Qing'er, a Princess?

Qing'er, a Princess?

Fairy Qingmei led Qin Wentian and Qing'er into a beautiful garden landscape. Now that Qin Wentian had the form of a great roc, there were no buildings large enough to accommodate him.

"This should be the Demonic Divinity Sacrificial Transformation, right?" Fairy Qingmei, who was leading the way, suddenly halted her steps and glanced back at the great roc.

The great roc lightly nodded its head. "Yes, this is the secret art I obtained in the Vermilion Bird Formation World, the Demonic Divinity Sacrificial Transformation Art. It allowed me to form a connection with the Demonic Divinities in all eight directions, transforming me into a primordial demon and causing my strength to skyrocket exponentially. In my current state, the power of the bloodline in my body has been perfected. The only drawback is that the transformation is irreversible."

"I've heard of this secret art before. Indeed, it's incredibly powerful. I never expected that you would barge into the Pill Emperor Hall alone and take on your current form," Fairy Qingmei sighed. "During the ancient era, the power of Ancient Grand Xia far exceeded that of all thirty-six transcendent powers combined. Since this is a secret art from that era, if they say it's irreversible, then it truly is. Even I, who have lived for thousands of years, do not have a method to help you revert."

Qing'er furrowed her brow upon hearing Fairy Qingmei's words. Qin Wentian's expression remained calm as he stated, "It doesn't matter. I can still live as a supreme primordial demon."

Fairy Qingmei gazed up at the sky, lost in her memories as she mumbled, "You and the Azure Emperor are truly alike. He, too, had no significant background, yet his natural disposition was that of an untamed steed. He disliked being bound by others and preferred to soar freely throughout the entire Grand Xia, unfettered by anyone. Because of his temperament, he offended many, and some were even jealous of his talent. In the end, to contend with others, he established the Azure Emperor Palace with his own power. Unfortunately, the genius of his generation could not escape his fate."

"Although you and the Azure Emperor have different paths, both of you are equally exceptional. I don't want you to share his fate," Fairy Qingmei spoke slowly, her voice filled with sorrow at the memory of the Azure Emperor's downfall.

Qin Wentian remained silent. He had long understood the depth of Fairy Qingmei's love for the Azure Emperor. After three thousand years, any normal emotions should have faded, but she still couldn't forget him. The Azure Emperor held a special place in her heart.

"While my strength is extraordinary, I'm also aware that at my current level, breaking through to the next realm is no longer a matter of absorbing external energy sources. The Celestial Phenomenon Realm requires one to advance step by step, deepening their understanding and insights into the chosen constellations. I've reached my limit, and further advancement seems nearly impossible. Therefore, I can only place my hopes on the younger generation, and you... are the successor of the Azure Emperor."

"Since he chose you, I don't want you to remain in this form forever. I hope the Azure Emperor Hall can regain its former glory and stand at the pinnacle of Grand Xia once more. Perhaps these are just my selfish desires," Fairy Qingmei murmured to herself before turning to leave the area.

Qing'er's expression shifted as she glanced at Qin Wentian. She spoke softly, "I'll go check on her."

After her words, she also departed, following after Fairy Qingmei.

Qin Wentian inclined his head, gazing at the sky. His massive eyes held a sense of loss. Only the desire for revenge kept him moving forward.

"Bzzz!" A fierce wind blew, and the great roc flapped its wings, soaring into the sky.

Fairy Qingmei and Qing'er halted their steps, watching the silhouette of the great roc flying above. They sighed inwardly.

"This young man possesses terrifying talent and an even more formidable will. As a human, he was unmatched among humans, and as a demon, he aspires to be the demon overlord," Fairy Qingmei sighed. "Unfortunately, even with my long life, I know of no methods to help him."

"I can try," Qing'er softly replied, her words catching Fairy Qingmei's attention. Her eyes flickered with a sharp glint.

"Are you planning to look for them?"

Qing'er didn't meet her master's gaze but remained silent.

"You know the reason I chose to settle here. If you go looking for them on your own, I fear... and how can you be sure they'll agree?"

"They will."

Qing`er treasured her words, sparing them like rare gems. She was a woman of few words, but when she spoke, she meant what she said.

"No, I don't agree," Fairy Qingmei firmly rejected. "Even if they have a solution, they would surely take you away from me. I will never allow that to happen."

"They won't," Qing'er calmly shook her head, her eyes fixed on the great roc soaring in the skies.

"I still want to see him dominate Grand Xia," Qing'er's icy tone conveyed unwavering determination. Observing her beloved disciple, Fairy Qingmei felt tumultuous emotions welling up inside her.

She knew Qing'er all too well. Once she set her mind on something, no one could sway her, not even her own master.

However, she was well aware of Qinger's true origin. The sealed power within her was potent enough to make even someone like her, an ancient being, feel breathless. The reason why Fairy Qingmei had ordered Qinger to protect Qin Wentian in the first place was due to her own motives. As she had explained to Qin Wentian earlier, she, too, wished for the Azure Emperor Palace to rise once more in Grand Xia.

