When the song ended, its lingering notes seemed to curl around the rafters. A Li and the other two women bowed gracefully, quietly awaiting Di Xin's judgment.
The Imperial Study fell silent for a time. The only sound was the faint tapping of Di Xin's fingertips against the desk. Each tap struck at the three women's hearts, making them increasingly uneasy.
After a long while, Di Xin finally spoke. His voice revealed neither pleasure nor anger. "Your dance was exquisite, and your music ethereal. They were indeed rare gifts. With Empress Nü Jiao's inheritance and Xuanyuan Imperial Sovereign's legacy, the blessings you bear have not been sullied."
A Li secretly let out a breath of relief and said softly, "Your Majesty flatters me."
"However," Di Xin said, turning the conversation sharply as his gaze flashed like lightning and fixed directly on A Li, "you bear such blessings and fortune, yet instead of seeking to serve the Human Emperor and assist the orthodoxy of the Human Dao, you have become entangled with the scheming Heir of Western Qi."
"You even willingly followed him into my Zhaoge, a place as perilous as a dragon's lair and tiger's den. A Li, tell me, what are you seeking?"
"Were you simply blinded by so-called love, or do you believe that Bo Yikao—or Western Qi itself—can offer you a greater opportunity than I can?"
"Within the Tushan Lineage, even among the imperial clan, there are very few who can awaken nine tails and attain an auspicious form."
"You were originally nothing more than a wild fox from the mountains. By a twist of fate, you obtained Empress Nü Jiao's inheritance and attained an auspicious form, giving your path of cultivation limitless room to expand."
"And now you want to drag the Tushan Lineage to its