269: Chapter 269 Heavenly Serpent Empress: The only one I can trade is myself.

The Heavenly Snake Empire was a massive Empire with a long history, occupying the most central, fertile, and expansive region of the Northwest Continent.

But tides rise and fall, and the moon waxes and wanes; nothing can stay at its Peak forever. Even a once-powerful Empire would develop various problems under the erosion of time, showing signs of decline.

The Heavenly Serpent Mansion was originally just a power established by an enshrinee and a member of the imperial family of the Heavenly Snake Empire. Its purpose was to guard the imperial family and clear obstacles for the Empire's development.

However, as time passed, it was now the Heavenly Snake Empire's turn to provide for them, and they could even manipulate the succession of the imperial throne.

The current ruler of the Heavenly Snake Empire was a woman, Empress Xiang Qingyue.

The surname 'Xiang' was the imperial surname of the Heavenly Snake Empire.

It was said that it could be traced back to the ancestor of the Heavenly Snake Empire, and rumors even claimed it had inextricable links to the former Dou Di expert, the Heavenly Snake Great Emperor.

"Splash!"

Deep within the luxurious imperial palace of the Heavenly Snake Empire, Xiang Qingyue finished her bath and changed into fresh clothes. She walked alone into the Imperial Garden and looked up at the half-moon.

A sorrow that she could tell no one was hidden in the depths of her eyes. Her hands instinctively clenched as she thought about something unknown.

After a long while, she took a deep breath, regained her dignified and noble appearance before others, and spoke calmly: "Hui Ling."

As her voice fell, there was no movement in the Imperial Garden for a long time. This made Xiang Qingyue's face turn pale, and resentment flickered in her eyes.

Relying on the fact that she was from the Hui Family, even a mere branch Disciple who came to be her maid—someone with only a Peak Dou Wang cultivation—had begun to disregard her, the Empress.

But what could she do?

"Hui Ling won't appear, and for the time being, your other maids and guards can't come either."

Just as Xiang Qingyue was about to speak again, a voice rang out abruptly, causing a chill to surge through her entire body.

She instinctively turned around and looked toward the direction of the voice. She saw a young man dressed in black robes sitting in a nearby pavilion, though she didn't know when he had arrived.

He had skin like ice and bones like jade, a handsome and elegant appearance, and his pitch-black eyes seemed to contain a galaxy, causing one to unconsciously fall into them. His entire body exuded a coldness that kept people a thousand miles away.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Xiang Qingyue asked.

"My name is Gu Han. I wonder if the Empress has heard of it?" Gu Han picked up a wine pot and poured himself a cup of thousand-year monkey wine.

The Empress had an outstanding appearance. In terms of looks and figure alone, she was not inferior to Colorful Glass or Cai Die, and she possessed a queen-like nobility.

Unlike Colorful Glass, there was a trace of depression in her eyes; she lacked that kind of fortitude and the confidence that came from being decisive.

"Gu Han?" Xiang Qingyue's eyes flickered with a strange expression. "Are you that Grand Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect?"

Now, in the entire Northwest Continent, who didn't know that the Cloud Mist Sect had struck it lucky for a thousand years by having a brilliant Grand Elder?

Whenever people thought they had already estimated him highly enough and that he was already powerful enough, he would always produce new achievements.

Just recently, the Cloud Mist Sect had high-profilely announced that Sect Master Yun Yun had achieved a Breakthrough to Dou Zun.

Not only that, the Grand Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect had resurrected a Dou Zun Expert named Yao Tianhuo, who became the Grand Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect.

And Gu Han himself had achieved a Breakthrough to Dou Zong before the age of nineteen. He had even defeated Qing Yuan, a Dou Zun Elder of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion who had gone to hunt down the Elders and Disciples of the Cloud Mist Sect after the Sect Tournament ended.

When this news spread, the Northwest Continent was in an uproar. It had even reached other regions, and everyone was shocked by this brilliant Genius.

The most terrifying part was that after investigations by many forces and experts, it was found to be true.

The Cloud Mist Sect really did have a Dou Zong who was less than nineteen years old.

And he was a Dou Zong capable of defeating a Dou Zun across levels.

Adding to the fact that the Cloud Mist Sect had continuously produced other Dou Zun Experts, its reputation on the Fighting Qi Continent was growing day by day.

