Chapter 704: Wu Yao

Years ago, King Wu usurped the Zhou Dynasty, leading to its collapse. King Zhou Qing of the Great Zhou, leading his remaining forces, suffered repeated defeats until he was finally driven into the desolate and distant Northern Territory. From then on, the Great Zhou Dynasty, once a formidable power across the vast continent, crumbled. King Wu established the Great Wu Dynasty, replacing it and becoming the continent's preeminent ruling power.

King Wu devised a plan to seize the "Sacred Dragon Fortune" from Zhou Yuan, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou. He then infused it into the male and female twins born to his wife on the same day. As a result, the Great Wu Dynasty was protected by the "Dragon-Phoenix Fortune," which suppressed and stabilized the nation's destiny. In the years that followed, the Great Wu Dynasty's fortune flourished, standing like a radiant sun over the vast continent. Nations paid tribute, and its majestic presence was firmly established.

***

The Great Wu Royal Palace, Rear Garden.

In an open space, several sturdy guards surrounded a small boy dressed in bright yellow. The boy stood with his hands behind his back, an arrogance in his eyes seeming to emanate from his very bones, as if he were a born king. The surrounding guards watched intently, then suddenly charged forward. Their fists and feet cut through the air, leaving faint afterimages as they violently struck at the small boy.

As he watched them attack, a smile, tinged with fierceness, appeared on the boy's lips. He did not retreat; instead, he shot straight forward, diving directly into the midst of the assault. Faint wisps of Genesis Qi swirled around his small fists, which, despite their size, contained immense power.

*Bang! Bang!*

Each time his fist landed on a guard's body, the guard's frame would shake, their chest seemingly collapsing inwards, and a spray of blood mist would erupt. The small boy struck with ruthless force, showing no mercy. By the time he passed through, all the guards were sent flying backwards, tumbling on the ground, covered in blood. This outcome seemed somewhat unexpected.

"Haha, good! Truly worthy of being a dragon of my Wu family!" When the fighting ceased, loud laughter immediately erupted from the stone steps nearby. The surrounding guards and palace maids quickly knelt down. There stood a tall, robust middle-aged man with a smile on his face. His appearance was resolute, his brows exuded an air of majesty, and an oppressive aura emanated from him, causing all to tremble. He was none other than His Majesty, King Wu of the Great Wu Dynasty. And the small boy, whom he called a dragon of the Wu family, was naturally the Crown Prince of the Great Wu Dynasty — Wu Huang.

Beside King Wu, a black-robed elder chuckled, "His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, is truly a genius blessed by the heavens. He only began cultivating two years ago, yet he has already opened seven meridians. Such speed is unprecedented, truly remarkable through the ages." King Wu nodded with a smile, his gaze upon Wu Huang filled with satisfaction. With such a princely son, why should his Great Wu Dynasty not flourish?

However, as he smiled, his brows furrowed involuntarily when his gaze shifted towards another part of the rear garden. In the flower garden, a small girl in a dress sat cross-legged. In her arms, she seemed to be cradling a small bird with an injured leg, which she was carefully bandaging. Although the girl was still very young, her small face already showed the contours of an unparalleled beauty. Her fair skin, like white jade, shimmered in the sunlight. The little girl's name was Wu Yao, the young princess of the Great Wu Dynasty.

King Wu looked at Wu Yao, his brows tightly furrowed. Originally, he had placed great hopes on Wu Yao as well, considering that the Sacred Dragon Fortune of the Great Zhou Crown Prince Zhou Yuan had been absorbed by both Wu Huang and Wu Yao. But over the past few years, Wu Huang had fully awakened and assimilated the Sacred Dragon Fortune. He began cultivating two years ago and had made rapid progress, already opening seven meridians. In contrast, Wu Yao showed no signs of awakening; she had not displayed any difference due to the absorbed Sacred Dragon Fortune. Even her cultivation was quite slow, no different from that of an ordinary person. Clearly, she had not awakened the Sacred Dragon Fortune within her. This made King Wu, who had originally held high hopes for her, feel immensely disappointed.

