In the residence of the Minister of Rites of the Zhou Kingdom.
Early morning, just as Yan Ruxue awoke and stepped out of her room, she saw the maid Xiao Chun walking toward her carrying a basin of water.
"Miss, you're awake! This servant was about to wake you for washing up," Xiao Chun placed the basin of warm water on the stone table in the courtyard.
"Is there something happening today?" Yan Ruxue smiled.
Normally, Xiao Chun wouldn't wake her up, let alone this early.
"Miss, have you forgotten? Yesterday Madam mentioned going with you to Hundred Lanterns Temple to pray for blessings."
"There was indeed such a matter. I had forgotten."
Yan Ruxue remembered that her mother was a devout Buddhist who often visited Hundred Lanterns Temple.
Especially since Mother had heard that the Buddhist maiden from Western Region's Leiyou Temple, who was traveling the world, had already arrived at Hundred Lanterns Temple.
This trip to Hundred Lanterns Temple wasn't just to pray for His Majesty's blessings, but also because Mother wanted to meet this Buddhist maiden who had profound attainments in Buddhist teachings.Since ancient times, throughout the entire Ten Thousand Laws Realm, only men practiced Buddhism, never women, but this Buddhist maiden was the sole exception.
Legend said she possessed a Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart that could perceive others' emotions and even read their thoughts.
Originally, this Buddhist maiden was praised as the person most likely to achieve the "Buddha Realm,” but a Buddhist-Daoist debate a thousand years ago shattered her Buddhist heart, causing her to grow countless black hairs.
In the thousand years since, this Buddhist maiden had been traveling the world, seeking to understand her true nature.
Legend said that the moment she truly understood would be the day she attained the Buddha Realm.
After washing up, Yan Ruxue had breakfast and changed into an elegant plain dress before leaving the residence.
At this time, Madam Yan was already waiting at the courtyard gate.
"I've kept Mother waiting."
Looking at the still-charming beautiful woman before her, Yan Ruxue curtsied respectfully.
"Why are you being so formal with Mother, Ruxue?" Yan Ya took her daughter's hand. "Come, let's set off."
"Yes, Mother."
Yan Ruxue and her mother boarded the carriage, heading toward Hundred Lanterns Temple.
Hundred Lanterns Temple was located on Illustrious Sky Mountain west of the Qi Kingdom's imperial capital. The entire temple was built against the mountain.
Illustrious Sky Mountain was quite a distance from the imperial capital, so many guards accompanied them but when Yan Ruxue and her mother had traveled halfway, a strange glint flashed in Yan Ruxue's eyes.
The next moment, sounds of people and horses tumbling rang out from outside the carriage.
All the guards and horses collapsed unconscious.
At the same time, Yan Ya and the maid inside the carriage lowered their heads and fell asleep.
The coachman outside was kicked off the carriage and replaced by someone else.
Judging from the spiritual energy emanating from outside the carriage, it was a Nascent Soul realm cultivator with sharp spiritual energy, likely a sword cultivator but this wasn't particularly concerning.
What intrigued Yan Ruxue was the woman who had appeared out of nowhere inside the carriage.
The woman wore a face veil and held an ordinary sword in her embrace. Her long legs were crossed together, and even through her skirt, Yan Ruxue could sense their length, straightness, and strength.
This was the result of the woman's long-term cultivation.
Sword cultivators didn't just need to comprehend the sword dao, but also train their physiques. Their physical strength fell between ordinary cultivators and martial cultivators.
"I wonder what business the people of Ten Thousand Swords Sect have with me?" Yan Ruxue looked calmly at this woman wearing Ten Thousand Swords Sect robes.
"Nothing much. I just wanted to see what kind of person the future Empress of Zhou Kingdom is like," Jiang Qingyi spoke slowly.
"Now that you've seen, shouldn't you leave?" Yan Ruxue asked.
Jiang Qingyi raised her head.
In that instant, sword energy slashed toward Yan Ruxue's body but before the sword energy could touch Yan Ruxue's dress hem, it instantly dissipated.
In Jiang Qingyi's eyes reflected a pair of golden vertical pupils.
Jiang Qingyi tilted her head, looking coldly at Yan Ruxue, “The legendary Sovereign of the Four Seas, the world's only true dragon, is actually willing to marry the ruler of a small dynasty?"
Yan Ruxue's eyes curved with smile, “This matter has nothing to do with you, does it? And for the Ten Thousand Swords Sect Master to suddenly trouble a small commoner like me is rather unreasonable."
Having understood each other's identities, Jiang Qingyi and Yan Ruxue stared at each other.
"Whatever your purpose, leave Zhou Kingdom, and Ten Thousand Swords Sect will let bygones be bygones," Jiang Qingyi said lightly.
"Sect Master Jiang has quite the arrogant tone," Yan Ruxue's eyes were gentle, but her words were not. "Does Ten Thousand Swords Sect wish to be annihilated by my Four Seas?"
As soon as Yan Ruxue finished speaking, the sword in Jiang Qingyi's hand was already one-third unsheathed.
Though there was clearly no wind inside the carriage, both women's skirts were slightly lifted and slowly fell back down.
Outside the carriage, Qiu Ye, who was driving, tensed up, her small hands gripping the reins so tightly that sweat seeped through.
"Qiu Ye, we're leaving."
After half a cup of tea's time, Jiang Qingyi spoke.
"Take care, I won't see you off," Yan Ruxue nodded respectfully.
"We'll meet again."
"I suppose we will."
With those words, Jiang Qingyi and Qiu Ye outside the carriage vanished.
In their place, Little Green sat outside the carriage, holding the reins.
"Sister, why did the Ten Thousand Swords Sect Master seek you out? And why did she disguise herself as an ordinary disciple?" Little Green asked.
"Who knows?" Yan Ruxue smiled and shook her head. "Little Green, I heard this Ten Thousand Swords Sect Master once went to Tianji City and had the City Lord divine something. Is that right?"
"It seems so," Little Green nodded.
Yan Ruxue lifted the carriage curtain, looking in the direction she had left, “Have the Listening to Sea Pavilion investigate. I want to know every experience of her life!"
"Yes, Sister."
At the Honglu Temple's subordinate guest house.
Jiang Qingyi sat in the pavilion in the outer courtyard. The fish pond before the woman had been completely rebuilt, both the water and fish had been entirely replaced.
"This subordinate pays respects to the Sect Master!"
Huang Wei, who had been called back from the brothel by Qiu Ye, quickly knelt before Jiang Qingyi.
"Today, this seat met that Yan Ruxue," Jiang Qingyi's eyes were sharp as swords.
Huang Wei's eyes darted about as he read her expression, “If Sect Master feels this Yan Ruxue is unsuitable to be Zhou Kingdom's Empress, this subordinate will immediately go tell Yan Shan'ao."
"Useless," Jiang Qingyi said lightly. "The entire Yan clan doesn't know what kind of person this talented woman of their family truly is."
"???" Huang Wei was completely confused.
"Go do something for this seat," Jiang Qingyi didn't want to explain further.
"Don't mention one thing, even a hundred, a thousand things! This subordinate would die ten thousand deaths without complaint!" Huang Wei quickly responded.
"Normally, when a dynasty becomes a sect's vassal, the dynasty would reserve the position of National Preceptor for that sect, correct?"
"Yes, Sect Master!"
"This seat will take that National Preceptor position."
"Eh?"
"Furthermore."
Jiang Qingyi gazed ahead, her eyes narrowing.
"The National Preceptor's residence will be established in Zhou Kingdom's imperial harem!"