Night had completely enveloped the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. The clamor outside the hall had long since quieted, leaving only the chirping of insects and the faint sound of the Yaochi's waters in the distance.
There were no lights inside the hall, only the simulated starlight on the dome and the faint dao rhyme flowing around Gu Han.
Just at this moment of absolute silence—
"Tap."
An extremely faint, crisp sound rang out within the Main Hall.
Gu Han's long eyelashes trembled imperceptibly, but she did not open her eyes immediately.
However, her Divine Sense had already spread across the entire Main Hall like an invisible spiderweb.
She "saw" it.
Right at the entrance of the Main Hall.
A figure dressed in purple sleepwear with hair like a cascading waterfall stood there silently.
It was none other than Empress Qingxuan.
At this moment, she wore only a thin purple silk nightgown. Its simple design perfectly outlined her breathtaking curves.
Her waterfall-like black hair was loose, draped softly over her shoulders and back, with a few strands playfully brushing against her exquisite collarbones.
She was barefoot, stepping on the smooth, cool spiritual jade floor. Her ankles were slender and white, like jade carvings.
A lazy smile played on her stunning face. Her eyes shone brilliantly under the starlight as she watched the "meditating" Gu Han on the Cloud Bed with great interest.
Alarm bells rang in Gu Han's heart.
This woman! What does she want, sneaking into her bedchamber dressed like this in the middle of the night?!
Hadn't she "flirted" enough during the day?!
She suppressed the urge to open her eyes immediately, maintaining her meditative posture to see what Qing Xuan was up to.
Empress Qingxuan didn't seem to be in a hurry to approach.
She stood for a while, her gaze lingering over Gu Han's quiet and beautiful profile and her snow-white long hair.
As well as her slender waist, wrapped in a moon-white palace dress, rising and falling slightly with her breath.
Then, she moved.
Her bare feet stepped on the spiritual jade floor without making a sound, like an elegant cat in the dark of night.
She paced slowly, circling the Cloud Bed once, her eyes never leaving Gu Han.
That gaze held undisguised admiration, scrutiny, and a hint of... playful aggression.
Finally, she stopped beside Gu Han and leaned down slightly.
The distance was so close that Gu Han could clearly smell the unique body fragrance coming from her, mixed with a faint floral scent.
Warm breath brushed gently against Gu Han's cheeks and neck.
Gu Han's fingers, resting on her knees, curled imperceptibly.
She could feel Qing Xuan's gaze falling on her lips, staying there for a moment before slowly moving down... "Sister Gu..."
Empress Qingxuan spoke, her voice very low, carrying a slight hoarseness as if she had just woken up and an alluring laziness.
In this silent night, it sounded exceptionally clear and incredibly ambiguous.
"Pretending to sleep isn't good, you know."
Her fingertip rose gently, as if she wanted to touch Gu Han's cheek.
But at the moment it was about to touch, it turned toward a strand of silver hair falling over Gu Han's shoulder.
She hooked the strand of hair and twirled it between her fingers. The movement was gentle but carried a strong sense of provocation.
"Big sister sensed that over here..."
Her other hand pointed a finger from a distance toward the Profound Heart Bracelet on Gu Han's left wrist, her smile deepening.
"Your emotions are fluctuating and haven't settled for a long time. Why? Are you thinking about what happened today?"
"Or... are you thinking about me?"
Gu Han: "..."
She couldn't keep up the act anymore.
If she continued to pretend, there was no telling what more outrageous things this woman would do.
She slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was clear and calm in the dim light as she looked directly at Empress Qingxuan, who was inches away.
"Qing Xuan, intruding into someone else's place of Cultivation late at night doesn't seem to be the way of a guest."
Seeing her open her eyes, Empress Qingxuan was not surprised; instead, her smile widened.
She released the silver hair she was playing with but did not back away.
Instead, maintaining her leaning posture, she braced her hands on the edge of the Cloud Bed, partially trapping Gu Han between herself and the bed.
Their faces were less than a foot apart, and they could hear each other's breathing.
"The way of a guest?"
Empress Qingxuan tilted her head. Her black hair slid off her shoulder, revealing a perfect section of her collarbone.
"Big sister announced herself according to etiquette and entered openly during the day. As for now..."
Her red lips curled slightly, and a glint of mischief flashed in her eyes.
"The night is long, and I remembered that I still have some old scores to settle with my sister, so I thought I'd come and have a private chat."
