Stealing the Pen: Kirin's Primordial Lotus

Chapter 562

After Xie Yuchen received the letter from Hei Xiazi, he looked around cautiously to make sure no one else noticed him, and then quickly sent the people around him away. When no one was around, he opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and read it carefully.

The content of the letter made Xie Yuchen sigh: "It turns out that the relationship between Pangu, Di Xin and Qin Fuguang is not indestructible!" He murmured softly and shook the letter in his hand, as if this would help him understand the meaning of the letter more deeply.

After reading the letter, Xie Yuchen set it on fire without hesitation and threw it into a nearby charcoal basin. The flames quickly engulfed the paper, burning it to ashes, ensuring that the contents of the letter would not be discovered by others.

After finishing the letter, Xie Yuchen opened the window of his room with a sense of relief, wanting to breathe in some fresh air. However, he obviously did not expect the air outside to be so humid that he choked twice.

"Ahem..." Xie Yuchen coughed and quickly covered his mouth with his hand, secretly complaining in his heart. "Oh! I'd better stop pretending. Isn't this asking for trouble?" He said helplessly to himself, then left the window in a huff.

However, Xie Yuchen did not dwell too much on this trivial matter, because he knew that there were more important things waiting for him to deal with now - welcoming Gong Yuanzheng and others who were about to return.

"Hongyu, my brother and his men will be returning triumphantly from their expedition in a few days! Have you prepared everything?"

A woman in a scarlet robe appeared behind Xie Yuchen. "Young Master, everything you asked us to find in the Great Wilderness has been prepared and will be safely delivered to the palace gates before the young prince returns."

Xie Yuchen's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile of appreciation. His eyes were as sharp as torches, fixed on the woman before him. Suddenly, as if by magic, he pulled out an object from his wide sleeves and threw it towards Hongyu without hesitation.

Seeing this, Hongyu's eyes were as calm as water, and she reached out to catch the flying object without changing her expression. Her movements were swift and precise, as if she had expected all this.

"I've always trusted you in your work." Xie Yuchen's voice was deep and magnetic, revealing his high regard for Hongyu. "This is a reward for you."

Hongyu thanked Xie Yuchen respectfully, then carefully placed the item in his arms, saying, "Thank you for the reward, Young Master! These are all within Hongyu's responsibility, and I dare not take credit for them."

Xie Yuchen smiled slightly, seeming quite pleased with Hong Yu's modesty. He slowly stood up, walked to the tea table in the corridor, and knelt gracefully. Then, he skillfully picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of fragrant tea, and prepared another cup for the person who was about to arrive.

"Hongyu, there's no need to be so self-deprecating." Xie Yuchen gently blew away the steam from the tea, took a sip, and said slowly, "You know my character. I've always been clear about rewards and punishments. If you do well, you'll naturally receive the corresponding reward; if you don't do well, you won't escape punishment."

His words were gentle, but the authority within them was impossible to ignore. Hongyu knew full well that Xie Yuchen was a man who clearly distinguished rewards from punishments. He possessed both a compassionate heart and deep concern for his subordinates, yet possessed the detached indifference of a leader, never tolerating or acquiescing in his work.

Like the villains in those storybooks, Xie Yuchen always gave a red date and then hit her hard with a stick. However, Hongyu knew in her heart that this was precisely Xie Yuchen's charm.

Hongyu was very tactful and left here, without being blind and waiting until Xie Yuchen asked her to leave.

As soon as Hongyu left, Xie Yuchen and others walked in.

"Miss Zishang, hearing about her is worse than meeting her in person! She is indeed a smart person, just as they said."

It turned out that the person Xie Yuchen had been waiting for was Gong Zishang, who had become an invisible man in the palace gate since he officially succeeded as the Palace Master of Shang Palace.

Gong Zishang appeared in front of Xie Yuchen wearing her signature bright red dress.

Gong Zishang sat down across from Xie Yuchen, looking very graceful. "How could I refuse Young Master Xie's invitation? Besides, what you are going to do will only benefit me! So how could I possibly refuse the request of such a handsome man like Young Master Xie?"

