The corner of her mouth twitched as Mingyi stood there, thinking that this palace path had probably never been so lively before.
What was the big deal that warranted the esteemed Empress herself to come in person?
And not just come, but come in such a hurry—the maids who usually walked with poised elegance were now practically sprinting, and the Following Beast carrying the Phoenix Carriage was baring its teeth as it ran, looking as if it might charge straight over and crush her to death.
Instinctively, she sidestepped to the side.
Fortunately, the procession came to a halt not far in front of her. Then came the Empress’s furious rebuke: "Useless fools! Can’t even handle a simple task without dragging your feet. Li Quan, I’ll be watching—you do it yourself!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Before Situ Ling could even bow in greeting, a eunuch flicked his wrist and unleashed a surge of emerald-green Essence Power, rushing straight toward Mingyi.
This Essence Power wasn’t particularly formidable, but right now, it was more than enough to take the life of a delicate Dancing Girl.
Mingyi lifted her gaze, feeling as if the clamor around her had suddenly faded into the distance. The emerald-green light before her eyes expanded bit by bit. The servants ahead of her ducked and covered their heads, Situ Ling in the distance paled and reached out toward her, while the Empress on the Phoenix Carriage behind her watched coldly before nervously glancing toward the other side of the path.
What was on the other side? She didn’t have time to see. The emerald-green Essence Power surged over her, abruptly engulfing her.
From the moment Mingyi became aware of the world, she had been burdened with immense expectations.
She possessed the reddest and purest Meridians in the land, representing the highest and strongest talent for Essence Power. Her mother had been elevated to Empress because of her, and her relatives and clan had risen in rank and wealth on her account.
The phrase her father repeated most often was: "You cannot lose."
Cannot lose—so from childhood, she was given the strictest tutors. She began practicing Combat Skills at the age of three, without rest for wind or rain, illness or mourning. She had never once celebrated a birthday, let alone had any time to play.
Her tutors loved to call her "useless" the most. A mistake made her useless, complaining of exhaustion made her useless, and losing to an adult Fighter also made her useless.
Her mother wanted many things—for her to win matches to secure official posts for her uncle, to win matches to find good husbands for her aunts, to win matches so she could host banquets in the rear palace and show off.
Her father wanted many things too—for her Essence Power to grow strong enough to intimidate other cities, for her to crush the heirs of rival territories, for her to secure Sunspire City’s place among the Upper Three Cities year after year.
So Mingyi had always believed that the purpose of her existence was to win matches for them. The envy, respect, and admiration she received were never for herself, but for her Meridians and Essence Power. So much so that on the day she lost her Essence Power, she thought it only natural that everyone abandoned her.
But that didn’t mean she wanted to die.
There were still so many things she hadn’t done—she wanted to see the desert sunset Twenty-Seven had described, to live the life of an ordinary person, to see if, without Essence Power, she could just be herself and still find someone to love her.
Yet, as it turned out, without Essence Power, others wouldn’t even give her the chance to live, let alone love her.
Ming Xian, without Essence Power, was worthless.
The emerald-green Essence Power surged past, instantly reducing the flowers in the nearby garden to mud. Satisfied, the Empress descended from the Phoenix Carriage and hurriedly bowed to the Minister Superior approaching from another path: "This humble one deserves death for disturbing the Minister Superior."Da Si's face was filled with anger as he approached and brushed her hand away. "What kind of occasion is this? You dare kill someone on the palace path?"
Si Hou pursed her lips. "This concubine was merely dealing with a runaway maid."
Da Si's expression darkened, and his peripheral glance at Ji Bozhai beside him made his tone even harsher. "I was just about to ask you—where is the dancing girl brought by the Ji residence? Bozhai has been searching for her for quite some time."
"This concubine does not know."
Li Quan's Essence Power was formidable—the girl was likely reduced to mere bone fragments by now. As long as she denied it firmly, nothing could be proven.
Si Hou lowered her head in feigned grievance. "My lord, you would unleash such fury upon this concubine over a mere dancing girl?"
Da Si was livid. This new empress was stunning in appearance but sorely lacking in vision, unable to grasp the bigger picture. The moment he received word that she had left her seat to personally deal with Mingyi, he had rushed over—only to arrive too late.
Had it been an ordinary dancing girl, he might have turned a blind eye. But Mingyi was far too important, a key figure in keeping Ji Bozhai in check. And now, with this reckless act...
Wait—if she had indeed acted, why was Ji Bozhai standing beside him without the slightest reaction?
Da Si instinctively looked toward Situ Ling.
Situ Ling was still staring intently at the swirling mass of turquoise Essence Power, his hand clutching the Kaleidoscope trembling slightly. Sensing Da Si's gaze, he turned to speak—but before he could, the turquoise energy suddenly shattered like glass.
"My lord, be careful!"
"Your Majesty, take care!"
The attendants swiftly raised protective barriers, yet they were still struck by the flying shards of Essence Power. Ji Bozhai swept his sleeve to deflect the fragments aimed at him, only to see Mingyi flash past his vision, darting before Situ Ling to shield him from the debris.
Her intricate palace sleeves billowed and settled—revealing traces of Combat Skills unique to Star Yearn City.
He froze, staring at her face in disbelief.
It was still the same beautiful face—eyes holding a hint of allure, brows concealing a touch of emotion—yet her movements were sharp, her gestures practiced. She was unmistakably a Fighter.
"What—what is this thing?" Li Quan shrieked, his voice shrill. "She has Essence Power?"
And turquoise Essence Power at that—the same as his own?!
Da Si and Si Hou pushed past the guards to get a better look at Mingyi.
A woman wielding Essence Power was rarer than a five-legged toad. Even if it was only turquoise Essence Power, it was still unheard of, unseen before.
Mingyi withdrew her hands and immediately knelt in apparent terror. "My lord, forgive this lowly one. I did not mean to conceal it."
Da Si was momentarily stunned, taking a long moment before he finally asked, "Where did you learn Essence Power?"
"From a wandering Fighter who passed through my village. Just some rudimentary skills." She rolled up her sleeves slightly, revealing her unremarkable Meridians. "I’ve never used it before today. It was only in desperation to protect myself. I beg my lord to understand."
These words wouldn’t fool Ji Bozhai, but they were more than enough for Da Si.
There was no precedent for women learning Combat Skills, but since one had—and from his own Star Yearn City, no less—Da Si wasn’t angry. If anything, he was pleased. "No harm done. Rise."
"Your Majesty," Si Hou frowned, "a woman secretly learning Combat Skills and sneaking into the inner court—her intentions are treacherous!"
Da Si glared at her. "You just deceived me—that alone is a crime. How dare you now slander the Ji residence’s concubine?"
In the blink of an eye, her status had shifted from dancing girl to concubine. Da Si was determined to protect her by force.Mingyi lowered her gaze, not daring to meet Ji Bozhai's eyes, and stood obediently, awaiting judgment.
Situ Ling finally snapped out of his daze and hurried forward to present the token to Da Si with both hands: "This humble official has failed the Minister Superior's trust. I beg for your punishment."
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