The Empress Begs for Forgiveness? I, the Villainous Overlord, Won't Pretend Anymore! - Chapter 10:

Chapter 10:

As Xu Ning and Yuwen Shuang stepped out from the corridor, Yao Ling’er and Yuwen Rou turned to look at them simultaneously.

“Husband.”
“Your Highness.”

Both greeted Xu Ning respectfully.

Xu Ning stood with his hands behind his back, his expression as calm as still water. He gave them a faint nod in return.

Yuwen Shuang, on the other hand, looked utterly defeated, her face blank and expression dazed.

Seeing this, panic flashed through Yuwen Rou’s eyes. Just as Xu Ning’s gaze fell on her, she instinctively lowered her head and said nothing, trying to hide her unease.

Yuwen Shuang ignored her completely and walked straight out the main door.

“Ling’er, you may leave. I have something to discuss with Rou’er.”

The moment she heard the word “Rou’er,” Yao Ling’er bit her lip lightly, her delicate hand clenched, and the flicker of unwillingness in her eyes quickly faded. A sour jealousy welled up in her chest.

“Yes, Husband.” She deliberately emphasized the word “husband,” then turned and walked away.

Now only Xu Ning and Yuwen Rou remained in the hall. Xu Ning looked at her with a faint smile.

He had already confirmed it—Yuwen Rou was a Fate-Blessed Woman.

And not just any Fate-Blessed Woman—she was far superior to Yao Ling’er. With ten strands of Primordial Purple Qi, she could rival Long Lingtian at his peak.

Under Xu Ning’s burning gaze, Yuwen Rou felt as though her heart had been seen through. Unease surged within her. Her heart pounded wildly, and the air around her seemed thick, making it hard to breathe.

“Your Highness, may I ask why you’ve kept me behind?” she asked with a trembling voice.

Xu Ning didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped closer. The distance between them closed instantly until their noses nearly touched.

Yuwen Rou could clearly feel the warmth from his body and the masculine breath brushing past her cheeks.

“Ah…” Her body trembled, her cheeks flushed red, and she instinctively stepped back.

She had never been this close to any man before. Not even Feng Yao—whom she deeply respected—had ever crossed that line.

The more she stepped back, the closer Xu Ning pressed forward. Before she realized it, she was already backed against the wall with no escape.

“Your Highness, are you trying to…” she stammered, her lips trembling. Her delicate body shivered like a frightened little animal.

Was Xu Ning about to force himself on her?

The very thought shocked her. She had never believed Xu Ning to be that kind of man.

But… on second thought, perhaps it wasn’t so unreasonable. After all, she was now his prisoner. Whatever he did to her, she wouldn’t be able to resist.

Could it be that, just like Shuang’er said, everything Xu Ning showed before was just a disguise?

Her face grew even paler. Her beautiful eyes dimmed with despair.

“What do I want to do?” Xu Ning curved his lips into a teasing smile. Placing one hand against the wall, he leaned over her, caging her in like a domineering CEO from a historical drama.

“I want to ask you how to deal with the Yuwen clan’s rebellion.” His tone was still soft, but his words sent a chill down her spine. It was like falling into an ice-cold abyss.

“Your Highness… you knew?” Her eyes widened, and her voice trembled with fear.

Rebellion was a capital crime. Xu Ning had shown great mercy by not only sparing the Yuwen clan but even granting them favor.

But the Yuwen clan repaid that mercy with betrayal. That crime was enough to annihilate their entire bloodline!

“While your family was holding their meeting this morning, my people were watching from nearby,” Xu Ning said, spouting lies with ease like a true villain.

“Your Highness showed mercy, but I repaid you with treachery… I deserve death!” Yuwen Rou burst into tears, her beautiful face streaked with sorrow.

Seeing her weeping like a pear blossom bathed in rain, Xu Ning smiled gently. He reached out to wipe her tears, smoothing the messy strands of hair beside her ear, and comforted her softly, “If you keep crying, I might stop liking you.”

