Three days had passed since the investiture ceremony drew to a close.
The vast sect had finally shed its days of clamor, returning to its usual serene tranquility.
Very few external guests who had come to observe the ceremony remained within the mountains.
That afternoon, Ye Ling returned from her cultivation on the Sect Master Peak. Just as she stepped into the bamboo grove surrounding her courtyard, her gaze paused slightly.
A figure was standing outside the bamboo gate of her small courtyard.
The woman wore an elegant, pale-gold palace robe adorned with flowing cloud patterns. Her posture was dignified and graceful, and she exuded a gentle, noble temperament.
She stood so quietly that she seemed to merge seamlessly with the serene bamboo landscape.
Ye Ling's eyes narrowed slightly as she quickly searched her memory.
She had seen this person on the day of the investiture ceremony. The woman had been seated at the very front of the VIP section, occupying an extremely prestigious position, clearly representing a top-tier power.
However, a hint of doubt arose in Ye Ling's heart.
Her residence was located in a quiet bamboo garden on the side of the Sect Master Peak. It was remote and by no means a scenic spot for visitors.
Ordinary external guests would have no way of knowing about it, let alone finding it so easily.
Yet, not only had this woman located her courtyard with precision, but she was also standing quietly outside the gate, having likely waited for quite some time.
Such patience and deliberate intent were certainly not those of someone passing by by chance.
Standing quietly outside the courtyard, Yang Qinyao felt a surge of genuine surprise and delight flash through her eyes the moment she saw Ye Ling walking down the bamboo path.
On the day of the ceremony, she had sat on the distant VIP platform, watching from afar across a sea of people.
Back then, Ye Ling had been clad in her unique blue-gold ceremonial True Disciple robe, standing in the center of boundless glory. Her posture had been straight and upright, her presence awe-inspiring and aloof, like a banished immortal.
In that moment, as tens of thousands bowed and sang her praises, her magnificent grace had been deeply etched into Yang Qinyao's heart.
Seeing her up close now was several times more shocking than watching her from afar.
Deprived of the grand ceremonial robes of the ceremony, Ye Ling, dressed in simple and elegant martial arts attire, had lost some of her overwhelming majesty but gained a pure, unblemished clarity.
Though she was clearly still young, she possessed a steady, unwavering composure and a profound, mountain-like presence that far surpassed her peers.
Yang Qinyao sighed with admiration in her heart.
No wonder she could scale the nine thousand steps of the heavenly stairs at the age of fifteen, crushing all the geniuses of the region to exceptionally claim the position of the Tenth True Disciple, a feat unmatched for a thousand years.
This temperament, character, and bearing were truly beyond the reach of ordinary geniuses.
This only strengthened the resolve in Yang Qinyao's heart.
Before Ye Ling could speak, Yang Qinyao stepped forward gracefully. Maintaining a polite and dignified posture, she stopped in front of Ye Ling.
Her expression was open and calm, devoid of any pretense or probing, as she introduced herself with poise.
“I am Yang Qinyao, the Seventh Princess of the Qingyun Kingdom.”
She made no attempt to hide her royal identity.
While she did intend to seek favor and deliberately build a connection, she harbored no deceitful or scheming thoughts.
Ye Ling was a peerless genius who eclipsed her entire generation. With her sharp mind and high standards, she would see through ordinary, superficial pleasantries and deliberate flattery at a single glance.
Moreover, if they were to offend such a heaven-defying talent or cause a rift, the price would be something the entire Qingyun royal family could not afford.
Honesty was her only show of sincerity, as well as her safest approach.
Upon hearing this, a clear trace of doubt arose in Ye Ling's heart.
The Seventh Princess of the Qingyun Kingdom?
The four major sects maintained a balance of power over the world, and the Qingyun royal family relied on them for survival. Given their unique status, there was theoretically no need for her to make a special trip to wait in this remote bamboo garden.
Her thoughts whirled briefly before she looked calmly at the royal princess. Her tone was light, but her words pierced straight to the heart of the matter.
“The Seventh Princess has traveled a long way to find my remote courtyard. Surely this is no mere coincidence.”
“This is not a sightseeing area for sect visitors. You have waited here for a long time. May I ask what important matter brings you here?”
As a princess of a kingdom, her status was noble. While the other noble families and dignitaries had departed with the crowds yesterday, she alone had insisted on staying behind.
She had also precisely located Ye Ling's secluded residence and waited silently for a long time.
None of this was a coincidence. Yang Qinyao had undoubtedly done this deliberately with a clear purpose.
Ye Ling did not believe that a royal princess would stand quietly outside her courtyard wasting time for no reason.
Yang Qinyao looked into Ye Ling's cool, quiet eyes that seemed to perceive everything.
She admired Ye Ling's sharp mind even more, and she became increasingly convinced that honesty was far more effective than trying to be clever.
She bowed slightly, performing a standard, elegant royal salute. Her tone was humble and sincere, setting aside her noble status as a princess.
“The True Disciple has keen eyes. I, Qinyao, indeed came here specifically to pay a visit.”
She did not hide her surface motives, openly stating her purpose.
“Our Qingyun royal family has always relied on the four major sects to survive in peace. Today, your noble sect firmly stands at the head of the four major sects, possessing unrivaled power.”
“And you are the only Tenth True Disciple in the thousand-year history of the sect, with a limitless future.”
“It is only natural that I would wait here to request an audience with you.”
“Before my departure, my royal father also specifically instructed me to forge a good relationship with you if the opportunity arose.”
She spoke these words openly and logically, laying out the royal family's superficial reasons for establishing relations without any hesitation or concealment.
Yet, she did not utter a single word about her deepest calculation, which concerned the struggle for the throne.
Since they had only just met, the timing was far from ripe. It was better to gradually build a friendship with Ye Ling first. Once their bond grew deep, it would be appropriate to reveal her true request.
Ye Ling listened quietly to her explanation. Though her face remained completely expressionless, a subtle intuition arose in her heart.
While the princess's words sounded comprehensive and reasonable, they carried a faint sense of deliberate concealment.
This was definitely not as simple as a routine royal gesture of goodwill; there had to be some unspoken secret hidden beneath.
Understanding that it was unwise to linger too long upon their first meeting, the quick-witted Yang Qinyao did not overstay her welcome to avoid disrupting Ye Ling's cultivation.
She raised her hand and retrieved a storage bag that was extremely simple and plain, devoid of any intricate patterns.
It appeared low-key and ordinary, but anyone with even a bit of experience could tell at a glance that it was a high-grade storage spiritual treasure made of excellent, highly pure materials.
Holding the storage bag in both hands with a respectful and sincere posture, she offered it steadily to Ye Ling.
“This humble gift is a token of appreciation prepared by our Qingyun royal family for our first meeting. I request that the Tenth True Disciple kindly accept it.”
Ye Ling cast a casual glance at the storage bag and calmly raised her hand. Her voice was cool and peaceful, yet it carried an indisputable firmness.
“There is no need.”
“The Qingyun royal family and I share no prior relationship. Without cause or reason, I cannot accept this gift.”
As her voice fell, she turned slightly, her intention to dismiss the guest abundantly clear.
“If the Seventh Princess has no other business, please take your leave.”
“I am about to cultivate, so it is inconvenient to host guests.”
Seeing this, Yang Qinyao felt no displeasure or embarrassment from being rejected. Instead, her admiration for Ye Ling deepened.
She did not push further, calmly pulling back the storage bag. Straightening her posture, she bowed slightly with perfect etiquette and a graceful demeanor.
“Since the True Disciple wishes to focus on cultivation, I shall not disturb you any longer. I will take my leave.”
With that, she slowly turned and walked away, her steps light but her mind resolute.
Throughout her life, she had seen countless geniuses swayed by treasures, resources, fame, and fortune.
Yet, the young True Disciple before her possessed a mind as solid as a rock; external vanity could not sway her in the slightest.
As expected of Ye Ling.
Great wealth and worldly treasures ultimately could not move such a peerless figure whose heart was set on the Grand Dao, free of dust.
Since the shortcut of material interest would not work, she would choose another path.
If wealth could not move her, then she would treat her with absolute sincerity and forge a connection with genuine heart.
The future was long, and she had more than enough patience to interact slowly and build their relationship step by step.
Reaching the end of the bamboo path, Yang Qinyao could not help but pause. She turned back to take a deep look at the slender, upright figure standing beneath the bamboo garden.
A gentle breeze brushed against the bamboo. The youth stood as straight as a pine, aloof and independent, untouched by the clamor of the world.
The resolve and obsession in her heart grew even deeper.
A moment later, she suppressed all her emotions, turned, and walked away quickly without lingering, completely vanishing at the end of the mountain path.
Back in the bamboo forest, Ye Ling stood in place, watching the other depart with a calm and undisturbed gaze.
She knew that this Seventh Princess of the Qingyun Kingdom would definitely not stop here.
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