8 EMPRESS ELECT PART 2

Xingjuan tried to ignore the loud banging sound on her door but couldn't because it got even louder and somewhat aggressive "Young mistress Mo Yue the Emperor have summoned you to the grand hall, his majesty don't like to be delayed so young mistress is advised to wake up now" an eunuch's arrogant loud voice woke Xingjuan with a start, She sat up so abruptly that she ended up rolling and falling on the hard ground, She whimpered due to the pain her butt felt on impact with such hard surface, Xingjuan stood up and tried to soothe the pain by massaging the area affected, it wasn't a lady like thing to do at all but she did it anyway, she didn't know how to act elegant and refined, after all she lived all her life in the forest.

"Is everything okay young mistress Mo Yue?" the eunuch outside the door asked with a hint of worry in his voice and that surprised Xingjuan because just moments ago the eunuch sounded arrogant also, she wasn't offended by this because she believed everyone in the palace will treat her badly due to the Emperor's treatment of her last night or maybe the eunuch was different and didn't mean to be rude earlier, maybe he was just confused on how to actually treat her.

Xingjuan who had earlier grudgingly stood up from the ground, started preparing to go and greet the emperor at the so-called grand hall, Xingjuan eyes were still puffy by the time she left her room, she was feeling really grumpy and exhausted after all she hasn't had the chance to have a good rest after such a long journey. She had spent most of her rest time cleaning that room.

"So that's the Empress Elect" Xingjuan heard a court lady say and point rudely towards her direction as she walked behind the eunuch that came to wake her up and was her guide to the grand hall. Xingjuan was genuinely confused with what they just called her however she wasn't going to dwell on such matters, she didn't think it was her business, they must just be talking nonsense about her and this she was used to.

They were times when she was still at yin province that she did travel to a small mortal town to sell some wild meat she had caught in the forest so that she could get some mortal money and buy some spices to make her food taste a bit better and whenever she did this people always talked about her in such mocking tone, most people even just stayed clear from her because of the stench her body produced from time to time. Xingjuan was lucky to have a faithful customer that always patronized her when she visited the mortal town, If not she might have just been going there for nothing.

"She is so weak, are you sure she is the Empress Elect" Another court lady said and that peeked Xingjuan curiosity, she became slightly confused, she understood they were talking about her and was going to filter their voice out of her hearing range and ignore their words like she normally did on such occasions however she couldn't understand why they kept calling her Empress Elect.

"What does that even mean?" she thought while being her usual confused self, her father told her that she was coming to the imperial palace as the emperor's Empress in waiting and was supposed to marry the Emperor any day from the time of her arrival, she thought that's why she was been summoned but with the way these maid keeps looking at her with disdain, mockery and disgust in their eyes she doesn't think her father told her the complete truth, she sighed deeply because she knew something smelt fish since the moment she stepped into the imperial palace. The way she was been treated, no matter how she sees it isn't the way a suppose life partner of the emperor should be treated even if not favored.

Xingjuan might be a forest bumpkin but at least she has common sense to know this much.

"She is just at the tenth great circle of the spirit magus realm, she will be crushed in an instant, she is so dead" yet another court lady mocked, they didn't even care if Xingjuan could hear them or not however she didn't mind since from their discussions she realized she had broken through, she was too busy trying to dress up earlier that she didn't even notice the change in her body, she was so excited.

Xingjuan had broken through in her cultivation while sleeping again, she wondered if all her big breakthroughs will happen whenever she is asleep, she likes the fact that her level of powering up is really astonishing after all it haven't been more than seven days since she officially started cultivating and entered into the cultivation world.

The cultivation levels in Tang Qin Shang empire was very complex and profound, if not that Xingjuan spent all her years reading the old books her mother gave her she probably won't be able to recall all the so many levels of cultivation.

There is the Spirit Novice Realm which is further divided into ten ranks and after that realm is the Novice realm which is also further divided into eight ranks, this same format is applied to the Spirit magus realm, magus realm, spirit disciple realm, disciple realm, spirit expert realm, expert realm, spirit divinity realm, divinity realm, spirit grandmaster realm and grandmaster realm. It is only after a cultivator passes these stages and begins to shed their mortal skin can they truly be called cultivators.

