Was He Insulting Her or Praising Her? The Time Has Finally Ripened
Was He Insulting Her or Praising Her? The Time Has Finally Ripened
Hearing Gu Changge’s words, Empress Yao Xi assumed he didn’t believe her.
Instead, she began explaining earnestly, saying, “For this banquet, I prepared over twenty years in advance. I even went to the True Immortal Academy and traded with an old monster for a brewing method that had long been lost.”
“Beyond that, I personally traveled to the extremely cold regions of the Demon World and harvested quite a few eight-million-year-old Ice Lotuses, just to dilute the medicinal potency of the royal wine—because I worried they wouldn’t be able to withstand it and would explode and die...”
She had never spoken these words to anyone. Even the female officials closest to her knew nothing of it.
No one knew how long she had prepared for this Banquet of Prodigies.
But before Gu Changge, she laid it all bare without the slightest concealment, because she felt Gu Changge could understand her painstaking intentions.
“Is that so? Then in a moment, Changge will have to properly savor this royal wine. If they knew how much effort Her Majesty the Empress poured into this Banquet of Prodigies, they’d probably be even more grateful.”
Gu Changge raised an eyebrow slightly and said with a smile.
He hadn’t expected Empress Yao Xi to take this Banquet of Prodigies so seriously.
She had even personally done so many things herself.
“I don’t need their gratitude.”
Hearing this, Empress Yao Xi pointed her jade finger toward the many prodigies below and laughed, saying, “They are the future hope of the Demon World. Everything I’ve done is nothing at all.”
Still, there was some pride in her words.
After all, as far as the eye could see, this endless, magnificent territory was all her empire.
These countless beings of the Demon World were all her subjects.
The toil and effort of over six thousand years—to her, it was all worth it.
“Everything Her Majesty the Empress has done truly fills Changge with admiration.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge chuckled.
Then he glanced at Jun Fan, who sat cross-legged with eyes closed at the banquet, refining the Bodhi Dao Fruit without showing the slightest abnormality, and continued asking casually, “But does Your Majesty think doing all this is worth it?”
Empress Yao Xi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she seriously considered Gu Changge’s question.
“They will serve me wholeheartedly in the future and inject fresh blood into the Demon World. I don’t see anything unworthy about it.”
She didn’t hesitate long before speaking frankly.
Gu Changge gave an “oh,” his smile breezy and carefree, and asked, “Is that so? So Your Majesty believes they will all serve you? You trust them that much?”
“They are all prodigies selected layer by layer through my informants. Naturally, I trust them.”
Empress Yao Xi looked at Gu Changge with some puzzlement, not understanding why he was asking such questions today.
Could he be suspecting this group of prodigies before them? Empress Yao Xi felt that was quite unlikely. The prodigies who could make it this far had entered her sight long ago.
If they had other schemes, she would have known long ago.
“So that’s how it is?”
Gu Changge nodded, noncommittal.
At this moment, he somewhat understood Empress Yao Xi’s thinking.
The logic was like the darkness beneath a lamp.
Before this, he had been wondering whether Empress Yao Xi had some measures prepared against the great event about to unfold at this Banquet of Prodigies.
But from these words, he realized he seemed to have overestimated her.
Just now, he had helped her test Jun Bufan’s reaction, yet Empress Yao Xi hadn’t noticed a thing.
At this rate, she’d probably only react when Jun Bufan pressed his blade right up against her.
Perhaps in Empress Yao Xi’s view, even if Jun Bufan hadn’t died, he wouldn’t dare appear before her at a time like this.
Empress Yao Xi was a qualified Empress of the Demon World, but she was not a qualified sovereign.
In Gu Changge’s view, how could a so-called sovereign easily trust others, even their own confidants?
He felt that if he hadn’t come to the Demon World this time...
At this Banquet of Prodigies, Empress Yao Xi would absolutely suffer a great loss—grievous injury or even death were both entirely possible.
Following the usual script, the Demon World’s current rule would be overthrown.
Then, Empress Yao Xi would become a prisoner, and Jun Bufan—the fiancé she had poisoned to death—would reappear before the world, proclaim her crimes, and from then on rule the Demon World as its new master.
Even considering another possibility...
Even if this turmoil were eventually quelled, for Empress Yao Xi to find the mastermind Jun Bufan would probably take enormous effort.
After all, Jun Bufan was right before her eyes at this very moment, yet she turned a blind eye to him—on the contrary, she thought highly of him, even cherishing his talent.
If Fortuity weren’t at work, Gu Changge would never believe it.
“So that’s how it is. This is the normal plot and trajectory. It’d be strange if nothing went wrong...”
Gu Changge shook his head slightly.
Then, his eyes narrowing, he looked at Empress Yao Xi and said with a smile, “But I’m afraid the people of the Demon World will never know that their consistently cold-blooded and cruel Empress actually has such an innocent and adorable side...”
