《Legend of Fu Yao》 Chapter 1 - Prologue Chapter 1: Prologue Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Prologue ¡°Separation Resentment is above all 33 heavenly pces. Lovesickness brings the greatest agony out of all 44 afflictions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lovesick.¡± ¡°Oh? For whom did you get that engraving then?¡± ¡°For those whom I mustn¡¯t miss in life.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that lovesickness?¡± ¡°No. Our time is short, but yearning is endless. Life on earth passes in an instant, and only God knows whom I will encounter and miss. How can I stay rooted to the spot and let time slip away?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the mortal world for her.¡± ¡°Chaos is about to set in.¡± ¡°If the mortal world is in a mess, I will defend it. If Hell opens, I will enter it. If the ocean rages, I will sail through it. If anything tries to stop me, I will destroy it.¡± ¡°But is it worth it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the pain and suffering that humans are gued by. Because of her.¡± The Tomb ¡°Chief, why¡¯s this tomb so gloomy? Feels kinda demonic. Did you check the almanac before leaving the house today?¡± Someone in the group shouted with half his body extending into the main grave while wiping the sweat off his dirt-filled face. Shadows could be seen shuttling about. ¡°Seen it,¡± Meng Fuyao answered clearly despite having a mini torchlight in her mouth. She half-kneeled on the ground, brushed the dust off the enormous green sarcophagus and added without raising her head, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a propitious day. We will be entering the coffin, removing the clothes and shifting the bier. What a coincidence! Shifting the bier, as in moving the coffin. It¡¯s all rted to death.¡± ¡°Damn, can¡¯t you say something more auspicious?¡± a fatty, who had shouted earlier, asked as he rolled his eyes. When he lifted his head up, he spotted a minotaur on the ceiling mural. The lighting illuminated each stroke, making the drawingse alive. Fatty felt rather intimidated. Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, had no time to entertain him. She was focused solely on her own job. As the dust gradually cleared, a three-headed, two-bodied, single-horned beast totem came into view. It had two wings and three pairs of glowering eyes that could scare almost anyone. However, Meng Fuyao was able to appreciate the fierce beauty this sacred, ancient civilization had to offer. She broke into a smile as she caressed the totem with one hand and extended the other. ¡°Ruler!¡± Hermand was quickly fulfilled. ¡°Come, Fatty, let¡¯s getfortable,¡± she ordered while pulling him over. ¡°I will be on this side, and you on the other. Report the number.¡± ¡°No, Boss. Why are you always grabbing me like that?¡± Fatty sounded off in desperation while attempting to struggle free. ¡°Because you¡¯re a rookie.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned. ¡°Rookies are meant to be trampled on by the old birds, so stop dilly-dallying. We need to finish this up as quickly as possible, so I¡¯ll have something to write about in my thesis this year.¡± ¡°Crazy workaholic. 22 years old, soon-to-be associate professor? Your existence is practically an insult to all the archaeology elites¡­¡± Amid his murmurings, Fatty did not forget to obey her orders. ¡°Intact. 2, 18, 0.94, 0.66,¡± he read the numbers aloud. ¡°OK!¡± Meng Fuyao pped the stone beast, causing a surroundingyer of dust to fly up. She looked at the coffin in satisfaction, busily anticipating a rise in sry upon assuming her new role at work. Thinking about how she could finally support her mother¡¯s dialysis, and hospital fees elevated her mood greatly. All these thoughts had distracted her from noticing that her p had generated a muffled reverberation that reached the end of the tomb and bounced back. The lingering echo sounded sinister, like footsteps produced by ancient giants who were stomping around, underneath the ground. They were most definitely in a sealed area, but a gush of cold air came out of nowhere and made them shudder. The dim light within the grave colored their faces ashen, so they looked almost ghost-like. The archaeology team from Jiangsu¡¯s Archaeological Research Institute hade to this southwesternnd to excavate a nameless tomb that was said to exist even 100 years before Cao Cao¡¯s era. Since the first day of their excavation, strange events had been taking ce. At first, someone had eaten a wrong herb and suffered from continuous diarrhea. The precious fertilizer gifted by an affluent city, which had been meant to nourish the barren teau in Yunnan and Guizhou, had suddenly dried up. Later on, a teammate, Li, got bitten by a poisonous snake that was waiting outside his tent. The worst situation had happened earlier that day when they had opened up the grave. They hadn¡¯t nned to go down, but the team medic, Wang, who had rushed over to deliver some tools, had been struck on the head by a falling rock and copsed. ording to a tomb raider¡¯s logic, something was amiss, so they shouldn¡¯t probe further. The institute¡¯s regtions were more or less agreeable when it came to such urrences. The only difference was that one was privately run, while the other was state-run. At the end of the day, the job of excavating ancestors¡¯ tombs and the taboo involved were the same. The team members had no qualms about sealing the tomb, turning back and simply letting the nation take control of the matter Unfortunately, the team leader, Meng Fuyao, was well-known as the ¡°Red-Haired Demoness¡± within the institute. Everything about this missy was great. She had everything; good education, morality, intelligence, fitness, beauty¡­ Her only weakness? She was mental. Her screws only loosened when she entered an impassioned, obsessive state during excavation and experienced something out of the ordinary. When something like that happened, there was no doubt that her decisions would also be out of the ordinary. Basically, Missy would never abandon what she loved doing just because of diarrhea, a snake bite or a site injury. For someone like her, who had hugged her first excavated ancient corpse to sleep with pleasure, trivial events that were subject to probability weren¡¯t important. ¡°Pry tool, hammer, pickaxe!¡± She ordered, swinging her red hair, which momentarily tinted the dark grave, and rubbing her palms together with brightly lit eyes. When she noticed that her tools weren¡¯t being delivered, she turned around with a frown on her face, only to be greeted by weak and fearful faces. ¡°Sh*t, are you guys scared? Don¡¯t tell me that all top representatives of the National Archaeology Institute are superstitious? You, you, and you?¡± She asked, making sure not to leave anyone out. ¡°One¡¯s a political party member, one¡¯s an elite, one¡¯s grown up under Marxism-Leninism and Maoism influences¡­ ¦³hree outstanding students are afraid because someone has the runs? Where have all your scientific minds vanished to?¡± She strode over to her backpack and rummaged through it. The product of her search were a few candles, which caused her to roll her eyes. Impatient, she lit and ced one candle on each corner of the grave. The candle lights danced softly by themselves, bringing a tinge of green into the space. ¡°Boss¡­ What are you doing¡­?¡± ¡°Ever seen a ghost blowing out candles?¡± Meng Fuyao pped loudly before smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll respect your belief that there are ghosts, so we¡¯ll leave if these candles blow out. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fatty threw a furtive nce at the candles. ¡®I¡¯ll just blow them out¡­¡¯ Before he could get closer to them, the demoness had already started assigning tasks. A group of people quickly formed around the outer coffin, and the candles werepletely forgotten. In fact, no one sensed that a whirlwind that rose abruptly from the ground blew out the candle in the southwest corner after a few flickers. The coffin lid was extremely heavy. Thousands of years of deposition and solidification had sealed portions of the coffin lid and body together. The team eventually pried a side open with effort. On another tombstone stood Meng Fuyao, hands resting on her knees, calling out, ¡°One, two, three!¡± After a wave of shouting, the coffin lid was pushed aside, and its content was revealed. ¡°Well done, Brothers!¡± Meng Fuyao cheered in encouragement. She ced one foot on the edge of the sarcophagus and used one hand to point her torch into the tomb. Then, she broke into a happy, made-up tune. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again 2,000 years from now. Into the museum and ss cases, we go! One for you and one for me but hey, we¡¯re the same! No more raiders, no more fear, no more chase¡­¡± Her impromptu performance led to multiple eye-rolls. The tortured listeners hated that they had no free hands to shut their tone-deaf leader up. As Fatty squatted on the coffin lid that had fallen to the ground, he could see vague inscriptions on the inner side of the lid. He immediately made a few brushes. The inscriptions had been created with cinnabar, so they had remained fresh despite the years. Something had been mixed into the cinnabar, so it was emitting a sweet but unsettling smell. ¡°The sky is vast and bright and, the ground under is vast and obscure. The dead stays in the Yin, and the living belongs to the Yang. A living person has a neighborhood, and a dead person has a vige. It has been like this all along¡­ As it must be.¡± Fatty swung his torch about messily, his expression turning ugly. ¡°Oh, this is the Han dynasty¡¯s style of writing, but thest line seems different. What does it say again?¡± Meng Fuyao asked somewhat absentmindedly as she was focused on the inside of the coffin. Fatty opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he caught a side glimpse of the extinguished candle and jumped in fright. ¡°Iing! Withdraw!¡± ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯m the king of raiders!¡± Meng Fuyao reprimanded heartily. Boom! A loud sound exploded behind her, and the whole grave started to shake. Seven, eight of them lost their footing and tumbled. A splitting sound followed closely as if giants were trampling on the ground with divine force, causing it to crack and tilt. The coffin slipped down the slope and crashed into the wall. Its impact led a brick in the southwest corner toe loose and smash onto the ground, forming a fist-sized hole. A few members protected their heads and scuttled to the nearest shelter. Fatty, who had too much flesh, navigated clumsily, knocking into things and wailing mindlessly. In contrast, the noise outside, condensed with each wave. Amid themotion, Meng Fuyao effortfully raised her head and grabbed her backpack to protect it. ¡°Probably andslide! Quite a bit of storm recently! Get out! Now!¡± Everyone near the passageway cried out, ¡°Our exit is blocked by mud! ¡°Stop crying! Are your tears going to dissolve the mud?¡± Meng Fuyao yelled before making a roll over the shattered, rock-filled ground. She looked up and added, ¡°There¡¯s a hole left by bandits up there. Let¡¯s go out this way!¡± ¡°That hole is notpletely hollowed out. There¡¯s half a corpse blocking it!¡± Meng Fuyao secured her bag on her neck and leaped to her feet, but another quake threw her on all fours before she could even stand. She wasted no time getting up. Instead, she grabbed a metal pick and proceeded to hack the hole, making it bigger. A badly mangled leg came down, but Meng Fuyao remained unfazed. Then dropped a body, which she gracefully made way for. It was covered in bloody slime, so upon hitting the ground, it flowed down the slope into the southwest corner of the grave. Next, a shriveled brain fell right onto Fuyao¡¯s belly. She just hit it away and cursed, ¡°Sh*t! Stop disrupting my work!¡± A few more hitster, a pile of yellow concretions gave way, and a glimmer of light appeared before her eyes. Her face was filled with grime, but she was evidently pleased. ¡°Come over here if you¡¯re alive! There¡¯s a way out!¡± The other members crawled speedily over to where she was. The moment she had a chance, she grabbed a cor, ready to lug the person into the hole. However, she was stopped. ¡°You first!¡± ¡°Go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a woman!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the leader!¡± The rumbling continued and most of the ground, save for the piece they were on, had tilted so much that they were practically walls now. They were running out of time, and the unpredictable and arrow-like flying rocks weren¡¯t improving the situation. Chapter 2 - 17 Years Later Chapter 2: 17 Years Later Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The damned gentleman refused to take the lead and insisted that she escape first. Being loyal at times like this produced the opposite effect. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes were as red as her hair. She gritted her teeth and threw a punch at his chivalrous face. Her punch was so sudden and hard that he saw all the stars of the universe. This way, Meng Fuyao sessfully forced that fellow into the hole. She even kicked him in the bum to elerate the process. ¡°Reason some more and I¡¯ll punch you to death!¡± That single punch was amazingly effective, as no one after that fellow resisted her assistance. Things went south when she reached out for Fatty, but caught nothing. When she turned her head back, she realized that Fatty had rolled down the side that was caving in and was trying to cling onto whatever could break his fall. A huge pile of sharp rock mess was waiting for him below. Fatty was bawling, unable to properly express a word. Meng Fuyao looked at her feet and hooked them around a protruding coppermp. She then let her body dangle off the ground and extended her arms, grabbing Fatty¡¯s thick arm just in time. Tears stained Fatty¡¯s whole face as he howled, ¡°Missy, Missy! I told you not to open it¡­¡± ¡°Die!¡± Meng Fuyao pinched the boy¡¯s firmyer of neck-fat and pushed him toward the exit. Unfortunately, Fatty¡¯s plump bottom got stuck halfway through. Meng Fuyao urgently reached for her metal pick. ¡°I¡¯ll jab you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jab my buttocks!¡± Fatty whined, bracing himself with a deep breath. Meng Fuyao burst intoughter. However, as she was about to get up, something caught her eyes. It was a jade-green, handle-like object caught between some rocks that was about to drop. She instinctively reached out for it and shouted, ¡°Good! Good stuff!¡± It was a genuine artifact from the Han dynasty. Out of the relics that had been discovered thus far, only a few dated back to realms that had existed before the Tang dynasty. This trip had basically earned them nothing, yet this newfound object could at least provide clues regarding the tomb owner¡¯s identity and social customs of the past. At least, they had something to bring back. ¡°Come up, quick!¡± Fatty screamed with his head swaying about. The jade-green handle was embedded with gold, so it was rather heavy. Meng Fuyao¡¯s full attention was fixed on hoisting the object up, so she failed to notice that a faint red light had shed by the moment it left the ground. A bigger part of the ground copsed, leaving only a pail-sized piece for her to stand on. Fatty poked his sweat-filled head out of the hole, only for his view to be blocked by the handle. ¡°Not this! You!¡± he cursed. ¡°You want me?¡± Meng Fuyao joked while pushing the object in his hands. ¡°Take it! No harm done!¡± Fatty took it and nagged, ¡°All this woman thinks about is her research!¡± Now that the heavy handle was out of her hands, Meng Fuyao could finally breathe and get ready to climb up. Boom! An eye-piercing, blood-red light exploded into view, instantly wrapping around her whole body. The ground beneath her feet gave way and rocks started smashing everywhere. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Fatty, who had just reached out with his arm, was unable to save her. ¡°Boss!¡± Fatty¡¯s cries came to an abrupt stop as a strange wave of sounds, that sounded like a mix of guqin, flute, singing birds, and roaring dragons, clouded her surroundings. ¡°Brothers! Make it known that I¡¯ve fought bravely¡­¡± Meng Fuyao trailed off. ¡­ ¡°Third one.¡± Meng Fuyao stepped on the chest of the person below her. She supported her hands on her knees and leaned slightly forward, observing the object in her palm with interest by using the light seeping through the green canopy of the forest. It was a ck-colored token shaped like a hexagon with a simple design that was not made of gold or jade. The bottom right corner was slightly bigger than the others and razor sharp, resembling a dark green fang that shimmered eerily in the sunlight. Meng Fuyao caressed the protruding fang with her finger gently. A smile that was difficult to decipher appeared on her face. She whistled as she yed with the token in her palm. Fuyao raised her chin. The motion drew a beautiful arc under the glistening sunlight, extending the exquisitely perfect lines on her face. The pair of elegant, graceful brows on her pure white forehead made her dark eyes appear even brighter. They shone without restraint, unable to be concealed, just like the sharp edge of a sword. ¡°It¡¯s the Heaven Demon Dynasty¡¯s entrance seal! I¡¯m so lucky!¡± Fuyao dusted off her hands and casually tucked the ck token into her clothes. When the token was hidden, a barely audible noise that sounded like gold and jade colliding was heard. There were two other simr tokens with slightly different shapes in her robes, each one representing a different country. As she listened attentively to the noise, Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡®When I collect all the entrance seals for the Seven Kingdoms, I will finally¡­¡¯ ¡°Fuyao!¡± When she heard the sound of footsteps moving closer behind her, Fuyao narrowed her eyes and sealed the acupoint of the person on the ground. Then, she flew to the shrubs ahead with a single leap. When shended, turned around and looked at the person who had arrived, a smile started to form on the corner of her lips. Her eyes were shining radiantly with a hint of happiness and concern that could not be restrained. ¡°Jingchen.¡± The young man in green, who was walking toward her, was tall and handsome and had a beautifulplexion. Based on his clothes and aura, it was easy to discern that he had a good family background. There was a hint of a warm, amiable smile at the corner of his lips, as if one was being caressed by a spring breeze. Yan Jingchen, who was the most outstanding disciple of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect, had been born into a wealthy and influential aristocratic family, so he was really popr amongst female disciples in the Sword Sect. ¡°ying in the mountains again, I see¡­¡± Yan Jingchen stopped three feet away from Fuyao. A warm but using hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. ¡°If you don¡¯t train properly, you will cest again at the martial artspetition tomorrow. Do you like getting scolded?¡± Fuyao smiled nonchntly and casually swept her hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I lose all the time. I¡¯m used to it by now.¡± She absent-mindedly repeated the answers to the conversation that they frequently had, but did not notice the conflicted, hesitant look in Jingchen¡¯s eyes. When he heard her answer, Jingchen¡¯s expression darkened. However, she didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°Fuyao!¡± Jingchen stared at her for a long while. In the end, he could not resist taking a step forward. ¡°Can¡¯t you spend more time practising your martial art techniques? Power is widely respected in the Five Region Continent. A person who learns martial arts but never improves will be met with cold stares and many difficulties when they travel the realm. You¡­ Have you never thought of trying harder to improve your situation?¡± he said in a low voice. He paused before adding, ¡°Even if you did it only for me?¡± Even if you did it only for me. Fuyao felt a stirring in her heart. When she looked deeply into Jingchen¡¯s eyes, she was able to see his hesitance, unease and even a faint hint of pain. The pain caused the bottom of her heart to ache. She recalled that the disappointment in his gaze had been appearing more and more frequently during the past few days. The instant Fuyao opened her mouth, she felt the urge to tell him the secret she had been hiding at the bottom of her heart. She wanted to tell him that she was not bad at practising martial arts. The reason she was unwilling to practise the Mystic Essence¡¯s internal energy was because it shed with her sect¡¯s Cleaving Nine Heavens martial arts. She also wanted to tell him, ¡®Just a little more. One day, I¡¯ll make you proud. You won¡¯t have to be mocked and humiliated because of me anymore. You will never again lose your dignity or be ced in a difficult position. Just¡­ Not yet!¡¯ Her Teacher¡¯s reminders before they parted were still ringing in her ears. ¡®Never reveal your original martial arts to any sect.¡¯ Meng Fuyao had sworn a heavy oath that she could not break. Jingchen was loyal to his sect and infatuated with martial arts. If she told him the truth, the Mystic Essence Sect¡¯s leader would be informed sooner orter. Meng Fuyao took a deep breath and fluttered her thick eyshes. Her bright, pure gaze was reflected in the eyes of Jingchen, whose gaze carried a trace of despair due to his long wait. ¡°Jingchen, I have tried my best¡­¡± Yan Jingchen stared at her. After a long while, he exhaled slowly. When he heard her answer, the anxiety and despair in his eyes dwindled and was reced with a sense of resignation and helplessness. Suddenly, he changed the topic. ¡°In a year, the True Martial Arts Meet that will be held in the Heaven Demon Dynasty Capital will bring together expert martial art practitioners from all seven kingdoms. The participants will be tested in martial arts, the art of war and strategies to fight for the top seven positions in the world. The winners will have control over the military power of the seven kingdoms. Teacher said that Pei Yuan and I will represent the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. I will be rushing home tomorrow to prepare for thepetition.¡± As he spoke, his voice held little emotion. The glistening sun over the distant mountain shone its rays down on Yan Jingchen, whose back was facing the light, making him appear distant. He had an indistinguishable expression on his face. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart shuddered as she smiled reluctantly. ¡°The two of you are the most outstanding pair of disciples in the Sword Sect. Lord Tai Yuan has even bestowed you with the title Pearl Jade Double Swords. It is only natural that the Mystic Essence Sword Sect would send both of you topete.¡± As Yan Jingcheng stared deeply at her, his voice sounded strange. ¡°Fuyao, I would actually rather that this title refers just to the two of us.¡± The smile on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face became even more strained. She also wished as much. No matter how generous a girl was, she would never want her beloved to be paired up with another girl and be proimed a perfect match. As the sunset passed quickly, the sky, that had been previously alight with romantic hues of red, orange and purple, was now only left with a shade of faint red. As it shone through the green leaves, it made Yan Jingchen, who remained standing three feet away, seem unreal. A wave of unexinable nervousness rushed from the bottom of Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart, making her heartbeat quicken. This intense sense of unease gave her an ominous feeling. She had to say something now. Otherwise, she would not get another chance in the future. ¡°Jingchen, I need to tell you-¡± ¡°Fuyao, I need to tell you something.¡± Yan Jingchen suddenly cut her off quickly. If he spoke slower, he would never get the words out. ¡°My family has sent me a letter. They have arranged for me to marry Pei Yuan, and her family has agreed. The wedding will take ce after the True Martial Arts Meet.¡± The words that Meng Fuyao had intended to say suddenly got stuck in her throat. She raised her eyes and stared at Yan Jingchen. However, he was not looking at her. Instead, he was gazing at a half-withered flower as he talked rapidly. ¡°Considering your current situation, my family would not allow us to be together. The Pei family is rted to the imperial family. Despite my family¡¯s background, my status is lowerpared to theirs. We didn¡¯t expect much from this proposal, but I heard that Pei Yuan agreed personally. Since the Pei family has already given their word, there is no reason to break the engagement. Plus, my family cannot afford to offend the Pei family.¡± Chapter 3 - Distinguished Guest, Famous Dog Chapter 3: Distinguished Guest, Famous Dog Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao interrupted his unceasing torrent. ¡°Stop talking about your family. Instead, talk about yourself.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Yan Jingchen paused, mncholy settling onto his face. After a while, he said, ¡°Fuyao, my future wife will have considerable status in thesends in the future. Beauty and talent, both are indispensable. Imperatively, her aptitude cannot becking. Otherwise, it will bring shame on my family.¡± ¡°Talk about yourself!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s yell provoked Yan Jingchen, unleashing the arrogance and fury of a son of noble upbringing. He cried out, ¡°I! I have had enough of you falling short of expectations and the mockery that I have endured because of you!¡± Meng Fuyao took a step back, staring at Yan Jingchen, whose expression had be fierce and sinister, in a daze. Twilight fell, its dull colors enveloping the entirend. The bright green of the leaves appeared to be covered with ayer of filth, stifling one¡¯s breath. The gentle youth, drifting in this gray backdrop, with his twisted features, appeared distant and unfamiliar. The only sound left was that of the wind brushing against the edges of robes. After a moment, Meng Fuyao suddenlyughed. Herughter resembled a flower blooming in the still and silent darkness. It carried a trace of sorrow but what was more apparent was a resolute, radiant smile. ¡°Good. Good.¡± She brushed her robe¡¯s sleeves in Yan Jingchen¡¯s direction as if she was brushing both him and the dust away simultaneously. ¡°I understand. You cannot tolerate your wife being an idiot with no talent in martial arts. An idiot whom you are ashamed to bring to state banquets where she would be ridiculed. You cannot tolerate that your wless life as a son of nobility would be stained by a wife who is unworthy of your status. Yan Jingchen, believe me, Pei Yuan will be the perfect wife. The two of you will be just like a nobledy followed by a distinguished guest dog, raising your status a hundred times higher andplementing each other,¡± said Meng Fuyao indifferently. She smiled without a trace ofughter in her eyes. Her voice was deep and cold, like the sharp edge of a sword waiting to be drawn to release its dazzling gleam. ¡°Congrattions, you have found your distinguished guest dog.¡± Afterpleting her speech, Fuyao turned and walked away without sparing a nce at Yan Jingchen. ¡°Fuyao!¡± Abruptly, Yan Jingchen dashed towards her, grabbing her sleeve. He said in a low voice filled with helplessness, conflict, and pain, ¡°Fuyao, I like you!¡± ¡°Keep your love and use it to curry favor with your distinguished guest dog!¡± Fuyao gave a ghastly smile. Then, she lifted her fingers, and a ray of light materialized at her fingertips. She made a sweeping motion with her hand and chopped straight for the robe that was being grasped, releasing the light dangerously fast. The sword of light had yet to arrive, but the chilliness was overpowering. Jingchen had thought that Fuyao would not be merciless towards him and continued to grasp tightly on her sleeve. However, Fuyao did not even hesitate, and her motion went straight towards his fingers. Jingchen was scared out of his wits. He immediately withdrew his fingers, but, it was still toote. A neat, red scar appeared on his fingers. At first, it was as white as his skin but soon after fresh blood seeped out of the wound, dripping onto the dark ground silently. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I!¡± Meng Fuyao did not bother looking back. She stood with a straightened back, portraying an unyielding image in the surrounding darkness. ¡°I want you to remember, some mistakes, like your injury, are unnoticeable in the beginning. But as time goes by, you will bleed and suffer.¡± She remained back-facing Yan Jingchen, with a light smile on her face, as cold as the new moon in the sky. ¡°Yan Jingchen, trust me. You will sooner orter suffer.¡± The night was chillingly cold. Fuyao sat cross-legged on the ground, staring at the moon, lost in thought. In all her memories, it seemed like tonight¡¯s moon was the coldest. Its eerie light could chill one¡¯s heart. The stars were shining strangely, unstable and unpredictable, just like the fickle human heart. She vaguely recollected the day of their first encounter. It was a stormy day. Meng Fuyao had been knocking her head hard against the mud floor as she had been begging Master Lin Xuanyuan to ept her as a disciple. In the heavy wind, in front of the gate, a modest gentleman with a warm smile had been standing beside the Master. That day, the young man had extended his hand to her, slender and clean, warm as spring. ¡°Fuyao, actually, I like you.¡± ¡°Fuyao, in this world if you do not have power, you will be despised by others your entire life.¡± ¡°Fuyao, you need to strive your best. If you remain like this, what will be of you?¡± ¡°Fuyao, everything about you is good. Unfortunately, your talent iscking.¡± ¡®I should have discovered it sooner. But I willingly immersed myself in the warmth that he provided, not realizing the truth.¡¯ ¡®Fortunately, I have never thought of bing your distinguished guest dog.¡¯ Meng Fuyaoughed sarcastically and waved her hands vigorously as if she was chasing away mosquitoes. She buried the thoughts that she never wanted to think of again to the back of her mind. Then, she closed her eyes and started to circte her Qi. A little whileter, steam started to rise from the top of her head. Her whole body gave out a pale bluish green light, enveloping her. The light gradually traveled upwards, and eventually became stationary at her chest. The Cleaving Nine Heavens technique was the secret martial arts that her real Teacher, the old Taoist priest, had forbidden her from imparting to others. At that time, Meng Fuyao had excavated the tombs too aggressively, ending up traveling back in time. After time-traveling, she mysteriously lost the memories of this new world before the age of five. Since the age of five, she had been forced by an old Taoist priest to practice this martial art for 10 whole years. The Cleaving Nine Heavens technique was divided into a total of nine levels. During those 10 years, she had only reached the pinnacle of the third level of this technique. Currently, the ascending True Qi was being gathered and formed a bluish-green light, mainly attacking all the gentle Yin techniques. As she practiced, the night and the afternoon with piercing sunlight passed. When Fuyao opened her eyes once again, it was already mid-afternoon. After opening her eyes, Fuyao frowned and let out a sigh. She had been stagnant at the pinnacle of the third level for half a year, with no breakthrough. If this persisted, how could she participate in the True Martial Arts Meet? What ability would she have to make people suffer sooner orter? And most importantly, the aspiration in her heart seemed even more impossible to be fulfilled and even further than before. Fuyao bit her lips before standing up and striding down the mountain. After estimating the time, she believed that Yan Jingchen should have left by now. He was gone, that was good. Meng Fuyao had no desire to remain on the mountain any longer. She nned to pack her belongings and leave immediately. Halfway down the mountain, walking through a concealed valley, a building with grand, continuous columns and eaves built along the mountain was revealed. That was the Mystic Essence Manor. Even in the distance, themotion from the Manor could be heard. Amongst the racket, a person could be heard shouting in a piercing voice, ¡°The Mystic Essence Sword Sect ims to be one of the top three Sword Sects in the world, but how could it not even have a presentable disciple?¡± Master Xuanyuan¡¯s slightly awkward cough came after that remark. The resentful counterattacks of all her fellow disciples mingled with the clear sound of swords being unsheathed. The manor was bustling with noise. Meng Fuyao frowned. She was aware that martial arts were extremely popr in this world and it wasmon for different Guilds and Sects to challenge each other. It was probably another simr asion. Meng Fuyao took out the tools that she used for disguise. She used the water in the stream and applied makeup to make herself have the look of a girl with wretched looks. All along, she had only shown her true looks to Yan Jingchen. After entering the manor, she could only reach her room by passing through the martial arts arena. The Mystic Essence¡¯s martial arts arena was considered one of thergest world-ss arenas, covering vastnds. It was so impressive and magnificent that they didn¡¯t use it for normal training. Meng Fuyao entered the arena stealthily, thinking that she could leave smoothly. However, what she saw from the corner of her eye shocked her greatly. In the martial arts arena stood a few hundred people, dressed in different colors, each upying a corner of the field. It seemed like multiple sects hade to challenge the Mystic Essence Sword Sect simultaneously. Meng Fuyao even noticed a few men in the crowd with exceptional auras and profound looks, bearing amanding presence that definitely did not belong to normal individuals. Apart from Yan Jingchen, all the disciples of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect were gathered. Their expressions were cautious and full of worry. Some of her fellow male disciples seemed to have sustained injuries, supporting their weight with their swords with blood at the corner of their lips. The air was filled with a sense of heavy unease. Sect Master Lin Xuanyuan was sitting cross-legged on the terrace located in the corner of the martial arts arena. It seemed that he had alreadypeted, sitting in the corner silently to recuperate. Hisplexion was slightly pale as he had not held an advantage over his opponent. In the center of the field, a man dressed in ck robes was currently sparring with the Eldest Senior Brother of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. The sword technique of the man in ck was extremely swift, resembling a coiled dragon flying in the sky and specks of starlight. The multiple motions of the sword seemed to converge into a single wave, majestic in its variety. Due to the countless variations in the motion of the sword, staring at it for a prolonged period could lead one to develop a feeling of slight dizziness. Meng Fuyao heard one of her senior brothers say in a low voice, ¡°That¡¯s the Scarless Sword technique. He is one of the top ten Swordsmen in Tai Yuan, with the most mysterious background and the most entric character. Who knows how the White Mountain Sect was able to invite him?¡± ¡°I was wondering why the annual Tai Yuan Top Ten Sword Sect¡¯s challenge was suddenly brought forward, now I understand. The Old White Dog has found an assistant, and deliberately came to trample us from the Mystic Essence!¡± ¡°With him alone, provoking our whole Sect, so deadly?¡± ¡°So what? They have sufficient ability to do that. Don¡¯t you see that Eldest Senior Brother has only barely managed to tie with him?¡± ¡°Ai. It seems like we will really be trampled today¡­¡± Meng Fuyao remained indifferent and continued moving forward. Before she had even traveled a few steps, she suddenly heard a horrific scream, ¡°Ah!¡± Strong winds carrying a bloody scent blew towards her. A dark figure suddenly flew backward, smashing straight for her. Meng Fuyao jumped away hastily. Therge frame, apanied by brightly colored blood droplets, streaked across the air andnded hard on the ground directly in front of her. The fresh blood sshed onto the weapons rack at the corner of the arena. A momentter, the thick blood dripped onto the white stone floor. Red and white mixed together, forming a startling sight. The entire crowd was silent. Every single Mystic Essence Sword Sect disciple on the arena was staring at the man, who was clutching his right wrist and rolling on the ground in pain, with horrified and astonished gazes. That was their Eldest Senior Brother, one of the disciples with the most outstanding martial arts amongst them. Only after a while did someone remember to scramble forward to help him up, but let out a scream. Elder Senior Brother¡¯s right hand was covered and dripping with fresh blood; the tendons in his hands all damaged. What a vicious sword technique! The Mystic Essence Sword Sect was silent. Thus, the wildughter of the other people in the field seemed all the more piercing. The man dressed in ck robes was the only individual who remained indifferent, standing at the center of the arena. He was calmly wiping the body of the sword which was covered in blood. The cloth he used to wipe his sword was vaguely familiar. It was, in fact, the cloth from Elder Senior Brother¡¯s right sleeve! Expressions of fury appeared on the faces of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s disciples. Only Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. ¡®Such fast sword techniques! Within that instant, not only did he maim his opponent¡¯s hand, he was also able to cut off a neat length of the sleeve.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s more, his opponent was also an expert who was able to adapt and change swiftly!¡¯ The wildughter of the White Mountain Sect¡¯s Sect Master continued. However, sounds of sobbing could be heard amongst the people from the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. It seemed that the Mystic Essence Sword Sect would be greatly disgraced in Tai Yuan today. In the currentndscape, the various powers between countries were fighting continuously. They used the number of victories they obtained to establish their position. As one of the threerge Sword Sects in Tai Yuan, the Mystic Essence Sword Sect had lost in such an important event like the Sword Challenge. If the news that they were unable to defeat a single individual, even with the advantage in numbers, were to be leaked, their status would decline drastically. Chapter 4 - Unsheathing the Sword Chapter 4: Unsheathing the Sword Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The entire arena was still, with all eyes focused on the injured person in front of Meng Fuyao. This made it difficult for Meng Fuyao to even move. She tried to move her feet discreetly, but the cold gaze of the man in ck in the center of the field shot towards her. He remained expressionless as if he was wearing a mask, but his gaze was chilling and prating. It felt as sharp as the edge of a steel nail, cutting deep into Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. The look in his eyes was deep and profound, as though one was sinking into a deep bottomless sea. And right at the bottom was a strange me, swaying and inextinguishable. Under Meng Fuyao¡¯s puzzled gaze, the me wandered, bounced and burned brighter continuously. Next, it exploded under Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. It was as if a loud sound echoed in her head, exploding into dazzling fireworks. Meng Fuyao felt dizzy immediately, staggering backward and bumping against the pir against her back. The cold touch cleared her mind, and she was dumbstruck as she lifted her eyes to stare at the person. That was one of the top bewildering techniques, Nether Eyes! What was that person¡¯s background? From the profound hatred at the bottom of his eyes, he was definitely not here to merely spar and learn martial arts! Meng Fuyao turned, wanting to leave. However, the White Mountain Sect Master¡¯s piercing voice sounded from her back. ¡°Mystic Essence Sword Sect, don¡¯t you still have Yan Jingchen?¡± Lin Xuanyuan was startled. He answered, ¡°Jingchen went back to the capitalst night.¡± ¡°He must have heard that we wereing and fled in fear, right?¡± The Sect Mastersughed together heartily. ¡°And this person?¡± Cai Yun Sword Sect Masterughed and pointed to Meng Fuyao, who was trying to slip away. ¡°How about this person? I remember that she hasn¡¯tpeted yet. Is she trying to be like Yan Jingchen, who ran away?¡± Lin Xuanyuan was rendered speechless, and his expression changed. The disciple at his side immediately went out and pushed Meng Fuyao. ¡°What are you doing here? If you don¡¯t have the ability, then don¡¯t appear in front of others. You¡¯re making it even more difficult for Master!¡± ¡°Get lost and go back to your room!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrows shot up, the fury in her eyes raging. After a while, she inhaled sharply, clenched her fist and walked away silently. No point to bother with snobbish people, it would only bring down her own character. After living in this strange world for many years and enduring through many hardships, all the superficial temper and mboyant attitude that belonged to the Red-Haired Demoness of that era had notpletely disappeared. However, she now could restrain herself. When she took a step, a delicate voice that sounded like jade pearls dropping into a silver tter was heard behind her back. ¡°This person, even in our own sect is just a helper girl. Do notpare her with Senior Brother Yan. Otherwise, the Pei family in the capital and the Yan family from He Yuan will treat it as an insult.¡± The Pei family in the capital and the Yan family from He Yuan represented the royal family and the government in Tai Yuan. The Leaders of the various Sects understood the meaning and implication behind this sentence and fell silent. Meng Fuyao turned back and stared at the girl in red robes near the back. She was a year older than Fuyao, but her body had already matured. Her curves, unlike Fuyao¡¯s, whose curves were exquisite, had a touch of immaturity. The parts of her body that were full were gushing with desire, and the areas that were thin were delicate and gentle. She favored wearing tight red robes that made her figure even more enchanting and graceful. However, her looks were dignified with the corners of her eyes slightly lifted, appearing lustrous and elegant. She was Pei Yuan. When Pei Yuan saw Meng Fuyao looking at her, she threw a cold gaze filled with scorn. Then, she looked away indifferently. ¡°If the Sect Masters wish to, next time the Leaders can travel to Heaven Demon Dynasty¡¯s capital, at the True Martial Arts Meet. Senior Brother Yan will naturally show the demeanor of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s top disciple.¡± She nced at Meng Fuyao and then turned her head to smile at the Sect Masters. ¡°As for this person, just by standing beside us makes it feel as if she¡¯s dirtying the floor. How can she be worthy of being mentioned by the various Sect Masters?¡± The group burst into roaringughter. Even Lin Xuanyuan stroke his beard and smiled in approval, feeling that this female disciple was sensible, tactful and eloquent. She was not only able to evade the obstacles but was also able to maintain the face of the Sect. Amidst the roaringughter, Meng Fuyao stood still, unmoving. The flickering lights and shes of scenes before her eyes were that of a stormy day when a kind hand had been extended to her; of the mountains in spring where a game of catching had been yed amidst joyfulughter; of sitting under the moonlight and smiling at each other between nces; of a snowing day when the fur coat had been unfolded, wrapping her cold legs snugly. It was a head knocking hard onto the mud floor. It was concealing her martial arts, always finishingst and getting expelled from the martial arts arena. It was dragging the clothes of the entire sect to wash them in icy river water during bitter winter. It was finishing her chores in the middle of the night and going to the kitchen to gnaw down the cold steamed bun. These memories were filled withughter and sorrow¡­ The sound ofughter continued. Nobody knew that their unbridledughter had finally ignited the girl¡¯s resentment, which had been deeply buried in her heart, and made it slowly transform into a zing fire. Meng Fuyao inhaled again. Suddenly, a cold smile shed across her face. ¡®Enough!¡¯ Affairs of life were so disappointing. Compelling one to unsheathe one¡¯s sword and bathe the world in blood. She originally had her back to the arena but suddenly turned around. And then, Meng Fuyao casually picked up the sword that Eldest Senior Brother had dropped to the ground, striding to the man in ck. The entire field suddenly went still. The wind blew from the chained mountain range, struggling free from the bonds of the trees, howling and whistling in the gigantic white stone arena. With the fierceness of stone, the mountain wind struck against the twelve giant bronze pirs in the martial arts arena with arge clunking sound, causing the vision of the bystanders to tilt and sway. It seemed that the vicious and ferocious four-legged beast sculptures on the pirs would surge forward at any moment to kill and devour. Under the giant pirs, Meng Fuyao¡¯s thin and firm figure stood with her back ramrod straight. Although she looked frail, as if the wind would blow her away at any moment, at the same time, she gave the feeling of someone who was calm, collected and brazen. She was like the bronze pirs behind her back, strong and immovable. Multiple burning gazes shot towards her, their meaning unclear. However, Meng Fuyao looked at none of them. She pursed her lips and tore off a strip of cloth from her robes, bounding it across her eyes. The sword in her palm shone brilliantly, like a pool of clear autumn water. Under a hundred gazes that were filled with shock, amazement, and disbelief, reflecting the burning light of the midday sun, the sword slowly pointed towards the man in ck. The martial arts arena was strangely quiet. In the center of the arena, the man in ck robes had his eyes closed while waiting. Suddenly he lifted his head, staring at Meng Fuyao deeply. He had not even retracted his stare when at the next moment, the umber ck shadow shed before his eyes. A figure charged at him at an electrifying speed. As the movement and strength were both extremely fast and big, sounds of crackling and booming in the air could be heard indistinctively. Her figure had not even arrived when a snow-white finger pierced the air and shot forward. The umber, ck short sword at the tip of her finger glinted, a swift and fierce wind swept past, attacking straight at his eyes! The single move epassed swiftness, fierceness, and uracy, while the angle of the movement was crafty, vicious and difficult to predict. It was normal to the opponent, but the entire Mystic Essence Sword Sect gasped in surprise, stunned. The strength, angle, and speed of the move were perfectly bnced. In the whole Sect, apart from Teacher, it seemed that no one was able to execute it. The young man in the center of the field smirked. He only needed to slightly move his heel and take three steps back. At the same time, he turned his palm, withdrawing his hands. A green steel longsword shot out from his underarms like a nimble snake, shooting straight at Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest. Both swords struck against each other, letting out a loud ng. The impact of the collision caused the crowd to tremble, even the fierce winds ceased. The Sword Qi caused her hair to be loosened from the bun, and her ck strands descended like mist. With a flick of her head, a strand of Meng Fuyao¡¯s hair was caught between her red lips and white teeth. It was an astonishingly bright and beautiful sight. The gaze of the young man in ck, who was standing opposite Meng Fuyao, glittered. The longsword was held tilted, and within a split second, countless snow-colored arcs shed. For Meng Fuyao that was charging forward, the strands of hair on her head were unexpectedly pulled straight and silently descended. The descending hair strands formed a soft arc in the air before they disappeared in midair. Everyone cried out in rm, but the Leaders of the various Sects had understanding, yet amazed looks. It seemed like Meng Fuyao, who was charging forward unyieldingly, had used the Qi in her body to shatter the hair strands instantly, causing them to disappear. All along, firm and unyielding objects were destroyed easily while the soft and supple matter was difficult to break. What kind of internal martial arts did this girl practice that she was actually able to release the Qi in her body to virtually destroy matter? The White Mountain Sect Master finally looked at the thin girl in the center of the arena. However, there was not much worry in his eyes. It could be seen that although the girl possessed outstanding sword techniques, her skills were still slightly inadequate. Being able to achieve this amount of skill at this age was a feat that would make others shocked and blush in shame. But everyone met exceptions. Compared to the Scarless Swordsman that had ample experience and an established name in the Jianghu, Meng Fuyao was stillcking. Thinking of winning? Dream on. Hefortably adjusted his position in his seat, smiling and stroking his beard. In the field, after the first round where both were on par, with a blink of an eye, the two shadows were entangled in battle, one ck and one umber ck. Their movements were extremely swift, and the bystanders only felt that the powerful breeze was suffocating. The two figures resembled a pair of confused butterflies, ck and umber ck tossing and turning. On the spacious white stone floor, they left streaks of brightly colored light in a whirling dance. Wherever they passed, fine cracks would appear on the finished smooth floor, ovepping and extending, like a strange painting. Looking at Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword technique that was obviously more ingenious and powerful than that of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect, the members of the other Sects gradually felt confused. Not that the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s members were any better as their jaw had dropped. Was that the same Meng Fuyao that had always been rankedst in their sect¡¯spetitions? Was she really the same Meng Fuyao that due to herck of talent, had not even been allowed to practice the internal martial arts of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect? From where could she possibly have learned that agile and ingenious sword technique which was superior to any of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s techniques? The Seventh Senior Brother, who had scolded Meng Fuyao earlier, inhaled deeply, mumbling, ¡°The 100th move, even Eldest Senior Brother was not able to receive 10 moves earlier¡­¡± The Sixth Senior Brother beside him swallowed, the loud sound scaring even himself. Within themotion and cries, Pei Yuan¡¯s expression changed erratically. She had just bullied Meng Fuyao into the ground, and at the next second, Meng Fuyao had demonstrated skills that not even she could match. Her face involuntarily turned a shade of green. Inparison, only Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s expression was the calmest and collected. His fingers lightly struck against the arm of the chair, pondering deeply. Thepetition in the arena had already reached the end. The green steel longsword abruptly broke through the umber ck light, silently creeping close to Meng Fuyao¡¯s wrist. Sliding smoothly like water, it struck straight for Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart. The strong winds were like string, with the desire to end a life. However, Meng Fuyao suddenly faced the young man dressed in ck that was charging at her and smiled. She had been waiting for this moment. Her white teeth suddenly bit on the red lips and a pearl of blood as bright as coral burst out. Meng Fuyao circted her Qi and blew out. The round drop of blood fused with the third skill level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique, shooting out electric fast. The air in the surroundings became damp and heavy, condensing into a puff of white mist, before being dyed pink by the drop of fresh blood. The mist covered the eyes of the young man dressed in ck, twisting and turning like a, blocking his vision. Chapter 5 - Moon as Backdrop Chapter 5: Moon as Backdrop Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It all happened within a split second. Meng Fuyao flipped her hand, and the short sword in her palm of spun nimbly. The glint of light on the sword suddenly exploded, with a sliding sound. The sword drew a magnificent ray of light, shooting at the chest of the opponent! She had used the third stance of the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique, Green Void Flowing Electricity! It was as if a bolt of lightning abruptly ripped through the sky, cleaving through seas andnds. The closer the target was, the stronger the impact would be. The ray of cold light was moving at a speed that normal people could not avoid, going straight for the kill! The sounds of strong winds carried a murderous aura as sharp as a knife. This caused the surrounding air to rub against each other, letting out a sharp noise resembling a ghostly howl. rmed cries sounded. The White Mountain Sect Master along with other Leaders abruptly stood up from their seats. Lin Xuanyuan, who was deep in his thoughts and knocking his fingers lightly against the arm of the chair, was also startled by the fierce killing movement. His fingers hit empty space. A disciple that was standing slightly closer to the arena let out a cry, covering his face. A whileter, blood seeped through his fingertips and dripped down. His face had been cut from the excess Qi that radiated from the arena. Such a swift, fierce and chilling killing move was almost impossible to avoid. The move made the people who were standing in shock, look at each other in dismay, feeling a chill in their hearts. The eyesight and response of the young man were exceptionally good, just as the cold light had appeared, hidden in the many rays of light, he had already retreated hurriedly. The ck shadow shed, flipping its body like a furious dragon. He had somersaulted and retreated three feet away. Although he had already retreated, he was still slow by a second. In the silence, a light noise sounded. White light shot through his shoulder de and arge patch of blood blossomed splendidly on his slightly frail back. When the young mannded on the ground, his body staggered unstably. Meng Fuyao smiled while smoothing her sleeves, towering in the arena. Meng Fuyao had won. The White Mountain Sect Master¡¯s expression changed. There were rules for the Sword Challenge that prevented individuals from relying on numbers to win. He had expected that out of all the disciples in the Mystic Essence Sword Sect, none could match up to the young man dressed in ck. Hence, even though the most powerful Sect Master amongst them, Qing Cheng, had lost to Lin Xuanyuan by a single move, he was not perturbed. Unexpectedly, this ugly girl had appeared and messed up the situation. Internally he scolded himself for having a despicable mouth. Otherwise, the ugly girl would have already left, and none of these unpredicted situations would have happened. There was silence in the martial arts arena. The Mystic Essence Sect¡¯s disciples stared nkly at Meng Fuyao. Under the sunlight, the ck hair and umber ck robes of the girl floated in the breeze. Her slightly lifted jaw formed an exquisite and smooth curvature. She looked at the crowd with a mocking smile. The single nce seemed even more brilliant than the sun¡¯s rays. When she swept through them with her gaze, the ones that had previously mocked her involuntarily shrank back from her gaze. Meng Fuyao smiled coldly and then threw her sword three inches into the ground. Crack. A ruler length split that resembled a grim and mocking smirk could be seen on the white stone floor. The red tassel dangling off the sword hilt fluttered willfully in the wind as if dismissing the stunned gazes within the crowd. The neat and delicate white stone floor of the arena had been greatly damaged by Meng Fuyao, but none opened their mouths. The young man in ck walked away without ncing back. Only after reaching the door, did he turn back. His chilly gaze met that of Meng Fuyao, who had just removed the cloth covering her eyes, lifting her head. Both gazes shed. Deep in the young man¡¯s eyes, his gaze changed, rolling and crashing like the waves upon the sea. Meng Fuyao looked back at him calmly. Her gaze was crystal clear, like the new moon rising above the sea. The young man suddenly had a strange expression, ncing behind Meng Fuyao before striding away. Meng Fuyao turned back, puzzled. She realized that Lin Xuanyuan had silently appeared behind her back. Meng Fuyao jumped, retreating quickly. However, a wave of dizziness struck her. Strong winds with a murderous aura blew. Bang! ¡­ A ghastly pale crescent moon hung upon the indigo sky. The moon¡¯s cold, chilling light was shining on the emerald green forest, making it appear even more tranquil. The breeze blew past the forest canopy, brushing against leaves and letting out a whistling, simr to sounds of groaning. From a far away mountain came the sound of a wolf howling. Its harsh and sharp aura caused the entire forest to quiver. The sound pierced through the vast, endless starry sky. It traveled through the boundless mountain ranges, into the ears of the chain-bounded person within the mountain cave. The cave was dark and damp, overgrown with moss, long and narrow. When the wind blew past the cave entrance, it sounded like a ghost was crying and yelling. Deep in the cave, a barely visible white light could be seen. On a closer look, it turned out to be a pile of scattered white bones. Meng Fuyao sat on the damp floor, huddled into a ball. Her clothes were torn and ragged, injuries covering every single inch of her body. She had already been imprisoned in the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s secret cell for seven days. After she hadpeted, Lin Xuanyuan had overlooked his status as an elder and sneaked up on her, drugging her. Next, he had wanted to kill her, sending her flying with a single palm and furiously reprimanding her in the presence of the others under the usation of secretly practicing the Mystic Essence Sect¡¯s rare martial arts. All the disciples had suddenly been enlightened, mocking and scolding Meng Fuyao who had secretly practiced the martial arts techniques . Lin Xuanyuan then imprisoned her within this cave. For the past seven days, Lin Xuanyuan had been appearing daily. He had been interrogating her about her background and demanding her to hand over the sword technique that she had used in her fight against the young man dressed in ck. In the current world, martial arts were greatly respected. A single unique and powerful skill signified an extremely important opportunity to establish power in this world. Lin Xuanyuan had clever foresight. He had already seen through the sword technique that this female disciple, who was skillful at disguising and pretending, had used. Although she wascking in skills and had not reached perfection, it was still an extremely powerful technique. Hence, he was determined to obtain it. However, Meng Fuyao had remained silent the whole time. She knew that this old dog was extremely cunning. Within a few sentences, her sword technique had be a Secret Supreme Skill of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. In the future, even if the Mystic Essence Sword Sect developed another type of unmatchable sword technique, it would all be reasonable and logical. And she, the one who handed over the technique, would bebeled as the one who hadstolen the technique. In the end, she would be killed, silencing her forever. Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t want to die here as she still had a lot of important things to do. But when a person was seriously wounded, constantly tortured and interrogated, and had no food or water, how could she survive? Meng Fuyao gasped for air, looking through the stones at the mouth of the cave that was used to trap her and at the moon in the distance. Through her bloodshot eyes, the moon seemed all the more blurry and bewitching, far away, unable to be touched. That free moonlight, shining throughout the five continents, was able to shine on the pillow the old dog was sleeping on. But it was unable to shine on her who had dwelled in the dark for seven days and nights. A light bitter smile formed at the corner of her mouth. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes, feeling the Qi in her body that had been half used up. She had actually trained the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique to the pinnacle of the third level, but due to this imprisonment, her skill level had decreased by half. A year¡¯s worth of hard work, all wasted. ording to the old Taoist priest, the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique was glorious and universally shocking; an iparable supreme martial art. The higher the level, the harder it got. The ninth level of the skill was sufficient to conquer the world. Meng Fuyao scoffed at his words, thinking that the old Taoist priest had been boasting. However, the fact that this technique was difficult to practice was true. She had been practicing for 10 years but had only reached the third level. Even at this speed, the old Taoist priest had already praised that she was a rare genius. Now that she had dropped by one whole level, Meng Fuyao was furious. As the night deepened, a faint sound of water could be heard in the silent cave. Struggling to sit up, Meng Fuyao dragged herself across the ground, inch by inch. The heavy chains collided against the uneven ground, nking, and ttering. She took a great deal of time to move next to the cave wall. She heavily leaned against the wall and used all her strength, disregarding the dirt upon the cave wall. Then, she shoved her face close against the wall that was slowly seeping with water, waiting for the lifesaving water supply. For the past seven days, she had been relying on this water source, which appeared daily in the middle of the night at a specific time, to survive. After drinking a few mouthfuls and taking a breath, Meng Fuyao touched her face. She realized that the fake scars had already been washed away by the water. But since no one would appear in the cave in the near future, it did not matter. After drinking some water, Meng Fuyao felt better. She leaned against the cave wall and unintentionally looked outside the cave. Suddenly, her gaze hardened. A protruding mountain in the distance, resembling a sharp sword de that had been split open by the deities, stood nted and isted. The silver moon hung above the mountain, round and bright as if it was hanging from the tip of the precipitous mountain. The moonlight was dark, cold but soft. In the moonlight, a figure seemed to be dancing with a sword at the peak of the mountain. The person was wearing loose robes that fluttered in the breeze. As the clouds and mist were drifting at the peak of the mountain, the figure was faintly discernible. His movements seemed to be floaty, confident and agile. The motions of his sword which seemed to be able to cleave through clouds and engrave the moon were magnificent and meandering. It was just a shadow in the distance, but through the surges and falls, he showed an elegant poise and the disposition of a deity. The hanging pearls upon a jade tform and the beautiful scenery of Peng Lai were scenes were of great beauty. However, they all seemed inferiorpared to the figure wielding the sword in the moonlight. Agility and gracefulness were both present, firmness, and subtlety coexisting. The milky way extended into the distance while the bright moon was obscured by the mist. The dark scene of the sword dance along with the jade white color of the moon were brilliant like a painting. With a sword in his hand, the person was outstanding and romantic. Unknowingly, Meng Fuyao had been enchanted. Hence, even when a ck shadow appeared at the entrance of the cave, and light footsteps signifying that a person was approaching sounded, she remained unaware. Pei Yuan stood by the entrance for some time, looking inside. In the dark, she spotted a haggard-looking Meng Fuyao who was staring far into the distance. When Pei Yuan saw how Meng Fuyao was sitting, she let out a soft cough. Meng Fuyao abruptly turned her head upon hearing it and was startled by who she saw. ¡®Pei Yuan? What¡¯s she doing here in the middle of the night?¡¯ This thought rose in her mind as quickly as the involuntary turn of her head, back toward the beautiful sight that had captivated her so much. Unfortunately, that mesmerizing figure was no longer there. Although disappointed, sheforted herself. ¡®He might really be a deity. No mortal being could possibly present themselves with such grace.¡¯ Sensing Meng Fuyao¡¯s inattentiveness, Pei Yuan believed that she was at herst gasp. She then reached her candle out to get a clearer view. What she saw was a shocking revtion. She had never had a proper look at this junior sister of hers. It was with the aid of her candlelight that she was finally greeted by a gorgeous figure and a face more exquisite than her own. Peu Yuan was stunned by Meng Fuyao¡¯s appearance, and she momentarily forgot her motive for dropping by. The pale moon gave the thick forest a vivid green outline that wasparable to that of daytime, but it was quiet all around. Even the animals and insects were keeping silent. However, there were asional breezes that generated rustling sounds when slicing through the trees. The sounds were faint and periodical, sessfully demonstrating the immense depth of the forest. Chapter 6 - What a Pity Chapter 6: What a Pity Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The air was still. Three meters away, Pei Yuan observed the youngdy, whose slender figure carved a graceful silhouette against the moonlit sky. Every outline was beautifully created, and in the dark, her small, delicate chin appeared especially lustrous. All of a sudden, Pei Yuan felt unsettled. She had been fond of Senior Brother Yan for the longest time. While no one was aware of the love affair between him and Meng Fuyao, she had her suspicions. Nevertheless, she simply couldn¡¯t justify it. Why would he take a liking to such an ugly and useless girl? Pei Yuan had never been bothered by Fuyao since she had beauty, talent, status, and intelligence. Who in the world could surpass her? Senior Brother Yan was a smart man. There was no way he could be ignorant of the benefits of marriage with her. Plus, who else if not her, was worthy of him and his excellence? The Yan family had indeed proposed for marriage, and Senior Brother Yan had indeed chosen her. When given more choices, why wouldn¡¯t he choose the better one? Only¡­ that girl wasn¡¯t a fool and had such beauty. She was an obstacle to Pei Yuan¡¯s path to happiness and sess. Pei Yuan wasn¡¯t going to take chances. In contrast to her unreadable eyes, a slight curl made its way down to her lips. ¡°Leave, Meng Fuyao. Leave and don¡¯t evere back,¡± Pei Yuan looked askance at her and spoke in a haughty manner. Meng Fuyao was startled and raised her head. ¡°You probably already know of Jingchen and my engagement. If not for our code of ethics, I would¡¯ve followed him back to Yanjing that day. Meng Fuyao, Jingchen is my soon-to-be husband. I don¡¯t want you to appear before him ever again.¡± Meng Fuyao kept her head up and smiled. ¡°Great, the feeling is mutual.¡± Pei Yuan¡¯s lips formed a disdainful arc as she responded. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not actually saying it to avoid humiliation. Since you don¡¯t wish to see him, move as far away as you can and don¡¯t pester him anymore.¡± She bent down to unlock the chains, but her fingers stealthily reached out to a protruding mountain rock nearby. ¡°Junior Sister!¡± A low voice called out from behind, causing Pei Yuan to loosen her grip. She turned her head to the side and saw Fourth Senior Brother, who was in charge of guarding Meng Fuyao, striding over. Sssss! While unlocking the chains, Pei Yuan¡¯s diamond bracelet had somehow gotten tangled with Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. Shocked by her senior brother¡¯s presence, she had whipped her body around to face him, causing Fuyao¡¯s sleeve to rip and her forearm to be exposed. ¡°Ah!¡± Pei Yuan eximed urgently. ¡°Don¡¯te over, Fourth Senior Brother, it¡¯s improper.¡± Fourth Senior Brother cast a quick side nce before stopping in his tracks. ¡°An important guest¡¯s about to arrive, Junior Sister. Master wants you there.¡± Pei Yuan answered happily, ¡°Is Wuji¡¯s imperial advisor here already? It¡¯s such an honor to meet the teacher of the exceptionally ssy Crown Prince.¡± After some thought, she added, ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s clothes are torn. She¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± At that, she took off her red cloak. As she squatted down, her red cloak swayed along with the breeze beforending onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s bare forearm. Pei Yuan removed her hand from the edge of her cloak and quietly slid it underneath. Meng Fuyao felt Pei Yuan¡¯s ice-cold fingertip on her skin and looked up at her. There was no more cheer on her face, only menace. Pei Yuan gave Meng Fuyao a meaningful look. Then, she questioned in a low voice, ¡°You have the nerve to steal my man?¡± Meng Fuyao jolted, and before she could answer, she felt Pei Yuan¡¯s finger consecutively jabbing her major pressure points. The right side of her body turned stiff, and she was unable to speak. Immediately after, Pei Yuan cried out in rm, ¡°Junior Sister, what are you trying to do? Why is there a dagger hidden within your sleeve? Ah!¡± She orchestrated a show, vigorously moving her hand beneath the cloak and causing it to shake violently as if two fighters were exchanging blows. Fourth Senior Brother moved forward apprehensively, but couldn¡¯t see anything. Satisfied with her acting, Pei Yuan threw a deadly nce at Meng Fuyao. The former jolted her finger, and a mountain rock behind Meng Fuyao shifted, revealing a secret cliff. Following that, Pei Yuan unhesitatingly jerked both hands and threw Meng Fuyao off. Before the victim could even shout, her body was already plunging down. Tumbling sounds bounced off the cliff for a good while before stopping. Above, the air was still. From a distance away, Fourth Senior Brother stared at Pei Yuan¡¯s back, his eyes losing focus. However, Pei Yuan turned around with utmost elegance, allowing her red cloak to flow freely in the air like a brightly colored cloud. She covered her mouth with a hand and opened her eyes wide before emitting a dyed cry. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s all my fault for not holding on properly. Junior Sister, fell off,¡± Pei Yuan informed in an unsurprised tone. A split secondter, she frowned andmented. ¡°s, to think I was kind enough to lend her my cloak. How could she take the chance to plot against me? This¡­ Where¡¯s justice!?¡± ¡°Oh yeah¡­¡± Fourth Senior Brother gazed steadily at Pei Yuan while replying, ¡°She only has herself to me.¡± He extended his head to look down the cliff. There was no scenery; only a sheet of ck. He shook his head, mumbling, ¡°What a pity. This cliff is so high¡­¡± Pei Yuan kept silent and looked at him with what seemed like a smile. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you. Are you hurt?¡± Fourth Senior Brother added. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Pei Yuan assured him. Then, she turned toward the cliff, her gleeful face blossoming like a spring flower before the dull night sky. ¡°How regretful,¡± her voice, light and melodious, scattered with the wind. The darkness grew denser, as though this long night would never pass. The cliff remained noiseless, save for asional sounds of impact. The final crash happened only after a long time, uncovering the significant depth of the cliff. The wild grass by the cliff rustled suddenly. Following which, a ck figure rose from the utter darkness. As if being held up by an invisible object and defying gravity, the dangling figure moved in an arc, in midair, before stabilizing itself on the slopes. That slender figure raised its head, weing the moonlight with cold eyes. It was Meng Fuyao. A smileless smile surfaced as Meng Fuyao waved her wrist. An indistinguishable ck light brushed across the sky before withdrawing into her sleeve. ¡°Trying to kill me? Not so easy.¡± Meng Fuyao gently stroked a fine, ck whip. It was a soft whip that doubled as her belt. Pei Yuan had been acting strangely earlier. Right from the start, she had had her hand on this whip. It was no wonder that she had torn her sleeve. While making all sorts of gestures under her red cloak, Pei Yuan had been coiling the whip around the mountain rock. As Meng Fuyao had been vignt against Pei Yuan, she had engaged the leftover power from Cleaving Nine Heavens to guard her pressure points. Fortunately, Pei Yuancked precision and force, which had allowed her to undo the blockage on the way down the cliff. Also, her whip had caught her body as she was being pushed off the cliff. Only when the two were far enough, did she start to climb up. Upon reaching the top, Meng Fuyao stared into the darkness before her. On its far end stood what she imagined to be the lofty manor house that had once provided her with shelter and protection, and that youth who had once given her warmth. A strong gust of wind surged up against the pale-faced girl, who kept her body resiliently straight. The joy that used to emerge on her face whenever she thought about him was now obliterated from her face. The days of being troubled over love were nothing but a digression from her life journey. It was a lush forest that she had explored, and from which she had learned the beauty of love. She had mistakenly believed that it was the Garden of Eden and was naturally banished in no time. But it was alright. In this world, there are endless losses and debts to be dealt with. Meng Fuyaoshed her whip, creating a whoosh that echoed throughout the valley like a bugle call. She retrieved a few des of grass from her clothes with a smile. They were deep green in color but had white tips that appeared to be umted morning frost. She scrutinized them in satisfaction, feeling grateful for her lucky encounter. Who would¡¯ve known that One-Fingered Frost grew on these slopes? This herb was highly effective in treating internal injuries and even possessed the ability to cultivate fundamental energy. What a big blessing in disguise! She carefully separated one de of grass and was about to put it into her mouth, but paused and slowly opened her eyes wide. ¡®That¡¯s not right¡­¡¯ She had counted six des earlier, so why were there only five now? The des had been in her hand all along, and there was no one around. How could it have disappeared? ¡®Teleportation? A time-travel glitch? Ghost?¡¯ Fuyao¡¯sst guess made her quiver, as horror films that she had watched started reying in her mind. Her mind was now taken over by a mix of extremely frightening sounds and special effects. It has been a few years since Fuyao had arrived in this time and space. Such an unusual fate had resulted in her developing a resilient willpower as well. However, at this point, on this empty cliff, it was all quiet and lonely for her. The wind was howling, and the trees all around were dancing like ghostly shadows. On top of this already eerie scene, a de of grass had vanished for no reason. Unable toe up with a logical exnation, Fuyao shuddered. The word ghost left her lips a few times too. She suddenly recalled the words of that old fellow, ¡°There are no ghosts on Earth. Ghosts are created when people start making guesses.¡± Keeping his words in mind, Fuyao mustered up some courage. She pulled her whip and whipped up a loud crunch. ¡°Who is it!¡± Apart from the whistling of the wind, there was no response. After some time of inaction, Fuyao could only withdraw her whip. As she was about to keep the des of grass, her body turned stiff once more. Another de had gone missing! She stared at the remaining four des. She couldn¡¯t help but pin this on a paranormal being. What was it trying to do by stealing her grass instead of hurting her? Fuyao clenched her teeth in resentment, before stuffing all four des into her mouth in one movement. ¡°Come and steal them! I dare you!¡± she growled. Faintughter drifted across the sky. Chapter 7 - Im Freezing Chapter 7: I¡¯m Freezing Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Thisughter took her fear away. Whether it was a human or a ghost, it seemed harmless. Meng Fuyao let her guard down and simply sat down, closing her eyes to rest. She even waved casually to get its attention. ¡°Hey, you seem bored. Please keep a lookout for me if you really have nothing to do.¡± Yet another gentleughter filled the air. It was pleasantly deep and refreshing. Even the collision of each syble possessed a unique charm, reminding her of the sounds made by breeze grazing past the majestic trees above the northernmost parts of Di Region¡¯s mountain chains. Amid the silent night, the scent of early autumn greens scattered over the sky, producing a distinctive fragrance much purer and nobler than ordinary flowers. However, Meng Fuyao seemed not to have heard or smelled anything. She simply continued resting. A third wave ofughter rang, close to her ears this time. Simultaneously, a bang was heard as a me ignited from the ground in front of her. The orange ball of fire danced enthusiastically, but all she could see while secretly sneaking a peek through her semi-closed eyes, was a sheet of warm red. Near the me stood a lone pine tree and a man in loose clothes resting on it. His light-colored garment hung loose, its golden threaded embroidery turning vague under the darkness and flickering along with his every movement. He reclined on the edge of a fine, brittle branch. Despite having a tall build, he appeared as light as a ball of cloud ¨C leisure yet admirable and mighty. He broke off a few gently swaying branches and threw them, one by one, into the fire with uracy. As the branches stacked up, they gradually formed a triangr pile that fed the vigorous mes. Between each movement of his fingers, a small mark could be seen on his right palm. It was slightly darker than his skin color, but because she was seated too far away, she was unable to make its shape out. Meng Fuyao swept her eyes across the scene and ultimately set them upon the perfectly constructed fire heap. She secretly ced both palms on the ground. There was no need to think. She identified this fellow as the ghost from earlier. Just by looking at the way he was skillfully casting the branches, she knew that her short legs wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere safe if he suddenly developed evil intentions. Before she could shift her bum; however, that man spoke up. ¡°Lady, it¡¯s cold out here, and I¡¯m wearing too little. I¡¯m freezing.¡± Meng Fuyao almost spat out the herbs that she had been keeping in her mouth. ¡®You¡¯re freezing¡­¡¯ It was barely autumn, and they were on southern grounds so while the wind was intense, it couldn¡¯t be bone-piercing. Plus, there was such a big fire burning right before them. ¡®Only a fool would believe your words,¡¯ she thought. As Meng Fuyao saw that man idling on the tree, resting his chin on his hands, and letting his gaze drift all over her body, she figured that he wanted to practice the most primitive method of gaining warmth. Thus, she slowly retreated further away from the fire. Although this man seemed honorable and looked nothing like a rapist, there was no certainty that it was all goodness within his heart. Just like¡­ Pei Yuan. Her raven ck-colored eyes sparkled under the burning mes as she looked warily at that man. Her thickshes cast a faint shadow down onto her pce face, which gave her the appearance of a kind of small animal that was nervously waiting for a battle. As the man¡¯s interest was piqued, he asked, ¡°Are you cold,dy?¡± ¡®Great. Everything¡¯s going ording to n.¡¯ Meng Fuyao shifted a side of her bum backward once more while replying in a rebellious tone, ¡°It¡¯s so hot.¡± The man curled his lips a little before casually suggesting, with poise, ¡°Get naked then.¡± Already a meter away, Fuyao shot up and did a somersault, getting ready to flee to the opposite cliff. The man chuckled, calmly pressing down on his clothes and observing her. Following his movements, the thread on the front of his clothes opened up as a fire-red fruit rolled out. Mid-flip, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®This¡­ this¡­ warm luster and refreshing aroma¡­ doesn¡¯t it resemble the sacred healing fruit Red Kirin?¡¯ Fuyao managed to catch a clear view of the fruit as it rolled over. It was indeed a sacred fruit that could only be found on the snow valleys and mountains of Dizhou. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to reach those areas. Thud! Fuyao tumbled down halfway, but immediately rose and stepped on the fruit. She snuck a nce over at the man. His indifferent demeanor gave her the confidence to reach down to grab it. Swoosh! A white light shot out like a sh of lightning as small pockets of wind swept over and knocked the fruit out of Fuyao¡¯s loosened grip, causing her to cry out in pain. The white light then made a soaring leap, as if doing a split, before striking her nose. The white object made another flip and extended all four ws up toward the sky, sessfully catching the falling fruit. Everything happened in a split second ¨C all Meng Fuyao felt was a gush of wind, a sharp pain on her nose, a faint fruit fragrance filling the air and the sacred fruit changing spots. Amid her confusion, she felt something tickling her nose. Reaching for it and taking it down, she noticed that it was a strand of white hair that was as long as a finger. What was it? Sluggishly turning her gaze to the ground, Fuyao saw a powderish-white creature moving on tiptoe. It was merrily dragging the red fruit away before getting into a single-legged rear kick position, ssic ballet style, ready to throw a high pass. Fuyao kept her eyes on that palm-sized creature. A rabbit? But it was smaller. A squirrel? But it was lighter in color. A guinea pig? But it was chubbier. It had shiny ck eyes, long snow-white fur, and an indistinguishable figure, much like Hamtaro. Such a cute little creature would definitely have been adored by pet lovers if it had been in the past. To intercept the pass by picking it up; however, seemed a little too cruel. As the guinea pig sensed Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze, it instantly turned its head to reveal its pearly whites. Under the bright mes, its incisors appeared like two glistening des. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but feel angry after such a threatening re. How unlucky of her! From getting betrayed and interrogated to being pushed off the cliff and looked down upon by a lowly, fat creature, she had had enough. Displeased, she returned the courtesy by baring her teeth ¨C they were bigger anyway! Just like that, a human and a guinea pig engaged in a teeth-clenching cum staring contest before the fiery mes. ¡°Pfff~¡± the man, who had been observing the unfolding of events, let out. He looked at Meng Fuyao with much interest and then he ordered with a wave of his hand, ¡°Yuan Bao.¡± The guinea pig ignored him, and it simply swayed its bum. ¡°Lord Yuan Bao!¡± With its little ws still holding onto the fruit, Lord Yuan Bao immediately sprung up and passed it over to the man. He shook his head and pointed to where Meng Fuyao was standing. ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡®Was that a protesting squeak?¡¯ ¡°Eh?¡± Full of reluctance, Lord Yuan Bao lifted its head up and turned toward her in slow motion. The guinea pig fixed its sorrowful eyes on the fruit as if it was a final farewell for them. The bereaved guinea pig was a great mood lifter for Meng Fuyao. Possessing zero empathy for it, she extended her hand out to snatch the fruit. In passing, she also plucked a strand of hair off its bum. ¡®Revenge is always sweet.¡¯ ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Enraged, Lord Yuan Bao hopped into the air and made a 360-degree turn, seemingly in an attempt to disy its barani flip 1 . In no universe would Meng Fuyao allow a guinea pig to step on her face again. With a simple twist of her body, she dodged its attack. When it realized that its n was about to fall short, Lord Yuan Bao quickly changed its battle strategy. It jumped onto the fruit and generously spat on it. Meng Fuyao grabbed its fat body without hesitation and threw it away. A split second and a sh of a deter, a long strip of fruit skin contaminated by saliva, came slipping down. With a forward fling, she tossed the skin onto the guinea pig¡¯s head, effectively turning it into an oversized hat before the poor creature crashed right into its owner¡¯s embrace. After three rounds of battle, Meng Fuyao emerged as the final victor. As if driven to insanity, the guinea pig jumped all over the man¡¯s body while chewing on his clothes and squeaking incessantly. In response to its indignant cries the man, still resting on the tree, merely pinched its little nose and reasoned with it, ¡°Who asked you to be a bully first¡­¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t lose anything. You stepped on her in fact¡­¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Determined to seek justice, Lord Yuan Bao exposed his bum for the man to see. ¡°You have thousands of strands of hair! How am I to tell the number you¡¯re missing on your bum?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Sir Yuan Bao whined while effortfully trying to reach for the bald spot. Running out of patience, the man grabbed its neck, forcing it to stay still. ¡°Speak properly. You didn¡¯t wash your bum yesterday!¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. It¡¯s just a snack. Let her have this one, and I¡¯llpensate you the next time round.¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Your temper¡¯s getting worse, and it¡¯s their fault for spoiling you,¡± the manmented calmly, without the least bit of ire. He then fumbled for something in his clothes, adding, ¡°Ooh¡­ so many snacks. It¡¯s tiring for me to hold them. Let¡¯s throw them all, shall we?¡± ¡°Squeak¡­ squeak¡­¡± As if raising a white g, Lord Yuan Bao proceeded to a corner to soak in his defeat. The man patted its head. As he was about to speak to Fuyao, he caught a side glimpse of her bulging mouth. In shock, he stuttered, ¡°You¡­ you finished it?¡± A few chews were all it took for her to swallow it full. ¡°Yup, I¡¯m done with it.¡± ¡®Your squabbling time was my eating time. Should I have waited for you toe and snatch it from me, then?¡¯ The man stared andughed at her for a long time before shaking his head. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re unaware of it, but when in contact with frost, the fruit bes poisonous when more than half is consumed.¡± ¡°Wha¡­!¡± Meng Fuyao was bbergasted. Following a swift leap, the cloud-like man was no longer on the tree. Without any fancy movements, he arrived before her, smiling. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re shivering,dy, you must be very cold. Let¡¯s¡­ get warm¡­¡± ¡®What rubbish!¡¯ Meng Fuyao red at him. ¡®I was winning!¡¯ Chapter 8 - I Submit Chapter 8: I Submit Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios A full face, initially concealed by the shadows, became visible like the rising of the moon from the ocean end. That split second of rity and brightness, or rather shocking realization, punched Meng Fuyao into a state of unconsciousness. Immediately upon waking up, she cursed over and over again, albeit inwardly. As she shifted backward with a panicked look emerging on her face, she quietly felt about for her soft whip. Before she could reach it, her fingers jolted backward, as if flicked by an invisible force. Opposite of her stood the man, smilingly retracting his hand while shaking his head. ¡°Lady,dy, acting doesn¡¯t work all the time.¡± The moon hung high and bright as the man¡¯s robes fluttered in the night breeze. Carrying a careless smile on his face he moved forward unhurriedly, allowing his baggy sleeves to fly with the wind. He almost resembled the mythical phoenix that lived above the ninth heaven. There was a kind of pure vibe that some people radiated. There was also a kind of charm that others exuded. Yet, few managed to achieve the perfect blend between both. Those who did had a unique aura and magnificence about them. There was carefreeness within elegance and concealed depth within warmth. The sandstones produced crisp sounds as a faint, unusual fragrance permeated the air. The man gracefully, yet shamelessly, inched closer toward Meng Fuyao, turning his face slightly to the side. She could almost feel her windpipe swelling up, making it hard to breathe. His sharp brows carried a high but soft arch that reminded people of the willow trees by the jade springs in March ¨C radiant and fresh. As for his beautifully-lined profile, no light in the whole of heaven and earth could resist taking a rest beneath his deep-set eyes. Such immortal beauty made people lose their ability to speak, and Meng Fuyao was no exception. In contrast, the man was atplete ease. He casually brushed away the dust around, but seeing that the ground couldn¡¯t be cleaned easily, he stopped bothering. Instead, he reached his hand out to pull her in. Flustered, Meng Fuyao rolled out of his embrace and plonked onto a wet area. ¡°You¡­ what are you doing?¡± Using his arm as a pillow, the man simply remained at rest position and looked at her. A dusky smile made its way to his lips as he replied, ¡°What? I¡¯m cold. Sleeping alone will make it worse, so I¡¯m going to sleep with you.¡± With a blushed face, Fuyao responded weakly, ¡°Hey¡­ I can¡¯t possibly take advantage of this situation¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯d like it,¡± the man reassured before flinging his sleeves outward and over her waist, and pulling her close once more. ¡°Hush, be good and listen.¡± The faint aroma that his body emitted smelled like fine wine, and intensified with the quick movement of his sleeves. The scent was beyond intoxicating, and as though her brain was inmmable, Fuyao felt something ignite within her head, wiping out all rationality. Unable to react, she froze in her spot while wallowing in the low chuckle that rang close to her ear. His breaths lingered over and tickled her face ever so lightly. It was a magical kind of tingle that shot straight to her heart. Meng Fuyao could hear the quick thumping within her chest. Gradually, her face started to heat up, and she fell into a state of dizziness. This new experience left her body limp, but whatever traces of reason she possessed in her mind reminded her to stay sober. Wanting to struggle free, Fuyao used both hands to push against his chest. Suddenly, her palms turned hot. Following which, warmth surged like a river through an open dam, first attacking the area of contact and then her limbs, her bones, and even her meridians. It was as if a hot spring had exploded inside her body, spreading a mellow and rich sensation throughout. That warmth was like a pair of tender hands, doing its magic within her body and healing her injured meridians one by one. Aside from dispelling the poison, it also collected and condensed the little energy that was left within her pubic region, leaving it more abundant than ever. Slowly but surely, her pale face regained rosiness. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide in shock as she stared at the man who had his eyes closed but smile on. How did he know of her situation? And why was he helping her? Letting her curious gaze fall all over his body, she made some observations. He was a man from the Five Region Continent who liked to wear all sorts of status-symbolizing essories. From that, she was able to gather that he conducted himself in a way different from most. Apart from his quality yet unobtrusive garments, he had nothing else. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes ultimatelynded on the right palm that he was slowly retracting. She now had a clearer view of the petal-like mark. Despite sensing her gaze, the man never once opened his eyes. In a gentle voice, he started, ¡°The internal energy I¡¯ve lent you will only be effective for 3 hours, so make the most out of it if you want to.¡± She snapped out of her daze and jumped up. Overwhelmed with shock, she stammered, ¡°Who are you? How do you know¡­ know¡­¡± ¡°Even while knowing that over-consuming the Single-Layered Frost would lead to internal injuries, you chose to eat four at one go. Seeing that you¡¯re also rushing to readjust and recover your body, you must be itching for revenge?¡± The man sat up and raised his brows at her. ¡°Just let me remind you. Pei Yuan¡¯s family isn¡¯t ordinary. You willing to continue?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t ride on her family¡¯s coattails everywhere she goes,¡± Fuyaomented with augh that revealed an air of arrogance and craftiness. ¡°A feud must be settled! As for the future, I will not disturb her as long as she does the same. If shees for me, I¡¯ll run, and when she lets her guard down, I¡¯ll bite. You must know that as a wanderer, I do have more freedom at times.¡± Her words left him with praises. ¡°Good. Very good.¡± Meng Fuyao threw a graceful smile in return. ¡°What a rascal.¡± Not setting his eyes on Fuyao¡¯s ckened face, the man continued, ¡°A pity there are so many members in Mystic Essence Sword Sect. Pei Yuan¡¯s skills aren¡¯t dismissible. Winning her is hard, even with your earlier condition, so how are you going to punish her without rming the rest?¡± Fuyao red at him. The thought that this man had witnessed all that had happened on the cliff was absolutely triggering. ¡°That¡¯s my business! You did nothing earlier, and now you¡¯re acting all kind?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t here earlier, and merely caught sight of your movements,¡± he exined, anger-free. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯ll take it back if you¡¯re not going to use it.¡± Remembering that the energy in her body was his doing, she shouted unhappily, ¡°I want it!¡± Immediately, the man let out his signature chuckle. Although his eyes were bright as usual, there was an unconceble ridiculing tone in his voice as he added, ¡°Oh¡­ you want it?¡± That ¡°oh¡± was gentle, drawn-out and provoking. Fuyao, who had nned to retaliate, simply lost all will to speak as her face gave way to more flushing. Before she could collect her thoughts, the man pulled her hand. ¡°Your wish is mymand¡­¡± Under the bright moon and cool breezey Meng Fuyao, nestling in a beautiful man¡¯s arms. Could there be anything more romantic and blissful than this? While Indulging in it all, Fuyao¡¯s face had undergone a full-blown transformation from shy red to scarlet red, crimson red to rose red and finally her usualplexion. She cast a nce at the shamelessly perfect man before her before dering in all righteousness, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just have to make do.¡± With a swift move, she hid a few steel needles between her fingers. ¡®Touch me, and I¡¯ll jab you to death,¡¯ she thought. Amid the close contact between their hands and cheeks, a fat guinea pig appeared to cause a scene. There couldn¡¯t possibly be anything more ridiculous than this. Before she could push or jab, Lord Yuan Bao flew over from god knows where, and made a backflip and split in the air with its ws wide opened before stepping on their faces. Straight away, Fuyao pped Yuan Bao away and retreated. Lord Yuan Bao fell right into the man¡¯s extended palm and instantly held onto his fingers, crying. Appearing to give that little fellow a disdainful look, Fuyao was actually thankful for its help. ¡®But isn¡¯t it being over-possessive?¡¯ She shifted her gaze from that tantrum-throwing creature over to the man. Having roamed about for years, Fuyao did develop a keener sense of judgment. The man in front seemed to be joking all the time, but his eyes contained only magnanimity and nothing like lust. There was no evilness in him. Did he really offer help because of what he had witnessed? The Mystic Essence Sword Sect had quite a high position within Taiyuan, evident from the regr visits made by many high officials and noble guests. Was this guy¡¯s sudden emergence rted to the sect? If he had connections with the sect, why would he offer her help? Meng Fuyao inhaled deeply and chose not to ponder over this temporarily unanswerable question any longer. This man wasn¡¯t a simple character for sure, but since she was unable to probe anything out of him and since he could easily squash her if he wanted to, there really was nothing she could do at this point. There were other pressing issues to be tackled. Instead of fretting over uncontroble events, she would rather focus on taking down those who had hurt her. Fuyao regted her breathing, kept her sleeve pouch, and fished something out from her clothes to smear onto her handy dagger. It was the juice extract of the Invulnerable Flower, a product of Fufeng in Qing Continent. The juice itself wasn¡¯t poisonous but would cause a wound to rot upon permeation, making it almost impossible to heal. Fuyao tossed it up and down, feeling rather regretful that she had no poison on her. ¡®Pei Yuan, Pei Yuan¡­ your exceptional looks and beautifulplexion draw men toward you like bees to honey. They call you a jade doll, don¡¯t they? Imagine if their little jade doll has a rotting wound, releasing a stench that drives all the flowers and butterflies away¡­ Would you still be able to keep that fake, aristocratic smile of yours on?¡¯ Fuyao smirked coldly while applying more juice on her dagger,yer afteryer. Hugging his knees, the man smiled at her, admiration shing across his eyes. Seeing Fuyao getting ready, he stood up and pointed toward Mystic Essence Manor. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this, but there¡¯s a secret passage leading to your sect. You¡¯ll be able to avoid the guards if you travel by that route.¡± At this point, his expression turned strange. ¡°Also, your Master, Senior Brothers, and Sisters are currently entertaining their guest, so you cany an ambush in Pei Yuan¡¯s room first.¡± Chapter 9 - Sweet Revenge Chapter 9: Sweet Revenge Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°How do you know?¡± Fu Yao gave him a side nce. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You can call me Zhaoxu, Yuan Zhaoxu,¡± he introduced with an infectious smile. The light in his eyes could reverse the flow of a river and melt snow. ¡°Yuan Zhaoxu?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled over and over again. It was a familiar name, but she couldn¡¯t seem to recall where she had heard it from. As such, she merely nodded and started off in the direction that he was pointing toward. Even as Fuyao¡¯s silhouette gradually faded into the mountainousndscape, Yuan Zhaoxu never once lifted his eyes off her back. His loose garments flitted about in the wind as the beautifully fragmented moonlight reflected off it. Behind him, where a mountain rock was situated, appeared a stealthy, lean figure. Head down, and body stooped, he gave a respectful bow from a meter away. ¡°Ad¡­¡± A simple eye contact from Yuan Zhaoxu was enough to send shivers down the man¡¯s spine and keep him mum. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush me. I¡¯ll go over now,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu interrupted as if understanding what the man had nned to convey. He waved, but after some thought, turned his head to Lord Yuan Bao, who was resting on his shoulder. ¡°Do you want to follow her?¡± In response, Lord Yuan Bao made a stubborn turn and faced his bum toward him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you supper when we get back. 3 Dragon Fruits.¡± Despite maintaining his rebellious pose, Lord Yuan Bao made his way down Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not to settle your own private matters, or I¡¯ll cut off your supply of Dragon Fruits for 3 days,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu warned, only to receive a wag of Yuan Bao¡¯s short tail. Was that a yes or no? The man in ck stared in shock as that little ball of white fur disappeared into the night. He simply couldn¡¯t wrap his head around his master¡¯s actions. Yuan Bao wasn¡¯t an ordinary domesticated pet. He was a mystical creature, born in the most divine Changqing Shrine in Qiongcang, Di Region. A creature like him appeared only once in a hundred years, had a long lifespan and was extremely loyal and intelligent,parable even to humans. Also, having one would help an owner with seeking luck and avoiding cmity. Not anyone could own or even get to see this creature. If not for Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s special identity, it couldn¡¯t have been possible. ¡®How could Master so carelessly dispatch a treasure like Yuan Bao?¡¯ ¡®Thatdy from earlier¡­ perhaps¡­¡¯ ¡®But Master¡¯s destiny¡­¡¯ A thousand thoughts ran amok in his head, but he kept on a hollow facade. Having followed Yuan Zhaoxu around for so many years, the man knew that his master could easily recognize thoughts and intentions just by studying one¡¯s facial expressions. Despite the man¡¯s effort, Yuan Zhaoxu seemed to have noticed something. He half-turned and gave the man a superficial smile. The man lowered his body even more before retreating into the darkness. Turning back, Yuan Zhaoxu narrowed his eyes and stared into the distance. That girl who dared to love and hate, dared to ept and face problems, had long vanished from sight. With her sword, bound hair and deadly aura she had sprinted toward the seemingly sanctimonious yet truly vile manor. Toward those who had hurt and humiliated her. She was ready to fight. ¡°Amid life¡¯s limitless restrictions and daily torments, only few would dly take on debts of gratitude and duties to avenge¡­¡± A long timeter a soft sigh could be heard spreading through the meandering breeze. ¡°You¡¯re aging so well. Your elegance leaves me in deep admiration, heh heh¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the grand swordmaster of this generation, how can Ipare, ha ha ha¡­¡± Under the burning candlelights in Mystic Essence Manor¡¯s hall sat two old men, exchanging smiles and perfunctorypliments. They went on and on, oblivious to the darkening sky outside and the disciples who weren¡¯t able to stifle their yawns. ¡°Come, Advisor¡­ try our Jade Spring Tea, a special product from Xuan Yuan Mountains.¡± As Lin Xuanyuan poured some tea, he used his baggy sleeves as cover to sneak a yawn. He had been hosting for a long time. Not sumbing to old age, Wuji¡¯s advisor remained hale and hearty. In spite of their incoherent and prolonged ramblings, he hadn¡¯t shown any signs of drowsiness. Behind his sleeves, Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s gaze shuttled restlessly before falling on the Fourth Disciple, who had just slipped in from the side door. ¡®Wha¡­ Didn¡¯t I ask him to guard Meng Fuyao? Why¡¯s he back and looking so flurried?¡¯ Before he could figure things out, a red figure shed by the door. It was Pei Yuan. She leaned against the door frame, appearing all high and mighty, as she tidied her sleeves. She appeared indifferent, but the old fox could sense the invisible yet vicious currents that were flowing between the kids¡¯ brows. He held the teapot higher up to block his eyes from the guest as he mumbled inwardly. ¡®What happened? Something seems off with them.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t the time to interrogate. Moreover, with Pei Yuan¡¯s identity, even Lin Xuan Yuan would have to think twice about lecturing her. The best he could do was to stay awake and apany his guest. The white-haired advisor was a reputable servant of the emperor but was more widely recognized as the prince¡¯s mentor. A man of his age shouldn¡¯t be this clear-headed, but it was also a fact that he was gabbling on, with his dark eye rings, amid the host¡¯s consecutive yawns. ¡°The 5 Regions; Qing, Yi, Heng, Ming, and Di are split into 7 Nations; Tiansha, Wuji, Fufeng, Qiongcang, Taiyuan, Xuanji and Xuanyuan. Tiansha likes war, Wuji has talents, Taiyuan spreads martial spirit, Xuanji has wisdom, Fufeng has ethics, Xuanyuan is an expert on ancient techniques, Qiongcang¡­¡± Out of nowhere came a rush of wind that caused the candlelights to flicker. This stilled the advisor for a moment before he startedughing and sipping on his tea. As if recalling something, he eximed, ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve been too engrossed in our chat. Look at the time¡­¡± Lin Xuanyuan shot up and answered enthusiastically, ¡°Yes, yes. Your valuable knowledge, Sir, has enthralled everyone here, so much that I¡¯ve forgotten about inviting you to rest! My bad, my bad. Someone take this man to his room, quick¡­¡± ¡°Huu¡­¡± A wave of exhtion spread across the hall. The old advisor swaggered away, and the disciples started dispersing. Lin Xuanyuan raised his hand and called out, with a gaze different from before, ¡°Fourth! Pei Yuan!¡± The addressees, who were attempting to escape, stopped in their tracks and turned around stiffly. Pei Yuan lifted her eyes to meet Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s suspicious gaze before breaking into a smile. All of a sudden, outside the windows, a bolt of lightning struck. The jarring light shone down upon her face and twisted her smile into a sinister smirk, effectively giving Lin Xuanyuan a fright. He looked out of the windows and caught sight of the sudden downpour. ¡°It¡¯s raining¡­¡± he muttered in astonishment. It was raining. The midnight rain arrived so suddenly and ferociously, as if ready to tear down the sky and ocean. In no time, the crashing rain had formed countless streams on the ground. Pei Yuan walked out from the hall as a servant, sheltering her with an oil-paper umbre, escorted her back to the Lanting Residence. Another servant led the way with a paperntern, which she carefully shielded with her own sleeves. Even then, the frail me was quickly put out by the relentless wind and rain. Before the servant could plead for forgiveness, Pei Yuan rewarded her a p that left a fresh red cut on her face. Blood flowed down together with the raindrops, but the girl dared not let out a single cry. ¡°Fool! Can¡¯t even take care of antern!¡± Pei Yuan criticized while looking up at the ckened sky. A sudden wave of annoyance overtook her. With a frown on her face, she ran into her sheltered corridor, protecting her face from the rain. ¡°Don¡¯te over and dirty my ground,¡± Pei Yuan ordered. She hated to be disturbed and suffered from mysophobia, so it was no wonder that she had chosen to live in the cleanest and most refined residence. Being aware of her habits, the servants quickly lowered their head and withdrew. The whipping rain outside was starkly juxtaposed with the still darkness indoors. Pei Yuan pushed the door open. It creaked, and Pei Yuan lowered her gaze automatically, spotting a faint water trail on the wooden floor. Her heart jumped, and she reacted instantly by leaping backward. But it was toote. ¡°Zzt!¡± A white light shed by, and a ck figure jumped out with a long sword. He brandished it, fast but silent. All it took was a split second for him to reach Pei Yuan! ¡°Rip!¡± The hair-raising sound of flesh tearing rang in Pei Yuan¡¯s ears as she felt a cold, painful sensation on the left side of her forehead. It did not take long for her eye to be covered in blood. The fresh red stain obstructed her vision. She couldn¡¯t identify the assassin, but she knew that she had to save herself. Gritting her teeth, Pei Yuan retrieved her sword. With a sharp jolt, its tip lit up, as brightly as all the stars in the skybined. It was an absolutely dazzling sight. In such an emergency, she had no choice but to utilize her rarely used technique, ¡°Sword of the Vast Sky¡±. It was a power move that her master had secretly imparted to her. Her opponent understood the might of this move, so instead of fighting head-on, he slipped away from her side like a fish. In that brief moment of passing, however, he had managed to deal her with another blow, resulting in an additional sh on the right side of her forehead. Yet again, fresh blood streamed out like spring water. Her vision was nowpletely blocked by two red waterfalls. The de responsible for leaving a cross on Pei Yuan¡¯s face was as swift as lightning, and each sh contained deep-seated anger. Face soaked in blood and unable to see anything, Pei Yuan¡¯s execution was hindered. The searing pain made her anxious. She wasn¡¯t aware of the actual state of her face but judging from the amount of blood, she knew she was disfigured. Such viciousness¡­ that person must loathe her. A woman¡¯s face was her life, and what Pei Yuan felt at this point wasn¡¯t merely physical but also emotional pain. Only by killing the perpetrator could she feel at ease. Determined, she dismissed all thoughts of her wounds, raised her weapon and wiped the blood off her face with it. In the dark, a red glow flowed eerily down her sword. Bubbling spots gradually appeared, as though countless poisonous spiders were crawling all around it. It was a spine-chilling sight. Chapter 10 - Storm Rages On Chapter 10: Storm Rages On Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios If any of Taiyuan¡¯s royal sons were around, they would surely be amazed. ¡°Sacrificial Blood Miracle¡± was a secret imperial technique, and the fact that Pei Yuan had decided to employ it meant that she was calling for a deathmatch. However, even if she was begging for it, her opponent might not ede. Thetter, upon sighting the devilish red glow, had rushed to the door, made a kickflip and evaded the area of effect. The perpetrator¡¯s silhouette appeared like a falcon, and within seconds, it was already meters away from the house, disappearing into a blurry shadow amid the storm. Pei Yuan withdrew her sword and gave chase. Her skill activation wasplete; she raised her feet, as quick as lighting, as her long sword radiated a ray so extensive that it was almost as though she could reach that shadow by simply lifting her hand. Nevertheless, before she could actually lift it up properly, something satiny brushed across her body, producing a rather gentle breeze. Immediately after, she felt a pain in her fingers, and her sword was swept to the ground. Assuming that there were more enemies indoors, Pei Yuan forced her eyes wide open. Between the red that dimmed her vision, she could roughly make out a round silhouette that left as quickly as it came. The next moment, as if stumbling over something, her legs turned to jelly, and she staggered. Numbness set in at this point, and she felt as though countless worms were wiggling on her facial wounds. Overwhelmed with shock, Pei Yuan lost all interest in seeking the perpetrator. She anxiously touched her injury, which was getting increasingly itchy. Unable to see anything through a sea of red, she called out at the top of her voice, ¡°Servant! Servant! Water! Get the physician right now!¡± Silence. The servants who had stayed in the rain and whom she was afraid would degrade her floor gazed at her sluggishly while holding onto their ruinednterns. They were absolutely stupefied. Their usually sophisticated and domineering owner was now standing under the rain with her hair draping all over her face. There was blood on her face and hands, which she spread open while screaming in distress. Fresh blood continued to ooze of the sinister-looking cross on her forehead and dripped onto the corridor that no one had been allowed to enter, causing it to be thoroughly stained. ¡°Servant¡­ servant¡­¡± No one moved or talked. Despite having witnessed a brutal assassination attempt, they simply stood coldly in the rain. As a result of the strong wind, the rain formed sheets of clear walls that isted Pei Yuan from their hate-filled gazes, which had umted from years of abuse and finally unleashed. ¡°Ser¡­ vant¡­¡± Her pitiful sobs gradually drowned in the storm as she ran wildly, back and forth, along the corridor. Pei Yuan was so out of it that she asionally crashed into pirs, adding injuries to her face. Her energy only depleted along with the intensification of the tingles on her face. The rain seeping through the dark red veils that were suspended from the pirs carried a blood color, whichplemented Pei Yuan¡¯s awfully-stained dress and sorrowful cries. Eventually, she weakened to the point of copsing. Her bodynded on the steps, and her ck hair slithered like snakes on the cold, wet ground. Pei Yuan extended a hand out, as far as possible, as if trying desperately to cling onto any hope that she was merely experiencing a bad dream. But that glimmer of hope was practically unreachable. The night remained dark as the storm raged on. She let out a disoriented groan that harmonized with the sky-splitting thunder. ¡°You¡­ why¡­ not saving me¡­¡± In no time, her blood was submerged by the pitch-ck sky, and her shaky whimpers werepletely buried by the cruel storm. During the moment when Pei Yuan was given a cross on her forehead, a man could be seen smiling atop a faraway roof, his surprisingly dry robes fluttering in the wind. He cupped his hands together in satisfaction while observing the situation below. A few steps behind him stood another man in ck. ¡°Go over to her houseter,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu ordered. ¡°Not only is there a feud between the Pei and Yun Family, but they¡¯re also political enemies¡­ Know what to do now?¡± The man nodded without a word before disappearing in a sh. Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and looked down from the roof. In spite of the pattering sounds, his voice remained strong, ¡°Looking clean with the cross, this woman¡­¡± In a hidden corner, Meng Fuyao tapped on Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s shoulder with one hand while wiping the blood off her body with another. ¡°Thanks,¡± she expressed. Lord Yuan Bao nudged her hand away in contempt as if meaning to say, ¡°Don¡¯t dirty my snow-white fur with your dirty w.¡± ¡°You stupid meatball!¡± Meng Fuyao exploded before striding off. After she left and unknown to her, a god-like lighting bolt, sent from the highest of heavens, pierced through the five big continents. The reflection of an unconscious Pei Yuan and her room could be seen in the bolt. Amid its whiteness shed an even brighter light, followed by stters of red. That night was destined to be a chaotic one. Lin Xuanyuan was called up not long after he fell asleep. His expression, upon witnessing Pei Yuan¡¯s state, was indescribably horrifying. The wounds on Pei Yuan face had rotted so much that her skull was exposed. It was clear, from blood to bone, that her once beautiful face would never revert back to how it was. Lin Xuanyuan stood rooted to the ground,pletely at a loss. His disciples were none the wiser about Pei Yuan¡¯s background, but he knew better that her family wasn¡¯t one to be provoked. Now that she had fallen into such a terrible state, how was he going to exin? He had already interrogated Pei Yuan¡¯s servants, but they simply insisted that it was a ck shadow that had jumped out of her house and that they knew nothing more. It was unfortunate that the sudden downpour had erased all traces of evidence. The wrinkles on Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s face had evidently deepened overnight. He looked toward the sky with a heavy heart. ¡°Perhaps the heavens want me dead?¡± His eyes swept past the dark guestroom, and a thought struck him. ¡®Something like this happens immediately upon his arrival. Could it be¡­¡¯ He quickly dismissed that suspicion. The advisor rarely went out and had always been friendly with Mystic Essence Sword Sect. There were no discernible motives, and Pei Yuan¡¯s injuries had already been assessed by the physician ¨C half a section of her right pinky finger had been chopped off. Judging from the jaggedness of the cut, the culprit must have employed a kind of convulsive sword technique. Someone, presumably from Yun Family, must have sent an assassin over to hurt her. Only¡­ her identity was unknown to members of Mystic Essence Sword Sect. With a big frown on his face, Lin Xuanyuan decided that he had better exin everything clearly to Pei Yuan¡¯s family. ¡°No sleeping tonight, everyone. Go out and find someone for me. I¡¯ve already engaged the troops guarding respective junctions. The perpetrator couldn¡¯t have fled down the mountains in this storm. You guys better keep him up here!¡± His disciples immediately obeyed. Looking at the storm that was still going strong, Lin Xuanyuan warned, ¡°This is a life and death situation for Mystic Essence Sword Sect, so remember, I need that person, dead or alive!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A ck figure prated the thick rain walls like an arrow leaving its bow. Because of its speed, it seemed to leave a remnant shadow wherever it passed. The figure dashed straight to the back mountain. Mystic Essence Sword Sect was built along the mountains, and the area after the manor was the most disadvantageous ce to guard against enemies. It was quiet as usual at the back mountain. Shadows could be seen trekking up a strayed path. Having explored the whole mountainous area, she knew that there was a valley behind this particr mountain and that there was a cave in the valley, which would lead her out of Xuanyuan mountain range. As she sprinted, the sword under her belt started emitting a slight jade-green light. Jade-green was a color representing a swordsman¡¯s ability to break through the fourth level of Cleaving Nine Heavens and to break through all soft, internal Yin energy. Not only had Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s internal energy assisted Meng Fuyao in recovering her original skill level, but it had also pushed her to break through the third gate, at which she had been stuck for the longest time. Entering the fourth realm doubled her speed, which had allowed her to leave that beautiful cross on Pei Yuan¡¯s forehead earlier, despite thetter already being aware of her presence. It was a pity that Pei Yuan had been so determined to fight a deathmatch. Not ready to die young, Meng Fuyao had no choice but to slip away, even though the aftermath could be troublesome. In front, on a faint ck colored mountain, lush trees were swaying vigorously along with the wind. Overall it seemed that no one had passed by. Meng Fuyao exhaled gently and a slight smile formed on her face. She strode forward. ¡°ng.¡± Something felt strange under her feet, as though she had just kicked a little rock. Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t convinced that it was a rock, of course, so she instantly turned around and fled! The low-lying bushes rose suddenly like snakes. Upon closer inspection, it was a giant, cast from behind, that had uprooted all the nts. Whistles filled the sky as a green light, hidden amid the bushes, shot out from the mesh and toward Meng Fuyao! ¡°Sh*t!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed at the old fox Lin Xuanyuan for being so efficient, but more so at herself for failing to notice this all these while. The giant covered an area of about 30 square meters. Because her internal energy had started to dissipate, there was no way for her to make an instant escape. Green light flickered as the ck started expanding. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes in despair. ¡°Hey, asleep?¡± A low and graceful voice floated above her ear. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes in surprise. A distance before her stood Yuan Zhaoxu, tidy and elegant, as if ready to enter a pce. His clothes were dry in spite of the crazy storm. She felt as though the bright moon had just risen above the distant cliffs, amid a lush greenndscape. He stood so far away and did not appear one bit anxious, which could logically mean that it was toote for her to be saved. Nevertheless, his presence made her feel at ease and that in this moment of life and death, nothing was too frightening to handle. Before her lips could curl uppletely, she caught Yuan Zhaoxu throwing her a smile. He moved suddenly. His movement was extremely fast and powerful, like an avnche, making the storm in the background seem even more majestic. The grass beneath started to rustle and was quickly uplifted, forming stacks of walls to intercept the iing. Chapter 11 - That Magical Moment Chapter 11: That Magical Moment Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yuan Zhaoxu appeared to be flying right above and parallel to the ground and reached Meng Fuyao within a second. He reached a hand out to push her down but immediately caught her waist the next moment. Still flying close to the ground, he made a sweeping motion with the sleeves on his other hand, directly sending a gust of wind to disperse the ¡°grass wall¡±. The des of grass were like mini arrows, whizzing toward the gigantic. Sounds of collision spread incessantly and almost inaudibly, and in the blink of an eye, the was shredded by the sharp des. Thest bit of glowingnded right behind Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s boots and was instantly shot into the mud by the rain. Still clean and smiling, Yuan Zhaoxu raised his shoulders and looked at the woman below him. ¡°How do you feel seeing me?¡± ¡®How do I feel?¡¯ Meng Fuyao blinked nkly at him. The man above her had eyes so deep and a smile so mesmerizing that she almost felt tipsy just by gazing at him. A faint yet exotic aroma diffused across the sky, making it impossible even for the wild storm to dilute it. The exchange of nces muted them temporarily. Yuan Zhaoxu no longer tried to tease her, and Meng Fuyao, too, no longer attempted to retort. At that moment where a crisis had just been dodged, where the rain was still pattering against their bodies and where Meng Fuyao waspletely lost in his scent, she had totally lost the ability to talk. This seemingly distant man had stayed close by her side since the moment they met and had already saved her life twice in two hours. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t understand his motive for helping her. All she could do was feel heat surging inside of her body as she continued gazing at him. The cold, cruel night had finally been infected with a tinge of warmth. All it took was that brief eye contact. Deep within her hearty a fine bowstring that had long rusted from years of hardship, and even broken from one particr man¡¯s abandonment. All of a sudden, however, amid their magical exchange and the contrast between the moring rain and the silence they shared, that bowstring of hers started joining back together and producing a subtle yet core-shaking trill. It was as though a thunderbolt that struck all stillness away. Meng Fuyao shuddered. In motion, her fingers brushed across the wet ground, and a pointed grass pierced into one of them. A round and big bead of blood trickled from the cut on her fingertip and was instantaneously wiped away by the rainwater and mixed into the dark colored mud. Meng Fuyao inhaled deeply. The piercing pain seemed to have sobered her up. She subconsciously shrank her body while looking away. Yuan Zhaoxu, who had been observing, lifted his eyes off her before sweeping themselves up into a standing position in one swift motion. Still in his embrace, Meng Fuyao head bumped against his chest. ¡°Are you offering your body to me? But I don¡¯t wanna catch a cold,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu broke the silence. His tone was rxed and friendly, and since Meng Fuyao was unable to see his expression, she wasn¡¯t actually afraid. Instead, his carefree attitude threw her into a mncholic mood. ¡®Bah! What are you doing? You¡¯re almost 40 for goodness sake! Why are you still getting tangled in such affairs?¡¯ She turned her head, hoping to jump out of his embrace when he suddenly held her down. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said in a low voice. Before he could finish, a number of ck figures came into view from meters away. They had bows and arrows in their hands. Having spotted them, he immediately flicked his fingers in midair, creating a mournful buzz that preceded the sudden rise of a brilliant lightning bolt from the ground. Following which, a cluster of trees copsed, revealing a piece of emptynd. Behind the emptynd were ten over trees with smoking, ck leaves, and skinned trunks, which made them look pitifully bare. The arrangement of trees reminded Meng Fuyao of the five elements, White Wood Formation that the old Taoist priest had mentioned before. As she was about to warn Yuan Zhaoxu, she felt him advancing steadily toward the center of the formation. Despite carrying someone in his arm, Yuan Zhaoxu moved skillfully, as if he was weightless. In fact, he was so fast that they arrived at the eye of the formation before she could even stop him. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sank. She closed her eyes and mentally calcted her exact position. She strategized to destroy the tree that was three steps to her left before anything else. As the five elements, the White Wood Formation was ever-changing, things could go either way; she had a 50% chance of escaping the hidden, subterranean arrows and smashing wood blocks that the formation potentially contained. No matter what, it was better than letting Yuan Zhaoxumit suicide. As she was about to take action, Yuan Zhaoxu made a flying kick, breaking the enormous tree in the eye of the formation and causing it to fly away. A wave of crackling sounds filled the air, and a gentle buzz could be heard along with it. It was as if a hive of bees was flying up from underground, or a pile of leaves was being swept up by a hurricane to form a ck, dense mass that rolled toward them. It was a buried, jet-ck dagger that had punctured the sky amid swirls of rain and mud water, and charged at the trees in the middle from all directions. It first smashed onto the eye of a tree at an angle before bouncing onto the chest of another at a different angle, and then another¡¯s back and head, and so on. The attacks were unpredictable and hence undodgeable. Yuan Zhaoxu paid no heed, however. With his clothes rolling with the wind, he shot through the sky like lightning amid the clouds and dark sky,ing into sight between intervals. Where he passed, wind surged like a sharp de, and trees snapped with every sweep of his sleeves. Between the de rays and trees, he maneuvered as carefreely and lightly as a feather, always brushing past each obstacle by a hair¡¯s breadth. It was undeniable that he was facing the wildest, most chaotic andwless attack, but his movements were so exquisite and precise that they almost seemed rehearsed. He seemed to have the power of a deity, turning rivers into threads and lightning into needles and weaving aplex pattern above the brocade that was the vast sea and destend. The enormous trees that copsed one by one in a seemingly disordered manner had different breaking points and forces of impact ¨C one higher and stronger than the one before ¨C which resulted in a domino effect. Yet, not one tree touched the ground and at the end, all the trees stacked to form a mountain range-like pile, urately blocking off the daggers that were flying in disarray and causing them to fall to the ground. Meng Fuyao inhaled a cold, deep breath, albeit with much difficulty. She knew the way to break the formation but had never thought that anyone would employ such a challenging method. The endless trees and the different angles in which the daggers moved demanded an unimaginable amount of calction and an excellent grasp of timing, both of which he had executed to sheer perfection. Only then could the objects havended the way they did. Meng Fuyao had believed that even with modernputers, these calctions would have required a few seconds, only to be disproved by Yuan Zhaoxu, who had been in the center of the formation and anticipating a ferocious attack. ¡®This¡­ is he human?¡¯ After the copse of trees and daggers, Yuan Zhaoxu waved his sleeves and carried Meng Fuyao up into the sky. He took one light jump in midair, as in treading on a cloud, beforending on the tallest tree. Uponing into contact with his circting qi, raindrops bounced right away. The manner in which he glided through the air was practically god-like. The leaves on the tree made zero movements even as hended on it. With his usual smile, Yuan Zhaoxu observed the group of archers in ambush. They stood stiffly on the same spot and red at his god-like silhouette, mouths agape with incredulity. It was unsurprising, however, considering the fact that he did destroy their master¡¯s meticulously fashioned and perfected White Wood Formation in a split second; he had broken the formation with the most bizarre and unbelievable technique. Seeing that the man could remain so calm and maintain such a rxed posture after all that, they were stricken with fear and reverence, which made them forget to control their bows and arrows. Yuan Zhaoxu kept a half-smile on his face as he jerked his sleeves once. In that instant, everyone below jumped away instinctively. Although they saw nothing, a stretchedughter filled the air and two shadows shed by like lightning bolts, drawing a strong, ck arc across the rainscreen. Leaves rustled as two rows of trees bent in opposite directions to form a path for them, causing the mud to loosen and fly everywhere. Non-stop snappings of wood could be heard amid it all. Like arrows splitting earth and waves ceasing fire, four other formations ¨C ck Water, Yellow Earth, Raging Inferno, and Lapis ¨C behind the White Wood Formation were instantly demolished. The major destruction threw the formations into disorder, sending scattered shots toward a number of guards. Anguished cries followed after, causing the group to disperse. Due to Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s speed and the force of the wind, Meng Fuyao took a lot of effort to peek out from his embrace. It was a pity that all she could see were dismantled formations. Although she knew the way to break them, she had no chance to step in as the heroine since the man before her was simply too formidable. Bored stiff, she yed with the hem of Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s clothes and sighed. His chest expanded and contracted ever so rhythmically as he spoke above her head, bumping gently into her cheek. That contact generated yet another warm flow that slowly spread throughout her body, easily inducing a wave of drowsiness within her since she had had a long, tiresome night. ¡°¡­ this isn¡¯t it¡­ let¡¯s escape in another way¡­¡± ¡®Alright, let¡¯s do that. Together.¡¯ Meng Fuyao shut her eyes as his soft, low voice lulled her to sleep. It felt like a long dream. A dream with calm water as the background, in Namtsoke perhaps, with the vast, cloudless sky and silverish-white, snow-peaked mountains reflecting their glorious colors onto theke surface. Fishes asionally leaped out of the seemingly still and silvery waves, their iridescent scales standing out under the sun. Mom was still well. They stood side by side as the wind blew their hair all messy. Mom reached her hand out to tidy the stray strands on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, fingers brushing against her ears during the process. Her touch was familiar and warm. At this point, Meng Fuyao realized that this was the only time they had traveled together. Dad had left them when she was young, and Mom had struggled to keep them alive and bring her up in this exceptionally cramped and suffocating world. Fortunately, she was a naturally sanguine person; she had dly worked overtime for an extra 10 dors and had unhesitantly sacrificed ten over years of savings to fulfill her daughter¡¯s ambitious dream. Chapter 12 - I’ll Fall into Hell Chapter 12: I¡¯ll Fall into Hell Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Before Namtsoke they stood, admiring the inexhaustible and sharp wind that blew over the teau and pierced through the ice peaks. It whizzed toward the boundless field and edgeless sky with a faint rumble, as if chanting a buddhist hymn, and joined the eagles that were spiraling above her head. At that moment, she felt as though she could hear some of her deepest thoughts and feelings being shattered by the ice-cold wind. Returning from the trip, she had chosen to pursue archaeology and history. She had chosen to be a part of the yellow sands and barrennds, the humongous thousand-year Buddha and unmanned viges, the deep, mysterious canyons and suspending cliffs. In a blink, she had arrived in a remote and gloomy tunnel. The porcinmps glistened in the dark, and the wide, graveled path produced hollow echoes when stepped on by her army boots. Every three steps she took, she found a sizeable, engraved lotus flower on the rock beneath her feet. Gradually an underground pce revealed itself to her, greeting her with sparkling gold and jade beast statues that were locking silent gazes with each other. A vague, chant-like voice rang once more; it was everywhere yet its source was unseekable. It was mumbling constantly and close to her ears. She tried to restrain her throbbing heart and let her instincts lead her deeper into the imperial tomb. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s the ce.¡¯ A tall and massive beast totem that was seated on a spotlessly white st rose into view. It was unimaginably majestic, and there were tens of luminous pearls flickering on the golden ceiling. It was a sight resembling that of the nine heavens. She eyed the golden coffin in front of her. ¡®Who¡¯s having a peaceful, deep sleep inside?¡¯ On the golden coffin cover were carved drawings of what seemed to be human faces. She inched closer, step by step. ¡°Fuyao.¡± The voice behind her sounded so close and dear, but mncholic. It had a familiar intonation but foreign tone to it. She turned around abruptly. ¡°Mom¡­¡± A beam of white light shone down from somewhere, and in it was Mom¡¯s frail, paper-like figure. She was dressed in an eye-catching white and blue striped hospital gown. ¡°How have you been, Fuyao?¡± Completely rigid, Meng Fuyao stood rooted to the ground as tears welled up in her eyes. A secondter, she turned her body, ready to sprint toward the light. Her mother was there, as were her memories and the only harbor she could take a rest on in between her wandering journey¡­ it was home. When she turned, the soft yet ineffable chants became increasingly resounding and high-pitched. They eventually developed into a bellowing soundwave that spread throughout the whole pce and rolled toward her, one after another, and wrapping around her, as if pleading for her to stay. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°Turn, and I¡¯ll fall into hell.¡± ¡°Sun¡¯s up.¡± A rather familiar, low and elegant voice sounded in her ear. For a brief second Meng Fuyao thought that the voice in her dream had resurfaced and that she had traveled through time once again to arrive in a ce that she was destined to visit. Her eyes jolted open to a slightly fuzzy and ripply view of a heaven-sent face. It took her some time to recall and process that she had escaped a deadly event just moments ago, that she had fallen asleep in the arms of a stranger whom she had met twice, and that she had just encountered an indescribably strange dream. It really was an unprecedented experience. Face flushed, Meng Fuyao rose into a sitting position and looked around. She found herself in a meditation room and judging by its decor, they were in a guest room inside the Mystic Essence Manor. In other words, they were still within the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. Yuan Zhaoxu had on a different set of clothes, but it was simrly simple. Yet, no matter how unrefined his cloth robe was, it wasn¡¯t able to conceal the man¡¯s magnificent aura. Instead, the man had gratuitously blessed it with a noble charm. He sat, rxed on a chair, gently removing the tea dregs from a cup as Lord Yuan Bao squatted haughtily on his shoulder. When the tea was cooled, Yuan Bao turned his head and sneaked a sip. Yuan Zhaoxu gave a subtle smile, as if unconcerned, and Sir Yuanbao was beyond pleased with his stealthy performance. The next moment, Yuan Zhaoxu quietly picked up the teacup cover and dropped it on Yuan Bao¡¯s head. The heavy porcin lidpletely covered Yuan Bao¡¯s little snow-white head. Caught off guard and untrained in the metal-neck technique, he was instantly and significantly shortened. He turned three rounds on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s shoulder like a drunk before mming onto the ground. Free from the lid, Lord Yuan Bao dared not seek revenge. Instead, he stuck his bum out and proceeded to a corner to sulk. As if nothing had happened, Yuan Zhaoxu turned toward their spectator. ¡°Who did you dream of?¡± His question evoked faint memories of her dream, and she fell into a short daze before forcing a smile out. ¡°Nothing much, just old events.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu took a sip from his teacup, and all Meng Fuyao could see were his long, thick eyshes shielding his unfathomable, ck eyes. ¡°Oh? Old events? Why were you hugging me so tightly and refusing to let go then?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°You were grabbing onto my sleeves and calling out for ¡°Mom¡±.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Meng Fuyao turned as red as a tomato. Putting down his cup and leaning sideways on his chair, Yuan Zhaoxu asked with a semi-smile, ¡°Mom? As in your birth mother? The way you address her seems different from how the rest in the Five Region Continent does it.¡± Meng Fuyao was first embarrassed, and then apprehensive. After some thought she exined, ¡°You, Sir, sound as though you understand the traditions of every n in each region, but what you don¡¯t know is that in Yanhuang n, that¡¯s exactly how we call our mothers.¡± ¡°Yanhuang n?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu repeated calmly, not the least bit surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± Fuyao reaffirmed. ¡°A small n on the far end of Heng Region. Generations have been living deep in the mountains and have stayed away from outside contact. I was brought out of the mountains by a distant rtive. I don¡¯t remember anything else, save for the way we address our mothers.¡± She blinked, extending her hand out and smiling graciously, ¡°I¡¯m Meng Fuyao. Thanks for saving me twice in a row.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s gaze fell upon her fair palm. Smiling, he asked, ¡°Is this also n etiquette?¡± Meng Fuyao looked straight into his eyes and answered, ¡°In our culture, it¡¯s extremely rude if you fail to reciprocate when a girl extends her hand.¡± ¡°Oh yeah..?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu dragged his word with a voice so deep and graceful that it seemed almost dreamy. He reached his hand out, seemingly in an attempt to shake her hand, but before his fingers touched hers, he pulled her right into his arms. He let out a lowugh that rang over Meng Fuyao¡¯s head while emitting his usual scent, sessfully stunning her. ¡°It is extremely silly of us, in Wuji Nation, not to keep a girl when she initiates body contact.¡± ¡®Take in?¡¯ ¡®Does this person not understand boundaries or that modesty is a virtue?¡¯ Meng Fuyao made a fist and ced it on her chest, determined to resist that warm and charming fragrance radiating from his body and not to look up at his smiley eyes. That fellow¡¯s eyes looked as though they had been glossed over by the light rays of springtime, and he possessed an overwhelming aura that was as powerful as his skills. All intention to withstand his attack disintegrated in a sh. Like a Mandara flower, this man was obviously a dangerous character ¨C beautiful and harmless on the outside but deadly on the inside. Every cell within Meng Fuyao¡¯s body was warning her not to lust for his warmth. Having lived for so many years, it would be an utter disgrace for her to fall into such a trifling yet fatal trap. Meng Fuyao raised her long, shapely brows and threw her fist forward in hope of creating a safe distance between them. However, Yuan Zhaoxu tightened his grip around the middle of her back and spun her around, causing her to fall back onto the bed. The next second, his light-colored robe came loose, and he appeared on the bed as well. On the way down he had reached out to undo the bishop sleeve veil, causing the string of pearls holding it together to drop onto the bed and floor. Enhancing the soft thuds of the pearls were alluring silhouettes, visible through the curtain, of a man and a woman. Shocked by what she had seen, Meng Fuyao was all ready to hop out of bed, only to be hushed by Yuan Zhaoxu. Resting against a pillow, he turned his head to her and smiled. ¡°Shh¨C¨C¨C¡± He then looked out of the window just as a ck shadow shed by. Meng Fuyao cast a quick nce at him before getting into an attacking posture. Smile not leaving his face, Yuan Zhaoxu made a flip out of bed and stuck his back against the window. ¡°Girls shouldn¡¯t be so aggressive, no poise¡­¡± he advised in a warm tone. As his gentle voice reached her ears, she felt as though a musical string had been strummed; it was low, misty, and absolutely hypnotizing. Her face flushed with good reason. The man flicked his fingers all of a sudden before she could snap out of her tipsiness. ¡®p.¡¯ On the white, translucent window paper blossomed a few red plum flowers that slowly spread and intertwine with shadows of other flowers. A stifled groan sounded outside, at the foot of the wall, before fading out. Hearing that, Meng Fuyao shook her head. ¡°Demanding poise from me and then casually piercing someone else¡¯s eardrum.¡± ¡°If he weren¡¯t standing so close to the window, would my ice needle have gotten there?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu replied with light flickering in his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a cause and effect in everything. Defy it and die.¡± Sheughed with a frown on her face. ¡°These are the morals people in Wuji live by?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled in response. Wanting to get up, Meng Fuyao shifted her body only to realize that she was unable to move. She turned around and was shocked to find Yuan Zhaoxu back on the bed, even closer to her this time. He smirked, holding up a small lock of her hair and ying with it. Seeing her face, his smirk turned into a glowing smile. With his eyes closed, he lifted her hair close to his nose and took a strong whiff of it. ¡°How sweet,¡± he uttered with a shallowugh. Meng Fuyao immediately snatched her hair back and shot him a deathly re. Pretending not to notice, Yuan Zhaoxu picked up yet another lock of hair to fiddle with and even conveniently ced another scattered lock under his body. Unable to struggle free, Meng Fuyao hissed, ¡°I¡¯ve already rolled on mud, fallen off a cliff and been soaked in the rain for a whole night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, though. Not too smelly.¡± ¡°I have head lice.¡± ¡°Even better. I¡¯ll get them out for you.¡± After a long pause, Meng Fuyao smiled. Yuan Zhaoxu raised his head to look at her. His face was breathtakingly stunning from that angle, which led Meng Fuyao to pull the quilt over to cover his face. What followed after were vigorous creaking and grating of the bed. Chapter 13 - Individual Motives Chapter 13: Individual Motives Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The bed shook dangerously, intensifying the luster of the pearls on the bed and creating a scene so suspiciously seductive. Yuan Zhaoxu raised his brow and grabbed hold of a corner of the quilt, immediately understanding her intention and breaking into augh. ¡®Creak, creak, creak, creak.¡¯ As if instantly, a round fluff ball scuttled from the wall corner and onto the bed, but not before executing a front 360-degree flip. With his legs all spread out, he was ready to separate the two individuals who appeared to be doing some bed exercises. ¡®Hu!¡¯ As the two individuals moved in sync, the possessive Lord Yuan Baonded on the bed and in between the both of them. Because of the softness of the mattress, he sank downward, head first, and only managed to get up on his feet after attempting a few backflips. Seeing that Lord Yuan Bao had finally managed to stabilize himself, Yuan Zhaoxu the heartless owner flicked his fingers, causing him to tumble back down. Unable to withstand, Lord Yuan Bao could only grab onto the guilt and wail. His plight brought tears to Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes as she bit into the quilt and cramped up fromughing so hard. All of a sudden, a soft ringing sounded thrice from outside the window, followed by the entrance of a slim ck shadow that resembled smoke. Yuan Zhaoxu got up and exchanged a few words, in private, with the man in ck, whose face was blocked by him. Thetter withdrew shortly after. When Yuan Zhaoxu turned back, Meng Fuyao was already sitting up and watching him with her crow-ck but lit up eyes. ¡°Your teacher is keeping the advisor for a few more days, saying that they have so much more to catch up on,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu ryed with a meaningful smile. ¡°The advisor was supposed to return today, but naturally won¡¯t be able to now.¡± ¡°Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s always been a sly fox.¡± Meng Fuyao shrugged. ¡°I had nned to bring you, together with the advisor, down the mountains but we¡¯re gonna have to make some changes now,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu informed while lifting his fingers to rest against his chin. It was a fine pose. ¡°Lin Xuanyuan has already informed members of Pei Yuan¡¯s family, and they will be here in a few days¡¯ time. He¡¯s keeping the advisor because he suspects that thetter is involved in tonight¡¯s incident. If that¡¯s the case, whatever conflict that¡¯s gonna happen will be kept between Pei Family and the advisor. Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s made a good call.¡± ¡°Do you think the advisor¡¯s involved?¡± Meng Fuyao giggled. ¡°Do you think he knows that you¡¯ve helped me?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d be better off worrying about our escape route,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu quipped. Remaining silent, Meng Fuyao got up and got dressed, carefully binding her hair up. Sitting still and observing her every movement, Yuan Zhaoxu shed a small smile. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if I go now.¡± Meng Fuyao fastened her cuffs and checked the weapons on her body. ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me twice, and that¡¯s enough self-sacrifice. I¡¯m just going to bring you and the advisor more trouble if I continue relying on you. Humans shouldn¡¯t be so ignorant.¡± She waved a confident goodbye. ¡°Till we meet again.¡± At that, she walked cooly without looking back, but before she could reach the door ¨C click! ¨C It had locked itself. Meng Fuyao stopped, turned around and leaned against the door frame before looking at the culprit with a crooked head. It was already bright outside. The first rays of morning sun fell through the window slit and outlined her silhouette, embellishing it with a tinge of softness and luminosity. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes flickered with an enigma. After some time he ced the lid of his teacup down. The clear and melodious sound of it touching the table contained a certain reservation as if conveying his inexpressible heart. ¡°Girls shouldn¡¯t be so independently obstinate,¡± he started while basking in the warm glow, outshining its beauty in the process. ¡°Guys want the chance to exhibit their capabilities.¡± ¡°Oh? To be the hero?¡± Meng Fuyao crossed her arms and grinned. ¡°How do you n to disy your skills?¡± ¡°Lin Xuanyuan¡¯s cast an inescapable, waiting for you to fall in. If you¡¯re really going to put yourself out there, there¡¯s no point for me to save you,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu answered, taking a few steps forward and gently caressing her soft cheeks. ¡°Since I¡¯ve saved you, half of your life kinda belongs to me now. If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t you be more ountable to me?¡± ¡®To you?¡¯ ¡®You saved me, and now I¡¯m held ountable?¡¯ Meng Fuyao blinked a few times, sensing the strangeness behind his logic. ¡®This guy¡¯s ability to overturn concepts and subvertmon sense is indeed impressive.¡¯ Deciding that she wasn¡¯t his match, she could only retreat, not only from this mini-discussion but also from his bewitching scent. She scratched her nose and deflected from the conversation. ¡°I have an idea actually, but it¡¯s slightly risky¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go ording to what you have in mind then,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu stated readily without posing any question. ring at him she asked, ¡°And you know what my idea is?¡± ¡°Toy me, beating him at his own game,¡± he let out augh so confident that it was hateful. She bit her cheek and stared at him, half-cursing, ¡°You parasite!¡± It was early autumn, but winter had already weed itself in the deeper part of the mountains. The maple leaves were covered in frost, which made them look exceptionally devilish under the increasingly bright moonlight. A noble guest, escorted by a group of guards, had arrived at the Surveince Pavilion in the Mystic Essence Manor. It was Qi Xunyi, the third prince from Taiyuan, who hade for Pei Yuan. By right, the incident wasn¡¯t major enough to activate a personal visit, but his mother was Pei Yuan¡¯s aunt, and he was Pei Yuan¡¯s closest cousin. Qi Yunxi was given a family courtyard and was apanied by another respectable individual, who was arranged to rest in a guest room in the eastern part of the pavilion. That guest had long entered his room without requiring any servants. During the daytime Lin Xuanyuan had weed the guests into the manor, first taking them to the Orchid Pavilion Residence to visit Pei Yuan, then hanging out in the Surveince Pavilion till midnight before calling it a night. Under the cool, frosted-white moonlight he walked with heavy steps to his abode, looking rather worried. After his departure, silence fell over the Surveince Pavilion, and themps went out one by one. Whatever happened the next day, sleep was imperative. It was a calm and quiet night, and the crescent moon hung beautifully amid the floating clouds, its brilliance flowing like running water. ¡®Hu.¡¯ In the cool light a ck shadow, resembling that of a kite, floated across the courtyard, the patio, the front hall and finally into the small, two-storied house with upturned eaves. Like falling leaves, the ck figurended on a corner of the roof before transforming into a puff of ck smoke and diffusing into the highest garret in the eastern part of the Surveince Pavilion. It was so light, fast, and silent that even a bird that was asleep on a nearby tree wasn¡¯t rmed. The ck figure drifted through the beaded curtain and into the inner room. Underneath the ck mask was a pair of resplendent eyes that belonged to Meng Fuyao. ¡°Who is it!?¡± A deep voice called out from the dark upon her entrance. The man in the room soundedpletely awake and not as though he had just been woken up in the middle of the night by a disturbance. A sharp ray shed across Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes as she slipped her way in noiselessly. She shook her sleeve, and a ck, glossless dagger glided out and slithered toward the bed and the man¡¯s heart like a poisonous snake. Sitting on the bed with a cold smile and a brush of his sleeve, his originally soft clothes became as tough and shiny as steel. ¡®ng!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger had actually slid down his sleeve and toward the edge of the bed. Nevertheless, Meng Fuyao reacted fast. As the dagger slid off, she made a reverse flip over the man¡¯s head andnded on the other side of his bed. Without turning her head, she immediately aimed the dagger at the middle of his back. Angered, the man floated out of bed like a soft sheet of snow-white satin, elegantly dodging her stab. The next moment, a bright sword ray rose from his waist area, instantly illuminating the room and exposing Meng Fuyao¡¯s slender frame. Her slender figure, consisting of curves that flowed down like water, had been entuated by the luster of his sword. Her lower jaw area was delicate, and her slightly plump chin seemed to create a wave that eventually formed a captivating whirlpool down at her waist. It had the ability to make one¡¯s heart thump faster and draw one in. Surprised by this beautiful silhouette, the man rxed the grip on his sword a little. Bathing under the light, Meng Fuyao took the opportunity to flee out of the window, seemingly afraid of a direct confrontation. Yet, a cold, murderousugh sounded from behind her. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± His voice sounded from the back, but there was already movements in front. His sword ray turned into a straight line, just like a sky-breaking lightning bolt, shooting straight toward the back of Fuyao, who at that moment was covering her head with her hands. At the speed, the sword was going, it was sure to turn Meng Fuyao into a piece of skewered meat. Left without a choice, she swooped back and downward, sticking her head to the ground. The sword barely touched the tip of her nose but her mask split into two right away, before falling to the floor. With a jerk of his hand, the man¡¯s sword tilted, its light hitting onto her face and its hilt pressing down against her shoulder, which kept her on the ground. The moonlight peeking through the window and the light reflected off his sword illuminated the ¡°face¡± that was Meng Fuyao¡¯s ash gray mask. It was shaking gently in the breeze. Meng Fuyao looked back at the man, panic evident in her well-lit face. Because she was squirming from fear, the huge sinister scar on her face seemed to be wiggling as well. The scar was absolutely terrifying and unforgettable. She wouldn¡¯t appear as wretched if one just focused on her face. Yet, she had an irresistibly amazing and curvy body to go with that scar of hers. As such, her overall appearance evoked a sense of regret and almost indignation against God¡¯s ns. The man narrowed his eyes, revealing a look of shock and pity. In that brief moment, Meng Fuyao sprung up like a leopard and flipped out of the window like a ck, flexible spring. She flitted across the banyan tree, causing the branches to sway gently and the leaves to rustle. A fallen leaf fluttered upward, through the window that was still swinging, and toward the man¡¯s sword. Before the leaf could reach its tip, however, it stopped in midair and disintegrated into a mass of green powder. It hadn¡¯t reached anywhere near the man. Like a wave his solid sword ray reflected thousands of light rays onto his face, highlighting his ink-ck hair and long body. He had a pair of bright almond-shaped eyes that housed a certain demonic yet sophisticated charm. Chapter 14 - Scheming for the Destruction of Mystic Essence Chapter 14: Scheming for the Destruction of Mystic Essence Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios With another brush of his sleeve, the clump of green powder evaporated into a ball of green fog that slowly rose up in the quiet room. The wind set the beaded window curtain in motion. Behind the man stood a door which led to the eastern pavilion, and it opened up without a sound. A faint, white shadow could vaguely be seen in the dark. Catching that white shadow, the man instantly lost his disquieting expression. Turning around with a calm bearing, he spoke with a tone of respect and deliberate cordiality. ¡°Sorry to rm you, Sir Zong.¡± ¡°No worries, Your Highness,¡± the man in white responded while walking out from the darkness. He gazed out of the window at the fluttering leaves and added with a meaningful expression, ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to sleep.¡± He turned to the tea set on the table somewhat hesitantly, and Qi Xunyi immediately invited, ¡°I haven¡¯t touched that. Please use it.¡± shing an apologetic smile, the man in white poured a cup of tea for himself with quick and light movements. His hands were clean and slender, and despite theck of light within the room, the moonlight was enough to highlight the softness of his profile, the lightness of his eyes and lips, which reminded one of a freshly bloomed, spring cherry blossom. He wet his lips with a sip of tea and continued gazing at the fallen leaves outside. ¡°It¡¯s not time yet¡­ for these leaves to fall¡­¡± he spoke gently. Throwing a nce out of the window, Qi Xunyi knitted his brows a little and smiled, ¡°I really do admire you for having a heart sopassionate, Sir Zong¡­ a doctor indeed¡­ even taking pity on leaves.¡± ¡°Just call me Zong,¡± the man in white returned the smile and ced his teacup down. ¡°I¡¯ve always had a soft spot for nts and can¡¯t help but feel hurt when they wither and fall. Sorry to have embarrassed myself in front of Your Highness.¡± ¡°Just call me Xunyi, then.¡± Qi Xunyi broke into a bigugh. ¡°Why so formal? Names are meant to be called.¡± In response to his candidughter and flickering gaze, Zong simply smiled in silence. Staring into Zong¡¯s eyes, Qi Xunyi continued, ¡°You probably have seen it.¡± Zong nodded without much change in expression. ¡°Who do you think is behind it? Those motions¡­¡± Qi Xunyi hesitated, his eyes burning. Zong broke the silence after a long while, saying, ¡°Your Highness is number 1 when ites to ability, insight, and being pedantic. Your Highness must already have an idea just from observing the perpetrator¡¯s movements. A pity I¡¯m not as wise and discerning, or I¡¯d be able to share your worries.¡± Qi Xunyi¡¯s eyes sank before he gave a kind wave. ¡°You¡¯re too humble, Sir Zong. Actually, I dare not burden you with trivial matters like this. Please have an early rest, and I¡¯ll trouble you to take care of my cousin¡¯s injuries.¡± ¡°Princess Yuan¡¯s injuries are serious, and the osteost is deepening her wound. It¡¯s easily treatable but almost impossible for it to fully recover.¡± ¡°Please, Sir,¡± Qi Xunyi bowed. Upon returning his bow, Zong retreated back to his room. Right after Zong¡¯s departure, Qi Xunyi¡¯s confident facade fell apartpletely. He stared gloomily toward the door where Zong had exited through and cursed at the floor after a short pause, ¡°Bast*rd!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ady¡¯s screech broke the silence of the night, her voice containing anger, despair, fear, and frenzy all at once. It was as if the dark sky had been shed and shattered by a bloodied knife. ¡®Crash.¡¯ Inside the grand hall, wrapped in heavy curtains and an agarwood scent, an exquisite copper mirror had fallen onto the ground and broken into pieces. A pair of neat brows, a sharp nose, and a thick, ck hair, could be seen in the mirror, but there were also two bone-baring scars that formed an ¡°X¡± on her forehead. On this beautiful facey a scar so hideous and staggering that one can¡¯t help but let out a helpless sigh. A group of servants rushed over, only to bow and retreat like ebbing waves the next moment. They were beyond intimidated by those bitter and vengeful eyes of hers. Pei Yuan tottered forward and slumped down before her makeup table. She grabbed the corners of her table with trembling hands. No amount of jaw clenching could stop the incessant shaking of her body. ¡®It¡¯s over¡­ all over¡­¡¯ The face that she had been so proud of¡­ the unrivaled face that nody in the whole of Taiyuan royal family could match up to¡­ all gone with the sh of a light from that night. All gone. She was going to be an object of ridicule. The ordinary-looking women in the pce, whom she had belittled so much previously, were going to put on the most sympathetic faces and the most affectionate words they could muster to console her. Just imagining their deceptive behavior sent her straight into a state of hysteria. ¡°Get the hell out! All of you!¡± The heavy curtains moved gently as the servants scuttled out, quickly clearing the room. The light emitting from the jade-greenmps shone down on the muslin curtain and into the isted room, where Pei Yuan could be seen lying limp on the floor against the table with her shoulders shaking as she sobbed softly. Her sobs were discontinuous and muffled, as though she was trapped within a permanent nightmare. The cool breeze invited itself into the hall through the half-opened window, winding about and diffusing a faint and low murmur into the air. The murmur was soft yet as sharp as a steel wire or an ice cone in a cier, and it contained an inextinguishable coldness and rancor. ¡°Let me find out who you are¡­ I¡¯ll take my revenge¡­ until the day I die¡­¡± Her earlier screech had punctured the silent night, and everyone in the Mystic Essence Manor had heard it and reacted differently. Gaze abstruse, Qi Xunyi thought hard about all possible calctions, ns, and situations, but spared no time to take pity on his cousin¡¯s plight. Resting both hands on the windowsill, Zong stared into the void-like darkness before him. Yet, his eyes weren¡¯t vacant ¨C his mind was still in the present moment, taking in the view of the night frost and pondering over the obscure fate of all life forms. Upon hearing Pei Yuan¡¯s screech, he extended his hand out, seemingly to wave away whatever mist that was blocking his vision. Strangely, there was no pity in his eyes as well. On a faraway mountain peak sat a man in loose clothes, leisurely leaning against a big rock and ying with an oddly-shaped mirror while overlooking the Mystic Essence Manor. Lord Yuan Bao squatted on his knee, letting the wind ruffle his snow-white fur. He, too, had his attention fixed on the same direction, quietly observing sheet of darkness in front. His gaze was grave, and his posture was tense. He had already apanied his owner for half an hour. He spotted nothing, however. Turning his head, Yuan Zhaoxu looked reluctantly at his pet, who was posing very deliberately, before getting up. His movement left Lord Yuan Bao tumbling clumsily onto the ground, revealing all four feet and a pink belly. ¡°What a fool,¡± Yuan Zhaoxumented. As Lord Yuan Baoy sprawled out on the ground, all ready to bawl, his owner added, ¡°Qi Xunyi, I mean.¡± The fragmented pieces of Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s heart were instantly whole again. Fast footsteps sounded from behind as a gust of wind blew over, causing the tree leaves to rustle. A crisp, female voice rang, ¡°Aha! That screech had an impressively high decibel. A soprano for sure.¡± An umber-ck shadow shed forward to push Yuan Zhaoxu aside before plopping down. Rubbing her knee and baring her teeth, Meng Fuyao growled, ¡°That fellow¡¯s so powerful. It took me all I had to escape. The adrenaline was so high that I felt nothing after bumping into a tree. It¡¯s starting to hurt quite a bit now that I¡¯m finally resting.¡± After some time she continued, ¡°Where¡¯s he from? Seems formidable, the people from Pei Family.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu fed Lord Yuan Bao some fruits, sessfully diverting his attention away from the fact that he had just been bullied. As Yuan Bao waited happily for the next mouthful, Yuan Zhaoxu responded irrelevantly, ¡°You¡¯reining so much in hope that I¡¯d personally give you a massage?¡± In replying to her question, he had dyed feeding Yuan Bao, which caused thetter to throw an irritated re at Meng Fuyao. Not shrinking, Meng Fuyao returned his re with her eyes wide open. ¡°You¡¯d better rub his tummy instead. He¡¯s suffering from indigestion, it seems, and that¡¯s not good.¡± Yuan Bao hissed at Meng Fuyao but was ignored. Laughing and wiping his hands with a cloth, Yuan Zhaoxu spoke, ¡°The royal family.¡± Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes in thought. In a lower voice, she repeated, ¡°Royal family?¡± Light was flowing in his eyes as he questioned, ¡°Regretting?¡± She raised a brow and pursed her lips. ¡°I only regret not piercing the sword right through her body.¡± Noticing her glowingplexion and the flickering light in her eyes, he asked, ¡°Do you know whose room you were in earlier?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Taiyuan¡¯s third prince, Qi Xunyi,¡± he answered with a mysterious smile. ¡°Also one of the seven sons of the whole of the five Region Continent, Prince Yi.¡± ¡°Prince Yi? ¡®An apricot flower moistened by the misty drizzle; three thousand beauties dancing under the dazzling stars¡¯? That truly absurd prince that¡¯s known to possess the greatest literary talent and to have achieved the biggest aplishments?¡± Meng Fuyao was stupefied. She thought back to the snake-like ambush and the storm-like sword ray. Eyeing her, Yuan Zhaoxu added, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s a good thing that I hadn¡¯t shared his identity with you earlier. You might not have been able to flee if you had known.¡± ¡°Rubbish!¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you think good looks are enough to weaken my knees?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu leaned over in a serious manner and patted Yuan Bao¡¯s little head. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Lord Yuan Bao?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Yuan Bao agreed enthusiastically. Meng Fuyao flew into a rage. ¡°If I really were a pervert, you¡¯d be the first victi-¡± she trailed off, eyes widening in shock and hurriedly covering her mouth. Yuan Zhaoxu had a keen sense of hearing, unfortunately, and he lifted a brow at her. ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao sprung up and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll get going!¡± She sprinted with all her might, but she could vaguely hear a lowughter ringing close to her ears. ¡°Been my wish all along.¡± Just as both had expected, things took a turn the next day. Logically speaking, Qi Xunyi should have brought the matter up to Lin Xuanyuan first, so that they coulde up with strategies. Instead, he pondered over it for the whole day and had sent people to investigate certain affairs. He had also engaged with some disciples within the sect before finally dropping Lin Xuanyuan a visit at night. As for the discussion that went on between them, no one knew. Members only heard Master Lin raging while Qi Xunyi simply smiled and gave orders. The former had been suspected of colluding with Yun Family to harm Princess Pei Yuan, and thus was sent to Yanjing for interrogation. A massive pool of soldiers had been dispatched to watch all sect members. Since everyone was still a suspect, none was allowed to leave the manor. Chapter 15 - Clear Water and Flying Sleeves Chapter 15: Clear Water and Flying Sleeves Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Mystic Essence Sword Sect was one of the best martial arts sects within the Taiyuan nation. Disciples were also mostly from aristocratic families, and it was rather negligent of Qi Xunyi to detain the whole sect without seeking approval from the local authorities. It wasn¡¯t a surprising move, however, since this particr prince had always acted as he pleased. Everyone in the world knew that he had no restraint and behaved the most preposterous of all princes. In fact, it would be weird if he actually followed conventions. Qi Xunyi locked up whoever he wanted to before paying the Wuji nation¡¯s advisor a visit. On behalf of the Taiyuan court, he expressed his deepest apologies to the advisor and immediately released an order to clear thetter of all suspicions. At this point, Meng Fuyao had already infiltrated the advisor¡¯s troops and exited the sect¡¯s territory. ¡°Something¡¯s strange,¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled for the umpteenth time, and finally muttered, ¡°I had wanted to shift the me, but it was merely to cause confusion and free myself in the process. Qi Xunyi¡¯s definitely aware that something¡¯s amiss and won¡¯t be duped so easily, but it seems now that he¡¯s determined to start from Lin Xuanyuan. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of his absurdity; from the exchange we had that night, I can tell that his so-called ck of restraint¡¯ is a mere pretense.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for a woman to be of average intelligence,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu advised with curled lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that you¡¯re free now? Why care so much?¡± ¡°Say it!¡± Meng Fuyao raised her voice urgently and grabbed his cor as if she was about to release a horse for battle. ¡°You do know that the powerful martial artists of every nation are participating in politics, and the Mystic Essence Sword Sect has always held a neutral stance. There are hints, however, that the sect is leaning toward the crown prince of Taiyuan in recent years¡­ and between the crown prince and the third prince, they are only amiable on the outside.