Chapter 396 Extra, the female monarch loves mourning

The upper realm, the Qionghua Islands.

On the vast sea, cultivators sped by one after another, which aroused the curiosity of the rogue cultivators they encountered nearby. "Fellow Daoists, please wait!"

"Hmm?" The leading man in blue stopped flying and looked at the person in front of him. "What is it?"

A man in white robes greeted them with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, please don't be offended! I noticed you all seem to be in a hurry; has something happened ahead?"

The man in blue: "Something terrible has happened!"

"Ah?" The expressions of the several rogue cultivators changed. Their cultivation levels were low and they were outnumbered and outmatched. If anything happened, they would have to think carefully about how to protect themselves. So they asked nervously, "What exactly happened? Could it be that some demonic creature has appeared?"

"Oh, no, no!" The leading man in blue waved his hand and explained, "Today is the Peach Blossom Valley's disciple recruitment assessment day. It is said that the sect has abundant cultivation resources and countless cultivation techniques. We are in a hurry to get to the assessment!"

"Alright!" A woman behind him said impatiently, "Brother, let's not dawdle. If we're late, we might not make it!"

"Alright, then we'll take our leave!"

Watching the departing figures of the group, the rogue cultivators exchanged glances. The white-robed man who was in the lead said, "How about... we go and take a look too?"

"OK!"

"Let's go!"

...

at this time.

The entrance to Peach Blossom Valley was packed with people.

Since Peach Blossom Valley gained fame, it has become one of the top sects in the cultivation world, attracting a constant stream of cultivators to join its sect, which has caused them a great deal of trouble.

"Don't rush, don't rush, everyone line up!"

At this moment, a chubby boy dressed in a robe embroidered with peach blossoms, looking very proud and shouting loudly, was maintaining order in front of the mountain gate, occasionally wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Second Elder: "Meng Xiaoshan, how many people are behind us?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Xiaoshan looked at the register and replied, "...There are still 382 people!"

"What?!"

At this moment, Ming Cang's cheerful laughter rang out from the mountain pavilion, "Not bad, not bad! So many geniuses have come, it seems our Peach Blossom Valley has quite a reputation!"

"Indeed." The elder poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and leaned back in his chair leisurely, sighing, "Ah, I thought I was going to die back then, I really owe it all to Xiao Luo."

He was seriously injured and unconscious at the time, but when he opened his eyes, he was in the sect's secret realm. Not only were his injuries healed, but the entire sect was also teleported to the upper realm.

This left him stunned for a long time, feeling as if he were dreaming, so unreal.

Ming Cang sat in the chair beside him, a hint of smugness flashing across his face. "In the end, this is all thanks to me!"

"You?" The First Elder glanced at him and curled his lip. "Shameless old man, you almost kicked the bucket, what credit did you get?"

"Hey, what are you saying? If I hadn't had such keen eyes and recognized his extraordinary talent at a glance, none of this would have happened!"

The First Elder: "Hehe, didn't you say that you picked up Xiao Luo, this disciple, casually halfway up the mountain?"

"Even if I picked it up, it's still a precious gem that I found!" Just as Ming Cang finished speaking, a golden light flashed across the mountain peak, and a tall figure walked out of the teleportation array. It was Nan Muyin, who had rushed back from the Nan family.

Grand Elder: "Hmm? Why is Xiao Yin back again?"

Mingcang: "Xian'er is about to give birth. It's been hard on him, running back and forth between the two realms."

The Grand Elder said, "The spiritual energy in the Upper Realm is abundant, making it the most suitable place to nurture and raise a fetus. This gives them a head start!"

“Their bloodline is definitely not bad!” Ming Cang leisurely rocked his chair, thinking about the joy of playing with his grandchildren, and he couldn’t wait.

"Tsk, I wonder when Xiao Luo's kids will finally be born. Our Peach Blossom Valley will be so lively then."

The elder smiled and said, "It will be soon. We can just wait to enjoy our blessings."

"Haha, that's true! Here, have some tea!"

...

