Her name was Xiao Qingli, titled Nine Nether Empress, once the ruler of the Nine Nether Sea and the custodian of a Sacred River, a peerless empress without equal.
But during a cataclysmic event, she narrowly escaped complete annihilation. At the brink of death, she expended all her soul power, sending a fragment of her main soul and her life's memories to this world.
She successfully took over the body of a newborn child who shared her name, the third princess of the Grand Dream Dynasty, and was reborn.
However, due to the severe damage to her soul, her memories only resurfaced 20 years later. Until then, she had always believed herself to be Xiao Qingli.
Now, as her memories returned, her hatred for the Grand Dream Dynasty burned deeply. She wished nothing more than to dismember its emperor, Xiao Tianding, limb by limb.
Recently, she learned the truth:
The Grand Dream Dynasty had collaborated with the Blood Shadow Tower, setting a trap to assassinate the emperor of the Jiang Dynasty. Their bargaining chip? Herself, Xiao Qingli.
The emperor of the Grand Dream Dynasty promised the Blood Shadow Tower that if they succeeded in killing the Jiang emperor, Xiao Qingli would be sent to marry their young master, Guan Xingyu.
Guan Xingyu, the young master of the Blood Shadow Tower, was infamous throughout the Northern Domain. Known for his depravity, he had a reputation as a notorious womanizer, with tales of him entertaining ten women at once being mere routine.
Sending Xiao Qingli to him was akin to throwing a lamb to the wolves. Xiao Tianding, her father, knew this well.
"Xiao Tianding, Xiao Junchen, when I regain my full power, I will ensure both of you are sent to the underworld!"
Xiao Qingli's eyes were filled with murderous intent as she spoke. She mentioned Xiao Junchen, also known as King Shen, the emperor's brother and a Peak Earth Realm cultivator.
"For now, I need to leave this place of turmoil," she decided.
"With Xiao Tianding leading an army to attack the Jiang Dynasty, he won't have time to deal with me. This is the perfect opportunity."
Though her memories were intact, her current cultivation was weak, only at the Profound Realm Peak. She resolved to avoid conflict and bide her time.
With her talent and her memories as the Nine Nether Empress, she was confident she could reach the Heavenly Realm within a few years. When that time came, she would exact her vengeance.
Xiao Qingli packed her belongings and approached the door but paused to consider something.
"With Xiao Tianding gone and Xiao Junchen still unsuspecting, why not loot the treasure vaults before I leave?"
Her mind made up, Xiao Qingli proceeded to the Grand Dream Dynasty's treasury.
Once, as the Nine Nether Empress, the treasures of the Grand Dream Dynasty would have been beneath her notice.
But now, with her current cultivation, even the resources in the treasury would prove valuable.
While she stealthily entered the treasury and began gathering resources, another figure arrived at the palace of the Grand Dream Dynasty.
The Arrival of Jiang HuanYu
From the skies above the Grand Dream Dynasty's palace, Jiang HuanYu appeared, clad in a flowing dragon robe. His expression was indifferent as he surveyed the palace below.
Little did Xiao Tianding know that while he marched to attack the Jiang Dynasty, Jiang HuanYu had come to raid his palace directly.
"How dare you!"
"Who dares trespass in the Grand Dream Dynasty's palace? Are you tired of living?!"
As Jiang HuanYu's figure appeared, his presence immediately alerted the palace's defenders.
Armored imperial guards poured forth, their numbers in the thousands, surrounding Jiang HuanYu in a tight formation.
In addition, seven or eight Earth Realm cultivators flew up from various corners of the palace, their auras locking onto Jiang HuanYu.
Jiang HuanYu's gaze swept across the gathered forces, focusing on two figures at the forefront.
One was a burly middle-aged man in a python robe, a Peak Earth Realm cultivator. From his attire, Jiang HuanYu deduced he was likely King Shen, Xiao Junchen.
The other was an elderly man in plain robes, also at the Peak Earth Realm. Jiang HuanYu surmised he wasn't a native of the Grand Dream Dynasty.
"Who are you to trespass in the Grand Dream Dynasty's palace in broad daylight? If you cannot give a satisfactory explanation, you won't leave here alive!" Xiao Junchen demanded.
"I never intended to leave," Jiang HuanYu replied calmly.
"And my purpose is simple, to destroy the Grand Dream Dynasty."
"You court death!"
Enraged by Jiang HuanYu's bold declaration, Xiao Junchen attacked immediately, sending a massive palm strike toward Jiang HuanYu.
However, with a casual wave of his hand, Jiang HuanYu dissipated the attack as if it were nothing.
"What?!"
"How… how can someone so young possess such power?!"
"Wait… that's a dragon robe! Who are you?!"
Xiao Junchen was stunned, his mind reeling from the ease with which his attack had been neutralized. Beside him, the elderly man furrowed his brows, realizing Jiang HuanYu was no ordinary figure.
"I am Jiang HuanYu, Emperor of the Jiang Dynasty."
"Jiang HuanYu? The Jiang Dynasty's useless Crown Prince?!"
"Impossible! Jiang HuanYu is a well-known failure at cultivation. How can you be him?!"
Jiang HuanYu chuckled.
"The truly wise rise in a single, decisive moment. Revealing one's strength prematurely is not the mark of a clever man."
As Jiang HuanYu approached, Xiao Junchen trembled.
"Were you pretending all along?!"
The realization sent chills down Xiao Junchen's spine. Jiang HuanYu had hidden his strength for years, enduring mockery as the "useless Crown Prince."
Now, he stood revealed as the Jiang Dynasty's most terrifying genius.
The elderly man's eyes widened in shock. Was Jiang HuanYu truly such a monster, surpassing even his brother, who possessed the Supreme Bone?
"Attack him together! Kill him!" Xiao Junchen commanded, trying to suppress his fear.
The imperial guards surged forward, and five Earth Realm cultivators unleashed their attacks, filling the sky with powerful techniques.
Blades of energy spanned thousands of meters, firestorms turned the heavens red, and toxic clouds descended, creating a deadly haze.
Amidst the chaos of divine powers aimed at him, Jiang HuanYu remained unshaken.
He smirked and murmured, "Calling everyone together saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one."