Chapter 125

Xia Hanbing took a step forward, and the entire space seemed to shudder beneath his foot, emitting a crisp cracking sound. The evil cultivator immediately felt an overwhelming pressure descending from above, as if a massive mountain was pressing down on him.

The evil cultivator’s expression changed, and he quickly summoned his sinister energy, condensing a blood seal above his head to block the attack.

“A mantis trying to stop a chariot—utterly overestimating yourself!”

As the words fell.

Xia Hanbing extended his hand, and a massive palm imprint materialized in the air, slamming down fiercely toward the evil cultivator.

Boom!

The palm imprint collided heavily with the blood seal, exploding upon impact. The blood seal shattered, turning into countless droplets of blood mist that scattered in all directions.

Thud!

The palm imprint slammed down with immense force, sending the evil cultivator flying over a hundred meters away. He spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed to the ground, his body disintegrating into a pool of foul black blood.

The blood mist coalesced, reforming into a human figure. The evil cultivator’s face was filled with madness as he roared:

“Xia Hanbing, your arrogance won’t last long! Once my Southern Wasteland army arrives, this tiny Southern Territory will be reduced to an abyss!”

“Hmph! Still talking tough even at death’s door!”

Xia Hanbing snorted coldly, extending his right hand, which instantly transformed into a colossal palm that grabbed the blood shadow.

“Seal!”

As he spoke, a golden bell the size of a palm flew out, trapping the blood shadow inside before returning to his sleeve.

Witnessing this scene, everyone present was utterly shocked.

“That mysterious evil cultivator was at least at the Spirit Seed Realm, yet Xia Hanbing suppressed him so easily?”

“Although Xia Hanbing’s cultivation is higher, they’re still within the same major realm. The evil cultivator didn’t even have a chance to fight back—Xia Hanbing’s strength is truly terrifying!”

“Within the Southern Territory, unless a Nascent Soul Realm expert appears, no one is a match for Xia Hanbing!”

As everyone was still reeling from the shock.

Xu Xiu’er’s face was filled with complexity as she watched the blood shadow being sealed.

She never expected that her grandfather had been unknowingly possessed by an evil cultivator.

Now that the evil cultivator had been vanquished, where was her grandfather?

In the sky, Xia Hanbing’s figure flashed, and he landed on the ground.

With a wave of his sleeve, a broken body flew out and was gently placed on a clean boulder.

Seeing this, Xu Xiu’er immediately ran over.

Xiao Minghuang and the others also stepped forward.

“The Martial Peace King was harmed by the evil cultivator. Although his spiritual consciousness remains, his physical injuries are severe, and the sinister energy has invaded his body. It’s unlikely his cultivation will ever progress again.”

Xia Hanbing sighed softly as he spoke.

“What? Ah…”

The Martial Peace King, who had just regained consciousness, fainted again upon hearing these words.

Seeing this, Xu Xiu’er froze, her eyes reddening.

“Grandfather!”

Looking at the Martial Peace King, who was like a flickering candle in the wind, his breath faint, and Xu Xiu’er, who was weeping bitterly, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly. She turned to Xia Hanbing and asked:

“Old Ancestor, is there any way to heal the Martial Peace King’s body?”

Whether the Martial Peace King lived or died was of little concern to her, but seeing Xu Xiu’er so heartbroken, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

“Ordinary spiritual medicines are ineffective. The root of Prince Wu’an’s ailment lies in the evil qi that has invaded his body. If we can find a spiritual medicine capable of expelling the evil qi within him, the rest can be gradually healed with some nourishing spiritual medicines.”

After the recent battle, Xia Hanbing seemed to have expended a great deal of energy, his breathing becoming noticeably more labored. He paused, then continued with a bitter smile:

“For us orthodox cultivators of the Xuanmen, the invasion of evil qi is akin to a deadly poison. Spiritual medicines capable of expelling evil qi are extremely rare. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have…”

He trailed off, leaving his sentence unfinished.

Just as everyone was puzzled, a voice rang out.

“Senior Brother Xiao, there’s no need to keep this hidden any longer. Everyone here is trustworthy.”

As the voice echoed, the space around them twisted, and Elder Liu’s figure emerged.

“Ah, this is a matter from many years ago. Speaking of it now only brings unnecessary sorrow.”

A complex expression crossed Xia Hanbing’s face as he slowly began to speak:

“However, telling you this serves as a reminder. In the future, if you encounter evil cultivators, you must be doubly cautious and not be deceived by the demonic women of the Devil Dao.”

Hearing this, everyone adopted a serious expression, leaning in to listen attentively.

“The story is quite simple. Many years ago, Junior Brother Liu and I were out on a training expedition when we encountered a disciple of the Devil Dao who was being pursued.”