Gong Zishang's usual frivolous behavior did not arouse any disgust from Xie Yuchen. Instead, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

Xie Yuchen gracefully extended his fingers and gently grasped the delicate teacup on the table, as if this gesture carried some profound meaning. His lips curled slightly, and he looked at Gong Zishang with a half-smile, saying slowly, "It's clear that Miss is truly a woman of exceptional intelligence. Furthermore, you possess a profound understanding of how to skillfully leverage your strengths, transforming seemingly unfavorable factors into positive outcomes. This level of wisdom and skill is truly beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Gong Zishang didn't show much expression when she heard this. She simply supported herself on the table with one hand while nonchalantly playing with the red beads on her clothes with the other. Her movements seemed casual, but they revealed a kind of nonchalant confidence.

"In this messy place, with such a family background, if you can't even understand the situation and choose the wrong side, then I'm afraid there will be no way out." Gong Zishang's voice was calm and indifferent, as if he had seen through all this.

Xie Yuchen smiled faintly, refilling Gong Zishang's teacup, and then said, "That's why I admire the way the young lady handles things. If she were born in my time, with her talent and wisdom, she might have already escaped the control of those cowardly men and become a powerful figure above so many men."

Gong Zishang's eyes flickered with a subtle glint of envy after hearing Xie Yuchen's words, but it was fleeting, replaced by a self-deprecating smile. "This era is a cannibalistic one, a world of the survival of the fittest and deception. No one can escape it. Even if I possess extraordinary abilities, in the end, I'll only be making wedding dresses for others." Her words revealed a deep sense of helplessness and powerlessness.

Xie Yuchen was like a snake that could bewitch people. "Now this opportunity is right in front of you. It all depends on whether the young lady is willing to take the bait!"

Gong Zishang gripped the teacup tightly, the veins bulging on the back of his hand curled up in his sleeve. "If I hadn't taken the bait, I probably wouldn't have come all this way, right?"

Xie Yuchen stared into Gong Zishang's eyes. He clearly saw the raging fire gushing from those deep eyes, as if it was about to devour him. He thought to himself, this woman is definitely not the frivolous and shameless person described by those in the palace. Instead, she is a ruthless character who buries her ambitions deep beneath her outward appearance, like a dormant venomous snake, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment!

Xie Yuchen's lips curled up slightly, a barely perceptible smile forming. He slowly raised his teacup and gently clinked it against Gong Zishang's, making a crisp sound. "Then let me offer tea instead of wine today to congratulate the young lady in advance on her wish!" His voice was calm and gentle, yet it held a subtle, yet profound meaning.

However, Gong Zishang obviously did not agree with Xie Yuchen's statement. She raised her eyebrows and said coquettishly: "Young Master Xie, you really said the wrong thing! This should be a congratulations to us for getting what we wanted! And what about brother Yuanzheng!" Her words revealed a confidence and decisiveness that made people look at her wisdom and insight with admiration.

After hearing Gong Zishang's response, Xie Yuchen couldn't help but secretly applaud this woman who was able to quickly grasp the key information from the complex clues. He shook his head slightly, as if to express his apology for his previous gaffe, while also showing his admiration for Gong Zishang's sharp thinking.

"It was indeed a slip of the tongue! Cheers to our common goal!" Xie Yuchen quickly corrected himself, then raised his teacup again, clinking it with Gong Zishang's. At that moment, their eyes met, and each could sense a hint of vigilance and alertness in the other's eyes.

After clinking their glasses, Xie Yuchen and Gong Zishang didn't immediately put down their cups. Instead, they continued to exchange glances, as if secretly competing with each other. Finally, after they both confirmed that the other was fine, they drank the tea in their cups with confidence.

After Gong Zishang left, Hua Yu appeared behind Xie Yuchen. "Dad, we have taken control of everything inside the palace. We can hand it over to him once we return from the expedition."

Hua Yu walked past him lightly, like a fluttering butterfly. He stretched out his bony fingers and gently tapped his head, making a crisp sound, as if reminding him to pay attention to his words.

"You are wrong," Hua Yu's voice was as sweet as a silver bell. "Since Yuanzheng has seen the outside world, how could he be willing to live in such a small place?" His eyes were as clear as autumn water, as if he could see through everything.

Xie Yuchen's heart trembled upon hearing this. After a moment's reflection, he felt that his father was absolutely right. He couldn't help but sigh, "Yes, for so many years, whenever he left the palace, we'd let him roam free, letting him explore the vast world to his heart's content. Now that he's experienced the prosperity and splendor of the world, how could he be content to remain a frog in a well?"

