Records of the Holy Consort Chapters 10.1-10.4

The night was alive with glittering stars, the darkness a cascading waterfall. Atop the mountain peaks of the Immortal Palace Secret Domain stood a magnificent palace built from colossal stones. The central structure was adorned with paintings of soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes. This was the private chambers of the Palace Master of the Tianxing Immortal Palace, Wei Wuyuan, and the Holy Empress, Ning Xuefei.

However, the masters of the palace were not present. Wei Wuyuan was busy preparing for the campaign against the Qiyan Palace, currently in the council hall discussing matters with his subordinates.

In the study adjacent to the private chambers, the exquisite and elegant room was brightly illuminated by candlesticks burning steadily on the stone walls. The floor was covered in a precious and luxurious red carpet.

At the center of the room, on a wooden desk, the Holy Empress of the Immortal Palace, Ning Xuefei, was hunched over, painting.

She had been proficient in the four arts of qin, go, calligraphy, and painting since childhood, with painting being her greatest talent. She excelled at landscapes and capturing the spirit of her subjects. The many lifelike paintings adorning the room's walls were all her work.

The world was in turmoil, with barbarian tribes pushing south from the borders. The entire Immortal Palace had been mobilized, and all able-bodied warriors had been gathered in the council hall to participate in the Emperor's campaign plans. She had always preferred quiet and detested clamor. Furthermore, she was deeply averse to all matters concerning the Divine Emperor, wishing only to hide away in this quiet corner to find a moment of peace.

Yet, beneath this calm surface, her heart was in turmoil. She was thinking about what the insolent man, Hu Hong, had said, as well as her internal injuries, which had left her feeling irritable and unsettled for days.
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