Immortal Refiner

”This young man is bound to become famous. When did the world ever see such a stunningly brilliant prodigy? His bearing is even in no way inferior to that of the Grand Ancestor Emperor in his youth.”

”...”

The gazes of the entire crowd as they looked at Li Qing turned extremely complex.

Their eyes held shock, gloom, awe, and even envy.

Seated on the Phoenix Carriage, the Empress slowly nodded her head. She rose to her feet, her posture utterly elegant and dignified.

”Indeed,” the Empress said, her voice gentle yet commanding. ”It has been a long time since I’ve seen such a stunning heavenly prodigy. This Black Iron Token belongs to you.”

With that, she gracefully withdrew the small black iron shield from her hand, a warm, dignified smile gracing her lips.

Seeing this, Li Qing quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply in a gesture of utmost respect, and accepted the token with both hands.

The small black iron shield felt surprisingly light, carrying a faint warmth and a delicate fragrance. Li Qing suppressed all stray thoughts and said, ”I thank Your Highness for this generous gift!”

The Empress’s gaze grew even more satisfied. ”Tell me, little friend, do you have a Dao companion? The princesses in our palace are all in the prime of their youth. I wonder if any of them might catch your eye?”

At these words, Princesses Jianing and Jinhua lowered their heads in bashful modesty, not daring to look at the Empress.

Princess Qinghe, however, appeared lost in thought, seemingly considering the prospect of becoming Li Qing’s Dao companion.

She had always devoted herself entirely to the study of formations, rarely wasting energy on matters of the heart. But now, she was weighing the potential benefits of forming a Dao partnership with such a man.

Li Qing was momentarily stunned before speaking quickly, ”I am grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness, but I already have a Dao companion. I dare not harbor any improper thoughts toward Her Highnesses the Princesses.”

Hearing this, Princesses Jianing and Jinhua breathed a slight sigh of relief. In contrast, Princess Qinghe’s face showed a flash of disappointment.

Just now, she had even thought that if she could become the Dao companion of someone as powerful as Li Qing, she would have a reliable person to test her formation modifications at any time, sparing her the trouble of bothering others within the palace.

”I see. In that case, I will not make things difficult for you,” the Empress said, nodding and saying no more.

”I will take my leave!”

After speaking, Li Qing quickly returned to Prince Ning’s side and cupped his fists again. ”I have fulfilled my mission, Senior Prince Ning!”

Prince Ning was slightly taken aback, then broke into a smile. ”Hahaha, you kid... truly... well, you’ve worked hard this time.”

”If I obtain anything from the Xuantian Divine Palace, I will not forget you.”

Li Qing’s meaning was simple: he wanted everyone else to believe that he had helped Prince Ning obtain the Black Iron Token, so they wouldn’t set their sights on him.

Prince Ning played along perfectly, agreeing to the arrangement on the spot.

If he hadn’t valued Li Qing much before, his perspective had now completely shifted.

Cultivators at the early Void Refinement Realm were not rare. However, a cultivator who could defeat a late Void Refinement Realm expert, possessed multiple rare treasures, and mastered a True Spirit Secret Transmission was an exceptionally rare find.

The strength Li Qing had just displayed was already enough to make Prince Ning want to win him over.

Besides, Li Qing had indeed helped him defeat the candidate recommended by Prince Huai earlier, meaning Prince Ning owed him a favor. He was simply paying it back now.

The others present had no objections. They naturally assumed Li Qing had helped Prince Ning seize the Black Iron Token.

After all, very few people knew that Prince Ning already possessed a Black Iron Token. It would never occur to them that this token had fallen into Li Qing’s hands.

If this news ever got out, the pressure on Li Qing would be immense.

From the other two Body Integration Realm princes to the various officials and even some aristocratic families, everyone would be trying to buy the Black Iron Token from him.

”You’ve certainly made a name for yourself now,” Prince Ning joked. ”I’m sure the young misses of Yujing City’s great mansions will be looking at you in a whole new light.”

Li Qing forced a smile. ”I already have a dao companion. My mind is now focused entirely on cultivating the Dao. Until I advance to the Body Integration Realm, I will not entertain such romantic matters.”

Prince Ning simply waved a hand and said no more.

Afterward, the royal family and nobles exchanged pleasantries, while the other court officials came forward one by one to congratulate Prince Ning on winning the Black Iron Token.

Their auspicious wishes flowed smoothly, even more flowery than the words Shopkeeper Fang had used before. They spoke as if Prince Ning were on the verge of perfecting his Daoist arts and breaking through to the Great Ascension Realm.

Of course, some people also inquired about Li Qing, both openly and covertly. A few officials went so far as to state bluntly that they had unmarried daughters who could become Li Qing’s concubines.

Prince Ning, however, repeated Li Qing’s earlier words, helping him politely decline these court officials.

With this, Li Qing was now marked as one of Prince Ning’s followers.

Once the matter was settled, Prince Ning led Li Qing out of the Imperial Palace.

News of the minor competition within the palace spread rapidly.

The entire Yujing City learned Li Qing’s name. With a cultivation at the early Void Refinement Realm, he had consecutively defeated two experts at the late Void Refinement Realm, winning a Black Iron Token for Prince Ning!

When the Xuantian Divine Palace opened in the future, Prince Ning would be there!

The entire Yujing City erupted in a frenzy. Everyone was curious about who this Li Qing was, whose strength was so formidable that neither the Young Master of the Yan Family nor Prince Liyang could defeat him.

Soon, more details about the palace competition emerged. Rumor had it that Li Qing possessed several earth-grade spiritual treasures of remarkable power and had even mastered a True Spirit Inheritance—that of the Nine-Headed Serpent!

The rumors about Li Qing spread like wildfire, clearly fueled by someone working from the shadows.

As for who was behind it all, Li Qing had no idea. He had taken up residence in Prince Ning’s mansion specifically to avoid the spotlight for a while.

Meanwhile, on a mountain on the other side of Yujing City, far from the city’s bustle, stood a single, ridiculously dilapidated thatched hut.

From within the hut came Xia Wushuang’s voice:

”You damn old bastard! I’m warning you to let me go right now! Don’t you know that my brother Li Qing is a celebrity in Yujing City now? He’s Prince Ning’s right-hand man!”

”If you mess with me, believe it or not, Prince Ning’s men will be here to tear down this shack tomorrow!”

Slap!

Before Xia Wushuang could even finish his sentence, a crisp slap cut him short.

”Stop your nonsense. Even if Prince Ning himself came here, he wouldn’t get a shred of respect from this old man.”