From Cold Palace Princess to Heavenly Empress

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she asked:

"If City Lord Lin has any difficulties, please feel free to speak."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhengquan seemed to have made up his mind and slowly began to speak.

"A few days ago, my daughter was captured by an Evil Cultivator while searching for spiritual herbs. If not for Your Highness's rescue, she would have been harmed."

"As a father, how could I not understand my daughter's feelings? So I want to take this opportunity to ask Your Highness a question."

Lin Zhengquan steadied himself, his expression extremely solemn, and asked:

"May I ask if Your Highness is pleased with my daughter?"

Xiao Minghuang had already prepared to form a contract with Lin Wanqiu and had no intention of letting her leave her side in the future, so she nodded and said:

"Wanqiu is very good, I like her very much."

Hearing this, Lin Zhengquan was overjoyed.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

But before he could react, Xiao Minghuang added:

"The engagement between me and Wanqiu was arranged by our elders, not our own will. Since City Lord Lin has brought it up, I will be direct."

Lin Zhengquan was confused. From what she said, it seemed she had an opinion about the engagement?

But wasn't the Ninth Princess very satisfied with Lin Wanqiu?

Xiao Minghuang slowly spoke:

"The matter of the engagement is old and few people know about it. Neither Wanqiu nor I attach much importance to it. Let this matter go with the wind, and do not mention it again."

Hearing this, the joy on Lin Zhengquan's face suddenly froze. After a moment, he reacted and said in shock:

"Your Highness means to break off the engagement!?"

Xiao Minghuang's expression remained unchanged, and she nodded calmly:

"Precisely."

In an instant, Lin Zhengquan's face turned ugly, his mouth twitched, and his pupils were filled with disbelief. After a long while, he took a deep breath to calm himself before slowly asking:

"Did my Lin family do something disrespectful that has angered Your Highness so much?"

Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang's delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she looked puzzled, "What makes City Lord Lin say that?"

Lin Zhengquan took a deep breath, trying to speak calmly.

"If my Lin family hasn't offended Your Highness in some way, why would Your Highness want to cancel the engagement?"

Xiao Minghuang, however, raised her delicate eyebrows, puzzled:

"I thought the feelings between Wanqiu and I could not be measured by a mere engagement."

"Ah!"

Lin Zhengquan was greatly surprised to hear this. After a moment, he chuckled and said:

"Your Highness is truly joking. You really scared me."

Xiao Minghuang did not think she was joking and said solemnly:

"Everything I said just now is true. The feelings between Wanqiu and I cannot be measured by a mere engagement. I am not joking."

"Yes, yes, yes, this humble subject understands."

Even though Lin Zhengquan had experienced many ups and downs in life and was quite shrewd, hearing such heartfelt words, he couldn't help but blush. Moreover, these words were spoken to his daughter.

He finally understood why his daughter had been so infatuated with this Ninth Princess shortly after meeting her.

After thanking Xiao Minghuang again, Lin Zhengquan hurriedly left the courtyard.

As Lin Zhengquan walked out of the courtyard gate and turned a corner, he smiled and said softly:

"Wanqiu, did you hear everything that Your Highness just said clearly?"

As his voice fell.

Lin Wanqiu walked out from behind the corner. The pendant she was holding was a Low-grade Yellow Tier Magic Treasure bestowed by Emperor Xia, which could conceal one's aura, making it difficult to detect even by those with much higher cultivation.

Therefore, what Xiao Minghuang had said earlier was not influenced by her and was from the heart, with no pretense.

Lin Wanqiu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, speaking softly:

"Daughter heard everything clearly."

After Lin Zhengquan left, the courtyard returned to peace.

The reason Xiao Minghuang had said those words just now was because she had already decided to form a contract with Lin Wanqiu.

Once she became her contracted subordinate, she could never leave her side from then on, which was why she had said that the relationship between her and Lin Wanqiu was far more than what a mere engagement could measure.

The reason she agreed to the martial arts competition was not because she coveted the Spirit Stones, but because as her cultivation grew, the Spirit Stones required for cultivation increased significantly.

The Spirit Stones and elixirs previously bestowed by Emperor Xia had all been used up. Even with the more than eight thousand Spirit Stones she had just received, plus the previous two thousand five hundred, it only amounted to a little over ten thousand.

The Chen Family Head's storage bag was empty, likely depleted in the final battle.

Giving away such a large quantity of Spirit Stones at once would inevitably result in a low compensation multiplier, perhaps ten times at best.

A mere hundred thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones would, at most, allow her to break through a minor realm.

Moreover, Low-grade Spirit Stones contained more impurities, requiring more time to absorb.

If she couldn't secure a place that produced Spirit Stones long-term, her cultivation progress would inevitably slow down.

Furthermore, she wasn't just responsible for her own cultivation progress; she also had to look after Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu.

Therefore, she needed a large supply of Spirit Stones and pills, the more the better.

As her thoughts flowed, Xiao Minghuang murmured softly:

"It seems I need to focus on nurturing Ruoshui's alchemy talent."

