Chapter 97
In the boundless sky, a streak of light flashed by, moving at an incredible speed.
Xiao Minghuang’s speed was as swift as a startled swan, disappearing into the clouds in an instant.
Moments later, she arrived at a valley.
Xiao Minghuang raised a single hand, directly mobilizing the spiritual spring.
“Break!”
With a single punch, a massive golden fist shadow roared out, carrying an indescribable, overwhelming aura. It instantly traversed over ten zhang and struck directly onto a giant boulder.
Boom!
The boulder, towering several dozen zhang high, was instantly pulverized into dust!
The colossal fist shadow, its intent undiminished, continued to press forward for nearly a hundred zhang.
Wherever it passed, all rocks, trees, and grass were instantly crushed, leaving a deep trench carved into the earth.
“This punch… it’s incredibly powerful!”
Witnessing the might of this punch, Xiao Minghuang couldn’t help but widen her eyes and take a sharp breath.
This punch wasn’t her full-strength strike, nor did she employ any divine abilities or summon any magical treasures.
From this, it was clear that if she were to combine it with divine abilities and magical treasures…
A single sword strike from her could likely sever rivers and flatten mountains!
“Although I am already quite strong now…”
“This is only the beginning!”
Xiao Minghuang’s expression calmed, her gaze as serene as water.
The royal competition half a month later…
That would be the moment she would astonish everyone and truly establish her name as a prodigy!
…
Xiao Minghuang returned to the Princess’s residence. She had barely rested in her room for a quarter of an hour when Ye Ruoshui hurried over, her face beaming with joy.
“Your Highness! My alchemy furnace has been successfully crafted!”
As she spoke, Ye Ruoshui proudly retrieved a small, exquisite green alchemy furnace, no larger than a golden egg, from her storage bag.
Seeing this delicate and intricate furnace, Xiao Minghuang was momentarily stunned and asked:
“Ruoshui, why is your furnace so small?”
Ye Ruoshui chuckled and replied:
“Your Highness, don’t underestimate it. This is a top-grade Yellow Rank alchemy furnace, crafted from many precious spiritual materials. Most importantly, it contains array talismans that allow the furnace to change size—it can grow or shrink at will, making it truly extraordinary!”
“Oh?”
Xiao Minghuang’s face showed curiosity. Her knowledge of the unorthodox arts was limited to what she had read in books. She only had a general understanding and knew little about the specific effects of various talismans.
“Your Highness, watch this.”
With a gentle wave of her right hand, Ye Ruoshui summoned a flash of green light. A green glow enveloped the furnace, and its form gradually expanded.
In just a few breaths, the furnace returned to its original size, now standing at five chi tall.
Then, Ye Ruoshui extended her right hand again and lightly tapped the furnace.
Immediately, ripples of spiritual energy shimmered across the furnace’s surface, and the green glow dissipated. The furnace shrank back to its original size, as if nothing had happened.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang nodded slightly, a smile appearing on her face. “It seems your furnace is truly remarkable.”
“This is all thanks to you, Your Highness. The method for crafting the furnace was something I learned from the 《Heavenly Refining Art》.”
Ye Ruoshui spoke with gratitude.
She had gained much from the 《Heavenly Refining Art》. Not only had her cultivation improved, but her skills in alchemy and artifact crafting had also greatly advanced.
Now, she was capable of refining Profound Rank pills and Yellow Rank magical treasures.
“Excellent. Keep up the good work!”
Xiao Minghuang reached out and patted Ye Ruoshui’s head, smiling warmly.
“Yes, I will definitely continue to work hard!” Ye Ruoshui nodded solemnly.
At this point, Xiao Minghuang no longer insisted that Ye Ruoshui balance her cultivation progress with her studies of the unorthodox arts.
Everyone has their own path to follow. If Ye Ruoshui could achieve something in the unorthodox arts, it might very well be a good thing for her.
Moreover, it seemed that Ye Ruoshui was thoroughly enjoying herself.
After chatting with Ye Ruoshui for a while, just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, there’s something important I almost forgot to tell you, Your Highness,” Ye Ruoshui said.
“Yesterday, the steward from Prince Wu’an’s residence came to invite you to a banquet at the prince’s mansion tomorrow evening. He mentioned that all the princes and princesses have gathered in the capital, and this would be a great opportunity to witness their grace and charm.”
As she spoke, Ye Ruoshui took out a gilded invitation from her sleeve.
Xiao Minghuang accepted the invitation and unfolded it to read.
“Long have I heard of Princess Ziwei…”
“…with utmost respect!”
After reading the contents of the invitation, Xiao Minghuang’s expression turned complex, and she fell into deep thought.
The invitation from Prince Wu’an requested her presence at the banquet and mentioned that all the princes would be attending.
This meant that the Sixth Prince, who had been studying at the Spirit Sword Sect for many years, and the First Prince, who had been sent to a remote region, would also be present!
“Prince Wu’an certainly has considerable influence…”
Xiao Minghuang’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of doubt flickered in her eyes.
What was most intriguing, however, was the tone of the letter. It was almost pleading, unlike a typical invitation. It seemed more like a request extended to an honored guest, which left her puzzled.
Seeing the contemplative look on Xiao Minghuang’s face, Ye Ruoshui did not dare to interrupt and simply waited quietly.
After a while, Xiao Minghuang composed herself and put away the invitation.
“This matter is quite peculiar. Let’s go find Wanqiu and discuss it in detail.”
“Alright!”
Ye Ruoshui nodded repeatedly. With her limited intellect, she probably couldn’t offer any constructive suggestions, so they would have to rely on Big Sister Lin for advice.
Soon, the two arrived at Lin Wanqiu’s courtyard.
At this time, Lin Wanqiu had just stabilized her cultivation when she heard a knock at the door.
She opened the door and was slightly surprised to see Xiao Minghuang and Ye Ruoshui standing there together.
“Your Highness, Ruoshui, is there something important?”
Xiao Minghuang looked at her and took out the invitation from her sleeve, saying, “I need your opinion on this. It’s an invitation from Prince Wu’an’s residence. Should I attend?”
Lin Wanqiu accepted the invitation and said, “Come in and sit down first!”
After the three of them were seated, Lin Wanqiu unfolded the invitation and read its contents carefully.
After a moment of thought, a complex expression flashed in her eyes.
“Prince Wu’an mentioned that the First Prince and the Sixth Prince will be attending the banquet. This is no small matter!”
Xiao Minghuang nodded and said, “I thought the same. The First Prince was born with a crippled body and cannot cultivate. Even if he has returned to the capital, he has no chance of competing for the throne. Why would Prince Wu’an invite him?”
Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu shook her head and countered, “If the First Prince truly had no chance of competing for the throne, Prince Wu’an wouldn’t have invited him, nor would he have lavished praise on him in the invitation!”
“Moreover, the invitation mentions that the Sixth Prince’s strength is unfathomable and that he has likely grasped the rudiments of sword intent, making him a strong contender for the throne!”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang’s brows furrowed slightly as she asked, “Why would Prince Wu’an tell me all this?”
Lin Wanqiu explained, “The information about the Sixth Prince isn’t exactly a secret. After all, he’s a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect and has a reputation. With a bit of effort, anyone could uncover these details.”
“But the information about the First Prince is scarce, almost non-existent.”
“Prince Wu’an has shared such valuable intelligence with Your Highness, which must conceal a deep underlying intention!”
Upon hearing this, a sudden speculation arose in Xiao Minghuang’s heart, and she blurted out.
“Is Prince Wu’an trying to win me over?!”
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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