To Feng Miaojun, Fu Lingchuan was shrouded in mystery. This distant cousin not only carried the banner of restoring An Xia but even managed to have a false Princess Changle moving freely among the Yan, Jin, and Yao kingdoms with great success, demonstrating his capabilities. During their previous encounter in the countryside of the Yao Kingdom, she had sensed his sharp mind and cunning; otherwise, how could someone as haughty as Yun Ya befriend him?

Now she discovered that Fu Lingchuan’s cultivation might even be quite profound.

This was truly intriguing, especially from her perspective as the real Princess Changle.

At this moment, the false Princess Changle also ascended to the deck, surveying her surroundings with a slight frown. These ocean-crossing ships were nothing like the clean and tidy painted boats on lakes; they were cluttered with all sorts of items. Looking down, she noticed a broken plank on the deck that had not yet been repaired.

There was even a chicken coop that had been damaged during transport, and a rooster was leading his harem, strutting proudly among the cargo.

Feng Miaojun watched with amusement, but in Princess Changle’s eyes, this was simply dirty and disorderly. Despite having traveled multiple times, she still hadn’t quite adapted.

She extended her delicate hand and tugged at Fu Lingchuan’s sleeve. “Brother Fu.”

Fu Lingchuan smiled at her tenderly, then escorted her into the cabin with the best position and view.

There were two such cabins.

And he emerged in less than a quarter of an hour, presumably having settled Princess Changle comfortably.

With her sharp observation skills, Feng Miaojun immediately discerned something: although Fu Lingchuan was supporting Princess Changle’s restoration, the relationship between them was not romantic.

At least not on the surface, as Fu Lingchuan was still maintaining propriety and had a good sense of boundaries.

Thinking more deeply, it became clear. He had been working for An Xia’s restoration for many years and needed substantial support. How could he achieve this with mere words? Princess Changle was his greatest asset, and he needed to protect her carefully.

He not only had to keep her safe but also preserve her purity and reputation.

After securing the cabin door and setting up a barrier, Fu Lingchuan turned and walked back onto the deck.

The ship had already left Shunquan Bay and was heading toward the Forbidden Sea.

The mountains were left behind, and before them stretched vast waters, with sunlight reflecting off the surface, casting a shimmer of gold and jade. This was the magnificent grandeur unique to the ocean, incomparable to any river or lake.

Feng Miaojun took a deep breath—the sea breeze that hit her face was slightly salty and moist, carrying a familiarity she hadn’t experienced for years. The water was so clear that when she leaned against the rail to look down, she could easily see the massive figures of the eel spirits swimming around the ship, causing fish to flee in panic wherever they went.

This led to numerous seagulls chasing the ship and waves, chirping continuously.

While she was enjoying the view, Fu Lingchuan was also gazing at the water’s surface lost in thought. The passengers on the ship, especially the young ladies, were stealing glances at him.

This large ship led the fleet, with more spacious accommodations, and its tickets were considerably more expensive than other ferries. Those who could board this ship were at least wealthy merchants, so the young ladies on board appeared far more delicate than those elsewhere.

At this time, ocean voyages were more than ten times more dangerous than land travel. Most commoners preferred to stay on shore to make a living rather than take such risks. Those who dared to venture were either desperate or pursuing huge profits, which meant all kinds of people were on this ship, with few ordinary civilians.

After using the shape-changing parasitic worm, Feng Miaojun’s appearance was unremarkable here. To others, apart from her figure, nothing was striking about her.

This was precisely the disguise effect she wanted.

Fu Lingchuan presented himself in his original appearance, and soon people approached him for conversation. His manners were excellent, with almost every smile being flawless. Feng Miaojun’s hearing was also extremely sharp, and from her downwind position, she could roughly make out their conversation. Fu Lingchuan’s speech was witty, his conduct appropriate, displaying excellent cultivation that made those who spoke with him feel refreshed.

Soon, a small group gathered around him.

This scene resembled what had happened half a year ago. Feng Miaojun remembered when he and Princess Changle first appeared, offering roasted sheep to envoys from various countries and displaying their social graces.

Some people are born to be the focus of attention. Fu Lingchuan was like this, and so was Yun Ya.

The difference was that Fu Lingchuan was proper and cautious, while Yun Ya was carefree and unrestrained, looking at people with a languid gaze.

Bah! Why was she thinking about Yun Ya again?

Feng Miaojun quickly pulled her thoughts back and continued listening to Fu Lingchuan’s conversation, trying to analyze some intelligence from it.

He didn’t conceal his name, still introducing himself as “Fu Lingchuan.” Fortunately, although the people on this ship might know about An Xia’s reestablishment and Princess Changle, few had heard of Fu Lingchuan’s name.

After all, among gossips, he was called the Young Master of Huiling. This was because Princess Changle might be called Queen in the future, making Fu Lingchuan’s position quite peculiar. He held no official title, merely being the Princess’s distant cousin, but in terms of seniority, merit, and power, none could surpass him; his status was transcendent. Others, after much deliberation, gave him a title based on his ancestral home in Huiling.

Feng Miaojun glanced at Lu Chuanying beside her and saw that he was also examining Fu Lingchuan. Having seen this renowned figure’s name countless times in intelligence reports, Lu Chuanying was curious to finally see him in person.

Not long after the Wei Crown Prince raised his troops, another shocking news spread from An Xia:

Princess Changle had announced the restoration of the nation at Chiqian Plain, establishing the capital at Lubo City and naming the country New Xia!

As everyone knew, although An Xia had been conquered by Wei eight years ago, the An Xia people had never submitted to Wei. Over these years, resistance and uprisings had been rampant. The Wei King had dispatched Crown Prince Xiao Jing to suppress these rebellions with full force, resulting in the northeastern army under the Crown Prince being forged into elite troops.

The intensity of the Wei people’s resistance was imaginable. Although Xiao Jing’s suppression was fierce and Wei officials stationed in An Xia continued to function, riots across An Xia remained commonplace.

Wei’s internal strife presented a rare opportunity. Fu Lingchuan, with his keen sense, seized the chance to restore the nation while Wei was preoccupied, and succeeded in one stroke!

This news was truly astonishing.

Over these years, Fu Lingchuan had been operating under Princess Changle’s banner, moving freely in the Yan Kingdom and the former territories of An Xia. Especially since the An Xia people yearned for the previous dynasty, and Princess Changle was of the royal bloodline, Fu Lingchuan, skilled in the art of persuasion, quickly gained public support, including nearly a hundred cultivators.

With strength and momentum established, restoring the nation during Wei’s internal chaos was logical. Fu Lingchuan’s ambitions were well-known among the upper echelons of various countries.

But what people admired most was that he truly dared to establish a nation!

This was not an era where any grassroots leader could claim a piece of land or a couple of mountains and call himself king. While forming tribes or city-states like the Peach Blossom Realm was permissible, establishing a nation and wanting to produce and possess elemental power—sorry, that wasn’t so simple.