After leaving the palace gates, the two Princesses had eyes only for each other.
They politely refused the Imperial Guard’s escort and didn’t put on their usual grand display, simply treating themselves as Shenhua Sect Mist Veil Peak class representatives.
A single Golden Crow Dao ran north to south through Yudu, bustling with traffic and lively crowds, including islanders from the neighboring Boundless Sea.
The two Jing Tan’ers walked in perfect step, neither willing to fall behind, while Nini and Lu’er followed, torn between laughter and tears.
Ji Shiyu squatted by a roadside stall, easily captivated by anything new.
She curiously examined a tree branch adorned with strange scribbles—it seemed quite spiritual, but didn’t look like a powerful Spirit Talisman.
“What’s this?”
The stall owner, dressed in exotic clothing, boasted proudly, “This is a Great Fortune Stick I sought from the Divine Tree of Yingzhou. It brings romance and wealth! Lady, don’t you want one?”
“Really? How much?!”
“You look kind, young lady. The Spiritwood Branch is fated for you! I’ll sell it for just five hundred Spirit Stones!”
The overseas merchant spoke in broken common language, pretending to wince in pain.
“So expensive…that’s several days’ wages for me!”
“You don’t understand, Lady. With high price comes high value. Wear it, and you’ll surely find love and wealth overnight.”
Ji Shiyu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Jing Tan’er, grinning foolishly.
“If it’s the real Princess, she’d definitely buy it for her best friend, right?”
Xiao Xinran rolled her eyes.
When did you two become best friends?
“Of course!”
Jing Tan’er waved her hand, pulled out a pouch of Spirit Stones, and tossed it over in a display of wealth.
Yun Liu’s daughter was her daughter!
The other Jing Tan’er refused to be outdone, flinging her money bag at the stall owner’s face, even competing to pay.
“What’s this amount? Shiyu, just say the word, and you can have as many as you want.”
The stall owner was overjoyed by the money, quickly pocketing it and carefully bringing out a wrapped cloth.
He didn’t know if the yellow-haired girl would find wealth, but he certainly had—earning thousands of stones a day!
“Since the Lady is so generous, I’ll make an exception and sell the store’s treasure too! This is a legendary Scale of Yinglong from the Divine Tree of Yingzhou! Grind it into medicine, and it’s incredibly effective for male cultivators!”
A group of innocent girls blushed upon hearing this, all glancing at the white-robed youth at the end of the group.
Inside the cloth was a transparent, jelly-like scale that shone red in the sunlight—it was clearly just a larger Sea Demon scale!
“Ehehe—”
Ji Shiyu didn’t care, happily holding the Spiritwood Branch and so-called Scale of Yinglong, making Qin Cha unable to suppress her laughter.
These junior sisters were just too cute.
After the easily fooled girls left, the stall owner glanced around and brought out another identical Spiritwood Branch to keep selling…
On the eve of the Shengyu Festival, the streets were festively decorated, and Red Crow Auspice hung high overhead.
Xiao Xinran wondered aloud, “Senior Sister, will the Sacred Bird really appear that day?”
“It will.”
Qin Xing nodded with a smile.
The guardian Sacred Beast of Shenmu Yingzhou is the Yinglong, while East Pole Province has the Golden Crow and Red Crow.
The Golden Crow has patrolled East Pole Province for thousands of years without pause.
Every Shengyu Festival, it passes over the Royal Capital and drops Golden Feathers, as bright as the sun, sacred and inviolable.
“That must be hot, right?”
“No way. Lord Zhu Wu is the gentlest.”
Jing Tan’er waved her finger, confident as a royal descendant and Sage.
Xiao Xinran was puzzled.
“Then why is the firebird on the Treasure Ship so aggressive?”
“How many times have I said it—that’s not the Sacred Bird! Just some wild chicken from who-knows-where!”
The two Jing Tan’ers sang in harmony, equally convinced, when a sticky drop quietly landed on top of their heads.
Bird…crow poop!?
The two Princesses shrieked, just in time to see a plump chick fly overhead and land squarely on Ji Shiyu’s head.
