When Rosemary emerged from the underground crypt, she was drenched, her entire body slick with moisture—whether it was cold sweat or the dampness of that earth-palace, she could no longer tell.
She stared dazedly into the torchlight spilling in from outside the door, her mind in a fog, panic rising within her.
The three generals standing outside the door bowed respectfully, their faces expressionless.
"Your Majesty, shall we return now? They’re still in the Queen’s Traveling Palace—if we act tonight, we can prepare thoroughly."
"Return..." Rosemary’s breath trembled, her long lashes fluttering as she forced a smile and looked toward the red-robed woman general.
It was obvious that those outside the crypt—at least these three women generals—already knew the content of Mother Nuwa’s decree.
After a brief pause, Rosemary said softly, "Prepare for what? If we can send the Great Sage away safely, that’s already the best outcome. Her Ladyship doesn’t understand the Great Sage’s strength... If it comes to a fight, we are no match for him. By then..."
"Not necessarily." The woman general drew a small white bottle from her sleeve and presented it to Rosemary.
Rosemary looked at the bottle and let out a nervous laugh. "Six hundred years ago, the Great Sage was already at Heaven’s Way cultivation—how could mere poison possibly..."
"Your Majesty." The woman general cut Rosemary off coldly. "This elixir was given by Her Ladyship."
Rosemary looked fearfully toward the nearby priestess.
The priestess simply nodded.
At that moment, Rosemary’s mind buzzed and went utterly blank.
......
Inside the Queen’s Traveling Palace.
On the flying eaves, Monkey and Marshal Silver sat side by side, gazing up at the moon.
Everyone else had long since gone to bed. According to the original plan, Monkey was supposed to keep watch for the night. For some reason, Marshal Silver insisted on joining him, so there were two figures on the rooftop.
Still, having two people wasn’t so bad. With their cultivation, neither would fall asleep on watch, but it was dull work regardless. Having someone to talk to was no bad thing.
In the pitch-dark, silent palace, a maid carrying a lantern walked along a distant corridor. Marshal Silver watched quietly and spoke in a low voice: "There are five guards in the shadows over there, two more hidden in the loft. Twelve by the palace wall. At every sentry post, besides the two visible guards, there are at least ten more concealed."
As he spoke, Marshal Silver smiled faintly and pointed to a nearby loft. "There are over thirty inside—all above Spirit-Refinement level. It’s late, yet none of them sleep, none speak, none do anything but sit in silence."
"What are you trying to say?" Monkey asked.
"Isn't it odd, having so many hidden sentries in this palace?"
"Maybe it’s always been like this here," Monkey took a deep breath. "She’s the Queen of the Women’s Kingdom—a sovereign. Hundreds of palace staff on night duty wouldn’t be unusual."
"The Women’s Kingdom isn’t an ordinary realm. And if it were just a routine night shift, the guards should be posted on the outer perimeter. But they’re concentrated on the inner ring—right next to us. That can’t be a coincidence, can it?"
Monkey clicked his tongue, glanced at Marshal Silver, then hugged his knees and stared ahead, unmoving.
"You think they’re planning to move against us?"
"Maybe not outright violence, but at the very least, things aren’t as welcoming as they appear. And the Queen left the banquet and hasn’t returned, right? That might have something to do with us."
Monkey didn’t respond to this, only let out a long sigh.
Overall, Monkey’s impression of Rosemary was still favorable up to this point.
Once a palace maid in Qi Tian Palace, she had become the queen of a nation, her cultivation now rivaling Marshal Silver’s. What hardships must she have endured along the way?
Heaven never drops free gifts from the sky. Back when Monkey pursued immortality, he traveled a hundred thousand li, biting down through countless hardships. Marshal Silver fought battle after battle, driving the world’s demons to flee before him... For a thousand years, only by leveraging every resource gained along the way did he finally raise his own potential.
Monkey didn’t know what a palace maid must endure to reach this point, but he was certain it couldn’t have been easy.
Birds of a feather flock together. Overall, Monkey admired Rosemary. Of course, it wasn’t enough to vouch for her character with absolute certainty. Besides, given the gap in their strength, would she really dare move against him?
Monkey didn’t think so.
Still, that was no reason to lower his guard. Tonight, the watch must be kept.
"By the way, didn’t you keep urging Master Xuanzang to save those male infants being sacrificed?"
"About that..." Monkey glanced through the half-open window into the room and replied slowly, "He still hasn’t recovered. I thought this was a good chance to push him a bit, but... it’s hard to stir up trouble right after being someone’s guest. Better to let it go for now."
......
The long night slowly passed. At dawn, Rosemary finally descended with the three women generals before the Queen’s Traveling Palace.
Her pace was painfully slow.
