17 The Eternal Spring

(P.S. Sorry if this chap is boring. You have been warned.)

Ke YongAn, upon sight of such an intimate aura, felt something shatter within her. Ever since she died, she had no warmth of friends nor family. Emperor Huang ZiYun became a guardian in her heart, but now that Princess Huang Xing was back...

Ah, I see. Yep, I'm no longer...needed...

Ke YongAn swatted away such emotions and approached with a warm smile.

"Hello Princess Huang Xing! How are you doing?"

"Doing great. It was fun for a short while being in your body. But your world is pretty boring too~" She replied as she stuck her tongue out.

Thunder crashed down upon Ke YongAn. So, her suspicion turned out to be true.

"Thanks." Ke YongAn grumbled sarcastically.

"You're welcome! You know, if I didn't come when you died, maybe you wouldn't be standing here today."

Well...that's true. Although, Ke YongAn didn't know if she was happy or sad about that.

Ke YongAn felt extremely awkward and felt as though she was interrupting something, so she escaped.

"Excuse me now, I'm just gonna go..."

Ke YongAn closed the door and sighed, leaning against a pole of one of the hallways a courtyard down. She rubbed her eyes. What was she going to do from now on? Since Princess Huang Xing was back, she would not attend the Heaven Dao Academy.

She should just diligently train.

Thus, Ke YongAn went into a crazy mode, devoted to training and cultivation. She did not dare go look for Emperor Huang ZiYun and Huang Xing, for fear of interruption.

Emperor Huang ZiYun still treated Ke YongAn well, and the three of them ate meals together in the morning, before Huang Xing would leave for the academy. Although many of the students had to stay at the Academy, Huang Xing was an exception. It showed how much face was given to the Emperor.

In these past two weeks, Ke YongAn successfully raised herself up into the peak of 8th rank. She also figured out that Princess Huang Xing was indeed a monster, as she was already half a step into the Spirit Awakening Stage.

Dammit...this red level soul is killing me. Truly, Ke YongAn's rise in cultivation base was too slow. Munching absentmindedly on some cabbage at breakfast, she thought of what she could do to make her cultivation base rise quicker. She would need a source of extremely pure Qi.

However, even though Emperor Huang ZiYun should have the source, she had never dared ask in the past, much less now. It would make Ke YongAn feel extremely sour.

"Dad, YongAn is taking too much cabbage!" Huang Xing childishly pouted. Hearing this, Ke YongAn stopped taking too much cabbage and focused on drinking some soup.

Emperor Huang ZiYun helplessly smiled.

After a while, Huang Xing whined again.

"Dad, YongAn is drinking too much soup now! She's taking all the potatoes."

Hearing this, Ke YongAn set down her bowl silently and stood up, before saluting the two and leaving.

"Hehe, it's just the two of us now." Huang Xing stuck her tongue out playfully at Ke YongAn's departing figure.

Emperor Huang ZiYun sighed once again. He knew that Ke YongAn had been awfully quiet these past two weeks, and it was because of Huang Xing's reemergence. But he could do nothing against his treasured daughter.

Ke YongAn went into a secluded courtyard and began training again. A few of the guards gathered around, trying to learn from Ke YongAn.

Even though Ke YongAn's rise in cultivation was extremely slow, but the 9th ranked guards didn't have the amount of comprehension Ke YongAn possessed.

Since she had pressured herself the past two weeks, it was no wonder that her comprehension power also went up.

Seeing the guards, Ke YongAn smiled and spoke,

"So, does anyone have any time to sparr?"

After the battle with Du Jian, Ke YongAn noticed the importance of experience. Even against a skilled opponent, as long as you had enough experience, you could win against them.

Of course, the guards were surprised time after time that Ke YongAn could hold her own against the 9th ranks, and could even last against the 9 passage Stage for a few moments.

Thus, after the notion, all the guards laughed and said,

"I'm afraid that sparring with us will not give you any improvements."

Ke YongAn thought for a moment, and then asked,

"If this is alright with you...can several of you guys fight against me at once?"

And thus, another month flew by, with Ke YongAn fighting against a dozen 9th ranks at once. At the same time, she continued to study about herbs and cultivate. Her cultivation couldn't surpass the 8th rank.

It was this morning that Ke YongAn was determined to ask Emperor Huang ZiYun.

As everyone settled into eating breakfast, Ke YongAn set her chopsticks down and bowed deeply to Emperor Huang ZiYun.

"What is it that you want?" Emperor Huang ZiYun questioned.

Ke YongAn was a little surprised that Emperor Huang ZiYun understood what she wanted. She ceased her bow and stood straight.

"If this isn't troublesome, I request an extremely pure Qi source to further my cultivation."

"Audacious! My father has given you such kindness. He gives you an inch, yet you want a mile! What happened to your morals? You won't gift YongAn with the Eternal Spring, right, dad?" Huang Xing slammed the table and spoke arrogantly. But she still looked at Emperor Huang ZiYun uncertainty.

Ke YongAn shook her head and opened her eyes again.

"Your majesty does not need to grant my request. This lowly one will just find their own way."

Emperor Huang ZiYun studied his daughter's worried expression, and turned to Ke YongAn's tranquil one. He wondered, Why are these two so different? For the past month, Emperor Huang ZiYun was confused as to why Huang Xing kept pushing Ke YongAn away, but even as an age-old monster, he could never figure out the heart of women.

"I shall grant your request." Emperor Huang ZiYun ignored the appalling expression on his daughter's expression and threw a jade slip toward Ke YongAn to catch. He explained,

"This is the key to the Eternal Spring. As for where it is, I'll just teleport you there."

Ke YongAn made another respectful bow for her gratitude. Emperor Huang ZiYun flicked his sleeve and Ke YongAn disappeared. He turned to his daughter and questioned,

"What makes you so against YongAn?"

A small thingy:

Huang Xing: I hate Ke YongAn.

Emperor Huang ZiYun: Why?

Huang Xing: She's so annoying!!

Emperor Huang ZiYun: How?

Huang Xing: Her face is ugly! Makes me want to smack it. >:(

Emperor Huang ZiYun: ...(but...you two look the same...)