Chapter 1: The Young Master of Penglai

The Kingdom of Nine Provinces, Penglai Palace.

A quiet and spacious courtyard, surrounded by various precious flowers, accompanied by rockeries and clear ponds, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers.

At this moment, on a patch of green grass in the center of the courtyard, a handsome young man dressed in white was practicing his sword dance with great enthusiasm.

The sword light flashed like a serpent with the boy's agile movements, and the blade flashed with a white light and made a soft buzzing sound. If this scene were seen by some famous people, they would definitely not be able to help but admire it. It is rare! At the age of sixteen or seventeen, he has already touched the threshold of controlling the sword with qi. If it were the famous sword masters on the continent, they probably would not have been able to do better than this boy when they were young.

However, considering the boy's identity and his famously beautiful mother, it is not surprising that the boy possesses such cultivation.

This is all because the young man named Lin Zixuan is the son of Qin Yuning, the current palace master of Penglai Palace, also known as the Penglai Sword Maiden.

The Penglai Palace has been built for over six hundred years and is located on the largest main island of the Penglai Islands. Each generation of palace masters has possessed cultivation levels that rank among the top in the Martial Continent.

Coupled with its upright conduct, Penglai Palace has enjoyed a renowned reputation on the mainland for hundreds of years, and all the major sects on the mainland have an excellent relationship with Penglai Palace.

The current Palace Master, Qin Yuning, once defeated eight top underworld masters in one night with her Penglai Immortal Sword ten years ago. In the mouth of Qingyi Zhenren of Shushan, she has already surpassed her mother.

Coupled with her unparalleled and stunning beauty, she was regarded as a goddess by countless righteous people on the mainland.

The Penglai Palace has a single-lineage system for generations, and the first two palace masters were both women. After giving birth to her son, Qin Yuning naturally wished she could impart all her knowledge to him.

Fortunately, Lin Zixuan lived up to expectations. Not only did he inherit his mother's handsome and refined appearance, but his talent also reached a new level.

Despite his young age, his swordsmanship was already unmatched in the palace.

After completing a set of sword techniques, Lin Zixuan felt his internal energy was abundant, and he wasn't even sweating. He was quite satisfied. "That's enough for today. My mother needs me, so I can't be late."

Lin Zixuan glanced at the sky; it was almost dusk. Not long ago, Qin Yuning's personal maid, Xing'er, came to inform him that he should go to the front hall after practicing his sword. Before he knew it, he had almost overdone it.

Sheathed his longsword, quickened his pace, and left the courtyard.

Penglai Palace covers an area of ​​over 500 acres. The mansion is nestled against the mountains and overlooks the water, built against the mountainside. Inside, there is an academy with a rich collection of books, an elegant and unique boudoir, a quiet garden, and a front hall and rear sleeping quarters. The exquisite layout is probably no less than that of the residences of emperors and prime ministers.

Lin Zixuan arrived at the front hall and was somewhat surprised to see some unfamiliar faces.

Distinguished guests frequently visit Penglai Palace, and Lin Zixuan occasionally comes out to greet them, having become accustomed to visitors from all walks of life.

The reason for the surprise was that the guests on the table all had bulging temples and bright, piercing eyes, indicating that they were highly skilled in martial arts.

In particular, the man in brocade robes who was around forty years old and had a long beard had a strong and powerful grip on his hand as he held the teacup, and his eyes gleamed with a hidden light, clearly indicating that his cultivation had reached a state of perfection.

Such a master is no ordinary person. "Uncle Lu, have we had a distinguished guest arrive?"

Uncle Lu, whom Lin Zixuan mentioned, was currently seated at the head of the table, sipping tea and chatting familiarly with the man in brocade robes.

Upon seeing Lin Zixuan arrive, Lu Zhongming smiled and introduced him, saying, "Xuan'er, this is Li Yunlong from the Shenfeng Escort Agency. He is a friend of your Uncle Lu." "Greetings, Uncle Li."

Lin Zixuan bowed politely.

He thought to himself that it was Li Yunlong, known as the "Divine Wind of Ten Thousand Miles" on the mainland. Since his debut, he had escorted nearly a thousand goods. No matter how difficult the goods were, he could always escort them within the stipulated time. He was very famous on the mainland.

