With his current Heavenly Emperor Realm cultivation, Ye Xingchen easily sensed that the drop of Essence Blood Luo Qingshan had used to save him was actually a drop of imperial blood. Recalling that breathtaking figure he had seen, he could not help thinking:
You saved this young master, and this young master has seen your body, and we even crossed the river of time to meet. Could this be a marriage ordained by heaven?!
Ye Xingchen looked up at the sky, clearly sensing affection and delight within the Great Dao.
Ye Xingchen smiled faintly and made his decision. He had stayed in the human world in his previous life. In this life, he might as well spend some time among the Demon Race first and see just how humans and demons differed. That would be quite interesting too.
That evening, Luo Qingshan came to Phoenix Perch Palace again and, to the maidservants' astonishment, had dinner with Ye Xingchen.
Before leaving, she glanced at Ye Xingchen as though she had something to say but did not know how to say it. She turned away and returned to her own room in Phoenix Perch Palace. Originally, Luo Qingshan had wanted to tell Ye Xingchen that she would send him away after some time, but when the words reached her lips, she somehow could not bring herself to speak.
Whether it was because of that drop of her Essence Blood or because, during her time among humans, she had heard them say that a woman had to marry a man once he had seen her naked, Luo Qingshan did not speak and instead simply turned and left.
Ye Xingchen likewise noticed that Luo Qingshan seemed to have something she wanted to tell him, and thought:
Please don't send this young master away. Please don't send this young master away.
And so, with one unwilling to leave and the other unwilling to tell him to leave, the two tacitly avoided discussing the subject again.
Early the next morning, Ye Xingchen woke feeling refreshed. This was also the first time in all these years that he had slept until he woke naturally. With great strength at his command and beautiful scenery around him, Ye Xingchen decided to go for a walk today. As long as he did not leave this enormous Phoenix Perch Palace, he could wander wherever he liked.
With Ye Xingchen's current strength, however, he could go anywhere on the Divine Martial Continent. He simply wanted to stay here for now and experience the Demon Race's local customs.
Suddenly, the system's voice rang out beside Ye Xingchen's ear:
"Ding! Today's check-in is available. Would the host like to check in?"
Hearing the system, Ye Xingchen finally remembered that he could check in every day. He immediately said to it:
"System, check in."
"Ding! Checking in. Congratulations to the host on receiving the reward-True Explanation of Alchemy."
The True Explanation of Alchemy was the supreme treasure of the ancient Alchemy Sect. After learning it, the host would directly master the refining methods for every pill of the Alchemy Sect.
During High Antiquity, other sects had joined forces to destroy the Alchemy Sect because of this very book. The True Explanation of Alchemy had ultimately vanished without a trace. From then on, the standard of alchemy on the Divine Desolation Continent had plummeted, making alchemists people whom every power on the Divine Desolation Continent scrambled to recruit.
Hearing the system's voice, Ye Xingchen's eyes lit up. He was already powerful enough, and now the system was rewarding him by making him a distinguished alchemist. It was setting him up to become freaking awesome!
Without further hesitation, Ye Xingchen said directly to the system:
"System, learn the True Explanation of Alchemy."
"Ding! Learning the True Explanation of Alchemy. Congratulations to the host on mastering the ancient Alchemy Sect's supreme treasured technique-True Explanation of Alchemy. Because the host possesses the Great Dao Chaos Physique and is naturally blessed with heaven-defying fortune, the hidden alchemy methods within the True Explanation of Alchemy have been automatically deciphered. Ancient Alchemy Technique acquired."
The instant the system finished speaking, Ye Xingchen felt vast streams of information pouring into his mind.
In the deepest reaches of his mind, a figure radiating crystalline, jade-like light sat cross-legged with a solemn expression in the depths of his sea of consciousness.
A book glowing blue-green slowly materialized in its right hand. It was none other than the Alchemy Sect's supreme treasured technique-the True Explanation of Alchemy.
That figure resembled a mighty sovereign of the ages, solemn and incomparably domineering. It was Ye Xingchen's Heavenly Emperor Divine Nascent Soul. At that moment, a halo appeared behind it, firmly protecting Ye Xingchen's sea of consciousness within.
At that moment, Ye Xingchen felt as though he had immersed himself in alchemy for countless millions of years. He knew the application of alchemy methods, the control of every degree of heat, and the names, ingredients, and mixing proportions of countless spirit medicines, divine medicines, and poisons like the back of his hand. He also understood that pills, like martial skills and cultivation methods, had corresponding grades.
Ye Xingchen's mind was now even clearer, and his Divine Sense even stronger.
His spirits instantly soared, and he hummed softly as he headed toward the garden of Phoenix Perch Palace. He remembered a pavilion there, built over a natural lake.
