210: Chapter 210 The Trials and Tribulations

Empress Yue Chan: "..."

This bastard!

He won't even let a plain-looking Hidden Guard off!

As expected of someone from Hehuan Province!

Is there nothing else in his head besides those filthy things?

He's simply audacious in his lust!

Empress Yue Chan suppressed the urge to slap him to death and took half a step back.

"Lord Cao, please behave yourself."

"Behave myself?"

Cao Kun suddenly burst into laughter; he had never known the meaning of those words.

In the next instant, his figure flashed, and he reached out to pull Empress Yue Chan into his arms.

*Thud.*

Empress Yue Chan hadn't expected him to suddenly make a move at all.

She crashed directly into Cao Kun's broad and sturdy chest.

"What are you doing!"

Empress Yue Chan turned pale with fright and instinctively tried to break free.

But Cao Kun's arms were tightly wrapped around her waist, making her unable to move.

"What am I doing?"

Cao Kun's voice, tinged with a bit of playfulness, rang out right next to her ear.

"Lady Empress."

"What kind of scene are you making?"

"Why are you playing the role of an incognito inspection?"

"You... how did you see through it?"

*Boom!*

Empress Yue Chan felt her mind go blank with a buzzing sound.

This was a secret treasure left behind by Great Yan's founding Old Ancestor!

Once worn, let alone someone at the Soul Transformation Stage, even an old monster at the Integration Stage Peak...

...would absolutely not be able to see through her true appearance and cultivation without special detection methods!

How did he manage to see through it at a single glance?

Cao Kun laughed even more wantonly as he looked at her panicked state.

Not only did he not let go, but he even pushed his Luck and gave her slender waist a squeeze.

Not going to lie, it's really soft!

"I saw through it because I wanted to."

"I say, Your Majesty, if you really like this kind of thing, you should have said so earlier."

"I have several sets that are all different..."

Empress Yue Chan was flushed with embarrassment by his explicit teasing.

"Presumptuous!"

She gritted her teeth and pushed hard against Cao Kun's chest with both hands.

Cao Kun didn't force it, letting go and taking a step back.

"Your Majesty's temper is still as big as ever."

Empress Yue Chan took several deep breaths.

Only then did she barely suppress the urge to tear Cao Kun into ten thousand pieces.

Since she had already been seen through, there was no point in continuing the act.

She reached out and wiped her face.

That ordinary appearance instantly dissipated.

Revealing her true, stunningly beautiful and majestic face once again.

Only now, that beautiful face still carried a hint of a blush that hadn't yet faded.

"The Ancient God Ruins are full of dangers, with not only people from various Holy Lands but also top forces from other provinces."

Empress Yue Chan pulled the conversation back on track with a cold face.

"If I were to go in with the face of the Empress..."

"...it would be too conspicuous and I would certainly become a target for everyone."

"Therefore, I will take the form of an Incarnation as a Hidden Guard and blend into Great Yan's team."

"You will be in the open, killing in all directions, acting as bait to attract everyone's attention."

"I will be in the dark, secretly seizing the heavenly dao fortune mark."

"Only in this way can we ensure that nothing goes wrong."

After hearing this grand strategic deployment, the corners of Cao Kun's mouth twitched.

He couldn't help but grumble in his heart.

This woman's calculations are so loud they could probably be heard throughout the entire Central Province!

To let him take the damage and draw the aggro in the front...

...while she hides in the back, staying invisible and making a fortune in silence?

"A fine calculation, Your Majesty."

"So after all this, I'm just a living target, specifically meant to take the hits for you?"

After saying that, Cao Kun didn't even bother with the nonsense of bargaining; he turned around and walked toward the gate of Zichen Hall.

Seeing this scene,

Empress Yue Chan, who had been sitting regally to the side, was stunned.

Based on her understanding of Cao Kun's rogue nature, this greedy and lustful bastard would surely take the opportunity to demand an exorbitant price and blackmail her ruthlessly.

She had even polished her bottom line and counter-arguments in her mind several times.

The result?

This guy didn't even bargain and just threw in the towel?

"Cao Kun! Halt right there!" Empress Yue Chan shouted sternly at Cao Kun's back with a cold face.

