Ch 213: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan’s cultivation level was on par with the Black Mountain Demon, but the only difference was that she had just advanced using faith power, making her less adept at attacking compared to the demon. However, her previous battles against seventh- and eighth-level zombies in the apocalypse had given her significant combat experience, so she wasn’t overwhelmed.

With Shen Yunxuan joining the fight, the Taoist masters immediately felt a huge relief. In the midst of battle, they glanced at her in surprise—who was this young woman? How could someone so young be this powerful?

But no matter who she was, as long as she was helping, she was an ally. The Taoist masters intensified their attacks, determined to take down the Black Mountain Demon!

Shen Yunxuan also observed them, quickly learning their various attack techniques while analyzing the demon’s weaknesses. The nearby Taoist masters noticed her studying their moves and were deeply shocked—how could she learn so fast?

This was where her 300 IQ showed its effect. Many techniques became clear to her at a glance. Within just a quarter of an hour, she was skillfully engaging the Black Mountain Demon in both offense and defense. Since she had come here to make a name for herself, not just to gain experience, she didn’t waste time in a prolonged battle. The moment she identified the demon’s weakness, she charged in with full force.

The others were alarmed, shouting, “Miss, don’t be reckless! It’s too dangerous—”

Before they could finish speaking, the Black Mountain Demon let out a thunderous roar, then its form began to disintegrate, leaving only Shen Yunxuan standing in mid-air with her hands behind her back.

Everyone stopped in stunned silence—where was the demon? Dead? Killed by this young woman? Just like that?

Shen Yunxuan gently descended to the ground, glancing at the scattered demon cores, spiritual herbs, and magical artifacts left behind from the demon’s death.

She asked, “How do we split these?”

The others snapped out of their shock, carefully sensing the surroundings and confirming that the demon was truly dead. They then looked at Shen Yunxuan with deep respect, suppressing the astonishment in their hearts.

The most senior Taoist master clasped his hands and said, “Fellow Taoist, you contributed the most to this battle. These spoils of war rightfully belong to you. Without you, we might not have been able to eliminate the demon today and could have suffered casualties.”

Another Taoist added, “Indeed, Fellow Taoist, please take them. We were tasked by our sects to track down this demon, and now that it’s dead, we will still receive our sect’s rewards. You can accept these without concern.”

Since that was the case, Shen Yunxuan didn’t hold back. The treasures from the Black Mountain Demon were all excellent materials for alchemy and artifact refinement, exactly what she needed.

With a wave of her hand, she stored everything into her spatial pouch. At that moment, Gao Lang and the others, having finished clearing out the lesser demons, came over to find her.

Suddenly, a female Taoist stared at Shen Yunxuan, then at the fifty soldiers behind her. Her expression changed dramatically, and she rushed forward in excitement.

“Are you… Are you the Judge?”

“Hm?” Shen Yunxuan looked at her in confusion.

The female Taoist was overwhelmed with emotion. “I… I’m from Willow Village. Twenty years ago, the Judge saved us poor souls from that cursed place. I vowed to become like the Judge, to eliminate evil and do good. Later, by chance, I was able to cultivate and become a Taoist master. My greatest wish in this life was to meet the Judge again and express my gratitude.”

She looked at the fifty soldiers accompanying Shen Yunxuan and continued, “I’ve searched for so long. The most reliable rumors said that the Judge was always accompanied by dozens of guards with a unique aura, resembling military men. And that the Judge was a young woman who favored using a money sword.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to the money sword in Shen Yunxuan’s hand. In truth, she didn’t particularly prefer this weapon—it was just the first one she had used. Over time, she had inscribed talismans, carved formations, and even stained it with her blood in battle. Unknowingly, she had nurtured the money sword into the most well-suited artifact for herself, so she had continued using it.

Shen Yunxuan had no idea how she had come to be known as the “Judge.” Back then, she had simply made a passing comment. However, she quickly noticed from the expressions of the Taoist masters that her past actions in this realm had earned admiration rather than resentment. Seeing this, she openly acknowledged the title.

“At that time, I simply acted out of a sense of justice. Anyone with a kind heart would have done the same. You don’t need to hold onto it so dearly.”

The female Taoist became even more emotional. “It truly is you! Judge, please accept my bow of gratitude!”

She immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Shen Yunxuan. Shen Yunxuan quickly reached out to lift her up.

