Xuanyuan Dynasty, the thirteenth year of Huangchu.
Mid-autumn.
July was scorching, but it was a good time for a clear and crisp autumn.
Zhou Fan and his group left Hongming Mountain, flying and stopping along the way. After cracking another major case, the four of them arrived at Shuntian City, the imperial capital of the Xuanyuan Dynasty.
Ning Shuying temporarily parted ways with the three to report for duty at the Divine Constable Bureau.
After Zhou Fan and the other two strolled around Shuntian City for a while, Nangong Wan's transmission talisman suddenly received a message. She hooked one arm around Zhou Fan's, and with the other hand took out the transmission talisman from her Storage Pouch, conversing with the person on the other end through her Divine Sense.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Nangong Wan hung up the transmission talisman. She turned her head to look at Zhou Fan, wanting to see her bad disciple's reaction.
Zhou Fan had bought three date cakes and was happily eating and chatting with Li Di. Noticing Nangong Wan's gaze, Zhou Fan handed her the remaining date cake.
"Try it, it's quite delicious and not too sweet."
Nangong Wan took the date cake, her eyes glinting mischievously, "Silly disciple, aren't you curious who your Master was talking to on the transmission talisman just now?"
"What's there to be curious about? Master, you've lived for hundreds of years. Isn't it normal to have a few friends?"
"Oh, you bad disciple, I see you're just implying your Master is old."
Nangong Wan "fiercely" bit off a large piece of date cake, chewing like a little hamster, "Your Master isn't even 200 years old yet. According to a Nascent Soul Cultivator's thousand-year Lifespan, your Master is still a maiden under twenty. Do you understand, disciple?"
"If Master calculates it that way, I'm still a teenager. Master, you're still an old cow eating tender grass."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Wan "hmph-hmph-ed" twice and changed the subject, "Do you really not want to know who was transmitting to your Master just now? I'll quietly tell you, that person is an even more famous beauty than your Master, oh."
Zhou Fan still didn't react much. He wasn't a sower; he wouldn't immediately rush off to sow seeds just because he heard there was a beauty.
It was Qin Li, who was beside him, who asked curiously, "Mother, who were you transmitting to just now? I remember you only have one good friend, don't you? Is it Aunt Xuan?"
Nangong Wan ignored Qin Li, simply finishing the date cake in a few bites, "I'm going to meet that friend. I'll come back to find you tonight."
"Okay, go ahead. I'll send you the Luoning Inn's address later."
Zhou Fan patted his Fairy Master's peach-like bottom, which made Nangong Wan a bit reluctant to leave.
She gave her bad disciple a coquettish glance, and with a flash of her figure, disappeared into the bustling, crowded market.
After Nangong Wan left, Zhou Fan and Qin Li continued to browse. They found a Luoning Inn with a decent environment, booked two rooms, and then sat downstairs drinking tea and chatting.
At dusk, Nangong Wan sent a message.
She asked Zhou Fan to bring Qin Li with him to meet His Majesty in the palace.
The two exchanged glances, then got up and hurried towards the palace.
On the way, Zhou Fan suddenly thought of a possibility and asked Qin Li.
"Li Di, you said before that Master only has one good friend. How is that 'Aunt Xuan's' cultivation? What does she look like?"
"When I couldn't Cultivate in the past, Aunt Xuan often came to my house. She never revealed her cultivation."
Qin Li tried hard to recall, "When I was little, Aunt Xuan seemed to have held me. She's as beautiful as Mother, but she looks cold and always has an Aura of unapproachable majesty. I was a bit afraid of her when I was little."
"Later, as I grew up, Aunt Xuan came less and less. I heard from my mother that Aunt Xuan has been busy Breaking Through her Realm these years."
"Oh, so she's your mother's friend."
Zhou Fan pondered, then asked, "Li Di, do you have any special feelings for this Aunt Xuan?"
"Ah? Zhou Dage, what do you mean by that?"
Qin Li seemed to have had a hidden thought exposed, his face slightly red, "I admit that when I was a teenager, I had some fantasies about Aunt Xuan, who is stunningly beautiful and has a unique temperament. But now, my heart only holds Shuying and Mu Qing."
"Aunt Xuan is, after all, my mother's friend. I no longer have any special thoughts about her."
Seeing this, Zhou Fan understood. He looked at Qin Li with a smile, "Li Di, there's no need to avoid your feelings."
"You'll probably see your Aunt Xuan soon."
The two entered the imperial palace and, led by two palace maids, entered a grand hall.
Qin Li only then reacted. He transmitted a message with his Divine Sense to Zhou Fan beside him, "Zhou Dage, do you mean that Aunt Xuan is the Xuanyuan Empress, Xuanyuan Qingyu, whom we saw in Sanshan City before?"
"So that's it. No wonder she told me to call her Aunt Xuan. I used to think her name had the character 'Xuan' in it, but I never imagined it was the first character of her surname."
Passing through the front room and entering the central hall, the first thing they saw was the Xuanyuan Empress seated on the Dragon Throne.
Xuanyuan Qingyu was dressed in a magnificent imperial robe, her Phoenix eyes held authority, and her face was exquisitely beautiful and cold.
Nangong Wan stood beside her, smiling and looking at them. Qin Li's face flushed slightly, and he subconsciously adjusted his clothes, his gaze somewhat evasive.
Zhou Fan, however, cupped his fists and bowed generously, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Xuanyuan Qingyu stood up, walked down from the Dragon Throne, and spoke in a clear, cold voice, "Zhou Fan, I have long heard that a person of great Luck has appeared in Qingyun State, Breaking Through two Realms in a month, and reaching both Qi Refining and Body Refining third-tier. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary."
Zhou Fan humbly replied, "Your Majesty overpraises me."
Xuanyuan Qingyu then looked at Qin Li, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes, "Xiao Li, you've grown so big."
Qin Li was so nervous his voice trembled slightly, "Aunt... Your Majesty."
Nangong Wan teased from the side, "Look, I even held you when you were little, but now you're so distant."
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere eased considerably.
Xuanyuan Qingyu continued, "I invited you here today to discuss something. Recently, there have been frequent unusual movements from the Southern Void Abyss. Many Cultivators, while searching for treasures on the surface of the Void Abyss, have sensed extremely high-Realm Demonic Qi."
"I have sent some people to explore the deeper levels of the Void Abyss before, but not a single one has returned to this day."
"Originally, I planned to personally go to the Void Abyss in a few days to investigate, but it just so happened that I sensed Sister Wan had arrived in the imperial city, so I prepared to go with her."
"However, Sister Wan said she was a bit worried about you two. Today, I summoned you two to the palace to ask for your intentions: do you wish to stay in the capital and wait for our return, or accompany us to the Void Abyss?"
Qin Li looked at Zhou Dage. Zhou Fan pondered for a moment before asking, "Does Your Majesty have confidence?"
"There will be no existence above the fourth-tier within the Xuanyuan Dynasty. Within the fourth-tier, I have no equal."
Seeing Xuanyuan Qingyu so confident, and with his Fairy Master also implicitly agreeing to the matter, Zhou Fan replied, "Then let's go together. I can handle third-tier Yao Beasts."
Seeing this, Qin Li quickly said, "Then I'll go too. I can fight second-tier ones."
Xuanyuan Qingyu, upon hearing this, said with satisfaction, "Then I thank you all for your trouble. You may rest in this hall tonight. We will depart at Chen Shi tomorrow. After the matter is concluded, I will have a heavy reward for you."