Chapter 183: Chapter 183: 184: The State Preceptor in Power

Although Zhenyuan Country is located in the Northern Region, its coverage is very broad, encompassing many subordinate cities.

In the Northern Region, the Holy Demon Sect selects disciples quite strictly, and the Tianwu Sect may not refuse comers, but this is limited to disciples with potential, whereas Zhenyuan Country is different, developing the surrounding subsidiary countries as a nation.

Therefore, the size of Zhenyuan Country itself isn’t large, but including its subsidiary countries, the borderlands are very vast.

The Ancient Moon City, where Li Xiaobai briefly stopped earlier, is a tributary of Zhenyuan Country, and Li Xiaobai wanted to first visit Situ Yanyu to upgrade her cultivation technique. However, at this time, Ancient Moon City was heavily guarded, the city gates were closed tight, clearly indicating something significant had happened.

Li Xiaobai’s heart tightened, could something have gone wrong?

“Miss Shuanger, what do you think?”

“Young Master, something must be afoot. I have never heard of Ancient Moon City before, as it is not a place of importance. Yet now that it is heavily guarded, something big must have occurred. The guards here are clad in golden helmets and armor, not common soldiers, but Imperial Guards from the Imperial City.”

Ouyang Shuanger frowned as she spoke.

“Why would the Imperial Guards come here?”

Li Xiaobai was puzzled. The Imperial Guards were the personal protectors of the Emperor, why would they come to such a minor place?

“I’m not sure, but the Imperial Guards are always with my father. If the Imperial Guards are here, it definitely means my father must have been to this place as well,” Ouyang Shuanger explained.

“Let’s go in and see.”

Li Xiaobai packed away the car and walked into the city with Ouyang Shuanger.

“Halt, who goes there!” the guard at the city gate shouted sternly.

“Princess of Zhenyuan Country, Ouyang Shuanger!”

Li Xiaobai spoke with an air of arrogance. Ouyang Shuanger, as a princess, deserved to carry herself with presence, but her demeanor didn’t quite command authority, and she couldn’t hold her ground in such situations.

“The Little Princess?”

“Who are you, and why is the Little Princess with you?”

The Imperial Guards looked at each other with doubt in their eyes. They were always by the Emperor’s side and didn’t know much about the female members of the royal family. Apart from the Eldest Princess, they had little recollection of the other princesses and were temporarily uncertain as to who was genuine.

“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. Tell me, what has happened here to warrant such a military deployment?”

Li Xiaobai’s wrist spun, and he produced Ouyang Shuanger’s identity token.

The royal token, emblazoned with Dragon Qi, could not be faked. To see the token was as good as seeing the person herself. The Imperial Guards immediately knelt on one knee and saluted, “Greeting the Little Princess, all affairs big and small within Ancient Moon City are currently managed by the Eldest Princess. Please allow us to report your arrival.”

“What report? Do servants like you need to mediate a meeting between sisters?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Li Xiaobai’s attitude became exceedingly insolent. When dealing with others on their turf, one must assert dominance.

However, given the situation, Ouyang Shuanger’s status didn’t seem as high as expected; otherwise, a guard would never dare to bar her way.

“This subordinate dares not. I will lead the way. The Eldest Princess is in the City Lord’s Mansion,” said the leader of the Imperial Guards.

“Hm, lead the way,” Li Xiaobai huffed.

On the way, every post was manned by Imperial Guards. All shops were closed, the streets deserted, and all the citizens were confined to their homes, not allowed to go out. Tangneng First-class was no exception, with its doors firmly shut. Li Xiaobai felt a rising sense of foreboding.

Pointing at Tangneng First-class next to Moon Watching Tower, he asked, “What happened to the owner of this shop, and why are all the shops in the city sealed up? What exactly has happened here?”

“You will naturally find out once you’ve seen the Eldest Princess,” the Imperial Guard commander was reluctant to say more.

