Category: A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life

Chapter 167: Turmoil in the Imperial Palace, The Princess Assassinated

“I… must escape the imperial palace as soon as possible.”

After a night of contemplation, Luo Xue came to this conclusion.

All the clues indicated that she was just a stand-in for Princess Xue, and the real princess was hidden in the imperial study.

And what were stand-ins usually used for…

Usually, they were used as sacrifices!

Coupled with Imperial Concubine Min’s current tragic situation, the Empress lurking in the shadows, and the Immortal Emperor whose attitude was still unclear…

The imperial palace was like a bottomless vortex.

Luo Xue, just standing outside and glancing in, felt suffocated.

These powerful figures, playing their mind games, with Luo Xue’s shallow cultivation and limited experience, she was no match for them.

They had lived for tens of thousands of years, she couldn’t play their game…

So, if she couldn’t play, she would run!

However, Luo Xue knew very well that as an important chess piece, a stand-in for Princess Xue, neither the Empress nor the Immortal Emperor would let her leave the imperial palace easily.

To escape this bottomless vortex, Luo Xue needed a trump card.

And now, the trump card was right before her.

—The real Princess Xue.

“Although I don’t know what illness she has, or why they’re using me as a stand-in, or why she’s hiding in the imperial study,” Luo Xue took a deep breath, “there’s no doubt that she is, at least to the Immortal Emperor, very important.”

The imperial study was a very private place, not even the Immortal Emperor’s closest guards could approach.

If not for her identity as a stand-in, Luo Xue wouldn’t be able to enter such a confidential place.

And the real Princess Xue could freely enter and exit… This showed the Immortal Emperor’s true affection for her.

“I finally have a reasonable explanation for the recent events, but it’s not enough.” Luo Xue’s eyes flickered. “If I want to leave the palace, the real Princess Xue… is the key.”

And… she also had to cause some chaos in the imperial palace.

As for how to cause chaos… Luo Xue had already thought of a plan. She had originally intended to use this after finding a Core Formation secret realm, to escape the palace.

Luo Xue turned slightly and looked at the mirror beside her. This fragile and beautiful face didn’t match her temperament.

“Senior Sister Li, I’m sorry, but I have to borrow your appearance…”

Luo Xue took a deep breath, and her face began to change.

Not Li Guijiao’s classic ghostly girl appearance, but Li Guijiao’s true face, that of a slightly melancholic, beautiful girl.

With Luo Xue’s current divine ability talent and her experience with disguise techniques, her Thousand Faces Cultivation Art was now almost on par with Li Guijiao’s. Even those closest to her couldn’t tell the difference.

This was a technique that truly changed one’s appearance with divine power. Even the most profound illusion-piercing techniques couldn’t see through it, unless they forcibly searched her soul.

Luo Xue put on a black veil, quietly left her palace, walked along a pre-planned route, then quietly returned and undid the disguise.

Finally, Luo Xue lay down on the bed, took out a dagger, and stabbed herself in the heart.

“Ugh…”

This feeling of being stabbed in the heart was indeed quite painful…

Luo Xue collapsed on the bed, blood soaking the sheets.

She had controlled her strength, putting herself in a near-death state, but not truly dead.

The will of withering approached, but couldn’t reach her.

Luo Xue didn’t completely lose consciousness. Only after hearing the panicked cries of the palace maids did she close her eyes, relieved.

“The Imperial Daughter… assassinated…”

“Find the assassin…”

“Your Highness… Your Highness…”

The last thing she heard was the etiquette official’s worried and panicked voice.

…

No one expected that Her Highness would be assassinated in her own palace.

This was an extremely serious incident!

His Majesty had just left for his southern tour, and an assassin had already bypassed the layers of security in the imperial palace and assassinated the little princess! The implications were terrifying.

Several Sea Crossing Realm experts intervened, using their power to retrace the scene, and were even more shocked.

The assassin was just a minor cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment…

But the route seemed to be planned, bypassing several restricted areas, making the remaining traces intermittent and impossible to follow. They couldn’t determine where the assassin appeared or where they left.

This incident caused panic among the palace guards.

For a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator to calmly assassinate someone within the imperial palace and escape could only mean two things.

First, the security of the imperial palace had decayed to the point where it couldn’t even stop a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This was a serious dereliction of duty. If not for the intervention of several Sea Crossing Realm experts, and the fact that changing the guards at this critical juncture wasn’t practical, all the guards would have been exiled to the southern barbarian lands.

Second…

Such a familiar route, such a casual assassination, if the assassin wasn’t familiar with the imperial palace, it would have been impossible.

In other words, there was an inside accomplice!

The entire palace guard immediately launched an internal investigation and did find a few spies, but none knew anything about the assassination.

However, putting aside these issues, the most pressing matter was the little princess’s injuries.

After discovering the assassination attempt, the imperial physicians immediately rushed to the scene. After examination, the little princess’s injuries were almost fatal, but she was still alive.

The dagger had completely pierced her heart, but it was slightly off, not instantly killing her.

As long as she was still alive, no matter how serious the injuries, the imperial physicians could save her.

The main problem was that the little princess hadn’t cultivated, her soul was weak, and she couldn’t withstand too much, otherwise, even if she died, they could still bring her back.

After careful treatment, Luo Xue finally woke up, and the first thing she saw was the worried face of the etiquette official.

“Your Highness, you’re finally awake…”

The etiquette official breathed a sigh of relief, her worried heart calming down slightly, but then another wave of worry arose.

All signs pointed to an inside accomplice.

She recalled the Empress’s recent words. Could this so-called accomplice be… the Immortal Emperor?

She hadn’t expected the Immortal Emperor to act so quickly…

“Are… you worried about me?”

Luo Xue looked at the worry and concern in the etiquette official’s eyes and blurted out.

After the truth was revealed, she could tell that the etiquette official knew she was just a stand-in.

A mere stand-in, was she really worth such worry?

“Of course, Your Highness,” the etiquette official said,

“If anything happened to Your Highness, this old servant would even give her life… This old servant is speaking nonsense. Your Highness is blessed and will naturally overcome this danger.”

“…I hope so.”

Luo Xue said softly.

At this moment, she saw a resolute look in the etiquette official’s eyes. These words seemed to be her true feelings.

But for a mere stand-in, was it worth it…

“Madam, you can leave now. I want to rest for a while.” Luo Xue closed her eyes wearily. “Just have the maids bring in my meals…”

This wasn’t an act. The dagger wound was real, and she was indeed near death. Only in this way could she avoid suspicion.

And in everyone’s eyes, Luo Xue was a powerless mortal. No one would think that she had staged this herself.

“Yes, Your Highness, please rest well.” The etiquette official stood up shakily and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry, I will definitely find the culprit for Your Highness.”

Just a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even if it was an assassin sent by His Majesty, if she accidentally killed him during the capture… it shouldn’t be a serious crime, right?

Luo Xue shivered slightly upon hearing this.

The etiquette official’s words… sounded like she would kill the culprit once she found them.

But Luo Xue was the culprit…

Well, she was in disguise, and they couldn’t search her soul just with a retracing technique.

Many important palaces couldn’t be subjected to retracing techniques, to prevent secrets from being leaked. Luo Xue knew this, which was why she could plan such a perfect escape route.

She felt a bit sorry for Senior Sister Li. Luo Xue had her reasons for using her appearance.

Firstly, Senior Sister Li was probably still in the nine provinces and four domains. Escaping the caged world wasn’t easy. Even the ancestors couldn’t break through before their deadlines, let alone Senior Sister Li, who was only at Spirit Condensation when Luo Xue left that world.

Secondly, Luo Xue was more used to the ghostly girl appearance and would need it when she left the palace, so she couldn’t have it on the wanted notice.

The most important reason was that the faces Luo Xue created herself were too poor and easily exposed as disguises.

If her disguise was questioned, this seemingly flawless plan would unravel.

Now it seemed that no one doubted the authenticity of the assassination attempt, nor the existence of the assassin. The first step of Luo Xue’s plan was successful.

After the etiquette official, the imperial physicians, and the maids left, Luo Xue opened her eyes again.

Almost instantly, her injuries completely healed.

“Now, it’s time to prepare the room…”

Luo Xue took out the formation runes she had prepared and began constructing the formation.

The second step of her plan, the key to escaping the imperial palace.

“Fortunately, I’ve already deciphered the Dao inscriptions on the exit token and constructed the formation these past few months. Otherwise, this would be quite troublesome…”

Luo Xue muttered as she worked.

The reason she didn’t directly use the exit formation was that under normal circumstances, it would be easily detected, and she wouldn’t be able to leave the Imperial Capital.

The disappearance of an imperial daughter was even more serious than an assassination attempt… and once they started searching, her Thousand Faces Cultivation Art might be exposed.

Only with a detailed plan could she successfully escape the imperial palace.

However, after learning about the existence of the real Princess Xue, part of her plan had to be changed.

It could even be said that with the real Princess Xue, Luo Xue’s plan could become even more perfect.

After setting up everything in the room, Luo Xue took out her small storage pouch, filled it with the necessities she had prepared, tied it to her waist, and lay back down on the bed.

“Now, I just have to wait… for dinner time.”

…

“Princess Xue… was assassinated?”

The Empress was slightly stunned. It wasn’t the etiquette official who reported to her, but an ordinary maid.

The Nangong clan had many spies within the imperial palace, and the Empress had received the news even before the imperial physicians arrived at the princess’s bedroom.

“Yes, this is the recording of the retracing, please examine it, Your Majesty.”

The kneeling maid respectfully presented a Dao inscription token, holding it above her head with both hands.

The Empress reached out and touched it slightly, then after a moment, she chuckled.

“Heh, so that’s how it is, how interesting…”

The maid remained silent, her head lowered.

“You may leave.”

The Empress waved her hand, her eyes narrowed, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the blooming flower buds.

“You should be thankful that Dugu Di is on his southern tour. Otherwise, with your little trick… you wouldn’t be able to fool him.”

The image in the recording was of an unfamiliar girl, her behavior and movements completely different from Princess Xue’s. Even the Empress couldn’t find any flaws.

But after watching the recording, the Empress knew that this was just a self-directed act.

Because she controlled the entire imperial palace, even the spies within were known to her.

More importantly, the Empress already knew that Luo Xue possessed peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, just concealed through some method.

All of this allowed the Empress to instantly deduce the truth.

However, what the Empress couldn’t understand was Luo Xue’s motive.

“But it’s quite convenient. I was just planning to add some fuel to the fire in this boring imperial palace… This little girl has helped me. I’ll have to thank her when I have the chance.”

The Empress played with her slender fingers, a bright smile on her lips.

“Let Concubine Min and her daughter meet…”

“What a pitiful child, but dying in her mother’s arms should be a happy ending.”

The Empress couldn’t kill Concubine Min, because the Immortal Emperor had placed an unprecedented restriction on her, making it as difficult to harm her as facing the Immortal Emperor himself.

Even Concubine Min couldn’t commit suicide. Her life was no longer her own.

However…

Killing someone didn’t necessarily require taking action.

There was no greater sorrow than despair.

Not long after, another commotion arose within the imperial palace.

The Cold Palace… was on fire.

Chapter 166: The Southern Tour, Winds of Change

Since awakening, Luo Xue hadn’t doubted her identity as Princess Xue.

Because everyone treated her as the little princess of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

Even though her memories were fragmented, even though she finally had biological parents in this life, even with all the unusual things in this life…

It wasn’t until she met the Immortal Emperor that Luo Xue vaguely sensed something amiss about his attitude.

It was a deliberate and forced affection.

The Immortal Emperor wasn’t a good actor. Luo Xue could tell that the love in his eyes wasn’t for her.

But when he called her “Xue’er,” the emotions he expressed seemed genuine…

And most importantly, the mysterious mortal.

A mere mortal, secretly entering the princess’s bedroom was one thing, but to even enter the imperial study was illogical.

Unless this mortal was the Immortal Emperor’s daughter, the little princess of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

But the little princess was Luo Xue herself…

Or rather… there were two little princesses.

This bold guess arose in Luo Xue’s mind, but she needed confirmation.

The Immortal Emperor’s sudden utterance of “Xue’er,” his subtle expression, finally confirmed Luo Xue’s suspicions. The Xue’er in the Immortal Emperor’s heart was someone else.

She… might not be the real Princess Xue, but just a replacement.

This bold guess overturned everything Luo Xue had believed in this life, yet it strangely fit all the suspicious points.

Luo Xue quietly read the ancient texts, her expression serious.

So, why was the real little princess hiding? Was it related to Imperial Concubine Min being imprisoned in the Cold Palace?

Luo Xue clearly remembered that the first thing Concubine Min did upon seeing her was to ask about her health.

Could it be that the original little princess suffered from some incurable illness and couldn’t be seen in public, and for some reason, this couldn’t be revealed, so they found a replacement?

But why her?

Luo Xue thought of her current appearance, different from her previous lives, carrying a fragile beauty that evoked pity.

Was it because they looked similar?

So, what was the real little princess’s current condition?

And as a replacement, to what extent would she be used?

“Father, can I take these two books back with me?” Luo Xue looked up at the Immortal Emperor with pleading eyes. “I might not… be able to finish them here.”

“…Of course.”

The Immortal Emperor paused and nodded slightly.

“If you want, you can take any book from the imperial study.”

“Thank you, Father,” Luo Xue’s face lit up with joy. “Can I come here again in the future?”

The Immortal Emperor’s breath hitched. He wanted to refuse.

But just then, Xue’er beside him woke up. She looked at the Immortal Emperor with innocent eyes, a pang of pain in his heart.

He couldn’t refuse the request from this identical face…

“No problem, as long as it’s something Xue’er wants, Father… can give you anything.”

When he said this, the Immortal Emperor was looking at the sleepy Xue’er beside him.

Perhaps thinking that Luo Xue was just a mortal child, the Immortal Emperor clearly wasn’t paying attention. This huge oversight didn’t escape Luo Xue’s notice.

Combined with the strong aura of the mysterious mortal, Luo Xue was almost certain that the real Princess Xue was sitting beside her, just invisible.

Perhaps it was because the Immortal Emperor couldn’t face his daughter’s replacement directly, yet had to act lovingly, that led to this strange situation.

Luo Xue felt that it was time to leave. Staying any longer would be too uncomfortable, so she stood up and said,

“Father, I want to go back and study these books. When Father returns from your southern tour, you can see this child’s progress.”

“…Go.” The Immortal Emperor closed his eyes wearily. “Father… is also tired.”

Luo Xue bowed slightly and left the imperial study with the books.

Only after Luo Xue left did Xue’er fully awaken, but the white-haired girl who looked just like her was already gone, a melancholic expression on her face.

