CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 459 : XIE JIANYU’S DARK PAST (4)

Years rolled by as Xie Jianyu immersed himself in his duties, solidifying his position as the Heavenly Realm’s Crown Prince. Cultivation became his solace, each breakthrough a bittersweet reminder of his unchangeable reality. Despite the constant ache in his soul, his resolve hardened, and by twenty-one, he stood tall at the late stage of Soul Formation.

As he navigated the labyrinth of royal expectations, a lightness returned to his step. His body, once burdened by doubt, now effortlessly carried both the weight of responsibility and the layers of his princely attire.

And yet, Xie Jianyu quickly discovered that he could not excel in every aspect. In the past few years, the alphas and omegas of his peers had been focusing on going down the honorable paths of matrimony, resulting in several very promising matches.

Zhang Fengxi was to marry Liu Wenyuan, the omega son of Liu Yichen, the Wuyang Palace Master.

Jiang Muchen was betrothed to Shi Qingyue from Ling’an Palace.

Even Zhou Guiying, the notorious playboy, found his match in Song Wanrong, the niece of Song Weiyang, the Qifeng Palace Master.

Marrying and producing heirs were paramount for a Crown Prince, two duties weighing heavily on the Heavenly Emperor’s mind as he observed his youngest son, Xie Jianyu. Aware of Xie Jianyu’s shortcomings in both areas, the Emperor’s eagerness for his son’s marriage to an omega intensified with each passing day.

One day, a crisp summons arrived, not for a war council or a mundane court matter, but for a far more unexpected purpose. Xie Jianyu’s brow furrowed as he entered his Imperial Father’s study and saw a scroll unfurled in the Heavenly Emperor’s hand. It was not a list of battle plans or diplomatic decrees, but a parade of names. To be exact, it contained the names and information about potential omegas who would kill to serve as his Imperial Consort.

"..."

"Jianyu, you are here."

The Heavenly Emperor laid the scroll from end to end before Xie Jianyu.

"You have performed very well in your duties as the Crown Prince. It is time to pick a wife to assist you in the next phase of your life, don’t you think?"

The furrow between Xie Jianyu’s brows deepened further in concern.

"But Imperial Father, I..."

Am an omega still.

The Heavenly Emperor arched a brow at his son, willing him to speak his mind, but the words never slipped out of Xie Jianyu’s lips.

"It has been a while since you started with the treatment. How is it going so far?" The Heavenly Emperor rose from his seat and approached his son.

"It is going well," Xie Jianyu replied.

"Then, isn’t it time to test its efficacy?"

"..."

The Heavenly Emperor tapped on Xie Jianyu’s shoulder.

"You don’t have to get married right away. Why not select an omega to your liking from this list? No matter who it is, I will make sure to send him or her to your bed chamber on a night of your choosing. If the omega serves you well and you would like to continue laying with the omega, by all means.

After the omega gets pregnant, we can decide whether the omega shall serve as your Imperial Consort or your Imperial Concubine in the future."

"..."

If Xie Jianyu were a real alpha, the offer his father just made might have sparked a flicker of excitement within him. Thankfully, Xie Jianyu was no alpha.

The mere thought of wielding absolute control over another’s destiny, dictating their every move, blaming them for the whims of fate, and then forcing them to give birth again and again in an attempt to continue his bloodline, turned his stomach cold and sent a wave of nausea crashing over him.

He couldn’t, in his heart and soul, imagine himself filling such a role. Instead, pity bloomed within him for any omega forced to submit to such a life, bound to him by an archaic system he wholeheartedly rejected.

"No need to answer right away."

With a gracious smile on his lips, the Heavenly Emperor rolled up the scroll and placed it in Xie Jianyu’s hands.

"Give it a few days. Oh, by the way, I arranged for you to dance for the Winter Solstice celebration this year."

Xie Jianyu’s lips fell open in astonishment.

"But it’s not my turn at all."

"You may switch in for Qingyuan Palace," the Heavenly Emperor remarked in a pleasant tone. "Zhou Guiying is spoken for, while you are not. I trust that performing a dance for the entire heaven inhabitants shall greatly enhance your matchmaking value."

"..."

After swallowing his indignation to the bottommost pit of his stomach, Xie Jianyu left the study a while later. As soon as he returned to his Fuxi Palace, he tossed the omega list to the corner of his study, hoping to never see it again.

Right afterward, he marched toward his bed chamber and threw himself onto his bed.

"Master, welcome back," Mingyu’s cheerful voice was heard outside of his bed chamber. "Would you care for some snacks? Have you had your lunch?"

No, he had not, but right now he was not in the mood to eat anything.

"I am fine, Mingyu. I am tired. I will rest for a while."

"Oh."

The maid sounded disappointed.

"In that case... please rest well, Master. I am going to ask the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous dinner for you!"

"Mmm."

Xie Jianyu waited until Mingyu’s footsteps dissipated into nothingness before he growled into his pillow.

The Heavenly Emperor didn’t request for Xie Jianyu to don an omega’s garb or perform coquettish dances in public, yet the entire ordeal reeked of humiliation. His heart yearned to display his sword skills on the battlefield, not on dance platforms.

Besides, he was already twenty-one years old. He was a man, not a child to be paraded.

Nevertheless, Xie Jianyu hated confrontations. He especially hated arguing with his Imperial Father. The memory of his elder brother, almost getting beaten up for speaking on his behalf, remained etched in his mind, a stark reminder of the consequences.

It was just a dance, anyway.