Chapter 98: Escorting the Little County Princess

The silver light shuttle sped along its path, and a few days later, the familiar mountain-sized silhouette of Tianqing City appeared on the horizon. Looking at this gargantuan structure, Fang Hao felt the murderous aura he had brought back from Black Rock City slowly settle. He found a secluded spot far from the city to land, stowed away the flying boat, and tidied himself back into his appearance as an ordinary-looking Guest Elder with Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation before strolling leisurely into the city.

The city gate was as bustling as ever, with people coming and going. The guards checked his Guest Elder token and were quite polite, letting him through directly. Fang Hao didn’t rush back to his small courtyard; instead, he first visited the Mission Hall to cancel the Heavenly Wolf Pass mission that had been "interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances." Although the contribution points were forfeit, he needed to provide an explanation to avoid any idle gossip.

Coming out of the Mission Hall, he was debating whether to browse the Library Pavilion first or return to his courtyard for a good sleep when the Guest Elder token at his waist began to buzz and vibrate, emitting a faint glow.

"Hmm? Another mission?" Fang Hao picked up the token and probed it with his Divine Sense.

The message wasn’t long, but the content made him pause:

Emergency Summon: Xuan Rank, Grade A

Mission Content: Escort Little County Princess Mu Zhenqing to the soon-to-open "Cloud Mist Secret Realm."

Mission Requirements: Report immediately to the "Listening to Rain Pavilion" on the west side of the Inner City Mansion and follow Master Zhao’s unified arrangements.

Note: Entry to the Secret Realm is restricted to Cultivators below the Golden Core Stage. The primary objective for guards is to ensure the safety of the Little County Princess.

"Cloud Mist Secret Realm?" Fang Hao blinked. He recalled seeing this name in the miscellaneous records of the Library Pavilion. It was said to be a small-scale Secret Realm that opened only once every few decades. It was rich in Spiritual Qi and home to many rare Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicines not found outside, as well as some low-tier Demon Beasts. It was an excellent place for Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Refinement Stage Disciples to gain experience and seek treasures.

This Secret Realm possessed an extremely powerful suppression force regarding cultivation Realms. This meant that any Cultivator who had reached the Golden Core Realm or higher was unable to enter. This suppression was not a common restriction but an extremely strict rule.

If a Cultivator at the Golden Core Stage or above attempted to force their way into the Secret Realm, they would face intense rejection from the Secret Realm’s rules. This rejection was not merely being barred entry; it could trigger a severe backlash. Such a backlash could cause immense damage to the Cultivator’s body and cultivation, and could even be life-threatening.

Therefore, Cultivators wishing to explore this Secret Realm had to clearly recognize this limitation and act with caution. Only Cultivators with a Realm below Golden Core had the opportunity to enter the Secret Realm and explore the mysteries and Treasure Troves within.

"Escorting the Little County Princess? Mu Zhenqing..." Fang Hao scratched his head. He hadn’t heard the name, but guessed she was likely the daughter or granddaughter of the Seventh Prince, Seventh Prince. Asking a Guest Elder like him to be a bodyguard? And with a Xuan Rank Grade A mission level? It seemed this Little County Princess was quite favored.

Not daring to delay, he hurried toward the inner city. Arriving at the Listening to Rain Pavilion on the west side of the Prince’s Mansion, he saw that quite a few people had already gathered. Besides the leader, Master Zhao, there were seven or eight Cultivators in the attire of Mansion guards. Their cultivation levels ranged from Late Foundation Establishment Stage to Great Perfection. They stood straight with steady auras, clearly elite. Two or three other Guest Elders like himself had also arrived.

Master Zhao nodded slightly upon seeing Fang Hao’s arrival but said nothing more, simply gesturing for him to wait with the group of Guest Elders. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Before long, the crisp tinkling of jade ornaments was heard, accompanied by a faint, pleasant floral fragrance. Fang Hao looked up to see a young girl in a goose-yellow dress walking gracefully toward them, surrounded by a group of maidservants and Nannies.

The girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old. Her small face was as white and tender as a peeled egg, and her eyes were large and bright like two black grapes, brimming with liveliness and... well, a sort of spoiled innocence and curiosity. There were no powerful spiritual fluctuations coming from her; she was likely around the Late Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

"That is the Little County Princess, Mu Zhenqing," an older Guest Elder beside Fang Hao whispered with a hint of reverence. "The Prince’s youngest daughter. He treasures her like the apple of his eye."

Fang Hao understood. She was just a little ancestor coming out to see the world and perhaps pick up some benefits along the way. This kind of mission wasn’t necessarily hard, but it wasn’t simple either. The difficulty lay in catering to this little ancestor and ensuring she didn’t get a single scratch; the simplicity lay in the fact that the Secret Realm itself wasn’t high-risk, so as long as she didn’t go looking for trouble in dangerous areas, nothing major should happen.

The Little County Princess walked before the crowd, curiously sizing up the people who were about to protect her. When her gaze landed on Fang Hao, it lingered for a moment, likely because Fang Hao looked relatively young (he wasn’t actually old) and his temperament was different from the stiff guards.

Master Zhao stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the Little County Princess: "Princess, the personnel are ready. We can depart at any time."

"Mm, thank you for your hard work, Master Zhao." The Little County Princess’s voice was crisp and pleasant. She waved her small hand. "Then let’s go? I heard the cloud dream flowers in the Secret Realm are about to bloom, and they are very beautiful!"

Right, she was mainly going to see the flowers. Fang Hao and the others muttered inwardly.

The group left the Prince’s Mansion and boarded two luxurious flying boats prepared in advance. The Little County Princess and her personal maidservants and Nannies took one, while Fang Hao and the other guards and Guest Elders took the other. The flying boats started up and flew toward a certain direction outside the city.

On the way, Master Zhao gathered the guards for a brief meeting.

"Everyone," Master Zhao said with a serious expression, "although this Secret Realm opening restricts those above Golden Core from entering, it is not without risk. The internal terrain of the Secret Realm is complex, with occasional spatial cracks and no shortage of troublesome Demon Beasts. More importantly, we of the Seventh Prince’s Mansion are not the only ones entering; there will be Disciples from other Sects and Families. With so many people, conflicts are inevitable."

He pointedly looked at Fang Hao and the other Guest Elders: "Your mission is to ensure the absolute safety of the Little County Princess! The Princess’s safety is the primary objective! Treasure hunting and gaining experience are secondary. If you encounter people from other factions, try to avoid them and do not initiate trouble. However, if anyone dares to act against the Princess, kill them without mercy!"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

Fang Hao also nodded, understanding that this job was essentially being a high-level Nanny. The responsibility was great, but the credit... would likely depend on whether the Little County Princess had a good time.

The flying boats flew for most of the day before landing on the outskirts of a massive, cloud-shrouded mountain range. Many people had already gathered here. Judging by their attire, there were members of the Qingyang Sect, the Xuan Shui Pavilion, and several cultivation Families. Most were young people escorted by their elders. In the sky, a massive, shimmering seven-colored light gate, rippling like water, was slowly taking shape. That was the entrance to the Secret Realm.

The arrival of the Seventh Prince’s Mansion’s party naturally drew a lot of attention. Many looked at the heavily protected Little County Princess with varying expressions—some with envy, some with awe, and some with a hint of disdain.

The Little County Princess, however, was quite excited, looking left and right, curious about everything.

After waiting for about an hour, the seven-colored light gate stabilized. The elders of each group began to give final instructions to their Disciples, then watched as they flew into the light gate one by one.