A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 458 Can we never go back to the way things were?
Shen Tang felt that there were still many secrets about Shen Li that she hadn't seen clearly, and she wanted to continue to see. Unfortunately, her mental illusion gradually collapsed.

Her mental strength could no longer hold, so she had to withdraw.

boom!
Boom boom——

The fire pool unleashed towering waves, forcing back many orcs.

Fire Fox and Shen Tang were at the very center of the lava eruption, yet they were completely unharmed. A semi-transparent barrier of power enveloped her, protecting both of them and preventing any outsiders from getting close. Even Qiu Yang could only stare anxiously at the crater, secretly praying: "Your Majesty, please be alright!"
The black aura around the fire fox slowly dissipated, and it seemed to have suddenly lost its strength, collapsing to the ground.

Its enormous body shrank inch by inch until it became humanoid.

Her slender body was as perfect as a jade sculpture, but the most striking thing was that she wasn't wearing any clothes!

Shen Tang glanced at it accidentally, then quickly looked away, a blush rising on her cheeks: Don't look at what you shouldn't see!

The two had indeed consummated their marriage a few times, but seeing him so brazenly displaying himself in front of her made Shen Tang quite embarrassed. Moreover, this cunning fox was actually the kind of person who was all bark and no bite, not nearly as wild as Xiao Jin. Even when they were doing *that* before, he would always cover her eyes and never let her see…

Furthermore, the two are no longer husband and wife, so this is indeed a bit offensive.

Having completed her tasks, Shen Tang turned to leave, when a melodious but weak voice came from behind her, "Little Tang'er..."

Shen Tang's body stiffened slightly. The potion of forgetfulness could erase her past feelings for him, but the two had also gone through many things together afterward, and the life-saving grace he had shown her was even more touching, making it difficult for her to treat Shen Li as a stranger who had nothing to do with her.

She turned to look at him.

She deliberately ignored everything else and stared directly at the man's pale, handsome face. His long, narrow, fox-like eyes seemed to bewitch her, staring intently at her with a tender look in them.

She paused for a moment, then pursed her lips slightly. "...Is there anything else Your Majesty wishes to say to me?"

Hearing her distant greeting, Shen Li's eyes dimmed slightly. He swallowed hard and whispered, "Thank you for saving me."

Shen Li knew everything that happened in the mental illusion. If she hadn't come here specifically for him, he probably would have gone mad and died here.

Shen Tang smiled reassuringly, "No need to be so polite. His Majesty saved my life, and besides, our two countries are on good terms. If the king is in trouble, I will definitely come to help."

"Little Tang'er, I..."

Shen Tang interrupted him before he could finish speaking, "Your Majesty, there's no need for thanks. This is what I should do. Seeing that your health has improved, I can leave with peace of mind."

She smiled at him, but it was just a friend's concern.

Shen Li felt a pang of sadness, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Shen Tang turned to leave, but after taking only two steps, he heard a coughing sound behind him, as if he was about to cough up blood.

Shen Tang's expression changed, thinking that Shen Li still had injuries, so she quickly turned back halfway, wanting to use her healing ability to help him heal.

Unexpectedly, Shen Li grabbed her wrist, stared intently at her, and asked almost obsessively, "You still care about me, don't you?"

"...What's wrong with you? You, you let go of me right now." Shen Tang tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tightly and she couldn't move.

"Little Tang'er, are you in such a hurry to leave? Don't you want to see me at all?" Shen Li's voice was tinged with sadness.

In broad daylight, with many orcs peering out from the crater, the two of them were pulling and tugging at each other like this… Perhaps because the temperature of the lava pool was too high, Shen Tang's face turned red, and she said angrily, "What exactly do you want to do? I don't understand!"

Shen Li continued to stare intently at her, tracing her features with his gaze. It had been a long time since they had met, and his eyes were filled with a hint of longing and yearning. "That night, didn't you ask me if I would marry Wu Qing?"

"..."

“Last time, I couldn’t give you a definite answer. This time, I can answer you: no.” “…” Shen Tang had long known about the turmoil in the Yiyuan Empire, but it was an internal matter between the royal family and the Wu family, and had nothing to do with her, an outsider.

"So, what do you mean?"

Shen Li's voice grew increasingly hoarse, "I will not marry you, but I will not marry anyone else either."

He was afraid she wouldn't understand, or perhaps even more afraid she would pretend not to, and ask the question hidden in her heart, "Little Tang'er, do you still want to be with me?"

In his long, broad palm, the female's fingertips slightly contracted. Her expression remained unchanged, even colder. "You still want me to be your lover?"

Shen Li took her hand and placed it on his face, whispering, "What I mean is, I'll be your lover."

The emperor of the mighty Yiyuan Empire made her his underground lover.

Shen Tang paused for a moment, then smiled, "That sounds pretty cool... but I don't need it."

Shen Li hurriedly explained, "Little Tang'er, I didn't mean to insult you, but I can't marry you."

Shen Tang recalled the priest's prophecy and understood why Shen Li's favorability rating had never been able to rise before. All her previous doubts were also explained.

She sighed deeply, "I know."

He then laughed and said, "But it doesn't matter."

She understood him.

The two had long since ended their relationship.

It's too late to say any more.

Shen Li's throat was dry, and he couldn't speak.

A long silence followed, and the two looked at each other without saying a word.
Perhaps it was physical pain, or perhaps a deeper pain, but a tear rolled down Shen Li's cheek, and she asked in a hoarse voice, "We can never go back to the way things were, can we?"

"You should get some rest." Shen Tang released his hand. "We'll talk about everything when we get back."

Pure and gentle spiritual energy gathered in her palm, and she slowly pushed Shen Li into the fire pool until he sank into the lava and disappeared completely.

"My God, did you see that? That female is amazing! She actually managed to save His Majesty!"

"So many experts in the empire couldn't save His Majesty from his demonic possession, but unexpectedly, a foreign female who wasn't considered a strong contender managed to do it. We really didn't recognize his true worth."

Some people wanted to slap themselves. "Yeah, I actually thought she was there to cause trouble, and I almost tried to stop her. I didn't expect her to be so capable!"

When Shen Tang returned to the volcano, she was met with shocked, respectful, and curious stares from the beastmen. She simply smiled and prepared to leave.

"Master, wait!" Qiu Yang rushed forward. "How is His Majesty's condition? Is it really stable?"

Shen Tang nodded, "Don't worry, I have already given him deep mental reassurance. The current mental turmoil has been successfully suppressed, and there should be no further accidents. He can continue his normal seclusion."

Suddenly, Shen Tang remembered that Qiu Yang, as Shen Li's close advisor since childhood and his most trusted subordinate, might know many secrets.

Shen Tang's eyes narrowed, and she said seriously, "Considering that I owe you such a great favor, can I ask you something?"

Qiu Yang quickly spoke up, "Please speak, Master!"

My sleep schedule has been really weird these past few days, so please don't wait for me anymore. I'll update quietly late at night, so please read it after you finish writing each day.