For three thousand years, her conviction had remained unwavering. To Fairy Qingmei, the legacy of the Azure Emperor surpassed everything, even more so than Qin Wentian or Qing'er, or even her own life.

However, with Qinger's intention to reveal herself, Fairy Qingmei couldn't help but feel a deep sense of reluctance. She didn't want to lose Qinger. She had long regarded her as a daughter.

"Master, wait for me," Qinger uttered softly before her figure flickered, vanishing from the spot. As she stared in the direction Qinger had gone, Fairy Qingmei grappled with complex emotions.

Several hundred miles outside the Demon Continent lay a land shrouded in thick mist, a solitary and eerie region.

Half a year ago, this place had been just like any other - a lush forest inhabited by demonic beasts. However, an odd mist had suddenly descended upon it. Anyone who ventured into the mist would become disoriented and would take a long time to find their way out, both humans and demonic beasts alike. As a result, nobody dared to approach this place, not even the demonic beasts.

Yet, at this moment, a figure of unparalleled beauty descended from the sky, landing just outside the mist-shrouded region.

This figure was none other than Qing'er. She stood there, calm and composed, as though awaiting something.

Moments later, a group of graceful silhouettes appeared before her. All of them were stunningly beautiful, dressed in white, and they arranged themselves in two rows before Qing'er. They knelt on one knee and respectfully greeted, "Paying respects to Princess."

"I am not."

Qing'er's expression remained impassive as she responded in her icy tone.

"Princess, if you please," urged two rows of figures who knelt on both sides, leaving a gap in the middle where Qing'er stood.

Silence hung heavy, uninterrupted by any response. The figures continued to kneel, their stillness lending an eerie atmosphere to the scene.

In the distance, a pair of fiery eyes stared intensely in their direction, belonging to a formidable demonic beast, a flame-eyed rhino.

However, in that very instant, one of the kneeling figures frowned and shifted her gaze to the rhino. In the blink of an eye, she vanished. Moments later, a blood-curdling shriek echoed through the air as the rhino, with its peak Yuanfu cultivation base, was obliterated in an instant.

The figure who had acted returned to her original spot, as silent and dustless as if she had never left her kneeling position.

"Sha sha sha..."

The sound of shuffling emerged as a few figures emerged from the mist. Among them was an old man and two young men.

"Paying respect to the princess," the old man bowed to Qing'er, while the two young men knelt on one knee, their faces bearing expressions of genuine respect.

In Grand Xia, these two young men would have been among the cream of the crop, the best of their generation. Yet here, they knelt sincerely, without a trace of reluctance.

"Princess, you mustn't break that seal; it would only harm you further," the old man cautioned Qing'er, glancing at her.

"I need a technique, a special art," Qing'er said coldly, ignoring his advice. Her gaze remained unwavering as she continued, "The Demonic Divinity Sacrificial Transformation borrows the power of the demonic divinities, transforming one into a primordial demon, granting an explosive boost in strength and perfecting one's bloodline. But this change is irreversible. I need a way to undo it."

The old man's eyebrows twitched, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. Then he whispered, "Princess, please understand that breaking that seal again would only bring more harm to your body, something this old subject could not bear. As for your question, this demonic transformation art employs the actual power of demonic divinities. Reversing something like this is incredibly difficult, perhaps even impossible."

"I must find a way," Qing'er's voice dropped even colder, her determination unwavering. Her words made the old man furrow his brows. After a few moments of contemplation, he spoke again, "To my knowledge, there might be only one way to reverse this transformation. It's a celestial art that allows one to cultivate a second true body, essentially creating a duplicate of oneself. According to this art, even if the person has already transformed into a demon, the new true body would be modeled after their original self. If successfully cultivated, a new true body can coexist with their demonic form."

"However, I'm sure the princess has heard of the rarity of this art and should be aware of the immense price it commands. Even our clan might have to wage a colossal war, shaking the heavens and earth, just to obtain it," the old man reasoned.

"That's precisely the art I desire," Qing'er interjected, leaving the old man momentarily speechless. After all this time apart from their clan, the princess might not fully comprehend the true value of this art. Yet, with a simple "that's right," she made it clear that this was the art she sought.

But acquiring it wouldn't be so simple.

In that moment, the old man pondered for whose sake Princess Qing'er coveted this art. Wasn't that person's fortune exceedingly extraordinary?

"I'll need to use the space array to report this matter to our clan's elders. Moreover, I'm afraid I'll have to ask the princess to accompany me and discuss this directly with the elder," the old man said, bowing his head in submission.

"Very well."

Qing'er stepped forward without hesitation, her decisiveness catching the old man off guard. As she approached him, he immediately cleared a path, allowing her to pass.

"Go and investigate this matter thoroughly. Discover for whose sake the princess desires this particular art," the old man transmitted his message to a white-robed girl who still knelt by the side. As Qing'er entered the mist, he waved his hand, signaling. The white-robed maiden's figure flickered and vanished, on her way to fulfill her mission.