The imperial banquet left everyone mentally and physically drained; even Xu Xian, with his deep inner strength as a foundation, left the palace in a state of bewildered exhaustion.

The only one truly at ease was Emperor Wei Hong. While others dared not drink or eat freely, he had few reservations, merely keeping an eye on his image before helping himself to whatever exquisite dish caught his fancy. Though he hadn't eaten much due to the need to converse with the newly appointed Jinshi, what he consumed was significantly more than the meager one or two bites others managed.

As the crowd dispersed, Wei Hong retreated to the Imperial Study, sipping tea while reviewing the day's state affairs. He addressed the young eunuch attending him: "Xiao Chunzi, which officials requested an audience with Us today?"

The young eunuch hurried to reply, "The Commander of the Imperial Guards, Huangfu Zhe, requested an audience, Your Majesty. As you were entertaining the new Jinshi, he was asked to wait."

Wei Hong set aside the memorial he was reading, curious. "Oh? If he seeks Us out, it must be for important business. Where is he now?"

"Commander Huangfu is waiting in the side hall, Your Majesty. Shall I summon him?"

"Call him in!"

As soon as Wei Hong spoke, the eunuch named Xiao Chunzi bolted from the study and soon returned, escorting Huangfu Zhe inside.

"Qingjia, what business brings you to Us?"

The Imperial Guards were comprised of experts who had pledged allegiance to the Royal Family, including those selected from the military or from established clans. However, they all shared one prerequisite: their skills had to be proven. Thus, there were no weaklings among the Imperial Guards. This group formed the core circle ensuring Wei Hong’s safety. Some of the so-called Danei experts were members of the Imperial Guards, though they operated under the Danei expert designation when dispatched on external missions.

Those who held the title of Danei expert long-term were the ones dedicated to handling external investigations; they were full-time Danei experts.

However, whether Danei expert or Imperial Guard, they all answered to one person: the Commander of the Imperial Guards—the very Huangfu Zhe standing before Wei Hong now.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, intelligence regarding the Martial Arts Assembly has been returned! A portion of it requires Your Majesty's review," Huangfu Zhe stated, producing a memorial from his sleeve. Xiao Chunzi quickly stepped forward, took it, and presented it to Emperor Wei Hong.

Wei Hong accepted it casually and opened it. His spirits lifted immediately upon the first glance.

"The Shushan Sect?"

He recalled speaking with Xu Xian earlier—this top scholar he had personally selected was indeed a disciple of the Shushan Sect. He had initially assumed Shushan was an obscure or secluded sect uninterested in external affairs; now, it seemed he had guessed incorrectly.

"Yes! Most importantly, the Shushan Sect possesses three paramount masters, and one of them is the newly appointed top scholar, Xu Xian!"

"Hmm?"

Wei Hong had wondered what required Huangfu Zhe to report on matters of the martial world, but now he was greatly intrigued. Flipping through the memorial, he found the contents lacking detail and set it aside to inquire directly. "Are you certain it is the top scholar Xu Xian? Not merely someone with the same name?"

Huangfu Zhe replied, "According to the report from the spy I dispatched, it is indeed the top scholar Xu Xian. At the Assembly, the Scholar effortlessly slew Lei Zhenshan, the Master of the Thunder Sword Gate, leading to the subsequent annihilation of the entire gate. The martial prowess he displayed is far beyond that of an ordinary practitioner!"

Wei Hong nodded. "So, his martial arts are formidable?"

"Very formidable!" Although Huangfu Zhe hadn't witnessed Xu Xian fight personally, the spy was his most trusted subordinate, and the intelligence received indicated Xu Xian’s skills were indeed high.

"Better than Us?" Wei Hong's interest sharpened. He hadn't expected Xu Xian to be so skilled, and to have made such a splash at the Assembly! This secured his reputation as a paragon of both literary and martial talent.

"That... this..." Huangfu Zhe found himself uncertain how to answer the Emperor's direct comparison. Should he speak truthfully? What if the Emperor became enraged? Should he lie? What if the Emperor suddenly decided to spar with Xu Xian...?

Wei Hong didn't need to ask further; he could read the answer in Huangfu Zhe's expression. "What about compared to My Guards?"

