The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

The night in Yunshan was dark and cold. Jiang Huai sat on the top of Yunshan Mountain, his legs swinging over a bottomless abyss. His eyes were deep and indifferent as he looked into the distance. The wisps of hair at his temples were blown by the wind. Looking at his lonely figure from afar, it seemed as if the cold had penetrated into his bones, and nothing could warm him anymore.

"Jiang Huai." Ying Li walked over carrying the Immortal-Slaying Sword. Looking at Jiang Huai's lonely figure, she suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

Jiang Huai turned to look at her, smiled, patted the ground beside him, and said, "Are you afraid of heights?"

Ying Li smiled at him, and the two sat together on the top of Yunshan Mountain. Looking up, they saw a sky full of starlight, and looking down, they saw a bottomless black dust.

Time suddenly seemed insignificant at this moment, while space continued to expand. Time was nothing more than a daily passerby, carrying light and darkness, coming and going again and again in this vast天地 (heaven and earth), whether happy or unhappy.

The two silently gazed at the night view, as if everything outside the cloud-shrouded barrier was irrelevant to them. After a long while, Ying Li spoke, "Jiang Huai, do you remember when we first met?"

Jiang Huai turned to look at her, his eyes gentle. He chuckled softly, lost in his earlier memories. "How could I not remember? You were really infuriating back then. Seeing your gentle and weak appearance, I thought you were easy to bully, but I never expected you to be such a sharp and ruthless character. Miss Xu was really annoyed by you. At that time, I was a good-for-nothing playboy who wandered around all day. I've met at least eight or ten thousand people, but I've never met anyone like you."

"What's wrong with someone like me?" Ying Li asked with a smile.

"She speaks human language to human beings and ghost language to ghosts, and she never seems to know the meaning of the word 'fear.' The stubbornness within her small frame is terrifyingly astonishing. If it weren't for her handsome appearance, she probably would have scared me away long ago, and I wouldn't be sitting here watching the stars and moon with you!"

"Pfft~" Seeing Jiang Huai's exaggerated appearance, Ying Li couldn't help but feel a sweet warmth in her heart when she thought of the happy times of those years.

Seeing that Ying Li was heartbroken, Jiang Huai continued, "Back then, when you were harmed by Zhao Lei at the Huaijiang Mansion, you were clearly scared, but you still bravely went out on your own. I saw you covered in injuries, curled up in a ball in the cave like a frightened little animal, and my heart ached for you. Yet, I still wanted to tease you. I never expected that you would be so easily provoked by the words of outsiders and go out! Ying Li, at that time, I thought, if this girl continues to act so recklessly, what if she gets hurt?!"

"After fifteen years of being a coward, I finally made some progress. Even if I die, I want to die with dignity. I didn't think about anything else. I've always hated being slandered. Although I seem smart, I always cared about those slanders. I tried hard not to listen, but the voices always lingered in my ears, forcing me to force myself to stay strong and seek justice for myself. Looking back now, I was more foolish than angry. Heh... If I had a good temper like Jiang Huai, I wouldn't have suffered so much in my early years."

Jiang Huai stared intently at Ying Li, as if he wanted to see her as much as he could. After Ying Li finished speaking, he shook his head. "Ying Li, you have a clear sense of right and wrong, which is good. If one day I am not by your side, I am at ease knowing that you will not be bullied."

Ying Li's expression changed slightly. "Where are you going?" Ying Li was already used to having Jiang Huai by her side. Jiang Huai weighed a ton in Ying Li's mind. It was hard to imagine how Ying Li would feel if Jiang Huai left.

Jiang Huai remained silent, gazing at the bottomless abyss for a long time.

"Is it because Lan Xiangning joined the Ghost Realm Emperor Xi?! Don't worry, tomorrow morning, the gates of the Spirit Beast Mountain Range will open towards Yunshan. Xuan Ye said that there are reports of a Ninth-Level Spirit Saint appearing in the Spirit Beast Mountain Range. I will find him and become a Spirit Lord. At that time, we will fight against the rule of the emperors of the Spirit and Ghost Realms one by one and tell people the truth. Although it will be difficult, as long as we do it little by little, we will definitely succeed," Ying Li said.

Now, apart from the snake thread gu, there is nothing else in Jiang Huai's body that can endanger his life. Mu Zhen only has Jiang Huai as his son who can pass on the throne, so he will not poison him. As long as they plan properly, everything will get back on track.

