Volume 1, Chapter 195 – She Plans to Go First

Night had fallen, and the clamor of Soaring Dragon Hall had long since faded.

The fierce debates, shock, deliberations, and decisions surrounding “mending the heavens” and the “void node” during the day…

All seemed to have been quietly absorbed by the deep night, slowly settling into stillness.

The guest palace where Gu Han was staying stood atop a secluded spirit peak deep within the Longteng Dynasty.

The palace was not large, but it was exquisitely appointed. From the window, she could see a lake wreathed in spiritual energy and the brilliant lights of the imperial city in the distance.

Above stretched a vast starry sky utterly unlike that of the Southern Region, so close it seemed almost within reach.

The events of the day flashed through Gu Han’s mind.

Sovereign Longteng’s final decision had not surprised her.

Once Qingxuan produced the Red Emperor Heaven-Scorching Lotus and revealed that the Xuanhuang Continent might hold a means of extending a person’s life…

For Longteng, who was determined to save his Dao companion, that path had been all but inevitable.

The Desolate God’s and Venerable Baiyun’s responses had also been understandable.

One was bold and free-spirited, with no patience for remaining trapped for long.

The other appeared to have reached a bottleneck in his Confucian cultivation and longed to test his Dao against a higher level of the Great Dao.

Buddha Lord Wufa’s and Demon Lord Wutian’s noncommittal attitudes, along with Old Man Tianji’s tactful refusal, each arose from their own concerns and calculations.

As for Lingshuang…

Gu Han’s gaze drifted unconsciously toward a certain direction beyond the window.

The Empress of the Northern Region had ultimately given no definite answer, but her gaze had already said everything.

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She had chosen not to go because of Gu Han.

That realization stirred a ripple of complicated emotion in Gu Han’s heart.

But what about Qingxuan?

She had put forward this astonishing proposal, one that could reshape the entire balance of power on Canglan Continent. She had painted an enticing picture of what lay ahead while frankly admitting the immense risks involved.

What choice would she herself make?

Once the question arose, Gu Han could not put it out of her mind.

Although Qingxuan had remained at the heart of the proposal throughout the discussion in the hall, she had never clearly stated whether she herself would take part in the expedition.

At the time, everyone’s attention had been consumed by the question of whether to go and by Longteng’s decision.

In doing so, they had overlooked the stance of the most crucial person of all: the one who had made the proposal.

Gu Han drew a soft breath, her fingertips unconsciously brushing the Profound Heart Bracelet around her wrist.

Its smooth warmth met her touch, accompanied by an exceedingly faint fluctuation of Qingxuan’s spiritual power.

The bracelets allowed them to sense each other’s emotions.

During the exchanges in the hall that day, Qingxuan’s emotions had fluctuated noticeably, especially when she produced the Red Emperor Heaven-Scorching Lotus and mentioned being hunted by the ancient Liyang clan.

But when it came to her own decision, she had kept her feelings carefully concealed.

Enough.

Rather than sit here trying to guess what Qingxuan was thinking, she might as well ask her directly.

Gu Han rose, the hem of her moon-white robes brushing the cool floor as she silently opened the door and stepped outside.

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The Longteng Dynasty had not yet fallen completely asleep beneath the night sky.

Lights still burned in the distant palaces. The measured footsteps of patrolling guards echoed from afar, while farther still came the faint sound of cultivators streaking through the air on their artifacts.

But the cluster of spirit peaks where Gu Han was staying was exceptionally quiet.

Following the route she had memorized during the day, she walked toward another guest palace to the west, one even more exquisite and opulent than her own.

It was Empress Qingxuan’s temporary residence.

There were no guards outside the palace, only the faint, shifting glow of a barrier separating the interior from the outside world.

Gu Han stopped before the doors and was just about to send a voice transmission.

But the doors seemed to sense her presence and silently slid open.

The light within was warm, unlike the cool austerity of Gu Han’s residence.

Fragrant incense, rich but not overpowering, curled through the air, mingling with the languid, alluring aura unique to Qingxuan.

A figure in purple stood with her back to the doors, gazing up at the night sky from the window.

Her raven hair cascaded like a waterfall, loosely gathered with a single jade hairpin. Her purple nightclothes traced breathtaking curves.

Bathed in the mingled glow of lamplight and moonlight, she resembled a painting at once serene and seductive.

“Little Sister, you’re here?”

Empress Qingxuan did not turn around. A knowing chuckle colored her voice, as though she had expected this all along.

“I thought it was about time you came to see me.”

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Gu Han stepped inside, and the doors quietly closed behind her.

She did not approach. Stopping several paces from Qingxuan, she fixed her gaze on the woman’s back.

“You seem to have known I would come.”

“Of course.”

Empress Qingxuan slowly turned around.

Under the lamplight, her stunning face still bore its customary languid smile.

Yet the eyes that always gleamed with casual amusement were unusually clear and fathomless now, as though they could see straight into a person’s heart.

“During the day, you specifically said you wouldn’t be going for the time being, yet you never once asked what I had decided.”

“Given your temperament, I knew you would have questions. Once night fell and everything grew quiet, you would naturally come looking for an answer.”

She approached at an unhurried pace, the hem of her purple nightclothes brushing the polished floor and stirring a waft of fragrance.

Stopping just over a foot in front of Gu Han, she tilted her head and studied Gu Han’s cool, composed features. The smile at the corners of her lips deepened.

“What is it? Are you worried I’ll leave without a word and abandon you?”

Gu Han ignored the teasing in her words. Looking directly into Qingxuan’s eyes, she asked the most important question.

“Will you be going to the Xuanhuang Continent?”

Empress Qingxuan held her gaze for a moment. The amusement gradually faded from her eyes, replaced by a rare, almost disarmingly candid seriousness.

She did not answer immediately. Instead, she turned and walked over to the table.

Picking up the teapot warming over a jade brazier, she poured a cup of spirit tea for herself and another for Gu Han.

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“Sit down first, Little Sister.”

Qingxuan pushed one cup toward Gu Han, then picked up the other and returned to the window. Leaning against the frame, she once more gazed out at the vast expanse of stars.

“I was the one who discovered that node.”

“I was the one who brought back the Red Emperor Heaven-Scorching Lotus.”

“I was the one who provided the information about the Xuanhuang Continent.”

“And I was the one who showed Longteng and the others this path.”

She paused. There was little emotion in her voice, but every word was distinct.

“If I don’t go… how could they believe me? How would they dare take that path?”

Gu Han held the warm teacup, feeling the heat of the porcelain against her fingertips, yet her heart sank slightly.

Qingxuan’s meaning was already perfectly clear.

As the one who had made the proposal, supplied the information, and perhaps the only person with any relevant experience, she had to go.

Otherwise, the fragile “exploration alliance” they had only just formed would immediately fall apart.

Longteng would never entrust Yaoguang’s life to a path shown to him by someone who merely provided information but refused to risk herself.

The Desolate God, Venerable Baiyun, and the others would inevitably harbor doubts as well.