My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

"Something like this happened this morning?" Chu Lengyu's eyes flickered slightly.

Green Bamboo put down her tea, a hint of dissatisfaction on her face, and said, "Yes, I only heard about it by chance this afternoon when I accompanied Master Lu to visit an old friend. These envoys from the Great Qian Kingdom are truly rude!"

Unfortunately, the two countries had coexisted peacefully for many years, and when it came to returning the ancient cauldron, the Great Xia could only thank them with a heavy heart.

Even though Yue Mu's attitude was not good, he was still an envoy of a country. We could not do anything to him during the tribute ceremony. Instead, we should prioritize the overall situation and politely invite him to attend the banquet.

Moreover, with the Great Qian Dynasty as his backing, it's normal for him to be a bit arrogant.

Chu Lengyu gazed at the tranquil scenery in the distance, saying nothing more.

Seeing this, although Green Bamboo felt a thousand dissatisfactions and ten thousand indignations, she could only shut her mouth, suppress her emotions, and lower her head without saying a word.

She knew that her young mistress was aloof and would probably not react to the provocation of Yue Mu, the envoy of the Great Qian Dynasty. After all, Chu Lengyu had always been cold and aloof and did not want to pay much attention to worldly affairs.

The matter of the Great Qian envoy is certainly infuriating, but it is a matter of diplomatic maneuvering between two countries. These open and covert struggles should not be something our young lady should worry about.

A stubborn look appeared on Lü Yun's face, as if she was unwilling but helpless.

However, a barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed in Chu Lengyu's eyes. She gently put down her teacup, stood up, and walked calmly towards the door.

His clothes changed with each step, and in just a few steps, they transformed into a rarely worn black wide-sleeved long robe, like a dark orchid in the night, mysterious and noble.

The dark color seemed to complement her usual aloof temperament, adding to her imposing and unyielding presence.

Then, Chu Lengyu gathered her long hair, gently picked up a white jade hairpin, and inserted it into her hair. Her eyes were shimmering, like autumn water reflecting waves, or like scattered cold stars, unpredictable.

Upon seeing this, Lü Yun was startled, and at the same time, excitement and worry arose in her heart.

She knew her young mistress's personality well; once she made a decision, she wouldn't easily change it. Could it be that this time, her young mistress had decided to personally confront the provocation from the Great Qian envoy?

Chu Lengyu didn't say much, but simply told Lüyun to go out for a while. Then she transformed into a stream of light and headed straight for the imperial palace.

Green Bamboo stood by the door, silently praying that her mistress's journey would go smoothly.

Meanwhile, inside the imperial palace.

The tribute mission has ended, but tonight the emperor will host a banquet for the envoys from various countries to bring this year's tribute mission to a perfect close.

In the magnificent hall, the banquet had quietly begun. Although the controversy over the return of the tripod this morning had subsided, undercurrents were still surging.

Yue Mu sat in the seat of honor, his face arrogant, as if he were the protagonist of the banquet.

He held the wine glass, swirling it gently, his eyes filled with disdain and provocation, as if silently declaring something.

His every expression and gesture revealed arrogance and conceit. Although the emperor and his ministers of the Great Xia Dynasty did not change their expressions, they could not help but feel displeased.

The Great Qian Kingdom used the return of the ancient cauldron as a pretext to mock the Great Xia, which was undoubtedly disrespectful to the Great Xia royal family.

In this matter, the envoys from other countries all adopted an attitude of indifference, as if it were none of their business.

They whispered among themselves or laughed quietly, but their eyes never left the subtle interaction between Yue Mu and the Xia emperor and his ministers.

They knew perfectly well that Yue Mu's long journey to return the tripod was by no means well-intentioned. Tonight's event was not just a simple banquet, but another round of covert competition between the two great powers.

Although they were unwilling to get directly involved, they were not without the mentality of enjoying the spectacle and silently guessing the true intentions of Emperor Qian and the bottom line of the Emperor of Great Xia.

They couldn't afford to offend either the Great Xia or the Great Qian, so they were happy to watch them fight each other, hoping to gain some benefits from it – fortune favors the bold.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation, undercurrents were stirring.

Everyone was calculating their own gains and losses, and behind this seemingly harmonious feast lay countless unknown variables.

