"Qin Yu, this ugly thing is glaring at me. Why don’t you just throw it out?"
The Empress Dowager of the Immortal Country, actually... acting cute?!
Competing for favor?!
No wonder the Empress gets headaches.
"Clang! Clang!"
The ugly little chick was furious, its tiny beak opening, with a faint flame rising.
That kind of flame was purely red. Although it wasn’t a blazing flame, it still gave a sense of extreme danger.
"Be careful, Empress Dowager."
Qin Yu reminded her.
Because, with the Empress Dowager’s movements, the Great Phoenix flickered in and out of view, making it hard for him to maintain his composure.
"Careful of what? Does this palace have to fear such a small chick?"
The Empress Dowager was very dismissive.
This little thing, daring to threaten this palace?
"Look at its beak, so sharp. What if it pecks you..."
Qin Yu continued to remind.
Everyone knows, if you’re pecked, it could bleed!
The ugly little chick cooperatively closed its beak, a flash of red light passing over its sharp tip, as if warning the Empress Dowager, this little chick...
Pooh! Pooh! Pooh!
This Phoenix!
Is super fierce!
Meanwhile, it didn’t forget to nuzzle its fluffy head against Qin Yu’s cheek.
"Hmph, just a little chick. If it dares to hurt this palace, this palace will eat it."
The Empress Dowager said fiercely.
As she spoke, she even bared her nonexistent fangs, looking adorably fierce.
"Empress Dowager, let’s talk somewhere else."
Qin Yu took a deep breath, using his strong willpower to pull his gaze away.
He hadn’t forgotten, the reason the Empress allowed the Empress Dowager in was to remove the curse from her bloodline.
Soon, the two of them reached an Elegant Garden far from the waterfall.
Ahem!
This was not prepared in advance for the Empress Dowager, but built by Qin Yu during his spare time as the range of his Lifebound Space expanded.
"This courtyard is nice; it will be mine now."
The Empress Dowager looked around, very satisfied.
Though it wasn’t as luxurious as the sleeping quarters, it exuded elegance and sophistication, and there was even... a strange swing in the courtyard.
The Empress Dowager already imagined herself sitting on the swing with Little Ling’Er.
"As long as the Empress Dowager likes it."
Qin Yu smiled, unsure of how to start the conversation.
"Why are you daydreaming again?"
The Empress Dowager, sitting on the swing facing Qin Yu, called out a few times but got no response, so she pursed her lips slightly.
Qin Yu, acting peculiar.
Especially after entering here.
This demeanor, as Qin Yu saw it, caused a ripple in his heart.
The Empress Dowager was already a beauty of the highest order, with elegance and purity, like a Fairy from the Moon Palace descending to the mortal world.
Her graceful eyebrows, her willow-like waist swaying in the wind, her light and elegant posture, every gesture, every smile, exuded a holy and otherworldly charm that fascinated people, yet inspired not the slightest hint of desecration.
"Why... why are you looking at this palace like that?"
The Empress Dowager, constantly under his gaze, for some reason, felt inexplicably guilty and avoided his eyes.
She... she couldn’t do anything unworthy of Little Ling’Er.
But Qin Yu looked as if he wanted to ’devour’ her.
Thinking this, the Empress Dowager’s eyes, like the surface of a lake under the moon, rippled.
Clearly resisting, yet seeming to say, come eat me, come eat me...
This is deadly.
Qin Yu inhaled a cool breath and earnestly explained, "I was thinking about how to help the Empress Dowager remove the bloodline curse."
"No need to waste effort. This palace is already much better now."
The Empress Dowager shook her head.
She didn’t want Qin Yu to waste so many resources on her. He was so weak, always being bullied by the Empress and that fox; he should focus on improving his strength quickly.
Mmm.
Now, with this palace to protect him, no need to worry about the big fox bullying him anymore.
"That won’t do. If there’s an illness, it must be treated; if there’s an injury, it must be healed."
Qin Yu said seriously.
These past few days, whenever he left, the Empress Dowager’s face would turn pale and sickly, truly heartbreaking.
"But, you’re not a doctor."
The Empress Dowager said softly.
As a phoenix, she clearly felt the Empress and Qin Yu’s genuine concern for her.
"Have you forgotten? I also cured Yan Yu."
Qin Yu reminded.
"Oh, right."
The Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up, curiously asking, "By the way, you haven’t told this palace how you cured little Yan Yu."
"Well... does the Empress Dowager really want to know?"
"Of course."
The Empress Dowager nodded as if it was obvious, then turned her face away as if she thought of something, patting the spot beside her, "Why are you sitting so far away? Come sit."
Qin Yu naturally understood, the Empress Dowager meant sit, not do.
Looking over, the Empress Dowager sat on the swing, her beautiful legs slightly bent, her shoes kicked off, leaving her feet bare, swaying.
Her toes were round and shiny, her soles red and white, like blooming lotus flowers. Be it lines or shape, there wasn’t a flaw, resembling a piece of art, making anyone who saw them want to hold them and cherish them.
