Reincarnation Girl Becomes Immortal

Compared to the daily exhaustion and monotony of training at the sword academy, this trip was much more comfortable.

So much so that Xi Heng subconsciously wanted to immerse himself in it, so that he didn't have to think about various moves and actions every day, and he didn't have to close his eyes at night and have his fists clench unconsciously, disturbing his sleep.

Living a relaxed and carefree life like this, with people taking care of you everywhere, and even your daily health supplements being precisely formulated by a specialist doctor using top-quality medicinal herbs, is so much better than before.

“No, no…” Xi Heng shook his head in the carriage, remembering his previous determination: “I must do my best to become a martial artist in this life. I made a vow.”

Only by entering the realm of martial arts and becoming a martial artist can one be considered free. Reloading a save file allows one to retain their martial arts realm, thus freeing them from being bound by this frail body in every life.

"Nothing is more important than a healthy body than fine clothes and delicacies," Xi Heng muttered to himself.

A moment later, she parted the curtains and asked the leader of the imperial guards about the matter of entering the body.

However, after several attempts to ask, I did not gain much useful knowledge or experience.

The soldiers accompanying the carriage all seemed to be top-notch martial arts geniuses.

As Xi Heng observed their expressions during the conversation, he could tell that they thought entering the realm of Qi was an easy and simple matter.

These people say that as long as you lay a solid foundation, and practice for another month or two, it will be a natural thing to develop internal strength.

"..." After asking around, Xi Heng realized that he probably wouldn't learn anything from the martial artists around him, so he sighed softly and closed the curtains again.

These genius martial artists under the royal family are no better off than just finding a martial arts instructor at a martial arts school; at least the people in those schools have some teaching experience.

……

Five days later, in the capital.

Xi Heng's carriage slowly entered the city, surrounded by imperial guards.

The towering buildings stood atop the thick city walls, with nine gates beneath them, one for entry on the left and exit on the right, and the central gate for high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

There were long queues at all eight entrances on the left and right, with crowds jostling and making a racket, while the largest central entrance was completely empty.

The purple-gold carriage traveled along the imperial road amidst the attention of the crowd, encountering no obstacles on the long, empty road, and went straight in.

The city's wide roads are paved with white stones, and many dragon-patterned balusters stand on both sides of the road.

Not far along the long road, they entered the inner city and once again heard a bustling crowd.

Xi Heng lifted the carriage curtain and saw pedestrians dressed in bright clothes coming and going on the roadside, with bustling crowds on both sides of the road and carriages and horses thronging the roadside.

Red-brown horses were ridden and galloped about, their red manes flying, while colorful carriages lined the streets, their gold and emerald gleaming.

Red lanterns lined both sides of the teahouses, taverns, and shops, and even though it was daytime, a few were still burning.

Looking into the distance, one can see pavilions, singing houses, painted towers, and embroidered doors.

Amidst the willow-lined streets and flower-filled lanes, the sounds of laughter and cheerful voices drifted by, accompanied by the melodies of pipes and strings. In the distance, street performers drew a large crowd, who cheered loudly.

The road was covered in blooming flowers, which overwhelmed Xi Heng, a countryman who had lived in a remote mountain village for several years.

Although it cannot compare to modern entertainment and shopping streets, this part of the capital city can still be described as exquisite and diverse.

"It's really lively," Xi Heng remarked casually.

However, neither the driver nor the soldiers accompanying him responded.

The closer they got to their destination, the more cautious and serious they became.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Xi Heng lost interest in saying anything more and silently looked out the window with his chin in his hand.

Gradually, the carriage crossed the bustling commercial street and arrived before the ornately decorated imperial city.

Compared to the towering pavilions outside, the scenery inside the imperial city was even more like a heavenly palace with jade towers and golden halls.

What's even more eye-catching is that, on one side of the palace, a mountain tens of meters high rises abruptly from the flat ground, and a single glance from afar is enough to make one feel that the scenery is picturesque.

Flowers of all colors compete for beauty, and lush forests and tall bamboos sculpt the mountains into a verdant hue.

A few beautiful clouds and mists lingered around the mountain peaks, adding to the ethereal atmosphere of the mountain. There was a tall pavilion on the mountain, which seemed to be the abode of immortals.

