In the luxurious and spacious imperial bedchamber, two people stood facing each other in silence—one standing, one sitting.

Gradually, a barely noticeable blush crept across Huai Qing’s cheeks, but she stubbornly maintained eye contact, showing no sign of timidity. This was the kind of woman she was—strong-willed and always striving to be at the top. She never wished to show weakness in front of others.

“Ahem!” Xu Qi An cleared his throat and said softly, “Your Majesty has been waiting.”

Huai Qing gave an almost imperceptible nod, remaining silent.

Xu Qi An continued, “This subject shall bathe first.”

He walked directly toward the small chamber beside the dragon bed—the Empress’s “bathroom,” a rather spacious room screened off by yellow silk curtains. The homes of high officials all had private bathrooms, let alone the Empress.

The bathroom floor was spotlessly clean. Besides a large bathtub made of huanghuali wood, various bottles and jars lined the shelves against the wall. Xu Qi An guessed they contained powders for beauty treatments and improving blood circulation.

He quickly removed his robes and stepped into the tub, taking a simple bath. The water temperature was neither high nor cold—prepared specifically for him by Huai Qing.

Throughout the process, Xu Qi An kept track of time, monitoring any movement from the conch.

Soon, he rose from the tub, grabbed the cloud-patterned cyan robe hanging on the screen, and walked barefoot back into the bedchamber.

Huai Qing still sat by the dragon bed, maintaining the same posture as before. Though her expression remained composed, her unchanged position betrayed her inner nervousness.

Xu Qi An sat down beside the bed. He saw the Empress purse her lips, and straighten her back slightly, her delicate form somewhat tense.

Shyness, nervousness, joy, and some awkwardness… As an experienced lover, he quickly interpreted Huai Qing’s current psychological state.

Compared to the inexperienced Huai Qing, Xu Qi An had been through many such situations—the resistant Luo Yu Heng, the hesitant Mu Nan Zhi, the shy and motionless Lin An, the gentle and accommodating Ye Ji, the aggressive Luan Yu, and so on.

He knew that at this moment, he needed to take the initiative and guide her.

“Since Your Majesty’s ascension to the throne, Great Feng has enjoyed favorable weather and honest officials. Supporting your rise to power was the most correct choice I’ve ever made,” Xu Qi An smiled and said:

“Looking back, I never imagined that the celestial maiden I first met at Cloud Deer Academy would become the supreme ruler.”

His words both flattered Huai Qing, satisfying her pride, while subtly revealing that he had been struck by her beauty at first sight.

Sure enough, hearing his words, Huai Qing’s eyes curved slightly with a trace of a smile as she said, “I also never imagined that an unremarkable constable from Langle County would grow to become the legendary Silver Gong Xu.”

She referred to herself as “I” rather than the royal “We.”

The atmosphere instantly became more relaxed.

Xu Qi An continued to lead the conversation, and after chatting briefly, he took the initiative to hold Huai Qing’s hand. Her jade-like fingers were smooth and warm, feeling excellent to the touch.

Feeling the Empress’s tense form, he chuckled softly, “Is Your Majesty shy?”

Thanks to the earlier buildup, the initial awkwardness and embarrassment had largely dissipated. Huai Qing replied coolly, “We are the ruler of a nation, how could such trivial matters disturb our composure?”

Still being tsundere… Xu Qi An smiled and said, “That’s excellent.”

Huai Qing turned her head to look at him, slightly raising her chin. Maintaining a forced calm, she said indifferently, “Silver Gong Xu need not be embarrassed. We are dual cultivating for the sake of the Central Plains’ common people and all under heaven. Though We are female, We are still the ruler of a nation.

“Silver Gong Xu shouldn’t compare Us to ordinary women. It’s merely dual cultivation, no need to be restrained…”

Her calm tone suddenly changed as Xu Qi An placed his hand on her slender waist, about to undo her belt. Huai Qing’s composed expression completely vanished.

Letting you act tough… Xu Qi An asked in surprise, “Does Your Majesty not want this subject to help you undress?”

