The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 203 My Mother Isn't a First-Class Lady (Part Two Combined)

Xu Yuexiu's eyes widened, and her mind went blank for a moment.

She processed the meaning of Ning Songjun's words for a moment, then couldn't help but swallow hard, completely losing her composure.

"Master, do you mean... in the battle that earned you the title of Sword Saint, the one who actually fought was the Queen?"

The princess who had no cultivation was the one who originally earned the title of Sword Saint.

If this were to be said, it would be an outrageous thing that would shock the entire Great Wei Dynasty!

But upon closer reflection, Xu Yuexiu suddenly felt a sense of "aha!"

If you are familiar with Ning Songjun, you will know that this sword saint is actually very kind and easy to talk to, and is by no means a bloodthirsty person.

However, during the internal strife that year, Sword Pavilion suffered heavy casualties and almost collapsed. But later, Ning Songjun listened to Xue Qi's last words and spared most of the sects that came to assist Cui Weishan.

If it was due to various considerations, then his style of doing things before and after was indeed very different.

It would have made more sense if someone else had made the move.

But here's an even bigger problem—

Since Ning Caiyong had cultivation, and it was already so high back then, why has he become a mortal again?
I didn't really understand when I sent you off.

Before the internal strife in Sword Pavilion, the eldest sister was the unparalleled genius, while he was just an honest and obedient little brother who was taken care of by her.

After the internal strife, the eldest sister seemed to have forgotten everything, even her own cultivation level.

The small wooden sword pendant she always wears is the one she picked up during her first birthday celebration.

The custom of "grasping the first birthday" has traditionally involved selecting an item from the first birthday celebration that represents the child's aspirations.

Whether in the common people or in the immortal sects, the customs are the same, let alone in a sect like Sword Pavilion, which is mainly composed of sword cultivators and sword blacksmiths.

How could the object placed for a baby's first birthday celebration be just an ordinary little wooden sword?
This sword, named "Liuhong," is a treasure obtained by Ning Wuzhen from an ancient ruin. Because divine objects conceal themselves, their grade cannot be determined. However, based on his experience, he judges that it should be at least a divine weapon close to the Zhen grade.

However, since the sword never resonated with anyone, Ning Wuzhen decided to let her daughter try it out.

The ceremony, ostensibly a baby's first birthday celebration, is actually a ceremony to identify the baby's owner.

However, after the internal strife, Ning Caiyong treated the small wooden sword as a mere talisman, and it remained sealed away, never to be taken out again.

When Ning Songjun later killed Xue Qi, she learned that during the internal strife in Jian Ge, the sword in Ning Caiyong's hand had grown stronger by drinking blood and seemed to have developed intelligence, guiding her to Tianmen!

From then on, Ning Caiyong was like a different person. Although she was still gentle and reliable, she had lost all her cultivation and no longer had any knowledge of cultivation.

The Ning father and son were afraid that there might be something unspeakable in Tianmen that Ning Caiyong had forgotten, and that if he remembered it again, it might cause a situation that was not good for Ning Caiyong. Therefore, they kept silent and never mentioned the things before the internal strife again.

Fortunately, although Ning Caiyong was exceptionally talented, before that, due to her personality and appearance, she had always lived in the inner chambers, and only a few rumors about her stunning beauty circulated in the martial arts world.

Therefore, Ning Songjun took full responsibility for everything Ning Caiyong had done at the time, and there was no flaw in his actions.

From then on, Ning Songjun's reputation as the "Little Sword Saint" soared, and he became famous overnight.

Ning Caiyong became the "most beautiful woman in the world" that everyone longed for, and was later proposed to by Gu Yuye. Her lack of cultivation also became common knowledge.

She maintained her gentle and kind nature, living an ordinary life as a wife and mother, as if she would continue like this for the rest of her life.

In recent years, Ning Caiyong has become increasingly paranoid, even insane, because of Gu Fangchen.

What others saw was a mother who was obsessed with spoiling her child.

What Ning Songjun saw was not Ning Caiyong's change, but... a return.

After the internal strife, Ning Caiyong couldn't even bear to see blood, let alone kill people. He seemed to have no murderous intent whatsoever and was the embodiment of gentleness.

Only when facing Gu Fangchen would she feel anger towards Gu Fangchen, and even feel a fleeting murderous intent.

When Ning Songjun first saw the coldness reappear in Ning Caiyong's eyes, he had a vague premonition.

