176: His Majesty's Power

Tu Nan sat down inside the pavilion; this place should have been a garden landscape that was very relaxing for people.

The rising white mist could soothe one's tense emotions, and its position suspended above the hot spring made the temperature here exceptionally pleasant.

But no matter what, she would not forget her purpose here. Untying her cloak, Tu Nan quietly gazed at that courtyard gate.

Waiting.

In the blink of an eye, the faint chirping of birds and the tiny noises caused by snow falling from the flower branches that were present just a moment ago... all disappeared.

The surroundings suddenly became as quiet as if a cover had been placed over them.

Tu Nan felt something and stood up respectfully, preparing to welcome His Majesty.

But...

With a creaking sound, the vine-woven courtyard gate was pushed open, but Tu Nan suddenly felt a massive pressure piercing down from above her head.

It was an invisible yet dense field... it was as if the air around her suddenly became viscous, undergoing a qualitative change, squeezing into her body through every pore.

She could no longer stand.

Or rather, after the sensation of being about to explode, she was instantly compressed to the point where it felt like she could not exist in this space-time.

Tu Nan let out a silent scream.

With a bang.

She disappeared from where she stood.

Only her clothes remained in place, piled into a heap.

A man walked into the courtyard, stepping on the snow unhurriedly. Behind him, the footprints Tu Nan had left were gradually covered by his own.

He wore a black fur cloak, and his long silver hair was loosely tied with a red ribbon and gathered inside.

Standing before that pile of clothes for quite a while, he finally condescended to reach out a pale, slender hand from his cloak, poked at it twice, and pulled out a small animal.

"...Black."

A soft laugh spilled out; this person seemed to be in a good mood. He pinched the cat by the scruff of its neck and dangled it in front of his eyes.

Tu Nan regained her senses from that incredible feeling and discovered she was floating in mid-air. In her dizzy, downward-cast vision, four white paws appeared, hanging... a snow-white belly, and a long, thin tail dangling down.

It was very familiar, except for this perspective—the surrounding scene was magnified countless times.

She twisted her body and discovered she was completely unable to move. Her neck?

Being grabbed by someone?

Right... in front of her was a... person.

Who?

Tu Nan struggled to look up.

What came into view was a sharp, majestic face; the man's golden Phoenix eyes were observing her with great interest.

Most importantly, above his head, on a long-lost green scroll, the System was frantically labeling this person's identity in bold, large font.

[Detected collectable mutation gene: Ancient Dragon Beast (Divine-Grade)

Breeding success can complete the host gene chain: 15%]

This must be the person she came to see this time.

Emperor Haoyuan, The Emperor.

He was also an S-rank powerhouse.

Just as she had expected, he was indeed the target selected by the System.

This could also be considered one of the reasons why Tu Nan tried every possible way to come to the Capital City.

Ever since she heard that His Majesty was honored by the common people as the White Dragon Emperor, Tu Nan had already made a guess. Later, after inquiring, it was indeed so—His Majesty's Beast Form was a four-clawed silver dragon.

...Tu Nan had gradually been able to guess some of the patterns in the System's selection of people.

White Tiger, Phoenix, Sea Beast... Dragon Beast.

Didn't these correspond to the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Azure Dragon?

"Your Majesty, please let me change back." Tu Nan requested softly.

She guessed that this was probably some kind of Talent ability of His Majesty, stimulating her beast nature and allowing her to transform into her Beast Form for the first time.

The rewards the System had given before indeed included such an item, but she had experimented many times and had never succeeded. That was—

[Additionally able to transform into the initial form of a Cat Beast]

But when her request was spoken, it turned into a soft, mewing cat sound.

Tu Nan was greatly alarmed. Although her furry cat face could not accurately express her expression, her green eyes were wide open, enough for the other party to understand her shock.

The other party laughed again, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

"No." He refused cleanly and decisively. "I do not want Kong Jiamu and Hain's Female Beast to be naked before my eyes."