Huai Qing tried to maintain her composure and said, “I… I’ll do it myself…”

She kept a straight face as she undid her belt and removed her dragon robe. Watching the expensive imperial robe slide to the floor, Xu Qi An muttered regretfully—it would have been better kept on.

After removing the outer robe, she wore a yellow silk inner garment, her chest proudly prominent and impressive.

Huai Qing thrust out her chest and raised her chin, looking at him defiantly.

Knowing her strong-willed nature, Xu Qi An deliberately provoked her, letting out a light laugh and saying softly, “Your Majesty is inexperienced. Better lie down obediently and let this subject take charge.

“The affairs between man and woman aren’t just about removing clothes.”

Though inexperienced, Huai Qing had seen some private illustrations. She gritted her teeth, steeled her heart, and with a cold expression stripped off Xu Qi An’s robe, reaching toward his lower waist. However, upon taking a clear look, her outstretched hand withdrew as if shocked by electricity.

She stared at Xu Qi An’s handle, froze for a long while, then gently turned her head away.

There was no follow-up for a long time.

The atmosphere became stiff and awkward. Having made such a bold start but not knowing how to proceed, Huai Qing’s face showed obvious embarrassment, unable to maintain her facade any longer.

Xu Qi An was both amused and exasperated, thinking to himself that she should know her limits, trying to act experienced in front of him with that stubborn personality…

“Your Majesty handles countless affairs of state, no need to trouble yourself with this labor. Let this subject serve you instead.”

Without waiting for Huai Qing’s opinion, he wrapped his arm around the Empress’s slender waist and pressed down on her.

Huai Qing was pressed onto the bed, furrowing her delicate brows with an unwilling expression, though her heart secretly felt relieved.

Their faces were close together, their breaths mingling. The man above her gazed at her for a moment before sighing, “So beautiful…”

He must speak such sweet words to other women too… As this thought flashed through her mind, Huai Qing’s small mouth was captured by his, followed by intense suction.

While firmly holding the Empress’s lips, his hands explored her soft, voluptuous body.

As time passed, her rigid body grew increasingly soft, her breathing increasingly heavy.

Her eyes gradually became misty, her cheeks burning hot.

When Xu Qi An left her full, moist lips and propped himself up, he saw an exceptionally beautiful face, with spring intent hanging at her brows, cheeks flushed as if drunk, and swollen little mouth exhaling hot breath.

Lost in passion.

By this point, both emotionally and physically, everything was fully prepared. The experienced lover Xu Silver Gong knew that the Empress was ready to receive him.

Xu Qi An skillfully removed the silk clothes and the silver-white lotus-embroidered undergarment, revealing a jade-like voluptuous body as white as snow.

At this moment, Huai Qing opened her eyes and pushed against his chest with both hands. Taking a deep breath and trying to keep her voice steady, she said, “I still have one concern.”

Though Xu Qi An was at full draw, he held back and asked softly, “Is it because I won’t break off the engagement with Lin An?”

She was the ruler of a nation, of supreme status, yet she lay naked in bed with her sister’s betrothed, not only without name or position but also compromising her virtue.

Xu Qi An thought this was what bothered her.

Huai Qing bit her lip and nodded, then shook her head, showing rare vulnerability: “You never pursued me.”

Whether as Bronze Gong Xu, Silver Gong Xu, or a half-step Martial God, he had never actively pursued her or expressed love.

This was what Huai Qing regretted most.

This was why there had been awkwardness and embarrassment when he first entered the imperial bedchamber.

They lacked a natural progression.

Xu Qi An responded almost without thinking, speaking softly, “Because I knew Your Majesty’s proud nature, unwilling to share a husband with others; because I knew Your Majesty had great ambitions, unwilling to be bound by marriage; because I knew Your Majesty preferred righteous and faithful men…”

Huai Qing wrapped her snow-white arms around his neck and pulled his head down against her chest.

For inexperienced women, the first time usually calls for tenderness rather than endless demands, but Huai Qing was a transcendent martial artist with formidable strength and endurance.

