Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

Unfortunately……

This is precisely why they are so insistent on Jiang Wanqing giving birth to a bloodline as soon as possible. Whether she continues her pursuit of the imperial path or ultimately chooses to seal herself away, it will be the most appropriate choice for the Jiang family.

After all, who knows what unexpected events might occur before that happens?

Because this great emperor of our time is unpredictable; no one can be sure he might one day come knocking and do something without any reason.

Didn't you see what happened to the South China Sea Demon Lord of Gouchen Ancient Star before that?

Of course, it's not that they truly neglected the training of other members of their tribe.

Why look for something far away when there's something readily available right in front of you?

Cultivate...cultivate, but when will another clansman with the potential to become an emperor emerge? Who knows when that will be?

Unless the Jiang family really struck it lucky and was destined to produce such a great emperor!

But they can have these kinds of dreams all the time...

We need to hurry right now...

But considering this, and seeing Jiang Wanqing's resolute gaze, they knew that there was probably no room for maneuver in this matter in the short term.

This junior may seem gentle in his daily life, but he is actually strong-willed. Once he makes up his mind, nothing can change it.

Pushing them too far might backfire.

"Sigh... Never mind, never mind."

The Third Patriarch finally let out a long sigh, as if he had aged considerably in an instant. He waved his hand, his face full of helplessness:

"I'll do as you say for now."

We will raise Yunhe well.

As for you... although you still have a long life ahead of you, you're not young anymore, and although you have your own ideas...

But don't... dwell too much on the past. That person... is ultimately in the past.

He subtly revealed the other person's true thoughts.

"Wanqing understands, and thanks the Third Ancestor for his understanding."

Jiang Wanqing curtsied and breathed a sigh of relief, but her guilt towards her family did not diminish.

The elderly shook their heads and sighed as they left one after another.

Inside the waterside pavilion, only Jiang Wanqing remained once again.

She walked slowly to the window, gazing at the colorful unicorns swimming leisurely in the lake and the distant, continuous palaces.

As the sun sets, it dyes the clouds on the horizon a poignant crimson, like the blood-red light that once graced the starry sky.

"Clinging to the past..."

She murmured softly, her fingertips gently brushing against the window frame:

"Perhaps."

"But having seen the vast ocean, how can one be moved by a mere stream? Having witnessed the blazing sun that illuminates an era, how can one notice the light of a firefly?"

Her gaze seemed to transcend time and space, landing on that figure in a green robe who had long since vanished, yet was forever etched in the depths of her memory and emotions.

“Tan Lin…”

She whispered that name in a voice only she could hear.

But in the end, it all turned into a long sigh that blended into the twilight and the evening breeze.

…………

Chapter 301 The Empress's Inspection Tour: Which Family Will Be Unlucky This Time? (6K Chapter, Please Subscribe!)

In the blink of an eye, two or three decades have passed.

The year 1388 of the Devouring Heaven Calendar

The Purple Star Emperor, Summer.

This planet, one of the oldest and most prosperous cradles of humankind, seems to exude an unusually somber atmosphere today.

Above the heavens, an invisible sense of oppression permeated the air, as if a pair of lonely eyes were looking down from beyond the nine heavens upon the masses of people here.

The sky above, usually bustling with rainbow-colored lights and flying boats, was noticeably sparser, and the major cultivator cities and markets had lost their usual hustle and bustle.

Even in the end, it seemed that the mortal realm sensed that chilling silence.

The reason is simple: it seems that the Devouring Emperor, who has been seemingly "patrolling" the entire universe for the past two or three decades, is finally going to visit Ziwei today.

Although the imperial might from beyond the realm was not specifically targeted at any particular place or person.

But that sense of being in harmony with the will of Heaven, where every move resonates with all things, is truly remarkable.

Like a sharp sword hanging over one's brow, it made all the heroes of the ancient star tense and uneasy.

A person's name, a tree's shadow.

This emperor of our time is unpredictable and ruthless, known in the past for his cruel reputation as a "ruthless man" who could easily wipe out entire families and slaughter stars, or seal people away with a flick of his finger.

The bloodshed and turmoil of the early ancient road, the subsequent destruction of the Feathered Divine Dynasty, and even the sealing of the Demon Lord Shao Hanyun have deeply imprinted themselves into the understanding of all cultivators of this era.

No one knows what this unpredictable emperor intends to do upon descending upon Ziwei.

Where will their gaze turn next?

Will another force follow in the footsteps of the Feathered Divine Dynasty or the Demon Lord?

If they truly arrive this time, will any particular lineage be doomed?

……

In the central part of Ziwei, there is a mountain range of ancient ice that has existed for thousands of years, adjacent to the former capital of the "Ziwei Dynasty".

This mountain range was already covered in snow all year round, and the air was bitterly cold. After Gu Qingying used her supreme supernatural powers to regulate the earth's veins, draw in the Xuan Yin Qi, and set up layers of the "Guanghan Grand Array,"

It has transformed into a fairyland, a place of silver and white, with ice crystals and jade.

In recent years, at the invitation of Suiren Lianlei and Jiang Wanqing, Gu Qingying moved the Daoist lineage to Ziwei.

The architectural style of the new Guanghan Palace is consistent with that of the ancient Canglan Star Palace.

But it is larger in scale and has a more imposing atmosphere.

The main hall, the "Laurel Hall," is a hundred feet tall and is constructed entirely of "Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Cold Jade" and "Moonlight Divine Stone."

The roof of the hall features upturned eaves and corners, with wind chimes cast from "ice-soul black copper" hanging from the corners. They chime softly in the wind, their sound like shattered jade, clear, melodious, and far-reaching, capable of calming the mind and spirit.