This mountain seems to embody the essence of heaven and earth, possessing a sense of the beauty and wonder of the universe.

What's even more special is that a shiny, jet-black dragon coils around the mountainside, its scales clearly visible under the sunlight, so lifelike that it's unclear what it was carved from.

Seeing this scene, Xi Heng subconsciously recalled what the black-robed man had said earlier in the Red Thread Sword Academy.

"In the dead of winter, the common people struggle to survive, yet the emperor carves dragons from coal..."

"Is this the dragon?"

Xi Heng pondered silently, his gaze returning to the golden palace and then to the towering mountain that stood out against the sky, brimming with spiritual energy.

She had admired the scenery for a long time before arriving, and remembered that there were hardly any mountains around the capital; this place should have been a large plain.

Ancient people would not build cities near mountains, especially capital cities.

Xi Heng pulled back the carriage curtain and asked the imperial guard beside him:

What mountain is that?

"Your Highness, you may not know this, but this is the sacred mountain built by His Majesty, named Penglai!" The leader of the imperial guards introduced, bowing to the palace with his hands clasped together.

"Built bit by bit on flat ground?"

"Your Majesty possesses grand ambitions and profound strategies," the other party said respectfully.

Corrupt governance harms the people.

Xi Heng closed the curtain, increasingly feeling that the old emperor was no good person.

Getting along with them afterward might be quite troublesome.

"Hmm... If they treat me badly, I'll try to get as much benefit as possible and then leave," Xi Heng thought to himself.

As the purple-gold carriage entered the palace, the tense and serious expressions of the surrounding guards gradually relaxed.

The palace floor was blue and white, as if it were paved with jade.

Some walls are covered with gold leaf and gold wire, painted in the shape of dragons.

The golden dragon mural's eyes gleam with firelight, bright and spirited, as if it would come to life and fly off the wall at any moment.

After walking along the imperial road, the magnificent and resplendent imperial palace came into view.

Many guards, dressed in golden armor and holding long spears, stood on both sides; at a glance, one could see hundreds of them.

The carriage stopped in front of the main hall, and a eunuch respectfully asked her to dismount in a high-pitched voice.

Xi Heng pulled back the purple curtain and stepped out of the car, which was filled with the rich scent of sandalwood.

"Welcome, Princess!" The eunuch's shrill voice irritated Ling Xiheng.

She glanced at the white-haired old eunuch and saw that he was steady in his posture, with a certain kind of power in his stance, and his eyes were bright and shrewd, like a master.

"Please invite the Princess to court to meet His Majesty!" the other party said, bowing slightly.

Xi Heng descended the wooden steps and first looked around at the open space. Behind him stood the magnificent and imposing main hall.

"Is there anything I need to prepare?" she asked the old eunuch.

"By His Majesty's decree, the Princess must be granted an audience as soon as possible; there is no need for further formalities!" Every word the eunuch spoke had a theatrical, convoluted quality.

"Princess, please follow behind me—" The man turned and walked away.

Xi Heng followed helplessly, seeing the wide hall doors getting closer and closer.

In addition to the sunlight shining through, several pillars of fire were burning fiercely inside the hall.

Upon entering the main hall, she first felt its vastness, then its gloom.

The walls are covered with red carpets and decorated with purple and gold dragon patterns. The walls are painted with scenes of the heavenly palace in dark blue and light white, and each huge beam and pillar has a picture of a five-clawed golden dragon.

After being decorated, the main hall looked less like a political court and more like a Taoist temple.

The closer one goes to the light of the pillar of fire, the more one can see civil and military officials dressed in brocade robes, wearing black gauze hats, and holding various colored court tablets.

Hundreds of officials stood in neat rows, some of them trembling.

At this moment, the entire court was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Until a steady middle-aged male voice uttered a single word:

"read."

"Yes, sir~" came another sharp eunuch's voice, but this time the voice was somewhat unsteady.

Xi Heng didn't like this kind of voice and frowned slightly.

Then, the eunuch in front began to speak in a strange voice, trembling with fear:

"Your Majesty believes that immortality is attainable and is solely focused on metaphysical cultivation. He possesses the wealth of the entire realm but does not consider it the source of the people's riches, yet he indulges in extravagant construction projects. He has neglected court affairs for ten years, and discipline has collapsed. He has repeatedly promoted various precedents, and titles and ranks have become indiscriminate..."