One day, the elder sister he knew will return because of Gu Fangchen.

now……

As the conflict between Gu Fangchen and Gu Yuye intensified, the moment finally came when they faced each other in arms.

This was something they couldn't stop; from the moment they realized something was wrong, it was already irreversible.

The only thing I could do was trust my elder sister.

At the distant horizon, beams of rainbow light descended from the sky like curtains and veils, resembling the shawls of celestial maidens. This beautiful and dreamlike phenomenon could be seen throughout the entire Great Wei territory.

However, only a few second-rank cultivators could detect the terrifying aura contained within the rainbow light.

That's... a first-class item!
Ning Songjun's pupils contracted, he abruptly stood up, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and whispered:

“I didn’t understand before, but I believe that whether it’s sealing away her memories or regaining her cultivation, it’s all her own choice.”

"Her past forgetting and her present remembrance are both based on her own considerations... Since she has chosen Gu Fangchen, then from now on, no matter what, we will stand by Gu Fangchen's side."

Although in the eyes of the world, the power of a second-grade sword saint is already incomparable.

But Ning had been to Tianmen, and he knew clearly that in the eyes of a true first-rank expert, his strength was nothing more than an ant.

Xu Yuexiu seemed to understand, but she sensed a deep sense of melancholy in Ning Songjun's tone. She asked:

"Has the princess regained her cultivation? Is she about to leave?"

She thought that if the princess's cultivation level returned, Gu Fangchen would naturally have the princess protecting her, so there would be no need for the Sword Pavilion to stand behind her...

When it comes to favoritism towards Gu Fangchen, who can compare to Ning Caiyong?
Ning Songjun gazed at the ethereal, dreamlike rainbow light, shook his head, and said:
"Back then, Ying Sheng chose to seal the Heavenly Gate... probably for reasons similar to her elder sister sealing her own memories. Since this was something she didn't want to do, she probably wouldn't stay any longer."

In fact, based on what they know about the ancient times, it is absolutely impossible that the first First-Rank Eternal Realm cultivator didn't appear until Xie Qian.

However, in today's world, Xie Qian is the only one with the highest rank.

This is absolutely unreasonable.

Therefore, there is only one possibility.

Those who achieved the highest rank most likely chose to seal themselves away, just like Ying Baishou, or... take their own lives.

Now that Ning Caiyong has finally regained her cultivation, there is no way she can continue to remain in the world with the strength of a first-grade cultivator.

Ning Songjun gripped his sword tightly, feeling as if he had returned to his childhood, his heart filled with unease. He recalled the night the Sword Pavilion was stained with blood, a memory long since submerged in grief. Soaring flames spread throughout the Sword Pavilion, and he stumbled and saw his elder sister emerging from the pool of blood.

His elder sister smiled gently at him and handed him the longsword and the severed head.
"Ah Song, from now on, Jian Ge is in your hands."

……

Gu Fangchen looked up in surprise.

The rainbow light descended from the sky, enveloping him, like a pair of gentle hands that kneaded his shattered body back together, restoring it to its original state.

The sword light that stretched across the earth was split in two and vanished without a trace.

A familiar, gentle figure blocked his way, holding a long sword formed from rainbow light, her long hair dancing in the wind, her black and white dress flowing like a fairy.

"mother?!"

Gu Fangchen's eyes widened, feeling genuine shock and disbelief for the first time.

This feeling had occurred to him countless times when he failed to complete a strategy, each time making him smash his mouse and yell, "Damn it, what's wrong this time?!"
It's back, everything's back!
This feeling of losing everything if you overlook just one sentence!
This familiar feeling is like returning to my hometown.

Even if he had eight hundred times the intelligence, he would never have guessed that Ning Caiyong actually had a problem!
Well, of course, the moment he saw that little wooden sword, many clues flashed through his mind, and he realized that his preconceived impression of Ning Caiyong was too deep, with a thick layer of filter applied, and he had never doubted Ning Caiyong at all.

If he could look at Ning Caiyong from a player's objective perspective, and adopt the spirit of questioning every word he said, he would definitely have noticed something was wrong.

It was at this moment that Gu Fangchen realized that she had subconsciously trusted Ning Caiyong too deeply.

Whether it was due to the influence of his body and soul, or from his own actions.

In short, his feelings for Ning Caiyong were not simply those of a mere NPC.

However, although Gu Fangchen was surprised at this moment, the feeling that something was wrong, which had always been in his mind since he transmigrated, finally dissipated to some extent...