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu lifted his finger and regained control of his cor. Shocked in realization, she expressed, ¡°Ahh, so all Qi Xunyi needs is an excuse, no matter howcking, for him to take action. No wonder you had me employ the sect¡¯s skills when invading his room. As for Lin Xuanyuan, even if he knew that I was the culprit, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to exin my whereabouts or even ¡°death.¡± He¡¯s been backed into a corner.¡± Her eyes fell upon the hand that Yuan Zhaoxu had reached out. On the hollow of his palm was a pale-white lotus flower mark that looked incredibly realistic. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but raise her brows and ask, ¡°What¡¯s that? A birthmark?¡± After a brief pause, Yuan Zhaoxu jerked his hand, his sleeve falling back down to cover his palm. With a faint smile, he answered, ¡°Sort of.¡± He had on his usual expression, but Meng Fuyao could sense his unhappiness and figured that she had vited his personal space. Thus, she kept on a smile and said nothing more. Lord Yuan Bao peeked his head out of Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s embrace and stared at the lotus flower with jealousy as if wanting to bite it off. At this point, the troops had arrived at a stream at the bottom of the Mystic Essence Mountain and had stopped to rest and drink water. Qi Xunyi¡¯s guards were a step behind them and reached in no time as well. Qi Xunyi¡¯s carriage was ostentatiously bright and a beautiful maid and young male servant followed by the side. Because golden bells were attached to all four corners of the carriage, ringings could be heard from afar and throughout their whole journey. An enchanting and soft singing voice, mixed with a delicateugh, rang from inside the carriage. It sounded quite familiar, and as Meng Fuyao was trying hard to identify it, she also noticed the advisor exchanging nces with his subordinate, their expressions turning awkward immediately. After a long time, she realized that it was ¡°Fiddling with the ck Bamboo¡±, a tune within the top ten erotic songs of all times. It was a tune that only the most inferior prostitute would sing to entertain her guests. Brothels with better business wouldn¡¯t resort to a tune like this. The royal carriage that only dignified and excellent music shoulde out of was, at the moment, emitting a decadent and obscene tune. What a mismatch. Even the advisor¡¯s subordinate was revealing a look of disbelief. Observing the carriage out of the corner of her eye, Meng Fuyao recalled the devilish man from the night before, who was as alert as a leopard and his sword skills as powerful as a dragon. A cold smirk shed across her face. ¡®Better to stay far away from a man like him.¡¯ Meng Fuyao walked to the upper reaches of the stream to get some water when a group of people rushed over, shouting, ¡°Make way, make way!¡± Meng Fuyao turned around to see a few male servants, each holding up a jade basin, towel, soap, and tray with a block of alum. They were preparing to draw water for Qi Xunyi to cleanse his face. The advisor¡¯s subordinate gave a look in response to the prince¡¯s extravagant habits. Meng Fuyao looked down at the water. It was so clean and free from contamination that they could drink straight from the stream. ¡®Doesn¡¯t he find it too excessive? Alum and all just for a face wash?¡¯ Seeing that she was still in the way, a male servant reached out to push her aside. ¡°Why are you still standing here? Don¡¯t pollute the water! Go down!¡± he eximed in annoyance. Deep in thought and caught off guard, Meng Fuyao slipped on the pebbles that were covered in moss and toward the water stream. ¡°Careful,¡± a gentle, clean yet distant voice sounded. A white shadow leaped into the air and reached Meng Fuyao in the next second, grabbing her iling arms in time to catch her fall. She was being held in a half-nted position, where a leg was raised 45 degrees, almost like a tango pose. Her hair was dangling and its end slightly grazing the clear water surface; it was a beautiful sight. Because he had tugged her clothes so tightly in the process, her curves were being disyed and even entuated. Although she was dressed in a man¡¯s robe that was fluttering lightly in the wind, it was unable to conceal her charming figure. Those present couldn¡¯t help but keep their eyes on her. Silence fell over the stream for a moment. The curtain in the middle carriage amid Qi Xunyi¡¯s troops was pulled aside, revealing Pei Yuan¡¯s jealous and murderous eyes. She could immediately identify that it was a beautifuldy by the stream. Inside of the front carriage, a pair of bright eyes could be seen, and a faint ¡°eh?¡± was heard after. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t realized that her identity as a woman had been exposed. She hurriedly held onto the man¡¯s belt and regained bnce. It was then that she could finally look at her savior. The autumn sun started to set, coloring the grass along the stream a bright, golden yellow. The man in a white, unbelted robe stood tall and handsome and had neat brows. He had eyes and lips fairer than most, and when he smiled, she felt as though the autumn wind could transform into the spring breeze that apanied the blooming of cherry blossoms. Despite having removed his belt to save Meng Fuyao, he still appeared graceful and tidy. In fact, his loose robe added a natural and cid charm to his almost disaffectionate bearing. Overwhelmed by his outstanding appearance, Meng Fuyao was left to wonder if she had been struck by Lady Luck. She quickly handed his belt over. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, the man threw a calm smile her way. ¡°It¡¯s already a little dirty, to begin with so you can just throw it.¡± At that he gave a courteous nod and returned to his own carriage, which was behind Qi Xunyi¡¯s, leaving Meng Fuyao standing on the rocks with his belt and in a daze. ¡®It¡¯s still so new and white that it could put tofu to shame, and he says it¡¯s dirty?¡¯ ¡®What a strange character,¡¯ she thought. ¡®A high-born indeed.¡¯ He had the perfect blend of features, was refined and modest, and was even kind enough to make an excuse that wouldn¡¯t cause embarrassment for her.¡®Considerate perhaps? But he doesn¡¯t look easy to talk to at all¡­ and throwing out a perfectly fine belt like it¡¯s worthless, just because I¡¯ve touched it?¡¯ Thoughts ran through her head for quite some time before wiping her hands with his belt. ¡®He doesn¡¯t want it anyway!¡¯ After wiping her hands clean, she noticed that it was made from natural silk and silver threads. There was a suet jade, sewn in the center but of the same color ¨C expensive yet inconspicuous, just like that man. After some thought, Meng Fuyao decided to keep it. Yuan Zhaoxu, who had made way earlier, appeared all of a sudden and looked at her with a strange gaze. ¡°Why are you keeping it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s expensive! I can save it for a rainy day,¡± she answered matter-of-factly. Frowning slightly, he added, ¡°It has no worth. Throw it, and I¡¯ll give you money if you ever need it.¡± ¡°Trying to trick me?¡± Meng Fuyao grinned. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t tell the value of this jade? Plus, I¡¯m ady with integrity, and will not ept others¡¯ charity work.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu threw her an unreadable nce. ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t ept others¡¯ alms; you pick their worn-out junk.¡± ¡°You..!¡± Meng Fuyao stuttered before turning to Lord Yuan Bao, who was at that moment peeking out from his clothes. Her loss was his win, and hence he was squeaking in delight. In a fit of anger, she flicked his forehead. Despite crying in pain, Yuan Bao did not forget to attempt a counterattack. Before he could bite down on her finger, Meng Fuyao had already fled and wasughing out loud. She took to a tree shade around the corner and spotted Qi Xunyi¡¯s team. Since they were close by, Meng Fuyao got ready to retreat, only to be called out, ¡°Hey, you.¡± Turning around, she saw the male servant who had pushed her aside earlier. Although she wasn¡¯t nning to cause a scene, that man waved with his eyes lit, ¡°Come over, you.¡± Surprised, she squinted her eyes at him. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you,¡± he answered bluntly. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough people to serve our master. Come help.¡± Irritated by Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, he continued, ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave empty-handed.¡± At that, he retrieved a string of copper coins and tossed it on the ground. ¡°100. Enough to feed you with the meat from Yanjing¡¯s stew stalls for half a month.¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her head, eyeing the coins by her feet. After some time she smiled, picked them up and even blew the dust off them. Chapter 16 - Stripping Before the Enemies Chapter 16: Stripping Before the Enemies Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The male servant looked pleased as he handed a copper basin to her. ¡°Go get some water from the upper stream, head over to the second carriage, get some rose water and hibiscus dew from Sister Jinyan, mix them together and then send it in. Remember not to contaminate it with your dirty hands. Alright, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ll go help Her Highness get changed.¡± There was gloat in the servant¡¯s face as if he had just found the perfect scapegoat. Needless to think, because of the condition of her face, Pei Yuan was in an extremely terrible mood. Also, since she had always been bossy, those attending to her would just be in for a tougher time; any right-minded servant would avoid getting close to her. Why else would this fellow be willing to pay his way out? ¡°Have you turned into a statue?¡± he asked sarcastically, seeing that Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t receiving the basin. She raised her brows, looked at the basin and smiled, before reaching for her money sack inside her sleeves. ¡°You foo¨C¡± the male servant paused, his eyes slowly opening wide. On the hollow of Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm sat a golden leaf that couldn¡¯t have weighed under 100 grams. ording to Taiyuan¡¯s currency system, 50 grams of gold could be used to exchange for 20 silvers, and one silver could be exchanged for 1000 coins. It was an amount that even three years of slogging in King Qi¡¯s court would not get him. He inhaled a deep, cold breath, his face nk. Meng Fuyao waved her golden leaf in his face. ¡°Recognize this?¡± she asked kindly. Staring at it with a face as white as a sheet, he staggered, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s gold¡­¡± His reaction gathered a grin from Meng Fuyao. ¡°Yes, this is 100 gram of gold, enough for you to feast on the most expensive dishes in Yanjing¡¯s finest inn consecutively for a month.¡± She smiled and loosened her fingers, allowing the golden leaf to fall to the ground. As the servant subconsciously bent his body down, Meng Fuyao¡¯s boots reached the leaf first. She picked her leaf up and pushed it to the servant who was staring nkly at her and holding the basin. ¡°I¡¯ll trouble you to go get some water from the upper stream, head over to the second carriage, get some rose water and hibiscus dew from Sister Jinyan, mix them together and then send it in. Remember not to contaminate it with your dirty hands. Alright, that¡¯s all. You may go.¡± She flicked the bottom of the basin up toward his face, and asked in the exact manner as he had earlier, ¡°Have you turned into a statue?¡± When she raised her foot slightly, the golden leaf sparkled amid the dust, as if enticing him with a seductive gaze. With his teeth clenched and hands trembling, the male servant steadied the basin and strode over to the stream. Not following after him, Meng Fuyao simply lifted her brows and muttered, ¡°What a pity¡­¡± She kicked under the golden leaf, and it flew up and onto her palm. She kept it unhurriedly before shaking her head gently. ¡°If you¡¯ve had the backbone to reject me, I would¡¯ve given this to you for real. Now¡­ you don¡¯t deserve it.¡± She spun her index finger, on which the string of coins was dangling off, causing it to spiral out of control. p¨C half a month¡¯s worth of inexpensive meat had dropped to the ground, where the leaf had had been. ¡°Take your meat money back. Do you know why meat in Yanjing¡¯s stew stalls is so cheap? Rat meat is what they serve, I heard.¡± With augh, Meng Fuyao turned to leave and quickly disappeared into the shade like a passing breeze. The cluster of trees in which she disappeared into waspletely still. Some timeter, a faint shadow emerged from behind a tree. It was the man in white, his robes clean and lips cherry red. He turned, with a look of interest, toward where Meng Fuyao was. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you,¡± he spoke lightly. A response came immediately, ¡°Fulfilling your orderses first, and not even death can get in the way, what¡¯s more, a little humiliation.¡± It was that very snobbish young servant, and by his feet sat the glistening copper basin. Except, his demeanor now was aplete opposite of what he had portrayed earlier. ¡°What do you think?¡± the man in white asked, after quite some time. After some thought, the servant replied, ¡°You sensed nothing from that pull earlier?¡± ¡°I did,¡± he answered with a meaningful look in his eyes. ¡°The angles of Pei Yuan¡¯s scars came from a skill that¡¯s out of the ordinary. Thisdy may be hiding her abilities well, but I did feel a little something when saving her.¡± ¡°But,¡± he continued with a smile, ¡°From that pull, I¡¯m certain that she¡¯s not one of Qi Xunyi¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you think they deserve someone like her?¡± the man in white sighed deeply, yet with a vague smile. ¡°An amazing individual¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu had been observing as Meng Fuyao was fleeing the scene. Seeing her vanishing into the autumn mountain range with a light and graceful motion resembling that of a bird, he broke into a soundless smile before strolling toward the advisor¡¯s carriage. ¡°Move slow and follow Qi Xunyu to Yanjing. I¡¯ll take her first to prevent getting into their line of sight and into trouble.¡± The advisor narrowed his eyes and gave Yuan Zhaoxu a look of satisfaction as if feeling proud of his nephew. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Yanjing. My motive¡¯s been to use your visit to Taiyuan, to celebrate the emperor¡¯s birthday, as an excuse to have some contact with Qi Xunyi, so why would I miss this opportunity?¡± ¡°Your call,¡± the advisor chuckled. ¡°And I heard that he¡­ he¡¯d be there too.¡± ¡°Ah? Isn¡¯t he under house arrest in Tiansha city? Is the emperor letting him out?¡± ¡°The dragon won¡¯t be trapped forever; it¡¯ll rise when a chance presents itself,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu remarked, turning around to face the horizon, as if deep in thought. Despite that, his eyes were bing increasingly bright. ¡°The gales from the 4 seas that will sweep up all 5 continents have risen¡­¡± ¡°Why must we stray from the main troops?¡± Meng Fuyao asked while building a fire and using her dagger to skin a freshly-hunted pheasant with swift movements. ¡°And, why must I go with you?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu rested against an old tree, making himselffortable on top of a stock of fallen leaves. Sir Yuan Bao stuck his bum out while flicking the leaves toward his owner to provide more cushion. His posture ¨C facing Yuan Zhaoxu was piling leaves onto his body while his stumpy legs kicked the dirt behind, where Meng Fuyao sat ¨C was odd and ufortable to watch. Initially, Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t bothered enough to start a dispute with an animal, but after choking on a few mouthfuls of dust, she decided that some animals knew not what was good because they had too much courage and too small of a brain. Hence, she tore a big piece of fleshy thigh meat from the grill and forced it into his mouth when he wasn¡¯t alert. That sent Yuan Bao, a vegetarian, down to the river to rinse his mouth, and peace returned to the firece. It was then that Yuan Zhaoxu answered, ¡°Sure, you can take your own sweet time if you want to be watched by the wolves all day. Also, I haven¡¯t mentioned anything about you having to follow me. You did so on your own ord.¡± After some thought, Meng Fuyao realized that he wasn¡¯t wrong. Embarrassed, she raised her voice, ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one route connecting Mystic Essence Mountain and Yanjing.¡± Casting her a smiling nce he remained quiet, not bearing to correct this self-deceiving fellow that there were other avable routes. The branches crackled in the fire, which gave their individual faces a red flush, as if drunk. The rising air was intensely warm to the point of making the highly-hung moon appear less cold. The smiling man lifted his brows, which drew focus to his brilliant ck eyes and hair. With red lips even brighter than the fire and features like those found in ancient drawings, the man was practically a homme fatale. Meng Fuyao remained seated but kept her eyes down on the fire. She was determined not to let his handsomeness cause her yet another episode of heart arrhythmia. Therefore, she was eventually driven to leave since that man was letting his eyes wander all over her body. ¡°I¡¯m going for a stroll,¡± she blurted and stood, somewhat with a sense of relief. Smiling and looking up at the sky and then into the dark forest, Yuan Zhaoxu said nothing as he couldn¡¯t bear to tell her that taking a stroll was aical excuse. His smile irked Meng Fuyao. ¡°I¡¯m going to sing,¡± she added. Her deration lifted his brows in doubt, which pleased her very much, and she went off to ¡°sing¡±. Not wanting Yuan Zhaoxu to overhear her ¡°singing¡±, she walked quietly to a spot far away before squatting down and dropping her pants. Her pants were halfway down when she stopped. It was strangely still in the forest, save for a little breeze, and even the owls and insects had gone unusually mute that night. A fragmented moonbeam shone down on her, casting a long shadow onto the ground. Her shadow, too, was being sliced into sections by rocks and trees. A rough silhouette was still distinguishable, nevertheless. Still in a half-squat position, she slowly pulled her pants up while eyeing her own shadow. ¡®Legs, hands, neck, head¡­ that¡¯s right, but what¡¯s that semi-circle thing protruding from that squarish rock?¡¯ Sweat soaked her palms and got to her pants, while her heart started thumping so loudly that it became audible amid the silent night. It was the top of a human head. Grabbing onto her pants tightly, Meng Fuyao cursed at herself for having toe this far to take a piss. She did not know how many people were lying in ambush but was pretty certain that they were all waiting for her to drop her pantspletely before making a move. It was no longer possible for her to drop her pants and neither was it wise to pull it up at that moment. Just like that, she remained in the half-squat position until her back started aching. That semi-circle moved slightly as if getting impatient. After doing some calctions, she realized in despair that the distance between them would not allow her to pull her pants, belt it up and free her hands to counterattack in time. The extreme stillness brought by extreme tension was gradually interrupted by the babbling of a faraway creek or the pping of wings of a nocturnal bird. Meng Fuyao¡¯s ck eyes flickered as she clenched her teeth amid the darkness. Her eyes sparkled brightly, releasing a baleful and unswerving aura that was absent in ordinary girls. Chapter 17 - A Stripping Strategy Chapter 17: A Stripping Strategy Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The wind blew from the woods, carrying the shadow of trees to sway together with that of the head behind the rock. Meng Fuyao let go of her belt. Her pants dropped immediately, but so did her robe, which helped to protect her modesty. Like a very flexible spring, she executed a backflip over the mountain rock. When she was about tond she jerked her feet, causing her pants to fall and cover one of the two heads behind the rock. Caught off guard and blindsided, the victim anxiously tried to tear the thick cloth apart. Before he could do so, however, Meng Fuyao had already appeared behind them. Under her oversized robe, she kicked both feet up and toward the other enemy¡¯s neck to wrap it before whipping her body around. ¡®Crack!¡¯ a hair-raising sound shot through the silence. The man with a broken neck fell limp to the ground. A threatening look shed across her face. She felt no regret over her ruthless move, since she had spotted a, dipped in poison, in their hands when she was flipping over them. The poison carried a pinkish hue, which she had learned about in former training. Her rich knowledge had allowed her to quickly recognize it as the Crisp Dispersal, something that had been circted within the Five Region Continent and widely used by the nobles to loot or deal with women from respectable families. This unspeakable thing had ruined the innocence of many young women and the happiness of people in general. Those with possession of this poison were devoid of conscience, so why would Meng Fuyao let them get away with it? Having freed himself from her pants, seen how she had sneaked a fast and fierce attack with her pants, and his partner¡¯s brutal death the next moment, the enemy tossed it aside and fled. Before he could make much progress, a coldugh sounded from behind. ¡°Wanna run after seeing my thighs?¡± A ck gust of wind rose from the ground as Meng Fuyao flung her whip, which reached around his throat in under a second. She pulled it back fast, attempting to drag him over. Unexpectedly, that man had some skills, which had earlier been impeded due to his loss of sight. He swung his hand, and a golden light rose into the sky and formed a dazzling arc that shot straight toward her chest. His ferocious counterattack forced Meng Fuyao to suck in her chest and retreat, while he used the chance to significantly increase their distance. Just as he was about to escape, Meng Fuyao stomped her feet, getting ready to pounce on him. Suddenly, the man¡¯s feet twisted awkwardly, as if he had sprained it afternding wrongly on a stone. His body dropped a little before he copsed to the group. Gleeful, Meng Fuyao jumped onto his back and sat on it. ¡°D*mn, I told you, you can¡¯t run,¡± she crossed her feet and gloated. She felt strange the moment she lifted a leg up, and it was only then that she remembered how exposed she really was. While herher regions were covered by her robe, her eye-catching thighs were out in the open. Because the night sky and ck robe had enhanced the length, fairness, straightness, and fullness of her thighs, she resembled an exquisitely-carved, jade masterpiece that was at that moment reflecting the silverish splendor of the moon. A subdued, lowugh came through the darkness. ck-faced, Meng Fuyao urgently grabbed both sides of her robe to cover up her thighs. She was thankful that women in this time period did not follow men¡¯s custom of not wearing any underwear, and that she had on a pair of safety shorts on¡­ ¡®Eh, did he see them?¡¯ Raising her head to re at the enemy, she interrogated, ¡°Why were you hiding behind the tree? A thief?¡± Theugh gradually faded. A light outline emerged from behind the tree, and out walked a man in loose clothing and arms across his chest, leaning smilingly against the trunk. On his shoulder stood a certain little fatty with fluttering white fur, leaning against his owner¡¯s cheek with his ws on his chest and legs slightly crossed. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking quite some time so we¡¯d thought that you might need toilet paper and have brought some here.¡± Yuan Zhaoxuughed innocently, as if unaware of her humiliation. Lord Yuan Bao immediately bowed and stooped down to grab a sheet of crumpled paper before lifting it respectfully above her head. Meng Fuyao saw through his shaming act instantly. He was obviously mocking her. The more she thought about it, the more hatred grew within her heart and the more power she channeled into her bum, causing the fellow beneath to wail in anguish. Meng Fuyao sealed his acupuncture point, flung her whip to gather her pants and looked them both straight in the eye. They returned the gesture, gazing back at her while remaining still. Meng Fuyao shot her eyes open even more, but the duo did not flinch. She felt the hair over her body standing. After some time she swallowed a clump of saliva and broke the silence, ¡°Eh, can¡¯t you two turn around? I need to get dressed.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu blinked. ¡°What!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I see if that guy can?¡± As if realizing something she sprang up with her pants in one hand, her snow-white legs quickly getting shelter inside her loose robe. In a sh, she had jumped into her pants and wriggled her way into the cluster of trees. At the same time, a white light shed by as Lord Yuan Bao leaped from his owner¡¯s shoulder, so nimbly and lightly that no leaves rustled with his movement. ¡°Ahh!¡± An explosive scream pierced through the night. A man in gray scuttled out from between the trees, covering his blood-soaked ear while frantically running and shaking about. On his ear was a white fur ball, firmly clinging and biting onto it despite his wild motions. While trying to shrug Yuan Bao off, the man in grey shrieked, ¡°You piece of sh*t, dare touch your grandfather? Do you know who I am? With just my pinky finger I can¡­¡± ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s not touching your toes, your grandfather¡¯s touching your pig head.¡± Meng Fuyao shot out like a bolt of electricity, her ck-iron dagger spreading an arc even darker than the night sky and reaching his throat, all within a split second. The dagger on his skin felt like a spear on the surface of the water, under which oblivious fishes swam. Except, the man had sensed it and made a weird turn to escape being held at knifepoint. Meng Fuyao wasted no time pondering. She jumped onto him, aiming straight for his elbow, palm, hip, and shoulder. The series of speedy close-range punches left him gasping for air. While he had escaped once with his seemingly oil-coated body, her storm-like attacks were causing him a few wounds at that moment. With him striking the lottery once in every three draws and recoiling and crying in pain, it was apparent that the power and speed Meng Fu Yao had been drilling for in her iron-blood training had paid off. ¡®Sh*t, you bastard. Hiding and peeking from behind the trees? You¡¯ve seen everything, haven¡¯t you?¡¯ The more she thought about it, the angrier she became and the harder she punched. Her eyes sparkled as the punches stacked on like waves. Yuan Zhaoxu simply watched from the side, his sped fingers under his sleeves gradually loosening. That one-sided battle was nearing its end. Meng Fuyao threw a final punch, which the unlucky man instinctively attempted to block. Unexpectedly, she retracted her fist the next moment. The man was in shock, his hand still dangling in the air. ¡®Thud.¡¯ Meng Fuyaoshed out the instant his hand dropped to his side. A stifled groan sounded. ¡°Des¡­picable¡­¡± The man stared vacantly before copsing onto the ground. Suavely pping the dust off her hands, she grinned. ¡°For the despicable, baseness paves a path; for the foolish, stupidity inspire his epitaph.¡± She then tied the man in gray to a tree, looked him up and down before shaking her head. ¡°Look at this stickman. He looks like he¡¯s been ttened by two doors.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu narrowed his eyes and broke into uncontrobleughter. The man had a strange appearance indeed ¨C freakishlynky, his face almost as narrow as an eel¡¯s. Meng Fuyao had long been curious about his extremely slippery body, and after a long time, she decided that there was nothing odd save for his excessively pale skin. Turning around and sensing pity in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s expression, she asked, ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°No, but I recognize his race,¡± he answered. ¡°n of the Masked Sharks from the border of Fufeng coast.¡± ¡°Masked Sharks?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu nodded. ¡°E Ocean in Fufeng Nation has the most dangerous and most reef-packed seawater in Demon Ind. Legend has it that there is an ancient nation, along with piles of treasures. Because of the density of the reef and the narrowness of the marine trench, there¡¯s simply no avable ess route for seafarers. Only those born into the Masked Shark n are able to move underwater. Children will be taken to sea at the age of 3 and trained to move through the narrow passages until they are as good as fishes. Having been taught these skills and having spent a long time underwater, these children start to develop skin abnormalities. They will also be trained to conceal their body and breath to avoid sea beasts, hence the name Masked Sharks. With their techniques, they¡¯re also the best thieves and killers around.¡± ¡°Oh, no wonder I couldn¡¯t see through his ambush,¡± Meng Fuyao eximed in realization. Sheughed. ¡°I¡¯ll interrogate himter. Let¡¯s deal with this jerk first.¡± At that, she walked to the guy whom she had more or less ttened and rewarded him with two loud ps. That moment the man opened his eyes, and he heard her pelt. ¡°What¡¯s your father¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s surname?¡± ¡°How many older sisters?¡± ¡°How many younger brothers?¡± ¡°How old were you when you first wet the bed?¡± ¡°Do you wear your clothes when showering?¡± ¡°Do you like washing your face with honey locust or soap?¡± ¡°Who are you working for?¡± A string of mindless questions rained down on him, causing him to feel faint. He answered them one by one without much thought, nevertheless, and let slip when it came to thest question. ¡°Sir Fang, an honor guard of Qi Mansion¡­¡± Immediately after blurting it out he breathed in and opened his eyes wide. Meng Fuyao patted his face and smirked in satisfaction. ¡°Good boy.¡± ¡°How should we deal with this guy?¡± Meng Fuyao turned to consult Yuan Zhaoxu after throwing another p onto his face and knocking him out. ¡°Is Qi Xunyi suspecting me already? Hence sending these two to get rid of me?¡± An unusual look shed across his eyes. He knew that her identity had been exposed from that incident by the stream, and judging from Qi Xunyi¡¯s character, it was only natural that he had wanted to investigate and seek answers. Chapter 18 - King Hunter, Zhan Beiye Chapter 18: King Hunter, Zhan Beiye Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Why wasn¡¯t he guarded then? The men Qi Xunyi had sent to trail him had long been taken away by his own guard, and he had even diverted Qi Xunyi¡¯s attention and troops, so why have these two appeared here? Yuan Zhaoxu unsealed the man¡¯s acupuncture point and started interrogating him. After some time he found out that Sir Fang was obsequious, and hence, a well-liked subordinate of Qi Xunyi. He had caught his master casting an unusual nce at Meng Fuyao in the day and had taken it into his own hands to n a surprise. He had contacted the subordinate awaiting their arrival from Qi mansion in secret, via pigeon post, and had plotted to ambush Meng Fuyao on both routes between the Mystic Essence Mountain and Yanjing. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s guard had focused his energy on diverting those at the back and hadn¡¯t expected more to be waiting at the front. The man¡¯s exnation had infuriated her, and she gave him a good hard kick in return before mumbling hesitantly, ¡°Eh, he doesn¡¯t deserve a death sentence, but it¡¯s going to be troublesome if I spare him. What to do?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and leaned over, his fingers giving the top of the man¡¯s head a light flick. ¡°All done.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He exined in a voice as weightless as a cloud, ¡°His memories of tonight will all be in disorder so don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not going to report what he¡¯s unsure of.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him, aware that he had just dealt the man¡¯s all-knowing acupuncture point a heavy blow to permanently disrupt his memory. The technique seemed simple but was, in fact, supetive ¨C any less or more force to his flick would¡¯ve produced opposite results. While she could probably do it upon reaching the sixth level of ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡±, that degree of lightness was something she couldn¡¯t achieve for sure. The more they spent time together, the more mysterious he seemed. She turned her eyes toward him as if trying to figure him out, but he was already walking over to the man in gray. A few stepster, however, he added, ¡°Very beautiful.¡± ¡°What¡¯s very beautiful?¡± Meng Fuyao asked expressionlessly. Yuan Zhaoxu and Lord Yuan Bao exchanged nces, thetter revealing his big, snow-white teeth and raising his stumpy leg up for her to see. At the same time, Yuan Zhaoxu answered casually, ¡°I meant the thighs.¡± ¡°Peeping Tom! You peeping Tom! Peep? How dare you peep? I¡¯m going to throw a punch so hard that you¡¯ll fly a kilometer away. I¡¯m not going to stop until I see blood.¡± Just like that, the unlucky man in gray became a sandbag with which she practiced her punches on. The locust tree, to which he was tied to, had also fallen victim to her endless curses. As ifcking in shame and guilt, the tree simply stood tall and still. The man in gray was quickly woken up by her attacks, and started screaming the moment his eyes shot open, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal! I didn¡¯t steal!¡± ¡°I know you didn¡¯t steal,¡± Meng Fuyao eyed him coldly. ¡°But your belongings have been stolen by me.¡± Without holding back, she picked out the valuables from a messy pile of items and kept them for herself. Upon seeing that the man in gray turned pale. He pled after some time, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve gotten all the stuff, please let me go. I need to run for my life!¡± ¡°Run for your life?¡± Meng Fuyao asked in surprise. ¡°Your sneaky behavior had nothing to do with us?¡± ¡°Where am I supposed to find the time to raid you guys?¡± he red at her, the veins on his forehead popping. ¡°Do you have the money? Do you have the body? Do you have anything that¡¯s worth stealing? I¡¯m the master of Godly Palm Sect after all.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at herself and then Yuan Zhaoxu, and felt that they should be considered good-looking. ¡®Are his eyes even working? How strange.¡¯ ¡°Eh, Sect Master. Why were you squatting in that corner earlier then?¡± The man in gray spat, ¡°What bad luck!¡± After a whole exchange, Meng Fuyao finally understood that the man in gray had been used of stealing an item that belonged to the emperor¡¯s attendant, Sir Ye Buqi, and was being pursued by people from Tiansha Nation. He had fled from Yanjing and been trying to shrug them off this whole way but to no avail. ¡°Bah, how wretched of me. I had contacted An Mei for help and arranged to meet him here, but he¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡± ¡°An Mei? World¡¯s number 1 killer?¡± Meng Fuyao asked in astonishment. ¡°You managed to hire him? Amazing, but then again, what have you stolen from Sir Ye? Judging from their relentless pursuit, it must be a treasured object.¡± The man¡¯s expression changed, hesitation evident in his face. After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°I did not contact An Mei. He agreed to help, in order to repay a favor that my friend had done him in the past. As for the treasured object¡­ I heard that it¡¯s a medal to enter national borders .¡± Thest few words made Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skip a beat. She subconsciously reached into her clothes but retracted her hand halfway. As if unbothered by her action, Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t steal it?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu expressed before going over to hold Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand. Turning around to leave, he added, ¡°You can ry that to Zhan Beiye when he gets here. Hope he¡¯ll believe your story.¡± At that, he pulled Meng Fuyao away without looking back. The man¡¯s face changed again and again. When he saw that they were really about to leave, and remembered that he was still being tied to a tree and was at a dead end, he swallowed his saliva. He lifted his neck and shouted, ¡°Wait, wait!¡± The two continued forward as if they had both gone deaf. ¡°Release me first!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for us to waste time on an insincere person,¡± Meng Fuyaomented timely without turning back. ¡°I¡¯ll speak!¡± In a split second, Meng Fuyao was back at the tree. Patting his face, she smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a good boy.¡± The man in gray started bitterly, ¡°I¡­ think it¡¯s stolen, but it wasn¡¯t me but someone under me. But he¡¯s gone missing and the item¡­ it¡¯s gone too.¡± Meng Fuyao threw him a nce before sneaking a glimpse of Yuan Zhaoxu, afraid that he would probe for thest location of the man¡¯s subordinate. Fortunately, that topic did note up. Meng Fuyao heaved a secret sigh of relief and felt the object in her robe. She had been wondering why such a small character like him could possess such a precious item. Now that she was certain about the authenticity of it, Meng Fuyao was pleased with her idental harvest. Meng Fuyao and Yuan Zhaoxu untied him and made more inquiries. The man in gray was Yao Xun. He was born into Masked Shark n and even had a rather reputable sect, the Godly Palm Sect, working under him. The Godly Palm Sect was basically an assembly of pickpockets. Yao Xun had a strange appearance but his way of thinking aligned with that of a seaman. He was simple and straightforward. ¡°Since you know about the Tiansha Nation¡¯s king hunter, Zhan Beiye, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not ordinary as well. Help me get rid of these soldiers and the Godly Palm Sect will be at your mercy!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu cast him a nce, still deep in thought. Suddenly, he questioned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you waiting for An Mei? He¡¯s a man of his word, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll appear.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be dead if I pin my hopes on him¨C¨C¨C¡± Yao Xun snorted, but before he could finish, his face turned stiff. All three of them fell into silence. Storm-like tterings of hooves echoed from afar, warning them of the fast-approaching cavalry. The horsewhipping sounds trebled within their chests. There was a horse that sprinted more urgently, producing hissing wind and thunder-like ps, and reaching the forest in no time. Because of its extreme speed, the horse couldn¡¯t slow down and continued dashing ahead. The horse rider abruptly jerked his arm and pulled the reins. Upon the tightening of the reins into a pencil-straight line, the horse trembled ceaselessly and raised its head, neighing majestically. It then lifted its front hooves high up, forcing the rider into a difficult position. Nevertheless, the rider kept his back upright and remained still. A wave of horsemen arrived behind him and started to pull the reins, ¡°Cha!¡± The tterings of hooves came to a stop simultaneously. Excellent horse riding techniques. At this point, the clouds had dispersed, and the splendidly bright moon was fully visible. Papercut silhouettes of the leading man and horse¡¯s bodies had been drawn out by the moonlight. As the moonlight spread further and onto the rider¡¯s feet, it could be seen that he was sitting high up and was dressed in a ck robe thatpletely blended in with the night sky. He had a cold and solemn quality about him, his whole body exuding an oppressively murderous aura and determined existence. The night breeze ruffled his sleeves, which broke into a wild dance with his ink-ck hair. Despite being a distance away from him, they could feel him ¡°watching¡±. Watching the three of them. Amid the stillness, he shouted in a deep voice, ¡°Tiansha, Zhan Beiye!¡± ¡°What an authoritative air,¡± Meng Fuyao murmured. ¡°I know you¡¯re Zhan Beiye¡­ eh, who¡¯s Zhan Beiye?¡± Yao Xun had long lost all his calm. Shrinking behind a tree, he answered through his trembling lips, ¡°The devil¡¯s here¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes flickered as he reached into his clothes for two masks. He handed one over to Meng Fuyao. In response to her doubtful nce, Yuan Zhaoxu lifted his brows. ¡°You don¡¯t want to get targeted by this difficult fellow, do you?¡± Meng Fuyao hurriedly fixed it onto her face and the moment she put it on she felt a sharp sword-like gaze shooting over and stunning her, as though she had been stabbed by a nail. At the same time, a low growl exploded, and before it faded, a ck light shed across the sky, generating a gale that split the sky and swooped toward the three of them like a lightning bolt. Meng Fuyao pped Yao Xun so hard that he copsed to the ground. The ck light was nearing, and judging from the flickering light and passing shadows, it was an iron pike whose de had been removed. Instead, an abundance of energy had been channeled into it. It had raised a gust of wind from afar, which swept across the field and toward the three of them. What an exaggerating move. Meng Fuyao threw herself forward, pping her sleeves horizontally, in hope of intercepting the pike with the least amount of force required. Before she could reach it, the wind brought by the pike had already blown her hair behind like a g. Since she couldn¡¯t even open her eyes, she shut them. Nevertheless, just like the pike, she did not evade or give way. A resounding ng echoed amid a sttering of fireworks. In it stood a person,ughing coldly but powerfully, ¡°Who¡¯s learning my ways?¡± At that, his sleeves rolled up like angry dragons. Meng Fuyao collided with the pike, the intense energy on thetter instantly crashing into her chest like waves. She felt the air being drawn out of her chest as she stumbled a few steps backward. Her arms and legs turned limp, and she couldn¡¯t raise her sword. The opponent¡¯s attack was ferocious, and she was left in a momentary shock. She heard a lowugh and caught a glimpse of a light purple robe shing. Yuan Zhaoxu had floated by. That was true floating. Meng Fuyao had never seen such a nimble yet elegant motion. He looked as though he could be an immortal from the nine heavens, dancing in the sky with indescribable confidence and ease, withoutpromising on speed. In fact, he was moving at light speed. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared from her side and reappeared right in front of Zhan Beiye. Chapter 19 - Three-way Night Battle Chapter 19: Three-way Night Battle Trantor: AsStudios Editor: AsStudios He turned a hand, drawing a smooth arc across the sky, producing a silver ray that contained snow-like specks and nketing the ck whirlwind that was Zhan Beiye. Zhan Beiye looked up, his bright eyes appearing, even more, intimidating amid the dazzling sword ray. He resembled the first star that rose from the far west, fiery and luminous. ¡°Good!¡± Zhan Beiye sounded eager to have met an evenly matched opponent. He swept his arm horizontally, summoning the pike back into his palm. With a jerk of his palm its shiny and sharp tip was fixed again, and with another wave of his arm, the pike emitted a dramatic ray that radiated meters outward, colliding with the thousands of snow specks. ¡®Boom!¡¯ The air around shook, almost bursting, as the snow specks flew and sshed onto the surrounding trees ¨C p, p, p ¨C countless tiny holes emerged from the leaves that had been hit. A formless, powerful energy wriggled along the ground like an earthworm, and where it passed the grass exploded from the ground, causing mud to scatter and fly in all directions. It was as if a deep ditch had been plowed up by a giant sword, only stopping countless meters away. Some time passed, and the snowfall and gale stopped. Yuan Zhaoxu, enveloped by his snow ray, hadn¡¯t withdrawn. He stood on the edge of a tree branch, smiling. The wind was definitely howling but he, together with the branch beneath his feet, waspletely still. Pike in his hands, Zhan Beiye, stood tall under the tree. The mud raised from his move hadn¡¯t stained him one bit. Standing meters away, Meng Fuyao was still processing the scene that had just unfolded. All along, she could vaguely feel that she was borrowing Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s energy to break through the fourth level of Cleaving Nine Heavens and that there was voidness whenever she executed it. She knew that it was because the borrowed force wouldn¡¯t be as substantial as that of her own umtion, and had been puzzling over it for the longest time. Now that their strong opponent hadid out such a powerful move, an exit had seemingly been illuminated for her. It was so full, brilliant, authoritative and constrained ¨C wasn¡¯t that the true essence of the fourth level, Spherical Revolution? These thoughts were mentally disorganizing, but in a sh, her mind cleared, and her energy started flowing along her veins. As she was halfway into that state, she could vaguely hear Zhan Beiye¡¯s drawn-outughter. ¡°Good. Invigorating! Again!¡± Meng Fuyao jolted anxiously, wanting to observe and emte when she felt the wind around her tightening. Everything before her turned into a sheet of ck, as though something had just flitted across at an extremely fast speed. She had even gotten a faint, aromatic whiff of pine when it brushed past her shoulders. Also, she felt as if her face had been caressed by something soft, cool and satiny. ¡®Did someone just pass me? So fast? Is it a human or a ghost?¡¯ Without much thought, Meng Fuyao reached out to grab it but to no avail. The person had a strange and mysterious figure and arrived before Zhan Beiye¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye. ¡°Go!¡± Meng Fuyao heard. The next second, that person greeted Zhan Beiye, who had heard themotion, with ten attacks. Meng Fuyao opened her mouth wide, looking at that person who was even more agile than Yao Xun. He was so fast that the entire forest appeared to be his shadow. He transformed into a wisp of smoke that was everywhere yet nowhere. There wasn¡¯t even a need for him to hold a sword ¨C a strangely thin and long oney horizontally below his elbow, revealing half an inch of ck sword tip. It slithered and hissed like a snake while following its owner¡¯s movements. Thetter had no need to disy big and showy moves. Instead, his motions urring mostly between his elbow and hips, just like all formidable killers whopleted short-range assassination firstly by jabbing the enemy¡¯s acupuncture points and then stabbing or shing. His movements were simrly natural and sharp. This method of battle was foreign to Zhan Beiye as well. Unable to adapt to this close body fight, his pike was rendered ineffective. In that same moment, the faint ck shadow dove past Zhan Beiye, almost touching him, as a light ray under his elbow shed. Blood rays sttered everywhere. The dark-colored blood scattered all over the dark forest, creating a provokingly intense sight. Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes lit up even more, and fire could almost be seen burning within them. He threw his palm forward, the wind produced causing his opponent to stall and then retreat three steps backward. When thetter was retreating Zhan Beiye flung his arm forcefully, sending his pike three feet into the ground with a loud thud. The ground shook as he licked the fresh blood off his arm. Falling into a brief silence he smiled. ¡°There¡¯s actually a hidden dragon in Taiyuan!¡± Before his smile fell he let out another roar. This time, no weapon was used as Zhan Beiye¡¯s body became the sword that swept in like a hurricane. Yuan Zhaoxu jumped down from the tree, gazed left and right before setting his eyes on the fighters. As he was obstructing Meng Fuyao¡¯s view, she repeatedly shifted her head left and right. ¡°Why, why?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he ask you to leave? Why are you still here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an exciting battle that I can¡¯t miss. Don¡¯t block me, Yuan Zhaoxu. Let me look. It might help improve my skills.¡± Instead of retorting, he simply extended a hand out, as if to touch her, and she immediately turned to face him. It was then that Yuan Zhaoxu continued, ¡°Stay any longer, and you¡¯ll find yourself in more trouble. It¡¯s not a definite victory for An Mei. He doesn¡¯t understand Zhan Beiye. Zhan Beiye will only be tougher. Whoever causes him blood will inevitably fall into a death battle. A rough night is ahead of An Mei.¡± ¡°How would you know¡­¡± Meng Fuyao grumbled, but before she could finish her sentence, she opened her eyes wide in realization. ¡°An Mei? That¡¯s An Mei? The world¡¯s most bloodthirsty killer? He¡¯s here?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu turned his head slightly toward the two fighters, and at that moment, his eyes seemed to contain something a little strange. Some timeter he added, ¡°What should¡¯ve arrived has long arrived¡­¡± Since shrugging Zhan Beiye off that night, peace returned to the following few days. Yao Xun did deliver his word and followed honestly by their side. Meng Fuyao believed that his obedience was due to the fact that Yuan Zhaoxu had reliable skills and would be able to shelter him for a bit. They arrived at the outskirts of Taiyuan that day and found an inn to rest for the night. The moment Meng Fuyao settled in, she urgently started practicing her skills. For the past few days, she had been diligently consolidating her abilities. She was convinced that she was about to consummate the fourth level of Cleaving Nine Heavens. The sand in the hourss rained down silently. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes three hourster and was graced by a sh of extraordinary splendor. She retrieved the sword on her table and channeled some energy into it. A jade-colored light enveloped the sword. It was the light ray of the fourth level andpared to that a few days before, the ray that day was softer and brighter, and carried a purer luster. ¡°Completed!¡± Meng Fuyao jumped off her bed gleefully. ¡°Who should I offer a celebratory kiss to?¡± Upon spouting that out, she pped herself. ¡°Control yourself, woman!¡± Sheid back down onto her bed and made herselffortable, feeling the three treasures in her clothes and stroking them. It was the medal that she had gained possession of after much effort. A secret legend had been circting within the Five Region Continent, that there were seven kinds of passes and the person with all of them could travel through all countries connecting the five regions. Heading northward would lead one to Evergreen Shrine, the most mysterious and inessible ce in Qiongcang imperial court, Di Region, where a sage with magical abilities could solve all doubts and sufferings resided above. Meng Fuyao had no need for such assistance, but there was something she simply couldn¡¯t understand and could use some guidance. To reach that destination wasn¡¯t an easy feat. There used to be only five nations, each upying a region. A territorial war began, and countries fought for close to 30 years to gainnd. As a result, the five nations had split into seven nations, and the five regions had been broken into smaller pieces. Each nation guarded their own territories, and while they maintained a peaceful coexistence, it was only a surface act. They were, in fact, eyeing one another covetously, and the majority of national troops had been dispatched to prevent other nations from crossing into their borders. It was said that if a feather belonging to Tiansha fell into its neighboring nation, also Xuanyuan¡¯s territory, it would be instantly crushed into powder. The good thing was that there were admirable and formidable people who made things much more convenient. 30 years ago, apart from Qiongcang, the other six nations had an alliance with Wuji Nation of Heng Region. They signed their own symbolic medals and handed them over to the ten strongest contenders of all five regions at that time. The ¡°Six-Nation Medals¡± ensured a smooth entrance into any location of the involved nations, aside from Qiongcang and the respective imperial pce of each nation. Actually, it was all for civility. With their abilities, the ten formidable yers could easily go wherever they pleased even without a medal. In fact, having the medal meant that it would no longer be appropriate for them to visit the inner pces to watch the eunuchs doingundry for the concubines. Of course, with her current skills, Meng Fuyao needn¡¯t think about the medal. If one route did not connect, there would be an alternative one. Because each region had their own manufacturing sector, the merchants and military forces of each nation possessed an interdependent rtionship. Over the past few years, respective nations gradually realized the importance of business trading in a growing economy. Five years ago, under the facilitation of the most excellent and reputable prince of Wuji Nation, all seven nations started to release medals, granting reasonable entry into their territories. This move had allowed for business dealings and the strengthening of political ties. The medals were effective even in time of war, sorge merchants in possession of them would be ushered out politely before the nations involved continued their fights. As a measure of prevention, however, the release of medals was strictly controlled, and they were only distributed to the biggest of monopolies and merchants, and the highest of officials. Also, they required a guarantee issued by the imperial court in order to ensure the safety of their travel. WIthout these things, stepping into another nation would mean a lot of trouble, and it was as good as trespassing. Because there wasn¡¯t anything like repatriation during that time period, trespassers would immediately be beheaded. The state of affairs between each nation was highlyplicated, and there were many checkpoints to clear. The route to Evergreen Shrine was long and arduous, and there was no way Meng Fuyao could kill her way there. She needed as much protection and shelter as possible, in order to proceed further. As soon as she realized this, she started plotting to collect all medals. Two months ago, a big merchant from Xuanji imperial court expanded into the wood business. He had tens of trucks of material with him, booked the whole inn and engaged the most renowned and formidable Wu Lin Sect disciples to protect him. That night, the corridors of the inn were upied by rows of burly guards and themplights in the room did not go out. Nevertheless, by morning time, the merchant had been robbed clean, and his medal had gone missing as well. A month after that incident, an important minister cum ambassador of Xuanji imperial court, Sima Rui, was sent on a diplomatic mission and traveled by sea. He had a beautiful, massive ship with multiple decks, where beautiful women danced along to traditional music. Throughout his mboyant journey across Yuan river, he received endless envious nces from passing vessels. Chapter 20 - Parting Ways Chapter 20: Parting Ways Trantor: AsStudios Editor: AsStudios The next day, unfortunately, a sky-piercing scream jolted the whole ship awake. In front of everyone on board, Sima Rui rushed out from his room, yelling, ¡°My medal is gone!¡± Chaos set in as Sima Rui quickly sent his soldiers to guard the ship and search all viges by the shore. Countless vigers were being interrogated but to no avail. In fear of dying his mission, he had only managed to stay at sea for three days. Still unable to locate his medal after that, he had gloomily headed back to court to plead for forgiveness. The apanying soldiers weren¡¯t feeling as dejected. Instead, they discussed fervently about the women they had met during their search, agreeing that while they had average appearances, the fishes they were capable of cooking up were unparalleled. The fishes were so fresh and delicious, but because of the overwhelming steam, no one could see the ingredients that were hidden in their stomachs. As for the harvest Meng Fuyao had reaped a few days back, it was merely a coincidence that she had bumped into a lone, flustered bandit. Seeing that he was acting weirdly, she had rummaged through his belonging and found Tiansha¡¯s medal. Meng Fuyao was in possession of Xuanyuan, Tiansha and Taiyuan¡¯s medals. She aimed to travel to Evergreen Shrine in the future to gather all seven medals. That way, there was a higher chance of receiving assistance from the gods. Because the rtions between respective nations were different, not every nation would release a medal. As such, Meng Fuyao would have to n her route strategically. She drew out a map to indicate the ties between nations and to calcte her moves. In the process, Zhan Beiye, who was ferociously pursuing Tiansha¡¯s medal, came to mind, leaving her sighing over her bleak future. Suddenly, she heard another sighing from above. Shocked, Meng Fuyao swept all three medals back into her clothes. Her heart was drumming, and she cursed at herself for being negligent. ¡®How did I miss that presence?¡¯ On second thought, something wasn¡¯t right. There wasn¡¯t enough space on the roof beam to hide anyone, so how could she have missed it? She looked up and spotted Lord Hamtaro, who was looking straight at her and baring his big front teeth. ¡°Why are you sighing for no reason. Don¡¯t you know a rat can scare people to death?¡± Meng Fuyao raged, only to be ignored by Lord Yuan Bao. Between more scolding, she suddenly felt that something was amiss. She mumbled, ¡°Have never heard of an animal sighing though¡­ ah!¡± Pointing at Lord Yuan Bao, she used, ¡°You! Did you just release gas?¡± Lord Yuan Bao simply revealed more of his pearly whites. ck-faced, Meng Fuyao red at that shameless, farting beast. Again, Lord Yuan Bao dismissed it by spinning around and sticking his bum out. A long scroll of paper hung from his tail, rolling out and swaying in the air. On it were small words that read, ¡°Climb wall, enter room, moon tan, happy life, nothing better.¡± Meng Fuyao tore it down and read it over and over again, bursting into uncontrobleughter. She hastily added a few more words and swung it in his face. Lord Yuan Bao gave her ugly handwriting a contemptuous nce before wiggling his bum and waiting for her to hand it over. Meng Fuyao flicked his nose before roaring withughter and heading to the roof. On the roofy a certain someone, using an arm as a pillow whilefortably basking in the moonlight. With the other hand, he leisurely fiddled with a white jade cup. The night breeze was refreshing and carried a light fragrance, consisting of a blend ofurel and chrysanthemum. Looking down from the deep-green eave, she saw a row ofurel trees in the courtyard. On them were yellow, grain-sized flowers that rested beautifully amid the darkness. Not wanting to let their youths wither away, however, they scattered their scent all over the night. Petals asionallynded on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s face, enhancing the fairness and suppleness of his skin. With his loose robe fluttering in the wind, he remained as elegant as ever. Meng Fuyao sat quietly on the eave, observing him and recollecting the night she was trapped in the Mystic Essence Cave, where despite her sorry state she had enjoyed watching the mysterious figure dance a graceful sword dance. A smile, as delicate as an osmanthus flower, appeared on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face but vanished the next moment. She strode over abruptly and snatched the wine pot beside him, gulping its content down before stuffing the paper into his hand. He unfolded it and raised his brows,ughing. ¡°Dig graves, raid tombs, extinguishedmps, sad life, nothing worse.¡± Meng Fuyao thought back to that terrifying night when Fatty was rubbing his bum and wailing in pain. Years had passed, and she wondered if the Five Region Continent in parallel universes had aligned and thought about how Mother was doing¡­ She continued drowning her sorrows, feeling every ache in her heart, as though something was blocking her throat. ¡°You¡¯ve dug graves before?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s low voice sounded. Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes and turned to him, smiling. ¡°Yeah, sort of. I¡¯ve seen a lot of corpses and bones.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu asked thoughtfully, ¡°Are you living in a tough situation? Graves of noblemen are heavy andplicated, so how do you do it? You¡¯re ady after all.¡± Meng Fuyao shook in realization. The wind had clouded her mind. Not wanting to divulge any more information she quickly digressed, ¡°Eh, why are you helping me?¡± Silence¡­ Meng Fuyao did not push it. She looked up at the moon, so bright and clean but appearing rather cold. ¡°I saw what happened,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu expressed vaguely, but Meng Fuyao understood what he was referring to. ¡°But it was the expression on your face when you fell off the cliff that made me act.¡± Silence resumed, and Yuan Zhaoxu sipped on his wine. That night, the hardened expression on her youthful face contained a sharpness and coldness that did not belong to ady that age. That depth, subtle yet profound, did not match her tender face. It was a heart-wrenching sight. At that moment, he too had been shocked by the fact a stranger¡¯s expression had evoked such feelings within him. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao let out a dyed response, her voice sounding increasingly odd. ¡°Thank you, then. I, Meng Fuyao, will repay your kindness one day,¡± she continued, taking four mouthfuls of wine in between. Yuan Zhaoxu swiveled his wine, stopped, and continued again, with no readable expression on his face. ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± he answered in a consistent tone. Having waited worriedly for his reply, Meng Fuyao was dumbfounded. ¡®That¡¯s it? No more?¡¯ She whipped her head toward him but stopped herself midway. It happened so quick and forcefully that she could hear the cracking of her neck. ¡®He mustn¡¯t see that I¡¯m unnerved. What would be of me?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s¡­ for the best.¡¯ Half the pot was emptied when a hand reached out to stop her. ¡°No more,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu said in a low, charming voice. ¡°Eh?¡± She crooked her head. Her hair fluttered messily in the breeze, behind her slightly flushed face. Her usually sharp gaze was gone, and she looked exceptionally dreamy, as though being enveloped in ayer of mist. Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her with glistening eyes. Immediately after, he smiled, saying, ¡°Look.¡± Meng Fuyao looked to where he pointed and saw multiple horses galloping past the street outside. The horsemen rode anxiously, releasing arrows into the night sky and vanishing into the other end of the street. Lying sprawled out on the roof, Meng Fuyao whispered, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Qi Xunyi¡¯s secret troop activated to contact and delivermands to respective influential powers.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a citizen of Wuji so how would you know this?¡± Meng Fuyao turned to look at him with her fluctuating gaze. ¡°I¡¯m the advisor of Wuji¡¯s Crown Prince and top officials of Top Sun Pce, so I¡¯m well-informed.¡± ¡°Wuji¡¯s Crown Prince?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard this name so many times ever since I came over. Heaven-sent prince, child prodigy, exceptional wisdom and presence¡­ is he even human?¡± Her heart trembled for a second as she vaguely recalled something, but that thought escaped her in a sh, and she couldn¡¯t recall it again. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s human,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu answered briefly and smiled. After a short pause, his tone turned serious, ¡°Fuyao, Yanjing will fall into chaos soon, and I might not be able to guard you once we enter the capital. Are you able to fend for yourself?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu rarely revealed such a cautious expression, but Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t going to give up on her journey. High officials from all nations would be attending the Taiyuan Emperor¡¯s celebration, so it was the perfect chance for her to steal more medals since some nations required them to cross certain borders to get there. For example, the officials of Fufeng would need to pass through Wuji to get to Taiyuan. If she was lucky, she could possibly seize most, if not all, of the medals. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of relying on you for life,¡± she stood up and patted the dust off her robe. ¡°I can manage, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She walked down fearlessly, and Yuan Zhaoxu watched her back view, pondering deeply. Far away, the first glimmer of dawn presented itself over the horizon. The morning sun rose, but a storm was about to be unleashed. Meng Fuyao guided her horse along as she stepped into the Yanjing¡¯s city gate. Still feeling somewhat nervous, she focused on the loosely-robed passerby, appearing excited yet calm, and instantly felt better. ¡®What¡¯s there to be afraid of? No matter how things turn out in the imperial household, they won¡¯t have anything to do with a lowly citizen like me, isn¡¯t that right?¡¯ Because the emperor¡¯s 50th birthday was approaching, venues had been set aside in the capital and all provinces for celebratory rituals to be performed. Craftsmen had also decorated both sides of the main street with color paintings. The whole of Yanjing looked luxurious and beautiful. Five kilometers into the city, Yuan Zhaoxu and Meng Fuyao went their own ways. She knew very well that participating in his affairs wasn¡¯t necessarily good for her, and was determined to continue her journey alone. Yuan Zhaoxu had looked calm and smiley as usual when bidding her farewell, but there was an unreachable depth to his emotions. Lord Yuan Bao, on the other hand, looked genuinely happy and took great efforts to show it. He hopped around energetically, joyful that he could finally shrug off the fellow who had been following behind their bums. Irked by his cheeriness, Meng Fuyao plucked three strands of fur from his bum to keep as souvenirs. Whether or not he would harbor hard feelings, she simply couldn¡¯t care less. Chapter 21 - Dogful Marriage Chapter 21: Dogful Marriage Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Upon finding an inn to stay for the night, Meng Fuyao took a stroll on the streets. There were shops selling masks, sugar figurines and so on; she was merely killing time. Things quickly piled up in her hands. As she chewed on a dough figurine, she caught a glimpse of Yao Xun squeezing in and out of the crowd, most probably about to ¡°start work¡±. She couldn¡¯t help butugh. Her distraction caused her to neglect the road passing a corner. As a result, all she heard and saw were the cloud ttering of hooves and a sh of white shadow before she stopped in time and saved herself from getting trampled on by a speeding horse. The horse had an aggressive nature; seeing that someone was obstructing its way, it raised its front hooves, ready to give her a good kick. Astonished cries filled the streets, but the horseman hurriedlymanded, ¡°Lightning! Halt!¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her head up and saw two white and long hooves right before her eyes. Out of instincts, she was about to deal a heavy blow and break them when she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that the horse was extraordinarily handsome. The next moment, she swiftly retracted her hand, floated off the ground, grabbed its neck and hopped onto its back. The horseman had left his abode with a load on his mind and hence been riding with minute errors, causing his horse to move too fast, almost injuring some road users. Just as he was fretting over it, he saw thedy jumping up onto his horse and sitting steadily behind him. ¡°Ah!¡± He let out in surprise. He turned his head around naturally, only to receive another shock. This time, Meng Fuyao let out a startled cry as well. The man on the horse had a delicate and pretty appearance and was full of poise. Wasn¡¯t he her first love? The man who was about to get married? Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes, inwardlymenting about the coincidences of life. From the healthy glow on Yan Jingchen¡¯s face, Meng Fuyao gathered that he had been living a good life. If Yan Jingchen knew what she had in mind, he would most definitely feel nauseated. He was obviously looking haggard and absent-minded. Furthermore, having been threatened by his father that day and then almost knocked down by Meng Fuyao, he was probably feeling extremely perturbed. Yet, those emotions of his had somehow tranted into what Meng Fuyao understood as ¡°a healthy glow¡±. His tough situation wasn¡¯t of her concern, of course, since she firmly believed that no man who had dumped her should lead a better life than her, and it would annoy her greatly if they did. Seeing Yan Jingchen¡¯s pleasantly surprised face, or so she thought, Meng Fuyao felt very unhappy and got ready to dismount. Before she could reach the ground, however, he grabbed her wrist. Only looking down at her own hand, she warned coldly, ¡°Let go.¡± Yan Jingchen hesitated a short while but was reminded of her ruthless move on the Mystic Essence Mountain, and retracted his hand in embarrassment. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± he called in a low voice. Beingpletely ignored, Yan Jingchen turned anxious and extended his arm horizontally in front of her. ¡°Listen to me before leaving, Fuyao, or chop my hand off!¡± he clenched his teeth, saying. Meng Fuyao frowned at the arm that was before her and looked around at the crowd. Sheughed coldly. ¡°You¡¯re scheming, Mister Yan. Asking me to chop your arm off in public? Won¡¯t I be looking for trouble?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Yan Jingchen quickly corrected himself and kept his arm. He stared at her, asking, ¡°Can we find a ce to talk, Fuyao?¡± ¡°Say whatever you have to say here,¡± Meng Fuyao insisted and settled herself back onto the horse, but this time, into an unmorous squat position, as if reluctant to ride with him. Heads turned toward thedy who acted as though no one was present. Fingers started pointing, but Meng Fuyao pretended not to have seen them. In response to her awkward position, Yan Jingchen could only sigh. He carefully guided the horse into a quiet alley on the opposite side of the street before adding softly, ¡°Do you think I really want to marry Pei Yuan, Fuyao? My heart¡¯s been in the fryer recently¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all? Got it,¡± Meng Fuyao interrupted before preparing to jump off. ¡®No!¡± Yan Jingchen responded immediately, not daring to make any more confessions. He urgently continued, ¡°My father wants me to marry her, mainly because Pei Family¡¯s ¡°Stirring Thunder Technique¡± is one of the world¡¯s best skills. He wants me to learn the ways andbine our family¡¯s ¡°Convulsive Wind Sword Technique¡± with theirs. That way, in the future, I¡¯ll excel and make a name for myself in the True Martial Arts Meet¡­¡± ¡°What has that got to do with me?¡± Meng Fuyao yawned a few times in between. ¡°So¡­¡± he bit his cheeks and lowered his voice, ¡°My father has another thought, which is that since Pei Family¡¯s mastered the Stirring Thunder Technique, they could have possibly mastered the Cleaving Nine Heavens as well. No matter how formidable the thunder is, it has toe from the nine heavens. Even if it has the power to split mountains, it won¡¯tpare to that of the vast dome of heavens. Just¡­ Cleaving Nine Heavens is simply too precious, and the Pei Family may only share it upon our marriage¡­ Fuyao, it¡¯s all about martial arts in Taiyuan, where influential families are fighting openly and plotting covertly. All hopes are pinned on me, the heir of my family, to im victory in the True Martial Arts Meet. It¡¯s really important to me¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this Cleaving Nine Heavens?¡± Meng Fuyao asked with a smile. Yan Jingchen found her expression odd, as though she was pitying and mocking him at the same time. It faded quickly, however, and she reassumed ackadaisical attitude. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°I know, I understand, I get it,¡± she cut him off, reaching her hand out to pat his shoulder. ¡°Are you done with your sob story? Feeling all better and stress-free now that you¡¯ve exined yourself? Great, I¡¯ve heard you. Stirring Thunder + Cleaving Nine Heavens + True Martial Arts Meet = marriage.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, her eyes as bright as stars. ¡°Your father¡¯s guess is solid. I believe the Cleaving Nine Heavens you¡¯re looking for will most likely be there so hurry up and marry her. Hope it works out, so you don¡¯t have to get yourself castrated.¡± ¡°Fuyao!¡± Yan Jingchen shouted while pulling her back. ¡°I know you¡¯re feeling terrible, Fuyao. I know you¡¯re upset that I¡¯ve ended things between us. You don¡¯t have to deliberately provoke me and say things like these to hurt yourself¨C¡± ¡°Aha! Upset? Hurt? Deliberately provoking you? Deliberately hurting myself?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated, pointing a finger at her nose and ring at him with eyes almost crossed. ¡®Aren¡¯t you being a little too narcissistic, Mister Yan? Yes, we¡¯ve had something before, and I did like you quite a bit. It wasn¡¯t love, but even if it were, I, Meng Fuyao, won¡¯t act so excessively unreasonable.¡¯ ¡®Do you really think I¡¯m still harboring feelings for you and doing these to get you back? I was just trying to be the bigger person, and you took that as a performance?¡¯Meng Fuyao looked up to the sky, feeling inexpressibly suffocated. Yan Jingchen interpreted her silence as her hurting, which gave him more courage to speak his mind. Eyes lit, he continued, ¡°Wait for me, Fuyao¡­ I¡¯ll marry her, master the skills and whatever happens next¡­ it¡¯s not up to her. I won¡¯t consummate that marriage, I swear to you. In the future¡­ in the future, the Yan Family will be ours.¡± ¡®Well done, good thinking, so well-calcted.¡¯ ¡®How did I overlook that amazing potential and imagination of yours?¡¯ After keeping silent for some time, Meng Fuyao smiled. Her smile was warm and sincere, and while her posture was rather unrefined, people¡¯s attentions were fixed on her bright and graceful expression. ¡°Trust me when I say this, Sir Yan. In this life, the Yan Family is yours. It belongs to you and your wife-to-be, and no one will ever take her ce, because that¡¯s just unlucky.¡± She searched through her clothes and grabbed the dough figurine that she had been chewing on. She pinched it a little, turning it into an animal-like figurine and handing it over to him. ¡°Have a blessed and dogful marriage.¡± At that she hopped off the horse and gave its stomach a good kick, sending it on its way. Yan Jingchen reacted quickly by pulling the rein. He finally got the horse to calm down after some effort. Left alone in the middle of the street, he turned around in disappointment, frustrated that her familiar scent had dispersed. He sighed, thinking about the Meng Fuyao he had just met. She waspletely different from when she had first arrived in the Mystic Essence Sword Sect, bing increasingly beautiful and resplendent, just like a fiery red hyacinth. And that flower had first bloomed for him, because of his smile. She was as attractive as ever at that point ¨C even more alluring in fact ¨C but that graceful charm no longer belonged to him alone. The flower had blossomed and withered, and he had missed the most beautiful season. He had missed the opportunity to catch the falling petals, and now, he was destined to watch her from a corner, and watch her bloom for another man. ¡®No¡­ no¡­¡¯ ¡®She¡¯ll forgive me¡­¡¯ Yan Jingchen clenched his fist as if attempting to calm the emotional mess within his heart with force. It was then that he remembered about the item Meng Fuyao had handed to him before she left. He looked down at that almost ttened object in his palm ¨C it was a pair of ugly dogs! ¡°God d*mn, what a cheap bastard. How did I fall for this rotten basket in the first ce?¡± Meng Fuyao grumbled as she walked, brooding about her bad taste in men. She recalled the Yan Jingchen that she had fallen for was warm and gentlemanly, and whilepetitive, he was also an honorable man. It wasn¡¯t his fault, however, that he was the heir of the family and hence had been taught to act like one. Nevertheless, the suggestion he had dared to offer was simply humiliating for both Pei Yuan and her. The more she dwelled on it, the more tearful and speechless she became. That night, she practiced her skills, as usual, operating a cycle of Cleaving Nine Heavens, which made her whole body emit a jade-colored glow. Amid the light, Meng Fuyao looked pensive, her face as gentle as water, thinking about Yan Jingchen¡¯s so-called difficulties and sneering. The next day, Qi Xunyi¡¯s fancy horses and carriage returned. As usual, it was surrounded by highly stylized tunes and dances, asionally transmitting singsong voices of the yellow orioles. Apanying all those was traditional Chinese music that wound through the streets, attracting sidelong nces from the public. Meng Fuyao enjoyed a bowl of noodles at a street stall while trying to join in the buzz. Her gaze fell upon the dance-filled carriage, and she let out a soundlessugh. Herughter faded significantly when she spotted the sedan right in the middle of the group. It was Pei Yuan¡¯s sedan. By its right was a magnificent white horse, which Meng Fuyao had failed to notice initially. Immediately upon sighting it, a deriding look shed across her eyes. Who else, but Yan Jingchen, could possibly be on that horse? That stifled eagerness of his was unconceble. He had traveled a long distance to fetch Princess Pei back after all. Over the past few days, Pei Yuan¡¯s identity had been made clear to Meng Fuyao. She was the daughter of Princess Yi An and General Pei Shixun. Pei Shixun¡¯s sister had entered the pce as a concubine and was now Consort Lin, also Qi Xunyi¡¯s mother. Pei Yuan had received her title as a princess and was called Princess Pei by the royal family. As the only daughter of Yi An, Pei Yuan was well pampered. Chapter 22 - Chasing a Man Down the Street Chapter 22: Chasing a Man Down the Street Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao quietly observed the curtained sedan, and then the rather absent-minded horseman to her right. ¡®Are you still able to show your little poodle off to the public, Yan Jingchen?¡¯ With no more care left to give, Meng Fuyao returned to her inn without throwing them another nce. The inn and winehouse were connected, and when she passed through the winehouse, a loud discussion between diners caught her attention. ¡°Have you heard? The Pei Family¡¯s beenunching spiteful attacks at the Yun Family. There¡¯s no more civility to speak out, in and outside of court. A few days back, they secretly sent people to smash 3 money farms, 5 pawn shops and 7 silk factories belonging to the Yun Family; the farmstead in Yunchuan City has wound down, and it was said that the Pei Family was behind it. They had thrown silvers at the farmer and even established ties with a bunch of people to throw usations around. Tsk, tsk, how fierce!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t these two families been quietly battling for years now? Why the sudden uproar?¡± ¡°Heard it was the Yun Family who did them dirty first. Not sure about the details¡­¡± ¡°Ah! Would the Yun Family remain passive, though?¡± ¡°The Yun Family isn¡¯t doing as great as before. Initially, Old Sir Yun was in charge of all pce affairs since he was His Majesty¡¯s dearest right-hand man. A pity¡­ he had offended the wrong people and started losing control, and was eventually left to take care of the pce¡¯s mailroom, which is a rarely visited ce.¡± ¡°Who did he offend?¡± Silence fell over the table at this point as someone brought a finger up to his mouth. In response to the tacit understanding between the diners, Fuyao smiled. ¡®Some of this news is pretty urate,¡¯ sheughed inwardly. She navigated through the crowd, ready to return to her room when amotion broke out outside by the time she reached the stairs. A high screech followed after, and despite iting from afar, it was loud enough to drown the din within the winehouse. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go! Hey!¡± Customers in the winehouse turned their heads in time to catch a ck, dragon-like whirlwind, filled with smoke and dust, sweeping across the long street outside and taking everyone and everything down along its path. Food from road-stalls rolled all over the ground and before Yao Xun could even start on his noodle soup, he, too, got knocked away. He iled his arms in an attempt to steady himself when a huge gust swept a silver ingot right into his widely-opened mouth, forcing him to swallow whatever wrath he was about to unleash. Yao Xun reached in for the ingot but had trouble getting it out due to its size. With some effort he finally loosened it a little, when another whirlwind, rainbow-colored this time, howled from behind him, mming onto his back and ejecting a slimy ingot and half a tooth from his mouth. Dazed and sprawled out, head down, on the ground, Yao Xun crawled to his feet and saw that the rainbow whirlwind had already trampled all over the buns and eggs, and was making chase while shouting, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t run!¡± Despite her shouts, the ck whirlwind continued on its way, spinning toward the winehouse. In fear of getting ttened, diners shot toward respective corners like cannons to dodge it. Secondster, the whirlwind banged through the door and stopped right in the middle of the restaurant. His drifting ck hair and robe came to a rest the moment he halted. Gone was the ferocity from before and there stood a noble and refined looking man with a solid presence. The rainbow whirlwind arrived soon after. She stopped the door and giggled, summoning a long bench over and stuffing it between the door and its frame. She then sat on the bench, as if to prevent the man in ck from escaping. Sunlight entered through the entrance, illuminating thedy¡¯s beautiful outline and attracting looks from the diners in front. At the same time, the colors on her body were glowing so brightly that they were forced to squint their eyes. Sighs filled the room. No one had ever seen such a colorful person. She had on a peach-colored top and red skirt, which was lifted and clipped onto her waist, revealing her rainbow-colored inner pants ¨C one side green and the other purple. She also had on a golden pair of shoes, quite unlike Taiyuan¡¯s fashion. The tip of her shoes pointed upward and was decorated with a red and green crystal, one on each side. They were the size of a thumb and were absolutely dazzling. Thedy appeared not to be of marriageable age yet. On her tiny, egg-shaped face was a high nose, glossy red lips, a pair of brown eyes and skin as translucent and clear as honey. While young, she was obviously a beauty, and while less delicate and fair as Taiyuan girls, she stood out with an infectious and breeze-like energy. Her hair, an exotic mix of brown and red, was ited instead of bunned and was essorized with all kinds of strangely-shaped bells. She looked, unabashedly, in front and shed a proud smile. Of course, she was smiling at the man dressed in ck, with scarlet outlines, embroidered robe. ¡°I¡¯ve caught you now. Am I a sea beast from E Ocean? Why are you running so fast?¡± The man knitted his brow, groaning, ¡°Are you still ady, Ya Lanzhu? Chasing me down the street like that.¡± The moment he turned around his prominent features were revealed. His dark brows and eyes, along with his well-contoured profile, added to the robustness of his overall look andmanding presence. His eyes swept across the restaurant like a heavy knife de, or even a potent lightning bolt, channeled from the forces of heaven and earth, that could easily split the sky. Standing by the staircase, Meng Fuyao inhaled deeply. She recognized the man ¨C Zhan Beiye. Having been too busy fighting in the forest that night, Zhan Beiye hadn¡¯t taken notice of Meng Fuyao. On the other hand, thetter had taken in all that she could. He had an appearance so distinct and eye-grabbing that it was impossible for her not to recognize him now that the sun was shining down on him. She had almost wanted to flee upon identifying him, but because the hall was dead quiet, she could only remain still to avoid drawing attention to herself. ¡°Why are you running?¡± ¡°Why are you chasing?¡± ¡°I like it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m practicing footwork!¡± ¡°Pfff¨C¡± Someone let out a stifledugh in reaction to their speedy squabble, triggering a death re, which was made more terrifying by her exquisite yet de-like brows, from the youngdy. Nevertheless, as she was still too young, she appeared more adorable than murderous. Finding it funny, other diners chimed in, ¡°Hey, littledy, there must be a reason why you like chasing him.¡± ¡°Yeah. In Taiyuan, this is the first time ady¡¯s chasing after a man.¡± ¡°Yes, I shall be the first, then,¡± she dered arrogantly, raising her chin up. ¡°¡®Go for the best, if you¡¯re going for anyone because those behind are all lousy melons,¡¯ my father always says.¡± She pointed at Zhan Beiye,ughing, ¡°It¡¯s him I¡¯m going after. I want him to be my man.¡± Her confidence left everyone in a brief state of shock and then a fit ofughter. Diners at the back squeezed forward to get a clearer view of the unconventionally assertivedy and also the lucky man. Meng Fuyao awed at the goodpatibility between this bickering pair when she caught a glimpse of Yao Xun, sneaking into the winehouse. She made a gesture, which Yao Xun noticed, and saw his expression change instantly while shaking his head. Meng Fuyao stared nkly at the girl. She appeared to be a Fufeng citizen, and Meng Fuyao had wanted Yao Xun to check if she had a medal on her. Yet, he seemed afraid of her and dared not make any move. After some thought, Meng Fuyao waited for a suitable time to withdraw. Getting restless and annoyed by the chasing game, Zhan Beiye spoke up, ¡°Ya Lanzhu, has your father also mentioned that you have to be a man¡¯s, first woman?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Zhan Beiye gave a crafty smile. With this handsome smile, his intimidating aura was momentarily swept away, revealing a more humane and warm disposition. ¡°Someone¡¯s already imed first ce. You¡¯rete.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Ya Lanzhu opened her eyes wide and jumped onto the bench, pulling up her sleeves. ¡°Who is it? Who?¡± Not turning around, Zhan Beiye casually drew a circle in midair, which ultimatelynded on a certain spot. ¡°Her!¡± Everyone in the winehouse, including Ya Lanzhu, turned their heads simultaneously, before hearing a crash. Ya Lanzhu narrowed her eyes dangerously. Yao Xun¡¯s jaw dropped, and he couldn¡¯t snap out of it even after a long time. Because his mouth was opened for too long, saliva had started dripping down. When he had finally mustered the strength to close his jaw, he took the chance when no one was looking to wipe his mouth clean as well. He then presented a ¡°good luck¡± gesture before slipping past her. Through all that, Zhan Beiye never once turned around. He had pointed his finger just any old how with a sole intention of picking a female. While entering the restaurant he had already spotted a light red-colored piece of clothing and was immediately certain that it belonged to a woman. Who that unlucky woman was wasn¡¯t any concern of his. Meng Fuyao stood awkwardly by the stairs while holding onto the railing and giving an embarrassed smile. Of course, it was understandably diforting for her to be stared at by a bunch of strangers. ¡®Zhan Beiye, you bastard, pointing your finger so carelessly in broad daylight.¡¯ Ya Lanzhu sized Meng Fuyao up with dart-like eyes. Meng Fuyao had no ugly makeup on that day. All she had done was smear a little ginger juice onto her face, giving it a slight yellow hue. Her brows stood out, nevertheless, and Ya Lanzhu sniggered after a pause, ¡°Are you kidding¡¯ me? She¡¯s clearly suffering from tuberculosis.¡± Zhan Beiye crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. ¡°So? I like it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll still be in second ce.¡± Ya Lanzhu bounced up with a twist of her slender waist and a swing of her arm, retrieving a small knife with rainbow-colored handle from her back and brandishing it. With the sunlight reflecting off it, the tip of the knife appeared exceptionally brilliant. She pointed it toward Zhan Beiye, yelling, ¡°Go, kill that number 1 of yours and I¡¯ll take over.¡± ¡°Eh, who¡¯s his number 1?¡± A clear voice sounded from the stairway, reiming the audience¡¯s nces. This time, Meng Fuyao was leaning over the railing and looking at them with raised brows. Chapter 23 - Thanks for Your Service Chapter 23: Thanks for Your Service Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Eh?¡± Zhan Beiye let out, finally turning around to acknowledge Meng Fuyao, albeit mindlessly. ¡°He¡¯s bluffing?¡± Ya Lanzhu questioned while fixing her bright eyes on Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao snapped her fingers before returning her vicious re. ¡°No.¡± Her reply made Zhan Beiye look at her with full attention. ¡°Ah?¡± Ya Lanzhu opened her mouth wide. ¡°It seems that he¡¯s ssified me as his number 1.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s only his wishful thinking. I already have someone in mind so why would I go for this rough man over here?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s face was as ck as a charred pot, but in contrast, Ya Lanzhu appeared beyond pleased. ¡°Some things just can¡¯t be forced.¡± Meng Fuyao pped. ¡°Although you look passable, Sir, your temper is not to my liking. Girls should be treasured and respected. How am I to find a husband, now that you¡¯ve so tantly professed your love for me?¡± Instead of directing her gaze at Zhan Beiye, whose head seemed to be smoking, she looked at Ya Lanzu with all the sincerity she could gather within her. ¡°There¡¯s a saying in my vige, Zhuzhu, that wild men are afraid of passionate women. Ignore his words, and do what you do. Go, the revolution is not yet a sess and more striving needs to be done.¡± Upon hearing her advice, Ya Lanzhu very obediently and enthusiastically threw herself onto Zhan Beiye. ¡®Shiiing¨C¡¯ Zhan Beiye had pulled out his sword at this point. Fully engrossed, the spectators ran to the nearest tables to take shelter. Meng Fuyao cleverly took the chance to slip upstairs. ¡°Go, pack up and be on your way,¡± Meng Fuyao ordered Yao Xun immediately upon entering her room. ¡°Quick.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you solved the issue?¡± he asked, bewildered. ¡°Who knows what¡¯s going to happen next. We¡¯d better go while that girl is still clinging onto him,¡± she answered sharply while organizing her belongings. Yao Xun shook his head and warned, ¡°The person you¡¯ve offended is Zhan Beiye, for goodness sake. What were you thinking?¡± Meng Fuyao paused what she was doing and nced at him strangely. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that women are more clingy than men? Men are more tolerant, after all, so I¡¯d rather she pester him than harass me, or there won¡¯t be any peaceful day toe.¡± In a few swift motions, she had lugged her bundle over her shoulder, pushed open the window and jumped out. Yet, she found herselfnding into a solid embrace. ¡°Oof,¡± Meng Fuyao let out while touching her head. ¡°Whose muscles are these? As hard as steel¡­¡± shemented subconsciously, which brought out a smile on the person¡¯s face. ¡°Make way, please.¡± Above her was a man with fluttering ck hair. He stared down at her with eyes even darker than his hair and with lips pursed so tightly that they formed a thin line. Meng Fuyao shuddered, resigning to the fact there that existed a kind of people who would always rush to be the first and wondering if they would do the same when greeting death. Zhan Beiye continued staring at her, suddenly retrieving an exquisite water dder from his waist belt and generously pouring it over her face. ¡°Wha.. what are you doing? Hu¡­¡± Caught off guard, a startled Meng Fuyao cried out. Flying into a rage, she reached her hand out to p Zhan Beiye¡¯s away, only for it to be sped firmly between his fingers. His metal plier-like fingers pressed against the pulse within her wrist, and he extended his palm toward her face, gently wiping it. In between, an infuriated Meng Fuyao shrieked, ¡°Is your hand clean? Don¡¯t touch my mouth. Hey!¡± Zhan Beiye stopped abruptly. The youngdy before his eyes was about 16, 17 years old. No longer coated with ginger juice, her face gradually resumed its original fairness, within which a warm pink glow emerged like clouds. In contrast, her eyes emitted a coldness that matched her masculine yet gracefully upturned brows, which resembled the silk ribbons fairies in the nine heavens danced with. In the brief moment that their eyes met, resentment was evident in her bright red face. Her eyes became increasingly bright, so much that even Zhan Beiye was taken aback. As if subconsciously intimidated, he let go of his hand. Feeling odd immediately after, he extended his hand once more, this timending on her waist. He could feel the strength within the softness of her body,mon in girls who practiced martial arts. Also, her waist was surprisingly slim, which made his heart to thump slightly faster. That split second of distraction caused his hand to slip. He felt something shiver and coil upward. As an experienced fighter, Zhan Beiye instinctively reached his palm out to chop it. His chopnded on something soft, and a long ck shadow shook in midair as a fine whip flew out from her waist area and toward the eave of a roof in another corner, finally coiling around it. She smiled brightly at him before breaking free from his embrace and casually waving. ¡°Thanks, Sir, for washing my face. Please collect your money from the man behind.¡± Surprised by her words, Zhan Beiye turned behind and saw the back of Yao Xun, who was escaping from another window. ¡®Is this a plot?¡¯ Not getting tricked, he turned back to Meng Fuyao, only to see that she was already a distance away, quickly disappearing into the background with a small bundle on her back like a meteorite. The wind was quiet, and the man in ck robe remained still for quite some time. There was no moon hanging in the sky that night, so that cold existence of his wasn¡¯t immediately apparent. He gradually blended in with the darkness and emerged again under the first rays of the morning. When the first dewdrop fell onto the tip of his brow, he collected it gently with his hand, analyzing it as it rolled about in his palm. It was as clear as the eyes of thedy he had seen the night before. As the sun rose through the clouds, filling the sky with multicolored splendor, the man raised his head and smiled. More than a kilometer away, Meng Fuyao and Yao Xun reunited in an old temple in the southern corner of the city. She asked about Ya Lanzhu¡¯s background, and he responded with a bitter smile, ¡°You know, it is not an emperor but 3 major ns that upy Fufeng. The Fa Qing n has the greatest power and is stationed in Dafeng City, located in the center of the nation. Ya Lanzhu is the daughter of the n master, and her status is equivalent to that of a Taiyuan princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re so afraid of her,¡± Meng Fuyaomented while crossing one leg in front of the other and chewing on a de of grass. She mocked, ¡°For a leader, you¡¯re really timid. How can you be afraid of a doll?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her,¡± Yao Xun imed, red-faced, before continuing angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be controlled by her sorcery. Out of the 3 big ns, Fa Qiang is the best at witchcraft. It¡¯s been said that if even a strand of your hair falls into their hands, they¡¯ll be able to manipte you. The witch within the n has a higher rank than the n master himself. She could kill anyone with a blink of her eye. Death isn¡¯t the scariest, in fact, and it was said that she could employ even more bizarre methods to deal with enemies. Tell me, now, why should we offend someone like her?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and rolled her eyes at the same time, eliciting a frown from Yao Xun. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still going to do something funny. Haven¡¯t I made it clear?¡± Meng Fuyao chewed on her grass without answering. Instead, she asked, ¡°Why would Ya Lanzhu cling onto Zhan Beiye? They have no use for each other.¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Yao Xun scratched his head. ¡°But what I¡¯ve heard was that Ya Lanzhu is betrothed to the 6th prince of Tiansha, Zhan Beiheng. Why is she getting herself involved with Zhan Beiye, whom his grandmother and uncle dislike? How strange¡­¡± ¡°His grandmother and uncle dislike him?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated with a crooked head. ¡°Not just dislike,¡± Yao Xun started, ¡°He¡¯s inferior to even an ordinary prince. The 6th and 7th princes have already been bestowed the title of king, but not him. It was his grandfather, Advisor Zhou of the previous dynasty, who had pled with tears in front of the throne in order to secure him a prince title. Even thend that Zhan Beiye was enfeoffed with was Tiansha¡¯s Geya Desert, which shared a border with the Mo Lo n. The whole plot ofnd was under 200 square kilometers and was subject to inhospitable natural environment and neighbors. Of course, Zhan Beiye did well by building Rong City at the edge of the border within 3 years. He also set up a ck Wind military troop in the desert to control traffic, and then expanded his borders by another 750 square kilometers, sessfully preventing Mo Lo¡¯s military force from invading and harassing Zhou City. He then restorednd and had the people till it, effectively making millet and wheat much more affordable, whereby 10 over meters of fabric can be traded for hundreds of liters of grains. Also, the amount of army provisions his people had umted under his guidance can nowst them for a few decades. He¡¯s created a self-sufficient city, a feat that worried his brother. As a result, he¡¯s been transferred over to Wang City and kept under his brother¡¯s watch. He¡¯s clearly a prince, but merely a secretary in charge of controlling iing and outgoing travelers. All he does every day is to issue medals, tsk, tsk¡­¡± ¡°I asked you one question, and you just went on and on,¡± Meng Fuyao knitted her brow,menting. ¡°Is he your uncle or something? So generous with your saliva.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just feeling bad for a heroic figure like him. No one in Tiansha understands Zhan Beiye¡¯s talents and that he¡¯s much more formidable than his brother, who¡¯s only into politics. A pity his mother¡¯s identity is unusual,nding her usations of assassinating the old emperor of Tiansha even after the fall of the previous dynasty. By association, Zhan Beiye, too, is bound to live a hard life. Sigh¡­ matters of the royal family are tooplicated¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sat, hugging her knees with her arms. ¡°The pce is the vilest ce on earth. To survive in there is to be vile, and the only way to cleanse that filth is with a blood-purge. There¡¯s no other way.¡± Meng Fuyao heedlessly expressed her thoughts, failing to notice a figure shifting behind a tree outside the temple. ¡°Great words. Got me to think of another saying,¡± Yao Xun replied, full of zest. Eyes lit, he continued, ¡°The dragon won¡¯t be trapped forever; it¡¯ll rise when a chance presents itself¡­¡± Before he could finish his chant, Meng Fuyao had already fallen asleep. Angered, Yao Xun mmed the table hard. ¡°Hey, wake up. Isn¡¯t this saying inspiring? Doesn¡¯t it get your blood racing? Don¡¯t you wanna go out there and unleash your passion? These are the words of Wuji¡¯s crown prince¡­¡± ¡°Noisy¡­¡± Meng Fuyao waved dismissively. ¡°What has Wuji¡¯s crown prince got to do with me? Can I eat him? Or use him? Can he keep me warm like a nket does?¡± ¡°What an unromantic woman.¡± Yao Xun looked at her disdainfully. ¡°The oldest grandson of Wuji is known by all under the sky. If you¡¯re a normal girl, you should be swooning all over him and not falling asleep!¡± Chapter 24 - A Crafty Little Plan Chapter 24: A Crafty Little n Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao opened her eyeszily, pointing to her nose and sneering. ¡°Compared to those shrieking girls, I¡¯d rather be a psycho killer.¡± She shut her eyes once more and turned to her side as if getting ready to sleep. However, the next moment, her palm hit the ground, and she shot right out of the temple like an arrow. Her body was in the air while her whip had already formed a ck arc that was rolling toward the tree with a sharp, whipping sound. ¡°Show yourself!¡± At the same time, Yao Xun¡¯snky body jolted, and he vanished from where he had been sitting, reappearing 100 meters away the next second. Meng Fuyao turned her head in midair, impressed by Yao Xun¡¯s shamelessness. Not only was he as good as her when it came to acting, but he also had zero loyalty. As she was distracted, her whip strayed from its intended path. The person behind the tree snorted, easily trapping her whip under his feet. Upon lowering her head and spotting a ck pair of shoes with me-colored edges, Meng Fuyao promptly released her hand, all willing to abandon her whip, turned and fled. She hadn¡¯t distanced herself much when someone grabbed the back of her cor forcefully. When the momentum left her striding on the same spot,ughter could be heard overhead as the culprit held her down in a rough motion. ¡°Why are you following me everywhere? Are you begging for food?¡± Meng Fuyao growled resentfully ¡°You¡¯re quite a delight, aren¡¯t you?¡± Zhan Beiye expressed sarcastically. ¡°How am I to bring a girl with such bad upbringing to the pce feast?¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s talking!¡± Meng Fuyao snapped. She remembered how Zhan Beiye had fled upon seeing the bolddy, Ya Lanzhu, and figured that a character like that would be off-putting for him. She even added recklessly, ¡°Your whole family has no manners.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Zhan Beiye let out a smile, as dazzling as the sun¡¯s rays but nothing like Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s. ¡°It is a fact that my family has no manners, but I¡¯m the exception.¡± He kicked Meng Fuyao¡¯s whip up, coiled it around her legs and lifted her off the ground in a few swift movements, before conveniently gauging her weight by raising it up and down. ¡°Still alright, not too heavy.¡± ¡°What are you doing!¡± Meng Fuyao squealed, floundering about close to the ground like a dumpling hanging off its string, and even eating a mouthful of dirt. ¡°I have a feast to attend, and I am asking you to join me.¡± Zhan Beiye exhaled. ¡°I¡¯ve never failed or been rejected my whole life. I will not let you be the first to spoil my record.¡± He flipped his palm, easily pulling her toward him and meeting her eyes. Just like that Meng Fuyao, who was hanging upside down and feeling all dizzy, heard the weirdest confession ever. ¡°Listen, woman.¡± Zhan Beiye shed his bright teeth, causing Meng Fuyao to shut her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m about to conquer you.¡± Hair full of golden pins, garment full of beads and also holes like those found in hip-hop style clothing, Meng Fuyao hung stiffly beside this certain someone. King Hunter looked absolutely suave that night. His royal-yellow dragon robe enhanced the brilliance of his thick, ck brows. The purple detailing on it, which usually looked gaudy on ordinary men, appeared especially magnificent on him. It was enough proof that clothes would never let a good looking face and body down. It was the birthday of Taiyuan Emperor, Qi Hao, that day, and a grand feast with 16 seats took ce in the Qingyun Pce Hall that afternoon. Local, high-ranking officials were present to receive representatives from respective nations. As the emperor wasn¡¯t feeling too well, he attended only for a short while to make a few toasts and exchange some pleasantries before taking his leave, while the rest continued enjoying the feast. Since Tiansha was the biggest nation, as its representative and the emperor¡¯s younger brother, Zhan Beiye naturally received great respect from the guests and was also thrown into the spotlight with his extraordinary looks. As the femalepanion of such an outstanding man, Meng Fuyao understood that she would a subject of scrutiny. Thus, she went all out with her ginger juice, golden hairpins, and fis outfit, and had two rings on every finger. On both arms, she put on golden-bell bracelets, which jingled loudly as she walked. She even put on some talcum powder that she had purchased from a night market, spreading strong whiffs of fragrance wherever she went. Meng Fuyao¡¯s fis-inspired outfit was undoubtedly eye-catching. The beautiful golden butterflies on her original pleated skirt had been torn off, leaving holes all over and revealing white, inner pants. If not for her fear of being beaten up by Taiyuan guards for looking so obscene, she would¡¯ve worn the inneryer of clothing on the outside. Dressed in multiple colors, Meng Fuyao strutted into the dazzling Qingyun Pce Hall, turning the faces of the other envoys purple. Zhan Beiye, on the other hand, entered nonchntly. When the emperor returned to get some rest, Meng Fuyao immediately waved to get the attention of a pce maid. ¡°Waiter!¡± At a loss, the waiter was unable to respond. ¡°Get me one dried fish!¡± Meng Fuyao demanded, throwing her a scornful nce. The hall was instantly filled with boisterous objections. Dried fish were lowly and stinky salted fish thatmon people slogged hard to ce on their dining tables. They were fish that people with even a little bit of status condemned, so one could only imagine the sphemy Meng Fuyao hadmitted. The master of ceremonies red, ashen-faced, at Zhan Beiye, who raised a winecup to his mouth and downed it in one gulp before mming it on the table. Zhan Beiye lifted his brow and swept his eyes across the hall. Then, he snarked, ¡°Why are you looking at me, Sir? This is Taiyuan, for goodness sake. Can¡¯t even serve your guest a dried fish?¡± His words hit the master of ceremonies like a brick, causing his heart to jump. He broke out in cold sweat, quickly recalling that the man before him was known for killing without batting an eyelid. He had also heard that the Mo Lo n, which shared a border with his people, had been tamed after much beating. In fact, a stare from Zhan Beiye was enough to make them pee their pants. The master of ceremonies, finally able to verify his formidable powers and harsh attitude, speedily called for the pce maid to get a stinky fish from outside the pce. The dried fish, slightly ck in color, was eventually served on an unmatching gold and silver te. The chef had specially seasoned it with wine in a futile attempt to mask the fish¡¯s odor. Guests on both sides of the hall started pinching their noses with frowns on their faces. They also became restless, as though there were needles on their seats that prevented them from sitting still. Meng Fuyao chewed and chewed, before turning to Zhan Beiye. ¡°Come,e, take a piece. Food of the peasants bring out the vors better at times. It¡¯s not something that a royal prince like you can get to savor often.¡± Zhan Beiye stared at the fish, whose smell was so abstract that it left him in a daze. Meng Fuyao giggled as she saw the fluctuations of his facial expression. She was waiting for him to re up. ¡®Go on, make some noise, get angry, flip the table¡­. Even you, a royal prince, will be kicked out of the banquet for being disrespectful.¡¯ If not him, it would work, too, if she got kicked out for being uncultured. Meng Fuyao gave Zhan Beiye a malicious look before letting her eyes roam about his vital acupuncture point and feeling an overwhelming impulse to jab it. If not for the fact that he had locked her inner energy, which prevented her from escaping, she wouldn¡¯t have had to consume this stinking fish; she hated fish the most. After staring at the fish for some time, Zhan Beiye turned to Meng Fuyao with an expression that said, Bring it on, and retrieved the pungent fish with his bare hand. Under the gaze of everyone present, the honorable royal prince took a deep breath and finished his piece without any regard for anyone. When done, he even indulged in its aftertaste, nodding approvingly. ¡°Not bad, really tasty.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was as ck as charcoal at this point. ¡°I wasn¡¯t done speaking. I meant to say vors of the toilet.¡± Zhan Beiye narrowed his eyes, shooting invisible daggers at her. After a brief pause, he responded, ¡°You eat food more fragrant than mine.¡± Soon after, Meng Fuyao made another request. ¡°I need to relieve myself.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not going to follow me, are you?¡¯ Meng Fuyao smirked inwardly. It was a shallow but employable idea. Zhan Beiye finished his wine and said, very naturally, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡®Fine, fine. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re going to follow me into the female cubicle.¡¯ Meng Fuyao sat stiffly before breaking into a wide smile. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± At that, the duo walked through the odd looks other guests were throwing their way and exited the pce hall with thepany of a eunuch, who led them to their respective bathrooms. ¡®Not good,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought, upon realizing that the male and female bathrooms were opposite of each other. Despite the decorative privacy partition board on the walls, it was impossible for her to climb over it because it wasn¡¯t tall and her head would be exposed. She turned around in time to catch his triumphant smile, which only made her madder. He must¡¯ve known about theyout of the toilets already. Indignant at the unfair situation, Meng Fuyao lifted her skirt a little and stroke into the toilet, which looked more like an ordinary house. She sat down on the bucket, staring at the box of jujubes at the side and contemting how she could escape. Deep in thought, she subconsciously picked out a jujube and started eating it. Only a long timeter did it hit her that these dates were meant to be stuck up the nostrils to keep the smell out. The thought of it let her spit the half-eaten date out. Looking at its suspicious shape and slightly brown color, nausea hit her like a wave, which made her jump up and belch. Before she got anything out, she heard someone crying out from outside, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with thatdy?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and saw two pce maids exiting from a small door that was behind the screen, which meant that she could easily be spotted. Through the opened door she vaguely saw rows of buckets and figured that inside was the pce¡¯s main toilet. Behind those buckets was a half-opened hatchway. Her eyes lit up, as did a light bulb in her head. ¡°Hey, sister! Save me!¡± Meng Fuyao stood on the bucket, face exposed, with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Save my child!¡± Half an hourter, Meng Fuyao pinned her skirt to her waist and snuck out of the hatchway in the main toilet. It turned out that Meng Fuyao had gotten the attention of the two pce maids and shared her mournful story. She was a wretched girl, whom a prince had taken as his concubine during herborious search for her husband. She was also pregnant but forced to undergo an abortion. Her Oscar-level acting, so vivid and detailed, was worth a mention. She hadn¡¯t forgotten to express the grief of losing her husband, the pain of carrying a child, the fear of being seized by the mansion and the humiliation of being abused by the evil prince. Her conveying of emotions was so on point that her listeners had broken down in tears and boldly promised to pull her out from the devil¡¯s ws. Chapter 25 - Meeting on a Narrow Path Chapter 25: Meeting on a Narrow Path Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios One of them had taken her ce in the cubicle while the other left to inform Zhan Beiye that the madam was having a stomachache and would be outter. The pce maid¡¯s acting was so hostile and contrived that the violent, tyrannical male lead in Meng Fuyao¡¯s story immediately felt it odd. He couldn¡¯t understand where her enmity came from, and wouldn¡¯t have imagined at that point that he had unknowingly been painted as a scum-of-the-earth kidnapper and fetus killer. After tainting his reputation with zero remorse and climbing out of the hatchway, Meng Fuyao sprinted and hid as much as she could, and went through any door she spotted. Shortly after, she was no longer within the Qingyun Pce Hall¡¯s perimeters, but after more walking and turning, the halls started to look the same, and she just couldn¡¯t locate the main entrance. She was lost. Before her was an empty pce park. She squatted down and tugged at her hair in frustration, cursing the Taiyuan imperials for having done the pces up without following any structured design. She then tapped on her knowledge in history and archaeology: There were threeyers to the Imperial City, and the Qingyun Pce Hall was seated in the center. By right, she should¡¯ve been out of the whole pce since she had walked outward from the center in a straight line. But by the looks of it, she hadnded in the inner pce instead. She was dressed in a pce maid¡¯s clothes since she was able to obtain a set from thedies before. Since no one had really questioned her about it, she decided to seek out a lowly eunuch to ask for directions. Suddenly, a delicate fragrance drifted over from a winding corridor. It smelled extremely familiar, like Chinese peony with some quality borneol. She sniffed it more, her face abruptly changing. It was Pei Yuan¡¯s perfume! ¡®Not good.¡¯ Meng Fuyao turned around, wanting to leave when she heard the clinking of bracelets. A man in red had appeared from a corner of the corridor and had someone with him. As they walked on, he smiled. ¡°You need to head to Xin Pce now, Princess. Let your humble servant lead the way.¡± ¡°No need.¡± a haughty voice filled the air. It was Pei Yuan indeed, sounding harsher than ever before. ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself, Eunuch Jin. Just get a maid.¡± Meng Fuyao was writhing in disbelief at this point. She attempted to blend into some bushes behind, but the moment she moved, Eunuch Jin called out for her. She stood rooted to the ground as thousands of thoughts shed across her mind. ¡®To flee or not to flee?¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t get far even if she were to run since that d*mn bastard had sealed her inner energy. If she were to get recognized by Pei Yuan, thetter would easily guess that she was the cause of her scars. When that happened, she would be left begging for a merciful death. Meng Fuyao clenched her teeth and med herself for escaping from Zhan Beiye in the first ce. Yes, he had restricted her freedom, but he meant no harm. She wouldn¡¯t have fallen into this state if she had just stayed by his side obediently. Her hesitation quickly angered the princess. The eyes behind Pei Yuan¡¯s veil turned menacing as she remarked, ¡°Aren¡¯t your maids getting a little too unruly, Eunuch Jin? Ignoring your calls like that.¡± Humiliated, and hence agitated, Eunuch Jin stomped his feet, booming, ¡°You wench! Which pce are you from? Sowless! Head to the prosecution chamber right now ¨C 30 flogs!¡± ¡®Asking me to get flogged?¡¯ Meng Fuyao was over the moon. She speedily bowed and was about to take her to leave when Pei Yuan¡¯s cold voice sounded, ¡°Hold it.¡± Vexed, Meng Fuyao stopped, her nails digging into the flesh of her palms as sweat poured out. Pei Yuan no longer spoke, and the whole corridor fell into silence. Meng Fuyao felt as though there was aser beam-like gaze that burned the skin on her back, cleaving all disguise and prating into the deepest of her bones. Meng Fuyao¡¯s garment was starting to get soaked as well. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the iciness in Pei Yuan¡¯s gaze or the coolness of the deep autumn breeze, but she could feelyers of chilliness entering her body. It was as if snakes were wriggling underneath her clothes. A venomous odor emerged amid the moisture. Behind her, Pei Yuan broke into a smile and turned to Eunuch Jin. ¡°She seems a little foolish and ignorant, but her punishment is too severe. Let her wait for me for a bit instead. You can go finish up your chores. It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s birthday, and you mustn¡¯t miss the banquet in Qian An Pceter.¡± ¡°Your wish is mymand, Princess.¡± Eunuch Jinplied and retreated, leaving only Pei Yuan and Meng Fuyao in the deste part of the pce. Meng Fuyao inhaled deeply before putting on the most ttering smile she could muster and turning around. Before she could say anything, however, Pei Yuan floated toward her like a ball of cloud, with both hands behind her back. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sank when she saw Pei Yuan executing the sect technique, Flying Cloud. Pei Yuan stood steadily before her, shing a wide smirk that contained an indescribable sharpness, no different from a lightning bolt that kept hidden amid the dark clouds. She crooked her head slightly, words rolling off her tongue one by one, briskly yet cuttingly. ¡°Meng. Fu. Yao.¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed the sweat off her fingers with the inner side of her sleeves and turned around calmly to meet Pei Yuan¡¯s murderous re before smiling. ¡°Pei. Yuan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you, indeed,¡± Pei Yuanmented, looking her up and down. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder I found this figure of yours so familiar. You¡¯re not dead, Meng Fuyao.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still alive so how dare I die first?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to seek revenge.¡± Pei Yuan was about to take a step closer when Meng Fuyao¡¯s words hit her. After some thought, she asked, ¡°What act are you putting on? Aren¡¯t these scars on my face your doing?¡± ¡°Is there anything I dare not say?¡± Meng Fuyao, too, took a step forward and questioned. She looked right into Pei Yuan¡¯s eyes, her bright gaze equally determined under thetter¡¯s deadly re. ¡°How I wish that marvelous masterpiece was my doing. Look at that cross! How satisfying.¡± ¡°You!¡± Pei Yuan expressed, grinding her teeth as her whole body trembled. The doubt in her eyes thickened from Meng Fuyao¡¯s tant confession. She clenched her jaws, deep in thought, and shouted with a sharpened gaze after a short pause, ¡°Not right. We haven¡¯t met since you fell off the cliff, so how would you know that it is a cross on my face now that I¡¯m veiled?¡± It was the line Meng Fuyao had been waiting for. As in on cue, she let out a panicked expression, retreated a few steps and kept mum. Pei Yuan wasn¡¯t going to let it go, naturally. She strode forward, forcing her to a corner. ¡°Speak! How do you know?¡± Meng Fuyao kept her hands inside her sleeves as she looked at Pei Yuan with a slightly bent head. ¡°Eh, Pei Yuan, why are youing so close? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll kill you?¡± This reminder had Pei Yuan forgetting herself. When she remembered that her skills were beneath Meng Fuyao¡¯s, she hesitated before shifting backward in slow motion. Then, sheughed coldly and warned, ¡°I would have to be wary if we were in any other ce. It¡¯s a pity we¡¯re in Taiyuan pce right now, and there are guards just 30 steps away. You¡¯ll turn into minced meat the moment I call for them. You¡¯d better worry about yourself, Meng Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao casually leaned against the pir behind her and crossed her arms. ¡°Bring it on. Minced meat, you say? Try killing me without batting an eyelid again. I¡¯ll have to congratte you, then, because you¡¯ll never find out who your real enemy and the culprit is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my real enemy,¡± Pei Yuan dered, her eyes flickering and sizing Meng Fuyao up. ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying anything in front of me.¡± Meng Fuyao threw her a side nce before grinning. She straightened her body and coquettishly sped her fingers together. ¡°What are you unsure of, Pei Yuan? How ¡¯bout you make a move quick and stop wasting time? You¡¯re not stupid, so you should know that I was heavily injured that night. I did survive, but would I have had recovered my energy so fast, in time to hurt you? Yes, no?¡± Pei Yuan retracted her gaze as Meng Fuyao had hit the nail right on the head. She only had a feud with Meng Fuyao that night, but she had been gravely injured indeed. But who, if not her? Could there really be such a coincidence? ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you.¡± Meng Fuyao started, upon reading Pei Yuan¡¯s expression. Smiling more carelessly, she continued, ¡°I was saved that night by someone who has all along been your enemy. Saving me was just out of convenience, but killing you is and will remain imperative.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you? To let you kill me after?¡± Meng Fuyao leaned back, vigorously shaking her head. ¡°Do you think Ick a brain, like you?¡± Not understanding what Meng Fuyao had just said but instinctively guessing that it was something negative, Pei Yuan opened her eyes wide in anger and bellowed, ¡°I¡¯ll seize you first!¡± Meng Fuyao unsped her hands, inviting. ¡°Come,e. Do you believe when I say that I can draw another cross on your face before the guards you¡¯re about to call for arrive?¡± Those words effectively shut Pei Yuan up as she opened her mouth and closed it again. Unable to contain it any longer, Meng Fuyao burst into a confidence-filledughter. She opened up her hand, curling her pinky finger slightly and spreading the other fingers evenly. In response to the foreign gesture that Meng Fuyao had so indifferently shed, Pei Yuan could only swallow the urge to call for the guards. Meng Fuyao continuedughing as her eyes glistened, like a top-grade satin from Xuanji Nation would, amid the breeze under the sun. Pure and at ease, her smile flowed through the pce¡¯s thick hibiscus and chrysanthemum nts like a stream, watering and nourishing all flowers along its path. No one knew, of course, that sweat beads were oozing out from all over her head and body, and made cool by the iing breeze. Pei Yuan was naturally vicious, so even if she were to believe that Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t the culprit, she would still hope for her death. Judging from Pei Yuan¡¯s current mood, Meng Fuyao wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she tried to gift her a cross too. As such, Meng Fuyao¡¯s only possible way out was to act tough in order to instill doubt into Pei Yuan. Pei Yuan stared at Meng Fuyao, never letting her eyes off her. Nevertheless, her feet started moving carefully as she took a step back. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao stood as still as a boulder, trying hard to suppress her urge to flee. Chapter 26 - A Frame-up Chapter 26: A Frame-up Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Pei Yuan watched attentively as Meng Fuyao formed the Cleaving Nine Heavens gesture with her hand, her expression fluctuating as she took two steps back. The atmosphere around them gradually turned threatening. Meng Fuyao exhaled noiselessly. Her movements were well-controlled, but her back was so sweaty that it started itching as her garment started sticking to it. Pei Yuan looked frostily at her, saying, ¡°Tell me who did it and I won¡¯t touch you again, I swear. Otherwise, don¡¯t think about escaping unscathed. I will not let you go, no matter how wounded I may be.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Meng Fuyao blinked. ¡°Of course,¡± Pei Yuan asserted. ¡°I always mean what I say.¡± ¡°You swear?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°More crosses appear on your face if you go back on your word. Your body will be filled with circles and crosses, as will your whole family.¡± ¡°You¨C¨C¨C¡± Pei Yuan was about to copse from anger. She clenched her teeth but swore nheless. Meng Fuyao lost it, albeit inwardly when Pei Yuan got to the part about her family being circled and crossed. However, on the surface, she remained grim. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ll tell you, but you¡¯ll have to keep it between us. That guy¡­ he¡¯s not human. I can¡¯t afford to get on his bad side.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Pei Yuan asked, biting down on her teeth so hard that sparks could appear any time. ¡°Family name¡¯s Yuan. Yuan Bao¡¯s his name.¡± Meng Fuyao obliged in all seriousness. Somewhere far away, Lord Yuan Bao let out a sneeze. ¡°Yuan Bao?¡± Pei Yuan repeated slowly and in a low voice. ¡°This name¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a powerful fighter from the wild mountains, and that¡¯s just his nickname. I heard that your political enemy, the Yun Family, had engaged a formidable killer but no one¡¯s heard of his name,¡± Meng Fuyao added, smiling a little. ¡®Yuan Bao ah, Yuan Bao, who asked you to be such a bully? I¡¯m framing you now, but it¡¯s true that you¡¯re not human. Plus, you did y a part anyway.¡¯ Gradually believing her words, Pei Yuan hardened her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t care how formidable he is. If I don¡¯t get my revenge, I will cease being Pei Yuan.¡± Pei Yuan looked indignantly at Meng Fuyao. She was upset that Yan Jingchen still harbored feelings for her. Pei Yuan had so much hate for her, but it was a fact that her skills weren¡¯t on par with Meng Fuyao¡¯s and that Yan Jingchen was nearby. As such, she could only let the chance to kill her go¡­ Before her thoughts faded, a figure sped toward them from afar, bringing a gust of wind along with him. ¡°Meng Fuyao! Trying to run? Looks like locking your inner energy wasn¡¯t enough. I should¡¯ve crippled you on top of that.¡± Both Pei Yuan and Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression instantly changed. ¡®Not good.¡¯ ¡®D*mn, why does this guy have to show up now and expose the lies I¡¯ve so painstakingly invented?¡¯ Without the time to ponder over things, Meng Fuyao immediately took to her heels. Unfortunately, Pei Yuan¡¯s reaction was fast too. Upon her revtion she gathered whatever suppressed exasperation and bitterness she had within her, extending her hands and curling all her fingers into dagger-like ws. As the wind whizzed toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulders, Pei Yuan roared, ¡°How dare you lie to me? Guards!¡± At the same time, she spun so quickly that she had turned into a red tornado, her golden essories twinkling and reflecting ring golden rays. Amid the incessant ringing of bells, flowers and leaves were carried up by the strong wind before scattering and disintegrating into multi-colored powder. Pzzt. Pei Yuan¡¯s long and sharp nails had prated into Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder, causing blood to stter. A menacing gaze shed across her face before she dragged her fingers backward so forcefully that it could potentially split Meng Fuyao¡¯s back open. As Meng Fuyao sensed the immense danger, she dropped on her knees and slid a meter forward, effectively distancing herself from Pei Yuan¡¯s ws. Not giving up, Pei Yuan took a step forward and reached for Meng Fuyao¡¯s head when a thunderous voice boomed from behind. ¡°Release her!¡± A ck-red figure appeared and moved so fast that his face wasn¡¯t clearly visible. A golden ray flickered even before he reached them and a thin sword carrying a heavy gust of wind shed forward, urately trapping Pei Yuan¡¯s hand. The force was so great that she tumbled 10 meters away. Nevertheless, she preserved the cold smile on her face. The guards surged forward, unsheathing their swords and fixing their arrows, and took aim at Zhan Beiye. ¡°These trespassers are plotting an assassination! Take them down!¡± Pei Yuan ordered sharply. Zhan Beiye stayed in his spot, his ck robe rolling angrily as its red corners rose up like mes. His ferocity radiated cuttingly and in a pressing manner, yet falling short of the deadly aura he was exuding from between his brows. Under the crystal clear sky, sparks could be seen in his crow-ck pupils as he dove for the domineering woman in red. ¡°How dare you touch me?¡± Her voice carried an abundance of inner energy that shook the surrounding flora. Leaves left their branches and shot straight at the guards in front, causing soreness in their arms. The weaker ones simply loosened their muscles and dropped their weapons to the ground. Pei Yuan¡¯s face changed before she steadied herself and examined Zhan Beiye closely. Judging from his bearing, he obviously wasn¡¯t an ordinary character. After recalling that it was the emperor¡¯s birthday that day, she frowned and stopped her guards. Despite showing signs of withdrawing, Zhan Beiye wasn¡¯t going to let the matter rest. He had wasted so much time outside the toilet earlier. Eventually feeling uneasy, he had gone against the pce maid¡¯s resistance and kicked the cubicle door down. Upon spotting a maid disguised as Meng Fuyao sitting on the bucket, he knew instantly that he had been tricked and jumped straight into a fiery search for her. He, too, wasn¡¯t familiar with theyout of the pces, a fact made worse by the unusual defense that had been devised for the event. His perseverance had finally paid off after much aimless walking. s, someone had gotten to his target first and was trying to kill her. When he had seen blood sshing out from Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder, he felt an involuntary surge of anger, as if injected with adrenaline, that not even he couldprehend. ¡®It¡¯s not your turn to trample on my woman yet.¡¯ He had brought his sword out since it wasn¡¯t convenient for him to enter the pce with his spear that day. Despite it not being his usual weapon, he brandished it with much ease and power. Almost reaching Pei Yuan, Zhan Beiye remarked coldly, ¡°You owe me 10 holes.¡± It took Pei Yuan a moment to realize that he was talking about the holes she had dug into Meng Fuyao¡¯s skin. ¡°So what? Come at me if you can,¡± Pei Yuan taunted. ¡°Of course,¡± Zhan Beiye eded with a smirk. He lifted his fingers, and the thin sword flew in a straight golden line toward the guards standing before her. As the golden ray whizzed through the air, Pei Yuan only felt her vision turning dazzlingly bright, as if something was zooming toward her at an incredible speed. Before she could reach out to block it, a sheet of ck fell into sight, and she felt a cold sensation traveling down from overhead. She subconsciously opened her palm, and a light thin-looking object fell onto it. It was soft and cool to the touch. Yet, her face did not hurt. She only felt an air of chilliness sting at her. She felt the object in the head, instinctively knowing that things weren¡¯t good. She lowered her head and saw a red piece of perfectly-circled brocade. It belonged to her. Shocked, she reached to touch her face. In the blink of an eye and in unison, the guards around her had revealed a startled expression. From that, Pei Yuan was certain that her veil had been shed open and her scarred face had been revealed. Only seeing ck before her, Pei Yuan spat a mouthful of blood out. Ever since she had gotten disfigured, she had always been wearing a veil, lying that she was down with rube and unable to show her face, so no one had actually seen it. She had pinned her hopes on Zong Yue, the holy doctor known to all. Although young, he had gone to the valleys to learn the ways of a legendary master before returning with a pair of magical hands. Naturally, he had assumed a mighty position in the Five Region Continent, and the Pei Family had exhausted many resources to engage him to treat Pei Yuan¡¯s scars and to recover her original beauty. The wild man had actually drawn a circle on her veil, exposing the face that she had been trying with all her might to conceal. As if the hole was within her heart as well, all bloody and bitter memories reemerged. Waves of intense hatred piled up, almost drowning her. She screamed in a voice that sounded piercingly stifling. ¡°Kill him, kill him!¡± With his sword held horizontally, Zhan Beiyeughed. ¡°I¡¯ll nt the next hole on this barking mouth of yours.¡± ¡°Shoot him!¡± Pei Yuan yelled, retreating a meter back and into the crowd of guards. She swung her red sleeve and the guards stationed at the front dashed forward and straightened their bows, aiming them at his chest. The terrifying sound of bow strings being pulled taut filled the otherwise deadly silent air. It sounded like a grimughter a grim reaper would produce as he waited for a fresh pool of blood feast. Zhan Beiye tightened his grip on the sword, raised his head and threw a cold smirk their way, without bothering to look at them. ¡°Shoot!¡± ¡°Hold it!¡± A voice cried out as two men rushed over from a distance away. The man in front was tall and dressed in amander¡¯s uniform while the one behind had thick brows and beard, and wore a splendidly embroidered gown. Upon identifying the man at the back as her future father-inw, Yan Lie, Pei Yuan¡¯s face changed, and she hurriedly tore a section of her sleeve to cover her face. As they came closer, the man in front, who had previously shouted, knitted his brow and added, ¡°Withdraw! What¡¯s this nonsense!¡± Upon hearing their boss¡¯s words, the guards urgently withdrew their weapons. Pei Yuan raised her brows and turned to him slowly. ¡°Are you ming me for causing a scene, Great Assistant Commander Tie?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Tie Cangmo bowed, neither overly servile nor supercilious. ¡°I daren¡¯t defy your orders, Princess, but the man you have targeted is not one I can touch. Please, on the ount that this lowly life of mine is still a life, simmer down.¡± ¡°Him?¡± Pei Yuan threw a side nce at Zhan Beiye, a curl forming on her lips. ¡°Who is he?¡± Tie Cangmo lowered his head, brows wrinkled. Nevertheless, he maintained a calm tone, saying, ¡°The brother of the Tiansha¡¯s emperor, also a noble guest of His Majesty. You¡¯ve lost your manners.¡± ¡°You¨C¨C¨C¡± Pei Yuan choked from his stinging rebuke. She was pissed but hesitated to take action. Tie Cangmo was an honest man and the number one yer in Taiyuan Pce. He was a principled man, and it wouldn¡¯t be wise to offend him. Yan Lie¡¯s arrival curbed Pei Yuan¡¯s anger a little bit as she was unwilling to act wantonly before him. Instead, she shot Tie Cangmo a death re before heading over to her father-inw. Yan Lie¡¯s gaze brushed past the mask secured on Pei Yuan¡¯s face before stroking his beard and epting her bow. Pei Yuan straightened her back and smiled, not the least bit haughtily. Old Sir Yan had just received her bow, so did it not mean that he had acknowledged her as his daughter-inw? Chapter 27 - An Extortion Chapter 27: An Extortion Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yan Lie fixed his eyes on her, smiling, ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s birthday today, Princess. Wouldn¡¯t be good if you get tangled up in other people¡¯s business and dy such a big event, would it?¡± His tone was calm but his smile meaningful. He had emphasized the words big event. It was then that Pei Yuan recalled her original intent. She frowned, feeling somewhat frustrated for allowing Meng Fuyao to befuddle her. ¡°Meng Fuyao¡­ why is she so quiet?¡± She appeared to have rolled down the steps and into the bushes earlier, never showing herself since. Then came Tie Cangmo¡¯s hasty intervention and speech, which had caused Pei Yuan to momentarily forget all about Meng Fuyao. Zhan Beiye, too, remembered about his chase at this point. He groaned and rolled down the blood-stained path Meng Fuyao had taken. After turning around the bushes and spotting no one, he lifted his brows in confusion and stared at the blood spots which were still visible on the ground. Someone snorted behind him. Pei Yuan swept over like a gust of wind but was unable to find Meng Fuyao. She revealed an awful expression and gritted her teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far you can run.¡± Zhan Beiye whipped his body around so fast that his clothes swung and hit Pei Yuan on the face. Thetter felt as though she had been pped by an iron te as ckness concealed her view for a moment. ¡°Nine more holes. Let me warn you. I¡¯ll go after you every time I see you. Dare touch her one more time, and I¡¯ll make sure that you get not just nine but 100 holes all over your body. I don¡¯t kill women, but you can be an exception,¡± an icy voice sounded. Zhan Beiye brushed his sleeves. ¡°I have no time to waste on you right now, but don¡¯t forget my words.¡± Pei Yuan covered her face while looking up. As she was about to retort, Zhan Beiye gifted her with another sleeve-p, whichnded on her right cheek, causing her to stumble. At that, he exited with a sh. ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Softer, softer¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Ss¡­ are you trying to save or kill me?¡± Murmurings could be heard amid the darkness as two pairs of dazzling eyes flickered in the night. One of the pairs belonged to an unlucky girl. She had just rolled into the bushes, but before she could get on her feet a pair of steel-like hands pulled her, causing her body to drop. The next moment, she was plunging into a dark tunnel. As an astonished Meng Fuyao was about to resist, the person covered her mouth and shook his head, indicating that she should remain quiet. His purlicue was rough, a detail that helped her confirm his sex. Yet, his cool palm emitted a faint scent that only noblemen owned. She nodded slightly to express agreement, after which the man relented and removed his hand. Meng Fuyao looked around and noticed that they were in a secret passageway. She spected that it was a linkway connecting the dried up well that she had fallen through to a hidden unit further down. Upon the sealing of the unit, nts were grown aboveground to conceal the well, in which the man had been waiting to pull her in. When Meng Fuyao sensed no hostility from her captor, she released a breath of relief. Suddenly, the man turned her shoulder, immediately tearing the cloth of his sleeve in horror. He worked skillfully on her wounds,pletely bandaging them in no time. Caught off guard by his action, Meng Fuyao winced in pain. But before she was done, he had already removed his hands and turned around. He had a lean and straight figure, appearing like a palm tree amid the darkness. As the man saw that Meng Fuyao had gradually calmed down, he took a few steps forward, his silhouette being outlined by a faint ray of prating light. He had broad shoulders and a thin waist like that of a youth. The more she looked at that back, the more she found it familiar. She scanned her surroundings again while knitting her brows. She had never appreciated confining spaces, and her instincts wanted her to get out. However, the man turned around abruptly, his extremely pale face and deep eyes reminding her of the ever-snowy mountains in Qiongcang. Those abyss-like eyes were cold and unfathomable, yet as bright as a million twinkling starsbined. Meng Fuyao drew a deep, cold breath. Those eyes¡­ she had seen them before. On the second day of her breakup with Yan Jingchen, she had epted a challenge against a youth dressed in ck. It was his Nether Eyes that had caused a big explosion that day. Although she hadn¡¯t forgotten about him, she was still beyond surprised to meet him again in a ce like this. The youth looked at her and said suddenly, ¡°You owe me one now that I¡¯ve saved you.¡± His voice was bright and crisp, sounding simr to the collision between thin icebergs ¨C cold yet resolute. ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide in response. ¡®What¡¯s that kind of logic?¡¯ she asked herself. ¡®Did I ask for his help? Zhan Beiye wouldn¡¯t let me die in the hands of someone else in the first ce. His help was uncalled for so why do I need to return the favor?¡¯ Plus, since he was sneaking around and looked so grave, he must need help with a big and probably dangerous matter. Was she foolish enough to offer herself as cannon fodder? The youth pursed his lips and kept quiet upon reading her expression. ng! Suddenly, he pulled out his sword and held it against her neck the next moment. The tip of his sword was bitingly cold and its de clear as water. Like scattered sharp needles, the deadly aura emitted by the sword was so ring that it almost made Meng Fuyao close her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t ever beg or repeat myself. Agree or die ¨C your choice.¡± Meng Fuyao peeked down at the dazzling sword before looking at the youth¡¯s pale face. After some time, she smiled. ¡°Violence is never a solution,rade. Especially if you can¡¯t actually use it.¡± Her smile widened as she lightly pushed the sword tip away. The sword, which was steady as stone, dropped flimsily to the ground along with the youth and a shaking light ray. Unsurprised, Meng Fuyao reached out to catch his falling body. She sighed and then said,. ¡°Heavily injured but still putting on a front?¡± She examined him under the dim light. His eyes were closed and his brows slightly knitted. His snow-white face was almost translucent, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and into his hair, turning it even cker. Meng Fuyao shook her head, tearing open his clothes without the least bit of hesitation and spotting a carelessly bandaged wound on his chest. She unbadaged him with a frown and was instantly attacked by a thick, bloody smell. What greeted her eyes was a terrifying and protruding scar, seemingly created from a wide and sharp weapon. The greenish-blue flesh around his wound hinted that he had been poisoned. There also was a superficial injury near it, appearing to be left by smoke and fire. It wasn¡¯t a serious wound but looked sinister enough to repel Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze. ¡®Firearms,¡¯ she thought and recalled something Yuan Zhaoxu had told her. There was a team of gunmen in the Five Region Continent that was equipped with the most technologically advanced firearms. They had always been under the control of the crown prince, Qi Yuanjing, while the person in charge of them was his trusted aide. This youth definitely felt enmity toward the Yan and Pei families, so he should be part of the crown prince¡¯s people. Why, then, had he been targeted by his gunmen? However, that wasn¡¯t the time to deliberate. Meng Fuyao bit her lips and retrieved a small bottle from inside her sleeves. She looked at it, somewhat regretfully, before extracting a purple pill and putting it into the youth¡¯s mouth. After feeding it to him, discontent set in. She pped his face with excessive force to guide the pill down his throat. She couldn¡¯t help it ¨C she had just sacrificed a Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning pill that had been given to her by the Old Daoist Priest. The old man had bragged that it could grow fresh bones and flesh out of a dead boy and was one of the greatest treasures of all time. Now that she had given it to someone she couldn¡¯t deem a friend, it was only natural for her heart to ache. The youth¡¯s breathing smoothened shortly after ingesting the pill. Meng Fuyao felt for his pulse. While she wasn¡¯t able to purge the toxinspletely, it was sufficient to keep him alive. She stood up and searched for an exit. She knocked on the walls, aware that she was in a formation that employed the principles of Reflection and Refraction. Upon tapping on a particr mirror lens, a different echo sounded ¨C it was crisp and not muffled. Delighted, Meng Fuyao ced her hands on it, but just as she was about to push, someone called out from behind. ¡°Go ahead, if you want to get hit by arrows and turn into a hedgehog.¡± Meng Fuyao turned to the youth, who had sat up, and raised a brow. ¡°Is that how you¡¯re going to treat your savior?¡± The youth rested his forearm on a knee while inspecting the condition within his body, only looking up upon hearing her words. A glimmer shed across his distant-looking eyes; they resembled fireflies that fluttered amid the ocean mist, so remote and hard to grasp. Hisplexion was delicate and pleasing, but it was his gaze that had the ability to capture anyone¡¯s attention. There was a peculiar calmness about his eyes, and staring into them allowed one to relive the halcyon days of lolling on a grassy bank and watching the boatmps drift in the sunset sea. It was no wonder that Meng Fuyao had fallen into a daze. ¡®With eyes like these, why must he train a bizarre skill such as the Nether Eyes?¡¯ Before she could find an answer, she heard, ¡°I wish my sword was still on your neck.¡± His words cracked Meng Fuyao up. She shook her head whileughing. ¡°Alright, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Prince Qi has brought in a sideshow troupe to perform at the Qianan Pce Hall Feast in the evening. An assassin has been hired to take the crown prince down, which would force an abdication. When that timees, his pawns, from the Yan and Pei families, will make their moves as well. The Yan Family will take the chance to transfer the inner pce guards out while the Pei Family willmand 50,000 soldiers to invade. We must inform the crown prince before all of these take ce.¡± ¡°From where have you obtained such confidential information?¡± asked Meng Fuyao in curiosity. ¡°Someone told me.¡± He pursed his lips tightly, showing no intention of telling. After some thought, Meng Fuyao consented. She smiled mirthlessly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to piss Pei Yuan off. It¡¯s going to be hard fleeing from the Pei Family if we don¡¯te up with something anyway.¡± Solemnly wrinkling his brows, the youth shared, ¡°I made a trip to the Xin Pce earlier, in hope of reporting the matter to Master so he could, in turn, inform the crown prince. However, the crown prince¡¯s gunmen were there when I arrived. Had I known at that point that they were already betraying their owner¡­¡± Chapter 28 - Eve of Change I Chapter 28: Eve of Change I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Had you known, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten injured and been forced to hide and seek help, is that right?¡± Meng Fuyao cast him a nce. ¡°You¡¯re from the Yun Family?¡± ¡°Yun Hen. An adopted son,¡± he introduced simply. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes flickered as she thought about the fact that the feud between the Yun and Pei families had been caused due to Yuan Zhaoxu and herself. Guilt led to digression. ¡°Isn¡¯t Qi Xunyi skillful?¡± she threw a rhetorical question, flicking the map of the Forbidden City that Yun Hen had given to her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t control the troop, does he? How will he act then?¡± ¡°I have no idea,¡± replied Yun Hen, deep in thought. ¡°I suspect that someone is assisting him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± After a brief pause, he answered, slowly and gravely, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji.¡± Meng Fuyai raised her brows in astonishment and asked, ¡°He¡¯s a prince from another nation. Why would he get involved in Taiyuan¡¯s matters?¡± ¡°The Xuanyuan Nation has been reorganizing its army and feeding their horses with the intention of expanding their territory,¡± Yun Hen shared. ¡°However, with Zhan Beiye as their neighbor, Xuanyuan won¡¯t be able to touch Tiansha. Their target will most likely be Wuji. They need to borrow Taiyuan¡¯s path in order to sneak an attack from Wuji¡¯s border. Since the Taiyuan crown prince¡¯s concubine is also the princess of Xuanyuan Nation, Zhangsun Wuji would very much want someone else as the crown prince.¡± ¡°Does having a different crown prince remove all threat for the Wuji Nation?¡± asked Meng Fuyao. ¡°To think that Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s known for his wisdom¡­ what bull.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡¯ Yun Hen shook his head. ¡°He must have his own ns.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you putting him on a pedestal,¡± Meng Fuyaomented, her eyes shing suddenly. ¡°What does he look like? Any distinctive features?¡± Yun Hen shook his head again. ¡°Heard he¡¯s ugly and seldom shows his real face.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao muttered before getting on her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sunlight seeped in, hitting onto a slightly protruding mirror lens and forming a white beam that illuminated another recessed wall. A relief sculpture of decorative design gradually appeared on it. Meng Fuyao walked over and ran a finger through the veined pattern in a circr motion and clockwise direction. Squeakish sounds disrupted her movement, and shortly after, a hidden door opened slightly. There were no arrows, which allowed Meng Fuyao to heave a sigh of relief. A ck light shed by, and countless guns nudged forward like poisonous snakes. Just as she was about to fall back to evade the situation, she recalled that Yun Hen was behind and defenseless. That moment of hesitation led her to lose the chance as the guns were already through the door. The wind whistled sharply, causing their eyes to ache. Snap. Someone had darted forward, instantly reaching two guns and opening his arms to sp them under his armpits. He then whipped around and in the process gained control of the guns, pulling the triggers and filling the ce with gunshot sounds. It was Yun Hen who had made that move. Following which, he slid forward in a smooth motion and twisted the neck of one of the gunmen. Before the victim fell, he had already moved on to the next one. Spine-chilling cries could be heard, one after another, until there was only one head left. Unfamiliar with such a ruthless method of murder, thest man standing was absolutely stupefied, only snapping out of his shock and attempting to flee upon realizing that everyone else was dead. Yun Hen held his sword horizontally, its reflected light glistening and blinding the man in an instant. He shed a grin before casting the sword forward and piercing the man¡¯s throat. Fresh blood spurted from his wound as he staggered forward before convulsing and copsing onto the ground. The moment he retracted his sword and held it against the ground, he leaned on it, gasping for breath. Meng Fuyao stared at him in amazement. His skills weren¡¯t the absolute best, but he was undeniably precise. His footwork was as smooth as flowing water, and his speed and manner of execution were practically an art. After taking a consecutive line of men down, Yun Hen was exhausted. He breathed loudly, but a dripping sound could still be heard as blood oozed out from a fresh wound on the back of his hand. The color contrast between his skin and blood was piercing. Meng Fuyao rushed over to him and frowned. ¡°Split open.¡± Yun Hen straightened his body, his pale face suddenly turning flushed. In a slightly hoarse voice, he mumbled, ¡°Not a big deal. Let¡¯s go, quickly.¡± Meng Fuyao understood why he was feeling anxious. The gunmen whoid in ambush were proof that someone had already reported their encounter with Yun Hen to Qi Yunxi, who then fortified the security within the pce and made sure that he couldn¡¯t get to Qianan pce safely. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head. ¡°Yun Hen, you probably can tell that my inner energy¡¯s been sealed. With this and the fact that you¡¯re heavily injured, there¡¯s no way we can go far. Instead of risking our lives to guard Qianan Pce, why not think of a way to get the crown prince out?¡± Yun Hen¡¯s eyes lit up, and he narrowed them. ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s birthday, so he¡¯s expected to stay inside the pce as a sign of respect.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s a rebellion?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled leisurely. ¡°Who will be in charge of handling it? What are the rules stipting?¡± Yun Hen whipped his head up, his voice strengthening. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­¡± ¡°A rebellion,¡± Meng Fuyao emphasized. ¡°Strike before Qi Xunyi, and the crown prince will be forced to exit.¡± Just like that, on the birthday of the Taiyuan emperor, which was also the 23rd of September, internal disorder fell upon the city. This would beter coined as The Chaos of Yanjing. Nevertheless, Chinese historians would also privately call it The Double Chaos. It was an extremely peculiar incident ¨C in one night, two hostile powerhouses had led a rebellion to Yanjing Imperial City one after another. One moment, fresh blood sttered across the street; the next moment, the blood was cleansed by yet another wave of blood rain. There had never been an event like this in history. A royal family had never been revolted against twice before. This bizarre event appeared to be a battle for supremacy between the crown prince of Taiyuan and Prince Qi. No one knew that a particr girl was responsible for triggering it, and hence shaking up the foundation of the imperial court and implicating nations far and wide. She had basically taken the first step in altering the ultimate political fate of the the Five Region Continent. However, at that point, she was still a nobody with no chance of rising up amongst the influential figures of all seven nations. Nevertheless, since the Phoenix had spread its wings over the Taiyuan Region, it was only a matter of time until one particr girl unfolded hers and wrote her own epic story. ¡­ An almost starless and dim night fell over the Imperial City as clouds rolled around energetically,promising the tranquility of autumn days. Starkly juxtaposed with the ominous sky were the resplendent streamers that hung from the pcenterns in the Imperial City. Embroidered silk was tied to all trees, and every three steps stood a blooming chrysanthemum tree, from which a deep-redmp was suspended. The faint glow from within produced a beautiful contrast, which enhanced the bright color of the flowers. It was a dazzling sight. On the water pavilion in front of the Qianan Pce Hall was a jade-pired pontoon bridge that ran across a lotus-shapedntern-filled pond. Above the pavilion was an illuminated pearl that shone down on a table full of fresh fruits and delicacies, ready for consumption upon the emperor¡¯s arrival. The respective princes had already reached the Qianan Pce, and while waiting, they engaged in merry discussions and friendly talks. Qi Xunyi leaned on his chair after picking up a small bunch of grapes. As he ate them, he kept his eyes on the sand grains in an hourss seated on the table. It was mid-afternoon. The Sixth East Pce, which was located a distance away from the Qianan Pce, was cheerless inparison. Not much space was upied since there weren¡¯t many concubines residing within. In spite of the seasonal decorations, the whole ce was unlit, and hence, radiated a certain coldness. The coloredmps hanging from the eaves swayed in the wind, drawing red halos that appeared like blood in the night sky. However, a pair of ck figures was scurrying toward the Xin Pce. They were dressed in the outfits of a eunuch and pce maid. They moved urgently and hid in a dark corner whenever guards passed. Their movements were light and quick, never once causing an rm. They halted upon arriving at the Xuande Pce Hall. Crossing the Xuande Pce Hall, in which the old concubine from the previous dynasty resided, would bring them to the unfrequented Xin Pce. Going through the alleyway of the Xin Pce would then lead them to the east entrance of the Imperial City, also known as the Death Gate. It was the gate from which dead bodies of offending concubines and servants were dragged out. ording to legend, it was a ce that sunlight never reached, and its sinister vibes deterred passersby. But it was different that night. Before the walls separating the Xuande and Xin Pces stood a swarm of troops, fully armored and upying the alleyway like snakes. They patrolled without rest, guarding the area thoroughly so that even a rat might not pass through. The duo exchanged nces and caught the fear evident in each other¡¯s eyes. The Xin Pce¡¯s wall was just 10 meters ahead, but that distance had be an uncrossable ocean that night. Yun Hen raised his head anxiously to look at the gloomy sky. The southern skies hadn¡¯tpletely left summer behind so the approaching storm clouds blew gusts of moist wind that seemed to condense upon touch. There was roughly an hour left to the start of the feast. Yun Hen¡¯s face was ashen-colored as he stared at the guards¡¯ incessant footsteps, which gradually transformed into blurry images that emerged from within the deepest of his mind, floating through the months and years of memories and through the Meng Po River to resurface before his eyes. Jumbled footsteps, cold and hurried, shed past his field of vision. He took a breath and extended his hand, attempting to grab onto something for support, when a bootnded on his. He lifted his head up in pain, but the pressure on his feet slowly increased. On that fateful night, at a mass grave site where owls flew from tree to tree, their wings rustling against the leaves as they let out disquieting hoots, hey on his stomach on the wet ground, looking at the shiny shovel. The blood-stained mud sttered onto his face as it was dug up, obstructing his vision and preventing him from seeing clearly what was in the pit¡­ Yun Hen¡¯s breathing gradually turned urgent. When would he be redeemed from these nightmares that had been confined by the long, sunken years? A light spark appeared within his eyes and exploded intensely in the next moment. Yun Hen tightened the grip on his sword and got ready to make his move when someone pulled him back. Chapter 29 - Eve of Change II Chapter 29: Eve of Change II Trantor: AsStudios Editor: AsStudios Yun Hen turned his head and red at Meng Fuyao, harshly pping her hand away. A fire was burning in his eyes, as though he could burst into action at any time. Meng Fuyao was taken aback by his abrupt change in attitude. When she saw that he was about to jump forward and take them on his own, she had simply wanted to stop him frommitting suicide. ¡°Why is he so angry?¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lips, not wanting to quarrel with him at this point in time. She made a quick hand gesture, asking him to turn. Doubt shed across his face but because Meng Fuyao looked certain Yun Hen gave in. Upon taking a step back, Meng Fuyao broke off a branch from a nearby tree. She held it in her hand and pared it meticulously, turning it into a long, cylindrical object. She measured it with her hand before slotting it into her sleeve. The sky had darkened, but that wasn¡¯t enough to cover the sudden, suspicious sh of redness across her face. That object stuck out from her sleeve, partly fitting into the hollow of her palm. It was round, thick and long, and was rubbing against her fingers. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face started heating up as she curled her lips and let out a helpless smile. ¡®Into the muddy water I go¡­ darn, my reputation has been soiled and will forever be buried in this cursed pce.¡¯ ¡­ It was almost evening, and candlelight filled the Qianan Pce Hall¡¯s interior. Qi Xunyi was yakking about the excellent skills present in Huai Zuo¡¯s first sideshow, Martial Family, generously spilling his saliva everywhere. He extended a hand toward the crown prince to gain his attention, to which thetter reciprocated by walking over. Qi Xunyi started, in a low voice. ¡°There¡¯s a beautiful virgin in that troupe, with a slim waist like no other¡­ there are no words to describe her charm¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the crown prince eximed, beforementing in a simr tone, ¡°How would third younger brother know how slim her waist is if she¡¯s still a virgin? Or¡­¡± They exchanged a look before erupting inughter. ¡­ At four in the evening in the Qianan Pce Hall¡¯s garrison house¡­ Assistant Commander Tie was getting ready for his patrol when someone brushed the door curtain aside and entered. It was his superior, Yan Lie. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± They proceeded together, and Tie Cangmo caught a slender shadow on the ground in front of them. He looked up to see Princess Pei advancing with a winsome smile. At this ¡°chance encounter¡±, he quickly paid his respect, and the princess supported him up. A sword appeared in her hand as she helped him up. In the next second, she had plunged it into the assistantmander¡¯s chest. Naturally, he tried to retaliate, and Yan Lie simply smiled, sweeping his sleeve forward the next moment and trapping the assistantmander¡¯s nted body under his armpit. The victim struggled hard, aggravating his wound and losing a lot of blood in the process. Yan Lie smiled and twisted his arm. Tie Cangmo¡¯s head instantly turned crooked, his bones creaking and cracking amid the eerie silence. Upon tossing the dead body to the ground, Pei Yuan and Yan Lie exchanged smirks. ¡­ At four in the evening, at the three gates of the Imperial City¡­ The wind was as cold as steel and the moon, in contrast to the pieces of red decoration, deathly pale. Before the gates stood guards, armed with javelins. They were standing still with their ck shadows covering the ground. The silence was broken by a fast, ttering wave of hooves. The horsemen were dressed in embroidered gowns and were quickly revealed to be Yan Lie and Yan Jingchen. ¡°His Majesty has ordered for a change of guards stationed at the Changning, Guangan and Changxin gates!¡± Cold light rays reflected off the weapons as the nking of metals overtook the silence. Clouds shifted overhead, piling likeyers of fish scales and crowding over the Imperial City. Yan Lie remained on his horse, indifferently waiting for the garrison to be relieved. The garrison leader of the Changxin gate, Tie Cangmo¡¯s trusted aide, hesitantly reached his hand out to request for an edict. Yan Lie smiled. ¡°Sure!¡± At that, he whipped a severed head from his back and smashed it against the garrison leader¡¯s head. Fresh blood, mixed with brain juice, flowed down and along the veined path, creating an outline of an eerie massacre map. The tumbling head stained the street, but a trained soldier speedily wiped the trace away. ¡­ At four in the evening, at the main camp located in the suburbs of Yanjing¡­ Commander Fang Minghe gathered his men around and read the prince¡¯s order aloud. The crown prince of Taiyuan had plotted a rebellion, and the army was to enter the pce to protect him. Fang Minghe had five men with him, and three instantly set off to inform their troops whereas two remained to offer suggestions. They advised against moving recklessly without an imperial edict, to which Fang Minghe gave a small nod and a wave. More than 10 pikes shed through the leather tent, and in the next moment, holes could be seen through the two military officers¡¯ bodies. Blood shot out from the holes, sttering all over the interior of the tent and onto a spot marked as Imperial City on the map behind where Fang Minghe stood. At the same hour, another secret mission was being carried out in a certain corner of Yanjing. The bead curtain swayed and twinkled as a graceful male¡¯s slender silhouette was imprinted onto the screen window behind it. ¡°Kill these 31 people.¡± He lifted a finger and smiled with much poise. ¡°Precision, and not quantity, is the key when ites to killing effectively. Only kill what¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°Go,¡± he added, raising his palm. As he did that a white mark was revealed momentarily before his baggy sleeve covered it once more. ¡°My first gift to Qi Xunyi.¡± As his voice fell, ck figures shot out like puffs of smoke toward every corner of Yanjing. While the names they were going after seemed inconspicuous and irrelevant, the city would be thrown into a state of paralysis upon the revolt sincemunication would be disrupted without those figures. The 31 names had been written on a piece of parchment with suave, ck strokes. The magistrate of Yanjing, some of the aristocrats who had private investments in weapons, the deputy of the military depot and ry station, the soldier guarding the beacon tower, the small official in charge of passing news, orders and documents from the imperial city¡­ Their deaths meant that no word would spread even if something big happened within Yanjing. Admiration shed across the eyes of the guy reading the names, but he appeared somewhat hesitant. ¡°The imperial guards are still under the control of the crown prince. He¡¯s been expanding privately over the past few years and has gathered ample strength, about 80,000 heads. Take a look¡­¡± ¡°He won¡¯t make it in time.¡± The man smiled slightly. ¡°Unless he can escape from Qi Xunyi¡¯s assassin and rush back to camp before night falls.¡± Silence fell as all knew that that was impossible. ¡°I don¡¯t actually mind them starting a fight. Taiyuan hasn¡¯t been too honest in recent years, so maybe some fresh blood would cleanse their minds,¡± the man added, standing before the screen that dimmed the moonlight and smiling sincerely. In contrast, his tone sounded rather lonesome as if he was overlooking everything from the highest peak in the world and unable to seek a worthy opponent. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that Qi Xunyi won¡¯t leave a chance for the crown prince. There¡¯s probably no one in Yanjing that can overturn the odds against thetter¡¯s defeat.¡± He raised his hand, his gaze deep and distant, as though all he saw through the darkness was the ultimate doom. He repeated smilingly, ¡°Unfortunate.¡± At the same hour¡­ The steward cum eunuch of the Xuande Pce walked out from the hall to look at the brilliant scenery far ahead. Hammering his waist with his fist, he limped toward his room. The Sixth East Pce was located there, close to the unfrequented Xin Pce, so it was rather remote and quiet. In the almost 70-year-old eunuch¡¯s mind, the grand asion was none of his business. He pursed his wrinkly lips and tottered his way back. Suddenly, the old eunuch stopped upon passing by a secluded corridor. In front were a male and female dressed in a eunuch and pce maid¡¯s uniform, dodging through a rockery path. ¡°Who is it!?¡± A patrolling guard stopped outside the Xuande Pce Hall and looked over. The duo turned around in panic. The guard found their faces foreign, and he noticed a redness shining through the pce maid¡¯s yellow skin as she anxiously hid her hand behind. In spite of his age, the old eunuch had sharp eyes and was first shocked upon spotting the cylindrical object in the maid¡¯s hand. But he quickly understood that it was yet just another deliberate act. The old eunuch smacked his lips as he thought about the couple jade bracelet that he had kept in his hall and let out a mischievousugh. He gave a small wave, gesturing for the pair to be on their way and for the guard to be on his as well. The old eunuch continued on his path when he sensed no movementing from the duo. ¡°Eh?¡± he expressed before turning around. ¡°Save us, please!¡± the pce maid pled in a hoarse voice while pouncing forward. The old eunuch stared at her with squinted eyes and frowned in confusion. ¡°We¡¯re from the Xin Pce, but¡­ we can¡¯t return now,¡± the pce maid lifted her head, sobbing. While her skin was slightly yellow, she had a beautiful pair of eyes and upturned brows. The tearful, mncholic expression she carried on her face also contained a bit of restlessness. The old eunuch looked at her regretfully. It was herplexion that did her injustice, and he could immediately tell that she was born into a poor family. Why else would she end up in a cold pce and fake-marry a eunuch when she had the potential to be a concubine? The thought of it evoked sympathy within the old eunuch as he gazed at her hesitantly. Over at the Xin Pce, the soldiers were pacing back and forth. Security was so tight, so it was no wonder this couple daren¡¯t return. As an assistant manager, there was indeed a way for the old eunuch to cover for them, but why should he take the risk for strangers? He gathered his sleeves while looking up at the sky in a daze. Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao exchanged nces, thetter picking her brows and nodding subtly with her chin. Yun Hen frowned and let out a low hum from under his nose. Meng Fuyao immediately whipped her hand toward his waist area. Helpless, Yun Hen reached into his pocket for a sack and handed it to her. Chapter 30 - Turbulence Chapter 30: Turbulence Trantor: AsStudios Editor: AsStudios Meng Fuyao retrieved it happily before passing it to the old eunuch. ¡°Sorry for the trouble. A little something from us,¡± she whispered. The old man straightened his body, raising his arm and exposing his baggy sleeve. Meng Fuyao understood his intention and ced the heavy sack in. The eunuch gave her an admiring nce before turning to Yun Hen. ¡°What a lucky bloke,¡± hemented, before sneaking a quick look at the object in Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm. He hinted for them to collect a tray to hold and then follow him. While Yun Hen appeared calm, he was gripping hard on the tray with both hands. When he saw Meng Fuyao slotting the cylindrical object back into her clothes, he couldn¡¯t help but flush. Fortunately, it went unnoticed in the dark night. Meng Fuyao let out an embarrassed cough and looked up at the sky, once again putting the me on Zhan Beiye ¨C¡±Would I have needed this if you hadn¡¯t locked my inner energy?¡± The old eunuch led them out of the Xuande Pce Hall and toward the Xin Pce but was quickly greeted by an armored imperial guard. After sweeping his gaze across the trio and recognizing the old eunuch¡¯s seniority, the armored guard smiled. ¡°Where are you heading to at this time, Sir Lao An?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the eunuch expressed while nodding his chin toward the Xin Pce in an impatient manner. ¡°A pce maid has a cold again. I¡¯m delivering some cotton cloth to be used as winter clothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a trivial matter. Do you have to make a special trip down?¡± asked the guard. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle. ¡°Sigh, that you don¡¯t know,¡± the old eunuch stood on tiptoe and whispered. ¡°I just want to check on the pce maid. Haven¡¯t you heard..? She¡¯s gued by something dirty¡­¡± he coughed and stopped talking. The wind blew over from the long and narrow alleyway, sweeping the fallen leaves and creating crisp sounds like those produced from ady¡¯s light footsteps. A faint, whiteyer of fog rose from the ground, never dissipating, adding an eerie air to the solemn alleyway. The guard moved his lips for some time, his face changing slowly. He had been in the pce for a very long time and naturally knew that the criminals¡¯ corpses were dragged through the area close to the Xin Pce. Every corner had been stained by blood. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if dead spirits hovered over every corner as well. Despite the brutal nature of his job, the imperial guard was superstitious. He waved, turned around and gestured for the guards to open a path. Cha¨C The retracting of guns and swords could be heard as a pencil-straight path along which heavily-armed guards were lined up, appeared within the alleyway. Yun He and Meng Fuyao looked at each other. The former let out a cool smile while thetter¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to some blood spots on his chest area. They were slowly expanding, as was his wound. Her face turned pale as she tried hard to throw him a hint. Upon his realization, Yun Hen calmly held his tray higher to cover the stain. Meng Fuyao stared worriedly at that erging blotch, leaning a little toward him. The leading guard lifted his hand and looked at the trio somewhat deliberately. It wasn¡¯t that he distrusted them, but he was interested to see if these two eunuchs and the feeble girl would have the guts to pass through the weapon-lined path within the dense forest. The old eunuch¡¯s face was evidently whiter. He swallowed his saliva, feeling rather regretful about his decision to help. Unfortunately, since he had already lied, so there was no turning back. When the guard sensed his awkwardness, he suddenly felt apologetic. ¡°Sorry, Sir, it¡¯s a narrow way, and the boys aren¡¯t allowed to leave. I¡¯ll walk with you if you¡¯re worried that they might be rough,¡± he exined. The old eunuch was overjoyed and agreed instantly. The guard then walked over and stood beside him. ¡®Not good!¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought as she noticed that Yun Hen¡¯s wound had split open. More blood wasing out. Once the smell of it became noticeable, there was no way these people wouldn¡¯t be rmed. If they were to set foot onto the path, there was no escape route for them at all, and they could get stabbed to death any time. Nevertheless, they could only move forward from here. Frustrated, Meng Fuyao recalled a phrase. ¡°I¡¯ll dly take on any mountains of daggers and seas of mes.¡± Wasn¡¯t that literally what she was about to go through? The sky was like a ck dome pressing down onto and stifling them. In the darkness, there was nothing but the narrow path, which could barely fit two, that led straight to their destination. The light from the fire torches reflected off the guard¡¯s weapons, silently illuminating the cold expression on the guards¡¯ faces. In order to walk down a path like that required much courage. To reach the end of the route required much luck. Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky and took a deep breath before advancing. In spite of the number of people present, there was no noise except for the burning of the mes which drowned the voices of the insects, the low sobbing, and the sound of blood moistening Yun Hen¡¯s clothes. Weapons that had been stained in blood would naturally possess a more terrifying power. The old eunuch had initially intended to say a little something to release the tension, but the moment he opened his mouth, he felt as if there was a deadly force suppressing his vocal cords and rendering him speechless. The suffocating force left the trio sweating buckets all the way. Midway through their journey, Yun Hen pulled the tray closer to his chest. At the same time, the guard in front crooked his head and sniffed. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± ¡­ At 4:30 PM¡­ Qi Xunyi¡¯s sideshow was waiting in the side pce for their cue to start. As for the transference of guards, Yan Lie was already overseeing the operation at thest gate. Fang Minghe had also appointed a general, and his troops were setting off from the camp. The assassins¡¯ shadows flowed into every corner of Yanjing like electricity. A graceful man in loose robe leaned on the couch, taking a sip of his fragrant tea and revealing a smile. He took out a gold watch that he had obtained from Poluo Nation in the western region and looked at the time. ¡°Go.¡± ¡­ Also 4:30 PM, in front of the Xin Pce¡­ The imperial guard took another suspicious sniff. He could faintly identify it as the smell of blood. The moment he sniffed, Meng Fuyao jolted her head up and shot forward to walk in front of Yun Hen. At the same time, the guard turned around to ask, ¡°What smell is that?¡± His gazended on Yun Hen, who was carrying the tray with a lowered head, and his eyes turned cold. ¡°Bring the tray down,¡± he said slowly. Cha¨C The guns and swords that were pointed toward the sky instantly turned toward Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao. The surroundings were deathly silent, and there was a metal-like smell that spread along with the wind. Yun Hen¡¯s face turned pale, and he lowered his hands slowly after a long time. The imperial guard kept his keen eyes on Yun Hen. He resembled a hawk, spiraling in the sky and awaiting its prey. All his focus was on Yun Hen, and at the moment that Yun Hen brought the tray down, Meng Fuyao took the chance to jerk her sleeve and let a mini knife slid into her palm. With a swift turn of her palm, the knife slit opened her sleeve and prated her inner thigh. Blood poured out instantly at the same time where Yun Hen¡¯s wound was exposed. The imperial guard narrowed his eyes as if sensing a giant threat. ¡°Take¨C¨C¨C¡± he uttered, but before he could finish, Meng Fuyao pounced on him and his pike. ¡°Sir! Sir! That blood¡­ is mine¡­¡± Shocked, the guard directed his gaze unto Meng Fuyao¡¯s red face, failing to notice Yun Hen¡¯s hand sliding up his sleeve in the process. Yun Hen wrapped his fingers around an exquisite steel pin with a reckless, icy expression that revealed his willingness to sacrifice his life for the mission. However, his murderous intent was quickly disrupted by Meng Fuyao. He looked up and saw a shameless woman clinging unabashedly onto the imperial guard while holding his shiny pike down. She was sobbing in grief. ¡°Sir¡­ it¡¯s your humble servant¡­ it¡¯s my fault. I had a private meeting with Little Hen earlier, in the Xuande Pce Hall¡­ started menstruating¡­ it came so suddenly¡­ stained his robe¡­ please do not misunderstand, Sir!¡± The guard was struck dumb. He was aware that many pce maids, driven by loneliness would get ¡°fake-married¡± to eunuchs. He lowered his gaze and noticed that her lower garment was slightly messy and that there were spots of blood on it. He then turned toward the old eunuch. Lao An, who had been paralyzed with fear, let out a snigger, which he then tried to cover with his sleeve. He leaned over to the guard and whispered a little something. Upon hearing his words, the guard gradually made an oddly vulgar expression. As for the gifted actress, Meng Fuyao hurriedly lowered her head in shame, stabbing her toes into the mud and remaining quiet. Yun Hen stared at her bashful expression and then at her bloodied garment before falling into a deep daze. All his anger and shock from before gradually transformed into bewilderment. The sight of her fresh blood had pierced not only his eyes but also his heart. It was like a red wave that washed over the ice screen, turning it into an indescribable wave of emotions. In this turbulent journey that she had taken on with him, she hadn¡¯t merely risked her life but also her precious dignity and reputation as a woman. To women, losing thetter two was worse than death. She was willing to sacrifice so much for him despite the fact that they were but strangers before that night. Yun Hen lifted his head and let out a long breath as if attempting to release the boiling emotions from within. Unexpectedly, upon letting it out, he felt his heart sinking heavier. His eyes gradually fell to the floor. There was a certain willful loneliness that lingered within them. Meng Fuyao knew nothing about his heart-wrenching history, but she understood that nothing was more important than being alive. Plus, she hade from the future and naturally possessed a boldness that was absent in most girls. While what she had done was indeed embarrassing, it was nothing in rtion to a life and death situation. However, if there was anything toin about, it would have to be the pain that was currently eating into her inner thigh. As such, she made the decision to demand medicalpensation from this fellow upon escaping. Judging from the money sack he had handed to her earlier, she was confident of fleecing him. If Yun Hen could read her mind at that point, he would probably have vomited blood. The sky was dark and the forest filled with guns and swords. The imperial guard fixed his eyes on Meng Fuyao, who had covered her face with both hands and was sobbing in shame. Without blinking, his falcon-like eyes gradually softened, revealing a halfughing and half-crying expression. Chapter 31 - Yun Chi Chapter 31: Yun Chi Trantor: AsStudios Editor: AsStudios Thatst wisp of suspicion had already faded, like a trace of blood dispersing within a basin of clear water. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± he spoke suddenly before throwing Yun Hen a smirk and a sudden punch on his chest. ¡°Look at you. A fellow small in size but big in courage.¡± That punchnded rather intentionally and so heavily that Meng Fuyao could feel her hair splitting from the wind that strike carried. Her heart skipped a beat. Yun Hen¡¯s injury¡­ ¡®If he retaliates¡­¡¯ Thud. The dull sound of skin contact made Meng Fuyao squirm involuntarily. Yun Hen staggered backward and just as his bum was about to hit the ground, he managed to break his fall by grabbing onto the clothes of a gunned guard. Red in the face, he cried out, ¡°Joke¡¯s on me. What great skills you have, Sir!¡± ¡°What skills are you talking about?¡± the imperial guard broke into unrestrainedughter, subconsciously killing everyst doubt he had in mind. Any martial artist would instinctively defend or strike back if someone threw them such a sudden punch. Plus, would there be no signs of pain on his face if he was really injured? Heughed heartily, and almost obscenely, as he swept his gaze to and fro between Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao. Hisughter was reduced to a mysterious smile. Then, he waved. ¡°Go on.¡± The lines of guards retracted their weapons once more and pointed them toward the sky. Meng Fuyao heaved a long sigh of relief before loosening her grip on the dagger inside of her sleeve. She turned around and smiled, hinting at Yun Hen to look downward, to which heplied and saw a big thumbs up beneath her sleeve. He couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind her gesture but decided that it was apliment. Upon dropping his gaze, he noticed blood dripping wherever Meng Fuyao passed. His heart tightened as a foreign pain swept over him. Underneath his sleeves, the aloof, strong youth balled his hands into two tight fists. ¡®If you¡¯re able to sacrifice this much, can¡¯t I do the same? To endure this temporal ache and insult? To achieve big things is to ignore the trifles. A man should know this better¡­¡¯ They had finally arrived at the end of the path. Before them stood a dark green wall that belonged to the Xin Pce. The imperial guard fixed his attention on the area ahead of him, his eyes revealing a cold smile. ¡®You¡¯ve lived enough, Old Yun. Get ready to have your corpse cleared when Prince Qi takes action.¡¯ Yun Hen lifted his head to look at the inscribed board, his icily resolute expression warming up a little. At 5:00 PM¡­ The emperor had arrived at the Qianan Pce, and the feast had officially begun. Waternterns drifted in the pond underneath a glorious disy for fireworks as the princes took turns to propose a toast. Fang Minghe¡¯s General exited the camp quietly and solemnly like a meandering ck snake, slithering toward Yanjing city. The transference of guards had beenpleted. Yan Lie, who was seated on his horse, turned around to look at the pce walls, a confident smile appearing on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll stand by the innermost gate. Pei Yuan and her father will take care of the middle one, and you can take this outermost gate,¡± he ordered Yan Jingchen. Yan Jingchen bowed. Before he moved a few steps forward and turned around again, Yan Lie warned him worriedly, ¡°Your gate¡¯s the most crucial one. You have to guard it well. I can¡¯t take the fall for you if you spoil the prince¡¯s n.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father. I know how important this is,¡± Yan Jingchen reassured him. Upon his father¡¯s departure, he lifted his head up and exhaled. A man in light-colored robe emerged from the darkness in front of him. He moved with poise. As Yan Jingchen was about to call out for him, the man¡¯s sleeves dropped, and a corner of a jade green tablet appeared in his palm. Yan Jingchen swept his gaze toward and waved at a guard, who then opened the gate. The man smirked and entered. When he passed Yan Jingchen¡¯s side, a faint, exotic fragrance spread. Yan Jingchen¡¯s eyes followed the man¡¯s movement, and it was when thetter¡¯s back view was revealed that the former realized he hadn¡¯t seen the man¡¯s face as he had been too distracted by his graceful bearing. After pondering for some time, Yan Jingchen turned his head around. In the process, his gaze fell upon an object on the ground. It was a white, finger-length strand of hair. Yan Jingchen pinched it up, a strange expression forming on his face. ¡­ At the same time, in the Xin Pce¡¯s garrison room¡­ Inside the Xin Pce¡¯s garrison room, Meng Fuyao was ncing at the schrly-looking man before her, somewhat bbergasted. She couldn¡¯t believe that Yun Chi, the master of the Yun Family and also the man who had continuously been suppressed by the Taiyuan imperial household, was actually a refined and delicate man. Yun Chi remained deep in thought, considering the bold suggestion Meng Fuyao had offered. He knew that the Xin Pce would be surrounded at night but dared not make any move since the situation was still unclear. As a senior politician of the Taiyuan court, initiating an attack first would carry severe consequences. Even as someone who was calm and collected, Meng Fuyao¡¯s idea left sweat beads dripping down from his forehead. Meng Fuyao smiled carelessly and poured a cup of tea for herself, crossing her legs and singing a small tune. ¡°Money¡¯s always running out, running out¡­ counting them few dor bills, iming it¡¯s okay, but it¡¯s not really that way¡­¡± Upon finishing up her improvised version of A Heart Too Soft, she went on to sing an improvised version of A Smiling Face. ¡°Always thinking about you, thinking about you counting them bills by my side, but¡­ but I, don¡¯t know what¡¯s left in your pocket, but¡­ but I, still believe, a diamond ring¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s in the books, money¡­¡± Yun Hen and Yun Chi stared at her with their mouths wide open. How absurd must this girl be, having the mood to sing such nonsense when a storm was approaching, and danger was knocking on the door? Meng Fuyao was getting impatient. She mmed her hand on the table and asked, ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Yun Chi revealed a bitter smile. ¡°Miss Meng, this, this¡­¡± he stuttered, unable to even speak of the word revolt. He answered ambiguously, ¡°I do have some men, and they can create a little episode outside the Qianan Pce, but this is a serious matter¡­¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and downed her tea before standing up. ¡°The bigger the episode, the better, or there won¡¯t be a need for you to show yourself,¡± she added, scanning her surroundings. ¡°I heard that before its destruction, Yi Nation had built a lot of hidden underground rooms. I¡¯ve already seen one, and I would like to see another one.¡± The next moment, Meng Fuyao mmed her teacup heavily onto the table. Kacha¨C The table sank downward a little, but upon closer inspection, it was the ground beneath it that had sunken. She smiled and ignored the shocked expression on Yun Chi¡¯s face. Then, she lifted her leg and stomped, causing the floor to split open and reveal a hidden door. ¡°Bring all your guards and people from the Xin Pce in, and then burn this cold pce down,¡± Meng Fuyao ordered bluntly. ¡°Everything gets more convenient when a fire starts.¡± ¡°Arson?¡± Yun Chi eximed, his eyelid twitching. ¡°It¡¯s an abominable crime!¡± ¡°Now I understand why you¡¯ve been losing power, bit by bit.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him mockingly. ¡°You think too much and do too little. Don¡¯t you understand that the concept of the winner takes all? If Prince Qi kills the crown prince, the Yun Family will be faulted and criminalized too. If the crown prince takes Prince Qi down, the arsonists and schemers will only be the Yan Family¡¯s army. What has it got to do with you if that¡¯s the case?¡± A subtle change took over Yun Chi¡¯s face. Yun Hen was already halfway out the door at that point. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get people to start the fire,¡± replied Yun Hen, without turning back. ¡°Not just here but elsewhere too,¡± he continued coldly. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Starting a fire here might not rm the crown prince since the Xin Pce is unfrequented. Plus, there are so many people out there so the fire would be extinguished in no time,¡± exined Yun Hen in a determined tone. ¡°Father is an old minister of Yi Nation and holds the biggest secret of the imperial family. Why aren¡¯t you taking the map of the hidden passages out, Father?¡± ¡°That was bestowed to me by the previous emperor and is not to be used unless the pce is about to copse or if the emperor is facing a difficult time,¡± insisted Yun Chi, rushing over to Yun Hen¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ve sworn, with my blood, to keep my word.¡± Yun Hen turned around, his sleeves shifting slightly. ¡°What bullcrap pledge,¡± Meng Fuyao started before anything else. ¡°To think you¡¯re a political figure¡­ Don¡¯t you know that pledges are nonsense that politicians spout?¡± she questioned, walking over to his side with her hands behind her back. Suddenly, she reached a hand out and smashed a teapot onto his head. Amid the tter, Yun Chi fell to the floor, and Meng Fuyao pped her hands together. ¡°Very good. That was a very cooperative fall.¡± Startled but not angry, Yun Hen sighed softly. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± Meng Fuyao pursed her lips, shaking her head. ¡°Were you nning to be the one to knock your loyal and rigid adoptive father down and then carry the sin and guilt of being an unfilial son? Would that be worth it? It¡¯s better if I do it instead since I¡¯m an outsider.¡± Yun Hen remained silent as Meng Fuyao leaned over Yun Chi¡¯s body to search for something. A few secondster, Meng Fuyao retrieved a piece of cotton cloth. After opening it up, she let out cold, consecutiveughs. ¡°He¡¯s actually carrying the map on him. Do you dare say he¡¯s really against our wild n?¡± Yun Hen turned his head, clearly unwilling to answer her question, which frustrated Meng Fuyao the more she thought about it. She did not mind helping people but hated when they saw her as a fool to be taken advantage of. It was obvious that Yun Chi, that sly old man, had the same sentiments but acted all reluctant to provoke his hot-headed son to make a move, seize the secret map and plot a rebellion on his behalf. If that was the case, he could easily shirk responsibility and turn his unfilial adoptive son into a scapegoat. Yun Hen knew that very well but pretended not to. He was even ready to carry all the me, which utterly annoyed Fu Yao. Because she was in a bad mood, she had purposefully chosen the brass teapot as her assault weapon. Her inner energy had been disabled, but her external strength remained, which meant that her excessively forceful strike would most probably result in Yun Chi suffering from a cerebral concussion. ¡®It¡¯s best you turn into a fool, you cheap, old man,¡¯ thought Meng Fuyao viciously. Chapter 32 - The Perfect Moment Chapter 32: The Perfect Moment Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios 5:30 PM. Prince Qi rambled on about the renowned sideshow troupe he had specially prepared. At the same time, Fang Minghe¡¯s army was calling for the pce gate to be opened. ¡°Burn it, burn it hard!¡± Meng Fuyao ran about, calling for the guards of the Xin Pce. She kicked open a door and pulled the quilt away from a sleeping guard, exposing his naked bum and shouting, ¡°Sleeping at this time? Go light some fire, 32 of them. I want all of you to burn this ce down, or I¡¯ll personally kick all your asses out the door.¡± More than 3,000 enemy troops were waiting outside the Qianan Pce for a signal from the Xin Pce to proceed with the n. The Xin Pce¡¯s guards were aware that there was going to be a huge change that night. Despite it being a life and death matter, none resisted against her absurdly rebellious order. Instead, they speedily gathered whatever mmable substance and vegetable oil they could to prepare the fire torches¡­ The imperial concubines and pce maids of the Xin Pce were brought into empty rooms within the Sixth East Pce to hide. The number of empty rooms exceeded the number of concubines, so Meng Fuyao sent a batch of guards over to set all unused rooms on fire before seeking for shelter. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all we can do for now.¡± Meng Fuyao pped and smiled. ¡°As long as the crown princees out, he¡¯ll have the upper hand since his troops are already within the city, unlike Qi Xunyi¡¯s, who would have to rush over from the outskirts. That way, when a battle really breaks out, Qi Xunyi¡¯s bound to be disadvantaged.¡± ¡°Or he might not make it out,¡± Yun Hen remarked, worry evident in his eyes. Meng Fuyao shook her head, smiling. ¡°We¡¯vee this far. If he¡¯s unable to sense the crisis and take the chance to flee, he might just be better off dead.¡± Yun Hen kept quiet, light flickering within his cold eyes. A red light shed across the screen window behind him, and at the next moment, mes shot up in every corner. Since it was an arson attack, all it took was one second for everything within the Xin Pce¡¯s perimeters to be thrown into chaos. The windows were instantly misshapen, and the corridor pirs gradually started twisting. The bright, red mes rose to the clouds, adding a red hue to the ashen sky above the Imperial City. Vague, rmed cries could be heard from the imperial guards standing outside the Xin Pce. Upon a signaling call, the main entrance was kicked open. Meng Fuyao pulled Yun Hen into the underground passage before jumping in and closing the floor door shut. It happened half a second before the imperial guards barged in, which led to Meng Fuyao happily pulling out a V sign. ¡°Victory!¡± ¡­ 6:00 PM. After making an appearance at the feast, the emperor had left the princes to enjoy by themselves. Due to his illness, he had returned to the Qianan Pce¡¯s pavilion to rest his royal body. Qi Xunyi pped, signaling for the sideshow troupe to enter the hall. The leadingdy had a slender, snake-like waist, and her fair underbelly was exposed. She had on flowy, golden pants and a deep red tube top with embedded pearls, which enhanced the plumpness of her snow-white boobs. The proportion between her gorgeous chest and her waist was so perfect that she exuded an alluring wildness. The princes were used to seeing reputable, conventionally-dressed upper-ss women, so this refreshing sight had them putting down their wine cups. Even the crown prince¡¯s attention was caught. Every member of the troupe moved skillfully during their performance. Halfway through it, more than 10 performers stacked themselves up, one atop another and each nting outward at a greater angle, to form a diagonal human tower. The audience watched on, so engrossed in admiring the artists¡¯ strength and flexibility that they hadn¡¯t noticed the human tower slowly inching toward the crown prince. They were just another head away from him. The crown prince, too, had failed to notice because Qi Xunyi had taken something out from his sleeves, effectively robbing his attention. It was a diagram belonging to Xuanji Nation, with 36 rows and columns of Chinese characters. Reading them forward, backward, diagonally and vertically created different sentences, but what the sentences formed weren¡¯t poetry but military strategies. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the legendary betrothal gift that the crown prince of Wuji Nation had presented to his wife-to-be when he was 13 years old? It was said that there are 32 amazing strategies within, and it has been kept deep within the pce. How did you obtain it?¡± ¡°This is a replica of course.¡± Qi Xunyi grinned slightly. ¡°I know you¡¯re into the art of war and have spent a painstaking amount of effort to get it for you.¡± ¡°Wow, what a treasure!¡± eximed the crown prince, taking and studying it seriously. Qi Xunyi raised his head, his eyes shing across the hall. The coquettishdy immediately made a flip, her ample breasts rising like waves and her toes dotting the air consecutively. Her golden jewels sparkled and danced with the wind as she made her way up the human tower within a few seconds. The tower was so tall that she could easily reach out to touch the ceiling, but upon reaching the top, the tower copsed. ¡°Ah!¡± Cries filled the pce hall, and the human tower abruptly came to a stop. Those performers had real skills and did not scatter from that intense movement. Instead, they fell toward the ground in a steep angle and caught themselves right before touching it. Thedy, bncing right at the edge, had her body upside down and her face right in front of the crown prince. Her ck hair hung down like a waterfall, sessfully blocking the view of a pce hall guard who was stationed in the middle, while her mild, tender dimples and me-red lipsnded beneath the crown prince¡¯s eyes. Throwing a charming smile his way, it was as if she was waiting for him to reach out to touch her. She was so close. Her slim and long fingers could touch his throat with a simple stretch. ¡­ 6:15 PM There was a chaotic mess outside of the Xin Pce, where over 3,000 guards had gathered, attempting to charge into the hall and rooms while subduing the fire. Fang Minghe¡¯s main force, on the other hand, had met with an obstacle. They were about to open the city gate when they got disrupted by the sudden emergence of a team of soldiers. Its leader, dressed in a snow-white robe and had cherry-red lips, dered that Fang Minghe was pretending to act on an imperial order and that the pce gate mustn¡¯t be opened. Without further interaction, the team consecutively killed a few spies who were in charge of opening the doors, causing the army of 50,000 people to be stuck outside the city gate. ¡­ 6:15 PM. Qi Xunyi turned his body eagerly toward the crown prince, to discuss the listed strategies and to block him in the process. At that moment, he threw thedy dancer a signaling nce. Thedy dancer raised both hands swiftly. ¡°Report!¡± A high cry threw off the perfect moment. ¡°The Xin Pce¡¯s on fire!¡± The crown prince¡¯s head jerked up, along with the withdrawal of thedy¡¯s hands. The rest of the audience did the same. When they looked out from the Qianan Water Pavilion, they spotted countless red dots blossoming within the pce grounds. mes were dancing wildly, gradually forming a sea of red and expanding outward. As for the Xin Pce that was located the furthest away, it was basically wrapped in galloping red waves. The rising smoke resembled clouds that were tinged with sunset hues, illuminating the whole of the northwestern skies. Outside of the Xin Pce and its surroundings the mes looked like small heads that marched inward like migrating ants. The sight left the witnessing princes in shock. After taking into consideration the deste location of the Xin Pce and the abruptness of the fire, it did not make sense for the imperial guards to arrive so quickly, unless¡­ they had been there all along. What did that signify? A horrific possibility immediately came to the minds of the princes, who had been born into respective royal families and raised to study pce politics and tactics. The audience turned their gaze toward the crown prince, who appeared calm and deep in thought. Only the observant ones noticed that he was gripping the diagram so tightly that his fingers had turned white. He turned toward Qi Xunyi, whose face was void of colors. Without waiting for any response, the crown prince put the map aside and flung his sleeve downward. Thedy dancer, who was in midair, mmed onto the ground and slid a meter forward, a mouthful of fresh blood spurting out from her mouth. ¡°The pce¡¯s on fire, and this girl¡¯s still swaying about, how annoying,¡± the crown princemented, lifting his sleeve and ordering, ¡°Guards, bring me there.¡± ¡°Crown Prince!¡± Qi Xunyi called out before standing up. ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s birthday, and ording to Taiyuan customs, the emperor¡¯s son must remain here. You¡¯re not going to act against it, are you? I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Third younger brother,¡± the crown prince responded with a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter, so I¡¯m sure Father will not me me. You did remind me, though, that you¡¯re the second oldest. I¡¯ll leave you to take care of the younger brothers we have here today.¡± At that, without waiting for an answer, he hurried down the steps and was quickly escorted out of the east pce. Qi Xunyi fell into a daze, clenching his teeth in silence. A long timeter he shot a meaningful nce to someone outside the pavilion, who then rushed off to inform Yan Lie and Fang Minghe. Qi Xunyi pondered over the unexpected situation again and again, not understanding how a fire could¡¯ve started and even rming the crown prince. He felt something wasn¡¯t right, and hence, he excused himself from the crowd. Amid his frustration, a trusted aide approached and whispered something. Qi Xunyi¡¯s eyes lit up, and he turned around, forcing a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed. Please make yourselves at home.¡± He walked toward a side hall at the backmost part of the Qianan Pce, which was heavily guarded. Qi Xunyi sped into the hall, and the doors behind him closed shut. The courtyard was extremely quiet since no one was allowed to enter his secret territory. He stopped before a quiet room and let out a deliberate cough. Inside the room stood a man, admiring the paintings on the wall with his hands cupped behind his back. He had a mask on, but it did not rob the brilliance from his eyes. Like two bright reflections of the moon found on a water surface, they glistened so peacefully yet profoundly. ¡­ 6:30 PM. Qi Xunyi had just entered the side hall when a screen on the left side shifted slightly. A pair of eyes could be seen, darting about in a quicksilver manner, resembling two pairs of mercury. The ck eyes made a few more rounds when someone behind gave a small push. A sneaky individual appeared in full view, out from the door, followed by a youth whose face was pale and eyes as cold as night. ¡°What is this ce?¡± Meng Fuyao scanned her surroundings with her ck, mercury-like eyes. Yun Hen frowned as he scanned the ce. He, too, couldn¡¯t recognize it very well. Many of Taiyuan pce¡¯s hidden passages had no exits, and after much exploration, the two youths had chosen this path since it had no specific marks on it. Judging by the decoration in the room; however, it seemed that they had arrived in the center of the pce. He stood still, suddenly making a hand gesture. ¡°Someone¡¯s talking.¡± Yun Hen peeked through the long curtains, half-covered, into the master bedroom. There were litmps inside, and he saw a pair of shadows, one belonging to a person with loose robe and graceful posture. Chapter 33 - A Shocking Arrow Chapter 33: A Shocking Arrow Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®The long, golden robe should belong to Qi Xunyi, and the other one¡­¡¯ Yun Hen broke into a fierce, cold smile. He was almost certain that the mysterious figure was assisting Qi Xunyi in his execution. He waved for Meng Fuyao to take notice, but she returned azy, dismissive wave and said in a low voice, ¡°My footsteps are heavy. Not safe.¡± Yun Hen knitted his brows, thinking about how they were going to exit the heavily guarded ce with Prince Qi around. Meng Fuyao tumbled toward the quiet room and had her back facing it. Inside the room, the masked man observed Qi Xunyi. His eyes were bright yet unfathomable. Even without uttering a word, his meaningful gaze enveloped Qi Xunyi, causing him to waver and lower his head as if about to offer a bow. It was only until he heard a soft coughing from his trusted aide that he realized his mistake. The man standing before him was merely a messenger from Wuji and not anyone worthy of his bow. As he contemted about the strange effect that man had on him, he extended his hand out to invite the guest to take a seat. Before the guest settled in properly, Qi Xunyi dove right into the topic. ¡°¡­ it was a failure. He¡¯s left.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the guest picked his brows. ¡°Why are you still here then, Prince Qi?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Qi Xunyi uttered, evidently taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ve already made arrangements outside the pce. It¡¯s more important for me to return to my father¡¯s side¡­¡± ¡°Arrangements?¡± the guest smiled, somewhat mockingly. ¡°Change is the only constant when ites to affairs of the world.¡± ¡°The diagram you gave me is in his hands now.¡± Qi Xunyi frowned. ¡°Thedy wasn¡¯t able to take action, but the poison on the map has definitely been transferred to him¡­¡± His speech was interrupted as the guest stood up abruptly. The man leaned over slightly and smiled at Qi Xunyi but spoke in a firm voice, ¡°2 choices. The first choice; I leave, and you stay here, waiting for your nine-in-ten-shots chance of sess, and I¡¯ll return to collect your corpse on behalf of our brief association. The second choice; youe with me, and we¡¯ll chase after Qi Yuanjing and then collect his corpse.¡± Qi Xunyi looked straight at the guest, taking in the splendor of his deep, thoughtful eyes. Thetter had such raw confidence that anyone who allowed themselves to fall into his gaze would instantly be free from all doubts and suspicions. Qi Xunyi gritted his teeth and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Just like that, they hurried out of the door. The guest fell behind a little, pressing down on his chest suddenly and throwing a side nce toward his left. Shortly after, as Qi Xunyi got onto his horse, he asked politely, ¡°Your family name, Sir?¡± ¡°Yuan,¡± replied the man faintly, drawing the reins of his horse and turning to the side chamber, that was filled with guards. ¡°Why not bring them along as well, Your Highness. There¡¯s bound to be a battle, so the more, the merrier. You¡¯ll benefit from more protection.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Qi Xunyi agreed before ordering the troops to gather and then departing. ¡°The imperial guards are all working for Yan Lie, so everything is within my control. Even if my brother heads down to the Xin Pce, he¡¯ll be outnumbered. I¡¯ve already ordered the imperial guards outside of the Xin Pce to get rid of him whenever possible.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± the man smiled and raised his hand, causing a pigeon to plunge into his palm. He gave a flick, and the bird was sent flying, but not before leaving a small scroll with him. Qi Xunyi¡¯s face changed, but he let out a sigh of relief, mumbling, ¡°What great skills, Sir. You managed to intercept the message¡­¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s only one such pigeon?¡± the man derided. ¡°Let¡¯s bet that at least a few dozens of them have been sent from the moment the crown prince left the pavilion. I, alone, will not be able to intercept all of them.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I told you to wait half a month, wipe out the influential people from all corners of the pce and then take action. Why didn¡¯t you listen? Now you¡¯re left to deal with the aftermath of your pathetic failure.¡± The man gave Qi Xunyi a look of disdain. ¡°How can you seed by acting so rashly?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Qi Xunyi retorted in spite of the shame that shed across his eyes. He had been polite out of respect for the wise, but this man hadn¡¯t been saving him any face at all. ¡®How unbridled.¡¯ Unable to bear it any longer, he finally unleashed that aristocratic arrogance of his. ¡°Look at the in robe you¡¯re wearing. You¡¯re at most a cheap busker, so what do you know about the general situation? Father is severely ill, and the physician had mentioned that he might not live past this birthday. The throne will go straight to Qi Yuanjing if he does copse. Half a month? How could I have waited?¡± The man fell silent. Qi Xunyi¡¯s scolding evoked sympathy instead of anger within him. He offered a slight bow and smiled. ¡°As you wish, then.¡± ¡­ 6:45 PM. Leading a group of imperial guards, the crown prince had no intention of rushing to the Xin Pce. Instead, he galloped toward the area near the Zhengyi Pce Hall and was stopped by Yun Chi, whose head was wrapped like a dumpling. Yun Chi brought the crown prince into the secret passage within the Qianan Pce Hall and escorted him out of the pce. That unmarked passageway was the only path connecting the pce to the outside streets. When half-opened, a path leading to the inner pce would appear. While fully opened, a path leading to the streets would be revealed. If Meng Fuyao had known that fact, she would¡¯ve crushed the trouble-causing brass pot. Yun Chi had nned for them to coerce him and then inform them about the underpass but hadn¡¯t expected her to exert so much strength, to the point of knocking him out and rendering him unable to share the secret of the passage door. At the same time, pigeons were flying everywhere, but upon exiting the pce, were quickly shot down by men, dressed in ck, lying in ambush. At that moment, Fang Minghe, who was stuck outside the pce gates, paced around anxiously. Amid his hesitation, he caught sight of a bundle of fire arrows falling whizzing from the sky and blossoming into a multi-colored disy of fireworks. ¡°He¡¯s done it?¡± Fang Minghe called out in joy, waving his hand. ¡°Attack!¡± Above the city gate tower stood a man with cherry red lips, in a robe as white snow. He turned toward the fireworks exploding in the northwestern skies before looking down at the army, led by Fang Minghe, who was breaking the doors with wooden blocks. ¡°How unexpected.¡± he sighed. ¡°Master.¡± After turning around and seeing his subordinate¡¯s dependable eyes, Zong Yue smiled. ¡°We¡¯vee to create a mess but looks like that¡¯s not needed anymore. We can withdraw.¡± He took his leave at the same time that thest door got knocked down. The thick, heavy gates opened up slowly, and the guarding soldiers only managed to catch a glimpse of the floating figure. Inside the building on the left side of the Qianan Pce, Yun Hen was probing about. ¡°The guards outside are all gone. It¡¯s a good time to leave. I¡¯ll chase after the crown prince. He should be rushing to gather the imperial guards within the Imperial City.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay inside and continue disguising myself,¡± replied Meng Fuyao, lying motionlessly on the ground, not wanting to move. ¡°No.¡± Yun Hen pulled her up disapprovingly. ¡°Prince Qi has his suspicions, and Fang Minghe is ruthless. The whole pce will be wiped clean if it was up to them. It¡¯s too dangerous for you to remain here since your inner energy is sealed. Let¡¯s go after the crown prince. He still has a strong bunch of loyal guards so it¡¯d be safer.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Meng Fuyao got upzily. Seeing that she was getting tired, Yun Hen tore off a section of his belt. He tied one end around her waist and the other around his own hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Meng Fuyao in surprise. ¡°Won¡¯t it be inconvenient to move about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you,¡± he responded simply. Meng Fuyao broke into a smile before adding shamelessly, ¡°Won¡¯t I be dragged down if anything happens to you?¡± Yun Hen kept quiet, and Meng Fuyao cut the belt with a de. ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± he smiled with a sigh. ¡­ 7:00 PM. Yan Lie walked in circles before the first gate. He, too, had seen the pce fire but daren¡¯t leave his spot. He had to be there to obstruct the crown prince if thetter were to exit the pce. Hooves could be heard approaching, and Yan Lie¡¯s eyes shrank. With a wave of his hand, the imperial guards readied their weapons and waited. A few figures gradually emerged from the darkness, but they turned out to be Qi Xunyi and his guards. Yan Lie sighed in relief, signaling for the guards to open the door. Qi Xunyi¡¯s grip on the reins tightened, his fingers turning white, as his eyes flickered along with the fidgety movements and neighing of his horse. The man beside him, on the other hand, appeared calm and poised. Yan Lie couldn¡¯t help but throw him a few more nces in between. The first pce door opened up slowly, revealing the faint, red light from afar and projecting a blood-colored hue onto the ground. ¡°Xiu¨C¨C¨C¡± A hidden arrow appeared out of nowhere, piercing through the darkness andnding onto the buckle on Qi Xunyi¡¯s horse, cleanly breaking it. Startled, the horse stood up on its hind legs, throwing the unguarded Qi Xunyi backward. Focused on regaining stability, he failed to notice an iing ck shadow that was whizzing toward him in light speed. The next moment, he was flung off the horse. As the figure was about to pull him up, Yuan Zhaoxu raised his hand, sessfully dragging Qi Xunyi to a side, to avoid being ughtered. The ck figure turned around, his identity was revealed under the light of the fire. It was Yun Hen. As he failed to take Qi Xunyi down, Yun Hen let out a growl. He flipped himself onto the horse¡¯s back, holding its reins with one hand and jerking the other. With his motion, a slender figure was tossed into the air before mming onto the man beside Qi Xunyi. The slender figure moved delicately, but that did not stop her headscarf froming loose during the somersault. As a result, her long, ck hair was freed and left to dangle amid the sea of red. At the moment, she looked no different from a goddess from Hell. In between her fingers was a shiny dagger that she extended out and toward the horseman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Get off!¡± Her cry filled the air, cold and deadly, but the horseman lifted his eyes suddenly and smiled. Chapter 34 - A Reunion Chapter 34: A Reunion Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Eyes met. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes were clear, like the moon high above the clouds. On the other hand, his eyes were deep and intense, like the ever-flowing ocean. The moon shone down onto the peaceful ocean as nature started singing along to the rhythm created by its gently rippling waters, its chorus generating a rumbling echo. At this moment, her de ray came close. He opened his mouth, but at that moment, there was no sound. ¡°Still doing well, Fuyao?¡± Still, doing well? The movement of his lips sent electricity straight into her heart. Meng Fuyao had imagined plenty of times a reunion between Yuan Zhaoxu and herself. But they would meet again at a festive location, perhaps at a grand gathering of the noblemen or in his nation ¨C¨C¨C she hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of seeing him again on such a night, and that he would be standing opposite of her as the recipient of her iing de. Despite the de pointing at his heart, Yuan Zhaoxu had remained cheery and even greeted her. Meng Fuyao steadied her body, hovering somewhere above the horse¡¯s head, her de still glistening but her heart already softening. Especially when he was mouthing the words to her. Especially when a white furball with two ck, beady eyes had wiggled its way out of his clothes, immediately seeing the de and plucking a strand of fur to block it. What did he think the fur on his bum was made of? Meng Fuyao wanted tough and cry at the same time, but instead, she did none, opting to plop off. She knew she had screwed up the moment she allowed that to happen. Yuan Zhaoxu was Qi Xunyi¡¯s helper after all, and now that she had fallen, Yun Hen wasn¡¯t going to leave her alone. She was about tond him in trouble once more. Meng Fuyao fell into a warm embrace. She could see the skin uncovered by his cor, and it was as smooth as the satin found on his robe. There was a faint, exotic fragrance that enveloped her as the back of her neck rubbed against his chest. She felt as though she had been set on fire. The fire spread throughout her body, not in a painful but warm and tantalizing way. It was as if she had be one with the hot springs, and she was rxed all over, from her fingers to her toes. A whole night of thrilling adventures had tired her out, but at this moment, she felt every inch of her bones and muscles loosening and bing almost nonexistent as the wind gently blew her away. Behind her, the man¡¯s breaths were like alcohol, lulling her into a beautiful dream. If not, they were like the year-round spring breezes drifting from Xuanyuan Nation. If not, they could also bepared to the jade waters of the most beautiful lotuske in Taiyuan. They were soft, charming and everywhere. His lips were so close to her and had even brushed against her earlobe from the impact of her movement. A heart-piercing itch took over her body as his hot and moist breaths touched her cheeks as if blowing her soft kisses. Meng Fuyao stiffened her back, but the rest of her body softened, turning into cotton and mist. The moment seemed tost a second, yet it also seemed tost a millennium. She heard a low voice drifting into her ear. It was a smiling voice that reminded her of flowers of all seasons, blooming at the same time. ¡°I really want to kiss you¡­¡± Meng Fuyao shuddered, absentmindedly wondering if his voice had a bewitching effect on her, since those few simple words,ing out of his mouth, seemed to each be attached to a golden hook that had managed to hold her spellbound. She touched her face. It was burning. That magical voice paused, and when it started again, it carried a tinge of regret. ¡°But now¡¯s not the time.¡± Before he could finish, Meng Fuyao felt the warm behind her dissipate, and her back and her heart were empty. She whipped her head around to see that the loosely-robed man had drawn back and gotten off the horse. On the ground, he made a roll, like floating clouds. When he got back up, a bow had appeared in his hand. It was a vermilion red bowstring and an ink-ck arrow, its metallic arrowhead flickering indistinctively. He gave a soft smile as his fingers quickly wrapped themselves around the bow and arrow-tail. He pulled the bowstring, forming a full moon amid Yan Lie¡¯s astonished gaze, Qi Xunyi¡¯s furious re and the increasing footstepsing from the batch of imperial guards behind. He pointed his arrow at Meng Fuyao. It was cold. Bone-chillingly cold. Meng Fuyao turned around on the horse, staring at the sharp, eagle eye-like arrowhead, and at the noble-looking man behind it. In that instant, the air around them turned so still that the me from the torch and her nervous breathing could be heard. Amid the light, her face appeared calm and her eyes were akin to the clean snow on the highest mountains, never melting. Subtly emerging from within them was a pinch of shock, suspicion, confusion¡­ there were thousands of words that could describe her emotions, but she wasn¡¯t able to speak. Those non-conveyable words that her eyes expressed struck the audience deeply, causing everyone to momentarily forget their tasks. Only the man standing opposite of her maintained a smile on his face, his hands steadily holding onto his weapon. His bowstring was pulled taut, generating low creaks that sounded like meaningful sighs. He shifted his fingers backward, inch by inch, and his arrow was only a second away from beingunched. Xiu¨C¨C¨C The arrow pierced through the sky, creating a sound that evoked despair. It flew toward Meng Fuyao, bright and as fast as electricity and undetectable by the naked eye. Bang! At the same time, the first pce gate burst open and shouts filled the area like a surging wave. The leading military officer had on a set of ck armor and yellow headscarf, his brows so long that they almost touch. It was Fang Minghe. Pleasantly surprised, Qi Xunyi called out loudly, ¡°You¡¯re here, Minghe!¡± Fang Minghe broke into an energeticughter. ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness!¡± Shocked by his words and unable to respond in time, Fang Minghe added while smoothing out his sleeves, ¡°We¡¯ve killed everyone on the way here. How satisfying.¡± Thest three pce gates were about 500 meters apart, but the smell of fresh blood on the soldiers¡¯ armors was overpowering. The aura that surrounded them was brutal and deadly. One could only imagine the number of heads that had rolled to the ground, the number of lives that had been lost amid the mes, all because Fang Minghe had gotten the wrong signal and assumed that Qi Xunyi had seeded. Fang Minghe was basking in his own glory, thinking about the beautiful future that awaited him and failing to notice the change in Qi Xunyi¡¯s face. On the other hand, Yuan Zhaoxu simply shook his head, smiling. His eyes weren¡¯t on the soldiers but instead fixed onto the target of his arrow. The arrow whizzed forward, but as it was about to reach Meng Fuyao, it turned to the side andnded on her horse with a strange p. The horse neighed wildly in response before charging forward in an uncontrolled manner. Meng Fuyao moved along with the horse, gripping onto the reins as tightly as possible. The speed was so intense that she felt as though the bones in her body were about to get dislocated. She bit down on her lips, struggling to wrap the reins around her wrists. With much effort, she turned her head to look at Yuan Zhaoxu. As she turned around, her scattered ck hair covered half of her face. Through the wisps of hair was theplicated and indescribable expression in her eyes. Her gaze was like a bridge passing through the chaotic crowd and arriving straight at its destination. Before her was a surging wave of armored soldiers, and behind her were Qi Xunyi¡¯s imperial guards. In between, Yuan Zhaoxu stood, smiling as usual in his fluttering robes. He lifted his eyes, whichnded onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s deep gaze. His lips moved. A calm and collected voice drifted into her ears. She was convinced that even a copsing mountain wouldn¡¯t be able to shake him up. ¡°Careful.¡± His voice sent shivers down her spine. The arrow that had fallen to the ground sprung up once more and struck the horse¡¯s back this time. The horse let out another furious neigh, and then Meng Fuyao found herself whizzing through the wind once more. Meng Fuyao felt as though her body was being dragged along by huge waves as she undted involuntarily. She had passed the second gate and caught sight of the half-opened pce door. She was dismayed to spot thousands of fully-armored security guards and Pei Yuan, who was holding her sword and guarding the door. How was she going to get out? She turned around again to look at Yuan Zhaoxu, not realizing that there was a hint of helplessness in her eyes. Yuan Zhaoxu fixed his eyes on her. As it was so rare for her to reveal such fragility even in times of danger, his smile widened, carrying a hint of gentleness within it. ¡®It¡¯s not death she¡¯s afraid of¡­¡¯ The horse charged forward, and Qi Xunyi waved for his guards to catch up. Yuan Zhaoxu spoke, ¡°It seems that the crown prince hasn¡¯t passed through the door. You have to tighten your search. Send these guards away.¡± Upon seeing Qi Xunyi¡¯s pale face and hesitant reaction, Yuan Zhaoxu added, ¡°It¡¯s better if you lead your people in the search. I¡¯ll settle the situation over here, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Qi Xunyi looked him in the eye, sensing his unreliability. Nevertheless, he knew that Fang Minghe had his own troops to lead and both the Yan and Pei families had doors to guard. With no one else to employ, he decided that it was indeed more efficient to dispatch his guards instead of having them idle around without obtaining any result. As such, he consented to Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s advice and started on his search. He urgently sent a signal to Fang Minghe, requesting for a batch of men to block all paths leading to the imperial guards¡¯ camp. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Sir. Please don¡¯t let these two suspicious characters go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± reassured Yuan Zhaoxu. At that, Qi Xunyi took his leave. Yuan ZHaoxu looked up at the city gate tower and smiled before waving for the guards to ¡°make chase¡±. In front, Yun Hen stationed himself behind the horse, springing out at times to block off iing arrows. Catching a glimpse of the densely arranged troops through the half-opened door; however, left him sighing in despair. The crown prince hadn¡¯t exited through that door, which meant that he had caused her trouble. Since that was the case, he was obligated to protect her even if it was at the expense of his own life. On the opposite stood Pei Yuan, who had been observing the two approaching individuals. From afar, they appeared like two insignificant and meager dots. She, on the other hand, had a capable pool of guards behind her. She could easily crush the pair with a wave of her hand. With a smirk on her face, she did exactly that. Chapter 35 - Arrival of a Lightning Bolt Chapter 35: Arrival of a Lightning Bolt Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Like a rainstorm, arrows wereunched from outside the second pce door and transformed into an oppressive sheet of ck cloud that seemed to whizz through the air and clouds, shooting straight for the lonesome pair. The fine steed let out a wretched cry before copsing, its body turning into a honeb in the blink of an eye. Yun Hen leaped up into the air, his body forming a fish-like arc. The light on his sword danced as it formed a sturdy wall that kept the arrows out of Meng Fuyao¡¯s way. He activated his sword, turning into a whirlwind that revolved around her endlessly and blocking everything out. Yan Lie, who was guarding the third door and General Pei, who was guarding the second, were both reputable martial artists with keen eyesight. It took them only one second to recognize that the youth had engaged a paramount technique that morphed sword into breath, solid and tough. Shock was evident in their faces, but a cold smile emerged soon after. Everyone knew that controlling a sword with one¡¯s inner energy over a long period of time was basically suicide. With such a method, one would at best lose a significant amount of his skills or at worst, lose his life. Yan Lie gave a mocking smirk ¨C¨C¨C ¡®going at it with your life?¡¯ He turned his head away, the cold smile never leaving his lips. There was nothing on Yun Hen¡¯s mind at this point, except for his mission to protect her. He had dragged her into this, and his conscience wouldn¡¯t allow her to lose her life between these pce doors. Amid the howling of the bitter-cold wind, the arrows continued raining down, before getting deflected in all directions like specks of starlight blossoming in the dark sky. Under the bright starlight, the youth¡¯s face appeared as white as snow, like that of his clenched teeth. In contrast, his lips were blood-red. He brandished his sword, dancing and manipting its movements¡­ it was as if he was in a trance. His arm had long gone numb from the intense motions, so all he could rely on was his mechanical instincts. All his focus was on Meng Fuyao, and he could no longer care about himself. A cold, staggering arrow shot forcefully toward him, breaking his barrier and piercing into his shoulder de. It was an ache that drilled straight to his heart. Having been suppressed by his energy, Meng Fuyao was able to lift her head up at that moment. Herplexion was a few shades fairer than Yun Hen¡¯s, and her eyes were strong and sparkly as usual. Illuminated by the bright, unshaded moonlight, her eyes were no different from the glistening stars. Yun Hen lowered his head to revel in the splendor of the girl¡¯s translucent, teary eyes. Because she was usually fearless and unyielding, the moist sheen in her eyes shot yet another arrow into his heart. He bit down on his teeth, not daring to give her another look. Instead, he returned to deflect more arrows in spite of the fresh blood sttering from his shoulder wound, as if unable to sense the pain. The spiraling gust carried a tinge of red now, turning into a secure mobile screen that kept out danger. Nevertheless, he was only able to block the arrowsing from the front and not the back. He snatched a quick nce behind, catching the side of the imperial guards that were in close pursuit and merely a few steps away. As the pair advanced closer to the front, the bowmen retreated and were reced by an army of men that squatted on the ground with ck rifles rested over their shoulders, aiming them at Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao. Gunmen¡­ Yun Hen¡¯s heart sank, subconsciously diving in front of Meng Fuyao. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have done it but using his blood was the only way topensate. Yun Hen¡¯s heart tightened as he stared into Meng Fuyao¡¯s brilliant, star-like eyes. At the same time, the sky darkened. Yun Hen was startled, thinking that he was about to faint from being exhausted until he heard a low growl overhead. It was deep and sounded like a p of thunder, rumbling down theyers of cloud and reaching the tip of his head in the blink of an eye. What arrived next was an intense bolt of lightning. Yun Hen lifted his head, instantly sensing the darkness above as a dark cloud descended, storm-like, from the city gate tower. Amid the thunder rolls, a booming voice emerged. ¡°I¡¯m here to kill!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to kill!¡± His voice was earth-shattering, enough to evoke shudders from the thousands of soldiers. With a simple jerk of his palm, he summoned a massive rock from thin air and broken it into pieces. The rock fragments whizzed through the air, not toward anyone in particr. As the soldiers were stunned by the sudden turn of events, the rock bits shot down, bolt-like, right into the gun barrels, effectively blocking them. Some smaller pieces of flew right in, triggering nk shots, whose recoils led to bloody wounds on the gunmen¡¯s shoulders. Without even looking at his doing, the man made a flip, his ck cloak twirling in the wind as the imperial guards standing behind Yuan Zhaoxu rolled about in pain. In a low voice, Yuan Zhaoxu called out, ¡°Who is it?¡± He raised his palm upward, colliding with the opponent¡¯s, but was evidently the slightly weaker one. He staggered backward a few steps, which shocked the guards silly and made them hesitant to take action. After all, they had just witnessed the death of theirrades, and it was clear the visitant had the upper hand. The assant answered with a smile, ¡°An assassin. Anyone¡¯s weed.¡± With that, he made another flip andnded before Meng Fuyao. As Meng Fuyao struggled to get on her feet, he thrust his palm forward and pressed her down before waving a finger andughing. ¡°Sorry, woman, you can have your energy back.¡± His voice was as sturdy as his chest, and it carried a certain unimpeded wildness, which Meng Fuyao immediately recognized as belonging to Zhan Beiye. There was no need for her to feel his embrace to do so since no one else had such a crude way of speaking. Meng Fuyao¡¯s whole body loosened and she no longer felt as though there were invisible shackles that tied her down. A familiar surge of inner energy rose from her pubic region, speedilypleting an operation cycle. Meng Fuyao was first relieved, then overjoyed, and then furious. She whipped her head around, mming her fist right up his nose. Not expecting her to bite back right after he had done her a favor, he waspletely caught off guard. Blood flowed down instantly, coloring his face red. He looked rather pitiful at that moment, and Meng Fuyao was unable to contain herughter. After a few snorts, she restrained herself and turned to look at the blood-soaked youth, and then at Yuan Zhaoxu, her eyes narrowing. Yuan Zhaoxu initiated a smile before turning around to Yan Lie, who was rushing over with a stern look on his face. Yuan Zhaoxu stumbled forward a little, seemingly affected from the earlier blow. Yan Lie extended his arm to provide support, to which Yuan Zhaoxu responded with a faint smile. His smile swayed and twinkled under the moon and stars, producing an absolutely captivating dream-like visualization, in which misty spring flowers, creek water, and fine sand gathered. Reflecting the sunlight at different angles, the rippling water appeared exceptionally glittery. His gaze was so dazzling that Yan Lie could feel his own conscious mind rippling inyers and turning into fluffs of cloud and mist, almost ceasing to exist. He copsed. The imperial guards rushed forward as Yuan Zhaoxu made a light leap over Yan Lie¡¯s body. He said whileughing, ¡°Aye, what a pity. I think the assassin has poisoned him.¡± Zhan Beiye covered for Meng Fuyao and Yun Hen as he charged forward, his eyes falling upon the wound on her shoulder. Due to the force of his movement, it had split open once more, and blood had started surfacing. His gaze then fell to her skirt, on which drops of blood stain resided. Zhan Beiye frowned, seemingly frustrated, as he retrieved an exquisite jade bottle from his pocket and reached another hand out to tear the cloth over her shoulder. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Meng Fuyao hissed. He froze, and Meng Fuyao spotted the thing in his hand, immediately snatching it over and adding in a harsher tone, ¡°Attending to my wound at a time like this? I¡¯ll keep this with me and ept your apology.¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her as she righteously slotted the bottle into her clothes. It was a skin medication of the highest quality that belonged to the royal family of Tiansha. It was something even the princes had difficulty obtaining. Somewhat amazed, he touched his nose and was shocked to see the blood on his hand afterward. It made him feel rather cheap. The entrance of thisdy into his life had brought nothing but chaos. Matters weren¡¯t matters anymore, and Zhan Beiye wasn¡¯t Zhan Beiye anymore. Meng Fuyao repeatedly turned her head around, to which Zhan Beiye snapped. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± Zhan Beiye pursed his lips as the blood below his nose started congealing and appearing ratherical. ¡°No need to look. It¡¯s a double act.¡± ¡°Knew it, you¡¯re not that great,¡± Meng Fuyaomented. Yuan Zhaoxu had already turned the other way, but with his hands behind his back, he gave her a wave that she couldn¡¯t decipher. Sourness filled her heart. That man was so hard to grasp, and events seemed to have unfolded the way he had nned. How scary¡­ Before she couldplete her thought, the trio had already charged through the second door. The situation was urgent, and bows were no longer effective. General Pei waved for his gunmen to take aim. nk¨C¨C¨C Pei Yuan shrieked, ¡°What¡¯s the point? Do you think 500 over guards aren¡¯t enough to take you three down? Don¡¯t forget about General Fang¡¯s troops¨C¨C¨C¡± At that, she stopped. The father-daughter pair exchanged looks, finally realizing that Fang Minghe¡¯s army hadn¡¯t entered the second door. Pei Yuan turned abruptly, opening a small gap and looking out of the door. She could vaguely see amotion going on among the troops. And the first door, which was already opened, shut suddenly. She couldn¡¯t tell what was going on. Distracted, she had failed to notice Zhan Beiye¡¯s advance toward General Pei. When she did rush forward to assist, she realized that Zhan Beiye had executed a fake move. He whizzed around, just in time to catch Pei Yuan as she pounced forward. Hands against her throat, Zhan Beiyeughed, ¡°Eh, why are you getting dumber and dumber, woman?¡± General Pei had miscalcted the situation, and upon seeing his beloved daughter being trapped, the fury within him surfaced through his pencil-straight brows. As he was about to call for guards to rescue her, a ck shadow shed past him. The next moment, Meng Fuyao¡¯s whip caught up. Keeping a distance, she flung it relentlessly to the left and to the right and to the left again. Her movements were so fast that many shadows were cast by her whip and it was impossible to detect which was real. He could only dodge non-stop, further and further away from Pei Yuan. Chapter 36 - A Public Talk About Chest Chapter 36: A Public Talk About Chest Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yun Hen wasn¡¯t idling either. He covered their front, swinging his sword forward as if in a dance, sessfully obstructing the swarm of imperial guards. Brows perked up, Zhan Beiye unsheathed his sword in a burst ofughter that spread across all doors while dragging Pei Yuan along by her throat. ¡°What bad luck to have to touch you, wretched woman.¡± Pei Yuan¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet, and she was about to pass out. She shot a sorrowful nce at her father, only to see that he waspletely under Meng Fuyao¡¯s control. Her whip was going up and down, left and right, and there was no way for him to pass through. ¡°Open the door! Open it bigger, or your princess¡¯s bosom will shrink for sure!¡± Meng Fuyao cackled. The men on her side exchanged nces, their faces instantly darkening in agreement that that woman had no filter and was rather vicious. Commenting without regard about an unmarried princess¡¯ bosom, before the Taiyuan pce door and between tens of thousands of soldiers? How was the princess going to face the world from then on? They weren¡¯t really concerned about Pei Yuan¡¯s well-being neither did they view her as a human being. Nevertheless, they found Meng Fuyao¡¯s behavior shameless. Meng Fuyao¡¯s resoundingughter traveled through the pce doors. Yuan Zhaoxu paused, breaking into a humble smile and his long misty eyshes drooping down to cover part of his profound, dream-like eyes. Lord Yuan Bao drilled his head out of his robe, looking behind and squeaking in scorn. Yuan Zhaoxu lowered his head, instantly understanding Yuan Bao¡¯s thoughts. He nodded wholeheartedly, and spoke after some thought, ¡°You¡¯re right, her breasts are pretty small too¡­¡± The second pce door opened slowly. The strong alliance between the trio and the fact that they had gained the upper hand made it impossible even for 500 guards to obstruct them. The first pce door entered their sight. Between them and the first door was a hundred over meter long, sheltered greenstone passageway, and at the end of it stood 1,000 guards, waiting in inaction and not daring to fire their arrows since their princess was held captive. Without the threat of arrows raining down, the trio moved with ease. Meng Fuyao almost looked as though she was taking a leisure stroll, swaying behind Zhan Beiye with her whip in hand. It wasn¡¯t that Meng Fuyao wanted to walk without poise, but the blood on her thigh wound had congealed and was stuck to the skirt. Each step brought splitting pain, and since it wasn¡¯t a good time to treat her injury, she was forced to walk in this manner to conceal it. The careless fellow beside turned to look at her, his gaze brushing across her skirt. If not for Pei Yuan, he couldn¡¯t have contained his urge to peel it off. Not noticing Master Zhan¡¯s strange stare, Meng Fuyao set her gaze forward, eyes squinting, at Yan Jingchen, who was stationed before the pce door and whose face was colorless. His full attention was on Meng Fuyao, and she knew that it had to be because of her amazing figure. Even if no one could recognize her face, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to fool people like Yuan Zhaoxu and Yan Jingchen. ¡°Hello.¡± she waved. ¡°I¡¯ve brought your little poodle, Young Master Yan. How are you going to thank me?¡± Yan Jingchen¡¯s face turned snow-white, as though ayer of frost had been applied over his skin, his formerly gentle appearance fading into the darkness. A long timeter he responded, ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded. ¡°If you open the door.¡± After a brief silence, he bargained, ¡°You stay here, and I¡¯ll let them through. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have this ce fully surrounded by guards.¡± Pei Yuan whipped her head around, her eyes almost popping out. As if unable to believe Yan Jingchen¡¯s answer, she trembled with so much intensity that a fallen leaf, upon sliding off her skin, withered instantly. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide in astonishment. He had already shocked her silly once in the past with his outrageous suggestion, but how dare he propose something like that in front of Pei Yuan? Zhan Beiye was furious. He tightened his grip on Pei Yuan¡¯s neck bone while ring at Yan Jingchen. ¡°I don¡¯t need to sacrifice a woman to escape, you stupid gigolo. If you dare to retain her life, I¡¯ll dare to take yours.¡± Yun Hen said nothing. Instead, he took a step forward to fend Meng Fuyao. Yan Jingchen¡¯s face changed as he swept his eyes to and fro between Zhan Beiye and Yun Hen. The fire in his eyes scorched a malicious impression onto his usually mild face. The mes danced passionately, distorting the light on his face. Steeling himself for some time, he took a step back and thrust his palm down and toward Zhan Beiye. Pei Yuan spurted a mouthful of blood, and Zhan Beiye flung his sleeve, growling. ¡°Puke if you want, but don¡¯t taint me with your dirty blood.¡± Behind then, General Pei could be seen dashing forward. ¡°Yan Jingchen¡­ you!¡± ¡°Father-inw! I¡¯ve been ordered to guard this door, and mustn¡¯t dy something so crucial because of personal feelings,¡± he exined without making eye contact. Meng Fuyao took note of Yan Jingchen¡¯s hand gesture, clear that his attack was targeted at Zhan Beiye and Pei Yuan and not herself. She crossed her arm, smiling coldly. Thousands of des were pointed at Zhan Beiye and Yun Hen, and Yan Jingchen called her out with an ashen face, ¡°Come over.¡± Meng Fuyao ignored him, keeping her eyes on the sky. Yan Jingchen inhaled a deep breath. He had been guarding the first door since nightfall, and seeing that there had been a turn of events, mainly that the crown prince had escaped, he knew that the situation at the doors wouldn¡¯t proceed as nned. The Pei and Yan families¡¯ glorious dream had been shattered, so there was no point ounting for Pei Yuan. Moreover, a bout of jealousy had arisen when he had spotted Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao billing and cooing, which had led him to borrow this opportunity to detain her. He would rather clip her wings than see her ride off into the sunset with another man. ¡°Come over here, or I promise to mince them up,¡± Yan Jingchen warned through gritted teeth, Meng Fuyao side-eyed him before dering, ¡°I¡¯d rather join them if you will.¡± Her tone was light yet loud. Yun Hen threw her aplicated nce, the sparks in his eyes condensing. Zhan Beiye roared, ¡°Well done, girl¨C¨C¨C I¡¯m marrying you.¡± Meng Fuyao was struck dumb. Was he in his right mind? Did he know her ce of residence, her age, her character, her likes and dislikes, her bra size, her shoe size, her family name and so on? How could he spout such b*llcrap? Was that a joke? After some thought, she was certain that it was indeed a joke. What she was unaware of was that Zhan Beiye¡¯s nonsense had drifted into the ears of a certain someone. ¡°Hey. Someone¡¯s after my woman,¡± the man, who had halted before getting onto his horse, lowered his head and whispered into his robe. Lord Yuan Bao waved his ws frantically. ¡®Woman? Is it Meng Fuyao? Great, let him have her and life will be great! Hahahaha.¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu wiggled his brows. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a disgrace?¡± Lord Yuan Bao squeaked non-stop, excitedly revealing his chest and shing the big white teeth he took great pride in. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s brows perked as he gave him a strange look. ¡°Not interested, sorry.¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯sughter continued reverberating through the doors, and Yan Jingchen¡¯s face was almost green. He tightened the grip of his fingers as if attempting to wring any sweat out of his palm. The veins on his forehead were popping, and-like blood streaks were floating in his eyes. They were like devilish ropes, clinging around and lusting after the girl that he loved but couldn¡¯t keep. Opposite him, the girl stood looking up at the sky, the me torches carving out a firm outline of her features and jaw. Behind her were Zhan Beiye, smirking coldly, and Yun Hen, whose eyes were dark as night. No one was paying him any additional attention. Only Pei Yuan, who was weakly squirming under Zhan Beiye¡¯s steady grip, red at her fianc¨¦ with seething anger and hopelessness. She gagged, which amid the thousands of armed guards and dead silence sounded especially stifling. Yan Jingchen overlooked her grieve-filled eyes, hopefully focusing his attention back onto Meng Fuyao. Finally, after a long time, he loosened his fingers. Deep crescent moons had been engraved onto his palm, to the point where blood seeped out, turning into a faded red as it mixed in with his sweat and dripping onto the stone floor before vanishing into the cracks. A merciless, almost exploding desire to kill took over him. ¡°Give¨C¨C¨C¡± Boom¨C¨C¨C Before he couldplete his sentence, an explosion sounded, followed by a ground-shattering wave of buzzing. It was as if a heavy object had mmed into to brass pce door, causing it to shake slightly. It was a dull sound, seemingly generated from a collision between a live body and a concrete object. A short whileter, fresh blood started dripping from the balustrade, snaking its way toward the inner side of the door. Everyone¡¯s attention had been caught by the blood rippling toward their feet. It wasn¡¯t a lot, but overall an eerie sight, as if somethingpletely unexpected was about to happen. The horror, the cold, and the sttering of blood, instantly had them suspend their breathing. Countless pairs of eyes flickered in the dark and looked toward the door that had been struck. Time passed, and another boom sounded. This time, overpowering shouts and painful cries could be heard. The smell of blood shot through the air and a pinkish red puff of smoke rose. ¡°Obstruct and be killed,¡± a bellow was heard. ¡°Ahh! Guards!¨C¨C¨C¡± The screaming of humans and neighing of horses blended into the rising mes as waves of ck smoke, smelling like fresh blood, drifted through the door and into the noses of those inside. Bodies mmed heavily and incessantly onto the pce door, and sounds of objects hitting everywhere followed after. One could imagine that the objects were indeed limbs. One could also imagine that the huge brass nails on the pce door would have bits and pieces of flesh attached to them. They would be permanently stained red, an apt reminder of that historical night of chaos and massacre within Taiyuan Imperial City. At that moment, the mor on the outside red, intensifying the contrast between that and the dead stillness that hung on the inside. Not only had the crown prince escaped the wrath of the assassin, but he had also exited the pce safely and made it to the main guard camp stationed within the city. Upon gathering his men, he had retraced the route Fang Minghe had taken and arrived at the pce. Chapter 37 - Fleeing Once More Chapter 37: Fleeing Once More Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Hooves ttered amid the silence, but it was Yuan Zhaoxu, galloping toward them with his robes fluttering loudly. Despite his urgent stance, he looked as cheerful as usual. ¡°Open the door,¡± he ordered in a clear voice that wasn¡¯t loud. ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad!¡± Yan Jingchen jerked his head around, yelling. ¡°We¡¯ll die!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu looked up with a shallow smile while twirling the rein between his fingers. He wasn¡¯t interested in having a conversation with Yan Jingchen. Zhan Beiye, on the hand,ughed. ¡°You¡¯ll be a fool if you don¡¯t open it. Who¡¯s going to get thrashed in a fight between 80,000 overpowering imperial soldiers and 50,000 gearless city guards? Open the door, and you can join forces with the gunmen, bringing the battle into the pce. There¡¯s lesser space for the guards to utilize their weapons, and they aren¡¯t as familiar with theyout as your people. Won¡¯t the oue be less definite that way?¡± He then turned to Yuan Zhaoxu, his brows perking up. ¡°You¡¯re a talent, and I hope to gift you a good beating on the battlefield one day.¡± ¡°Feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu waved smilingly. Their gazes shed in midair, seemingly producing a nging sound as the sky was suddenly overtaken by rumbling clouds and zing electricity. A muffled roll of thunder could be heard from afar, but it was pressing in on the seas andnds. A pact destined to influence the fate of the Five Region Continent had been made by two exceptional individuals and imprinted into the sky. Their gazes collided impactfully before both men turned and walked off in opposite directions. Zhan Beiye let out a prolongedughter, a fiery passion and desire invading the space between his brows. A snow-white furball popped its head out from Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s robe and climbed onto his shoulder before lifting its fat bum up toward the brazenly egotistical punk and letting out a fart. The pce door finally opened. Meng Fuyao stared on as it happened, still amazed by her luck. The duo had foolishly gone in the wrong direction and then had their ns ruined by Yuan Zhaoxu. They had lost all hope upon spotting the heavily guarded doors, but the unexpected arrival of another army had saved their lives. Thankfully, the arson had paid off. Zhan Beiye lowered his head to look at Pei Yuan. ¡°I want to kill you so bad, but to take a resistless girl down¡­ aye, I can¡¯t,¡± he said with a frown. He looked at Yun Hen with pleading eyes, only to be dismissed with a re. Vexed, Zhan Beiye added, ¡°Then again, you probably feel that this is worse than death, so I¡¯ll do you a favor.¡± At that, he flung Pei Yuan up and outward, her body swinging high into the air and falling down like a dried leaf. Before shended, Zhan Beiye retrieved his sword and shed it upward, its de shing under the moonlight. A miserable cry filled the air. Fresh blood spurted out from her shoulder, staining Yan Jingchen¡¯s face as he instinctively rushed forward to catch her. A bloodied hole was visible on her left shoulder, and there was no flesh within. Even her bare, white bone had been pierced. ¡°The second hole,¡± Zhan Beiye muttered under his flittering hair and sharp eyes. ¡°8 more to go.¡± Despite being unaware of his pledge, Meng Fuyao roared heartlessly inughter, pulling up her sleeves and teasing. ¡°Aye, aye, how lewd, Master!¡± Upon hearing that remark, Master Zhan¡¯s face turned ck. ¡°Ah,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered in surprise as the door opened. She had never seen in her life such a messy battle that involved more than 100,000 men. Now that she had witnessed it for herself, she was convinced that there was a limit to the human imagination. Reality was the cruelest and the most brutal. What entered her field of vision was an endless stretch of ck figures and a spacious parade ground that was stained, like the yellow in the moon and the blue in the ocean, a rose red. It was a different sea, piled from waves of scattered flesh and bones, and the exhausting struggle between countless beast-like men. Murderous growls harmonized with the howls of wind as these men went tearing at one another¡¯s heads. The red-armored, yellow-robed soldiers quickly surrounded the ck-armored, golden-robed guards. It appeared as though two huge snakes, one red and the other ck, were twisting and coiling around each other while pieces of meat flew in all directions. Anguished wails offeredpany as freshly produced blood sttered high into the sky, turning it as red as the ground. Zhan Beiye and Yun Hen were both elite fighters, so a sight like that did not shock them as much. Without batting an eyelid, they focused on protecting Meng Fuyao and charging forward. The trio kicked approaching bodies and broken limbs away, conveniently stabbing at the frenzied, iing soldiers. Not even two stepster, their faces were covered in blood and with scrap pieces of flesh. Amid the hurry, Meng Fuyao turned around to look at Yuan Zhaoxu, who was seated on his horse, in front of the pce door. He was sitting quietly, observing the scene unfolding before him, ignoring Qi Xunyi¡¯s army and only returning Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze. The front piece of his in silk robe pped in the darkness, catching the moonlight. His sleeves, resembling those of the immortals residing in the highest of heavens, fluttered gracefully as he held back the reins amid the blood rain, as noble and elegant as before. Meng Fuyao was being swept forward, further and further away from Yuan Zhaoxu. Nevertheless, she could still feel his soft, willow-like gaze floating toward and brushing against her back, which made her skin warm and tingly, almost aching. She bit her lips, feeling rather gloomy. Weren¡¯t these people too excessive? Still scheming for Qi Xunyi at this stage and not wanting to leave? She didn¡¯t hate the fact that Yuan Zhaoxu was standing on the other side. Politics was a matter separate from personal attachments. In fact, from a different angle, she was spoiling his ns. She opened her mouth, overwhelmed by the impulse to drive him on his way, but decided against it after some thought or rather, resigned to the fact that Yuan Zhaoxu was a firm man who wouldn¡¯t get swayed easily. Meng Fuyai sighed softly and helplessly. She turned around, catching a side glimpse of a white furball, wiggling about in his chest in a dismissive manner, as if happy to see her leave. ¡°You stupid, squeaking mouse,¡± Meng Fuyao cursed, ck-faced. ¡°Why are you cursing me for no good reason?¡± Zhan Beiye red. ¡°Aye, you¡¯re worse than that stupid mouse,¡± Meng Fuyao spat furiously. The unlucky man stared at her in major confusion, wondering if she had gotten off the wrong side of her bed that morning. The trio pushed their way through the messy ughter ground, shing anyone who came unto them. With their skills and abilitiesbined, no soldier could hurt them. They gradually retreated from the parade ground, where guards and soldiers were still engaged in a chaotic battle. Meng Fuyao inhaled, and as she was about to say something, Yun Hen copsed without uttering a word. ¡°Oh my god, the poison¡¯s taking effect.¡± Meng Fuyao reached out to grab him. His white face was whiter than a sheet, and she could see the fine veins on his forehead. Beneath his longshesid a faintyer of ckness, a clear sign that the toxin had entered his bloodstream. Meng Fuyao took his pulse before informing, ¡°He was injured, to begin with, and has been holding it in all this while. He also exerted too much energy in trying to protect me earlier. He¡¯s spent and needs immediate treatment.¡± ¡°Come back with me. I have quality medication and will be able to get someone to purchase more herbs,¡± suggested Zhan Beiye, offering his support. Meng Fuyao nodded, stuffing the pill in her hand into his. ¡°Feed this to him first.¡± Zhan Beiye fed it to Yun Hen, and Meng Fuyao leaped off before he knew it. A few stepster she reached an alleyway on the southern side of the parade square. ¡°You sly woman¨C¨C¨C¡± Zhan Beiye howled, carrying Yun Hen up and making chase. Without turning back, Meng Fuyao dashed like the wind to the nearby soldiers who were busy in battle. ¡°Brothers! That man in ck is a spy. The general has put up a reward of 10,000 and will offer it to whoever catches him alive. You get less if you kill him!¡± Money bred bravery! Tempted by the reward, the muddleheaded soldiers did not even question if the general was on the enemy or their side. They blocked the alleyway instinctively, the shine on their sword des forming snow-white arcs under the night sky, squeezing to be the first to catch him alive. Zhan Beiye flew into a rage upon getting obstructed by them. He pulled his pant leg up a little before throwing eight kicks. p, p, p, p¨C¨C¨C The soldiers flew into the air, vomiting blood that fell down like rain. Shocked, the other soldiers shifted to empty out an area. Meng Fuyao, who possessed decent skills, had long vanished into the distance. After standing before the alleyway for some time, Zhan Beiye bellowed, ¡°You can¡¯t run away from me, Woman! I¡¯ll find you no matter what!¡± She had chosen that alleyway since it seemed rather empty. However, after entering she was dazzled by a fish-like figure that slipped past her. She could vaguely see an ash-white face despite his extreme speed. Without turning back, she reached out to grab his arm. ¡°Where are you heading, traitor?¡± Startled, the man whipped his head around. It was indeed Yao Xun, who had thoughtlessly abandoned her in the old temple. Yao Xun had a panicked look on his face, and his whole body had turned greenish purple. He was trembling non-stop, but joy quickly spread across his face. Weeping, he greeted, ¡°It¡¯s you, Sister¡­ save me, save me!¡± ¡°Save you?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated, narrowing her eyes. ¡°To await for another betrayal?¡± ¡°I was a fool.¡± He hurriedly bowed with his fists cupped together. ¡°Help me this time, and I¡¯ll do anything for you.¡± ¡°Pfft, I¡¯ll be a fool if I believe you once more,¡± Meng Fuyao flung his arm. Before she could continue on her way, a series of bells rang, followed by the emergence of an eye-piercing, multicolored light that swept over. She could hear the sound of crystal beads dropping onto the ground from afar, and it carried a tinge of smugness, arrogance, and anger. ¡°Still trying to run?¡± Meng Fuyao kicked Yao Xun into a corner before blocking the alley mouth and leaning against the wall. With a half-smile, she looked on, as if looking into a kaleidoscope, as Ya Lanzhu sped forward like a rainbow cloud. Chapter 38 - A Rise is Coming Chapter 38: A Rise is Coming Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Where is he!? Where is he!? Where is he!?¡± Meng Fuyao chewed on a de of grass and answeredzily, ¡°That long-faced fellow? There¡¯s a war going on ahead, and there¡¯s a shortage of men, so he¡¯s been pulled into it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ya Lanzhu questioned half-believingly. ¡°You look familiar,¡± she then added with a crooked head. ¡°Makes sense,¡± replied Meng Fuyao,ughing. ¡°I¡¯m the teacher of your neighbor¡¯s paternal aunt¡¯s older cousin¡¯s maternal aunt¡¯s sister¡¯s cheating husband¡¯s mistress¡¯ sister.¡± Ya Lanzhu opened her eyes wide while using her hand to calcte the tangled andplicated rtionships. After some thought, she raised her brow in anger. ¡°You¡¯re ying me,¡± she growled, throwing a karate chop forward. Meng Fuyao lifted three fingers, directly facing her palm¡¯s acupuncture point and immediately forcing Ya Lanzhu to shrink backward. Meng Fuyao then slipped her fingers into the ninth formation of Cleaving Nine Heavens, Illusion, gently pressing onto Ya Lanzhu¡¯s pulse. Meng Fuyaoughed lightly and tossed her hand so hard that she made a 360-degree turn. Instead of falling after the turn, Ya Lanzhu had her hand up and immobilized. Meng Fuyaoughed and gave Ya Lanzhu¡¯s nose a little flick. ¡°Only I can bully him, Sister. It¡¯s not your turn.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Meng Fuyao waved at Yao Xun. Yao Xun scurried out from the corner and saw Fufeng Nation¡¯s noble princess standing on the ground, immobile, with a hand raised. He exhaled loudly before rushing over to Meng Fuyao¡¯s side. They sprinted out of the city amid the disorder, and when they were far away Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°What have you done to her?¡± Yao Xun exined with a bitter expression on his face, ¡°Somehow, she found out about my thieving skills and had me steal Zhan Beiye¡¯s undergarment.¡± Meng Fuyao lost it. ¡°Did you?¡± She roared while clutching onto her tummy ¡°Am I crazy? I did not agree, which was why she was chasing after me,¡± he answered, revealing a crafty smile and taking something out from his robe. Swinging it in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes he added, ¡°I didn¡¯t lose out. Members of the Godly Palm Sect will not simply let a goose off without plucking its feathers.¡± It was a light green jade medal with a vivid sculpture of a scepter, representing wisdom and authority. The two characters, ¡°Wuji¡± could only be seen under the sunlight and at certain angles. It was Wuji Nation¡¯s travel pass. ¡°Hah, good stuff!¡± Meng Fuyao snatched it, weighing it in her hand and falling into deep thought. The sky was lightening, and the battle cries were reduced to low, prolonged groans. The wind, carrying a dry, metallic smell, blew against her hair softly, which then covered parts of her face. Her delicate features gave her a good-natured amiability, which was enhanced by the breeze. Meng Fuyao smiled in a way that resembled Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s ¨C graceful yet remote, calm and collected. ¡°I say¡­¡± she started, setting her eyes on the southeasternnd. ¡°It¡¯s better we leave this messy ce. Xuanyuan Nation isn¡¯t any better, and I¡¯m thinking of going to Tiansha Nation during the True Martial Arts Meet. Now that we have this pass, we¡­¡± ¡°Wuji Nation it is.¡± On year 0018, 23rd of September, a failed assassination attempt in Taiyuan Pce had causedplete mayhem in the whole capital, where city guards, imperial guards, and soldiers had fallen into a sea of fire and chaotic warfare. Within a few days, the streets were filled with tens of thousands of corpses, and the fight had extended to the western parts of the city. Red water flowed in rivers, and dead bodies surfaced continuously over many days. It was a unique internal struggle, initially dominated by Qi Xunyi and then by the crown prince, who had retaliated and closed in on Fang Minghe¡¯s army. The crown prince¡¯s imperial guards had attacked, head on, and instantly robbed the upper hand. Just as he was about to gain victory, the enemy had received assistance from a powerfulmander and a batch of highly skilled soldiers. Joining forces, they had managed to subvert the situation once again. The changes were fast and extreme. Because of both intentional and unintentional variables, a potentially simple battle had turned into a lengthy one that stretched across the city, leaving citizens in a terrible situation. Because of the frozenmunication system, the news of the battle within the city did not immediately spread to the guards stationed in nearby cities, allowing Qi Xunyi¡¯s army to withdraw northward after the close match with the crown prince¡¯s troops. Thetter wanted to surround the city and its surroundingnd but dared not pursue. Qi Xunyi¡¯s army then continued up north, weapons pointed forward. Two monthster, Qi Xunyi became an emperor in Ganzhou, a northern city in Taiyuan, and established the Shangyuan Nation. For three he reigned over thend of Qian, An, Huang, Gan, and Dingzhou. Taiyuan was no longer united. The change shocked all seven nations, and influential powers had their eyes set on Taiyuan. A long timeter, an insightful person analyzed the situation and came to realize that the biggest beneficiary was neither Qi Xunyi nor, more naturally, the unlucky crown prince of Taiyuan. It was the crown prince of Wuji Nation, known to act in ways that left everyone speechless. It was because thend Qi Xunyi had conquered was located in the region between Wuji and Taiyuan, and also beside Xuanyuan. If Xuanyuan birthed ns to attack Wuji Nation, the former would need to go through thisnd. Now that thendowner had changed to someone who had had a feud with the regent of Xuanyuan Nation, the passage was practically off limits. The battle of Taiyuan had urred out of the blue, leading people to guess that someone must have instigated it. Those spectors fixed their attention, in trepidation, onto the core of the Five Region Continent. The gaze of all seven nations enveloped the richly fertile nationnd, while Crown Prince Zhangsun calmly took satisfaction in their involvement and conjectures. It was winter time, and he had congratted the newly ascendant emperor of Shangyuan. He had even bestowed a southern tribe of unknown jurisdiction, that resided along their boundary, to Qi Xunyi. Qi Xunyi was pleasantly surprised and paid a deferential bow. Yet another group of insightful individuals saw his action as a foolish one. How could anyone ept a gift from Zhangsun Wuji? The old emperor of Taiyuan passed on in the wee hours of 24th September, from his illness and the shock upon being notified about the internal strife between his sons. His corpse was left unattended in the Qianan Pce as other princes and chancellors were busy picking sides, and the eunuchs and pce maids were busy plundering and then fleeing. It was two months after his death that the chancellor recalled the situation and had people collect the old emperor¡¯s body. Naturally, the body had more or less dposed, and the pce was filled with maggots. His eyes were gone, and all they could see were two ck eye sockets staring up at the sky. Teeth could be seen through his rotten flesh, such that he had on a permanent smile, seemingly deriding the greed and pride that had led to the demise of a wealthy dynasty. People then talked about the fact that Prince Qi had failed, despite being amply prepared and confident, and eventually became Wuji Nation¡¯s child-emperor. Some concluded that fate was against him by citing an example. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the sudden fire and disorder in the Xin Pce, the crown prince would¡¯ve been dead, and there wouldn¡¯t have been the after-chaos.¡± Indeed, the pce fire was a determining event that had steered the whole affairs of Taiyuan Nation downhill. No one knew that it was a girl who had a random spark of an idea to start the fire. No one knew that it was her boldness and fearlessness that had erupted into unbounded mes that illuminated the nation¡¯s dim future. Simrly, Meng Fuyao had not realized that while she was still an insignificant figure that could easily be smashed, every step she took was toward the political core of the seven nations. The historical record that belonged to the seven nations would ultimately be left empty and waiting for her to fill it. In the end, the legend that would inevitably contain conspiracies, contests over power and authority, and bloodshed, would be written by her. That was an unreceable fact. It was during winter, in the 18th year of King De¡¯s reign, that Meng Fuyao had fled from Taiyuan into its neighboring nation, Wuji. Not long after she had crossed the border, Wuji¡¯s advisor, too, had returned. The story belonging to them and her was finally about to unfold from the very core of the Five Region Continent. A longer journey had just begun. ¡­ Wuji Nation, winter, 15th year under the emperor¡¯s reign. Southern border, Redstone Mountain. The mountain range flowed unevenly across the horizon, abruptly stopping behind a in field. Where it stopped, a section of craggy cliffs continued, interrupting the flow of the wind. Looking down from the cliffs the horizon appeared extremely far away, and the lofty city could be seen. It was Zhongzhou, the capital city of Wuji Nation, politically and strategically located in the center of the Five Region Continent. Even from a significant distance away, the city was charming and majestic, its walls steel-like and secure. Looking from afar, one would subconsciously hold their breath and fall into an almost worshipping position as they admired the big city. Yet there was a howl, sounding like that of a wolf, that broke the solemn, still air. ¡°Give me, give me a man! Let me bring him home for a happily ever after¡­¡± A certain someone was standing on the top of the cliff, hugging herself and singing enthusiastically. She was expressing her utmost yearning for a malepanion. Behind, Yao Xun covered his ears, squirming in agony. The thought of betraying this howling wolf resurfaced once again. Singing wasn¡¯t terrifying but going out of tune was. Want to live longer? Stay away from Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao was done chewing and pped her clothes before telling the fellow beside her, ¡°Aye, Zhong Region is near but still quite some distance away by feet. We¡¯re almost out of coil, go borrow some.¡± ¡°In this wilderness? Where are we going to borrow?¡± Yao Xun scowled miserably. ¡°You steal from me, and I steal from you?¡± ¡°Bah!¡± Meng Fuyao spat, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a carriage over there? Go, it¡¯s time to rob! Take the money, and I¡¯ll take his body.¡± Chapter 39 - Robbing Wealth, Robbing Body Chapter 39: Robbing Wealth, Robbing Body Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao tidied her hair and applied some ginger juice onto her face before covering it with a ck cloth and jumping down to intercept the carriage. ¡°I paved this mountain¡­¡± On the winding road, Meng Fuyao ced her hands on her hips, looking exceptionally energetic and attention-seeking. The other member in her bandit crew was Yao Xun, who had stealthily held onto the back of the carriage. ¡°Redstone Mountain has been paved since the expedition of Wuji and Xuanji emperors. Wuji¡¯s emperor had ordered 800,000 soldiers to open a path in a month¡¯s time, in order to meet his enemy head-on. In that case, you¡¯re not the paver of this mountain,¡± a voice trailed from within the carriage. It was gentle and warm, and somewhat distant. Meng Fuyao choked, once again shouting, ¡°I nted this tree¡­¡± ¡°The mountain is located near Red River, and floods ur yearly, causing severe loss of soil. Eight years ago, the crown prince of Wuji had ordered themon people from the suburbs to nt trees on the ins and mountain range. In that case, you¡¯re not the one who nted this tree.¡± Another choke could be heard before Meng Fuyao lost her patience. ¡°I did not pave this mountain. Neither did I care enough to nt this tree. Offer your valuables if you want to pass through.¡± After a short while, someone slid the curtain to the side. Under the sunlight, Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes. The chilly wind blew over, instantly producing mist as she exhaled. The Redstone Mountain had already frosted, enhancing the redness of the rocks and the greenness of the nts growing between the cracks. It was an extremely cold winter, and all scenery had been stripped by it, save for the resilient trees. The dusky carriage dimmed the appearance of the man inside, but he was visibly wearing a snow-white robe. He seemed to have light cherry-red lips, calm and soft yet able to dwindle the strength of the cutting wind. Meng Fuyao crooked her head, mumbling, ¡°How I hate these men in white, only trying to appear pure and innocent.¡± The man in the carriage smiled and lifted a hand. He made no major moves, but in the next moment, Yao Xun was thrown off and left howling in pain. ¡°Trying to plunder my valuables with this, Lady? Doesn¡¯t seem to make sense.¡± Unmoved, Meng Fuyao snapped, ¡°I don¡¯t know him. Anyways, you don¡¯t look that appealing after all. How about we just let this go. Till we meet again, bye.¡± She pped her hands together and turned around with no intention of helping Yao Xun up. ¡°It¡¯s cold out here, and it will be good to have something to warm up against. You may not find my body appealing, but I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have anything against a Vessel of Spring?¡± he spoke, without any deliberate attempt to entice, but his suggestion did manage to captivate a certain someone. The Vessel of Spring was a top quality wine, famous throughout the whole of the Five Region Continent. Every drop was as valuable as gold, and even noblemen couldn¡¯t obtain it easily. Even if they did manage to obtain it, they would hide it in their wine cers. Ordinary citizens hadn¡¯t heard of such wine, and Meng Fuyao had only been exposed to it through that old Daoist priest, or rather, drunkard. Whenever alcoholism struck, he would travel the world, flipping boxes and cupboards, and breaking into doors and graves to seek this wine out. Meng Fuyao had tasted it out of curiosity once, and it had left a deep impression on her. The wine was velvety and rich. As she swirled it around the tip of her tongue, its texture and taste exploded, rocketing her straight into the heavens. ¡®Aye¡­ the wine is perfect for the cold weather¡­ what a good life he has¡­¡¯ A smile started to form on her lips, and in the next moment, her thighs were attached to the side of the carriage. ¡°If you insist, dear noble sir, it¡¯d be impolite for me to refuse, wouldn¡¯t it? Seems like you¡¯re rather wealthy actually, and looks wise¡­ not shabby either.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words,¡± the man humbly epted and subconsciously started shifting to the side upon seeing her climb in, but stopped midway. Meng Fuyao was greeted by the in and delicate decor inside of the carriage. There was a small table in the center and three seatable sides. There were also a luxurious ferret overcoat and an object wrapped in cotton-padded jacket lying on each unupied side. As she wanted more space, she reached to push it aside. The cotton-padded jacket flew up and into the man¡¯s arm, loosening in the process as a pot of flowers with deep purple leaves revealed itself. Eyes opened wide, Meng Fuyao stammered, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re offering a jacket to a pot of flowers? What top quality nt is this?¡± ¡°Just an ordinary purple nt,¡± he stated, keeping it carefully. ¡°Someone left it outside the vige, and it was about to be frozen, so I picked it up. nts are sentient creatures, and they fear cold too.¡± Not knowing whether tough or cry, Meng Fuyao swept her gaze over his face, her heart immediately skipping a beat. Wasn¡¯t he the clean freak in white that had been following Qi Xunyi at the foot of the Xuanyuan Mountain? She still had his belt with her. Subconsciously feeling her own face, Meng Fuyao remembered that she had on a mask that day and also ginger juice on at the moment. Not worrying about her identity being exposed, she smiled confidently. ¡°Your name, Noble Sir?¡± ¡°You can drop the formalities. My family name is Zong,¡± answered Zong Yue quietly, his eyes shining as he retrieved the wine and offered her a ss. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I have apanion,¡± she added with a smile. Zong Yue turned his head slightly, catching sight of a shadow shing past his carriage. The next second, Yao Xun was being thrown into the carriage behind. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes contracted her gaze toward him turning friendlier. She raised the wine cup, its content a goose yellow. Its unique color made it hard for poison to be added because any contamination would muddy it. The wine she saw was pure, like the beaks of ducks swimming in the Three Springs Mountain River. There wasn¡¯t a need to worry about it being toxic. As the mood was significantly lightened, Meng Fuyao drank a few consecutive cups. Still unsatisfied, she attacked the wine pot straight. As she reached for it her fingers almost brushed against Zong Yue¡¯s, thetter hurriedly withdrawing his. Meng Fuyao acted ignorantly and quickly got intoxicated. Soon after, she started spinning and singing. Her voice brought shivers to the horseman, which then led to a bumpy ride as if the carriage could overturn at any moment. Upon finishing her song, Meng Fuyao flipped her pockets out for Zong Yue to see. ¡°¡­Brother¡­ broke¡­ leave it¡­ to¡­ you¡­¡± She made three unstable swirls, her left foot stamping on her right, before plopping onto Zong Yue¡¯s seat. Her limbs were spread as she let out a long burp, momentarily filling the carriage with the smell of alcohol. Zong Yue frowned slightly, looking as though he couldn¡¯t wait to steer clear of Meng Fuyao. Worried that she would clumsily destroy the potted nt, he retreated a few steps and relocated it before opening the window. A cool breeze swept in, dispersing the scent of alcohol. Turning back around he saw that a certain someone had already stretched herselffortably across all three benches; head on his cotton-padded jacket, legs on the other side and a hand on his overcoat. Her dirty shoes had thoroughly stained his precious overcoat. Zong Yue stared frustrated at it in frustration but hesitated before alighting and moving to the back carriage. The moment he exited the carriage, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shot open. They were as bright and clear as the purest spring water. It appeared that she was in no way intoxicated. With a flip she rolled down the seats, her hand reaching over to the jacket. She stopped briefly before slipping it underneath. Suddenly, someone lifted the curtains, and a beam of light shone onto a certain thief¡¯s back and also the copper mirror within the carriage. Through it was a visibly long, white-robed man who had a tray in his hand. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart jumped, her hands stiff and still underneath the jacket. Unable to retract her hand, she curled her fingers up and dragged the whole jacket onto the ground. With a strong motion, the jacket covered her body nicely, and she rested against the wall, throwing her feet onto the bench and stering a dreamy look on her face to appear sound asleep. She could vaguely feel Zong Yue bending down and retrieving the jacket, albeit stopping halfway, as if noticing something. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes were closed shut as various thoughts were rushing through her mind. What was he looking at? Aye, not good, his belt was still with her. Could her big movement from earlier have exposed it? Could he have seen it? And what was that thin and long thing that she had felt? Why was he back so soon? Zong Yue turned to scan his surroundings but spotted nothing. Meng Fuyao was relieved and allowed herself to rx. She started to feel tipsy and drowsy, and eventually fell into a good sleep. It was a quality sleep, as it was already daytime when she woke up. The morning rays prated the curtains andnded upon Zong Yue¡¯s face, highlighting his already lusciously red lips and sparkly fair skin. He was dressed in white and was resting on a pure-white fox fur rug. He appeared like a ball of snow-cloud, so pure and clean that those on the highest mountain peaks. Yuan Zhaoxu was a nobly graceful man who had much poise. Zhan Beiye was fresh and had a powerful bearing. Yun Hen was as tall as a tree, his eyes as fiery as meteors. All three were rare characters whom Meng Fuyao was fortunate enough to have gotten acquainted with. Having seen such beautiful faces, she hadn¡¯t imagined it possible for her to be blown away by another man¡¯s appearance. Yet, Zong Yue had managed to do exactly that. The wlessplexion of his took her breath away and left her in sighs. As Meng Fuyao was done admiring his features, she shook her head and crawled out of the carriage. ¡°Where are you going?¡± a voice sounded from behind her. ¡°I have something urgent to attend to, Brother Zong. We¡¯ll part ways now,¡± Meng Fuyao turned to answer. ¡°I¡¯ll always be thankful for your utmost generosity. Farewell.¡± Zong Yue lifted his eyes to look at her, a smile slowly forming. ¡°Why leave after a simple thanks then?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°A Vessel of Spring is extremely precious,¡± he reminded. ¡°Most don¡¯t realize that it has healing ingredients like snow lotus herbs, blood-headed crows and jade cicadas in it. Kept underground through the winter months and only opened in spring. Cures illnesses rted to the meridians of the body.¡± ¡°So?¡± asked while Meng Fuyao picking her brows. She felt that something was amiss. ¡°Remember the pot we drank yesterday? King De of Zhongzhou had someone pass it to me. He has overtrained his body. His energy and blood flow are in a dangerous state, and he had contacted me out of desperation. I have sought out the three ingredients, and am on the way back to prepare the wine.¡± He extended his long finger and pointed at the empty pot before adding, ¡°But what happenedst night? A robber blocked my path and plundered this pot of rare wine that was supposed to save another life.¡± Chapter 40 - Whos Teaching Whom? Chapter 40: Who¡¯s Teaching Whom? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao gritted her teeth, ring at him. Had she really described him as clean, pure, sparkly and wless just a moment ago? Zong Yue maintained a calm expression on his face. After some thought, Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°The pot is indeed empty, but I did not see any Vessel of Spring. And robber, you say? I am a wanderer that you had weed to stay for the night. Have you heard of anyone inviting a plunderer into their carriage to journey together?¡± She finished with a crisp tone, pping her hands and preparing to leave upon finishing her sentence. ¡°As for the disappearance of your wine¡­ ask your tummy,¡± she advised with augh. ¡°King De is temperamental and will take revenge, no matter how small an offense,¡± Zong Yue¡¯s calm voice reached her ears. ¡°So?¡± ¡°He¡¯s sure to fly into a rage when he finds out that someone has gobbled down his life-saving wine. Yeah¡­ heard that his troop, Scarlet Wind, is trained to track and assassinate¡­¡± Meng Fuyao, who had lifted the curtain midway, paused. After a long while, she flung it downward with more force than necessary before whipping around and shouting, ¡°So many tricks just to make me stay? Fine.¡± She took a big step backward and mmed onto the chair behind her. She opened the secretpartment in the table and pulled a dried fish, ham, bamboo shoot, lotus pastry from within. Upon gathering them in front of her, she shamelessly retrieved a jade cup and a pair of silver chopsticks and started digging in like never before. ¡°Wanna keep me? Feed me well. I expect nothing less than this meal from now on, and you can just gift this set of utensils to me. I don¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve used them before. As for clothes¡­ that overcoat is great, but I don¡¯t like the white color on it. It¡¯s cheesy, so get me a ck one. That¡¯s all for now.¡± Zong Yue fiddled with his purple nt as he responded, ¡°Alright, but you can¡¯t get all that for nothing? Look at yourself, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re too plump?¡± Meng Fuyao opened and closed her mouth a few times, but nothing came out. ¡®I¡¯m plump? I¡¯m plump? Am I plump? I have great curves, right where they should be. Are your eyes okay?¡¯ The man before her made one feel cleansed, but why were his words so filthy? What a poisonous tongue, not fit for his pure-white robe. Still unrecovered from shock, she converted anger into hunger, quickly sweeping the tes in front of her clean before replying with a cold smirk, ¡°Even if I die from obesity, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°It is my business,¡± replied Zong Yue, unmoved. ¡°My servant shouldn¡¯t be too ugly, plump, skinny or pretty.¡± ¡°Your servant? Who?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated with more emphasis, narrowing her eyes. Not answering her question, Zong Yue first sized her up, nodding reluctantly. ¡°Not too bad. You¡¯re not pretty, neither smart nor too foolish, but your weight¡­ can be reduced.¡± Meng Fuyao bit on her lips for a long while before smiling and nodding. ¡°Not too bad. You¡¯re not pretty, not smart, slightly plump. You¡¯re obviously a vulgar man who dresses all holy and kind, exudes a softness like that of snow, but owning a nasty character; lying and setting others up¡­you have a ton of shorings, but I believe you can change for the better.¡± She let out a smile that could make one¡¯s blood run cold as she added slowly, ¡°I will spend some time and effort to teach you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zong Yue agreed, not the least bit angered. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s teaching whom,¡± he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not an ordinary servant, and I expect a treatment no less worthy of my ss!¡± Meng Fuyao protested, squatting before the door of King De¡¯s courtyard, Fragrant Garden, in an eastern alley of Zhongzhou City and swinging her servant uniform about. Not getting any reaction from within the house, Yao Xun turned to hold her in ce. ¡°Aye, you kinda deserve this for drinking their priceless wine, Miss Meng. Aren¡¯t you going overboard..?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Meng Fuyao shut him up. ¡°He¡¯s always acting like he¡¯s kind and guileless¡­I want him to admit defeat.¡± She started climbing up the windows, but they were shut tight. She then started jabbing the paper screen. Jab, jab, jab¡­ pop, pop, pop¨C¨C¨C the screen window quickly turned into a honey bee¡¯s nest. The beautiful image of the cold night wind sting through these holes and attacking a certain someone¡¯s body pleased her very much. ¡®More holes, more holes¡­¡¯ ¡°Ouch!¡± She felt a sharp pain shooting up her finger as if she had been pricked by a needle. She hastily retracted her hand and spotted a bead of blood oozing out. ¡°An ambush? Seriously? What a vile person indeed!¡± The window opened quietly, and Zong Yue sat by the ledge, his white robe fluttering in contrast against the falling maple leaves, whose deep red color and jagged yellow outlines were still visible through the frost. There was paleness amid the fresh, bright colors, allowing Zong Yue to blend perfectly with his background yet stand out with his prominent features. There was a hollow needle in between his fingers, and he looked deep in thought at the blood within. ¡°I met a divine woman, Lady Fei Yan in Fufeng once, who asked me to inform her if I ever chanced upon a 17-year-old virgin who¡¯s practicing supreme subliminal skills. She¡¯s been searching for this exceptional individual for many years but to no avail.¡± He shook the needle in his hand without looking at Meng Fuyao. ¡°She wants the Sacrificial Blood Body, and I¡¯ve tried many, but they were all unsuitable. Wonder if this is the one?¡± he mumbled. Meng Fuyao crouched under the window,ughing in response. ¡°What else can you do other than threatening and framing others?¡± Zong Yue looked up, tossing a basket to her and saying, ¡°I¡¯ll let you see what I can do now. Please pluck and gather the soft tips of the Paris Polyphy nt, and mash them in the cauldron. I¡¯ll need them. Remember, as fine as powder and only the softest tips.¡± Meng Fuyao pointed her nose toward the sky, producing no other reaction. Instead, Yao Xun rushed forward to haul her away. ¡°You pluck it then,¡± Meng Fuyao grumbled and kicked the floor on the way out, her gaze reaching the grass by the path. ¡°Aye, this grass looks exactly like Paris Polyphy¡­ Hey, collect and grind them, and give it to Zong Yue. Didn¡¯t he tell me to see what he can do? Let¡¯s see if he can recognize the difference.¡± Before Yao Xun could reply, she waved. ¡°I¡¯ll go walk around.¡± Zhongzhou hadn¡¯t failed its name as the number one bustling city within the whole of the Five Region Continent. It was a mid-to-high-walled city, rich and still flourishing, where citizens enjoyed living leisurely and with satisfaction. From the youngdies selling flowers on the streets to the tea brewer in inns, from the loud officials in the inn to the merchants from different nations in the market, and from the fluttering red sleeves in the brothels to the slowly spreading fragrance of cosmetic powder, wine and meat in the gambling stalls, it could be seen that this city was an all-embracing and diverse one. ording to a very romantic saying by a famous wandering minstrel, a stable and secure city was no different from a bold and powerful man who possessed an influential and firm aura. Zhongzhou was like an intellectual and wise youth who indulged in refined education and an elegant, romantic life. Meng Fuyao walked aimlessly on the street, casually buying little things along the way. She had money now, and while Zong Yue wasn¡¯t any good, he had provided her with sufficient resources. If not for the fact that he had taken responsibility for her meals and amodation, she would¡¯ve attempted to run away long ago. She continued strolling, eventually passing the main street. The crowd thinned out, and the paths gradually became more spacious. In front of her, stood an exquisitely extravagant buildingplex. It looked nothing like a pce, and its walls were so short that she could easily jump over. There were still scattered homes around, and Meng Fuyao pulled a passerby over. It was an old man, who replied kindly, ¡°You must be from another ce. This is the temporary imperial residence of the crown prince.¡± ¡°The crown prince?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated, evidently shocked. ¡°There are people other than the emperor who can do that?¡± ¡°Is Wuji crown prince just any people? He had long obtained power from the nation, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before he ascends the throne,¡± the old man exined, slightly displeased by now. ¡°ording to your logic, only the emperor deserves an honorific title? Doesn¡¯t the crown prince of Wuji have one too?¡± ¡°Oh? What honorific title?¡± asked Meng Fuyao heedlessly. ¡°Looks like Zhangsun Wuji is quite popr at home too.¡± ¡°Is that something we¡¯re fit to mention?¡± the old man hurried forward. ¡°Just look around here,dy. The crown prince seldomes over. It¡¯s a quiet ce here, and from the looks of it, he isn¡¯t in at the moment.¡± He then pointed at the low pce wall and continued, ¡°See that wall? There are various kinds of herbs nted in the garden. They¡¯re free for the poor and sick to use; all they have to do is climb over and gather what they need. It¡¯s actually not that difficult to meet with the crown prince, but people choose not to disturb.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered. ¡°An assassin can easily infiltrate.¡± As she saw the herbs in the garden, Meng Fuyao got an idea ¨C¡¯Steal, sell, money?¡¯ Soon after, a sneaky girl could be seen entering the garden. A minuteter, as she straightened her back, a big, full sack bulged out from her clothes. Meng Fuyao knew medicine, so she had picked only the most valuable ones, and was nning to sell them to Zong Yue to earn a hefty sum. The weather turned slightly warmer half a dayter, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands were muddied. She nced about, searching for some water to wash her hands. Finally, she spotted a rockery with a pond. Opposite the pond stood a metallic red tree that bloomed ck flowers. She frowned, noting that it resembled the Green-Red Soul Tree, whose bark was a quality herb that could help with energy cultivation and her Nine Cleaving Heavens. Greed took over her mind, and she slowly inched toward it. However, before she could reach the target, two golden armor-d guards appeared from behind the rockery and blocked her path with a pair of spears. ¡°Behind is His Highness¡¯s hall. If you¡¯re here to gather herbs, you can¡¯t pass through.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes to the side before giggling. ¡°I can¡¯t go over, Brothers. But can I climb up the rockery to have a quick glimpse? I would like to see how it looks like and share it with my family.¡± Chapter 41 - Beauty In the Lake Chapter 41: Beauty In the Lake Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The guards exchanged looks. They had heard all kinds of weird requests before so such wasn¡¯t foreign to them. A guard obliged with a smile. ¡°Go then, don¡¯t fall.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Meng Fuyao bowed. As she passed the guards, she flicked her fingers, causing both to instantly copse to the ground. ¡°Wow, Zhangsun Wuji, you taught them really well, I¡¯m impressed¡­ how obedient of them,¡± muttered Meng Fuyao. Not spotting any other guards close by, Meng Fuyao quickly reached the top of the rockery, not casting the prince¡¯s hall a second nce. Under the vast sky, her body could be seen jumping forward with her arms out, and into the pond. ¡°Freestyle! Here Ie!¡± Still, in midair, she flicked her fingers, and a broadleaf flew out, brushing across the water surface. With a flip of her body, shended lightly on the leaf, on the tip of a foot. Only a fool would jump into the water on a cold day like that. Meng Fuyao happily scanned her surroundings and noted that there was another view behind the rockery. Before, she had only noticed a corner of the pool, but now, she realized that it wasn¡¯t a small artificial pond but ake with jade-clear water that reflected all the strange-looking stones around. The fragrance of the vast stretch of camellia bloomed along with their deep red, pinkish-red, faint red and silk-white petals. Mixed in with those were exquisite Japanese allspices and Indian azaleas, their colors splendid and eye-catching. In the center of theke stood a jade-white pavilion that directly led to a long, emerald-green corridor, which was made from bamboo. It was a wonder that the rippling waves hadn¡¯t been able to strip off its beautiful color. Reflecting the bamboo¡¯s mild hues, the crystal clearke water produced a refreshing and pleasing spectacle. The wind grazed past, creating folds in the wateryers and activating the bells hanging from the pavilion interior. The muslin ruffled, dream-like, in the wind, and amid it danced a human figure. The figure¡¯s head was lowered as it was ying the zither. The zither¡¯s music was clear and melodious, while its every note sounded like the tumbling of strings of beads into the water. Yet, the fingers that produced that solid tune were uncharacteristically beautiful and slender. Meng Fuyao inhaled a deep breath, her chest instantly being inted with the cool winter fragrance. ¡°This is nice,¡± she muttered unknowingly. Broad leaves shot out non-stop from between her fingers as she continued advancing toward the pavilion. However, she stopped midway, as she sensed a dangerous aura floating in the air. It was an incorporeal presence, everywhere within the nts. It drifted amid the breeze and moonlight and along the fluttering of the flower petals, and it was pressing in at a steady rate. But it was definitely quiet, save for the zither¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s train of thought snapped. ¡®Right, why isn¡¯t there any other sound? Where are the natural sounds? The wind? The insects?¡¯ Meng Fuyao flew on, but her mind froze. She could feel the murderous aura all around, except for the person in the pavilion, whose whole body was free from it. It was her only point of breakthrough. The woman inside was probably the crown prince¡¯s entertainer and had no martial arts background. There wasn¡¯t anyone in this residence, but there seemed to be an ancient formation. Since Meng Fuyao had already charged her way in, the only exit was through. The figure, vaguely concealed by the muslin, seemed to have noticed her as well. Her fingers stopped for a second before loosening, and a distant-sounding note rolled through the air, deep and thick. The encircling aura had dispersed, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s body rxed instantly as if being freed from shackles. It was utterly refreshing. She looked toward the hazy figure beyond the muslin and let out a sneaky smirk. ¡®You know I¡¯m harmless, don¡¯t you, Beauty? Heh heh.¡¯ As Meng Fuyao had calcted her movements in advance, she flicked forward thest piece of broadleaf that would get her to the pavilion. The beauty¡¯s graceful swaying of the head along with the music made it look as though he was casting nces over at Meng Fuyao, which cheered thetter increasingly. ¡®Almost¡­ almost¡­¡¯ The muslin was lifted, revealing not a beauty¡¯s slender fingers but a fat ball of white fur. ¡°p!¡± A rock flew out,nding on the broadleaf, which caused it to spin out of control but without sinking. Rather than assessing the situation in the pavilion, Meng Fuyao set her gaze upon the leaf, not wanting to be steered away from her calcted scope. ¡°Where¡¯s this trouble-causing rascal?¡± she shouted while doing a flip in midair. However, as the rock had been dipped in an extremely corrosive poison, the leaf was already shriveled by then. Seeing that there was nonding space, Meng Fuyao did another flip before running out of energy and plopping right into the water. The white furball immediately dropped its catapult, grabbing onto its tummy and squeaking in delight before disappearing between the muslin again. Apletely wet head shot out from theke water. Hair t against her forehead and ginger juice half wiped from her face, Meng Fuyao looked no different from a water ghost. Creasing her brows, she cursed, ¡°Which scoundrel? Come out,e out!¡± The squeakings got louder in response. Meng Fuyao pricked her ears up and followed in the direction of the squeaks. As she was about to climb up a bamboo pir, someone pulled the muslin aside,ughing. ¡°Why do you always look so pitiful, Fuyao?¡± The voice was low yet familiarly cheerful. Stunned, Meng Fuyao tightened her grip on the pole. ¡°Snap.¡± She lifted her head, and at this point, the muslin had already been rolled up by a servant. The owner of that graceful voice smiled lightly at her. His hands were on the zither strings while his crow-ck hair and purple robe were fluttering softly in the wind. As enchanting as the quiet waters and glowing moon, he appeared like a drifting cloud from up above the skies; absolutely brilliant and aesthetical. ¡®A beauty indeed¡­ a beautiful man.¡¯ The ¡®beauty¡¯ propped his zither up before approaching Meng Fuyao. His emerging presence left her heart palpitating and breaths choppy. Now that he was merely a few inches away from her face, she could almost feel his longshes ruffling between them as a wave of light fragrance hit her together with the cool breeze. ¡°Haven¡¯t you given me enough trouble..?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled. Before her voice fell she let out an unmorous and careless sneeze. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s lips curled up, his long, fair arm reaching out toward Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyesnded on his palm. His skin was smooth, and every palm line was clearly visible. His wisdom line was straight and long ¡ª exceptional wisdom. His heart line was rather deep but slightly entangled¡­ How many marriage lines? Thoughts rushed through her mind, and the man above broke into a smile. Yuan Zhaoxu lifted a finger, sending Meng Fuyao into the air. Her body formed an arc at the highest point before being directed toward the other side of the muslin. Amid her fall she spotted the real culprit, who had the catapult beneath his feet. When the culprit saw her, he broke into a run. Meng Fuyao pounced on it like a wolf, grabbing it viciously despite its desperate struggles. She brought it up to her face and started rubbing her face with it. ¡°Huhu, Yuan Bao, I¡¯ve missed you so much¡­¡± she cried, using Yuan Bao as a wiping cloth. Lord Yuan Bao wiggled and squirmed but to no avail. He cried for Yuan Zhaoxu to save him from the devil¡¯s w but to no avail. Thetter continued watching passively by the side, no different from when Meng Fuyao had fallen into the water. When Meng Fuyao was finally done expressing her unending admiration and yearning for Lord Yuan Bao, the noble-born guinea pig had turned patchy yellow and wet. Meng Fuyao had already wiped the dirt and juice on her face clean. Only then did she willingly release the fat furball, but not without crushing the d*mned catapult. Lord Yuan Bao rushed to a corner of the pavilion and looked into a reflective pearl, immediately letting out a painful screech. ¡°Plop.¡± A small ripple emerged from the water as Lord Yuanbao himself had jumped in for a bath. As Meng Fuyao had taken her revenge, she turned to look at Yuan Zhaoxu, who was leaning against the tform. He raised a hand and his light purple robe rolled out like a swift ball of cloud, quickly binding Meng Fuyao tightly. Then, he pped his hand to get the attention of the servants. A servant girl appeared unhurriedly with a mini yet borate oven. Heat radiated throughout the pavilion, and she moved on to draw the thicker curtains together and kept them in ce with rocks, constructing a temporary dressing room. Another servant girl approached with a set of dry clothes. Yuan Zhaoxu personally received and flipped them around, as if searching for something within, before handing them over to Meng Fuayo. ¡°Very sweet of you. How rare¡­¡± shemented. As she was about to enter the changing area she heard him ask, ¡°Mind changing together?¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head around. A whole wave of curses was ready to be unleashed in response to his erotic request. Yet, all she saw was him reaching his hand toward the water and allowing a drenched and constantly sneezing guinea pig climb up his arm. Annoyed by his deliberate misrepresentation, Meng Fuyao¡¯s face turned jet ck. Nevertheless, she was able to gloat over Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s pitiful plight. It was great seeing him run about naked in the cold. His white fur was dripping wet. Meng Fuyao flicked Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s pink belly, provoking him to bite her, which she then easily avoided before dashing into the changing room,ughing to her heart¡¯s content. Chapter 42 - The Smells of Life Chapter 42: The Smells of Life Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Through it all, Yuan Zhaoxu rested on his chair and continued enjoying the pair¡¯s endless squabble even in the changing room. ¡°How was the bath? Refreshing?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Can you speak like a human?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Oh right, you¡¯re a guinea pig, sorry sorry¡­¡± ¡°Squeak!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu crooked his head and listened, his eyes curling into two crescents. It was genuine and warm, unlike his usually deep and hazy smile. His gaze lingered on the curtain. The fire from the oven cast a statuesque silhouette. He could see her long, slim back and trimmed, delicate shoulders. The width of her chest tapered down to her thin waist in a smooth curve before extending out to her pear-shaped hips in yet another charming arc. She was absolutely beautiful. Amid the cold winter and inside the warm pavilion with the spring-like curtains was standing a certain someone, not knowing that her body had been scanned thoroughly. Meng Fuyao turned to her side, casting an alluring outline of her breasts. It was hard to imagine that such a well-bnced and perfect figure actually existed. Yuan Zhaoxu slowly diverted his gaze to theke and smiled. ¡°Does the tube top fit?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The figure behind the curtain jumped before scuttling in panic, seeking out the hole through which Yuan Zhaoxu must have been peeping. Making a round and not spotting any gap between the curtains, she soon figured it out and hurriedly put out the me from the charcoals. The changing room dimmed, and the feminine body could no longer be seen. Yuan Zhaoxu kept the smile on his face, nevertheless. Unbeknown to Meng Fuyao, the charcoals were made from sago palms, found only on the highest, snow-peaked mountains. The mes they produced were solid and condensed, not something any average being could handle. Even with her strong martial art background, Meng Fuyao wouldn¡¯t be able to hold it any much longer. She had turned it off at the perfect timing. Yuan Zhaoxu grabbed his jade-white cup and sat downzily. His head was directed at the vast sky as he was waiting. A short whileter the curtains were lifted, and Meng Fuyao strode out, frustrated. She red at Yuan Zhaoxu with her big, crow-ck eyes but was ignored. The intended recipient simply raised his cup, asking, ¡°Does it fit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s slightly big,¡± she answered with ck lines on her face. Not speaking, Yuan Zhaoxu took his time to sip and savor the wine. As she was feeling pleased over his silence a murmur shot through her eardrums, ¡°Impossible, I¡¯ve felt those curves¡­ Have your breasts shrunk?¡± Meng Fuyao blinked a few times before throwing her head toward the sky and letting out a deep breath, determined not to start another verbal war. She plopped down beside him and, without permission, poured a cup of wine for herself. ¡°Aren¡¯t you despicable? Why didn¡¯t you save me earlier?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more pleasurable in life than witnessing a beauty fall into the water. It¡¯s a feast for the eyes, and I get to offer clothes and warmth. If the beauty catches a cold, I get to offer a bed, hot tea, and my attention. Am I foolish enough to pass such a wonderful opportunity?¡± Meng Fuyao had been sitting on standby, ready to strangle him if he was stupid enough to mock her. Yet, his answer was so precise that it made her blush. While he sounded half-serious and half-teasing, his eyes were clear and sparkly. It was as if all the water from theke had been drawn into them. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she got reminded of the little moment they had shared on the night in the Taiyuan Pce ¨C the deeply meaningful way he had fixed his slightly smiley gaze on her, and those hazeyered eyes of his that carried a certain mystery she hadn¡¯t dared to puncture. Or rather, she hadn¡¯t been willing to. She let out a noiseless breath before downing her cup. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she digressed, cing the cup back onto the table. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t expected to meet Yuan Zhaoxu in Wuji, but she hadn¡¯t imagined their reunion to happen that soon. It felt more probable that a certain someone had calcted her arrival and specially waited for her. The thought left her mind as quickly as it came. How would he know that he wasing to Wuji? And how could he have guessed that she woulde to this pce residence? It had been an impromptu decision on her part. She thought about this and that until she received an answer. ¡°I¡¯m the official in charge of the Cann residence and also the advisor of the crown prince¡¯s Shangyang Pce.¡± ¡°Oh, Official Yuan.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Not going to take me on a tour around this pce?¡± ¡°There will be a chance in the future,¡± he responded while holding her hand. ¡°Go somewhere with me now. You¡¯ll be interested.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°A brothel.¡± There existed a type of people who spoke and did things different from the rest, and Yuan Zhaoxu was one of them. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t met any man who could so tantly suggest a visit to the brothel before the girl of his interest. ¡®Alright then¡­¡¯ thought Meng Fuyao sourly. It was an one-sided affair. When had he ever expressed his liking toward her anyway? ¡®Alright then¡­¡¯ She told herself again inwardly. Yes, she was into him but had no desire to pursue anything. Love and a romantic rtionship weren¡¯t a part of her ns. Was there a need to feel depressed? She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around those thoughts and became increasingly vexed, eventually giving herself a tight p on the cheek. Appearing not noticing her strange act, Yuan Zhaoxu simply smiled. Lord Yuan Bao drilled his head out from Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s robe, his eyes lighting up upon seeing Meng Fuyao p herself. He jumped out and offered her another p. Caught off guard, that p instantly awakened all the rage within her. Yet, Lord Yuanbao continued baring his teeth and squeaking non-stop. Yuan Zhaoxu stepped in to trante. ¡°He¡¯s saying that you look even more beautiful now that it¡¯s bnced on both sides.¡± Meng Fuyao was struck dumb. She extended her hand toward Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s mouth and plucked a strand of fur. ¡°It¡¯s symmetrical now.¡± While the pair red on at each other, Yuan Zhaoxu looked up, his eyes deep and profound, at the exquisitely inscribed board above. Richspring Pavilion. Richspring Pavilion was Zhongzhou¡¯s biggest money squandering establishment. It had the best wine, food, music, and beauties. The owner of the building wasn¡¯t local. He was a big merchant named Tory, who hade from the seaside of the Gaoluo Nation. He had brought a lot of gold and made his way across the sea and spent generously in order to pass through respective bureaucrats in all corners of Zhongzhou. He had started operating the Richspring Pavilion within a few months of his arrival. On the first day of opening, he had his high-nosed, and pale-skinned westerndy dancers steal the attention of all customers. The business had flourished since then. It was said that the owner wasn¡¯t the one who had named his own building. He had paid countless visits, each with precious gifts like antique gold watches, in order to get Master Bai, the crown prince¡¯s attendant, to create and inscribe a name on the board. In the Wuji Nation, anyone or anything associated with the crown prince possessed a high status worth envying. The fact that the boss of the Richspring Pavilion had managed to get his hands on such a treasure meant that his building and his own value had gone up immediately as well. As soon as the group entered the hall, they were attacked by the fragrance of meat and wine mixed with bad breath, body odor and other turbid smells all at once. Those smells, good and bad, were joined by endless waves ofughter and yelling. Red scarves and jade-green sleeves fluttered about on the first floor while western belly dancers filled the second. Gambling and drinking happened on the third floor, and as for the fourth floor¡­ it was quiet. A pimp approached and greeted them, to which Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and requested, ¡°Something fresh and tender.¡± With a bow, the pimpughed. ¡°Fourth floor, please!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu pulled Meng Fuyao, who had disguised herself as a male, with him. She dug her nails into the flesh of his palm, thinking to herself, ¡®Good job, good job. You¡¯re a regr, aren¡¯t you? Code word and all.¡¯ She finally caught his attention after a long time. He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, ¡°Are you jealous, Fuyao?¡± The way her name rolled off his tongue so smoothly and teasingly turned her face beet red. She replied with a hardened voice, ¡°I meant to ask what¡¯s ¡®tender.''¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon,¡± he replied with a smile. Although Meng Fuyao felt gloomy over his invitation to visit the brothel, she knew that it wasn¡¯t his intention to indulge in these vices. She followed him to the fourth floor, which was luxuriously decorated,parable to that of a prince¡¯s hall. Waiters brought dishes and wine to the table, and soon after, Lord Yuan Bao got drunk and fell asleep while holding onto two jujubes. Meng Fuyao and Yuan Zhaoxu drank on. She had always prided herself as a good drinker and had sworn to take him down in an alcohol battle. Unexpectedly, Yuan Zhaoxu drank on and on, strangely bing increasingly sober. His eyes lit up more and more while Meng Fuyao only felt a strengthening urge to cry. Nevertheless, she never was one to give up easily. The more she drank, the more energetic and aggressive she became. She started drinking from the chair but had moved on to the table and then to the rostrum where the wines were ced. A pile of exquisitely painted wine jars was gathered beneath her feet as Meng Fuyao raised yet another one toward Yuan Zhaoxu. ¡°Drink up! Till our stomachs¡­ hole¡­ rot.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu remained seated throughout. The way he grabbed the pots was indescribably elegant, and there was definitely an obvious disparity between the auras of both individuals. The curtains slid to the side, and a group of lovely looking girls entered. Meng Fuyao was already tongue-tied from the alcohol by then. She held onto Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s sleeves, slurring, ¡°Put on¡­ female clothes, alright? For me to see. You¡¯ll look stunning¡­¡± The girls exchanged nces while Meng Fuyao looked up. ¡°Hah!¡± she let out, intoxicated while pointing at them. ¡°¡­whose¡­ Lolita¡­ wrong door¡­ right..?¡± The girls looked extremely young, and Meng Fuyao was convinced that the ages of all four girls did not add up to 40. The youngest one did not even look as she had gone through her puberty! ¡®6 or 7 at most? Is this a brothel or a childcare center?¡¯ Meng Fuyao burped, feeling the heaviness of her head intensify. She swayed back and forth, taking in the colors within her field of vision. In her eyes, the curtains were flying, and thedies were spinning. She looked on as Yuan Zhaoxu approached and had a conversation with the youngest girl. The kids first shook their heads and then started crying and kneeling down before him. Chapter 43 - Drunk at a Brothel Chapter 43: Drunk at a Brothel Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®Damn, child prostitution¡­¡¯ That was Meng Fuyao¡¯s final thought before dropping to the area under the table. Everything was spinning. The dark red curtains were spinning, the ivory couches were spinning, the sparkly beaded curtains were spinning¡­ Even Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s unreasonably beautiful face was spinning. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes midway, attempting as hard as she could to grasp that spinning beauty amid a messy pile of items. Yet, her body was as soft as cotton, and she was unable to catch it. She muttered between sighs, ¡°Darn¡­ not again¡­¡± Sleeves ruffled the next moment, followed by a whiff of faint fragrance as if someone had sat down beside her. ¡°Not again..?¡± a low, gentle voice sounded. A fair, slightly cool, finger reached forward to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face. She then felt a warm, scented towel hugging her face, its temperature perfect. The sweat that had gathered on her forehead was wiped off, leaving a tingly sensation on her skin when the midnight breeze blew in. She could almost feel her pores opening up to embrace it. She let out a satisfying sigh, fondly grabbing onto the hand that was about to leave her face and rubbing it against her own hand, mumbling, ¡°¡­I can¡¯t have what I want¡­¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± the voice floated dreamily within her head, causing her to sink further into ecstasy. ¡°I want¡­¡± Meng Fuyao murmured softly, her words unclear from thirst. They were so slurred that the person beside her had to lean forward and closer to her lips. What he hadn¡¯t expected was for Meng Fuyao to whip her head around, uratelynding her tender red lips right onto his. Their lips brushed lightly and unintentionally, but it felt as though an electric arc had risen from the horizon and exited the reign of time and space, arriving deep within their bodies and sending shockwaves right through their rippling hearts. It felt so soft yet agitating, so still yet stormy. For a moment Yuan Zhaoxu turned stiff, but he gradually loosened up and smiled. He extended a finger to caress Meng Fuyao¡¯s smooth and hot face, moving it along her beautiful brows, eyes, nose, lips¡­ Meng Fuyao unconsciously mumbled throughout his touch, still basking in the warmth and joy his lips had brought her. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s light strokes tickled her, evoking a bout of giggles. She sped both arms around his neck, and his soft lips zoomed steadily into sight. She pulled him in and bit on them. She did not stop there. With her eyes closed, she went on to pinch his cheek, pulling it back and forth, mumbling, ¡°Why do you always win..? Not fun. Can you lose at something?¡± From being bitten to being pulled, Yuan Zhaoxu had fallen into a state of confusion and fascination. He raised a finger up to the corner of his mouth, its fairness enhanced by the blooming red color of his lips. In spite of them being slightly swollen, he half-smiled while observing the drunken girl in front of him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wha¡­what?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s smile deepened without answering. He held her hand down before covering her with a quilt. He opened his mouth after a long while, his gaze lingering on her face. The moon outside the window looked at this moment like a gentle plum flower, and it was coupled with the babbling stream flowing from the rockery and into the jade-clear waters. The moon¡¯s reflection, visible through the ripples, resembled that of a beautiful young girl. The night was quiet and peaceful. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s voice was low and cushy, no different from the asional and gentle breeze that passed through the window slits. ¡°This answer¡­ you¡¯ll get to it one day.¡± Meng Fuyao knew not where the breeze came from, but she was swaying along with it¡­ there seemed to be an ancient temple located on top of a faraway mountain, but it vanished as soon as it appeared¡­ her body was limp, and she got to see a beautifully woven mattress¡­ it was misty¡­ she was underwater¡­ An aged hand reached out¡­ low voice and pitiful sighs¡­ she caught a glimpse of purple light seeping into a dusky, remote space¡­ fear took over her, extreme fear¡­ a de ray struck, exploding in brightness, and mild features of a face could be seen amid it¡­ drifting the next moment¡­ like a dandelion being blown across the highest of mountains¡­nding on her face, tickling her ever so lightly. ¡®Tickles¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao raised a finger to brush the itchy spot ¨C¨C¨C ¡®Ah, why so ticklish?¡¯ She opened her eyes slowly and was greeted by a big white fluff. It was a bum rubbing against her cheek, apanied by a short fluffy tail that shook incessantly, brushing across every inch of her face. Meng Fuyaozily pushed it aside, cursing hazily, ¡°Don¡¯t leave any hair on my face.¡± Then, she closed her eyes for a while more but got increasingly doubtful. Would Yuan Bao care about her enough to wake her up? She then felt something sticky on her face, and it did not smell pleasant. She swiped a finger across it, and a dubious, slightly yellowish substance became visible on her fingertip. ¡°What is this?¡± asked Meng Fuyao with half-opened eyes. Lord Yuan Bao sat on a table far away, looking at her with a vaguely vulgar expression in his eyes. Meng Fuyao sat up, still giddy from the wine, and prepared to wash her face when the door opened suddenly. Yuan Zhaoxu entered with his usual glorious aura, while he was followed by twody servants. He smiled at Meng Fuyao, and then at Lord Yuan Bao, who had attempted to flee the moment he walked in. ¡°Cai Xiuer mentioned that you ran off after defecating and she hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to wipe your bum. Why were you in such a rush?¡± Defecating¡­ unwiped¡­ that substance¡­ ¡®Did this fellow use my face as his toilet paper? For him to wipe his stinky ass?¡¯ ¡°Ah!¡± she boomed, springing up and searching for her dagger. ¡°You¡¯re dead meat.¡± By then, Lord Yuan Bao had already made a dash for the window. Meng Fuyao waved her arm, sending the nket flying forward and smashing three vases on the way. Nevertheless, Lord Yuan Bao was slightly faster and had evaded her attack. Still boiling in anger Meng Fuyao jumped off the bed, ready to make chase, but was stopped by Yuan Zhaoxu. ¡°Careful.¡± She immediately felt her body weight liftedpletely ¨C Yuan Zhaoxu had swooped her up and back onto the bed in a split second. In the same moment, she realized that she was dressed in sleeping attire, consisting of a singlet and underpants, that wasn¡¯t appropriate to be seen in public. Her singlet was alluringly tight-fitting while her underpants were oversized and cooling. Attire like that would be considered insolent even in modern times. Unfortunately, the situation took a turn for the worse when a certain someone shamelessly wrapped his arm around her waist, leaving a burning sensation on her skin wherever he touched. There was a burning me in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes as well. The girl before him had a body to die for. It was plump yet delicate, and she had a slender neck and legs that went on for days to match. There was nothing to nitpick since no parts of her body had not been exquisitely carved. Not only did the strange clothes had not robbed her beauty, but they had also actually entuated her curves at all the right ces. While appreciating the arc of her breasts and the spotlessly fair legs under her oversized shorts, Yuan Zhaoxu could also feel the softness and flexibility of her bare waist. With regard to a body so fresh and pure, it wasn¡¯t a wonder that even the calm and honorable man couldn¡¯t help but let out a somewhat hurried breath. Her beauty had struck him head on, as a warm gust of wind on a winter night would, and he was enticed. He smiled gently, grazing a finger across his own lips as if reminiscing about a fond memory. Meng Fuyao caught the expression on his face but couldn¡¯t understand his action. Of course, she had no recollection of how she had sexually assaulted him, but it did not stop her face from turning red. She quickly reached a palm out to push him, but before she could fall onto the ground, he caught her again. At that moment, his eyes had already cleared up. ¡°There are fragments on the ground. Be careful.¡± In spite of his calm tone, his eyes righteously scanned over every bare part of Meng Fuyao¡¯s skin, instantly prompting her to slip underneath her quilt. ¡°Leave, leave, I need to change,¡± she waved forcefully. Yuan Zhaoxuughed and took his leave. As his sleek silhouette drifted pass the window, a light tap could be heard from outside. Next, the window panel was lifted with a p, and a ball of fur was tossed in. ¡°You¡¯re tarnishing my reputation by sneaking around outside. Do it openly if you want to look,¡± a voice floated from the outside, so noble, charming, and calm. The pitiful furball had been betrayed by his owner once more. His eyes opened wide in midair, but there was nothing he could do except to allow the momentum to fling him toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s bed. On itid his mortal enemy with a sinister smile on her face and wide open arms, waiting for his descent. Images of the ten biggest tortures shed past his mind¡­ ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± A desperate screech burst forth from the noble little creature as Meng Fuyao wiped off the mucus, built up from the tears ofughter, and rubbed it on his snow-white fur¡­ Early in the morning, the streets outside of King De¡¯s residence were empty and still. The sunray hit the southern perimeter wall, and on it rustled a clutter of grass before a head popped up midway. The individual looked left and right before noticing that the window shutters below were shut tight. Figuring that the owner was probably still sound asleep, the individual heaved a sigh of relief and climbed over. Yes, this individual was Meng Fuyao. Upon waking up in the Cann imperial residence, she had immediately rushed back, in order not to have Yao Xun and Zong Yue think that she had gone missing. However, before leaving, she recalled and mentioned about the few child prostitutes, only to be told by Yuan Zhaoxu that he had a reason and that she needn¡¯t think about it. With that said, there was nothing else Meng Fuyao could do. Before her other foot was over the wall, she heard a peaceful voice call out, ¡°Door¡¯s open.¡± There wasn¡¯t a need for her to climb the wall. Meng Fuyao felt embarrassed for getting drunk outside and not returning home, but she had to pass through Zong Yue¡¯s abode in order to enter her own room. It was exactly why she had chosen this wall route in the first ce. Unfortunately, her presence had been detected. Chapter 44 - Abandoned Garden Chapter 44: Abandoned Garden Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao had been caught red-handed but she chose not to flee. Instead, with a leg dangling off each side of the wall, she hugged her chest, sighing ¡°Isn¡¯t the sunshine just brilliant today?¡± A few drops of ice-cold rain fell with the howling of the wind before specks of snow drifted down. As in reveling in it, Meng Fuyao added, ¡°Perfect temperature¡­¡± Having eulogized the weather, Meng Fuyao took her own sweet time to get down, and walked toward Zong Yue¡¯s door matter-of-factly. However, she stopped before his door and sniffed around. ¡°This herb smells horrible,¡± shemented. When Meng Fuyao turned her head, she caught sight of Zong Yue sitting on the ground in a lotus position. His face was slightly pale, and there was an empty bowl on the table beside him, from which the smell was spreading. Noting that Meng Fuyao had seen it, Zong Yue withdrew his gaze. With a wave of his sleeve, the window closed, almost mming onto her nose. Meng Fuyao retreated while touching her nose. She could not help but wonder if Zong Yue was prescribing mixed herbs or if he was injured. Eventually, she decided to stay away from the secretive man. She proceeded into her room to freshen up, and Yao Xun brought in a tray of food for breakfast. Reminded of her hunger, Meng Fuyao dashed to the table and started gorging herself. She wiped her mouth clean and then asked, ¡°This green congee tastes really special. Is it made from aromatic herb-infused grains?¡± Yao Xun shrugged. ¡°No idea. Sir Zong had me bring it in for you.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao jumped, quickly operating a circtory cycle to test her energy flow. Neither sensing any anomaly nor trusting Zong Yue¡¯s character, she sat back down, racking her brains. ¡°Have you given him the fake herbs?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Yao Xun, somewhat pleased. ¡°I had nned to get the real leaves, but those were tough and difficult to pound. The fake ones were much easier to smash, so I gave those to him, and he didn¡¯t seem to notice. Holy doctor? Ahah.¡± Halfway through his exnation Meng Fuyao had already sprinted out of the room. Puzzled, Yao Xun followed behind, only to see her squatting before the grass and wailing. ¡°D*mn¡­ Yin Yang Grass¡­ am I blind¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s knees touched the ground, and her butt was protruded as she whimpered and dug into the soil. Her eyes were wide open. In between digging, she would touch her face ¨C The Ying Yang Grass had the ability to reverse one¡¯s energy. For a Yang person, it could cure diseases involving deficiencies, but for a Yin person, the grass would cause a spike in Yang energy in the form of e, which would keep growing in size unless treated with medicine. She had injured her foot while lifting a rock and dropping it identally. Hence, she was left with no choice but toy sprawled on the ground to search for the antidote, which was also the seed of the Yin Yang Grass. The seeds were extremely tiny and well-dispersed so she wasn¡¯t able to gather enough for a single application. Meng Fuyao sighed, straightening her back before turning toward Zong Yue¡¯s house. She gritted her teeth and shot a million daggers into his house, only to remember that he had gone out to cure King De¡¯s illness and wasn¡¯t in to see it. As she was looking down in anger, Meng Fuyao remembered an abandoned garden that she had passed by a few days ago. In that garden was an abundance of Yin Yang Grass, and she figured that it would be easier to gather seeds. She dragged Yao Xun to the northwestern corner of King De¡¯s residence, where the abandoned garden was situated. From afar the walls appeared to be peeled off while its roof was torn and tattered. Nevertheless, they were well-constructed, enough to attract spiders toy their webs. The dried tree branches dangling over the walls swayed in the winter breeze, producing a gloomy and heavy atmosphere. The duo quickly located the Yin Yang Grass and got to work. A long whileter, as they were about to leave with a sufficient amount of seeds, Yao Xun stopped. ¡°There seems to be someone living in this garden, Miss Meng.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and was shocked to spot a white garment hanging off a branch. The strong winds must have blown it over. It was already odd that this declining garden existed in King De¡¯s luxurious residence in the first ce, but the fact that someone was residing in it was astonishing. Meng Fuyao took a few steps forward and pushed the door, but it was locked. Its lock waspletely rusted. After some thought, she went on to climb the wall. Yao Xun tried to pull her down but was he was kicked to the ground instead. Meng Fuyaonded on the other side, immediately noticing that it was in a worse condition than the garden. There were weeds and dried up flowers growing everywhere. They were even covering half the door. As Meng Fuyao walked on through the quiet surroundings, her breathing became audible. Her gaze fell upon the door knocker. It was a pair of exquisite-looking bells, engraved with sumptuous decorative designs. Of course, the grooves were ck, and the bells were covered in dirt. The wind blew, but the bells were still. Amid the dead silence, the friction between the rubbing of dried leaves on the ground produced a hissing sound like that of a snake. A loud, mournful voice broke the silence. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji! You impure-blooded, scheming plotter!¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice, so hoarse, menacing and blood-filled that it could almost numb one¡¯s senses. Rip! The window screen beside Meng Fuyao broke, and a pair of thin, ck hands shot out to grab Meng Fuyao¡¯s left shoulder. At the same time, the sharp voice rang, ¡°¡­you¡¯re here, you¡¯re here! Let¡¯s die together, hahaha¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s pupils shrank. The hands clutching onto her arm were bony and veiny. There was also dirt under her fingernails and brown spots all over. It was a pair of heroic yet weakened hands. In fact, the hands did not even get a steady grip of Meng Fuyao. They were shaking in the wind, but still ceaselessly attempting to dig into her skin. Meng Fuyao flicked a finger, sending a wisp of wind force to whip those ghastly ws backward. Immediately after, a husky shout reverberated throughout the room interior, and before it fell, Meng Fuyao had already entered through the door. The interior was, as expected, in a state so poor that Meng Fuyao was convinced it was the room of a lunatic. Things were thrown all over the floor, and theyer of dust that had already gathered was a few inches thick. The girl was dressed in tattered, dull clothes, her hair draping down messily and her body releasing a sour odor. Meng Fuyao caught sight of a broken bed nearby, and on it were blotches of light and dark yellow stains; the smell was overwhelming. Upon closer inspection, Meng Fuyao identified the stains as excrement. The girl stared, panic-stricken, at Meng Fuyao. Her hair was half covering her frantically darting eyes. Her goblinish eyes were luminous and restless amid the deste environment. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji¡­ you demon¡­¡± The voice trilled through space, eerily quiet and filled with hatred. From the tone of her voice, if Zhangsun Wuji were present, the woman would most definitely rip him into pieces before gobbling them up. Doubt shed across Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Who was this woman and why was she confined in an abandoned garden? How did she get entangled with the nation¡¯s honorable crown prince? She was spouting nonsense and vilifying him, but why hadn¡¯t King De sent any guard to restrain her? Why had he left her to perish on her own? Meng Fuyao took a step forward to get a clearer view of the woman. But before she did so, a soft cough sounded from behind. She stopped, looking the madwoman straight in the eye and catching the reflection of a slender white figure. It was Zong Yue. What she found strange was the fact that Zong Yue¡¯s cough was intended for her, but he was, like her, staring straight into the woman¡¯s eyes. Meng Fuyao quickly scanned over the woman once more before smiling and slowly retreating behind the door. Then, she carefully locked it. Turning around, she saw Zong Yue calmly looking at her. ¡°Although you¡¯re just a servant, you should understand basic etiquette, like not running about in someone else¡¯s home.¡± His tone was calm, but his words made Meng Fuyao¡¯s blood boil. Her eyes lit up, de-like, and she clenched her teeth harder than the madwoman. ¡°Although you¡¯re just an egotistical swine, you should understand that certain behaviors are despicable, like following and spying on a woman,¡± she retorted. Zong Yue kept his eyes on her, responding, ¡°You¡¯re a woman? Oh¡­ sorry, I keep forgetting.¡± With that, he made an apologetic bow. Smoke was almost shooting out from Meng Fuyao¡¯s nose. A momentter she puffed out her chest and sucked in her waist, choosing to walk past him without a word. As Meng Fuyao brushed past him, she mmed her shoulder to the left, catching Zong Yue, who seemed to be in a daze, off guard and effectively knocking him to the side. She quickly put on a smile, lifted her head and basked in the warm, soothing sunlight. Her eyes were radiant and lively. ¡°Losing your bnce this easily? Are you really a man? I¡¯m sorry. I had always thought you as a man, but I guess I was wrong.¡± She bent her waist, acting apologetically, but before she could finish her bow, she burst into maniacalughter and walked off, leaving Zong Yue deep in thought. The winter breeze was cutting, and ady¡¯s fragrance, faint but delightful, drifted along with it. After some time, Zong Yue smiled. He thought about the way she had puffed her chest and how the sunlight had enhanced her beautiful silhouette. Indeed, he had been captivated and lost himself for a moment, causing him to stumble for the first time ever. His smile was like the flowers in winter time, subtle yet dazzlingly bright. ¡°You¡¯re actually very feminine¡­¡± Night fell, but few stars came out to y. The moonlight was dim and being overpowered by the lights radiating from a brothel situated in the eastern alley corner. Cast onto the street was Meng Fuyao¡¯s long, slender shadow. Chapter 45 - The World’s Hero Chapter 45: The World¡¯s Hero Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao was returning from the market with a bag of herbs Zong Yue had ordered her to get. She wore a veil that concealed her lifeless gaze. She seemed to be lost in thought. She was thinking about what Yao Xun had mentioned regarding Zhangsun Wuji. Immediately after her encounter with the madwoman, King De¡¯s men had arrived and spoken to Zong Yue. Zong Yue had warned her multiple times not to enter the abandoned garden again, but that had instead piqued her interest even more. Then, she had brought it up to the well-informed Yao Xun, hoping that he had some inside news about the rtionship between Zhangsun Wuji and the madwoman. Yet, the name Zhangsun Wuji had triggered Yao Xun to start a whole lecture on his glorious achievements, which had, unfortunately,sted the whole night. At the age of seven, Zhangsun Wuji had drawn out a map of Wuji Nation¡¯s military borders. He had even revised the soldiers¡¯ strategies and positions before expanding the army¡¯s strength from 100,000 to 700,000, which had sessfully led them to suppress three neighboring nations. At the age of 10, he had witnessed an armed rebellion that had risen in the southern boundary of Wuji Nation. The southern and northern tribes had been fighting over a fertile grasnd, and it had been an event that had led to the death of countless citizens living nearby. In response, Zhangsun Wuji had embarked on a far yet fast journey, leading ten guards deep into the chaotic region. No one had expected him to survive, but everyone had been proven wrong three dayster when he returned hand in hand with both tribe leaders. Before hundreds of thousands of soldiers, the two formidable leaders had bowed and turned from sworn enemies into sworn brothers. The 10-year-old boy, who was a few heads shorter than the rest, had only smiled in response with hands cupped behind his back, automatically sending the soldiers to their knees. Nobody had dared to stand taller than he was. At the age of 13, he had been subjected to an assassination attempt, plotted by the king of Linjiang. He had been invited to a feast arranged by thetter. Upon his arrival at the feast, the king of Linjiang had made him a toast with wine, or rather, colorless and odorless poison, with a well-disguised assassin standing behind. Zhangsun Wuji had epted the wine and ced the cup back onto the tray, immediately piercing his hand through the smirking king¡¯s chest and reaching for the assassin¡¯s heart. Amid the shock spreading throughout the hall, Zhangsun Wuji had unhurriedly retracted his hand and spat the poisoned wine he had kept in his mouth onto the king¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve saved you the trouble since you¡¯re literally unable to face my deceased grandfather now,¡± was what he had said with a smile while pointing at the king¡¯s putrefying face. After that, he had removed his skin-like glove, throwing to the ground. Not once had his skin been stained with blood. Since then, no one in the whole of Zhangsun imperial family had dared to act treacherously. At the age of 15, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s visit to Fufeng as an ambassador had somehow led to a sudden war between two major tribes. After three years of battle, they had been broken into three smaller tribes and were no longer able to spy on Wuji Nation. After that incident, the respective nations had almost cut all dealings with Zhangsun Wuji because it was too burdensome to be constantly remembered and ¡®cared¡¯ for. Zhangsun Wuji had gone under the radar after the age of 15. He had stopped doing things that shocked the universe. In fact, he had stopped involving himself in political battles and did not seem interested in expanding his territory. He appeared satisfied with being the secondrgest nation in the whole of the Five Region Continent after Tiansha. People were thankful for that, or he would also be remembered by assassination teams all over. In fact, he had appeared in lists, and none was eager to bring his name forward. Because Zhangsun Wuji was so amazingly capable in terms of contributing to his nation, the emperor had conferred upon him the title of Zhangsun Crown Prince. It was undoubtedly a supreme honor. Yao Xun had ended his lengthy thesis with a sigh of admiration. ¡°And there you have it, the world¡¯s hero, Zhangsun Wuji!