Floating Immortal Order

Chapter 250: 100 Years Meander On By

Chapter 250: 100 Years Meander On By

Lightning rent the darkened skies, and a torrential downpour followed, shrouding the usually bustling Imperial City in a vast and desolate storm. The myriad lights that once illuminated the city throughout the night gradually dimmed, leaving only the rain to pour down unrestrained.

In an exquisitely luxurious warm pavilion, a young man clad in bright yellow brocade lifted his teacup and took a gentle sip. Listening to the relentless rain outside the window, he shook his head with a smile and said, “It seems I won’t be able to return today.”

“Such a grand storm is the perfect weather to host a guest. What harm is there in you resting here for the night, Prince Che?”

A girl, clad only in a thin, translucent white veil, approached. Resting her chin on the young man’s shoulder, her delicate and fair hand gently caressed his face, a few strands of her hair falling softly.

The young man in brocade grabbed her hand and said, “Rou'er, today, I…”

Before he could finish, the door to the pavilion burst open.

“Urgent news for Your Majesty the Prince!”

A guard clad in black armor, bringing with him the chill and wetness of the storm, stood upright at the entrance, his expression grave.

Prince Che frowned, releasing the girl’s hand. He waved dismissively, “Whatever situation occurred, as a Dragon Martial Head of the royal guard, such a loss of composure is unbecoming. What happened?”

The black-armored guard didn’t back down, his expression growing more urgent. He glanced at the girl beside the Prince, then stepped forward and spoke in a low voice, “My Lord, news from the palace—the Empress Dowager has fallen ill and is now in a deep coma. I fear she won’t last the night.”

Prince Xu Che immediately rose, his expression turning solemn. “Are you telling the truth?”

“I would not dare to deceive you, Your Majesty!” The guard looked towards the palace and continued, “You have been at the Red Sleeve Pavilion all day. When the news arrived, the Empress Dowager was already at death’s door. If we do not go now, it will be too late.”

“Then what are you tarrying for? Lead the way at once!”

The guard nodded, his interspatial ring flickering as a broad sword Spirit Tool emerged. He then soared with the Prince towards the palace in a beam of dazzling sword light.

Though Prince Xu Che possessed several Spirit Tools, his flying speed couldn’t match that of the guard, who was a peak Sea of Qi stage cultivator. Standing on the broad spirit sword in the midst of the thunderstorm, watching the approaching palace, he muttered to himself, “If the Empress Dowager passes away, I wonder if… that person will come?”

But moments later, he dismissed this ridiculous thought. That person was now known as Origin Immortal Greater Lord, a peak powerhouse of the Shangqing Sacred Sect. Why would he come to a place as insignificant as the Chu Territory?

Moreover, over a hundred years ago, Origin Immortal Sacred Son had already given the Chu Territory to the Xu Clan. He established the Xu Clan as the sole imperial family of the territory and bestowed them with treasures, thereby severing his karma with the Xu Clan.

In the torrential downpour enveloping the Chu Territory, hundreds of streaks of sword light of various colors appeared, speeding through the sky and converging upon the imperial palace.

…

At this moment, Jin Yu, though still appearing in her thirties, radiated an ever-increasing aura of death, as if she might close her eyes and pass away at any moment.

In this luxurious palace, many were gathered around her bed, their faces etched with sorrow.

A servant, emanating a peak Sea of Qi stage aura, entered the hall and quickly approached Emperor Xu Fu, whose head was adorned with the imperial crown. “Your Imperial Majesty, the Patriarch Elder has arrived,” he whispered.

Emperor Xu Fu’s face showed a mix of emotions. He sighed softly and turned to wave his hand, “You all may leave.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As everyone in the great hall left, a man slowly entered.

Despite ruling the vast Chu Territory for decades, Emperor Xu Fu still showed no disrespect to Xu Xiao. He came forward and greeted him. “Father.”

Xu Xiao, despite still maintaining the appearance of a young man thanks to longevity and vitality pills, looked tired. Glancing at Jin Yu, who was still unconscious on the bed, he sighed, “A Xiantian martial artist naturally lives for two hundred years, yet Yu'er has barely lived past one hundred…”

Although Jin Yu was not Emperor Xu Fu’s biological mother, her status was elevated due to the position of Origin Immortal Greater Lord. Her position in the Chu Territory was supreme, unchallenged by anyone.

Emperor Xu Fu stepped forward to support the seemingly exhausted Xu Xiao and said, “Since our Xu family took over the Chu Territory over a hundred years ago, the burden on the Empress Dowager’s heart has grown heavier by the day. Although she could use pills to forcibly reach the martial Xiantian stage and extend her lifespan to two hundred years, her heart ailment is incurable. This time, there is nothing that can be done. I hope you will not despair too much, Father.”

Though he spoke so, he knew Xu Xiao had little grief to spare, having just come from the rear palace and the company of a new beautiful concubine, hence his weariness.

The Xu Clan and the Chu Territory had come across an extraordinary stroke of luck over a hundred years ago. Xu Xiao, who was in his prime at the time, should have been the one to take on the responsibilities that came with their meteoric uprise, but he instead passed the burden to Xu Fu, making him the Emperor and forcing him to manage this territory spanning tens of thousands of li.

After returning alone to the Xu ancestral land in the You Province, Xu Xiao had been indulging in a life of hedonism and debauchery, hardly ever setting foot in the imperial city at the heart of the Imperial Province.