“Xue’er…”

“She… is a good person, right?” Xue’er rested her chin on her hand, looking in the direction Luo Xue had left. “She’s… my ideal. If only Xue’er could be like her…”

“No, Xue’er, no one can compare to you,” the Immortal Emperor said softly, “Even if her appearance is almost identical to yours… she can’t compare to you, my Xue’er.”

Even with the identical appearance, Luo Xue’s slightly distant and polite demeanor, her resolute and independent personality, was completely different from Xue’er’s.

These differences constantly reminded the Immortal Emperor that they were two different people.

Luo Xue wasn’t Xue’er, nor was she a replacement.

The thought that if Xue’er died, the only Xue’er he would see for the rest of his life would be a replacement pained the Immortal Emperor deeply.

Just as the Empress had said, in this game of chess between them, the Immortal Emperor’s biggest mistake was developing feelings for the little princess.

Xue’er was still yearning for Luo Xue, even though her illness was about to take her life.

Soon…

It would all be over soon…

…

“Princess Xue returned to her palace after less than half a day in the imperial study.”

The etiquette official lowered her head and reported respectfully to the Empress.

The Empress was tending to the flower buds that had finally appeared after months of waiting. The few blossoms on the bare branches seemed to have brightened her mood.

“Oh, it seems Dugu Di isn’t very satisfied with his new daughter.” The Empress waved her hand, and the scissors formed from spiritual energy dissipated. “It’s fine, just find another one. I think that Luo Xue from the southern tribes is quite good. They both have white hair anyway.”

“Your Majesty, do you mean…”

The etiquette official’s expression was filled with surprise.

“Oh, the current one… she’ll probably die soon.” The Empress waved her hand dismissively. “I know Dugu Di’s personality very well. Once Dugu Xue dies, he’ll definitely kill a few replacements. I’ve already prepared several, just to wear him down.”

“Why…”

The etiquette official couldn’t understand, her face filled with shock.

“Because in this game of chess, Princess Xue is just an insignificant pawn. What’s important is Concubine Min.” The Empress said slowly,

“Concubine Min can neither live nor die. She can only be imprisoned in the Cold Palace, clinging to her last hope—that her daughter is still alive.”

“If the Immortal Emperor hadn’t developed any feelings, he could have continued using replacements. As long as Concubine Min believed her daughter was still alive, it would be fine. Unfortunately…”

From the very beginning, what Dugu Di truly needed was Concubine Min, not her daughter.

It was a pity that Dugu Di could be ruthless towards Concubine Min, but he was soft-hearted towards Xue’er.

The Empress glanced at the etiquette official, her gaze softening slightly.

“Wan’er, you didn’t have to know about this. I didn’t intend to tell you… You have a kindness that shouldn’t exist within the imperial family.”

If the etiquette official hadn’t encountered Xue’er in the bedroom and hadn’t asked the Empress about this, she would only have wondered why Princess Xue would occasionally become dazed and confused, and after recovering from her illness, seemed like a different person.

For the Empress, subtly altering someone’s memories and appearance was easy, and there was more than one person with white hair.

“However… it’s also troublesome to let Dugu Di keep changing them. I quite like the current Princess Xue.” The Empress pondered for a moment. “Should I send her to the Nangong Sacred Land? Ling’er is already on her way.”

This was a rare, pure human. Perhaps she was related to the legendary ancestral land.

The fact that she could easily construct formations was enough to prove her human identity.

“Has she realized that she’s a replacement?”

The Empress suddenly thought of this and turned to ask.

The etiquette official pondered, recalling Princess Xue’s recent behavior, then shook her head.

“Probably… not yet.”

During this time, Princess Xue seemed to be focused only on formations, nothing else unusual.

A sixteen-year-old girl shouldn’t have such deep thoughts. Perhaps the Empress was just overthinking it.

“I’m still a bit uneasy about this…”

The Empress pondered for a moment, then said, “Before Ling’er arrives at the Imperial Sacred Land, don’t let her leave the palace, not even to the Imperial Capital.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

The etiquette official bowed and slowly left the courtyard.

The Empress returned to her recliner and sat down.

Her gaze extended into the distance, seemingly towards the imperial study.

“Southern tour…”

“So eager to get rid of the Nangong clan?”

The Great Qin Immortal Dynasty didn’t belong to the Immortal Emperor alone. He had received help from many ancient clans during his conquests, although their initial purpose was only to use him to eliminate their rivals.

The establishment of such a vast Immortal Dynasty was an accident.

However, because of this, even within the dynasty, the Immortal Emperor was still restricted by the ancient clans, especially the Nangong clan, who had contributed the most during the conquests.

If the Immortal Emperor wanted to break free from these restrictions, there were many things he had to do.

First, he had to break through to the Saint Realm, to be on par with the reclusive elders of the ancient clans. Second, he had to unite the tribes in the southern barbarian lands, forming another powerful force within the dynasty to counter the ancient clans.

Concubine Min was the key to solving the Immortal Emperor’s cultivation problem, and the recent unification of the southern barbarian lands gave him hope.

The ancient clans, represented by the Nangong clan, currently only held the card of Concubine Min. The southern barbarian lands were the key to the Immortal Emperor breaking free from their control.

But would it be that simple?

The Empress noticed that the flower buds she had carefully tended to seemed to have withered slightly. She didn’t use any techniques, but pondered.

Suddenly, as if realizing something, she said softly,

“Perhaps… I need to add some fuel to the fire…”

Chapter 165: Xue’er, Another Person

Several months passed in a flash.

During this time, Luo Xue’s cultivation at the peak of Foundation Establishment had completely stabilized, and she could start preparing for Core Formation.

However, Core Formation required Heavenly or Earthly Vein energy, which wasn’t available in the imperial palace. She had to leave the palace again.

Luo Xue’s formation skills had improved considerably during this period. She could already construct Foundation Establishment level spirit-gathering formations, and the model for a Core Formation level spirit-gathering formation was also complete.

But she was worried about causing too much commotion, so she didn’t dare to set them up within the palace.

And the mysterious mortal who had appeared in her bedroom hadn’t shown up again. Luo Xue had set up surveillance formations throughout her palace, but they yielded nothing.

The mysterious mortal seemed to have vanished into thin air.

The etiquette official hadn’t acted strangely during this time. She didn’t seem to notice Luo Xue’s formations, still teaching her court etiquette as before.

Just as Luo Xue was racking her brains, trying to find an excuse to leave the palace and the Imperial Capital to search for a Core Formation secret realm, an unfamiliar palace guard suddenly arrived.

“His Majesty… requests your presence today.”

The palace guard didn’t kneel, just bowed slightly to Luo Xue.

He was the Immortal Emperor’s most trusted personal guard, said to possess strength above the Tribulation Immortal Realm.

“Hmm?”

Luo Xue was stunned upon hearing this.

This father, who supposedly doted on her, she hadn’t even seen him in months.

At least the Empress had the etiquette official, constantly reminding Luo Xue of her existence, but the Immortal Emperor had completely ignored her, and Luo Xue had almost forgotten she even had a father.

The etiquette official’s eyes flickered with a complicated emotion upon hearing this.

She looked at Luo Xue and said softly,

“Go, it’s just a private meeting, there’s no need to be so formal.”

“Oh…”

Luo Xue glanced at the etiquette official, her expression strange. Seeing the madam’s expression, she couldn’t help but feel that her father didn’t seem to care much about her…

Could the rumors be false?

Luo Xue’s memories of the past were just fragmented images, and she had to rely on rumors and speculation for many things within the palace.

She couldn’t just ask directly…

However, since the Immortal Emperor had summoned her, she couldn’t refuse.

This was an imperial decree, and probably only the Empress could ignore it in the entire Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

“Should I go now?” Luo Xue asked.

“Yes,” the palace guard nodded. “Because His Majesty will soon be leaving the palace for a southern tour.”

“Oh, I see…”

Luo Xue nodded blankly. Having been focused on cultivation within the palace, she didn’t know about this.

The news of the Immortal Emperor’s southern tour had been announced half a month ago, causing a great commotion.

This was the first time the Immortal Emperor had embarked on a southern tour since founding the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

He had previously signed a contract with the tribes in the southern barbarian lands, recognizing the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty as their overlord, but the imperial family wasn’t allowed to interfere in the tribes’ internal affairs.

Therefore, the Immortal Emperor’s influence in the southern barbarian lands wasn’t even as great as that of their recently appointed young leader.

Perhaps it was because of this, or perhaps because the chaos that had plagued the barbarian tribes since ancient times had suddenly ended, that the Immortal Emperor decided on this southern tour.

And since this southern tour would last for at least a hundred years, keeping him away from the imperial palace, if he didn’t see his most beloved daughter now… it wouldn’t be appropriate.

After Luo Xue agreed, the palace guard, ignoring the etiquette official, cast a technique, enveloping himself and Luo Xue in a white light. In an instant, they vanished.

The etiquette official looked at the spot where they disappeared, her expression turning even more complicated.

She looked up at the formations in Luo Xue’s bedroom and was secretly surprised.

“How could Her Highness have such talent for formations… without any cultivation, yet able to set up Spirit Condensation level formations…”

Luo Xue hadn’t used any of her cultivation when setting up these surveillance formations. At her level, she didn’t need to.

The etiquette official had reported this to the Empress, but the reply she received was to ignore it. The little princess could do as she pleased, as long as she didn’t kill herself.

“The Empress doesn’t seem surprised…”

The etiquette official’s eyes flickered, a deep meaning in her gaze.

It seemed that this current Princess Xue… her origins weren’t as simple as the Empress had said.

It was said that those who were exceptionally skilled in formations… were the ancient humans.

…

When Luo Xue reappeared from the white light, her surroundings had changed.

Compared to her palace, this place was much simpler, just layers of pavilions and palaces, seemingly stretching endlessly inwards.

“This is His Majesty’s side palace, where the imperial study and the council hall are located,” the palace guard introduced. “This is the first time His Majesty has brought you here. Perhaps he intends to entrust some of the Immortal Dynasty’s affairs to you?”

Luo Xue looked at the palace guard and found that he was no longer as cold and aloof as before, his expression much gentler.

She also remembered that when the guard appeared, the etiquette official’s expression had also become colder.

From this small detail, it could be seen that the Immortal Emperor and the Empress… weren’t exactly on good terms.

“Hmm… thank you for telling me.” Luo Xue said with a faint smile.

“There’s no need to be so polite, Your Highness.” The palace guard smiled faintly. “Please go inside, His Majesty is waiting for you in the imperial study. I’ll be waiting here. Just inform me when you leave.”

With that, the palace guard stepped aside.

This was a private matter between the Immortal Emperor and the little princess. Even if His Majesty hadn’t said anything, he knew he should excuse himself.

Luo Xue naturally understood this. She nodded slightly at the palace guard and walked towards the depths of the side palace.

Just as the palace guard said, Luo Xue had never been to the side palace before. There were no memories of it in her fragmented mind.

So she walked slowly, carefully searching for the imperial study, while also observing her surroundings. Perhaps it would be useful sometime.

The location of the imperial study was obvious, and Luo Xue found it quickly. She suppressed her desire to explore and walked towards it.

Just then, after several months, Luo Xue once again sensed that familiar aura, belonging to the mysterious mortal who had secretly been in her bedroom, and it was stronger than ever.

“Who!”

Luo Xue’s pupils constricted, and she immediately looked back, but saw nothing.

Wait…

It wasn’t behind her.

Her gaze slowly returned, falling on the unassuming yet imposing building before her.

“It’s… in the imperial study.”

“Xue’er,” at the same time, a calm yet authoritative voice came from the imperial study, “Come in.”

“Yes, Father.”

Luo Xue could only suppress her doubts and pushed open the door.

Upon entering the imperial study, Luo Xue finally confirmed… her senses hadn’t deceived her. This mysterious mortal had definitely spent a long time here recently.

Just who could stay in the imperial study for such a long time…

Even the Immortal Emperor’s personal guards could rarely approach the imperial study, and even officials who needed to discuss matters privately would usually do so in the council hall.

The imperial study was filled with rows of bookshelves, mostly filled with ancient books and carefully preserved jade slips, mostly records and classics, not many cultivation techniques.

The Immortal Emperor sat at the back of the bookshelves, reading a book. Seeing Luo Xue approach, he looked up slightly and said softly,

“Xue’er, come, sit down.”

He put down the book and gestured to the seat in front of his desk.

“Okay.”

Luo Xue nodded and sat down.

The chair seemed to have been adjusted for her, slightly raised, so she could reach the desk. This also allowed Luo Xue to see the book in the Immortal Emperor’s hand.

“Interesting Records of the Barbarian Forests… are you preparing for your southern tour?”

Luo Xue’s gaze was fixed on the book, while the Immortal Emperor looked intently at his daughter. After a while, he said slowly,

“I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had the time to see you… Xue’er, you’re not blaming Father, are you?”

“This child wouldn’t dare.”

Luo Xue lowered her head slightly, hiding her gaze.

The Immortal Emperor was silent for a moment, then said softly,

“Today, just stay here and accompany me for a while…”

For some reason, Luo Xue heard a hint of bitterness in his voice.

However, she couldn’t leave today and could only obediently stay in the imperial study with the Immortal Emperor.

“Yes, Father.” Luo Xue nodded, then after a moment of thought, continued, “Can I look at the books in the imperial study?”

A hint of surprise flashed through the Immortal Emperor’s eyes, then he replied,

“Of course… but Xue’er, can you understand them?”

“I can at least read, can’t I?”

Luo Xue felt that this was a strange question, but unexpectedly, her words made the Immortal Emperor even more silent.

“Relax, there’s no need to be so formal, this is also your home, and the time we can spend together… is still long.”

The Immortal Emperor smiled faintly, but the smile seemed forced, which Luo Xue could tell at a glance.

Although Luo Xue was puzzled, she couldn’t figure it out, so she could only suppress her doubts for now.

It seemed the rumors weren’t entirely false. The Immortal Emperor’s attitude towards her was indeed quite good, but not to the point of doting.

Having received the Immortal Emperor’s permission, Luo Xue walked around the imperial study. She could feel a gaze constantly following her.

But this was normal, it should be the Immortal Emperor. Luo Xue didn’t think much of it.

The aura of the mysterious mortal hadn’t weakened. Luo Xue even suspected that the person was still in the imperial study, but besides her, there was only the Immortal Emperor, and the Immortal Emperor couldn’t be a mortal…

Besides, this aura clearly came from a young woman, so it couldn’t be the Immortal Emperor.

“There are copies of Hundred Solutions to Formations and Compendium of Talismans here… the versions seem a bit different, like the content is for after Soul Transformation…”

“Ah, there’s even The Art of Puppetry. This ancient text probably only exists in the imperial study… It’s a pity that the records here seem to be for the Ascension Realm and above…”

Too advanced, Luo Xue couldn’t understand them and could only give up on the idea of borrowing them.