Judging from the appearance, there must be something valuable in the palace that he was entrusted to deliver in person.

Li Yunlong quickly returned the greeting. He sized up the handsome young man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and said, "This dashing young master, could he be...?"

Lu Zhongming nodded with a smile and said, "That's right, Xuan'er is indeed the young master of Penglai Palace." "No wonder, no wonder."

Li Yunlong praised repeatedly, "With the personal instruction of the Sword Maiden and the generous teachings of Brother Lu, one of the three great martial arts masters of the Nine Provinces, my nephew already displays the demeanor of a master in every gesture. His future is limitless." "Uncle Li, you are too kind. It is all thanks to my mother and Uncle Lu's excellent teaching."

Lin Zixuan was neither humble nor arrogant.

Lu Zhongming shook his head and chuckled, "My skills are so mediocre, I'm not even worth mentioning. If Sword Maiden knew I dared to steal her credit, I'd be in big trouble."

"Brother Lu, you jest. Ten years ago, Five Lakes Island was occupied by the Whirlwind Bandits, forcing the island's government to relocate. Brother Lu, captivated by the island's beautiful scenery, single-handedly slew all seven of the Whirlwind Bandits' highly skilled leaders with his Hunyuan Blade, causing the bandits to scatter like birds and beasts. If you consider such skill mere amateurishness, then wouldn't I be even less than a amateur?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice as gentle and melodious as a nightingale's song reached the ears of everyone present. "Who on the mainland doesn't know the name of the Divine Wind of Ten Thousand Miles? Chief Escort Li is too modest."

Upon hearing the arrival of the Sword Maiden of Penglai, Li Yunlong was immediately flattered and stood up. His attendants also hurriedly rose to their feet. "You're too kind, Palace Master." "Greetings, Palace Master."

A graceful figure appeared before everyone, and everyone's eyes lit up, unable to tear their gaze away from the beautiful figure before them.

Her delicate, fair face was more beautiful than any flower; her slender fingers were like green onions; her lips were as red as cinnabar, and her lips were slightly upturned. Every smile and frown of this stunning beauty could move anyone's heart.

The Penglai Sword Maiden was draped in a thin, emerald-green gauze, with a long, flowing white tassel dress that trailed on the ground. Her eyes were like clear, spring-like waters, and a hollowed-out gold hairpin, adorned with specks of purple jade, was inserted diagonally into her long, black hair.

She walked gracefully towards us, her beautiful figure subtly revealed beneath her long dress.

Li Yunlong caught a glimpse of a pair of small white embroidered shoes under her skirt, which were faintly visible as she moved with graceful steps. He quickly looked away to avoid being impolite.

He glanced at the men beside him and saw that these brothers, who had followed him for many years, were seeing the ethereal beauty of the Penglai Sword Maiden for the first time. They were behaving quite rudely, their faces flushed, unable to look away from the Sword Maiden's beautiful face and figure.

Li Yunlong quickly coughed to remind them to be careful.

Being received by the Sword Maiden of Penglai is considered an honor by countless men on the continent. If the rude behavior of these brothers affects the beauty's opinion of him, then it would be terrible.

The Sword Maiden of Penglai was both elegant and noble, as well as dignified and gentle. Even a carefree and bold man like Li Yunlong would unconsciously restrain his behavior in her presence, so as not to leave a bad impression on this peerless beauty.

A fragrant breeze wafted by, and Qin Yuning, the Sword Maiden of Penglai, gave a slight bow to the group.

"Thank you for your trouble, Chief Escort Li, to travel so far to personally escort this batch of valuables to Penglai Palace. I have already instructed my servants to prepare a feast, awaiting Chief Escort Li and his brothers. It is a simple meal with little wine, I hope Chief Escort Li will not find it offensive." "Not at all, not at all."

Li Yunlong quickly replied, "It is my principle to fulfill a person's request to the end. Palace Master is too kind. In that case, I will respectfully comply."

Qin Yuning said to Lu Zhongming, "Please treat Chief Escort Li well for me."

Lu Zhongming smiled slightly at the stunning beauty and said, "Palace Master, rest assured, I will definitely treat Brother Li well. Brother Li, this way please."

Li Yunlong quickly said, "Brother Lu, please."

Li Yunlong felt it was a great pity that the Sword Maiden did not intend to personally entertain them.

