I, the transmigrated villain, please wait, gentle master.

Chapter 161 The Xiang River Breaks and the Jade Mountain Collapses ( )

"Three hundred years ago, there was a dynasty in the Central Plains that regarded the pipa as the most beautiful of all musical instruments. Women took pride in being proficient in music and skilled at playing the pipa, because their emperor had a particular fondness for it."

The ten kings slowly recounted an ancient story: "When the ruler likes something, the subjects will follow suit; when the superiors do something, the inferiors will imitate it. Throughout the country, there are women learning the art of the pipa, but none of them can compare to the Empress, who enjoys the king's exclusive favor..."

This empress's origins are unknown, and everyone curses her as a femme fatale who brought ruin to the country.

Ever since the emperor brought her into the palace, she has never been as diligent in governing the country as before.

He became a completely different person, spending his days drunk in the arms of beautiful women, indulging in pleasure, which led to the neglect of the court and the stagnation of both civil and military officials.

He refused to accept anyone's honest advice. When his own brother petitioned him in front of all the civil and military officials to depose the empress, he used the fabricated charge of "forcing the emperor to abdicate and rebelling" to kill this upright prince.

The emperor and the prince were brothers born of the same mother. They supported each other in the first half of their lives. The elder brother guided the country at home, while the younger brother fought on all sides. They trusted each other and had a deep affection for one another.

In the end, all because of a woman who whispered a few words in his ear, the prince was beaten to death in the Golden Palace by his revered and respected elder brother, who was also his blood relative.

Looking at the mangled corpse in the main hall, the emperor's dazed eyes seemed to clear for a moment.

But he quickly put this superfluous emotion behind him and ordered a bloodbath at the palace to make an example of him. From then on, anyone who proposed to him to "depose the empress" would be punished for "forcing the emperor to abdicate" and would suffer the same fate.

The prince's palace was massacred, and the pregnant princess fled in panic, her whereabouts unknown.

The flames and blood stained half the sky of the capital, while the emperor was busy in the harem painting and composing poems for his beloved woman.

The rosy light seeped into the ink, solidifying into a blood-red flower on half of the Demon Queen's face.

Under the flowers and the moon, the figures of a couple destined to be together for life are reflected. If there were no war, no wronged souls, and no bloodshed, the way this emperor and empress whisper sweet nothings and acted so tenderly would really resemble a loving couple from an ordinary family.

Once the sword is raised, it is difficult to put it down. The muddle-headed emperor, under the influence of whispers in his ears, killed one virtuous minister and general after another. As expected, he would bring about the downfall of his country.

Thirty years later, the mighty rebel army stormed into the capital, and the aging emperor ascended the city wall, suddenly realizing the error of his ways.

He drew his sword and committed suicide to atone for his sins.

His queen held his remains and wept bitterly, saying "I'm sorry" probably a thousand or ten thousand times.

The rebels surrounded them with swords and knives, leaving them in a pool of blood. To everyone's astonishment, thirty years later, the empress still looked like she was in her late twenties!

The emperor's temples had turned completely white, but she remained youthful and beautiful.

She truly was a "femme fatale"!

As the rebel leader shouted "Release the arrows!", thousands upon thousands of arrows rained down on them. The arrows were like countless fiery meteors streaking across the sky. The empress, holding the emperor's corpse, had nowhere to hide and was riddled with arrows.

But she's still alive!

Arrows pierced her body, leaving countless bloody holes. She bled and cried, but never screamed. She clung tightly to the emperor's withered corpse, whispering instructions in his ear.

The scene looked quite bizarre.

The bolder soldiers stepped forward with their rifles to probe her, and heard her uttering incomprehensible ravings such as "I've ruined your life," "I'll find you in the next life," and "I'll make it up to you."

"She didn't know that they wouldn't have a next life."

The final verdict on the ten kings has been reached.

This is because the emperor's soul dispersed the moment he committed suicide.

He was willing to give up reincarnation, give up everything, and sever all ties with the world.

The smoke disappeared.

No matter how high or low the heavens or the underworld, no one can find him again.

The soul and spirit are naturally bound together. Logically, a person cannot strangle themselves, nor can their soul and spirit scatter on their own. Some people, even if their three souls and seven spirits are torn apart by external forces, can reassemble themselves and be reborn. This shows the resilience of the human soul. As long as one does not give up on oneself, there is hope.

If a person dies without being coerced by any external force, it can only mean that he had no thoughts before he died. He was probably in a despair deeper than being heartbroken, so desperate that his soul lost its support and became so weak that it would be blown away by the wind, lacking vitality even more than withered grass and diseased trees.

The ten kings sighed with regret: "He was an emperor in his lifetime."

He was the emperor of the human world, which meant that his ambitions, aspirations, and ideals should be heavier than those of ordinary people, and his experiences, knowledge, vision, and temperament should be more far-reaching than those of ordinary people.

This is indeed the case.