“Xue’er…”

Just then, the Immortal Emperor suddenly called out, his tone filled with an inexplicable complexity.

“Hmm?” Luo Xue turned around in confusion, but saw that the Immortal Emperor’s gaze was fixed elsewhere. “Father… what is it?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

The Immortal Emperor seemed to have just come back to his senses. He looked up at Luo Xue, a faint smile appearing on his dignified face.

“Just… couldn’t help myself.”

Luo Xue didn’t know how to respond and could only nod.

“Thank you for your concern, Father.”

“…”

The Immortal Emperor remained silent. As Luo Xue turned around and continued browsing the bookshelves, his gaze fell on an invisible chair beside the desk.

A white-haired girl sat there with her eyes half-closed, a faint smile on her lips, as if sleeping.

“I really want to agree to you, to treat her as you from now on…”

“But, Xue’er… she’s ultimately not you…”

The Immortal Emperor’s southern tour was partly for the reason stated to the outside world, to meet the mysterious girl, “Luo Xue,” who had united the barbarian tribes.

And also, to find a way to save Xue’er’s life.

He had met Concubine Min in the south, although it was some distance from the barbarian lands.

The Immortal Emperor hadn’t considered this before, until Concubine Min suddenly mentioned Luo Xue in her conversation with their daughter, even trying to have Xue’er leave the imperial palace and seek refuge with this person.

This made the Immortal Emperor turn his attention to the southern barbarian lands, which had always been in a state of war, and this mysterious girl, who, with just Nascent Soul cultivation, could unite the tribes that revered strength above all else.

The strongest tribe leaders were all at the Sea Crossing Realm. If they joined forces, even the Immortal Emperor would find them troublesome.

The Immortal Emperor even had a faint, impossible hope. Perhaps this girl could save Xue’er’s life?

“Father, I’ve chosen.”

Just then, Luo Xue returned to her seat, holding two ancient books.

The Immortal Emperor looked up and saw that they were just two books about the Nangong clan, so he nodded with a smile, not paying much attention.

Luo Xue sat down and started reading intently.

Just as the Immortal Emperor’s expression softened, Luo Xue suddenly looked up and called out,

“Xue’er…”

The Immortal Emperor was stunned, his pupils constricting.

But the next moment, Luo Xue smiled.

“The name Father gave me… is truly beautiful.”

“Is… is that so…”

The Immortal Emperor forced a smile, relieved, thinking she hadn’t noticed anything…

But beneath Luo Xue’s calm exterior, a storm was brewing.

“I didn’t expect… this…”

“Xue’er… there really is another one…”

Chapter 164: The Empress’s Plan, The Mystery of Princess Xue’s Birth

Luo Xue was always sensitive to auras, so when she entered the room, a faint, unfamiliar scent caught her attention.

It couldn’t be from a new maid, because the maids’ auras were all very similar.

Luo Xue glanced at the etiquette official, who just lowered her head silently, seemingly unaware.

“…”

Luo Xue didn’t believe that the etiquette official, who was much stronger than her, couldn’t detect this faint, unfamiliar aura. The only explanation was that she was deliberately concealing it.

Just who had been in her room…

Luo Xue hid her suspicion and turned to the etiquette official.

“Madam, I’ll rest for a while. Please wake me up for dinner.”

“Your Highness, please rest. This old servant will be waiting outside.”

The etiquette official replied respectfully, her demeanor impeccable.

Luo Xue smiled faintly and closed the door.

After the door closed, her expression turned serious.

She walked to the bed, sniffed the air, and sensed carefully.

“It’s a mortal woman… could there be a mortal in the palace?”

Luo Xue’s expression was filled with surprise. Even the weakest palace maid was at the Spirit Condensation Realm, let alone the other palace guards.

It was hard to imagine someone who hadn’t even embarked on the path of immortality staying within the imperial palace.

…However, there were exceptions.

Like Luo Xue herself, she appeared to be a mortal, and only a mortal with her status could stay in the palace.

But…

“There can’t be two princesses, can there?” Luo Xue touched her chin. “I’ve never heard of having an older or younger sister of the same age…”

Putting this matter aside for now, Luo Xue took out some formation materials she had bought outside the palace from her storage ring. They were common items, not difficult to find.

She just wanted to test whether the decline of formations was due to the environment of this world, or the people themselves.

Although the Hundred Solutions to Formations wasn’t very detailed, the formation models it described seemed correct, so Luo Xue began constructing a formation based on the book.

A moment later, a small spirit-gathering formation was complete. Luo Xue hadn’t used any of her cultivation, relying solely on her understanding of formations.

But after the formation was set up, it possessed the spirit-gathering ability of a Spirit Condensation cultivator.

As the formation was activated, the surrounding spiritual energy was slightly disturbed and gathered within the small formation.

The formation operated successfully. The Dao of formations was feasible in the Ancient Demon Lands.

“If that’s the case, why can’t the people here use formations…”

In the Ancient Demon Lands, even those with the deepest understanding of formations could only exert the power of Foundation Establishment. It was because they couldn’t advance further, not because the upper limit of formations in this world was Foundation Establishment.

Based on Luo Xue’s current situation, if she had enough knowledge of formations and could act freely, constructing a Core Formation level formation wouldn’t be a problem.

Luo Xue couldn’t figure out the reason, but she quickly conducted another experiment.

Talismans.

Talismans and Dao inscriptions looked similar, but they were fundamentally different.

Dao inscriptions were extensions of innate Dao patterns, able to exert specific effects, like the return token.

While talismans were techniques and abilities, constructed with spiritual power and sealed within specific materials, essentially one-time-use spells.

However, the cost of creating talismans was high, so they were usually used in emergencies.

There was no shortage of talisman materials in the Ancient Demon Lands. Luo Xue, following the instructions in the Compendium of Talismans, sealed a Spirit Condensation level sword beam within a talisman.

Then, she activated the talisman, and a Spirit Condensation level sword beam was silently released, directly piercing the palace wall.

It was easily successful.

For Luo Xue, inscribing talismans was as easy as drinking water, completely different from the examples in the Compendium of Talismans.

As long as she knew the technique or ability, she could inscribe it into a talisman.

“It’s a pity that even within the Imperial Capital, there isn’t much information about puppetry.”

Luo Xue sighed. Of the three arts, she knew the most about puppetry.

After all, it was Senior Sister Li’s favorite thing, and during their time in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Luo Xue had been forced to learn quite a bit.

With enough materials, Luo Xue could also create puppets with strength comparable to her own.

“Since there are no other options for now, focusing on formations isn’t a bad idea.” Luo Xue pondered for a moment and made her decision.

Talismans weren’t very useful for now. Usually, only high-level talismans were used, like when she, at the Innate and Spirit Condensation Realms, used Foundation Establishment talismans to exert power far beyond her own.

Talismans of the same level weren’t very effective, after all, she could already use techniques and abilities of the same level, and crafting talismans required additional materials.

More importantly…

Luo Xue knew that she was still inferior to Senior Sister Li in this aspect. Senior Sister Li could master all four arts in a short time. Luo Xue didn’t have that kind of talent.

“I suddenly miss Senior Sister Li and Nangong Mengxiang…”

Luo Xue sighed. She missed her time in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the villainous trio being chased by everyone…

Well, it was mainly because life in the palace was too boring and peaceful. Luo Xue couldn’t stand it anymore.

Unfortunately, the etiquette official was watching her closely. Even if Luo Xue wanted to leave the palace, she needed the token.

“I’ve memorized the Dao inscriptions on the token, but recreating it with a formation will still take some time.” Luo Xue rubbed her temples. “If Senior Sister Li were here, she could probably do it in less than a quarter of an hour…”

She still had many questions, such as the matters of the Nangong clan and the caged world, the “Luo Xue” in the southern barbarian lands, and the mysterious mortal who had snuck into her room…

As for the last point, Luo Xue had some ideas about how to find this person, but it would take some time to prepare her room.

“Hopefully, Madam really doesn’t understand formations…”

…

In the simple courtyard, the Empress still leaned on her recliner, her eyes half-closed, her gaze on the bare branches, waiting for the buds to bloom.

Beside her stood the etiquette official, her head lowered, silent.

“Wan’er, how long have you been with me?” The Empress asked slowly.

“It has been over fifty thousand years.” The etiquette official replied respectfully. “Your Majesty’s kindness, taking me into the Nangong clan, even personally giving me a name… this old servant will never forget Your Majesty’s grace.”

“You… already know about her, don’t you?”

The Empress suddenly changed the subject.

The etiquette official naturally knew who the Empress was referring to. She had come to the courtyard for this matter.

She wasn’t seeking the truth, but an answer.

An answer that would put her mind at ease.

After days of contemplation and struggle, she had finally taken this step.

The Empress slowly sat up, looked at the etiquette official, and said softly,

“Stubborn, just as stubborn as before, but this stubbornness will harm you.”

“…”

The etiquette official didn’t speak, just lowered her head even further.

“Remember the day of Xue’er’s coming-of-age ceremony? Dugu Di didn’t go, but I did… why do you think that is?”

The etiquette official’s pupils constricted, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

“This old servant… understands.”

Because the Princess Xue who was present at the banquet that day, the one she had been attending to, was fake.

The reason the Immortal Emperor hadn’t attended his most beloved daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony was that he was with the real little princess, the white-haired girl who had secretly entered the bedroom a few days ago.

“No, you don’t understand.” The Empress shook her head. “There is no ‘fake’ Princess Xue, only the ‘previous Princess Xue,’ and the ‘current Princess Xue’.”

The etiquette official was stunned, not understanding what the Empress meant.

“Concubine Min is one of the few descendants of the Snow Maiden clan, you probably didn’t know that, right?” The Empress said slowly.

The etiquette official frowned slightly, then a look of shock appeared on her face.

“You’re saying… Princess Xue’s illness, is actually…”

The Empress didn’t answer, tacitly confirming the etiquette official’s words.

The descendants of the Snow Maiden clan were few… because most of them suffered from a disease called “Snow Maiden Syndrome.”

Those afflicted would gradually lose control of their limbs, eventually becoming completely paralyzed. The only way to cure this strange illness was to strengthen their Snow Maiden bloodline, to achieve a balance between their bloodline power and their bodies.

Concubine Min was a different case. Her bloodline was so thin that she didn’t even develop the illness, so she survived.

Unfortunately, her daughter with the Immortal Emperor, Princess Xue, due to a slight bloodline atavism, was born with a ticking clock.

“The previous Princess Xue… is almost at her end.” The Empress said faintly. “From now on, there’s only the ‘current Princess Xue’.”

The etiquette official’s expression was complicated. Only now did she understand why the Empress had finally accepted the little princess.

The Empress had almost never paid attention to the previous princes and princesses, let alone shown any special care.

The etiquette official had thought that the Empress sending her to personally teach the little princess court etiquette was a sign of reconciliation with the Immortal Emperor, but she hadn’t expected this…

Honestly, after these days of interaction, the etiquette official had developed a fondness for the current Princess Xue. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked the Empress’s wrath by coming here to seek answers.

“Your Majesty, how… did she come to the palace?” The etiquette official asked slowly.

“Sixteen years ago, on the day Princess Xue was born, a palace maid brought her back from the wilderness outside the Imperial Capital. But even I couldn’t find her biological parents.”

The Empress said, “The maid who brought her back died of a serious illness not long after, leaving her alone in the palace.”

The Empress didn’t continue the story about this Princess Xue.

Because she only needed to confirm that Luo Xue could become Princess Xue, that was enough. There was no need to know too much.

However, the etiquette official, who knew the inner workings of the palace very well, understood that someone like Luo Xue… usually wouldn’t have an easy life.

Besides the imperial family’s palaces, there were also many places where servants lived in the Immortal Dynasty’s palace.

And many palace maids were trained from a young age. These places weren’t very strict, and a few children could easily be hidden there without anyone noticing.

Luo Xue was very likely among them, but because of her special identity, she was probably bullied.

But strangely… this current Princess Xue, her behavior these past few days had been very well-mannered, only her ignorance of court etiquette was a problem.

However… the etiquette official still had some doubts, and she couldn’t help but ask,

“But why would His Majesty rather have a… ‘current Princess Xue’ replace his own daughter, than reveal this matter…”

The Empress’s gaze suddenly turned dangerous, and the etiquette official immediately realized she had asked the wrong question and quickly lowered her head.

“This old servant knows her mistake!”

“Heh… it’s nothing I can’t talk about,” the Empress chuckled coldly, “Dugu Di just doesn’t want others to know that Concubine Min is a descendant of the Snow Maiden clan…”

“This is his weakness. In the end, both mother and daughter were just used…”

If not for her Snow Maiden bloodline, why would the Immortal Emperor marry a woman with ordinary looks, a thin bloodline close to a mortal’s, and no family background as an imperial concubine?

Her only mistake was developing inappropriate feelings for her daughter, not being ruthless enough.

The etiquette official’s face turned pale. She seemed to have heard something she shouldn’t have…

She knew that knowing too much about the imperial family’s affairs could easily lead to trouble…

“How could I let him have his way?” A charming smile appeared on the Empress’s lips, her eyes narrowed, a hint of amusement in her gaze. “Besides, I quite like this little girl…”

A human.

A pure human without any demonic bloodline.

Just where did she come from…

The Empress, recalling an ancient legend of the Nangong clan, her smile widened.

In this game of chess between her and the Immortal Emperor, both sides had hidden moves and trump cards.

And now, she was just holding her pieces, hadn’t made her move yet.

The outcome was still unknown.

Chapter 163: Who Entered My Room? 

This was Luo Xue’s first time participating in an auction, but nothing unusual happened.

After all, it was just a daily auction, and even the final item wasn’t particularly remarkable to Luo Xue and Nangong Mian at their level.

Of course, for Nangong Mian, as long as it was valuable, it was fine.

Nangong Mian, unsurprisingly, bought the final item, a jade flute that was clearly not for her, a rare spiritual artifact.

Its grade was quite good, but due to its nature, only music cultivators could utilize its full potential.

Nangong Mian naturally bought it to resell, but she didn’t sell it on the spot. She planned to find a music cultivator who needed a spiritual artifact and could afford a high price after returning to the Nangong Sacred Land, to maximize her profit.

Luo Xue, on the other hand, bought another ancient book, Compendium of Talismans, which stunned Nangong Mian.

The reason the three arts were lost in the Great Thousand Worlds wasn’t because of a lack of ancient texts, but because they were unusable.

Even if one followed the methods in the ancient texts, they could only reach the level of Foundation Establishment at most.

And at higher levels, they couldn’t even create a working model.

