572: Chapter 572 Unexpected Changes

In the main hall of the manor, nine women had already gathered.

They were of varying ages; the oldest was no more than thirty, while the youngest was only eighteen or nineteen. Each was as beautiful as a flower, yet they all bore different expressions.

There were daughters of officials dressed in silks and satins, their eyes filled with terror; there were commoner girls in plain clothes and wooden hairpins, sobbing softly with trembling shoulders; and there were one or two richly dressed women who hid a glimmer of hope for prosperity in their eyes as they stealthily surveyed their surroundings.

Jiang Wanlian was led into a secluded wing by armored soldiers. As soon as she entered, she was shoved by a cold-faced, hard-hearted matron.

The matron wore a dress of green cloth, her face devoid of any expression, and her tone was as harsh as ice:

"Kneel."

Jiang Wanlian stumbled to her knees and looked up at the matron.

"From this day forward, you and these nine others are the handmaidens chosen by the Imperial Dynasty. In a few days, you will be sent to the Ascension Realm to serve the Upper Immortals."

The matron's voice continued with an unquestionable pressure:

"Though you are no longer pure, you are sufficiently curvaceous and beautiful; you will surely catch the eye of a powerful Upper Immortal. This is a blessing from the heavens that many women could only dream of! You need only remember that once you reach the Ascension Realm, if you serve the Upper Immortals well, you will naturally gain wealth and glory, and protect your kin. If you dare to weep and wail, provoking the wrath of Your Majesty, no one will survive!"

"The Ascension Realm?"

Jiang Wanlian felt as if struck by lightning. Her whole body went cold, as if she had fallen into a ten-thousand-fathom ice abyss.

She had recently heard people mention that the Ascension Realm was a small world leading to the Immortal Realm, a place for Cultivators. What did it have to do with her, a Mortal?

Could she be sent there to be a plaything? A Cauldron?

Just as she was about to ask, the matron waved her hand impatiently:

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't think what you shouldn't think! You only need to remember that once you're there, watch your words and actions, and serve the Upper Immortals well. You will naturally receive your benefits. If you dare to resist, you will face the consequences!"

Afterward, the matron gave a few more instructions on how to serve others, then stopped talking and ordered Jiang Wanlian to be taken back to join the other nine.

Not long after, Li Xuan arrived at this secret manor, walking slowly with Li Fu following behind.

The ten women were all summoned to the manor's main hall. Li Fu stepped forward and first issued a harsh threat in a cold voice, clearly stating the consequences of defying the imperial decree to intimidate everyone and ensure they dared not resist.

Then, Li Xuan stepped forward slowly, adopting a gentle posture to softly comfort the group. He even publicly promised that as long as they obediently followed orders to go to the Ascension Realm, he would bestow generous rewards upon their families, ensuring their kin a lifetime of peace and stability.

This combination of the carrot and the stick caused these already terrified and helpless women to gradually settle down. Even if they were unwilling in their hearts, they could only resign themselves to their fate.

As for Jiang Wanlian, at the thought that her kin would face total annihilation if she did not comply, she could only bow her head in silence, despite her heart being filled with despair and humiliation. She suppressed her tears and accepted this cruel fate—she knew deep down that as a weak woman, resistance would ultimately be futile and would only implicate more innocent people.

Li Xuan stood at the front of the hall, looking down at Jiang Wanlian in the crowd. His gaze lingered on her exquisite face and gentle figure for a long time, a flash of undisguised greed crossing his eyes, which then turned into a deep sense of regret.

Such a peerless beauty with a naturally noble destiny should have been his concubine, staying in the inner palace to bear him Dragon offspring and stabilize the empire.

But Mysterious Clarity Master had said she was "destined for Situ Jun," making her someone he could not touch.

Now, this peerless pearl was ultimately going to fall into the hands of others.

Only, she wouldn't fall into Situ Jun's hands, but would be sent to the Ascension Realm, into the hands of those great Cultivation masters, having nothing more to do with Situ Jun from then on!

