Yu Xiyan was so shocked she couldn't speak. Her jade-like hands gripped the hem of her skirt under the table, trying hard to appear calm and hide the unease and fear in her heart.
"Why would she try to steal Shen Zhao? What's her purpose?"
Luo Pianhong watched Yu Xiyan quietly, striking a lazy pose. A hint of barely perceptible satisfaction flashed in her eyes.
In her past life, her understanding of Shen Zhao came from the Battle of the Nine Nether Springs, a battle that would be recorded in the annals of the Immortal Martial Continent.
The Nether Realm, as the strongest enemy of the righteous path on the Immortal Martial Continent, naturally possessed advantages that other races could not.
The Nine Nether was filled with powerful individuals, like stars in the sky. There were thousands of Supreme, Manifest Saint, and Quasi-Emperor realm experts alone. Several major powers each had an Emperor realm master in charge, assisted by two or more Quasi-Emperors. The Realm Lord, Li Tianyu, was at the Great Perfection stage of the Emperor realm, and he was peerless in the entire continent.
However, even such an almost unshakable realm was nearly destroyed in the Battle of the Nine Nether Springs against the human race. The various races within the realm were scattered, and experts fell like rain. Even the Asura King of the Asura Empire, an eighth-rank Emperor, met a gruesome end. The situation was so dire that the Nether Realm had to beg the Yin Tian Dynasty for peace to barely survive.
And the one who brought about this incredible, glorious victory was that man, Shen Zhao, who was only thirty-five years old.
From that moment on, Luo Pianhong began to pay attention to all news about Shen Zhao.
When Luo Pianhong learned that Shen Zhao's situation in the Yin Tian Dynasty wasn't good, she had someone secretly contact him, offering countless tempting conditions to recruit him to the Tianque Holy Dynasty.
However, no matter how absurd the conditions, Shen Zhao refused without hesitation. This forced Luo Pianhong to lower her status and personally seek out Shen Zhao, directly telling him:
"Shen Zhao, as long as you are willing to serve the Tianque Holy Dynasty, I will agree to any condition.
I am willing to revise the national policy for you. You will not be second to anyone, but equal to me, and together we will govern the Immortal Martial Continent in the future."
She was certain that with Shen Zhao's addition, the Tianque Holy Dynasty would likely become the first unified empire on this continent in hundreds of thousands of years.
Unfortunately, the reply she received was cold: "I'm sorry, I will not leave the Yin Tian Dynasty. There are people here I must protect."
"Is it Yu Xiyan? Shen Zhao, stop lying to yourself, alright? Everyone in the world knows that Yu Xiyan doesn't like you at all.
Everyone sees how much you've given her, but how does she treat you? Have you ever thought about it? Continuing like this will still lead to nothing."
"No matter what you think, I can't leave her."
"Is it worth it, for a woman who doesn't love you?"
"I think... it's worth it, haha..."
"Shen Zhao, what do you think of Me? How do I compare to Yu Xiyan? Whether it's appearance, status, background, or power, I think I'm not inferior to her, right? As long as you agree, you can have Me immediately."
"Forget it. You and her are different. I won't go with you."
"You can't warm her heart. Come with me. I'll give you everything you want, even myself, body and soul. Why waste your feelings on her?"
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I'm just a lowly person, not worthy of such a great blessing. I'm truly sorry."
No matter how Luo Pianhong tried to persuade him, Shen Zhao still refused to leave Yu Xiyan.
At that moment, Luo Pianhong felt a sense of frustration she had never experienced before.
The more she understood Shen Zhao, the more she found this man to be exceptionally charming, not just a spineless simp as he seemed on the surface.
Gradually, Luo Pianhong didn't even realize that she had fallen for him.
Like Jiang Qingluan, she began to envy Yu Xiyan. How could she, with such a good man, obtain him and not cherish him?
She simply didn't deserve Shen Zhao's favor.
Have you ever seen a simp lick his way to turning a mid-tier nation into a top-tier power?
Have you ever seen a simp help their beloved reach the Emperor realm in a few short decades?
This life, she absolutely had to take Shen Zhao away, far from that vicious and spiteful woman.
As long as Shen Zhao left Yu Xiyan, his accomplishments would definitely be more than this, and he would surely shine even brighter than in his previous life.
But…
"I'm sorry to disappoint the Empress, but I won't let you take Shen Zhao away."
Luo Pianhong's pupils shrank upon hearing this, and a powerful Emperor's might was released, nearly suffocating Yu Xiyan.
