A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 457 Don't Fall in Love with Her
Shen Li turned to look at Yu Tong, "I'm sorry."

“Your Majesty need not apologize.” Yu Tong’s voice still had a hint of childishness, but it was too cold. “I already knew about this. My father calculated that today was the day his lifespan would end. After three days of mourning, my father will be buried in our clan’s cemetery.”

"I will always remember my master's kindness, and I will not let his efforts go to waste," Shen Li said. "It's time for me to leave."

Yu Tong seemed to sense something, "Is Your Majesty going to be gone for a long time?"

"I don't know, I'll wait until I get the Earth Source Core."

"During your absence, things have been very difficult for the Empire..." Yu Tong was somewhat worried. Her brother was acting as a stand-in in the palace, but there were many important things she needed to tell Shen Li, and he needed to make decisions. His departure would probably be very inconvenient.

But leaving isn't all bad. The Star Gazing Pavilion isn't a truly safe place either. If Shen Li stays in the country, he's always at risk of being discovered. It's better to leave the Empire temporarily and find somewhere else to avoid trouble.

Shen Li walked to the table, took out a world map and spread it out. "According to the location my master mentioned, the Earth Source Core is most likely hidden in the countries of Rosenia, Night Glow Empire, and Prey Kingdom... Among these countries, Night Glow Empire is the most powerful. Its commerce is developed and information flows faster, making it easier to investigate. I plan to go there to continue my investigation."

Shen Li looked at Yu Tong and said, "I'll be relying on you two siblings from now on."

Yu Tong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the priest family has been loyal to the royal family for generations, and we will do our best."

Shen Li nodded, put away the map, and turned to leave.

Another aged voice came from behind.

"Your Majesty, please wait."

Shen Li turned around in surprise and looked at the girl behind him. Her eyes were closed, but a third eye was open in the center of her brow, radiating a gentle and kind light.

"Your Majesty, this is the last time this old minister will bid you farewell, and I hope Your Majesty will remember my last piece of advice!"

The old priest's spirit has not completely dissipated.

This is a psychic technique of the priest clan, which allows souls to possess and communicate with spirits, and can also allow spirits to possess and communicate with people from thousands of miles away.

Yu Tong said, "Father said there is another prophecy that needs to be relayed to you through me."

Shen Li concealed the surprise in his eyes and said solemnly, "Master, please speak!"

The old priest said, "Your Majesty, do not fall in love with a foreigner, or you will be doomed!"

Shen Li's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Shen Tang was stunned when she heard this.

Before she could even process the secrets of the Earth's core, she was struck by a sudden realization, as if she had just understood something.

"I have divined that Your Majesty will be entangled with a female of another race in the future. She will bring about the destruction of the country, the extinction of the royal family, and the end of the Ji family!" When the old priest said this, his voice suddenly became sharp and majestic, as if he had used up the last of his soul power.

Shen Li frowned in confusion, "Master, you're overthinking it. I just want to investigate the mission and will never have any involvement with the alien races."

He received the most orthodox royal education from a young age. The nine-tailed fox clan reveres nine tails, and in order to maintain the purity of their bloodline, the emperor would never intermarry with people from other clans.

His future mate will only be a pure-blooded nine-tailed celestial fox. It is absolutely impossible for him to marry a female of another race and defile his bloodline. This is truly... too absurd and too ridiculous.

How could Master say such a thing?
Shen Li felt a pang of doubt, but out of respect, she did not refute it. She thought to herself: Divination is just a prediction, not something that will definitely happen. Perhaps Master is just getting senile.

The high priest was extremely persistent about this matter.

"Your Majesty, this old minister demands that you swear an oath!"

Shen Li had no choice but to say, "If that day ever comes, I will kill her with my own hands."

He spoke without hesitation, without any psychological burden, and did not believe that he would actually fall in love with a female from another race in the future.

"Very well, very well, then this old minister is relieved." The old priest said with relief, "Your Majesty is the monarch of the empire, the hope for the future of the empire, and bears the deep injustices suffered by the late emperors. You must not act on emotion." When Shen Li heard about his parents, a look of deep sorrow appeared in his eyes. His throat bobbed, and he said in a low voice, "Your disciple has always known."

Yu Tong also tried to smooth things over, "Yes, Father is overthinking it. His Majesty would never get involved with a female from another race. Besides, the late Emperor had already chosen a nine-tailed fox of marriageable age for His Majesty."

Shen Li pinched the bridge of his nose, but instead of receiving comfort, he revealed a hint of boyish annoyance. "Father is really something. That little girl is only five years old, and she's so noisy and always likes to follow me around. How am I supposed to live with that little kid in the future..."

The high priest looked at his mature-beyond-his-years appearance and smiled kindly, "Your Majesty is still young, it is indeed too early to talk about these things now. However, you are only four years older than that noblewoman of the Wu family, how did you become the child in your words?"

"...I only thought of her as a mischievous and cute little sister."

"Haha, we'll get to know each other better over time."

Shen Li opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed her words and accepted the future arrangements.

After his father's death, he became the monarch of the Yiyuan Empire, and everything had to be done in the interest of the empire.

He will fulfill his duties and become a qualified monarch.

The master and disciple spoke a few more words, and then the high priest's soul completely dissipated.

Shen Li went out, only to find Qiu Yang hiding behind the door eavesdropping.

He asked in surprise, "Uncle Qiu Yang, what brings you here?"

"Ahem, I... I just wanted to see how His Majesty is doing here, and if there's anything I can do for you." Qiu Yang was caught red-handed and felt a little embarrassed. The late emperor had entrusted the young emperor to him, so he naturally had the privilege of entering and leaving the Star Gazing Pavilion.

Then, Qiu Yang looked at the boy with a worried expression, clearly having overheard the conversation between the master and disciple.

"Your Majesty, are you really going to leave?"

"I've made up my mind. Don't try to persuade me anymore. Keep an eye on things here in the Empire, and contact me immediately if anything happens."

"Your Majesty, I understand," Qiu Yang said. "Take care on your journey."

"Ah."

After disguising his identity, Shen Li boarded a caravan and left the Yiyuan Empire overnight.

After arriving in the Night Glow Empire, Shen Li tried many methods to find clues about the Earth Source Core. In the end, all the clues pointed to the Imperial Palace.

So he disguised himself and joined the palace as a servant, hoping to find more clues. But unfortunately, the servant's status was too low, and his actions were restricted in many ways. He had no choice but to change his strategy.

Shen Li knew that the Empress and the princess both liked the beautiful male beast boy, but in the end, he decided to take a risk, remove his disguise, and reveal his true form.

He pretended to be seriously injured and lay dying in front of the palace gate, where he was "coincidentally" seen by the empress, emperor, and the original owner of the body as they came out.

The original owner was immediately attracted to this handsome red fox youth and insisted on taking him back to the palace.

The Empress also liked Shen Li very much, so she simply followed her daughter's wishes and adopted Shen Li as her stepson, keeping him as her daughter's playmate.

Shen Li said he was raising an older brother, and his usual tasks were to take care of the princess and play with her, which was considered a more respectable kind of servant.

A few years later, Shen Li grew into an even more handsome and dashing young man. In addition, he was smart and eloquent, with a sweet tongue, and his manners and etiquette were excellent. Even the princes and princesses who grew up in the palace could not compare to him. Taking him out was a great honor. The emperor and empress liked him very much and simply gave him the nominal status of a prince.

Over the years, Shen Li has secretly maintained contact with the Yiyuan Empire through spirit communication techniques and Qiu Yang's group. He also takes time to go back once or twice a year to maintain the pretense between the two sides.

More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye.

His recollections end there.

good night~