Cao Kun didn't stop and even quickened his pace a bit.

Now Empress Yue Chan was truly anxious; her Body Integration Stage cultivation trembled slightly as she blocked the gate of Zichen Hall.

"You've been inside my Great Yan's Royal Treasury! You took the benefits, and now you want to run when the time comes?"

Empress Yue Chan put on her Empress's airs, her phoenix eyes wide.

"Who do you take me for? A clay figurine for you to play with at will?!"

Cao Kun stopped.

He looked at Empress Yue Chan blocking his path, his face full of indifference.

"Isn't it just that I took a few of your things? I'll just give them back."

"For that bit of scrap metal, you want me to go into the Divine Ruins to attract everyone's hatred and risk my life?"

"Do you think I'm a fool?"

After saying that, he reached out to push Empress Yue Chan's shoulder, attempting to force his way out.

He was completely impervious to any persuasion.

Seeing Cao Kun's rogue appearance, impervious to both soft and hard tactics, Empress Yue Chan truly panicked.

The Ancient God Ruins were about to open, and Great Yan's team was set to depart immediately.

If Cao Kun wasn't there to hold the front and attract the fire from various major forces...

...she wouldn't be able to spare the attention to deal with Bi Yuntao and seize the Luck Mark.

"What exactly do you want?" Empress Yue Chan's face darkened, but her tone finally softened.

Cao Kun looked at the yielding Empress Yue Chan, a successful smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

Little thing.

Playing hard to get with me?

When I was playing this game, you didn't even know where you were playing with mud.

"You want me to be the bait? Fine."

"But I have one condition."

Empress Yue Chan looked at him warily: "Speak."

Cao Kun held up a finger and brought it close to Empress Yue Chan's face.

"Since you're taking the form of an Incarnation as a Hidden Guard and blending into my team..."

"...then from now on, you are my subordinate."

"Once we enter the Divine Ruins, you must absolutely obey my orders as the commander."

"My word is law."

"No talking back, no disobeying."

Cao Kun stared into Empress Yue Chan's phoenix eyes, his tone extremely arrogant.

"If you can do it, we'll cooperate."

"If not, then forget it."

After hearing these words, Empress Yue Chan was trembling with rage.

This bastard!

He's simply pushing his Luck!

He actually wants her, the dignified Empress of Great Yan, to be a servant at his beck and call?

In her heart, Empress Yue Chan cursed Cao Kun's ancestors for eighteen generations.

But on second thought...

...she had to hide her identity anyway and couldn't expose herself.

Pretending to be an obedient subordinate wouldn't result in any substantial loss.

As long as she could obtain the heavenly dao fortune mark and resolve the hidden threat of Bi Yuntao...

...what harm was there in tolerating him for once!

"Fine. I agree."

"Inside the Divine Ruins, I will play the role of a Hidden Guard well and follow your orders."

"However!"

Empress Yue Chan's eyes turned cold as she warned.

"If you dare to take the opportunity to make any excessive demands, I will never forgive you!"

Cao Kun knew when to stop and reached out to pat Empress Yue Chan's slender and rounded shoulders twice.

"That's more like it."

"Let's go, little Hidden Guard."

With that, he pushed open the gate of Zichen Hall and swaggered out.

Empress Yue Chan stood there, watching Cao Kun's arrogant back, her teeth itching with rage, but she could only brace herself and follow.

Just as the gate opened...

...Liu Rumeng, who had been waiting on the steps outside the hall, immediately came forward like a cheerful little sparrow.

"Master~"

Liu Rumeng poked her head in and took a peek inside the hall.

After confirming she didn't see the legendary, high-and-mighty Empress...

...she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems Master still resisted the temptation!

But in the next second...

...her gaze fell upon the female cultivator in black walking out behind Cao Kun.

A woman's intuition made Liu Rumeng instantly alert.

Although this female cultivator in black had a plain, passerby face...

...her fiery figure couldn't be hidden even by the loose night-walking suit.

Especially that proud temperament that still seeped through despite being deliberately restrained.

It made Liu Rumeng very unhappy.

Empress Yue Chan