"Brother Han was chosen by our elders as my husband," she said, though the girl's heart longed for the Emperor. "If His Majesty is willing, Xiao Xiao would gladly offer her body to him."

In other words - rather than marry this Han Qing, she'd surrender herself to another?

Zong Shou couldn't hide his smugness if he tried. All men were like that beneath their skin, weren't they? Especially when faced with a woman whose face could rival Zhao Yanshen's charm and whose curves were so perfect they defied logic. That waist, slender enough for one hand to encircle, was pure invitation.

The old saying about men being fickle never felt truer today.

"I don't mind," Zong Shou said lightly, "but the Empire and Demon Sects are eternal enemies! Won't your fellow sectmates reprimand you for this?"

He chuckled without shame. "Perhaps it's best if you stop joking around."

His Soul-Cultivation Sword was nearly within reach now - just a hair's breadth from binding her completely.

All escape routes sealed, all chances of outside aid eliminated.

This demon girl would die by his blade.

"Emperor must be mistaken!"

Su Xiao Xiao trembled visibly. Her breath came in ragged gasps.

"All we want is the demonic embryo I carry," she panted, "if it comes to breeding - who's better suited? Han Qing? Or Your Majesty?" She pressed a hand to her chest. "Grandmaster Yuemo would be delighted if it were you. Xiao Xiao has studied seduction since childhood and mastered all pleasurable arts..." Her cheeks flushed crimson with feigned modesty.

The effect was immediate. Zong Shou's heart skipped as his near-crisis of breaking the demon illusion faltered. Tracking her true form now required more effort than he'd prefer.

There was no denying it - this girl had a talent for enchantment that could drive any man mad. Even with his mind tempered through countless life-or-death battles, he found himself wavering multiple times as his killing intent ebbed away.

"Devil-woman!"

Zong Shou cursed, pulling the Soul-Cultivation Sword back into his sleeve. The sword's execution aura dissipated instantly.

Too full a moon begins to wane. Holding too much power without release was dangerous.

"What absurd nonsense!" the Emperor snapped, cheeks flushed with frustration. He couldn't play this game in public - not against someone who didn't blink at stripping bare her shamelessness.

"Is Your Majesty calling Xiao Xiao vulgar?"

The girl's eyes welled up as she asked, voice trembling. "I've always been taught to be shameless! The more I am, the better the men respond. Is it my fault for being born into hardship? Taken by demons at a young age, what else was I to learn?"

She grew bold again: "Could Your Majesty truly watch as Xiao Xiao marries that brother of mine? Watch him claim this body while she begs and pleads?"

Zong Shou went silent. Images of Han Qing and Su Xiao Xiao entwined naked filled his mind with sudden fury - a delicate flower forced into dung. He shook himself violently, inhaling sharply as the girl's seductive arts seeped through cracks in his resolve.

What did it matter to him who she married? Why was he even caring enough to defend her?

As emotions churned within, his sword aura unraveled completely.

Zong Shou turned iron-ash gray. He withdrew the Soul-Cultivation Sword again. "You may go. I won't kill you tonight."

Not because of mercy - but because his resolve failed him at this moment. This demon woman truly felt like a celestial opponent.

Most maddening of all? For one brief heartbeat, he nearly lost himself completely!

"Is Your Majesty reluctant?" Su Xiao Xiao's eyes darkened with disappointment. She hid her mouth behind a fan, though Zong Shou wondered if she was smirking through the peacock feathers.

"I thank His Majesty for sparing my life," she said in an exaggerated bow. "But I came here today to propose peace between the Empire and our Demon Sects! If I fail..."

When the Emperor's brows furrowed again, killing intent flashing in his eyes, Su Xiao Xiao swallowed hard but maintained her poise.

"I heard twenty-three days ago His Majesty made a proposition to Grandmaster Yuemo?"

Zong Shou stiffened. Had that demon lord truly considered his terms?

Impossible! He'd demanded far more than he expected Rie Xue to agree to. Even now, the thought of Rie Xue handing over Blood Saint Demon Master seemed laughable.

