On the other side.
Because Li Huaixian and Bu Ruoshui had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, he was naturally a frequent visitor at Qingfeng Pavilion.
From the elders down to the servant girls, everyone treated this handsome young man with warmth.
Of course, knowing he was the young miss’s beloved, they were also very restrained.
At least, they tried to be restrained.
And today.
In order to resolve his unique constitution—and also to finally clarify their relationship—Li Huaixian came straight over to confess to that cute and obedient little sweetheart.
Everything went smoothly.
His childhood sweetheart happily agreed.
But… something felt off.
Didn’t she used to call him “Brother Huaixian”?
It was definitely the same voice, but the tone and way of speaking… didn’t feel like the same person at all!
Still.
No matter how hard Li Huaixian racked his brain, he couldn’t possibly imagine that a certain perceptive and considerate master was currently helping her disciple cover for something.
That disciple had been sent out on a trial just last night.
This morning, the master originally just wanted to tidy up the room, but upon awakening old memories, everything suddenly became… like this.
But all of the above—none of it was a big problem!
As long as she could keep up the act until her disciple returned, everything would work itself out.
However.
No matter how cunning or precise Bu Tiange—once the unmatched Empress across the ages—was, she couldn’t possibly predict that Li Huaixian had come for another reason today.
***
At the same time…
[Congratulations, host, on a successful confession. You are no longer part of the single-dog population.]
[Target aptitude being analyzed… Female Emperor reborn, unmatched and extraordinary!!]
[“??”]
As Li Huaixian stood frozen in shock, the system continued speaking on its own.
[You have discovered the highest-quality young woman of this generation. The system hereby retracts all prior disdain toward you.]
[Because you completed the confession mission, you are awarded an SSS-grade resolution—]
[Perfect solution for host’s condition: Nirvana Ninefold Transformation · Heavenly Charm Dao Physique!]
Just as that system reward finished announcing, another one immediately followed: [Due to your fearless audacity in confessing to the one and only Empress who once reigned over the ages, you’ve earned an extra bonus: Proof of True Manhood · Coiling Dragon Tyrant Blood!]
And even that wasn’t the end.
The system’s voice echoed again: [Because you not only dared to confess, but also survived an encounter with a legendary figure known for erasing entire eras—and even earned her approval—]
[You’ve received a one-time life-saving trump card: Forbidden Sword Technique · Heaven and Earth Sever the Immortal Trace!]
[Confession successful. System primary functions now unlocked. Please continue your efforts, host.]
***
A cascade of system notifications left Li Huaixian completely dumbfounded.
‘What the hell?’
‘My harmless, easy-to-abduct childhood sweetheart… is actually the legendary Empress who stood alone at the peak of history!?’
‘No, no, no!’
‘I was just looking for a way to fix my condition! Why does it feel like the situation just got way more complicated??’
In an instant.
Li Huaixian was left in a total fog, unable to sort out his thoughts for a long while.
A childhood friend he’d known for so many years suddenly turned out to be the reincarnation of a female emperor? That was way too much to process!
But…
Upon closer thought, linking together her unusual behavior earlier, all those strange details suddenly began to make sense.
‘Could it be… Ruoshui only awakened recently, and that’s why—?’
And just like that, Li Huaixian touched upon the core of the problem.
***
Inside the room.
Bu Tiange observed the still-silent Li Huaixian, her ancient, wave-like phoenix eyes revealing a rare flicker of emotion.
For someone like her, who had once ruled the world, this was nearly unheard of.
But!
“The Chaotic Enchantress Constitution… How could this boy possibly possess such a body?”
“A constitution that was only a myth even in the ancient times… Could it really be real?”
Bu Tiange murmured softly, clearly shocked as well.
Of course.
This wasn’t the main reason.
What truly troubled her… was that their physiques were practically perfect complements to each other.
To be precise, Li Huaixian’s constitution was crucial for her!
Not only could it drastically shorten her cultivation time, it could also bring her Emotion-Linked Body to its absolute peak—without any side effects.
Compared to the complicated process of refining and transforming her own body, this was so much more convenient.
But…
“This is my disciple’s beloved! What kind of nonsense am I thinking!?”
“I am the Supreme Empress of the Primordial Era, reborn into this world. How could I let a mere teenager disturb my Dao heart?”
Bu Tiange hurriedly calmed her thoughts, blaming it on the instability of her recently reawakened Dao heart.
***
Outside the room, Li Huaixian spoke again.
“Weakshui, why are you keeping the door closed all this time?”
“Can I come in?”
Bu Tiange snapped coldly, “No!”
Right after, she quickly lowered her voice and corrected herself.
“I—I’ve been cultivating a secret technique recently. It’s… not suitable for contact with the opposite sex.”
Hearing this, Li Huaixian was even more convinced.
Sure enough, his childhood friend must have just awakened not long ago.
Otherwise, what else could explain all this strange behavior?
Without pushing further, he simply responded with warmth in his voice, “Then take care of yourself. Don’t rush anything.”
“I’ll come back to see you in a few days.”
“…Mm.”
Watching Li Huaixian turn and walk away, Bu Tiange let out a long sigh of relief.
Thankfully, the boy was easy to fool.
Looks like she really needed to fully merge her memories in the next couple of days.
She couldn’t afford another episode of wavering Dao heart like this again.
But could she truly remain unaffected?
If she had Li Huaixian’s help, she estimated that her cultivation time could be shortened by at least a hundred years.
A hundred years sooner to exact her revenge!
And the benefits of their complementary yin-yang physiques would be immeasurable.
It was just a matter of borrowing his body to cultivate.
It didn’t necessarily have to involve… feelings.
Suddenly, Bu Tiange’s delicate brows furrowed.
Her figure vanished from the room in a flash.
***
The evening glow faded, and night began to fall.
The path from Qingfeng Pavilion to Qianji Manor wasn’t far, but it still crossed several streets.
On this night, however, the dim alleys were different from usual.
Under the faint moonlight, Li Huaixian walked at a calm and steady pace, as if he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
Unseen in the shadows, dark figures lurked at every corner.
Just waiting… for the perfect moment to strike.
“Kill!”
Suddenly, with a low shout, a black figure leaped out from a nearby alleyway.
A blade gleamed in the dark—aimed straight for the kill.
Unfortunately…
“Is this what you call an assassination?”
Li Huaixian caught the blade with one hand, his expression calm as he looked down at the assassin in front of him.
As if everything was completely under his control.
Seconds later—
“Don’t hold back! All of you, attack!”
With the leader’s command, more black-clad killers emerged from every corner, unleashing deadly techniques.
But all of it… was useless.
“Boom!”
With an explosive sound, the assassin leader was blasted backward in defeat, his eyes full of disbelief.
“You’re in the Spirit Transformation Realm!?”
“You took on this job without even verifying your target’s cultivation?”
“Heh.”
Li Huaixian gave a mocking smile.
“Let me show you what a real assassin looks like.”
Just then—
From thin air, several silent and shadowy figures appeared.