From Cold Palace Princess to Heavenly Empress

"Sure enough, she hadn't managed to get started. It was time to help the little girl improve her cultivation."

Xiao Minghuang sighed softly, withdrew her spiritual sense, and headed toward Ye Ruoshui's room. A few breaths later, she arrived outside the door.

"Ruoshui, your sister has come to see you. Open the door."

Her words fell.

A coy, trembling voice came from inside the room.

"...W-wait... wait a moment."

Xiao Minghuang's delicate brows furrowed slightly, unable to understand what she meant.

"Ruoshui, are you still not up?"

She raised her head to look at the sun in the sky. It hung at the center, warm and bright—it was clearly noon.

"...Right away... mm~ right away!"

Not knowing what Ye Ruoshui was doing, Xiao Minghuang waited for a while.

After roughly a quarter of an hour, the door slowly creaked open. Ye Ruoshui's fair little face was flushed red, making her look exceptionally charming and alluring. Her dress was slightly disheveled, and her long dark hair had not been properly arranged.

Her soft pink lips parted as she panted lightly, as though she had just done some especially exhausting work.

This Jade Slip Can't Be Kept!

"Your Highness..."

Ye Ruoshui hung her little head, not daring to look up at her.

Xiao Minghuang was meticulous by nature and sensed that something was wrong. A moment later, a look of realization appeared on her face.

She stroked Ye Ruoshui's soft hair and smiled kindly. "Ruoshui, you've grown up!"

A faint white mist immediately rose from Ye Ruoshui's head, while her little face turned as red as though it had been steeped in pigment.

She wanted to run, but the slender hand atop her head kept her from moving even half a step.

"I would never dare forget Your Highness's instructions!" Ye Ruoshui was mortified and hurriedly changed the subject.

"The... treasure Your Highness gave this servant, I tried it a little, but it seemed... a bit too difficult. With this servant's body, I'm afraid I can't bear such a thick treasure..."

Xiao Minghuang was utterly bewildered. She thought about it for a long while without understanding, ultimately concluding that Ye Ruoshui's comprehension was too poor for her to grasp the mysteries of the cultivation method.

If she could not even comprehend an Earth-grade low-rank cultivation method, then a Heaven-tier Cultivation Method would be even harder to begin.

Xiao Minghuang had originally planned to pass the Ziwei Imperial Dao Scripture on to Ye Ruoshui as well, but on second thought, she decided against it.

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Xiao Minghuang extended her slender jade-like hand and smiled. "In that case, Ruoshui, return that cultivation method to your sister."

Her words awakened the dreamer.

Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui's cheeks bloomed crimson, her little face burning hot. She suddenly understood, but regret came too late.

"So that stick was a Jade Slip containing a cultivation method, yet I used it... Though it didn't go in—I only rubbed it outside."

Her little face beet-red, Ye Ruoshui silently ran back to the bed, fished the Jade Slip out from beneath the quilt, carefully wiped it clean, and only then handed it back to Xiao Minghuang.

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang sighed. "Ruoshui is truly diligent. Even while sleeping, you never forget to study cultivation methods. Though you have yet to enter the gate, with such perseverance, you will surely become great later in life!"

Hearing her mistress's praise, Ye Ruoshui forced a smile, wishing she could dig a hole on the spot and bury herself in it.

Don't let her notice! Don't let her notice!

But the more one wished for something not to happen, the more certain it was to happen.

Xiao Minghuang took back the smooth, rounded Jade Slip and was about to tuck it into her clothes when she noticed that one end felt sticky and gave off a strange smell.

She rubbed her fingers together, and a fine, translucent thread stretched between her slender fingertips.

"What is this?"

Xiao Minghuang's gaze returned to the Jade Slip. She stared at it for a long time, then looked back at Ye Ruoshui's flushed face.

Her gaze moved downward, finally stopping three inches below Ye Ruoshui's waist.

In an instant, Xiao Minghuang's crystal-jade face reddened like the scarlet clouds of sunset, and the Jade Slip fell from her hand.

Smack!

The Jade Slip bounced twice before lying flat on the ground, looking utterly innocent.

"Y-you... you..."

