The next day was the Heavenly Empress’s birthday banquet.

Yesterday’s news of Fuhuan angering the Heavenly Emperor and being ordered to kneel at the entrance of the Heavenly Realm had spread like wildfire. Many people hoped to witness this scene at today’s birthday banquet.

Among those most eager to see Fuhuan’s punishment was Youlan.

Today, Youlan deliberately arrived a bit late. When she appeared at the entrance of the Heavenly Realm, the fairy maidens she had sent ahead to make things difficult for Fuhuan immediately approached her.

“Tell me, how did everything go?” Youlan smiled, unable to hide her excellent mood.

Hearing this, one of the fairy maidens stepped forward with a troubled expression and stammered, “Lord…”

Seeing her expression, Youlan’s heart sank. She quickly walked a few steps forward and looked around, then glanced up at the plaque above.

This was indeed the entrance to the Heavenly Realm.

But… where was Fuhuan?

…

…

…

Ziwei Palace.

Two hours earlier, Fuhuan had been kneeling at the entrance of the Heavenly Realm. Several times the pain became unbearable, and she nearly fainted, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to endure.

However, calculating that she would have to kneel for seven days, Fuhuan felt she definitely wouldn’t be able to last.

Just as she was thinking this, footsteps sounded behind her. Fuhuan turned around to see her father, the Ziwei Emperor.

The Ziwei Emperor approached Fuhuan and quickly bent down to help her up. “Huan’er, get up quickly.”

“Father, I…” Fuhuan frowned, not moving immediately.

“Just now, the Heavenly Emperor sent someone to deliver an oral decree to me, exempting you from your punishment. He wants you to get up now and go rest.” The Ziwei Emperor spoke urgently.

Fuhuan was stunned, thinking she had misheard. “Exempted from punishment?”

“Yes, get up quickly. Let’s go to Ziwei Palace first and talk.”

“…”

Following the Ziwei Emperor to Ziwei Palace, Fuhuan settled in her former room. Her knees and legs had many wounds, and the wound on her shoulder was particularly frightening.

After the Ziwei Emperor had someone clean Fuhuan’s wounds, he returned to her room with a bowl of rice porridge. He sat down at her bedside and said, “You’ve been kneeling for so long. Eat something.”

Fuhuan nodded, taking the bowl and picking up the spoon. She took a small sip. “Why did the Heavenly Emperor suddenly retract his order?”

“Suddenly?” The Ziwei Emperor’s tone was somewhat helpless. “Do you realize you’ve been kneeling there for eight hours?”

“When the Heavenly Emperor punished you for seven days, he was probably speaking harshly in anger. Now that his anger has subsided somewhat, he probably realized the punishment was too severe and sent me the oral decree to find you.” The Ziwei Emperor explained.

Fuhuan took a few more sips of porridge, feeling that the situation couldn’t be that simple.

Over the years, she knew how much importance the Heavenly Emperor attached to the person in the forbidden area. Now that the Heavenly Emperor suspected she had leaked the incantation, he wouldn’t let her off so easily.

“After you finish eating, rest well. You needn’t attend the Heavenly Empress’s birthday banquet today,” the Ziwei Emperor instructed Fuhuan.

Fuhuan made a sound of agreement, took a few more sips of porridge, put the bowl aside, and lay down. “Then I’ll sleep for a while.”

“Good. If you need anything, just call Jiusheng. I’ll be heading to the Heavenly Empress’s birthday banquet shortly.” The Ziwei Emperor stood up, reminding Fuhuan once more before leaving.

Fuhuan nodded.

After the Ziwei Emperor left, Fuhuan lay flat on the bed, gently moving her legs. Her knees sent waves of pain and soreness through her.

Looking at the time, Fuhuan could only sigh with relief.

Fortunately, the Heavenly Emperor’s decree came before the Heavenly Empress’s birthday banquet began; otherwise, she would have faced much more ridicule.

Now, she would sleep peacefully first. Any other matters could wait until she woke up.

With this thought, Fuhuan tucked in her blanket and closed her eyes, beginning to doze.

Once shallow breathing sounds filled the air, a purple figure appeared in Fuhuan’s room.

Siqing pressed his thin lips together, his eyes lowered. His gaze fell on Fuhuan’s peaceful sleeping face. After staring for a while, he slowly extended his hand and placed it on Fuhuan’s cheek.

In her dream, Fuhuan seemed to sense something unusual. She turned over, continuing to sleep on her side.

Siqing’s hand left Fuhuan’s cheek.

At the same time, as Fuhuan turned, she seemed to press on the wound on her shoulder. She sucked in a cold breath, frowning as she opened her eyes and rubbed the wound on her shoulder.

Seeing this, Siqing immediately disappeared.

“Hmm?” Fuhuan suddenly sat up in bed and looked around the room. She had felt a spiritual energy retreating just now. What was going on?

“Never mind, I must be overthinking.” Fuhuan lay down again. The Ziwei Emperor’s palace was under strict guard; such a situation couldn’t possibly occur.

With this thought, she went back to sleep.

…

At the Heavenly Empress’s birthday banquet, since Siqing was in seclusion and did not attend, Youlan, as the representative of the Netherworld, happened to be seated next to Lengyan.

After taking their seats, both exchanged polite yet distant smiles, indicating they were not familiar with each other.

But once seated, Youlan used the act of drinking tea to send a secret message to Lengyan: “Wasn’t she supposed to kneel for seven days? Why did she disappear after just a few hours?”

