Chapter 124 - 123: Can’t Hide It Anymore
In the Fallen Dragon Land, the strong are revered. Might makes right.
Women could also cultivate, and those with exceptional Talent and Qualification could often achieve earth-shattering levels of power.
Thus, Empresses appeared from time to time. Even now, there was more than one Empress on the Fallen Dragon Land; the Clan Leader of the Fire Spirit Race, for example, was a woman.
A few hundred years ago, the sovereign of the Great Xia Royal Family was also an Empress. Therefore, the Princesses were also qualified to compete for the position of Crown Prince and, eventually, ascend the throne.
Seeing how deeply Princess Jinping had hidden her true self, gasps of shock echoed through the various palaces.
The Princes and Princesses who had once looked down on Princess Jinping now felt a chill run down their spines.
As the two who had been most likely to become Crown Prince, the Third Prince, Xia Wuchen, and the Fifth Prince, Xia Wushang, had the strongest reactions of all.
They had thought they were each other’s greatest rivals among the many Princes and Princesses, but they never expected the Second Princess to appear out of nowhere.
’That damn Jinping, that bitch. I was almost completely fooled by you. I will never let you off the hook!’
In Wude Palace, Xia Wuchen’s face was ashen. He immediately dispatched his men to investigate Princess Jinping with all their might, wanting to know just how much strength and influence she had concealed.
He recalled every meeting with Princess Jinping over the years. That demure Second Imperial Sister of his had been acting all along.
If Princess Jinping had launched a surprise attack on him, he likely wouldn’t have even had the strength to fight back.
The thought of the two hidden First Grade Grandmasters and four Second Grade Grandmasters in Ciping Palace sent a shiver through Xia Wuchen’s entire body.
In the Gold and Silver Palace, the Fifth Prince, Xia Wushang, was drenched in cold sweat. He remembered how he had arrogantly flaunted his power in front of Princess Jinping not long ago. Looking back now, it was a case of a novice showing off before a master.
"Send the order! Halt all operations against Wude Palace. Prioritize all our resources on investigating Princess Jinping and Ciping Palace!"
Xia Wushang gave the order, also halting his operations against the Third Prince, Xia Wuchen. Faced with a sudden, powerful enemy, the two rivals showed a surprising degree of tacit understanding.
In Yangxin Hall, Emperor Xia stood before a window, gazing at the magnificent figure in the sky. A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, which then turned to deep contemplation.
’Jinping, I never thought you were hiding even more than I had discovered. It seems I have underestimated you!’
Although Jinping had acted low-key and humble all these years, never participating in court affairs and merely chanting scriptures and praying daily, Emperor Xia’s influence was vast enough that he had still noticed some abnormalities.
However, it was normal for people to have secrets in the Imperial Palace; Princess Jinping wasn’t the only one hiding her strength. But Emperor Xia had never imagined she was hiding this much.
’Second Grade Perfection... So many Second and First Grade subordinates, and there are probably more outside. I never expected Jinping to be so capable. It seems the position of Crown Prince needs to be reconsidered,’ Emperor Xia muttered to himself, a glint of appreciation in his eyes.
For an Emperor who valued competition, this was a development he was delighted to see.
To be able to hide so deeply within the Deep Palace was, in itself, a skill.
Amidst the uproar, the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince, who had previously been like fire and water, reached a rare consensus, no longer concerned with fighting each other.
The power structure of the Deep Palace underwent a dramatic shift. What was once a rivalry between two powerhouses had now become a three-way standoff, all because of Princess Jinping’s sudden reveal.
No one paid any mind to Xia Wuyang, the decrepit, elder Crown Prince. In everyone’s eyes, he would soon be forced to give up the throne he was sitting on.
They had no idea that the one who had thrown the palace into chaos was none other than this elder Crown Prince, Xia Wuyang. The truly strongest among all the Princes and Princesses was not someone else, but him.
Princess Jinping searched the Imperial Palace for over an hour, but found nothing.
At the same time, the effects of the Enchanting Heart Technique wore off, and she calmed down, only to realize she had completely exposed her full strength.
’Damn it... How could I have been so foolish?’ Princess Jinping’s face turned pale as she realized she had fallen into someone’s trap. She had been a devout vegetarian and Buddhist for years, priding herself on her immense self-control. How could she have done something like this?
Even if she had lost her greatest trump card, the Spiritual Snake Sword, and the Blood Lotus Fruit needed to break through to the First Grade Realm, she shouldn’t have been so impulsive. Something was wrong here.
But it was too late for regrets. Everyone had seen the power she displayed tonight, along with those several Second Grade Grandmasters and First Grade Grandmasters. There was no way to hide them anymore.
Returning to Ciping Palace and seeing the equally astonished Li Wan’Er and the others, Princess Jinping became even more certain of her suspicions. They had been set up.
"No matter who you are, I will tear you to pieces!"
Princess Jinping gritted her teeth, wishing she could dismember the person responsible that very instant.
Years of concealment, ruined in a single day. How could she not be furious?
「In Wenhua Hall.」
Xia Wuyang was fully aware of everything that had happened tonight, thanks to his various channels.
He held a soft, fragrant, and delectable new Palace Maid in his arms. In his Personal Space, the well-behaved Spiritual Snake Sword rested quietly, while the Blood Lotus Fruit exuded an alluring aroma.
It seemed to be telling Xia Wuyang that once he consumed it, he could raise his cultivation by at least one or two minor realms.
With the Spiritual Snake Sword, he had gained a trump card that could decide life and death. It would, at the very least, multiply his overall strength several times over.
Although it was somewhat inconvenient to control the Spiritual Snake Sword with his Extraordinary Spiritual Power, it was still much easier for him than it was for Princess Jinping, and the sword’s power was greatly enhanced.
’The real show has just begun!’
Xia Wuyang pulled the stunningly beautiful young Palace Maid closer and lay down under the brocade quilt.
After tonight’s events, Princess Jinping would be forced out into the open. All eyes would be on her, allowing the other Princes and Princesses to fight amongst themselves even more fiercely.
He, the "soon-to-be-buried" elder Crown Prince, could perfectly reap the fisherman’s profit.
The morning sun rose, illuminating the Deep Palace where new waves were stirring. A more intense, hidden struggle was about to begin.
News of Princess Jinping’s true cultivation being exposed spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the court and the country.
The civil and military Ministers were all stunned. Many couldn’t help but turn their attention to the reclusive Second Princess.
"I never thought there was such a prodigy among the Princes and Princesses. It seems we have another candidate to bet on."
"To be able to hide so deeply, Princess Jinping’s capabilities must be immense. She is worth considering."
"With such capabilities, she’s almost on par with the elder Crown Prince of the past. The succession is in suspense once again."
...
The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince also soon received news that many Ministers at court were having second thoughts and no longer supported them as firmly as before. They were clearly re-evaluating the situation.
If they didn’t handle this well, both of their factions would likely suffer a significant reduction in power.
The other Princes and Princesses were also shaken by Princess Jinping’s true strength. Those who had usually ignored her were now secretly relieved that they had never offended her.
As for the Princes who had once bullied Princess Jinping, they were now all on edge. Some had already gone to offer their apologies, terrified of retaliation.