Demanding something from someone
The surrounding area is vast and boundless grassland, with lush green grass covering the ground.
Under the boundless blue sky and white clouds, tiny fluffy clumps, the size of beans, rolled around in the green fields.
Upon closer inspection, they were several beautifully furred foxes, bluish-white and dark-furred, with one of them, a maple leaf color, being the most striking.
The little foxes rolled around in the grass, licking each other's bodies and paws.
Her tumbling movements revealed the natural agility of a young girl, showing the beginnings of human form.
The sound of foxes could be heard, and the elders emerged from their dens, picked up their children, and returned to the fox den to take shelter from the rain.
Dark clouds rolled in, flashes of white thunder appeared between the clouds, and moments later, a torrential downpour began.
A short while later, the weather cleared up, and the sunlight slowly rose from the mountain ridge, revealing a layer of azure sky between the earth and the horizon.
The little fox that had just taken shelter from the rain has now transformed into a human girl, running across the fields, playfully teasing her.
Lin Yueyao stood by, seemingly out of place amidst the beautiful scenery.
As night fell, I stepped onto the flat grass and suddenly heard an unusual panting sound.
Unknowingly, they stumbled into the territory. Under the earthen slope behind the grassland, a man and a woman were overcome with passion and embraced each other tenderly.
The woman is a member of the Qingqiu fox clan, while the man is a mortal brought back by the foxes.
At the height of their passion, the fox spirit raised her alluring eyes and asked sweetly, "Are you willing to leave your wife at home if you just come with me like this?"
The man looked up at her, oblivious to the bigger picture, and said, "What is she anyway? You're all I need."
"I am a demon, aren't you afraid?" The fox demon touched his face and asked tenderly.
"If you're a demon, then I'm a ghost, and I'll eat your heart and liver, you monster." When a man is deeply in love, he speaks without considering the consequences.
"What's so great about my heart? Would you be willing to give me yours?"
"What is my heart and soul? I'd give you my life."
"Really?" The fox demon didn't believe it, and while the man was in high spirits, she transformed into her true fox form.
The man touched a handful of fox fur, his body went limp, and he screamed and ran away.
The fox demon sneered, grabbed the man back, and killed him with two swipes of her paws.
Lin Yueyao watched the entire process with a frown on her face.
After killing the man, the fox demon leisurely transformed into a woman and licked the blood from between her fingers.
She looked exactly like Shangguan Zhi.
A fox of the same kind emerged from behind the tree, saying, "Azhi, you're being too heartless."
"You should keep him around for a few days; maybe he'll really fall in love with you."
Shangguan Zhi, naked, slowly and deliberately put on her clothes, then kicked the man away with disgust. The man's body was soft and still warm, and she kicked him into the mud puddle.
The body was heavy and slowly sank into the mud.
There is no such thing as true affection in this world.
“Men are all the same, shallow, arrogant and presumptuous. As soon as a woman’s youth fades, her beauty withers, and her body is no longer young, she will be abandoned and despised.” She stroked her face, lamenting how easily a woman’s youth passes.
"That's not true, Ah Zhi. You have to believe that not all men in the world are like that."
Shangguan Zhi became interested, and raised her voice at the end, "Oh, then tell me, which man in this world is truly devoted to love?"
The other said, “The emperor of the human world only has one wife, his empress. His wife died in childbirth, and he did not remarry, so the harem has been empty for many years.”
Emperors throughout history have been known for their fickle nature, with countless concubines in their harems. However, this emperor was an exception.
"Is that so?" Shangguan Zhi's eyes lit up; things had become much more interesting.
My gaze shifted, and the fragrant grass beneath my feet was replaced by a magnificent palace.
The Golden Palace was quiet, with Tibetan incense burning in the incense burner, its rich fragrance calming and soothing.
The young emperor sat behind a pear wood desk carved with peony scrolls, with memorials piled up beside him.
Suddenly, all life ceased around them, and the last tricolor candlestick in the hall went out.
A cold wind rose, making the pale yellow gauze curtains in the hall rustle loudly.
All that could be seen was darkness. The emperor remained as steady as a mountain, the memorial still in his hand, and the extinguished candle was relit.
The warm yellow light scattered, tearing through the pitch-black night.
Most of the palace servants on night watch fainted, and even the guards with swords were unconscious.
They secretly extended their reach into the palace, as if it were an empty place.
It must be caused by something external to humans.
"Since you've come, why not show yourself?" The emperor sat upright on his dragon throne, his gaze neither humble nor arrogant, fixed on a certain spot in the hall.
The next moment, a woman's flirtatious voice could be heard, and she laughed heartily.
If others were already displeased, the young emperor would simply sit quietly.
His gaze was fixed on a certain spot, but he never expected that the demon would appear and sit on the table.
Shangguan Zhi revealed herself, her figure graceful and her clothes revealing. She was like a seductive golden snake, displaying her beautiful spring scenery.
"You're not afraid of me?" Shangguan Zhi was surprised by his reaction.
The emperor's eyes flickered, but he still looked at her calmly, "I am the emperor, why would I be afraid of a mere demon like you?"
Shangguan Zhi keenly noticed his evasiveness, curled her red lips, lifted his chin, and scrutinized him.
"He looks no different from anyone else." Her gaze shifted downwards, except that the dragon robe made him appear dignified and solemn.
"How dare you!" He slapped her hand away. How could a dignified king tolerate being teased by a mere demon?
With his push, Shangguan Zhi leaned into his arms, sat on his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What, don't you want to?"
The emperor was furious. He suddenly stood up, threw her to the ground, and pulled out the Emperor's Sword from its box, intending to kill her.
