Qing Qiu Accepts a Disciple  

Xiang Ning and Fan Li chatted about state administration for a while longer, but Xiang Ning seemed to have something on her mind that she wanted to say but couldn't spit out.

Hearing her mumbling and hesitation, Fan Li also guessed that Xiang Ning had something on her mind.

"Your Majesty, I understand everything you are thinking. Please don't worry," Fan Li said abruptly.

"Ah?!"

Xiang Ning was so frightened by Fan Li's sudden words that her whole body tensed up. Her heart fluttered rapidly.

He understands?

Does he really understand?

During these days being forcibly taken to the Brahma Sound Pure Land, the person she thought about most was him.

If he really understands everything, what should she do? How should she interact with him in the future?!

"I won't let that false emperor Xiang Chong have an easy time," Fan Li said.

Thinking he understood Xiang Ning's thoughts, she was stunned upon hearing this.

So it was... nevermind, false alarm?

"Oh, what are you going to do then?" Xiang Ning sighed and went along with Fan Li's words.

"Nothing much, just fulfilling my duties as a minister," Fan Li said.

Fan Li's duties?

Xiang Ning pondered this for a few seconds before immediately understanding the implications!

Fulfilling his duties as a minister?

But Fan Li was a treacherous minister, so his duties would be...???

Xiang Ning recalled the terror she felt being controlled by Fan Li when she first took the throne. She couldn't help but shiver, even feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Xiang Chong.

"Please be at ease Your Majesty. Your subject guarantees that Great Chu will not fall into turmoil before your return," Fan Li said decisively.

Hearing his firm voice, Xiang Ning was truly moved! She had doubted that after being taken away, she might be imprisoned in the Brahma Sound Pure Land forever with no chance of returning to Great Chu to rule alone. Yet Fan Li was so determined to fight for her to regain the throne?

"Why... why are you so good to me?" Xiang Ning had originally wanted to ask why Fan Li was so loyal to her. But using 'loyal' to describe Fan Li didn't seem fitting. Before Fan Li could reply, Xiang Ning had already begun to speculate wildly.

Could it be... Fan Li harbors improper thoughts towards her?

"There's no real reason," Fan Li said. "One, I am fundamentally opposed to the Brahma Sound Pure Land. Two, I am Your Majesty's Duke of Jin, definitely not a subject of Xiang Chong."

Fan Li's thoughts were quite simple. Whether it was Xiang Chong or the Brahma Sound Pure Land, he extremely detested both existences.

If Xiang Ning was the emperor, Fan Li would be willing to obediently be a treacherous minister under her. However, with Xiang Chong replacing her, Fan Li was truly afraid he wouldn't be able to restrain himself and would directly assassinate the ruler to overthrow the regime!

But if he did that, wouldn't it violate the fundamental principles of being a treacherous minister? A treacherous minister's system required that the host be a subject, not the ruler.

"When will this chat end? I still have a pile of official business to handle..." Fan Li pretended to be calm, but was anxious inside like a cat scratching about.

While Xiang Ning was under house arrest with nothing to do every day in the Pure Land, Fan Li was extremely busy handling ten thousand matters.

"Does Your Majesty have anything else to say?" Fan Li probed. He wanted to subtly hint to Xiang Ning that if she had nothing else, to hurry up and 'hang up'!

It was only seeing that she was under soft detention that Fan Li had such patience. Normally, he would've directly told her off!

But Xiang Ning misunderstood Fan Li's meaning.

"What does he mean? Does he understand my feelings or not in the end? Could it be... he wants me to take the initiative to speak first? For this kind of matter... which woman speaks first?"

The more Xiang Ning thought about it, the more wronged she felt and the angrier she became. She suddenly felt Fan Li was no longer considerate as tears were about to stream down her face.

"We're fine now, you should also rest early!" Xiang Ning said before throwing aside the Dust Destiny Necklace in anger and hugging her knees as she sat.

Ever since this study of the Golden Virtue Sage Ruler's became Xiang Ning's 'prison', only she was left inside. She was angry yet knew the blame did not lie with Fan Li.

She needed someone's company yet knew the Golden Virtue Sage Ruler would definitely not allow anyone to visit her.