Lengyan glanced at her, expressionless. “It’s said the Heavenly Emperor issued the order, but the specific reason is unknown.”

“It seems your sister and the Heavenly Emperor share many secrets. It’s a shame you’re biological sisters, yet you know nothing,” Youlan said, her gaze fixed on the dancing girls in front, giving no indication she was communicating secretly with Lengyan.

Hearing this, Lengyan couldn’t help but feel another surge of anger. Indeed, she had only recently discovered that her sister had kept many things from her.

Yesterday I went to the Phoenix Feather Pavilion. One of Fuhuan’s subordinates said Fuhuan was punished to kneel after she went to the forbidden area with the Heavenly Emperor.” Although Lengyan knew Fuling had already told Youlan about this, she still felt the need to emphasize it now, in Youlan’s presence.

“Who is confined in that forbidden area?” Youlan had long known about such a place and that someone was imprisoned there, but she didn’t know exactly who.

Lengyan sighed, “I don’t know. Presumably only Fuhuan knows.”

“Forbidden area…” Youlan raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling she had found another breakthrough.

This forbidden area must have some secrets.

If she could discover the identity of the person inside, perhaps she could find other ways to bring down Fuhuan.

While these two harbored their private thoughts, across from them, Supreme Deity Wuji had already used a secret technique to hear all their private communications.

This Lord Youlan was truly a poisonous tumor.

Back then, she caused Yinchu to have his soul scattered in the fire trial, and now she was beginning to team up with Lengyan to persecute Fuhuan.

This woman could not be allowed to remain.

…

After resting in Ziwei Palace for two days, Fuhuan could get out of bed and move freely.

These two days had been quite peaceful.

“Since your wounds have healed, return to Phoenix Feather Pavilion,” the Ziwei Emperor said, seeing she was almost completely recovered, and sent Fuhuan back.

In the Heavenly Realm, she had much less freedom than at Phoenix Feather Pavilion.

Moreover, she had just angered the Heavenly Emperor. Who knew when he might find fault with her again and punish her at any moment?

“Mm.” Fuhuan nodded. “But before that, I need to see the Heavenly Emperor.”

“What?” The Ziwei Emperor was surprised.

Fuhuan smiled, “I’ve made the Heavenly Emperor so unhappy this time, I should at least make some amends.”

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll be displeased again and punish you?” There was a hint of teasing in the Ziwei Emperor’s voice.

Fuhuan pouted, “Then this Uncle Heavenly Emperor would be too unreasonable.”

“Alright, you may go.” The Ziwei Emperor waved his hand at her.

“Mm, then I’ll take my leave.” Fuhuan bowed slightly to the Ziwei Emperor, then left.

Leaving Ziwei Palace, Fuhuan walked toward the Heavenly Emperor’s palace. When passing by the forbidden area behind a rockery, she unexpectedly encountered the Heavenly Emperor coming out from the forbidden area.

The Heavenly Emperor also seemed somewhat surprised to see Fuhuan.

Looking at the Heavenly Emperor, Fuhuan wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt a trace of guilt in the Heavenly Emperor’s eyes as he looked at her.

She thought it must be her imagination…

“Greetings, Heavenly Emperor.” Fuhuan paid her respects.

“No need for formalities.” The Heavenly Emperor stood before Fuhuan, examining her, his gaze finally resting on her shoulder. “Have your wounds all healed?”

Fuhuan nodded, “They have all healed. I was just on my way to Qingyang Hall to find you.”

“What for?” the Heavenly Emperor asked.

“To explain the matter of the forbidden area to you. I…”

“No need to explain.” The Heavenly Emperor interrupted Fuhuan, turning to glance at the rockery. “I wronged you.”

These words from the Heavenly Emperor surprised Fuhuan. She had thought he might punish her again or reprimand her, but never expected him to say the word “wronged.”

Wronged…

She truly couldn’t bear these two words.

“The person inside is still there.” The Heavenly Emperor spoke.

“…” Fuhuan raised her eyes, frowning. “But yesterday, wasn’t the person gone?”

The Heavenly Emperor sighed, “Let’s not talk about this.”

“Since you’re here, it’s just as well. Place a new sealing incantation on the forbidden area.”

“Fuhuan obeys the decree.”

…

After adding a new seal to the forbidden area, on her way back to Phoenix Feather Pavilion, Fuhuan felt uneasy, with an indescribable feeling.

The person in the forbidden area was gone yesterday, so why would they suddenly reappear?

Without her unsealing incantation, the person inside the forbidden area could never get out.

And in this world, apart from the Heavenly Emperor and herself, only Siqing knew the unsealing incantation…

Siqing…

Could it be that after Siqing took the person away, he brought them back again?

But that didn’t make sense either. Siqing seemed to have no reason to do so.

The more Fuhuan thought about it, the more confused she became. She felt she needed to ask Siqing about this matter in person.

With this thought, Fuhuan flew toward the Netherworld.

…

Soon, Fuhuan appeared at the entrance of the Netherworld.

“Please go in and announce my arrival. I wish to see your Lord of the Netherworld,” Fuhuan said to the little ghost guarding the door.

“In reply to High Goddess Fuhuan, my Lord went into seclusion two days ago and won’t emerge for another eight days,” the little ghost respectfully replied.

Seclusion?

Fuhuan frowned. Why would he go into seclusion at such a critical moment? It was truly frustrating.

“I understand. I’ll leave now.”

Fuhuan turned around, just about to leave, when she ran into someone. Seeing who it was, her eyes lit up, and she stepped forward. “Siqing, weren’t you in seclusion?”