Hua Yu smiled slightly and nodded in agreement, then turned to clear the tea set from the table. His movements were graceful, as natural as flowing water. When he was done, he brought out a new set of even more exquisite tea sets and tea leaves of even higher quality.

"Let's leave this palace gate to them to manage on their own!" Hua Yu said softly, a hint of relief in her tone. "Yuan Zheng has a wider world to explore, so we don't need to restrict him too much."

Xie Yuchen watched Hua Yu busying around, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. However, at this moment, he suddenly thought of Zhuo Yichen and the others who had been sent by his father to deal with an urgent incident involving a demon from the Great Wilderness who had injured someone.

"Yuanbao and the others should have left!" Xie Yuchen muttered to himself, frowning slightly, seeming a little worried.

When Hua Yu heard his words, she couldn't help but hold her forehead with a headache and complained: "Yuanbao has more and more questions now. I'm a little annoyed by his questions!" There was a hint of helplessness in his tone, but more of it was love for Yuanbao.

Xie Yuchen also had the same question, but he was willing to be questioned by Zhuo Yichen, "If he suddenly stopped clinging to us, I'm afraid Daddy would feel uncomfortable!"

Whenever Hua Yu thought about Zhuo Yichen seeing him and just saying hello and turning away, it would be like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head. He would be thinking about when he would suddenly appear and ask him questions even when he fell asleep.

Xie Yuchen suddenly asked, "Dad, what are you going to do with the Dragon Fish Clan? As the head of the clan, you let your daughter lose the clan's most precious treasure, and then you just imprisoned her for a hundred years!"

Hua Yu just smiled and said, "There is no shortage of demons in the Great Wilderness. Besides, the dragon fish clan is dispensable. They can't compare to the carp clan who can leap through the dragon gate, nor can they compare to the dragon clan who are born as gods."

Hua Yu looked up at Xie Yuchen and asked, "What do you think is the meaning of their existence?"

Xie Yuchen thought of what Hua Yu had told him about the Dragon Fish Clan's most precious treasure, the Phoenix Pearl, and cautiously asked, "Dad, are you saying that the Dragon Fish Clan exists only to guard the Phoenix Pearl?"

Xie Yuchen thought again that this statement was not right. "But that's not right either! If the purpose of their existence is to guard the Phoenix Pearl, then there should be records of it in those mountain temples! Why didn't I find such a record in the Kunlun Mountain Temple?"

Hua Yu then slowly spoke, "Back then, there was no day or night. I provided the Golden Crow's blood and the Emperor's Blood Essence, and Yinglong's body was chosen by the Golden Crow's blood to become the vessel that imprisoned it."

Xie Yuchen knew that Yinglong had indeed lost his body, leaving only some remaining soul fragments, and those fragments were still cultivating in Bingyi Cave, and no one knew when they would be able to break out of the ice.

"Dad, do you mean that Emperor Liujiang chose the body of a Phoenix clan member, so a Phoenix pearl was left outside?" Xie Yuchen said the idea that flashed through his mind.

Hua Yu deeply agreed with Xie Yuchen's statement, nodding slightly in approval. His thoughts gradually drifted away, as if he had returned to that chaotic era when things first began to change.

At that time, the world was in chaos, and endless darkness enveloped everything. Following Yinglong's first sacrifice, the dragons, phoenixes, and various mythical beasts resolutely sacrificed their lives to repair the broken world.

Hua Yu's memories flooded back like a tide, and he recalled the scene when he and Zhang Qiling first arrived on this continent. Back then, there was no alternation between day and night, only a gray world that made people feel endless confusion and fear.

At that time, the boundary between the human world and the Great Wilderness was unclear; everything seemed blurred. Yet, Hua Yu could hear occasional wails of pain. They were the cries of pain from the humans brutally slaughtered by the Great Wilderness demons, and the bitter sobs of those who survived.

These voices echoed in Hua Yu's mind for a long time. He felt deeply the fragility and helplessness of humanity, and at the same time, he was filled with resentment towards the demons who killed so recklessly.

Perhaps due to some deep feeling in his heart, Hua Yu suddenly remembered what his father and grandfather had said. Without hesitation, he took out the Sun Essence and Moon Essence from his personal space and gave them to Yinglong and Bingyi, who then passed them on to the deity of the time, Nuwa.

However, Hua Yu's power was limited at the time, and all he could do was this. Facing this continent shrouded in darkness, he felt insignificant and powerless.