¡± Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes, breaking into an involuntary smile while recalling his overly exaggerated tone. Suddenly, ck took over her vision ¨C¨C¨C she had bumped right into someone¡¯s chest. It was a strange feeling, somewhat soft yet hard, and a vague squeak could be heard. Meng Fuyao shot her head up in realization, but it was toote. A fluffy white furball had shot out, rubbing its tummy beforeunching a ferocious attack with its ws. Before it could finish its attack, a fruit had been stuffed into its hands, effectively diverting its attention and anger. As Lord Yuan Bao chewed on the object of bribery, Meng Fuyao¡¯s attention was, too, redirected to a certain pair of twinkling eyes. Those eyes, warm and spring-like, had no regard for the sharp winter gusts, and could only belong to one unique individual ¡ª Yuan Zhaoxu. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± he asked, lips curled and eyes smiling. While he had on a mask, those eyes of his were enough to intoxicate her. ¡°Yo¡­¡± Meng Fuyao uttered giggly, her eyes moving left and right, as she waited to see his face turn red. Apart from not blushing a bit, he did not even blink and simply waited for a continuation. ¡°¡­ur crown prince, Zhangsun Wuji.¡± Meng Fuyao speedily finished. Upon hearing those words, Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her strangely. ¡°Why the sudden thought?¡± he asked. Instead of answering promptly, she turned left and right before sneakily holding his hand and pulling him toward the western perimeter wall of King De¡¯s residence. There were things on her mind, and she hadn¡¯t paid much heed to get action. Not minding, Yuan Zhaoxu obediently followed behind. Lord Yuan Bao drilled his head out from his robe and threw Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand a death re as if hoping that his gaze could burn it to ashes. Meng Fuyao pulled him up the wall before squatting unmorously at the top and tossing a stone into the dark, isted garden. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you impure-blooded. ¡± Her shriek was ear-splitting, but someone covered her mouth mid-sentence. A wave of disorganized footsteps approached from afar. The guards had been rmed. ¡°They weren¡¯t here yesterday so why have theye today¡­¡± Meng Fuyao snorted, turning around to face Yuan Zhaoxu. Yuan Zhaoxu looked down into the scruffy garden, and a strange expression was gradually formed on his face. A guard shouted from afar, and Yuan Zhaoxu swiftly pulled Meng Fuyao down and into an alley outside the De residence. Swish!- Before they could stabilize themselves a wave of arrows had been released. The guard¡¯s voice was extremely urgent and fierce, curtly piercing through the darkness like a cutting gust of wind. Swish! The tips of Meng Fuyao and Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s boots were immediately essorized by a neat row of arrows, equal distance from one another, as if measured with a ruler. It was evident that if the archers had wanted, they could have easily shot the arrows and pierced their feet. The arrows just a millimeter away from their boots were proof of the archers¡¯ skills. Opposite and above the high residence walls, a figure appeared. He was holding a bow in hand, and his eyes were coldly looking down into the darkness and flickering. Upon seeing that the duo had lifted their heads up, the man slowly pulled his bow, its string squeaking slightly, in the process building a murderously suppressive atmosphere. The bow was pulled taut before four arrows were being released down and toward the duo. The archer stood on the head of the wall, smirking. ¡°Where has this bold paire from? Trespassing the king¡¯s territory? I was merciful with my attack. Come in again and my arrows not greet your feet but your skulls.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head up slowly, her eyes shrinking upon meeting the man¡¯s gaze. She hated getting warned by others. However, the moment she lifted her head, the archer immediatelyunched another arrow, going straight for her forehead. ¡°Trespassers shall not be spared.¡± Not only was his sharpshooting skills and control apparent, but his condensed voice was also evidence that he possessed an extraordinary level of internal energy. Even then, Meng Fuyao felt it unnecessary to ept his hostile attitude. She executed a move from the matrix, bending her back backward in an arc as the arrow brushed past the tip of her nose. As her body was halfway to the ground, she whipped her waist around and kicked the arrow up. The arrow made a directional change in midair before whizzing like the wind toward the figure behind the wall. The archer¡¯s eyes shed in the darkness. Meng Fuyao¡¯s kick appeared like an easy move, but it was, in fact, difficult to execute it since almost half the arrow had prated the ground. How much power and precision must she have utilized in order to kick the arrow off the ground without bending it and getting up from her arched position? The archer let out a grin, his desire to win brewing. He extended a hand, instantly snapping the iing arrow into two, beforeunching another arrow at her. Meng Fuyao sprung back up, spitting forcefully, twice. ¡°Bah!¡± The arrow that had broken into two was further split into four ¡ª she had unleashed puffs of inner energy to do so, which again redirected the sections back toward their owner. The archer was caught off guard and rendered speechless by her petty move. Then, he erupted into powerfulughter, further breaking the sections into eight pieces and redirecting them toward her. Each piece was about the length of a palm, so it wasn¡¯t easy to section them even further. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re going to bre¡ª¡± the archer smirked, but he instantly opened his eyes wide. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t seen those arrows at all. She had bent down suddenly, picking up two remaining arrows and dashing toward the perimeter wall. In midair, she released the arrows, as if they were as heavy as javelins, directly aiming for his waist. ¡°Are we chopping wood, you stupid crow? Do you really think I¡¯ll continue splitting them?¡± Because Meng Fuyao¡¯s movements were so sudden and fast, the archer, who had been solely focused on waiting for her to chop the arrows, was caught off guard once again. By the time he realized the situation, the arrows were already zooming in at full speed. As a skilled man himself, he calmly chopped at them, easily dispersing the energy within. He let out a long breath and smiled at the guard below. ¡°I¡¯ve been ignorant. How dare I embarrass myself in front of you, General¡­¡± Before he could finish his line, a gust of wind blew from behind, and he felt a cold sensation running down his waist¡­ his pants had fallen to the ground. Chapter 46 - A Flower Under the Moonlight Chapter 46: A Flower Under the Moonlight Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The archer¡¯s unbuckled pants sat around his ankles, and thanks for the moonlit sky, Meng Fuyao was able to get a clear view of his hairy legs from on top of the wall. ¡°Ahah!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, tumbling back to Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s side. She fiddled with a silk tape. She had used it to hook around the arrowheads from earlier as she knew that she wasn¡¯t his match. Meng Fuyaoughed irrepressibly as the conceited fellow urgently pulled his pants up. ¡°I was being lenient earlier. Be arrogant again, and I¡¯ll go for your little fellow down there, and not your pants.¡± She pulled Yuan Zhaoxu, who had remained passive all this while, along, smiling, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The moment she turned she heard the man howling and snorting in anger. After that, an explosion of what seemed like millions of stars erupted in the sky. It rose up the faraway sky, so glorious and brilliant, before breaking the surrounding darkness. The movement of light was too fast for the naked eye to observe, and it filled the whole of earth within a split second. Meng Fuyao caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eyes and was shocked by its pervasive splendor. It was so attention-grabbing that one would momentarily forget everything. In just a moment the bright ray had arrived before her eyes. Where it rose, Yuan Zhaoxu whipped around suddenly. He was always so calm and gentle, but when he moved, it was indescribably fast, even more so than the bright ray. His body spun non-stop, his sleeves fluttering powerfully, and a white light shed across the darkness. A convulsive windstorm had been summoned. Dead silence took over. The moonlight flowed down the perimeter wall, illuminating an alley outside. From a blind corner popped a slender, jade-white arm and a set of fingers, between which a pentagonal flower rested. It resembled an ice sculpture, translucent and sparkling, and its every corner flicked with eternal starlight. It was shockingly beautiful yet paling inparison to the exquisitely carved hand. Despite the individual¡¯s body being concealed by the darkness, the hands basked under the glorious moonlight. One was fair, long and ced in a beautiful pose, its flower a killer weapon, and the other was graceful, calm and slightly disdainful. At that moment, under the moon, the delicate fingers grasped the flower noiselessly. All living things immersed in the long stretch of silence, but the windstorm roused by the pentagonal flower was suppressed by an equally powerful energying from the finger. Twoparable forces collided, forming small whirlpools that rolled up spirals of wind. The wind rose, blowing the veil off Meng Fuyao¡¯s face away and allowing the moonlight to shine down onto it. The stars in the vast skies seemed to have gushed right into the youth¡¯s eyes. Her pure, springwater-like eyes exuded an abundant magnificence that could light up the world of mortals and the boundless seas. Her raised brows created the most delicate and charming arcs, no different from two crescent moons or even the beautiful dance poses found in the highest of heavens. A new disk of moon seemed to have risen from this dark alley. By the wall, the individual¡¯s gaze hardened as greed and awe shed across his long and narrow eyes, to the extent he had momentarily forgotten about how Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s flower had damaged his trump card. Within the line of sight of the man on the wall, the hand with the flower moved abruptly. With a light but swift fling of his finger, the pentagonal flower floated into the air, drawing a strange arc across the sky before exploding into a massive flower which instantly shrouded the man. The man was rmed. He understood the effect his trump card, when fully unleashed, would bring. Hence, it led him to disregard his identity and fall backward. A short whileter the sound of a heavy object dropping to the ground was heard. It was imaginable that the miserable opponent hadn¡¯t been able to control his body. Yuan Zhaoxu retracted his finger, and the spot in which the pentagonal flower was held flickered a greenish-ck light, quickly getting covered by his falling oversized sleeve. Lord Yuan Bao wriggled out from Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s robe and squeaked. Yuan Zhaoxu shook his head, smiling. Then, Lord Yuanbao turned to Meng Fuyao, throwing her an angry stare. Not understanding, Meng Fuyao stared back at him. ¡®What¡¯s he angry for? Menopause?¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her as well, his brows slightly knitted. He hadn¡¯t expected Meng Fuyao¡¯s true appearance to be revealed today. She let out an embarrassedugh and touched her face. ¡°I was plotted against two days back and had an e outbreak. Not going to add stuff to my face anymore so¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and pulled her out of the alley. ¡°Try not to reveal your true appearance in the future. Especially not to that guy from earlier.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°General Guo Pingrong, the man who had built the nation¡¯s army. He¡¯s one of the best around, and he holds control over the political affairs between Wuji Nation and the southern tribes. He was born into a poor family. He started as the captain of King De¡¯s Scarlett Wind Team. Later on, as affinity had it, he was taken in as a disciple of Fang Yimo, the ninth strongest martial artist possessing the Holy Starlight Hand. The Splendor of Heaven and Earth is one of the rarest legendary skills that only a few havepletely mastered. In the previous True Martial Arts Meet Guo Pingrong had gotten fourth ce with it. After that, he became a general, whose skill level is safely within top 10 in the whole of Wuji Nation and even the world. ¡°What about you?¡± Meng Fuyao crooked her head and asked while a mischievous smile surfaced. ¡°You broke his Splendor of Heaven and Earth with a simple reach of your hand. What position do you hold, then? Her smile had blossomed like a charming flower, so fragrant and sweet. Mixed in it were pureness, cuteness, and maturity. Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her, his usually deep eyes were noticeably brighter and softer, but he remained quiet as he held her hand. Meng Fuyao was stunned. Upon looking at their hands, she couldn¡¯t help but blush, temporarily forgetting what question she had just raised. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s gentle breeze-like voice drifted into her ears. ¡°Be careful. Guo Pingrong¡¯s a petty and lecherous fellow.¡± ¡°Lecherous¡­¡± Meng Fuyao repeated sluggishly, recalling what the finger from before was but she had yet to process and react. ¡°¡­ it¡¯ste now, shall we sleep?¡± The nasty man leaned closer and spoke in a suggestive tone. The midnight alley was dead quiet, but a cheery yet slightly angered growl broke the tranquility. ¡°Gangster!¡± The moon cast its glow down onto a wall corner, vaguely revealing the silhouette of a youngdy raising a leg up and throwing a fake kick at the man standing opposite of her. She took to her heel immediately after, dancing about like a carefree butterfly. She walked away, and the faint smile on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s face gradually dissipated. A ck figure appeared suddenly, from behind him, and bowed. ¡°Master, your injury¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu lifted his hand, revealing his finger, which was now colored ayer of greenish grey. ¡°No worries,¡± he assured calmly. Gazing toward the direction Meng Fuyao had departed, he added with a serious expression, ¡°Guo Pingrong¡¯s bing increasingly dishonorable, recklessly using such a symbolic skill to deal with a girl, and poison? Is this how a worthy disciple should behave?¡± His back was straight as a bamboo, his sleeves moving effortlessly with the wind. The ck-cloaked man automatically took a step back and gave a deep bow. His master rarely got angry, and he had even spected that there was nothing in this world that could agitate him. Now that his master was radiating such a solemn aura, he could be certain that Guo Pingrong¡¯s move had effectively triggered him. After some thought he let out a forced smile, adding, ¡°He was born into a poor family after all; his rowdiness is innate, and his inclination toward evil is destined. He is otherwise capable and, like the rest of King De¡¯s subordinates, loyal toward the imperial court. Simply smiling as a response, Yuan Zhaoxu only spoke some timeter. ¡°Send someone to protect her as much as possible.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But let her handle whatever she is able to.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in istion these few days. Fang Yimo¡¯s Splendor of Heaven and Earth is no small matter. I can¡¯t let my guard down, so I¡¯ll leave the other matters to you guys.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu turned back to where Meng Fuyao had left, before getting on his way. The ck-cloaked man stood still for a long while, directing aplicated gaze forward as he recalled a line his master had said a long time ago. ¡°I hope to see her grow up and fly high with the boy, carefree amid fights and struggles of the vast world. I don¡¯t want her to be a canary, protected by a set of powerful wings, forever unable to experience the thrill of gliding through the storm or understand how to pursue her own beliefs.¡± It was obvious to Meng Fuyao that the atmosphere within King De¡¯s residence was unusual. Since the night of Guo Pingrong¡¯s appearance, upon a brief exchange between himself and King De, thetter had ordered men to bring him around the residence, where he scanned his shiny pair of long, narrow eyes across everyone. Because of that, Zong Yue had ordered Meng Fuyao not to leave the house. From that, it was clear that the matter was serious. Not only did she heed his warning, she even disguised herself as a yellowish, t-chested fellow. She was so unremarkable that Guo Pingrong hadn¡¯t bothered throwing her a nce at times they had passed by. One day, Meng Fuyao headed to Zong Yue¡¯s herb garden to gather some ingredients. She pondered over Guo Pingrong¡¯s determined attitude on the way down, almost certain that the man whose pants she had pulled down was in the residence. She figured that leaving as soon as possible was the best option, and she had known it for a long time, but free food and amodation were too good to pass. Of course, there was another reason that she wouldn¡¯t admit ¨C Yuan Zhaoxu. He hadn¡¯t shown himself for the past few days, and she was worried that it was due to her abrupt departure that night. She knew that he was a man of remarkable knowledge and abilities, and wouldn¡¯t normally get into an ident, but what if? Chapter 47 - Scapegoat Chapter 47: Scapegoat Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Amid her mental journey Meng Fuyao proceeded to grab a shovel, but before she could uproot the nts, a crisp shatter filled the air. Following it was ady¡¯s panicked cry that traveled from the flower pavilion outside of the herb garden. Meng Fuyao extended her head out and caught sight of a female servant, Qiao Ling, through the flower shade, squatting on the ground and frantically picking up fragmented porcin pieces. Guo Pingrong was sitting on a chair behind and opposite of King De, berating, ¡°What a stupid girl. Get lost!¡± Shivering from fear Qiao Ling quickly retreated. Meng Fuyao sighed noiselessly. Guo Pingrong had been in a jittery mood recently, and it was anyone¡¯s bad luck to bump into him. Come to think of it, it was Meng Fuyao who had implicated Qiao Ling. Qiao Ling discreetly wiped her tears away as she shed past Meng Fuyao¡¯s field of vision. Thetter observed her but suddenly stopped in shock. Thedy was pretty, her face the size of a palm and her eyes no different from a set of crystals. She hadn¡¯t noticed them on usual days, but now that they were tear-washed and glossy, Meng Fuyao actually found them familiar. ¡°Eh?¡±¨C¨C¨C Before she could identify the source of that familiarity Guo Pingrong had uttered and taken a step forward. He reached a hand out to sp Qiao Ling¡¯s chin, forcing her to turn her head toward him. He squinted his already narrow eyes, looking her up and down. At 16, had she never been ogled so presumptuously by youthful males? Yet, Guo Pingrong was big-built and had a steeled expression on his face, his long, phoenix eyes carrying a somewhat demonic air. He was after all a charismatic man. Qiao Lin¡¯s neck had turned red from shyness, which enhanced her naturally graceful charm. Meng Fuyao noticed Guo Pingrong¡¯s gaze, which reminded her of Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯sment. That man was a lecherous fellow. ¡®Not good,¡¯ she uttered inwardly, a thought made worse by the sudden epiphany ¨C Qiao Ling¡¯s eyes¡­ they resembled her own. Though not as bright, those eyes did share a simr gaze when moist, which must have been the cause of Guo Pingrong¡¯s interest. Her guess was right indeed. He had unveiled her on that fateful night, but it was too dark to make out her features. All he could register was a pair of resplendent eyes, somewhat willful, menacing yet elegant at the same time. In that moment Guo Pingrong had almost forgotten all anger, as his mind was thrown into shock. He had almost abandoned his n to destroy Meng Fuyao and seriously considered taking the bold and crafty girl captive. How much ecstasy could he derive from having her under him, with her intelligent eyes looking only at him, her clear yet delicate moans drifting only into ears, and her lithe thighs wrapping tightly around his waist¡­? Didn¡¯t men climb up the statusdder in order to wake up, intoxicated, to a bed of beautiful women? As for the man who had taken on his concealed weapon andpelled himself to fall off, Guo Pingrong could only sneer. Did he really think that the Splendor of Heaven and Earth could be challenged this easily? The highly poisonous substance on his skin was Guo Pingrong¡¯s main weapon, and that fellow was probably already dead, if not reduced to a state worse than death. If he could seek that fellow out, he would most definitely dismember his corpse. He must know, even upon death, that a disciple of one of the most powerful men in the continent wasn¡¯t one to be provoked by any Tom, Dick or Harry. Guo Pingrong¡¯s expression changed as he subconsciously tightened his grip around Qiao Ling¡¯s chin, evoking a soft cry from her. Only then did he release his hand and lewdly sized her up once more, before turning back to King De,menting, ¡°Can¡¯t believe that even a clumsy servant has such good looks.¡± King De, who was sitting on the master¡¯s seat, appeared majestic and tall, with prominent facial features to match. What stood out was a long and narrow scar running diagonally across his forehead, essentially disfiguring him. It was said that he had gotten it during the rebellion of Linjiang¡¯s king when Crown Prince Zhangsun had killed a reputable assassin Shu Ying, whose wife then avenged his death by taking on his role. It was King De who had received a blow from her deadly sword, fused with a mixture of jade and stone, on the crown prince¡¯s behalf, hence permanently owning this scar. He was regarded in the whole of Wuji Nation as a brave and loyal Marquis. At that moment he smiled at his trusted man, casually replying, ¡°You set expectations so high that it¡¯s rare for anyone to catch your fancy. Take her if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Guo Pingrong asked, eyes lighting up. King Deughed heartily. ¡°It¡¯s just a servant, why not?¡± ¡°You may think she¡¯s just a servant, but to me, she¡¯s a gem.¡± Guo Pingrong turned back to Qiao Ling, giving her a meaningful smile. ¡°Such fate is hard toe by, and I don¡¯t n to do her wrong. I¡¯ll bring her back as a concubine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s her good fortune, to have someone like you take a liking to her. Since that¡¯s the case, I shan¡¯t dy you further,¡± responded King De. ¡°Men, take thisdy to the princess and start all the necessary preparations. Let¡¯s get her ready for a glorious marriage tomorrow!¡± Guo Pingrong smiled in gratitude, and a joyfully surprised Qiao Ling was escorted down. Seeing her enter the back garden, face full of marvel, Meng Fuyao clenched her fist. ¡®Darn it!¡¯ ¡­ As night fell, onemp after another was lit in the De Residence. Apart from the guards on duty, there were no other movements and sounds. Sometimeter, winter-rain started drizzling down, gently hitting the stone floor. Reflections of the dim, faraway lights and the figures of patrolling guards were made blurry. Amid the hazy scene, a lithe yet agile silhouette could be seen shuffling through the house-filled residence, her shadow reflected off the glossy ground. Like a ck sh, she easily slid past the patrolling guards. She was there, in that dimly lit night, to break a couple up. Meng Fuyao had had already heard about Guo Pingrong even before she had arrived there. He had no concubine of sorts. In fact, any woman that stayed by his side had ended upmitting suicide. Having only resided and served deep within the De Residence, Qiao Ling had no idea what she was in for. On the other hand, the people on the outside were well aware of it, and every daughter was ordered to go around the doors of the Guo Residence. Now that Qiao Ling had, through eyes that resembled Meng Fuyao¡¯s, piqued the interest of Guo Pingrong, there was no way she would be treated kindly. Dressed in ck and well-veiled, Meng Fuyao utilized her memory of theyout and martial arts footwork to get her into the back garden quickly. Qiao Ling had, in one night, been transformed into a phoenix and moved to the Lotus Fragrance Residence, located in the back garden. The bride-to-be was ready for the ceremony the next day, but perhaps due to the jitters, the lights within the house were still on. Meng Fuyao made her move, swiftly crossing over the half-opened window beforending lightly like a ball of cloud. The girl sitting before the makeup counter was startled. She shot her head up, the light shining down on hair, giving it a radiant color. It was Qiao Ling, who was already dressed in a Madam¡¯s outfit. She was about to scream, but Meng Fuyao darted forward like an arrow to cover her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m here to save you, don¡¯t shout,¡± she informed in a low voice. Qiao Ling opened her eyes wide. Meng Fuyao¡¯s words seemed to have jolted a certain idea in her head, and she started trembling. ¡°Hey, hey, why are you afraid?¡± asked Meng Fuyao kindly. ¡°I¡¯m not here to deflower you. You¡¯re not a beautiful man.¡± She patted Qiao Ling¡¯s shoulder, adding, ¡°Let¡¯s make it short. Come with me, quick. You can¡¯t marry that man.¡± At that Qiao Ling pushed her hand away, ring. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°How do I exin this¡­?¡± Meng Fuyao muttered urgently. ¡°He¡¯s up to no good,¡± she highlighted. ¡°I¡¯ll serve whoever I marry. Plus, General Guo is a prominent figure. How could you defame my husband like that?¡± she retorted, pricking her brows up. She was angered. ¡°Your husband?¡± Meng Fuyao raised a brow. ¡®No way, aren¡¯t you getting into character too quickly?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re ready to follow by his side just like that? You¡¯ve seen him only once.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± she waved, lifting her brows. ¡°I¡¯m the lowliest of servants and a clumsy one at that. I was sold into this house when I was 5, and have been working day and night since. How much do I get? 3 silvers a month. I¡¯ll need to save for a long, long time before I can even think about going home. What do I do then? I starve myself even while working. Do you know how many times I¡¯ve mended my old clothes? In the house, Master orders me around, Sister bullies me, the senior servants rip me off, and even the little servants in the courtyard look at me with contempt.¡± Then, bared her forearm, revealing a scar on her wrist. ¡°See this? Sister gave it to me. Now that I¡¯m able to leave all this misery behind, to be a high-grade general¡¯s first wife, am I crazy enough to forgo it?¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent, briefly at a loss as to how she could rify things with that girl as she wasn¡¯t wrong. The life of a lowly servant was tough, and now that a life-changing opportunity had presented itself, did it make sense for her to give it up? Of course, while Qiao Ling appeared eager and full of hope, Meng Fuyao simply couldn¡¯t watch her marry a lecherous tyrant. She wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive herself if she were to allow such an unpredictable and tragic fate befall that girl. After a long time, Meng Fuyao went for what she believed would be effective. ¡°Do you know that Guo Pingrong is a sadist?¡± ¡°Sadist?¡± Qiao Lin repeated, opening her eyes wide, roughly figuring out what this rather modern term meant. Suddenly, she lowered her head, as if abashed, and started twirling her waist ribbon. ¡°Mother taught me that whatever a husband does in bed¡­ a girl should justply and endure¡­ it will be over in a bit.¡± Meng Fuyao threw her head up, frustrated and helpless. She had forgotten that women in ancient and modern times had absolutely different concepts of family and marriage. ¡°Aye, I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± Meng Fuyao clenched her teeth. What was the point in talking nonsense? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to knock and drag her out? Qiao Ling might hate her, but it was better than leaving her to suffer. Plus, rescuing her would feed her own conscience. Chapter 48 - Heartbroken Servant Chapter 48: Heartbroken Servant Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As Meng Fuyao was about to reach for her acupuncture point, she heard her ask, ¡°You¡¯re Brother Meng, working under Sir Zong?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao uttered, looking herself up and down in shock. ¡®Is my disguise that bad?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m ustomed to identifying voices,¡± exined Qiao Ling. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re deliberately lowering your voice,¡± she added, sighing. ¡°Brother Meng, I know you like me¡­ but it¡¯s not possible between us.¡± In an instant Meng Fuyao felt her body, as well as the finger she had reached out, turn to stone. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re always visiting the kitchen and striking up conversations, and you often smile at me¡­ I know these much¡­¡± Qiao Ling added regretfully, not looking at her. ¡°I¡­ do like you. If not for the general, I would¡¯ve considered¡­ but¡­ please give up, Brother Meng.¡± ¡®Mamamia!¡¯ ¡®I drop by the kitchen to steal food when you¡¯re not looking.¡¯ ¡®I smile at everyone, not just you¡­¡¯ It was a rough night for Meng Fuyao, and she had no words for Qiao Ling. She looked up and let out a prolonged sigh like a sorrowful servant would upon seeing his beloved marry another man. Qiao Ling knitted her brows and raised her pitch a little, resolute and decisive. ¡°It¡¯s my fortune to be able to marry him, Brother Meng. Don¡¯t stop me or I¡¯ll hate you.¡± ¡°Oh Mother, hate me then¡­¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled under her breath, immediately shooting her palm out and deactivating Qiao Ling¡¯s acupuncture point. Amid thetter¡¯s panic-stricken face there seemed to be a tinge of hidden admiration in her eyes, which caused the former¡¯s heart to jump a little. Something was amiss. Why wasn¡¯t she asleep at this time? Why had she tied her hair up like that of a married woman? And that raise in pitch¡­ ¡°p!¡± Meng Fuyao sprung up into the air and made a 360 swallow flip, exiting the window in the blink of an eye. ¡°Where are you running?¡± A low growl rose from within the room. The door curtain was pulled aside, its brilliant stringed pearls unveiling like a waterfall before an invisible force pulled one tight to form a whip and flung it toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. However, before the whip reached Meng Fuyao, Guo Pingrong had already appeared right behind her. Even without turning her head Meng Fuyao reached for her whip and did the same, causing the pearls to break and scatter onto the ground. As the pearls rolled about, some guards who had arrived immediately stumbled to the floor. ¡°Watch me!¡± Meng Fuyao howled, full of hatred. She no longer wanted to escape. She turned around to face Guo Pingrong, waving her fist and getting him excited. He had always been good at fist fights and naturally was more than happy to ept her challenge. Yet, a few crow-ck needles appeared from between her fingers. Guo Pingrong immediately retracted his hands, but Meng Fuyao was a step faster. It was merely a feint; she hadn¡¯t nned to use those needles at all. Even before she kept her hand, she had already kicked her legs up, executing a somersault in midair before kicking a ck object toward him. ¡°Take this bomb!¡± sheughed. Upon seeing a ck object whizzing by and hearing the word bomb, Guo Pingrong and his guards fled the scene. Pu!¨C¨C¨C the objectnded, and a stench exploded, along with the sshing of ck mud. It was a fertilizer that Zong Yue used to cultivate Chinese knotweed and had been mixed in with some pungent herb. Meng Fuyao had hidden a small bag of it with the intention of pranking Lord Yuan Bao and hadn¡¯t expected it toe in handy that night. ¡°How do you like it? Help yourself!¡± Meng Fuyao shouted happily, flying over the eaves like a shooting star. When Guo Pingrong was finally able to make chase, she was long gone. As she was in a rush, Meng Fuyao did not notice two men dressed in ck, almost camouged into the night, exchanging nces after she had left. Without a word, they left the residence as well. Guo Pingrong fixed his gaze on the ck mud, but his mind was upied with images of the youth¡¯s slim waist and long legs. Lust shed across his eyes. ¡­ There was a mountain named Green Pearl in the southwestern part of Zhongzhou. Possessing the same name as a beautiful concubine in ancient history, it was as dainty, exquisite,yered with fog, and surrounded by clear, jade waters. There was a tiered tform on top of Green Pearl Mountain that resembled the hair of a beauty from far. Streams could be heard trickling down, along with the vigorous pping of fishes. It was a fine scenery. Lying on the tform with her legs propped up, Meng Fuyao chewed on a de of grass, deep in thought. She hadn¡¯t returned to the residence since she fled the night before, in fear that Qiao Ling had exposed her identity as Servant Meng, which would get Zong Yue into trouble as well. Hence, she simply decided to catch some rest on the mountain. Suddenly, the surrounding light dimmed. Someone had lied down beside her, in an even more rxed posture, and when his back had reached the ground a familiarly fluffy ball crawled out to rest, in that exact same posture as well. Just like that the three of them reclined in a neat row. Meng Fuyao did not turn her head. Instead, she continued gazing at the drifting clouds, a twinkle forming in her eyes. She was always having ¡°chance encounters¡± with him at the least possible ces. By then, it was meaningless for her to point out the coincidence. It was obvious that he knew her whereabouts. If that was the game he wanted to y, she would join in. Plus, she found herself enjoying his sudden appearances, especially since they hadn¡¯t met for a few days. Lord Yuan Bao, on the other hand, had a not such a good expression on his face, which resembled a ball of yam. Of course, Meng Fuyao had never felt the need to take into ount his opinions. As a certain someone lied by her side, she noticed hisshes forming a graceful arc. He seemed a little pale and lethargic that day but exuded a charm simr to that of noble sons. Eyes half-closed, he fiddled with a visually unmatching twig. Meng Fuyao smiled, waiting to see what he had up his sleeves, only to find him sitting up, facing her and away from the stream, and tossing the twig backward. The next thing she knew, droplets flew everywhere, and silver light flickered. The twig had prated a fish, which was whipping about powerfully. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide, her gaze alternating between the stream and him, as he tossed yet another twig and striking yet another fish. His movements were precise and speedy, quickly gathering a pile of pping fishes on the ground. It was a winter day, and the stream had frozen, so Yuan Zhaoxu had relied solely on his hearing. He was able to make out the fishes¡¯ trajectory and urately fork them. Disregarding martial arts, such a keen sense of hearing and extreme level of uracy were extremely rare. ¡°The thin-scaled fishes in Green Pearl Spring be juicier in winter. We¡¯re going to have a good meal today.¡± The man turned to the fishes, only to see that Meng Fuyao had already beaten him to it, and was busy reaping the harvest. She pulled her sleeves up before squatting down by the rocks. After some thought, she questioned, ¡°Who was that shriekingdy from that night? There seems to be a serious feud between your crown prince and herself. Aren¡¯t you his reliable attendant? You should know something, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu sat leisurely on the withered grass. There wasn¡¯t any posture that could rob his grace away. Having heard her words he smiled, the corner of his eyes lighting up. ¡°She¡¯s an imperial concubine.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao uttered, raising her head. ¡°Concubine De is the eldest daughter of the king of Linjiang. Because he had plotted against King De, his whole family was punished. She was let off the hook since she was already his concubine. Nevertheless, the event had taken a toll on her mental health,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu summarized. ¡°Why does she im that your prince is a usurper and not pure-blooded?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a legend running within the imperial family,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu started cooperatively. ¡°The crown prince had gone missing for a period of time when he was young, and someone made up the rumor that the current crown prince isn¡¯t the real descendant but instead had been substituted.¡± ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Meng Fuyao snorted. ¡°The old emperor isn¡¯t a dummy. Won¡¯t he be able to verify his own son¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. Mortals are stupid and known to mess things up,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu responded calmly. Seeing that she had sorted out the fishes, he retrieved a multi-colored and multi-pocketed cloth pouch from within his sleeves. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Meng Fuyao asked curiously, scooting so close that hershes were almost brushing against his hand. ¡°Too close.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Meng Fuyao jumped away, ring at him. As if nothing had happened, Yuan Zhaoxu started extracting items from the pouch. A tiny white bottle came from the red pocket and a tiny ck bottle from the green pocket. Within seconds, bottles of all colors had formed a pile. They were all very small and carved from crystals, and hence extremely precious. Meng Fuyao had been trying to appear calm, but those bottles were too adorable that she had forgotten about hisment. Scuttling over once more, she asked, ¡°What are these good stuff?¡± She looked on as he proceeded to rub the substance within the bottles onto the fishes¡¯ bodies. She smelled them one by one: Salt, plum, wine, ginger juice, soy sauce, and vinegar. Meng Fuyao stared, engrossed, at the extravagant way he roasted the fishes. She had forgotten about the fact that seasonings weren¡¯t as easily obtainable as in modern times, especially thest three items. Vinegar wasn¡¯t enjoyed by people of ordinary status, and pepper was a specialty product found only in Gaochang Nation, which was located in the western region. There weren¡¯t any ntations in the five regions, so the presence of all seven seasonings could only happen during a national feast. Yet, this man was casually sprinkling them all over the fishes, which he had so casually caught. Chapter 49 - Whose First Kiss? Chapter 49: Whose First Kiss? Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®Oh, how excessive and wasteful! Reckless man!¡¯ ¡®Which wanderer carries things like these?¡¯ ¡®And what¡¯s that palm-sized thing?¡¯ Meng Fuyao picked up the gown-like object, a big question mark evident in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s Yuan Bao¡¯s robe,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu exined kindly. Meng Fuyao turned her head sluggishly, catching sight of Lord Yuan Bao squatting not far away, happily waiting for his owner to dress him. ¡°He¡­ carries this around?¡± ¡°asionally.¡± ¡°Not heavy?¡± ¡°He has a lot of meat and is strong. Plus, he likes crystals.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t he wear it previously?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold now, and he wants to keep his belly warm.¡± There was nothing more to say. Like owner, like pet ¨C it was something she just had to get used to. The bottles were small and their content limited, and hence only sufficient for one fish. The meat had started to sizzle, its natural grease and fragrance filling the air, instantly hooking her appetite. Unable to hold it any longer, she took a deep whiff and rubbed her empty belly. That being said, Meng Fuyao knew how precious that fish was, such that she went on to pick another one, effortfully trying to avoid looking at it. Yet, a richly scented and roasted fish appeared before her eyes the next moment. She looked up to see the man smiling at her, his long brows arched. His deep-set eyes, high nose, and slightly curled lips were so tear-jerkingly exquisite that it was ridiculous. His beauty was like that of an unripe maple leaf ¨C he had a perfect amount of luxury amid his delicateness, just as there was a perfect amount of yellow amid the reddening leaf. There was no way one wouldn¡¯t feel intoxicated just by looking at him. Meng Fuyao calmed her heart. ¡®Stop beating so fast, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu maintained his smile, his eyes tranquil. Meng Fuyao cleared her throat and proceeded to roast more fish, all while attempting to hypnotize herself. ¡®Look at him, an extravagant fellow unlike me, roaming in destitute and tasting nothing but salt. All this salt is killing my taste bud.¡± Being emotional often led to aberrations in behavior. Meng Fuyao grabbed a roasted fish and started gobbling it up with no regard for table etiquette. As she munched loudly on her food Lord Yuan Bao started gracefully on his fruit, shifting his bum away, in total contempt, from her. He wanted as much distance as possible from that unrefined barbarian. Meng Fuyao devoured it all within seconds and tossed the bones aside. She then started stroking her bloated tummy and mumbling to herself. ¡°A handsome man bestowing upon me a freshly roasted fish¡­ how do I return¡­¡± ¡°Return what?¡± the handsome man questioned smilingly. It was additional proof that his ears were sharp. Meng Fuyao picked up the scattered fishbones, blinking. ¡°Bones.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu responded, face unchanged. He took the bones over, observing them from his palm. ¡°Oh, great teeth and jaw work over here. urate and forceful. There¡¯s not much left.¡± At that, he retrieved a handkerchief, ced it down and spread it open, and got ready to store the bones. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was beet red. There were still teeth marks and saliva on those bones. She had merely made a joke, not expecting him to take it seriously. The way he did things would always be a step ahead of her. She could guess the beginning but never the oue. She hurriedly grabbed the bones and tossed them behind, before pping her hands. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll do a prettier job, sign it and let you keep it. Keep it for, say, 30 to 50 years, and you can even sell it as a limited edition item and get rich.¡± Yuan Zhaoxuughed while keeping his handkerchief and taking a few bites on another fish. ¡°How have you been, Fuyao?¡± he asked abruptly. ¡°Great,¡± she answered, turning around and smiling. ¡°Nothing happened?¡± he rephrased, not returning the gaze but instead focusing on roasting another piece of fish. ¡°No,¡± she replied curtly, with no signs of guilt. ¡°Then¡­ do you need my help with anything?¡± he asked, cing a ready fish before her. ¡°No need,¡± she assured, blinking innocently but quickly adding, ¡°Why would I need help from you? You¡¯ve already helped me a lot, and I¡¯m feeling really embarrassed already.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled without answering, his pale face appearing slightly reddish from the mes. His thickshes cast two arched shadows onto his cheeks as he meticulously deboned the fish before passing it to Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao received it, taking the chance to observe his expression, or rather, theck thereof. She chewed on the meat, not tasting any vor this time. While there was nothing abnormal about Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s behavior, he appeared a little unhappy to her. She seemed to have figured something from his tone but did not want to form the habit of relying on another whenever in trouble. She was going to travel across the nations and beyond. Her future was full of dangers and unpredictability. Thus, she must only depend on herself. There was no reason to hope that someone else would pave the way for her, and she must learn to solve problems when faced with enemies or stormy weathers. She had to advance alone, relying on her own abilities. That was why the Old Taoist Priest had kicked her out into the world in the first ce ¨C it was the only way for her to hone her Nine Cleaving Heavens. She could only polish her skills and eventually reach the top through experiencing real battles and life and death situations. ¡®Let me deal with it on my own then, starting from Guo Pingrong.¡¯ Furthermore, if Yuan Zhaoxu were to know of what happened the night before, and that she wasn¡¯t going to sit by and do nothing in spite of it, there was no way he would agree with her foolish n. Meng Fuyao cast a side nce at him. ¡®But will his ego be hurt?¡¯ Her nces were so frequent and obvious that it annoyed Lord Yuan Bao, who sprinted forward and made a back handspring, back tuck, and 540-degree flip in mid-air consecutively. Distracted by the fish she was consuming and the nces she was sneaking, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt bedazzled by the shes before her eyes. As the white fur ball spun about, she felt lightheaded, subconsciously swallowing her saliva. She felt a sharp pain in her throat following after. She had choked on a fish bone. ¡°Ah!¡± She yelped, jumping up. Picking up a bone she chased after that tiny but evil monster. ¡®I¡¯ll jab you, I¡¯ll jab you!¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao fled like the wind but was quickly grabbed by a pair of hands. Meng Fuyao turned to Yuan Zhaoxu, whose smile quickly enveloped her like a gust of air. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the bone will get lodged deeper?¡± He engaged a bit of energy, just enough to sit her down. Then, he got closer to her and lifted her chin. ¡°Open up.¡± Meg Fuyao, who had fallen in a daze, opened her mouth, only to realize how silly she must look. ¡®Is he going to take it out for me? Is¡­is¡­isn¡¯t¡­ this too ambiguous?¡¯ Before she couldplete her thoughts her vision ckened. A faint fragrance took over as a certain someone had leaned in, so close that the shadow of his thick, longshes was printed on to her face. He had a half-smiling expression on his face, his addictive, wine-like scent radiating outward. Meng Fuyao sat, stiff as a rock, looking on as the beautiful silhouette before her magnified. ¡°Gulp.¡± As the distance between their lips had closed in, to the point where their cheeks were about a centimeter from touching, Meng Fuyao had forcefully swallowed her saliva from extreme nervousness. Just like that, she had sessfully gotten rid of the lodged bone. Almost instantly the handsome face that was almost touching hers returned to its original position, allowing the light to reach her eyes once more. The alluring scent had faded, but she was still in a daze. Yuan Zhaoxu moved back to the fire, unhurriedly fanning it. ¡°Why are you still in a daze? Feeling disappointed?¡± There was no way Meng Fuyao would¡¯ve admitted to it. She straightened her neck and sprung from the ground, pointing usingly. ¡°You scared me! You were trying to steal my first kiss.¡± As if teasingly dying for time, Yuan Zhaoxu slowly ced another fish above the fire before turning to the red-faced girl. ¡°What am I going to do, then? You¡¯ve already stolen mine.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wider than ever. ¡®No, no, no, when did I do that? Wouldn¡¯t I have known if I did? Are you lying to me? Look at this fellow, he doesn¡¯t seem to be lying¡­ no way, no way¡­¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu was no longer interested in pursuing this topic. Instead, he focused on removing the bones of the fish he was working on. Only when he was certain that it was safe for a certain clumsy girl¡¯s consumption did he offer, ¡°Open up.¡± Still yet to calibrate her emotions and process what was going on, she did as told. Before she realized her mouth had already started savoring a piece of soft, crispy-skinned fish. Upon seeing the blessed look on her face, he added, amid the fluttering of his robe, ¡°Since there¡¯s no need for me to get involved in your big affair, at least allow me to assist with something small like this?¡± _ Meng Fuyao hid atop a wall outside the general¡¯s residence, her face full of frustration. Reason number one: Someone appeared and disappeared whenever he wanted. Why else would he leave immediately upon feeding her a mouthful of fish that day? Even Lord Yuan Bao had intentionally peed before her eyes, expressingplete disdain. Reason number two: Qiao Ling had been married for three days now, and she meant to butt out of it, thinking that Guo Pingrong might perhaps treat her differently. Who was she to care, anyway? Moreover, Guo Pingrong was already suspicious and vignt. Making any risky move would be no different from digging her own grave. She wasn¡¯t that foolish. Yet, as fate had it, she found out from the grocerydies out on the streets that the general¡¯s new wife was in a tragic plight. Upon hearing the news, she had retreated to a corner, drawing sad circles for half a day. Finally, she let out a decisive sigh, proceeding to make the necessary preparations. That was how she hadnded back at the Guo Residence. It wasn¡¯t midnight yet, as she made her way onto the roof of the inner hall. The wind howled incessantly, hinting at the arrival of a snowfall, but there she was, baring herself amid the overpowering cold with neither a heater nor wine to keep herpany. Some timeter, snow specks started flitting across the sky as the heavy wind attacked from all directions, quickly coating her eyshes with ayer of fresh, white snow. Chapter 50 - Charging Through It All Alone Chapter 50: Charging Through It All Alone Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The brightness of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes amid the darkness, wasparable to that of the stars above as they sparkled tirelessly and boldly, and even somewhat excitedly. From under the roof floated indistinct sounds, low but prating, especially in that cold, still night. It was the mncholic weeping of a girl, blended with a man¡¯s aroused panting. Through the faint-red, muslin window screen the intertwined silhouette of two human bodies could be seen, blurry and ambiguous. Nevertheless, one could easily imagine the scene unfolding within the room. The meticulously-embroidered canopy was swaying along with the wave-like motions of the bodies. The burning stove, warm as spring, was contributing to the beads of sweat that dripped down their skins and mixed in together. And the gushing odor of rouge and bodily fluids added the final touches to their restless yet catchy rhythm, sessfully disrupting the gentle pulse of the night. Two bodies moved the whole night, and Meng Fuyao sat through the motions jocrly. She had on thick clothes ¨C a body-fitting fur coat to be exact ¨C that were given to her a few days back by Zong Yue. While the coat seemed thin, it was actually very warm, and the only issue was the faint herb scent that lingered on its cor. Then again, as a holy doctor, everything he possessed contained simr scents and Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t going toin. Deep into the night, the snowfall intensified. Plum flower-like snowkes fell continuously from the endless ck dome, coating a particr human with ayer of snow in no time. From afar she highly resembled a snow sculpture. It was between one to three in the morning when the door beneath opened, and Guo Pingrong exited. Dressed in a brocaded fur coat, he was immediately attended to by a guard, who brought up an umbre and escorted him away. Looking on as a meandering pair of footsteps emerged on the snow-filled ground, extending further and further away, and hearing as her surroundings returned to its original silence, Meng Fuyao picked up a few roof tiles before floating down from where she was. The moment shended she shook off the snow and greeted the girl, who was crying on the couch, under a nket, ¡°Here I am, again.¡± Qiao Ling raised her head and red at Meng Fuyao with tears in her eyes. Thetter shrugged. ¡°It was my bad luck that night, bumping into your man. Now, that he¡¯s gone I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll meet again, will we?¡± Qiao Ling straightened her body, stonily looking at her. After some time the waterworks exploded. Meng Fuyao sighed, not wanting to speak anymore. She gazed, sharp-eyed, at the appalling bruises and scars on her hands. One could only imagine what she would see under the nket. Instead of approaching the girl, Meng Fuyao walked to the makeup counter and picked up a brass mirror. Upon looking into it, she ced it back down and smiled. ¡°My face is all wet from the snow.¡± At that, she conveniently retrieved a handkerchief from the table to wipe her face and neck. When she was done, she turned and walked over to Qiao Ling and lifted the nket, immediately drawing a deep breath. Then, she took a cloak and draped it over the girl¡¯s body before squatting down, back toward her. Qiao Ling held onto the cloak, confused, and Meng Fuyao asked impatiently, ¡°Still don¡¯t want to leave?¡± Through the brass mirror, whose angle had been adjusted earlier, Meng Fuyao could see the genuine shock on Qiao Ling¡¯s face. Meng Fuyao was not a fool. As she had roamed about and seen most things, she knew that turning her back to anyone definitely wasn¡¯t a faith to live and die by, even if the person behind might be powerless. Her mission that night was no different from entering a tiger¡¯s cave, well-aware that the tiger was still inside. She had advanced slowly since there was no sense in sabotaging herself while trying to save someone else. Yuan Zhaoxu would look down on her if he were to know of it. Finally, Qiao Ling timidly crawled onto her back, sniffing. ¡°Brother Meng¡­I was wrong¡­¡± ¡°Who hasn¡¯t been wrong in this world? There¡¯s a chance to make it right, so don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± Meng Fuyao steadied herself and used a silk ribbon to tie Qiao Ling tightly to her body. As Qiao Ling¡¯s tears started to stain Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes, she choked, in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s not human¡­he¡¯s not human¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless, while her heart was wrenching in pain. Any guard she had had against Qiao Ling was wiped clean in that moment. The wounds on her body were clear indications of the suffering she had gone through. There was no way anyone could go that far simply to gain the trust of an enemy. She sighed, reaching a hand out to pat Qiao Ling¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been here a few days. Familiar with the paths?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been locked in here all this while,¡± she informed, shaking her head between sobs. ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered, and as she was about to exit from the path she had entered, Qiao Ling continued, ¡°¡­but I heard the old woman¡¯s attendants mentioning that there aren¡¯t many guards within the residence since the general himself is a strong man. I think the southern hall is more heavily guarded than the eastern garden, where most people are residing. There¡¯s a backdoor that we can take, its path leading right out of the residence.¡± ¡°Why did they tell you all these?¡± Meng Fuyao turned to ask. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°But they were looking at me with sympathetic eyes¡­Brother Meng, I¡¯ve been waiting every day¡­for you toe¡­¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered again, before adding, ¡°I heard from the streets that General Guo had once mentioned that anyone who is able to beat him can raise any request.¡± Before Qiao Ling could respond, Meng Fuyao jabbed her acupuncture point, turning her body limp. She kicked the door open, dragged a chair over and jumped onto it. ¡°Come to fight me, Guo Pingrong!¡± ¡°p, p, p!¡± Apuse sounded from amid the darkness as Quo Pingrong emerged from a corridor corner. ¡°What good ears you have, and how bold of you to challenge me.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting long enough for me so why would you have gone far? You were going to sneak-attack me, weren¡¯t you? After all, how many people have had the honor of pulling your pants down? You¡¯re going toe at me no matter what.¡± Guo Pingrong¡¯s face changed. He had always been a haughty and petty man. Having his pants pulled down before his soldiers was undoubtedly the most humiliating experience of his entire life. Now that Meng Fuyao was publicizing it, he could feel his anger boiling. ¡°I knew it was you!¡± he inhaled deeply, his face hard as steel. He flicked the edge of his robe to the side and sprinted forward like a shooting star. Meng Fuyao lifted her leg, kicking the chair up and toward him in a swift, tornado-like motion. As expected, Guo Pingrong easily chopped it into countless pieces with a simple punch, but it had already provided sufficient time for her to leap out of the window. Upon jumping out, she was greeted by a surge of guards, kneeling in position as they pointed their longbows at her. ¡°Ah,¡± she yelped, stumbling a little. ¡°So many?¡± she cried out, panic-stricken. During the stumble a bundle had dropped out from her robe and opened up, causing a handful of golden pearls to roll toward the guards¡¯ feet. Meng Fuyao then shrieked, even more miserably, as she ran over with her hands out. ¡°My life support! Don¡¯t touch!¡± The pearls sparkled generously, and their moistened appearance was enhanced amid the snow-covered floor. As if contagious, the bowmen¡¯s eyes, too, started glowing. They were given only five silvers per month, and this fellow¡¯s pearls were worth a fortune. They knew not what he was here for, but he did appear to be rescuing a new bride, in an attempt to elope. Also, they knew not where these precious pearls had been obtained or even stolen from. If not now, then when? By then, Guo Pingrong had arrived at the scene, his attention solely fixed onto Meng Fuyao. Not noticing the bribes rolling on the ground, he bellowed, ¡°What are you guys waiting for? Shoot! Shoot her down!¡± The guards¡¯ eyes alternated between the ground and one another. After some hesitation, a lean guard, no longer able to resist the temptation, started the ball rolling by curling a hand around a handful of pearls. Within a sh, he had triggered the others to do the same. It was then that Guo Pingrong finally realized the situation. His face ckened as he ordered, ¡°Down!¡± Pop! A mini explosion sted through the white-specked sky, not much louder than the sound of snowfall, causing everyone¡¯s face to change in an instant. The explosion started from the first bunch of pearls that had been picked up. Because the guard had been too agitated when grabbing them, he had actually smashed the ¡°golden pearls.¡± Snap! From the broken pearls, a ck liquid was hot out high up into the hazy, snow-filled sky, drawing an rming and deadly arc across it. ¡°Ah!¡± The guards around quickly got sshed by the ck water, which abruptly erupted into mes. The burn prated their clothes and skin, causing some to let out theirst cry before copsing. Their charred skin came into contact with the ground, instantly exploding and painting the snow a blood red. More and more guards started screeching and piling together, turning Guo Pingrong¡¯s face ashen-colored. He caught the smirk on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face as she leaped away. ¡°Money is the most invaluable poison. Give one, take one, no loss! Can you stop a human from being greedy? Don¡¯t be naive, Guo Pingrong! You must¡¯ve been underpaying them, or my poisonous golden pearls wouldn¡¯t have worked so effectively. Ha, ha.¡± Her silhouette could be seen swaying about on a spot before a tree. Instead of fleeing, Meng Fuyao shook her legs vigorously, crossing her arms and looking provokingly at him. Guo Pingrong let out a low groan, his metal-colored robe rolling in midair, amid the fluttering snow, like a solid piece of iron. Within a second, he was pressing forward, and only then did Meng Fuyao scram. Guo Pingrong reached the spot before the tree and looked up, only to see a painting hanging in the tree. It was of a vulgar-looking man, dressed in a brocaded robe, bow in hands while standing atop a high wall. His top was eye-catchinglyvish, but his pants were nowhere to be found, or rather, they were resting around his skinny ankles, below two hairy bowlegs. Guo Pingrong couldn¡¯t breathe. Blood rushed to his head and chest all at once, turning his vision ck. He let out an explosive roar, like never before. His growl sent shudders across the night, but it hadn¡¯t managed to throw the smile off Meng Fuyao¡¯s calm face. Aim for a person¡¯s face if you have to hit someone, leave a scar if you have to insult someone ¨C that was her life motto. Guo Pingrong red at the absolutely insulting painting, no longer able to contain his anger. He extended a balled fist and sent a punch, tiger-like and ruthless, right through it. Chapter 51 - Your Heart, My Heart I Chapter 51: Your Heart, My Heart I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Another sky-splitting explosion sounded, producing a ball of smoke that rose from the tree. Like a dragon, the smoke coiled and bound itself around Guo Pingrong¡¯s arm. Fragments of paper and flesh sttered everywhere, and those around the tree were instantly thrown into ayer of ash and dust. Guo Pingrong¡¯s shriek broke the silent night, and a wild dog started barking from afar. Within the painting hid an explosive, which Guo Pingrong¡¯s ferocious punch had activated, leading to his arm injury. Meng Fuyao¡¯s series of ns had seeded, from taking the guards down and diverting Guo Pingrong¡¯s attention to hiding a bomb within a beautiful painting, which had as nned provoked a heavy punch from him. In that moment of explosion, Meng Fuyao hesitated no further. She gave him the finger and burst into maniacalughter. Then, she fled westward with Qiao Ling still safe on her back. Dashing through the icy snow grains sent afortable wave of shock through her facial features. Despite having a fully-grown girl on her back, Meng Fuyao only increased her speed, flitting through endless houses and leaving those suffocating cries and smoke far behind. A series of untidily arranged houses appeared before her. She looked around and noticed an abnormal-looking wall behind the courtyard. There seemed to be a few mini doors, so she dashed over without wasting any time. No guard was patrolling around in the courtyard, so it was absolutely silent all around. Flights of stairs extended toward the hall, whose end appeared deep and dark like a gigantic mouth. At its extreme end hung a horizontal board that vaguely flickered under the moonlight. Because it was so far away, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t make the words out. She squinted her eyes and slowed down her pace, wondering, ¡®What is this ce? Doesn¡¯t look like the servants¡¯ house¡­¡¯ Before Meng Fuyao could finish her thoughts, she felt the area behind her ears go numb. She felt as though the blood within her body hade to a standstill, and that she was losing consciousness bit by bit. Even the snow in the sky was spinning and zooming in at great speeds. Before long she toppled over like a boulder. She could hear a voice, but it was bing distant as if covered by threeyers of cowhide. Nevertheless, she could distinguish that it was Qiao Ling¡¯s cries. Her cries contained panic, guilt, helplessness, and grief all at once. ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­he promised to treat me better if I capture you¡­please let me live my life.¡± Another voice, even more distant, drifted into her ears. It belonged to Guo Pingrong, and it containedcency and an air of evilness. ¡°How dare you trespass the festival hall? This matter must be made known to the crown prince. Your whole family will be beheaded.¡± At that, he paused for a moment before continuing, somewhat surprised, ¡°Did the crown prince make his way here from the Shangyang Pce? Is anything the matter? Why the rush? Has there been unrest in the southern border again?¡± Silence. Amid Meng Fuyao¡¯s limited consciousness she could identify Guo Pingrong¡¯s demonicughter and the removal of clothing articles, one after one, from belt to sword holder. Like the tiding of waves, those sounds seemed at times close and at times far. ¡°Just right. I¡¯ll enjoy myself first before charging you and letting His Highness deal with it.¡± Every single object swayed back and forth within her hazy line of sight,yering over one another and morphing non-stop. Amid her distorted vision she caught sight of a man, pants half unbuckled, holding onto his bleeding palm and approaching her with a sinister smile on his face. His smile was devilish and gloomy, his face askew. Beneath his slitted eyes was a widely-opened mouth that resembled a deep, dark cave, in which his sparkling white teeth resided. The ongoing whimpers of Qiao Ling annoyed Meng Fuyao. She struggled to reach for the needle that had been pierced into the back of her neck, before jabbing it backward. The whimpers stopped, and the man opposite of them was shocked. ¡°You can move?¡± he eximed, quickly striding over to untie and toss Qiao Ling aside before grabbing hold of Meng Fuyao. He princess-carried her up and gave the wall a good kick, immediately causing it to shift open with a rumble. A hidden room revealed itself, and Guo Pingrong made his way in. Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind was floating, but she hadn¡¯t fainted. A vague herbal scent, sharp and fragrant, shot up her nostrils and into her muddled brain. The grains of awareness that had vanished like sparks came flying back and gathering into a pile, gradually forming aplete blueprint. The ripping of garments sounded by her ears, and she immediately felt a cool sensation before her chest area. A pair of warm hands, carrying the smell of blood, leaned over to touch her skin, slightly trembling in the process. Guo Pingrong had no idea what state of consciousness Meng Fuyao was. His bloodshot eyes were only focused on her overwhelming beauty. The disguise on her face had already been wiped off, revealing the sameplexion he had caught a glimpse of that night. Her longshes moved gently above her delicate nose and plump, pomegranate-red lips. He let his gaze slide downward¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes had been ripped open, exposing skin that was even brighter than the snow outside. It carried a moistened luster like that of jade and exuded a fragrance and visible softness. The hand, stained with blood, rubbed against her skin, smearing it red and painting a jarring image of thest of frail autumn leaves separating from their branches. It was, disturbingly, as though she was timidly inviting him to ravage her. Such a silent invitation could best arouse a man¡¯s primal instincts. Guo Pingrong let out a low groan, and with a wave of his hand extinguished every candle in the room. He then leaned his body over while breathing loudly. The room dimmed significantly, as the only light came from amp someone had lit outside. Its color was a rare, faint purple, and it seeped through the wall creak and into the room, making the narrowness of it even more noticeable. Meng Fuyao shook suddenly. Confined room¡­ prating purple light¡­ it was a scene so foreign yet so familiar as if she had seen it every day from a long, long time ago¡­ ¡®Ah!¡± As if her brain had been sliced into two by a blunt sword, Meng Fuyao felt a searing pain shooting through her consciousness. Her flickering vision jolted as though some deeply hidden and old memories, long repressed, had been peeled from a corner and was spiraling outward¡­ in that narrow space¡­a purple pcemp suspending from high above¡­a middle-aged uncle¡¯s smiling face¡­extending a veiny hand¡­ The event reyed like a bad dream, rousing the buried memory from deep down. Thest traces of ckened consciousness gathered in that moment, setting off a wave of indignation and resentment, which surged straight out of her chest. Meng Fuyao sprung up and lifted her head, a fresh mouthful of blood spraying out of her mouth like rain, before dripping down Guo Pingrong¡¯s body. Guo Pingrong shot up, holding onto his half-loosened pants and retreating. He was beyond shocked. How had she managed to recover from his Soul-Locking Needle? Meng Fuyao leaped up, still spraying dark red blood, in which her fury burned like a raging inferno. Upon lowering her head and catching sight of her unkempt appearance, she immediately threw a re at Guo Pingrong. Her eyes were burning hot and menacing, like a red spider lily burning amid a me and releasing a deadly aura like that from the Underworld. She fixed her attention on his expression as if using her eyes like chains. For a split-second Guo Pingrog felt that his soul had been trapped and it was being dragged into hellfire, turning it into ashes. The way Meng Fuyao stared at him brought sweat to his back. He subconsciously reached for a sword while withdrawing three consecutive steps. Guo Pingrong wasn¡¯t sure why he had withdrawn. Meng Fuyao¡¯s skills weren¡¯t necessarily threatening, but it was her eyes that instilled fear in him. He had never seen a gaze so sharp and powerful. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced in Guo Pingrong¡¯s mind. He had seen once such a gaze. It was many years back, where the youthful crown prince had revealed the exact same expression upon hearing that piece of news, causing the knees of everyone present to buckle¡­ He hadn¡¯t imagined that he would once again witness such a dark, murderous gaze so many years after that incident. Guo Pingrong readied his sword, and just as he was about to execute his Splendor of Heaven and Earth, he saw Meng Fuyao, hair draped over her shoulders, pouncing onto him like a starving tiger. As she moved her inner energy surged so powerfully that the table and chairs within the room started overturning. The canopy fluttered, putting out the candles on the table. In the darkness Meng Fuyao flew forward like a ball of ck cloud, her hands conveniently grabbing a brocaded chair and smashing it onto Guo Pingrong¡¯s head. Guo Pingrong¡¯s pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip. When had she gotten so strong? Her strike had the ability to split the sky. And, as a disciple of one of the ten strongest men to roam the earth, how could he have cowered in fear from a girl¡¯s angry punch? Guo Pingrong twisted his longsword angrily, forming a sheet of raging waves that stacked into a high crystal wall that stood before himself. Water spurted out from within the wall with a gentle whizz, transforming into an acute ray that shot, bullet-like, toward her bared chest. Brightness filled the sky as a thread of light swept across the room like aet, and all one could see was the absolute splendor of immeasurable stars. The light enveloped Meng Fuyao, who let out a scream. ¡°Break!¡± She jolted her wrist, and a green ray surged forward, instantly wrapping it in a jade-green glow, which only increased in brightness and solidified into an indestructible, jasper pestle. It was the fifth level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens ¨C Luminosity. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t been able to engage her inner energy in normal days, and now that she had been provoked, she finally unleashed all that she had without regard for consequences. Guo Pingrong growled, blocking her attack with his sword. He immediately altered his stance, and silk spun continuously from his sword, drawing arcs in the air before binding Meng Fuyao. In the blink of an eye, the two individuals had been entangled. Within the dark room, there was no movement of swords, no exchange of words, and no sound of objects falling or shattering. In fact, the growls from before had dissolved as well, leaving only a vague imagery of two figures soaring in the air, so fast that whistles could be heard. Apanying the visuals was a sprinkling odor of sweat and fresh blood. Chapter 52 - Your Heart, My Heart II Chapter 52: Your Heart, My Heart II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was a silent yet intense battle. The slender figure, which was Meng Fuyao, was being forced to free itself by flipping upward, time and time again, all while being thrown into a nightmarish recollection of old memories. Her mind was close to being nk, and her only thought was, ¡®Kill him! Kill these frightening memories!¡¯ 30th move¡­100th move¡­300th move¡­ Sweat trickled from Guo Pingrong¡¯s forehead, giving it a greasy shine. ¡®This woman is crazy.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t seen anyone fighting in this manner before. He hadn¡¯t imagined anyone to be able to fight this recklessly in a battle. By now, Meng Fuyao had inflicted seven bloody wounds on his body, while he had already given her 20, all left by his sword. Guo Pingrong¡¯s muscles and bones had been trained since young, and he was much older than her. The injuries she had caused him were, at that moment, unable to restrain his movements. On the other hand, even with a light graze of his sword across her skin, Meng Fuyao would be losing a lot of blood. Because of that, precisely, Guo Pingrong became increasingly apprehensive. He was familiar with a human¡¯s pain threshold and had specifically aimed for her joints, which should cause the maximum amount of suffering. Under such an attack, any ordinary being would have long lost the ability to battle. Yet, that frail girl, with her extremely powerful energy and tolerance, had proven his belief wrong. What he feared more was the fact that she was only bing more vigorous, unlike himself. He was losing power, not mentally but physically. It was then that he realized the intention of her humiliating painting ¨C to not just injure his hand but also to expel his inner energy. The martial art technique he had been cultivating was extreme, which meant that he was more prone to being led astray during the process. Having been enraged time and time again, while possessing an evil existence within his heart, Guo Pingrong and his inner energy were no longer on the correct path. If their fast and furious battle progressed, the situation on his side would only get worse. The girl had, amazingly, determined his internal state just from his archery attack, and had even calcted everything from his personality to his every move. Guo Pingrong¡¯s vigor was faltering, and he was astonished to see Meng Fuyao smirking. What was this little bit of pain to her? If one had been undergoing harsh training since young, experiencing a pain simr to that of flesh being corroded away and experiencing battles with all kinds of mountainous beasts every single day, would this bit of injury hurt her? If one had isted him or herself in a pit for months on end and been resorted to eating earthworms, all for the sake of cultivating pure inner energy for the Nine Cleaving Heavens, would this bit of suffering stop her? It was during a life-and-death mental battle between two strong yers that one could easily break through. What was the point of being the number one martial artist? If their internal state and vulnerability were to be exposed, a weaker enemy could still take them down. ¡®Let your sword and my blood take me into the next realm.¡¯ 500th move¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s body was covered in blood, but she suddenly advanced, casting her arm horizontally and blocking down Guo Pingrong¡¯s explosive sword attack. The tip of his longsword pierced into the tummy area and exited through the elbow. The produced sound evoked a cold, aching sensation. Guo Pingrong was startled by this cold-blooded retaliation that involved the flesh and sword. At that moment of hesitation, Meng Fuyao no longer gave him the chance to pull his sword. She side-strode forward and twisted the sword that had prated his arm, effectively turning it 180 degrees. Snap! The broken sword flew up, along with the sttering of fresh blood. Meng Fuyao shot up like the hissing wind, her head facing upward. The hissing of the wind against her movement was bright and clear. She prated the dark clouds and scattered electricity, entering the blue dome of heaven before lifting a leg and kicking the broken section down and toward Guo Pingrong¡¯s lower body. The bloodied sword ray was no different from a bolt of lightning, zooming into Guo Pingrong¡¯s line of sight in a split second. He had already sensed Meng Fuyao¡¯s intention by then, but it was toote. The broken section had closed in, and despite his final attempt to leap and twist his body, a soft ripping sound could be heard as blood, along with a clumped object, flew out from his body. ¡°Ah!¡± Guo Pingrong plunged from mid-air, floundering about on the ground like a dying fish. He raised the trembling hand that he had used to cover his crotch area, and all he saw on his palm was fresh blood. ¡°Mother. Why only one egg!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed. She readied her sword for another attack, but as she took a step forward, lightheadedness took over her, causing her to stumble. She had lost too much blood, and it was no longer possible for her tounch a fatal attack. She staggered to her feet, sword in hand, ready to strike him once more. If he were to struggle, she would be prepared for another round of battle. ¡°The Crown Prince has arrived.¡± The announcement sounded from a distance, but almost noiseless footsteps were approaching at an extremely fast speed. ¡®A powerful martial artist,¡¯ she thought. Covered in blood and sweat, Meng Fuyao swayed back and forth, almost falling into unconsciousness. The medicated needle had affected her mind and body control, causing her to make out only thest two words. All she could tell, from the footsteps, was that the strong yer whom she couldn¡¯t fight against was close by, and more people were closing in. Meng Fuyao took a deep breath. Then, she stomped her feet and kicked open the hidden room door, quickly throwing herself out of the window. Immediately upon her escape, the hidden room door was once again kicked open, and a beam of sunlight surged through the gap. It was daytime. Together with the sunlight entered two rows of heavily-armored guards. They were dressed differently from ordinary residence guards and had a stern expression on their faces. Their gazes were sharp and imposing, and it was clear that they were all powerful. They had a gilded jade tablet, with the word ¡°Shangyang¡± on it, hanging from their robe. They were Wuji Crown Prince¡¯s personal pce guards, famously known as the Flying Horses. Those guards that rarely engaged in settling trivial matters hade as a whole troop, some pushing the general¡¯s guards to a side and inhibiting their movements while others entering the festival hall. Upon spotting the hidden room, they stood by the door in a formation and in a bowing position. Snow had fallen throughout the night, and the jade trees in the courtyard had their branches carpeted in white and their blood-red plums serving as an embellishment. A slender figure gradually emerged from between the rows of guards. His footsteps were unhurried, but he got to the front in the blink of an eye. His silverish-purple, dragon-embroidered robe that swayed gently with the wind wasyered with a silverish-white fox fur coat. On his waist coiled a jasper belt, its luster pure and luxurious, added a touch of spring into this cold winter day. The approaching gentleman had a mask covering half of his fair, gem-like face. Under his ebony hair were two eyes, whose brightness was enhanced by the light reflected off his coat. They were ocean-deep and gleaming and could easily suck the soul out of anyone with a simple gaze. This was the man whom even the most arrogant, stern and superior pce guards highly respected and were willing to bow down for. As the world¡¯s hero and a royal emperor-to-be, he enjoyed the nation¡¯s worship and adoration. At the age of 15, he had started to assist in national politics and had sessfully brought Wuji Nation to its utmost glory, such that no one from the other nations, no matter how capable, had dared oppose or rebel. Zhangsun Crown Prince, Zhangsun Wuji. That very crown prince of Wuji had traversed through the cold, snowy night to arrive here. Nevertheless, he remained graceful and clean, and even the snow covering the path he had crossed was intact. The heavy snow from the previous night had moistened the stairs leading to the festival hall. While the guards went forward to greet him, Zhangsun Wuji did not stop to receive them. Instead, he waved his sleeves and instantly re-appeared inside the hall. The captain stood outside, stiffly turning his head behind and observing the crown prince¡¯s back. Since the day had begun, he had felt that the prince was behaving abnormally. While there was no sign of distress on his face, his experience and gut feeling told him that the prince was feeling rather anxious. Those deep eyes, in which the prince had always concealed his emotions, contained a tinge of worry and even¡­ anger. As the captain pondered over his thoughts, Zhangsun Wuji had already entered the hidden room. Stopping by the entrance, he ced his hands that he had kept inside of his fur coat down, before scanning across the room and taking in a breath of air. The guards around lowered their heads even more. The room was in a mess. The table and chairs were broken and all over the floor, which was also stained in blood. It was an astonishing sight, to say the least. There also was an object lying in a thick pool of blood, and upon realizing what it was, those present looked away in shock. At the extreme end of the roomid Guo Pingrong, gaze sluggish, covering his crotch area. He hadn¡¯tpletely lost the power to battle but had yet to process the fact that his baby had been sliced off. Zhangsun Wuji shed a look past that object, his eyes shrinking. He took a slow step forward, but with that simple and unremarkable motion all objects within the room, including the table, chairs, candles and so on, disintegrated into fine powder before scattering onto the ground. The guards exchanged nces, surprised by what they had witnessed. The objects in the room had long been destroyed and were barely keeping their shapes. Hence, any external pressure could easily turn them to ashes. One could imagine the magnitude of the battle that had taken ce hours ago. Every object had been used as weapons and, eventually, destroyed. Zhangsun Wuji was focused on the pool of blood that was on the ground. He brushed his gaze up and down Guo Pingrong¡¯s body, certain that the wounds on his body weren¡¯t the source of it. His eyes changed, as though an angry wave had rolled up within them, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He lifted an arm, and the guards retreated without a sound. The door closed, allowing only a limited amount of light to pass through, but it was enough to illuminate the fluctuations of his expression. Guo Pingrong had snapped out of his daze by now and was kowtowing before the crown prince. ¡°Your Highness¡­Your Highness¡­¡± he choked. He leaned over the blood-filled floor, smelling the odor that belonged to both Meng Fuyao and himself. He thought about how the former had, so craftily and aggressively, ruined his life by piercing his own sword, dipped in her own blood, into his vital organ. Chapter 53 - What Must Be Done, Will Be Done I Chapter 53: What Must Be Done, Will Be Done I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Trapped in the blood-reeking space, Guo Pingrong shuddered involuntarily at the thought that his glorious and brilliant life hade to an official end. A beautiful, firework-filled dream had in an instant been crushed. ¡°Your Highness¡­I need revenge¡­¡± Through the glossyyer of blood on the ground a reflection of a faint purple robe could be seen, its corner swaying before Guo Pingrong¡¯s eyes. Hopeful, Guo Pingrong looked up at his venerable crown prince. A familiar pair of eyes ¨C breeze-like, deep but perpetually smiling ¨C greeted him, but the feeling it evoked in him waspletely foreign. The way he looked down at Guo Pingrong was no different from how a wyvern would, from the highest of heavens, at a mere mortal who had dared intrude upon his territory. It was distant,pelling, cold and deadly. Guo Pingrong¡¯s desperate call for revenge had instantly cracked within his throat, and his body started shaking uncontrobly. In front of him, Zhangsun Wuji bent down and squatted in the pool of blood. There seemed to be mes burning beneath the eyes that were fixated on the hot blood. ¡°You¡¯ve done wrong, Pingrong,¡± he stated dully. Guo Pingrong jolted his head, not understanding why His Highness had said that. Also, why hadn¡¯t he called for the physician? ¡°You¡¯re wrong for being conceited. You were born into the lowest rung of society and have suffered too much in the beginning, to the point where you have lost control of your temper and be petty and narrow-minded. You spent a night traveling over a hundred kilometers to wipe out the family, whose member had once spat on you. You ordered men to gang r*pe your aunt, only because she hadn¡¯t thrown you a singlepassionate nce. You drunk-stabbed a man who had identally bumped into you in a small alley, and even killed his innocent and good-willed friend.¡± Guo Pingrong listened as the crown prince listed his doings, which he hadn¡¯t expected to ever be divulged. His whole body was trembling as he looked up at those unfathomable eyes. Why was he bringing these up, and why hadn¡¯t he mentioned anything about them thus far? ¡°I need Generals, not Saints.¡± Zhangsun Wuji emphasized, and upon seeing the doubt in Guo Pingrong¡¯s face, he continued, ¡°Generals need no virtues. They just have to be good killers and brave warriors. As long as you¡¯re able to guard the 18 restless tribes in the southern border and work hard to build up Wuji Nation, I have no reason to get involved in your personal matters. They have nothing to do with my court.¡± Hands behind his back, Zhangsun Wuji stood up, his robe moving slightly and releasing an exotic scent. ¡°But today, Pingrong, you have done something I cannot tolerate.¡± In response to Guo Pingrong¡¯s increasingly apprehensive look, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s smile disappeared as he bent down to whisper something into his ears. Guo Pingrong¡¯s face instantly changed. It was as though he had just swallowed a burning clump of coal, and his whole face was beyond distorted. He opened his mouth as if gasping for air, attempting to say something but no matter how hard he tried he simply couldn¡¯t utter a single sybus. He stared, wide-eyed, at Zhangsun Wuji, while his whole body was shaking. The initial shock on his face had gradually morphed into regret, confusion, despair and so on. Ultimately, he cried out. Both of his knees were on the ground, crawling over to tug at the corner of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s robe. ¡°Pardon me, Your Highness!¡± Hands hidden in his sleeves Zhangsun Wuji gazed at his capable general, whose temperament had been warped by what he had had to go through as a child, his eyes expressionless. ¡°One more thing¡­the child prostitution in Deepspring Brothel¡­ it¡¯s because of you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly. ¡°You sure know how to y, and you y without the slightest scruple, don¡¯t you? Do you really think these girls are poor kids from Zhongzhou viges? They are the daughters of the 18 tribes, dragged over by Tory. You¡¯re the general in charge of assuming control over the southern border, and yet you went on to provoke its already unruly inhabitants? Pingrong, you have really disappointed me.¡± Guo Pingrong loosened his blood-filled palm and stared at Zhangsun Wuji in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t understand why the crown prince, who should¡¯ve been busy with big governmental affairs, would even know about the child prostitution going on in the brothel. Worse, he couldn¡¯t understand why Tory would lie to him. Guo Pingrong looked in utter despair at Zhangsun Wuji but was unable to seek the answers from his eyes. ¡°No¡­¡± Guo Pingrong jumped to his feet, howling and making a dash for the door. ¡°I can¡¯t die like this. I am a military leader. I came in fourth ce in the True Martial Arts Meet. I¡¯m the disciple of the ninth strongest man! I-¡± His voice was stuck in his throat. Snow was falling outside, and fine specks drifted into the room through the creaks in the window, and toward the body that was releasing a significant amount of heat. Yet, upon closing in, the kes stopped midway and started falling to the ground, as though there was an invisible wall blocking their path. The sky was bright, its sunrays highlighting a kneeling figure from within the room. A few snowkes could be seen falling upon a finger, fair and slender, whose tip was in contact with the kneeler¡¯s forehead. It was a subtle pose, but the crazy, tiger-like Guo Pingrong was no longer able to advance even a millimeter forward. Guo Pingrong¡¯s consciousness had fallen into chaos; there were countless horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines, weaving together to form a rope. The rope tightened with a creaking sound, squeezing and wringing his memory and rity until his mind was in a tremendous mess. His body fell a little to the side, thest thread of awareness escaping his head. ¡°Master is the ninth most powerful man and Zhangsun Wuji¡­¡± ¡°Offended the wrong person¡­¡± Before he couldplete the thought, he had already copsed to the ground. Zhangsun Wuji retracted his hand and rested it against his fur coat. He raised his head slightly to look at the lighting in from the window. The expression in his eyes was unreadable, but it seemed almost as though he had seen a precious flower getting beaten by the strong wind and rain and had reached out to protect it only to get pricked. After a long pause, he lifted a leg to give Guo Pingrong¡¯s body a contemptuous kick. ¡°I¡¯m sparing your life, but you¡¯re only a puppet from now on¡­ I was against using this method on any of my subjects, but you can be the first. Be honored.¡± He turned around, waving his sleeve, and an imperial guard walked over. Far away, a whole group of residence guards kneeled on the snowy ground, not uttering a word. Without turning his head, he entered his carriage. Before drawing the curtains, he said tly, ¡°Pass the order.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There have been abnormal movements within the 18 tribes, so go and regte the situation. Dissenters shall be punished on the spot. Prince De will now be King Rong, so bestow upon him Rong, Zhen, and Lizhou, and have him subdue the southern border. The General will work under King Rong¡¯s subordinates to reach peace. Do it within the next few days. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s gaze shifted. Sweat trickled down the Captain¡¯s forehead, but he quickly wiped it off before answering, ¡°Yes!¡± The carriage departed, and a wave of confusion emerged from the Captain¡¯s eyes. Some timeter, he raised his head to look at the sky. The snow had stopped, but the clouds were stirring energetically. The Captain let out a soft sigh, which transformed into a puff that dispersed into the cold air. ¡°Something¡¯s about to happen¡­¡± Bang! Meng Fuyao hung from a tree, cold beads oozing from her body, while the branch she was resting on was covered in blood and sweat. The chilly wind blew onto her back, but her chest area was hot as if being burned. She made a flip, with much effort, and started panting for air. She pressed on her chest while moving into a cross-legged position and trying hard to regte her inner energy. Meng Fuyao felt as though countless fire snakes were slithering on top of one another, and where they passed her channels seemed to catch fire and developing into even more fire snakes. What strange ingredients did that needle contain? It felt like aphrodisiacs but not really. Yet, there seemed to be something tugging at her desires, but the moment she got excited her internal organs started to hurt. If there wasn¡¯t an overpowering herbal scent lingering on her cor to keep her alert and allow her to regte the Cleaving Nine Heavens¡¯ inner energy to suppress the pain, she would¡¯ve lost all control long ago. Having gone through such an exhausting battle, it wasn¡¯t surprising that her injuries were severe and difficult to endure. Amid her hazy consciousness, Meng Fuyao broke into a daze, vaguely noting that she had underestimated Guo Pingrong. He was the disciple of a worthy man, and his seriousck of morals did not determine his abilities. She hade prepared and with caution but barely scraped by. Meng Fuyao had taken all kinds of precaution against him and focused all her attention on him instead of the ¡°victim¡±, whom she had dropped her wariness toward out of sympathy. Actually, she had her misgivings about it. Hence, deactivating her acupuncture point. However, what she hadn¡¯t expected was for that girl to keep the needle in her mouth and make a move on her upon their arrival at the festival hall. Nevertheless, it was a blessing in disguise as her all-out battle with Guo Pingrong had allowed her to undergo another breakthrough. What she couldn¡¯t understand was how the thin, poison-dispelling fragrance pouch, specially blended by Zong Yue and known to cure many types of poison and even aphrodisiacs, was unable to fully quell the effects of Guo Pingrong¡¯s needle. ¡°Mother,¡± Meng Fuyao cursed, ¡°Barefoot doctor! Remote doctor! Quack!¡± Darkness took over her vision in a sh. Someone was close by, and Meng Fuyao immediately struggled to get up and grab hold of her dagger. The person stopped before her, his appearance ordinary andnguid. He turned out to be the ck-cloaked man who emerged by Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s side from time to time. He looked at her hesitantly with a regretful expression. He had been ordered to protect thisdy during his master¡¯s istion but had lost focus along the way due to an ident, causing her to get into trouble. He was standing before her but dared not go closer as her cheeks were a peachy pink, clearly abnormal. He stood there for quite some time until a whizzing sound of the wind was heard from behind. He whipped his head around to see a man in white emerging from within the darkness and looking calmly at him. The man in ck exhaled and bowed. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here, Sir.¡± ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Zong Yue assured and had the man in ck leave, before walking toward where Meng Fuyao was. Meng Fuyao set her gaze downward, half-consciously making out that the man before her was a familiar person. At that, she hopped down with a grin on her face before extending a hand to push him. ¡°You¡­ get away from me¡­¡± Chapter 54 - What Must Be Done, Will Be Done II Chapter 54: What Must Be Done, Will Be Done II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zong Yue remained quiet and went over to feel her pulse, only to be shunned by her. ¡°Quack¡­ I think I¡­ have been given¡­ aphrodisiac¡­¡± ¡°Only beauties are targeted by aphrodisiac, so why you?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed weakly,cking in energy to bicker. ¡°Is it treatable? If not¡­ leave now¡­ don¡¯t tell me about Yin and Yang¡­ neutralizing¡­ if it has to be that way¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ despise you¡­ for life.¡± Zong Yue smiled. While he appeared gentle, he wasn¡¯t one to smile. Now that he did, it was as if the sun had sprinkled its rays from behind the clouds sopassionately and warmly. ¡°I don¡¯t actually mind that¡­¡± He added lightly, reaching forward to carry her, only to have her jolt and ready to struggle free. In response, he added, ¡°We¡¯re at the back entrance of the King De Residence. You¡¯ve been through so much already, so can¡¯t you persevere until we get in?¡± ¡°¡­you can deactivate my acupuncture point, but you choose to let me suffer¡­¡± she cursed lowly. Zong Yue lowered his head, observing the redness on her cheeks and her droopy lids. It was possibly the most beautifulbination, of willows and peach blossoms in spring, and jade clear water and lotus pond in summer. He savored the sight before him. His usually steady hand slightly trembling. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes abruptly, and her gaze was bright and limpid; like the stream whose every grain of white sand was clearly visible. Zong Yue no longer said anything. He carried her into his own garden, deactivated her acupuncture point and fed her a pill before treating her wounds. He did everything himself and, uponpletion, stood by the window for a long time, muttering to himself with his hands cupped behind his back. When Meng Fuyao regained consciousness, she first checked her clothes to see if she had intercourse with anyone during the time she had been burning with desire. The fire snakes, which had been roaming within her whole body, seemed to have returned to their cave and were no longer wreaking havoc. However, there also was a hot sensation lingering deep within her pubic region. She attempted to regte her energy, and as if realizing something she sat, cross-legged, and asked, ¡°You can¡¯t eliminate itpletely?¡± Zong Yue turned around, knitting his brows. ¡°It isn¡¯t an aphrodisiac but something more potent called the Emotion Lock. It¡¯s made from the essence blood of female brothel keepers, which has been stored for thousands of years. The victims will feel an overwhelming sexual desire, day and night, but excessive intercourse will only lead to internal injuries. The victims can only stand such a deranged, promiscuous lifestyle only three months at most. Death is certain.¡± ¡°Igniting desire at the expense of life?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled. ¡°What a wicked invention.¡± ¡°Guo Pingrong¡¯s master is Fang Yimo, also known as the Starlight Sage.¡± Zong Yue¡¯s expression seemed a little peculiar as he continued, ¡°It was said that Fang Yimo had fallen in love with a girl when he was young, but the girl eloped with another man when he was journeying around. He concocted this thing upon his return to punish the adulterous couple. They went at it all day and night until one died from excessive ejaction and the other from withered blood vessels.¡± Meng Fuyao drew a deep, cold breath before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder Guo Pingrong became this immoral ¨C his Master is not a good person either.¡± Zong Yue added faintly, ¡°Guo Pingrong has been indulging in women and wine so much these past few years that his cultivation progress is not even a third of his master¡¯s. Sir Fang shields him a lot as well.¡± Upon noticing that there was not the slightest trace of fear in Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes, Zong Yue sighed. ¡°Your fur coat, dipped in Poison-Dispelling Fragrance, should be effective in most cases. You should¡¯ve been fine, if not for the fact that your body already contains a poison like that in the Emotion Lock. It¡¯s traceless and symptomless but fatal when mixed with certain types of poison. Fortunately, you have yet toe into contact with any of those in the past 17 years. If not for the Poison-Dispelling Fragrance, just the Emotion Lock alone would¡¯ve been enough to kill you on the spot¡­¡± ¡°Having said so much, you¡¯re just afraid that I¡¯ll call you a chatan. Why else would you me me for the ineffectiveness of your medicine? Seems like you¡¯re unable to do anything about this poison?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her brow, asking. ¡°No way¡­ holy doctor?¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t find a way, no one will be able to,¡± answered Zong Yue. He was certain and somewhat haughty. ¡°But I have a way to reduce its potency.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°By medication. You can transform the poison into a real aphrodisiac. As long as you¡¯re willing to¡­¡± Before Zong Yue could finish his sentence, Meng Fuyao started putting on her shoes and getting off the couch. Zong Yue let out a bitterugh, only continuing when she had reached the door, ¡°There¡¯s one more way. Since it is a mix between aphrodisiac and poison, it can be converted into either one. However, as long as the poison remains in your body, you can¡¯t get aroused, or you¡¯ll bleed from all seven apertures, resulting in death. Take your pick.¡± Meng Fuyao walked back and sat down, cross-legged and carelessly. ¡°Is there a need to ask?¡± Zong Yue stood by the window, looking at her, his face basking under the bright sunlight. His paleplexion and lips appeared whitewashed, as if heavily troubled. A long timeter he asked, ¡°You¡­ sure?¡± Meng Fuyao waved. ¡°Don¡¯t be so wishy-washy.¡± ¡°Do you really think you won¡¯t fall in love your whole life?¡± asked Zong Yue. ¡°You¡¯re in the prime of youth. What makes you so sure that you¡¯d be able to resist any temptation?¡± ¡°Love shouldn¡¯t even be in my life equation.¡± Meng Fuyao pursed her lips, a slight distraction apparent in her face. ¡°Now that I¡¯m thrown into this situation, I¡¯ll just take it as a reminder not to stray from my intended goals¡­ hey, it¡¯s actually great.¡± She lifted her chin up slightly and smiled, with a tinge of regret and resignation. After a short pause, she spoke with finality, ¡°This is it.¡± ¡­ Wuji Nation, winter, the 15th year under the emperor¡¯s reign. A rebellion took ce in the southern border of Wuji Nation, to which the crown prince passed on a decree: Prince De, Zhangsun Jia, shall be crowned King Rong and shall lead his troops to put down the revolt in the southern border, with General Guo Pingrong serving at the front line. As King De had yet to recover from a former affliction, he spent a significant amount of money to invite Zong Yue along. Upon hearing that there were all kinds of rare nts that could be used for medicine, Zong Yue had naturally agreed. As Sir Zong¡¯s little servants, Fuyao and Yao Xun followed the army as well. While leaving the city, Meng Fuyao passed by the Deepspring Brothel, only to realize that the money-squandering establishment had been seized. Its former reputation and glory were gone like the wind. Meng Fuyao stood before the empty building, and as if having thought of something, a small curl made its way to the corner of her lips before gradually disappearing the next moment. Some time passed, in silence, before she finally turned around. Suddenly she heard a soft breathing sounding from behind the back wall. She reached a hand out and grabbed hold of a small person. It was a child of not more than seven years old. She had on a thick b of makeup, which had already been smeared significantly. Upon being pulled out, the girl opened her eyes wide in panic but did not cry. Meng Fuyao found her familiar, and after some thought recalled that she was the child prostitute, Yuan Zhaoxu had spoken to that night. Meng Fuyao knitted her brows and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the brothel being sealed for the kidnapping of southern tribal girls? Hasn¡¯t the court provided a ce for you girls? Why are you here, alone?¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes were fixed on Meng Fuyao. ¡°Xiao Dao wants to go home.¡± The child spoke simply, her voice containing a rarely heard metallic quality that was unavoidably sharp. Meng Fuyao was somewhat worried that the child had be mentally unstable from the trauma and stress. Xiao Dao held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve, tugging at it firmly and repeating, ¡°Xiao Dao wants to go home.¡± Meng Fuyao tried to leave a few times, but she simply couldn¡¯t bear to swing the girl¡¯s frail hand away. Neither was she willing to use martial arts to pull herself away. Eventually, she dragged Xiao Dao all the way back to where the rest were. Upon catching sight of a kid following behind Meng Fuyao, Yao Xun pricked his brows. ¡°Xiao Dao wants to go home,¡± Meng Fuyao answered before he could even ask. Just like that, an additional little servant had been added to the troop. Xiao Dao remained quiet, her eyes fixed on the southern direction. Meng Fuyao turned around, toward the direction of the Cann Temporary Imperial Pce, a smile forming on her face. ¡®Is that particrly handsome man and his narcissistic guinea pig basking in the rare, golden warmth at this very moment? Is the fat guinea pig fast asleep with its pink belly exposed on his owner¡¯s palm? What about the first snow on the roof? Has it melted and flowed back into the crystal clearke?¡¯ Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t bid farewell to Yuan Zhaoxu. She had decided to follow King De for a few reasons. Firstly, King De was going to handle all matters regarding the southern border and its neighboringnd, which included the issuance of clearance medals. Secondly, she was still looking for a chance to obtain the antidote from Guo Pingrong, whom she had heard had be a whole different person. Thirdly, she wanted to stay away from Yuan Zhaoxu. She wasn¡¯t supposed to involve herself in matters of the heart. Since her transmigration, from feeling anxious to epting reality, she had undergone a choppy mental journey. Now that her heart was calm, it became apparent that she was willing to live in seclusion, and to battle against time and luck. Meng Fuyao was going to reach the apex eventually, as long as she pressed on. Nevertheless, life was inevitably mutable. Such changes, coupled with an irresistible stroke of luck, had approached her, and she had already foreseen the oue those would bring. She wasn¡¯t going to let years of perseverance and dreams go down the drain because of trivial matters. Meng Fuyao hoped to extinguish the spark between them that Yuan Zhaoxu hadn¡¯tpletely ignited. As such, there wouldn¡¯t be a need for her to hesitate at the most crucial moment just because of longing and the ¡®what-ifs.¡¯ She hoped to live this life without leaving any trace. Thest thing she would want was for her to alter the destiny of others and her own, as she did not belong in this world. Chapter 55 - Closing In, Step By Step I Chapter 55: Closing In, Step By Step I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The battle against Guo Pingrong had led to Meng Fuyao¡¯s breakthrough, cultivation-wise, but it had also infected her with a strange poison. Meng Fuyao believed it was fate that had strengthened her abilities and determination. The sword of destiny had shed some threads that had been entangled within the deep corners of her consciousness. She paced back and forth before the city entrance. Zong Yue cast a somewhat meaningful backward nce before whipping his horse. It was then that Meng Fuyao snapped out of it and caught up. Her sesame-ck hair swayed in the wind as a fresh red sun descended behind her delicate back. The sky wasyered beautifully, and the silhouette of a girl ascending her horse and setting out gradually faded into the sunset glow. But she wasn¡¯t aware of something. In the direction where she had been gazing, an elegant man was standing on the Springfold Pavilion, also the highest point of the Cann Pce, overlooking the scene before him. He stayed for a long time, allowing the wind to brush against his robe and hair. As the fluttering strands of hair covered his eyes, only a deep, meaningful smile could be seen on his lips. He looked toward the city entrance, turning around to face a certain animal after a long time. ¡°She¡¯s always leaving without saying goodbye. How cruel¡­¡± The animal happily pped his paws together, quickly taking the chance to confess, ¡°I won¡¯t ever do that to you¡­¡¯ However, before he could finish, his owner started mumbling, half-smilingly, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll go to you if you don¡¯te to me.¡± ¡­ The winter wind blew in tandem with the battle drums, as the heroic men of the 18 ethnic groups in Nanrong prepared to fight. The northern and southern Rong people, whose God, Garison, was human-headed and chicken-bodied, had served separately under Wuji Nation for the longest time. Somehow, after 20 years, they had decided to stroke the tiger¡¯s whiskers by joining forces and starting a revolt. The courageous fellows surged from the mountains and valleys like a humongous tide, speedily subjugating their neighbors, Pingcheng and Huangxian. They were headed for Zhongzhou, with the intention of getting Zhangsun Wuji out of his pce. King Rong sent Guo Pingrong¡¯s troop to be stationed at Jingchen, while his main camp was situated in Suishui, which was about 15 kilometers away. Both troops worked well together to surround Pingcheng and Huangxian. Meng Fuyao and Zong Yue departed from the army and headed for Yaocheng, the closest city to Pingcheng. It was said that the dense forest seated between Yaocheng¡¯s countryside and Rong ethnic group contained only the rarest of herbs and beasts. For a physician like Zong Yue, it was an opportunity that could not be missed. As for Meng Fuyao, she simply hoped that he would make a breakthrough and create an antidote for her. Yaocheng was the city closest to the Rong ethnic group. Rong and Han¡¯s people resided within the city, and the imperial court had always maintained a pacifying stance. For example, they had two people in charge, one main and one assistant, had been appointed. The main officer¡¯s title was recorded in official documents as County Magistrate, but he was known as the city owner in the eyes of the locals. He was in charge of the poption, taxation, feudal system, irrigation works, agriculture, civil administration, and finances. The assistant officer, a Han man from Zhongzhou, was in charge of warehouses, prison affairs, and official documentation. It seemed that Rong¡¯s people held the highest position and power, but they dispatched the highest administrative general to lead a defense troop, 3,000 in strength, to Baiting Vige, located 10 kilometers away from Yaocheng. Concerning the formidable and unpredictable Rong tribe, Wuji Nation¡¯s imperial court had handled them with both grace and threats, depending on the situation. A lot of thought had been put into every move. Even before their arrival, and before the locals guided Holy Doctor Zong toward Yaocheng, Meng Fuyao had already drawn a beautiful imagery in her head ¨C Lovely, peaceful, and ground full of multi-colored and patterned flowers. However, upon stepping into Yaocheng, Meng Fuyao drew a deep breath of cold air. The streets, on which charred houses sat upon, were dpidated. There were trampled flowers scattered all over the mud, along with half-naked Rong people who walked about in their colorful pants. Their snow-bright machetes swung freely behind their waists as they pushed and shoved through the crowd. Their eyes were viciously darting about, as though they were going to crush even a rock that could potentially block their paths. The fellow countrymen, on the other hand, had a look of fear on their faces as they tried as much as possible to avoid eye contact with the burly fellows. The air was filled with a deadly aura, its tension akin to that of an almost erupting barrel of gunpowder. There was nothing but danger. Upon entering the city, Meng Fuyao and gang instantly felt the cuttingly hostile look that was being hurled at them. The inns and restaurants weren¡¯t open to foreigners, and while Meng Fuyao and Zong Yue could enter with King De¡¯s keepsake, they disliked theck of freedom. They had nned to seek amodation in a household, but no one dared to rent a space to them. It waste at night that an old couple finally took them in. That night, the duo had a simple yet decent meal in the house. The old couple¡¯s son was slow-witted and inarticte, while their daughter-inw was pregnant and almost due. Under an oilmp, the couple continuously offered their guests food, smiling brightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, but please help yourselves.¡± Meng Fuyao sat before the table, full of cracks and ck mud, and held onto her bowl, falling into a daze. 17 years. It had been 17 years since she had sat down and enjoyed a family dinner. She hadn¡¯t experienced such an ambiance before, hadn¡¯t had anyone put food on her te, and hadn¡¯t had a simple meal with people by her side. The Old Taoist Priest had only forced her to practice. During the 10 years of being his disciple, Meng Fuyao had never had a proper meal. The warm memories of her past life had dispersed far beyond the horizon and behind the clouds, ultimately blown cleanly away by the breeze that followed after. There was an instant where she seemed to notice thedy¡¯s hands turning into a pair of slender, veiny hands. It was her mother. The illusion was quick to vanish, and Meng Fuyao was still sitting before a small table in a stranger¡¯s house, looking at someone else¡¯s family reunion. She stared at her food-filled bowl, feeling a sudden urge to cry. Despite lowering her head and focusing on her food, a drop of tear fell into her dish. With her chopsticks, she grabbed the affected piece of vegetable and prepared to taste her own tears. Yet, another pair of chopsticks flew forward and picked it away. Sir Zong had been standing by the window and eating his own dish, when he approached the table, not seeming to mind the fact that the piece of vegetable had been in contact with her chopsticks. He unhurriedly took it away, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a worm.¡± Meng Fuyao remained quiet, looking on as he awkwardly picked another piece of vegetable and ced it into her bowl. ¡°You¡¯re too fat. This is good for slimming down.¡± An odd expression formed on her face. ¡°Pfft¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use kinder words? Making yourself look bad for no reason.¡± Tears moistened her eyes, her pearl-ck pupils appearing especially lustrous under the dim light and the thick frosty sky outside. Zong Yue¡¯s hand stopped in mid-air as he turned his gaze toward the moon outside the window. His eyes wavered, his side profile looking rather lonesome. He was like a firm and upright bamboo, rustling in the air upon being beaten by the autumn wind. Looking at this young, mysterious holy doctor, Meng Fuyao fell into a daze once more. In spite of his glorious aplishments and status, Zong Yue was probably feeling lonely inside. Because of that, he understood her loneliness. Meng Fuyao pursed her lips, picking some garlic chives and cing them into his bowl. She continued doing so as a prank and smirked. ¡°This is good for boosting sex drive.¡± In face with a shameless woman, the sharp-tongued man could only step down gracefully and pretend not to have heard anything. He lowered his head and continued his meal, no longer caring about the hygiene of it. Meng Fuyao only focused on her own food and hadn¡¯t taken notice of the subtle smile that started to form on Zong Yue¡¯s lips. The duo stayed on for a few days, and Meng Fuyao had already gotten familiar with the family. She had also started appreciating the times she had brought Xiao Dao along to pick herbs with Zong Yue, before returning home to enjoy a simple meal and family time. These little activities were making her life amid the southern border revolt rather interesting. However, Meng Fuyao¡¯s fate wasn¡¯t ideal, and she never had the fortune of enjoying prolonged peace. One day, on the streets, she heard amotion and decided to take a look. A few households had started hanging colored ribbons on their doors. The upants seemed to be packing up and locking the doors, as if ready to flee. Shocked, Meng Fuyao questioned, ¡°What happened? All these colors are making this city look like a colony.¡± She pointed at the colored ribbons, adding, ¡°What are these? gs of all nations?¡± ¡°Stop joking, Little Brother,¡± someone muttered softly. ¡°It¡¯s the symbol of revenge by the Rong people. The doors of those who have offended them will be hung with these ribbons. It serves as a warning for non-involved parties to refrain from visiting them, in order to avoid idental injuries.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Rong and Han people getting along amiably? Why all this now?¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®amiably¡¯ depends on circumstances,¡± Yao Xun took over. ¡°The Rong ethnic group is a belligerent and haughty one, born to pursue freedom and power. They will acknowledge a tribe more powerful than them but will not stay loyal for long. When a chance arises, they will rebel and protest. Throughout Wuji Nation¡¯s history, this tribe has revolted a total of 13 times and had almost been destroyed 7 times. In spite of that, they never changed their ways. Their hostility is innate, and they are known as a roving war chariot, together with the Nanqiang tribe, which is already under Shangyuan Nation¡¯s control.¡± He pointed at the ribbons, stating, ¡°The Rong and Han people have been co-living in this city for many years. While things appear positive on the surface, the Han group, a big tribe, possesses an inherent sense of superiority, which will inevitably offend the proud and almost psychopathic Rong people, who are more than willing to fight over trivial matters. Things appear fine on the outside, but the Rong people bear grudges and are aware that the imperial court has control. Now that the 18 ethnic groups have joined forces to start a revolt, it is their chance to take revenge.¡± Chapter 56 - Closing In, Step by Step II Chapter 56: Closing In, Step by Step II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao shook her head, cursing, ¡°Proud and unruly? More like bullying the weak and fearing the strong.¡± Nevertheless, she no longer paid much attention to it and followed Zong Yue up the mountains. When the sun set, they made their way down. As they were a still a distance away from the old Han couple¡¯s home, Zong Yue, who was leading the way, stopped suddenly. From afar, they could hear cries traveling from the old couple¡¯s house. The cries were sharp and mournful, and the next moment, sounds of drawers flipping and copsing could be heard. Bodies were banging against furniture, producing dull thuds amid crudeughter and words. Women and children¡¯s frightful weeping blended together awfully as the surrounding neighbors listened on with rapt attention, their faces full of sympathy and anger. Yet, when that was done, they scuttled back into their own houses and secured the locks. Rong men were howling withughter, and someone conveniently grabbed a wine pot from a tavern, greedily gulping its content down. With still some remaining wine left within, he mmed it onto the couple¡¯s roof, cackling, ¡°Burn! Burn!¡± As if awoken by his voice, more people gathered around, pulling up their sleeves, and dancing and shouting excitedly. ¡®Burn! Burn!¡± Meng Fuyao stood in the center of the street, her pupils shrinking. A colored ribbon had been hung on the old Han couple¡¯s door. The couple was honest and kind, so how did they have offended the Rong people? Meng Fuyao quietly stopped a neighbor and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Three years ago, a Rong man bumped into the young fellow in that family and was called a fool. Look now, they¡¯re here for revenge.¡± The neighbor answered furtively before running off. ¡°D*mn, is that a valid reason?¡± Meng Fuyao uttered. ¡°Looks like the Rong people in this city are out of control and looking for trouble,¡± Zong Yuemented, approaching her. ¡°You¡¯re not fully recovered so don¡¯t butt in. If their house gets burned, we can gather some silver and find new amodation for them. The Rong people here are powerful and merely seeking reasons to start a fight. Don¡¯t cause more trouble.¡± Meng Fuyao sucked in a deep breath, tightly clenching both fists and reluctantly suppressing the urge to take action. Historically, the struggles between different ethnicities brought far-reaching repercussions, but it wasn¡¯t something that could easily be resolved. She was familiar with history, and understood that loyalty would not work, especially in situations like these. Rescuing someone on impulse might be alright, but if she were to agitate every Rong man in the process and blow things up, more deaths would be inevitable. She gripped Xiao Dao¡¯s hand tightly and took a step back, causing the child to turn around. Her lips were pursed tightly, and a zealous sort of excitement was evident in her eyes. Meng Fuyao lowered her head and looked into the girl¡¯s eyes, frowning. ¡°Xiao Dao?¡± Xiao Dao¡¯s eyes were devilish, when she enunciated her words clearly, ¡°They deserve it.¡± Stunned by her words, Meng Fuyao rified, somewhat unbelievably, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°All,¡± she stated, pointing at the old Han couple¡¯s house. Her voice contained a viciousness that shouldn¡¯t belong to any child her age. It sounded like a steel nail being hammered into a crow-ck coffin, bloody and hardened. ¡°Sss,¡± Yao Xun let out. ¡°What doll¡­¡± Zong Yue shot Xiao Dao a faint nce, his expression pensive. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± A slight smile appeared on his face as he reached out to pat Xiao Dao¡¯s shoulder. Not knowing why, the girl looked at him, as he calmly and warmly extended his hand. His fair, slender hand was quickly stopped by another hand. Meng Fuyao had grabbed him, and she raised her brows, looking straight into his eyes. ¡°Just a slip of the tongue, not deserving of a death sentence.¡± ¡°One¡¯s words reflect one¡¯s thinking,¡± Zong Yue replied unwaveringly. ¡°She¡¯s too dangerous.¡± His tone was simple, but his expression meaningful. Meng Fuyao looked up, feeling her chest tightened. His face read, ¡°Too dangerous to keep by your side.¡± This evil-tongued man actually cared about her, and Meng Fuyao was moved. Nevertheless, she did not let go of his hands and simply kept her willful eyes on him. Zong Yue¡¯s snow-white sleeves slid down slowly as sweat trickled down Meng Fuyao¡¯s forehead. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands were still in midair as she added, ¡°She¡¯s still a child and has no strength. I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Just let me do it then,¡± Zong Yue said, his eyes cold. ¡°You¡¯re strong, intelligent and decisive, but you¡¯re too kind and soft-hearted. Haven¡¯t you gotten yourself into trouble for trusting Qiao Ling? You know the dangers of saving her so why did you do it? How are you going to survive in this predatory world?¡± After a long pause, Meng Fuyao responded, ¡°Some things must be done and things that mustn¡¯t be done. For this, I¡¯ll die without regrets.¡± The streets were quiet, and the girl¡¯s back was straightened. The wind blew through her hair, taking her metallic voice far away with it. Like an awl, the words belonging to the hot-blooded, the faithful and the unyielding, prated the solid cold and the bright sunlight. Zong Yue waved his sleeves a little as he gazed into her eyes, lost in thought. With ayer of ceramic ze in his eyes, he half-smiled and put his hand down. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret this one day.¡± Meng Fuyao brought her hands down as well, before turning to look at Xiao Dao. She smiled. ¡°I believe that people are kind in nature. Fate might lead them astray, but if given a chance, they will be guided back onto the right path. If we don¡¯t even give them this opportunity, and only use violence as a solution, won¡¯t we be the ones turning evil?¡± She extended a hand out to give Zong Yue a pat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know when to take action, and will be firm when need be.¡± ¡°Spare no one!¡± As if in agreement with her sentence, a group of men yelled from behind them, followed by the anguished wailings of a woman. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my child!¡± Bang¨C¨C¨C Half a door behind them had been smashed onto the street center, almost hitting Xiao Dao while raising ayer of dust into the air. Meng Fuyao pulled her to safety before turning back and seeing the other half of the door hanging loosely from its frame. The image resembled that of a toothless cave mouth. From inside the door crawled out the daughter-inw, her clothes stained in blood. She attempted to climb over the doorstep time and time again but to no avail, eventually copsing from theck of energy. Behind her stood a group of gloating Rong men, watching her apathetically with their arms crossed. A Rong man, almost three meters tall, pursed his lips tightly while holding onto his machete. Blood was still dripping down it, forming a snake-like trace on the ground. He followed behind the squirmingdy, and each time he made a step forward he lifted his machete slightly, picking and ripping at her garment. Her torn clothes fluttered like butterflies as the pregnantdy struggled to push herself forward. More rips appeared on her garment, and more skin became exposed, looking like specks of bright snow. Pieces of cloth and drops of fresh blood reached the ground, igniting the beasts in those wild, primitive men. Her belly bulged significantly as her child was almost due. She tried hard to protect it and crawl forward without hurting it. Not daring to crawl with her belly facing the ground, she could only have it facing the sky as she moved her body inch by inch. The Rong man wasn¡¯t rushing her either. He simply cut off her clothes, one piece after another, with each step taken. A short whileter, thedy¡¯s clothes werepletely torn. As she was in the final stages of her pregnancy, faint green veins could be seen on her fully bare belly. The Rong man howled withughter. ¡°Look at your daughter-inw and your grandkid, old man. With just a slip of my hand, the stupid fool in her tummy will be gone.¡± He smirked disdainfully. A light ray shed by as he pricked his machete toward thedy¡¯s belly. Unable to watch, the neighbors turned their heads, sighing. The old man and his son, who were held down by a few Rong men, yelled at the top of their lungs, ¡°Huan¡¯er!¡± Their voices shot throughyers of clouds, only returning as mournful echoes that filled the quiet surroundings. A merciless and deadly aura shrouded the streets the next moment. The pregnantdy¡¯s belly button was about to be ripped off, and two lives were about to be lost. ng! The sound was made 10 times crispier by the still silence. Unexpectedly, a simrly crisp voice sounded: ¡°A man abusing a pregnantdy in public¡­ is this what you Rong tribesmen are proud of?¡± Already scared out of her wits, the pregnantdy felt an iing gust of wind, followed by a ticklish sensation above her head. When she opened her eyes, she saw that a few strands of her hair had been sliced off by the machete, falling to the ground. She lifted her head and spotted two clean, powerful fingers pinching onto the end of the de, which was only a centimeter away from her belly. Again, the streets were dead silent as people fixed their eyes on those fingers, which had easily subdued the steel de, no longer allowing it to sink further in spite of great efforts made by the Rong man. The Rong man stared at those fingers, his gaze slowly moving up to a set of an umber-ck robe, and then to a meager-looking youth. Meng Fuyao. Some things must be done, and some things mustn¡¯t be done. Certain things must be endured, and certain things mustn¡¯t be endured. There was a limit to some things. She wouldn¡¯t be Meng Fuyao if she had allowed this brutal man to kill an unborn child, and under the eyes of everyone present at that. Upon seeing the astonishment and ominous look in his eyes, Meng Fuyao took a deep breath. ¡°Get lost!¡± she growled. Snap¨C¨C¨C She viciously broke the de, conveniently tossing its broken tip backward, evoking a painful cry immediately after. She had sessfully struck another Rong man, who had been sneaking up on her. With a broken de plunged in the back on his hand, the Rong man soon copsed with a wretched wail. ¡°Garison is watching! Where has this death-seeking fellowe from?¡± the tall Rong man howled, pouncing forward with his bare arms while ferociously waving his fist. He was a martial artist. Unfortunately, Meng Fuyao was her opponent, and such moves weren¡¯t effective against her. Meng Fuyao let out a cold smile and ced both hands behind her back before leaping forward. It took her just one step tond on the corner of the other section of the de, sending it into the air in a spiral before flying straight at the man¡¯s bowl-sized fist. While retracting his hand in panic, the Rong man produced a strong wave of airflow, which diverted the iing de and sucked it right toward his nose. Chapter 57 - The Heart of Wuji I Chapter 57: The Heart of Wuji I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Blood dripped down the Rong man¡¯s nose as a bulge slowly emerged on his forehead. He stumbled backward. Zong Yue had been standing quietly by the side, and upon seeing that Meng Fuyao had subdued him without doing much, a look of praise shed across his face. Not only were her skills extraordinary, but she was also extremely witty. While she hadn¡¯t risen to the top, the seat right at the top would eventually be hers. Meng Fuyao proceeded to help thedy up before feeling for her child¡¯s pulse. She noddedfortingly, adding, ¡°You can no longer live here. Every city in Wuji Nation has a home shelter built for the homeless and the suffering. You guys should look for the officer there and seek protection.¡± The frightened pregnant woman choked, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± The old man and his son half-dashed and half-stumbled toward them, their faces moist. They thanked Meng Fuyao, bowing with her hands cupped in front, inwardly d that they had kept them in out of kindness. Meng Fuyao waved casually before turning to Zong Yue. ¡°You go ahead first. I¡¯ll bring them to the shelter.¡± A strange expression appeared on Zong Yue¡¯s face, but he said nothing, simply standing still. Meng Fuyao cast a nce at him, and as she was about to leave, a gust of wind surged from behind. Without even turning her head, Meng Fuyao threw a back kick, her long leg drawing a flexible and beautiful arc beforending on the sneak attacker¡¯s chest. ¡°Ah!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s floating kick sent him flying right out of the door and onto the ground. After releasing a sky-splitting cry and twisting about on the floor, the man stopped moving. After some time, fresh blood poured out from his body, gradually piling up. The thick sent was nose-piercing. ¡°Murder!¡± A shout filled the air, stalling Meng Fuyao, who was already moving away from the scene. She turned around to look at the big fellow lying in a pool of blood, before walking over and flipping his body. There was a half-prated de on his abdomen. It was the same de that she had plunged into hispanion¡¯s hand previously. That fellow must have extracted and tossed it to the ground. It seemed that she had unintentionally thrown the man right onto it and killed him. ¡®Not right.¡¯ Meng Fuyao inspected the de, and her heart jolted. The Rong man, whose hand she had injured, had tossed it t onto the ground. Had someone shifted the de¡¯s position? She shot her head up, catching a glimpse of a suspicious figure that was forcing its way through the crowd. Meng Fuyao sprung to her feet, ready to make chase, when more Rong men surged forward, eager to take revenge. They brandished their longswords, chanting, ¡°Murderer! He¡¯s killed Han Mutie.¡± ¡°Grab him! Grab him!¡± Countless longswords were raised, directing the sun rays right into her eyes like water jets, drowning the youth amid the crowd. Their voices spread outward forcefully, prating the houses and streets. The citizens started bing frantic as well. Doors started to m shut as neighbors warned one another, ¡°Don¡¯t leave your house. Something big¡¯s about to happen!¡± The people who were standing close to Meng Fuyao had fled instantly, dering loudly, ¡°I don¡¯t know her! I don¡¯t know her!¡± Some even smoothened their sleeves while retreating and shouting, in an attempt to please the angry Rong men, ¡°Brothers, this fellow has killed a fellow Rong brother, viting the sanctity of Garison! We will not take it lying down. Let¡¯s go inform the magistrate¡­¡± The streets were morous, suddenly turning into a boiling pot of congee. Meng Fuyao tossed the corpse back onto the ground and smirked. ¡°All living things! All living things!¡± Zong Yue stood motionless by her side, adding, ¡°It¡¯s the wrong time toment about living things. You need to still the situation.¡± He spoke simply, but Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up. To prevent more violent outbursts and deaths, she would have to stop the news from spreading to the rest of the Rong men within the city and do so, she would have to kill every Rong individual present. The wind rumbled as weapons were being raised. A cmity awaited Yaocheng the moment these Rong men, who formed the biggest ethnic group within the city, started rebelling. As Meng Fuyao imagined the oue, her facial expression changed. A web-like blood wisp emerged from the bottom part of her eyes as she abruptly lifted her head. A batch of Rong men whizzed forward with machetes in hand, only to see the slim youth¡¯s eyes turn deadly. If the earlier look in her eyes was akin to a sharp, unsheathed sword, the look she was giving at that moment was like the very same sword but bloodied ¨C one that had taken a life and be a true killer weapon. Through her eyes, they saw determination¡­ and death. Meeting her gaze, the man leading the team felt his heart twitch, as he subconsciously retreated with a shout. His movement was so sudden that those behind, unable to slow down in time, mmed into him, causing a huge fuss to break out. Before themotion died down Meng Fuyao made a move. She flung her sleeve backward charged toward them like a missile. Meng Fuyao moved so quickly that her body created a ck arc while shooting through the air. Before those around could even register that presence, she had already entered their circle and raised her de. Shing! In a sh, the de ray spread like a white rainbow under the pale sun, pouring down onto the heads of everyone. Thrust, jab, pierce, split. Body reclined, elbows out, leg forward, low kick, trample. The contact between bodies was temporary and spark-like, but each touch blossomed into a huge blood flower, one after another in different spots. Her posture when dashing into the crowd was like a ck hurricane, passing through the fort made of longswords and muscles. Wherever she passed a blood rain urred, and the way she thrust and retracted her de was extremely fast. To her, there seemed not to be a difference between cutting lives and cutting grass. There was a time to be decisive and to attack, or even kill. When threatened, Meng Fuyao would not give herself time to hesitate. This was a noiseless massacre. Every strike of her de was targeted at their acupuncture points, preventing them from uttering a sound to rm more citizens. The oppressive and frightening sound of the de entering flesh echoed dully as dead bodies copsed one after another. Such silent deaths only evoked more fear and dread. Upon the 30th death, those holding a sword put it down and retreated, those attempting to flee stood, stunned, on the same spot. Those rolling up their sleeves and getting ready to assist started to tremble, their pants evidently moist, and those who were peeping behind their doors shifted their gaze away, sticking their back against it and realizing how much cold sweat they had umted. Ever since her transmigration, Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t killed that many people, or that kind of people. Nevertheless, she showed no mercy. As a time-traveler, she wasn¡¯t familiar with the different ethnic groups, but she understood that soft-heartedness wasn¡¯t meant for a chaotic time as such. Killing was at times the only way to prevent more killings. She did not mind losing some blood to halt the eruption of a blood catastrophe within the city. Three Rong men had finally snapped out of their daze and gotten ready to flee when Meng Fuyao lifted a leg and aimed for their heads like a ck cloud. Shended in front of them and seized the machete from the man closest to her, before tossing it behind. Like a crispy twisted dough, her sword flew toward the three of them, who were fleeing in the same direction, effectively pinning them to the ground. The man furthest away was removed from the de due to the force, and he staggered a little before copsing into a gutter by the side of the road and dying it red with his own blood. Not only was the gutter dyed red, but the whole stretch of the street had also turned red. Like twisting and meandering snakes, blood flowed messily across the limestone ground. The spectators froze all over the street like statues while Meng Fuyao stood amid arge pool of blood, looking up at the sky and sighing. Then, she rubbed her hands against her sleeves before sheathing her sword carefully. In normal cases, she used three types of weapon: the mini dagger hidden in her waist area or sleeves as it was good for a sneak attack or self-defense. The long whip that was tied around her waist, which was good for escaping from an enemy without killing him. Lastly, the sword she carried behind. She had only used it twice, for mass killings. The sword, Destiny Rebellion, was given to her by the Old Taoist Priest, whose face was grave when he had shared that it contained a huge secret. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t uncovered the secret, but the sword was indeed a high-grade weapon, as sharp as the gaze a killer gave when facing an enemy. Layers of scale-like clouds had already overtaken the sunlight. Yao Xun and Zong Yue¡¯s subordinates, who were busily distracting passersby¡¯s attention at the alley mouth behind Meng Fuyao, let out a prolonged breath. The massacre had them sweating cold buckets, and even the way they looked at Meng Fuyao had changed. The old Han couple was lying motionless and speechless on the ground. Zong Yue, who had made no interventions but stayed close behind Meng Fuyao¡¯s back, a vital position, was as calm as before, and he even smiled. ¡°My turn.¡± He moved forward and retrieved a small bottle, sprinkling its content all over the corpses. The wounds on those bodies instantly expanded and released a sizzling sound as the flesh gradually melted and the bones softened, eventually turning into a pile of bone fragments that were scattered into the air by a passing breeze. An individual¡¯s whole trace of existence in this world had vanished in a sh. The old man dashed over, hurriedly dragging Zong Yue and Meng Fuyao away. ¡°Leave, quick! These Rong people often wander about outside. A group of them ising this way.¡± Meng Fuyao helped the pregnantdy up, saying, ¡°They will surely look for you when they¡¯re unable to locate theirpanions. Come with me.¡± Zong Yue had nned to ensure that no trace of corpses was left behind before leaving, but he suddenly knitted his brows, his face turning pale. He reached a hand to his chest, and a servant immediately rushed forward to provide support. It was only upon the departure of the female butcher that those in the alley finally woke up from a dream-like state. They nced left and right with faces as white as a sheet. Their eyes were full of indescribable fear. They started rubbing the blood stains off themselves and dispersing. Upon reaching their houses, they shut the doors tightly, even using heavy rocks to fortify them. Chapter 58 - The Heart of Wuji II Chapter 58: The Heart of Wuji II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The residents had, out of instincts, avoided getting harmed during the time of danger, and they were prepared to remain silent concerning the situation Meng Fuyao had caused. They were going to keep everything deep within their heart until the crisis was really over. Was it really over? The sun set, and the moon rose dimly. The moon that night seemed to be shrouded by ayer of mist. The haziness of it reflected itself onto the streets, roads, trees, buildings and so on. The blood gathered in the gutter in the small alley had faded and was taken over by ayer of crystal light. By the gutter grew a wild, dark brown grass that was weirdly-shaped. The corpse, whose body had been prated by Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword, moved suddenly. His face was pale green in color, like that of the contaminated water in the gutter. Wild grass had filled the sides of the gutter and concealed the body from view. A long timeter the ¡®corpse¡¯s¡¯ finger curled up and held onto a bunch of wild grass as the man struggled to stand up. He gasped for air, slowly crawling out from the muddied water. The blood and sludge that covered his body slid down as he moved. A sinister-looking wound was visible on his back. It was a massive hole, within which flesh and bone could be seen. The sight was made more terrifying by the denseness of the night. The wound had been left by Meng Fuyao when she stabbed her sword through all three Rong men. It wasn¡¯t a big hole as he had made use of the iing force tounch himself into the gutter and prevented a fatal blow from being inflicted upon himself. It was Zong Yue¡¯s bone-scattering herb that had expanded the size of his wound. As for the discontinuation of the herb¡¯s effect and the fact that he hadn¡¯t disintegrated into the air like the rest of his brothers, Zong Yue would easily attribute it to the strangely-shaped grass. Hooked Grass was the biggest nemesis of the main ingredient found in Zong Yue¡¯s Bone-Scattering powder. Such grass usually grew on cliffs, but now that it had appeared by this gutter, it must have fallen into the water and into his body when the man plunged in with an open wound. As such, it had stalled the decaying of his flesh. Zong Yue seldom used this powder of his, and one of the rare asions in which he did, it had been rendered ineffective by an antidotal grass. Just like that, the Rong man had escaped from the massacre like a fish from a; fate was at y. Fate wanted the tightly woven secret to rip and leave a gap for an uprise. It was to fulfill a particr girl¡¯s destiny. The man took deep breaths under the dimly lit moon, the silverish water illuminating the indignation and viciousness on his face. Waist bent, he staggered from tree to tree and slowly made his way out of the alley. On the limestone ground were two bloody and mud-stained footprints, extending further and further away. As the moon set, Meng Fuyao led the pregnantdy to the official institution of the magistrate, Old Sir Su. They had nned to head to the shelter, but the deputy couldn¡¯t take them in without a written order produced by the mayor or magistrate. Left without an alternative, Meng Fuyao could only take them to the office, which was just as well since Zong Yue and she were supposed to pay the mayor a visit anyway. However, the doors were shut. After a long series of knocks, a bailiff walked outzily, mumbling, ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­ what time is it already¡­ If Master wakes up, he¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Not wanting to start a fight with the showy snob, Meng Fuyao calmed herself before speaking. ¡°Hi Sir, I¡¯m here to report that this family has been bullied, and their house has been burned. Please allow them a spot in the citizen shelter¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Fights between the Hans and Rongs are not our business to take care of. Go back, shoo!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the bailiff¡¯s face changed, immediately waving them off. Stunned, Meng Fuyao asked angrily, ¡°Not your business to take care of? Is that your stand or the mayor¡¯s?¡± ¡°Are you a fool?¡± the bailiff questioned, evidently amused. ¡°He doesn¡¯t live here. He has his own mansion in the eastern part of the city. Only the magistrate lives here, and this is his stand, naturally.¡± ¡°Let me see him then.¡± ¡°What are you?¡± the bailiff lifted his chin, asking. ¡°Think you can do whatever you please? Let me tell you. Master Su will not manage things like these so stop wasting time and get lost.¡± Meng Fuyao met his eyes and broke into a sudden smile. It was a familiar smile that turned the couple¡¯s face pale. How dare this fellow provoke the killer spirit in her! Meng Fuyao jerked and in the next moment appeared before the announcement gong. She grabbed the stick and mmed it down without hesitation. Dong! It was earth-shatteringly loud, like the rolling of thunder, instantly piercing through theyers of clouds amid the darkness. Bang¨C¨C¨C Yet another hit urred when the gong stick, which had pierced through the gong and flew toward the entrance, smashed right into it. Amid the gongs, Meng Fuyao¡¯s crisp voice could be heard dering, ¡°Three knocks and blood will pour. This lousy gongsted only one strike, so I had no choice butnd the second knock on your door. I¡¯ll be going for a head for the third knock, and as for whose blood will stain my clothes¡­ I can¡¯t say for sure yet.¡± The bailiff stood rooted to the ground, his once sluggish look immediately turning muddle. Turning to see a big round dent on the entrance door, he stroked his head with a trembling hand and stuttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go inform him. I¡¯ll go¡­¡± ¡°No need!¡± A cold shout came through as the door opened. An old, sharp-chinned man stood behind it, a big batch of bailiffs following behind. The door guard hurriedly rushed over to greet him. Ashen-faced, Master Su waved his sleeve, howling, ¡°Who dares to cause such a scene? Destroying property and insulting me? Do you really think I have no ce in this court?¡± Meng Fuyao cast a nce toward him. ¡®That¡¯s Old Sir Su, the assistant official? A Han man himself but unwilling to help his brothers? The Old Sir Su that would rather throw his men out to the Rongs?¡± She red at him, subconsciously gritting her teeth. After some time, she let out a beaming smile and sped her hands sweetly together. ¡°Ick in manners, Sir Su.¡± ¡°Now you know it? What a pity. That¡¯s not enough to get you out of trouble,¡± Sir Su stared furiously at the fellow before him, convinced that thetter¡¯s switch from arrogance to deference had everything to do with his authoritative powers. Confident, he flung his sleeve, shouting, ¡°Men! Take him down, use the cangue on him for three days and leave the citizens hanging dry.¡± The bailiffs responded immediately, rushing forward to grab Meng Fuyao, who obediently let them tie her up. Zong Yue stood by the side, watching calmly with no ns of intervening. Only when a bailiff clumsily mmed into her shoulder did his eyes twitch a little. Upon seeing that Meng Fuyao was dragged away by a bunch of men, whose hands were mped against her shoulders, Zong Yue could no longer control the twitching of his brows. ¡°Hold on.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around grumpily. ¡®You¡¯re too impatient. I¡¯m not done ying.¡¯ Ignoring her look, he stated simply, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to cangue this person.¡± ¡®Eh?¡± Sir Su knitted his brows. ¡°Who do you think you are to tell me what and what not to do?¡± Sir Su¡¯s nose was high up in the air, and without even giving Zong Yue a nce he continued impatiently, ¡°Take away-¡± He stopped abruptly. Opposite of him, Zong Yue had extended a palm out, revealing a ck tablet. On it, a glistening and golden De had been embossed. It was King De¡¯smand tablet that symbolized the descendants of the imperial family, and it was as good as having the prince with them at that moment. ¡°Zong Yue,¡± he introduced politely and amiably. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person whom the King had very kindly been favoring. I have been given the right to travel between the mansion and the fiefdom. There¡¯s no need to say, but this hall your seventh-grade self is residing in is, in fact, the King¡¯s Hall of the Tiger¡¯s Might. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem for me to speak a few words here, then.¡± Sir Su stood still. Zong Yue. The legendary man. His origins were mysterious, and he had studied under a doctor in the mountains. He was naturally talented and intelligent and had started journeying when he was 20. Across the five region continents, martial arts weremonly practiced, and the imperial family was no exception. Injuries and illnesses were inevitable parts of life that did not pick and choose victims. Even high-status people were not safe from them, so physicians had always been highly regarded. Needless to say, a god-like figure like Zong Yue was a man that monarchs from respective nations hoped to win over. He had long been licensed to move about freely, without the need to pay respect to monarchs upon encounters. Kings who wished to see him would need to make formal invites. Countless lives had been owed to him, and while he was merely a physician, his status was no lower, or even higher than that of a prince. If Zhangsun Wuji was a god-like in the field of politics, Zong Yue was the equivalent in the field of medicine; the former tooknd, power, and lives whereas thetter saved lives and cured illnesses. A man like Sir Su couldn¡¯t normally get close to Zong Yue, and for him to be looking right at the clean-looking youth, dressed in a snow-white robe, he was lost for words. Zong Yue smilingly pointed at Meng Fuyao before asking courteously, ¡°Can you let my friend go?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes, yes!¡± Sir Su hurriedly ordered his men to release her. He had wanted to let Meng Fuyao go, but she did notply. Shunning the men, she asked, ¡°Why are you untying me? I want the cangue! Move aside!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t untie me. No!¡± Meng Fuyao shamelessly dodged their hands, determined to stay tied up. ¡°Cangue, cangue! How are you going to hang the citizens dry if you let me go?¡± She sneered and jumped through the door and toward the inner hall. ¡°Where¡¯s the cangue? Quick! Let¡¯s not waste time!¡± Helpless, the bailiffs let go and looked pleadingly at Sir Su. After a long time, Sir Su walked over to Meng Fuyao and personally untied the ropes. ¡°Little fellow, I have been rude. Please don¡¯t take offense¡­¡± Chapter 59 - A Night of Complaint I Chapter 59: A Night of Comint I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao turned her body to one side and let go of his hand. She said with a stern tone, ¡°I am a good citizen who knows my ce, and I am determined to follow your orders, Old Sir. If you want the cangue on me, it must happen. If you want me caged, I must be caged. I am upromising and firm when ites to fulfilling orders.¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡­ Ugh!¡± Assistant Magistrate Su¡¯s face turned ashen while it hung shocked for a long while. Then, he embarrassedly said, ¡°It¡¯s my bad¡­ I¡¯ll make it up¡­¡± Meng Fuyao had been waiting for that sentence. She turned around smiling. ¡°You really want to make it up to me, Old Sir?¡± ¡°I have lost my manners¡­¡± Assistant Magistrate Su wiped off his sweat. He was always a flexible, smooth and slick in establishing social rtions kind of person. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been sent to manage thisplex cohabitation-of-different-ethnic-groups situation as the assistant. It was only after his arrival that he had experienced Ah Shina¡¯s tough-as-nail temper. The heavy responsibility of mediating rtionships between the people had to be greatly exercised. For every argument, he had to step in, and for every fight, he had to pacify, all in exchange for afortable life under Ah Shina¡¯s reign. Now that King De¡¯s army was 500 meters away and that Zong Yue was his exclusive guest, he would in no case offend a friend of Zong Yue. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled more politely. ¡°Since you¡¯re so sincere, Old Sir, how dare I refuse? If sincerity means offering an apology, then it doesn¡¯t matter whether you free me. Help that family settle down first, alright? When that¡¯s done, my mood will be good again. When my mood is good again, there¡¯s no need to use the cangue.¡± Assistant Magistrate Su stared at her resentfully and entered the hall to write a decree before passing it to the bailiff. He instructed him to arrange a ce for the old man and his family and to take care of them until they leave. Meng Fuyao stretched her body. Pop¡­ pop¨C¨C¨C The tightly bundled rope ruptured entirely and fell to the ground, chunk by chunk. Assistant Magistrate Su red at that rope that had so easily snapped. Hisplexion turned grey as a hint of timidity shed across his eyes. Nevertheless, he hurriedly smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the rear hall, please. Please.¡± However, Meng Fuyao stood still. ¡°Sir Su, you don¡¯t have to be polite. It isn¡¯t the time to be polite.¡± Her expression slowly calmed down, and an apprehensive look took over her face. ¡°Sir, the danger is imminent. The people will suffer in this war. Do you really have no ns?¡± While feeling distracted, Assistant Magistrate Su sized her up quickly, while guessing whether she was an envoy sent by the imperial court. He deliberately replied, ¡°This¡­ The Rong people are powerful, tough and valiant, and not ones to be provoked. Let¡¯s scheme slowly¡­ scheme slowly¡­¡± ¡®Slowly, your head!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s anger was building up. She took a step forward and proimed, ¡°Sir Su, ¡®slowly¡¯ is possible now, but will there be enough time to ¡®scheme slowly¡¯ when we reach a crucial juncture in future?¡± ¡°Young brother, is there a need to say such frightening words?¡± Assistant Magistrate Suughed unsightly. ¡°The Rong and Han families have been co-living harmoniously in Yaocheng for a few decades now. Why resort to weapons¡­ ¡± ¡°Bah!¡± Meng Fuyao spat inwardly but restrained the expression on her face. She spoke unhurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s up to you to deceive yourself and everyone else, but you¡¯re in charge of managing Yaocheng. If the people of Yaocheng do meet with difficulties in the future, can you still bear the me and consequences, Sir Su?¡± Assistant Magistrate Su was unable to smile. He asked gravely, ¡°What does this has got to do with me?¡± Meng Fuyao looked attentively at him, shook her head and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± Not waiting for Assistant Magistrate Su to sneer, she continued word by word. ¡°A catastrophe is about to happen. Just based on simple human conscience, I am unable to watch the citizens fall to the enemy¡¯s hands. I am unable to see innocent people being humiliated, and theirnd being plundered. I cannot sit by and do nothing about these.¡± She let out a cold smile and cast a nce toward Assistant Magistrate Su. ¡°Sir, as a leader of Yaocheng, you have been bearing the hardships with equanimity till this day, and I admire you for this.¡± ¡°What are you going to do, then?¡± The facial muscles of Assistant Magistrate Su started to cramp, and after some time he exploded, ¡°As an intellectual whocks the strength to even truss a chicken, how am I to set myself against the mayor, who has his private soldiers? How can I singlehandedly protect 10,000 people?¡± ¡°To confront the enemy, outwit them with strategy.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him and said clearly, ¡°There are actually quite a number of methods that you can employ.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°In order to protect the Han people, gather a force to be stationed within the city walls. The military force will subdue the Rong people.¡± ¡°Absurd! I have no power to engage the White Pavilion Army, and even if they doe, the Rong people will immediately turn violent. When that timees, only meaningless war ensues.¡± Meng Fuyao cast another nce at him. It was a nce that said, ¡°So you aren¡¯t actually an idiot.¡± As if nothing had happened, she continued, ¡°Recruit strong Han men under the name of King De and train them up with the pretense that they¡¯re to be sent out of Yaocheng and into King De¡¯s army. Chinese young males are to be convened for military drills. This way, the Rong people will not obstruct you. Once that¡¯s done, a full-strength army division will be deployable whenever necessary.¡± Assistant Magistrate Su did not speak. The flickering look in his eyes indicated that he had grasped her idea. He muttered to himself irresolutely. ¡°Sir, you are this easily moved?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled while leaning close to him. ¡°There¡¯s another effortless way to gain an advantage over the Rong people¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her head and whispered into his ears. Suddenly, the tip of Assistant Magistrate Su¡¯s brows shot up. His facial expression changed, and he eximed, ¡°You are crazy!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed grimly while looking at him without uttering a word. ¡°Ah Shina¡¯s vige is heavily guarded. He is also a good fighter. Confining him is easier said than done!¡± ¡°That is my business,¡± Meng Fuyao stated with much indifference. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to show up. Just lend me a few bailiffs to create a more believable scene, and it can be done.¡± Assistant Magistrate Su was startled. His eyes turned misty as if analyzing the situation and suggestion quickly and weighing the pros and cons. After some time, he stamped his feet and said, ¡°Great! I¡¯ll give them to you!¡± ¡°Sir, you¡¯re concerned about your people and are not afraid to take the risk. I respect you.¡± There was a glint in Meng Fuyao¡¯s eye as she praised him smilingly. Assistant Magistrate Su sighed unhurriedly before adding, ¡°Young brother, you must¡¯ve been unhappy with my earlier behavior. Actually, I would love to sacrifice whatever I can to help, but I¡¯ve continuously been suppressed by a greater power, that¡¯s all.¡± He turned around and waved to call for few bailiffs. ¡°Follow these brothers to the mayor¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t me you, Sir Su. You¡¯re merely concealing your strength and waiting for the right time. Saving the people is a great responsibility, and no one else but you can carry it.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed very happily, finishing up, ¡°Many thanks to you, Sir, for upholding justice.¡± She bowed lightly before walking past him. Assistant Magistrate Su subconsciously returned the bow, but when he was about to bend down his waist, he felt a cold sensation hitting the middle section of his back. It was as if his back had been split open and then stuffed with freezing snow. With difficulty, he twisted his head and saw a delicate and pretty young man calmly withdrawing a ck dagger, which was filled with fresh blood. He quickly copsed to the ground. The youth then calmly blew on the dagger, allowing the blood to drip onto the ground. ¡®That blood¡­ is mine¡­¡¯ Before he couldplete his thought, Assistant Magistrate Su felt a sudden ripping pain. It was a localized pain as if fireworks had been set off in his back. He instantly lost all awareness. He gasped for breath and soon copsed like a heavy rotten piece of wood. The one who had attacked him was Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao watched calmly as Assistant Magistrate Su fell indignantly into a pool of blood. She withdrew her dagger and shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t always treat others as fools. Do you really think I have zero intelligence like you?¡± Assistant Magistrate Su had been persistently against defending the Han people, so why would he so readily agree to her bold n? Such ssified information was involved, but he let the bailiff stand by and listen? Why were his eyes blinking non-stop when he was calling for the bailiff? Cramps? What Meng Fuyao hated the most was a scum whocked a conscience, turned his back against his ancestors and the hands that fed him. If she had kept this old fox, who was familiar with the matters of the government and the city, he was certainly going to disclose information to others. It was obvious that he and Ah Shina were colluding. The court was bound to be attacked, sooner orter. It was better for Meng Fuyao to settle it earlier. Zhong Yue looked over, his eye expression suggesting curiosity. Meng Fuyao understood that he meant to ask if she was sure about making a move on the mayor at this point. She nodded lightly in spite of the indistinct wisp of uncertainty swimming within her. While she had gotten rid of all the Rong people from earlier, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the sword, whose position had changed, and the figure that had squeezed into the crowd so suspiciously. She couldn¡¯t forget what she had seen and felt extremely uneasy. Hence, she decided to make the first move, to be in control of the situation. It would¡¯ve been ideal if Assistant Magistrate Su had been willing to step forth and help her, but since he wasn¡¯t, she had no choice. Assistant Magistrate Su had turned into a corpse in a wink. The bailiffs were stupefied, and Meng Fuyao took her time to walk over and popped a pill into each of the Han bailiff¡¯s mouths. She then jabbed each of the Rong bailiffs on the back of their neck. ¡°The pill is a Longevity Supplement pill.¡± At that, she folded her arms andughed happily. ¡°Actually it¡¯s nothing much. If there isn¡¯t any antidote, you will really live a long life and have an eternal soul.¡± ¡°The pressure I¡¯ve applied at your nape¡­¡± she nced at those obviously unconvinced faces and the darting eyes of the Rong bailiffs. ¡°¡­Matters even less. I know you aren¡¯t scared of death. You are more afraid ofmitting sphemy. Therefore, I¡¯ve targeted your acupuncture point. I¡¯m sorry, but if you don¡¯t undo it with a special method within 24 hours, you will start to feel disoriented. Then, things, like chopping the mayor or setting the city on fire or even pissing on Garison, might happen.¡± Not looking at the identically deathlyplexion of those bailiffs, Meng Fuyao smiled amicably and waved. ¡°Now, I invite everyone to follow me to the mansion.¡± ¡­ The night was sinking, and the stars were flickering. A thread of ck, iron-like clouds had shrouded an entric-looking manor within the city walls. The style of the building was simr to that of buildings in Zhucheng. Amid the white-walled and green-roofed cityyers was a Rong-styled stronghold. Other than its Han-inspired perimeter walls and entrance door, the interior of the building was made from the most primitive tree bark. The undecorated iron pirs of the corridor were the specialty of the southern border. Vaguely visible horn-shapednterns could be seen swaying from the corners of the eaves as a pale yellowish light radiated from afar, generating a hazy effect. Chapter 60 - A Night of Complaint II Chapter 60: A Night of Comint II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was clear that the owner of this uncoordinated half-Japanese, half-Chinese looking mansion was an obstinate and persevering man, who had deep faith and worship in his own origin. It waste at night, and the mansion was absolutely quiet, save for the slight breezeing from afar. ¡°Mayor!¡± A crying voice, together with an incessant knowing of the copper ring on the door, broke the silence. ¡°Who¡¯s causing such a ruckus!?¡± Another voice boomed from within the mansion almost instantly. Above theyers of tree bark, shing ck figures could vaguely be seen. Weapons were aimed at the iing guests. ¡°Your humble subordinate, Guo Er, is here!¡± the person banging the copper ring yelled. ¡°Something big has happened, Mayor!¡± ¡°The mayor does not receive guests at night! How dare you cause a disturbance at this time of the night?¡± the authoritative voice responded. ¡°Go back to Su Yinghua!¡± ¡°Master Su has been assassinated!¡± A loud voice broke out, causing the stern voice from inside the mansion to stop. Upon digesting the news, the man inside the mansion could be heard shuffling, and after some time a voice broke out again. It was no longer heavy but sharp and metallic. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand either¡­ there¡¯s an assassin, and even a letter was left alongside Master Su¡¯s dead body!¡± Guo Er reported a step away from the opened door, which cast light onto his face as he held a letter above his lowered head. A dim light spread outward and past Guo Er and a few familiar-looking Rong bailiffs before shifting away. Some timeter, a low voice could be heard. The extremely thick door finally opened. The man¡¯s build was unlike most Rong men. His eyes were slightly brown and contained an ominous glint. He raised his head and looked toward Sir Su¡¯s corpse lying on a straw mat on a wheelbarrow, asking in shock, ¡°Why did you drag the body here?¡± ¡°Sir,¡± Guo Er greeted, bending down. ¡°Sir Su lost his life nearby. He had detected abnormal activities among the Han citizens. He had been harmed on the way here before he could report it to you. We had no choice but to¡­¡± Ah Shina crinkled his brows, repeating, ¡°Close by?¡± As if remembering something, he added, ¡°Let me look at the wound and maybe I¡¯ll know a little something about the killer.¡± Guo Er handed the letter over, and a guard went forward to take it. ¡°Don¡¯t bring your dirty hands so close.¡± At that, he turned to pass it to Ah Shina, who then epted it and walked toward the wheelbarrow. Sir Su¡¯s face seemed paler under the moonlight, his eyes rolled to the back. It was a cold and eerie sight. Of course, Ah Shina wasn¡¯t afraid of dead bodies. He unhurriedly opened the letter, only to find that it was tightly sealed. He stared at Sir Su¡¯s body while subconsciously licking the seal and softening it. By the time the letter was unveiled, he had reached the corpse. He lifted the reed mat to cover Sir Su¡¯s face while briefly ncing at the thin sheet of paper in his hand. It was soft, and the words on it were big, bold and cursive. The moment he set his eyes properly onto the sheet of paper Ah Shina seemed to have realized something, instantly jolting backward. It was toote, however. A pair of bloodied, yet delicately-shaped hands shot out from Sir Su¡¯s chest area, piercing through it, and toward Ah Shina¡¯s throat. Like lightning, the hands jerked in midair, and as Ah Shina attempted to dodge, he felt his chest tighten, and his legs weaken. At that moment the steeled hands had reached his throat and gripped his windpipe. ¡®This is it,¡¯ he thought. While it was just a pair of hands, the steady force between the fingers was solid as a rock, making it almost impossible for anyone to break free. With a flick of the fingers, bits of flesh flew outward. Immediately after, Sir Su¡¯s corpse sat up. Under the cool moon the pale-white corpse, with a hole in its chest and a pair of hands sticking out from it and grabbing Ah Shina¡¯s neck, seemed to have jumped out from a horrifying and sinister painting. Some witnesses had gone weak in the knees and dropped theirmps to the ground. mes rose, but no one made anyments. Amid the terror, bell-likeughter chimed¨C¨C¨C ¡°Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s ideas are good, but it¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t have transparent gloves.¡± ¨C¨C¨Cand amid theughter Sir Su¡¯s corpse went limp, and a ck figure sat up from the wheelbarrow seat, his hands still around Ah Shina¡¯s throat. ¡°Thank you, Mayor, how generous of you to agree immediately.¡± Ah Shina stared at the stranger ¨C a youth ¨C and inhaled. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Instead of answering, the youth sniffed his own body, filled with the stench of a corpse, before shooting a fierce nce into the darkness far away. ¡°I¡¯ve done the hard work so why aren¡¯t you showing yourself yet,zy man?¡± A lowugh emerged along with a white figure, whose lips were a light pink and eyes were in a warm arc. It was Zong Yue. Naturally, the youth was Meng Fuyao. She stretched her hand and led Ah Shina toward him. ¡°Come,e, Mayor. It¡¯s sote already, why are we eating wind out here?¡± Pushing Ah Shina into the hall with much swagger, Meng Fuyao waved her sleeve to shut the door. She then dragged a piece of paper over and said, ¡°Write what I say.¡± She spoke a few sentences, and Ah Shina¡¯s face changed. ¡°No!¡± he growled. Before his voice fell, a mor sounded from afar. It sounded like rumbling shouts and cries, powerful enough to split mountains. Amid the mor was the nging of swords, and it was closing in wave by wave. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face changed as she pricked her ears up to listen. Zong Yue, who was standing beside her, informed, ¡°A big group ising this way. News¡­ might have spread.¡± Following hisment, rain-like poundings could be heard from the door. A few tries were all it took for the door to give way. A bunch of colorfully-dressed Rong men barged in while hissing, and their leader had a few human heads in his hands. Blood dripped, leaving a long line-like trace on the ground. ¡°Mayor! This family colluded with outsiders to kill Garison¡¯s sons, and we have ughtered his family. Please send soldiers to capture the murderer!¡± Heads were handing off and swinging beneath his fingers. The hair on those heads was white and scar-filled. They appeared to be the old Han couple. Meng Fuyao, who had already retreated into the inner part of the hall, managed to recognize the victims and was unable to control her expression. Zong Yue was right beside her and could detect the incessant gritting of her teeth and extreme trembling of her body. Worried that she would lead her inner energy astray from fury, he ced his palm on the middle of her back. This wentpletely unnoticed by her. All she felt was the heat in her body and the coldness in her hands and feet. There seemed to be a surge of boiling water in her chest sending bouts of burning pain that shot speedily throughout the rest of her body. It was so overwhelming that she felt her heart could burst at any moment. She was the one who had suggested the civilian shelter. She was the one who had failed to get rid of all the Rong men present. She had failed to prevent a vengeful act from urring. She had been careless. She hadn¡¯t stayed by the couple¡¯s side because she was overly confident that news wouldn¡¯t spread. She had unknowingly turned into a murderer! Four lives were gone. ¡®I have indirectly killed them.