Jiang Huai turned to look at Ying Li and said, "I married Feng Ye, the son of Mu Zhen of the Mu Dynasty. Our clan has done all sorts of bad things and harmed your people. Don't you blame me?!"

Yingli's heart tightened. Looking at Jiang Huai's questioning gaze, she lowered her head and said, "I have never blamed you, Jiang Huai, never. You have nothing to do with those people. Given enough time, we will definitely be together in the end, we definitely will."

Ying Li felt someone embrace her. She looked up at Jiang Huai, who pulled her into his arms, his bright eyes showing a hint of determination.

Jiang Huai looked at the stars and said, slowly and deliberately, "Ying Li, let's stay here like this, okay?!"

Ying Li leaned against Jiang Huai's chest, staring blankly at the dark expanse of dust below the mountain, gripped by immense panic. She had a terrible premonition that one day in the future, beneath this black dust, the most regrettable and resentful thing of her life would happen—something that would either condemn her to eternal damnation or grant her rebirth.

Ying Li looked up at Jiang Huai, who had closed his eyes and looked exceptionally serene. Nothing in the world could compare to the warmth of Jiang Huai. Ying Li leaned against his heart and finally drifted off to sleep.

Emperor Xi was taking a nap on a recliner, enjoying the cool breeze – perfect for laziness at this time of year. Lan Xiangning entered with tea. Seeing Emperor Xi's tightly closed eyes, her expression darkened, her eyes flashing with fierce intent. But it was only for a moment. Emperor Xi awoke at the sound and looked up; Lan Xiangning smiled slightly, her face masking her expression as she approached. She wore a fiery red dress, its hem fluttering in the cold wind, exuding a captivating charm.

"Didn't I tell you, you don't need to do these things?" Emperor Xi took the tea, his gaze towards Lan Xiangning filled with lingering affection. Lan Xiangning smiled and sat down beside him, saying, "This is your favorite flower tea. I thought that others wouldn't brew it to your liking, and since I was free anyway, I just brewed it for you. Try it, what do you think?!"

Emperor Xi took a sip and found it incredibly refreshing. He quickly said, "Very good. Only you could brew such fragrant tea."

"I heard your son, Muran, has also come to the Ghost Realm, right on the Cloud Mountain of the Great Sage Jue Ling. What do you think? Do you want me to let him go? Actually, you don't need to tell me. I naturally won't do anything to him. You can rest assured." Emperor Xi placed the cup of tea on the table as if it were a precious treasure and said with a smile.

He obeyed everything Lan Xiangning said. If Lan Xiangning hadn't insisted on marrying Mu Zhen back then, their child might have been the same age as Mu Ran.

Lan Xiangning smiled and countered, "Why do you all think I have such great pity for that child, Muran?! I, Lan Xiangning, have a heart of stone, I have always been this way, you and Mu Zhen have witnessed it with your own eyes. Haven't you?!"

“That’s your own son, how could you treat him so coldly? Xiangning, I know you don’t usually ask for favors. You’ve been here for so long and never asked me for a thing. But I want to do something for you. If I had insisted a little more back then, you would be mine. Mu Zhen wouldn’t have gotten a chance. I feel terrible that you’ve suffered for so many years for no reason.”

"You'll do whatever I say?! What if I told you to sever all ties with Mu Zhen, to take away Mu Zhen's power, and to seize absolute imperial power over both the Spirit and Ghost Realms?!" Lan Xiangning said in a deep voice, her eyes filled with coldness.

Emperor Xi coughed lightly, his eyes turning cold as he said, "Even the Winter Prince is a formidable opponent for me, let alone the Venerable Lord Mu Zhen of the Mu Dynasty. With such a vast spiritual domain, he must have at least a hundred trump cards in his hand. How can I possibly defeat him?!"

"Don't think I don't know that you've been hesitant to act against the Winter Prince because of the late Emperor's dying wish. You've never been afraid of him; you just don't want to. As for Mu Zhen, the lord of the Mu Clan Dynasty in the Spirit Realm, he has a trump card, so how could you not?! If you agree to help me bring down Mu Zhen, I'll agree to whatever you want me to do." Lan Xiangning pressed on relentlessly.

Emperor Xi's eyes lit up, and he grasped Lan Xiangning's hand, saying, "Are you telling the truth?! If you agree, I will do my utmost!"

Lan Xiangning snorted coldly, looked at the hand Emperor Xi was holding, and squeezed it back forcefully, saying, "Of course!"