This time, Huangfu Zhe felt less constrained by the risk. After a quick calculation, he answered, "Ordinary guards likely couldn't withstand more than a few moves from the Scholar. If we deployed those few Consultants, they might hold on!"

"What?" This statement shocked Wei Hong. He had assumed Xu Xian, however skilled, had limits. He hadn't expected Huangfu Zhe to immediately suggest deploying the Consultants.

Wei Hong knew Huangfu Zhe’s character well; the man never minced words. It was precisely for this reason he had appointed him Commander of the Imperial Guards. If Huangfu Zhe claimed that only the Consultants could withstand Xu Xian's strikes, it was certainly not idle boasting.

The Consultants were the elite of the elite among the Imperial Guards and Danei experts. These individuals usually remained unseen, doing nothing overtly, seemingly enjoying a life of leisure. But everyone knew they were the Royal Family's hidden weapons. Those granted the title of Consultant were masters among masters, most hailing from the Chan Sect and the Tiandao Sect, with a few from other schools. None came from aristocratic clans.

Wei Hong was also aware that even within this very hall, two Consultants were concealed, protecting him—figures who moved without a trace, whom he regarded as akin to immortals. He never imagined Xu Xian was a master on that level!

"Truly that powerful!"

Wei Hong flipped through the memorial again, and his gaze narrowed suddenly when he reached the latter pages. "The Demonic Cult has appeared?"

"Yes!" In truth, this was the primary reason Huangfu Zhe sought an audience; the matter of Xu Xian was secondary. While Xu Xian’s martial ability was astonishing, he was, after all, the Emperor's subject who participated in the Imperial Examination, thereby acknowledging the authority of the throne. Furthermore, the Shushan Sect had clearly opposed the Demonic Cult at the Assembly, so Xu Xian posed no immediate threat. It was sufficient for the Emperor to know that this man possessed peerless martial arts.

However, the Demonic Cult was a matter the court had to take seriously. Throughout history, every leader of the Demonic Cult aimed to overthrow the Shang Dynasty, and their reappearances always stirred up turmoil. Although the seemingly righteous martial world publicly opposed them, the court invariably had to lend support and clean up the aftermath. If hundreds or thousands of people engaged in bloody carnage with swords and blades, and the government didn't intervene, what would the common folk think? Thus, every emergence of the Demonic Cult kept the ruling power extremely busy.

"This Demonic Cult is a great enemy of this Dynasty, yet we have consistently failed to eradicate them—it truly vexes Us!" Casually tossing the memorial aside, Wei Hong rubbed his temples. "Leave this matter to the Tiandao Sect and the Chan Sect. Qingjia, dispatch some Danei experts to investigate the situation, and concurrently, secretly issue warnings to the prefectures to probe diligently for the Demonic Cult's lair. This way, the people from the Tiandao Sect and the Chan Sect will know the location of their stronghold, allowing for complete uprooting."

Huangfu Zhe assented, though inwardly he doubted the local prefectures could be of much help. The court had been searching for the Demonic Cult for years without success. If not for Lin Hai, the Leader of the Tianle Gang, suddenly repenting at the Assembly, they would still have no news. Moreover, the location revealed at the Assembly felt less like a leak and more like information the Cult intentionally released.

"Alas! Another wave of trouble," Huangfu Zhe murmured, rubbing his brow as he left the Imperial Study. Dealing with this would be difficult.

As he departed, Wei Hong reviewed a few more memorials and then suddenly mused, "I did not expect Scholar Xu to be a top-tier master in the martial world. Even so, his illness will require several years of careful nurturing to recover; I wonder how he contracted that chilling energy..."

"However, Xu Xian possesses extraordinary literary talent and extraordinary martial arts—truly a rare figure in this world. It will be extremely difficult to secure the loyalty of such a talent completely. We will certainly need to grant him further benefits!" With that, he turned to the attendant eunuch. "Xiao Chunzi, what official post do you think We should grant Xu Xian?" Normally, after the Palace Examination, the Jinshi would be granted minor official posts, usually sinecures in various ministries—essentially apprenticeships to learn administration. It might take two or three years to secure a substantive position, which could be in the capital or an external post, depending on their performance as apprentices. A select few were granted direct substantive posts, but they were extremely rare. When such a person appeared, even a fool could tell they were favored by the Emperor, enjoying great imperial favor. Ordinary officials would not dare cross them, as a Marquisate or Prime Ministership might be within reach. Wei Hong was currently considering Xu Xian's appointment.