Faced with this sudden confession, Yuwen Rou didn’t know whether to feel shy or happy. But realizing there was a hint of forgiveness in his tone, she looked up in a daze, her eyes slightly unfocused.

“Your Highness… are you not going to kill me?” she asked, barely believing her own words.

“Of course not. I can’t bear to kill you. That’s why I asked you how you plan to deal with the Yuwen clan.” Xu Ning nodded with a smile.

At that moment, warmth surged through Yuwen Rou’s heart. Her nose tingled, and tears spilled again from her eyes.

“Your Highness, I don’t understand… my Yuwen clan has repeatedly offended you, even betrayed your kindness. Why do you…”

Before she could finish, Xu Ning gently pressed his finger against her lips.

“Rou’er, do you believe in love at first sight?” he asked, gazing at her with deep emotion.

Her face turned a snow-white shade with two blooming red blushes. She looked away, not daring to meet his eyes.

“I don’t…”

Her voice was barely audible, tinged with shyness and annoyance. “That’s just the kind of nonsense men use to trick women…” As she spoke, her cheeks turned burning hot.

“I didn’t either,” Xu Ning said as he cupped her cheeks with both hands, their eyes meeting. “But from the moment I saw you, I believed.”

“I swear on my Dao Heart… you will be the love of my life!”

As soon as he said that, Yuwen Rou trembled as if struck by lightning.

She couldn’t believe her ears—Xu Ning actually swore on his Dao Heart!

To any cultivator, a Dao Heart oath was a matter of life and death. If broken, the cultivator’s Dao Heart would be damaged, and they would never be able to progress again in their lifetime!

At this thought, overwhelming emotion surged from her heart like a tidal wave.

[Ding! The Fate-Blessed Woman has developed romantic feelings for the host. This negatively affects the Child of Destiny. Gained 400 Fate Points.]

Heh, just one step away from complete submission now.

Xu Ning curled his lips into a playful smirk.

Once he captured a Fate-Blessed Woman, not only could he deal with the Child of Destiny, he could also use her like an ATM for Fate Points… and at night, well, hehehe, what more could he want?

Yuwen Rou took a deep breath. Looking at the man in front of her with such sincere emotion in his eyes, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Your Highness has shown such affection… I have no way to repay it. But… I already have someone in my heart.”

The second Child of Destiny?

Xu Ning’s eyes flashed with interest. He let go of her face and asked, probing gently, “May I ask who managed to win Rou’er’s heart?”

Yuwen Rou sighed in relief. After Xu Ning swore upon his Dao Heart, she no longer held any wariness toward him. Her voice softened.

“Your Highness must promise not to harm him.”

Xu Ning smiled faintly and said, “Since it’s someone you care about, I won’t trouble him.”

This was where his righteous persona paid off. If he had acted too much like a villain before, Yuwen Rou definitely wouldn’t have trusted him enough to reveal the identity of the second Child of Destiny.

Seeing how magnanimous Xu Ning was, Yuwen Rou felt deeply moved, warmth blooming in her chest.

Her Highness really does care for me wholeheartedly… She didn’t even realize she had started to smile.

She told Xu Ning everything about Ji Fengyao.

Ji Fengyao was the legitimate heir of the Ji family—one of the eight noble families in the imperial capital of the former dynasty.

After the Xuansheng Empress rose to power, the Ji family was exterminated. The Yuwen clan, once close allies with the Ji family, committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor by secretly taking in Ji Fengyao.

As a child, Ji Fengyao had shown exceptional talent, but one day, he was crippled and never recovered.

Until three years ago, when he suddenly changed completely, shocked the world once more, and declared that in three years, he would settle accounts with the Xuansheng Empress.

After that, he joined the Taixu Holy Land—one of the three great sacred grounds—and vanished without a trace.

By calculation, the three years were now up. Ji Fengyao would return to the Yuwen clan any time now.