Inside the main hall, the air seemed to freeze completely the instant Shi Ji's words fell.
That question, carrying grievance, coy resentment, and even a trace of possessiveness she herself had not noticed, drifted down like a delicate feather—yet within the deathly silent palace, it stirred soundless thunder.
Shi Ji regretted it the moment she spoke.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, nearly leaping out of her throat.
How dared she?
How dared she speak to this man—who had dared to roar a Sage's decree to pieces—with such an almost accusatory tone?
Had she gone mad?
What if... what if he thought she was being unreasonable and became tired of her?
Countless terrifying thoughts flashed wildly through Shi Ji's mind, making her already flushed face turn slightly pale.
Her fingers twisted the hem of her robes, her knuckles whitening from the force as though she might tear apart her magnificent palace attire.
With her head lowered, she did not dare look into Qin Feng's eyes. She could only stare fixedly at the cold bluestone floor, waiting for the judgment that might break her heart.
At this moment, time stretched endlessly.
Every breath felt as long as an era.
Qin Feng said nothing.
Shi Ji only felt a gaze as deep as an abyss settle upon her.
That gaze held no warmth, yet it carried an indescribable pressure that nearly suffocated her.
It was over.
He really was angry.
Shi Ji's heart slowly sank, plunging into an endless frozen sea.
Just as all the courage and sweetness in her heart were about to be worn away by that deathly silence—
A figure moved without warning.
Qin Feng rose from the main seat without making the slightest sound, yet an unquestionable force surrounded him.
He did not walk around the desk.