In his youth, he aspired to be a wise ruler.

In the first half of his life, he stood at a height that ordinary people could not reach, and saw the most beautiful scenery in the world. He personally led the dynasty to its peak, and his sharp eyes surveyed the mountains and rivers inch by inch. He personally witnessed the world at peace and tranquil, and his people shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and wished for peace.

The land is so beautiful, and his attachment to the world is extraordinary.

In the end, however, he asked for nothing more than relief.

His former high spirits became the source of his suffering in the moment of his awakening in his old age.

What did he do with the rest of his life?!

He ruined a nation's destiny that had lasted three hundred years in just thirty years.

He met the wrong person, and from the moment he met the "demon queen," his life took a sharp turn for the worse.

He unwittingly destroyed the foundation of a nation, falling from a wise ruler to a traitor who brought about the downfall of his country.

Everything was lost.

He will be remembered as a warning by posterity!

He had no face to live, for he had failed his subjects; he had no face to die, for he had failed his ancestors.

He would rather his soul be scattered.

There is no need for an afterlife.

Upon hearing this, Xue Rendong clapped three times.

Regardless of whether that "femme fatale" had a conscience, morality, or deserved to die, she was certainly capable, shrewd, and adept at using others to do her dirty work.

It has always been said that men who become emperors love beautiful women more than the country and its people. They can betray countless beauties for the sake of the country and its people. I have never heard of a beautiful woman manipulating an emperor, causing an emperor who possesses the world to fall into a state of being betrayed and abandoned by everyone, and to have nothing but her.

Xue Rendong truly "admired" her.

"You said the Demon Queen was skilled at playing the pipa and was proficient in music. Could the person in the painting be her? Could she be... Si Wuyou?"

The Tenth Prince shook the scroll in his hand. "Yes, this painting was created by the emperor himself for her, and these two lines of poetry are also his imperial calligraphy."

"Si Wuyou has such abilities?! I've heard people say that this fox is incredibly stupid, that she's lived for a thousand years and only grew one tail? With her limited intelligence, how could she possibly fool a king into becoming crippled?!"

"She only has one tail, but that doesn't mean she only ever had one tail. Every time she grew a tail, she would break it off herself to exchange for a future life with her beloved."

Was the emperor her beloved?

"Yes."

"Have they been entangled for several lifetimes?"

"Yes."

What were the outcomes of your previous lives?

“In every lifetime, Si Wuyou drove him to his death.”

"...The person she falls in love with is truly unlucky!"

Xue Rendong's expression changed. "Wait!"

He snatched the scroll from the Ten Kings' hands, pointed to the two lines of inscription on it, and spat out a strangely shaped bubble:

"Who wrote this? Why does it look so much like our Palace Master's handwriting?! Three hundred years ago, the Central Plains royal family, it seems, had the surname 'Li'? Could it be that the person entangled with Si Wuyou through countless lifetimes is—"

Suddenly, a loud "boom" resounded, the ground shook violently, and both of them were startled.

Xue Rendong shoved open the Ghost King's rock-solid head, his anger rising, "Who the hell made such a commotion?"

"Someone's breaking into the formation, Little Black and Little White?!" The Ten Kings turned around but didn't see their two henchmen.

Then I remembered that I had asked them to "see the guests off," but they still hadn't returned!

The outer layer of Xiaoxiang Pavilion is protected by a barrier, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter or leave at will. The illusions and puppet arrays set up by the Black and White Impermanence are enough to give even high-level cultivators a hard time.

But judging from the commotion just now, the barrier and formation were completely broken in an instant?!

The visitor is not good.

In the center of the brothel, Si Wuyou jumped up in surprise, and a group of men who were engrossed in the pipa music also came back to their senses.

The first floor of Xiaoxiang Pavilion is a veritable place of pleasure, and those who come here for entertainment are naturally all men. However, the Ten Kings pursue elegance, which is different from ordinary brothels. All the musicians in Xiaoxiang Pavilion sell their art but not their bodies. You can listen to music here, but you can't do anything with them. You will be kicked out and never allowed to enter again.

To prevent chaos and even bloodshed on this floor, which could ruin his carefully laid plans, the Ten Kings' first reaction was to cast a spell to freeze everyone present.

Si Wuyou's fox ran too fast and disappeared in the blink of an eye, but the Ten Kings were certain that she wouldn't be able to leave Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

She has a snake tattoo on her arm, which means that she, like all the "collections" in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, is the private property of the Ten Kings. She can't run away, and no one can steal her.

Those who wish to repel external threats must first secure internal stability. The ten kings surveyed the area, and only after confirming that the situation was under control did they decide to go out and assess the situation.

Turning around, I saw Xue Rendong frozen in place, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

The Ten Kings nudged him with their elbows, but he didn't react, staring intently at the doorway leading to the entrance.

What did I see? It was scarier than seeing a ghost!

