Chapter 1 – First Princess

“Those who seek the Dao in the morning can die without regret in the evening.” Frowning, Sherenna set the book aside. ‘Dying without regret? What nonsense. Cultivation is the path to Immortality. It is a tool used to achieve a goal, not the goal itself. How can one be content dying along the way, when dying is the ultimate failure? Why should one be satiated with a mere glimpse of the goal – achieving Dao, becoming Immortal?’

These past few months Sher had been reading through all the books on the topic of cultivation available in the palace library. With the deadline of today, she needed to be prepared to make the first important decision of this life.

Beyond bullying her father’s aging advisor and bodyguard into sharing his insights into the world of cultivators, books were the only other source of information. Though, Sher had rising suspicions that neither of her sources were particularly reliable.

She stood up, discarding these thoughts for now. After all, today was no ordinary day, and she had much to prepare.

Her two-decade-long ‘vacations’ as First Princess of the Song Empire were coming to an end. With the arrival of representatives of the great sects, Sher was ready to embark on the path of cultivation once more.

Today was the day of a biennial descent of immortal cultivators from secluded sects to the Song Empire’s capital, where new disciples would be chosen.

Sher walked over to a tassel connected to a bell in servants’ quarters, gave it one firm tug and waited for her attendants to arrive. Seven young women hurried into her chambers. One immediately helped Sher sit and started combing her auburn hair, while another began applying delicate makeup to accentuate her large, emerald eyes.

Others presented her with choices of dresses and accessories to wear for today’s occasion.

Sher was happy to indulge in this extravaganza. After all, unbeknownst to her maids, as well as her father the Emperor, and countless others concerned with her wellbeing, this would be the last time.

Instead of playing the role of a demure princess, whose purpose was to make a dazzling impression on the guests, she would take part in the selection process. With her talent and unbreakable will, she was convinced that tomorrow she would greet dawn as a disciple of her chosen sect.

* * *

Two hours later, Sher stood in the Grand Hall of the palace. On her left was the Emperor’s wooden throne, waiting to be graced by her father’s behind. To call it wooden was an understatement, as all the lacquer, marble, and jade adornments obscured every inch of the zitan wood beneath.

When she was younger, she would often sit on it to the dismay of whoever was her assigned caretaker at the time and any officials hurrying about the Grand Hall. These antics were in the past, however. Sher noticed wary glances sent her way by the imperial herald stationed nearby, as she herself was glancing at the throne. ‘Maybe not that far in the past after all’.

Sher shifted her attention towards the people gathered in the Grand Hall for the selection. These were the Empire’s finest and brightest young men and women. During the selection process they were to have a chance to join one of the great sects. Failing that, many of them would be offered positions in court, either joining the robust body of the government officials or as scholars, or even soldiers of the most elite units, depending on their aptitude.

The youths were gathered from all over the empire. There was a group of swarthy men in their early twenties probably from one of the provinces far to the south. Next to them stood an extremely tall and bulky man, who could easily pass for someone in his thirties if not for his presence at this gathering. Dressed in an attire typical of the most western province of the Empire, he cut quite a sight. Next to him stood an unassuming young man, with a solemn expression on his face and eyes darting through the gathered crowd, wary. Sher took a second look at him and recognized him as one of the palace guards.

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There were of course many guards gathered in the hall, though they stood in perfect rows before the throne and along the walls rather than mingling with the contestants.

As she considered this, the double doors on the other side of the hall slowly opened.

“Greetings to the honored guests from Qinglong! Elder Liu, Disciple Wu, you are welcome in the halls of our wise and benevolent Emperor!” announced the herald. All the gathered youths turned to face the entrance and looked with reverence as two figures dressed in light blue robes of the finest quality entered.

The man walking in the front looked not much older than the gathered youths, handsome, with clear skin. He carried himself with confidence born from wielding great authority and power.

The other man appeared to be in his forties, though, like the first, his true age could not be gleaned from his appearance.

They made their way towards the podium with the throne and were directed by one of the palace attendants to comfortable seats set to the side of the podium.

“Greetings to the honored guests of Baihu! Elder Feng, Disciple Li, you are welcome in the halls of our wise and benevolent Emperor!” roared the herald, as a mild-looking elderly man robed in white stepped into the hall. Following him, walked a young woman with a stern expression. Her black hair kept short, barely reaching her shoulders.

They, too, were guided to their seats.

“Greetings to the honored guests of Xuanwu!”…

“Greetings to the honored guests of Zhuque!”…

“Greetings to the honored guests of Kunlun!”…

…

Finally, fourteen cultivators were gathered before the throne. The Grand Hall was silent, the cultivators waited patiently, while the gathered youths didn’t dare to even breathe too loudly.

Sherenna studied them intently, though she did not dare to unleash her Divine Sense. While she could have learned so much more, a gathering such as this might have drawn the attention of Dreamer, even if only for a split second. Moreover, though unlikely, one of the cultivators might have sensed it, and she did not want to arouse suspicion.

Sher evaluated the Elders of the four great sects at the Nascent Soul realm, while the Elders of the other three sects were at the peak stage of Core Formation. The disciples ranged from early to late stage Foundation Refinement, with the sole exception of the girl from Baihu, who reached the peak of that realm.

Her observations were cut short, when the herald exclaimed again.

“Here comes the wise and benevolent ruler of all Central Plains! The Sun of the Song Empire! The Lord of all mortal kind living under his providence in the Nine Provinces!”

Sher watched as all the gathered youths fell to their knees. The officials and the attendants followed. The sects’ representatives rose from their seats. Sher noticed one of the disciples began to kneel, but a slight gesture from the Elder he was accompanying made him straighten again. She, of course, remained standing. She would not kneel in front of anyone, be it a Great Immortal of two Aspects or a True Immortal, certainly not before her mortal old man.

As Song Jian entered, the air itself seemed to grow heavy. He moved with gravitas that drew all eyes, his presence filling the hall long before his brocaded shoulders passed through the doorway. Even without the imperial regalia, he was a man who commanded space, who owned the very ground he walked upon.

As he walked from the side entrance towards the throne, he met Sher’s eyes for a moment before looking towards the cultivators. Unlike her hair, that Sher had been told she inherited from her mother, they shared the same entrancing emerald eyes. Head held high, he ascended the podium and sat on the throne.

Accompanying the Emperor was an older man, wearing simple grey robes. Sher wouldn’t be surprised if many of the gathered people didn’t even notice his entrance. This was Old Wang, he was only the second most powerful person in the Empire, the Emperor’s most trusted advisor and a bodyguard who never left his side.

With the Emperor seated, the herald gave a command for the gathered to stand.

The herald moved towards the gathered people, produced a list from his sleeve and started to read.

“Hereby these are the results of the exam of year 117 of the Great Song dynasty, witnessed and confirmed by the Emperor, his advisors and the selected examiners of repute, among whom were included Elders of the following sects: Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, Xuanwu, Kunlun, Wudang and Limitless Sect.

The following examinees were chosen to join Qinglong sect: Zhou Yong, Zhu Jie…”

‘Wait, what?’

Sher stopped listening and looked at her father, sitting comfortably on his throne, no reaction from him towards this development. She turned to Old Wang, his face still as ever. But was there a reason he had not glanced her way even once since he entered the Grand Hall? She turned back to her father. Did she imagine a glint in his eye? Did she perceive a slightest shadow of a smile on his ever-serious face?

‘Have they suspected what I was planning? Did they change the whole process of the selection because of me? They wouldn’t.’

‘Would they?’