In the imperial palace of Great Chu, Chengming Hall. This was originally the place for the emperor to review memorials, but murmurs of recitation could now be heard.
"Men take fortitude as virtue, women take gentleness as beauty."
"Men and women are divided into yin and yang, yang being heaven and yin being earth, thus men are honored while women are lowly."
"Women are like water, water is naturally docile. Thus, the way of women is the way of docility."
Fan Li's clone had Wu Gang secretly bring him into the palace. He wanted to see what was going on. Upon hearing the sounds of reading scriptures in Chengming Hall, Fan Li almost thought he was hearing things.
He saw that Xiang Ning had taken off her dragon robes and crown, changed into demure women's clothing, respectfully holding a book in her hands and piously reciting it with utmost devotion.
"...Has this lass gone crazy after not seeing her for a few days, reading some rubbish?"
Fan Li felt a wave of nausea and wanted to vomit. He immediately realized that the book Xiang Ning was holding in her hands was likely that "Female Virtue."
But he couldn't understand how, with Xiang Ning's temperament, she could possibly regard such trash as a treasure, reciting it so devoutly?
Fan Li looked again at Chengming Hall's surroundings. The hall doors were wide open, with people possibly coming in and out at any time.
If anyone saw Xiang Ning in this state, she could forget about sitting on that throne.
"Wu Gang, go stand guard outside. Don't let anyone come near." Fan Li said in a low voice.
"Yes."
After Wu Gang left and shut Chengming Hall's doors tightly, Fan Li dared to approach Xiang Ning.
"Your Majesty?" He called out, but there was no reaction at all. "Your Majesty?"
Xiang Ning still kept her head lowered reading her book, ignoring Fan Li as if he were air.
Fan Li directly strode forward and snatched away the "Female Virtue" in Xiang Ning's hands, forcefully closing it and throwing it to the side!
"Subject Fan Li pays respects to Your Majesty!"
While Fan Li's mouth said "pays respects," his foot was already planted on the imperial desk.
"You are... royal father?"
Only after her eyes left the book did Xiang Ning finally look at Fan Li. But her tone and demeanor were still strangely humble and modest, even showing a kind of sickly deference.
Hearing Xiang Ning take the initiative to address him as "royal father," Fan Li actually felt somewhat unaccustomed.
"Ning'er was unaware of royal father's arrival and failed to yield her seat. Please punish Ning'er." Xiang Ning stood up and astonishingly moved to kneel and kowtow to Fan Li.
Damn!
The little emperor wants to kowtow to me? And talk about yielding her seat?
What kind of nonsense is this?
Fan Li hurriedly held her up! "What's going on with you?"
Getting close, Fan Li noticed her empty, confused eyes. Her pupils seemed to be covered by a thin fog like a spider web.
"Is something wrong with Ning'er?" Xiang Ning talked to herself, still in that silly state.
"Recently Ning'er has reflected deeply and feels extremely ashamed about her past conduct. As a woman, Ning'er actually forgot propriety. On the Golden Chariot Hall, Ning'er arrogantly called herself an emperor. Even more shameless was dressing up as a man..."
"A woman without modesty like Ning'er simply does not deserve to live in this world. Only being drowned in a pig cage is suitable for Ning'er."
"Fortunately royal mother gave Ning'er a copy of 'Female Virtue' to understand what constitutes feminine virtue. So Ning'er studies diligently every day, not daring to slack off... wuu wuu wuu."
Listening to her spout this lunatic drivel endlessly, Fan Li simply used his hand to cover Xiang Ning's mouth.
Just a book, yet it could drive someone crazy from reading it?
Fan Li glanced at the "Female Virtue" he had casually tossed to the ground. He faintly sensed spiritual energy fluctuations, clearly indicating this was a precious treasure!
The spiritual energy emanating from "Female Virtue" appeared ghostly, in a deep purple color.
"This thing likely has an effect that confuses people's minds, but it may have no effect on men." Fan Li picked up the "Female Virtue" and casually flipped through a few pages.
Indeed!
In his hands, this was nothing more than a blank book. From the first page flipped to the last page, Fan Li didn't manage to see a single word at all!
Yet Xiang Ning's gaze remained glued to the pages. Clearly she was seeing something there. Even with Fan Li covering her mouth, she still made "wuu wuu" sounds, wanting to keep reciting.