Something with a ceiling of only Foundation Establishment… naturally, few people would bother researching it. Perhaps some mortals might try to find a shortcut.

However, Nangong Mian didn’t dampen the little princess’s interest. After all, Her Highness had plenty of time, it was normal for her to dabble in these unorthodox methods.

Vivienne was very nervous, and her nervousness was directed at Luo Xue. She couldn’t understand the little princess’s thoughts.

Although she always acted innocent and carefree, her occasional thoughtful expressions were terrifyingly mature, as if she had experienced countless lifetimes.

This deep and unreadable person of high status, just interacting with her gave Vivienne a headache. She could only attend to her carefully.

Nangong Mian’s personality was much better… as long as you flattered her, you were good sisters.

Only after Luo Xue and Nangong Mian waved goodbye and left the Tianlie Auction House did Vivienne truly relax and head towards her office.

But as soon as she opened the door, she found a dim figure inside.

“Who!”

Vivienne’s heart tightened, but the dim figure bowed slightly to her, holding a bloody head.

“Miss Vivienne, don’t worry, he won’t bother you anymore.”

It was… Linnard’s head.

Vivienne’s pupils constricted, and her stomach churned, almost making her vomit.

His face was frozen in terror, his bulging eyes as if he had seen something horrifying, blood and tears staining his cheeks, the entire head covered in filth.

When Vivienne recovered, the dim figure was gone, only a faint smell of blood remained, proof that he had been here.

“The legendary Imperial Shadow Guard…”

Vivienne was still shaken. She had heard of this secret guard force that only served the Immortal Emperor, assassinating everyone from Sea Crossing Realm cultivators to those at the Innate Realm.

Almost no one could see them and live. Vivienne knew she was one of the few lucky ones.

Linnard was a direct descendant of the General Who Guards the South… yet he was killed so casually, even beheaded, like an ant.

And deliberately delivering his head to Vivienne was firstly to inform her that this troublesome matter had been resolved, perhaps as a reward for taking care of the little princess.

Secondly…

If her actions before the little princess were inappropriate, or if she deliberately revealed the princess’s identity, or if she had any malicious intentions, then there would be another head in the hands of the Imperial Shadow Guard.

Vivienne slowly sat down, was silent for a moment, then immediately wrote a leave request, intending to abandon her work for now and return to the Nangong Sacred Land to rest.

This Imperial Capital was truly not a place for humans…

“Vivienne seemed very afraid of me,” Luo Xue recalled Vivienne’s behavior and frowned slightly. “Am I that scary?”

“You’re very cute.” Nangong Mian really wanted to ruffle Luo Xue’s hair and see if this always serious girl would look even cuter with messy hair. “But… it’s normal for her to be afraid, ahahaha…”

Nangong Mian chuckled, trying to gloss over it.

After all, it had been many years since any princes or princesses had appeared in the Imperial Capital, especially in disguise. Anyone would be terrified.

Even the name of the Nangong clan could scare away the onlookers, let alone the little princess of the imperial family venturing out privately…

Among the princes and princesses before Princess Xue, the youngest was Princess Xing, about six thousand years older than Luo Xue, currently fighting against the barbarians at the border, a Soul Transformation cultivator.

And the other, older princes and princesses were either governing their fiefs or leading armies stationed outside the territory. It had been thousands of years since any prince or princess had appeared in the Imperial Capital.

Nangong Mian secretly glanced at Luo Xue, who was intently reading the Compendium of Talismans, and sighed inwardly. The little princess truly didn’t realize how terrifying her current identity was.

“Those who mocked us earlier must have been dealt with by the Shadow Guard…”

“What’s wrong?” Luo Xue looked up and asked with confusion. “Is there something on my face?”

“No, no…”

Nangong Mian coughed lightly and looked away.

“Xue, where else do you want to go?”

“Nowhere, let’s go back to the palace.” Luo Xue closed the ancient text, carefully putting it away in her small pouch. “If we play for too long, Madam won’t let me out next time.”

Nangong Mian was stunned. Her Highness was truly good at planning, even thinking about the next time.

If it were her, finally having the chance to come out, she would definitely play for a while before returning.

“Then… I’ll just send you back directly?” Nangong Mian asked hesitantly, just to confirm.

“Yes.”

Luo Xue nodded.

Returning to the imperial palace didn’t require going to a specific location. Nangong Mian found a secluded spot, took out the token given to her by the etiquette official, and injected spiritual power to activate it.

The reason she didn’t give the token directly to Luo Xue was that she was worried Luo Xue would hide it and sneak out of the palace next time.

The etiquette official couldn’t bear the responsibility of losing Princess Xue, so she entrusted the return token to Nangong Mian.

A faint light emanated from the token, gently enveloping Luo Xue and Nangong Mian, bringing a warm feeling.

A moment later, the light dissipated, leaving nothing behind.

At the same time, the faint gazes around them also disappeared with the light.

…

When the two returned to the palace, Luo Xue found the etiquette official waiting for her at the door, her expression somewhat complicated.

“Madam, what’s wrong?” Luo Xue, sensing something amiss, asked, “I came back on time, there’s no need to worry so much.”

“…This old servant knows.”

The etiquette official averted her gaze slightly and said softly.

Yes… this was the feeling, this was the Princess Xue she had always interacted with.

But the other one…

Although their appearances were almost identical, with only minor differences, they felt completely different.

Although she knew that she had to treat both of them as the real Princess Xue, when actually facing them, she still felt an inexplicable awkwardness.

“Your Highness must be tired after playing all day. Please rest early.” The etiquette official opened the palace door for Luo Xue, then looked at Nangong Mian. “Xiao Mian, you should go back now.”

“Mmm…”

Nangong Mian looked reluctant and said hesitantly,

“Your Highness, when… when can we meet again? I’m going back to the Sacred Land soon…”

“Perhaps very soon.”

Luo Xue smiled sweetly at Nangong Mian, her dimples showing.

“It’s a promise, Your Highness must come to the Nangong Sacred Land to find me next time!” Nangong Mian extended her thumb. “Let’s make a pinky swear!”

Luo Xue couldn’t help but laugh. She had done this childish thing several times already.

However…

She did intend to go to the Nangong Sacred Land.

After all, the Nangong clan carried the bloodline of the Phoenix.

“Okay.”

Luo Xue also extended her thumb and pressed it against Nangong Mian’s.

The etiquette official’s expression turned strange as she watched this scene.

She looked at the slightly distracted Luo Xue, then at the excited Nangong Mian, and suddenly felt like she had missed something.

Wait… wasn’t it Her Highness who was infatuated with Nangong Mian?

Why had the situation reversed?

Just as the etiquette official’s thoughts were running wild again, Luo Xue waved her hand in front of her and asked curiously,

“Madam? What’s wrong with you today?”

“No-, nothing.” The etiquette official quickly lowered her head. “This old servant is getting old, it’s hard to focus…”

Nangong Mian had already left, and Luo Xue walked into her palace.

The etiquette official quickly followed and found Luo Xue holding an ancient book, engrossed in reading.

Her earlier distraction seemed to be because of this book.

“A storybook? Well, Her Highness is at that age now, but I hope she won’t be misled by the love stories inside…”

She recalled that Her Highness had an older sister who, after reading a storybook, went to the neighboring Huiyang Empire on a flying dragon, saying that only the most handsome and powerful prince could save her…

This ridiculous incident almost caused a war between the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty and the Huiyang Empire, and since then, storybooks were rare in the palace.

Of course, that had been many years ago. It was fine for Her Highness to read a few for entertainment.

“What book is Your Highness reading?”

Just in case, the etiquette official still asked.

“Hundred Solutions to Formations.”

Luo Xue held up the book.

“Oh… ah?”

The etiquette official was stunned for a moment, then said,

“Your Highness, are you… interested in formations?”

She had thought Her Highness was so engrossed in reading… such an unorthodox book.

“Just curious.” Luo Xue replied casually, then as if remembering something, asked, “Madam, do you know about formations? When you sent me to the Cold Palace before, you seemed to use a teleportation formation.”

“What do you mean ‘sent you to the Cold Palace’? You can’t say such things…”

The etiquette official broke out in a cold sweat, wiping her forehead as she spoke.

“This old servant doesn’t know anything about formations. It’s said that only ancient humans could master them… It’s just that I happen to know a little about the Law of Space and can use some insignificant techniques.”

“Ancient humans…”

Luo Xue’s expression turned serious.

The people in the nine provinces and four domains were all ancient humans…

It was rather ironic. The nine provinces and four domains called the outside world the Ancient Demon Lands, while the Ancient Demon Lands called the people of the caged world ancient humans.

It seemed the separation between the two had to be traced back to the legendary ancient era.

“The ‘Dao inscriptions’ we use now are derived from formations.”

The etiquette official took out the return token and held it up to Luo Xue.

“Look, this is it. But compared to the legendary formations that anyone could construct and use, the inscription and usage conditions of Dao inscriptions are much stricter, and their variations are much smaller.”

Luo Xue wanted to take the token and examine it closely, but the etiquette official put it away, not letting Luo Xue touch it.

This token was very important, it could be used to both return to and leave the palace.

However, Luo Xue had already seen the Dao inscription patterns on the token and, after a moment of thought, came to a rough conclusion.

Dao inscriptions essentially just imitated the form of formations during use. Besides this, there were no other similarities between the two; they were completely different systems.

Rather than saying they were derived from formations, it was more accurate to say that they were two different interpretations of the same phenomenon.

When Luo Xue learned about formations from Li Guijiao, the first thing she had to know was—

The original formations originated from imitating the innate Dao patterns of ancient divine beasts.

It seemed that Dao inscriptions also originated from the innate Dao patterns of ancient divine beasts, just a different path…

In a sense, Dao inscriptions were even more similar to innate Dao patterns.

“If Your Highness is interested in formations, you can try inscribing Dao inscriptions.” The etiquette official said. “Just dabble in formations, don’t delve too deeply.”

She was worried that Luo Xue would go astray. Since the ancient era, few people had achieved much in the Dao of formations. Research in this area was futile.

“I know.”

Luo Xue replied casually. She planned to try it sometime.

To see if it was because of the environment of the Ancient Demon Lands, or if the people here simply weren’t suited for formations.

Luo Xue reached the door of her room and slowly pushed it open, but the next moment, an unusual scent reached her nose, and her pupils constricted instantly.

“Someone… has been here?”

Chapter 162: Xue’er’s Longing

“…”

Luo Xue looked deeply at Nangong Mian and didn’t reply.

Nangong Mian wasn’t embarrassed, but just touched her nose and said,

“Okay, saying it’s the best was a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s definitely much better than this drop, I guarantee!”

“But what use do I have for it?” Luo Xue shrugged. “I haven’t even started cultivating yet.”

“Oh, right…”

Nangong Mian shrank back slightly.

She almost forgot that Princess Xue had been frail and sickly since childhood and had only recently recovered.

In that condition, let alone cultivating, even daily life was a struggle.

“I was just curious.”

Luo Xue stood up and left, and Nangong Mian quickly followed, continuing to browse the exhibition hall with her.

Nangong Mian was still comparing prices; as long as the price was high enough, it didn’t matter what it was.

Luo Xue stopped before a set of Hundred Solutions to Formations, seemingly written by an ancient formation master, even the material it was written on looked ancient.

Most of the books in the imperial palace were kept in the imperial study. If Luo Xue wanted to borrow them, the Immortal Emperor probably wouldn’t refuse, but they weren’t hers.

“You’re actually interested in formations?” Nangong Mian was surprised. “But not many people use formations anymore…”

“Well… what do you mean, not many people?”

Luo Xue paused, seemingly discovering a difference between this world and the caged world.

“Well, it’s said that in ancient times, formations were very popular, but now, most have been lost.” Nangong Mian counted on her fingers. “Of the four arts of formations, talismans, puppetry, and refining, only ‘refining’ remains, that is, alchemy and artifact refining.”

“…”

Luo Xue was silent for a moment.

The four arts were all commonly practiced in the nine provinces and four domains.

But in the Ancient Demon Lands, they were lost…

“Xue, if you’re interested in these, you’ve come to the right person.” Nangong Mian started boasting again. “I’m a professional in secret realms, I’ve been to countless ancient secret realms, and I know a bit about these lost three arts.”

“Many mechanisms in ancient secret realms are based on the principles of formations, talismans, and puppetry. If I wasn’t proficient in these, how could I navigate them so easily…”

Nangong Mian wasn’t exaggerating. Her understanding of the three arts was considered quite extensive in the Great Thousand Worlds.

It was precisely because of this that she could plunder the various secret realms, making the other geniuses suffer.

It was a pity that she encountered Luo Xue… who came from a world where the four arts were all complete, and because of Senior Sister Li, she had even systematically studied some of them.

Luo Xue smiled as she listened to Nangong Mian’s experiences, clapping to make her happy, then stopped her before she could start another round of boasting.

“Sister Mian, save it for next time.”

Through Nangong Mian’s boasting, Luo Xue already had a good understanding of this world’s mastery of the three arts.

It wasn’t even at the beginner level, just some fragmented techniques…

Perhaps because of the differences in cultivation techniques, or perhaps because of their physiques, even with guidance books like Hundred Solutions to Formations, no one in the Ancient Demon Lands could construct a complete formation.

“Oh… okay!”

Nangong Mian, surprisingly obedient, followed Luo Xue, completely under the little princess’s control.

Luo Xue thought for a moment, then took the Hundred Solutions to Formations, considering it compensation from the Tianlie Auction House.

Nangong Mian was puzzled. She looked at the price and muttered,

“Xue, this is very cheap… just a few spirit stones, it’s too little as compensation!”

“Do I lack spirit stones?” Luo Xue raised an eyebrow.

“…That’s true.”

Nangong Mian thought carefully, then scratched the back of her head.

It was so itchy, it felt like her brain was growing.

Just as Nangong Mian was about to choose the most valuable compensation in her mind, Vivienne suddenly appeared, hurrying over.

Seeing the Hundred Solutions to Formations in Luo Xue’s hand, she said in surprise,

“You… chose this?”

Vivienne also knew that the Hundred Solutions to Formations was indeed one of the least valuable items in the exhibition hall.

“This is enough.” Luo Xue said softly.

“If… you say so.”

Vivienne swallowed her words. After all, she was the little princess, it was normal for her to choose only what she was interested in.

Then, she looked at Nangong Mian and bowed slightly.

“Miss Mian, I just reported this matter to the manager, and he feels that the compensation isn’t enough. He would like to invite you to participate in today’s daily auction. If you see anything you like, just bid, and the Tianlie Auction House will pay.”

Vivienne had clearly underestimated the Tianlie Auction House’s regard for the Nangong clan. Even if she was just a minor member, they didn’t want to offend her.

The items in the exhibition hall, although valuable, were still far inferior to those in the daily auction.

