66: Chapter 66 The Edict of Grace

Chu Changsheng gave a slight nod, saying nothing more.

He turned and followed the guiding maid, walking along the path of bluestone slabs, stepping through the dappled light and shadows, heading towards the Listening Bamboo Garden.

His figure was lean and tall, his gait calm and unhurried, as if every step landed precisely on the nodes of time.

His robes swayed gently with his movements, like a flowing cloud unfurling in the wind.

Walking amidst the elegant flowers and trees of the garden, he seemed to blend into every blade of grass, every flower, and every stone—not as an intruder, but as one returning home.

He carried an aura of detachment from the world, making others dare only to watch from afar, afraid to disturb him easily.

Princess Xia Zhiqing watched that retreating figure until the black robes finally vanished into the depths of the bamboo shadows, and only then did she quietly let out a breath.

But before that breath was fully released, she let out a long sigh.

This sigh was very light, yet it felt as if it carried a heavy burden.

Between her brows gathered a layer of sorrow that was hard to disperse, like a clear sky suddenly shrouded in dark clouds, the bright sunlight completely blocked out, not a glimmer of light able to penetrate.

Seeing this, Jian Tanghuang stepped forward and smiled to comfort her.

That smile was bright and warm, like the first ray of sunlight in spring, attempting to dispel the haze between Princess Xia Zhiqing's brows: "Junior Sister Xia, there is no need to be so nervous. My Revered Master appears cold and aloof, rejecting people from thousands of miles away, but in reality, his temperament is very easygoing, and he never cares about these trivial matters."

She paused, her gaze shifting towards the direction of the main hall, her tone becoming a bit more serious: "For now, let us discuss the Hundred Dynasties War first. This is the crucial matter concerning the life and death of the Great Xia Dynasty, and it cannot be delayed in the slightest."

Princess Xia Zhiqing withdrew her gaze, a gentle smile rising on her face again.

But in that smile, there was a hint of hard-to-conceal helplessness, like a dust-covered jade bead, its brilliance mostly hidden, leaving only a trace of lingering charm: "Senior Sister Jian is right; it is I, Zhiqing, who was too restrained."

She turned around to face Xuanyuan Zhanxian, Jian Tanghuang, and Chu Zhanxiao.

In that instant, the smile on her face completely vanished, her expression instantly becoming incomparably solemn, as if she had become a different person.

Her tone also deepened, as if pressing down under an invisible, heavy burden, every word carrying significant weight—

"Senior Brother Xuanyuan, Senior Sister Jian, Senior Brother Chu, regarding the Hundred Dynasties War..."

She took a deep breath: "This is a hegemony competition for dynasties initiated by the Great Wu Imperial Dynasty. Any Dynasty force under the jurisdiction of Great Wu, regardless of strength, whether they are willing or not, must send participants. There is no room for evasion, no room for bargaining."

She paused, adding with a slightly faster speaking pace, her tone carrying a trace of urgency, as if racing against time—

"According to the rules, every participating Dynasty must put up fifty cities as a bet. Ultimately, based on the competition rankings, all the bet cities will be distributed—the higher the ranking, the more cities one can receive."

Speaking of this, a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, like sparks appearing in the darkness—

"What is even more tempting is that the top three can also obtain rare Magic Treasures from the Great Wu Imperial Dynasty's treasury, as well as an Opportunity to enter the Dragon Pulse Secret Realm to Cultivate! I have heard that in that Dragon Pulse Secret Realm, the Spiritual Qi is so dense it almost condenses into substance; taking a single breath can advance one's cultivation, providing unimaginable help for Cultivators to achieve a Breakthrough in their Realm, an Opportunity that countless people seek but cannot obtain!"

Jian Tanghuang, however, frowned.

She keenly captured something and asked in a deep voice, vaguely sensing that something was wrong, a sense of unease quietly spreading—

"Then what if one is always ranked at the bottom?"

Hearing this, the color drained from Princess Xia Zhiqing's face.

This paleness came too quickly, as if all vitality had been drained away.

She let out a long sigh; that sigh seemed to have been forcibly dug out from the depths of her heart, carrying a trace of trembling, like a candle flame swaying in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment—

"If a Dynasty is consistently ranked at the bottom, and in the end, cannot even produce the fifty-city bet... that Dynasty will be removed from the protection list by the Great Wu Imperial Dynasty."