The City Lord’s Mansion was eerily quiet too, but there were many more tents nearby, and the patrolling soldiers were all well-equipped cavalry. Even though their cultivation levels were not high, they appeared to exude a strong iron-blood aura.

“The little princess will wait here, while we go in to report to the Eldest Princess.”

The commander of the Imperial Guards bowed and turned to enter the City Lord’s Mansion.

“Miss Shuanger, does the Eldest Princess hold a very high position?” Li Xiaobai asked after the commander of the Imperial Guards had walked away.

“My emperor father has no sons, only seven daughters, and the Eldest Princess has always stayed by father’s side to assist with the affairs of Zhenyuan Country, so she enjoys high prestige,” Ouyang Shuanger said.

“How is her relationship with the other princesses?”

“It should be quite good, I guess. Big sister always praises me for being smart,” Ouyang Shuanger said somewhat uncertainly.

Li Xiaobai sneered inwardly. Within this royal family, where was there genuine sisterly affection? It seemed this little princess had not yet grasped the situation and didn’t understand the power struggles within the royal family.

“I am Zhang Danquan, the State Preceptor of Zhenyuan Country, and I have seen the little princess. The Eldest Princess invites you,” he said.

The man who came out was a dapper young master. Seeing his cultivation level wasn’t high, it probably didn’t exceed the Nascent Soul Stage, about the same as Li Shejin’s previously.

Within Zhenyuan Country, as long as one’s cultivation reached the Golden Core Stage, one could become a State Preceptor, enjoying a stipend, which was also a kind of implicit binding method.

Li Xiaobai walked towards the mansion, but Zhang Danquan stopped him.

“The Eldest Princess only invited the little princess to enter. Since the gentleman’s identity is unclear, and he is not a cultivator of our Zhenyuan Country, it’s better to wait here,” Zhang Danquan said with a smile, but there was a mocking look in his eyes.

“State Preceptor Zhang, Young Master Li and I came together. You cannot be so rude. I will explain everything to my elder sister,” Ouyang Shuanger frowned and expressed her dissatisfaction. This State Preceptor had no discernment, daring to hinder the steps of a VIP.

“Little princess, our Zhenyuan Country is a great nation; how can a mere mortal meet the Eldest Princess? It would simply lower the Eldest Princess’s status,” Zhang Danquan said, without any intention of stepping aside.

“You…” Ouyang Shuanger’s complexion changed. Such words shouldn’t be rashly spoken. If she angered the VIP, there could be trouble, and she didn’t want her imperial father to be caught cleaning the latrines by the VIP.

Just as she was about to say something, Li Xiaobai stopped her.

Li Xiaobai understood that the other party wanted to show dominance to someone foreign to them. The innate arrogance of the cultivators of Zhenyuan Country, when faced with an outsider like himself, would definitely want to put on airs and demean him.

However, the timing for showing off wasn’t right. With Tangneng First-class sealed and no news from Situ Yanyu, Li Xiaobai had no patience for this braggart.

“Young Master Li, don’t trouble yourself to act; let this young lady handle it…”

Ouyang Shuanger’s expression shifted drastically. Li Xiaobai was about to resort to violence, reminding her of those geniuses dominated by latrine duty.

“No need, you’re too slow. We still have much to do; we shouldn’t waste time on such minions. You need to be clear about your identity; you’re a princess, and he’s just a servant. How can he tell you what to do?”

Li Xiaobai shook his head. This little princess, having recently encountered only VIPs, had lost all her haughtiness.

“Who did you call a minion? I am the State Preceptor, who has accompanied the Eldest Princess for many years. Who in Zhenyuan Country doesn’t recognize me, Zhang Danfeng?”

Zhang Danquan was enraged, his pride deeply wounded.

“Muscle Flaccidity.”

Li Xiaobai slightly stretched out a hand and placed it on the other’s shoulder, activating his skill. Zhang Danquan’s body slackened, and he collapsed to the ground in an instant.

“I’ll be damned…”