She stepped forward slowly and gripped the pitch-black spear on the stone platform, lifting it into her hand.
The moment the spear entered her hand, a domineering and ferocious weapon-fiend energy surged along her palm, as if trying to tear the wielder's soul to shreds.
But the moment this savage aura touched the Ji Dao blood qi within Su Yueli's body, it instantly softened like snow meeting the sun.
It seemed to be afraid of Xiaohei.
“A fine spear.”
Su Yueli casually flourished the spear, causing the air to whistle.
Though she excelled at fist and kick techniques, the spear's fierce, domineering, and unstoppable momentum suited her taste.
Within her sea of consciousness, the weapon spirit Xiaohei was struggling and roaring, wishing it could leap out immediately and swallow this Emperor-grade spear whole.
“Stop it. This is my new weapon.”
Su Yueli felt somewhat helpless and pacified Xiaohei in her heart.
What is this guy trying to do to an Emperor-grade weapon I went to such lengths to get...
Beside her, Yan Yunxiao's eye twitched as he watched Su Yueli casually wield the famous Emperor-grade spear.
He could not help but feel shocked. This spear had been sealed in the imperial treasury for centuries, and generations of royal experts had struggled to suppress its violent fiend energy. Yet in the hands of this woman, who had not a single trace of spiritual energy, it was as docile as an ordinary wooden stick!
The sheer depth of this woman's physical foundation was truly unfathomable.
Before long, Han Yu ran over joyfully, cradling a small short saber that radiated a cold, icy gleam.
“Master, Yu'er has chosen! Do you think this saber looks nice?” Han Yu blinked her eyes.
The short saber was only Earth-grade high-rank, but its craftsmanship was exquisite and its edge sharp. It was a perfect fit for Han Yu, who was in the Third Realm.
“Not bad. It suits you well,” Su Yueli smiled and rubbed the top of her head.
Seeing this, Yan Yunxiao laughed heartily. “Miss Han has excellent taste. Since both of you have chosen your preferred weapons, and the Myriad Tribulations Blood-Washing Vine has already been delivered, I shall escort you out of the palace to rest.”
“Thank you, Crown Prince.”
...
Meanwhile, inside a luxurious mansion on the western side of the imperial city.
The Second Prince of Great Yan, Yan Yunlie, slammed his palm down, shattering the table to pieces. His face was livid.
“What did you say?! Imperial Father's death-fiend poison has been cured?!”
The black-clothed death-sworn assassin kneeling on the ground trembled, reporting in terror, “Y-Your Highness, it is absolutely true! The imperial bounty has been taken down. Not only has His Majesty awakened, but he even made an exception to let the person who accepted the bounty enter the imperial armory and bestowed upon them an Emperor-grade weapon!”
“Dammit! A bunch of useless trash!”
Yan Yunlie gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.
To wait for the old emperor to die of illness, he had secretly contacted half of the court's high officials and major cultivation clans, planning this layout for a whole six months!
As long as the old emperor breathed his last, he had a seventy percent confidence of launching a coup to force the Crown Prince to step down and take the throne himself!
Now that the old emperor had survived, he would inevitably conduct a thorough purge of the princes. With the Crown Prince holding absolute power, his half-year of plotting had completely dissolved into bubbles!
Even if he risked everything in a desperate struggle, his chances of winning were slim. After all, as long as the emperor lived, he held the ultimate authority.
The wavering factions that followed him would surely abandon him.
“Have you found out who did it?!” Yan Yunlie demanded furiously.
The assassin scrambled to reply, “We have! It was two women. The leader is a stunningly beautiful woman in a blue dress... Moreover, according to the guards on the scene, there wasn't a single trace of spiritual energy fluctuation from her. She seems to be a mundane martial artist!”
“A stunning beauty in a blue dress? A mundane martial artist?!”
Yan Yunlie's pupils contracted sharply. The intelligence from the border instantly flashed through his mind.
Wasn't the mysterious woman who had slaughtered his private soldiers and Fourth Realm subordinates dressed exactly like that?!
“Ruining my great cause, killing my subordinates... I will tear her into ten thousand pieces!” Yan Yunlie trembled with rage, killing intent flaring in his eyes. He drew his sword, preparing to summon his elite death-sworn assassins.
“Your Highness, calm down.”
Right then, a grey-robed old man slowly walked out from the shadows of the inner hall.
The old man's face was gaunt, and his eyes were as sharp as a falcon's. His body faintly radiated a terrifying Twelfth Realm pressure.
“Elder Ku!”
Yan Yunlie suppressed his rage and gritted his teeth. “That woman ruined my grand plans. Am I supposed to just endure this?!”
The old man known as Elder Ku snorted coldly and said slowly, “I sensed her. That woman just left the imperial palace with the Crown Prince. Not only did she save the Emperor, but she also has the backing of the entire Great Yan royal family. If you make a move on her now, it would be no different from open rebellion. The Crown Prince would crush you to pieces in an instant.”
Yan Yunlie's expression fluctuated as he clenched his fists tightly. “Then, in Elder Ku's opinion, what should I do?”
Elder Ku narrowed his eyes and sneered, “There are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests. Since that woman is a martial artist with no spiritual energy who came to Great Yan to accept the bounty, she must be doing it for profit.”
“Why don't I personally accompany you to meet this woman? We can see if we can offer her more generous terms to win her over.”
“If we can bring her to our side, the situation might not be irreversible.”
Yan Yunlie's eyes lit up. Currently, it seemed this path was indeed viable.
Thinking of this, he took a deep breath. “Alright! We will do as Elder Ku says. Let's go!”
...
At the main gates of the Great Yan imperial palace.
Sunlight spilled over them as Su Yueli and Han Yu stepped out of the palace gates, clutching their newly acquired weapons.
Yan Yunxiao accompanied them all the way outside the gates. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a purple jade pendant carved with golden dragon patterns and presented it with both hands.
“Lady Yueli, this is my personal token. With this jade pendant, you can freely command any royal merchant guild or post station within the borders of Great Yan.”
Yan Yunxiao's tone was sincere. “You saved my imperial father, which is equivalent to preserving the Great Yan Empire. If you ever require Great Yan's assistance in the future...”
“As long as it is within our power, you need only send word with this token, and I will surely help!”
Su Yueli looked at the purple jade pendant before her and did not put on airs to refuse.
There was no such thing as a free favor in this world. Having the support of a top-tier dynasty would make it much more convenient for her to travel the world with Han Yu in the future.
“Then I thank the Crown Prince,” Su Yueli said as she took the jade pendant and slipped it into her robes.
“Take care, you two,” Yan Yunxiao bowed slightly.
“Let's go.”
Su Yueli waved to Han Yu. The slender figures of the master and disciple—one in blue, one in red—walked down the broad Zhuque Street, blending into the bustling crowd.
Yan Yunxiao stood atop the high palace steps, hands clasped behind his back, quietly watching Su Yueli's retreating figure as she walked further away.
The eyes of this scheming and deeply calculating Crown Prince of Great Yan were filled with an indescribable complexity and awe.
“Everyone says the martial path is in decline, and the immortal path reigns supreme...”
Yan Yunxiao sighed silently in his heart, murmuring to himself, “Yet who could have imagined that within this vast mortal world, there exists a supreme being who relies on no spiritual energy or spells, but dominates high-level immortals solely through physical blood qi.”
He had a faint premonition that this ancient, weathered continent was bound to be completely turned upside down because of this seemingly gentle and elegant woman in blue.
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