Longevity starts from having a daughter in old age

“Besides that, it is also a strict reminder for the people of the Palm Immortal Office to keep away from indulging in cultivation and neglecting their actual duties.”

“I see!”

Xu Mu nodded his head, carefully observing while following Fairy You Lan as they went on.

The layout of the Palm Immortal Office is very plain. Apart from several enclosed lofts, every other place is vacant without any gardens, bridges over running water, or any decorative items.

The people working inside were also odd. They had blank faces, did not look anywhere else, and rushed past like emotionless puppets.

Everywhere here gave off a sense of oppression — ordinary people would be frightened out of their wits if they were to step foot in here.

But Xu Mu was not an ordinary person. He had lived many years, been to all sorts of places, so this slightly bizarre environment wasn’t of any concern to him.

Under the guidance of Fairy You Lan, the two of them passed numerous lofts, finally stopping at a location near the southwest corner. Here stood a small loft only about ten feet tall, looking rather conspicuous among so many giant lofts.

This loft had neither an entrance nor windows, and its surface was completely flush. Without Fairy You Lan’s explanation, Xu Mu might have mistaken it for a piece of art.

There were no guards in front of the loft. Fairy You Lan stopped, bowed respectfully, and called out, “Master.”

Creak!

The loft automatically opened an entrance large enough for both of them to pass side by side.

Fairy You Lan didn’t hesitate to step inside, Xu Mu following closely behind.

When both of them just entered, it was pitch black inside. Xu Mu didn’t dare to casually emit his Divine Intent, only following closely behind Fairy You Lan. After about ten steps, the entrance slowly disappeared behind them, and the entire space was swallowed by darkness, so dark that they couldn’t see their hands in front of them.

Pop!

Threads of spiritual energy suddenly flashed in the darkness, illuminating everything in front of Xu Mu’s eyes.

Xu Mu blinked, looking around.

It was a completely empty room with nothing but the mirror-smooth floor, which resembled the overall style of the Palm Immortal Office.

The ceiling was arched, and apart from being smooth, it was also empty.

There were no skylights, or any exits to be seen.

The only thing in this closed space was a middle-aged man, sitting in the center of the room, his hair scattered about, looking just like a stone statue.

As if sensing their presence, he slowly opened his eyes.

The instant Xu Mu saw his eyes, a shiver ran down his spine.

Those weren’t eyes, they were more like the entrance to hell. Just a single look, and Xu Mu seemed to see the entirety of hell, with various evil spirits struggling, screaming, and roaring in suffering. That resentment was enough to make a person’s spirit shatter.

“Master!”

Fairy You Lan called out.

“Lord!”

Xu Mu hurriedly expressed his greetings.

On their way here, Fairy You Lan had already told him that her master was the master of the Palm Immortal Office.

Even though Fairy You Lan referred to him as ‘master’, Xu Mu did not naively consider him an ally, for according to Fairy You Lan, this master of the Palm Immortal Office had once been a teacher for the imperial family’s children. Any imperial family child could call him ‘master’, so the title wasn’t particularly valuable. Fairy You Lan had simply referred to him as such to close the gap between them.

“Hmm.”

The master of the Palm Immortal Office only responded with a nod, his gaze sweeping past Xu Mu without lingering any longer than necessary.

“You completed the mission quite quickly!”

“All thanks to your excellent teachings, Master!” Fairy You Lan replied with a smile.

“Tell me about the specific details of the mission.”

“Yes!”

Fairy You Lan expressed a set of arguments she’d previously devised. The Master of Palm Immortal Office did not challenge them, only paused for a moment before speaking: “I understand.”

“Your name is Xu Mu, correct?”

“Yes!”

Xu Mu remained tense, always ready to answer whatever question the other party posed. Before arrival, he and Fairy You Lan had discussed their story; he was not worried about mistakes unless they intentionally created difficulty.

“You have done well. Our Palm Immortal Office does not let anyone’s valuable efforts go unrewarded. You may go out and wait. I have a few words to say to the princess.”

“Uh?…Yes!”

Xu Mu had not expected this, but it suited him fine. He obediently left.

He waited for the duration of a pot of tea before Fairy You Lan walked out with a smile on her face.

“The Master has a favorable impression of you. Let’s go register you. In a few days you will be sent to the six departments. As long as you pass the review, the imperial edict declaring you an earl will be issued! Rest assured, it’s just a formality. There won’t be any problems with me around.”

“Thank you, Princess!”

“Don’t mention it, I promised you this long ago!”

In high spirits, Fairy You Lan led Xu Mu out of the Palm Immortal Office after he completed his registration.

“Do you want to take a stroll around town?”

“No need!”

Xu Mu shook his head.

Even if he wanted to wander the town, it wasn’t fitting to make her accompany him. Besides, he’d have plenty more time in the Imperial City to explore later.

“Very well, let’s head back then! A feast has been prepared to welcome you at my mansion. I’ll introduce you to my guests there. Be careful when the time comes!”

A mysterious smile appeared on Fairy You Lan’s face.

“Princess, might as well explain clearly so I can be prepared!” Xu Mu replied bitterly.

No need for games at this point.

“These guests were all skilled people I gathered from various places. They’re either gifted or very skilled in their field. They’re aware you’ll be attending the magic duel on my behalf, however, they do not know your strength. It is likely that they will challenge you during the feast.”

Fairy You Lan said with a laugh, not hiding from Xu Mu what her intentions were.

“Princess, may I ask how strong these people are?” Xu Mu inquired.

“Naturally, they’re not as strong as you; otherwise, I would not have asked you to participate in my stead. But they aren’t much weaker than you, and have some unique methods. If you are not careful and fall for their tricks, you might indeed be defeated,” Fairy You Lan responded with a chuckle.

In battles between cultivators, it wasn’t just magical items and divine skills that mattered, but also the ability to harness a wide range of cultivator skills. If one mastered these, they could unleash a power far surpassing their own realm. This was evident when Xu Mu defeated the Lord of the Divine Gu Valley. If they were both at the same level, Xu Mu might not have been able to subdue him.

Speaking of which, over the past year, Xu Mu had honed the Parasitic Skill inherited from the Lord of the Divine Gu Valley to a high degree. Although not as powerful as his full strength, it had many wonderful uses.

“Thank you for the warning, Princess. I understand how to handle it now!” Xu Mu acknowledged.

“The reason I warned you is to avoid any unforeseen accidents. If something were to happen to you, it would not only be embarrassing for you, but for me as well!”

“Rest assured, Princess, If I can’t handle such a small matter, I wouldn’t be qualified to participate in the magic duel!”

“As long as you understand, that’s good!”

Fairy You Lan didn’t say much after that.

The battles in the magic duel wouldn’t be like their usual practices of open confrontation. His opponents would surely use unpredictable techniques, so Xu Mu must prepare ahead of time. This upcoming banquet challenge from her guests would serve as a good pre-duel practice.

After a long carriage ride, they finally arrived at the palace where Fairy You Lan resided.

If Xu Mu can’t even handle a group of people whose strength is-