Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
A greenish-blue light shone from Qing Lian’s sword as an electric arc seemed to form around it.
“Move!” Qing Lian simply ignored the nonsense spouted by Tong Lan and thrust the sword at her.
Before the sword descended, the surrounding people felt a wild wind blowing. What they saw in her hand wasn’t a sword, but something like a luminescent dragon with teeth and claws.
Tong Lan gritted her teeth and pulled out a dagger from her waist. The blade was as wide as her palm and engraved with lines that looked like blood vessels.
With one hand, she used the dagger to protect her body.
This strike from Qing Lian caused an explosion as all the tiles in the vicinity blew up. Tong Lan was blown away by the explosion and thrown 70 or 80 meters away before landing heavily on the ground.
“Tong Lan?”
A few students immediately ran as fast as they could toward Tong Lan.
A few figures surrounded Qing Lian.
Four teenagers were facing her from four directions.
“You come to Lan City to flaunt your power—do you think Dayao has nobody that can handle you? Sixth Uncle, bring me my baton!” Shi Gang sneered and then shouted from outside the courtyard.
Next, he said to the other three, “Are you new students who enrolled this year? I can handle this on my own.”
“Very impressive, but I want to experience a fight with a master from Great Xia!” A girl smiled as she brought out a dagger.
“Four against one is shameful. You guys fight. I will go off.” The other two looked at each other, took the initiative to retreat, and went to where Tong Lan was.
From a nearby courtyard, an iron baton that was as thick as a wrist came flying in with a roar and landed at an angle on the ground.
“Thank you, Sixth Uncle!” Shi Gang went forward to pull up the baton.
“If you lose, don’t address me as your uncle.” A row of heads that was looking at them was suddenly seen poking up from the top of the courtyard wall.
“Come on! You are the worst in the Shi family!” One of the guys laughed heartily and then the rest followed.
Shi Gang’s face immediately turned black with fury.
Following that strike from the sword, the street began to fill up with more people. 40 or 50 people jumped out from their courtyards and headed toward the scene.
From their breathing, Qing Lian was alarmed as she could sense that they were at least Earth Wheel level and that there were three Spirit Wheel experts among them.
“Who caused that resounding explosion? It’s interesting!” A resonant voice came from far away, and by the time the last word was spoken, he was already right at the front.
When the crowd turned to look, there was Tong Zhenye!
“Hey, this is rather interesting! Is this the sword?” Tong Zhenye stroked his chin and looked firmly at the sword Qing Lian was holding. The power of that sword strike was normally not enough to entice him to take a look, but his interest was aroused because it sounded like thunder.
“Are you the one from Great Xia who’s staying at lady boss’s house?” Tong Zhenye was only able to identify Qing Lian upon arrival, and the lady boss he referred to was obviously Ning Caichen.
His activities had recently shifted from the brothel to the homely wine shop.
“You are indeed courageous to fight in front of the palace.” Tong Zhenye looked at Qing Lian, then looked at Shi Gang who was armed with a baton and the girl who was wielding a dagger.
“You two aren’t the ones that were fighting. Who are the people that were fighting?” Tong Zhenye discovered that these two didn’t show any signs of having fought. He looked at the people around and immediately sensed that something was wrong.
“Grandpa!” Tong Lan, who was being supported by some people in the distance, looked gloomy. She had never expected this person to be so powerful and had totally not sensed Qing Lian’s power earlier.
Qing Lian was startled when she realized that the old man would come after her for beating his little granddaughter. The situation was getting complicated.
“My little Lan Lan” Tong Zhenye looked at the bloodstains on Tong Lan’s mouth and lapel and at the numerous scratches on her body. The blood rushed to his brain… He was bald, so the hairs of his beard stood up.
When he stared with dagger-like ferocity at Qing Lian, she subconsciously held her sword in front of her chest.
The students around him were forced back by his powerful aura—even Shi Gang and that girl were unable to stand their ground. They ended up being forced into a corner against the wall.
However, Shi Gang’s view was suddenly cut off as if a wall had been put up in front of him. Six big hunks with their arms akimbo stood in front of him to see the action.
“You come to Lan City and beat up my granddaughter?! Hehe!” Tong Zhenye sneered. “Do you prefer to be hung from the wall to dry in the wind or to be dried before being hung up?”
