Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Yan Country Changes Ruler

Late at night.

The distant imperial palace resembled a dormant beast of fire.

From a few scattered sparks at first, it had now become a continuous blaze, illuminating the outlines of flying eaves and carved rafters in flickering light.

The rise and fall of mortal dynasties—

no cultivator cared to interfere.

Only on the tall buildings outside the palace, there were some watching the spectacle.

Golden Roc Inn was quite far away, yet its view was wide and unobstructed; from the viewing platform, everything could be seen clearly.

With such a breathtaking backdrop behind her,

Lü Muxue paid it little mind.

She crossed her arms and slightly raised her chin, those peach-blossom eyes still carrying a justified radiance.

“So, you recognize me?”

Fang Chang answered frankly, setting the orange fruit tea on the table as he pleased. “The treasured pearl of the Taiyi Talisman Palace—who wouldn’t recognize you?”

Just like their first meeting.

Lü Muxue’s gaze was immediately drawn to the pot of fruit tea.

Fang Chang pressed a slip of paper with the proportions beneath the teapot.

As an important “favorability-boosting” recipe for Lü Muxue, he had long memorized it thoroughly.

“I made it according to last night’s proportions. I’m not sure if it’s the same—give it a taste.”

Lü Muxue remained as cautious as ever.

After checking it with a talisman,

she finally poured out a cup of the clear orange tea.

With a light sip, satisfaction instantly bloomed in her eyes.

She suddenly began humming a tune, picking up crispy snacks between her slender fingers, alternating between salty and sweet bites.

After a carefree, self-absorbed tasting,

her slightly baby-fat cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, blending with her fair skin into a soft pink that made one want to bite down on it.

“Not bad, not bad! This is the taste!”

Her mood had clearly improved.

Only then did she size Fang Chang up again, with both scrutiny and approval.

“You sickly ghost actually have some credibility. Go on—what do you want? This young lady will grant you one wish.”

Fang Chang did not respond to her words.

Instead, he turned his gaze toward the distant imperial palace.

Faint sounds of killing drifted along the wind, torn into fragments by the night breeze.

Figures swarmed atop the city walls, torches winding like serpents.

The main gate stood wide open as a cavalry unit rushed straight in, torches raised, hoofbeats pounding like drums.

“The old vein of dragon fortune has dispersed; a new vein is forming. Yan Country has already changed rulers.”

Lü Muxue followed his gaze and snorted coldly.

“Serves him right for courting death.”

She was clearly referring to the Crown Prince of Yan Country.

Fang Chang asked, “What does Miss Lü think of imperial dragon fortune?”

“It’s just a part of heaven and earth’s destiny—charity from the Heavenly Dao to mortals.”

“You still have dragon fortune lingering on you.”

“Not worth mentioning.”

Fang Chang believed her.

Not only the Twelve Orthodox Paths—even the Eighteen Demonic Sects and Thirty-Six Deviant Paths had methods to deal with imperial dragon fortune.

It was just that the cost was quite high.

Though they mainly suppressed it and could not completely remove it,

for the current weak and dormant state of imperial dragon fortune, once suppressed, it would no longer affect cultivators at all.

For someone like Lü Muxue, born into a powerful background, it was even less worth worrying about.

Fang Chang took a sip of his goji berry tea.

“What if, one day, imperial dragon fortune is no longer as weak and intangible as it is now—no longer unusable?”

“Then naturally it would benefit cultivators. Heavenly Dao destiny is hard to grasp, but if dragon fortune could be used, perhaps we cultivators would gain another great path to walk.”

Though Lü Muxue was only at Qi Absorption,

her upbringing in the sect had exposed her to much, giving her greater vision and ambition than ordinary cultivators.

And what she said—

was indeed correct.

Fang Chang’s gaze flickered subtly as a version name from Fallen Immortal surfaced in his mind—

—《Human Dao Dragon Fortune》!

In Fallen Immortal, a hidden mastermind would tamper with the Heavenly Dao, altering the grand trend of the world.

At that time, imperial dragon fortune would surge like an ocean, and officially appointed court officials would attain “Heaven and Earth Positions,” allowing mortals to rival cultivators.

And at that moment,

the Taiyi Talisman Palace would be the first among the Twelve Orthodox Paths to clash with mortal dynasties.

Lü Muxue’s father and elder brothers would all perish in that war.

Only Lü Muxue, whose cultivation had greatly advanced, would remain—alone, guarding the declining Taiyi Talisman Palace, until the moment of her death, still obsessing over revenge against imperial dragon fortune.

It could be said—

from the moment she became entangled with dragon fortune,

her future life would be inseparably tied to it.

Fang Chang suddenly said, “How about I remove the dragon fortune from your body?”

Lü Muxue froze for a moment.

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic.

Then she let out a scoff. “You?”

“Me.”

“What are you laughing at?” Lü Muxue sharply caught the slight curve at the corner of his lips, her brows knitting.

“Nothing.”

Fang Chang withdrew his smile and lowered his head to drink his tea.

Lü Muxue stared at him for a while, then suddenly found it boring.

A mere Qi Absorption rogue cultivator suddenly talking about guiding dragon resentment—he was probably just trying to latch onto her. She had seen plenty of such people.

She had originally felt a bit grateful for the orange fruit tea recipe he brought, reminding her of her mother.

Now, she withdrew her gaze, too lazy to pay him further attention.

The night breeze passed, and the viewing platform fell silent.

After finishing his tea and chewing the goji berries, Fang Chang suddenly spoke:

“The Taiyi Talisman Palace’s method is to use a talismanic treasure as a guide, refining and dispersing the dragon resentment, letting the blood relatives of the afflicted bear the karmic burden in their place.”

Lü Muxue’s movement paused slightly.

Her father and nine elder brothers—she truly had been cherished to the heavens.

For such a small amount of dragon resentment, her family would never allow it to remain on her.

Even if it was diluted to the extreme,

it would still plant hidden trouble for the future rise of Human Dao Dragon Fortune.

Fang Chang stood up. “Who would bear it for you? Your father and nine brothers? They already love you enough.”

Lü Muxue turned around, her gaze turning cold. “What do you mean?”

Fang Chang looked at her.

Under the moonlight, his eyes were calm, reflecting the flames of the imperial palace.

“What I mean is—”

he paused, “you can spare your father and brothers the trouble. I know another method—one that doesn’t require anyone to bear it for you.”

Lü Muxue stared at him, trying to read something from his face—but that face was too calm.

“You know?”

She curled her lips, looking down at him arrogantly. “A rogue Qi Absorption cultivator like you knows more than my father—the Palace Master of one of the Twelve Orthodox Paths?”

Fang Chang only smiled, not answering.

That faint smile made Lü Muxue inexplicably uncomfortable.

At that moment—

a streak of azure light shot into the sky from the distant imperial palace, dyeing half the night sky a clear blue-green.

That light intertwined with imperial dragon fortune.

Lü Muxue was slightly startled. “This is…”

Fang Chang replied, “Someone is using imperial dragon fortune to break through to the Fifth Realm.”

“How is that possible?”

“There are countless loopholes within the three thousand Great Daos… don’t worry, she didn’t succeed—at least not today.”

Fang Chang patted his clothes and turned toward the corridor, his voice drifting back:

“I haven’t decided on the payment for the recipe yet. We’ll talk next time.”

His footsteps gradually faded.

Lü Muxue remained standing there.

Watching his figure disappear into the corridor, then glancing at the azure light intertwined with dragon fortune in the sky, her brows furrowed tightly.

“Just dragon fortune…” she muttered, a hint of irritation in her tone, “what’s there to be arrogant about? Who would care about your method.”