Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 435 Declaration Of Love!

The Emperor showed no sign of anger.

Rather, a smile formed on his lips.

This smile was composed and deliberate, devoid of any warmth or malice, bearing only the weight of calculated dominance.

"This Emperor knows full well," he declared in a measured tone, his words resounding across the hushed chamber, "of the betrothal between Bai Zihan and you."

A brief silence followed.

"From what this Emperor understands," he went on, "that betrothal was forged to forge ties between the Bai Clan and the Chu Clan."

The Emperor laid it out straightforwardly. His intent to weaken the betrothal was evident.

Regardless of the cause, a betrothal remained a betrothal.

The Emperor's eyes flicked—quickly, almost imperceptibly—toward Chu Ziyan.

"Yet," he added, his voice easing slightly, "this Emperor's Ninth Daughter has already developed feelings for Bai Zihan."

A murmur swept through the hall.

Feelings?

The Emperor pressed on steadily, as though discussing a perfectly logical matter. "She respects his achievements and his determination amid hardship," he explained. "Such emotions are not for this Emperor to dismiss lightly."

His eyes turned back to Chu Ziyan.

"Thus, this Emperor requests your comprehension," he stated evenly, "and that you willingly end this betrothal."

A moment of quiet ensued.

Then—

"This Emperor will ensure the Chu Clan faces no disadvantage," he promised. "Ample recompense shall be granted."

Resources.

Territory.

Imperial support.

Even ongoing safeguards.

The implications of his statement rang clear.

The Emperor was not merely asking.

He was bargaining from a throne of unchallenged power.

Turmoil churned within the hall, even as appearances of poise held firm.

Many viewed the Emperor's offer as favorable. Chu Ziyan would no longer wed a disabled man.

Had this occurred earlier, opinions might differ—but with Bai Zihan's cultivation now shattered, such a union felt like a burdensome chain.

Thus, the chance to sever ties without issue, while gaining imperial boons, felt like a windfall.

Similar notions and schemes swirled in most minds.

Yet Bai Zihan's mind wandered elsewhere entirely.

(What game is this Emperor running?)

His face stayed serene, though thoughts surged within.

Bai Zihan puzzled over the Emperor's desire to wed the Ninth Princess—Qin Lingxiao, no less—to him.

(Is he even the true Emperor?)

The suspicion arose.

Prior to this day, Bai Zihan would have dismissed it outright. Plenty of masters could spot falsehoods with ease.

But after uncovering Qin Lingxiao's secrets and her prowess, it seemed plausible the Emperor too might be a fraud.

In that case, he could be colluding with the false Ninth Princess to target him—or the Bai Clan.

Still, confirming it proved impossible for now. If Immortal Realm powerhouses detected no anomaly, he certainly couldn't.

Two scenarios lingered.

First—the Emperor was genuine, swayed or convinced by Qin Lingxiao.

Second—the Emperor had been supplanted, much like Yu Feiyan.

Regardless, be it the Emperor's design or Qin Lingxiao's scheme, their aim was to embed within the Bai Clan.

And Bai Zihan dared not probe either lightly.

He glanced—just a touch—toward Qin Lingxiao.

She remained poised, her demeanor soft, regal, impeccable.

As though every twist played out precisely as foreseen.

(What do you stand to win here?)

Bai Zihan wondered wordlessly.

Penetrating the Bai Clan?

Securing a marital link to him?

Drawing nearer to his side?

Or—

(Usurping my role?)

The idea sent a shiver through him.

She possessed the means to pull it off, and by already assuming Yu Feiyan's identity, she had demonstrated her skill.

He lacked the hubris to confront a Golden Immortal Realm expert whose motives eluded him.

Marriage was unthinkable.

Tethering himself to an unknown force—someone mighty enough to vanish him effortlessly—

That spelled certain doom.

Direct refusal?

Not ideal either—yet preferable to entanglement with such peril.

Then—

Chu Ziyan rose and opposed the union.

!!!

(Opportunity!)

He realized. "To arrange yet another match for him," she asserted steadily, "would prove unsuitable—and unjust."

Chu Ziyan voiced her stance with resolve.

The Emperor held back his reply at first.

He observed Chu Ziyan intently for what felt like ages, his stare profound and unreadable, as if appraising more than her mere protest.

Then—he let out a sigh.

A gentle exhale.

"It might be argued," the Emperor remarked deliberately, "that this Emperor's suggestion is... somewhat unseemly."

A wave of astonishment coursed through the assembly.

Such open admission of impropriety from the Emperor was uncommon.

"However," he proceeded, his manner warming to that of a concerned parent over a sovereign, "this affair did not stem from this Emperor's will alone."

His eyes drifted—softly—toward Qin Lingxiao.