Because of that exalted existence residing in the Shangqing Spiritual World, the Chu Territory had been considered particularly special among the Shangqing Sect's many Secret Realms. Even though that exalted existence had long severed ties with the Chu Territory and the Xu Clan, the people of Affairs Hall who only knew how to curry favor with others were unaware of this fact.

Over the past century, that exalted existence had become a Clone Avatar stage Greater Lord, and now had even reached the six avatars level!

Aside from the artifact spirit of the Mirage Sea Realm, Origin Immortal Greater Lord had already surpassed the other Clone Avatar stage Greater Lords in the Shangqing Spiritual World. He was now second only to the Greater Lord Taichu, who had eight avatars.

The Chu Territory had continually received special attention from Affairs Hall, Spirit Origin Hall and the Secret Realm Division, who allocated more and more cultivation resources to them. To the Chu Territory, which was predominantly composed of mortals, these cultivation resources were so abundant that they were practically inexhaustible.

However, nearly all the Xu Clan members were not on the Spiritual Root Sequence, which was a significant sore spot for the family.

The low class Spiritual Root Sequence consisted of Grade 3, Grade 2, and Grade 1 Profound Meridians.

But in these past 100 years, not even a single member of the Xu Clan could be placed in the low class of the Spiritual Root Sequence, meaning they were unable to cultivate the profound laws!

Though they could forcibly reach the martial Xiantian stage, the miraculous path of profound cultivation remained out of reach for the members of the Xu Clan.

After all, the martial Xiantian stage only provided two hundred years of lifespan. As time passed, the Xu Clan’s main holders of power had almost entirely changed. The previous Elders like Xu Qinying and Xu Chaoyang had long since faded into obscurity, quietly awaiting the end of their lifespan.

Jin Yu still had several decades of lifespan left, but ever since the then-Origin Immortal Sacred Son severed ties with the Xu Clan, she had been afflicted with a heart ailment. Despite her wealth and status, she found no joy. Her heart was already dead.

Emperor Xu Fu and Ye Zhaixing had a longstanding grudge between them. Decades ago, Ye Zhaixing was “exposed” by someone who claimed that he had allegedly slandered the imperial family. He was thus executed by Xu Fu, who already controlled the Chu Territory at the time. As a result, Jin Yu lost Xu Yan, her only daughter.

Since then, Jin Yu's heart ailment worsened, and she spent decades in complete loneliness. Now, she had no attachment to the mortal world, and her spirit was completely broken. Although her lifespan hadn’t reached its limit, her heart had been shattered.

Xu Xiao pushed Xu Fu away. He came forward and gazed at Jin Yu, who was prone on the bed. His eyes reflected a complex mix of emotions as he murmured, “Yu'er.”

However, he received no response.

Xu Fu, standing behind him, revealed a mocking smile.

Among the various Empress Dowagers, only Jin Yu was directly addressed as the Empress Dowager. The other Empress Dowagers had their surnames attached to their form of address. This indicated Jin Yu’s unique status in the Chu Territory.

Though he was born to Empress Dowager Liu, Xu Fu always showed utmost respect to Jin Yu. In contrast, Xu Xiao had long relegated her to the central imperial city, spending his days in leisure in the You Province. The two had not met for nearly a hundred years.

Now, Xu Xiao feigned deep affection before her, but even Xu Fu, his direct son, held some contempt for him upon seeing this.

Jin Yu's vision was dark, with flashes of inexplicable light. She faintly heard Xu Xiao's voice, stirring deep memories. That child seemed to stand before her, silently watching her.

…

In Zhenhai City years ago…

“But you haven’t returned for 10 years, and now that you’re finally back you’re only going to stay a few days before leaving?”

Her heart was full of longing and reluctance, but her face showed anxiety and anger.

“Mother, Sheng’er has his own matters to attend to.”

The young man, strikingly handsome in his intricate black Daoist robe, gently brushed off her hand and turned to leave.

… …

In front of Juying Palace…

The middle-aged Daoist Lord approached the carriage, his voice clearly reaching the Xu clan members, “Come with me.”

The mere five-year-old child showed no hesitation, only turning to look deeply at her once before stepping into the carriage.

… …

In the deepest recesses of her memory…

Mother Xun was holding him with a beaming smile on her face. “Miss Yu, it’s a little boy!”

Her heart had been full with the tender feelings of a newly made mother. She struggled to sit up, but in her exhaustion, she could only recline back on the bed.

At the time, she was only in her twenties. A smile blossomed on her face as she said, “Carry him here so I can see him.”

… …

Jin Yu opened her eyelids amidst the tears brimming in her eyes, as if she could see through to the youth who was currently in the Dawndusk Territory.

“Sheng’er, perhaps you are not your true self at this moment, but Mother still wishes from the bottom of her heart that you will be able to accomplish all that you wish to accomplish,” she muttered as two sparkling streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Yu’er, what did you say just now?”

Xu Xiao was a Xiantian martial artist, but his body had long been wrung dry by the long years of indulging in wine and women. Although he frequently took longevity pills, it was already practically useless. At that moment, he truly had not heard Jin Yu’s quiet utterance.

Jin Yu didn’t even look at him; her long eyelashes fluttered lightly as she closed her eyes, entering a deep slumber.

Another deafening clap of thunder resounded on the horizon of the Chu Territory.

One day later, the torrential wind and rain gradually ceased, and the majestic Imperial City was restored to its usual bustling demeanor once more.

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