From cute to empress

Chapter 241 Sword Heart and Blood Knife

Back in my bedroom, I lay awake all night. Zhen Youcai's words echoed in my ears. The complex relationships between the martial arts sects were far more thorny than I'd imagined. I tossed and turned, the faces of those martial artists flashing through my mind. Their eyes, some firm, some sinister, some unfathomable, each filled me with unease.

I got up at daybreak. Zhen Youcai was already dressed and waiting for me to have breakfast. "Wouldn't you like to sleep a little longer?" he asked gently, his eyes full of heartache. I shook my head. "I can't sleep. I want to go meet those martial arts sects as soon as possible."

After breakfast, I changed into simple casual clothes, styled my hair in a simple bun, and set off with Zhen Youcai. We decided to visit the Jianxin Sect first. Firstly, they were the largest sect in the martial arts world and had considerable prestige. Secondly, the Jianxin Sect leader was upright and might be easier to communicate with.

The carriage jolted along, finally arriving at the Jianxin Sect's gates at sunset. Built into the mountainside, the Jianxin Sect was imposing and majestic, with numerous disciples, each one carrying an awe-inspiring air of righteousness. I nodded inwardly, worthy of being a prestigious and upright sect, truly extraordinary.

Sect Leader Jianxin was already waiting in the main hall. He was about fifty years old, dressed in a long, azure robe, with a resolute face and an air of authority. "I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress. Long live the Empress!" Sect Leader Jianxin led all the disciples in kneeling and bowing, his voice booming, echoing throughout the hall.

"Master, please stand up." I hurried forward to help him up. "I'm here today as a friend. There's no need to be bound by these formalities."

Sect Leader Jianxin stood up and motioned for his disciples to serve tea. Then he said, "I wonder what brings your Majesty to my humble abode?"

"I came here this time to ask the leader some questions about the martial arts world." I went straight to the point and told him the purpose of our trip and my concerns about the situation in the martial arts world.

After hearing what I said, Sect Leader Jianxin was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, you may not know that the conflicts in the martial arts world are long-standing and cannot be resolved overnight. Take the conflict between my sect and the Blood Blade Sect, for example..." He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, "The grudge between us has lasted for decades and is quite deep. I'm afraid..."

"Why?" I asked, eager to understand the whole story.

The Sword Heart Sect Leader sighed and began to recount the grudges between him and the Blood Blade Sect Leader, his words filled with helplessness and resentment. It turned out that the two factions had been locked in a long-standing feud over a precious spiritual vein, with both sides suffering heavy casualties and an irreconcilable hatred.

I listened quietly, feeling a growing weight on my heart. It seemed that resolving the grievances between the martial arts sects was more difficult than I'd imagined.

"So, Your Majesty," Sect Leader Jianxin said firmly, "evil sects like the Blood Blade Sect are simply not trustworthy. Only by completely eradicating them can we achieve true peace in the martial arts world!"

"Master, you're wrong." I shook my head, speaking sincerely, "When will the cycle of revenge ever end? Hatred only breeds more hatred. Only by letting go of the past can we create the future. I believe that the Blood Blade Sect's leader isn't a bloodthirsty person. Perhaps there's some misunderstanding going on."

The Sword Heart Sect leader frowned, clearly disagreeing with my opinion. "Your Majesty is too merciful. You shouldn't be soft-hearted towards those evil demons! They can kill my Sword Heart Sect disciples today, and they can slaughter the people tomorrow, bringing disaster to all mankind!"

"But..." I wanted to persuade him again, but was interrupted by Master Jianxin.

"Your Majesty is new to the martial arts world and doesn't understand many things yet. I will stop here today. If Your Majesty insists on trying to get something from a tiger, I have nothing to say!" His tone was unquestionable, and the disappointment and dissatisfaction in his eyes were obvious.

My heart sank, knowing it was pointless to continue. I gave him a long look, then stood up and said, "I'm sorry to bother you today, Master. I'll visit you another day."

