Volume 1, Chapter 184 – She Really Knows What She’s Doing

Inside the main hall, Gu Han withdrew the divine sense she had extended toward the Myriad-Phenomena Tower, satisfaction in her eyes.

Her disciples had passed the character assessment so quickly and promptly settled into cultivation. She was extremely pleased.

With the second and third floors of the Myriad-Phenomena Tower now open, along with the supervision of its tower spirit, Xiao Wan,

the disciples’ cultivation would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds in the coming days.

That left her with fewer concerns about the upcoming journey to the Central Province.

Just then, a familiar voice drifted in from outside the hall, its languid tone tinged with amusement.

“Little Sister Gu, may I come in?”

Gu Han frowned slightly at the sound. The brief “clash” they had shared just after she emerged from seclusion remained vivid in her mind.

She knew some things simply could not be avoided forever.

“Come in.”

The hall doors opened soundlessly.

Empress Qingxuan entered at an unhurried pace. Today, she wore a somewhat more formal purple gown.

Her dark hair was pinned up with a jade hairpin, lending her less of her usual languid ease and more stately elegance.

Yet when those smiling eyes settled on Gu Han, they still burned with undisguised intensity and curiosity.

“You spent a month in seclusion and made great strides in your cultivation. Congratulations, Little Sister.”

Qingxuan sat opposite Gu Han, her gaze sweeping over the increasingly restrained and harmonious aura surrounding her. Her tone was sincere.

“You flatter me.”

Gu Han remained composed as she poured Qingxuan a cup of tea.

“Did you come to see me about something?”

Qingxuan lifted the teacup, gently tracing its smooth, warm surface with her fingertips as her eyes gleamed.

“For one thing, I naturally came because I was concerned about you. As for the second reason…”

She paused and set down the teacup. When she looked at Gu Han again, her expression had grown more serious.

“When do you intend to depart for the Central Province gathering?”

Gu Han considered the question for a moment before answering.

“Once everything in the Immortal Palace has been properly arranged and the disciples’ cultivation is on track, I’ll leave.”

After a brief pause, she added,

“I’ll probably need another half month.”

“Half a month…”

At Gu Han’s answer, Empress Qingxuan’s lips curved upward as one fingertip lightly traced the rim of her cup.

“Half a month… That works.”

The smile in her eyes deepened before she subtly changed the subject.

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“Then do you know that, aside from you, me, and Lingshuang, the other seven Immortal Ascension experts on the continent will all be attending this Central Province gathering?”

Gu Han nodded slightly, her voice calm.

“ Sovereign Longteng mentioned it to me that day.”

“But he may not have told you everything.”

Empress Qingxuan leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice.

“The Immortal Ascension experts of Canglan Continent appear united on the surface, but in truth, each has their own alliances.”

“ Sovereign Longteng, Sacred Lord Yaoguang, and Old Man Tianji of the Central Province form one faction.”

“The Buddha Lord of the Western Region may appear utterly irreconcilable with the Demon Lord, but in truth, those two are closer than anyone else.”

“As for Venerable Baiyun of my Eastern Region, he and the Desolate God of the Northern Region are the closest of friends.”

“And Lingshuang…”

She paused, a hint of teasing flashing through her eyes.

“Tens of thousands of years ago, she was the Holy Maiden of Yaoguang Sacred Land. Strictly speaking, she and Longteng are fellow disciples.”

Qingxuan’s words sent enormous waves surging through Gu Han’s heart, but her expression remained unchanged.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

Empress Qingxuan chuckled, her fingers idly curling around a strand of Gu Han’s hair.

“I fought my way to where I am today one step at a time, relying entirely on my own strength. I’ve always gone my own way and never formed a close relationship with anyone.”

“However…”

Her gaze shifted to Gu Han’s face.

“Now there is someone I’d like to become very close to.”

Whatever came to Gu Han’s mind made the tips of her ears heat up. She hurriedly looked away.

“Let’s discuss the matter at hand.”

Empress Qingxuan smiled faintly, her tone becoming somewhat more serious again.

“Longteng claims this gathering is intended to investigate the path to immortality together. In truth, he wants to borrow everyone’s strength to prolong Sacred Lord Yaoguang’s life and seek a path forward for her.”

“An Immortal Ascension expert’s lifespan is one hundred thousand years. After the path to immortality was severed, that was the agreement this world’s first Immortal Ascension expert made with the Heavenly Dao.”

“But now, someone is attempting to break that agreement and defy heaven to alter fate. Do you think the Heavenly Dao will allow it?”

Empress Qingxuan’s voice was soft, yet it struck Gu Han’s ears like a sudden thunderclap.

She abruptly raised her eyes to Qingxuan.

“An agreement? The Heavenly Dao won’t allow it?”

“That’s right.”

Qingxuan nodded, an uncharacteristic gravity in her expression.

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“Longteng and Sacred Lord Yaoguang share an extremely deep bond. All these years, he has been searching for a way to extend Yaoguang’s life.”

“The so-called ‘mystery of the path to immortality’ is nothing more than bait. His true purpose is to gather the Immortal Ascension experts of all Five Regions and forcibly ‘borrow’ lifespan from the Heavenly Dao.”

Gu Han’s heart trembled.

She had known Sovereign Longteng might have another objective, but she had never imagined his scheme would be so vast or so… dangerous.

“‘Borrow’ lifespan from the Heavenly Dao?”

Gu Han knitted her brows tightly.

“Such an act will likely provoke a backlash from the Heavenly Dao.”

“A backlash would be the least of it.”

Qingxuan sneered.

“Years ago, I came across similar fragmentary records in an ancient ruin on the Xuanhuang Continent.”