Qing Lian frowned, looked at the surroundings from the corner of her eye, and fretted to herself, Ren Baqian, why are you still not here yet?
She could only explain herself if Ren Baqian was around.
“Sir Tong, Her Majesty wants to seek an audience with you!” At that moment, a lady clad in iron armor came and made this announcement.
“Xin Zhe, let me hang up this woman on the wall first before I see Her Majesty,” Tong Zhenye said.
“Her Majesty wants all of you to present yourselves in court!” Xin Zhe emphasized again.
“Grandpa, it was me who challenged her. This is none of your business!” Tong Lan was physically supported as she came over to explain.
“You are my granddaughter!” Tong Zhenye glared at her.
“Why should you be involved in women’s affairs?” Tong Lan retorted.
Tong Zhenye was speechless.
“Forget it! Let’s go to see Her Majesty!” Tong Zhenye calmed down and relented.
Qing Lian was relieved to see this, but she became anxious again since she hadn’t expected to get to see Qi Zixiao under such circumstances.
She had heard that the empress was another unreasonable person and wondered how she would be treated.
Running away was considered the best option. Although there were many top-notch experts around, she could still escape if she wanted to.
Xin Zhe walked in front of Qing Lian and ordered, “Sheathe your sword and follow me to the palace to meet Her Majesty!”
“Okay!” Qing Lian gritted her teeth as she sheathed her sword.
After contemplating for a long time, she still regarded the things taught by Ren Baqian to be hard to come by. Therefore, she shouldn’t leave yet.
Once Ren Baqian made an appearance, nothing should happen to her.
After all, Ren Baqian and Su Qing were still cooperating with each other.
She felt that the cooperation between Ren Baqian and Su Qing was the correct choice and had almost forgotten that she wouldn’t be here if not for Su Qing.
A moment later, she, Tong Lan, Tong Zhenye, and the others were brought to a big hall.
“Wait here. Her Majesty will grant you an audience soon.” Xin Zhe left promptly after saying this.
Tong Zhenye stroked his chin and said, “It seems that today’s incident has nothing to do with me. What am I doing here?”
“Getting involved in women’s affairs that don’t concern you—even Her Majesty can’t take it!” Tong Lan commented.
Shi Gang and the others grinned as they tried to prevent themselves from laughing out loud.
Tong Zhenye furiously glared at Tong Lan.
…
“Your Majesty, they are waiting in Hanyuan Palace Hall for you.” Xin Zhe cupped her hands as she reported to the empress in her bedroom.
“Well, let them wait a bit longer.” She was absorbed in playing her computer game as she continued, “Wait for Ren Baqian to come back first.”
“Your Majesty, move this across!” Hong Luan whispered to the empress from behind.
“I know!” The empress quickly made a move with her mouse.
After some time, Ren Baqian returned to the palace bedroom.
Hong Luan and Qing Yuan made way for Ren Baqian when they saw him coming in.
Ren Baqian sniffed the empress’s hair before saying, “Your Majesty bathed with purple orchid essence today.”
The empress corrected him and said, “It was yesterday!”
“For me, Your Majesty will always stay in the present!” Ren Baqian whispered into her ears.
“Get away! It tickles!” The empress shrank away and struck out with her hand, leaving Ren Baqian with a bump on his head.
“However, what you said just now is quite meaningful.” The empress put the mouse down and murmured, “Everyone will always stay in the present.”
Then, the empress recalled something and was soon lost in her thoughts!
“Your Majesty?” Ren Baqian whispered.
“Sir Ren, do not disturb Her Majesty. She may have had a sudden insight!” Hong Luan patted him lightly.
“What insight?” Ren Baqian asked doubtfully.
“Look at her fingers and eyes! She often displays this type of behavior and suddenly goes into a transcendental state. If successful, her power will advance a level. Therefore, do not disturb her,” Hong Luan explained.
Ren Baqian moved to face the empress and saw that her fingers were curled strangely. Her eyes were narrowed, and a red light seemed to be moving inside.
Ren Baqian’s jaw dropped in wonder. Was this the enlightenment that was mentioned in legends? Was the empress often in this state?
If the aboriginals were an incredible race, then the empress was the VIP of this incredible race!