With that, I left the Jianxin Sect with Zhen Youcai. As the carriage sped along, my heart was heavy. Jianxin Sect Leader's attitude was even tougher than I'd imagined. It seemed like reconciling the feud between them and the Blood Knife Sect wouldn't be easy.

"What's wrong? Are you embarrassed by what Sect Leader Jianxin said?" Zhen Youcai noticed my mood and asked with concern.

I sighed and told him about my conversation with Sect Leader Jianxin. Zhen Youcai also frowned after hearing this. "It seems this journey through the martial arts world is even more difficult than we imagined."

"Yes." I leaned on his shoulder, my tone a little weak, "But no matter how difficult it is, I will try. I can't just watch the world fall into chaos and the people be displaced."

Zhen Youcai held my hand and gave me strength, "I believe in you, you can do it."

We rushed to the Blood Blade Sect overnight without stopping. Unlike the grand and majestic Jianxin Sect, the Blood Blade Sect was located in a remote area, with a gloomy and strange architectural style, exuding a strong aura of murderous awe.

The Blood Blade Sect's leader was already waiting in the meeting room. He was tall, with a stern face, and his blood-red robe only accentuated his fierce presence. Upon seeing us, he simply nodded slightly as a greeting, his tone icy, "I wonder what brings you here, Her Majesty?"

I came straight to the point and stated the purpose of my trip and my concerns about the situation in the martial arts world. I also emphasized my desire to resolve the grievances between the various sects and jointly maintain peace in the martial arts world.

However, my words did not meet the approval of the Blood Blade Sect Master. He sneered, his tone tinged with sarcasm, "Are you joking, Her Majesty? You were having such a pleasant conversation with that old man Jianxin, and now you come to me and say this. Don't you feel hypocritical?"

I was startled, and immediately understood. It seemed that Sect Leader Jianxin's prejudice against me had already reached the ears of Sect Leader Xuedao...

The Blood Blade Sect's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last shred of hope in my heart. His piercing gaze seemed to see through everything, leaving nothing to hide. I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and explained, "The Sect Master has misunderstood. Sect Leader Jianxin and I were simply discussing the matter at hand, with no intention of favoritism. I came to the Blood Blade Sect hoping to resolve the misunderstanding between you and jointly maintain peace in the martial arts world."

"Misunderstanding?" The Blood Blade Sect's leader laughed heartily, as if he had heard something hilarious. "My Blood Blade Sect disciple died tragically at the hands of the sword. Could this also be a misunderstanding? Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, do you really have to confuse right and wrong?"

His questioning was so piercing that it left me speechless. It was then that I realized that reconciling the feud between the Blood Blade Sect and the Sword Heart Sect would be even more difficult than I'd imagined. These two sects had been at odds for so long, they were already irreconcilable. How could they possibly shake hands and reconcile?

Just when I felt at my wit's end, a cold voice suddenly rang out from outside the door, "Master of the Blood Blade Sect, you are too kind. Her Majesty the Empress cares deeply about the empire, and she has come here to maintain peace in the martial arts world. Why would you turn someone away?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman in white slowly enter the meeting room. Her face was pure and elegant, her aura ethereal and otherworldly, like the goddess of the Nine Heavens descended to earth, making it difficult to look directly at her. I recognized her immediately; she was the head of the Lingjiu Palace, one of the three great sects in the martial arts world.

"Palace Master Lingjiu?" Upon seeing the newcomer, the Blood Blade Sect's leader's eyes flashed with surprise, but his tone remained icy. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to be a peacemaker too?"

The Lord of the Vulture Palace smiled faintly, walked over to me, and bowed. "Greetings, Her Majesty the Empress." Then, she turned to the Blood Blade Sect Leader and said calmly, "Master, calm down. I'm not here to mediate. I simply want to propose a compromise solution that may temporarily resolve the conflict between the two factions."

