The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

In mid-autumn, the weather was already a bit cold. In another month, it would be the day when the new generation of disciples of Bixia Palace would be formally registered. Calculating the distance between Ye Lingcheng and Bixia Palace, it would take about twenty days to arrive if nothing unexpected happened.

Scattered across this Spirit Realm continent are thousands of countries, with nine standing out for their exceptional spiritual power. Jin'an Kingdom is one of these nine most prosperous nations, and Bixia Palace and Yeling City both belong to Jin'an Kingdom. This is one reason why, despite its relatively small reputation, Yeling City has produced quite a few Spirit Lords; proximity always has its advantages.

On the day of their departure, Ying Wuyou summoned Ying Zhe and Ying Li to Yizixuan for a lecture. The two juniors stood side by side, looking up at Ying Wuyou and Ying Qishan sitting in the outer hall, their faces filled with solemn reluctance. Today they were leaving Yeling City for Bixia Palace, and they didn't know when they would be able to return to the Ying family. They had heard that the rules for cultivating spiritual energy at Bixia Palace were extremely strict, and ordinary disciples didn't have time to return to their families.

Ying Wuyou sat at the head of the table. Two bundles sat on the table beside him, bulging on the outside, their contents unknown. Seeing Ying Li and Ying Zhe arrive, he waved and laughed, "Why do you both look so gloomy? You two went to Bixia Palace to cultivate your spiritual power and bring honor to the Ying family, but you look like you're going there to suffer. Come here, see what gifts your grandfather has prepared for you!"

After saying that, Ying Wuyou gave Ying Qishan a look, and Ying Qishan quickly came over with a smile and handed the two bundles on the table to Ying Li and Ying Zhe respectively.

After hearing their grandfather's words, the two younger members of the family softened their expressions slightly. They took the bundle from Ying Qishan's hands, exchanged a glance, and, though puzzled, slowly untied it.

Ying Li unfolded the bundle, and a flash of light appeared, with abundant spiritual energy immediately surging to the tip of her nose!

"It's Lingluo grass, Shengye leaves, and Kulan! So many highly nourishing medicinal herbs! Little sister, we're going to be rich! Grandpa, this gift is simply amazing!" Ying Zhe's eyes widened as he looked at the neatly wrapped bundle of 150 medicinal herbs. He was so excited he almost stopped breathing. He had never seen so many precious medicinal herbs before.

Compared to Ying Zhe, Ying Li was filled with worry. She held the potent spiritual tonics in her hands, a hint of apprehension in her heart. These were all graded spiritual herbs, unlike the wild-grown herbs like the Silkworm Grass, the Wild Leaf, and the Bitter Blue that she had found herself in the back mountains. Those wild herbs only had mild spiritual tonic effects. These, however, were all grown in the spiritually rich caves established by the Ying family, absorbing spiritual energy day and night. Refining them would be immensely beneficial for spiritual cultivation. Similarly, these graded spiritual herbs were far more valuable.

“Grandpa, these are too precious. Our family can’t even produce a hundred spirit herbs a year. Moreover, the Shengye and Kulan are already in danger of extinction. Once there is no more soil to grow these two spirit herbs and only Lingluo grass is left to cultivate, I’m afraid the Ying family’s supply of spirit herbs will not be able to meet its own needs within five years. You’ve taken out three hundred of them all at once. I’m afraid…” Ying Li turned to look at Ying Zhe, and sure enough, the smile on the other’s face disappeared.

“Yes, Grandpa, although Zhe’er really wants them, my little sister is right. It’s better to keep them at home for future use. Since Uncle passed away, the Ying family has been relying on you and Father. You must take good care of your health. These spiritual medicines are for you and Father. If you can take care of your health, Father might be able to become a Spirit Master through these spiritual medicines. Then, our Ying family will have a successor, and no one in Ye Ling City will look down on us anymore.” Ying Zhe’s face was filled with sorrow. Thinking of the future of the Ying family, he felt inexplicably sad.

If Grandpa were to pass away, the Ying family would be without a spiritual master, and would likely be even worse off than the Dongfang family. Right now, the Ying family is only standing because Grandpa is holding on. He dared not imagine what the Ying family would be like after Ying Wuyou fell, but he knew it would be even more tragic than the Dongfang family is now.

“Your filial piety is known to your grandfather, but Zhe’er, even though these three hundred spiritual herbs were given to Qishan, to become a Spirit Lord, one must enter the Spirit Beast Mountain Range, slay the Crimson Spirit Beast, seize its horn, and take its core. Only then is there a possibility of becoming a Spirit Lord. Your eldest uncle slew the Crimson Spirit Beast and disappeared without a trace, and your second uncle is cold-hearted. Now, your grandfather only relies on your father to protect him. If he enters the Spirit Beast Mountain Range and disappears without a trace, the Ying family will never rise again! So, your grandfather only hopes that you and Li’er will cultivate diligently and become successful. Your father is doing very well now.” Ying Wuyou thought of Ying Qichen, who had been missing for fifteen years, and could not hide the grief in his heart. Tears welled up on his face.

Ying Qishan sighed. Thinking of the Ying family's current predicament, he hoped day and night that his elder brother could return. Even if he didn't become a Spirit Lord, his return to keep him company and support the Ying family would be a way for the two brothers to look after each other. Now that Ying Qihan had abandoned his responsibilities and Ying Qichen was missing, and with his own limited abilities, he couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest after thinking about Ying Wuyou's death.

Ying Zhe lowered his head heavily. Others only saw their outward appearance as glamorous, but who could feel the grief of a collapsing building?

