Spiral Ascension

The Cambrian Kingdom's capital, Chaoge City, lay in the heart of the basin outside the southwestern entrance to the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

During the Era of Dharma Decline, it had merely been a small village where displaced refugees gathered.

Only after the Tian Yuan Era did it begin to rise under the impetus of the Snow Flame Sect.

A hundred years ago, by taking on the Dao Alliance's talisman artifact-forging industry, it gradually developed into the capital of the Cambrian Kingdom.

Today's Chaoge City was filled with sword-riders streaming through the air, beast-riders stirring the wind, rolling morning clouds, and soaring auspicious qi.

Within the city, palaces, pavilions, lofty towers, Long Streets... every structure had been designed to be both majestic and exquisite, brimming with the fresh vitality of the Tian Yuan Era.

The Xiahou Dynasty's Imperial Palace stood within the central gardens of Chaoge City.

Layer upon layer rose into the heavens, like a garden suspended in the sky.

Mid-level of the Imperial Palace, Huaqing Palace.

Huaqing Palace had once been the Sleeping Palace of Consort Qing, the emperor's most beloved consort. It was vast and exceptionally beautiful.

After Consort Qing died, such an enormous Huaqing Palace felt far too empty for Princess Fei Yue alone.

Moreover, there were not many Palace Maids or eunuchs serving her, and the gardens of Huaqing Palace had gradually fallen into disrepair.

The garden was especially large. Weeds grew thick between the flagstones, and only the clear pool to the west was kept pristine.

By the clear pool.

A woman dressed as a palace maid pointed at a bundle of powder kegs and the chair tied to them, asking excitedly:

"Can this little bit of gunpowder... really make it fly?"

She had a lovely figure, slender as a bamboo stalk yet not without graceful charm. On her feet were delicate little red cloth shoes, and she wore a pale pink long dress that made her seem like an ordinary person.

Most of her delicate oval face was hidden beneath tasselled bangs. Her brows resembled distant misty hills, her eyes autumn waters, her round bun a crimson moon, and her fragrance that of a spirit musk deer.

She was none other than the one Xiao Bai had repeatedly tried to scam after transmigrating—

Princess Fei Yue!

The princess was breathtakingly beautiful, though her attire was not nearly noble enough. She looked like a maidservant.

As expected of Mu Yun's half-sister by the same father. One dressed like a Daoist acolyte, the other like a maidservant; they were cut from the same cloth.

Princess Mu Yun was genuinely young, but Princess Fei Yue was actually already over thirty.

Though she still looked like a young girl...

Over thirty and unmarried, yet still playful, fond of tinkering with all kinds of novel toys, and a little foolish—she was the very finest foolishly sweet innocent.

That was also why Xiao Bai had always wanted to scam Princess Fei Yue when he had first transmigrated.

Unfortunately, the Modifier had gone dark and failed to work.

At Fei Yue's side, the young eunuch responsible for making the powder kegs swore confidently:

"Please rest assured, Princess. Spirit talismans have been affixed to the side of the chair. It will definitely fly!"

"Spirit talismans again?"

Displeasure appeared on Fei Yue's face. Pouting like a stubborn child, she planted her hands on her hips and snapped indignantly:

"Are you mocking me for being unable to cultivate? How many times have I told you? No spirit talismans, only gunpowder—if there's enough of it, it will definitely fly!"

"Yes!"

The young eunuch had no choice but to remake it from scratch.

He used military-grade chain iron to bind ten powder kegs together, then wound five red ropes around the chair, enough to secure the princess's body.

Seeing that the brand-new version not only had more powder tubes, but also came with an additional safety rope, Princess Fei Yue was greatly pleased.

She excitedly sat in the chair.

She ordered the palace maid beside her to bind her up like a trussed crab, fastening her firmly to the chair.

Before setting off, she happily ate and drank her fill, lest she become a starving ghost.

Once everything was ready, Fei Yue stood proud and spirited, then swept out one hand—

"Light it!"

More than eighty powder tubes erupted in flames at once!

Sending the eighty-plus-jin princess soaring into the sky.

Unfortunately, the amount of gunpowder in each tube was not perfectly even, causing their burning rates to differ...

Thus, Princess Fei Yue underwent Spiral Ascension.

