White-robed Empress Palace

Spring passed, autumn came.

In the blink of an eye, three years had gone by.

For those three years, Zhao Yuling had quietly followed Chu He in the Book Repository—reading books, petting Little Turtle, and consolidating her cultivation.

This had also turned the fervent discussions across the martial world about the White-robed Fairy advancing into the White-robed Empress into nothing more than legend.

Time was the most merciless thing.

Three years was not long, but Zhao Yuling had only made one move. After that, she disappeared from public sight. Being forgotten was only natural.

Of course, while some people were forgotten by time,

new people would also step into the public eye and become everyone's new focus.

The Ice Snow Empress, Lin Xueling, had been the Xia Clan's most eye-catching focus over these past three years.

Three years ago, not long after the White-robed Empress vanished, just as people were unwilling to give up and wanted to search for her traces,

a shocking event occurred in the Annan Land.

A person dressed in red!

A three-foot azure-edged sword!

They appeared in the territory of the Canine Fang Clan, which bordered the Xia Clan in the Annan Land.

That day, blood flowed into rivers.

The wails of the Canine Fang Clan shook heaven and earth.

One Half-step Invincible King spilled blood across the sky, while three Half-step Kings left not even bones behind.

In the end, only when the Canine Fang Clan's remaining three Half-step Invincible Kings joined forces were they barely able to halt the slaughtering advance of that lone person and sword.

However, with one of the Canine Fang Clan's four Half-step Invincible Kings fallen and the other three tied down, the surrounding clans saw an opportunity.

Some clans could no longer restrain themselves and struck, making the Canine Fang Clan's woes even worse.

Under the double blow, the Canine Fang Clan was nearly wiped out. They abandoned vast swathes of territory and retreated again and again, until they had withdrawn to the most barren land. Only then did the other clans stop attacking.

In the end, the Canine Fang Clan negotiated with Lin Xueling.

They were willing to offer massive compensation and begged for reconciliation.

A veteran Half-step King of the Xia Clan arrived and persuaded Lin Xueling to accept those terms.

Because at that point, the Canine Fang Clan was a trapped beast driven to madness, and thus at its most dangerous.

If they were truly forced to the point of fighting until the fish died and the net broke, then unless they possessed absolute strength to leave behind all three of the Canine Fang Clan's Half-step Invincible Kings, it would bring endless disaster upon the Xia Clan.

Just like the Xia Clan of old: when they had been driven into a corner with mountains exhausted and rivers spent, their enemies stopped pressing them.

It was not because those enemies were kind. This was merely the law of survival among the clans of the Desolate Domain!

When one lacked the absolute strength to wipe out the opposing clan's top-tier combatants, the best course was to compress their living space and drive them into the most barren lands, letting them slowly die.

After all, reduced living space meant a lack of resources. Without resources, decline was practically inevitable.

That was the safest approach!

As for being eager for quick success and casually exterminating entire clans—unless the gap between the two sides' top-tier combatants was enormous, it was all too easy to break one's own teeth.

After all, there were countless clans in the Desolate Domain. If two clans fought to the bitter end, those who profited in the end would be the packs of wolves lurking all around them.

Just like the Xia Clan several hundred years ago, when they fought an all-out war against the Charm Clan. Blood flowed into rivers, and both sides were wounded badly. Even now, neither had recovered.

The Xia Clan of the past could completely exterminate small clans like the Canine Fang Clan if they dared offend them.

Back then, the Xia Clan's territory was more than ten times its current size, and it possessed several precious treasure lands.

Now, all of that was gone!

The peace talks succeeded.

Although Lin Xueling ultimately failed to accomplish the grand feat of destroying an entire clan by herself,

her fame spread completely.

Legends of her arose throughout the Xia Clan and even the surrounding clans.

For a time, the foreign clans around the Xia Clan became far more restrained. They no longer dared easily provoke friction with the Xia Clan along the borders.

That was the deterrence of a True King!

Over these three-plus years, Chu He's cultivation had also broken through to the sixth layer of the Fourth Transformation, which he had brought to perfection. He was on the verge of reaching the seventh layer.

His Dharma Aspect Golden Body had also reached perfection at the second layer. His soul golden body had solidified considerably and could now begin amplifying his combat strength.

"Little Chu Brother, Auntie is so impressive now! She's already been crowned Empress in the Imperial City!"

Holding Little Turtle, Zhao Yuling swayed back and forth on a reclining chair. After finishing a translated newspaper, she looked up and spoke.

"If you're envious, you can go too!"

Chu He opened his eyes and said blandly, "Your strength is sufficient. If you want to, just find a border region and crush a small clan. That will do!"

"No way, that sounds too tiring!"

Zhao Yuling shook her head. She continued, "I still prefer being like Little Chu Brother—teaching people, reading books, leisurely and fun!"

"Little Chu Brother, what do you think about me opening an academy outside? I've even thought of a name already. It'll be called the White-robed Empress Palace!"

The more she spoke, the brighter her eyes became.

Resting her chin on her hand, she fell into reverie.

It was as though she could see countless disciples beneath her seat, becoming the pillars of the Xia Clan, expanding its territory, and intimidating all clans.

It would save her effort while also fulfilling her wish to protect the Xia Clan.

"If you want to go, then go! Being a teacher isn't so easy!"

Watching the little girl grin foolishly, Chu He shook his head with a smile.

He did not stop her.

After all, the little girl was still young. She could not possibly accompany him in the Book Repository forever.

Young people had to venture outside and make their way in the world before they could understand the flavor of life's vicissitudes.

Chu He suddenly felt a little envious.

Being young was wonderful.

There were ideals, there were dreams.

And there was the drive to act the moment one decided.

Unlike him—though he did not look old, his heart had aged!

Without realizing it, he was already seventy-one!

He had also stayed in the Book Repository for fifty-seven years, hadn't he?

Time really passed quickly!

Fortunately, as his cultivation deepened, his lifespan grew longer and longer.

Otherwise, if he were like the former Book Repository manager, at this age, he would more or less—perhaps even long ago—have croaked!

"But if I leave, Little Chu Brother, who will keep you company and help ease your boredom?"

Zhao Yuling hesitated before asking.

The little girl did have a conscience.

Chu He smiled.

"You don't need to worry about me. With fewer people around, I actually feel more at ease cultivating. Cultivation requires peace and quiet."

"You should go be your Empress teacher without worry. Just come back to see me twice a year."

This was not Chu He trying to comfort her.

It was truly the truth.

He genuinely wanted to spend some time in secluded cultivation, raise the realm of his Dharma Aspect Golden Body, and strive to bring it to the same level as the Nine Transformations Golden Body Technique.

At the same time, he wanted to organize and summarize some of his cultivation insights.

P.S.: Thanks to boss Taihuang Shijie for another 100 reward.

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Also thanks to boss Reading for the reward.

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