The Wangyue Continent was vast beyond measure.
The human race and the demon race stood as rivals on equal footing.
Among humanity, more than a dozen nations, large and small, dotted the land.
Humans and demons were the two mightiest forces across the Wangyue Continent.
Yet looming above both was an even more terrifying presence.
It was not a race, but rather the legendary Four Forbidden Grounds and One Absolute Land.
The Four Great Forbidden Grounds were exceedingly eerie and fraught with peril.
Even a demon Sovereign dared not step into them rashly, lest they risk death and the obliteration of their cultivation.
The Absolute Land was more dreadful still, known as Tianjue.
Even if a Sovereign entered, they faced certain death with no hope of survival.
Dangerous though they were, anyone who managed to enter the Four Forbidden Grounds and One Absolute Land and return alive would reap immense fortunes.
The Four Great Forbidden Grounds were carpeted with spirit herbs and laden with countless heavenly treasures.
Rumor had it that an Ascension Platform rested within Tianjue; anyone who scaled it could ascend to the legendary Immortal Realm.
The Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground was one such renowned forbidden zone. Located within the borders of Southern Qian, it lay less than a thousand li from the Southern Qian imperial capital.
Unlike the other forbidden grounds, the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground was said to have formed from the burial mound of a supreme powerhouse.
Its perimeter was sealed by a supreme ward, rendering even Sovereign-level experts unable to force their way inside.
And now, Qi Yuan was claiming that he had been grinding mobs in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground all this time?
How could that be possible!
Jin Li's immediate reaction was that Qi Yuan was pulling her leg.
Even so, she probed cautiously, "You aren't being serious, are you?"
"Why would I lie to you? I've been waiting to invite you to team up. Running dungeons solo is way too boring."
Jin Li still found it hard to believe.
"There are quite a lot of monsters in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground," Qi Yuan added. "It took me more than half a year of solo grinding to wipe them all out. I'm exhausted."
Jin Li was left dumbfounded.
Were the monsters in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground merely "quite a lot"?
They were not just numerous; they were terrifyingly strong.
The Wangyue Continent had seen ten thousand years of shifting tides and countless prodigies, yet across all those eras, not a single one had ever conquered any forbidden ground.
To clear out the entire Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground—what kind of strength would that take?
Not even a Supreme Sovereign could pull off such a feat.
"Then what's your cultivation realm? Are you a Sovereign?" Jin Li asked timidly.
"A Sovereign? What's that?
"Right now, I'm level 82."
"Level 82?" Jin Li was perplexed.
Still, she knew Qi Yuan always spoke strangely.
For instance, he had once mentioned wanting to ride a spaceship to visit the stars in the sky, only to worry about dying on a star because there was no oxygen.
How distant were the celestial stars?
According to ancient records, the universe held innumerable human and immortal realms.
Yet every realm shared the exact same starry sky.
It was said that the stars were mere reflections projected across the cosmos by supreme beings, not physical entities.
Reaching the stars was pure fantasy.
It was completely par for the course for Qi Yuan to utter strange things.
After a moment of thought, she asked, "How strong are the monsters in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground?"
"The strongest one there is a Mad Brush.
"It's exceptionally underhanded. It loves turning into a writing brush at night and ambushing people with no sense of martial honor.
"Because of that thing, every time I logged off to go AFK, I had to dig a hole and bury myself.
"As for its strength... barely seventy-something, I guess."
"Mad Brush? Level seventy?" Jin Li murmured.
If what Qi Yuan said was true, then level seventy would correspond to the Sovereign realm—or perhaps even a Supreme Sovereign.
Yet across the entirety of Southern Qian, Sovereigns could be counted on one hand—a mere two or three.
"Rumor says there is a ward outside the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground, and not even Sovereigns can enter," Jin Li noted.
"It's super easy to get in, just like going to a cinema. Carry a ladder on your back, and in you go. The beasts inside won't attack you either," Qi Yuan said. "Anyway, I've already cleared the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground dungeon.
"All right, that's enough for now. I've arrived at the Robe and Crown Forbidden Ground. Let's chat next time."
With that, Qi Yuan cut the connection.
