Even without using the Qi Observation Skill, Jiang Li could sense the turbulent Qi mechanism surrounding the Princess.

The intense Flame Qi sometimes surged like boiling water, and at times spread like a wildfire, enveloping the entire great hall in scorching heat.

The veils and golden pillars within the palace shimmered with the firelight, the Flame Qi lapping at them, yet not igniting them.

The layout of the palace had changed dramatically since the last time Jiang Li visited. The crimson veils absorbed the Flame Qi, and the golden pillars and chairs within the hall were impervious to the flames. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time the Princess had recklessly emitted Flame Qi.

And this agitated Flame Qi also indicated that the Princess’s mind was in tumultuous upheaval.

Resentment, anger, madness, and self-destructiveness.

Jiang Li’s arrival, or rather the news he brought, was like a fuse, completely triggering the Princess’s pent-up emotions and fury.

"I know what you mean, you want me to deal with him, to use me as a tool to attack his spirit."

The Princess reclined on the vermilion throne, the flame light wavering over her, revealing a dangerous smile. "You also harbor resentment towards him in your heart."

Jiang Li indeed intended to have the Princess confront the Great Venerable, mentioning him not just to shirk responsibility. But even Jiang Li didn’t expect the Princess’s resentment and rage had accumulated to this extent.

Furthermore, the Princess, having contended with the old demon Tianxuan for years, saw through Jiang Li’s intention to have her confront the Great Venerable, albeit with a misunderstanding.

The Princess thought Jiang Li bore resentment over the Jiazi limit, unaware that Jiang Sikong’s pettiness didn’t prevent Jiang Li from targeting both major and minor grudges.

Either way, the fuse had been lit, and the Princess’s anger had erupted. Previously, it was just false news claiming to have mastered Innate Qi, but now it was the real thing.

Flame light burned upon her, and her crimson palace outfit was gradually consumed by flames.

The flame light illuminated the jade-like skin, the vermilion hues flowing over the smooth jade surface, exuding an indescribable splendor, a poignant yet flourishing beauty.

"Rather than using me, why don’t you take revenge yourself?"

The Princess shouted fiercely, as the flame light on her body fluctuated with her voice and burned, the flames flickering unsteadily.

This woman...

’She is burning herself with True Fire.’

Jiang Li noticed the abnormal flames on the Princess.

Even with the Princess’s Dao Fruit and Cultivation Body, True Fire couldn’t truly harm her, but the burning pain was tangible. She purposely retained that pain, without directly using her Fire Element body to absorb the Flame Qi.

This undoubtedly indicated that the Princess’s mental state was on the verge of madness.

She didn’t care if Jiang Li was willing to help her cultivate Innate Qi, just directly burning her palace outfit to the ground.

If Jiang Li refused, that would be a great humiliation for a woman who had gone this far.

But this humiliation was also a form of revenge against Feng Manlou.

Jiang Li watched the Princess, his expression gradually calming, and said, "Sister-in-law, you must think this through."

Jiang Sikong was never one to shy away, and to say Jiang Li felt no anger after being manipulated by the Great Venerable would be a lie.

His mental state was indeed exceptional, thanks to the Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit, which allowed him to remain unaffected by anger. Regardless of emotion, he could endure calmly, but this didn’t mean Jiang Li wasn’t angry.

At this moment, anger burned within Jiang Li as well.

The response to Jiang Li was the unfolding fire wings.

The Vermilion Bird Divine Bird took shape behind the Princess, spreading its double wings, flame flows surging, incinerating the chair beneath Jiang Li, propelling him toward the Princess.

And Jiang Li didn’t resist.

In an instant, the two figures merged into one, overlapping together.

Then...

The Princess’s hand, resting on the armrest of the throne, slowly tightened, her jade-like fingers gradually embedding into the armrest, perhaps signifying her inner tension.

Just as the armrest was about to be crushed by her jade hand, it suddenly tensed, as if frozen.

At the same time, the manifested Vermilion Bird let out a long cry.

"Heh—"

A faintly hoarse laugh came from within the flames, and the Princess suddenly pressed down on the armrest, turning to kneel on the throne.

"Boom!"

Flame Qi boiled, the flame light danced, swaying with the wind in flickering trajectories, True Fire burned in patches, scorching both the Princess and Jiang Li.

In the burning firelight, droplets of sweat flowed out, only to evaporate, while the dancing flame light became increasingly frenzied.

The sensation of pain swept over them, countered by suppression, the heat rampaging, venting an indescribable restlessness and madness.

The manifesting flame Vermilion Bird flew around the throne, sometimes letting out long cries, sometimes wailing. Eventually, the Vermilion Bird suddenly expanded its form, enveloping the throne, lifting its neck to let out a dying screech, then abruptly shattered into a Flame Flow, pouring down.

······

······

The Vermilion Bird Hall remained filled with firelight into the late night, lasting until noon, when the flame light finally subsided.

The throne had been melted into a Jade Couch, where Jiang Li lay askew, still with Flame Qi lingering in his hair, feeling warmth radiating all over his body.

Compared to Gongsun Qingyue and Tianxuan, or even the Primordial Lord Rain Master, the Princess was entirely different. Jiang Li and she had no special feelings, yet their shared purpose burned intensely, venting freely.

Like a blazing fire, it merely needed to burn wildly until everything and nothing remained.

Of course, mixed within was an indescribable sense of forbiddenness.

’Speaking of forbiddenness...’

Jiang Li focused on sensing the Dao Fruit while looking towards the Karma Collection.

[Jiang Li was disappointed that the fusion of Dao Fruit hadn’t progressed because of this.]

[The Green Emperor Dao Fruit represents an aspect of Fuxi, who has a prohibited relationship with Nuwa, yet this relationship doesn’t seem to be one of the standards for the Dao Fruit’s evolution.]

"Tut, how could I be disappointed."

Jiang Li couldn’t help but refute in his mind. "This indicates that the Green Emperor Dao Fruit adheres to the Righteous Path, not something dubious to be disrupted by. Besides, I never entertained such unconventional thoughts."

Jiang, who always favored the Evil Path, sternly rebuked the Karma Collection’s defamation.

[Despite Jiang Li’s words, his heart was filled with regret. If this path worked, he surely would significantly advance the Dao Fruit fusion progress in a short time.]

[But unfortunately, Fuxi seems to be a decent person, and his Dao Fruit cannot walk the Evil Path.]

[If it were the Yellow Emperor, things might be different.]

In the end, Jiang Li still had to worry about advancing the Green Emperor Dao Fruit’s evolution.

However, there’s no need to worry much about this side of the court, as with the Princess’s assistance, Jiang Li’s accession to the throne should proceed without much turmoil.