Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 494: The Birth of a Queen

However, the people filled with awe and admiration would never guess what the youngest member of the Ranking of Earth—the heroine who had just slain a powerful foe with grace and valor, whom they imagined as a radiant figure bathed in the sunset, riding a mighty horse, sword in hand—was actually up to at that moment.

Her soft, suppressed moans were utterly enchanting.

With everything settled and no one around to disturb them, even if they were not engaging in dual cultivation, the young couple could still indulge in each other freely.

Hand in hand, they descended the mountain and returned to the guest courtyard, finding the Spirit Tribe in the midst of conducting a grand ceremony. Not even a single maid was around, as everyone was participating in the rites on the sacred mountain. The two exchanged a look, and a surge of passion rose between them. Almost as soon as they entered, they embraced one another. Zhao Changhe kicked the door shut, picked up the heroine, and leaped onto the bed, where they swiftly tangled together.

“Big sister, you’re still injured. Let me help you recover with dual cultivation...”

“No dual cultivation for the first round. I want you to focus completely on me...”

“As you wish.”

Her red clothes slipped off, tossed carelessly to the foot of the bed, neither noticing the spirit lingering there as the garment briefly covered it, then slid down to the floor.

What am I dealing with here?! The blind woman pinched her forehead in exasperation, wondering if she had chosen the wrong person after all.

You just got your hands on the Heavenly Tome!

Ask any martial artist in the world what they would do as soon as they obtained the Heavenly Tome and had a moment to spare, and I can guarantee that they would say that they would jump right into it!

Not to mention, you still have a prisoner at the Profound Control Realm. Even if you’re not studying the Heavenly Tome, you should interrogate the captive for ancient knowledge or at least his Eternal Blood Demon Body. That physique clearly has connections with your Blood Asura Body. Anyone with some sense in them would know it’s valuable!

And yet here you are, apparently trying to create some of that... beauty treatment for the new page of the Heavenly Tome?

The blind woman sulked in furious silence.

It was no wonder that the report of the Tome of Troubled Times seemed to be a bit biased with personal sentiment.

Then again, even without the personal sentiment, there was truly only so much that it could broadcast to the world. Secret realms and ancient gods and demons themselves were beyond the regular scope of the Tome of Troubled Times.

Besides Zhao Changhe, who ended up nearly as a footnote, Sisi had also been part of the battle where Shi Wuding fell off a cliff. She was a young warrior at the first layer of the Profound Mysteries as well, yet her name did not appear, and she had not even made it onto the Ranking of Hidden Dragons.

If not for the fact that the death of such an important figure such as Shi Wuding had to be reported, the whole affair might have been buried in the dust of the secret realm.

Although Sisi’s name was not even known to the outside world, she was now at the peak of her life.

Previously, everyone had kneeled to the blood moon that hung above the sacred mountain. Now that the dust had settled, Sisi, surrounded by the crowd, entered the sacred hall. A few of the tribal elders who had not opposed her trembled as they kneeled before the steps, their bodies forming a makeshift path for her to ascend the throne.

As she stepped on their backs to ascend, Sisi found the sensation somewhat unpleasant. It was unstable, as if she might fall at any moment, but the psychological experience was unmatched—it was the feeling of trampling upon all others.

The Spirit Tribe was far more primitive than the Xia people. While they appeared simply unruly on the surface, they held extreme views on hierarchy and status, especially in important matters. They had even more barbaric practices, such as sacrificial rituals with live captives, which might happen if Sisi wished it so.

But Sisi was not thinking of such things. She ascended slowly, her mind wandering as she looked at the throne ahead.

As a maid, if he asked me to do this... Hmm...

In a daze, she seated herself on the throne. Below her, voices chanted in unison, “Crown the saintess.”

And thus, she was crowned as queen.

In the Ancient Spirit Tribe, they did not truly refer to their leader as king or queen. They used the title of Chieftain, and the role did not hold quite as much authority as a king. The council of elders held significant power, and the chieftain was not a hereditary position but was usually selected from among the most respected of the tribes.

But at this moment, if Sisi wanted to centralize power as a queen, it would be easy. The tribe had not yet formed the concept of such a system, so it was a blank slate for her to shape as she wished.

Zhao Changhe had not thought this far, still focused on supporting a saintess. But Sisi understood the potential that such a moment held. Even if she said nothing, the younger generation that had supported her would never be content with her merely being a saintess.

If she was just a saintess, then how were they to become elders? Were they to wait for promotions by seniority? They risked their necks by siding with her, for what?

So it was inevitable that she would not remain just a saintess... If Zhao Changhe were present, he would know that a queen was about to be born.

Sisi looked at the laurel crown being presented to her by those kneeling before her. Her expression grew increasingly distant.

The Ancient Spirit Tribe once had a chieftain. That chieftain was annihilated by Venerable Duoluo, and since then, no new chieftain had been appointed. Instead, the elders ruled collectively, signifying that the forbidden land was their true ruler.

