After bidding farewell to Rong Xiu, Chu Liuyue left with Thirteen to head to the palace.
Her originally disappointed and worried emotions suddenly became much better after she saw Rong Xiu. It was as if there was nothing else to worry about with him around.
When she returned to Shaoyue Palace, Shangguan You had already been waiting for her for quite some time.
Seeing Chu Liuyue coming back safely, the former emperor heaved a sigh of relief. Ever since experiencing that incident two years ago, he became much more sensitive.
If Chu Liuyue left for too long, he would be worried. Even though he knew that she had quite a few trump cards with her, it was normal for him to be worried as her father.
Chu Liuyue thought for a while and told Shangguan You about Rong Xiu coming to visit three days later. However, she didn’t mention the fact that Chu Ning was kidnapped. Now that she didn’t even know who the other party was, telling her father about it would just make him more worried.
On the other hand, Shangguan You became increasingly curious about Rong Xiu. I wonder what kind of person can make her like him so much.
Seeing how his daughter’s eyes dazzled when she mentioned Rong Xiu made Shangguan You secretly determined. As long as that chap is decent, I won’t object to it. I’ll put my daughter’s happiness above everything!
…
After sending Shangguan You off, Chu Liuyue returned to the study and sat down on a chair.
Today, she had experienced too many things that made her confused. Too many scenes kept intersecting in her mind.
After some time, she opened her eyes—they were completely calm.
“Ancestor,” Chu Liuyue respectfully called out.
A half-transparent figure appeared in front of her—it was Shangguan Jing! He stood with one hand behind his back and asked, “Girlie, what are you worried about?”
Chu Liuyue nodded. “That thing you previously mentioned… Black Demon Hole—what kind of existence is it?”
Upon hearing this, her ancestor’s expression turned stern as he became silent for quite some time.
Chu Liuyue waited quietly. She understood the matters of many dynasties within Heaven’s Canopy rather well—there were some stronger and others weaker than the Tianling Dynasty.
But Black Demon Hole… She really hadn’t heard of them before.
“That’s a reclusive clan.”
Chu Liuyue knitted her brows. “Reclusive clan?”
After some time, Shangguan Jing gradually spoke and deeply sighed as if he was recalling something. “A thousand years ago, I was already a peak stage-nine warrior. I was just one step away from entering Apotheosis, but I spent ten years and still didn’t succeed. Later on, I left Tianling and roamed around the mainland. Meeting Black Demon Hole was a pure accident.”
“Black Demon Hole is very strong. Even me in my peak couldn’t be compared to them. I had once seen someone from Black Demon Hole take action, and his moves were indeed heaven-defying!”
Even after thousands of years, the scene from back then was still deeply engraved in his mind, as good as new.
Chu Liuyue was also shocked. Ancestor is the strongest warrior in the Tianling Dynasty’s thousand-year history. If even he says this, then… How strong must Black Demon Hole’s people be?
“Even though that person didn’t have a physical body and was left with only a soul that day, the Black Demon Hole aura was extremely strong. Thus, I recognized him at one glance.”
These reclusive clans were always very formidable in terms of cultivation, and most of them had their own obvious characteristics. Once one saw them, they could basically recognize them with one glance.
“But these people are usually very arrogant and rarely come into the world, let alone interfere with the royal family’s power struggles…” Shangguan Jing shook his head in confusion. “I don’t know what happened this time…”
Chu Liuyue pondered for a moment. “That soul had been living in Shangguan Wan’s body for at least a few years. According to what Shangguan Wan said, she doesn’t even know when that person started living inside her, but the many things she did later on were all instigated by that person, including… killing me.”
Shangguan Jing glanced at her with complicated emotions. “Actually, I already felt that the person seemed to be targeting you that day. Do you know why?”
Chu Liuyue’s heart tingled. I still remember what that person said that day very clearly. It seems to be because… of the water droplet in my body? Ever since the water droplet formed a pearl of essence-like existence in my body, it had always maintained such a shape. But under that man’s influence that day, it took the appearance of a transparent page and had the faint feeling of being yanked out! If one said that the man came for this, then why did he target me from such an early time? Before I died in my previous life, I didn’t have this item with me. This item just mysteriously appeared after I was reborn. Even now, I still haven’t figured out what it is myself…
She shook her head.
“That person failed on the first attempt, but he definitely won’t just give up. He’ll come again,” said Shangguan Jing deeply. “It’s fine if he is the only one, but if others get involved…”
This was what he was most worried about. If Black Demon Hole wanted to go against Tianling, even he might not be their opponent!
“Girl, the most important thing now is to elevate your cultivation level. This way, even if someone wants to cause trouble for you next time, you will have the ability to retaliate.” The Tianling Dynasty’s founder knitted his brows. “Besides, you have too many treasures with you, and taking any of them out will definitely attract many people coveting it… You can hide for a moment but not forever.”
The only and best way was to make herself stronger!
Chu Liuyue seriously nodded. “I will remember your teachings in my heart.”
…
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
That morning, Chu Liuyue stood up and tidied herself before going to Yuan He Palace.
Yuan He Palace was Shangguan You’s current sleeping residence.
Setting the venue here and not the main hall that most officials would go to was enough to show that Shangguan You wanted to see Rong Xiu as a father first.
Even though Shangguan Yue was the emperor now, to Shangguan You, the most important thing was to see if this marriage could give her happiness.
Perhaps to the entire world, an emperor’s marriage was first a political affair and then a family affair.
But to Shangguan You, it was first a family affair and then a political affair.
Wherever she walked, the palace maids respectfully greeted her.
But the moment she stood outside Yuan He Palace, she saw someone standing there as if they were waiting for a person.
Hearing the commotion, that person turned around.
After examining Chu Liuyue’s appearance carefully, that young and handsome man looked emotional and elated. He quickly walked. “Your High—Your Majesty!”
Chu Liuyue looked at him strangely. “Zhao Zicheng? Why are you here?”
This was the Zhao family’s second young master, and he could be considered a descendant of a famous aristocratic family in Xi Ling City. However, he left Xi Ling a few years ago, so she didn’t expect him to come back today.
When Zhao Zicheng heard her question, his ears turned red. “I heard that Your Majesty came back, so I rushed home overnight to see you.”
He seemed very nervous, but his face was filled with hope and sincerity. “Your Majesty, I came here today to confess to you. Because you previously chose Jiang Yucheng, I didn’t say much and just left Xi Ling City. But this time… I hope you’ll give me a chance!”
Chu Liuyue’s eyelids twitched. Is he… confessing?! On the day I’m bringing my fiancé to see Father no less?!