Seeing that Lu Zhongming seemed to have a close relationship with Jian Ji and was able to greet guests on her behalf, I was slightly surprised.

Penglai Palace prepared an extremely lavish banquet for the caravan members who had traveled from afar. Fine wines and delicacies were served one after another, and Lu Zhongming, a renowned martial arts master from the Nine Provinces Kingdom, personally entertained them. After a few cups of wine, everyone opened up and chatted about all sorts of things, creating a very lively atmosphere at the banquet.

After several rounds of drinks, Li Yunlong finally asked Lu Zhongming to confirm his doubts.

"Speaking of which, I've heard a rumor about Brother Lu before. I wonder if Brother Lu could clear up this mystery for me?"

Lu Zhongming put down his wine glass and smiled slightly. He naturally guessed what the rumors Li Yunlong was referring to were.

The Sword Maiden of Penglai is renowned for her stunning beauty, which has a fatal attraction to men. Even he, who was personally appointed as the Martial Sect Master by the current emperor of the Nine Provinces Kingdom, is not immune to her charm.

Especially after she divorced her good-for-nothing husband, her suitors became active again.

His frequent visits to Penglai Palace over the past two years had already attracted the attention of some, and he had actually heard some of the rumors circulating about him. "We've known each other for quite some time now, Brother Li, please feel free to ask any questions you may have." "It's like this..."

Li Yunlong paused for a moment, then said, "Since the Sword Maiden publicly divorced him three years ago and drove him out of Penglai Palace, I have heard that many heroes and great figures have gone to Penglai Palace hoping to be received by the Sword Maiden. However, in the past two years, only Brother Lu has become a regular visitor to Penglai Palace. Therefore, there are rumors that Brother Lu had already won the Sword Maiden's favor two years ago. I wonder if this is true."

Lu Zhongming revealed an expression of "I knew it." Seeing that everyone at the table had stopped eating and drinking and were waiting for his answer, he first slowly filled the wine glass in front of him, brought the glass to his lips, took a small sip, and then put down the glass, speaking in a slightly proud tone.

"What Brother Li said about the rumors is indeed true. I, Lu, have long admired the Sword Maiden's name and have pursued her diligently for more than half a year. I have finally won the beauty's favor, which is truly my great fortune." "Indeed."

Li Yunlong was filled with envy and jealousy, but he knew his own limitations. With his martial arts skills, he was not qualified to pursue such a beauty. So he said, "Brother Lu is truly blessed to have such a beauty in his arms, yet you remain silent. You deserve punishment." "Yes, you deserve punishment." "And the punishment must be the strongest liquor."

"Brother Lu, we know you have unparalleled martial arts skills, so please don't cheat by using your internal energy to force the wine."

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers. "You all are right," said Lu, "I will punish myself with three cups of strong liquor, and I will absolutely not force anyone to drink."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Zhongming ordered his maid to pour the strongest wine in the palace, and he drank three large cups in a row.

Even with Lu Zhongming's astonishing skill, he couldn't withstand the rising alcohol fumes without using his internal energy to force the alcohol to dissipate, and his face immediately turned red.

"To be honest, Brother Li, I've had a lot of affairs to handle at Five Lakes Manor these past two years, and Sword Maiden has been managing the vast Penglai Palace. We've been separated for long periods, so we haven't planned to make our relationship public. However, the affairs of the manor have now been settled and handed over to my younger brother. I plan to propose to Sword Maiden in a while."

The people in the room couldn't help but offer their blessings with envy, and Lu Zhongming accepted them with both pride and humility.

Li Yunlong said with envy, "Brother Lu is truly blessed with good fortune. In that case, I wish you a speedy marriage to Jianji."

Thinking of the captivating curves and figure beneath the Sword Maiden's dress, such a stunning beauty, yet she is already taken.

The thought of Lu Zhongming enjoying the pleasures of the Sword Maiden's boudoir every night ignited a fire within Li Yunlong, instantly making his groin as hard as an iron rod.

Back then, the renowned Penglai Sword Maiden married and had children, leaving countless heroes and valiant men heartbroken. Especially when they later learned that the man who married the Penglai Sword Maiden was a good-for-nothing with only a rudimentary skill set, who idled away his days away doing nothing and only managed to win the Sword Maiden's heart with his smooth talk, everyone wanted to tear him apart and cursed the heavens for being blind, letting a beautiful flower be stuck in cow dung.

