From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 130
Thinking of his beloved disciple being possessed by an unknown entity, his heart ached with pain.
If only the original Xiao Yan were still here, he wouldn’t have fallen to such a state!
Previously, he had planned to seize Xiao Yan’s body after his defeat.
But he never expected that Princess Xiao had already detected his presence and arrived early, completely thwarting his plans.
Unaware of the Medicine King’s thoughts, Xiao Minghuang assumed he was lamenting the death of the First Prince and spoke indifferently:
“Now that the First Prince is dead, what are your plans, Medicine King?”
Seemingly caught off guard by her question, the Medicine King paused, then slowly shook his head:
“What plans could I possibly have? Xiao Yan is dead, and he was my last hope. Now, all that remains of me is a fragmented spirit, devoid of any divine powers. I can only linger in this world for a few more days at most. How could I dare to entertain any wild ambitions?”
“Princess Xiao, you need not worry. I pose no threat to you anymore. In a few days, perhaps ten at most, my fragmented spirit will dissipate completely…”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang smiled gently and spoke in a soft, warm tone:
“Medicine King, you misunderstand. Although Xiao Yan is dead, the world is vast. Surely he is not the only one who can help you rebuild your body?”
The Medicine King looked puzzled and asked in confusion:
“What do you mean by that?”
Xiao Minghuang chuckled lightly:
“I am merely reminding you that standing before you is the foremost figure of the Southern Realms, the Crown Princess of Great Xia!”
Her elegant and confident voice echoed in the deep pit, reaching the Medicine King’s ears.
Her words were like a wake-up call!
The Medicine King was momentarily stunned, his eyes widening in realization. His voice trembled with excitement as he spoke:
“Princess… Princess Xiao, are you saying… you will help me rebuild my body?!”
His tone was filled with disbelief!
Xiao Minghuang’s lips curved into a slight smile, and a glimmer of amusement appeared in her eyes as she nodded gently:
“Indeed.”
Hearing this, the Medicine King’s aura instantly became chaotic, and a look of wild joy appeared in his eyes. He looked up at Xiao Minghuang, his gaze flickering with intense emotion!
Previously, he had aided Xiao Yan in opposing Xiao Minghuang, causing her trouble multiple times. Yet, not only did she not hold it against him, but she now offered to help him rebuild his body!
How long had he waited for this wish to be fulfilled?
Now that it had finally come true, his heart was filled with profound gratitude.
“Princess Xiao, your kindness is beyond repayment. I can only offer my utmost loyalty and devotion to express my gratitude!”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang’s eyes flickered, and she then said:
“No need, I am not some bodhisattva who saves all living beings. The reason I saved you was also out of my own selfish motives.”
“Princess, your great kindness will forever be remembered in my heart. In the future, if you have any commands, I will surely obey!”
The true spirit of the Medicine King prostrated on the ground, showing utmost respect.
Seeing this scene, Xiao Minghuang couldn’t help but feel a sense of emotion.
A King of Life and Death, what a powerful cultivator he must have been in his prime, surely transcending the mundane world, radiant and glorious.
And she was merely a small cultivator at the Spring Realm.
If the Medicine King had been at his peak, he probably wouldn’t have even glanced her way.
But now, the Medicine King was nothing more than a remnant of his true spirit, like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished with a single blow.
In the face of survival, what does it matter if one was once a King of Life and Death?
He still knelt at her feet.
“Medicine King, please rise quickly. You are a king of your generation, how could I, a junior, dare to stand above you?”
Xiao Minghuang hurried forward to help the Medicine King up.
But now, the Medicine King was merely a spiritual entity, untouchable.
Xiao Minghuang’s hand passed right through the Medicine King’s body.
The Medicine King awkwardly rose and floated back a short distance.
“Princess, I am but a remnant of my former self. I am deeply grateful for your kindness and dare not presume. In the future, if you have any commands, I will surely obey!”
“Hmm…”
Xiao Minghuang nodded and said:
“Medicine King, you are too polite. I do indeed have some questions I would like to ask you.”
Hearing this, the Medicine King solemnly replied:
“Princess, please speak. I will surely tell you everything I know.”
Although Xiao Minghuang had not yet truly helped him regain his physical form, he could see that this woman was completely different from the other Xiao Yan.
She was a true prodigy, fearless yet respectful of the Dao, intelligent and sharp, resolute and decisive, adaptable and knowing her limits. Even without cultivation talent, such a person would surely make a name for herself in the secular world.
