From Cold Palace Princess to Heavenly Empress

This sword gave her a completely different feeling compared to the Yellow Tier top-grade Long Saber the System had compensated her with.

That Long Saber carried a domineering and unrestrained powerful aura.

This longsword, however, was filled with a sense of lightness and agility, clearly designed for overcoming the strong with the weak, and using softness to [-

"This sword is quite suitable for Wanqiu to use."

Xiao Minghuang placed the longsword into her storage pouch, then picked up the other two items from the ground.

A golden booklet and a jade box.

The golden booklet was made of a special high-grade material that could replace paper, preserving content for a long time without decay, even after a thousand years.

Xiao Minghuang opened the golden booklet, and a few lines of simple text met her eyes.

"My name is Qingwei, and I am from the Primordial Sacred Land. While traveling, I was ambushed and killed by an Evil Cultivator. Severely wounded, I fled and died here."

"All my life's treasures are hereby bestowed upon the successor. Please send my remains back to the Sacred Land and bury them beneath Green Cloud Peak."

On the latter half of the golden booklet was Qingwei's list of legacies, spanning thousands of words. However, only two items had survived to the present day without decay.

The longsword Xiao Minghuang had put into her storage pouch was named "Azure Shadow Sword," a Mysterious Tier Mid-grade Magic Treasure. There was also one more item stored within the treasure box.

Lifting the lid, she saw a pill, as white and pure as jade, lying quietly within the box. Mysterious patterns flowed across its smooth, round surface, and the dense spiritual energy around it was almost condensed into liquid, about to drip.

"It's actually a pill with Pill Patterns!"

Xiao Minghuang's face showed surprise, and she was slightly taken aback.

But upon further thought, she found it perfectly normal.

After all, with the passage of such a long time, if it weren't a pill with Pill Patterns, it would likely have long since weathered and decayed, ceasing to exist. How could it have waited for her to find it?

The pill in the jade box was named "Spirit Solidifying Pill," a Mysterious Tier Top-grade Pill. It could strengthen spiritual sense and was beneficial for cultivating the Primordial Sacred Land's inherited Cultivation Method, the Primordial God Forging Method.

"What a pity. This senior perhaps did not carry the scripture for this Cultivation Method, or perhaps the scripture has already decayed with the years. I cannot obtain this Cultivation Method."

Xiao Minghuang sighed softly. According to the golden booklet, the Primordial God Forging Method was a Heaven-tier Cultivation Method. It possessed incredible augmenting abilities for spiritual sense. When cultivated to its peak, one could rely on the power of their spiritual sense to manifest an immensely vast, sky-reaching external Dharma form, capable of destroying mountains and seas with a wave of their hand, fighting against heaven and earth, and being invincible!

Among the various sects and kingdoms of the Southern Territory, none had heard of any force possessing a Cultivation Method or martial art that cultivated spiritual sense.

"If I have the opportunity in the future, perhaps I can leave the Southern Territory and travel to other continents in the Eastern Pole. Maybe I can obtain this Cultivation Method then."

Xiao Minghuang's eyes flickered. In the vast Eastern Pole, the Southern Territory was merely the smallest region in the southwest, with the thinnest spiritual energy.

The strongest cultivators there were only at the Primal Embryo Realm.

However, in the great Sacred Lands, aristocratic families, and dynasties of the Eastern Pole, there were even cultivators who were known as Martial Kings.

Furthermore, legends spoke of ancient Sacred Lands where Immortals slumbered eternally, only emerging if the Sacred Land faced great peril.

Xiao Minghuang had either read these things in ancient books or heard them in the Royal Family's academy. Whether they were true or not was unknown, but it was undeniable that the Southern Territory was the weakest among the Eastern Pole's various regions.

A moment later.

Xiao Minghuang collected her thoughts and refocused her attention on the pill.