"Say that again!"
"I'm sorry, but you won't be taking Shen Zhao away. I absolutely will not let you take him away. He is my husband!"
"Even if it means the entire Yin Tian Dynasty will be buried with him?"
"I know the Empress's strength is heaven-defying, but the Yin Tian Dynasty will never sit idly by."
"Very well!"
Luo Pianhong retracted her imperial aura, her expression returning to calm.
The pressure on Yu Xiyan lessened, and her breathing immediately became much smoother.
"Yu Xiyan, you should be the same as me, right?"
"What does the Empress mean by that?"
"Some things lose their meaning when they're laid bare. If it were before, I thought you would have traded Shen Zhao without hesitation for these treasures before you.
But today, your performance surprised me. You're so protective of Shen Zhao, which means only one thing: you've experienced the same thing as me."
Yu Xiyan was incredibly intelligent and immediately understood that Luo Pianhong was referring to rebirth, just as she had suspected. Everything had come to pass.
"To be honest, I really envy you. You have a husband who loves and cares for you so much, and who is so outstanding that he's beyond reproach. It's just a pity…"
"It's just a pity that I didn't cherish him before and hurt him so much."
Yu Xiyan added, dejected.
"I know I owe him so much. I will spend my life making up for the injustices and grievances he suffered. Please, Your Majesty, don't force us apart, okay?"
Seeing Yu Xiyan's dejected and helpless expression, Luo Pianhong couldn't bring herself to act rashly.
"Where is Shen Zhao? He should have his own choices."
"I'm sorry, my husband is not in the palace right now. Please forgive me, Empress."
"Not in the palace?"
Luo Pianhong saw something amiss in Yu Xiyan's evasive eyes, and after a moment of thought, seemed to realize something.
"Alright, we can put Shen Zhao's matter aside for now, but there's another matter. I want you to cooperate."
"Please, Empress, command me."
"Find someone for me. You should know this person."
"Who is it?"
"Lin Feng!"
A strong aura of hostility emanated from Luo Pianhong as she called out the name.
Yu Xiyan's eyes also turned cold upon hearing the name.
"What does Your Majesty want with him?"
"The same as you. I want to torture him to death! I heard you once killed Shen Zhao for him. Now, after going through it once, you wouldn't still…?"
"Don't say it! Even without Your Majesty's orders, I will find him!"
"Very good! It seems we've reached a rare consensus. But Lin Feng's whereabouts have always been a mystery. After returning, I didn't hesitate to expend a huge amount of spiritual power to sweep the Immortal Martial Continent with my divine sense, searching for any possible corners where he might appear, but still to no avail. It seems this matter will require some effort."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Lin Feng and I are irreconcilable enemies!"
"Heh, but are you sure you won't lose yourself again if you meet Lin Feng?"
"How could that be? I'm irreconcilably opposed to that scoundrel!"
"Don't speak so definitively. Not to mention you, even if I were to meet Lin Feng again, I wouldn't dare guarantee I wouldn't lose myself."
"What does the Empress mean?"
"Think carefully. Didn't you feel somewhat carried away the moment you saw Lin Feng? With your cultivation and state of mind back then, you weren't even moved by Shen Zhao, so why were you so easily bewitched by Lin Feng's few words, and even listened to him and followed his orders? From what I know of you, although you're a rather unpleasant person,
But she shouldn't be the type to easily fall for a pretty boy. Besides, compared to Lin Feng's appearance, Shen Zhao was in no way inferior, and possessed the unique charm and confidence of a mature, steady man, making people feel very comfortable and safe. So, you must try to remember."
"I don't want to recall anything about him anymore; it only makes me feel disgusted."
"No, you must remember. If you don't figure it out, your past tragedy is destined to repeat itself."
Yu Xiyan frowned, her eyes carrying a trace of confusion.
Yes, why had everything changed since she met Lin Feng? Even though her cultivation was at the late stage of the Supreme realm, and she had long honed her heart to be very resilient, why did she feel a sense of fluttering heart the moment she saw him?
Luo Pianhong saw this and continued, "What is it? Have you found something amiss?"
Yu Xiyan nodded blankly, "It seems something is wrong, but I can't put my finger on it."
Luo Pianhong: "I've pondered this question for a long time. It wasn't until I attended the sacred ceremony in the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty that I found a clue in an ancient, incomplete record.
