"Your Majesty... Your Majesty seems to have changed?"
Lu Fengxian gazed at Qin Xiao's retreating figure.
In a daze, he seemed to see a sovereign standing proudly between heaven and earth, one who lords over the nine heavens!
"I feel His Majesty is different from before."
Jia Xu nodded earnestly.
Although Qin Xiao's appearance hadn't changed, he sensed that the current Qin Xiao was even more terrifying than before!
"Qin Xiao! You owe me your life!"
Qin Rushuang, who had remained silent until now, rushed forward.
She confronted Qin Xiao.
She lowered her head, scanning the scene.
Seeing her father, mother, and younger sister lying in pools of blood, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"Qin Xiao! Look! Look at what you have done!"
"They were your closest family!"
Qin Rushuang questioned him angrily.
"You've changed! You've become so unfamiliar! You are no longer the Qin Xiao I once knew!"
Qin Xiao's expression was cold and detached.
"Yes, you are right. This emperor is no longer the Qin Xiao who allowed himself to be bullied and humiliated!"
"You can no longer lord over me!"
"What? Can't handle the truth?"
"Enough! Qin Xiao! Say no more! If it weren't for me, you would have died long ago! You owe me your life!"
Qin Rushuang screamed hysterically, tears cascading down her cheeks.
Drop by drop, the tears fell to the ground, freezing into ice upon impact.
She could never have imagined things would turn out like this.
That young boy from the past, the one who admired and respected her, had turned into such a vicious-hearted person!
In the past, she and Qin Xiao were very close. One could say she was the person Qin Xiao cared about most!
Moreover, she had once saved Qin Xiao's life!
If not for her, Qin Xiao would have long since succumbed to his injuries and illness!
At this moment, Qin Rushuang's cold poison erupted.
Her face gradually paled, ice crystals forming on her skin, emitting a bone-chilling, piercing cold!
"Rushuang! What's wrong with you?"
Empress Dowager Wen, ignoring the pain in her own body, struggled to rise from the ground and ran to Qin Rushuang's side.
She reached out to touch Qin Rushuang, but the piercing cold invaded her body, making her shiver uncontrollably.
"Qin Xiao! Can't you stop being so willful!"
"Come and save Rushuang now!"
Empress Dowager Wen shouted loudly, her tone filled with urgency.
Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, a flash of satisfaction appearing within them.
"Save her? This emperor would sooner save a dog than save her!"
"You!"
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Wen was so angry her body swayed.
Qin Xiao's words were simply too harsh!
It made her lose her composure in an instant.
"Mother Empress, don't beg this malicious person!"
Qin Rushuang looked at Qin Xiao, her eyes filled with alienation and hatred!
"Qin Xiao, ever since you were found and brought back to the palace, I have not wronged you in the slightest!"
"Knowing you grew up outside, I showed you extra care and consideration!"
"When you were severely injured and waiting for death, it was I who paid any price to move the Divine Physician to save you!"
"But you... but how have you treated me!"
Qin Rushuang's face was full of sorrow and despair, her eyes roiling with fury!
"You actually ruined my marriage!"
"If not for you, I would have long been married to Brother Shen! This cold poison would have been cured!"
"But you stopped me, using force to oppress Brother Shen, subjecting him to all kinds of humiliation!"
"Qin Xiao, I hate you! I hate you so much I could eat your flesh and skin you alive!"
Qin Rushuang shrieked, her voice desolate, utterly heartbroken!
Hearing this, Qin Xiao was slightly taken aback.
It wasn't out of guilt.
But because he remembered the incident.
This so-called 'Brother Shen' was named Shen Han, a disciple of the Buddhist sect.
Known as the 'Buddhist Prince of the Capital Circle,' countless noblewomen and young ladies were infatuated with him.
Of course, this guy was no good person either.
He cultivated sinister arts and had drained who knows how many women through his practices.
Upon learning of Qin Rushuang's unique constitution, Shen Han set his sights on her.
He deliberately engineered chance encounters, getting along famously with Qin Rushuang.
Qin Rushuang's heart was completely lost to him.
Over time, their affection grew, and they pledged vows of eternal love.
Just as they were about to marry,
Qin Xiao, who was campaigning abroad at the time, suddenly returned.
Without a word, he grabbed Shen Han and gave him a severe beating.
After causing a major scene at the Buddhist temple,
the wedding was called off amidst discord.
Ever since that incident, Qin Rushuang began to hold a grudge against Qin Xiao.
Their relationship gradually grew distant.
Even though Qin Xiao later explained what kind of person Shen Han truly was, Qin Rushuang simply refused to believe it, even going so far as to curse Qin Xiao for being vicious and unworthy of being human.
"If you, Qin Xiao, have any conscience left at all, then you should exhaust your cultivation to cure me, transferring the cold poison into your own body!"
Qin Rushuang's face grew paler and paler. Hugging her shoulders, her body trembled incessantly, and even the mist from her breath crystallized into ice.
Yet the look in her eyes remained as venomous as ever.
Hearing this, Qin Xiao felt like laughing.
Really?
How could Qin Rushuang be so confident?
Was it all because of that one act of saving his life?
He had long since repaid that debt of gratitude through years of servitude and loyalty.
Just as Qin Xiao was about to speak,
the System's voice rang out.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for triggering the Divine Emperor's Choice!]
[Choice One: Kneel and apologize, admit your mistakes, transfer all your cultivation into Qin Rushuang's body, and willingly endure the pain of the cold poison! Reward: Title of 'Good-for-Nothing'!]
[Choice Two: Qin Rushuang seeks death, so send her to her doom! Betroth her to the Buddhist Prince of the Capital Circle, Shen Han, and let her know how painful her past choice truly was! Reward: One year's worth of provisions for a million-strong army! One ton of Sage Yuan seeds! Ten tons of various fruit and vegetable seeds!]