My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

"What brings you here here today? I thought to myself, no wonder I heard magpies chirping outside the eaves early in the morning, turns out we have an esteemed guest!"

Yunlong chuckled as he approached the Scripture Pavilion, where Gu Lan was waiting outside for Zhongren.

It seemed as though he anticipated the old Daoist's arrival, hence he didn't enter immediately.

Upon hearing Yunlong's words, Gu Lan smiled faintly, "Master, such flattery doesn't quite match your lifelong elegance and nobility."

Gu Lan was right. The previous times they met, Yunlong, though seeking his assistance, remained dignified and composed, unlike now.

This time, however, Yunlong's demeanor indeed seemed more subdued, a change Gu Lan couldn't quite fathom.

Yunlong cast a deep glance at Gu Lan, yet he did not explain.

He knew that his time was drawing near, and in the days to come, Tianji Pavilion would likely rely heavily on Gu Lan for survival.

Thus, he lowered his posture towards Gu Lan.

However, Yunlong certainly couldn't explain such matters.

He merely smiled faintly, avoiding a direct response, and instead asked, "What is it? Do you need my disciple's help in finding some secrets? Rest assured. Our Tianji Pavilion has collected a wealth of secrets from ancient times to the present."

"Instead of sending my disciple on a blind search, why not ask me directly? After all, many things are stored in this humble disciple's mind!"

Gu Lan's eyes sparkled as he suggested that Yunlong, being the master of Tianji Pavilion, might indeed be quicker to help than Zhongren.

"Have you heard of the power of the Yin God Palace on the mainland?" Gu Lan inquired.

"The Yin God Palace?" Yunlong's smile faded slightly, replaced by a solemn expression. "Why inquire about this force?"

"Is there anything peculiar about this force?" Gu Lan asked.

"It's not about being peculiar, but rather, the Yin God Palace is indeed mysterious, with few knowing of their existence. They are one of the rare taboo forces on the continent..."

"Moreover, the strong within the Yin God Palace are not few in number and lurk in the shadows. Provoking them is more terrifying than provoking the Blissful Immortal Palace."

Yunlong's expression grew serious, sensing that Gu Lan had some thoughts regarding the Yin God Palace.

Seeing Yunlong's grave demeanor, Gu Lan couldn't help but become intrigued.

He vaguely sensed that the Yin God Palace might not be on friendly terms with the Blissful Immortal Palace.

When the time came for retaliation from the Blissful Immortal Palace, perhaps they could leverage the power of the Yin God Palace!

Sitting securely in the imperial city, observing the tiger's battle from the mountain, wouldn't that be delightful?

Sensing his skepticism, Yunlong had to continue with gravity, "Furthermore, likely, the Yin God Palace is not a force from our realm, but rather, from the higher realms."

Gu Lan nodded, aware of this fact.
Enjoy new chapters from empire

However, he didn't dwell on it further; Yunlong didn't know his intentions, and saying too much was pointless.

Seeing Yunlong's somewhat withered appearance, unlike when they first met, Gu Lan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Master, you seem to have some issues with your health today?"

Yunlong paused, forcing a smile. "What issues could I possibly have?"

Gu Lan shook his head, "Your vitality seems to have aged considerably, and your cultivation appears to have regressed?"

He could sense a sense of decline emanating from Yunlong, a feeling of impending decline.

Yunlong's face stiffened, and then he sighed deeply, "Since you've noticed, there's no point in hiding it anymore."

"A cultivator, no matter how powerful, cannot avoid the end of their lifespan unless they transcend the six realms, especially in our mortal realm."

"You're right. There's indeed a problem with my body. It's because my lifespan is nearing its end. I estimate that within three years at most, I'll likely depart from this world."

He wore a helpless smile.

Even if he had planned everything in Mysteries, facing his own mortality wasn't something he could easily accept.

Who would willingly embrace death when they could live?

"But it's for the best. I've lived long enough, and Tianji Pavilion will still rely on Consecrator to watch over it in the future."

Although he claimed to have lived long enough, Yunlong's tone still carried traces of attachment and reluctance.

Unconsciously, he glanced towards the Scripture Pavilion, where his cherished memories lay...

Gu Lan was surprised. He hadn't considered that this was the reason behind Yunlong's appearance of decline and exhaustion.

"Isn't there any way to prolong your life?" Gu Lan's tone was sincere.

After all, Yunlong had helped him a lot, and he wasn't willing to see this free-spirited Daoist pass away.

Yunlong sighed and shook his head, "It's impossible. What method could there be to prolong life?"

"The Great Dao follows the principle of fifty and four-nine. Everything has its chances, even in dire situations. Master, you shouldn't give up so easily!"

"Can one find hope in desperation?"

Yunlong was somewhat startled, and then his tone gradually became serious, "You're right. There is indeed a way... to extend my lifespan."

Gu Lan's eyes brightened, "Master, please speak. As long as I can help, I will do my utmost. After all, I am also part of Tianji Pavilion."

Tianji Pavilion had always regarded itself as a Consecrator.

Even though the initial purpose was to seek support, in the end, they had helped Madam and the Jing Nation significantly, so they must reciprocate the karma and goodwill.

"Only by finding the legendary Gathering Spirit-Reviving Herb is there a possibility of breaking through the predicament of depleted potential within me, unable to ascend again."

"With this divine herb, I can once again unleash the potential to break through to the Saint Stage. Once successfully promoted to the Saint Stage, the issue of insufficient lifespan will be resolved."

A hint of fervor appeared in Yunlong's eyes, overshadowing the previous calmness.

After all, this matter concerned his path of cultivation, and even his tranquil mind couldn't help but ripple.

"However, ..."

He calmed down, feeling somewhat discouraged, "I've traveled across the entire continent over the years, as far as the southern boundary's Penglai Divine Sea and the western boundary's Deer Wilderness... but there's still no clue about the whereabouts of the Gathering Spirit-Reviving Herb!"

"So, this method is also a dead end."

Yunlong sighed heavily.

After so many years of searching for the herb, he hadn't found any reliable information. He even began to doubt the accuracy of the secrets passed down by Tianji Pavilion over the years.

Otherwise, why had he achieved nothing after so many years?

"Gathering Spirit-Reviving Herb?"

Unexpectedly, Gu Lan's eyes lit up, "I seem to have seen this thing somewhere..."

Yunlong was taken aback, "How is that possible?"

In terms of combat prowess, he admitted that Gu Lan far surpassed all the previous leaders of Tianji Pavilion.

However, regarding intelligence and secrets, he didn't believe that Gu Lan could surpass his knowledge!

If he hadn't seen the Gathering Spirit-Reviving Herb, how could Gu Lan know about it?

Ignoring Yunlong's surprise, Gu Lan pondered for a moment, then continued with a smile, "The name sounds familiar, perhaps I remembered it wrongly..."

Yunlong nodded, deciding not to pursue the matter further.

He probably thought that Gu Lan was trying to console him.

However, what he didn't see was the gleam in Gu Lan's eyes.

He was certain that he had indeed seen the Gathering Spirit-Reviving Herb...

And it was in the Illustrated Manual of the Six Realms!

"If it's an herb from the immortal realm, it seems I'll have to wait until I visit the immortal realm to bring back some special products..."