—Hmm... It seems that relying solely on my current Whispering Wave Dance, I can't avoid being injured later... If I had Elder Sister's Whispering Wave Eight Steps, it would be no problem!
Just when the silly boy was still feeling lucky, the little princess didn't give up. She swung her sword again, slicing towards the opponent, and then extended her left hand and beckoned. The energy light beam that had previously swept past Ah Jun actually turned around and counter-attacked—At this moment, the girl's left hand was gradually clenching into a fist, her trembling fingers continuously tightening, and the two light beams began to surround Ah Jun, constantly merging and gradually tightening towards the center point.
—Oh no, is this girl trying to take Ah Jun's life? Really, Falling Petals are willing, but Flowing Water is not. Ah Jun has been so tolerant of her... Wait, why am I still lamenting? I should quickly call for help...
"Aunt Empress!"
"Empress..."
"Madam... what are you thinking—If we delay any longer, our Xin'er might really make a huge mistake... You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to the child, would you!"
Seeing the spar turn into a real battle, everyone turned their gaze to the Empress—Clearly, the 'referee' was a little shaken now. But she still didn't move. Then, her fist suddenly relaxed, her eyes narrowed, and the mark on her brow began to flash, indicating she was getting serious.
—Nowhere left to hide, what should I do... Hmm! Right, there's that thing.
On the other side, Ah Jun, who was completely surrounded, suddenly had an idea—Through the tiny gaps, others could see that the boy was currently holding a spherical object in his hand, accompanied by a few silver sparks!
Subsequently, the Petal Energy Prison, which was still tightening, suddenly stopped shrinking. Instead, it emitted continuous crackling, cutting sounds outwards.
—Hmm... That boy, it seems he won't last long... Huh? What is that?
"Xin'er!"
"Mother Empress..."
"Stop!"
—Oh no, cracks! Alas, it seems the protective layer won't last much longer either, so I'll just have to try it!
"I can't! Mother Empress... I can't stop it!"
—Formation: Star Extreme!
—It seems that child is indeed not simple... Oh no, Xin'er, get away quickly!
Just when the Empress couldn't persuade her to stop, and the little princess's power was out of control, and everyone was holding their breath for Ah Jun, a silver light began to glow within the energy sphere. Immediately after, a large amount of silver electrical sparks began to leak out from the gaps, and the dark red petals actually started to fade, and the energy beams gradually appeared transparent...
In a moment, an electric sphere gradually appeared before everyone, protecting Ah Jun and blocking the attack of the petals—Then, the electric sphere suddenly changed shape, and the surrounding currents were no longer stable and orderly, becoming chaotic and disorderly.
—That is... This child, he actually activated an Ancient Formation with his own power. Not only did it counteract the power of the Falling Petals, but also... If Xin'er's ability were a little higher, integrating her own attribute into the attack, there might not have been a big problem. But... now, it seems the electric sphere is not only not being weakened, but is also absorbing the energy of the Falling Petals, brewing a counter-attack—No, it's too late!
At this moment, Ah Jun, like the Empress, also realized the impending crisis—The purely defensive formation actually unlocked a new effect. Then, the little princess opposite him was bound to face an unpredictable trouble!
—What should I do?
Just when the boy was anxious about his rashness but helpless, the Empress suddenly disappeared from the crowd, instantly appearing beside the little princess. She sideways positioned herself in front of her daughter... Hmm! As expected, mother-daughter affection is deep; even a vicious tiger wouldn't eat its cub—When Ah Jun was so embarrassed just now, the Empress showed no movement, but now she's taking such drastic action...
"Divine Armor: Leaving Mirror!"
—Great!
And at this moment, the foolish Ah Jun opposite was secretly celebrating the arrival of a master—Hey, child, look clearly! The sword in the girl's hand had already reached the Empress's right hand, and it was pointed in your direction, gradually transforming into a new shape...
The blade of the Yǐ Tiān Sword began to widen continuously, and the original blood groove gradually became prominent. The surface markings also became unusual, and the silver base tone had turned into bright gold, faintly showing a sun-like glow!
Of course, this motherly love didn't stop there. Then, the Empress's left hand, which had already reached out to her daughter, suddenly clenched, seemingly summoning something—And after a call, a set of purple battle armor suddenly descended, accompanied by a faint aura. It instantly disintegrated, expanded, and reassembled, forming the shape of a shield.
—Is that, a battle armor? Why would it have autonomous defense; shouldn't it only protect the wielder? Alas, never mind, more protection means more security. It seems the Empress is only outwardly cold...
"Xuān Yuán Heavenly Mark!"
Then, another calm yet determined call was heard. The Empress held the sword, faced Ah Jun, and struck down forcefully...
"Aunt Empress, no—Bro, run... Huh? Why is this happening!"
