From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 124
“Thank you, Old Ancestor, for bestowing this treasure!”
Xiao Minghuang didn’t stand on ceremony and immediately accepted the artifact.
After all, she was about to face a mysterious Spirit Seed Realm demonic cultivator. Without a powerful artifact to protect her, she wouldn’t dare take such a risk.
“Cough, cough!”
The Old Ancestor coughed weakly twice and said:
“The Mountain and River Seal is a treasure that suppresses Great Xia’s fortune. Although it’s only a top-grade Profound Tier artifact, within Great Xia, it can rival even Earth Tier artifacts. This treasure is both a symbol of fortune and a token of the ruler. Since you’ve already won the grand competition, I bestow this treasure upon you. Take good care of it.”
Xiao Minghuang’s heart stirred.
She knew that this artifact was now hers, and she didn’t dare show the slightest negligence. She quickly bowed respectfully and said:
“Thank you, Old Ancestor!”
A faint smile appeared on Xia Hanbing’s aged face as he softly said:
“I am old and won’t live much longer. You must protect Great Xia well and ensure that our ancestors’ legacy does not end here!”
“Yes, I will heed the Old Ancestor’s teachings!”
Xiao Minghuang solemnly promised.
She could tell that the Old Ancestor had indeed aged. His physical body was decaying, and the flow of his spiritual power was extremely slow. It wouldn’t be long before he would completely perish from old age.
“Very well. The next steps will be handled by Elder Liu and you. When everything is ready, I will appear.”
As soon as the words fell, Xia Hanbing’s figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
Elder Liu stepped forward, sighing deeply:
“It’s been over ten years since we last met, and Senior Brother Xiao has declined to such an extent. What a pity!”
“The days we spent together at the Holy Academy are truly nostalgic, as if they happened just yesterday.”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang remained silent in her heart.
Based on what Elder Liu had just said, she could roughly guess the meaning behind his words.
In the early years, Xia Hanbing and Elder Liu had both entered the Holy Academy together as fellow disciples.
Later, Xia Hanbing returned to his homeland, while Elder Liu likely stayed at the Holy Academy or perhaps went to the Treasure Pavilion. In any case, the two had parted ways.
Elder Liu took out a talisman emitting a faint white light from his sleeve and pushed it toward Xiao Minghuang.
“This is the Evil-Suppressing Talisman. Later, when the opportunity arises, simply stick it onto any part of Prince Wu’an’s body without him noticing. It will suppress his evil energy, allowing Senior Brother Xiao to capture him in one strike.”
Xiao Minghuang nodded and said:
“Please, Elder Liu, set up the restriction for me.”
…
A moment later.
Xiao Minghuang returned to the vicinity of the training ground.
Seeing her return alone without Elder Liu, someone asked:
“Princess Xiao, where has Elder Liu gone?”
“Elder Liu had urgent matters to attend to at the Treasure Pavilion and has already left ahead of us.”
Hearing this, many people showed disappointment.
Elder Liu held an extremely high position at the Treasure Pavilion, second only to the Pavilion Master. If they could take this opportunity to make an impression on him, they might one day be able to enter the Treasure Pavilion as an overseer.
Although it was just the position of an overseer, its status was comparable to that of an elder in the three major sects.
Xiao Minghuang didn’t care what others thought. She pretended to be weak, sat down cross-legged on the spot, and began “cultivating to heal her injuries.”
Seeing her like this, no one continued to disturb her.
Some, however, began to whisper among themselves.
“Although Princess Xiao possesses extraordinary talent, killing the Second Prince is no easy feat. She was barely holding on earlier, and now she can’t even leave the training ground before starting to heal. She must be seriously injured!”
Seeing this situation.
Ye Ruoshui, Lin Wanqui, Xu Xiu’er, Wang Jin, and others quickly led a group of guards to surround Xiao Minghuang, protecting her in the center.
Xiao Minghuang was now the hope of Great Xia, and she could not afford to suffer even the slightest harm.
After everyone left, the spectator stands suddenly became empty, leaving only Prince Wu’an, who stood out conspicuously.
Gradually, gazes began to shift toward him, landing on Prince Wu’an.
“I heard Prince Wu’an had pledged allegiance to Princess Xiao? He even sent his only granddaughter to Princess Xiao’s residence. Why is it that now, when Princess Xiao is injured, he shows no reaction at all?”
Faced with these subtle yet noticeable gazes, Prince Wu’an couldn’t pretend not to notice.
At this moment, even Ye Ruoshui and the others turned to look at him.
“I’ve just taken over this body and can’t come into contact with righteous cultivators, or my evil energy might leak. Damn it! Princess Ziwei won so easily, how could she be injured?”
Ye Ruoshui was also puzzled, a trace of worry rising in her heart.