“Young Master Changge... what do you mean by that?”
“Are you praising me, or insulting me?”
Empress Yao Xi was momentarily stunned at his words. When she recovered, her head nearly couldn’t process it, and she could hardly maintain her usual imperial dignity.
She almost wondered if she’d misheard.
This was the first time anyone had ever called her innocent and adorable.
She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, her heart even inexplicably flustered.
From beginning to end, she knew she had never had anything to do with those four words.
Not to mention, her image in the hearts of the Demon World’s people had always been brutal and cold, a mass murderer, ruthless and merciless.
To purge the Remnants of the Five Demon Overlords, she had not hesitated to send armies campaigning in all directions, and many great clans of the Demon World had perished at her hands.
The Demon World beings who had died directly or indirectly because of her were beyond counting.
How could someone like her have anything to do with innocence? Subconsciously, she felt Gu Changge must be mocking how stupid her thinking had been just now.
However, Gu Changge’s expression remained composed as he laughed and said, “Of course I’m not insulting Your Majesty. It’s just that suddenly seeing another side of Your Majesty—the contrast is quite striking... it gave me such an impression.”
“Another side of me?”
Empress Yao Xi’s eyes fixed intently on him.
In the end, she really couldn’t withstand Gu Changge’s blunt, appraising gaze. She turned her head away and looked back down at the many young prodigies below.
Gu Changge chuckled and didn’t argue.
Of course he couldn’t call her stupid at a time like this. Put it tactfully, and it became “innocent.”
Beautify it a bit more, and naturally it became “innocent and adorable.”
Empress Yao Xi was, after all, a woman who had never known the affairs between men and women—provided one ignored her age, of course.
With his status and position, saying a few pleasant words could easily move her.
Meanwhile, below the seat of honor, after consuming the Bodhi Dao Fruit, nearly all the young prodigies were refining and absorbing it.
Divine light wreathed their bodies, treasure radiance flickering—none of them let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for epiphany slip by.
Everyone was watching.
The process wasn’t long. Soon, the sky gradually darkened.
Countless Demon World beings around the mountain range stared at them, their gazes filled with envy and jealousy, feeling the auras of all the prodigies growing stronger.
Dusk fell in the west, scattering orange afterglow. The entire Sacred Mountain was bathed in pale gold, solemn and magnificent.
“I broke through...”
“I broke through too. As expected of the Bodhi Dao Fruit.”
Many prodigies began to awaken, opening their eyes from their state of epiphany, immediately crying out in joy.
Rosy clouds flickered, golden radiance interweaving, exuding powerful auras—multicolored divine light even burst from their pores.
The first thing they did was... sense the changes in their own strength, overjoyed beyond measure. Then they rose one after another, bowing in thanks toward Empress Yao Xi with great reverence.
They had long heard of the Bodhi Dao Fruit’s preciousness.
Before this, they had never imagined they would one day refine and absorb such a fruit.
The many fortunes gained at today’s Banquet of Prodigies filled them with heartfelt gratitude toward Empress Yao Xi.
“My cultivation has indeed broken through another minor realm. This Bodhi Dao Fruit is truly extraordinary.”
Jun Fan also opened his eyes from his epiphany, his expression natural. Like the other prodigies, he bowed in thanks toward Empress Yao Xi.
Although he would soon assassinate Empress Yao Xi, he wasn’t a fool—why pass up such a free benefit?
But Jun Fan didn’t know if it was his imagination.
Gu Changge’s constant scrutiny made him feel as though all his secrets were laid bare.
That expression was more like a cat toying with a mouse.
He frowned inwardly and imperceptibly shifted his gaze away.
“Could Gu Changge have discovered something? It must be that my abnormality just now was noticed by him...”
Jun Fan thought to himself, growing... increasingly wary.
Now everything was ready—all that was missing was the final push. The meat course and fruit course had both ended; once the wine course concluded, that would be his moment to strike.
“Attendants, serve wine to the prodigies.”
At this moment, Empress Yao Xi rose once more from the seat of honor, waved her wide sleeve, and ordered the female officials behind her to serve the wine.
Weng!!! In the nearby mountains, the countless Demon World beings who heard this all fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a tsunami of excited cheers.
At this instant, nearly everyone’s gaze turned over, filled with curiosity, excitement, and anticipation.
After all, the first two courses had been so precious—let alone this wine course, the grand finale.
Every Banquet of Prodigies’ wine course drew the eyes of the entire Demon World.
There had even been cases where a Cultivator merely caught a whiff of the wine’s aroma and broke through on the spot.
So this wine course made them all the more expectant and curious, eager to know what kind of finale Empress Yao Xi had prepared.
As Empress Yao Xi’s words fell, numerous beautiful women filed out from behind her, dresses fluttering, carrying earthenware jars—simple and unadorned. Though still sealed, a rich wine fragrance already wafted from them.