Only when a cultivator is at the later stages of cultivation in Tang Qin Shang empire can they truly be considered as threading the path of immortality, these later stages are the empress realm which divided into early, middle and peak, emperor realm, God realm and Ultimate supreme realm which also has the same division. In so many years no one has passed the early stages of the ultimate supreme realm so the rumored immortality realm is just more like a legendary realm that people talk about. Nevertheless, cultivators are people that defile the natural order of the universe so even if they are not certain that immortality is actually attainable, they will still not back down in the pursue for it.

Xingjuan checks her body and is super excited that she is just a stone throw away from the magus realm, a realm where one stops aging, one's body can develop in certain places but they won't ever age again, this was a realm she didn't think she could reach so soon, it takes years to reach the magus realm however she is just a stone throw away from reaching that realm after not more than seven days of cultivating, if she isn't a monster in cultivating then who is.

When Xingjuan finally entered the grand hall,she was met with different kind of stares from the people in the hall but the one that caught her attention the most was the cold stare coming from a person with fiery red eyes, Xingjuan looked away almost instantly because her eyes began to sting her the moment it made eye contact with that person's eyes. In the place of where a person's iris should be was a burning blazing fire, that gave off the pressure of an inferno, although the area the iris covers is not much however when Xingjuan stared into those eyes it was like she had been transported into the very core region of a dangerously out of control fire.

From the brief moment Xingjuan gazed at the boy he thought the boy seemed very dangerous, he was sitting high up in a dragon chair with a golden crown on his head, this crown was designed in such a way that it had a board made from special material leaning forward when placed on the boy's head, it was as if the boy was bowing to the people present in full respect and concern and attached to the board, where golden chains of beads bang at the front and back, these chains were six in total dangling from the crown fasten to the boy's head by a golden colored hairpin.

The boy on the throne had an appearance that was very grand and majestic, his robes and Jewelries where of the finest, most expensive and exquisite grade, the kind that was only one out there and that one could only be worn by him,even the throne in which he sat upon was situated at the middle of a beautifully decorated stage made of glittering sparkling marbles, beneath the boys throne was a staircase made of just four stairs and by the boy's right, standing on a stair just two steps below the boy's throne was a teenage boy Xingjuan Was familiar with, the boy she had seen before, the very boy she met by the river bank "Fang Mu".

However, it didn't seem like he could recognize Xingjuan since she had changed the color of ice jewel before putting it on and she wasn't dressed like a boy anymore nevertheless,Xingjuan knew who he was, however, opposite Fang Mu was a lady Xingjuan had never seen, she looked twenty six and was giving Xingjuan a death glare, if glares could kill then Xingjuan would have been killed a million times over, she had so much killing intent towards her that even the somewhat dimwitted Xingjuan could sense it, it was like the lady wanted to bore holes into Xingjuan.

"I don't owe her money so why is she like that" Xingjuan thought and even envisioned herself pouting childishly in her mind, she also began to wonder if maybe the lady was in love with the Emperor and wanted her Empress position that she will soon be bestowed upon marriage to the emperor , she will give it to the lady in a heartbeat if she could but now is not the time, she still needed the title to survive for now however she will definitely escape when she is powerful enough to secure her little life. And Yes, Xingjuan have figured out who the boy seated on the throne is, he could be none other but the emperor, her soon to be husband.

On seeing the girl's continuous glare, Xingjuan couldn't help but feel that she won't make a good Empress, she was like a pig wanting to be a swan, moreover compared to the emperor's sixteen year old kind of matured appearance, the twenty six year old lady looked like an old aunt when standing beside him, If that young mistress could listen in on Xingjuan thoughts she did already cough up a mouthful of blood as well as make a move on Xingjuan life without care for her reputation or status.

The lady's looks although could be rated as a top notch beauty in Tang Qin Shang appeared absolutely normal when placed side by side with the emperor's own. It was like heaven and earth, Immortal and mortal difference, she looked nothing special when compared with the emperor.

Xingjuan Presently faced the dragon throne with her head bow down as she said " This humble servant greets your Majesty, may your majesty live for many decades and centuries to come" Xingjuan didn't need anyone to tell her that the person seated on the dragon throne with a golden crown was the emperor, the same way she didn't need anyone to tell her to offer her greetings, everything about boy commanded respect and screamed mighty ruler, everything about him was majestic and dignified.

