[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens":3,"chapter-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-155":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 Billion Citizens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2271030,4434,"Chapter 155: Xia Mingyu: Yes, I","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-155",155,"\u003Cp>Just as Dolove was on the verge of snapping and telling the witch to shut up, the emerald gem on her earclip glowed with a faint luminescence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small black-haired figure gradually materialized in projection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the long-awaited prince appear, the girl’s face naturally brightened with joy, but she quickly realized the pale witch was still beside her—this was no time to speak with the prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dolove swiftly composed herself and gave the prince a silent glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the girl’s gaze, Xia Mingyu soon spotted the woman beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman wore a white dress and bare feet, appearing to tread on snow, yet hovering slightly above it, always maintaining a one-inch gap from the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was slender, her skin as pale as snow, with faint blue veins visible beneath, spreading like ice cracks; her ivory-white hair fell to her waist, her entire body nearly devoid of any black, as if formed from condensed snowflakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beautiful, eerie—that was Xia Mingyu’s first impression of the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, this woman who looked like a yuki-onna from Japanese folklore was staring at him with intense curiosity. Wait!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She can see me?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Xia Mingyu could fully register this revelation, a pair of icy hands seized him and yanked him forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my, I never expected to see a fairy in this age—it’s just as adorable as the books describe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale witch hugged the doll-sized Xia Mingyu tightly against her chest, playfully pinching his cheeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The texture wasn’t bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, this wasn’t the time to think about that—she just called him a fairy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the blinding white expanse, Xia Mingyu strained to recall what he’d read about fairies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fairies are humanoid, tiny in stature, dwelling in the Dream World, their bodies existing between reality and illusion, favorites of the God of Night and Sweet Dreams; the most exceptional among them become divine messengers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They feed on the dreams of living beings, typically innocent and romantic, possessing wondrous abilities: Salt Fairies can produce salt, Sword Fairies can summon hundreds of blades for attack, Gold Fairies can turn stones to gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fairies were widespread in the Age of Gods, appearing in myths as heroes’ guides, companions, friends—even wives and daughters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under extremely rare circumstances, fairies form contracts with sentient beings, granting them access to fairy abilities, giving rise to an exceedingly rare profession: the Fairy Tamer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Fairy Tamer who contracts with a combat fairy, such as a Sword Fairy, can easily fight across tiers in early stages—effectively an unbeatable class in the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the Great Cataclysm, fairies vanished, and reports of their appearances grew scarce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After recalling this, Xia Mingyu understood why the woman before him mistook him for a fairy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because his consciousness alone had come here under the Starfire Link, in a sense, his body existed between reality and illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Witch, let go of the prince—let him go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the prince seized and molested by the pale witch, Dolove’s face flushed crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She drew the Lionheart Sword; emerald magical energy erupted from her body, the blade’s tip fixed firmly on the witch’s skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since the prince was held against the witch’s chest, she dared not strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be so angry—I have no intention of harming such a cute child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the sword mere inches from her face, the witch released Xia Mingyu from her chest, cradling him in both hands as she studied him intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can you see me?” Xia Mingyu asked gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, you really can talk, just like the books say!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch let go of Xia Mingyu and clapped her hands in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing the opportunity, Xia Mingyu floated back to Dolove’s side; the girl clasped him tightly, just as the witch had, watching the smiling woman with wary eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though ordinary people rarely see or touch fairies, those with strong minds or high ranks perceive them no differently than ordinary living beings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In fact, if you fill your body with magical energy, even ordinary people can see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doloth smiled as she gazed at the doll-sized black-haired fairy in the girl’s arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little fairy, I answered your question. Logically, shouldn’t you answer mine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Xia Mingyu could think long, Doloth spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Dolove’s extreme caution and the witch’s failure to attack since his abduction, Xia Mingyu guessed the woman—called a witch by the girl—must be terrifyingly powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he chose to play along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What ability do you possess, little fairy?” Doloth asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu fell silent—he wasn’t even a fairy, how could he possess those legendary abilities?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his silence led Doloth to imagine more, even conjuring a wild hypothesis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black hair and black eyes—no fairy in myth or legend had ever borne such features; he must be a fairy of a brand-new ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black—could he be a fairy of Night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, even among all fairies, he would be one of the strongest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If true, no matter how dishonorable the method, she would steal this fairy and bind him to a contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m the Food Fairy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the witch’s gaze grow hotter, as if she meant to devour him, Xia Mingyu hastily invented a power—he realized she’d misunderstood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To prove it, he opened the Link Space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pale green portal appeared; a sack of wheat fell onto the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doloth walked over, scooped a handful of golden wheat from the sack, and her pale face darkened with disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Food Fairies producing grain was indeed rare, it held little value for her—and might even hinder her goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a darling child. I’m the Pale Witch, Doloth. Please take care of me in the future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing her disappointment, the witch smiled again, stepped before Xia Mingyu, and curtsied gracefully with her skirt lifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doloth… it sounded familiar. Probably just a coincidence—after all, in this world, a village might have several Williams, Xia Mingyu thought silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the snow, the three walked forward, yet only two sets of footprints remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dolove, who exactly is she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Pale Witch. She once faced the Piercing Duke and the Lord of the North.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we going now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. I’m just wandering—taking her back is too dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu and Dolove whispered close together, while the witch ahead quietly eavesdropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Learning how terrifying this woman was, Xia Mingyu sucked in a sharp breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Lunar Phase-tier being—the kind hailed as a nation’s pillar, capable of tipping the scales of war alone—he’d never encountered such a power in reality. Even Tamellaran, the strongest in the Starfire Hall, was only a Crescent Phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to escape a joint assault by the Lord of the North and the Piercing Duke—both mighty Lunar Phase warriors—the Pale Witch’s strength must rank among the elite even within her tier; even the peak Crimson Flame might not match her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the girl who’d just sliced Lucas into skewers had held back this long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the witch ahead halted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two behind stopped too, huddled together, watching her warily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There seems to be a village ahead. Shall we go take a look?