"Your Majesty, you're truly out of options."

Dongfang Xinglan's upper body was pressed directly against the Dragon Chair, her knees against the edge, preventing her from bending them. Forced to straighten her long, shapely legs.

Her proud body struggled, trembled, but unfortunately, due to the heavy crown robe, her enticing curves were hidden.

Lu Jin'an lowered his gaze onto Dongfang Xinglan's hair, which shook with her movements, and squeezed her wrists a bit harder.

"Humph..."

Dongfang Xinglan's nose let out a muffled grunt; obviously, she felt pain.

Lu Jin'an chuckled softly; as the saying goes, third time's the charm.

Older sister, Nanzhi, Senior Sister... If I were to suffer losses at the hands of plotting Dongfang Xinglan again, I might as well kill myself.

Lu Jin'an slowly spoke: "I have long been guarded against Your Majesty."

Dongfang Xinglan bit her lower lip, struggling multiple times but finding herself unable to use Vigorous Force.

Even the method of controlling Destiny she obtained after inheriting the Dragon Soul Treasure was entirely ineffective... No, not ineffective, but rendered unusable after the sealing of her Vigorous Force.

She lost the gamble.

As this thought passed through her mind, Dongfang Xinglan gradually stopped struggling, staring blankly at the Dragon Chair before her, a faint mist settling in her eyes.

At this moment, Lu Jin'an yanked her up, twisting her wrists behind her back with one hand, squeezing her chin with the other, forcing her to turn and meet his gaze.

"Now you know how to cry?" Lu Jin'an said with a playful smile as he looked into her eyes. "I've eaten more meals than you've walked the roads. Besides, our relationship began with mutual exploitation, didn't it?"

Dongfang Xinglan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and asked, "You've been able to use Spiritual Power from the start?"

"That's right." Lu Jin'an didn't hide it: "Originally, I was on guard against Upper Realm Cultivators, but it ended up being used on you. To be honest, I was quite surprised."

With that, he released Dongfang Xinglan's wrists, sat casually on the Dragon Chair, facing the slowly retreating Dongfang Xinglan.

"Don't waste your energy." Lu Jin'an said indifferently, "Just as you can master everything in the Dynasty, in my Domain, you can't stir any waves either.

I can be even more precise in telling you, if you had guarded against my earlier counterattack, my Spiritual Power could have been sealed by you. But alas, you have no chance now."

Standing at the edge of the steps, Dongfang Xinglan looked at Lu Jin'an on the Imperial Throne, then at the Dragon Chair below him, her gaze complex: "I lost."

"You just don't know as much as I do." Lu Jin'an, seeing her expression, leaned back against the Dragon Chair: "Of course, I understand your thoughts. If I were in your position, I'd do the same. But unfortunately, you aren't the Saint Heir of the Wandao Sect, and I'm not the Emperor of the Qiming Immortal Dynasty."

Dongfang Xinglan looked down at her wrists, red from the grip, and said softly, "My actions aren't because I don't trust you, but because I don't trust the Wandao Sect and the Immortal Dao Sect behind you.

Though you are the Saint Heir, the Thirty-Six Domains of the Three Great Dynasties are vast, with too many opportunities. What if your words don't hold up?"

She smiled, lifted her head to gaze directly at Lu Jin'an, her eyes candid: "I think your safety is definitely more important than the words you speak now."

"That's a fact." Lu Jin'an nodded, disregarding his identity, with Nanzhi and the others being enough to represent a formidable force.

"That must be just one of your goals." Lu Jin'an stared into her eyes: "What else?"

Dongfang Xinglan raised her hand, tucking her hair behind her ear: "An Empress... doesn't have a reason to consort with others, does she?"

Lu Jin'an laughed: "This thought of yours... I really hadn't seen it."

"Worth a try." Dongfang Xinglan took a deep breath: "Initially, I planned to trap you in this deep palace. Once my Realm improved, you'd be unable to escape either."

"But now, it's evident there's no chance." Dongfang Xinglan's gaze wandered around the surroundings, Lu Jin'an's Domain like a nearly clear stream, permeating every corner of the Chang'an Hall, serene yet majestic.

In a short time, she already understood that his Domain wasn't much different from her control of Destiny, except hers was inherited, while Lu Jin'an cultivated his own.

Just uncertain how long his Spiritual Power could sustain this Domain...

Dongfang Xinglan's mind flickered with hope, but upon seeing Lu Jin'an's eyes on the Dragon Chair again, her inner hope shattered.

Since Lu Jin'an dared to act this way, he surely had the confidence to hold out until tomorrow. How could he allow her another opportunity?

Thinking this, a hint of bitterness crossed Dongfang Xinglan's eyes, and she calmly said, "I have no regrets about doing this. In the future, you'll certainly be on guard when you come here. If it were me, I wouldn't leave such an uncertain element around, so...

Do as you wish."

"You really are open-minded." Lu Jin'an's eyes showed a hint of amusement and helplessness. Why do all the fairies he encountered have ulterior motives?

"But you're right." Lu Jin'an spoke leisurely: "One person can't live their life constantly on edge."

Dongfang Xinglan closed her eyes, her expression unmoved, as if possessing some kind of confidence.

Seeing her demeanor, Lu Jin'an felt a bit displeased, thinking she wouldn't be killed, so was that why she remained fearless?