As soon as Lengyuan’s words fell, Zhu Ling instinctively stepped back, looking at Lengyuan with horror on her face. “I, I…”

Such a bold and life-threatening thing—how could she dare to do it?

“Hmm?” Lengyuan observed Zhu Ling’s reaction, raising her eyebrows as her gaze darkened slightly. “Unwilling?”

Hearing this, Zhu Ling immediately knelt in fright, prostrating herself on the ground. “Zhu Ling wouldn’t dare.”

“That’s good then. This matter, for you, only has benefits and no drawbacks.”

“Once you’ve caught Tong Yan’s attention, your future status will be far more noble than serving here in my Cui Ling Palace, don’t you think?” Lengyuan propped her chin on her hand, smiling as she looked at Zhu Ling.

After raising this dog for so many years, it was finally proving useful.

Zhu Ling’s body trembled slightly. At this point, what choice did she have? With Lengyuan’s current temperament, if she dared refuse, she would likely lose her life on the spot.

“Tomorrow morning, I want to know who that person in the forbidden area is,” Lengyuan said her final words, then stood up and walked toward the inner chamber.

…

…

After taking just two steps, the cry of a phoenix suddenly echoed from outside.

Lengyuan halted, quickly running to the door. She saw that in the direction of the fire prison, multicolored clouds were swirling, and a five-colored divine phoenix was flapping its wings, circling above the fire prison.

Simultaneously, streams of spiritual power broke through the fire prison, rising against the heavens.

Phoenix divine power.

“Damn it, she’s recovered her powers!” Seeing this scene, Lengyuan heavily struck the doorframe, and the gleam that had just ignited in her eyes instantly extinguished.

…

Inside the fire prison, Fu Huan concentrated all her inner strength in one go. Soon, with the phoenix cry from behind her, her cultivation was instantly restored by more than half.

After a short while, the raging flames in the fire prison suddenly dissipated.

She looked up toward the entrance of the fire prison. The Heavenly Emperor, accompanied by the Great Emperor Ziwei and others, had appeared at the prison entrance.

The Heavenly Emperor had hurriedly gathered people to come here after hearing the phoenix cry. Fu Huan’s recovery of her cultivation was a good thing for him.

Therefore, whatever Fu Huan had done previously to displease him, he would no longer hold it against her.

As long as she served the Celestial Realm well from now on, he would still treat her like his own daughter and would never mistreat her.

“Good, just as I expected. The cultivation technique you practice is of the fire element, staying in the fire prison has indeed helped you recover your powers.” The Heavenly Emperor looked at Fu Huan with a satisfied smile.

Fu Huan looked at the smile on the Heavenly Emperor’s face and found it unbearably glaring. After the events of these past few days, she no longer held the respect for the Heavenly Emperor that she once did.

In her view, the Heavenly Emperor only cared about his authority.

His previous kindness to her was probably only because of her identity as the daughter of the Phoenix Star. Otherwise, he might not have even spoken a single word to her.

She wondered if this incident counted as the great tribulation that Father Ziwei had mentioned.

“Today, you may leave the fire prison. Go back to Phoenix Feather Pavilion and rest well for a couple of days.” Seeing Fu Huan’s sallow complexion, the Heavenly Emperor guessed she was exhausted from her time in the fire prison, so he didn’t say much more before turning to leave.

“Huan’er, come out quickly.” The Great Emperor Ziwei ran up, opened the prison door, and helped Fu Huan out.

Fu Huan stood up, but her legs were still a bit weak. Unable to stand firmly, she fell to the ground.

“Clang…”

A porcelain bottle rolled out from her sleeve, stopping at the Great Emperor Ziwei’s feet.

Seeing the porcelain bottle, Fu Huan froze. Just as she was about to lunge forward to pick it up, the Great Emperor Ziwei had already picked it up first. His eyes widened in shock as his fingers touched the cold porcelain.

Then he opened the bottle lid and gently sniffed the medicinal pills inside.

“Let’s return to Ziwei Palace first!” The Great Emperor Ziwei put away the bottle, bent down to carry Fu Huan, and headed out.

All the way, the Great Emperor Ziwei’s face remained stern, clearly showing signs of anger.

Fu Huan sighed inwardly. Why did these unfortunate events keep coming one after another?

…

Ziwei Palace.

“Where did this come from?” Upon returning to Ziwei Palace, the Great Emperor Ziwei dismissed all servants and held up the porcelain bottle.

“Father, this is a medicinal pill I used to regulate my inner energy when I was feeling unwell earlier,” Fu Huan pursed her lips, giving a guarded answer.

The Great Emperor Ziwei frowned. “I’m asking you where this came from!”

“Was it given to you by Si Qing? Regulating inner energy—you’re trying to fool me! The medicine in here is made from Snow Mountain Lingzhi. This Snow Mountain Lingzhi blooms only once in ten thousand years. The only one in the world is with Si Qing. Did you think I wouldn’t know?” The Great Emperor Ziwei was extremely upset.

Snow Mountain Lingzhi…

Fu Huan bit her lip. She knew the pill that helped her recover her powers was extraordinary, but she hadn’t realized it was so precious.

“Haven’t I told you long ago to stay away from Si Qing and keep your distance from him? Why won’t you listen to me?” The Great Emperor Ziwei grew angrier as he thought about it. Just thinking about the vendetta Si Qing carried, he couldn’t allow Fu Huan to be with him.

If someday the truth came to light and the Heavenly Emperor discovered Si Qing’s true identity, Fu Huan would likely suffer along with him.

“Father, I love Si Qing.” Fu Huan knelt, expressing her feelings to the Great Emperor Ziwei for the first time.

She didn’t care anymore; she didn’t want to hide it anymore.

Nor did she want to see the day when the Heavenly Emperor would issue an imperial decree to marry Si Qing to Lengyuan.

She loved Si Qing.

She truly loved him!

“What did you say?” The Great Emperor Ziwei momentarily thought he had misheard.

“I love Si Qing!” Fu Huan repeated, looking up at the Great Emperor Ziwei, her eyes gradually reddening.

“Father, please, don’t stop me from being with Si Qing anymore, and don’t help Lengyuan seek a marriage decree, alright?” Fu Huan grabbed the hem of the Great Emperor Ziwei’s robe, tears flowing uncontrollably.

This seemed to be the first time she had ever begged someone so humbly.

“Look at yourself. You’ve always been proud since you were little, and as the daughter of the Phoenix Star, you’re incredibly noble and glorious. Now you’re degrading yourself for a man.”

“Huan’er, your father is truly disappointed in you!”

The Great Emperor Ziwei swept his sleeve and turned to leave.

Fu Huan remained kneeling, tears in her eyes, not rising for a long time.

…

The next day, at Cui Ling Palace.

Lengyuan had been sitting in the main hall since early morning, leaning sideways in her chair. Only when Zhu Ling’s trembling figure entered the door did her face show any expression. She sat upright, smiling as she looked toward Zhu Ling.

“Greetings, Upper Deity.” Zhu Ling bowed to Lengyuan.

“No need for formalities. Sit down.” Lengyuan pointed to an empty seat nearby.

Zhu Ling swallowed and shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. This servant will stand to speak.”

“Very well then, tell me the results.” Lengyuan took a sip of water, eyeing Zhu Ling.

Zhu Ling glanced around, then stepped forward, approaching Lengyuan and lowering her voice, “Tong Yan said that the woman in the forbidden area was one of the Heavenly Emperor’s consorts from years ago. She is the daughter of Imperial Consort Qingzhi, born from her affair with another man behind the Heavenly Emperor’s back.”

“What? There’s such a thing?” Lengyuan instinctively frowned, her first reaction being that this was utterly absurd!

“That’s what Tong Yan told me.” Zhu Ling said defensively.

Lengyuan impatiently pursed her lips. “Continue.”

“That woman, named Chun Meng, has been imprisoned by the Heavenly Emperor in that forbidden area and has never left it. The Heavenly Emperor often visits the forbidden area to be with Chun Meng, but gives her no status.”

“Tong Yan also said that the Heavenly Emperor seems very afraid that something might happen to the person in the forbidden area. He often asks Upper Deity Fu Huan to modify the seals outside the forbidden area, so apart from Upper Deity Fu Huan and the Heavenly Emperor, no one has set foot inside.”

“The reason Tong Yan knows all this is because he once overheard the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress talking about it. They said that Immortal Chun Meng was looking more and more like Imperial Consort Qingzhi, almost as if they were cast from the same mold. Later, after hearing more details, Tong Yan understood the situation.”

“That’s all this servant knows.”

Lengyuan listened quietly to Zhu Ling’s words, detecting some clues from the information Zhu Ling had obtained.

The woman in plain clothes yesterday, judging by her aura, was indeed an immortal.

And one she had never seen before.

Could she be connected to the woman in the forbidden area?

“Did you ask Tong Yan if he had seen Chun Meng’s appearance? Or Imperial Consort Qingzhi’s appearance?” Lengyuan asked.

“This servant did ask. Tong Yan only said that he had seen a portrait of Imperial Consort Qingzhi, but had never seen Immortal Chun Meng.” Zhu Ling answered.

Lengyuan raised her eyebrows. “Where did he see Imperial Consort Qingzhi’s portrait?”

“In the Heavenly Emperor’s bedchamber.”

…

Fu Huan knelt for a long time in Ziwei Palace without receiving any concession from the Great Emperor Ziwei. She sighed, slowly stood up, and walked toward Phoenix Feather Pavilion.

As she stepped out of the main gate of Ziwei Palace, Zi Yu quickly came to greet her, looking at Fu Huan with red-rimmed eyes. “Master has suffered injustice.”

“Nanny Yu…” At the sight of Zi Yu, all the grievances in Fu Huan’s heart poured out, and she almost lost control of her emotions, ready to burst into tears.

“There, there, let’s go back to Phoenix Feather Pavilion before crying. There are too many outsiders here; we shouldn’t give them something to laugh about.” Zi Yu wiped away Fu Huan’s tears and supported her as they walked to Phoenix Feather Pavilion.

Soon, the two arrived at the entrance of Phoenix Feather Pavilion. As soon as Fu Huan stepped inside, Zi Yu immediately reached out to close the main door.

Fu Huan was somewhat puzzled. When she looked up and saw the dark figure standing before her, she quickly ran forward and threw herself into Si Qing’s arms.

Si Qing held Fu Huan tightly, as if he were holding the most precious thing in the world to him, reluctant to let go for a long time.

“Huan’er, you’ve suffered.” Si Qing’s voice was low with a hint of hoarseness.

At these words, all the grievances and vexations in Fu Huan’s heart instantly vanished. She quickly shook her head, but when she tried to speak, all her words were stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

“You two go inside and talk,” Zi Yu stood to the side, smiling gently.

No wonder her master had been acting so strange these days—she had fallen in love.

However, the other party was Lord Netherworld God. Who knew what future awaited these two?

…

As soon as Fu Huan led Si Qing into the bedchamber, she lunged forward, stood on tiptoe, and wrapped her arms around Si Qing’s neck. Her red lips fell heavily on Si Qing’s thin lips.

She had wanted to do this for so long!

Si Qing was startled at first, not expecting Fu Huan to be so forward. But after sensing her inner thoughts, his clear eyes filled with a smile. He reached out to cup Fu Huan’s face, gradually deepening the kiss…