***

"Could it be that Wu Yao's body is simply not suited for the Sacred Dragon Qi?" King Wu's eyes flickered slightly. He paused in silence, then slowly said, "Tomorrow, Wu Huang and Wu Yao will both turn eight... Go and instruct them to prepare for tomorrow's baptism. I hope this time, Wu Yao will be able to awaken the Sacred Dragon Fortune within her and begin cultivating. Otherwise, this Sacred Dragon Fortune would be a complete waste on her."

King Wu's face was expressionless, appearing somewhat cold. He said indifferently, "If she truly isn't suited for it, then find a way to strip the Sacred Dragon Fortune from her body and infuse it into Wu Huang. Only in this way can Wu Huang fully manifest the Sacred Dragon Fortune, protecting our Great Wu Dynasty for thousands of years."

The black-robed elder beside him was startled upon hearing this. He whispered, "Your Majesty, if the Sacred Dragon Qi is stripped from the little princess, it would likely severely damage her vitality, and she might even be unable to cultivate in the future."

King Wu fell silent for a moment, then gave him an indifferent look. He said, "Even if she cannot cultivate, she will still be a princess of my Great Wu. I would not mistreat her. As a royal daughter, enjoying privilege since childhood, she should naturally contribute something to the Great Wu." The black-robed elder fell silent, looking at the little girl in the flower garden with a sigh in his heart. Everyone in the Great Wu knew that this young princess was gentle and kind-hearted. Unfortunately, in the royal family, kindness was probably the least needed quality. He hoped that tomorrow, the young princess would be able to awaken the Sacred Dragon Fortune within her.

***

As they spoke, Wu Yao's small hands carefully cradled the small bird with the bandaged leg amidst the flowers, a pure, innocent smile on her face.

"Hey, this bird is almost dead. Why bother saving it? Let me roast it and eat it!" Just then, a voice suddenly called out, and a hand reached out, grabbing at the small bird in Wu Yao's hands. Wu Yao was startled and quickly clutched the bird to her chest. The hand struck Wu Yao's arm with considerable force, immediately knocking her to the ground. A pained expression appeared on her small face, and a bruise instantly formed on her arm.

"Wu Huang, you!" She looked angrily at the boy in front of her, who was indeed Wu Huang.

Wu Huang pouted, reaching out to snatch it. "It's just a bird, give it to me quickly." At the same time, he suddenly said with some anger, "Why do you care so much about protecting things like this?" His eyes fixated on the frightened bird in Wu Yao's arms. For some reason, he felt increasingly annoyed, and there was even a hint of murderous intent towards the innocent bird in his eyes. *An insignificant little creature—was it even worthy of her concern? Even when facing him, she had never shown such care, had she?* An indescribable jealousy welled up in his heart. As Wu Huang pulled, Wu Yao desperately held on, but she was no match for his strength. Tears immediately welled up in her narrow eyes out of frustration.

"Wu Huang!" Fortunately, a stern female voice rang out at that moment. A woman in palace attire and a phoenix crown quickly approached, surrounded by palace maids. Her body was frail, her cheeks extremely pale and weak. Supported by the maids, she glared at Wu Huang and said, "You are not to bully Wu Yao!"

Wu Huang could only grunt and withdraw his hand, cupping his fists in a bow. "Mother." Wu Yao quickly got up and hid behind the woman in palace attire with the phoenix crown, saying aggrievedly, "Mother." This phoenix-crowned woman was none other than the current Empress of Great Wu, and the birth mother of both Wu Yao and Wu Huang.

The Empress dotingly stroked Wu Yao's small head, then looked at Wu Huang and said sternly, "Haven't I told you not to bully Wu Yao just because you're stronger? Apologize to her immediately."

Upon hearing this, Wu Huang immediately lifted his head and retorted defiantly, "She's just too weak."

"You!" The Empress glared.

"Heh heh, alright, alright, it's just children playing. Empress, why take it so seriously?" Laughter came from behind, and King Wu strode over, smiling at the Empress. "As for you, don't run around when you're not feeling well. Get some proper rest."

