Chapter 16: A Legend, a Being of War God Status!

Outside the palace gate, many from the Chu family had arrived, even the Chu family’s ancestral elder had come out.

Since they had not been summoned by Emperor Li Chen, they could only wait at the gate.

When the Chu family head noticed Chu Ruoyan walking slowly, he even considered shoving her forward forcefully.

But his wife stopped him, reminding him this was the imperial palace and they must behave with decorum.

The Chu family head finally gave up, yet he remained deeply uneasy and agitated.

The ancestral elder was elderly; the Chu family’s future in the imperial capital depended entirely on Chu Ruoyan’s visit to the palace.

The Chu family head had roamed the imperial capital for years—he was a seasoned veteran.

In his view, Chu Ruoyan’s appearance was exceptional; with the young new emperor still without a consort, her being summoned could mean nothing other than selection as a concubine.

He actually hoped Chu Ruoyan would never leave the palace after this visit.

He had already bribed several eunuchs to speak well of her to the Empress Dowager and ask for her favor.

From the moment she stepped into the palace, Chu Ruoyan wore an expression of utter despair.

Even after all her relentless cultivation, she could not escape her fate as a mere tool.

She was filled with revulsion toward this place; everything here felt cold and lifeless.

The only warmth in her heart was Xiao Ming’s promise that he would take her away in seven days.

As the palace maid slowly led her through the grand imperial palace, the maid—having received a bribe from Chu Ruoyan’s father—was earnestly explaining the palace’s rules to her.

Chu Ruoyan’s mind was a storm of conflicting emotions; she heard none of it, and before she knew it, they had reached the door of the Imperial Study.

The emperor inside was utterly unknown to her—so unfamiliar that she felt fear.

One thing Chu Ruoyan knew: she must not offend the emperor.

If the emperor became angry, she and her entire family would be punished by association.

So Chu Ruoyan forced a smile and stepped into the Imperial Study after the palace maid announced her.

At that moment, Li Chen heard someone enter and glanced up.

Chu Ruoyan’s entrance immediately stunned everyone.

Her long, black hair, like a waterfall of snow, appeared ethereal and lively at first glance.

Her pale violet eyes sparkled with starlike brilliance; her delicate nose was high and refined.

Her lips, a soft pink, were slightly pursed; her overall bearing was elegant and dignified.

Her snow-white skin radiated a refined, delicate aura.

Her skirt had a slit; Li Chen could faintly glimpse her long, slender legs through it.

Golden sequins adorned her waistband, revealing her collarbones clearly and accentuating her slender frame.

The sight made one yearn to bite her, to leave a mark upon her.

At her age, her chest had already developed a modest but noticeable curve.

If Xiao Ming saw her like this, he might bite his lip until it bled.

After all, when she trained with them, she was wrapped up like a dumpling—nothing visible but her hands and face—yet here she was, dressed in a slit gown with a low neckline before Li Chen!

This outfit had been carefully chosen by her family.

Their intent was clear: to display every advantage she possessed.

Even in her usual attire, she had driven countless young talents mad; how much more so now?

She could already imagine the emperor’s lecherous expression upon seeing her.

The thought made her feel disgusted.

As expected, the moment she entered, she felt a gaze upon her.

But who could have guessed the owner of that gaze merely said calmly: “I’m busy. Find a seat.”

This response took Chu Ruoyan completely off guard; she looked curiously at Li Chen.

What met her eyes was a face of divine beauty—sharp, defined features, strong lines, both imposing and strikingly handsome.

His deep eyes seemed to pierce through all things, gleaming with wisdom and resolve.

His brows were slightly furrowed as he focused on the memorial scroll in his hands, his concentration inspiring awe.

The moment Chu Ruoyan saw Li Chen, the entire world dimmed.

Only Li Chen shone as the sole brilliance of this world.

Even more astonishing, a vast imperial aura radiated from him, his body wreathed in misty celestial light.

Such heavenly grace and divine countenance gave the impression of a celestial lord descended to mortal earth.

Upon seeing Li Chen, Chu Ruoyan stood frozen, utterly awestruck.

Her eyes filled with disbelief; her heart whispered: So this is what true celestial beauty truly is!

In the past, her most accomplished suitor was Liu Hao; the most handsome was Wu Qi; Xiao Ming was merely clean-cut and powerful.

That these three were her suitors proved just how high her beauty stood in the imperial capital.

!

But today, she finally understood what true divine beauty meant.

The aura radiating from Li Chen made even a single hair of Liu Hao’s seem insignificant.

Wu Qi’s looks paled beside Li Chen’s—like a brick on the ground.

As for Xiao Ming, he was merely the most loyal lickspittle.

Chu Ruoyan stared blankly at Li Chen, utterly at a loss.

She did not think Li Chen was deliberately ignoring her; he was the emperor, burdened with state affairs—how could he waste time on a trivial matter like meeting her?

His movements as he flipped through memorials were swift and precise, as if not a single character escaped his gaze.

His fingers were long and strong; his grip on the brush was exquisitely graceful, pleasing to behold.

It wasn’t that Chu Ruoyan suddenly developed strong affection for Li Chen, but at least her initial revulsion had lessened.

The “lifeless despair” expression she wore upon entering the palace had now transformed into curious fascination with Li Chen.

Chu Ruoyan stood in the Imperial Study for half an hour—not because Li Chen had finished, but because someone else arrived at the door.

When Chu Ruoyan saw this person, her eyes widened in shock.

She had seen him before—at a grand banquet of a powerful noble family in the imperial capital.

Back then, she had only glimpsed him from afar; he sat at the innermost seat.

With the Chu family’s status as a second-tier clan, they could only sit in the outer middle seats, far from such a towering figure.

Chu Ruoyan remembered that even from far away, she had felt his unmatched, overwhelming aura.

This man was none other than Guo Po Yun, the mighty general who had won glorious victories for the Tian Ce Dynasty.

A legendary figure, a war god in the people’s tales.

Back then, Chu Ruoyan had dreamed that if she could reach the rank of Guardian General, her Chu family would flourish under her hand.

But it was only a fantasy; in a dynasty of billions, only one Guo Po Yun had ever emerged.

The odds were lower than her reaching the Saint Realm.

Yet this revered Guardian General, worshipped by thousands, now knelt before Li Chen like an ordinary old man.

The staggering contrast left Chu Ruoyan dizzy, wondering if she were dreaming.

No—when I came in, I forgot to kneel. Should I kneel now?

Wait, that’s not right either—the emperor told me to sit down when I entered. Am I disobeying an imperial order by standing here?

As Chu Ruoyan’s thoughts churned, Li Chen closed the three-fold memorial scroll in his hands.

He placed it on the table and fixed his gaze on the general before him.

Instantly, a commanding aura began to spread.

(End of Chapter)