Easy!
Unexpectedly easy!
Ji Zining had been a little nervous and curious before undergoing her tribulation, but once it actually began, she discovered that it was remarkably easy.
She even felt that the heavenly tribulation had ended before she had a chance to use her full strength.
The Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation had consisted of twenty-seven bolts of tribulation lightning in all, and Ji Zining was left wanting more.
It was just a little regrettable that she hadn't practiced a Body Refining Cultivation Method, leaving all that lightning to dissipate and go to waste.
Ji Zining's voice echoed through Flowing Moon City, making the cultivators, who were already stunned, question their entire lives.
That was it?
She called that "it"?!
That tribulation lightning had been so terrifying, yet all Ji Zining had to say about it was "that was it"?
Any one of those lightning bolts could have killed a Golden Core Realm cultivator!
Chen Qingqian wore a somewhat peculiar expression.
"Husband, don't you think Ning'er is a little... unbridled?"
Ji Chenkong gave an unruly smile.
"When you have the strength, it's being unbridled. Without the strength, it's just arrogance!"
"Our Ning'er has the strength, so why can't she be unbridled?"
Chen Qingqian thought it over carefully and nodded in agreement.
"What you say makes perfect sense, husband. Indeed, when you have the strength, you should be a little unbridled!"
"Besides, our Ning'er is just at the age when she should be letting herself shine."
"If she isn't unbridled at this age, she won't have the spirit for it when she's older."
Ji Chenkong nodded.
"That's right."
Behind them, the many guards and palace maids abruptly came to their senses when they heard what the two had said.
After exchanging glances, they offered their congratulations in unison.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The eldest princess has made a mighty breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm, adding to our dynasty's prestige!"
"..."
Their voices thundered and resounded through the clouds.
The cultivators of Flowing Moon City wore complicated expressions when they heard the congratulations coming from the imperial palace.
The Flowing Moon Dynasty was truly going to rise!
In a courtyard.
The powerhouses who had gone to pay their respects to Ji Chenkong together earlier had gathered, gazing at Ji Zining in the sky with the feeling that they had narrowly escaped disaster.
If the eldest princess hadn't recovered, they would have died today.
But now that the eldest princess's cultivation talent had returned, wasn't it far too heaven-defying?
What kind of physique had she awakened earlier?
It had triggered one hundred and eight phenomena, something never seen before.
They had a premonition that Ji Zining's name would surely shake the Eastern Domain before long!
In the sky.
Ji Zining glanced at the dispersing tribulation clouds. Suddenly finding them dull, she shook her head and descended.
Having successfully undergone her tribulation, she was now a Golden Core Realm cultivator.
With such strength, she already counted as an expert in the Flowing Moon Dynasty.
The strongest members of some Lineages were only at this realm.
And she had reached this level of cultivation after spending just one day cultivating.
The Exquisite Immortal Physique truly was extraordinary!
The moment Ji Zining's feet touched the ground, she felt a sense of security wash over her.
Ji Zining didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
After standing on the ground for so long, she never felt quite secure when she flew. That wouldn't do; she would have to get used to it gradually.
Once her cultivation rose, being unable to get used to flying would be as good as being half-crippled.
Ji Zining came up to Ji Chenkong and Chen Qingqian and cupped her hands.
"Greetings, Father, Mother!"
Ji Chenkong looked Ji Zining over and nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Your foundations are deep and solid, without the slightest hint of instability."
"It seems you tempered your foundation before breaking through. That's a good habit."
"A cultivator's foundation is the most important thing of all. You must never neglect it."
Hearing this, Ji Zining gave a sheepish smile.
If the white-haired young man hadn't reminded her, she wouldn't have been able to resist breaking through to the next realm first.
Fortunately, she had stopped the damage in time and hadn't made a grave mistake.
It seemed that when she broke through to a major realm in the future, she would also need to firm up her foundation before making the breakthrough.
Ji Chenkong gave Chen Qingqian an amused look and smiled.
"Your strength has already surpassed your mother's. That's dealt her quite a blow!"
After saying that, Ji Chenkong secretly chuckled to himself.
Chen Qingqian rolled her eyes at Ji Chenkong and spoke through clenched teeth.
"Don't even think about getting into my bed tonight. How dare you expose my shortcomings!"
Ji Chenkong's smile froze when he heard that.
Hearing their conversation, Ji Zining was somewhat speechless. She glanced at the guards and palace maids behind them, who had their heads lowered as though they hadn't heard a thing.
They looked as though they hadn't heard anything, but Ji Zining didn't believe they had really heard nothing.
"Could you two please be a little more mindful of appearances?"
They were the ruler and queen, after all, and Ji Zining didn't know how they could say such things in public without embarrassment.
Hearing this, Ji Chenkong turned around and glared fiercely at the guards and palace maids.
"Enjoying the show? All of you, get lost! It's the middle of the night. What are you doing here watching the commotion?"
The guards and palace maids all looked aggrieved. After shrinking back, they hurried away.
Really, the ruler had been scolded himself, yet he took it out on them.
The ruler was taking it out on them, so what could they do?
They could only bear it in silence. They made their living in the imperial palace, after all.
The ruler usually treated them well, and their benefits were good too. That was their only consolation at the moment.
Watching the guards and palace maids run off in all directions, Ji Zining sighed.
Weren't they the ruler and queen?
Why did she feel they were so unreliable?
They had seemed quite reliable before...
Chen Qingqian pulled her hand free from Ji Chenkong's grasp, came over to Ji Zining, and smiled gently.
"Ning'er, let's go. Pay your father no mind. We'll go talk about some private matters between women."
Hearing this, Ji Zining felt her head ache even more.
Why talk about private matters between women in the middle of the night?
Ji Chenkong looked somewhat helpless.
"All right, I was wrong. Both of you, calm down. I still have something important to discuss."
Chen Qingqian snorted and turned her head away without speaking.
Although she said nothing, she didn't mention taking Ji Zining away again.
She could still tell the difference between fooling around and serious business.
"Something important?"
Ji Zining raised an eyebrow.
Could it be that matter?
Ji Chenkong pointed toward Ji Zining's hall ahead and said gravely,
"Let's talk inside. This is something you need to decide for yourself, Ning'er. Whatever you choose, we'll respect your decision."
With that, he headed toward the hall.
Chen Qingqian nodded to Ji Zining, then followed close behind him.
Ji Zining watched the two of them from behind, the premonition in her heart growing stronger and stronger.
She took a deep breath and walked toward the hall as well.
Inside the hall, the three sat cross-legged.
Ji Chenkong looked at Ji Zining and pondered briefly.
"Ning'er, what I want to tell you about is news I just received."
"Ziwei Holy Land, the strongest force in our Eastern Domain, has announced that in three days-no, I should say in two days."
"In two days, they will once again begin their disciple recruitment ceremony, which is held once every ten years."
At this point, Ji Chenkong looked a little puzzled.
"It's only been three years since they last recruited disciples. I don't know why they've moved it up by seven years."
"What I want to ask is whether you're willing to take part in this disciple recruitment ceremony."
Hearing this, Ji Zining said to herself that it was just as she had expected.
It really was that matter!
The white-haired young man had told her earlier that they had already announced that the disciple recruitment ceremony would begin in three days,
As the ruler of a nation, it was no surprise to Ji Zining that Ji Chenkong had learned the news so quickly.
But was she willing to go?
Their patriarch came to invite me in person and even brought a greeting gift. It really would be hard to justify not going.
Ji Zining composed herself and chuckled softly.
"There's no need to say any more, Father. I'll set out for Ziwei Holy Land at daybreak today!"