Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

Her features were well-defined, with a high nose bridge and clear lip lines. She wore no makeup, yet possessed an imposing air of authority and the dignified presence of someone long accustomed to a high position.

It was precisely the contemporary king who pitied the budding beauty.

She sat upright like a pine tree, wearing short boots made of hide from an unknown animal, inlaid with dark metal ankle guards. The soles of the boots were still covered with bits of unmelted snow, indicating she had only recently arrived.

After taking his seat, he stroked his teacup in his hand, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the distant sea of ​​clouds, his eyes calm and composed.

At the southern end, there was a woman dressed in a light purple gauze dress adorned with stars.

Her dress was more elegant and beautiful than Gu Qingying's, with intricate star patterns embroidered on the hem and cuffs with deep purple silk thread, making it seem as if she was wearing a miniature starry sky when she moved.

Her hair was styled into an elegant snake bun, with a purple crystal hairpin inserted diagonally. Delicate stardust tassels hung from the hairpin, swaying gently with her every glance, reflecting a dreamlike luster.

Her face was stunningly beautiful, and her gentle demeanor exuded a serene tranquility, yet a faint, lingering melancholy clung to her brows, like a thin cloud veiling the stars and moon.

She was none other than Jiang Wanqing, the goddess of the Jiang family.

Her feet were hidden beneath her skirt, with only the tips of her purple brocade shoes peeking out. Each shoe was adorned with a small luminous pearl, which emitted a soft glow on the dimly lit terrace.

During the conversation, he held the warm teacup in both hands, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the inside of the cup, his gaze fixed on the rising steam, looking somewhat lost in thought.

The three women, each with their own unique beauty, gathered together in this serene and elegant pavilion, creating a breathtaking portrait of celestial beings.

"Fellow Daoist Gu's Guanghan Palace is indeed a blessed land in name and reality."

Suiren Lianlei took a sip of tea, savoring the gentle spiritual energy contained within it and the pure Xuan Yin energy surrounding her, and praised:

"Practicing here is of great benefit to concentrating the mind and comprehending the Dharma."

No wonder the Guanghan Palace was able to establish such a strong foundation on this ancient star in just a few hundred years, with every disciple being exceptionally talented.

"Fellow Daoist Lianlei, you flatter me."

Gu Qingying smiled slightly, a gentle smile, like the first melting of snow, yet still carrying a sense of distance:

"It's merely to find a quiet place to stay temporarily, and to pass on some minor Taoist teachings, so that my knowledge won't be buried."

"It cannot compare to Fellow Daoist Suiren, who wields the Human Emperor's Banner, traversing numerous star fields to protect the weak human races there—his merits are immeasurable."

"It's my duty; there's no question of merit."

Suiren Lianlei shook her head, glancing at the somewhat silent Jiang Wanqing beside her:

"As for Fellow Daoist Wanqing, how is the Ziwei Jiang family recovering under your leadership?"

I heard recently that some petty thieves are trying to cause trouble again?

Jiang Wanqing snapped out of her reverie, gently shook her head, her voice soft yet carrying a barely perceptible hint of weariness:

"Thank you for your concern, fellow Daoist. They were just some insignificant bandits and foreign tribes testing the waters. We have already sent people to deal with them."

The family's resources are still there, and recovery is possible, but...

People's hearts are no longer what they used to be.

She paused, then looked at Gu Qingying:

"It is quite peaceful and serene here, which is enviable. I heard that Guanghan Palace only accepts female disciples and has strict rules. It is a pure land."

Gu Qingying nodded:

"Establishing some rules would save a lot of trouble, and the cultivation world would be fine."

However, before embarking on the path of cultivation, especially for those born into secular families, women's spiritual practice is inherently more arduous than men's due to various factors.

Here, at least they can peacefully pursue their spiritual path, undisturbed by external things.

As she spoke, she gracefully raised her hand to refill their teacups, her movements fluid and elegant, possessing a unique beauty.

