"What useful intelligence do you have for me?" Li Changzhou turned and asked her.
"Huh?"
"We are different from cultivators, skills are skills, not spells."
Li Changzhou was taken aback for a moment.
Her unblemished, beautiful face smiled meaningfully: "Tomorrow, let him ride on the auspicious clouds that only immortals have."
"I see! Good!" Li Changzhou said with a smile, clasping his hands together, "I'll use teleportation again, and ensure he'll be utterly compliant."
"With us, husband and wife, working together, are we still afraid we can't handle this feudal emperor?" Yang Qinglan said with a smile, "As long as we gain Jiajing's trust, no matter what the dragon vein's usage is, we can take the initiative. This is probably also the reason the Heavenly Emperor and Empress changed their identities and infiltrated the Imperial Palace."
The sound of the night watchmen's calls came from outside, and the room fell silent for a moment.
Her smile became somewhat exhilarating, "It's late at night, shall we rest?"
In this snowy night, her voice had a special tranquility.
"Hmm, you rest, I'm going to find Qing Lan and my sister."
Two bottles of aphrodisiac flew his way.
"Scram! Pervert!"
...Hmm?
◇
Li Changzhou left the Heavenly Palace, stealthily leaving the Forbidden City, blending into the Capital of 1539 amidst the wind and snow.
Lights were on in all corners, countless people sleepless this night.
After the snowfall, Li Changzhou also called Li Qianxia over. She was hiding with Yang Qinglan in an unoccupied house in the southern part of the city.
The south of the city was mostly where officials lived, with the best public order, and it was rare for anyone to come knocking suddenly.
When the three met, they talked all night, revealing each other's identities, missions, and speculations about this task.
Yang Qinglan was indeed a descendant of Mount Gu She, known in the martial arts world as the Gu She Divine Woman.
Li Qianxia was one of the five Heavenly Monarchs of the Divine Sect, the Peng (Roc) Lady, rumored to favor the Heavenly Emperor and be jealous of the Heavenly Empress. There were also whispers that the Peng Lady was the Heavenly Emperor's own sister.
The position of the Divine Sect was like that of the White Lotus Sect, the Fire Residence, and the Spirit Treasure Sect—all on the court's most-wanted list, faring worse than monks of this era. Hence, the Heavenly Emperors, Heavenly Empresses, and Heavenly Monarchs of past generations rarely showed their true forms, known only to a few.
This was why Li Changzhou and Qianxia could infiltrate the Forbidden City and why there were rumors between Changzhou and Qianxia.
All three had the same mission, and so did Qianxia: [To become an immortal through tribulation].
"The Turquoise Pool said it's the Heavenly Tribulation," Li Changzhou conveyed, "In ancient times, cultivators becoming immortals, to become a Human Immortal, they had to pass through the 'Human Tribulation'. The tribulations varied greatly, but in essence, it was about those of the same realm vying with each other, a struggle amongst the exceptional, and only those who survived could become Human Immortals."
"The Turquoise Pool is here too?" Li Qianxia brightened.
This mission was different from the past; it wasn't just about the Black Card, the four of them could work together.
If the four of them joined forces, Li Qianxia couldn't think of anyone who could be their match. If there was, then it was out of their hands; if they truly couldn't win, then they were all-in already.
"Is she in the role of 'Instinct'... a concubine?" asked Yang Qinglan.
"Sort of," replied Li Changzhou, not daring to delve deeper into this subject, though his assignment had nothing to do with it.
"Where is the Dragon Vein, and how is it used to become an immortal?" Li Qianxia asked, pondering aloud as she spoke.
"The Jiajing Emperor must be key," Li Changzhou also pondered the problem, "I'm inside the palace, you two look for information outside. Many cultivators have recently come to the Capital, be careful."
"There are many experts within the palace; be careful yourself," Yang Qinglan's voice was soft and pleasant, her eyes fixed on him.
Li Changzhou couldn't help but smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
"The Divine Sect's Heavenly Empress and the other four great Heavenly Monarchs are here too. If we can find them and have them help us, our chances of success should be great," Li Qianxia contemplated.
"The Heavenly Empress?" Yang Qinglan's clear eyes flickered.
She had a good memory and remembered that Li Changzhou's answer was 'sort of'; did the Heavenly Empress count as a concubine or not?
Li Changzhou was already considering whether he'd be buried on Tianshou Mountain or tossed into the Moat.
Drumbeats echoed from the watchtowers, the Capital, desolate and cold, suddenly became noisy with the sound of shouting, way-clearing for palanquins, horse hooves, salutations, a din of voices.
Once the fifth watch passed, the curfew lifted, those with business did business, those going to court went to court.
"I'm going now, you both need to be careful. If anything happens, call me immediately, and don't worry about whether I'm with the Jiajing Emperor or not!"
"Yes, brother, the same goes for you—if anything happens, just call us."
Li Changzhou teleported directly back to the Heavenly Palace.
Qianxia was sitting cross-legged on the couch, flipping through a jade scroll in her hand. Seeing him return, she merely glanced up and said coldly, "Back from enjoying yourself?"