Chapter 272

“What’s going on? Is that me?”

Qing peered around as subtly as possible, trying to move her head as little as she could while eying the fancy shoes perched on the crown of her head.

In conclusion, it seems I’m correct?

Qing slowly raised her head.

Actually, she’s not from around here.

Not that she was particularly flustered or felt the need to hide, she just didn’t want to be the center of attention in this atmosphere.

So the Empress? Hey, I’ve been friends with the Crown Prince too! Sure, I didn’t eat with Jayu, skip the bathhouse, or sleep, but hey—I ate!

If I had to put it mildly, I’d say I was kinda like the Empress’s Young Master buddy?

Technically speaking, I’m not a friend of the Crown Prince but of Jayu himself.

Qing looked up at the Empress, known as the mother of all in the Central Plain

There was backlight, but with her transcendent eyesight, Qing could distinguish the Empress’s face clearly despite the shadows.

A very, very beautiful lady.

From just her face, it was hard to guess her age; she had quite a few signs of time passing, yet her skin remained taut and youthful.

Well, I suppose being an Empress means you might spend a couple of hours a day just taking care of your skin.

Unlike serene Qing, the Empress’s eyes shook uncontrollably as she gazed down.

“Child, what is your name?”

“I am Seomun Qing, of the Heavenly Maiden Sect.”

“And your age?”

“I’ve just turned eighteen this year, Your Majesty.”

“Oh. Seomun Qing, Seomun Qing…”

Then, staring down imposingly, she quickly added, “You carry a sword? Are you a Martial World Individual?”

“Yes.”

“What level of mastery have you achieved?”

“Embarrassingly, I’ve only recently reached the Supreme Martial Artist level.”

“Crown Prince? How impressive is ‘Supreme’ exactly? Should it be celebrated at your age or is it shameful?”

“Your Majesty, it’s an unprecedented achievement in the history of the Central Plain. If I were to lie without cause, I’d deserve to be punished severely given your presence.”

“Is that so? Then it’s quite a remarkable feat! I’ve heard of common folk’s lives, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard about how a female warrior lives. Care to share?”

At that moment, the Empress and even the eunuchs were staring at Qing intently.

What is happening? Only Qing was blinking rapidly, and from the side, a voice whispered breathlessly.

-Such a gracious spirit!

Sozza! It wasn’t a block of ice!

Qing hastily replied, “Ah! Such a gracious spirit! Your Majesty.”

Thus, Qing trailed behind the Empress towards the golden carriage.

As she awkwardly navigated through everyone sprawled on the ground, the Empress dropped all her cold weapons in front of the carriage.

“A flute? Can you play?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. My skills are lacking, though.”

“In that case, no need to put it away. You should play for me.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

In reality, to Qing, the Magic Flute was more like a super sturdy weapon, a flute which produced sound when blown rather than just an instrument.

With her weapons, Qing boarded the golden carriage along with the Empress, just like the martial artist’s tales that said you should ascend to the emperor’s steps with a seven-bladed sword in hand.

Now in this grand carriage, what were they going to discuss? The maidens had all been thrown outside, leaving Qing face-to-face with the Empress in that spacious setting.

She had asked for stories about the life of a female warrior.

As Qing was pondering what tale to share, suddenly a command that sounded like thunder from a clear sky struck her.

“Take off your clothes.”

“…What?”

“Did you not hear? I said to undress.”

In that instant, a whirlwind of emotions surged through her.

What kind of bizarre command was this?

Here I was, just the two of us, and she says to take off my clothes? Thank goodness she’s a woman, if it had been a man, I would’ve summoned my Magic Flute on him immediately!

What a pervy situation! Back off! Stay quiet! she thought.

Qing stared at the Empress, who had no malice or any ill intent, just a tender expression.

“There’s just something I need to check, so don’t be overly alarmed.”

“Y-yes…”

With that, Qing hesitantly began to peel away her clothes. At least turn your head or something, having to be watched like this is unbearable!

As she stood before the Empress, completely exposed, the Empress eagerly spoke again.

“Lift your left breast.”

“L-like this?”

“Higher, like that.”

As Qing lifted her hefty form, the Empress stood frozen, shocked, before suddenly reaching out, trembling hands brushing against Qing’s left side.

“Wait, Your Majesty, this is inappropriate!”

“Ah, there’s a mark here. A dot…”

“A dot? Is there one there?”

Qing looked down, twisting and angling, tugging at her own flesh but couldn’t see anything hidden by her curves.

Following that, the Empress continued to check Qing’s body from different angles.

Then suddenly, a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Your Majesty?”

“Do you not understand? I’m your mother, here I am. I recognized you at first glance! How could you, my obstinate child, not even greet me…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence, overwhelmed by tears, Qing could only hold back her utter bewilderment.

And then…

It took quite a while for the Empress to calm down.

While Qing stood there, lost, suddenly the Empress drew her in for a tight hug, which left her even more flabbergasted.

