Yuan Ming was indifferent to the departure of the Eighth Prince's Princely Heir, having come merely to make an appearance. He was about to find a place to sit when someone preemptively surrounded him.

"Hehe, Brother Yuan, it's been years since we last met. I hope you've been well," a thin man in white robes greeted with a bow.

Yuan Ming recognized him as Cheng Cheng, the son of the Minister of Rites, and returned the greeting: "Thank you for your thoughts, Brother Cheng. I am well."

Alongside him, a somewhat corpulent man impatiently spoke up, "I find you scholars most tedious, always so prim and proper. Brother Yuan has barely survived a brush with death, returning from the Southern Border, and you're asking these trifles?"

This was Fatty Gong, the son of the Guard Commander. Yuan Ming chuckled and replied, "Brother Gong, but I am a scholar myself."

"Speaking of which, Brother Yuan, I've finished your new book 'Young Master Sheng's Southern Journey.' It was marvelous! Those stories from the Southern Border, did you make them up, or are they true experiences?" Gong Jie asked expectantly, looking at Yuan Ming.

"As for that, I shall leave it to your imagination," Yuan Ming said to Fatty Gong with a wink and a mysterious smile.

Gong Jie was dissatisfied with his answer and started egging him on to talk about his encounters in the Southern Border, with Cheng Cheng chiming in to encourage him.

Suddenly, several children of high-ranking officials gathered around, bombarding him with questions.

Unable to avoid it, Yuan Ming simply omitted his identity as a cultivator and shared the story of Wu Sang, mixing truth with fiction, eliciting gasps of astonishment from the crowd.

"I remember now, there's a similar story in 'Young Master Sheng's Southern Journey'!" someone with a good memory exclaimed.

Thus, everyone began to believe that 'Young Master Sheng's Southern Journey' was based on Yuan Ming's real experiences, each offering their interpretations and questions, insisting on Yuan Ming's explanations.

Yuan Ming dealt with them for a long time, talking until his mouth was dry and his tongue was weary, until the crowd was finally satisfied.

Suddenly, someone casually remarked, "Why isn't Lin Junsheng here today?"

Gong Jie sneered, "He's climbed the high branches and joined Chang Chun Temple, looking down on us brothers with no talent. Why would he come?"

"Also, I heard that it's been a month since Brother Yuan returned from the Southern Border and Lin hasn't visited even once, despite Yuan once considering him a close friend. I think he's a real scoundrel!" Cheng Cheng added.

At this, the crowd grew incensed, collectively denouncing Lin Junsheng for his disloyalty.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Ming coughed twice and said, "Gentlemen, you misunderstand. Actually, I quite understand Brother Lin. After all, the path of cultivation is tough as ascending to the heavens. He, just like me, was not abundantly gifted. Now that he has found an opportunity, he naturally treasures it and works hard in hopes of realizing his dreams."

Hearing this, the crowd praised Yuan Ming for his magnanimity, their enthusiasm for him growing even stronger.

At that moment, in front of the stairs, a tall, graceful woman in white, surrounded by maids, approached slowly. Lifting her head, she caught Yuan Ming's eye.

The woman smiled at Yuan Ming, walked aside, and did not join the crowd.

Seeing this, Yuan Ming apologized to those around him and walked over to the woman, greeting her with a bow and a smile, "Sister Lou Lan, I didn't expect you here. You never visit me at my home."

"Your home is teeming with visitors; I'm hardly a match for them. You've traveled and played for over three years without even a letter?" the woman in white replied coolly.

Yuan Ming forced a smile, "Sister Lou Lan, you misunderstand me. I truly had my reasons."

"Never mind that, you've become famous again. A few of my close friends have been pestering me to ask you for some of your calligraphy to soothe their yearning hearts. Moreover, one daring girl wrote a letter asking me to pass it on; do you need me to show it to you?" Sister Lou Lan teased.

Yuan Ming laughed despondently, "No need for the letter. I'm afraid if I read it, my heart will be tied, and I won't be free anymore."

Sister Lou Lan retorted teasingly, "You've really changed since going to the Southern Border.

Yuan Ming chuckled, speaking softly, "Seriously, when are you and Tianming planning to get married? Hurry up and tie the knot. The higher you reach in cultivation, the harder it will be to have descendants later."

Lou Lan blushed, saying scornfully, "Tsk! Initially, Tianming and I thought to wait for your return from the Southern Border before marrying, but who knew you would go missing. Meanwhile, Tianming suddenly took to cultivation, increasingly neglecting his governmental duties, and we've met less frequently. I fear he might have changed his heart."

Yuan Ming fell silent, at a loss for how to comfort Lou Lan.

Just then, Lou Lan suddenly giggled, "He took up cultivation, not becoming a eunuch. The mountain doesn't seek me, so I will go to the mountain. I've already decided, if he joins Chang Chun Temple, so will I. I'll corner him within the sect and see if he dares not to marry me!"

With that, Lou Lan stared intently at Yuan Ming, "You better not tip him off. I'm now at the Sixth Level of Qi Refining; if you spill the beans, humph."

"I would never go to Chang Chun Temple," Yuan Ming quickly shook his head.

"Quit sulking; you're still holding onto the past. Don't worry, once you're in the sect, if anyone dares to mock your lack of talent, I'll definitely teach them a lesson!" Lou Lan said fiercely.

Touched, Yuan Ming could only respond vaguely, "Thank you, Sister Lou Lan."

Lou Lan snorted triumphantly, then asked, "So, you're a cultivator now too? Which stage of Qi Refining are you at?"