Just moments ago, Her Highness was perfectly fine. How did she suddenly get injured after that private conversation with Elder Liu?
“Big Sister Lin, what do you think happened to Her Highness’s injury?” Ye Ruoshui transmitted her voice to ask.
Lin Wanqiu was crouched beside Xiao Minghuang, holding her wrist. She could feel that the spiritual energy within Her Highness’s body was extremely chaotic, as if she had been seriously injured.
“It seems, indeed…”
At that moment, Xiao Minghuang’s voice suddenly reached her ears.
…
“Her Highness is indeed injured, and it’s quite serious. She needs a cultivator who practices an extremely yang and rigid technique, and whose cultivation level is relatively high, to help dispel the evil poison within her body.”
Lin Wanqiu spoke with a grave expression.
Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui and the others were startled. What should they do?
There are many people in the world who cultivate extremely yang and rigid techniques, but to have a relatively high cultivation level means being at least at the Divine Sea Realm or above, and they must also be trustworthy.
Otherwise, if someone were to secretly cause trouble during the healing process, it would be a case of gaining little at the cost of much.
At this moment, Xu Xiu’er suddenly spoke up:
“My grandfather practices the extremely yang and rigid technique, the 《Radiant Sun Art》!”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Everyone immediately turned their gazes towards the Martial Peace King.
Under the weight of these gazes, the Martial Peace King felt immense pressure.
In the current situation, he had no choice but to take a stance.
“Ahem!”
The Martial Peace King cleared his throat and slowly said:
“Recently, I’ve encountered some issues in my cultivation, and my spiritual energy isn’t flowing smoothly. I’m afraid I won’t be able to heal Her Highness!”
“It’s not that I’m unwilling, but that I can’t. If I were to make a mistake and harm Her Highness, it would truly be my fault.”
Hearing this, before anyone else could speak, Ye Ruoshui’s expression changed, and she scolded:
“Martial Peace King, what do you mean by this? Her Highness is in critical danger, and yet you stand by and do nothing. You are unworthy of being a subject!”
Upon hearing this, a surge of anger rose in the Martial Peace King’s heart. How dare a mere Qi Condensation Realm brat speak to him like this!
He put on a pained expression and said sorrowfully:
“Miss Ye, you misunderstand. I’m just afraid of accidentally harming Her Highness. I mean no harm.”
Hearing this, Xu Xiu’er showed a look of suspicion. She knew that her grandfather had always wanted to show his loyalty to Her Highness, which was why he had sent her to Her Highness’s side.
But now was the time to show his stance, so why had his attitude changed so drastically?
His claim of having issues in his cultivation was simply not credible.
Others might not know, but she was well aware that the Martial Peace King’s cultivation technique was the most balanced and stable, with a solid foundation. Although his progress was slow, his cultivation was extremely profound.
“Grandfather… seems a bit strange.”
At this moment, Wang Jin also sensed that something was amiss and spoke up:
“Your Highness, please don’t take offense. Miss Ye is just worried about Her Highness’s safety and means no disrespect to you.”
With that, he changed the tone of his words:
“However, Her Highness truly needs your help to heal her injuries now. This is a matter of Her Highness’s safety, so please prioritize the greater good and don’t lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of minor issues.”
The implication was that even if he had encountered issues in his cultivation, he should endure it and help heal Her Highness first.
With things put this way, the Martial Peace King could no longer refuse.
If he stubbornly refused, it would undoubtedly signal to others that he had a problem.
This would attract countless eyes, and in the future, he would have no chance to act in secret.
Thinking of this, the Martial Peace King gritted his teeth and said:
“Alright! Since that’s the case, I will take action to heal Her Highness!”
Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu subtly lowered her head, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Just now, Her Highness had already informed her of the matter.
She knew that all of this was a setup to lure Prince Wu’an into the trap.
This was not a covert scheme but an overt one, making it impossible for Prince Wu’an to refuse, leaving him no choice but to willingly step into the snare.
In reality.
As Prince Wu’an strode toward Xiao Minghuang, he was already on high alert. His spiritual energy surged rapidly within him, and a dense aura of malevolence gathered in his body. He was prepared to strike with thunderous force at the slightest sign of trouble, killing Xiao Minghuang and then immediately fleeing the scene.
“Damn it! I’ve been so cautious, yet which old fox saw through me?”
As he took step after step.
A faint, illusory figure of an elderly man could be glimpsed within the clouds, yet it revealed no trace of its presence, and no one could detect its existence.
Xiao Minghuang sat cross-legged, her palms pressed together and resting in her lap, clutching a small golden seal in her hands.
As Prince Wu’an drew closer, Lin Wanqiu quietly pulled Ye Ruoshui and Xu Xiu’er back, leaving only Wang Jin by Xiao Minghuang’s side.