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch turned, arms outstretched, smiling brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu and Dolove exchanged glances and silently agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed to help the villages along the way—definitely not because they were too afraid to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath a leaden sky stood crumbling wooden huts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Children leaned against walls, sunken-eyed, their thin linen robes revealing every rib.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the path, villagers wandered, emaciated, eyes vacant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if speaking drained energy, the village was so silent you could hear footsteps crunching snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, like the villages they’d encountered before, this one suffered famine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering, Dolove’s bright attire and the pale witch’s pristine presence drew every villager’s gaze—but their eyes held only suspicion and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Dolove poured sacks of wheat from the portal and boiled a large pot of gruel, gesturing for them to eat, did they tremble with excitement and form a long line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each person drank several bowls, even children filling their bellies until they could barely move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the long-absent scent of food, the ruined village stirred back to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, honorable knight. I am the village chief, Ma Xiu, speaking for all here to express our deepest gratitude. May the gods bless your triumphant return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief was a withered old man with white whiskers, leaning on a cane as he bowed deeply to Dolove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I stay here for the night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since her vow was fulfilled and she had no rush, the girl—who’d traveled day and night for days—decided to rest properly tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quickly, prepare the finest house in the village for our honored guests,” the chief ordered at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the wooden room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-haired girl sat on the bed, while the doll-sized black-haired youth floated midair, lips moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean you need me to collect Ice Crystal Flowers?” Dolove mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Xia Mingyu yawned, opening his palm to reveal a translucent flower, seemingly formed of frost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d plucked it during travel, planning to store it in the Link Space to show Yu De later—see how much potency remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s late. I’m going to sleep. You should rest too, Dolove,” Xia Mingyu rubbed his eyes, feeling too weary to lift his eyelids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because he drained his magic daily to produce food, he’d been lethargic these past days—sleepy even in daylight, let alone now, deep in night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good night, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging goodnights, Xia Mingyu’s small figure dissolved into a torch of flame and gradually vanished from the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, if I could sleep curled up with you, it would be pure bliss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xia Mingyu left, the girl stared at the empty room and murmured unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, ashamed by her own impious thought, her face flushed crimson; she buried her head in the pillow and fell asleep, lying prone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pale Witch, universally acknowledged as the most dangerous figure in the Northern Frontier, now pressed her ear tightly against the wooden wall like a lecherous old man, eavesdropping on the conversation next door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when she could hear nothing but the girl’s steady, sleeping breath did she reluctantly pull her ear away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That food spirit needs Ice Crystal Flowers, and Dorochi calls him Your Highness—could he be a prince of the spirit race?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorochi silently analyzed the information she’d overheard, but what troubled her most was still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, if I could sleep curled up with you, it would be pure bliss~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch cupped her cheeks, mimicking the saccharine tone she’d just heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A forbidden romance between a girl and a spirit prince—how romantic,” Dorochi smiled with a maternal gleam, but then her expression turned wistful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alas, my only husband is a lifeless log who doesn’t even pause to wait for me when I’m in my unclean days, nor knows how to hold me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch sighed, and thinking of how that man had already taken a new wife, she ground her teeth in fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So intense was her rage that a blizzard erupted without warning across a radius of several miles centered on the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh whoosh whoosh—feather-like snowflakes drifted down, burying the dreams of night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorochi, jolted awake by the footsteps on her bed, instinctively grabbed the Lionheart Sword resting beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone knocked on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not her own door—rather, the door to the witch’s room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorochi silently put down the sword, pulled the blanket back over herself, and closed her eyes to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please, she was just a tiny New Moon—she had no business worrying about the safety of a Full Moon-ranked witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the most terrifying figure in the entire Northern Frontier lived right next door; the real danger was clearly her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the wooden house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are indeed the great Pale Witch, correct?” Master Ma Xiu asked respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Dorochi gave a slight nod confirming her identity, the gaunt old man immediately dropped to his knees, bowing deeply before the witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Witch, please grant our entire village ‘Redemption’.” Master Ma pleaded with near-reverent devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know what my ‘Redemption’ entails, don’t you?” the witch asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course—we have one of your redeemed here in the village. He returned once, and from him we learned of your ‘Redemption’.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning that redeemed one, the old man’s weathered face betrayed a deep envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But haven’t you already received food?” the witch asked, slightly puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The kind knight’s generosity filled us with gratitude, but the food she left won’t last more than half a month—and cruel soldiers and bandits will come to plunder it all again soon enough. We’ll be back to how we were before.” Master Ma smiled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We… don’t want to be hungry anymore,” the old village chief said, his face heavy with sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has everyone in the village gathered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch fell silent for a moment, then spoke suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All gathered at the village entrance—down to the newborn infants!” Master Ma answered immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then come. I will grant you all ‘Redemption’.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch walked straight out, and the old chief, leaning on his cane, followed with trembling excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew—now, no one in the village would ever go hungry again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2199,"2026-06-19T22:18:43.340Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","595b24aed356a34afcd1cd2140dbc43439a1eff5ad27ae3dafd8c9ec51402c76","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-156","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-154",186,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fheir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-cover.jpg"]