Dominant Qing`er

Dominant Qing'er . . .

Inside the opulent halls of the Everpeace Marquis Manor, Qing'er firmly held onto Qin Wentian's hand. The assembled onlookers remained frozen, their faces flushed with the burning sensation of humiliation. Before Princess Qing'er herself, they had continued to slander the person she held dear. It came as no surprise that she had unleashed her anger, subjecting the Marquis Madam to three resounding slaps. The truth was now evident - Princess Qing'er and this young man were lovers.

Qin Wentian, the unchallenged #1 ranker in the Immortal Ascension Rankings.

Qin Wentian and Princess Qing'er, deeply entwined in a passionate love.

The idea that he would stoop to using mere words to outrage Xia Lian's modesty was utterly preposterous.

In terms of talent, grace, or standing, what could Xia Lian possibly offer that could rival Princess Qing'er?

Any reasonable person would recognize that, given Qin Wentian's extraordinary talent and his prestigious position as the #1 ranker in the Immortal Ascension Rankings, he could have chosen a master who was an immortal emperor without breaking a sweat. Such a remarkable figure had no need to resort to anything as petty as slandering Xia Lian. The absurdity of these malicious lies was truly beyond comprehension. Xia Lian, at this point, felt as though she had received a resounding slap to her own face. Irony was at its peak; she was the one who had referred to Qin Wentian as a dog slave earlier.

Silence descended upon the surroundings. The truth was now laid bare for all to see. Xia Lian had fabricated falsehoods, besmirching the character of the person whom Princess Qing'er cherished. She had even issued orders for demonic beasts to hunt him down. In reality, her actions were not only disgraceful but also a blatant breach of decorum when it came to dealing with superiors. Even if Qin Wentian was merely a friend of Princess Qing'er, Xia Lian held no authority to order his execution. Such an act would be tantamount to a direct slap across Qing'er's face.

Qin Wentian watched the unfolding drama with a wry smile. He had never anticipated that within the Everpeace Marquis Manor of the Evergreen Immortal Empire, there would be individuals audacious enough to plot his murder. Considering their status and power within the empire, they displayed a shocking lack of respect toward Qing'er.

The actions of Xia Fan, Xia Lian, and the Marquis Madam hadn't escaped Qing'er's keen observation. Their plan was transparent: eliminate Qin Wentian and, with him gone, there would be no one left to dispute their claims. They could effortlessly shift all blame onto him.

Presently, Qing'er's fury showed no sign of abating. Her eyes remained as icy as ever, and though she would have been willing to accept danger on Qin Wentian's behalf while journeying in the outside world, the Everpeace Marquis Manor fell under the jurisdiction of the Evergreen Immortal Emperor. With her royal status, did these people not even hold her in regard? She was the one who had brought Qin Wentian here, yet they had audaciously plotted to take his life.

How could Qing'er possibly let this matter rest?

Her icy gaze fixated on Xia Lian as Qing'er's words cut through the tense air like a frigid wind. Her tone remained as cold as a winter's chill, "Xia Lian insulted Qin Wentian first. Subsequently, she conspired with Xia Fan to unleash demonic beasts with the intent to end his life. Furthermore, the Marquis Madam recklessly joined in, heedless of the truth, persisting in her attack even after my direct order to cease. It's as if my presence holds no weight in your eyes. All of you have shown blatant disregard for the Evergreen Immortal Empire, as well as my royal father, the Evergreen Immortal Emperor. So, tell me, how should I adjudicate this transgression?"

Qing'er spoke, her unwavering gaze fixed upon the Marquis Madam. Hearing her words, cold sweat began to bead on the foreheads of the assembled experts. There was no denying that this was a grave offense, and Princess Qing'er exhibited no intention of sweeping it under the rug. She had even invoked the name of the Evergreen Immortal Empire and the Evergreen Immortal Emperor in her speech.

The Marquis Madam's lips twitched, her expression turning increasingly sour. At this point, she found herself with no feasible rebuttal to offer Qing'er.

"Xia Lian, did you indeed initiate the insult against Princess's friend?" The Marquis Madam inquired coldly. She had no choice but to continue with this facade. To do otherwise would mean risking a confrontation with the Princess herself. If such a conflict arose, she would lose any leverage to alter the course of events. Challenging the daughter that the Evergreen Immortal Emperor cherished above all else would leave her with no recourse, even her father, the Cloud King, would be powerless to intervene.

With no other option, Xia Lian pressed on, casting aside her humiliation.

Qing'er and Qin Wentian both wore cold smiles. The Marquis Madam continued, "Princess, my actions earlier were impulsive, a hasty attempt to execute punishment without fully ascertaining the facts. I acknowledge my fault, and since you have already meted out your retribution, can we not temporarily set this matter aside? Regarding the rights and wrongs of this case, I pledge to conduct a thorough investigation and promptly update Princess on our findings."

The Marquis Madam hoped to buy time. Delaying the matter seemed the most prudent course of action in her view. Her goal was to stall until she could send Qing'er away.

"You should be well aware that you are already in the wrong. You acted without verification, moving swiftly to end a life. Such conduct, protecting the transgressions of your children while expecting us to wait for your investigation, is simply a mockery," Qin Wentian retorted with a chilly laugh.

Qing'er then inquired, "Let me ask you again, will you provide a satisfactory response or not?"

Qing'er wasn't inclined to speak at length, let alone create trouble. However, in this instance, she had to speak out for Qin Wentian's sake. The audacity of a mere Marquis Madam to issue a death sentence for Qin Wentian was beyond her tolerance. What kind of pressure would Qin Wentian face when he entered the royal palace if this were allowed to stand?