“No restrictions?”

Nangong Mian’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Naturally, just one…”

Vivienne smiled wryly. Having dealt with Nangong Mian many times, she knew her personality and wasn’t surprised by her words.

Then, Vivienne looked at Luo Xue, hesitation in her expression.

However, before Vivienne could speak, Luo Xue said,

“I’m fine, I really like this Hundred Solutions to Formations, this is enough.”

Vivienne looked at Luo Xue gratefully. She knew that Luo Xue’s identity couldn’t be casually revealed, so she hadn’t mentioned her to the manager, and there was no corresponding special treatment.

If Luo Xue had asked for something, she would have had to pay for it out of her own pocket.

Even as a top auctioneer, Vivienne was just an employee, and her savings couldn’t compare to those of the wealthy and powerful.

Not everyone wanted to curry favor with the little princess. The affairs of the imperial family… Vivienne, naturally cautious, didn’t want to get involved.

“Since this miss likes it, I’ll personally give you a few formation models as well. Don’t worry, they’re just worthless trinkets.”

Vivienne smiled gently and gestured.

“This way, please.”

…

Xue’er tiptoed through the palace, looking at the familiar surroundings, a faint smile on her lips.

She held onto the wall as she walked, her bare feet making no sound on the floor.

How much longer could she live…

Could she, before her death, replace herself and become the most beloved daughter of her father, Mother Concubine, and Mother?

Xue’er looked forward to it, but she wouldn’t see that day.

She had always known that there was a girl in the palace with the same hair color as her, about the same age, but they had never met.

The few times she had seen the girl from the window, the girl was always sitting alone on the snow-covered grass, looking up at the stars.

Xue’er also wanted to see the stars, but she couldn’t go outside, let alone sit on the grass.

Because she was born with a serious illness, frail and weak.

Curing this illness was actually very simple, just strengthen her divine beast bloodline.

Unfortunately, Xue’er’s biological mother, Imperial Concubine Min, possessed the extremely rare Snow Maiden bloodline. There wasn’t even a third person with this bloodline in the entire Great Thousand Worlds, not even that white-haired girl, so strengthening her bloodline was impossible.

Xue’er couldn’t even remember how much medicine she had taken, but her body continued to weaken.

At first, it was just weakness when walking, then even lying down became difficult, her skin turning an unhealthy pale, making her look like a ghost.

She was dying, but she didn’t want her father and Mother Concubine to be sad because of her.

Therefore, when the Empress proposed using that girl to replace her as Princess Xue, Xue’er agreed without hesitation.

In her eyes, that lonely girl must also yearn to be loved, right?

If she gave her all her love… she would surely be happy.

With this thought, Xue’er, the real Princess Xue, hid herself.

And that girl, after being manipulated by the Empress, had most of her memories sealed and her appearance changed, finally becoming Princess Xue, continuing Xue’er’s life.

“It seems… she’s doing even better than me. Mother Concubine also likes her very much.”

Xue’er gently pushed open the door and entered the bedroom, a faint, elegant fragrance lingering in the air, the scent she had left behind.

Perhaps it was a final burst of energy before her death, but Xue’er felt stronger these days, even able to walk around by herself without assistance.

Perhaps… her time was truly running out…

A hint of longing flashed through Xue’er’s eyes. She wasn’t ready to face death, but it was inevitable.

She tiptoed to the bed, her fingers touching the bedding, imagining another version of herself.

From now on, she was Princess Xue.

“Who’s there!”

Just then, a deep, hoarse voice suddenly rang out, startling Xue’er, and she quickly retracted her hand.

She looked back in panic and saw a pale figure standing at the door, a terrifying gaze piercing through her.

“How… was I discovered?”

Xue’er’s heart tightened. Hadn’t Father cast a spell to make her invisible to everyone? How could a servant see through it?

No, wait, that person seemed to be…

“Your Highness?” The etiquette official, seeing the snow-white figure in the room, frowned slightly. “Why are you back so soon? Could it be that Xiao Mian…”

No, that wasn’t right.

The etiquette official’s pupils constricted. This princess… felt different.

The princess she had interacted with before seemed more resolute, more shrewd.

And this one…

Was as fragile as water.

“Madam…”

Xue’er lowered her head and said.

The etiquette official had become Princess Xue’s etiquette instructor after the identity switch.

Before that, she had always served the Empress, having only met Xue’er a few times, but their interactions hadn’t been as frequent as with the current Princess Xue.

“You…”

The etiquette official opened her mouth, then noticed the traces of the Immortal Emperor’s spell on Xue’er.

…It seemed she had stumbled upon something she shouldn’t have.

The etiquette official quickly averted her gaze and muttered,

“Ah… there’s no one here. This old servant was mistaken, I thought Her Highness had returned, I’m getting old and muddled…”

With that, she left the room, her hands behind her back, her body hunched.

This was the only way she could escape this situation…

“Hmm?” Xue’er blinked. “I… wasn’t discovered?”

She walked to the door and watched the old woman’s receding figure, seemingly not noticing her presence, and finally relaxed.

“It seems Father’s spell is quite effective… cough…”

As if having been out for too long, Xue’er suddenly felt weak and could only support herself against the wall, slowly walking towards her hidden palace.

As Xue’er left, the etiquette official silently appeared where she had been standing, looking at her receding figure with a grave expression.

She hesitated whether to report this matter to the Empress, but after thinking about it, this might be the Empress’s arrangement.

…But now, regardless of which Princess Xue was the real one, she could only treat them both as real.

“The imperial family… is like this.” The etiquette official sighed. “I’m worried that one day, I’ll learn something I shouldn’t know…”

Perhaps even her status as the Empress’s personal maid wouldn’t be enough to protect her in these murky waters.

…

Upon entering the auction house, Luo Xue’s vision widened.

Only then did she realize that the Tianlie Auction House’s interior space was probably half again as large as she had estimated.

After all, the auction hall was the most important part of the entire auction house. The exhibition hall only displayed relatively rare items that weren’t valuable enough for auction.

And the items that could be auctioned here, even on a daily basis, would be considered worthy of a large-scale auction outside the Imperial Capital.

The Imperial Capital was truly prosperous, even in the fifteenth ring.

Vivienne led the two to a VIP room, dismissed the maids inside, and personally served Luo Xue and Nangong Mian.

Having a top auctioneer do this was partly because she was familiar with Nangong Mian, and partly to show the Tianlie Auction House’s respect for the Nangong clan.

Of course, the most important reason was…

To prevent Nangong Mian from making outrageous bids.

The prices she called out, the Tianlie Auction House had to actually pay the sellers…

If Nangong Mian bid a million for an item worth 100,000 spirit stones, the Tianlie Auction House would have to bear the loss.

From Vivienne’s understanding of Nangong Mian, she was completely capable of doing such a thing.

Luo Xue was also a bit interested. If there was something she wanted at the auction, she could bid on it. She wasn’t short on money.

Chapter 161: Before Her Highness, There Are No Powerful Families 

“I can’t enter?”

Nangong Mian’s temper flared. She wasn’t known for her patience.

Moreover, she had just boasted to the princess, only to be turned away at the door.

Where was her face now?

“Entering the Tianlie Auction House requires a certain level of registered assets. I’m sorry, but you two don’t seem to be registered.”

The guard said impassively, “To provide our guests with the best and most exclusive service, we need to maintain a certain atmosphere. As for you two… please excuse us.”

Mocking gazes came from the surrounding crowd. Although most of the guests, considering themselves high-class, didn’t openly mock them, their expressions weren’t friendly, all waiting for a good show.

“Then let’s register.”

Luo Xue said softly, and only then did the surrounding people notice the small, delicate girl beside the country bumpkin.

“If you qualify, I apologize.” The guard nodded.

“Wait… no!”

Nangong Mian quickly stopped them. She seemed to realize something, hesitated for a moment, then turned to Luo Xue.

“Let’s go to another auction house.”

She had almost forgotten to keep a low profile…

Asset registration required identification. If Luo Xue revealed her Snow Crystal Ring, the symbol of her identity as the little princess, they would have to return to the palace.

Without prior arrangements, Luo Xue couldn’t appear in the Great Qin Imperial Capital as Princess Xue. It would cause a lot of trouble, both for the capital and for herself.

“Pfft!”

Someone in the crowd chuckled, making Nangong Mian grit her teeth, but she couldn’t lash out.

If this were the Nangong Sacred Land, she would have already beaten them up. She couldn’t defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator, but half of the Core Formation cultivators weren’t her match.

Luo Xue naturally wasn’t stupid enough to reveal her identity as the little princess, but there were other solutions.

For example, offering something to be auctioned. An auction house couldn’t refuse someone who wanted to sell something, could they?

Nangong Mian clearly wasn’t very clever, a bit of a simpleton.

Meanwhile, inside the Tianlie Auction House.

Vivienne was one of the most renowned auctioneers of the Tianlie Auction House, having handled countless rare treasures.

Recently, with Princess Xue’s coming-of-age ceremony, the Immortal Emperor, in his delight, had bestowed many of his treasures, including countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures, and even spiritual artifacts.

Due to the unprecedented scale of this event, the Imperial Capital was experiencing unprecedented prosperity, and even the quality of items in the daily auctions had increased.

The Tianlie Auction House had summoned almost all its signature auctioneers from all over the Immortal Dynasty to the Imperial Capital, intending to make a fortune during this prosperous period.

Vivienne had previously been in charge of the auction house in the Nangong Sacred Land, and during this time, she was also in the Imperial Capital, busy at various branches.

Today, she had just finished her work at Branch 3 in the fifteenth ring when she heard a commotion outside and asked curiously,

“What’s going on outside?”

“Nothing, just a country bumpkin trying to get in, but she was stopped.” A colleague looked out the window with amusement. “It’s mainly because after saying ‘I can’t enter?’ she just slunk away, quite comical.”

“I see…”

Vivienne immediately lost interest, but she still glanced out the window.

And she saw a familiar face.

“That’s… Miss Mian? Eh, shouldn’t she be in the inner ring? Why is she in such a remote place? Wait…”

Vivienne’s gaze fell on the small, dignified girl beside Nangong Mian, and her eyes widened instantly.

“Holy shit!”

“Yes, yes, that’s her.”

Her colleague was still laughing at Nangong Mian, but when he turned around, Vivienne was already gone.

…

“What a pitiful child, hahahaha…”

“‘I can’t enter?’ Did you see her expression, ‘I can’t enter?’ Hahaha…”

Nangong Mian was pulling Luo Xue away, but the surrounding crowd had grown.

More and more people were watching the show, and the occasional mocking laughter irritated her.

Luo Xue was silent for a moment, then stopped, not leaving with Nangong Mian.

She touched the Snow Crystal Ring on her finger, the symbol of her identity as the little princess.

Once she revealed it, all those mocking her wouldn’t even run, but would probably kneel down and slap themselves.

But if she did that, this trip out of the palace would be over, and it would be more troublesome to leave the palace privately in the future.

Nangong Mian saw Luo Xue’s intention and anxiously transmitted her voice.

“Your Highness, it’s okay, I can endure it.”

“Enduring… that’s not your style.”

Luo Xue shook her head. She extended her hand, about to reveal the ring, when she suddenly heard an anxious female voice.

“Miss Mian!”

Hearing this familiar voice, Nangong Mian’s heart sank. Why was there someone she knew here?

She quickly turned around, frantically signaling to the approaching Vivienne, stopping her from saying “Your Highness Princess Xue.”

Luo Xue paused, retracted her hand, and looked at the woman hurrying towards them.

The woman wore a well-tailored, patterned dress, her black, waist-length hair neatly styled, and her light makeup made her very approachable.

“Miss Mian, and this…”

“My younger sister.”

Nangong Mian quickly said.

Vivienne was slightly stunned, then quickly realized that her earlier guess was probably correct.

Because Nangong Mian wouldn’t have a younger sister she could bring with her…

Her younger siblings in the clan were all terrified of her.

“Hello, Big Sister.”

Luo Xue politely bowed to Vivienne, almost making her kneel.

How could she accept a greeting from Princess Xue, and that “Big Sister”… Vivienne knew that agreeing would only bring trouble, so she quickly said,

“You can call me Xiao Ya, that’s what Miss Mian calls me.”

“Vivienne, who is this?”

Just then, a discordant voice rang out.

A thin man with a monkey-like face stepped out from the crowd, his greedy gaze first sweeping over Vivienne, then glancing at Nangong Mian mockingly.

He had seen the earlier scene and looked down on this country bumpkin.

“Mr. Linnard,” Vivienne’s eyes flashed with disgust when she saw the newcomer, but she still replied politely, “She is a valued customer of our Tianlie Auction House, with many transactions.”

At the same time, Vivienne transmitted her voice to Nangong Mian and Luo Xue. “This person is very troublesome, and he’s been pursuing me recently. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Many transactions? More than me?”

Hearing this, the monkey-faced man, Linnard, sneered.

Linnard had seen Vivienne hosting an auction and had taken a fancy to her, following her wherever she went.

He had also used the opportunity of auction transactions to approach Vivienne, sending her many orders.

Linnard was shrewd. If he had directly given her gifts, Vivienne definitely wouldn’t have accepted them.

But sending orders, Vivienne couldn’t refuse, because the auction house wouldn’t refuse business.

Therefore, Vivienne could only endure it for now. She would return to the Nangong Sacred Land soon anyway.

However… compared to Nangong Mian, Linnard’s orders were insignificant.

She was someone who could loot several ancient clan secret realms…

“Several times more.”

Vivienne replied with a smile.

“Hahaha, her?” Linnard burst into laughter, then scoffed. “Vivienne, do you think I’m an idiot?”

He had just been looking for an excuse to talk to Vivienne, but he hadn’t expected her to tell such a blatant lie.

“And I’ve checked, during your time in the Imperial Capital, I’m your number one customer,” Linnard pointed at himself smugly. “Me, Young Master Lin, the number one dandy in the Imperial Capital, understand?”

Hearing this name, the surrounding crowd became even more agitated.

“It’s actually Young Master Lin… no wonder…”

“To be favored by Young Master Lin… tsk, why don’t I have such good luck…”

“Even just a few months with Young Master Lin would bring countless benefits. This woman doesn’t know what’s good for her…”

Vivienne’s face darkened as she listened to the chatter, and Linnard became even more smug, enjoying the current situation.

Luo Xue tugged on Nangong Mian’s clothes and transmitted her voice.

“What kind of family is the Lin family? Are they powerful?”

“…Before Her Highness, there are no powerful families.” Nangong Mian’s eyelid twitched. “I think they’re the family of the General Who Guards the South, right?”

“Oh, that little old man.”

Luo Xue recalled. She had indeed seen someone with the title of General Who Guards the South at the birthday banquet, but he was sitting in a relatively inconspicuous corner.

