Chapter 165: Consultation of Three Masters

If Zhang Xuan had seen this scene, he would have fainted on the spot.

Lu Xun, the most famous star teacher at Hongtian Academy, was actually the son of Lu Chen, who treated Zhang Xuan as an equal...

Perhaps knowing this, Huang Yu hesitated whether to speak, her face showing reluctance.

Indeed, your father treats him as an equal and wants to befriend him, yet you want to kill him... It would be strange if he weren't angry; it's good he didn't explode on the spot.

"I'll go find that beast right now and make him concede..."

After roaring, Master Lu Chen stood up and stormed out angrily.

Before he could leave the room, he saw the butler Cheng Bo rush in anxiously.

"Master, the Emperor has sent a message..."

As soon as he entered, Cheng Bo spoke directly.

"A message?"

Lu Chen frowned and reached out to take the yellow silk held up by the other.

He had already sent word that he would take people to the royal library tomorrow, and Emperor Shen Zhui had agreed. What did it mean to send a message now?

Puzzled, he suppressed the impulse to discipline his unfilial son, casually opened the yellow silk, and upon seeing its contents, his pupils involuntarily contracted.

"This..."

His face was full of disbelief.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing his expression change, Master Yuan Yu looked over curiously.

He had known Lu Chen for many years; nothing short of a major event or something truly unsettling could cause such a shocked change in expression.

"Look..."

Master Lu Chen did not explain but casually handed the yellow silk over.

Yuan Yu looked down in confusion and couldn't help but step back two paces, his eyes wide: "This... this can't be, right?"

"Shen Zhui personally wrote this yellow silk and sent someone to deliver it; it must be true!" Master Lu Chen nodded, then turned to Cheng Bo: "Cheng, prepare the carriage immediately; I need to go out."

"Yes!" Knowing that his master's orders must be urgent, Cheng Bo did not dare to waste words and hurried off to prepare.

"Xiao Yu, Bai Xun, you two come with us!" Lu Chen turned and handed the yellow silk to them as well.

Huang Yu and Bai Xun were initially confused, but after reading the contents of the yellow silk, their eyes lit up, and they also showed disbelief: "This... this..."

"Emperor Shen Zhui must be doing this for the ancestor's sake... To be honest, I've seen it too; it's not an illness, but life reaching its end. If he can't make a breakthrough, he probably won't live past this month."

Thinking of the contents of the yellow silk, Master Yuan Yu couldn't help but say.

"Yes," Lu Chen nodded, his face full of worry.

The royal family had only one ancestor, who guarded the dynasty and was the final cornerstone of Tianxuan Kingdom. Because of him, the kingdom remained safe and inviolable. Once he passed away... the entire Tianxuan Kingdom would be besieged on all sides, shaken by storms.

Unfortunately, no matter how strong a person is, they will age, and life will come to an end.

This ancestor was no exception.

Some days ago, Emperor Shen Zhui had invited Master Yuan Yu to treat him, but although the latter was skilled in medicine, he could not prevent death unless... a breakthrough could be made to a higher realm.

But how difficult was that?

He hadn't achieved it when he was strong; now that he was old and on the verge of death, how could it be possible?

"I always thought, as the public announcement said, that His Majesty had gone hunting. I never expected he was doing this!" Remembering something, Lu Chen's eyes showed admiration.

"Master, the carriage is ready."

Just then, Cheng Bo approached.

"Let's go!" Without further ado, Lu Chen led the other three and hurried out.

Outside, it was already dark, and the streets were beginning to empty. The carriage sped along the road without slowing down.

Before long, they arrived before a majestic palace wall.

The Tianxuan Royal Palace!

The four alighted from the carriage and looked at the nearby guards: "Has His Majesty arrived?"

"Reporting to Master Lu, His Majesty has not yet arrived..." Recognizing Lu Chen's identity, the guard quickly stepped forward and replied respectfully.

"Since he hasn't arrived, we'll wait here. They will surely pass this way." Lu Chen nodded.

"Yes," Master Yuan Yu and the others had no objections.

After waiting about half an hour, a spacious, huge carriage slowly approached, surrounded by guards and cavalry in a grand formation, clearly the imperial carriage only the Emperor could ride.

Swish!

The curtain of the imperial carriage was lifted, and a middle-aged man in splendid attire stepped out.

"Long live the Emperor!"

A large number of soldiers knelt down, and even Lu Chen and Yuan Yu bowed slightly.

The most powerful man in Tianxuan Kingdom, Emperor Shen Zhui!

"Teacher, Master Yuan Yu, you've all come..."

Emperor Shen Zhui smiled lightly, turned around, and bowed respectfully to the imperial carriage.

Swish!

The curtain of the imperial carriage was lifted again, and an old man slowly stepped out.

Seeing this old man, Master Yuan Yu and Lu Chen looked solemn, and Huang Yu stepped forward, her demeanor respectful: "Master Liu, you've come!"

