Lin Qian was full of admiration for the Green Spirit Clan's talents, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
To him, the ability to quickly amass resources and accelerate the growth of plants was even more attractive than having strong combat abilities.
The thought of the barren, unfinished greenery in the cities made Lin Qian feel stifled and uncomfortable.
As Lin Qian passionately described the possibilities, Cui Yu stood frozen, unsure how to respond. She had lived as part of the Green Spirit Clan for so long, but she had never realized just how much potential her clan's abilities held.
Though their talents didn't seem useful in battle, Cui Yu could sense from Lin Qian's words that he valued their ability to accelerate plant growth far more than any combat skills.
The idea of accumulating materials and aiding in the creation of new spirit herbs and trees through experimentation made Cui Yu's eyes light up with curiosity.
"Powerful talents need to be used in the right places to truly shine!" Lin Qian said seriously as he gazed at the young girl from the Green Spirit Clan. "Only by understanding this can you unleash your full potential."
"Don't focus only on combat. Sometimes, talents can produce unexpected results. The Hua Xia Empire will be the perfect stage for your clan to display its gifts." Lin Qian extended his hand toward Cui Yu, his expression sincere. "If possible, I truly hope that the Green Spirit Clan will join the Hua Xia Empire."
Cui Yu looked at Ye Xin for a long moment before bowing respectfully. "I will speak with my grandfather and have him inform the clan leader. This is something the clan leader will need to decide, but…"
Seeing her hesitation, Lin Qian smiled. "If you have any thoughts, feel free to speak up. Don't worry."
"If the clan leader doesn't agree for the Green Spirit Clan to go to the Hua Xia Empire, could I go with you to see the empire for myself?" Cui Yu gathered her courage and asked Lin Qian after a moment's thought.
Lin Qian, initially curious about what the girl might request, couldn't help but laugh when he heard her question. "Of course! That's no problem at all."
"Thank you so much!" The young Green Spirit Clan girl was overjoyed. She bowed deeply to Lin Qian and then happily turned and left the house.
Watching the cheerful and lively girl leave, Lin Qian turned his head toward Ye Xin. "If the Green Spirit Clan really joins the Hua Xia Empire, I'm sure they'll become a group that everyone will pursue. After all, they're all beautiful women and handsome men."
"Well then, has Your Majesty considered taking one of them as a concubine?" Ye Xin teased as she sidled up next to him.
Lin Qian couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "There's no room for anyone else in my heart. In this lifetime, the only person I'll ever love is you, Xin'er."
"Tsk, if you want to, it's okay. Do I seem like such a petty woman?" Ye Xin said playfully, her hands clasped behind her back.
But before she could finish her words, Lin Qian playfully slapped her on the behind with a loud "smack," causing her cheeks to flush bright red as she let out an embarrassed yelp.
"Xiao Qian… what are you doing?"
"Don't ever say something like that again, or I'll get angry!" Lin Qian said with a serious expression, staring at Ye Xin.
Ye Xin was stunned for a moment, taken aback by Lin Qian's seriousness. She mumbled, "But many emperors and rulers of kingdoms…"
"That's why they're just mortal emperors, but I'm the Emperor," Lin Qian said as he walked up to Ye Xin and gently pulled her into his arms. "Even if you don't mind, Xin'er, if there really were other women by my side, wouldn't you feel hurt and upset?"
Ye Xin, wrapped in Lin Qian's embrace, fell silent. When she imagined such a scenario, her heart tightened. Softly, she said, "Of course it would hurt…"
"If it would hurt you, Xin'er…" Lin Qian stroked her hair tenderly. "How could I bear it? In this life, I'll only ever love you. There will only ever be one Empress of the Hua Xia Empire, and that's you."
"Don't compare me to others. I am not like any other emperor. I am unique, one of a kind. How could I be the same as anyone else?"
"Xin'er, I swear on my inner demons, in this lifetime, there will only be you."
Lin Qian's words left Ye Xin trembling. Her body stiffened, and soon, she began to sob uncontrollably. Tears poured from her eyes as she buried herself deeper into his embrace, as if trying to merge with him.
As he held her, Lin Qian's thoughts drifted back to that small courtyard in the Ye family's home in Bashan City.
By the pond in the small yard, a boy and a girl had sat side by side, gazing at the moonlit sky.
The boy was an orphan, abandoned and scorned, labeled a useless failure. The girl was a genius, a pride of the heavens.
"I don't care what anyone else thinks. I'll stay by your side for my entire life, Xiao Qian."
Lin Qian would never forget that radiant smile the girl had given him at the pond's edge during one of his darkest moments.
"Because I like you most, Xiao Qian."
Holding her tightly now, Lin Qian murmured to himself, "I like you most too, Xin'er."
That night passed without a word, like the sudden arrival of spring's breeze, sweeping over everything with a sweet, silent warmth.
The next morning, after Lin Qian and Ye Xin gathered at the Green Spirit Clan's village gates, they prepared to investigate the ruins that the three elders had once frantically avoided.
Lin Qian was very curious about the seal within those ruins.
Decorative fish? The Purple Demon Fish was so powerful, yet it was described as a decorative species on the stone tablet. It was almost unbelievable.
If it was truly just a decorative fish, why had it been sealed away so carefully? Shouldn't it have been allowed to roam free?
Yet, instead of being free, it had been sealed.
To understand the nature of the seals and formations, Lin Qian would likely need the help of the Heaven's Craft Division. Thus, he planned to personally inspect the situation.
On the way to the ruins, Lin Qian retrieved the body of the Purple Demon Fish, storing it within the Xuan Fantasy Star so that the Heaven's Craft Division could study it and see if they could gain any useful insights.
The so-called ruins were located within a cave formed by the collapse of the subterranean world. After descending with the three elders, Lin Qian was shocked to discover how incredibly vast the area beneath was.
The space within the cave was like another world beneath the surface. Ahead of them stood a massive structure, its grand entrance facing them.
A portion of the structure's upper level had collapsed due to the pressure from the cave's ceiling, but the rest of it remained surprisingly intact, its construction extremely sturdy.
On the doors, traces of an ancient formation were still visible, hinting at the power it once held.