Boom, boom—the colossal Junwood City rumbled forward. Quinn Shepherd and Ivy He stood side by side atop the city wall; even after witnessing this city’s ability to walk on its own, Quinn still found it utterly unbelievable.
Though the Western Lands’ divine arts have stagnated for over ten thousand years, their philosophy that ‘all things have spirits, all things have gods’ remains truly extraordinary.
He glanced back and saw the city teeming with people, bustling with traffic, and couldn’t help but marvel.
After Formation Mistress Ivy He conceded, she summoned Junwood City’s residents—about a hundred thousand people. Now all had returned, and the great city, carrying so many, strode over mountains and hills. Such a sight was truly beyond belief, yet here it was, happening before his eyes.
“It won’t be easy to overthrow Palace Mistress Yu of True Heaven Palace.”
Ivy He said, “Besides House Hale, we’ll need the backing of other noble families. In the Western Lands, the Yu clan and Bear clan are the strongest. The Bear clan has already declined, and the Yu clan seized the Palace Mistress seat in True Heaven Palace. There’s also House Marsh, home of Poison Mistress Mina Frost; House Locke, home of Sword Mistress Luo Yinyu; plus House Fang, House Willow, House Gong, House Hinton, and House Fortune—ten great families in all. Beyond those, there are other strong houses like Mauch, Kanka, and Garrick’s family.”
Quinn pondered, “Why was the Bear clan able to inherit the Palace Mistress seat in True Heaven Palace? Do other families have the same right?”
“The Bear clan inherited the Palace Mistress seat because of ancestral tradition—the very first Palace Mistress of True Heaven Palace bore the Bear surname.”
Ivy He continued, “After that, most Palace Mistresses were from the Bear clan. Occasionally, another surname would take the seat, but before long, the Bear clan would reclaim it. Supposedly…”
She glanced at Kira Bear beside Quinn and said, “It’s said the Bear clan’s ancestors had a patron deity’s support, which is why they could hold the Palace Mistress seat for so long. But this time, things are different. That deity is supposedly displeased with the Bear clan’s Princess Mother and has instead sided with the Yu clan. That’s why the Yu clan so easily uprooted the Bear clan’s power.”
“A patron deity? Could it be the owner of that wooden idol I met in the Flame Desert?”
Quinn was puzzled. “If this deity always supported the Bear clan, why suddenly switch to backing the Yu clan?”
“That brings us to Princess Father.”
Ivy He said, “Princess Father’s background is exceptional—rumor has it he’s a powerful guest from the upper realm. They say he’s the one who connected the Yu clan to this patron deity.”
“Princess Father?”
Quinn blinked. Both Princess Father and Princess Mother were honorifics—Princess Mother for the mother, Princess Father for the father. But as far as he knew, the True Heaven Palace princess was Kira Bear, whose father had died in battle. So the Princess Father Ivy mentioned must be the Yu clan Palace Mistress’s consort.
Yet the Palace Mistress of True Heaven Palace hasn’t had a daughter, so she shouldn’t qualify for the Princess Mother and Princess Father titles yet.
“This Princess Father was able to connect with that deity—his status is extraordinary.”
Ivy He said, “He’s incredibly mysterious—rumored to be a guest from High Heaven. He married the Palace Mistress, and it’s said she’s now pregnant. Princess Father has announced to everyone that the child will be a girl—the future princess of True Heaven Palace!”
Having a daughter secures the Palace Mistress seat—Quinn had never heard of such a rule, but in the Western Lands, women held supremacy, and their customs were indeed very different from those of the Everpeace Empire.