Sitting in her bath, Jin Li felt a sudden pang of loss.
Their conversation had been hurried, with few words exchanged.
*The Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground and the Robe and Crown Forbidden Ground are separated by a hundred thousand li...*
How could anyone cover that distance in such a short time?
Not even a Supreme Sovereign could do that.
In Jin Li's mind, Qi Yuan's image blurred once more, veiled in mystery.
"Qi Yuan, what kind of person are you really?"
Jin Li murmured softly, though she soon brushed her melancholy aside.
Did it matter what kind of person Qi Yuan was?
At the very least, they were wonderful pen pals and friends who had never met in person.
Finishing her bath, Jin Li dressed herself without assistance.
She disliked being waited on by palace maids; who knew if Chancellor Sima Ting had planted spies among them?
Returning to Fengluan Palace, she took her seat upon the glazed imperial throne, before which lay a thick stack of memorials.
As the night deepened, she picked up the documents and began reviewing them.
Every so often, her delicate brows furrowed as her slender hand penned annotations.
"The war in the south is dire. Even the War Elephant Clan has joined the fray..."
"In three days, the Crown Prince of Southern Feng will arrive at the imperial capital?"
Jin Li rested her forehead in her hand, nursing a headache.
Southern Qian was currently like a plump piece of meat, coveted by predators on all sides.
Jin Li knew all too well what motives the Southern Feng Crown Prince harbored.
Looking down at the memorials, her head throbbed.
Her thoughts drifted back to Qi Yuan. Only when chatting with him could she cast off her royal identity and shed the burdens weighing on her shoulders.
Of course, she also understood that since she enjoyed fine clothes and exquisite food as the Empress of Southern Qian, she had a duty to shoulder the lives of its people.
"Someone come," Jin Li called out, struck by an idea, instructing the maid nearby. "Go to the library and fetch every record concerning the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground."
"Understood." The maid bowed and withdrew, and Jin Li resumed reviewing the memorials.
***
The General's Residence was situated in Qingyi Lane. Back when the Great General was still alive, it had basked in unmatched glory, its gates thronged with visitors.
Now, sparrows could be netted at the doorway for all the traffic it saw.
Tonight, an uninvited guest arrived at the quiet estate.
The man possessed a broad, imposing frame, standing seven feet tall with a full beard. Most striking of all was a slight indentation in the center of his forehead.
He was the powerful chancellor of Southern Qian, Sima Ting!
Looking at the Great General's widow, he spoke slowly. "Madam Qin, are your injuries any better?"
Aunt Qin glared at Sima Ting, fury burning in her eyes. "Sima Ting!"
She shouted his name, her complexion turning even paler.
She knew better than anyone who was responsible for her injuries.
Yet Sima Ting dared to show his face here.
Sima Ting did not lose his temper. Instead, he said calmly, "Madam Qin, the situation is already settled. Why do you remain so stubbornly blind?
"What future is there in following that young girl?"
"You dare show disrespect to Her Majesty!" Aunt Qin fumed.
Had she not been ambushed and gravely wounded, Sima Ting would never have dared speak to her like this, given her strength as a peak King.
Sima Ting cast a dismissive glance at Aunt Qin, contempt flashing in his eyes. "A mere woman—if not for this old man back then, what virtue or talent would have earned her the throne?
"On the very day of her coronation, she managed to trip flat on level ground. That was a sign from Heaven that her virtue did not match her station.
"She has held the reins of Southern Qian for ten years, yet now our nation is plagued by internal unrest and foreign threats. Without this old man, our country would likely have fallen apart long ago.
"She is no longer fit to sit upon that throne."
Hearing this, Aunt Qin felt both furious and profoundly sorrowful.
She had watched Jin Li grow up.
Jin Li had tried so hard. Regrettably, she had never mastered imperial statecraft, never learned to twist the civil and military court around her finger.
She was not an empress versed in sovereign manipulation, but she was without question a diligent monarch who cared deeply for her people.
At times, Aunt Qin had even thought how wonderful it would have been if Jin Li had never become empress, but remained an ordinary princess instead.
Yet having taken hold of the imperial jade seal, there was no retreat, and no choice but to fight.
To yield was to die!
Chapter 9