The three women chatted about their cultivation experiences and exchanged information about the current situation in the starry sky and rumors about certain ancient ruins. The atmosphere was harmonious and peaceful.

Below the terrace, occasionally, female disciples of the Guanghan Palace, dressed in uniform white robes and exuding a cool and aloof temperament, would fly by on their swords or cranes. Upon seeing the figures on the pavilion, they would all bow respectfully from a distance before quickly departing, not daring to disturb them.

Throughout the entire palace area, apart from the sound of the wind and the faint sound of flowing ice springs,

There were only the women's soft conversations and occasional smiles, truly a scene of ethereal beauty, as if they were from a different world from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

However, this tranquility did not last long.

Just as the gathering was getting into the swing of things, and after several rounds of tea,

hum...

A thousand years have passed, and these three women, whose cultivation levels are all at the peak of Quasi-Emperor or even higher, almost simultaneously felt something in their hearts, suddenly looked up, and gazed in a certain direction of the starry sky!

That is the location of the ancient star Gouchen!

Although separated by endless star fields, at that very moment,

A vast, majestic, and cold aura of imperial power, carrying an undeniable will to suppress, surged forth like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

Even after the attenuation over a long distance, the sheer terror of its source level still allowed powerful individuals of their caliber to clearly perceive that fleeting "ripple"!

Following this, and more specifically, a chain reaction of panic and fear, originated from all the spirits of the demon race.

It was subtly transmitted through some mysterious channel, allowing them to instantly understand what had happened.

The Devouring Emperor... has reappeared!

In the South China Sea of ​​the ancient star Gouchen… he suppressed the Demon Lord Shao Hanyun?!

The atmosphere on the terrace suddenly froze.

The aroma of tea still lingers, but the leisure and tranquility of the moment have vanished.

The three women exchanged glances, each seeing solemnity, surprise, and a hint of deep-seated...complexity in each other's eyes.

"She... made her move again."

Suiren Lianlei put down her teacup, her brows furrowing slightly, and her voice deepened:

"This time it's Shao Hanyun, that demon lord... I heard that she only recently stepped into the imperial realm, and that's when she was at the height of her power."

The melancholy on Jiang Wanqing's exquisite face deepened, and she sighed softly:

"This current emperor... his actions are becoming increasingly unpredictable. Although Shao Hanyun is a demon, since establishing Lost Day Island, he has disciplined his subordinates and there has been no record of any excessive misconduct."

Instead, she gathered together the scattered demon forces, maintaining order in a star field to some extent. Why did she…?

Gu Qingying's cold gaze was fixed on the direction of Gou Chen, as if it could penetrate endless space and see the sea where the storm had just subsided.

Of the three, perhaps she had the deepest entanglement with that person?

Even setting aside the years when the two patriarchs possessed his body, looking back, in the Human Emperor's Training Tower, he seemed to have once considered taking it under his wing...

Of course, it's best not to talk about that now.

She paused for a moment before speaking slowly, her voice still calm, yet carrying a hint of inquiry:

Who can truly fathom what that person is thinking these days?

Perhaps, it was simply because she 'could' that she 'did', or perhaps…

She paused, her eyes flickered slightly, and then stopped talking.

Although she didn't finish speaking, those present could more or less guess what she was thinking.

Jiang Wanqing and Suiren Lianlei exchanged a glance at this.

Years ago on the Forbidden Ancient Road, they had seen Shao Hanyun and the Immortal Golden Body Tan Lin behaving closely together, so they naturally knew that there was a close relationship between Shao Hanyun and the "deceased" Holy Body Tan Lin, which could even be described as "ambiguous".

This matter was not a top secret back then.

"Could it be because..."

Jiang Wanqing instinctively opened her mouth, but then stopped, a hint of disbelief flashing across her beautiful eyes:

"It can't be that bad, can it?"

But... if she truly becomes possessed by a demon, her obsession might lead her to unleash a violent attack even at the slightest dissatisfaction..."

