“Your Majesty…” Gao Demao, clinging to the Emperor’s legs, looked toward the Grand Princess and pleaded, “Grand Princess, this matter cannot be blamed on His Majesty! His Majesty was bewitched by that demonic Taoist, the Imperial Teacher. That demonic Taoist is the true culprit.”

Mentioning the Imperial Teacher, the Emperor recalled how the Imperial Teacher had insisted that the Emperor must ascend the Nine-Tiered Platform on the sixteenth day of the sixth month. Thinking of his increasingly deteriorating body, the Emperor, with his darkened eye sockets, as if possessed by demons, forcibly suppressed his hatred for Bai Qingyan and spoke to her in a negotiating tone: “Bai Qingyan, I… will make a deal with you! If you are willing to help me gather a thousand boys and girls to assist me in refining elixirs and help me ascend the Nine-Tiered Platform, I… will pass this imperial throne to you. Then you will be legitimate and proper, and the Bai family will no longer be traitorous rebels! Each of us takes what we need.”

Hearing these words, the Grand Princess closed her eyes in despair, no longer holding any expectations for this Emperor.

Bai Qingyan looked at the Emperor, her gaze clear and indifferent. She neither rejoiced wildly at the Emperor’s words nor laughed at them. However much she had once hated this Emperor, now Bai Qingyan found him equally ridiculous, even feeling pity for him from the bottom of her heart.

To believe such nonsense about immortality and eternal life.

Where in this world was there truly everlasting human longevity? What could truly leave traces in the long river of time were the four words: “achieving merit and establishing a career.” Unfortunately, the Emperor would never understand this.

Perhaps this Jin Kingdom Emperor would leave traces in the history books – the last Emperor of Jin Kingdom… who sought immortality, built the Nine-Tiered Platform, wanted to use a thousand boys and girls to refine elixirs, causing rebellions in many places and the destruction of a nation.

Even Gao Demao, who was clinging to the Emperor, was shocked by these words. He looked up at the Emperor with complete disbelief…

The Emperor had first used the imperial throne to make a deal with Prince Liang. Later, when Prince Liang was captured and Qin Shangzhi, loyal to the Crown Prince, controlled military power, the first thing the Emperor did after restoring the deposed Crown Prince’s position was to have the Crown Prince conscript a thousand boys and girls for him.

Now… he was even using the imperial throne to make a deal with Princess Zhenguo.

But with rebellions breaking out across the nation and Princess Zhenguo seizing the opportunity to ascend the throne as Female Emperor, who would consider Princess Zhenguo a traitorous rebel? Who would tarnish the Bai family’s reputation?

Even among the various nations, in this world where might makes right, would Yan Kingdom, Western Liang, or the Rong and Di tribes be so unafraid of death as to refuse recognition of the Great Zhou Female Emperor?

Even Gao Demao could see this. How could the Emperor, who had held a high position for so long, fail to see through it? He was simply possessed by demons and still harbored some intention of deceiving a young girl.

Before Bai Qingyan could answer, sudden sounds of killing came from outside the door. The clash of swords penetrating Luohong Tower frightened Gao Demao, already jumpy as a startled bird, making his whole body tremble.

Soon, Shen Tianzhi pushed open a crack in Luohong Tower’s door, leading more than ten guards quickly inside to Bai Qingyan’s side, whispering in her ear: “Prince Liang has brought people to attack. They came prepared – they’ve set fires all around, and those who came are all top-level masters. My suggestion is that we fight to the death to carve out a bloody path for Your Majesty and the Grand Princess, escorting Your Majesty and the Grand Princess to safety.”

Bai Qingyan raised her eyes. Prince Liang…

She had thought Prince Liang was already dead. She hadn’t expected Prince Liang to still be alive – he certainly had a strong life force.

The Emperor’s ears were quite sharp. Despite Shen Tianzhi’s extremely low voice, he heard it. The Emperor laughed heartily, the sound appearing particularly sinister in the empty hall: “Bai Qingyan, now you still have room to choose. As long as you agree to my terms, I will issue an edict passing the throne to you. Even Prince Liang would be unable to do anything to you. How about it?”

Bai Qingyan paid no attention to the Emperor. With a composed expression, she raised her hands to untie the iron sand bags wrapped around both her wrists. The iron sand bags hit the ground with a thud, startling Gao Demao, who was kneeling and clinging to the Emperor.

Before Shen Tianzhi could react, Bai Qingyan had already drawn the sword from his waist, instructing: “You lead people to protect Grandmother here. I’ll go outside to take a look…”

Feeling his waist suddenly empty, Shen Tianzhi quickly tried to stop her: “Your Majesty must not take such risks!”

Shen Tianzhi was a scholar. Even when leading troops in battle, he was protected in the rear by soldiers, formulating strategies. How could he withstand real combat with swords and spears? She gestured for Shen Tianzhi to be at ease: “You lead people to protect Grandmother well! Keep the Jin Dynasty Emperor under control. If necessary… there’s no need to leave him alive.”

Gao Demao’s heart was in tremendous turmoil. He had never expected that Bai Qingyan had such heavy iron sand bags wrapped around her arms… yet earlier she had been able to catch the vase the Emperor threw at her with such speed. This showed that Bai Qingyan’s martial arts had long since recovered.

The completely ignored Jin Dynasty Emperor’s expression was ugly as he shouted: “Bai Qingyan! I am speaking to you!”

But Bai Qingyan turned a deaf ear, pulling open the two carved wooden doors and walking outside…

The moment Bai Qingyan opened the door, she felt heat waves rushing toward her face. Luohong Tower was surrounded by towering flames, with rolling black smoke swirling chaotically in the wind.

Luohong Tower was built against the mountain, surrounded by towering green trees. At this moment, everything had turned bright red, all enveloped in billowing black smoke.

Even the exotic flowers and fragrant plants on both sides of Luohong Tower had wilted under the scorching heat, completely lifeless. The originally crystal-clear petals had been blackened beyond recognition by the smoke.

Seeing this, the Emperor was about to step forward to follow, but the young guard beside Shen Tianzhi had already drawn his sword, pointing it straight at the Emperor, showing no fear of imperial authority.

Outside Luohong Tower, dozens of soldiers drew their swords in unison, standing guard at the top of the high steps with the tower guards behind them.

Below the high steps where thick smoke rolled, Prince Liang was protected in the center by more than fifty expert guards. He looked up and saw Bai Qingyan standing at the end of the high steps where the brightly lit pavilion was located. Prince Liang placed one hand on the shoulder of a master guard in front of him, his gaze toward Bai Qingyan was vicious and sinister.

Prince Liang’s heart sank as he made up his mind to have Bai Qingyan die here. Taking advantage of Bai Jinxiu’s assault on the city and the great chaos within Luohong City, he had used almost all the fire oil stored in Luohong City.

When fire met oil, it almost instantly gained momentum. Even century-old giant trees could not escape being devoured by the fierce approaching flames, burning with crackling sounds. The fire-wrapped and scorched tree trunks were burned through and slowly fell with determined to perish together. But in an instant… those flames ignited the nearby vegetation, and huge tongues of fire “whooshed” upward like giant serpents wreathed in flames, opening their bloody maws as they wound their way through the magnificent blooming exotic flowers and plants toward Luohong Tower.

As far as the eye could see, apart from the bright red reflected by the firelight… There was only black smoke and the pitch-black night sky.

Even the copper bells hanging from Luohong Tower’s multiple eaves were set chiming by the heat waves, with the smoke blackening the windward side of the bells.

In such a night where flames pressed close, even the sounds of killing and the metallic clash of swords seemed insignificant.