Goddess Atlas, Starting from the Queen

Feeling the oppressive aura emanating from her, Lin Yingqiu, who had been losing consciousness, instantly regained her senses, but her mind quickly went blank again.

She... really broke through to the Grandmaster realm?

Moreover, this demon forcibly elevated his realm using such a method...

How did he do that...?

Could it be that he channeled his inner power into his body while performing his duties, which enabled him to break through to the Grandmaster realm?
But this demon probably wouldn't be so kind as to transfer his powers to her, would he?
Just as the two women were lost in thought, Lu Ming spoke up, "How about it? Isn't my sincerity quite impressive?"

Lin Yingqiu hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Lu Ming continued, "I can help you reach the Grandmaster realm, and I can also help your Palace Master break through to become a Celestial Being, and it will be the same method."

At this point, Lu Ming leaned close to Lin Yingqiu's ear and whispered:
"Just one dual cultivation session with me will allow you to break through to become a Celestial Being. If this gets to your Palace Master's ears, do you think she would refuse to cultivate with me?"

Lin Yingqiu suddenly snapped back to reality, "You!"

Lin Yingqiu already had the answer in her heart. If their palace master knew that all she needed to do was cultivate with this demon to take that step, given their palace master's obsession with power, she would definitely agree.

However, in doing so, their palace master might become this demon's plaything forever, since this demon possesses the kind of spells that control people.

If this demon also used that spell on their palace master, their palace master will have no way to resist this demon in the future, just like they do now.

Seeing that Lin Yingqiu was only angry and could no longer speak, Lu Ming kissed her lips again and continued with his own business.

It wasn't until dawn that Lu Ming let Lin Yingqiu leave.

On her way back to the courtyard, Lin Yingqiu's mind was filled with Lu Ming's words. The thought that Lu Ming might make a move against Chen Qingying filled Lin Yingqiu with anxiety, and she didn't know what to do.

While Lin Yingqiu was lost in thought, she had already returned to the Hundred Flowers Courtyard. At this moment, Chen Qingying was sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard with an icy expression. When her gaze swept over Lin Yingqiu's swaying body, she felt extremely heartbroken.

She stood at the study window for a long time and witnessed firsthand how Lu Ming tormented Lin Yingqiu.

Thinking of how Lin Yingqiu had suffered the same torment as Lu Ming, Chen Qingying felt even more guilty. If only she had discovered it sooner.

However, even if she had discovered it earlier, there didn't seem to be a good solution, since Lu Ming was likely already a Foundation Establishment Immortal, while she was only a Grandmaster.

At this moment, Chen Qingying said, "Aunt Lin, you're back."

Hearing Chen Qingying's voice, Lin Yingqiu, who was lost in thought, instantly snapped back to reality. Seeing that she had returned to the courtyard, Lin Yingqiu immediately became nervous. The thought that she hadn't returned all night and that Chen Qingying might be suspicious made her extremely uneasy.

Just as Lin Yingqiu was thinking of an excuse to deceive Chen Qingying, Chen Qingying said, "Aunt Lin, you should go and rest first. There's no need to investigate the matter of Qi Luck for now."

Seeing that Chen Qingying did not ask about her affairs last night, Lin Yingqiu was a little puzzled. Chen Qingying continued, "I thought about it last night. Perhaps it is because I plan to support him to ascend to that position that the fortune of the Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion has increased so much."

This……

Lin Yingqiu didn't expect Chen Qingying to think that way, but it wasn't unreasonable. If Lu Ming were an ordinary person, receiving help from a grandmaster would indeed increase his luck.

But Lu Ming is not an ordinary person; his increase in luck is clearly unrelated to them.

This relieved Lin Yingqiu; it was good that Chen Qingying hadn't pursued the matter further. Lin Yingqiu then said, "Alright then, I'll go rest now."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yingqiu walked towards her room. Seeing Lin Yingqiu's back, Chen Qingying's mind conjured up the scene of the great sword being repeatedly tempered in the furnace.

Chen Qingying clenched her fists. Aunt Lin had watched her grow up, and she couldn't let her continue to suffer. No matter what, she had to rescue Aunt Lin from that bastard's clutches.

At this moment, Chen Qingying had already made a decision in her heart. If she could break through to the Celestial Realm through dual cultivation with Lu Ming and save Aunt Lin, then her innocence would be nothing at all.

At this very moment, in Lu Ming's study.

Lu Ming went to the window, looked at the window paper with two holes poked in it, and smiled slightly.

With his Qi Refining Level 9 perception, he naturally sensed Chen Qingying's presence last night, but he didn't show it. He acted as if Chen Qingying didn't exist and committed the crime against Lin Yingqiu right in front of her.

Moreover, what he said last night was actually directed at Chen Qingying. He believed that after hearing what he said, Chen Qingying would know what to do.

……

royal palace.

Emperor Zhou lay on the sickbed, his face still deathly pale. Although Xuan Yingzhen had suppressed the Yin energy within him, it was still eroding his body. Even the Dragon Qi could not withstand its erosion.

At this moment, Xuan Yingzhen stood on the dragon bed and saw the Zhou Emperor in this state. He thought to himself that he probably had to go and see the Prince of Xiaoyao as soon as possible.

Emperor Zhou's health is very poor. It is obvious that a great deal of the dynasty's fortune has been drained from him. If all of the dynasty's fortune is drained from him, the Yin energy in his body will probably be completely uncontrollable.

This made Xuan Yingzhen increasingly curious: how exactly did Yuehua Palace manage to silently drain the dynasty's fortune from Emperor Zhou?

Just then, a shadow guard entered the Hall of Longevity and came to Emperor Zhou's bedside, saying, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince has returned to the capital."

Emperor Zhou coughed a few times, then said, "Let him come to see me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

At this moment, Emperor Zhou said to Xuan Yingzhen, "I will not delay the Grand Preceptor's cultivation. The Grand Preceptor does not need to guard me all the time."

Xuan Yingzhen knew that the Zhou Emperor wanted to send him away so that he could talk to the Third Prince, so he took the initiative to say, "Then Your Majesty should rest well. If there is anything, please send someone to inform me at any time."

After speaking, Xuan Yingzhen turned and left the Wanshou Hall.

Not long after Xuan Yingzhen left, the Third Prince Ji Wenjie appeared in the Wanshou Hall.

At this moment, Ji Wenjie was extremely excited. He knew that his father was still in seclusion. For his father, cultivation was of paramount importance. He was even willing to entrust the affairs of the court to others so that he could focus on cultivation, which showed his father's obsession with immortality.

However, the fact that his father was still willing to see him under these circumstances shows that his father valued him highly.

When Ji Wenjie entered the Wanshou Hall with excitement, he found his father lying in bed. Upon seeing this, Ji Wenjie was stunned for a moment.

(End of this chapter)