Unfortunately, that good-for-nothing was too cunning. After marrying the Sword Maiden of Penglai, he hid on Penglai Island all day long, never setting foot on the mainland, which made these people hate him to the core.

However, a coward is always a coward. Even though he managed to marry the beautiful Sword Maiden with his smooth talk and she even bore him a child, he was eventually kicked away by her.

The day after the death of the former mistress of Penglai Palace, the only grandmother of the Sword Princess, the Sword Princess publicly divorced her husband in front of the guests who came to attend the funeral, and immediately made him pack his things and be kicked out of Penglai Island.

When Fiora announced this shocking news, the guests attending the funeral were in an uproar, hardly able to believe their ears.

When the news spread beyond the island, countless people were eager to capture the good-for-nothing named Lin Tianhao to vent their long-held hatred.

However, this cunning fellow vanished without a trace right under everyone's noses, and no matter how hard they searched, there was still no news of him.

Now, two or three years have passed, and there has been no news of that guy. The name Lin Tianhao has gradually disappeared from people's memories, and no one is interested in looking for him anymore.

In fact, even Lin Tianhao's son with Jian Ji, Lin Zixuan, had no interest in finding his so-called father. He would only occasionally remember that this person existed.

Lin Zixuan was in the front hall, talking with his mother.

"Xuan'er, your wedding date with Jin'er has been set. The seventh day of the fourth month next year will be your big day. I see that your swordsmanship has already made some progress. In the time before the wedding, you should spend more time with Jin'er and not let martial arts interfere with your relationship." "The seventh day of the fourth month, I will remember."

Lin Zixuan nodded.

Qin Yuning was very pleased to see that her son had grown up and become sensible: "I gave birth to you when I was seventeen. Before I knew it, sixteen years had passed. My precious son is about to get married. Come here, let your mother give you a hug." "Mother, I am no longer a child. It would be so embarrassing if others saw this."

Lin Zixuan's handsome face immediately turned red.

Que'er, Qin Yuning's personal maid standing behind her, couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this.

"That's easy, Sparrow. Close the door and stand guard. Don't let anyone in without my permission." "Yes, Madam."

Sparrow tried to suppress her laughter until she went out and gently closed the door, then she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Only those who followed Qin Yuning knew that this Penglai Sword Maiden was dignified and elegant in her demeanor and speech when dealing with outsiders, a truly gentle and ladylike woman.

However, she is a completely different person in private, with a bold personality and behavior that is not ladylike at all.

For example, right now, she's forcing Lin Zixuan to come over and let her hug him; if he refuses, it'll be a fight to the death.

The Sword Maiden of Penglai, her chin resting on her hand, her long, slender legs crossed beneath her long dress, watched with great interest as her son's handsome face flushed and paled, a smile playing on her red lips. "Mother, why do you always like to tease your child?"

Qin Yuning blinked with interest: "I like it, I'm happy, I love it."

Lin Zixuan was stunned, his face turning bright red.

Seeing her beloved son, who always acted mature in front of others, finally grit his teeth, submit to her "tyranny," and walk towards her, the swordswoman smiled with satisfaction. "This is the son that mother loves most."

Qin Yuning hugged her son, generously planting several kisses on his cheeks. Looking at his flushed face, she smiled and said, "You blush after just a few kisses from your mother? Why weren't you shy when you kissed Wan'er?"

"Mother, how did you know about me and Sister Wan'er..." Qin Yuning's words immediately made Lin Zixuan restless.

Qin Yuning snorted.

She snorted, somewhat displeased, and said, "Who do you think your mother is? Do you think the title of 'Sword Maiden of Penglai' is just for show? There's nothing on the entire Penglai Island that can be kept from me."

Lin Zixuan looked embarrassed and didn't know how to respond.

Wenren Wan was adopted by Jian Ji at a young age and grew up with Lin Zixuan. The two can be said to be childhood sweethearts.

As Wenren Wan grew older, her temperament and beauty gradually rivaled those of the Sword Maiden.

In terms of looks, she is now on par with the Sword Maiden, and her temperament is truly dignified and gentle. Lin Zixuan naturally fell more and more in love with her, and finally a year ago, Lin Zixuan secretly had the most intimate marital relationship with Wenren Wan.

