"Xixi? Is it really you?" Old Master Luo's voice trembled as his figure shuddered and he took a step forward, attempting to touch the woman in front of him, but a figure suddenly appeared and blocked his way.
"How audacious! Daring to show disrespect to the Empress Dowager!"
The one blocking Old Master Luo was naturally the personal maid of Empress Dowager Yanxi of Great Chu.
Empress Dowager?
Old Master Luo's face turned confused.
It was only then that he realized that aside from Yan Xi herself, there were also several maids guarding her side behind the curtains.
These people emitted an overwhelming and vast aura, and when their aura activated, it subtly influenced the spiritual energy of nature around them, evidently possessing Emperor-level or higher cultivation.
"Empress Dowager?" Old Master Luo muttered, his face blank as he looked towards Empress Dowager Yanxi: "Xixi, you haven't died all these years?"
"That's correct." Observing the expression on his face, the light in Yan Xi's eyes grew more complex before suddenly turning icy cold.
"This Palace has not died!"
"Luo Tong, thank you for the misunderstanding that 'helped' me back then! Without that, how could this Palace have today's fortune?"
"This Palace is now the Empress Dowager of the Great Chu Sacred Dynasty! Mind your status, the term 'Xixi' is not for you to use!"
Listening to her merciless words, Old Master Luo's face turned pale in an instant.
He thought of the past events.
He left home at a young age, went out to gain experience, fell in love with Yan Xi, but was then trapped by a beast tide in the mountains due to someone's scheme.
Only when he fought his way out bloodied did he learn that Yan Xi had encountered a disaster.
She was slandered for infidelity and pursued thousands of miles by his own brother.
Because he never showed up from the very beginning, Yan Xi thought he believed the slander, and after persisting for over a dozen days, she jumped off a cliff with her child.
When Old Master Luo arrived, he only saw a corner of red clothing disappearing before his eyes, not even catching her last glimpse!
He still remembered the words Yan Xi cried out to the heavens, swearing she would never forgive him!
By then, he and Yan Xi already had a child, Luo Qingtong's father, his legitimate son.
However, Yan Xi was slandered for infidelity and the child was also slandered as a bastard, receiving several cuts during the pursuit.
Old Master Luo desperately jumped down, unable to find Yan Xi, only finding the child hanging from a tree branch.
The child's breath was faint, his face purple from the freezing in the icy snowy conditions, with injuries on his body.
If he had not arrived in time, there would have been no hope.
Old Master Luo came back heartbroken, and after uncovering everything, he found out that it was all orchestrated by his so-called brother!
All because he wanted to marry his own sister to him!
Since she liked him, his lover and child had to be slandered, to make way for her!
Upon learning the truth, Old Master Luo went insane, directly slaying his own brother and a bunch of friends who claimed to mean well but aided and abetted the culprit.
But even so, his beloved could not come back.
Old Master Luo regretted and suffered for this the rest of his life.
If not for his mistakes and gullibility, with Yan Xi's strength, she originally wouldn't have had any troubles.
But his so-called brother stole his personal token, threw it in front of Yan Xi, proclaiming he had severed all ties with her, never to see her and that 'bastard' again!
Under such despair, Yan Xi was then taken advantage of by the other party!