Chapter 15 - Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor
"Lift the sedan, send off the deity!"
Following a light call from the female official, Luo He felt the sedan chair beneath him slowly lift, and then it began to move with a sway.
The sound of music reached the interior of the divine sedan chair where Luo He was, sounding a bit muffled.
The inside of the divine sedan chair was very spacious, and also very plain. There were only two rows of facing seats, with a table in the middle that had nothing on it, completely the opposite of the golden and resplendent exterior of the divine sedan chair.
Sitting inside, apart from the entrance that had been resealed, there wasn't a single window or small hole through which one could see outside.
It was as if his entire person had been isolated here.
Logically speaking, Luo He shouldn't have created extra complications at this time by boarding this so-called Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor's divine sedan chair. In fact, that female official had not coerced him and had told him frankly that if he had no intention of meeting, he could just leave directly.
But recalling that conversation on the street between Su Huanhuan and Huoxin regarding Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor... Luo He felt that perhaps it was worth taking this risk.
Anyway, if they were weaker than him, he could leave on his own. If they were stronger... since the other party had already targeted him, he couldn't escape either.
Creak.
The entrance behind him through which he had come was opened. Luo He turned his head to look; it was the female official from before.
At this moment, she walked in elegantly, carrying a tea set. She placed a cup of clear tea on Luo He's side and another on the side opposite him.
"This is to entertain Young Master Luo; Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor specially took out these tea leaves. Young Master Luo, why not have a taste?"
"......"
The female official understood Luo He's gaze. She covered her mouth and chuckled lightly; afterwards, she tapped Luo He's mask.
"In Her Ladyship's domain, Young Master Luo actually doesn't need to wear a mask. However, Her Ladyship also has no intention of letting you expose the appearance beneath your mask... This little girl has been presumptuous; I ask for Young Master's forgiveness."
After just a light touch from her finger, the white fox mask was, at some unknown time, pinned to Luo He's waist. And his facial features were now also covered by a mass of colorful clouds, leaving only his eyes exposed.
"This way, Young Master can taste the tea... However, Young Master truly was born with an extraordinary pair of eyes, hehe... Young Master, please don't blame this little girl for her teasing words; this is what Her Ladyship said."
The female official revealed a slightly cunning smile and then left the interior of the sedan chair again.
Luo He's mask was no ordinary mask; it wasn't something anyone could just casually remove.
Just as he had thought, and as Huoxin had said...
This Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor might truly exist.
Without the feel of the mask on his face, Luo He, for a moment, actually felt a little unaccustomed to it.
He looked at the two cups of clear tea on the table, from which wisps of fragrance drifted, and reached out to pick up the cup in front of him.
Listening to the female official's tone, this Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor seemed to be watching him, or rather, was right here, opposite him.
But he couldn't see her... Was it his fault, or was it that Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor was unwilling to face him directly?
Regardless of the reason, this cup of tea was offered to him by the other party.
So, Luo He raised his teacup, looked directly at the seat opposite him, and slowly performed a salutation, offering the tea.
Afterwards, he drank the tea in the cup.
Sweet, cold, and delicious; clear, moistening, and soothing.
Ever since mastering abstinence from grains, Luo He had never eaten food or drunk water again.
This cup of tea that Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor invited him to drink almost made him feel a wave of trance-like confusion; it turned out... his mouth could still taste flavors.
And just at this moment of trance, Luo He felt his vision blur, and it seemed a young matron in the bloom of youth, dressed in palace attire and holding a jade fan, was smiling at him.
"......"
Consciousness...
When Luo He came to his senses, his thoughts seemed to have also drifted to the heavens with that tea fragrance.
"Your Ladyship, you really are something! Clearly knowing Young Master Luo is racing against time now, yet you insisted on keeping him here."
Luo He had fallen into a deep slumber. And that female official had returned again, speaking with a rather helpless tone to the seat opposite Luo He.
She walked forward, took Luo He, who was breathing evenly in his seat, into her arms and laid him down. With a gentle wave over his face, she smoothed his furrowed brows.
"He definitely regrets getting on Your Ladyship's sedan chair now."
"Hmm? You say it's just for these few days, it doesn't matter?"
"Hmph, you immortals are all like this, just talking to yourselves! How could this not matter to Young Master Luo..."
