After Sili left the sleeping quarters, Sili walked in one direction—toward the sleeping palace of the ruler of Zhou.

To determine whether a person’s soul was the reincarnation Sili was searching for was not a simple matter.

Unless one was an Ascension Realm cultivator, and moreover proficient in soul arts, and even had threads of connection to the other party’s past life—only then could one see it at a glance.

Otherwise, one had to use other methods.

There were many such methods.

The one Sili used was a traditional blood art from the Western Regions—using a treasure to continuously collect Xiao Mo’s blood for seven days.

That treasure already held Xiao Mo’s blood from the past.

After seven days, if the ruler of Zhou was the master’s reincarnation, the treasure would react.

But how to obtain Xiao Mo’s blood was indeed something that required thought.

Although ever since ancient Great Qin, successive dynasty emperors were not permitted to surpass Foundation Establishment,

Under the rule set by that Great Qin ruler, as long as successive emperors were within the imperial palace, their minds could not be controlled.

So Sili could not use illusion arts. Otherwise, Sili was confident that with a single glance, Sili could make the ruler of Zhou willingly kneel down and wipe Sili’s shoes.

Very soon, Sili arrived at the sleeping palace where Xiao Mo resided.

The reason Sili knew the way was that when they entered the palace today, a palace lady-official had deliberately explained the residences of the ruler of Zhou, the Empress Dowager, and the two future consorts.

The palace lady-official even led them through once, afraid they would go to the wrong place and, when the time came, offend His Majesty or blunder into the consorts.

“Setting everything else aside, this mortal emperor really does live in comfort.”

Sili looked at the ruler of Zhou’s sleeping palace and the two consort courtyards beside it. In the mind, Sili could even picture what this ruler of Zhou would look like in the future—night after night of indulgence.

“Go.”

Sili took a horned mosquito out of the spirit-pet pouch.

After receiving the master’s command, the horned mosquito flew into the sleeping palace.

After the time it takes a cup of tea to cool, the horned mosquito flew back to Sili, landing on the back of the hand.

The horned mosquito trembled its wings, buzzing incessantly.

“He is not inside?” A trace of doubt appeared in Sili’s eyes.

This ruler of Zhou did not need to manage court affairs. The palace also had no consorts yet.

And before the future consorts became pregnant, that Empress Dowager would be even less likely to allow him to favor palace maids, so where could he be spending the night?

“Stay here. Wait for the ruler of Zhou to return. Draw fresh blood for me every day, understood?”𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

A low-tier spirit pet like the horned mosquito had poor intelligence and an even worse sense of direction. Having it draw blood and then find Sili was impossible.

So Sili intended to leave the horned mosquito here and come in the depths of night to collect it.

The horned mosquito buzzed in reply and flew into the sleeping palace again.

And just as Sili turned to return to the quarters and rest, Sili sensed something and looked in a certain direction.

Sili’s brows knit slightly.

Sili felt a sharp sword qi—one that made Sili deeply uncomfortable.

It was a little like that night.

That woman who did not play by reason!

Within the National Preceptor’s Residence of Zhou.

Xiao Mo’s and Jiang Qingyi’s sword qi filled the entire courtyard.

Under the moonlight, the two longswords glinted with cold light, at times entwining, at times separating.

The woman’s skirt hem moved with the sword.

Though each of her strikes was crisp and clean, fierce to the extreme, it looked like a dance, carrying an eye-pleasing beauty.

Finding an opening, Jiang Qingyi’s longsword curled around Xiao Mo’s blade like a beauty’s supple waist.

Jiang Qingyi drew Xiao Mo’s blade forward into a thrust, and Xiao Mo lost balance, about to topple forward.

But Jiang Qingyi turned once, the soft back pressing against Xiao Mo’s front. The longsword in the hand rotated backward, steadying Xiao Mo’s body even as the blade edge settled against Xiao Mo’s throat.

“I lost.”

Xiao Mo let out a sigh. Xiao Mo had thought that after the physique improved by a good margin, today Xiao Mo could at least fight her evenly.

But the result was unexpected. After a full day of bouts, Xiao Mo was still being toyed with the entire time.

“Losing to me is not shameful,” Jiang Qingyi said coldly, lowering the longsword.

Jiang Qingyi sat back down in the chair and drank a cup of tea.

Xiao Mo also sat beside her, eyes closed in meditation, recalling the exchanges of the entire day, tempering the sword intent.

Jiang Qingyi turned her head and glanced at Xiao Mo, not disturbing him.

Yet in Jiang Qingyi’s heart, there was also a bit of surprise.

She found that Xiao Mo’s rate of improvement was becoming faster and faster.

The stamina was also more abundant than before, and even far more able to take a beating than before.

Today, he exchanged blows with her more than ten times. From morning to night, there was not much rest.

And after each brief rest, whether it was sword technique, sword qi, or sword intent, Xiao Mo improved by no small margin.

If it had been before, Xiao Mo would have long since collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

Jiang Qingyi felt that if this continued, if she wanted to keep him suppressed at the same realm, it would seem to become more and more difficult.

Thinking of this, Jiang Qingyi felt a little pleased—and a little displeased.

Pleased at his progress.

Displeased because she did not like the thought of being pressed beneath him in the future.

But then again, he clearly had better options, yet he insisted on staying in the imperial palace, refusing to leave with her no matter what.

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Xiao Mo slowly breathed out a turbid breath.

Spiritual energy circulated around Xiao Mo and then dissipated.

Finally, Xiao Mo opened the eyes.

“Not bad.”

Once Xiao Mo’s energy settled, Jiang Qingyi spoke slowly.

“You have reached Qi Refining Realm, twelfth layer, perfect completion. And from the moment you stepped onto the path of cultivation until now, it has only been a short year. Your talent is indeed acceptable.”

As the words fell, Jiang Qingyi’s eyes fixed on Xiao Mo like a sword.

“I will ask you one last time!

Do you truly refuse to return to the sect with me?

In ancient times, after that ruler of Great Qin issued the imperial edict, it became difficult for mortal emperors to break through Foundation Establishment in cultivation.

And even if that ruler of Great Qin had not issued that edict, in the legends of ancient times, emperors who stepped into the Golden Core Realm were still pitifully few.

Because cultivation requires single-minded focus. It requires clarity of thought.

Yet within court politics, scheming and power play fill every day—how many can truly concentrate on cultivation? How many can keep their thoughts clear?

Setting mortal dynasties aside, even the sect masters above the mountain are mostly only holding a title. They focus on cultivation and sit in the sect as the pillar, while most affairs are handled by the deputy sect master.

So if you stay here, you are only wasting your talent!”

“Thank you for Immortal Lady Jiang’s kindness.”

Xiao Mo smiled and shook the head.

“But I truly do not plan to leave. And Heaven does not bar every road—I intend to try building my foundation on my own first.”

“Stubborn beyond saving!”

Jiang Qingyi snorted coldly and turned, walking into the room.

“When Your Majesty dies of old age someday, I will not even come back to look at Your Majesty once!”