The Empress Seeks Refuge

The First Imperial City was packed to overflowing, crowds pressing shoulder to shoulder. As Lu Yuan walked through, an invisible barrier seemed to surround him, automatically parting the flow of people.

Lowering his brow slightly, Lu Yuan sank into thought.

"Lin Hao must have reincarnated more than once, yet he deliberately tried to kill Dongfang Baitian. Could it be that in the future, people like Dongfang Baitian achieve extraordinary things, so Lin Hao wants to eliminate them at the first opportunity to nip the trouble in the bud?"

The Villain Alliance was merely something Lu Yuan had thrown together on a whim; he didn't expect them to grow strong in the future.

To be more precise, he only used them as bait to attract the Children of Destiny.

But Lin Hao's urgent actions piqued Lu Yuan's interest.

Lu Yuan's eyes shifted slightly. "If that's really the case, I might as well invest a little more in those twelve. Perhaps they'll bring me unexpected surprises."

Coming to the Tianxiao Continent, Lu Yuan had two goals.

The first was to kill all the Children of Destiny, acquiring Villain Value to exchange for Demon Body Inhibitors.

The second was to unify the Tianxiao Continent, turning it into his own private reserve.

An inhibitor was, after all, only a suppression. The demon body would eventually erupt. The harder it was suppressed now, the more violently it would explode later.

So Lu Yuan needed his own foundation, his own power.

And within that power, there could be no good people.

In the future, Lu Yuan would inevitably have to slaughter cities and annihilate nations. Good people couldn't follow him forever—they would even hold him back.

Lu Yuan suddenly stopped walking, because not far ahead stood a woman.

The woman's bearing was noble and elegant. A white veil covered her face, her brows like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn pools. She wore a floor-length white gown, standing silently in place, gazing at Lu Yuan.

Seeing that Lu Yuan had noticed her, the woman gave a slight bow. "Su Qingyao greets Young Master."

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Su Qingyao? The Empress of the First Central Empire?"

"What business do you have with me?"

Lu Yuan knew of this woman. She was unquestionably the greatest prodigy the Tianxiao Continent had seen in the last thousand years. A thousand years ago, as a mere woman, she had led a host of powerful experts to forcefully establish the First Central Empire. Her methods were iron-fisted, her talent peerless, and her beauty was hailed as the finest the Tianxiao Continent had seen in ten thousand years.

A smile appeared beneath Su Qingyao's veil. "This concubine wishes to follow by Young Master's side, to serve you tea and water, and warm your bed."

"Oh?" Lu Yuan's eyes flickered. He was somewhat surprised by Su Qingyao's frankness.

"And your goal?"

Su Qingyao didn't answer immediately. Instead, she studied Lu Yuan with her autumn-pool eyes, then asked, "Has Young Master come from the Upper Realm?"

"Whether I have or not, does that relate to my question?" Lu Yuan said flatly.

Su Qingyao smiled softly. "If Young Master has come from the Upper Realm, then Qingyao's goal is to follow Young Master forever."

"If not, Qingyao is willing to share the First Central Empire with Young Master."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan understood Su Qingyao's aim.

He had come from the Upper Realm and would eventually return there. Su Qingyao wanted to follow him always, and her words meant: "I, Su Qingyao, can follow you, Lu Yuan, but you must also take me to the Upper Realm."

This was a very ambitious woman.

Lu Yuan's expression remained flat. "Wanting to follow me isn't something you qualify for with just a few words. Tell me your value!"

Su Qingyao was taken aback. Lu Yuan hadn't agreed immediately. Even with her veil on, her noble and elegant bearing, her figure that stood above all other women, and her eyes like a pool of autumn water could enchant half the men in the world. A beauty like this willingly offering to be your maidservant, and he still needed to think it over?

This was something Su Qingyao hadn't expected. A hint of defiance rose in her heart, so she removed the veil from her face, revealing features stunning enough to captivate the world.

"Young Master, is this enough?"

Lu Yuan looked at Su Qingyao. He had to admit, among all the beauties he had seen so far, her looks could rank in the top ten.

If Su Qingyao were in the Dark Continent, she would undoubtedly have countless proud talents and outstanding youths vying to follow her.

But this still wasn't enough!

Lu Yuan shook his head, his heart as still as dead water, without a single ripple. "Not enough. If you want to follow this Young Master, your face alone won't do."

"Are you a eunuch?"

Seeing that Lu Yuan's eyes held not a trace of emotion, Su Qingyao blurted out the words. As soon as they left her mouth, she realized what she had said and quickly covered her lips, a flicker of panic in her eyes.

"Heavens, what did I just say?"

Lu Yuan's face darkened, but he had good self-restraint and didn't lose his temper. He said calmly, "If there's nothing else, you may leave. Don't disturb this Young Master's stroll."

Lu Yuan lifted his foot and continued walking forward, passing by Su Qingyao and ignoring her entirely.

Su Qingyao's mind was in turmoil. For the first time, she doubted her own charm, and curiosity about the Upper Realm stirred within her. She thought:

"Could it be that the Upper Realm is filled with women like me? Otherwise, how could there be a man in this world who remains so calm and indifferent before me? Even a eunuch could never manage that!"

There were eunuchs in the palace, but even they couldn't remain as unmoved as Lu Yuan when they saw her.

Watching Lu Yuan walk farther and farther away, Su Qingyao seemed to make a momentous decision. "I can give you the First Central Empire."

However, Lu Yuan did not stop.

"The First Central Empire—This Young Master could destroy it with a single backhand. Its value is insufficient."

"Even that's not enough?"

Su Qingyao's face turned deathly pale. The First Central Empire was her greatest pride.

Her beauty wouldn't work, and the First Central Empire wouldn't work either.

Su Qingyao was completely out of options, left to watch Lu Yuan walk further and further away.

Just as Su Qingyao was on the verge of despair, Lu Yuan suddenly stopped.

Su Qingyao's eyes lit up faintly. "Has he changed his mind?"

Lu Yuan slowly turned around, seeming to think of something. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "If you want to follow me, it's not impossible—but it depends on your value."

"I'll give you a probation period. During the time I'm still on the Tianxiao Continent, if you can satisfy me, you may stay by my side."

"But before that, you need to do one thing."

Su Qingyao leaned in to listen.

A faint, enigmatic smile curled at the corner of Lu Yuan's lips. "Spread the news across the Tianxiao Continent that you have acknowledged me as your master—and tell everyone that I forced you into it."

"What?"

Su Qingyao's expression shifted. She was an empress, the peerless empress known to all the world.

If this news spread across the Tianxiao Continent, her reputation would be ruined.

"What, can't even do that?" Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. "It seems I overestimated your resolve."

With that, Lu Yuan paid her no further heed and walked on ahead.

But before he had gone far, the sound of Su Qingyao gritting her silver teeth came from behind.

"Fine. I agree."

Lu Yuan's steps paused briefly, then he continued forward.

Su Qingyao understood—Lu Yuan had accepted.

After Su Qingyao's figure vanished.

Lu Yuan stopped in place, lost in thought.

He had only one purpose in accepting Su Qingyao.

She was beautiful—universally known to be beautiful.

That meant Su Qingyao had countless suitors and admirers behind her, and among those suitors and admirers, there were likely no small number of Children of Destiny.

If these Children of Destiny learned that their goddess had been forced into becoming someone's maidservant, how would they react?

Wasn't the hero-saving-the-beauty trope exactly what Children of Destiny loved most?

After all, besides the title "Child of Destiny," they had another name known to all—

Harem King.