Chapter 209: Chapter 140: Ten Years of Plunder, a Day of Full Recovery

"Sixth Sister, this is Lao Jiu. His mother was Lady Consort Ling, who died from complications in childbirth. Unfortunately, Lao Jiu’s Talent is poor—he has no Spirit Root. This angered Father Emperor, so he was thrown into the Imperial Harem."

Before Wang Xiao could reply,

another person slowly approached.

This man had handsome brows and starry eyes, with a dot of Cinnabar on his forehead. He wore a Golden Silk Python Robe, a satin sash inlaid with Pearl Jade around his waist, and his long, jet-black hair was bound beneath a golden crown. He exuded an overwhelming aura of nobility.

As he approached, the surrounding Princes and Princesses subconsciously parted to let him through.

Only Liu Yuzhen stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

This person was none other than the Third Prince, Liu Yongxiao.

Although he was already sixty years old, he looked to be only in his twenties.

His Cultivation was such that he had long since condensed a True Form, and he was a True Disciple of the Vast Immortal Sect.

Liu Yuzhen looked at Wang Xiao and said with a hint of sympathy:

"So that’s what happened. Father Emperor was a bit too harsh back then. How could Lady Consort Ling’s difficult childbirth be blamed on Lao Jiu?"

Liu Yongxiao chuckled.

"Well, it’s his own fault for not having a Spirit Root. To be born into the imperial family with insufficient Talent is, in itself, a sin."

"However, I’ve heard that at the young age of seven, Lao Jiu had already reached the Peak of Body Cultivation. So he’s not entirely useless. He might just be able to make a name for himself in the future."

He paused.

He then continued, "Speaking of which, Lao Jiu, I wonder if you have any interest in coming with me to the Vast Immortal Sect? I happen to be in need of a Sword-Holding Child, and I think you’d be a perfect fit."

At these words,

the expressions of the surrounding Princes and Princesses all shifted.

A "Sword-Holding Child" sounded pleasant, but in reality, it was just a servant to a Cultivator.

Of course,

not just anyone could be such a servant. The minimum requirement was a Martial Artist at the Peak of Body Cultivation or someone with impure Spirit Roots.

However, for the Third Prince to say it so brazenly in front of so many people, it was clearly intended as a humiliation.

Wang Xiao lifted his gaze to look at Liu Yongxiao and replied in a calm tone:

"I have already petitioned Father Emperor to go to the frontier and eliminate the bandits of the Witchcraft Gu Country. I’m afraid I cannot accept your offer, Third Brother."

He had a good idea where Liu Yongxiao’s malice came from.

「Ten years ago.」

Liu Yongxiao’s mother was not yet the Empress. She and Wang Xiao’s mother, Lady Consort Ling, had both vied for the position.

A rift grew between the two because of this.

Furthermore,

it was possible that Liu Yongxiao’s mother had been behind the plot to poison Lady Consort Ling with the Witchcraft Gu Sect’s Poison Technique years ago.

After Liu Yongxiao was promoted to a True Disciple of the Vast Immortal Sect, his mother’s status rose with her son’s, and she was naturally named Empress.

Given this history,

there was no way Liu Yongxiao’s attitude toward Wang Xiao would be good.

Liu Yongxiao said with a chuckle, "Is that so? Well then, Lao Jiu, you’d better be careful. When two nations go to war, there are bound to be Cultivators involved. With your meager strength, if you run into one, it’s certain Death!"

Hearing this, Liu Yuzhen spoke up, "Third Brother, if you’re so worried about Lao Jiu, why not give him a Dharma Artifact for protection?"

Liu Yongxiao shook his head. "Techniques are not to be taught lightly, and the same goes for Dharma Artifacts. Since you’re being so generous, why don’t you give one to Lao Jiu?"

As a Cultivator who had condensed a True Form, he certainly didn’t lack a Dharma Artifact.

However, he had no intention of giving one to a good-for-nothing who couldn’t help him in the slightest.

Liu Yuzhen, however, turned to Wang Xiao:

"Then I’ll give you one. It’s just a Dharma Artifact. Here, Lao Jiu, catch. Consider it my parting gift. I wish you a triumphant victory on your journey."

As she spoke,

she flipped her jade-like hand, produced a thumb ring, and tossed it to Wang Xiao.

The thumb ring pulsed with waves of dense Spiritual Qi, a clear sign that it was quite extraordinary.

Liu Yuzhen explained, "You don’t have any Spiritual Qi, so you can’t activate ordinary Dharma Artifacts. This White Jade Ring, however, can protect its owner on its own. It can block a full-power strike from a Cultivator below the True Form Realm."

Wang Xiao glanced at the ring and saw that it was merely an item of the Spirit Level Seventh Grade.

However,

for Liu Yuzhen, it was likely quite a precious item.

He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Sixth Sister."

"You’re surprisingly generous, giving away a Top Grade Dharma Artifact just like that."

Liu Yongxiao’s lips twitched, but not wanting to embarrass himself further, he flicked his sleeves and left.

The other Princes and Princesses revealed looks of envy.

Even with their precious status, few of them possessed a Dharma Artifact for protection.

To them, a Top Grade Dharma Artifact was a priceless treasure.

Liu Yuzhen seemed to have acted on a whim. Paying Wang Xiao no more mind, she walked away languidly.

In her eyes, Wang Xiao was probably just a pitiful Prince who had been imprisoned for many years, someone who merely stirred her compassion.

’Without a Spirit Root, what’s the use of having high Talent in Body Refining?’

’In the end, the most he could ever do is match a Cultivator at the Spirit Root Realm.’

’Naturally, she wouldn’t bother trying to win him over or befriend him.’

Wang Xiao looked at the White Jade Ring in his hand, his mind already turning to his future cultivation plans.

He had already cultivated to the Third Limit Break.

The subsequent Limit Breaks—Purple Mansion Heaven and Earth, Purple Mansion True Flame, Glazed Jade Body, and so on—would likely take him more than several jiazi cycles to achieve through self-transformation alone.

If Wang Xiao wanted to break through and recover his strength as quickly as possible, he would have to rely on external forces!

’Looks like I’ll have to set my sights on these Immortal Sects,’ Wang Xiao mused. ’I remember that the Witchcraft Gu Country we’re about to attack has several Top Grade Spiritual Ores within its borders. If I can get my hands on the Top Grade Thunder Spirit Stones inside, I might be able to use them to break through directly to the Glazed Jade Body, and perhaps even achieve the Great Daoist Nascent Soul!’

After all,

the Five Viscera Concealed God and Great Daoist Nascent Soul stages that came after the Glazed Jade Body were more of a test of the fusion between the physical body and the Yin Spirit.

The need for external power wasn’t as great.