Chapter 128: Be the Best

　　In the Heavenly Wheel, Lu Mingshu stared at the wheel blankly.

　　After a while, she realized what happened and called for Xiao Sang, “Xiao Sang, what is this?”

　　The points she owed had been decreased by a hundred!

　　Previously, when she battled at the pharmacy’s arena, the debt only decreased by five points, and only by two when she went to the rune-carving shop. After seeing that, she gave up on trying anything in the other industries. Battling at the pharmacy didn’t decrease her debt or increase her fame by very much. She might as well just go compete at a martial arts arena.

　　“The points came from the consequences of your actions,” Xiao Sang replied in monotone.

　　She finally gave an actual answer instead of her usual, “Your points are not enough.”

　　“Consequences?” Lu Mingshu pondered. “The consequences for the world?”

　　After the battle at the pharmacy, only a few people were even aware of her existence. She didn’t gain much fame or do anything for the industry itself. However, she brought a bunch of benefits and changes to the rune-carving industry. She taught them lost skills, new ways to use talismans and runes, and changed their arena rules, which would bring the industry great benefits as time passed.

　　“So, it’s that….”

　　She suddenly heard a knock at her door.

　　Lu Mingshu exited the Heavenly Wheel and went to open the door, “Senior Aunt Tan.”

　　Tan Yubing flashed her a warm smile, “Am I bothering you? It’s getting late.”

　　Lu Mingshu shook her head and smiled at her before inviting her in.

　　“Save yourself the trouble,” Tan Yubing stopped Lu Mingshu who was about to serve some tea. “I’ll be fast,” she smiled.

　　Lu Mingshu turned toward her.

　　Tan Yubing started slowly, “Today, Keeper Guo came, and the reason she came… is because of you.”

　　Seeing that Lu Mingshu was just looking at her calmly, Tan Yubing continued, “I guess you’re already aware of it then.”

　　“Just a few guesses,” Lu Mingshu replied.

　　Tan Yubing sighed, “Recently, I heard some information. Do you know who Xie Lianzhen from the Seven Truths Platform is?”

　　Seeing that Lu Mingshu’s face changed drastically upon hearing his name, Tan Yubing burst out in laughter, “You finally reacted to something! You’re always so calm about everything that it makes me doubt myself as a Senior Aunt!” Tan Yubing joked before getting back to the main point, “You shouldn’t lower your guard. He and the queen of Zhongzhou have a very special relationship. As for what the queen is like, I’m sure you’ve heard.”

　　After reaching Tianyun City, she heard stories about the queen. In the eyes of the commoners, she was a wise and farsighted woman, but also tough.

　　Lu Mingshu already roughly knew what was going on when she met Keeper Guo earlier, but this situation… is the worst possibility she anticipated.

　　“Okay, it’s getting late. I shall leave and let you rest.”

　　Before Tan Yubing left, she looked at Lu Mingshu and she hesitantly added, “If the queen really…. Maybe even Elder An is unable to save you from this mess.”

　　Lu Mingshu walked over to the wall after Tan Yubing left and stared at three circles she had drawn on the map of Tianyun City.

　　She pondered for a while before erasing one of the circles and replacing it with another.

　　If it was for the queen of Zhongzhou, the better Lu Mingshu should be!

　　…

　　In the Divine Restaurant, there was a group of people in a small private room.

　　After the competition at the Hall of Immortals arena, this group of people not only practiced martial arts every day, they also sat here and waited for news every single day.

　　Kou Wei kept making a rhythmic sound with his fan, which annoyed Qi Sheng, “Senior Brother, can you stop?”

　　Kou Wei smiled and stopped, “Impatient, are we?”

　　Qi Sheng was listless, “I really don’t get you guys. It’s not like we don’t know where she stays, why don’t we just go to the hotel and find her?”

　　“Where’s the fun in that?” Yue Lingyin cut him off. “Don’t you feel that it’s more fun this way?”

　　“I don’t see the fun,” Qi Sheng had a poker face.

　　“Aiya, little Brother Qi, learn how to have fun! Or do you prefer to live a boring life with-”

　　In the midst of Yue Lingyin’s teasing, somebody rushed in; “Senior Brother Kou, we found her!”

　　The whole group simultaneously turned toward the disciple who spoke.

　　Being stared at like that, the disciple became a bundle of nerves, “Erm, Miss Lu is competing at the House of Might.”

　　Kou Wei nodded, “How is it going right now?”

