96: Chapter 96 The Empress's Return Home, Hidden Dangers!

Lin Yi sat back in the main seat and sensed the Auras of the three women and Xu Chen.

Su Yuxi, Early Stage Venerable Realm, Minor Achievement Innate Dao Fetus.

Chu Wanqing, Early Stage Venerable Realm, wielding the extreme dao imperial weapon world-suppressing imperial zither.

Shen Qingyue, Early Stage Venerable Realm, her Primordial Dao Body slowly recovering with the aid of the Ancient Desolate Scripture.

Xu Chen, Early Stage Venerable Realm, obtained the extreme dao imperial weapon ancient desolate hall.

All four of them had entered the Venerable Realm.

Their combat power was now vastly different.

Lin Yi nodded with satisfaction.

This trip to the Imperial Fall Valley was not in vain.

People were killed, treasures were taken, Realms were broken through, and trump cards were strengthened.

The Wang Family lost both their wife and their army.

Ten Imperial Medicines were lost, their son was gone, and their Old Ancestor was also sacrificed.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi even felt sorry for Wang Shuo.

Forget it.

He wouldn't feel sorry for him.

He deserved it.

The imperial carriage continued to speed towards Heavenly Profound Holy Land.

Lin Yi closed his eyes and began to silently deduce the Cultivation method of the Secret of Jie.

Silence returned to the imperial carriage.

Only the occasional sound of Chu Wanqing plucking the imperial zither.

And Xu Chen's snoring, which had started again.

...

At the same time.

A thousand miles away.

In a shaded mountain hollow on the outskirts of the Imperial Fall Valley.

The sky had already darkened.

The last ray of twilight from the setting sun was swallowed by thick clouds.

A figure wrapped in a black cloak squatted behind a large rock.

The cloak covered most of her face.

Only a pair of cold, frantic eyes were visible.

Chu Ningshuang!

She had witnessed everything that happened today with her own eyes.

Xuan Ye was instantly killed.

Wang Teng was refined.

The Wang Family Old Ancestor fell.

Wang Tian died.

The battle of six Peak Quasi-Emperors, Heavenly Profound Holy Land achieved complete victory.

From beginning to end.

She hid in the shadows, not daring to utter a single word.

She clenched her fists tightly.

Her fingernails dug deep into the flesh of her palms.

Blood dripped from between her fingers.

One drop, two drops.

Falling silently onto the gravel at her feet.

Wang Teng was dead.

Her biggest external helper in the Imperial Clan Chu Family was gone.

The Wang Family was severely weakened and unable to fend for themselves for a short period.

In other words.

She no longer had any external force to rely on.

Fear.

Overwhelming fear surged from the bottom of her heart.

If Chu Wanqing returned to the Chu Family with the extreme dao imperial weapon and Lin Yi as her backer.

Everything she had painstakingly built.

Would all crumble.

Her fake Imperial Daughter identity would be exposed.

The pseudo-Imperial Body that Wang Teng had piled up for her using forbidden techniques would be shattered.

The Second Elder and Third Elder, those fair-weather friends, would immediately turn against her.

At that time.

Only one outcome awaited her.

Death!

And she would be executed by Chu Chengdao, the Chu Family Head, himself.

Thinking of this, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Chu Ningshuang's eyes.

She couldn't wait any longer.

She absolutely couldn't wait any longer.

She took out a jet-black communication jade talisman from her embrace.

The talisman's design was extremely special, inscribed with the exclusive mark of the Chu Family Grand Elder.

This was her last trump card.

The original plan was to take down the Chu Family in one fell swoop, with internal and external coordination, after Wang Teng obtained the Legacy.

But now, all plans had collapsed.

She only had this one path left.

Strike first to gain the upper hand.

Before Chu Wanqing returned to the Chu Family, and before Chu Chengdao knew the details of the Imperial Fall Valley.

Launch the attack early.

Chu Ningshuang poured a condensed Divine Thought into the jade talisman.

The content was only six words.

"Plan changed, act now."

The jade talisman shattered in her palm.

Transforming into a faint light, it disappeared into the Void Realm.

And was gone.

Chu Ningshuang stood up and pulled her cloak tighter.

Turning, she disappeared into the night.

...

Aboard the imperial carriage.

Chu Wanqing knew nothing of this.

She was holding the imperial zither, humming a tuneless little song.

The melody was intermittent.

But she hummed it happily.

She turned her head and gave Lin Yi an extremely bright smile.

"Brother Lin Yi."

"When we get home, I'll play a song for you, okay?"

Lin Yi looked at her carefree smiling face.

And nodded.

"Okay."

