Chapter 8

"Three years ago, it was the grand ceremony held once every ten years in the State of Zhao..."

In the Southern Province, there were dozens of large and small states, which, though often in friction with each other, none was powerful enough to dominate the entire region.

The State of Zhao, though not as strong as the States of Rong and Jin, was not considered weak either.

A century ago, it was said that a celestial being had opened the heavens and helped the State of Zhao build its capital in the wild and desolate mountains. Since then, the mountains have been a natural barrier, and the legend of celestial beings practicing in the mountains has been a hidden support for the State of Zhao.

Three years ago, during the grand ceremony, envoys from all the states were present. At that time, the Southern Province was not very peaceful, with the States of Rong and Jin in fierce competition, and the territory of the State of Zhao bordered both. Therefore, the position of the State of Zhao was particularly difficult.

Among the envoys of the State of Rong, the second prince was also present.

Among the young princes of all the states, the second prince of the State of Rong was the most talented. He had successfully opened his spiritual aperture at the age of seven and was said to have been designated as a personal disciple by a great celestial master on the mountain. This mission was his last visit to the human world before ascending the mountain to practice.

"Why did they choose the State of Zhao?" Ning Changjiu asked, listening to her introduction.

The woman smiled. "Because it was said that there was a girl in the State of Zhao who was even younger and more talented than him, and she was the daughter of a divine being."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Zhao Xiang'er?"

"Yes," the woman said. "He came to the State of Zhao to meet that Zhao Xiang'er."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Was she really that good?"

The woman said, "In fact, no one had ever seen Miss Zhao fight before. At that time, she was still a... wild girl. The place we saw her most often was in the wild forest and on the rooftops, and her clothes were always dirty. Looking back now, it was probably a rumor spread by the State of Jin to provoke the competitive spirit of the second prince of the State of Rong, making them fight. After all, Miss Zhao was nominally the daughter of a divine being, and losing to the prince of the State of Rong would be a great loss of face."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Did they meet?"

The woman nodded. "At that time, Miss Zhao was sitting on a large banyan tree watching the sunset, and the second prince saw her by chance, not knowing she was the one he was looking for."

Ning Changjiu smiled. "It sounds like a story. What happened next?"

The woman's lips curved, her gaze briefly unfocused, as she recalled. "Then the second prince was captivated, thinking of challenging the girl named Zhao Xiang'er and then asking for a marriage contract to take this girl back after their duel."

Ning Changjiu laughed.

The woman couldn't help but laugh too. "Miss Zhao has always been indifferent to worldly affairs and didn't know about this. The next day, the second prince came to challenge her, injuring many of the guards outside the palace. Then Miss Zhao, with her hands on her hips, ran out, cursing and pointing at the second prince, asking, 'Is it you causing trouble?'"

"The second prince was also stunned, not expecting the girl he had seen to be the legendary princess secluded in the Jade Hall. He immediately stopped and tried to express his intentions, but Miss Zhao didn't say a word and directly attacked him in anger."

At this point, the woman seemed to be lost in her memories, ignoring the small hairpin in front of her nose, and laughed with a trembling voice.

Ning Changjiu found it interesting and asked, "What happened next?"

"Then things got simple. It was originally just a duel between the second prince and Miss Zhao, but after less than ten moves, all the skilled followers of the second prince were forced to join in... I've never seen such a Miss Zhao. She was like lightning piercing through the clouds, bright and shocking. At that time, no one could imagine that she was a thirteen-year-old girl."

"Finally, the second prince and his seven skilled followers were all defeated and injured. In the end, his shadow guard had to reveal himself to stop Miss Zhao's next move. This shadow guard was a personal disciple of the Sword Saint of the State of Rong, but in that battle, his scabbard was shattered by Miss Zhao."

"That day, the stone steps in front of the Jade Hall were all shattered, and Miss Zhao was covered in blood, standing there without the joy of victory, her face full of confusion. Then she said a sentence indifferently and turned to return to the palace. Since then, we never saw that wild and foolish girl again. Occasionally, we saw her, but she was always properly dressed, quiet and elegant, like a true young lady."

Ning Changjiu listened quietly and asked, "What did she say?"

...

...

The State Master's Residence.

A few candles flickered weakly, the wooden doors and tables were dark and heavy, making the entire room feel like a lantern about to go out. Even the pines and cranes on the screen seemed trapped and oppressive.

A girl in a white dress sat in front of a heavy wooden table, looking at the old man with gray temples and simple clothing:

"Teacher, it's time to take the medicine."

The girl's lips curved, and a small yellow flower in her sleeve was calm yet bright.

She handed a bowl of thick medicine to him.

The old man looked at the medicine, his expression trembling.

"Xiang'er... Why has it come to this?"

Zhao Xiang'er's expression was calm. "I'm afraid you'll cause trouble, so I must watch over you."

The old man smiled bitterly. "I have only you as my student in my life. How could I harm you?"

Zhao Xiang'er asked, "Then why did you stand by twenty days ago?"

The old man said helplessly, "The situation is like this. What can I do?"

"Again, the situation!" Zhao Xiang'er sneered. "Without my mother, you would never have become the State Master. How can you not repent for your treachery?"

