I still do not like it

"Genius?" 

The blue-clad "master" suddenly fell silent, first appearing lost and despondent, then collapsing into the murky pit below him, engulfed in filthy water, disappearing without a trace. 

He began his cultivation at the age of seven, ignited the seed of soul power at eleven, broke through to the realm of Soul Master at twelve, entered the sacred Purgatory Mountain of the Wang Mang Dynasty for training at fifteen, and by sixteen had reached the level of Grand Soul Master. In just six years, he not only advanced to the realm of National Scholar but also became a formidable warrior of Purgatory Mountain. 

Throughout Purgatory Mountain and the entire Tian Mang Dynasty, he was already a paragon among cultivators, regarded as a genius by all. 

He believed that few could rival his pace of cultivation in this world, and he felt worthy of the title of genius. Thus, even from the beginning, he suspected that the young girl driving the carriage was likely a practitioner. Yet this girl, with her delicate bone structure, had not yet fully matured. Even if she had begun her training from a young age, what level of cultivation could she possibly attain in just over a decade? 

However, this girl possessed a power he might not truly grasp even after twenty more years. 

The blue-clad maiden's response was simple yet profoundly real. Though her face appeared youthful—perhaps a couple of years older than her actual age—her mastery of the Holy Master realm confirmed her as a true genius. 

"Holy Master… yet so youthful…" As he sensed the overwhelming and indescribable sword intent, hearing his senior brother fall into the water below, the middle-aged man, his face etched with sorrow, felt this was an exquisite answer. He could not help but want to laugh heartily, yet found he could not. Amidst violent convulsions, he asked one final question, merely inquiring about the sword: "What kind of sword is this… that exudes such a chilling aura?" 

The blue-clad girl gazed at him, nodded silently, and replied earnestly, "It is called 'Frostbite Heartlock.'" 

The sorrowful-faced middle-aged man fell silent, his body growing cold in the downpour, uncertain if he had truly heard the blue-clad girl's response. 

Li Qilong stood trembling, realizing how shallow and ignorant he had been since the emergence of the black bloodline on the blue-clad "master." The titles of Lingdu, Provincial Supervisor, and the Eight Offices had once seemed so clear, yet at this moment, he understood how distant he was from those dwelling behind heavy curtains in deep courtyards. 

After climbing for so many years, he realized that in this bustling East Ling, it was all for naught! 

"Your Highness… spare me." Watching the unhurried return of the hiltless flying sword to the blue-clad girl's side, Li Qilong forced a bitter smile as he pleaded with the white-clad woman. He did not kneel, for he knew that at this moment, even kneeling would be futile. 

The white-clad woman cast a cold glance at the heavily armored giant nearby, then at the blue-clad "master" submerged in the muddy pit, and finally at the sorrowful-faced middle-aged man, stating icily, "If they are willing to surrender, I may spare their lives. But you, you cannot be spared." 

"Why?!" Li Qilong trembled violently, insisting, "Your Highness, I can atone for my sins. I can reveal who orchestrated this as long as you promise to spare me and my family." 

"Why?" The white-clad woman, initially calm, suddenly erupted in anger, her voice sharp: "You dare ask me why? Very well, let me tell you why. These three are not practitioners of our Yunqin Empire; their attempt to assassinate me is understandable. But you are a distinguished Lingdu of our Yunqin Empire! And these assassins, these swordsmen, are powerful soldiers of our Empire. They have perished here, at my hands, due to your foolishness and the insidious schemes you concocted. You let these soldiers, who could have achieved glory, die in shame and still dare to plead for your life?" 

As she watched Li Qilong's face grow increasingly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably, the white-clad woman's voice dripped with disdain: "Moreover, you are so foolish, so insufferably foolish. Did you think you could find a better future in the south? Even as a practitioner, I do not engage in battle. If I die, what benefit would it bring to the Wang Mang Dynasty? Would they fear my actions and their impact on the future of the Yunqin Empire? Even if they did think that far ahead, they would first consider the endless wrath that would follow my death. Our Yunqin Empire is founded on martial prowess; if the Princess is assassinated without a military response, even my royal brother could not quell the public's fury. They merely cast a few stones to see if they could stir the waters further, hoping that capable individuals in our Yunqin Empire would die not on the battlefield but by their own schemes. And you, as a soldier of the Yunqin Empire, as a Lingdu, have shown no signs of vigilance, believing their lies. What purpose do you serve in this world?" 

"As for someone of your caliber, what kind of people can you even associate with? In such a situation, if an investigation is launched, those you associate with will inevitably be scrutinized as well. What difference does it make whether you speak or remain silent?" 

