Chapter 126: Celestial Emperor, What Are You Planning to Do to Chang'e?

Walking into the Guanghan Palace and spotting Chang'e, Li Tian could not help but smile as he approached her.

"I did not know the Heavenly Emperor was arriving; please forgive me for failing to welcome you properly."

Surprised by his sudden appearance, Chang'e was startled and quickly bowed. She felt a lingering sense of unease, wondering what purpose had brought him to her quarters.

"Do not be nervous," Li Tian said, smiling and trying to appear as gentle as possible. "How have you been finding your stay here over these years?"

"Thanks to the benevolence of the Heavenly Emperor, I am quite content."

Chang'e followed him cautiously as they wandered through the palace. She responded to his questions with the utmost care, not daring to be even slightly negligent. Noticing her visible tension, Li Tian shook his head and fell silent.

Before long, he walked into Chang'e’s bedchamber. The fragrance of laurel blossoms wafting through the air instantly lifted his spirits.

"Heavenly Emperor, this is..." Seeing him enter her private quarters, Chang'e hesitated. After a moment of internal struggle, she stepped forward nervously to remind him.

Li Tian did not turn back. He walked straight to the bed and lay down, enjoying the delicate scent clinging to the bedding. It was the same fragrance that lingered on Chang'e herself.

"Heavenly Emperor..." Seeing him sprawl out on her bed with an expression of pure indulgence, Chang'e felt her face flush with heat.

"Come here..." Observing her shy, maiden-like demeanor, a smile played on Li Tian’s lips. He beckoned to her with a single finger.

Watching this, Chang'e lowered her head and bit her lower lip. She sensed his intentions but refused to believe that the Heavenly Emperor would truly act upon them. After a long moment of hesitation, she finally moved toward him.

Li Tian smiled, much like a wolf watching a rabbit slowly approach its trap. As she reached the edge of the bed, he reached out and gently caught her fingertips. He felt her tremor instantly.

*Such a perfect work of art—should I really taint it?*

Looking at the trembling woman standing before him, head bowed and silent, Li Tian hesitated. *If I only look, and she ends up being snatched by that pig later, wouldn't I be devastated?*

However, leaving it at that... wouldn't it be a waste? In any case, it would happen sooner or later.

In the end, Li Tian could no longer restrain himself. With a sudden pull of his left hand, he drew a startled cry from Chang'e as he tumbled her onto the bed.

"Heavenly Emperor, what are you doing?!"

Upon realizing what was happening, her eyes filled with terror. In this situation, she could no longer harbor any illusions.

"Shh, be quiet."

Li Tian smiled, rolled over to pin her beneath him, and leaned down to kiss her exquisite face. He felt like a child unable to resist a piece of fine candy—feeling a twinge of guilt, yet filled with anticipation.

"Heavenly Emperor, what are you doing to Chang'e?"

At that moment, a cold female voice cut through the air. Li Tian froze and looked toward the doorway. *Why is Nuwa here?*

Seeing Xuan Ming behind her, Li Tian felt a pang of frustration. He had not expected to be caught because of her, and at such an inopportune moment, no less.

"Greetings, Empress!"

Chang'e, having regained her composure, was terrified and quickly bowed to Nuwa. Although she was not at fault, she feared the potential consequences. Her heart turned cold with dread.

"Hmph!" With a flick of her sleeve, Nuwa turned and left. Li Tian had no choice but to chase after her to smooth things over; after all, Nuwa was the priority.

Before leaving, however, he shot a fierce glare at Xuan Ming, clearly displeased with her intrusion. Xuan Ming felt as though she had been plunged into an icy abyss. She had never intended to stumble upon such a scene; had she known, she would have kept her silence.

Not long ago, Nuwa had visited the Xuan Ming Palace. As they chatted like sisters, Xuan Ming, still incensed by Li Tian’s recent behavior, had recounted how he had humiliated her. Nuwa, thinking it was just one of Li Tian’s eccentric moods, laughed and offered to go find the Heavenly Emperor to seek justice for her.

Neither had given it much thought. After searching for a while, they had followed the trail to the Guanghan Palace, never expecting to witness such a scene.

...

"Sister Nuwa!"

As they flew amidst the stars of the Primordial Realm, Li Tian called out to the figure flying ahead.

"Hmph!" Nuwa glanced back, let out a soft scoff, and flew even faster.

In truth, her anger had dissipated the moment she left the palace. Having reached their level of cultivation and shared so many years as husband and wife, she would not let such a trivial matter tear them apart. However, she was not about to forgive him so easily.

"Sister Nuwa!"

Li Tian called out again, accelerating to catch up. He felt a sense of helplessness; he hadn't expected Nuwa, after so many years as the Empress, to still display such a coy, maiden-like demeanor.

They chased each other for decades. Finally, deciding that enough was enough, Nuwa slowed down, allowing Li Tian to pull her into his arms. They landed on a silver star, gazing out at the distant, lonely Taiyin and Sun stars.

"Tell me," Nuwa tilted her head, asking with lingering dissatisfaction, "did you have this idea the moment you brought Chang'e back from the lower realm?"

"Yes." Li Tian knew that denying it now would only seem hypocritical, so he nodded helplessly.

"Hmph!" Nuwa huffed in annoyance, then grabbed Li Tian and flew toward the lower realm.

They hovered above the palace of a mortal emperor. Watching the current King of Xia frolicking with his concubines, Nuwa asked, "You want to be like him, don't you?"

Li Tian couldn't quite read her intent, but he nodded instinctively and admitted, "I do."

"Dream on!" Nuwa’s expression soured instantly. She shook off his hand and flew back toward the Heavenly Court.

Li Tian looked down at the King of Xia and his many concubines, shook his head in resignation, and followed her back. However, he had already made up his mind: once they returned, he would certainly teach Xuan Ming a lesson.