Beyond their initial shock, the other Taoist masters now gazed at Shen Yunxuan with subtle reverence and respect. One of them asked, “Judge, have you come to the capital this time because you sensed the presence of great demons and came to assist?”

They all assumed that must be the case. The last time the Judge had appeared, she had eliminated many villains and exposed hidden threats within the imperial court. Though her actions had given the emperor quite a headache at the time, the kingdom had flourished after those evildoers were purged. Now that the Judge had returned, it must mean that trouble was once again brewing in the capital.

Shen Yunxuan responded cryptically, “The will of the heavens is unfathomable. I was simply meant to be here at this moment.”

Hearing this, their respect deepened.

Shen Yunxuan decided to probe further. “Just as when the prince was lost in the world…”

One of the Taoist masters immediately caught on, his eyes lighting up. “So, the Judge had come for His Majesty back then!”

His Majesty?

Shen Yunxuan’s heart skipped a beat.

Had the prince she once saved become the emperor?

She didn’t want to ask directly, as that would expose her lack of knowledge. Instead, she simply nodded slightly, maintaining her air of mystery.

As expected, the other party, in their excitement, revealed even more information.

It turned out that after she left, the national preceptor personally escorted the third prince back to the palace. Once the emperor uncovered the truth, he sentenced the treacherous concubine to death by poison and exterminated her entire family. He then devoted himself to nurturing the third prince. The prince, being naturally intelligent and precocious, quickly proved himself capable, offering unique insights into governance. Within a few years, he was formally established as the crown prince.

Five years ago, the former emperor passed away, and the third prince ascended the throne. Since then, he had implemented numerous reforms, bringing clarity to the court and prosperity to the people. The current state of peace and order was entirely thanks to his efforts. Yet, when officials submitted memorials praising him, the emperor attributed all credit to the Judge.

There had long been a temple dedicated to the Judge in the outskirts of the capital, where incense offerings were abundant. The emperor had the temple expanded and refurbished, and he also erected a statue of the Judge within the palace for personal worship.

With the emperor setting the example, many cities followed suit, building golden statues of the Judge. This was why everyone held such deep reverence and goodwill toward her.

Shen Yunxuan was quite pleased to learn all this. She hadn’t expected that a single act of kindness in the past would bring such immense benefits. However, she was also puzzled—when she visited the apocalyptic world, she could immediately sense the power of faith. Given that so many temples and statues had been dedicated to her here, with incense burning day and night, why wasn’t she feeling any faith energy from them?

She had been here for quite some time, yet the only pure faith energy she had received came from the female Taoist master. Could it be that all those statues were useless?

She didn’t want to waste time pondering over this, so she simply stated, “The demon here has been eliminated. I must go and see the emperor.”

The female Taoist master immediately offered, “Judge, shall I guide you?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Alright, I’ll trouble you then.”

Just like that, she smoothly arrived at the imperial palace. She had assumed she would have to go through multiple levels of reporting and a long wait to see the emperor. But to her surprise, she had barely reached the palace gates when the emperor hurriedly emerged, personally coming to greet her!

The emperor had, of course, seen her true face before. The moment he laid eyes on her, he struggled to suppress his excitement. “Master! You’ve finally arrived!”

The emperor was now nearly thirty years old, but traces of his childhood features remained. Shen Yunxuan sighed wistfully. “Your Majesty has grown up. It seems you have also fulfilled your past aspirations—how wonderful.”

Back then, all he had wanted was to return to the palace, avenge his mother and maternal family, and rise above all others. Now, he had achieved all of that—and more. He had become a wise and widely praised ruler.

Over the years, whenever he felt exhausted or overwhelmed, he would think of Shen Yunxuan—the person who had saved him, who had brought a ray of light into his dark life. That thought alone would give him boundless strength, driving him to keep striving and succeeding, until he finally reached where he was today. And now, he had received her personal praise. The emperor’s eyes reddened with emotion.

But as an emperor, he was skilled at controlling his emotions. He only stepped forward, both respectful and affectionate, and said, “Master, please come in. I have already ordered a grand feast to be prepared in your honor.”

The news had spread quickly, and many officials rushed over, only to be utterly shocked when they saw their normally imposing emperor slightly bowing in front of Shen Yunxuan. Such a level of reverence? They immediately reassessed her importance. Until now, they had thought the emperor’s devotion to the Judge’s statues was at least partly for show. But seeing him act like this, even dropping the imperial “We” in favor of a more humble address, they realized his sincerity was unquestionable. Naturally, they had to show the same respect.