Though experiencing her first rain, she managed to barely withstand the half-step Martial God’s assault. Despite repeated retreats, furrowed brows, and gasping breaths, she showed no signs of begging for mercy, instead gradually entering a wonderful state.

In the spacious and luxurious imperial bedchamber, the magnificent dragon bed swayed rhythmically as the strong male figure lay atop the voluptuous body of the peerlessly beautiful Empress, attacking almost ruthlessly without cease.

The usually dignified and cold Empress being pressed down and taken so intimately by a man—if palace maids saw this scene, their worldview would surely collapse, which was why Huai Qing had the foresight to dismiss them.

…

“Your Majesty, don’t just cry out, focus—this subject is extracting dragon qi.”

“We… We want to be on top…”

“Is Your Majesty still alright?”

“We… We’re not tired, you lie still…”

“Why is Your Majesty’s body convulsing? This subject deserves death for opposing Your Majesty.”

Initially, Huai Qing could still turn the tables and show her dominant side, but when Xu Qi An smiled while sucking her fingers and licking her earlobes, along with a series of provocative intimate acts, how could the inexperienced Huai Qing match this veteran lover?

She bit her lip and turned her head aside, refusing to respond in protest, letting him do as he pleased.

At one point, Xu Qi An turned over the sweaty woman in his arms, saying, “Your Majesty, turn over.”

The Empress, now completely without dignity or coldness, lay limp and whimpered like crying: “No…”

…

In the small lake within the imperial city.

A spiritual dragon covered in white scales with two horns raised its head high above the lake surface, its black button-like eyes staring unblinkingly at the imperial palace.

There, dense fortune gathered as a thick, almost tangible golden dragon coiled in the sky.

The spiritual dragon raised its head and let out an anxious roar.

The national fortune of Great Feng was rapidly draining away, the dragon vein being devoured.

…

In the Southern Borderlands.

Granny Poison walked along the market street, watching as tribal members loaded large and small packages onto carriages and flatbed carts, ready to depart at any time.

Compared to when they left the Southern Borderlands, the Poison Tribe members had gained experience, moving efficiently without delay. Moreover, the market had plenty of carriages and cargo flatbeds, allowing them to transport more goods.

In the Southern Borderlands, carriages had been rare commodities.

When she reached the Strength Poison section, the Grand Elder came forward and said, “Granny, everything has been packed, we can leave now.”

Granny Poison nodded slightly: “If your Strength Poison section is ready, the other six sections must surely be prepared as well.”

That sounds strange… The Grand Elder’s face lit up with excitement as he probed, “Are we going to the capital? I miss my precious disciple.”

He referred to the Strength Poison section’s genius treasure, Xu Ling Yin.

The previous genius treasure had been Li Na.

Granny Poison said, “It’s already dusk. Let’s depart tomorrow. The Poison God has gone to sea, we won’t be in danger for the time being.”

After completing her inspection, she returned to her quarters, closed the doors and windows, and sat cross-legged on the soft couch.

The Poison God going to sea, the Buddha attacking the Central Plains—such unusual events couldn’t be ignored… Granny Poison formed hand seals, immersing her consciousness in the grand void, searching for visions of the future amid the chaos.

Her body immediately became ethereal, like a formless primordial spirit, as if existing in another world.

Invisible streams of energy rose, distorting the surrounding air.

Granny Poison’s future-glimpsing technique had both active and passive aspects. Sometimes future scenes would flash by spontaneously—this was passive glimpsing. Usually in such cases, as long as the person involved didn’t reveal heaven’s secrets, there would be no backlash.

But actively glimpsing, seeking to see specific futures one wanted to see, would incur some rule backlash whether revealed or not.

Granny Poison valued her life and rarely glimpsed the future actively.

But now the situation was different. The Buddha and Poison God’s behavior was too strange. She couldn’t rest easy without understanding what they were doing.

Their opponents were Transcendent Rank experts—no oversight could be tolerated.

Any relaxation might lead to an irreversible defeat.