Chu Wanqing's smile became even more radiant.

She lowered her head, her fingers gently plucking the strings, practicing seriously.

The imperial carriage sped towards Heavenly Profound Holy Land.

The Dragon's body pierced through the clouds, drawing arcs of electricity across the starry sky.

But what Chu Wanqing didn't know was this.

In that 'home' she spoke of.

A net of heaven and earth, woven by both kin and external enemies.

Had quietly opened.

The next day.

The imperial carriage slowed down over the Chu Family territory.

Nine Thunder Dragons retracted their electric arcs, roaring softly as they slowly descended.

Chu Wanqing peered over the edge of the imperial carriage, her eyes sparkling.

"We're here, we're here!"

She bounced up, clutching the imperial zither in one hand and tugging Lin Yi's sleeve with the other.

"Brother Lin Yi, look! That's my home!"

Below, a vast Imperial Clan Ancestral Land stretching for tens of thousands of miles came into view.

Six main peaks rose from the ground, each enveloped in a dense Imperial Clan Luck.

Golden array patterns flowed between the mountain ranges, tightly enclosing the entire Chu Family.

The sight was magnificent, and imperial might surged.

Truly one of the three top powers in the Barren Region.

Lin Yi glanced around, his gaze slightly heavy.

He knew very well that on this trip to the Imperial Valley, Chu Wanqing was returning home full of Harvest and joy.

But what awaited her might not just be flowers and applause.

He had already seen Chu Ningshuang's information on the System panel.

That woman would not sit idly by.

Especially now that Wang Teng was dead.

A cornered dog is often the most dangerous.

However, he didn't tell Chu Wanqing any of this.

There was no need to upset her at this moment.

What was coming, he would face it.

He would appear at the most opportune moment and break everything!

"It's time to part ways."

Lin Yi stood up and looked at Su Yuxi and Shen Qingyue.

Su Yuxi nodded, standing up to straighten her clothes.

Shen Qingyue also put away the beast skin map in her hand and quietly stood to the side.

Chu Wanqing's expression instantly fell.

"Are you leaving so soon...?"

Her hand clutching Lin Yi's sleeve tightened a bit more, and her mouth pouted slightly.

"Aren't you coming to my house as a guest, Brother Lin Yi?

I'll play the zither for you! I've been practicing for a long time!"

Lin Yi reached out and ruffled her hair.

"There are still some matters to handle back at Heavenly Profound Holy Land."

"You go home and rest well first, I'll come see you in a few days."

Chu Wanqing's pout grew even more pronounced.

But she also knew that Lin Yi was telling the truth.

After the battle in the Imperial Fall Valley, Heavenly Profound Holy Land also suffered some losses, and there were indeed many aftermath matters to deal with.

She let go of his hand, stepped back with the imperial zither in her arms.

"Then you promise!"

"If you don't come, I'll go to Heavenly Profound Holy Land to find you!"

Lin Yi nodded.

"I promise."

Only then did Chu Wanqing grin.

She waved at Su Yuxi and Shen Qingyue.

"Sister Yu Xi, Sister Qingyue, you two should come and visit too!"

Su Yuxi nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips.

Shen Qingyue also gently nodded.

Xu Chen, holding the ancient desolate hall, sidled over, winking and saying.

"Sister Wanqing, what about me? Aren't you inviting me?"

Chu Wanqing shot him a glance.

"Why would you come? To eat my family's spiritual fruit?"

"Hehe, Sister Wanqing understands me best!"

Chu Wanqing rolled her eyes and turned to jump off the imperial carriage.

As soon as her figure landed, a grand horn sound came from the direction of the Chu Family's main peak.

Ooooh—

The low, deep horn sound echoed through the clouds.

Chu Wanqing froze for a moment.

This was the highest etiquette of the Chu Family to welcome the return of a direct Imperial Daughter.

The last time she heard this horn, it was the day she was conferred the title of Imperial Daughter.

"Wow..."

She blinked, a little bewildered.

"Such a grand display?"

The imperial carriage circled high in the sky.

From his elevated position, Lin Yi clearly saw the scene in front of the Chu Family's main peak.

The main peak's main gate was wide open.

Two rows of elite Chu Family Disciples, dressed in Imperial Clan ceremonial robes and holding Imperial Clan banners, stood on either side of the grand avenue.

There were over a thousand people.

And at the very front of the procession.

A middle-aged man wearing black-gold imperial robes, with an Aura as deep and calm as an abyss, stood with his hands behind his back.

Chu Chengdao!

The Chu Family Head, a Peak Quasi-Emperor.

He had come to greet her personally!