Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!

The only consolation was that, though the Emperor was gravely ill, he had not forgotten Princess Zi Ji. He continued to dispatch Shadows to guard the area. Consequently, formidable hidden enemies dared not act rashly.

The young maidservant let out a soft sigh, placed the food down, and quietly withdrew.

Two years! Zi Ji murmured softly, her eyelids drooping. She looked at her clothing; its size was unchanged, hardly varying at all.

Because she hadn't grown. Her small stature remained the same—frail, seemingly unable to withstand a single blow.

Despite her efforts to eat and cultivate, she hadn't managed to change herself.

She wanted to grow up.

"I have not yet met my Master, never been to the Sect, nor seen those fellow disciples. They must be very kind," Zi Ji whispered, once again thinking of Chen Pingping and Guang Xiaoyu.

They had come from far away, simply on their Master's command. They had never met her, yet they repeatedly protected her from great enemies. They taught her how to cultivate and how to be a person.

The most profound sentence in her memory was, "You must remember, you are different from others."

She hadn't understood before, but now she did.

Being a princess of the Netherworld was itself a Great Opportunity. Of course, this identity also meant endless trouble...

Is the Moon God the moon itself? Has She always been watching over me here, waiting for me to leave the deep palace?

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

"Don't be scared, just keep walking forward; I'm behind you."

"If anyone dares to harm her, one day I will settle the score with each of them."

"You just focus on your cultivation; leave the rest to your senior brother."

"Your senior brother is very poor and only has a few hundred stalks of Spiritual Medicine for you, and just a few hundred Spirit Pills..."

Scenes from the past emerged vividly. Princess Zi Ji smiled, but as she smiled, her eyes began to redden.

Two years had passed. Her senior brother and senior sister had not returned, and she had never dared to step out of the deep palace.

Now that her cultivation had progressed, the desire to leave stirred strongly within her, the thought growing ever more intense.

「In the Depths!」

A Shadow reported, "Your Majesty, the Princess may be leaving soon."

"Let her go if she must! She never belonged here in the first place. She should soar like a young eagle; how could she be trapped in a small place?" the Emperor smiled self-mockingly, his eyes turbid and filled with exhaustion. He was too tired.

Shadow remained silent.

The Emperor said with a smile, "From now on, you shall follow the Princess."

"I belong only to Your Majesty," Shadow replied.

"I am dying." The Emperor shook his head. "This is my last wish... Do you intend to let me die with regrets?"

Before Shadow could speak, he continued, "Over these two years, my health has weakened day by day. The internal strife in the dynasty has never ceased. The five Princes have fiercely fought, their conflict moving from the shadows into the open. The flames of war have even reached the palace. That woman in the harem's true colors have also been revealed. Perhaps it won't be long before slaughter engulfs this place. My death doesn't matter; I've lived for so many years. But the Princess is still young."

"What about Great Zhou?"

"Every Emperor is born from a pool of blood. Wasn't I the same?" He lifted his head. "The Princess is different; she never belonged here. As for Great Zhou, someone will naturally handle it."

After Shadow left, the Emperor remained in silence for a long time. Approaching death is like being a decaying tree; this is everyone's end. Even an invincible Great Emperor will one day fall.

「After a long while.」

The Empress arrived. "Your Majesty!"

"What is it?" he asked, fighting to keep his heavy eyelids open. Much of his weariness dissipated, and his imperial aura reconverged. Even with his failing health, he was still the Emperor of Great Zhou; at least for now, he could not fall.

The Empress said, "I have had Dragon Spring Water fetched. It is said that drinking this water can heal all illnesses..."

"You may leave," the Emperor interrupted her, his gaze icy. "I am very well."

What Dragon Spring Water? Heal all illnesses? The Empress couldn't wait for him to die right now, so the Eighth Prince could ascend the throne.

Ha!

The Emperor smiled coldly in silence.

In the courtyard, Princess Zi Ji looked towards a dark corner and asked, "How is he?"

This was the first time she had spoken to Shadow since entering the imperial palace, and the first time she had inquired about the Emperor's condition.

Shadow paused for a moment, then replied in a low voice, "He doesn't have much time left. His Majesty wants you to leave this place quickly; after all, you don't want the throne anyway."

Yes! She did not enjoy life here, nor did she desire that so-called throne. But she was human. She could not remain indifferent to the Emperor's concern for her over many years.

Upon hearing his condition was dire, Zi Ji fell silent for a moment before asking, "Has a successor been chosen yet?"

Shadow shook his head. "No. His Majesty's intention is to let the five Princes compete amongst themselves. The victor will become king and inherit the throne of Great Zhou."

This was the cruel path of an emperor. The current Emperor also walked this path in his time. But all this was predicated on his passing; otherwise... the five Princes would not dare to overstep.

Zi Ji glanced behind her before saying, "I'll go and see him."

Shadow looked surprised. Before he could react, Zi Ji had already left the courtyard and was heading towards the Emperor's quarters.

The powerful enemies lurking in the shadows were startled. They wondered if they had seen wrong, but... it was indeed Princess Zi Ji. They had an ominous premonition; something major was about to happen.

It wasn't long before Zi Ji arrived.

The Emperor, seated on his high dais, was also surprised. "Why have you come?"

"To bring medicine!" Zi Ji said, taking out the Spiritual Milk Jade. "This is Spiritual Milk Jade my senior brother obtained for me in the Holy City Dojo. It contains vast Spirit Qi, like a Spirit Stone lode. I also have a few high-level Spirit Pills and some powerful cultivation techniques. With some good luck, you might yet survive."

The Emperor's biggest issue was his cultivation; numerous internal maladies impeded his progress. If these could be resolved, he still had a chance to recover.

But the chances were slim. His hidden illnesses had damaged his very foundation. His Dantian was eroded, his meridians were nearly severed, his Divine Soul had dimmed, and his life force was incredibly feeble.

If Mao Qiu were here, perhaps there would be a chance.

"Thank you for your care over the years. I have no way to repay you. If there is another life, I shall repay this debt." Zi Ji bowed deeply. "I believe you will survive. If not, I will watch over Great Zhou..."

"Our fated connection was always shallow," he lamented, "yet I was foolishly devoted. If I hadn't brought you back to the deep palace, perhaps your life would be better now!" He shook his head. "As for these things... I do not need them."

"I have more!" Zi Ji said. "My senior brother left me a lot."

"How is your senior brother?"

"He is well!"

"I have heard of him. Very strong. But this is the Central Continent, after all. How can an outside dragon contend with the local powers?" The Emperor raised his head. "If possible, you should leave the Central Continent."

"Alright!"

Zi Ji set down the "resources" and gave one last deep bow before turning to leave.

Shadow wanted to speak but hesitated.

The Emperor waved his hand, signaling him to leave as well.

In that instant, the regal lion aged, entering the twilight of his life.

Princess Zi Ji departed from the deep palace without any attempt at concealment. She walked onward, her slender figure appearing frail as if she could be blown over by the wind, yet her expression remained calm.