Ninth Princess

"Father, has Jiang Ping An returned yet?"

Meng Jing paced back and forth through the room in her little red boots, her cloth-bound legs moving restlessly. Her tiny face was full of anxiety, and she did not know where to put her little hands.

Meng Kuo, seated at the desk handling official business, rubbed his temples. "You've asked more than thirty times today."

"But they've been gone for a whole day, and he still hasn't returned. That old bastard Xu Tao ran away—what if he goes after Jiang Ping An for revenge?"

Dense worry sat between Meng Jing's willow eyebrows.

Meng Kuo looked at his daughter with a half-smile. "You're worried about Ping An?"

"Who's worried about him!"

Like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, Meng Jing shouted, "I want to defeat him! If he dies just like that, how am I supposed to surpass him?"

At that moment, a soldier entered, clasped his fists, and said, "General, Captain Jiang has returned."

"He's back!"

Meng Jing was overjoyed. She spread her little legs and was about to run outside, but then she suddenly thought of something. She stopped, wiped the smile from her face, and sat to one side eating pastries as though she did not care in the slightest.

Meng Kuo rose to go receive Jiang Ping An, but Jiang Ping An happened to walk in at that moment.

At the sight of Jiang Ping An, Meng Kuo's face was brimming with delight and excitement. "Quick, come sit."

Their victory in this war, and its early end, had all been thanks to Jiang Ping An.

First, he had forced Xu Tao into rashly launching an attack. Then he had destroyed the military formation and saved Meng Kuo and the soldiers.

If not for Jiang Ping An, even if they had launched the war in winter, victory would not necessarily have been assured.

Moreover, at such a young age, Jiang Ping An already possessed the strength to kill someone at Ma Lin's level. His future achievements would surely be limitless!

"General, I'm deeply sorry for frightening Miss," Jiang Ping An apologized of his own accord.

He had brought Meng Jing into Flat Water County, where they had been surrounded and nearly met with disaster.

"This wasn't your fault either. My little girl was being mischievous and insisted on following you."

Meng Kuo already knew why the two of them had gone to Flat Water County, and he did not blame Jiang Ping An.

Meng Jing pouted unhappily. Her father had changed. He had never criticized her before.

The usual pressure around Meng Kuo was gone as he said with a smile, "I've already used a Teleportation Talisman to report the news to the county governor. Based on your great contribution, the county governor will soon issue your reward."

"Unless something unexpected happens, with your talent, the county governor will surely invite you to participate in the Hundred Counties Tournament. If you can earn a placing, the rewards will be even greater."

Jiang Ping An was slightly stunned. "The Hundred Counties Tournament? What is that?"

This was the first time he had heard of it. It should have been some kind of competition.

Sitting nearby, Meng Jing swung her little legs as she explained, "It's a battle involving the heavenly talents from over a hundred counties, all under eighteen years old."

As she spoke, she raised her little chin. "The Black Wind County Genius Battle I participated in before was preparation for this Hundred Counties Tournament."

"I happened to rank tenth, so I barely qualified to participate. And that was only the preliminary selection..."

"The Ninth Princess has arrived!"

Just as they were speaking, a shout came from outside.

Meng Kuo, Li Yuntian, and the others changed expressions. They hurriedly rose, dropped to one knee, and waited with clasped fists.

Even the mischievous Meng Jing became obedient and followed them in kneeling on one knee.

Jiang Ping An copied their manner and offered his salute.

The Ninth Princess? A princess of the Great Xia Dynasty?

Soon, a woman entered the room with graceful steps.

She wore a light gauze dress in willow green and oriole yellow, its curves outlining her exquisite figure.

Her long hair was coiled up, adorned with several crystalline jade hairpins. Her exquisite ornaments swayed as she walked.

Her bearing was gentle and refined, every step like an elegant ancient dance.

Beautiful, mature, and ravishing, her eyes were as deep as a starry sky, drawing people into them without their realizing it.

"County Governor!"

The group respectfully saluted her.

"Rise." The woman's voice was full of magnetism, inexplicably inspiring goodwill.

"County Governor, why didn't you notify us beforehand? I could have made preparations," Meng Kuo said respectfully as he rose.

Not only was she the county governor of Black Wind County, she was also the Ninth Princess of the Great Xia Dynasty!