　　“Two wins,” the disciple answered. “The third round should be fine as well.”

　　“Okay, sorry to trouble you. Go have fun with your friends.”

　　As soon as the disciple left, Qi Sheng couldn’t hold back his urge anymore, “Is she going to focus on fighting now?”

　　After competing at the rune-carving arena, Lu Mingshu had competed at quite a number of martial arts halls, and up to now, she had already been to three.

　　“Should be,” Kou Wei nodded. “The easiest way to gain fame is to go through the martial arts arenas.”

　　“Then why did she go to the pharmacy and the rune-carving ones in the first place?”

　　Kou Wei was unable to provide an answer to that. Gaining fame through battling in martial arts arenas was understandable; a few of them did that too. But going to the pharmacy and rune-carving arenas? Just to try new things?

　　He turned to look at Shao Zhengyang, who was staring into space, “Brother Shao, what’s on your mind?”

　　Shao Zhengyang bit his lips, “I think… I might know why,” he said and sighed.

　　“Oh?”

　　What Shao Zhengyang said had piqued everyone’s interest, and they all turned to look at him.

　　Shao Zhengyang smiled bitterly, “What I’m about to say… can you all please keep to yourselves?”

　　“Of course. You can trust us,” Qi Sheng assured him. “The last thing we are is a bunch of big mouths, right?”

　　The others nodded in agreement.

　　“A few days ago, Brother Kou Wei mentioned something about the Ancient Jade Summit’s Ling Wuxia not attending the Qilin Festival,” he sighed and continued, “do you all remember?”

　　Kou Wei nodded, “It’s true. The Ancient Jade Summit arrived yesterday, and Ling Wuxia was indeed absent.” Suddenly, something came to Kou Wei’s mind, and he furrowed his eyebrows in displeasure, “You mean…?”

　　Shao Zhengyang nodded his head, “Little Brother here heard some stories. I wasn’t sure what was going on until that day. When I went back to the hotel, Keeper Guo from the emissary office came down, and I heard that she came to see Junior Lu.”

　　“Emissary office? Xiahou Shan?” Yue Lingyin asked. A thought suddenly popped up into her head, and she turned red with anger, “What the hell is going on with the Nine Jade Palace, huh!?”

　　Kou Wei held her down, “Lingyin, calm down. Brother Shao didn’t do anything wrong.”

　　Yu Lingyin processed her thoughts again. When she calmed down, she turned to Shao Zhengyang and apologized for her behavior, “Brother Shao, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to blame you for it.”

　　Shao Zhengyang smiled in return, “I know. Miss Yue doesn’t need to take it to heart.”

　　Yue Lingyin slammed her chopsticks onto the table forcefully, as if she wanted to break the table, “This is ridiculous! They are treating their own genuine successor disciple in such a manner? If they do not want her, then just give her to us, the Amethyst Phoenix Pavilion, for free!”

　　The girl called Lan Ruoyun looked at her in confusion, “Sister Yue, does the queen have her eyes on her?”

　　“It shouldn’t be the queen,” Kou Wei answered. “Should be… the Nine Jade Palace is interested in the marriage.”

　　“That’s obviously the case! How long has Lu Mingshu been famous? I doubt she’s so famous that the queen would have heard of her. She’s doing all this because of the Nine Jade Palace!”

　　“Wait!” Qi Sheng cut them off, “What do you all mean? What marriage?”

　　But sadly, he was ignored by the rest as they continued their heated discussion.

　　“But isn’t Lu Mingshu digging her own grave now by battling at the arenas? Wouldn’t the queen be even more pleased with her?”

　　Kou Wei looked at him and retorted calmly, “But why has nobody forced Ling Wuxia? Even if the Ancient Jade Summit turned their back on her, even the queen wouldn’t force her. Do you believe that?”

　　Of course. Ling Wuxia was the best disciple of Ancient Jade Summit in this generation. She might even be in the Assimilation Realm already, who knew?

　　“Oh, so Brother Kou Wei means that Mingshu is fighting for her voice?” Lan Ruoyun’s eyes widened. “If she was as powerful as Ling Wuxia, then even if the Nine Jade Palace forced the marriage onto her, the queen would respect Mingshu’s decision.”

　　“Yeah,” Kou Wei nodded. “Her strategy is easy. She competed in some other sectors once each, but she chose the best shops. As for martial arts, she’s choosing the best and most famous shops as well. She should be clear about what’s ahead, that’s why she’s so hardworking.”