"She devoured the origins of all paths to achieve the body of an emperor, and her demonic nature is deeply rooted. How can her actions be judged by ordinary standards?"

Suiren Lianlei interjected, her tone tinged with worry:

"The previous Ascension to the Divine Dynasty involved far and wide. Did she ever have even half a break?"

Now it seems that the demon lord had probably touched upon some untouchable 'forbidden zone' in her heart.

She recalled the Empress's cold, scrutinizing gaze outside the ancient star of Yuhua, and her final act of tossing the Human Emperor's Banner over.

He increasingly felt that the empress's mind had become so twisted and obsessive that it was dangerous.

Gu Qingying didn't reply, but simply picked up the slightly cooled tea and took a small sip.

The icy tea went down my throat, but it couldn't ease the heaviness in my heart.

She naturally knew about Shao Hanyun and Tan Lin's past.

Even earlier...

Wow!

A sudden thought sent a chill down her spine.

If that's the case, then the three of them present all have some kind of entanglement with Tan Lin, so wouldn't they also be within his "scrutiny" scope?

"I haven't seen that demon lord since that turmoil..."

Jiang Wanqing broke the silence softly, as if explaining, or perhaps stating a fact:

"She walks her path to becoming the supreme ruler of the demon race, while I cultivate my own path. Our understandings are different, and so are our paths..."

"That's true..."

Suiren Lianlei nodded:

"Humans and demons are ultimately separated, and although her actions were not inherently evil, her gathering of countless demons has solidified her power, making the future unpredictable."

But... no matter what, it shouldn't have ended like this.

The Emperor's Banner trembled slightly, as if sensing the Empress's domineering actions.

Gu Qingying put down her teacup, her fingertips unconsciously tracing patterns on the smooth jade table:

"I had no close relationship with this person, and we never met again after we parted ways years ago."

Her words were half true and half false.

She didn't have much interaction with Shao Hanyun herself, but her connection with "Tan Lin" was her deepest secret and obsession.

The three women fell silent for a moment.

Regardless of the reason why that person attacked,

In short, Shao Hanyun's fate made them feel uneasy, and they developed a deeper sense of fear and worry about the empress who hung high in the heavens and whose nature was unpredictable.

Under the shadow of this "ruthless man," will there ever be a day of peace under this starry sky?

The atmosphere became slightly tense, and it was time for the gathering to end.

Suiren Lianlei was the first to stand up; her dark blue outfit made her figure stand tall and straight like a spear.

She looked at Gu Qingying and brought up the old matter again:

"Fairy Gu, although Canglan Star is secluded and quiet, it is ultimately located in a remote corner."

The Ziwei Star Region is an important cradle of humanity, blessed with prosperous fortune and thriving cultivation; its environment is also far superior to this place.

Together with the Human King Palace and Fellow Daoist Wanqing's Jiang family, we sincerely hope that the Fairy will consider relocating her lineage to Ziwei.

To watch over each other and jointly explore the Great Way—is this not wonderful?

Jiang Wanqing also rose gracefully, her pale purple star-studded dress shimmering in the moonlight. She softly echoed:

“What Fellow Daoist Lianlei said is very true. If Fellow Daoist Gu comes to Ziwei, my Jiang family will definitely welcome him with open arms and do our best to help him.”

Furthermore, the Purple Star and the Big Dipper are not too far apart, so if... if one wants to explore something, it might be more convenient.

Her words were loaded with meaning, hinting that Gu Qingying had never given up on secretly searching for clues about someone.

So much time has passed. Even if His Majesty hadn't died back then, he would have perished long ago by now, wouldn't he?

rustle……

Seeing the two of them stand up, Gu Qingying also stood up. Her moon-white skirt slid down like flowing water, and she stepped barefoot on the sable carpet, looking aloof and stunning.

Faced with their renewed invitation, she did not immediately refuse, but merely nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on the boundless starry sky, her voice ethereal: