Ju Zi said, “You don’t have to say all that to me. We don’t have a consensus when it comes to this. I have no desire for power or authority. I followed Xu Tianran for revenge. However, my desire to exact revenge has slowly died down over the past few years. Now, I have a son. I must pave the way for him.”
“You’ve also seen how Xu Tianran treats my son. The last time, little Yunhan almost died outside. If you didn’t bring him back, I can’t imagine what would have happened to him. That’s why I must become strong and make my son the most powerful person in this world. I’m not fighting for Xu Tianran, but my son. In the future, my son will become the true master of this world. No one can stop me. The only way is to kill me. If you are intent enough, I can tell you a secret.”
Huo Yuhao was stunned. “Using your life in exchange for a secret? What is it?”
Ju Zi smiled, and her gaze turned gentler as she looked at him. “It’s a secret you’ll never guess. However, you can only know if you are determined enough to kill me. When you stab my heart, I’ll tell you.”
Huo Yuhao laughed bitterly. “You’ve already seen through me clearly. You know I won’t lay my hands on you. That’s why you’re so calm. I can’t even hold you captive right now. However, you’ve also seen this independent dimension of mine. If I want to intentionally cause destruction, the Sun Moon Empire will definitely be greatly affected.”
Ju Zi replied, “You can try then. Let’s see whether I unify the continent faster, or you cause damage to the Sun Moon Empire faster.”
Huo Yuhao furrowed his brow and said, “Aren’t you worried at all? Don’t forget that Xu Tianran was once hurt by me.”
Ju Zi said, “Yuhao, if you can do one thing, I might be able to delay the invasion of the Douluo Continent.”
“What is it?” Huo Yuhao was curious as he looked at her.
“Help me kill Xu Tianran!” Ju Zi exclaimed with the utmost seriousness.
“What?” Huo Yuhao hadn’t expected her to say this. “He’s your husband! You, you want to murder your husband?”
Ju Zi laughed coldly. “Husband? He was never my husband. Neither was I ever his wife. I’m only a tool for him to use. Or rather, everyone around him are like tools to him. This includes my son. Originally, I still had some feelings for him. I wouldn’t be here today if not for him. However, I no longer owed him anything the day he decided to forsake our son. In the near future, I must kill him. My son can only ascend the throne if he’s dead. All the problems will cease to exist as a result of that. That’s why you must kill him to delay the invasion of the Douluo Continent. I’ll only have the freedom to pull our troops back if we kill him. Of course, I still need to deal with the Holy Ghost Church after he’s dead. It’s also because of this that I won’t unite the continent temporarily. So what do you think? If you can do that, I can promise that no war will be waged in the next ten years. You can also help the Star Luo and Dou Ling Empires develop over those ten years. Let’s see whether they can catch up to the Sun Moon Empire. If you can do that, this world will still be split into three.”
Huo Yuhao felt as if it were his first time meeting Ju Zi. He stared at her, and couldn’t utter a word for some time.
Ju Zi had actually asked him to kill Xu Tianran. She was very unfamiliar to him in this manner. Right now, it seemed like she was only genuine when talking about her son.
“Ju Zi, I didn’t know you’d become like this. No matter what, Xu Tianran is the father of your son! Although I really wish for him to die, you shouldn’t. I don’t want you to become a cold-blooded creature.”
Ju Zi laughed coldly. “Father of my son? If that’s the case, would he have laid his hands on his son? Although I’m not a good person, I’m a person of flesh and blood. I’m a real woman. However, Xu Tianran isn’t a real man. He didn’t just lose his legs when he was attacked by his biological younger brother. He also lost his manhood. My son is mine. He has no relation to Xu Tianran. To have a Crown Prince and stabilize his throne, he forced me to artificially inseminate a kid. Did you know that? Do you know how much I’ve suffered over these years?”
Tears flowed as she laughed coldly. Ju Zi was shaking uncontrollably.
Huo Yuhao was also in a daze. Of course he didn’t know that she had suffered so much.
Xu Tianran and Ju Zi were actually only husband and wife in name. He had even forced Ju Zi to artificially inseminate herself. This had to be the Sun Moon Empire’s greatest secret. If it spread, both Xu Tianran and Ju Zi would be doomed.
However, Huo Yuhao wasn’t thinking about this. He only realized why Ju Zi hated Xu Tianran. A man, who was her husband, actually let her inseminate herself with some other guy’s semen. How cruel was this? To a woman, this was even more cruel.