Nan Muyin rushed back in a hurry, only to find that Yu Xian'er was not in the cave. "Hmm, where did she go?"

He frowned and pondered for a moment, then walked straight to the usual spot and found her in a small plum grove.

She was clearly pregnant and was resting on a small couch. A gentle breeze blew by, and colorful petals drifted down, creating a sense of tranquility and comfort.

Seemingly sensing someone approaching, Yu Xian'er, who was in a light sleep, opened her eyes. When she saw that the person in front of her was Nan Muyin, a gentle smile appeared on her face. "You're back?"

"Um."

Seeing her awkwardly trying to get up, Nan Muyin stepped forward and pressed her down, saying, "Don't get up, just lie down."

Yu Xian'er shook her head: "I've slept too much, I don't want to sleep now."

"You're lying." Nan Muyin stroked her cheek, her eyes filled with heartache. "Your eyes are all bruised. Haven't you been resting well these past few days?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Xian'er's face froze. She stroked her prominently pregnant belly and sighed, "He's so mischievous, he keeps me up at night, I keep having nightmares..."

"Oh?" Nan Muyin pulled her into his arms, chuckling as he placed his hand on her stomach. "When he comes out, I'm definitely going to spank him!"

Yu Xian'er smiled gently: "Don't scare him, he can hear you."

Nan Muyin: "Alright, alright, then I'll stay with you and sleep a little longer. We'll go back to the cave later."

"Hmm." Yu Xian'er rested her head on his shoulder, unable to fall asleep for a moment. "How is the lower realm now?"

"Fortunately, the Immortal Alliance in the Eastern Region has been reshuffled, and Yu Xuan is now the leader. My third junior sister is also helping him manage some affairs."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xian'er looked up at him, her face full of surprise, and said, "Third Junior Sister is in charge? Are you sure you're not going to cause trouble and destroy the house?"

Nan Muyin chuckled, "You really understand her. But now that someone's indulging her, no one else dares to say anything."

"That's true." Yu Xian'er lowered her head again, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes. "How is the Southern Region?"

Hearing her question, Nan Muyin paused, her hand stroking her abdomen. "Do you want to go back and take a look?"

Yu Xian'er: "Hmm? Why do you ask that?"

Nan Muyin: "It's nothing, I thought you remembered something..."

"You mean the Queen's memories?" Yu Xian'er asked, puzzled. "Actually, I still don't understand why I'm the only one who doesn't have those memories. Maybe I'm not her at all..."

Nan Muyin: "You are her."

"Hmm?" Hearing his certainty, Yu Xian'er stood up and looked at him. "Between me and the Queen, who do you like more?"

Nan Muyin chuckled, "Silly girl, why would you ask such a question?"

Haven't you heard the saying "pregnancy makes you stupid for three years"?

As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Xian'er yawned. Nan Muyin put his arm around her waist and laughed, "Alright, shall I hold you and let you sleep for a while?"

"All right……"

Looking at the sleeping face in front of her, Nan Muyin recalled the scene of their first meeting, and a smile appeared on her lips. She lowered her head and kissed her eyebrows and eyes.

Perhaps a single glance can last a lifetime, beginning with a fleeting moment of infatuation.

Ten thousand years ago, in the Hall of Lords.

After the snow, the sun shines brightly, and red plum blossoms bloom amidst the snow. The lazy winter sunlight filters through the sparse tree shadows, illuminating the thick ice and snow, making it sparkle and dappled with light and shadow.

A woman of unparalleled beauty, dressed in purple robes, was gracefully arranging utensils and leisurely brewing wine.

Suddenly, she glanced sideways at a certain spot in Merlin and asked, "You've arrived, why don't you show yourself?"

Her voice was very soft, like a gentle breeze on the summit of Tianshan Mountain, clean yet slightly cold.

Upon hearing this, a tall figure appeared from Merlin, his handsome face showing some embarrassment. He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "I apologize for disturbing Your Majesty's enjoyment."

