Chapter 1571: Heartbeat

Zu An had just left the Crown Princess's chambers and was still in a state of post-coital calm. Moreover, he had always been wary of the Empress, constantly reminding himself to maintain his distance from her.

But his 'little brother' simply wouldn't cooperate!

His 'little brother' also felt wronged, arguing that it wasn't its lack of resolve, but rather the woman's endless repertoire of tricks.

Two sighs sounded simultaneously, each representing a different meaning.

It was like an exquisite lock, gathering dust for years, finally awaiting its fated key.

Once unlocked, the Empress gradually felt her long-stagnant vital energy slowly begin to recover.

Simultaneously, her five senses became noticeably sharper than usual. As she was about to say something with a charming smile, she suddenly wrinkled her nose, as if sniffing the air. "Hmm, why do I smell another woman?" she murmured.

Zu An immediately broke into a cold sweat. Was this woman a bloodhound? How could she smell that?

He had, in fact, used water magic to cleanse himself after leaving the East Palace, but it was merely a surface cleaning, not a proper bath, and only affected the outer layers of his clothes.

"How is that possible!" Zu An exclaimed, focusing his efforts on helping her vital energy circulate, giving her no opportunity to dwell on the thought.

The Empress considered this and thought, *That's right. All women in this palace belong to the imperial family. Who else would be so audacious besides me?*

Immediately afterward, she was overwhelmed by the surging vital energy within her, leaving no room for further thought.

Seizing the opportunity, Zu An asked, "Your Majesty, you just mentioned that the journey to Purple Mountain won't be simple. What exactly did you mean?"

Feeling utterly content, the Empress's voice lost its usual haughtiness, becoming incredibly gentle and pliant. "I don't know the specifics myself," she began, "but from all available intelligence, it seems there's a vast snare set at Purple Mountain, signaling an impending catastrophe. I also possess some knowledge of astrology, and my observations of the Purple Mountain direction show signs of extreme peril, resembling the 'Ten Absolutes.' Historically, whenever such omens have appeared, rivers of blood flow and bodies litter the ground, with very few survivors. That's why I felt compelled to warn you."

Zu An was quite surprised. He knew that Qiyaoguang of the National Academy was the master of astral divination, and he had never expected the Empress to be proficient in it as well.

Hearing her dire warning, Zu An couldn't help but feel a dark cloud settle over his upcoming journey.

He was about to ask the Empress about the specific intelligence she possessed. Ordinarily, the Empress would never have revealed such information, but in her current state, she was entirely under his influence. He felt a sense of dominance, believing he could make her live or die, and that she would surely speak.

Just as he opened his mouth, a loud, high-pitched shout from Xiaozhuozi, sounding like a duck, echoed from outside: "Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand ten thousand years!"

Both in the bedchamber were seized with panic. Zu An quickly tried to pull away, but the Empress, at that very moment, instinctively lowered her legs, attempting to stand. Their forces intertwined, making it difficult for them to separate.

It was fortunate that Zu An's body was as tempered as steel; otherwise, in that instant, everything would likely have gone completely awry.

The more anxious they became, the harder it was to separate, and this urgent predicament, combined with the thought of the Emperor's discovery and impending death, caused their minds to go blank. Their bodies, meanwhile, became incomparably more sensitive than usual.

Zu An let out a guttural groan, but fortunately, he managed to suppress it, keeping the sound trapped in his throat.

The Empress felt as if countless volcanoes were erupting within her; for a moment, she almost passed out entirely.

Fortunately, both managed to retain their last vestiges of clarity and finally pulled apart. The Empress's face was deathly pale. "It's over, it's truly over. We're doomed," she whispered.

Zhao Hao was no fool. If he were to enter and see them both in the room, and in their current disarray, he would instantly know what had transpired.

What awaited them was obvious.

Not only would they suffer a fate worse than death, but their entire nine generations of relatives would also be implicated.

A fierce resentment flashed in her eyes at the thought. Since this was their fate, she might as well unleash all her accumulated years of bitterness before she died, ensuring Zhao Hao's remaining life would be equally miserable.