Upon hearing this, both the Blood Blade Sect Master and the Sword Heart Sect Master looked curious. A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart, and I quickly asked, "What does the Palace Master have to say?"

The Lord of the Vulture Palace looked around at everyone and said slowly, "Conflicts in the martial arts world arise from conflicts of interest, as well as grudges and hatred. The feud between the Blood Blade Sect and the Sword Heart Sect cannot be resolved overnight. How about this: both factions should each take a step back and temporarily cease hostilities for three years. During these three years, neither side should engage in further disputes. After three years, everyone will have their say on what is right and wrong."

The Vulture Palace Master's proposal was logical and reasonable, neither favoring either side while also giving both sides an opportunity for calm reflection. It was truly comprehensive. After hearing this, both the Blood Blade Sect Master and the Sword Heart Sect Master fell into deep thought, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

The atmosphere was tense for a moment. I held my breath, awaiting their response. Finally, the Blood Blade Sect's leader broke the silence. He glanced at me and said gravely, "Well, since the Vulture Palace Master has spoken, I'll give the Empress a favor and temporarily establish a three-year truce."

I was delighted and quickly said, "Thank you, Sect Master..."

However, before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by a burst of hurried footsteps. Then, a panicked voice came from outside the door, "Master, this is bad. This is terrible..."

"Why are you so panicked?" The Blood Knife Sect leader frowned and asked in a deep voice.

The disciple hurriedly ran into the meeting room and said breathlessly, "Outside...outside..."

Before he could finish, the door to the meeting room was suddenly kicked open, and a group of men in black rushed in with sharp blades in hand...

I immediately became nervous, and the Blood Blade Sect members also fell into chaos, drawing their weapons and confronting the man in black. "Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Blood Blade Sect!" the Blood Blade Sect leader roared, the blood-red long sword in his hand humming like a ferocious beast about to awaken.

Without a word, the men in black dispersed like a swarm of ghosts, surrounding us. Their attacks were brutal and deadly, clearly well prepared.

"Protect the Empress!" Zhen Youcai stood before me, his longsword drawn, his eyes blazing as he scanned the surroundings with vigilance. The Lord of the Vulture Palace also drew his sword and engaged several men in black who tried to approach.

The scene erupted in chaos, with swords flashing and sabers flashing, and shouts of killing deafening. Although I was the empress, I had no martial arts skills after all, and could only dodge the attacks under the protection of Zhen Youcai and the Lord of Lingjiu Palace.

"Palace Master, these people don't seem like ordinary people from the martial arts world." Zhen Youcai said to the Palace Master of Lingjiu Palace while resisting the attack.

"I've noticed that too. Their moves are fierce, their coordination is seamless, and they're well-trained. It seems like..." The Palace Master of the Vulture Palace was halfway through his speech when his expression suddenly changed. He lowered his voice and said, "Oh no! We might have fallen into a trap!"

I was shocked. Could it be that this was all orchestrated by someone? Just to lure us here? But who on earth could be so powerful, able to mobilize so many experts?

"Quick, let's break out!" The Lord of the Lingjiu Palace made a quick decision and led us to break out of the encirclement. However, the men in black seemed to be well prepared, and every attempt to break out was blocked by them.

"This is not a solution. There are too many of them!" I said anxiously, feeling more and more uneasy.

"Don't be afraid, Mengmeng, I will protect you!" Zhen Youcai held my hand tightly and said firmly.

Just then, I saw a small path not far away that might be a way to escape. My eyes lit up, and I pointed at it and said, "Let's go that way!"

Zhen Youcai and the Lord of the Lingjiu Palace understood each other, and the three of them fought and retreated, finally reaching a small intersection. However, just as we were about to rush out, a familiar voice suddenly rang out, "Your Majesty, where are you going in such a hurry?"

I suddenly turned around and saw a man in gorgeous clothes, holding a folding fan, with an evil smile on his face, slowly walking out of the crowd.

"It's you?!" I exclaimed, a storm of shock rising in my heart, "Why did you do this?"