Love and Hatred in a Turbulent World

Moonlight, like silver gauze, poured down obliquely from the high windows, covering the entire bedchamber.

Stripped of all her magnificent robes and beautiful ornaments, wearing only a plain white everyday dress, Luo Zhao looked breathtakingly beautiful under the moonlight's baptism.

Her collar was slightly open, revealing delicate collarbones and a faint glimpse of snow-white skin.

Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, with a few strands resting against her cheeks, making her peerlessly beautiful face appear even more aloof and cold.

And her hands, suspended high by the Dragon-Binding Silk, added a touch of profaned fragility to this extreme beauty.

Like a phoenix with broken wings trapped in a cage, she still could not hide her innate majesty and pride.

Gu Chengyin stood by the door, watching quietly for a moment.

Then, he turned and walked to the outer room, brought in a grand armchair, and placed it steadily three steps in front of Luo Zhao.

He sat down, looked up, and a smile appeared on his face:

"Your Highness, the female officials outside the bedchamber have all been sent away by me."

"So, let's have a chat."

Luo Zhao's gaze slowly shifted to Shangguan Yunying standing to the side.

A terrifying guess slowly surfaced in her heart.

"The one who ambushed me last time... was Yunying?"

Gu Chengyin nodded gently, admitting frankly:

"Yes."

Luo Zhao continued to ask, "So at that time, you actually had no cultivation base at all?"

"None." Gu Chengyin smiled. "At that time, I was just a powerless mortal."

"But now..."

Luo Zhao's perception landed on Gu Chengyin.

This time, Gu Chengyin did not conceal his aura.

He fully released his Foundation Establishment realm cultivation, allowing the thick and solid true qi to circulate within his body, exuding a clearly distinguishable pressure.

Luo Zhao's expression changed abruptly.

She stared fixedly at Gu Chengyin, shock revealing in her eyes:

"You've reached Foundation Establishment!? How is this possible!?"

Luo Zhao was dumbfounded.

From their first meeting in Beihe City until now, at most, it had only been half a month.

Gu Chengyin, from a mortal to the Foundation Establishment realm!?

Is this reasonable!?

Even if he had extraordinary talent, it was impossible to be this fast!

The path of immortal cultivation is one step, one heaven.

The Qi Condensation stage is about laying the foundation, requiring slow and meticulous work. Even with a pile of resources, it would take months to reach perfection.

And Foundation Establishment is the first leap in the essence of life. Which step of it isn't fraught with danger? Which breakthrough doesn't take a long time?

Half a month, from a mortal to Foundation Establishment?

This could no longer be described as fast.

This violated the most basic common sense of the cultivation world!

"No..."

Luo Zhao suddenly thought of something.

Before the morning court, she had sensed Gu Chengyin's aura, and at that time, he was still in the Qi Condensation stage.

Only a few hours had passed since then.

And he directly stepped into Foundation Establishment?

It was absolutely impossible for him to have cultivated to this point.

In Luo Zhao's mind, various fragmented pieces of information began to piece together rapidly:

Gu Chengyin's extremely contradictory purpose—controlling her, yet not violating her.

He clearly had the means to manipulate people's hearts, yet he devoted all his attention to power struggles and scheming.

With every action, he attributed the credit to her.

And after the Xiao clan's downfall, the redistribution of power, and his promotion to Chief Steward of the Internal Affairs Department and Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites...

Gu Chengyin's cultivation leaped from Qi Condensation directly to Foundation Establishment.

A clear chain of cause and effect emerged in Luo Zhao's heart.

She looked at Gu Chengyin and slowly stated her final judgment:

"Your cultivation is linked to your status and power?"

Gu Chengyin fell silent.

He knew that Luo Zhao would definitely be able to guess it.

After all, this Highness was not truly stupid.

The reason she seemed so weak was that the opponents she encountered were either the top or second best in the nation.

As long as she was given enough time and enough experience, she would sooner or later become the number one at the peak.

This was the charm of talent.

And at this moment, in this desperate situation, she still displayed a keen insight.

Gu Chengyin did not deny it and nodded:

"Yes."

Seeing this, the last trace of wishful thinking in Luo Zhao's heart completely dissipated.

She finally understood.

Understood why Gu Chengyin insisted on controlling her.

Understood why Gu Chengyin attributed everything to her.

