Reincarnation Girl Becomes Immortal

“That old eunuch? It’s like he’s here at the drop of a hat. What’s he doing here so late…” Xi Heng squinted and said, “Bring someone up.”

"Yes."

A palace maid came downstairs and called out, and a moment later, footsteps came upstairs.

"Your Majesty, this servant has come to request an audience." This time it was that familiar, high-pitched voice of the old eunuch, which sounded like a theatrical opera.

Xi Heng muttered the word "unpleasant" to himself before letting the other person in.

The old eunuch, dressed in a neat blue-black official robe, was impeccably dressed and impeccably clean. He knelt down to pay his respects as soon as he entered the room.

"What do you want to say?" Xi Heng asked.

"Your Majesty, I have come to bring up the matter of abdication and escape again," he said respectfully, bowing with his hands clasped.

"Didn't I tell you not to talk about it anymore?"

"Your Majesty, to be honest..." The old eunuch, who had been keeping his head down, took a deep breath and said, "This servant has recently heard rumors that Zhu Xun, the Privy Councilor, has offered a large reward to hire a martial arts master to assassinate Your Majesty. The master is already on his way."

"Does our imperial court not have any cultivators with the Transformation Realm?" Xi Heng asked.

"There are five experts at the Transformation Realm in the Great Zhao Dynasty. Three of them are generals who are currently training their troops at various military headquarters to prepare for battle and are unable to come to protect His Majesty for the time being. The other two were originally in the Imperial Guard, but the Imperial Guard has not yet sided with His Majesty. They are more inclined to support Princess Chu Xiao... and Princess Chu Xiao seems to be unwilling to assist His Majesty."

"The factional infighting in your court is really troublesome," Xi Heng scoffed.

She was a powerless emperor who was parachuted in, and because she killed three prime ministers after ascending the throne, even the civil officials in the court dare not try to groom her as a puppet emperor.

Now, surrounded by enemies and isolated, this is the inevitable end.

"This servant is unable to help Your Majesty stop the martial arts master, so please leave the capital tonight. This servant will then find a substitute to die in Your Majesty's place," the old eunuch said.

"Isn't that unnecessary?" Xi Heng said, "When you put me on the throne, wasn't this the result you hoped for?"

The girl counted on her fingers and explained the other person's plan:

"You want me to forcefully eliminate the most powerful and treacherous ministers in the court. After I am killed by these ministers, I will then establish Princess Chuxiao as the emperor. At that time, the court will be clean and the politics will be clear, so that Princess Chuxiao can realize her ambition to save the country."

"I will bear all the sins in this lifetime in exchange for the peace and stability after Princess Chuxiao ascends the throne. Furthermore, you can use my good reputation among the people to your advantage after my death."

Xi Heng had already vaguely understood the old eunuch and the old imperial advisor's plan when he ascended the throne.

The old eunuch did not refute, but only sighed softly and said:

“This servant is guilty of plotting against Your Majesty and should be executed on the spot… If Your Majesty harbors any resentment towards this servant, I may immediately sever my own meridians and die.”

“No need,” Xi Heng said directly. “When you took action, you already knew that this was a dead end for yourself, and that you would be held accountable in the future and would not survive.”

After a moment of silence, the old eunuch spoke:

“Your Majesty speaks the truth. I have long been prepared to die and have already prepared a coffin in the Directorate of Ceremonial... But Your Majesty need not do so.”

He said, “Over the past ten days, I have come to know that His Majesty is no ordinary man and has the heart to save the country. If he does not perish today, he will surely achieve great things in the future and may even give the Great Zhao a better chance of survival. Therefore, after hesitating for a long time these past few days, I have decided that I must protect His Majesty.”

“I say, there’s no need.” Xi Heng shook his head: “I have already killed those treacherous officials, not because I was forced but because I followed my heart. So I must bear the consequences of this myself. You don’t need to find a substitute to die in my place.”

On the surface, he spoke of righteousness, but in reality, it was mainly because Xi Heng had already used the Five Degrees of Life-Snatching Technique to amplify his own qi and blood, which resulted in insufficient lifespan and increasingly weak body. His qi and blood had also gradually surpassed his peak age and would likely continue to weaken in the future.

Therefore, if one continues to live in this life, the efficiency of martial arts cultivation will inevitably slow down, and it will be more efficient than dying and reloading the save file.

And... Xi Heng wanted to use the Deadly Strike again.

She has now advanced to the level of a Dark Force martial artist, opening up her waist meridian. The upper limit of Qi and blood that her dantian and meridians can hold has increased. She can use the Life-Taking Technique to amplify her Qi and blood, laying the groundwork for her martial arts training efficiency in the next life.

Even if she leaves the palace, she will definitely use the Deadly Technique to accelerate her cultivation, which will only lead to her body withering away and dying. It would be better for her to stay in the palace and enjoy some luxury and wealth.

Xi Heng yawned as he pondered this.

"But, Your Majesty, this is a matter of life and death." The eunuch in the room seemed unable to understand and wanted to offer some more words of advice.