Shen Yunxuan lightly held the emperor’s arm and smiled. “Good. It’s been many years—we should have a proper reunion.”

Two imperial sedan chairs were prepared side by side. The emperor had specially ordered a sedan chair to be used for Shen Yunxuan, as a sign of his great respect. This once again astonished the officials. Some censorate officials wanted to object but ultimately held their tongues. The emperor had become more and more resolute in his decisions, and the Judge’s past deeds were too overwhelming—this was not the time to speak out.

For the first time, Shen Yunxuan tasted imperial cuisine, finding it just as delicious as the ones she had eaten in her “Imperial Consort Shen Yunxuan” memories. She thoroughly enjoyed herself, even picking out a few favorite dishes and asking the emperor to have more prepared for her to take with her.

Naturally, the emperor was more than happy to comply, immediately mobilizing the imperial kitchen to prepare a grand feast for her.

This simple act of enjoying food so naturally made Shen Yunxuan seem more approachable, easing the emperor’s initial apprehension from their long separation. The sense of unfamiliarity from the years apart melted away.

After the meal, the emperor spoke earnestly to Shen Yunxuan. “Master, it was only thanks to your help back then that my fate changed so drastically. Before he passed, the former national preceptor told me that years ago, he had sensed the birth of the Purple Star. But after that, he could no longer find its presence. He believed this meant the Purple Star either wouldn’t survive to adulthood or would fade into obscurity.

But because you helped me, he saw the Purple Star appear in the heavens once again. Master, your kindness to me is beyond measure.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled, cutting him off before he could continue. “Those who are destined will receive heaven’s aid. Perhaps this was always your path. I only acted in accordance with the will of the heavens, appearing at the right time to lend you a hand. You have what you have today because of your own efforts. The person you should thank the most is yourself.

When I first met you, you were still a child. And now, you have ruled this vast land wisely and justly. I am truly proud of you.”

“Truly? Master, you are proud of me?” The emperor struggled to contain his emotions.

He had never realized how much he longed for recognition. He had always thought himself indifferent to others’ opinions. But now, hearing this from her, he finally understood—Master’s approval held a special place in his heart.

Shen Yunxuan nodded firmly. Back then, her assistance had indeed been a coincidence, or perhaps it was, as she had said, destiny at work. She hadn’t actually contributed much. Even though she now sought to gain faith power from this world, she couldn’t in good conscience accept the emperor’s claim that she had done him an immeasurable favor. His success was ultimately his own achievement.

It was just like how she had obtained the system and risen to where she was today, while Zhang Yang had squandered the same opportunity in his past life, turning his life into a mess. The same chance could lead to different outcomes depending on the person. The key factor was always the individual.

As her power grew, so did the temptations she faced. She needed to stay true to herself. What was rightfully hers, she would take. But she would never take what did not belong to her.

The emperor, being who he was, quickly understood her thoughts. Instead of feeling slighted, he felt even more admiration for her and smiled. “Then you are still my benefactor.”

Shen Yunxuan seized the moment to joke, “I heard that Your Majesty has already repaid me—by erecting golden statues in my honor. May I have a look at them?”

For once, the emperor seemed slightly embarrassed. When he had ordered the statues built, he had assumed he would never see Shen Yunxuan again. So, he had publicly proclaimed her great kindness and encouraged the entire nation to build golden statues in her honor. Now that she was here, asking to see them, he felt a bit awkward.

But since she wanted to see them, he immediately took her to the palace hall where the statue was enshrined.

The hall was solemn and grand. As soon as Shen Yunxuan stepped inside, she instinctively composed herself. It was clear that the emperor took this very seriously.

The statue itself was massive, around five meters tall, and bore an astonishing resemblance to her—about an eighty percent likeness. However, Shen Yunxuan still couldn’t feel any faith power from it.

She looked up at the statue and hesitated. “This statue was built in my honor—it represents me?”

“Of course!” the emperor replied. “This is the statue I erected for you! However, among the common folk, you are known as the ‘Judge.’ I do not know if that title is accurate. Furthermore, no one knew your real name, so I did not inscribe one on the statue.”

Shen Yunxuan’s heart stirred. “Titles are given by others. My real name is Shen Yunxuan.”

The emperor was overjoyed. She was willing to tell him her name—did this mean she saw him as someone close and trustworthy? Without hesitation, he ordered an imperial brush with gold lacquer to be brought forth. He personally walked to the back of the statue and inscribed the words “Judge Shen Yunxuan.”