Further up, beneath the phoenix robe, a pair of long, slender beautiful legs appeared intermittently. The color was as pure as jade, smooth and delicate, like elegant jade lotus roots.
Since the Empress Dowager was sitting on a swing, with no defenses against Qin Yu, he could even clearly see the lengthened and taut presence of the phoenix tail, exuding a noble aura.
"Qin Yu, why aren’t you speaking?"
The Empress Dowager’s gaze flickered, and a peculiar expression flashed across her enchantingly beautiful face.
Actually...
Although she was naive, she wasn’t completely ignorant.
She had even secretly witnessed some things happening in Huayang Hall!
She also knew that Little Yan Yu’s condition seemed stabilized because he became Qin Yu’s Dao Companion.
But, no way!
He’s Little Ling’Er’s man.
The Empress did such things, and yet she still stood up to her. Does that mean she has to become someone like the Empress?
The Empress Dowager’s heart was pounding uncontrollably.
Maybe she was overthinking it. Qin Yu was just being concerned.
"Is the Empress Dowager... afraid?"
Qin Yu walked over slowly and sat beside her.
Noticing the slightly nervous demeanor of the Empress Dowager, he curled his lips into a slight smile.
"Why should I be afraid of you?"
The Empress Dowager let out a light hum. Then, as if showing off, she glanced at the little clown chicken and naturally leaned her head on Qin Yu’s other shoulder.
She wasn’t afraid, just worried that Little Ling’Er would be sad.
"The Empress Dowager was cursed by that Ruins Beast to protect the millions of people in Great Yan. No matter what happens, Little Ling’Er won’t blame you."
Faced with the pure and innocent Empress Dowager, Qin Yu felt like he was a big bad wolf deceiving Little Red Riding Hood, and it made him feel strange.
The Empress Dowager didn’t respond, just leaned in a bit, seemingly trying to find a comfortable position to rest.
"Tsk!"
Qin Yu took a sharp breath.
If he continued to maintain this interaction with the Empress Dowager, he honestly felt he might completely explode.
"Empress Dowager, I once heard from Yaoyao that if the bloodline curse loses control, you might end up looking like Tao Sha..."
Qin Yu whispered close to her delicate earlobe, his breath brushing against the crystalline earlobe.
"I absolutely don’t want to become like that!"
The Empress Dowager’s body tensed, her emotions slightly stirred.
Tao Sha was filthy, ugly, and fierce!
She definitely didn’t want to become like that!
"Then, may I help you?"
Qin Yu was unable to hold back anymore, stood up, and lifted the Empress Dowager from the swing, who appeared as serene as a Moon Palace Fairy.
"Ah!"
"Qin Yu, put me down, I can walk myself."
The Empress Dowager let out a soft cry, seemingly uncomfortable as if she had been poked by something, but her voice was so tender it seemed like it would drip water.
So delicate and tender.
It was clear she had never experienced such a sensation of being carried, yet she seemed afraid of being seen by Tu Yaoyao, and she clung tightly to Qin Yu’s neck with her jade-like hands.
Let go?
That was impossible!
Qin Yu stepped straight into the room, and with a mental command, the door closed automatically.
At the same time, this world seemed to have an obscure ripple, shielding this small courtyard.
"Went... inside?!"
Tu Yaoyao’s eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as she looked in that direction.
Wasn’t Qin Yu supposed to be Little Ling’Er’s future husband? Why did he carry the Empress Dowager into the room?
One was the nominal Empress of the Immortal Country, and the other was the Princess of the Immortal Country. How could this possibly be?!
That detestable Qin Yu, he even shielded his presence from her senses.
Had it been outside this space, she would have been able to see for sure.
Really curious now!
This was an auspicious event...
This kind of scene wasn’t a once-in-a-thousand-year event; it was practically impossible to see once in ten thousand years!
Tu Yaoyao couldn’t sit still and wished to fly over, kick the door open, and enter.
What on earth was going to happen, making the fox anxious to death!
...
"Qin, Qin Yu... let go of me."
The Empress Dowager’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s.
She enjoyed being near Qin Yu, even though, despite the Empress’s warnings, she couldn’t help but want to get closer.
However...
The distance between them now was too close!
Moreover, they were alone in a room.
The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but picture one terrifying image after another in her mind.
So scary.
Wouldn’t she... get hurt?
Qin Yu remained silent, gently placing the Empress Dowager on the bed.
In the moonlight streaming through the window lattice, a beautifully alluring, perfect face was revealed before him, and he could even catch the unique fragrance emanating from her.
"Phew..."
The Empress Dowager finally breathed a sigh of relief, her fair and delicate cheeks glowing with a soft radiance. Being observed so closely visibly flustered her.
Her brows and eyes were like paintings.
Elegant, pure, lively, charming!
The lips, just a breath away, intoxicated like orchids, were so temptingly beautiful, like a ripe fruit, making one unable to resist the urge to taste them.
Qin Yu was no saint.
Looking at the somewhat naive Empress Dowager so close to him, his heart thundered, fingertips trembled; he couldn’t resist any longer, leaned down, and captured those tender lips.