Watching the Duke of Yu and Kong Qi depart, Jin Li felt utterly exhausted.
She still wasn't cut out to be an empress.
If... once matters in Southern Qian were settled, she wanted to leave this place and go beneath the Ancient Qi Toon Tree... to see Qi Yuan.
If only she could...
"Your Majesty," Aunt Qin whispered into Jin Li's ear, "building the God-Worshiping Platform... was that that person's idea?"
Hearing this, Jin Li hesitated. "Aunt Qin, all of you simply need to carry out what I have instructed."
Aunt Qin fell silent upon hearing that, though a trace of worry flickered in her eyes.
For she had clearly seen the God-Worshiping Platform on the blueprint.
And the Duke of Yu had seen it clearly as well.
Aunt Qin excused herself and departed the palace hall.
Not far away, she spotted the Duke of Yu standing alone, resting his hands against an ash-gray balustrade.
Seeing Aunt Qin, the Duke of Yu said in a clear voice, "Old Madame Qin must have recognized what was depicted on that blueprint."
"Yes," Aunt Qin nodded. "It is the God-Worshiping Platform. Legends say that in ancient times, when Wangyue Continent was unified, there was a Divine Court whose might awed the world.
"By building a God-Worshiping Platform, one could summon the Divine Army to descend.
"Alas... all of that has long since become legend.
"The Divine Court was overthrown long ago. Where would any Divine Army come from now?
"Twenty years ago, when Jing Prefecture of Qing State was besieged by demonic beasts, the prefectural inspector obtained a blueprint of the God-Worshiping Platform and built one... And what came of it?"
Hearing this, the Duke of Yu could only sigh. "I do not know where Her Majesty obtained that blueprint.
"However... is pinning our hopes on the God-Worshiping Platform not just as slender a hope as expecting Her Majesty to escape the imperial city safe and sound?"
Evidently, the Duke of Yu did not believe this God-Worshiping Platform could truly summon any Divine Army either.
Aunt Qin's expression turned somber. "We do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate!"
...
"Building a God-Worshiping Platform? What a joke!"
When Sima Ting received the news, mockery flashed in his eyes.
The sovereign of the demon race held a blueprint in hand, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Using the sword of the ancient Divine Court to slay the demons of today—this Empress Jin Li is truly precious."
As a member of the demon race, he was all too familiar with the Divine Court.
Back then, when the demons and humans vied for supremacy, an apex powerhouse emerged among humanity who was revered as the Heavenly God. The Heavenly God established the Divine Court, commanding the Four Divisions.
By erecting a God-Worshiping Platform, the Divine Army could be summoned forth.
In those days, the Divine Court had battered their demon race so thoroughly that they were forced to eke out an existence in the snowbound Frozen Wasteland.
All of this was recorded in the ancestral court of the demon race.
This demon sovereign knew it better than anyone.
"Let her build it. It is nothing more than a deathbed struggle," the sovereign from the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect dismissed unconcernedly.
The demon sovereign narrowed his eyes. "The most crucial task right now is forging the Supreme Sovereign Scepter. Everything else can wait."
"Right, don't forget to keep an eye on Empress Jin Li for Dingtian. Don't let her escape!" added the gaunt sovereign from the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect.
Sima Ting hastily chimed in, "Rest assured, the imperial palace is surrounded on all sides. Empress Jin Li could not escape even if she grew wings!"
"Do not worry. Outside the city, seven sovereigns of my demon race stand guard. She cannot get away," the demon sovereign said dismissively, victory firmly within his grasp.
This time, the demon race had dispatched significant strength, all to forge that supreme sovereign artifact.
Seven sovereigns, accompanied by a host of kings, were more than enough to refine the entire imperial city.
Unfortunately, the civil and military officials in the city who followed Sima Ting were still congratulating one another in high spirits, believing they could legitimately usurp the imperial throne.
Little did they realize that, just like the commoners of the city, they were merely fish on the chopping block waiting to be slaughtered by the demons.
...
"So sleepy."
Qi Yuan woke up feeling completely drained.
Though he had utterly dominated the battle against the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign without suffering a scratch, the mental toll on him had been immense.
With a wave of his hand, a water mirror appeared before him.
Looking into the mirror, Qi Yuan saw that his face was quite pale, as if he had spent himself far too heavily.
"It feels like my body has been completely hollowed out."
"I really want to chug a bottle of Shenbao!"
