Chapter 154: Your Highness, Please Reconsider, This is Taboo!
Initially, no one noticed the young woman beside the Sixth Prince, as she was just a maid attending to him.
But now, thinking about it carefully, how could an ordinary maid be brought into the Sun and Moon Twin Halls by the Sixth Prince…
This was a rare opportunity to directly interact with the Immortal Emperor or the Empress, an opportunity many longed for!
Even just showing their face and leaving an impression would be enough.
If not for the Empress’s prior announcement, requesting young talents younger than half a jiazi, the lords and nobles would have brought their most outstanding prodigies.
Within the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, only those who reached the Nascent Soul Realm through their own cultivation within five hundred years were considered prodigies.
Those who could achieve this were all top prodigies of their respective clans, appearing only once every few thousand years on average.
This gentle young woman, called “Xiao Mian,” although seemingly unremarkable, was actually the most qualified among the young talents present to be called a “prodigy.”
Xiao Mian stepped forward slightly, her bright eyes and beautiful smile hiding the fact that she was Mian Wudi, the body cultivator known for her extremely violent fighting style.
Even the Empress, within the faint purple mist, couldn’t help but glance at her, after all, she was family.
“What, is there no one who wants to have a spar with Xiao Mian?” The Sixth Prince said cheerfully, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. “You can’t let the Empress and Princess Xue think you’re all just a joke, can you?”
The Sixth Prince’s blatant provocation was quite effective, and several young talents were eager to try.
They had heard of Mian Wudi’s title and knew that she was invincible among her peers.
But what they saw now was just a gentle young woman, without the appearance of a body cultivator, making them doubt the rumors.
Even Luo Xue, behind the gauze curtain, couldn’t help but be a bit interested. After all, she had always been the one being watched during sparring matches, never a spectator.
Now, finally sitting in the front row, Luo Xue relaxed considerably, even wanting to sit cross-legged.
But with the etiquette official beside her, Luo Xue could only suppress the urge, though her posture did relax slightly.
The etiquette official observed Luo Xue’s behavior, her cloudy eyes deepening slightly, then she looked towards the Empress with worry.
Then, as if receiving an order, the etiquette official stopped staring at Luo Xue and closed her eyes slightly, as if dozing off from exhaustion, no longer correcting Luo Xue’s minor breaches of etiquette.
“This ‘Xiao Mian’s’ strength should be above Foundation Establishment… perhaps late-stage or peak? There’s no aura of a Core Formation small world, and she looks only about twenty years old… truly impressive.”
Luo Xue couldn’t help but sigh. The Foundation Establishment cultivators she had seen before were all over thirty years old, and most inner disciples of the Peerless Summit Sect reached Foundation Establishment around sixty.
Besides Xiao Yao, Luo Xue hadn’t seen many who reached the peak of Foundation Establishment at this age.
As for herself, her situation was rather special.
After all, not many Foundation Establishment cultivators had the experience of fighting against Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation experts…
The silver-haired figure behind the gauze curtain stirred slightly, as if interested, which was noticed by some of the young talents.
Many of them started thinking,
“Princess Xue seems… to be looking forward to it? Does she like watching sparring matches?”
“If I’m chosen by the princess, my future will be secured…”
“Even if I lose, so what? I’m losing to Mian Wudi. They can’t make her marry the princess, can they? As long as I perform well, I still have a chance!”
Finally, after a few moments, a young man stepped forward.
Everyone looked closely and saw that it was Zhou Ling, the youngest son of You Wang.
It was well known that You Wang was fond of women and had thousands of wives and concubines, and countless children.
Zhou Ling was his youngest son. Although his talent was decent, it wasn’t top-tier. There were many among his peers who were more outstanding.
But because Zhou Ling’s mother was currently favored by You Wang, he was brought to this banquet.
In other words…
Zhou Ling’s strength was far inferior to Mian Wudi’s.
“This subject, Zhou Ling, greets Your Majesty the Empress, and Your Highness Princess Xue.”
After stepping forward, Zhou Ling first bowed to those above, then looked at Xiao Mian, his expression neither humble nor arrogant.
“Miss Mian, since this is a friendly competition, I, Zhou, will make bold and ask for your guidance… Please be merciful.”
