I long to return home!

Seven days later.

A dense spiritual energy spread out, and the purple lightning surrounding Lei Mengying slowly gathered, soon shrinking into seven dim purple lightning orbs that appeared behind her in a circle.

Soon, a ball of purple lightning was lit up, surrounded and flashing with powerful purple lightning.

This is the secret technique Lei Mengying learned—the Thunderous Seven Stars Technique. Using herself as a seed, she transforms the power of thunder into these seven purple thunder orbs. Once they are all lit, shimmering with inextinguishable purple thunder, her cultivation can reach the Nascent Soul stage.

Three hours later.

Lei Mengying suddenly opened her eyes, her beautiful eyes flashing with a strange purple light, and at the same time, wisps of purple lightning shot out from them.

Her long purple hair flowed freely down her back, and in the next moment, a flash of purple light appeared, and the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Blade appeared in front of her, flowing with eternal purple lightning.

Lei Mengying's gaze was firm as she gripped her longsword and faced the sky. Vast spiritual energy surged, and the once cloudless sky was now covered with dark clouds, from which purple lightning flickered faintly.

A thunderous roar struck, landing on Lei Mengying's delicate body, seemingly cleansing her flesh and tempering her bones. This phenomenon did not last long before it ended.

At this moment, the dark clouds dissipated, and the sky returned to its usual tranquility. Lei Mengying floated in the air. After being tempered by the heavenly lightning, both her temperament and spiritual charm had undergone significant changes. Her already exquisite face was now indescribably beautiful, like a fairy descending from heaven to the mortal world.

Lei Mengying landed lightly on her toes, and with a gentle wave of her hand holding the sword, the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Blade was absorbed into her body. Her gaze swept across the world, and after breaking through her cultivation realm, she gained a deeper understanding of all things in the world. Her lifespan also broke through again, making her feel that all things in the world were insignificant.

Her gaze fell on Huai Zhen not far away, her purple pupils flashing with an unusual light, as if she could see right through the person in her eyes.

With just one glance, she was shocked and her face paled. Although Huai Zhen's body was rich in blood energy and his physique was strong, the foundation near his spiritual root was already dilapidated. What surprised her even more was that when she looked at his spiritual root, she was blocked by an invisible force, a force that seemed to be the source of her being and that she could not resist.

She blinked, and when she looked again, the invisible power was gone, and what came into view was a pseudo-spiritual root with sparse spiritual power.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, are you alright?"

Huai Zhen's call woke Lei Mengying. She composed herself and replied calmly, "It's nothing. I was just a little flustered feeling the changes in my body after just forming my core."

After speaking, Lei Mengying's gaze fell on Huai Zhen again. This time, her eyes held a hint of indescribable thoughts. She finally understood where Huai Zhen's sickly appearance came from. She felt the evil energy remaining in his body, which was planted by the ghost cultivator back then. She also understood that it had not been removed that day but had been absorbed into his body, damaging his foundation.

Lei Mengying pondered for a long time, unsure of how to express herself. Unconsciously, she pursed her lips. Judging from her foundation, she could tell that this would shorten her lifespan. Although she had already established her foundation and her lifespan could reach two hundred years, the evil energy had been in her body for a long time and was deeply rooted. Even if it was removed, if she did not form her core, her lifespan would only be a little over a hundred years.

After thinking for a long time, she changed her usual aloof demeanor and said calmly, "That beast core has benefited me greatly. I am only one step away from forming my Nascent Soul. Since absorbing this beast core, I have also learned a spell."

As Lei Mengying spoke, under Huai Zhen's gaze, she raised her left hand. With her mind's control, purple lightning suddenly appeared in her palm, condensing into a lightning ball, which was none other than the Purple Lightning Lightning Ball of the Purple Winged Thunder Eagle Emperor!

Once the lightning sphere took shape, one could sense the terrifying power of lightning contained within it. Its power was in no way inferior to the full-force attack of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, and it was even close to the peak of the late-stage Golden Core realm.

Without hesitation, Lei Mengying's gaze sharpened, and she threw the lightning ball in her palm, which slammed into the pond in the courtyard with a loud "plop".

The water splashed up dozens of feet high, shattering the artificial mountain in the pool and releasing wisps of white mist. When the mist dissipated, the ten-foot-long pool was left in ruins, the water disappeared, and dozens of koi carp in the pool vanished. Only a few lucky ones lay belly up on the rubble, their bodies intact.

"This lightning ball consumes a great deal of spiritual energy, and I will never use it unless absolutely necessary." Lei Mengying looked at her palm. The first time she used it, the effect could not be fully exerted, and her palm was even injured by electricity.

Just as Huai Zhen was about to praise her after withdrawing her supernatural powers, there was a knock on the courtyard gate, and a man's voice came from outside: "His Highness the Third Prince of Yin Yue requests an audience with Princess Wuji."

Upon hearing this, Lei Mengying frowned slightly. In her memory, she had never seen any third prince. According to others, the Yin Yue Empire had three princes and one princess.

The eldest prince, Shen Lian, went to the Wuji Empire; the second prince, Shen Po, trained on the border; the third prince, Shen Lang, cultivated year-round at the Yin Yue Huangzong sect, a sect built by the Yin Yue Empire; and the fourth princess, Shen Lingjiao, stayed in the palace year-round.

Lei Mengying hesitated for a moment, her face turning cold. With a flick of her sleeve, the courtyard gate opened wide, revealing a middle-aged man dressed as a guard standing in front of the gate, while behind him stood a handsome young man waving a folding fan.

This person was dressed in a luxurious light blue robe, on which was engraved a fierce blue dragon. His face was not particularly distinctive, only somewhat similar to Shen Lian's.

His hair was tied up high with an exquisite hair crown, with a long strand of hair hanging down in front of his forehead, giving him the air of a playboy.

Upon seeing Lei Mengying's stunning beauty, the man's pupils widened in astonishment. She exuded a cold and aloof demeanor, like an ice queen, and her long, flowing purple hair made his heart flutter, and he couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.

Before Lei Mengying could ask any questions, Shen Lang immediately stepped forward with the demeanor of a courteous young master, cupped his hands, and said, "Qingzhou King Shen Lang greets Princess Wuji. You have formed your Golden Core in less than thirty years. Your talent is truly admirable."

"What brings you here?" Lei Mengying asked coldly, completely ignoring him.

Upon first glance at Shen Lang, Lei Mengying immediately sensed that he resembled a playboy. Scanning his neck with her divine sense, she discovered a woman's hickey, a discovery that instantly filled her with disgust.

"Princess Wuji's reputation is so great that I..." Before he could finish speaking, Lei Mengying shouted sharply, "When?" Her gaze was icy, and she was ready to expel him at any moment.

"How dare you! You've only just formed your core, how dare you speak to His Highness the Third Prince like that?" The guard immediately roared, his spiritual power surging forth; he was a cultivator in the early Golden Core stage.

This action also angered Lei Mengying. Purple lightning suddenly appeared, as if divine punishment was erupting from her body. With just a thought, this purple lightning would attack the two of them at the fastest speed.

"Improper! How dare you speak to the princess like that!" Shen Lang reprimanded the guard in front of him, then bowed to Lei Mengying and apologized, "I was being presumptuous. I recently returned from Qingzhou, and as soon as I entered the palace, I saw the Heavenly Manifestation. It must be that someone has formed their Core again, so I came to pay my respects."

"Having witnessed the princess's talent, I am content and will not disturb her any longer. I will take my leave now." With that, Shen Lang and his guards slowly disappeared through the door.