Princess Ling'an had begun to show her talent in recent years, which attracted many capable people from outside the Capital City.
If she were to acquire someone as extraordinary as Ye Li... the consequences... the Eldest Princess didn't even dare to think about it!
She then realized that she had underestimated the other party, treating the dignified Third Princess of the Great Sheng Dynasty as a spoiled and willful younger sister, which was indeed an incredibly foolish act!
The Eldest Princess struggled to steady her breathing and could only start to sort out her thoughts from the beginning before gradually realizing that something was wrong.
If Ling An truly knew Ye Li's abilities, would she really stop because of her persuasion?
I'm afraid not!
Even the most foolish person, after getting involved in the Martial Dao, should know what it means to reach the peak of the Domain Lord level at the age of nineteen!
But... if the reason for not going to Dragon Pool was out of caution towards her elder sister, fearing that alerting Ye Li would expose him, then that's actually quite plausible.
If that's the case, then it can only be said that her younger sister took the right precautions.
While ordinary geniuses might not be enough to alarm the Great Sheng Eldest Princess, a nineteen-year-old at the peak of the Dao Evolution Realm definitely has the qualifications!
"No matter what, we have to do something!"
The Eldest Princess felt a chill run down her spine. A cold and resolute killing intent flashed across her body and vanished in an instant, but the deep-seated solemnity and apprehension in her eyes remained unyielding.
She gripped Cao Ming's secret report Jade Slip tightly in her hand, as if she were holding the ethereal destiny of the Great Sheng National Fortune. She no longer cared about the Vajra Buddhist Disciple, the face of the Great Brahma Palace, or the Spirit Tea spilled on the table.
Her sharpened gaze swept over the royal guards standing like shadows outside the palace, and the Eldest Princess's voice carried an unprecedented authority and unquestionable tone:
"Pass on the order!"
"Summon the archives department of the Nine Luminaries Division to locate Ye Li of Longtan Grand Commandery as quickly as possible! I need to know where he is right now and where he's going next! Not a single clue can be overlooked!"
"From this moment forward, all intelligence concerning this Deputy General of Longtan must be sent to me for review. This matter is classified as top secret, and it must not pass through the hands of a second person without my permission!"
She did not doubt the authenticity of the secret report.
Cao Ming was her trusted confidant whom she had personally placed in the Xianjing Continent. His vision and loyalty were beyond question. She dared to use such an astonishing evaluation as "becoming an immortal and an ancestor," and even went so far as to report it to the emperor in secret!
This matter is... 99% true!
But honestly, she absolutely did not believe that Ling An had the ability to recognize talent, nor did she believe that the other party had the ability to control such a true dragon!
This must have been a complete coincidence, a stroke of luck for Ling'an, that such an extraordinary person just happened to emerge from her newly acquired Dragon Pool forces.
More importantly...
In any case, Ye Li was now nominally Ling An's "follower," and the Eldest Princess desperately needed this reason to convince herself so that she could carry out her plan in an orderly manner.
Whether it was truly just a lucky guess or not... that's actually not that important.
Yes, no one can remain calm in the face of such an unreasonable prodigy. Moreover, it would be an incredibly foolish decision to give up the right to personally recruit such a hero just to be wary of her, her elder sister!
My younger sister is not worthy of such a prodigy. Such an opportunity would only be a waste if it fell into her hands, and might even bring disaster to the Great Sheng!
The Eldest Princess made her decision almost instantly:
We must find an opportunity to completely separate Ye Li from Ling An's good-for-nothing sister! We absolutely cannot allow Ling An to have the chance to deepen her bond with Ye Li!
After giving the order, the Eldest Princess slowly sat back in her chair, but her back remained ramrod straight, without relaxing in the slightest.
She opened her palm, looking at the Jade Slip that carried a shocking secret and whose edges were already cracked, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold lines on it.
A nineteen-year-old domain lord... the Child of Destiny... destined to become an immortal...
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her pounding heart.
However, Ye Li's extraordinary talent and the potentially dangerous relationship between him and the Third Princess weighed heavily on her heart like two enormous mountains.
"Ye Li..."
After all the attendants outside the hall had obeyed and left, she uttered the name softly. Her voice was exceptionally clear in the empty and quiet Wude Hall, carrying a hint of indescribable complexity.
Because of this person's sudden emergence, the things that need to be considered have suddenly become countless!
Who exactly is he? And whose side will he choose next?
Everything was unknown. The Eldest Princess felt as if she had returned to the night before her Father Emperor ascended the throne when she was young. She felt like she was walking on thin ice, and if she was not careful, she would end up with nothing!
But it is precisely in such critical moments that a person's true character is revealed.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her turbulent emotions, and gathered a wisp of pure Yuan energy at her fingertips, gently brushing it across the Jade Slip.
The tiny crack slowly healed in the Heguang, Jade Slip returned to its original state, as if the shock and disarray from before had never happened.
The flickering candlelight in the hall cast the Eldest Princess's figure onto the huge screen, and that figure seemed to be shrouded in a heavy and imposing shadow.
Knowing their whereabouts is far from enough; we must act quickly to have any chance of making amends.
She picked up the jade brush and, without hesitation, began to write on a blank edict:
"Ye Li, a deputy commander of Longtan Grand Commandery, was promoted to the position of deputy commander of the Imperial Dragon Guard, a rank equivalent to that of a prefect. He was exceptionally promoted to the capital and granted a First-Class Residence in the capital."
"In recognition of his outstanding achievement in winning the Jade Mountain championship, he is granted special permission to enter the [Great Sheng Heavenly Pavilion] to select Cultivation Method and martial arts skills. The necessary cultivation resources will be supplied by the Nine Luminaries Division Inner Treasury at three times the highest standard..."
As the Eldest Princess took action, the appointments in the imperial edicts gradually became outrageous, eventually evolving to a level that would leave anyone speechless.
This promotion is nothing short of a rocket launch!
[Great Sheng Heavenly Pavilion] is an official treasure land that even Venerables covet. It has buried countless arrogant rogue cultivators who want to come and take what they want. The Nine Luminaries Division provides three times the resources of the highest standard, which can even satisfy the Dao Evolution Realm Domain Lords to the point of being stuffed!
However, looking at this edict that exuded an aura of nobility, the Eldest Princess still lacked confidence, her eyes deep and thoughtful.
She knew that such favors alone might not be enough to completely win over the heart of this extraordinary genius.
She needs to demonstrate greater sincerity, a broader perspective, and address the root cause of the problem... a sacrifice that would be painful for her.
She carefully put away the imperial edict and the Jade Slip, placed them on the table, and gently tapped them, producing a crisp and rhythmic sound.
The Spirit Tea that had been splashed earlier had long since been evaporated by her invisible energy, leaving no trace whatsoever.
For a moment, the only sound in the hall was her breathing, which had returned to normal.
Soon, a report about Ye Li's whereabouts arrived.
The above shows that this deputy general of Longtan is still highly active in the county recently, busy dealing with various Demonic Calamity.
"Very good."
The Eldest Princess sighed silently, then waved away the guards and quickly made her decision. "In that case, I will personally go to the Immortal Dragon Pool!"
As she spoke, she rose from the hall, her phoenix eyes gleaming with ambition, and an aura of sharpness emanating from her, as if she could control the entire situation!
He thought to himself.
Ling'an! Please don't blame me for being despicable!
You simply can't understand how to use such an unparalleled genius!!