Chapter 133: Chapter 133: The 9th Princess Under the Veil
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
The sound of knocking came from downstairs in the Treasure Pavilion.
Then, a palace maid’s voice called out, "Young Master Shen, it is time to change your clothes."
Shen Daoxing nodded, walked downstairs, and opened the door.
Outside, a palace maid held a magnificent brocade robe with both hands, while two other maids stepped forward to help Shen Daoxing undress and change.
After changing into the brocade robe, Shen Daoxing took on an air of nobility and majesty.
"Young Master Shen, it is time to go to the Ancestral Mausoleum!"
Eunuch Li stepped forward to remind him.
Shen Daoxing nodded.
Today was the day for receiving blessings at the Ancestral Mausoleum. According to the traditions of the Martial Kingdom, Shen Daoxing and the Ninth Princess, as newlyweds, were required to go to the Royal Family’s Ancestral Mausoleum to receive its blessing.
By doing so, Shen Daoxing and the Ninth Princess would be able to receive the protection of the Martial Kingdom’s national destiny.
However, the Martial Kingdom’s national destiny was entirely dependent on the Great Wu Dragon Vein, which now resided within Shen Daoxing’s body. It was hard to say who was truly protecting whom.
"Young Master Shen, please!"
Eunuch Li extended a hand, showing Shen Daoxing the way.
Shen Daoxing then followed Eunuch Li into a sedan chair, which slowly made its way toward the mountain behind the imperial city.
’There are too many rules in the imperial palace,’ Shen Daoxing thought. ’With my current Body Technique speed, I could get there on foot in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea.’
After quite some time, the procession finally arrived at the mountain behind the palace.
Shen Daoxing stepped out of the sedan chair and found that the mountain was already packed with people.
Besides members of the Royal Family and all the court officials, important figures from the various institutes were also present.
Even Dean Ren Changfeng, Chen Guanggu, and others from the Celestial City Academy had come specifically to offer their congratulations, their faces full of smiles.
It was as if the grudge between the two institutes had truly been wiped clean after Xia Junze’s death.
After exchanging a few words with the people from Celestial City Academy, Shen Daoxing saw the group from the Sword Institute approaching joyfully.
"Elder Bai! Dean Lin! Elder Ling!"
Shen Daoxing stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Good kid, not bad at all! We haven’t seen you for a few days, and you’ve already gone and snagged a princess for our Sword Institute. You’ve really made something of yourself!"
Bai Yi clapped Shen Daoxing on the arm, overjoyed.
As he spoke, Bai Yi suddenly pulled Shen Daoxing closer and whispered in his ear:
"Daoxing, since His Majesty was generous enough to give you the Ninth Princess, do you think you could also have a word with him? Ask him to send some people and allocate some silver to repair our Sword Institute on Desolate Mountain. After all, our Sword Institute was once the number one academy in the Martial Kingdom. Having only a few thatched huts now is just too embarrassing!"
Shen Daoxing laughed. "Of course. This disciple understands!"
"Good! You’re truly my good disciple!"
Bai Yi was delighted, beaming as he patted Shen Daoxing’s shoulder. "Come, let me see if you’ve slacked off on your cultivation these past few days! Don’t let the palace beauties distract you from your training. You must remember that beauty is but skin deep, a painted skeleton."
"Of course I haven’t neglected my cultivation."
Shen Daoxing gave a faint smile.
Bai Yi then inspected Shen Daoxing’s cultivation level. His eyes lit up, and he suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Hahaha! As expected of my, Bai Yi’s, disciple! To reach the Seventh Layer of the Grotto Heaven realm at such a young age!"
As he spoke, Bai Yi deliberately shot a glance at Ren Changfeng off to the side. "And they called Xia Junze the number one genius of the Martial Kingdom. At Shen Daoxing’s age, he was probably no better than this."
At this point, Bai Yi seemed to recall something. "Oh, I forgot. Your so-called genius, Xia Junze, was already killed by our Shen Daoxing in the Trial Land."