As the Empress of the Heavenly Snake Empire, even if she was essentially a Puppet, it was impossible for her not to have heard of this.

"Yes, it's me." Gu Han raised his wine cup from afar. "Would the Empress care to grace me with her presence, have a drink, and discuss a cooperation?"

Xiang Qingyue stepped toward the pavilion, sat down generously opposite Gu Han, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Given the relationship between the Heavenly Serpent Mansion and the Cloud Mist Sect, Your Excellency actually has a cooperation to discuss with me?"

"Is the relationship between the Heavenly Snake Empire and the Heavenly Serpent Mansion any better than the one between the Cloud Mist Sect and the Heavenly Serpent Mansion?" Gu Han placed a cup of wine in front of Xiang Qingyue. "To be precise, given Your Majesty's relationship with the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, I'm afraid you find the Cloud Mist Sect more agreeable."

"You're right." Xiang Qingyue smiled, picked up the wine cup, looked at the wine inside which was brimming with rich energy, and downed it in one gulp.

Boom!

Powerful energy surged through her body.

Xiang Qingyue seemingly hadn't expected this, and a beautiful flush appeared on her delicate face.

But in the next moment, she suddenly stood up and looked at Gu Han with an incredulous expression, simply because the latter said: "I just came back from the Heavenly Serpent Mansion. I destroyed their Forbidden Ground and killed Hui Wen. Do you want to see the body?"

"Hui Wen was killed by you!?" Xiang Qingyue rushed to Gu Han's side, grabbed his arm, her voice trembling: "Is it true?"

"Then I'll show you." Gu Han took out Hui Wen's body and threw it on the ground like trash.

Xiang Qingyue immediately stepped forward to inspect it. Although Hui Wen's body was covered in wounds and barely looked human, she recognized him at a glance.

"Good, wonderful! Hui Wen is dead. Father, Mother, your revenge has been taken."

Xiang Qingyue hugged her chest, tears streaming down her face, completely losing her image as an Empress.

[Opportunity Information]: Hui Wen, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, discovered that the Empress of the Heavenly Snake Empire possessed the Heavenly Snake Bloodline. He used her as a cultivation vessel to enhance his own Bloodline. This was discovered by the Emperor of the Heavenly Snake Empire, Xiang Tian. Hui Wen killed both the Emperor and Empress, framed the Sect Master of the Lion Underworld Sect, and placed their only daughter, Xiang Qingyue, on the throne as a Puppet Empress to control her, unaware that Xiang Qingyue knew the truth.

It was this information that let Gu Han know Xiang Qingyue had a basis for cooperation and could be treated as a separate entity from the Heavenly Serpent Mansion.

Of course, if that were all, he wouldn't have come to chat with Xiang Qingyue.

The world was never short of beauties. Although he was passionate, he didn't intend to be like the West Heaven Battle Emperor, having no hobby of collecting beauties.

The reason he came was, naturally, because there was profit to be made!

It also came from a piece of Opportunity information.

And to obtain this Opportunity, he needed Empress Xiang Qingyue's help.

"Gu Han, thank you for helping me avenge the murder of my father and mother."

After a long while, Xiang Qingyue wiped away her tears and looked at Gu Han with red, swollen eyes, filled with sincere gratitude.

She didn't ask how Gu Han killed Hui Wen, nor did she ask how Gu Han knew she hated Hui Wen; none of that was important.

Her parents' revenge had been taken; Gu Han was her benefactor.

"What reward do you want? As long as I have it, I can give it all to you." Xiang Qingyue clenched her hands, her tone serious: "Even if it means becoming your woman and declaring the Heavenly Snake Empire's loyalty to you."

Become my woman?

You're thinking too much.

That's getting off too easy.

"Does the Heavenly Snake Empire even listen to you?" Gu Han asked a question that left Xiang Qingyue momentarily unsure of how to answer.

"I didn't come to find you just to get your gratitude." Gu Han then put away Hui Wen's body; it was an excellent material for resurrection.

When the time came, he would use his Opportunity information to specifically find the Souls of experts killed by the Hall of Souls and resurrect them all.

Then he would form an Avengers Alliance specifically to cause trouble for the Hall of Souls.

The main goal was to make the enemy miserable.

Then, he looked at Xiang Qingyue and said, "I only need you to take me to see the mysteries deep within the vortex."

Xiang Qingyue blinked: Doesn't that still require me?