All the way, Rosemary was almost escorted under guard by the three women generals. At the palace gate, the green-robed Chancellor was already waiting.
"Your Majesty." After a simple salute, the Chancellor silently watched Rosemary.
They must already know everything that happened in the crypt beneath the Mother’s Mausoleum.
Rosemary didn’t spare her a glance, her face cold and indifferent. She stood there for a long moment before finally stepping forward into the Queen’s Traveling Palace, the others trailing close behind.
A chill wind swept by. The sky was already gray with dawn, but the whole palace remained shrouded in shadow.
Their group moved along the empty palace path in utter silence, not a sound to be heard.
With every step, Rosemary felt those eyes behind her boring into her, ready to pounce at the slightest misstep.
(Irrelevant passage: skip translation.)
Could they really take her down?
Not necessarily.
She herself was at the peak of Great Luo Golden Immortal. As for them, at best they were mere Golden Immortals—not a single Loose Immortal among them. With such cultivation, even fifty of them might not be able to subdue her.
Mother Nuwa had granted her this power precisely so that, no matter what upheaval befell the Women’s Kingdom during Her Ladyship’s long slumber, Rosemary could suppress it single-handedly. That was how she maintained her overwhelming authority before tens of thousands of subjects.
But that authority was given by Her Ladyship. If she tried to defy Her Ladyship’s decree, it would be instantly revoked.
In the end, the Women’s Kingdom belonged to Mother Nuwa. Rosemary’s so-called queenship, though it seemed unmatched in the eyes of her subjects, was really just for show. She could act freely most days, but once Her Ladyship intervened...
It was almost laughable. She was supposed to be Her Ladyship’s direct agent, overseeing the entire kingdom. Yet now, in a twist of fate, it was they who watched her.
Pressing her lips together, Rosemary managed a helpless, bitter smile.
Behind her, the green-robed Chancellor followed closely, clutching the white bottle brought from the Mother’s Mausoleum.
Was she truly to resort to poison?
Did Her Ladyship know the Great Sage had once attained Heaven’s Way cultivation?
If not, then it would be simple—if the poison failed, so be it; she could administer it without consequence.
But if Her Ladyship knew the Great Sage had once attained Heaven’s Way cultivation, and still provided this pill, ordering her to use poison, then the pill must be effective even against someone at that level. If he were poisoned...
On one side was the Great Sage, who had shown her kindness and whom she had always admired. On the other was Mother Nuwa, who had also been generous to her, raising her to the throne and holding the power to end her life at any moment.
How was she supposed to choose between them, with this bottle of pills?
For a moment, Rosemary’s mind was in utter chaos.
The great doors slowly opened. Rosemary saw her personal maid and a group of loyal ministers, both civil and military, standing together.
When they saw Rosemary, each one fell silent and bowed.
"Your Majesty..."
Rosemary waved her hand gently, and her maid swallowed the words she was about to speak.
"You may all withdraw. Get some rest."
Inside, the ministers exchanged glances. Only after a long moment did they bow and take their leave.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
As the loyal ministers withdrew, those who had waited outside with the Chancellor and the three women generals who had returned from the Mother’s Mausoleum also left. However, while the loyal ministers truly departed, the three generals quickly led their troops to surround Rosemary’s residence.
With the doors tightly shut, the spacious room was left with only Rosemary, the Chancellor, and Rosemary’s personal maid.
Rosemary glanced coolly at the Chancellor. "Aren’t you going to rest? Dawn is nearly here. Even if there’s to be poisoning, it can only happen at mealtime, not now."
"It’s true, it can only happen at mealtime. But, Your Majesty," the Chancellor replied impassively, "our preparations must begin early. The demon monkey’s power is formidable, and this matter is grave. As a minister, how dare I rest at such a time?"
"Yes... you’re right. You truly are the pillar of our nation." Rosemary offered a faint smile, then turned to her maid. "You’ve worked hard. Go get some rest."
The maid looked up at Rosemary, then glanced at the Chancellor’s impassive face, bowed silently, and left the room.
As she closed the door, the Chancellor gave her a meaningful look.
"Those outsiders are but fleeting shadows. I urge Your Majesty to put the affairs of state first."
"Oh? Does the Chancellor think I am not prioritizing the affairs of state right now?"
"I wouldn’t dare. I am merely offering a friendly reminder, Your Majesty."
Turning away, Rosemary walked step by step toward her inner chamber, cold sweat dripping from her brow.
Hidden in her sleeve, her hand clutched the jade slip used to communicate with her maid.
......
Meanwhile, the maid who had left Rosemary’s quarters deliberately slowed her pace, head lowered, as she made her way along the palace corridor toward the loft where Monkey and his group were staying.
Hidden in her sleeve, her own hand also tightly gripped the jade slip for communicating with Rosemary.