The hot air leaking from Xiang Ning's mouth made Fan Li's palm feel warm and wet.
"Wu Gang! Her Majesty's mind has been controlled by an evil object. Do you have any good solutions?" Fan Li called out towards the hall entrance.
"The most common method is destroying the evil object. Master, your cultivation level is limited. Do you need me to make a move?"
Hearing Wu Gang say this, Fan Li was just about to agree when he suddenly recalled that Wu Gang was also female.
If "Female Virtue" gained control over Wu Gang...
Although Fan Li didn't believe this crappy book could easily control someone at the Great Vehicle realm, he still didn't dare take risks.
"No need. Let me try first. You stand guard outside!" While speaking, Fan Li closed the book to stop Xiang Ning from continuing to read.
"Wuu wuuu..."
With Fan Li covering her mouth, Xiang Ning's hands still struggled, wanting to snatch the book. Her eyes also revealed an intense yearning for "Female Virtue"!
"Strange. Her cultivation base is higher than mine, so why does she seem to not dare use any strength against me? As if enduring?"
Fan Li felt puzzled.
If they really fought over it, how could his Body Refining realm cultivation possibly contend against Xiang Ning? Yet for some reason, she acted like an ordinary weak woman, clearly still attached to "Female Virtue" yet not daring to clash against him.
"Oh! I understand now!"
"Men are honored while women are lowly. She's been brainwashed by this crappy book. Even if she's stronger than me, she still doesn't dare offend me?"
Fan Li roughly guessed right. He immediately thought of an idea. He suddenly commanded Xiang Ning, "Sit properly! Still daring to make trouble before me, are you even a woman!?"
Xiang Ning was clearly frightened! She widened her eyes, the fear and awe in her gaze evident. After only a brief moment of hesitation, Xiang Ning indeed returned to her seat and sat properly.
Moreover, in order to show respect towards Fan Li, Xiang Ning only dared to sit sideways, taking up half the seat.
"..."
Fan Li felt a little speechless, but being able to so easily "subdue" Xiang Ning wasn't bad either.
He began studying the "Female Virtue" in his hands.
How could he destroy it?
Since it was a magic treasure, there were two commonly seen methods of destruction. One was to use powerful mystic arts to annihilate it, but Fan Li lacked that ability. The second was to use a superior grade treasure to attack it. Relying on the disparity between their ranks, he could easily obliterate "Female Virtue."
"I've got it." The corners of Fan Li's mouth hooked into a cold sneer.
Magic treasures, elixirs, spell formations and the like were divided into the four tiers of Heaven, Earth, Mystic and Mortal. Each tier also had nine grades.
Fan Li wasn't sure which tier or grade "Female Virtue" belonged to, but it certainly couldn't compare to that item... the Overlord Spear!
"Your Majesty, please lend me the Overlord Spear for a moment." Fan Li said to Xiang Ning.
As expected, Xiang Ning did not refuse. She immediately retrieved the Overlord Spear.
"Fortunately the system rewarded me with [Myriad Race Mirror Image]. Otherwise things would be quite troublesome."
Ignoring bloodline restrictions, Fan Li effortlessly picked up the Overlord Spear. He casually tossed the "Female Virtue" to the floor and fiercely stabbed the spear downwards!
At the moment of impact, "Female Virtue" shattered like glass, instantly turning into countless fragments, then even the shards dissipated into the air, as if the book had never existed.
Meanwhile, In Brahma Sound Pure Land, the residence of the Sage Ruler of Golden Virtue was a tall tower. The tower was empty, with only a cushion placed in the middle of the floor.
A figure gradually materialized, sitting upright on the cushion. As the Sage Ruler of Virtue appeared, ten thousand copies of "Female Virtue" manifested on the inner wall of the tower.
One of the copies suddenly shattered like glass into fragments, but the remaining nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine copies of "Female Virtue" remained intact.
There were also nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine golden threads connecting the Sage Ruler of Virtue to the remaining books inside the tower.
A continuous stream of spiritual energy flowed from the books to the Sage Ruler of Virtue through the golden threads.
The Sage Ruler of Virtue slowly spoke, "Hmm? How could the Empress of Chu escape my control?"