"Ugh... Royal Father... Why... Why would you do this to your own daughter!? I've always respected and admired you... So why!?"

A beautiful maiden dressed in a beautiful black dress spoke while kneeling on the ground as she shouted with tears in her eyes towards the heavens.

Her beauty was so great as to cause nations and empires to fall.

Truly a beauty.

However...

She was filled with unwillingness.

She was once the daughter of the Celestial King. A proud and mighty figure who looked down on everyone.

Everyone treated her with respect and admiration.

Countless men would come to woo her.

But now?

They showed nothing but ridicule and contempt as they mocked her.

She was exiled due to crimes she never committed.

A crime of killing her own sister.

True, she may be malicious and wicked, but even she would never attempt to kill her own blood.

For that is her sole principle.

"One day... One day, I'll get vengeance! For both my sister and my own sake, vengeance to all!"

Fury filled her voice.

"Though I may be deprived of cultivation, there is still my formations and poisons... I can still make a comeback!"

Determination was evident in her eyes.

Just wait... You wretched fools who stole everything for me, I shall one day reclaim all that is mine.

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And so, the Malicious Empress secluded herself in the mountain.

She began raising powerful magical beasts and other poisons.

She was indeed deprived of her cultivation with a Cursed Seal, but it did not seal all her power.

She was strong enough to live.

So long as she did not offend the mightiest of the powers here.

In order to protect herself, she intentionally scarred her own face.

Filled with tears, she willingly and cruelly used her blade against her fair face.

One day, as she wandered about while gathering herbs, a young man dropped by.

"Hm? Who are you, lady, to wander these mountains alone?"

The young man spoke politely.

The Malicious Empress gazed at him.

If it was the usual her in the past, she would kill him for daring to look at her and talk to her.

But, she spent numerous years here alone without anyone but the company of beasts and plants.

She won't kill him just like that.

"I'm nothing more than a alchemist present here. For your own good, I suggest you leave."

"An alchemist!? Then, please, teach me!"

The Malicious Empress was surprised.

"Why would you want to know my art?"

Alchemy was never looked on too fondly.

Though those who were doctors were praised, those who were alchemists were met with disdain. 

For they focused on poison, not medicine.

"I require to learn alchemy to proceed my cultivation."

He then explained himself to her.

Apparently, he was rogue cultivator who was once a cultivator of a certain sect.

He was thrown aside after a plot against him.

Now, without hope for justice and vengeance, he decides to focus on alchemy and medicine to improve his cultivation as his only virtue was that of hardwork.

The Malicious Empress gazed at him...

This man... perhaps I can use him? Very well... I will use you for my own ends...

"Very well... I will teach you..."

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Years passed by as the young man became older and much more handsome.

He continued to learn alchemy from the Malicious Empress.

The Malicious Empress was surprised.

The young man was quite talented.

He would be quite a figure even in the Celestial Capital.

The two grew quite close...

On a certain day while she was bathing, the young man accidentally caught sight of her fair body and face.

He was quite stunned.

The woman she thought was quite old, was actually young and beautiful to behold with beauty that can conquer nations and empires.

The Malicious Empress was enraged.

"How dare you peep on me!"

"Wait wait wait, Master! I didn't mean to peep on your beautiful face and body!"

"What did you just say!?"

Beautiful? But I cut my face with my blade!

Stunned, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

What was reflected was a fair face.

She had indeed regained her beauty.

While in her happiness, she forgot the man beside her.

The young man was stunned and was admiring her beauty.

"How beautiful..."

"Wait a sec, stop looking!"

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Finally, she remembered him then proceeded to beat him up.

Afterwards, they continued on as usual.

But, the Malicious Empress stopped hiding her face and the young man kept fliriting with her.

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More time passed and the Malicious Empress and the young man fell in love.

One day, when the young man gained some strenght, he wished to leave for some time.

Althought the Malicious Empress did not want to part with him, she allowed him reluctantly.

"Don't worry, Master, I will return."

"Hmph, you still have the nerve to be cheeky with me."

She pouted.

"Just make sure you come back alive."

"No worries."

He then left laughing.

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Time passed, but the young man did not return.

