Chapter 117: Sword Sweeps the Demons, Ji Bai is Killed! “Qingmeng” Fills the River and Stars

    Under Lin Qi’an’s lead, no demon dared to approach the group. He had almost fully harnessed the power of the Wenchu Emperor’s secret realm! The group was filled with immense gratitude.

    Who would have thought that in each of the four trials, they had all relied on the Crown Prince to get through? If anyone was truly worthy of receiving the Wenchu Emperor’s inheritance, it had to be Lin Qi’an.

    “Look, we’re almost at the end!”

    “Finally... we’re really getting out of here!”

    At last, the eerie forest of dead trees came to an end. Once outside, they found themselves on the shore, where a large ship was docked by the water’s edge.

    “Once we board the ship, we can escape!”

    “Hurry, get on the ship!”

    “Crown Prince, please board first!”

    No one had forgotten Lin Qi’an’s contributions, so they all urged him to be the first on the ship.

    However, Lin Qi’an had other plans—he was waiting to deal with the Child of Destiny, Ji Bai. Smiling calmly, he waved them ahead. “You all go first. I’ll stay behind and guard.”

    Zhao Qingmeng hesitated, not wanting to leave his side, but he urged her on. The group was astonished at his selflessness—how could there be someone so noble, who put others first even after doing all the heavy lifting?

    Without further hesitation, everyone boarded the ship as quickly as possible, while Lin Qi’an stayed on the shore, keeping the demons at bay.

    “Crown Prince, hurry and get on!” people called from the ship.

    At that moment, a panicked figure suddenly burst out of the forest—it was none other than Ji Bai, wearing his scholar’s robes.

    “Wait for me, wait for me!” Ji Bai shouted as he ran, a horde of demons chasing closely behind him, swarming like a black tide.

    “It’s Ji Bai!”

    “He went off on his own and still survived?”

    “This guy is seriously lucky!”

    But Lin Qi’an knew better. He could tell that most of the demons had been lured by Ji Bai. It was about time to deal with him. Ji Bai’s remaining fortune value was less than 300. Slaying him now would allow Lin Qi’an to claim his core of fortune.

    “Wait for me! I need to get on the ship too!” Ji Bai shouted in desperation. “Thank you, Crown Prince!”

    Inside, Ji Bai was laughing. ‘What an idiot! This stupid Crown Prince is actually waiting for me! Does he really think I’m worth saving?’

    Suddenly, Lin Qi’an spoke. His voice was calm, yet filled with an overwhelming presence of righteous energy.

    “Three thousand guests drunk on blooming flowers, a single sword chills fourteen provinces.”

    As the verse rang out, the wind howled violently. The rivers surged, and the sky darkened! A tremendous, unstoppable force surged from the heavens and earth, all of it flowing into Lin Qi’an’s body.

    “What terrifying literary resonance!”

    “The Crown Prince is drawing upon all the power of the Wenchu Emperor’s secret realm...”

    “A single sword chills fourteen provinces.”

    “How imposing!” The scholars and nobles on the ship stared at Lin Qi’an with awe and admiration. What they witnessed next was a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

    With a casual wave of his hand, Lin Qi’an released an invisible sword qi. It swept forward like a storm, tearing through everything in its path.

    Where it passed... Sand and stones flew through the air! The ground itself was uprooted! Grass and trees were torn apart! The wind roared, and the rivers surged!

    Everything in the natural world seemed ready to submit to this single sword strike.

    No one had any objections to Lin Qi’an being chosen. It was only fitting. He had led them through every trial, proving his worth. But who would be the second chosen one?

    Everyone exchanged glances, and tension began to build. The air was thick with competition.

    “The second person will be decided through the Flying Flower test. The theme is ‘stars.’”

    “Whoever remains at the end will be the one eligible to receive the inheritance.”

    Flying Flower! No one had expected the second person would be chosen through a poetic duel like this.

    Wait—didn’t that mean the winner would get to inherit the Wenchu Emperor’s legacy alongside the Crown Prince? And wouldn’t that make her the most outstanding woman in the eyes of the Crown Prince?

    Mo Shuiqiu, Lu Miaoyin, and many other women felt a surge of determination in their hearts. The final competition would take place here.

    Without hesitation, Lu Miaoyin stepped forward and recited a famous poem featuring the word stars. Going first was always the best move!

    She quoted one of the most famous lines about stars in all poetry, leaving the others feeling the pressure. They quickly began reciting their own lines, eager not to fall behind.

    Out of the nearly twenty people left, thirteen were women, each of whom recited a line featuring the word *stars. Everyone passed the first round of the Flying Flower challenge.

    Except for Zhao Qingmeng.

    All eyes turned to the little princess. People thought she was sure to be eliminated for not reciting anything yet. The challenge was based not only on who could keep up but also on whose poetry was the most moving. Failing to continue meant losing any chance of winning.

    Zhao Qingmeng stood in her frost-colored gown, adorned with golden dragons, her posture elegant beneath the starry sky. A small smile curved on her delicate lips, making her look like a celestial spirit in the night—charming and ethereal.

    “Drunk, I knew not the sky lay in the water, as the boat of dreams pressed heavy on the stars.”

    This line had been burned into her memory, a verse Lin Qi’an had once used to tease her. She had kept it locked deep in her heart, and now, it had come to perfect use.

    As soon as the words left her lips, the ship fell into a stunned silence. Everyone took a moment to fully appreciate the line, their expressions slowly shifting to disbelief.

    “This... this is another timeless masterpiece!”

    “Such artistic beauty, truly divine!”

    “I admit defeat. I’ve lost...”

    One by one, the others bowed in defeat. Even Lu Miaoyin couldn’t help but feel a wave of frustration wash over her. She knew she had lost.

    Indeed, aside from Zhao Qingmeng and Lin Qi’an, the rest of the group began to glow faintly with white light before their bodies dimmed and disappeared one after another, sent out of the secret realm.

    Now, under the brilliant starry sky and aboard the solitary ship, only Lin Qi’an and Zhao Qingmeng remained.

    “Excellent poem,” Lin Qi’an remarked with a smile. He hadn’t expected that even the reincarnated empress would become a “literary plagiarist.”

    “Surprised?” Zhao Qingmeng’s eyes twinkled mischievously like crescent moons. “Just a compliment on the poem? Don’t you have anything more to say?”

    “Well, the person who recited it is just as wonderful,” Lin Qi’an said as he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the little princess and pulling her into his embrace.

    Her soft, delicate body was fragrant and intoxicating. If he were to indulge in her here and now, there would be no one to discover her unique physique, and no trouble would arise from it.

    After all, the remnant soul of the Wenchu Emperor had already disappeared, and no one would disturb them.

    “What are you doing...?” Zhao Qingmeng’s heart raced, her eyes wide and filled with a captivating sparkle.

    “You know, my nickname is ‘Star River.’”

    “Pfft!” Zhao Qingmeng laughed softly, but before she could react further, she leaned into Lin Qi’an’s chest and pressed her lips to his of her own accord.

    Under the glittering stars, bathed in the clear, cool moonlight, their boat drifted through the river of stars.

    The boat of “Qingmeng” pressed heavy upon the heavens.