“At first, Junior Brother Liu and I didn’t realize she was a Devil Dao disciple. We thought she was just an ordinary rogue cultivator, so we intervened and saved her.”

“After that, we traveled together, and gradually, we discovered her identity as an evil cultivator.”

“At the time, she claimed to have betrayed the Devil Dao and wanted to live a quiet, ordinary life. Junior Brother Liu insisted on handing her over to the Holy Court for judgment, but I believed her words were sincere, so I didn’t go through with it.”

“But as it turned out, I was wrong.”

At this point, Xia Hanbing sighed softly, his entire demeanor seeming to age several years.

Elder Liu took over the narrative, calmly recounting the rest of the story.

In short, the Devil Dao disciple gradually gained Xia Hanbing’s trust and, through him, obtained a portion of the Holy Court’s cultivation techniques.

Although the level of the Holy Court’s techniques that Xia Hanbing had access to wasn’t particularly high, the bitterness of being deceived was overwhelming.

What was even more infuriating was that this evil qi suddenly struck when Xia Hanbing was attempting to break through from the peak of the Spirit Seed Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm, nearly causing his demise.

After this incident, although he managed to suppress the evil poison, he found it difficult to make any further progress.

While the Holy Court possessed spiritual medicines capable of expelling the evil poison, Xia Hanbing, disheartened and unwilling to stay, returned to his homeland, preparing to live out the rest of his days in seclusion.

What was even more regrettable was that after the Great Xia lost Xia Hanbing, a genius with the potential to reach the Divine Transformation Realm, they were besieged by surrounding forces. Forced into a corner, they had no choice but to migrate to the southern region, where spiritual energy was scarce.

After that, another storm of bloodshed ensued. Among the Great Xia’s cultivators above the Spirit Seed Realm, only Xia Hanbing survived.

The other ancestors became part of the nation’s protective formation, forever guarding this land.

“Since then, Senior Brother Xiao has always believed that it was because of him that our homeland fell into decline. The decay in his state of mind worsened his injuries, and the influence of the evil poison grew stronger and stronger.”

Elder Liu sighed deeply as he spoke.

“If it weren’t for this, Senior Brother Xiao could have lived for at least another hundred years, but now…”

“Enough!”

Xia Hanbing interrupted him and spoke:

“My era has already ended. Bringing up those old stories from the past is meaningless!”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over Xiao Minghuang and Xu Xiu’er.

“As far as I know, there are spiritual medicines within the Holy Academy that can expel evil toxins, but they are not freely available. If you wish to obtain such medicine, go to the Holy Academy and seek it out!”

“Today, you have won the grand competition and are the rightful heir to the Great Xia throne. The coronation ceremony will be held in one hour.”

Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang understood that Xia Hanbing did not wish to dwell on the past, so she pretended not to have heard those words and replied:

“This junior understands!”

As her words fell, Xia Hanbing’s figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.

Afterward, Elder Liu wore a helpless expression.

“Ah, after all these years, Senior Brother Xiao still hasn’t been able to move on.”

The four of them, including Xiao Minghuang, remained silent.

“The past cannot be changed. I hope that under the hands of you young people, the Xia Kingdom will continue to prosper!”

Elder Liu showed a faint smile and encouraged them.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Xiao Minghuang cupped her hands in a respectful gesture.

After the competition ended, some people left.

They had come to watch the battle, hoping to gain some insights from the duel between two genius cultivators. Now that the fight was over, they naturally departed.

But more people chose to stay.

Among them were those who wanted to befriend the soon-to-be crown princess, Princess Ziwei, and others who wished to witness the grandeur of the coronation ceremony.

There were also those who simply had nothing better to do and stayed to join in the excitement.

After the senior cultivators left, Ye Ruoshui and the other girls began to chatter away, naturally including words of comfort for Xu Xiu’er.

“Xiu’er, don’t worry. Since there is spiritual medicine in the Holy Academy, sooner or later you will be able to obtain it!”

After spending some time together, Ye Ruoshui and Xu Xiu’er had developed a good relationship.

“Mmm…”

Xu Xiu’er forced a smile. She had just learned that she might embark on a new path but had not yet had the chance to share her joy with her grandfather before being struck by such a heavy blow. It would take some time for her to recover.

“By the way, Xiu’er, I’ve been meaning to ask, would you like to try learning alchemy? It’s quite simple, and I can teach you!”

Ye Ruoshui patted her chest and said.

Hearing this, Xu Xiu’er’s expression shifted slightly. During this time, she had actually wanted to learn alchemy but was afraid of crossing boundaries, as matters of inheritance were not to be taken lightly and were usually not shared with others. So she had kept it to herself.

