"Greetings, Empress!"
"May the Empress reign for ten thousand years and live as long as heaven!"
The ministers all knelt.
The Imperial Preceptor of Lin Kingdom raised an eyebrow. Behind him stood a large group of people, the very ones who had prevented Lin Yuran from ascending the throne for a hundred years.
Lin Yuran calmly swept her gaze across the crowd, finally settling on the Imperial Preceptor.
The Imperial Preceptor pondered for a moment, then finally lowered his head. He did not kneel but bowed slightly, speaking in a low voice, "Greetings, Empress!"
The Imperial Preceptor had received a decree from the previous Empress, exempting him from kneeling.
Even though the former Empress was dead, the decree remained.
The group led by the Imperial Preceptor knelt down!
The cultivators from the sects also offered their congratulations.
They were not people of Lin Kingdom and thus did not need to perform the ceremony, only to express their well wishes.
For a moment, the scene was grand, and Lin Yuran was the center of everyone's attention.
Her crimson lips curved upward wantonly, and her mood was excellent.
Everything she had dreamed of had finally arrived!
Lin Yuran turned her gaze to the dragon throne, her heart filled with mixed emotions, and she walked towards it step by step.
She shifted her body, intending to sit on the dragon throne.
Just as her posterior was about to land on the throne, a powerful surge of spiritual energy, from an unknown source, held her up.
She wanted to sit, but her backside simply wouldn't descend.
"Lin Yuran, you are not worthy to sit on this dragon throne."
A clear, icy female voice rang out from the crowd.
Feng Ninghe stood up.
Xiao Zhao, transformed into his spirit beast form, lounged lazily on her shoulder.
Lin Yuran's eyes instantly flared with anger, realizing that Feng Ninghe was the one using spiritual energy to prevent her from sitting.
Lin Yuran threw her head back, staring directly at the woman slowly approaching from the crowd, and reprimanded sternly, "Feng Ninghe, what do you mean by that?"
Feng Ninghe was clad in a white robe embroidered with patterns. As she walked, the hem of her robe refracted a faint shimmer. Her striking, yet serene face was imbued with an innate indifference.
"This..."
Lin Yuran's heart, however, was filled with unease. Her slender jade hands tightly gripped the dragon throne.
How could the spirit beast on this woman's shoulder resemble Lin Ninghe so closely?
The two faces before her were clearly different, yet their demeanor and actions involuntarily brought to mind the former Empress of Lin Kingdom.
They were so alike!
These two people looked so different, yet why were they so similar!
Lin Yuran's unease spread, engulfing her entirely.
"Feng Ninghe, today is a joyous occasion for Lin Kingdom. Are you trying to cause trouble?"
Ji Binyu stepped forward, his peach blossom eyes narrowed, flashing with a cold glint. "This is Lin Kingdom. Anyone can cause trouble in Lin Kingdom. Guards, throw her out and beat her to death with sticks!"
A large contingent of guards immediately appeared.
Feng Ninghe didn't even spare the guards a glance. She lightly raised a finger, and the guards all collapsed to the ground!
Ji Binyu's sword-like eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at her with a warning in his eyes. "If you dare to be unreasonable, do not blame Lin Kingdom for showing no mercy!"
Feng Ninghe's appearance also stunned everyone.
Bai Niannian's eyes widened, staring at the scene in disbelief. "Master, this is..."
Su Hongxiu's gaze was fixed on Feng Ninghe, his face, as pleasant as a spring breeze, filled with excitement. "I knew coming here was the right choice!"
He felt that all sorts of interesting things would happen around Feng Ninghe, and as long as he was by her side, he was sure to witness a spectacular drama.
This woman was by no means a reckless person; for her to step forward so actively meant something significant.
Si Jianye's expression remained unchanged. Beneath his golden mask, his eyes were deep and unfathomable, hiding his thoughts.
Would he finally learn the secrets hidden within Feng Ninghe?
When he discovered that Feng Ninghe possessed two different kinds of spiritual energy, he had become perplexed by this woman.
How could one person have two completely different spiritual energies?
Si Xinxin's bright eyes quietly observed everything unfolding before her, murmuring, "Mother is going to unleash her ultimate move!"
Feng Xing, who was closest to her, heard the murmur.
Feng Xing subconsciously looked at her. "Xin Xin, what ultimate move is Master going to unleash?"
Si Xinxin didn't hurry to respond, her young face filled with anticipation.
Yesterday, when Mother told stories, she had also shared a secret with her...
The Imperial Preceptor stared at Xiao Zhao for a long time, voicing his doubts. "Young lady, is the spirit beast on your shoulder perhaps... an ancient Qilin?"
Xiao Zhao lazily raised his eyes and glanced appreciatively at the Imperial Preceptor, as if commending his intelligence.
Those clear, sapphire-like eyes were unforgettable.
"This ancient Qilin is exactly like the spirit beast of the former Empress of Lin Kingdom!"
"Even its eyes are the same! I'm certain it's the spirit beast of the former Empress of Lin Kingdom!"
The Lin Kingdom officials clustered together, chattering amongst themselves. They pointed at Xiao Zhao.
Even the Imperial Preceptor's eyes were filled with doubt.
Sensing everyone's confusion, Feng Ninghe nodded generously, confirming their suspicions. "You are correct in your guess. This ancient Qilin is indeed the spirit beast of the former Empress of Lin Kingdom."
Lin Yuran's eyes suddenly narrowed, and countless dark lights flickered within them.
She hadn't expected that the ancient Qilin she had been searching for in secret was right before her.
If she could obtain this ancient Qilin, her power would undoubtedly increase greatly!
A hint of greed then appeared on her face. Lin Yuran said without hesitation, "This spirit beast belongs to the former Empress of Lin Kingdom. The Empress is dead, so the spirit beast should be inherited by Lin Kingdom. You must hand over this ancient Qilin in your possession to us."
"That's right, this Qilin must be handed over to us!"
Ji Binyu chimed in, a sinister smile on his face. "Ever since the former Empress of Lin Kingdom passed away, we have been searching everywhere for the ancient Qilin. I never expected that you would snatch it away. No wonder our search yielded no results."
Looking at the greedy faces before her, Feng Ninghe scoffed.
Even if someone in Jinling fancied Xiao Zhao, they wouldn't resort to such insidious means to snatch a spirit beast.
They thought they could take Xiao Zhao away with just a few words. It was pure fantasy.
Feng Ninghe slightly raised her eyes and spoke her mind. "I didn't expect the Princess of Lin Kingdom and the Protector General to have such thick skin. You are practically two bandits, trying to forcibly seize someone else's contracted spirit beast."
"Exactly!"
Bai Niannian stood up and quickly chimed in, "The spirit beast has already recognized its master. It is clearly someone's property, yet you want to steal it. How shameless!"
Lin Yuran's expression instantly darkened, her exquisitely made-up face contorting slightly. "Today is My coronation ceremony. How dare you rabble-rousers cause trouble before Me? Today, you will all forfeit your lives here!"
Ji Binyu clapped his hands, and the guards rushed out again.
This time, the guards, three layers deep, surrounded Feng Ninghe.
Ji Binyu stepped forward, sword in hand, licking his lips with a bloodthirsty glint. His eyes were fixed on Feng Ninghe. "You are the one seeking death. Do not blame others!"