"Failing that, how about some Liuwei Dihuang pills?"
The strain inside the game was tremendous, but the gains for Qi Yuan were equally enormous.
Especially after reaching Level 90 in the game, the feedback returning to reality made him feel that his cultivation had advanced considerably once again.
Previously, without using his dagger, he had possessed combat strength at the Foundation Establishment level purely through the combat skills and varied techniques honed in the game.
Now, with his cultivation increased, Qi Yuan could suppress an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator relying solely on his own dharmic power, without utilizing any skills or techniques.
This was an astonishing leap in strength.
"A pity the mental drain is still too great. Is it because my divine soul is too weak?" Qi Yuan pondered.
Unfortunately, a cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage could not sense their divine soul at all; only upon reaching Foundation Establishment could one perceive it.
"Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I definitely have to practice some secret art to bolster my divine soul. That way, I can stay in the game a bit longer."
Thinking this, Qi Yuan retrieved a book from his storage bag to read.
He considered himself quite a diligent person.
Yet the moment he started reading the book from his storage bag, a sharp headache struck him.
Clearly, this was the hangover of pulling an all-nighter gaming.
"Reading is out of the question. I need to recuperate properly and get a massage." Qi Yuan felt he truly had to go out and recharge.
Otherwise, dropping dead from overwork would be far too ridiculous.
Qi Yuan ambled out of his thatched hut and saw Jiang Lingsu flipping through something.
She wore an icy-blue gown.
Jiang Lingsu glanced at Qi Yuan, her brows furrowing. "Eldest Senior Brother, has something gone wrong with your cultivation?"
"Nah, just stayed up all night playing games, and my body couldn't take it.
"If I go out and get a massage, I'll probably be fine. Junior Sister, why don't you give me a massage? Senior Brother will pay you... three spirit stones."
"...Get lost!" Hearing Qi Yuan's shameless teasing, the rare bit of concern Jiang Lingsu had mustered was instantly snuffed out.
Qi Yuan chuckled and leisurely made his way down the mountain.
Good thing Junior Sister didn't agree, or he would have wasted three spirit stones.
A proper massage down the mountain didn't even cost spirit stones.
If not for the fact that Junior Sister was filthy rich, he never would have braced himself to offer as much as three spirit stones.
As Qi Yuan walked away, Jiang Lingsu watched her senior brother's retreating back and felt a twinge of self-reproach. Had her tone just now been too harsh?
Qi Yuan went down the mountain and received a strictly proper massage—wholesome through and through.
He also spent a spirit stone to purchase a rich, savory spiritual broth to drink.
After relaxing for the entire day, Qi Yuan finally felt his body recover somewhat.
"My divine soul is still too weak. Unfortunately, cultivation arts or spiritual herbs related to the divine soul are exceedingly rare."
Among the piled archives of the Black Mountain Sect, Qi Yuan had yet to discover any techniques related to the divine soul.
As for spiritual herbs, there were none at all.
Qi Yuan knew that any herbs or treasures pertaining to the divine soul were exceptionally precious.
Word had it that advancing from the Divine Infant stage into the Purple Mansion realm placed very high demands on the divine soul.
Consequently, almost all herbs or methods concerning the divine soul were monopolized by those Divine Infant old monsters.
Never mind Qi Yuan being merely at Qi Refinement; even at Foundation Establishment or Origin Core, obtaining herbs that could enhance the divine soul was exceedingly difficult.
"Still, no big deal. Once I succeed in Foundation Establishment, I can look into strengthening my divine soul."
Qi Yuan's eyes could see hidden information.
This was an ability he had gained after entering the game and stepping into Qi Refinement.
Once he broke through to Foundation Establishment, who knew what new ability he might unlock?
Qi Yuan was in no rush.
He returned to Seven Colors Peak, intending to continue resting until he had fully recovered before logging back into the game.
Passing by the large tree halfway up the mountain, Qi Yuan paused once more.
He looked down at his feet.
[This is a somewhat uncommon blade of grass; it has caught the scent of the Moon once more.]
Qi Yuan looked up at the sky. "The scent of the Moon? What is that?"
Lowering his head to look at the blade of grass, he said to it, "When I see you tomorrow, will I see that you've caught the scent of Qi Yuan?"
He felt like finding someone without diabetes to piss on this uncommon blade of grass and wake it right up.
Then he'd ask it: how on earth did you go from ordinary to uncommon?
He wanted to become uncommon too.
Chapter 51