—Huh? Xiao Xi, I don't think I can run away... Does the Empress look like she's going to teach me a lesson out of exasperation? It looks like she still cares a lot about the little princess... What should I do? Does she really need to be this harsh? Alas, I guess I'll just have to deal with it!
Just when Xiao Xi and Ning'er were worried about Ah Jun's safety and wanted to immediately rush to the rescue, the Empress raised her hand and the light fell, and then... Hmm, why did absolutely nothing happen? Ah Jun was still standing there, stunned in his half electric sphere, completely unharmed. Even the area where the sword struck seemed completely unaffected...
The next second, the remaining electric sphere suddenly aggregated rapidly from behind Ah Jun, moving forward, and the remaining electric sphere energy continuously converged until it formed a ball, which suddenly bounced forward...
—Boom!!
Immediately after, a violent roar suddenly erupted about one meter in front of the Empress. Then, a burst of silver light exploded, accompanied by a powerful energy fluctuation that violently shook the flowers and plants. Dust from the ground was lifted and danced, instantly creating a dense smoke!
Everyone was so disturbed by the sudden explosion and its residual force that they had to shield themselves with their arms, fighting against it with all their might, unable to open their eyes and look directly for a long time. Of course, the girl didn't have to, because of the greatness of motherly love, she was not affected.
"How could this be—His Phoenix Immortal Seal is actually so pure... What is that?"
The little princess, who was kept in the dark, once again experienced the love from her mother, which she had always longed for—After all, the Empress had always been very strict with her daughter since childhood, rarely showing a gentle side, and as for concern, let alone. It was either strict supervision of martial arts practice or high demands for academic performance; even when the child was physically weak during her menstrual cycle, the mother never seemed to loosen up. Even if there were occasional moments of attention, the attitude was stern, and the number of times she smiled... she could count on two hands!
—That's Mother's Xuān Yuán Sword... That boy actually blocked even my second ultimate skill, and then tried to use that counter-attack to teach me a lesson... Fortunately, Mother arrived in time, or I might not even have had a chance to dodge! Such a huge energy fluctuation... Humph, how dare you treat this princess like that, just you wait...
After a while, as the smoke and dust dissipated, the shield-shaped battle armor had disappeared. At this time, the Empress had also put away her treasure sword, leaving only a layer of red light barrier that was slowly receding—That must have been the power of the Xuān Yuán Sword, which could actually cut through the air, forming an energy fault that offset the damage. She truly deserves to be one of the Three Sages of the Alliance, the Grand Master of the Vermilion Bird Commandery. It seems Ah Jun's power is completely insignificant to her, no wonder she always looks down on people, and is so calm in the face of crisis.
—Phew... Thank goodness, thank goodness, as long as she's okay! It seems this move also needs to be used with caution, it's too dangerous.
"Hey! You... still dare to stare at me and smile—How dare you make this princess lose so much face, I won't forgive you..."
"Nonsense! Aren't you embarrassed enough!"
"Mother Empress..."
"Grand Empress Dowager arrives!"
However, as the storm subsided, the conflict between the two flared up again—At this moment, as the little princess was being lectured by the Empress, a group of people was seen rushing towards the Zui Xian Lou in the distance...
"Oh dear, whose little girl is crying over there... Hmm? What's wrong, did your mother bully you again!"
"Grandmother Empress!"
"Great-Grandmother... No—He, it's him, that stinky boy bullied me... Ah, I don't care, I'm going to teach him a lesson!"
"Oh my, stop crying, girls aren't pretty when they cry... Hehe, you're being willful again, aren't you—That child looks quite nice, I bet you were the one who made things difficult for him again... Huh?"
"Great-Grandmother... why are you also taking his side!"
"Xin'er!!"
"Alright, stop being so fierce to the child..."
"Great-Grandmother..."
"Grandmother, why are you here so late—It's cold outside, why don't we move inside the building to talk..."
"Hmm... Alright—Hey? Where's Ah Liu... why haven't I seen your Imperial Uncle?"
"Hmm? Oh... Ah, it's like this, Imperial Uncle Liu is traveling outside and hasn't returned to the capital these past two days—So, he didn't come..."
"Oh, remember to socialize more with your Imperial Uncle!"
"Yes, your grandson will keep that in mind!"
—Who is that old lady? Grandmother Empress... Ah! Could it be... this is His Majesty's grandmother, the current Grand Empress Dowager, who, after the Xuān Wǔ Gate Incident, ruled behind the curtains alone, controlling the situation single-handedly, and then cultivated the young Crown Prince, who was only eight years old, into the talent he is today? She is a true heroine among women!
At this moment, Ah Jun, who was still daydreaming in the distance, only heard vaguely, but judging from the current situation and all the information he had gathered, the old lady was very likely the Dowager Empress Xiao, one of the three powerful women in the history of the Imperial Family mentioned in books!