It is said that after the Battle of the Nine Nether Springs in the Primordial Chaos era, ten innate saint physiques were left in the void space. However, there was another special physique, known as the Pure Yang Physique.
This physique has a unique characteristic. Firstly, the person must be male. Secondly, it evokes a sense of inexplicable familiarity.
Those of the same sex who encounter someone with this physique will feel an inexplicable fondness, and those with weak wills are extremely susceptible to being swayed.
As for the opposite sex, it provokes the most primal instincts, especially the desire to procreate. This desire intensifies the longer they are in contact with this physique.
This saint physique can also be considered an excellent cauldron, but during intercourse, it can also enhance the cultivator's own cultivation.
You should have experienced the wonders this physique brings with Lin Feng. Would you like to elaborate on what it was like? I'm quite curious about the interesting things you two do in bed."
Luo Pianhong asked the last sentence with a tone of cold mockery.
However, Yu Xiyan, upon hearing this, remained expressionless. "So, even if we find Lin Feng, we still can't do anything to him?"
"Not necessarily!" Luo Pianhong said. "The Pure Yang Physique doesn't have a seductive effect on everyone.
For example, Su Yunying, as far as I know, she didn't seem to want to get involved with Lin Feng from the start. Then there's Shen Zhao, who has been opposing him from the beginning?
I don't know much about Su Yunying. But do you know what kind of physique Shen Zhao possesses?"
Yu Xiyan shook her head, "To be honest, Shen Zhao doesn't have any Saint Physique enhancements, nor does he possess any special physique."
"No Saint Physique enhancements?" Luo Pianhong's eyes showed surprise. "How is that possible? Without a special Saint Physique, how did he nearly wipe out the Nine Nether?"
"I don't need to hide this from you. At least, I really didn't sense any Saint Physique aura within him."
But halfway through, Yu Xiyan fell silent.
Because she realized she hadn't had any overly intimate contact with Shen Zhao, how could she possibly know what kind of physique he possessed?
Luo Pianhong fell silent, regretting that she hadn't personally approached Shen Zhao during the Battle of the Nine Nether Springs to see what methods he used to cripple the Nine Nether Springs.
"Besides, Lin Feng has a terrifying method. Compared to the characteristics of the Pure Yang Physique, that method is the truly frightening one."
Yu Xiyan looked at her with confusion.
"Have you heard of the Myriad Dao Slave Scripture?"
"Myriad Dao Slave Scripture?"
"It is said that this divine ability was originally obtained by the Nine Nether. Later, it was passed on to the demon race. After cultivating this divine ability, even an Emperor realm cultivator can have a slave seal planted deep within their soul without realizing it.
Once the slave seal is planted, they will completely open their hearts to the caster and develop unconditional trust in them. I'm not sure if you had that slave seal planted at the time,
"However, judging by your break with Lin Feng later, it seems you weren't affected. Or perhaps you were, but your nominally wedded husband quietly resolved it.
Although there's no known cure for those afflicted by the Myriad Dao Slave Seal, Shen Zhao has accomplished so many incredible feats. It doesn't mean such a possibility doesn't exist."
Yu Xiyan's eyes showed surprise. She never expected Lin Feng to have so many secrets she was unaware of.
And, just what price had Shen Zhao paid in silence to protect her!
"Alright, now that everything that needed to be said has been said, I should return. Take care of yourself."
Having said this, Luo Pianhong saw no reason to linger any longer.
But as she stood, she heard Yu Xiyan say,
"I never slept with him!"
Luo Pianhong stopped in her tracks, looking at Yu Xiyan with disbelief, her eyes clearly showing doubt.
"I admit that I did betray Shen Zhao in terms of feelings, but as his wife, I still held onto my last shred of self-respect.
Lin Feng and I did not cross the line, and what the Empress said before did not happen to me."
Luo Pianhong pondered for a long time, took a deep breath, and finally spoke after a long while.
"What's the point of saying this to me?"
"I just want you to understand that I'm not as vile as you think."
"I don't want a third person to know about our conversation today. Do you understand what I mean?"
Yu Xiyan nodded, naturally understanding Luo Pianhong's meaning.
Moreover, she also sensed that Luo Pianhong and Lin Feng definitely had some special relationship.
In her previous life, she knew too little about Shen Zhao. She wasn't interested in his social circle, hobbies, or eating habits at all.
This resulted in Yu Xiyan being in a state of half-understanding about many things related to Shen Zhao after her rebirth.
As a wife, she was truly a failure.
-----------------------
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