In that battle, where the tribe was conquered by the forbidden land, the former chieftain gathered the most powerful shamans to place a forty-nine-day curse upon Venerable Duoluo. In the end, it was all for nothing, as every shaman who participated in the curse died from the backlash.

Among them was Sisi’s father.

Sisi’s father was not the chieftain, which was fortunate. The chieftain’s entire family had to be exterminated, but Sisi, with the protection of her father’s friends and those who respected a fallen hero, was able to live a normal life. Moreover, she held a significant position, allowing to speak her mind and act as a thorn in people’s side when needed.

This painful lesson only increased others’ fear of the wrath of the ancestral spirit, but Sisi saw it differently. She no longer trusted her tribe’s shamanic arts and resolved to leave the mountains and go to Great Xia to learn martial arts.

That decision had led her here, to this laurel crown before her.

She slowly lifted it and placed it on her head. The beaded veil concealed her beautiful face, and as she listened to her own voice, it sounded distant and ethereal. “Royal power is bestowed by divinity. Until the sacred envoy speaks, I remain as saintess... But it is without question that the system and structure of our tribe must be reformed. Based on what we observed in Miaojiang, where the Black Hmong sought to have a king, we may consider a similar model. You may draft a proposal for the sacred envoy to review...”

Sisi did not know whether she liked the idea of being a queen, but she suddenly wondered, perhaps he would like it? She wondered how he would react if a queen knelt before him as a maid...

Right now, he’s probably dual cultivating with Big Sis Yue...

Beneath the beaded veil, her gaze gradually turned seductive.

The Spirit Tribe members kneeling below her would never guess that on her first day as queen, she sat on the throne with feverish thoughts.

No, it wasn’t just thoughts. Sisi truly felt a wave of warmth spreading through her.

Why do I feel so... good?

Wait... the... the Pain Transfer Gu?!

Sisi was dumbfounded. She had never used it before, so she had not realized it could transfer more than just pain.

So... this is what a man feels... So that’s what it’s like? It feels... pretty ordinary, actually.

“S-saintess?” a cautious voice came from below.

“Oh, about that. ” Sisi coughed lightly, subtly crossing her legs. “The first item on the agenda... With the great elder having been burned to death, how shall we deal with the remaining traitors who colluded with the forbidden land to oppress our tribe?”

The atmosphere instantly turned grim.

* * *

The Spirit Tribe’s festival, the establishment of the new regime’s initial rules, the handling of the old factions, and plans for outside the secret realm—it was all a tangled mess. From midday until sunset, they were still far from finished, and many topics could only be introduced for further discussion later.

No matter how much there was to do, they still needed to eat, especially with the sacred envoy around. They could not just leave the sacred envoy to entertain himself, even if that was all he wanted...

The Spirit Tribe slaughtered cattle and sheep, preparing a grand feast. At last, Sisi, who had been busy all day, had a perfect excuse: the queen herself had to personally extend the invitation to the sacred envoy.

No one would dare argue with her. Draped in a lavish, floor-length gown and accompanied by two attentive maids, the young enchantress hurried over to the room from the previous night.

This is ridiculous! They’ve been at it this entire time! How could they carry on for hours like this?

This shouldn’t be possible, right? Is there something wrong with the gu?

As she reached the guest courtyard, she could hear faint sounds from inside that made her blush. In disbelief, Sisi looked incredulously at the stars, feeling dumbfounded.

She had not thought he was this relentless before! Last time, a quick foot massage was all it took.

But this long? Is Big Sis Yue not going to get dehydrated...? Not to mention, you’re both still injured. Should you really be doing this?

With a mixture of frustration and resignation, Sisi knocked on the door. “Sacred envoy, I’ve come to invite you to the feast.”

Inside, Yue Hongling’s languid voice responded, “Wait outside. However long you used your feet this morning, now you must stand on it for that same time. Don’t think I don’t know.”

Sisi was in utter despair. Are you addicted to making me eavesdrop by the door now?

Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she turned to one of the maids. “Bring me my jade flute.”

Her maid quickly handed over a jade-green flute.

In her youth, the saintess was quite talented. She hasn’t played or sung for years, though. Is she finally feeling inspired again?

As the gentle melody echoed, Zhao Changhe’s expression grew awkward, and he stopped what he was doing. He would have preferred to be oblivious to musical theory right now, because he instantly recognized the song.

Sisi likely did not know the reference, and her intent was genuine, but the way Zhao Changhe heard it...

The maids were curious. “Saintess, what song is this? Did you learn it from the Xia people? I’ve never heard it before...”

“Is it nice?”

“It’s lovely. What’s it called?”

Inside, Yue Hongling, still catching her breath, asked, “What’s that witch playing? Why’d you stop...”

Not only had he stopped, but he’d nearly gone soft.

Inside and outside, they both answered in unison: “It’s called ‘A Phoenix Seeks His Mate.’”[1]

1. “A Phoenix Seeks His Mate” (凤求凰) is a famous ancient song, containing passionate courtship. It is said to be a song composed by an ancient poet to court the widowed daughter of a wealthy man back during the Han dynasty. ☜