—I heard that this old lady is over a hundred years old, yet her back is still straight, and her steps are steady. Although her hair is all white, she looks great, speaks clearly, and is also very kind, smiling with a gentle tone. Ah Jun even felt that the Grand Empress Dowager in front of him bore some resemblance to his own master... Of course, where he heard this news, there's no need to say more, right? After all, besides that big mouth, who else could it be...
—When can I go home...
Looking at the interaction of the family in front of him, Ah Jun couldn't help but feel homesick. Fortunately, diligence pays off; his trial was finally completed, so he could go home for the New Year tomorrow, after all, it was already New Year's Eve Eve... Hmm, I hope I can make it for the New Year's Eve dinner!
—Sigh... But where should I stay tonight? I should probably withdraw now... I need to find a place quickly!
"Hmm? Hey, children, come on in and sit a bit longer. The Grand Empress Dowager wants to catch up with you..."
"Oh!"
"Ah Jun! Are you okay... Hey, you're really something! Now even your forehead seal can be activated normally, and you've got that little girl tamed obediently, haha!"
"Ah Jun... how do you feel?"
"Hmm, I'm fine, I just feel exhausted, my legs are weak—Xiao Xi, stop talking nonsense, or you'll offend someone again—We need to find a place to rest quickly later!"
"Ha, it's no big deal—Bro, relax. Can't you stay in the Imperial Palace, it's so big... Otherwise, the Zijing Resort Hotel outside is fine, I have a diamond membership card!"
Due to His Majesty's invitation, Ah Jun and the others had to abandon their plan and stay. With the guidance and help of his companions, the child gradually relaxed. Although he looked wobbly, he was still very spirited.
So, supported by Xiao Xi, the group followed the old lady upstairs to the reception hall on the top floor of the Zui Xian Lou and sat down in order. Of course, Ah Jun and the others were outsiders, so they sat further away, which was probably appropriate.
—Hmm, why do I always feel like something is not quite right?
"Come... child, sit here, let me have a good look!" However, the Grand Empress Dowager's call surprised the children a little, including the little princess and Yuwen Lyu, who were also confused.
"Grand Empress Dowager, are you calling me?"
At this moment, Xiao Xi, a regular visitor to the palace, naturally volunteered to respond—He immediately stood up, bowed and asked... But awkwardly, the direction the old lady waved and the line of sight perfectly missed his response.
So, Xiao Xi confusingly followed that line of sight, only to find that the one being pointed to was not himself, but Ah Jun—What's going on! Ha, I was being narcissistic... Speaking of which, Ah Jun really is popular with old people, I'm totally convinced!
"Are you calling... me? Grand Empress Dowager, hello, my name is Ah Jun!"
"Hmm... Yes, come, little Jun, hurry over!"
"Oh..."
Just as everyone understood the old lady's intention, her next sentence made the little princess a little jealous—Great-Grandmother, you must be mistaken, he's not a good person!
Immediately after, under the girl's gaze, Ah Jun carefully walked up to the old lady, bowed, and greeted her. Although this drew the little princess's displeasure, Xiao Xi and Ning'er were very satisfied.
"Grandma, hello... Are you calling me?"
"Hmm... otherwise? Haha, you child, you came but didn't come to say hello to Great-Grandmother, don't let it happen again!"
"Hmm? That... Oh..."
"Come, let me take a good look... Hmm? Why did you grow so fast, you're already taller than me—Remember next time, let her have her way a little... Xin'er is a bit willful, but her nature is still very good!"
"Great-Grandmother... It's his fault! I was acting heroically!"
"Good, good, little hero—Hehehe, child... are you staying here for the New Year's Eve dinner?"
The old lady held Ah Jun's hand tightly, rubbing it, her eyes full of joy, caring for the child as if he were her own family—This made Ah Jun, who was usually not good at expressing himself, completely bewildered. He looked like he couldn't even speak, just standing there grinning foolishly.
—This is... Could the old lady have mistaken me for someone else? Hmm... probably. Xiao Xi mentioned that the old lady's memory isn't very good because of her age... So, what about me? Maybe I should just... Hmm, yes, it's just a white lie, I can't let the old lady be disappointed.
"Oh, okay, thank you, Grandma!"
"Hmm... what's wrong? Little Jun, why aren't you calling me Great-Grandmother?"
—Oh no, one lie requires another lie to continue the chain. How can I patch this up? Alas, I should have been honest. What do I do now?
"Great-Grandmother... are you looking for me—Hehehe, your child is here!"
—Hmm?
Just as Ah Jun was anxiously struggling with his inner turmoil, a childish voice suddenly came from a distance... Although it sounded undeveloped, it must be a boy, right—Phew, now I'm saved.