Ye Xingchen planned to cut a green bamboo stalk in the garden and make a fishing rod. In the future, he could fish at the pavilion whenever he had nothing to do. With a tea table as well, he could enjoy some tea. That would be quite a pleasure.
As he passed the study of Phoenix Perch Palace, he saw a breathtaking figure sitting inside. Her long black hair hung naturally, her brows curved like crescent moons, and her eyes shone like stars. Her cherry-red lips curved slightly upward, her slender neck was white as snow, and her figure was graceful. She resembled a goddess descended from the nine heavens, her peerless, city-toppling beauty without a single flaw. Truly unmatched in her splendor, beautiful enough to topple cities and kingdoms-no wonder she was called the greatest beauty.
Ye Xingchen stood outside the door, transfixed. Thinking of those female celebrities with cosmetic surgery from his previous life, Luo Qingshan's looks and bearing left them ten streets behind. Yet at that moment, Luo Qingshan seemed to have thought of something unpleasant. Her willow brows were tightly knitted, giving her a different sort of charm.
The sudden presence made Luo Qingshan whip her head around. Discovering that it was Ye Xingchen, she waved her hand and shut the study door tightly, leaving him standing there looking embarrassed. He smiled helplessly and thought:
The road to winning the beauty is a long one, with a heavy burden to bear!
Putting it out of his mind, Ye Xingchen followed the stairs down into the garden of Phoenix Perch Palace and headed toward the bamboo grove.
He selected a suitable emerald-green bamboo stalk and fashioned it into a rod of the right length and size. After searching the garden, he dug up some small earthworms, bent the silver needle he had brought from his room, and tied it to the silk thread. He inspected it with satisfaction, then headed toward the pavilion on the natural lake.
Luo Qingshan, standing by the window, watched everything Ye Xingchen did. Only after watching him bustle about and head toward the lake did she slowly sit back down. Suddenly, a knock came at the study door, followed by the maidservant Qing'er's voice:
"Your Majesty, Prince Shi requests an audience."
Hearing Qing'er's words, Luo Qingshan frowned slightly and said:
"Have him go to the council hall. This empress will be there shortly."
Outside the door, the maidservant Qing'er acknowledged Luo Qingshan's instructions, then turned and left.
Only then did Luo Qingshan rise and walk to the window. She saw that Ye Xingchen had already reached the pavilion, cast his bamboo rod into the water, and begun fishing leisurely. Looking at his carefree ease, Luo Qingshan actually felt a secret envy. She smiled faintly, then turned and left.
The scene shifted to the council hall, where a burly man with a fierce face sat with a dignified expression. His brows were tightly knitted, as though he were wrestling with himself, and he kept rubbing a red pill between his fingers. This man was none other than Shi Wudi, prince of the Golden Lion Clan, one of the few such clans remaining among the Demon Race.
He was also one of Luo Qingshan's many suitors, a powerful cultivator in the Immortal Lord Realm, only one step away from breaking through to the Immortal Emperor Realm after surviving his heavenly tribulation. He could be counted among the supreme geniuses of the Demon Race's younger generation. However, fewer than ten members of the Golden Lion Clan remained, and all of them followed the grand elder's faction.
With a creak, the council hall doors opened. Upon seeing the figure he yearned for day and night, Shi Wudi no longer hesitated. Without a sound, he gently crushed the red pill in his hand into powder, letting it disappear into the air of the council hall. Only then did he rise and say to Luo Qingshan with a smile:
"Qingshan, look what this prince brought back for you this time. I guarantee you'll like it."
With that, Shi Wudi took an ancient treasure box from his storage ring. It was inlaid with red jewels and had clearly been brought back from the humans. He carried it before Luo Qingshan as though presenting a precious treasure and spoke.
Luo Qingshan ignored Shi Wudi and walked straight to the seat of honor in the council hall. Only after sitting down did she say indifferently:
"Prince Shi, surely you haven't come merely to give this empress a treasure box! Furthermore, do not address this empress by name. Address me as Empress or Your Majesty. We are not that close! Do not forget your place."
As Luo Qingshan finished speaking, a terrifying imperial might descended. Shi Wudi involuntarily staggered several steps backward, gritting his teeth and circulating all his Law Power to resist that terrifying pressure.
Hearing Luo Qingshan's words, a trace of madness flashed through Shi Wudi's eyes. He lowered his head, cupped his fists, and said to her:
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I was at fault. I was so happy to see Your Majesty that I forgot myself."
Hatred filled Shi Wudi's lowered eyes as he thought:
Hmph, Luo Qingshan, I am a prince of the Golden Lion Clan, a clan of divine beasts. Though my strength is inferior to yours, neither my identity, standing, nor bloodline is beneath yours. Yet you dare treat this prince like this. I'll make you pay in a moment.