"Oh?" She sized up the man before her, her clear, watery eyes suddenly rippled, and after a long while, her red lips parted slightly, "May I ask what brings you here, Sword Master?"

Sword Master was taken aback, not expecting her to see through his identity. He said somewhat embarrassedly, "To be honest, we were attracted by the aroma of wine. One of my friends was really craving it... so he asked me to ask you for a drink."

"friend?"

The queen caught a glimpse of a red figure flashing past the plum grove, and a look of understanding appeared on her face. She waved her sleeve and sent over a pot of warmed wine, saying, "This is a thousand-year-old Purple Bamboo Plum Jade Wine. Please let Lord Qi try it."

"Thank you for the wine, Madam."

As the Sword Master took the wine jug from the air and was about to turn and leave, the Queen behind him spoke again: "This wine was brewed by me. If Lord Qi likes it, the Sword Master may come and get it again tomorrow."

"Alright, thank you, Your Majesty!"

The next day.

The Sword Master arrived as promised, and even brought some snacks with him. "It is impolite not to reciprocate, so these snacks are a return gift."

The queen looked at the exquisite pastries before her and couldn't help but smile slightly. "Serving wine with desserts?"

"Oh? Then, I'll bring you some snacks to go with your drinks next time."

After saying this, the Sword Master took the wine and left. In the instant he disappeared into the plum grove, the Queen didn't miss the blush on the back of his ear, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. "That guy..."

It was as if from that day on, the two had made some kind of agreement. After finishing her daily affairs, the Queen would come to the plum grove to brew wine and wait for the person who would arrive at any time.

But this time is different.

She watched the sun set and the sky grow darker, but the man still hadn't appeared.

The queen put down her wine cup, lowered her eyes for a moment, and then raised her hand to extinguish the fire in the stove. Just as she was about to leave, a voice came from inside the plum grove, "Are you leaving?!"

The queen glanced at him indifferently and saw Nan Muyin walking quickly towards her. Her slightly disheveled hair partially covered her brows, and her deep eyes were full of apology. "I'm sorry, something came up and I was delayed!"

Seeing her somewhat disheveled appearance, the Queen was also a little surprised and asked in a deep voice, "You're injured, did something happen?"

After she finished speaking, she flicked her sleeve and rekindled the small fire. She gestured for him to sit down, reached out and checked his pulse, and said, "It's alright, the injury isn't serious."

After saying that, she took out a pill and put it into the warm wine. It instantly dissolved and blended into the wine. "Drink it."

Nan Muyin stared at her slender, white fingertips, momentarily stunned and unable to process what she was seeing. She appeared somewhat awkward and hesitated to drink the medicinal wine in front of her.

"What, Sword Master, are you afraid I'll poison you?" The Queen saw his hesitation and a hint of displeasure flashed across her face, but after thinking about it, she seemed to think it was perfectly reasonable.

Although she initially cultivated alchemy, she later used poison techniques to shock the cultivation world, so his reaction is quite normal.

Even though she understood everything, she still felt a vague displeasure and turned her face away from him.

Nan Muyin couldn't see her face clearly, but even if she was slow to realize it, she knew she was angry, so she quickly explained, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. I didn't mean anything by it; I was just a little overwhelmed by your kindness..."

Seeing that she still ignored him, he picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. He was caught off guard and choked, his face turning bright red.

The queen covered the corner of her mouth with a smile, poured him a cup of tea and pushed it towards him, "Tell me, who exactly is this person who could hurt you?"

Sword Master: "Sigh, isn't this all because of the emotional debts caused by Qi Jun..."

The queen asked in surprise, "Hmm? I'd like to hear the details."

Sword Master: "To be honest, Qi Jun and I have been traveling around to avoid his Daoist partner, but I never expected that the brat would actually track us down here..."

"When he saw me, he was like a jealous madman, chasing after me and slashing at me. The problem was that Qi Jun was biased and wouldn't let me hurt him... He almost drove me crazy!"

The Queen chuckled upon hearing this, and when she saw the Sword Master looking up at her, a blush instantly spread across her face. "So... that's why you're late?"