So, Ah Jun turned his head and followed everyone's gaze. At the elevator entrance, he saw a child, about three feet tall, happily running over. He was dressed like the little princess, in a custom-made royal small suit, very stylish, high-end, and elegant. Beside him were two attendants, one male and one female, probably a guard and a nanny. And behind them was Uncle Li, he had come too...
"Ouch..."
Suddenly, the child stumbled, and plopped down onto the ground—This startled Ah Jun. Will he be hurt?
But unexpectedly, apart from the little princess having the same concern, most of the others looked quite amused, especially the Empress, who didn't even glance at him, just continuing to drink her Biluochun tea—Then, the girl quickly ran over anxiously, helped the child up, her eyes full of affection.
"Little Jun... are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"Hmm... I'm fine, Sister—Don't underestimate me!"
"You... still trying to act tough, your hand is all red..."
"Hehe!"
—Is this child the little princess's younger brother... Calling the old lady Great-Grandmother, he must be the little princess's biological younger brother, the little Crown Prince, that Xiao Xi just mentioned!
"Great-Grandmother!"
"Aiya!!"
After a little while, the child, who was holding the girl, comforted his sister, then quickly ran over and smiled at Ah Jun before leaping into the old lady's arms.
"Oh my, our little Jun is so brave!"
"Hmm, that's right, I'll protect you later... and Sister too, hehe!"
"Oh... is that so, hehe, good—Come, you two should meet!"
"Great-Grandmother, who is this?"
"He, you should call him Big Brother... Come!"
"Hello, little friend, my name is Ah Jun... Jun as in handsome."
"Hmm... Hello, Big Brother, my name is Gongsun Jun, Jun as in a fine horse!"
Then, led by the old lady, the two children, who were about six years apart in age, politely shook hands—Although the little friend still looked bewildered, he was very polite, even to an outsider. And Ah Jun, at this moment, was naturally embarrassed and confused, but this feeling was quite heartwarming.
"Great-Grandmother, I am your biological granddaughter! He's an outsider, why are you asking Little Jun to call... call him Big Brother?"
Suddenly, the little princess, who had been standing on the side, was strongly opposed... She quickly rushed to Ah Jun's side, pulled her little brother away, and then pointed at the boy, protesting, her face full of surprise and resentment—Of course, the scene just now made many people unable to understand. Xiao Xi, Ning'er, and Yuwen Lyu all shared the little princess's feeling, their eyes wide with disbelief.
—So, my brother is here to climb the social ladder today, huh! Haha, is this the Phoenix Man's tempo... Hehe, it's quite interesting to see that little girl so anxious... Ah Jun, I'm rooting for you!
"You... you really need to change your temper. Look at you, you don't look like a girl at all—Come... you two, you must be good to each other—Hmm... And also, little Jun, you have to help me keep an eye on this girl!"
"Great-Grandmother, what are you saying? Who wants to be good with him—Humph... Take your dirty hand away, pervert!"
"Aiya... you child, no manners... You must call him Big Brother, come, shake hands again!"
"You want me to call him... Humph, impossible—Ah, no... Great-Grandmother, this stinky boy is very bad, he even peeped at a girl taking a bath!"
"Hey! Didn't I tell you it was just a misunderstanding... Ah Jun just happened to run into her, he wasn't peeping..."
—Uh, Xiao Xi, are you trying to help me... Are you trying to set me up!
"Great-Grandmother, listen, they both admitted it—Humph... you're dreaming!"
"Oh my! My head... why do I feel a little dizzy?"
"Ah... Great-Grandmother, what's wrong? Are you okay..."
"Hey, that's all because you were talking nonsense and made her angry!"
"You... I—Great-Grandmother, how are you doing... Alright, I'll call him, I'll call him, don't be angry—Bro... Brother!"
"Aiya, that's more like it!"
"Xiao Xi!"
"Humph... don't pretend to be kind—Ah, Great-Grandmother, is your head better now..."
But the little princess had no idea that by coming over, she had fallen into a dilemma—The Grand Empress Dowager was all smiles, persistently holding the hands of the two children and putting them together, looking around happily... It seemed like something was brewing! However, the little princess was naturally very resistant to Ah Jun, let alone physical contact. She struggled while glaring fiercely at Ah Jun, this scoundrel, unable to contain her resentment—However, under the repeated constraints and continuous performance of the old lady, she had to follow her Great-Grandmother's wishes. Of course, she was still extremely wronged in her heart.
But after all, the old lady was old and couldn't be stressed, and the little princess was naturally a very sensible child; willfulness was just an outward appearance. She couldn't bear to see her loving Great-Grandmother suffer...
So, with Xiao Xi's cheers, the two awkwardly faced each other, reluctantly shook hands, and greeted each other perfunctorily—The little princess still looked twisted and unhappy, not even looking at the other party straight, which seemed very impolite to a guest... But Ah Jun felt a warmth in his heart, as if he was quite enjoying this feeling.
—That's strange... What's wrong with me, oh!