"Yes," the old man stroked his beard and nodded with a smile, then beckoned to the carriage: "You two come out too; we've arrived."

Swish! Swish!

The curtain opened again, and two more figures emerged, both around fifty years old, in blue robes, smiling gently, giving a sense of peace and calm.

"Master Zhuang, Master Zheng!"

Seeing these two, Huang Yu and the others were startled and stepped forward in unison.

Being called "Master" indicated that these three were true masters.

Emperor Shen Zhui had actually invited three masters at once; no wonder even Lu Chen found it hard to believe.

Huang Yu was an apprentice of a master, and the one she served was Master Liu, who had come out first. Bai Xun was a student of a master, and the one who came out later was Master Zhuang.

Since both of their teachers had come, Master Lu Chen had brought them along.

Otherwise, when masters arrived, these juniors were not qualified to pay respects.

"Alright, let's stop wasting time here and go inside," Master Liu said with a smile.

They filed into the palace.

"It is my honor that you masters have come to my Tianxuan Kingdom..."

Once the host and guests were seated, Emperor Shen Zhui did not put on airs and spoke respectfully.

"Your Majesty is too kind. I came not only for your ancestor's matter; first, to celebrate Old Tian's birthday, and second, I heard that Hongtian Academy has produced a promising seedling, and I wanted to see if I could take him as an apprentice," Master Liu said with a smile.

"Master Liu must be referring to Teacher Lu Xun. He teaches well and is famous throughout Tianxuan Kingdom. I've heard of him too."

Emperor Shen Zhui smiled and quickly introduced: "Speaking of his background, he is the only son of Master Lu Chen."

"Lu Chen, a master of calligraphy and painting, I've long heard of him." Looking at Lu Chen, Master Liu smiled.

"Master Liu flatters me..." Lu Chen quickly bowed.

He was a master of calligraphy and painting, with a high status, but compared to a true master, there was still a gap.

Hadn't he seen that even the Emperor was respectful?

"Alright, no more formalities. Call out Shen Hong; we haven't seen each other for years. Let Master Zhuang, Master Zheng, and me take a look and see if we can find a solution." After some small talk, Master Liu got straight to the point.

Shen Hong was the critically ill ancestor of the Tianxuan royal family.

Hearing this, Emperor Shen Zhui did not hesitate and instructed a eunuch beside him, who hurried away.

Before long, an old man walked over supported by the eunuch.

This old man had white hair and beard, wrinkled skin, and was surrounded by a deathly aura, as if he might collapse at any moment and never get up.

Even without looking, one could tell he was at the end of his life.

If he couldn't break through or find a good solution, he indeed wouldn't live past a month.

"Old man Shen Hong pays respects to Master Liu, Master Zhuang, Master Zheng." The old man bowed.

"No need for formalities; let us examine you..."

Master Liu wasted no time. He walked around Shen Hong, looked him over, and frowned.

Then the other two masters also came over, observed carefully, and remained silent.

"Do the three masters have a solution?"

Seeing their expressions, Emperor Shen Zhui's heart sank, and he couldn't help asking.

"Your Majesty, to be frank, Shen Hong's vitality has already declined. Three years ago, I might have had a way to help him break through, but now, surrounded by deathly aura, there is simply no way."

Master Zhuang spoke first.

"I have the same opinion. He is old and frail; forcing a breakthrough might not only fail but also bring about his death." Master Zheng also shook his head.

Although masters could guide people to break through and reach higher realms, they had limitations. Shen Hong was at the end of his life; forcing a breakthrough would not only be impossible but might also cause his death.

"They are right," Master Liu also shook his head. "Life and death are fated. Shen Hong has done his best for Tianxuan Kingdom for so many years. If he really cannot survive, it can be considered a release."

Masters were accustomed to life and death and took these things lightly. Although Shen Hong was his old friend, he did not deliberately comfort or evade.

"Very well."

Emperor Shen Zhui showed disappointment.

He had thought that since Master Yuan Yu couldn't find a solution, the three masters would surely resolve the ancestor's problem. He never dreamed that this was still the result.

"Actually, don't be disappointed. Although we are masters, we are only one-star. If Your Majesty could invite a two-star or higher master, there might be a solution..."

Master Liu comforted him.

"A two-star master?"

Emperor Shen Zhui smiled bitterly.

To invite these three one-star masters, he had spent no small amount of resources, and they only came because they were passing by to celebrate Old Tian's birthday. Otherwise, there would have been no way to invite them.

Under these circumstances, invite a two-star?

He probably couldn't even get through the door.

A two-star master, even in a titled kingdom, was among the top existences, treated with the utmost respect by the emperor. How could he, the emperor of an ordinary kingdom, possibly invite one?

"Your Majesty, I have heard a piece of news that might be useful to you."

Just as Emperor Shen Zhui thought there was no hope, Master Yuan Yu suddenly spoke from the side.