"Ai, ai, I was wrong, Your Ladyship. I won't talk back anymore. Don't you be angry; I'll buy you some delicious food later."
"I also know you two haven't seen each other for a long time. Wanting Young Master Luo to stay a little longer is understandable... But you don't show your face; I'm afraid you'll end up being resented by him instead."
"He won't resent you... Your Ladyship, you really have confidence in yourself. But then again, it's true; Young Master Luo has never resented Your Ladyship, even if you used to act foolishly all the time."
"Your Ladyship, stop! If you hit me again, I'll go complain to Young Master Luo!"
"......"
"Time has passed, heaven and man are separated. Your Ladyship, as an immortal, you have crossed life and death, but you cannot cross time... I know, for Young Master Luo, Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor always being Her Ladyship the Sovereign Emperor is the best outcome."
"Your Ladyship, it's time to go. It's getting late."
...
Inside Luo Hongyu's small courtyard, sword winds danced and flew.
Today, Luo Hongyu's sword practice partner was Gu Jing; Luo He was not here today.
Luo Hongyu wouldn't look for him. Anyway, he would come back on his own. If he didn't come back...
She would just enjoy some peace and quiet for her eyes.
"Senior Sister Gu, let's stop here for today.”
Luo Hongyu put away her Lu Lan Sword and looked at Gu Jing opposite her.
At this moment, Gu Jing was holding the Autumn Maiden Sword in her hand. Although she didn't know why, Luo Hongyu's sword heart sensed that the Autumn Maiden Sword's radiance had dimmed somewhat.
"Luo He returned the sword to you?"
"...Yes, Young Master."
"That's good too. The Autumn Maiden Sword had many restrictions in his hands and was difficult to unsheathe. Now that the sword has returned to its original master, it's not bad either."
Although the Autumn Maiden Sword ranked fourth among the Tianchen Seven Swords, in Luo Hongyu's eyes, it was the purest spirit sword.
Apart from only choosing female sword masters, it would never provide its sword master with any assistance in sword practice or cultivation.
The sword master had to achieve mastery through comprehensive understanding on their own to be able to unleash the Autumn Maiden Sword's true power; Gu Jing was a perfect sword master who quite fit this standard.
However, even Luo Hongyu, who usually never observed people's words and expressions, could sense at this moment that Gu Jing before her was not in a good state.
Just now, she had stopped practicing swords not because she had practiced enough, but because she sensed that Gu Jing's mind was not here at this moment; continuing to practice would only be a futile effort.
"Senior Sister Gu, is something on your mind?"
"...Young Master need not worry too much; Gu Jing will resolve it herself."
"Is it related to Luo He?"
"...Yes."
"......"
She knew it; this return of the sword wasn't that simple and carefree.
Luo Hongyu flipped her hand, and a small bottle appeared; it was the injury medicine she hadn't handed over that day.
"That day, I intended to punish Luo He. Now that the punishment is over, let things be as they should. This medicine, Senior Sister Gu, why don't you help me pass it on to him."
"As long as his heart harbors righteous thoughts and the Sect, he is still a member of the Tianchen Sword Sect."
"......"
Gu Jing took the medicine bottle, not saying a word.
She raised her head to look at Luo Hongyu. Her eye sockets were somewhat dark and sunken, her gentle and beautiful cheeks also seemed a bit thinner than yesterday; her entire person looked so haggard it was as if she had a different face.
"The Immortal Ascension Assembly is imminent. Gu Jing, as one of the Tianchen Seven Swords, should not be adding to Young Master's worries at this moment... But Gu Jing still has a request she wishes to state in advance, and hopes Young Master can grant it after the Immortal Ascension Assembly."
"Speak, Senior Sister Gu."
To Luo Hongyu, Gu Jing was like a sister and a mother; she had never requested something from her so formally like this.
Thinking of this, Luo Hongyu's tone softened somewhat.
Gu Jing was silent for a while, then slowly said:
"After the Immortal Ascension Assembly, I wish Young Master would allow Gu Jing to release her sword and step down, resign from the position of one of the Tianchen Seven Swords, and from then on, no longer wield the Autumn Maiden Sword."
"For the Autumn Maiden Sword, please find another new master worthy of it."
After saying these words, Gu Jing let out a long sigh of relief, as if she had unburdened herself of an extremely heavy load.