At that very moment, Shen Yunxuan suddenly felt an overwhelming rush of faith power surging toward her. She instinctively closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of the divine energy surrounding her.

So, this was the key—only when a sovereign ruler formally recognized the statue did it truly take effect. Previously, the emperor had been uncertain of her real name and title, which prevented her from receiving the faith power. But now that he had personally inscribed her name with his imperial decree, it was as if she and the statue had merged into one. From this moment on, all the faith and offerings dedicated to her in this world would be fully accessible to her.

And because she had come here willingly and established such a deep connection, even after she left—or traveled to another world—she would still be able to receive the faith power from this realm.

Shen Yunxuan opened her eyes, filled with gratitude toward the emperor. “Thank you.”

The emperor smiled as sincerely as he had in his youth. “It is my honor if this benefits you. Master, would you … be willing to become my Imperial Advisor?”

Shen Yunxuan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. The emperor explained, “Every emperor has their own advisor. The previous national preceptor was a lifelong friend of my father. My father once said that the burden of power is unbearably lonely, but because of his advisor, he never truly felt alone. Over the years, I have never appointed a new advisor—until today. Master, if there is one person I can trust completely and confide in, it must be you. Would you accept this role?”

To be valued so highly by a ruler was undoubtedly tempting. But she hesitated. “I do not study astrology, nor do I predict the future…”

“No matter!” The emperor walked to the entrance of the hall, gazing at the sky. “My fate is my own, not dictated by the heavens. I rule my nation with my own hands—I have never needed fortune-telling.”

It was only in this moment that Shen Yunxuan saw the true power of an emperor within him. This was a man who had crawled out of hardship and seized his throne with his own strength and intelligence. She admired such a person. Moreover, she had many things she could teach him.

Without further hesitation, she agreed. “Very well, I shall be your Imperial Advisor.”

The emperor turned to look at her, his eyes filled with delight. This was the happiest day of his life.

Shen Yunxuan then informed him that she had urgent matters to attend to and would only visit occasionally, with no set schedule. The emperor immediately handed her a jade token, granting her unrestricted access to the palace.

Then, recalling how she had once sought various books, the emperor personally led her to the royal archives. Not only did he grant her access to the imperial library, but he also presented her with rare and unique manuscripts from his private collection—books he had deliberately sought out over the years.

Additionally, he gifted her an entire warehouse filled with precious magical artifacts, weapons, and cultivation techniques. The collection included numerous rare treasures.

Among them was a storage bracelet that finally solved Shen Yunxuan’s space constraints. The moment she put it on, it adjusted perfectly to fit her wrist. It was exquisitely crafted, and the internal storage was as vast as a 500-square-meter house—more than enough to store all the gifts the emperor had bestowed upon her.

Additionally, there were many storage pouches, each about the size of a twenty-square-meter room.

These were exactly the kinds of things Shen Yunxuan had planned to collect on this trip. She hadn’t expected the emperor to prepare everything for her in advance, giving her an enormous surprise.

Naturally, she couldn’t just take without giving in return. Drawing from the experiences of “Imperial Consort Shen Yunxuan” in the Book of Memories, she provided the emperor with valuable knowledge beneficial to the ancient world—advanced rice cultivation techniques, the cowpox vaccine, cement, firearms, and more.

The emperor became even more convinced that Shen Yunxuan was his greatest benefactor! Everything he had given her was already within his possession—perhaps they were treasures, but for an emperor, acquiring rare artifacts was nothing unusual. It was merely a matter of effort.

However, what Shen Yunxuan had given him could propel the entire dynasty forward, ensure the people’s well-being, and even provide powerful weapons against demons. To him, what she had provided were treasures beyond compare. Making her the Imperial Advisor was undoubtedly the wisest decision—she was truly helping him safeguard the nation!

At the next morning’s court session, the emperor specifically arranged a seat for Shen Yunxuan. Under the puzzled gazes of the court officials, he publicly announced the many treasures she had brought to the imperial court.

The officials erupted in excitement, their gazes toward Shen Yunxuan filled with gratitude and admiration.

When word of this spread, Shen Yunxuan gained an even greater influx of faith power. With this, she had essentially achieved her objectives in this world ahead of schedule. There was no longer any need to actively search for resources, so she decisively bid farewell to the emperor.

