The Resurgence of the Galan Empress, The Wrath of the Great Emperor

Faced with the temptation of elevating her bloodline, Jia Ling'er was truly tempted.

Her current imperial blood had already reached the ancestral level, even surpassing her own mother's!

Once, she had been immensely proud of her noble lineage, but ever since she witnessed Jiang Che using just a single fish scale to elevate an ordinary mermaid's blood purity beyond her own... a seed of obsession had been planted in her heart.

It was like playing a game—you grind day after day to hone your skills, only to find your opponent blatantly cheating... All your effort becomes laughable in the face of a cheater.

"Mother... you'll forgive me, won't you? I truly have no other choice..."

Jia Ling'er whispered a prayer in her heart. This once-proud princess had finally decided to lower her head before Jiang Che!

However, as Jia Ling'er glanced around, she saw Jiang Che surrounded by a dozen girls... There was no opening for her to speak. The last remnants of her pride wouldn’t allow her to humiliate herself in front of so many people.

Only after the crowd dispersed did Jia Ling'er clench her small fists.

"Jiang... Jiang Che!"

Jiang Che turned, his gaze playful as he looked at her.

"Your Highness, have you finished today's tasks? Did you mop the floors? Wash the bedsheets and undergarments? No slacking off, you know."

Jia Ling'er gritted her teeth. She knew full well Jiang Che was mocking her.

In the past, she would have lashed out without hesitation, but now, her edges had been worn down.

"Jiang Che! I can't take it anymore! I don’t want to do these dirty, exhausting chores anymore. I admit defeat, alright?"

Seeing no one around, Jia Ling'er finally let her guard down.

She had suffered enough humiliation—a dignified princess reduced to doing the filthiest, most grueling work under Jiang Che's command.

"Heh—" Jiang Che smirked faintly.

He had always known Jia Ling'er would yield. After all, she was just a spoiled princess through and through.

"Want to become my woman?"

"...Yes!" Jia Ling'er's cheeks flushed slightly, but she nodded.

"Lucky for you, I happen to have some free time. I might just consider giving you this opportunity."

Jia Ling'er clenched her fists. What does he mean, 'giving me this opportunity'?

It made her sound so cheap!

But the thought of escaping her miserable chores and elevating her blood purity made her swallow her pride. For now, she had to endure.

She then dragged her mermaid tail over to Jiang Che.

Jiang Che gave her a once-over. The girl looked disheveled—her once-gorgeous tail was scuffed and dirty, her long hair had lost its luster, yet her eyes still held a stubborn glimmer.

With a wave of his hand, Jiang Che dispelled the seal within Jia Ling'er's body.

"Go find a spirit spring and clean yourself up before coming back to me. You look like you’ve been scavenging through trash."

"You—! ...You're... right."

Jia Ling'er nearly exploded with rage but forced herself to suppress it.

The once-fiery young lady had now been tamed into an obedient kitten.

......

Nine Heavens, Southern Abyssal Sky Domain.

Deep within a forbidden zone of the Jialan Clan.

This place was known as the Frozen Abyss, a gateway to the Nether Depths. Beneath the ocean's depths, it seemed to harbor another world entirely—an enormous ice palace formed by endless glaciers.

The frozen expanse stretched for thousands of miles, a lifeless wasteland where no creature could survive.

A towering mermaid statue, ten thousand meters tall, stood imposingly, its craftsmanship so lifelike it seemed real.

At the heart of the ice palace, three figures sat cross-legged on an icy platform, arranged in a triangular formation.

To the left was a childlike girl, no older than seven or eight, with two playful pigtails and a cherubic face still carrying traces of baby fat. Her lower half shimmered with a golden fishtail.

To the right sat a maiden with flowing dark hair, her beauty ethereal—so breathtaking she seemed more like a celestial being than a mortal.

In the center was a poised and elegant woman, her aura icy and transcendent.

The three looked nearly identical, bearing some resemblance to Jia Ling'er. Yet the oppressive might they exuded was terrifying—even with their eyes closed, their imperial majesty inspired fear.

After an immeasurable amount of time, the childlike girl on the left slowly opened her eyes. Despite her youthful appearance, her gaze carried the weight of one who had seen through the illusions of the world.

"The Immortal Gate... remains the Immortal Gate."

Her voice was soft and childlike, yet as she spoke, the other two figures also opened their eyes.

"We're close. Only half a step remains—the Immortal Tribulation. Once we transcend it... we shall ascend."

"It won’t be so easy. The imperial blood’s potential has reached its limit. This half-step... is both near and eternally far," the maiden sighed.

But suddenly—

All three sensed something at once, their heads snapping upward in unison.

"Ling'er... Ling'er's protective imperial array was broken?"

"Who could shatter my formation? Was it an immortal?"

These three were none other than the Jialan Empress—a supreme sovereign who had mastered the Threefold Emperor Realm, cultivating her past, present, and future selves to perfection. Only half a step separated her from the Immortal Gate!

In the next instant, the three figures rose, merging into a single radiant golden light.

The brilliance condensed into a regal woman clad in golden robes, a phoenix crown resting upon her head. Every movement exuded nobility.

In her hand, she gripped a trident of gold and blue, its aura tinged with immortal energy.

As her eyes opened fully, stars seemed to flicker and die within them.

The ice palace shattered. The Frozen Abyss, spanning thirty thousand miles, dissolved into nothingness.

And now, the Jialan Empress's face was cold with fury.

Her daughter—Jia Ling'er—her protective formation had been breached?

Jia Ling'er, her only child born through parthenogenesis, was the one she cherished most... above all others.

Even her imperial blood purity surpassed the Empress's own!

The Empress feared her own bloodline would never advance beyond the half-step to immortality, forever barred from the Immortal Gate.

But Jia Ling'er was different. Her imperial blood was of the highest purity—ascension was inevitable.

Though many immortals still walked the Nine Heavens, 90% were ancient monsters sealed within immortal sources. The truly formidable ones were the young, vigorous immortals.

Jia Ling'er was the Jialan Clan's greatest hope.

That was why the Empress had inscribed a protective imperial array within her—one that would activate against fatal attacks and, most crucially, safeguard her chastity.

For imperial blood must never be tainted. Once purity was lost, the bloodline would no longer remain supreme.

Yet now... the array had been broken!

The Jialan Empress closed her eyes briefly, as if divining the truth.

When they reopened, her gaze burned with unparalleled wrath!!!

"Jiang Family!!! How dare you allow your descendants to abduct my daughter?! Do you truly believe the Jialan Clan is to be trifled with?"

The divine sense of an emperor was terrifying—within mere breaths, she could uncover the truth of what had transpired.

Moreover, the fact that Jia Ling'er had been abducted by Jiang Che was already an open secret throughout the Nine Heavens.