Ning Caiyong turned around upon hearing this, looking at Gu Fangchen with a complex expression. He pursed his lips, sighed, and said:
"I'm sorry, Chen'er, I didn't mean to deceive you. It's just that I suddenly remembered everything at this moment."

Gu Fangchen could sense that although her expression had changed a lot, she still did not harbor any malice towards her.

He took a deep breath, shook his head, and said firmly:

"Mother, I know, and I believe you."

Gu Fangchen's shocked expression flashed by, but quickly turned into an unwavering determination.

“I have already told my mother what I am thinking, and that will not change now. As long as it is my mother, it doesn’t matter what she becomes, whether she is a mortal or has extraordinary cultivation, it is all the same to me.”

Ning Caiyong was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed. He flew forward and hugged Gu Fangchen tightly. From an angle that Gu Fangchen couldn't see, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were filled with tenderness to the extreme, as if she were melting with infatuation.

Ning Caiyong's doting on Gu Fangchen in the past was relatively restrained, only manifested in the things he did for Gu Fangchen.

At this moment, however, it completely transformed into an outward-facing, intensely suffocating feeling.

It gives the impression that even if it meant killing everyone in the world for Gu Fangchen, she would do it without the slightest hesitation...

"mother?"

Gu Fangchen felt that the hug was exceptionally strong, as if it wanted to imprint him into her body, but at the same time, it held back a bit of strength so as not to hurt him.

But a sense of unease welled up inside him.

The emotion contained in that hug was too profound; it wasn't so much because she was moved by his words, but more like she was saying goodbye as if she would never see him again...

Gu Fangchen's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said:
"Mother, although I treat you the same, can you tell me why you suddenly went from being a mortal to a first-rank official?"

Ning Caiyong took a deep breath, released him, and shook his head, saying:

"Mother is not of the highest rank."

Gu Fangchen was stunned.

Not a first-class item?
This "military genius" struck with his sword, and you casually cleaved him in two. You still say you're not a first-rank expert?!

Are you just teasing your child?
Ning Caiyong smiled gently, about to speak, when she heard Gu Yuye's angry roar, mixed with the voices of countless people, coming from behind her:

"and who are you?!"

Gu Fangchen turned her head and saw a strange face formed from blood mist on Gu Yuye's headless corpse, staring intently at Ning Caiyong with a solemn expression.
“I have never seen you before. You are not a cultivator who survived the great era. You and I both know how difficult it is for those who attain enlightenment today. Why kill each other?”

"How about we each take a step back, sever the karmic ties to this body, and go our separate ways?"

This person was none other than Li Kan, the "God of War".

Although he couldn't accurately sense Ning Caiyong's cultivation level, he knew from the moment Ning Caiyong made his move that Ning Caiyong's cultivation was at least as high as his own.

Although Li Kan is not yet at his full potential, he is still inferior in skill and can only temporarily avoid direct confrontation...

As long as he recuperates, he can escape to Qingman according to the memories of this body. After swallowing hundreds of thousands of people as his own military spirit, he can naturally recover to his prime and become a true "military immortal"!
Ning Caiyong ignored the man's ravings, simply turned back to Gu Fangchen, cupped her face in his hands, and said:
"I can't keep this up for long, I can only tell you as much information as I know."

“I don’t know why that old guy chose you, but you must remember that you can be trusted by the Lord of Hengchang Dao.”

Her gaze was tender as she pressed her forehead tightly against Gu Fangchen's, then quickly separated.

Gu Fangchen was left behind with her pupils constricted and her expression blank.

Then, Ning Caiyong turned around, her gentle smile unchanged, and gently swung her long sword.

"Shh-"

The rainbow light that filled the sky converged towards the center, like a beautiful and dreamlike flower, instantly enveloping "Military God" Li Kan within it.

"Om-"

The endless sharp sword intent within the rainbow light instantly transformed into the blades of a meat grinder, turning it into blood mist and minced meat, without even a scream.

Ning Caiyong's gaze remained unchanged as she turned to look at Gu Fangchen, offering a gentle smile:
"Your mother is waiting for you at the 'furnace'."

A sense of foreboding rose in Gu Fangchen's heart, and she immediately rushed forward, only to grab at empty air.

Ning Caiyong's figure had already merged into the rainbow light and disappeared.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I have diarrhea again, so I'll post this first and edit it later... I'll refresh the page later.

(End of this chapter)