Chapter 70

This sentence instantly enraged the Third Prince of Jinghai Kingdom.

Since meeting Xiao Minghuang, he had harbored much dissatisfaction.

Now, it was completely ignited by this calm yet contemptuous remark!

“Ninth Princess of Xia Kingdom, I advise you not to be ungrateful. It is your fortune that this Prince has taken a liking to you!”

“This Prince represents the Jinghai Kingdom in proposing marriage. If you refuse, you are showing disrespect to the Jinghai Kingdom!”

Watching the Third Prince’s outburst, Xiao Minghuang felt not only calm but also a strange curiosity.

She smiled lightly, with a hint of mockery and confusion, and asked:

“I am curious, do you know where you are? How dare you speak so arrogantly? Aren’t you afraid that the royal guardians of Great Xia will suppress you?”

The Third Prince sneered and said:

“Not to mention that Old Hai by my side is a powerhouse at the seventh level of the Divine Sea Realm, capable of protecting me.”

“The True Disciple of the Dragon Tiger Sect, Xue Wushang, is about to be appointed as the next sect leader. He is a member of the Xue family in the royal city of Jinghai Kingdom and my cousin. Even in the capital of your Xia Kingdom, if you dare to lay a finger on me, the Dragon Tiger Sect will bring down calamity upon you, and Xia Kingdom will face utter destruction!”

Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. She suddenly realized that the Dragon Tiger Sect seemed to be constantly opposing her.

First, in the wilderness forest, Jinxiang Kingdom and Beiyang City fought over the spiritual vein.

Now, Jinghai Kingdom, relying on the Dragon Tiger Sect’s influence, comes to provoke her.

Xiao Minghuang looked at the Third Prince and calmly asked:

“Is your visit to our Great Xia on behalf of the Dragon Tiger Sect or the Kingdom of Jinghai?”

“Of course, it’s on behalf of the… Dragon Tiger Sect!”

The Third Prince of Jinghai hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Minghuang immediately understood that the Dragon Tiger Sect was likely unaware of this matter.

In that case, there was nothing to worry about.

She was extremely eager to obtain the Profound-tier elixir…

Suddenly noticing that Xiao Minghuang’s aura had quieted down, the Third Prince of Jinghai Kingdom felt an ominous premonition, as if something extremely terrifying was about to happen.

He couldn’t help but shift his position, moving closer to Old Hai, hoping that this powerhouse at the seventh level of the Divine Sea Realm could provide him with a sense of security.

Old Hai also sensed that the spiritual energy around them seemed to have solidified, his brows furrowed with suspicion. Could it be that the people of Xia Kingdom really dared to take action against them?

Did the people of the Xia Kingdom not fear the Dragon Tiger Sect?

But in the very next moment.

“Eunuch Wang, take action!”

On the steps, Xiao Minghuang, calm as still water, suddenly spoke.

Buzz!

A pair of massive black hands abruptly coalesced from the void, over thirty feet long, with clearly visible palm lines and faint divine light swirling around them, ruthlessly smashing towards the Third Prince and Old Hai.

Old Hai let out an angry roar, his fists fiercely striking out.

He could tell that the owner of these black hands was also at the seventh level of the Divine Sea Realm, so he didn’t hold back, launching a full-force attack from the start.

Boom!

Fist and palm collided, and all the furniture in the room was instantly shattered into pieces. Massive cracks spread out from the center of the impact, spanning over thirty feet, reaching all the way to the walls.

The entire hall was riddled with cracks from the tremendous impact, teetering on the brink of collapse, as if it would completely fall apart in the next moment.

The void twisted, and Eunuch Wang’s figure emerged, his expression extremely grave as he spoke:

“Your Highness, this person is at the same level as me in the Divine Sea Realm. It might take some time to subdue him. I urge Your Highness to head to the palace and request His Majesty to take action and suppress this villain!”

Before Xiao Minghuang could respond, a loud laugh suddenly echoed from the sky.