At this thought, the regret in Li Xuan's heart instantly vanished, replaced by a surge of malice and satisfaction.

...

Three days later, an unremarkable escort team in plain attire quietly set out from the north gate of the Tianqi Royal Capital. The team was extremely low-profile, without any ceremonial guards. They traveled at top speed, escorting ten carefully prepared women northward, heading straight for the Tianlong Imperial Capital.

Li Xuan, dressed in common clothes, stood alone atop the high city walls. He faced the cool wind and watched the direction the team had gone until they completely disappeared over the horizon.

A sinister and cruel smile slowly curled at the corners of his mouth, his eyes swirling with the pleasure of revenge and cold shadows.

"Situ Jun, oh Situ Jun, you would never imagine that the Jiang Wanlian you long for has already been sent by me to the Tianlong Imperial Capital, and will soon step into the Ascension Realm."

He muttered to himself, his voice scattered by the wind and carrying a bone-chilling coldness. In the shadows of the city tower, his face appeared exceptionally hideous:

"Even if you have thunderous wrath and heaven-defying Cultivation, would you dare to snatch someone from the Ascension Realm? In the end, you still cannot defeat me! Haha..."

...

Three days later, at the City Lord's Manor in Northern Border City.

Situ Jun was sitting at his desk, perusing secret reports sent from various regions.

With the passage to the Ascension Realm about to open, he had to arrange everything before he left.

The defenses of the Northern Border, the Cultivation of the women, the growth of the children, and the relationship with the Tianqi Dynasty—every matter required his personal attention.

Suddenly, a sound transmission talisman lit up beside the desk, emitting a faint red glow. Situ Jun frowned slightly, reached out to take it, and probed it with his Divine Sense. The next moment, Nightingale's urgent and guilt-ridden voice entered his mind:

"Master, I have something to report! About three days ago, Li Xuan responded to the Imperial Dynasty's decree for selecting attendants and personally chose ten women from the common folk to be sent immediately to the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty as accompanying handmaidens for the Ascension Realm. These ten women have already been on their way for three days and have long since left the borders of Tianqi. Among these ten... one of them is named Jiang Wanlian!"

"A Mortal without Cultivation can actually set foot on the path to the Ascension Realm?"

Situ Jun's heart jolted. His fingertips tightened unconsciously on the sound transmission talisman. The images of Su Yunniang and his other wives, as well as his young children, flashed through his mind. An uncontrollable wild joy surged in his eyes.

If Mortals truly could accompany someone to the Ascension Realm, then he would have the chance to take his ten-plus wives and children with him. The whole family could stay together from then on, never having to endure the pain of separation again.

This sudden surprise caused his usually steady emotions to churn completely; he could no longer remain calm.

Forcing down the excitement bubbling in his chest, his fingers quickly moved to form hand seals. He sent out messages to contact his confidants, Li Zhong and Mo Chenggui, ordering them to investigate the causes and consequences of this matter thoroughly.

Not long after, two replies came back. Mo Chenggui's voice was the first to sound, carrying a hint of gravity:

"Master, according to the Chamber of Commerce, the ability to bring a few Mortals without Cultivation to the Ascension Realm is a once-in-a-ten-thousand-year Opportunity. For this journey to the Ascension Realm, the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty has exhausted all the Top-Grade Spirit Stones it has accumulated over ten thousand years to forcefully replenish the energy consumption of the Heaven-Crossing Spirit Boat. Only then were about a hundred extra slots for companions cleared. However, the Imperial Dynasty has long issued a clear order that these slots are strictly for accompanying handmaidens and cannot be used for any other purpose."

Immediately following, Li Zhong's transmission arrived, revealing the inside story:

"Master, the women selected by the various Dynasties this time are not ordinary handmaidens at all. They are to be sent to the Ascension Realm specifically to serve the Soul Transformation realm experts who are traveling there, and even to be offered to high-level Cultivators within the Ascension Realm. To put it bluntly, they are gifts used by the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty to curry favor with the powerhouses of the Immortal Realm. The fate of these women... will likely be unimaginable!"

...