"Um."

Neither of them spoke. The snow fell on the branches, making the petals even more dazzling. The delicate fragrance of flowers in the air seemed to intertwine with the wisps of wine rising from the stove, intoxicating the senses.

Sword Master twirled his wine glass, looked up at the stunningly beautiful woman behind the mist, and opened his mouth to say, "I must leave tomorrow."

The queen, who was fiddling with the wine vessels, paused, looked up at him, and smiled faintly, "Alright."

The two stared at each other through the rising steam, neither speaking for a moment, only the bubbling sound from the small stove.

After a long while, the Sword Master lowered his eyes, rubbed his wine cup, exhaled, and hesitated before speaking: "You...would you like to come with us and travel around?"

Upon hearing this, the female ruler paused, looking at him with surprise, her clear eyes filled with confusion. "Me?"

"Yes, there are many interesting and fun things in the world outside. I think you should go and see them."

Sword Master picked up the warmed wine bottle, carefully filled her glass, and asked again, "Are you going?"

The queen picked up her wine and drank it down in one gulp. A hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes as she chuckled softly, "No, the Palace of Lords is newly established, and there are still many things to attend to..."

"Alright..." The Sword Master concealed the disappointment in his eyes, and after a moment stood up and bowed to her, "Then I shall take my leave. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will come to ask the Lady for a drink again!"

Seeing that he was about to leave, the female ruler stood up and gave a somewhat awkward curtsy, saying, "Sword Master, take care."

"May Your Majesty take care!"

As soon as the Sword Master finished speaking, he vanished from his spot, leaving only the Queen standing there.

After a long while.

She looked up at the desolate night sky, reached out to catch the falling snowflakes, and sighed, "It's snowing again..."

There's no need to brew the wine for tomorrow.

Winter passed quickly, and new buds sprouted on the branches in early spring. But soon the clamor of cicadas followed.

Seemingly overnight, a bone-chilling cold swept in, and plum blossoms gradually began to bud again.

Since the Sword Master left, the Queen has never been to Merlin again, as if everything that happened there was an illusion.

Then one day, they met again, but this time on a fierce battlefield.

The attacks by cultivators from beyond the realm resulted in the near annihilation of the people of the Hall of Lords, with the Southern Region littered with corpses and devastation.

Just as the Queen was in despair, a sword beam pierced the air and protected them. "Sword Master... why are you here?"

Sword Master's eyes flickered slightly but he did not answer. He wiped the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth with his fingertips, and after a moment he smiled and said, "You stay here. I will go and lend Qi Jun a hand first."

“Alright…” The queen’s eyes were full of worry. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I will wait for your triumphant return. Then we can enjoy wine and admire the plum blossoms together, shall we?”

"good!"

But this promise was ultimately broken.

The sword's blade flashed, startling heaven and earth, but that person was gone forever.

From then on, whenever the winter plum blossoms were in full bloom, the fragrance of wine would often fill the depths of the plum grove.

Those fortunate enough have witnessed a stunningly beautiful woman in a purple dress and white hair dancing gracefully in the snow, her slender figure resembling a fairy, a sight to behold.

In an instant, that graceful figure vanished into the snow, leaving only a few whispered words behind.

"The wine was not yet cold, but the person was already dead..."

"In the next life, I will not be a female ruler, but will I travel with you through mountains and rivers?"

...

"Xian'er!"

"Xian'er, wake up! What's wrong?!"

Hearing the voice calling her, Yu Xian'er slowly opened her tearful eyes and saw a handsome, anxious face. For a moment, she couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality, so she hugged him and started to sob.

Hearing her distressed cries, Nan Muyin panicked even more. She gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Is your stomach upset?"

Yu Xian'er shook her head, smiled through her tears, and kissed his lips. "I'm fine, I just wanted to make some wine. Would you like to try some?"

Upon hearing this, Nan Muyin's face froze for a moment, her eyes gradually reddening, before she smiled and said, "Okay!"