Shi Wangzhao tried to move forward, one step, two steps, three steps, but then he froze.

Opposite was an open gate, a dilapidated barrier, a large, aggrieved yellow dog, and...

Li, Ting, and Yun are squatting on the ground, stroking the dog's head!

As he touched her, he slapped her across the face. "How shameful! Who bullied you? Go, bite him to death!"

This slap didn't look like it was on the dog's head.

It was as if it had hit the face of the Ten Kings of Hell.

Too rampant.

Wangcai barked twice at the Ten Kings. Although he had someone backing him up, he still didn't dare to rush up and bite indiscriminately.

That's the King of Hell! He's both a king and a master. The dog felt uneasy and looked up at its owner.

He wanted his owner to take the bite for him!

Li Tingyun kicked the useless, cowardly little dog away.

He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over Xue Rendong. He paused for a moment, seemingly pondering why Xue Rendong had appeared in the underworld, in the private residence of the Ten Kings of Hell.

Xue Rendong remained outwardly calm, but her heart was in her throat, and a meaningless bubble inadvertently popped into her head.

"..."

Fortunately, Li Tingyun only glanced at him before turning her gaze to the Tenth Prince and asking, "Are you bullying my dog?"

The ten kings crossed their arms in front of their abdomens, their wide sleeves concealing their "undignified" appearance.

His hands were shaking.

Times change, circumstances shift.

The little devil whose soul they tore apart back then took revenge on them in a way that was almost brutal, no, utterly inhuman.

The Ten Kings knew perfectly well that the nine Yama Kings ahead of them, who guarded Hell and never left, were they really unwilling to come out? The Ghost Emperor had been in seclusion for years, but when he would emerge was truly up to him.

The Ten Kings had previously told Xue Rendong, "Your palace master has received my favor," which was the absolute truth.

That's the only reason he can still stand here today.

The reason why the Ghost Emperor of Fengdu and the Ten Kings of Hell have been able to survive to this day despite their physical disabilities is simply because Li Tingyun has never found their spiritual cores!

The spirit core is the lifeblood of the ghost race. Without a spirit core, ghosts are easily scattered by external forces, and without a spirit core, they cannot condense into a physical form.

Conversely, as long as the spirit core is well protected, no matter how many times others try to kill them, they cannot "die".

On the contrary, they might not outlive them and be worn down by them first.

Comparing who is stronger is useless; even the strongest person can die.

Isn't Ren Pingsheng the best example?

In the end, it all comes down to who lives the longest!

Even if you live a miserable life, as long as you persevere to the end, you will be the biggest winner.

"belch."

The Ten Kings let out a burp.

I ate too much before, and now I feel a bit bloated.

"..."

Xue Rendong found him even funnier than if he had suddenly popped up.

When people are extremely fearful, they often unconsciously do some ridiculous things.

Ghosts are one, and so are fish.

Are they funny? Of course, they are very funny.

Li Tingyun gave a polite laugh, a chilling smile curving his lips.

He raised his right hand, which had been hanging by his side.

His face instantly darkened.

The Ten Kings thought in despair: It's over! It's over!! It's over!!

Snake is facing his death today. His snake den will be overturned and turned upside down.

"Palace Master!" Xue Rendong tried to step forward to stop him, but he didn't take a single step.

Because he knew it better than anyone else.

No one could stop Li Tingyun from committing murder.

unless.

A hand with distinct knuckles suddenly grabbed Li Tingyun's wrist!

Whose hand was it that rested on it so delicately?

Xue Rendong's eyes were filled with disbelief.

When Li Tingyun's murderous intent arose, even Wangcai wisely kept its distance. Yet someone dared to stand behind him, unexpectedly intercepting him, interrupting him, and stopping him—this was no different from a sneak attack!

Li Tingyun was actually ambushed?!

If the Lord of Taiji Palace were really that easy to deal with, he would have died eight hundred times over.

Those who tried to play dirty tricks behind his back wouldn't have been enough to die eight hundred times over.

Right now, Li Tingyun's pulse has indeed been precisely grasped!

Wangcai propped itself up on its front paws, opened its mouth, and its chin almost touched the ground.

Xue Rendong exhaled a series of small bubbles, and the Ten Kings' hands trembled even more violently.

Who is this brave warrior, hero, or immortal? Is he their maternal uncle whom they have never met?!

That hand yanked Li Tingyun hard, leaving him completely powerless. He spread his five fingers wide, as if to say to the person behind him, "Look, there's nothing here. Let me go."

Mei Shiyu stepped out from behind him, releasing his wrist and saying, "Sorry."

He apologized, but he didn't intend to launch a sneak attack. He just noticed the presence of many living people in Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

With Li Tingyun's move, everyone, whether living or dead, human or not, would be buried here.

Mei Shiyu's only thought was that saving lives was the most important thing.

He saved the person.

but……

A sinister voice came from beside my ear:

"Am I so easy to fool? A simple apology is all it takes?"