Thinking back to the recent attack, Luo Wuhen couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of dread.
She had indeed been too arrogant this time.
That corrosive black aura had already invaded her body—if it weren’t for the sudden appearance of that pure white power, the consequences would have been unimaginable…
“Corrosive black aura… Is that the aura of the Abyss? Has it already broken through the boundary? And that mysterious force that appeared out of nowhere…”
Luo Wuhen had also received the summons from the City of Broken Abyss, but she truly couldn’t be away from her own country for long.
Besides, she was waiting for news about Su Qianqian during that period.
If Lin Muxue were to attend that urgent gathering, it would be a tremendous opportunity…
So Luo Wuhen sent her most trusted aide to attend the gathering at the City of Broken Abyss in her stead.
Just a few days ago, her aide had returned and handed over all the records from the meeting.
“Corrosive black aura, a wicked and frenzied presence, matches the description… And that white aura, is it the power of the ‘Shenming’ Lin Muxue once spoke of? What a kindhearted Shenming…”
Luo Wuhen pondered for a long time, then relayed the recent events and the mad ramblings of that person to the relevant parties.
After all, this was no small matter, and not something a single nation like Ziyuan Kingdom could handle alone. Luo Wuhen wasn’t foolish enough to shoulder it all by herself. If necessary, other forces needed to intervene—as long as they didn’t meddle in her national affairs or disrupt the order…
However, Luo Wuhen was completely unaware of the connection between that white Shenming and Su Qianqian.
She would never have imagined that, in the near future, this would become the very reason Lin Muxue targeted her…
Luo Wuhen’s message quickly caused a huge stir, but Lin Muxue, having gone mad in her search for Su Qianqian, had not received this news in the short term…
At this moment, due to the invasion of a small nation, Ziyuan Kingdom had once again annexed another country under a just cause, and matters here still required Luo Wuhen’s involvement.
Had it been before, conquering and annexing another nation would have filled Luo Wuhen with excitement as she set about handling affairs.
But now, all she wanted was to deal with these troublesome matters as quickly as possible and return to continue her tender moments with Su Qianqian.
That was the one thing she truly wished to conquer now!
……
On the other side, Su Qianqian continued cultivating. That fleeting moment of “longing” for Luo Wuhen had left her somewhat shaken—had she really been “subdued” that easily?
She shook her head vigorously, trying to drive away distracting thoughts, but her scattered mind was in no state for cultivation…
Su Qianqian opened her eyes, twisted her aching waist as she stood, and opened the window to look outside…
Within the harem, the buildings were exquisitely carved, every design clever, lush trees and occasional birdsong amid the perfect sunshine—a beautiful season, perfect for an outing…
In the past, in this warm but not hot weather, she might have lazed in a tree or wandered about aimlessly with Su Lingling…?
Looking at the peaceful scene, Su Qianqian’s heart instead began to feel lonely and desolate.
She missed Su Lingling, her parents, and even Lin Muxue…
Before, worried about Luo Wuhen, Su Qianqian had always been in a state of tension, and as she was on the verge of breaking through to the Golden Core Stage, her focus on cultivation had shifted her attention.
She was also still hoping Lin Muxue would come find her soon, so she hadn’t been overly sentimental…
But now… Lin Muxue had been tricked and wouldn’t be coming anytime soon, Luo Wuhen’s claws had already reached out, the deed was done, and Su Qianqian felt strangely calm.
She no longer cared much for cultivation—this “leisurely” moment only made her melancholy grow…
“I wonder how Lingling is now? Is she cultivating well, or did she go astray because of me…? How are my parents? With me gone like this, they surely can’t accept it…”
As she thought, the sorrow in Su Qianqian’s heart grew harder to suppress.
The tranquil scene outside only brought up more memories, and tears fell like pearls onto the windowsill, the drops striking the wood and sending up tiny ripples…
Outside the room, the sisters had been waiting at the door, ready for orders at any time.
Just as they were feeling bored, they saw Su Qianqian move to the window.
They were about to greet her when they saw her sorrowful expression, crystal-clear tears glistening in her eyes.
Both Shun and Ying froze, not knowing what to do.
