Qi Zhaoyue's plans: a thousand gold for horse bones

"Something to do with Elder Zhu Xiaoliang?"

Meng Weiyi lowered her eyes, her long lashes concealing the look in them.

Her red nails unconsciously rubbed the golden phoenix bathed in flames embroidered on her cuff as she pondered.

Beside her, Xu Qingci remained composed, as though this matter had nothing whatsoever to do with her.

Fanyin's large golden eyes, meanwhile, were filled with bewilderment.

She seemed not to remember who Zhu Xiaoliang was, much less understand what these things her master had suddenly brought up had to do with her.

Qi Zhaoyue slowly rose to her feet, her sumptuous red-and-gold dress trailing along the floor. As she walked, the golden phoenix embroidered on its hem shimmered with flowing colors.

She came before the three of them, her cool, world-weary gaze sweeping lightly across their faces.

"Apart from Fanyin, I imagine you both know perfectly well how my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds over these past ten years..."

Qi Zhaoyue spoke calmly. "From the mere seventh realm golden core realm ten years ago, I stepped straight into the eleventh-realm celestial person realm."

Meng Weiyi and Xu Qingci both nodded at her words.

This news had long since spread throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, and even several neighboring countries had heard of it.

After all, the speed of Qi Zhaoyue's advancement was the greatest in the thirty thousand years since the Great Yu Dynasty's founding. None before her had matched it, and likely few after her ever would.

Countless people were speculating...

Had she obtained some inheritance from High Antiquity? Or had she acquired some heaven-defying heavenly materials and earthly treasures?

In fact, were it not for the deterrence of Great Yu's emperor, Qi Tianqi, a mighty thirteenth realm dao integration cultivator;

And Qi Zhaoyue's master, Bai Yuqiong, the Daoist Earth Sect's leader at the peak of the twelfth realm...

Who knew how many factions would have cast aside all shame and sent people to seize Qi Zhaoyue, forcing her to reveal the secret behind her rapid advancement?

Rather than infiltrating the Divine Maiden Sect with large numbers of spies, as they did now.

Watching the two women ponder, Qi Zhaoyue continued, her words shattering stone and startling the heavens:

"Meng Weiyi, Xu Qingci..."

"You both possess outstanding aptitude, and your looks are also... your looks won't be rejected. That is why I value you so highly. I need you both to improve your cultivation as quickly as possible, so that you might be able to help me in the future."

"Therefore, I can tell you the secret behind my rapid advancement."

"In fact..."

"I can also let your cultivation advance just as quickly as mine did back then."

"In ten to twenty years at most, you too can enter the eleventh-realm celestial person realm and gain a long lifespan of a thousand years."

"What?!"

At Qi Zhaoyue's words, Meng Weiyi's pupils widened slightly. She instinctively raised a hand to cover her mouth, her eyes filled with incredulous shock.

Meng Weiyi could not understand...

Her Highness the Eldest Princess, Qi Zhaoyue, had actually said she was willing to share this monumental secret.

After all, this was a secret that could make someone's cultivation soar as though riding the clouds! It surely had to involve heavenly materials and earthly treasures!

And heavenly materials and earthly treasures were bound to be extremely scarce, not an inexhaustible supply.

One would worry there was not enough for oneself, so how could one possibly share with others?

That was precisely why every faction under heaven assumed Qi Zhaoyue would never reveal this secret.

Yet what had happened?

She had joined the Divine Maiden Sect less than three days ago and had not even rendered any service, yet she already had a chance to receive such a heaven-defying fortuitous opportunity?

How could she not be shocked? How could she not be thrilled?!

Compared to Meng Weiyi, Xu Qingci beside her was not quite so excited, but...

A distinct flicker of surprise likewise crossed her habitually indifferent eyes.

Xu Qingci was merely placid by nature and placed little importance on cultivation, wanting only to read without restraint.

But!

Precisely because she had read enough books, Xu Qingci understood the rules of this cultivation world all too clearly:

Strength was the sole boundary of freedom!

Moreover...

The thousand-year lifespan of the eleventh-realm celestial person realm, or even the long three thousand years of the twelfth realm, was something she...

Or any cultivator in the world, for that matter, found irresistibly tempting.

However, Xu Qingci soon composed herself.

Every gift of fate has its price marked in secret. I wonder what Her Highness Zhaoyue...

Thinking this,

Xu Qingci raised her head and looked at Qi Zhaoyue, waiting for her to continue.

Qi Zhaoyue ignored Meng Weiyi, instead looking at Xu Qingci and the searching look in her eyes.

"Don't worry. You only need to pay a tiny price. When the time comes, I will also give you the chance to choose for yourselves."

Qi Zhaoyue looked between the two women, her red lips parting playfully.

"Besides..."

"I summoned you here today to tell you that Junior Sister Zhu Xiaoliang is absent because I have already taken her away to improve her cultivation."

"In three months, her cultivation will break through to the tenth realm: dao comprehension realm. She will return then."

"And once Junior Sister returns..."

"I will choose the next one from between you two."

"Your Highness."

At this, Meng Weiyi bowed deeply to Qi Zhaoyue, her voice carrying barely concealed excitement and exhilaration.

"I wouldn't dare hope for twenty years..."

"So long as I can see hope of entering the eleventh realm within my lifetime, I, Weiyi, will swear loyalty to Your Highness unto death!"

"It's that simple?" Xu Qingci still could not believe it.

After all, for such a heaven-defying fortuitous opportunity, were Her Highness the Eldest Princess's demands really that simple?

"Because I believe..."

"Once you know the truth, you will make the wise choice."

With that, Qi Zhaoyue waved a hand. "You may all leave."

"If anyone asks what I told you today, you may tell them truthfully. There is no need to conceal it."

"Remember!"

"Aptitude and looks-you must have both!"

Hearing this, Meng Weiyi and Xu Qingci instinctively exchanged a glance, then both bowed slightly, turned, and walked out of the great hall.

Outside the sect leader's great hall.

The wind on Mount Qingliang blew against their faces with a faint fragrance of orchids, stirring their sleeves.

Meng Weiyi stopped and looked at Xu Qingci with a faint smile.

"Little Sister Qingci..."

"Say, if Elder Zhu Xiaoliang really does enter the tenth realm: dao comprehension realm in three months, will every female cultivator in the Great Yu Dynasty go mad?"

Xu Qingci stopped as well and nodded gently.

"But..."

Meng Weiyi's dark brows drew together slightly, a trace of confusion appearing on her face.

"But I truly cannot understand what Her Highness Zhaoyue means."

"If this news gets out, every major faction will surely send spies into the Divine Maiden Sect even more frantically. Isn't Her Highness afraid that all the heavenly materials and earthly treasures in her possession will be used up?"

At this, Xu Qingci turned and glanced at Meng Weiyi.

Her tone remained calm as she said only, "A thousand gold for horse bones."

"A thousand gold for horse bones..."

"Of course." Meng Weiyi understood at the slightest hint and said in realization:

"Her Highness Zhaoyue made herself very clear just now..."

"Among the disciples joining the Divine Maiden Sect this time, only the three of us and Elder Zhu Xiaoliang can receive that sort of fortuitous opportunity."

"In other words..."