Just as Empress Ling Shuang decided to personally go to the Southern Domain!
Deep within the Imperial Palace of the Qingxuan Dynasty in the Eastern Domain, Empress Qing Xuan was toying with the "Profound Heart Bracelet" on her wrist, a playful smile gracing her beautiful face.
She recalled the information sent back by Luoshui, mentioning the stir Gu Han had caused in the Southern Domain.
"Yaochi Empress... that's a good title, but..."
Empress Qing Xuan chuckled to herself, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes.
"But if that ice-faced woman hears this title, she definitely won't be able to sit still!"
But this is good too.
She wanted to see how Gu Han would react.
Although they had only met once, the impression Gu Han left on her was too profound.
Powerful, mysterious, yet at times revealing reactions that were almost "pure."
Looking across the entire continent, the only person who made her feel mysterious was the Dragon Soaring Emperor in the Central Domain.
Now there was another... Empress Qing Xuan's lips curved slightly, and she suddenly had an idea.
She raised her hand, picked up the "concentric jade slip" nearby, and injected a wisp of Divine Thought into it.
Jade Pool Immortal Palace, Main Hall.
Gu Han was sitting on the Cloud Bed, cultivating with her eyes closed, when suddenly, the Jade Box on the cloud table beside her emitted a slight tremor.
Gu Han's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes, a hint of helplessness flashing within them.
The moment she opened the Jade Box and her Divine Sense touched the concentric jade slip!
Empress Qing Xuan's lazy, smiling voice, laced with a hint of charm, directly echoed in her Sea of Consciousness—
"Sister Gu, how have you been?"
"Is there something?"
Gu Han's words were concise, her tone flat, but if one listened closely, a subtle, hard-to-detect helplessness could be discerned.
"Can't I chat with my sister if there's nothing wrong?"
Empress Qing Xuan's voice was smiling,
"I heard the Southern Domain has been very lively recently, and the name Yaochi Empress has resounded in all directions. Congratulations, Sister."
"It's just a false name."
Gu Han said indifferently,
"But you, specifically sending Luoshui to deliver that pair of bangles, what exactly do you want to do?"
"Bangles?"
Empress Qing Xuan chuckled,
"That 'concentric bangle' came from the Xuanhuang Continent, and it's also a rare quasi-Emperor weapon."
"This Empress annihilated an Ancient Sect over there back then to obtain this treasure."
"Now, seeing that I'm fated with Sister, what's wrong with giving you one?"
"As for what I want to do..."
She paused, her voice lowering slightly, carrying a vague, teasing implication:
"Sister, what do you think this Empress wants to do to you?"
Gu Han: "..."
She took a deep breath, suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, and directly changed the topic:
"Is someone coming to find me?"
"Oh? Sister is quite clever."
Empress Qing Xuan was slightly surprised,
"That's right, I guess the first to visit you will be that ice-faced woman from the north."
Her voice carried a hint of schadenfreude:
"That woman is arrogant, has a bad temper, and loves to pick fights at the drop of a hat. She will definitely come looking for you."
"But with Sister's strength, you probably don't fear her."
Gu Han listened to her rant for a while, then fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking:
"Do you have a grudge with Empress Ling Shuang?"
"A grudge is too strong a word, we just don't see eye to eye."
Empress Qing Xuan chuckled,
"We've been fighting for over ten thousand years, neither can do anything to the other, it's quite boring."
"Now with Sister Gu, this stagnant water has become lively."
She changed the subject:
"But don't worry, Sister, if you two really start fighting, this Empress will definitely stand on your side."
"After all..."
Empress Qing Xuan's voice lowered even further, carrying a profound meaning:
"You're the first person to call me that!"
Gu Han's ears reddened slightly upon hearing her words, and she immediately changed the topic again,
"You are in the Mid-stage Ascension Realm, while Empress Ling Shuang is only in the Early Stage Ascension Realm. Can't you defeat her?"
This question was direct, even carrying a hint of inquiry.
On the other end of the concentric jade slip, Empress Qing Xuan was slightly stunned to hear this, clearly not expecting Gu Han to ask such a common sense question.
But remembering their last conversation, she had already discerned her characteristic of not being a native of this world, so it seemed normal for her not to know.
Her voice still held laughter, but now with a more serious undertone.
