Although Xu Qingxian had assumed he would need to remain away from the royal palace for a long time, the result turned out to be quite the opposite.
After Xu Jiaojiao left the Cold Palace, she exhaled softly, and her expression grew distant, her once soft eyes now cold and unreadable.
She sneered and muttered beneath her breath, "Cold North Prince? Wanting to marry me? Hmph."
With that bitter thought lingering in her mind, she began to stroll away with measured grace. Her robe fluttered gently as she walked, the golden embroidery along the hem catching the morning light.
Yet even as she walked, she couldn't help but whisper to herself, "Three days from now, the Cold North Prince will arrive after his long and difficult journey. Once he arrives, Father will try to hand me over to him so the contract can be formed in haste. I have already arranged for Mother to be sent away quietly… The only issue left is my twin brother."
Her gaze darkened as she paused for a moment, her brows drawing together. "I must find a way to get Brother out of here. Father knows he's one of my weaknesses. He'll certainly try to use him against me."
A deep frown carved its way onto her face as she continued walking, her thoughts spinning like silk threads tangling around her heart.
…
Completely unaware of the trouble gathering like storm clouds, Xu Qingxian remained secluded in cultivation for the next three days. During this period, he continued checking into his system, receiving a diverse array of rewards with each passing day.
On the seventeenth day, he received another robe, its fabric cool to the touch and embroidered with silver runes.
On the eighteenth, a small bell was bestowed upon him—one said to cleanse the mind and heart with a single chime. On the nineteenth day, he was gifted a golden crest that slightly increased the flow of qi in the surrounding area.
Xu Qingxian welcomed each reward with a content heart. Aside from the steady flow of gifts, little else occurred in the group chat. Most messages were casual chatter from the other group members.
"The group mission is just over a week away. Two more batches of group members are supposed to arrive before then. I wonder how things will unfold…" Xu Qingxian thought, his curiosity briefly stirring.
Despite the constant flow of rewards, Xu Qingxian found himself growing a little melancholic. Solitude had settled around him like a thick mist.
'On the path to immortality, it's only natural for others to drift away from me…' he sighed, watching the rising qi within his dantian. As his cultivation progressed, his mental state was also subtly shifting, gradually adapting to the trials of the higher realms.
DING! DING! DING!
Suddenly, a deafening bell reverberated through the entire royal capital, shaking the air with its ancient tone. Xu Qingxian's eyes snapped open. His body remained perfectly still, but his senses flared, instantly locking onto the direction of the distant cold, steel gate.
A troubled frown appeared on his face. 'The royal bell? Something must have happened.'
According to his knowledge, the bell was only rung during two types of events—when something significant was about to occur, or when someone committed a grave crime. It had been rung the day he had "sinned" by releasing the demoness from her sealed coffin.
There had been a few other instances as well, and each one had been of great importance.
'Could this be something like what happened to me? Is someone else being exiled to the Cold Palace?'
Xu Qingxian couldn't say for sure, but unease twisted in his chest like a coiled serpent. He hesitated for a moment, then turned his focus inward.
'Almost at the Nascent Soul stage… If I can just condense my nascent soul, I will check out what's happening outside.'
With a firm decision, Xu Qingxian closed his eyes once more, withdrawing from the outer world entirely.
…
Meanwhile, inside the royal hall, a gathering had taken place. Elders, magistrates, governors, nobles, and high-ranking officials were present. A hushed atmosphere filled the massive chamber as they spoke in whispers, casting cautious glances toward the large throne at the end of the hall.
"I heard the North Prince arrived earlier than expected," one official murmured. "They say he decided to rest for a few hours before meeting the princess and signing the contract."
Another elder nodded solemnly. "It's truly baffling that His Majesty is selling off his most talented daughter, simply because she wasn't born of the direct royal bloodline. What is he thinking?"
"Quiet! Do you want His Majesty to hear you and have your head removed?" another elder snapped, casting a sharp glare toward the speaker.
The chastised elder immediately shut his mouth, his expression turning awkward. However, the air soon returned to quiet discussion as the crowd resumed their subdued exchanges.
While the hall buzzed with low conversation, a loud creak echoed through the grand chamber. The massive double doors opened slowly. A figure stepped inside, followed closely by three alluring women whose every movement oozed flirtation and confidence.
"T-that's the Cold North Prince!" someone in the crowd gasped.
All eyes instantly shifted to the man now striding into the palace. He exuded a careless arrogance that was hard to miss.
His eyes were a deep, oceanic blue, gleaming with charm and mischief. His perfectly groomed hair was a dark green, slicked back with effortless style.
He looked every bit the part of a hedonistic playboy. The three women behind him giggled softly, clearly aware of the gazes lingering on their seductive forms.
Without hesitation, the prince moved toward the throne. As he walked, his expression shifted into a mild frown. The throne was empty.
'Is His Majesty making me wait? Has he forgotten that without this contract, his kingdom's prosperity will falter?' he thought with rising irritation.
Just then, a sharp voice rang out, cutting through the idle chatter. "His Majesty has arrived with the princess!"
All heads turned toward the entrance once more. A man in his early forties strode into the hall, every step radiating command.
His eyes were dark and penetrating, his gaze revealing layers of shrewd thought. Golden robes flowed behind him, adding to his majestic bearing.
His gaze swept across the room, pausing briefly on the Crown Prince—a polite-looking youth with light brown hair and deep red eyes that mirrored those of his mother. Then his gaze shifted to the Second Prince.
All who had been seated rose quickly in respect.
Behind the king stood Xu Jiaojiao. She wore flowing white robes that made her look like carved jade, pure and unblemished. Her soft eyes blinked slowly, but a sharp observer would notice the flicker of killing intent buried within.
She looked at the Cold North Prince, his lecherous grin tightening her grip beneath her sleeves.
'Just as I expected… only after my body,' she thought, eyes drifting to the three seductive women by his side.
A wave of disgust flickered across her face. Her hand clenched into a tight fist under the fabric of her robe.
'Old man… get my brother to safety. I will do what must be done,' she thought darkly.
At that moment, the king's voice resounded through the great hall.
"Be seated, everyone. Let the unification between the two kingdoms begin."