"Since Qin Wentian is the man whom Princess loves, naturally, Princess trusts him. But this doesn't necessarily mean that his words are the unvarnished truth. At the very least, grant me an opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation," the Marquis Madam persisted, her unwillingness to apologize or admit guilt still evident in her defense.

Qing'er gracefully advanced, her gaze fixed firmly on Xia Lian, a sight that sent shivers down the Marquis Madam's spine. Fear etched across Xia Lian's face, her features contorted in dread as she stared back at Qing'er.

Suddenly, a deafening BOOM shattered the silence. A powerful surge of spatial energy engulfed Xia Lian as Qing'er materialized behind her, seizing her with a vice-like grip. The Marquis Madam's countenance shifted dramatically, but she refrained from intervening. Any action against Qing'er would only exacerbate the situation.

"You've chosen to protect her so fiercely; I have no choice but to take matters into my own hands. We are guests in the Everpeace Manor, yet Qin Wentian was insulted and nearly killed. Despite her lowly status, Xia Lian dared to conspire against my friend. Such an offense is punishable by only one verdict – death!" Qing'er's voice was as cold as ice, her eyes devoid of mercy. Xia Lian trembled under the weight of her icy stare, finally understanding the true meaning of terror.

"Princess, my father, the Cloud King, has earned countless merits for the empire. Are you truly prepared to condemn my daughter without a fair inquiry? Xia Lian is the Cloud King's granddaughter, and your actions will chill the hearts of all the dukes and marquises in the empire," the Marquis Madam invoked the name of the Cloud King, attempting to suppress Qing'er.

"Just because the Cloud King has amassed numerous merits, does that grant you the audacity to kill my friend before my eyes? If the Cloud King earned even more merits, would that give you the courage to execute me in front of my father?" Qing'er's words thundered, sending shivers through everyone's hearts. Her words were unrelenting, leaving the Marquis Madam speechless.

Another BOOM reverberated as a ferocious wave of spatial energy surged from Qing'er. Shock washed over the onlookers as the Marquis Madam cried out, "Princess!"

"Princess, I beseech you to spare her life," a commanding voice echoed through the air as a formidable figure manifested. Hovering in the sky, he directed his gaze toward Qing'er and Xia Lian, pleading, "I am the Everpeace Marquis, and I apologize for my daughter's actions. I vow to discipline her severely in the future. Princess, please show her mercy."

Qing'er's cold gaze shifted to the Everpeace Marquis. Her aura remained undiminished, and her frigidity intensified. She fixed the Marquis with a frosty stare and remarked bitterly, "You were silently observing your daughter and son's insults against my friend, Qin Wentian, right from the beginning. You did nothing when they ordered his execution. You watched in silence as your wife, the Marquis Madam, disregarded justice, even defying my orders and attempting to end his life. What a righteous Everpeace Marquis you are!"

With these words, Qing'er's long hair danced in the wind, her icy aura undiminished. The Everpeace Marquis's countenance contorted in despair. In an instant, Qing'er struck out with her palm, and the boundless spatial energy tore through Xia Lian's body. A haunting scream of agony pierced the air, leaving the manor's experts pallid and shaken.

"XIA LIAN!" The Marquis Madam surged forward, her presence emanating a palpable dread. It swept toward Qing'er like an impending storm, but Qing'er faced her unflinchingly. Did the Marquis Madam dare to provoke her?

Beside her, the Everpeace Marquis swiftly intervened, pulling his wife back, a silent plea for restraint. Attacking the Princess would be akin to treason. Should the Evergreen Immortal Emperor hear of it, the entire Everpeace Marquis Manor would be annihilated in his wrath.

"Princess, are you content now?" The Marquis Madam's voice trembled with emotion as she gazed at her daughter, sprawled on the ground.

Qing'er regarded her coolly and spoke, "You should consider yourself fortunate that you confronted the current me. If I possessed the power, I would spare no one who threatened Qin Wentian..."

"...including you."

Qing'er locked eyes with the Marquis Madam, and the icy conviction in her voice sent a shiver down her spine. She finally comprehended how profoundly wrong Xia Lian's actions had been. Given Qin Wentian's place in Princess Qing'er's heart, if she wielded enough strength, the entire manor would have been razed to the ground.

She had slandered and insulted him, yet Xia Lian had conspired to kill Qin Wentian? How could she be spared?

"We must not provoke this man." The Everpeace Marquis Manor's experts realized the gravity of their mistake. Threatening him was akin to touching the most sensitive nerve in Princess Qing'er's heart. They could ill afford such an error.

"Everpeace Marquis, I command you to activate the spatial transference array immediately," Qing'er commanded, her gaze unyielding.

The Marquis's face stiffened, but he complied, his tone gruff, "As you wish, Princess."

With that, he ascended into the sky, and Qing'er and Qin Wentian followed suit. Just before entering the spatial transference array, Qin Wentian reached out, clasping Qing'er's hand. He understood that Qing'er's audacious actions stemmed from her deep concern for him.

Qin Wentian had the potential to stand among the royal palace's marquises and dukes, and not just those of the Everpeace Marquis Manor. Qing'er wouldn't let anyone trample over him. If a mere marquis's estate dared to threaten his life, how would he fare when they reached the royal palace?

At the spatial transference array's location, a brilliant light burst forth, indicating its activation. The two of them stepped inside, and a powerful spatial turbulence consumed them.

As they disappeared, an overwhelming aura erupted from the Everpeace Marquis, becoming a tempest that tore through the surroundings. He vanished briefly and then returned to where Xia Lian lay. Only silence remained—a silence broken only by the Marquis Madam, holding her daughter's lifeless form, as she spoke icily, "I intend to bring Xia Lian to the royal palace."

The hearts of everyone shuddered when they heard that, understanding what their madam wanted to do. She was going to complain to her father, the Cloud King!