Chapter 216: the palace breathes dark
The palace had always been vast, but that night, it felt... hollow.
The lanterns swayed gently in the corridors, their flas steady, yet the shadows behind them seed to stretch longer than usual, clinging to the walls as if reluctant to let go. Even the marble floors reflected light in a dull, muted way, as though sothing unseen had dimd the palace’s spirit.
Empress Lian An sat in her courtyard, fingers resting loosely on the arm of her chair. The air felt thick. Heavy. Like the mont before a storm that never ca.
She frowned.
Sothing was wrong.
Not visibly wrong—no screams, no blood, no sudden chaos—but a suffocating stillness that pressed against her skin. Even the wind had grown quiet. The usual chirping of night insects had faded, replaced by a strange, humming silence.
Her chest tightened.
"I don’t like this," she murmured.
Beside her, the three ghosts hovered uneasily.
Fen Yu hugged her arms around herself, her usually dramatic expression replaced by genuine unease.
"Why does it feel like soone poured cold water down my spine?" she whispered. "Even my ghost skin feels heavy."
Wei Rong, the general ghost, stood straighter, eyes narrowed as he scanned the shadows.
"This place... it’s wrong tonight. The air pressure is off. I can’t sense danger clearly, but my instincts are screaming."
Li Shen, the scholar ghost, closed his eyes and concentrated. His expression slowly tightened.
"There is a disturbance in the palace’s spiritual flow. The qi lines are unstable. It’s as if sothing is... stirring."
Lian An felt it too.
Her limbs were slightly heavy, like she had not slept enough. Her temples throbbed faintly, and an unfamiliar drowsiness tugged at the back of her mind.
"Why am I suddenly sleepy?" she muttered. "I wasn’t tired just now."
Fen Yu nodded frantically.
" too! I feel like lying down and never waking up. This is not normal!"
Wei Rong clenched his fists.
"This is dangerous. Sothing is suppressing spiritual awareness."
The lanterns flickered.
For a brief second, the light dimd.
Lian An’s heart skipped.
Around the palace, faint whispers drifted through corridors.
Servants who passed by murmured nervously.
"Did you feel that chill just now?"
"I thought soone was behind ..."
"The palace feels strange tonight..."
"I heard sothing move in the garden, but there was no one..."
Even the guards shifted uneasily at their posts, hands tightening on their spears, glancing into corners where shadows pooled unnaturally.
Lian An stood slowly.
"This energy... it’s making
uncomfortable."
Li Shen stepped closer to her, worry etched into his usually composed face.
"This is not natural fatigue. It’s suppression. Sothing is draining the surrounding spiritual energy."
Fen Yu tugged at Lian An’s sleeve.
"Don’t go anywhere alone tonight. Please."
Lian An hesitated.
Her heart felt restless. The suffocating stillness pressed against her chest, making it hard to breathe. She needed air. Fresh wind. Space.
"Maybe I should take a short walk near the lake," she said. "The breeze there always clears my head."
The three ghosts froze.
Fen Yu nearly wailed.
"NO! Absolutely not!"
Wei Rong’s voice hardened.
"The lake is where you nearly drowned before. You were possessed there. The spiritual lines converge around that area. If sothing is active tonight, that place is the most dangerous."
Li Shen nodded gravely.
"The lake sits atop an old energy node. The monk warned that hidden chanisms and arrays beneath the palace can awaken. If sothing is stirring tonight, the lake area will amplify it."
Lian An frowned.
"Then what do you suggest? I feel like my head is going to explode if I stay here."
Li Shen thought for a mont.
"We should ditate. Stabilize our qi. Strengthen our spiritual awareness. Whatever is suppressing us cannot fully affect those who guard their minds."
Fen Yu nodded eagerly.
"Yes! Let’s cultivate! If we beco stronger, nothing weird can touch us!"
Wei Rong crossed his arms.
"It’s safer to remain within the courtyard. The palace guards pass by here regularly."
Lian An exhaled slowly.
ditation sounded sensible.
But her chest still felt tight.
"I just need a little breeze," she said softly. "I won’t go far. Just a few steps outside the courtyard. I’ll be back in minutes."
Fen Yu’s eyes widened.
"You said that last ti too."
Lian An rolled her eyes.
"I’m not going to jump into the lake. Relax."
Li Shen moved to block her path.
"If you must go, at least let us accompany you."
She shook her head.
"You three look half-asleep. Go cultivate. You’ll feel better after stabilizing your energy. I’ll take a short walk and return."
Wei Rong’s jaw tightened.
"I don’t like this."
Lian An smiled weakly.
"You worry too much."
Despite their protests, she stepped out of the courtyard.
The mont her foot crossed the threshold, the air changed.
The palace corridor felt colder.
The lanterns seed dimr.
The wind brushed against her skin, sending a faint shiver down her spine.
She wrapped her arms around herself.
Why does it suddenly feel so cold?
