The meal was a cheerful affair. After the banquet, Wang Yi and his two sons escorted Master Wu and his disciple all the way to the Wang Family’s gate. Lu Tao also invited Lin Yun to meet in the Imperial Palace the next day, explaining that he would send a carriage to pick him up, as Lin Yun wouldn’t be able to enter otherwise.

Lin Yun had already guessed that Lu Tao was up to no good, but since there was something he needed Lu Tao for, he decided to go to the Imperial Palace the next day anyway. ’What kind of trouble could a petty dandy possibly cause?’

After seeing off Master Wu and his disciple, the members of the Wang Family went their separate ways. Only Wang Tianwen accompanied Wang Yi to discuss some matters. Now that Wang Tianwen had fully recovered, Wang Yi naturally placed more importance on him.

Watching Wang Tianwen’s departing figure, Wang Tianwu left with a dark expression. The moment his brother had recovered, their father had pulled him away for a private discussion. It was clear his father’s perception of Wang Tianwen had changed significantly.

"Master, I’d like to invite Brother Lin Shan to the Imperial Palace for a meeting tomorrow," Lu Tao said to Master Wu, who was sitting with him in the carriage.

At his words, Master Wu nodded slightly. Lin Yun was one of the ten great geniuses of the Yanhuang List, and he was still only at the Second Layer of Qi Sea Realm, giving him immense room for growth. Even he couldn’t predict just how far Lin Yun might go. Master Wu naturally supported getting closer to such a talent.

"Yes, that young man, Lin Shan, is quite remarkable. It would do you no harm to grow closer to him. How about this? I’ll have someone pick him up tomorrow. That will make it easier for him to enter the Imperial Palace," Master Wu said.

Hearing his master’s reply, Lu Tao laughed gleefully in his heart. ’Tomorrow, once we’re in the Imperial Palace... Lin Shan, you’ll be wrapped around my little finger.’

Exhausted from the long day, everyone returned to their rooms and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Lin Yun, however, began his daily cultivation.

The next morning, just as Lin Yun finished breakfast, word came that Master Wu’s carriage had already arrived. Lu Tao was apparently waiting for him in the Imperial Palace.

’Sigh, I haven’t even trained yet, and they’re here already.’ He had wanted to practice his Martial Skills, but it seemed he would have to give up on that idea.

After saying a word to Wangcai and the other two, Lin Yun boarded Master Wu’s carriage alone and set off toward the Imperial Palace.

The carriage entered the Imperial Palace, and soon after, a Guard—assigned exclusively to Master Wu by the Royal Family—greeted Lin Yun with great enthusiasm.

"Young Master Lin, our Young Master Lu mentioned that he greatly admires a young talent like yourself. To become one of the ten great geniuses of the Yanhuang List at such a young age... you are truly a dragon among men."

Listening to the Guard’s flattery, Lin Yun smiled faintly. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yes, yes, of course! Young Master Lu is very eager to become your friend," the Guard hurriedly added.

After some more idle chat, the Guard led Lin Yun to the entrance of a garden. He stopped there and said, "After you, Young Master Lin. Young Master Lu is waiting for you inside."

Lin Yun had been on his guard the entire way, and now he sensed something was definitely wrong. He immediately asked the Guard, "Aren’t you coming in?"

"Me? Young Master Lin, I’m merely a Guard. I’m not qualified to enter," the Guard said with a smile.

"Oh. All right, then. I’ll go in myself."

’Since I’m already here, I might as well see what trick Lu Tao is trying to pull.’ With that thought, Lin Yun stepped into the garden.

Barely ten breaths after Lin Yun walked into the garden, Lu Tao appeared at the Guard’s side. A wide grin spread across his face as he asked, "Well?"

"Rest assured, Young Master. The Ninth Princess is cultivating inside. When she finds him, she’ll definitely beat him half to death."

"Excellent," Lu Tao said, a wicked, triumphant smile on his face. "How dare he threaten me. Let’s see how he gets out of this one."

Walking through the garden, Lin Yun was impressed. ’As expected of the Imperial Palace. Even a simple garden is constructed with such exquisite detail.’ After navigating a labyrinth of winding paths, Lin Yun finally emerged from the sea of flowers into a small courtyard.

The first thing he saw upon entering the courtyard was a pool. A young woman was cultivating inside the small pool. ’She must be using some kind of Medicinal Liquid to temper her body and strengthen her meridians.’

’This is...’ He reacted in an instant. ’This must be Lu Tao’s trap. Only someone from the Royal Family could afford to cultivate with a Medicinal Liquid.’

Seeing the young woman clad only in a sheer gown, Lin Yun knew one thing for certain. ’I absolutely cannot run, and I absolutely cannot act guilty. The moment I do, I’ll be branded a pervert.’

’And there’s no need to spell out the fate of a pervert caught in the Imperial Palace.’

A roguish smile touched the corners of his lips. Lin Yun already had a plan. ’Trying to play these petty games with me? Lu Tao is still far too green for that.’

Showing no sign of panic, Lin Yun strode forward boldly, calling out as he went, "Lu Tao! Lu Tao...!"

With such a racket, even a deaf old man would have noticed him, let alone a Martial Artist. Instantly, the young woman, who had been cultivating with her eyes closed, snapped them open, a tangible fury erupting in her gaze.

Without a word, the young woman leaped to her feet. Ripples of Qi Sea Realm Elemental Power spread out as she shot a palm strike straight at Lin Yun.

’Such a hothead?’ he thought. Attacking without a word, completely ignoring the fact that she was only wearing a sheer gown... Lin Yun was at a loss for words.

Although she possessed the cultivation of the Seventh Layer of Qi Sea Realm, she was obviously still too weak to face Lin Yun. He easily blocked her strike, then feigned outrage and demanded, "What are you doing?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Lin Yun’s preemptive anger took the young woman by surprise. She was stunned that this lecher would actually play the victim. After a moment’s pause, she roared, "What am *I* doing? You pervert! You dare spy on me while I’m cultivating with Medicinal Liquid, and you have the nerve to ask me what I’m doing?"

"What Medicinal Liquid cultivation? I don’t know anything about that! Lu Tao told me to come here. He said this was the Imperial Palace’s famous pleasure den, full of beautiful Maids from the palace. Stop trying to fool me!" Lin Yun shot back, not yielding an inch.

"What? Pleasure den? Beautiful palace Maids?" Hearing his words, the young woman’s fury intensified.

Though her eyes were still spitting fire, the enraged young woman paradoxically calmed herself. She retrieved an outer robe from her Space Ring and put it on.

Judging from Lin Yun’s behavior, she was inclined to believe he was an unwitting party. ’After all, what kind of pervert acts so self-righteous after being discovered?’

’In that case, the true culprit must be Master Wu’s disciple, Lu Tao.’

Lin Yun, who had been carefully watching her expression, was inwardly ecstatic. ’This girl is just too naive. It’s a wide world, full of all kinds of people. Who says a pervert has to be timid?’

"You said Lu Tao sent you? Why would he tell you to come here? And how did you get into the Imperial Palace?"

"I am Lin Shan, one of the new top ten geniuses of the Yanhuang List. Yesterday, I had dinner with Brother Lu Tao at the Prince’s Mansion, and he offered to show me around the Imperial Palace today. As for how I got in, I arrived in Master Wu’s carriage, of course," Lin Yun replied without batting an eye.