Seeing King Wu so protective of Wu Huang, the Empress gave a helpless smile and coughed violently several times. A wave of weakness emanated from within her. This was a lingering side effect from when King Wu had used means to force her to delay childbirth by three years.

King Wu patted Wu Huang's shoulder, then looked at Wu Yao, who was hiding behind the Empress. His smile faded slightly, and he said, "Wu Yao, tomorrow is your eighth birthday baptism. This time, you *must* awaken the Sacred Dragon Fortune within you. You absolutely cannot fail again, do you understand?" His voice was quite stern, causing Wu Yao to shiver slightly. After speaking, King Wu no longer lingered. He took Wu Huang's hand, turned, and left, not sparing Wu Yao another glance.

***

The Empress watched King Wu's departing figure, then fell into another violent coughing fit. The palace maids beside her quickly rushed to support her.

"Mother, are you alright?" Wu Yao tugged at the Empress's robe, her small face filled with worry.

The Empress gave her an affectionate smile, knelt down, touched her small face, and sighed softly. "Yao'er, you must succeed in tomorrow's baptism, or what will become of you later?" As his wife, she knew King Wu all too well. As someone who prioritized utility above all else, he was capable of doing anything for the Great Wu. Back then, he had gone to great lengths to seize the Sacred Dragon Fortune from the Great Zhou Crown Prince and infuse it into Wu Yao and Wu Huang respectively. Now, Wu Yao showed no signs of awakening it, and clearly, King Wu would not stand by and allow her to waste that Sacred Dragon Fortune.

Wu Yao hugged the Empress's arm and said, "Mother, don't worry. From now on, when I see Wu Huang, I'll just hide from him. Besides, don't I still have you?"

The Empress gave a bitter smile. Looking at the innocent and kind Wu Yao, her eyes reddened slightly. *Yao'er, I just fear Mother won't have much time to watch you grow up.* "Yao'er, promise Mother that you will awaken soon... In this world, only with your own strength can you avoid being bullied. Mother hopes you can protect yourself well." The Empress looked at Wu Yao and said. Seeing the Empress's serious gaze, Wu Yao dared not act childishly anymore. She nodded her small head, seemingly understanding, and said, "Mother, I understand!"

The Empress then smiled slightly, contentedly stroking Wu Yao's small head. Then she looked up, her brows furrowed as she watched King Wu's retreating figure. King Wu's earlier words had made her feel a hint of unease. *She hoped... it was just her imagination.*

***

The next day.

The Great Wu Royal Palace, inside a deep hall. In the hall, there were two pools of water. Currently, the water in them was boiling, a dark red hue, emitting a subtle fragrance. It was refined from numerous precious cultivation materials.

Beside the two pools, King Wu stood with his hands behind his back. Before him, Wu Huang and Wu Yao were both dressed in simple garments. However, their gazes towards the boiling pools in front of them were distinctly different. Wu Huang's was fervent and eager, while Wu Yao appeared somewhat fearful.

"Wu Huang, Wu Yao, prepare to descend," King Wu said in a low voice. "These two pools have consumed many precious cultivation materials; they are most suitable for baptism."

"Yes!" Wu Huang excitedly replied, then unhesitatingly splashed into the pool. The boiling water made him wince, but he quickly sat cross-legged within it, beginning to absorb the pure Genesis Qi it contained.

Wu Yao, however, hesitated, her large eyes looking pleadingly at the Empress behind King Wu. The Empress, too, looked pained, but seeing King Wu's expressionless face before her, she could only sigh inwardly and shake her head at Wu Yao. Seeing this, Wu Yao could only bite her lip, her large eyes misting over. Then, gritting her teeth, she stepped by step into the boiling pool. Immediately, her small face became scalding hot, and her entire jade-like skin turned crimson. Yet, in the end, she forced herself to endure and sat cross-legged in the pool. The hall grew quiet. King Wu's slightly tense gaze constantly shifted back and forth between Wu Huang and Wu Yao.

***

This quiet lasted for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Suddenly, a low, muffled roar echoed from Wu Huang's pool. Waves churned, and fluctuations of Genesis Qi emanated from within Wu Huang's body. His physique seemed to have grown stronger in that moment.