"The officials are corrupt and the generals are weak, the people are suffering, floods and droughts are frequent, and bandits are rampant. These problems existed in the early years of Your Majesty's reign, but they were not as severe..."

The voice continued for almost several minutes.

During this time, Xi Heng also came to the back of the officials and looked forward to see the so-called emperor in the center of the court.

This person was dressed in a black fur coat with dragon patterns, with red and gold clothing underneath, and a twelve-tassel crown on his head. He leaned casually against the wide throne.

Although he was old, he was still quite handsome, with a high nose, thin eyebrows, phoenix eyes, and a beard.

Several palace maids stood by, carrying jade platters filled with plump red peaches, full-bodied grapes, and wine in jade pots.

The emperor picked up a cup of wine, casually drank it down his throat, and listened quietly as the eunuch recited the poem.

"Your Majesty has cultivated mystic arts for many years, yet has gained nothing. The mere external elixirs for immortality are beyond the reach of reason, thus demonstrating the futility of mystic cultivation—"

After the voice faded, the court fell silent.

None of the civil and military officials below dared to utter a sound at that moment.

"Excellent!" The emperor clapped his hands loudly after hearing this, breaking the silence with a booming voice: "This article is unique, with magnificent writing and a powerful momentum. It is truly the work of a master."

"Bring this wise minister who offered this advice up here!"

The loud voice echoed in the hall, and before long, a man dressed in rough prison clothes and shackled with iron chains was brought to the court.

The condemned prisoner was disheveled, his face was covered in filth, and his eyes were bloodshot. When he saw the emperor, he tried to open his mouth, but his mouth had already been sealed shut with thick needle and thread.

Blood dripped from his waist, staining the front of his plain white prison uniform bright red.

"How can you treat a wise minister like this?" The emperor frowned. "Cut his mouth open!"

A moment later, a eunuch came to the prisoner with a pair of thick iron scissors. With a snap, the sharp blade cut through the flesh and black thread.

A muffled, hoarse roar of pain escaped from the split corner of his mouth, only to be suppressed.

The man opened his mouth, which was dripping with bright red blood, glared angrily at the emperor seated before him, and roared through gritted teeth:

"Zhao Qianyuan, you will die a horrible death!"

After the angry shouts subsided, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Only the emperor on his throne laughed upon hearing this:

"Yes! I am destined for immortality, how could I possibly die?"

"I have found the secret to immortality! I will ascend to immortality on a chosen day! I will ride a crane to heaven and live as long as heaven and earth!"

……

Chapter Eleven, Feigning Madness

The prisoner in white used his last strength to curse the emperor on the throne, and none of the hundreds of officials in the court dared to utter a sound.

The condemned man's voice grew weaker and weaker. After five or six angry curses, his voice became hoarse. Blood flowed down his body, adding a touch of darkness to the red carpet on the ground.

He mumbled a few more curses in a hazy, incoherent voice, then swayed and collapsed to the ground.

"How could he die so soon? I was hoping to see him burn to death." Zhao Qianyuan waved his clean left hand: "He couldn't even hold on for a little longer. What's wrong with the prison administration? Issue an edict that the officials in charge of this man's trial be given fifty strokes of the cane each."

"Yes, sir!" the eunuch below responded.

"As for the corpse, tie it to the pillar next to us and burn it," he said, and soon someone obeyed and carried out the order.

The corpse was tied to a stone pillar at the far end with a thick rope. A moment later, a pile of firewood was built up, and a bright flame was quickly lit, emitting the smell of burning flesh.

The Emperor of Zhao leaned back on the long chair, picked up a grape from the plate brought by the trembling palace maid beside him, and stuffed it into his mouth. His lazy gaze swept across the court below.

"Oh?" He tilted his head and saw a woman dressed in simple brocade clothes standing out from the crowd behind the officials.

"Oh~" The emperor understood, nodded, and then raised his right hand and slammed it on the armrest of the dragon throne.

A muffled sound rang out, causing many officials below to tremble, thinking the emperor was about to go mad again.