560: Chapter 560 The Imperial Observatory Discusses

"Go and fetch my box of rouge," she commanded softly.

The maidservant immediately brought a carved wooden chest containing several containers of specially made rouge and lip balm. All were crafted by skilled palace artisans using the nectar of spiritual flowers, moisturizing the skin with soft, gorgeous colors.

Zhou Mei faced a portable rhomboid mirror inlaid with pearls, dipped a fingertip into a bit of pale peach lip rouge, and carefully applied it to her lips.

Her naturally rosy lips were instantly coated in a layer of supple radiance, appearing lush and moist. In the moment she lightly pursed them, her charm flowed forth, enough to steal one's soul.

She then picked up a delicate floral ornament and placed it below the corner of her eye. That single dot of crimson made the ripples in her eyes seem even more flirtatious.

There was no need for heavy makeup; a light touch was enough to outshine the entire Tianqi Imperial Palace.

After dinner, night had fully spread its veil. A bright moon hung in the night sky, casting its clear radiance over the courtyard.

Zhou Mei did not like being cooped up in the hall, so she put on her soft-soled embroidered shoes and went for a stroll alone along the moonlit corridor outside the palace. She only allowed one personal maidservant to follow from a distance, not daring to disturb her.

The night breeze was slightly cool, blowing through her loose long hair and thin sleeping robes. With her sleeves fluttering and her figure slender and graceful, she looked like a moon enchantress under the moonlight, possessing peerless elegance.

She walked very slowly with light, graceful steps. Her waist swayed slightly with each stride, every step carrying its own inherent charm—a gentle and seductive poise nurtured by years of living in the deep palace, immersed in romance and tranquility.

Walking to the carved railings beneath the corridor, she leaned against them and raised a hand to lightly brush the evening breeze. Her fingertips were slender and snowy white, and her nails were trimmed round, showing a faint pink hue.

Looking up at the bright moon, the night was reflected in her eyes. Her originally gorgeous features softened, gaining a touch of coldness and loneliness, yet that marrow-deep charm remained impossible to shake off.

Occasionally, the night wind blew strands of hair to wrap around her snowy neck. She would tilt her head slightly and gently gather them with her jade-like hand. Her movements were lazy and tender, her profile exquisite and soft. The moonlight spread over her skin, making it appear so white it almost glowed, without a single blemish.

"Xuan'er's temperament is stubborn and narrow-minded..."

She gazed at the moonlight and murmured softly, her tone slow, sounding like both a monologue and a light sigh.

Her soft, gentle voice dispersed in the night wind, tender and moving.

How could she not know her son's ambitions? How could she not understand his hatred for Situ Jun, his resentment toward the Northern Frontier's growing power, and his even greater hatred for Mysterious Clarity Master, who constrained him at every turn?

But the Foundation of Tianqi was not yet stable, and the Imperial Dynasty's pressure loomed above. One wrong step would mean eternal damnation.

At this thought, she frowned slightly.

Her furrowed brows added a touch of frailty. With the corners of her eyes turning red, her charm was tinged with worry, a beauty that made one's heart soften.

After a long time, she slowly smoothed her brow. Her fingertips lightly brushed the cool carvings on the railing, and the depths of her eyes returned to calm.

She had spent half her life in stability, secluded in the inner palace, not vying for power or involving herself in politics. She only sought to live her days in peace and protect the Li family's territory from falling apart.

If Li Xuan did not listen to her advice and her days were no longer leisurely, she would have to interfere in the affairs of the court.

The night grew deeper, and the dew became slightly cold.

The maidservant stepped forward and whispered a reminder:

"Empress Dowager, the night dew is cold. You should return to the hall to rest, lest it harm your health."

Zhou Mei nodded slightly and slowly turned around.

The moonlight outlined her full and graceful silhouette. With her hair reaching her waist and her sleeves fluttering lightly, she walked with a leisurely pace.

Returning to the warm hall, the heaters had already been lit, dispelling the night's chill.

The maidservant removed her floral ornament, loosened her robes, and prepared the soft cloud-silk couch.

She lay on her side upon the soft couch, her jade-like arm slightly bent as she rested on a flowing-cloud pillow. Her ink-black hair spread across the brocade bedding, half-covering her lovely body as her eyes lightly closed.

The candlelight flickered, reflecting her serene and exquisite sleeping face. With long lashes covering her eyes and her complexion lustrous, even with her eyes closed, that natural charm and beauty still seeped through.

