In the dead of winter, it was normal for people to tuck their arms into their sleeves to ward off the cold. But if that were all it was... then why the trembling?
Although Consort Qin's sheer sleeves looked flimsy, they were made from a special fabric known as "Thousand-Layer Gauze," a luxurious material crafted by master weavers and prized for its warmth. Li Xun had seen it before at Prince Fu's estate. And with a brazier burning steadily in the pavilion, the place felt as warm as spring. Cold shouldn't have been an issue.
So then… why? Why was her arm, the one hidden from view by her sideways posture, still trembling ever so slightly?
Li Xun felt a stir in his chest. He looked away, seemingly offhand, but his mind was racing. That was when he noticed something else that didn't quite fit.
He had just been praising the servants for their promptness, for how quickly the tea had been served. But now, more than double that time had passed, and the yellow plum wine still hadn't arrived.
A flicker of suspicion lit his mind, and instinctively, he extended his spiritual awareness outward. This was where his recent progress in cultivation truly showed. Like casting a great net, his divine sense spread out, enveloping the entire Lanxue Courtyard.
Just as he expected, he caught sight of a eunuch slipping out through a side door. Once outside, the man broke into a sprint, heading toward—was that the Hall of Mental Cultivation? That was where Longqing was supposed to be "cultivating," wasn't it?
So that's how it is.
In that moment, everything clicked into place. The full picture revealed itself in a flash. Li Xun burst out laughing. His laughter rang out with his true breath, sending it rippling through the air. Plum blossoms outside the pavilion shook wildly, and the lingering snow was swept into flurries.
Startled, Consort Qin looked up, her expression puzzled. She clearly hadn't realized her scheme had already been laid bare.
Li Xun smiled faintly, then suddenly drew his sword from his waist and held it up in both hands. "Your Grace has so generously gifted this humble Daoist with the Three Treasures of this pavilion. I have yet to offer anything in return. How shameful. If Your Grace doesn't mind, allow this poor Daoist to perform a little trick, just for your amusement."
Before she could respond, Li Xun had already activated his sword technique.
With a single word, "Yu," the blade, still in its scabbard, shot into the air in a streak of light and vanished.
Consort Qin's expression flickered, but before she could react, the sword had already circled back into the pavilion and landed squarely in Li Xun's palm.
He gave a small, apologetic smile. "Forgive me. I've been out of practice, and the technique wasn't perfect. If it's not too much trouble, could Your Grace send a few strong eunuchs and maids outside, about a hundred paces or so? I'm afraid I may have accidentally hurt someone. Thankfully, it's not fatal."
As he spoke, his gaze was locked on Consort Qin's face. As expected, the calm mask finally cracked. Panic flickered in her expression, and that look gave Li Xun an immense surge of satisfaction.
Just then, the long-delayed plum wine was finally brought in.
Li Xun didn't bother warming it. He broke the seal, poured two cups, and raised his glass with a carefree grin. "Still early. Plenty of time for a drink or two. Your Grace, join me!"
Consort Qin forced the fear back from her face and kept her tone steady. "Please forgive me, Daoist Master. I don't hold my liquor well. If you don't mind… I would rather toast you with tea."
But Li Xun was already riding high, carefree and unrestrained. Hearing her refusal, he simply laughed. "Didn't Your Grace say this wine is still young? If it won't get us drunk, then a few cups won't do any harm!"
Just as she was about to gently decline again, his eyes suddenly locked onto hers, bright and sharp like blades. That piercing gaze carried a pressure that brooked no defiance.
Consort Qin's face turned pale. She lowered her head. And in that moment, something shifted in Li Xun. A sudden, almost addictive thrill rose within him at the feeling of power.
Consort Qin knew she could no longer refuse. She took a deep breath, then extended the hand she had kept hidden at her side. As she reached for the cup, her fingers brushed the rim, and the full-to-overflowing wine sloshed slightly, a bit spilling out. She seemed not to notice. Eyes half-lidded, she raised the cup to her lips, used her sleeve to shield her mouth, and drank it down in one smooth motion.
Li Xun gave a shout of praise and drained his own cup in one go. When he looked back at her, she was already lowering her sleeve, gaze steady once more.
The cup tilted in her hand, but not a drop spilled. And now, her arm was no longer trembling.
A delicate blush bloomed across her snow-white cheeks, stunningly beautiful.
Li Xun stared, utterly entranced.
In that moment, a spark of lightning flashed across Li Xun's mind, shattering the final veil of confusion. He finally understood exactly what kind of feeling Consort Qin evoked in him—
Dominance.
The absolute, unshakable dominance over another's body and mind.
Only before this elegant and captivating consort could he truly experience the indispensable masculine hunger for control and the thrill of conquest.
Only with her did he dare to be wild, to be reckless—daring to force her to drink, daring to tease her boldly. Would he have done that with Qingyin, Ming Ji, or the formidable Yin Wanderer? Of course not.
