Dangerous Situation

Qi Yuan leaned half-reclined against a coffin in the Earth Palace.

He felt that he had to tell Jin Li about the strange things that had happened today.

"Jin Li, I have good news and bad news to tell you. Which do you want to hear first?"

In the imperial palace, Jin Li was nursing a headache as she dealt with memorials when she saw the flashing glow of the Exquisite Jade Tide.

The corners of her lips lifted of their own accord.

Even the troublesome matters of the Nanqian Kingdom seemed to vanish like smoke.

"The good news first."

"The good news is that I got married."

"Married???"

"The bad news is that I married a wedding dress!"

"..."

Qi Yuan roughly told Jin Li what had happened today.

For some reason, Jin Li let out a sigh of relief after hearing it.

"With Little Bride, I'll definitely clear monsters faster. It probably won't be long before I can punch through the Attire Forbidden Area.

What about your side? How are things going?"

Seeing Qi Yuan's message, Jin Li's brow clouded over.

After the late emperor passed away, every imperial descendant was slaughtered, leaving Jin Li as the sole surviving sprout.

It could be said that the entire Nanqian Kingdom was Sima Ting's domain.

However, for the sake of legitimacy and proper succession, as well as out of wariness toward the Heavenly Revelation General, who commanded troops beyond the capital and had become a regional warlord, and the Heavenly Fortune Holy Gate, Sima Ting had not directly usurped the throne.

The challenge issued by Nanfeng Nation's National Teacher some time ago had been Sima Ting's scheme.

Yet because of the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area, Aunt Qin had broken through to the Imperial rank. During the challenge, she thoroughly defeated Nanfeng Nation's National Teacher and foiled Sima Ting's plot.

Even so, the power Jin Li controlled was far too lacking compared with Sima Ting's.

It could be said that even while the late emperor was alive, he had already been reduced to a figurehead.

When she ascended the throne, she too had a title without any real power.

Of the Six Ministries, aside from Kong Qi, the great sage of the Ministry of Rites, all the rest were under Sima Ting's control.

The only power she truly held was Aunt Qin, an Imperial-rank powerhouse, and two thousand imperial guards.

Unfortunately, even if she lured Sima Ting into the palace, Aunt Qin and the imperial guards would find it difficult to kill him.

Not to mention that Sima Ting's eldest legitimate son, Sima Riyue, was even more wolf-hearted and dog-lunged than Sima Ting.

Sima Ting still cared about keeping up appearances. Sima Riyue did not.

"My side is still rather difficult. The power I control is too little." Jin Li sighed softly.

The Xuanyuan Forbidden Area could indeed raise her subordinates' strength.

And it did so very quickly.

But it was not enough to let Jin Li turn the tables swiftly.

Unless she was given several years, or even more than a decade, to develop in peace and cultivate more Imperial-rank powerhouses beneath her.

Openly, aside from Aunt Qin, the Nanqian Kingdom had only three other Imperial-rank powerhouses.

Under Sima Ting, there were already two Imperial-rank powerhouses in the open alone. How many more lurked in the shadows was unknown.

Moreover, she did not dare send large numbers of her trusted people into the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area.

That would definitely draw Sima Ting's attention.

Sima Ting's power had grown so enormous that it had swollen beyond measure. That was why Jin Li had been able to leave the imperial capital and go to the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area last time.

But after Aunt Qin displayed the strength of an Imperial-rank powerhouse, Sima Ting would certainly become wary. If Jin Li wanted to leave the palace again, it would be far more difficult than before.

"Your situation is even worse than Emperor Xian of Han's." Qi Yuan could not help complaining.

Back in Emperor Xian of Han's time, at least the various warlords and the common people still ostensibly acknowledged the imperial Liu clan.

But what about Jin Li?

She was a mascot now.

The moment she truly showed power capable of threatening Sima Ting—

Sima Ting would likely tear off his mask. He would no longer care about legitimacy or appearances, and would directly kill Jin Li with thunderous means.

"How is your mission going?" Jin Li was gradually able to speak on the same wavelength as Qi Yuan.

