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

The courtiers carefully recalled, trying to guess what Chu Lengyu might be looking for.

Some people frowned, deep in thought; others closed their eyes and pondered, trying to find clues from the bits and pieces of the past.

Finally, someone suggested, "What if we petition His Majesty to bestow upon her the title of Protector of the Nation and grant her unparalleled honor? Such a lofty position would surely make her feel the deep respect of the Great Xia Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, the courtiers all nodded in agreement.

In their view, this unprecedented imperial decree was not only an affirmation of Chu Lengyu's strength, but also the highest praise for her. Such glory would surely move her heart.

Only the Minister of Rites shook his head slightly.

Someone else suggested, "Why not issue an imperial edict to select outstanding disciples from across the land and send them to the Chu State Preceptor's tutelage, so that her immortal arts can be passed down? Perhaps this approach would be useful?"

The ministers nodded again, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Succession is an extremely important matter, and perhaps Chu Lengyu will be tempted by this offer and stay to continue serving the Great Xia.

At this moment, someone else slowly spoke up, offering a different perspective: "The realm of cultivators is far beyond our reach. What she pursues is the supreme path of immortality. Therefore, I believe that providing the Imperial Preceptor with the best cultivation environment, allowing her to cultivate in peace without being distracted by trivial matters, is the best condition."

Upon hearing this, the ministers nodded again.

They recalled Chu Lengyu's past behavior; she had always preferred quiet and low-key living, and was extremely focused on cultivation.

If we can provide her with the best cultivation environment so that she can pursue the path of immortality without distraction, we might be able to keep this national advisor.

Meanwhile, the officials of the Great Xia Dynasty were still discussing how to retain Chu Lengyu and prevent envoys from other countries from succeeding, creating a tense and solemn atmosphere.

Suddenly, Yue Mu stepped forward.

His actions caused everyone to stop what they were doing and their conversations to cease, all eyes turning to him.

All the envoys, including the one from Nanli, showed expressions of surprise.

They originally thought that Yue Mu was not interested in winning over Chu Lengyu, or that he was just putting on airs and wouldn't get involved himself.

But to their surprise, Yue Mu actually came out, which was quite unexpected.

Although Yue Mu did not carry a sword, he was tall and strong, and his movements gave people a considerable sense of pressure.

He walked up to Chu Lengyu, his attitude extremely arrogant.

He looked at Chu Lengyu's aloof face and slowly said, "National Preceptor Chu, if you are willing to go to the Great Qian, my king will surely treat you with the respect due to a national preceptor and bestow upon you unparalleled glory. You will have your own fiefdom and become a person second only to the king, above all others."

His voice echoed throughout the hall, every word brimming with confidence and arrogance.

He believed that such conditions would be enough to tempt anyone.

After all, becoming the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty, possessing unparalleled glory and power, is something that countless people dream of!

However, Chu Lengyu merely glanced at Yue Mu indifferently, without making any comment.

Seeing this, Yue Mu was very displeased, but on the surface he still maintained an arrogant attitude and refused to show weakness.

He continued, “Master Chu, you should think this through carefully. The Great Qian is far superior to the Great Xia. If you choose us, your future will be even more glorious. In the Great Qian, you will gain endless glory and power, which the Great Xia cannot give you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the ministers of the Great Xia Dynasty all showed expressions of anger.

They simply could not tolerate Yue Mu's arrogant and presumptuous attitude, as if the Great Xia was nothing more than a vulnerable little country in their eyes.

If Chu Lengyu were really taken away by him, what would become of the Great Xia's reputation?

The emperor's face also turned extremely ugly. He looked coldly at Yue Mu, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes.

However, Chu Lengyu still did not react.

She was calm and composed, detached from worldly affairs, as if Yue Mu's words had no effect on her whatsoever. (Note)

Upon seeing this, Yue Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration.

He originally thought that the conditions he offered would be enough to move Chu Lengyu's heart, but he did not expect her to be so unmoved.

He thought to himself: Could it be that Chu Lengyu is really so loyal to the Great Xia that he is not even willing to pursue a better future?

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, and said again, "National Preceptor Chu, if you return to the Great Qian with me, my king will be willing to marry you and make you a Heavenly Consort."

These words caused an uproar throughout the entire Golden Palace.

The officials of the Great Xia Dynasty could no longer contain themselves and began to rebuke them.

They all looked furious, as if they wanted to tear him to pieces.

