462: Xia Wei's grievances and resentment

Xia Wei bit her lip until it turned pale, the faint metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth.

Tears welled up uncontrollably again, blurring her vision. She turned her head away, staring at the deep darkness outside the window, and choked out:

"...I wouldn't dare."

These two words were spoken very softly, yet they carried immense weight, filled with endless grievances and resentment.

"It's fine if you hate me."

Situ Jun set down his teacup. The clink of the celadon cup against the table echoed clearly in the silent hall.

He sighed, his tone devoid of any attempt to justify himself:

"Because this is indeed my fault."

Xia Wei turned her head sharply, her eyes wide with shock.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto her lapel, forming a small, dark wet patch.

She thought Situ Jun would surely use high-sounding words to brush her off, using excuses like immortal fate or some greater cause to pressure her, but she hadn't expected him to admit it so bluntly.

"You know you're wrong, so why... why did you use some Cultivation Spiritual Body and immortal fate as an excuse to strip me of my position as Empress and take me to the Northern Border?"

Her voice suddenly rose, carrying a long-suppressed hysteria:

"You're an absolute bastard!"

These words were blunt and sharp, like an ice-tempered dagger stabbing ruthlessly at Situ Jun.

The force of her voice made the nearby candlelight flicker violently, casting erratic shadows that stretched and shrank.

But Situ Jun only gave a faint smile, one that held a hint of helplessness and self-deprecation.

"You're right, I am a bastard."

He admitted it candidly, without the slightest concealment, his openness leaving Xia Wei momentarily speechless.

"You can understand it as the law of the jungle in the Cultivation World."

Situ Jun's gaze darkened, and his tone became more solemn:

"If you do not comply, the entire Xia Family, and even the whole of Tianqi, could fall into an abyss from which there is no return. From the moment your spiritual body suitable for cultivation was exposed, you no longer had a choice. Even if you don't come with me to the Northern Border, more cultivation sects will come knocking, and they won't be as easy to talk to as I am. By then, the Lord of Tianqi won't be able to protect you, nor will the Xia Family. What awaits you would be a fate far more cruel than this."

Xia Wei trembled all over, staring at him blankly, her shock deepening.

She opened her mouth but found her throat so constricted with sobs that she couldn't utter a word.

"No choice?"

She gave a sorrowful laugh as her tears fell even more fiercely like broken strings of pearls, soaking into her plain palace robes and leaving dark stains:

"If you hadn't intervened, how would anyone else have known I had a Cultivation Physique? I prepared for the Investiture Ceremony for so long; the Phoenix Crown and Embroidered Robe were already finished. I dreamed of being Empress for so long, and in the blink of an eye, I've become the laughingstock of the world! I'm to be taken by you to the Northern Border, leaving my home forever, never to return to this palace or see my parents again... Is this the 'good fortune' you speak of? Is this the so-called 'immortal fate'?"

Her voice grew lower and lower until it was thick with nasality, almost losing its melody.

Situ Jun nodded, acknowledging his own overbearingness and coercion.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip, the steam from the tea making the dark depths of his eyes seem even more intense.

"Whether it is good fortune or not is never for others to decide; it depends on you and what kind of path you want to take."

He set down the cup and fixed his gaze on her face, observing her closely.

That face, though crisscrossed with tear tracks, was still breathtakingly beautiful. Especially those eyes, which contained water and wood spiritual energy, now veiled in mist, adding a touch of fragile vulnerability that invoked pity.

"Think about it: if you stay in Tianqi as this Empress, what can you gain?"

He extended his fingers and began to count them off slowly. Each word he spoke was like a hammer blow to Xia Wei's heart:

"The struggles of the harem, the scheming between women, being trapped within these four palace walls for a lifetime, watching others' expressions and living at their whim. The Sovereign can elevate you to Empress today for the sake of the Xia Family's influence, but he can also depose you tomorrow to win over a stronger Family. Do you think the Xia Family can rely on you to sit securely in the imperial court? It's nothing but an illusion, a fleeting dream. One day, when the Sovereign grows tired of you or the Xia Family loses power, your end will only be more miserable than this—deposed to the Cold Palace, growing old in solitude, or even... becoming a political sacrifice, meeting a tragic end."

Xia Wei's body froze as if she had been placed under a binding spell.

These words were like a cold dagger, precisely puncturing all her illusions about the position of Empress.

She was not an innocent young girl; she had long experienced the coldness and warmth of the deep palace.

Her father had repeatedly warned her that entering the palace as Empress required careful maneuvering at every step, for the slightest mistake could lead to ruin.

She knew better than anyone about the hidden arrows of the concubines, the fawning of the maids and eunuchs, and the lack of freedom behind the facade of glory.

Under the candlelight, there were still undried tear tracks at the corners of her eyes. Her eyes were red and swollen but remained clear, filled with panic and a hard-won composure.

It had to be said that even in such a disheveled state, she was still beautiful—a pure and fragile beauty, like a plum blossom in the snow, evoking pity yet possessing a certain pride.

After a moment, she lifted her tearful eyes, her voice carrying a hint of bewilderment and helplessness:

"Then if I go with you to the Northern Border, what can I gain? To be your concubine? To be at your beck and call?"

"You can look at this as a transaction."

Situ Jun's gaze remained calm, but it held a touch more seriousness:

"I am giving you an opportunity, one that ordinary people only dream of—to cultivate immortality and live a life of freedom. You indeed possess an extraordinary Cultivation Physique, the Pure Yin Precious Physique, one in ten thousand. This is not an excuse for me to seize you, but a fact. I can pass on Cultivation Techniques to you and grant you Spirit Medicine, allowing you to possess great power so that you no longer need to depend on anyone, and can even disregard the authority of a kingdom. Once your cultivation is successful, wielding great power and achieving immortality will not be difficult."

He paused, seeing the wavering in her eyes, and continued:

"As for taking you away... if you are unwilling, I will never force you. Your Physique is indeed beneficial to me and can help me break through my Bottleneck. Likewise, my presence can maximize your potential; for you, it is a blessing, not a curse. It is better than being trapped in this deep palace, being an Empress in name only who could be replaced at any time, eventually turning into withered bones and ending your life in vain."

These words appealed to reason and emotion, clearly laying out the pros and cons; every word pierced the heart, yet every word was sincere.

Xia Wei stared at him blankly, looking into his bottomless eyes, and suddenly remembered the secret letter her father had sent earlier that day.

The letter contained only a few words: "Obey, for only then can the Family be preserved, and only then can a glimmer of hope be found."

How could she not know that her father was both pressuring her and saving her?

She didn't dare think about the consequences of resistance.

The lives of hundreds in the Xia Family depended on her single decision.

And wasn't what Situ Jun said another path to survival?

As an Empress, she would ultimately be a bird in a cage, her life, death, honor, and disgrace all in the hands of others.

But if she cultivated... if she could possess power, achieve immortality, and no longer be at the mercy of others... This thought, like a seed, quietly took root and sprouted in her heart, gradually breaking through the soil.