Chapter 3: There is really only one level of cultivation - After I Left, I Became Their Obsession.

Chen Li never liked wasting time, so early the next morning, he infiltrated the royal palace of Ruiming City. With his level of cultivation, naturally, no one noticed his presence. As he ventured deeper, he found the entire vast palace eerily deserted, exuding an unusual aura of stillness and coldness. However, Chen Li quickly noticed a few clues, such as the faint scent of blood lingering in the air and the residual fluctuation of spiritual energy. "So that's it." Chen Li understood in his heart. "The so-called terminal illness of Ning Yanxi was merely a smokescreen, a pretext she used to eliminate her opponents once and for all. In her previous life, she must have succeeded... But how did she manage it when she's only at the fourth realm now?" Based on the information from his past life, he could roughly deduce the situation, but Chen Li couldn't help being curious. According to the trajectory of his past life, he actually didn't need to do anything for Ning Yanxi to grow powerful. Nevertheless, since she was designated as the chosen seed, there must be deeper implications. "If I don't need to intervene, it might be entertaining to just watch from the sidelines." Just as this thought crossed his mind, he sharply sensed a tremendous power rising from the depths of the earth's veins. Buzz—! The entire palace's space seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand, instantly sealed by an ancient and powerful array, isolating it from the outside world. "Oh? Has the show already begun?" ... The once-majestic great hall had now become a scene of carnage. Several corpses, dressed in luxurious clothes or armor, lay sprawled across the floor in gruesome states, the heavy scent of blood almost suffocating. At the uppermost position of the hall stood Ning Yanxi, alone. Her dark red palace dress was stained with fresh blood, like a spectral red spider lily, glaring and vibrant. Her brows and eyes were filled with coldness, and in one hand, she held a long sword gleaming with a chilling light, its tip still dripping with blood. Below her, fourteen figures remained standing. Among the forty-two rebels Ning Yanxi aimed to eliminate tonight, twenty-eight had been executed. She knew well she didn’t need to be merciless; as long as she eradicated these core figures in front of her, she could firmly seize control over the precarious state of Ning. However, the fourteen remaining individuals had a minimum cultivation level of the sixth realm. More troubling was that their leader was her eighth-realm cultivation uncle—Ning Juye! It was he who had orchestrated the downfall of the former emperor, her father. Ning Yanxi's hatred for Ning Juye was deeply rooted, but confronting an eighth-realm master, even with the ancient "Mountain and River Spirit Locking Array" of their founding, seemed an impossible gap to bridge. Moments ago, she had abruptly activated the array and, combined with the suicidal assault of her death soldiers, managed to bring down over twenty lives, severely undermining the enemy's momentum. Despite being in the array, Ning Juye remained composed. He flicked nonexistent dust off his sleeve, speaking with a hint of regret, "Yanxi, why push things this far? If you withdraw the array now, I can spare your life. All you need to do is agree to marry into Xiguo and quell the conflict between our nations, ensuring peace for Ning." Ning Yanxi's voice was as frosty as winter, "The outcome isn't determined yet; it's too soon to say such things." "You really need to see the coffin before you shed tears," Ning Juye’s regretful expression swiftly turned into one of ice-cold killing intent. At this moment, Ning Yanxi exhaled softly. From behind her, a slender, delicate figure walked out slowly. Dressed in a plain, nearly blinding white dress, Ning Wanyin's face was pale, though her eyes remained clear. "This... another princess? Impossible!" "Is it a false form? No, her aura is wrong!" The remnants of the rebels in the hall erupted into a clamor, filled with uncertainty and suspicion. Ning Juye's pupils contracted sharply. He could distinctly sense the bloodline aura identical to his own source emanating from Ning Wanyin, which sent his heart recoiling in dismay. In his years of meticulous planning, his late brother was supposed only to have Ning Yanxi as an offspring. Who, then, was this woman appearing out of nowhere? Ning Yanxi and Ning Wanyin exchanged a silent glance in the air. Ning Yanxi pursed her lips tightly, but Ning Wanyin gave her a smile so pure, like fresh snow, "From now on, you'll have to take care of yourself." As her voice fell, Ning Wanyin's body began to glow. Countless dazzling star-like fragments emerged from within her, scattering like flickering fireflies, gradually dissolving her form. Meanwhile, the "Mountain and River Spirit Locking Array" that enveloped the entire hall emitted a