While Luo Xue and Nangong Mian were chatting privately, Vivienne took a deep breath and said,

“Her orders aren’t from the Imperial Capital, but from the Nangong Sacred Land.”

“Hahaha,” Linnard laughed again, not believing her at all. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to say that she’s actually from the Nangong clan?”

“…How did you know?”

Vivienne was stunned. Knowing she was from the Nangong clan, he still dared to act so arrogantly? Was this Linnard stupid?

“Hahaha… ah? Cou-, could it be…”

Linnard’s laughter gradually died down, and he panicked upon hearing Vivienne’s words.

Based on his understanding of Vivienne, she would never be so bold as to impersonate a member of the Nangong clan.

In other words…

“She… she is…”

Linnard stammered.

“Her name is Nangong Mian.”

Vivienne’s last words confirmed her identity.

Nangong Mian’s expression was helpless. She didn’t want to flaunt her Nangong clan background, but now that her identity was exposed, there was nothing she could do.

“Hmm?”

The onlookers who had been enjoying the show were suddenly startled, and the mocking laughter subsided.

Nangong…

That was the Empress’s clan…

Within the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, the Nangong clan’s status was almost equal to that of the imperial family.

And since the Nangong clan was an ancient clan, they also possessed an ancient prestige, making them even more formidable.

“She’s actually the young mistress of the Nangong clan?”

“Holy…”

Hearing this, most of the onlookers immediately dispersed.

Who would dare to watch the Nangong clan’s jokes…

Those who had mocked her earlier were ashen-faced and fled without looking back.

The guard who had stopped Nangong Mian earlier quickly came over to apologize, but Nangong Mian waved her hand dismissively. She knew that the guard was just following the rules.

Linnard’s face turned pale, his legs weak, and he quickly changed his attitude.

“Miss Nangong…”

“Get lost.”

Nangong Mian wasn’t polite, but she couldn’t attack either.

She didn’t like using her Nangong clan identity because with that surname, she couldn’t act recklessly.

If not for the princess being nearby, she would have given these people a “small boxing lesson.”

“Yes, yes, Miss Nangong, may you be blessed…”

Linnard, relieved, looked at Vivienne with a mournful expression.

Why didn’t you tell me you had such connections earlier? If you had, I wouldn’t have bothered you…

Being able to talk to someone from the imperial family or the Nangong clan, even if their status was low, they would still have some standing in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

After saying that, Linnard quickly left, probably not daring to bother Vivienne again.

Actually, besides Nangong Mian, Vivienne also knew several other members of the Nangong clan, but she didn’t use them as her backing.

If she casually used the Nangong clan’s name, if they found out one day, even if she wasn’t punished, Vivienne wouldn’t be able to survive in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

“Thank you, Miss Mian, for today.”

Vivienne smiled and bowed to Nangong Mian, then looked at Luo Xue, hesitating whether to kneel.

“Can we go in and take a look?”

Luo Xue asked at the right time. To avoid embarrassing Vivienne, she didn’t address her as “sister” out of politeness.

“Of course,” Vivienne quickly said. “Miss Mian is our valued customer. She practically supports the daily auctions of our branch in the Nangong Sacred Land…”

“That’s right.”

Nangong Mian said proudly, her ego inflated after being flattered.

Luo Xue looked deeply at Vivienne. This auctioneer seemed to have interacted with Nangong Mian quite a bit and knew how to handle this Nangong clan prodigy.

“This way, please,” Vivienne led them in another direction. “To apologize for today’s incident, the Tianlie Auction House would like to offer you some compensation. You can choose anything from our exhibition hall.”

“Wow, how nice!”

Nangong Mian was immediately overjoyed. She loved getting free stuff.

Luo Xue asked with concern, “You’re not deducting it from your salary, are you?”

Vivienne was stunned, not expecting Luo Xue to ask this, then replied after a moment of surprise,

“Don’t worry, the Tianlie Auction House isn’t that petty.”

…

Vivienne led Luo Xue and Nangong Mian through the staff passage. After all, even using the VIP passage now might cause trouble.

Especially with someone whose identity was already troublesome…

Vivienne glanced at Luo Xue and found that she was just looking around curiously, without the arrogance or petulance of a princess.

Even Nangong Mian, although casual, still had an air of superiority.

But this little princess didn’t seem to have any of that…

Luo Xue looked at the slightly shabby surroundings with a hint of nostalgia. In her previous, previous life, she had worked a summer job at a supermarket, and she always used this kind of passage.

This shared experience made her feel closer to Vivienne, which was why Vivienne found this little princess particularly approachable.

The staff passage wasn’t long, and they soon arrived inside the Tianlie Auction House.

Upon entering, Luo Xue realized that the space inside was at least three to four times larger than it appeared from the outside. They must have used some kind of spatial formation.

It made sense. In the Imperial Capital, where every inch of land was valuable, using a formation to expand the space was much more cost-effective than renting more land.

“The fifteenth ring is quite remote. If you’re not satisfied with what’s here, you can come with me to our headquarters in the inner ring. There should be treasures there that will satisfy you.” Vivienne said with a professional smile, bowing slightly.

Besides the first ring, which was exclusively for the imperial family, the second to fifth rings were considered the inner ring, where the officials and nobles of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty resided. Naturally, there were also many corresponding facilities there.

Famous auction houses like the Tianlie Auction House had their headquarters in the inner ring, for the convenience of doing business with the most esteemed people in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

“Let’s take a look around first.” Luo Xue nodded slightly.

Hearing this, Vivienne knew that the little princess didn’t need her to accompany them and immediately bowed and excused herself.

After Vivienne left, Nangong Mian looked at her receding figure and muttered, wondering why she left so readily this time.

“An old friend?”

Luo Xue asked.

“Well… sort of,” Nangong Mian scratched the back of her head. “Mainly because she speaks nicely, hee hee…”

Anyone who agrees with you, you find them pleasant…

Luo Xue had figured out Nangong Mian’s simple mind and couldn’t help but smile.

Then, she turned her attention back to the exhibition hall, her expression turning serious.

The fifteenth ring was considered the suburbs of the Imperial Capital, but the Tianlie Auction House was a large chain, and even in the suburbs, the exhibition hall was still quite impressive.

The entire hall was filled with exhibits, ensuring that there was always something within sight, no matter where the customers went.

There weren’t many customers around, and they were all quietly browsing—after all, since this was where Vivienne had brought the little princess and Miss Nangong, the items here were definitely not low-level.

Nangong Mian’s purpose was simple. Since the Tianlie Auction House was offering compensation, she would definitely choose the most expensive item, checking the price of everything.

Luo Xue, on the other hand, was excitedly looking at the heavenly materials and earthly treasures of this world. It could be seen that the Ancient Demon Lands weren’t fundamentally different from the nine provinces and four domains, not to the point where even the rules were different, like in the post-apocalyptic world.

Luo Xue had even seen most of these heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the nine provinces and four domains, and even for those she hadn’t seen before, she could roughly deduce their effects and properties.

Furthermore, the artifact refining level of the Ancient Demon Lands wasn’t significantly higher. Spiritual artifacts were still rare, and so were high-level magical artifacts.

The same went for cultivation techniques. Although there were some differences due to the presence of demonic bloodlines, the overall difference wasn’t significant.

In other words, if someone from the nine provinces and four domains suddenly came to the Ancient Demon Lands, they could adapt quickly.

The more Luo Xue looked, the more she felt that the nine provinces and four domains were truly a cage…

But why did such a cage exist?

Luo Xue didn’t know and could only speculate.

…Bloodline?

Almost everyone in the nine provinces and four domains was human, and even those with demonic bloodlines were a minority.

While in the Ancient Demon Lands… pure humans were the rarest. Even mortals possessed some demonic bloodline, allowing them to barely embark on the path of immortality.

What exactly happened, to create such a caged world…

It was still unknown.

After browsing for a while, Luo Xue’s gaze was drawn to a drop of blood, flickering with flames.

This drop of blood, like a fire sprite, moved within a transparent container, occasionally emitting sparks.

“Is this… Phoenix blood essence?”

Luo Xue looked at the label and blinked.

The Phoenix blood essence she had seen before wasn’t like this… although this one looked much cooler.

“Xue, are you interested in this?” Nangong Mian leaned over and touched her chin. “Probably some clan member who’s short on money, selling their own blood essence?”

“Clan member?” Luo Xue asked with confusion. “But it says Phoenix…”

“The Phoenix is the bloodline of the Nangong clan. What’s wrong with calling it Phoenix blood essence?” Nangong Mian looked at her strangely. “Don’t tell me you thought it was the blood essence of an ancient divine beast Phoenix? Even the Empress probably doesn’t have something like that…”

“In the entire Great Thousand Worlds, I don’t know if you can even find a single drop.”

“I see…”

Luo Xue nodded thoughtfully.

Nangong Mian didn’t seem to know about Phoenix Venerable’s existence, which meant that most of the Nangong clan didn’t know about this.

The Empress might know, but Luo Xue didn’t have a chance to find out.

Nangong Mian’s eyes darted around, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.

“Xue, if you really want Phoenix blood essence, you don’t need this inferior stuff. I have some!”

She patted her chest and said proudly,

“I’m a direct descendant of the Empress’s lineage, and I cultivate the Desolate Extinction Scripture. The purity of my blood essence is unmatched in the entire Nangong clan. As long as you pay for the nutrients, I’ll give you a drop!”

For Nangong Mian, blood essence wasn’t something she couldn’t give away, but it required a suitable price.

Clearly, the reason she didn’t offer it at the banquet was simply because the imperial family’s return gift wasn’t enough.

Chapter 160: A Trip Out of the Palace, Nangong Mian’s Old Home 

“…”

The etiquette official’s momentary look of surprise didn’t escape Luo Xue’s notice, and her expression turned serious.

From her expression and words, it seemed that the etiquette official knew about this.

She knew “Luo Xue,” and also knew that Concubine Min was acquainted with “Luo Xue.”

But she hadn’t told Concubine Min’s daughter…

There must be a hidden reason.

However, Luo Xue didn’t ask.

Since the etiquette official didn’t intend to tell her, asking would probably be futile.

“Since there are no lessons today, Madam, can I leave the palace for a while?”

Luo Xue blinked, a hopeful expression on her face.

“…You can leave the palace, but not alone, Your Highness. This is for your safety.”

The etiquette official’s expression softened slightly.

“Your Highness must find this old servant’s constant nagging annoying. I won’t follow you, but someone still has to protect you.”

“It’s not that I find you annoying, Madam, I just want to… clear my head…” Luo Xue lowered her head slightly, looking at the ground. “It’s fine if someone accompanies me… but I don’t want anyone from the palace.”

The people in the palace were too shrewd. Luo Xue’s every move would be watched. She didn’t want to be constrained after leaving the palace.

The etiquette official paused, then realized that Her Highness had just returned from the Cold Palace and probably hadn’t recovered from her encounter with her Mother Concubine.

She needed some time to clear her head, and the people in the palace would only remind her of unpleasant things… It seemed she could only ask her for help.

“I understand, Your Highness just wants to go out with Nangong Mian, I’ll contact her for you.” The etiquette official said faintly.

“Sister Mian? Yes, yes!”

Luo Xue’s face lit up with genuine joy this time.

This was an unexpected surprise. Nangong Mian was a naive and easily fooled girl.

And Luo Xue also wanted to learn more about the Nangong clan.

But seeing the etiquette official’s expression, Luo Xue seemed to realize something and coughed awkwardly, lowering her head slightly.

“Ahem…”

Had she been too happy… The madam still had some strange misunderstandings.

Looking at the seemingly shy Princess Xue, the etiquette official could only sigh.

Her Highness hadn’t given up… her worries from yesterday seemed to be true.

Well, Nangong Mian would be leaving the Imperial Sacred Land in a few days anyway.

By the time they met again, it would be many years later.

By then, Her Highness should have matured and learned to let go of such inappropriate feelings.

“Your Highness, please wait in your palace for a while. This old servant will go and make arrangements…”

The etiquette official stood up, paused, and then added,

“But I still have to remind you that even within the Imperial Sacred Land, under His Majesty’s protection, there are still many unsavory characters. Your Highness, please be discreet and don’t attract attention.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Luo Xue nodded obediently and sat down on the bed.

The etiquette official didn’t say anything more, bowed, and hurriedly left.

…

Noon, Imperial Sacred Land.

The imperial palace complex stood atop the immortal mountain, and surrounding the mountain was the renowned Imperial Sacred Land, the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

As the center of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, this place was where the dynasty’s fortune converged, blessed by the Immortal Emperor, comparable to the best blessed lands.

And it wasn’t just a capital city, but more like a vast nation.

The territory encompassed by the Imperial Capital was comparable to one of the nine provinces.

Besides those born here, only cultivators at Foundation Establishment and above could enter the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

In other words, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who could control wind and rain in a city within the nine provinces and four domains could only be considered an ordinary person in the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

The prosperous Imperial Capital was divided into several rings, one nested within another.

The further in, the higher the quality of spiritual energy, and therefore, the higher the required cultivation level for entry and residence.

The innermost first and second rings were only for the imperial family—although the imperial family wasn’t as large as the ancient clans, it wasn’t just a few royal members either.

Luo Xue had six older brothers and four older sisters, most of whom had already started their own families and had descendants, some even having over a hundred generations.

If she followed the proper address, they would have to call Luo Xue “Great-Great-Grandmother”…

Of course, Luo Xue had a title, and they usually addressed her as “Your Highness Princess Xue.”

The most noble members of the imperial family, like Luo Xue, naturally lived within the imperial palace.

And those next in line lived within the first and second rings of the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

It was worth mentioning that Nangong Mian’s residence was within the first ring because she was a member of the Empress’s family—and the Empress, after all, was also part of the imperial family…

However, Luo Xue wasn’t interested in the first or second rings. She found even the imperial palace boring, let alone these places that imitated it.

The same went for the inner rings. She came out to understand this world, so she wouldn’t be clueless when she eventually escaped.

It was always good to plan ahead. Luo Xue felt this was increasingly necessary.

But the etiquette official wouldn’t allow her to go to the outer rings. Although the Imperial Capital was the safest place in this world, Princess Xue’s safety was paramount, so they compromised and chose the fifteenth ring.

A small girl in a light gauze veil and bamboo hat walked ahead excitedly, while a slightly taller girl yawned and followed sleepily behind.

“Xue… slow down…”

Nangong Mian rubbed her eyes, struggling to stay awake, and sighed.

“Sister Mian, what’s wrong?” Luo Xue couldn’t help but smile wryly. She stopped and looked back. “Aren’t you a cultivator? Why are you so sleepy?”