"I've just entered the Late Stage of Qi Refining," Yuan Ming replied.

"How did you reach that in three years? Impossible! You were just a commoner with ordinary Spirit Root when you left the capital!" Lou Lan exclaimed.

"Three years ago, I obtained a cultivation technique from Chang Chun Temple. The Southern Border is full of adventures," Yuan Ming explained.

"You're lying. How could you have a technique from Chang Chun Temple? Tianming wasn't even cultivating when you left. You're making this all up. I'm leaving," Lou Lan said.

Seeing Lou Lan suddenly stand to leave, her maid asked, "Ah, Miss, why are you leaving so soon?"

Lou Lan turned back and said feigningly angry, "I don't want to stay with a liar."

Yuan Ming hurriedly came forward to apologize and managed to steer away Lou Lan's curiosity about his cultivation by talking about interesting things from the Southern Border.

Having been apart for so long, the two chatted for a while, until the Princely Heir returned.

Lou Lan was not particularly interested in the gathering; she was mainly here to meet with Yuan Ming, as she had reached the age suitable for marriage and it was inconvenient for her to visit Yuan Mansion to meet Yuan Ming alone. Seeing the situation, she offered her farewells and left the Dingyang Building.

...

It was late into the night.

Yuan Ming, accompanied by a crowd, walked out of the Dingyang Building, his cheeks slightly flushed, clearly having had quite a bit to drink.

Outside the building, Wang Shun, who had been waiting for a while, immediately approached, and the guards helped Yuan Ming into the carriage, heading towards the General Mansion.

Not far from the building, inside the carriage, Yuan Ming suddenly spoke, his voice slightly slurred, "First, go to Lin Junsheng's residence."

"Young Master, it's already so late, you should go back and rest," Wang Shun advised.

"Nonsense, immediately, now!" Yuan Ming asserted with the authority of the Young Master of Yuan Mansion.

Reluctantly, the guards had no choice but to escort Yuan Ming to Lin Mansion.

Yuan Ming got off the carriage, swaying slightly as he walked to the door of Lin Mansion, and a guard knocked loudly on the door.

Soon, the door opened, and a gatekeeper peered out impatiently: "Who is it at this hour? Oh, Young Master Yuan, why have you come?"

Yuan Ming didn't reply, "Get Lin Junsheng out to see me!"

"This… I'll go report at once," the gatekeeper hesitated, then retreated.

Soon, he peeked out again, "Young Master Yuan, I'm terribly sorry, but my young master is currently in seclusion for cultivation and cannot conveniently meet visitors."

"Get him out to see me! Now!" Yuan Ming said angrily.

"Young Master Yuan, please don't make it difficult for me," the gatekeeper pleaded with a pained expression.

Yuan Ming said, "Fine, give Lin Junsheng a message, I'll wait here for him for a quarter hour, if he doesn't come, he might regret it later!"

The gatekeeper had no choice but to relay the message again, but this time, he didn't return.

A quarter hour later, Yuan Ming turned away with a cold laugh and without a word, returned to the carriage.

"Back to the mansion."

Wang Shun, not knowing what had happened, could only drive the foggy-hearted carriage back to the General Mansion.

Soon after Yuan Ming left, another carriage stopped at the gate of Lin Mansion, from which a black-clothed man wearing a wide-brimmed hat alighted and knocked on the gate of Lin Mansion.

After waiting a moment with no response, he continued knocking without irritation, and soon, the gatekeeper reappeared.

The black-clothed man didn't speak but simply pulled out a token and showed it to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper recognized it as Lin Junsheng's private token and quickly opened the door to let the mysterious man in.

Under his guidance, the black-clothed man quickly arrived in front of the room where Lin Junsheng was in seclusion. Before he could approach, the door suddenly opened.

The man in black quickly stepped inside, placed his hat aside, and said directly, "I saw Yuan Ming was looking for you."

Under the candlelight, his face was unmistakably clear— it was indeed the Princely Heir of the Eighth Prince.

"I know, but what exactly does he want?" Lin Junsheng nodded.

"Perhaps, he still harbors feelings for the past. Tonight at the gathering, I deliberately had someone test him, and he defended you," said the Princely Heir.

Lin Junsheng fell silent, his face enigmatic under the candlelight.

"You don't think he could really forgive you, do you?" the Princely Heir scoffed.

"Of course, I'm not that naive, but with His Majesty and him being as close as brothers, now that he has returned, will His Majesty act against me?" Lin Junsheng shook his head.

"Don't worry, you are now a disciple of the Chang Chun Temple, and he has no evidence. Yuan Ming surviving is purely your mishap. The emperor has met your request, the State Preceptor unusually took you as his disciple, and you joined the Chang Chun Temple, but safeguarding you temporarily doesn't ensure your safety forever, Yuan Ming's implications must still be dealt with by you," said the Princely Heir.

"I have an understanding," Lin Junsheng nodded, his hands clenched behind him.

The Princely Heir, unconcerned with his inner thoughts, put his hat back on, "Continue with your seclusion, everything must prioritize my father's succession. I'm leaving."

Lin Junsheng remained silent, not getting up to see the Princely Heir off.

Soon, the Princely Heir boarded the carriage and sped away.

But, after he left, in a dim alleyway beside Lin Mansion, a black soul crow flapped down from the sky, delivering a blue Treasure Bead into Yuan Ming's hand.

At this moment, Yuan Ming's face showed no trace of drunkenness, his gaze inscrutable as he fiddled with the Treasure Bead in his hand.

"It is indeed the Wise Eighth King... ha ha."

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