Claiming to accept her as a disciple on the surface, the Golden Virtue Sage Ruler actually had no intentions of teaching her anything. Unless the Pure Land was overthrown, Xiang Ning would be a prisoner forever.

"Fan Li... evil... jerk..." Xiang Ning mumbled softly, only treating Fan Li as the target to vent her negative emotions on. Immersed in her own feelings, she didn't even notice someone approaching.

"Is this yours?"

A plain voice lacking the slightest ripple of emotion, yet was unexpectedly pleasing and mesmerizing to hear. Xiang Ning looked up in surprise to see a figure dressed in azure.

"Who are you?"

Depressed in mood, she didn't even recognize the person for a moment, only feeling a sense of familiarity.

"I am called Qing Qiu (Azure Hill)," the figure replied.

Qing Qiu has arrived.

She picked up the Dust Destiny Necklace thrown on the ground and gently handed it back to Xiang Ning.

Only after blankly accepting the necklace did Xiang Ning exclaim in shock, "You are the Qing Qiu Sage Ruler?!"

The master of Princess Chang Le. Xiang Ning finally recalled who she was. She also remembered Fan Li once said he would ask the Qing Qiu Sage Ruler to take care of her. So was this woman a friend rather than foe?

"I cannot help you escape," Qing Qiu said.

Xiang Ning instantly felt extremely disappointed.

Yet Qing Qiu continued, "But I can teach you cultivation to make you stronger."

"Huh?" Xiang Ning looked completely confused.

The Golden Virtue Sage Ruler had claimed she would accept her as disciple yet only imprisoned her. Now another Sage Ruler wanted to teach her cultivation?

"If I follow you in cultivation, will I be able to escape back to Chu?" Xiang Ning directly asked.

"No," Qing Qiu almost unhesitantly shook her head.

Xiang Ning didn't actually have much expectation towards this answer and instead felt Qing Qiu was quite honest.

"Then can I defeat the Golden Virtue Sage Ruler?" Xiang Ning continued asking.

Qing Qiu pondered for a bit as if calculating something. "Impossible within thirty years. Thirty years later, perhaps you can relying on your Xiang bloodline and Overlord Spear."

This answer completely exceeded Xiang Ning's expectations! She was merely at the Nascent Soul Realm. How could she possibly battle and defeat a Sage Ruler within her lifetime?

One must know that all the Sage Rulers of the Brahma Sound Pure Land were at the Great Vehicle Realm, existences viewed as immortals by the mortals of the secular world.

Qing Qiu saw the confusion in Xiang Ning's gaze and explained, "The Golden Virtue's talents are limited. It is very difficult for her to progress further. As for you, your possibilities are endless."

"Thirty years..." Xiang Ning sank into contemplation.

Despite clearly knowing her prisoner status, she still couldn't imagine what it would be like for her to spend the rest of her life imprisoned in the Brahma Sound Pure Land.

"I'm willing!" Xiang Ning's gaze gradually hardened with resolution. She was the Great Chu Son of Heaven who only kneeled to Heaven, Earth and her ancestors.

Xiang Ning stood up and half-bowed to Qing Qiu. "Disciple greets Master Qing Qiu!"

"Mm." Qing Qiu nodded, equivalent to acknowledging this master-disciple relationship.

"What does Master plan to teach me?" Xiang Ning directly asked without holding anything back.

In fact, Xiang Ning was of the Great Chu imperial clan's main line and had access to the clan's cultivation legacy. The Overlord Skill could absolutely not be considered inferior to any external cultivation inheritance.

Qing Qiu slowly said, "There are many secret arts in the Pure Land, but I cannot teach you any."

"Huh?" This reply was truly beyond Xiang Ning's expectations.

"You are not a true disciple of the Pure Land. If I teach you, it would violate the Pure Land's rules," Qing Qiu explained. "I cannot teach you the Pure Land's secret techniques. I can however teach you how to break the Pure Land's secret techniques.

Since Fan Li asked me to look after you, I will first teach you how to break through the Golden Virtue's arts. Then in the future when your cultivation is sufficient, you will have the ability to fight her..."