¡¯ Anger brewed from her core and her eyes darkened. She was no longer able to control the strength of her grip around Ah Shina¡¯s neck. Her fingers twitched slightly, and Ah Shina felt her palms tightening significantly. He attempted to struggle free but to no avail. His face started turning purple as if about to die from asphyxiation. Uneasy, Zong Yue jabbed her, instantly clearing her mind. She rxed her grip, and Ah Shina panted for breath while trying to straighten his neck as much as possible. Meng Fuyao turned her head, blood evident in her eyes. She looked coldly at Ah Shina, her eyes sending a chill down his spine. She simply spoke, word by word and slowly, ¡°All here? Very good. What are you waiting for? You¡¯re the host. Ask them in, quickly!¡± On the 15th year under Wuji king¡¯s reign and a slightly cold winter night, the first unrest had taken over Yaocheng, in which Rong and Han people had been cohabitating for years. Things started when an ordinary Rong man had been seeking revenge and interrupted by a girl, which then led to a silencing massacre. One Rong man had escaped and gathered his people to seek justice at the mayor¡¯s residence. Yet, the girl had simply waited idly, first killing the assistant official and then seizing the mayor. After that, she forced the mayor to invite the important parties in for a ¡°business discussion¡±. Out of respect for him, the Rong men removed their weapons before entering, and upon entering a few of them were called into the inner room for a ¡°one-on-one meeting¡±. No one knew what happened after, except that those missing had left no trace of existence at all. It was a few dayster that a servant had found bloodstains on the door sill of the inner room. Those traces seemed to have been left soaking and had be unremovable. Since the sill reached one¡¯s ankle, there was no way for blood to collect in the groove unless a significant amount of blood ¨C an ankle-deep amount at least ¨C had been umted some time before. How much fresh blood was involved? And to whom did it belong? The secret behind the missing Rong men would forever remain as one, together with the skinny figure from that night, who exuded a deadly aura and whose walk was light and breezy. The blood from the tip of her sword de meshed dripped onto the ground between intervals, meshing into the big pool of blood and eventually being buried by Time. Apart from the few who came to understand their bad luck, the rest had gone into the main hall to wait for the mayor. While envying thosepanions who had been called in individually, they drank tea and chatted loudly. But after a few sips from their tea, they copsed onto the ground simultaneously. Chapter 61 - Painful Choice I Chapter 61: Painful Choice I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios By the time they woke up, they had found themselves with the mayor, locked up in prison cubicles within the mayor¡¯s residence. The chiefs had amon enemy and had decided to resist till death. Yet, the enemy chose not to show himself. Instead, food and drinks surfaced on the table, instantly hooking their appetite. Confident that their enemy wasn¡¯t after their lives, those men ate heartily, only to feel their tummy rumbling loudly soon after. Rushing to the bucket in the prison, they found that on it was a picture of their dear god Garison. They were simply unable to sh*t into their god¡¯s mouth, also the opening of the bucket, as the immoral culprit had so specifically drawn. Plus, whoever had dared use it did not need to think about living anymore. Without a choice, everyone started doing their business in front of one another. They were big and important figures who were unable to prevent nature¡¯s call. Hunger could be endured but not bathroom needs. For a whole day, Ah Shina and those figures suffered tremendously. Just then, a piece of paper appeared before them as someone shouted, ¡°Write in exchange for your freedom to use the bathroom.¡± As such, those men, unafraid of death and interrogation by torture but unwilling tomit sphemy, obediently wrote their pledge to hand over all weapons of their tribe, to only possess those approved and given by the office, and to make an oath in front of Garison¡¯s painting never to betray again. The only resistance came from Ah Shina himself. He sat in a corner, not moving for three days and nights, in fear that the stench in his pants would be released all at once upon any movement. While in admiration of his perseverance, the other men rejoiced at their freedom to defecate properly. A cmity that should have shaken the whole city and wiped out all Han citizens within it was, just like that, put to an end through absolutely shameless methods. The originator, also the girl who had arrived into this world like a storm, quickly announced to the city the content within the document, legitimized by an official seal. ¡°The mayor is ill and unable to see to things. The assistant magistrate has died from a sudden illness, and his responsibilities will be taken over by his substitute, who will now be in charge of the internal military affairs and civil administrations.¡± This unrest, not considered extensive, had happened in Yaocheng, a small city in the southern border of Wuji. It should have vanished like a bubble in the history of time, but some of the higher-ups in the seven nations smelled something fishy from it. It was just as how a sharp de¡¯s glint could never be fully concealed even if kept in a pocket. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a conspiracy, the massacre,¡± Feng Xuan, the monarch of Xuanji Nation spoke while reclining in his seat before a purple-litmp and fiddling with the tassels of his fan. ¡­ ¡°It wasmitted for an opportunity to gain power, and the culprit is most definitely not ordinary,¡± Xuanji Regent read from the national report. ¡­ Fei Yan, thedy saint from Fufeng Nation, stood on the highest building in the whole nation and gazed toward the south, her eyes appearing hazy through the fluttering golden muslin curtains and floating clouds. She lifted a finger, and a ck crystal appeared on her fingertip. Quietly looking at it for a long time, she finally said in a soft voice, ¡°God¡¯s decree. Her direction.¡± ¡­ Standing amid the vast yellow sand of Geya desert, Tiansha Nation¡¯s king turned toward Wuji Nation. His darker-than-night pupils glowing from the mes burning enthusiastically within them, just like the eternally burning disk above his head. ¡°Is that you, Woman?¡± He raised his head up andughed before whipping his horse. Upon neighing and lifting its hooves the handsome horse galloped toward the south like the wind, leaving deep prints on the sand. ¡­ Outside Yaocheng¡¯s city gate, a refined man dressed in purple robe mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m just a stepter, and you¡¯ve already snatched my city¡­¡± He raised a brow and looked toward the mayor¡¯s residence. What was she doing at this moment? The girl whose smile was as bright as the sun, whose body was as soft as spring willows and whose attitude at work was as tough as thunder and as strong as thirty cows. Would she be thinking of the man who had abandoned her for not greeting him? At that moment inside the mayor¡¯s residence, the newly ssified mayor, Meng Fuyao, wasn¡¯t thinking about the man who had so heartlessly dumped her. Neither was she thinking about the reaction of the important people in all seven nations. She was squatting in prison, staring unbelievably at the corpse on the ground. It was the man whom tens of thousands of Rong men respected and the leader who had possessed absolute might amid the Rong people ¨C former mayor Ah Shina. ¡®Sudden death.¡¯ ¡°Darn it, what a time to die,¡± Meng Fuyaoined, scowling miserably while squatting by Ah Shina¡¯s scarless corpse. While it looked as if she was having a good time as the substitute mayor, she was actually walking on a tightrope and had been so busy trying to stabilize the situation. First Zong Yue had to report to King De about the recent happenings to get his permission for her to be the mayor temporarily. Then, she had to filter out the more dangerous Rongsmen, recruit Han bailiffs, and form and train up the civil corps in order to strengthen the defense of the Han citizens, who made up a smaller group within the city. She had also divided the household register to have the Rongsmen and Hansmen live alongside each other. At the same time, she beheaded a few of the most vicious and generous ribbon-hangers. Now that all these had been done, the situation within the city was still stable despite the inevitable undercurrents of activities. It was hard for her to manage everything independently, so Zong Yue gathered a few helpers to assist her. She quickly gained the trust of the Han citizens, who were familiar with the current situation, to actualize the civilian shelter strategy. As she stared in absolute confusion at the political documents, Zong Yue was able to easily settle various matters while mocking her ipetency. The way he handled things was extremely efficient, as evident from the quickly vanishing pile of documents. Shocked, Meng Fuyao was convinced that his birth wasn¡¯t ordinary. Which physician was this good at political matters? She did ask once, but he pretended not to have heard her, only continuing to gather his medicine and ignoring her. Meng Fuyao focused on her work and produced rather decent results. Yet, her efforts were turning to running water, just like Ah Shina¡¯s corpse. 80% of the Rong people adored this mayor, and if the news of his death spread, the sparks she had so effortfully and meticulously quelled would definitely be reignited. It was clear that a secret agent was working for the Rong military. The agent was there to fan the fire and coordinate with those on the outside and inside as well to effortlessly take Yaocheng down. As for herself, a substitute mayor who had popped out of nowhere, it was unlikely for her to get rid of all the subordinates working within the office. She shook her head andzily got to her feet. ¡°Make him disappear,¡± she told Zong Yue calmly. Knitting his brows, Zong Yue replied, ¡°Won¡¯t the Rong people ask for their missing mayor? Their worshipping festival is happening in a few days¡¯ time, and all Rongsmen will attend it. You¡¯re not going to be able to exin Ah Shina¡¯s absence.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a hesitating sigh. Suddenly the announcement gong sounded, especially monstrously and rhythmic. There was no grief and indignation attached to the beating of the gong, but it was distant and drawn out. Each gong reached the prison, along with a bit of disharmonizing noise. The little noise seemed to be generated from the banging of a soft object onto the gong. Suspicious, Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Someone¡¯s calling for grievances? How can there be a miscarriage of justice under Meng Jingtian¡¯s[1] jurisdiction? Zong Yue gave her a quick, helpless smile. It was obvious that she wasn¡¯t normal. Cracking a joke at such time? Meng Fuyao stomped out and put the death of Ah Shina aside first. She was looking forward to ascending her seat of justice and taking on her first case. Her mighty bailiffs were already stationed as she strode to her seat in her specially made robe. The gongs were still ongoing, and she got impatient. ¡°Stop knocking! I¡¯m here!¡± she turned to yell. It was then that she got a clear view of the individual. She hupped before falling off her seat. A purple-robed man was banging on the gong unhurriedly, his posture ever so graceful and noble. It sounded more like he was ying an instrument. A group ofdies had gathered around and were looking at him with hearts in their eyes, as his sleeves slipped down to reveal his delicate wrist. What left her even more speechless was the white fur ball that was squatting on the gong frame. He was using his head to bang the gong as well. His owner would knock three times, and he would make the fourth knock; their rhythm was amazingly precise. If not that unpleasant duo then who? Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth was so widely opened that Lord Yuan Bao could easily fit inside. She settled back into her seat and knew not if she should call for attention and order or flee. Before she could decide, the man had already ced the gong stick down and straightened his sleeves. He had even given smiles and small bows to the women around him and was making his way forward. The fluff ball rested on his shoulder, his eyes grave yet confident. Looking closely, one could see the disdain in his eyes, as if meaning toment that Meng Fuyao¡¯s robe was simply shoddy-looking. Meng Fuyao stared nkly for a long time before taking in a deep breath and looking up. She spurred herself on. ¡®Hey¡­ he¡¯s just someone here to report a case. So what if he¡¯s just a little bit special? So what if his motive is just a little bit doubtful? I can just treat him as an ordinary citizen that hase to seek justice.¡¯ ¡®But why¡­ am I feeling somewhat guilty?¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze drifted everywhere from the ceiling to the desk to the space under her desk, but never to the man standing before her. She sorted her documents, and fiddled with her robe and hair, unable to pick the gavel up. ¡°I¡¯m guilty about not having a conscience¡± was written all over her face, and the purple-robed man couldn¡¯t help but smile. Lord Yuan Bao, on the other hand, rolled his eyes. Citizens filled the area outside the hall, curious to see how their new mayor would operate a case and what grievances the magnificent man had had to endure. Their eyes moved between the youngest and most elegant mayor to the glorious-looking reporter, detecting a strange tension between them, or more specifically, within the new mayor himself. Thetter was squirming about non-stop as if he was sitting above a fire pan. [1] Calling herself after Bao Jingtian, a government officer known for his extreme honesty and uprightness. Chapter 62 - Painful Choice II Chapter 62: Painful Choice II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After a long silence, the citizens started whispering among themselves. Pressured to do something, Meng Fuyao used a hand to cover part of her face and the other hand to p the gavel onto the table. Then, she cleared her throat and called out, ¡°Who are you and why have youe?¡± She sneaked nces at Yuan Zhaoxu, unsure of what game he was trying to y as he simply smiled and answered slowly, ¡°Sir¡­¡± Meng Fuyao shuddered. Not retreating, Yuan Zhaoxu lifted his robe sleeve in preparation to get down on his knees. Meng Fuyao leaped from her seat, wanting to stop him but his movement turned out to be a false rm. He had simply bent his knees a little and straightened them right up. He smacked his head,ughing. ¡°Oh no, Sir, I¡¯ve forgotten about my schrly position. There¡¯s no need for me to kneel.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him, mouth twitching, all guilty conscience vaporizing into the air. What¡¯s there to feel guilty about? ¡®This fellow isn¡¯t even willing to give in at all and wille for me eventually. Why should I feel bad, then?¡¯ She straightened her back, pping the gavel on the table again but more viciously this time. ¡°Report what you have to now!¡± she shouted. Smilingly, Yuan Zhaoxu retrieved a silk fabric from his robe. Yao Xun, the ad hoc master, stepped forward to receive it. Upon lifting the fabric and seeing what was inside, he pursed his lips, attempting not tough and then sending it forward with small steps. Meng Fuyao took it over suspiciously. ¡®Does he really have something to report?¡¯ She opened the folded fabric and saw in it a full set of fish bones. As Meng Fuyao stared at it with a ckened face, she immediately recognized it as the bones she had spat out on Green Pearl Mountain. Hadn¡¯t she thrown it away? How did he get it back? What a unique ¡®report paper¡¯¡­ Before she could organize her thoughts, she heard the man below saying, neither slow nor fast, ¡°I, Yuan Zhaoxu, am here to report a citizen of Taiyuan Nation for causing trouble and abandoning the scene, always acting against my wishes,cking in emotions and loyalty, being fickle¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was about to spurt blood. ¡®What is he yapping on about?¡¯ ¡®Mister Yuan Zhaoxu, we¡¯re in an official court, under the jurisdiction of Yaocheng, Wuji. How dare you say such things?¡¯ ¡®I¡­ cause trouble and abandon the scene, act against your wishes,ck emotions and loyalty, am fickle?¡¯ Her fingers were trembling, and she almost failed to stop herself from throwing the fishbones at him. They were in a court after all, and she had an image to maintain. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help the redness that exploded in her face. She shot Yuan Zhaoxu a death re, but he had on that usual honorable expression of his, as the white fluff sat unashamedly on his shoulder. Meng Fuyao lowered her voice and said sternly, ¡°This report paper doesn¡¯t seem to fit the rules.¡± ¡°Is it? Yuan Zhaoxu asked with a slight smile. Pointing at his silk fabric, he continued, ¡°Show it to the audience, Sir. I do think it¡¯s appropriate to be used here. I have even ced a love token inside as proof.¡± Gossiping was an instinctive behavior that did not discriminate. Upon hearing the words ¡°love token¡±, the citizens broke into a loud discussion and started nudging their way forward in order to have a closer look at the treasure concealed within the silk fabric. Sir Meng stared at the fish bones, about to break down. ¡®Alright¡­ love token.¡¯ She hurriedly wrapped the bones, while conveniently smashing them in her hand. ¡°You¡¯re making sense, and I have verified it. Since it hase to this, I¡¯ll take on your case, but you¡¯re reporting a Taiyuan citizen in Wuji border, which means it¡¯s not under my administration. It¡¯s better if you report the case to Taiyuan court.¡± Having said that, she immediately felt satisfied and confident that he would have nothing more to add. She shifted her bum and got ready to end the court session when the man before her smiled again. Her hair stood up, and she quickly settled back into her seat. He had more to say indeed. ¡°Sir, thisdy might be a citizen of Taiyuan, but she enjoys roaming about. In fact, she¡¯s hiding within Wuji borders now, in Yaocheng to be exact. She¡¯s a con-artist who vites people¡¯s modesty and is after people¡¯s wealth. I can¡¯t be sure that she wouldn¡¯t harm anyone else after poisoning me with tea. Please seek her out and bring justice back.¡± ¡°After people¡¯s wea¡­ wealth¡­ vites¡­ modesty¡­¡± Sir Meng stuttered. ¡°What wealth¡­. What modesty¡­¡± ¡°She stole a strand of fur that belonged to my pet. It¡¯s not just any ordinary fur, and each strand is worth a lot.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu expanded on his point, which excited the attention of his valuable pet which then turned his body around. ¡°As for modesty¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu trailed off, his long eyshes drooping down but not concealing the light in his glistening eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t say it here, but you should understand, Sir.¡± ¡®Shameless. Beyond shameless. This duo is simply too much.¡¯ Meng Fuyao was in a quandary, but after some time she sprung up from her chair and mmed the gavel, shouting, ¡°Because this case is unique and personal, this trial will not be publicized. Men, close the door and release the dogs.¡± The doors closed, shutting out hundreds of citizens¡¯ inquisitive gaze. Some even attempted to peek through the gap at the bottom of the door, suspecting that the new sir and strange victim weremitting adultery. Meng Fuyao then ordered her men to ssh water through the gaps, effectively chasing the gossipers away. Following which, Sir Meng got rid of Yao Xun, who was giggling away, and Xiao Dao, who was watching the show with big bright eyes. Finally, shey paralyzed on her seat, crying out, ¡°Alright¡­ Mister Yuan, Lord Yuan, Grandfather Yuan, please. Stop ying me alright?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu approached her slowly before leaning forward. ¡°Don¡¯t you look great, Mayor? Looks like you¡¯ve been leading afortable life here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Meng Fuyao responded weakly. ¡°I¡¯m repenting for my sin.¡± Light shed across Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes. Surprised that she was so quick to cede, he smiled. The girl before him was ruthless on the outside but righteous on the inside. Why else would she step down from guilt? He hadn¡¯t expected such a confrontation-free reaction from her. Before others, Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t an easy one to deal with. In a good mood, Yuan Zhaoxu patted her shoulder, asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to receive your old friend, who has traveled so far to get here, Mayor?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered before forcing herself off the chair. ¡°Not much space left. Mind squeezing with Zong Yue?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone to Suishui,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu answered absent-mindedly. ¡°Invited over to treat King De¡¯s illness.¡± Meng Fuyao turned to stare at him. ¡°You and him¡­ what kind of rtionship do you two share?¡± ¡°Friends withplementing interests, which means we can easily be enemies when our interests start shing one day,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu shared straightforwardly. ¡°You have a lot of time,¡± Meng Fuyao continued probing, her eyes fixated on him. ¡°Can the crown prince¡¯s advisors run about so freely?¡± ¡°The crown prince has sent me here to supervise the army. I¡¯m on a work trip.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. ¡°What else would you like to know?¡± ¡°I also want to know how ck your heart is, and in your stomach, how many¡­¡± Meng Fuyao murmured. Pretending not to hear, he simply followed her into the back hall and walked leisurely through the mini garden. The weather in the southern border was warm and moist, and the garden was filled with winter bougainvillea, whose bracts were massive, and petals were of a brilliant purple and red. They way these bloomed flowers spread added a kind of intense beauty to the garden. Far away, the man in light purple robe walked together with a youth in ck clothes, their postures both elegant and charming. Meng Fuyao passed through the clusters of flowers while stroking their silk-like petals, and an indescribable calm took over her heart. Since her arrival in Yaocheng, a series of grueling events had been charging at her like a hurricane, and she had never let her guard down. Now she felt tired, as though a wave of weariness had been roused from deep within her veins, instantly shrouding her body. She crooked her head and looked at the man beside. Was it him? She had always been able to rx when he was around. She felt, soul-deep, herself being freed, and it wasfortable and peaceful. This man, who was able to affect her emotions¡­ had they really met just a few months ago? There was a smiling expression in her eyes at this point, as the softness and elegance that she had so often kept hidden was let out for a moment. Yuan Zhaoxu quickly detected it and smiled at her, abruptly bending down to pick a bougainvillea and then removing her official hat, as if about to insert the flower into her hair. Meng Fuyao blushed, subconsciously leaning forward. All of a sudden, a white light shed by as a love rival took the chance to scuttle over, his teeth biting on another flower. ¡®Big red flower¡­ for my owner¡­ ripples¡­ of youth¡­¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes had been outshined by his big teeth and fluttering snow-white fur as he thought happily about his love for his owner. The hand holding onto the flower shifted to the side, turning Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s vision a sheet of ck. A huge object descended from above his head and covered him. Yuan Zhaoxu had trapped Lord Yuan Bao inside of Meng Fuyao¡¯s hat. He then swooped it up and hung it off a tree nearby. Smile returning to his face he carefully ced the flower between her hair strands. The fiery red flower highlighted the silkiness of her ck hair and the resplendence in her big eyes. She was soul-suckingly beautiful. The soft breeze blew over and a faint fragrance dispersed into their surroundings. Yuan Zhaoxu carefully observed thedy before him, his eyes deep and meaningful, as if an old thought had passed. Sometimeter he added, ¡°I still prefer seeing you in a dress.¡± His tone was drawn out and profound, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Something seemed amiss. Momentarily forgetting about her shyness, she opened her mouth to ask, only to see that he had already turned to walk away. Behind him, Lord Yuan Bao cried for help, unable to get out of her hat. Meng Fuyao strode over to retrieve her hat, holding it in her hand and swinging it about. Finally, Lord Yuan Bao flew out of it and into his owner¡¯s heartless embrace. ¡°If you¡¯re here to supervise the army, shouldn¡¯t you be in Suishui? Why have youe?¡± Meng Fuyao questioned, while effortfully trying to keep up with Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s small but quick steps. ¡°Isn¡¯t Yaocheng on the way?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu returned a question without turning back. ¡°The Rong and Han people live together in this city. It is amon boundary belonging to the Rong tribe and the locals. The real military ground¡­¡± he trailed off, suddenly extending his hand and picking out a small person from behind a tree. ¡°Eh? You like the view here? Especially beautiful?¡± Chapter 63 - One Night Spring I Chapter 63: One Night Spring I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The eavesdropping child was startled. She opened her minibeast-like eyes wide but remained silent. It was Xiao Dao. She looked fearlessly into Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes, which evoked an inward praise from Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao understood the power of Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s gaze and was pleasantly surprised by Xiao Dao¡¯s indifference. Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her, a meaningful gaze brushing across his eyes. He shut them slightly as if searching for something within his head. After a short while, he opened them up and smiled. Upon seeing him smile, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help the curl that formed on her lips as well. ¡®Aye, what an actor.¡¯ She had expected a remark from Yuan Zhaoxu, but he said nothing. Instead, he released the child and asked Meng Fuyao, in a man-of-the-house manner, ¡°The house by the garden is quite alright, shall I get the servants to tidy it?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered nkly, and Yuan Zhaoxufortably called for servants to get to work. He had even added an additional instruction. ¡°The mayor is moving next door. Yes, change it for him.¡± Meng Fuyao looked on as the servants in the garden ran about, very obediently following his orders and changing her amodation. ¡°Why change?¡± she asked. ¡°I need to keep you within my line of sight,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu answered before holding her hand and walking over. ¡°Or you might just vanish again.¡± Mncholy was evident in his tone. Embarrassed, Meng Fuyao looked left and right, mumbling, ¡°I just left without saying goodbye, and I didn¡¯t even step out of Wuji¡­ how petty.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled withoutmenting, while Meng Fuyao recalled the corpse lying in her prison. Unable to suppress her worry she asked him for advice, and both ended up before the corpse a short whileter. After a brief silence heughed, ¡°Easy. Aren¡¯t there human skin masks around?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, speechless. ¡®He¡¯s an official of Wuji Nation, also your subordinate. How heartless must you be to suggest making a mask out of his skin? Even I can¡¯t do it.¡¯ Understanding her thoughts, he cast her a smiling nce. ¡°If you¡¯re so full of conscience, leave his corpse as it is. Whatever happens at the festival is none of our concern. When the sky falls, you¡¯ll be here to keep it in ce.¡± Aggrieved, Meng Fuyao stared at the mind-reader before her. Despite finding his solution drastic, she proceeded to arrange for Yao Xun to find a man with simr appearance to Ah Shina. Yuan Zhaoxu closed the door and handed her a box half an hourter. ¡°Air-dry it for a few days and it will be ready for use.¡± Meng Fuyao opened it and asked, ¡°Is there anything in this world that you won¡¯t do?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered quickly. ¡°Yeah?¡± Meng Fuyao threw him a surprised nce. She hadn¡¯t expected such a simple reply. ¡°What I won¡¯t do,¡± he started, gazing at her in a way that made her body feel, ¡°is not bidding farewell before leaving someone I care about behind.¡± Meng Fuyao let out an inward cry. ¡®Mother, I¡¯m not going to offend this man ever again.¡¯ The December night in the southern border contained moisture that was bone-piercingly chilly. Ayer of thin frost gathered on the window paper screen, which was instantly melted from the heat inside. Lying on her bed and biting on a corner of her quilt, Meng Fuyao could think of nothing but a certain someone, whom she had heard was taking a bath. ¡®Bath¡­¡¯ The swishing of water and the beam of light seeped in through a crack on the wall. ¡®Cracks on the wall¡­ yeah¡­¡¯ The room she rested in was slightly more special. The mayor¡¯s house was half Han and half Rong inspired, and the partition walls were made by assembling logs, some with bigger cracks than others. Basically, if she were to look through all the gaps quick enough, she would be able to gather a wholesome naked image of the person on the other end. Meng Fuyao¡¯s bed happened to be facing a log with a bigger crack. She sat upright and still, using every ounce of determination to stop her eyes from going where they shouldn¡¯t be. ¡®No sore eyes for you¡­ you¡¯re a decent being.¡¯ The decent being lowered her head and started cultivating her skills while listening to the water sounds. Energy yet to flow to her pubic region, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes slipped to the biggest log, through which a white figure could be seen. ¡®Strange, it wasn¡¯t there earlier. What was it?¡¯ Curiosity was a good excuse for Meng Fuyao to peep openly. She sprung off her bed and walked on tiptoe to the log. Before she could get a clear look, a white hair pricked her eyelid. ¡®Hair?¡¯ She stared nkly as a white fur ball spread itself behind the crack and covering it. The white figure was him. Sensing someone approaching, Lord Yuan Bao had turned and caught sight of two pearly ck pupils looking right in, his face immediately filled with disdain. ¡®I knew you would peek!¡¯ As such, Lord Yuan Bao had sacrificed his own fat body to protect his master¡¯s dignity by blocking out the crack that one could most easily peep through. ¡®He¡¯s only mine to see!¡¯ Meng Fuyao stared speechlessly, inwardly amazed by Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s possessive and perverse attitude. She decided to turn her amazement into action, and tomunicate with her role model. She let out a generous smile and extended her hand to pry the crack open before grabbing hold on him. Meng Fuyao¡¯s sudden attack left Lord Yuan Bao squeaking frantically while attempting to struggle free. He was determined to defend himself and his owner¡¯s glory. Meng Fuyao smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t look at him. I just want to have a talk with you.¡± As she was about to drag him away, gentleughter erupted from within. ¡°You said you don¡¯t want to look but what were your eyes searching for when you grabbed him?¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her nose, answering loudly, ¡°I saw a bedbug sliding in. I¡¯ll help you find it.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± the manughed lightly. Shortly after he let out a small cry, his voice extremely alluring. ¡°There¡¯s really a bug. So itchy. Come to help me scratch my back, Fuyao.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A strange odor shot out from within the cracks, toward the bathtub by the wall. At the same time, a certain man¡¯s murderous cry rose. ¡°Insecticide balls, buy 1 get 1 free. Effectiveness guaranteed. Take them down in one try! An essential item for all households!¡± ¡°Eh, Lord Yuan Bao, you didn¡¯t have to do that. Look at yourself, you¡¯re so fat and heavy. Wasn¡¯t it tiring for you?¡± Lord Yuan Bao spun slowly, facing his bum toward Meng Fuyao, clearly uninterested in cooperating, to which she reached a hand out to turn him around again. ¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding between us. We don¡¯t have to keep it within ourselves. Let¡¯s talk it out. Tell me all about your obsessive attachment and improper love for your owner!¡± Lord Yuan Bao extended his w to cover his face, embarrassed by Meng Fuyao¡¯sck of restrain. ¡®What does Master see in her¡­¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re not going to share, I¡¯ll go first?¡± Meng Fuyao suggested, biting her lips tightly and conveniently grabbing a pot of wine from under her bed. ¡°I feel frustrated and want to speak but have no one to speak to. We have a brotherly rtionship, and I¡¯m not afraid that you¡¯ll divulge my secrets. Come, let¡¯s toast¡­¡± Unable to contain his anger, Lord Yuan Bao almost plucked his own fur out. ¡®Who¡¯s your brother. Ie by only once in a hundred years but you? Ten months is all it takes.¡¯ ¡°¡­vexed¡­¡± Meng Fuyao pped her chest, gobbling down the wine before her. ¡°Conflicted¡­¡± A few more smacks to the chest and a few more mouthfuls of wer, she added, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ huu¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao opened his mouth wide, his eyes fixed on the madwoman in front of him. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t this cockroach even more resilient than most? What¡¯s with her today? Is she really upset about not seeing Master take a bath?¡¯ Kindhearted Yuan Bao couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and started seriously considering allowing her a quick peek. ¡®Hmm¡­ just a quick nce¡­ should be alright? Master should be done by now.¡¯ Meng Fuyao had no idea that they were going at a different frequency. She really was feeling suffocated by everything that had happened since her arrival. The anger and self-me she felt from the death of the Han family, and the responsibility of bringing the city up were simply too exhausting that she had no time to think about other matters. Luckily, Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s sudden appearance had lifted a huge rock off her heart. First, she was shy, then somewhat joyful and at peace. However, suddenly, she was about to drown in the gloom she was feeling. Meng Fuyao was dizzy and about to faint, her limbs heating up. She was also feeling jittery, her heart fighting a huge, conflicting wave of joy and worry. Meng Fuyao was on the verge to indulge in her own shouts and to admonish her rationality. It was messy and unbreakable. ¡°Aye, is the poison taking effect?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled while patting her face. She turned to see Lord Yuan Bao staring curiously at her bright and ck pearl-like eyes. They were like a good quality pair of cornelians. ¡°Aye, I know you understand humannguage, but you can¡¯t read, can you?¡± Meng Fuyao asked craftily, extending her hand to caress Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s head. Not caring for it, thetter hurriedly shunned. Meng Fuyao did not mind it either, as she rested distractedly on the table, dipping her finger into tea and writing on it. Lord Yuan Bao shifted his bum, ready to walk away when he lowered his head and caught sight of the words on the table. He paused midway, sitting down and facing her after some thought. He then retrieved a fruit from his pouch and chewed appreciatively on it. Upon seeing that he was ready to listen to her words, Meng Fuyao startedughing involuntarily. A guinea pig was just a guinea pig, and she shouldn¡¯t treat it as a being with high intelligence. Perhaps that spot was cooler for him? But no matter what, even if he was a guinea pig sitting opposite of herself, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t contain herself. Chapter 64 - One Night Spring II Chapter 64: One Night Spring II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The night was cool and the moon pale. The scent of flowers drifted along with the long breezes, making one feel as though he was in a faraway ce. It was the perfect atmosphere for one particr girl to share her troubles. ¡°If you were not just a guinea pig, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d tell you.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, narrowing her eyes while looking at Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯ll be able to trante everything I¡¯m about to say to that owner of yours.¡± Lord Yuan Bao never stopped chewing on his fruit. He did not lift his head even the slightest. ¡°Your owner¡­ sigh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao turned to the glimmer that passed through the bathroom wall, a frown evident on her face. She slowly drew on the table, while confessing, ¡°I think I like him just a little bit. What to do?¡± Split¨C¨C Lord Yuan Bao chewed on his fruit with more force than before. A mouthful was all it took for the fruit¡¯s core to be exposed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry,¡± Meng Fuyao coaxed. ¡°There won¡¯t be a good oue from a cross-species love. Let me advise you, Yuan Bao. You should keep your feelings hidden. Even if your owner isn¡¯t mine, he won¡¯t be yours either. Aren¡¯t you tired of blocking his love interests all day?¡± Lord Yuan Bao raised his w abruptly, flicking a seed right into Meng Fuyao¡¯s widely-opened mouth. Not expecting him to take revenge so quickly, Meng Fuyao almost choked to death. She spat it out quickly, cursing, ¡°You! Pea-brained guinea pig!¡± After some more scolding, she felt better and rested her chin on the table, continuing her writing. ¡°Sigh¡­ won¡¯t be mine¡­ I can¡¯t like him, no.¡± Lord Yuan Bao red hatefully at her. ¡®What a coward.¡¯ ¡°What do you know,¡± Meng Fuyao waved her handzily. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind to hold back? I just don¡¯t want to harm him. I¡¯ve chosen to leave so why should I carry unnecessary emotions and rtionships with me? To ruin their future?¡± She stared nkly at the moon outside, and pped the table after a short pause, grabbing the wine pot and enthusiastically downing its content. Drowning sorrows in alcohol wasn¡¯t something a bold and powerful girl like her should do. She hated it, but she needed it. Gulp, gulp, gulp¨C¨C Alcohol flowed down her chin, wetting her shirt. After downing three pots, she was finally drunk. ¡°Yuan Bao¡­ Yuan Bao¡­¡± Meng Fuyao burped, her dreamy eyes searching about for the guinea pig. ¡°Listen to me¡­ Eh? Where did you go?¡± Eh.?¡± The light from next door flickered. Yuan Zhaoxu had freshened up and was reading a book when he heard soft, squeezing soundsing from between the wall cracks. Lord Yuan Bao crawled in shortly after. He dashed straight to his side, and Yuan Zhaoxu immediately caught a whiff of the wine. He put his book down and smiled. ¡°You stole some wine again?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Not you but her?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu raised his brows. Lord Yuan Bao straightened his back and wagged his short tail. ¡°You have something to tell me?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu asked before reaching a hand out to let him sit on his palm. ¡°What is it?¡± Lord Yuan Bao scratched his head, sensing the difficulty of conveying the words Meng Fuyao had written on the table. He could recognize the shapes of those words but was unable to trante them into hisnguage. Anxious, he spun about on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s palm. Upon seeing that Lord Yuan Bao was deep in thought, Yuan Zhaoxuughed. ¡°I remember when we used to y the character recognition game.¡± He pped his hand, and a man in ck immediately appeared outside the window. ¡°Yuan Bao¡¯s toy,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu said. The man in ck retrieved a box from inside of his sleeves and handed it over before vanishing into the night. Lord Yuan Bao jumped in joy, hurriedly going over to flip the box. There were many small pieces of paper inside, but upon closer inspection, one would realize that those weren¡¯t pieces of paper but meticulously crafted fungus biscuits. On them were printed words that Yuan Zhaoxu used to teach Yuan Bao, and in order to motivate him to study, Yuan Bao would get a bite of the biscuit whenever he recognized a word. Yuan Bao jumped into the box and rummaged through it, seemingly unable to find the words he needed. He whipped his head toward Yuan Zhaoxu, who let out a small smile. ¡°No need to find. There¡¯s no ¡®Meng¡¯ in it. It¡¯s not amon word, and I wasn¡¯t nning to teach it to you.¡± Yuan Bao replied grumpily, to which Yuan Zhaoxu responded, ¡°No need to find her name. I know it¡¯s about her. Something¡¯s off with her. Did she tell you something?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Lord Yuan Bao turned back to his pile and started flipping around. After some time, he picked up a ¡°Li¡± and ¡°Kai¡±.[1] Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s smile faded as he focused on the characters without a word. Lord Yuan Bao continued flipping. He knew how to express the word he was looking for but wasn¡¯t keen on doing so. A short whileter he picked out the characters ¡°Xi¡± and ¡°Huan¡±. A light shed across Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes and he no longer flipped about frantically. With both ws, he picked up a ¡°Ni¡±. Upon looking at it for a long time, he couldn¡¯t get himself to show it to Yuan Zhaoxu. He bit into the biscuit fiercely. Yuan Zhaoxu stared at the words he had seen and leaned against his chair and called for Yuan Bao before stroking his silky white fur. His long, moistened hair draped over his shoulders, adding an additional touch of charm to his already elegant disposition. His eyes were crystal clear under the dim yellow light, and they were twinkling like the stars in the sky. A long timeter he got up and walked to the window, staring into the distance and allowing the wind to carry his hair up slightly. The light above cast a shadow of his figure onto the wooden partition. It was a slender and steady silhouette that never seemed to drown in theplicated, conspiracy-filled world that was full of fluctuations and unpredictability. The alcoholic on the other side of the wall was dead drunk, and she rolled a wine pot onto the ground. The only light went off, and the cool moon shone through the window. The wooden door creaked, and a slender figure entered the room and stopped before Meng Fuyao, getting ready to carry her up. However, Meng Fuyao turned her body and dragged the person over, causing him to bend down. She then quickly jumped forward and wrapped herself around him like an octopus. ¡°nket¡­ how warm.¡± The ck figure stabilized himself but did not pull her hands away. Light from the other room seeped through, illuminating his god-like appearance. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes were gentle and soft. He thenid down on the cooling wooden floorboard with her still grabbing onto him. Yuan Zhaoxu observed her peaceful face under the dim light and listened to the weaving of her breathing and his own. It was quiet and tranquil, as the flowers in the garden outside started collecting dew. Some timeter, Yuan Zhaoxu gently reached out a hand tob Meng Fuyao¡¯s disarrayed hair. His low, graceful voice spread through the still room, ¡°Fuyao¡­ it will all be okay.¡± ¡­ December 13, Rong tribe¡¯s God-worshipping festival. ording to customs, it was a day for Rongsmen to pay respect to their God. They got up early in the morning, cleansed themselves, prayed to Garison and went out to engage in a series of activities, from archery to wrestling. This went on till night time, and massive bonfires would be set up. Young boys and girls disyed their talents and exchanged stories. Meng Fuyao squatted in position, facing a thick invitation list of names and frowning. ¡°Crazy people¡­ inviting so many families at once¡­ can¡¯t get it done even if I don¡¯t stop running¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°If you miss out a random family¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu chimed in, while leisurely sitting down and feeding Yuan Bao. ¡°¡­you¡¯re showing them that you¡¯re looking down on Garison and disrespecting the pride of the Rongsmen. If I¡¯m not wrong, ording to their habits, they will reciprocate your attitude with weapons and fresh blood.¡± ring at him, Meng Fuyao questioned, ¡°Why are you always gloating over my misfortunes?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu turned to her and smiled. ¡°Is it?¡± He got up and brushed a long finger across her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m just extremely confident in our extremely wise and intelligent mayor, who is extremely skilled at oveing crises.¡± Meng Fuyao crooked her head, noting that Mister Yuan was acting strangely. Was he unhappy that she had tried to sneak a peek at him bathing? Or, was he unhappy that she had failed to do so? From what she knew about him, thetter seemed more usible. Meng Fuyao let out crudeughter, pushing the invitation cards aside. ¡°Former mayor, Ah Shina, has been demoted due tocking performance, and his people are displeased. Hence, they¡¯re trying all ways to challenge me. There are so many things to do today. I¡¯ll just move on to other matters first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll block if the soldierse, I¡¯ll use mud if wateres, and I¡¯ll beat if the Rongsmene.¡± Meng Fuyao got up to stretch, her eyes glowing as she added, ¡°I¡¯ve only been emted but never surpassed. Trying to make things difficult for me? Return to your mother¡¯s womb and try again.¡± Ever since Meng Fuyao had assumed her post, she had been held by the elbow by the seven leaders of Yaocheng¡¯s Rong tribe, who had nned to give their new mayor a hard time on that important day. All seven families had invited her to ¡°step down from her noble status and join in the fun¡±. They had all set the time at about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and had prepared a scrumptious feast. Their doors had been luxuriously decorated as if to emphasize to everyone in the city that they were really sincere about inviting the mayor to attend their banquet. That way, if that little fellow of a mayor failed to show himself at any of their banquets, they would have a reason to cause a disturbance. The God-worshipping festival was an event to convey God¡¯s grace, and a refusal to attend was doubtlessly the worst offense. Because there was an archerypetition held as part of the festival, the Rongsmen would¡¯ve already been in possession of their weapons. When sparks turn to mes and the whole city was enraged, they could most certainly assist Ah Shina back onto his position, which would return them their dominance within Yaocheng, even if the little gigolo did not end up getting killed. With such a brilliant n in mind, the seven families sat at ease, revising the ways, in their heads, in which they were going to express their fury upon getting their dignity trampled. They had even practiced against the mirror for half a day at least. The servants of the seven families ran about, exchanging reports with one another. It was already 7 p.m., and the mayor had yet toe out of the house. Two hourster, the office door was still shut tight, and the mayor had yet to exit! [1] Li Kai ¨C to leave Xi Huan ¨C to like (someone/something) Ni ¨C you Chapter 65 - Secretive Si Lei Chapter 65: Secretive Si Lei Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The seven families started feeling uneasy. Was he mad? Why hadn¡¯t he gone to any of the banquets yet? Even better, then. Just you wait. Time was ticking, and apprehension was evident in their gaze. Suddenly, the office door opened, and an energetic bunch of young bailiffs got on their respective horses and headed toward the city center. Half an hourter, all seven families received an invitation to the office. The invitation card was written in a polite tone. ¡°I am still young and inexperienced, which makes me unfit to ept your grand invitations. As a younger person, it is my job to prepare a great feast. It will be held in the eastern Thousand Gold Building, and I respectfully invite all of you to attend.¡± The card also expressed her respect for Garison and her hope that the leaders would fulfill their part in paying a visit, to allow him the chance to understand the nobility of Garison. As the bailiffs delivered and read out the letters, citizens around quickly praised their new mayor. Even the Rong people were pleased by his attitude toward their God. That way, there was nothing the seven families could do to cause trouble. Now that the new mayor had be a host and even borrowed Garison¡¯s name to invite them, they would be in the wrong if they did not show up. Around noon, as the county gate opened once more, a clean and well-dressed youth exited with a subtle smile on his face. His robe was white and was coupled with a purple belt that contained a light luster that matched his bright, jade-like eyes. The man standing beside him, whose purple robe and sleeves were loose-fitting, had on a mask that concealed half of his face. However, the visible features were resplendently breathtaking. They were Meng Fuyao and Yuan Zhaoxu. Meng Fuyao paid no attention to the people on the street. She walked while bickering with Yuan Zhaoxu as usual. ¡°I¡¯m going to drink. Why are you following me? You have all the wine you want back there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m following because you¡¯re drinking,¡± he answered leisurely. ¡°So concerned?¡± Meng Fuyao sniffed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my limit and won¡¯t get drunk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you getting drunk,¡± he corrected. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you won¡¯t get drunk.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head around. ¡®Is he alright?¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu leaned close to her ear, and as he spoke warm puffs of air brushed against her skin, tickling her. She wanted tough but considering that she was on the streets she resisted it. ¡°¡­ you take advantage of my body whenever you¡¯re drunk. First, you kissed me, and then you slept with me. I¡¯d like to see what you will do next¡­¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± An astonishingly loud growl boomed from across the streets, evoking stares from the citizens present. Following that, the youth in white rushed forward like a gust of wind, and the man in light purple robe followed suit with a shallow smile on his face. The citizens exchanged nces, and a look of epiphany shed across their faces a short whileter. ¡®A homosexual!¡¯ ¡°Please, please, make yourselves at home.¡± Meng Fuyao raised a toast at every table, her smile excessive and greasy. She asionally stopped to sound off, ¡°Thedies from the Ve Pavilion are great! Soft, flexible bodies¡­ how can anyone not like them? You don¡¯t like them? What a pity! I had nned to buy one of them for you¡­ sigh¡­ oh, you like them? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I had no one to gift her to and have sent her back¡­¡± ¡°Sir Tie Mu, what¡¯s with that scar on your face? Oh, oh, wildcat at home, huh? Yeah, exactly, Sir Ta Muer, keep too many of them, and they start getting jealous¡­ it¡¯s rare you have 17 at home¡­ it¡¯s not easy, not easy at all¡­¡± ¡°Sir Bi Li, are your parents doing well? Your father? What about your father¡¯s parents? Your grandmother? What about her gentleman number 1? And number 2? And number 3..?¡± ¡°Sir Si Lei¡­¡± ¡°Sir Mu Dang¡­¡± With one round of toast, smiles and gossips flew, as the seven leaders started sweating buckets, their face green. This fellow¡­ how did he know so much about the most private matters they were keeping from the public? Meng Fuyao smiled, her expression appearing rather fox-like and crafty under the candlelight. Regarding the gossips, Meng Fuyao would have to thank Zong Yue. Mister Zong was a physician who acted unlike one. He always had people serving him and reporting news from respective nations. He hid nothing from Meng Fuyao and even shared information with her. Thus, she took the chance to have him gain inside information about the powerful figures in Yaocheng. Feeling generous, Zong Yue immediately ryed a piece of information to her, and she had Yao Xun seek out more details. At that point, Yao Xun couldn¡¯t understand why she was interested in finding out more about a Rongsman¡¯s 17th jealous concubine or another¡¯s grandmother who enjoyed having illicit affairs. Meng Fuyao knew that to those Rongsmen, reputation was more important than life. ¡®Dare provoke me? I¡¯ll divulge everything about your family and you. I have even found out about the material and color of your underwear.¡¯ Sweat pouring from their bodies, they reluctantly went along with the new mayor while scheming in their head. ¡®How wicked¡­ obviously, he¡¯s seen through our n and wants revenge. Yes, he¡¯s much younger than imagined, but how dare he draw Garison¡¯s face on the toilet bowl, and how did he know about Bi Li¡¯s family? What else is he capable of?¡¯ All seven leaders raised their guard in preparation for Meng Fuyao¡¯s next move. Yuan Zhaoxu was the only one enjoying his wine. A reflection of his smiling face could be seen in the wine, as he thought about how the girl had fought through the challenging experiences the world had thrown at her and wondered who was responsible for leading her astray¡­ After three rounds of toasting, Meng Fuyao ced her wine cup down and cleared her throat. The audience¡¯s hearts tightened. ¡®It¡¯s here!¡¯ They put their cups down subconsciously and sat up straight. ¡°Sir Si Lei,¡± she started seriously, a vicious and contemptuous look shing across her brows. The excessive and greasy smile from before had disappearedpletely, and all that remained was a naturally domineering and respectable air that left the leaders temporarily mute. Meng Fuyao sat steadily on the host¡¯s seat, casting a sidelong nce at the man whose name she had called. Sir Si Lei, whose face and chest were a reddish purple, had been quiet since the start of the feast, his eyes radiant. Having heard his own name being called, he pressed his hand on the table and looked up. ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him, a truly powerful leader who must have been the mastermind behind their devious n. ¡°Have you been very busy, Sir Si Lei?¡± Meng Fuyao asked with a faint smile. ¡°Slept wellst night?¡± The people exchanged nces, unaware of the reason Meng Fuyao started with a seemingly irrelevant topic. However, Si Lei¡¯s face changed instantly. He answered carefully, his eyes flickering around, ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Meng Fuyao nodded. ¡°I heard from former mayor Ah Shina that Sir Si Lei suffers from insomnia. Looks like you¡¯re alright now.¡± Stunned for a moment, he quietly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mayor.¡± ¡°Sir Ah Shina misses you a lot,¡± Meng Fuyao continued indifferently. ¡°he¡¯s doing good now and will attend the celebrationter. He has asked me to pass a message. Please make a trip to his residence.¡± Smiling, Meng Fuyao extended a hand and said, ¡°Quick, please. I¡¯ll be waiting for you here.¡± Si Lei¡¯s facial expression changed while his forehead turned slightly green. After a short deliberation, he answered, ¡°Since Sir Ah Shina will be joiningter, it¡¯s better if I pay him a visit after that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too good, is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not too good?¡± Si Lei asked haughtily, his voice full of disdain. ¡°I¡¯ll see himter so why the need for a trip down now?¡± ¡°Works fine, too.¡± Meng Fuyao waved dismissively, not minding that the topic ended then. Slightly intoxicated she raised another cup and swayed toward Sir Bi Li. With her cup lifted sheughed. ¡°Come, everyone, let¡¯s toast to Garison¡¯s glory and sanctity. Drink up!¡± Everyone, including Si Lei, reciprocated by raising their own ss. Midway, Meng Fuyao jolted her wrist A buzz sounded as her wine cup transformed into a golden light that shot out. Si Lei¡¯s cup was already touching his lips when a shadow took over his vision. The next thing he knew, a lightning-like object was zooming in quickly. He instinctively wanted to dodge, but it was toote. A p sounded by his ear like that made from splitting a precious stone. Following which, everything before his eyes turned into a sheet of bright, blood red. The red was magnifying along with the drilling pain within his head. He felt as though he had been struck hard, and the pain had radiated outward like stars, continuously snapping and leaving him crying out in despair. ¡°Ah!¡± His growl filled the quiet building, and everyone had been dumbstruck by this sudden turn of events. Only Yuan Zhaoxu continued sipping on his wine, unmoved, and only Meng Fuyao wasughing. Amid her wide smile, she said sharply, ¡°Sir Si Lei. It isn¡¯t insomnia that kept you from a good night¡¯s rest, is it? Or are you feeling tired from thete-night discussion that you had with the Rong army?¡± The leaders¡¯ faces turned pale. Si Lei had contacted the Rong army? Meng Fuyao let out a coldugh as she observed their expressions. She hadn¡¯t actually discovered the secret collusion between the Rong army and any of the leaders, but she had probed a little during the toast. Amid her nonsensical talks and harmless joke about Ah Shina, the leaders were busy feeling anxious about their private matters except for Si Lei, who appeared angry. Why was he angry? Was it simply out of respect for Ah Shina or also because he had found out about his death and was offended? Chapter 66 - Challenge Accepted Chapter 66: Challenge epted Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The death of Ah Shina was the biggest secret of Yaocheng then. Save for Meng Fuyao and few others, only the Rong army that had assassinated Ah Shina knew. Hence, Meng Fuyao did the roll call by herself, as how Ah Shina would. If Si Lei was really aware that Ah Shina had died, he certainly would havve suspected that the mayor¡¯s nned gathering was an ambush and refused it. In the end, his reaction had confirmed Meng Fuyao¡¯s suspicion. Once she was certain of the issue, Meng Fuyao hesitated no further. With a drink, she had sent him on his way. Yuan Zhaoxu smiled as he watched Meng Fuyao kill someone so suddenly. His eyes revealed that he was in deep thoughts; as if he had recalled something from the past, a look of astonishment faintly disyed itself on his face. Following which, he lightly tapped his fingertips to send out a secret signal. The secret guard who was always by his side was ordered to be stationed at Si Lei¡¯s residence. Si Lei¡¯s blood slowly spread on the floor, and the Rong leaders gradually recovered from a state of shock. Some were evidently angered, and as they were about to say something, Meng Fuyao abruptly and smilingly raised her wine cup once more. ¡°Everybody,¡± Meng Fuyao started without even ncing at the corpse. ¡°I have good news to share. A few days ago, I made a report to the imperial court. The Rong leaders in Yaocheng have been diligently governing and exercising control over the people all these years, which is considered a great contribution to our city. Therefore, the imperial court has specially made concessions, in which a portion of the agricultural tax paid by the citizens would be given as a ¡®governance prize¡¯ for the leaders. From today onwards, the leaders can follow the imperial court order ¨C collect the taxes and keep a portion to yourselves¡­ Oh, about Si Lei¡¯s portion¡­ please discuss among yourselves as to how to you can split it up. I believe I will be given a satisfactory answer.¡± Again, a boisterous discussion broke out. However, this time around, it wasn¡¯t an uproar but a whirl of pleasant surprises. Yaocheng was a small town situated along the border, where the Rong and Han people farmed together. The Rong people were living in the mountains and fields were no longer leading a hunter¡¯s lifestyle. As a result, the leaders were also unable to enjoy the spoils-of-war. Most got by averagely, so now that there was this ¡°governance prize¡±, it meant that the imperial court had given them the power to collect taxes from their own ethnicity. What¡¯s more, they would be given a share of that belonging to Si Lei, the person who held the most power. Those unhappy faces immediately lit up. In a split second, they were brimming with excitement and eagerness. The new mayor of Yaocheng, Meng Fuyao, who first presented the rod and then the sweets, quietly observed, somewhat mockingly. Benefits led to fights. History had proven that galloping and vying for supremacy were ultimately all for benefits. Currently, the seven leaders were residing in a city that had no proper differentiation between the ethnic groups, and they had been mutually sharing power. Now that Si Lei¡¯s share was avable, she had deliberately left it unassigned¡­ ¡®You can fight! Fight and destroy yourselves. I¡¯ll have less to care about!¡¯ Meng Fuyao sat on the high tform specially used for celebration. She overlooked the crowd below and felt good about herself. She felt a little tipsy again, but nothing could be done about it. Meng Fuyao liked to drink and enjoyed being intoxicated. If she came across wine, she had to drink, and when she drank, she had to get drunk. However, she wasn¡¯t dead drunk that night and was still aware of her status and mission. There was going to be an archery and horse-ridingpetition, and she wanted to pair the most outstandingd with the most beautifuldy. When Mayor ¡®Ah Shina¡¯ was around, Yao Xun had already brought him out to meet the people. Because he had ¡°suddenly fallen ill and been demoted¡±, and was not at his best condition, Meng Fuyao politely and modestly received him and staged a show where the duo pretended to share an amicable and harmonious rtionship. While acting, she inwardly praised a certain Mister Yuan, who had created an absolutely believable human mask. It was a pity that he wasn¡¯t that genuine a person. The ¡°former mayor¡± appeared waned and bleary-eyed but the six leaders were busily digesting the good news and plotting the next steps to secure their own benefits. No one had noticed the people on stage, and that was how Meng Fuyao smuggled her way through with the lie. Meng Fuyao felt good about herself and her luck. Yuan Zhaoxu was indeed a handyman who had appeared at her doorstep. She squinted her eyes and looked at him while shifting her bottom outward, bit by bit. Yuan Zhaoxu leaned on his chairzily, looked at her with much interest and called out, ¡°Mayor.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s brows raised in delight while looking at him. ¡°Sir Yuan.¡± ¡°Why do I have a feeling that you are intentionally avoiding me?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu spoke extremely slowly but got straight to the point. Without even looking at Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression he questioned, ¡°Did you have a change of heart?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was at a loss for words and was momentarily feeling conflicted by his question. After a long thought, she answered firmly,¡± You are right. I¡¯ve met a few good men recently and have been thinking of marriage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± There is no telling from the facial expression of Yuan Zhaoxu. He leaned closer to look at her. Her eyshes were like feathers, almost sweeping the light off her bright and clean cheeks. ¡°Who? Zhan Beiye? Zong Yue? Yun Hen?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him. ¡®Can you be less creepy? Is there anything that you don¡¯t already know? It makes sense for you to know about the first two but what about thest one? How did you find out about this adopted son of an aristocratic family in Taiyuan?¡¯ However, that wasn¡¯t the crucial issue. The main problem was that she didn¡¯t know how to answer that question. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Meng Fuyao turned and, with amorous feelings, smiled at Yuan Zhaoxu, ¡°These three don¡¯t seem bad, and I¡¯m struggling to choose between them. What do you think, Sir Yuan?¡± ¡°They are not bad.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu looked into her eyes without blinking. ¡°One is a brave and noble fighter from a heroic generation, and the other, a physician, would suit you, ady who has a lot of shorings. The young fellow from the Yun family is a littleplicated, but he treats you quite well. In short, they are all good.¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her eyes to look at him and couldn¡¯t understand the deep, mysterious expression in his eyes. She wanted to open her mouth to speak, but felt an astringent taste in her throat, which entered her mouth. It was bitterer than the wine she had tasted earlier. Yet, she smiled even wider than before. She boldly approached Yuan Zhaoxu and affectionately hit his arm. ¡°Can¡¯t tell, but you do actually n quite a bit for me, huh?¡± ¡°If your heart isn¡¯t with me, what¡¯s the point of pleading?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu asked, calmly drinking his tea. ¡°I have crossed half of Wuji Nation and rushed from Zhongzhou to Yaocheng, only to receive those few sentences from you, what else can I do but to give up?¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless, her eyes as open as a dead fish. ¡®Is he¡­ is he angry?¡¯ She was stumped for words, and Yuan Zhaoxu remained silent as well. The atmosphere turned stiff and almost suffocating. Yuan Zhaoxu lightly tapped his fingers on the armrest, its rhythm sounding like a song. He raised his head slightly to gaze at the gold and yellow-tinted clouds flitting across the horizon, thinking back to many, many years ago where he had yed that exact tune. He had only yed it once in his entire life and hadn¡¯t imagined at that point that he would get to perform it once more for others. He smiled briefly, but the expression in his eyes cooled down gradually. His hardened look had blossomed into something faintly chilly. Again, that expression made Meng Fuyao feel a little guilty. She turned her head in embarrassment. Unexpectedly, she heard a cheer from below and immediately saw a figure on a horse that made a detour before galloping away, fast as lightning. The horseman was holding a bow and shooting arrows, and incessantly executing different tricks: straight shot,teral shot, inverted shot, lying across the horse¡¯s belly shot, jumping onto the horse¡¯s head to shoot. Numerous tricks and skillful techniques had been engaged from different angles, but every arrow hit the bull¡¯s eye without fail, evoking cheers from the dumbstruck audience. After all, 10 arrows were shot, the horseman proudly halt on the horse. He turned his head ¡ª his facial features were filled with heroic spirit and his physique was tall and sturdy. He was a strong, ferocious young man. He raised the bow in his hand and shed past Meng Fuyao abruptly. Thinking that he was paying his respects, Meng Fuyao smilingly waved her hands to ept it. He raised his hands again. Again, Meng Fuyao waved her hands, but slightly strangely this time around. ¡®Isn¡¯t he being a little too enthusiastic? Why that look in his eyes?¡¯ That young man raised his eyebrows, snorted loudly, raised up the bow in his hand and waved energetically at Meng Fuyao for the third time. Meng Fuyao raised her hands halfway and felt something amiss¡­ ¡®This doesn¡¯t seem like a greeting¡­¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu, who was by her side, exined casually, ¡°It is the Rongsmen¡¯s way of issuing a challenge.¡± Meng Fuyao red at Yuan Zhaoxu before standing up andmenting angrily, ¡°Damn, how dares this stupid watermelone challenge me?¡± She strode off the stage. Not taking a single look at that young man who was full of arrogance, she went straight to the center of the public square, immediately stirring the excitement of the citizen. That young man, Tie Cheng, was acknowledged as the best archer in Yaocheng and purportedly, no rival had been able to beat him. He was deeply respected by the Rong people, who at that moment were staring at Meng Fuyao with disdain. ¡®Such a scrawny novice. Bing a mayor through connections within the imperial court, and then overestimating his own capabilities. How dare he ept the challenge of our godly archer!?¡¯ Excited to see how this novice was about to be humiliated in front of their godly archer, the Rong people attempted to squeeze their way to the front. They wouldn¡¯t want to miss the chance to mock her firsthand. Tie Cheng gazed at Meng Fuyao, not attempting to conceal his interest and contempt at all. With a loud voice, he said, ¡°With all respect to you, Mayor, I, Tie Cheng have never lost once in this festival. If you allow me to lose once, I will offer my life and soul to you for the rest of my life!¡± ¡®h, h, h.. Who cares about your life and soul!¡¯ Meng Fuyao ignored his words and entered the crowd without hesitation. Yuan Zhaoxu, who was still on the stage, leaned over to look and waved his hand. Right away, a few men who wore ordinary clothes blended into the crowd, ready to protect her at all times. Withrge strides, Meng Fuyao approached that young man. Not saying anything further, she snatched the bow in his hands, and with thest arrow in his quiver, she nocked that arrow. Standing firm to the ground, with the right techniques, she took aim. Someone sniggered immediately. Tie Cheng could shoot the arrows while moving. Shooting on the move was a hundred times harder than shooting from a fixed spot. This weakling had already lost in this aspect. Meng Fuyao pretended not to notice it but felt a little mncholic and jittery. Her nervousness seemed to have transformed into a sharp arrow that was blocking her chest and suffocating her. Sheughed grimly while slowly pulling the bow. Amid the jeering, she took aim. Within her line of vision, the iron arrowhead projected a straight line, toward the infinitesimal bull¡¯s eye that was instantly being magnified. The tunnel vision allowed Meng Fuyao to fix her eyes on the target, but her mental concentration was gradually dispersing. Chapter 67 - Battle of Two Hearts Chapter 67: Battle of Two Hearts Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Life is like an arrow beingunched across the sky; it starts off strong, prating the cold and frost, but is ultimately unable to pierce through the mountains of destiny. Why was Fate ying Meng Fuyao like that? ¡®Alright, I¡¯ll shoot!¡¯ She cast aside all doubt, hesitation, and helplessness. There were things beyond her control, and she must not be weak. She was Meng Fuyao. Xiu¨C¨C¨C The arrow wasunched. It was a fierceunch that carried a significant amount of air flow. The arrow went close to the citizens¡¯ hair before going straight up and generating a ferocious gust. Like light, the arrow moved toward the target at a speed so fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye. The palm-sized bullseye was already full of the previous 10 arrows, and there seemed not to be any space left, save for the extreme center area that could fit half a pinky finger. Yet, Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrow had arrived in that exact position in a sh. p- Everyone¡¯s mouth was wide opened. Amid their astonished cries, the arrow suddenly popped out. A miss? They had thought that they would get to see the amazing archer Tie Cheng¡¯s disappointed look. As the spectators were wondering whether to feel upset or relieved, Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrow had sprung out andunched backward like a lightning bolt. The arrow, which had already hit bullseye earlier, was immediately knocked onto the ground by Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrow. ¡°Pop, pop, pop¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrow, appearing to have a life of its own, plunged in and out of the target board, causing Tie Cheng¡¯s arrows to plop to the ground. In the blink of an eye, all 10 arrows of thetter¡¯s were gone, leaving only Meng Fuyao¡¯s single arrow sitting in the bullseye. It was due to the thirdyer of Cleaving Nine Heavens ¨C Cyclone! Dead silence filled the air as Meng Fuyao tossed her bow aside and strode back to her seat. Shortly after, cheers broke out. ¡°Excellent!¡± Meng Fuyao did not turn around. ¡°I like it!¡± Meng Fuyao paused, but quickly consoled herself. For crude men like them, that was probably just a neutral expression and nothing offensive. ¡°I must marry you!¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head around, cing her hands on her hips. ¡°Do you have eyes? I¡¯m a man! A man!¡± ¡°They said you¡¯re a¡­ homosexual!¡± ¡®¡­homosexual? Where did this gossipe from?¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t marry you even if I¡¯m a homosexual,¡± Meng Fuyao growled. ¡°Losers can only work for me.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Tie Cheng growled even louder. ¡°I liked you the moment I saw you. Now that you¡¯ve beaten me, I want you more. Men who can¡¯t get the things they want aren¡¯t real men!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a thing!¡± Meng Fuyao roared. ¡°I still want you!¡± ¡°Beat me first!¡± ¡°I will but ept me first!¡± ¡°Pooh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± A serious archerypetition had turned into a cussing match. The confessor and the confessed fought like cocks ¨C eyes bloodshot and ws vigorously waving about ¨C just short of pouncing onto and biting off each other¡¯s throat. Meng Fuyao lost, as she had no more strength to growl. Holding her congested throat she slipped back to the stage, waving her hand. ¡°Stop him, stop him!¡± The bailiffs and guards raised their pikes to obstruct Tie Cheng from chasing over. Instead of forcing his way through Tie Cheng chose a seat close to hers and sat down, never taking his eyes off her. Beyond frustrated with nowhere to vent, Meng Fuyao was reminded of the rtionship she shared with Yuan Zhaoxu. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from sneaking a nce at him and saw that he was still sipping slowly on his drink. ¡°What peach blossom luck you have, Mayor,¡± hemented smilingly. ¡°Can¡¯t you say something tofort me?¡± Meng Fuyao asked unhappily. ¡°It¡¯s not the peach blossom I want.¡± Pricking his brows up he responded, ¡°He did say something quite right.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Men who can¡¯t get what they want aren¡¯t real men.¡± Meng Fuyao went silent. She cleared her throat and settled into her seat, waiting for the selection ofdies to begin. The selection process wasn¡¯t as smooth as the archerypetition. Different men were attracted by differentdies and were engaging in heated discussion with flowers in hands. Meng Fuyao was getting sleepy from spectating when someone finally stepped forward to make a report. Meng Fuyao eagerly turned toward where he pointed and caught sight of a beautifuldy who appeared delicate, her eyelids faint. The way she walked was charming and graceful, and there were an innocence and bashfulness about her facial features. The evening sunset glow shone down onto her face, enting the tender blush on her face. She was indeed a rare beauty. The chosendy, now crowned the goddess of the night¡¯s festival, had eligible men approaching from all directions, waiting to ask for her hand in marriage. Meng Fuyao was all smiles. She had heard that in previous years, the chances of the most excellent archer and the most beautifuldy ending up in marriage had been high. It made sense, of course, and it was almost convention. There was no way this youngdy, named Hu Sang, wouldn¡¯t pick that silly fellow, Tie Cheng, and there was no way he would reject her as well. When that time came, she would be free. Meng Fuyao thought happily, failing to notice that the Hu Sang¡¯s shy gaze had been drifting onto and off the stage all this while. The night was falling, and the bonfires were burning strong, the leaping red mes were dancing wildly while adding ayer of gloss to the faces around them. The fragrance of all kinds of meat being roasted above the mes dispersed into the air while oil dripped generously down, producing a non-stop sizzling sound. Girls wearingplicated floral-designed skirts danced with men in colorful, chest-baring robes, around the fire. Their steps were simple yet joyful and filled with gratitude for the benevolence of their God as they prayed for another year of safety. Meng Fuyao sat by the fire, gently pping along to the beat of the music. ¡°Dance music of the ethnic minorities are always so pure and sincere. Hence, extremely touching,¡± she smiled tipsily. Grabbing his knees and observing the festival unfolding, Yuan Zhaoxu asked, ¡°What is an ethnic minority?¡± ¡°Gulp,¡± Meng Fuyao hupped, before turning to him and exining, ¡°A tribe with a small number of members.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always using strange terms, Fuyao,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu noted while reciprocating her gaze. ¡°They don¡¯t sound like part of thenguage that is being used within the 5 Region Continents.¡± ¡°I invented them,¡± Meng Fuyao boasted shamelessly. ¡°I¡¯m more intelligent and outstanding than most, you see.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always like this¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu added lightly. Not hearing it, Meng Fuyao said out of sudden excitement, ¡°Wanna learn my self-choreographed dance? It¡¯s really graceful and suitable for you¡­¡± Before she could finish a wave of cheers sounded, as the beautiful Hu Sang held onto a handkerchief while approaching with a shy smile. Meng Fuyao kept her eyes on Hu Sang as an ominous feeling was arising within her chest. Hu Sang looked at no one else. Her eyes were dreamy and filled with anticipation as she was walking over to Meng Fuyao¡¯s side. She bowed lightly, before cing the handkerchief into Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s hand. Earth-shattering roars filled the building. Hu Sang let out a bashful yet blissful smile before reaching her hand toward his. Her fingers, ced before Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s, were like delicate and jade-like. Meng Fuyao stared, only feeling her throat dry up. She attempted to swallow her saliva. She subconsciously swept her gaze across Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s face, which was calm as usual. There was no surprise or shock. In fact, he was smiling. Before the fire and under the moon and starlit sky, a beautiful man and woman exchanged eye contact. It was an alluring scene, and even the breeze and cheers seemed to slow down for them as the audience watched the couple attentively. Meng Fuyao looked away. If Yuan Zhaoxu epted her handkerchief and invited her for a dance, that matter was settled. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ good, right?¡¯ Meng Fuyao sat there, neither appearing warm nor cold, but her fingers were trembling. Her thoughts were all over the ce, and a crazy idea popped up. She resisted it, but it coiled around her brain like a devil. ¡®If he epts¡­ if he epts¡­¡¯ Beside her, Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s gaze brushed across thedy¡¯s fingers. Her hand had been out for what seemed like forever, as it felt as though she wouldn¡¯t retract it as long as he did not respond. She let out an awkward expression, the blush on her face making her look a little drunk. There was sparkling light in her slightly droopy eyes, which were also teary from the long wait. With these eyes, she looked almost obsessively at Yuan Zhaoxu, the god-like man whose grace and elegance she had taken a liking to. Yuan Zhaoxu moved, not to ept her hand but to pick the handkerchief. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on his hand, and they were guessing if he would retrieve it or toss it away. Suddenly, another hand reached out. ¡°Aye, what a beautifuldy. My brother over here will like you for sure. Don¡¯t be shy, Brother, I know what you¡¯re thinking. Come, ept it.¡± It was Meng Fuyao. She swiftly retrieved the handkerchief and casually stuffed it into Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s robe. The crowd went wild, and Hu Sang¡¯s eyes lit up. Yuan Zhaoxu shuddered. It was the first time this calm man had acted in such a manner. He turned his head toward Meng Fuyao and looked her straight in the eye. His eyes were cker than the sky, and Meng Fuyao could almost see dark clouds and lightning bolts above a vast, angry sea with rolling waves. Chapter 68 - Battle of Two Hearts II Chapter 68: Battle of Two Hearts II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was Meng Fuyao¡¯s first time spotting such an expression on him. He looked as if he wanted to swallow her up. The Yuan Zhaoxu she was familiar with was graceful and calm. He would even kick a mountain away if it were to copse. She hadn¡¯t imagined that she would ever see this side of him. Nevertheless, his eyes at that moment made her heart sink. She felt suffocated, and her eyes drooped a little, diverting away from him. She tightened her fists before inhaling a deep breath and then reciprocating his gaze. ¡®me me, hate me¡­ I can¡¯t escape your powers, so it¡¯s best to push you away¡­¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu simply stared at her without moving and without expression. The initial storm within his eyes had subsided as well. He sat by the fire, ever so calm, allowing the mes to light up his delicate profile and longshes. Everyone present felt the air stiffen around them. It felt as though someone had poured a pot of paste from high above, instantly wind-proofing the field and pressing down onto them. The glorious mes from before had weakened significantly and were now burning silently. The cheers gradually died down, and Hu Sang¡¯s ecstasy turned to unease. She stood, rigid, looking between Yuan Zhaoxu and the man he was staring at. Amid the stillness, Yuan Zhaoxu moved. When he moved, it was as fast as lightning, reaching out to drag a surprised Meng Fuyao up and then tossing her out. Meng Fuyao¡¯s body drew an arc in mid-air before plopping onto a horse outside the circle of the crowd. Before she could react, a purple shadow shed by. In the next moment, Yuan Zhaoxu was already seated on the horse while facing her. Seeing that she was opening her mouth and about to shout, he deactivated her acupuncture point before pping the horse. Everything happened so fast that no one was able to process what they had just witnessed. All they could see were two figures, bobbing up and down as the horse galloped away with the kidnapper and the kidnapped. Hu Sang rushed forward and cried out, ¡°Sir¡­ you epted my handkerchief!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu never turned back. A fur ball emerged from his robe and hopped onto his shoulder. He turned to face Hu Sang, raised his w and disyed a handkerchief with an embroidered image of two mandarin ducks, which signified a happy couple. Under the mes, Yuan Bao¡¯s teeth were whiter than snow. He looked at his master¡¯s admirer in satisfaction, the handkerchief in his w fluttering along with his white fur. ¡®If not for me, Master would¡¯ve been sold by that shameless woman¡­¡¯ Thump! Grief-stricken by the fact that she had just offered herself to a guinea pig, Hu Sang had fainted. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t imagined Yuan Zhaoxu to be able to charge this quickly. The horse was galloping at a speedparable to modern cars. The wind whizzed past her ears cuttingly and took her headscarf with it. Her long hair swayed in the breeze, and a few strands even got caught in the reins. Feeling the pain, she simply pulled out a wisp of hair, letting it fall onto the ground. She pursed her lips, noticing her surroundings flying backward. The trees, people, houses and so on appeared and vanished within her line of sight in a split second. It was as if time was ying in reverse. How great would it be if she could rewind time? She could return to being the peaceful girl that she was, free from emotions and matters of the heart. Meng Fuyao sat stiffly on the horse. Yuan Zhaoxu hadn¡¯t shown mercy when tossing her onto it. Like a wooden block and unable to control herself, she simply shook along with the movements of the horse. Yuan Zhaoxu had one hand controlling the reins and the other supporting her waist. Despite her having on a thick winter coat, she could still feel his ice-cold palm. From her angle, she could only see his lower jaw ¨C as exquisite and strong as usual ¨C and his lips closed tighter than her own. He was always smiling a smile so noble and carefree that his cold, downturned lips were diforting for her. She subconsciously reached her hand out in an attempt to tten them, only to realize that she was unable to move a muscle. They rode on, through the wide, quiet streets and water streams. There were Rongsmen setting rivernterns, whose colorful lights drifted along with the ripples and the rolling wind. The Rongsmen lifted their heads, catching a glimpse of the speedy horse shing by, a whole sea of Bougainvilleas being raised, and then the two figures sitting on top. Falling petals, floating lights, frosted ground¡­ it was a night many were celebrating in cheers; it was a night a duo was sitting in silence. The tapping of hooves struck the cold, silent night. The city gate was in sight. Yuan Zhaoxu conveniently picked out themand tablet from Meng Fuyao¡¯s robe and tossed it toward an approaching soldier. ¡°The mayor has an urgent military matter to attend to. Open up!¡± Without a word, the soldier opened the gates, and Yuan Zhaoxu sped forward immediately. ¡°Why are we going out?¡± Meng Fuyao asked. Yuan Zhaoxu showed no signs of entertaining her. Faced with such a tant dismissal, she could only shut her mouth. Some timeter, she heard him say, ¡°Your brain needs a cleansing.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± She uttered in perplexion. Upon understanding that she had really provoked him that night, she decided that it was better for her to remain quiet in order to stay alive. Opposite of her, Lord Yuan Bao stuck his body out and flicked her head, his eyes full of disdain. ¡°How stupid of me?¡± Meng Fuyao read his action. ¡®Yeah, how stupid of me, but if I don¡¯t do something stupid now, I might act more foolishly in future¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao sniffed and looked up at the hazy moon. In another space and time, what was Mom doing? Did she still have funds for dialysis? Did the research institutionpensate for her death? She had always sent Mom to the hospital by bicycle. Who was fetching her now that she was gone? 17 years. 17 years had passed for her in the Five Region Continent. She was really afraid that both universes were parallel, and that her mother wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for 17 years. Yet, there were things she couldn¡¯t give up on despite her fears. What if both universes were running at different times? What if the supernatural being in the Evergreen Shrine could bring her back? What if Mom had been waiting all this while? Meng Fuyao raised her head to let the cutting wind blow against her widely-opened eyes. It was so cold that she could almost feel the liquid in her eyes freezing up. Her body jolted, and the fine frost shattered. Meng Fuyao muddle-headedly looked up and saw that Yuan Zhaoxu had already stopped his horse, and before them was a sheet of verdant mountains. Unobstructed by construction, they galloped forward, embracing the howling wind. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t recognize the ce, unlike Yuan Zhaoxu, who seemed to be familiar with thendscape. He got off the horse and grabbed Meng Fuyao down. She waited for him to reactivate her acupuncture point, but he did no such thing. Instead, while carrying her, he dashed up the mountain. He moved so fast that the winding path beneath him appeared almost t. A bout of dizziness took over Meng Fuyao, but she only let out a bitter smile. ¡®See, no matter how gentle a person is, he can turn into a lion when provoked.¡¯ Fortunately, Yuan Zhaoxu stopped not long after. Meng Fuyao¡¯s head felt heavy. Unable to lift it up, Meng Fuyao only caught a glimpse of white rising vapor while taking in a thick sulfur smell. Before she could think clearly her body rose into the air. Boom! ¡°Ahhh!¡± Meng Fuyao screamed as a ssh exploded upon her plunge into the water. The water was hot, and white gas was surging upward. It was only after she had stood up that she realized she could move again. She held onto a half-exposed rock to steady herself and wiped the water off her face. Looking around with her body all wet, she noticed that they were in a natural spring and Yuan Zhaoxu had tossed her in earlier. She stood in the pool and looked toward the shore at Yuan Zhaoxu, who was half-covered within the shadows. Her face flushed, and she felt dizzy. In that moment she couldn¡¯t understand Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s motive. Half a face hidden within the darkness while the other half illuminated by the pale moon, Yuan Zhaoxu watched her quietly, his eyes bright, moist and crystal clear. ¡°Wash. Wash yourself good. You need to cleanse your brain and understand what you want and should do.¡± Soaking in the springwater, Meng Fuyao resembled a homeless dog as she heard every wording out from that unperturbed man like the shattering of jade stones. ¡®I¡¯ll give you a night¡¯s time to cleanse yourself. Cleanse away all the selfishness, indulgence and frivolousness. Don¡¯t stop until you learn how not to take advantage of others¡¯ tolerance. Don¡¯t stop until you learn that you can refuse and avoid, but you have no rights to trample on others¡¯ dignity and interfere with their freedom of choice.¡± Meng Fuyao shivered in the hot water, and she slowly lowered her body back into it. ¡°Liking and pursuing you is my business while avoiding and rejecting me is your business. If you don¡¯t want to see me, tell me clearly, and I will disappear before your eyes forever. Do you want that, Fuyao? If so, tell me now.¡± Meng Fuyao looked him in the eye, water beads flowing down her face. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Yuan Zhaoxu gazed at her from higher grounds, his tone calm but eyes sorrowful. ¡°You¡¯re troubled but unwilling to share anything with me, Fuyao. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t ept rejection, but I can¡¯t ept your unreasonable repulsion and abandonment. Worse, you¡¯d rather push me into someone else¡¯s arms. Fuyao, you¡¯re selfish and cruel. You only think about protecting your own heart, and in the process, treat the heart of others as worthless.¡± Chapter 69 - Defrost Chapter 69: Defrost Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao ced her hands on her chest. After struggling for a long time, she finally spoke. ¡°You¡­ why do you like me?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu fell into silence, and after a long while he grabbed hold of a falling leaf and said, ¡°I met a girl, who is just like a part of me. I had nned to get close to her to understand myself better, but in the process, I¡¯ve lost sight of my initial goal. Throughout my whole life, I¡¯ve never felt what it was like to treasure and fight for something. Because of her, things changed. It¡¯s to the point where I¡¯vepletely forgotten about the shadow and simply want to continue seeing her.¡± It was Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s first time unfolding his deepest thoughts, as the misty moonlight shone down onto the lotus flower on his wrist. ¡°I hope¡­ she can be like this flower, weaved into my flesh, and stay by my side forever and beyond, until the end of time.¡± Meng Fuyao stood, shocked, amid the hot water, her features rigid. A long timeter, she plopped onto her bum and started wailing. ¡°Can you not be so stirring, Yuan Zhaoxu?¡± ¡°Yuan Zhaoxu, I¡¯m not as selfish as you think. In fact, I¡¯m too selfless!¡± Waves of emotions surged within her chest like the hot water around her. It was as if her organs were exploding amid the tension within her blood and flesh. Her consciousness seemed to have erupted at the same time, transforming into the millions of stars that twinkled in the vast dome of heaven. Earth-shattering pain surged as if her mind and thoughts were being grounded by ck bands of a jagged sawtooth. She clenched her teeth, swallowing the pain and emerging wound. Yet, the sensations had aroused indignation and anger from deep within her. She bawled, unrestrained, pping on the water with all the might and creating giant waves that sshed back at herself. Her voice was like a steel knife, screechy and cutting through the silence in the mountain. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the torture of loving someone and the anxiety of being loved. I¡¯m afraid of the fleeting moments and forever goodbye.¡± ¡°My time here is borrowed, do you understand? What if I were to disappear one day, Yuan Zhaoxu? Are you going to scold me for giving up without reason and treating your heart as worthless?¡± ¡°Love shouldn¡¯t be a part of this equation. I push you away so as not to hurt you. Why don¡¯t you understand¡­¡± Meng Fuyao spoke unclearly between sobs. Suddenly she sprung up and out of the water and grabbed Yuan Zhaoxu by his cor. Shocked by her sudden outburst and taken aback, he was pulled into the water, instantly bing soaked. Ignoring it all, Meng Fuyao continued dragging him in, while crying out loud. ¡°Get lost! Get lost now! Get the f*ck away! I no longer fear you. My teeth were hurting earlier, so I wasn¡¯t able to speak. Let me make things clear now. I don¡¯t want you. I don¡¯t want you, so do as you¡¯ve mentioned and disappear before my eyes¡­¡± ¡°I changed my mind.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu stated calmly and almost warmly, the coldness in his voice no longer present. He stood up and grabbed Meng Fuyao¡¯s iling arms tightly, and she was temporarily unable to move. They faced each other,pletely wet, as Yuan Zhaoxu looked into her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s toote. Doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°F*ck, and what you say counts¡­ Huu¡­¡± A pair of cold but soft lips pressed gently onto her own. And she lost all rationality. She stood sluggishly in the water, her hands held stiffly in a strangling position, and watched as Yuan Zhaoxu stepped closer to taste her lips. A brief momentter, his tongue started to swirl within her mouth. Butterflies flitted in her stomach as she tasted the sweetness of his mouth. It was a cooling andfortable feeling, and she felt as though she was having a sweet dream. The dreamy scene felt distant yet dense, as though fog was surrounding her. The breaths of the man before her carried a faint fragrance, but she was drowning in it. She let out a soft sigh before raising her head dizzily, no longer possessing the strength to push this warmth away. The moon had its face reflected on the ripples as a man and woman, both thoroughly wet, hugged in the springwater, creating a lovely painting of a pair of a twin lotus flower. A poem was being written with every brush of the wind, its every line warm and moving. Fragrance filled the air as the jade-colored, intertwined vines hung down from the trees, fluttering right above the waters. Meng Fuyao, buried in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s chest, heard him say in a low voice, ¡°We¡¯ll seal your troubles with a kiss.¡± Seal trouble with a kiss¡­ How beautiful, but, could they really seal this moment of tranquility and preserve it through time and space? Meng Fuyao only felt a sudden ache somewhere. She shivered. Yuan Zhaoxu had let her go, his eyes producing an even more beautiful reflection on the ripples. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was slightly flushed as she turned away, her eyes subconsciously sweeping her gaze toward Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s wet body. His robe was half undone, and water beads could be seen rolling down his bare chest, whose muscles were even more eye-catching than the brightest of pearls. The soft moonlight entuated his corbones, which extended into his cor, feeding one¡¯s desire to explore the glory within. Meng Fuyao stared nkly, suddenly feeling her nose heating up. She lowered her head and saw that the water surface was red. ¡®Oh no, oh god, oh no, a nosebleed? How am I to face him¡­¡¯ Before she could process her thoughts, she tasted something sweet, and the next thing she knew, she had spat something out from her mouth. She raised her head and was greeted by a sudden downpour of cold, blood rain. The moon was dyed a bright red as the rain streamed down their faces. Meng Fuyao could see the shock in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes, and in it, she could also bizarrely see herself copsing. ¡®Oh.. nosebleed¡­ not lust¡­¡¯ An irrelevant thought popped in her head before she copsed. A light beam leaped within her narrowing vision as the fragrance of food blended in with the warmth of the light. When Meng Fuyao opened her eyes again, she saw the domed roof of a cave. There was a fire and by it sat Yuan Zhaoxu, almost awkwardly drying his clothes. ¡®Clothes¡­ clothes!¡¯ Meng Fuyao jolted up and looked down at herself. ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ She had her undergarments on. She grabbed the nket, which was Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s outer robe. She caressed it, vaguely recalling the events that had happened and blushing uncontrobly. Meng Fuyao scanned her surroundings and caught sight of Lord Yuan Bao drawing circles in a corner. He was dry, and Meng Fuyao guessed that he hadn¡¯t been in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s robe when thetter went into the water. Why was he acting so gloomily, then? Yuan Zhaoxu turned around, his eyshes and pupil appearing darker under the firelight. He looked at her and spoke after some time, ¡°Zong Yue did not tell me about Emotion Lock.¡± Meng Fuyao drew the corner of her mouth back and leaned back a little from theck of strength. ¡°Now you understand?¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu shook his head. ¡°There is a way of undoing any poison. It is the heart that is the hardest to unlock. Stop finding excuses, Fuyao.¡± After a short silence, Meng Fuyao responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m wrong, but I think I¡¯m rightly wrong.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu had actually understood her words. He fixed his eyes on her and reached out to stroke her hair. ¡°You stubborn little thing¡­¡± Meng Fuyao waited for him to erupt. ¡®Hit me. Hit me then. I¡¯m unhappy too.¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu supported her up, her wet and already tousled hair stuck on her back, before sitting behind her and tidying it carefully with his slender fingers. He let them dry by the fire while saying, ¡°Your hair is wet, and you¡¯re unable to protect yourself from the poison at this point. Be careful not to fall ill.¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her hands together, not speaking a word. She took in the man¡¯s charming scent as he nimbly sorted out her stray hair strands. His movements tickled her, sending waves of electricity throughout her body. She felt as though she had been brought high up to the clouds, but a bead of tear gradually formed in her eyes. She would rather be thrown out, scolded or beaten than to experience such irresistible warmth. Yuan Zhaoxu remained silent throughout the process, appearing to be in deep thought as he started braiding her hair. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but let out a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can even braid a girl¡¯s hair?¡± Not answering, he focused on his task while seemingly recalling something. ¡°Unable tob her hair the night before, the girl has messy strands draping over her shoulders as she rested her head on thep of a sir, who tenderly looks down at her¡­¡± His low yet graceful voice hovered around her ears as waves of warmth swept over her. She shuddered, just as a strand of hair had identally been pulled out, and she hurriedly smiled to conceal it. ¡°Ouch.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu paused for a slight while before releasing her braid. ¡°I think I still can¡¯t do it.¡± Meng Fuyao reached her hand to touch it, feeling a half-rolled bun. As she burst intoughter and was about to mock him, she heard him say, ¡°You stubborn little thing¡­ I¡¯ll wait.¡± Chapter 70 - Defrost II Chapter 70: Defrost II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Fuyao, the bright moon will disappear from sight. If we see it, we must treasure it.¡± From behind her back, Yuan Zhaoxu whispered, ¡°I will wait for you till the day you understand that.¡± Unexpectedly, particles scattered from the bonfire, and a roasted fragrance of pine nuts was released. A pine nutnded on the hollow of Fuyao¡¯s palm. She reached out her hand to grasp it, and it felt as though she was holding a scorching heart. The me illuminated the cave and projected a silhouette of that person¡¯s back. He was not considered tall, study, or powerful, but he provided her the right amount of warmth. Meng Fuyao looked at the shadow in a daze, as she saw her own hair reach his knees. The cave¡¯s atmosphere was quiet. None of them spoke a word; the dense air of indescribable worry and apprehension increasingly amplified the sounds of the surrounding in. Wind swept past the entrance of the cave, creating low roars. Amid the austere sounds, a peculiar sound reached them abruptly. That sound was thebination of an object dropping, someone gasping-for-breath, the rustling of leaves, and an idental collision of two swords. It was inching closer every second. Meng Fuyao sat up straight and listened with rapt attention. Yuan Zhaoxu immediately raised his hand to put out the me before saying, ¡°In the southwest direction, a man is being chased, and he is running toward us now.¡± Meng Fuyao turned to look at him and asked, ¡°Where exactly is this ce?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu turned silent, and after quite a while he answered, ¡°I¡¯ve been here once before. This is the Haoyang Mountain, and it¡¯s quite close to the boundary of the Rong¡¯srge military camp.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t understand why Yuan Zhaoxu, a wise, farsighted and an amazing fighter, would take them to such a dangerous ce. He gazed at her with no qualms, exining, ¡°I dashed all the way and forgot about it.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. Some timeter, she rubbed her nose, aware that she was the one who started all of this. Yuan Zhaoxu wouldn¡¯t have traveled so far in the night if she hadn¡¯t angered him. Meng Fuyao extended her head and looked out of the cave¡¯s entrance. She did not know when the torches were lit from the mountain area, but the shimmering light shone like a luminous curtain of glowing starlight. The number of men in the battle array was rming. The incessant shing of weapons could be heard as the men from the mountain not far away waved their torches and yelled, ¡°Catch the spies who have barged in!¡± With a soft voice, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°So clever? This, they even knew that we¡¯re here? Aish, you are entirely to me for making such a ssh in the spring.¡± She, the guilty party filed the suit first. Yuan Zhaoxu did not argue with her, and his eyes were focused on the darkness. He said unhurriedly, ¡°Beneath this cave is a steep cliff that leads into the escarpment. The vines are covering it. You will go down thereter.¡± Meng Fuyao quickly turned her head and questioned, ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°The Rong army has been alerted.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu calmly pointed at the speckles from the torches, adding, ¡°It seems that the problem wasn¡¯t with us but rather, someone had infiltrated their camp. There are just too many of them. You¡¯re poisoned and shouldn¡¯t move carelessly. I will send you to a safer ce first.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do,¡± Meng Fuyao refused. ¡°Don¡¯t think of fleeing without leaving without me.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her, a faint smile surfacing for the first time that night. ¡°When will you change your habit of saying things that you don¡¯t actually mean, Fuyao?¡± Meng Fuyao wanted to retort but was disrupted by dozens of ttering footsteps. Following which, a tiny shadow dashed across the entrance of the cave while turning her head anxiously. In that moment, the moonlight shone down on her small, bloodstained face. It was Xiao Dao. Meng Fuyao almost called out, but she bit down her tongue. The next moment, she caught sight of Xiao Dao missing a step and falling off the cliff. ¡°Xiao Dao!¡± Meng Fuyao threw herself out of the cave and off the cliff. She quickly felt someone grabbing onto her. She struggled but had no energy to go forward. ¡°Go save her¡­¡± she muttered, but before she could be heard, someone had already swept past her and jumped off. Out of the corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes, she caught a glimpse of a purple and blue, two-toned gown. At the bottom of the cliff, a muscr arm held on firmly on the cracks of the rock, and with a fling, Xiao Dao was thrown upward. Meng Fuyao stepped forward to catch her. The child opened her eyes wide, but she did not cry. Meng Fuyao sighed and asked, ¡°Are you injured? Why are you here?¡± Xiao Dao pursed her lips without answering. She lowered her eyes. The man who jumped off the cliff had on a set of thick, ck eyebrows. It was Tie Cheng, the man who had wanted to ¡°marry the mayor,¡± and the man who had hurled abuses at Meng Fuyao in the public square. He stood up, gasping for breath, and ignored the army, which was charging up because of themotion. Then, raising his eyebrows and standing by the entrance of cliff, he shouted at Meng Fuyao, who was back in the cave, ¡°You are not trustworthy!¡± Stunned, Meng Fuyao replied, ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°You are not trustworthy¡± Tie Cheng used. ¡°You are my woman, so how can you go around liking someone else?¡± Meng Fuyao choked, lifting her head quickly and shouting, ¡°Stop following me, you stalker!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Tie Cheng stiffened his neck, emphasizing, ¡°I¡¯m going to marry you!¡± Meng Fuyao gritted her teeth. ¡°I did not agree!¡± ¡°But I want it, and that¡¯s enough!¡± Meng Fuyao stared at this rash bull and felt that it would be unwise to trade insults with him. The army was nearing and pestering endlessly. Yuan Zhaoxu, who was behind her, unenthusiastically interrupted, ¡°Finished bickering? Catch up with me when you are done.¡± He grabbed onto Xiao Dao, who had been staring at him strangely the whole time. He then reached his other hand out to pull Meng Fuyao over. ¡°Follow me. Don¡¯t leave my side no matter what.¡± Tie Cheng snarled, ¡°I am not going to¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re excluded,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu responded simply without looking back. The Rong man leading the mission was an assistant general from the army. Someone had secretly entered the camp at midnight and had dared to release ming arrows from high grounds. The arrows had narrowly burnt the general¡¯s tent, and the Rong people deemed it inauspicious to have their tents destroyed before a battle. Therefore, the general had appointed him to hunt the perpetrator down and bring him back to camp to be ughtered. This assistant general was considered to be a cautious person. He had clearly noticed that the perpetrator was petite and had a weak martial art background and had managed to escape because of his familiarity with the terrain. Nevertheless, he released thousands of troops and horses to scour the whole area, eventually reaching Haoyang Mountain. Having seen Xiao Dao falling off the cliff and being rescued, the Rong soldiers passed on the news, and all the torches gathered close in tightyers on the mountaintop. The assistant general went up to the mountain with guards protecting him all around. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Xiao Dao, but the man who had saved her as he wasn¡¯t an easy opponent. As for Meng Fuyao and Yuan Zhaoxu, he wasn¡¯t even aware of their presence. Small white lights shed past as he approached the cliff. The assistant general looked down and vaguely saw an animal that resembled a plump, white rabbit or mouse scuttling past. Not minding it much, he continued sealing the path by advancing forward. Little did he know that ball of plump, white creature had gone down the mountain, found his horse and hopped onto it. With its ws grabbing onto the horse¡¯s mane the creature repeatedly tugged vertically at it. The horse hadn¡¯t been trained in the Shangyang pce and thus did not respond to Lord Yuanbao¡¯s order. Lord Yuan Bao became worried. His owner had ordered for his bodyguard not to follow him that night, and Yuan Bao was left to shoulder the heavy responsibility of passing on messages. Yet, this wretched dog of a horse did not understand his prompts. Frustrated, Lord Yuan Bao jumped and viciously bit the neck of the horse. Pain sunk in and the horse released a long neigh and started galloping forward. Just as Lord Yuan Bao loosened his jaw, he nearly flew forward, but speedily grabbed hold of the horse¡¯s mane and continued on his shaky journey. As a result, the hardworking vigers who woke up early got to witness the strange scene of a horse galloping through the wilderness with no rider on it, save for a fluffy white ball that fluttered greatly along with its mane. Lord Yuan Bao went on his way, doing what he was supposed to. Unbeknownst to the assistant general, this guinea pig was extremely useful. He scanned about his surrounding, guessing the direction in which the perpetrator was hiding. The soldiers hid in the grass and waited to spot his whereabouts, but to no avail. The assistant general turned his focus to the shallow cave, which aroused his suspicion. ¡®They had a chance to escape so why didn¡¯t they? Isn¡¯t hiding in this cave, and lighting a match and producing smoke no different from seeking their own death?¡¯ There was not a sound made in the cave. The extinguished embers of the firewood released deep-red sparks at times, but they weren¡¯t as bright as the eyes of those in the cave. Not allowing any more exnation from Meng Fuyao, Yuan Zhaoxu took her in his arms. His faint scent, along with the fresh vapor, entered her nostrils in a second. It was a smell that made one feelfortable. Meng Fuyao shifted her body slightly, which led Yuan Zhaoxu to tighten his embrace. While inhaling his scent, Meng Fuyao secretly wrote on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s palm, ¡®Why don¡¯t we leave?¡¯ With Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s strength, he should be able to escape easily. However, he had two burdens to carry. Yuan Zhaoxu quietly replied by writing back, ¡®Since they havee, let¡¯s kill them all together to save timeter on.¡¯ Meng Fuyao smirked. ¡®What a bold statement. One versus 3,000?¡¯ Cheek to cheek, they stuck close, and Meng Fuyao could feel Yuan Zhaoxu smiling. Amid the darkness, his eyes sparkled. At an even slower speed, he wrote, ¡®I alone can kill 3,000 people. You alone can kill me. You¡¯re more powerful.¡¯ Meng Fuyao felt the urge tough as Yuan Zhaoxu was writing so gently that it felt more like she was being tickled. Sensitive to it, she bit her lip to prevent herself fromughing out loud. Her lip was turning redder each moment. All of a sudden, she heard a groan from above her head. It was Tie Cheng, who had seen their interaction. He red at them, full of resentment, and started carving on the wall. ¡®The enemy is before us, and you two are flirting!?¡¯ Meng Fuyao choked again, somewhat ufortable with the word ¡®flirt.¡¯ Yet, she wasn¡¯t going to lose to Tie Cheng. Immediately she gestured in midair with her fingers. ¡®It¡¯s none of your business!¡¯ Tie Cheng was infuriated and had almost wanted to leap down when Yuan Zhaoxu suddenly waved his sleeves. A purple sh struck abruptly, and the air was thinning and cooling down. Tie Cheng only felt his knees freezing up like ice cubes as he rigidly stood rooted to his spot. Terrified, he red at Yuan Zhaoxu. Yuan Zhaoxu turned to the wall, a look of satisfaction shing across his eyes. He reached his hand out to correct Tie Cheng¡¯s carving. ¡®On the 8th of December, the scattered clouds were condensing as it was about to rain. Zhaoxu and hisdy were flirting here.¡¯ Chapter 71 - Devil’s Curse Chapter 71: Devil¡¯s Curse Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Turning to see the words on the wall, Meng Fuyao felt her face heating up. Almost burnt, she gritted her teeth, ready to fulfill her desire of chewing someone up. Before she could do anything, footsteps came through from outside the cave. The assistant general stopped before the cave entrance. He had already scouted the ce, and since there was no way the couple of them could have grown wings and flown away, they had to be inside. The ck wave of soldiers gathered together, jamming up the city wall. Extending kilometers away, the winding troop appeared like a snake under the moonlight, their weapons as shiny as scales. There was no one anyone could single-handedly fight through this dense formation; just one strike per soldier would be enough for one to die from exhaustion. ¡°Burn!¡± The assistant general ordered, his teeth twinkling like those of a beast amid the darkness. The general had ordered for the arsonist to be chopped into pieces, and he nned to bring a corpse back for him to do as he pleased. The wood had been piled up, but the cave was as quiet as before. The assistant general let out a coldugh before heavily striking his arm downward. As a soldier was about to start the first, the pagoda-shaped firewood pile copsed. A coarse branch fell from the top and smashed his head. Faces changed as other soldiers retreated instinctively. There were many customs regarding Rongsmen¡¯s troop formations, and one of the important ones included their belief that it was inauspicious to get injured before a war. The assistant general studied the firewood pile for some time, recalling that nothing had been shot out from the cave. Dismissing it as a coincidence he waved, and a personal guard went forward to light the fire. Midway, the guard¡¯s knees went weak, and he rolled to the ground immediately after. He rolled on and on, and his head rolled off all of a sudden. The head had rolled out soundlessly before the eyes of thousands of soldiers. There were no blood, no cries, and the head had even preserved the victim¡¯s cautious look from before. It no longer looked like a head but a ball that had been kicked away. Under the moon, deep within the mountains and before the cave, what would it feel like to have a head roll to one¡¯s own feet? At least for the assistant general, he had almost lost it. ¡°Ah,¡± he let out, automatically lifting his leg to kick it away. Boom! Like a sigh being released amid a void, the head exploded with a low explosive sound. The frosty moonlight illuminated bits of flesh, some white, some red, and some already solidified, that sttered everywhere, covering the crowd of soldiers. What would it feel like to have the flesh of arade rain all over one¡¯s body? Horrifying and disgusting, probably, much so that the scene would turn into a perpetual nightmare for even the bravest fighters. The assistant general let out a wretched cry before copsing. The skin on which the flesh came into contact started smoking up. Bone-deep holes were gradually bing visible. ¡°Curse! The devil¡¯s curse!¡± Yet another body had copsed before the cave¡¯s entrance and in front of a disordered troop. The Rong soldiers were shocked silly by the sudden death they had just witnessed. They raised their weapons without knowing the enemies¡¯ location, refusing to escape. The Rong army rules were strict; as escapees¡¯ whole family would be killed, these soldiers stayed rooted to the ground despite being scared out of their wits. Some tried to toss their torch over. Inside the cave, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes darted about as she focused on Yuan Zhaoxu, her mind full of thoughts. She hadn¡¯t made out the method he had used to kill. It felt nothing like martial arts, and she couldn¡¯t seem to understand it. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s fighting style was rare in the Five Region Continent. It was neither orthodox nor demonic. His move was soundless yet fatal and brilliant. Meng Fuyao had studied under the Old Taoist Priest and gained significant knowledge of martial arts but was still unable to recognize his approach. And this move of his stripped away one¡¯s focus and will. It was a mental game, but the Rong people were persistent despite the hopeless situation that awaited them. Meng Fuyao looked up and saw a torch of me flying over, about to reach the dry pile of firewood. Screech! A purple shadow shed by, quick as light. Yuan Zhaoxu, who had been passive, started moving. In the blink of an eye, he had arrived outside the cave and kicked the pile, causing it to scatter. The coarser tree branches flew in all direction and onto the bodies around. The soldiers started copsing like dominoes. As each branch was able to strike four or five people, a huge number of soldiers fell to the ground in an instant. Blood and bile sprayed everywhere. Tie Cheng followed suit. His inner energy wasn¡¯t as overwhelming as Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s, but he was a good close-rangebatant. As Yuan Zhaoxu charged into the crowd to attack, he retrieved his de and stood by the entrance. Those who daren¡¯t face Yuan Zhaoxu attempted to go around the cave, only to be pounced on and stabbed. With a single kick, Yuan Zhaoxu had managed to kill 10 over men. Instead of pursuing the already retreating enemy, he returned to where Tie Cheng stood. ¡°Please stay guard here.¡± Tie Cheng had pierced his de through the chest of an iing soldier as Yuan Zhaoxu spoke. While wiping the blood off his face, Tie Cheng shouted, ¡°What are you going to do, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired, and I am not as heroic as you are.¡± Tie Cheng fumed, immediately injuring 10 men with a kick. ¡®Tired?¡¯ He turned around and yelled, ¡°Are you crazy? We¡¯re going to die from exhaustion if you don¡¯t escape from the circle fast enough. None of us will be able to escape.¡± Gaining no response from Yuan Zhaoxu, Tie Cheng suppressed his urge to hack that fellow to death. Soldiers pranced forward, leaving him with no choice but to obstruct their attacks and continue with the never-ending task. Unable to contain her mouth Meng Fuyao turned and mumbled, ¡°Just your luck¡­ just anyone¡¯s luck to bump into him¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu returned to her side, smiling. ¡°It is my rotten luck to have met someone like you.¡± He leaned against the wall, starting another fire and calling for Meng Fuyao and Xiao Dao to warm themselves by it. Not bearing to see Tie Cheng fighting alone outside, Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°Not gonna help?¡± ¡°He wants to marry you. This is the least he should do,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu stated as a matter-of-factly. ¡°Or how else am I to resign?¡± Bitter-faced, Meng Fuyao responded, ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk to you from now on. You¡¯re just going to refute every statement I make.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu let out augh, and while separating the branches, he waved, and a half-burnt wooden stick flew outward, right in time to save Tie Cheng, whose knees had gone weak and was about to get sliced. p¨C The wooden stick hit the Rong soldier right in the face, instantly splitting his head open. Tie Cheng paused for a little while before turning around and thanking Yuan Zhaoxu reluctantly. ¡°Focus on fighting,¡± came a response. As Tie Cheng was about to throw a verbal retaliation, he caught sight of an iing rod and rushed to grab it. There was no time to bicker with Yuan Zhaoxu. ¡°Hah,¡± Meng Fuyao let out, before continuing, ¡°I see that you¡¯re nurturing his subordinate consciousness. ¡°He¡¯s pretty good, skill-wise, loyal, and brave. Just a little too intense for me.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu picked out a pine cone from the fire pile and handed it to Meng Fuyao. ¡°Remove his acute spirit, foster his submissive side, and there will be one more person to protect you in the future. You must know that Yao Xun is unctuous and unreliable.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent. Looking down at the shelled pine cone in her palm, she noticed that it looked exceptionally clean and moist, almost jade-like and smooth. It looked like a loving heart. She used it to warm her face, feeling the touch of it on her skin. A shadow shed before her eyes. Yuan Zhaoxu was gone again. He was always appearing by Tie Cheng¡¯s side at the ¡°right¡± time, lifting a hand and wiping out yet another bunch of soldiers. Upon forcing the enemies backward and giving Tie Cheng a chance to catch his breath, he would return into the cave with an ¡°I¡¯m tired and need a break¡±, no longer willing to exert an ounce of strength. As Tie Cheng fought restlessly, Yuan Zhaoxu would also stop by and drop a few casual words. Beyond pissed but controlling his anger because of the people in the cave and his own sense of responsibility, Tie Cheng slowly came to realize that Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s advice was helping him to refill his energy, focus, and precision. Meng Fuyao looked from afar andmented in an envious tone, ¡°How lucky is this fellow.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu showed a faint smile. The moon set from the west as the sun rose from the east and then set again in the west. The cave dimmed, and then lit up, and then dimmed again as the battle continued. Tie Cheng¡¯s arms had weakened as well, and a sharp whistle sounded from afar. Yuan Zhaoxu, who had been shutting his eyes and meditating, informed, ¡°We can go now.¡± Meng Fuyao could tell that he was stalling for time and figured that Lord Yuan Bao must have been up to mischief. Not pursuing the matter, she allowed Yuan Zhaoxu to help her up. ¡°Hold onto me,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu ordered. ¡°I can walk by myself,¡± she replied awkwardly. Of course, Yuan Zhaoxu wasn¡¯t giving her a choice. By the time she was done acting awkward, he had already made a move. Meng Fuyao felt herself mming into his chest and was left with no choice but to hold tightly. Yuan Zhaoxu sped through the crowd, killing anyone in his way. Blood prints and corpses were created with every step he took. He reached a hand out, his gesture appearing that that used in the highest of heavens by the Gods when summoning for living creatures. Where he passed, bodies copsed and stacked up, bloody holes evident all over. Bones were shattered, and the bodies were soft like snakes. He smiled, while holding onto Meng Fuyao, his sleeves floating in the air as he passed through the crowd. Yet another pool of blood was left where he came through. Under the pale moonlight, it could be seen that his purple robe was free from all stains. A life was taken at every step, with no exception. Having witnessed theirrades¡¯ bizarre deaths and Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s heedless killing, the remaining Rong soldiers were finally caving. The distorted, snake-like corpses reminded them of their beloved Garison, who had the face of a man and the body of a snake. The man before them, the man who had destroyed so many lives¡­ could he be the incarnation of Garison? Chapter 72 - Both Sides of the Story Chapter 72: Both Sides of the Story Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°He¡¯s not human!¡± someone shouted, hurriedly fleeing. ¡°He¡¯s Garison¡¯s emissary!¡± More started to retreat. ¡°God is angry and has sent a punisher down!¡± The Rong soldiers, who had stayed in ce for two days, finally dispersed. Yet, with careful calctions, Yuan Zhaoxu had already achieved what he wanted ¨C to drag them along for one day and night, in order to buy time. The escapees ran anxiously, not picking their paths properly, despite there being only three walkable routes. Most of the soldiers automatically charged up the widest stone path, which had been renovated and hence was neat and unobstructed. The first Rong man stopped in his tracks. A lonesome head was rolling down toward him. Just a head. The head instantly reminded the Rong soldier about the strange head that had randomly exploded, as well as the assistant general and hisrades, who had all exploded too. He couldn¡¯t forget the blood and flesh bits that had stained all of their bodies as well. He let out a shocking cry, quickly turning back to the main path and then into a thicket-filled path, where more soldiers could be seen entering. That was a ¡°path of death.¡± It was a path that, within a day and night¡¯s time, had been dug, poisoned, installed with traps and ambushed. It was a path that appeared harmless, but it soon turned into the graveyard of close to 3,000 soldiers. It was a one versus 3,000 battle, which had been under Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s control right from the start. From allowing the soldiers to surround them to the explosion of heads, from breaking the army¡¯s morale by destroying their leader to keeping the army stationary, Yuan Zhaoxu had them all calcted out. Only upon thepletion of arrangements did he strike, sending all 3,000 soldiers away and then preventing them from taking the open path by rolling a trauma trigger ¨C a decapitated head ¨C down. As such, all of the soldiers had in fact voluntarily fallen into his ultimate trap. These knotted events had to ur at the right moment as any strong step meant aplete defeat. It was a thoroughly-thought out and psychologically-intensive battle strategy that the seasoned general had orchestrated, but Yuan Zhaoxu had easily tweaked it to his advantage and made the army pawns of his n. Meng Fuyao sat before Yuan Zhaoxu, watching the figures vaguely shing through the dense thicket. Explosions and cries boomed incessantly as blood sttered onto the jade-green leaves and jet-ck rocks. A pitiful painting had been drawn, and not far away, the first glimmer of dawn could be seen. The thicket-filled path fogged up, tenderly veiling the bloody scene that was unfolding. ¡°Inhumane¡­¡± A long timeter, Meng Fuyao mumbled arrogantly and stubbornly, ¡°I swear never to be your enemy.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu brushed away non-existent dirt from his robe and smiled. ¡°You can choose to be family this life.¡± Meng Fuyao blinked, realizing that he had be more straightforward ever since he rified the matter with her. She was usually a sharp-mouthed girl, but when it came to topics like this, she simply did not know how to react. Helpless, she turned away and pretended that the conversation never happened. Upon turning her head, she kept silent. Just then, Xiao Dao, who was close behind Yuan Zhaoxu, retrieved a knife from her boots and aimed, with unimaginable power and speed, for his back. She stabbed with force unlike that of a child, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s face changed, instinctively raising her arm to block her attack. Yet, upon reaching Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s back, the knife slid down his robe, as if it was coated with ayer of oil. Yuan Zhaoxu turned around, and before processing what Xiao Dao was doing, he first pulled Meng Fuyao aside to prevent the knife from getting to her. Then, he sped the knife with two fingers, effectively snapping it into two. Lastly, he raised a leg to kick Xiao Dao. Xiao Dao flew backward and mmed into Tie Cheng, who was rushing over. Grabbing her, they staggered countless steps backward before crashing into the rock wall. Fiercely tossing her aside he hurled, ¡°Backstabbing a fellowpanion and biting the hand that fed you? Are you still human?¡± Xiao Dao leaned against the wall, coughing out a bit of blood. Without turning around, she grabbed onto the vines. Her fingers were pierced and started bleeding, bud she didn¡¯t utter a single word. Meng Fuyao stared at her for some time before pulling out her own knife. She understood that Xiao Dao was a danger and had gloomy thoughts, but she also knew that the girl that turned out this way because of her misfortune and unhappiness toward life and people. She believed that time would water down her negativity, which was why she had resisted against Zong Yue¡¯s decision to get rid of her. Meng Fuyao was neither afraid of Xiao Dao¡¯s secret plots nor that she would be harmed, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see the girl harming those around her. epting Xiao Dao meant that she was putting herpanions in danger. Meng Fuyao kept her eyes on Xiao Dao as if she was observing a young beast. Xiao Dao¡¯s sudden appearance was strange and suspicious. Was her pitiful appearance all an act? And the three sound soldiers¡­ was she the one who had lured them over? Meng Fuyao¡¯s knife was half-pulled out and reflecting the first rays of morning sun. She was gathering strength in her hand. While feeble, she was resolute enough to take Xiao Dao¡¯s head down. Yuan Zhaoxu smiled suddenly and stopped her. ¡°We can get rid of obvious enemies without hesitation, but those less clear¡­ no harm pondering over it a little.¡± He ced his hands behind his back and turned to Xiao Dao. ¡°Dao Naier?¡± Upon hearing those words, Xiao Dao quivered and looked up at him in disbelief. Yuan Zhaoxu studied her expression, which jolted a piece of memory. After some time, he asked unhurriedly, ¡°Is Chahan Erjin doing well?¡± Xiao Dao shuddered even more violently, but Yuan Zhaoxu continued with a smile, ¡°He has eight sons, and his biggest wish is to own a grasnd. Looks like his wish ising true soon.¡± Xiao Dao whipped her head around, yelling, ¡°How dare you mention him? How dare you?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu gazed at her calmly, before adding, ¡°Looks like he really sees you as a gem. He wouldn¡¯t have told you about it otherwise. You¡¯re only so young¡­¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I know?¡± Xiao Dao stared at him, her words and gaze sharp as a knife. ¡°From when I started remembering events, Mother has been telling me that we used to own a rich grasnd full of livestock. Our white-as-pearl tents stretched across the northern part, and we had more cattle and sheep than all the stars in the sky. My father was a brave soldier and the noblest king in that region. Warriors lowered their head and kneeled to kiss his feet. What about now? We¡¯re living in a torn tent, guarding a few skinny goats and leading a life in exile. My father has to slog it out, and the hands that were supposed to be holding horse milk wine are now gripping coarse reins. These¡­ all because of you. You made the northern Rong king believe the southern Rong king¡¯s words that the men on the grasnd were brothers, which allowed the southern spies to infiltrate the northern region, ultimately banishing the noble king of the north.¡± Meng Fuyao stared in shock at Xiao Dao, whose eyes were burning with hatred. ¡®What a good speaker. What is she talking about? Internal strife? Sounds familiar¡­¡¯ ¡°Why didn¡¯t your mother tell you that as a king responsible for the lives of countless herdsmen, should your father only know how to battle, ride horses and brandish his knife? Should he only remember how to sip on his tea, eat his crackers and wrestle with his soldiers? Why hasn¡¯t your mother told you that the reunification of the Rongs in the north and south was good? The southern king, upon acknowledging allegiance, immediately sent envoys to Zhongzhou, to learn about the culture and etiquettes on the ins? And what was the northern king doing at that time? Hunting or drinking his horse milk wine?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu raised his head slightly, basking in the clean and pure rays of sunlight, his features appearing exceptionally prominent and god-like. ¡°We Han people have a phrase, ¡°Wisdom will forever win strength,¡± and also ¡°Winner takes all,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu shared. Has your mother ever thought that it was the southern king who sent your family into exile, and not your family that made the first move?¡± Xiao Dao red at him, somewhat understanding. The words that her mother had spoken to her ran through her head. ¡°God-like youth, extraordinarily brilliant,¡± her mother had described. Her mother had told her that this magnificent man was their real enemy; without him, the northern Rongsmen would¡¯ve imed victory over the southern Rongsmen and be the rightful owners of the grasnd. Because of his appearance, the northern king had gained a ¡°brother¡± from the southern tribe, who eventually betrayed him and seized the northern region. Her mother also mentioned that Xiao Dao would definitely be able to recognize their enemy if she came across him because his brilliance was irreceable. The first time Xiao Dao had met him was in the brothel. She had simply looked at him in suspicion without doing anything since there were too many people around. Their second meeting was in the garden, where she gradually gained confidence that he was the person who matched her mother¡¯s description. The night before, she had snuck out of the city. Her heart was filled with hatred, and thus, she attacked the northern-southern Rong army camp with me arrows she had crafted in advance. It was then that she had witnessed the man¡¯s skills. Those distorted, snake-like bodies were what made her certain as her mother had shared that their enemy had done the same thing years ago. That indifferent yet elegant demeanor indicated that he was the one. Hence, she had recognized him. She was going to take revenge for her powerless father, for her mother, whose beauty had withered from years of toughbor, and for the tribesmen who had lost theirnd and livestock. Xiao Dao had no regrets about all that she had done, but the only thing was that she daren¡¯t to do was look Meng Fuyao in the eye. To her, everyone was evil, but Meng Fuyao¡­ she didn¡¯t seem all that bad. Chapter 73 - A Brilliant Idea Chapter 73: A Brilliant Idea Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Xiao Dao recalled when Meng Fuyao had held her cold hands outside of Deepspring Brothel. She also remembered when Meng Fuyao would cover her up at night and apply medication on the wounds that were inflicted by the brothel keeper. In contrast, the man in a white robe would look at her in a way that made her ufortable. She couldn¡¯t understand it, but her instincts had helped her distinguish between kindness and hostility. And this man here was probably Meng Fuyao¡¯s love interest. Thetter often avoided looking at him, but when they did exchange nces, it was simr to those shared between her own parents. Xiao Dao bit her lips, thinking about her mother, who had to work barefooted in the winter months. She also thought about the barrennd on which her tribesmen were residing, and how no one had been able to fill their tummy. If not for that, would she have been stolen by the greedy man who then child-trafficked her and sold her into such a dirty ce? Her heart hardened again. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± she dered calmly, each sybus sounding like a nail. She tried hard to recall the words of the brave soldiers on the grasnd, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, you can kill me now.¡± Meng Fuyao burst intoughter. While angry over Xiao Dao¡¯s naivety, Meng Fuyao simply couldn¡¯t pull a ck face in response to her willful expression. Seeing this girl make such an adult-like vow reminded Meng Fuyao of her own stubbornness. She had, too, ever run to the end of a deep valley in Taiyuan and shouted to the heavens, ¡°I¡¯m going to return one day! Take me again if you dare!¡± Her eyes turned moist suddenly upon recalling the dreams of her youth, the mutability of fate, and the determined vow she had made despite being uncertain about whether it was worth it. Yuan Zhaoxu was smiling slightly as well. He walked over suddenly and untied a jade tablet, handing it over to Xiao Dao. ¡°I do not sympathize with your father¡¯s plight. A true leader is one that is able to protect himself and his people ¨C someone he isn¡¯t. Dao Naier, do you think you can be the real king of the northern and southern Rong tribe and seize thend that rightfully belongs to your father?¡± Dao Naier grasped the jade tablet tightly, looking him straight in the eye and shouted, ¡°I can!¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. ¡°The Rong tribes will be unified, and having a female king isn¡¯t such a bad thing. Before that, though, you¡¯re only Dao Naier, the daughter of an exiled king. You have to restart in order to get what you want.¡± ¡°I can wait!¡± ¡°Those with patience will eventually seed,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu advised meaningfully, his smile akin to the flowing clouds above the horizon. ¡°When that timees and you, Dao Naier, still want to kill me, bring your unified army here. Till then, you¡¯re not yet fit to challenge me to a battle.¡± ¡°I will find you.¡± ¡­ In Wuji, on the 11th year under King De¡¯s reign, which was on the 8th of December. It was the first time that the allied army had experienced such a huge loss since the start of the war ¨C their main tent was burnt, and the 3,000 soldiers had disappeared mysteriously. 3,000 lives had burst like a bubble,pletely and soundlessly lost to the ocean without even the slightest ripple; it was as if 3,000 men weren¡¯t significant enough to fill a vast public square, but they were just petals of a flower that had simply withered. That night where the Rongs worshiped their God was also the night that the citizens hadn¡¯t gotten their God¡¯s blessings and protection. This war came to be the subject of intensive analysis for future historians and military scientists, but none were able to unravel the marvel within it. If they had known that the disappearance of 3,000 men was due to one man, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t have needed tobel it as a miracle despite racking their brains for a long time. Some people did not believe in miracles, because they themselves were the creators of miracles. What the mortals were unaware of was that on that day, the future ruler of the grasnd, with her endless courage and determination, would receive a real crown from a real king. History rushed forward, and those destined to leave their trace went on their individual journeys. ¡­ Meng Fuyao had been leading good days. Ever since her Emotion Lock had rpsed, she had been ordered by Yuan Zhaoxu to recuperate. Amid her recuperation, she was pleasantly surprised to find that there was something in the poison that was actually strengthening her endurance whenever her channels got attacked by it. While she was recovering slowly, it was much more substantial. Yuan Zhaoxu would slip into her room every night ¨C not for lovemaking, of course ¨C and Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t sure what he was up to. All she knew was that his appearance meant instant sleep for her, no matter what she was doing at that point. She would fall into a dreamless sleep and wake up with a body-ache. If her clothes weren¡¯t intact, she would believe that she must have had 3,000 rounds of battle with Yuan Zhaoxu. Plus, seeing that Yuan Zhaoxu looked rather haggard at times, she would be led to suspect that she must have thrashed him in all 3,000 rounds. She had questioned what he had been doing and had even warned him that he wasn¡¯t allowed to touch her anywhere between her nose to her knees. However, all Yuan Zhaoxu did was smile and answer, ¡°How about you focus on not touching me anywhere between my nose and knees before you start pleading?¡± While highly doubtful, Meng Fuyao started re-evaluating her moral quality. While she was confident that she would never do that when awake, being asleep was another matter¡­ Could she have done it because she had mistaken him for Lord Yuan Bao? Or perhaps Yuan Zhaoxu was the one who had guided her hands all over him? After long deliberation, Meng Fuyao was enlightened and maintained that if she didn¡¯t know about it, it did not happen, regardless of who the victim really was. As such, Mayor Meng, who had been sleeping well, eating well, and had nothing to worry about, gradually turned fairer and plumper, as if trying to be more like Lord Yuan Bao. During that time, Yuan Zhaoxu left and took Xiao Dao with him, and perhaps looked for Guo Pingrong. Meng Fuyao did not ask about Xiao Dao¡¯s whereabouts as she believed that they would be reunited once more, and she would¡¯ve turned into a whole different person. The expression on Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s face upon his return told her that Guo Pingrong wasn¡¯t in possession of the antidote. That night was a rare asion as he did not immediately put her to sleep, but instead, he stroked her hair gently and reassured her, ¡°I¡¯ll find it, Fuyao.¡± Heartless, she answered, ¡°I¡¯ll look for Fang Shimo myself and teach him a lesson. A teacher has to be responsible for nurturing a bad disciple.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled lightly, asking, ¡°Then should I also look for your teacher and teach him a lesson for bringing up someone who¡¯s not right in the mind?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not right in the mind!¡± Meng Fuyao sprung up, shouting. ¡°There¡¯s nothing right about you!¡± She howled, kicked and smashed,ughed and jumped and hit, eventually chasing Yuan Zhaoxu out the door. Upon closing the door, she leaned against it, letting out a deep breath, her smiling face instantly dimming. She had tried hard to use herughter to conceal the graveness of the situation, but it was getting harder every day. She continued resting against the door, unaware that Yuan Zhaoxu was standing on the other side and looking down, evidently worried. ¡­ The Han citizens were getting ready for the new year, unlike the Rong people, who only regarded the God-worshipping festival as significant. As such, the number of Rong people on the streets increased as the youths strolled about with an abundance of energy but nowhere to release it. They were no different from a barrel full of gunpowder. Where arge volume of people gathered, there was bound to be friction and fights. Meng Fuyao was still an idle youth. Biting on her fingers and thinking about how to control the surging hormones of these energetic youths, she caught sight of Lord Yuan Bao ying with a ball. The ball was big, and Yuan Bao was small. As they rolled here and there, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t tell the difference between the ball and the guinea pig. Vexed, she reached a hand out to intervene when Lord Yuan Bao immediately grabbed his ball and moved away. From what she saw, Lord Yuan Bao seemed to be on his period and was feeling exceptionally repulsed by her. Meng Fuyao had nothing to do but to get lost in her crazy thoughts. Before her arrival, the World Cup was about to start, and she had ced her bets on Argentina, or rather, Messi, whom she had been drooling over since forever. Now she had no idea whose leg had made thest kick into the runner up¡¯s goal. Whosoever leg it was, it couldn¡¯t have been China¡¯s¡­ Thoughts ran through her head, and she jumped up suddenly and called for Yao Xun. After some gesturing, Yao Xun left, somewhat muddle-headedly. A few dayster Yao Xun reported that he had already drawn out a piece ofnd in the west side of the public square. He had also recruited 22 youths from the Rong tribe and split them into two teams. Following Meng Fuyao¡¯s orders, he had specially picked two formidable Rongsmen, who were working under the leaders and did not get along as well. Mayor Meng rode on her horse and announced, ¡°Rong citizens, the first ever ser team in the whole of the 5 Region Continent has been born!¡± ¡°From now on, the loser team will be called China¡¯s men ser!¡± ¡°From now on, address me as the Chairperson of the Five Regions¡¯ Ser Alliance.¡± It had to be said that this idea of hers was decent, and as the most fashionable sports, ser did have its unique charm. At the very least, it was a sport that interested the Rongsmen, who were full of vigor. These men battled it out on the ser field and were spurred on by a lovely cheerleading squad, specially put together by Chairman Meng. Wherever their skirts swayed, thepetition became a ground for people watching and gossiping. As such, when Tie Cheng, the handsome looking youth, had a mini brawl with Mu Muha one day, he instantly became the subject of discussion between the beautifuldies, which led to a statement made by Chairman Meng, ¡°The hand of mine that has been on your crotch has never been gentler¡­¡± Chapter 74 - Name extend of Chapter 74: In Preparation Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The poprity of ser as a sport spread like wildfire. Both teams continued to expand, their skills gradually improving and bing more fascinating. Meng Fuyao sealed the ser ground and started charging the anxious spectators tickets to the game, even introducing the betting and sponsor system. With these, she managed to empty out the pockets of some ardent fans, and with that money, she conveniently established a few educational institutions for the Han and Rong children. She also built bridges and roads, and a few government-run pharmacies. Life in Yaocheng became fresher and livelier. Under Mayor Meng¡¯s leadership, the citizens led their own enriching lives, and a rare peace returned to the city. There were no more Rongsmen who were seeking revenge, and there were no more burning houses and chaotic streets. In contrast to the fluctuating weather, Yaocheng was quiet and still. As the current founder of the new Yaocheng, Meng Fuyao did no forget to look far. The military reports in her hand thickened as days passed, and the allied armies were no longer containable. On the 7th January, the southern Rong army attacked Dezhou¡¯s Longcheng. After three rounds of battle both parties fell into deadlock, and on the 10th January, a troop within the northern Rong army was dispatched to execute a sneak attack but was found out just as they were ready to cross a river near Suishui. Having faced consecutive setbacks, the Rong army was arranged by King De to stay put outside the main force. The strange thing was that both armies hadn¡¯tunched a decisive battle. King De, who had always been generous about dispatching soldiers, was advancing in a stable manner. Meng Fuyao stacked her reports like poker cards and yed them one by one while sighing the whole time. The southern and northern armies were moving about nearby, and she had to be wary of these¡­ The year had gone by unknowingly, and she had been recuperating during the new year. All she remembered was having a reunion steamboat dinner with Yuan Zhaoxu and Lord Yuan Bao before being put to sleep. It did not feel like the new year, but whatever it was, she had to find a special way to celebrate the special asion that was the Lantern Festival. As she was about to focus, the door behind her opened. ¡°What are you thinking about? So engrossed.¡± Meng Fuyao ced her reports down and turned around. Yuan Zhaoxu was leaning against the door frame and was surprisingly dressed in a fitting robe. It was amon mounted soldier look that he had on, simr to modern times. He appeared clean and sturdy, and the sunset from behind produced an alluring silhouette different from normal days. Nevertheless, his appeal was as fatal as before, and Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but shudder. An idea popped up in her head in that moment. She threw her reports aside,ughing. ¡°I know how we¡¯re going to celebrate Lantern Festival this year.¡± ¡­ It was the15th of January, the day of the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival in the Five Region Continent was indeed simr to that in the world she had lived in formerly. ¡®Is this really a parallel universe?¡¯ Meng Fuyao questioned, cold-sweated. She did not want to ponder over this for too long as she had many things to attend to that day. She was going to hold a dance party like never before. While she was a workaholic in her previous life, she had been frivolous like any other students in university. However, archaeology was deeply profound, and she had spent a lot of time buried in a pile of old books, often looking forward to seeing something bright and fresh. As such, she had always been an enthusiast when it came to parties. The strange thing was that Meng Fuyao, with her bold and at ease attitude, preferred graceful and light dances like the waltz over intense ones like tango. In fact, she could still remember many tunes from the waltz. That day, seeing Yuan Zhaoxu in his gear before the sunset reminded Meng Fuyao of the waltz. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s respectable and refined appearance, schrly and magnificent posture were all aspects needed in a waltz dance. Didn¡¯t a waltz dance require the most elegant gentleman? Plus, Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s birthday fell on the day of the Lantern Festival. No one told her, of course. It was her pair of sharp eyes that took in the details engraved on the jade tablet he had given to Xiao Dao previously. Furthermore, Lord Yuan Boa had been acting all excited and secretive, as if preparing something as a gift for his owner. Those few days, Meng Fuyao had been busy finding people, locations, costumes, musicians, and teaching them tunes. Nevertheless, she was happy during the process, and whenever Yuan Zhaoxu would ask about it, she would simply let out a mysterious smile and nothing else. ¡®Where¡¯s the fun without a surprise?¡¯ The dance party was in the office¡¯s garden, and Meng Fuyao had arranged for a western style reception and menu. On the long feasting table were porcin cups and fully bloomed Bourgaineas. Dishes were ced on silver tes, and on the white tablecloth were silver candle stands with burning candlesticks, ced along the table and the garden entrance. Flowers were used as decoration, and they could be seen and smelled from three gates away. Chefs dressed in white uniforms were grilling steak, and while supervising, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help sneaking a few bites. She wanted to leave the best part for Yuan Zhaoxu. She had already informed Yuan Zhaoxu to attend the feast in his rider¡¯s clothes, and he had agreed despite the odd expression on her face. The night was arriving, and the fragrance of grilled meat and the scent of perfume and makeup blended in together. The beauties Meng Fuyao had carefully picked out started arriving in twos and threes, dressed in somewhat strange yet pretty dance outfits, which were made fromyers of embroideredce and muslin. Along with their slender waists and perky bosoms, thesedies added a touch of unprecedented splendor and romance into the air. Nevertheless, these meticulous thoughts and preparations were executed for one person. Meng Fuyao¡¯s idea behind this carefully crafted party was simple. It wasn¡¯t a confession or anything, but an expression of gratitude toward his endless protection and kindness. He couldn¡¯t have been happy meeting her, could he? She wanted him to feel genuine happiness this once so that if she were to leave one day, he would have beautiful memories worth recalling. Meng Fuyao smiled and waited for his arrival. She was dressed in disguise but had a set of dress and dancing essories prepared in a room beside the garden. If he was willing, she would teach him a dance, as she had wanted to say on the night of the god worshipping festival, ¡°Do you want to learn a dance I¡¯ve created? It¡¯s really graceful¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a dance she had created, however. It was the only entertainment she enjoyed in the other world. It was the waltz, her favorite, and the most elegant and splendid dance that suited Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s temperament. Thedies¡¯ giggles and voices stopped abruptly, and silence took over the heated atmosphere as breaths were exhaled. Meng Fuyao raised her head and saw Yuan Zhaoxu approaching. The moon that night was brilliant, its light 99% silverish and pure and its shape perfectly round. It appeared especially clear amid the blue sky, like a silk satin, and was apanied by millions of scattered stars sharing their light. A snowfall had passed some time ago, leaving the air fresh and cool. Mountains stood far away, overlooking the feast that was held in this small, lit city. Yuan Zhaoxu walked toward her smilingly. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze trailed from the Bourgaineas to his deep ck, silver-lined boots, and then from his long ck pants to his silver belt and slim waist. She noted that his clothes were fitting, entuating his perfect shoulders, before shifting her focus to his red lips and clean, manly brows and then to his bright, deep eyes. In natural response to those eyes, an equally bright smile appeared on her face. What an ethereal beauty¡­ In her memory, Yuan Zhaoxu seldom wore dark-colored robes, and it was her first time seeing him in ck. It was rare for anyone to be able to bring out the magnificence and ss of that color. Sharp and cleanly dressed, Yuan Zhaoxu appeared extraordinarily handsome and charming that night, so much so that it left the guests holding their breaths. Beneath his feet the deep red Bourgainea bloomed energetically, the broken branches not dimming their beauty. In the hall, the well-bred youngdies covered half their face with a fan, looking at him shyly, but all he could see was Meng Fuyao. Still in ad¡¯s clothing, Meng Fuyao looked meager, and while she had been fed well recently, she was still too thin-looking to him. While her clothes concealed her curves, her slender waist was still visible. Her brows had an appealing upward curve, and her eyes were so bright and clear that looking into them was akin to looking into the most limpid jade springwater. She widened her smile. Compared to the worry-free smiles she shed on normal days, her smile at this moment was especially pure. Together with puffs of smoke, the fragrance of grilled food continued dispersing in the air, gently stirring the hearts and appetite of those present. Meng Fuyao walked forward and gave a ssic gentleman¡¯s bow. ¡°My noble guest.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu cast her a deep nce, responding a whileter, ¡°You look pretty in this male outfit, Fuyao, but do you have a matching outfit for ady?¡± Instead of answering Meng Fuyao simply smiled and gestured for Yao Xun to exin the situation to Yuan Zhaoxu. She then moved forward to make her speech. She raised her crystal cup, filled with Springpear White Wine as a recement for grape wine since thetter wasn¡¯t in season. The alcohol was intense, and it reflected the smile in Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes as she stood before her audience, which gradually quietened down. They followed her by raising their cups as well. Yuan Zhaoxu sat far away, gently turning his cup while listening to her speech, her voice crisp and clear. ¡°I¡¯ve lived 17 years in this world, and this is my first time celebrating the Lantern Festival. Thest time I had experienced it was in my previous life.¡± The audience let our a coaxingughter, figuring that she was merely cracking yet another joke of hers. The only person who remained silent was Yuan Zhaoxu. He ced his cup down and fixed his eyes on her. Chapter 75 - Lantern Festival Chapter 75: Lantern Festival Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I used to think that these 17 years have been horrible. I¡¯ve lost things that are precious to me, and I have arrived at a ce I do not want to. Yet, I¡¯ve noticed recently that when God takes something away from you, he¡¯llpensate your loss with something else. For example, I¡¯ve met good people and have had good things happening. I¡¯ve met you. You all.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, raising her cup once more as the audience broke out in apuse. She turned her crystal clear eyes toward Yuan Zhaoxu. ¡®I¡¯ve met you.¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu returned her gaze, his fingers slowly and meticulously brushing across the zed cup in his hand. ¡°This is a day to reunite, and I¡¯ve once felt regret over my loss. Perhaps my future reunions would too be broken up by Fate, but this day might just be able to make up for it.¡± There was ayer of gloss in her smiling eyes, but it was hardly noticeable. ¡°I¡¯d like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude. Thank you to those whom I¡¯ve met, those who have helped, protected, and been generous to me. I thank those who have cherished me, apanied me and been tolerant. Because of them, I do not feelpletely abandoned by the gods. At the same time, I feel ashamed for epting their kindness while not being able to reciprocate. As such, I¡¯ve gathered all of you here to borrow your blessings in order to extend my thanks.¡± Some smiled while more fell deep in thought. Meng Fuyao diverted her gaze away from the corner, but she could still feel the warmth and light of the gaze radiating toward her, threatening her willpower. Her voice became gentler. ¡°I would like to thank this person. He must be living a lonely life on a tall building that overlooks the horizon. He can see everything and thus does not derive joy and meaning from it. This is his fate and gift. I can¡¯t do anything about it and feel a foreboding that my existence will add hail to snow. As such, I¡¯m about to make it up to him first. My gift to him is a lively and bustling scene. It is an experience that he might never get to go through no matter what he possesses. The joy and fulfillment are unique and irreceable, and they contain the most ordinary yet dear and heartwarming vors.¡± She raised her cup again and shut her eyes. Sighing, she finished, ¡°Hope you like it.¡± Silence filled the garden as thedies and gentlemen looked on at their usually cheerful and lively mayor. There was a foreign and shocking expression in her eyes, and her short speech contained deep meaning and unexinable sadness. The more emotionaldies had already started to sob. They did not understand Meng Fuyao¡¯s words and who she was referring to, but they felt their heart sink. Nevertheless, they were indescribably moved, and there seemed to be a ball of mist rising from their chest and congealing into ayer of cool dew. They raised their cups and echoed sincerely, ¡°Hope you like it.¡± The gentle wave of their blessing rolled up small gusts of wind. Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s hands, which had always been as steady as a rock, trembled. The cup in his hand almost slipped from his hand, and a few drops of alcohol sshed onto the hollow of his palm before flowing along the vein lines on his skin. Yao Xun, who stood beside him, hurriedly handed a dry towel. Yet, instead of wiping his hand Yuan Zhaoxu used it to wipe the nonexistent stain on the table. Yao Xun opened his eyes wide. He had never imagined that Yuan Zhaoxu could also fall into a state of disengagement. Nevertheless, thetter maintained a calm look, no different from his usual self. Yao Xun felt a slight heartache and finally understood what theter part of Meng Fuyao¡¯s speech meant. Apart from his naturally calm disposition, a man like Yuan Zhaoxu must have had grown up in a different environment and educational system from the rest. Was it possible for anyone to be born graceful and wless? Was it possible for anyone to reach such a state of calmness and confidence? And what had he sacrificed to achieve it? His life would inevitablyck the richness and plethora of emotions that ordinary citizens experienced. Yao Xun sobbed, thinking about how Meng Fuyao¡¯s coarse and careless attitude was merely an exterior front. Deep down, she was delicate and meticulous. How rare was it for two individuals to understand each other? Yao Xun sighed, slowly retreating. He nned to see if the fresh flowers in the meditation hall had wilted due to the candle mes. If so, he would get them reced, in order not to spoil the perfect gift that she had so specially prepared. The alcohol in Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s palm gradually dried up. He looked at Meng Fuyao, who raised a toast in his direction before gulping her drink down. He raised his own slowly but did not drink it straight. Instead, he sipped on it bit by bit, as if that was hisst cup ever. The dance party had started, and the youths who had finished learning the dance left the stage in pairs. The exquisite mounted soldier uniforms and the fluttering skirts drew fast and colorful circles in the air while releasing the scent of fresh clothes. These were all part of the ¡°bustle¡± she had so painstakingly prepared for him. With the faint fragrance of alcohol lingering on his hand, Yuan Zhaoxu felt as though he was in a beautiful dream. He did not drink much but felt intoxicated. Opposite of him, a young girl walked toward him with a cup in hand and plopped down beside him. ¡°I spoke well, didn¡¯t I?¡± Her face was flushed, and her smile did not seem natural, as though she was feeling somewhat embarrassed. Sidestepping the question, he responded, ¡°Alcohol¡¯s good.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, stunned. He was acting strange, but she couldn¡¯t point it out. Just as she was about to invite him to a dance, a mor broke out at the entrance. Meng Fuyao turned her head in that direction and caught sight of a beautiful silhouette shing past. It was Hu Sang. Ever since the incident on the god worshipping festival, she had fallen sick, and upon recovery, she hadn¡¯t failed to visit Yuan Zhaoxu every day. Naturally, he opposed to meeting her, and despite Meng Fuyao¡¯s decision not to invite Hu Sang to this party ¨C to prevent pissing Yuan Zhaoxu off and wasting thedy¡¯s efforts ¨C thetter had arrived. Meng Duyao narrowed her eyes, studying Hu Sang¡¯s dance outfit. She could tell that Hu Sang had sewn it on her own, and it was rather out of ce. Nevertheless, the outfit had effectively preserved Hu Sang¡¯s slender waist and plump bosom, which bounced like a pair of doves as she moved. She was stopped at the door but insisted on entering. The guards cast an awkward nce at Meng Fuyao, who then awkwardly looked up to the sky. She had no guts¡­ ¡°A bustle is the gift you¡¯ve prepared, Fuyao?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s question disrupted her thought. ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head toward him. ¡°I¡¯ve almost been moved by my own words, and yet you¡¯re not pleased?¡± Yuan Zhaoxu only smiled, his gaze turning toward a cluster of flowers behind the meditation hall. The window was half covered, and a flower popped out tenderly. Meng Fuyao shook her head, smiling. ¡°Your life is uninteresting, isn¡¯t it¡­¡± She stood up and pulled him with both hands. ¡°Willing to follow me somewhere? I can finish the deal there, but it¡¯s your choice.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t finish the deal with your body,¡± he eded with a slight curl on his lips. They sneaked into the meditation hall, and Hu Sang was forgotten. Upon entering, Yuan Zhaoxu was taken aback. It was much brighter in the room than in the garden. Crystal ss was embedded in the walls, and there was a row of coppermps that produced a sparkling and resplendent effect. Huge, light purple curtains hung down and fluttered like the movement of water and were matched with a same-colored carpet with exquisite floral pattern. Fresh flowers filled the hall and were held in white porcin vases, which enhanced the beautiful colors of the petals and leaves. Meng Fuyao made a twirl in the hall, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll present to you other gifts first, and I¡¯ll save the best forst.¡± She smiled and pointed to the wall, squinting her eyes and indicating that he should find it himself. Yuan Zhaoxu scanned across the wall briefly. He had long noticed a secret door. He reached a hand out to knock it, and a drawer shot out with a p. With another p, a box popped out from it, and with another p, an even smaller box popped out¡­ Cold beads of sweat formed on Meng Fuyao¡¯s forehead. It was almost done, and as Yuan Zhaoxu was about to pick the final box, the gift within popped out by itself out of excitement. It was noble and gentleman-looking, fleshy, and dressed in a ck swallow-tailed coat. Lord Yuan Bao. The world¡¯s smallest swallow-tailed coat looked legitimate, and the world¡¯s most eye-catching guinea pig appeared even more dignified than its clothes. It was an important day for him. Very important day. Lord Yuan Bao pulled at his coat, covering his round tummy and plump tail. He felt handsome and outstanding, just like his owner. Of course, Meng Fuyao had a part to y in making his costume. On a day where he had been spying on her, he had seen her handing a drawing to the sewingdy, and he was impressed by the swallow-tail coat that she had casually drawn. It suited his majestic aura, and he bugged her to actualize that design of hers. Seeing that Lord Yuan Bao was having his period, she eventually agreed. However, it was his gift and not his outfit that was the main show. Lord Yuan Bao energetically took out a long piece of paper roll from the box, and in lightning speed, he opened it before Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s table. Proud of himself, he went to the side to take a set, eagerly waiting for his master to be touched by his surprise. Meng Fuyao was curious since the guinea pig hadn¡¯t revealed anything to her at all. She turned to look at his surprise, her eyeballs instantly popping out. ¡®Love¡­ a love letter.¡¯ Small biscuits were stuck on the letter. Some were filled with holes while others had a character on them. Arranged in rows, while crooked, she could still recognize it as a love letter. Chapter 76 - The Blue Danube Chapter 76: The Blue Danube Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I (broken biscuit..) like you. I think of you (hole) every night, ignore (hole). I am the best (broken biscuit) for you. Your. (hole) wishes for your happiness every day¡­¡± ¡°Such a smart pig,¡± Meng Fuyao eximed, ¡°Your keywords are missing; what an implicit and unconventional way of confessing!¡± Lord Yuan Bao rolled his eyes. ¡®How would I have known what words I needed? Most of them were already half eaten!¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu, the confessed, attentively read the ¡°biscuit love letter¡± with an enigmatic smile. Lord Yuan Bao blinked a few times at him, his tiny little heart pounding irregrly. After a long while, Yuan Zhaoxu finally finished reading. He calmly folded and rolled the piece of paper, tucking it into his sleeves. Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up in surprise. ¡°¦´uan Bao, ah¡­¡± Yuan Bao pricked up his ears. ¡°Your word recognition ability has improved¡­ Has someone been giving you lessonstely?¡± Lord Yuan Bao shyly nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s quite well-written.¡± Lord Yuan Bao looked intoxicated¡­ ¡°Write 3,000 words next time, and I will think about it.¡± After breaking his little heart, Yuan Zhaoxu invited him back to the box to continue his lessons. With pitiful eyes, Meng Fuyao sent Yuan Bao off, waving a handkerchief andughing, ¡°Ooh, next event: A Lolita is about to pounce on a big wolf¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxuy rested on his chair and looked at herzily, his gorgeous ck eyes glistening under the bright lights. Meng Fuyaoughed sinisterly for a long while, and upon realizing that Student Yuan was paying no heed, she started, resentfully, ¡°Close your eyes, I will show you a magic trick.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. ¡°You have many tricks up your sleeves today.¡± Meng Fuyao shrugged. ¡°If I am to do something, I¡¯ll go all the way. This is something I¡¯ve learned from Grandma Qiong Yao.