When Su Qianqian’s tears began to fall uncontrollably and they saw her so fragile, the sisters rushed to the window, clumsily trying to comfort her but not knowing how to speak…
“Hea—Heavenly Emperor, please don’t cry, what’s wrong, what happened? Should we call the Emperor back?!”
Shun comforted her in a fluster, both sisters pulling out handkerchiefs to wipe Su Qianqian’s tears, only to have their hands slapped away!
Su Qianqian was extremely sensitive at the moment. Just thinking that these two had brought her here made her angry—though she knew it wasn’t really their fault, she still didn’t want them near her!
Glaring at the aggrieved sisters, Su Qianqian forcefully shut the window, leaving Shun and Ying looking at each other in dismay…
They glanced down at their hands, which had just been slapped away when they tried to help. Their expressions grew dejected.
They didn’t know why Su Qianqian was suddenly crying, or why she was suddenly so angry with them, but… it hurt.
The memory of her crying made them feel even worse… Were they hated now…?
“Sis, did we do something wrong? Why did she suddenly start crying…” Shun said softly, head bowed, wondering if she had been disrespectful before…
Ying thought a bit more. She could only pat her sister on the shoulder and sigh with complicated emotion:
“From the moment we brought her back, we already did the worst thing to her…”
To someone who had saved their lives, shown them kindness and recognition, doing this was truly despicable… Perhaps a command from the Emperor was just an excuse to shift the blame…
……
Inside the room, Su Qianqian wept quietly, her tears soaking the pillow.
After a long time, her turbulent emotions finally settled with her crying, and her breathing grew steady as she chose sleep to escape reality…
Late into the night, the sisters still waited by the door.
Su Qianqian’s tear-stained face lingered in their minds—heartache, regret, sorrow, all churning within them, until Luo Wuhen’s transmission suddenly reached their ears…
With downcast expressions, the sisters came before Luo Wuhen, knelt on one knee, and waited quietly for their Emperor’s command.
Luo Wuhen had meant to say something, but upon seeing Shun and Ying’s expressions, she asked:
“Why are you both looking so glum? Did my Empress ask for something difficult, or did something happen to you?”
“We… we saw the Heavenly Emperor cry today, she really cried her heart out…”
Hearing it was about Su Qianqian, Luo Wuhen grew alert—was it because she’d gone too far? Or was it something else?
The sisters relayed everything Su Qianqian had told them for Luo Wuhen, describing again the pitiful sight of her weeping before lowering their heads.
Luo Wuhen fell silent, holding her forehead. The sisters glanced at her, hesitating to speak…
“Is there anything else you wish to say?” Luo Wuhen looked up at Shun and Ying, who exchanged a glance, then Shun took a deep breath, steeled herself, and met Luo Wuhen’s gaze, saying firmly:
“I hope the Emperor can treat the Prime Minister and the Heavenly Emperor better! I hope you will care more for her feelings and choices, I—I don’t want to see her cry like that again!”
Ying also looked up, staring resolutely at Luo Wuhen… “She’s our benefactor—she pulled us out of the mud… We’ve wronged her… At the very least, I hope we can speak up for her now!”
Faced with these two disrespectful subordinates, Luo Wuhen could no longer meet their eyes. She closed her own…
“I… will.”
“You two, go rest now…”
Shun and Ying withdrew, leaving Luo Wuhen still rubbing her forehead in silence…
“Perhaps… I was too impatient…”
Recalling Shun and Ying’s words—especially when they compared her to Lin Muxue—Luo Wuhen’s heart pounded.
Was she angry that her place in Su Qianqian’s heart could not compare to Lin Muxue, or… was she starting to doubt her own actions?
Silently, Luo Wuhen came to Su Qianqian’s bedside.
Seeing the tear stains on the pillow, the glitter of tears at the corners of her eyes, and her occasional sobs, her face half-hidden in darkness, Luo Wuhen didn’t know what she was thinking…
A gentle breeze drifted by. Luo Wuhen appeared on the rooftop, holding the token she had once given to Ling, and a simple folding fan adorned with a purple flower pattern…
Gazing up at the full moon, what was she thinking…? Was she still plotting as before… or on the verge of turning back, caught in reflection…
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.