“You’re not lying to me? Princess Youyue cannot even guarantee my entrance into the Heavenly Wolf Sect. Where does your confidence come from?” Wang Ke asked with a deep voice, frowning.

Zhang Zhengdao instantly replied, “Let me ask Princess Youyue!”

Wang Ke grasped Zhang Zhengdao’s black fan while he waited.

Zhang Zhengdao looked at Princess Youyue and asked anxiously, “Princess Youyue, did your mother tell you anything before she died?” 

“My mother is not dead; she only left the Ghoul Empire! Don’t speak ill of my mother!” Princess Youyue replied with a frown.

“She didn’t die? The Ghoul Empress is alive? How was the Ghoul Empire overturned then?” Zhang Zhengdao was stunned.

“Humph!” Something implied that Princess Youyue didn't want to talk about it.

“Impossible. The empire would have been just fine if that’s the case. I heard that the Ghoul Empire was obliterated. If not, why would you end up like this, given your status as princess of the Ghoul Empire?” Zhang Zhengdao was bewildered.

“It’s all because of those rebel officials! They took the opportunity to stage a coup while my mother wasn’t around and stole my empire!” Princess Youyue angrily explained.

“Hold on. Steal your empire? You’re just a princess. The Ghoul Empire belonged to your mother. What has it got to do with you?” Zhang Zhengdao asked curiously.

“She handed the Ghoul Empire to me before she left. I would have been the new empress by now, were it not for those rebel officials! And I would not be as pathetic, fleeing all the time!” Princess Youyue said, raging.

Zhang Zhengdao probed further, “Wait... She made you the empress? Why didn’t I hear about it? There was no news of this as far as I know.”

“I didn't have the time to make the news public. I was busy crafting an enchanted artifact during those few days, so I postponed the enthronement ceremony. What I didn't expect was that those rebel officials would take the opportunity to stage a coup during that short period of time. I…!” Princess Youyue raged regretfully.

Wang Ke and Zhang Zhengdao looked at each other in dismay.

“Crafting an enchanted artifact? You, the successor of an empire, needed to personally craft enchanted artifacts? The enthronement ceremony was an event of monumental importance, and you postponed it?” Wang Ke asked, unable to process her answer.

Princess Youyue doesn’t seem reliable. Although the Ghoul Empire was outside the Ten-thousand Great Mountains, Wang Ke had heard that it was comparable to a top immortal sect. Such a massive empire was merely waiting for her to take over, but she wasn't in a hurry to take the throne. She was occupied making an enchanted artifact? No wonder her officials took away her empire.

“So, you postponed the enthronement ceremony so that you could make some powerful item, right?” Zhang Zhengdao asked curiously.

“See, this is it!” Princess Youyue said.

As she spoke, she took out a watermelon-sized black sphere from her storage bag.

“This is...?” Wang Ke and Zhang Zhengdao were both intrigued.

“This is called the ‘Grand Ceremonial Light.’ I’m the one who invented it!” Princess Youyue explained proudly.

“Grand Ceremonial Light? What can it do?” Wang Ke asked.

“It can boost the atmosphere of grand ceremonies! To make the enthronement ceremony grander… I went on without sleep or food for ten days and ten nights to make it. Who would have thought that those rebel officials would pounce on the opportunity to rebel against me while I was at it? The coup took place right when I completed the “Grand Ceremonial Light.” I couldn't even react in time…!” Princess Youyue said furiously.

Wang Ke: “..........................! ”

Zhang Zhengdao: “................................! ”

To boost the atmosphere?It’s neither for cultivation nor for attacking the enemy... It can only be used to spice up the atmosphere?You postponed your enthronement ceremony just to make this useless piece of crap?

You’re a textbook example of someone who loses everything over a trivial pleasure! Worse than that, you went and lost a whole empire!

“Then, why did you come to the Ten-thousand Great Mountains?” Zhang Zhengdao asked expectantly.