Understood the real logic hidden behind Gu Chengyin's actions.

This bastard had never liked her!

Everything he did was for himself!

For his own power.

For his own cultivation.

She, Luo Zhao, was nothing more than a stepping stone for this bastard to climb to the peak of power, a tool he had to control on his path of immortal cultivation!

Luo Zhao slowly closed her eyes.

After seeing Gu Chengyin's true face, for some reason, the surging emotions in her heart all calmed down.

Like after the eruption of boiling magma, only dead, silent rocks remained.

And Gu Chengyin stood up at this moment.

He walked up to Luo Zhao, close enough to see the fluttering of her eyelashes and smell the cold fragrance on her body.

"Your Highness, since you have seen through it, just cooperate with me properly."

"Rest assured, there won't be any harm, it's just a sleep."

"The day you wake up, I promise."

"You will be the sole king of this Great Luo."

Luo Zhao did not open her eyes.

She turned her head, avoiding his gaze and the gentleness in his words.

Seeing this reaction, Gu Chengyin sighed softly:

"Why bother, Your Highness."

"I respect you very much, even just now, I had Yunying do it. If it were someone else..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning was obvious enough.

Yet this sentence fiercely pierced Luo Zhao's heart.

She abruptly opened her eyes, glaring at Gu Chengyin, her voice trembling from extreme resentment:

"If it were someone else! You would have died the day you returned to the Divine Capital!"

This sentence contained too many complex emotions.

There was humiliation, anger, unwillingness, and a pain of betrayal that even she herself was unwilling to admit.

After speaking, Luo Zhao quickly looked away, no longer meeting Gu Chengyin's eyes.

The smile on Gu Chengyin's face grew even gentler:

"But Your Highness, you know very well that a tacit understanding cannot be maintained for a lifetime."

"This day was bound to come sooner or later."

Luo Zhao stared at the ground, the moonlight reflecting a patch of shattered light in her eyes.

"Of course I know, but I didn't expect it to come so quickly."

For the first time, a sense of exhaustion was revealed in her voice.

It was the truest sense of powerlessness after all her defenses had been pierced through.

But in the next moment, Luo Zhao's voice suddenly rose, questioning:

"And you bastard, what do you take Yunying for?!"

Luo Zhao turned her head to look at Shangguan Yunying on the side, her eyes full of sorrow:

"She likes you so much, yet you have been using her all along!"

Gu Chengyin shook his head.

He looked at Luo Zhao, his eyes revealing a hint of instruction.

"Your Highness, you are the Crown Princess."

"How can you have such naive thoughts?"

Luo Zhao was startled.

Gu Chengyin's voice was filled with a cold aura:

"I admit, I indeed used Yunying."

"But this is the price of liking someone."

Under the moonlight, Gu Chengyin's shadow was stretched very long.

"So Your Highness, this is the last lesson I give you as the Junior Preceptor of the Crown Princess."

He leaned over, close to Luo Zhao's ear.

The hot breath brushed against her auricle, making her whole body stiffen.

Then, she heard that demonic voice whisper in her ear:

"Do not fall in love with anyone."

His voice paused, carrying a certain eerie gentleness:

"Especially me."

After speaking, Gu Chengyin straightened his posture.

He did not look at Luo Zhao again, but turned his head and called out softly:

"Yunying."

Shangguan Yunying, who had been standing quietly to the side, immediately stepped forward.

She walked behind Luo Zhao, reached out her hands, and firmly held Luo Zhao's head in place.

Luo Zhao tried to struggle, tried to close her eyes.

But the power and oppressive aura of the Foundation Establishment realm made all her resistance futile.

She could only watch helplessly as Gu Chengyin walked up to her.

Watch as his eyes met hers.

One pair of eyes was as profound as the night, swirling with an eerie starlight.

The other burned with hatred, yet could not hide the deep despair within.

Luo Zhao knew that when that terrifying power invaded her consciousness once more,

she would completely lose herself and become Gu Chengyin's puppet.

Just like Shangguan Yunying.

Five...

Two lines of tears slid silently from the corners of Luo Zhao's eyes.

Four...

"Gu Chengyin!"

Three...

"I!"

Two...

Luo Zhao gathered all her remaining strength and let out a final scream.

One...

"Will hate you forever!"

[Hypnosis Successful]