"Insolence!" a minister roared. "Envoy of the Great Qian Dynasty, what do you mean by this? How dare you utter such arrogant words in the Golden Palace of my Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Are you insulting my Great Xia?" another minister said indignantly. "The Chu State Preceptor is the State Preceptor of my Great Xia. How dare you insult him at will!"

The ministers' rebukes rose and fell, and the atmosphere in the entire Golden Palace became extremely tense.

The emperor's face also turned extremely gloomy. He looked coldly at Yue Mu, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

He thought to himself: This Yue Mu is incredibly audacious, daring to be so presumptuous in the Golden Palace! If we don't teach him a lesson, he'll really think that our Great Xia has no one left!

However, Yue Mu remained unmoved.

His gaze remained fixed on Chu Lengyu, awaiting her reply.

He believed that as long as Chu Lengyu agreed to his conditions, everything would be resolved. He looked forward to Chu Lengyu giving him the answer he wanted.

Chu Lengyu finally spoke, her voice calm and indifferent, asking, "Yue Mu, are you finished?"

Yue Mu was taken aback, nodded, and said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm done."

He then immediately followed up with, "Don't you want to?"

He had a bad feeling, and his expression became anxious. He clearly didn't want to hear Chu Lengyu reject him in public, causing him to lose face in front of the Xia emperor and his ministers, as well as the envoys from many small countries.

Chu Lengyu merely glanced at him, showing absolutely no interest in answering his utterly foolish question.

Yue Mu's face immediately turned extremely ugly.

He clenched his fists tightly, a fierce glint in his eyes, determined that if Chu Lengyu dared to refuse on the spot, he would make her regret her decision today.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, and said in a deep voice, "Master Chu, you should think this through carefully. This is your last chance."

His tone carried a clear threat.

However, Chu Lengyu did not take Yue Mu's threat to heart at all.

How dare an ant shout at the heavens?

Then she gently raised her hand, pointed a finger at Yue Mu, and said coldly, "Blind to the truth."

Her voice was calm, yet it carried an indescribable air of authority.

Yue Mu immediately felt a strong sense of oppression. He covered his face and let out a painful scream.

Two streams of blood flowed from under his eyes. He cried out in pain, not forgetting to utter a threat: "How dare you lay a hand on me! The Emperor Qian will never forgive you!"

However, Chu Lengyu simply looked at him and continued, "You have no manners."

Her voice remained calm, yet it seemed to contain an endless chill.

Yue Mu's cursing stopped abruptly, and he could only let out unpleasant whimpers, spitting out mouthfuls of bright red blood.

He couldn't see or speak, and was terrified, as if he had lost all sense of direction.

He collapsed to the ground, whimpering.

Everyone in the hall was horrified by his miserable state and quickly moved away as if avoiding a plague.

They looked at Chu Lengyu with awe and fear in their eyes.

Looking at the struggling Yue Mu, Chu Lengyu indifferently uttered her final assessment: "Willing but not wise."

He clutched his chest, lay stiffly on the ground, and fell silent.

Chu Lengyu withdrew her finger and snapped it with a "snap," as if to put an end to this farce.

Yue Mu vanished from this world as if he had never existed, leaving not a trace.

The courtiers were horrified; they could not believe their eyes.

The envoys were all on edge, fearing that Chu Lengyu might implicate them in her anger.

How could they not be terrified when a living person was simply erased from existence?

At this point, Chu Lengyu lost interest.

She stood up from her seat and said, "Please pass on a message to Emperor Qian: clean up his household, no need to be polite."

The officials, recovering from their astonishment, all looked up at the emperor on the dragon throne, their hearts filled with shock.

She was actually giving orders to the emperor.

However, no one thought it was impossible.

The emperor's heart pounded, his mouth was dry, and he nodded in response almost instinctively.

The envoys watched her leave, and it was only much later that they came to their senses.

They were certain that their experience in Daxia would become one of the most unforgettable memories of their lives.

The name Chu Lengyu will be passed down in their country for a very, very long time.

_______________________

Note: You're all tired of using words like "lightly," "gently," and "quietly," and I'm tired of using them too. I need to think of some replacement words.

So we found this sentence.

One should cultivate a tranquil and leisurely state of mind, resisting the clamor and interference of external things. Ideally, one's mind should flow like clouds and water, utterly free of burdens. — Tao Jue, *Collection of Proverbs*