Xiao Chunzi replied deferentially, "Deciding on an official post is Your Majesty's prerogative; this humble servant dare not speak presumptuously! However, if Your Majesty truly values the Scholar, perhaps establishing some connection would be beneficial?" The eunuch referred to himself as a servant, while a chief eunuch with an official rank referred to himself as a humble subject.

"Establishing a connection?" Wei Hong stroked his chin, where faint stubble grew. "Marry him to a princess?"

Wei Hong thought this was a fine idea, though he was still young and currently had only one daughter, who was just over two years old. Still, marrying Xu Xian to a princess was feasible; his own elder sister was unmarried.

"You mean, My elder sister?" Xiao Chunzi lowered his head. "The Eldest Princess has always held herself in high esteem, and ordinary men have never caught her eye. Now that Xu Xian is accomplished in both letters and martial arts and possesses distinguished bearing, it is likely the Eldest Princess will have no objections!"

Wei Hong nodded, but the thought of his sister’s condescending pride gave him a headache. He casually remarked, "I shall ponder this further. But your suggestion is quite good—you may collect some reward money for incidental expenses later..."

As he contemplated ways to win over Xu Xian, Xu Xian himself stumbled back to the inn, utterly befuddled. Upon entering, he called out, "Whatever food you have, bring it quickly!"

To his surprise, the waiter replied with a bitter smile, "Esteemed guest, look at the hour—everyone has gone to rest, the stoves are cold. I truly cannot prepare any food for you!"

"Cold rice or stale dishes will suffice!" Xu Xian was starving now, caring little for formality.

"We don't even have cold leftovers..." The waiter was at a loss, finding the young man before him staring with fiercely shining eyes, as if he meant to devour him. Due to the dim light, the waiter hadn't noticed this was the top scholar.

Just as he was fretting, Huang Rongrong appeared from the back. Seeing him, she said, "I still have food back in my room; you can have that for now. I’ll go out and see if any restaurant is still open to buy something hot for you!" She turned to leave, but Xu Xian grabbed her hand. "You waited here for me to return?" He didn't know when he would be back, so how could Huang Rongrong? He refused to believe it was a coincidence that she happened to be there when everyone else was asleep. The only explanation was that she had been waiting for him.

Huang Rongrong felt awkward and tried to find an excuse, but her mind drew a blank. Finally, she managed, "I was going to buy you food!"

But Xu Xian didn't release her hand; instead, he pulled her back. Huang Rongrong was naturally petite, and her strength was far less than his. The sudden pull caused her to stumble into his embrace, her nose bumping directly against his chest. Realizing she was held in his arms, she flushed with happiness and confusion, unsure how to react.

After a moment, realizing the impropriety, she quickly whispered, "Let go quickly!"

"You are my betrothed wife; what is there to fear?"

"Someone might see..." Xu Xian looked up. The waiter, busy tidying tables and chairs, had turned away, pretending to ignore them. "Oh, finally no one is around; I can rest now!"

"..."

Xu Xian steered Huang Rongrong to his side and led her to the back courtyard, into her room. Seeing the table laden with untouched dishes, he knew his guess was correct: Huang Rongrong had indeed been waiting for his return.

"Aren't there plenty of dishes here? Why were you going to buy more?"

Huang Rongrong’s face was so hot it could fry an egg after being held for so long. When Xu Xian asked about the food, she calmed slightly. "Th-those dishes have gone cold. I wanted to buy you something hot!" Looking closer, Xu Xian saw the soup and stews were icy. However, he didn't mind. "It's so late, where would you buy something hot? A little cold is fine!" Huang Rongrong picked up a bowl of soup. "I'll reheat this!" The side dishes being cold was tolerable, but the soup was truly unappetizing when cold. But Xu Xian snatched the bowl back. "Why go through all that trouble? Watch me!" He channeled his internal energy, his palms turning fiery red, and soon steam rose from the cold soup.

