The Plum Takes the Peach's Place

"Which princess?"

"Of course, Her Highness Grand Princess Miaoxuan!"

"Is that true? Don't go spreading nonsense about something like this."

"How would I dare speak carelessly? That's what a fellow soldier who came over today to change shifts said. Rumors about any other princess would be one thing, but who would dare spread rumors about Her Highness the Grand Princess, even with nine heads on their shoulders?"

Everyone knew that after the Great Gan Emperor Li Haotian ascended the throne, his severe injuries never healed. Plagued by hidden ailments, he had only one daughter; all his other children had been adopted.

Grand Princess Li Miaoxuan had entered the tutelage of the Sect Leader of the Lingxu Sect, the foremost sect of the Great Gan Dynasty, at a young age. With the talent of a Heavenly Human and hopes of becoming a Grandmaster, many had speculated that she might become the Great Gan Dynasty's first Empress. Yet now, she was actually getting married!

"Do you know which honored man has been blessed with such fortune?"

"Apparently, he's from a collateral branch of the Great Gan imperial Li Family. Go back six generations, and one of his ancestors was also a prince."

Gu Yuanqing heard no more after that. News of Li Miaoxuan's marriage had thrown his mind into turmoil.

"She... was getting married?"

Gu Yuanqing was stunned.

"But she was wholly devoted to pursuing the great Dao of immortality. She had even said that once I became a Grandmaster, I could go to the Lingxu Sect to find her. How could news of her grand wedding arrive after only one day?"

He took a deep breath, calming himself and refusing to let his emotions sway his thoughts.

"Li Miaoxuan is a Grandmaster. If she is unwilling, who could force her? There must be something here that I do not know. Besides, what connection does she truly have with me? Nothing more than guilt, admiration, and gratitude tangled together."

As the sun slowly rose, Gu Yuanqing cast aside the distracting thoughts in his heart and immersed himself in Mountain Observation.

Great Gan Imperial Palace.

In the main hall of the residence where Li Miaoxuan had once lived, in the rear garden.

The Great Gan Emperor Li Haotian sat above. Xu Lianying stood to one side with a wet nurse holding a three-month-old infant in her arms.

A woman who resembled Li Miaoxuan by seventy percent knelt below the hall. Dressed in palace robes and adorned with golden ornaments, she kept her head lowered, not daring to look up even once.

"Remember this. From now on, your name is Li Miaoxuan. You are the Grand Princess of my Great Gan Dynasty. You cultivated in the Lingxu Sect from childhood, and this time, you returned to the capital after failing to break through your realm and damaging your foundation," Li Haotian said in a deep voice.

"This servant understands."

"You should refer to yourself as your daughter."

"Your daughter understands."

"In ten months, you will give birth to a son. It will be him!" Li Haotian raised a hand and pointed at the infant in the wet nurse's arms.

The woman looked up at the child, then hastily lowered her head again. "This serv—your daughter understands."

"You will guard this secret for the rest of your life. Should it ever be exposed, not only you, but your parents, your clansmen, and everyone connected to you will all die without burial grounds!"

The woman trembled all over and knocked her head against the floor. "This servant will certainly keep this matter strictly guarded and never dare reveal a single word."

Li Haotian nodded slightly, rose to his feet, and said blandly, "Chief Attendant, I leave the rest to you. This concerns the face of my Great Gan Dynasty. There can be no mistakes."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, this matter will be foolproof. It is only Prince Qing's side that may require Your Majesty to personally offer a few words of instruction."

In a two-courtyard residence on the eastern street of the imperial city, guests thronged the gates and distinguished friends filled every seat.

"Brother Li, congratulations! From now on, we'll have to call you the Imperial Son-in-Law."

"And no ordinary Imperial Son-in-Law at that. You were personally chosen by His Majesty! His Majesty has only one biological daughter, Princess Miaoxuan. Perhaps she may one day ascend the grand ceremony and become Empress. When that time comes, Brother Li, you'll stand below one person and above ten thousand!"

Reeking of wine, Li Kangwen had never dreamed that such good fortune would fall upon him. That was Princess Miaoxuan, a favored child of heaven, while he was merely an imperial clansman of the Li Family beyond the fifth degree of kinship. Smiling broadly, he said, "Not at all, not at all. It is merely His Majesty's favor."

At the foot of North Spring Mountain.

Chen Chuanshan stared blankly at the mountain peak. He had guarded this place for a long time, yet today, North Spring Mountain suddenly felt somewhat unfamiliar. But upon closer inspection, the mountain was still the same mountain.

Perhaps the only change was that the trees on the mountain seemed more lush than in previous years, their leaves greener as well.

As he pondered this, one of his lieutenants hurried over, dropped to one knee, and cupped his fists. "General, something has happened! Demonic Qi is seeping out from the Cave. Three soldiers guarding the scene have died, while two have had Demonic Qi enter their bodies, lost their reason, and gone mad with ferocity."

"What?" Chen Chuanshan's expression instantly turned grave. Demonic Qi seeping out meant there was a problem with the Seal. If the Seal shattered completely and the Demon Realm Passage opened wide, the Living Beings across hundreds of miles would become blood food for Demons.

Most crucially, this place was only six hundred li from the royal capital!

He had no time for further words. Deploying his Movement Technique, he raced toward the Cave.

On the mountaintop, Gu Yuanqing did not notice the commotion below. At this moment, he was immersed in the Spiritual Mountain Trial.

Today, he seemed to have become a battle-crazed devil. Whenever he recovered his mind, he would enter it again. In the span of a single day, he had fought at least twenty people.

The Big Dipper Seven Swords, the Wind and Rain Sword Art, the Returning Wind Blowing Snow Sword Technique, and many other sword arts—he had crossed blades with nearly every kind.

These battles rapidly improved his experience, while his sword arts were continuously refined. Under the Empowerment of his peerlessly unrivaled Comprehension and extraordinary sword Dao talent, every sword his opponents wielded and every application of their moves became nourishment for his growth.

By dusk, he could steadily suppress those at the True Martial Sixth Layer and exchange more than a dozen moves with those at the Profound Martial Seventh Layer.

When he emerged from the Spiritual Mountain Trial once more, Gu Yuanqing immediately sensed the difference from yesterday the moment he grasped the Kunwu Sword.

With just a few light swings, the Kunwu Sword no longer seemed like a sword, but an extension of his arm. It was an incomparably profound sensation of the sword Dao.

The middle-aged woman brought him food. As Gu Yuanqing ate alone, he suddenly recalled the woman who had sat across from him the day before yesterday.

After a brief silence, he picked up the wine jar beside him, poured himself a large bowl, and tipped his head back to drain it.

Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, Gu Yuanqing rested briefly before taking out the Kunwu Sword and practicing in the courtyard. Only this could keep his heart from dwelling on anything else.

Under the moonlight, Sword Shadows flickered, stirring gale after gale that made the trees in the courtyard rustle. Suddenly, both Gu Yuanqing's Movement Technique and sword art changed. Seen before one moment, gone behind the next, he had fused the Great Yi Illusionary Sky Steps into them.

When the sword routine ended, Gu Yuanqing stood in the courtyard with his longsword in hand. All the insights from today's battles poured into his heart, transforming into strands upon strands of Sword Intent that continuously gathered. The Sword Intent that had been no more than an embryonic form grew wildly under their nourishment.

In the end, as though breaking through its shackles, Sword Qi shot into the heavens!

Birds took flight in alarm, beasts panicked, and even the chirping insects in the mountains fell silent in an instant.

The old man in the side courtyard abruptly turned his head, his heart-stricken shock plain upon his face!