This prince refuses to believe it. With the great gift I specially prepared for you this time, let's see how you escape my palm. No matter what, I will make you my woman this time. Then, according to the Demon Race's customs, you'll have no other choice but to obediently marry this prince. When that happens, the entire Demon Race will be in the Golden Lion Clan's hands.
Only then will this prince become the true Lord of the Demon Race, while you, Luo Qingshan, can only depend on me. Hahahaha! Hahahaha!
At this thought, Shi Wudi felt that enough time had passed. Uncharacteristically, he burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"
Seeing Shi Wudi behave so strangely, Luo Qingshan vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
Suddenly, Luo Qingshan felt weak all over, her entire body burning hot. She circulated her Law Power to suppress the sensation, but the more she suppressed it, the stronger it became.
Luo Qingshan's face was now flushed, her breathing rapid. Having visited human territory, how could she not know what had happened? Her cherry lips parted slightly as she said furiously:
"Despicable! Shi Wudi, how dare you!"
Watching Luo Qingshan half-recline there, her breathtaking face covered in a crimson flush, her snow-white neck tinged pink, her breathing rapid and her entire body limp, Shi Wudi dropped all pretense. He burst into laughter and said to her:
"Luo Qingshan, stop resisting. Be this prince's woman obediently! This is an immortal-grade pill that I specially bought at a great price from a disciple of the Supreme Purity Palace-the Myriad Desires Pill."
"The greatest benefit of this pill is that no matter how powerful you are, once affected, you cannot undo it. Unless you find a man to dual cultivate with, you will only burn to death in the flames of desire."
"Luo Qingshan, haven't you always wanted to lead the Demon Race out of its plight? Come, submit obediently to this prince and become my woman. Otherwise, once your life is gone, everything will be empty talk."
At that moment, Shi Wudi's fierce face was filled with the certainty of victory. An unusual, burning light shone in his eyes as he brazenly swept his gaze over Luo Qingshan's two jade-like legs, like pillars of jade.
With a wicked grin, he walked toward Luo Qingshan. Her breathing grew increasingly rapid, and waves of shame surged straight into her mind.
Seeing Shi Wudi draw closer and closer, Luo Qingshan shouted:
"Shi Wudi, you dare?!"
Luo Qingshan truly had never expected Shi Wudi to do something like this after a trip among the humans. She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue to keep herself clearheaded.
She blasted a vicious palm strike at Shi Wudi. He had never expected Luo Qingshan to still be capable of resisting in her current state. Completely unprepared, he took her furious palm strike squarely in the chest.
How could Shi Wudi, an Immortal Lord Realm cultivator, withstand a furious palm strike from the Immortal Thearch Realm? Luo Qingshan's palm smashed him directly into a pulp, leaving him dead beyond all doubt. Even the demon core inside him was shattered.
Luo Qingshan did not even glance at Shi Wudi. Desperately clinging to her last shred of reason, she saw a man's figure flash through her mind. Without further hesitation, she vanished in a flash.
When Luo Qingshan reappeared, she was already at the natural lake in Phoenix Perch Palace. Seeing Ye Xingchen still fishing at leisure, she swept her hand, whisked him up, and vanished from the lakeside.
Ye Xingchen had noticed Luo Qingshan the moment she appeared. But seeing her flushed face, rapid breathing, and eyes filled with an unusual heat, he had no time to say anything before her Law Power swept him up and he vanished from the lakeside. Only an emerald-green bamboo rod remained, swaying gently-a fish had bitten the hook.
The scene shifted to Luo Qingshan's bedchamber. With his cultivation sealed by Luo Qingshan and his entire body unable to move, Ye Xingchen was tossed onto the bed. Holding on to her last shred of reason, Luo Qingshan approached him, her clothes slowly slipping off...
Only when the sky grew dark did Ye Xingchen glance at Luo Qingshan, curled up in his arms. Her face was slightly flushed, making her even more enchanting. Gone was the lofty, untouchable air of the Demon Race's empress; she was like a girl next door.
Ye Xingchen had never imagined that a day would come when a woman would pounce on him-and that she would be the peerlessly beautiful empress of the Demon Race. As though sensing his gaze, Luo Qingshan slowly opened her eyes. Looking at the handsome man before her, she rose without a word. Paying no heed to his gaze, she silently dressed, then said calmly:
"This empress knows the customs of you humans. This empress will take responsibility."
With that, Luo Qingshan vanished, leaving only a thoroughly bewildered Ye Xingchen to lower his head and search for his already-tattered clothes.
When he saw that striking patch of red on the bed, Ye Xingchen's heart gave a sudden thump, and the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
As though he had found his purpose in life, he looked toward the spot where Luo Qingshan had vanished and smiled faintly.