Starting With 1 Trillion Spirit Stones, I Power Up by Raising Empresses - Chapter 1:

Chapter 1: The Deathtrap Mission

At the summit of the sheer cliff, mist swirled thickly.

On Dragonspine Peak of the Ultimate Dao Sect, Peak Master Wu Qingfeng stood watching the distant mountains and the sea of clouds. With a calm expression, he idly flicked a few floating leaves in the wind.

“Disciple, you are the most handsome in our sect and happen to resemble the third prince of the Liang Empire. That makes you the only one suitable for this task.”

“Master, I know I’m very handsome, but I only joined the sect less than a month ago, and you want me to go down the mountain to take on such a huge responsibility?”

“Precisely because no one knows your background, it’s safer to send you.”

“But I haven’t even officially started cultivating yet. How many days can I survive in the Yan Empire?”

“From this moment on, your identity is the third prince of the Liang Empire. As long as no one sees through you, ordinary people won’t dare kill you.”

With that, Peak Master Wu Qingfeng flicked his sleeve and rose into the clouds as he said, “Just consider this mission your initiation trial from the sect. You have half a day to prepare. Tomorrow morning, you’ll depart with the Yan Empire’s wedding envoy to marry their fifth princess. From now on, you are the third prince of the Liang Empire and the Prince Consort of the Yan Empire’s princess. You will enjoy endless luxury, glory, and cultivation resources. The longer you keep the secret, the better!”

…

The next day.

Xiao Jing sat inside the golden flying carriage of the Yan Empire’s wedding envoy, feeling dejected.

Over twenty days ago, he had unexpectedly transmigrated to the Mystic Heaven Continent.

This was a fantasy world where the strong shattered mountains and rivers to compete for dominance, while the weak were as insignificant as wild grass.

On this continent, nine empires stood side by side in power, with countless sects scattered across the land.

But Xiao Jing had nothing except his good looks.

After two days of starvation, he stumbled upon a recruitment event where various sects were publicly recruiting outer disciples and errand runners. He just wanted a place to survive and get some food.

Unexpectedly, an elder of the Ultimate Dao Sect noticed him at a glance.

Without any trials, he was brought back to the sect and accepted by Peak Master Wu Qingfeng of Dragonspine Peak as a personal disciple for no apparent reason.

He was assigned to the back mountain and treated like royalty every day, enjoying luxurious meals and clothing.

They taught him foundational knowledge, basic cultivation theory, and etiquette.

After more than twenty days of this peaceful life in the back mountain, yesterday, Wu Qingfeng brought him to a secluded spot on the mountaintop and assigned him a so-called “secret mission from the sect.”

He was to impersonate the third prince of the Liang Empire, go to the Yan Empire as a political hostage, and marry the fifth princess.

That fifth princess had supposedly been crippled years ago by her older brother, the Crown Prince, who forcibly took her bloodline. No one knew if she had become some kind of monster by now.

Was this not clearly a stand-in cannon fodder role?

These sly old men of the Ultimate Dao Sect were protecting the real third prince and tricking a powerless commoner like him into taking the fall.

A hostage and a son-in-law? And of a crippled princess at that?

What kind of husband lets someone else marry his own wife in his place?

The real third prince would rather be cuckolded than take care of his own marriage?

…

[Ding!]

[Suitable host detected, binding system…]

Suddenly, a pleasant notification echoed in his mind.

Xiao Jing’s spirit immediately lifted.

So the heavens hadn’t abandoned the transmigrator after all!

The system had finally arrived!

…

[System loading complete.]

[Congratulations, host, you’ve obtained the Female Emperor Cultivation System.]

[Xiao Jing]

[Physique: Mortal Body]

[Realm: None]

[Startup Funds: 1,000,000,000,000,000 spirit stones]

[Bound Target: None]

[Item: Newbie Gift Pack]

Female Emperor Cultivation System? What did that mean?

Could it be related to the perilous life he was about to face?

And this astronomical amount of funding—was it really at his full disposal?

His attention immediately locked onto the “Startup Funds” section.

A long string of zeroes.

He counted twice, then took a sharp breath—1 quadrillion spirit stones!

The system had given him that much right off the bat?

The entire continent’s supply of spirit stones probably didn’t even reach that amount!

And all of it was to be spent on… raising a future female emperor?

How exactly was he supposed to raise one?

