Qi Zhaoyue and Ye Luoxue's conversation, the trump card

The Great Yu Dynasty.

The imperial capital, the eldest princess's residence.

Inside the study, sandalwood incense curled through the tranquil air.

Qi Zhaoyue, eldest princess of the Great Yu Dynasty, sat in a red sandalwood chair, holding a white jade teacup and taking a light sip.

The tea was clear and emerald green, giving off a faint fragrance, but Qi Zhaoyue's thoughts were clearly not on it.

Her gaze rested beyond the window, her eyes unfathomable, her thoughts unknown.

Just then, the study door was gently pushed open.

Ye Luoxue walked in. She had changed out of her armor, soaked with sweat and traces of passion, and put on a close-fitting black outfit. Her hair had also been tied up again...

She had returned to her usual appearance as the coldly beautiful, decisive Blood Princess General.

Only a barely perceptible blush still lingered on her cheeks.

"Your Highness."

She walked up to Qi Zhaoyue and knelt on one knee.

Hearing her, Qi Zhaoyue slowly withdrew her gaze and turned it upon Ye Luoxue.

She looked Ye Luoxue up and down. "Good. You've already reached the Ninth Realm, the Dragon Transformation Realm."

"It was all thanks to your nurturing, Your Highness."

Ye Luoxue kept her head lowered, her voice respectful.

At her words, Qi Zhaoyue set down her white jade teacup, stood, and walked over to help her up.

"Never mind nurturing. It's enough that you don't hate me..."

Qi Zhaoyue looked at Ye Luoxue with a trace of apology in her eyes. "I've put you through an ordeal."

"Your Highness!"

Ye Luoxue looked at Qi Zhaoyue and shook her head, her gaze resolute. "As long as it helps you, Your Highness, I'm willing to do anything."

"Besides..."

As though trying to ease Qi Zhaoyue's concern, Ye Luoxue broke into a rare smile.

"Who knows how many female cultivators in this world would long in vain for a chance to have their cultivation soar like this?"

"How could I blame you for giving me such an opportunity, Your Highness?"

Most of what Ye Luoxue said was, in fact, sincere.

At first, she had indeed felt immense resistance and shame.

But when she truly experienced the benefits of the Divine Yang Sacred Physique's origin essence entering her body, when she felt her cultivation soar overnight and break through to the Dragon Transformation Realm she had dreamed of...

All that resistance and shame had all but vanished like smoke and clouds.

Ye Luoxue understood very well.

In this cultivation world, strength was everything.

Paying a price to grow stronger was nothing at all.

What's more, that price did not seem nearly as difficult to accept as she had imagined. On the contrary, it was a little...

Seeing Ye Luoxue press her lips together, Qi Zhaoyue already understood what she was thinking.

Qi Zhaoyue gave an almost imperceptible nod of satisfaction.

Then she extended her right hand and lightly touched Ye Luoxue's palm.

"Hum-"

A soft white light flashed, and the next moment, a lifelike, flawless white lotus mark appeared on Ye Luoxue's palm.

"This mark is connected to the Lotus Grotto-Heaven. It can be activated four times a month."

Qi Zhaoyue withdrew her hand and looked at Ye Luoxue. "I know what you're thinking now. Having tasted the marrow, you crave its flavor..."

"Y-Your Highness!"

Ye Luoxue wanted to explain, but having had her thoughts exposed by Qi Zhaoyue in a single remark, she felt a little guilty.

Qi Zhaoyue merely smiled and shook her head. "No need to explain. I understand."

"I was the same after my first time. I wished I could seek out Xu Changsheng every day, wished I could squeeze every last drop of Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin essence out of him."

Qi Zhaoyue spoke with complete candor, without the slightest reserve.

After all, there had long been no secrets between her and Ye Luoxue.

They were mistress and servant, but even more than that, they were sisters who shared life and death.

"However..."

Qi Zhaoyue changed tack, her tone turning serious:

"If you bite off too much, you won't be able to chew it."

"Though the Divine Yang Sacred Physique's origin essence is wondrous, it still takes time to refine it slowly."

"So go to Xu Changsheng once every seven days, after you've fully refined the Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin essence in your body."

Ye Luoxue nodded and said respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness."

Qi Zhaoyue gave a slight nod. "You may go."

"It's time to get things started with the Divine Maiden Sect, too. I've already had someone draft the announcement. Go oversee this matter personally."

"Make sure news of the Divine Maiden Sect's recruitment spreads throughout the entire Great Yu Dynasty within three days."

"Yes."

Ye Luoxue cupped her hands once more and turned to leave.

"One more thing."

Just as Ye Luoxue was about to step over the study's threshold, Qi Zhaoyue suddenly reminded her:

"Before you've fully refined the Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin essence in your body, remember to seal it properly with spiritual power. Otherwise, if it accidentally leaks out and someone discovers it..."

Though Qi Zhaoyue had not finished speaking, Ye Luoxue still instinctively pictured that scene.

After all, she had seen it with her own eyes last night.

Ye Luoxue's cheeks instantly flushed. "I'll remember, Your Highness."

Once again, Qi Zhaoyue was alone in the study, the sandalwood incense unchanged.

The smile on Qi Zhaoyue's face had vanished, replaced by an unfathomable expression.

"Now everything is ready..."

She picked up the teacup from the table but did not drink again. Her gaze fell upon her own reflection in the tea, her eyes sharp as swords.

"I wonder whether establishing the Divine Maiden Sect this time will draw any true heaven's chosen?"

"However..."

Qi Zhaoyue murmured to herself, "Compared to the heaven's chosen, it seems I should pay more attention to who will reach out their claws!"

Qi Zhaoyue understood very well that although establishing the Divine Maiden Sect this time would bring in some promising seedlings worthy of her notice, spies from other factions would certainly be mixed among them.

After all, formally establishing a sect meant she had her sights on imperial power.

No one would want another rival in the struggle for the throne.

Even if that rival was a woman, even if no woman had ever become emperor in the thirty thousand years since the Great Yu Dynasty's founding.

"Heh!"

As Qi Zhaoyue thought about it, an icy smile curled at the corner of her lips.

She raised her hand and waved it lightly.

Clang-!

A clear sword cry rang out. The White Lotus Heavenly Heart, one of the Great Yu Dynasty's ten renowned swords, abruptly left its sheath on the wall and landed in Qi Zhaoyue's hand.

The White Lotus Heavenly Heart's blade was white as jade, carved with intricate lotus patterns and giving off a faint chill.

"What a pity!"

"You'll never guess what trump card I hold!"

Qi Zhaoyue was utterly confident that no trouble would arise in the Divine Maiden Sect.

After all, if the spies sent in lacked sufficient talent, she could not possibly let them come into contact with Xu Changsheng.

Those with poor aptitude would only waste the Divine Yang Sacred Physique's origin essence.

And if a spy's aptitude caught her eye, then Qi Zhaoyue believed that no woman could resist the temptation of Xu Changsheng's Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin essence.

After all, this was not merely an increase in cultivation. It also represented a path leading to the heavens.

Ten thousand years ago, the first female Immortal Lord had attained the Dao by relying on the Divine Yang Sacred Physique.

Who would not want to follow that same path and become the next "immortal," transcending all things in the world, with eternity in a single thought?

"Come!"

"No matter how many come, none are destined to return!"

Qi Zhaoyue gave a cold laugh and no longer dwelled on it.

She sat cross-legged and closed her eyes, continuing to refine the Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin essence sealed within her body and consolidate her Eleventh Realm cultivation.