When she reached a thousand zhang, the powder kegs exploded with a thunderous blast—

Boom!

Bamboo powder tubes and broken wood flew everywhere, like fireworks in broad daylight.

Amid the falling embers, a blue floral umbrella drifted gently down.

The woman beneath it had an exploded mess of hair, a face blackened with soot, scorched-red ears, and a pink dress more than half torn apart...

Fortunately, she still wore a layer of black soft safety armor underneath.

The dishevelment of her body could not conceal the brilliant stars in her eyes.

The eunuch and palace maid dropped to their knees with a thud in terror.

"This servant deserves death!"

"This servant deserves death!"

"It's nothing."

Princess Fei Yue waved a hand.

Still brimming with excitement, she wiped the soot from her face, revealing a peerless beauty no palace maid could possibly possess.

"Eunuch Xiao Yan, you did very well. You may be rewarded one hundred taels of gold! However, the stability of the gunpowder's combustion must still be improved. Conduct more experiments, and I will have a new traveling palace."

The young eunuch was dumbfounded.

"Are you serious?"

Fei Yue nodded.

"Of course. I hate everything that has to be powered by spiritual energy."

The young eunuch had yet to recover from his fright.

"But without the ring protecting your body, you would have been in grave danger just now."

Fei Yue giggled and said calmly:

"You have to eat rice one bite at a time. I won't die."

The young eunuch remained kneeling by the pool, not daring to rise as he argued on reasonable grounds:

"But all things possess spirit. Without spiritual energy, there would be no True Origin Continent. Even mortals possess faint spiritual energy. When mortals push carts or carry loads, that too is driven by spirit and flesh. How could one possibly move things without spiritual energy?"

Just then, a cold and stern voice came from the main gate—

"How dare you speak to the princess like that!"

Upon hearing it, the young eunuch immediately knocked his head to the ground in fright, not daring to move.

"I rather like people who insist on getting to the bottom of things."

Fei Yue curled her lips and turned to glance over.

The newcomer was her maternal cousin-uncle, Shangguan Qun, who held the office of Palace Attendant Imperial Censor.

He possessed a gentle and refined bearing and appearance, with the air of impeccable etiquette.

"Although the Dao Alliance's talisman artifacts have already come close to what I want, they're too expensive and require specially assigned personnel and equipment. Too troublesome."

"All of you, leave."

Shangguan Qun dismissed the eunuch and palace maid, then turned to Fei Yue.

"You're playing wilder and wilder."

Fei Yue put aside her playful mood and casually asked:

"What brings you here, Uncle?"

Shangguan Qun said:

"In three days, the Snow Flame Sect will hold the Pill Elder's Partner Recognition Ceremony. I have already informed Sect Leader Master Chun Xiao that you will attend on behalf of the Imperial Palace."

Fei Yue's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

"Does such a trivial matter really require the Imperial Palace's attendance? Why aren't my two imperial brothers going? Are you using this to amuse yourself at my expense?"

Shangguan Qun smiled.

"I thought you missed Princess Mu Yun."

Fei Yue shook her head.

"Her cultivation talent is too high, and she's proud. I don't like her."

Shangguan Qun said:

"I thought you were the one who helped Princess Mu Yun go to Hundred Herbs Peak back then?"

"I sent her away precisely because I dislike her, so she wouldn't be riding on my head sooner or later."

Fei Yue answered perfunctorily, then thought for a moment and asked curiously:

"I hear that Pill Elder is very beautiful. I wonder what kind of Dao companion she would choose."

Shangguan Qun said:

"Rumor has it that he is a handsome young menial."

"Just how handsome must he be?"

Fei Yue was somewhat surprised, then stretched lazily.

"That elder is really interesting. I should bring some fun toys as gifts... Fine, I'll go. While I'm there, I can pick up some new toys from the Snow Flame Sect's Artifact Forging Peak."

"You're still thinking about playing..."

Shangguan Qun was somewhat helpless.

Unexpectedly, Fei Yue's expression suddenly darkened. Her eyes flashed like lightning as she said coldly:

"And next time, don't make decisions for me again, Imperial Censor Shangguan."

Shangguan Qun's aged face darkened. He was badly startled and could only bow with clasped hands.

"Yes, Princess."