Chapter 73: The Saint Lord of Jinde

Great Chu Imperial Palace, Chengming Hall.

This was supposed to be the place where the Emperor reviewed memorials, yet a murmuring recitation could be heard within.

“A man’s virtue lies in strength, a woman’s beauty in gentleness.”

“Men and women are divided into yin and yang; yang is heaven, yin is earth, thus men are honored and women humble.”

“A woman is like water, water is naturally yielding. Therefore, the way of a woman is the way of submission.”

Fan Li’s avatar had quietly entered the palace, brought in by Wu Zhuo, to investigate the matter. Hearing the reading voice from Chengming Hall, Fan Li suspected he was hallucinating.

He saw Xiang Ning had shed her dragon robe and imperial headdress, donned gentle women's attire, and sat with a respectful posture, holding a book and reciting with utmost devotion.

“…After only a few days, this little girl’s gone mad, what nonsense is she reading?” Fan Li felt a wave of nausea.

He immediately realized that the book Xiang Ning was holding was likely “The Virtues of Women.”

But he couldn’t understand why, with Xiang Ning’s temperament, she would regard such rubbish as a treasure, reading it so devoutly.

Fan Li surveyed the surroundings of Chengming Hall—the doors were wide open, people could enter or leave at any moment. If anyone saw Xiang Ning like this, she’d have to relinquish the throne.

“Wu Zhuo, wait outside and don’t let anyone approach,” Fan Li ordered in a low voice.

“Yes.”

Only after Wu Zhuo left and firmly shut the doors of Chengming Hall did Fan Li dare to approach Xiang Ning.

“Your Majesty?”

He called out, but received no response.

“Emperor?”

Xiang Ning continued to read, ignoring Fan Li as if he were air.

Fan Li strode forward, snatched “The Virtues of Women” from her hands, and slammed it shut, tossing it aside!

“Fan Li, at your service, Your Majesty!”

Though he spoke of paying respects, Fan Li had already placed a foot atop the imperial desk.

“You are… Prime Minister?”

Her eyes finally lifted from the book and settled upon Fan Li. Yet her tone and demeanor remained strange, even tinged with a sickly humility and submission.

Hearing Xiang Ning call him “Prime Minister,” Fan Li felt somewhat unsettled.

“Ning’er did not know you were coming, and failed to vacate her seat. Please punish me, Prime Minister.” Xiang Ning rose and seemed about to kneel and kowtow.

What absurdity is this?

Fan Li hurriedly steadied her.

“What’s wrong with you?”

As he came closer, he noticed her eyes were vacant, her pupils shrouded in a web-like haze.

---

“Is there something wrong with Ning’er?” Xiang Ning muttered, still in a dazed state.

“Ning’er has recently reflected upon herself and feels deeply ashamed of her past behavior. As a woman, I forgot propriety, dared to claim authority in the Golden Throne Hall, and shamelessly dressed as a man…”

“A woman so shameless as Ning’er doesn’t deserve to live in this world. The pig cage is Ning’er’s rightful place.”

“Fortunately, Mother bestowed me this ‘Virtues of Women,’ and I have finally understood what it means to be virtuous. I study it diligently every day… sob sob…”

Fan Li, hearing her rambling in a manic fashion, simply covered Xiang Ning’s mouth with his hand.

Could a book alone drive someone insane?

Fan Li glanced at the discarded “Virtues of Women” and noticed a faint spiritual aura emanating from it—it was clearly a magical artifact!

The aura radiating from the book was a ghostly deep purple.

“This thing must have some mind-bewitching effect, perhaps only effective on women.”

Fan Li picked up “Virtues of Women” and flipped through a few pages.

Indeed!

In his hands, it was a book of blank pages.

Cover to cover, not a single word was visible!

Yet Xiang Ning, when looking at the pages, clearly saw something—despite Fan Li covering her mouth, she still tried to recite, muffled by his hand.

Her breath warmed and dampened his palm.

“Wu Zhuo! The Emperor’s mind has been bewitched by an evil object. Any suggestions?” Fan Li called out toward the doors.

“The most common method is to destroy the evil object. Master, your cultivation is limited; do you need my help?”

Hearing this, Fan Li was about to agree, but remembered Wu Zhuo was also a woman.

If she too were controlled by “Virtues of Women”...

Though Fan Li doubted the cursed book could easily control a master of the Grand Ascension realm, he dared not take risks.

“No need, I’ll try myself. Stand guard outside!”

As he spoke, Fan Li closed the book to prevent Xiang Ning from reciting further.

“Mmm mmm mmm…”

Although her mouth was covered, Xiang Ning’s hands struggled for the book, her eyes burning with intense longing for “Virtues of Women”!

“Strange, her cultivation is higher than mine, but she doesn’t dare use force against me. She seems to be restraining herself?”

Fan Li was puzzled.

If it came to a contest, his own Qi Refining realm was no match for Xiang Ning.

Yet she behaved like a weak ordinary woman, obsessed with the book but unwilling to confront him.

“Oh! I understand!”

“Male supremacy, female subservience—she’s been brainwashed by this damned book. Even though she’s stronger, she doesn’t dare offend me?”

Fan Li guessed the cause and immediately formed a plan.

He suddenly ordered Xiang Ning, “Sit properly! How dare you be restless in my presence—are you a woman or not?!”

---

Xiang Ning was visibly startled!

Her eyes widened in fright and awe.

After only a moment’s hesitation, she obediently returned to her seat.

To show respect for Fan Li, she even sat on only half the cushion, turning her body sideways.

“…”

Fan Li was speechless, but this effortless ‘subduing’ of Xiang Ning was not unwelcome.

He began to examine the “Virtues of Women.”

How could it be destroyed?

As a magical artifact, there were two common methods.

First, use powerful cultivation techniques to destroy it—but Fan Li lacked the strength.

Second, attack it with a higher-grade artifact, crushing it with superior rank.

“I have it.” A cold smile crept onto Fan Li’s lips.

Artifacts, pills, formations are divided into Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow grades, each with nine tiers.

Fan Li wasn’t sure which grade or tier “Virtues of Women” belonged to, but it certainly couldn’t compare to one thing—the Overlord Spear!

“Your Majesty, lend me the Overlord Spear for a moment,” Fan Li said.

Xiang Ning did not refuse and immediately brought him the spear.

“Luckily, the system rewarded me with the ‘Mirror Body of Ten Thousand Races,’ otherwise this would be troublesome.”

Ignoring bloodline restrictions, Fan Li easily took up the Overlord Spear.

He tossed “Virtues of Women” onto the ground and stabbed it forcefully with the spear tip!

The instant the two met, “Virtues of Women” shattered like glass, splintering into countless fragments, which then faded away entirely, as if the book had never existed.

At the same time—

Pure Land of Brahma, the residence of the Golden Virtue Saint Lord was a tall tower.

The tower was empty, save for a meditation cushion in the center.

A figure gradually appeared, seated upon the cushion.

As the Golden Virtue Saint Lord manifested, the inner walls of the tower revealed ten thousand copies of “Virtues of Women.”

One of them suddenly shattered like glass, but the remaining nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine copies remained perfectly intact.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine golden threads connected the Saint Lord to the remaining books.

Continuous streams of spiritual energy flowed through the threads, from the books to the Saint Lord.

The Saint Lord spoke slowly: “Hmm? How did the Empress of Chu manage to escape my control?”