“I’m sorry, Ju Zi. I didn’t know.”
Ju Zi took a few steps forward and came in front of him. She lifted her head to look at him. Right now, both of them were less than thirty centimeters apart.
“I don’t need you to apologize. Although I hate Xu Tianran, I love my son. That’s why you can help me kill Xu Tianran, if that’s possible. However, you must never harm little Yunhan. If you can do this, I don’t need you to care about anything else. I’ll think of a way to stop the Sun Moon Empire from waging a war for the next ten years. What do you think?”
Huo Yuhao was really moved. The Star Luo and Dou Ling Empires could achieve a lot in ten years. Although there was still a huge gap between these two empires and the Sun Moon Empire in terms of soul tool technology, they had the opportunity to catch up if they had ten years to plan and prepare. After ten years, he would also become stronger. When that happened, he could possibly control the entire war.
However, this matter involved many things. Huo Yuhao was still hesitant. “Let me consider it.”
Ju Zi nodded and said, “I’m not in a rush. However, don’t worry. No matter what, I won’t really attack Shrek City. You told me that the city is your home. Why would I destroy your home?”
Huo Yuhao asked, “What’s your true intention? Apart from forcing me back from the Sun Moon Empire, what else do you want if you are not intending to attack Shrek? Is your target the Dou Ling Empire or the Star Luo Empire?”
Ju Zi looked at him and smiled without saying anything.
Huo Yuhao looked at her. “Answer my question and I’ll send you back.”
Ju Zi sighed and replied, “So what if I answer you? Even I promise not to attack Shrek Academy, will those from the academy believe you? Even if they do, will you take a risk with the academy?”
Huo Yuhao furrowed his brow. “You’ve calculated it perfectly already!”
Ju Zi chuckled, “Yes! Am I not clever? However, I don’t really think I’m smart. If I were, I wouldn’t have let you get away back then. Then there wouldn’t be Wang Dong’er.”
Huo Yuhao turned his head away and avoided her passionate gaze. He sighed and said, “Come on, let me send you back.”
Ju Zi laughed, “What are you so scared of? I won’t eat you.” As she spoke, she took a step forward and came closer to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao subconsciously took half a step back. He lifted his right hand and pressed it on her shoulder to keep her at arm’s length.
“Is she really that good?” Ju Zi asked as she stared at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao silently looked at Ju Zi, but he didn’t utter a word. When he was still learning in the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, he didn’t know that Wang Dong’er was a girl. If he had known that then, he wouldn’t have been able to accept anyone else in his heart.
Huo Yuhao’s feelings for Ju Zi were complex. Indeed, Ju Zi was the first girl to walk into his heart. It was just that he was very confused about that feeling. Then, Huo Yuhao had felt a yearning in his heart. After this, he realized that his yearning was actually for Wang Dong’er.
Things changed with the passage of time. He was really dumbfounded when Ju Zi asked him such a question now. He wasn’t willing to harm her, but he couldn’t just speak blindly.
Ju Zi only watched him silently. After a while, her tears started to flow. “Yuhao, I only hope that you remember that I won’t harm two people in this world – my son and you.”
Huo Yuhao shook a little. Given his spiritual cultivation, he could naturally sense that her words were filled with emotions. They weren’t a pretense.
He nodded gently before he revealed a long look on his face, “I’m really not willing to face you on the battlefield. At least we’re still friends.”
Ju Zi asked, “Can you give me a hug?”
Huo Yuhao hesitated for a moment. Eventually, he opened his arms wide and gently hugged her . However, he didn’t pull her close to him.
Ju Zi pushed him away, “You’re really patronizing. But I’m happy enough.” After she finished speaking, she suddenly turned around and ran away. She ran outside.
Huo Yuhao quickly followed her outside.
As she stood in the base, Ju Zi looked into the distance. In the distance, the soil was barren, and there were still many hills. There was nothing green, and no sign of life could be seen.
“It’s really magical. I don’t know why such a place exists. I know you won’t tell me. I won’t probe either. Send me back. After I return, I’m still the War God Empress. Everything I told you earlier still holds.”
“Okay.” Huo Yuhao gently sighed. He didn’t recite any incantations before a pitch-black door opened behind them. Huo Yuhao grabbed Ju Zi’s shoulder with one hand. Their figures flashed. They crossed the threshold and vanished.