The wind began to feel wrong.
Not because it was strong—
but because it had lost its direction.
Within three days, three incidents occurred outside the imperial court.
The first involved a regional military commander.During routine drills, he suddenly lost control of his strength and smashed an entire training platform with a single punch.
The second was a poor scholar.While studying late at night, his internal energy surged violently. He collapsed on the spot. When others found him, every table and chair in the room had been shattered.
The third was the most serious.
A civilian who had benefited from imperial pills suffered an emotional breakdown in the marketplace. Spiritual energy leaked uncontrollably, terrifying the surrounding crowd.
None of them died.
But the stories—
were amplified.
"Cultivation brings disaster!""The pills are dangerous!""Mortals shouldn't touch heavenly secrets!"
Rumors spread like a contagious wind through the capital.
Imperial Court
Voices clashed beneath the golden roof.
"Your Majesty, this cannot continue!""If cultivation spreads further, chaos will erupt!""The people are already panicking!"
Xiao Xuanyin sat on the dragon throne, calm and unreadable.
He did not argue.
Instead, he asked a single question.
"Among the three, did anyone die?"
The ministers froze.
"…No."
"Did any of them injure others?"
Silence again.
"…No."
Xiao Xuanyin nodded.
"Then this isn't a problem of cultivation."
"It's a problem of no guidance."
At that moment, an elderly minister stepped forward.
"Your Majesty," he said slowly, "this matter may… be related to the Empress."
The hall went dead silent.
The words were soft—
but poisonous.
Xiao Xuanyin lifted his eyes.
There was no anger in them.
Only cold.
"Explain."
The minister steadied himself.
"News of the harem's cultivation practices has already spread. If the common people imitate it without the Empress's restraint, the consequences would be disastrous."
He never said her name directly—
yet the blade was aimed squarely at Fengyi Palace.
Fengyi Palace
Su Wan was feeding her spirit beast.
Her phone interface quietly unfolded.
[Abnormal Public Opinion Detected][Source: Multiple Nodes][Assessment: Artificially Induced]
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"As expected," she murmured."Someone has started pulling strings."
She did not rush to respond in court.
Instead, she did something far stranger.
She ordered all three "accident victims" to be brought into the palace.
Openly.Publicly.Without concealment.
The next day—
Three carriages stopped outside the imperial gates.
Citizens gathered in shock.
"Aren't those the people from the incidents?""They look fine!""They're being taken into the palace?!"
Side Hall, Fengyi Palace
The three men knelt nervously.
Su Wan sat above them, calm and composed.
"You're not bad people," she said."And you weren't unlucky."
"Someone pushed you."
She raised her hand.
Her phone projected a light screen.
Their internal energy flows were displayed with brutal clarity.
"Before losing control," she asked,"did all of you do the same thing?"
The three exchanged glances.
The commander hesitated."That night… someone approached me. Said I had extraordinary talent. Told me to 'push harder.'"
The scholar's face went pale."Me too. He said if I followed the flow, I could leap straight to the heavens."
The civilian's voice trembled."I was told… it was a 'gift from above.'"
Su Wan exhaled softly.
"Classic."
"This is an Immortal Realm tactic," she said evenly."Induce awakening. Create accidents. Then let mortals condemn cultivation themselves."
She stood.
"From today on, the three of you will remain in the palace."
"I will personally oversee you."
The men looked up in shock.
"Your Majesty the Empress… won't this bring trouble upon you?"
Su Wan smiled.
"It already has."
"A little more won't matter."
That night, the court erupted again.
"Your Majesty! The Empress's actions are far too public!""She's validating the rumors!"
Xiao Xuanyin responded with a single sentence.
"My Empress wishes to do something for my people."
"Why should she hide?"
Silence swallowed the hall whole.
Above the clouds.
An Immortal observer's patience snapped.
"She took them in?"
Another voice answered coldly.
"Then proceed to the next step."
"Make the mortals demand an end to all of this themselves."
Late at night.
Su Wan stood by the window.
Xiao Xuanyin approached from behind.
"They want to force us into a choice," he said quietly.
She turned, smiling lightly.
"Then let's show them what choice really means."
Inside Fengyi Palace.
Concubines were still sweeping, knitting, rehearsing.
Laughter echoed.
None of them realized—
they were standing at the very center
of the world's next decision.