Chapter 85: The Master and Maid [2]
"But at that time, the prince didn’t realize that accepting her as his maid would draw a firm line between them," Ban said softly, his voice tinged with regret.
He sat down slowly, hands resting on his knees, eyes distant.
"So the prince ended his incognito journey and returned to the empire, bringing the maid with him. At first, the Emperor and Empress were shocked. Their little genius son had brought home a mortal girl. They assumed he was just playing around."
Ban smiled faintly. "But after hearing his explanation, they accepted her. They offered her a position as the prince’s personal maid."
"Then came the matter of cultivation. After officially becoming the prince’s maid, she couldn’t remain mediocre. She would be constantly seen beside royalty. The Emperor and Empress didn’t want their son to be heartbroken by a fragile, mortal companion. So, as parents, before being rulers, they sought to elevate her talent."
He paused briefly, his smile softening.
"To support their efforts, the previous Emperor, his grandfather — brought out a treasure. One capable of giving mortals a chance at cultivating."
Ban’s tone shifted slightly, taking on a thread of awe.
"But their concerns turned out to be unnecessary. The girl had immense talent — so much so that it bordered on the abnormal. Upon further testing, it was revealed that she possessed the Ancestral Spirit Physique — which is said to appear only once in a generation. A blessing of the ancestors."
Yu Xuan listened in silence, fully absorbed.
"This physique usually awakens within the royal bloodline. When it appears in outsiders, those individuals are often married into the royal family to preserve and honor the bloodline. Anyone who awakens it gains instant prestige."
He gave a short, humorless laugh. "So when it was discovered that the prince’s ’ordinary maid’ possessed this rare physique, the entire royal court erupted in uproar. Whispers turned into shouts. Some even suggested the Emperor and Empress adopt her directly. But... she was stubborn — just like the ancestors who once carried the same spirit."