The next day, Feng Miaojun went to Yanhai Tower again to search for references about the “Star Sky Awl.”

She wanted to learn as much as possible about her magical tool to better utilize it.

It proved to be a little-known artifact, as only two volumes mentioned it. When she borrowed the first volume, the demon spirit unusually paused for a moment before directing her to the bookshelf in the farthest corner.

In her three years, she had never visited this corner. There stood only a row of bookcases containing just over a hundred jade tablets, pitifully few compared to Yanhai Tower’s other vast collections.

The jade tablets here appeared older in color. Following the demon’s instructions, Feng Miaojun found the one she wanted. As soon as her spiritual sense swept across it, she was stunned.

The text recorded within was not in the common language of the various kingdoms. Its form was ancient and complex, yet possessed an untamed spirit.

Feng Miaojun had never imagined such a language existed, with characters so visually aggressive.

The most extraordinary thing was:

She could understand it.

She comprehended the meaning of every character in the jade tablet.

Seeing her stare blankly at the jade tablet for so long, the demon spirit spoke: “You can understand it?”

Feng Miaojun came to her senses and shook her head: “I cannot understand it. This script is quite peculiar—each character seems capable of devouring people.” The demon regularly reported to the King of Jin, and she didn’t want to reveal this secret.

The inflated voice continued in its characteristically straightforward manner: “This is the Celestial Demon language. Not just you, most low-level cultivators wouldn’t understand it either.”

Feng Miaojun exclaimed in surprise: “What! This jade tablet was written by a Celestial Demon?”

“Yes.” The demon spirit vaguely gestured around. “Only these prehistoric treatises remain. The unofficial history in your hand was indeed written by a Celestial Demon.”

Unofficial history? She carefully recalled the content she had just read. Indeed, it contained various unverifiable embellishments, exaggerations, and unreliable claims—”unofficial history” was an apt description.

It seemed that regardless of race, all enjoyed gossip and rumors.

After some thought, she said to the demon: “I’d like to learn the Celestial Demon language. Are there any beginner-level texts?” There must be many ancient books written in the Celestial Demon language here. If she wanted to borrow them for study, she needed to let the demon know she would gradually “learn” the language.

“There are.” The demon recommended several books, then added, “Many mystical techniques and cultivation methods of humans and demon tribes evolved from Celestial Demon arts. All great masters of the current world understand the Celestial Demon language, which allows them to cast original incantations.”

This was a great language—even though its creators had long vanished from history, it continued to endure in this world.

While flipping through the book, Feng Miaojun casually asked: “Mystical techniques? Such as?”

“Various curses, for example,” Pengzhang answered matter-of-factly. “Celestial Demons excelled at curses, with a myriad of cursing techniques.”

Feng Miaojun’s hand suddenly stopped.

Curses!

Indeed, for the past three years, she had continuously searched for various cursing techniques that had appeared over the past few centuries, but had never found clues to remove her own curse and had grown somewhat tired. Now, she seemed to see a glimmer of hope again.

According to the unofficial history hidden in the jade tablet, the Star Sky Awl had an unusual origin. Other magical tools were forged from celestial treasures or sometimes incorporated certain parts from the bodies of ancient great demons. The Star Sky Awl, however, was discovered in ruins where everything had been reduced to powder, making the original appearance indiscernible. Only this pair of Star Sky Awls lay on the ground with their tips perfectly intact.

Of course, “Star Sky Awl” was a name given later. The initial discoverer believed, based on the fracture at the back of the awl, that it must have been a component of some magical tool that had broken off during the cataclysm in the ruins.

Later, it was reforged into a completely new magical tool. However, since its first three owners weren’t particularly famous, the Star Sky Awl remained obscure.

Naturally, this was just a record from unofficial history and might not withstand scrutiny. Feng Miaojun consulted another book, which was similar but even less detailed.

She thought silently that her newly acquired magical tool still held some small secrets.

The next day, Feng Miaojun personally accompanied Princess Hanyue to her estate in the suburbs for two days of relaxation. After letting her pick many sweet fruits to take back to the palace, she drove back to her residence.

Half a month later.

Early autumn had just arrived, but summer’s heat hadn’t yet receded. Although Feng Miaojun had cultivated the ability to resist cold and heat, she still had hot water prepared with a few drops of coconut oil, then comfortably soaked for half an hour to relieve fatigue.

Over the past half month, she had searched through this body’s original memories and finally found a few scenes deep in her mind: the State Preceptor of An Xia writing characters on paper while she stood beside watching. Those characters were in the Celestial Demon language.

This meant that the Celestial Demon language she knew had been taught by the State Preceptor of An Xia. Undoubtedly, this was at the King of An Xia’s behest. She was too young then, not yet having undergone the aptitude test. Perhaps her parents hoped she would first master this essential subject for cultivators, making it easier to deploy mystical techniques in the future.

Hmm, she felt something wasn’t quite right. But the scenes were fragmented and scattered, with no continuity to other memories. No matter how deeply she pondered, she couldn’t make sense of it. At that moment, a gentle breeze blew in from the garden through the window, carrying the fragrance of gardenia that made her drowsy.

After Feng Miaojun changed her clothes, it was already afternoon. Just as she was thinking of taking a sweet nap, a servant reported: that a guest had arrived.

Speaking of which, her residence rarely received visitors. For all business-related meetings, Feng Miaojun tried to arrange them in restaurants. Others understood: as a young girl who had just come of age living alone in Jin’s capital, her residence wasn’t convenient for receiving guests.

Since her features had matured, matchmakers visited most frequently. She couldn’t marry into power, but there was no shortage of hidden dragons and crouching tigers in the civilian world—wealthy magnates and cultivator families came with marriage proposals, all of which she politely declined.

Trying to live independently in Jin’s capital was truly not easy.

After looking at the visiting card, she said only one word: “Invite.”

The visitor was Miao Fengxian.

Feng Miaojun invited him into the water pavilion in the garden. Here, birds sang among fragrant flowers with the gentle sound of flowing water. The pavilion had pillars but no walls, open on all four sides to the breeze, allowing anyone to see those inside at a glance.

Miao Fengxian’s complexion had regained its ruddy hue. Today he wore white robes with a lake-blue gold-patterned armor over them, fully displaying his manly brilliance. As disheveled as he had been on the day of the assassiKingdom attempt, he was now equally resplendent. Feng Miaojun looked at him and said: “Your Highness’s wounds seem to have healed well.” The Second Prince had an exceptional constitution and vigorous vital energy. Such fatal wounds would require at least two months of careful nursing for others, yet he was already moving about freely in less than twenty days.

Miao Fengxian smiled bitterly: “Meeting you has proven quite difficult.” After regaining consciousness, he immediately thought of Feng Miaojun and questioned several palace servants, but none knew anything. Later, when the King of Jin personally visited, he finally revealed that the young lady in the carriage that night was the State Preceptor’s third disciple.