Chapter 11: The Empress

After a moment, his thoughts continuously traversed back to the grand hall of the Luo Xuan Empire’s imperial palace, to the figure of the woman seated upon the dragon throne.

She wore a gilded jade crown, dressed in a five-clawed dragon robe, exuding an aura of coldness, majestic authority, and overwhelming dominance. She looked down upon thousands of ministers and nobles, holding the realm in her hand, her speech revealing an extraordinary presence.

She had just referred to herself as “I,” the imperial pronoun.

How could such a noble emperor from the empire appear in this remote little city?

Could it be...

At that moment, Ji Kun’s mind went completely blank; the teacup in his hand clattered to the floor as if he had gone senseless.

Bai Zhentian looked at Ji Jiu’er frozen in place, at Ji Kun who was like a wooden statue, and at Ji Mu, who sneered with a mocking expression.

Recalling the shock he felt when he first met Ji Jiu’er a day ago, Bai Zhentian’s face broke into a brilliant smile.

He quickly laughed and said, “The current ruler of the Luo Xuan Empire is none other than the former Yueyue!”

Bai Zhentian recounted the past: “Do you, Brother Kun, remember thirteen years ago when a rumor spread throughout the Luo Xuan Empire? It was said that the emperor was pleased to learn that the empress was carrying a daughter, who was named Princess Ning Yue even before birth. However, at her birth, an abnormal phenomenon occurred; the empress died in childbirth. The former emperor was furious and labeled the girl a demon fetus, a harbinger of misfortune. He raised her until she was three, then banished her from the imperial city...”

“And the little scavenger girl who once roamed Liuyue City is Princess Ning Yue herself!”

Bai Zhentian gazed at Xuan Ning Yue, whose imperial aura was unmistakable, and sighed, “You have all encountered her countless times and even taken care of her once or twice. Her true name is Xuan Ning Yue, known only to Bai Ling, who always calls her Yueyue. Naturally, we call her Yueyue as well.”

“To be honest, this sounds quite unbelievable and hard to accept at first!”

“Please, everyone, keep her identity confidential!” Bai Zhentian continued.

Ji Jiu’er’s mind exploded with realization, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “So the mysterious master who recommended me to the Saint Yuan Immortal Palace... was you?”

No... impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Xuan Ning Yue’s brows knit together coldly, her expression indifferent; she did not respond but stared icily at Ji Jiu’er. At this moment, she truly wished to kill this ungrateful traitor before her.

Ji Jiu’er instinctively stepped back several paces, her steps light, her pupils dilating, her expression slightly stunned as she opened her mouth dumbfounded. Suddenly, memories of the past three years flooded her mind, as if everything had found its answer in an instant...

A few days ago, her mentor at the empire’s Celestial Secrets Pavilion summoned her, saying she was extraordinarily gifted. A high-ranking royal had recognized her talent and paid a great price to recommend her to the Saint Yuan Immortal Palace, a powerful sect with a legacy spanning thousands of years.

At that time, she felt puzzled. Although she was talented, she was still far from entering such a mighty sect.

Moreover, from the moment she entered the Celestial Secrets Pavilion three years ago, she was exempted from the usual selections and admitted directly into the inner court. She was personally tutored by a master of the Earth Origin Realm, and boundless cultivation resources and techniques flooded her path, arousing jealousy among many royal relatives.

At first, she thought it was because of her father’s influence, yet her father, Ji Kun, was merely a low-ranking city lord among thousands of cities.

Though puzzled, she could not grasp the full truth. Despite this, she trained at the pavilion, her realm soaring forward until she reached the coveted peak of the Spirit Origin Realm, the envy of all disciples.

Now she understood: behind it all, the one who had silently and selflessly supported her was none other than this woman before her—Yueyue!

She possessed a second astonishing identity: Princess Ning Yue, the reigning Empress of the Luo Xuan Empire!

Xuan Ning Yue’s purpose had been simply to ensure that Ji Jiu’er became strong enough, even paying a great price to have her enter the Saint Yuan Immortal Palace for cultivation, so that she might one day protect Bai Ling.

Yesterday...

Ji Jiu’er steadied herself, a bitter smile curling at her lips. She shook her head and murmured, “So all these years, the one who quietly helped me behind the scenes... was you!” She finally understood why she had been so extraordinarily fortunate over these past three years...

Why she had enjoyed such breathtaking privileges and wealth of resources at the empire’s Celestial Secrets Pavilion, stirring envy and hatred among many.

And the once dirty, despised little girl she had looked down on was now the current Empress of the Luo Xuan Empire, seated upon the throne, looking down upon the ministers and nobles of the realm, and also the very one who helped her enter the Saint Yuan Immortal Palace...

At this moment, Ji Kun’s head throbbed painfully, his face turning grim. Thunderous rumblings echoed in his mind. Years ago, after stagnating at the Initial Origin Realm for twenty years, he had been guided by Bai Zhentian and leapt overnight into the Spirit Origin Realm.

He was recommended by a superior city lord, caught the eye of the imperial royal family, and was inducted into the Celestial Secrets Pavilion for secluded cultivation. His strength broke through shackles, advancing into the Earth Origin Realm and he was granted the lordship of Liuyue City.

Before leaving the empire, the royal family publicly announced the abdication of the former emperor, who passed the throne to Princess Ning Yue.

He naturally knew of Princess Ning Yue’s disappearance for thirteen years and her eventual return to the royal family. Such imperial affairs were not concerns for a remote city lord like himself. Besides, she was the exalted empress!

Over the past three years, although Liuyue City ranked at the bottom, whenever he observed from hundreds of meters away, he felt a terrifying and awe-inspiring pressure emanating from her presence.

Her identity as empress was noble, crowned with the gilded jade crown, robed in the five-clawed dragon garment. He vaguely felt this figure was somewhat familiar, yet he could not quite recall where.

At that time, Ji Kun did not think further. After returning to Liuyue City, Yueyue—the childhood friend of Bai Ling—mysteriously vanished, and posters seeking the girl Yueyue were still plastered across every street and alley of Liuyue City.

For three years, Ji Kun never connected the rumor from thirteen years ago with the little scavenger girl in Liuyue City.

The fog in his mind instantly dissipated...

Ji Kun hurriedly circled the table, dusted himself off, then knelt heavily to the ground, bowing deeply until his forehead struck the floor. Trembling all over, he stammered, “Your Majesty! I, the wretched servant, beg for your pardon! It is a grave failure not to receive Your Majesty’s presence personally. Please punish this servant!”

He coughed violently three times and bowed his head again.

At this moment, Ji Mu looked at her husband’s sudden terror and humble posture and sneered scornfully, “Hmph, a little ragged girl who grew up scavenging, pretending to be some big shot—who is she trying to scare?”

Smack!

No sooner had she spoken than a heavy slap landed on her face, leaving her dizzy.

Ji Mu glared fiercely at her enraged husband, her face contorted, shouting, “Ji Kun! I’ve given you face, haven’t I? You’ve slapped me twice in two days! When you were just a common man, I was by your side every day! Now you’ve grown arrogant and, in front of all these people, you grind my face against the ground! I’m telling you, from now on, don’t you dare think about sharing my bed ever again!”

With that, she burst into loud sobs.