Although the emperor looked no more than sixteen years old had the bearing of a strong ruler, no one was foolish enough to belittle him, he had the aura of a God of war, a killing machine, his powers although constrained was overwhelming, he also appeared to look way taller, broad chested and matured than any other of his peers however he still had the appearance of a young youth.

If Xingjuan was beautiful to the extent that she could cause the fall of nations then the Emperor was handsome to cause the same havoc, If Xingjuan beauty could cause the heavens to bow for her then the same applied to the emperor, his red long hair and cherry red lips with slim jaws just made him look heavenly, palatable and delicious, he was the very definition of captivating, His thick and long eyes lashes did justice to his whole features, he gave off a dangerous mystical aura that made a person despite knowing they could get burnt if they draw close to him still want to draw close anyway.

He had a broad chest and the only skin Xingjuan could glance at briefly before having to bow seem glowed in a special way, Xingjuan had felt like drooling when she briefly glanced at the emperor but held it in, she would have loved to look more if not for the fact that looking made her eyes feel like they were about to be burnt.

The Emperor was too overbearing, he was handsome, dangerous and scary yet he was like a magnet that pulled a person in, they did die without even knowing how it happened.

"You are Mo Yue, the eldest miss of General Mo's manor?" his cold eyes said so much, if Xingjuan could raise her head and stare into them she would have seen disgust and hatred written all over the emperor's face.

"Yes, your majesty, this humble servant is indeed young mistress Mo Yue" Xingjuan said still not daring to look up, she had hoped she didn't mess up while speaking, it took her a lot to remember all she had learnt when she was staying at her father's manor and was been prepared for her death. then she really took their teachings seriously and tried to learn all she could even if she hated doing it. Her father must have really seen her as a clown seeing as how all those things where just for show.

"You have been given the privilege to be my Empress Elect" Xingjuan was beginning to feel her head" Not that word again" she lamented,she believed her head might explode with all this mentioning of empress elect which she still knew absolutely nothing about.

The emperor didn't know what Xingjuan was busy thinking and just continued speaking "...which means in the coming months you will have to defend the title however the way I see it you might not even survive your first round, you are way too weak" The emperor said and Xingjuan could see the smirk forming on the emperor face even without having to look, the emperor sounded like he was enjoying her misfortune, she thought It seems father really pissed the Emperor this time, she pitied her unfortunate self since once again she couldn't escape the fate of being a scapegoat even if she swore off been that.

"Sorry to interrupt your majesty but this servant is really lost, I do not understand" Xingjuan finally gathered courage to voice out her complain.

"It seems your father told you nothing, is he looking down on the royal family" The Emperor angrily said, a loud "Bang" was heard and the table before the emperor turned into powder.

"Forgive this servant for angering the emperor however father is loyal to the empire, he wouldn't dare look down on your majesty " Xingjuan tried to defend her father but most importantly save her neck, She couldn't even beg for forgiveness properly before an indescribable amount of pressure filled the whole room, it was extremely terrifying, some servants had directly past out, some were bleeding from their eyes, ears and nostrils while the extremely weaker ones com-busted and died instantly, Fang Mu was standing on his two feet with his brows creased and sweat dripping from his pores while the lady that was glaring at Xingjuan earlier was on her knees, coughing up blood.

Xingjuan couldn't read the lady's cultivation level which normally meant she was higher than her in level, anyway, Xingjuan's body right now was kissing the ground, the pressure coming from the emperor was far too overbearing for her body to withstand it, and this wasn't even up to a tenth of the emperor's powers being unleashed. Xingjuan didn't want to die so she thought if she could breakthrough from the tenth great circle of the spirit magus realm to the magus realm then she will have a better chance at surviving this unfortunate circumstance.

Xingjuan decided to use the pressure to aid her in her breakthrough, she circulated the mana in the air and began to absorb it, then she forced herself to stand up because she believed that it could also be a driving force for her breakthrough.

It wasn't easy at all, her bones kept making cracking sounds as she tried to stand up and face the pressure head on while the emperor just looked at Xingjuan with interest, he had long since figured out what Xingjuan was planning do and he wanted to see if she will succeed. She has guts, he will give her that.

Xingjuan didn't disappoint the emperor because she did force herself to stand on her two feet and once she did she breakthrough however the price for her actions was that she presently looked like a person that was about to die, she was completely drenched in blood, due to every single part of her body that broke and bleed as she forcefully tried to stand up while attempting a breakthrough, this was a really risky move on her part however when she succeeding the mana she received at that moment served as a kind of healing force and helped healed her just received wounds. If the emperor didn't withdraw his pressure at this moment, she would have probably still ended up getting seriously wounded seeing as how at such a moment of entering another realm one shouldn't be disturbed.