"The main effect of this pill is to strengthen spiritual sense. I can give it to Ruoshui. Her alchemy skills have been improving rapidly lately, progressing at an astonishing rate. Her spiritual sense growth speed might not be able to keep up with her alchemy skills anymore."

After sorting through Qingwei's legacy, Xiao Minghuang bowed three times to him, expressing her gratitude.

She then collected the bone fragments scattered on the ground, put them into a container, and returned to the surface.

54. Is Your Highness Drunk?

By this time, half a day had passed in the outside world.

As Xiao Minghuang emerged from the mine tunnel and saw the sunlight again, she immediately spotted the figures of Ye and Lin.

However, they seemed preoccupied, and even Xiao Minghuang's emergence from the cave did not attract their attention.

"Ruoshui, Wanqiu?"

Only when she called out softly did Ye and Lin snap back to reality and turn their gazes to her in unison.

But the moment their eyes met hers, they suddenly looked away, as if they had done something wrong and dared not meet her gaze.

The next moment.

Ye and Lin stepped forward in unison, speaking in unison:

"Your Highness, are you tired?"

Xiao Minghuang glanced at them. Seeing no abnormalities on either of them, she looked puzzled. She had a feeling that the short time she spent in the mine tunnel felt like she had missed something very important.

Xiao Minghuang furrowed her delicate brows and said softly:

"I've kept you waiting. This cave is unremarkable and has nothing worth seeing. Let's head back to the city!"

"Okay!"

After the incident at noon, Ye and Lin had lost their mood for sightseeing and nodded in agreement.

The three then headed in the direction of Beiyang City.

On the way, Xiao Minghuang pondered as she walked.

Although Ye and Lin looked a bit strange, it might be because they had just kissed her, and they hadn't fully recovered yet.

In a few more days, things should return to normal.

However, Xiao Minghuang noticed that Ye and Lin seemed particularly shy. Kissing and hugging between girls should be a normal thing, so why were they so bashful?

But this question was destined to have no answer.

Inside Beiyang City.

The entire city was decorated with lanterns and streamers, bustling with crowds, song, and dance.

The news that the Ninth Princess had won the martial arts competition had already spread throughout Beiyang City.

In recent years, Beiyang City and the Golden Elephant Kingdom had frequently clashed over various issues, even erupting into small-scale conflicts.

The soldiers and civilians in the city had more or less harbored grudges against the people of the Golden Elephant Kingdom, and some even had friends or relatives who had died in one of these conflicts.

Therefore, almost all the soldiers and civilians hated the Golden Elephant Kingdom.

Today, when the city residents heard that the Royal Family's Ninth Princess had personally stepped forward and led Beiyang City to victory in the competition, how could such news not be exhilarating?!

However, after Lin Zhengquan's embellishment, the story had changed to Xiao Minghuang defeating an inner disciple of the Dragon Tiger Sect, rather than an outer elder.

After all, Xiao Minghuang's astonishing talent could not be revealed yet.

Inside the City Lord's mansion, wine cups clinked, toasts were exchanged, music played, and singing and dancing filled the air. The entire household was filled with joy.

After three rounds of wine and five courses of food, guests had eaten their fill and were sent off.

This banquet did not feature any awkward scenes like the last one. Including Xiao Minghuang, both hosts and guests were thoroughly pleased.

After the banquet ended.

Xiao Minghuang was escorted back to her room by Ye and Lin.

She had drunk quite a bit at this banquet, thanks to Ye and Lin.

Perhaps it was because the wine was brewed from Spirit Fruit, but after drinking too much, even a martial artist like her, at the Sixth Level of Qi Refining Realm, felt dizzy. She staggered as she walked, and if not for Ye and Lin supporting her, she might have fallen.

"Hic..."

Xiao Minghuang tilted her rosy face upwards, her cherry lips parting slightly, letting out a soft hiccup. Combined with her slightly tipsy, entranced expression, she looked quite cute and well-behaved.

