Chapter 11: So You Are This Palace's Inner Demon!

"Who exactly are you?"

Yu Youhan's phoenix eyes were piercingly cold.

Her left wrist burned faintly—this man before her could actually resonate with the "Red Silk"!

For that instant, she even felt as though she were facing her inner demon once more!

"This servant is utterly loyal to Your Ladyship, without a shred of disloyalty. I beg Your Ladyship to see clearly…"

Chen Mo said, his voice strained.

A crushing wave of might bore down on him; he felt like a lone skiff on the vast ocean, about to be swallowed by the giant waves at any moment!

"Enough."

"Since you won't speak, this Palace will look for herself."

Yu Youhan's eyes were a jade-like azure, radiant light pouring forth.

Under the divine light's illumination, Chen Mo's body was stripped like silk from a cocoon, wisp after wisp of multicolored thread drawn out without cease.

The threads crisscrossed and tangled like knotted vines.

These were the "Threads of Fate"—every person's entire past was recorded within them.

Among those myriad threads of fate, a single black line suddenly snapped apart, then gathered once more, its color growing ever paler until it vanished entirely.

"Rising from death, fate beyond measure."

"There really is something fishy."

Yu Youhan narrowed her eyes; the killing intent had already taken hold.

The Chen clan was an important piece she used to balance the imperial court and the jianghu.

If she killed Chen Mo, the Chen clan would surely turn against her—this would be no different from cutting off her own arm…

But even so, she would not allow this variable to exist!

"Die."

Azure light blazed in her eyes!

Suddenly, her wrist burned fiercely, and a Red Silk materialized out of thin air.

This time it was no longer an illusory vision, but took solid form, binding her tightly in an instant!

"What is this?!"

Yu Youhan's whole body went limp, and even her yuan qi was completely sealed!

The azure light shrouding Chen Mo dispersed, and he tumbled from the air, hitting the ground with a "thud."

"?"

Chen Mo looked up, his expression instantly freezing.

He saw that the Noble Consort, who moments ago had been radiating killing intent, was now bound up like a human-shaped zongzi.

The Red Silk wound around her neck, chest, underarms… passed between her inner thighs, and tied a knot at her waist, outlining her striking curves in vivid detail.

Shameful—too shameful!

The two locked eyes, staring at each other.

"So it really is you!"

"You are this Palace's inner demon!"

Yu Youhan clenched her pearly teeth.

Though she didn't know the reason, she could already confirm—this man was the demon lord from her nightmares!

Thinking of the countless humiliations she had suffered before, the killing intent in her eyes intensified.

Yet the Red Silk seemed to sense it and abruptly tightened; an inexplicable tremor made her phoenix-body quiver slightly!

"Damn it, what on earth is this thing?"

"Your Ladyship…"

A female official's voice rang out.

Yu Youhan's breath hitched, a trace of panic flashing through her eyes.

She had been distracted just now and hadn't noticed anyone entering.

Now the footsteps were already close at hand; the moment the other passed through the curtain, they would see her utterly wretched state!

"No good…"

In this agonizing moment of indecision, Yu Youhan felt her body grow light—she had been scooped up around the waist.

Chen Mo's low voice reached her ear:

"Forgive me, Your Ladyship."

The female official drew back the curtain, looked at the empty phoenix chair, and her brow furrowed slightly.

"Where has Her Ladyship gone?"

"It seemed like there was a surge of yuan qi just now… what happened?"

……

The inner bedchamber.

Chen Mo set Yu Youhan down on the bed with deft, gentle movements.

Then he quickly stepped back a few paces, lowered his head, and said: "Circumstances demanded swift action; I have offended Your Ladyship. I beg Your Ladyship to pardon me."

The situation had been urgent just now—if anyone had seen Jade Consort Yu in that state, he would probably have been chopped into dumpling filling…

"Speaking of which, what exactly is going on?"

"Jade Lock Deep Palace… this is exactly like a game scene."

If this were in a game, Chen Mo wouldn't hesitate for a second and would go straight for the kill.

But in reality, facing this cold-blooded, ruthless female demon, he dared not even glance at her more than once.

"You dog servant, I will kill you…"

Before Yu Youhan's words had finished, the red silk tightened abruptly.

"Mmm~"

Her eyes grew hazy, unable to suppress a soft moan.

This red silk seemed to act upon the soul; the trembling from deep within her spirit left her utterly powerless to resist.

"…"

Chen Mo lowered his head, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.

Yu Youhan snapped back to herself, gasping for breath, and said in a low voice: "Why aren't you untying me yet?"

"Just now you wanted to kill me, and now you're telling me to loosen the bindings…"

Chen Mo grumbled inwardly, but dared not disobey.

He walked to the bedside and reached out to untie the knots.

But no matter how he tried, the red silk only tightened further.

Waves of trembling surged like tides; Yu Youhan's jade cheeks flushed red, her breath fragrant, her legs rubbing together unconsciously.

"You dog servant—you're doing this on purpose…"

"Your servant dares not."

Chen Mo was drenched in sweat.

He truly couldn't untie it!

Suddenly, Yu Youhan's body stiffened, her swan-like neck stretching straight, her phoenix eyes glazed over.

Then the red silk loosened on its own, dissolving into mist and vanishing.

She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, silent for a long time.

"Your Majesty, are you well?"

Chen Mo ventured to ask.

"Leave."

Yu Youhan waved her hand.

Chen Mo's vision blurred; when he opened his eyes again, he was outside the Imperial City.

"…"

"Sigh, what kind of mess is this?"

Chen Mo sighed.

Before entering the palace, he had imagined many scenarios, but the turn of events was utterly unexpected.

Not only did he fail to receive any reward, his life nearly ended.

"She really is a female demon—capricious and unpredictable. Looks like this thigh isn't as easy to cling to as I thought…"

…

Tang Cheng Pond.

The entire pond was built of spirit jade; mist curled above its waters, where rare herbs floated.

Yu Youhan soaked within, washing her jade body.

The palace maid attending her found it strange.

Her Majesty's divine body was immaculate, untouched by dust—she merely enjoyed bathing.

But today she seemed to scrub with unusual force…

"I actually…"

Thinking of what had just happened, Yu Youhan's breathing grew erratic.

As the Great Yuan Empress Dowager, the supreme power towering over the Nine Provinces, how had she ever been so humiliated?

Worse still, the "heart demon" that had tormented her repeatedly in nightmares had appeared before her—alive!

"He's merely a sixth-rank martial cultivator; I could crush him with a flick of my wrist."

"But the moment I feel hostility toward him, the red silk appears automatically…"

"What if I don't kill him myself, but send someone else to do it?"

The moment the thought arose, a searing heat flared on her wrist; she immediately quashed the idea of "using another's blade."

Moreover, she had a faint premonition—

If Chen Mo died, she might never be free of this "red silk" again!

"Before I find a solution, I must ensure he stays alive…"

Yu Youhan felt utterly stifled.

To untie the silk, one must be the one who tied it—judging from what had just happened, the key lay with Chen Mo.

"Come in."

"Your Majesty's command?"

The female official entered and bowed.

Yu Youhan raised her hand; two beams of light shot forth and hovered before the official.

"Take these two items to the Chen residence. Say they are Chen Mo's 'reward.'"

The official reached out and took them.

A jade slip, a token.

Gazing at the purple token carved with a phoenix spreading its wings, the official's pupils shrank, her expression stunned.

"The Purple Luan Token?!"

"Her Highness actually bestowed this item upon him..."