The atmosphere at the banquet was slightly tense due to Yue Mu's arrogant attitude. Just then, an announcement suddenly rang out from outside the hall: "The Imperial Preceptor has arrived!"

The announcement caused everyone to stop what they were doing and look towards the door.

As the announcement ended, Chu Lengyu appeared at the entrance of the banquet hall, her figure appearing exceptionally tall and slender in the candlelight.

Her steps were firm, her demeanor serene, as if all the disturbances were irrelevant to her.

The eyes of everyone in the hall were instantly drawn to Chu Lengyu. Whether it was the emperor and his ministers of the Great Xia Dynasty or the envoys of various countries, they all turned their gazes to her. Even Yue Mu was captivated by her charm.

Chu Lengyu walked into the hall and gave the emperor a slight bow.

Then she turned to Yue Mu and said calmly, "Envoy Yue Mu, I've heard that you are quite interested in the matter of casting the Great Xia tripod. I've come today to answer your questions."

Yue Mu was taken aback, then sneered, "What advice does the Chu State Preceptor have for me?"

Chu Lengyu remained unhurried, gently raising her hand. A delicate scroll of blueprints flew out from her sleeve, unfurling and floating in mid-air for everyone to see.

"Please take a look," she said. "This is the design of one of the nine cauldrons that the Great Xia Dynasty is about to forge, the Qingzhou Cauldron. The nine cauldrons are different from traditional cauldrons. They will be forged using the natural essence of mountains, rocks, and forests from all over the Nine Provinces, combined with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

Yue Mu stared at the blueprint floating in mid-air, once again shocked by Chu Lengyu's extraordinary abilities. She could do such things so effortlessly, beyond his comprehension. Looking at the reaction of the Great Xia people, they seemed to have become accustomed to it.

The thought of her identity as a cultivator and her various "immortal arts" made Yue Mu's heart sink.

The appearance of Chu Lengyu will likely overturn all previous predictions of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Then, when Yue Mu's gaze fell on the blueprint, a predictable look of surprise quickly crossed his face.

He thought to himself: The Nine Cauldrons already have blueprints? It seems the information from the inside agent is already outdated.

But he quickly regained his composure and scoffed, "Is the Chu State Preceptor joking? What use is there in casting a tripod with these chaotic and disorganized things?"

Wouldn't this "cauldron" made of wood and mud be extremely fragile?

What difference is there between this grand preparation of the Great Xia Dynasty and a joke?

Chu Lengyu remained unperturbed and continued, "The purpose of casting the Nine Provinces Town Cauldrons is to gather the energy of heaven and earth to protect the peace of the world. The Nine Cauldrons are the essence of heaven and earth, and although they are made of wood and stone, they are incomparable to ordinary objects. As for their power... When the Nine Cauldrons are completed, the Yue Mu envoy can come to witness the ceremony, and then we will know the truth."

Her voice was gentle yet firm, leaving no room for doubt. Everyone who heard it felt awe, as if they could already foresee the magnificent scene when the Nine Tripods were cast.

Yue Mu wanted to say something more, but Chu Lengyu had already turned to the emperor and requested, "Your Majesty, the materials for the Qingzhou Cauldron are now complete. I request that the casting of the cauldron begin tomorrow, and that envoys from all countries attend the ceremony together."

Upon hearing this, the emperor was overjoyed and immediately granted the request: "Granted! I am greatly pleased that the Grand Preceptor of Chu is personally supervising the project."

Chu Lengyu nodded slightly to indicate that she had accepted the order.

She glanced at Yue Mu again: "Envoy, you are welcome to come and witness this tomorrow."

Yue Mu had never seen such an imposing woman, nor did he expect that Chu Lengyu would personally step forward and respond to his provocation so directly.

He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but didn't know how to start, and was speechless for a moment.

Chu Lengyu said no more, took her leave from the emperor, and slipped away.

Her appearance not only resolved the awkward situation in Da Xia, but also rendered Yue Mu's provocations pale and powerless.

As the emperor and his ministers of the Great Xia Dynasty watched Chu Lengyu's departing figure, a sense of respect arose in their hearts.

With Chu Lengyu present, the majesty of the Great Xia Dynasty cannot be violated. Neither the Four Kings and Eight Dukes nor the foreign enemy, the Great Qian Dynasty, can shake the foundation of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Yue Mu, filled with resentment, could only retreat temporarily.

He knew that he had lost again tonight.