"You..... Sigh... Let's just drop the games, Jian Shen."
"I would very much like that."
"The both of us are mature enough to understand what the other one wants, so let's just be mature. Honestly, there's nothing that the Cui Clan can offer you which I cannot. So I want you to join my Empire, and in exchange feel free to name your price."
"I was right!"
While Juewang was enjoying for having guessed correctly, Jian Shen was seriously thinking about the possible benefits he'd have from joining a force.
Not just the Winter Jade Empire, but any of them.
After all, he possessed the cultivation resources, techniques, and everything else he could possibly need. So, what benefit could he possibly obtaining from joining any force?
Information.
Due to what the two swords bad told him, Jian Shen knew that they were definitely not up to date regarding the affairs of the Divine Realm.
So, if there was any one thing which Jian Shen needed it was reliable information.
This information was something Jian Shen needed both about the normal happenings and also the special ones which together would help him search for the pieces of the Myriad God Sword that are in the Divine Realm.
From what he could guess, the Cui Clan should be one of the top forces in the Divine Realm. But, since that woman Cui Ya had not just failed to realize that the pot was the Nirvana Flame Cauldron and the sword on his waist was the Myriad God Sword, Jian Shen didn't think that anyone else in the Cui Clan might have any useful information regarding the whereabouts of the pieces.
So, if he could obtain information from Lei Luli, he didn't mind supporting the Winter Jade Empire until he was strong enough to leave the Divine Realm.
But, revealing his true purpose so soon wouldn't be any fun right?
"Oh? I can ask for anything?"
Nodding her head, Lei Luli who separated herself from Jian Shen said, "I can give you anything you want!"
"Really?"
Moving close to the lady, Jian Shen looked her straight in the eyes while their faces were less than a few inches away from each other.
"Yes."
Speaking while breathing roughly because this was the first man who stood so close to her, Lei Luli continued to try her best to maintain the same expression.
Hugging the stunned woman by the waist, Jian Shen whispered in her ears, "Isn't it time the real Empress shows up?"
"Huh....!"
At once the slightly embarrassed expression immediately disappeared and in its place was pure rage and depression.
"When did you find out?"
"Since the time I first saw you."
"How?"
Not answering her question, Jian Shen instead let go of her slim waist and began walking back towards the room inside which all the women were still there.
Once inside the room, Jian Shen still didn't say anything and only looked at all the women who were standing or sitting with their heads bent downwards.
Out of all of them however, there was one particular woman whom Jian Shen was focusing on.
Sitting on a stool, the woman was seated in the front row making it impossible for anyone to think she was trying to hide herself by blending in with the others.
Still, that could be considered as the perfect camouflage because Jian Shen had almost not noticed her.
Walking near her with a smile, Jian Shen who could sense the pressure her strength was giving didn't dare get handsy and rather just said, "The real Empress of the Winter Jade Empire, is your name Lei Luli, or is that just your daughter's name?"
Lifting her head with a subtle smile, the woman who was beautiful enough to overshadow the sun and moon asked, "I thought she had you fooled, what gave me away boy?"
"You are way too beautiful to be hidden in between these women."
"Charming."
Standing up, the woman asked, "What else have you figured out?"
"You don't play the guqin."
Smiling a little more, the lady put the instrument in her hand down and said, "Now do you realize you aren't ready to take over the Empire?"
"Humph! I don't care!"
Stomping her foot and walking away, Lei Luli who failed to impress her mother kept on cursing Jian Shen on the inside for putting on an act in the beginning and stopping when she most needed him to go through with it.
"Now shall we talk about the real deal?"
Nodding her head, the woman who had a golden Pheonix between her eyebrows and a golden flower in her hair allowed the women beside her to put the royal robe on her.
While this ended up covering the beautiful and colourful clothes she had worn, Jian Shen didn't think she looked any less beautiful.
Especially given that the upper part of her breasts which were still visible.
Using her hands to make her medium length hair which was a mix of black and brown to the back, the woman officially introduced herself.
"I'm Lei Xifeng, the Empress of the Winter Jade Empire."
"And the most sought after woman in the Divine Realm?"
Chuckling and shaking her head, the Xifeng smiled and said, "That would be my daughter."
"Having gotten your looks, I wouldn't be surprised even if that was true."
"Now tell me, what was it that allowed you to find out she wasn't the Empress? I highly doubt it was her appearance."
"You mean other than her strength right?"
As Lei Xifeng nodded her head, Jian Shen said, "She is not mature enough to pose off as an Empress."
"And by that I mean not just the way she behaves but even her temperament is way too immature. Also, she revealed her true feelings on her face every time and was too slow in trying to cover them."