The plaza in front of the palace is vast, paved with a mixture of "star sand" and "mysterious ice marrow".

Harder than iron, and with a mirror-like sheen, it reflects the sky, clouds, and distant, snow-capped peaks.

The palace complex rises layer by layer along the mountainside, with pavilions, towers, corridors, and waterside terraces all nestled among the snow-covered peaks and glistening icicles.

A "Cold Mist Spirit Stream" is drawn from the snow-capped mountain peaks, flowing through the entire palace area; this stream is no ordinary waterway.

Instead, it is formed from the liquefaction of pure Yin energy, which is icy cold yet full of spiritual energy, nourishing the unique "Snow Lotus" and "Ice Crystal Grass" and other rare flowers and herbs by the stream.

Furthermore, several "Moonlight Immortal Pools" are scattered throughout the area, their waters a pale blue, imbued with a visible concentration of profound Yin essence.

It is a precious place for palace disciples to temper their bodies and refine their spirits, and to cultivate the "Guanghan Scripture".

Just like in Canglan, the Guanghan Palace, where the Daoist lineage has recently moved to this place, still only accepts female disciples.

At this moment, although the oppressive atmosphere surrounding the possibility of the Empress's arrival in Ziwei enveloped the entire star, the palace remained orderly.

The female disciples, dressed in white as snow, were either meditating in quiet rooms, practicing martial arts in the training grounds, or browsing through scriptures in the library.

They all possessed a cool and aloof demeanor, and remained calm and composed despite the panic from the outside world.

However, a hint of undisguised worry would occasionally slip into his gaze as he looked up at the sky.

Deep within the Laurel Palace, in a quiet room with elegant furnishings.

Gu Qingying, Suiren Lianlei, and Jiang Wanqing reunite.

Several months have passed since the Guanghan Palace officially moved its ancestral temple to the Ziwei Palace and held a grand ceremony.

The three women's small gathering was originally intended to discuss details of the tripartite alliance, and even to plan for the future situation of the universe after the self-proclaimed queen.

But at this moment, the topic inevitably revolves around the uninvited guest who may soon arrive at Ziwei.

Gu Qingying was still wearing a moon-white, flowing-cloud-sleeved dress, her bare feet resting on a jade couch covered with snow wolf velvet.

Her temperament remained aloof as ever, but the absolute transcendence she possessed in Canglan had faded, replaced by a sense of maturity and prudence characteristic of the ancient star field of Ziwei.

She brewed tea with her delicate hands, her movements fluid and graceful, the aroma of the tea wafting through the air, yet it could not dispel the somber atmosphere in the room.

Suiren Lianlei was dressed in a sharp, dark blue outfit, her ponytail tied high, her sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she sat upright like a pine tree.

She stroked a black iron token in her hand, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the dragon pattern on the edge of the token, her eyes sharp and thoughtful.

Jiang Wanqing's light purple star-patterned dress trailed on the ground, and the amethyst hairpin with its tassels remained still.

She held a cup of hot tea in both hands, but did not drink it; she simply used the warmth of the cup to warm her slightly cool fingertips.

Her exquisite face, usually tinged with melancholy, was now tinged with obvious worry.

"...She still came."

Suiren Lianlei broke the silence first, her voice low and deep.

"Last time it was Gouchen, and after two or three decades, he has been inspecting the heavens every day. Today, it is Ziwei who has come."

What was she looking for during her aimless 'surveillance'? Or rather... what was she 'looking' at?

She emphasized the word "see" slightly, implying something.

Jiang Wanqing gently put down her teacup and let out a barely audible sigh:

"Perhaps, I'm just here to visit familiar places, to see... old friends?"

Her words were also pointed, her gaze sweeping over Gu Qingying before returning to the tea leaves swirling in her own cup.

Gu Qingying poured hot tea for the two of them, her voice calm and composed:

"Her level of understanding is different, so her thoughts are naturally different as well."

Is this person here to search, to look, or for something else? How can we possibly know for sure?

She seeks out what she wants to see and watches what she wants to watch.

In the entire universe, aside from forbidden zones and ancient secret locations, who could possibly stop her?

"But now that she's here, it would be impolite to avoid seeing her. We should certainly show her the proper courtesy, and as for the rest... we'll just have to play it by ear."

As she spoke, Gu Qingying raised her eyes, her cool gaze sweeping over the two women:

From recent rumors, she could easily guess the reason behind the slight annoyance and helplessness in Jiang Wanqing and Suiren Lianlei's expressions.

Of the two, Suiren Lianlei is in a slightly better situation than Jiang Wanqing, but within the Human King's Palace, there are probably just as many voices of concern about her "life's most important matter" as the current Human King and the continuation of her bloodline.

However, some things are better left unsaid even if you see them clearly.

Since she doesn't have such worries, then it's best to pretend she doesn't know.

rustling... rustling...

Just as the three women were lost in their own thoughts and the atmosphere at their small gathering became slightly tense,

hum!

A vast and majestic imperial might, seemingly resonating with the entire Purple Star Domain, descended without warning upon the new site of the Guanghan Palace!

This time, it was no longer the subtle, oppressive feeling that permeated the entire starry sky, but a clear and targeted arrival!

The emperor's might, like the collapsing heavens, enveloped the entire Xuanbing Mountain Range where the Guanghan Palace was located. Space froze, and all laws stagnated.

Even the howling wind and falling snowflakes slowed down and became heavy at this moment!

"coming!"

The three women stood up almost simultaneously, their expressions grave.

Outside the quiet room, the faint sounds of suppressed gasps from the palace female disciples and the thud of objects falling to the ground could be heard.

But the silence quickly returned under the stern rebukes of the deacons and the blessing of the array, though the tremor that originated from the depths of the soul could not be eliminated.