Chapter 1572: Life and Partings

The empress said faintly, "Your Majesty overstates the matter. How could I, your humble consort, harbor any resentment when I am completely loyal to you?" As she spoke, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, for she felt that what had just been left inside her seemed to be about to spill out. To say such things to Zhao Hao under these circumstances, even with her deep composure, made her feel a little awkward.

Zhao Hao snorted, clearly displeased with her attitude. However, noticing her momentary frown, he still asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Should I send for the imperial physician?"

"No need," the empress replied. "I feel perfectly fine right now. On the contrary, I feel better than ever." Thinking of the recent events, a tremor ran through her soul. When she first heard Zhao Hao arrive, she had been terrified, but after the danger passed, she found herself savoring the moments that had just transpired—a truly unprecedented experience. She might never be happier in this lifetime.

Inside the wardrobe, Zu An's expression also grew strange. It seemed this woman's words were intentionally meant for him. *Sigh*, people from the capital certainly know how to play games.

Zhao Hao simply took the empress's words as sarcasm and didn't suspect anything. "Soon I will go to Mount Zi for the Fengshan ceremony. You should come along."

"I have also heard about the Fengshan ceremony," the empress replied. "Here, I must congratulate Your Majesty on such a magnificent achievement, unprecedented in history. However," her tone was humble, but always lacked genuine warmth and sincerity, "your humble consort is now an invalid and too lazy to move. I will not involve myself in the matters of Mount Zi, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Zhao Hao scrutinized her, seemingly trying to ascertain her true intentions.

The empress had already adjusted her mindset by this point and looked at him calmly. If there was anyone in the world who didn't fear Zhao Hao, it was probably her.

After a long silence, Zhao Hao sighed, "Very well. Take good care of your health here in the capital. Also, keep an eye on the capital's affairs."

The empress lowered her gaze. "It's difficult enough for me to protect myself now. How could I have any energy left to oversee the capital's affairs?"

Zhao Hao's expression darkened. Her words always carried a sting, making him feel truly exasperated.

After a moment, he said, "Empress, please help me divine the fortune of this journey. For some reason, I've been feeling uneasy recently."

Inside the wardrobe, Zu An had an epiphany. No wonder the Emperor's temper had been unusually good from the start; he had come with a request. Even someone as powerful as Zhao Hao had to consult the empress about the art of divination and astrology. It seemed her mastery in this area was even greater than Zu An had imagined.

The empress replied, "It will naturally be extremely auspicious!"

Zu An's expression turned strange at her words; this was completely contrary to what she had just told him.

Zhao Hao, as expected, was somewhat displeased. "You haven't even divined it, and you're already saying it's extremely auspicious?" The empress replied calmly, "Your Majesty is invincible. Previously, only the Demon Emperor could barely be considered a match, but now that the Demon Emperor is dead, who else in the world is worth mentioning? Even if there are some conspiracies or schemes, they would be utterly vulnerable before Your Majesty's absolute power."

"Hahaha, well said," Zhao Hao exclaimed, his face beaming with delight. Not only did her words tickle his vanity, but they also revealed a piece of intelligence: there were indeed some conspiracies or schemes related to this trip. This proved that the empress had indeed performed the divination, rather than simply speaking carelessly. Since her divination aligned with his own judgment regarding the trip, there was nothing to worry about.

"Empress, you should rest well. I won't disturb you any further." Having achieved his objective, Zhao Hao naturally had no reason to linger.

"Your humble consort respectfully bids farewell to Your Majesty!" The empress knelt halfway on the ground in a bow.

Looking at her submissive posture and her face as radiant as a peach blossom, Zhao Hao found the empress exceptionally captivating today. He wondered if it was a waste to have not favored her with his presence for so many years. He swallowed, then reached out a hand towards her.