Aotian Daren “hmph”-ed, sharing the blessing and giving a slight punishment to mortals disrespecting Feng Ling.
Yun Liu brought up the rear, glancing discreetly at Ma Zi Face, who was passing by, and taking the Secret Letter he’d left on the tea stall.
Yun Liu’s lips moved without sound, conversing with someone unseen.
“Master, Ruier has done as you commanded. Please spare this humble one, Mister!”
“This is just the beginning. See those two Jing Tan’ers ahead? That’s your doing.”
Yun Liu gritted his teeth, wishing he could take out a whip and thrash Jing Rui’s backside right there.
“Master, please don’t be angry! I’ve told you everything I know!”
Jing Rui was innocent—it wasn’t her fault she’d reported Jing Tan’er’s death, leading the higher-ups to send a substitute to take over the Zhusheng Dynasty.
Yun Liu looked at the Saint’s List on the Secret Letter—all Demon Sect traitors hidden within the dynasty.
“These names aren’t nearly enough. Keep searching and report back.”
“Yes!”
Jing Rui retreated in fear, still trembling.
The news that Jing Tan’er wasn’t dead had already spread—another mistake and she was finished.
Betraying the Holy Sect was a grave crime; if exposed, the higher-ups would never spare her.
As for who the Fake Princess really was, Jing Rui truly didn’t know.
Yun Liu’s expression shifted, and Qin Xing noticed, falling two steps behind to ask softly.
“There’s always a way ahead. What’s false can’t become real, and what’s real can’t become false. Don’t dwell on it.”
“Mm.”
Up ahead, the crowd surged.
Ji Shiyu, claiming to be the Princess’s best friend, abused her status to freeload all the way.
“I want this! And that!”
“Buy, buy, buy!”
“Hey! You’re going too far, you brat. Are you taking Her Highness for a fool?”
The wicked attendant cursed along the way.
With the true and fake Princesses still unresolved and others taking advantage, it was all too much.
Ji Shiyu darted everywhere, grinning from ear to ear at her Royal Capital zero-cost shopping spree.
Suddenly, she spun around and bumped into someone head-on.
“Ah!”
Both fell to the ground.
Opposite her, a little boy in a high crown, dressed as a Dan Tong, looked up—his jade-carved features lighting up at the sight of a golden-haired figure.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going…huh, it’s you!”
Li Su had been pleased to see a familiar face, but then Ji Shiyu blurted out:
“Ah, rotten fish and shrimp!”
“Stupid yellow hair, don’t make up weird nicknames! My name is Li Su!”
Ji Shiyu patted her bottom and grinned.
“But you still smell salty and damp. Why are you sunbathing on land again?”
Li Su pointed skyward, puffed up.
“My master is a royal guest, here for the Shengyu Festival to observe the Zhu Bird’s sun-guarding. What about you?”
“Hah, my teacher is a royal guest too, and even lives in the palace! Can you beat that?”
The two apprentices started bickering the moment they met.
Li Su, envious, protested,
“That’s just because your teacher disdains worldly things! Right now, he’s a guest at Xicheng Immortal Mansion, hosting patients from every celestial cave—he’s incredibly popular!”
“That’s only because they don’t know my teacher arrived. Otherwise, how could Mister Canghai steal the spotlight?”
Ji Shiyu waved her hand, looking smug.
Nonsense! Mr. Yun is amazing, but my teacher is a true pharmacist, a Nascent Soul Dan Cultivator, all-powerful in heaven and earth!
“My teacher’s just as good! And debuted as a Heavenly Dao Pill Master Yun!”
Li Su hesitated for a while, frustrated by Ji Shiyu’s proud expression.
“My—my teacher dared to venture into the Demon Lair!”
“So did mine!”
“My teacher dared to slay a Flood Dragon at sea!”
“So did mine!”
Li Su’s face reddened.
Unable to outshout the arrogant yellow-haired girl, he stomped his foot in frustration and screamed.
“My teacher dared to eat shit! Can yours?!”
“My teacher also—”
Ji Shiyu was about to answer when a hand chop landed on her head, making her stick out her tongue.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.