“I haven’t slept in days… Now that we’re in the Imperial Capital, I have to have some fun before leaving.” Nangong Mian said helplessly. “And my cultivation technique doesn’t involve meditation… I’m not good at staying up late.”

“It doesn’t have to be like this, does it?” Luo Xue blinked.

No wonder Nangong Mengxiang had to sleep almost every night… so that was it…

“Eh, who knew you would suddenly want to leave the palace… and Madam dragged me along.” Nangong Mian rubbed her temples and quickened her pace to catch up with Luo Xue. “Not that I don’t like it… but it would have been nice to have some notice.”

She had treated yesterday as her last day in the Imperial Capital, planning to sleep all the way back to the Nangong Sacred Land.

After all, when Nangong Mian came to the Imperial Capital from the Nangong Sacred Land, she had already been awake for almost a month…

She was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment and couldn’t stay awake for decades like those powerful cultivators.

And with the Desolate Extinction Scripture, it was probably impossible anyway.

“How about, Sister Mian, you go back and sleep first?” Luo Xue suggested. “I can walk around by myself.”

“…Xue, if I dared to do that, Madam and Sixth Granduncle would kill me.”

Nangong Mian looked deeply at Luo Xue. Did this princess not realize how important her status was in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty?

One of the Immortal Emperor’s only eleven children, even in other immortal dynasties, they would send an entire elite squad to protect her, in case of any accidents.

Even now, although seemingly only accompanied by Nangong Mian, there were many eyes and ears watching them, just not as closely.

“Mmm…”

Because her memories hadn’t fully merged, Luo Xue subconsciously still saw herself as she was in her previous lives.

Her status in this life was very high…

“It’s fine, I’ll just wake up a bit more.”

Nangong Mian slapped her cheeks hard, startling the people around her, who quickly moved away, thinking she was crazy.

“It’s also fine… I’ll just walk slower.”

Luo Xue slowed down, walking beside Nangong Mian, whose face was slightly red (from slapping herself).

Although Luo Xue was sixteen years old now, considered an adult in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, her physique was still small.

Although Nangong Mian wasn’t as tall as Nangong Mengxiang, she still had a normal build for a young woman, at 1.6 meters tall, half a head taller than Luo Xue.

Walking together, they looked like sisters.

Luo Xue was simply dressed in a plain dress and a light gauze veil and bamboo hat to conceal her hair and face.

The name of Princess Xue was known throughout the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, and every silver-haired girl would attract attention. Luo Xue didn’t want to be noticed.

Nangong Mian was much more casual. This wasn’t the Sun and Moon Twin Halls, so she didn’t have to wear elaborate formal attire.

To Luo Xue’s surprise, she was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and a knee-length skirt.

If not for the fact that the style of these clothes wasn’t much different from the clothing in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, Luo Xue would have suspected that there were fellow transmigrators here.

“Xue, where do you want to go?” Nangong Mian asked.

They were currently near the residential area of the fifteenth ring. There were many buildings here, rented out by various factions in the Imperial Capital, equipped with cultivation formations.

Most cultivators who came to the Imperial Capital couldn’t afford to buy a residence and would rent one here.

“Hmm…”

Luo Xue thought for a moment. She actually wanted to go to a free market.

Such places were more chaotic, and she could obtain a lot of information just by listening to people’s conversations.

But needless to say, if she suggested it, Nangong Mian would definitely object.

Nangong Mian wouldn’t dare to take the princess to such a place…

“Is there an auction house for cultivators here? I want to take a look.” Luo Xue asked. “Also, didn’t Madam say she would arrange for me to start cultivating? It would be good to learn some things in advance.”

Auction houses were another type of chaotic place, but because they had some rules, they weren’t as disorderly as free markets.

And… to be honest, after cultivating for so long, Luo Xue had never been to such a classic place.

She had planned to go during her last trip to Ghost Demon Pass, but what happened later… was better left unsaid.

“There should be, no problem, I’ll find one.”

Nangong Mian’s expression relaxed, seeing that Luo Xue’s request wasn’t too unreasonable.

“However, we’re probably not lucky enough to encounter a large-scale auction, at most just some daily auctions and exhibitions.”

Large-scale auctions required preparation, while daily auctions were for less valuable items.

As for exhibitions, some rare but not particularly valuable items would be displayed in the auction house’s exhibition hall.

These items could be bought outright, or one could place a bid, and if no one offered a higher price by the end of the exhibition, they could obtain the item.

However, most items in the exhibition hall were bought outright.

Nangong Mian specialized in collecting resources from Foundation Establishment secret realms in the Nangong Sacred Land, and she also needed to exchange some of these resources for things she could use, so she was naturally very familiar with these matters.

Therefore, when Luo Xue mentioned the auction house, Nangong Mian felt right at home, even her drowsiness disappeared.

With her keen sense for auction houses, it didn’t take long for Nangong Mian to lead Luo Xue to one.

“Yo, it’s this one again.” Nangong Mian looked up at the signboard and immediately smiled. “I almost forgot, it’s a chain.”

Luo Xue also looked up. The auction house’s signboard was a large hammer striking the sky, without any words.

“The Big Hammer Auction House, that’s what I call it.”

Nangong Mian told Luo Xue casually, without lowering her voice, instantly attracting the attention of those around them.

These gazes weren’t friendly, some were slightly displeased, and some seemed to be mocking Nangong Mian for being a country bumpkin, not even recognizing the famous Tianlie Auction House in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

However, not many noticed Luo Xue. She was small and quiet.

“I’m very familiar with this place. Come, I’ll show you around.”

Nangong Mian became excited and, even forgetting their difference in status, took Luo Xue’s hand for the first time and led her into the Tianlie Auction House.

If the auction house was a home, then the Tianlie Auction House was Nangong Mian’s old home.

Every time she fenced stolen goods… no, every time she dealt with resources, there would always be some things that other auction houses couldn’t or wouldn’t accept.

Only the Tianlie Auction House took everything, so Nangong Mian had a very favorable impression of this place.

However… this wasn’t the Nangong Sacred Land.

Just as Nangong Mian was about to enter the auction house, the guard at the door stopped them with his spear.

“Ladies, you can’t enter.”

Chapter 159: The Remarkable Luo Xue, Emperor Dugu and Nangong Ziluan

“She is a remarkable woman.”

Concubine Min said slowly, a faint light flickering in her dim eyes as she mentioned the name “Luo Xue.”

“Xue’er, how should I put it… meeting her was my greatest fortune. If not for this head of white hair, just like hers, perhaps she wouldn’t have even glanced at me.”

Luo Xue was a bit flustered. She wanted to interrupt Concubine Min’s reminiscing, but she couldn’t help but listen.

The name Luo Xue, combined with white hair, was hard not to associate with herself…

But wasn’t she supposed to be Concubine Min’s daughter in this dream life?

Perhaps… it was her future self… After all, after the battle against the deep space behemoth, Luo Xue had a basic grasp of the Sword Intent of Space-Time.

Although she could only use it for attack now, what if, later, she could travel through space and time?

But to achieve that level of space-time manipulation… it seemed theoretically impossible.

“Your… old friend… has she left?”

Luo Xue hesitated, then asked.

“Left?”

Concubine Min looked puzzled, then realized that her daughter didn’t know much about the outside world, and shook her head.

“No, she’s still in the southern barbarian lands of the Immortal Dynasty, the leader of a demonic beast tribe.”

Concubine Min suddenly became agitated, sat up slightly, and gripped Luo Xue’s hand tightly.

“Yes, yes, I remember now… Xue’er, you have to leave, go far away from the Imperial Sacred Land…”

She looked at Luo Xue with pleading eyes, her expression filled with despair.

“The Empress, the Immortal Emperor… they’re all…”

As she spoke, Concubine Min seemed to be choking, gasping for air, and coughing repeatedly.

“Mother Concubine!”

Luo Xue quickly patted her back, sighing inwardly.

The affairs within the imperial family were complicated. The etiquette official had warned her about this before, but she hadn’t expected Concubine Min to be involved.

And they were currently within the imperial palace… even if she wanted to badmouth the Immortal Emperor and the Empress, she had to do it somewhere they couldn’t see.

No wonder the etiquette official had told her not to talk too much…

It was clear that Concubine Min had been abandoned by the Immortal Emperor and the Empress. The etiquette official couldn’t bear to see Luo Xue suffer the same fate.

The hearts of emperors were difficult to fathom.

“Why don’t you tell me about Luo Xue, Mother Concubine?” Luo Xue said softly.

Partly to change the subject, and partly because she was also interested in this demonic beast tribe leader, “Luo Xue.”

“Yes, Luo Xue… she… go find Luo Xue…”

Concubine Min looked up, but this time, she didn’t speak, but transmitted her voice directly into Luo Xue’s mind.

“Go to the southern barbarian lands, go to the demonic beast tribes… find Luo Xue…”

“You inherited Mother’s white hair, she will definitely take you in…”

After the voice in her mind faded, an image slowly appeared.

It was her own face!

Even her temperament was similar, heroic and valiant, and because she was wearing a rough fur coat, she had a more primal, wild aura.

Luo Xue wanted to ask more questions, but after the voice transmission, Concubine Min seemed to have exhausted her strength and fell asleep in Luo Xue’s arms.

But even in her sleep, her brows remained furrowed, her expression tense.

“…”

Luo Xue suppressed her strange feelings and gently lifted Concubine Min, her biological mother in this life, who was so frail that a gust of wind could blow her away, and placed her on the bed.

Finally, Luo Xue looked up slightly and sighed.

“What a mess…”

It felt like this demonic beast tribe leader, Luo Xue, in the southern barbarian lands, was more like the real Luo Xue. After all, her own appearance had changed drastically and didn’t look much like her original self.

Luo Xue didn’t have much time left. The sky outside was gradually turning brighter; dawn was approaching.

A mark on Luo Xue’s wrist, left by the etiquette official, began to glow faintly, and a teleportation formation appeared beside her.

Concubine Min was still asleep. Luo Xue took one last look at her.

According to rumors, Imperial Concubine Min had been greatly favored, marrying into the most noble imperial family of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty with her almost mortal bloodline, becoming one of the few imperial concubines.

But who would have thought that her final fate… would be like this?

Even if her daughter was the little princess, the Immortal Emperor’s most beloved, she couldn’t escape such a predicament.

Luo Xue let go of Concubine Min’s hand, covered her with a blanket, then turned and entered the teleportation formation.

A faint light flickered, and the formation dissipated, the Cold Palace returning to its silence.

Only on the distant palace wall, a small figure with snow-white hair peeked out from behind a dilapidated wooden window.

“Mother…”

…

Within the imperial palace complex, in a remote courtyard.

Unlike the extravagant luxury of other places, the buildings here were simple, almost dilapidated, seemingly out of place among the magnificent imperial palaces.

But this simple, almost farmer-like, courtyard was located within the Imperial Sacred Land, occupying valuable territory.

Because this was the Empress’s residence, and ordinary servants weren’t allowed to enter.

“You let her see Wen Min?”

A middle-aged man stood in the courtyard. He wasn’t wearing elaborate imperial robes or a crown, just ordinary clothes, but his dignified aura was still intimidating.

He was the head of the imperial family, the Immortal Emperor of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

There were less than ten people in this world who could remain calm before the Great Qin Immortal Emperor, and the woman before him was one of them.

“It was my decision.”

The Empress wore a simple cloak, her natural beauty stunning.

Even leaning lazily on a simple recliner, her every move still carried an air of imperial majesty.

The Empress seemed to be admiring the flowers, but the flowers in the courtyard had already withered, leaving only bare branches.

“I won’t allow it.”

The Immortal Emperor said in a deep voice.

They didn’t use the imperial “we” in their conversation because their status within the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty was equal.

The Sun and Moon Twin Halls, the Sun for the Immortal Emperor, and the Moon for the Empress.

“She’s already seen her,” the Empress glanced at the Immortal Emperor, a hint of mockery in her voice. “Why, feeling so heartbroken for Wen Min? If you cared so much about her… why did you take her as an imperial concubine?”

“Anyway, you’ve already used her… oh, no, it seems there’s still a daughter you haven’t used yet. It’s fine, go ahead and use her, I’ve already found a replacement for you.”

The Immortal Emperor remained silent, his expression unchanged.

“By the way, do you know what the most common joke I’ve heard recently is?” The Empress seemed interested and sat up slightly. “It’s that… the Immortal Emperor’s most beloved concubine is Imperial Concubine Min, and his most beloved daughter is Princess Xue. Don’t you think it’s funny?”

“Nangong Ziluan!”

The Immortal Emperor roared in a low voice, interrupting the Empress.

An invisible pressure spread out, collapsing countless palace walls, but the small courtyard remained unharmed.

“Dugu Di, why are you so agitated? Did I say something wrong?” Nangong Ziluan continued indifferently. “Don’t think the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty is entirely in your hands… I’m just too lazy to manage it. After letting you rule for a few years, you really think I’m beneath you?”

“But this is my affair, I will handle it myself,” the Immortal Emperor’s face darkened. “I will take care of the matters concerning Wen Min and Xue’er.”

“Your taking concubines and having children naturally has nothing to do with me, but causing so much trouble has already implicated me.” Nangong Ziluan smiled brightly. “So it’s reasonable for me to… intervene slightly, right?”

Almost all the princes and princesses were born from imperial concubines. The Immortal Emperor and the Empress hadn’t had any children yet.

The world thought it was because their cultivation levels were too high, making it difficult to have children, but in reality… it was because the Immortal Emperor and the Empress were only husband and wife in name, never in practice.

The imperial family ruled the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, and the Immortal Emperor, Dugu Di, could be said to be the first ancestor of the imperial clan.

Back then, during his rise from a small tribe to the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, the greatest help Dugu Di received came from the ancient Nangong clan.

Nangong Ziluan, the Clan Leader of the Nangong clan, personally participated in the battles, solving many problems for Dugu Di, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

The reclusive Nangong clan rarely interfered in the affairs of the Immortal Dynasty, but their contribution during its founding was too great to ignore.

And Dugu Di didn’t dare to grant Nangong Ziluan a military title, letting the Nangong clan control the military, for fear that the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty would be divided one day.

He didn’t dare to let her participate in politics either, as the Nangong clan’s prestige as an ancient, reclusive family was considerable.

Therefore, after much deliberation, Nangong Ziluan finally accepted the title of Empress, residing in the Moon Hall, becoming the second most powerful figure in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

Essentially, it was a cooperative relationship.

Otherwise… with their equal status, how could the Empress so readily allow the Immortal Emperor to take concubines?

This wasn’t just… Nangong Ziluan wasn’t a “generous” person.

After his anger subsided slightly, Dugu Di also knew that his actions weren’t appropriate.

Especially regarding Wen Min, she shouldn’t have ended up in such a state.

