The First Lackey Under The Empress

On the summit… on the summit…

Xu Zhenguan heard Zhao Du'an's answer, and even though she was somewhat prepared in her heart, she still had a moment of absent-mindedness.

Opening the Great Yu Imperial Family's internal treasury records, which first-time Martial God Diagram cultivator could stand on the summit?

She could hardly think of one.

Her first thought was absurdity.

But then recalling the cruel reality of the Dragon Soul left behind by her Xu family ancestors, appearing within the body of the other party, a mere Divine Seal Realm cultivator…

That astonishment and shock transformed into an indescribable emotion.

Disappointment?

Loss?

Jealousy?

Indignation?

Or perhaps, even more so, confusion?

At this moment, the Empress's heart was as if a bottle of mixed feelings had been overturned, and she was silent for a moment, unable to speak.

Zhao Du'an carefully observed Zhenbao's expression, and at this moment he was also a little uneasy. He admitted that there was an element of gambling in revealing this fact.

But he also wanted to take this opportunity to try to figure out the reason for his compatibility with the "Martial God."

Was it because he was a transmigrator? So his soul was special?

This was certainly an explanation, but Zhao Du'an always felt that it was a bit far-fetched.

"Your… Your Majesty?"

Zhao Du'an lowered his eyebrows and eyes, cautiously probing, trying to determine the Empress's mood at this moment.

He had even prepared himself for her to be furious and scold him for talking nonsense.

But Xu Zhenguan came back to her senses, only staring at him with a meaningful gaze, without saying a word, until Zhao Du'an's back was covered in goosebumps, and then she said faintly:

"I really have to wonder if you are a descendant of my Xu clan's imperial family."

Zhao Du'an squeezed out a stiff smile: "Your Majesty, please don't joke!"

Fortunately, Xu Zhenguan didn't really speculate like this, shaking her head and saying:

"But there is no one like you in the imperial family either."

Zhao Du'an swallowed a mouthful of saliva, cautiously saying:

"This subject does have a guess."

"Oh?" Xu Zhenguan became interested, "What guess?"

Zhao Du'an analyzed with a serious face:

"Your Majesty, do you think it's possible that a son-in-law can also be considered a member of the Xu family?"

Xu Zhenguan: ??

The Empress was first stunned, not reacting, and after savoring the meaning, her beautiful eyes contained a murderous aura, and she said coldly:

"Do you want to die?"

This guy, still being glib at this time!

Not content with having taken advantage, he's even pushing his luck!

Zhao Du'an was greatly frightened, and unleashed a set of smooth combos:

"Your Majesty is peerless in beauty, surpassing the allure of fish and wild geese, eclipsing the moon and shaming the flowers! If not for seeing you on the summit of Mount Qunyu, who would meet you under the moon on the Jade Terrace! This subject was momentarily unable to restrain himself, and spoke nonsense!"

Xu Zhenguan maintained her composure, and after listening to this flattery, her expression softened slightly.

She also savored the poem "If not for seeing you on the summit of Mount Qunyu," wondering where this lecherous fellow had copied it from.

If other officials dared to be so flippant, the Empress would have slapped them long ago.

But Zhao Du'an had done similar things several times, and it had become a habit, so she wouldn't really get angry.

Instead, she subconsciously thought:

Could it be that the Dragon Soul really contains some residual spirit of the ancestors?

Seeing the country in imminent danger, and the descendants being slaughtered, that's why it's so biased towards this Zhao, plotting a great-grandson-in-law…

Bah!

Xu Zhenguan's breathing tightened, and she extinguished this inexplicable thought.

Her face changed several times, and her gaze towards Zhao Du'an became increasingly unkind.

She almost got led into the ditch by this guy!

After thinking about it, the biggest possibility was still due to luck…

Xu Zhenguan suddenly thought of a possibility:

Perhaps the Dragon Soul had been wandering in the capital, and Zhao Du'an, because his bones, potential, talent, and wisdom were superior to ordinary people, attracted the Dragon Soul to attach to him.

Because there was already a Dragon Soul in his body, when he later cultivated the Martial God Diagram, he was able to stand next to Emperor Taizu because of the Dragon Soul—this explained it!

After all, the blessing of luck did exist.

And Zhao Du'an's performance in the past six months had undoubtedly proven that this son was a hidden dragon, favored by the Dragon Soul, and chosen as an heir, which could barely be justified.

After all, no one stipulated that this thing left by Grandpa Taizu would only choose bloodline descendants.

The "Martial God" inheritance did not rely on bloodline and sexual transmission…

She immediately said this possibility, and the more she said it, the more she felt that the possibility was extremely high.

"…"

Zhao Du'an was silent after listening.

He really wanted to say that it wasn't like that… the Dragon Soul only appeared later, but he was powerless to argue.

After thinking about it, he tentatively said: "Your Majesty, this subject is a commoner, how can I be so favored…"

Xu Zhenguan shook her head and said:

"Speaking of which, Emperor Taizu was just a martial artist with some talent before he rose to power. At that time, there were many contemporaries similar to Taizu, or even far surpassing Taizu, who later rose because they were blessed by the luck of heaven and earth…"

No, why are you becoming more and more certain as you speak… Zhao Du'an curiously asked:

"Blessed by luck? This subject has indeed seen similar statements in the biography of Taizu, some people say that Emperor Taizu gathered the luck of an emperor after walking the world on foot."