But appearing in someone with exceptional talent, she was destined to walk an extraordinary path, with a future that was immeasurable!
Next, the Medicine King recounted the general events of his life, which, aside from some details, largely matched her speculations.
Finally, the Medicine King explained why he was left with only a remnant of his true spirit.
“…Three thousand years ago, I took my disciple to a forbidden land in search of a precious herb. But who could have imagined that just as we were about to obtain the herb, my disciple suddenly betrayed me, trying to kill me!”
At this point, the Medicine King’s expression was both sorrowful and helpless. He had never imagined that the disciple he had personally nurtured would do such a thing.
“My physical body was destroyed, and all my life’s savings were lost. Only a remnant of my true spirit escaped, enduring countless hardships along the way, the difficulties of which need not be said.”
“The true spirit of a king is incredibly resilient, and even another king cannot easily destroy it. But I paid too much to escape, and my true spirit became extremely fragile, forcing me to seek out spiritual objects to inhabit.”
“Afraid that my treacherous disciple would discover me, I dared not inhabit a powerful spiritual object, so I chose the most ordinary storage ring, and there I stayed… for three thousand years!”
“Three thousand years… such a long time!”
The Medicine King sighed deeply, as if recalling the distant past.
“It feels as if it were a lifetime ago.”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang also showed a look of reminiscence.
She had truly experienced two lifetimes and could fully understand the Medicine King’s feelings.
Although most of the events from her previous life had faded from memory, the genuine emotions she had felt remained vivid.
“…So, Senior, do you wish to seek revenge on your disciple?” Xiao Minghuang asked slowly.
Three thousand years had passed in the blink of an eye. If the Medicine King’s disciple had not died of old age, they must have grown to an extremely formidable level.
The Medicine King sighed softly and shook his head, saying:
“That unfilial disciple of mine possessed extraordinary talent. By the age of twenty, she had already broken through to the Divine Sea Realm and entered the Five Forbidden Domains, no less remarkable than the prodigies of the sacred lands and noble families.”
“With her aptitude, as long as she didn’t perish prematurely, she was destined to achieve the King Realm, and even the Saint Realm beyond that was not beyond her reach.”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang fell silent.
Three thousand years had passed. If the Medicine King’s disciple had not died of old age, she must have already stepped into the King Realm, and it was even possible she had reached the Saint Realm.
“Princess, there is no need for concern. After such a long time, I have long since let go of such matters. Revenge is now like a mirage, and I no longer harbor such thoughts.”
The implication was that he would not cause trouble for Xiao Minghuang.
To this, Xiao Minghuang did not respond.
According to the Medicine King, his disciple had broken through to the Divine Sea Realm and entered the Five Forbidden Domains at the age of twenty.
Yet she herself was only fifteen and had already entered the Five Forbidden Domains. Breaking through to the Divine Sea Realm was only a matter of time.
If the two of them had lived in the same era, she believed she would not be inferior to that disciple.
“Senior, what was your disciple’s name?”
Hearing this, the Medicine King furrowed his brow and said:
“Princess, this old man has already said that the matter of revenge is now futile. You need not dwell on it…”
“I was just asking casually.”
“Li Hongying.”
The Medicine King spoke.
“Li Hongying…”
Xiao Minghuang softly repeated the name twice, but her mind held no recollection of it whatsoever.
However…
“Judging by the name, your disciple must be a woman.”
“Indeed.”
The Medicine King responded in a low voice, his emotions deeply somber.
This conversation had stirred up memories for the Medicine King, filling his heart with an indescribable bitterness.
This old man, who had clung to life for over three thousand years, could no longer conceal the sorrow in his heart.
“As for the rest, let’s discuss it after we return. Please, senior, accompany me away from this place. Once we are back in the palace, I will order people to gather the materials needed to reconstruct a physical body.”
Xiao Minghuang spoke, attempting to alleviate the sorrowful atmosphere.
“Very well, thank you for your concern, Princess.”
The Medicine King rallied his spirits and replied. After all, he was an old man who had lived for over three thousand years, having weathered countless storms and understood the ways of the world. His moment of sadness had passed, and he quickly regained his composure.
“Senior, you are too kind. Since you have difficulty moving, please stay within this ring of mine for the time being.”
As she spoke, Xiao Minghuang took out an emerald ring from her sleeve and slipped it onto her slender finger.
“In that case, I thank the Princess.”
As his words fell, the Medicine King’s ethereal figure, like a wisp of smoke, slowly vanished and entered the interior of the ring.
