Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts-Chapter 407 - Her Majesty cares a great deal about you. Do you know why?

Zhu Cici came up with a reason to talk to Xu Ming.

But just at that moment, Xu Ming stood up.

“Xu Ming, what’s wrong?” Ao Yin’er blinked her eyes and looked at Xu Ming.

She had just been chatting with Xu Ming quite well, but all of a sudden, he stood up on his own, startling her.

“Nothing. The gift-giving is about to begin, and I left my gift in the courtyard. I forgot to bring it back, so I need to step out for a moment,” Xu Ming said casually.

“How about I go with you?” Ao Yin’er offered as she started to get up.

To her, if Xu Ming wasn’t by her side, it wouldn’t be as fun. If she followed him, they could chat along the way.

“No need, I’ll be back soon,” Xu Ming replied before turning and heading out of the palace.

Ao Yin’er tilted her body slightly, watching as Xu Ming gradually walked away.

Just as she was about to retract her gaze, she blinked in surprise.

Huh? Where’s my brother? When did he disappear?

Xu Ming stepped out of the palace gates.

His departure naturally caught the attention of the Dragon Empress.

The Dragon Empress whispered something to the maid beside her. Xiao Lan nodded, bowed slightly, and left the Empress’s side.

After stepping through the hall’s grand doors, Xu Ming activated a spell— Divine Tracking Technique.

It was a technique he had learned from the “assassin” back in the Tianxuan Sect’s dungeon.

Once activated, Xu Ming could clearly see threads of energy extending forward, pointing in a specific direction.

These threads were condensed from traces of the target’s scent.

Xu Ming followed these energy threads.

He walked farther and farther, until he finally arrived at the edge of a lake within the Dragon Palace.

Then, Xu Ming witnessed Ao Jin taking out a fish and releasing it into the lake.

The fish was entirely black, somewhat resembling a spotted grouper, but with two long whiskers on either side of its mouth.

Even from a distance, Xu Ming could sense the immense spiritual energy within the fish.

He memorized its appearance.

After Ao Jin left, Xu Ming approached the lake.

“That fish isn’t anything particularly special.”

Just as Xu Ming was contemplating how to capture it, a voice sounded from beside him.

Xu Ming’s heart skipped a beat in surprise.

He turned to see Xiao Lan and gave a polite bow. “Miss Xiao Lan, what brings you here?”

Xiao Lan smiled. “You are highly regarded by Her Majesty. Naturally, she noticed when you left the banquet. Concerned that something might happen to you, she sent me to follow you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Xu Ming responded courteously, “Her Majesty is looking out for me. There’s nothing to mind about that.”

Xiao Lan nodded before continuing, “Her Majesty cares a great deal about you. Do you know why?”

Xu Ming remained silent.

Even if he did know, he couldn’t exactly say it outright. “I’d appreciate it if Miss could enlighten me.”

“Hehehe...” Xiao Lan chuckled softly, her gaze playful.

“You and I are both intelligent people, and the thing intelligent people do best is feign ignorance. But tell me, why is it that in this particular matter, the clever ones are choosing to play dumb?”

Xu Ming: “...”

He didn’t reply, choosing to stay silent.

Let her say whatever she wanted—how was he supposed to respond to that?

Besides, he was starting to get the feeling that Xiao Lan had some opinions about him.

She didn’t press the topic further. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the lake.

“That fish is called a ‘Ink-Gold Fish.’ It has properties that promote blood circulation, heal bruises, and enhance spiritual power. It is particularly valuable for cultivators attempting to break through from the Golden Core stage to the Nascent Soul stage, as it can even serve as a life-saving elixir. In the outside world, such a fish would be highly coveted and fought over.

But aside from that, it holds no particularly special qualities.”

Xu Ming asked in confusion, “Then why did he release it into the lake?”

Xiao Lan smiled and shook her head. “Because this pond is within the Dragon Palace, it has always been under the protection of the Northern Sea Dragon Palace’s fortune. The fish here can grow well, and once they absorb the dragon’s luck, their effects will be even stronger.

Moreover, Ink-Gold Fish are difficult to keep alive, but this pond is carefully guarded by palace maids, ensuring that no fish inside will die from illness.

Ao Jin is probably trying to use this pond to have us raise his fish for him.

Though this could be considered a sneaky act, it’s not really a big deal. He is, after all, a prince of the Eastern Sea. We can turn a blind eye to it—there’s no need to confront him over something so trivial.”

Xu Ming frowned. “But, Miss Xiao Lan, he is a member of the Eastern Sea’s royal family. By all logic, shouldn’t he have access to anything he desires? Is a single Ink-Gold Fish really worth all this secrecy? To the extent that he has to secretly place it in this lake?”

“It is puzzling, but not entirely unreasonable,” Xiao Lan explained. “The Eastern Sea has a total of nine princes, not to mention numerous royal uncles. The resources available to them aren’t as abundant as you might think.

As for raising the fish himself, it wouldn’t survive in the Eastern Sea due to water conditions. It would struggle to adapt and likely perish.”

“That reasoning still feels a bit forced.”

Xu Ming remained skeptical.

The fish was indeed valuable, but was it truly worth acting so secretively over?

Not to mention, did the Eastern Sea really lack other treasures that could ensure someone’s breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage?

Xu Ming found it hard to believe.

Besides, as long as a dragon matured properly, reaching the Immortal stage would be difficult, but achieving the Jade Purity stage was almost guaranteed—as long as they didn’t die prematurely.

The Nascent Soul stage? A royal like Ao Jin might not even care about it.

“I understand what Lord Xu is suspecting. In truth, we all have our doubts,” Xiao Lan said. “But even if we have suspicions, what can we do?

Ting Hai Tower conducted a thorough investigation and confirmed that Ao Jin’s claims were true.

The fish he caught from the lake earlier was indeed a Ink-Gold Fish, and catching one requires the presence of literary aura.

Not long ago, Ao Jin did, in fact, hire several disciples from White Deer Academy, paying them with spirit stones to fish it out for him.

That same Ink-Gold Fish was the one he just placed in the pond.

Ao Jin hasn’t done anything wrong. No matter how powerful we in the Northern Sea might be, we cannot execute someone based on unfounded suspicions.

I do appreciate Lord Xu’s concern for our Dragon Palace.

But please, enjoy the banquet with ease.

The Northern Sea Dragon Palace will handle everything.”