“Anyone who participates in such an attempt to defy and rewrite destiny will, at best, suffer a drastic decline in cultivation and damage to their Dao foundation. At worst, their Dao will be destroyed, and they will die on the spot.”

“Even if they succeed, the Heavenly Dao will inevitably send down a terrifying tribulation. When that happens, everyone present will be caught up in it.”

She looked at Gu Han, a warning in her eyes.

“Longteng may inform everyone of the risks beforehand, but he will certainly do his utmost to downplay them. He may even promise other benefits.”

“He loves Yaoguang too deeply. For her sake, he is willing to sacrifice everything, including… the safety of others.”

A brief silence fell over the hall.

Gu Han struggled to process this astonishing information.

This was no longer merely a conflict between cultivators. It concerned the laws of heaven and earth, even the most fundamental order of this world!

No wonder Sovereign Longteng had treated the matter with such gravity. No wonder he needed to assemble every Immortal Ascension expert from the Five Regions!

“Why are you telling me this?”

Gu Han asked the question again, looking Qingxuan directly in the eyes.

“You and Sovereign Longteng don’t appear to bear any grudges against each other.”

“You even belong to the same continent. To a certain extent, you could be considered allies.”

Qingxuan met her gaze. Those eyes, usually suffused with languid amusement, were now utterly clear, holding an almost disarmingly candid sincerity.

“Because I don’t want you to put yourself in danger.”

Her voice was gentle, but every word rang clear.

“Longteng’s devotion to Sacred Lord Yaoguang is moving, and his persistence is admirable.”

“But for the sake of his own selfish desire, he intends to drag all his fellow cultivators into danger and may even cause an unpredictable upheaval.”

“That kind of behavior… I cannot condone.”

She paused, then continued.

“I don’t want you to risk your life, and I certainly don’t want you kept in the dark.”

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She reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing the back of Gu Han’s hand where it rested on the cloud table.

This time, there was none of her usual deliberate teasing in the gesture.

Her touch was very light, carrying an almost cautious tenderness.

“I’ve lived for nearly fifty thousand years. I’ve seen far too many schemes and conflicts of interest.”

“I can discern at least some of Longteng’s plans and the intentions of the others.”

“But when it comes to you…”

She paused, light flickering in her eyes.

“I can’t see through you, nor do I want to scheme against you the way I do with them.”

“So I chose to tell you everything I know.”

She looked at Gu Han, her gaze earnest and gentle.

“All I want is for you to be safe.”

Something seemed to tap softly against Gu Han’s heart.

Qingxuan’s gaze and words were far too sincere, so sincere that Gu Han could no longer respond with her usual wariness.

Through the faint fluctuations transmitted by the Profound Heart Bracelet, she could sense that Qingxuan’s emotions were equally unsettled at that moment.

Her concern was genuine.

So was her honesty.

“Qingxuan, thank you.”

After a moment’s silence, Gu Han spoke softly.

She did not pull her hand away. She allowed Qingxuan’s fingertips to remain on the back of her hand, their touch faintly cool.

“I’ll make preparations in advance.”

A smile blossomed in Empress Qingxuan’s eyes, bright and warm.

Her fingertips pressed lightly against the back of Gu Han’s hand before she withdrew them.

“Good… Then I can stop worrying.”

She rose, the skirt of her purple gown cascading down like flowing water.

“You only just emerged from seclusion and still need time to consolidate your cultivation, so I won’t disturb you any longer.”

She walked toward the hall doors with light steps.

Just before reaching the entrance, she suddenly stopped and turned around.

Moonlight streamed in through the open doors, outlining her exquisite silhouette.

“Oh, right.”

The corners of Empress Qingxuan’s lips curved upward as a sly, teasing light flashed through her eyes.

“Consider what I just told you a ‘gift’ from me.”

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“As for the gift I expect in return…”

She deliberately drew out the final syllable, her gaze settling on Gu Han’s faintly pursed lips.

Gu Han’s heart skipped a beat, and her body instinctively tensed.

Again?

Yet Qingxuan did not approach her as she had before.

She merely stood where she was and gave Gu Han a slow wink.

Then, before Gu Han could react,

she raised a hand and lightly touched her fingertips to her own lips.

Then she turned her hand toward Gu Han and gently sent the gesture her way.

A “kiss” blown through the air.

The movement was smooth and natural, carrying Qingxuan’s uniquely languid allure.

“I’ll put it on your account for now. Once we return from the Central Province, I’ll take my time collecting it from you.”

Empress Qingxuan laughed softly and lingered no longer. Her figure vanished beyond the hall doors.

All she left behind was a trace of delicate fragrance and those amused words echoing through the hall.

Gu Han sat alone on the cloud couch, gazing at the empty doorway. She did not move for a long while.

The faintly cool touch of Qingxuan’s fingertips seemed to linger on the back of her hand.

In her mind was the kiss Qingxuan had blown her, along with the sly, radiant light in her eyes.

And then there were her words about the Central Province gathering and defying heaven to alter fate…

“That woman…”

Gu Han murmured under her breath, her voice carrying a trace of helplessness she did not even notice, as well as a hint of warmth.

She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously brushing her own lips.

Qingxuan’s gesture just now had clearly never truly touched her.

Yet even recalling it now left her a little flustered.

“She really is… far too good at flirting.”

Gu Han shook her head, trying to suppress the strange feeling stirring within her.

The Central Province gathering, the mystery of the path to immortality, defying heaven to alter fate, the Heavenly Dao’s backlash…

She needed time to digest all this information and weigh it carefully.

Just as Gu Han’s thoughts began to race—

“Tap.”

Another soft sound came from the direction of the hall doors.