Li Xun was to Consort Qin what Yin Wanderer was to him. An overwhelming, irresistible force of domination. To let her live or die was entirely at his whim; she had no other choice!
Only through Consort Qin could Li Xun find validation for his vanity.
If he so wished, this woman, whose beauty was no less than Yin Wanderer's but whose will was infinitely weaker, would belong to him completely.
That thought had never come so vividly before. It flickered like a will-o'-the-wisp in the darkness. Cold and eerie, strange and uncanny, yet possessing a power that could pierce the soul.
That paradoxical warmth, fierce as bamboo splitting, rushed straight into the depths of his heart.
Li Xun's breath grew heavy.
By now, only the two of them remained in the pavilion. Warming the wine and tending to the drinks had quietly fallen to Consort Qin herself. Li Xun couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration. In what should've been a desperate, helpless situation, this delicate woman showed a composure and quiet acceptance of fate that could put any man to shame.
The only sounds left in the pavilion were the soft bubbling of the boiling water and the occasional quiet pour of wine.
Consort Qin was focused entirely on her task, warming the wine with unwavering grace. Li Xun, meanwhile, gave himself over completely to watching her.
She didn't look him in the eye. Her gaze stayed down, quiet and reserved, her face giving nothing away. One hand held the wine cup, the other gently kept her sleeve in place as she stood and poured for him. In that simple motion, the wine caught the light, glittering like stars as it slipped from her hand. The beauty of it was so effortless, so graceful, it took his breath away.
Li Xun's throat worked in a silent swallow. He reached for the cup and drained it in one go.
Yellow plum wine was not meant to intoxicate, but Li Xun wanted to be drunk.
And by the fifth cup, he got what he wished for.
When he reached out again, his mind blurred and his hand faltered. Instead of grasping the wine cup, his fingers closed softly around her hand.
Both of them froze at the same moment.
Consort Qin immediately tried to pull her hand back, but how could she break free? With a slight flex of his fingers, Li Xun enveloped her delicate hand in his grasp.
Still, not a word was spoken in the pavilion; the scene played out in silence, like a pantomime.
The sensation of her cool, silken skin against his palm sent a shiver of pleasure through Li Xun, as if his entire body had been steeped in warm wine, every pore opening in intoxicated bliss.
His grip tightened unconsciously, as though he wanted to melt her hand into his own.
In that dazed moment, he recalled Yin Wanderer's assessment of Consort Qin.
"A peerless beauty."
Just the touch of her fingers was enough to ignite his lust. How perfectly apt that description was!
He lifted his gaze to her face and saw her eyes glistening with tears. It was clear that her fear and humiliation had reached their limit.
Yet even now, she pressed her lips together, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall as she struggled weakly to free her hand.
That expression, fragile yet defiant, was more powerful than any fire oil. Something sparked in Li Xun's mind, and the next moment, it was like his chest and belly caught fire… then the blaze swallowed him whole.
Distantly, a startled cry came from outside the pavilion, but he paid it no heed. He stood abruptly, still gripping her hand, and circled the stone table before yanking her forward. With a soft gasp, Consort Qin's slender frame was pulled flush against him.
Looking down at the trembling beauty in his arms, Li Xun felt a rush of exhilaration beyond words.
Consort Qin finally spoke, her voice shaking uncontrollably. "Daoist master… this is improper—"
The demonic fire in Li Xun's body surged and sank a few times, scorching his throat hoarse. He chuckled lightly. "If the National Preceptor could do it… why can't I?"
Her body tensed up all of a sudden, then went limp. The trembling, however, only grew worse. With their bodies so closely pressed together, Li Xun could feel every slightest change in her directly.
It made him draw sharp breath after a sharp breath, barely keeping himself under control.
Now that things had come to this, there was no need for more words. He lowered his head and captured her slightly parted cherry lips in a fierce kiss.
Consort Qin let out a muffled whimper, her tense body collapsing into helpless softness. At last, the tears spilled over, tracing down her temples.
When their lips parted, Li Xun drew a ragged breath before sweeping Consort Qin into his arms and striding out of the pavilion.
Outside the pavilion, Xing'er and the rest of the maids and eunuchs were already scared stiff. When Li Xun stepped out, Xing'er was so shocked she collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, Li Xun couldn't help but burst into wild laughter, laughing as he carried the beauty in his arms straight into the inner chambers.
....
When Li Xun reached that first climax in his life, the rush of pride and satisfaction hit him hard; it was a feeling of pure accomplishment.
Maybe this was just a moment of impulse, not something he'd usually base his actions on. But the fact stood, undeniable and unchangeable:
He'd just slept with the emperor's woman!
It was a strange and powerful realization. Like something swelling endlessly inside him, filling up every crack in his heart until not a trace was left. And it kept growing, like it would never stop.
No matter how high and mighty that old Longqing acted, ruling over nations and commanding millions, in Li Xun's eyes, he was nothing more than a cuckolded old turtle!
What did the so-called "Son of Heaven" mean to him now?
