Before long.
Movement first came from Ye Ruoshui’s small courtyard.
A surge of pure spiritual energy burst out and kept spreading, slamming again and again against the sealing formation.
But it only lasted a few breaths before it subsided.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang gave the order.
“Remove the formation.”
“Yes!”
As the sealing formation was withdrawn, Ye Ruoshui’s courtyard was completely exposed, and an aura belonging to the peak of the Body Tempering realm spread out.
The next moment.
The courtyard door swung open. A petite, delicate figure stepped out. The young girl’s small face was pale with a rosy tint, still carrying a touch of round baby fat, making her look extremely adorable.
But what drew even more attention was the full, generous curve of her chest, making it hard for anyone to look away.
Xiao Minghuang narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the changes in Ye Ruoshui.
She noticed that after this seclusion, Ye Ruoshui had grown again. Besides getting taller, the curves on her chest had become rounder and fuller.
After her previous cultivation, they had seemed to shrink a bit, but after this closed-door training, they had not only returned, they had surpassed what they used to be.
Originally, she could wrap one hand around them, but now she probably couldn’t quite manage it.
At the same time, she could feel the increase in Ye Ruoshui’s cultivation. The girl had already reached the peak of the Body Tempering realm. The medicinal effect of this Fivefold Essence Nurturing Pill was even better than she had imagined.
The girl’s brows and eyes were full of warmth. Her steps were light and lively as she hopped over to Xiao Minghuang. A bright smile bloomed on her pretty face as she spoke in a sweet voice.
“Sis, I’ve already reached the peak of the Body Tempering realm!”
“Not bad.”
Xiao Minghuang sat up and reached out with a smile to rub the top of Ye Ruoshui’s soft hair.
After this seclusion, Ye Ruoshui had shot up quite a bit in height, and now her head had reached Xiao Minghuang’s eye level.
If Xiao Minghuang wanted to pat her head like before, she now had to lift her arm all the way up to reach.
Ye Ruoshui very cooperatively bent down a little, letting Xiao Minghuang complete the head-pat.
In truth, compared to raising her cultivation, what Ye Ruoshui liked more was having her Highness pat her head and praise her.
Around this time.
A powerful aura erupted from Lin Wanqiu’s courtyard, rolling outward like waves. Compared to the fluctuations caused by Ye Ruoshui’s breakthrough, it was clearly stronger by several degrees.
The spiritual energy between heaven and earth seemed to fold in on itself, surging outward like a tide. Even the sealing formation could scarcely suppress the restlessness of that aura.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang’s expression tightened. She immediately circulated her spiritual power and threw out all the prepared materials, continuously reinforcing the sealing formation.
As time passed and the formation materials were nearly exhausted, the restless aura within the courtyard gradually calmed down.
The spiritual energy in the surroundings slowly returned to normal, and Xiao Minghuang let out a long breath of relief.
At the same time.
The courtyard door opened, and a graceful figure stepped out. The girl’s bearing was elegant and willowy. Her hair was jet-black, her skin snow-white, her waist slender, her legs straight, her eyes bright, her teeth like jade. Her features were delicate and picturesque, her beauty fresh and refined.
Just like Ye Ruoshui, Lin Wanqiu had also stepped into the peak of the Body Tempering realm. Her blood and qi surged within her, and faint spiritual fluctuations lingered around her body.
Moreover—
Her aura was even more solid than Ye Ruoshui’s. The power of her blood and qi was more violent and surging, as if she was only one step away from stepping into the Qi Refining realm.
Lin Wanqiu’s figure swayed lightly as she walked up to Xiao Minghuang. She bent slightly, her smile radiant, and spoke in a soft voice.
“Many thanks for the pill, Your Highness. This humble girl’s meridians are now unobstructed and I have already broken through to the peak of the Body Tempering realm.”
Xiao Minghuang smiled faintly. Looking at the girl before her, a trace of amazement unconsciously flashed in her eyes.