Lin Zixuan always thought he had hidden it well, but unexpectedly, Qin Yuning still found out.

"I raised Wan'er as my daughter since she was little. She is two years older than you and has always treated you like a younger brother. You already have a fiancée as beautiful as Jin'er, yet you still deceived Wan'er. Although it is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines, and you will not only have Jin'er as your wife in the future, Wan'er's feelings for you are like those for a younger brother. If Wan'er meets a man she likes in the future, how will I explain it to her?"

Seeing Lin Zixuan remain silent and look guilty, Qin Yuning softened and said, "The die is cast. You and Wan'er have been together for a while now. If she agrees in the future, you can marry Wan'er as well. Your mother won't necessarily object."

"Really, Mother? I heard you say it yourself." Lin Zixuan was overjoyed.

Qin Yuning glared at him: "Yes, Mother agreed."

Just then, Lu Zhongming's voice came from outside the door; he was talking to Que'er.

Lin Zixuan was in a great mood after finally getting his mother's approval. He said in a light tone, "Uncle Lu is here. Speaking of which, it's been about a month since Uncle Lu left the palace. He must have a lot to say to Mother now that he's back. I won't disturb you and Uncle Lu's reunion."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lu Zhongming, reeking of alcohol, pushed open the door. "Palace Master, oh, Xuan'er is here too."

Lin Zixuan said to Lu Zhongming, "Uncle Lu, please go ahead."

Then he said to the Sword Maiden, "Mother, I shall take my leave now."

Qin Yuning: "Hmm"

She said, "Go on, Wan'er will be back in a few days. Don't say I didn't remind you, remember to prepare a gift she likes." "Yes, Mother, I will go and make the preparations tomorrow."

Lin Zixuan left with a heart full of joy.

Lu Zhongming sat down next to Qin Yuning, who gave him a reproachful look. "You reek of alcohol. Que'er, go make a cup of hangover tea." "Yes, Madam."

The sparrow acknowledged the order and went to carry it out.

After the personal maid left, Lu Zhongming looked at the lightly made-up beauty, put one hand on Qin Yuning's fragrant shoulder, and was about to pull her into his arms.

Qin Yuning extended her fair, jade-like right hand, placing it in front of his chest. Her long, slender legs, slightly crossed beneath her skirt, sipped the fragrant tea on the table as she slowly and deliberately asked, "How's the matter I asked you to handle?"

Lu Zhongming wasn't embarrassed by the beauty's rejection. Instead, he chuckled and said, "With me in charge, there's no problem. When the goods arrived at the foot of Wuyun Mountain, those people indeed showed up. I killed nine of them on the spot and captured two, all of them experts. After my thorough investigation, I found that they were all from the Situ family. Now, we'll have to settle accounts with them properly."

Upon hearing Lu Zhongming's reply, Qin Yuning rested her chin on her slender hand, her expression languid: "My Penglai Palace has no past grudges or recent feuds with the Situ family. Why has he repeatedly robbed my goods, leaving not a single survivor?"

"I also find this matter strange. The Situ family is the foremost family in Wuzhou, with a deep and powerful foundation. They've occasionally had business dealings with the palace in the past. Why would they do this? It makes no sense. Although the stolen goods are of great value, what good would it do them to offend us? If word gets out that they've committed murder and robbery, it will cause incalculable damage to the Situ family, making them a disgrace to the entire continent." "Those two people, are they still alive?"

Lu Zhongming smiled and said, "Of course."

Qin Yuning nodded. "I want to see how that old bastard Situ Dezong will explain himself this time, daring to disregard even me. Wuzhou is your territory, so I'll leave this matter to you, Zhongming." "No problem."

During their conversation, Lu Zhongming had already drunk the hangover tea and his mind was mostly clear. However, his desires gradually intensified as the effects of the alcohol wore off.

He gazed at Qin Yuning's alluring figure beneath her long dress, his breathing becoming somewhat rapid. "I've worked diligently these past few days; how does the Palace Master intend to reward me?"

Qin Yuning leaned closer to him with a half-smile, lightly kissing his earlobe twice with her red lips, and teasingly whispered in Lu Zhongming's ear, "You'll find out tonight."