Huan Caiyi averted her gaze to the side, her face blushing softly, which only increased her cuteness.
During this time, no one dared to say anything and remained quiet.
They knew better than anyone not to be deceived by her appearance.
She may look like a maiden in love, but her true nature as a ruthless ruler did not vanish from anyone's mind for even an instant.
Huan Caiyi took a few seconds to compose herself, her previous cold expression once again appearing on her small face.
"Clan Head Helian, this empress is amazed that you still have the guts to stand before this empress even after all your schemes have been exposed."
"I-I plead for Little Demon Empress's mercy. Please, you can do whatever you may wish with me, but leave my family. They are innocent."
Helian Kuang had already given up.
He understood Huan Caiyi's nature. Not only him, but everyone did.
They had just witnessed her removing the lineage of Duke Ming without batting an eye, how could they not understand the consequences of assisting Duke Ming in plotting against her?
At best, she would remove Helian Kuang's direct lineage, or at worst, completely demolish the Helian Family.
"Hmm." Huan Caiyi stared down at Helian Kuang and spoke evenly. "In sight of your ancestors' loyalty to the Royal Family, this empress will be merciful enough to spare your Helian Family."
Thud
Helian Kuang threw his head on the ground, hard enough to crack it. Tears streamed down his eyes as he loudly said.
"You have this Kuang's eternal gratitude."
"This empress has no need for the gratitude of a traitor." Huan Caiyi cut him short.
She waved her hand and golden flames emerged from her robes, flying and leaching over Helian Kuang's body.
"Repent with your life."
A scream, as if from the deepest pit of hell, resounded within the Royal Hall as the destructive flames of the Golden Crow consumed Helian Kuang's existence.
Not even ashes remained!
Once again, a deep chill crawled within everyone's body witnessing it.
No matter how many times they saw it, they still could not comprehend the destructiveness of those flames. The flames did not kill their victim instantly, but waited and tortured them to the highest degree before killing them.
"Today, except for the Yun and Mu Family, every other family head shall have the Soul Imprint of this empress."
The Clan Heads' bodies shook collectively, but no one raised their voice to complain.
They valued their lives more. They all understood that receiving a Soul Imprint was the same as becoming Huan Caiyi's slaves, but they also understood that it was better than a torturous death.
"We understand!" A collective voice came as everyone acknowledged her order.
"Do not resist." Huan Caiyi waved her hand and a wave of her profound energy entered everyone's bodies. In the next instant, everyone felt an imprint had appeared within their souls.
Now, their lives no longer belonged to them.
One thought from Huan Caiyi, and they would all die.
1
After everyone left, except for Yun Qinghong, Huan Caiyi walked closer to the pathetically lying Duke Ming.
His expression was dull, and so were his eyes; there was no will to live any longer.
"This empress will use your soul to appease the late Demon Emperor."
Huan Caiyi picked up Duke Ming and walked below the throne; a room existed there.
Inside the room, a grave was placed. This grave belonged to the late Demon Emperor.
Staring at the grave, Huan Caiyi's eyes turned slightly misty as memories of the past poured into her mind.
"It's alright." Suddenly, a soft and gentle voice entered her ears. "You are not alone anymore."
A silence passed, Huan Caiyi closed her eyes and took soft breaths.
Once she opened her eyes again, only untold determination was present.
She walked closer to the grave and placed Duke Ming in front of it, on his knees facing the grave.
"This empress wishes for your soul to rest in peace."
Her hand moved, like the scythe of Shinigami, and Duke Ming's throat was cut open. Blood gushed out from Duke Ming's slitted throat followed by the sound of "gurgling."
From top to bottom, the grave soon turned red with blood before Huan Caiyi threw Duke Ming's body above it. She waved her hand, and the golden flames engulfed the body, removing it from the world once again.
The sound of a burning body and the smell of burnt flesh was fresh in the air as Huan Caiyi absentmindedly stared at the golden flames, her face showing a touch of melancholy.
"... Yun Che?" A pair of hands circled around her small body before pulling her back into the embrace of their owner.
"Don't be so sad. Didn't you fulfill your wish of avenging the late Demon Emperor and solidifying your rule?"
"... This empress should have felt complacent and happy." Huan Caiyi's weak voice came as she raised her hands and placed them above Yun Che's. She closed her eyes and continued. "But why does this empress feel lost now? This empress can only live for three more years, and after this empress, the Royal Lineage shall perish. After that, only you will be left with the Golden Crow's Bloodline."
A silence of comfort existed between both, Yun Che silently listening to her.
"Yun Che, will you promise this empress one thing?"
"What is it?"
He played with her soft hands, sometimes his hand caressing the soft skin of her stomach, making the Little Demon Empress blush.
"This empress wishes for you to become the new ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm! In these remaining years, this empress will assist you in everything. Until you are acknowledged as the true ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm. This is this empress's last wish."
She left his embrace and turned around, her small face raised to allow her crimson eyes to stare into the golden reptile eyes of Yun Che.
Both stared into each other's eyes in silence before, suddenly, a chuckle was released from Yun Che's mouth, causing Huan Caiyi to frown.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Idiot. Didn't you say you have three years to live? Doesn't that mean we can give birth to three healthy children?"
"O-of course. But that's a different matter." Huan Caiyi's face instantly crumbled into a blushing mess. Embarrassed, she continued. "T-this empress will obviously try her best to conceive an heir, b-but a child cannot lead the Illusory Demon Realm. And—"
"Silly girl." Yun Che grabbed the little hand of Huan Caiyi before pulling her into his embrace once again. He raised her head through her chin to face him and softly chuckled. "I am not interested in ruling."
Huan Caiyi frowned.
"But—"
"No buts." His thumb caressed her cherry lips, making the angry empress bite it playfully. "You do not need to worry about such things. With me here, even if the sky falls down, I will carry it. The problem of a three-year lifespan can be solved as easily as waving my hand."
He leaned down, in front of the slightly surprised gaze of Huan Caiyi, and sealed her lips.
Exchanging a short but passionate kiss, Yun Che smirked.
"Forget about dying anymore. As long as I am living, even if you want to die, I will be forcing you to live with me."
"You…" Huan Caiyi's eyes turned slightly watery. She forcefully pushed him and turned her head away, showing her back to him. "What a brute."
"Remembering how forceful you were back in the past, I don't know who the real brute here is."
"That was because this empress urgently needed strength! This empress is not like that."
"Oh." Yun Che's eyes narrowed, and a playful smirk appeared on his face. "Then we should definitely test it, don't you think?"
Understanding the direction where the talk was going, knowing full well that at this rate, she might end up in bed with him, Huan Caiyi changed the topic.
"Why didn't you let Clan Head Qinghong leave with the others?"
"Ugh…" Yun Che's smiling expression instantly changed into awkwardness.
"This empress has noticed this before, but do you know Clan Head Qinghong?"
Remembering that he admitted being from the Yun Family, Huan Caiyi wondered if he had any relationship with Yun Qinghong.
Maybe he is his ancestor or something.
"About that… Let's go. It is better to explain it in front of him."
...
I just found out that the reason why Primal Chaos is dying is because of the Abyss of the Nothingness. Apparently, it is "eating" away the energies of the Primal Chaos, making it highly unstable. On the other hand, I talked about Satou Pendragon's authorities with my friend who have read Death March way too many times for some reason, and apparently, [Unit Creation], except from resurrecting objects and people, can also create anything from nothingness. So if you see Yun Che using it to create stuff in the future, then it is because of that.
pat (+15): patr eon.com/meatball_chan (Saturday&Sunday Break)
discord: https://discord.gg/HRRM35KbtZ