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Another young guard frowned and whispered back, "Shut your mouth before the Emperor hears you, or your head will surely fall."
If Feng Ling knew what kind of scandalous assumptions they were making, she might have coughed up blood on the spot.
Instead, she was still on the ground, clutching her ankle, crying out in pain. When she finally staggered to her feet, her leg gave way, forcing her to limp back onto the bed.
Her golden eyes burned with fury as she glared at Mo Tian, who reclined lazily as though her suffering were some kind of entertainment. Rage bubbled up until it burst from her lips.
"What the hell were you doing to me?!" she shouted, voice sharp with humiliation. "I never knew the great Supreme Demon Emperor would be so shameless—taking advantage of a girl in her sleep!" Her tone dripped with disgust, as if she had just swallowed a fly.
Mo Tian's gaze swept over her slowly, deliberately, as though appraising a piece of merchandise. Her anger, her shame—it all rolled off him like rain against stone. His lips curled into a faint, mocking smirk.
"Yes, I'll admit you have a rare kind of beauty. That red hair, those golden eyes… enough to topple a city, perhaps." His eyes narrowed slightly. "But aside from that? You're flat everywhere. Hardly to my taste. If I wanted to satisfy myself, why would I waste time on a little girl when I have concubines with curves exactly where I want them?"
His tone was casual, indifferent—yet every word cut sharper than a blade.
What Mo Tian did not know was that his mocking words today would one day come back to haunt him—a certain someone etched them into her heart and carried them for years.
Feng Ling's cheeks flushed crimson, a storm of anger and embarrassment rising within her. A girl could endure many insults, but never about her figure.
She was only sixteen—seventeen by winter—and though a late bloomer, she was certain her figure would develop in time. Wait—what was she even thinking?! Did she actually want him to notice her that way?
Her thoughts spiraled, but her voice lashed out sharp and accusing. "Then what do you mean by that? Are you saying I threw myself into your arms? I've always had a good sleeping posture! How could I possibly have ended up clinging to you unless you deliberately—" she stopped, glaring, her golden eyes blazing, "—unless you were the one trying to take advantage of me!"
Mo Tian rose from the bed, his movements unhurried, his face carved in icy indifference.
"I've already said it. I don't take advantage of flat, childish bodies." His gaze swept over her like a cold blade, pausing only on her flushed face. "Look at yourself. Aside from your features, where else could I possibly find interest?"
He turned without waiting for her reply, his robe trailing behind him as he strode toward the door to summon his servants, leaving behind silence thick with humiliation—and the faint crackle of tension neither of them cared to acknowledge.
"I pray you remember the words you said today and never try to take advantage of this 'child.'"
Just as Mo Tian reached for the door, Feng Ling's sharp cry cut through the silence. His hand froze mid-air. Slowly, he turned back, his crimson eyes narrowing on her.
Flustered, Feng Ling hastily tugged her night robe into place, smoothing her disheveled hair as she shifted awkwardly back onto the bed. Pain flared through her sprained ankle, dragging a hiss from her lips—something she had forgotten entirely during their heated argument.
"I need to discuss something with you," she said, her gaze burning with disgust, hatred, and unwillingness.
Mo Tian's expression didn't waver. He turned away from the door, his steps unhurried, and seated himself on the couch near her bed. His face was unreadable, calm to the point of arrogance, as though her venomous glare carried no weight.
After all, he had grown up beneath far harsher stares: the cold disgust of his father when he was powerless, the simmering hatred of his elder brothers each time he defeated them when they tried to bully him. To Mo Tian, such looks were nothing new. If anything, they almost amused him—reminders of the chaos, resentment, and twisted joy that had always shaped his path.
"I want to switch rooms."
Feng Ling's voice was cold and sharp, leaving no room for misunderstanding. "I feel uncomfortable and unwilling to share a space with you. This so-called marriage of ours is nothing but a sham—a cruel joke.
You deceived me, broke your word, and slaughtered my family. Tell me, why should I live under the same roof—much less the same room—with someone as vile as you?"
She didn't care if her words were offensive. How could she possibly smile or speak sweetly to the man who had destroyed her world? Because of him, she had been torn away from the one she loved—the fiancé she should have married, the life she should have lived.
Instead, she had been dragged into this foreign Demon Realm, forced into a sham union, her loyal maidservants punished without mercy. Every memory of his cruelty only deepened the burning hatred in her chest. There was no space for forgiveness. Only loathing.
Mo Tian leaned back slightly, crimson eyes narrowing as if savoring her fury. His lips curved into a dangerous smirk.
"Little witch," he murmured, his voice low and mocking, "I like the way you glare at me. Those red eyes of yours... so full of hate. They make me want to break you—piece by piece—and see just how long that hatred can last."
He rose from the couch, his towering presence pressing down on her as he spoke with chilling indifference. "But let me shatter your little fantasy. You are the Demon Empress, whether you like it or not. This chamber is yours—and mine. Even if I choose to spend the night in another concubine's bed, you will remain here, waiting for me to return."
His voice hardened, final and absolute.
"I don't want to hear this request again. If I do..." He paused at the door, his smile razor-thin. "You will taste my punishment. And you will not enjoy it."
"Little witch, don't forget your duties as the Supreme Demon Empress. Don't be late for your class today. This matter ends here—our discussion is over."