"Lord Hou, it seems there's been a slight change in my Purple Mansion, but is it good or bad?" Fairy Shui asked with some unease.

Hou Niao, who shared a Life Protection Talisman with her at night, was aware of the changes as the lifebound primordials were thinly forged and polished, offering a strong experience, warming in the Purple Mansion, so he too had some understanding of the change.

"I believe, Fairy, your Qi Fortune is now truly united with Jinxiu. You have joined the process of the continent's change, so the Purple Mansion has corresponding changes."

Fairy Shui pondered, "Lord Hou, do you mean it could be a good thing?"

Hou Niao waved his hand, "It can't be measured by good or bad. Joining Jinxiu's process makes reaching the Upper Realm easier in cultivation. A shared fortune means shared glory, and shared loss.

Of course, if you see it as a burden, you can still withdraw. After all, you are not too deep in, and the backlash would be lighter."

Fairy Shui looked at him with resentment, "Do I still have the chance to withdraw?"

Hou Niao smiled faintly, "Leave here, forsake everything."

"Then forget about reaching the Upper Realm; this ship is easy to board, hard to leave."

Hou Niao said with deep meaning, "This ship isn't easy to board. Many want to board but can't find the way; those from the Upper Realm are already on board, and we locals are too, but you anchor chain cultivators might not be?

Fairy, your current position is envied by many anchor chain cultivators, don't underestimate yourself."

Fairy Shui quickly snapped out of confusion, after all, she was a Golden Core cultivator with her own perspective,

"Lord Hou, you mean if I intend to stay on the ship, I can't easily leave the Imperial Palace? Even if a monarch was chosen in Da Li, I should stay by his side to assist him, this is my way?"

Hou Niao chuckled, "See, Fairy, you've thought it through, haven't you? But remember one thing, I can't stay here to help you forever. Once Da Li chooses a monarch, I'll leave, and whether to stay or go will be your choice.

Staying will be dangerous but full of possibilities; leaving might be safe temporarily but almost cuts off the future..."

Fairy Shui sighed, "I knew things would get complicated once you arrived, I shouldn't have asked you for help."

Hou Niao laughed, "Since the Southeast Daoist started moving from Da Li Country, you can't escape, what's it got to do with me? I can't teach you what to do in the future, because I don't know either."

Fairy Shui fell into deep thought.

She needed to seriously consider. No one can help you forever on the cultivation path. Hou Niao's support so far was already out of righteousness, helping any more might not be helping her but destroying her!

She also understood what Hou Niao meant, when she decided to step into the Jinxiu process, she shouldn't blindly follow others, even the sword cultivator by her side, that is why he said he couldn't teach her anymore.

She had painstakingly hidden in the deep palace, thinking she could escape the outside world's turmoil, but little did she expect that the seemingly calm Da Li Palace was actually a big trap, this is fate.

If fate chose her, she wouldn't avoid it, this is a basic quality of a cultivator.

She was just not very confident about how far she could go. After thirty years on the Jinxiu Continent, her usual prudence still dragged her into this vortex, is this fortune or misfortune?

With newfound awareness, she finally began operating on her own ideas, using the identity of a nation's queen, now an empress dowager, joining courtly disputes, giving the loyalists a backbone, in this mundane world, legitimate authority is very important, this is the greatest advantage she gained from thirty years in the palace.

In court, she began to interact with various envoys, each with their motives, each harboring ambitions... none of this concerned Hou Niao, he didn't even offer a suggestion, as there wasn't a viable path, everyone was fumbling forward, correcting errors through struggle, stumbling through serendipity, finding success by luck, making mistakes by error.

His only responsibility was to protect the empress dowager after court adjourned and occasionally refine the precious talisman with her...

Matters of succession weren't decided on a whim. Besides the Fifth Prince, there are other adult princes to choose from; the most crucial is that without completely resolving the pressure from the Daoist Sect, there can never be a true solution.

They must talk and fight, one without delaying the other.

Days later, in Yin'an Hall, the empress dowager looked at the damp Life Protection Talisman, now as thin as a cicada's wing, both sides' cooperation had become more skillful. Having refined their lifebound treasures over a lifetime for such occasions felt like a disgrace to their ancestors.

"Lord Hou, I somewhat regret saving you back then..."

Hou Niao smiled, "Only by being familiar with each other can my strength be best exerted. Watch, those coming next may not be as agreeable, there might be mortal combat, if we don't practice coordination, how can we fight?"

Amidst the jest, several figures rushed in from outside the palace, Fairy Shui guarded the entrance of Yin'an Hall, unfurling the Life Talisman to enclose the entire hall, preventing any view of the inside from the outside.

The two visitors didn't speak, attacking outright, one conjured a spell, sending roaring flames towards Yin'an Hall, heedless of the palace and the city, possibly causing unpredictable consequences.

The other surprised them more, raising a shoulder, a flying sword shot straight for Fairy Shui's forehead.

Initially wanting to use her Life Protection Talisman to parry, grind down their trump cards, then counter-attack, but the vastness of Yin'an Hall made her talisman's coverage inadequate.

Her contingency skills were still lacking, hesitating when Hou Niao's cold voice pierced her Divine Sense, "Three Elements Unlimited Cave Chapter!"

No time for thought, Fairy Shui tossed forward the Three Elements Unlimited Talisman, immediately bursting with Infinite Radiance, mixed with some odd elements; amid the intertwining light and shadow, the flame-using cultivator fell straight down, the sword-user struck heavily, their flying sword reduced to ashes by Mysterious Light and retreated pathetically.

They fled past Lizhi City, finally stopping in shock and uncertainty.

Outside the city were five other cultivators. Seeing his sorry state, one laughed, "First merit unachieved but already lost one? That woman I recognize, just a regular Golden Core cultivator of Dongzhen Sect, far inferior to us, in merely thirty years, how has she been transformed beyond recognition?"

Speaking was Fairy Shui's old friend, Fu Gongwang the Star-Plucker, beside him always inseparable friend, Ci Hang Du Shenxing.

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