The Emperor's Sword carries the mandate of heaven and possesses the aura of a true dragon; it can harm her.
Shangguan Zhi shifted his position, rolled on the ground, and quickly dodged. One end of the sword was stuck in the ground, and he pulled it out with a hiss.
"You're so boring." Shangguan Zhi glared at him angrily, then turned into black smoke and squeezed through the crack in the door, leaving behind a harsh threat, "I'll be back."
The following day, the palace summoned folk sorcerers to set up an altar in the palace to perform a ritual for the deceased, and also dispatched the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to observe the stars at night.
The palace servants spread rumors that there was a monster in the palace, and that this monster had even injured His Majesty.
The people in the palace were filled with fear and unease. Shangguan Zhi mingled into the group, dressed in the clothes and attire of a palace maid.
An array was set up in the Golden Palace. The white-bearded old man flicked his whisk, burned the talisman paper to ashes, put it into clear water, drank it down in one gulp, and then spat it out in all directions.
His disciples and followers played instruments and sang, their voices rising in unison; they looked nothing like exorcists, but rather like funeral officiants.
Shangguan Zhi couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She noticed that the emperor on the dragon throne had a worried expression and dark shadows under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept all night.
This morning I had to deal with some scoundrels again; it was hard not to get angry.
There's nothing we can do when mortals encounter matters involving gods and ghosts; all we can do is burn incense, pray to Buddha, and recite scriptures.
Just as the matter was over, the white-bearded old man said in a pretentious manner, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, with this magic array of mine, that demon will never dare to invade."
The old Taoist priest patted his chest and guaranteed it, but Shangguan Zhi didn't believe him and beckoned with her finger.
A fire broke out on the offering table for no apparent reason, and the flames spread to the old Taoist priest, instantly engulfing him in flames.
Chaos erupted inside the palace as palace servants scrambled to extinguish the fire, shouting, "Fire! Protect the Emperor!"
Having succeeded in her scheme, Shangguan Zhi slipped away secretly through the chaotic crowd.
The fire burned for half a day, turning the once-glittering buildings into charcoal, with only the golden glazed tiles shining brightly amidst the ruins.
In the dead of night, after seeing off the Crown Prince and Princess, the Imperial Physician was sent to check their pulses, and fortunately, there was nothing seriously wrong.
Suddenly remembering the fox demon, the sudden fire seemed strange. As he thought about it, the bedchamber was enveloped in a cold air, and he broke out in a cold sweat despite the sweltering heat.
"What else do you want to do?!" He pulled the sword from under the pillow, his bright yellow nightgown gleaming.
"I just want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you," Shangguan Zhibing revealed her true form. "Don't be angry, I'm not going to eat you."
"You fiend, I have no grudge against you, why do you keep bothering me?" The emperor drew his sword and looked around, bewildered, pacing back and forth like a headless fly.
Laughter echoed from all sides of the bedchamber, and the candlelight flickered. He slashed with all his might, the gauze curtains trembling with the wind from his sword.
"Clang—" The candlestick was chopped down, and his vision was plunged into darkness.
"come out--"
As he wished, Shangguan Zhi appeared, wrapped her arms around him from behind, and kissed his neck affectionately.
His body was completely immobile, allowing Shangguan Zhi to embrace him, wrapping her arms around him from behind until they were right in front of him.
Shangguan Zhi faced him, her red lips parted slightly, and with each opening and closing, she exhaled a delicate orchid fragrance.
Upon smelling that fragrance, one's blood surges, and the temperature in one's head rises, instantly forgetting all about propriety, morality, and righteousness.
Half-heartedly, she fell onto the couch.
In an instant, his mind went blank, and he fell into the witch's trap.
With the Emperor's Sword still in his hand, he knew he wouldn't die if he didn't do this. Knowing he had the ability to resist, he raised his hand and stabbed himself in the ribs.
Blood gushed out, splattering all over the fox demon's face.
"Are you crazy?" Shangguan Zhi was shocked by his suicidal behavior. He really didn't want to share a bed with her. She had underestimated him.
The emperor's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he looked at her weakly, saying, "I will not submit, even if it means death."
"You're really something..." She paused, both angry and amused. She had never seen such a stubborn person before.
"I used so much strength, I didn't mean for you to die."
Shangguan Zhi stopped the bleeding and then provided first aid.
He was determined to die, and the Emperor's Sword was plunged into his body. The sword was imbued with dragon energy. When Shangguan Zhi tried to pull it out with her bare hands, she was burned and blistered.
After finally managing to pull the sword out, the wound was still bleeding profusely.
She bent down and carefully licked the wound. This was the common way foxes treated each other; after her licking, the wound slowly healed, and the skin returned to its original state.
She used magic to remove his blood-stained clothes and took the opportunity to admire his good physique. She was surprised that someone in his thirties could maintain such a good figure.
The poor empress died young due to complications during childbirth.
Who knows who will be so fortunate in the future? Anyway, she realized that this emperor was a tough nut to crack.
The emperor slowly awoke, thinking he had arrived in the underworld, and found himself in his bedchamber, seemingly in his sleeping quarters.
"You're awake." Shangguan Zhi crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm still alive?" he asked in surprise, instinctively touching his abdomen, which was smooth and flawless, with no trace of injury.
"Of course you're alive. If it weren't for me saving you, you'd be dead by now."
"Why did you save me?" He had gone to great lengths to sleep with him, and now he was coming to my rescue. It didn't make sense.
"Why do you, a man, have so many questions?" She spread her hands out in front of him. "I saved you from your injuries, so tell me how you want to make it up to me."
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