Then, Bai Yi gave Ren Changfeng a meaningful look. "My, my. I remember the annual grand competition between our two institutes is about to start. I wonder which disciple you’ll be sending out this time? Will it be one of those so-called Four Heroes? Or perhaps Mo Yunlei?"
With that, Bai Yi slapped his thigh. "Oh, dear, look at my memory! I forgot again—they were all cut down by our Shen Daoxing! I guess we don’t need to repair our Desolate Mountain after all. When the time comes, we can just hand it over to your Celestial City Academy."
Finally, Bai Yi shook his head and sighed. "Sigh... Compared to your Celestial City Academy, I’m just too kind!"
"Bai Yi, you...!"
Ren Changfeng was so incensed by Bai Yi that his face alternated between pale and dark, but he was speechless. What Bai Yi said was all true.
Seeing Ren Changfeng’s frustrated expression, Bai Yi felt immensely satisfied and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Shen Daoxing just smiled and shook his head. ’Elder Bai is still the same as ever.’
"Let’s go!"
Unable to listen any longer, Ren Changfeng flicked his sleeves with a dark expression and led the people from Celestial City Academy away, all of them looking grim.
"Kid, you really brought honor to our Sword Institute."
Lin Haitao walked up, patted Shen Daoxing’s shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up. ’I really hit the jackpot,’ he thought. ’To think the Celestial City Academy actually forced such a genius away... I have no idea what goes on in their heads.’
Ling Shuanghua looked at Shen Daoxing as if she wanted to say something, but after a moment of silence, she said nothing at all.
After they chatted for a while, Bai Yi noted the time. "Alright, don’t waste any more time with us. Go welcome your princess!"
"The Ninth Princess has arrived!"
A high-pitched eunuch’s voice echoed across the mountaintop.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
The Ninth Princess emerged, walking slowly. She wore a blue, smoke-like blouse and a pleated skirt the color of misty water with scattered flowers, draped in a gossamer-thin, jade-green shawl. Her face was unveiled, revealing a smooth, flawless, and perfect complexion. Her skin was like polished jade, and she carried the elegant air of a secluded orchid.
Like a celestial fairy, new to the mortal realm and unversed in its ways, she shyly lowered her head under everyone’s gaze.
Where was the scar?
Where was there any trace of ugliness?
Everyone present was stunned!
Shen Daoxing was stunned as well!
In an instant, the scene erupted, and a clamor arose from the crowd.
"Is that really the Ninth Princess?"
"Wasn’t the Ninth Princess said to be the ugliest woman in the Martial Kingdom?"
"How is she ugly? She’s practically a fairy descended from the heavens! That so-called ’most beautiful woman in the Martial Kingdom,’ Princess Anyun, can’t even compare to a single hair on her head!"
The crowd broke into fervent discussion.
Shen Daoxing stood frozen on the spot. It took him a long moment to react before he slowly walked over to the Ninth Princess, somewhat in disbelief. "Ninth Princess, your face...?"
Seeing Shen Daoxing’s gaze, the Ninth Princess shyly lowered her head, raising her hands to tap her index fingers together. "I didn’t expect it either... It turns out this is what I really look like."
"The scar that was on your face?" Shen Daoxing asked, confused.
The Ninth Princess didn’t answer, instead turning to look at the Eldest Princess beside her.
The Eldest Princess stepped forward with a faint smile. "That was merely an illusion spell. Back then, the Ninth Princess’s mother was driven to madness by an assassination attempt. I feared the Ninth Princess would be targeted next, so to protect her, I deliberately used an illusion to alter her appearance. No one knew of this besides me."
"But now that the Ninth Princess is to be married, she must naturally show her true face to the world. Besides..."
As she spoke, the Eldest Princess turned to Shen Daoxing with a solemn expression. "Shen Daoxing, I trust that by placing Weiya in your hands, you will guarantee her safety, correct?!"
Shen Daoxing nodded without hesitation.
"Of course!"
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