But… he firmly believed that his love for his daughter, Princess Xue, was genuine. He would never use her like Nangong Ziluan mocked.

“Did Wen Min say something she shouldn’t have?”

Dugu Di asked calmly.

“Perhaps she wanted to, but didn’t,” Nangong Ziluan said casually. “But she did mention that rather troublesome human brat in the southern barbarian lands. They seem to be quite close.”

Her gaze still lingered on the bare branches, patiently waiting for the first buds to appear after the long winter.

Perhaps it would take several months.

But the Empress was patient.

She had always been patient.

“You mean that Nascent Soul brat?” Dugu Di frowned slightly. “I’ve heard of her, but how could a mere Nascent Soul cultivator pacify the demonic beast tribes in the southern barbarian lands, which have been fighting for so long? There’s something fishy about this.”

“And although Wen Min is from the south, she should be quite far from the barbarian lands…”

“Why don’t you go to the south and take another concubine?” Nangong Ziluan raised an eyebrow. “And that one… also seems to have white hair…”

“…I thought we were discussing serious matters.”

“There are no serious matters, Dugu Di.” Nangong Ziluan retracted her gaze and looked at the branches again. “My serious matter is admiring flowers.”

Dugu Di’s face darkened. He always avoided meeting with Nangong Ziluan, because she was like a thorn in his side, a constant reminder that this vast Immortal Dynasty didn’t just belong to the imperial family, but also to the sixteen reclusive ancient clans, including the Nangong clan, and Nangong Ziluan was their representative.

Dugu Di flung his sleeve and turned to leave, but just as he was about to step out of the courtyard, Nangong Ziluan’s voice slowly rang out.

“Wen Min will soon pass away. Does His Majesty need me to arrange her burial?”

Dugu Di paused, his expression indifferent.

“There’s no need to trouble Your Majesty.”

…

After passing through the teleportation formation and leaving the Cold Palace, Luo Xue returned to the familiar palace.

As her mind cleared, the etiquette official immediately rushed over, supported Luo Xue, and said in a soothing voice,

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

She also signaled to the surrounding palace maids to bring the soul-nourishing soup they had prepared earlier.

Luo Xue was fine, but to avoid suspicion, she let the etiquette official support her, sat down, and drank the soup.

Perhaps because Princess Xue was a mortal, the direct effect of the soul-nourishing soup wasn’t very strong, but it was long-lasting.

After drinking it, Luo Xue could clearly feel her soul being nourished, and her vision became clearer.

Seeing that Luo Xue had recovered, the etiquette official immediately dismissed the maids, looked at Luo Xue with a slightly anxious expression, and asked,

“Your Highness, did Imperial Concubine Min… tell you anything?”

“It seems… nothing much,” Luo Xue said vaguely. “Just… about some of her old friends…”

She didn’t dare to say that Concubine Min had told her to escape the imperial palace. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to leave.

Luo Xue knew very well that she couldn’t stay in the imperial palace forever.

The events of the past few days had made her realize that the imperial palace, to her, was no different from a cage.

“From the south?”

The etiquette official frowned, a puzzled look on her wrinkled face, but it quickly disappeared.

“It’s fine, Your Highness, you should rest. Today’s lessons can be skipped.”

Chapter 158: Mother and Daughter Reunion, An Old Friend Named Xue 

The next morning.

The rules of the palace were strict, even the schedule was rigid.

Luo Xue had been forced to go to bed early under the watchful eyes of the palace maids, and before dawn, she was woken up to get dressed.

It was equivalent to sleeping at 7 pm and waking up at 4 am… such a healthy schedule, Luo Xue had never experienced this in any of her lives.

Luo Xue had thought it was just because of yesterday’s coming-of-age ceremony banquet, but it turned out to be her daily routine…

Fortunately, she had gone to bed early last night, and after her mind gradually adjusted, Luo Xue wasn’t as disoriented today and felt much better.

After washing up, the palace maids helped Luo Xue get dressed.

Speaking of which, after so many lifetimes, Luo Xue hadn’t worn makeup.

There were no such conditions in the post-apocalyptic world, and after embarking on the path of cultivation, the Innate Realm would reshape one’s body, an effect far superior to any makeup.

Watching the palace maids skillfully applying various tools and powders to her face, Luo Xue couldn’t help but feel that this was a novel experience.

Then, she looked up at the mirror and was instantly startled, almost cursing.

“I—”

…Who was this?

She didn’t finish her sentence. The maids, thinking Luo Xue was dissatisfied, immediately knelt down and said in low voices,

“This servant is at fault, please forgive me, Your Highness.”

“It’s fine, continue…”

Luo Xue calmed herself slightly, signaling them not to panic.

But these palace maids seemed like cold and emotionless robots. After receiving Luo Xue’s reply, they simply nodded, stood up, and continued dressing her.

Luo Xue continued staring at her reflection in the mirror. The more she looked, the more certain she became that although there were some similarities, this face… wasn’t hers.

It was a delicate, almost overly fragile face, every expression evoking pity.

Luo Xue’s own features were more heroic, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes.

Looking closely, her facial features didn’t seem to have changed.

But the overall impression was as if they had been slightly adjusted, drastically changing Luo Xue’s temperament.

From a heroic young woman to a frail beauty.

“Even my face has changed in this life?” Luo Xue touched her cheeks. “Could it be that the collapsing space-time of the deep space behemoth also came with plastic surgery…”

The only time her appearance had changed was in her first life in the nine provinces and four domains, when she was burned to death.

But this life… this inexplicable minor plastic surgery was too strange.

However, there were already too many strange things in this life, so Luo Xue just kept it in mind, planning to investigate later.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your morning lessons.”

A palace maid reminded Luo Xue, who was lost in thought.

“Oh right, morning lessons…”

Luo Xue’s expression drooped slightly.

She hadn’t expected to return to student life after so many years…

The buried memories of past traumas were assaulting her.

Morning lessons were usually about court etiquette, taught by the elderly etiquette official who had been with Luo Xue yesterday.

She was a personal maid of the Empress, and her status among the palace attendants was very high, second only to the Immortal Emperor’s personal attendants.

Actually, teaching the little princess shouldn’t be her responsibility. Imperial Concubine Min also had trustworthy personal maids.

It seemed that this was a deliberate arrangement by the Empress, to let Luo Xue interact with her.

Luo Xue didn’t mind. The etiquette official was just strict and serious, but she was actually a kind-hearted person.

If the etiquette official knew that she had been labeled a “good person” by the little princess, she wouldn’t know what to think…

“No need, today… there are no morning lessons.”

Just then, the etiquette official appeared at the door.

She first bowed to Luo Xue, then signaled for the palace maids to leave.

After the maids left, she looked at Luo Xue with a complicated expression and said slowly,

“Your Highness, your mother… wants to see you.”

Mother?

Luo Xue quickly realized that her “mother” referred to Imperial Concubine Min, her biological mother in this life.

All princes and princesses had to address the Empress as their mother, while their biological mothers could only be called “Mother Concubine.”

However, even if her mother in this life wanted to see her, there was no need for the etiquette official to have such an expression, right?

“Okay.”

To be cautious, Luo Xue just nodded slightly, her expression unchanged.

Seeing this, the etiquette official was slightly relieved. She had been worried that Her Highness’s reaction would be too emotional.

It seemed that Her Highness had grown up…

The etiquette official thought for a moment, then added,

“After seeing your Mother Concubine, Your Highness, please try to speak less, to avoid gossip.”

“Hmm? Oh…”

Luo Xue blinked, thinking how strange this was, meeting her mother was like meeting a prisoner…

Wait?

…Prisoner?

There was indeed a place in the palace equivalent to a prison, and the concubines inside were no different from prisoners.

That was… the Cold Palace.

Luo Xue hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively,

“Is Mother Concubine… doing well there?”

“…”

The etiquette official was silent for a moment, then shook her head and said,

“Your Highness, you will know when you go… This time, it’s a special permission from the Empress. Otherwise, even this old servant wouldn’t be allowed to enter.”

Related to the Empress again?

It was probably the Empress who had her imprisoned in the Cold Palace…

These palace power struggles were truly troublesome, even in an immortal dynasty.

Or perhaps even more so, since the Immortal Emperor didn’t have absolute authority.

Since the Empress’s strength wasn’t that much weaker than the Immortal Emperor’s, it was more accurate to say that they were two emperors, rather than an emperor and an empress.

Because of this, the Immortal Emperor didn’t have many concubines, including the Empress and Imperial Concubine Min, less than a handful.

“When can I meet Mother Concubine?”

Luo Xue asked, feigning calmness, but her slightly trembling voice betrayed her anxiety.

After all, one needed some acting skills in life.

Since her memories hadn’t fully merged yet, Luo Xue hadn’t experienced Princess Xue’s life, so she couldn’t empathize with her Mother Concubine and could only pretend.

As long as she looked the part, it was fine.

“Now,” the etiquette official said, “but you have to leave… before dawn.”

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “This is already a long time, after all, your Mother Concubine…”

As if feeling that saying these things would be too disrespectful to Her Highness, the etiquette official didn’t continue.

Luo Xue actually wanted her to finish. Why did these people always like to only say half of what they meant? She didn’t even know what her Mother Concubine had done to be imprisoned in the Cold Palace.

And if she was imprisoned, why did the Empress treat her, Imperial Concubine Min’s daughter, so well?

“Let’s go, this old servant will take you there.” The etiquette official extended her withered hand and said softly, “Let’s hurry, the chances for you to meet… are few.”

“Okay.”

Luo Xue could only nod and place her small hand in the etiquette official’s.

She had thought the etiquette official would lead her to the Cold Palace, but the next moment, the etiquette official formed hand seals, creating a teleportation formation with her bare hands.

“???”

Luo Xue’s eyes widened in shock.

Could a Nascent Soul cultivator do this?!

Luo Xue didn’t know much about the realms above Nascent Soul, but as far as she knew, Nascent Soul cultivators couldn’t create teleportation formations without any materials.

And the key point was, without any materials.

This meant… the etiquette official had probably comprehended the Law of Space, and her understanding of formations was also very deep.

Luo Xue suddenly felt that she might have misunderstood the power levels of this world.

But the etiquette official seemed to find this very normal. She still held Luo Xue’s hand respectfully and said softly,

“Your Highness, the first time using a teleportation formation might be a bit uncomfortable. Please bear with it. I’ll have them prepare the Thousand Souls Life-Nourishing Soup to soothe your soul.”

Luo Xue almost twitched her lips. Although she didn’t know what Thousand Souls Life-Nourishing Soup was, any medicine that could nourish the soul was a top-grade treasure. Using it to alleviate the discomfort of a teleportation formation seemed a bit wasteful…

However, having come this far, Luo Xue was more interested in the legendary Imperial Concubine Min.

After all, she was her biological mother in this life…

Much closer than Luo Huaxin, her convenient mother.

The etiquette official didn’t delay and quickly sent Luo Xue into the teleportation formation, but she didn’t enter herself.

The Cold Palace… wasn’t a place one could enter and leave casually.

After a familiar moment of disorientation, Luo Xue opened her eyes again, her mind instantly clearing.

This level of teleportation formation naturally had little effect on Luo Xue. After all, she had recently traveled through space-time torn apart by a deep space behemoth…

Upon entering the Cold Palace, Luo Xue couldn’t help but shudder.

The Cold Palace… was really cold…

It wasn’t the temperature, but the atmosphere. Everything felt cold and desolate.

Especially now, in the early hours of the morning, without any lights, the dim environment and the loneliness made her feel a chill down her spine.

The layout of the Cold Palace wasn’t much different from an ordinary palace, just more dilapidated.

The small courtyard outside hadn’t been tended to in years, the overgrown weeds looking almost sinister.

Luo Xue carefully avoided the unknown plants and walked towards the entrance.

“Creak…”

The rusty hinges made a harsh sound, and Luo Xue suspected that with a little more force, she could tear down the entire door.

Just then, a faint voice, like a ghost’s, weak and ethereal, came from the depths of the palace.

“Xue’er… is that you…”

“Xue’er… have you come…”

It was Imperial Concubine Min.

Luo Xue composed herself, replied softly, and followed the voice.

“It’s me, Mother Concubine.”

“It’s you… cough…”

Hearing the reply, the gentle voice seemed to become more agitated, followed by a coughing fit.

Luo Xue quickened her pace and finally saw Imperial Concubine Min after passing through the corridor and entering the inner hall.

The first thing she saw was a head of withered, white hair, lifelessly clinging to the ground.

A thin, sickly woman in white leaned against the bed, her lifeless eyes looking at Luo Xue with surprise.

Although her appearance was haggard, perhaps due to illness or something else, one could still see traces of her former beauty.

“That’s good, she didn’t lie to me… your illness… is really cured…”

Imperial Concubine Min wasn’t depressed by her own condition, but happy to see Luo Xue healthy.

“Mother Concubine!”

Even without any memories of this woman, Luo Xue couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache seeing this.

She quickly walked over, helped Imperial Concubine Min up, and sat her on the bed.

“It’s good that you’re okay, it’s good that you’re okay…”

Imperial Concubine Min seemed a bit dazed, just muttering these words repeatedly.

“I’m… fine.” Luo Xue’s eyes flickered. “You rest first, I’ll go find some medicine for you.”

As Luo Xue turned to leave, Imperial Concubine Min reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Don’t go, Xue’er.” Imperial Concubine Min seemed to have regained some clarity, looking at Luo Xue with pleading eyes. “Just… stay here with Mother… okay?”

“But you’re…”

Even without any medical knowledge, Luo Xue could sense the weakness of Imperial Concubine Min’s life force, almost extinguished.

“It’s… no longer necessary.” Imperial Concubine Min shook her head and said slowly, “Xue’er, my time is running out… I shouldn’t bother you, but I was so worried…”

Luo Xue didn’t speak, but turned around and sat beside Imperial Concubine Min.

She gently held Imperial Concubine Min’s hand and said softly,

“Okay, I’m here.”

“That’s good…”

A happy expression appeared on Imperial Concubine Min’s face, but in this cold palace, it seemed even more desolate and painful.

“Xue’er, do you know?” Imperial Concubine Min looked intently at Luo Xue, a hint of reminiscence in her eyes. “Do you know… why Mother named you ‘Xue’?”

Luo Xue hesitated for a moment, then said,

“Father said it was because of the auspicious snow that fell the year I was born…”

“Yes, that’s the reason I gave him.” Imperial Concubine Min murmured softly. “But actually, it was to commemorate an old friend…”

“An old friend?”

Luo Xue was stunned.

A bad premonition suddenly arose within her.

Imperial Concubine Min, still lost in memories, said faintly,

“This old friend’s name was…”

“Luo Xue.”