Chapter 17: The Pei Family
Zhou Yunxing approached Ying Tong and, under the gaze of the crowd, bowed and said, “I owe today’s success to none other than the Venerable Yunhuang.”
As soon as the words fell, nearly everyone’s eyes turned to Ying Tong.
Among these gazes, there was shock, surprise, and even resentment.
At this moment, everyone finally understood. No wonder Zhou Yunxing had been able to rise from an overlooked prince to crown prince, and now to the throne— it was all because the Ying family had been supporting him behind the scenes.
It all made sense. Since it was the Ying family, everything fell into place.
On the other side, Prime Minister Ying instantly became the center of attention.
As the leader of all officials, Prime Minister Ying stood at the front, calmly accepting their gazes.
No one knew better than him whether the Ying family had helped or not, but at this point, no matter what he said, no one would believe him. He might as well let them misunderstand—it wouldn’t cost him anything.
Among all the people present, the most sullen gaze came from the Shen family officials.
After all, the Shen family had worked hard for so long, all with the aim of ensuring that the next emperor of the Zhou dynasty would have Shen family blood. Yet in the end, a prince they had never valued had snatched the prize from them.
“Prime Minister Ying usually seems indifferent and unconcerned, focusing solely on the Zhou dynasty. I never expected such boldness behind the scenes. I must admit, I admire you,” General Shen said sarcastically.
Prime Minister Ying smiled gently, appearing harmless, and replied, “You flatter me, General Shen. We each serve our own masters, that’s all.”
Upon hearing this, General Shen was visibly stunned.
“Serve your own master?”
General Shen gave Prime Minister Ying a deep look. “I didn’t expect you to be the one hiding the deepest.”
General Shen had done everything for the sake of the Shen family’s control over the Zhou dynasty. But as for Prime Minister Ying, why had he acted this way?
Prime Minister Ying maintained a smiling face, but inwardly, he was complaining, ‘You didn’t expect it? As if I saw it coming.’
As for who could become emperor, Prime Minister Ying didn’t care much. Before Zhou Yunxing became crown prince, he, like everyone else, had only seen the Ninth Prince as someone insignificant.
…
After the enthronement ceremony ended, Ying Tong and Prime Minister Ying did not leave with the others.
“I’ve just received word,” Zhou Yunxing said, “Two mysterious youths suddenly appeared in the Jinghong Secret Realm. It’s unclear what they did, but they seem to have triggered the realm’s restrictions. The ancient secret realm hidden behind it might open sooner than expected.”
“Two mysterious youths?”
Upon hearing this, Ying Tong immediately thought of Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan.
Zhou Yunxing nodded. “According to the reports, the two had extraordinary bearing and cultivation, not like ordinary wanderers. They are likely disciples of a prominent family out for training.”
“It was likely their first time entering the Jinghong Secret Realm. Unfamiliar with its restrictions, they accidentally caused this disturbance.”
By this point, Ying Tong was 80% sure that the two Zhou Yunxing mentioned were indeed Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan.
Using a mental connection, Ying Tong contacted Bi Luo. “How are the two of them?”
Far away, Bi Luo looked at the two, who were in ragged clothes and appeared like beggars, and replied with two words, “Still alive.”
Hearing this, Ying Tong breathed a sigh of relief. Still alive is good enough.
“What’s the situation? Will it affect the later plans?”
Bi Luo examined the two. Although they looked a bit disheveled, they were not actually injured. They had just been caught in the sudden surge from the Jinghong Secret Realm and fell unconscious.
From Ying Tong, Bi Luo already knew that this Jinghong Secret Realm was no simple place.
After days of observation, Bi Luo had indeed noticed a few clues.
One had to admit, those who created this setup had reached an extraordinary level in the study of formations. They were able to conceal the ancient relic so well that, without knowing the answer beforehand, no one would have ever discovered it. The so-called Jinghong Secret Realm was merely a stone blocking the entrance.
“It won’t affect anything.”
Ying Tong sighed in relief once again, and then began asking for more details about what had happened.
“Half a day ago, two strange individuals suddenly appeared at the Jinghong Secret Realm. Somehow, they triggered the realm’s restrictions, causing many people to be affected.”
Bi Luo briefly explained the events.
What surprised Ying Tong was that this incident had not been caused by Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan, but by two other individuals.
“Can you confirm their identities?”
“No, but I smelled the scent of Pei family bloodline on them. However, both were covered in a lot of blood, so I can’t be certain if the scent belonged to them or if it came from the blood they were stained with.”
…
After setting a plan to head to the Jinghong Secret Realm the next day, Ying Tong and Prime Minister Ying returned to the Prime Minister’s residence.
On the way, Ying Tong kept pondering what Bi Luo had said.
The Pei family?
Ying Tong sifted through her memory for information about the Pei family.
The Pei family was one of the rare bloodline-inheriting families in the Cangqiong Realm. Their bloodline inheritance, known as the Eye of the Spirit Treasure, granted those who awakened it eyes that shone like gemstones, enabling them to easily see through the surface of any object. When cultivated to its peak, illusions and formations became useless before them.
Could it be that they too had noticed something unusual about the Jinghong Secret Realm?
Ying Tong believed this was highly likely.
Upon returning to the Prime Minister’s residence, Ying Tong saw the two individuals who had been brought back by Ye Ying.
Ying Li—no, since she had been lost and not yet found, her name should now be Lizi.
Although she had been given a new set of clothes, long-term malnutrition had left her body exceptionally frail, her cheeks sunken, her hair dry and yellow, and her bones clearly visible. Her large, watery eyes were now filled with vigilance and fear, resembling a frightened little kitten.
Who would have thought that such a delicate girl, who seemed like she could be blown away by the wind, would one day become a powerful empress and a tyrant capable of killing without a second thought?
Speaking of which, it seemed that Ying Li would be the one to declare herself empress in the Eastern State continent, and there was only one major dynasty there—the Zhou Dynasty.
This meant that either Ying Li would usurp the throne of the Zhou Dynasty, or she would annihilate it.
However, at that moment, the tyrant was still just a pitiful little girl suffering from malnutrition.
Ying Tong revealed a kind smile, trying to speak gently, “Don’t be afraid; I’m not a bad person.”
As the Phoenix Sovereign, when Ying Tong offered goodwill to someone, unless their cultivation surpassed hers, no one could resist it—let alone a little girl.
Sensing the aura emanating from Ying Tong, Ying Li gradually calmed down and mustered her courage to ask, “Who are you, and why did you bring me here?”