"Eight meridians opened!" King Wu was overjoyed at this sight and burst into laughter, looking up. "Good, good! Truly worthy of being a dragon of my Wu family! He opened eight meridians in less than two years!" Such speed was indeed remarkable.

King Wu's face was full of joy, but when his gaze turned to Wu Yao's pool, his smile froze. He saw Wu Yao still sitting cross-legged, yet there were no fluctuations of Genesis Qi from her. It seemed Wu Yao was utterly unable to absorb the pure Genesis Qi filling the pool.

As time passed, the boiling in the pool gradually cooled, and the pure Genesis Qi within it dissipated. Wu Yao sat cross-legged inside, the bone-chilling cold water making her shiver.

"Father... Father King, c-can I come out now?" Wu Yao's teeth chattered as she spoke tremblingly. The Empress beside her also quickly looked at King Wu.

King Wu's face was clouded with gloom. His gaze towards Wu Yao seemed filled with extreme disappointment. In the end, he said nothing, simply waved his sleeve, and turned away coldly. Clearly, in this baptism, Wu Yao still had not awakened the Sacred Dragon Fortune.

In the pool, the little girl, soaking wet and cold, watched King Wu's departing back. The look of disappointment and coldness in his eyes as he left made her already icy body feel even colder.

"Yao'er, come out quickly!" Only the Empress was there, holding a thick blanket, speaking with a pained heart.

Wu Yao rose from the pool, her spirits low, allowing the Empress to dry her. She whispered, "Mother, Father King seems very disappointed in me..." The Empress's hand stiffened. She forced a smile and said, "Yao'er, don't overthink it. Your Father King is just anxious, he's not disappointed in you." Wu Yao nodded softly at her words, but her expression still clearly showed some dejection.

***

Outside the hall.

King Wu walked out with a somber expression, a black-robed elder following beside him. King Wu, with his hands clasped behind his back, remained silent for a long time, then slowly said, "Begin preparations. Tonight, we will strip the Sacred Dragon Qi from Wu Yao's body and completely infuse it into Wu Huang. Since she cannot awaken the Sacred Dragon Fortune, we cannot allow her to continue wasting it."

The black-robed elder's body trembled slightly. In the end, he said nothing more, merely nodding softly. "Yes!"

***

*Boom!*

Above the capital of Great Wu, storm clouds gathered, and the rumbling of dark thunder echoed throughout the city. The entire world seemed exceedingly oppressive.

Along a corridor in the royal palace, King Wu walked slowly, with Wu Huang following closely beside him.

"Father King, where are we going?" Wu Huang looked around, asking with some confusion.

King Wu gazed forward. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Wu Huang, you bear the Sacred Dragon Fortune; you are a born king. In the future, you will surely soar through the nine heavens, worshipped by thousands."

Wu Huang smiled. "Father King, I'm not surprised by that." His words were filled with strong confidence and arrogance. Ever since he was old enough to understand, he had been admired by countless people. No matter what he did, his achievements garnered widespread awe. Those reverent gazes had long since made him aware of his extraordinary nature.

King Wu also smiled and said again, "However, you only possess half of the Sacred Dragon Fortune. The other half is within Wu Yao. Today, I intend to bestow that half of the Sacred Dragon Fortune from her body upon you."

Wu Huang was stunned, showing a rare hesitation. "Father King, you want to strip the Sacred Dragon Fortune from Wu Yao? Will that harm her?" Though Wu Huang was young, his temperament far surpassed that of his peers.

King Wu calmly said, "Perhaps a minor issue, but it won't be life-threatening." Upon hearing this, a hint of struggle appeared in Wu Huang's eyes.

King Wu looked at Wu Huang and slowly said, "Wu Huang, do you think you could accept Wu Yao marrying someone in the future?"

Wu Huang abruptly looked up and shook his head decisively. "Who in this world is worthy of Wu Yao?!" Wu Yao was his twin sibling, and in the arrogant Wu Huang's eyes, only their bloodline was the purest. Perhaps because both possessed the Sacred Dragon Fortune, Wu Huang felt an inherent closeness to Wu Yao. However, this closeness had gradually morphed in recent years, evolving into a possessive desire. Thus, whenever Wu Huang saw Wu Yao show concern for trivial matters, he would become extremely annoyed. Because in his opinion, nothing else besides him was worthy of Wu Yao's concern. As for Wu Yao marrying in the future, Wu Huang found that even more impossible to accept.

