Chapter 440: Empress Daughter Qing

Peach Valley Secret Realm.

A black dragon and a white ape were moving through the mist.

Suddenly!

Wu Qi sniffed once, then led Fang Xing toward a spot.

Not long after, a crimson glow flashed, and a crimson peach fell downward.

Across from them, two groups arrived simultaneously.

"Is that Wu Qi and the black dragon?"

One group came from Wu Jie Mountain; they nodded to each other in greeting.

The other group, demons from Qingdi Palace, let out strange cries and scattered like birds and beasts, each using their own techniques.

"This one… is yours."

Fang Xing grabbed the crimson peach and tossed it casually to Wu Qi.

"Hehe… Thirteenth one. We're really hitting the jackpot this time."

Wu Qi grinned, scratching his head and ears: "I've come here a few times before—never had this kind of luck…"

"Yeah, every time we encounter enemies, we get a crimson peach opportunity—as if the realm is afraid we'll run away."

Fang Xing spoke with implication.

"Then according to you, we should run fast."

Wu Qi, equally cunning, rolled his eyes: "Once we enter Grand Void Secret Realm, we'll invite a few Nascent Soul experts to escort us with a warship… guaranteed safe passage."

"It's probably not about ambushing us outside—it's about eliminating us inside the secret realm."

Fang Xing gazed at a certain spot, feeling a pang of realization: "Here it comes…"

"Here it comes?"

Wu Qi turned toward that direction and suddenly felt his hairs stand on end.

He saw a streak of green light flying toward them—within it, a slender silhouette.

The figure wore green robes, her features plain, her eyes devoid of pupils—only white sclera.

"Qingdi Palace, the Empress Daughter—Shi Qing?!"

Wu Qi cried out in shock and fury: "How could she be here?"

"Better to say, she must come—otherwise, wouldn't the three imperial princes of Qingdi Palace have died in vain?"

Fang Xing's expression turned grave.

Over the past few days, occasionally obtaining a crimson peach was truly absurd.

Coupled with the Peach God's reputation as a prankster, it was unmistakable—he was being lured into something big.

But Fang Xing also wanted to test the Empress Son's strength, so he chose to go along with it.

"Bad! It's the Qingdi Palace Empress Daughter… Run!"

The cultivators from Wu Jie Mountain were already terrified, scrambling to flee using every technique they had.

They had entered Peach Valley Secret Realm as full members, each with profound insights into Dao principles.

They had trained together in a combined assault secret technique.

Now, as they fled in unison, their Dao principles synergized—truly astonishing speed.

"Please leave your lives behind…"

At last, Shi Qing spoke.

Her voice was smooth, calm… as if inviting someone to dinner.

But the next instant.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

A gentle breeze stirred; not a ripple disturbed the water.

Space itself seemed to freeze in that instant, bathed in green radiance.

"Hm?"

Fang Xing even noticed that the spatial and temporal fluctuations he normally sensed had become obscure, agonizingly difficult to perceive…

In this world of gentle wind, only the Empress Daughter's principle could be used—all other Dao principles were rejected and suppressed.

"One Thought, One World!"

Wu Qi cried out in alarm: "Run—!"

"One Thought, One World" meant the birth of a principle realm from a single thought—only possible after reaching the fifth stage of Dao and principle comprehension.

With one thought, it suppressed all other principles. Unless one had also reached the fifth stage, even those who understood principles could not manifest them—effectively sealed, helpless before their enemy.

This was the terror of an Empress Son!

Only another Empress Son could oppose an Empress Son!

A being peerless within their own realm!

Moreover, with principle comprehension at this level, they stood just one step away from fully mastering a principle and ascending to Heavenly Immortal or Heavenly Demon status!

Alas, principle comprehension always grew harder the further one progressed.

The final step was harder than climbing to heaven!

Shiiii! Shiiii!

Shi Qing wielded a bow; she drew and loosed arrows with incredible speed.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Three arrows—three Wu Jie Mountain cultivators were instantly killed, their heads exploding.

Their secret techniques and coordination—deprived of principle support—lost all power. Even Shi Qing's casual arrows were impossible to resist.

"Run! When facing an enemy who has created a 'Dao Realm' through One Thought, One World, the only hope is to escape the realm's range!"

Wu Qi fled frantically, still shouting to Fang Xing: "Once we're out of the realm's range, we can use our Dao principles again…"

Then he could let the black dragon carry him to safety!

Within the Dao Realm, one could still use spiritual power and secret techniques.

In fact, they functioned normally—only without the enhancement of principle insight, their power plummeted.

Only techniques that required no principle at all could retain their full strength.

Within the Dao Realm, Fang Xing could not use teleportation unless he elevated his own Void principle comprehension to the fifth level—the "Master" proficiency—then use his own Void realm to suppress hers.

Even then, beneath the Peach God's true body, teleportation would still fail! "Black Dragon, White Ape—you two killed three imperial princes. Now die."

Shi Qing spoke softly, drawing her bow again.

Shiiii! Shiiii!

Streams of green principle energy descended, forming pale green arrows.