Tu Nan stiffened into a cat-stick; it took her a long time to turn her eyeballs and stare at the person in front of her.

"What? Having teased my two beloved subjects until they were spinning in circles, you still want to come before me? Hmm?"

"Meow..." Tu Nan opened her mouth with difficulty, but it was still a cat sound.

The Emperor looked at her coldly and pressed her directly into his arms, covering her with his cloak.

"I do indeed want to know what you are trying to do, this beautiful Foster Mother—462835."

He walked slowly out of the garden, giving Tu Nan absolutely no chance to argue, and not caring at all about what Tu Nan was thinking.

Tu Nan's struggles were useless.

Don't be fooled by the fact that he seemed to hold her in his arms casually; in fact, she had exerted force several times, but it had no effect at all.

Moreover, what was the point of struggling in front of him?

The entire Imperial Palace belonged to him.

The entire Empire, as well.

Tu Nan had long thought that His Majesty might have investigated her identity, and she had prepared her explanation.

She also thought that he might be unhappy about her deception of Hain and Kong Jiamu, and she still had room to defend herself.

But she had never expected that this Emperor would turn her into this without a word.

A cat!

A cat that could only go meow, meow!

This Emperor's actions were just too unpredictable.

* * *

Where was he going?

Tu Nan was so anxious she cried out.

His Majesty the Emperor exited the courtyard gate, casually pointed at an attendant guarding the gate, and asked: "Where is Hain?"

That attendant was not Nan Yifei, who had just brought Tu Nan over, and replied respectfully: "He took the Two Children to the Empress Dowager's place."

"Oh?" His Majesty stroked Tu Nan's smooth back fur, startling her so much she puffed up like a hedgehog.

"Just right." He felt quite amused.

"Let's go, I will also go to see the Empress Dowager."

The Emperor, with a group of people and one cat, moved grandly toward the Empress Dowager's place.

* * *

"Mother."

The Emperor did not have anyone announce him; he entered the hall directly, greeted the Empress Dowager, and sat beside her.

Hain was indeed standing in the hall, accompanying the Empress Dowager in conversation. Seeing him enter, he immediately retreated respectfully and saluted.

The Emperor pinched Tu Nan with great skill, preventing her from even making a cat sound. But Tu Nan actually had no intention of screeching.

It was meaningless to drag Hain into the water directly; she now wanted to know very, very much what card The Emperor was going to play.

It was Hain who could not contain himself.

After The Emperor and the Empress Dowager chatted for a few sentences, he still could not help but ask.

"Your Majesty, have you summoned Tu Nan? May I take her back first?"

The Emperor stroked the cat and said to the Empress Dowager with a smile: "I originally summoned someone, but on the way, I was pestered by your cat."

He revealed the black-furred cat in his arms to the Empress Dowager, then covered it with his cloak, only his fingers stroking back and forth underneath.

"This cat is quite interesting; it is very good at pleasing people, hmm..."

He asked for it: "Mother, you have many cats here; how about you let me take this one away?"

"Oh my!" The Empress Dowager smiled, glancing at the cat he was gripping tightly.

Black was not a breed she liked, and besides, since The Emperor was the one asking, she naturally had no reason to refuse.

"Since you like it, just take it."

The Emperor nodded, stood up, looked down at Hain, who was standing below with his head bowed, with an unreadable expression, and said to the Empress Dowager again.

"I summoned a Female Beast into the palace. Are her Children here with you? Didn't you always say it was too lonely in the palace without Children? In that case, let them stay in the palace to keep you company for a while."

Hain opened his mouth to speak.

The Emperor swept a majestic glance at him and asked: "What, are you afraid that the Empress Dowager cannot host the guests well?"

"Your subject... dares not."

"Since you have returned to the Capital City, you should report to the Central Court starting tomorrow, hmm?" The Emperor seemed to be dissatisfied with Hain's long time away this time.

"Withdraw."

He ended the conversation.

Holding Tu Nan... the cat, he left.