The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 289: Snatch a man

Xu Zhenguan’s tone was extremely calm.

Yet Zhao Douan, whom she protected behind her, caught a well-hidden displeasure from her chilly tone.

The moonlight poured down, casting its glow on the man and two women in the tranquil courtyard.

Facing the current Empress, the Buddhist nun did not show any panic, her face donning a gentle smile:

"Would Your Majesty like me to speak here?"

What did she mean… what words did she have to say behind the scenes? Zhao Douan’s expression turned peculiar.

The next second, he only heard the Empress, as if speaking to him, say:

"You may go out and wait."

Immediately, Zhao Douan felt a blur before his eyes, enveloped by a gentle force.

When his vision cleared, he found himself outside the gates of Jizhao Temple.

"Eh, Mr. Zhao?"

The eunuch holding a lantern beside the carriage jumped in surprise, looking around:

"Where is Your Majesty?"

Is this really martial arts?

Zhao Douan’s curiosity exploded, and he replied irritably:

"I don’t know!"

...

By the pond, after casting the young man aside, Xu Zhenguan looked dispassionately toward the disheveled nun:

"Speak."

Prajnaparamita Bodhisattva slipped a snow-white hand into her damp hair, her slender fingers twisting the strands into curls.

Her other hand, from the other side of her thigh and in a blind spot from the line of sight, lifted a book that resembled a painting album from the ground and said with a smile:

"Your Majesty knows that in my cultivation to date, my abilities are not many. If there is anything to be praised, it is only Buddha’s gift of a pair of discerning eyes.

Just a glance, and I felt this junior is fated with our Buddhist order.

As luck would have it, I am distressed by the stagnation in my cultivation, so I thought of borrowing him from Your Majesty to make use of him, but I don’t know if Your Majesty would be willing to part with him."

The autumn wind brushed past.

The Buddhist scripture album in her hands rustled and flipped.

When the wind brushed by, the pictures on the pages appeared almost alive, constantly changing.

It was none other than the famous Yin Yang Method from the Western Regions Ancestral Court of Buddhism.

The Grand Ancestor Emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty once collected it, and it is kept in the Royal Book Tower of the palace.

Under the night sky.

The Empress’s normally pale cheeks seemed to blush for an instant.

Whether out of embarrassment or anger, she sneered coldly:

"I originally thought that sending Yunyang to the nunnery would bring some tranquility, but it seems I sent her to the right place, all of them are of the same ilk, shameless and dishonorable."

Prajnaparamita Bodhisattva retained her smile:

"It appears that Your Majesty’s conversation with the Princess was not pleasant."

Xu Zhenguan had no interest in idle talk with her, simply staring at her:

"You want to practice Dual Cultivation with him? Pursue that Joyful Zen? Are you not afraid of being ridiculed, damaging the reputation of Divine Dragon Temple, having Xuan Yin give you trouble?"

The woman by the pond smiled gently:

"Why ask what you already know, Your Majesty? You are aware of me. I have never been on the same path as Abbot Xuan Yin.

That group of blockheads is obsessed daily with combining the East and West, vying for the title of the true Buddhist lineage, which gives me a headache. I’ve come to Jizhao Temple to seek peace. Why would I care about what that old monk thinks?

As for Joyful Zen, I do not care for it much. For me, those precepts are nothing but a shackle.

I’ve always wanted to find a satisfactory man to practice Dual Cultivation with. I have not found a suitable one for a long time. Seeing him tonight, quite pleasing, breaking a precept of lust will not be a problem."

Xu Zhenguan was at a loss for words upon hearing the shameless talk from this nun.

The Bodhisattva’s eyes twinkled, and her smile grew:

"It seems, Your Majesty wishes to keep him for your exclusive use. Seeing this, it appears I am indeed being meddlesome, coveting what another loves.

But why have you not cultivated with him yet?

Hmm, could it be you think his cultivation is too weak?

If that’s the case, I have an idea. You might consider lending him to me for a while, and then you can have him back later..."

"Obscene talk!"

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The Empress coldly huffed and, brushing off her sleeve, walked away:

"Manage your temple well. My subjects are not for others to touch."

The breeze stirred, and Xu Zhenguan’s figure disappeared.

With her legs soaked in the pond water, Prajnaparamita Bodhisattva’s cheeks suddenly flushed with an abnormal redness, a trace of fresh blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

She let out a muffled grunt, feeling the injuries inside her, yet she managed a smile, revealing bloodstained teeth:

"What fiery temper..."

She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her finger, shook her head, and picked up the jade clean bottle beside her.

Streams of cool liquor flowed into her lips.

Quickly healing the internal injuries of her organs and bowels.

Moments later, the white-clad Bodhisattva, having steadied her injuries, quietly gazed at the clouds obscuring the moon above, her demeanor carefree and utterly divine.

A bewildered look crossed her "insightful eyes":

"That little fellow, what exactly is he hiding? Why does he make me so desirous?"

...

...

"Your Majesty, you’re out."

Outside Jizhao Temple, Zhao Douan sat alone, dutifully inside the carriage, hearing the voices of the eunuchs from outside.

He hurriedly lifted the curtain and invited the elaborately dressed Empress, donning the dragon robe, into the carriage.

"Back to the palace."

The Empress, expressionless, gave her commands, and only when the carriage began to roll once more did she cast a glance at the uneasy Mr. Zhao, remaining silent.

Zhao Douan inexplicably felt guilty and hurriedly explained,

"Your Majesty, this servant heard a burst of singing and was inexplicably drawn to it. That old nun even wanted to take me as her disciple. I firmly refused, and then she..."

Xu Zhenguan’s dark, shiny eyes fixed on him before he said,

"Do you think she’s old?"