"Your Highness is truly drunk..."

Lin Wanqiu murmured.

"Before coming to Beiyang City, I had never seen Your Highness drink before,"

Ye Ruoshui gazed at Xiao Minghuang's rosy, flushed cheeks and her docile, peaceful expression. She licked her lips, feeling her mouth water.

Normally, Xiao Minghuang was extremely conscious of her image. Even in front of close individuals like Ye and Lin, she was always dignified, composed, elegant, and generous, never showing a casual side.

But after drinking, she was tipsy and unintentionally displayed a natural demeanor, indicating she was truly drunk.

Fortunately, both Ye and Lin were martial artists at the Body Tempering Peak Realm, so supporting Xiao Minghuang's delicate body together was not difficult; in fact, it was quite easy.

Each of them held one of Xiao Minghuang's jade arms, and they returned to the room just like that.

After carefully placing Xiao Minghuang's soft, warm body onto the bed, Ye and Lin sat by the bedside. Their beautiful eyes met, a hint of unwillingness to concede contained within their pupils.

After a while.

Lin Wanqiu glanced at Xiao Minghuang lying on the bed and said, as if casually:

"Your Highness drank so much, she must be thirsty. If Ruoshui has nothing else to do, why not go make Your Highness a pot of tea? It's better than just sitting here waiting."

Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui became uncharacteristically firm. The corners of her mouth curled up, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, and she snorted:

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You want to plot against Your Highness while I'm gone, don't you?!"

At these words, it was as if flames were burning in Lin Wanqiu's pupils. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Xiao Minghuang was drunk and asleep, and no matter what she did, she wouldn't be discovered.

If she were to give up such a perfect moment, Lin Wanqiu knew she couldn't do it.

Love is like a battlefield. At this point, there was no need for her to hold back any longer.

"At this point, is there still any need to pretend, Ye Ruoshui?!"

Lin Wanqiu stood up, looking down at Ye Ruoshui, and said disdainfully:

"You're just a mere Maidservant, yet you dare to covet your mistress. I truly don't know how Your Highness will view you if she knew your thoughts?!"

"As for me and Your Highness, we are betrothed by our parents and are a match made in heaven. Your Highness personally told me that she wanted to be with me for a long time. What can you compare to that?"

Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui was equally unyielding. She clenched her small fists, her gaze resolute.

"Your Highness told me that I am the most important person by her side and that she will never leave me. Yet, you didn't even know Your Highness's name a month ago. Now you speak of being a match made in heaven, isn't that laughable?"

"And I have been by Your Highness's side for many years. Is that something you can compare to? Not to mention, if Your Highness truly liked you, why wouldn't she make the engagement public? I think you're just flattering yourself! Country bumpkin!"

When Ye Ruoshui spoke the last two words, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and she glanced sideways, her expression bearing some resemblance to Xiao Minghuang's.

"Who are you calling a country bumpkin!"

Lin Wanqiu asked coldly.

"Whoever knows in their heart who is being called a country bumpkin!"

Ye Ruoshui shot back, refusing to yield an inch.

"How dare a mere maidservant be so audacious!"

"You village bumpkin, don't get out of line!"

"Maidservant!"

"Village bumpkin!"

As the two exchanged barbs, time flew by.

After an unknown amount of time, perhaps both were a little tired, they each returned to their seats.

But when their gazes met, they each let out a cold snort and ignored each other.

Just then.

Xiao Minghuang, who had been lying on the bed, silent for a long time, suddenly let out a soft moan.

"Mmm... ah... thirsty..."

55. Ruoshui, how about we make a deal?

The voice that suddenly rang out from the bed, tinged with a delicate charm, made both Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu's hearts tremble. It stopped their argument and made them unable to resist looking towards the bed.

They saw the maiden lying on the bed no longer looked serene and well-behaved.

At some point, she had kicked off the quilt covering her body, revealing her slender and delicate physique.