Splendour Translations.
Pledge on Patreon to get rewarded with Advance chapters.
Chapter 34: This Is the Fate of a Princess:
The Eastern Imperial Empire was once the most flourishing of the Ten Great Empires in the Profound Realm. However, Eastern Imperial Empire emperors have always had short lifespans, and as time went on, the empire gradually declined, and now it was nearing its twilight.
Furthermore, the recent Emperor of the Eastern Imperial Empire passed away from illness three years ago.
Although Emperor Su Che accomplished little in his life, he was considered an average ruler. He deeply loved Empress Liu, and after she died from childbirth complications, he never remarried or appointed another empress. This left the Eastern Imperial Empire throne without an heir upon his death. The royal family was reduced to the elderly Empress Mother and a young princess in her teenage years.
Seeing this as a chance, countless so-called royal relatives coveted the Eastern Imperial Empire throne. However, they feared Empress Mother, a Grandmaster Realm expert who had lived for centuries.
Despite their greed, none dared cross this line.
For the past three years, the Eastern Imperial Empire has remained in a fragile peace, but everyone could see that Empress Mother's days were numbered.
Since abandoning her practice and marrying into the palace, her cultivation had declined.
Without reaching the pinnacle of cultivation, even the strongest would eventually face their mortality. As she neared her end, it was clear that once she passed, the greedy wolves would attack.
Internal strife and external threats would quickly ignite the Eastern Imperial Empire. A sixteen-year-old princess couldn’t possibly stop this.
Everyone was well aware of this.
But, the upcoming Great Sect Conference seemed like a chance for factions to form. Sects within and outside the Eastern Imperial Empire, whether to gather intelligence or to observe potential allies, were all watching to see who could offer them the greatest benefits and who they would support in the future.
...
(The Eastern Imperial Empire Palace)
In the Empress Mother's chamber, a young girl in luxurious royal attire sat by the bed, holding a bowl of medicinal soup. Her worry etched on her face as she looked at the bedridden old woman.
The old woman's face was withered, her hair white, her body frail. Without her cultivation sustaining her, she would have long since passed away.
"Great-grandmother, it's time to take your medicine..." The girl gently blew on a spoonful of soup to cool it before bringing it to the old woman's lips.
The old woman swallowed with difficulty, and then looked lovingly at the young girl.
She reached out her withered hand to gently stroke the girl's head. "Xue'er..."
"Grandmother." Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she looked at the old woman.
"Now, it's just the two of us left in this vast palace," Empress Mother sighed. "I don't have much time left, and I'm worried about leaving you alone..."
Su Qianxue bit her lip with tears shimmering in her eyes. "Great-grandmother will be fine... you'll live for another thousand years..."
The Empress Mother shook her head with a bitter smile. She knew her own body too well. Even though she was still a renowned master in the Profound Realm, her lifespan was at its end. Hundreds of years had passed in the blink of an eye... If only she could live another hundred years, she wouldn't have to watch her poor descendant struggle to hold together an empire on the verge of collapse.
She recalled something and asked, "Xue'er, did you send a message to the Heavenly Dark Sect as I asked?"
Su Qianxue nodded earnestly, "Great-grandmother, I did, and the sect master of the Heavenly Dark Sect agreed she would attend the Great Sect Conference."
Hearing this, the Empress Mother's withered face showed a trace of joy. "That's wonderful... My sister hasn't forgotten me..."
Seeing the Empress Mother's joy, Su Qianxue worriedly said, "Great-grandmother, although I heard you and the sect master of the Heavenly Dark Sect are sisters, I also heard that Leng Youran is a ruthless supreme expert. Even if she comes, what help can she offer?"
Hearing this, the Empress Mother shook her head with a bitter smile: "I know very well that my sister won't help us. But... do you remember the Holy Son of the Heavenly Dark Sect, Xu Ze?"
"Xu Ze?" Su Qianxue blushed, as if recalling something. She nodded shyly, and her eyes were filled with embarrassment.
The Empress Mother didn't notice her reaction. She held Su Qianxue's hand tightly. "Xu Ze has met you a few times before. Although I don't know him well, he is highly regarded as an exceptional talent in the Profound Realm. He is destined to be a future powerhouse of the realm."
"I will do everything in my power to ask my sister for a chance to arrange a marriage contract between the Eastern Imperial Empire and the Heavenly Dark Sect."
"A marriage contract?!" Su Qianxue's face changed.
"Yes, this is the only way to save the Eastern Imperial Empire!" The Empress Mother gritted her teeth. "The Eastern Imperial Empire is in decline, and the imperial power is slipping. After I die, you alone cannot contend with those wolves. Only by leveraging external power—the power of the Heavenly Dark Sect—can you stabilize the imperial power and extend the Eastern Imperial Empire for another thousand years!"
"No matter what... you must make Xu Ze fall in love with you. No matter what, you must marry Xu Ze!"
"This is your fate as a princess... This is the only chance for the Eastern Imperial Empire to continue!"
Su Qianxue stared blankly at the Empress Mother. After a long while, she bit her lip with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I... I understand, Great-grandmother."
(T/N: Empress mother, an Empress Mother who is the mother of a reigning monarch.)
-To be continued!