She paused, her voice becoming even deeper—

"A Dynasty that loses protection is like a lamb without a barrier, exposed to a pack of wolves. In the end, it can only become a vassal to other powerful dynasties, trampled and plundered by others. Cities are occupied, the people suffer, ancestral temples are destroyed, and the nation collapses... The outcome is tragic to the extreme, without even a chance to struggle."

Speaking of this, she hesitated for a moment.

This hesitation was short, yet it felt very long.

She was as if she had made a huge determination before she could speak with difficulty, every word heavy as a thousand catties, capable of smashing a hole in the ground when they hit—

"Nowadays, my Great Xia Dynasty has experienced several defeats and has... less than a hundred cities left."

She raised her head, looking directly at the three, her eyes filled with a complex mix of despair and hope—

"In this Hundred Dynasties War, if we cannot achieve a decent ranking again, and our cities are further reduced, we won't even be able to scrape together the bet for the next competition..."

Her voice choked, but she still said it—

"My Great Xia, I fear, is truly going to perish."

Before the words fell, she bowed deeply to Xuanyuan Zhanxian and the others.

This bow bent her waist and lowered her head, her forehead almost touching the ground.

This posture was humble to the dust, yet solemn to the extreme.

Her tone was so earnest it was almost choking, every word seeming to be pulled from her broken heart—

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, I beg you to please lend a helping hand to my Great Xia! Zhiqing... Zhiqing will never forget this great kindness in this life!"

"Junior Sister Xia, what are you doing!"

As soon as Princess Xia Zhiqing finished speaking, Jian Tanghuang immediately stepped forward.

She reached out to support Princess Xia Zhiqing's arm and lifted her up firmly.

Those eyes were astonishingly bright at this moment, her gaze incomparably firm, unshakeable like a rock, immovable like a mountain—

"We come from the same lineage, sharing weal and woe! The survival of Great Xia is our honor and disgrace! Even if you didn't say it, we would never sit idly by; we will definitely do our utmost, fighting to the death!"

Xuanyuan Zhanxian also nodded solemnly.

He said in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable power, a power that was like a needle to calm the sea, capable of stabilizing all storms—

"Junior Sister Xia, rest assured, there is no need for you to say more; I have my own judgment. I will definitely not let Great Xia fall into a desperate situation."

Chu Zhanxiao, who was always taciturn and kept his emotions hidden, nodded heavily as well.

The arc of this nod was small, but it weighed more than a thousand catties. His eyes were filled with determination, like a drawn sword, cold and sharp—clearly, he had prepared himself to go all out, to succeed or die trying.

"Thank you, Senior Sister, thank you, Senior Brother!"

Hope ignited once again in Princess Xia Zhiqing's eyes.

That light was like sparks lit in the darkness, weak, yet burning stubbornly, refusing to be extinguished.

But this light was instantly covered by a layer of haze, like sparks obscured by dark clouds.

She bit her lip and said with difficulty, her tone carrying thick bitterness, the bitterness almost overflowing from her lips—

"It's just..."

She paused, as if it took immense courage just to speak—

"My Great Xia has ranked last for four consecutive times in the Hundred Dynasties War. According to the rules of the Great Wu Imperial Dynasty..."

She raised her head, looking at the three, saying word by word—

"Now, there is only one entry slot left."

As soon as the words fell.

Xuanyuan Zhanxian's gaze was like a torch, as if it could pierce through all the fog and see the most essential truth of things.

He spoke immediately without the slightest hesitation, his tone decisive and unquestionable—

"This slot will go to Junior Brother Zhanxiao!"

Chu Zhanxiao looked up abruptly.

A trace of disbelief flashed across his usually icy face. That expression was too rare, like a thousand-year glacier suddenly cracking open, revealing the warmth hidden underneath.

Immediately, a wave of warmth surged into his heart, like ice and snow melting, spring returning to the earth. His voice was even a bit hoarse—

"Senior Brother..."

"You need this Opportunity more than I do, don't you?"

Xuanyuan Zhanxian looked at him, his eyes carrying the gentleness and understanding of an elder brother.

This gaze seemed to see through the deepest desires in his heart and understand all the obsessions he had never spoken of. There was no jealousy, no unwillingness, only understanding and fulfillment.

Chu Zhanxiao looked at Xuanyuan Zhanxian, then at Jian Tanghuang beside him, who was full of approval.

His eyes grew slightly hot.

A warm current surged in his heart, like a frozen river suddenly thawing and rushing out.