"My daughter," he noted, "demanded it."

The declaration fell softly, but hit with greater force than any roar.

"She has never sought a favor from this Emperor before," he elaborated.

"This marks her initial romance."

The chamber plunged into profound quiet.

Certain faces grew tender.

A handful sneered silently, though none uttered a sound.

"As her father," the Emperor affirmed tranquilly, "how could this Emperor deny her?"

His attention swung back to Chu Ziyan.

"Regarding the bond between the Chu Clan and the Bai Clan," he offered, "numerous alternatives exist."

Unions among other kin.

Diplomatic pacts.

Trades of assets.

"Yet my daughter's heart cannot be so easily swayed."

Chu Ziyan's hands quivered faintly under her robes.

Her poise faltered subtly. The Emperor showed no signs of yielding readily.

From others' perspectives, it was she who resisted a lavish deal to end an unwanted betrothal.

Chu Ziyan advanced a pace.

"Your Majesty," she uttered, her tone straining against her bid for steadiness,

"I also—"

Yet before her words could conclude—

A silhouette stirred.

Bai Zihan advanced.

He drew near Chu Ziyan's position, erasing the gap between them.

His hand rose steadily and encircled her arm, grasp secure but tender, guiding her nearer.

Chu Ziyan tensed. A soft flush colored her face.

Her breathing faltered as she shifted half a step inward, her shoulder grazing his torso.

To observers—

The act screamed closeness.

Bai Zihan positioned himself marginally ahead of her, guarding her form while lifting his eyes to the imperial seat.

Only then did his voice emerge.

"Your Majesty," Bai Zihan pronounced distinctly, his tone firm and unwavering, "this junior must decline the imperial decree."

Inward uproar engulfed the hall.

"In truth," he continued smoothly, "Ziyan and I share genuine affection."

Chu Ziyan's eyes widened sharply.

The statement seemed to jolt the entire space.

Even as all assumed the betrothal was purely strategic—as widely recognized—Bai Zihan issued a daring claim.

Chu Ziyan's pulse raced fiercely.

Her cheeks burned with mortification and astonishment.

She whipped around to face Bai Zihan.

"You—!"

But Bai Zihan's hold on her sleeve firmed a bit.

A wordless cue.

(Have faith in me!)

His gaze conveyed as much, or so he hoped.

Still, the plan's sole weakness lay in Chu Ziyan's potential refusal to play along.

Given her prior demeanor, though, he doubted that would arise.

The Emperor's

countenance at last shifted.

Slightly—edged with astonishment.

"Do you truly care for one another?"

The Emperor inquired.

"Yes!"

Bai Zihan answered promptly.

His tone held no tremor.

Chu Ziyan felt her face heat at Bai Zihan's audacious claim. She knew every word from him was utter fabrication. As though he could transform so suddenly.

She figured Bai Zihan merely sought to evade the Ninth Princess's betrothal—employing her as a barrier, mirroring how she once used their pact to deter suitors.

Even so...

The flush persisted.

Bai Zihan's forthright avowal of love—proclaimed amid the crowd, before the Emperor no less—while clasping her arm so steadfastly in defense... After all, beneath their hardy exteriors, every woman nursed such dreams.

A noble suitor.

A grand confession.

Defying all odds.

And Bai Zihan embodied it precisely—right under the Emperor's watchful eye.

Thus, this moment embodied every maiden's ideal.

Gasps echoed across the Grand Ceremonial Hall—

As if myriad souls were pierced simultaneously.

Among the junior cultivators—particularly the females—a clear agitation spread.

Some pressed hands to lips.

Others gaped at the unfolding drama. Some sensed their hearts thumping wildly.

A daring vow of love—directly to the Emperor.

Were it not for Bai Zihan's crippled state....

This could forge an epic tale.

"A vowed eternal tie..."

"Proclaimed so boldly..."

"He even guarded her..."

One young lady gripped her sleeves tightly, eyes aglow.

"If Bai Zihan weren't disabled..."

"It would be the ultimate match."

Countless harbored that sentiment.

What a shame.

A doomed love story. Passion restrained by destiny.

Still—

Not all felt swayed. The seniors.

The plotters.

The Emperor.

They pierced the facade.

The Emperor's stare locked on Bai Zihan—intense, serene, evaluative.

Anger evaded his features.

Joy eluded them too.

Merely contemplation.

He discerned Bai Zihan's ploy plainly.

Evading the royal union.

Leveraging Chu Ziyan as safeguard and tether.

And

nonetheless—

Chu Ziyan had voiced her piece.

Bai Zihan had voiced his.

For the Emperor to wrench them apart now would appear—

Far

too crude.

Far too overt.

Particularly before such a vast audience. The Emperor grasped this fully.