King Wu's lips curved into a faint smile. He said, "If Wu Yao loses the Sacred Dragon Fortune, she might be unable to cultivate. In the future, she would have to remain in the royal palace, and you could protect her indefinitely. At that time, she would listen to your every word."

Wu Huang lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and finally, he nodded softly. King Wu seeing this, also smiled with satisfaction, patting Wu Huang's head. "Good child."

Outside, the sky was filled with thunderclouds, and lightning echoed. King Wu led Wu Huang through the corridor, finally stopping deep within the royal palace, where an altar stood. On the stone bed at the top of the altar lay a small girl, seemingly unconscious; it was Wu Yao. Beneath the stone bed, countless strange Genesis Runes flickered.

"Lie down," King Wu said, pointing to the stone bed beside Wu Yao. Wu Huang nodded and walked onto the altar. He looked at Wu Yao, who lay quietly on the stone bed, and after a long moment, finally lay down beside her, simultaneously reaching out and taking her cold little hand. "Wu Yao, in this world, we are the only ones who truly belong together..." he whispered.

King Wu watched this scene, slowly raising both palms. The Genesis Qi from the heavens and earth rapidly converged, and countless strange Genesis Runes on the altar began to flash. The Genesis Runes, as if alive, began to writhe, gradually climbing up and covering the bodies of both Wu Yao and Wu Huang. The Genesis Runes, like awls, pierced Wu Yao's body, causing a pained expression to appear on her small face even in her unconscious state. Within her, a crimson thread seemed to begin writhing, flowing from where her hand touched Wu Huang's and surging towards his body. Between heaven and earth, a faint, almost imperceptible dragon's roar seemed to sound.

King Wu's expression was solemn as he controlled the altar, not daring to be distracted. His eyes, however, glowed with fervent zeal. If today succeeded, Wu Huang would monopolize the fortune, and his future achievements would surely be immeasurable. Only then would their Great Wu Dynasty stand unshaken for ten thousand years.

***

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?!" Just as King Wu was concentrating on controlling the altar, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

King Wu frowned and swept his gaze, seeing the Empress approaching quickly, her face pale. "Empress, what happens here is none of your concern. Go and rest," King Wu said indifferently after a brief glance.

The Empress, however, stared intensely at the two figures on the altar, crying out miserably, "You, you actually intend to harm Wu Yao?! Your Majesty, are you truly so heartless?!"

King Wu said indifferently, "It's merely stripping the Sacred Dragon Fortune from Wu Yao's body. At most, it will prevent her from cultivating in the future. It won't harm her life."

The Empress gave a tragic laugh. "In your eyes, is everyone merely a tool to be used? Years ago, you went to great lengths to make me delay childbirth by three years, all for your scheme. Do you know how severely my vitality was damaged afterward? Do you know how much longer I have to live? Yet, even so, I don't blame you. As long as I could give birth to Wu Yao and Wu Huang, I could endure even sacrificing my life. But why, why must you treat Yao'er so cruelly?!"

The Empress lunged at King Wu, tears streaming down her face. "Let Yao'er go! I beg you!" She grabbed King Wu's arm. King Wu was fully concentrating on controlling the altar. Disturbed by her, he couldn't maintain his focus and immediately said in a furious tone, "Get lost!" A burst of Genesis Qi erupted from his body. The Empress, who had never cultivated and was physically weak, could not withstand his Genesis Qi impact. She was immediately sent flying backward, her head striking a stone pillar, and blood streamed out.

"Empress?" King Wu was also startled at the sight and wanted to go and help her up, but the altar ritual was at a critical moment. He could only stamp his foot and ruthlessly avert his gaze.

The Empress slowly collapsed down the stone pillar, blood pouring from her face, gradually obscuring her vision. She weakly stretched out her hand towards the altar, seemingly wanting to pull the small figures down, but in the end, her hand fell limply. Her vision faded into darkness.

