Only after becoming emperor did he realize he was in a fantasy world of immortal cultivation.

Zhou Ru snorted lightly, her expression haughty, and said, "Why should I tell you?"

"You want to kill me, young lady?" Lin Ye said with a faint smile.

"nonsense."

"How dare you! His Majesty's words are law, how can you speak so disrespectfully? Guards..." Prime Minister Gao Ren immediately stepped forward and shouted sternly.

Upon seeing this, Lin Ye slightly raised his hand, and Gao Ren's arrogant tone immediately dropped as he bowed and stepped aside.

"If that's the case, shouldn't you finish what you have to say, young lady? If you could thwart my ambitions, wouldn't that be exactly what you desire?" Lin Ye then slowly spoke.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ru's clear black and white eyes flickered, and Lin Ye noticed the interest in them, knowing that he only needed to wait a little longer.

The saying goes, "Strike the snake at its seven-inch spot, but the fox has no seven-inch spot," but even that can't escape the precise, unsettling words of Lin Ye.

After thinking it over, Zhou Ru realized that it made perfect sense.

"Alright, I'll tell you, so that you, this so-called emperor, won't be so arrogant and deluded, indulging in a vain illusion and feeling smug."

Lin Ye's gaze darkened upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "You may all leave."

"Yes."

Gao Ren and his group bowed and withdrew.

A moment later, only the two of them remained in the room. Lin Ye broke the silence first, "Miss, please speak your mind."

Zhou Ru clearly had no intention of hiding anything.

From her, Lin Ye learned that the world he was in was merely an illusion created casually by the current number one immortal sect for selecting disciples. Every blade of grass, every tree, and every aspect of human life was like the moon in a mirror—visible, yet illusory.

Moreover, those who can enter the illusionary realm to participate in the selection are all geniuses from various cultivation families or regions.

Zhou Ru is the contracted spirit fox of one of the prodigies.

He, or rather, his original form, entered this illusionary realm with these people, but was merely a small blade of grass that was enlightened as a key to breaking through the realm.

They were nameless and faceless, and even their fates were predetermined.

The only difference is who killed them.

Lin Ye's thoughts raced with each word Zhou Ru uttered.

He was only forty years old when he saved countless lives from disaster, turned the tide of a collapsing nation, and ultimately, in a chaotic world, proclaimed himself emperor under the Qin dynasty's name.

Such a grand event, even if placed in the Chinese history books he was familiar with, would not be inferior to the few vivid and colorful entries in them.

However, someone is now telling him that this world is nothing but a man-made illusion, and that he is destined to be nothing more than a blade of grass.

Zhou Ru continued, "In this illusionary realm, even if you become a king or emperor, it won't be real, and it won't change the fact that you're just a blade of grass. But if I kill you and help my master obtain the qualification to become a disciple, my master might be able to help you reincarnate and change your insignificant fate. Wouldn't that be a hundred times better than what you're in now?"

Lin Ye: "..."

Want his life? He'd like to see who's trying to kill whom.

Despite the myriad emotions swirling within him, Lin Ye maintained a calm expression. His gaze towards Zhou Ru shimmered with a subtle light under the glow of the firelight, carrying an indescribable meaning that sent a chill down Zhou Ru's spine as they met.

At the same time, Lin Ye's deep, calm voice rang out: "Oh? Your master actually possesses such abilities?"

When Zhou Ru heard Lin Ye mention her master, she immediately disregarded the inexplicable emotions in her heart and said with an arrogant expression, "My master is the most talented beast tamer among the younger generation of the cultivation world. Her power is beyond what you, a mere blade of grass, can imagine."

Lin Ye chuckled lightly upon hearing this, seemingly unconcerned by the offense in Zhou Ru's words. He then changed the subject, saying, "You just said that you are your master's contracted spirit fox, and now you say that your master is so powerful. Then I'm curious, why were you injured by my mortal magic, and why didn't your master use immortal magic to help you?"

If he could figure out the reason behind this, Lin Ye thought that his chances of defeating these talented cultivators would increase.

Lin Ye's question was like a rolling boulder crashing down on Zhou Ru's beautiful face, shattering her "high and mighty" demeanor.

Instead, all that remained was a stiff expression.

Zhou Ru was also puzzled as to why Lin Ye was able to cut her robe, but even now, she still had no clue.

Unfortunately, she has now completely lost contact with her master; otherwise, her master would surely have been able to answer her questions.

Owner......

I wonder how she is now.

Thinking of Zhou Wanwan's injury, Zhou Ru felt anxious and worried. She looked at Lin Ye with a gaze that seemed to want to turn into countless sharp swords and tear him to pieces.

But she knew her current situation didn't allow her to openly express her murderous intent, so in the blink of an eye, she composed herself and uttered a few words that sounded like an explanation: "If you hadn't been lucky enough to catch me when my old injury suddenly flared up, do you think you'd still be standing here alive?"

Finally, she glanced at Lin Ye's expression out of the corner of her eye, unable to tell how much he believed her, and then pulled out her trump card, saying, "But once my master finds this place, you won't be so lucky."

"You should carefully consider your choice."

After speaking, Zhou Ru didn't say anything more, but her gaze passed over the flickering fire and landed on Lin Ye's face. In the undulating firelight, he appeared particularly striking.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was the crackling of the stove burning brightly.

Lin Ye met Zhou Ru's gaze, his expression remaining unchanged for a moment. His calm demeanor reminded Zhou Ru of her master.

To date, she has never seen anyone other than her master remain unfazed by her overwhelming power.

mere weeds...

A hint of inquiry crept into Zhou Ru's eyes.

Lin Ye observed Zhou Ru's changing expression and had already made up his mind. He spoke up at the right moment, saying, "I am very enlightened by what you have said, young lady."

"You're smart to know what's good for you. Since that's the case..." Zhou Ru's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, assuming that Lin Ye's words represented his final words.

The next moment, Zhou Ru's beautiful eyes suddenly widened, her pupils contracted sharply, and she stared in disbelief at the spot on her chest where Lin Ye's palm had just struck, the black palm print on her red dress particularly glaring.

Zhou Ru wanted to say something, but the blood gushing from her mouth directly reminded her that this weed had seriously injured her again.

What exactly happened?

Why could mere mortal magic penetrate her robes...?

"It seems that the fact that I was able to injure your invulnerable body is not related to a sudden recurrence of an old injury," Lin Ye said in a low voice after verifying his suspicions with a single palm strike.

"Even so, so what?" Zhou Ru slowly raised her head, her alluring features now tinged with a hint of ruthlessness.

She hadn't expected this guy to be so hard to fool.

But so what? He was still just a blade of grass, destined to be destroyed by his master.

Lin Ye chuckled softly upon hearing this, then slowly walked up to Zhou Ru, his gaze falling on her snow-white and slender neck. He spoke as if making casual conversation: "Miss is your master's contracted spirit beast. So, I wonder if your master would be implicated if I were to kill you now?"