The Heavenly Fire Empress stared intensely at the living corpse that was Xiao Fan in the Primordial Imperial City.
Xiao Fan's former serenity and indifference to fame and fortune had ultimately been false.
When she had begged her father to use the Heavenly Fire to purge Xiao Fan's demonic consciousness, it had freed him from all constraints.
Without those restraints, Xiao Fan had eventually revealed the desires common to all people.
Once he indulged in these desires, he could no longer control them.
Driven by ever-growing, insatiable desires, Xiao Fan had descended into darkness and become a demon.
She had never expected that Xiao Fan would later become the infamous Netherworld Demon Emperor, a scourge upon the world.
The transformation from saint to demon had been caused by a single lapse in Xiao Fan's judgment.
It was she who had given Xiao Fan the opportunity to fall into the demonic path.
Now, it would be she who ended Xiao Fan's sinful life.
Her eyes remained fixed on the Haotian Mirror, where the next scenes would depict the most peaceful yet unforgettable period of her life.
If time could stop, she wished to live forever in that secluded hut with Xiao Fan, away from the world.
In that life, she would not be the revered Heavenly Fire Empress, and Xiao Fan would not be the notorious Netherworld Demon Emperor.
They would simply be two ordinary people, meeting, falling in love, and growing old together.
"Xiao Fan, I love you. No one in this world loves you more than I do," she whispered, a tear full of deep emotion sliding down her cheek.
This was a confession she had never made before.
Even now, Xiao Fan probably didn't know how deeply she loved him.
She had often wanted to express her feelings back then, but she sensed that Xiao Fan's heart was occupied by someone else.
Out of pride as a princess and fear of rejection, she never voiced her love.
So, she had indirectly brought Xiao Fan to the Heavenly Fire Kingdom, pleading with her father to use the national treasure, Heavenly Fire, to rid him of his demonic consciousness.
She hoped that through her sacrifices and their daily companionship, Xiao Fan would fall in love with her.
But her decision had brought disaster to the Heavenly Fire Kingdom.
It had killed her father and countless innocent citizens, nearly destroying the kingdom.
Now she knew that the person Xiao Fan had been thinking of was the Taiyin Empress, Wen Yaxian.
"Do you see? The one you longed for has abandoned you!" she mocked the living corpse of Xiao Fan in the Primordial Imperial City, perhaps more to vent her own unrelenting sorrow.
"Soon, I will end your sinful life."
All of Xiao Fan's sins, and her own lingering love for him, would be thoroughly resolved by her hand.
Inside the Haotian Mirror.
Xiao Fan carefully tended to the girl in red.
Her injuries were primarily internal, requiring a long period of rest to heal.
Seeing the unconscious girl, Xiao Fan frowned, feeling conflicted.
She had been unconscious for two days. Without food, she might survive another two days, but without water, she wouldn't last.
After some hesitation, Xiao Fan decided to feed her water by transferring it from his mouth through a bamboo tube.
After carefully tending to her for a few days, the girl in red began to show signs of awareness and could drink water on her own.
Seven days later, she finally opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a handsome and gentle face.
Xiao Fan smiled warmly, "How are you feeling? Hungry?"
"Yes," the girl nodded slightly, not showing any discomfort or awkwardness.
Though she didn't know who this handsome man was, she felt that he had been taking care of her during these days.
It was evident that the person caring for her was the man before her.
In her semi-conscious state, she had often imagined who this person might be, envisioning his appearance and identity.
Now, she could finally see him.
He looked better than she had imagined.
As for his identity, judging by the surroundings, he was likely an ordinary person.
Xiao Fan soon returned with a bowl of vegetable porridge.
Seeing the plain porridge, the girl in red frowned, wrinkling her nose and showing clear disdain.
As a princess, she had never eaten such simple food.
Even the few vegetable leaves in the porridge were countable.
Noticing her expression, Xiao Fan said calmly, "This is all I have. If you don't eat, you'll have to go hungry."
"Hmph, who cares!" the girl in red snorted and turned her head away.
She was the most beloved princess of the Heavenly Fire Kingdom and had never been treated so poorly.
"Alright," Xiao Fan said indifferently, ready to take the porridge away.
Growl~
Her stomach grumbled loudly.
Xiao Fan paused, a smile playing on his lips.
Her body was more honest than her words.
The girl's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
She cursed her stomach silently, feeling utterly humiliated.
Xiao Fan turned back to her, smiling, "Do you want to eat?"
"Yes," she nodded, swallowing her pride.
A great leader knew when to bend. One day, she would lead the Heavenly Fire Kingdom to greatness. Such small setbacks were nothing.
However, when she tried to sit up to take the bowl, she realized with horror that she couldn't muster the strength.
Her injuries were far worse than she had anticipated.
Recalling her defeat in the legacy site by an unknown girl, her self-esteem took another blow.
Xiao Fan noticed her struggle and gently helped her sit up against the wall, soothing her with a soft voice, "Your body is still too weak. You need more rest before you can move on your own."
She remained silent, looking dejected.
Xiao Fan brought the porridge to her lips with a spoon.
"Without food, your body won't recover."
The girl said nothing, but a single tear silently fell onto Xiao Fan's hand.