"There was no need to prepare anything. I only came to take a look. Once I've said what I came to say, I'll leave."

Xia Qing smiled as she walked over to Meng Jing and rubbed her head. "Little Jing has become impressive again."

"Hehe, I've been cultivating diligently these past two days." Meng Jing was as docile as a little kitten.

Meng Kuo was delighted to see his daughter so close to Xia Qing. Being able to build a good relationship with the Ninth Princess was his daughter's fortunate opportunity.

"Cultivate well. Strive to make great progress within half a year."

Xia Qing did not possess the slightest air of superiority. Instead, she was like an older sister next door.

"I definitely will! I'll definitely surpass that guy!" Meng Jing glanced at Jiang Ping An defiantly.

Xia Qing's gaze followed hers and landed on Jiang Ping An.

Though the boy's appearance was still youthful, the resolve and calmness between his brows were rare at his age.

"You are Jiang Ping An?"

"Reporting to the county governor, I am." Jiang Ping An replied with clasped fists.

So the Ninth Princess was the county governor of Black Wind County.

"There's no need to be so stiff with your salutes. I came today mainly for you."

Xia Qing walked over and pressed a hand against Jiang Ping An's head.

"Your Spirit Cultivator talent is very ordinary."

Her slender finger touched his brow, and a drop of blood flew out of thin air.

After examining it for a moment, Xia Qing said, "Your Body Cultivator talent is quite good. If you focus on body cultivation in the future, you'll achieve something. Give up spirit cultivation—it will only delay your progress."

In that brief moment, she had discerned Jiang Ping An's talents.

Yet she did not seem surprised at all, as though she had seen this kind of talent countless times before.

"Jiang Ping An, I wish to invite you to participate in the Hundred Counties Tournament. Will you join?"

Li Yuntian hurriedly gave Jiang Ping An a covert kick. This was his fortunate opportunity; he could not miss it.

Jiang Ping An nodded. "I'll participate. However, I still don't know what kind of competition it is."

"This is only a spot. Whether you can actually participate will depend on how much you grow over the next half year."

"Now, let's discuss your Military Merit. Your performance was outstanding. What reward do you want?"

Xia Qing seemed to be in a hurry and did not waste words.

Jiang Ping An pondered for a moment before saying, "I want the Great Xia Supreme Secret Art."

He wanted to become immortal. He wanted to find a way to bring the dead back to life.

Old Li had once said that perhaps only by learning the Great Xia Supreme Secret Art could one become immortal.

That was why he wanted this secret art.

The moment those words came out, the atmosphere in the room suddenly froze. Everyone stared blankly at Jiang Ping An, nearly thinking they had misheard him.

It was like helping someone pick up a copper coin, then asking for a cartload of gold as payment.

Wasn't that a joke?

"Haha~"

After a moment of silence, Xia Qing did not get angry. Instead, she suddenly laughed. Her smile was so beautiful that even the sun in the sky seemed to lose its brilliance.

"Young man, this secret art is not something ordinary people can learn. If you can place in the top ten of the Hundred Counties Tournament, I'll teach it to you."

"Deal!"

Jiang Ping An had only asked tentatively. Seeing that she agreed, he was extremely excited inside.

Meng Jing, beside him, could no longer stand it. She lightly kicked the boy and said, "Hey, do you know what being in the top ten of the Hundred Counties Tournament means?"

Jiang Ping An shook his head.

Meng Jing was speechless. She explained, "The top ten geniuses selected from hundreds of counties will participate in a contest among the geniuses of hundreds of counties."

"In other words, tens of thousands of geniuses will participate in this Hundred Counties Tournament. If your strength doesn't reach Martial Master or Foundation Establishment, you won't even make the top five thousand!"

"Not only that, many participants are Cultivators at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, possessing powerful divine bodies of all kinds of bloodlines and heavenly talents proficient in all sorts of secret arts... For ordinary people like us, getting into the top thousand would already be pretty good!"

Jiang Ping An's heart tightened.

He truly had not expected the competition in this tournament to be so fierce. There were even groups of Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Martial Masters.

He had thought his strength was impressive among those at the same level. Now, it seemed utterly ordinary.

The Cultivation World was too vast. A tiny place like Continuous Mountain County was simply not worth mentioning.