Chapter 8: Banyan Tree and Sunset

"Three years ago, it was the Grand Sacrifice Ceremony of the Zhao Kingdom, an event held once every ten years."

On the South Continent, there were dozens of large and small nations. Although friction occasionally arose between them, none was powerful enough to conquer the entire continent.

The Zhao Kingdom, while significantly smaller than the Rong and Jin Kingdoms, was by no means weak.

A hundred years ago, legend had it that an immortal opened up the wilderness, assisting the Zhao Kingdom in constructing its capital amidst wild mountains. These mountains then served as natural strongholds, and tales of immortals building straw huts to cultivate there became a hidden source of reliance for Zhao.

At that Grand Sacrifice Ceremony three years ago, envoys from all nations were present. The South Continent was not peaceful then; the Rong and Jin Kingdoms were in fierce contention, and as Zhao's territory bordered both, its stance was particularly difficult.

Among the Rong Kingdom's delegation on that occasion was their Second Prince.

Among the young princes of various nations, the Second Prince of Rong was considered the most exceptionally gifted. He successfully awakened to cultivation at the age of seven, and it was rumored that a great immortal master from the mountains had already designated him as a direct disciple. This diplomatic mission was his final journey in the human world before ascending the mountain to pursue spiritual cultivation.

"Why was Zhao Kingdom chosen?" Ning Changjiu asked, listening to her narration.

The woman smiled. "Because it was rumored that there was a girl in the Zhao Kingdom, even younger and more talented than him. She was, moreover, the daughter of a divine child."

"Zhao Xiang'er?" Ning Changjiu inquired.

"Yes," the woman replied. "He came to Zhao to meet that Zhao Xiang'er."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Was she really that powerful?"

The woman explained, "In fact, before that, no one had ever seen Miss fight. At that time, Miss was still... a wild child. We most often saw her in the wild woods and on rooftops, and her clothes were always dirty. Looking back now, it was likely a rumor deliberately spread by the Jin Kingdom to provoke the Second Prince of Rong and instigate a fight between them. After all, Miss was nominally the daughter of a divine child, and losing to the Rong Prince would certainly cause a loss of face."

"So, did they meet?" Ning Changjiu asked.

The woman nodded. "At the time, Miss was sitting under a large banyan tree, watching the sunset. The Second Prince stumbled upon her by chance, unaware that she was the very person he was seeking."

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly. "That sounds a bit like a story. What happened next?"

The woman's lips curved slightly, her gaze briefly unfocused as she recalled, "Then, the Second Prince became utterly infatuated and captivated. He intended, after a match with the girl named Zhao Xiang'er, to propose a marriage contract and marry this fleeting glimpse of a young girl."

Ning Changjiu chuckled.

The woman couldn't help but laugh as well. "Miss, always uninterested in worldly affairs, naturally knew nothing of this. The next day, the Second Prince arrived to challenge her, injuring many guards outside the hall. Then, Miss ran out, hands on her hips, shouting angrily, pointing at the Second Prince and demanding, 'Are you the one causing trouble?'"

"The Second Prince was also stunned. He had never imagined that the little girl he had seen briefly was the legendary young princess living secluded in the Qianyu Hall. He immediately stopped his actions, intending to express his intentions, but Miss said not a word and simply launched into a furious attack."

At this point, the woman seemed lost in her memories, forgetting about the small hairpin in front of her nose, and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Finding it amusing, Ning Changjiu asked, "And then?"

"What happened next was quite simple. Initially, it was just a duel between the Second Prince and Miss, but in less than ten moves, all of the Second Prince's accompanying masters were forced to join in... I had never seen Miss like that. She was like lightning streaking through dark clouds, dazzling and terrifying. No one at that time could have imagined that she was a thirteen-year-old girl."

"Ultimately, the Second Prince, along with his seven accompanying experts, were injured and defeated. His shadow guard even had to expose himself to stop Miss's subsequent attacks. That shadow guard was a direct disciple of the Rong Kingdom's Sword Saint, but in that battle, his sword sheath was shattered into pieces by Miss."

"That day, the stone steps in front of Qianyu Hall were completely shattered. Miss stood there, half-covered in blood, showing no joy of victory, only bewilderment on her face. Then she spoke a single indifferent sentence before turning and returning to the palace. From that day on, we never saw that wild, erratic girl again. When we occasionally saw her, she was always impeccably dressed, quiet, and elegant, just like a true young lady."

Ning Changjiu listened quietly, then asked, "What did she say?"

***

At the Grand Tutor's Residence.

Only a few candles cast a mournful light. The wooden doors and tables were all dark, solid, and heavy, making the entire room feel like a dying lantern. Even the pine and crane imagery on the screen lacked ethereal grace, instead conveying the oppression of one imprisoned.

A girl in a white dress sat before a solid, square wooden table, looking at the old man with temples streaked with white and simply dressed.

"Teacher, it's time for your medicine," she said.

The girl's lips curved into a smile, and the small yellow flower tucked into her sleeve was both serene and vibrant.

She handed over a bowl of thick herbal soup.

The old man's expression trembled as he looked at the medicine.

"Xiang'er... why has it come to this?"

Zhao Xiang'er's expression was calm. "I'm afraid you'll cause trouble, so I must watch you."

The old man gave a bitter smile. "You are my only student in my entire life; how could I possibly harm you?"

Zhao Xiang'er asked, "Then why did you stand by and do nothing twenty days ago?"

The old man sighed helplessly, "Such is the tide of events; what could an old man like me do?"

"Again with the 'tide of events'!" Zhao Xiang'er sneered. "Without my mother, you would never have become the Grand Tutor. You committed such an act of treason, and even now you show no remorse?"

