Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 470: Chapter 265: Ling Changqing: Slipping Away, Slipping Away...

Beside Xia Qingying, the stunning, white-robed young female guard who never left her side frowned. Ling Changqing’s subtle actions naturally didn’t escape her notice.

But before she could voice a reprimand, Xia Qingying stopped her with a look, leaving the guard to remain silent, her cheeks puffed in a sulk.

Had it been anyone else who dared to steal such a glance at Her Majesty the Empress, the guards would have already seized them for a beating, no matter how noble their status.

Inside and outside the Grand Array, the battle raged on. One after another, Third Grade and Rank Four Breaking Seal Talismans rained down, accompanied by countless Divine Techniques and Magic. Under the storm-like assault, the ripples distorting the Grand Array’s light barrier grew increasingly obvious.

However, given the sheer resilience of the City Defense Array, it was still far from collapsing.

Moreover, in the array’s hub within the City Lord’s Mansion, numerous Elders were coordinating its operation with all their might, drawing upon energy reserves to ensure the light barrier remained stable.

Both sides had experts at the Divinity Transformation Level presiding from the rear, but for now, they remained inactive, silently observing the battle’s progress.

「One hour, two hours, three hours...」

As the attacking party, the Cui Family’s Cultivator Army had suffered losses so great that the cost pained even their Elders.

Of course, the Taiqing Divine Dynasty’s cultivators had also suffered considerable casualties. Outside the Grand Array’s light barrier, the bodies of fallen cultivators were piled like mountains, and rivers of blood flowed freely.

But as long as the higher-ups gave no order to stop, the relentless assaults had to continue without the slightest pause, no matter how staggering the losses became.

During this time, Xia Qingying had struck more than once, decapitating several well-hidden Nascent Soul True Monarchs. After obliterating their Divine Souls, she would plunder all of their personal belongings.

No one knew what special means she possessed that allowed her to pass in and out of the Grand Array’s light barrier at will, without attracting the attention of the cultivators on either side.

"Take them. They’re all yours!"

Accompanied by Xia Qingying’s clear, gentle voice, another pile of Storage Magical Artifacts was tossed over.

"Thank you, sister."

Ling Changqing didn’t bother with pleasantries, accepting everything offered.

"...Your Majesty, what has this boy done to deserve such special treatment from you?"

The white-robed young woman finally couldn’t hold back any longer and asked quietly via Divine Thought.

She had been tolerating Ling Changqing for a long time. ’The man isn’t just casual with his words; he has no respect at all. And his eyes are always sizing up Her Majesty the Empress’s figure. It’s simply...’

’A mere Golden Core Cultivator... give him an inch and he’ll take a mile, won’t he? How dare he be so disrespectful to our Empress?’

Xia Qingying smiled. "There’s no particular reason. I just find him rather pleasing to the eye!"

"Pleasing to the eye?"

The white-robed young woman was clearly sharp-witted. She paused for a moment, then realized:

"Your Majesty, you would never take an interest in someone without reason. The only way he could be an exception is if... his Destiny is especially powerful, isn’t it? Is that why it’s subconsciously influencing your perception of him?"

’Within the Divine Dynasty, countless trusted ministers and brilliant young prodigies have never received such treatment. What does it mean that this boy, whom she just met, is the exception?’

"Hm?"

Xia Qingying’s expression faltered. With her exceptional intellect, she naturally understood the implication as well.

As the one who controlled the peak of power in the Divine Dynasty, what kind of good things had she not seen in her life? The vast Divine Dynasty had no shortage of prodigies.

Among them, there were naturally many who harbored feelings for Her Majesty the Empress, hoping for a meteoric rise to the top. Unfortunately, Xia Qingying always remained cold and aloof toward them, looking down on every single one.

It was only after meeting Ling Changqing that the subtle influence of his Destiny had caused an unprecedented, subtle shift in Xia Qingying’s attitude—one that even she herself hadn’t realized.

At this thought, the smile in Xia Qingying’s eyes faded, replaced by a trace of solemnity as she began to scrutinize Ling Changqing from head to toe.

As expected, she couldn’t see anything unusual about him, but she had a faint feeling that something wasn’t right.

’But even so, this is enough to prove how extraordinary this young man is. Who else could give me this feeling of trying to see flowers in a fog?’

’Forget it. After this battle is over, I’ll take him back and have the Royal Elders take a close look. If he truly possesses great Destiny and Blessed Fortune, then he might be worth investing some effort to cultivate.’

As Xia Qingying silently pondered this, her mood began to improve.

’To think my trip this time would yield such a great harvest. Perhaps the Da Xia Divine Dynasty’s national destiny will rise along with his, reaching even greater heights?’

’A Destiny so powerful it can influence the mind of a Goddess Empress like me... what level of existence must he be? Those prodigies and Reincarnated Great Powers the Divine Dynasty has discovered in the past are far inferior by comparison.’

In an instant, Ling Changqing’s importance in her mind soared. In the future, she could not only groom him to be a trusted high official, but perhaps even...

At that moment, however, Ling Changqing was no longer looking at her. He was focused on riding his Flying Sword and killing enemies. As one foe after another fell, the number on his merit-recording Jade Token had already surpassed two thousand.

’According to the resource exchange rates given by the City Lord’s Mansion, as long as I can last until the battle is over, I’ll be able to trade these for a lot of good stuff!’

Ling Changqing thought to himself as he put the Jade Token away again.

A glimmer appeared in Xia Qingying’s eyes, and her voice became even more gentle and warm:

"Those things are nothing special. The Da Xia Divine Dynasty has countless Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, as you will see in the future! By the way, I don’t believe I know your name yet, young man."

"Ling Changxing."

He replied. There was no way he was giving his real name; otherwise, he would have a repeat of what happened at Danyang Valley.