Ah? Is that the point... Zhao Douan almost threw out his back, forced out of his comfort zone with the leadership.

"Uh... a fifty-two-year-old Bodhisattva is, naturally..." Zhao Douan cautiously answered.

"But her appearance and body, they don’t look aged, do they?" Xu Zhenguan countered.

"... This servant prefers the young," Zhao Douan, blessed with innocence, blurted out, and after a pause, he added,

"Of course, it’s best if they’re only a few years older than me."

Xu Zhenguan uttered a satisfied "hm."

Zhao Douan silently exhaled, feeling like he had been the victim of an undeserved misfortune.

Fearing the conversation might continue into an area he was not skilled in, he quickly changed the subject, expressing his worry,

"Your Majesty, just now I was controlled by that old nun, and the Inner Qi in my body surged straight to my crown. Although it has calmed down now, my heart is still uneasy, could it be..."

Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and said, half-heartedly,

"That’s good. Some of the Buddhist techniques indeed have unique benefits. That glance just now saved you months of tiresome cultivation."

That good?

Is this an advance on my payment?

Well, she’s actually quite nice... Zhao Douan felt a slight regret. If he had received a few more glances...

Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and suddenly let out a cold chuckle,

"That’s just a small sweetener. If you had looked a few more times, you would have truly become her manipulated flesh furnace."

Zhao Douan was stunned for a moment, and then said with alarm,

"Your Majesty means to say..."

Xu Zhenguan, expressionless, "Hasn’t she told you about the technique of replenishment?"

So, helping her in her cultivation meant this?

Not... Why didn’t you say it earlier... Wait, what about me was she interested in?

Was it just because I blurted out a few things, duping Bian Ji in the process?

That’s unlikely... Could it be, did she perceive something special in me? Is it my identity as a transmigrator, or the ’Dragon Essence’ slumbering within my dantian? A cultivator of her realm certainly wouldn’t be attracted to my appearance...

Zhao Douan couldn’t help but worry and feel relieved,

"Fortunately, Your Majesty intervened in time, otherwise I really would have fallen for that old nun’s scheme."

Seeing his expression seemed genuine, Xu Zhenguan’s mood lightened slightly.

Her tone softened,

"Prajna, although her temperament is quite different from the monks within the Divine Dragon Temple, she wouldn’t actually force anyone. Besides, I was still within the temple."

The implication was:

The Bodhisattva at the pond’s edge was mostly trying to scare and test him... Of course, no matter how bold she was, she couldn’t possibly snatch away a court martial artist right under the Empress’s nose.

Zhao Douan nodded in understanding.

It seemed that the Empress had dealt with this Bodhisattva before.

Xu Zhenguan didn’t wish to continue this topic and pondered for a moment.

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Suddently, two fingers lightly touched her red lips.

She spat out a grain of rice-sized "light spot" from between her teeth, glowing a pearly white.

With a flick of her finger, the grain of light quickly became a streak that shot into Zhao Douan’s forehead.

In an instant, he felt a cool and comfortable sensation spreading throughout his body.

He could faintly sense that this "grain of rice" was moving along his meridians, converging into his dantian in his lower abdomen.

"Your Majesty... what is this..." Zhao Douan was stunned.

He found that after Xu Zhenguan spat out the "grain of rice," her complexion dimmed slightly, but she recovered in no time.

The Empress said casually,

"This is the ’seed’ of a Martial Artist’s condensed Inner Strength.

Those who share the same martial arts heritage can infuse their own Inner Strength into a fellow disciple’s body. Although it cannot be the same as a formal transfer of power, for you, the Inner Strength seed from a high-level martial practitioner is just like a tonic.

Prajna’s lifting method may be unique, but after all, it doesn’t share the same origin as you. This seed of mine can rotate within your body for seven days.

If there are no accidents, it could help you reach Perfection as a mortal, and after that, you will be assaulting the Divine Chapter Realm..."

Although she didn’t want to admit it, Prajna’s appearance had stirred up a subtle sense of crisis.

Prajna had given him a sweet deal, and the Empress, as the ruler, couldn’t let herself be outdone by a nun.

Zhao Douan was confused for a moment.

He was still not over the shock that the Empress had ’planted a seed’ in him, and he was distracted by the words "assaulting the Divine Chapter."

He exclaimed with joy, "Can I get promoted?"

The Empress nodded and said,

"Advancing from a mortal to the Divine Chapter, for those cultivators with talent or abundant resources, has never been a major barrier.

You’ve been advancing too quickly before, and I had wanted you to stabilize before attempting to break through. However, it seems now your foundation is sufficiently solid."

After a slight pause, she glanced at the excited and impatient lackey and said in resignation,

"Still, breaking through a Great Realm isn’t that simple. You could force your way through with external help, but that is an inferior method. The best approach is for your Heart Realm to reach a breakthrough on its own.

This bottleneck, on the other hand, is unpredictable in duration.

Now that the internal traitor has been caught, you no longer need to concern yourself with the Divine Mechanism Camp. I will order Eunuch Hai to teach you personally and help you reach a breakthrough in your understanding, and your Heart Realm as soon as possible.

Perhaps, by the time of the Buddhist Taoist contest, you might be able to step into the Divine Chapter Realm..."

At this point, the Empress frowned slightly with a tinge of regret in her voice,

"It’s a pity, if the Buddhist Taoist contest was held two years later, it’s quite possible that you could represent the Imperial Family as a Tributor and vie for attention. Such a pity."

Zhao Douan was still immersed in aspirations of ascending to the Divine Chapter and was then taken aback,

"The Buddhist Taoist contest, does it concern our Imperial Family too?"