Yet her sincerity rang true in some strange way.

He stilled himself and listened as Su Xiao Xiao continued: "You said life for life, blood for blood - first to hand over those who slaughtered our people and give a proper accounting; secondly, to deliver up the Blood Saint Demon Master?"

When Zong Shou gave no reply, she smiled knowingly. "As for the accounting... in these past twenty-three days, thirty sects have fallen beneath Your Majesty's sword. That should suffice as an offering. As for those criminals... our Sect would never betray them! But if His Majesty insists on pursuing them, we won't hinder you or protect them. Whether you succeed is up to your Empire's strength."

Zong Shou narrowed his eyes. So this was the Demon Sects' way - selling out their disciples?

Never in the Dao Sects or the Way of Humanity would they betray their own. Even when entire sects were annihilated, few would sacrifice their kin. The Upper Heaven Sect proved that before.

But for demon sects? It seemed completely natural to them - just not quite full betrayal. They'd let disciples flee and vanish into shadows without interference.

After a moment's contemplation, Zong Shou nodded. He had likely found the Demon Sects' final line in the sand.

"Finally, regarding Blood Saint Demon Master..."

Su Xiao Xiao grew solemn now, concealing her movements carefully.

"The Grandmaster told me he needs thirty years to survive his ascension trial and achieve immortality," she said. "Though he cannot hand over Blood Saint for you to punish... he will allow him to challenge Your Majesty directly in open combat for the next three decades - no holds barred!"

A heavy silence followed in the void, even Mingyu couldn't help but watch.

Su Xiao Xiao studied Zong Shou closely, searching his expression for any reaction.

But then came a sudden peal of laughter that made her freeze.

She'd expected fury at these impossible conditions. After all, this "fair" battle meant Blood Saint could use no demon arts while Zong Shou would have to abandon his imperial martial ways and fight with sheer strength alone - suicidal for someone not yet late Immortal Realm.

Yet the Emperor's laughter was pure joy, satisfaction dripping from every note.

After a long time, he finally stopped laughing. With one sweeping gesture of his sleeve, all approaching warships halted instantly.

"As Grandmaster Yuemo said," Zong Shou declared, "my Empire and your Demon Sects will cease hostilities for now."

Then another demand: "But you must surrender twelve sacred sites near the Eastern Cloud Continent and Hui within three months. Refuse, and I'll take them by force!"

His words were sharp as a blade.

"Your Majesty... would you truly treat us like livestock?"

Su Xiao Xiao's chest heaved dramatically, drawing attention to her already impressive curves. She looked almost ready to bargain...

...before composing herself once more.

"A deal," she said at last. "But first cancel the Imperial Demon Eradication Edict!"

"That won't happen!" Zong Shou's eyes flashed like swords. "I speak with imperial authority, which I will not lightly revoke! Any demon sect disciple who enters my Empire does so entirely on their own head."

The girl studied him carefully before sighing softly.

This was a humiliation worse than any Demon Sect had ever faced - even eclipsing the Six Teachings' disgrace when Qin Shi Huang unified the Cloud Realm and crushed the Xiang Wang armies.

"Then let this be our agreement," she said finally. "Neither side may break it for ten years."

With over forty sacred sites and tens of thousands of disciples lost, this was a decade-long respite they could barely afford.

"I accept," Zong Shou nodded. "But if Demon Sects still meddle in the conflict between my Empire and Daoist/Rujia sects..."

"Grandmaster Yuemo will temporarily leave Cloud Realm!" Su Xiao Xiao interjected before he finished, then smiled sweetly. "Will Your Majesty reconsider my proposal? Xiao Xiao is serious - her body may be yours to take whenever you wish. No titles or expectations needed. Call me and I come; send me away and I go. It would make me the happiest woman in heaven."

For a fleeting moment, Zong Shou's heart skipped again as heat coiled dangerously low.

He shut his eyes tightly, forcing it down before bellowing like a lion: "Get out!"

That demon girl - her seductive arts were truly fearsome. The longer he was exposed to them, the harder it became to resist.

And yet... why did this feel so different from any woman before? (To be continued)