"Among Immortal Ascensions, if one truly unleashes their full power in a fight, what matters is often not the level of cultivation."
"First, it depends on the depth of one's control and comprehension of the Law."
"Although my Realm is higher than hers, her achievements in the Law of Ice are almost at their peak, so she might not be weaker than me in mobilizing other Laws."
"Second, it's about the Cultivation Technique Legacy and Divine Ability foundation."
At our level, the Cultivation Techniques we practice are all secret arts, each with its own profound mysteries."
"Her Cultivation Technique and mine are not superior or inferior; it just depends on who uses it more skillfully and can restrain the other better."
"Third, and most importantly, is the Magic Treasure."
Empress Qing Xuan's voice stretched slightly, with a barely perceptible sigh of emotion:
"A powerful Magic Treasure is enough to turn the tide of battle."
"That woman has a sword, a top grade Heaven Rank divine weapon, perfectly compatible with her Cultivation Technique, with unfathomable power."
"And I..."
She chuckled lightly, her tone somewhat frank,
"I never had a truly handy offensive treasure that could fully unleash my strength."
"When I fought her, I always suffered some hidden losses in terms of Magic Treasures, so even with a Realm advantage, it was often a draw."
Gu Han listened quietly, secretly feeling fortunate.
At the same time, she understood why the System had helped her shield others' perception; it turned out to be for this reason.
Back then, she only had the Realm, but no Cultivation Technique, no Magic Treasure.
If she had been too flamboyant back then, she would probably have been beaten like a dog by these old fellows long ago.
"However..."
Empress Qing Xuan changed the subject, and the lazy smile returned to her voice,
"It's different now."
"Because,"
Empress Qing Xuan's voice lowered, as if sharing a little secret meant only for the two of them,
"This Empress also brought back a Magic Treasure from the Xuanhuang Continent that is no weaker than a quasi-immortal artifact."
"So now, if I were to fight that ice-faced woman again, Sister, my chances of winning would be much greater."
Gu Han was slightly stunned to hear her words; she hadn't expected Empress Qing Xuan to dare tell her such a secret.
How much did she trust her?
Was she not afraid of her coveting her Magic Treasure?
Or was she testing her?
But no matter which it was, Gu Han wouldn't care.
After all, she had two genuine quasi-immortal artifacts in hand, so there was no need to covet her Magic Treasure.
"It has nothing to do with me."
Gu Han replied stiffly, trying to cut off her topic,
"If there's nothing else, I need to Cultivate."
On the concentric jade slip's side, Empress Qing Xuan's thoughts raced. She could clearly perceive Gu Han's steady heartbeat through the bangle at this moment.
Being the person she was, she instantly guessed everything.
The mysterious bell mentioned in Luoshui's report was probably at least no worse than the Magic Treasure in her hand, or even stronger!
Otherwise, she wouldn't be so calm!
"What's the hurry?"
Empress Qing Xuan's voice came again,
"Sister hasn't told me yet, if that Ling Shuang truly comes knocking, what will you do? Fight, or..."
"If she comes with courtesy, I will treat her with courtesy."
Gu Han's voice returned to its cold and calm state, carrying an undeniable indifference,
"If she wants to fight, then we fight!"
These words were spoken plainly, yet they carried an inherent awe-inspiring spirit.
Empress Qing Xuan fell silent for a moment on the other end, then a more delighted chuckle came through:
"Good, this is the Gu Han I know."
Her voice softened, with less teasing and more sincerity:
"Sister, don't worry. If she really acts recklessly, I, your elder sister, will not stand idly by. After all..."
Her voice lowered again, carrying a hint of intimacy and dominance that only the two of them could understand:
"You are the person this elder sister fancies."
As her words fell, the connection of the concentric jade slip quietly cut off.
Gu Han held the slightly warm Jade Slip, sitting on the Cloud Bed, motionless for a long while.
Qing Xuan's last words, and that tone... She shook her head, put the concentric jade slip back into the Jade Box, and her gaze fell on the Profound Heart Bracelet on her left wrist.
The bangle was warm and smooth, with a faint green light flowing around it.
Empress Ling Shuang... is she coming?
There was no fear in Gu Han's eyes, only calmness.
If someone really thinks she's easy to bully, then let them try.
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