“I am already here, no need to summon me!”

And then.

A vortex appeared in the sky, as if the void itself had twisted, scattering countless clouds. A majestic figure emerged, his every movement exuding immense power. Even a wisp of his aura crushed the artificial mountain in the courtyard to dust!

Seeing the figure suddenly appear in the sky, Old Hai’s heart trembled violently, his face turning extremely grim, his eyes filled with shock.

“Emperor Xia, you’ve actually broken through!”

Old Hai clenched his fists tightly. He never expected that Emperor Xia had already broken through to the Spirit Seed Realm. If he had known earlier that Emperor Xia had reached this level, he would never have accompanied the Third Prince on this risky venture!

Originally, the Great Xia Kingdom only had Xia Hanbing at the Spirit Seed Realm, which meant that against a behemoth like the Dragon Tiger Sect, Xia Kingdom could only turtle up in defense, unable to escape.

But with two Spirit Seed Realm experts.

If the Dragon Tiger Sect wanted to destroy Great Xia, they would have to kill both of them simultaneously!

However.

Xia Hanbing was a seasoned Spirit Seed Realm expert, hailed as the strongest below the Nascent Soul Realm in the southern region. If he wanted to escape, no one in the Spirit Seed Realm could stop him.

Even if a Nascent Soul True Master took action, there was no guarantee of killing him.

In other words.

Unless the Dragon Tiger Sect mobilized their entire force, determined to annihilate Great Xia, he and the Third Prince would die here today for nothing!

In an instant, Old Hai’s heart was filled with bitterness and despair.

In the sky, Emperor Xia’s voice boomed like a great bell, his words filled with majesty:

“Hai Luoming, two hundred years ago, you were defeated by me and vowed never to set foot in Great Xia again. Yet today, you have broken that promise, sneaked into the capital of Great Xia, and attempted to assassinate my daughter. Now that I have caught you red-handed, do you have any last words?”

Upon hearing this, Hai Luoming was deeply shaken, his pupils filled with disbelief.

Was the intention to execute him on the spot?

The oppressive aura of a Spirit Seed Realm expert was too much for the Third Prince to bear, and he had already prostrated himself on the ground. Upon hearing the words “last words,” he was terrified out of his wits, struggling to lift his head and pleading:

“Your Majesty, please forgive this junior for his youthful arrogance and lack of manners. Spare me this once, and I will surely speak highly of your great nation before the Dragon Tiger Sect.”

His words were seven parts plea, three parts threat.

“Humph!”

Emperor Xia snorted coldly, naturally catching the underlying meaning. Although he had recently broken through to the Spirit Seed Realm, the Old Ancestor’s lifespan was nearing its end. Once the Old Ancestor passed, Great Xia would still only have one Spirit Seed Realm expert to guard it.

If he were to execute these two on the spot…

The Third Prince was one thing; although he was the designated Crown Prince, his importance ultimately paled in comparison to a seventh-level Divine Sea Realm expert.

After much deliberation, Emperor Xia did not make a decision. Instead, he waved his hand, using his power to restrain Hai Luoming, and then turned his gaze to Xiao Minghuang.

He intended to use this opportunity to test his daughter.

As the ruler of a nation, besides having the strength to awe his ministers and defend the country, possessing a flexible approach was also a crucial aspect of a monarch’s ability.

“Little Nine, today’s matter is in your hands. How do you suggest we deal with the two from Jinghai Country?”

Xiao Minghuang, who had been observing the situation for a while, was suddenly asked by Emperor Xia. She had not anticipated such a question and turned to look at Lin Wanqiu standing beside her, sending a mental message:

“Wanqiu, what do you think about this?”

Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting Her Highness to ask her this question.

Clearly, she was being asked to help come up with a response to Emperor Xia’s question.

Lin Wanqiu had witnessed the entire event and knew the details just as well as Xiao Minghuang.

“Your Highness, allow me a moment to think…”

After a few breaths.

