573: Chapter 573 Qiao Lu's Teasing

[Before you knew it, you and Ancestor Huanling have fought to the point where both sides are injured.]

[Ancestor Huanling gritted his teeth and stared at you: "Fellow Daoist, continuing to fight will only result in mutual destruction. This time, I admit defeat."]

[He paused and sneered: "However, I won't give up. Don't let me find another opportunity next time."]

[After saying that, his figure flashed, retreating a thousand miles, and then transformed into a streak of aurora, fleeing far away.]

[You watched Ancestor Huanling disappear into the horizon, then gasped for breath, exhaling a heavy breath of turbid air.]

[Then you turned to look at Fairy Tianxuan, raised your hand, and struck a streak of invisible Law Power into her body, undoing her Restriction.]

[Having done all this, you closed your eyes, your body went limp, and like a kite with a broken string, you fell towards the ground.]

[Fairy Tianxuan cried out in alarm, quickly flew over, and caught you in mid-air.]

[She held you tightly in her arms, summoned a spirit boat, and flew towards the Imperial City.]

[In the bedroom on the third floor of the spirit boat, she gently placed you on the bed.]

[Along the way, she kept her head down, looking at your pale face and the undried blood at the corners of your mouth, her eyes red, not saying a word.]

[She just squatted silently by the bed, holding your hand with both of hers, looking at you with deep affection, her voice carrying a hint of a sob: "Young Master... you must not let anything happen to you..."]

[Time passed bit by bit, and she kept watch by the bed, never leaving your side.]

[After an unknown amount of time, you slowly opened your eyes. What met your gaze was a haggard yet still beautiful face and a pair of eyes red from crying.]

[While you were pretending to be unconscious, you were fully aware of her meticulous care for you.]

["Young Master, you're awake?" Her voice was filled with joy, as if the long-awaited spring had finally arrived.]

[You sat up straight and said weakly: "Thank you for saving me."]

["No, no..." She quickly waved her hand, her eyes turning red again, "I should be the one thanking you for saving my life, Young Master. Otherwise, I really don't know what would have happened..."]

["Since the Young Miss is fine, then I shall take my leave." You said as you prepared to get up.]

[She quickly reached out to hold you down, saying urgently: "Young Master, you've just woken up and are still very weak. Don't move, rest well."]

[You smiled helplessly: "It seems I'll have to disturb the Young Miss for a few days."]

[" It doesn't matter." She looked delighted, then hesitated, swallowing the words on the tip of her tongue, and changed her tune: "You should rest well first."]

[You nodded and began to sit in meditation to regulate your breathing.]

[She sensibly stood up and quietly withdrew to the side, but in her heart, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.]

[Three days later,]

[You became more and more familiar with each other, and also learned each other's identities—of course, your identity was fabricated: named Qin Tian, a Loose Cultivator whose cultivation had encountered a Bottleneck and had gone out to seek enlightenment.]

[After returning to the Imperial City, you moved into the Princess Royals Mansion. She arranged for you to stay in the East Wing and then hurried to the Imperial Palace.]

[You watched her departing back, the corners of your mouth curling up slightly.]

[Inner Palace of the Imperial Palace.]

[Fairy Tianxuan went straight to find Empress Tianxuan and recounted everything that happened—the danger on the road and being saved—in detail.]

[Empress Tianxuan listened and frowned slightly: "This person's origin is unknown, how could you let him stay in the manor?"]

["Mother Empress, he is not a bad person." Fairy Tianxuan's tone was somewhat stubborn, "It was I who insisted on keeping him."]

[Pausing, she added: "And didn't you say you plan to pass the throne to me in five years? What's wrong with me looking for an Imperial Consort in advance?"]

["He is just a mere Loose Cultivator, with no status or background." Empress Tianxuan shook her head, "How can he be your Imperial Consort?"]

["No, I'm going to choose him." Fairy Tianxuan's tone was firm.]

["Huanger, I'm doing this for your own good." Empress Tianxuan sighed, "If the Imperial Consort has no background, how will he help you stabilize this vast Immortal Dynasty in the future?"]

["Mother Empress, my mind is made up." Fairy Tianxuan raised her head and looked directly at her, "Otherwise, I would rather not be this Empress."]

[Empress Tianxuan was silent for a moment, then waved her hand: "It's still early for this matter, let's observe for a while first."]

[She paused, her tone softening a bit: "However, he is your savior after all. I will find a time to hold a family banquet for him to show our gratitude."]

[Fairy Tianxuan nodded and turned to leave.]

[After she left, the space rippled slightly, and Demon Lord Tianxuan's figure appeared.]

["She has grown up." Demon Lord Tianxuan's tone was calm, "Some things, she must experience what she must experience."]

["Don't you think there's something fishy about this?" Empress Tianxuan's brow remained furrowed, "Who would kidnap Huanger for no reason? Was it truly just for her beauty?"]

["Moreover, a Spirit Transformation Cultivator who has never met her before would risk his life to save a strange woman? No matter how you hear it, it's not reasonable." Empress Tianxuan frowned, her tone full of suspicion.]

[Demon Lord Tianxuan said indifferently: "Time reveals a person's heart. Let's observe for now. If he has ulterior motives, he will eventually show his true colors."]

[He paused and added: "And didn't you say you're going to hold a family banquet for him? At that time, we can ask the Old Ancestor to take action and test him."]

["That's all we can do." Empress Tianxuan sighed.]

[Their conversation fell into your ears without missing a single word.]

[You naturally didn't care.]

[Your goal has always been only one—to find tianyi true water.]

[Two days later,]

[Fairy Tianxuan told you that the Imperial Palace would hold a family banquet for you in seven days to express their gratitude.]

[Your appearance had already spread throughout the Imperial Family—a man had moved into the Princess Royals Mansion, which was an unprecedented event.]

[Everyone in the Immortal Dynasty knew that Fairy Tianxuan was as cold as frost and never showed a good face to men.]

[On this day, the Third Princess Qiao Lu took advantage of Fairy Tianxuan's absence and quietly came to the Princess Royals Mansion.]

[She stood at the courtyard gate, not in a hurry to enter, but tilted her head to size you up, with a faint smile on her lips.]

["You are the Young Master who saved my Imperial Sister?" Her voice was soft, like it was coated in honey.]

[You glanced at her and didn't speak.]

[She wasn't annoyed either, and walked in gracefully, her skirt dragging across the bluestone slabs with a rustling sound.]

[After walking in front of you, she leaned in closer, her gaze slowly sliding from your face to your shoulders, and then from your shoulders to your chest, as if she were inspecting an interesting plaything.]

["You are indeed good-looking." She said softly, as if talking to herself, yet also as if saying it for you to hear.]

[You took a step back and said seriously: "Third Princess, please behave yourself."]

[She laughed, took a step forward, reached out to pinch your sleeve, gave it a gentle pull, and said flirtatiously: "Why are you hiding? I won't eat you."]

["Does the Third Princess have some business?" Your tone was flat.]

["Can't I come to find you if there's nothing?" She slowly paced around you, her fingertips sliding across your sleeve, touching the back of your hand seemingly by accident.]

[She stopped in front of you, looking straight at you with a hint of defiance: "My Imperial Sister is a very cold person. Isn't it boring to live with her?"]

["It's alright." You replied casually.]

["Alright?" She smiled, a meaningful smile, "Then how about you move to my courtyard? It's lively there."]

[As she spoke, she reached out, wanting to touch your face.]