“I wouldn’t dare?” Luo Taozhi felt like laughing too.
“I told you from the start, didn’t I? I’m not from an Immortal Sect.”
As her words fell, a katana appeared at Li Weigui’s neck.
“You know what? Single-edged blades like this have one special trait—the edge is always exceptionally sharp!”
Luo Taozhi applied a little pressure, and a string of bright red blood beads welled up on Li Weigui’s snow-white neck.
“You’re insane! Anyone who starts a fight at the Bright Immortal Inn will be hunted by the Empress’s Guard!”
Li Weigui couldn’t believe it. How could anyone be crazy enough to start something here?
“Noisy.”
Luo Taozhi flipped the katana. Li Weigui only felt a chill on her hand, and then her left index finger was gone. A searing pain shot through her entire body from the missing finger!
At the same time, a string of bright red numbers appeared before Luo Taozhi’s eyes.
[-202! Trauma! Bleeding!]
Now when she looked at Li Weigui’s head, the attribute panel that had appeared earlier popped up again.
[Li Weigui] (Lv5)
[Health Points: 194/400]
[Description: Second Young Miss of Bright Immortal Inn, but seems to be out of favor, her status even lower than some of the inn’s old retainers.]
Good. The description had changed, too. Only after she made a move would the health points show, and the description was just things she already knew.
Luo Taozhi was rather satisfied with this change. Compared to other players, the gradual reduction of game-like features didn’t weaken her—it strengthened her!
She hadn’t lived for several hundred years in another world for nothing.
“You… you lunatic!”
Li Weigui could clearly feel her life slipping away, bit by bit. Her body felt as if it had been sliced in half!
She had only lost one finger, yet now she felt like she was already halfway into hell.
“I suggest you speak nicely. Otherwise, I won’t be able to stay here anymore, and that would be such a shame~”
Luo Taozhi sheathed her katana, dropped Li Weigui on the ground like trash, then crouched down with a smile to look at her.
“Next, I ask, you answer. Otherwise, you know the drill.”
“I…” Li Weigui still wanted to say something, but Luo Taozhi gently placed a hand on her head.
“Don’t say things I didn’t ask about, okay?”
She stroked Li Weigui’s head softly, her tone as gentle as a mother telling her child to be careful on the road. Li Weigui only felt a chill run through her body. She forced herself to nod obediently, indicating she would tell everything she knew.
Not long after, with Li Weigui’s enthusiastic cooperation, Luo Taozhi quickly obtained most of the information about the Longyuan Empire and this City of Return.
For instance, the Longyuan Empire had five great capitals, located in the four cardinal directions and the center.
Guilai City was actually a subordinate city of the northern capital—Xuanling City—its role being to watch the border and intimidate the petty troublemakers outside.
The city had originally been named Zhenwei City, but after the Empress ascended the throne, she personally ordered it renamed to Guilai City.
Every town had a Bright Immortal Inn, also established by decree after the Empress’s coronation.
Great projects like standardized cart tracks and writing, unified laws and institutions—all these monumental works had been carried out by that same Empress.
In short, the reason the Longyuan Empire was so powerful was all because of the Empress who had emerged from an Immortal Sect.
“So, how many children does this Empress have?”
“Her Majesty is still unmarried and has no children.”
At this question, Luo Taozhi cast a surprised glance at Li Weigui, who had recovered enough to sit up from the ground.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course! I know everything about Her Majesty the Empress! In my eyes, Her Majesty is even more dazzling than the sun in the sky!”
As she said this, Li Weigui’s eyes grew fervent again.
“From what Her Majesty said in her latest speech, to what Her Majesty likes to eat most, even Her Majesty’s measurements, I…”
“Alright, alright, stop. Did you forget again about not saying unnecessary things?”
“But you asked me…”
Luo Taozhi rubbed her forehead and looked helplessly at Li Weigui, who had wilted but was still muttering under her breath.
She had figured it out. Li Weigui was simply a crazed fan of that Empress. Anything related to the Empress, she knew in perfect detail—even the dates and times!
But when asked about anything not concerning the Empress, the girl didn’t even know much about her own family!
Information obtained from someone like that about the Empress was undoubtedly accurate.
That meant… the reigning Empress of the Longyuan Empire had no children at all!
Then who was the Li Xunxian that Xiao Nanchu had mentioned?!
Not giving up, Luo Taozhi tried another question.
“Then do you know who Li Xunxian is?”
As soon as she asked, Li Weigui looked at her as if she were an idiot.
“Of course I do. Who in the entire Longyuan Empire doesn’t know the current Empress?”
Luo Taozhi froze and asked again in disbelief.
“What did you just say?!”
“I said, the current Empress of the Longyuan Empire—her real name is… Li Xunxian!”
The central capital of the Longyuan Empire—Xunxian City.
“Reporting to Your Majesty! The teleportation array you left in the northern City of Return has been activated!”
A shadow of indistinct face knelt in the empty hall of the Imperial Palace, reporting to the woman seated on the highest dragon throne.
She leaned sideways on the purple sandalwood dragon-patterned throne, her tall figure relaxed, her back not intentionally straight—a casual, unhurried air about her.
Even in that casual posture, she was wrapped in the majesty of one who held the realm. The oppressive aura of one who dwelled at the peak required no words to fill the space.
A bright red phoenix-patterned imperial robe cascaded down the throne. The golden phoenixes embroidered in dark thread on the hem hid in the dim light, only revealing a hint of unspeakable nobility when she moved her hands.
At her waist hung an ancient crimson longsword. Her wide sleeves rested lightly on the armrests, dignified and solemn, exuding the full bearing of an emperor!
This was the current Empress of the Longyuan Empire—Li Xunxian!
“Very well, I understand. Withdraw.”
She shifted slightly to a more comfortable position and waved a hand casually, signaling the shadow to leave.
Her phoenix eyes gazed northward, as if peering through the vast distance at something.
‘Finally, the time has come? At last, it can begin. See you again, Xiao Nanchu… and that Luo Taozhi you spoke of. I’ll see for myself what this sweetheart of yours really looks like!’
If any ministers of the Longyuan Empire were present to see their Empress now—biting her lip lightly, a look of anger on her face—they would be shocked.
After all, in their memory, since her ascension, the Empress had always been cold and noble, as if everything was under control. But right now… she looked like a lovesick loser.