Ye Ruoshui possessed extremely high alchemy talent. On her first attempt, she could refine pills with eighty percent purity. Given time, she would undoubtedly become a master alchemist.

If Ye Ruoshui could consistently produce pills, the resources needed for their cultivation would naturally be resolved.

The Spirit Stones obtained from selling pills alone would be an astronomical sum, not to mention the System, which would provide double compensation.

Simply multiplying the price of her refined pills tenfold would yield a considerable profit.

Next, Xiao Minghuang inventoried all the resources she possessed.

"Over ten thousand Spirit Stones, over three hundred Yellow Tier pills of high, mid, and low grades, fifteen Spirit Herbs, one Spirit Infusion Pill, one Essence Replenishing Pill, one Mid-grade Yellow Tier Long Saber, and several Low-grade Yellow Tier Martial Arts."

Among these, the fifteen Spirit Herbs were compensation from the System; everything else could be given to Ye Ruoshui to gain compensation.

However, besides Ye Ruoshui, she could also contract a second girl.

"It's time to contract Lin Wanqiu."

Xiao Minghuang whispered to herself, then walked out of the courtyard and headed straight for Lin Wanqiu's residence.

Knock, knock, knock!

Lin Wanqiu sat under the corridor, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at the flowers and grass nearby. Thinking about Xiao Minghuang's words from earlier, she let out occasional giggles.

Suddenly hearing a knock, she walked over and opened the door.

Seeing the girl in a bright yellow dress before her, with fair skin, beautiful features, and an elegant, noble demeanor, Lin Wanqiu recalled their earlier conversation and couldn't help but blush.

Noticing Lin Wanqiu's flushed face, Xiao Minghuang asked with concern:

"Why is your face red? Are you feeling unwell?"

"N-nothing... This humble one greets Your Highness the Ninth Prince!"

Lin Wanqiu took a gentle breath, composed herself, and curtsied slightly in a respectful manner.

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, displeased. She preferred the Lin Wanqiu from the cave earlier, who was intimate with her.

Or the one who was full of confidence and wouldn't back down in arguments.

Or the one from last night's banquet, who stunned everyone with her dazzling attire.

Confident girls looked even more beautiful.

"Why be so formal between us? Just be natural."

If she could be closer, Lin Wanqiu would have nothing to wish for. She smiled charmingly, her posture graceful, and said coquettishly:

"Then don't say I'm being disrespectful!"

Seeing Lin Wanqiu's smile, Xiao Minghuang also smiled, squeezed the other's soft little hand, and said gently:

"Don't be so reserved; that's the greatest respect you can show me. We'll be together for a long time, so why bother with such formalities?"

Hearing the words "together for a long time" suddenly, Lin Wanqiu's heart fluttered, and her cheeks flushed.

Your Highness is too straightforward, saying such embarrassing things non-stop. How can I possibly handle it!

A moment later, Lin Wanqiu thought of Ye Ruoshui, the little maidservant who seemed difficult to deal with, and asked cautiously:

"Your Highness, if Miss Ye finds out you're saying such things to me, won't she be angry?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang's eyes showed three parts curiosity and seven parts surprise as she asked:

"Why would she be angry?"

Reminder: This is a male protagonist story! This is a male protagonist story! This is a male protagonist story! Important things are said thrice!

Charge! In the Multiverse Main God Space

"Awake? You're the worst quality among this batch of people!"

Opening his eyes, Bai Mingshi looked around blankly. Four strangely dressed individuals were standing beside him, pointing and gesturing at him.

At this moment, the bewildered Bai Mingshi had no idea that his ordeal was about to begin.

Eva, No Game No Life, Attack on Titan!

Shin Godzilla, Pacific Rim, Puella Magi Madoka Magica!

As he journeyed through one dangerous world after another, Bai Mingshi's companions grew in number.

Akemi Homura, Madoka, Nero, Yu Ji, C.C., Oshino Shinobu, 02, Kiana Kaslana, Bronya, Rei Ayanami, Rem, Emilia, Ryuko Matoi, Satsuki Kiryuin, Tatsumaki!

This is the Second Dimension Main God Space.

A cruel world where life and death intertwine.

34. Your Highness, shall I help you take off your clothes?

"Uh... Your Highness is right..."

A hint of helplessness flashed through Lin Wanqiu's pupils; she had no idea what Xiao Minghuang was thinking.

If she cared about that little maidservant, why would she say these things to her? If she didn't care, then the words she spoke to Ye Ruoshui that night were sincere and heartfelt, each word a gem, not seeming fake.

As she pondered, she saw something being handed to her and instinctively took it.

It was an brocade box, its four corners inlaid with gold, and a piece of jade in the center, making it appear extraordinary.

Lin Wanqiu looked up at Xiao Minghuang, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion.

"Your Highness?"

Xiao Minghuang's lips curved slightly, a smile appearing at the corners of her eyes.

"Open it and see."

Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu's heart pounded faster, her cheeks flushing. Was Her Highness going to give her a gift?

Could this be a token of affection?

She opened the brocade box, and a rich medicinal aroma gushed out, instantly filling the entire courtyard.