In this warm current, there was gratitude, there was being moved, there was the comfort of being understood, and the warmth of being fulfilled.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, his tone full of heartfelt gratitude—

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"We are fellow disciples; there is no need for thanks."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian patted his sturdy shoulder. The force was neither light nor heavy, just right, carrying a reassuring power, like a needle to calm the sea, capable of stabilizing all storms, allowing drifting ships to find their home port.

Jian Tanghuang also nodded with a smile, her eyes full of encouragement, an encouragement that felt like a spring breeze—

"Senior Brother is right! Junior Brother Zhanxiao, this slot should have been yours. You must seize the Opportunity, not only for Great Xia but also for yourself. Do not let our expectations go to waste!"

Princess Xia Zhiqing watched this scene before her.

Watching the three of them without selfishness, supporting each other, watching them unhesitatingly give the only hope to the one who needed it most.

A warm current instantly surged through her whole body, like warm sunlight shining into her heart in the middle of winter, dispelling all the haze and chill.

Her originally heavy mood also became much lighter.

She steadied herself and bowed deeply to Chu Zhanxiao.

That bow, although not as humble as before, was equally solemn. Her tone was full of trust, a trust that weighed a thousand catties—

"Senior Brother Chu, since Senior Brother Xuanyuan and Senior Sister Jian have both decided so, the heavy burden of protecting Great Xia is entrusted to you!"

Chu Zhanxiao took a deep breath.

He pressed down all the gratitude and determination surging in his heart, as if pushing boiling magma back into the earth.

He looked at the three with burning eyes, that gaze like a burning flame, intense and firm, as if it could burn away all obstacles.

He spat out one word, resounding and forceful—

"Good!"

That word, though short, carried a promise that could not be fully expressed in a thousand words.

That word, though ordinary, hid the courage to break the cauldrons and sink the boats, to succeed or die trying.

That word echoed in the quiet palace, resounding and shocking the heart.

Lingering for a long time.

Princess Xia Zhiqing looked at him, and finally, there was a glimmer of true light in her eyes.

She took a deep breath, organized her thoughts, and spoke slowly—

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, there is still one month until the Hundred Dynasties War."

She paused, her tone carrying a trace of hope, a hope like the dawn appearing in the darkness—

"Within the territory of my Great Xia Dynasty, there is a Yanyang Secret Realm. In that Secret Realm, the spiritual power is so abundant it is almost condensed into liquid; taking a single breath is worth three days of Cultivation in the outside world. Moreover, there are countless Heaven And Earth Treasures hidden between the lava and rock crevices, waiting for those with an Opportunity to pick them."

She looked at the three, her eyes filled with anticipation—

"Perhaps, it can help Senior Brother and Senior Sister raise their strength by another level in this short month!"

But her words stopped abruptly.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and a layer of inescapable worry rose in her eyes, that worry like dark clouds pressing down, obscuring the glimmer of dawn just now.

Her tone hid unspeakable concerns, hesitant to speak.

"But what?"

Xuanyuan Zhanxian keenly captured the hesitation in her tone and immediately asked.

His gaze was as steady as an abyss, bottomless, yet carrying a reassuring power, as if any problem became no problem once it reached him.

"Junior Sister Xia, just speak your mind; there is no need to hide anything."

Princess Xia Zhiqing sighed softly.

That sigh was heavier and deeper than before.

She said slowly, her tone so solemn it felt like lead, every word falling heavily—

"The Yanyang Secret Realm... is extremely dangerous, a place where one might die nine times out of ten."

She raised her head, looking at the three, her eyes filled with reluctance, but she still said it—

"Even if a Golden Core Cultivator steps into it, they must proceed with caution, treading on thin ice. A slight carelessness, and they will turn into fly ash, leaving no bones behind. In the past, the Cultivators sent there to train, those who could come out alive..."

She paused, her voice lowering—

"Less than five out of ten."

"But right now..." She raised her head, her eyes filled with a complex mix of helplessness and determination, "This is the best way we can think of to improve strength quickly. There are no other shortcuts."

"Oh?"

Jian Tanghuang raised her eyebrows.

A fiery light instantly ignited in her eyes, a light like fire, like the morning sun, like everything intense and bright.

Her tone was full of eagerness, completely devoid of fear for the danger, instead revealing a bit of anticipation and excitement—

"Secret Realm? Can improve cultivation, and also has rare treasures?"

A smile curled up at the corner of her mouth, that smile carrying the sharpness and pride unique to a Sword Cultivator—

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's set off now!"