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

The Prefect of Jingzhao arrived with his men.

He knew that the Great Xia was no longer the Great Xia of the past. It had cultivators like Chu Lengyu and divine beasts like the Aurora Fox. These were the most precious assets of the Great Xia and could not be lost.

But upon seeing that the person who had been knocked away was none other than Helian Ting, the one who needed special attention, and who was now lying on the ground coughing up blood, his life hanging in the balance, the Prefect of the Capital was immediately in a state of utter panic.

If Helian Ting were to die on the spot tonight, would the Great Qian Dynasty send troops to the Great Xia Dynasty as a result?

Without a second thought, he blurted out, "Have mercy!"

Aurora Fox turned its head to look at him in confusion.

The Prefect of the Capital stopped, panting, but then he thought to himself, what do I have to fear about war now? What is there to be afraid of in the mere Great Qian Dynasty?

He felt so confident that he straightened his back and puffed out his chest.

Yue Mu arrived in a hurry, his heart filled with anxiety, and went straight to Helian Ting's side.

His face was as pale as paper, blood was gushing from his mouth and nose, he looked miserable, his breath was weak, and his life hung by a thread.

Yue Mu was furious and was about to get up to demand an explanation, question the other party about why they had committed such a deadly act, and hold them accountable.

However, upon seeing the snow-white fox, Yue Mu's words caught in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

How could he reason with a fox? Even if he wanted to investigate, how could he bypass the mysterious and unpredictable Chu Lengyu?

Thinking of this, Yue Mu couldn't help but feel timid; his former lofty ambitions were gone forever.

Aurora Fox, observing the two groups of people converging on either side, their atmosphere tense and ready to fight, suddenly found it amusing.

The little figure I just casually swatted away seems to be of high status.

The two sides were locked in a standoff. The Prefect of the Capital originally intended to mediate, but now he has slightly changed his mind.

He first bowed respectfully to the little fox, thanking it for giving him face, and said, "Fox Immortal, although this child has made a mistake, I thank you for showing mercy in consideration of the peace between our two countries."

Aurora Fox stared at him, its eyes gleaming as if it were deep in thought.

Finally, it gently wagged its tail, ignoring the mortals, and leaped into the night, leaving behind a rainbow-colored trail as it disappeared into the distance.

Everyone watched it leave.

Then the Prefect of the Capital, with a stern face, preemptively questioned: "Great Qian Envoy, why did you members of the delegation drive ferocious beasts to run rampant and wreak havoc in the capital city in the dead of night, and even dare to attack the celestial beasts of my Great Xia? Such behavior is extremely rude!"

In just a few words, he bestowed upon this fox the identity of a "fox spirit," demonstrating his respect for it and putting pressure on Yue Mu, making him not to underestimate it.

Yue Mu's face turned ashen. He knew he was in the wrong and felt somewhat guilty, but he was not willing to back down and quickly searched for a way to exonerate himself.

He then pointed to the equally wounded giant wolf, still whimpering on the ground, and feigned indignation, saying, "It's all because this beast is untamed and prefers to roam at night. Although we have tried our best to restrain it, we have ultimately failed. However, your side should not have acted so rashly and killed it!"

Immediately afterwards, he demanded firmly, "Get out of the way immediately and bring the best doctor from your Great Xia to treat him!"

Upon hearing this, the Prefect of the Capital put his hands behind his back, his expression seemingly somewhat regretful.

So Helian Ting was still alive...

He gently raised his hand, signaling the constables behind him to step forward: "Men, quickly take the injured to the clinic and do everything you can to treat him. There must be no delay!"

Yue Mu felt relieved. He knew that the Great Xia Dynasty attached great importance to diplomatic envoys and would not dare to let a prince of the Great Qian Dynasty suffer any misfortune here. They would definitely provide the best treatment.

The constables immediately stepped forward, carefully carried the person away, and sent him to a nearby reliable clinic for treatment.