¡± She covered Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Then, she entered a secret door. With eyes blindfolded, Yuan Zhaoxu nodded his head slightly. There was a vague smile on his face. What kind of person was he? A piece of cloth wasn¡¯t going to hinder his sharp senses. He heard fragments of soundsing from the other side of the room. It was the sound of clothes being taken off ¨C the soft and smooth satin rubbing against the simrly smooth skin. There was also the sound of long hair falling gently and then being held together. He could also hear the crisp sound of shoe heels knocking against the floor, and something else he couldn¡¯t determine. It was a prolonged glissando, sounding like something was being tugged at and pulled. It was apanied by Meng Fuyao¡¯s light breathing, which sounded like ripples so tender that they could cause hearts to tremble. It was a pity that this sensation was quickly being interrupted by consecutive murmurs, ¡°¡­what the hell, this is so tight¡­¡±, ¡°Damn. I need to lose weight¡­¡±, ¡°This cor¡­ this cor¡­ god damn it, Yaoxun¡­.¡±, ¡°You call these shoes? These are foot binders!¡± Yuan Zhaoxu couldn¡¯t resist letting out augh. He then heard the sound of cloth dragging across the carpet. He then felt a pair of hands reaching over to lightly to undo the blindfold. The radiance of springtime came pouring in, and in an instant, the fully bloomed Bougainvillea paled inparison. In spite of everything, Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s eyes first fell upon a snow white, as well as a delicate, cleavage. That was a shallow line of an arc, but it carried the color of a mountain that had yet to be snowed on, and the smooth texture of the best jade. It was simply the most tempting outline that God could have ever created for mankind, and one stroke was enough to disy that. On top of that amazing contour was a big dazzling piece of white that was joined by a slender jade-like neck to form the perfect sculpture. Despite how calm and collected Yuan Zhaoxu usually was, he couldn¡¯t help the redness that emerged on his face. Yet, careless Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t even noticed that she had exposed her bosom when bending over. She stood up and took two steps back before removing her outer garment. She then faced Yuan Zhaoxu and made a graceful court etiquette. Amid the rays of light reflected from the bright crystal, there was an even more luminous human figurine ¨C a court dance skirt ¨C a fiery red silk fabric with gold and silver flower embroidery ¨C tightly wrapped around her upper body, sewn with ck pearl tassels emphasizing her slim waist, ample chest and graceful silhouette. The base of the skirt red, revealing a substantial amount of garment. Each fold was embroidered with pearl-white threads that ran against dark threads to form an intricate design. Between her moves, the base whirled and twinkled, resembling a dream that dispersed endlessyers of emotions. Her dark, cloud-like hair was held up by a simple but elegant cornelian hairpin. She gracefully pulled back her hair and allowed some strands to hang loose, disclosing even more of her bright and clean forehead that was as pure as crystal. Meng Fuyao smiled, and her aura ¨C mysterious, elegant, grand, graceful andvish ¨C easily drowned out the entire room full of dazzling crystal and magnificent gems. She was one of those who suited the fiery red color she had on. Be it her ivory white skin tone, jet ck hair, and eyes, or her inherently distinct and glowing demeanor, all of theseplemented each other well, bringing her closer to perfection. Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her as if looking at a statue of a goddess, which had been concealed behind the muslin for a long time and was finally being unveiled. He took a shallow breath and hung his head low, ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°This garment¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him nervously. ¡®Does he find this too old-fashioned and weird?¡¯ Yuan Zhaoxu looked up slightly, his eyes sweeping across her snow-white neck. ¡°Wear it only for me. Can you do it?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows and broke into a smile. ¡°Seriously, do you think I like wearing this? It¡¯s just for the dance. Aish, wearing this tiring¡­ I even skipped dinner to put this on, so don¡¯t worry, I will not do things that cause suffering.¡± She blinked her eyes a few times before spinning elegantly around and extending her hand. ¡°With respect, Sir, may I invite you for a dance?¡± Upon her invitation, the sound of string musical instruments drifted in. The graceful poetry of rhythm and melody actually sounded foreign to Yuan Zhaoxu, who was musically inclined. ¡°The Blue Danube,¡± Meng Fuyao introduced, looking up and continuing with a reminiscing look on her face, ¡°A Johann Strauss Junior ssic, albeit slightly deformed. I haven¡¯t heard this piece for such a long time¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu peered at her expression. At this moment, she appeared distressed and distant, as if her inner expression was a remote hill that seated on the other side. It was hazy and unclear. Darkness and gloom shed in his mind, but he simply took her hand and responded, ¡°I shall wait for your instruction, my queen.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around with augh as she concentrated on the music. She taught Yuan Zhaoxu the steps patiently ¨C forward, backward, sideways, two feet together, turn around, sway, lean¡­ Time passed soundlessly. Yuan Zhaoxu was an astonishing fast learner, no matter the skills involved. Just an hour passed, and he let go of Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands with a slight smile. He then executed the ceremonial waltz bow that she had taught him before cing one hand behind his back and the other hand toward her. ¡°Beautifuldy, may I invite you to dance with me?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, and fit her palm into his. ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± As the silvery moonlight transcended over the roof ridges and the pearl-like splendor, it illuminated the glory of a beautiful couple, who had their fingers tightly intertwined, waist lightly cupped and were dancing gently with interlocked gazes. The music was as soft as water, and it echoed within the room like ribbons. It was as if the gentleness of the rhythm was embracing and experiencing the alluring curvatures of their bodies. It was experiencing the fluttering of outfits, the spry and lively dance movements that rose and fell uninterruptedly. Every swaying motion formed a magnificent and dazzling picture. Yuan Zhaoxu rested his palm lightly upon Meng Fuyao¡¯s waist. The skin under his palm followed every movement, like a swimming fish. This fairy-like, mysticaldy, was also like a fish that had swum into his life; she was so quick-witted and active. Afraid she would disappear suddenly, he wrapped his entire body against hers, not wanting topletely free her from her territory. Before meeting her, he had thought that everything was vapidly within his control, as though he was always standing atop a skyscraper and owning a panoramic view of the world. She had presented him with a nice surprise, and it was something that couldn¡¯t be replicated even if he were to exhaust all wisdom he possessed. In this paradise on earth, magnificence had presented itself, and he was intoxicated. Which was fine, but he had never thought it possible to be free from the deepest emotions that trapped him. Yuan Zhaoxu was indeed intoxicated. He had been sober for 25 years but was once again reminded of what it felt like to be helplessly drunk. It was his first time in 25 years that his five senses werepletely shut off, and he wanted nothing and no one to disrupt this moment of extravagantfort. As such, he did not notice that the outdoor garden was in turmoil, and neither did he notice that youngdy Hu Sa had barged into the garden and tripped on her oversized ceremonial robe. Her tumble had coincidentally caused the shrubs that covered the meditation hall to copse, and as shey sprawled on the ground, the guests dancing merrily in the garden were blessed with the beautiful scene that unfolded in the hall through the half-covered window. The room was filled with glimmering lights, and its silk curtain hung and flew high with the wind. The fresh flowers bloomed in the spotlessly white vase, and some crystals and gems covered the wall. These were all beautiful sights, but they weren¡¯t the ones that seized their attention. They saw a lucid, elegant and beautifuldy in the embrace of a man with the perfect set of eyebrows, only found in paintings. They saw the uninterrupted swirling of a fiery red dress, the flutteringyers of delicate flower prints that released a fragrant scent like dispersing clouds, and the endless whirling and swaying movements that flowed like ripples and waves. The different poses executed by the couple seemed to be able to rob even the brilliance of moonlight and the vigor of sunlight. Their fine silhouettes conveyed the splendor of all the stars in the sky as they danced out beautiful poetry. They saw the male slightly bowing his head to fix his gaze onto his partner, as well as the female raising her delicate lower jaw whileughing and reciprocating his gaze. She spun out of and leaped into his embrace in a harmonious pattern, just like a fish in a clear blueish-green ocean. The curvature of their bodiesplemented each other so well that in this moment, there was nothing that could interfere with this magnificence. From the beginning to the end, Hu Sang had stayed in a sorry-looking position, forgetting to get up. Through the window she foolishly stared, feeling her pride and self-confidence slowly shattering as the dance progressed. She, the most beautifuldy in Yaocheng, had been enjoying her high poprity over many years. She truly believed that she was worthy of everyone on this earth. However, that day was the day she finally understood. Some people weren¡¯t meant to be hers, forever. The distance between him and herself was no different from that of the deepest valley to the highest dome of heaven. Just like that she maintained her position and started weeping for her yet-to-begin-but-already-doomed love story. Chapter 77 - Incoming Chapter 77: Iing Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios No one noticed Hu Sang¡¯s crying nor anyone helped her up. The spectators held their pose from before, fixing their eyes on the scene unfolding beyond the curtains. They were watching a handsome man and a beautiful woman dancing in close embrace under the subtly lit sky and long breezes. An evesting waltz. Their dance touched every heart present. Like a photograph, the youngdy¡¯s face was forever engraved in their memory. Together with ser, the waltz became fashionable in the Five Region Continent as well, and both activities became the most elegant sport and entertainment respectively. A waltzpetition was held every year, and a dancing king and queen were picked out. Citizens of Yaocheng agreed that it was the most beautiful dance in the world, never before seen, but there never had been a year that could surpass the night they had witnessed in January, in the 17th year under Wuji governor¡¯s reign. Nevertheless, it seemed that nothing beautiful was destined tost in this world, just as how the dance that stunned the world couldn¡¯t be finished. That night, the instrumental version of ¡°Blue Danube River¡± yed on like a calm river flow, separated by space and countless centuries of ssical music, disying its vivid charm amid the silent garden, drifting wind and controlled breaths. Yet, there were also hooves ttering. The horseman made no sound. Instead, he guided the horse to the entrance of the office, from which a guard dressed in ck appeared. The horseman handed a letter to him before turning around. The man in ck studied the special symbol on the letter and hesitated a little before entering the garden. He dashed from roof to roof, finally reaching that of the meditation hall and tapping on it thrice, rhythmically. Yuan Zhaoxu shook lightly. He looked up, his misty eyes instantly turning clear and sharp. Three taps¡­ it was an urgent report. Meng Fuyao detected a change and subconsciously messed up her steps. Snap¨C The sound of string breaking traveled from the room beside. The musicians, enchanted by the couple¡¯s whirling dance and engrossed in their own instruments, were startled by Meng Fuyao¡¯s sudden mistake. It was as if the smooth babbling of springwater was disrupted by a sshing stone. Meng Fuyao sighed, slowly letting go and stepping back, while the musicians stopped as well. She looked up and smiled. ¡°Things that are too perfect will notst, as they say. This ¡°Blue Danube River¡± will end here. It¡¯s pretty good this way.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her, and after a brief silence he said, ¡°I hope we canplete it one day.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled without answering. Mortal affairs flowed like water and were ever changing. Who would dare promise a tomorrow? Just as how that moment of warmth on a peaceful night had just been broken by tens of thousands of urgent military situations. Yuan Zhaoxu waved to draw the curtains, and upon opening the report his face altered slightly. Meng Fuyao looked at him, wondering what it was that could have caused such a change. She did not ask, did not speak, did not disturb, and instead, chose to give him space to think. Some timeter, Yuan Zhaoxu rubbed the letter gently with a finger, instantly turning it to mere particles. He stood up, informing, ¡°Fuyao, Gaoluo, the neighboring nation of the northern line, has started a rebellion. Gather 500,000 soldiers to attack from the sea route. I have to rush back to Zhongzhou.¡± Meng Fuyao jumped. A battle on two fronts! It was a disaster for any nation possible. Yuan Zhaoxu reached a hand out to pat her shoulder, adding, ¡°Gaoluo has always pledged its alliance to Wuji, but in recent years a batch of ambitious figures and apetitive, high-ranking military officer came into the picture. The brothel owner cum business merchant, Tory, was their agent. I figured that they would make a move after the sealing of Deepspring Brothel, and indeed they have done so. But don¡¯t worry, it will be alright, but I¡¯ll need to make a trip back.¡± As ifprehending something, Meng Fuyao responded, ¡°You¡¯ve long predicted that Gaoluo would take action, haven¡¯t you? Which means, you should¡¯ve stayed to watch over Zhongzhou, but you came¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu turned to the side and smiled, his eyes glowing under the light. ¡°I do what I think worth, and I think I¡¯m worth it.¡± He stood up and walked toward the door but turned around again a few stepster. ¡°I wish I was the type of man who could put aside all national affairs to chase after a beautiful woman, Fuyao, but I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m not.¡± Meng Fuyao blinked. ¡°A man with a sense of responsibility is a real man, and this responsibility shouldn¡¯t just be toward friends and family but also his nation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always making me sigh,¡± replied Yuan Zhaoxu, looking straight into her eyes. ¡°Because of your difficulties you¡¯ve been pushing love aside, but you¡¯re unaware that your existence and your careless expression of everything are irresistibly attractive to some.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent for a moment before letting out a bitter smile. ¡°Because my existence is a mistake to begin with.¡± ¡°You stubborn little fool¡­¡± Yuan Zhaoxu smiled, without discouragement, and gave her forehead a feather-light kiss. ¡°But I still feel that meeting you has filled the void in my life.¡± His movement released a faint fragrance that drifted along with the cool breeze of dawn and into the dazzling meditation hall. The atmosphere inside was light and peaceful, and the birds that had just woken up were pping their wings and chirping from afar, their voices creating a beautiful tune for the night that had just ended. ¡°Fuyao.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You look really beautiful.¡± Yuan Zhaoxu left on a quick horse and made his way to Yaocheng, but not before leaving a letter for Meng Fuyao. Upon reading it, she pondered for a long time, eventually burning it. Lord Yuan Bao had been forced to stay as well and had scuttled somewhere to heal his broken heart, for the 108th time. Wanting to return to his master upon recovery, he bumped into his grinning love rival, who gloatingly informed him that his dear owner had given him to her. As if struck by lightning, Lord Yuan Bao winced in pain, scampering out of the building and jumping onto a horse. However, before he could move off, Meng Fuyao pulled him down and chided, ¡°Don¡¯t torment my horse. You chewed the neck of the previous horse so badly that it hasn¡¯t recovered yet.¡± Failing to woo his love interest and then being passed on to another person, Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s premenstrual stress intensified. Nevertheless, Meng Fuyao ignored him, knowing that this guinea pig¡¯s healing ability surpassed that of a cockroach. She had observed that no matter how hard Lord Yuan Hao hammered his chest in sorrow, he had never once skipped a meal out of grief. Basically, Meng Fuyao believed that when one¡¯s appetite was not affected, one was not truly broken-hearted. She stayed in the official residence every day, asionally watching ser. Ever since her identity as a woman had been exposed that night, many youngds had fallen head over heels with her. Unable to put up with their pursuit, she had to put on a disguise every time she snuck out. Having managed Yaocheng for quite some time, she suddenly felt that a departure was inevitable. Knowing that money was necessary for traveling, she had to get some for herself by getting into contact with a big family within the city and agreeing on raising funds to establish a club. Meng Fuyao specially selected a few nimble and talldies to dance in a brothel in Yaocheng, and had them sign a contract that restricted them to only selling their art and not body. At the same time, they would get to enjoy privileges and benefits. Soon, Yaocheng citizens flocked over like ducks and were greeted by a big advertising sign outside the club: ¡°The waltz, a dance of love. You deserve it!¡± It worked like a charm, as people who believed that they deserved it poured in like an endless wave, even damaging the door sills. Days passed quietly, but VIP Meng¡¯s international dance business blew up, and she constantly dreamed about the amazing life she was going to have with the money. What she did not know was the danger that was soundlessly closing in. On 28th January of the 16th year under Wuji¡¯s reign, Yaocheng was as peaceful as usual. The sky was a pretty blue, and the first rays of morning sun revealed themselves from beyond the horizon. The morning breeze of southern winter was chilly, and Boss Liu, who was rushing out of the city, tightened the cor around his neck. He was heading to the neighboring county to buy and sell cloth. Dance outfits were all the rage in Yaocheng recently, and Boss Liu, an opportunist, had opened a fabric business and woken up early to get stock. In fact, he was the first to exit Yaocheng. Covering not more than five kilometers outside the city, he saw from afar a ginormous puff of rising ck smoke. It was as if an eagle had just spread his wings, effectively covering the whole of sky and earth. Boss Liu opened his eyes wide, studying it for some time and vaguely making out the formation that was emerging before his eyes. He could gradually see multicolored leather armors, a fluttering g with a two-headed snake on it, and many light-reflecting scimitars. He trembled, dropping the horsewhip on the carriage. After some time, he screamed wildly, turning around and fleeing. ¡°The Rongs are here!¡± On 28th January, just after the New Year Festival, armored horses and horsemen appeared in Yaocheng without any warning. The southern and northern Rong army had clearly surrounded Suishui from both wings and should¡¯ve been ready to battle King De¡¯s troops, but they altered their route, traversing Suishui and appearing before Yaocheng and surrounding it instead. Meng Fuyao was watching ser when news arrived and was shocked by it since she had been guarding against this. She had dispatched investigators to scout for intruders. Why hadn¡¯t she gotten any update when the Rong army was already nearing the city? Of course, it wasn¡¯t the time to wonder about the specifics. Meng Fuyao immediately sent two troops, one to assist King De and the other 15 kilometers away to assist Yaocheng¡¯s defense army stationed in White Pavilion. She then shut the city gates and ordered all private soldiers to guard it. The good thing was that Yaocheng had weapons of all types in the storehouse. In fear that the Rongsmen in the city would cause trouble, Meng Fuyao had confiscated their weapons and also used the money she had earned from ser to rece and repair the old rusty weapons within the storage. She had even prepared a series of guarding tools, but there were simply too few defenders within the city. She only had about 800 people, and from Boss Liu¡¯s estimates, there were about 50,000 of them. 800 versus 50,000¡­ how were they going to fight? Chapter 78 - Wave After Wave Chapter 78: Wave After Wave Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios If a whole city of valiant Rongsmen could be dispatched to guard it, they could perhaps persevere until the arrival of the assisting army. But to use Rongsmen to guard the city? Meng Fuyao would have to hang herself on the door hook to prevent someone from opening the gate in the middle of the night to ¡°let a brother in.¡± The moment Tie Cheng received the news, he came to look for Meng Fuyao, beating his chest confidently. ¡°Give me weapons, and I¡¯ll find the men to guard your city.¡± Meng Fuyao happened to be in a foul mood, and she conveniently kicked him out the door. She then proceeded to wash her face and put on make-up, before heading to work with a face full of energy. Yaocheng citizens were waiting anxiously, but upon her arrival, the panic in their face disappeared. In fact, they stood more imposingly than before, and the atmosphere calmed down significantly. Yaocheng¡¯s Han and Rong upied half the city each, and the Hansmen were naturally unwilling to destroy the city. The Rongsmen, on the other hand, had fewer concerns, and no one could guarantee that their bloodthirsty ¡°brothers¡± wouldn¡¯t take lives upon entering the city. These ferocious men weren¡¯t going to distinguish between the Hans and Rongs, and it was something Meng Fuyao had exined to the Rongsmen who were eager to have the other Rong brothers upy the city. While her reasoning had managed to contain the Rongsmen¡¯s excitement, the war had also inevitably started. On the first day, upon pitching camp, the Rong army started attacking the city. Wu Ha, an iparably strong soldier in the Rong army, led 3,000 men at the frontline. He was an aggressive man who had eximed that he would sessfully take Rongcheng down and that he would take his own head down if he did not manage to take the mayor¡¯s. The Rong army of 3,000, dressed in colorful armor, holding onto their weapons and resembling a sheet of greenish, purplish blue cloud with lightning in between, surged forward. The bald leader was using a scepter-like weapon, and with a light wave of it smoke rose from the ground and lifted ayer ofnd with it. The first battle had the most significant impact on the troops¡¯ morale. The defense guards on the city gate tower overlooked the intruders in all seriousness, but Meng Fuyao was all smiles and feeling energetic from having had ample sleep. She had arrived at the scene with a bunch of craftsmen, ordering them to fashion a high tform on the tower. No one knew what she was up to, and no one had ever seen anyone building a high tform as a way to resist the enemy. Following convention, Wu Ha yelled out a challenge before the gate. It was a necessary procedure for the warlike Rongsmen to call for a battle before attacking the city. However, Meng Fuyao ignored it, and upon thepletion of the tform she climbed up in public view and waved an arm. Two cleanly-dressed ser teams went on stage and started kicking. No way¡­ ser to guard the city? The Han citizens, who had stepped forward to guard the city, looked up in shock. Whistles could be heard, and men were fighting for the ball. Wu Ha was stunned. What formation was that? What was that round, flying thing? Witchcraft? The ser ball rose and fell as the members shouted loudly. All 3,000 soldiers were left speechless, and Wu Ha had almost forgotten where he was. Initially, he was guarded, guessing that the ball was a newly invented weapon, but upon further observation, it was only flying about. Wu Ha stood, dumbstruck and neglected by the enemy. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t retreat as it would negatively affect his men¡¯s morale. As such, all he could do was stand and stare. Suddenly, the ball was snatched by Tie Cheng, who then attempted to kick it into the goal with a fake move. Yet, a few opponents gathered and intercepted the ball, identally kicking it out the city wall in the process. ¡°Foul! Foul!¡± Tie Cheng bawled. Wu Ha vaguely understood the gamey,ughing out loud and shouting, ¡°Silly kid doesn¡¯t know how to guard!¡± Seeing the ball spinning downward he felt his leg jerking in natural response. ¡°Let me show you!¡± He jumped up and did a clean flip before lifting his leg to receive the falling ball. The Rong army went wild. ¡°Good!¡± Boom! A leg flew out. The ball had exploded. Wu Ha¡¯s leg was gone, and fresh blood poured out, instantly staining the ground with a pool. Without uttering a sound, he passed out. His men, who had witnessed it all, were at a loss as it was their first time experiencing the loss of their leader even before a battle. They called for a retreat immediately, cursing and dragging Wu Ha away. The ser teams erupted inughter from above. ¡°Recing the original with a fake. How¡¯s that move?¡± Tie Cheng yelled. Meng Fuyao, dressed in a ck robe and male disguise, stepped forward. With her brows sharp and prominent she rolled inughter while banging on the brick wall and making a jeering gesture at the Rong army. The wind blew through her hair, momentarily unveiling ady¡¯s pearly eyes, from which timidness was absent. She matched the gaze of a high ranking Rong military officer, the fierceness and coldness in her eyes expressed without the slightest fear and concede. Meng Fuyao let out a smirk while overlooking the situation. She had analyzed the characteristics of Rongsmen. They were ferocious and aggressive, rude and unreasonable, feared the strong and bullied the weak. She had gained the upper hand by seizing and humiliating their leader. While other armies might start attacking the city when something like this happened, the Rong army was different. They would weigh it in the hand and hesitate until they could get a clear gauge of their opponent¡¯s strength. Plus, she had heard that themander in chief was the spy who had infiltrated the northern Rong army previously to assist the King¡¯s younger brother to seize the throne. Having been a spy, one could be sure that he would be more cautious when executing matters. Indeed, the Rong army chose not to attack. Cheers exploded within Yaocheng. The citizens had actually yed ser as a means of oveing the enemy¡¯s first wave of attack. It was bizarre but also a fact that they had easily hindered the army. People broke out in happy dances, and those who had hidden at home returned to the inns and drank to their heart¡¯s content while discussing and even modifying the story about ¡°the ball that sent thousands of men packing.¡± ¡°Aye! Master Tie¡¯s kick was beautiful! But wasn¡¯t he kicking it all along? Why didn¡¯t it explode?¡± ¡°Sigh, you¡¯re stupider than stupid. Didn¡¯t you see that fake move? The ball was reced then. How else would the Rong leader let his guard down and y?¡± ¡°This is great. We¡¯ll be alright as long as we resist this first wave. The White Pavilion Army is nearby, and King De¡¯s army isn¡¯t far as well. They¡¯ll be able to get here within a day. Maybe we¡¯ll get to see King De¡¯s army g by tomorrow, hahaha¡­¡± The streets were filled with crowds andmps were lit once more, adding sparkles to the city. People flowed in and out of venues, doing things of their own until nightfall. Themps were then extinguished one after another as they carefully headed home. In a corner inn that sold apricot tea, as Boss Wang put out the lights, he vaguely caught sight of a shadow. Startled, he held antern and walked over to check it out. It was Mayor Meng, standing at the wall corner and looking up at the sky with a nk expression on her face. ¡°Why have youe, Mayor Meng?¡± Boss Wang asked in doubt. Something seemed amiss¡­ ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just taking a stroll,¡± Meng Fuyao answered dreamily and shing a smile. She had a military report in her hand. The coarse paper rubbed against her soft skin as she tightened her grip around it. Ever since she had received this report, she had been walking aimlessly on the street. The White Pavilion Army had been transferred by King De into Bright Tiger Camp, which was stationed outside Suishui, in Zhenzhou. It was done to surround the Rong army from all sides. This was the piece of news that was passed back to Meng Fuyao, and as for King De¡­ she sensed that there wasn¡¯t going to be an assisting army. How long more could she enjoy the beauty of this city? Still kept in the dark, how were these happy citizens going to face day after day of disappointment?¡± On this moonless night, Meng Fuyao stood for a long time and only loosened her hand when her whole body was moistened by the night dew. A crumpled piece of paper flew from between her fingers. The assisting army hadn¡¯t arrived indeed. From that day onward, Yaocheng fell into a passive, defensive state. It had to be said that Meng Fuyao was actually an extremely prudent mayor. With the presence of the big army at the side and a defensive army nearby, if it had been other individuals, they would¡¯ve been fearless and would¡¯ve loosened their guard. Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, remained vignt and never once lowered their arms. In fact, within her short period as a mayor, she had even fortified the city walls and gate. As a bridge between the Rong tribe and ind, Yaocheng had barbicans. Meng Fuyao thus had a training ground and had built six defense lines between the city walls and barbicans: caltrops, antlers¡¯ horns, horse traps, barricades, deep pits and then the city walls. Because the Rong army was limited by circumstances, the cavalry was extremely precious. During the second attack wave, Meng Fuyao directly let the Rong army into the gate before shutting both exits and leaving them with 6 defense lines to cross. 3,000 soldiers entered, but less than 2,000 made it out alive. Even then, they were heavily injured, which led them toy low for a few days. During their third wave, the Rong army studied the direction of the wind and prepared a fire attack. In response, Meng Fuyao kicked countless ser balls down, to which the soldiers who were lighting the mes retreated. It turned out that the balls were bags of swine urine, which wet the firewoods upon erupting and hence foiling the army¡¯s n. As for the fourth wave, a valiant military leader took the lead, forcing his way over the wall, only to be shot by Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrow and nailed against it. The Rong army retreated in defeat once more. With the Rong army¡¯s consecutive failures, the citizens of Yaocheng, who were originally feeling distraught over the absence of the assisting army, regained confidence. Tie Cheng secretly asked Meng Fuyao if the Rong army would retreat for good. Meng Fuyao raised her head to look at a faraway distance, replying after some time, ¡°No, it¡¯s far from over¡­ the difficult part is finally about toe.¡± Chapter 79 - Walk of Shame Chapter 79: Walk of Shame Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As Meng Fuayo had anticipated, the Rong army did what a normal troop would against a tough enemy such as Yaocheng ¨C start a siege. Yaocheng had limited army provisions, which shouldn¡¯t have been the case, but King De had sent a message a few days back, informing that transportation was dyed due to the bad weather. The front line couldn¡¯t do a day without food, so King De transferred it from within the city, promising to deliver more provisions from Huazhou when it became avable. However, from the looks of it, their stomachs would¡¯ve digested themselves by the time help arrived. They had enough provisions tost about ten days, but there was a more pressing issue. The Han-Rong mixed city was like a ticking time bomb, and someone within could easily set it off. Plus, they had only 800 soldiers, who were already exhausted from resisting the enemy, so how were they going to guard against the potential internal issues? Seek help from Yuan Zhaoxu? He should have reached the eastern coast far away, and it would take him half a month to traverse the whole of Wuji. Would it be toote? Plus, didn¡¯t he have military affairs to attend to over there as well? Meng Fuyao did not want to rely on him unrealistically. It was her city, so she shall protect it. Meng Fuyao thinned to the point where her cheekbones became clearly visible. She appeared somewhat frail as well, but her eyes were bright like the morning stars as usual. She ordered for the provisions to be rationed. She herself, ate two steamed buns a day, insistently rejecting the food Tie Cheng delivered over. Nevertheless, she epted fruits and dried food, since she couldn¡¯t bear to let Lord Yuan Bao starve; not after he¡¯d so cruelly been dumped. She did not know that there was a group of people disputing over her calctions. They were secret guards allocated by Yuan Zhaoxu to protect her. That was his only order. The guards were split in their opinions. One side felt the need to report to their master immediately while the other disagreed, stating that both armies were of entirely different strength and that the Rong army could break into Yaocheng any time. When that happened, it was their job to protect Meng Fuyao, so they mustn¡¯t go separate ways at this point. Thetter view garnered more support, and those men in ck continued to stay by her side quietly, awaiting the perilous situation. Days passed, and the citizens lost hope in receiving the assisting army¡¯s help. They queued before the mayor¡¯s office, quietly waiting to collect their rations. Fights to snatch for food soon broke out on the streets, and the whole scene appeared desperate and gloomy as if there had been a soundless rain that shrouded and extended throughout the city. Meng Fuyao locked herself in the office and refused to meet anyone except for the routine meetings regarding the arrangement of defense troops within the city. She basically stayed in all the time, the unease on her face reced by a firm determination and calmness. On the ninth day, she suddenly called for Yao Xun to send food. Upon the delivery of a fresh bun, Meng Fuyao waved him off. ¡°Meat! I want meat!¡± Yao Xun stared at her with his eyes wide open, not understanding what had gone over the mayor. She provided no exnation, only stuffing the bun within seconds and standing up to leave. Midway she turned around, asking, ¡°You¡¯ve been looking wan recently. Troubled?¡± In a daze and caught off guard by her question he jumped, before stuttering, ¡°¡­no¡­no.¡± ¡°Follow me. It¡¯s been hard on you,¡± Meng Fuyao responded without looking at him. ¡°You¡¯re a sect leader after all and stealing is your job. Following me around as a housekeeper is simply a waste of your talents. Now that Yaocheng is in imminent danger, I won¡¯t hold you up any longer. Leave if you want.¡± Finished and not waiting for Yao Xun to answer, she strode off. The clear sun rays shone from the vast horizon, spreading its glory, only to be blocked off by Meng Fuyao, who raised her hand up while blinking and smiling. Her thin palm appeared translucent under the faint white light. She tightened it into a fist as if grasping the beam of light. That might be thest day she would get to enjoy such a beautiful and pure sunlight. The things she were to do and the ces she were to go might swallow her future like a ck hole, and on the journey there, there might be even more arduous tasks awaiting her. What was the matter, though? Wasn¡¯t being able to do what one deemed fit with perseverance a great blessing in life? ¡®Brave forward even if you¡¯re fighting against the odds.¡¯ ¡°p!¡± Meng Fuyao kicked the gate open before striding out. Many Han citizens had gathered outside the door, helping the young and old while looking at her. The city was about to run out of provisions, and the citizens were waiting for Meng Fuyao toe up with a n. In their mind, this quirky mayor who had invented ser, the waltz and all other kinds of entertainments, was unconventional and intelligent. They had faith that she woulde up with a unique n to resist the enemy. Meng Fuyao scanned across the earnest gazes, spotting the hunger and fear in their eyes. Her mind was momentarily blocked, and while she opened her mouth in preparation to speak, no words came out. She shut her eyes and looked up at the sky. A light breeze greeted her, carrying a faint, sweet scent. Spring wasing¡­ No matter howte Spring was, the flowers on the field would always grow¡­ Meng Fuyao lowered her head and opened her eyes, her gaze bright and resolute. ¡°Dear folks, Yaoheng is in danger and an unfavorable position. The city is about to be broken through. As they say, a wise man submits to circumstances. The day the enemies break in is also the day our people will suffer terribly. I do not wish to see lives falling into the hands of the Rong army. This city¡­ we¡¯re not guarding it any longer!¡± Her voice was earth-shattering, her deration reaching the crowd like a bolt of lighting and raising a hugemotion. Yao Xun and Tie Cheng, who had rushed to the scene, stared at her in shock. They couldn¡¯t believe that those words had juste out of her mouth. Meng Fuyao kept her gaze away from the people as she pursed her lips tight in silence. Some timeter, a screeching howl sounded, cutting through the stunned crowd like a sharp de. ¡°You selfish, shameless, despicable woman! You¡¯re selling Yaocheng out!¡± ¡°Crazy! You¡¯re crazy! You¡¯re taking our lives to save your own!¡± Some even picked stones up to throw. ¡°Smash the cheap woman!¡± More people started shouting and bawling, rushing forward to plead. ¡°We can fight! We must guard the city! We¡¯ll climb up the houses and towers! Mayor, do not resign¡­ King De¡¯s troop will arrive!¡± The children sobbed as they approached her, tugging at the corners of her clothes and wrapping their arms around her calves, which caused tears to stain her boots. ¡°Mayor¡­ mayor¡­ no¡­ no¡­ you surrender, and they kill us all¡­ please, please¡­¡± The frail elderlies reached their thin, bloodless hands out and going on their knees to beg. ¡°Mayor¡­¡± The panicked crowd surged forward like a whirlpool, gushing, squeezing and moring. Meng Fuyao stood in the vortex, bing the crashing point for the waves. Their heart-wrenching cries, pleas, and tears filled the air while Meng Fuyao¡¯s slim body, sped in the middle, resembled a sinking boat amid the fury ocean. Meng Fuyao stood straight, tears absent from her pale face. In fact, there was no visible expression in her eyes. She simply lifted her head slightly and looked far ahead. Some timeter, she unhurriedly reached her right hand from behind her back. That hand of hers was carrying a bundle, which she slowly unwrapped. The wild noises came to an abrupt stop as dead silence took over. In the bundle was Yaocheng mayor¡¯s official stamp, Yaocheng¡¯s household register, Yaocheng¡¯s criminal records¡­ they were all objects representing political authority. Meng Fuyao held the bundle of items up, dully swaying it before the crowd. Her decision had been made and would not easily be changed. Whateverst trace of hope the Han citizens had was shattered. They stared at the bundle, and it was no different from looking at their own head rolling. Ignoring their looks, Meng Fuyao hurriedly walked toward the respective leaders. ¡°Have all of you heard my words? I¡¯ll surrender the city today. Pleasee along.¡± The leaders shuddered upon meeting her gaze, automatically nodding their heads. Meng Fuyao walked off the tform without a smile. Her inner energy oozed out like a pressing de, knocking some Han citizens who were attempting to rush toward her. Meng Fuyao stepped ahead, leaving the people with no choice but to withdraw. This way, she slowly carved a path for herself. More Hansmen flooded the streets in two rows, quietly looking as the mayor walked on with her fists clenched and eyes narrowed. There was menace in her eyes, and the res she shot pierced right through the people¡¯s heart, bloodying the cool and breezy daylight. It was a long walk. A walk of shame. With each step she took the Han citizens behind her would curse and swear, throwing whatever they had in hand, perhaps some rotten vegetables, hardened buns or muddied stones, at her¡­ Meng Fuyao kept her back straight and did not turn back. Her hair was messy from stones that had been trapped in between. Her clothes were quickly stained by mud and even spit and snot. Despite having this whitish and yellowish dirt all over her, she walked on without looking. Chapter 80 - Surrender Chapter 80: Surrender Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios No matter how long the path was, it was going to end¡­ ¡°No!¡± a shout boomed from behind. It was Tie Cheng. He could no longer endure the suppressing energy and was unable to bear seeing the masses re at her like that. He could no longer take in the sight of her stained clothes and dirty shoes, and her slowly departing, frail figure. He felt as though the world had overturned, and could feel the stones, mud and rotten vegetables smashing onto his heart, breaking it into pieces. He howled, ¡°No! She won¡¯t! No! No!¡± He repeatedly shouted, rushing up to resist the angry crowd. ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person! She¡¯s not, she¡¯s not, she¡¯s not!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been blinded by her beauty!¡± someone mocked aloud. ¡°You¡¯re blind. Didn¡¯t you see the official stamp?¡± Someone let out a coldugh. ¡°You wanted to marry her? You two have been in cahoots since the start, isn¡¯t it? Evil man. Die together with her then!¡± The man tossed a stone, urately striking Tie Cheng¡¯s forehead. Blood poured out as he looked at the young culprit. They were still ying ser together a few days back. They had been the closest teammates. Tie Cheng lowered his head to look at the blood on his hand, suddenly understanding how Meng Fuyao was feeling at that point. At that moment he thought back to the days he had seen and interacted with Meng Fuyao. She had been so bright and courageous, determined and intelligent. Her pearl ck eyes often wandered to the direction of Suishui, or else she would fall deep in thought and be caught mumbling to herself. ¡°Put them on a field of death, and they will fight to live¡­¡± She was faking a surrender! The citizens¡¯ anger and attacks were the best disy of her sincerity in losing reign. What was she going to do after that? One against 50,000¡­ what could she possibly do? Tie Cheng stood rooted to the ground and shuddered. He turned to chase Meng Fuyao, but having already provoked the rest of the people, standing up for her now would turn him into another enemy, destined to be shamed and swallowed up. They pounced on him, attacking with their teeth and head. They couldn¡¯t get close to Meng Fuyao, but Tie Cheng was another story. He quickly drowned in the crowd, struggling to get to Meng Fuyao while ignoring the objects flying toward him. ¡°She¡¯s not! She¡¯s really not! Meng Fuyao, no, no, no! No¨C¨C¨C¡± He trailed off, his voice lingering amid the crowd in despair and helplessness. He had to witness someone he admired walking into a dead end without being able to help. He had to witness a savior sacrificing herself while enduring the hate and hostility disyed by the people. His mournful cry was one that represented the abandonment by his people and the loneliness of standing atop a high cliff alone. His cry stretched across the crowd and reached Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears, but she kept her eyes in front and continued on the path she had set out toplete. She stopped before the city gate and waved, signaling for the Rongsmen to open it. The gates which had been shut tight for many days finally opened and arrows rained from above the tower as angry Han guardsmen aimed their weapon at their mayor. Meng Fuyao raised a hand to receive all the arrows, easily snapping them into two and chiseling the ground with deep holes with them. She lifted her head, and the sunlight shone through the gap between the gate and onto her face, illuminating half of it and leaving her standing at the boundary between this ck and white world. She raised a leg and took a step forward. It was a point of no return, and she was about to cross it. She might never get to return to Yaocheng ever again, and in fact, the ces she had created memories in. Those who had promised to wait for her were perhaps destined to be disappointed. Meng Fuyao pursed her lips tighter, with force enough to hurt herself and cause a burning sensation. However,pared to how she felt, the pain was negligible. She lifted the other foot and stepped out without hesitation. A shout erupted from behind. ¡°Fuyao¨C¨C¨C¡± It was an ear-splitting and prating howl that, like a bloodied weapon, whizzed toward Meng Fuyao, crashing into Meng Fuyao¡¯s already tottering endurance and determination. Tears flowed down her face. A lonesome figure exited the lofty city gates, creating a stark contrast between the imposing green walls and the ck-dressed, frail youth who appeared like a soft willow, acting ording to the wind¡¯s desire. No one knew that within her delicate frame was a strong, cold soul that could withstand all challenges in life. Meng Fuyao looked up and narrowed her eyes. She did not blink. Instead, she allowed the warm sun to dry her tears. She would be chopped up alive if she entered the Rongsmen¡¯s camp with swollen eyes. She had heard Tie Cheng¡¯sst heart-wringing cry and knew that he had realized her intentions. It wasforting and heartwarming to know that in this bleak, unpopr journey she had embarked on, there was someone out there who understood her. Meng Fuyao carried the bag of things and walked toward the Rong army camp. It was a camp fit for 50,000 men, and the continuous rows of tents resembled dark gray waves that stretched across the sea. There was no end to them, and inparison, Meng Fuyao was like a drop of water in the ocean that could drown in an instant. She walked on fearlessly despite the soldiers¡¯ raised weapons and their hostile gazes. She waved the bag in her hand. ¡°Yaocheng mayor, here to surrender the city.¡± Swords and spears could be heard shifting as the Rong soldiers stared at her vacantly for some time before a representative proceeded to report the situation. A whileter a high-ranking military officer walked out and looked sharply at Meng Fuyao and especially at her sorry figure. He asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why have youe alone here if you¡¯re surrendering the city?¡± ¡°If I had simply opened the gates, would any of you dare to enter? Not afraid of an ambush?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her brows. ¡°What better than to show my sincerity than to enter your big camp alone?¡± The officer held his breath. He had exchanged hands with this unconventional mayor and experienced her bizarre methods in leading 800 men to resist a big army. Not only had they crumbled before the first wave of attack had even started, but this mayor had also taken down three of their officers. She was right. But now that she hade alone, what could she possibly do to deal with 50,000 soldiers? There was no way she could y any tricks. ¡°Follow me,¡± he half-shouted after some consideration. When Meng Fuyao saw the Rong army¡¯smander-in-chief Tutie Muer, she had already gone through three interrogations. During the final check, Tutie Muer¡¯s personal guard felt Meng Fuyao all around once before retreating in silence. Meng Fuyao waited patiently throughout the process before asking politely, ¡°Done?¡± Startled, the man looked up to meet her gaze, feeling a sourness in his heart as Meng Fuyao simply walked forward without turning back. From the fiercely illuminated exterior, Meng Fuyao stepped into the dark, gloomy tent. Unable to adapt to the change in brightness she narrowed her eyes. Following which she sensed a needle-sharp gaze pricking her. She turned automatically, but the person in the corner looked away immediately. She swept her gaze across the colorfully-dressed officers. Other than Tutie Muer, who was sitting upright and still, the rest were eating, drinking, shouting loudly and even digging their toenails. The tent was filled with a greasybination of oil, tea, meat, fleece, and sweat. Digging their nails in the main camp? No one in the world ran their army this way. Were they doing it on purpose to appear tough? Before she could process it all, the man sitting face-front spoke lightly, ¡°You¡¯re the mayor of Yaocheng?¡± Following his question, cold eyes fell upon her, and the whole tent was overtaken by a wave of murderousness. An invisible pressure stifled her. Meng Fuyao turned around and without a word, slowly unwrapped her bundle. A glistening yellow copper stamp caught everyone¡¯s attention as they opened their eyes wide. A low but clear voice sounded, ¡°I, Meng Fuyao, the mayor of Yaocheng, am here to offer the city. This stamp is an invitation for everyone here to enter the city and use it as a path to enter Wujind.¡± ¡°What big words!¡± Tutie Muer shouted, his turmeric-colored eyes focused on her. With a dark tone and expression, he continued, ¡°Yaocheng is a small city, and we can take over it easily. What do you mean ¡®offer¡¯?¡± ¡°What a tone,¡± Meng Fuyao mocked. ¡°Yaocheng is a small city with 800 guards and provisions tost 10 days. No high walls, no cannons, no seasoned soldiers, yet able to hold out and keep your 50,000 tigers away for almost half a month. I see that you¡¯ve been ¡®taking over it easily¡¯ for a little longer.¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°Enough nonsense!¡± Meng Fuyao shouted, swaying the bundle in her hand and raising her brows. ¡°I¡¯m here to offer the city. You¡¯ve been attacking for a long time without sess, so how are you going to report it to the northern and southern Rong king? How are you to face the other marshals? How are you going to pick up your soldiers¡¯ gradually routing morale? How are they going to continue battling for you? Yaocheng¡¯s voluntary surrender is the best way to remodel the mental state of your men. I¡¯m here to help you, do you understand?¡± Her words shot them like a bolt of lightning, startling every officer in the tent. They stopped eating, drinking, shouting loudly and even digging their toenails, to look at her. In a quick motion, she slung her bag over her shoulder and turned around. ¡°I¡¯m a hero and did not lose. If not for those who have caused mischief, it would be your corpses I¡¯m talking to right now. I havee, discouraged, hoping to find a new leader to carve a way out for my people. You brainless, fat barbaric blobs dare disrespect me? I will not have it.¡± Chapter 81 - Fake Surrender Chapter 81: Fake Surrender Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao marched off with the bundle still in his hand, unhesitatingly nudging away a few Rong leaders who had stepped forward to stop her. ¡°Hold up!¡± Someone with a deep voice called out. Meng Fuyao stopped, her back facing the people in the tent, and a slightly smug yet painful smile surfaced. ¡®I was right, you strong-fearing morons¡­¡¯ Before her arrival, she had given it a long thought on whether she should continue enduring the humiliation and bowing down in order to gain the trust of the Rong Commander-in-Chief or bluffing her way through to subdue them. From her understanding of the Rongs¡¯ characteristics, she had ultimately chosen thetter method. Not giving them the chance to strategize was her strategy. She had been proven right. Behind her, Tutie Muer was no longer steadily seated. He brushed his sleeves and walked toward her. ¡°Please slow down, Mayor Meng, please slow down. They have been ignorant¡­¡± Meng Fuyao ignored his words and continued making her exit. ¡°I like that you havee to surrender the city. Men, gather around. Let me introduce them to you, Mayor Meng¡­¡± Tutie Muer added, holding onto her arm, his attitude undergoing a 180-degree change. He had studied her carefully. While the mayor was unexpectedly young, he was aggressive and brave and had a domineering aura. He was here to surrender but was not ready to be disregarded and mistreated. He unted his might and angered the Rong officers, who in turn failed to unnerve him. Furthermore, his every word disyed a strong understanding of the Rong army¡¯s position and situation. There was no need for him to bring the whole Yaocheng back to the kings; they would be pleased by this talent alone, and he himself would be given some credit. Whether or not Meng Fuyao was fake-surrendering, he thought it through for only a second before dismissing it. There was no way he could be this guiltless and careless about dropping the deal if it were an act. From the multiple times he had interacted with Mayor Meng, he believed that he would only have to raise his guard if thetter were to act all humble and submissive. ¡°Mayor Meng,¡± he started politely, gesturing to lead the way. ¡°We were wrong. I¡¯ll make it up to you. Come,e¡­¡± Meng Fuyao turned and raised her brows. ¡°You believe me now?¡± Tutie Muer let out an awkwardugh. ¡°Naturally, naturally!¡± Meng Fuyao unwrapped the bundle slowly and retrieved the official stamp. She weighed it in her hand before handing it over to Tutie Muer. Smiling, she replied, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, please show this to your men, in case anyone thinks it¡¯s bogus.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± Tutie Muer received it, continuing, ¡°But since you¡¯ve mentioned¡­ Come here, you fools! Come vouch for her sincerity.¡± The stamp circted within the officers as Meng Fuyao cupped her hands together and waited in the darkness, a faint smile emerging on her face. Some officers really took a good look at the stamp while others simply eyed it once before tossing it to the next person. Some could even be heard murmuring, ¡°The Han barbarians are all soft eggs.¡± Meng Fuyao cast him a nce, responding with a smile, ¡°You probably won¡¯t get to see the heroic side of the Hansmen anyway.¡± When the stamp reached the corner, the man who had looked at her earlier paused. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes wandered ambiguously toward him before she retracted them the next moment. ¡°I¡¯ve already expressed my sincerity, Chief,¡± Meng Fuyao stated after a round of inspection. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be your turn now?¡± Tutie Muer hesitated before waving, ¡°Men, prepare the tools.¡± Chinaware with clear water in it and two daggers on the side was prepared. Meng Fuyao appeared emotionless. The oath of alliance required not blood from the finger but from the chest, as an expression of determination. Trays were served, and Meng Fuyao took a step forward. ording to the rules, Tutie Muer should now stand beside her, shoulder to shoulder. After a short hesitation, he stood a step behind her and two guards quickly followed. Meng Fuyao did mind him at all. As if there were no onlookers, she grabbed the dagger, pierced her chest, extracting beads of fresh blood and dripping them into the clear water. As the blood spread within the water, she retreated with a smile, leaving Tutie Muer¡¯s side. Tutie Muer exhaled a sigh of relief, stepped forward and went through the same procedure. At the moment his dagger was about to reach his skin, Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand appeared. She had clearly been at least an arm¡¯s length away from Tutie Muer, blocked by his guards, but somehow with a snap, her arm seemed to have extended a section. She grabbed Tutie Muer¡¯s dagger-holding hand in an instant. The dagger that was supposed to graze the chest lightly entered soundlessly, and blood sttered. Tutie Muer let out a sky-shattering howl, almost causing the tent to copse. Meng Fuyao did not let go of her hand. She continued smiling coldly before twisting the dagger. Everyone present could hear the crushing of bones at that moment. Blood and flesh poured out generously, sshing onto her face. Tutie Muer let out another mournful yet stifled cry, as if there were lumps in his throat, before convulsing and copsing to the ground. Meng Fuyao smiled warmly and removed the dagger. With a wave of her wrist, Tutie Muer¡¯s head was chopped off. She conveniently stabbed the two armed guards beside her, before holding Tutie Muer¡¯s decapitated head up. ¡°This is the bravery of the Hansmen. Look closely before entering your grave!¡± Sheughed frantically, her voice as bright and clear as an eagle¡¯s cry. It was a voice that charged straight through the tent that was reeking of blood and steel. It was then that the officers in the tent snapped out of their shock. Having witnessed Tutie Muer¡¯s headless corpse squirming on the ground and Meng Fuyao¡¯s maniacalughter, they instantly lost it. ¡°Kill him!¡± Kill him!¡± They retrieved their weapons and charged forward, some doing so even without putting their shoes on first. Meng Fuyao stepped on Tutie Muer¡¯s corpse, smiling contemptuously at them. Suddenly, a ck light shed as she whipped around and pulled a dagger from behind her back. She leaped like a soaring phoenix, threateningly spreading her arms out like wings. She continuously drew blood arcs in the air with her ck dagger. sh, chop, thrust, jab. Fresh blood and heads flew everywhere, along with thick limbs. They mmed onto the leather-walled tent before falling to the ground. Meng Fuyao unleashed all the pent-up anger, frustration and humiliation she had been feeling from before, and it was just the officers¡¯ luck for having to endure her outburst. Every sh was sharp and deadly, and blood flowed down her dagger and onto her ck robe. It was a one-sided massacre and having been poisoned by the numbing substance she had previously coated the stamp with, none of the officers were her match. In no time the ground was filled with dismembered corpses. Such a sight was finally instilling fear into the naturally courageous Rongsmen. Some officers, who weren¡¯t poisoned as significantly, looked on at the devilish woman, their already weakened arms no longer able to support their weapons. They screamed their lungs out and attempted to flee. ¡°Help! Help¨C¨C¨C¨C Murderer!¡± Rip! A cold bolt shed across the dark space as the officer who ran the fastest obtained a fresh wound to the middle of his back. The murder weapon wasn¡¯t Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger, but a golden machete used specifically by Rong officers. The victim turned his head and pointed to the man behind, choking on his words, ¡°Masha, yo¡­ you¨C¨C¨C¡± The man named Masha was the one whom she had exchanged a nce with when she first entered the tent. He retracted his machete and made a bow. ¡°My name is Sha Hong, Mayor Meng.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Han?¡± Meng Fuyao squinted. ¡°Yes,¡± Sha Hong answered with a fixed expression. ¡°I¡¯m serving under the 6th squadron in the 18th division of Shangyang Elite Horsemen.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him while sheathing her dagger. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you could tell that I¡¯ve applied a numbing substance on the stamp.¡± Sha Hong smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve received an order from my Master, and I am to assist you fully whenever and wherever.¡± Meng Fuyao shifted her focus onto the leaders she had taken down from the start, and spoke softly, ¡°You have your own mission to execute. There was no need for you to ruin your ns for me.¡± As Sha Hong was about to respond, his gaze changed. ¡°Not good. We¡¯re short of one person.¡± Immediately upon finishing his sentence heavy footsteps could be heard. Someone wasughing outside the tent. ¡°Oh Mother, wrong time to get a tummy ache. I heard that Yaocheng has surrendered, Chief? Let me take a look!¡± he shouted happily while proceeding to lift the curtain. One had escaped the! Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°Pardon me!¡± she mouthed before smashing the back of her dagger onto Sha Hong¡¯s head. She then darted to the side of the entrance, withdrawing her dagger and waiting quietly. Her eyes sparkled in the dark like a beast awaiting its prey. ¡®I¡¯ll take him down at once when he enters.¡¯ The fellow grabbed hold of the curtain. Meng Fuyao raised her weapon in preparation. Fingers retracted. A trying silence passed, and she heard soldiersmunicating outside with secret signals. The man behind the curtain breathed heavily, and through the leather wall, Meng Fuyao could hear the tension, unease, and doubt in his pants. A sheet of coldness gradually fell over her eyes. It was toote to turn back. Her n to get rid of all the officers before retreating was ruined. Heaven was bent on destroying her, but was she willing to ept it? Meng Fuyao remained quiet as she used her sleeves to wipe the stains off her dagger. She had a tough battle to fight next, and she wanted to keep her weapon in good condition. Chapter 82 - Against All Odds Chapter 82: Against All Odds Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios A man who could sense something amiss and also her existence inside the tent was certainly not as boorish as his speech had made him sound. It should be a seasoned general who was extremely familiar with the smell of blood and corpses. He was going to be a tricky opponent. Outside the tent, the general named Old Ha abruptly made a flip backward, and still, in mid-air, he ordered gravely, ¡°Assassin! Archers gather!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a ck shadow shed by as a slender figure shot out from inside of the tent. In a quick, wind-like movement and a one-handed wave, the figure had already reached his chest. On the jade-colored de ray, the general¡¯s shocked expression was reflected. With no time to speak, he staggered backward but was still unable to escape from Meng Fuyao¡¯s attack, which was infused with Cleaving Nine Heavens¡¯ inner energy. An arm came loose and rolled to the dusted ground, coloring the sand red. Because of their distance, her de hadn¡¯t been able to destroy the enemy. Nevertheless, it was toote for her to execute another sh, andyer uponyer of soldiers were already surging toward the injured general like man-eating ants. They piled up like the ocean and the mountains. Blood ocean, sword mountains. It was a time for a massacre and lives to be lost; it was a time for flesh to turn to mud, and for corpses to be tossed everywhere. By this point, she hadpletely zoned out from all emotions and turned into a killing machine. She leaped into the ocean filled with flesh and reflections of the weapon rays, her long ck sword shing incessantly. Like Moses splitting the Red Sea, Meng Fuyao created blossoming red waves, amid which she stood, spotlighted. Carrying along the cutting breeze and blood-and-flesh rain, and like a colorfully-dressed soldier, every step she took cast a bloodied footprint onto the ground, and every step she took, broken limbs flew. She lost count of the number of lives she had taken. Neither did she count the wounds on her body. While the surrounding soldiers attacked blindly with their spears, their sheer number made it impossible for her to dodge every strike. Nevertheless, she no longer remembered how pain felt as she was numbed by the intense close-range battle. How many had died, exactly? She had no idea. All she realized was the unevenness of the ground beneath her, due to the number of corpses. As such, she was forced to kick them away upon killing. The corpses that flew from her kick exploded in mid-air, creating more blood rain that soon fell upon the next wave of soon-to-be victims¡­ endless killing was what it was. At the start of the year, on the 16th year under the emperor¡¯s reign, the Rong army trapped Yaocheng with 50,000 soldiers to stand against the city¡¯s mayor, who had only 800 guards. Within half a month of guarding the city, the mayor had taken three officers down, and through four consecutive battles, thousand lives had been lost, and the Rong army had failed¡­ The mayor had faked a surrender, enduring humiliation and criticism alone without backing down, pledged an alliance with the general of the Rong army, pierced her chest, started a massacre, killing all seven leaders, been surrounded by the Rong soldiers but not given up. She brandished her sword, creating a blood sea¡­ It was a battle between thousands of soldiers and herself, and she had done it. It was a scene that had not been repeated hundred years since¡­ It was a crippling massacre, in which the corpses beneath her feet seemed to transform into blood-colored vines that broke through the yellow sand. A vine forest was formed, and she was being bound by the whizzing vines¡­ Meng Fuyao was tired; even her inner energy was about to be depleted from the consecutive killings. Despite being prepared that she was about to get rid of a big bowl of human flesh before her arrival, she was unable to handle the endless waves of enemies. She looked up, and it seemed to her that the number of soldiers she was up against hadn¡¯t been reduced. They surged forward as fast as before, and inparison to them, those she had killed made up only a drop in the ocean. Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms were already aching, and she was about to lose control of her sword. Nevertheless, she had enough energy left tomit suicide. Letting out a bitterugh she habitually stabbed her sword into the heart of an iing soldier. While considering if she should stab herself next, she heard an abnormal movement. It sounded as though a simr scene was unfolding elsewhere. Grieved cries and the shattering of bones could be heard against one another. These sounds were being produced at not one but three separate spots. If she tiptoed, she could even see themotion that was happening in front. There were three spots near the gates where des were being shed, and flesh was being sliced. The soldiers attacking her turned around in shock. Meng Fuyao took a moment to loosen herself, before jumping onto a pile of corpses. She spotted ten over men in ck, killing with inner energy not weaker than her own. They were split, five in each spot, fighting their way through the crowd of soldiers to break formation. They had sessfully rmed the huge troops and caused amotion. She could easily tell that those men were specially trained, elite fighters. Why was there a group of men assisting her at this point? Meng Fuyao wondered in astonishment. She hadn¡¯t seen the secret guards following Yuan Zhaoxu before, so naturally, she wasn¡¯t aware of their existence. A man in ck, who had charged furthest into the formation, had already seen her and made a gesture, signaling for her to get closer to him. Meng Fuyao inhaled deeply, gathering all remnants of energy and waving her sword once more. Yet another hour passed, and she finally reached the man in ck. Their bodies were filled with fresh blood and minced flesh, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s vision was almost blurred by all the blood. Only two out of four men were left beside him. They gathered, and the man in ck appeared happy. Without hesitation, he started, ¡°Miss Meng, I¡¯ve been ordered by my Master to protect you. Please believe us¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Is there any reason for me not to?¡± Meng Fuyao interrupted with augh. ¡°Let¡¯s charge.¡± She was beyond tired and could barely stand steady even with the help of her sword. In spite of that, the smile on her face remained as bright and clear as ever. The man in ck couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. He thought about the other woman by his Master¡¯s side andpared both of them. He shook his head soon after, immediately tossing his thought aside. He turned to Meng Fuyao and shouted, ¡°Go!¡± A whole night of killing ensued. Under the protection of the gradually reducing guards, Meng Fuyao fought her way through the formation, finally catching sight of Yaocheng¡¯s gates. The sky had brightened significantly. A strong gust of wind blew from behind and carried a thick bloody smell with it. Under the leadership of their general, who had already lost a limb, the Rongs soldiers pursued them relentlessly. Meng Fuyao scanned her surroundings and noted that only four of them were left. Of the fifteen guards, a third had been killed. The men who had apanied her in this bloody journey had fallen off their horse one by one, instantly being trampled on by the enemy horses. Despite witnessing all of these, she was only able to charge forward with tears in her eyes. She finally spotted the city gate. Meng Fuyao breathed a sigh of relief. If all fifteen of them had died because of her, she really wouldn¡¯t be able to tell it to Yuan Zhaoxu¡¯s face. The moment she rxed her body the wounds all over started aching. She felt as though her bones were about to fall apart. She struggled and shouted toward the gate, ¡°Open up! I¡¯m back!¡± The valiant horsemen were approaching speedily, and Meng Fuyao could almost hear the ttering of hooves. Yet, there seemed to be no movement above the city gate toward, as the soldiers guarding the city stood behind and simply looked at her. In bitter realization, Meng Fuyao hurriedly raised the head that she had tied to her waist. ¡°I faked a surrender. This is Tutie Muer, the army chief! The leaders are almost all dead, and they would be gone within three days. That¡¯s for sure! Open up! Quick!¡± Dead silence. The soldiers inside the city even walked away. The ttering of hooves was getting louder and almost thunder-like. A ck cloud rose from the horizon and enveloped the scene. The Rong army was arriving. Meng Fuyao rushed to the gate, raised her whip and gave the wall a good p. The wall cracked, and like the dust that rose from the ground, she yelled anxiously, ¡°Open up! They¡¯reing! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s able to recognize this head?¡± A cold voice probed from behind the wall. ¡°Open up and let you traitors kill us all?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sank, her vision turning ck. She copsed from her horse, and the man in ck quickly dashed forward to provide support. She could vaguely hear him groan afterward. She turned around and saw an arrow sticking into his shoulder. They had arrived! Old Ha, the general with a broken limb,ughed. ¡°Mayor Meng, who do you think is going to open the door for you? You went against your word. The big chief isn¡¯t going to be happy!¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head around and shot a death re. Old Ha shuddered involuntarily, and his inner energy-channeledughter had already echoed deep into the city. Not just those on the tower but even those far within the city had heard it. Bang! Tie Cheng mmed against the city gate from the inside. He had been kicked forward by a bunch of Hansmen. They pointed outside the city andughed wildly, ¡°You foolish Rong dog. Have you heard what he said? Go open the door for yourdy owner since you im that she¡¯s innocent.¡± Tie Cheng¡¯s face was covered in blood, and one of his legs was broken. He coughed, leaving traces of blood on the ground. ¡°No means no!¡± he yelled in fury. He stabilized himself and prepared to open the gate when a group of Hansmen and Rongsmen charged forward to beat him up. It was a ball of mess. Tie Cheng cared about no one and nothing else. He had heard the killing outside and was determined and anxious to open the gate, only to see an additional silver lock that wasn¡¯t there before. Failing to break it with his inner energy, Tie Cheng pulled his sword out after some thought. Chapter 83 - Don’t You Dare Chapter 83: Don¡¯t You Dare Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Shing!¡± Tie Cheng¡¯s refined sword shed luminously in mid-air beforending powerfully onto the lock but did not leave the slightest mark. Tie Cheng was stunned. He then felt a cold gaze falling upon his back. Turning around, he caught sight of Hu Sang, who was standing outside of the noisy crowd and looking at him quietly. Dazed, he remembered that Hu Sang¡¯s father was a reputable craftsman. ¡°My father refined it from a thousand-year steel piece that he had been keeping,¡± Hu Sang informed him, somewhat mockingly. ¡°You can¡¯t break it.¡± ¡°Why? Why?¡± Tie Cheng growled. ¡°Why must you do this?¡± ¡°She deserves to die.¡± The hatred and jealousy Hu Sang felt toward Meng Fuyao was evident in her eyes. ¡°She deserves it!¡± Tie Cheng stared sluggishly at her, sensing immense agitation, despair and madness within her eyes. Standing in shock, he felt his heart slowly sinking. ¡°Thud.¡± The dull collision of the human body against city gate sounded like a muffled thunder on a summer¡¯s day. Blood seeped through the creaks and sttered all over Tie Cheng¡¯s fingers. He lowered his head. ¡®Is that Meng Fuyao?¡¯ The specks of blood reminded him of the loneliness, desteness, helplessness, and determination in her slightly reddened eyes before she left. They contained a warm and unyielding persistence, in which green smoke rose in spirals. Such eyes shouldn¡¯t belong to a girl who was only 18 years of age. A fate that involved blood and tears wasn¡¯t a responsibility this courageous girl should have to shoulder. Tie Cheng fell onto his knees. In the 19 years that he had been alive, he had never felt his knees or even neck turn weak. Yet, before the city gate and amid the dust he copsed, solidly, onto the ground. He started kowtowing before Hu Sang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Please, I beg you. Let her go. She¡¯s innocent¡­¡± Tie Cheng pleaded with blood and mud stuck on his face. Together with the bruises on his forehead, he was almost unrecognizable. Regardless of that, he continued smashing his head onto the ground and pleading in grief. It was his first time going down on his knees and begging for a girl who wasn¡¯t even a friend. Yet, inparison to what the whole city owed her, he felt that he could never everpensate for it. ¡°Please, save her. Key¡­ where¡¯s the key? Give me the key¡­ I¡¯ll exchange my whole family asset for it¨C¨C¨C¡± Hu Sang looked at him coldly, her eyes full of hatred. Some timeter, she turned to leave. ¡°There¡¯s no key.¡± Tie Cheng knelt in a daze, his mindpletely nk. Another thud sounded from behind him, and he knew not whose body had mmed against the door once more before falling to the ground. Tie Cheng daren¡¯t turn to look at the corpse. He was afraid of recognizing it as the girl he had so admired. He was afraid that he would never get to see those bright and firm eyes of hers. He was afraid that he would have to live with the permanent fact that he had watched her, with his own eyes, go out there and battle her way out of the enemy¡¯s hands, only to die by his own people¡¯s selfishness and doubt. ¡°Ah!¡± Tie Cheng raised his head and let out another shrieking cry. ¡°Ah!¡± Yet another anguished wailing could be heard as the secondst man in ck died under a fierce wave of attack. The Rong army did not release their arrows. They let out a cold smile and looked at Meng Fuyao like how a cat would a mouse. They enjoyed seeing how she was unable to enter the city, how she was being betrayed by her own people upon killing countless of their young soldiers, and how the city guards simply looked on at her, unmoved and unconvinced. Theyughed at their heart¡¯s content. Meng Fuyao had already fallen into silence at this point. She was as quiet as a bare yet pencil-straight tree, her expression as cold as frozen water. She leaned against the door that probably wasn¡¯t going to open, the blood over her body transforming into mottled prints on the wall. It was thest gift she could give to the city. Right here, before the city gate where her blood-filled body rested and where corpsesy beside her, Meng Fuyao was ultimately unable to clear the doubt and anger of the city guards. She had no future. She swept her gaze across the field of the blood-stained ground. On it were three corpses with missing skeletons, and only the leading man in ck was left by her side, and even then, he was already severely injured. This elite team had almost been wiped out because of her. The leader of the team was struggling as he retrieved a dagger meant for close-rangebat. He staggered forward, prepared to use his remaining breath to take on the bloodthirsty enemy with him. Meng Fuyao dug her fingers into the city wall, causing blood to ooze out from her fingertips. It was blood from her heart. It was a city she had resided in for two months. She was truly fond of it and truly felt the warmth within it. She enjoyed the cordial greetings that traveled around during the morning and evenings, and she enjoyed the warmth that she had never experienced before this. She cherished and yearned for more of it, and because of that, precisely, she had chosen to assume the responsibility of protecting the city at the most challenging time instead of ignoring it. She hadn¡¯t expected an oue like this. In response to her sacrifice and investment, the citizens had cast her outside their door. She had never expected them to throw their lives away for her. Was there any logic in the affairs of the world? And in regard to such a deranged situation, was there a reason for her to continue? ¡°Ah!¡± Tie Cheng¡¯s grief-stricken and indignant cry, followed by his hopeless wailing, shot through the sky and into Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears. She took in a deep breath and looked up into the sky. A vague smile could be seen spreading onto her face. It was peaceful, warm, tolerant and extensive, just like the dream that was perpetually drifting above her. Her eyes turned moist. The vige that was left behind, the idea that was resolute, and the hope that was fluttering in her dreams, were calling out for her. Was this oue going to enable her to return to the start? If she was destined not to escape death, why should she drag others along with her? That¡­ was good too. ¡°Sir,¡± she called out, reaching a hand out to grab the approaching man in ck. ¡°No need.¡± The man appeared rather shocked, as Meng Fuyao looked at him calmly. ¡°They want me dead. Once that¡¯s done, they won¡¯t touch you anymore. I can¡¯t drag you down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, Miss,¡± the man responded after a short while. With a slight smile, he asked, ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let me go? I¡¯ve killed so many of their people.¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent for some time. ¡°We¡¯ll die together then. I was nning to get you to convey a message, but it looks like that¡¯s not happening. I only have a request, that is, please destroy my corpse and don¡¯t let me fall into the Rongsmen¡¯s hands. ¡°Alright,¡± the man in ck sat, hands pressing down on his knees, ¡°Master had ordered me to protect you. Whether I live or die, I would¡¯vepleted my mission.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and bent her body, knocking on the city door and speaking through the gap, ¡°I know you¡¯ve tried your best, Tie Cheng, don¡¯t cry.¡± She paused for a while before continuing in an unsteady voice, ¡°Please forgive¡­ I¡¯ll repay you in the next life.¡± In the next life, in the next life. To those whom I care about, have stopped for, gazed a second time for, and thanked before, please forgive me for giving up. As for the next life¡­ let¡¯s hope fate allows it. Meng Fuyao shut her eyes and pulled her sword out. Her sword, Destiny Rebellion, had taken countless lives, and it was finally her turn. The thin yet snow-bright sword body reflected the pale yet resolute mien. ¡°Cha!¡± Amid the bloodied sand before the city gate, the lonely figure of the man in ck could be seen shielding his eyes from the dazzling sword that was held horizontally across her fair neck. Both armies made no sound as they waited apathetically for the girl to end her life. Meng Fuyao shut her eyes slowly. She had already bid her farewell to whomever she could; as for those whom she couldn¡¯t, she could only keep it in her heart. Having her life in this other world end at age 18, before she could fulfill her wishes, was something she hadn¡¯t imagined. Nevertheless, as things had progressed thus far, she actually felt calm, as though she was one with the water and was about to reach its end. Just like that. She pulled her sword back, its ray shing by. ¡°Cha!¡± ¡°Meng Fuyao! Don¡¯t you dare die on me!¡± A red object, carrying a gust of fishy stench, whizzed toward her and mmed onto the tip of her sword de. The object felt soft, but it approached with such violence that Meng Fuyao, who was already extremely feeble and powerless, lost grip of her sword. In spite of that, the sharp de had left a slit across her neck, where blood slowly poured out. Meng Fuyao lowered her head to look at the ground, spotting a crooked ear through her hazy and bloodied vision. Someone had thrown a severed ear to save her life. ¡°Mother¡­ how melodramatic¡­ couldn¡¯t you havee up with something more novel¡­¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled while struggling to support her own weight. ¡°Which bastard dared to stop me from dying a martyr?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the bastard.¡± A ck-and-red whirlwind rolled over, as an extended hand seized Meng Fuyao¡¯s fallen sword and then pulled her up and onto a horse saddle. ¡°Woman, I keep you out of my sight one moment, and you get yourself into trouble.¡± Meng Fuyao rested against the gear and coughed. Having no mood to entertain Zhan Beiye and his scowling face, she murmured, ¡°You came alone? Leave, don¡¯t make me kill another innocent being¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a clear look at who you¡¯re talking to?¡± Zhan Beiye asked unhappily. ¡°Are those third-rate soldiers my match?¡± He tore a section of his sleeve and wrapped it around her neck before scanning through her injuries. Upon figuring that the entire fabric of his clothing wasn¡¯t going to be enough to wrap her wounds up, he frowned in uncontroble anger. He whipped his head around, his pupils ck as a stormy night. His aura was akin to raging mes as he ordered, ¡°Dark Wind Horses, kill all of them. Don¡¯t just jab a few holes out of them if you can tten them, and don¡¯t just tten them if you can pulverize them.¡± ¡°Dark Wind Horses?¡± Meng Fuyao repeated, almost bursting intoughter amid her half-conscious state. ¡°Blind boasting isn¡¯t the right way to go. They¡¯re your specially trained soldiers, huh? But this is Wuji and not Tiansha¡­¡± Chapter 84 - Rising Dust Chapter 84: Rising Dust Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Before Meng Fuyao¡¯s voice fell, she heard the orderly ttering of hooves ¨C ferocious, sharp, powerful and tough ¨C effectively exuding an aura of death and might. Meng Fuyao looked up and for a moment, mistook the sudden emergence of the ck sheet wave on the western slope as a sign that she was about to pass out. The leading horseman raised his sword, and the whole wave of ck-armored soldiers followed suit, before charging right into the enemy formation. These men controlled their reins and galloped full speed ahead, releasing rain-like arrows and chopping their enemies as though they were vegetables. From their ruthless and careless attacks, it was clear that these people were Zhan Beiye¡¯s. But how could it be? The strongest troop, Dark Wind Horses, were well known in all nations. While it consisted of only a few thousand horsemen, each member had the ability to take on a hundred enemies and own the battlefield. Their achievements were glorious, and they were a presence feared by the Moluo Nation, situated in the western region. How did such a troop cross Wuji Nation border? And how could they have appeared here? Hearing the man behind herughing out loud and feeling his shaking chest against her back, Meng Fuyao heard him say, ¡°I arrived much earlier, but turned back to wait for these brothers. We charged our way through the border.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. ¡®This man¡­ he is going to die one day without even knowing why.¡¯ Zhan Beiye mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s strange, now that I think of it. The border troops stopped pursuing after a while, leaving us at a darn mountain area, and when we finally exited, we were already close by.¡± He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the intense battle that was ongoing. ¡°Damn it, got used by him again¡­ I must get back at him.¡± Meng Fuyao turned her head doubtfully. ¡°Eh?¡± she let out, as Zhan Beiye looked at her blood-stained face and clotted eyshes. Her body was filled with so many wounds that he daren¡¯t touch her. Her appearance, no different from that of a tiny, severely injured beast, silenced him. How much must she have fought? With a character like hers, unless forced to a dead end, there was no way she would end her own life. Who had the power to render her so helpless and desperate? And where was that man when she was suffering? Alright¡­ he had military affairs to attend to, but how could he have let her fall into such a perilous situation? And himself as well¡­ how he wanted to punch himself in the face. If he hadn¡¯t been so poor with directions and gotten lost deep in the mountains, and if he hadn¡¯t bumped into one of the ten strongest fighters, also known as ¡°the Fog¡±, provoking her to set up all sort of obstacles within the area, he could have arrived half a month earlier. Thus, she wouldn¡¯t have been beaten down to this state. Zhan Beiye¡¯s mind went nk when he saw her raising her sword, ready to take her own life. As such, his hand slipped, and he had only managed to chop off an ear of his enemy. Anxious and left without a choice, he swung his sword, flinging it toward her as an intervention. Upon his attempt, he felt his body turn cold. He hadn¡¯t channeled any inner energy into his toss and was certain that it wasn¡¯t going to be enough to counter Meng Fuyao¡¯s strength. Fortunately, she was already extremely weak, and an ear was sufficient to knock her weapon off. She had almost died before his very eyes. Remorseful, Zhan Beiye wanted very much to tear his hair out to stop her wounds from bleeding. He looked on as the sinister-looking flesh blossomed, feeling as though he was about to suffocate. After some thought, he removed his overcoat and wrapped it around her. ¡°Bear with it and wait for me.¡± Meng Fuyao shrunk her head into his coat but ignored him. She had no mood. Seeing that her face was turning green from fatigue, anger rose within him once more. He turned around, eyes sharp as a de, and red at the broken-armed general, Old Ha. Old Ha was surrounded by the Rong army, and he was carefully retreating. They were no longer able to force Meng Fuyao to her end and had to deal with the unexpected appearance of a wave of armored horsemen, whosebat power was nightmare-triggering. Last night, alongside fifteen guards, Meng Fuyao had killed a few thousands of them. These horsemen¡¯s skills were not bad at all and were even better experts in battle formations. They moved, fast as lightning, and attacked, light as wind. With every sh of their sword, blood rain and severed heads ensued. Amid the gradually scattering formation of the Rong army, these horsemen continued pressing their way through. On the other hand, his own horsemen, 5,000 of them, simply turned into wooden blocks and gradually got ughtered. Worse, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest and numbness in his back, as if worms were crawling all over. Goosebumps surfaced, and his hair stood on end. As Old Ha retreated, he turned and saw from afar, hundreds of steps away, a man dressed in a ck robe with scarlet trimmings sitting upright on his horse and slowly drawing his pure golden bow. They were far apart, but he could feel the deadly aura that man in ck was exuding. Just his gaze alone was substantial enough to pierce through him. Old Ha was startled but immediately loosened himself up. ¡®What a joke, how could anyone shoot urately from such a distance?¡¯ Of course, the number one archer in the whole of Tiansha Nation, also the King¡¯s subordinate, might be able to, but this man was the prince, so how could he have appeared here in the first ce¡­ He paused his thoughts. ¡®Tiansha¡­ ck elite force¡­ the number one cavalry that was as sturdy as mountains and as imprable as forest¡­ the fiery red palm symbol on the horses¡¯ abdomen¡­ Dark Wind Horses!¡¯ ¡®Tiansha King Hunter¡¯s Dark Wind Horses!¡¯ Old Ha let out an odd cry as he whipped his horse hard with his hand. ¡°Quick! Quick! Withdraw! Withdraw!¡± he yelled. Despite his rather quick reaction, it was already toote. ¡°Xiu!¡± A scarlet arrow, seemingly carrying a ring of fire around it, blossomed like a firework and pierced through the far gap between them, through the sky full of raised dust and fresh blood, and ultimately through the back of the target. The me-like arrow prated through his skin and bones before exiting from his chest. The blood that flowed out with it sttered into the air, creating a stunning painting. It was a painting that immortalized the moment in which Old Ha while maintaining a fleeing stance, arm in mid-air, attempted to hasten his horse but would forever be condemned by the impossible arrow that had shot him. He let out a guttural choke that seemed to contain a soft sob as if he was sighing over his bad fate. Why had Zhan Beiyee and why hadn¡¯t he made use of every precious moment to get rid of Meng Fuyao. Now he had to pay with his own life. Just like that his raised arm slowly fell, and he plunged into the crowd of soldiers and horses. Like the men in ck who had protected Meng Fuyao with their lives, he was instantly crushed. Meng Fuyao rested on the horse, tears welling in her eyes as she watched. ¡®Revenge doesn¡¯t feel good, revenge doesn¡¯t feel good.¡¯ Even if Zhan Beiye hadn¡¯t attacked, she would do whatever it took to seek revenge as long as she was still alive. Upon Old Ha¡¯s death, the leaderless army fell into a mess. Not the Dark Wind Horses¡¯ match, to begin with, it was clearer than ever that they were now trapped in the elite force¡¯s ughterhouse. As if herding sheep, the powerful horsemen forced the Rong soldiers together before starting the massacre without hesitation. The ttering of hooves collided with the sounds of bones breaking and the neighing of horses as a wave of soldiers charged toward Yaocheng. The soldiers above the city gate were shocked silly. They had initially thought that Meng Fuyao sold their city and lured the soldiers over to kill their people. However, from the looks of it, things appeared not how they did previously, and they were all stunned. Still covered in Zhan Beiye¡¯s overcoat, Meng Fuyao did not turn around to observe their expressions. The chaotic screams and battle tired her out more, to the point where she couldn¡¯t be bothered with anything. A soft click sounded from behind. It sounded especially crisp amid the jumble of the battlefield. She whipped her head around and saw that the city gate, which she had pleaded so hard to be opened, had finally opened. The thick, solid metal gate opened slowly, drawing a bright arc in the center, illuminating Tie Cheng¡¯s blood and sweat-filled body as he stood ashamed, with a key in his hand and with Yao Xun by his side. It took only one look for Meng Fuyao to grasp the situation. Yao Xun must have thought of abandoning her again but had ultimately decided against it, and even made a simple key to open the gate. Who else, but Yao Xun, could do such a thing? She took a nce before turning back around. TIe Cheng had pleaded, but to no avail, the guards by her side had died, one after another, but to no avail, and she had been forced intomitting suicide, but still to no avail. Did the door really open now that things were settled? What a joke! It was a joke she did not want to face at this point. Before her, the battle wasing to an end. Meng Fuyao reached her hand out to grab the rein and jerk it. The horse lifted its front hooves, the raised dust sprinkling onto the city gate. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°No idea, but I don¡¯t feel like facing the city. ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C ¡°How long do you n to stay in the mountains, then?¡± Zhan Beiye asked, lying on the grass and resting both hands behind his head to look at the stars. ¡°My horsemen need to replenish supplies.¡± ¡°Let them in, then,¡± Meng Fuyao answered simply, shutting her eyes and feeling the starlight lighting up her pale face and jet-ck brows. ¡°The city is out of provisions. You can head to the Rong army camp to get some. It must be a mess over there right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled, revealing his brighter than moon teeth, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent them there.¡± He sat up to hug his knees, before adding somewhat regretfully, ¡°Aye, if I seize Pingcheng and Huangxian, won¡¯t a plot of Wujind belong to me?¡± Chapter 85 - Secret of Haoyang Valley Chapter 85: Secret of Haoyang Valley Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After some thought, Zhan Beiye continued, ¡°Forget it, Zhaoxu isn¡¯t going to be easy. Too bad it¡¯s not the time for me to take advantage of his difficulties.¡± ¡°Zhaoxu?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Zhan Beiye looked at her strangely. ¡°You¡¯re a big man. Why so affectionate in addressing him?¡± Meng Fuyao asked. ¡°Brokeback?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Zhan Beiye frowned. ¡°You attempted suicide once and are acting all weird now. I don¡¯t understand you. What¡¯s wrong with calling him by his honorific title? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what Zhaoxu means?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± she uttered after some time. ¡°Ah, what?¡± Zhan Beiyeughed, reaching his hand toward her forehead to check for a fever but was pped away. Meng Fuyao sat up muddleheadedly, grabbing her knees and biting her lips. ¡®So that¡¯s an honorific title.¡¯ She long had suspicions about his identity and had questioned Yun Hen, who then gave answers that dispelled her doubts. After all, it was too bold for a prince to enter another nation¡¯s territory to cause trouble, but she had started feeling suspicious upon their ¡°chance encounter¡± in Wuji¡¯s temporary imperial residence. She did not believe that an advisor could travel about the residence so carefreely. Based on her understanding of history, ancient societal rules were stringent and not easily overstepped. The real confirmation came when Xiao Dao appeared. During the internal battle between the northern and southern Rongs, the ten-year-old Zhangsun Wuji had traveled deep into the grasnd. After saying his piece, the Rongs had bowed and be brothers. This was a story Yao Xun had shared with her, and she remembered it clearly. And Xiao Dao wanted to kill the man who had reunited the Rongs and banished her father. If at this point she still had no idea about his identity, she wouldn¡¯t be called Meng Fuyao but Meng Pighead. She had, somewhat unhappily, guessed that Yuan Zhaoxu wasn¡¯t being honest. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t one to be overly wishy-washy. Biting on her nket, she recalled the time when they first met. It wasn¡¯t convenient for Zhangsun Wuji to reveal his identity then. Plus, didn¡¯t she keep a lot of things from him too? Was there a need to be so calctive? Since she was ready to leave any time she really had no rights to make any demands. After the dance, before his departure, he had finallye clean about his identity, and Meng Fuyao was fine with that. Despite her initial suspicions, receiving Zhan Beiye¡¯s confirmation still shocked her a little. She recalled something and suddenly asked, ¡°What¡¯s his mother¡¯s family name?¡± ¡°Queen Yuan,¡± he answered unhesitatingly. ¡°Pretty amazing woman. Zhangsun Wuji definitely resembles her in terms of character.¡± He followed his mother¡¯s family name and was called Zhaoxu as an honorific title. After some thought Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but smile. Aye, Zhangsun Wuji did not keep it from her. It was such an obvious alias, and it was no different from telling her exactly who he was. It was her, distracted and ignorant about the affairs of the Five Region Continents, who hadn¡¯t figured it out for such a long time. Seeing that Meng Fuyao was somewhat absent-minded, Zhan Beiye appeared rather ufortable. He decided to divert the topic by reaching toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s coat. ¡°Why are you wrapping yourself up for. Remove it. I¡¯ll treat your injuries.¡± Meng Fuyao allowed him to pull his coat up as she got to her feet and pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You better stay far away and not peep.¡± ¡°Shower?¡± Zhan Beiye sprung up. ¡°It¡¯s winter, and you¡¯re injured. Shower? Shower!¡± He was absolutely triggered, but Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t care less. She walked to a small stream while dragging his overcoat on the ground. Without a word, she jumped into the shallow water. ¡°Aish, aren¡¯t you afraid of drowning?¡± Zhan Beiye rushed over. Meng Fuyao waved an arm and his overcoat flew out of the water and mmed onto his body. By the time he was done cing it down, Meng Fuyao had already stripped and entered the deeper portion of the stream. She was good in water, almost like a fish, and was able to hold her breath underwater for a long time. The moon rose gradually, and the water started to sparkle under its light. The world beneath the water remained quiet as some water nts drifted silently, along with little silver fish that tickled her legs slightly. It was a tranquil, undisturbed world. A world she wanted to be in at this moment. She stayed in the water, her hair scattering and floating like the nts beneath. The water brushed against her wounds, carrying along with it some clotted blood. Blood dispersed, dying the water around her red. The pain she had long stopped feeling was awakened like a huge wave, causing her to convulse and eventually shrink into a ball. It was a self-defense position, just like how fetuses were in their mother¡¯s womb. She was using the most primitive method to protect her body and her heart. Meng Fuyao curled up tightly and ced her hands over her chest. It was the greatest pain she had ever experienced. It surpassed every injury and ache she had ever felt up to this point. She wasn¡¯t going to let herself remember it, however. Moving forward with the memory of pain meant that every step she took in future would carry the memory of fresh blood and scars, no different from walking on the de of a sword ¨C pain and cowering in every step, eventually straying from the pencil-straight path. Covering her chest area, Meng Fuyao raised her head up, and amid the clear water, she assumed a weeping posture. ¡®Cry, then.¡¯ She allowed herself to be weak for once, to let the humiliation, the rejection and all other grievances and suffering transform into tears and join the billions of water drops in this stream. That night, there was only the stream in Haoyang Valley to record and remember her tears. Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, would remember the fury of the misery she was feeling all over her body. She would remember the higher order that had bestowed her with a pain like this. The moonlight shone through the clear water, illuminating the long-haired youth floating amid it. She resembled a goddess, her pale skin and tightly shut eyes enhancing the lushness of hershes. The tears she wanted no one to see, flowed into the jade-clear water. The moon was silent; her tears were silent. A man¡¯s voice erupted, ¡°Are you still alive, Meng Fuyao?¡± Zhan Beiye, who was getting anxious,id by the stream and shouted, ¡°Are you dead from holding your breath yet? If yes, give me a shout!¡± Meng Fuyao almost choked. ¡®What nonsense!¡¯ She turned and swam away, not wanting to entertain this fellow. Not receiving a response Zhan Beiye yelled, ¡°I¡¯ming down if you don¡¯t answer!¡± ¡°Plop!¡± Into the cold water, His Highness jumped. As he entered the water, a snow-white body shed across his vision like a nimble fish disappearing into the waves, disappearing as quickly as it appeared. Zhan Beiye made chase, and a voice could be heard from the shore above. Zhan Beiye floated up, and under the moonlight, he saw a snow-white and exquisite female body shing into the dense forest, two rows of footprint clearly visible. Zhan Beiye soaked in the water, staring at the prints and processing the sight he had caught when jumping into the water. Her body was so slender and beautiful, and her skin was smooth and delicate. He saw as the crystal-like beads of water flowed southward, down her back and smooth, rather perky bum¡­ hey still, his body cold but palms burning hot. He subconsciously reached his hands forward to grasp the body that had already fluttered away. All he had managed to catch was ice, cold water, that immediately slipped through the gap between his fingers. He loosened his hands and crawled to the shore, his eyes sweeping across the footprints once more. The faint, red traces besides them caught his attention. He knew those traces were blood that had flowed from the sinister wounds from her body¡­ he stood on the rock, feeling as though his heart had been smashed and shattered by it. It was his fault¡­ he had appeared toote¡­ Zhangsun Wuji had made the exception to let his troop pass, probably in hope that someone could assist Meng Fuyao when he wasn¡¯t avable. Yet, because of the darn duel that happened unexpectedly, Zhan Beiye¡¯s efforts to save her were dyed, and he had almost killed her basically¡­ Chapter 86 - Return Chapter 86: Return Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios On the third night, Meng Fuyao started having a fever and cough. Zhan Beiye went sleepless that night to gather the necessary medical ingredients, and he stayed by her side to cool her body heat and treat her. He found joy in it, but Meng Fuyao woke up to see the popping veins in his eyes and felt sorry. ¡°It¡¯s time to get a wife, Prince. You look unsatisfied. Do you need me to introduce¡­¡± Unable to contain his anger the prince stuffed a fruit into her mouth, also jabbing her acupuncture point at the same time. ¡°You have a city to go back to, but you don¡¯t want to. You chose to have us sleep outdoors with the wolves, you stubborn woman!¡± ¡°I did not ask you to do this,¡± retorted Meng Fuyao. Zhan Beiye stared at her flushed face and carried her over his shoulder without a word. ¡°ounts should be calcted, and debts should be repaid.¡± He carried Meng Fuyao down the mountains. ¡°We¡¯re going back to the city.¡± When they reached the bottom Yaocheng citizens were lining the streets in wee. The city gate had opened early in the morning, and the people who were awaiting their arrival stood in rows outside. As Zhan Beiye¡¯s troop approached from far away, they couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly stirred. After all, it was natural to feel uneasy upon spotting a foreign army on Wujind. When they saw Meng Fuyao, who was in Zhan Beiye¡¯s arms, they quieted down. It was their mayor, an 18-year-old girl. During times of danger, she had gathered courage and wisdom that even guys couldn¡¯t muster under such circumstances, endured criticisms alone and took down almost every Rong army generals, only to be forced to a corner by her own people. The strength of character she possessed did not fall short of men¡¯s, and the injustice they had served her with made it hard for them to look her in the eye. Zhan Beiye slowed his horse, passing through the crowd as the citizens eyed the balled-up girl in his embrace. Her face was abnormally red, her corbones more prominent than a few days before, and her exposed wrists frail and full of wounds. Eyes turned red while some let out low whimpers. A youth plopped onto his knees suddenly. He was the youth who had smashed Tie Cheng¡¯s head with a stone, also the most enthusiastic guy, who had thrown mud, stones, and dirt on to Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. He lowered his head as the springish breeze messed up his hair, covering his eyes. There was even a subtle smell of blood drifting along with it. It was the vestige of war. Lives had been invaded and wiped out, but certain imprints that had been carved into the people¡¯s heart were a challenge to erase. More started kneeling down before their mayor, full of remorse and guilt. Their voices were stuck in their throats, and no words of apology could make their way out. All they could do was to put their dignity aside and kneel. Before righteousness and the glory of conscience, pride was nothing. Zhan Beiye advanced slowly with Meng Fuyao in his arms. He almost felt proud of himself for seeing something in a woman like this. In front, city guards knelt on the ground. These were the fully armored guards who could even stand upright before the heavens. They had actually knelt down for the mayor they had attempted to shoot that day. Zhan Beiye ignored the citizens but halted his horse before the soldiers. He looked at Meng Fuyao, noting the fluttering of her eyelids. She was awake but unwilling to open her eyes. Feeling his eyes on her, Meng Fuyao lifted her lids a little and shook her head. Their gazes met, and Zhan Beiye smiled at the alignment of their thoughts. ¡°Get up,¡± he said, eyeing the people who were kneeling in shame. ¡°Your mayor doesn¡¯t me you. You did no wrong by protecting the city. You did no wrong by standing your ground and not following her to surrender. In fact, you carried your responsibilities out well. It¡¯s always a mayor¡¯s blessings to have soldiers like these.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes, thinking about how ¡°blessed¡± she was indeed, and at the prince¡¯s talent in stirring and buying the hearts of the people. The youth, who couldn¡¯t stop crying, started knocking his forehead against the grainy ground, quietly chanting, his voice echoing in the breeze: ¡°I¡¯ll work till death for the mayor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work till death for the mayor!¡± People followed suit, their voices gradually creating a resounding wave that rolled across the southern part of the city and amid the bloodied gusts. Zhan Beiye looked around in satisfaction, nodding his head. Unable to take it any longer Meng Fuyao shot him a subtle re and pinched him. ¡®Please stop it. Do you enjoy watching a bunch of grown men crying?¡¯ A pity Zhan Beiye¡¯s skin was made of steel. Not feeling the pinch at all he smiled shamelessly at her and whispered, ¡°How are you going to thank me? This is the best chance for you to buy them over. Yaocheng will truly belong to you from now on.¡± ¡®Do I care for it?¡¯ Meng Fuyao turned her head. ¡®The mayor is definitely getting the shorter end of the stick,¡¯ she thought. Zhan Beiye entered the city and was greeted by a whole crowd. Tie Cheng was at the front, supported by a crutch, smiling in joy while waiting for them. He was the only one who could wee Meng Fuyao without guilt, so naturally, he was feeling much more energetic and enthusiastic despite his broken leg. When Zhan Beiye carried Meng Fuyao in, he cast Tie Cheng a side nce. ¡°Your bones are pretty strong, but you¡¯re too weak. How are you going to be a guard? Come train with me every day for an hour.¡± Tie Cheng was startled. He had witnessed Zhan Beiye¡¯s impossible skills. Wouldn¡¯t he be digging his own grave if he were to train with a man like this? Bitter-faced he thought about the offenders who had done Meng Fuyao wrong but weren¡¯t being punished, and then about how unlucky he, the only supporter, was. Heaven knows no logic. Meng Fuyao nced over at Tie Cheng. This silly fellow was lucky enough to gain the support of Zhangsun Wuji first, and then Zhan Beiye. He was going to be a limited-edition fighter. Aye, envious she was. But she had forgotten that the creation of this limited-edition fighter was nned for her. Upon reaching her own room, Meng Fuyao received Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s ¡°overwhelming wee.¡± Lord Yuan Bao pounced on to the girl, who was wrapped like a dumpling and ced his ws. ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Angered, she shouted, ¡°Move your ws away! What¡¯s that on them?¡± Lord Yuan Bao retracted his ws, licking the candy on them clean before crooking his head. The more he looked, the wider he smiled. A short whileter he brought a mirror toward her and stood by the side. Looking at her ghost-like self and then at Lord Yuan Bao, who was now stroking his own fur coquettishly, she snorted in realization. ¡°You¡¯re saying that I¡¯ve be ugly? Not as beautiful as you? No longer a worthy rival?¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s grin drowned his eyes out as Meng Fuyao threw him a sideways re. ¡°Let me remind you¡­ I¡¯m still human, no matter how ugly.¡± Her words left the guinea pig running to a corner and drawing circles. Satisfied, Meng Fuyao lied down and made herselffortable. There was no better feeling than being on one¡¯s own bed. Zhan Beiye stared at her, arms crossed. ¡°Comfortable now? Warm now? You, silly girl, have such a nice room and bed, and you chose to have us sleep outdoors? You need a good beating.¡± Meng Fuyao gazed at him and respondedzily, ¡°Yeah, ouch. Right, do my boots smell good? Eyes still swelled?¡± Zhan Beiye was first shocked, then angry. ¡°You know?¡± Meng Fuyao pursed her lips and ignored him. Would she not know? While Zhan Beiye seemed like a decent character, she would be better off raising her guard when it was just the two of them sleeping outside. Little Zhan had sworn to marry her, and he did not seem like the kind to make a joke out of his own life. If he were serious and she was eventually going to be his, was there a problem if he boarded the train first before paying for the ticket? Meng Fuyao shooed him as if he was a mosquito. ¡°Please find lodging anywhere else but here. Take care, I¡¯ll not send you off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here,¡± replied Zhan Beiye indifferently, and walked out before she could berate him. ¡°The physician ising to nurse you back to health. I have things to attend to.¡± ¡®What darn things is he talking about? So urgent? ¡®Meng Fuyao was curious but had no energy to follow up. Upon drinking a bowl of nourishing soup that Yao Xun had delivered, she entered dreand. When she woke up the sun was already setting, its red glow radiating far and wide. She had slept for too long and had temporarily forgotten where she was. It felt as though she was still waging war in the Rong army camp, or that she was in a cave, reaching out for a stone but grabbing a human hip bone instead. She reached for a face towel by her bedside and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She sat up, pondering over a segment of her dream scenes amid the sunset glow. It was Yuan Zhaoxu. Oh, Zhangsun Wuji. He was looking at her disapprovingly and saying, ¡°I left a message, asking you to leave, but you did not listen.¡± In her dream, she had argued, ¡°Yaocheng must be in trouble since you warned me to leave. How can I leave my city in a time of danger?¡± Zhangsun Wuji sighed, before leaning over gently¡­ ¡®Hold up!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears turned beet red as she pulled the quilt over her face. ¡®Darn, what am I thinking? Fortunately, it was all a dream.¡¯ With the quilt covering her face she was now in a dark and quiet space. She took in the faint fragrance of the bedding, slowly calming her thoughts down. Why did he ask her to leave? With his wisdom and ability, there was no way he couldn¡¯t tell that there was something fishy about King De. So, had he discarded Yaocheng? ¡®No,¡¯ she dismissed her thought quickly. If that really was his intention, he would¡¯ve kidnapped her if he needed to. It was more apt to say that Yaocheng was a ce of potential danger, and he couldn¡¯t be certain. If the northern and southern Rongs were colluding with King De and nning to split the profits evenly, it couldn¡¯t have been enough for the Rong tribe to pry into Yaocheng. Otherwise, it was no different from giving his strategic gateway to the Rong tribe. If King De¡¯s brain was working at all, there was no way he would¡¯ve done it. Chapter 87 - Grieving Ghost Chapter 87: Grieving Ghost Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios So Zhangsun Wuji did not drag her away by force, but even then, he did leave a message for her, along with a few trusted guards. He also leaked information about her to Zhan Beiye, leading him to bring his own horsemen. In that case, even if Yaocheng was being schemed against, it would not be ruined. It turned out that King De had actually offered Yaocheng up and Zhan Beiye had met with one of the ten strong fighters on his way. ¡°Fog,¡± who usually appeared unpredictably within the Five Region Continent, had surfaced in Wuji Nation at that exact time. All three coincidences had stacked up to lead to a bloodbath in Yaocheng. It could be said that it was God¡¯s will that had caused her such a cmity. ¡®Just¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao continued thinking. Zhangsun Wuji must have had his doubts when it came to King De¡¯s motives. He was baiting him, and because of that, he avoided monitoring King De¡¯s movements and armed force in the southern border. ¡®He¡­ had wanted King De to rebel.¡¯ Sweat umted over her body at this conclusion. This man had dared gamble his ownnd! ¡®But why didn¡¯t he destroy King De in Jingcheng? Why did he let him out and even gave him 200,000 soldiers to create amotion?¡¯ Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t wrap her head around his decision and eventually pulled her quilt down. She had decided to consult Zhan Beiye when he returned. He must know since he was a political figure himself. A sobbing sound could be heard. It was remote and drifted from outside the courtyard wall, which wasn¡¯t considered high. The sun had set and the clear, moonlight night, made the cry sound even more mournful. Meng Fuyao frowned, tossing the quilt aside and sitting up. ¡°Ghost? I fear ghosts the least! Damn! Come cry in front of me if you dare!¡± The sobbing stopped, and someone¡¯s footsteps could be heard approaching fast. Yao Xun¡¯s pale, long face appeared by the courtyard wall, and he walked in, smiling in gloat, ¡°Hu Sang¡¯s crying.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao uttered. She was aware of what thedy had done and hadn¡¯t thought of a punishment for her. Why was she crying already? ¡°Prince Zhan¡¯s beyond handsome¡­¡± Yao Xun appeared infatuated. ¡°Do you know, Miss Meng, she¡¯s already been crying for 3 days now¡­¡± His brows twitched as he spoke, and Meng Fuyao was in shock. Three days ago, upon finding out about the city gate being locked, petty Zhan Beiye set his eyes on Hu Sang since there was no point being calctive with the ignorant citizens. He had pinned no hope on them to remain calm and clear-headed in times of danger since humans were selfish creatures. Yet, he couldn¡¯t forgive Hu Sang, who was purposefully vicious. For three days and night, Hu Sang¡¯s father and herself had been pleading for forgiveness. Soldiers from the Dark Wind Horses spat on the ground they knelt on, jeering, ¡°Bah! You think you can fight with us? Do you think you¡¯re worthy of setting yourself against the mayor? You¡¯re not even fit to carry her shoes.¡± They then produced a stack of bills, mentioning that the dy in her family¡¯s delivery of materials had caused them losses. Seeing the figures on the bill, Hu Sang fainted. Upon waking up, she heard someone speaking coldly, ¡°Master Zhang of the western city is willing to pay your debt. All you have to do is to work as a servant.¡± At that, Hu Sang fainted once more. Everyone knew that Master Zhang had a thing for servant girls. He had no wives and concubines. Instead, he collected servant girls to have fun with before tossing them aside when bored. It was a convenient, one-off thing for him. But the man was not done. ¡°Master Zhang is only settling half of your debt. As for the other half, Master Liu from the south city has arranged for you to be aundrydy.¡± Hu Sang fainted again. Master Liu¡¯s so-called undrydies¡± were actually strippingdies. Master Liu was a fan of art involving the human body, and the washingdies at his ce had devilish figures despite their ordinary-looking faces. The soldiers dumped the bills and swaggered off, threatening to press them for payment until the Masters divided up her day and night time. Hu Sang held onto the stack of bills and sobbed for days, receiving no help and support from neighbors. She only had herself to me, and those who insisted on keeping the city gates closed were filled with guilt and couldn¡¯t plead on her behalf. It was in the middle of the night when Hu Sang with swollen eyes from all that crying, set up a long, pitifully preparation to end her own life. Fortunately, upon her third try, she was spotted by Tie Cheng, who had just received a beating from training with Zhan Beiye. He then pointed a way out for her ¨C beg the mayor. No one else had the power to forgive her. Beyond grateful, Hu Sang repeatedly kowtowed before Tie Cheng¡¯s feet, even repaying what she had owed him twofold. Hu Sang was crying outside the wall. As a shrewddy, she knew that crying outside the main entrance might be less effective. Hence, she went straight to where Meng Fuyao was resting, so that thetter wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore her existence even if she wanted to. Frowning and puffing her cheeks out, Meng Fuyao wondered how epting the girl¡¯s handkerchief for Zhangsun Wuji had caused such a big problem. Indeed, Zhangsun Wuji wasn¡¯t one to be provoked. ¡®Offend him, and heaven will punish you. Look, isn¡¯t this great? Hu Sang¡¯s here to punish me now. What a crier! She¡¯s not going to let me sleep and recuperate in peace until I let her in.¡¯ ¡°Mother, who¡¯s owing whom¡­¡± Meng Fuyao waved, continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t wish to see her, and I won¡¯t pretend to forgive her. Ask her to scram, as far as her dreams take her. It would best if shemitted suicide somewhere far away and never appeared before me again. Otherwise, I might just stab her in the stomach when in a bad mood.¡± Yao Xun rolled his eyes, responding, ¡°You don¡¯t really n to stab her, do you? You¡¯re being too lenient, no? She almost killed you.¡± Meng Fuyao threw a quick nce at him. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a nice person to negotiate with. Someone¡¯s betrayed me twice, but I let that go too, didn¡¯t I?¡± Yao Xun kept quiet, proceeding to scratch his nose. Some timeter, he added, ¡°Hu Sang begs to see you and insists on apologizing to you, face to face.¡± ¡°Mother, she¡¯s pushing it.¡± In a fit of anger, Meng Fuyao kicked over a stool by the bed. ¡°Alright, you want to torture me? Let¡¯s y.¡± Hu Sang walked timidly into the room, and Meng Fuyao almost couldn¡¯t recognize her. How did a beautiful girl turn into this ghost-like figure in a matter of days? So frail and pale. She could star in a horror movie without any makeup. There Meng Fuyao was, judging someone else¡¯s appearance when she herself wasn¡¯t any better. She was even thinner and paler, no different from a sheet of paper that could easily be crushed. Hu Sang lifted her head slowly, meeting Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze but quickly retracting it. She felt her legs going limp. ¡°Mayor Meng¡­ it¡¯s my fault¡­ I must have been possessed¡­ please forgive me¡­¡± She cried like a pear tree blossoming in the spring rain, ceaselessly smashing her head against the ground beneath Meng Fuyao¡¯s feet. Meng Fuyao red at her coldly, without the slightest bit of sympathy, only feeling increasingly irked. There were always girls in this world who were overconfident about their beauty and brain, and they believed that everyone would pacify them when they were unhappy. As such, when angry they would rage and retaliate without considering the validity of their standpoint and justification. Such people were despicable and repulsive. They were scums who squandered resources in the world. Meng Fuyao would be d to see hermit suicide as a means of escaping punishment, but Hu Sang was unwilling. Plus, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Meng Fuyao, not because she would feel sorry for her or because she wanted to change her. The main reason was that she was the one who had started it all. She had willfully forced Zhangsun Wuji to ept the handkerchief, and it was then that Hu Sang¡¯s love was shot dead. Otherwise, none of these would¡¯ve happened. She was the one who had struck Hu Sang with another blow of disappointment, which had ultimately led her onto the path of evil. Since she was the one at fault first, she had given up the thought of killing Hu Sang. Furthermore, a heartbroken girl was capable of doing anything and never could be treated as a normal human being. Meng Fuyao kept her gratitude and grudges well and clear, but she should investigate the mastermind behind the encirclement of Yaocheng and not a small figure like Hu Sang. ¡®King De, King De¡­ just you wait.¡¯ Yet, she wasn¡¯t going to feel satisfied without teaching her a lesson. Was she a practitioner of Buddhism? Or was she the Holy Mother herself? Fancy letting someone who had almost caused her life off. Her initial n to throw Hu Sang in jail for a few days before letting her experience the best torture equipment they had in the nation to kill off her vicious currents was about to go down the drain. Why? Before she could go into details as to how she would torture Hu Sang, Zhan Beiye had entered the room. He walked in, looking her straight in the eye, while the kneeling girl went unnoticed until her hand got stepped on. ¡°Ah!¡± she let out, instantly pulling her hand out and crying. ¡°Deafened,¡± Prince Zhan continued walking forward as if there was no one else in the room. Every step he took created a vigorous gust of wind that blew Hu Sang to a side. Over there, Lord Yuan Bao had appeared randomly, waiting for Hu Sang with his eyes lit up. As Hu Sang flew over, he immediately untied a bag by his side. Balls of donkey dung rolled out and were smeared all over Hu Sang¡¯s face. Lord Yuan Bao squeaked in delight, dashing over to the girl, who was screaming incessantly. Reaching her shoulder, the guinea pig started pissing a fountain that prated the iing dung balls before they sshed onto and down her whole face. Chapter 88 - Sleep tight, Zhan Beiye Chapter 88: Sleep tight, Zhan Beiye Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Halfughing and crying, Meng Fuyao cursed, ¡°Go somewhere else if you want to mess with her! So dirty!¡± She then red at Zhan Beiye and added, ¡°Useless¡­ ying game with a guinea pig.¡± ¡°None of my business,¡± Zhan Beiye insisted, sitting down beside her with his golden de. ¡°Don¡¯t put us together in a sentence.¡± Finally, when Zhan Beiye ¡°saw¡± Hu Sang, his face turned grave as he stared at her. The air in the room instantly turned freezing cold with his re, and even Hu Sang, who had been screaming her lungs out, shuddered and cowered into a corner . Unfamiliar with that side of him, Meng Fuyao turned to Zhan Beiye. ¡®Aye, this guy seems pretty imposing when stern. A pity those dark eye circles ruin the look a little.¡¯ Ignoring her gaze, Zhan Baiye kept his on Hu Sang, his silence producing a murderous aura that stifled the air in the room. It carried an icy de-like presence that shot toward Hu Sang, causing her to remain still, no longer even daring to wipe the tears off her face. Meng Fuyao watched on quietly and rather doubtfully for half an hour, wondering if the girl had gone insane. At the point where Hu Sang was about to crumble emotionally, Prince Zhan took the chance to speak up. His voice was calm yet cutting. ¡°Whoever harms Meng Fuyao, I must kill.¡± There were no more tears to cry. ¡°Don¡¯t assume that I¡¯ll let you off just because you don¡¯t know martial arts. I can give up my principles for this woman.¡± He looked at Hu Sang, silent and expressionless but pressurizing. Hu Sang had started shivering. She couldn¡¯t wish for anything more than to seep into the walls. She felt suffocated in spite of the man¡¯s calm demeanor, as though her whole body was getting sliced by his gaze, to the point where her heart could no longer beat. Hu Sang¡¯s wanplexion and chattering teeth were evidence that half her soul had already been frightened away. Zhan Beiye was satisfied, and he let out a grin before speaking in a bright tone, ¡°But I know she¡¯s not going to kill you. Not because she can¡¯t bear to, but because you mean too little. Only cheap women like you would blindly sumb to resentment and selfishness.¡± ¡°I respect her decision, albeit rather unwillingly.¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he looked at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Aye, I¡¯m always losing out when with you.¡± Hu Sang felt a huge burden lift a little, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a breath of relief. Her eyes welled with tears again as she looked up at the handsome with the overbearing face. Why were eligible men always appearing by Meng Fuyao¡¯s side and not in front of her? Why was that woman, no matter how pitiful looking, always appearing so mighty and above everyone else? Her bright aura was unconceble, whereas she herself was destined to carry dirt all over her body and kiss the ground that woman stepped on? Hu Sang did not understand what humanity¡¯s highest point was, but she knew that her life was a total failure. She wiped the sludge off her face with her sleeve, but she knew deep down that some things would leave a stain forever. No longer willing to look at her, Zhan Beiye ordered, ¡°Scram.¡± Hu Sang bit her lips and retreated with a bow. Upon reaching the door, she heard Zhan Beiye¡¯s icy voice. ¡°Oh, forgot to tell you. You¡¯re spared from a death sentence, but your debt will not be written off.¡± Hu Sang turned around, her legs slowly giving way. ¡°But you can repay it slowly. If 1 year isn¡¯t enough, take 10, if not, your whole life,¡± nasty Prince Zhan spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll have to find things for you to do or you¡¯lle up with ideas to harm others again.¡± Seeing Hu Sang stagger off Meng Fuyao shook her head. ¡°Oh, ruthless. Ruthless.¡± ¡®The bills¡­ tsk tsk, will she end up selling her body?¡¯ ¡°Who¡¯s ruthless?¡± asked Zhan Beiye, grabbing and chasing Lord Yuan Bao out the door before leaning dangerously close toward Meng Fuyao. Baring his teeth like a beast, he questioned, ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you, eh?¡± Meng Fuyao swung her palm out, shouting, ¡°Go no further or talk to my sunflower acupuncture point jabbing hand!¡± ¡°Right, and I have dragon phoenix ws!¡± Zhan Beiye smacked Meng Fuyao¡¯s strengthless hand away. ¡°Why are you like this, my princess?¡± ¡°Princess¡­ your head!¡± Meng Fuyao raged. ¡°Go marry whoever you want. I¡¯ll not serve you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you serve me,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled, before continuing indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll get a hundred servant girls to serve you. You can have a new one each day if you¡¯d like that¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao shuddered, mumbling, ¡°What a tacky mansion life¡­¡± As she murmured, Zhan Bieye started loosening his boots. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Meng Fuyao growled. ¡°This is my bed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to share it with me sooner orter, so let¡¯s just get used to it first.¡± Zhan Beiye kicked his shoes off and lied downfortably. ¡°Much better than a cave.¡± Meng Fuyao quickly wrapped herself with the quilt. Pinching her nose, she buzzed, ¡°You trying to kill me? Athlete¡¯s foot!¡± ¡°Me? It¡¯s fine, I think?¡± Zhan Beiyemented, lifting his feet up. ¡°Smell it.¡± Meng Fuyao pped her quilt away while Zhan Beiye returned to his resting position, using his arms as a pillow. ¡°Eventually you¡¯ll be sleeping beside me, so let¡¯s have you get used to it first.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him. ¡°Are you going to force your way through, Prince Zhan?¡± ¡°Do you feel forced?¡± Zhan Beiya asked, frowning. ¡°You haven¡¯t fallen for Zhangsun Wuji, have you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fancy anyone! Meng Fuyao dered, clenching her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve already made it clear that my goal is to travel around and do what I need to. Flowers like you men will go untouched!¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s what I like about you,¡± Zhan Beiyeplimented her with a smile. ¡°See, through your mouth, the prince of Tiansha and crown prince of Wuji have turned into flowers. How domineering! Just my type.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him, realizing that both men were actually the same. No matter what she said, they would have a way to retort so it would be unwise of her to pick a quarrel or fight with. The best thing she could do in this scenario was to ignore his existence. As such, that was exactly what she did. Sheid herself down, back facing him, and imed the quilt for herself. Zhan Beiyeplied, lying sprawled out on his back and sighing. ¡°Sleeping by your side is still the best¡­ I can be at ease. It¡¯s been many years since I¡¯ve had a good sleep.¡± Meng Fuyao leaned against the wall, determined not to turn around to ask questions. ¡°In the pce, when I was young, I slept by my mother¡¯s door. She would sleepwalk in the middle of the night, running outside barefooted. With her in that state I couldn¡¯t wake her, so I slept by the doorstep. When she exited the room, she would step on me, trip and fall onto me. That way I¡¯d wake up and carry her back to her bed, and she wouldn¡¯t be injured.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at Zhan Beiye¡¯s shadow, which was cast on the wall by themps. His strong silhouette had unknowingly transformed into that of a child. It was a child who lived in a cold, empty pce, never daring to fall into a deep sleep in order to protect his mother. How indescribably sad was that? Meng Fuyao felt a sour sensation running through her nose as she recalled Yao Xun¡¯s words. Zhan Beiye¡¯s history was unusual. His mother was the queen from the previous dynasty, and for many years he had been ostracized by his elder brother. It took him a lot of time and effort in order to attain what he had. Dark Wind Horses was highly reputable, but there could only be 3,000 soldiers ording to the prince¡¯s guardsmen standard. It was the maximum number his elder brother would allow. Meng Fuyao believed that if permissible, Zhan Beiye¡¯s emperor brother would very much hope to ughter this highly threatening brother of his. Having experienced such a dark past and still make it till today, and even possessing such a bright and cheerful personality, Zhan Beiye was truly an unfathomably strong character. ¡°Later on, I had a piece ofnd¡­ in Geya desert. At that time the desert was destitute and split into three portions, one belonging to the bandits, one to Moluo and the smallest one to me. How generous of my brother¡­ I asked him on the day of bestowment if the whole desert was mine, to which heughed and said yes. It¡¯s easy then¡­ I taught the bandits a lesson, got rid of Muluo¡¯s cavalry, stripped them naked and buried them beneath the sand, dried them and flew kites. All of them became submissive after that, and Geya desert became all mine¡­ but even in those years, I had never had a good night¡¯s rest.¡± Yet another wave of sourness took over her nose. ¡®D*mn, what¡¯s he doing? Is this an assembly to share grievances?¡¯ Was he trying to soften Mayor Meng¡¯s cold, solid heart by sharing his sob stories revolving around his youth? Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t going to allow that. She pricked her ears up, waiting for his next ¡°attack,¡± but there was no more voice, only a low but stable breathing. Unable to contain her curiosity Meng Fuyao turned her head around. A faint wisp of moonlight shone through the half-covered window gap and onto Zhan Beiye¡¯s face. His usually handsome and firm features were at this point still and gentle, while his skin appeared to be covered in ayer of frosted sheen that elevated the elegance of hisshes and brows. He possessed an almost staggering beauty that was beyond refreshing. His eyes drooped slightly, and his breathing was calm. He appeared to be rxed and happy. He was sound asleep. Meng Fuyaoid on her side, studying his child-like posture. The moonlight shone down on her frail-looking face as well, revealing the softness and tender expression on it. ¡®Alright¡­¡¯ She wasn¡¯t going to kick him off her bed. Meng Fuyao yawned and turnedzily toward the wall once more, her eyelids slowly shutting. She, too, had fallen asleep. ¡°You adulterous pair!¡± A high-pitched and crisp female voice boomed in Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears. She rubbed her eyes and lifted the extremely heavy quilt up before turning around and falling back asleep. ¡°Speak again, Hu Sang, and I¡¯ll ughter you right now¡­¡± she trailed off. Chapter 89 - His Return Chapter 89: His Return Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I¡¯ll kill you both, I¡¯ll kill you both¨C¨C¨C¡± the voice screeched, its owner seemingly kicking and struggling about. The window was opened and the morning breeze poured in, wave after wave. Meng Fuyao yawned and stretchedzily before rubbing her eyes. While deciding on the torture equipment that she was going to use on this evil guest, she heard a clear voice saying, ¡°Your body¡¯s really no joke, Miss Meng. A whole night of battle? Looks like my presence is unnecessary.¡± Meng Fuyao turned stiff and opened an eye carefully. ¡®The man with a poisonous tongue is back.¡¯ Zong Yue, dressed in white, stood before the window, appearing like a sparklingly lofty snow mountain in front of the Bougainvillea-filled background. Beside him was a colorfully-dressed Ya Lanzhu. Meng Fuyao stared at them, mouth wide opened. What was going on? How did they meet and why had they appeared together? Amid her sluggish state, she felt that something was amiss. Upon further observation, she noticed that their gazes were fishy. The girl resembled an angry wildcat, while the man had an icy, mocking expression on his face. Mocking? Meng Fuyao slowly regained awareness, following the direction of their gaze¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Mother! Sleeping is one thing, but why did you have to remove your clothes, Zhan Beiye?¡± Meng Fuyao flew into a rage, grabbing her quilt and smashing it onto his face. ¡°You sher!¡± Light reflected off the soft satin fabric and onto Zhan Beiye¡¯s naked body. He only had a pair of underpants on, and the distinct abs on his inverted triangle upper body were on full disy. His legs were shamelessly ced on her body. It was no wonder the quilt had been so heavy earlier. In other words, the bed scene had been witnessed by Zhan Beiye¡¯s persistent suitor and Meng Fuyao¡¯s friend. In their eyes, they had shared a bed, and their clothes, orck thereof, was telling. ¡®Ah, ah, ah¡­ reputation in crisis¡­ ah, ah, ah, it doesn¡¯t pay to be soft-hearted,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought to herself while beating on her chest in frustration and in humiliation. Feeling the quilt hit his face, Zhan Beiye finally opened his eyeszily. His freshly opened eyes appeared exceptionally shiny and gorgeous. He eyed the guests outside before grabbing Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand to stop her. Unsurprised he greeted, ¡°You two are here early.¡± ¡°Zh¡­zh¡­ zhan¡­¡± Ya Lanzhu screamed threateningly, ¡°Y¡­ yo¡­ you¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°I was just sleeping. That¡¯s all,¡± Zhan Beiye interrupted directly. ¡°You¡¯ve been rude, little princess. Barging into someone¡¯s bedroom isn¡¯t something someone of your noble status should do.¡± He nced over at Zong Yue, who added, ¡°As a physician, I¡¯m always anxious, so it¡¯s natural for me to rush into a patient¡¯s room like this. You, on the other hand¡­ this isn¡¯t your room, is it?¡± ¡°Right, I don¡¯t know how he came in, and why he stripped¨C¨C¨C¡± Meng Fuyao cut in. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you,¡± Zong Yue responded without looking at her. ¡°There¡¯s no point asking you. ¡®Sleeping is one thing,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± Meng Fuyao shut her mouth, stroking her nose. ¡®What luck,¡¯ she thought. Why had people with shing personalities appeared at the same time? Plus, why was Zong Yue so angry? Although he looked exhausted and miserable, was it their fault? How could he vent it on them? Zhan Beiyeughed, revealing his white teeth. ¡°It¡¯s not my room now, but it will soon be,¡± he exined to Zong Yue with a soft smile. ¡°All the rooms she has slept in will all be my bedrooms.¡± ¡°Ahhhhhh! You adulterous pair¡­¡± Ya Lanzhu repeated herself. It was the most impactful line she could think of. ¡°It¡¯s been said that the prince of TIansha was a fine schr and soldier, but looks like they¡¯re missing something,¡± Zong Yuemented while approaching slowly and feeling Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse. Zhan Beiye puckered his lips but said nothing. Meng Fuyao looked curiously at these two men, who had turned hostile upon meeting, asking, ¡°What¡¯s missing?¡± The moment she spoke Zhan Beiye shot a ferocious gaze toward her. At the same time, Zong Yue answered in satisfaction, ¡°Oh. But indulges in wishful thinking.¡± Meng Fuyao burst intoughter as Zhan Beiye retaliated with a ck face, ¡°You¡¯vee at the right time, Mister Zong, but I wonder about something. Would you be able to reconnect Meng Fuyao¡¯s broken neck if she were to take her own life by hanging?¡± ¡°You¡¯vee at the right time too, Prince Zhan,¡± Zong Yue replied casually, ¡°but I wonder if the view over at Wuji¡¯s Laiwu Mountain is extremely good? Good enough for you to roam about for half a month?¡± Zhan Beiye shot Zong Yue a death re as thetter calmly took Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse without acknowledging him. It was a draw again for the third round. Finally, the group sat down to talk. Wild cat Ya Lanzhu got tired from scolding them, and Zong Yue was done with his diagnosis. Zhan Beiye got dressed, and the bickering came to a stop. Meng Fuyao then pulled every single one of them out and offered them a cup of cold tea to simmer down. While Meng Fuyao did not know why they were angry, she still felt unlucky. After some cold tea and rifications, she came to understand that Ya Lanzhu was here for Zhan Beiye, or simply put, her life goal was Zhan Beiye. She had heard about Meng Fuyao¡¯s fake surrender and the carnage upon entering Yaocheng and had been so eager to pay her a visit. Yao Xun, whose hair stood on end at her presence, daren¡¯t stop her, and that was how she had caught the ¡°adulterous pair.¡± She sat on her seat, her beautiful eyes locked onto Meng Fuyao, who felt ufortable and made a run for the toilet. As for Zong Yue, he simply exined how he had gone deep into the mountains of Qiongcang to pick herbs and had heard about Yaocheng on the way back. Meng Fuyao stared at him, asking abruptly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you treating King De? Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re going to ask that I add poison into his medicine. How daring of you to request a physician to do something like that,¡± Zong Yue responded, sipping on his tea as Meng Fuyao let out an embarrassed smiled. He added, ¡°I had nned to do that even without you asking, but a pity it can¡¯t be done.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not sick,¡± Zong Yue revealed. ¡°Those were all lies made up by him to fool the people. The person I¡¯ve been treating is not King De at all.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a liar to begin with,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled coldly. ¡°Take his princess for example. She was driven mad by Zhangsun Wuji, but he had to take credit for it, iming that he had scolded her and caused her madness. Zhangsun Wuji is rather lucky to have met such a loyal official who has no qualms about acting disgracefully and being made a scapegoat.¡± Meng Fuyao was in shock as she recalled the series of events she had been through. King De¡¯s mad concubine was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s doing. That way, it made sense for King De to act disloyally after so many years on enduring. ¡°Since there¡¯s no chance for you to do it, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Meng Fuyao bared her teeth, smiling coldly. ¡°Harm and be harmed. Just you wait.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhan Beiye objected immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you take risks. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do it? My ass,¡± Meng Fuyao sneered, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re Wuji Prince? Or are you ready to bring Dark Wind Horses to deal with King De? You may not be afraid of causing international disputes, but I fear to be a sinner that only brings trouble to the citizens.¡± She rested on the table, zestfully discussing the ns, as the two men provided suggestions while shooting daggers at each other. At that moment Meng Fuyao heard a slight sound at the window and went over to take a look. It was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯sst guard, standing by it with his face pale as a sheet. ¡°Miss Meng,¡± he called out and came out of the shadows upon seeing Meng Fuyao. Head filled with sweat and with no time to exchange niceties, he rushed, ¡°Master has left the eastern shore, throwing all work aside and rushing back.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao leaped up, almost hitting the ceiling. ¡°He¡¯s back? He came back? Where is he? Where? Is he here already?¡± She bbered, looking around in confusion, not to spot Zhangsun Wuji but a hole for her to drill into. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to a beating. After a short while, the guard answered, ¡°He¡¯s still on the way, and no one knows his exact location.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meng Fuyao calmed down, suddenly remembering something serious. ¡°Why is he back? For what? How can he be back?¡± ¡®No way, how could he dump everything when a war is ongoing? Is this all a game to him?¡¯ Meng Fuyao scratched her face, deciding that he didn¡¯t look like someone who would treat military affairs and political matters as a game. ¡®Why is he back, then? Erm¡­ hmmm¡­ for me?¡¯ Meng Fuyao stopped herself from going in that direction. ¡®Don¡¯t be so narcissistic. Who do you think you are? Do you think he¡¯s Edward VIII? Choosing beauty over the nation? Plus, you¡¯re alright now, so why would hee?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± the guard started, full of guilt, ¡°That day, at the city entrance, I had thought that the both of us were going to die for sure, and ording to the convention, guards would leave as many clues bas possible. I left a recognizable mark by the entrance, but on the day you were saved I fainted and was brought back to the city for treatment. You weren¡¯t in the city, and some brothers who hade forward saw the mark and brought the message back¡­ Upon receiving the news Master immediately dropped what he was doing¡­¡± Chapter 90 - Motive Revealed Chapter 90: Motive Revealed Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios With an unreadable expression on her face, Meng Fuyao stammered, ¡°Wh.. what mark?¡± ¡°Team down, Miss Meng cut throat¡­¡± Meng Fuyao mmed her head against the window, startling the guard. Almost bursting into tears, she sighed. ¡°No¡­ how horrible¡­¡± ¡°Quick, pass the news and tell him not toe back then,¡± Meng Fuyao blurted, grabbing her hair. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­ the fighting won¡¯t stop yet. It seems King De is about to rebel. He mustn¡¯t leave camp now. Oh no, oh no.¡± ¡°I made contact upon waking up, butmunication is one-way, and I can only pass the news back to the camp. News came back saying that Master had already left the camp, and was in a hurry. For safety reasons, he hadn¡¯t told anyone about his route, and the guards at the camp weren¡¯t able to catch up to him. Now, no one knows his whereabouts.¡± ¡°The world is in a mess now¡­¡± Meng Fuyao ruffled her hair, turning in circles. After a long thought, she asked, ¡°Won¡¯t his sudden disappearance cause a disturbance?¡± ¡°He must have made his arrangements, so do not worry Miss Meng,¡± the guard reassured in a low voice. ¡°Just¡­ things are different from before. King De¡¯s scouting team, Scarlet Wind, is all over the ce, and Master will certainly be ambushed¡­¡± Upon hearing his words, Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped loudly, a light going off in her head. She finally understood King De¡¯s motive for abandoning Yaocheng. It was neither to deal with the city nor to butter up the Rongs. He wanted to take Zhangsun Wuji down. He colluded with Gaoluo to revolt, causing Zhangsun Wuji to leave the southern border. He then trapped her in a dangerous situation to lure him all the way back alone. There would be plenty of chances for him to take action. King De couldn¡¯t let Zhangsun Wuji die in the southern border as it belonged under his influence. If anything happened there, he would have to bear the me, and ascending to greater heights would be more challenging in the future since Zhangsun Wuji was an extremely prestigious man. But, if thetter were to die in any location outside of the southern border, King De could easily push the me to someone else and even use the chance to gather his army to ¡°avenge¡± him.¡± That way, he would gain both status andmendation. Coupled with the reputable image he had garnered over time, reigning the world would be a piece of cake. But how did he know about her identity and her rtionship with Zhangsun Wuji? Zhangsun Wuji must have kept it really confidential, and Meng Fuyao found it fishy. Things were alreadyplicated, but the truth and overall situation were still concealed by a thick fog that she couldn¡¯t blow away. ¡°This is it, this is it¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was on the verge of exploding as she paced about anxiously, identally bumping into a solid chest. Grabbing her burning nose, she cursed, ¡°Are you a ghost? Sneaking behind like that.¡± ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re in heavy debts?¡± Zhan Beiye asked, his eyes brightly lit. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you being this worried for me before.¡± ¡°How are you still spouting nonsense?¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him aside, staring at him before turning to Zong Yue. While she had a lot of questions to ask these political figures, she decided to keep quiet after some consideration. No matter what, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s departure was a national secret that she had no right to divulge. Pretending as though nothing had happened, she continued entertaining the few fellows, throughout which many quarrels and mockery and verbal attacks were involved. With a tongue as spear and eyes as shield the holy physician and prince exchanged jolting gazes. Meng Fuyao had tried advising them initially but lost motivation after some time. A catastrophe was inevitable when a poisonous-tongued and a feisty man came together. She was going to let them be. It was Ya Lanzhu that she had difficulty handling. She was acting like a puppy, following her everywhere. ¡°I¡¯m going to watch you adulterous pair,¡± she dered. Meng Fuyao questioned her definition of adulterous, to which she answered while blinking her innocent princessy eyes, ¡°A man and woman sleeping together.¡± ¡®Oh, so her parents are an adulterous pair.¡¯ That night, Meng Fuyao finally kicked Zhan Beiye out. With Ya Lanzhu, a living rm that went off every second, around, Zhan Beiye need not hope to sleep by her side. Upon settling their respective sleeping arrangements, Meng Fuyao shut her door and sat down under the light, letting out a sigh. Zhangsun Wuji had thrown aside his big army of a few hundred thousand men and was rushing to meet her. All because of the mark his guard had left. ¡®Oh my god, I am a sinner.¡¯ Meng Fuyao twisted her fingers together, falling into a daze beneath the hazy light. In order not to rm the army, he must have only brought a limited number of men with him. King De, on the other hand, would be waiting for him, fully prepared. When that time came¡­ The more she thought, the worse she felt. She couldn¡¯t help but ask Lord Yuan Bao, who was chewing on a fruit, ¡°Eh, guinea pig, a thing like you is made once a hundred years, so you must be magical in some sense, right? Can you see where your owner is?¡± Lord Yuan Bao bit on his fruit ferociously, having no desire to answer a retarded question like that. His powers weren¡¯t meant to assist an ordinary girl like her. Meng Fuyao fixed her eyes on him, suddenly noticing that he was exceptionally well-groomed and dressed. His robe was a bright red and fastened at the front by pearl ck buttons. It was even filled with colorful gemstones that outshone any of Meng Fuyao¡¯s dull outfit. This guinea pig had his own special wardrobe, and Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t seen him in an outfit this luxurious. Did he know about his owner¡¯s impending return? Sensing her thoughts Lord Yuan Bao strutted before her, raising all fury within her. She picked him up by his robe and threw him out immediately. A bright ball flew toward the door, and Lord Yuan Bao caught sight of an approaching white figure. Before he could rejoice, his savior had already walked to a side, while he mmed onto the door, sliding down¡­ Zong Yue was the one who entered, of course, and he was dressed in a snow-white robe that contrasted against the ck night perfectly. Meng Fuyao looked at him, bitter-faced, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve taken my medicine. You don¡¯t have to guard¡­¡± He ignored her and said, ¡°Got something for you.¡± He retrieved a small bundle from his robe and opened it to reveal a transfer warrant, office warrant, keys and amand tablet with a ¡°Liang¡± engraved on it. Meng Fuyao flipped around, her eyes lighting up. ¡°These are the official seals of King De¡¯s provision transportation office in Wuling. Where did you get them from? ¡°I passed by the storage on the way back. The new official in charge, Tang Jian, wasn¡¯t good to me, and I took these away. If it had been convenient, I would¡¯ve gotten rid of him as well.¡± ¡°Are you really a physician?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled. ¡°Do you kill more than you save?¡± Zong Yue raised his brows, reaching his hand out. ¡°Return them.¡± Meng Fuyao kept the bundle of items, giggling. ¡°It¡¯s easy now. I need an identity to blend into his army. Transportation officer is just right. Not a big post nor a lot of connections. But it is the key to the army¡¯s lifeline.¡± She made a strangling gesture, thinking about how she had wreaked havoc, causing Zhangsun Wuji to rush back and to be uncontactable. Without a choice, she had to go straight to the mastermind. ¡®Strangle the mastermind and Zhangsun Wuji will be safe, naturally.¡¯ She kept the cloth bag and pulled Zong Yue along. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Kill someone.¡± ¡­ That night, Tang Jian and his subordinates in Wuling provision transportation office, 10 kilometers away from Suishui, experienced an unspeakably cruel attack. Tang Jian had lost his warrants and keys to the storage in the day and had been searching high and low for them. He had even engaged everyone inside, including his assistant official and two servants, to look in every nook and cranny. As a servant probed about, he felt a pair of boots. He looked down in shock, a white light shing across his eyes before being reced by fresh red, ribbon-like blood streaks. He subconsciously reached out to grab something, only to feel his hand burning. Someone had smacked it forcefully. ¡°Still groping about when you¡¯re breathing yourst.¡± A crisp voice could be heard next. ¡°Zhan Beiye, you swine.¡± Those were thest words he could process before copsing. As he went down, Tang Jian was feeling about behind the screen. Upon hearing themotion, he straightened his back and came to face a pair of deep ck eyes floating across him. The next moment he felt his chest turning hot, and then cold. When he copsed Tang Jian heard someonementing behind, ¡°The prince kills men as if they¡¯re chickens. Look at the blooming bloodflowers all over the ground. Good skills.¡± The man with ck pupils stepped down hard, and Tang Jian heard a snaping from his chest as if something had exploded within. Upon hearing the splitting sound, the assistant official made a wise decision to sprint far away instead of turning around to investigate. Yet, he wasn¡¯t ready to face the man in white, who was standing in a corner and waiting for him. He then saw his own hands turn green, resembling the unusually high-hung moon. Following that his body turned stiff and he fell over. ¡°Mister Zong kills like an expert. They look just like you, zombie-like.¡± ¡°How courteous,¡± a calm, night breeze-like voice was what the assistant officialst heard as a hazy white fabric zed past the corner of his eye. ¡°Slightly more graceful than you, Sir.¡± The smell of blood served as a warning for thest servant, who had overheard the ongoing conversations. In an instant, they had killed three men, all while bickering simultaneously. He opened his mouth, wanting to shout when a colorful figure appeared overhead. The person brushed past him, a snow-white arc shing by like electricity and tearing his throat apart. While in action the culprit grumbled, ¡°One more. I need to watch the adulterous couple.¡± Chapter 91 - Thunderstorm in February Chapter 91: Thunderstorm in February Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The voice was crisp, quick and bright, no different from a drum-shaped rattle made from jade. Four corpsesid in the room, and standing before them were four individuals who were exchanging looks. Dumbstruck, Meng Fuyao swept her gaze across Zhan Beiye and then Ya Lanzhu,ining, ¡°¡­please, I¡¯m trying to stay low profile. We¡¯ll be exposed like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good enough that I allow you to be here,¡± Zhan Beiye reprimanded. ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered. How can I not watch over you?¡± Zong Yue added calmly, ¡°I¡¯m a physician, and it¡¯s only natural for me to follow my patient.¡± Ya Lanzhu swung her pigtail, emphasizing again her mission to keep the adulterous couple in check. Meng Fuyao was speechless, her face anguished. Zong Yue had already pulled the window up and started melting the corpses to make human skin masks. No matter the reason, none of the four was willing to leave. Ya Lanzhu had even imed one additional victim. They arranged the skin masks ording to size, and since Tang Jian was a skinny man to begin with, Meng Fuyao and Ya Lanzhu were fighting over him. Eventually, Meng Fuyao pointed at her nose and highlighted, ¡°I¡¯ve been forced to take my own life. Aren¡¯t you going to let me take revenge?¡± Upon hearing her words, Zhan Beiye felt his heart twist. He dragged Ya Lanzhu to a side, leaving her with no other choice but to y the servant. As for the skin of the other servant and the assistant official, Zhan Beiye and Zong Yue almost broke into a fight as well. ¡°The servant has pointy brows and narrow eyes. Such strong yet elegant features.¡± Zhan Beiye let out a coldugh. ¡°I think he looks wretched and has crafty, rat-like eyes simr to yours.¡± Meng Fuyao flew into a rage, jumping onto the table and pointing. ¡°Please, Prince Zhan, look properly. That servant is stronger and has a waist thicker than Zong Yue¡¯s.¡± Just like that, Prince Zhan ended up bing the servant, but not without throwing gloomy nces and grumbling in the process. Ya Lanzhu leaned closer to eavesdrop, managing to make out the words, ¡°Men with thin waists can¡¯t stand.¡± As a result, she innocently went to consult Zong Yue, ¡°He said you can¡¯t stand. What does it mean?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her mouth wide in shock, grief evident on her face as if foreseeing a bleak future. Uponplete transformation, the four observed one another, with Meng Fuyao as Tang Jian, Zong Yue as the assistant official, and Zhan Beiye and Ya Lanzhu as servants. As chance had it, the previous official was appointed under Wuji court, and King De had naturally wanted to appoint his own men. Tang Jian was a distant rtive of King De and an opportunist who had rushed all the way from Zhongzhou to assume the post. Within a few days, he had brought along his assistant official and two servants. Now that all four had been murdered and switched out, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about being detected. No matter how chaotic the process had been, the four actors were finally ready. Meng Fuyao went on her knees, looking extremely sorrowful. Aish, she had seen how spies worked, and not once did they bring along a physician friend and a suitor of their friend¡­ ¡°Send this batch of provisions from Huazhou over quickly. It must reach before night time,¡± Meng Fuyao shouted while standing on the tform, dressed in her official robe. Just like that, she had been impersonating the official for a few days, and because the soldiers transporting the food weren¡¯t familiar with him, there hadn¡¯t been any problem. Meng Fuyao acted skillfully, waiting patiently for movements on King De¡¯s side in order to take action. She had ced her resignation letter on King De¡¯s desk. Mayor Meng is discouraged and hopes to leave, and wish for King De¡¯s understanding and for him to select another candidate to run the city. Zhan Beiye¡¯s Dark Wind Horses transformed into a fog, vanishing into the massive mountains in the southern border. Extremely busy, King De had no time to entertain the resigning mayor. He had to gather his army to kill Zhangsun Wuji. While it was a pity Meng Fuyao had escaped, it was also beyond his influence. The weather wasn¡¯t ideal that day. It was gloomy, and rain was to be expected. The pressure was low, and Meng Fuyao, who was still in recovery and had been forced by Zhong Yue to put on thicker clothes, sweated buckets while ordering batches of food to be transported. As she was about to take a rest, she heard gallopings approaching rapidly. Looking up, she saw a soldier from Suishui camp, whipping his horse non-stop and shouting, ¡°Quick, quick! How much food is left in Wuling storage? ce them in the carriage and send it over! The troop is setting out soon!¡± Stunned, Meng Fuyao inquired, ¡°Didn¡¯t we just send a batch over? I haven¡¯t heard anything about the troop setting out. To fight the Rongs, both northern and southern?¡± The man answered urgently, ¡°No, but news just broke out that the king in Wanzhou has revolted and the crown prince is in trouble. King De has sent soldiers to serve the king and has already dispatched General Yang Mi to rush over¡­¡± The words that came after did not reach Meng Fuyao¡¯s conscious mind. Her surrounding quietened down to the point where even breathing became soundless. Movements seemed to have slowed down, and all she could see was his mouth opening, and closing as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. The approaching horse broke her initially still vision, and the sound of carriage bumping against the road took over her consciousness. All scenery turned to void and only two words repeated in her head. ¡®In trouble, in trouble, in trouble¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao stood rooted to the ground as the key she was holding onto slipped from her stiff fingers. Just as a crisp, jarring ng was expected to be heard, someone stepped forward to lift her hand and grab the key in time. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the prince¡¯s order. Men, open the storage¨C¨C¨C¡± Thest few words were drawn out, but they roused Meng Fuyao from her sluggish state. She looked up and met up Zong Yue¡¯s gaze. He appeared clean and calm, and even radiant, his gaze instantly calming Meng Fuyao¡¯s chaotic heart down. It was as if a dreadful ball of me had been soaked in deep waters, gaining temporary relief. Someone brushed across her shoulder from behind, and another thick voiceughed. ¡°You¡¯re tired, Sir. Rest behind.¡± Next, she felt him grabbing her hand and leading her backward in steady steps. It was Zhan Beiye. Meng Fuyao pinched his palm in gratitude and took in a breath of air. She shook her head and turned around, stering a smile within that instant. Wiping the sweat off her face, she said, ¡°Brother, look at the weather. It¡¯s about to rain but not really. How ufortable. I¡¯ll get men to open the storehouse now. Right, isn¡¯t the crown prince warring against Gaoluo at the eastern shore? How did he¡­ get into trouble?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not heard the details,¡± the young soldier shared. Unaware of the inside news and worrying about his beloved prince, he continued, ¡°I only heard that the king of Wanzhou falsified a report to lure the crown prince over. The ravine in Huya Mountain allowed only one horse to pass through, and while he was riding through it, thousands of grams of explosives went off, sting the cliffs into fragments, and the crown prince¡­¡± His eyes hung down as he finished exining, before turning around to leave in a hurry. Seeing his shadow disappear into the horizon, Meng Fuyao hoped to gradually vanish as well. He gave the location, the figures, the route, and they all matched up, certain and clear¡­ she had been determined not to believe his words, but now that the news was forced into her throat she couldn¡¯t help but fear the worst. Meng Fuyao slowly sped her palms, feeling the sweat and iciness between them. ¡®No, no, no, this isn¡¯t it¡­ it is Zhangsun Wuji they were talking about. He shouldn¡¯t die even if the whole world plots against him. How could he die so easily?¡¯ ¡®Why not?¡¯ Another voice within her challenged. He was rushing from miles away and must have been feeling extremely anxious. Plus, he had so few guards. Taking time into consideration, he must¡¯ve charged all day and night in order to reach Wanzhou at this timing. Anxious, worried,ck of guards,ck of time to scout the path beforehand, explosive-filled cliff ¨C it could very well be King De¡¯s trump card. No matter how strong and wise, he had a body like anyone else. He wasn¡¯t invincible. Meng Fuyao remained motionless as the conversation in her head twisted her guts painfully into two halves, and she felt as though something within her was shattering. She lost all control her trembling hands. A snake-like light shed across the sky, followed by a heavy rumble. A shocking bolt of lighting struck, splitting the gloomy dark clouds and raising intense gusts of wind. Between the ck and bruise-colored clouds came the cold, hard pattering of raindrops. The drops were as big as pearls and fell in a continuous chain, painful to the touch. A heavy downpour followed next, and Meng Fuyao was left standing there, without a shelter to run toward. She thought hazily about the mandate of heaven. ¡°A thunderstorm in February¡­ could it be¡­ could it be¡­¡¯ Amid the downpour she stood, thoroughly wet. She raised her head, feeling the pain from the crashing rain beads. Of course, the pain was nothing to her. In fact, she only felt her body turn slightly numb. Looking up into the sky, Meng Fuyao let the rain ster her jet-ck hair strands onto her forehead, creating multiple streams on her face. A ck-robed man rushed over from the corridor but was stopped by a man dressed in white. They exchanged nces and shared a mutual understanding at that moment. They stood under the eaves, a distance away, not wanting to disrupt Meng Fuyao¡¯s state of mind. A long, long timeter Meng Fuyao lifted a finger and angrily pointed it at the sky. She yelled, mouth opened wide, ¡°F*ck. Your. Mother.¡± Her growl caused the surrounding soldiers who were running about in the rain and doing their job to jump in shock. They looked toward the source, but Meng Fuyao had already turned and wiped the water off her face. She bared her teeth andughed. ¡°F*ck. Sky-splitting thunder in February!¡± The soldiers smiled, somewhat relieved, and returned to their job. Meng Fuyao ced her hand down, not knowing what she was doing. A soft voice floated from behind her shoulder and into her ear, ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily¡­be wary of your condition¡­¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her eyelids, allowing the person to guide her to the shelter. Ya Lanzhu received her at the door, immediately bringing her to change a set of clothes. Meng Fuyao stood sluggishly in the bathroom while the clumsy princess dried her flushed face and body before putting on a new set of outfit for her. When done, she walked over to the toilet bowl and sat down. Chapter 92 - The Wait Chapter 92: The Wait Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao thought and thought about all the possibilities and impossibilities, and felt dizzy-eyed. Ya Lanzhu kept her eyes on her at all times, until they turned red. She pulled the curtain aside, and two men could be seen shuffling their feet back and forth, waiting. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. It¡¯s so hard to see her like this.¡± It was Zhan Beiye who had spoken. He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Congrats, you can take advantage of her vulnerability,¡± Zong Yue stated. ¡°Bullshit!¡± Zhan Beiye burst out. ¡°Can you be more humane?¡± Zong Yue responded with a low, coldugh, before continuing with a higher voice, ¡°I think you all need another rain-soaking. Can news from King De¡¯s side be trusted? Can you believe what you hear? Just a few words and here you are, making so much noise?¡± As if his ears had been pricked, Zhan Beiye retorted, ¡°Which eye of yours did you see her making a scene with?¡± He strode over and pulled the curtain out, carelessly carrying Meng Fuyao out and shouting, ¡°Eh, why are you still in a daze? Wake up, it¡¯s not that bad. Zhangsun Wuji isn¡¯t that lousy. He couldn¡¯t have died. I¡¯ve been cursing him for 25 years now, but he¡¯s always alive and well¡­¡± ¡°Pfft. You started cursing others from within your mother¡¯s womb?¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him aside. ¡°Move. Don¡¯t disturb my toilet time.¡± Upon seeing her reaction, Zhan Beiye turned evidently joyful, albeit mixed with bitterness and a contradicting ache. Zong Yue remained expressionless, but there was relief in his eyes. Meng Fuyao stopped before him, asking, ¡°You have special news channels so you would know. What did they say on your side?¡± Zong Yue sighed deeply, but Meng Fuyao stared him right in the eye, calming saying, ¡°I want the truth.¡± ¡°No one knows where Zhangsun Wuji is,¡± Zong Yue confessed, ¡°I didn¡¯t have much news to begin with but had just received information simr to what you¡¯ve heard. There has been a copse at Huya Ravine, and it is true that a dead body has been found. His imperial mark, his horse, and his flesh had all been mashed together due to the impact of the copse. Technically speaking, no one has seen his corpse.¡± Meng Fuyao shut her eyes for some time before responding, ¡°Alright, then.¡± She set her gaze toward Wanzhou, speaking softly, ¡°I¡¯ve given it some thought. He couldn¡¯t have died so easily. There¡¯s no way. I¡¯m going to do what I should, and then, wait.¡± ¡®To wait.¡¯ To wait for the dust to settle, to wait for destiny to uncover the truth, and to wait for everyone¡¯s future, or theck thereof, to unveil. ¡®To wait for your return.¡¯ ¡­ On February 14th, on the 16th year under Wuji emperor¡¯s reign, the prince, who was supposed to manage the war between his nation and Gaoluo, had died in Huya Ravine, outside of Wuji and Wanzhou. It was a mountain near the ind city of the southern border, about 100 kilometers away from King De¡¯s camp and 85 kilometers from Yaocheng. News spread and shocked the whole of Five Region Continent. Spections, doubts rose, and people wanted to wait and observe. The whispers that were exchanged between national borders transformed into strong gusts of wind, gradually amassing high up in the sky. On February 15th, King De, who was guarding the southern border camp, hurriedly negotiated for peace with the southern and northern Rongs, recruiting local soldiers to form an army of 300,000 and then raising a ¡°friendship g.