Chapter 12: The Ancient Kingdom

Huozhou is one of the three thousand Dao States in the Huangtian Immortal Realm.

Its territory is far smaller than Huangzhou, where Mount Junjia resides, even merely one percent of Huangzhou’s size.

Yet even at one percent of Huangzhou’s size, Huozhou remains a vast Dao State.

There are no numerous factions standing tall across Huozhou.

The entire Huozhou is ruled by the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom.

The Zhuque Ancient Kingdom is an ancient force with deep heritage; though inferior to the Huanggu Clan, it possesses profound foundations and a formidable reputation.

Besides Zhuque, there are also Qinglong Ancient Kingdom, Baihu Ancient Kingdom, and Xuanwu Ancient Kingdom.

These four ancient kingdoms are collectively known as the Four Symbols Ancient Kingdoms.

At this moment, within the imperial palace of the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom, in a gilded and splendid hall.

A middle-aged man clad in a crimson-gold Zhuque robe lay upon a bed, his forehead darkened, his entire aura weak, as if stricken by grave illness, his life flickering like a dying flame.

He was none other than the sovereign of the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom.

Beside the bed stood a beautiful woman.

She wore a red feathered robe, her figure slender and graceful, her legs long, her skin as white as snow.

Her long red hair shimmered like dancing flames.

Her beautiful eyes glowed with a crimson crystal hue, her nose high and refined, her lips vivid, her teeth gleaming like pearls.

Especially the cinnabar dot on her brow, complementing her jade-like face, rendered her stunningly beautiful and exquisitely alluring.

This woman was none other than the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom’s imperial princess, Bai Yuer.

“Father, I will surely find the Immortal Herb to save you,” Bai Yuer bit her lips tightly.

“Yuer, you’ve suffered enough… the Immortal Herb cannot be forced…” The Zhuque Sovereign shook his head weakly, his voice barely a whisper, filled with despair.

The Immortal Herb was an object of unimaginable rarity.

Even the supreme Dao lineages and immortal factions could not possess many stocks.

They certainly would not kindly give one to the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom.

Though the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom was powerful and possessed many top-tier Sacred Herbs, it had not a single Immortal Herb.

After all, anywhere in the outside world, the emergence of one Immortal Herb would ignite bloody chaos—everyone scrambled to seize it; who would dare sell it?

“Father, rest assured—I will obtain the Immortal Herb with my own abilities!” Bai Yuer’s eyes hardened, transforming grief into resolve.

Who was she?

The Zhuque Ancient Kingdom’s imperial princess, her brow imbued with Zhuque Divine Flame, an extraordinary talent.

Not to mention her beauty, which ranked among the finest in the Huangtian Immortal Realm.

Many young prodigies from various factions were her devoted admirers.

Thus, Bai Yuer had developed a haughty and aloof disposition.

She believed she possessed the strength to save her father and the entire Zhuque Ancient Kingdom.

“Those young prodigies from other factions? All useless—when needed, not one could produce an Immortal Herb.”

“Even my betrothed, Xiao Chen, as the eldest prince of the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom, couldn’t even produce a single Immortal Herb.”

Bai Yuer stepped out of the palace, her jade face grim.

After her father’s illness, the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom’s strength had steadily declined.

Later, the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom came to propose a marriage alliance.

At that time, Qinglong had promised to give Zhuque one Immortal Herb.

Bai Yuer and Qinglong’s eldest prince, Xiao Chen, had known each other since childhood; though they kept distance, they were childhood companions with decent relations.

After careful consideration, Bai Yuer had agreed.

Yet after so much time had passed, the betrothal was long settled, but the Immortal Herb remained nowhere to be seen.

Now, with Zhuque’s strength weakened, it had no power to demand it from Qinglong.

Thus, Bai Yuer could only rely on herself to find the Immortal Herb.

“What should I do… Father cannot fall…” Bai Yuer’s heart grew anxious.

“Wait—I nearly forgot my best friend, Jun Linglong?” Bai Yuer suddenly remembered.

She had once encountered Jun Linglong in a secret realm, and their interactions had been pleasant.

Though they hadn’t kept in close contact since, given Jun Linglong’s nature, she surely wouldn’t ignore her.

Moreover, the Jun family undoubtedly possessed Immortal Herbs.

Thinking of this, Bai Yuer’s breath quickened; she swiftly pulled out a jade slip and sent a message.

