Over the years in the Blue Smoke Island Domain, Ling Bier had made rapid progress in martial arts, and she had indeed received substantial resources from the domain's imperial family.
Although she felt a certain unease in her heart, she had always remained deeply grateful to the Emperor of the Blue Smoke Island Domain.
Even now, knowing that His Majesty had ulterior motives, she still could not muster much hatred or resentment towards him.
After all, she had indeed been saved by the imperial family back then, and had indeed received countless benefits from them.
Ling Bier was not an ungrateful person; turning on someone and refusing to acknowledge past favors was something she was incapable of doing.
Therefore, while she was now extremely resistant to this husband-selection matter, she did not harbor hatred towards the Blue Smoke Island Domain's imperial family because of it.
Ling Bier was, after all, an intelligent person. Once she had calmed down, she began to devise a counter-strategy.
Eunuch Jia's words actually made considerable sense.
If she chose to confront the imperial family head-on now and leave them without a way to save face, it would absolutely bring her no benefit whatsoever.
Regardless, she would still need to play along with the imperial family during this marriage contest to some degree.
As for the final outcome of the selection, as long as she refused to submit no matter what and maneuvered covertly, if cultivators from the Ten Great Divine Kingdoms ended up victorious, with their bearing, would they truly force her hand?
If it truly came to that, Ling Bier would sooner die than compromise.
After thinking it through, Ling Bier arrived at a plan.
She decided to take things one step at a time and act according to the circumstances. In her current situation, she was already trapped in a cage. What she needed to do was wait for an opportunity, not lose her reason.
After all, having endured the shattering of her sect, being hunted, and wandering the world as a fugitive, Ling Bier had matured a great deal in her state of mind.
Most importantly, she still held a belief in her heart.
This belief sustained her, preventing her from making the reckless choice to go down in flames.
This belief, naturally, came from the distant Human Domain — from the Myriad Phenomena Domain, from Danqian Palace, from her father, from her younger sister, and of course from that junior martial brother whose voice and smile remained vividly etched in her mind even after ten years.
That junior martial brother who had once fought alongside her through life and death in the Myriad Phenomena Extreme Realm, that junior martial brother who had once saved her father.
So many years had passed, and she wondered: had the tribulation of Danqian Palace ended? Were these people she cared about still alive?
Ling Bier could not find the answer, but she was single-mindedly determined to go back and find it.
Over these years in the Blue Mist Archipelago, she had obtained countless resources. Her martial cultivation had also advanced by leaps and bounds, her own strength now reaching the initial stage of the Emperor realm.
This level of cultivation might still not be considered outstanding among the younger generation of the Myriad Abyss Island, but her starting point had been much later than those island geniuses.
To break through from the Saint realm to the Emperor realm in such a short span of years was, for Ling Bier, absolutely a miraculous journey.
Although her current cultivation was not yet sufficient to sweep across the Human Domain, in the depths of her heart, Ling Bier was incredibly eager—eager to reach the peak of the Emperor realm, or even enter the quasi-Heavenly realm.
When that time came, no matter what, she would return to the Human Domain.
Revenge was certainly something Ling Bier looked forward to. But what she anticipated even more was finding those people she cared about.
...
"Brother, you can't become a big guy overnight. Skip your cultivation today and come watch a martial arts arena match with me!" On this day, Yan Qingsang found Jiang Chen in high spirits.
"So you're finally planning to make your move?"
"Of course I am. Twenty days have already passed — if I don't act now, it'll be too late. I've heard that one or two hundred people have already achieved ten consecutive victories."
"Can I sit this one out?" Jiang Chen asked with a wry smile.
"No way." Yan Qingsang replied without hesitation. "You're going today, no exceptions."
Jiang Chen had no choice but to tag along. He had been cultivating these past days and it had grown rather dull, so this would be a nice chance to clear his head.
Besides, that princess from the Blue Smoke Island Domain had become quite the mystery lately. He had to listen to Yan Qingsang muttering about her every single day — his ears were practically calloused from it.
Now, this enigmatic princess was finally going to show her face. Even Jiang Chen was a little curious. What kind of nation-toppling beauty could she be, to be so aloof, so fashionably late, refusing to appear for so long?
Just as they stepped out the door, a clear, lovely voice came from behind: "Cousin Qingsang, I heard you're going to fight in the arena today. Can Huang'er come along for the fun?"
Jiang Chen froze at the sound of Huang'er's voice.
Yan Qingsang let out a chuckle, and the two of them turned around. Both of them froze on the spot.
Today, Huang'er had actually changed into a man's outfit! She was truly cross-dressing as a man. Her face was brimming with heroic spirit, making it impossible for anyone to spot a single flaw.
It was just that with Huang'er's looks, even dressed as a man, she appeared far too beautiful for a male.
"What? I can't go?" Huang'er looked at Yan Qingsang with a grin.
"Uh, Huang'er, don't tell me you want to enter the martial arts tournament too? Dressed like this?"
"If I went, what would be the point of you?" Huang'er said with a leisurely smile.
Yan Qingsang faltered for a moment, then shrugged. "If the clan elders don't have any objections, I naturally don't have any either. Let's go."
As he spoke, Yan Qingsang shot Jiang Chen a sidelong glance, clearly signaling him not to flirt with Huang'er.