The night was still. Too still.
Her footsteps echoed softly against the stone path as she walked toward the lake’s direction—not directly, but along the garden path that curved near it.
The moon hung high above, pale and distant.
She inhaled deeply.
The air slled faintly of damp earth and lotus leaves.
For a mont, her chest loosened.
See? It’s fine. I was just overthinking.
Then—
A sudden chill crawled up her spine.
Her steps slowed.
The sensation was unmistakable.
Soone was behind her.
She stopped walking.
The sound of her own breath felt too loud.
Slowly... she turned her head.
The path behind her was empty.
Lanterns glowed softly along the corridor.
No footsteps.
No shadow.
No presence.
She swallowed.
"Stop imagining things," she muttered to herself.
She turned forward again.
Her heart skipped.
The garden seed... longer than before.
The path stretched slightly farther than it should have.
Her steps felt heavier.
Each footfall echoed unnaturally.
She felt as if the air thickened with every breath.
Suddenly—
A whisper brushed past her ear.
So faint she almost thought it was wind.
Her body went rigid.
She spun around.
"Who’s there?"
Silence.
Only the distant rustle of leaves.
Her pulse pounded.
She forced herself to calm down.
It’s just your nerves.
But her instincts scread danger.
She took a step backward.
Her heel bumped against sothing cold.
She looked down.
Water.
She had wandered closer to the lake than she realized.
The moonlight reflected off the surface, silver and still.
Her breath hitched.
The lake.
Why am I here?
A strange dizziness washed over her.
The world tilted slightly.
Her vision blurred at the edges.
For a split second, she felt... light.
As if her body wasn’t fully her own.
Her fingers twitched.
Her feet shifted forward on their own.
"No—" she whispered, forcing herself to stop.
She clenched her fists.
Her nails dug into her palms.
Pain grounded her.
She took a step back.
Then another.
Her heart pounded violently.
Sothing... tried to pull .
She staggered away from the lake, breath uneven.
Behind her, the water remained calm.
Too calm.
As if nothing had happened.
She turned and hurried back toward her courtyard.
Her steps quickened.
Her chest burned.
The mont she crossed the threshold back into her courtyard—
The heaviness lifted slightly.
The suffocating pressure eased.
She leaned against the doorfra, breathing hard.
Inside, the three ghosts sat cross-legged, cultivating.
Fen Yu opened her eyes first.
"You’re back?!" She rushed toward her. "You’re pale! What happened?"
Lian An shook her head, still catching her breath.
"I... sothing felt wrong near the lake."
Wei Rong stood imdiately.
"Did you feel pulled?"
She nodded slowly.
Li Shen’s face darkened.
"That confirms it. Sothing is active tonight. And it’s targeting you."
Fen Yu clutched Lian An’s sleeve.
"You’re not allowed to go out alone again. Ever. Do you hear ?"
Lian An managed a weak smile.
"Fine. I learned my lesson."
She sat down, heart still racing.
The palace outside remained eerily quiet.
But now she knew.
The darkness was awake.
And it was watching her.
?? Power Stones, Golden Tickets & Gifts = Motivation
I won’t lie to you.
Writing long Chapters takes ti, energy, and emotion. Sotis I write late at night. Sotis I rewrite scenes again and again because I want them to be perfect for you.
When you send:
?? Power Stones
???? Golden Tickets
?? Gifts
It tells :
"Your work matters."
"Your story is worth supporting."
"We want more Chapters."
Every Power Stone feels like a small pat on the back.
Every Golden Ticket feels like a vote saying, "This story deserves to be on top."
Every Gift feels like a hug from a reader.
These small actions motivate
to:
Update faster
Write longer Chapters
Develop the story better
Put more emotions into each scene
If you enjoy this story even a little...
Please consider sending Power Stones, Golden Tickets, or Gifts.
They help this story grow and reach more readers.
?? Help This Story Reach the Top
If you love this novel, please help it climb higher:
?? Send Golden Tickets to push this story up
?? Send Power Stones to support daily updates
?? Leave Reviews & Comnts
?? Share this story with your friends
When this story grows, it ans more Chapters, better plot twists, deeper emotions, and stronger character developnt.
Your support directly affects how far this novel can go.
?? A Promise From
to You
As long as you stay with , as long as you read, as long as you support,
I promise:
?? More romance
?? More drama
?? More ghost chaos
?? More palace intrigue
?? More emotional monts
?? More character growth
?? More satisfying payback
?? More sweetness between the Emperor & Empress
This story will not disappoint you.
?? Final Words
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for feeling with these characters.
Thank you for walking beside Lian An, the Emperor, the ghosts, and everyone else in this chaotic world.
If you love this story, please don’t forget to:
???? Comnt
?? Send Power Stones
???? Send Golden Tickets
?? Send Gifts
Your support keeps this story alive and growing.
With love and gratitude,
Your Author ????
Reviews
All reviews (0)