...

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Heavenly Dragon Imperial Capital, Qintian Division.

The discussion hall was situated on the eighth floor of the division's Great Tower. It was the core of power for the entire Qintian Division and a place of vital importance.

The dome of the hall was vast and boundless, with thousands of stars suspended above, slowly rotating along ancient, unchanging trajectories. The fine, cold starlight fell across the sky, making the entire hall appear solemn and stern, yet imbued with a sense of unfathomable mystery.

In the center of the hall stood a giant circular stone table. The tabletop was forged from extraterrestrial meteoric iron and polished to a smooth, mirror-like finish. Wisps of faint spiritual light swirled around it, never dissipating, revealing an otherworldly Spiritual Qi.

In the very center of the stone table stood a bronze ancient mirror about ten feet tall. The body of the mirror was engraved with complex and obscure ancient star patterns, the lines winding and interlacing, concealing the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao.

The mirror's surface was deep and unpredictable, much like a ten-thousand-fathom abyss. Within it, a galaxy surged with brilliant colors, and various stellar phenomena appeared and disappeared. This was the Qintian Division's guardian treasure—the qin tian mirror.

This precious mirror was protected by the Luck of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty and was constantly nurtured by the immortal spirit energy leaking from the Ascension Realm passage. It possessed vast Divine Abilities and extraordinary mysteries.

Within the Dynasty's territory, any Cultivator above the Golden Core Realm who showed even a hint of Cultivation fluctuation could not escape its monitoring. For a thousand years, there had never been a single oversight. It was a supreme weapon used by the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty to overawe the world's Cultivators.

But at this moment, the atmosphere inside the vast discussion hall was as heavy as solid iron, weighing down on everyone's hearts and making it almost impossible to breathe.

Qintian Division Master Lu Wanxian sat in the primary seat, wearing a neat black official robe with gold trim. The corners of the robe were embroidered with fine, dark star patterns. Every gesture he made exuded the authority and majesty of one who controlled the secrets of heaven.

His face was lean and his hair and beard were entirely white, with frost coloring his temples. However, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, their cold light restrained and deep, showing not a hint of elderly frailty.

Lu Wanxian was a powerhouse at the Late Soul Transformation stage. Having led the Qintian Division for over five hundred years, he was one of the oldest and most powerful Elder statesmen of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty. He usually lived in seclusion and rarely bothered with the daily trifles of the division; all matters were typically handled by Vice Division Master Yang Ye.

But today's matter was of such great importance that Yang Ye had specifically invited this reclusive Division Master to appear in person.

Yang Ye sat quietly in the seat to the right of the Division Master. Before him lay a thick stack of dossiers. On the cover of the topmost dossier, the words "Tianqi Dynasty Northern Frontier City Lord Situ Jun" were strikingly visible, the brushwork sharp and vigorous, with a lingering gravity between the lines.

On both sides of the circular stone table, more than a dozen Elders of the Qintian Division were seated in order. All of them possessed a Cultivation at the Late Nascent Soul Stage or higher. Their auras were heavy and profound, commanding respect without needing to show anger. Their faces were solemn, without a trace of negligence.

An identical dossier was placed before each of them. Some were looking down, carefully flipping through the pages with focused expressions; others had their eyes closed in deep thought, their brows slightly furrowed. The entire hall was deathly silent, save for the faint sound of the swirling starlight. The atmosphere was as heavy as lead, making it suffocating.

Lu Wanxian's gaze slowly swept across everyone present before finally settling on Yang Ye. His voice was calm and gentle, yet it carried an unquestionable authority that echoed through the hall:

"Since everyone has arrived, let the discussion begin."

As his voice fell, he raised his hand and gave a light wave. A strand of pure and powerful spiritual light gushed from his palm and sank directly into the bronze ancient mirror on the table.

In an instant, the qin tian mirror burst with light, and a brilliant radiance soared into the sky. A clear light screen was projected in front of the mirror, upon which all the biographical information of Situ Jun appeared—from his humble beginnings as a servant in the Northern Frontier City Lords Mansion to his rise in the Northern Frontier, his suppression of border rebellions, the expansion of city territories, and his interactions with various forces. Every single event was listed clearly and in great detail.

Only in the Cultivation column, the original entry of "Late Golden Core Stage (Suspected)" was heavily circled with a bright red mark, with a four-word annotation added to the side:

Mid-stage Soul Transformation.