Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I never expected Li Kuo to see through my identity.

I was, in fact, that bullshit Holy Maiden.

The Old Emperor was obsessed with seeking immortals and pursuing the Dao.

He summoned a number of cultivators into the palace to refine an elixir of immortality for him.

My master spent every day slacking off and taking me along to eat without doing any work.

At most, she would spit into the pills a few times and curse, “Eat, eat, eat. Hurry up and eat yourself to death already.”

That year, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau observed the heavens at night and discovered that great chaos was about to descend upon the realm.

Whoever obtained the Holy Maiden would obtain the world.

My master stared at my forehead and exclaimed in fits and starts, “It’s changed! It really changed! Damn! Looks like these ancient people’s astrology really does have something mystical to it.”

According to Master, the words originally written above my head had been “cannon fodder.”

Now they had become “future Empress.”

She had come from the Immortal Realm, carrying a System and a Divine Artifact, so I was not particularly surprised.

The only thing we were both curious about was how someone like me could possibly become Empress.

After the Old Emperor learned of the prophecy, he searched everywhere for people whose birth details matched.

My junior sister threw a fit, insisting she wanted to be the Holy Maiden. My master and I had always indulged her.

So we let her take my place.

Until three years ago, when my master returned to the Immortal Realm.

And I quietly left the palace and returned to Qingzhou.

I never thought Li Kuo would expose my identity today.

Could he have seen me somewhere before?

That should not have been possible.

Most of the time, my junior sister had stood in for me as the Holy Maiden.

Only when we had to deal with those charlatans from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau would I appear wearing a veil.

If a face had to be shown, my junior sister would appear in my stead.

After all, my master was always saying I looked far too unlike a Holy Maiden.

If people saw me, their dreams would shatter.

While I was still wavering in shock and suspicion, Li Kuo spoke first.

In a mild tone, he said, “If you ask me, there is no heir here, nor is there any Holy Maiden. There is only an ordinary engaged couple.”

I had not even said a word.

Coroner Lin swiftly stuffed a mud pellet into Li Kuo’s mouth.

He patted Li Kuo on the shoulder and laughed loudly. “What I gave you is the Heartlink Gu. You will fall in love with this wretched girl. From now on, you two are husband and wife as one, sharing life and death. Boy, I don’t care what heir or persimmon cake you are. I advise you to put away all those crooked schemes of yours and serve your wife-master properly from this day forward.”

I glared at him.

Did I agree to this?!

Coroner Lin pulled me aside and lowered his voice to mutter, “This boy has extraordinary bones, and his brows and eyes are focused without scattering. He is a top-grade virgin. Using him as your cultivation furnace won’t be a loss. Your pill toxin has yet to clear, and every full moon night, you have to suffer the agony of toxic fire burning through your body. Use this boy to cultivate, and I guarantee that in less than three months, your powers will recover-and be even stronger than before.”

He made it sound so nice.

I glanced at Li Kuo and thought, Even so, I can’t just sleep with any random man, can I?

Do I still have any moral integrity left or not?

Li Kuo noticed me looking at him.

He raised his voice and said, “There is one matter in which I truly did not deceive Miss Xu. I do indeed have some modest property in Qingzhou. If you and I marry, all that money and property will be yours to use.”

The moment I heard that, I immediately linked my arm through his and smiled affectionately. “We’re getting married tomorrow. Why are you still calling me Miss Xu? How distant. From now on, I’ll call you Ah Kuo, and you can call me Zhaoming.”

Coroner Lin said in a mocking tone, “You wretched girl. Seems you’re going to have a family now too.”

I grabbed the stinky old man and pulled him over. “Senior Uncle, come witness our marriage tomorrow. The two of us will offer you a cup of wedding wine.”

Only then did the corners of Coroner Lin’s mouth lift.

I paused slightly, then added, “Two cups. Drink one on Master’s behalf.”