They walked up to the many prodigies.
Unsealing.
Pouring.
A series of simple, direct motions without any elaborate ceremony.
Pale golden wine rolled down from the jars, as if imbued with spirit, falling into the white jade wine bowls before the prodigies.
“What wine is this...”
Many prodigies’ eyes went wide. Just smelling that wisp of wine fragrance made their faces flush red, their steps stagger—some nearly couldn’t stay seated.
Astonishing medicinal potency spread out, a vast energy that seemed capable of bursting one’s internal organs.
Weng!!! The void trembled, bursting forth with multicolored divine radiance that interwove and flowed.
It was a terrifying sight. Many even saw various phenomena emerging within the wine bowls.
Sun and moon rising and sinking, mountains and rivers surging, stars wheeling askew, peaks and oceans, lightning turning to ash.
“Could this be Demonic Fairy Wine? Wasn’t the brewing method rumored to be lost?”
“Sss! It’s actually Demonic Fairy Wine! In ancient legends, this was wine only Demonic Fairies were qualified to drink...”
“Where did Her Majesty the Empress obtain its brewing method?”
At this moment, shocked voices rang out all around.
Many great figures of the Demon World recognized what this royal wine was, their eyes wide, hearts profoundly shaken.
As far as they knew, the brewing method for Demonic Fairy Wine had been lost long ago.
Yet records of Demonic Fairy Wine still remained in ancient texts.
Its wondrous effects defied description—it was even said to grant rebirth.
Of course, the true Demonic Fairy Wine was something Empress Yao Xi absolutely could not brew. Just gathering the various rare ingredients would be nearly impossible for her.
At most, she could restore one ten-thousandth of its effects.
Even so, this single bowl of Demonic Fairy Wine made everyone’s eyes redden with envy and jealousy to the point of madness.
“The extravagance of this Banquet of Prodigies exceeds all imagination.”
The Grand Tutor, the Quelling Chaos King, and the others were also deeply shaken. Before this, they too hadn’t known what wine Empress Yao Xi had prepared.
“After this wine course comes your death.”
Seeing this scene, Jun Fan was not the least bit surprised. He sneered inwardly and was the first to tilt his head back and drain the golden wine from his bowl.
He began sitting cross-legged, waiting.
Empress Yao Xi had prepared for this for a long time.
But for this Banquet of Prodigies, he had likewise prepared for a long time.
Even now, Empress Yao Xi didn’t know that the brewmaster she had specially sought out had already been secretly swapped out by him.
To ensure absolute success, Jun Fan had even taken control of the many ministers in charge of the royal wine this time, holding their lives—and the lives of their wives and daughters—firmly in his grasp.
Bang!! As Jun Fan downed his wine, the other young prodigies followed his example and began drinking, all understanding that something this good would probably come only once in their lifetimes.
“It’s actually the legendary lost Demonic Fairy Wine...”
Song Youwei was equally shaken, but before drinking, she habitually looked up toward the seat of honor.
“Young Master Changge, have a taste?”
Empress Yao Xi personally poured wine for Gu Changge, the corners of her mouth slightly curved. Seeing everyone’s shocked expressions, her mood was quite pleasant.
Gu Changge sniffed it with great interest and said, “Demonic Fairy Wine truly lives up to its name. Just one whiff and every pore in my body relaxes. To brew this wine, Your Majesty must have expended considerable effort.”
“Looking at it now... it was worth it.”
Empress Yao Xi smiled and filled a cup for herself as well.
The female official behind her stepped forward to test it for poison, just in case.
Meanwhile, Jun Fan, sitting cross-legged below, watched Empress Yao Xi drain that bowl of wine, and a smile immediately appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“The time has finally ripened!”
However, he didn’t crush the Jade Talisman in his robe just yet, because the poison would still need some time to take effect.
This was a mixed poison. Consumed alone, it had no effect whatsoever—naturally, there was no worry of anyone detecting anything amiss.
But now, combined with the elixir powder Qing Zhu had previously slipped into Empress Yao Xi’s meals, it would produce unimaginably wondrous effects.
In an instant, a rich wine fragrance pervaded the area, resplendent with color.
Many prodigies were already slightly tipsy, working on ways to refine the medicinal potency within the wine.
“This wine’s flavor is indeed excellent.”
Gu Changge gently swirled the bronze wine cup in his hand, took a light sip, and spoke with some admiration.
“Yao Xi toasts Young Master Changge.”
“Thank you, Young Master Changge, for traveling hundreds of millions of li to the Demon World to inform me of this matter.”
Perhaps because of the wine, a faint rosy glow rose on Yao Xi’s fair, delicate face.
Still, the corners of her mouth curved slightly as she raised her cup toward Gu Changge in a toast.