From Cold Palace Princess to Heavenly Empress Chapter 9

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" suppressing Great Xia's fortune, passed away, the nations and sects would surely rise and attack together. Even if Great Xia had the Imperial Palace grand formation guarding it then, without a Spirit Seed Realm cultivator to preside over it, it would be unable to unleash its full might and would be of no help at all.

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

The man wore brocade robes and appeared to be in his thirties. With sword-like brows and starry eyes, he was outstanding and extraordinary, and the aura faintly emanating from him far surpassed Xiao Minghuang's.

"Second Brother, greetings from your little sister."

The corners of Xiao Minghuang's lips lifted slightly, revealing a perfect smile that showed no teeth.

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

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

The Second Prince cupped his hands, adopting the posture of an elder brother deeply concerned for his sister. He said warmly, "I heard Ninth Sister was accidentally injured before and her cultivation was completely crippled. Yet from the looks of things, the rumors were untrue. Seeing that Ninth Sister is unharmed puts your brother's mind at ease."

As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. Since the Second Prince enjoyed acting, Xiao Minghuang would play along with him.

"I appreciate Second Brother's concern. Your little sister is well." Xiao Minghuang smiled lightly. "Father Emperor has summoned me, so I cannot linger here. We shall meet another day!"

The Second Prince said regretfully, "In that case, your brother will not detain Imperial Sister. Another day, I must invite Imperial Sister to visit my residence. I hope Imperial Sister will not refuse."

"Certainly, certainly."

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

Once she had gone far enough, Xiao Minghuang thought, What a smiling tiger. This man is a hundred times harder to deal with than the Seventh Prince!

Audience with the Emperor, Discussion of Naming a Crown Prince

Emperor Xia had nine children in total, and Ninth Princess Xiao Minghuang was the youngest.

The First Prince had been born to a mortal woman, and he had been born with a crippled body. He had no possibility of cultivation in this life, so Emperor Xia had sent him away to the provinces at an early age and never paid him any heed.

After so many years, no one even knew whether he had died of old age.

The Second Prince, however, was different.

His mother was the daughter of King Wu'an.

King Wu'an possessed the cultivation of the Divine Sea Realm Eighth Layer.

Throughout all of Great Xia, aside from the Imperial Family Enshrined, King Wu'an had the highest cultivation and held an exalted position.

Thus, the Second Prince's status was exceptionally high. The court officials all flocked to him, and he had faintly assumed the bearing of a leader among all men. In his daily conduct, he even treated himself as the Crown Prince.

Apart from the Sixth Prince, all the other princes attached themselves to the Second Prince and bowed their heads before him.

Even setting aside the forces behind the Second Prince, his Qi Refining Realm peak cultivation alone was not something Xiao Minghuang could contend against.

"There is plenty of time ahead. Right now, I have Emperor Xia and the Old Ancestor protecting me. Even the Second Prince would not dare do anything to me."

Yet Xiao Minghuang knew such protection would not last forever. A flower raised in a greenhouse could not lead Great Xia to survive amid the chaos of the Southern Border.

Those high-level cultivators behind the Second Prince might fear the Old Ancestor's might and not dare strike openly, but hidden arrows and cold guns in the dark would never be few!

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Minghuang steadied herself and continued toward the Imperial Palace's main hall.

As she stopped outside the hall doors, a shrill voice came from within. It was Grand Eunuch Wang Jin, the very man who had gone to the Cold Palace to deliver the decree that day.

"Summon Ninth Princess Xiao Minghuang for an audience!"

Xiao Minghuang entered the hall and saw a middle-aged man seated above the steps. Clad in a Dragon Robe, solemn and majestic, he was Emperor Xia.

At his side stood the bent-backed, gray-haired, beardless old man—Grand Eunuch Wang Jin.

Other than them, there was no one else in the hall.

A pair of faintly appraising eyes fell upon her.

Sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations faintly emanating from Xiao Minghuang, a trace of surprise appeared in Emperor Xia's ancient-well-still pupils.

"In just two days, she has actually entered the Qi Refining Realm!"

Wang Jin was equally astonished. During Xiao Minghuang's battle with the Seventh Prince two days earlier, he had observed from the shadows.

At that time, the Ninth Princess had only been at the Body Tempering Ninth Layer. Yet after merely two days, she had actually broken through into the Qi Refining Realm!

"The medicinal potency of the Ascension Yuan Pill does not seem sufficient to break through an entire major realm, does it?"

Emperor Xia was puzzled, but he did not ask.

Inside the hall.

Xiao Minghuang took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Your daughter Xiao Minghuang greets Father Emperor!"

Emperor Xia said indifferently, "Dispense with these empty formalities. I summoned you here to tell you something."

"Half a year from now, the Imperial Palace will hold a grand competition. The final victor will be named Crown Prince."

At those words, Xiao Minghuang's pupils narrowed slightly. Emperor Xia had summoned her into the palace solely to inform her of this matter.

What signal did this convey?

Did he intend to name her Crown Prince?

Seeing her expression, Emperor Xia nodded. "You are correct. I do indeed intend to name you Crown Prince."

"But you are not the only one."

A trace of bewilderment appeared on Xiao Minghuang's stunning face.

"Great Xia moved into the Southern Border eight hundred years ago, yet the nations and sects of the Southern Border have never regarded Great Xia as one of their kind."

"They do not dare attack Great Xia openly because the Imperial Family has an Old Ancestor in the Spirit Seed Realm. Once that Spirit Seed Realm Old Ancestor passes away, the nations and sects will surely have no more scruples. Therefore, you do not have much time left."

"Half a year from now, whoever achieves final victory will become the next Emperor Xia!"

