The Domineering Princess

The group comprised seven individuals. Six of them wore identical blue dresses and carried swords, while their leader was clad in a resplendent golden-red gown, exuding an air of exceptional nobility. It was evident at a glance that she hailed from no ordinary family, especially considering she was accompanied by six young female guards.

“Eh?” Xue Linglong was about to speak, annoyed that her queue had been cut. However, one of the blue-clad women subtly turned her head, casting a threatening glance at Xue Linglong, a look that was a clear warning.

Xue Linglong had intended to retort, but Bai Lan stopped her from behind.

“Linglong, let it go,” Bai Lan whispered, gently pulling Xue Linglong back a few steps.

Seeing the newcomers’ aggressive demeanor, most of the girls behind Bai Lan also retreated. Unwilling to offend anyone, they created a small space by stepping back.

Yet, there were always those who were a bit foolish. Not all the young women present came from common families; some were offspring of nobility. These noble youths could not tolerate being cut in line, especially after patiently waiting their turn.

At that moment, a noble young lady suddenly spoke up.

“Hey! Who do you think you are, cutting in line?” a righteous-looking girl demanded, stepping forward to confront the group. “Do you have any idea how many people are here for the assessment today? What about those who arrived before you? Go to the back and queue up properly!”

Bai Lan sighed immediately upon witnessing this. He knew the girl was inviting trouble; the newcomers had brazenly cut to the front of the line, and the patrolling Luoshen Sect disciples had hesitated to act.

This implied that the group held significant influence, or at least appeared formidable enough that the disciples were reluctant to intervene rashly.

The moment the girl spoke, the Luoshen Sect disciple overseeing the assessment cast a displeased look at the young woman in the golden-red gown. This was a girl with an arrogant face and a cold, enchanting aura, now fixing the Luoshen Sect disciple with an oppressive stare.

Yet, as a cultivator, how could she be easily intimidated?

“Young lady, please go to the back and queue up,” the Luoshen Sect disciple stated in a deep voice.

However, in the next instant, the girl in the red gown suddenly produced a token, placing it before the Luoshen Sect disciple. The moment the token appeared, the disciple’s expression froze; she seemed to have seen something unbelievable.

She quickly picked up the token to examine it, and after confirming its authenticity, she awkwardly returned it to the red-gowned girl with both hands.

“This? Young lady, I apologize. Please keep your token safe. May I ask what your relationship is with the Third Elder?” the Luoshen Sect disciple inquired, her attitude having undergone a complete 180-degree shift.

Witnessing this scene, everyone else understood that the red-gowned girl was certainly no ordinary person. After all, even a Luoshen Sect disciple had suddenly become so deferential to her.

“This Princess is the Seventh Princess of Chen Kingdom,” the red-gowned girl declared, foregoing any explanation of her connection to Canglan Hall and simply stating her identity.

Upon learning her identity, the Luoshen Sect disciple immediately grasped her connection to Canglan Hall. Chen Xiangning, the Hall Master of Canglan Hall, had once been a princess of the Chen Kingdom’s royal family; thus, their relationship was self-evident.

“Ah, I see! In that case, Seventh Princess, please place your hand on the detector,” the Luoshen Sect disciple said directly, clearly having conceded.

However, the Seventh Princess did not immediately nod. Instead, she gestured for the Luoshen Sect disciple to wait, indicating she intended to teach someone a lesson. The disciple paused, then instantly understood her intentions.

Indeed, the Seventh Princess abruptly turned, leading her guards toward the white-gowned girl who had just spoken out against her.

By now, the girl who had spoken was visibly terrified. As she watched them approach, she frantically scanned her surroundings for help. However, after learning that the woman before them was a princess of the Chen Kingdom, everyone lowered their heads, unwilling to meet her gaze.

Of course, what was the relationship between the Chen Kingdom and the Luoshen Sect? It was practically inseparable; the princess undoubtedly had powerful backing within the sect. If they were to offend her now, even if they passed the assessment and entered the outer sect, their future would likely be fraught with peril.

“It was you who tried to stop me just now, wasn’t it?” the Seventh Princess of Chen Kingdom asked, her eyes glinting as she smiled at the white-gowned girl.

“I, I…” The girl stammered, unable to utter a single coherent word.

The moment their mistress spoke, two of the Seventh Princess’s guards immediately stepped forward. They grabbed the white-gowned girl, pulling her out of the crowd, and then forcibly pressed her down onto her knees.

“Let go of me! Help!” the terrified girl shrieked.

But the moment she opened her mouth, another female guard delivered a heavy slap across her face. The girl was instantly silenced.

Once she was unable to speak, the Seventh Princess stepped forward, a smile playing on her lips as she questioned her.

“Judging by your accent, you’re from the Chen Kingdom, aren’t you? Tell me, where in the Chen Kingdom are you from? And do you know the penalty for disrespecting the imperial family?”

The white-gowned girl was finally overcome with fear.

“I was wrong, Your Royal Highness, please spare me,” the white-gowned girl pleaded. Seeing that even the Luoshen Sect disciples stood by, unwilling to help her, she knew she was in deep trouble.

The critical issue was that she had defied her own country’s princess, a grave offense in the Chen Kingdom, potentially leading to punishment for her entire family.

She was filled with immense regret, silently cursing herself for speaking out. This girl was a young lady from a family of some standing in the Chen Kingdom, which had given her a sense of boldness. Yet, she had unknowingly encountered the most powerful nobility in the Chen Kingdom—the imperial family—and there was simply no comparison.

Since no one came to her aid, she knew she had to kowtow and admit her guilt. This was to avoid jeopardizing her participation in the assessment and, more importantly, to prevent repercussions for her family.

“Admitting guilt is enough for a pardon? That simply won’t do,” the Seventh Princess commanded, a sweet smile on her face. “If anyone could challenge this Princess, what use would laws and regulations be? Go, break one of her legs.”

This woman was truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing, appearing gentle but speaking and acting with venomous cruelty. It was, perhaps, typical; royalty was inherently noble, and most did not regard commoners as human beings.

In their eyes, such actions were entirely reasonable, especially with their nation’s laws to back them.

“No! Help me, someone, please!” the white-gowned girl shrieked, hearing the Seventh Princess’s order to break her leg.

The Luoshen Sect disciple in charge of the assessment could no longer bear to watch. Believing it was going too far, she was about to intervene but was held back by a fellow disciple beside her.

“Senior Sister Wu, don’t interfere,” another Luoshen Sect disciple quickly warned. “She is a descendant of the Third Elder. If you stop her, you will offend her, and if she decides to make things difficult for you within the sect, your life will become unbearable.”

At her words, Senior Sister Wu’s steps faltered. One should never assume that a sect comprised of female cultivators would be harmonious; in reality, the infighting among women often surpassed that of men.

However, at that very moment, a clear voice resonated in everyone’s ears.

“Your Royal Highness, today is an auspicious day for the Luoshen Sect to recruit disciples,” Xue Linglong’s voice rang out. “To punish this young lady in front of so many people—isn’t that showing a great disrespect for the Luoshen Sect?”

It was Xue Linglong’s voice, indeed, she was the one who spoke, and Bai Lan had no time to stop her.

The moment those words were uttered, the situation became complicated. With so many people watching, if the Luoshen Sect disciples did not intervene, where would the sect’s authority lie? After all, their very presence was to maintain order.