Chapter 71: Empress Yu Yin
Empress Yu Yin of Tianyuan was born into an ordinary family. However, from a young age, she was not only breathtakingly beautiful but also possessed extraordinary talent. When she blossomed into a graceful young woman, the Crown Prince of Tianyuan took notice of her beauty and potential, making her his Crown Princess. He showered her with rare cultivation resources, intending to groom her as a Human Sovereign candidate.
It was no secret that Tianyuan sought to place their Crown Princess on the Human Sovereign’s throne.
However, the selection of Human Sovereign candidates was not dictated by any mortal will—it was determined by the very lifeblood of the Nine Provinces itself.
The Nine Provinces cared nothing for Yu Yin’s background. She was naturally chosen.
Among the Human Sovereign candidates, her talent was outstanding. She had a high probability of claiming the title—until that year’s selection produced an overwhelming, despair-inducing figure: Jiang Li.
With such an opponent, Yu Yin could only serve as a supporting character.
Realizing that surpassing Jiang Li was impossible, she voluntarily withdrew from the competition and returned to the Crown Prince’s side, having already reached the Soul Formation Stage.
The Crown Prince was furious at her decision. He didn’t care about Jiang Li.
All he knew was that he had almost secured a Human Sovereign for a wife—someone he could own, someone he could control—a prize that would have given him the ultimate sense of conquest.
But now, it was gone.
He still saw Yu Yin as the same powerless girl from a small family, someone he could beat and humiliate at will.
From the very first day of their marriage, he had treated her like a punching bag. Even now, he believed he could do the same.
But Yu Yin fought back.
Her resistance enraged the Crown Prince, and the two clashed.
Both were Soul Formation cultivators, but the Crown Prince couldn’t last ten moves before Yu Yin killed him.
Had Jiang Li not been around, Yu Yin would have been the strongest candidate for Human Sovereign. Even Bai Hongtu wasn’t confident he could have defeated her.
The Tianyuan Emperor was furious when he learned of his son’s death. Empowered by the National Fortune, he personally took to the battlefield to execute the “venomous woman” who had killed his heir.
With the blessing of the National Fortune, the Tianyuan Emperor’s cultivation surged to the Tribulation Stage, far surpassing Yu Yin’s level. By all logic, she should have been doomed.
Yet, to everyone’s shock, Ruyi Gourd broke free from the royal family’s control and chose Yu Yin as its master.
Wielding the Immortal Artifact, she engaged in a fierce battle and ultimately killed the Tianyuan Emperor.
That day, she ascended the throne, becoming Empress of Tianyuan.
—
“Some of the imperial clan refuse to accept reality,” Yu Yin said coldly. “They cling to past glories. Now that I’ve lost Ruyi Gourd, they’re secretly plotting with external forces to overthrow me.”
“I watched them scheme and stall, unable to make up their minds—so I simply pretended to show signs of cultivation deviation. Now they think I’m weak, and I’m luring them into making their move.”
Jiang Li was silent for a moment before asking, “Are you using this as an opportunity to break through the Soul Formation Stage?”
Logically, after 300 years, Jiang Li had reached the Mahayana Stage, Bai Hongtu had entered the Tribulation Stage, and Yu Yin should have reached the Tribulation Stage as well.
However, while the National Fortune was a blessing, it was also a shackle. Cultivating under its influence added invisible obstacles, making progress exceedingly difficult.
Yu Yin stepped out of bed.
Her silk-white socks barely made a sound as she gracefully crossed the floor, sitting at the table. She didn’t bother hiding anything from Jiang Li.
“Yes. There is great terror in life-and-death situations—but also great opportunity. If I continue on this stagnant path, who knows when I’ll finally break through?”
“Ruyi Gourd stays with you for now,” she added. “If I hold onto it, this won’t be a real life-or-death test. Only when I have no retreat does it truly count.”