At that moment, countless sharp words, capable of striking at Zhao Hao's very core, flooded her mind.

Fortunately, Zu An pulled her back, shook his head at her, then opened a cabinet in the corner and hid inside.

The Empress watched, a mix of anger and panic. Given Zhao Hao's cultivation level, how could hiding in a cabinet possibly fool him?

But there was nothing she could do now. She quickly straightened her robes and, with a pounding heart, went out to greet him.

"What are you making such a racket for, you dog slave?" Zhao Hao's angry reprimand echoed from outside, clearly annoyed by Xiaozhuozi's sudden loud outburst.

Xiaozhuozi knelt on the ground, trembling and kowtowing. "This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death," he mumbled.

Zhao Hao frowned but wouldn't punish him for such a minor offense, especially since the eunuch served in the Empress's palace.

He ignored Xiaozhuozi and pushed the door open to enter.

Just then, the Empress emerged to greet him. "Your humble consort greets Your Majesty," she said.

Empress Liu Ning was terrified, her mind a chaotic blur. Her body trembled slightly, unsure if it was from fear or the lingering aftereffects of their recent activity.

Zhao Hao was about to speak when his eyes suddenly lit up. He found the Empress's face exceptionally radiant and captivating today. Her current shy demeanor was a stark contrast to her usual untamed arrogance, evoking a strange sense of pity in him.

He couldn't help but go over and help her up: "Empress, please rise."

As his hand touched her, the Empress felt a surge of resistance and instinctively flinched back.

Zhao Hao was exceptionally perceptive. His face immediately darkened. This woman was still just as she used to be.

Yet, the Empress gradually calmed down. She realized Zhao Hao didn't seem to have discovered Zu An; otherwise, he would have exploded instantly instead of politely helping her to her feet.

She was incredibly shocked, completely unaware of how Zu An had managed it.

Zhao Hao was widely acknowledged as the most powerful person in the world. With his divine sense fully extended, even the slightest movement in the entire capital might not escape his notice, though he typically didn't waste his mental energy in such a way.

But at such close range, even if he didn't actively use his divine sense, Zu An, hidden in the cabinet, should have been detected instantly.

Inside the cabinet, Zu An was immensely relieved. The keyboard system's skills proved reliable after all: "Dark Invisibility" allowed him to become completely invisible in total darkness while simultaneously concealing his aura, making him undetectable even to the Emperor.

At this moment, Zhao Hao's voice came: "Why is your body trembling so violently? Are you perhaps afraid of me?"

Towards the end, there was even a hint of sarcasm.

Zu An's expression was strange. The relationship between these two seemed odd; there must be some hidden story in their past.

"With Your Majesty's power shaking the world, how could your humble consort not be afraid?" the Empress replied, lowering her head.

Zhao Hao met with a soft rebuff and couldn't help but frown: "Lift your head. Why is your face so red?"

A strange feeling arose in his heart. Her exceptional allure today seemed unusually abnormal.

By now, the Empress had completely calmed down, her years in the imperial palace having forged a formidable inner strength. "I was just practicing my cultivation," she explained.

"Practicing cultivation?" Zhao Hao sighed. "It seems you're still unwilling to be an ordinary person."

The Empress retorted, "Your Majesty, under these circumstances, who *could* be content?"

Zhao Hao was somewhat displeased but still said, "I will have more spiritual medicine sent to you. Recently, a rare heavenly treasure was presented from the provinces; it might help your injuries heal."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Empress secretly scoffed. He had spoken so kindly for so many years, yet if he had truly made a diligent effort to find a cure, how could there have been no improvement whatsoever?

Ultimately, an Empress whose cultivation was crippled best served his interests.

Fortunately, she had already found a way to save herself and no longer needed his pretense.

"You're always like this," Zhao Hao said, seemingly sensing the dismissiveness in her tone. He felt a surge of anger, as if about to lash out, but ultimately held it back. "Never mind. I don't blame you for your grievances regarding what happened back then."

Zu An's curiosity immediately piqued. What exactly had happened back then to make someone as imperious as Zhao Hao yield to a woman?