Xingjuan couldn't help but to smile wildly, her eyes which was the only thing the others could use to read her expressed untold joy,she didn't even realize that the pressure from the emperor had long gone.

"Interesting" The emperor said with an amused smile while watching Xingjuan Intently as she checked her body, when she felt eyes on her, she looked up and saw the emperor staring at her, she then realized how discourteous she was being in the presence of the emperor.

"Young mistress Mo Yue thanks your majesty for his grace, without your majesty assistance You wouldn't have broken through so early, it would have taken years for Yuer to breakthrough" Xingjuan said excitedly as she bowed towards the throne, she decided it was more appropriate to address herself the way she once heard her father address her sister back at the General's manor.

Xingjuan heard the emperor laugh loudly, his voice was so mesmerizing to the extent that Xingjuan decided to risk it by taking a peek, the way the emperor laughed and smiled was breathtaking, she couldn't help but feel somewhat inferior in his presence, when he finally stopped laughing, he said "You know that wasn't my intention right? ".

"Even if it wasn't your majesties intention, your majesty still helped Yuer break through" Xingjuan said.

"Good, Good" The Emperor said.

Xingjuan felt so much blood lust directed towards her so she looked towards the direction it came from and saw it came from the lady beside Fang Mu, there was surprise in her eyes which later changed to deep seated jealousy, then they was this overwhelming killing intent that could topple nations, Xingjuan couldn't help but wonder why this lady hated her so much but then again it wasn't too much of a surprise to her, who wouldn't be jealous of a sixteen years old Magus Elemental especially when most people reached such a level at not so young an age for example the glaring aunt lady over there, Xingjuan inwardly rolled her eyes as the aunt lady as she thought about all these things in her head.

The Emperor's smile didn't last long, it vanished and what remained was a stoic expression, "A competition have already been done among the finest talents in the whole of Tang Qin Shang, those that came on top will be made to pick a ballot, the six people that picks Empress Elect will fight with you in the coming months for your position" Xingjuan felt like she was hearing things, nothing been said made sense to her.

"If they defeat you then they will take your place and will have to defend the title against six opponents like you were expected to do, whoever wins all six fights have the right to be my Empress"

"Just the right, is there more to be done?" Xingjuan asked forgetting her place however the Emperor didn't mind upon seeing Xingjuan scared and embarrassed eyes.

"Of course, to stay by this majesty's side is not an easy fit, first defeat your six opponents and then you can be qualified to know what's next" The emperor rouse to his feet, followed by Fang Mu and the glaring lady as Xingjuan liked to call her, then they left the hall, leaving Xingjuan to herself to try and process what she had just heard.

Xingjuan ears were ringing due to the information she just got, finest talent and six competitors just kept assaulting her brain, "How strong could such talents possibly be?" she asked no one but herself, Xingjuan didn't want to find out how strong they were but it isn't something she could hide from either.

What empress in waiting, there was no such thing, her father had just concocted a lie and told it to the naive Xingjuan, he had known this was going to happen if Xingjuan entered the palace, If so won't their lies be discovered immediately seeing as how then Xingjuan was just a total trash when her father told her to take her sister's place and there is no way the emperor won't immediately discover the deceit after all Mo Yue was no total trash like Xingjuan once was.

Xingjuan after thinking in depth about what the emperor had said could understand that even the emperor perhaps couldn't just choose any girl he wished to have as his empress, at most he could choose an empress elect, however despite all Xingjuan's thinking she couldn't understand why the emperor chose her, more likely the person he chose was her father's legitimate daughter, young mistress Mo Yue. Xingjuan was certain the emperor's decision definitely had something to do with the Lei family.

She had thought she could just hide away and cultivate until her power was enough to leave the palace, how wrong she was.

Xingjuan has a feeling that now that she is in here, she won't be able to leave so easily, she once thought the palace will be safer but not anymore, she doesn't think anywhere is safe, not inside the palace where it's obvious the emperor wants to make life difficult for her and definitely not outside where her family will do anything to get rid of her in other to keep her existence and their lie a secret.

Xingjuan thinks even after getting a second chance at life, her life is still so pitiful.