“If I fail, you are to stand by and watch me die. Do not intervene—or I’ll hate you for the rest of my life!”
Jiang Li knew this was simply how Yu Yin was.
He nodded. “I’ve also recovered the other Immortal Artifacts, but not many people know yet. I’ll inform them and have them keep it a secret for now.”
Yu Yin’s lips curled into a faint smile, her icy exterior momentarily melting into breathtaking beauty.
At that moment, Ruyi Gourd shot out from Jiang Li’s waist and threw itself toward Yu Yin.
“Master! I missed you so much!” Ruyi Gourd cried.
“When the Immortal Artifacts all rebelled, I had no choice but to act like I was on their side! If I hadn’t, they would’ve torn me apart! Please forgive me!”
Yu Yin stepped on it.
Through the soft fabric of her socks, she rolled the gourd back and forth beneath her foot before kicking it back to Jiang Li.
“Keep an eye on it. Don’t let it interfere when the time comes.”
Then, she looked at Jiang Li seriously.
“I have one more favor to ask.”
“If those traitors learn you’re in Tianyuan, they’ll hesitate because of our relationship. They might not make a move. Can you publicly announce that you’re leaving the Nine Provinces for a few months to search for more Immortal Artifacts?”
“That’s fine.”
—
After Jiang Li left, a few palace maids hurried into the chamber to tend to Yu Yin, subtly probing for information on Jiang Li’s visit.
Yu Yin pretended not to notice their scheming. She casually mentioned that Jiang Li would be leaving the Nine Provinces for a few months—and that she herself was considering leaving to explore other worlds.
One of the maids, after serving Yu Yin for a while, quietly passed this information along.
—
Longyin City was not far from Tianyuan’s capital. It was a bustling metropolis, guarded by a Soul Formation cultivator.
Inside a quiet room, two men and one woman sat together, all looking frustrated.
“I’m sorry,” Song Ying said, her eyes red from crying. “If it weren’t for me, you both could have left by now.”
Qin Luan frowned. He hated seeing people cry—especially Song Ying. He snapped, “The Long Clan is lawless! They steal women in broad daylight! We did nothing wrong by stepping in!”
“The only shameful thing is that this entire city is full of cowards!”
“You should’ve thought about the consequences,” his master, Yuan Wuxing, chided. “Training in Tianyuan is good for you, but taking action recklessly is another matter. If you two had just assassinated the Long Clan’s Third Young Master in secret, none of this would have happened. But no—you just had to confront him publicly.”
Qin Luan and Song Ying had come to Tianyuan for training, and Song Ying had followed Qin Luan’s lead.
Coming from Great Zhou, where laws and order were upheld, they were shocked by Tianyuan’s chaos.
Here, strength ruled all.
The local government was just one power among many. The thousand-year-old Long Clan stood on equal footing with the City Lord, often ignoring the law and doing as they pleased.
The Long Clan’s Third Young Master abducted women in public, and no one dared to stop him.
In Great Zhou, such a man wouldn’t last long—he’d rot in prison as long as he was alive.
Qin Luan and Song Ying, outraged, beat him and his lackeys to a pulp despite only being at the Foundation Establishment Stage while the Long scion was Golden Core Stage.
Later, during a city-wide tournament, Qin Luan encountered the Third Young Master again. This time, he crippled him completely, feeling utterly satisfied as he broke through to the Golden Core Stage.
But the Third Young Master couldn’t accept his defeat.
That very night, he sent a Nascent Soul elder to kill Qin Luan—and to take Song Ying as a concubine.
He never expected Yuan Wuxing to be there, defeating the elder despite only being at the Early Nascent Soul Stage.
Knowing that things would escalate further if they stayed, they prepared to flee.
But the Long Clan had deep roots in this city. Leaving was easier said than done.
Just then—
A familiar voice chuckled as the door swung open.
“Looks like you three have been keeping yourselves busy.” Jiang Li stepped inside, smiling.