She emphasized the words "old scores" very clearly, her gaze suggestively sweeping over Gu Han's body.
Gu Han's heart skipped a beat.
As expected! She still remembers that slap!
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Gu Han moved back quietly, trying to create some distance while maintaining a steady tone.
"My sister really does have a short memory for someone in her position!"
Empress Qingxuan chuckled and followed by pressing forward an inch, the distance between them remaining dangerously close.
"Back in big sister's bedchamber, that slap from you was quite crisp and decisive... it remains fresh in my memory."
Her gaze slowly moved downward.
It finally landed on Gu Han's perky buttocks, covered by the skirt of her palace dress, and her expression became meaningful.
Gu Han's scalp tingled, and she instantly understood her intention!
She wants to hit me back?!
This woman actually wants to hit her on the bottom for revenge?!
"That day... I acted too impulsively. In the heat of the moment, I was a bit rude."
Gu Han spoke immediately, trying to explain (though it sounded weak).
At the same time, she leaned back more cautiously, one hand quietly bracing against the inner side of the Cloud Bed.
"Impulsive?"
Empress Qingxuan laughed softly, as if she had heard something amusing.
"Big sister was just delighted to see such a prize and wanted to tease you."
"But your reaction back then was quite unexpected..."
As she spoke, she slowly raised one of her hands from the edge of the Cloud Bed, making a move as if to strike.
"However, big sister is a very vengeful person, and also a very fair one."
Her gaze locked onto Gu Han, carrying an unmistakable intent and... a hint of eager excitement.
"You slapped big sister that day. Today... shouldn't you let big sister get some 'justice' back?"
Before she could finish her sentence, her raised hand already slapped down toward Gu Han's rear!
The target was clear—giving her a taste of her own medicine!
Gu Han moved the moment she raised her hand!
Her figure flickered, and in the next instant, she appeared in the center of the Main Hall, thirty feet away.
The movement was smooth as flowing water and fast as a ghost.
Empress Qingxuan's palm struck empty air, landing on the soft Cloud Bed with a dull thud.
She wasn't angry. She slowly straightened up and turned to look at the wary Gu Han in the center of the hall, the interest in her eyes deepening.
"Quite a quick reaction."
She stepped forward barefoot, once again walking toward Gu Han.
"It seems my sister is quite resistant to big sister's 'justice'?"
"Qing Xuan, enough!"
Gu Han's face flushed slightly, whether from anger or embarrassment, and her voice turned cold.
"There was Karma involved in what happened that day. Why dwell on it?"
"If you insist on this, then don't blame me for being impolite."
"Impolite?"
Empress Qingxuan's footsteps paused slightly. The smile on her lips deepened, but a glint of mischief flashed in her eyes.
"How does my sister plan to be impolite? Do you want to suppress big sister with that bell? Or..."
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting, her voice dropping into a tone that was almost seductive:
"Like last time, give big sister another slap?"
Gu Han was choked up by her words, momentarily unsure how to respond.
If they really fought, with her current cultivation and the Donghuang Bell in hand, Qing Xuan would definitely lose.
But the problem was, there was no deep-seated hatred between them; there was absolutely no need to take it that far.
Besides... she really didn't seem to be able to bring herself to strike!
This woman was clearly being a rogue!
"What exactly do you want?"
Gu Han took a deep breath, suppressing that subtle, hard-to-detect embarrassment and annoyance, keeping her voice as calm as possible.
Hearing this, the smile in Empress Qingxuan's eyes grew even brighter.
She stepped forward a few paces, the distance between them shortening again until they could almost feel the body heat radiating from each other.
"Big sister already said, I'm just here to get some 'justice'."
She reached out, her fingertip gently brushing a strand of silver hair by Gu Han's cheek. The movement was tender.
"However..."
She changed the subject, her gaze falling on Gu Han's slightly pursed red lips, her eyes becoming deep and burning.
"Seeing how resistant my sister is, how about..."
Empress Qingxuan's voice dropped even lower, carrying a lazy, almost coaxing tone:
"Big sister can 'overlook' the matter of that slap."
"Even, I won't mention it again in the future."
"But..."
She leaned down slightly, her warm breath brushing against the shell of Gu Han's ear, each word clear and distinct:
"Unless... sister gives big sister a kiss."
"Just one, a light one, and big sister will forgive you."
"How about it? Very fair, right?"
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