The old man shook his head. "I am the State Master of Zhao, bearing the fate of Zhao. I naturally want to save the Empress, but I cannot let the fate of Zhao be severed!"

Zhao Xiang'er said, "It's almost severed."

The old man slammed the table, angry. "If it weren't for what happened three years ago, how would Zhao be in this situation now?"

Three years ago, Zhao Xiang'er fought against eight opponents, breaking the scabbard of the Sword Saint's disciple from the State of Rong and shattering the second prince's spirit.

Since then, the States of Rong and Zhao have been at odds, and the State of Jin took the opportunity to attack Zhao.

"You have destroyed Zhao!" The old man's fists trembled.

Zhao Xiang'er shook her head lightly. "You will never understand. With my mother, Zhao is Zhao. Otherwise, it would have fallen ten years ago when the previous emperor passed away."

She stood up, her posture tall and outstanding, looking at the old man with a face full of anger, and smiled faintly.

"The cause I initiated, but you bear the consequences. I am ultimately at fault, but if I could go back three years, I would still do it."

When the old man became the State Master, he took on the fate of Zhao. In just three years, a spirited middle-aged man became a half-gray old man.

How could he not hate?

"Why?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Do you think you can kill all those who oppose you, and the spies and assassins of the State of Jin? Besides, as I know, you are also seriously injured!"

Zhao Xiang'er shook her head lightly, her gaze becoming brighter.

"Three years ago, if I had accepted that marriage contract, perhaps Zhao could have had peace for a few decades, but that would have been meaningless, and I wouldn't have liked it. Teacher, you bear the fate of Zhao. Don't you know what Zhao is dragging along while struggling forward? A hundred years ago, Zhao received the promise of a celestial being to establish the state, but it will ultimately be backfired..."

The old man looked at her in shock, slowly listening to her words, and gradually understanding, but the more he understood, the more shocked he became.

"Xiang'er... What are you going to do?!"

Zhao Xiang'er reined in her killing intent and smiled softly. "Teacher, take your medicine. We have been teacher and student, I won't kill you..."

She paused, her expression dazed, her voice light like a sigh. "I was watching the sunset with the princess. Why do you disturb me?"

I was watching the sunset with the princess. Why do you disturb me?

This was what she said in front of the Jade Hall three years ago. At that time, no one answered, only the blood-red sunset seemed to respond.

Since then, she has been revered as the princess.

Now the Jade Hall has been burned to ruins.

She ignored worldly affairs, but the world always disturbed her.

"I hope you won't be like them."

She made a gesture of invitation to the old man.

In the flickering light, the old man trembled, picked up the medicine bowl, stared at it for a moment, sighed, and drank it all.

It was a medicine to seal the spirit sea. After drinking it, he would no longer have the power to interfere with future events.

...

...

"I was watching the sunset with the princess, ha... Your Miss Zhao is indeed extraordinary. What happened next?"

"Then, twenty days ago, they surrounded the Jade Hall under the name of punishing a demoness, and Miss Zhao was also ambushed on her way back to the capital. It is said that there was even the third-ranked assassin from the State of Jin, but fortunately, Miss Zhao eventually returned."

"What task did your Miss Zhao give you?" Ning Changjiu continued to ask.

"I can only say this much." The woman's expression turned serious. "Miss Zhao and the Empress are the people I respect most in my life. I will never betray Miss Zhao. You don't need to try to trick me."

Ning Changjiu said, "You must answer me."

The woman laughed. "You, a little Taoist, are really unreasonable. Why should I answer you?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Because your array is not yet complete."

The woman's pupils suddenly contracted, and the hand secretly drawing the array under the brocade quilt paused. She stared coldly at Ning Changjiu. "Who are you?"

Ning Changjiu did not answer, but continued to ask, "Why do you want to kill me? Is it your Miss Zhao's order?"

The woman sneered. "If the master doesn't say, the servant should also do the job cleanly, right, little Taoist?"

Ning Changjiu nodded. "That makes sense."

The woman asked curiously, "Since you know, why don't you stop me?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Let me see your array. I won't interfere."

This person dared to be so arrogant...

The woman's expression trembled, feeling a sense of absurdity. She laughed coldly, but her hands did not stop.

Since you give me the chance, don't blame me.

Spirit power surged between her fingers, the array was only one stroke away. The woman focused her mind, infused spirit power, and drew the final stroke.

The woman's back was already drenched in sweat, but her body finally relaxed, feeling incredibly refreshed.

The array, drawn with great effort and tension, was completed with such a smooth and satisfying final stroke.

Under the floor of the room, a fine and fast light seemed to seep out, like a knife cutting through, forming a complex and beautiful small array centered on Ning Changjiu, instantly lighting up the room.

She was confident that this extremely time-consuming and energy-consuming array, unless the array eye could be found, even the Witch Lord could not escape in a short time. At this moment, whether negotiating or killing, she was in complete control.

At the same time, a faint cry for help could be heard from outside the window.

It was Ning Xiaoling's voice.

They have also taken action.

"Either show your sincerity or die."

She would not drag things out.