On the other side, in the side hall of Jun Family’s Tian Di Palace, Jun Linglong received the message.

“The Zhuque Sovereign is gravely ill and requires an Immortal Herb for healing?” Jun Linglong frowned slightly upon hearing the news.

To be honest, if not for Bai Yuer’s message, she’d nearly forgotten this “best friend.”

Though Bai Yuer was an ancient kingdom’s imperial princess, noble in status,

Jun Linglong was even more of a heavenly daughter of the Huanggu Clan.

Though she now served as Jun Xiaoyao’s maid, outside the family, she remained a Jun family noblewoman pursued by all quarters.

“She asks for an Immortal Herb outright—what a hefty appetite. Still, we’ve known each other for some time.” Jun Linglong frowned slightly.

But the problem was, she had no Immortal Herb.

At that moment, a spiritual voice whispered into Jun Linglong’s mind.

“Linglong, brew tea.”

Jun Linglong rose immediately—it was Jun Xiaoyao calling her to brew tea.

In a steaming, ethereal pool, Jun Xiaoyao sat bare-chested, his body sculpted like divine jade, shimmering with radiant light.

At eight years old, Jun Xiaoyao’s frame was tall and elegant.

Jun Linglong entered, presenting a cup of Wu Dao tea to Jun Xiaoyao.

Watching Jun Xiaoyao grow increasingly refined and majestic, Jun Linglong felt the strange illusion of nurturing a young boy into a divine youth.

“What’s wrong? You have something to say?” Jun Xiaoyao sipped the tea, his tone indifferent.

“Nothing,” Jun Linglong’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

“Speak. Do you think you can hide it from me?” Jun Xiaoyao shook his head with a faint smile.

Jun Linglong bit her lip, then finally revealed Bai Yuer’s matter.

“So that’s it—an Immortal Herb? I’m not short of them.” Jun Xiaoyao shrugged.

When he was at Taiyue Ancient Stele, he obtained three Immortal Herbs; later, the Eighteen Ancestors gradually gave him five more.

Over the years, Jun Xiaoyao had only assimilated three—he still had five left.

“Since she’s your best friend, giving her one won’t hurt. Have her come.” Jun Xiaoyao waved his hand.

“You’re just giving it to her?” Jun Linglong was momentarily stunned.

The world of the ultra-rich—she truly didn’t understand!

Still, Jun Linglong nodded slightly and replied to Bai Yuer.

Jun Xiaoyao’s lips curled into a faint smile.

He wasn’t trying to be a good Samaritan—he had his own thoughts and plans.

Let those pillars of righteousness carry the light of virtue.

A saintly persona didn’t suit him.

Besides, though he didn’t value the Immortal Herb, he wasn’t so generous as to give one away casually.

“Those Jun Family sequencers each have support from their respective bloodlines—and even vassal Dao lineages.”

Even Jun Zhangjian has vassal factions like the Ancient Sword Sect behind him.

These vassal factions don’t submit to the Jun family—they submit to individuals.

“Though the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom has weakened in recent years, a dying camel is still bigger than a horse—it could be brought under our wing. Perhaps I can even bring the other three ancient kingdoms under vassalage.”

Jun Xiaoyao plotted in his mind.

After all, he was the Zero Sequence—if he had no vassal factions behind him, it would be embarrassing.

He needed the proper stature.

As for Bai Yuer, did she think she could get an Immortal Herb for free?

Jun Xiaoyao wasn’t running a charity—he never did anything without benefit to himself.

Upon receiving Jun Linglong’s reply, Bai Yuer was overjoyed.

It felt like a long drought finally receiving rain.

But the message Jun Linglong sent left Bai Yuer deep in thought.

Because the one who would give her the Immortal Herb was not Jun Linglong herself.

“A heavenly prodigy of the Jun family has agreed to give me an Immortal Herb… Could he be interested in me?”

Bai Yuer couldn’t help but think.

She was confident in her beauty—she was the number one beauty of the Zhuque Ancient Kingdom.

In the entire Huangtian Immortal Realm, her name carried renown.

In her mind, anyone willing to give her an Immortal Herb must desire her body.

“Of course—even a Jun family prodigy can’t escape such base desires.” Bai Yuer felt a strange sense of disappointment.

The Jun family prodigies didn’t seem as transcendent as she’d imagined.

“Still, first I must obtain the Immortal Herb to save Father.”

Bai Yuer shook her head and set off for Huangzhou.