I Was Forced To Marry The Phoenix Empress

Chapter 275: Trouble

Sweat trickled down the side of her face the next second, flowing down her neck before finally being absorbed by her already drenched robes.

An expression of disbelief was evident on Gao Zhen’s face as she looked at her palms, which she had just pushed herself up with.

Clenching and loosening her hands, an expression of understanding began to well up in her eyes as she thought back on how pushing her body back up felt similar to the feeling of pushing off a feather and not a human.

It was at that moment that a voice rang in her head.

Feel the difference? That’s your new strength. Isn’t it great? It may not be a lot, but it’s still significant and will take a while for you to get used to.

The next moment, a sharp snort rang in her head.

*Snort*

If not for that bastard, your cultivation would have already reached the Ninth Heaven Ascension Stage, ready for ascension...but all is not lost, there’s still hop-

Before the remnant soul could continue speaking further, Gao Zhen interrupted him with a tone filled with annoyance and contempt.

"Huh? Aren’t you one arrogant bastard? Just a few moments ago, you were dead set on destroying my Spiritual Sea and taking over my body.

Luckily, it seems that you’ve exhausted your powers at a crucial time and gave up on that goal. However, aren’t you at least a bit ashamed?

You’re talking to me with that hint of superiority as if you’ve done me a great favour, but in reality, you were forced to make that decision because of your weakness...Some ancient cultivator you are."

Gao Zhen scoffed when she finished her words, mockery and derision evident in her voice.

You dare?!

"Why would I not?!" an instantaneous reply came the next moment as she continued, "Do you think I’m scared of you?! A treacherous bastard like you would have long killed me if he could.

The fact that I’m still alive implies that you don’t even have the ability to harm me. What? Why aren’t you countering now? Cat got your tongue?!"

Gao Zhen snorted in anger.

She had no good opinion of this person. He might have been some great individual when he was alive, but to her now, he was a remnant soul that had attempted to take Yi Chen’s body before trying to do the same with her as well.

’If not for Yi Chen weakening him substantially, I would have been in no position to put up a resistance and would have already been possessed...’ she thought with hatred evident in her eyes.

And the fact that it talked down to Yi Chen the moment it started talking spoiled her mood even further.

Good! Good! Good! Let’s see how long you can maintain that attitude of yours!

The soul roared in fury, sensing Gao Zhen’s disrespect, and said the next instant.

Unable to understand where this confidence stemmed from, Gao Zhen couldn’t help but momentarily knit her brows.

’No, that can’t be. He’s definitely feigning,’ she thought to herself before shaking that needless thought away.

The next instant, her eyes immediately went towards Yi Chen’s figure.

Seeing that all his external wounds were healed and he was no longer bleeding from the back of his head, relief welled in her heart.

Confirming Yi Chen’s safety, her eyes finally turned towards the red orb that was still glimmering from behind the ice wall.

’It’s finally time to get my hands on the thing for which I entered this tomb in the first place...’

Gao Zhen thought to herself as a bright smile formed on her face, various emotions welling up in her eyes.

When she had made the decision to enter this tomb, she never thought it would be such a long journey.

Although in reality it hadn’t been more than two months since they entered the tomb, in actuality, she had spent years inside.

It was finally time for her to reap the rewards for her patience and diligence all these years.

With these thoughts racing in her mind, Gao Zhen finally made her way towards the tomb’s core.

She had taken not even ten steps forward when she felt a sharp pain in her chest, and the next instant, she started coughing roughly.

Cough! Cough!

When it began, she thought that it would go away after a couple of coughs...but it didn’t.

Cough! Cough!

Cough! Cough! Cough!

She kept coughing incessantly, and the more she did, the more difficult it became for her to breathe.

As if that wasn’t enough, a few moments later, blood started splattering out of her mouth as the pain in her chest intensified significantly, making her fall to her knees.

’This...just what is happening to me,’ Gao Zhen thought while tightly clutching onto her chest.

It seemed to have somewhat worked, as even though the pain hadn’t subsided, the coughing fit did.

Gao Zhen sighed in relief and attempted to catch her breath. However, this momentary relief didn’t last for long.

"Huh?"

Feeling something trickling down her nose, she rubbed it with the back of her hand.

"...blood?"

She thought that it was the trace of what was left behind during the coughing fit, but as if to prove her wrong, another drop trickled down that very moment...closely followed by another and another.

Soon, a continuous stream of blood started oozing out of her nostrils, filling her with a sense of horror.

Pressing her hand over her nose, she tried to stop it, only for blood to find its way out through her mouth.

Splattering out a mouthful of blood, the next moment, Gao Zhen clenched her teeth because of the pain in her chest that kept intensifying.

Meanwhile, an expression of horror formed on her face, seeing that the blood continued to ooze out of her nostrils at a steady pace.

"J-Just what is happening to me..."

She muttered in confusion, no answer coming to her mind.

Shouldn’t you know by now? You’re dying.

The remnant soul’s voice rang in her head, glee and satisfaction apparent in its tone.

However, this time, Gao Zhen ignored his rude remark and asked the very next second.

"...Dying?"