Chapter 75: A single strand of hair can kill her
Who is Cheng Hongling? A gifted prodigy who scored a perfect six on the Phoenix Selection Token, a feat unprecedented in the history of the Xihui Dynasty.
Qi Huang was inexplicably feminized. Although she was indeed unlucky, the silver lining was that she inherited this beauty, making it natural for her to attract the men around her.
Of course, the soldiers could only try their best to get closer to admire her beauty. After all, Qi Huang was an Imperial Concubine appointed by His Majesty. For ordinary people, even commenting on her appearance was greatly disrespectful.
“Imperial Lady Qi, because of the large number of people and the long distance, this trip to the Imperial Palace will take about ten days. These ten or so palace maids outside the sedan chair are responsible for serving you. Please tell them if you have any needs,” Eunuch Zhong said as he walked beside Qi Huang’s sedan chair.
“Thank you,” Qi Huang said politely.
“Also, this is the Wide-Sleeved Flowing Immortal Dress bestowed upon you by His Majesty. Wearing it can shield one’s spiritual sense. Please find an opportunity to change into it.” Eunuch Zhong gestured to a nearby maidservant, who then came forward carrying a beautiful red silk dress.
“Shield spiritual sense? It’s that magical? What is it made of?” Qi Huang asked, very surprised. She had always thought that only the Nine Nether Demonic Cat had such an ability.
“These beasts are worse than pigs and dogs!” At this moment, Yaoyao’s angry scolding sounded in Qi Huang’s mind.
“What’s wrong?” Qi Huang asked in confusion.
“This dress also contains a large amount of Nine Nether Demonic Cat fur. I don’t know how many of my clansmen that dog emperor has harmed,” Yaoyao said through gritted teeth.
“No wonder it can shield spiritual sense,” Qi Huang suddenly realized. She felt even more sympathetic towards the Nine Nether Demonic Cat clan. It was one thing for cultivators to persecute them, but she didn’t expect the secular imperial court to be even more excessive, killing them directly for their fur.
“Yes, Imperial Lady Qi should know about the Nine Nether Demonic Cat, right? Not only are its tears precious, but its fur is also very useful for shielding cultivators’ spiritual sense. Therefore, wearing clothes made from it will not only ensure your whereabouts are hidden but also prevent your precious body from being coveted by vulgar people! After all, from now on, you belong to His Majesty.” Eunuch Zhong explained.
“Does every Imperial Concubine have this? The Nine Nether Demonic Cat is a rare treasure. Where do you get so much fur?” Qi Huang probed.
“Imperial Lady Qi jokes. You are the first Imperial Concubine to wear such a dress at your status,” Eunuch Zhong explained. Hearing this, Qi Huang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If every Imperial Concubine had one, how many Nine Nether Demonic Cats would have to be killed to gather enough?
Eunuch Zhong said no more, and as he gave the order, the “Imperial Concubine Guard of Honor” officially set off from the HongHua Sect.
“Be careful on the road and contact me anytime. I have a premonition that those people won’t let you reach the Imperial Palace easily,” Cheng Hong Ling’s mind transmission sounded in Qi Huang’s mind as soon as they left the HongHua Sect’s main gate.
“You think they will send people again?” Qi Huang asked uncertainly.
“Definitely. How much of a threat your entry into the palace poses to them is obvious to anyone. I don’t dare to speak for others, but the Empress will definitely not let it go,” Cheng Hong Ling said with great certainty.
Qi Huang was skeptical. Her strength shown that night was late-stage Shentong Realm. She thought those imperial concubines must already know this. Why would they still dare to send people to assassinate her? Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. By the way, after I leave, I’ll trouble you to take care of those Ghost Tomatoes. I’ll be back in less than a month.” Qi Huang pleaded.
“Are you sure you can return in a month? At your team’s speed, even if the journey goes smoothly, it will take about twenty days just to get back to the Imperial Capital,” Cheng Hong Ling said with some unease.
“I’m not really going to compete for favor with those imperial concubines. Twenty days is enough for me to cultivate True Qi. Then I’ll go in and scare them, and show them this thing. Isn’t a one-day tour of the Imperial Palace a dream?” Qi Huang smiled confidently.
“I hope so. Anyway, if you encounter any danger, contact me immediately, and I will summon you back right away,” Cheng Hong Ling reminded her again.
The conversation ended. Qi Huang was actually reluctant to part. Since arriving at the HongHua Sect, she and her main body had been inseparable, like a family.
“That damned guy is here again,” Yaoyao’s gnashing voice came again.
“Who?” Qi Huang asked in confusion.
“Thousand Shadows, who peeked at you last time!” Yaoyao took a deep breath and said.
