I, Thanks To My Unlimited Investment, Am Admired By All Races

“The Third Princess of the Great Zhou Empire, her true identity is actually the Holy Maiden of the Star-Moon Demon Sect. This secret hasn’t been exposed yet. If I leverage this information, I might be able to trade for a spot in the secret realm,” Qin Xueyi mused.

She knew that at this stage, the Third Princess and the Crown Prince were locked in a power struggle, each vying for the throne of the Great Zhou Emperor.

On the surface, the Crown Prince seemed to have the upper hand. However, with the Star-Moon Demon Sect backing the Third Princess, the scales weren’t as lopsided as they appeared.

This precarious balance lasted for a century. It wasn’t until the Third Princess’s identity as the Holy Maiden of the Star-Moon Demon Sect was exposed that the Crown Prince seized a decisive advantage, securing his position as the heir apparent.

Later, he ascended the throne to become the next Great Zhou Emperor.

Once he took power, his ambitions erupted. Domestically, he suppressed sects; internationally, he expanded the empire’s territories. He nearly succeeded in annihilating the neighboring Great Chu Dynasty.

Yet, against all expectations, a female emperor suddenly rose in Great Chu.

Her emergence was nothing short of astounding, displaying unparalleled talent and overwhelming power. She personally turned the tides, stabilizing the faltering dynasty. Leading millions of troops, she counterattacked and forced the Great Zhou forces back to the gates of Zhen Tian City.

As for what happened afterward, Qin Xueyi was unsure. By that time, she had already left the Great Zhou region to perfect her Immortal Spirit Body in faraway lands.

Still, these fragments of history were enough for her.

After all, the future conflicts between the Great Zhou Empire and Great Chu Dynasty had nothing to do with her. All she needed now was a drop of Vermilion Bird’s blood.

“The Third Princess is currently at the peak of the Divine Power Realm, just a step away from the Life and Death Realm. If I help her break through, gaining access to the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm shouldn’t be an issue,” Qin Xueyi speculated.

She stood up. Her flawless, jade-like skin and perfect figure made her a vision of ethereal beauty. Standing atop a platform, she cast her gaze across the surroundings.

This place was a treasure trove of opportunities. Although it wasn’t yet fully revealed, she had entered ahead of time.

It was here that she had obtained a drop of White Tiger’s blood. Beyond that, there were other treasures here, including a bottle of Life and Death Pills.

These pills could increase a person’s chances of breaking through to the Life and Death Realm by 30% per pill.

Such a precious item was far beyond the value of common Spirit Yuan Pill or Spirit Opening Pills. Outside, they were practically priceless. Using just one pill to trade for entry into the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm was more than reasonable.

The problem was, if she took the Life and Death Pill to the Third Princess, she might indeed secure entry into the secret realm.

But there was a greater likelihood of being killed and robbed.

After all, the Third Princess was no saint. As the Holy Maiden of the Star-Moon Demon Sect, let alone a stranger, she even has no qualms on killing a benefactor who had saved her life if it allows her to obtain a Life and Death Pill.

To avoid such a fate, Qin Xueyi needed to prepare more trump cards—enough to make the Third Princess hesitate before acting rashly.

“This opportunity lies within the ruins of the ancient Heavenly Puppet Sect. From what I recall, when this site appeared in my previous life, it included two puppets at the Life and Death Realm, sparking a fierce competition,” Qin Xueyi murmured.

“If I can locate those two puppets, I’ll have more than enough means to protect myself.”

Her gaze turned to a grand hall—her only unexplored destination. If intact puppets still existed, they would undoubtedly be there.

“If I meet him in the secret realm…”

A trace of unusual emotion flickered in Qin Xueyi’s bright eyes.

She recalled the figure who had shielded her in the Saint Opportunity. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

Last time, he had protected her. This time, it was her turn to protect him.

She imagined his astonished expression when they met again, and a smile curled at her lips.

Back when they parted, Li Xun was merely at the peak of the Spirit Meridian Realm. Breaking through to the Profound Elixir Realm was no easy feat, so it was likely he hadn’t made much progress.

Meanwhile, she was no longer the same person she had been. Her cultivation was now on par with his.

With her current strength and her previous life’s experience, she could easily defeat several Profound Elixir experts at once.

Even without using formations, she doubted she would lose to the Li Xun of a month ago. Victory was more likely.

And if she employed formations, Li Xun wouldn’t stand a chance.

This was the confidence she had gained from living a second life.

“These two puppets are just right. If I meet him in the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm, I’ll gift him one,” she thought, her steps suddenly light and quick.

As for whether Li Xun would go to the secret realm, she never considered it an issue. In her previous life, he hadn’t gone. But this time, it seemed almost inevitable.

Li Xun was at the peak of the Spirit Meridian Realm. Even if he didn’t want to go, the Profound Sun Sect would surely send him.

After all, a young genius who could defeat Profound Elixir experts while still in the Spirit Meridian Realm was a rarity in the Profound Sun Sect.

The thought of their imminent reunion made Qin Xueyi press a hand to her chest. For some reason, she now felt a sensation she had never experienced in her previous life—her heart was racing.

It was an indescribable, inexplicable feeling.

Time flowed on.

Two days had passed.

At Profound Sun Sect, an internal disciple competition was held over this period. The requirements were strict: participants had to be under 25 years old and at least at the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. Anyone who met these criteria could participate.

After two days of intense selection battles, the top fifty disciples emerged.

Among them, thirty were at the Spirit Meridian Realm or higher, nineteen were at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, and one was at the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

That lone late-stage Qi Condensation Realm disciple was none other than Ye Han.

Initially at the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, Ye Han had unexpectedly broken through during the final match, earning him a spot in the team heading to Zhen Tian City.

<+>

At dawn, a brilliant sun rose over the Profound Sun Sect.

It wasn’t a real sun but a low-grade flying spiritual treasure shaped like a massive disk. Fully activated, its radiant power shot out in countless beams, too dazzling to look at directly.

The fifty selected disciples stood atop the disk, their excitement palpable. Every one of them was eager, brimming with anticipation.

They knew this journey would be an opportunity to spar with prodigies from across the Great Zhou Empire.

A strong performance might even earn them rewards from the Great Zhou royal family—a tempting prospect for anyone. The rewards of such a powerful empire were bound to spark envy among countless others.

At the forefront of the disk stood Elder Xie, hands clasped behind his back. He turned slightly and addressed one of the disciples beside him.

“Has Nephew Li Xun arrived yet?”

“Senior Brother Li Xun has been notified and should be here shortly,” replied an inner disciple.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a faint purple figure began to materialize on the disk.

No one saw how he arrived—it was as if he had stepped directly out of the void.

The sight left everyone stunned.

“Apologies for being late, Elder. I hope you won’t take offense,” Li Xun said as he clasped his hands in greeting, his demeanor calm and composed.

Elder Xie glanced at Li Xun with satisfaction and nodded. “Not at all. It seems your strength has advanced again in these past two days.”

Li Xun simply smiled in response.

“Good. Since everyone’s here, let’s set off!” Elder Xie announced.

With those words, the radiant disk surged into motion.

Boom!

The massive, sun-like disk tore through the void, transforming into a streak of flowing light as it ascended into the clouds.