Anxious and worried, the Malicious Empress left to find the young man.

She went from town to town until she found his home.

She then heard from an old maid the story that happened.

"The young man you knew was the son of a great figure. He was plotted against but finally returned after claiming justice. However, his enemies would not let him be. They hunted him down and killed him. But he did not just die like that. From beyond here lies a battleground where he stood his ground. He won but died of his injuries in the end."

She was stricked with grief.

She went to where the young man fell.

She found a letter on his body.

"To my beautiful master whom I loved and hold dearest to the world, I apologize for leaving you. I know that you hold grievances in your heart. The same story of tragedy as that of my life. But even so, please do not take vengeance. Pleave live on for my sake. Vengeance only leads to tragedy. I truly am a fool... To realize it so late... So please... Live your life until the time comes when we reunite."

Tears fell from her face. 

"Malicious Empress... You lived your life as you please, standing above others... holding all beneath you in comtempt... You've never viewed these mortals with any regard... And yet... You've fallen in love with one..."

She laughed as she mocked herself.

"To us, the lives of mortals are simply too short... That they're nothing more than a passing moment... Mortals live such fleeting lives... And yet... I can't help but envy them. They live their lives with such zeal, such joy, such passion... They're lives are nowhere near as glorious as ours... Nor as grand... Yet, even the countless years of my life pale before theirs."

She was then enlightened.

"Life... Death... Perhaps, we cultivators, who live endless lives, pale before the brilliance of these commoners..."

At long last... The maiden broke through her bottleneck stepping onto a realm that her father stands upon himself.

With her power returned to her, the maiden did not show an ounce of joy.

Only understanding and sorrow.

"My beloved... You've shown me the brilliance of your life. You're life... I envied it... Your passion... I admired it... You're love... was what I sought..."

The maiden radiated power within her.

"Fame... Power... Glory... Such mundane false bliss holds no power over me anylonger."

Her demeanor turned noble and majestic.

No longer holding a trace of malice.

The maiden gave her lover a kiss.

With that kiss, the young man's body began to glow.

Within a moment, his body was returned to normal. But no life was found within him.

Carrying her lover's body, she departed to the valley where they both lived.

"Uphold my will."

Ice began to gather within the valley.

They gathered together to rapidly form a beautiful ice coffin with flowers as their design.

Numerous flowers began to blossom around the coffin.

The maiden gently carried her lover's body towards the coffin.

When her lover's body reached the coffin, the coffin of ice began to close.

The maiden gazed at him with love and sorrow.

And then, she carved words upon his coffin.

My love, it was you who taught me others ways of life.

It was you who freed me from the chain of hatred and vengeance,

So please, rest here.

If only I have met you before...

If only I was born here instead...

Then perhaps, we could be together forever.

Wealth... Power... Fame... Glory...

These things mean nothing in my eyes any longer...

All  that I desire is to hear your voice once more...

The maiden gazed at the coffin for a long time before finally departing.

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In the Celestial Palace, the entire world was in an uproar. 

The sister of the Malicious Empress was still alive and well and finally returned.

All things are revealed before the passage of time.

The truth came to light and filled the Emperor with shame and sorrow.

The culprits were apprehended and mercilessly punished.

After the conclusion, the Emperor sent a legion of cultivators to find the Malicious Empress.

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Within a peaceful village, there lived an old woman.

She was kind and understanding and all the people loved her.

Her skill with alchemy was very great that many renowned figures would often visit her.

One day, a mighty heavenly legion descended upon that peaceful village.

"Malicious Empress! We have come to reclaim you!"

Their leader spoke out loud.

Upon hearing that voice, the old woman left her cottage to see them.

The cultivators looked at her with comtempt.

Even if the truth was revealed, what of it?

She was now nothing more than an old woman.

A feeble mortal.

"So it is you... Then leave, I have no wish to see them anymore."

She refused.

"Empress, please listen to reason. The truth was revealed. Please come with us."

Their leader tried to persuade her but she was adamant in refusal.

Left with no choice, he tried to force her to come.

"You leave me with no choice."

"So it's come to this..."

She let out a tired voice.

Immediately, a huge change came within the area.