The old man shook his head. "I am, after all, the Grand Tutor of Zhao Kingdom, bearing the fate of Zhao. I naturally wished to save the Empress, but I absolutely could not stand by and watch the reign of Zhao be broken entirely!"

Zhao Xiang'er stated, "It's already almost broken."

The old man slammed his hand on the table, furious. "If it weren't for what happened three years ago, would the Zhao Kingdom be in this situation now?"

Three years prior, Zhao Xiang'er had single-handedly fought eight opponents, shattering the Rong Kingdom's sword disciple's sheath and utterly devastating the Rong Second Prince's spiritual cultivation.

Since then, diplomatic ties between Rong and Zhao had broken, and the Jin Kingdom seized the opportunity to wage war against Zhao.

"You destroyed Zhao Kingdom!" The old man's clenched fists trembled continuously.

Zhao Xiang'er gently shook her head. "You'll never understand. Zhao Kingdom, with my mother in it, is the true Zhao Kingdom. Otherwise, Zhao would have perished ten years ago when the late Emperor passed away."

She stood up, her posture tall and striking. She looked at the old man, whose face was filled with anger, and smiled faintly.

"I caused the ripple, but you bore the consequence. This is ultimately where I've failed you. But if time were to rewind to three years ago, I would still do the same."

When the old man became the Grand Tutor, it was akin to taking on the fate of the Zhao Kingdom. In just three years, a spirited middle-aged man had been transformed into an old man with partially white hair.

How could he not resent it?

"Why?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Do you truly believe you can kill all those who oppose you, along with the Jin Kingdom's spies and assassins, all by yourself? What's more, from what I know, you are also heavily wounded now!"

Zhao Xiang'er gently shook her head, but her eyes grew even brighter.

"Three years ago, if I had accepted that marriage proposal, it might have bought Zhao Kingdom peace for a decade or more, but it would have been meaningless, and I wouldn't have liked it. Teacher, you bear the fate of Zhao Kingdom; surely you know what kind of burden Zhao has been struggling with with as it moves forward? A hundred years ago, Zhao Kingdom was indeed promised by immortals to be established, but ultimately, there would be a backlash..."

The old man stared at her in astonishment, slowly listening to her words, and then gradually understood. But the more he understood, the more shocked he became.

"Xiang'er... what exactly are you planning to do?!"

Zhao Xiang'er reined in her killing intent and smiled gently. "Teacher, please drink your medicine. After all, we are teacher and student, and I will not kill you..."

She paused, her expression momentarily distant, her voice a soft sigh: "I was watching the sunset from the palace. Why did you have to disturb me?"

"I was watching the sunset from the palace. Why did you have to disturb me?"

This was the question she had posed three years ago in front of Qianyu Hall. At that time, no one answered; only the setting sun, red as blood, seemed to respond.

From that day on, she was revered as "Your Highness."

Now, Qianyu Hall lay in ruins, burned to the ground.

She paid no heed to worldly affairs, yet worldly affairs constantly disturbed her.

"I only hope, Teacher, that you will not be like them."

She made a gesture of invitation towards the old man.

In the flickering candlelight, the old man tremblingly picked up the medicine bowl, gazed at it for a moment, sighed, and drank it all.

It was a medicine to seal the spiritual sea; once consumed, he would be powerless to interfere further.

***

"I was watching the sunset from the palace, huh... Your young lady is indeed extraordinary. What happened after that?"

"Then came twenty days ago, when people besieged Qianyu Palace under the pretext of 'punishing the demoness.' Miss was also ambushed on her way back to the capital, reportedly by the third-ranked assassin from the Jin Kingdom. Fortunately, Miss ultimately returned."

"What was the task your young lady gave you?" Ning Changjiu continued to ask.

The woman's expression hardened. "I can only say this much. Miss and the Empress are the people I respect most in my life; I would never betray Miss. You don't need to try and trick me into talking."

Ning Changjiu said, "You must answer me."

The woman laughed. "You little Taoist priest are truly unreasonable. Why should I answer you?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Because your array isn't finished yet."

The woman's pupils suddenly constricted, and the hand secretly tracing array lines under the brocade quilt involuntarily paused. She stared coldly at Ning Changjiu. "Who exactly are you?"

Ning Changjiu didn't answer, continuing to ask, "Why do you want to kill me? Is it your young lady's instruction?"

The woman sneered, "If the master doesn't say it, the servant should still clean up thoroughly, right, little Taoist priest?"

Ning Changjiu nodded. "There's some truth to that."

The woman asked curiously, "You know about it, so why aren't you trying to stop me?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Let me see your array. I won't disturb you."

This person dared to be so arrogant...

The woman's expression was startled. She felt a sense of absurdity, then sneered, but her hand movements didn't stop for a moment.

Since you're giving me the chance, don't blame me.

Spiritual energy surged between her fingers, the array just a single stroke away from completion. The woman steadied her mind, and as spiritual energy poured in, she made the final stroke.

The woman's back was already drenched with sweat, but her body finally relaxed, feeling utterly refreshed.

The array, drawn with such painstaking effort and a sense of peril, had its final stroke completed with such exhilarating ease.

Beneath the floorboards in the room, a subtle light seemed to seep out. The light was extremely fine and fast, like a cutting blade, illuminating the space around Ning Changjiu as its center. Instantly, an intricate and beautiful small array materialized within the room.

She was confident that this extremely time-consuming and energy-draining array, unless its core could be found, would trap even a Witch Lord for a short time. At this point, whether it was negotiation or assassination, she held absolute control.

At the same time, faint cries for help could be heard from outside the window.

It was Ning Xiaoling's voice.

They had made their move over there too.

"Either show your sincerity, or die."

She would not dither.