere hearsay—His Majesty tasked East Factory Supervisor Liu with probing Crown Prince's minister ties. Liu uncovered something; brocade guards mobilized, encircled Prince's manor..."

"So, forced to rebel?"

Qian sweated. "Heard... mere hearsay..."

Li Ye reeled—forced revolt, emperor prepared, seamless slaughter after...

"Baited?" Li Ye blurted.

"Shh~ Voice down~" Qian paled.

Li Ye hushed. "You mean His Majesty baited the Crown Prince?"

"Never said that." Qian denied frantically.

Ignoring, Li Ye puzzled: Why bait own son? Dissatisfied? Depose and replace.

Recalled Tutor's words: "Crown Prince faultless—why condemn?"

Yes—faultless, so why?

Full of questions, he left Siligongjian, briefed Xue Yunrong at Xingqing. Much relieved—emperor's grip firm, no worries.

Yet chill crept in: that man, so merciless to his own son.

"Why? Seventh realm breakthrough—in capital, eighth-realm might via dragon qi, aweing the world—yet some resist."

Alone in her chamber, safe to speak.

"So, fish them out now?"

"Else? Court had dozen sixth-graders; ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠four gone at once—key: capital defense."

"Capital defense?"

"Guards capital—vital post. Zheng Xiao trusted; mutiny at crux? Disaster."

"So autumn hunt a trap? Majesty leaves capital, feigns sixth realm, pressures Prince—gives rebels no-choice pretext..." Li Ye grasped, chilled.

Hoarsely, "So sure of seventh-realm breakthrough?"

Xue Yunrong shook head—beyond her ken.

But Li Ye soon learned: post-court, word spread.