After all, to suddenly hear someone say “I’m your mother”? Isn’t that something out of a cosmic comedy? Is this really okay?

“Uh, I think you might be mistaken. There’s martial arts that can enhance beauty. My looks stem from that, so my base form is probably horrid. Perhaps you’ve confused me for another…”

Qing’s beauty was like a celestial maiden; to put it accurately, her extraordinary charm came from hard-won martial prowess rather than some innate feature.

Originally, Qing was a rough, ugly duckling in the realm! How could anyone recognize her based on her looks now?

But the Empress was unyielding.

“With the blight that blossomed on your skin, festering and twisted your features, it was all too quick that a pretty face turned grotesque. What’s before me now is the remnant of your former self.”

“No, that’s not it. If I were truly a princess, how could I find myself alone in a cave, blinking into the void?”

“Do you mean the cave at the base of the West Mountain?”

“Uh.”

“I see. When revived, it was said that one would forget everything from their past, becoming a new person altogether.”

“Could you explain this to the Heavenly Maiden as well?”

On the first day of April, the beautiful princess fell ill.

All sorts of esteemed physicians came and found no improvement.

It was diagnosed by the greatest physician known as God on Earth, who said her brain had perished, and she was merely an animated corpse; in three days, her breath would cease to be, and it would be wise to prepare for it.

Then the renowned sorceress from Tianju came.

They said,

“Her soul teeters on the brink of death, living only as a lifeless shell. But with our miraculous ritual for forty-nine days, we might deceive the realm of the dead.”

“With a disembodied spirit, her name shall be erased from the books of the dead and she shall rise again.”

“Only remember that her original memories will be lost, and she will not return as the same monarch.”

So, the Crown Princess entrusted her child to the mystical healers while taking an extensive sum of gold and elixirs into the haunted hills of Yongying.

On the sixtieth day, she returned, healthy and alive, astonishing the Emperor and Crown Prince, who were full of admiration for their miraculous arrival, and thereby awarding the title of Empress’s healer.

“That foolish mother was deceived. Those vile witch-emas would just call forth an imposter to fool me. But the Emperor has long lost his critical mind, ensnared by these witches, grieving over the loss of my child. Thank the Buddha for his infinite compassion…”

“Uh…”

To be honest, I didn’t believe any of it.

If that seal hadn’t been glowing, I likely wouldn’t have believed any of it.

[Bloodline Quest – Roots]

[You have confronted your true bloodline.]

Cast out the impostor and reclaim the rightful position of the ruler.

What Qing felt was relief.

Ah, it seems I didn’t pop into existence as some human-like monster or creature in this world.

I’m truly a person!

It turned out there was a previous owner of this body, and from what I hear, if their brain has died, they’d be classified as brain dead or in a vegetative state?

I did confirm there weren’t any other spirits invading my body, so it appears the original owner likely left for the afterlife.

Whether the protagonist in the world of martial arts had a background story like this or perhaps it just happened to fit with my less-than-ideal charm gauge, I couldn’t say for sure.

I’d never know now.

If some omniscient observer were watching, they might have clicked their tongue and wondered who forced me to carry a blood poison body with a weapon drawn.

Did I absolutely have to grapple with the calling of Heaven’s Kill just to be chosen?

If Qing had known, she would have felt aggrieved.

In a virtual world crafted for simple enjoyment, who bothered with these minutiae?

And once again, things were awkward.

So what should I even say now?

Unfortunately, a “Your daughter is already deceased” isn’t something one casually throws around.

Don’t worry, I’m using the body you left behind fabulously, so just go ahead and make whatever offerings you like! Maybe not at Shaolin, but could I do it at Amifa or any women-friendly places? Of course, saying that would sound ludicrous!

And proclaiming “Oh, you are my mother” would incite an even greater spectacle.

No matter the quest or circumstances, Qing wasn’t the Empress’s daughter.

At least regarding the body maybe, but with all this, she felt that human identity was indeed anchored in memory.

My mom isn’t here in this world but lives on the other side.

Whether she’s doing alright or not, having lost her child, I guess I couldn’t say for sure. But I hoped my brother and sister had done well in lifting her spirits.

At that moment, the Empress caressed Qing’s cheek.

It was a tender touch beyond compare.

“You’re alive, my daughter. You’re alive. Seeing you well like this, I’m so grateful just to have you back. I felt remorse for not dying alongside you, and seeing you alive like this is such a relief.”

At this rate, she might end up a genuine princess.

Qing finally spoke up hesitantly.

“Um, I’m sorry to say, but I’m living as the Disciple of the Divine Maiden Sect, Seomun Qing, so Your Majesty…”

She said it but couldn’t finish her thought.

What about the Empress?

Should I ask you to forget that? How odd!

I’m not your daughter?

That felt even weirder!

Qing felt entirely flustered regardless.

Then, to her surprise, the Empress nodded earnestly.

“I see. Perhaps this is for the best. The current imperial palace is a den of wicked spirits. It’s actually a relief to know you are safe out there in the mundane world.”

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