Chapter 1

Chapter 1

As the dawn broke, Lian Yue, a maid, began her bustling tasks.

Petite and not particularly strong, Lian Yue made up for it with nimble hands and an industrious nature, tending to the Jishui Courtyard with meticulous care. She served Third Miss Wen Qiao with exceptional attentiveness.

Placing a copper basin filled with hot water on a stand, Lian Yue entered the inner chamber only to find that its occupant was already awake, softly coughing while leaning against the bed's headboard.

Hastening over, Lian Yue gently patted her mistress's back as she coughed, her heart aching as she watched her spine curve from the exertion. Whispering softly, she said, "Miss, your medicine is three days overdue. I'll go to the pharmacy in a moment to urge them, my lady."

Speaking thus, Lian Yue's brow furrowed slightly, aware that she might not be able to procure the medicine, but she couldn't bear to see her own miss suffer day after day.

The cough seemed to drain all her strength. When the fit finally subsided, Wen Qiao leaned wearily on the maid, her breaths shallow.

"Miss…" Lian Yue looked at her with concern.

"No need," came the weak reply from her mistress.

Upon hearing her frail voice, Lian Yue hesitated to speak further, but seeing her mistress's pale face, she ultimately remained silent.

Wen Qiao is the legitimate daughter of the Wen family's eldest branch and the sole girl among them.

Born to a life of golden privilege, with the family's highest hopes resting upon me, yet I was plagued by an inherent weakness. Despite possessing extraordinary talent, my physique was frail, with meridians weaker than ordinary people's, limiting my capacity to endure excessive cosmic essence. Thus, in the path of cultivation, I lagged behind others, forever caught in the limbo of being neither superior nor inferior.

Lian Yue held her young mistress in the highest esteem, and it pained her to see the arduous efforts the lady put into mastering the Wen family's martial arts, only to be held back by her frail health. Unbeknownst to many, she was subtly disregarded and overlooked by the Wen family, her regular medication even occasionally pilfered by some avaricious servants. Lian Yue couldn't help but ponder how different things might have been if the Lady and Lord of the house had not perished in the monstrous beast uprising. At least then, her mistress would have had a pillar of support within the Wen family, instead of fading into invisibility among its multitude of descendants.

Unaware of the maid's thoughts, Wen Qiao proceeded with her morning rituals under the maid's attendance, then sat down at the octagonal table to partake in breakfast.

The morning meal was a simple porridge made from plain white rice.

The plain congee was cooked to a creamy consistency, smooth and delicate, though not made from spiritual rice, it still tasted delightful. Paired with the pickles Lian Yue had carefully prepared, the meal was refreshing and appetizing. Even Wen Qiao, who wasn't particularly hungry, managed to finish half a bowl.

However, Lian Yue found her young mistress ate far too little. Which martial arts practitioner in the other courtyards didn't consume several bowls of rice per meal? Cultivators expended more energy than ordinary people, and they replenished it through food. Even if her young mistress trained for less than half a day each day, it was still training.

After breakfast, Wen Qiao sat in the flower hall, picking up where she left off yesterday with "Journeys Through the Holy Martial Continent."

Lian Yue efficiently tidied the room before leaving.

Half an hour later, Lian Yue returned. She didn't mention her earlier visit to the front to inquire about the medicine, and Wen Qiao didn't ask. The outcome would be the same either way.

Lian Yue held a branch of Danhuang flower in her hands, its layers of petals glowing a vivid red, adding a touch of beauty to the table.

Lian Yue asked, "Miss, isn't it lovely?"

Wen Qiao took a glance, her voice still cool and detached, "Yes, it is."

Though there was no hint of praise in her tone, Lian Yue was still delighted. She chirped happily, "Today is Miss's coming-of-age ceremony. I know the Wen family won't hold a ceremony for you, and they might have even forgotten. But I haven't! Just now, when I passed by Changchun Garden, I saw that the Danhuang flowers were in full bloom. I heard they're Fourth Miss's favorites, so no one else is allowed to pick them. I secretly plucked one as a gift for our Miss's coming-of-age ceremony..."

Wen Qiao's hand paused in her reading, a hint of surprise flickering across her usually aloof face.

Lian Yue noticed this, regretting mentioning it, but she couldn't pretend not to know.

If even she forgot, who else in the world would remember that her Miss had come of age?

In Dongling, martial prowess was valued over literacy, and traditional customs weren't highly regarded. However, most prominent families, if they cared for their children, would still meticulously observe these customs, demonstrating their regard for their offspring while showcasing their family's outstanding lineage.

Unfortunately, Wen Qiao didn't belong to the ranks of the Wen family's distinguished offspring.

Lian Yue sighed. Though her Miss was born into nobility, she had lost both parents and was naturally frail. It was already remarkable that she had grown to this age, and one couldn't ask for more.

***

As Lian Yue expected another uneventful day to unfold just like any other, an earthshaking incident occurred in the Wen family that would alter the destinies of both her and her mistress forever.

The ruler of Dongling Kingdom, Emperor Cheng Hao, had decreed the marriage between the Seventh Prince and Wen Qiao, the third young miss of the Wen family.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, the entire Wen household was astounded.