Xiao Minghuang raised a trembling finger. Her beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief, as though she had encountered some bizarre horror far beyond all understanding. Her body began to shake involuntarily, and only after a long while did she calm down.

Ye Ruoshui was even more ashamed. She squatted down on the spot, wrapped both hands around her little head, and trembled in terror.

In the end, Xiao Minghuang did not do anything to the little girl. She merely sighed and said:

"This Jade Slip can't be kept!"

After something like this had happened, Xiao Minghuang's plan to give Ye Ruoshui medicinal pills also came to nothing. Wearing a gloomy expression, she returned to her room, sat cross-legged, and began cultivating.

But before she could calm down for long, a knock sounded at the door.

Xiao Minghuang thought Ye Ruoshui had come to beg forgiveness and ignored it.

Yet Steward Wang's voice sounded from outside.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has issued an imperial decree summoning you to the Imperial Palace for an audience."

The moment Xiao Minghuang heard Steward Wang's shrill voice, the lingering amorous thoughts in her mind vanished without a trace. She answered indifferently:

"Understood. Go make the arrangements."

Steward Wang complied and departed. A quarter of an hour later, Xiao Minghuang rode a carriage toward the Imperial Palace.

The Great Xia Imperial Palace was where the dragon vein of all Great Xia lay, suppressing the fate of the nation.

Legend had it that beneath the Imperial Palace stood a super grand formation. Once activated, even a Nascent Soul True Person would be unable to breach the palace.

Each of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms in the Southern Border had a Spirit Seed Realm expert guarding it, but only Great Xia possessed such a powerful formation. Thus, it stood foremost among the nations. Even the Three Great Sects, which possessed Nascent Soul True Persons, had no choice but to yield Great Xia three parts of respect.

Yet in recent years, rumors had spread that Great Xia's Spirit Seed Realm Old Ancestor had a Life Span Nearing End. This aroused the covetous eyes of the various nations and major sects toward Great Xia.

One had to know that Great Xia was different from other nations and sects.

Eight hundred years ago, Xia Hanbing, known as the "Sacred Dragon Sword," led the Great Xia people from the outside world into the Southern Border.

With his formidable strength, Xia Hanbing, the "Sacred Dragon Sword," destroyed an entire nation alone and subdued the remaining thirty-five kingdoms. He moved among the Three Great Sects with sleeves that danced gracefully, allowing the Great Xia people to multiply and thrive here. His merits benefited the realm and the state.

Eight hundred years had passed, yet the powers of the Southern Border still did not regard Great Xia as one of their own. At every moment, they sought to wipe Great Xia out.

Once Xia Hanbing, the "Sacred Dragon Sword" who suppressed Great Xia's national fate, passed away, the nations and sects would surely rise as one and attack. Even with the Imperial Palace's grand formation standing guard, without a Spirit Seed Realm cultivator to preside over it, it would be unable to unleash its full power and would be utterly useless.

Before long, Xiao Minghuang arrived at the Imperial Palace. At the city gate, however, she encountered someone unexpected.

This man wore splendid brocade robes and looked to be in his thirties. He had sword-like brows and starry eyes, an outstanding presence, and the aura faintly emanating from him far surpassed Xiao Minghuang's.

"Second Brother, greetings from your little sister."

Xiao Minghuang's lips curved faintly upward in a standard smile that did not reveal her teeth.

The instant he saw her, the Second Prince's pupils contracted sharply, as though he were immensely shocked. In a flash, that surprise turned into killing intent before vanishing just as quickly. Though he concealed it well, Xiao Minghuang caught it.

Xiao Minghuang clenched her palm, and a sudden sense of danger rose within her.

The Second Prince cupped his hands and assumed the manner of an elder brother deeply concerned for his sister. "I heard that Ninth Sister was accidentally injured before and that your cultivation was completely destroyed. But it seems the rumors were untrue. Seeing that Ninth Sister is unharmed puts this brother at ease."

As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. Since the Second Prince enjoyed putting on a performance, Xiao Minghuang would play along.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Brother. Your little sister is well." Xiao Minghuang smiled lightly. "Father Emperor has summoned me, so I cannot linger here. Until we meet again another day!"