The empress noticed his movement, and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. As a woman, and a deeply mature one at that, how could she not read the meaning in his gaze? She hadn't expected Zhao Hao, usually so utterly ruthless, to show affection towards her today. For a moment, her heart was in a turmoil, unsure what to do next.

Resist? Given his cultivation level, if he truly insisted, how could she possibly resist? But if she didn't resist? Then everything would be exposed later, and both she and Zu An would suffer a fate worse than death. At this thought, her heart immediately tightened, and her body involuntarily began to tremble again.

Fortunately, at that moment, Zhao Hao lowered his hand, his dazed gaze regaining its resolute firmness. He had little lifespan left and couldn't waste a single drop of his vital essence. He nodded at the empress, then left without looking back.

After he left, the empress completely collapsed onto the floor. Zu An emerged from the wardrobe and helped her up.

The empress reached out and embraced his neck. "I was truly scared out of my wits just now."

Zu An gave a wry smile. "Me too."

This was what he had always been worried about. To be honest, his entanglement with the empress initially stemmed from how brutally Zhao Hao had treated him in the Secret Realm of West Quanqiu, leaving a lingering resentment in his heart. It was a form of unconventional revenge. However, once he calmed down, he clearly understood that the risk was too great. He had just walked a tightrope at the gates of hell.

Yet, upon learning that even Zhao Hao sought her advice, Zu An gradually realized that she was not just the resentful concubine he had initially imagined. She harbored too many secrets waiting for him to uncover.

Just as he was about to ask about the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Zi, the empress seemed to guess his thoughts and pressed her hand against his lips. "Don't speak." Feeling her action, Zu An's expression turned strange. This woman was truly crazy; Zhao Hao had just left, hadn't he?

When Zu An left the imperial palace, his steps were somewhat unsteady. Recalling the recent intimacy, he couldn't help but marvel that the empress was truly made of water. However, he quickly composed himself and intentionally used his Blue Duck skill to attract surrounding water elements to cast a cleansing spell on himself before returning to his marquis's manor.

Chu Chuyan, dressed in a white gown, leaned against the railing of the waterside pavilion, gazing distractedly at the sky. She and her surroundings formed a beautiful, natural painting. At that moment, Zu An felt a sense of tranquility, as if his body and mind had been cleansed.

He couldn't help but feel immense regret. Why had he been so impulsive just now? A wave of guilt washed over him. Like a demon beforehand, like a saint afterward.

"You're back." Seeing Zu An, a faint hint of joy appeared in Chu Chuyan's eyebrows.

"What are you looking at?" Zu An walked over, stopping a few steps in front of her, fearful that his current state might defile her if he got too close.

"I'm watching these white clouds gather and then disperse, disperse and then gather again. Isn't life's coming and going just the same?" Chu Chuyan sighed softly.

Zu An was startled. He caught the note of departure in her words, and forgetting everything else, he grabbed her hand. "Are you leaving?"

Chu Chuyan hummed in affirmation. "I've been too happy with you lately, so much so that I forgot I still have a duel with the Saintess of the Demonic Sect."

Zu An quickly said, "You haven't set a specific time yet, so there's no rush right now."

"That's true, originally, but..." Chu Chuyan's jade-like cheeks flushed faintly. "Being with you has made me too happy, which goes against the 'Supreme Emotionless Scripture' I cultivate. I've noticed my cultivation realm seems to have become somewhat unstable lately. If I continue to live here for a while longer, I might even drop in realm, and then I certainly won't be a match for the Demonic Sect Saintess. Firstly, this concerns the reputation of White Jade Capital, and secondly... I don't want to lose to her."

Zu An was somewhat annoyed. "This 'Supreme Emotionless Scripture' is truly flawed. What kind of nonsensical things has Yan Xuehen been teaching you?"

Chu Chuyan's delicate brows furrowed slightly. "Don't be disrespectful to Master."

Zu An's expression was peculiar. *If this is considered disrespectful to her,* he thought, *what would your reaction be if you knew what I'd done with her?*