novelblue
Chapter 533 – Jia Xingtian Steps In!
Chapter 533 – Jia Xingtian Steps In!
Chapter 533 – Jia Xingtian Steps In!
“Sir Liu Ling is currently waiting outside the palace. I will go fetch him at once!”
Upon hearing Princess Yao Ye’s command, the guards at the main hall entrance immediately responded.
“No, I shall go personally!”
Yao Ye shook her head, visibly excited, and said to the guard, “You, go quickly and have a banquet prepared. Do not show the slightest discourtesy to Sir Liu Ling. Make sure it’s done according to the highest standard!”
After giving a few more instructions, Yao Ye hurriedly stepped down from the grand hall and quickly made her way toward the palace gates.
From where she had been—at the upper hall of the inner palace—to the palace’s main gates was several li away. Yet she covered the distance in under ten minutes.
She didn’t ride a carriage, nor did she mount a horse. She ran the entire way, clearly unwilling to make Liu Ling wait a moment longer.
From afar, near the magnificent gates of the imperial palace, Yao Ye spotted a man and a woman standing side by side.
“Who is that woman standing with Sir Liu Ling?”
Curiosity flickered in her heart when she noticed the woman beside him.
As Yao Ye drew nearer, over a hundred guards stationed at the gate immediately bowed their heads and offered formal greetings.
…
“Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Sir Liu Ling. I offer my sincerest apologies,” Yao Ye said apologetically once she was about ten meters from him.
“Princess, you’re too kind. The palace is vast, and for you to come personally so quickly already shows great respect toward me,” Liu Ling replied calmly and courteously.
“Sir Liu Ling, may I ask who this young lady beside you is?” Yao Ye stepped forward curiously.
“This is my partner, Yue Mei,” Liu Ling replied frankly.
“Partner!”
Yao Ye’s heart skipped a beat, and her expression became momentarily complicated.
She hadn’t expected that Liu Ling already had a partner.
Back when Gu He and Yun Yun were getting married, Jia Xingtian had mentioned wanting to arrange a marriage between her and Liu Ling, intending to bring Liu Ling into the royal family as a consort prince. However, Gu He had declined, stating that he intended to bring the princess into the Yunlan Sect instead, putting an end to Jia Xingtian’s plan.
Yao Ye held no romantic feelings for Liu Ling. Her admiration was purely based on respect and a desire to build a strong relationship.
Her heart was fully committed to stabilizing the royal family’s foundation. Had Gu He agreed to the arrangement back then, Yao Ye believed she wouldn’t have refused the marriage.
After a moment, she suppressed her thoughts and spoke calmly, “Miss Yue Mei, to be chosen as Sir Liu Ling’s partner—you are truly fortunate.”
Yue Mei smiled softly and nodded in response.
Liu Ling, meanwhile, gently squeezed Yue Mei’s hand and said with a smile, “You flatter us, Princess. The truth is, I am the lucky one.”
That gesture filled Yue Mei with a deep sense of warmth and security.
“Princess, the reason I came today is to discuss a matter with the royal family,” Liu Ling said, ready to get to the point.
“Sir Liu Ling, I have already ordered a banquet to be prepared within the palace. Let us speak over wine and food,” Yao Ye replied, making a graceful gesture.
“In that case, Princess, please lead the way.”
Liu Ling did not refuse. There was plenty of time—no need to rush.
Soon, Liu Ling and Yue Mei followed Yao Ye into a grand hall. A full banquet of fine wine and delicacies had already been prepared, clearly demonstrating how much importance Yao Ye placed on Liu Ling.
She had not shown even a hint of neglect.
Along the way, Yue Mei could clearly feel the aura surrounding Liu Ling.
Even a royal princess—someone who ruled as regent of a nation—treated him with such respect. That only strengthened her confidence in the success of their upcoming discussion.
—
"A Dou Ancestor has entered the palace!"
In a secret chamber deep within the royal palace, an elderly figure sitting cross-legged suddenly opened his eyes. Without hesitation, he swiftly moved toward the hall where Yao Ye’s banquet was being held.
When Jia Xingtian arrived at the entrance of the grand hall, he immediately sensed that the powerful aura from earlier belonged to none other than Liu Ling—Gu He's disciple.
—
"Imperial Grandfather, you’ve left seclusion!"
Seeing Jia Xingtian appear suddenly at the doorway, Yao Ye respectfully stepped down from her seat and gave a deep bow. The other members of the royal family quickly followed suit.
As for Liu Ling, he simply cupped his hands with a smile and said, “Elder Jia, you’re here.”
“Rise, all of you.”
Jia Xingtian forcibly suppressed the surprise in his heart and turned to Liu Ling. “Liu Ling, what brings you to my palace today?”
“Heh, Elder Jia, I was just about to explain this to Princess Yao Ye. Since you’re here, I might as well say it now,” Liu Ling said with a light laugh.
“To be honest, the purpose of my visit is to discuss with the royal family whether the Snake-People Tribe can be granted passage to migrate into the Demon Beast Mountain Range.”
—
“Grant the Snake-People passage… to migrate into the Demon Beast Mountain Range?”
The moment those words left Liu Ling’s mouth, the expressions of Jia Xingtian and Yao Ye both grew serious.
The implications were immense.
Coming from Liu Ling, such a proposal was unexpected—and revealing. It meant Liu Ling had a close relationship with the Snake-People Tribe.
But Liu Ling wasn’t just anyone.
He was Gu He's prized disciple, the senior brother of Yunlan Sect’s current leader, Nalan Yanran.
If someone like him was on close terms with the Snake-People Tribe… then perhaps even the Yunlan Sect was leaning toward supporting them.
—
Noticing the change in their expressions, Liu Ling calmly spoke again.
“Elder Jia, Princess Yao Ye—does this proposal pose any difficulty for you?”
"Liu Ling," Princess Yao Ye said after a brief pause, “Why is it you who has come to discuss this matter with the royal family on behalf of the Snake-People Tribe?”
Jia Xingtian remained silent, deep in thought.
“Because Mei’er is a member of the Snake-People Tribe,” Liu Ling replied softly, his tone full of affection. “I don’t want to see them suffer any longer in that barren desert.”
—
“Miss Yue Mei is from the Snake-People Tribe?” Yao Ye exclaimed in surprise.
In her understanding, Snake-People always had long, powerful serpentine tails.
But Yue Mei had none.
“Liu Ling, if I’m not mistaken,” Jia Xingtian finally spoke, “this companion of yours must have taken the legendary Tier-7 pill—the Shapeshifting Pill—to assume a human form, yes?”
A thoughtful expression crossed his face.
He had already noticed Yue Mei’s Dou Wang peak-level aura when they entered.
Get early access to my chapters and read more frequently by joining my Patreon! You'll unlock 20 chapters immediately and can enjoy up to 65 chapters weekly. Support my ongoing work and become part of my reader community.
Patreon: /anish_44
Support via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/anish_44