"Very well! Since she’s your sister, she’s mine as well. Forget about going to the Governor’s residence—invite her to the palace to keep me company!" Liu Yunyao finally declared with a gracious smile.

Ye Liuyun found her suggestion quite agreeable.

Thus, Liu Yunyao sent Hongling to fetch Lin Xiaoxiao and even formally announced her as an adopted sister.

Lin Xiaoxiao, of course, understood the underlying meaning and happily followed along.

Lin Fengzhi, however, was puzzled. "Why would the princess also adopt Xiaoxiao as a sister just because Mr. Ye did?"

When he questioned Lin Xiaoxiao, she played dumb, revealing nothing about Ye Liuyun. Left to his own devices, Lin Fengzhi could only speculate. Still, it wasn’t a bad thing—at least it showed the princess’s approval of him.

Once inside the palace, Lin Xiaoxiao threw herself into assisting Liu Yunyao every day, keeping herself occupied and no longer clinging to Ye Liuyun.

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun seized the opportunity to train intensively with the others in his spatial world. He and his doppelganger sparred one after another with the giant orc Hatu, the tiger-headed beast king, the red-armored alien Tolin, and its own duplicate.

As his strength grew, Hatu and the tiger-headed beast king were no longer matches for him. Only Tolin and its duplicate remained suitable opponents. Even then, relying solely on his advance energy energy, Ye Liuyun still couldn’t defeat Tolin—making these battles the most beneficial for his progress.

But he couldn’t train exclusively with Tolin. After all, replenishing Tolin’s expended energy required even more resources than Ye Liuyun himself needed. So, he frequently rotated sparring partners, helping others improve their combat skills in the process.

By the time of Liu Yunyao’s coronation celebration, Ye Liuyun had already tested himself against every Third-Level Dominator beast and warrior in his spatial world.

He and his doppelganger consumed the essence of three entire worlds daily. While the density of his advance energy grew increasingly refined, the rate of resource depletion accelerated drastically. Fortunately, the beasts had ample reserves, sparing the need to drain too much world essence.

Only on the eve of the celebration did Ye Liuyun finally emerge from his spatial world, reassuring Liu Yunyao that he would accompany her invisibly, cloaked in his stealth mantle.

Liu Yunyao spent the night in peaceful meditation, gathering her strength for the grand event. Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoxiao dragged Ye Liuyun aside, eagerly recounting all the help she’d provided and demanding grilled meat as a reward.

Knowing his departure was imminent, Ye Liuyun indulged her request. He even prepared a stash of half-cooked skewers for Liu Yunyao, ready to be finished with a quick sear whenever she craved them.

Liu Yunyao’s demon lion had also come out to join in the feast, devouring quite a share. This creature’s cultivation had advanced at an astonishing rate, now reaching the second level of the Celestial Realm. Strangely, its size hadn’t increased, and it often suppressed its demonic aura, masquerading as an utterly harmless cat.

Ever since arriving at the royal palace, it had sneaked into the treasury several times to pilfer resources. However, its current cultivation level was still low, and the spatial ripples it created were always detected by the hidden Vespera guarding Liu Yunyao in the shadows. Yet, since it only stole minuscule amounts each time, Liu Yunyao merely warned it not to overdo it, turning a blind eye to its antics.

Knowing that Ye Liuyun was about to depart, the demon lion had been itching to follow him. It believed sticking with Ye Liuyun would yield far greater rewards. Staying cooped up in the palace with Liu Yunyao, surrounded by people of such low cultivation, bored it to no end.

It had even tried reasoning with Ye Liuyun: "I need real-world experience to grow faster! My unique spatial abilities could be a huge asset to you—whether it’s swiping resources or gathering intelligence, I’d be invaluable!"

Ye Liuyun had to admit the creature made a fair point. But since Liu Yunyao was fond of this thieving feline, he couldn’t just take it away. Instead, he sternly ordered it to protect Liu Yunyao at all costs, promising to bring back resources upon his return.

At dawn, Liu Yunyao finally emerged from her meditative state and began dressing. The ceremonial robes were extraordinarily heavy and intricate, taking what felt like half a day just to put on. Hong Ling, Lin Xiaoxiao, and a host of maids bustled around her, attending to every detail.

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun draped himself in his invisibility cloak, quietly observing Liu Yunyao’s preparations from the sidelines.

In the grand hall of the palace, guests had already started arriving, and the entire royal residence buzzed with activity.

Once Liu Yunyao was fully adorned, she made her entrance according to the rehearsed protocol. Ye Liuyun and the Vespera followed silently in her wake, all the way into the banquet hall.

Today’s ceremony would see Liu Qianzhong appearing before Liu Yunyao—an event of paramount importance in royal protocol. Members of the royal family, high-ranking officials, and even representatives of influential factions without official titles had been invited, making the gathering both vast and grand.

Among the guests was Lin Fengzhi. While the Imperial Guards’ commander oversaw the event’s security, Lin was present merely as an attendee.

Chancellor Lin Yao and his son Lin Chengzhou also awaited Liu Yunyao’s appearance with bated breath. For them, this day held equal significance. Lin Chengzhou had gone to great lengths with his attire—though not as opulent as Liu Yunyao’s royal garb, his outfit stood out conspicuously among the crowd.

Many guests exchanged puzzled glances at his flamboyant dress, assuming he was merely trying to catch the princess’s eye and dismissing it as harmless vanity.

As Liu Yunyao glided gracefully into the hall, the entire assembly rose in respectful homage.

Clad in her majestic royal robes, she advanced with measured steps. Behind her, Lin Xiaoxiao and Hong Ling carefully supported the train of her gown, followed by sixteen maids in solemn procession.

Yet the veil still adorned her face—it had become her unmistakable hallmark. According to royal protocol, she was required to wear it at all public appearances until her wedding day.

The master of ceremonies then proclaimed Liu Yunyao’s achievements, followed by Liu Qianzhong solemnly transferring the throne through the formal rites, including the symbolic handover of regalia representing royal authority. With that, Liu Yunyao ascended to the throne, henceforth known as Queen Yunyao, while Liu Qianzhong assumed the title of Retired King.

One by one, the ministers paid homage to the new queen. Yunyao then issued an edict announcing her ascension and bestowing benefits upon the people as a gesture of benevolence. The entire ceremony proceeded without a hitch.

Just as the coronation concluded and before the banquet began—when the princess was expected to deliver a toast—the ritual was abruptly postponed. The master of ceremonies informed her that the Retired King had an important announcement to make. Yunyao thought little of it, assuming her father merely wished to offer some words of blessing.

Yet no one could have anticipated the bombshell Liu Qianzhong was about to drop.

"Today is a day of double celebration!" His very first words left the entire assembly bewildered.

"With Yunyao succeeding to the throne, a great burden has been lifted from my shoulders. But there remains one matter that weighs on this father’s heart—Yunyao’s marriage!"

At this, he turned to her with a smile, convinced that the groom he had chosen would meet her utmost approval.