¡± He sent Yang Mi, his trusted aide, to lead the troop toward Wanzhou. Meanwhile, he announced to the world that the crown prince had been harmed and that he vowed to take down the perpetrator or he would never return. Some praised his loyalty while others, who were schrs and more clear-headed, saw through his n to nt his bum onto the Wuji¡¯s emperor seat, and would never return without it being secured. Ignoring people¡¯s views, King De advanced vigorously, his vanguard quickly breaking through Wanzhou. Not stopping there, he used themoners¡¯ anger as a reason to continue toward Jingcheng. King De¡¯s ambition was abundantly clear, and it was as Meng Fuyao had guessed. He acted with disguised righteousness, and a revolt, something that was never allowed to happen in Wuji Nation, was about to seed before his very eyes. Almost, at least. King De journeyed toward Jingcheng, indulging in his pending achievement, unaware that there was a female¡¯s shadow tailing behind and observing his every step. She was waiting tond a fatal strike any time possible. On February 24th, Yang Mi was about to enter the border of Jingcheng. Zhan Beiye had spread a secret order toy an ambush in the mountains of the southern border. Dark Wind Horses disguised themselves as anguished citizens, running into the sight of King De and crying out, ¡°Yang Mi is burning, killing, robbing in the city and seizing the pce. He¡¯s after the ruler seal and throne!¡± Anxious, King De hurriedly sent a letter to question Yang Mi, only for it to be destroyed along the way by Zong Yue¡¯s men. Not receiving a reply got King De feeling even more urgent, and he ordered his troops to speed forward non-stop. Unfortunately, the weather in February was extremely unbearable. Snow kept the paths moist, and many soldiers, born from the southern borders, couldn¡¯t adapt and eventually froze to death. Comints filled the air and anger rose, leading King De to send another order to urge for quicker delivery of provisions. At this difficult point, if even the provision of necessities couldn¡¯t be guaranteed, the army might just start a mutiny. The provisions did not arrive in time. ¡°Transportation officer Tang¡± reported to King De that there had been too many plunderers along the long course, and hence the grains weren¡¯t able to reach them in time. She requested for a few more days while using King De¡¯s name to urge the expeditions, milking respective counties unrestrained and causing major discontent among the citizens. On February 27th, at Pingzhou, Gui County¡­ Meng Fuyao bared her teeth she squatted on top of a barrel, waving and shouting, ¡°King De has waged war and wants these grains¨C¨C¨C¡± Before she could finish a man spat, ¡°Again!? Justst month he already collected thrice. How are we to live?¡± Some smashed the empty grain sacks onto the ground, and others raised hammers while spitting angry curses at her. It was already Meng Fuyao¡¯s third time collecting grains, and there were almost none left. Unable to endure any longer, the citizens waved their weapons around despite not knowing what they were achieving. As such, the ¡°panic-stricken¡± transportation officer Tang yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me! Don¡¯t hit me! It¡¯s King De¡¯s order! The Rongsmen in the army have huge appetites and need more food. It¡¯s for the good of everyone¡­¡± Before she could finish the crowdshed out. ¡°Why do we have to give away the grains we have so arduously nted?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re eating our grains, let¡¯s do the same at their houses!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The crowd hissed and charged outside the vige and toward the stockaded vige in batches. In a few other locations, the assistant transportation officer in charge of collecting the grains released the same statement and took the same action. Even more people jumped forward with their farming tools, walking on the paths between viges and gathering at the main road leading to the Rong vige. Behind them, Meng Fuyao gradually steadied her footsteps uponpleting her act. She appeared calm and collected, but there was a fire in her eyes, burning with resolute hatred. It contained overwhelming willpower, which she bit on so fiercely and stubbornly, and which she was nning to take the tiger down with. The soldiers in Kind De¡¯s army were already exhausted, and the citizens of respective counties had been provoked. With Meng Fuyao continuous stirring, the citizens infiltrated the Rong stronghold, seizing grains and ignoring the damage they were causing. Upon gaining news that their houses had been attacked, that their families had been bullied and that their grains had been robbed, how could the already starving and exhausted soldiers possibly continue warring wholeheartedly? Upon a series of war games and operations, the army scattered like water and copsed like mountains in defeat. ¡­.. Meng Fuyao kept silent, pursing her lips and looking up. Her gaze was set far away, toward the direction of Wanzhou. She had been waiting for many days. Every day, every hour, every minute and every second, anxiety crippled her and shattered her heart into pieces that sank a little as time passed. The pieces of hope she had been clinging onto were seized, one by one and permanently by Time. Every night before sleeping she prayed to see a certain face greeting her with a smile in the morning and saying, ¡°You¡¯ve not been listening again.¡± To that, she had already prepared aeback, ¡°You scared me, jerk.¡± She would say that and then throw him a hard punch, to which he might retaliate, and she would not mind. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t put the countless scenarios she had run over in her in use. Every morning she waited. If there were no movements, she would keep her eyes shut and feel about her sides, only to be embraced by the cool air and never once the warmth she had been longing for. It had been many days, and King De had started to revolt. The blister he had been trying to squeeze was almost out. He should have been back by now, but he wasn¡¯t. Meng Fuyao leaned against a tree that stood at the end of the path. She waited by the vige entrance, with the bright red sun setting behind her. The tree trunk was thin enough, but she was a tad thinner and frailer, if that was even possible, resembling a fallen leaf that floated aimlessly amid the golden-red clouds. She looked toward that direction, her eyes flickering between the copsed and shattered rocks. Her clothes were untidy, and amid the hazy evening, she could be seen sping a yellow pouch tightly. It was something Zhan Beiye had ordered men to look for, and from how hard she was holding onto it, it was as if she was hoping to seek out thest glimmer of hope. Meng Fuyao was so focused on the view before her that she hadn¡¯t noticed a silent ck figure watching her from even farther away, the space between his brows covered in ayer of frosted dew. Chapter 93 - He’s No More Chapter 93: He¡¯s No More Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®Wuji, I¡¯ve already done what I can for you. I¡¯ve been waiting for you and waiting for news of you.¡¯ ¡®Why aren¡¯t you back?¡¯ The war continued in Wuji, and King De¡¯s vanguard was nearing Jingcheng. Of course, while Yang Mi did not attack the city and seize the pce of the throne, King De was convinced of the possibility of betrayal. Pressed, he urged his army day and night, leading many soldiers to scatter and escape while other thousands of them died from starvation and the extreme cold. Wuling wasn¡¯t the only grain depot in the southern border, but in the process of King De¡¯s army march, the agreed upon waiting ground, Huazhou, had also met with a dy. Events yed out like in an unpredictable chess game. Subtle movements were made, slowly altering the tendency and situation of the whole affair. The butterfly effect was put in ce. In fact, Meng Fuyao was oblivious to those subtle changes. She sank further each day, gradually bing thinner if that was even possible. It wasn¡¯t visually obvious, but soon, every bone in her body started to protrude along with the tightening of her skin, which made her eyes appear increasingly big and sorrowful. Zhan Beiye and Zong Yue stayed by her side throughout. Despite their hostility toward each other, they took good care of Meng Fuyao. Tie Cheng and Yao Xun had joined them as well, burying their heads in hard work. Worried for her safety, Ya Lanzhu followed Meng Fuyao everywhere, including the bathroom, with the pretense of wanting to catch the adulterous couple in action. Everyone watched her closely in fear that anxiety would drive her to do crazy things. Nevertheless, all she did was wait in silent determination for news of him. Meng Fuyao asionally took a stool to sit by and watch the two men bicker, or watch as Ya Lanzhu stuck closely to her, or watch Tie Cheng take on all the work in the courtyard just so he could appear before her sight more often, or watch as Zong Yue prescribed medicine non-stop as though he couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of all the herbs in the garden. The spring sunlight was faint and carried a refreshing radiance. Amid the atmosphere, Meng Fuyao thought about how lucky she was to be able to experience something so warm and beautiful like it. It was all worth it, she felt. Nights were harder to bear. Meng Fuyao suffered from insomnia, and whenever the leaves rustled outside, she would wonder if he was back. She would then me herself for being so hard-headed. Slitting her own throat? Dragging the secret guard leader down with her? Couldn¡¯t she have just fought to avoid dying by the Rongs¡¯ hands? Why did she choose to end her life to prevent her corpse from falling into their hands? The ¡®Great, throat-slitting Meng Fuyao¡± had gotten his attention and caused him to speed miles across and be plotted against. Such thoughts kept her wide awake despite theplete darkness. Meng Fuyao¡¯s night routine was pretty much consistent. While it hadn¡¯t been many days since news broke, she had been tossing and turning every night, and seconds felt like long, arduous years. Unbeknownst to Meng Fuyao, she wasn¡¯t the only one who had trouble sleeping. On the big tree in the courtyard rested two men. They, who couldn¡¯ty still on their beds, had left their room, one holding a pot of wine and the other deep in thought. ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± Zhan Beiye mumbled with a cup of wine in his hands, ¡°I dare bet that he¡¯s out there somewhere, and is up to no good.¡± Zong Yue watched him silently before speaking up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you telling her?¡± ¡°She¡¯d think that I¡¯m onlyforting her. She¡¯d only believe what she sees,¡± came the response between gulps. ¡°I¡¯m also waiting. If I¡¯m right, news shoulde within two days.¡± After some time Zong Yuemented, ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking a lottely, Prince.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry!¡± Zhan Beiye took another big gulp, almost smashing his cup when done, but stopping himself after some thought. He ced it down lightly, but lost control and shattered it nheless. Blood oozed from his hand, and without looking, he dumped it into the wine pot. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, that bastard. Doesn¡¯t he know how worried and guilty she feels? Why isn¡¯t he reporting his safety?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯re angry with Meng Fuyao,¡± Zong Yue stated. Instead of answering, Zhan Beiye gobbled down the wine. A short whileter he wiped his mouth and added, ¡°She¡¯s only upset because of guilt. I¡¯ll make her fall in love with me.¡± Zong Yue dusted off a speck of dirt on his sleeves, his white robe soaking in the silvery moonlight and lighting up his silhouette. A long whileter he let out, ¡°What a bully.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same.¡± As the moon set, the courtyard was filled withyer of silver frost. The conversation that went on on the tree did not reach ears within the house. Troubles of the heart that settled deep into the night were only known to the sufferers themselves. Meng Fuyao had been wide awake again, and it was day time when she finally fell into a hazy sleep. Some timeter Lord Yuan Bao crawled out of his mini bed on the table in his pajamas and looked over her from above. After a pause, he nudged her with his w. ¡®I¡¯ve already given such an obvious hint, pighead.¡¯ He smoothened out his red robe. It was a promise made between his owner and himself, and it represented joy and safety. As a Divine guinea pig, which shared a telepathic connection with his owner, he couldn¡¯t understand why Meng Fuyao was being so anxious when he wasn¡¯t. He had forgotten that that was a secret between the two of them and that Meng Fuyao knew no telepathy or guinea pig magic. Lord Yuan Bao stared at her, his eyes sweeping under her quilt and spotting a vaguely frail face. He then looked at his own blossoming figure, gradually bing aware of the conscience he had beencking. Lord Yuan Bao retrieved the biscuit box, rummaged through it and took out a few words, cing them neatly on the table. When that was done, he conveniently went back to sleep, anticipating the tears of happiness that awaited Meng Fuyao. Awakened by hunger at midnight, Lord Yuan Bao turned to his side and reached for snacks that he had a habit of keeping by his bed. Feeling a piece of biscuit, he quickly gobbled it up while still half asleep. The next morning he was roused by Meng Fuyao¡¯s agitated yet curt shout. He saw her eyes lighting up immediately after. ¡®Ah, the tears of joy.¡¯ Those eyes became increasingly bright, as though crystals were rolling inside before falling down his face. Soon, she lowered her head and covered her face. She pressed her fingers hard against her scalp. Lord Yuan Bao studied her in astonishment, noting that her ¡°tears of happiness¡± did not seem normal. A long, long timeter he saw Meng Fuyao shrug her hands off her head, raise her red, puffy face and stare at the word before her. She suddenly reached over to grab him. Meng Fuyao¡¯s touch was gentle and carried a warmth he hadn¡¯t experienced from her since their first meeting. She ced him lightly onto her palm andbed his snow-white fur with a fingertip. He was shocked silly. ring at her he thought that she must have gone mad from the good news. Meng Fuyao kept quiet as shebed him gently. Lord Yuan Bao couldn¡¯t believe that her movements were actually moreforting than his owner¡¯s. ¡®What hase over her? Is she going to caress, and then strangle?¡¯ Following that thought, Lord Yuan Bao felt a cold sensation above his head, as if something moist had contacted his body. He reached a w up and felt it bing wet. Meng Fuyao had rested her chin on his head. ¡°Poor Yuan Bao, you¡¯re an orphan now¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s words sent a punch right at his heart as a sourness overtook him. Feeling something amiss he struggled about and looked at the words he had pieced together, before letting out a yelp. ¡®Why is ¡°shi¡± gone!¡¯ ¡®Oh, God!¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao sprung off his bed and dove into the biscuit box, urgently looking for another ¡°shi.¡± Realizing that the only one was now missing, he turned around, upset. He saw her looking tenderly at him, her eyes seemingly saying: ¡°Poor you¡­ driven to madness by grief¡­¡± Seeing her expression, Lord Yuan Bao thought to himself, ¡®She¡¯s actually crying over my loss¡­¡¯ After a short pause, Lord Yuan Bao let out another squeak, running before her and gesturing with his whole body in an attempt to tell her that a word was missing. Meng Fuyao simply smiled and stroked his head despite the tears streaming down her face. Unable to bear it he let out a helpless cry before rushing out of the room. ¡®I¡¯ve done wrong, Master¡­ I¡¯ve failed to convey the news¡­ pleasee back soon¡­¡¯ ¡­ As Zhan Beiye had predicted, the warring situation had undergone a major change that day. On the 2nd of March, Yang Mi¡¯s army, which was pressing in on Jingcheng, encountered Wuji national army about 2.5kilometers outside of the city. Yang Mi had initially thought that they were the guards of Jingcheng and was about to disy King De¡¯s g when he saw that the other army¡¯s g was already rising, while its general approached with a cold smile on his face. Beside him, under the bright yellow g, stood the mainmander, wearing a copper mask and smiling at him as well. Yang Mi¡¯s heart sank in awareness that he had fallen into a trap. That day, 100,000 vanguard soldiers unbuckled their armors, and Yang Mimitted suicide. On the 3rd of March. On the wild field by the pool in the ind city, King De, too, saw the army that was supposed to be on the coastal line. He also saw Yang Mi¡¯s troop, which supposedly belonged to him. The soldiers formed a dense barrier as the sea of swaying gs drowned his vision. It was then that King de felt an unprecedentedly overwhelming grief. Upon contact between the armies, King De¡¯s men couldn¡¯t form aplete troop, leading him to escape southward and pin his hope on Guo Pingrong¡¯s army to obtain a piece of territory in the southern border. While Guo Pingrong did appear with his soldiers, he immediately pointed his sword at King De. A dramatic war of vengeance had, amid high expectation of smooth progress, fallen into a period of waiting and ultimately vanished into the clouds within a few days¡¯ time. Chapter 94 - Reunion Chapter 94: Reunion Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios King De was locked up, and no one could yet convict him. The only person that could determine his plight wasn¡¯t in the pce. On the 4th of March. Beginning of Spring. Early in the morning Zong Yue delivered a few letters to Meng Fuyao but was stopped by Ya Lanzhu at the door. Breathing out, she said, ¡°Let her sleep. She only fell asleep at dawn.¡± After some hesitation, he kept the items in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s good too.¡± Sharp-eyed, Ya Lanzhu questioned, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She snatched the item over and gave it a read, her eyes quickly lighting up. ¡°Ah!¡± She then let out, before tears fell. Startled, Zong Yue asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°In this life, I hope to meet someone who loves me¡­¡± she sobbed. Zong Yue responded with silence and walked off a short whileter, but not before adding, ¡°It¡¯s a timely stroke of luck, neither one second too early norte.¡± When Meng Fuyao woke up, she kept her eyes shut, waiting as she always did. She hadn¡¯t been in a deep sleep but woke up feeling slightly faint nevertheless. She heard a vague rustling of branches from outside the window. The soft chirping of birds on the branches amplified the gradual blooming of spring. Meng Fuyao could imagine the leaves brushing against a bridge railing before falling into theke. It could be the jade bridge that stood in the middle of the city, and the leaves sounded especially crisp. The sounds mashed together but the breathing she had wanted to hear was missing. Meng Fuyao sighed, pulling the quilt up to her eye area and shutting them tightly, in hope of blocking out the tears that were on the verge of copsing. Meng Fuyao did not reach her hands out to feel the spot beside her. What was the point? A bitter humiliation awaited her every day. She had imagined his return many times, and in her illusion, he would climb onto her bed. Of course, one mustn¡¯t be overly shameless. He was simply not here, and even Yuan Bao had confirmed it. Meng Fuyao covered her eyes with the quilt and continued sleeping. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao felt something tickling her forehead. Something was brushing across the space between her brows. She pped it, mumbling, ¡°Move, Yuan Bao, stop disturbing me¡­¡± Her pnded on a palm. It was warm and smooth, its pulse strong and it¡¯s fingers slender. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shot open. Before she could lift the quilt, she was greeted by a wave of light. Someone had pulled the quilt down and was looking down at her. ¡°Why so skinny?¡± he let out a low chuckle. Meng Fuyao stared foolishly at his diagonal brows and deep ocean eyes. His skin was covered in a crystal-like luster, and his light purple robe was draping before her body. She looked as he smiled andy down beside her, his fingertips lightly grazing her forehead. ¡®Yuan Zhaoxu! Zhangsun Wuji!¡¯ Meng Fuyao reached out, slightly dazed, to pinch his hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream, is it?¡± ¡°Exchange allowed if fake,¡± he joked cheekily. ¡°You actually know your way back¡­ you actually know your way back huh?!¡± Her first line sounded soft and willow-like but the second sentence was no different from a lion¡¯s roar. She snapped out of her daze, and upon realizing that Yuan Zhaoxu, Zhangsun Wuji, had really returned, she went on to kick him. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Zhangsun Wuji raised his brows, reaching a hand out to sp her foot, instantly numbing and turning her body limp. He then dragged the quilt and wrapped it around her. Within a split second, he had groped her whole body. Rxing his hand, he sighed. ¡°Why so skinny?¡± Meng Fuyao buried her head in the nket of shame, murmuring her answer, ¡°On a diet.¡± Zhangsun Wuji observed the girl, whose bark was louder than her bite, sighing helplessly. He dug her head from under the quilt and studied her face carefully. Her eyes flickered as she was flustered, but since there was nowhere to hide she looked him right in the eye. ¡°What do you want, what do you want!¡± Zhangsun Wuji broke into a smile, his hand extending toward her neck. She shrunk in surprise, and he exined, ¡°Let me have a look at the wound. Don¡¯t move.¡± Guilt overcame her at this point. She spoke softly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t really nning to slit¡­ it was for fun.¡± Before her voice fell, Meng Fuyao saw him lower his head slightly, his warm and soft lips approaching and eventually touching her bare neck. She remained motionless as his lips brushed across her faint pink scar. It was ticklish as though someone was using a willow nt to sweep the cold, lonely winter away. She felt the deep, shattered ice pieces that was her heart melt, and lush, green grass started to grow. Meng Fuyao felt her body turning soft as the greenery spread within her heart. Where it grew, flowers bloomed, and amid that wonderful state, she wanted to cry and smile. Yet, a wave of pain radiated from her heart and clogged her veins, and it felt as though a venomous snake had bitten her. She trembled a little, to which Zhangsun Wuji detected and shifted away. She bit her lips and smiled, pushing him while calling out, ¡°You gangster.¡± ¡°It was for fun,¡± he copied her answer while looking at her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t actually what I¡¯ve been wishing to do the most.¡± Mouth wide opened, Meng Fuyao appeared rather silly. That did not hinder a certain someone¡¯s determination. Zhangsun Wuji raised a hand and smacked her bottom before letting out a slight smile. ¡°For not listening to me,¡± he exined. Before she could react, Meng Fuyao was rewarded with yet another spank on her bum. ¡°For attempting suicide.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately recalled the scenarios she had rehearsed countless times before, but the sequence seemed off, as though he had brought forward certain details. It did not matter. She jumped up to retaliate while reciting her lines, ¡°You bastard! You scared me!¡± Still, it seemed that he had outmatched her scolding. ¡®No, I mustn¡¯t lose.¡¯ She threw another punch, yelling, ¡°For faking death! For keeping it from me!¡± Zhangsun Wuji extended his hand to grab her punch, conveniently pulling her into his embrace before holding her waist in ce with his fingers. Three movements were executed speedily and wlessly, and since her waist had gotten so tiny, he had easily managed to trap her. ¡°I didn¡¯t keep it from you¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji inhaled deeply, stroking her long hair and whispering, ¡°How could I bear to have you worry for me? You¡¯ve be so skinny¡­ am I not going to be the one spending effort to fatten you up?¡± The first part had warmed her heart but the second wasn¡¯t eptable. Meng Fuyao turned to re at him, retorting, ¡°Stop digressing. I know you were trying to lure King De out, and to keep it a secret you couldn¡¯t have told anyone¡­ but, but¡­¡± she trailed off, shutting her mouth and not wanting to finish her sentence, ¡°you should¡¯ve told me at least¡­¡± ¡°I could have told you, but warring does not mean that I would sacrifice someone I like.¡± It seemed that Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mind-reading technique had gotten stronger. ¡°I sent out three batches of men when leaving the coastal line camp. They wore my clothes and went to three different routes. I went by the sea route.¡± ¡°Sea route?¡± ¡°Yes. I went by sea. King De guessed that I¡¯d go bynd since that was the faster route, but what was the point if I couldn¡¯t pass through? Some things can¡¯t be rushed.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯ve always been scheming.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled, adding, ¡°The moment trouble brewed in Wanzhou I knew something was wrong in the army. There must have been a spy. Under those circumstances, I could only cut off all contact, but not before receiving news of your safety. I then went back to camp to gather my backup guards. They¡¯re more cumbersome to transfer, and by the time they reached Yaocheng you weren¡¯t there anymore.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± she let out. She had already be a transportation officer in Wuling at that point and had two capable bodyguards by her side. ¡®What good timing¡­ how lucky.¡¯ ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything when after gaining news. It was simply bad timing, and I couldn¡¯t leave. King De¡¯s decade worth of secret plotting was finally about to be shattered, and I couldn¡¯t let it go down the drain. The good thing is that I share a telepathic connection with Yuan Bao and he would¡¯ve told you sooner orter.¡± ¡°My ass!¡± She was about to explode. ¡°He arranged three words: Ta, Mei, Le 1 . I almost saw Buddha, and it was his fault.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned to look for Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°I know you¡¯re there,e out or face the consequences.¡± Meng Fuyao pursed her lips. What was the point of throwing such an insubstantial threat? However, immediately after, a grey ball crawled out from under the table. Meng Fuyao opened her mouth wide and stared at him. ¡®How aggravating.¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao was in in clothes that day, and it was his least favorite color at that. He hated that it made him look like a rat. He squatted obediently before Zhangsun Wuji and let out weak and timid squeaks. ¡®That¡¯s too much, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought to herself. ¡®Is he taking the chance to express his grievances and love again? What is he saying exactly?¡¯ She felt a little guilty somehow. Zhangsun Wuji listened with a smile, his eyes glistening and warm, and as his smile widened into augh almost, she could feel the joy he felt from the reunion. ¡°Know what you¡¯ve done wrong?¡± he asked. Lord Yuan Bao lowered his noble little head right after. ¡°Since it was due to your greed, you¡¯re not allowed to have snacks for a week.¡± In regard to his punishment, Lord Yuan Bao pped both ws on his face, evidently in sorrow. Zhangsun Wuji quickly transferred him to the side. ¡°Go reflect and close the door when you¡¯re leaving.¡± Lord Yuan Bao crawled out from the hole in the paper window before diligently using his saliva to mend it. ¡°Wow wow, the guinea pig is a changed man,¡± Meng Fuyaomented in shock. ¡°What has he done?¡± ¡°He caused your tears.¡± Zhangsun Wuji pulled her into his arms naturally, adding, ¡°And so he has to be punished.¡± Meng Fuyao restedfortably against Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s shoulder. It was an indescribable feeling, as though her heart was finally at home and in the right ce. Her internal organs seemed to have instantly adjusted themselves. A faint scent drifted into her nostrils, and her mind floated blissfully as her eyelids became heavy. Chapter 95 - Confrontation Chapter 95: Confrontation Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I¡¯ve done wrong too, Fuyao,¡± Meng Fuyao heard Zhangsun Wuji say in a low voice. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I did not think that he would make a move on me, and at the expense of Yaocheng at that. It¡¯s my fault that you almost ended your own life.¡± His voice sounded rather bitter, and Meng Fuyao wondered why. ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t he expect King De¡¯s motive? Hadn¡¯t they been aggressively fighting over the throne? No one could go easy on his opponent, and for someone so wise, how could Zhangsun Wuji not see thating? Why, why, why¡­?¡¯ Doubts circled in her mind, and she struggled to break free but to no avail. Nights of insomnia and exhaustion finally took a toll on her upon Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s return. Her endlessly binding train of thought soon set its weight on her eyelids. Just like that, she plunged into a deep sleep, but not before processing Zhangsun Wuji¡¯sst drifting sentence, ¡°The torment you¡¯ve been feeling during this period has also been my punishment, Fuyao.¡± ¡­.. A faint yellow glimmer of warm light shone down as Meng Fuyao heard someone else speaking in a low voice, ¡°¡­ should we wake her up for some food?¡± ¡°¡­ let her sleep more¡­¡± Meng Fuyao opened her eyes and gradually gained full awareness of her surroundings. Meng Fuyaoid motionless, a smile blossoming on her face. ¡®The baddie hasn¡¯t died because of me. He has returned.¡¯ Before the table, someone turned around with a rolled document in his hand. With a beautiful smile on his face, he asked, ¡°Slept your fill?¡± Meng Fuyao sat up, looking at the yellow tinted window paper. ¡°How long have I slept for? Why is it still morning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the next morning already,¡± Zhangsun Wuji answered, blowing out the candles and opening the windows. A fresh breeze blew in and onto his robe and hair, causing it to flutter. ¡°I¡¯ve slept for a whole day and night?¡± Meng Fuyao eximed while looking at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back view. Noticing that his robe seemed to have gotten looser, she asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t slept?¡± ¡°I wanted to see if you¡¯d grind your teeth, or sleep talk, or even drool while you sleep.¡± ¡°I sleep-punch people, that¡¯s a fact.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, letting her eyes cruise over his body again. Events-wise, he had rushed out from the coastal camp and back, mustered troops, met the enemy, and surrounded King De. Timewise, all of those happened within a rtively short period of time. King De¡¯s fall had urred only one or two days back, and Zhangsun Wuji had already appeared. He must have thrown everything aside immediately after that to rush over to her side. He hadn¡¯t had a good rest, had he? Meng Fuyao sprang up and ran over to him before pushing him onto her bed. ¡°Go sleep and don¡¯t wake up until I tell you to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time to enjoy your bed yet,¡± he stood firmly on the ground as two men approached from the courtyard, ¡°I have to receive these noble guests.¡± The ¡°noble guests¡±, of course, referred to Zhan Beiye and Zong Yue. Seeing theme forward Meng Fuyao felt her head exploding as if she had seen lightning shes in the sky. The friction was overwhelming, and it shot recklessly across the sky like fireballs. If two were explosive storehouses, what would three be? Europe¡¯s gunpowder barrel? Since ancient times, kings never met one another. What could the oue of the two kings¡¯ encounter be? A king destroying a king? A king eating a king? A king ughtering a king? Meng Fuyao did the calctions in her head. ¡®No way, they¡¯re both important political figures after all, and their self-restraint, etiquette, facade, pleasantries and what not should have already been perfected. Resorting to violence due to verbal conflict was something that happened in the marketce and not between men like Zhangsun Wuji, Zong Yue and Zhan Beiye.¡¯ ¡°Excuse me for not going out to receive you, noble guests.¡± Before Meng Fuyao couldplete her thoughts Zhan Beiye¡¯sughter filled the vicinity. At the same time, while taking forthright strides over to the room, he smiled at Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Hello, Your Highness. The military affair must being along great, am I right? How could you have arrived so leisurely amid all that, otherwise? Shouldn¡¯t you be relentless pursuing the rebellious army in Mianzhou?¡± ¡°D*mn. Both are trying to turn the other into the noble guest¡­¡¯ ¡°How¡¯s our noble prince doing?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Getting used to living life in Tiansha? The weather is warm and moist in Wuji, unlike in Tiansha Geya where it¡¯s dry and refreshing. It must have been hard on you, Prince. As for the front military situation, it¡¯s Wuji¡¯s internal affair, but thank you for your kind concern.¡± The meaning of this was akin to saying, ¡°Great, making it clear that you¡¯re Tiansha and I¡¯m Wuji, and that we¡¯repletely different. Then there¡¯s no need to argue about who¡¯s the guest¡­¡± ¡°I bought this courtyard,¡± Zhan Beiye pointed out smilingly, ¡°while it¡¯s unrefined, the scenery is considerably impressive. Your presence here today definitely brings light to my humble abode.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him. ¡®You bought it? Lying through your teeth¡­ I bought it.¡¯ ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Zhangsun Wuji returned the smile. ¡°It¡¯s great indeed, but since the prince is here in Wuji as a guest, you¡¯re my distinguished guest. How can I let you pay for the house? It¡¯s uneptable of me. How about this? Pass the deed to me, and I¡¯ll get someone to seek out the house owner and pay double for it. Take it as a little gift.¡± Meng Fuyao held onto her tummy as she was about to burst outughing. ¡®You¡¯re throwing rocks at your own feet, Zhan Beiye. The deed is with me.¡¯ Zhan Beiye questioned with an unfazed expression, ¡°Are you hinting to me that Tiansha Nation is weak and that I can¡¯t even afford this house, Your Highness?¡± Zhangsun Wuji also responded with an unfazed expression, ¡°Are you then hinting to me that Wuji Nation is poor, and can¡¯t even afford a meager gift to your nation, dear prince?¡± Meng Fuyao stood in between them both, quickly feeling puffs of invisible smoke rising. She hurriedly raised a palm and intervened. ¡°Stop, stop. He bought this house but transferred the deed to me. Since this is the case, hand me the silver. Double. Thanks.¡± Zhangsun Wuji let out a faint smile and replied gently, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you¡¯ll get it naturally.¡± He pulled her and gave Zhan Beiye a polite bow. ¡°Thank you for saving her life.¡± He then gave Zong Yue a simple nod, adding, ¡°And thank you for protecting her.¡± Zong Yue spoke in a voice even calmer than Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s. ¡°Fuyao and I aren¡¯t strangers, so there¡¯s no need to thank me. In fact, I brought her to Wuji, so I¡¯m responsible for her.¡± He smiled warmly at Meng Fuyao, causing her to shudder. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not for our friendship, Your Highness, I can¡¯t possibly stand by and watch her suffer when she¡¯s holding onto a personal belonging of mine.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless¡­ ¡®How ruthless of him¡­ quiet but fatal when attacking.¡¯ Zong Yue had found out a long time ago that Meng Fuyao had his belt but chose to keep quiet, only using it at a purposeful moment. Meng Fuyao kept her eyes on Zong Yue, no longer daring to look at the other two men. ¡®Aish, they are all ruthless people. I mustn¡¯t have dealings with any of them in future or I might just die unknowingly one fine day.¡¯ As Meng Fuyao whined inwardly, Zong Yue was already approaching and grabbing onto her hand. ¡°Time for treatment. I¡¯ve invented a new medication so you can try it.¡± No one who cared about her would ignore the physician¡¯s words, and the two men weren¡¯t exceptions. Zhan Beiye threw Zhangsun Wuji a re without entering the door while thetter simply raised his brows and smiled as Zong Yue led Meng Fuyao away. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t break out of Zong Yue¡¯s grip. It was actually his first time touching her. ¡®Whatever happened to his clean-freak nature?¡¯ She hoped for a rpse and for him to then cast her aside in contempt. That way, she would also be free from the unreadable gazes of the two men behind. Aish, no one had expected Zong Yue to emerge champion from this three-way battle. Meng Fuyao pursed her lips, thinking about how great it was to be a physician. ¡®Health is always a priority that no one can argue against.¡¯ The moment they settled in the inner room, War God Zhan started firing cannons again. ncing over at Zhangsun Wuji he asked, ¡°I heard that Your Highness had led the big eastern troop to battle Yang Mi. Strange, isn¡¯t the eastern war still ongoing? How did the troop reach ind? Or the so-called mischief by Gaoluo was simply a screen you created to dupe King De into treason?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped loudly. That was her suspicion as well. Zhangsun Wuji had left hurriedly due to Gaoluo¡¯s mischief, but from then till the time she attempted suicide, there had been no news of Gaoluo being suppressed. King De, who was supposed to be in the eastern line had instead appeared ind. All those details made it hard not to point Zhangsun Wuji out as the orchestrator of ¡°Gaoluo¡¯s Mischief¡±. The war between two lines, causing King De to take opportunistic action¡­ was it all Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s plot? Zhangsun Wuji lifted his teacup and gave its content a little blow. ¡°Where have you heard it? That the war is still ongoing?¡± Zhan Beiye was stunned for a moment. It was true that he hadn¡¯t heard that the war was over, but it was also true that he hadn¡¯t heard that it wasn¡¯t over. After some thought, he smiled. ¡°True, whether there had been a war and whether it is truly over or not is all up to you. I just pity those who were kept in the dark and those who had almost lost their lives.¡± Zhangsun Wuji ced his tea down andughed. ¡°The prince is known to be righteous and straightforward, but you¡¯ve surprised me today.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m beating around the bush?¡± Zhan Beiye asked, sitting upright. ¡°I actually think you¡¯re better at this than I am, but since you feel otherwise, I¡¯ll show you what being direct is. What I meant was: Look at her. Look at Fuyao, Zhangsun Wuji. What has she be?!¡± Suddenly agitated, he threw the cup in his hand toward the window, causing it to shatter and the tea to spill everywhere. ¡°I have no time to argue with you, Zhangsun Wuji! Let me ask you this: Since you¡¯re unwilling to let her go, you have to take on a man¡¯s responsibility! What has she gone through? She would¡¯ve ceased to exist if I had been just a secondte. Where were you then? It¡¯s fine you borrowed my troop since it was for Fuyao anyway, but who are you to judge that it is enough for a happy ending? Is it alright to just run off and leave her to face everything alone?¡± Chapter 96 - Caught in the Middle Chapter 96: Caught in the Middle Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao sat, dumbstruck, on one side. She couldn¡¯t understand how things had escted so quickly, with her as the main topic. She looked down a little and mumbled, ¡°Why look at me? I¡¯m doing great¡­¡± Zong Yue, who was taking her pulse, raised a brow andmented coldly, ¡°Very good indeed, weak energy level, irregr pulse. Too great. We¡¯re all just looking for problems.¡± Meng Fuyao shut up instantly, no longer daring to talk. The atmosphere in the room sank, and the air became cold. Zhangsun Wuji kept quiet until some timeter, where he responded slowly, ¡°It is indeed something I¡¯d have to exin to her. As for you, Prince, there¡¯s no need for me to.¡± ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t have to report anything to me, and I¡¯m not nning to listen to the schemes of a man who uses even someone he fancies,¡± Zhan Beiye stated coldly before getting up and pointing at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Observing her over the past few days has made me realize her feelings. I, Zhan Beiye, am not one to pester shamelessly, and my dignity isn¡¯t all that worthless. I¡¯ve thought about giving up as long as she can be happy, but now, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± He untied his jade pendant from his belt and pped it onto the table. ¡°This is my betrothal gift to you,¡± he dered. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s brows twitched, and Zong Yue¡¯s face turned white, while Meng Fuyao jumped. ¡®Be¡­ be¡­ be¡­ trothal¡­ thal¡­ how did things escte so quickly¡­?¡¯ ¡°Fuyao, I once thought that if you like him, there¡¯s nothing for me to say. Now, though, I think he¡¯s not good enough for you. He will get you into trouble. He doesn¡¯t separate personal from political. Marrying him is no different from marrying into politics, and your whole life will be bound by schemes and storms. He¡¯s never going to give up his nation for you, and you¡­ you¡¯re independent and unwilling to subject yourself to others¡¯ protection. It will be exhausting to live a life with him if you can even stay alive. I¡¯m not going to witness the woman I love walk on a path like this, so I¡¯ll ce this betrothal gift here. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t ept it, Fuyao, and I¡¯d have nothing to say if you want to toss it away, Zhangsun Wuji. My point is that I¡¯m never going to give up!¡± ¡®What an aggressive confession. So¡­ sincere¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes. In that instant, Zhan Beiye had indeed touched her heart. A tyrant like him actually possessed such rich emotions. He was fiery yet tender, and he had read her feelings and identified all the good and bad. He had seriously taken her future into consideration and only decided on his action upon determining that it was an unhappy future. Meng Fuyao disliked his forthrightness in the past, but now it seemed that he had been acting in that way for her. She was at the core of his mind, and he had only her best interests at heart. Meng Fuyao was rather lost as to how she had captured his heart. They hadn¡¯t known each other for long so she couldn¡¯t understand how he could be so certain of his choice. While thinking, she did not notice that he was staring at her and had left something unspoken. It was something his mother had whispered to him, long before her condition. ¡°Son, do not let go of the first person you take a fancy to. It¡¯s an affinity heaven is blessing you with. Only pain and regret will ensue if you miss it.¡± She had a smile on her face when she shared her wisdom, but there was an underlying pain beneath her eyes. It was a pitiful smile that withered all flowers in Yudan Pce. At this moment, he looked at Meng Fuyao and was reminded of the times where his mother¡¯s pce was filled with freshly bloomed flowers. It was beauty that had so carefully been developed and sheltered, and not meant to be tortured and eventually destroyed by the harsh wind, fire, and bloodshed that were politics. The atmosphere turned rather awkward, and there was tension in the air. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s smile never faltered. He simply kept his eyes on the pendant while Zhan Beiye stood his ground. Meng Fuyao looked down, as if epting punishment, and she heard a sighing from Zong Yue shortly after. She looked up, startled and with her mouth wide opened. ¡®No way, clean freak, not you too right? Please do not join in¨C¨C¨C¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not joining in,¡± Zong Yue stated, as though he knew mind reading as well. Meng Fuyao sighed in relief before he took out the belt and ced it beside the pendant. Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind exploded. ¡®When did he take it? Ah, ah, ah, what¡¯s this¡­ ah, ah, ah, I shouldn¡¯t have been greedy¡­¡¯ ¡°Not to worry. It¡¯s not a betrothal gift. I have no ns to marry you. You¡¯re so ugly,¡± Zong Yue smiled kindly while pointing at the belt, ¡°I just want to tell you that I agree with some of the things the War God has mentioned, so I¡¯m officially giving this to you. If you ever bump into problems or are being bullied, take this to any medical hall named Guang De, and someone will help you. ¡± Meng Fuyao leaned back, tears wetting her eyes. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, Mister Zong Yue¡­¡± ¡°I never take given gifts.¡± Zong Your proceeded to leave, and when he reached the door, he turned around with a smile on his face. The smile was no different from the light pink cherry blossoms outside the window. ¡°It wille in handy one day, I suppose.¡± Meng Fuyao watched as his silhouette disappeared into a cluster of cherry blossom trees. Not knowing to sigh or escape with her face covered, she bit on her lips while looking at Zhangsun Wuji. Zhan Beiye and Zong Yue had, with their own methods, challenged him, and she did not know how he was feeling. He did not get angry or anything like that. Only, his face had turned slightly pale, and the expression he had on wasplicated. Strange emotions were swimming in his eyes but he never once reciprocated Zhan Beiye¡¯s cold gaze. A long timeter he leaned back a little, evidently tired, and spoke in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re right, Zhan Beiye. I haven¡¯t thought it through clearly, and I have no qualms if Fuyao were to me me for it. The loneliness in his voice caused Meng Fuyao to tremble, as she recalled the words he had spoken before she woke up. It was something that raised doubt, but it wasn¡¯t the time to question him. All she wanted to do was to dig two holes on the ground and keep the two men separated. Otherwise, she would be the victim of the collision between lightning and fire. Unfortunately, the catastrophe wasn¡¯t over. Zhan Beiye strode over suddenly to shove the pendant into Meng Fuyao¡¯s view. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide at this point. Let me ask you straight: Do you ept this?¡± Meng Fuyao sat motionlessly. Zhangsun Wuji turned to look at her. Zhan Beiye seemed not to have the intention to retract his extended hand. He looked at Meng Fuyao with passionate determination. Meng Fuyao stared at the clear jade, sensing the fire within it. It was a fire that drilled right into her heart, causing her to lose herself. It was an awkward and unbearable moment. She couldn¡¯t keep it, but couldn¡¯t bear to hurt his pride. After all, it wasn¡¯t something a ruthless rejection could simply end. Plus, Zhangsun Wuji was present, and not epting the pendant might work to a new round of misunderstandings. Meng Fuyao felt that she could be ruthless when killing people or when taking revenge, but of people were to be kind to her, her good conscience would take over and bind her hands and feet, rendering her helpless. ¡®Ah, can I faint now? Too fake, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Her pupils darted about as she pondered over it for almost a decade. Finally, she made a choice. ¡®I¡¯m not going to ept it, and I¡¯m going to make things clear. I¡¯m not epting anything from anyone!¡¯ The next second she hesitated, thinking about how her action would hurt Zhan Beiye forever. A person like him should be setting his pace and gaze on the Five Region Continent and not on herself. Meng Fuyao raised her head and bit on her lips. As she was about to speak a hand reached toward her to ept the pendant. It was Zhangsun Wuji! Meng Fuyao¡¯s head buzzed, and she was instantly confused. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Zhan Beiye roared. ¡°Brother Zhan,¡± Zhangsun Wuji started with a smile. ¡°Why put her in such a difficult position? Pursuing ady isn¡¯t just about giving and receiving gifts. Just as I¡¯m giving her space, you too should give her the choice and freedom.¡± ¡°Have I denied her the freedom?¡± Zhan Beiye broke into a cold smile. ¡°Don¡¯t sow discord at every chance you get, Zhangsun Wuji. And Fuyao, don¡¯t worry about me. I said I¡¯m not going to give up, so I¡¯m not going to disappear even if you reject me.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to give up, why this jade?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sow discord, and me epting this doesn¡¯t represent her intention as well. I¡¯m doing this to tell you that this is a fight between us, and she should remain out of it. What we need to do is not to force her into a decision but let her think about it and make her choice.¡± Zhan Beiye kept silent while giving the other man a meaningful look. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart was leaning toward Zhangsun Wuji, but instead of taking the chance to show possessiveness, thetter had actually taken a step back and suggested a fair fight. It was a beautiful move that did not cause her to feel abandoned while helping her out of the difficult situation. At the same time, he had expressed his intention. Meng Fuyao was touched once more. Chapter 97 - Revelation Chapter 97: Revtion Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®What a formidable opponent, on both battlefield politics and even affairs of the heart.¡¯ Zhan Beiye took in a deep breath, instantly feeling his emotions surge. His ever brewing bellicose genes rose as he red at Zhangsun Wuji with glistening eyes. With a cold smile, he said, ¡°Good, very good. There¡¯s no way for the both of us to exist together anyway.¡± ¡°Thank you for your magnanimity,¡± Zhangsun Wuji bowed slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll use this jade to remind myself of how precious and worthy Meng Fuyao is. I¡¯ll also use it to warn myself that it¡¯s a betrothal gift for her, and if I fail to act in alignment with her heart, I¡¯ll hand this over to her.¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes shed as Meng Fuyao raised her brows. ¡®Return it to me? You¡¯d do that? You look generous but are actuallypetitive and confident, huh¡­¡¯ ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you make an appropriate vow and consequence as well?¡± Zhangsun Wuji shifted the conversation toward Zhan Beiye, his tone sharp. ¡°If you can¡¯t treat her the way you promise and if you do not persevere, shouldn¡¯t you leave on your own ord and hand this valuable pendant over to the nation¡¯s treasury?¡± Zhan Beiye opened his eyes wide, the expression in his eyes fluctuating. After some time he burst intoughter, responding, ¡°Trying to bind me? Good one, Zhangsun Wuji. Are you supervising me? I finally know why you took my jade. You know Fuyao¡¯s soft-hearted, and you are afraid that she would be touched by my words and ept it. You¡¯re apprehensive about the friendship we share and chose to ¡°retreat¡±, epting this gift as an attack and forcing me to swear. If I were to slip in future, you would destroy it on her behalf, and she wouldn¡¯t say anything. I, too, would be too ashamed to continue my pursuit. How scheming!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you done the same? It¡¯s a verbal trap that one who is confident of his genuineness and ability to pass the test of time would jump into.¡± Zhangsun Wuji let out a subtle smile. ¡°War God, it¡¯s a battle between us two. Are you up for it?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zhan Beiye agreed immediately. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in this world that I daren¡¯t do. Do you really think that victory is in your hands? I¡¯ll show you that I, Zhan Beiye, can conquer the world and capture a heart.¡± Zhangsun Wuji responded with a smile before keeping the pendant in his sleeves. Both men raised their gaze, instantly sending fiery sparks across the room. Again, Meng Fuyao felt a lightning bolt split, causing her a bout of dizziness, as if electrocuted. Without a word she crawled onto her bed and covered her head with the quilt. ¡®Can¡¯t stand it, can¡¯t stand it¡­ why such deep feelings? Why such a sentimental confession? Why such tenderness and meticulous? Why exin everything so clearly? Can¡¯t they just talk to themselves at different corners? I¡¯m scared out of my wits right now¡­¡¯ She pulled the quilt tightly against her skin in anguish. ¡®Please forget about me, please, please forget about me¡­¡¯ It was then that Meng Fuyao felt how small a figure she was. Her definition of ¡°a small figure¡± was a person who would never ever be able to grasp and control the thoughts and intentions of big figures. After a night of insomnia, small figure Meng Fuyao finallyprehended Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s love tactics: Forcing isn¡¯t forcing, and not forcing is forcing. To force without pressure, and to force one¡¯s heart instead of the person himself¡­ ¡®Alright then.¡¯ Since things had turned out this way and both had imed not topel her into making a choice, they would only need to work hard and perform well. Yet, Meng Fuyao felt as though she had already been driven to a dead corner and the situation was absolutely helpless. That night, her rest was disturbed time after time. Zhan Beiye had personally delivered medicine while Zhangsun Wuji had helped tuck her in. The former was eager to feed her but was sternly rejected: ¡°I¡¯m able-bodied so why do you need to feed me?¡± As for Zhangsun Wuji, all Meng Fuyao could think of was: ¡°Please, do it quick. I¡¯ve deliberately bared half a shoulder to catch your attention. Do it, and I¡¯ll fall sound asleep.¡± Ultimately, War God ZHan snorted and carried the empty bowl out, while Zhangsun Wuji took a seat upon tucking her in. Fair fight indeed. Now, with his usual smile, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ¡°Fuyao, only fools or people with a nerve short would believe in absolute fairness and that it is possible to abide by all rules.¡± ¡®¡­ Alright.¡¯ Meng Fuyao tore at the fact that both Zhan Beiye and herself had been shut off without even noticing. The good thing was that Zhangsun Wuji did not act inappropriately. All he did was to shift closer to the part above her shoulder. He had given reasonable space and time while doing that. When those two were done disturbing her night, small figure Meng Fuyao detached herself and attempted to rationalize the situation from an outsider¡¯s perspective. Thinking about how events would develop in future, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh on behalf of the smart but honest Zhan Beiye. The King De incident had ended for now, and he was detained in Huazhou at the moment. Meng Fuyao made some calctions and realized that the True Martial Arts Meet, which would be held in Tiansha, was about tomence. She would most definitely expose herself to the different schools out there to gain another breakthrough for Nine Cleaving Heavens. Before, she had asked Zong Yue about the shrine in Qiongcang. Being licensed in all seven nations, Zong Yue could easily enter wherever he pleased. However, Qiongcang was still out of bound for him. The most he could do was to pick herbs from outside the shrine. That time, he had told Meng Fuyao that it was difficult to even enter Qiongcang, and sessful entry did not mean that she would make it into the shrine. Outside the shrine were four godly barriers ¨C Jiuyou, Anjing, Yunfu, and Tiancheng ¨C meant to seize lives. Even the top yers were doomed to fail passing through. Meng Fuyao drew a cold breath before asking Zong Yue what standard was required for someone to pass through all the obstacles. ¡°If you can improve your so-so skill to, say, the 8th level, you should be fine.¡± A world-ss ¡°Nine Cleaving Heavens¡± had, through Zong Yue¡¯s mouth, be a so-so skill. ¡°8th level and you should be fine¡±? Meng Fuyao had on a bitter face upon the realization that news she had heard from the marketce weren¡¯t urate enough. It seemed that collecting all seven passes wasn¡¯t the most difficult part. She had to work on her own ability. As Meng Fuyao pondered over the best way to bid Zhangsun Wuji farewell and then get away from Zhan Beiye to travel to Tiansha, she heard Zong Yue mention that Guo Pingrong¡¯s Master Fang Yimo was near Huazhou and could possibly visit his disciple. Zong Yue was nning to meet with Fang Yimo and see if he could obtain the antidote and form of ¡°Emotion Lock¡±. Upon gaining news of that, Zhan Beiye was naturally not going to give up on the chance. Not bearing to escape while having them do so much for her, she could only follow them to Huazhou. Before setting out, an imperial edict reached Yaocheng from Wuji court. It was a letter tomend Meng Fuyao for her heroic act and to bestow her Yaocheng, Suishui, and thend of the two Rongs. She was also given an enormous amount of golden pearls. She received the edict in the main hall, with 100,000 Yaocheng soldiers standing before the office. ¡­ Cheers erupted as Meng Fuyao stepped out in a third-grade military officer robe. Countless Hans citizens burned bamboos and sprinkled water on the path to celebrate the asion. Meng Fuyao stood on stage, staring somewhat nkly at the crowd and mumbling, ¡°Is this necessary?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zhangsun Wuji asked. ¡°You¡¯re worth it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Meng Fuyao insisted with a listless smile. ¡°I simply disyed the bravery of an ordinary fellow and had almost caused trouble. Quite silly, in fact.¡± ¡°How many own that bravery?¡± Zhangsun Wuji challenged. ¡°Fuyao, to brave through a sea of enemies is easier said than done. Anyone can say it, but none in millions can do it.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and waved at the people. While she needed no rewards, to exchange the blood that had been lost, the gratitude and grudges that had been discarded and the sacrifice and hard work that had been made and put in for that sentence of him was still a blissful thing. ¡°You pulled strings?¡± she asked Zhangsun Wuji smilingly. ¡°Father doesn¡¯t know who Meng Fuyao is,¡± he answered, ¡°It¡¯s purely based on merits. Fuyao, the city is reborn thanks to you, and King De¡¯s army has crumbled thanks to you. Youpletely deserve the honor and glory that has been given to you. It has nothing to do with you knowing me.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her brows, responding, ¡°What do I need these 2 cities for? I¡¯m not going to stay here my whole life.¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned to look at her, and she shrank her neck in guilt. ¡°Yaocheng and Suishui will forever belong to you. No one can ever seize the things you protected with your own ability.¡± His words were meaningful, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s neck shrank back a little more. ¡°I¡¯m going to pee,¡± she informed, quickly turning away and shooting off. Lord Yuan Bao squatted imposingly on her shoulder. The guinea pig had recently realized that the view from her shoulder carried a different vor. For example, he could then get a clearer view of his master. Lord Yuan Bao felt that while Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t as unlikeable as before, she was still a little annoying. For example, to whom his master belonged to was a matter of principles, and he couldn¡¯t give up. A good guinea pig wouldn¡¯t ever despise his owner, and a good Yuan Bao would never not want to defeat his love rival. That day, he had witnessed the jade pendant scene between the two men while chewing on a candy. He was in full admiration of his owner. He was impressed by his craftiness and gradual advancement. He was even able to turn defeat into victory under such harsh conditions. The fool Zhan wasn¡¯t his match at all. Nevertheless, the guinea pig thought, ¡®If Fool Zhan was a capable rival, he could perhaps take Meng Fuyao away and leave Zhangsun Wuji for me.¡¯ As such, he sat on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder, sucking on a snack he was given earlier and seriously wondering how he could sell her away. Chapter 98 - A Guinea Pig’s Plan Chapter 98: A Guinea Pig¡¯s n Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Lord Yuan Bao pondered over it for a few days as the crew made their way to Huazhou. The battle between the Rongs was still ongoing but bound to end soon. Zhangsun Wuji had passed on the matter to his subordinate to settle before starting on the journey. Naturally, he had hoped that certain people wouldn¡¯t tag along but if they had to it was fine as well. He was going to send them packing sooner orter. What he hadn¡¯t expected was his guinea pig¡¯s scheme to sell his woman to the rival. They rested at the foot of Huazhou¡¯s Ning Mountain to rest. Tie Cheng, also Meng Fuyao¡¯s guard, had surveyed the surroundings earlier on. By right, big figures like them should be apanied by a lot of guards, but these few people enjoyed freedom. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s guards had always been secretly hiding and protecting him, while Zhan Beiye hadplete confidence in his own ability. Ya Lanzhu believed that it was others¡¯ luck if she didn¡¯t cause them trouble, and Zong Yue had always walked alone. The few of them cast pitiful nces over at Meng Fuyao, as though she was a little bird that required much protection. The ¡°little bird¡± was being treated very well. During tea, the War God personally filled her cup but identally spilled it all over her sleeves. Embarrassed he hurriedly wiped it away, only to be interrupted by Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s frosty voice. ¡°She doesn¡¯t drink tea.¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t bear to look at Zhan Beiye. She stood up and announced, ¡°I¡¯m going to relieve myself.¡± Lord Yuan Bao jumped onto the shoulder immediately, gesturing that he also needed to pee. ¡°Kidney failure?¡± Meng Fuyao snorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you pee not long ago?¡± While squabbling in this manner, they made their way behind the shed. Some timeter squeaks could be heard clearly. They were long and trembly, first increasing in pitch then gradually dropping. The squeaking sounded like the inharmonious sounds a woman and man-made on the bed. Zhangsun Wuji pricked his brows and chuckled. Yuan Bao¡¯s habit of singing while doing number two hade out again, and his singing skill was getting from startling to absolutely shocking. He sipped on his tea, and upon looking up, Zhan Beiye was gone. Stunned, it urred to him that not everyone could ept the guinea pig¡¯s singing voice. Listening to him sing was no different from experiencing the ten greatest torture pieces of equipment. When he sang in his low, raspy voice, abnormal scenes would start popping into people¡¯s heads. Zhan Beiye had probably interpreted that the guinea pig was calling for help, and immediately assumed, with a man¡¯s imagination, that Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes were being torn in a dark alley. Zhangsun Wuji smiled while refilling his cup. ¡®I see what you¡¯re doing, guinea pig¡­¡¯ In the toilet, Lord Yuan Bao was singing at the top of his lungs while squatted on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder. While he sang, he stuck his head out and looked around. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he here yet¡­ she¡¯s almost done¡­¡¯ ¡°Please stop singing,¡± Meng Fuyao begged, ¡°I¡¯d rather you sing ¡®The Eighteen Touches¡¯¡­¡± At this moment, the sharp-eyed Yuan Bao spotted a ck figure sweeping over from afar. ¡°Squeak¨C¨C¨C¡± Lord Yuan Bao ended his call with the highest and most powerful screech before leaping out of the window. Startled, Meng Fuyao zipped her pants and shouted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this stupid rat¡­¡± A gust of wind rolled over, and the sight before her eyes lit up. A ck and red silhouette swept toward her, pulling the curtain aside. ¡°Fuyao, what enemy¡­¡± He paused. Before him, stood a slim, tenderdy with untidy clothes. Her blouse was slightly lifted, and her bottom wasn¡¯t exactly pulled up properly. As such, exposed in between her dark clothes was a strip of jade-like skin that appeared exceptionally bright. She looked up in surprise with her mouth slightly parted. Feeling embarrassed over having her privacy invaded in this manner, Meng Fuyao blushed, her redness resembling that of candles. In contrast to her translucent skin, it carried a hazy radiance. Zhan Beiye held his breath, instantly being suffocated by her beauty. It was as if he had witnessed the blooming of the crape myrtle in her mother¡¯s pce many years back. When he had turned back to the corridor, he had seen his mother standing before the flowers, embracing the gentle breeze while smiling at him with brilliantly lit eyes. His heart ached. The pain snapped him out of his daze and into reality ¨C Meng Fuyao was relieving herself, there was no enemy, and her pants weren¡¯t properly zipped yet. The War God felt his body burn. When Meng Fuyao finally came out of shock and embarrassment, she started dangerously raising her brows. At this point, especially, Zhan Beiye was basically on fire. He withdrew in a panic, not knowing what to say. As Zhan Beiye was overly anxious, he had forgotten about the curtain cloth in his hand. Rip¨C¨C¨C It came tearing down! Meng Fuyao¡¯s half squat above the toilet bowl was instantly captured by the individuals who joined in. A brief silence followed. ¡°Die, Zhan Beiye!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s growl sent the perching birds flying all over the sky, and under everyone¡¯s eyes, Zhan Beiye¡¯s face turned chestnut green. He attempted to fix the curtains, but Meng Fuyao angrily snatched it over, stepped and trampled on it while tying her pants properly. Then, her face changed. As if nothing had happened she patted Zhan Beiye on his shoulder, exining, ¡°I was just scolding you for fun. Had to distract them so as to secure my pants.¡± She pped her hands and walked off handsomely, leaving Zhan Beiye smiling bitterly in his spot. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should be thankful to or hate the entric side of Meng Fuyao. She walked offughing, not the least bit bothered. Later on, she rummaged through Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s snack box until Zhangsun Wuji asked for it back. That night, Lord Yuan Bao had diarrhea and kept on burping non-stop¡­ On the same night, the few of them stayed in an inn, even paying for a whole courtyard. Since all of them were hard to please and none was willing to share a space with another, each ended up with a room of their own. They had dinner in the guesthouse, their dishes kept warm with pots, simr to modern hotpot. They sat, enjoying all the different types of meat and vegetables, while Meng Fuyao arrived a stepter after a shower. ¡°How fragrant,¡± shemented from afar. Upon sitting down, two bowls of soup were handed over to her. On her left was Zhangsun Wuji, who smiled and said, ¡°Rabbit meat. You like it.¡± On her right was Zhan Beiye, who added, ¡°Too much meat, too much heat. The mushrooms here are pretty delicious and soft. Try them.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at the soup as if staring at two bowls of poison. Ya Lanzhu pped her chopsticks on the table, pouting. ¡°I had neither meat nor soup.¡± As if she was invisible, the two men appeared indifferent. Zong Yue, on the other hand, unhurriedly put a piece of yam into her bowl. ¡°Eat this to clear body heat and regain energy.¡± Hearing the sarcasm in his voice, Meng Fuyao had to bite her lips to avoidughing. She retrieved the ck pepper that belonged to Zhangsun Wuji from her robe. She had already dried and ground it into powder, so she simply sprinkled a little into both bowls. ¡°These are best drank spicy. Come try it, you two.¡± At that, she pushed both bowls back to them. Zhangsun Wuji smiled before taking a mouthful of soup. Zhan Beiye, on the other hand, lifted the bowl and gobbled everything down. It was very spicy, but he drank it urgently, coughing in the process. Wanting to pat his back to ease his difort, Yan Lanzhu reached a hand out, only to receive a death re from him. Meng Fuyao pretended not to have seen it. Instead, she buried her face into the bowl and started drinking . ¡®How am I to survive the next few days¡­¡¯ Ya Lanzhu ran over suddenly to grab her, saying that she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep alone and neededpany, but her intentions were immediately seen through by Meng Fuyao. The former was definitely afraid that Zhan Beiye would crawl on thetter¡¯s bed. ¡®That was just once, and an exception¡­ can¡¯t have everyone developing the habit of crawling onto others¡¯ beds can we?¡¯ She was secretly happy about Ya Lanzhu¡¯s request nevertheless. At the very least she wouldn¡¯t need to receive Zhan Beiye, and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s kind acts. They started chatting on their beds when Meng Fuyao asked her about how she had fallen for Zhan Beiye. Ya Lanzhu grabbed onto her pillow with dreamy eyes, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I only remember following my brother on his visit to Tiansha Nation. I got lost in TIansha pce and found a beautiful hall in the process. There he was, washing the hair of a very beautiful woman. I¡¯ve never seen anything like that. Father and brother only had women washing their hair, and if the temperature was a tad too hot or cold, they would award the hairdresser with a flying kick. At that time I stood in front of the pace, looking at the crape myrtles and at how he slowly cleaned the woman¡¯ hair. As he used the cloth to dry her hair bit by bit, I fell into a sudden daze¡­¡± As did Meng Fuyao in the mid of Ya Lanzhu¡¯s story. Many, many years ago, the long forgotten prince was squatting before the water bucket in a secluded but flower-filled pce and washing the hair of his mad mother. The cluster of ck hair in his palm was like the flowing of time. It represented the days where they could only rely on each other. While she was lost in her own world, she always enjoyed his meticulous care and protection. Be it in the winter cold, summer storm or spring rain, he had been determined to preserve her bleak yet blissful life. Life for him was bitter, though. Someone had to bear the burden, and since it wasn¡¯t his mad and blissfully ignorant mother, it was him who had to endure the pain and loneliness. The heavy responsibility, which belonged to both him and his mother, had fallen on his tender shoulders ever since he was a child. Meng Fuyao finally understood the reason for Zhan Beiye¡¯s radiant and heroic character. He couldn¡¯t not be radiant. His poor mother needed all the light and warm she could get to suppress the icy grief deep in her heart. If he were to remain gloomy, who could possibly illuminate her dark world? If he were to be gloomy, which of his sly brothers wouldn¡¯t take the chance to p on a ¡°problematic child¡±bel onto him? Chapter 99 - Let’s Wait and See Chapter 99: Let¡¯s Wait and See Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye had no choice. At a disadvantage right from the start, Zhan Beiye had to struggle more in order to receive the most basic treatment from others. A moment of weakness would lead him, and his mother, to be trampled on. Meng Fuyao sighed, studying Yan Lanzhu, whose eyelids were slowly dropping.¡®What a naive child, but with so much love to give.¡¯ Meng Fuyao felt they were a good match. The more she thought the stranger it seemed. Ya Lanzhu wasn¡¯t weak. ¡®How did she suddenly fall asleep just like that?¡¯ Immediately after she smelled a faint fragrance, fresh and tempting. She turned sideways and saw a pair of profoundly smiling eyes. Zhangsun Wuji stood amid the hazy room light, smiling ever so charmingly while smirking and gesturing for her to keep quiet. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡®What is he up to?¡¯ He had already deactivated her acupuncture points. He then removed his shoes and moved onto the bed. Shocked, Meng Fuyao questioned in a quiet voice, ¡°She¡¯s still here. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ll feel the shame on my behalf, so why not carry her out first?¡± He smiled, hands behind his head. ¡°I do not wish to hug any girl that is not you.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed helplessly before carrying the child outside, where was only space for one to rest. ¡®What to do?¡¯ Meng Fuyao frowned. Should she go back in? Should she steal his bed? Not go back to sleep? Just let him upy her bed like that? As she was still thinking, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt an arm around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder, and his breaths were peaceful. His voice reminded her of Spring¡¯s night drizzle and breeze, his every sybus floating into her reddening ears. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± Smiling, Meng Fuyao turned to ask, ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re into these childish games too.¡± Her eyes shone brightly like the splendor of stars despite theck of light in the room. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen the real me, Fuyao. Ever since I met you, I stopped being myself.¡± Warm air brushed past her ears, tickling her. Meng Fuyao tried to dodge it, but he held her even tighter. She twisted her body slightly and responded, ¡°So you¡¯re not only a brilliant strategist and politician but also a sweet talker.¡± ¡°Not before I met you,¡± he whispered. ¡°But a certain someone is enjoying a rich love blossom luck and attracting all kinds of men. I will be forgotten if I don¡¯t learn something new.¡± ¡°You sound like an angry housewife.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him, feeling the heat on her skin at the same time. She retreated with a beet red face to the window, which wasn¡¯t shut tight. A ray of starlight seeped in, highlighting the subtle curl on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s lips. His face was slightly flushed, and his eyes appeared even more distant than the stars. Meng Fuyao looked at him, ripples surging within her heart. A pained look shed across his face briefly. Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°You¡¯re troubled,¡± Holding her hand in his, he led them to the bed. Meng Fuyao handed him a pillow, but he reached for the one beside her. ¡°This is yours, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How cheap,¡± she chided before stretching herselffortably on the bed. Shoulder touching shoulder, they gazed at the moon outside and the fresh cherry blossoms beneath, some yellow, some red. The clustered flowers cast their shadows onto the window paper, creating beautiful lines and shapes. ¡°Alright. Do you have anything to say to me?¡± Meng Fuyao asked with half-shut eyes while listening to the rustling of leaves. ¡°You never believed that I was dead, did you, Fuyao?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she blinked. ¡°I was very afraid and worried. When that stupid rat said you were gone, especially, I was this close to believing it. Deep down I knew that it wouldn¡¯t make any sense for a troublemaker like you to just die like that.¡± ¡°You never forget to add in an insult no matter what, huh?¡± Zhangsun Wuji pinched her nose. After some time he continued, ¡°I¡¯m d you believe me. Can you¡­ really trust me?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± she let out. ¡°Can you always trust me no matter what happens from now on? Please understand me and do not be swayed by false impressions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about King De?¡± Meng Fuyao asked instead. ¡°I didn¡¯t mind it much. I believe that you have your own difficulties, and when the time is right, you¡¯ll tell me all about it.¡± ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji breathed softly before sighing. ¡°You make me feel like I¡¯m letting you down¡­¡± ¡°Brother,¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and stated sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too touched and agitated too soon. Don¡¯t fall deeper because of this, or I¡¯d be the one saying that in the end.¡± ¡°You stubborn little fool¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. Patting her head, he added, ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you on this. Whatever the case, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡°Wait and see we shall,¡± Meng Fuyao agreed. ¡°One day you¡¯ll realize that I have your interests at heart.¡± Zhangsun Wuji stared at her, anger evident in his face, but her eyes remained brightly lit. Her beam-like gaze made it hard for people to find fault with her. After a long time, Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Alright, since I¡¯m destined to be abandoned by you, and even owe you a thank you for that, shouldn¡¯t you console and make it up to me now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let me hug you to sleep tonight,¡± Zhangsun Wuji requested, reaching out to pull her into his embrace. ¡°Haven¡¯t had a good sleep in days,¡± he said and sighed. Meng Fuyao was about to kick him when her leg went weak. In an instant, he had already jabbed her sleep acupuncture point. He rested his weight on his elbow, studying Meng Fuyao as she fell gradually asleep. ¡°You soft-hearted girl. How great would it be if you¡¯re okay and this good to me¡­¡± The second time Meng Fuyao woke up, she looked nervously to her side. Zhan Beiye had scared her enough, and she really did not want to wake up next to another naked man. Yes, there was a naked male beside her, but it was Lord Yuan Bao. The guinea pigid on his back with all ws up, his pink belly rising and falling regrly. Thinking about how this rat had schemed for Zhan Beiye to catch her naked, Meng Fuyao started feeling agitated. First, she drew a few lines on his tummy, and then she reached for a piece of paper and wrote a few words. When Lord Yuan Bao woke up, still in half a daze and with eyes still shut, he put on his robe. Meng Fuyao took the chance to stick the note on his back without his notice. As he floated out of the room, the words became clear: No peeing here. A short whileter Ya Lanzhu¡¯s wildughter could be heard. Immediately after, Lord Yuan Bao shot into the room like an arrow, angrily stripping off his robe and looking at the paper. He threw a tantrum, stamping his feet and tossing the robe aside before dashing out again. This time, Ya Lanzhu¡¯sughter could almost split the sky. On Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s pink belly were two big boobs¡­ The whole day after that, until their arrival at Huazhou, Meng Fuyao never saw the guinea pig. When she asked about him, Zhangsun Wuji simply answered, ¡°Please search in the corners.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him. Ever since they had gotten close to Huazhou, there was something about the expression in his eyes that was off, despite keeping his usual face. It became obvious upon their entrance into the city. ¡®Could it be due to King De¡¯s detainment in prison and because he has to decide on his punishment?¡¯ The crew split near the government office. Zhan Beiye, Zong Yue and so on, were not willing to participate in the pce affairs, and hence had left to seek their own amodation. Meng Fuyao had wanted to leave too but was stopped by Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°I want you to know a few things.¡± The prefectural magistrate, together with the governor-general of Jiang Bei municipal weed them on their knees. Zhangsun Wuji stopped abruptly, observing the specially and luxuriously decorated exterior of the office. ¡°Who else is here?¡± Governor-general Cui stayed on the ground, answering, ¡°It¡¯s the Empress, Your Highness. She has just arrived in Huazhou¨C¨C¨C¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned. ¡®The Empress? Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mother? Why did she leave her pce toe here?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji spoke after a short pause. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this? Mother has traveled far and needs rest. No one shall disturb her.¡± Governor-general Cui wiped his sweat off while whining inwardly. Upon the empress¡¯s arrival, she immediately made an order to call for him when he got there. Nevertheless, Governor-general Cui daren¡¯t say anything. Everyone knew not to get involved in the affairs between the royal family. Now that Zhangsun Wuji had released such an order, all Governor-general Cui could do was nod and retreat. ¡°You did not tell her about King De¡¯s detainment in the underground prison in the backyard of the office, did you?¡± Zhangsun Wuji moved forward quickly while asking casually. ¡°No.. no¡­ did not dare go against your orders.¡± ¡°Alright. Mother is here to relieve stress. Do NOT bother her with military affairs. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to stress over. As long as you¡¯re managing the national affairs and not skipping any meals, what else do I need to worry about?¡± A cold and stern yet soft female voice sounded. She owned an ent belonging to the extreme south of Wuji, where the most beautiful women were born. While her voice was soft, every word was clear and strong. At the end of the corridor stood a woman, pencil-straight, in a yellow royal robe with a pair of phoenixes embroidered on it. Her hair was bunned high and tight, her long skirt embellished with colorful pearls and tassels. The pearls formed 18 crescent moons that hung down from the phoenixes, their brightness so dazzling that her facial features were being dimmed. Nevertheless, she exuded an overpowering charm and aura. It was the mother of Wuji Nation, also Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mother, Empress Yuan. Chapter 100 - Empress Yuan Chapter 100: Empress Yuan Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Empress Yuan stood,posed, looking Zhangsun Wuji up and down with a cold re that disyed no hints of their mother-son rtionship. ¡°Have you been healthy, Mother?¡± Zhangsun Wuji asked expressionlessly with a slight bow. ¡°Please pardon me for not having weed your arrival, as I had no idea.¡± ¡°Save it,¡± Empress Yuan said curtly. ¡°It¡¯s good enough that you do not fault others. Who would dare find fault with you?¡± As if he hadn¡¯t heard anything Zhangsun Wuji continued, ¡°I have tasks to handle. I will visit you when they are done. The scenery in Huazhou is decent. If you like it, I can arrange for the local official to take you on a tour.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Empress Yuan questioned, before spotting Meng Fuyao, who was standing behind him. ¡°Whose wild child is that? Not paying any respect?¡± Meng Fuyao stepped forward and was about to bow when Zhangsun Wuji stopped her. ¡°She is an outside official. I¡¯ll send her out right now.¡± Meng Fuyao stood still, feeling the empress¡¯ arrow-like gaze falling onto her body. The empress sized her up as if understanding something and falling into thought. ¡°Is she the one who single-handedly saved Yaocheng by impersonating the grain transportation officer to destroy King De¡¯s army? Surnamed Meng?¡± Her words exited her mouth like sharpened knives, and before Zhangsun Wuji or Meng Fuyao had time to react she continued, waving her sleeve, ¡°Men¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Withdraw, General Meng,¡± Zhangsun Wuji ordered quickly. ¡°Yes!¡± Meng Fuyao bowed and took three steps back before turning around. ¡°Hold up.¡± Meng Fuyao felt a hole burning into her back as the empress spoke, ¡°How dare you leave as you please when I am talking?¡± While her back was facing the empress, Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡®Why is his mom like that? I¡¯m not your stupid subject, so why wouldn¡¯t I dare leave? If not for him, I¡¯d even give you a good ass-kicking.¡¯ ¡°Empress,¡± Meng Fuyao bowed upon turning back around. ¡°Your humble servant was simply fulfilling His Highness¡¯s order. He told me to retreat, and I had to abide. Also, I haven¡¯t heard anything stating that a royal member in a respective nation has the power to order and prosecute officials outside of their region.¡± ¡°You!¡± Empress Yuan shouted, her pearl crown trembling slightly. Biting her teeth, she added, ¡°Indeed a wild, mannerless child! You don¡¯t know what death is.¡± ¡°You are being mannerless, Mother,¡± Zhangsun Wuji took over in a calm voice. ¡°This is an outstanding minister of Wuji, the sole hero behind King De¡¯s fall. Father had just bestowed her the title of a general, and in Wuji court, my men are all endlessly grateful for her and her loyalty. As the mother and leader of the nation, you have indeed lost your courtesy and disappointed the officers and soldiers who had fought hard in battle.¡± ¡°Outstanding minister?¡± Empress Yuan repeated, mockingly pricking her brows. ¡°The world has overturned. The truly loyal minister has been locked up while this child over here has be an outstanding minister. Hah, hah.¡± She let out twoughs and stepped forward slowly. Bells rang as she moved, echoing throughout the garden corridor and producing a stifling pressure. Empress Yuan stopped before Meng Fuyao, her swaying pearls reflecting light that concealed her tiger-like gaze. In spite of that, Meng Fuyao could still feel her eyes piercing through her body. The way the empress eyed her up and down wasn¡¯t like that directed toward a subject but rather, an enemy. ¡°I want to know how this outstanding subject has managed to kill all seven generals and ultimately ruin King De.¡± The empress smiled eerily at Meng Fuyao before adding, ¡°The whole city is spreading your story, and even I have heard it and have been wondering how a brave man like you, so young at that¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°It is really Wuji¡¯s luck to have you.¡± Meng Fuyao took a step back and offered a small bow. ¡°Pardon my ignorance, Empress.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the Empress responded, waving her embroidered sleeves and revealing her spiked, enamel nail guards. Holding Meng Fuyao¡¯s forearm, she stated, ¡°You¡¯re from the outside. Dispense with the curtseying.¡± Before Meng Fuyao could get up the empress extended her palm, all beneath her sleeve, hooking her fingers toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Her sharp, dagger-like nails approached Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes at an extremely dangerous speed. Snap! The empress¡¯s back turned stiff. A momentter, 10 deep blue-gemmed nail guards broke and fell onto the ground, producing a series of crisp shattering sounds. With a slight smile, Meng Fuyao raised her head and shifted her fingers, in a scissor gesture, away from the empress¡¯s fingers. Mischievous, she made a cutting gesture in front of the empress¡¯s face,ughing. ¡°What lousy nail guards you have. They shattered so easily.¡± Following which, Meng Fuyao flung the empress¡¯s hand so hard that thetter dropped to her knees, almost mming onto Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body. Zhangsun Wuji simply kept both hands behind his back with no intention of supporting his mother. He studied his mother with aplicated gaze that seemed to contain pain and hatred, hurt and helplessness. Just looking at his eyes one could imagine him letting out a prolonged sigh. The empress staggered backward, finally reaching for the corridor pir to steady herself. She whipped her head toward Meng Fuyao, ring and then breaking into augh. Empress Yuan regained her usually calm demeanor quickly, and she announced politely, ¡°Thank you for saving me when I lost bnce and sorry to have almost hurt you.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? I had thought that you were practicing a new martial art move,¡± Meng Fuyao blew her fingers, adding, ¡°Something like the Nine-Boned w of Death? A pity you stillck in skills.¡± ¡°Can¡¯tpare to you, naturally,¡± the Empress replied. ¡°If not for your impressive ability, how could you have infiltrated King De¡¯s camp, kill my transportation officer and cause disorder?¡± ¡°Please allow me to remind you something, Mother,¡± Zhangsun Wuji spoke suddenly upon studying her in silence. ¡°King De is a rebel, as is the transportation officer. They should be executed, and General Meng was the one who put down a revolt. It¡¯s obvious what is right and what is wrong, so please do not mix them up.¡± ¡°Put down a revolt?¡± Empress Yuan felt her cold body burning as if on fire. A cold smile emerged on her face. ¡°The trial has not started, so how can you judge who is right and wrong? King De¡¯s contributions and errors have yet to be determined, and you are already attempting to frame him? You were ¡°dead¡±, and he gathered the army to avenge you. Did he do anything wrong? Why is he being med and why has he be a scapegoat to be exterminated?¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes were on her, and at this moment, pain shed across them. Soon after, he responded, ¡°Where were you upon news of my ¡°death¡±? Yet, here you are, two days after King De¡¯s detainment. How regretful.¡± His voice was calm but cutting, and the empress¡¯s face turned white as a sheet. Tongue-tied and at a loss, she only reacted some timeter. ¡°You were only faking it.¡± ¡°Yes, your acuity cannot be questioned. Not only did you know that I was faking death, but you also understood that King De was being maligned,¡± Zhangsun Wuji mocked. ¡°I will remember your plead and seek a fair trial, but since Mother is here solely for King De and not to sightsee, I doubt it was with Father¡¯s approval. As such, as a national leader, I would have to remind you that you are not to exit the pce as you please and get involved in national politics. Since you have broken both rules, I suggest you return to your pce as soon as possible.¡± Without even looking at her he waved his sleeve. ¡°Men. Send the empress back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back!¡± The empress shouted, losing all formality. She stood rooted to the ground, her fingers grasping onto the pir tightly. She dered coldly, ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here and see how my son is nning to deal with him¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°Send her back to rest!¡± Zhangsun Wuji interrupted her abruptly before turning to Meng Fuyao and leading her away. He moved fast, and his ashen face worried Meng Fuyao a little. It was her second time witnessing him getting angry, but there was more sorrow this time. ¡°How ruthless, Zhangsun Wuji!¡± The empress¡¯s shrill cry broke the suffocating silence. If the shattering sound of her crystal nails was considered shocking, her voice now was unimaginably sinister. ¡°You must not kill him. He¨C¨C¨C he¨C¨C¨C¡± A purple shadow shed by, and the next moment Zhangsun Wuji had appeared behind the Empress. He lowered his head slightly, looking expressionlessly at his mother. ¡°You are talking a lot today.¡± The empress red at him, her breath rising and falling rapidly. ¡°Kill me along with him, you unfilial son.¡± ¡°How can I do that, Mother?¡± Zhangsun Wuji asked, regaining his usual smile. ¡°Only criminals deserve to die.¡± ¡°Who deserves to die?¡± The empress quickly repeated. ¡°He has the rights to receive special deliberation.¡± ¡°Schemers must die,¡± Yuan Zhaoxu stated coldly before leaning toward his mother¡¯s ear and continuing in a low voice, ¡°I have been patient with him for the longest time, and I have given him ast chance. What did he do? He took advantage of my kindness¡­ and even crossed the line¡­ there¡¯s no way, Mother. I do not wish to do this, but some people do not know when to stop, and I have no choice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re forcing me to death,¡± Empress Yuan responded calmly. She raised her finger with the broken nail toward her throat, revealing a peaceful yet eerie smile. ¡°Do not regret it, Wuji.¡± ¡°Using a broken nail to end your life?¡± he questioned with a smile. ¡°Previously it was a broken vase, and then almond juice. You sure have a lot of ideas, Mother.¡± He shifted his gaze toward the guards, who daren¡¯t look at the duo. ¡°Send the empress back to rest!¡± Zhangsun Wuji ordered before turning away. A few stepster he was greeted by a hurriedly approaching Governor-general, who was sweating from head to toe. With an ashen face, he whispered a few words into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s ear. Meng Fuyao could vaguely make out the word ¡°suicide¡±, and her heart tightened immediately. She lifted her head to look at Zhangsun Wuji, whose smile had vanished by then. Darkness surged within his eyes, and Meng Fuyao, whose hand was against his, could feel the iciness on his fingertips. Also sensing something, Empress Yuan strode toward them and questioned, ¡°What happened?¡± Chapter 101 - The Cruelest Revenge Chapter 101: The Cruelest Revenge Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Not turning around, Zhangsun Wuji repeated, ¡°Escort the Empress back to rest!¡± The guards hesitated butplied, only to be stopped by the Empress. ¡°Withdraw! Is this a ce for you to interfere? Ie and go as I please. Let us see who would dare touch me.¡± Zhangsun Wuji reciprocated her gaze andughed. ¡°No one can touch you, Mother. You can do anything you want to, but let me remind you that I have the power to discipline people. If you make me feel uneasy, I will have no choice but to take action. Do as you deem fit.¡± ¡°You!¡± Zhangsun Wuji grabbed Meng Fuyao and walked away. Reaching the middle of the long corridor, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but turn around. She spotted the nobledy shuddering in her bright yellow robe. From afar she no longer looked imposing. Instead, she appeared weak and fragile, like a dried leaf that was floating helplessly amid the whole pce of blooming flowers. Meng Fuyao sighed inwardly. That was the nation¡¯s mother and son duo, and they were simply members of the imperial family, which was full of deception, opposition, schemes, and cruelty. She had always thought that as the most capable and only prince of the Five Region Continent, Zhangsun Wuji would naturally be his parents¡¯ sole source of pride and glory. Wuji royal family had to be the most harmonious family within the whole of the region continent, but the reality wasn¡¯t so. The rtionship between mother and son was cracked beyond repair, and even their words for one another were cold and pressing, causing even an outsider like her to feel ufortable. What other unspeakable secrets were kept hidden within the multi-leveled pces and pavilions? King De and the empress were probably in an unusual rtionship¡­ Was that the reason Zhangsun Wuji had given him a way out? Meng Fuyao had unintentionally offended Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mother and seeing that thetter couldn¡¯t wait to skin her alive, all she could feel was grief. It mattered less if she had offended God, but to offend ady meant dire consequences¡­ Zhangsun Wuji sped up gradually, his light purple robe swaying in the early spring breeze. He looked like a soft, flying cloud, and staring at his feet, Meng Fuyao felt uneasy. Ever since she had known him, he had always been calm and stable, and had never, ever, lost himself. However, now, he was clearly in an overwhelminglyplex mood, evident from his fast yet unsteady steps. Meng Fuyao was at least astonished. ¡®What could possibly have happened to cause him such shock?¡¯ They followed the governor-general toward the courtyard, and the crowd around them gradually lessened as their route became more isted. Finally, they stopped before a row of servant houses. The houses had an ordinary appearance, and colorful cloth robes were being dried outside. Three individuals passed through theundry unit while the governor-general opened the third room door. Upon pushing it forward, a heavy metallic stench attacked their senses. The light within the room was dark and gloomy, and the tools found inside were unremarkable. Nevertheless, Meng Fuyao¡¯s attention had been caught by a simple looking oilmp. Indeed, themp turned out to be a switch to a secret door. The governor-general lifted themp cover, and the western wall started rising. The governor-general moved aside with a bow, not daring to advance another step. He stood at the top of the stairs as sweat poured from his forehead. identally getting involved in the royal family¡¯s secrets, the governor-general felt anything but safe. The way he looked as Meng Fuyao foolishly followed them was no different from the way he would at a goose awaiting ughter. The foolish goose seemed oblivious as she followed Zhangsun Wuji down the stairs. ¡°You¡¯re not going to lead the way?¡± she even asked politely. The governor-general wiped his sweat, inwardly cursing. ¡°I¡¯ll guard the door from here,¡± he hurriedly offered. Without turning his head, Zhangsun Wuji waved his hand, and the secret door shut close. The smell of rust became stronger and almost nose-piercing. It was a smell Meng Fuyao was exceptionally familiar with. She felt her palms turn cold. They proceeded down the stairs, making ¡°tak, tak, tak¡± sounds as their shoes came into contact with the metal steps. Other than the echoing of their footsteps, there was no other sound. There were only dead silence, loneliness, coldness, darkness and the feeling of void as if life had fallen into permanent sleep, and as though there were countless tombs buried in there. Zhangsun Wuji stopped at the bottommost step. He did it so abruptly, nearly causing Meng Fuyao, who was lost in thoughts, to bump into his back. She lifted her head and sucked in a cold breath. Blood! It was everywhere! Fresh, wet blood flowed from between the metal fences, stickily dripping down each stick like slithering scarlet snakes. It was soundless and terrifying. The metal wall that faced them was filled with arge amount of sttered blood as well. Patches of blood flowers had bloomed generously on the wall, and in the center of these flowers were big written words. It was a sight that shocked their eyes and hearts. ¡°I will use my life to denounce your sin.¡± The words were filled with hatred, and each stroke was the size of a finger. The tip of each stroke was insufficient to bear the malice and enmity of the writer, and it was made clear by the thick umtion of blood at the end of each line and hook. The strokes had sinisterly smooth arcs, each dragging streaks of blood to form a that seemed to summon the greatest curse from the deepest of Hell. King De sat upright beneath these words. He was sitting cross-legged, with open eyes and mouth while his tongue was missing. Fresh blood was still dripping from inside of his mouth. He sat facing the end of the stairs, which meant that visitors to this jail would first catch view of his horrifyingly bloodied mouth. How many could actually endure such a harsh sight? And those words¡­ Meng Fuyao inteced her fingers tightly, turning to look at Zhangsun Wuji. He stood, straight as a pencil, at the lowest step, never taking thest step. His sleeves moved despite theck of wind as a cold sensation radiated from his body. It was denser than the smell of metal and fishier than the stench of blood. Meng Fuyao walked down and stopped right behind him. That man, in this moment, appeared indescribably weak. It was the weakest state she had ever seen him in thus far. The roomful of blood-breath had seeped into his flesh and bones, and then his heart and blood. Someone had executed the cruelest revenge. He had dealt the man, whom he ultimately had no power over, with a final and powerful blow. This moment felt fleeting, but it also felt like an eternity. The choking darkness, stench, and silence were finally broken by Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s drawn-out sigh. ¡°You¡¯re ruthless¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart lifted. His dreary voice made her imagine a pair of strengthless hands, and it made her hold her breath. She then heard him calling out softly, ¡°Father.¡± A sky full of snow had suddenly struck the crown of her head. Meng Fuyao could almost feel her soul shattering into a million pieces. ng¨C Meng Fuyao mmed onto the stairs but could no longer feel pain. She grabbed onto the metal railing, feeling the icy burn against her skin. Just like that, she sat numbly, wondering if she was in a dream. King De was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s biological father. Earlier, when the empress had let out a hint, she had thought that King De was her lover. Who would¡¯ve guessed that the nk she had left behind contained such a shocking secret? Stars were spinning, and disorganized thoughts were colliding with one another in her head¡­¡¯King De¡¯s mad concubine¡­ insulted Zhangsun Wuji for having gained his position unrightfully¡­ Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s patience toward and probing of King De¡­¡¯ ¡°I never thought that he would really kill me¡­¡± he had said once¡­ his tone then was bitter and astringent¡­¡±I will use my life to denounce your sin.¡± To denounce his sin of forcing his father to death. What kind of father¡­ what kind of parents! Meng Fuyao shuddered, her teeth chattering non-stop, not out of fear but from the cold she was feeling. The entangling and improper businesses that went on in the imperial family, together with the bloody odor that they carried, made her feel cold, from beginning to end. She felt bitter for the fine, wless man that was Zhangsun Wuji. No one knew about his painful history, and while she felt distant, she kept her arms open for the man who did not turn back. Meng Fuyao hugged Zhangsun Wuji from behind, just as how he had done the night he sneaked into her room. She stuck her cheek on his icy back gently, just as he had rested his chin on her shoulder that night. That night was weed by spring breeze and floral fragrance as the coupleid in bed, enjoying the beautiful scenery; this night, blood filled the air, and vicious currents surrounded the room as they stood still on the steps, facing a bitter-looking corpse whose mouth was wide open in usation. Zhangsun Wuji stood in silence, his oversized sleeves hanging down, defeated. His usually straight back was now feeble and helpless. While he was still standing, it felt as though a slight breeze could easily sweep him over the balcony, never to be redeemed by destiny again. He stood there for some time, and as the moonlight shone over, a tuft of hair on his temple was illuminated and given a faint luster, turning from ck to grey and finally to the yellow on the moon. A strand of white hair made itself visible in that instant. Meng Fuyao looked at it in shock as it fluttered, resembling a metal cane that she instantly felt whipping at her heart. Tears flowed down her cheeks unknowingly, and she felt absolutely useless. She did not own the hand that controlled destiny, and she couldn¡¯t erase the cruel sight before their eyes. She could only hold onto him tightly, feeling the endless trembling of his back. ¡°Say something, Wuji¡­ say anything¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s not¡­¡± She repeated in his ear as tears continued flowing down, eventually moistening his light purple robe. With patches of dark purple visible on his robes, it looked, from afar, as if he was soaked in spots of blood. He finally moved. He turned around and hugged her lightly, the iciness of his fingertips brushing against her clothes but seeping right into the deepest of her heart. She lifted her head and was greeted by his bloodless, pale-white face. ¡°Do we all carry sins into this world¡­ Fuyao¡­¡± Chapter 102 - Love Triangle Chapter 102: Love Triangle Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°No!¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head. ¡°What have others¡¯ mistakes got anything to do with you? Zhangsun Wuji, you¡¯re wise and should understand this logic. Do not punish yourself on behalf of wrongdoers.¡± She released her hands suddenly and walked to the jail entrance before striking the lock with Destiny Rebellion. The lock came apart, and she pushed her way in, stopping before King De and going down on her knees. After three bows she spoke, ¡°The dead is greatest.[a] As for whatever gratitude and grudges that were left behind, they are now bows that I owe you. Also, I am sorry for having disturbed your corpse. There¡¯s something that I have to do, whether you like it or not.¡± She stood up and moved forward to close his wide-opened mouth. ¡°No matter who¡¯s in the wrong, this isn¡¯t the way a father should punish a son.¡± Meng Fuyao reached forward with determination, closing his wide-opened eyes before cing his body down in a resting position. She then started wiping the words on the wall without hesitation. There wasn¡¯t any cloth around, so she used her own sleeves to do so. When done, she turned around to see Zhangsun Wuji sitting on the floor observing her. He had remained quiet throughout, like the trace of moonlight that shone through the narrow window above the jail ceiling. It was cold and cast onto the pitch ck floor, it resembled a nameless tablet that could never be removed. The unsettled ounts, love, and hate, rights, and wrongs that faded along with death were like the nameless tablet ¨C only a nk was left. The blood on the wall could be erased, but how could one remove the scars left in the heart? Meng Fuyao walked over to the coppermp on the wall and lit it up before taking a seat in front of Zhangsun Wuji and amid a pool of blood trace. The dim light, sunset-like, flickered about in the empty and lonely cell, interweaving all past events that had urred and could never be altered. ¡°A long time ago there was an emperor who got severely injured in a battle to suppress a revolt. A capable general brought him into the mountain cave to recuperate, eventually dying on his behalf at the final moment. The general was also a member of the royal family and shared the same family name as the emperor. Upon reaching safety, the emperor swore not to let royal members mistreat the general¡¯s descendants. He then adopted the general son and became his father. ¡°Since then the orphan was conferred with the title of a king and guarded the royal family like his own. Three generationster, also this generation, the current emperor fell ill often. The king fought bravely, stayed loyal to the nation, and was basically the emperor¡¯s arms. When they were young, they had often traveled far away to tour and have fun. ¡°It was springtime when both of them trekked to a mountain outside the city. The emperor stopped in a pavilion and started ying a piece on the zither while the king broke into an exciting sword dance. Halfway through they were disrupted by ady who was passing by. Sharp-tongued, she thoroughly criticized their respective skills, causing them to pack up and go but never really forgetting about her.¡± The room was hazily lit, and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s calm expression could be seen. His mind was in a remote ce, as visible from his eyes. It was as if he had been brought back to the scene from a long time ago where the breeze was blowing, and the flowers were plenty. A refined young man was ying the zither while another passionate youth was brandishing his sword under the tree. A youngdy, dressed in a yellow robe and surrounded by falling petals, approached them and burst into a tirade, unknowingly stirring the affairs of the world, destabilizing the imperial family and the destinies of countless individuals, even after many, many years. Meng Fuyao reached her hand out in silence to grab his hand while he simply let out a faint smile and gently patted her hand. ¡°Some time passed, and the emperor got busy with national affairs, gradually forgetting the woman from that fateful day. One time, the king dashed into the pce, informing the emperor that thedy had been found and that he was going to marry her. Having heard that she was born into a far away tribe but unwilling to snatch a brother¡¯s lover, he sent a trustworthy eunuch to her residence with a painting of a swordsman, from the previous dynasty, dancing in the snow. The emperor figured that thedy probably knew martial arts and would appreciate the painting. He had the eunuch keep his identity a secret. He only was to mention the encounter that had made him think about her often. He should also say that he had boldly gifted her such a painting in hope that she would like it.¡± ¡°She epted it, and asked after some time if it is from the zither yer or swordsman.¡± ¡°Thinking that she was asking about the content of the painting the eunuch answered, ¡®Swordsman.''¡± ¡°¡®Alright,¡¯ she smiled.¡± ¡°Pleased, the emperor released a decree to send her into the pce as a concubine. In her second year, she bore him the first and only prince. Satisfied he made her the empress.¡± ¡°During her first year as the empress, the king found his own princess, the eldest daughter of King Linjiang. Originally, leaders of the same ns were not allowed to marry, but since he was young and pampered, and was the only one she had wanted to marry, they tied the knot eventually. That time, the citizens were magnanimous and willing to let go of old ideas. To them, the pair made the perfect couple.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked out of the window and at the moonbeam. It was a full moon it seemed, and he wondered if many years ago, on that night, the two seemingly loving couples were also enjoying the beautiful moon. What had actually happened that night, such that the poison that was hatred and revenge had been injected into the far future with no hope of reconciliation? ¡°Days passed like that, and it seemed to everyone that nothing was amiss. Of course, only involved parties were aware of the undercurrents. For example, the empress found out that she had married the wrong man and that the emperor was impotent. The emperor understood that she didn¡¯t love him. The king believed that the emperor had stolen his woman, while the princess finally realized that her husband wasn¡¯t really considered a husband. These revtions seeped into their hearts like poison and made their days insufferable.¡± ¡°Then the child grew up. At the age of 3, he went missing for half a month. To be precise, he was brought away by the princess.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Meng Fuyao let out. ¡°The princess ¨C a naturally prejudiced and wilddy ¨C risked her life to enter the pce and steal the child, locking him in a secret room. She had no intention of scolding him. All she did was put a mirror up to his face and point at the reflection in it. ¡®Look at your nose and temples. You¡¯re his! You¡¯re his! This cheap man. Cheap man, cheap man¡­¡¯ she cursed endlessly as the child cried. She then pinched him forcefully, shushing him. ¡®In this world, people who smile aren¡¯t really smiling, and people who cry aren¡¯t really crying. It¡¯s all fake. Only the bitterness within is real, and unseen by others. No one must see it, or they will be done for.''¡± ¡°The child was locked up in that dark room for half a month and forced to look at his own reflection every day, harming his sight in the process. When he was rescued, he almost turned blind. From then on, he no longer knew how to cry.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and sniffed a little. Her throat sounded hoarse as she added, ¡°Please give me a minute to digest this.¡± Zhangsun Wuji lowered his head, using his ice-cold hand to massage her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past¡­¡± he reassured gently. Meng Fuyao stared at his chest, noticing a wet patch. She reached toward the fellow who had been secretly crying and pulled him out. ¡°Stop hiding, guinea pig. Let¡¯s cry all we want.¡± Lord Yuan Bao silently extended his w and clung onto her neck. Zhangsun Wuji revealed his usual smile, causing Meng Fuyao to look away. She did not want to see him forever hiding his sadness. In that smile was a kid who had been transformed through endless struggles. He knew not to let others know of his pain. Now, all grown up, the seemingly perfect Zhangsun prince was beyond healing. All she could do to share the pain was to hold onto his hand, using her warmth to melt the man¡¯s ice-cold heart. ¡°¡­ it was the king who saved the child. He looked straight into the child¡¯s eyes, instilling fear, before carrying him up andughing maniacally, ¡®Mine, mine¨C¨C¨C hah, this is mine, and you¡¯ll never snatch it back¨C¨C¨C''¡± ¡°The empress was present at that point. She had the pce maids leave and locked the door before pouncing forward and crying, ¡°It¡¯s yours¡­ ours¡­ it¡¯s all ours in future¡­ they did not hide it from the child, thinking that he couldn¡¯t understand them, but he did.¡± ¡°At the age of 10, the child finally gained some abilities and the emperor¡¯s adoration. Thetter gave him the power to manage military affairs and showcase his political talent. The king and the empress were in joy and discussed how they could get the former to ascend the throne by ridding the emperor.¡± ¡°The child became aware of it and pondered for countless nights, but to no avail. One night he visited the emperor in his hall and saw him fiddling with a painting. Instead of keeping it, the emperor had him go over and take a look.¡± ¡°It was that night that the child finally got to know the full story. What he had not been able to forget, since that night, was the softness in the emperor¡¯s eyes when he looked at the empress, and his apologetic look when talking about the king.¡± ¡°It was then that the child understood. The emperor knew everything, the child¡¯s identity included.¡± ¡°That night he returned to his own room and caught no sleep. He studied the emperor and the king¡¯s characters closely and had to admit that be it to assume a father or emperor¡¯s role, the emperor himself would be the better candidate. The king was narrow-minded and had over the years been led astray by umted hatred. While the emperor was weak and unable to offer greater contributions, he was magnanimous and kind, and the citizens had been able to lead a peaceful life because of him. He had also given everything he could to that child, by teaching him all he needed to know. He held onto his hands when teaching calligraphy, and ced him on his knees when teaching music. Before that night, the emperor had never once sensed that he wasn¡¯t the child¡¯s biological father.¡± [a]Is this some kind of Chinese idiom? I don¡¯t get it. Chapter 103 - Stripped Chapter 103: Stripped Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°He can¡¯t have both position and kinship. That night the child thought hard, even developing a strand of white hair. The next morning he plucked it out upon the first ray of sunlight, before proceeding to release a few decrees.¡± ¡°His orders included the bestowment of morend to the honorable and glorious king in exchange for his military authority. The child had hoped that the king would provide the title conferment and move far away, and that the umted grudges would eventually fade.¡± ¡°Nevertheless the king declined with the reason that his queen¡¯s health was not in good condition. Upon losing his military authority, he was not willing to retire. He concealed his power, secretly making connections while appearing open and candid, and always loyal toward the court. Everyone was in praise of his righteous attitude while the child observed from afar. He knew he couldn¡¯t just punish a ¡®faithful official,¡¯ but at the same time, he hoped for his biological father to turn over a new leaf. As such, he refrained from taking action and continued studying him.¡± ¡°Who would have known that the king would have guts greater than most. He had actuallybined forces with the empress to hint to the child about his parentage, requesting that he acknowledge his roots and kill his foster father to free the throne.¡± ¡°It was indeed an atrocious request, to which the child simply smiled. Angered and desperate, the king took a risk by contacting foreign nations and inciting conflict. Upon finding out about that, the child knew that he had to do something. While it hurt him, he sent 200,000 soldiers to suppress the chaos at the border area.¡± ¡°It was a test and the king¡¯s final chance. If he had done the right thing to quell the revolt, the child would not have done anything to make things difficult. But¡­ it happened.¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued without a smile, ¡°You know what happened after. This is the story of the Zhangsun imperial family: The king is my father, the empress is my mother, and the child is me.¡± Not knowing what to say, Meng Fuyao held his hands tightly. Why was life all about a freakbination of events? In this case, it had given the innocent¡¯s happiness a final send-off. No one was at fault, but the oue that had awaited them was ultimately a bitter and unexpected one. ¡°The mess in Gaoluo is real, Fuyao, it¡¯s the truth,¡± he added. ¡°Since I was able to track down the Gaoluo spy, Tory, I have my way against them. That was why I could easily end the matter upon arrival. This piece of news was not released, however.¡± ¡°And I can now exin to you the things that I need to.¡± He tidied the few strands of hair that were stuck on her tear-filled face gently before continuing, ¡°I did not expect him to plot against me at the expense of Yaocheng. I had everything mapped out but did not foresee that he wanted me dead.¡± ¡°My father wanted me dead.¡± Tears rolled down Meng Fuyao¡¯s cheeks and fell onto the ground, which was filled with congealed blood, turning its purplish color back into red like flowers blooming by the Yellow Springs. She sprung forward and wrapped her arms around his motionless shoulders, her tears streaming down and staining his skin. Each drop felt as dense as mercury as it pierced through his skin and bones and then the heart, eventually scorching a hole in it. Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyes and observed her under themp. At that moment, amid the yellow light, the story of transformation and loneliness flowed by and had the girl who would not bat an eyelid before death cry to her heart¡¯s content. Lord Yuan Bao joined the duo, sticking himself in the middle and hugging his owner tightly. ¡°Please, just cry. Just once¡­¡± Meng Fuyao grabbed him by his clothes, repeating, ¡°Please, just cry¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­ cry it out¡­¡± She buried her head in his chest while crying non-stop. After some time Zhangsun Wuji finally stopped her. He looked at the beam of moonlight that slipped through the ceiling window. It was the moonlight that was not bound by time. It was the moonlight that had witnessed all joys and sorrows, and other vicissitudes of life, from a detached point of view. It was always illuminating the world without knowing its sufferings. His life in the past was no different from the moonlight ¨C distant and detached. He did not belong to themps in the thousands of tents nor to the ordinary world of mortals. Schemes, tactics, grudges, and grievances were a part of his life. He was the master of the courts and a sojourner of the blisses of life. He had indulged in the extravagance of the mortal world, but certain things were still a luxury to him. For example, at this point, he had someone to there for him, and to cry for him. Her warmth crept in, and he couldn¡¯t help but hear the melting of ice. A long, long timeter he lifted his head and shut his eyes, as the moonlight drew an outline of his exquisite lower jaw. Under his longshes, teardrops could be seen flowing down while reflecting off the moonlight. When the duo walked out from the prison that reeked from blood, it was already daytime, and the golden sun was shining down without restraint. Meng Fuyao raised her head but used her hand to cover the re. As the warmth shot deep into her body, she heard the sound of joints cracking. She turned around, hoping to see the usual expression on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s face whenever he basked in the sunlight. His heartless father had dealt his undefeatable son with a final blow, but Meng Fuyao wished that he would be able to let it go and be reborn. The dead ultimately brought their sins to the grave, and all the dirt transformed into a wisp of bitter scars. The living had a farther path to take, and she believed that Zhangsun Wuji was forever a victor. The moment his narrow-minded father had chosen to use death to imprison him eternally, the oue had been set. Sensing her gaze Zhangsun Wuji smiled and held her hand. His palm had regained its usual temperature, and it put Meng Fuyao at ease. Through tears, Meng Fuyao¡¯s smiling eyes glistened like the most valuable gems. Zhangsun Wuji looked at her before brushing his gaze over her shoulder and toward ady standing farther away. Over there, before a cherry blossom tree, stood a luxuriously dresseddy, embellished with brilliant jewelry. Behind the shiny pearls was a pair of anxious eyes, and under her golden phoenix embroidered sleeves were fingers that intertwined tightly. She was evidently nervous. It was none other than Empress Yuan. Zhangsun Wuji studied her for a moment before diverting his gaze and leading Meng Fuyao over. He approached the empress steadily, and when the distance closed, he brushed past her shoulder,pletely overlooking her shocked expression and widely opened mouth. The Empress looked at her son in absolute shock. Her body started to tremble, and she had to hold on to the tree bark for support. She dug her nails deep into the bark, causing sap to ooze out as if crying. Meng Fuyao lowered her lids. Along with Zhangsun Wuji, she hoped for the empress to let the matter rest. The wise would not question or say anything, and instead let time heal all wounds. Unfortunately, not everyone could be Zhangsun Wuji. After crossing no more than 10 meters, the empress yelled abruptly. ¡°He ¨C what happened to him?¡± Not even turning around Zhangsun Wuji stated, ¡°Dead.¡± The empress staggered and fell a step back, colliding into the tree behind and causing it to shake. Light pink petals rained down. The Empress¡¯ body was half nted, and she simply allowed her clothes to be covered in petals. The nation¡¯s mother, always steady and elegant, had now lost all grace andpletely forgotten about her noble identity. She stood, nk-faced, amid a sea of pink. Zhangsun Wuji did not turn around. He walked off and heard, shortly after, a voice booming from behind. ¡°Take me there!¡± At the same time she lifted her skirt and stumbled toward the house they had exited from. ¡°Grab her!¡± Zhangsun Wuji ordered. Like ghosts, a few figures in grey clothes jumped from a roof behind the bushes and proceeded without hesitation to hold her down. ¡°How dare you stop me, you despicable men.¡± ¡°You must not contaminate your royal body,¡± Zhangsun Wuji stated, ¡°Furthermore, the body is still there, and it¡¯s inappropriate.¡± The Empress stood astonished as the morning breeze blew onto her pale face, temporarily reviving the blush in her cheeks. Some timeter, she let out a coldugh and cast her son a side nce. ¡°Empress, is that right?¡± She reached a hand out to remove her golden hairpin and then her phoenix crown before moving on to her jade earrings and pearl ne. Everything associated with her status was thrown to the ground before she stepped forward in light steps. She proceeded to trample on these symbolic objects, causing them to shatter. The sound of the jewelry breaking was fine yet heart-wrenching. Zhangsun Wuji pricked his brows as the empress broke out in yet another coldughter before stripping her gold-embroidered phoenix royal robe. Unable to handle her any longer, the guards bowed and turned around. Without the slightest care, the empress dropped the robe to her feet and onto the mud, leaving only a yellow halter inner wear on her. She carried on to undo her phoenix-printed, gold silk belt that represented her royal identity. Atst, she retrieved the phoenix pendant from her waist pocket. The exquisiteness of the jade had been well preserved by her. cing it in her palm, she showed it at Zhangsun Wuji. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes turned cold instantly as the empress let out a provocativeugh before flinging the jade onto the ground. Crack! The jade shattered. The supreme jade, symbolizing the 26 years she had been crowned Wuji Empress, was irreversibly shattered beyond repair. Crystal-like pieces filled the ground and scattered everywhere like beads of tears. ¡°I have crippled myself,¡± the empress smirked. ¡°It¡¯s no longer inappropriate for me to see my lover, is that right? No longer disrupting Wuji family affairs, is that right?¡± Chapter 104 - Missing Concubine Chapter 104: Missing Concubine Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Empress stood ¨C only in a yellow top, body free from jewelry and hair scattered ¨C under the cherry blossom tree. 26 years did nothing to erode her natural beauty. Her brows were still as youthful as ever, and now that the noble empress was dead and the youngdy had been revived, it seemed as though she was the same girl whom the emperor and the king had first seen moving nimbly in her light clothes. It was a during a sunset in spring, 26 years ago, when it all started, and 26 yearster, it ended on a spring morning. ¡°There¡¯s no more Empress Yuan from now on, only Yuan Qingyi!¡± Stripped from her robe and pearls she walked barefooted on the icy ground. She walked forward, and with every step she took the guards took another back. Nevertheless, without Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s order, they daren¡¯t leave. Sweat poured down their expressionless faces. Zhangsun Wuji let out a gentle sigh. He waved for the guards to retreat, and the empress turned around,ughing coldly, ¡°Now you can¨C¡± She copsed suddenly, into the arms of Zhangsun Wuji, who had rushed to her side in the first moment. He deactivated her acupuncture point, bent down quietly to carry her up and back to the room in the courtyard. He sat by the bed, studying the indignation between her brows. He then returned to his table and wrote a letter and ordered the governor-general to immediately have the empress sent back to her pce and to have the letter delivered to His Majesty. Meng Fuyao observed as all these took ce, but only approached to hold his hand when the governor-general had brought the empress out of the house. ¡°She¡¯ll understand your intentions one day¡­¡± To allow her a glimpse at King De¡¯s dead body would be the cruelest thing. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s decision was the only way he could protect her. Who dared to say that he was unfilial? Meng Fuyao would spit at whoever dared question his love for his mother. What did it mean for a man to subconsciously follow his mother¡¯s family name when creating an alias? And what harm would the said mother cause her son with her selfishness and ignorance? ¡°Affairs of the world are meant to go against the wind, so how can we expect so many exnations?¡± Zhangsun Wuji had kept quiet upon the empress¡¯s departure, but at her words, he finally opened his eyes and gently caressed her hair. ¡°It¡¯s hard to find a soulmate. It¡¯s good enough that you understand me, Fuyao.¡± ¡­ King Demitted suicide in Huazhou to escape punishment, and not longter Zhongzhou ordered for hisnd and title to be revoked. Only those who had worked with him were punished, and his family members were not treated as guilty. Also, it was mentioned that the former ruler, upon the news, wasmenting. Meng Fuyao thought about the gravely ill emperor resting in Wuji pce, understanding that he was in all likelihood, and reasonably so, deeply grieved over the fact that 26 years of entanglement hade to such an end. It wasn¡¯t convenient for her to stay in Huazhou¡¯s official residence, but fortunately, Zong Yue had a manor in the suburbs. It was a gift by a rich man whom he had cured. As such, Meng Fuyao enjoyed free amodation. Upon entering the door, she heard that the rich family¡¯s daughter was secretly admiring Zong Yue, often dropping by to visit. Unable to put up with it, Zong Yue shunned her by going out, and while Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t in the best mood, she didugh a little. Zong Yue and Zhangsun Wuji mentioned that Fang Yimo had arrived at Huazhou, but he was difficult to track as he enjoyed staying hidden and was good at acting unpredictably. Unable to precisely locate them, they could only inquire slowly. Once, out of curiosity, Meng Fuyao asked Zong Yue about the ten strongest fighters and found out that they no longer appeared much in the Five Region Continent. In sequence, those ten yers were Mystery, Holy Spirit, Thunder, Epsilon, Gale, Cloud Soul, Moon Soul, Fog, Splendor of Stars, and Mist. Other than Epsilon¡¯s unknown sex, Cloud Soul and Fog were females. The top five members had not been seen in the past 30 years, and Fang Yimo, the Splendor of Stars, was ninth in line, also a god-like figure no one in the whole Five Region Continent dared offend. Meng Fuyao was rather fascinated by now. She smacked her lips before speaking, ¡°I should start something like this for fun too. How about this? You, me, Zhangsun Wuji¡­ Zhan Beiye can join too I guess¡­ and there¡¯s Ya Lanzhu. Us 5 holy ones, eh?¡± ¡°Please do not put my name alongside yours. I want a clean name,¡± he quickly shot. The man with the poisonous tongue had released his venom once more, and Meng Fuyao made chase once more. Her suggestion could¡¯ve just been a joke, but no one had expected that words dide true at times, and jokes could jolly well be steered into reality. Zong Yue took this time to feed Meng Fuyao with more herbs. She said nothing if they were bitter, but she even suffered from diarrhea at times. The record thus far was seven trips to thetrine in a night, and she genuinely wished she were dead. The next day she, along with Yuan Bao, proceeded to demonstrate outside of Zong Yue¡¯s room, dering that if she were to be given croton seeds once more, she would stter his door with Yuan Bao¡¯s waste and let him experience the world¡¯s smelliest substance. What she got in return was: ¡°Poison births poison. There is a toxin that has been hiding in your body for more than a decade, and it has already developed into a pile. Don¡¯t you want to get rid of it for good? Sure, don¡¯t look for me when you¡¯re all covered in welts.¡± After some thought and imagination about having a body full of welts, all she could do was slip away with Yuan Bao. That was not it. Zhan Beiye beat Tie Cheng up every day, but he never once neglected her. First, she got beaten by him, then she asionally beat him, and eventually, they became evenly-matched. Often, both parties ended up numb on the ground, face full of bruises, and Lord Yuan Bao would stroll over to analyze the wounds on their faces. If Zhan Beiye had incurred more damage, Yuan Bao would reward Meng Fuyao with a pine nut that he had licked previously, and if thetter had more injuries, he would reward Zhan Beiye with a fart. He even made a little booklet to record their victories. Before the match every day he would bet on a winner ¨C always Meng Fuyao ¨C and the reward would be a fruit. If he was right, he would gobble the fruit up the next instant, and if he was wrong, the oue was the same, as he would start banging the wall out of anger and then require a fruit to mend his ¡°broken heart.¡± At times Meng Fuyao would flip through the little booklet and be in awe of his strange records. She knew for a fact that she never did win any of the 10 battles at the start, but it was clearly stated in the records that she had won five times. Also, when she had managed to win five out of 10 times, it was written in the records that she reignedplete victory. Meanwhile, Zhangsun Wuji made a trip back to Zhongzhou to settle King De¡¯s matter. The Empress might have crippled her identity, but the father and son duo had no intention of doing so. She was still Wuji¡¯s supreme empress, but Meng Fuyaoter heard that due to bad health, she had moved into a Buddhist nunnery, located in a separate pce, and closed herself up. Whether the empress nned to spend the remaining years of her life keeping her former lover in her heart or had other ideas, no one could truly understand. The passionate but untimely love that had been buried deep in the years and the brilliant sword rays that were silently fading away could only be revived through the monotonous and heart-wrenching ps of the mokugyo[1]. Meng Fuyao saw it as a destined conclusion to her story, an optimal one at that. From the start to the end she believed that King De and the empress were both prejudiced and selfish parents. They must have adored their only son in the past, but as time passed and as Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s talents were being recognized, they must have started indulging in their own fantasy of having the father and son cooperating to seize the throne. Upon realizing that their son had ideas of his own, had no intention of giving in to them and was even impeding their ns, their love gradually turned to hate. The hatred that had developed led King De astray and caused the empress to turn cold. After failing his revolt, King De felt absolutely unfortunate and chose to use death as a denunciation of his unfilial and ruthless son. What he did not know was that if Zhangsun Wuji had been unfilial and ruthless, King De would¡¯ve ceased to exist a long time ago. He would also never know that Zhangsun Wuji would never kill him. Prejudice had led to a tragedy, and all one could do was sigh. However, something else made Meng Fuyao feel uneasy. She had heard that the mad concubine had gone missing. When the guards were sent to seize King De¡¯s residence and to relocate the concubine, they noticed that the courtyard was empty and that the filth on the ground were all gone. They also realized that the thick piles of dust were fake and all stuck to the ground. Beyond the dirty grass patch was a mechanism that led to a clean secret room, evidently a dwelling for someone. The news jolted Meng Fuyao to recall details about the house in which she had barged into. Throughout her tour, she had moved without care, but no dust was raised from beginning to end, and there had been no footprints left. Whether thedy was acting crazy or had another ulterior motive, it was still unknown. Only time would reveal the truth. Upon Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s return he, too, participated in Meng Fuyao¡¯s training, but with a teaching method different from Zhan Beiye¡¯s. Instead of directly attacking her he wanted her to memorize books. However, without even shouting to get her attention, he simply smiled and flipped open some strange books and grabbed Lord Yuan Bao over to study them. Of course, being with his owner pleased Lord Yuan Bao tremendously, and he squeaked non-stop despite understanding nothing. Naturally, Meng Fuyao was lured into the trap and started getting confused by the books about evaluating merits, formations, five elements, and even geomancy and witchcraft. She was speechless and wondered what he was grooming her to be. At times she suspected, from the rapport she felt between the three men when drilling her skills, that they were aware of her deepest secret. Yet, she had never revealed it to anyone. While she had taken an indirect approach when broaching the subject to Zhan Beiye, he had answered cooly unlike the other two. As such, he was always her target when attempting to tackle problems and obtain confidential information. ¡°Look at you¡­ always inviting trouble, stubborn, likes to cause a mess by yourself. What are we to do if you just run off one day to cause a problem you can¡¯t handle? Raising your abilities is the most practical solution.¡± [1] A wooden fish, also known as a Chinese temple block, is a wooden percussion instrument. The wooden fish is used by monks andy people in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition to keep the rhythm during sutra chanting. Chapter 105 - Chrysanthemum Chapter 105: Chrysanthemum Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Touched by their kindness, Meng Fuyao remained silent. Was her luck good or bad, exactly? Yes, she got into trouble often, but it was often because of them. Perhaps without them, she would simply be a peaceful, well-behaved baby. Hence, this was a paradox no different from that of the chicken and the egg. There was no exnation, and all she could do was to ept her fate and continue undergoing training by all three handsome men. Although the three men held no good impressions of one another and fought endlessly, they had amon understanding when it came to Meng Fuyao. While training her, they did not forget about her subordinate as well. Zong Yue sent a top spy to teach Yao Xun about scouting, concealing, and gaining connections. Yao Xun excitedly reported his n to gather his Godly Palm Sect to Meng Fuyao. He wanted to train up a team like Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s secret guards. Meng Fuyao snorted, waved and had him think about it on his own. Zhan Beiye¡¯s Dark Wind Horses stayed in Yaocheng while their chief followed him to Huazhou. During Tie Cheng¡¯s break time he was in charge of imparting horse riding techniques. With Meng Fuyao¡¯s identity, she could now initiate an administration, regting the 5,000 White Pavilion soldiers in Yaocheng and Suishui and also be protected by her own guards. Zhan Beiye trained Tie Cheng with the intention of grooming him into bing the head of Meng Fuyao¡¯s future guards. Born from the mighty Dark Wind Horses, one could imagine how powerful her first army would be. Meng Fuyao did not notice the scattered ability those who had relied on their own character and charm had gained, and that they had started to break out of their embryonic form under the nurture of farsighted and impressive fighters. Her mind wasn¡¯t in the Five Region Continent as her goal had always been to leave. Why go through so much for someone who was going to leave sooner orter? It would be more crucial for her to gather travel money. As such, the short-sighted Miss Meng idled and ced her focus on obtaining money. Her entertainment dance club continued expanding after the war, and because of her increase in status, her business boomed even more. Next, her goal was to branch her dance hall into different levels, and that included the masses. The citizens were the biggest target audience, and they would drive clothing, tailoring and weaving businesses, all of which she would enter. Just imagining all the money rolling in made the moneygrubber Meng grin. ¨C¨C¨C¨C It was the opening day of the first entertainment club in Huazhou and naturally, as the boss, Meng Fuyao was present. She had practically been locked at home and wanted to have some fun, picking up girls and attracting rich men for a change, especially since she had heard that there was a reputable male brothel a.k.a. ¡°Chrysanthemum Path.¡± She had heard that the men in there were beautiful, and as a woman who enjoyed reading mangas about male homosexual love, she was deeply intrigued and had to visit the ce for herself. Of course, she mustn¡¯t let too many people follow her on this trip, and to make things easier, she decided not to invite anyone along. They could make it there themselves if anything. Early in the next morning, Meng Fuyao got up and dressed up. Lord Yuan Bao, who had been following her everywhere recently, squatted before his own closet, thinking about what was appropriate for such a grand event. He strongly believed that he would be letting the audience down if he, as the perpetual protagonist, did not dress the part. Meng Fuyaoughed as he rummaged through his clothes, failing to make a decision. She then retrieved something from her pocket. It was a dress. Lord Yuan Bao raged in heavy resistance against Meng Fuyao¡¯s insult toward the opposite sex. Meng Fuyao approached him with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The only time your master had everplimented my beauty was when I wore a dress like this. He can¡¯t resist a dress. If you want him, certain sacrifices must be made. Plus, doesn¡¯t having the bottom wear a dress create some kind of mood?¡± Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°This dress suits your figure ¨C slim at the waist and full at the hips ¨C the perfect S-line body. Wow, wow¡­¡± Meng Fuyao continued stirring, seeing that he was wavering. Just like that Lord Yuan Bao put on the dancing dress, evoking a sigh from Meng Fuyao. ¡®A ¡°slender waist¡± indeed. Perfect barrel bodyline¡­¡¯ She put him in her pocket and sneaked a glimpse outside. ¡®Door¡­ no one. Courtyard¡­ no one.¡¯ In the garden, Zong Yue was analyzing the herbs he had grown, and he was dressed in his white robe and shoes. It appeared as if a cloud was floating amid the dark purple and light green garden. Upon spotting her, he casually greeted, ¡°So early?¡± Before she could feel guilty thinking about an excuse, he continued, ¡°At this time the turbid air rises and fresh air falls. It¡¯s a great time for a stroll. Be inspired by the spiritual influence, or you might be dumber each day.¡± While Meng Fuyao was rendered speechless, she had long gotten used to his vicious speeches and could sense the warmth beneath it. Not wanting to bicker with him, sheughed it off. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re living like a piece of abstract art. It¡¯s the spiritual air¡¯s doing.¡± Zong Yue threw her a quick re and ignored her words. She quickly passed the garden and entered the courtyard, only to spot Zhan Beiye. He was training Tie Cheng, and upon seeing her, his eyes lit up. ¡°Come,e beat him up,¡± he waved. Happy that he seemed unaware, she drew a circle on the ground with a foot. ¡°We¡¯re going to try something new today.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Beiye asked, crooking his head and smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s have a match,¡± she giggled. ¡°We fight in this circle, and whoever leaves, loses.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°You start since you¡¯re the superior sex.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhan Beiye stood obediently in the circle, and Meng Fuyao emphasized, ¡°Noing out or you lose. The loser doesn¡¯t get to talk for 3 days.¡± ¡°Will I lose?¡± he asked with a slightly disdainful look. ¡°Eat this!¡± She waved her fist. Meng Fuyaounched her attack with great power but turned to grab her tummy midway. Frowning, she said, ¡°Ahh, a stomachache all of a sudden? I need to shit¡­¡± At that, she ran out, waving. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the circle. Wait for me¡­¡± Shaking his head, Zhan Beiye scolded, ¡°This unrefined woman¡­¡± In spite of that, he stayed where he had to be. Meng Fuyao rushed to thetrine, jumped off the wall andmented over the War God¡¯s naivety. She had already escaped once through this method, so why was he falling for it the second time? As the main gate came into view, Meng Fuyao did a little happy dance. Suddenly, a person emerged from behind the screen wall, letting out an idle smile. ¡°Morning, Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s excitement was instantly shattered by his voice, but she still reached a hand out to wave. ¡°Morning¨C¨C¨C¡± ¡°You look beautiful today,¡± Zhangsun Wujiplimented. ¡°The yellow flowers match the deep purple color in your robe really well.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ you look beautiful too¡­ what a beautiful color,¡± Meng Fuyao mocked. ¡°I¡¯ve been wearing this color for a long time, and you¡¯re finally learning to appreciate it,¡± heughed, casting his gaze toward the interior. ¡°Sir Zong is not up yet? I need some guidance.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°He¡¯s up, he¡¯s up. In the garden with his herbs,¡± she informed, eagerly grabbing onto his sleeve and pointing toward his location. ¡°Thest one, you know it.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he stated before walking off. ¡°Phew,¡± she let out, but as she was about to leave she caught him turning around. ¡°Oh right. Where are you going this early?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± She uttered, cing her foot down carefully and smiling sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m sick of the food here. I heard that the rock candy beancurd outside is soft and fragrant, and I am nning to buy some back for you guys.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare that you¡¯re this generous. In fact, I think this is the first time,¡± Zhangsun Wuji noted, calm and sarcastically, before heading in. ¡°Be quick then.¡± Pleased, Meng Fuyao let his sarcasm go and agreed readily before vanishing like a puff of smoke. Finally passing through the main entrance, she let out a long breath of relief. As Meng Fuyao had been undergoing bitter training and pressure, she finally had the chance to release stress. She was going to have some good fun. Since it was still early, she decided to have a taste of the chrysanthemum at Chrysanthemum Path first. She got on her horse happily and lifted her sleeve. ¡°Yuan Bao, the flowers over at that red tree are sweet. Want some?¡± Immediately upon hearing about food, Lord Yuan Bao shot his head out to take a look and dashed over to where she pointed. ¡°Meow!¡± A cat pounced out from within a bush. Lord Yuan Bao turned rigid, slowly shifting his head downward and seeing the cat sizing him up in curiosity. It was seriously wondering if the strangely dressed and shaped object was its arch enemy, a rat, or a rtive, a rabbit. Meng Fuyaoughed merrily on the horse, watching the event unfold. Meng Fuyao was up to no good that day, and couldn¡¯t possibly allow that little fellow to tag along. However, with the telepathic connection he shared with his owner, he might use it to call for Zhangsun Wuji if she did not bring him along. That would spell the end of her fun, and she would not let that happened. As such, she chose to find something to keep the little one upied. A few days back she had noticed a hole with a young cat in it. It was the perfect opportunity for her to test if a rat that was unafraid of a cat existed. Lord Yuan Bao finally confirmed the yellow ball¡¯s identity and let out a screech. He jumped off the tree, attempting to flee, only to remember that he was in a dance dress that made movements clumsy. With such a hindrance he slipped a few stepster, and upon getting up to run again, he tumbled once more. Chapter 106 - Feng Mo Chapter 106: Feng Mo Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Helpless, Lord Yuan Bao grabbed a fine, broken branch, put a foot forward and raised a w. It was a swordy posture that Meng Fuyao had first witnessed Zhangsun Wuji executing when breaking a sword formation. The intimidating pose startled the young cat and caused it to take a step back. Lord Yuan Bao immediately pointed the branch at it and assumed the second pose ¨C Unfortunately, the snow white fur on his bum gradually became moist. Meng Fuyao burst intoughter before whipping the horse and leaving poor Yuan Bao to battle the cat in his pink dress. Making a turn after another, Meng Fuyao gradually caught a glimpse of an embroidered curtain in the alley in front. It was especially well made. Just a secondter Meng Fuyao desperately pped her horse, screaming, ¡°Turn around. Turn around!¡± The horse wasn¡¯t able to make the turn as the alley was too narrow. It spun in circles on the spot, leaving her without a choice but to squat on it and greet the two handsome men who were stuck in the alley. ¡°Nice to meet you, nice to meet you.¡± Zong Yue quietly observed a rare-shaped flower in the alley, and without raising his head, he said, ¡°The spiritual air in this alley is indeed stronger. It¡¯s no wonder your stroll is covering half the city. Not easy.¡± Zhan Beiye hugged his chest tightly and cast her a side nce. He was standing in a hand-drawn circle, to which Meng Fuyao saw and was left speechless. ¡°I didn¡¯t exit the circle,¡± he pointed out slyly. ¡°Come here, we¡¯re not done. You sure havee a long way to relieve yourself,¡± he then added. Meng Fuyao had a mental breakdown. Hopeless, she dropped her rein and reversed. ¡°Why leave when you¡¯re already here?¡± Someone smiled, grabbing hold of her as she shot away like as cannonball. Conveniently pinching her cheek, he continued, ¡°The beancurd here is indeed fragrant and soft.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a lovableugh and nodded sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, quite alright.¡± ¡®Has anyone seen handsome men apanying a male brothel visitor? Or has anyone seen people bringing a pretty girl along to have a fun time with pretty women?¡¯ Meng Fuyao was convinced that she was the first ever to try something like that, and she had not one but three handsome fellows with her. It really was life¡¯s greatest¡­ tragedy. She had already nned to return, but the jersey decided to stay for the experience since they were already there. They were interested to see the kind of men Meng Fuyao was attracted to and would lie her way through to meet them. If they were worth learning from, the trio wouldn¡¯t mind finding a master to guide them. Stuck in the middle, neither unable to escape nor able to scold them, Meng Fuyao decided to go all out like a dead pig would be unafraid of hot water. She reached her left and right hands out to pinch Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue respectively, smiling lewdly. ¡°Hey there beautiful little boys,e give me a little kiss.¡± Meng Fuyao kept her eyes on the respectable men, expecting them to get triggered and go home. Instead, Zhangsun Wuji smiled slightly, responding, ¡°Dear Sir, it¡¯s 3,200 a pinch. Thanks for visiting.¡± ¡°There¡¯s poison on my face, dear sir. Your hand is going to itch for the rest of the day.¡± Squeezing into the courtyard through the narrow path they spotted an old duck[1], whose gaze contained interest and even a tinge of excitement, simr to that of pimps before luring a beautifuldy into their business. The three men possessed a beauty that took his breath away, and Meng Fuyao, disguised as a man, had a fresh look and was good stuff as well. Meng Fuyao bit down on her teeth, angered by the man¡¯s gaze. However, not disying it on her face, she demanded, ¡°Give me only the best beauties. 4 of them. We¡¯re going to get rooms.¡± ¡°Go all out, no worries. This gentleman is paying,¡± she reassured, pointing at Zhan Beiye. Having seen all kinds of people, the old duck could immediately tell that the group wasn¡¯t there to patronize. Nevertheless, Zhan Beiye waved dismissively and snorted, ¡°Go. Get the best. I¡­ want to get acquainted with his taste and preferences.¡± Meng Fuyao whipped her head toward the sky. ¡®Gentlemen, you¡¯ll never understand the pure and passionate heart of a Fujoshi[2]¡­¡¯ ¡°Beauties¡­ it¡¯s really the fortune of a lifetime for me to have met you, brother¡­. Oh my god¡­¡± Meng Fuyao held onto the manager¡¯s hand gratefully, but before she could finish her line, she rushed to the side to gag. When that was done, she cursed, ¡°What is this? Is this skinny? Can this be called skinny? With a waist slightly slimmer than an elephant?¡± ¡°Thank you, next!¡± Zhan Beiye waved. The other two yed chess, and Zhangsun Wuji asionally looked up toment. ¡°This is alright. Better than the white sesame face from earlier. Just make do, won¡¯t you?¡± pping a chess piece on the table Zong Yue chimed in, ¡°I think this is cleaner, the other had some mud behind the ear.¡± Exhaling loudly Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°Can we go now? I¡¯m done ying.¡± ¡°No,¡± said Zhan Beiye. ¡°I have yet to understand what your type is.¡± Lord Yuan Bao, who had been rescued earlier, crawled out from his owner¡¯s sleeve, gloating over her misfortune. ¡°Meow!¡± Meng Fuyao let out a ruthless hiss, prompting him to shrink back into darkness. ¡°Beauties¡­ it¡¯s really the fortune of a¡­ ohhhhh¡­¡± ¡°Beauties¡­. it¡¯s really the¡­ ohhhhh¡­¡± ¡°Beauties¡­ it¡­ ohh..¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m done!¡± Meng Fuyao threw her hands up upon clearing when the bile in her stomach. ¡°No chrysanthemum, only a life lost! Kill me if you want to, but I¡¯m not going to¡ª¡± ¡°Feng Mo is here.¡± The refreshing yet graceful and gentle voice, carrying a slight thrill at the end, reminded listeners about a flower drifting along with the morning breeze or a shooting star grazing the star-filled night sky. Meng Fuyao turned around abruptly and spotted a poised man, dressed in scarlet clothes, with jet ck hair and skin brighter than snow. He also had a pair of long, slim legs, and a pair of starry eyes. A rare beauty for sure! Meng Fuyao¡¯s jaw dropped, and she wondered if he hade onto the wrong path. ¡°Careful, you¡¯re drooling,¡± Zong Yue warned coolly. Snapping out of her reverie, Meng Fuyao rushed over and greeted, ¡°Beauty¡­ Brother¡­¡± Only upon greeting him did she notice that he wasn¡¯t young. Fine lines were hiding at the corner of his eyes, but they did not reveal his actual age. Instead, they gave him charisma usually present in older men. She stared at his red lips, gasping inwardly. ¡®Woah, a privilege only belonging to queens¡­¡¯ As if in deep thought she stroked the little stubble attached on her chin. ¡®Could it be that she appreciates old ones?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji paused the game and looked up at Feng Mo, his brows gradually wrinkling up. The man appeared easygoing, and before receiving an invitation, he walked himself in. ncing about he smiled. ¡°Which Sir here needs serving?¡± Meng Fuyao enthusiastically stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s chat, let¡¯s chat¡­¡± The three men threw her a hard gaze, instantly causing her back to sweat. She bit her lips, unwilling to let the man go. ¡®No. It¡¯s a chance only entitled to queens, and it doesn¡¯te often.¡¯ She could brag about it when she returned to the modern world. Meng Fuyao tried hard to fight against their gaze and pulled Feng Mo away to have a chat. They talked about everything, and she soon realized that she wasn¡¯t able to catch up with him. He was actually extremely knowledgeable in diverse topics like history, old scriptures, medicine, astrology, zither, chess, calligraphy. The only topic he knew nothing of was martial arts. Other than that, conversation flowed well on his side. She was enjoying her time a little too much. ¡®What a top grade candidate. So smart. Such a waste to be a ¡®trap[3]¡¯ in this world.¡¯ She studied him with glistening eyes, thinking about the possibility of bing his pimp. Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue had ended their chess session a long time ago, and they were listening quietly to their conversation from a corner indoors. Zhan Beiye slowly held onto his sword while not uttering a word. Meng Fuyao nced into the room and back out. The four outstanding men ¨C noble, gentle and graceful, handsome, clean and easygoing ¨C had her shocked for a moment, and she appeared to be lost in paradise. She slowly turned quiet, reflecting on her tour in this world. Was her affinity with such eligible males fate or an evil plot? Feng Mo was an interesting fellow, and upon noticing her change, he stopped and lifted his sleeves to raise the teapot on the table. ¡°It¡¯s fate that led to our meeting today. Let me offer you, four gentlemen, a toast.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately downed her cup while Zhan Beiye snorted and finished his too. Zong Yue, on the other hand, apologized. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡± Zhangsun Wuji raised his cup and approached Feng Mo with unhurried steps. ¡°You¡¯re an impressive man, Sir Feng Mo. I should be the one offering a toast to you since you havee here today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it,¡± Feng Mo responded, lowering his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m from a humble background and dare not pine for your praise.¡± At that, he extended his cup forward with both hands and bumped it against Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s. In that instant thetter¡¯s cup jolted, sending the colorless wine spilling out and onto the former¡¯s body. ¡°Oh my, how careless of me,¡± Zhangsun Wujimented and quickly retrieved his handkerchief to wipe it off Feng Mo. However, Feng Mo dodged it and smiled. ¡°No worries. There¡¯s no need to trouble you. I¡¯ll go get changed. Farewell.¡± At that, he backed away politely. Zhangsun Wuji ced his cup down, seemingly deep in thought. ¡°No skills?¡± Zong Yue questioned. ¡°Yeah. Maybe I¡¯m overthinking this, but since when did a person like him appear in Huazhou? Rather strange,¡± Zhangsun Wuji answered only some timeter. Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°You¡¯re a prince and not a spy, Your Highness. You¡¯re going to die from exhaustion if you¡¯re going to harp on the emergence of a new beauty in a brothel in a region under your jurisdiction.¡± ¡°A beauty is all you see,¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied, casting her a nce. ¡°You¡¯re always ignoring things you can see, instead of seeing them clearly.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯m going back to rest. I¡¯ll send men to monitor here,¡± Zong Yue informed after looking up at the sky color. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s noon time!¡± Meng Fuyao shouted all of a sudden, springing onto her feet and striding out. ¡°My business¡¯ ribbon cutting!¡± [1] A pimp. [2] Girls who enjoy yaoi (a genre in Japan that contains sexual and/or romantic rtions between two men); literally trantes to ¡°rotten girl¡±. [3] Usually found within an anime/manga/ero doujin, this is when a male (usually a young teen) who is small and skinny dresses in women¡¯s clothes, creating a dangerously effective illusion in which they present themselves as female. This terrifyingly deception technique is the reason that they were given the name ¡®traps¡¯. Chapter 107 - Sir Li Chapter 107: Sir Li Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Huazhou¡¯s ¡®Heaven on Earth Entertainment Club¡¯ was established in the city center, and when Meng Fuyao rushed to the opening, there was already a sea of people flooding the entrance to get a clearer look. Much earlier on, she had already ordered for a stage to be installed and had invited beautiful modern dancers from Yaocheng to perform. Tea time snacks were given out as well. Forced by her environment, Meng Fuyao was a capable chef and had especially learned the making of western cakes in university. Her specialty was egg tarts that instantly melted in one¡¯s mouth. These baking techniques were a surefire way of bringing in the money. Meng Fuyao smiled at the poprity of her cakes as Yao Xun squeezed from within the crowd and babbled, ¡°Why are you just standing there? Get ready to cut the ribbon. And where are the rest?¡± ¡°Oh, they have matters to tend to and may arriveter,¡± she exined before following him up the stage. There were two pairs of golden scissors, and as she reached out to grab one, a hand shot out and seized it first. Startled, Meng Fuyao looked up to see ad, barely presentable, gazing back at her with a pair of upturned eyes. Crooking her head, she turned to Yao Xun and asked in a low voice, ¡°Who¡¯s this foolish man?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you allow the¡­¡± At this point, Yao Xun gulped and then continued, ¡°This is governor-general of Jiangbei, Sir Li. He¡¯se to join in.¡± ¡°Oh, our shareholder, got it,¡± Meng Fuyao responded and smiled at the unreasonably hostile man before grabbing the other pair of scissors. However, before she could do so, Sir Li had already tossed it onto the ground. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes fell upon the scissors that had almost cut her boots before moving back to the man. ¡°Sir Li?¡± she greeted smilingly. Sir Li¡¯s nose was pointed toward the sky as he uttered a simple ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Do you need it to trim your nose hair?¡± She questioned with an innocent smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t as good. Use that,¡± she advised, walking to the back hall and retrieving an axe from the weapon rack. Swinging it in her hand, she advertised, ¡°Sturdy and durable.¡± ¡°Atrocious!¡± Sir Li raged. ¡°How dare a third-grade fake official talk to me like that?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao let out before asking, ¡°And what grade are you? Please let me know so I can act appropriately.¡± ¡°My father is an actual first-grade governor-general of the court!¡± He dered. ¡°A hair strand of mine is thicker than your waist, do you understand? ¡°Yeah?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, extending a hand out quickly to pull a tuft of his hair out. As he let out a swine-like screech, Meng Fuyao ced the hair tuft before her waist forparison and shook her head. ¡°There are about a hundred strands here but why is my waist still thicker? Please be more honest, Sir Li.¡± She patted his shoulder, continuing, ¡°Or perhaps it¡¯s your body hair that is thicker? Let¡¯s pluck them out and see then. Come on, we must be objective when ites to Science.¡± ¡°A rebel, a rebel, a rebel!¡± Sir Li pressed onto the bald spot, booming, ¡°People have been saying that you act all mighty and inappropriately on your own terms, bullying weak women in Yaocheng. Looks like they were right. Men!¡± In the next moment, a huge batch of soldiers emerged, each with a weapon on their back. They even had cuffs ready, a clear indication that they had already been waiting. ¡°Take this tyrannical, evil and shameless bully away,¡± Sir Li bellowed, pointing at her aggressively. ¡°Hold him down!¡± Cling- ng- Clung- The chains were secured around her body with a few quick whips. The citizens scattered immediately, inwardly sighing over the shop owner¡¯s bad luck for encountering a problem like this on the opening day. ¡®He must have offended the governor-general,¡¯ they all thought. Meng Fuyao used her hands to gauge the weight of the chains before turning to Sir Li and asking curiously, ¡°Tyrannical? Who did I bully exactly?¡± ¡°You bully the weak in Yaocheng, and I see no justice in it,¡± Sir Li snickered. ¡°You turn weak women homeless, forcing them into hardbor and extorting them.¡± ¡®Hu Sang?¡¯ Meng Fuyao knitted her brows, evidently enraged. ¡®That foolish woman dared to incite others to deal with me? This man must have fallen for her looks and decided to step up as her hero. Too free!¡¯ ¡®This muddle-headed fellow doesn¡¯t know what etiquette is. Did he be a governor-general just because his dad was one? Locking up a third-grade officer on the street? Hu Sang, Hu Sang¡­ you have such bad taste. Couldn¡¯t you have picked someone better to back you up?¡¯ A sinister smile appeared on her face as she pondered over the ways she could deal with this bastard. Suddenly she heard him ordering his guards, ¡°Prepare the usation papers. I¡¯m going to report this fellow on behalf of Miss Hu Sang. Lock him up in the jail first.¡± He then leaned toward the leader¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Lock him up with that old fellow Fang. Doesn¡¯t he kill anyone who approaches him? Let this fellow get a taste¡­¡± Despite his caution, Meng Fuyao heard everything but managed to hold back her outgoing fist. ¡®Fang? Old fellow? Kills anyone who gets close?¡¯ ¡®Sure sounds like someone I¡¯m looking for too¡­¡¯ While his appearance in jail was rather odd, it was usual for men like him to act unpredictably. He could¡¯ve developed a sudden interest and had decided to have a little bit of fun in there for a few days. Meng Fuyao fell silent. ¡®Aish, how can there be gain without risk? Let me just take a look.¡¯ Her identity was unknown to Fang Yimo, and there wouldn¡¯t be any danger involved. She would be quick. The question turned into a statement, and Meng Fuyao hurriedly threw Yao Xun a nce, hinting that he shouldn¡¯t butt in and should just y along. Sir Li watched with evil eyes, bursting forward with an air of arrogance. Seeing that the fellow hadplied, he couldn¡¯t help but feelcent. He reached to caress his bald spot, anger immediately rising. Extending a palm toward Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, he cursed, ¡°Let me teach you a lesson, you cheap child.¡± He threw out a tiger-like p, with all the force he could muster, but was interrupted midway when another palm reached out to bend his backward. Crack¨C Sir Li jumped in shock, holding onto his palm and howling. In that split second his hand had been bent 180 degrees backward, basically parallel to his wrist. Meng Fuyao spat a melon seed shell andughed. ¡°The melon seeds from Chrysanthemum Path are great! Fragrant and crispy! Takes strength to break the bones.¡± She closed the gap between Sir Li, whose face was distorted from pain, and herself. ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood and am willing to give you face. Lock me up and with that Fang fellow. Hurry up! Got it?¡± Her words left Sir Li trembling in fright and in pain. He stared at Meng Fuyao, unable to rationalize her weirdness. She could easily break free but was volunteering to get locked up. By now Meng Fuyao was already rocking her way toward the jail and singing out loud, ¡°Seeking and seeking, seek a friend, all the way into the jail¡­¡± ¡­ The jail in the official building was as dark as themon jail cells, but since Meng Fuyao had already seen the goriest and most frightening cell, this was nothing challenging. She was interested to find out more about the ¡°old fellow Fang.¡± The man was sitting a few feet away from herself, and he appeared, from head to toe, like an abstract image that was hard toprehend. Upon further observation, she decided that he appeared profound, somewhere between a beggar and a very able person. It was a 50-50 chance. She turned her eyes toward his messy hair, in search of features that would indicate his ableness while thinking of an opening sentence. Simply asking if he was Fang Yimo seemed a little silly. ¡°Excuse me, are you¨C¡± The man copsed unexpectedly and fell asleep, his dirty feet extending toward her nose. Staring at the ckness of his soles Meng Fuyao felt a mismatch between his nickname ¡®Starlight Sage¡¯ and the image he was portraying. There even was a big ck mole, from which fluttering hair grew, on the sole of his foot. ¡®Is that the origin of Starlight?¡¯ After spending a generous amount of time studying his feet, she felt something amiss. ¡®Why is the hair fluttering?¡¯ ¡®Wind?¡¯ ¡®Why is there wind?¡¯ It was a sealed jail without any windows, so where did the winde from? It was clearlying from all directions. Swish! A gust swept past the crown of her head. It was fast and cutting. Meng Fuyao sprung up and flipped to dodge it, beforending lightly like a ball of ck cloud. She looked at the broken lock of hair in shock, her back oozing cold sweat. Before she could process it, another gust surged from behind. This time it went straight for her back with sufficient power to pierce her to death. Unable to evade it, she dropped to the ground, allowing the wind to sweep past her back. Rip¨C Her clothes were torn, and she felt the cool air on her skin. Meng Fuyao was only a centimeter away from getting sliced. The wind was as quick as lightning, and it transformed into a sharp, thin, transparent and silent de. It danced through the narrow space and into the small prisoner cell. The calm and warm wind from nature had suddenly turned into a fatal weapon, which was being controlled by a god-like power. It pierced, chopped, slitted, each move intending to bring death upon her. Worse, those gusts of wind emerged at strange and tricky angles, as though there was a hand summoning natural forces and transforming them into unstoppable de techniques. Before such a bizarre force Meng Fuyao was forced to exert all her strength, flipping and dodging non-stop. She zipped about within the small space in her deep purple robe, appearing like lightning. She moved, faster and faster, eventually going beyond perception and instinct. All one could see was her shadow zooming to and fro, disappearing and reemerging every second. Rip! Yet another gust shot toward the space between her brows. ¡°F*ck!¡± She let out and pulled the man¡¯s dirty feet out to block the attack. With just a pull the motionless body easily sprung into a vertical position, its lightness beyond one¡¯s imagination. Chapter 108 - 13 Years Chapter 108: 13 Years Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The wind stopped. The gales came to an abrupt stop, and it was quiet all around. Meng Fuyao looked at the sole she was holding onto and cursed, ¡°F*ck, should¡¯ve used you sooner!¡± The soleunched a sudden kick. ¡°Pah!¡± Meng Fuyao flew backward and collided onto the fence, and she felt as though all bones in her body had shattered. She struggled to get to her feet, and sprouted in anger, ¡°How dare you kick me.¡± At that, she pounced forward. The man, hair draping all over his face, opened his eyes suddenly, his gaze smashing toward her like a hammer. It was deep and open, like an endless whirlpool or ck hole that carried an enormous amount of power, and itnded on her body, causing her to pause. Of course, with her character, Meng Fuyao continued pouncing forward after pausing, eventuallynding a hard punch in his tummy. ¡°For sneaking an attack! For grooming such a bullshit disciple!