*Yao'er, Mother couldn't protect you... I'm truly sorry. Perhaps she shouldn't have agreed to King Wu's demands back then. If she hadn't delayed giving birth to the two for three years, perhaps all this animosity wouldn't have come to pass. This... this might be karma...*

***

*Boom!*

Between heaven and earth, thunder roared, and lightning, like a gigantic python, coiled menacingly in the sky.

On the altar, Wu Yao's tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open. She sat upright from the stone bed, seemingly sensing something, and looked towards the foot of the altar. In the pool of blood next to the stone pillar, the Empress's body was growing cold.

King Wu was startled by this sight, not expecting Wu Yao to awaken at this moment.

"M-Mother?" Wu Yao's voice trembled as she said this, then she climbed down from the stone bed.

"Wu Yao?" Wu Huang also got up, grabbing Wu Yao's small hand tightly, trying to stop her.

However, just as Wu Huang blocked Wu Yao, an extremely powerful surge of Genesis Qi suddenly erupted from within her. Wu Yao threw a punch. That single punch sent Wu Huang flying backward, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. He gazed in horror at Wu Yao, whose long hair was slowly moving without wind. The power of that punch far surpassed his own, and the Genesis Qi emanating from her was even more profound than his!

"Get lost," Wu Yao mumbled, then stumbled off the altar, walking towards the Empress in the pool of blood.

King Wu also stared blankly at Wu Yao in that moment. After a while, a look of wild ecstasy appeared in his eyes. "It's all nine meridians opened at once!" "Wu Yao, you've finally awakened the Sacred Dragon Fortune!"

Unaware of King Wu's ecstatic gaze, Wu Yao came to the Empress's body, slowly knelt, and with great effort, extended her small hands to embrace her.

*Boom!*

Thunder sliced through the night sky. A torrential downpour began at that moment, and a curtain of rain enveloped the world.

Wu Yao held the Empress's body, her small frame trembling. Finally, she could no longer hold back and looked up, her pale face streaked with tears. Heart-wrenching sobs echoed through the curtain of rain.

"Mother!""Mother, please wake up!""It's Yao'er, please wake up, alright?!""Yao'er will listen to your every word!"

As Wu Yao let out her heart-wrenching cries, she did not see the flames rising behind her, and within the flames, a fire phoenix gradually emerged.

***

The Empress had died, and Great Wu mourned.

Before a tall mausoleum, Wu Yao, dressed in a small white mourning gown, knelt silently. She took paper money and, with a numb expression, tossed it into the flames. Sometimes the fire scorched her hands, but she remained unaffected. Behind her, many palace maids also knelt.

After an unknown period of kneeling, a flicker of life finally appeared in Wu Yao's previously expressionless eyes. Her small face was extremely cold; her former innocent smile seemed to have been extinguished in the torrential rain of that day. Looking at Wu Yao, who exuded an aura of cold indifference, the surrounding palace maids trembled. They felt that the young princess now seemed different from before...

Wu Yao slowly raised her head and looked towards the Great Wu Royal Palace. Although it was her mother's mourning period, she knew that celebrations were still ongoing within the palace, celebrating her awakening of fortune and the promise that Great Wu would flourish eternally from then on. *How ironic.*

Wu Yao's small lips twitched slightly. The paper money in her hand burned, and she raised it before her eyes. In her pair of narrow phoenix eyes, flames seemed to burn. This detestable royal palace, these detestable cities and people, and this detestable so-called Sacred Dragon Fortune...

*Mother, you were right. In this world, only by holding power in one's own hands can one prevent others from harming you... If that's the case, then from now on, I will become the strongest person in this world. Mother, I know you never truly liked this royal palace... Perhaps you didn't even like this Great Wu Dynasty... If that's the case... If I get the chance in the future, I will use them to light fireworks in your honor as a tribute...*

Wu Yao's eyes slowly closed. And when they opened again, the kindness and innocence that once filled them were gradually replaced by a cold, merciless frost.

From this day forward—I am the new Wu Yao!In the future, the strongest person in this world!