On the outskirts of Peng City, Emperor Xiang Chong of Great Chu rode out thirty miles to welcome a distinguished guest.

Unlike his lukewarm reception of Fan Li's return from the Yunzhou campaign, Xiang Chong was filled with excitement and anticipation. He couldn't wait to see her.

Sage Ruler Han Yue, the Sword Sage, his adopted mother!

The Great Ci Dynasty had an envoy stationed in Peng City.

The envoy had informed Xiang Chong in advance: Empress Yao Guang had sent Sage Ruler Han Yue to Great Chu. An important matter required her attention.

Important matter?

What important matter?

In Xiang Chong's eyes, there was only one truly important matter: getting rid of Fan Li!

"Heaven has answered my prayers! Empress Yao Guang and I are finally on the same page!

Mother is coming! I am saved!

With Mother here, Fan Li is finished!"

Xiang Chong's face flushed with excitement, as he envisioned a Great Chu free from the Fan Clan's control.

In the distance, a procession bearing the Great Ci Dynasty's banners slowly approached Peng City.

The procession stopped before Xiang Chong. A layer of thin green silk veiled the ornate carriage. He could vaguely make out two figures seated within.

Two people?

A slender hand gently lifted the silk, revealing the occupant.

In that instant, Xiang Chong felt his blood rushing, his heart pounding.

Beautiful women were abundant in the world. But the Pure Land's Sage Rulers were renowned for their beauty.

He had never seen this woman before. Her face was delicate, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes sparkling with youthful charm. Her figure was graceful and alluring.

She was truly captivating.

She was even more beautiful than the other Sage Rulers he had seen!

Moreover, she was clearly very young, a true maiden in her prime, unlike the Sage Rulers whose youthful appearances were maintained through their cultivation.

The woman smiled sweetly at Xiang Chong, then turned to her companion. "Sister Han Yue, the Emperor of Great Chu has come to welcome us."

Sister Han Yue?

Was she Han Yue's younger sister?

No!

Xiang Chong, in a rare moment of clarity, remembered the Pure Land's newest Sage Ruler candidate.

"You… you must be Sage Ruler Bai Rong?" he asked, his face beaming with a sycophantic smile.

"I am Bai Rong," the beautiful woman replied, her smile radiant, like a blossoming flower.

"But I haven't officially received the title of Sage Ruler yet. Please, don't call me that."

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Her voice was sweet, her demeanor friendly, making Xiang Chong's heart race.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from Bai Rong, finally noticing the other occupant of the carriage.

Sage Ruler Han Yue sat quietly, her expression emotionless.

Her usual demeanor, but today, there was a hint of weariness about her. The dark circles beneath her eyes suggested a lack of sleep.

But did Great Vehicle Realm cultivators even require sleep?

And there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Xiang Chong, however, was oblivious to her emotions.

"Mother!" he shouted, his voice filled with feigned affection.

His words were so over-the-top that even Bai Rong, who had been maintaining a sweet smile, couldn't help but feel a flicker of disgust.

How shameless!

The thought flashed through her mind, then vanished.

Morality had never been one of her criteria for choosing a man.

Before joining the Pure Land, a man like Xiang Chong, with his status and power, would have been unattainable.

But now, Bai Rong looked at him with the same discerning gaze she might use to appraise a piece of merchandise.

This man, the Emperor of Great Chu, was nothing more than a plaything in her eyes.

Becoming a Sage Ruler, she was truly fortunate!

Han Yue, startled by the shout, returned to reality.

She frowned, her heart filled with displeasure.

Who dared address her so casually?

She looked at Xiang Chong. His face was unfamiliar. He was nowhere near as handsome as the man who often occupied her thoughts.

Who was he?

And why was he calling her "Mother"?

How dare he be so disrespectful? Did he not realize that his words could damage her reputation?

Especially if he were to hear about this…

She bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

She looked at Xiang Chong again.

Ah!

A flicker of recognition, a blurry image from the depths of her memory.

She remembered him.

Xiang Chong, the Emperor of Great Chu.

The disgust vanished from her eyes, replaced by a wave of regret and self-loathing.

She remembered now. In a moment of weakness, her vanity had gotten the better of her. She had accepted this man as her adopted son.

Regret.

She wished she could go back in time, to that fateful day, and stab herself!

She had cultivated diligently for years, preserving her chastity.

She had never even had a Dao companion. And yet, she had somehow acquired a "son"?

Moreover, this foolish "son" of hers had a terrible relationship with Fan Li!

She prayed that Fan Li wouldn't hate her by association.

"Mother!"

Xiang Chong, sensing the change in her gaze, shouted once more, his voice filled with excitement.

Han Yue's face paled.

She couldn't refute his claim.

"You… Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the palace?"

She looked out the carriage window.

They were still far from the capital. Why had Xiang Chong come to greet them so far out?

"Mother! I came to welcome you, of course!" Xiang Chong said, his voice filled with pride.

His voice was loud, as if he wanted everyone to hear.

He was doing it deliberately.

Only a small number of Great Chu officials were aware of his relationship with the Sword Sage.

Most of them had no idea he had such a powerful backer.

Today, he would reveal his secret weapon!

As expected, the officials who hadn't known were shocked.

The green silk veil was lifted, and they finally saw the legendary Sword Sage.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, her aura noble and refined, like a snow lotus blooming atop a mountain peak.

And the faint pressure emanating from her… It was a clear sign of her immense power.

They all had to admit that Han Yue, whether as a woman or a cultivator, was an exceptional individual, one in a million.

But surely, that wasn't a valid reason for her to be Xiang Chong's adopted mother?

What about the Emperor's dignity?

What about decorum?

Was the Great Chu Dynasty truly a vassal state of the Great Ci Dynasty?

Their displeasure was evident.

Xiang Chong was oblivious. Even if he had noticed, he likely wouldn't have cared.

But Han Yue saw it.

And she understood.

In the past, when she had first arrived in Great Chu, she would have been enraged by their disrespect. She would have been tempted to draw her sword and execute them all!

But now, she only felt a deep sense of shame.

Whoosh!

A surge of spiritual energy, sharp as a sword, cut through the air.

The rope holding the veil snapped.

The green silk fell, concealing Han Yue from the Great Chu officials.

Xiang Chong was puzzled.

"I personally welcomed her thirty miles outside the capital. Why does she seem unhappy?

Perhaps the ceremony wasn't grand enough?

Or perhaps… she's simply in a bad mood?"

Xiang Chong wasn't the type to reflect on his own actions.

He quickly convinced himself that Han Yue's displeasure was her own problem, nothing to do with him.

"Mother, please accompany me back to the palace," he announced loudly, ordering the officials to form an escort, a grand procession to welcome Sage Ruler Han Yue into Peng City.

Inside the carriage, Han Yue remained silent.

Bai Rong sat beside her. They had traveled together for days, but they hadn't exchanged a single word.

Now, Bai Rong finally spoke.

"Sister, Xiang Chong truly respects you. The entire Great Chu Dynasty knows that he's your obedient son!"

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