Xiao Mian, seeing Zhou Ling’s slightly affected manner, covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Of course, of course, but Young Master Zhou, you should also be careful.”
“…Naturally.”
Zhou Ling’s face showed a hint of discomfort, but he quickly straightened his back, his gaze firming.
He knew his current status was only because of his mother’s favor.
Once his mother lost favor, he would be worthless in his father’s eyes, lost among his countless siblings.
This was an extremely rare opportunity, and he had to seize it.
Being the first to step forward and displaying his talent, no matter what, he could definitely leave a deep impression on the Empress and Princess Xue.
“Please… instruct me.”
Zhou Ling took a deep breath, circulated his family’s cultivation technique, the Nine Nether Abyss Scripture, and a dark aura enveloped him, the surroundings turning slightly colder.
But at this moment, Xiao Mian just walked towards Zhou Ling casually, without even circulating her energy.
“She actually looks down on me so much?” Seeing this, Zhou Ling felt a surge of anger. “Even if you’re Mian Wudi, you’re still just at Foundation Establishment. How dare you walk towards me so casually, without any defenses… you’re courting death!”
“Nine Nether Descent… Bind!”
Zhou Ling’s eyes widened, and countless evil ghosts appeared around Xiao Mian, dragging chains, binding her.
“It worked!”
Zhou Ling’s face lit up with joy, but the next moment, Xiao Mian easily broke free from the restraints and continued walking towards him step by step.
“Like a mortal’s trick, but skillfully executed.”
Xiao Mian giggled, offering her evaluation.
“How… It’s fine, I still have another move!”
Zhou Ling changed his hand seals, and the evil ghosts lunged towards Xiao Mian.
“Explode!”
The evil ghosts let out shrill screams, then rapidly expanded, until they exploded.
“Boom…”
After a loud bang, the shockwave from the explosion swept through the surroundings, but it was blocked by an invisible barrier.
“This… this time… even you, Mian Wudi, can’t be unharmed, right…”
Zhou Ling panted, a smile appearing on his lips.
This attack wasn’t without a price. He had lost quite a bit of his blood essence and would need three to five months to recover.
But it was worth it.
However…
The next moment, the smile on Zhou Ling’s face froze.
Xiao Mian walked out of the dark mist created by the explosion, her steps light, and arrived before Zhou Ling.
She stood on her tiptoes, patted Zhou Ling’s shoulder, and said,
“Hey, Young Master Zhou, you lost.”
Zhou Ling was actually a head taller than Xiao Mian, but at this moment, the petite Xiao Mian seemed terrifying.
“You, you…”
Zhou Ling stumbled back in disbelief. He couldn’t believe the huge difference in strength between them, both at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
“Why didn’t you attack…”
Zhou Ling asked through gritted teeth.
“I was afraid of hurting you.”
Xiao Mian tilted her head and replied.
Her expression was serious, not like she was joking.
But this serious attitude was an even greater blow to Zhou Ling.
His face turned pale, and only when You Wang frowned in displeasure did he secretly use a technique to pull Zhou Ling back.
The lords and nobles were shocked, but not by Xiao Mian’s strength.
Many prodigies could defeat someone like Zhou Ling, at the peak of Foundation Establishment, upon reaching Foundation Establishment themselves. It wasn’t that surprising.
But… the technique Xiao Mian displayed was astonishing.
“Is that the Desolate Extinction Scripture?”
“The legendary top-tier body cultivation technique that can lead to Enlightenment Core Formation? Is she actually taking that path?”
“But Enlightenment Core Formation is incredibly rare. The Sixth Prince definitely doesn’t lack Heavenly Vein energy, why not choose to form a Heaven Core?”
“Could it be that Enlightenment Core Formation and Heaven Core Formation… are not the same? Is there something special about it?”
And behind the gauze curtain, Luo Xue was also shocked.
Luo Xue looked at Xiao Mian’s back, slightly dazed, her image overlapping with someone in her memory, and she murmured softly,
“Is that… Introduction to Body Tempering?”
The body cultivation technique recommended to her by Nangong Mengxiang, said to be inherited from her master, True Person Fengyin.
But why was it here?