Lin Wanqiu had already been very beautiful before, but because she had been born with blocked meridians and had been frustrated and unable to advance, there had always been a shadow of sorrow between her brows.
After taking the pill, with her meridians cleared and her heart knot untied, the elegant, refined face now carried no trace of melancholy.
The Lin Wanqiu standing here now was bright and unrestrained in her beauty. Just seeing her gentle smile could lift one’s mood, as if her joy could infect everyone around her.
Seeing that the problem of Lin Wanqiu’s blocked meridians had been resolved, Xiao Minghuang was genuinely pleased for her. She reached out to softly rub the girl’s hair and said with a smile,
“Wanqiu, from now on you are a dragon soaring across the heavens, no longer bound by anything.”
Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu shook her head. In her beautiful eyes there was three parts gratitude and seven parts sincerity as she spoke, word by word,
“If not for Your Highness, this humble girl would never have been able to clear her meridians in this lifetime. Your Highness’s great kindness cannot be repaid.”
“This humble girl does not wish to be some dragon soaring through the nine heavens. I only wish to serve as a small maid, to pour tea and water for Your Highness, to dress your hair and arrange your clothes. If I can do that, my heart’s desire will be fulfilled.”
Seeing the determination on her face, Xiao Minghuang said nothing more.
At this moment.
Lin Zhengquan flew over through the air and landed on the ground. With a single glance he saw his daughter, Lin Wanqiu.
But when he sensed the aura coming from her, his eyes went wide at once, filled with shock and joy.
“Wanqiu, you… you’ve cleared your meridians?!”
Lin Wanqiu smiled.
“It’s all thanks to the pill bestowed by Your Highness that your daughter was able to clear her meridians and step onto the path of cultivation.”
Lin Zhengquan turned his gaze to Xiao Minghuang. He knew at once that she was the one who had given that precious Essence-Replenishing Pill to Lin Wanqiu. His face overflowed with gratitude as he dropped to his knees with a thud.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for clearing my little girl’s meridians. Your great kindness will never be forgotten, not in this life nor the next!”
Xiao Minghuang made a gesture to help Lin Zhengquan up and smiled as she said,
“City Lord Lin, such a grand salute is more than I can bear.”
Lin Wanqiu hurried forward to help her father to his feet.
“Father, Her Highness doesn’t like these empty formalities. Please don’t act like this.”
Lin Zhengquan wiped at his tears and stood up, his face full of relief.
“Father has only you, this one daughter. As long as you are well, Father’s life is complete.”
“Father…”
Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu was moved as well, her eyes turning red as she lowered her head.
Since childhood, her meridians had been blocked. Even the imperial consecrated experts had declared that she had no hope of cultivation in this lifetime. But Lin Zhengquan had never once given up, spending huge amounts of spirit stones and pills to support her.
As a father, Lin Zhengquan had not failed her in the slightest.
Just as a touching father-daughter scene was about to unfold, Xiao Minghuang lightly cleared her throat, cutting through the emotion.
“City Lord Lin, I’ve been in seclusion for quite some time. When exactly has the date for the match been set?”
Seeing Xiao Minghuang bring this up, Lin Zhengquan couldn’t help showing a trace of embarrassment. He had been so overjoyed at learning that Lin Wanqiu’s meridians were clear that he had forgotten his proper business.
Lin Zhengquan composed his expression and gathered his thoughts. After a brief pause, he said,
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. The date for the match with the Golden Elephant Nation has been set for three days from now.”
Xiao Minghuang nodded and continued to ask,
“The participants from the Golden Elephant Nation—do you know who they are?”
Lin Zhengquan smiled.
“This minister has already investigated clearly…”
Halfway through his words, he glanced around at their surroundings.
“This isn’t a good place to speak. Would Your Highness be willing to accompany this minister to the main hall to talk?”
Xiao Minghuang nodded.
“City Lord Lin, please lead the way.”
Before long, the group arrived at the main hall of the City Lord’s residence.
Once everyone was seated, Lin Zhengquan began to recount in detail the origin and full story of the upcoming match.