low hum. The ancient array patterns suddenly lit up, circulating at an explosive speed! A force, far more immense and terrifying than before, started to permeate, to the point that the space seemed to warp and solidify! Ning Juye's face contorted in panic, "No! She's turning into the array’s spirit! Stop her quickly, or we’re all going to be pulverized!" He understood better than anyone the power of this absolute array laid down by their founding ancestor. If a direct royal bloodline willingly sacrificed themselves to become the array spirit, the array's power would soar to its peak—under the ninth realm within the array, none could survive! Such a secret technique was known only to each reigning monarch. The rebel faction fell into pandemonium, unleashing all their concealed treasures and spells, frantically bombarding Ning Wanyin! However, all their attacks slammed against the solid golden curtain of array power before Ning Yanxi, stirring violent ripples that faded away quietly like mud cows entering the sea. Though Ning Yanxi could not actively use the array to kill these people, by holding the array's core position, she could easily defend and bide her time. "Damn it! It's that old geezer! He must have left this as his trump card long ago, deliberately hiding this child, waiting for this day!" Ning Juye’s eyes were bloodshot, convinced he had uncovered the truth. Ning Yanxi ignored him entirely, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on Ning Wanyin. Watching her sister's form grow ever more transparent, she clenched her nails deeply into her palm. This was the price she must pay! Ning Juye and his group, in complete despair, fell into frenzied chaos. The shadow of death exposed their ugliest sides—cursing, begging, and futile attacks filled the great hall. In this critical moment, when tension reached its peak— Tap, tap, tap. Clear footsteps suddenly broke through the impending chaos. A white-clad man casually strolled in from outside the hall, seemingly oblivious to the scene before him. With an almost troubled look, he glanced around and naturally asked: "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but I seem to be lost. Does anyone know how I can get out of here?" This absurd question was like ice water dropped into boiling oil, freezing the hall’s frenzied atmosphere into a bizarre halt. Ning Yanxi and Ning Juye both frowned, their gazes snapping to this unexpected visitor with the same thought—whose man was this? Ning Yanxi gripped her long sword tighter; any variable now was unacceptable. Seeing no response, Chen Li shrugged, appearing slightly disappointed that no one appreciated his humor. Without further words, he calmly looked past the chaotic crowd to Ning Yanxi above, directly proposing, "Here's a deal: I help you eliminate these troublesome folks below and save your sister. In return, all you need to do is grant me a share of Ning's national fortune. How about it?" He had been observing from the shadows, understanding the truth behind Ning Yanxi's previous life success. Yet Ning Wanyin’s presence was indeed unexpected, as even in his past life, no rumors of her existence surfaced. But since Ning Wanyin was so crucial to Ning Yanxi, he naturally found his point of entry. Ning Yanxi, of course, wouldn’t easily trust Chen Li, but her heart trembled, "You have an eighth-realm cultivation?" Chen Li shook his head and replied, "No, I’m currently at just the first realm." Ning Yanxi's heart sank, "You..." "What kind of lunatic is this!" Below, Ning Juye’s patience wore thin. Fierce light flashed in his eyes, and as Chen Li finished speaking, Ning Juye pounced! In an instant, his form blurred ghost-like to Chen Li, a terrifyingly strong hand wrapped in sinister black qi roaring with the sound of tearing air, aiming for Chen Li's head. This strike was fueled by his full eighth-realm pinnacle power, sufficing to flatten a hill! He intended to squash this ignorant meddler and the ludicrous deal he spoke of into mincemeat! Yet— Chen Li merely sidestepped casually, just a step to the side. The formidable blow that could split mountains only grazed his clothes, the fierce wind merely ruffling a few of his hair strands. In the next heartbeat. Ning Juye's vicious grin froze on his face, as he found his neck gripped by a cold hand, the power emanating from it... irresistible! The raging eighth-realm true essence within him felt as fragile as paper before this hand. Ning Juye was lifted by Chen Li’s single-handed choke, dangling off the ground like a poultry awaiting slaughter. His face turned the color of raw liver from suffocation, limbs flailing uselessly, eyes wide with ultimate shock and bewilderment. He felt as if, in that moment, all his power had been stripped away, leaving him as defenseless as a common man. Chen Li, gazing at Ning Juye’s fear-twisted face, smiled gently, "While I did mention my cultivation is at the first realm, I never said my strength was limited to it."