Lin Wanqiu slowly spoke:

“The Third Prince, kill him.”

“Hai Luoming, let him go.”

“All the resources they brought, keep them!”

“Kill! Does Emperor Xia regret it?”

“Good!”

A soft exclamation suddenly rang out in the sky, like a spring thunderclap, shaking the heavens.

Emperor Xia slowly descended, landing in the courtyard. His gaze fell on Lin Wanqiu, who was dressed in fiery red, and the stern expression on his face softened slightly, revealing a hint of approval.

“The Lin family has a worthy successor in you.”

With his Spirit Seed Realm cultivation, Emperor Xia easily detected the mental communication between Xiao Minghuang and Lin Wanqiu.

He greatly agreed with Lin Wanqiu’s suggestion.

There were roughly three benefits to handling it this way.

First, it would nip a young genius from Jinghai Country in the bud.

Second, it would allow them to seize all the resources the Third Prince had brought, and even take Hai Luoming’s resources as well.

The treasures of a Divine Sea Realm expert were likely to be quite substantial.

Third, it would help to promote the might of Great Xia.

This time, Emperor Xia had taken the opportunity to suppress the people from Jinghai Country, officially revealing his Spirit Seed Realm strength, which would serve as a warning to the three major sects.

The Great Xia now boasts two Spirit Seed cultivators within its ranks, making even the three major sects hesitant to act rashly against them.

It’s worth noting that the strongest among the three major sects, the Spirit Sword Sect, has only seven Spirit Seed realm experts.

Meanwhile, the Dragon Tiger Sect, the weakest of the three, has a mere five Spirit Seed Realm experts.

If not for the Dragon Tiger Sect’s leader stumbling upon a fortuitous opportunity in his early years, he would never have been able to break through to the Nascent Soul realm!

Originally, the Emperor intended to test Xiao Minghuang, but since Lin Wanqiu had spoken up, the content of the test would have to change.

As the ruler of a nation, the most important thing isn’t necessarily coming up with solutions.

Rather, it’s choosing which solution to adopt!

The Emperor turned to Xiao Minghuang and asked:

“Little Ninth, what do you think of Miss Lin’s suggestion?”

Seeing the question return to her, Xiao Minghuang’s eyes flickered as her thoughts raced. After a moment, she spoke calmly:

“Your Majesty, I believe Wanqiu’s plan is brilliant!”

“How so?”

Xiao Minghuang raised her head and met the Emperor’s gaze, neither subservient nor arrogant, as she explained:

“First, killing the Third Prince would eliminate a young genius from an enemy state, benefiting Great Xia.”

“Second, retaining the resources would enrich Great Xia’s treasury, preparing us for the future.”

“Third, it would proclaim Great Xia’s might and deter any would-be troublemakers!”

The three points Xiao Minghuang raised aligned perfectly with the Emperor’s own thoughts.

For a brief moment, a smile appeared on the Emperor’s face, but it quickly vanished as he assumed a stern expression and declared:

“Very well, let it be done as you suggest!”

With those words, the Emperor waved his sleeve, whisking Hai Luoming away as he flew toward the direction of the Jinghai Kingdom.

Although he had decided to release Hai Luoming, it wouldn’t be so simple unless the Jinghai Kingdom paid a price.

In the sky, the Emperor’s expression was a mix of joy and regret.

“Little Ninth is such a prodigious talent, yet I neglected her for fifteen years. If only I had nurtured her earlier…”

But then he reconsidered.

Xiao Minghuang’s talent had improved precisely because she had been banished to the cold palace.

If not for that, she might not have caught the attention of the Old Ancestor.

“Perhaps this was fate!”

…

Inside the Princess’s residence, Wang Jin was cleaning up the scene.

The fact that the Emperor hadn’t killed the Third Prince of the Jinghai Kingdom on the spot clearly indicated that he had left the matter to Xiao Minghuang’s discretion.