Those in the distance, unaware of what was happening, asked:
“Isn’t he supposed to be healing Princess Xiao? Why are they all backing away?”
“Perhaps they’re clearing space for Prince Wu’an to make his move.”
A few moments later.
Prince Wu’an stopped just a foot away from Xiao Minghuang.
By now, he had realized the truth.
His identity as a malevolent cultivator had been completely exposed. This was a trap designed to encircle and kill him.
He had witnessed Xiao Minghuang’s extraordinary talent firsthand. If she were allowed to grow, she might very well become a figure comparable to the master of the Spirit Sword Sect.
Sheng Bailan had already caused them so much trouble, delaying the Blood Demon Path’s plans by twenty years. If another genius of similar caliber were to emerge, controlling the southern region would become even more difficult.
In an instant, he made his decision.
Princess Ziwei must die today!
Boom!
Prince Wu’an’s figure suddenly leaped into the air, transforming into a crimson mist as he charged toward Xiao Minghuang.
“I’ve been waiting for you to make your move!”
Xiao Minghuang shouted, abruptly spreading her hands. A dazzling golden light erupted, forming a small, radiant seal that hovered above her head.
The thick golden light enveloped her like an inverted bowl, firmly protecting her.
The eerie crimson mist collided with the golden barrier, and the malevolent cultivator immediately felt a tremendous force, as if he had slammed into a solid wall. He was forcefully halted, unable to advance even an inch.
At the same time.
A ball of golden light floated out, instantly piercing into the crimson mist.
Prince Wu’an saw that within the golden light was a mysterious talisman. If it touched him, his malevolent energy would be severely suppressed.
“Damn it!”
In that moment.
He understood that Princess Ziwei and the others had been prepared all along. This was an attempt to completely annihilate him here!
If he didn’t retreat immediately, he would surely be trapped like a fish in a net, and he might very well perish here today!
With this thought, his pupils contracted, and a wave of fear surged within him. He channeled all his malevolent energy to its limit, transforming his body into a crimson mist and instantly burrowing into the ground.
However, the talisman clung to him like a stubborn parasite, refusing to let go.
“Hmph! People of Xia, I will return!”
In the air, a faint trace of blood lingered. Xiao Minghuang remained vigilant, maintaining her full strength.
The soil where the malevolent cultivator had transformed into mist and fled was now corrupted, filled with a sinister, bloody aura.
On the ground, specks of golden light suddenly appeared, revealing the location of the evil cultivator without a doubt.
“Trying to escape? You won’t get far!”
In the sky, an aged voice abruptly thundered.
Accompanying the voice, a massive golden palm print condensed in the void, carrying overwhelming pressure as it pressed down heavily on the spot where the evil cultivator had just vanished.
Boom!
The entire earth trembled violently.
Where the palm print passed, the ground shattered, and dust flew into the air.
“Ah!”
A scream pierced the heavens, and immediately after, a cloud of blood mist was shaken out, crashing heavily to the ground with a dull thud.
The blood mist turned into a pool of filthy blood, writhing on the ground before gathering together and reforming into a humanoid shape, though it no longer resembled the Martial King.
The figure was indistinct, appearing grotesque and terrifying, exuding a thick, bloody aura.
“Finally willing to reveal your true form?”
Xia Hanbing took a step through the void, traversing thousands of feet in an instant, descending above the evil cultivator. Though his figure was aged, it radiated an extremely fearsome pressure, as if even a wisp of his aura could crush a mountain.
“Old man!”
The evil cultivator looked up at Xia Hanbing in the sky, his eyes filled with terror and a hint of disbelief.
“You were poisoned with blood toxin and yet you didn’t die!?”
Xia Hanbing straightened his back, his aged appearance seeming to lessen slightly, as he spoke calmly:
“If I had died, how could I suppress you?”
“When I break through to the Nascent Soul realm, I will personally visit the Blood Demon Sect to settle our past grievances!”
Hearing this, the evil cultivator suddenly burst into maniacal laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
“Overestimating yourself! The Blood Demon Sect is a branch of the Southern Wasteland’s Blood Demon Path, with a Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing it. Even the Master of the Spirit Sword Sect, the strongest in the Southern Region, wouldn’t dare to say she could come and go as she pleases. And you, an old man on the brink of death?”
In the sky, Xia Hanbing’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke calmly:
“Whether I can or not, we’ll only know after trying. But today, you will undoubtedly die!”
“Hmph! Even if you kill me, it won’t change the overall situation. You’re nothing but a dried-up corpse in a grave!”
The evil cultivator spoke arrogantly, his tone defiant.
Seeing that escape was impossible, he had changed his strategy.
He aimed to sow as much panic as possible among the Southern Region cultivators, making them jittery and suspicious, which could still serve some purpose.
“You talk too much.”
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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