Yue Mu wanted to follow, but was politely stopped by the Prefect of the Capital.

Taking the opportunity, the Prefect of the Capital invited, "Your Excellency, please wait. I have a few important matters to discuss with you in detail. But don't worry, it won't take too long. After all, it's getting late, and we can go to the palace together to watch the ceremony later."

Now Yue Mu's heart is entirely focused on the unconscious Helian Ting, worrying about what would happen to himself and the entire delegation if he died, was maimed, or remained unconscious.

Upon hearing the invitation from the Prefect of the Capital, he nodded without hesitation.

He immediately realized something was wrong, looked up, and asked in confusion, "I saw that your warehouse was burned down earlier. How can the casting of the Qingzhou Cauldron still take place as scheduled today?"

"Alas, the warehouse was indeed burned down..." The Prefect of the Capital sighed, then he smiled and spread his hands, "But the materials are not here."

Upon hearing this, Yue Mu felt as if someone had struck him hard on the head, causing him to feel dizzy and his ears to ring.

He suddenly realized that the warehouse was just bait to lure the enemy, and he had been easily manipulated.

All that scheming and thinking you've got the upper hand has turned into nothing but empty joy!

The other side had already guessed my thoughts and plans, and all the information they released to the outside world was false!

Yue Mu realized that everything he had meticulously planned was exactly what the other party had anticipated. The sense of defeat was like a boulder pressing on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

The seemingly kind and amiable fat man in front of him suddenly appeared cunning and scheming, his smile seemingly mocking him for being tricked.

Immediately, he felt a mix of emotions: resentment, anger, and self-reproach for his negligence.

But Yue Mu was a seasoned veteran, and he quickly composed himself, forcing a smile as he said, "I see. Your Excellency is truly far-sighted and your plan is ingenious. I admire you."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. I had no other choice. The matter of the Nine Tripods is attracting worldwide attention, which naturally draws all sorts of scoundrels and villains. Although we have eliminated many petty villains, there are still quite a few who secretly intend to sabotage this matter," the Prefect of the Capital complained.

Upon hearing this, Yue Mu felt a surge of intense curiosity and asked, "What you say is absolutely right, sir. The matter of the Nine Tripods is indeed a matter of great importance to the nation. But everyone says it benefits the country and its people. If that is truly the case, why are there still so many people who try to obstruct it?"

Upon hearing this question, the Prefect of the Capital glanced at him and said slowly and meaningfully, "The world is vast and full of wonders. It's just that some people simply refuse to believe it."

These words had a double meaning, but Yue Mu understood them perfectly.

He felt that the Prefect of the Capital was mocking him again, but he had no evidence.

The Prefect of the Capital remained calm.

His words were clearly a mockery of Yue Mu's overestimation of his abilities, and the fire and assassination attempt that night were very likely related to him.

But more than anything, it was a heartfelt expression of emotion.

Everything in the world has its own reason. Where there are believers, there are those who question; where there are those who yearn for light, there are those who embrace darkness.

The same applies to the matter of the Nine Tripods.

Some people, whether due to conflicting interests, differing views, or personal grudges, chose to stand on the opposite side of Great Xia, attempting to prevent all of this from happening.

But the more fundamental reason is that some people have been conservative for too long and cannot believe in any force that can change the status quo.

They would rather remain stagnant than face the unknown future!

This is the most complex and contradictory part of human nature.

The appearance of Chu Lengyu will surely lead the Great Xia in a completely new direction, or even a completely new world.

However, not everyone is willing to do so. They are afraid that their status will be affected and their interests will be lost, so they obstruct the process.

The only thing that made the Prefect of the Capital feel fortunate was that His Majesty the Emperor had great foresight and firmly chose a new future.

After a moment of silence, Yue Mu said, "My lord has great confidence in the Chu State Preceptor."

This is not a question, but a statement.

"Of course." The Prefect of the Capital chuckled. "It's getting light. Let's go and talk as we walk."