Xiao Mian definitely wasn’t Nangong Mengxiang. Nangong Mengxiang had already reached Enlightenment Core Formation before Luo Xue went to the Blood Sea. Then who was she?
Another disciple of True Person Fengyin?
But… Luo Xue remembered that Nangong Mengxiang had mentioned that her other Senior Sisters were almost all dead.
Not because they were all killed, but because most of them had ordinary talent, around the Spirit Condensation Realm, and few could reach Foundation Establishment.
Even if they luckily reached Foundation Establishment, in the dangerous Demon Abyss, even Foundation Establishment cultivators could barely protect themselves.
It was even less likely for them to appear in this unknown place…
Luo Xue, in her shock, unconsciously murmured these words.
If it were an ordinary person, they wouldn’t have known what she was saying, but the etiquette official was no ordinary person.
Hearing Luo Xue’s words, she almost lost her composure.
“How could Her Highness mistake the extraordinary Desolate Extinction Scripture for a beginner’s body tempering technique…”
Just then, Luo Xue turned slightly and looked at the seemingly dozing etiquette official.
“Madam, may I ask you something?”
The etiquette official opened her eyes, lowered her head slightly, and replied respectfully,
“Please speak, Your Highness. This old servant will answer truthfully.”
However, beneath her calm exterior, her heart was in turmoil.
“Oh no, could Her Highness be interested in this cultivation path?”
Such a delicate princess, how could she endure the hardships of body cultivation…
“Who is this person?”
Luo Xue pointed at Xiao Mian and asked.
Hearing this unexpected question, the etiquette official’s face was filled with surprise, then she replied,
“She is from the Empress’s clan, a direct descendant of the Sixth Prince’s lineage, her name is…”
“Nangong Mian.”
“Nangong Mian, you mean… her surname is Nangong?”
Luo Xue’s eyes widened, thinking, oh no, could she really be Nangong Mengxiang’s sister or something…
“The Empress’s clan… is the Nangong clan,” the etiquette official looked at Luo Xue strangely, as if asking if there was something wrong with her brain. “Your Highness, are you… interested in her?”
“Ah, sort of.”
Luo Xue replied absently.
Thinking about it carefully, she shouldn’t be Nangong Mengxiang’s sister…
Because Nangong Mengxiang’s surname came from her master, Nangong Fengyin, and True Person Fengyin… had a deep connection with Phoenix Venerable.
True Person Fengyin had been in contact with Phoenix Venerable since she was very young, becoming a tomb keeper. It was very likely that the surname “Nangong” came from Phoenix Venerable.
Furthermore, True Person Fengyin’s Introduction to Body Tempering was probably also taught by Phoenix Venerable.
If it wasn’t a coincidence… if her bold guess was correct…
Luo Xue looked towards the Empress again, her face conflicted.
“Could the Empress be… Phoenix Venerable?”
“No, no… that doesn’t seem right either, their temperaments are different…”
“But one thing is certain, this place should be outside the nine provinces and four domains, and very likely… the Ancient Demon Lands that the forbidden area lords keep mentioning…”
But looking around, it didn’t seem very… demonic…
Luo Xue’s conflicted expression was noticed by the etiquette official, especially her glances towards the Empress, which shocked her.
Coupled with the fact that Her Highness had just expressed interest in Nangong Mian…
“Could it be that Her Highness has fallen in love with Nangong Mian at first sight?”
Although she couldn’t be completely certain, it was highly likely.
Especially Luo Xue’s conflicted gaze towards the Empress, the etiquette official could almost read her thoughts.
“I like Nangong Mian so much, but she’s a girl, and so am I, what should I do…”
“And Nangong Mian is also from the Empress’s family… there are so many obstacles between us…”
“If only these obstacles didn’t exist…”
And finally, Her Highness’s lovestruck gaze towards Nangong Mian, it was clear she was a girl in love (actually, she was just spacing out).
This wouldn’t do!
“Your Highness… please reconsider!” The etiquette official said, gritting her teeth. “This is taboo!”
Even if she incurred Her Highness’s wrath, she had to say it!
“What do you mean, reconsider? And what taboo?”
Luo Xue, hearing this and seeing the etiquette official’s resolute expression, was completely confused.
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