Clearly, she exerted extra effort against these two core members of Wu Jie Mountain.

Chiiii! Chiiii!

Two green principle arrows arrived instantly before Fang Xing and the white ape.

"Awe-Inspiring Staff!"

Wu Qi roared, swinging his black staff in a continuous flurry—finally, the countless staff shadows condensed into a single black line, striking the tip of the green arrow.

Crack!

Space paused for an instant—the black staff shattered instantly.

"I'm going to die!"

Wu Qi sighed inwardly, not fearing much, yet his will boiled, searching desperately for a sliver of hope.

Alas—under the Dao Realm, he had no hope whatsoever!

Roar! Roar!

In that instant, a dragon's roar reached his ears.

When Wu Qi looked up, he saw a thousand-meter-long black dragon coiled there—its head, a green arrow snapped cleanly in two.

The black-and-red dragon spread its wings, one wing shielding the white ape like a vast black shield, blocking the green arrow.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Merely through physical might, it shattered the surrounding space—countless spatial currents surged, yet calmed beneath the dragon's wings like gentle water.

"You are the first… opponent who has forced me to use my full strength."

Fang Xing growled, flapping his wings—not retreating, but advancing, his thousand-meter body crushing forward.

"Such formidable physicality…"

Shi Qing murmured, her slender waist moving as she swung her bow.

On either side of the bow, crescent blades materialized, transforming it into a close-combat weapon.

Her waist swayed gracefully, as if she herself had become a supple bow, "shooting" the blade from her hands.

Plop!

Fang Xing's dragon claw struck the crescent blade—and suddenly felt pain.

Puff! Puff!

The crescent blade glowed, slicing through his dragon scales, piercing flesh, and reaching his bones!

"Imperial Artifact?"

Fang Xing rumbled, staring at the crescent-bladed bow.

"Using an Imperial Artifact to win is dishonorable—I apologize…"

Shi Qing spoke words of apology, yet her body danced gracefully, each crescent blade descending to instantly drench Fang Xing's dragon body in blood.

Her dance was light and beautiful; every motion of the crescent bow carved deep wounds into Fang Xing's body, as if she were a spirit dancing a deathly melody.

"Go!"

Fang Xing whipped his tail, flapped his wings to stir the void, and his speed surged violently.

He seized the white ape and shot a thousand li away in an instant.

Today's battle made him realize: though his physique allowed him to wrestle with the Imperial Son, he was still no match.

If the opponent lacked imperial weaponry, it might be manageable—but with it, his physical advantage would be greatly diminished.

'And… a mere Ninth Layer of Mortal Realm cultivation can only unleash a tiny fraction of an imperial weapon's power… otherwise today would have truly been dangerous.'

Fang Xing flapped his wings, moving at incredible speed, on the verge of flying beyond the domain's boundary.

Yet Shi Qing did not halt her dance; her expression grew more reverent, like a priestess dancing upon a divine altar.

Streams of lunar light surged forth, forming behind her a terrifying spectral beast.

The beast's body was hazy and indistinct, bearing three heads; upon the central leopard head rested but a single vertical pupil.

At that moment, its vertical pupil glowed faintly, linking with Shi Qing's purely white eyes, locking onto Fang Xing as he fled!

"Make the body the bow, the heart the arrow!"

An invisible force of will coalesced into an arrow, shot forth by Shi Qing.

Shhh!

The will-attack struck the instant it was launched!

Fang Xing did not pause once—he flew beyond the domain's boundary, activated the Law of Time, his speed multiplying manyfold, escaping far beyond the reach of the Peach God Tree, and vanished in a blink.

Behind him.

Shi Qing's face filled with astonishment; suddenly, she opened her cherry lips and spat out a small stream of blood.

If the imperial princes of the Azure Emperor's Palace saw this, they would think the heavens had collapsed.

When had the invincible Empress Daughter Shi Qing ever been made to spit blood by a core member of the Boundless Mountain?

"Will-defense secret art?"

After spitting blood, Shi Qing's expression remained calm: "I never imagined… the will-art I struggled through peril to obtain in the 'Ten Thousand Caves Realm' was already known among your disciples of Boundless Mountain…"

Just now, her will-attack art had shaken even Ninth Layer Nascent Soul cultivators.

Yet that black dragon suffered no harm—on the contrary, the backlash of will-recoil had wounded her, clearly indicating he not only practiced a will-art, but his willpower surpassed hers!

"Heh… I didn't expect it either."

A flash of azure light appeared—the youthful form of the Peach God's avatar. With a mere wave of his hand, a strange three-colored peach landed before Shi Qing.

"Peach God… are you breaking the pact?"

Shi Qing did not accept the Peach God's gesture; instead, she gripped her crescent bow tighter.

"That black dragon—I thought him merely physically formidable, never imagining his willpower was so terrifying… I was deceived."

The Peach God felt no regret, stating plainly: "Shi Qing, the most outstanding Empress Daughter of the Azure Emperor's Palace… would you be willing to make a deal with me?"

(End of Chapter)