"Stop talking. If possible, help me catch a few treacherous officials who are plotting against me." Xi Heng waved his hand and said, "I'm sleepy. You may leave."

"..." Seeing Xi Heng's unrestrained demeanor, the eunuch was speechless and didn't know what to say.

Xi Heng waved his hand again, and the other party finally bowed solemnly and left.

Before leaving, he paused behind the door and said one more thing into the room:

“Your Majesty, a martial artist at the Transformation Realm can travel a thousand miles a day. He might arrive tomorrow. This servant and Commander Ma Yi of the Imperial Guards can hold him off for a while… Although it is widely rumored that Commander Ma is critically ill and on the verge of death, he still has the strength to fight. If Your Majesty gives the order, the two of us will be ready to die for Your Majesty…”

After saying that, he closed the door.

Inside, the girl sitting on the edge of the bed responded with a soft "hmm," then shook her head, dismissing these thoughts, and returned to the bed to continue sitting cross-legged.

"An assassin at the Transformation Realm... I probably won't live much longer."

Xi Heng stopped slowly condensing his inner strength and instead began circulating the Deadly Technique.

Since we won't live much longer, there's no need to extend our lifespan any further.

She closed her eyes, calmed her mind, and sensed the circulation of Qi and blood in her meridians. She directed the Qi and blood to the Mingmen acupoint on her lower back, using the Qi and blood to draw out the vital energy within and slowly guide it back into her Dantian...

As time passed, the moon's shadow gradually shifted, and the stars slowly rose in the east, forming a white curtain of light, until dawn.

Inside the Fuqing Hall, on the third floor, is the emperor's bedroom.

On the bed, Xi Heng practiced the Life-Taking Technique all night, using his qi and blood to cut and absorb lifespan, and further strengthened his own qi and blood by 20-30%.

However, side effects followed. Her once beautiful gray hair had turned completely white, with dry, split ends and no longer possessing its former softness.

Xi Heng slowly opened his eyes, which were filled with a sharp light and his gaze was piercing.

Although one's spirit becomes more radiant due to the abundance of Qi and blood in the body, the body inevitably becomes much thinner and drier, losing its smoothness and elasticity.

She propped herself up with her hands and slowly got up, coughed twice, passed the desk, and came to the dressing table.

She didn't look old in the mirror, but rather more like she did when she was seriously ill.

She casually combed her long, white hair with her five fingers, and her fingertips caught a few stray strands.

"Is your body's vital energy depleted this severely..." Xi Heng clicked his tongue.

Looking at her sickly appearance, she recalled herself at the end of her second life.

However, she is much more capable now than she was back then.

He not only became a powerful martial artist, but also made a name for himself in the capital with his sword, and finally ended his life as an emperor revered by all.

This emperor was not a tyrannical or incompetent ruler, but rather a so-called "heroic emperor" who eliminated treacherous officials in the court and was admired by all.

"It's not a bad ending, is it?"

Seeing the person in the mirror nod, Xi Heng smiled faintly, stood up, and called for a palace maid.

Upon hearing this, the palace maid on night watch knocked lightly on the door and replied, "This servant is here. What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Is it almost dawn?" Xi Heng said. "Have the master of ceremonies and palace maids come in to help me with my makeup and clothes."

The palace maid outside responded with a "Yes," and quickly walked down the stairs.

A moment later, the master of ceremonies and palace maid ascended the steps, knocked on the door, and entered.

Seeing that the other woman was still youthful and beautiful, with a lovely face, while he himself had suddenly changed his appearance, Xi Heng felt a bitter smile in his heart.

When the master of ceremonies entered the bedroom, he was stunned to see His Majesty's long, white hair flowing down to his waist.

"Your Majesty, you..." She blinked her bright eyes repeatedly, "How come your hair suddenly turned completely white overnight, and your complexion is so pale..."

"My heart is with the land of Great Zhao, with the treacherous ministers causing chaos in the court, and with the common people of the world."

Xi Heng put on a worried expression and sighed, "I couldn't sleep all night, and my hair has turned white as a young man."

The master of ceremonies, a palace maid, touched her chest and pursed her lips: "Your Majesty is concerned about the country and its people, but please don't worry about getting pregnant."

"Do my hair and makeup, try to hide my sickly appearance, as there may be important matters to discuss in court today."

The master of ceremonies maidservant approached, her five fingers touching His Majesty's skin. Feeling a pang of pity, she said again:

"Your Majesty, why do you still want to attend court? Why not first summon the imperial physician to prepare some medicine to nourish Your Majesty's body?"

"No need, I'm fine." Xi Heng simply said, "Just continue."

The master of ceremonies had no choice but to obey.

Half an hour later, Xi Heng put on a solemn dragon robe and a twelve-tiered crown. Seeing the jade beaded curtain hanging in front of him, he felt even more like an emperor.

Looking in the mirror again, the makeup the emcee had done for her had concealed some of her sickly appearance and added a touch of heroic spirit.