“Right before my mother left, she told me to seek help from the Heavenly Wolf Sect Lord if I ever was in danger! That is why I was heading toward the Heavenly Wolf Sect. Much to my surprise, the Golden Crow Sect had set up a bounty to hunt me down and I was caught by She Tianba!” Princess Youyue said in a sad tone.

“The Heavenly Wolf Sect Lord?” Wang Ke’s eyes glowed.

“I’ve never met the Heavenly Wolf Sect Lord before. However, my guess is that the Heavenly Wolf Sect’s eldest apprentice-brother will protect me!” Anticipation flashed in Princess Youyue’s eyes as she spoke.

“The Heavenly Wolf Sect’s eldest apprentice-brother?” Wang Ke asked curiously.

“Yeah. He used to be a great general in the Ghoul Empire who wanted to court me, but my mother didn’t allow me to interact with him. However, I think this time my mother would surely allow us to be together!” Princess Youyue said expectantly.

Wang Ke scratched his head and said, “So, I have to rely on this apprentice-brother fellow so I can enter the Heavenly Wolf Sect? He loves you, and I saved you. He would help me get into the Heavenly Wolf Sect then?”

“He would surely help me if I request it!” Princess Youyue said.

Wang Ke’s frown deepened. “The Heavenly Wolf Sect has a strict rule when it comes to enrolling disciples. They only accept mortals who haven't started cultivating yet. They won’t accept anyone who is already at the Innate Stage with a cultivation technique that doesn't belong to them. This is what the sect enforces when admitting new disciples, the only exception being if the Heavenly Wolf Sect Lord agrees to it! But this seems beyond the scope of what this eldest apprentice-brother can do, right? ”

“That’s the reason why I cannot offer any guarantee!” Princess Youyue said.

Wang Ke turned toward Zhang Zhengdao with a black face. You shameless bastard. You lied to me! He was about to crush the black fan in his hand.

“No! Don’t do it! Listen to me, please!” Zhang Zhengdao pleaded with a bitter smile.

“Hmm?” Wang Ke stared at Zhang Zhengdao and waited for him to continue.

“Trust me. The Heavenly Wolf Sect will surely take you in if they know that we saved Princess Youyue!” Zhang Zhengdao explained.

Wang Ke countered with a deep voice, “The Princess has already made it clear. She hasn’t even seen their Sect Lord before! Why would he care whether she’s dead or alive? If he did care, why didn’t he rescue her while the Golden Crow Sect had openly set up a bounty to capture her?”

“Maybe their Sect Lord was in enclosed cultivation… Or, he might have been away, far from the Ten-thousand Great Mountains! Don’t worry. He will surely protect Princess Youyue if he learns the truth, and he’ll surely take you in. I promise! I guarantee it!” Zhang Zhengdao vowed desperately.

“Why?” It was the Princess’ turn to question his dead-sure remarks.

“Because of your father!” Zhang Zhengdao laughed bitterly.

“My father? But I’ve never met him, and not once did my mother tell me about him, either. Do you know who my father is? Is he the Heavenly Wolf Sect Lord?” The Princess was astonished by his response.

“No, no... I cannot speak about this. It’s highly confidential… You will know this in the future. Believe me, you’ll be safe when you reach the Heavenly Wolf Sect. Wang Ke will also become a disciple as a reward for saving you! I promise!” Zhang Zhengdao vowed desperately again.

Wang Ke stared at Zhang Zhengdao while sizing him up.

“Brother Wang, when have I lied to you?” Zhang Zhengdao asked bitterly.

Wang Ke laughed coldly after listening to the man’s appeal.

Zhang Zhengdao was hiding too many things from him. Even though they were good friends, that shameless man was full of lies.

“Forget it. Your lifeblood is in my hands anyway. I will believe you one more time!” Wang Ke said with a deep voice.

“Brother Wang is wise and understanding indeed, haha. Then, when shall we head out to the Heavenly Wolf Sect?” Zhang Zhengdao asked.