He wanted to inquire indirectly, looking for other answers.

Xu Zhenguan glanced at him, hesitated slightly, and said:

"This statement is both right and wrong. There are more detailed records in the imperial family, roughly saying that Emperor Taizu once entered the Mubei Forest when he walked on foot, and seemed to have obtained some opportunity, and then his cultivation greatly increased.

Even, he obtained some additional help from there, which also laid the foundation for the subsequent establishment of the world."

Zhao Du'an was taken aback, this was a secret that had not been circulated to the outside world:

"Mubei Forest?"

Xu Zhenguan seemed to know what he was thinking, shook her head and said:

"As for the specifics, I don't know either. Emperor Taizu rarely mentioned this experience during his lifetime, and after six hundred years, many things of that year have long been untraceable."

Zhao Du'an thought of the scene in his dream, where he and Lao Xu confronted powerful lifeforms in the vast forest at the end of the snowfield, and curiously asked:

"Didn't the imperial family conduct research?"

Xu Zhenguan was silent for a moment, seeming unwilling to mention more, only saying:

"There are also mysteries outside the Great Yu territory, which is not something you should understand at present."

Okay… my strength is being disliked…

Zhao Du'an felt disappointed.

He vaguely guessed that the reason why he and "Lao Xu" were so compatible was likely related to the Mubei Forest.

In fact, he had even guessed whether Lao Xu was also a transmigrator.

But judging from the biography and many details of the history of the Great Yu Dynasty.

He had hardly seen any obvious "transmigrator" traces.

Instead, the Empress, through her own imagination, thought she had found the reason.

Although she was still uneasy in her heart, her expression eased a little.

"Maybe, things are indeed as Your Majesty guessed,"

Zhao Du'an took the opportunity to step down and said seriously:

"But whether it's the Dragon Soul or Tai'a, they shouldn't have anything to do with this subject, please take the Dragon Soul away, and return it to its original owner."

Xu Zhenguan glanced at him, her eyes extremely resentful:

"I have to be able to take it away."

"Ah?" Zhao Du'an was at a loss.

Xu Zhenguan pointed at his lower abdomen unhappily, and said:

"The Dragon Soul has been hovering in your Qi Sea for many days, and has also absorbed your Qi to nourish it, and is unwilling to leave."

What she was too embarrassed to say was that since the Dragon Soul only chose Zhao Du'an and did not choose her.

Even if the Empress killed Zhao Du'an, the Dragon Soul would most likely disappear into the world again, nowhere to be found, waiting for the next "master."

As for forcibly detaining it… she had just tried it.

But perhaps because of "inheritance restraint," this Dragon Soul was clearly not that powerful, but she was helpless.

The current situation is:

If you want the Dragon Soul not to disappear, you can only keep it in Zhao Du'an's body.

"This… how can this be?"

Zhao Du'an was also stunned, this was a turning point he hadn't expected.

He suddenly felt a headache, and after thinking about it, he tentatively opened his mouth again:

"Your Majesty, this subject has another idea, but I dare not say it unless Your Majesty allows me to."

What dirty thoughts do you have again?

Xu Zhenguan stared at him with a sneer, already seeing through some of his low-down thoughts.

The Empress smiled noncommittally:

"You wouldn't be thinking about dual cultivation, would you."

You actually guessed it… Zhao Du'an hurriedly explained:

"This subject was just thinking that this Dragon Soul seems to have the ability to temper Qi. If Your Majesty needs it, this subject doesn't mind being a 'transit'…"

What a "doesn't mind"…

Xu Zhenguan looked at him playfully, and said faintly:

"Even if your realm stagnates, or even if you are sucked into dregs by me, you don't care?"

Zhao Du'an suddenly raised his head, his expression surprised: "Your Majesty, this…"

Xu Zhenguan suddenly sighed softly, helplessly and tiredly saying:

"You wouldn't think that the so-called dual cultivation is just the thing in your head.

Only when the realms are roughly the same can it be beneficial to both parties. If one party is stronger by one or even two major realms, then for the weaker party, it becomes a cauldron.

Otherwise, why would evil Taoist sorcerers in the Jianghu kidnap cauldrons?"

This has touched my blind spot of knowledge… Zhao Du'an stammered:

"But Prajna Bodhisattva in Jizhao Nunnery said…"

Xu Zhenguan looked down at him, and sneered:

"So, you really think that old woman Prajna is looking for you for dual cultivation with good intentions?

The methods of Buddhism are indeed much better than evil Taoism, but if the realms of the two are too different, even if it doesn't kill you and suck you dry, it will make your realm stagnate or even regress.

More importantly, it will drain your potential and nourish that Bodhisattva alone."

Zhao Du'an was frightened for a while, thinking that the old woman was indeed ill-intentioned.

His heart moved, his acting skills broke out again, his face was first a struggle, and suddenly he gritted his teeth, as if making an important decision.

He said solemnly:

"Your Majesty treats this subject like a national scholar, and this subject should repay her with the same. If Your Majesty needs it, this subject is willing to be Your Majesty's cauldron!"

— — — —