The Hidden Dragon striving for power over the realm, abandoned by the great forces that had backed him.
Faced with such a situation, most would be consumed by sorrow and anger, not delight.
However, this made perfect sense for Yuann Mingzhen.
Although the Xie Family created her and were her biggest supporters, they had no emotional ties to her. They were interested only in profit and utility, viewing Yuann Mingzhen simply as a controllable tool. If the brainwashing of Yuann Mingzhen had been successful, it would have ended there, as she would have lost all sense of self, unable to perceive happiness and, hence, suffering.
Yet, Yuann Mingzhen had successfully resisted the brainwashing, which only added to her agony.
What surprised Tao Qian was what followed; the constantly changing scenes behind and beside Yuann Mingzhen.
This Devil Concubine, her sincerity was indeed excessive.
It seemed she truly wished to "open her heart" entirely to Tao Qian, revealing her life's first half without any reservation.
Even her private affairs were not concealed.
Of course, Tao Qian only glimpsed them before quickly averting his gaze, focusing instead on how Yuann Mingzhen resisted the brainwashing, how she engaged in cultivation, grew, and strove to conquer the realm.
The more he saw, the more astonished he became!
For the situation of this Devil Concubine was not as the people of the realm believed it to be; she was far from being at her wit's end.
In fact, even though the Xie Family had withdrawn all support, she still had the power to escape disaster.
Her command wasn't limited to just Xie Lingzhu and Li Ren; there were more hidden forces and subordinates under her.
Watching intently, Tao Qian expressed his surprise and exclaimed,
"Guanyin Temple, many remnants from previous dynasties, great sects like Ruyi Temple from Imperial City, Sun and Moon Sect, the Hidden Daoist Sect of the Nine Spirit Sect, several Cavernous Mystery Independent Practitioners, the Heavenly Phoenix Clan from the Outer Realm... Yuann Daoist, with these forces covertly supporting you, even if you couldn't reclaim the Imperial City, you shouldn't have fallen to such lows, nor should you be trapped in Han Mountain Temple."
"And hiding these forces so well, why reveal them to me?"
"If those warlord demons partying inside the Little Leiyin Temple were here, they'd surely think twice about coveting you, Daoist."
Tao Qian's sighs of realization came from deep within.
In this moment, he understood that, like everyone else, he had greatly underestimated Yuann Mingzhen, the Devil Concubine.
On reflection, it should have been obvious.
Could someone who authored the "Mingzhen Governance Scripture" and, having taken over the Imperial City, won the love of All People in such a short span amidst numerous warlord threats, and received recognition from the "Spring and Autumn Chariot," be just an ordinary frail woman?
To say she was deviously manipulative might be an overstatement, but she was undoubtedly a young Empress of exceptional wisdom and strategic brilliance.
As Tao Qian contemplated Yuann Mingzhen's tragic earlier life, his initial pity transformed into admiration and a trace of caution.
Yuann Mingzhen noticed this change.
Suddenly, the boiled meat before her seemed less appetizing; she pouted and weakly explained,
"The Bodhisattvas of Guanyin Temple support Mingzhen, seeing my plight as pitiful and feeling that my Buddhist fate is extraordinary, possibly helping them spread the 'Bodhisattva's Path' across the Seventy-two provinces and enlighten more suffering mortals."
"Those remnants from the previous dynasty are actually all pitiful too, marginalized by the Alchemists for various reasons, hiding everywhere like rats. They recognize me as their master due to my complex bloodline and the 'Holy Emperor Supreme Dao Scripture' I practice, kept hidden as a form of power, but Mingzhen won't deploy them until the time is right."
"As for Ruyi Temple and Sun and Moon Sect, both sects faced extinction, which Mingzhen resolved; hence they chose to follow me."
"Those Independent Practitioner Daoists don't share any past karmic ties, simply recognizing me due to shared interests."
"Dealing with the Heavenly Phoenix Clan was simplest. The Heavenly Phoenix used by the Xie Family to conceive me was actually royalty from the Heavenly Phoenix Clan... and I, barely qualified, am a princess abandoned in this world by that clan. I can use the Bloodline Summoning Technique to call some kin from the Heavenly Phoenix Clan to help, but they all pay a significant cost to enter this realm, so Mingzhen wouldn't call on them lightly."
"These forces were not deliberately gathered by Mingzhen but came through fate, and hence she had to accept them."
"Tao Brother, haven't you faced the same as you journeyed here?"
By the end of her speech, Yuann Mingzhen had lifted her head.
In her eyes shone an intense recognition, a resonance.
Without waiting for Tao Qian to respond, Yuann Mingzhen continued,
"Mingzhen can see that, Brother Tao, you are not a Hidden Dragon vying for power over the realm, but a Seeker."
"What you seek is perhaps to live carefree and observe Longevity."
"You could have returned to Penglai Sea and focused on your cultivation, yet here you are, tangled in the mortal world, pushed step-by-step to this point, having achieved great deeds, and then pursued by those formidable forces you couldn't directly confront. If nothing unexpected happens, you'll continue to be entwined in this until you reach Ultimate Happiness before meeting your demise..."
"You seek the Path but cannot find it, and Mingzhen desires to be a self-aware mortal, equally unachievable."
"We are the same."
"The difference is, Brother Tao, that you have many paths behind you, able to detach and return to Penglai Sea whenever you reconsider. But Mingzhen cannot, whether it be my bloodline, my Heart Soul, or my tragic earlier life, it's all irreversibly shaped me into someone who must conquer the realm, become a sovereign Human Emperor, ensuring billions live in peace and prosperity."
"When I achieve that day, Mingzhen can also be freed."
"Having lured you here, Mingzhen will not shy away from admitting that I need your assistance this time."
As Yuann Mingzhen finished speaking, Tao Qian's mind thundered.
Without focusing on the young lady's curse, a deeply certain speculation suddenly surged in his heart: