“Yuying, how come you’re here? What are you going to do with that? Don’t tell me you’re entering the Great Maelstrom?”

“Why not?” Zhao Yuying shot a sideways glance at Song Zining.

The latter’s expression s.h.i.+fted drastically. “That… it’s not suitable for you to enter with your current condition.”

“Afraid I’ll die inside? Even they have gone in, why can’t I? Besides, my survival has nothing to do with you.”

Song Zining smiled wryly. “Young Miss, you don’t know the situation inside. Even if you come out alive, Duke You will beat me to death if something happens to you.”

“Well, I’m not the one going to be beaten to death, so why should I care?”

Song Zining didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. “Miss, that’s not it. Let me put it this way, some things will be out of your control once you go in. Everything will be too late even if you blame me for it later on.”

Zhao Yuying wasn’t having any of it. “Enough with those petty tricks. I heard my cultivation will rise by leaps and bounds after going in and all bottlenecks will disappear. Are you afraid this mommy’s cultivation will increase sharply, that I’ll crush your leaves for fun every day?”

Song Zining let out a bitter laugh. “Your cultivation isn’t the only thing that will rise exponentially, many other…”

“It’s enough if my cultivation improves.”

“Young Miss, I beg you to reconsider! Just think of the environments that can improve cultivation, there’s no way you’ll be allowed to break through comfortably. There’s always a price!”

Zhao Yuying raised her hand cannon. “I have this, what must I fear?”

“Many origin weapons are useless inside the Great Maelstrom. It’ll be especially hard for you to operate that hand cannon, didn’t you know?” Song Zining found it weird.

Zhao Yuying tossed the cannon into the seventh young master’s arms. “I’ll leave it here then.”

“No, I…” Song Zining simply couldn’t do anything against Zhao Yuying. He looked around to seek external help, but Eunuch Zhang had long since disappeared.

Actually, the old man had slipped away the moment he realized that the guest was Zhao Yuying. This young miss was both outstanding and well-backed by the Zhao clan. Add to that her horrible character, she was notorious throughout the Empire as someone who should be avoided. Eunuch Zhang could be considered an elderly figure with power and authority, so he would rather avoid conflict if he could. Hence, he immediately abandoned Song Zining and vanished.

Song Zining naturally cursed Eunuch Zhang in his mind, but he still had to deal with Zhao Yuying, so all he could do was swallow the urge to shout.

The young miss, however, wasn’t one to appreciate all that. “I’m just going in to take a look. What are you so worried about? It’s not like I’m going into your backyard.”

“Yuying, you don’t even know what’s inside the Great Maelstrom, how can you just go in like that? Did you not go through the Zhao clan’s intelligence?”

Zhao Yuying was stunned for a moment. “What difference does that make? I have you here, don’t I? Give me a copy of the Song clan’s intelligence report.”

“Fine, read first if you want to go in and I won’t stop you.” Song Zining heaved a sigh of relief.

Zhao Yuying waved the crystal bottle, saying, “So many excuses… just because you can’t bear to part with this little thing, right? You think this mommy here covets your things? Have it back.”

She returned it just like that, tossing the bottle back to Song Zining. The latter was in no position to be polite, so held tightly onto it and heaved a sigh of relief. “Come with me, I’ll give you a copy of the information.”

Song Zining started walking back but soon noticed that Zhao Yuying wasn’t behind him. Realizing something, he turned back hurriedly and found Zhao Yuying standing where she was. She was now holding a different crystal bottle, looking at him with an expression of mockery.

“You want to trick me with your meager abilities?”

Her words hadn’t even trailed off when Zhao Yuying shot upward and rushed into the Great Maelstrom pa.s.sage. Song Zining knew he could no longer stop her. “Did Marshal Lin give you that treasure!?”

“Of course not! This mommy here robbed it from someone!” Zhao Yuying had already vanished into the pa.s.sage at this point. Only her words lingered behind.

Song Zining stood dazed with a wry smile on his face. He then gave it some thought and muttered to himself, “With that wild boar? Hmm... that’s not so unacceptable. Sigh, I think I’ll go in later.”

It was at this moment that a familiar voice echoed near his ears, “Then you better go in later.”

Song Zining’s hand felt empty as the crystal bottle was once again s.n.a.t.c.hed away.

He was startled, but his reaction wasn’t slow. With a wave of his hand, he locked down a hundred-meter area with dancing leaves before turning around. “It’s not so easy to s.n.a.t.c.h something from me.”

His words froze halfway.

Song Zining saw a beautiful figure flying—completely unaffected—through the leaves and moving toward the pa.s.sage. He could see her, but he simply couldn’t sense her presence.

There were red spider lilies blooming and wilting around her as they carried her higher and higher up.

Song Zining gasped. “Ruoxi! Y-You… how come?”

Zhao Ruoxi replied, “I’m going for a stroll. I didn’t find anyone to rob, so let me borrow yours.”

How could such a thing be borrowed?

Song Zining complained secretly, but there was nothing he could do except watch her vanish into the tunnel.

“That’s not so bad, either, she should be fine with the treasure in hand. Even on the other side, the Red Spider Lily should protect her from being affected, right?