The emperor had hoped she would stay longer, but Shen Yunxuan simply did not have the time. Before the next forced traversal, she wanted to establish connections with as many worlds as possible—she had to leave.

The next time they met might be many years later due to another system upgrade, but Shen Yunxuan was confident that the knowledge she had left behind would be enough for the emperor to advance the nation for decades. Before leaving, she advised him, “A long and healthy life is essential to governing a country well. Take good care of yourself. I hope that when I return, we can drink together in celebration.”

The emperor understood her meaning. If she returned twenty years later, he would be nearing fifty—his father had not even lived that long. Moved by her words, he solemnly nodded, secretly resolving to prioritize his health from now on—early to bed, early to rise, and a focus on longevity.

Shen Yunxuan and her team of special forces operatives returned to the main world. Though she had spent most of her time with the emperor, she had also sent the female Taoist master and her team to hunt minor demons in the countryside, allowing them to accumulate practical combat experience.

Upon returning, Shen Yunxuan immediately discovered that the system had upgraded to level six. Overjoyed, she submitted all collected materials for testing and told Elder Xu, “This time, I brought back many storage pouches. Let’s distribute one to each of Gao Lang’s team members. It will allow them to carry more supplies independently during future traversals.

I have a feeling that as we face greater opportunities ahead, we may not always be together. We might have to split up. With storage pouches, their mobility and effectiveness will improve significantly.”

Elder Xu took her instincts seriously and immediately promised to submit a request to higher authorities. Hearing about how the emperor had honored and valued Shen Yunxuan, Elder Xu was filled with pride. He patted her head and smiled. “Our Yunxuan deserves the best. It’s because you have a kind heart and a commendable way of handling things that so many people willingly follow you.”

Shen Yunxuan recalled how, in the beginning, she had deliberately approached Elder Xu out of caution. Smiling, she said, “When I first got the system, I was terrified. All I could think about was how to survive carefully. I never imagined that because of the system, I would gain so much. It has truly been my lucky star.”

Elder Xu nodded but then became serious. “Even though the system has brought you many benefits, the rule of forced traversal on the first of every month is still filled with unknown dangers. Stay cautious and vigilant.”

Shen Yunxuan chuckled. “Grandpa, don’t worry. The system won’t harm me. It forces me to traverse so that I can grow.”

After a short rest, she led her team to the Giant World and Martial Arts World. Surprisingly, because these two worlds were capped at level three and could not be upgraded to level six, time had barely progressed since her last visit.

Returning to them now, everything was just as she had left it. However, with her current strength, and even the abilities of Gao Lang’s team, they were now considered top-tier experts in those worlds. Their arrival caused an immediate sensation, and they smoothly established connections.

In the Giant World, Shen Yunxuan was regarded as a divine messenger. She taught the giants how to forge cold weapons and essential tools for daily life, while they provided her with a vast array of rare plants and animals. These materials were invaluable to her home world, offering immense nutritional benefits and the potential for large-scale cultivation in the post-apocalyptic world.

Furthermore, Shen Yunxuan discovered two massive mines in the Giant World. The place was like an untouched treasure trove of natural resources. After establishing a firm connection with them, this world essentially became a vassal of her main world. Overnight, a vast supply of usable resources became available. The higher-ups had already started planning for specialized teams to explore and extract petroleum and other valuable minerals in her next visit.

As for the Martial Arts World, Shen Yunxuan arrived just a few months after the martial arts tournament had ended. Learning that the Demon Sect had issued a bounty on her head, she immediately took action—leading her team to annihilate the sect in one decisive battle! Her legendary victory solidified her reputation, and from that day forward, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion became an unshakable force in the martial world.

Shen Yunxuan officially established Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, leaving it in the hands of her sworn brother and sister. Its primary function was to use the modern tools she had introduced in exchange for martial arts techniques and rare treasures, which would then be used to support charitable organizations, rescue orphans, and aid the weak.

Since direct demonstrations of strength were inconvenient for gaining faith power in the martial arts world, she instead built her influence through acts of goodwill. By widely spreading her reputation for virtue, she gained a following of admirers and grateful citizens, accumulating both faith power and immeasurable merit.

For now, both of these worlds had become stable, peaceful, and safe places for her. They held no major surprises. With a secure trade route established, she could return whenever necessary.

With everything settled, Shen Yunxuan quickly completed her objectives and then made a crucial decision—she would now venture into the Interstellar World.

The level six Interstellar World would undoubtedly be far more dangerous than anything she had faced before.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