"I also ran into a big boss. He's pretty strong. It seems even a celestial god isn't his match."

"A celestial god?" Jin Li could not help crying out. "Do you mean the celestial gods from myths and legends?"

"I don't know." Qi Yuan had only seen records of celestial gods in the Earth Palace within the Attire Forbidden Area. As for whether they were the celestial gods of myth and legend, he did not know either.

"Then... be careful. Don't forget, you still have to... meet me in person!" Jin Li said.

Qi Yuan shrugged. "Sadly, I can't leave the forbidden area right now. Otherwise, I'd just help you chop Sima Ting down and settle everything once and for all.

Though that might lower your mission evaluation, and your rewards would be much less."

At present, the only maps Qi Yuan had unlocked were the Xuanyuan Forbidden Area and the Attire Forbidden Area.

He figured he would have to finish grinding through the Attire Forbidden Area before the other two forbidden areas could be opened.

Once he cleared the forbidden areas, Qi Yuan estimated that other maps would unlock as well. By then, he would probably be able to meet Jin Li in person.

Qi Yuan also wanted to see what the female online friend he had chatted with for nearly a year looked like.

It would be best if she was prettier.

Ordinary would be fine too.

Her personality did not seem particularly distinctive, but whenever Qi Yuan chatted with her, he felt exceptionally at ease.

There was no Empress's majesty, no affected coyness, no making trouble or stirring up mischief.

To Qi Yuan, that kind of personality already made her a very good confidante.

After all, in this life, meeting a girl like that—one who could quietly watch the clouds gather and scatter, the morning sun rise with you, while time flowed on without making you feel that the best years had slipped away, leaving only the peace of tranquil days—was already something precious.

"Your proper business comes first. If something changes on my side, I'll let you know." Warmth welled up in Jin Li's heart. "The same goes for you. Although... there isn't much I can do to help you."

Since birth, she had never tasted so-called familial affection, nor had anyone ever truly cared for her.

Her imperial father had been sidelined by the Grand Chancellor. He drank himself senseless every day, his moods mercurial, and had never shown her any care.

She had never even met her mother.

The only one who had treated her well was Aunt Qin. Now, there would be one more: Qi Yuan.

"The information you gave me about the Attire Forbidden Area last time helped me enormously.

Sadly, I can't help you now."

After sending the message, Qi Yuan's gaze fixed on the buried Attire Division Imperial Guards before him.

An idea arose in his heart.

"If I take control of the Attire Forbidden Area, these Attire Division Imperial Guards should become mine too, right?"

Although, in Qi Yuan's view, the individual strength of these Attire Division Imperial Guards was merely so-so.

Once formed into an organized force, the power they could unleash should be enough to sweep across the world, right?

Other than the forbidden areas.

The Prime Minister's Residence resembled a palace.

Sima Ting sat high above, his eyes narrowed as he continuously rolled a pair of ornamental walnuts in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

His eldest legitimate son, Sima Riyue, wore a face full of viciousness. "Father, let's rebel already. This is damn boring!"

Sima Ting looked at his son without any change in expression. "Withdraw. I have matters to discuss with your Uncle Wen."

This son was nothing like him.

If not for the fact that his maternal clan had ties to the Heavenly Fortune Holy Gate, he...

After watching Sima Riyue leave, Sima Ting looked at the man dressed as a scholar beside him.

"Brother Wen, have you found out why Madam Qin stepped into the Imperial rank?

Could there be someone else behind Empress Jin Li, someone targeting me—or targeting the Heavenly Fortune Holy Gate?"

The scholar was named Wen Zhongyong, an Imperial-rank powerhouse upon whom Sima Ting relied.

This Imperial-rank powerhouse came from the Heavenly Fortune Holy Gate. His combat strength was not weak, and what he excelled at most was the art of curse-killing.

Even though the late emperor had been protected by the Heavenly Fortune Jade Seal, Wen Zhongyong had still cursed him to death.

This showed just how formidable his curse-killing arts were.