But now that Ye Ruoshui had brought it up herself, Xu Xiu’er was naturally eager.

“Really?”

“Of course, it’s true!”

Hearing their conversation, Lin Wanqiu also came over and said with a smile:

“Ruoshui, since you’re teaching Xiu’er, you wouldn’t mind taking on a few more disciples, would you?”

Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui frowned slightly and asked:

“Big Sister Lin, what do you mean by that?”

“Well…”

After Lin Wanqiu’s explanation, Ye Ruoshui understood.

“So, among the children from Beiyang City, there are some who don’t like fighting and want to learn alchemy from me?”

“That’s right.”

Lin Wanqiu nodded.

The path of cultivation is not solely about enhancing one’s combat prowess.

One can also embark on the Dao through alchemy and pill refining, which has little to do with innate talent but is more closely related to each individual’s aspirations.

“That’s no problem. You can bring them along when the time comes!”

After receiving the response, Lin Wanqiu looked apologetically at Xu Xiu’er. What was supposed to be a one-on-one private lesson had turned into a small class for several people.

She took out a storage bag from her sleeve and handed it to Xu Xiu’er.

“Xiu’er, I’m really sorry. Consider these resources as my compensation to you!”

However, Xu Xiu’er didn’t even glance at it and pushed it back directly.

“Big Sister Lin, you know my talent. These resources are meaningless to me.”

Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu sighed softly, took back the storage bag, and spoke earnestly:

“If you ever need anything in the future, feel free to tell me. As long as I can do it, I will do my best to fulfill your wishes!”

Xu Xiu’er nodded, though she didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic.

She wasn’t blaming Lin Wanqiu but lamenting her own fate.

Born into hardship, her life had been fraught with misfortune.

When Lin Wanqiu looked at Xu Xiu’er, it was as if she was seeing her past self.

Both came from prominent families, both were born with crippled constitutions.

Perhaps it was this shared experience that made her feel a deeper sense of pity for Xu Xiu’er, prompting her earlier actions.

Otherwise, with so many pitiful souls in the world, how could she possibly care for them all?

It was merely a case of shared suffering, a natural empathy for those in similar circumstances.

While the three women were chatting, Xiao Minghuang was tallying the gains from her recent battle.

“This battle was the first time I almost fully displayed my strength, unleashing combat power capable of slaying a first-level Divine Sea cultivator, which means I’ve stepped into the Four Forbidden Realms.”

“However, in that last sword strike, I still had some strength left. I feel that even if the Second Prince’s power were to increase further, I could still kill him!”

Xiao Minghuang murmured to herself, feeling the vast spiritual energy and sharp sword intent within her body, her heart stirred.

If Elder Liu were to hear these words, he would surely be shocked.

To have already entered the Four Forbidden Realms and still have strength to spare.

Didn’t that mean that if she were to exert her full power, she could step into the Five Forbidden Realms?

Once one enters the Five Forbidden Realms, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with the prodigies of holy lands and noble families!

It’s worth noting that the children of holy lands and noble families are nurtured with spiritual pills and medicines even before they are born. Upon birth, they naturally draw in spiritual energy, and some even receive unique heavenly treasures while in the womb, becoming innate prodigies who are inherently stronger than others.

And now, Xiao Minghuang is no weaker than these golden-spooned prodigies!

If someone were to re-examine Xiao Minghuang’s journey, they would discover that she went from the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm to the seventh level of the Spring Realm in just seven short months!

Just seven months ago, she was still a cripple who had lost all her cultivation!

Such a speed of cultivation completely crushes the so-called prodigies of holy lands and noble families!

And yet, it seems no one has noticed this yet.

However, Xiao Minghuang won’t bring attention to these matters.

After all, she is a low-key person.

“Not to mention the progress in cultivation and combat experience, just this single top-grade Profound Tier treasure, the Mountain and River Seal, has brought me immeasurable improvement!”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Xiao Minghuang’s lips, her eyes revealing a hint of joy.

This small seal is a treasure of fortune, embodying the national destiny of the entire Great Xia. Its delivery into her hands undoubtedly signifies the formal recognition of her status as the crown princess… and even the future monarch!

She has a premonition that with this seal, she will no longer fear even the Spirit Seed Realm experts within the borders of Great Xia!

However, it merely means she won’t fear them, not that she can slay them.

Moreover, she senses that the wonders of the Mountain and River Seal extend beyond this, awaiting her gradual exploration.

Next, Xiao Minghuang took some restorative elixirs.

After a fierce battle, although her Five Elements Spiritual Roots granted her exceptional recovery abilities, leaving her spiritual power undiminished, the immense consumption of her spiritual awareness from driving her divine abilities still required adjustment.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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