Something must have gone wrong in the palace, but what did it have to do with him?
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Li Qianxia, Yang Qinglan, Turquoise Pool, and Bi, there was trouble here.
Just when they thought the beheadings would continue to spread to the Jiaotai Hall, all the eunuchs and palace maids picked up their own heads that were kept aside and placed them back on.
After their heads were back in place, they stood up and looked towards the corner where they were, while slowly placing their hands on the sides of their heads.
"Go!" With a wave of the ruyi in Yang Qinglan's hand, the floor surged upwards like a chest, tearing through the golden bricks' constraint like a small hill blocking everyone from the headless eunuchs and palace maids.
The water surrounding them enveloped everyone like extinguishing flames, swallowing up their figures.
When they reappeared, they were back at the Imperial Pond.
"... I almost had a period scare!" Li Qianxia was still shaken, having been stared at by so many expressionless headless ghosts; any normal person would probably have nightmares for days.
"The Forbidden City is basically doomed," Turquoise Pool said.
"Without locating the zombie fungus's main body, it's not only the Forbidden City that's finished," Yang Qinglan stated.
"Why not just destroy it? Do you want me to make a move?" Bi asked nonchalantly.
Yang Qinglan used "Life and Death," and caught Li Changzhou, who was fully absorbed in reading Daoist Books, off guard. Unable to use "Stepping in the Air," even his shoes got wet.
"... What are you doing?" Li Changzhou stepped out of the water, stashing the "Ancient Scripture Jade Scroll Forging Book" into his Storage Bag at his waist.
"The situation is complicated—"
"Brother, you scared me to death!" Li Qianxia flung herself into Li Changzhou's arms.
Li Changzhou patted her shoulder, looking towards Yang Qinglan.
Yang Qinglan glanced at Li Qianxia, then continued to explain, "—Turquoise Pool told us there were players in the palace; we originally planned to come and gather information, but we encountered the zombie fungus and feared you might accidentally get infected, so we called you here."
Li Changzhou understood what they were saying now.
He didn't mention "Ghost Head Removal," as there were many people here.
"This is actually an opportunity," he mused, "you all go back first, I'll go find Jiajing and have him order Shao Yuanjie to check his strength."
"Aren't you afraid that Shao Yuanjie might persuade Jiajing to order against you?" Turquoise Pool asked with a smile, "They have been troubling you before."
"Back then, I hadn't proven myself yet, but now Jiajing pins all his hopes of becoming an immortal on me; how could they trouble me?"
After Li Changzhou finished speaking, he patted his younger sister's shoulder, helping her straighten up.
He instructed her, "Call me immediately if there's any trouble; this mission is more dangerous than usual, even the palace suppressed by the Dragon Vein is experiencing this."
"Okay," Li Qianxia obediently nodded.
It was the same as before; after watching a horror movie, she would agree to anything Li Changzhou asked as long as he was willing to accompany her to the toilet and to sleep at night.
Waves surged up, ensnaring them once again, leaving only Li Changzhou alone on the surface of the Imperial Pond.
He looked around to make sure no one noticed, then directly appeared outside a side hall.
The eunuch on duty was so frightened that he froze.
A jolted eunuch hurriedly entered the hall to report and soon came back out.
"Immortal Hou, please enter," he said.
Li Changzhou nodded at him and walked into the side hall, then entered into the Nuan Pavilion.
The Jiajing Emperor, dressed in a Daoist robe, was sitting cross-legged practicing the breathing and exhaling techniques taught by Li Changzhou.
Huang Jin glanced at Li Changzhou and smiled kindly; it was he who had instructed the eunuch to let Li Changzhou in.
Li Changzhou didn't speak; according to procedure, there was still one long breath to finish.
In barely audible hissing sounds, the Jiajing Emperor fully exhaled, slowly opening his eyes.
"Your Majesty," Li Changzhou greeted.
"If the real person is not reading books in the Inner Court, what brings you here?" The Jiajing Emperor was in a good mood, as Huang Jin used a warm towel to wipe his forehead.
"There has been an incident in the Inner Court," Li Changzhou just mentioned the matter of the female officials in the Inner Court.
The Jiajing Emperor looked at Huang Jin: "Let Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen handle it."
"This servant will issue the decree immediately." Huang Jin handed the towel to a palace maid, stepped out, and then turned to leave the Nuan Pavilion to give the orders.
"Sit," the Jiajing Emperor indicated the round cushion opposite him.
Once Li Changzhou was seated, he said, "The Moon Palace is truly the Heavenly Palace; I have made consistent progress there. In the palace, half an hour of breathing exercises yielded no results."
"Your Majesty getting some food before practicing also has some slight effects," Li Changzhou said with a smile.
The Jiajing Emperor pondered for a moment, then murmured, "When I came back from the Moon Palace before, I did eat a little, and I felt a slight warmth during my practice."
It might be true, or it might be false; sometimes people's stomachs suddenly get warm too.
"Your Majesty is so diligent, and naturally talented, becoming an immortal is only a matter of time," Li Changzhou said.
"I still need the true person's help," the Jiajing Emperor replied.
"I've made some progress in cultivation," Li Changzhou said.
The Jiajing Emperor's heart leapt, but noticing Li Changzhou's contemplative expression, he held his breath: "Speak directly, real person; what difficulties are there?"
His voice, usually filled with unshakeable confidence, now lacked its usual composure; this touched on his deepest concerns about becoming an immortal, a matter of cultivation, even unsettling the Emperor.
"I'll be frank," Li Changzhou paused, "Your Majesty, do you know why you can't cultivate?"
The Jiajing Emperor did not respond.
Li Changzhou continued, "Your Majesty, protected by the Dragon Vein, invulnerable to all laws, a single decree can reduce cultivators to ordinary people."
"I have noticed that too," the Jiajing Emperor acknowledged.
"If Your Majesty wishes to cultivate, the only way is to separate from the Dragon Vein," Li Changzhou stated.
"Are you suggesting I abdicate the throne?"
"Has Your Majesty ever seen any royal descendants enter the path of cultivation?"
The Jiajing Emperor furrowed his brows, "I want both this kingdom and eternal life; real person, is there a way?"
"There is a way; to separate the Dragon Vein from Your Majesty, but exactly how to do it, I am still not clear," Li Changzhou said.