While he was still puzzled, the system prompted:

“The host may bind to a suitable female cultivator and use the system’s funds to nurture her to at least the Immortal Emperor Realm.”

“For every spirit stone spent on the target, the host will gain 1 cultivation point.”

“For every major realm the target ascends, the host will receive corresponding rewards.”

“If the target reaches the Immortal Emperor Realm, the host will receive an ultimate achievement reward.”

[Important Reminder: Rules for using spirit stone funds.]

“The host can directly gift spirit stones to the cultivation target to help her absorb spiritual energy and improve her cultivation.”

“The host can also spend spirit stones to purchase cultivation techniques, pills, weapons, artifacts, food, etc., for the target to enhance her overall power.”

Xiao Jing now understood.

First, he needed to find a suitable target, then spend spirit stones on her to push her to cultivate and level up.

As she consumed more and progressed faster, he would gain cultivation and rewards more rapidly.

If he could spend all 1 quadrillion spirit stones, he’d get 1 quadrillion cultivation points! Who knew how far that could take him?

Hope filled his heart, and he was instantly energized.

His eyes then turned to the golden, glowing Newbie Gift Pack in the system’s inventory.

“System, open the Newbie Gift Pack.”

[Congratulations, host, you’ve obtained: ‘Innate Body Refining Technique’ (God-grade Upper), ‘Hearts Aligned as One’ (Innate System Skill), ‘Breath Concealment Technique’ (Innate System Skill).]

“Innate Body Refining Technique”: A basic body refining cultivation technique, God-grade Upper, tapping into innate origins.

“Hearts Aligned as One”: Innate system skill. The host can directly transmit cultivation techniques and martial skills to the cultivation target, regardless of her comprehension ability, enabling rapid understanding of key concepts.

This skill includes a perk: any technique purchased for the target can also be shared with the host for teaching purposes. However, the technique must be compatible with the target’s cultivation path, or it will be deemed a violation and funds cannot be used.

“Breath Concealment Technique”: An innate system skill that allows the host to conceal their true realm and power level at will.

Xiao Jing stared at the rewards in the Newbie Gift Pack.

The “Innate Body Refining Technique” might have had an ordinary name, but it was God-grade Upper level!

In this world, techniques were ranked Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven—and above those were Immortal and God grades.

And the system had just handed him a top-tier God-grade foundation technique right off the bat.

It already far surpassed anything found in the Mystic Heaven Continent.

Until now, Xiao Jing hadn’t learned any cultivation techniques.

In over twenty days in the Ultimate Dao Sect, he’d only studied basic body refining theory and general cultivation knowledge. He had just reached the point where he could distinguish concepts in theory.

He hadn’t even truly begun cultivating.

So naturally, he was very excited.

“System, can I cultivate the ‘Innate Body Refining Technique’ now?”

[Newbie benefit: one-time exemption from cultivation point cost to learn a technique.]

[All future techniques will require spending cultivation points to learn.]

In the next instant, a stream of clear energy surged into his mind. His head became bright and clear, and he instantly grasped the entire God-grade body refining technique!

At the same time, he gained a complete understanding of the Mystic Heaven Continent’s cultivation path.

On this continent, cultivation begins with body refinement—strengthening muscles and bones. After Foundation Establishment, one reaches the Steel Body Realm, then uses the body as a vessel to comprehend the Profound Path, attaining Clarity of Mind, then merging body and spirit into Harmony, reaching the Realm of Freedom in both body and mind. Eventually, one perceives the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao and attempts Tribulation Ascension.

The nine major cultivation realms were: Body Refining, Foundation Establishment, Steel Body, Profound Understanding, Clarity of Mind, Spirit Harmony, Freedom, Cave Heaven, Tribulation Ascension.

[Congratulations, host, you have learned the foundational body refining technique. Once you gain cultivation points, you can begin leveling up.]

Now all that remained was to arrive at the Yan Empire, find a suitable cultivation target, start spending spirit stones, gain cultivation, and level up!

Xiao Jing had originally been very reluctant to go to the Yan Empire.

But now… he was actually looking forward to it.

Before long, the golden flying carriage arrived in the Yan Empire and headed straight for the imperial palace.

Xiao Jing was led by an etiquette officer and, in a daze, completed the entire wedding ceremony with the princess, then was sent into the bridal chamber of the Fifth Princess’s residence.