Chapter 2521: Four Great Beauties in History

By this point, most of her previous schemes had already proven to be failures. Continuing now would simply be out of reluctance.

She knew very well that her best course of action now was either to kill this man, or, if not, to re-enter the time-space continuum and try again, to see if anything would be different.

But she truly felt lost. This time, she had clearly planned everything out and had been very confident, yet now she found that everything was a step too late.

She couldn't tell if she hadn't done well enough, or if this was simply fate's design, where no matter how she schemed, the world's timeline would always correct itself back to its original ending.

She looked at the man in the distant tribulation clouds, her expression shifting between anger and contemplation. After such a great sacrifice this time, was she just going to leave like this?

If she were to leave, she would first have to kill him to vent the humiliation she had endured these past days.

Slowly, she raised her hand, but just as she was about to strike, she hesitated again.

Regardless, being with him this time was the closest she had come to success. Should she try again?

But the Creation Jade Plate only had one last use left. Should she still use it on him...?

Just as she was hesitating, the Mermaid Queen's voice suddenly rang out in her ear: "Huh, why has Brother Zu turned green?"

Upon hearing this, Yumon Baisun froze, then collected herself and looked at Zu An again. Sure enough, his entire body seemed to have turned green.

At first, only his legs seemed to be green, but then the color quickly spread upwards, covering his whole body.

No, it wasn't just a simple green. The light on the surface of his body seemed somewhat distorted, as if caused by intense heat.

"Brother Zu is on fire!" The Mermaid Queen also saw clearly, quickly formed a hand seal, and summoned a wave of water directly towards Zu An.

However, as the water poured over Zu An, the flames on him didn't diminish at all; instead, they seemed to grow even stronger.

"How can this be!" The Mermaid Queen was greatly alarmed at the sight and, in her haste, was about to rush over to help.

Yumon Baisun grabbed her, saying, "Don't go over there. That's not ordinary fire on him."

"What do you mean?" The Mermaid Queen urgently gripped her arm.

The force from the Mermaid Queen's hand made Yumon Baisun feel a pang of pain, but she didn't blame her. Instead, she explained, "This should be his current heavenly tribulation. This is neither heavenly fire nor ordinary fire; it's called Yin Fire. It ignites from the Yongquan acupoint at the bottom of his feet, burning straight up to the Niwan Palace. If he can't pass this, his internal organs will turn to ash, his limbs will rot, and a thousand years of arduous cultivation will all be for naught."

After speaking, her eyes were filled with astonishment. This was one of the three calamities that immortals encountered only every five hundred years. Why was he facing it when he hadn't even become an immortal yet?

Many true immortals couldn't overcome this tribulation and ultimately perished. For an ordinary person still undergoing tribulation, encountering this was surely a death sentence, wasn't it?

The Mermaid Queen's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she quickly asked, "How do you deal with this Yin Fire?"

Yumon Baisun stared at the green-glowing figure and calmly replied, "This fire arises from one's own desires. If he can achieve enlightenment and guard his original heart, he might safely pass through. Otherwise, he will be reduced to ashes, and outsiders can't help him in the slightest."

Hearing her words, the Mermaid Queen finally breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Brother Zu's will is firm; he will surely overcome this tribulation."

Yumon Baisun secretly sneered. This woman had no idea how terrifying this Yin Fire was. Even immortals couldn't withstand it, let alone that fellow who indulged in every pleasure of wine, women, wealth, and worldly desires?

Having spent time with him, she was well aware of how astonishing his desires were.

Unsure what she had thought of, her cheeks flushed, and then a hint of anger flashed in her eyes.

Hmph, this is perfect. If he dies in this tribulation, it will be heaven's will, and I won't need to do anything.

At this moment, Zu An was completely unaware of the outside situation. He felt his head spinning in a daze.

What was I just doing?

He noticed that sheer curtains seemed to be everywhere around him, and he appeared to be on a very fragrant and soft large bed.

A faint, ethereal sweet scent permeated the air, refreshing the mind yet also captivating the soul.

As he wondered, a sorrowful yet exceptionally beautiful sound of a pipa suddenly drifted over, full of melancholy.

Turning to look, he saw an exquisite woman sitting not far away, draped in a large red cloak. She seemed dressed as a prairie woman, embodying both the valor of the grasslands and the delicate charm of the Central Plains.

Her fair hands gently brushed the pipa strings, creating ethereal music that seemed to linger for three days. Those weren't merely strings she was plucking; she was clearly plucking at the heartstrings of men.

At this moment, a bright moon rose outside the window, casting a shimmering white moonlight over her.

A line of poetry naturally emerged in Zu An's mind: "The Han moon over Qin lands, its flowing light illuminates the imperial consort."

Even with his vast experience, he couldn't help but sigh in wonder: could such peerless beauty truly exist in the world?

Just as he was about to approach and inquire, a silvery, bell-like laugh suddenly echoed.

It turned out that two women in the room were dancing gracefully.

One woman was dressed in a graceful and dignified gown from the Qin-Han era, while the other wore a vibrant, brightly colored red dress, resembling a blooming flower petal.

The two women held hands, their lotus-like feet moving lightly, their figures lithe and gentle. They seemed to be vying for beauty, yet together they formed a grand and beautiful dance.

Both women had shy expressions, and as they danced, they would occasionally gaze at Zu An with tender affection, as if everything was meant to please him and gain his approval and fondness.

Zu An admitted he had been too hasty. He glanced at the woman in the large red cloak playing music nearby. He had just been marveling at such peerless beauty in the world, only for the two women who appeared the next moment to be no less stunning than her.

"What is going on?" Zu An felt his mind becoming hazy. His normally sharp thoughts were now muddled, making it impossible to think clearly. He could only instinctively admire the beauty of the women before him.

"My Lord," a tender and seductive voice came from behind him, accompanied by the sound of rippling water.

Only then did Zu An notice a large hot spring within the room, where a breathtaking beauty was bathing. She leaned her arms on the edge, smiling sweetly at him.

Water droplets glided across her smooth, porcelain-like skin, making the whiteness of her chest appear even more dazzling.

Zu An couldn't help but feel his mouth dry. Truly, with one glance back, she captivated all, making every other beauty in the imperial harem pale in comparison.

And there were four such peerless beauties all at once!

"My Lord, why are you still standing there? Come down and bathe with us! Xi Shi, Diao Chan, Zhaojun, you must be tired from dancing and playing. Come join us!" The beauty in the bath gestured to them, causing a surge of water.

Zu An suppressed the urge to get a nosebleed. The names of the women greatly shocked him.

Weren't these the Four Great Beauties of history?

In that case, the one in the hot spring was most likely Yang Guifei.

Who am I, where am I, and what am I supposed to do?

He felt as if his brain wasn't getting enough blood, wondering if it had all rushed to his other head.

At this moment, Xi Shi chuckled softly, "That won't do. He hasn't made his choice yet."

Then, with endlessly beautiful eyes, she gazed at Zu An affectionately. "My Lord, whom would you like to serve you tonight?"

Zu An felt that something was amiss, but at that moment, it was as if he were dreaming. His logical thinking was completely impaired, making it impossible to judge normally. He could only instinctively burst into laughter: "Only children make choices! Of course, I want them all!"