Not only had Li Xun claimed his woman, but the Emperor himself depended on Li Xun's whims, scrambling like a clown amidst layers of lies just to survive.
The most powerful man in the mortal realm had been trampled beneath his feet!
Consort Qin was like a swan on its last breath, stretching out her neck with mournful sounds before collapsing limp, as if she'd melted into water—unable to lift so much as a finger.
Pride once again swelled boundlessly in Li Xun's chest.
As the soft, low breaths of the beauty filled the room, Li Xun got out of bed, slowly and unhurriedly getting dressed. Only when he was fully clothed did he look back down.
Consort Qin was already so exhausted that she had fallen asleep, lying face down on the bed. Her broad, snow-white back exposed still marked with faint traces of their passion.
Tear stains still clung to the corners of her eyes.
Something stirred in Li Xun's heart. He pressed his lips together, two deep lines etching themselves into his face. Just like that sudden glimpse of tears, something seemed to carve itself deeply into his heart, though he couldn't quite name the feeling.
The high of his pleasure ebbed slightly. But that fleeting heaviness was quickly shaken off. He flicked his sleeves and turned to leave the room.
Outside the chamber, the eunuchs and palace maids were scared out of their wits. When they saw Li Xun, they didn't dare look up—only kowtowed and begged for mercy. A reasonable reaction, really. If word ever got out, nothing would likely happen to Li Xun, the "living immortal." But for these servants, it'd mean certain death.
Their awareness of this fact saved Li Xun the trouble of needing to say anything.
Amid the sound of forehead after forehead hitting the ground, Li Xun strode out through the gates of the Lanxue Courtyard. He wasn't thinking about what consequences this might bring. Not because he was oblivious, but because…
In this mortal realm, even if something did change, what could they do to him?
The thought made Li Xun laugh out loud. His laughter echoed through the forbidden palace, stirring startled murmurs in its wake.
—
Half an hour later, inside the study at Prince Fu's manor.
By candlelight, Li Xin was carefully reading dispatches sent from the provinces. He had been at it for some time, and his eyes were beginning to blur. Frowning slightly, he shifted his angle and was about to continue when someone knocked at the door.
He answered, and not long after, Li Cong entered quietly and greeted him with a soft "Father."
Li Xin set the letter down and looked at his younger son, shifting and uncertain in the lamplight. He sighed inwardly. "It's late. What is it?" he said mildly.
"Father, about elder brother…" Li Cong paused deliberately, and sure enough, he caught the subtle change in his father's expression. Clenching his jaw a bit, he went on, "He seems to have stirred up some trouble in the palace."
Li Xin's brows knitted tightly. "Trouble? Speak."
"About half an hour ago," Li Cong went on, "the palace guards reported hearing my elder brother laughing loudly inside the palace; it echoed through the entire inner city. I hear it even startled His Majesty."
A quiet "Hmm" slipped from Li Xin's lips. The news clearly gave him pause. Li Cong, watching his reaction closely, leaned in and lowered his voice.
"Rumor has it… that elder brother spent nearly four hours this afternoon in the Lanxue Courtyard. He didn't come out until well after dark. And it was only after he came out that he began laughing like that."
Li Xin's gaze froze.
After a long moment, his eyes turned toward Li Cong, and though his tone remained calm, his words took a turn: "And what do you make of it?"
Li Cong hesitated. He hadn't expected his father to throw the question back at him. He recovered quickly, though. After a brief pause, he replied, "Elder brother never struck me as someone who cared much for women. But they say Consort Qin's beauty could bring down a kingdom—she's the most radiant in the entire harem…"
He took a roundabout path, but still landed on the topic of lust.
Li Xin looked at this younger son and felt a faint twinge of disappointment.
This child was more than smart enough, but his judgment always fell a bit short. Moreover, he's never left the mansion to gain real experience, so his perspective was quite narrow. In the future, he might not be able to shoulder the main responsibilities!
Despite these thoughts, Li Xin's expression didn't change. He only offered a quiet reminder:
"Whether it's about women or not, Cong'er, your elder brother laughed in the heart of the imperial palace, without a care in the world. Don't you think there's something more to it?"
Li Cong wasn't stupid. His father's meaning was clear. He followed the thread quickly and answered, "He must feel secure in something. But… has the National Preceptor's power really grown so vast?"
Li Xin gave a slight nod, then shook his head.
"Power? More like ...supernatural abilities."
Li Cong lowered his head, hiding the flicker of unease on his face.
This elder brother who'd suddenly emerged from the shadows wasn't just a theoretical threat anymore. He'd now taken up an extremely important space in their father's mind, thanks to his mysterious and unfathomable abilities.
And the worst part was: even now, Li Cong still couldn't figure out what this elder brother truly wanted at his core.
The ones you can't see through, those are the scariest.
His father's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Tomorrow," Li Xin said, "go to the National Preceptor's residence again. Invite your great brother here for a chat."
Li Xin may not have noticed it himself, but when he spoke of Li Xun, he had unconsciously added a word of respect.
But Li Cong heard it. And he heard clearly.