Luo Zhao finally understood.
The tangled mess in her heart had been smoothed out, thread by thread.
Why Gu Xiaoli had lifted Gu Chengyin's hypnosis on her.
Yet kept the consciousness puppet intact.
Why Gu Xiaoli, who clearly could have helped her escape control entirely.
Deliberately held this one thing back.
This was both to let her feign a hypnotized state.
And to make Gu Chengyin believe everything was still under his control.
Only then would Gu Chengyin not leave.
Only then would Gu Xiaoli not lose her new master.
More importantly, this ensured Gu Chengyin's safety.
As long as the consciousness puppet existed, she could never kill Gu Chengyin with her own hands.
Because the consciousness puppet obeyed Gu Chengyin's commands.
It would seize control of her body at critical moments.
Just like earlier in the warm pavilion.
Luo Zhao lowered her eyelashes, her heart filling with a sense of helplessness.
This feeling was familiar to her, incredibly familiar.
Just like when Shangguan Yunying was caught between her and Gu Chengyin.
What had Shangguan Yunying done?
She chose to play matchmaker for the two of them.
She chose to let her be bullied by Gu Chengyin.
Using her own methods, Shangguan Yunying had left some leeway between them.
And now, Gu Xiaoli had chosen another path.
Using the consciousness puppet to leave some leeway between them.
The methods were different.
But the essence was exactly the same.
To prevent the situation from reaching a dead end.
To prevent her and Gu Chengyin from truly fighting to the bitter end.
Luo Zhao sighed softly.
She looked at the light filtering in through the window, watching the fine dust slowly floating within it.
Thoughts surged in her mind.
What was certain was that she hated Gu Chengyin, hated him very much, hated him to the bone.
Her current endurance, her current concessions, were all for the sake of a future lethal counterattack.
Therefore, in Luo Zhao's mind, Gu Chengyin had to die.
And he would inevitably die by her hands.
This goal had never changed.
But that was a matter for the future, for after she completed her apprenticeship.
For after she became a true Empress and took control of everything.
But looking at it now...
The obstacles in her way seemed a bit too numerous.
Leaving Shangguan Yunying aside for now.
Just looking at the one in front of her.
Gu Xiaoli.
A Half-step Nascent Soul cat demon.
Her mother's cat.
Her person.
Had actually become the biggest obstacle to killing Gu Chengyin.
Luo Zhao raised her head and looked at Gu Xiaoli.
Gu Xiaoli simply stood there.
Standing three feet in front of her.
Those large eyes were quietly watching her.
No dodging, no guilt, not a single trace of panic.
Just looking at her.
Waiting for her.
Luo Zhao looked into Gu Xiaoli's eyes.
And suddenly realized that the anger in her heart was gone.
Truly gone.
The moment she learned Gu Xiaoli's true identity, the anger had already dissipated.
Replaced by strange emotions.
Those emotions were complex, containing relief and peace of mind.
But mostly a deep sense of displeasure and sour jealousy.
This feeling was just like when she saw Shangguan Yunying and Gu Chengyin kissing right beside her.
The same suffocating feeling in her chest.
The same thought of why should they?
Gu Xiaoli was her mother's cat.
Her mother was gone.
Then she was her cat.
Since she was her cat.
Why should she protect Gu Chengyin!?
She was obviously her mother's biological daughter.
Speaking of scent, shouldn't hers be more familiar?
Speaking of closeness, shouldn't she and Gu Xiaoli be closer?
Luo Zhao furrowed her brows.
She spoke.
Her voice carried a trace of sour jealousy that even she didn't notice.
Xiaoli.
Gu Xiaoli blinked.
Hmm?
Luo Zhao asked very seriously:
I know Gu Chengyin is very much like my mother.
But I am my mother's daughter.
Don't you think...
Her voice rose slightly.
That I am the one most like my mother?
After saying this, Luo Zhao herself felt it was a bit childish.
But she just couldn't help but ask.
She just wanted to hear what Gu Xiaoli would say.
Gu Xiaoli looked at Luo Zhao.
Looked at this face that was seventy percent similar to the Empress.
And suddenly leaned in close.
Like a cat approaching something interesting.
Luo Zhao only felt her vision blur.
Gu Xiaoli's face was already inches away.
So close she could clearly see the curve of her eyelashes.
So close she could feel the warmth of her breath.
So close that Gu Xiaoli lightly sniffed.
Sniffing.
Sniffing the scent on her body.
Luo Zhao froze, motionless.
Allowing Gu Xiaoli to lean close to her neck, shoulder, and cuffs.
Sniffing gently.
The feeling was very strange.
It wasn't offensive.
It was being earnestly sniffed by a cat.
Three breaths later.
Gu Xiaoli retreated, her expression unchanged.
She looked at Luo Zhao just as seriously and said calmly:
Your Highness's scent is indeed very nice, and Xiaoli is very familiar with it.
Luo Zhao's heart skipped a beat.
But Gu Xiaoli suddenly changed the subject and continued:
But it's different. Her Majesty is Her Majesty, and Your Highness is Your Highness.
Gu Xiaoli's gaze became very soft.
To Xiaoli, you are both unique existences.
Luo Zhao fell silent.
She understood the meaning behind those words.
Gu Xiaoli did not treat her as a replacement for her mother.
Because in her heart, her mother was her mother, and Her Highness was Her Highness.
Both were unique.
Both were irreplaceable.
And neither could be substituted.
So even if she was her mother's biological daughter.
She still couldn't replace her mother's position in Gu Xiaoli's heart.
Because Luo Zhao was Luo Zhao.
Not someone's shadow, not someone's substitute.
She was the unique and unparalleled Highness.
Luo Zhao understood this logic.
Truly understood.
But after understanding it?
She felt even more stifled.
Because this meant Gu Xiaoli had set her sights on Gu Chengyin.
It was strange; being unique was obviously the best thing.
But Luo Zhao still felt very displeased in her heart, extremely displeased.
Especially after one similar experience after another.
Her chief lady-in-waiting had set her sights on Gu Chengyin.
Her cat had now also set her sights on Gu Chengyin.
In the future, would even her aunt set her sights on Gu Chengyin?!
Of course, this last thought only flashed through Luo Zhao's mind.
But since Gu Xiaoli had already committed to Gu Chengyin.
Would she let him die?
No.
Would Gu Xiaoli let her kill him?
Also no.
Then in the future...
Wait.
Luo Zhao suddenly realized a problem. Gu Xiaoli had indeed hidden her identity.
But her surface-level origins were still very abrupt, so abrupt that even she would subconsciously put her guard up.
But why hadn't Gu Chengyin? He had clearly expressed his doubts before.
Why was it that on that night, Gu Chengyin seemed to have forgotten about Gu Xiaoli?
With his intelligence, with his paranoia.
With his extreme caution where he wouldn't even overlook a passing dog.
Why was it that only when facing Gu Xiaoli did he act like he had no brain?
Was it a tacit understanding like when he first discovered she had broken free of his hypnosis?
Or was it...
What did you do to Gu Chengyin?
Hearing Luo Zhao's question, Gu Xiaoli tilted her head.
With no sign of surprise, she calmly replied:
Xiaoli tried to get close to brother, but it didn't work.
So...
Xiaoli used an illusion spell.
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
