He had just been reborn when he was imprisoned by his nemesis, the Empress?

The two sat in the pavilion for a while longer. Su Qingluan stood up, straightened her robes, and said...

"Come, accompany me to the painting academy."

Xu Yi took two steps forward and asked, pretending not to understand.

"An art academy? Is it for painting? I'm just a farmer, I can't paint."

Su Qingluan turned her head, her phoenix eyes sweeping over his feigned clumsiness, her tone tinged with impatience.

"Did I tell you to draw it? Just follow along."

Before she finished speaking, she raised her long, straight leg and gently kicked his buttocks with her foot.

Xu Yi rubbed his backside, grimacing and complaining.

"Tsk... kicking someone again, so annoying."

Su Qingluan walked forward without turning her head, her voice drifting back softly.

"I'll kick you."

......

Inside the painting academy, there were several stone tables with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on them. Several painters dressed in blue robes were sitting at the tables painting.

Hearing footsteps, they all looked up and, upon seeing Su Qingluan, immediately put down their paintbrushes, stood up, and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities, please continue."

Su Qingluan waved her hand, her tone languid, and then walked straight to a private studio deep inside the courtyard.

Su Qingluan pushed open the door and entered the painting studio. A maid waiting beside her immediately stepped forward and skillfully laid a blank sheet of Xuan paper on the table.

Then he picked up the ink block and carefully ground the ink.

Xu Yi was about to walk to the side and sit down when Su Qingluan stopped him.

Stop.

Xu Yi paused, and asked in confusion.

Why?

Su Qingluan picked up a calligraphy brush, dipped it in ink, and said without looking up.

"Because I want to paint you."

Xu Yi's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding crept over him. He quickly waved his hand.

"Draw me? Can you please stop drawing me?"

Su Qingluan gestured for the maid to leave as she spoke.

"No, I'll give you a reward when you finish drawing."

Xu Yi sighed heavily, resignedly standing still, cursing Su Qingluan countless times in his heart.

Su Qingluan picked up her paintbrush and gestured a couple of times towards Xu Yi.

"Change your posture, turn to the side."

"oh."

Xu Yi reluctantly turned around, facing away from her.

A few seconds later, Su Qingluan spoke again.

"Let's try another one."

"oh."

Xu Yi changed his position again, thinking to himself that this woman was really troublesome.

For the next half hour, Su Qingluan kept making Xu Yi change positions, sometimes making him look up, sometimes making him bend over, which made Xu Yi very uncomfortable.

Xu Yi quickly stepped forward and peered inside.

On the rice paper, a woman in gorgeous clothes sits languidly on the back of a man.

The woman's eyebrows, eyes, and expression were clearly those of Su Qingluan.

And the man pinned beneath him, if nothing unexpected happens, is Xu Yi.

Xu Yi instantly flew into a rage, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, cursing inwardly:

Damn it, I spent so much time changing positions, and this is the rubbish I drew?

"ah!!!"

Xu Yi roared and lunged forward, trying to snatch the scroll.

As a result, Su Qingluan's figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye, she appeared behind him.

She even deliberately lifted her foot and kicked Xu Yi's butt again, her tone provocative.

"want to?"

Enraged, Xu Yi turned around, his eyes bloodshot, and lunged at Su Qingluan again.

This time he put all his strength into it and actually managed to pounce on her, wrapping his arms tightly around Su Qingluan's waist.

No matter how hard Xu Yi tried, he couldn't move Su Qingluan an inch; she seemed to be rooted to the spot.

Su Qingluan looked down at Xu Yi, who was tightly hugging her waist, a smile playing on her lips. She reached out and ruffled his hair, mimicking the tone of someone calling a pet.

"Suckle, good girl."

This "sucking" sound completely ignited Xu Yi's anger.

He raised his hand and slapped Su Qingluan's pert buttocks.

However, before his palm could even touch her, Su Qingluan steadily blocked it with one hand.

"puff."

Su Qingluan chuckled softly, her eyes full of mockery.

"You really think you can hit me?"

Xu Yi struggled to pull his hand away, but she gripped it tightly, making it impossible for him to move. He could only glare at her fiercely.

"Let me go!"

Su Qingluan gently tickled his palm with her fingertips, her tone carrying a hint of coaxing.

"Please, I beg you."

Xu Yi, his neck stiff, shouted angrily.

"If you've got the guts, just kill me! Stop torturing me here every day!"

Su Qingluan lowered her head, her phoenix eyes narrowed, and she smiled.

"No, Master can't bear to see you die."

Xu Yi was speechless for a moment. He gave up resisting, lowered his head, and bumped hard into Su Qingluan's abs.

"Hmm."

Su Qingluan gave a nonchalant hum, continuing to scratch his head with her fingertips, her tone tinged with disappointment.

"Tsk, so you're not going to resist anymore? How boring."

After a pause, Su Qingluan gently nudged Xu Yi.

"Get up. This outfit is made of expensive material. Don't get it dirty for me."

Xu Yi ignored her.

Seeing this, Su Qingluan slowly said

"Get up, I will not display this painting."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yi immediately raised his head and quickly stood up.

Su Qingluan couldn't help but laugh at his expression. She casually put the painting into her storage ring, then turned and walked towards the door.

"Go back and dine with me."

......

The two returned to the palace in silence. As soon as they entered the main hall, Xu Yi smelled a rich aroma of food.

Looking up, the dining table inside the hall was already full of food.

There were more than a dozen dishes, a good mix of meat and vegetables, and they were all delicious and visually appealing.

Su Qingluan grabbed his wrist and forcefully pulled him to sit down next to her.

She picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of food, then pointed to the plate of steamed fish in front of Xu Yi and said...

"Pick some food for me."

After hearing this, Xu Yi picked up his chopsticks, smacked his lips vigorously twice, and then looked at her with a sly grin.

"Do I still need to clamp it?"

Su Qingluan frowned.

That damn man...

She reached out and pinched Xu Yi's face, the force not strong but carrying a warning.

"Use serving chopsticks to serve me."

Xu Yi glared at her in pain and rubbed his pinched cheek.

That damn woman...

Then, reluctantly, he picked up the serving chopsticks next to him and put a piece of fish on her plate.

Su Qingluan nodded in satisfaction and opened her mouth to eat.

After that, she would ask Xu Yi to serve her food from time to time, asking for this and that.

After eating for a while, Su Qingluan suddenly said

"You're going out with me tomorrow, so you'd better serve me a lot of food today."

Xu Yi's lips twitched, and he silently complained to himself:

Damn, what kind of logic does this woman have?

Shouldn't the advice at this time be to let me eat more so that I have the strength to travel?

Besides, you are a cultivator who is now at least at the Divine Sea Realm. Even if you don't eat for five days, it shouldn't be a big problem, right?

Is it really necessary to put me through all this trouble?

Su Qingluan ate slowly and deliberately, glancing at Xu Yi's aggrieved expression, a satisfied smile flashing in her eyes.