When Second Lady Liu, the head of the family, arrived at the Jishui Courtyard, she found a slender girl sitting beneath the veranda, engrossed in a book.

Leaning against the weathered pillar, the girl's raven-black hair cascaded down smoothly, accentuating her pale, ethereal beauty. Dressed in a slightly worn, light green dress, she wore no ornaments, resembling a bamboo shoot—simple and serene. With a book in hand and her gaze lowered, she sat quietly with an air of cool elegance, exuding an extraordinary charm.

Occasionally, a gentle cough would cause her fragile frame to tremble, adding a touch of vulnerability that evoked deep sympathy.

Lian Yue noticed Second Lady and, surprised, approached to greet her, asking, "Why has Second Lady come?"

Second Lady felt somewhat awkward.

She was a busy woman, managing the entire extended family; there was little time to spare for a negligible figure like Wen Qiao. Despite the logic, being confronted with such straightforwardness by a young servant left Second Lady somewhat uncomfortable.

Wen Qiao slowly rose to her feet, her clear, piercing eyes fixed on Second Lady.

Those eyes were clear and serene, their dark brilliance captivating, but also chilling. The Second Lady felt uneasy under Lian Yue's gaze and smiled, "Ah Chuo, congratulations. The Emperor has bestowed a marriage upon you and the Seventh Prince. The imperial edict just arrived at the Wen residence."

Ah Chuo was Wen Qiao's childhood name, given to her by her late father, the head of the Wen family.

Lian Yue was taken aback, "Really? The Seventh Prince?"

The Second Lady nodded. Seeing that Wen Qiao still maintained her cool and distant demeanor, revealing no trace of joy or sorrow, it seemed as if nothing in this world could rattle her composure. The Second Lady secretly sighed. Although the Seventh Prince Ning Yuzhou was known as a cultivation failure, his reputation trailing behind the prodigious Third and Fifth Princes, he was deeply favored by Emperor Cheng Hao. He had everything he desired, a much more fortunate position than the frail and sickly Wen Qiao.

Despite their confusion over why Emperor Cheng Hao chose Wen Qiao for the Seventh Prince, they dared not openly discuss it.

After conveying the news, the Second Lady did not linger and quickly left.

When Lian Yue finally absorbed the implications of the arranged marriage, she gazed at her young mistress's transcendent countenance, feeling a knot in her heart.

On the Holy Martial Continent, martial prowess was paramount, and the practice of cultivation flourished. Though Dongling was a small kingdom located on the eastern fringes of the continent, it still embraced the continental culture. People absorbed the essence of heaven and earth into their bodies, honing their physical frames, hoping one day to ascend to higher realms and transcend their mortal forms, achieving divine beings.

The Wens were an esteemed old family in Dongling, with legends claiming that an ancestor had reached the pinnacle of the path of cultivation and ascended to the heavens. This ancestor had not only left behind countless resources for future generations to cultivate but also elevated the once-commoner Wen family to a prominent noble clan within Dongling, holding a significant position in the kingdom.

The descendants of the Wen family were also highly accomplished. Rarely would any direct lineage member lack a Primordial Spirit Root, and all followed the path of martial cultivation.

Despite Wen Qiao's frail health, at the age of five, she was discovered to possess an exceptional Primordial Spirit Root, and since then, her dedication to cultivation had been unwavering. Though her progress was slow, it still surpassed that of ordinary folk who couldn't cultivate at all.

To marry a martial practitioner with an ordinary person, wouldn't that be a blatant slap in the face?

What good is it for the Seventh Prince to be the favorite of Emperor Chenghao? He's still a good-for-nothing. An ordinary person with no ability to cultivate can, at most, live a hundred years. How could they compare to a martial practitioner?

Not long after Second Madam left, someone else arrived at the Jishui Courtyard, bringing medicine for Wen Qiao.

Lian Yue recognized the familiar white jade bottle. Sniffing its contents, she exclaimed with delight, "It's a Spirit Restorative Spring Pill, a spirit medicine!"

Wen Qiao had been plagued by illness since birth; common medicines had little effect on her. Spirit medicines were ideal, but alas, they were hard to come by. Even the well-established Wen family couldn't afford to provide such rare remedies frequently for a daughter who hadn't made significant contributions to the family. Most of the time, they offered her the more common Spring Revitalizing Pills.

Lian Yue was overjoyed. Eagerly, she fetched water for her mistress to take the medicine, sighing, "So there are such benefits from this marriage. That's wonderful."

It was as if she wasn't the one who had just belittled the Seventh Prince for his inability to cultivate.

After swallowing the Spring Revitalizing Pill, Wen Qiao felt a warm current spread through her veins, alleviating much of the constant bone-chilling pain she usually endured.

Indeed, spirit medicines were on another level compared to ordinary pills.

Observing the significant improvement in her expression, Lian Yue felt delighted too. She secretly resolved that even if the Seventh Prince turned out to be a good-for-nothing, she would accept it. As long as her young miss could consume more spirit medicines to alleviate her ailments and prolong her life, she would not ask for anything more.