Suffering

Mu Man’er clung to Qin Gou’s leg like a stubborn kitten, refusing to let go no matter how much he tried to shake her off. Qin Gou sighed, both amused and exasperated. “Get off my leg first. What kind of posture is this? Have some dignity.”

The petite Mu Man’er slid down as if on a slide, landing on the floor with a soft thud. Covering her face with her hands, she began sobbing. “Master, they all bully me! They abuse me! You’ve always been so kind to me, Master. When have I ever suffered like this? I feel so wronged and miserable!”

Qin Gou crouched beside her, gently wiping the tears from her delicate face. His voice was soft, but there was an unmistakable edge of fury beneath it. “Tell me everything. Leave nothing out. What have they done to you?”

“They’ve been getting worse. At first, they just wouldn’t let me leave the palace. Now, I’m not even allowed to step outside this hall. Even when I need to relieve myself, a maid follows me. I’m like a bird in a cage. Every day, except for the one hour I’m allowed to train with the Emperor’s permission, I’m forced to sit here like a fool. If I hadn’t thrown a tantrum earlier and if your current identity wasn’t flawless, the Emperor wouldn’t have let us meet alone,” Mu Man’er said, her voice trembling with emotion.

“And the Emperor keeps bringing all sorts of people—princes, nobles, and even the sons of his concubines—claiming they’re ‘young talents’ for me to meet. But the way they look at me, it’s like wolves eyeing a lamb. They’d devour me whole if they could.”

“You need the Emperor’s permission just to train?” Qin Gou asked, his voice sharp with disbelief.

“Yes. Master, you know my cultivation talent. Even though I’m only at the early stages of the Dao Nourishing Realm, I could break through at any time. The Emperor is afraid that if my cultivation grows too strong, his guards—most of whom aren’t even in the Dao Nourishing Realm—won’t be able to control me. He, the Grandmaster, and the eunuch who defeated me, Ji Wu, can’t possibly guard me all the time,” Mu Man’er explained, her eyes dull and lifeless. “They’ve taken my spirit stones, my pills, even my worthless fasting pills. Once, I tried to secretly cultivate, and the imperial kitchen didn’t send me a single meal or drop of water for ten days.”

“That bastard! The Emperor dares to treat you like this?!” Qin Gou’s usually composed face twisted with rage, his killing intent surging.

It had been years since Qin Gou had felt such fury. The thought of his youngest disciple—someone he had always treated with utmost care, someone he had protected as if she were a fragile treasure—being subjected to such treatment made his blood boil. His anger was so intense that it threatened to consume him.

Unbeknownst to Qin Gou, far away at the towering Arc Moon Mountain, the massive peak began to tremble violently, as if an enraged deity had awakened. Rocks tumbled, ancient trees cracked, and the forest creatures cowered, lying flat on the ground in terror. They didn’t even dare to flee.

The immense power of the Arc Moon Mountain’s Heavenly Master and his Divine Feather Avatar, sealed within the mountain, resonated with Qin Gou’s fury. The mountain itself seemed to echo his wrath, the violent energy tearing at the sky.

“Ding. New task issued: ‘Wrath of the Heavens.’ Overthrow the Tian Kun royal family. Rewards: one lottery chance, one cultivation technique fusion privilege. No penalties for failure. No time limit.”

Hearing the system notification, Qin Gou unclenched his fists slightly, his eyes growing darker. “Are you trying to calm me down, old friend? You’ve known me for so long—you must understand the terrifying things I’m capable of when blinded by rage. Thank you for the reminder.”

“Man’er, I’ve made my decision. I’ll win this martial arts marriage contest and marry you in a proper ceremony!” Qin Gou declared.

“That’s wonderful!” Mu Man’er exclaimed, her face lighting up.

“Because this wedding will be the perfect opportunity to gather the entire Tian Kun royal family in one place. Not just the Emperor, but every prince, eunuch, and official who has wronged you—they’ll all pay dearly. Hmm? What did you just say, Man’er? I didn’t catch that.”

“Man’er said… Master is the best!” she replied, her voice sweet and sincere.

—

When the Emperor and Xu Chengfeng returned to Mu Man’er’s hall, they were greeted by a scene of utter destruction. The floor and dragon-carved pillars were covered in deep gashes, as if a fierce battle had taken place.

Mu Man’er’s right sleeve was torn, and her sword was still in her hand. Qin Gou’s hair was disheveled, and he looked equally battered. It was as if the two had just fought a life-or-death duel.

The Emperor’s gaze lingered on Mu Man’er’s torn sleeve. His voice was cold as he said, “Marshal Xu, you’ve raised quite the son. He nearly injured the Sword-Wielding Princess. Such bravery deserves praise, don’t you think?”

Xu Chengfeng’s heart sank. Bowing deeply, he said, “My son acted out of ignorance. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy, considering my years of loyal service.”

“What’s wrong, Father? Surely you’re not planning to punish Xu Jin? That won’t do. It’s been so long since I’ve met someone so interesting,” Mu Man’er said, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

“Oh?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re satisfied with Xu Jin’s performance?”

“Not entirely. He’s only about ten times better than the useless candidates you’ve introduced me to before,” Mu Man’er replied nonchalantly.

“Hahaha! Excellent, truly excellent,” the Emperor laughed, his gaze shifting to Qin Gou. “Man’er, do you have any objections to Xu Jin participating in the martial arts marriage contest?”

Mu Man’er huffed, turning her head away. “What does it matter? With his mediocre skills, he’ll probably get beaten to death. Better if he doesn’t participate.”

Her words were easily interpreted as a veiled expression of approval.

“Then it’s settled,” the Emperor said with a meaningful smile. “Marshal Xu, you’ve truly raised an exceptional son.”

—

As Qin Gou left the palace, satisfied with the outcome, Xu Chengfeng couldn’t hide his curiosity. “Jin’er, how did you win the Sword-Wielding Princess’s favor? At first, she seemed ready to tear you apart.”

“I didn’t do much,” Qin Gou said with a shrug. “I just passively endured her attacks. She didn’t make things too difficult for me. As for why her attitude changed… maybe it’s because I’m naturally charming.”

“Ridiculous,” Xu Chengfeng said, unable to suppress a laugh.

“Father, may I ask why you were so deferential to the Emperor? Our family is one of the most powerful in the dynasty, and you command the entire army. Why act so cautiously?” Qin Gou asked.

“There are things you don’t know, but since you’ve asked, I’ll tell you,” Xu Chengfeng said with a heavy sigh. “The Emperor’s life-bound spiritual tool is called the ‘Soul-Stealing Gu.’ It has no offensive capabilities but can plant a curse in someone’s dantian. With a single thought, the cursed person will experience unbearable pain, completely helpless. Every court official ranked third or higher, including me, has been cursed. Unless the Emperor dies, the curse cannot be lifted. If you become the Prince Consort, you’ll likely face the same fate.”

“I see,” Qin Gou said, nodding. No wonder the Emperor could control even a powerful Marshal like Xu Chengfeng.

“Is this our fate? The royal family has us completely under their thumb. Jin’er, you must have suffered in front of the Sword-Wielding Princess, didn’t you?”

“I told you, Father, she didn’t make things difficult for me,” Qin Gou replied, confused.

“Really?” Xu Chengfeng asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked Qin Gou up and down. Then, with a mix of pity and disbelief, he said, “Then why are your pants completely soaked?”