Xi Heng patted his dragon robe and walked out of his bedroom with the seriousness of someone about to hold their own funeral. He then boarded the carriage prepared in front of the palace and headed to the Taixiao Palace for court.

……

Above the temple, between the palace steps.

The empress, with her long, pale hair flowing freely and exuding an air of majesty and noble elegance, sat on the dragon throne, while four torches were lit in the court.

Xi Heng gently raised his hand, and the guards in front understood his meaning and announced the imperial decree to go to court.

Slowly, a large number of court officials dressed in purple, red, blue, and green robes marched forward in a procession, holding jade tablets, their expressions steady and serious.

"Gentlemen, what matters do you wish to report today?" Xi Heng asked.

The courtiers at the front slightly raised their heads and saw His Majesty's white hair. They felt strange, but they did not ask questions to disrupt the order of the court.

"Your Majesty!" A courtier stepped forward from the crowd:

"Your Majesty has received news that Yan Meng's army in the north has reached the border! It is likely that the border has already been attacked. I request Your Majesty to open the Ministry of Revenue and allocate funds and grain to aid the northern fortresses and cities!"

"As you say, let's present the memorial."

Xi Heng's life was in grave danger at the moment, and he didn't know when the so-called Transformation Realm martial artist would come to kill him. He was unwilling to waste time on these matters.

After discussing the wars with Yan Meng in the north and Tian Liang in the south, the court also talked about the unrest in the capital region, the progress of bandit suppression, and the refugees in the south...

After a while, a minister stepped forward, but the matter he spoke of was no longer related to the affairs of the Great Zhao:

"Your Majesty, I have heard some rumors circulating among the people in the capital, and I would like to ask Your Majesty a question."

“Speak,” Xi Heng said.

"People inside and outside the capital often say that His Majesty has executed treacherous officials, and they applaud this. However, there is another version of the story mixed in with these opinions. It is said that before His Majesty entered the palace, he killed off gangs of all sizes in the inner city under the name of the Blood-Clad Heroine, creating more than ten major cases, which caused panic among the people in various places and prompted the government and constables to rush to the scene."

"At first, I thought it was just idle gossip among the common people of the capital. But then, for some reason, His Majesty's portrait began to circulate in the inner city. A female constable from the capital who had once pursued the woman in blood declared that the portrait depicted her!"

"Your Majesty is so confident in your assertion, and with gossip circulating in the capital and numerous arguments being made, it has become quite a hot topic. Ask any commoner in the capital, and they will all say that His Majesty is the blood-clad swordsman. Such absurd rumors have spread throughout the capital. Your Majesty must suppress this matter..."

With his white hair, Xi Heng sat on the throne, watching the officials and soldiers in purple robes below him talk eloquently, his fingertips lightly tapping his chin as his thoughts wandered.

Although the official below spoke in a calm tone, he was actually questioning her.

The minister, dressed in purple, had an old face and a head full of tangled hair, but his voice was not hoarse; instead, it became even more eloquent: "Therefore, I implore Your Majesty to issue a decree to all corners of the land, sternly declaring that such lawless individuals will not be tolerated and must be brought to justice to give the laws of Great Zhao an explanation!"

Xi Heng half-closed her eyes, vaguely understanding the meaning behind those words.

"This sets a bad example for the common people of the capital. The name of the woman in blood has now spread throughout the capital, and many self-proclaimed chivalrous wanderers have taken this lawless thug as their role model. This has led to a series of major cases in various places, which the government and the constables are finding difficult to handle!" The old civil official said, "Your Majesty has already submitted a memorial and earnestly requests that Your Majesty issue an edict to clarify the matter!"

After the man finished speaking loudly, he knelt down, bowed his head, and then tried to step back.

"Wait a minute." Xi Heng tapped the armrest of the dragon throne lightly with his fingertips.

The finger struck with a little force, leaving a dent in the wooden handrail.

"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" The old minister stopped in his tracks and knelt down on one knee.

"What's your name?" Xi Heng asked.

"Your Majesty, my name is Li Yuan, and I am a Grand Counselor in the palace."

"Oh?"

Xi Heng remembered that she hadn't seen this person come to court a few days ago. As soon as he returned to court, he gave her a difficult problem.

She also recalled what Ma Yi, the commander of the Imperial Guards, had said about the three remaining villains in the court.

One of them was Li Yuan, the remonstrating official.

As for the other two, they are...

"Zhu Xun, the Privy Councilor, and Liang Cegong, the Grand Tutor, are they in the court?" Xi Heng looked down at the densely packed officials arranged in an orderly fashion.

"Your Majesty, I am here!" Two other ministers, one dressed in red and the other in purple court robes, stepped forward from among the court officials.

"Your Majesty, I am here!"

Just as Xi Heng had expected, now that the Imperial Guard Commander Ma Yi was seriously ill from a severe poisoning, these court officials no longer held back and returned to court to cause her trouble.

"Why have the three of you not come to court for the past seven days?" Xi Heng asked casually.

"I have already submitted a letter requesting leave, as my uncle in the clan has passed away, and I am returning to the clan to arrange the funeral." The other party bowed his head in response.