In the next moment, Xiao Minghuang channeled her spiritual energy, lifted her body, and swiftly returned to the surface.
Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu had been waiting there for quite some time.
Seeing Xiao Minghuang descend from the sky, the two hurried forward to greet her.
“Your Highness, did you discover anything below?”
Xiao Minghuang landed and spoke:
“Indeed, there were some discoveries. I will share the details with you once we return to the palace.”
“Very well!”
With that, Xiao Minghuang wrapped her arms around the slender waists of the two women, one on each side, and soared into the sky, heading towards the capital.
A short while later, the three arrived at the palace.
In the Great Xia Palace, it was typically forbidden for any cultivator to fly. However, as the Crown Princess, Xiao Minghuang enjoyed certain privileges and was not bound by this restriction.
Even the guards who saw her descending from the sky did not attempt to stop her.
Soon after, the three arrived at the palace’s Offering Hall.
Since Ye Ruoshui often used the hall’s earth fire for alchemy, a new pavilion had been built there, rich in spiritual energy, where the three frequently cultivated.
Xiao Minghuang, familiar with the place, entered the pavilion.
The two women, Ye and Lin, followed closely behind.
Once the three were seated, Xiao Minghuang glanced at them and spoke solemnly:
“What I am about to tell you, you must not be afraid.”
Hearing this, Ye and Lin grew tense, clenching their palms and sitting up straight, their expressions filled with anxiety.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang smiled:
“It’s nothing dangerous, so there’s no need for you to be so nervous.”
Hearing this, the two women relaxed slightly but remained serious.
Observing their demeanor, Xiao Minghuang extended her fair, slender hand and lightly coughed:
“Senior Medicine King, please come out and meet us!”
At these words, Ye and Lin were both stunned.
Medicine King?
Who was that?
Weren’t there only the three of them in the pavilion?
“Hehe…”
As the laughter echoed, a frail and ethereal figure materialized, appearing extremely weak, as if it could dissipate at any moment.
“This old man pays his respects to the Princess!”
After the Medicine King appeared, he immediately bowed to Xiao Minghuang.
“Senior, there’s no need for such formalities!”
Xiao Minghuang waved her hand, signaling the Medicine King to rise.
“Thank you, Princess!”
The Medicine King stood up. Having lived for so many years and seen through the ways of the world, he naturally recognized that the two women before him were very close to Xiao Minghuang and likely her Dao companions.
Since he had pledged himself to Xiao Minghuang, he should also show them respect.
“Greetings to the two young ladies!”
Seeing the Medicine King suddenly cupping his hands in salute, Ye and Lin were both somewhat overwhelmed and hurriedly returned the gesture.
“We dare not accept such honor!”
They had clearly seen that Her Highness had just addressed this strange spiritual entity as “Medicine King Senior,” indicating that this person’s status was certainly extraordinary.
Neither Ye nor Lin were spoiled young girls, and of course, they would not presume upon their favor or act arrogantly.
At this moment, Xiao Minghuang walked over to Ye and Lin.
“Medicine King Senior, let me introduce you. This is Lin Wanqiu… and this is Ye Ruoshui. They are my Dao companions…”
After the pleasantries, they got down to business.
“…Senior, regarding the materials needed for your physical reconstruction, you can explain them clearly to Wanqiu and Ruoshui. They will help prepare everything.”
Hearing this, the Medicine King nodded. This was an agreement they had already made, and seeing Xiao Minghuang so quickly ready to fulfill it, he was naturally delighted.
“Thank you, Princess.”
He looked at Lin Wanqiu and Ye Ruoshui and began to speak:
“This old man needs Red Flame Grass, Hundred Herb Ganoderma, Five Flavor Ginseng, Five Colored Rock, Heavenly Snow Profound Ice, Sea Heart Stone…”
As the Medicine King was about to embark on a lengthy discourse, Ye Ruoshui remained silent, listening quietly, while Lin Wanqiu frowned and said:
“Senior, could you perhaps list your requirements? We will ensure everything is prepared for you.”
Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui also chimed in:
“Although the materials Senior needs are precious, they are not rare. You can rest assured and leave it to us!”
“In that case, this old man will not stand on ceremony.”
After some discussion, Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu left the pavilion with a long list in hand.
A short while later.
In the tranquil pavilion.
The Medicine King’s aged voice leisurely sounded.
“The Princess’s two Dao companions are truly extraordinary…”
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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