The Second Prince said regretfully, "Since that is so, this brother will not keep Imperial Sister any longer. Another day, I must invite Imperial Sister to visit my residence. I hope Imperial Sister will not refuse."

"Certainly, certainly."

After offering a few perfunctory words, Xiao Minghuang turned and left.

After walking some distance away, Xiao Minghuang thought, What a smiling tiger. This man is a hundred times harder to deal with than the Seventh Prince!

This Jade Slip Can't Be Kept!

"Your Highness..."

Ye Ruoshui hung her little head, not daring to look up at her.

Xiao Minghuang was meticulous by nature and sensed that something was wrong. A moment later, a look of realization appeared on her face.

"The... treasure Your Highness gave this servant, I tried it a little, but it seemed... somewhat unsuitable..."

Xiao Minghuang was utterly bewildered. She thought about it for a long while without understanding, ultimately concluding that Ye Ruoshui's comprehension was too poor for her to grasp the mysteries of the cultivation method.

If she could not even comprehend an Earth-grade low-rank cultivation method, then a Heaven-tier Cultivation Method would be even harder to begin.

Xiao Minghuang had originally planned to pass the Ziwei Imperial Dao Scripture on to Ye Ruoshui as well, but on second thought, she decided against it.

"That's true. Then let's start with something simpler."

Xiao Minghuang extended her slender jade-like hand and smiled. "In that case, Ruoshui, return that cultivation method to your sister."

Her words awakened the dreamer.

"So it was a Jade Slip containing a cultivation method..."

Ye Ruoshui silently ran back to the bed, fished the Jade Slip out from beneath the quilt, and handed it to Xiao Minghuang.

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang sighed. "Ruoshui is truly diligent. Even while sleeping, you never forget to cultivate the cultivation method. Though you have yet to enter the gate, with such perseverance, you will surely become great later in life!"

Hearing her mistress's praise, Ye Ruoshui forced a smile, wishing she could dig a hole on the spot and bury herself in it.

Don't let her notice! Don't let her notice!

But the more one wished for something not to happen, the more certain it was to happen.

Xiao Minghuang took back the smooth, rounded Jade Slip and was about to tuck it into her clothes when she felt that something was wrong with one end.

"What is this..."

"This Jade Slip can't be kept!"

After something like this had happened, Xiao Minghuang's plan to give Ye Ruoshui medicinal pills also came to nothing. Wearing a gloomy expression, she returned to her room, sat cross-legged, and began cultivating.

But before she could calm down for long, a knock sounded at the door.

Xiao Minghuang thought Ye Ruoshui had come to beg forgiveness and ignored it.

Yet Steward Wang's voice sounded from outside.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has issued an imperial decree summoning you to the Imperial Palace for an audience."

The moment Xiao Minghuang heard Steward Wang's shrill voice, the lingering amorous thoughts in her mind vanished without a trace. She answered indifferently:

"Understood. Go make the arrangements."

Steward Wang complied and departed. A quarter of an hour later, Xiao Minghuang rode a carriage toward the Imperial Palace.

The Great Xia Imperial Palace was where the dragon vein of all Great Xia lay, suppressing the fate of the nation.

Legend had it that beneath the Imperial Palace stood a super grand formation. Once activated, even a Nascent Soul True Person would be unable to breach the palace.

Each of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms in the Southern Border had a Spirit Seed Realm expert guarding it, but only Great Xia possessed such a powerful formation. Thus, it stood foremost among the nations. Even the Three Great Sects, which possessed Nascent Soul True Persons, had no choice but to yield Great Xia three parts of respect.

Yet in recent years, rumors had spread that Great Xia's Spirit Seed Realm Old Ancestor had a Life Span Nearing End. This aroused the covetous eyes of the various nations and major sects toward Great Xia.

One had to know that Great Xia was different from other nations and sects.

Eight hundred years ago, Xia Hanbing, known as the "Sacred Dragon Sword," led the Great Xia people from the outside world into the Southern Border.

With his formidable strength, Xia Hanbing, the "Sacred Dragon Sword," destroyed an entire nation alone and subdued the remaining thirty-five kingdoms. He moved among the Three Great Sects with sleeves that danced gracefully, allowing the Great Xia people to multiply and thrive here. His merits benefited the realm and the state.