A terrifying amount of power began to radiate from her aged body.

This stunned the legion and it's leader.

Wasn't her cultivation sealed? How could she wield such power!?

The old woman began to change.

Her tattered old dress began to change into regal and noble robes.

Her wrinkled face began to grow younger.

Her form was the very same form she had when she was sealed.

This left them flabbergasted.

Including the villagers who looking on in fear from afar.

The old woman... Was actually so powerful and so beautiful to behold.

She was like a transcendant fairy.

Beautiful, noble and majestic to behold.

Her power flowed on without limit and she unleashed it directly upon that legion.

They took the form of flowers.

Beautiful to behold but filled them with nothing but terror.

"Argh!!!!"

They howled in pain.

They were all struck down.

She was merciful and did not claim any life.

But the entire legion gazed at her with fear.

They understand that the one they looked on in comtempt, who was sealed and betrayed, had broken the seal with her own power and gained absolute power that rivalled that of even their Emperor.

"How could you have broken the seal... Unless... You broke through and reached the same realm as the Emperor...?"

They stared in shock.

"Impossible you say?"

The maiden looked at them in scorn.

"I've always been a genius. You think such a seal can keep me stuck for so long? I broke through long ago."

This answer stunned the heavenly legion.

"Then why... Why did you not return immediately!?"

"You have no right to question my decision. This is my only warning to you. Depart from here and never appear, otherwise, I will show no mercy."

She spoke calmly.

Their faces changed.

They truly blundered this time.

But their leader was unwillingly to simply give up like this and tried to entreat her.

"My lady... Will you not return with us please...?"

Their leader begged.

His voice was now filled with respect towards someone who stood far stronger than him.

"I refuse. My will cannot be changed."

"Is that so... I see... My lady... Please forgive me for my past actions."

The heavenly legion left. 

There was nothing they could do as their foe was far stronger than they are and they're as helpless as children before her.

With that, the heavenly legion fled to report to the Emperor.

"How troublesome... With this, even father will come here... Regardless, I will not trouble these people further."

She then settled some matters before stepping out into the void to await her father.

----------------------------------------

The entire world of cultivation was stunned.

The Malicious Empress whom was mocked and scorned after her fall, had broken through and became a powerful cultivator on her own.

The defeated heavenly legion had returned in tatters.

They said they only returned alive since she spared their lives.

Immediately, the Celestial Emperor departed towards her.

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In a beautiful field of flowers, there was a young maiden wearing beautiful and noble robles standing in front of a middle aged man.

This man had an air of pride and majesty.

Wearing noble and beautiful clothing fit for an emperor who ruled over all.

"My daughter... Will you not return with me?"

"I refuse to go. I have no attachment towards that place any longer. I simply wish to live here in peace."

The maiden showed an adamant attitude.

The Celestial Emperor was far stronger than her but guild filled his heart.

He was unwilling to harm his daughter, someone whom he wronged so much.

"The truth has at last been revealed... With your talent, you can regain everything you've lost, and even more."

"What of it...? None of that could bring the one I love back."

This surprised him.

Her arrogant daughter fell in love with a mere mortal?

The Celestial Emperor had never doubted the potential of others. 

But for a mere mortal to move her heart stunned him greatly.

"How could you fall in love with a mere mortal? There are other men greater than him there."

"And so? I have only one in my heart. They have no place there. Please leave father. My mind is made up. I won't move."

"I see... Very well. But even so... I'll visit when I have time. If you can... You should visit your mother as well as your sisters... They want to see you again."

With a heavy heart, the Emperor departed.

----------------------------------------

Time passed.

Even with such great cultivation, there is ultimately a lifespan limit. Only upon reaching the peak will you remain eternal.

And so, the young maiden ultimately reached her limit.

Before reaching her end, she departed towards where the young man slumbered.

The ice coffin opened and she gave him a gentle kiss while embracing him.

As the last vestiges of life faded away from her, the ice coffin closed for eternity.

Numerous beings would come and see this valley.

In this valley, where two lovers lie together in eternity.

A gentle and smiling maiden wearing black robes and an elegant and dashing young man.

Let none part their love for eternity.