While Shen Yao couldn't help but let her imagination run wild.
On the other side.
Within the Great Xia imperial palace, protected by layers of walls.
"She's really been making quite a splash..."
An elegantly dressed noble woman, reading a newspaper, chuckled and couldn't help but look across the tea table.
There sat a young girl wearing a simple long dress. The arm holding the newspaper was as smooth as white porcelain. Looking upward, one could see her lively golden eyes and shoulder-length black hair that flowed like water.
The girl was currently looking at the newspaper, hiding most of her face behind the thick paper.
But even so, it couldn't conceal her delicate features.
"Little He, she's your peer, you know. Are you curious?"
The elegantly dressed woman said with a smile: "Although her reputation wasn't too good before, I've looked into it, and that child isn't bad by nature. At most, she's been a bit spoiled, but she's probably much better now."
"Do you plan to make friends with her?"
"Friends..."
The girl silently mouthed the word, raising the newspaper even higher, not even leaving her blinking big eyes visible.
"No."
Hearing this, the elegantly dressed woman, Ning Shuyu, shook her head, not at all surprised.
Then her face revealed a helpless expression.
This Ninth Princess of Great Xia was good in every way, except her temperament was too cold. From childhood to adulthood, she hadn't had a single friend, and she barely spoke.
But one couldn't blame her.
After all, having experienced such things as a child, disliking social interaction was only natural.
And it was precisely because of this cold, high-mountain-flower-like temperament, coupled with her noble status as a royal princess, that although she had many admirers, no one dared to approach her to say anything.
She had tried to find friends for this princess many times.
But none had succeeded.
It wasn't that Ning Shuyu had any self-interest; as the head of the Imperial Spirit Sect, the National Teacher of Great Xia, and a second-rank magician, there really wasn't anyone in the entire Great Xia that she needed to deliberately curry favor with.
It was just that, as Jiang He's teacher, she hoped this child could make some friends.
And she had chosen people who didn't need to flatter Jiang He.
"She's a princess after all, surely you'd have some common ground. Making a friend wouldn't be such a bad thing."
Ning Shuyu persisted.
The black hair swayed, seeming to express its owner's intention.
Seeing this, Ning Shuyu sighed:
"Fine, if you don't want to, then don't. In any case, you'll probably get to know each other in the future. You're a magician, and that child will most likely choose the path of a magician too. It's quite normal to occasionally meet during cultivation."
"Magician?"
Jiang He lowered the newspaper a bit and spoke softly, her lively eyes showing just the right amount of confusion.
"Yes, that child's health isn't good, so she doesn't have many choices. The safest choice would be our magician path. Moreover, Prince Qi and I have a good relationship, and he's entrusted me before. If one day that child wants to awaken, the Imperial Spirit Sect should help."
Ning Shuyu explained.
"But that child's talent probably can't compare to yours. When she was examined as a child, apart from her weak constitution, she didn't seem to have any special physique. Her advancement speed certainly can't match yours with your innate destiny trait."
Speaking thus, she couldn't help but sigh.
"An innate destiny trait... a super genius rare as one in ten million, and it's especially suitable for our magician's magic. Sometimes I'm even quite envious of you. If I had such a thing, perhaps by now I could already glimpse the realm of the first-rank stars."
Jiang He's eyes flashed with gratitude. She nodded and turned to the next page of the newspaper.
"By the way."
Jiang He suddenly spoke: "I'm about to break through."
"Break through?"
Ning Shuyu was momentarily stunned.
"Oh, you want to ask about the Human Gate, right? Advancing to the eighth rank does require attention to that. But you already understand the basics, and I can't explain other precautions in just a few words. How about this: come to my mansion this afternoon, and I'll find some books for you. Although the Human Gate is the simplest of the three gates, you still can't be careless no matter what."
"This afternoon?" Jiang He nodded obediently: "I understand."
○
The National Teacher's mansion in the northern part of the middle city was the residence of the head of the Imperial Spirit Sect in Heyang, as well as the location of its branch.
Each National Teacher of Great Xia was different, but generally, they would choose a second-rank expert who was not a warrior and was friendly to the court. The current National Teacher of Great Xia was the head of the Imperial Spirit Sect, Ning Shuyu.
At this moment.
The sound of a wheelchair rolling over stone tiles echoed gently through the mansion.
"Let's go to the back."
A mature woman dressed in elegant clothes turned back, smiling as she spoke to Mu Qinglan.
The front courtyard was crowded, the middle courtyard was for official business, and only the back courtyard was relatively quiet. It would be better to discuss the matters of awakening there.
"As you say."
Mu Qinglan softly responded.
Upon arriving at the back courtyard, the robust steward stepped back and respectfully said to Ning Shuyu: "Thank you for your trouble."
"It's not much trouble. I promised Prince Qi this matter several years ago," Ning Shuyu elegantly poured tea and smiled: "It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Mu Qinglan said: "You really didn't need to teach me personally."
When she spoke, her expression was serene, her eyes slightly lowered, showing no trace of the malicious manner she had displayed yesterday when coercing Shen Yao into submission.
Her voice was also soft and gentle.
Just hearing it could easily make one feel favorable toward her.
—Obviously fake, certified as a bad woman's disguise.
Ning Shuyu shook her head slightly: "If I hadn't seen the news this morning and become curious, I wouldn't have done so."
"It was just luck."
"Whether it was luck or not is another matter, but I do have a good impression of you. Wanting to awaken as a magician, do you have any magic techniques in mind? Being greedy leads to inefficiency; a ninth-rank magician can generally only master two or three magic techniques at most."
"I do." Mu Qinglan smiled faintly. "I have already decided which ones to learn."
"That's good." Ning Shuyu said: "I'll first tell you some precautions regarding the path of magic, and then teach you how to enter this path. However, before that, I still need to ask you one thing."
As she spoke, her expression became serious, her eyes revealing an extremely earnest look.
"Have you made up your mind to walk this path? Once the transcendent path is awakened, it can no longer be changed, unless you spend a great price to dismantle your cultivation and start anew. But you know your body condition; you might not even have the opportunity to change."
Hearing this, the steward behind also cast his gaze over.
As if waiting for her answer.
Over the years, Prince Qi had prepared several transcendental paths for his daughter. Although her frail health ruled out the vast majority of options, Mu Qinglan still had as many as three choices left.
Mu Qinglan raised her head and looked earnestly into her eyes.
Her tone was firm.
"I am certain."
As her words fell, her eyelids lowered slightly, and she said seriously:
"After being targeted for assassination, I've been dragged into the chaotic vortex of Heyang. The masterminds won't let me go, nor will the demons. Those people probably want to use my life to provoke conflict between my father and the court, and if they succeed, there will likely be turmoil in the west.
I don't want to die, nor can I die. Chaos will follow one after another. I can't sit idly by, and magician is the best choice after weighing all options."
After speaking, Mu Qinglan took a sip of tea and added in her heart:
'Besides, who says I can't change my mind after awakening?'
'In the game, I can clearly choose two professions...'