“What? It’s him? He must be here to protect me on orders.” Qi Huang speculated, then probed, “What do you plan to do? How about killing him while you have the chance?”
“No. Although I hate this person to the bone, he is here to protect you. If I attack now, it would be like cutting off my own arm,” Yaoyao said rationally after a moment of silence.
“You need to think clearly. Once you get to the Imperial Palace, you might not have such an opportunity,” Qi Huang couldn’t help but remind her.
“Stop talking nonsense. Do I need a blockhead like you with big breasts and no brain to remind me?” Yaoyao said arrogantly.
Qi Huang didn’t retort. Although she was scolded, she still felt a warmth in her heart.
“Why haven’t you changed into that Wide-Sleeved Flowing Immortal Dress?” Yaoyao suddenly changed the subject.
“It’s made from the fur of your clansmen, after all,” Qi Huang replied hesitantly.
“It’s good that you, the cat owner, have some conscience,” Yaoyao’s tone softened. She continued, “Put it on. You are a friend of the Nine Nether Demonic Cat clan now. Only when you are safe can you better protect my surviving clansmen. I think they would not mind even if they knew.”
“Thank you!” Qi Huang breathed a sigh of relief, then swiftly changed into the red Wide-Sleeved Flowing Immortal Dress. Yaoyao’s identity was special, and it was best not to reveal her. This dress just happened to fill the gap.
“Yaoyao, thank you for accompanying me on this trip. In a little over a year, I plan to participate in the Evergreen Convention with my main body.” Qi Huang said after putting on the dress.
“Cat owner, don’t talk incoherently. What is the logical connection between me accompanying you and you participating in the Evergreen Convention?” Yaoyao immediately complained.
“Of course, there is. I am participating in the Evergreen Convention to break into the top twenty and obtain a seed of the Golden Life Flower.” Qi Huang then recounted the incident where her main body accidentally ingested a Golden Life Flower seed when she was young.
“In the current Cultivation World, the Golden Life Flower is monopolized by the Immortal Alliance and is extremely rare. If that person obtained it himself, his background is unimaginable,” Yaoyao exclaimed.
“Yes, that’s why we must obtain that Golden Life Flower seed to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Qi Huang explained.
“With your strength, isn’t it easy to break into the top twenty of the Immortal Seed Ranking in this Xihui Dynasty? The participants of the Evergreen Convention are all teenagers under thirty. Who will be your opponent? Even if you are a pseudo-Shentong Realm, it’s the same,” Yaoyao encouraged her.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry. A cultivator’s strength is not just their own cultivation. Moreover, we have offended people from the Immortal Alliance. Who knows what tricks those guys will play? Therefore, I plan to conceal my strength as much as possible during this trip to the Imperial Capital. If I encounter any danger on the way, please help me,” Qi Huang explained.
“That’s natural. But you can rest assured. Outside, there are two great martial arts masters of the Imperial Palace. Currently, in the Xihui Dynasty, perhaps no one can break through their defense, unless a Heavenly Punishment Realm expert descends. But where would our Xihui Dynasty find a Heavenly Punishment Realm expert?” Yaoyao soothed her.
“I hope so!” Qi Huang held a glimmer of hope. It would be best if she could reach the Imperial Palace smoothly.
…
At the same time, in the Imperial Garden of the Imperial Palace, Empress Zheng and Consort Jin were sitting in a pavilion admiring flowers.
“Sister, today is the day when that Qi Huang leaves the HongHua Sect to come to the Imperial Palace. Why don’t you seem anxious at all?” Consort Jin asked curiously.
“Why be anxious? She won’t reach the Imperial Palace, or even the Imperial Capital,” Empress Zheng said with a confident smile.
“Oh? Why do you say that, Sister? Have you made any other arrangements?” Consort Jin speculated.
“All of you, withdraw,” Empress Zheng dismissed the servants and then said in a low voice, “Consort Jin, have you heard of my sister?”
“I have heard something. I heard she married into a martial arts family in a super-large country in Zhongzhou,” Consort Jin said after some thought.
“Yes, that martial arts family is not simple. It has an ancestor with strength equivalent to the Heavenly Punishment Realm guarding it,” Empress Zheng said with a trace of reverence on her face.
“Sister means that your sister can invite that ancestor to kill Qi Huang?” Consort Jin asked in surprise.
“Consort Jin jokes. Once a Heavenly Punishment Realm expert appears in the world, they will immediately attract Heavenly Punishment, even for a Warrior. My sister doesn’t have that much power. However, to deal with Qi Huang, there’s no need for that ancestor to make a move himself. A single strand of his hair is enough,” Empress Zheng said with a sinister smile.