The white-clad woman's tone softened, unwilling to say more. She looked at the trembling Li Qilong and said, "In light of your past military achievements for the Yunqin Empire… if you still consider yourself a soldier of the Empire, pick up your weapon, and I shall allow you a complete corpse." 

The last glimmer of hope in Li Qilong's heart was extinguished by her icy mockery. Realizing there was no turning back, he slowly bent down to retrieve the judge's pens from the ground, noticing that his official robe and trousers were entirely muddied. 

"After all this time… I am ultimately just a muddy foot soldier…" 

Straightening up, Li Qilong laughed and cried, then, in a fit of desperation, began to run wildly through the muddy official road toward the white-clad woman. 

The white-clad woman approached the blue-clad girl, and as Li Qilong thrust the judge's pens with all his might, he closed his eyes. A cold aura surged into his body, piercing through his heart, emerging from his back. But at that moment, he opened his eyes wide in disbelief as the judge's pen, which he thought could never harm the white-clad woman, pierced flesh, hot liquid splattering onto his face. 

He saw that the white-clad woman had plunged the purple jade slender sword, belonging to the sorrowful-faced middle-aged man, into his heart. All his strength and consciousness were rapidly fading, yet the judge's pen in his hand also found its mark in the white-clad woman's abdomen, a vivid bloom of blood blossoming on her white gown. 

"What…?" Li Qilong's eyes bulged with shock, his voice a hoarse cry, yet the questions in his heart received no answers. The white-clad woman released her grip, and he fell back into the mud, the purple jade slender sword still embedded in him, losing all consciousness. 

With the judge's pen piercing her abdomen and blood blooming across her garments, the white-clad woman remained remarkably calm, simply turning to walk toward the carriage filled with black arrows. 

The blue-clad girl did not rush to aid her; she remained still, frowning as she gazed at her, speaking in a low voice, "Why?" 

"You must understand, this is a warning from those who do not wish for me to continue on this path… and I represent the will of my royal brother. They are naturally prepared to face his wrath." The white-clad woman continued walking toward the carriage: "I cannot allow things to unfold as they wish." 

The blue-clad girl pondered in silence, her brow furrowing deeper: "I know that this will fuel the flames further, giving you more justification to act, and that those people will have no reason to oppose you. But have you considered that this fire could spread too far, affecting other places, such as the Qingluan Academy?" 

The white-clad woman halted, her figure trembling as she spoke solemnly: "Nangong Weiyang, you are indeed a genius, not only in cultivation but also in understanding these matters so clearly. But do you think I have any room for choice? You have journeyed with me across much of the Yunqin Empire; you have witnessed the corruption of local governance firsthand. Even under my royal brother's wise rule, there are many who cannot be touched, many places where he cannot intervene. I initially thought that even the Legal Affairs Department… even the Justice Department, and certain individuals who were discontent with my actions would at least restrain themselves, reflecting on their grievances. Yet what have they done? On the soil of Yunqin, they audaciously dared to use this method to warn me, to threaten my royal brother! What else would they dare to do next?" 

After a brief pause, a flicker of barely concealed anger appeared in the white-clad woman's eyes: "Nangong Weiyang, do not forget that the Qingluan Academy is one of the places my royal brother cannot touch. Furthermore, you have never set foot in the Qingluan Academy. Your cultivation relies entirely on the support from the imperial city. I find it difficult to comprehend why you harbor such strong feelings for the Qingluan Academy." 

"Because I like it." The blue-clad girl looked at the white-clad woman without hesitation, responding earnestly: "I admire Director Zhang; I appreciate the way the academy operates." 

In the heart of the girl named Nangong Weiyang, there seemed to be no concept of concealment. Thus, even when speaking to the bleeding Princess of the Yunqin Empire, after her declaration, she continued, regardless of the other's thoughts: "I dislike this… very much." 

The white-clad woman fell silent for a long time, then took a step forward, somewhat unsteadily, toward the carriage, her voice weak: "But you must understand… everything I do is not for myself, but for Yunqin." 

"I understand." Nangong Weiyang nodded, then added earnestly: "But I still do not like it." 

Faced with such a stubborn girl, the white-clad woman realized there was no room for debate. A wave of dizziness washed over her, sapping her willingness to speak further. She silently opened the carriage door and sat down. Once seated, she made an effort to stem the flow of her blood, letting out a faint sigh, reflecting on how since the day she stepped out of the Central State Imperial City, she had been unaware of how many people disliked her. Today, she found herself stubbornly trying to persuade a girl even more resolute than herself. What futility it all was.