After saying this, Emperor Xia swept his sleeve, and Xiao Minghuang was blown out of the hall.

After steadying herself once more, Xiao Minghuang furrowed her delicate brows, contemplating Emperor Xia's words.

Although Emperor Xia had not stated it outright, an invisible sense of crisis permeated his words, as though something bad was about to happen.

"The only thing that could make Emperor Xia fearful would be a threat to Great Xia's realm and state. With the Old Ancestor of the Spirit Seed Realm present, what could Emperor Xia possibly be worried about?"

But in the next moment.

Xiao Minghuang thought of the old man she had seen in the Scripture Depository two days ago.

Her pupils contracted slightly. Combined with Emperor Xia's earlier words, an extremely terrifying thought suddenly arose in her heart.

"The Old Ancestor's life span is nearing its end!"

Otherwise, the Old Ancestor would not have suddenly appeared and bestowed the Earth-tier Cultivation Method he had hidden away for years upon her, nor would Emperor Xia have chosen the most outstanding heir in such a cruel manner.

With these somewhat heavy thoughts hidden in her heart, Xiao Minghuang returned home.

At noon today, an awkward misunderstanding had occurred between Xiao Minghuang and Ye Ruoshui. They should have let things cool down for a few more days, waited until both of them had mostly forgotten it, then begun a new life as though nothing had happened.

"I must raise my strength as soon as possible. The Second Prince will not show me mercy!"

Xiao Minghuang clenched her hand and walked toward Ye Ruoshui's room.

When she reached the door, she knocked, yet there was no response at all.

Xiao Minghuang spread out her spiritual sense, but did not discover Ye Ruoshui's aura in the room.

She expanded her spiritual sense to cover the residence and found traces of Ye Ruoshui in the cultivation chamber.

Xiao Minghuang arrived outside the cultivation chamber and quietly opened a crack in the door. She saw Ye Ruoshui's small figure sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room, her little face filled with determination.

"The little girl has really grown up. She knows to cultivate diligently now."

Xiao Minghuang sighed. She did not leave, but waited by the door while circulating her cultivation method.

After roughly half an hour, rustling sounds came from the cultivation chamber, and Ye Ruoshui emerged from within.

When Ye Ruoshui pushed open the door, she saw her Highness standing in the courtyard, slender and graceful, her eyes lightly closed and her entire body emanating an indescribably profound air.

But the feeling lasted only an instant before vanishing.

Xiao Minghuang opened her eyes and smiled. "Ruoshui, have you encountered any problems in your cultivation?"

Like a child caught stealing candy, Ye Ruoshui's face was full of embarrassment. She stammered, "Your Highness, this servant also wants to improve her cultivation so I can help Your Highness. This servant did not activate the formation in the cultivation chamber, so I will not waste Your Highness's spirit stones!"

Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang said helplessly, "You have not used even a single spirit stone I gave you, have you?"

Ye Ruoshui nodded obediently. "I am saving them for Your Highness. When Your Highness needs them, just come to me and take them."

Xiao Minghuang stepped forward, touched Ye Ruoshui's soft hair, and sighed softly:

"Silly child, those spirit stones were given to you so that you could use them. You may also use the cultivation chamber whenever you wish."

"I once said that you are like my younger sister. Is it not only natural for a younger sister to use her elder sister's things?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Ruoshui lifted her tear-filled face and suddenly threw herself into Xiao Minghuang's arms, bursting into loud sobs.

"Your... Your Highness, you are far too good to me!"

Xiao Minghuang wrapped her arms around Ye Ruoshui's soft back, gently stroking it as she said tenderly, "I treat you well because I like you!"

"Be good! Your sister has another precious pill to give you. You must not refuse it!"

Perhaps the words "I like you" had been too devastating. Ye Ruoshui seemed as though she had been pumped full of blood, immediately raising a hand to the heavens and swearing.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I will definitely not disappoint Your Highness's expectations!"

Seeing the little girl make such a solemn vow, Xiao Minghuang could not help smiling in relief.

So long as Ye Ruoshui was willing to cultivate diligently, even if her talent was extremely poor, Xiao Minghuang could use pills and spirit stones to pile her into a peerless powerhouse!

[Ding!]

[Detected that the host has successfully gifted an opportunity!]

[Congratulations, Host. A hundredfold critical compensation has been triggered. Obtained Ascension Yuan Pill ×100!]

Xiao Minghuang entered the cultivation chamber as the system's voice rang in her mind.

A hundredfold critical hit!

Delight flashed through her eyes.

It seemed her luck had truly been quite good lately. Not once had her several compensations been lower than a hundredfold.

Before the joy on her face could fade, the system's voice sounded again.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the host's number of gifts has met the requirements. Unlocking the Destiny Compass function!]

"What does that mean?"

Xiao Minghuang asked.

[If an opportunity exists within one hundred li of the host, the system compass will provide a prompt and guidance.]

[As the host gifts more opportunities, the range of the prompt will increase accordingly.]

After hearing the system's explanation, a look of delight appeared on Xiao Minghuang's stunning face.

This function was simply incredible!

Opportunities were called opportunities precisely because they were rare and difficult to encounter.

If an ordinary cultivator encountered one opportunity in an entire lifetime, they could benefit from it for half their life.

Even those born with immense fortune could not encounter opportunities at every moment.

The system could actually place opportunities directly before her. Though it was only effective within a hundred li, that was already extraordinarily powerful.

Not to mention that this range could continuously expand!

"A radius of one hundred li can practically cover the entire Great Xia Capital."

Xiao Minghuang's thoughts stirred, and she immediately asked:

"System, check whether there are any opportunities nearby?"