"Grandpa, Third Uncle, don't worry. Li'er and Second Brother will definitely cultivate their spiritual power well once we enter Bixia Palace. After five years, Li'er will definitely become a Spirit Master and bring glory to the Ying family. We will make those who laughed at the Ying family regret not standing on the side of the Ying family and underestimate the current Ying family! I'll keep this spiritual medicine!" Ying Li said firmly, then wrapped the bundle and carried it on his back.

Ying Wuyou nodded with satisfaction. "Good! Good! I am very happy that Li'er has such ambition. Even if you fail, I will not blame you. Just don't go astray! Alright, hurry up and go, or it will be too late."

Ying Li nodded heavily, as did Ying Zhe. He carried his bundle on his back, exchanged a glance with Ying Li, and the two bowed to Ying Wuyou and Ying Qishan together. They walked out of the Ying family home side by side and boarded the carriage that led them away from home.

Ying Xue stood outside the Yizi Pavilion, watching Ying Li and Ying Zhe come out before slowly entering. She bowed slightly to them, lowered her head, and said, "Grandpa, Third Uncle, Xue'er has come to say goodbye. I'm so sorry about what happened to my younger sister. Please don't be angry, Grandpa and Third Uncle. My sister really didn't mean it. Now that her appearance is ruined, she can't leave the house. Even if she makes a mistake in the future, she can't do it again. Please forgive her, Grandpa and Third Uncle." Ying Xue's eyes were red and swollen. From childhood to adulthood, Ying Wuyou and Ying Qishan had never given her a second glance. Now that Ying Luo had made a grave mistake, they must hate her even more.

Unexpectedly, Ying Wuyou sighed heavily, handed a bundle from his lap to Ying Xue, and scolded, "Luo'er is lawless and dares to harm her own kind. If it weren't for Li'er's spiritual cultivation, she would probably have already met a tragic end. You've always been timid and submissive, but at least you can distinguish right from wrong. How could you be so foolish this time! I'm only saying this once. If you go astray, Luo'er's fate will be your fate. Do you understand?!"

Ying Xue was startled and didn't dare to look up or take the bundle. She quickly said, "Grandpa is right. I will never be like my sister. I will cultivate my spiritual power well and bring honor to the Ying family in the future. Grandpa, please don't get angry and hurt yourself. If there's nothing else, I'll leave right away." After saying that, she bowed to Ying Qishan and was about to leave.

Ying Wuyou's expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "Come back!"

Ying Xue's expression changed drastically. She wondered if she had left too hastily and made another mistake. She turned around and stared at Ying Wuyou and Ying Qishan in fear, asking tremblingly, "Grandpa and Third Uncle, is there anything else?"

Ying Wuyou tossed the bundle that Ying Xue hadn't caught earlier to her, and said irritably, "Your brother and sister each have their own bundle when they go out, this is yours. When you get there, follow your brother and learn to take good care of your sister, understand?!"

Caught off guard, Ying Xue took the bundle. Opening it, she found one hundred and fifty neatly wrapped high-grade spiritual herbs. She thought about how her father hadn't even glanced at her before leaving, let alone prepared any gifts for her. She had assumed her grandfather and third uncle didn't care for her, but it turned out they treated her the same as Ying Li and Ying Zhe! Thinking this, Ying Xue felt a pang of sadness, and tears streamed down her face. "Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Third Uncle! Xue'er will definitely learn from my brother and take care of my little sister. Grandpa and Third Uncle, please take care of yourselves. We'll bring honor to the Ying family when Xue'er, my brother, and my sister return!"

Ying Xue carefully carried the bundle on her back, bowed repeatedly to Ying Wuyou and Ying Qishan, and then came out. Ying Qishan watched Ying Xue sobbing as she walked, and shook his head helplessly. "This child's fate is in the hands of fate!"

Ying Li, Ying Zhe, and Ying Xue traveled for about twenty days before finally arriving at Bixia Palace. They had expected Bixia Palace to be magnificent and resplendent, but what they saw was an ordinary, simple building perched atop a mountain. It contained only ordinary pavilions and towers, with blue bricks and red tiles; its small scale was dozens of times smaller than that of the Ying family's residence.

"Little sister, why is this Bixia Palace so small and shabby? It doesn't look like it has produced so many spirit masters at all. Didn't Grandpa say that Bixia Palace was magnificent in appearance, with golden roofs shining high into the clouds, and that the palace was full of rare spirit beasts and high-grade spirit herbs? But look at it like this, calling it a small dilapidated temple is an understatement!" Ying Zhe looked unhappy. They had traveled for so many days, and seeing the dilapidated building made them feel disappointed.

Ying Li was also somewhat surprised. Logically speaking, with so many people entering Bixia Palace every year, it was impossible for the disciples to find their own places to stay. Clearly, they must have made a mistake.

"Brother Ying, this is just your residence, not Bixia Palace." A familiar voice rang out. Ying Li turned around and saw An Yao and Yue Wei coming together, waving from a distance.

Ying Zhe was overjoyed to see the two arrive and quickly pulled Ying Li and Ying Xue over. After talking, they learned that Bixia Palace was surrounded by mountains on all sides, with the core area encircled by the mountains. Although there were thousands of disciples in Bixia Palace, not everyone could live in the main hall. New disciples lived on the surrounding mountains and could only enter the main hall when they were cultivating their spiritual energy. The place where the three Ying siblings arrived was the residence that Bixia Palace had allocated to them, so it was only similar to the scale of an ordinary temple and naturally could not be compared with the treatment of a family.

Once they understood this, the three of them realized how large Bixia Palace was. Looking at the continuous mountain range and the numerous small pavilions on the mountain range, they could tell that it truly had a large number of disciples.