583: Chapter 583 Have you ever tasted it?

[You immediately understood—Fairy Tianxuan had found a substitute for 'yourself'?]

[You shook your head speechlessly and asked, "What is your name?"]

["My Young Master's name is Qin Tian!" The guard held his head high, his tone full of pride.]

[Hearing this name, you frowned; he had actually even changed his name to the pseudonym you used back then.]

[Your Divine Sense swept over him—Golden Core cultivation.]

[To be honest, for him to have a Golden Core cultivation at his age, he wasn't exactly trash.]

[But since you found him unpleasant to look at, he was trash.]

["How could Fairy Tianxuan take a liking to a useless coward like you?" you said indifferently.]

[The fake Qin Tian's face instantly turned ashen, and fire erupted in his eyes. "You're looking for death!"]

[With a wave of his hand, he shouted to the guards behind him, "Go! Kill him for me."]

[The three Golden Core guards immediately raised their hands, and three streaks of light attacked you from three directions.]

[With a casual wave of your hand, the three were sent flying by an invisible force, rolling repeatedly on the ground and knocking over stalls on both sides.]

[One guard spat out blood and cried out in terror, "Soul Transformation? It's a Soul Transformation expert!"]

[The fake Qin Tian's expression changed drastically. He pointed a trembling finger at you, his voice sharp and shrill. "So what if you're Soul Transformation? Do you know who I..."]

[You took a step forward and raised your hand to deliver a slap.]

[Smack!]

[It was crisp and loud.]

[The fake Qin Tian's face was violently knocked to the side. A tooth, mixed with bloody foam, flew out and rolled a few times on the ground.]

[He clutched his mouth and cursed stutteringly, "You... you brat, you're dead..."]

["I'm dead, am I?" You raised your hand and delivered another slap.]

[The fake Qin Tian was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground. His face was swollen like a steamed bun, blood hung from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were rimmed with red.]

["You... a grand Soul Transformation expert, bullying a Golden Core like me, what kind of skill is that?" His voice trembled, filled with a sense of grievance and indignation.]

[Just then—]

["Stop!"]

[A figure descended from the sky and landed in front of you.]

[You looked at her, and she looked at you, stunned for a moment.]

[The newcomer was precisely Fairy Tianxuan.]

[No, she should be called Empress Tianxuan now.]

[She stared at your face, dazed for a moment—your appearance bore some resemblance to the person in her memory, especially those eyes, which were almost identical.]

["Empress Tianxuan?" you spoke calmly. "He ate something and didn't pay."]

[The fake Qin Tian hurriedly scrambled up and pounced forward to hug Empress Tianxuan's leg, like a dog begging for mercy. "Huanger! He hit me! Look, my face is all swollen..."]

[Empress Tianxuan forcefully shook him off, her tone flat. "What did I tell you? Have you forgotten?"]

["I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten." The fake Qin Tian nodded repeatedly, shrinking his neck as he retreated to the side.]

[Looking at the two of them, you frowned slightly. "You, the grand Empress Tianxuan, chose such a useless coward to be your Imperial Consort?"]

[Empress Tianxuan did not answer.]

[She looked at you carefully, her gaze moving back and forth across your face as if confirming something.]

[In a daze, she felt that you were that person buried deep in her heart.]

[Her original melancholy suddenly gave birth to a sliver of secret joy, and her long-silent heart actually began to beat.]

[She spoke nervously, her voice very soft. "Are you... him?"]

["What did you say?" You frowned.]

["It's... nothing." She lowered her head, then raised it again, changing her tone. "Senior's face is unfamiliar. Is this your first time in Tianxuan?"]

[You pointed at the old man's stall, your voice flat. "One without compassion is not human. He would even bully a lame old man's livelihood; how is he different from a beast?"]

[After a pause, you said seriously, "Is a person like him worthy of being your Imperial Consort?"]

