As soon as they left the Sword Sect’s sphere of influence, Shun and Ying immediately began racing ahead at full speed, recklessly burning through acceleration talismans and secret treasures like they cost nothing at all.
After all, everything was part of their treasury quota; it wasn’t coming out of their own pockets, so they felt no pain using them.
After some time, when they finally felt a bit safer, they slowed down.
The main reason was to conserve resources, just in case someone came after them—they needed to have a trump card or two left.
Now, Ying continued to control the Feisuo as they traveled, while Shun finally found some time to speak with Su Qianqian, who was inside the Zhatian Bag.
“Prime Minister, are you alright?”
“Sigh… Don’t call me that, just use my name. You both know. Also, I feel absolutely terrible right now!” Su Qianqian’s complaining voice came from inside the bag.
“Sorry, but your master is honestly too formidable. If we didn’t use the Zhatian Bag to hide from the heavens, she might show up right in front of us any minute and slap us both to death… or maybe just with a single slap.”
Su Qianqian fell silent for a moment, then shouted again, “You put me in here, fine, but at least untie the rope! I’m just at Foundation Establishment Peak, do you really have to go this far?!”
Shun scratched her head helplessly and looked at Ying, who was piloting the Feisuo. Ying had heard the conversation and nodded.
Then, Shun beckoned, and the Fusian Rope unraveled itself from Su Qianqian and returned to Shun’s hand.
Finally able to move, Su Qianqian stretched and couldn’t help but grumble, “Did you really have to spend so much on me? You brought out both the Zhatian Bag and the Fusian Rope.”
“This is hardly all we brought. You know how much the Emperor values you…”
Su Qianqian knew there was no escaping.
She flopped onto her back in the bag’s inner space, complaining weakly, “Why be so attentive to me? I stole from her Royal Treasury, even made off with one of its most precious treasures… She’s hunting me down—makes perfect sense to me.”
After hearing this, Shun thought back on everything she’d seen and heard since arriving… She could completely understand Luo Wuhen.
“Let me think… Since we weren’t there at the start, a lot of this I only heard about later. It goes something like this…
“The Emperor was the second in line to inherit, but because of her extraordinary cultivation talent, she focused on training from a young age. Her elder brother was raised as the future heir.
“When the previous Emperor ‘accidentally’ died, her brother, who was indeed quite capable, gradually restored order amid the court’s chaos, sweeping away hidden subversive forces. But… another ‘accidental’ death struck! Her brother died without closing his eyes, and Luo Wuhen, as the second heir, was pushed onto the throne.”
“She knew, though her cultivation was high, she’d never learned how to govern, nor was she adept at judging people or managing them. Either she’d become a puppet, or she’d suffer the same fate as her father and brother…”
“You can imagine: two Emperors dying unnatural deaths, the Usurper Faction and schemers at court—those harboring treacherous intentions—must have had a terrifying, unshakeable power base! Even though she saw through it all, Luo Wuhen was helpless when it came to political affairs—she might not know when she’d die next…”
“At that time, the Emperor had only two options: abandon her country and leave this nest of vipers, or remain, knowing that death would come sooner or later.”
“And then came the turning point! A peerless man descended from the heavens! He possessed profound cultivation and willingly became her supporter. Luo Wuhen knew he must have had motives, but she could only grab onto this lifeline. It was a gamble: win, and she’d find a sliver of hope; lose, and death was all she faced anyway…”
Here, Shun paused, looking again at the bag containing Su Qianqian. Su Qianqian rubbed her temples, clearly wanting to speak, but in the end said nothing.
Shun’s expression was complicated, but she organized her words and went on:
“Later, that peerless man served as her personal guard. With his great strength, she finally got a chance to catch her breath—no longer needing to worry about assassination every second.
“With breathing room at last, the Emperor could finally focus on learning the arts of rulership. Maybe even she didn’t realize that her talent for governance was even more astonishing than her cultivation! Gradually, with her ‘bodyguard’ as the cornerstone, she began to plan and reform the court…”
“As her plans unfolded, the bodyguard’s position soared, soon standing only below one and above all others.”
“When the Emperor finally realized it, she found herself overly dependent on this man’s power. Everything revolved around him, and soon, the whole court was filled with his supporters. Among the people, he became an object of veneration…”
“A cultivator with unmatched strength, and also blessed with Faith Power rivaling a monarch—his supporters dominated the court and the realm. She had raised the very threat that could topple her at any moment! But by then, it was too late…”
“According to rumors, the Emperor even privately spoke with this man, saying she’d willingly abdicate as long as the country’s people could live better, that there would be no more chaos and suffering, and that her own family would be treated well…”
At this, Shun suddenly asked the silent Su Qianqian, “Eh? Is that true?”