This naturally included the storage pouch the Third Prince carried, which contained 100,000 spirit stones, a thousand pills, and ten low-grade Profound-tier Spirit Condensing Pills!

At the thought of this, Wang Jin couldn’t help but feel a stir of desire.

Although he was already a Divine Sea Realm expert, the Spirit Condensing Pills would still be somewhat beneficial to him.

But with the Ninth Princess present, he wouldn’t dare to pocket the pills.

Wang Jin conjured a black hand in the air, lifting the Third Prince and bringing him before Xiao Minghuang. He bowed and asked:

“Your Highness, how should we deal with this man? Shall we kill him?”

Xiao Minghuang glanced at the Third Prince.

The once-mighty and arrogant Third Prince of the Jinghai Kingdom now hung like a helpless chick in the black hand, his face pale.

He curled up in fear, pleading:

“Your Highness, spare me! Please spare me!”

Hearing his voice, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, feeling a sense of impatience. She waved her hand and said softly:

“You decide.”

That seemingly light sentence was the death sentence for the Third Prince.

A flash of killing intent passed through Wang Jin’s eyes as a surge of dark spiritual energy, like flowing water, gushed from his palm. In an instant, it crawled all over the Third Prince’s body like a swarm of ants.

The Third Prince didn’t even have the chance to scream. The dark spiritual energy poured into his mouth, eyes, nostrils, ears, and even every pore of his skin, eroding his flesh and meridians.

Wrapped in the dark spiritual energy, the Third Prince resembled a clump of sand dissolving into the sea. Within a few breaths, he completely vanished.

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang’s irritation slightly eased, though she still felt somewhat displeased. She turned her gaze to Lin Wanqiu’s delicate and beautiful face, and her mood improved a little.

Wang Jin held a storage bag in both hands and said respectfully, “Your Highness, this is the Third Prince’s storage bag. Please take a look.”

Xiao Minghuang took the storage bag and glanced inside. It indeed contained 100,000 spirit stones, a thousand pills, and, most importantly, ten Spirit Condensing Pills.

However, the quality of the thousand pills was only around sixty percent, making their efficacy rather poor.

The quality of the Spirit Condensing Pills was even lower, barely exceeding fifty percent.

Xiao Minghuang felt disappointed. Spirit Condensing Pills of such low quality were likely only slightly better than top-grade Spirit Nurturing Pills with ninety percent quality.

Still, even low-quality Spirit Condensing Pills were considered Profound-grade pills, which were ultimately far superior to top-grade Spirit Nurturing Pills of the Yellow grade.

Moreover, Xiao Minghuang had heard that if a pill’s low quality was due to the alchemist’s lack of skill, it could be improved through a second round of refining.

With this in mind, Xiao Minghuang pondered whether she could have Ye Ruoshui refine these ten Spirit Condensing Pills to produce higher-quality pills.

Having made up her mind, Xiao Minghuang collected her thoughts and first took out ten thousand spirit stones from the storage bag, handing them to Wang Jin.

“Thank you, Eunuch Wang, for your long-standing protection. Please accept these spirit stones.”

Seeing this, Wang Jin was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected the Ninth Princess to bestow such a large amount of spirit stones upon him.

Ten thousand spirit stones, not counting pills and other rewards, were nearly equivalent to his annual stipend.

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Wang Jin accepted the spirit stones respectfully, though he felt little joy. At his level of cultivation, mere low-grade spirit stones were insufficient to enhance his cultivation; they could only serve as replenishment after using spiritual energy.

Though ten thousand spirit stones seemed like a lot, they were still far from enough to purchase something as rare and valuable as Spirit Condensing Pills.

“If Your Highness has no further business, I shall take my leave,” Wang Jin said.

Xiao Minghuang nodded. “Take care, Eunuch Wang.”

Wang Jin turned and flew away in a streak of light.

In the courtyard, only Xiao Minghuang and Lin Wanqiu remained.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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