“The Red Spider Lily!!! She brought the Red Spider Lily into the Great Maelstrom!”

This news would shake up the entire empire! Song Zining was drenched in cold sweat at the thought of it.

In the days that followed, various aristocratic descendants arrived with secret treasures and entered the Great Maelstrom. Many families had dispatched their core geniuses because of their trust in Marshal Lin. In addition to the aristocracy, two civilians also obtained secret treasures. The n.o.bility stared at them like a pack of wolves, but they couldn’t rob the treasures openly out of respect for the marshal. All they could do was watch as the duo entered the pa.s.sage.

Song Zining watched expressionlessly as the people entered the pa.s.sage one after the other. No one knew what he was thinking—only he himself knew that a storm was about to arrive.

At this moment, a young girl in ordinary military clothing arrived. “My lord wishes to see the seventh young n.o.ble.”

Song Zining’s expression was calm. “And your lord would be?”

The young girl opened her palm to reveal an insignia. Song Zining glanced at the emblem and nodded. “It just so happens that I also wish to see your lord, please lead the way.”

The young girl led Song Zining down the holy mountain. There, they took a fast jeep to a remote open s.p.a.ce where an una.s.suming airs.h.i.+p was parked.

Song Zining followed the girl into the airs.h.i.+p. The interior of the vessel was elegantly decorated—the simple yet grand interior was a stark difference from its outer appearance. Although the equipment inside was a bit aged, most of them were high-performance versions one would rarely find in the Empire. None but the n.o.bility would be able to own, or even order them.

The girl led song Zining all the way into the upper cabin and into a graceful tearoom. There was a woman—clad in a set of refined oriental attire—seated inside the chamber. With lips akin to red pearls and skin as white as suet jade, she looked like a girl at first glance. However, traces of the pa.s.sing years could be vaguely seen around the corner of her eyes and brows.

Song Zining took a step forward and bowed. “Zining greets Her Majesty the Princess.”

The lady replied calmly, “You should call me Madam Duke Chengen, lest you incur Weihuang’s wrath.”

Song Zining replied, “Isn’t it more likely to make the young master unhappy?”

The person in the tearoom was Princess Gaoyi. Song Zining knew very little about this eldest princess. People from their generation were the pillars of the Empire, and those with deliberate intentions had locked down most of the information about her.

The normally unrestrained Song Zining felt ill-at-ease after entering the tearoom and didn’t dare to act presumptuously.

Princess Gaoyi said, “Yuying and Ruoxi have always been arrogant and wilful. They must have given you a bit of trouble.”

Song Zining was shaken. After some careful deliberation, he said, “Miss Yuying should be fine after entering the Great Maelstrom. Even if the environment there is somewhat special, she should be able to cope with it. Miss Ruoxi going in alone, however, is worrisome. Although she has the Red Spider Lily for protection, she isn’t too experienced, and I worry…”

Princess Gaoyi sighed. “Ruoxi that girl has a bad temper since she was a kid, and she simply won’t listen to anyone. Sigh! Weihuang is leading soldiers into battle every day and doesn’t have any time to teach the children.”

This was Princess Gaoyi’s family matters, so Song Zining found it hard to comment. In his mind, though, he was thinking that the man had produced monsters like Zhao Jundu, Qianye, and Zhao Ruoxi despite his hands-off approach. The other three brothers, including Zhao Junhong, were also pillars of the clan. What else could one want?

Princess Gaoyi picked up her teacup and took a small sip. “Zining, how do you think we should deal with Ruoxi? This matter is highly important. Her safety isn’t the most pressing matter compared to the bigger picture. We need to get the Red Spider Lily back.”

Song Zining replied, “Your Majesty, as I see it, the most important issue is to find Miss Ruoxi and bring her back. The Red Spider Lily is the most sentient among the Grand Magnums. Throughout the years, only the gun has ever chosen a master and never the other way around. Even if she loses the weapon, it will return sooner or later as long as Ruoxi is there. Without Ruoxi, however, it’s useless even if we get the magnum back.”

Princess Gaoyi shot him an approving glance. “Exactly. Yet the entire court is filled with short-sighted people who can’t think critically. That gun is a piece of sc.r.a.p metal without Ruoxi.”

“No one could compare to you in the court back then!” Song Zining followed up with some well-timed flattery. He understood that, for Princess Gaoyi, even the Red Spider Lily couldn’t compare to Ruoxi.

The princess lowered her cup. “How do you think this matter should be handled?”

Song Zining felt a s.h.i.+ver in his heart—this was the real business. This princess was different from other people. Just by sitting there, she exuded so much pressure that Song Zining couldn’t look up. Fooling her was no easy feat.

Song Zining eventually said, “Miss Ruoxi s.n.a.t.c.hed my secret treasure to enter the Great Maelstrom. As the commander of the Eastern Sea Imperial forces, I’m responsible for this matter. I will enter the Great Maelstrom as soon as I can and bring the young miss back.”

Princess Gaoyi shook her head. “You are responsible for this matter, but the actual blame doesn’t lie with you.”

Song Zining became nervous instead of being delighted. “Who would you say is responsible?”

“The secret treasure came from Lin Xitang, he should be the most responsible.”