[Empress Tianxuan looked at you with interest, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. "Then what kind of person does Senior think is worthy of being the Imperial Consort?"]

[You stood with your hands behind your back and spoke slowly, your voice not loud, yet every word carried weight. "One who does not bully the weak, nor fears the strong. Who is not sycophantic to superiors, nor arrogant to subordinates. Who cannot be subverted by poverty, corrupted by wealth, or bent by force."]

[You paused, your gaze falling on the fake Qin Tian before returning to Empress Tianxuan:]

["An Imperial Consort's worth lies not in the height of their cultivation, nor in the beauty of their appearance. It lies in the heart. If the heart holds integrity, then no evil can invade. If the heart holds the people, then the masses will follow. If one only seeks a face, a mere shell, how is that different from buying the casket and returning the pearl?"]

[You looked at her, your tone deepening. "You are the ruler of a dynasty; the weight of the people is on your shoulders. If you choose the wrong person, it is not just your own affair. It is the affair of everyone under heaven."]

[The fake Qin Tian chuckled, a sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth. "What's with all this empty talk? Is it a crime for me to be handsome?"]

[Empress Tianxuan ignored him, not even giving him a single glance.]

[She walked closer to you with a smile, her gaze like a spring breeze. "Then... is Senior willing to be my Imperial Consort?"]

[Your heart skipped a beat, and you subconsciously took a step back, waving your hands repeatedly. "No, no, I can't."]

[Instead, Empress Tianxuan took another step closer.]

[She looked up, her smile deepening, her voice carrying a bit of teasing. "As a man, how can you say you 'can't'?"]

[Your throat tightened, and your gaze involuntarily drifted elsewhere, not daring to look into her bright eyes.]

["Ahem," you coughed, pretentiously straightening your clothes. "This old man has lived for a thousand years..."]

[Before you could finish, she raised her hand, her fingertips gently blocking your lips. The warm touch was as numbing as electricity, and your whole body froze.]

["Senior is mistaken." She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "So what if it's been a thousand or ten thousand years?"]

[She paused and withdrew her hand, but her tone became even softer. "Why don't Senior come with me first? This Junior will set a banquet to properly entertain you."]

[Without waiting for you to speak, she had already taken your hand and flown toward the palace. Her palm was warm and her fingertips slightly cool; you actually forgot to break free.]

[Behind you, the fake Qin Tian stared fixedly at your retreating backs, his gaze like a poison-dipped blade.]

[He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his face twitching, and cursed in a low voice, the words squeezed through his teeth. "Bitch... sooner or later, I'll have you kneeling before me."]

[He kicked over the nearby pancake stall, and the pancakes rolled all over the ground. The old man selling the pancakes shrank into a corner in fear, not daring to make a sound.]

[After returning to the palace, Empress Tianxuan immediately set a banquet for you.]

[During the banquet, she raised her cup frequently, her words repeatedly testing you through hints and implications.]

[Your heart was pounding—could it be she had recognized you?]

[Where did you slip up?]

[Was it the eyes?]

[Was it the tone?]

[Or was it your personal charm?]

[After the banquet, she arranged for you to stay in the East Wing.]

[Until nighttime, you paced back and forth in the room, thinking it over and over, still feeling that things were not good.]

[Should you leave without saying goodbye?]

[Just as you were hesitating, the door was suddenly pushed open.]

[Empress Tianxuan walked in.]

[She walked straight to your side, pressed you down into a chair, and then sat on your lap.]

[Your whole body froze. Just as you were about to speak, she raised her hand to cover your mouth.]

["Shh... don't talk."]

[You pulled her hand away, your voice a bit tight. "What... what do you want to do?"]

[She laughed, like a cat that had successfully stolen a treat. "Senior, you've lived for a thousand years... have you ever tasted lips?"]

["Ah?" You were stunned.]

[Before you could react, her mouth leaned in.]

[You kept your mouth tightly shut, shrinking back as if scorched by a hot iron.]