Setting the bowl down, Xu Xian remarked, "It’s a pity my Supreme Yang Purity Art isn't purely scorching fire energy. If Elder Pei Gonglie were here, he could probably boil this soup in moments!" Fortunately, Pei Gonglie was long deceased; otherwise, hearing Xu Xian say that might have sent him into a second death out of sheer indignation.

As for the other dishes, Xu Xian saw no issue eating them cold, as if he had anticipated he wouldn't get hot food. Feeling a touch of strange foreknowledge, he asked, "Who helped you select these dishes?" Huang Rongrong, momentarily stunned by Xu Xian’s display of profound internal energy, was pondering when she could achieve such cultivation. Although her Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Solitary Supreme Art cultivated Yin-leaning inner energy, it could be circulated in reverse to emit Yang energy. Theoretically, she could do what Xu Xian just did, though not with the same ease. She hadn't realized this capability before.

Regretting her momentary distraction, she answered Xu Xian’s question without thinking, "The Sect Leader selected them!" Ye Wen had told her not to be so distant; since she was considered half a Shushan person, she could call him Sect Leader or Elder Brother Ye Wen. That was why she had changed her address.

Hearing Ye Wen’s involvement, Xu Xian looked at the two cold appetizers on the table—a shredded roast chicken and a stir-fry. Even the stir-fried greens, though cold, didn't taste bad. It seemed Ye Wen had extensive experience navigating officialdom, anticipating that Xu Xian would return late and likely eat nothing at the banquet, thus arriving hungry.

"My Senior Brother knows quite a lot..."

But then...

Xu Xian suddenly leaned towards the window and shouted loudly, "Senior Brother, hurry up and sleep!" Then, under Huang Rongrong's surprised gaze, he returned to the table and began eating. "Rongrong, eat with me!"

"Oh..." Huang Rongrong picked up her chopsticks, tilting her head. "Were you just speaking to the Sect Leader?" Xu Xian took a large bite of chicken leg and nodded. "I suspect Senior Brother was eavesdropping somewhere!"

"Ah?" Huang Rongrong initially didn't believe it, but then she remembered Ye Wen wasn't exactly a strictly proper person, and doing such a thing wasn't impossible. She dropped the matter and quietly watched Xu Xian eat.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, a certain eavesdropping figure was rubbing his ear. Ning Ruxue, beside him, curled her lip in mockery. "You brought this upon yourself; why did you insist on listening!" Ye Wen muttered internally, That boy used to listen in on us all the time! I didn't tell you because I was afraid you’d be too shy to hear it? However, Xu Xian’s shout had genuinely jarred his ears, which were still ringing.

Patting his ear, Ye Wen rose and leaped down from the roof, turning back to Ning Ruxue. "Junior Sister, aren't you coming down? Do you want to listen longer?" Ning Ruxue snorted and then jumped down lightly. "Do you think I'm like you?" Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Right, Senior Brother, are you perhaps worried about what Lin Pingzhi said during the day—that his family is also looking for a husband for his sister? That's why you came to check on the relationship between Junior Brother and Rongrong?" Ye Wen hadn't hidden the relationship between Huang Rongrong and Xu Xian from Ning Ruxue, so she knew everything. Ning Ruxue wholeheartedly approved of the match between the two, as she had spent considerable time with Huang Rongrong and considered her a good friend, naturally favoring the younger sister.

Ye Wen waved his hand. "We will know about that matter in the next few days! I estimate starting tomorrow, the people coming to snatch up the son-in-law will trample the doorstep!"

He was absolutely correct. As soon as dawn broke the next day, people arrived bearing gifts, claiming they sought to visit Xu Xian. One after another, they came, and even matchmakers showed up in droves, subjecting Xu Xian’s ears to constant torment. Fortunately, this didn't bother Ye Wen, who simply watched the spectacle. But around noon, Lin Pingzhi ran over, his face mournful, and upon seeing Ye Wen, immediately pleaded, "Brother Ye, it wasn't voluntary, I beg your understanding!" With a wave of his hand, a group of servants behind him clumsily arranged a pile of gifts.