Su Qianqian remained silent. Both Shun and Ying, who had been listening intently, understood the answer—it was true.
“Ahem, well, continuing on—what happened next… That man didn’t seize power while he had the chance, but instead quietly began finding ways to reduce his own influence, even helping the Emperor to build up her own power—my sister and I were recruited at that time!”
“Since ancient times, there have always been officials who, wary of imperial suspicion, purposely diminished their own authority; loyalists who, once distrusted, had to accept unjust treatment; but among ministers powerful enough to unseat the Emperor, none were ‘Loyalists’…”
“In the end, that man—the Prime Minister of the Ziyuan Kingdom—did everything for his Emperor and blocked the final, long-plotted counterattack!”
“No matter how powerful he was, he suffered many fatal wounds—several while shielding his Emperor…”
“I was there at the time. It was the first time I ever saw our awe-inspiring Emperor cry; the first time I saw anyone cry like that…
“And in the very end, who knows if it’s a good ending…”
“The Emperor opened the Final Treasury for him. That’s the treasury that can only be opened with the direct royal bloodline, after ascending the throne, with absolutely no hesitation or suspicion, and only with Lifeblood—it holds the Foundation of the Nation!”
“In that treasury was a Heavenly Medicine, said to have miraculous properties, to bring the dead back to life and heal all injuries. The Emperor took it out without hesitation and gave it to that man for his wounds, and except for the necessary state affairs, she personally watched over him as he recovered!”
“Years passed in a blink… The Emperor sensed something wrong, nervously opened the Guardian Formation that had cost countless treasures to set up for his healing, only to find the familiar figure missing—there was only a letter, written by his own hand…”
“We don’t know what it said, but after that, the Emperor became extremely sensitive and gloomy. She never spoke of that man again, only saying he was still alive, and even continued to help maintain his influence among the people.”
“Only decades later, when that man reappeared, did everyone realize: all along, what he’d wanted most was the Heavenly Medicine…”
After Shun finished, she breathed out—the story wasn’t short. Looking at Su Qianqian, who was now lying flat in the bag, arm over her face to hide her expression, she asked a question:
“Tell me, do you think the Emperor loves that man to the marrow of her bones…? Or, because of that betrayed love, does she hate him just as deeply? Or maybe… it’s even more complicated?”
Su Qianqian didn’t know what to say, and could only keep sighing over and over.
The air stayed silent for a long time. Finally, Su Qianqian, thoroughly giving up, shouted into the air, “Do you think, if I go and sincerely apologize, she’ll forgive me?”
This time, Shun didn’t speak. Instead, Ying answered Su Qianqian’s question.
“We can’t guess the Emperor’s heart, but whether that hatred can fade or not, her love will always remain. She won’t ever let you leave her side again.”
After thinking for a moment, Ying added, “And you’ll be the only one—it’ll be like a most precious treasure, and even a stranger’s touch will make her furious.”
“So please, when you see the Emperor, choose your words carefully. If she feels her treasure has been dirtied, neither you nor we will fare well.” Ying timely reminded her.
After listening to Ying’s advice, Su Qianqian fell into deep thought, and the rest of the journey grew utterly quiet.
They gradually approached the borders of the Ziyuan Kingdom…
Just then, disaster struck! The Feisuo began to shake violently!
“Big sis, there’s a force trying to lock onto us!”
“We’ve been found? I’ll try to teleport and break the lock—hold the Feisuo steady!”
At that, Shun used all the treasures she’d held in reserve, activating every artifact that could erase traces of their aura. At last, they managed to evade the lock, if only for a moment!
But before they could relax, the Zhatian Bag began trembling rapidly—a force directly locked onto Su Qianqian! If the Zhatian Bag failed to shield her, their position would be completely exposed!
“We’re finished, we’re finished, there’s no escape—little sis, we’re dead!”
Ying didn’t say a word, focusing on keeping the Feisuo steady.
She checked their surroundings—they were well inside the kingdom now, still heading swiftly for the Imperial Capital. There was still time…
Luckily, right before the Zhatian Bag lost its power, a powerful surge of Faith Power rushed in from all directions, severing the lock entirely!
At the same time, Luo Wuhen’s voice sounded in Shun and Ying’s ears: “Bring her directly to court.”
At that very moment, Su Qianqian tensed up all over—she too heard Luo Wuhen’s voice!
The voice was gentle, but within that gentleness lay an urgency and longing that could not be hidden:
“I’ve waited for you for so long, my… Empress!”
……