¡± Meng Fuyao was certain that he was Fang Yimo, as no one else could have been as powerful to the point of weaponizing nature. Meeting on such a narrow path, with him immediately executing such a fatal move, there was no doubt that he had already recognized her. If that was the case, was there a reason for her to hesitate? The first to move would be at an advantage, and thest to move would suffer. It was a life and death battle. She sprung forward, not giving him any chance to control the wind de. With the ¡¯18 Vixen forms¡¯ she went at it with her head, hands, legs, and even mouth. At the same time, she even employed the style of Nine Cleaving Heavens. Her head was like an iron ball, and the hand she had reached out was prepared to dig his heart out. The kick was, of course, targeted at his precious eggs, while her mouth was aiming for his throat. Meng Fuyao pounced with a ferocious and even deadly aura, but the man simply shut his eyes and exhaled. She felt her vision turn ck, as though a hammer had smashed her heart, or as though a kite with a broken string had flown. ¡®Mother¡­ such a big difference¡­ didn¡¯t I use to be the best fighter? How can a mouthful of wind kill me?¡¯ Bang! Same collision; same position. ¡®Crawl up again, attack once more.¡¯ Bang! A pool of blood had been formed on the ground, and Meng Fuyao took increasingly long to get up on her feet. Yet, as if numb, she continued staggering to her feet. She carried her heavy feet, dragging them forward with each step. ¡®I choose to die in battle. Suicide is no longer a choice in this life!¡¯ ¡®Pounce!¡¯ Bang! Bang! On the tenth time, Meng Fuyao wiped the blood on her mouth and got up slowly. After some struggling she swayed over, her vision was slightly scattered while her limbs had turned limp. As she moved the blood from her lips dripped. She crooked her head and simply wiped it off with the cloth over her shoulder before inching toward him with a malevolent smile. Meng Fuyao saw ck once more and instinctively waited for the punch toe from the impact, but nothing happened. The old man sat up and sized her up with a strange expression on his face. ¡°You¡¯vee, finally,¡± he stated after some time. He looked all boney, but his voice was shockingly resounding. The few words buzzed in her ears, and she opened her eyes wide, stuttering, ¡°Ah? You¡­ you knew I wasing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for 13 years.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± she let out in surprise, saliva sttering everywhere. ¡®No way¡­ he had already predicted all of these 13 years ago?¡¯ He had foreseen that she would seek him out for the antidote and that they would meet here in this jail? Wasn¡¯t that f*cking godly? ¡°13 years ago I asked that old fellow what was going to happen if I died before my disciple, separated by a generation, appeared. He said I will meet you sooner orter if I waited here. Who would have expected the ¡®sooner orter¡¯ to turn into 13 years?¡± ¡®What is he talking about? Why can¡¯t I understand anything?¡¯ ¡°I was thinkingst night that if you still do not appear, I would have to start killing,¡± he added. ¡°I have only a day left, and if you had note, I would have lost a descendant and would have to kill the emperor of this nation.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ for?¡± Meng Fuyao stammered. ¡°Why would you kill Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s father?¡± ¡°For not throwing the right person into jail,¡± he answered directly. Meng Fuyao was speechless. After a long pause, she asked carefully, ¡°You¡­ are not Fang Yimo?¡± ¡°Fang Yimo?¡± The old man repeated as if the name had been buried deep within his mind and was slowly being hooked out along with a tsunami of memories from years ago. ¡°He is still alive from the battle 13 years ago?¡± ¡°Still alive, still alive¡­¡± Meng Fuyao cried out before springing toward the old man¡¯s feet. ¡°Master¡­ I¡¯m the disciple you¡¯ve been waiting for, you say? A teacher should support his disciple, is that right? Fang Yimo is inciting his disciple to bully me¡­¡± ¡®Mother, a free teacher¡­ might as well use him before he expires and bes invalid. One day, though, really?¡¯ The old man lowered his head, spotting her tear-filled face and revealing a bewildered look. ¡°Is this my ¡®hard-willed and strong-boned¡¯ disciple?¡± Meng Fuyao choked in embarrassment. ¡°You must see through my appearance to catch the essence of my character¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote anyway¡­¡± The old man shut his eyes, cing his fingers on the tip of her head. ¡°Your bones are rare¡­ generally speaking, they are decent, but if it¡¯s wrong, I¡¯lle back for your life¡­¡± Meng Fuyao choked again at the theatrical and dangerous nature of life. She felt her head shake, and a gush of warmness flowed down and into her body like a surging wind. It swam around, uninhibited, cleansing away the clotted blood and poison residue. He then slowly pumped up the veins in her body, smoothing out the originally rough inner energy. Like the rising tide, her energy gradually surged. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Damn, is this really happening to me? It¡¯s like in the stories, where a powerful being waits for an ordinary person like me to impart his lifelong skills. I¡¯ll gain power and travel the world, killing whomever I please¡­¡¯ She drooled in her dream without realizing that the gust like airflow within her body had gradually surpassed the surge of inner energy and pulse, and had slowly entered her internal organs¡­ ¡°Stop it!¡± It was Zong Yue. Meng Fuyao shot her eyes open, but before she could turn to look, she realized that she was paralyzed and unable to make any sound. The abundant energy was still rushing in regardless of whether or not her body could endure it. She was like a balloon, continuously being pumped with air and continuously expanding. Her blood vessels swelled wide, her vision went blurry, and her temple was pounding. She felt as though her organs, instead of words, might spill if she were to open her mouth¡­ ¡®So not all free stuff is good stuff¡­¡¯ ¡°Please stop, Senior!¡± Zong Yue¡¯s voice rang from overhead. It was the first time she heard such urgency in his voice. Out of the corner of her eyes, Meng Fuyao caught a glimpse of his snow-white sleeves fluttering, and the next moment he appeared before the cell door. ¡°Stop, Senior! There¡¯s a sh between your skills, and she can¡¯t ept your inner energy!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem in that?¡± He quacked. ¡°I¡¯ll just expel her rotten skills.¡± Meng Fuyao saw ck and was about to pass out. ¡®Expel Nine Cleaving Heavens? The godly skill I¡¯ve been training so hard for? Just kill me¨C¡¯ ¡°Please have mercy!¡± Zong Yue yelled urgently. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Her channels have been tempered but still insufficient to endure your strength. Please go easy on her!¡± ¡°Go easy? With what? I only have a day left, and she must fulfill my wish,¡± he said slowly. ¡°No one told her toe thiste. It¡¯s already good that I¡¯m willing to give it to her.¡± The door was kicked open with a bang, and the snow-white robe drifted in. Without a word, Zong Yue extended his palm to press on her head. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± The old man snorted and waved his sleeves. At the same time, Zong Yue raised an arm to counter his attack. ng- The collision sounded like metals crashing. Zong Yue¡¯s face first turned red, then white, and then transparent, through which a greenish tinge could be seen. ¡°You are suffering from a chronic disease. Engaging your inner energy will shorten your life. Why seek death when you have a long future ahead of you?¡± He questioned. ¡°Move aside. I have things to do, and no one can stop me.¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her head and looked gratefully at Zong Yue but hinting for him to move aside. ¡°I¡¯m just an unlucky egg. Let him do whatever he wants. There¡¯s no need to drag you into this.¡± Not returning her gaze Zong Yue stood, pencil straight, appearing like a pine tree covered in a thickyer of snow. The air around sank, and in seeped an atmosphere containing hesitation and unease. A long timeter he took a step back. Another step. Meng Fuyao lowered her lids, not wanting to look at and perhaps embarrass him. He wasn¡¯t that old man¡¯s match for sure, and leaving was the only right choice. ¡°Zong Yue, the disciple of the holy doctor, is here to meet you, Sir!¡± His voice was apanied by the sound of his knees heavily mming onto the ground. ¡°Please let her off on behalf of the fact that my master had saved your life 13 years ago.¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned. From the corner of her eye, she saw the snow-white robe spread across the ground. ¡®Did he just kneel down? For me?¡¯ ¡®Did he retreat before kneeling so that I wouldn¡¯t see it?¡¯ That extremely arrogant, sharp-tongued andpulsive clean freak had gone down on his knees, before a stranger, to plead for her? On such a muddy cell ground at that? Her heart tightened at these thoughts as blood rushed to her head causing dizziness. She would rather be bombed alive than to witness him going this far to save her. Under his knees was gold that shouldn¡¯t be contaminated because of her¡ª¡± ¡°You are Gu Yidie¡¯s disciple?¡± asked the old man, rather surprised while turning to him. ¡°No wonder you saw that our inner energies weren¡¯tpatible-¡± ¡°For what bullsh*t are you kneeling!¡± A voice bombed like a cannonball as a ck line shot toward the old man. The sound it produced was shocking, and where it passed a strong gale rose, knocking over objects. Before the person had reached the cell door, the gale had already caused significant damage to it. ¡°Eat this halberd!¡± Chapter 109 - Gale Chapter 109: Gale Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye had arrived. The old man raised his brows, flicking his free hand to summon wind des that shot out in all directions. After a few whizzes, strands of Zhan Beiye¡¯s hair were chopped and sent flying everywhere. Countless holes appeared on his ck robe but he never once dodged. Allowing the holes on his clothes to turn to bloody wounds on his skin he charged forward with unreduced power. The old man frowned a little, evidently surprised. He made a few more flicks, eachnding on Zhan Beiye¡¯s body like a huge wooden block. Despite three consecutive ms the force he exerted remained consistent. Heughed maniacally while raising his halberd behind him, where the sound of wild wind rose. ¡°I¡¯ll smash you to death!¡± The surprise on the old man¡¯s face intensified. ¡°Are juniors these days all this ignorant and disrespectful?¡± The old manughed, reaching his hand out. Zong Yue, who had been kneeling before him, raised his head suddenly. ¡°Yes!¡± He extended his fingers, between which a plump-looking ck pearl was positioned. Since he was kneeling close to the old man, he aimed the pearl right into thetter¡¯s widely opened mouth. The old man shut his mouth instinctively. The ck pearl exploded in midair and disintegrated into smoke and powder, some of which settled on his clothes and in his nostrils. ¡°What is this¡­ Achoo!¡± The old man sneezed and in the process loosened his hand. A purple figure floated by. It was a very faint figure, almost nonhuman, which resembled the shallow light emitted by the oilmp on the wall. However, upon its emergence, all light was covered. With fingers like jade, seemingly grasping a flower, the figure reached for the old man¡¯s forehead. Just a simple touch was enough to send clouds covering the moon. The figure was everywhere yet faintly discernible. In an instant, the whole space seemed to be taken over by the vague but ringly bright hand gesture. The old man¡¯s eyes finally changed. Zong Yue was threatening him with poison, and he couldn¡¯t open his mouth to spit gale swords. Zhan Beiye¡¯s scepter was sturdy, and he needed to free a hand to deal with. Now, the light purple figure, whose power was beyond those two before. To make things worse, that figure was aiming for his only Achille¡¯s heel. He had no choice but to release the hand on Meng Fuyao¡¯s head. The moment he released it, the three men¡¯s eyes lit up. Zong Yue got back on his feet and continuously flicked ck pearls, while Zhan Beiye brandished his scepter and advanced toward the old man amid the light screen produced. As for Zhangsun Wuji, the move he had executed was a feint, and he had already picked Meng Fuyao up in a sh. Sensing that he had been fooled, the old man turned to flick his finger. Then, the cracking sound of a bone was heard. Meng Fuyao whipped her head back as Zhangsun Wuji floated out as if sensing nothing. He even lowered his head to smile. ¡°Troublemaker.¡± Meng Fuyao wanted tough, but bitterness showed through, albeit in aical way. She dropped her body backward, and Zhangsun Wuji remarked, anger surging in his eyes, ¡°Why, Senior, are you making things difficult for juniors like us? ¡°You are pretty capable but are all juniors in the Five Region Continent this arrogant nowadays?¡± The old man retorted. ¡°I haven¡¯t stepped foot out of here for many years, and things sure have changed.¡± He looked at the few individuals with a tinge of admiration and surprise in his eyes. At their age, he wasn¡¯t of their standard. Coldness filled his heart from deep within, but what he did not realize was that these figures were the cream of the crop and no ordinary kids. ¡°You¡¯re a prominent figure, Senior Gale. Before you, there¡¯s no room for us to speak,¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued respectfully. ¡°But why must a life be sacrificed if there is a better solution?¡± ¡®Gale!¡¯ Meng Fuyao stared at the old man in shock. She had mistakenly identified him as the Starlight Sage. ¡°What is the better solution?¡± Gale smirked. ¡°I¡¯m about to die. Am I to bring the pact between Holy Spirit and I into the grave? I have never once beaten him. Am I to continue losing? No way, you see.¡± ¡°Whoever dies first loses, is that right? And having a disciple to impart your skills counts as a continuation of life. Sir Holy Spirit already has his, but you haven¡¯t been able to find a suitable one, which I assume is the reason why you¡¯re channeling all of your inner energy into ¡®Undead Body¡¯?¡± ¡°How do you know all these? How do you know about my n?¡± Gale questioned, his hair all messed from the wind. With a smile, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ¡°Undead Body cultivates an unmatchably tough body, but in exchange, it ruins a person¡¯s mind. This is an extreme method and must not be used.¡± ¡°I just care about winning,¡± Gale snickered. ¡°Unless Holy Spirit is willing to use it on his disciple, I¡¯m sure to win.¡± ¡°You have no chance,¡± Zhangsun Wuji informed, his smile never fading. Unhurriedly fiddling with his sleeve, he added, ¡°You had about half an hour of life left, but even that is almost up since we have spent so much time on talking. It¡¯s hardly an issue for the three of us to hinder you.¡± Zhan Beiye roared inughter. ¡°The so-called ¡®better solution¡¯ does not exist. It¡¯s a hoax.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking for it,¡± Gale growled loudly and sprang to his feet, his originally clumsily heavy body turning light and agile. Inner energy flowed within the room as withered grass danced disorderly. Everyone¡¯s hair and clothes rose like the wind, fluttering wildly. However, the moment Gale got up he noticed that he had indeed reached his maximum power. While he floated with agility, it was rootless. While he floated with ferocity, it was scattered like clouds. The three juniors, on the other hand, were constrained but bizarrely powerful and mighty. It was a force, when all threebined strength, that he wouldn¡¯t reckon with even at his peak. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao, who had already consumed a part of his inner energy and had almost died from a stomach full of angst, was charging toward him as well. Gaining the upper hand was no longer an option. Three movester Gale stopped. ¡°What¡¯s the point of killing you, children¡­¡± he trailed off, appearing significantly frailer. ¡°It¡¯s about time¡­¡± He reached for a manual from his clothes and tossed it near Meng Fuyao¡¯s feet. ¡°I don¡¯t want your secret manual¡­¡± Meng Fuyao yelled righteously, only to be mocked. ¡°You wish. This is a map for when you head over to Fufeng. I dropped some things in E Sea, Luosha Ind. Go retrieve them for me.¡± ¡°Please, your old ass almost got me killed¡­¡± ¡°No matter what I did, you didn¡¯t die, and your inner energy has grown. Use it well, and your future will be limitless.¡± Gale sat cross-legged and added, without looking at her, ¡°If you are an ungrateful bastard then feel free to ignore this dying man¡¯sst wish.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the logic. I am a bastard. You wish¡­¡± Meng Fuyao cursed before turning toward Gale. She reached forward to check if he was breathing. ¡°Hello? Dead already?¡± Her reaction evoked a burst of vagueughter from the three men. Meng Fuyao¡¯s nose was pointed toward the sky as she dered, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± The three men remained motionless as she strode away and stopped by the door. She squirmed for some time, as though her whole body was itching, before turning around. ¡°Aish¡­ might be good stuff. Let me just¡­¡± The three men watched as she picked the manual up, mumbling to herself. She casually tossed it into her clothes, eyes sweeping across the expression on their faces. Instinct had told her to run, but their gaze made her knees weak. All three of them were injured¡­ Zong Yue¡¯s face was white as frost, Zhan Beiye had spotted wounds from the gale des. As for Zhangsun Wuji, his condition was unclear. ¡®What was that bone cracking sound from earlier? That was him, right?¡¯ That was the astonishing power involved when it came to the ten strongest figures in the Five Region Continent. Till this day, the three most capable men she knew had tobine forces to barely save her life. Meng Fuyao looked up in grief,menting over her misfortune. Trouble had to follow wherever she went. Extreme trouble at that. She walked toward them and squatted down. ¡°What? Waiting for us to carry you?¡± Zhan Beiye rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Meng Fuyao answered half-weakly. ¡°I¡¯m about to carry you men out to repay my sin. Rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first.¡± ¡°Save it,¡± Zhan Beiye strode forward and pulled her up before turning to smile at the two men. He reasoned, clearly satisfied, ¡°One has an internal injury, and the other has a broken arm. I¡¯m the only one left to beat her up. Any objections?¡± ¡°Go ahead. As you please,¡± they responded. A certain night, in a certain mansion, in a certain room, the sound of pigs getting ughtered seeped through the hazy window paper as a certain someone could be seen being pushed onto the bed¡­ Do not misunderstand. It was Meng Fuyao treating injuries. When she was receiving Gale¡¯s power, the internal injury from the times she had mmed onto the railing was also healed. However, the bruises on her face weren¡¯t going to vanish just like that, so Zhan Beiye was the one who had forced her on the bed to apply medication. Meng Fuyao had hoped it would be Zhangsun Wuji, naturally, since he was the gentlest amongst the three of them. Between the other two, one was too forceful, while the other was too clumsy, and they might very well use the chance to take revenge. It was a pity that Zhangsun Wuji had simply yed along bymenting that his arm was still in pain, before rolling around and falling asleep. As such, Meng Fuyao could only ept the torture Zhan Beiye was inflicting upon her. He did not stop until her face was fully coated with medication. Unfortunately, the toxin in her heart couldn¡¯t be expelled, and thus she made her way to the entrance of the mansion, where Sir Li was kneeling. Before Meng Fuyao had left the jail she had seen Sir Li leading a bunch of men toward her direction, with whips, buckets, and salt in their hands, as if they had been ready to charge for her. Seeing him had made her blood boil. If he hadn¡¯t found trouble with her, would she have almost died? Would the trio have gotten injured? Would she have had to be brought back to the house and receive such torturous treatment? Chapter 110 - Chef Meng in Action Chapter 110: Chef Meng in Action Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao approached him, about to give him a good punishment, but Zhangsun Wuji had already seen through her n and had forcefully pped a jade tablet toward him. The glistening characters, ¡®Zhangsun¡¯, had Sir Li stare in shock. General-governor Li rushed forward and went down on his knees, kowtowing, to which Zhangsun Wujimented, ¡°Governor-general Li is a dutiful man but his son, unfortunately, is not.¡± Governor-general Li, pale in the face, gave his son a tight p. Still not understanding Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s identity, Sir Li, touching with one hand his face, attempted to seek justice when his father interrupted, ¡°How dare you lose manners before His Highness?¡± Poor Sir Li almost peed his pants. He had simply wanted to be the hero for a beautifuldy and had thought that he had a reputable name but ended up offending the wrong person. Tears streamed down his face, causing Meng Fuyao to burst intoughter. Zhan Beiye hurriedly pulled her away. Uneasy, Governor-general Li urged his son to apologize by kneeling at the door for an afternoon. However, rather than kneeling, it was more of sprawling, and he was even about to doze off. Suddenly he felt a cold sensation overtaking his senses. It was pouring! He sprang and looked up at the sky, but it was bright and sunny. He then turned around, spotting Meng Fuyao resting on the wall andughing evil. With half a toothpick in her mouth, she said, ¡°Toofortable for you eh, Sir Li? Just gave you some man-made rain.¡± Despite being treated in this manner, he dared not express a bit of anger. Kowtowing with his drenched body he uttered, ¡°Please spare me, please spare me¡­¡± ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Meng Fuyao started again, aiming her toothpick at his pants and pricking his skin. Sweat oozed out from his forehead, but he remained motionless. ¡°How did you know to find trouble with me? Did Hu Sang ask you to?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, no, it¡¯s me¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I passed by Yaocheng and saw her selling thread and needles. Fewdies would put themselves out on the streets in Zhongzhou, so I approached her out of curiosity. She did not answer, only crying as she kept her stall and left. I asked around and was informed that she had offended you¡­¡± ¡°You were lusting after her beauty, isn¡¯t it? There are plenty of girls selling on the streets. Why do you care so much?¡± Meng Fuyao questioned with a cold smile. ¡®So it¡¯s not really her fault.¡¯ If it were, she would not be spared. ¡°Yes, yes, you are right, I was lusting, I was being meddlesome¡­¡± Sir Li nodded, carefully retrieving a pile from behind him. ¡°A small gift to express my apology. Please entertain me¡­¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her eyelids to look at the pile of birds¡¯ nest, ginseng and so on, harshly waving her hand. Sir LI turned pale, but Meng Fuyao said after some thought, ¡°Eh, get me 1.5kg worth of quality pig bones, 50g of fresh Chinese foxglove, 100g of scarlet beans and almond grain nt, Angelica Sinensis, codonopsis root, goji berries, gastrodia ta, milk vetch root, Chinese yam, emia, boschniakia bra, brisket, hawthorn¡­ they better be top grade. Gather them, and I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Heplied readily, thankful that she did not ask for human bones. Meng Fuyao waved her hand, but as he was about to leave with the items on the ground, she added, ¡°Wait up.¡± With a face white as a sheet, he turned around. ¡°Since you have already offered these items, I should respect your gesture. How about this¡­ sell them and hand me the money.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Remember to sell it in the shop with the ¡®cloud in 9th heaven¡¯ symbol. I¡¯ll break your legs if you sell them anywhere else,¡± Meng Fuyao blinked, reminding herself to talk to Yao Xun. The shop was hers, and she was going to get the shopkeeper to push the price down when Sir Li showed up. She was certain he wouldpensate from his own pocket for the discounted amount. ¡°And,¡± she added while nodding at him. ¡®He is from a good background and has a flexible character,¡¯ she thought in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll hand Heaven on Earth Entertainment Club to you. You¡¯ll be responsible for any losses, and any profits will be split 20-80, you 20 and I 80.¡± ¡°¡­ yes¡­¡± She made a final wave, and Sir Li scrambled away. Shortly after the things Meng Fuyao had ordered to be delivered to her arrived, she looked at them, pleased, before bringing them into the kitchen. She conducted a massacre in the kitchen that night. No one was allowed to enter, and Zhan Beiye brought a stool to the kitchen entrance and sat through the session, afraid that she would burn the ce down. Lord Yuan Bao scuttled in and out of the kitchen window, reporting thetest progress to his owner, who then smiled. He rested against his bed¡¯s headboard and looked toward the kitchen. The moonlight shone through the window, illuminating his hazy eyes. Some timeter he said to Yuan Bao, ¡°Sometimes I feel it¡¯s good to let her make mistakes.¡± Lord Yuan Bao was irked. How biased of him! Dinner was served in the manor¡¯s Clear Wave Pavilion. Earlier, Meng Fuyao had sent invitations to everyone in the house. Her invitation was written, in bad handwriting: ¡°You¡¯re invited to a casual dinner in Clear Wave Pavilion. The food might be poisoned, could taste bad and contain a dubious substance. Dinner will start at 5. Please be punctual if you¡¯reing, and it¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not.¡± Her excessiveness did not intimidate her simrly excessive guests. All were present before 5pm. Chef Meng sent the dishes onto the table, and the three men extended their heads to take a closer look. ¡®Hmm¡­ color seems decent,¡¯ they all thought. Zhan Beiye took a whiff. ¡°Hmm¡­ passable.¡± Zong Yue feared poison the least. Picking the richest colored dish, he took in a mouthful of it. His eyes lit up almost immediately. Chef Meng folded her arms and pointed her nose at the sky, while thinking to herself, ¡®Don¡¯t be surprised that I¡¯m such a good chef, especially when ites to medicinal cuisine. Mom was sick for a long time after all.¡¯ She squatted on her chair, happy that the trio was finally at ease. She started introducing the dishes of all shades of green. ¡°Pork Bone Foxglove Stew, Perfect Nourishing Brisket, Scarlet Bean grained rice, Shattered Bone Hawthorn Porridge¡­¡± Meng Fuyao glowed, happily thinking that she hadn¡¯t heard of medicinal cuisine in the Five Region Continent. Other than Zong Yue, the other two might not necessarily know that these dishes nourish the body, blood, and energy¡­ However, there was something she did not notice. Zhan Beiye moved speedily, his pupils flickering as he gorged himself with the Perfect Nourishing Brisket. With a shallow smile, Zong Yue unhurriedly started on the scarlet bean grained rice. Zhangsun Wuji drank the soup gracefully, his chinaware making not the least bit of sound. asionally he scooped a spoonful of soup or porridge for Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°Eat more. We don¡¯t know when she will ever do this for us again.¡± Without blushing, Meng Fuyao responded shamelessly, ¡°I¡¯m a general and not a chef. My talents are limitless, and they must not be wasted in the kitchen¡­¡± She grabbed her chopsticks and sat down properly before putting a piece of bone into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s bowl. Resting her chin in her hands, she smiled. ¡°Just drinking the soup will not do. It¡¯s not going to fill your tummy. You need meat. Eat up.¡± ¡®Ah, I just want to see you choking on the bones¡­¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± Zhangsun Wuji lowered his head and nced at the bone. He pressed his chopsticks down without much effort, silently breaking the huge bone into pieces before removing them and extracting the meat. Irritated that her n had failed, Meng Fuyao turned to serve a piece of old ox tendon to Zhan Beiye. ¡°This is good for you, War God. Chewy and tasty!¡± Zhan Beiye lifted his chopsticks and caught the tendon in midair. ¡°Oh yeah? I think so too, but good food must be shared. Half belongs to you since you have worked hard.¡± He snapped the tendon into two before urging, ¡°Please, you first.¡± A short whileter, with her cheek filled, Meng Fuyao took a piece of Angelica sinensis for Zong Yue. ¡°Come,e, ignore the meat. As a physician, you should avoid meat and consume more tonic.¡± Zong Yue epted her kindness and quickly returned the favor. ¡°Ignore the meat and ignore the tonic. This works best for you, to eliminate the toxic by sweating it out.¡± It was a huge block of raw ginger¡­ It was deep into the night, and the moon shone high and bright. Light flowed above Clear Wave Pavilion, its reflection in theke illuminating every ripple. The flowerbed by theke consisted of winter daphnes, camellias, magnolias, cherry-apples, and Chinese peonies. Shades of pink, purple and red apanied waves of mixed fragrances, but they paled inparison to the dishes and wine on the dining table. Meng Fuyao was engrossed in a mountain-like bowl, as she tried hard to reach the rice beneath the pile of dishes. The trio had very cooperatively pranked her by continuously adding dishes into her bowl. Zhan Beiye was the initiator, and her bowl was very quickly filled to the brim. She was the one who had invited them over, but she was also the one eating the most. Finally, sheid on her chair, almost paralyzed from the bulging tummy. Zhangsun Wuji offered a cup of tea, which she epted. Seeing Zhan Beiye sitting by her side, she asked for paper and brush in excitement before clearing the table. With Lord Yuan Bao as her model, she started drawing. Not very pleased with the oue Yuan Bao requested a redrawing, only to be picked up by Zhan Beiye, who then used his ws as signature print. A servant girl rolled the paintings up and lit the goldenmps. Along with the breeze, the lights flickered, highlighting the silvery, sequin-like water beneath. Under the light Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue started a game of chess, their slender fingers leisurely fiddling with the pieces. As their purple and white robes fluttered in the asional wind, theke on the opposite side was being covered in ayer of purplish pink flower petals. Meng Fuyao smiled, her eyes were bright yet hazy from the glisteningkewater. Petals drifted in the night, enhancing her delicate features. The paintings that were spread open were apanied by lowughs and mumblings and the twittering of birds. All these transformed into the background of a smiling face, whose lips curled up slightly, bringing a dimple into view. Meng Fuyao felt it was the calmest and mostfortable moment ever. ¡­ Meng Fuyao had been visiting Chrysanthemum Path regrly. It wasn¡¯t because she had eyes on anyone, but simply because she felt that it was a pity that the cultured and knowledgeable Feng Mo had ended up in such a ce instead of bing a schr or the like. Meng Fuyao had money and had easily forced the old duck into freeing Feng Mo. However, thetter had no intention of leaving, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s kindness was tossed into the trash bin just like that. Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t one to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, but she did know some things from her previous life and could not bear to see such talent fall into this state. Naturally, she was surprised to know that there were actually willing individuals out here. Chapter 111 - Untitled Chapter 111: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Feng Mo looked at her, perplexed, but maintained a smile. His light scarlet robe brushed past the ck wooden table as he poured a cup of rage ant chrysanthemum tea for her. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡± Meng Fuyao raised a doubtful nce at his words. ¡°Many years ago she said she would wait here for me. I traveled for too long, and when I came back, she was gone. Her former house had been torn down and rebuilt into this. The ce has changed tremendously but certain things, like thevender flowers in the garden, remained, which is why I can¡¯t bear to leave.¡± He smiled faintly, with a romantic charm that older men usually carried. The fine lines extending from the corner of his eyes were angled perfectly. ¡°What has that got to do with this?¡± Meng Fuyao kept her eyes on the faint yellow petals that blossomed on the jade green cup. She felt as though something was soothing out deep within her heart, along with a past that couldn¡¯t be touched. Someone was also waiting for her in the other world. Everyone had someone they were waiting for, but ever-changing circumstances often forced them to move on. What kind of determination must one have in order to stay put? Drops of dew formed deep within her heart, and it was a harmonious resonance that surfaced. Feng Mo¡¯s perseverance made her feel understood. A person like Feng Mo would indeed be a good buddy. He wasn¡¯t one to invade privacy and yed good chess and zither. Plus, he never once expressed frustration or ridicule at ying against a rookie like her. No matter how dumb her move was he just smiled and guided her patiently. They yed a game from morning till mid-afternoon, and while Meng Fuyao thought hard over her next move, he simply waited with a kind smile, his soft gaze asionally shifting toward theyer of fallenvender petals that had covered the corridor. In this ce, Meng Fuyao finally found the mental peace that she had been seeking for the past 18 years of her life. The torment and burdensome responsibilities that had been following her all this while were being cated by those clear, gentle eyes of his. She craved for this rare tranquility and enjoyed thepassionate smile he maintained. Meng Fuyao appreciated the gentle manner he extended his hand out to catch the falling petals as if reaching for the scattered pieces of a pearl-like dream, and she also appreciated the nostalgic expression that surfaced after. . . . . . Feng Mo¡¯s birthday was approaching, but he kept it from her. Nevertheless, she remembered conversations in which he casually brought up times his parents had celebrated for him. That noon, they drank tea and recited poetry till evening time, where he then sat down and readied himself for a game of chess. What greeted the table wasn¡¯t a chessboard but a scrumptious meal. Meng Fuyao stood by the door with crossed arms and raised brows. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Feng Mo looked at her in silence, and she started checking herself to make sure that there weren¡¯t grains or minced meat stuck on her face. Upon inspection, she returned the look andughed. ¡°Is that you feeling touched?¡± He smiled and waved for her to join him. When she had settled down, she blinked. ¡°So easily touched? I have one more gift, though. Are you going to start crying in my arms?¡± ¡°You can take it out, and we¡¯ll see.¡± His eyes lit up increasingly under the redmplight, the ripples within showing through. Meng Fuyao acted mysteriously, handing him a box, to which he epted with a smile. ¡°Open it, open it,¡± she urged. A faint fragrance spread as he opened the lid, and the expression in Feng Mo¡¯s dazzling eyes gradually changed. It was an exquisite crystal house with flower walls and a small well in the courtyard. There were three steps before the main door, leading to a fingertip-sized carriage, and the back garden was filled withvender. It wasn¡¯t the brothel but the ce in which the woman had waited for him. It was a story, which he had unintentionally brought to her notice, being crystallized into something to bememorated. Past events that had been frozen in time were grinding at his heart every day, but the result was an item so beautifully created that one wouldn¡¯t bear touch it in fear of dimming its splendor. Feng Mo studied the house silently as Meng Fuyao waited in unease. He hasn¡¯t shared the ending of his story. It could be a tragedy, and her gift could possibly have sparked yet another bout of heartache. But he smiled. His length almond eyes narrowed as he kept the box carefully. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to¡­¡± he started. ¡°Can¡¯t bear to?¡± she repeated whilezily resting her arms on the table. ¡°To ept this gift, ¡± he finished with a tinge of regret. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since someone has gotten close to and given such a gift to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth much, please don¡¯t mind it,¡± she waved before pouring a cup of wine for him. ¡°Come. A toast for a special asion.¡± Their cups nked in midair, the crisp sound of porcins waking up the nocturnal birds and their gentle twittering. Getting-drunker-at-every-cup Meng Fuyao lost herself very quickly and blurted out, tongue-tied, ¡°Will she return?¡± ¡°That¡¯s no longer important, I think,¡± Feng Mo replied with a strange yet charming soft gaze. He reached out to stroke her long ck hair while looking vacantly into the garden filled with flutteringvender petals. ¡°Miss Meng,¡± he called out gently after some time. ¡°Hmm?¡± she uttered muddleheadedly, still grabbing onto her wine cup. A curl appeared on his thin lips as a graceful and pure smile broke out. ¡°Do you¡­ like me?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head, eyes narrowed and vision unsteady, as a scarlet robe swayed before her eyes. She seemed to be especially drunk today, and facing the extraordinary beauty that was before her, she was convinced that Feng Mo¡¯s eyes were thrice as soul-catching as Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± While her face was on the table, drooling, Meng Fuyao mumbled before shutting her eyes. Feng Mo smiled, his light scarlet sleeves brushing across the table like a falling cherry blossom branch. He chuckled, causing his body to tremble slightly and his hair to drape over his shoulders and her own hair, as he inched closer tob her hair aside. He carried her up and whispered, ¡°Women, women, you¡¯re all the same¡­¡± He stopped suddenly. The night was quiet except for the soft twittering of birds and the flowing of the stream from far away. Feng Mo ced Meng Fuyao down. Turning around, calmness restored, he spoke, ¡°Please show yourself, strong one.¡± His voice was the same but not his tone. He sounded nothing like the humble and respectful server from the brothel, as there was only mightiness and coldness in his statement. A light purple figure emerged from the darkness. ¡°You indeed,¡± Feng Mo recovered his smile and pointed at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Did you hear it? The woman you fancy just said that she likes me.¡± ¡°Senior,¡± Zhangsun Wuji called out, as if not hearing his provocation. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick of ying the same old game? It¡¯s been so many years.¡± ¡°Sick? I will not be sick until I meet ady who can resist me,¡± he smirked. ¡°Look at them. They¡¯re all the same. Eyes everywhere, fluid as water¡­ leave their side, and they run elsewhere. No exception.¡± He moved slowly, looking at Meng Fuyao and sighing in disappointment. ¡°I had thought that she would be different¡­¡± ¡°Why would you expectdies to resist you when you¡¯re using your soul-seduction technique on them?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°With your identity, you can kill whoever you want. Why use this as an excuse to kill innocent women?¡± ¡°So this is the psychotic yboy who vents his anger ondies because he¡¯s been betrayed by one!¡± A flowery figure leaped from a tree outside the corridor. ¡°Eh, heartless yboy, wanna have a taste of Legendary Birds, one of the three legendary techniques of Fufeng?¡± Ya Lanzhu called out, crisp and speedily, her style of speaking evidently inspired by Meng Fuyao. Feng Mo cast a side nce and smirked. ¡°If your father was standing before me, perhaps I would look him in the eyes, but you?¡± Instead of exining he raised a finger toward the darkness. ¡°Two more, show yourselves. Help save this old man¡¯s time.¡± It was strange to hear this young-lookingd with an aura as bright as pearls and gems address himself as an old man. However, no oneughed, and even Zhangsun Wuji retreated in caution before this man, whose reputation swept across the Five Region Continent for over 30 years. Because that was Starlight Sage, Fang Yimo. Zhan Beiye jumped from the garden wall as Zong Yue entered from the main entrance, and Ya Lanzhu let out, ¡°Go!¡± Birds of all colors flew into view and where they past dark fog rose. The sinister sound of their pping wings messed with one¡¯s mental state, and the leader of the pack, whose feathers were multicolored and eyes deep red, drew a bright arc across the sky while charging toward Fang Yimo. Fang Yimo let out a longugh and waved his sleeve, causing the flower vine rack to topple and trap the majority of the birds within. The birds pped their wings effortfully but struggled nevertheless. Only the leader had a de-like beak that ripped a big hole, allowing it to dive for him like an eagle. The moves executed by the three men had also reached Fang Yimo simultaneously. A steady purple ray, a ck gust-like shadow and a vague white figure scattered like fog in the sky, and the narrow garden was instantly invaded by four different colors that spun about while rising and falling. Theybined to form an appearance like that of a fluctuating rainbow. Fang Yimo swerved between the capable youths with his light body, and while his speed seemed rtively slow, each attack possessed astonishing precision and power, and each attack produced thousands of silver rays that pierced through theplicated rainbow-colored ones, finishing into a brilliant, phoenix-like tail. The garden that had yet to be lit was now sttered in glorious lights, as though a silver river had fallen from the sky. Chapter 112 - Separate Ways Chapter 112: Separate Ways Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That was the real starlight splendor. They weren¡¯t the resplendent stars Guo Pingrong could only summon with the unique starlight splendor weapon, but brilliant specks that scattered from each move and turn of his body. They shot toward eternity from far away, with an irresistible natural force. He controlled the whole situation at his own pace. It was dream-like. A deep, intoxicated and unbreakable dream. After the 400th move¡­ Only the leading bird was left diving relentlessly toward Fang Yimo, and colorful feathers flew everywhere,nding onto nts and drying them out. Left without a choice, Fang Yimo had to dodge a little to avoid the fragments of the rack. The dodging maneuver opened up a gap within the battle situation that he had full control over. The silver light emitted by Zhan Beiye¡¯s mighty spear turned golden, solidifying into a ray wall that shone down on Fang Yimo. A silver sword easily appeared in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hand out of a sudden, its tip flickering coldly. He pierced through the only gap before a cold light shed, as the sword sprang up and shot toward Fang Yimo¡¯s neck. Zong Yue leaped off the ground and flew parallel to it, and a sword could be seen from his side. It was a fine, long and oddly shaped sword that he did not reveal or aim at any part of Fang Yimo¡¯s body. Instead, he swept his body to the side like a bolt of lightning as he approached Fang Yimo, and went straight for his knees. At this point, Fang Yimo would lose his legs if he raised them, get poisoned if he waved his sleeve, and he couldn¡¯t even breathe recklessly. All he could do was retreat. Three men and one bird pursued relentlessly, and Fang Yimonded on the wooden tform by the corridor on the tip of his toes. The trio had closed in by now, and he flicked a finger, raising a whole windscreen from behind him and sending it toward them at full st. ¡°Really seeking death-¡± Fang Yimo smirked, only to stop a secondter. Someone had gently pressed a hand on the middle of his back. A burst of crisp and bone-chillingughter sounded. ¡°Who says women are all like that? Do you think I¡¯m a yboy like you?¡± The wind stopped in that instant and everyone, including Fang Yimo, started smiling. With a hand on his back and another hand grabbing onto the windscreen, Meng Fuyaoughed in satisfaction. ¡°Finally, you retreated into the house and started smashing things. Never would I daree close to you otherwise.¡± Taking a deep breath, Fang Yimo smiled. ¡°Good, good.¡± He cast his eyes toward the back and asked in a warm, friendly tone, as if they were longtime friends, ¡°Not poisoned?¡± ¡°Not before, not after,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Not since your chrysanthemum tea.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been on guard since the start,¡± he stated. ¡°I have underestimated you.¡± ¡°To be honest, I still find it hard to believe it. One of the strongest men to live has actually chosen to work as a server. Seems like the legend that you act freely and ording to your heart¡¯s desire is very true. Why would I neglect my research if I wasing to find you?¡± she questioned. ¡°This is your residence, a fact we have managed to dig out, unlike others. You said that this is the ce she had waited for you but looks like it¡¯s exactly the opposite. You waited here for the woman who had eloped.¡± Fang Yimo shuddered, his voice turning cold. ¡°One more word and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent, but continued after some time, ¡°Take note that I¡¯m not stopping because I¡¯m afraid of you, but because I do not wish to reopen your wounds.¡± At that, she reached a hand out. ¡°Antidote to Emotion Lock.¡± ¡°Take note that I¡¯m agreeing not because I have no choice, but because I like that gift,¡± he responded. After a short pause, he retrieved a piece of paper from his robe and tossed it near Zong Yue¡¯s feet. ¡°I was toozy to develop the antidote since there¡¯s no one worth saving. Do it yourself if you have the capability.¡± He smiled somewhat slyly. ¡°I do want to see how you would harmonize the Nine-Fox Flower and Thousand-Snake Grass ¨C twopletely shing medical properties ¨C without causing death.¡± Zong Yue picked the ingredient list up and started to frown. ¡°There are only uncrackable hearts and not uncrackable prescriptions.¡± Fang Yimo only smirked. He turned to look at Meng Fuyao and added, ¡°With my skills, the inner energy in my body has already formed a natural protective barrier. The most you can do is to inflict injury on me, but you will not be able to kill me. Are you certain you want me as a mortal enemy?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t we mortal enemies before this?¡± Meng Fuyao asked curiously. ¡°Was the poison in your chrysanthemum tea and wine actually sugar cubes? Did youe to Huazhou just to have a heart to heart talk with me?¡± ¡°This is a promise. I can save you once, and then kill you,¡± Fang Yimo stated bluntly. ¡°Think about it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t add up,¡± Meng Fuyao answered immediately. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me anyway, and since I¡¯m not your match, death is certain. Why would I care to be saved by you once?¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Fang Yimo smiled, sweeping his gaze across the four individuals. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that they will also be my enemies. If you fail to kill me with a blow and they, too, are unable to stop me, there is going to be a few more names added to my revenge list.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they be able to stop you when you¡¯re already half dead? Aren¡¯t you too full of yourself?¡± Meng Fuyao snorted, inwardly noting that it was challenging to estimate the might a strong yer carried even on his deathbed. ¡®Sigh¡­ it¡¯s fine if I take the risk, but how can I drag them down¡­?¡¯ Detecting her expression, Zhangsun Wuji spoke up. ¡°Do what you need to do, Fuyao.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t hold him down if you just throw him a good one, Fuyao. Try it,¡± Zhan Beiye joined in. Meng Fuyao smiled and released her hand, pushing Fang Yimo out. ¡°Just a heartbroken man,¡± shemented. ¡°You¡¯re someone who lives in the past, so not even a crystal house can light up your heart.¡± ¡°I thank you for not poisoning the dishes and the gift,¡± Fang Yimo expressed, leaping onto the eave while holding onto the crystal house. His scarlet sleeves fluttered in the wind like a shallow red moon. ¡°You have preserved something pure for me, and I finally feel a tangible warmth in this world.¡± ¡°I have always been more honest than you, and hence happier,¡± Meng Fuyao waved. ¡°Sir, it was one woman who had offended you. Stop bringing down the innocent.¡± ¡°That is my business,¡± Fang Yimo stated, looking her straight in the eye. ¡°I have sworn to avenge my disciple, so I have agreed to save you once, and then kill you; if I fail to kill you, our feud ends.¡± ¡°Feuds are creations of the mind,¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Up to you.¡± Fang Yimo smiled. ¡°As for the next time we meet, whether I choose to save or kill you¡­ it¡¯s up to your luck.¡± With a swoop of his sleeves, he floated off the ground and shot up into the sky like an inextinguishable star. Meng Fuyao followed his movement, mumbling to herself, ¡°Perverts surface every year but the number surpasses expectation this year.¡± Far away, Zhan Beiye stretched his body, almost exaggeratedly,ughing. ¡°A verbal attack here, and a verbal attack there. What a great setup, finally caught the bird.¡± A soft smile appeared on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face as she gazed at Zhangsun Wuji, who was approaching. With the antidote prescription on hand and the nearing of the True Martial Arts Meet, Meng Fuyao was ready to set out. She had informed Zhangsun Wuji beforehand, to which he responded, ¡°I know you must go, but please promise to attend as Wuji Nation¡¯s courageous general, and please take care of your body. Do not overdo it.¡± Meng Fuyao knew that his request for her to go as the nation¡¯s general was to provide an additionalyer of protection. Giggling, she uttered, ¡°Eh? Why wouldn¡¯t I brag if given the chance? A general definitely sounds better than amoner. No worries, I¡¯m vain.¡± Caressing her hair Zhangsun Wuji added, ¡°Actually I do hope that you can be even vainer.¡± Meng Fuyao looked up, pretending not to hear. What could possibly be a vainer act than attending the meet as Wuji¡¯s general? Meng Fuyao knew she had to be cautious when conversing with Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°I have been gone for too long and will need to return to Zhongzhou for some time,¡± Zhangsun Wuji informed, pushing Yuan Bao toward her. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you there if possible, so please take care of this guy here, and bring him to see the world, or he will be too shortsighted.¡± Lord Yuan Bao squatted on his palm, his face expressionless. He was using silence to protest against his seemingly worthless fate. Meng Fuyao picked him up and asked curiously, ¡°Do you guys share a strong telepathic connection? Will you know where he is if he just gives you a beep?¡± ¡°Not that magical,¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°I can only know if he is still alive, and his general direction, so you have to be careful and not let him stray.¡± ¡°You should carry him. He¡¯s your pet,¡± Meng Fuyao replied but pulled him back after some thought. ¡°Wuji¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you again. Don¡¯t be too nice to me,¡± Meng Fuyao expressed bluntly and quickly. ¡°I think my skills are decent enough now, and I will be strengthened when Gale¡¯s power ispletely digested. After the meet I might head straight north toward the maind, and I don¡¯t know for how long I will be there. Perhaps I¡¯ll meet another mighty person, and that¡¯s the end¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you again, then,¡± Zhangsun Wuji pulled Lord Yuan Bao, who was just breaking out into a happy dance, back again and brought her forehead to his. ¡°This is my business.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a bitter smile. She had hinted her intention to Zhan Beiye as well and had gotten a simr reaction. The good thing was that the temporary separation would give dilute feelings and emotions. Distance would benefit everyone. Zong Yue had left for Huazhou earlier to source for ingredients. Fang Yimo¡¯s bizarre prescription was like a treasure to him, and he had been burying his head in it for the past few days, even mumbling to himself at meal times: ¡°Lighten the dosage? Increase the ck lotus leaf? No¡­¡± To this, Meng Fuyao would tap her bowl with her chopstick and say, ¡°You¡¯ve got rice in your nose¡­¡± Chapter 113 - Wife-to-be Chapter 113: Wife-to-be Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Thedy who adored Zhong Yue paid him a visit, and upon being notified of his absence, she handed an embroidered pouch to Meng Fuyao with tears in her eyes. There was an amulet in it, and she exined that she had gotten it from Wuji border, Qingzhou Dade Temple, and the monk who blessed it was an efficacious one. She pled for Meng Fuyao to pass it to him, and while thetter was determined to decline, she couldn¡¯t stand the sight of thedy¡¯s tears and kept it eventually. On an ordinary evening during dinner time, Meng Fuyao mentioned that she would teach Zhan Beiye ser the next day, and take a stroll in the market with Ya Lanzhu after. Then, on the same, moonless night she had suggested it, she carried a cloth bundle, stuffed a fruit into Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s mouth to prevent him from reporting to Zhan Beiye, and executed a diversionary tactic on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s secret guard before jumping out of the window and dashing to Huazhou. When she passed Yaocheng, Tie Cheng, along with a team of guards, joined in on the journey toward Wuji border. Going at full speed, the group arrived in Qingzhou in a night¡¯s time, and when they passed a folded, jade-green mountain, Meng Fuyao recalled Zong Yue¡¯s admirer saying that Dade Temple was just on top. Out of curiosity, she brought Tie Cheng to climb it. Halfway through, they heard a sudden swoop of a sword, together with the rmed cry of a woman. Meng Fuyao frowned. ¡®To get involved or not? Nothing goodes out of meddling in others¡¯ affairs¡­¡¯ After some thought, she extended both hands and murmured, ¡°Guessing game, I¡¯ll go check it out if I win¡­¡± Before she could attempt to cheat, Tie Cheng had already rushed up. He made a shout, and the guards raised their arms. Meng Fuyao followed in resignation, spotting a group of people trapped in a corner, the carriage in the middle already half toppled. There were a few men dressed in guard uniforms, battling against men in torn clothes, the majority of them already injured. Before the half toppled carriage stood a few cowering servant girls. It seemed that those guards had gone up to pray but had met with a group of bandits. After observing the overall situation, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes fell upon the toppled carriage. It was already ruined, it¡¯s door fallen out, and she could vaguely see a girl sitting inside. She held an elegant posture, face unmoving, and her moon-white dress draped over the floor, creating a ripple-like effect. From afar, she appeared like a statue of a goddess. What kind of woman must she be to remain so calm, waiting in a toppled carriage before the unfolding of bloodshed? Meng Fuyao was curious now. Striding forward, she shouted, ¡°Stop, everyone!¡± Naturally, no one listened to this skinny youth, except Tie Cheng, who then almost got attacked by an iing chop. Luckily, he blocked it in time. ¡°How dare you attack my people?¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her long robe a little and dashed forward. Without any fancy moves, she simply reached for another sword from Tie Cheng¡¯s waist area before slicing it forward. Three arms flew into the air as blood sttered everywhere. Even a section of the grass patch was sliced off. An arm smashed into the carriage body, rolling toward the girl who was meditating. Throwing her nce over, Meng Fuyao noticed thedy raising her head, taking the broken arm and cing it on the grass before her. She then shut her eyes and started mumbling, as if chanting. This got Meng Fuyao even more curious. What a strong character she was! Men were fighting over her, and there she was making prayers for a broken arm? Was she a nun? While keeping an eye on thedy, Meng Fuyao convenientlynded a chop on a sneak attacker, sessfully knocking him unconscious. She then approached thedy, but not before kicking seven, eight other men away. With a pool of bandits rolling about in pain, it was clear that they weren¡¯t her match. They let out a cry and scattered in all directions. Without even looking at them Meng Fuyao squatted and even knocked on the copsed door. ¡°Sorry to disturb,dy.¡± Thedy in the carriage looked up. Meng Fuyao was stunned. She locked gaze with a set of peaceful yet deep and clear eyes. They weren¡¯t pure ck but carried a slight brownish tinge, and it seemed as though they were set far onto a shoreline, or onto a sh of starlight that rose from behind the mountain some thousand miles away. They were a very special pair of eyes, so much so that Meng Fuyao actually found them rather familiar. It was as though a certain image had superimposed itself onto what she was seeing, and it was a perfect match. ¡®This pair of eyes¡­ but whose?¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s head started to hurt as if someone had axed it open, exposing her blood and brain. Somewhat lost in thoughts she reached for the door while keeping her eyes on thatdy. Thedy made a small bow. ¡°Thank you, Sir, for saving my life.¡¯ Eyes like crescent moon and demeanor so refined and poised she sat, as her moon-white dress continued to create ripples on the ground. There were Buddhism lotuses embroidered on it, and they swayed a little with the breeze, amid her friendly and calm gaze. She looked nothing like a mere mortal. She reminded Meng Fuyao a little of Zong Yue, especially the cleanliness that she exuded. It was simr yet very different. Zong Yue was distant and cold while she was warm and meticulous, sincere and weing. Meng Fuyao looked at the blood and dust on her body, suddenly feeling like a contaminated person before ady like that. She stepped back and tried as best as she could to angle herself in the most ttering way, smiling, ¡°Wee, wee. Excuse me.¡± At that, Meng Fuyao turned to walk away, no longer wanting to seek trouble. This bunch seemed capable of getting to the temple themselves, and her assistance probably wasn¡¯t necessary. Ady¡¯s voice sounded from behind. ¡°You¡¯re not going to help all the way, Sir¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, Ming Ruo.¡± ¡°Why should I do that? Am I your aunt?¡± Meng Fuyao turned back with a halfhearted smile. ¡°Mother is expecting me for dinner. Excuse me.¡± ¡°They¡¯lle back for us! We¡¯ll give you gold and silver. Please protect us!¡± The servant girl rushed up to her and held her sleeve. ¡°How much do you want? How much?¡± These people were getting used to her help, thinking that money could buy them loyalty. Meng Fuyao shook her head and retrieved a stack of bills. Then, she shoved it into the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°I have them too. How much does it cost for you to let go of me?¡± ¡°Come back, Ming Ruo,¡± thedy opened her mouth, her voice containing no anger. Meng Fuyao smiled and strode off, one to hear the servant girl stomping toward her once more with reddened eyes. ¡°You are from Wuji. You have to send us to Zhongzhou. She is Princess Lotus from Xuanji Nation, also your prince¡¯s wife-to-be.¡± ¡®Prince¡­ wife-to-be?¡¯ Meng Fuyao stopped in her track, blinking her eyes. ¡®Erm¡­ fianc¨¦?¡¯ A ball of tangled mess seemed to have entered her heart, releasing smoke into her internal organs. It was prickly ufortable, and even her throat felt choked. Meng Fuyao was neither able to purge it out nor swallow it down, despite desperate attempts to cough and clear it out. ¡®Wife-to-be¡­¡¯ ¡®Prince¡¯s¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao lifted her head somewhat absentmindedly, but her eyes were fully functioning. In fact, she caught sight of a caterpir resting on the uppermost leaf of a tree that stood 30 meters away. It had a strikingly ugly color. She was almost certain that the jabbing feeling in her chest was caused by the caterpir drilling its way in. She stood there, forgetting how to move for a moment. It was as if her limbs weren¡¯t where they were supposed to be; as if they did not belong to her. The sky was crashing down on her like a metal pot lid. Crash- Tie Cheng¡¯s sword dropped to the ground, and he started stuttering, ¡°She¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°What her and what me?¡± Meng Fuyao responded, inwardly thankful for his interjection. The metal lid had vanished in the same instant he pulled her out of darkness. Hurriedly pushing the responsibility to him, she yelled, ¡°Let¡¯s talk nicely.¡± Tie Cheng threw a knowing nce her way and fell into silence. Redfaced, he rolled his eyes toward the sky and stabbed his own sword into the ground. Something was squirming in her sleeves, and it was probably Lord Yuan Bao, who was excited to get out. Not wanting a third boob, Meng Fuyao did not let him rest in her chest pocket. As such, whenever he wanted toe out, he would struggle a little. Not in the mood to entertain him, Meng Fuyao buttoned her sleeve up. She wasn¡¯t going to be able to trante if he started scolding people. She turned around to look at the gently smiling princess. ¡®This is¡­ his wife-to-be? What elegance. How¡­patible.¡¯ ¡°Princess Lotus?¡± Meng Fuyao called out upon calming down. She bowed slightly, adding, ¡°I have been rude.¡± The servant girl turned her nose up in arrogance and snorted. ¡°I knew that would work,¡± shemented. ¡°Ming Ruo!¡± The princess uttered before returning Meng Fuyao¡¯s gesture. ¡°She is just a young girl, don¡¯t mind her.¡± Her brows were beautifully arched, and so was her smile. There was a natural magnanimity about her, but she also carried a youthful charm. To Meng Fuyao, she was the epitome of femininity and grace. ¡®Princess, princess¡­¡¯ A curl formed on her lips. ¡°Can¡¯t me her for that, then.¡± Princess Lotus was at a loss for words, and the servant girl was fuming by now, and she shot Meng Fuyao a deadly re. ¡°Tie Cheng,¡± Meng Fuyao called for him without looking at anyone. ¡°Bring them to Zhongzhou to meet the prince, and thene look for me.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Tie Cheng asked, eyes opening wide and finger to his nose. Seeing the certainty in her eyes, he fell into a rage and split the tree before him into two. Taking a seat on the stump, he defied. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ordering, and not pleading,¡± Meng Fuyao blew up. ¡°You don¡¯t wanna go? No? Then get lost and go home. I¡¯ll never use you again.¡± Chapter 114 - An Ambush Chapter 114: An Ambush Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I¡­¡± Tie Cheng stammered, no additional wordsing out of his mouth. With Meng Fuyao turning away from him, he eventually admitted defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll go, I¡¯ll go¡­ fine, I¡¯ll go!¡± The more he said the angrier he became, resulting in another broken tree. Princess Lotus kept her smile all the way while giving thanks. ¡°You must be a man of ability. Are you, Sir, an official in Wuji? Could you tell me your name? I will have the prince thank you personally in time.¡± ¡®Have Zhangsun Wuji thank me?¡¯ Meng Fuyao wanted tough but couldn¡¯t. At this time the servant girl cut in, ¡°Which rank do you hold? Want a promotion? If the prince learns of your heroic act he will definitely thank you with anything you want.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at her before smirking. ¡°Oh yeah? That¡¯s great. I¡¯d like to be the emperor of Wuji. Can I?¡± Ming Ruo¡¯s face turned pale. With trembling lips, she uttered, ¡°You, you¡­ rebel¡­¡± Princess Lotus¡¯s gaze shrank but quickly transformed into a smile. ¡°He is making a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?¡± she chided softly. Meng Fuyao nced over at the princess, albeit not wanting any more eye contact. Extending a hand, she expressed, ¡°There aren¡¯t many bandits within Wuji region. You were just unlucky. With my guards, you¡¯ll have no problem getting to your destination safely. I¡¯ll take my leave, then.¡± ¡°Thank you again, dear Sir,¡± Princess Lotus bowed. Meng Fuyao, upon taking a few steps forward, turned around once more. ¡°Is it going to be a big wedding? With your honorable status, shouldn¡¯t there be members from Zhongzhou court to receive you? How did you end up in this state?¡± ¡°It is embarrassing, Sir,¡± Princess Lotus lowered her head, abashed, like a gentle lotus flower. ¡°I have been brought up to follow Buddhism. Honor and glory do not matter, and I have sworn to travel to every mountain and old Buddhist temple. I had nned to visit Mingguang Temple, in Xuan Yuan, but while passing by Wuji Nation, I had the sudden thought to¡­ to see an old friend,¡± she exined, biting her lips as her face turned red. ¡°My princess is the reincarnation of a sacred being and was born with a lotus flower in her mouth. She is the most piousdy in the whole of Five Region Continent, and hence the name Buddha Lotus. Many would beg to catch a glimpse of her, so it really is your lucky day today,¡± the servant girl informed proudly, looking askance. ¡°I think so too,¡± Meng Fuyao agreed forthrightly. ¡°It¡¯s the blessing of three lifetimes, and this trip has been made worthwhile.¡± Then, she bowed slightly before turning to leave. ¡®Pious? Sacred? Someone who could sit and chant her sutra so calmly while her guards shed blood outside¡­ yeah, how god d*mn pious indeed. She was someone who could continue chanting before a severed arm that belonged to one of her guards¡­ how god d*mn sacred indeed.¡¯ Meng Fuyao lifted her head and shot Buddha Lotus¡¯s reddened cheeks a quick nce. ¡®Aish, the shyness she expressed when talking about a man, was really all shades of flirtatious.¡¯ She walked between the jade-green forest, inwardly thinking, ¡®Reincarnation of Buddha Lotus¡­ lotus flower in mouth¡­ the lotus flower on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s palm¡­¡¯ ¡®So that was the secret he had been unwilling to reveal. It was this pious, sacred Buddha Lotus, whose mouth contained a flower at birth and who was living deep in the pce that he had been trying to hide.¡¯ He kept that flower on the hollow of his palm, not willing to bring it up to anyone or to allow anyone to touch it. He probably valued it as the most sacred treasure and wanted to protect it from all contamination of the world. ¡®Aye, a lotus born on a palm, another lotus born in a mouth. Aren¡¯t they just a perfect pair?¡¯ Meng Fuyao proceeded down the mountain and upon locating her horse she readied herself, and the horse galloped further and further away from Buddha Lotus. Meng Fuyao whipped her horse with much urgency, causing it to emit anxious neighs as if being chased by tens of thousands of soldiers. Amid the rush, there seemed to be a vague singing voice that trailed along with the horse¡¯s movement. ¡°One¡¯s spiritual, and the other a wless jade. One¡¯s the moon in a mirror, and the other a flower in the water¡­¡± The sky darkened andyers of clouds umted to dim the moonlight. They appeared like frosted ss or a worn-out cloth, ironing itself over the metallic ck sky. Meng Fuyao looked up and around somewhat vacantly¡­¡¯Where am I?¡¯ It seemed she had already exited Wuji¡¯s border. After a long thought, Meng Fuyao had a faint memory of herself being on the road for a whole day and night. She rushed past Qingzhou, Wuji and Tiansha border, and was now in this thick forest that should be sandwiched between both nations. Meng Fuyao studied the sky color. It was likely to rain, but since she had already passed the lodging area, she had no choice but to find a cave to stay the night. Meng Fuyao rested her horse on the foot of a mountain before making her way up. Fortunately, there was a thatched hut with a courtyard, which she found midway. It was rather old and tattered, and the animal hide hanging on the wall was already rotting. It appeared to be a house previously owned by a hunter family. Meng Fuyao tidied the ce a little and started a fire. It was when she finally sat down that she recalled about Lord Yuan Bao, who had been quiet this whole journey. She hurriedly undid her sleeve button, and upon pulling the little fellow out she saw that his eyes were exceptionally corrugated ¨C the journey had been too stuffy and he had passed out. Half a dayter Lord Yuan Bao woke up, still dizzy. However, upon regaining rity, heunched into intense verbal action. Unable to get herself to listen to his scolding, Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind turned to the fallen pine fruits she had seen on the way here. She could pick some of those to shut him up, she thought. As she stood up and left, Lord Yuan Bao followed her to the door, not once closing his mouth. After a few more hurls he stopped abruptly. His whiskers shook a little, and he looked toward the sky in suspicion before turning around and taking a sniff. He jumped. He squeaked loudly but could no longer spot Meng Fuyao¡¯s silhouette. Despite his continuous squeaks, it was quiet all around. While wanting to look for her, his owner had ordered him not to stray too far away from her side. The mountain was massive, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for them to lose each other, and they shared no telepathic connection. As such, he could only find a corner to draw his circles while waiting for her return. Meng Fuyao had actually heard him, but to her, his squeaks were no different from when he was reprimanding her. She proceeded forward, where a steep cliff resided on the opposite side, which she had descended to get here. The rugged terrain on the tip of the cliff appeared like an umbre, and the escarpment was glossy and almost standing at a right angle. Overall it was wide at the top but narrow at the bottom. Steadying herself, she studied the ravine and remembered the path ¨C¡¯the eye tooth ravine,¡¯ they called it ¨C at which Zhangsun Wuji had ¡°died.¡± She wondered if it looked simr to what she was seeing. When Meng Fuyao thought of him, her mind zoomed right into the lotus. Her head, or perhaps her heart, seared in pain. She gave herself a tight p. ¡®Is it not something good? Didn¡¯t you wish so badly to distance yourself from him? Now you have a rightful reason to reject, and the next time he dares to make any vows I¡¯ll bless him with a burning p. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your wife, you married man. Eating from your bowl but looking into the pot? I¡¯ll destroy you on behalf of all mistresses!¡± That¡¯s what I¡¯ll say.¡¯ Fantasizing about it refreshed her mind. She let out a soundlessugh. Halfway through the curl on her lips withered and she hugged her tummy, slowly crouching down. ¡®But¡­ but¡­ why lie to me¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao remained squatted in that ugly position as if trying to free something. Nevertheless, that something had already infiltrated her lungs without warning, making it impossible to do. Wind rose from the horizon, causing the clouds to gather and scatter. Soon, rain started falling, gently at first but quickly escting into a downpour. Blisters formed on the ground as she squatted in the rain, lifting her head and slowly wiping the raindrops from her face in a child-like manner. While doing so, Meng Fuyao suddenly noticed something amiss on the opposite cliff, as if something had moved. It wasn¡¯t a movement caused by rain hitting down on the trees. In fact, the cliff was practically bald. It was the outline of a person! Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze shrank. She eyed the cliff up and now, finally noticing that the whole cliff was filled with hidden soldiers. Those ck rocks were humans, and the contours of the cliffs were humans too. The big blocks that resembled rocks were probably wicker baskets that contained heavy stone weapons, and there was reflective lighting from the hands of those men in ck. They were probably holding onto des, arrows, or other sharp weapons. It was a skillful army, lying in ambush and persevering through the wind and rain at night, in anticipation of a blood hunt. Who were they waiting for? They were located in themon boundary shared between Tiansha and Wuji. On the west seated Tianshand and on the eastern side wasnd that belonged to Wuji, so anyone who died there would likely cause a verbal tug of war. Meng Fuyao smiled, entirely not in the mood to poke her nose into this matter. She stood up to leave, only to stop a secondter. ¡®Let me see who it is first.¡¯ Meng Fuyao jolted, like a night bird extending its body, and leaped onto an escarpment. She looked at the intensifying rain colliding with the rocks all over and rumbling. In the darkness before her a ck, handsome horse emerged, it¡¯s hooves seemingly flying. The rider was dressed in ck as well, his sleeves fluttering in the wind. She could vaguely spot shes of red on them. Behind the ck horse appeared a cloud-likeyer of a ck army, the soldiers¡¯ faces equally grave and their horses equally in sync. They barged through the rain, and while they were still a distance away, she could clearly feel their deadly aura sweeping over. Zhan Beiye and Dark Wind Horses! Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped. They were after Zhan Beiye! Chapter 115 - Ambush II Chapter 115: Ambush II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios This was the only path leading to Tiansha and Zhan Beiye was probably chasing after her. His brother must have had lost patience and decided to take action. The story of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s death must have inspired that man to kill Zhan Beiye and then push the me to Zhangsun Wuji. Meng Fuyao sprang up and rushed to the head of the mountain, shouting, ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Despite channeling inner energy into her voice, the pouring rain, along with the fact that they were separated by the distance of a mountain¡¯s width and height, drowned her out. In fact, the horses¡¯ gallops were enough to eliminate any noise. ¡°Stop¡ª¡± ¡°An Ambush!¡± Without even lifting his head the ck-robed rider charged ahead at full speed and was about to reach the end. ¡°D*mn!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed, looking toward the opposite side, where two seemingly split mountains stood facing each other, on which soldiers were ready to attack. The mountain she was on was slighter higher and further away, but if she were to go down a section, the opposite mountains would share a smaller distance. There was a tform there and she could take a risk to get there. While it would test her limits, she did not see any other choices. Meng Fuyao dashed to the edge of the cliff and someone from the opposite side immediately took notice but was unable tounch their arrows that far away. All he could see was a figure dashing forward and making an impressive leap off the cliff. ¡°Ah!¡± he let out. ¡®Suicide?¡¯ Meng Fuyao had jumped, and time was of the essence. She needed to get onto the tform in order to catch Zhan Beiye¡¯s attention. Seconds were all she had. She let out a thunderous yell, dashing down the steep slope as if it was t. Wind gushed from behind like a wave of cannon, attacking her chest area. It was like an invisible hand, reaching toward and suffocating her with the intention of turning this individual, who had chosen to test her physical limit, into ground meat. Meng Fuyao spat air out, the inner energy in her body immediately being mobilized. Even the inner energy hidden beneath her pubic region was engaged to fight against the natural forces. Like a golden bell canopy, it flowed throughout her body. Due to overuse the inner energy started to surge and gush out of her body likeva. She bit down on her cheeks, enduring the explosive pressure and speeding up exponentially. Finally, she turned into a ck line that flowed seamlessly down the cliff, stopping just before she lost control. Pfft. A mouthful of blood was ejected from her mouth, blossoming in the rain like blood-flowers. Meng Fuyao¡¯s abrupt brake, which was a form of resistance against all natural forces, was no different from a hammer smashing at the heart. Yet, it was in this reckless struggle that she gained a breakthrough. The hooves were rumbling and approaching the break-off point. Rolling on her side, Meng Fuyao reached the tform before swinging her head to start off a flip, and by the time shended on her feet, her sword was already in hand. She raised her head, looking toward the opposite side with eyes like an eagle. Men dressed in ck and waiting behind the rocks had their bows ready but were in utter shock as they had just witnessed a crazy leap. A slim figure hadpletely defied gravity and other natural forces, and they were left speechless. It was until her arrival at the tform that they sensed what she was trying to do and raised their arrows. However, in spite of her difficult situation, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyesight and reaction time were notpromised. Like ayer of rolling ck clouds, Zhan Beiye and his team continued charging and were only about two to three horses away from the break-off point. He hade this urgently through wind and rain in hope of getting to her side as soon as possible. Unable to approach the roads with caution due to theck of time, he was not at all aware of the predators, who were simply waiting for him to enter their. Neither did he know that hundreds of meters above him, amid the heavy downpour, stood Meng Fuyao, who had just risked her life fighting against bigger forces in order to warn him of the danger, and had just beenunched into a silent life-or-death struggle. Dark Wind Horses moved closer, the frontmost row about three meters away behind Zhan Beiye. It was a gap of life and death. Meng Fuyao looked up and exhaled, reaching for the trunk of a tree nearby and lifting it up. With the thickness of big thigh, the arrow-like trunk whizzed through the air with sufficient power to split the sky, and the immense air resistance instantly shattered the branches and leaves on it, leaving only the trunk shooting toward the crowd on the opposite side. Using a tree as javelin, she wasn¡¯t leaving room for a gentle discussion. ¡°Bang!¡± The trunk entered the crowd and consecutively took ten over men down. Blood and internal organs sttered all over as corpses could be seen dangling around the trunk before mming onto the ground. ¡°p.¡± A corpse with a trunk-size hole through his chest dropped to the ground before Zhan Beiye¡¯s horse, its fresh blood spurting onto his shoes. A corpse had blocked their entrance, and Zhan Beiye was only a step away from being ambushed. Zhan Beiye¡¯s head shot up. The rain made objects appear hazy, and the ck cliff, together with ck rain, entered his line of vision. He saw, on the opposite side, a slender figure shifting about, as if dodging arrows. ¡°Meng Fuyao!¡± He let out a yell and charged forward, quickly reaching the edge of the cliff. In the next moment, man and horse in midair, he shouted, ¡°Ji Yu! You know what to do?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The leader of Dark Wind Horses, Ji Yu, wiped the rainwater off his face and raised a hand to signal the soldiers behind to retreat. His astonished eyes never left the opposite cliff. There, the slender figure flipped and turned all over and as quickly as the flowing rain. His gaze then fell upon the corpse that had been pierced by the trunk. It was because of this corpse that had served as a warning to them, and it was thanks to it that they needn¡¯t send their own thousands of lives into the hands of the evil ambushers. Ji Yu looked at the mouth of the broken valley. If he remembered correctly, this path wasn¡¯t narrow to begin with so it wasn¡¯t possible for an ambush. Because of that and because they were anxious, Zhan Beiye, and himself hadn¡¯t noticed the changes in the topography and had almost fallen into a death trap. He shot a grateful nce toward the cliff and waved. ¡°Retreat.¡± Mountains and forests weren¡¯t suitable for battle on horses, and the enemy was prepared. Traps had definitely been set in ce so if not now when do they retreat? Zhan Beiye had gone ahead, however. His silhouette could be seen flying across the gap, amid the heavy rain, to get to where the arrow rain was being released. The moment he set foot on the ground a round of even denser arrows came toward him. Without dodging nor giving way, he raised his brows, yelling, ¡°I¡¯ll break them!¡± He leaped into the air, aiming his gold spear, which emitted a golden light curtain, downward. With anger and might contained in the light curtain, Zhan Beiye went for it. ¡°Boom!¡± The cliff that protruded like an umbre had been split. Big chunks of rocks and bodies fell, and anguished cries echoed throughout the mountain age range. It was the sound of earth crumbling, and it was hard to imagine that a human had caused it. In the instant Zhan Beiye struck, he flipped and stuck himself to the cliff wall, only rising when the rocks had all fallen. The once heavy mountain was now feather-light, and Zhan Beiye floated his way onto the top. The beginning of his arrival at the top was the end of the soldiers lying in ambush. Screams filled the air as a firework of broken arrows and limbs exploded. He barged into the crowd, chopping, seizing, smashing and trampling on everyone in his way. Witnessing Zhan Beiye¡¯s actions from the other cliff, the soldiers raised their bows and released arrows ferociously. Of course, the heavy rain impeded their uracy, and Zhan Beiye even had the chance to smash them with broken limbs. Since there was limited space in that area, there were only about 100 soldiers waiting. Soon, Zhan Beiye managed to clear the field. However, with a shout, another crowd surged from within the quiet trees and bushes. These were soldiers who were waiting for Zhan Beiye and his troop to fall into their trap, but since their ambush had been exposed, they had to resort to surrounding him. Zhan Beiye stood on the cliff, his ck robe fluttering loudly in the wind. Amid the pouring rain, his eyes appeared to contain disdain, and his handsome side profile was sharp and god-like. ¡°Want to kill me? Dream on.¡± He let out a rumbling growl, and the sky lit up momentarily as lighting struck down, its surrounding light illuminating his leaping figure. He flew up, tossing his heavy spear aside and assumed a posture even mightier than Meng Fuyao¡¯s when she had dashed down at a right angle. A leap was all he took to reach the opposite side. Meng Fuyao raised her head, clothespletely soaked and hair stuck to her face. Withplexion appearing increasingly like snow she witnessed Zhan Beiye¡¯s leap. Sticking a thin trunk she had used as a weapon into the ground she burst intoughter. ¡°I¡¯llugh at you if you fall!¡± ¡°Xiu!¡± A ball of fire exploded from behind him, its color exceptionally brilliant. It was so bright that even the dull rain couldn¡¯t dim its splendor. The next second a reddish-yellow fireball shot straight for Zhan Beiye¡¯s back. ¡°How f*cking despicable,¡± Meng Fuyao cursed, sending the tree in her hand out with a p. The trunk collided with the fireball, instantly bing charred and splitting into two sections. The fireballnded on Zhan Beiye¡¯s body, burning off a sleeve. At that point, he had closed in on them and was a man¡¯s distance away from reaching the side of the cliff. Meng Fuyao let out a sigh of relief but two fireballs appeared, faster and fiercer. One was aimed at Zhan Beiye while the other was at her. Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t enough trees for her to counter the attack. ¡°Oh, Grandmother!¡± She cursed once more, dashing toward Zhan Beiye without holding back. Sheunched herself forward like a cannonball, leaping into the air the next moment. She mmed onto Zhan Beiye with her body in a straight. She was just a hair¡¯s length away from reaching the side of the cliff, and just a millisecond away from saving him. Chapter 116 - Two Paths Chapter 116: Two Paths Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The duo, suspended in midair, came crashing down. Zhan Beiye looked up to see the cliff quickly zooming out, and he flipped Meng Fuyao over and above him without hesitation. With him as a cushion, she might have a chance of surviving the fall. However, amid the light and fire, she let out a grin. ¡°Stop!¡± Meng Fuyao jerked her wrist, and their bodies stopped in midair. Without a break she extended her hand, hoping to swing him back up, but not before he did the same first. ¡°Take the guy who shot the fireball down first!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Meng Fuyao sprang herself back onto the cliff and raised her hand,ughing, ¡°Have a taste of my Scattered Flower Needles!¡± The person on the opposite cliff dodged intuitively but felt somethinging his way. Angered, he lifted his firearm again and aimed it on the enemy¡¯s side, only to feel a pair of burning cold eyes on him. The gaze was anything but ordinary. It was cker than ink and deeper than the sea, and it carried the weight of gold and polished obsidian. Being watched by that pair of eyes was no different from being mmed by massive blocks, and one couldn¡¯t help but feel their chest tighten upon it. Zhan Beiye stood at the end of the cliff, hands behind his back and robe fluttering in the wind. Eyes on the man with a firearm in his hand, he spoke, ¡°It is you indeed.¡± ¡°I, alone, can take care of you,¡± the man let out a grim smile, automatically aiming his weapon at Zhan Beiye. ¡°You could wait no more, could you?¡± Zhan Beiyeughed. ¡°You should have brought your whole team here. Just you alone will not be enough.¡± ¡°You can test it with your life,¡± the man responded, raising the muzzle. He stopped. His target, along with the other youth, had vanished. Shocked, he wiped the rainwater off his face, thinking that his eyes must have been ying tricks on him. When he put his hand down, his heart jumped. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face and her star-like eyes had re-appeared before his very eyes. ¡®How is that possible?¡¯ He was convinced that the rain had messed with his mental state. He was clearly on the opposite side, and even a pair of wings couldn¡¯t have gotten him here this quickly. How did that happen? Meng Fuyao bared her teeth, smiling from ear to ear. She then flicked her fingers. ¡°p.¡± A rock was flung into the barrel, producing a crack that symbolized the death of this most advanced and precious firearm. Herughter became warmer as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you a greeting on his behalf.¡± A ck light shed. The man, who was staring at her wide-eyed, suddenly felt a chill deep in his heart and he lost all energy within his body. He let out guttural sounds while looking down at the wound on his chest. There was a gigantic hole, in which fresh blood poured generously out. Meng Fuyao¡¯s Destiny Rebellion had appeared suddenly and entered his chest, and when blood started flowing out, Meng Fuyao pulled it out and wiped it off his face. ¡°I have no idea why he wants to greet you,¡± she murmured. She smiled mischievously, rushing to wave at the other soldiers, who were dumbstruck, waving, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on all of you!¡± With a brushing sound, she disappeared into an arc. On the opposite side, Zhan Beiye had retrieved a rattan cane, and was mumbling to himself, ¡°This crazy woman.¡± When Meng Fuyao had seen the hidden troops attacking from the opposite cliff, she had conveniently gathered some drooping vines from the cliff wall and tied them together with her shoes. These vines were responsible for keeping the duo suspended from their fall and had allowed them to cooperate when back on top. He had swung the vines to get her to the other side to sneak an attack on the man. Back on the cliff, Meng Fuyao pped. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°My third older brother,¡± he answered quietly. Meng Fuyao stared at him in astonishment, noticing that he was looking deep into the forest, where heads were emerging from the bushes like clouds. His voice was heavy andyered. ¡°Fuyao.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°We must run now.¡± Rainy night, deep mountains, dense forest. More hidden soldiers surfaced, and they estimated the turnout to be tens of thousands. Tiansha Emperor was determined to kill Zhan Beiye. There was no doubt. The mountain range nearby had already been surrounded. Meng Fuyao observed the heads that emerged from different paths, and couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°It¡¯s time for your nation to start a poption control policy. Many people you have here.¡± Frowning for some time before breaking into a helpless smile, he noted, ¡°Amazing of you to make such jokes at a time like this.¡± ¡°Life without jokes is dull,¡± she waved. ¡°Alright, War God, have you thought of an escape n?¡± He raised his head, responding, ¡°It isn¡¯t easy for anyone to surround anyone in this environment. And we¡¯re talking about me.¡± In response to her doubtful gaze, Zhan Beiye smiled and pointed at the lush mountain range. ¡°I¡¯ve been familiarizing myself with the topography of Tiansha since 7, and with the help of Grandfather. He had it drafted based on the foothills of famous mountains and rivers he had enjoyed interviewing over 20 years. His descriptions were detailed, no matter how big or small the ces were. The one is elder brother¡¯s pce is more than a hundred times less refined inparison.¡± ¡°Which exins my victories. It¡¯s all about geography. A general who has the battle geography all memorized could easily do his calctions. I know of a path in Changhan mountain range that would lead us out, and of another that could lead us through the range, out from the northern section and straight to Pandu!¡± ¡°What are we waiting for then?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Let¡¯s take the second route.¡± She looked at the soldiers on the cliff wall throwing ropes to get to them and raised a hand to shoot rocks over, effectively killing some. ¡°It¡¯s now or never. Let¡¯s go before they reach us.¡± Slightly hesitant Zhan Beiye said, ¡°I¡¯ve ordered Ji Yu to call men over to protect you, Fuyao. You¡¯ll follow them around the mountain range.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Meng Fuyao asked with doubtful eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll take the other path,¡± he breathed out. ¡°I should be protecting you, Fuyao. I am sorry, but I have to rush to Pandu. Eldest brother is bent on having me killed. Mother is in grave danger so I can not go with you.¡± ¡°The exit of the path you¡¯re taking is closest to Pandu but also the most dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡± she questioned, eyes on him. ¡°Bring Ji Yu with you. I can manage.¡± ¡°No,¡± he shot back. ¡°That is not a path he might be able to cross. Bringing them along is a waste of manpower. Ji Yu had already brought men around Changhan mountain and they are rushing to Pandu now. We have made a pact that if I were to be raided, they need not save me. Instead, they should preserve their energy to rescue Mother from the pce. Not many men will be left to assist me. There might not even be a sufficient number to follow you on your path.¡± ¡°Zhan Beiye,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Do I look like someone who needs to borrow protection? Someone who would allow you to brave dangers alone?¡± She pulled him, dering, ¡°Let¡¯s take on the second route together, and take down any being that blocks our path.¡± She spoke with much fervor, stepping her way up, only to be called out by Zhan Beiye, ¡°Wrong direction.¡± Sprawled out against the cliff wall, she turned tough. ¡°Let¡¯s get the guinea pig first.¡± It sounded easy but doing it meant that a bloodthirsty battle ensued. Meng Fuyao bumped into the soldiers making their way down the rope, and without a word she sliced it off, feeding the falling men to Zhan Beiye¡¯s sharp sword skewer. Upon reaching the top she heard some soldiers shouting, ¡°Master has ordered for his severed head brought back. The reward is 10,000 silver, a good horse and the title of a general!¡± ¡°Am I that worthless?¡± Zhan Beiye roared inughter. ¡°Eldest Brother¡¯s white jade tomb¡¯s door is worth 30,000. I¡¯ll tear that down soon and reward whoever is able to cut me.¡± He pulled his sword, the fire red gem on the hilt shining bright like a demon¡¯s eye. With a sh of his sword heads started flying everywhere. Corpses were knocked down and rolled all over the mountain road. Fresh blood stained the jade-green grass but was immediately washed off by the rain. Zhan Beiye charged forward with unending power, constantly crushing broken bones on the ground. Meng Fuyao followed behind, jumping and dodging, unwilling to distance herself from his back. She was going to block all sneak attacks from behind. By the time they arrived at the grass hut, their bodies were covered in blood. Meng Fuyao kicked the wooden door down and a white light shed as Lord Yuan Bao pounced out. ¡°It¡¯s me, Rat!¡± She yelled. Losing momentum, Lord Yuan Bao fell vertically but was saved by Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm. Lord Yuan Bao hugged her finger, squeaking in tears. He had been so worried and had heard themotion going on outside. No idea what Meng Fuyao had met with, he wondered if she was going to just leave him deep in the mountains. How was he going to report to his owner in Zhongzhou? The more he thought about it the more anxious he got. That foolish woman must not understand that an animal like him appeared only once in 100 years. She must have thought that he was just a dispensable guinea pig who should be abandoned in dangerous times. Fortunately, that stupid woman was back, and he could finally rx his nerves. Seeing him in this state, Meng Fuyao recalled his pitiful fate of always getting abandoned, and hurriedly retrieved a pine fruit she had picked earlier. The fruit was stained with rainwater, mud, and blood. It lookedpletely dirty and unappealing. Nevertheless, the guinea pig, who took care of his fur to a perverted extent, slowly reached his paw out. Not picking up on his emotional conflict, Meng Fuyaoughed and pulled him into her embrace. ¡°It¡¯s time to run, Rat!¡± Chapter 117 - Gu Lingfeng Chapter 117: Gu Lingfeng Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°We¡¯ll first enter a dense forest from this mountaintop,¡± Zhan Beiye pointed from the grass hut window. ¡°There are all kinds of beasts in there, and some could just bite you without any warning. After the forestes a swamp, which some say is in the forest while others im it to be outside. No one knows its exact location so we must proceed cautiously. If we don¡¯t bump into any soldiers, we can go straight into a cave partially concealed by vines. In there is a path going down and¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her mouth wide. ¡®Isn¡¯t he being too irresponsible?¡¯ ¡°The sponger, also the headman of Gun 1 Tribe, located in the southwestern part of Tiansha, had thrown himself at Grandfather¡¯s door after losing his family property. In his records, Changhan mountain range was known as the mountain of death because of this path. It is known to be so dangerous that even he himself had had to travel on it. He only copied some information from the tribal ounts, which stated that thend beyond the karst cave was one with thousands of souls die. I suspect that that is where the ancient Gun Nation leader had died, either alone or with a bunch of men.¡± Huping, Meng Fuyao rubbed her fists together in excitement. ¡°I can finally use the things I¡¯ve learned in ¡®Candle-Blowing Ghosts.''¡± ¡°What nonsense,¡± Zhan Beiye cut in, amused by her brazenness. ¡°Gun Tribe is a mysterious tribe of Tiansha. It has many taboos, and even more when ites to tombs. You must be careful when following me.¡± He raised his head and looked toward the Tiansha soldiers, dressed in yellow, who were closing in slowly, his eyes turning darker. He pulled off a few animal skins from the wall, picked up an old pot and scoop us the pile of fire Meng Fuyao had generated. He then kicked the door open and threw the pot full of burning charcoal out. A soldier screamed upon getting hit, and the rest started dodging and scattering. The path that was once sealed tight had a gap now, and Zhan Beiye hurriedly pulled Meng Fuyao with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They moved nimbly, almost like falcons, stepping on the heads of the enemy and dashing toward the dense forest. More started making chase but kept slipping on the muddy ground. Someone was ordering the soldiers from above, and they revealed themselves from behind theyers of trees. They pulled their bows and created yet another arrow rain. Zhan Beiye covered Meng Fuyao with the animal hide as he dragged her along in the end. Because of the pliability of the animal skin, it was hard for the arrows to cut deep. Either way, the arrows weren¡¯t able to catch up with the duo, eventually dropping into the puddles. Meng Fuyao caught the arrows while running, and after gathering a handful she casually tossed them. Her inner energy wasn¡¯t something these ordinary soldiers could match up to, and whenever she attacked arge batch of men copsed. Toward the end, whenever she made the gesture of sword tossing the soldiers would start running away. ¡°I¡¯m tossing loneliness, not arrows!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed out loud. Lord Yuan Bao tried his best to drill his head before looking up at her with disdain. ¡°Be careful!¡± Zhan Beiye let out a low growl, reaching out to press Meng Fuyao downward and causing her to stumble a little and slip three steps behind. The next moment arrows broke the air, sounding extremely fierce and heavy, reaching the spot she would have reached if not for Zhan Beiye¡¯s intervention. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed, and she turned around. On the mountain top locatedterally stood a man in a golden robe, holding up a bow. He stood afar but she could still feel his grin. A group of people was gathered behind him, a row of them on their knees while another standing up. They had a golden longbow in their hands and some oddly shaped weapon sacks behind their backs. From their dressing to their expression and posture, it was clear that they were of a different caliber aspared to the soldiers from behind¨Cthey were calm, steady and deadly. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes narrowed slowly. ¡°What precise vision and powerful calction.¡± Not only did the arrows contain extraordinary power, but they were also able to calcte her speed and aim at the spot she was about to reach. If not for Zhan Beiye¡¯s vignce, she would¡¯ve been injured even after attempting to dodge. ¡°The golden force of Tiansha,¡± Zhan Beiye noted gravely. ¡°Eldest brother¡¯s troop, also the cream of the crop. Experts in pursuing and attacking, assassinating and single battles. Members must have entered the finals in the True Martial Arts Meet, and leaders are all within top 50 in previous meets. And the chief, Gu Lingfeng¡­¡± he pouted his mouth to direct her attention to the man in a golden robe before continuing, ¡°7th ce in thest meet.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, ¡°If he¡¯s lucky enough to see me in this uing meet, I¡¯ll show him how it feels to have his teeth all broken and on the floor.¡± ¡°Xiu!¡± Countless golden arrows whizzed through the air, forming a golden arc that broke the rain curtain beforending behind their feet in a neat row. Gu Lingfeng hoisted his bow up and mouthed the words ¡°quick death¡±. Zhan Beiye let out a coldugh, kicking a leg backward to send the golden arrows back into the sky. Gu Lingfeng swung his bow upward, diverting the arrows onto a tree. Leaves and fruits fell all over his head. Zhan Beiye erupted inughter, pulling Meng Fuyao along with him as he pounced forward. It was a dense forest. The trees in this forest were ancient, and their jade green leaves were so closely packed that the sky waspletely covered. It was almost day time but still dark in the forest. The air carried the smell of dead leaves and rotting animal flesh. The moment they stepped in they could feel the coldness and stillness pressing down on them. Zhan Beiye waved his sword, slicing off thorny branches. In the dark forest, his sword twinkled, its red gem glowing exceptionally brightly, like the eye of a god. A crack sounded beneath Meng Fuyao¡¯s feet. Startled, she raised her foot to see a decaying bone. ¡°I thought it was a ghost¡­¡± She paused, studying the bone closely. ¡°It is a ghost.¡± Zhan Beiye nced over at the bone, exining, ¡°People came in to hunt, and many had died a violent death. Probably belongs to a hunter. There might be more traps along the way, so be extremely careful.¡± He sliced off another section of thorny vines. ¡°Who is it!¡± He shouted suddenly. A figure shed before their eyes and he pulled Meng Fuyao behind him. ¡°Your Highness,¡± the figure called out. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Zhan Beiye released a sigh of relief, frowning as he looked at Ji Yu. ¡°Did I not tell you to bring the men back to Pandu? Who is to handle the situation if you¡¯re here..?¡± ¡°Xiaoqi is the assistant leader of Dark Wind Horses. He can manage it,¡± Ji Yu answered. ¡°Let this ten selected soldiers and I walk with Your Highness on this path.¡± Zhan Beiye sighed after some time, pointing to Meng Fuyao. ¡°Protect thisdy and I¡¯ll allow you to stay.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled softly, hugging her chest and looking up at the sky. There was no point in arguing, and it was still too early to say who needed the protection. ¡°The soldiers will not follow us in, but Gu Lingfeng will,¡± Zhan Beiye informed. ¡°He has been after me for a long time. Looks like I¡¯ll need to gift him something special.¡± He squatted and started to dig a few shallow holes, only enough for a person to put the tip of his shoes in. The holes were made at random, and he covered them with vines before tying them to the trees. He then ordered Ji Yu to dig a few bigger holes behind those and to stick tree stumps in them. He chopped a few stumps and turned them into wooden nts to fit above the holes, before covering them with topsoil and more vines. As they were doing that Meng Fuyao retrieved the bottles and jars she had gotten from Zong Yue¡¯s ce, opening them up and sprinkling the contents all over the vines. They then climbed up different trees and waited, leaving Zhan Beiye standing in ce with a sword in hand. A short whileter a golden robe flickered. Gu Lingfeng had entered the forest with his men. They were all extremely cautious and kept casting stones before advancing, to ensure that there weren¡¯t any traps. Gu Lingfeng moved ahead of everyone else as he could rely on his powerful inner energy to not set a foot on the ground at all. He spotted a sword and look up to see Zhan Beiye, face toward the sky. Shocked, he wondered why Zhan Beiye wasn¡¯t escaping. Before he could answer Zhan Beiye swung his sword downward. His move contained enough power to split a mountain. It was like that of a thousand lightning bolts but without any fanciness. Enormous wind gust rose from the ground, rolling the branches and leaves into the air. A faint red light surfaced on the sword, reflecting its glow onto Gu Lingfeng¡¯s features, highlighting the murderous look on his face. In response to such a powerfulunch, Gu Lingfeng dared not receive it directly. Instead, he hardened his body and bent it backward, face toward the sky, in an attempt to dodge Zhan Beiye¡¯s attack. As he tried to do so without retreating too far, he had no choice but to shift half a step. ¡°Whip, whip.¡± Gu Lingfeng felt his mind clenching along with the sound and also felt his feet being bound. Looking down he noticed the vines around his feet. Shocked he staggered half a step backward, his foot falling into yet another trap, which was the small hole created by Zhan Beiye. Astonished but not panicking, he sliced the vines off with his sword. ¡°These are not going to stop me¡­¡± He stopped suddenly, staring at a cloud of fog before him. It was above the vines and had risen from the moment he sliced them off. Some of it had even stained his armor. His eyes reddened, and he immediately felt suffocated. Without thinking he leaped up, and upon seeing him in danger a subordinate pounced forward without hesitation. One jumped forward while the other jumped backward ¡°Withdraw!¡± Amid his crisp voice, slight rustling sounds could be heard from the ground. The wooden nks were pulled open together with the vines, revealing the ck holes, which embraced the two colliding individuals with open arms. Chapter 118 - An Engagement From the Past Chapter 118: An Engagement From the Past Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Ah!¡± A series of painful cries exploded before the death of four or five men. Laughing, Zhan Beiye dragged his sword along as he walked away. However, in the trap behind him, rose a figure that soundlessly jabbed his sword toward Zhan Beiye¡¯s back. Gu Linfeng had stripped off his golden armor in a second and kicked a corpse down, effectively using it as a stepping stone to exit the trap. Without turning his head, Zhan Beiye pped his wider than usual sword onto the ground, causing leaves and dust to roll up with a big gust of wind. Gu Lingfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sucked in a breath, subconsciously stepping back. Suddenly, he felt a sharp st of wind being generated amid the gust, and it wasing for him at full speed and without a sound. Gu Lingfeng was an experiencedbatant and could immediately sense the dangers of it. He bent his body, nimbly grabbing an approaching subordinate to use as a meat shield. In the next moment, he felt a warm, fishy liquid sttering onto his face. Seeing that his defense had worked, Gu Lingfeng let out a breath of relief. He heard a peal of softughter, which sounded like the collision of ice and jade. Carrying a slight contemptuous snicker, theughter faded away. Gu Lingfeng opened his eyes, tossing his man¡¯s body onto the ground, reying theughter in his head and bing increasingly furious. He turned around to look at his other men, roaring, ¡°What are you looking at? Chase!¡± The golden troop eyed him with a strange expression, and as Gu Lingfeng was about to continue ripping them apart, he felt a stiffness overtake his shoulder area. Reaching out, he felt a piece of meat dropping. Gu Lingfeng¡¯s face changed. He didn¡¯t know when, but his shoulder was already charred by the time he turned his head to the side for a look. Immediately understanding that he had fallen for the enemy¡¯s trap, he pulled his sword out. In a sh, the big bloody piece of meat on his shoulder flew out. ¡°Half of you make chase and the other half shall return with me to recuperate!¡± Gu Lingfeng ordered with thick hatred as he held onto his shoulder. Eyes set deep into the dense forest, he shouted, ¡°I remember your voice! I¡¯ll repay you twofold when the timees.¡± ¡°Aish, this stupid fish. Why can¡¯t I get it?¡± Meng Fuyao cursed, holding onto the hem of her trousers while standing by a creek and attempting to stab a fish with a tree branch. ¡°I have wasted 180 graceful jabs for nothing.¡± The group had traversed a whole day, eventuallying to a higher mountain to rest in the evening. Ji Yu and his men had gone hunting, and since Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t one to sit around she had decided to catch some fishes, but to no avail, apparently. Lord Yuan Bao steadied himself on a rock and waited eagerly as Meng Fuyao executed her move for the hundredth and eightieth time. Zhan Beiye leaned against the mountain rocks while chewing on a de of sweet grass and ogling at Meng Fuyao¡¯s snow-white and slender calves and ankles. Upon being detected for the umpteenth time, he was sshed with a generous amount of water, the beadsnding all over his body. Wiping them off and spitting out the grass de, he strode over. Meng Fuyao assumed a fighting pose, but Zhan Beiye simply snatched her makeshift fork and said, ¡°These fishes are our local product. Extremely slippery. You can¡¯t catch them.¡± ¡°Go put on your shoes. The weather in the mountains is chilly in the mornings and at night. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± It was then that Meng Fuyao understood his intention. Surprised and momentarily at a loss, she absentmindedly went to put on her shoes while observing as he stuck the fork into the water and stirred it. No longer able to breathe, the fishes made their way to the surface, instantly being caught by the waiting man. Some of them leaped onto the rocks, and Lord Yuan Bao even held one down with his w before turning toward her and throwing an arrogant smirk. ¡°So this is what ¡®mixing the water to catch the fish¡¯ literally means? You¡¯re a prince yourself, so why are you so familiar with living in the wild?¡± asked Meng Fuyao in shock. ¡°When warring with Moluo Tribe, I even led an army into theirnd. With 3,000 men we pursued their leader in the mountains to the point where he chose to end his own life,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth, ¡°We had no provisions and food. Driven by hunger, we caught a snake and shared it. Things like catching wild chickens, rabbits and fishes¡­ we have all done them. My men were all tired, and there was no reason to expect them to serve me.¡± ¡°Now I understand why the title of golden leader only belongs to you,¡± Meng Fuyao stated as she started a fire, fanning the mes while and adding more branches. She continued with a smile, ¡°A leader who fills a trap with his men and uses his men as shields will never, ever reach the people¡¯s expectations.¡± ¡°He has pitted himself against me his whole life, but all this time, I have only treated him as a fart,¡± Zhan Beiyeughed, ¡°How stinky.¡± Meng Fuyao burst intoughter, stopping midway to grab some leaves and branches to feed the fire. Staring at the mes, she sat in silence, her eyes glistening like a pair of crystal beads. ¡°Be careful!¡± Zhan Beiye reached his hand out to snatch the branch she was about to pick up. The cracking sound broke the silence and snapped her out of her daze. Turning to the source of the sound, she noticed that the ¡°branch¡± was actually a poisonous snake. It had a t head, was ash-brown in color and had faint green spots that helped it blend into the pile of leaves. Perfect camouge. Zhan Beiye tossed the dead snake away and pulled her hand toward him to inspect it. ¡°Did you get hurt? Why are you so careless?¡± His tone was strange, and he anxiously flipped her hand about. The glow of the fire lit up his face, making the fine beads of sweat on his forehead visible. This man before he was a warrior and a leader in battle, yet here he was, so frightened by a snake. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart tightened as guilt washed over her. She shrank her hand back and forced a smile out. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Fuyao,¡± he called out while looking at her. ¡°I passed by Yaocheng and heard that Tie Cheng had followed you. Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± ¡°I sent him on another mission,¡± she answered slowly. ¡°He will catch up when it¡¯spleted.¡± ¡°What could possibly be more important than protecting you?¡± Zhan Beiye questioned without signs of rxing. ¡°He does not seem like the sort to be willing to leave your side.¡± ¡°I ordered him to,¡± she exined simply before turning around. ¡°Why?¡± he questioned again, refusing to leave it as it is. ¡°No why!¡± she eximed, no longer able to contain herself. ¡°I like it!¡± Zhan Beiye remained silent and calm. Seeing him look at her got her feeling guilty immediately. She sucked in a breath before rambling, ¡°Oh, sorry, I am a little tired and lost it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re unhappy, Fuyao,¡± Zhan Beiye stated. ¡°From the moment I saw you at the cliff, I knew something was off. What is happening?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her mouth and closed it. ¡®What happened? Nothing, just¡­ I met someone and as long as she exists they will meet sooner orter. Nothing bad about meeting earlier, though.¡¯ She sighed, wondering how an aggressive man like him could actually be so delicate. What she did not know was that his care and concern was a limited edition. For example, Ya Lanzhu would never get a taste of it. But what was the point in her confiding in him? That would only add to his already troubled heart. ¡°It¡¯s about him, isn¡¯t it?¡± Meng Fuyao remained quiet, but Zhan Beiye had already answered with a tinge of loneliness in his voice, despite the smile on his face. ¡°Only he is able to cause such a disruption to your behavior.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s her jumped. She looked up at him and saw that he was focusing on roasting the fish. Sensing her gaze, heughed. ¡°Why are you looking at me? Afraid I¡¯ll get hurt? I¡¯m happy enough that you have that thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡± Meng Fuyao raised her voice as if to prove herself. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, and I¡¯ll repeat this. I do not have any weird feelings toward any of you. What I hope for the most, is for you guys to go on your way and I on mine.¡± ¡°It is us who have strange feelings toward you,¡± he smiled cheerily. ¡°Knowing that it is a rejection for him as well makes me feel better. Aye, Fuyao, you have rejected us both, so make sure you don¡¯t change your mind, or I won¡¯t let you off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a helplessugh. After some thought, she added, ¡°I sent Tie Cheng to escort the Lotus Princess back to Zhongzhou. Bumped into her group and happened to rescue her from a group of bandits.¡± ¡°Buddha Lotus?¡± Zhan Beiye frowned. ¡°Feng Jingfan? The youngest 14th princess? Known to be born with a lotus in her mouth?¡± ¡°You know her too?¡± asked Meng Fuyao, before it urred to her that if the princess was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s wife-to-be, why wasn¡¯t a royal member of Tiansha Nation aware of it? ¡°Not really, but I have heard of her,¡± he responded slowly. ¡°Why is she heading there?¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lips, hesitating but eventually sharing what she knew. ¡°Said she¡¯s Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s wife-to-be, and she is heading there to visit.¡± ¡°Wife-to-be?¡± Zhan Beiye repeated, eyes widening and almost dropping his fish into the fire. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone mention¡­ ah, not right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Meng Fuyao, evidently nervous. ¡°Now that you have mentioned it, I do remember him getting into an engagement when he was a teen, and a painting containing military strategies was given to her. No other news came after. But if he was really in an engagement, he should have been married a long time ago. Why has that not happened?¡± Suddenly, he flew into a rage. ¡°What a man he is! Vowing to take care of you when he has a wife. What is his motive?¡± Meng Fuyao kept quiet, and Lord Yuan Bao poked his head out before scuttling to stand in between them. He pped his chest and bum, pointing here and there while squeaking out loud. The duo stared at him, not understanding what intense emotions he was trying to express. Realizing that he wasn¡¯t getting his point across, he shot his tiny head toward the sky in exasperation. His biscuit box came to mind for sure, but he had unfortunately finished them. Anxious, he started plucking the hair on his bum to form the word ¡°no.¡± Massaging his bum, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°When you¡¯re finally done it¡¯s going to be a new day and your bum will be bald. Forget it, it¡¯s not worth the trouble.¡± Chapter 119 - Night in the Forest I Chapter 119: Night in the Forest I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao flipped over andid down by the pile of fire. Zhan Beiye waited until she was fast asleep before taking off his robe and carefully draping it over her. Lord Yuan Bao carefully kept his four strands of hair that were wasted and held them in his palms. Sad and lonely, he sat on a stone and stared at the crescent moon. Momentster, he let out a long sigh, frustrated at theck of propermunication. ¡°Squeak-¡± The night darkened, and all the animals gradually fell asleep. Ji Yu and ten elite warriors of ck Wind Horses slept in a semi-circle facing the thick forest, protecting Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao whoid in the center of the formation. Meng Fuyao slept on a bluestone, behind which was a pond, followed by a mountain that was almost impossible to climb over. Zhan Beiye specially picked this campsite, which was the safest as it could fend off enemiesing from three different directions. After a day of intense trekking, everyone was overwhelmed with fatigue and fell into a deep slumber. The crescent moon, which resembled a hook, projected a greenish-blue luster on the center of the pond. Ripples vaguely emerged, spreading out in waves. The waves gradually became more violent, disrupting the pale reflection of the moon. Almost immediately, some objects ¨C with shapes yet to be seen ¨C slowly emerged from the pond. Under the pale moonlight, in the pond where a cliff was near, an eerie shadow gradually rose. From afar, the shadow seemed to have a body and a head, with four distinct limbs. Though the shadow silently rose, it kept squirming. The moonlight projected the shadow on the cliff. That ¡°thing¡± suddenly split apart bit by bit, and two particrly flexible ¡°arms¡± continuously extended and contracted in a strange rhythm. On the stone, Lord Yuan Bao flipped over, opened his eyes, sniffed his surroundings and suddenly sat up in a scurry. He took a nce behind his back and what he saw made him jump in shock, leaping right into Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms. Meng Fuyao was having a good night¡¯s sleep. In her dreams, she was happily pping Zhangsun Wuji away, but Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s actions woke her up from the dream. She instinctively sensed her surroundings. There was no sign of danger; there was only silence around her. She felt relieved and semi-consciously pushed Lord Yuan Bao away. ¡°Sleep properly! Don¡¯t fall all over me like that, we are of different genders!¡± she scolded. Lord Yuan Bao was angered by her words, loudly squeaking as he jumped up and down, waking everyone up. On the opposite side, Zhan Beiye opened his eyes and reached for his sword that was used as a pillow. He jumped to his feet, and after surveying the surroundings, he frowned and said, ¡°Rat, what¡¯s themotion about?¡± Lord Yuan Bao pointed at the cliff profusely. When everyone looked over, they only saw a serene pond and a normal cliff. ¡°You had a nightmare, hadn¡¯t you?¡± asked Meng Fuyao as she nced sideways at Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°If you want to sleep with me, just say it directly. Why put up such a show?¡± Lord Yuan Bao was bitterly angry, once again pointing at the sky and profusely squeaking as he vowed for his innocence. Even though Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye teased the guinea pig, they knew that he was not just an ordinary guinea pig, and definitely would not put up such a midnight show just to sleep with Meng Fuyao. Ji Yu and the other knights patrolled around the nearby forest, while Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao inspected their surroundings. Everyone sat back at their positions only after confirming that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Meng Fuyao grabbed the dejected Lord Yuan Bao andy him on her stomach. ¡°Why, you had a nightmare just by sleeping on the stone? I will kindly sacrifice myself and act as a human sofa for you then,¡± She pressed Lord Yuan Bao down and said, ¡°Sleep and make no more noise. We still have a long way to go.¡± Zhan Beiye added some firewood, making the campfire burn even brighter. He took a meticulous look at the terrain, before lying down behind Meng Fuyao. People who were tired fell asleep very quickly. Not long after, the forest quietened down once again. This time round, Lord Yuan Bao was covered by Zhan Beiye¡¯s robe and pressed down by Meng Fuyao so he could not move. He refused to sleep as well, lifting his ears to listen to the surroundings with a bright sparkle in his eyes. Under the moonlight, in the pond, the same uncanny shadow appeared again. Projected on the dark cliff, the shadow slightly wriggled around and some hair-like structures that were much thicker than hair slowly extended on the cliff. That shadow steadily neared. Lord Yuan Bao suddenly opened his mouth and bit Meng Fuyao¡¯s belt. With a swing of his head, a screech sounded, and the belt was broken off. Meng Fuyao jumped straight up and shouted, ¡°Rat, what are you doing!¡± Everyone was woken up once again. Meng Fuyao hurriedly tied her belt while surveying the surroundings. When she found out that there still wasn¡¯t anything abnormal, she scolded, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because I didn¡¯t let you spell words earlier on? Is it even necessary to take your revenge in such a way?¡± Lord Yuan Bao, tearful and grief-stricken, pounced on a stone and scowled at the cliff. Zhan Beiye sat up and said, ¡°Why is the rat making such amotion? Now I feel uneasy. How about this, Fuyao you continue to rest, and I will guard for the rest of the night.¡± Meng Fuyao yawned and said, ¡°Let me do it since the rat is already intent on not letting me sleep,¡± Ji Yu walked up and spoke. ¡°Prince, my brothers who were on night duty, didn¡¯t find anything. However, it¡¯s best to be careful in this forest. You and Miss Meng should continue to sleep. I will bring the brothers to guard the night.¡± Zhan Beiye hesitated, but he knew that if he stayed up, Meng Fuyao would not sleep as well. Given that both of them were already worn out from days of fighting and trekking, it would be even harder for them to face future dangers if they did not rest well. He gave in and said, ¡°Then be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiyeid down once again. Afraid that Lord Yuan Bao would molest her once more, she ced him in a tree hole beside her and said, ¡°I will let you out tomorrow morning.¡± Lord Yuan Bao had been downgraded to the boy in ¡°The Boy Who Cried Wolf.¡± Dejected, he knelt at the opening of the tree hole and looked at the moon. The opening was too small for his build to squeeze through so he could only stay in the tree hole. He watched the shadow rise up yet again, approaching the group even nearer than before. Ji Yu led some of his subordinates to guard the group. Half of them sat facing the forest while the other half sat beside Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao. All of them had their backs facing the pond, with hawk-like eyes carefully inspecting their surroundings. No one thought that there would be anything abnormal about the pond ¨C it was a very small pond, with three sides of it being surrounded by cliffs. There was not even a speck of grass on the cliff that might have hinted of anything suspicious. The pond was crystal clear, and everyone had washed their faces or caught fishes in the pool beforehand. Hence, they knew that there would not be a problem. Their attention had all been ced on the forest, which was most likely to contain danger. That shadow crept up silently and had already reached the stone that Meng Fuyao was sleeping on. Slowly, it rose higher and higher, and nearer and nearer to Meng Fuyao. Moonlight shone from the side, but there was still no clue of the shadow¡¯s physique. Lord Yuan Bao squatted by the tree hole, a pair of onyx-like eyes carefully scrutinizing the shadow. Suddenly, he took a deep breath in and as his bloated stomach shrunk in an instant, he released a loud cry. Under the moonlight in the tree hole, Lord Yuan Bao had used all of his strength to make such a move, but strangely, not a sound was heard. That kind of sound was different from the guinea pig¡¯s version of squeaks that he made on a normal day. It was something that humans could not hear. It was a unique sound that belonged to a legendary centennial animal, with weird sybles and an innate power to control all of nature. The cry burst out from the throat, forcefully approaching the pond like a steel knife. The foggy shadow quietened for a moment. Suddenly, its physique appeared and erupted in all directions! A ck Wind Horses warrior on duty who sat back facing, and was closest towards, the pond was inspecting the forest on the opposite side. Without warning, he felt something cold on his back, as though he had been sshed by pond water. Just as he was wondering how the pond water could have sshed without any notice, he felt something cold on the side of his face as well. Something chilly and soft brushed past his face, making slithery noises. It licked his lips and wrapped itself around his neck. The warrior quickly reacted, raising his hands to grab that thing and pulling it down in an instant. The thing split apart in his hands and a light-blue liquid sshed in all directions. The warrior was alert and avoided the liquid, lowering his head only to find half of the body of a grey snake and a t snakehead. He heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Just a water snake.¡± However, when his eyes darted to the object in his right hand, he was momentarily stunned. It was still half of a snake¡¯s body and a t snakehead, but the tail was not what he expected. A Double-Headed Snake! Realization struck the warrior, and he knew that he had encountered the legendary Double-Headed Snake which resided in the thick forests of the Heaven Demon territory. ording to legend, these snakes always appeared in a big group and had a strong sense of revenge. If one killed one of them, the entire group would y one¡¯s entire family. The warrior looked back quickly and saw a group of snakes rubbing past each other and twisting together to form a human-like shape. However, the shape looked scattered as the snakes dispersed in a hurry. Only two huge snakes which acted as the ¡°arms¡± bared their poisonous fangs, with ghostly- green snake eyes staring deadly at him. As the warrior watched the snake, he instinctively wanted to stand up and ughter the snake, but he suddenly felt that his head could no longer twist back. Then, his neck, chest, arms, and legs¡­. Every muscle and bone in his body started to stiffen and bit by bit, his life slowly solidified. In hisst bits of consciousness, he vaguely recalled the snake kiss that licked his lips. Silence ensued. Moonlight shone on a stone, revealing a statue with the head forever frozen in the motion of looking back. Meanwhile, when the snakes were forced to show their true physique ¨C a result of Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s cry ¨C everyone woke up startled. Once Zhan Beiye opened his eyes, he immediately swept Meng Fuyao down the bluestone. In a swift turn, he grabbed his sword and chopped towards the pond as he turned back. A jet of water sshed out of the water surface, dispersing about half of the snakes. The eerie human-like structure was only left with two ¡°arms¡± and half a ¡°head,¡± squirming in the pond under the pale moonlight. The ck Wind Horses rushed forward and fell into formation, facing the pond. Zhan Beiye stared at the group of snakes and coldlymanded, ¡°Since we have already killed one of them, kill the rest too. The lesser there are, the better it is!¡± These warriors, who had heard of the legend, all understood what he meant and coldly nodded. Zhan Beiye then said, ¡°This thing likes to form a human-like structure to attack from the top and bottom to catch humans unaware. Their bodies are tough yet slimy, and their movements are fast like the wind. Think of ways to disperse them!¡± Meng Fuyao tumbled down and looked at the snakes that were fighting with the ck Wind Horses. There were so many snakes, and they were in such close proximity of each other, yet they were still very agile. The ¡°hands¡± grabbed and the ¡°heads¡± banged at the speed of wind, just like a real human inbat. From time to time, a snake would fly out like a hidden weapon, taking a venomous bite and contracting back in almost immediately. Meng Fuyao could not help but be baffled. Thus, she eximed, ¡°What is this thing? How did we not know of it even when they were so close to us?¡± ¡°This is the Double-Headed Snake which is said to be cursed by the witch of the Big Gun 1 n. Their bodies turn foggy and are hard to detect before they are near humans. They like to attack in human-like structures and most of the time, people who meet them only have death as an option. Furthermore, if one of them is killed, it bes very troublesome,¡± Zhan Beiye speedily replied. ¡°The snake that we killed tonight is likely one of them.¡± Chapter 120 - Night in the Forest II Chapter 120: Night in the Forest II Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Wasn¡¯t that snake single-headed?¡± asked Meng Fuyao, still in a dazed state. Zhan Beiye sighed and said, ¡°These snakes are single-headed when they are young, and once they mature, they grow out a second head and live within the gaps between cliffs. I was too careless. I thought that these snakes disappeared along with the fall of the Big Gun n, and didn¡¯t expect that they still exist. We have wronged the rat.¡± Meng Fuyao, with an expression of guilt, looked into the tree hole. ¡°Later I¡¯ll apologize,¡± she said as she took out some bottles. ¡°Let¡¯s poison them first.¡± ¡°It is of no use,¡± Zhan Beiye remarked while pulling her back. ¡°This thing isn¡¯t afraid of poison, beware that you might wrongly hurt others instead.¡± ¡°What about a thunder crash bomb? I remember that your soldiers are equipped with this.¡± ¡°The snakes are underwater, so we can¡¯t use thunder crash bombs. If one of them finds a way to escape and attack us, we would not be prepared,¡± said Zhan Beiye as he suddenly smiled. ¡°This is something troublesome, but in times of trouble it is very useful.¡± He held out a small bottle and poured some of the red powder-like contents on himself. Thereafter, he extinguished the campfire and flicked some of that powder onto the pile of wood. Meng Fuyao curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Pepper,¡± answered Zhan Beiye arrogantly. Meng Fuyao scowled and uttered, ¡°There¡¯s pepper in the Five Region Continent? Could it be that I wasn¡¯t the one who teleported, but you did?¡± Prince Wang, who had a sharp hearing, casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s teleporting?¡± ¡°It means traveling around the different countries.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± remarked Zhan Beiye. Then, he went on to exin, ¡°The other time we drank soup at the inn in Huazhou, the soup indeed tasted much better after you added pepper and so, I ordered my subordinates to bring me some. These snakes are blind, but they are very sensitive to smell. Once they detect the scent of an enemy, they will relentlessly chase after their foes.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up and eximed, ¡°That¡¯s why you left behind the scent of pepper! What smell could be more vivid and invigorating than this? Once our enemies arrive¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Beiyeughed and said, ¡°Later we¡¯ll depart and leave our belongings behind. Once the Gold of Tiansha rushes over, they will definitelye up to inspect, such as flipping through the extinguished campfire and getting contaminated by pepper. Then¡­ Just wait for the deadly pursuit of the Double-Headed Snakes!¡± He held his sword and leaped over the ck Wind Horses soldiers. A crimson red beam shed by, and in an instant, he split the disfigured human-like structure of snakes into two! Immediately after, hemanded, ¡°Retreat!¡± The snakes fell apart in the left and right directions, mimicking how a real human body would have split apart. Some Double-Headed Snakes were sliced into two segments, but each segment became an independent warrior. They flew past the water surface like how the wind blew past and rushed towards the humans, bearing the resemnce of arrows. Everyone had already escaped far away, with Meng Fuyao being the first ¨C she rushed to the tree hole and dug out the guinea pig. Without giving a care of whether she would be seen as the third wave, Meng Fuyao tucked the guinea pig in her arms and in the blink of an eye, ran 100 odd meters away. Zhan Beiye was thest to leave, and as he did, he conveniently grabbed the corpse of the warrior whose head was forever turned back at a weird angle. At the same time, he threw a huge bunch of stones in all directions. The snakes chased after them, but for a moment, they were distracted by the noisesing from different sides and did not know where to go. Making use of the opportunity, everyone climbed up the trees and leaped from tree to tree. They only stopped when they were far away from the snakes. Zhan Beiye personally dug a hole, burying the soldier who died from a snake¡¯s kiss. Ji Yu and the other warriors were not grief-stricken; soldiers who died in battle did what they had to do. They silently looked at Zhan Beiye. He was their Prince, one who was brave, decisive and treated his subordinates like his sons. If possible, he would personally bury all the soldiers who followed him on the battlefield and died. Even for those who were injured, he never gave up on them easily. Hence, there was an unspoken rule in the ck Wind Horses: no matter who got injured and knew that his days were numbered shouldmit suicide immediately and not be a burden to Zhan Beiye. Meng Fuyao walked over and quietly bowed to the ce of burial. She reprimanded herself for not being much more careful even though the guinea pig had warned her. If only she had been more vignt, this young warrior might not have died. Zhan Beiye gently patted her shoulders and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It was mine. I should not have slept.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop fighting over whose fault it is,¡± Meng Fuyao gave a forceful smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s the rat¡¯s fault for not knowing how to speak in the humannguage.¡± She lowered her head and took out the guinea pig. However, his hair was all wet, and his head hung low, and she was uncertain of whether he was asleep or not. Meng Fuyao stared at him dumbfoundedly and asked, ¡°Eh? Rat, since when did you go into the water?¡± The guinea pig was too tired to respond. The cry he released was a treasure that could not be used easily. Each time he did it, he would be utterly exhausted and would need to sleep for a few days to recuperate. Especially since he was not at Qiongcang, he did not have the necessary supplements and thus, he was even more disheveled than ever. Meng Fuyao recalled that she was to me for making Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s beloved pet end up in such a state. In a rare moment whereby Meng Fuyao felt guilty, she uttered, ¡°I have decided that for your sake, the number of ps that I will give your master has been reduced from three to two.¡± At the same time, she carefully ced the guinea pig in her backpack, which had a pile of clothes to act as a cushion for the guinea pig and let him have a better rest. As for his hair that might contaminate her backpack, she would just pretend that she didn¡¯t see it. The group proceeded in their trek. The roads in the forest seemed somewhat the same, and even though the soldiers took turns to chop the thorns and vines, it was still inevitable that clothes were caught in shrubs and torn away. Meng Fuyao shifted the bag which contained the guinea pig to the front of her chest. Every now and then, she would instinctively touch the guinea pig, for fear of losing him ¨C this forest felt different from the other forests that they had walked through before. In the depths of this thick forest, it seemed as though there were constantly countless pairs of eyes staring at them in a ghostly way, carefully calcting how long more they could hang on for, and waiting for them to encounter danger and turn into feasts. What was different from yesterday was the reduction in the number of beasts that were peeping at them and trailing them. They seemed to have also realized that the group of humans had offended something so powerful that they were afraid of being caught in the impending cmity. As such, when Ji Yu and the rest when to hunt, they captured only a few hedgehogs. During their trek, they encountered their foes, the Gold of Heaven Demon. The forest was small, and there were no roads, so it was very likely to bump into each other. The small group of soldiers they saw was being chased by a group of Double-Headed Snakes like maggots feeding on dead bones. Ji Yu and the others climbed up the trees once they saw the figures of the soldiers, who either escaped or died under the relentless pursuit of the snakes. When the snakes pounced on the corpses to feed on them, Ji Yu threw down a thunder crash bomb. No matter how strong the snakes were, they were not immortal. Their bodies were smashed, and their bones flew under the power of gunpowder. Ji Yu dug deep holes to bury the dead snakes, preventing the other snakes from noticing. At night, no one in the campsite dared to sleep near a pond or a cliff. The group ended up chopping a small circle of trees and cleared them to produce an open space. They used the trees to act as simple barriers, and the soldiers took turns to guard the night. Meng Fuyao ced the guinea pig that was still in a state of deep slumber on her stomach. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye sat by her side cross-legged to rest. He would open his eyes from time to time, listening to the sound of wind blowing by from one end of the forest to the other. The nightingale perched itself on a tree branch and sang uncannily, creating a gloomy and fuzzy feel of the moonlight. Further away, the wolf howled at the moon, its howls lonely and deste, yet with the power to prate the hearts of humans. Meng Fuyao slept without moving a single bit, just like the creature on her stomach. Zhan Beiyeughed at the sight and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of acting?¡± Still with her eyes closed, her mouth twitched, and she replied, ¡°I am in deep thought.¡± ¡°Thinking of what?¡± ¡°Thinking of what you were implying when you told me to say that line to your third brother.¡± Meng Fuyao sat up and said, ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s death was because of him?¡± ¡°My grandfather, the Old Grand Preceptor Zhou, wasbeled as the ¡®ultimate turncoat-official¡¯,¡± said Zhan Beiye as he flipped through the pile of fire. ¡°In both the proper and alternative versions of Heaven Demon history, the Old Grand Preceptor Zhou was probably destined to have his name go down in history as a byword for infamy. You know, before the Heaven Demon Dynasty was the Jin Dynasty, in which both the Zhan and Zhou families served the Emperor. My father had great ambitions, and he attacked Pandu, intending to rece the Jin Dynasty. Back then, my grandfather was the Grand Marshall, and he voluntarily offered the capital to my father. He was bestowed the title of Grand Preceptor, and his daughter was both the Empress of the previous dynasty and Imperial Consort of the current dynasty. In both dynasties, my grandfather enjoyed great status and continuous favor of both Emperors. As such, he was constantly humiliated and someone even specially crafted a poem to mock him: ¡®How unpredictable destiny is, what was once the Empress has returned as Imperial Consort. Yet, the title of Grand Preceptor eludes the Grand Marshall¡¯. If he walked on the streets, no one was willing to be within three feet of him.¡± Zhan Beiye smiled, his jet ck eyes glistening. ¡°But in my eyes, he taught me warcraft, sought the best teachers for me, climbed up with me to the highest library at home and personally picked books that were useful to me. To me, he was the best grandfather,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao gave a gentle sigh. ¡°Grandfather did not live well in hister years. His daughter went berserk but the pce wall ced an insurmountable distance between them, and they never saw each other again. When I was 18, I was not yet a Prince and lived in the secluded west corner of the pce. I did not dare to casually walk around in the pce, for fear of meeting young concubines. My grandfather heard of my plight and was afraid that in the long run, my brothers would use me of adultery with those concubines. He profusely pleaded in front of the Emperor for three times before securing my title as a Prince. Even so, I was not allowed to settle in the capital and was allocated to the faraway Geya. I was counting on living with him in the capital, to bring him some relief in his old years under my care, but Geya¡­. He was no longer capable of traveling far away. He died in the same year I moved to Geya. The imperial doctor said that it was a natural death, but only I know that it wasn¡¯t,¡± said Zhan Beiye. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I bid him farewell before I left. He was reading his books and didn¡¯t say a word to me until I was out of the door: ¡®I don¡¯t know when you will be back. If I pass away before you return, remember to bury me in my hometown, Yingzhou.¡¯ That year, when I returned to Pandu for the funeral and checked his bones in his coffin, I realized that his bones were turning ck. He was poisoned to death.¡± Meng Fuyao stayed silent for a few moments before she gently asked, ¡°Have you found out who¡¯s the murderer?¡± ¡°It can only be those few people,¡± said Zhan Beiye as he sat cross-legged. He looked towards the direction of Pandu, stormy clouds brewing in his eyes, with a murderous aura resembling a sharp sword kept in its sheath. ¡°Zhan Nancheng, Zhan Beiheng, and the one who was killed by your dagger, Zhan Beiqi. Thetter was probably only used as a tool. He is not fit enough to be the puppet-master.¡± He looked over and smiled at Meng Fuyao, who had been silently staring at him. That smile was magnificent and as radiant as sun rays. ¡°It is all in the past¡­. Don¡¯t let these matters affect our moods. Let¡¯s sleep,¡± added Zhan Beiye. Zhan Beiye pushed the campfire to the side, leaving a space warmed by the fire. He touched the ground and confirmed that there was nothing suspicious or dangerous, before gesturing for Meng Fuyao to sleep in that space. Meng Fuyao knew that it was of no use to reject, so she shifted over andid down. After sleeping for a short while, she opened her eyes and saw Zhan Beiye grabbing on to his robe, staring intently at her. Chapter 121 - The Great Sacrifice I Chapter 121: The Great Sacrifice I Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched. She knew that Zhan Beiye wanted to drape his robe over her but was afraid that she would reject him. To omit the trouble of pushing back and forth, he wanted to do that after she was asleep. She contemted for a moment before reaching out her hand. ¡°Lend me your robe to cover myself.¡± She nudged Zhan Beiye and said, ¡°Go sleep, go sleep.¡± The two of themid down one by one. Though they were tired, they did not dare to fall into a deep slumber. Meng Fuyao had her eyes shut, but she vaguely heard a soldier getting up and secretly walking away. The soldier was stopped by a friend, who asked, ¡°Where are you off to?¡± ¡°Nature¡¯s call.¡± The friendughed and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you do it anywhere? Where will you find a toilet in this thick forest?¡± ¡°Miss Meng is here¡­¡± The soldier whispered, ¡°If the smell diffuses over, it¡¯ll be disrespectful.¡± There was silence for a moment. The friend who stopped him gave a wave of his hand and chuckled. ¡°You must have eaten too much of the hedgehog meat, resulting in indigestion. Go ande back quickly.¡± The sound of footsteps faded into the distance. With her eyes still closed, Meng Fuyao smiled to herself, and there was a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart. In her mind, the soldier¡¯s face appeared. Was it the one with the big eyes and a scar on his forehead? He was still young, but he had already experienced many battles. She did not know that these soldiers actually had such a meticulous side to them. She slowly fell asleep. Meng Fuyao woke up before dawn. The moment she opened her eyes, she happily thought, ¡®Fortunately, it was a peaceful night.¡¯ Then, she heard Ji Yumanding in a low voice, ¡°Go and search for him again in teams of two. Do not fall behind the group!¡± Meng Fuyao immediately sat up and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We¡¯re missing a brother,¡± replied Zhan Beiye, who sat cross-legged as before, as though he did not sleep. ¡°He never came back after relieving himself.¡± Startled, Meng Fuyao questioned, ¡°The one who went out to relieve himself yesterday night? He disappeared right after that? Then why are we searching for him only now?¡± ¡°Last night, he had a stomachache, and it never subsided. The first few times he went out, nothing happened. Thest time he went was before dawn, and he went missing after that.¡± Frowning, Zhan Beiye looked at the white smog floating in the forest. In this endless forest, there were simply too many factors that could cause death. Any hidden danger could easily swallow up a healthy life. The soldiers who went on the second search came back, yet there was still no sign of the missing one. Ji Yu thought for a moment and said, ¡°Stop searching. We will continue on our way.¡± Zhan Beiye didn¡¯t speak a word. A few momentster, he stood up and left a marking on the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao took a deep breath. She knew that Zhan Beiye would not easily give up on a subordinate. However, a leader must know how to give and take in times of emergency. The longer they stayed in this forest, the likelier it was that more would die. Meng Fuyao looked at the departing figure. Zhan Beiye kept his back straightened, and as he moved, pieces of crimson red clothing appeared from the sides of his ck robe, swaying in the wind like balls of fire burning into the forest. Such a man seemed to have never had a moment of weakness; it was as though the painful stories that faded into history had never undermined his innate pride and self-confidence. Yet she knew that this man always slept on his sword. Every quarter-hour, he would touch his sword and every hour, he would instinctively move ¨C was it because he had never had a good night¡¯s sleep? His dreams as well ¨C were they all filled with the dark and bloody memories? The family of the turncoat-official, son of the berserk consort, the youth who was exiled, whose grandfather was poisoned to death¡­ Meng Fuyao looked up and sighed. This look made her eyes freeze. Above her, amongst the drooping branches of a towering tree, emerged a familiar face that was staring expressionlessly at her. The young and ghostly-white face, with big eyes and a scar on the forehead. It was the soldier who went missing after relieving himselfst night. In her stunned state, Meng Fuyao felt a sense of joy, but before she could rejoice, she felt that something was not quite right. The pale skinplexion, the green eyes, the lifeless eyes, the stiff posture¡­ that person was dead! Her breathing became uneven. Zhan Beiye immediately noticed it, and as he turned back, he spotted the corpse of the soldier. Seeing that Meng Fuyao wanted to reach out to grab the soldier, he ran over and said, ¡°Let me do it.¡± Zhan Beiye came very quickly. In the speed of lighting, he swatted away Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands, carefully took out his sword and wanted to cut away the vine that tied the soldier. That vine suddenly contracted and avoided the sword, resembling a living matter that met with danger. Zhan Beiye was momentarily stunned. That vine suddenly swung over, heading in the direction of Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. Meng Fuyao took out her knife and chopped towards the vine. The vine immediately broke apart upon contact and a pungent grey-green liquid sttered. Zhan Beiye pulled Meng Fuyao with him and quickly retreated while Ji Yu and the other soldiers flew over to protect them. Meanwhile, the corpse fell towards the ground, dragging along with it a huge bunch of vines that dropped down like a huge. The vines were full of red thorns that one could tell were poisonous at first nce. Furthermore, the pungent liquid sshed in all directions, so no one dared to chop the vines, for fear ofing into contact with the liquid. Everyone¡¯s instinct was to retreat, and retreat, and retreat¡­ Meng Fuyao was originally fended off by everyone and ended up being the most front in the direction that they were retreating in. Zhan Beiye, seeing such a situation, pulled her forward to protect her in his arms. Beside him, a soldier saw that the Prince¡¯s back was now exposed to unknown dangers in the forest, and rushed over to position himself behind Zhan Beiye. Then there was a sound of ¡°pu chi.¡± The sound was extremely low, like a blister being stepped on. Both the soldier and Zhan Beiye suddenly stumbled. Meng Fuyao, who was thirdst in the group, also felt the ground beneath her heel giving away, and she uncontrobly fell backward. There and then, she felt a strong push on her back, and she flew forward and was caught by Ji Yu who came rushing over. Meng Fuyao tuned back right afternding on the ground and drew in a sharp breath. Behind her was a swamp that had no special characteristic. The soldier and Zhan Beiye sank into it and were instantly pulled down. Zhan Beiye¡¯s situation was worse. He had just stepped into the swamp and could have removed himself out of it but for some reason, he sunk even deeper than the soldier and mud had already reached his chest. Meng Fuyao bit her lips. She knew that she was supposed to be the one to be in there. Out of those who were forced to flee because of the vines, she was the one nearest to the swamp. It was Zhan Beiye who suffered on behalf of her and at that moment when she was about to fall into the edge of the swamp, used his inner energy to send her to safe ground, without any thought of danger. That was why he was about to be drowned in the swamp. To make matters worse, the swamp was flowing and continuously sending the soldier and Zhan Beiye towards the center, causing them to be farther and farther away from Meng Fuyao. There was no point in reprimanding herself at that time. Meng Fuyao could only save them. ¡°Ji Yu, block those damned vines!¡± Shemanded, while she flipped onto a stone and pulled out her whip, ready tosh it out. Yet her hand froze. Who to save? On the one hand, the soldier was closer to the center than Zhan Beiye, and he fell into the swamp for Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao. Though he was in a better situation, he probably could onlyst as long as Zhan Beiye would. If she saved Zhan Beiye before saving him, he would definitely be dead by then. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye used his inner energy after falling into the swamp, and he was sinking at an astonishing speed. Getting drowned was only a matter of seconds. Personally, Meng Fuyao would want to save Zhan Beiye, but her consciousness held her back. She had no idea who she should save. It was all fate, the fate of having to get into danger for protecting her! She was about to go crazy ¨C this was not a normal swamp, with such a huge suction power. She had no time to hesitate! Zhan Beiye raised his head, and at that moment, he sank down even deeper. The mud passed his chest, but he still shouted without any hesitation, ¡°Save him! I can hang on!¡± The soldier painstakingly looked back at Zhan Beiye. The ordinary-looking young man was full of tears, creating two paths of ditches down his mud-filled face. He slowly spoke, ¡°Your Highness, with your words, Wang Hu would be able to die without any regrets¡­ ¡± Zhan Beiye immediately scolded, ¡°What are you trying to do! I order you- ¡± Ssh! Blood sttered in all directions, reaching the height of half a human before falling on Zhan Beiye¡¯s face. Half a tongue fell out from Wang Hu¡¯s mouth and sshed into the swamp, quickly getting caught in the silent swirl of the swamp. Within a half-meter radius, the mud was dyed bright red. The greasy red color was just like that of Wang Hu¡¯s blood-covered face. He opened his mouth and left with half of his tongue, he muttered, ¡°¡­ In my next life, I will still be your subordinate¡­ ¡± Zhan Beiye stared at him ferociously. After what seemed like an eternity, he closed his eyes. Among those tightly-shut lids, tears emerged, mixing with the blood on his face. They fell down, resembling that of bloody tears. Whoosh! The whip appeared. When Wang Humitted suicide, Meng Fuyao became teary as well, but she would definitely not give up on this opportunity that the soldier sacrificed himself for. Almost right after the blood sttered out, sheshed out her whip. The whip urately fell on Zhan Beiye¡¯s wrist. Meng Fuyao gave a strong pull, but it was to no avail. The suction was enormously strong, and it was still gradually revolving. Meng Fuyao did not dare to use too much strength in case her whip broke, so she could only pull Zhan Beiye out slowly. She had only pulled him out a little when there was suddenly a sound of eruptioning from the center of the swamp. A withered branch thaty on the swamp exploded without any warning and out crawled a huge group of enormous redhead and ck-bodied ants with iron-like teeth, which looked disgusting at first nce. They were like a continuous flow of poisonous sanding out from the devil¡¯s bottle, and they approached with the fiery of a ck whirlwind. In an instant, they had crossed the mud in the swamp and were right behind Zhan Beiye! ¡°Sh*t!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed. ¡°Bastards that are taking advantage of our misfortune!¡± However, it was not the right time for cursing. She was fighting against the suction of the swamp, and there was so much tension in the whip that it looked like it would break at any moment. It was impossible for her to suddenly pull out Zhan Beiye. As for those ants, Meng Fuyao had seen them before in the forests of Taiyuan. Wherever they appeared, there were only skeletons left, be it humans or animals. Just thinking about Zhan Beiye turning into a skeleton made Meng Fuyao shiver. Even so, Meng Fuyao knew that she could not be impatient. Her palm just needed to be slightly unstable and her whip would break. Furthermore, the vines nearby were poisonous so they could not be used. She was very anxious but could only hold herself back. Holding her breath, and in the fastest and most stable speed that she could handle, Meng Fuyao tried to pull Zhan Beiye out of the swamp with all her strength. Chapter 122 - Untitled Chapter 122: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Ji Yu and hisrades evaded the vines rushing towards them. Looking at this situation, their faces were as white as a sheet. Swarms of ants rushed over rapidly and instantly engulfed any empty surface of the swamp. Some of the ants had even climbed onto Zhan Beiye and started biting him profusely. Panic surged through Meng Fuyao, and her vision went ck. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye was surprisingly calm. His eyes were glued to the ants and spared no nce towards Meng Fuyao. As those ants came closing in, Zhan Beiye immediately opened his mouth and forced out his Qi. The force of the Qi flipped the ants over, and they rolled out of the way. However, as he exerted force, Zhan Beiye sunk into the swamp. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes. Cold sweat drenched her forehead and dripped into her eyes. Her eyes burned with the acidity of the sweat yet she dared not lift her hands up to wipe away the sweat nor blink. Her hands alternated, pulling up Zhan Beiye from the swamp. She quickly calcted the rate Zhan Beiye was sinking ¨C every time he produced Qi, he would sink half a finger worth of depth. But every time she exerted force to pull him out, she would pull him out by a finger¡¯s worth of depth. Though it would be slow, eventually, she could still pull him out from the swap safely. But heavens forbade things to go smoothly. Just as she came to this conclusion, a soft ¡°Kacha¡± resounded in the silence around her. A tiny crack appeared on her whip. The sound of the crack resembled that of a death horn. The color on everyone¡¯s face drained from the shock, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sank, almost puking blood. ¡®What rotten luck this is!¡¯ The whip could no longer be used. Once it broke, there would be no longer enough time to save Zhan Beiye. But Meng Fuyao would rather die than watch him slowly sink in helplessly. Meng Fuyao went pale and bit her lower lip. She stared at the slowly erging crack, eyes filled with worry. Zhan Beiye suddenly called, ¡°Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent. ¡°Bring them away, Ji Yu knows the route. After getting out of the mountain, take the chance to leave. Don¡¯t involve yourself with Tiansha any longer.¡± Meng Fuyao ignored him. Suddenly, Zhan Beiye slowly drew the sword that hung around his waist. This movement caused him to sink further, worsening the crack on the whip. ¡°Zhan Beiye, what are you doing!¡± Meng Fuyao screamed anxiously. Zhan Beiye only looked at her and gently ced the sword on the sludge. An item that wasid t would not sink easily. That long swordid on the sludge in all its glory, with a glistening sharp de and the pattern of the ck Dragon on its grip, it was as though the sword would turn into a soaring dragon with a few brushstrokes. The eyes of the ck Dragon were made with rubies so red that it looked like it was coated with fresh blood. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± Zhan Beiye lowered his voice, ¡°Look at my sword, the grip of this sword is engraved with the pattern of the ck Dragon. The rubies symbolize the eyes of the supreme God of Swords. In the Tiansha royal family, legend has it that the God of Swords incarnated into a dragon and descended upon the Tiansha royal family. Therefore, every disciple of the Tiansha Royal family has their own God of Sword¡¯s eyes that no one else but them can touch. When one ces his middle finger this position, no one else can rece.¡± He pressed down on the red ruby with his middle finger and turned the grip. ¡°Fuyao, your dagger is too short, too blunt to ensure your safety. I will hand this sword over to you and from this day forth, apart from me, only you can touch the most sacred eyes of the God of swords, and¡­ my everything.¡± Meng Fuyao tossed her head. She refused to listen. She refused to ept. What are these words? Hisst words? Who decided that she would have to listen to hisst words at this time of the day? No, she refused to listen until thest moment! Regardless, the whip had not broken, and even if it did, she would definitelye up with a solution. Meng Fuyao thought for a second. A silent gust of wind made its way through the woods, sweeping up her silk-like hair, concealing this moment of resolution that reflected in her eyes. She took a deep breath, turning her head slightly towards Ji Yu, and shouted, ¡°All of you turn around and walk 10 meters away.¡± Surprised, Ji Yu nced towards Zhan Beiye. ¡°Turn around!¡± Meng Fuyao yelled. Ji Yu gritted his teeth and ordered, ¡°Turn around!¡± Then, he turned around to lead the rest. All but one soldier followed the order silently. A thin and small soldier that walked slowly at the back could not help but turn back, but Meng Fuyao had no time to care about him. She stared at the widening crack in the whip, the whip that could break any moment. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and begun to take off her clothes. She put down her bag, and her dagger took off the robe that was a little heavy and everything else on her that had weight. She even took off her shoes, standing barefooted in the mud. She fished out a lighter and a bottle of oil that she had especially brought to barbeque the meat she hunted from her bag. When Zhan Beiye turned back after fighting off a wave of ants, he was startled to find Meng Fuyao stripping off her clothes. Very quickly, what was left on her was nothing but a piece of thin undergarment. Her snow-like skin, her slim waist, and long slender neck peeked through the morning fog. Her top piece of undergarment was too short to cover her tiny waist, revealing the perfect amount of skin. With every breeze, the sheer cloth would press up on her lean legs, barely showing her beautiful curvature. Plenty was left up to one¡¯s imagination ¨C her skin¡¯s sticity, how smooth it would be and how sexy her curves were. Her sparsely-clothed self left her in a more enchanting state than if she were to bepletely bare. However, Zhan Beiye¡¯s expression changed. He struggled in the mud, turning his head to face Meng Fuyao. The corner of his eyes reddened as he howled, ¡°No!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. In this very moment, she was agitated and thankful that the whip was still not broken. She walked a few steps back and gently tied and whip to a tree. A few ants climbed onto Zhan Beiye, yet he remainedpletely unaware. His eyes were fixated on Meng Fuyao, not on her snow-like skin, her slender waist or long legs, but her eyes, begging her to not do this. ¡°No! No, no, no, no¡­¡± he hollered in anguish. In his voice, one could hear the sorrow and the despair as his voice reverberated through the silent woods. Meng Fuyao avoided his desperate gaze and mumbled, ¡°For our mother¡­¡± She grabbed the lighter and the oil, standing up with many resolutions. Suddenly, her body froze and what followed was a pair of hands that gently took the items from her hand. Meng Fuyao nced over and realized that those hands belonged to the skinny soldier from just now. He too was stripped down, wearing only a pair of undergarments, baring his skinny torso and legs. He looked as though he was lighter in weight than she was. He looked away from Meng Fuyao and smiled shyly, saying ¡°Lady Meng, this is too dangerous. Please, let me.¡± He paused for a moment and added, ¡°Please take good care of the Prince and the rest of them.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him, the corners of her eyes slowly turning red. But the soldier was already gone. Meng Fuyao watched him as he got further. His thin shoulder des resembled that of a dagger, and as Meng Fuyao watched his back, it was as though as a dagger was stabbing into her heart. Zhan Beiye stared at him, the pain that reflected in his eyes was evidently more than Meng Fuyao. ¡°Hua Zi, you still have your elder mother waiting for you back at home in the South.¡± With the same bashful smile, the soldier replied, ¡°So please, help me take care of my mother in my stead.¡± Zhan Beiye opened his mouth, wanting to say something. With a bashful yet determined smile on the soldier¡¯s face, Zhan Beiye swallowed back his words. The soldier walked towards the swamp, took a deep breath andid on the sludge and rolled around. When the surface area in contact wasrge, coupled with a light weight, one would not sink immediately while rolling about ¨C this was amon sense amongst those that had survived in the Southern woods. The young man that had shed all his burdens rolled, rolled towards Zhan Beiye, rolled towards the eager flesh-eating ants. Those ants were already getting impatient from not being able to defeat Zhan Beiye. Now that there was a fresh prey walking directly into their trap, the ants swarmed towards him with no hesitation. The young man smiled, applying the bottle of oil onto himself speedily. The ants climbed onto him eagerly, and in an instant, the young man was entirely covered with the ck and red gigantic ants. It was as though he wore an ant suit. The young man¡¯s features were no longer visible from the many ants that crawled onto him. Those ants burrowed themselves into his insides through his eyes, nose, and mouth, yearning to devour and tear every single one of his intestines apart. Though his features could no longer be seen, one could tell that his facial muscles were warping underneath the ants in response to the agonizing and unbearable pain. He wrestled with all his might, trying to use the lighter in his hands to set himself on fire. However, he underestimated the power of such ants. Almost instantaneously, the intense pain robbed him of the ability to selfbust. He struggled, and between breaths, he turned to look in the direction of the shore. There, Ji Yu and the rest of the soldiers kneeled. As the young man pleaded for help, Ji Yu went pale. Tears silently streamed down this handsome man¡¯s face. ¡°Shoot!¡± Despite the tears, Ji Yu¡¯s voice remained emotionless and cold. The soldiers gritted their teeth and simultaneously, urately aimed lighted lighters at the struggling young man. Vibrant red sparks exploded the moment the lightersnded on the young man, bringing light into the dark and gloomy swamp. The soundless fire started burning, and the young man immediately became ¡®the man on fire.¡¯ Ants were burnt to death immediately where the fire had started, though the majority of the scrambled out into safety. The ants escaping held a close resemnce to dark clouds rolling out. Suddenly, the young man startedughing loudly. Hisughter was hoarse, with everyugh dripping with blood. The sharp maniacughter was filled with murderous aura, pain, and resolution, destroying the eerie atmosphere the morning fog had brought with it, destroying the dreariness that apanied the poisonous predators that resided in this woods. As the young manid in the swamp, the zing fire continued, using him as a fuel. The young man summoned his energy and once again started rolling towards the ants that were trying to crawl onto Zhan Beiye. Sparks of firended on Zhan Beiye¡¯s hair and brows, and with a fizzle, it would burn off his hair or create another ring of fire. He daren¡¯t even blink his eyes. One was rendered immobile as he was stuck in the swamp while the other was frozen as she had her acupoint sealed. Yet, neither Zhan Beiye nor Meng Fuyao looked away from this tragic sight. They refused to let themselves run away, facing straight at this young man, rolling into the flesh-eating ants, using the cruelest and painful method to protect the people he desired to protect. This was an inescapable responsibility, an inescapable burden of theirs. Only when the day came where they repaid such sacrifice with the enemies¡¯ blood, only then, could they truly face the people who died for this cause. Chapter 123 - Untitled Chapter 123: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Big patches of ants were ttened and burned to death. No matter how fierce and how many ants there were, they were unable to withstand such ferocious attacks and finally, they retreated. The ck cloud that was formed out of the ants finally unrolled back slowly. They gathered and slowly disappeared, escaping back into their nest. As the ants dispersed, the young man¡¯s body started to reveal itself ¨C it was no longer the body of a human, but a skeleton with bits and pieces of meat hanging on, with the meat being scorched ck and crumbly like cotton candy, falling off with every movement. Yet, he was still alive, still rolling. This skeleton rolled to the broken whip as everyone watched, stretched out the hand that was left with nothing but a few knuckles. With all his strength that came from unknown origins, he caught the whip and pulled. The whip broke apart, and the young man pulled the two sections together and tied a dead knot, tugging together to ensure that it was safely secured. These few actions of his were almost as smoothly carried out as any normal human being, in spite of his unimaginably heavy injuries that should have killed him. When he was attacked by the flesh-eating ants, when the fire was set aze on him, when he rolled around Zhan Beiye to drive away the ants, he could have died at any moment. But he did not. This young man was still a soldier, and with this miraculous action, he proved himself to be the highest definition of tolerance, determination, and loyalty. No one understood what kind of conviction and perseverance sustained him to break through the limits of pain that a human body could bear or to break through thews of death, aplishing this crucial feat. As he finished achieved his aim, he began to rx. The young man had no more eyelids left to close. His eyes slightly widened, revealing a relieved expression. That expression slowly faded away, like ever-widening water ripples slowly turning still. He died on the whip. His death left nothing but a skeleton with pieces of burnt meat falling off. The whip was now forever in his hands. Time stopped for him as his remains stayed still in the position he had when he tied the knot. Meng Fuyao sat quietly in the mountain fog as grief poured out from her eyes. Zhan Beiye, on the other hand, lowered his head and let out a deep, beast-like howl. ¡°AH¡ª¡± The apex of mes in the woods incinerated the pieces of meat and bones into ashes. Zhan Beiye kneeled beside the pile of ashes and skeleton, personally burying his remains. Till thest moment, the whip was still in the hands of the young man. No one took it off, no one bared to do so. Meng Fuyao¡¯s whip was now to be buried with him. Victory stood on the back of the sacrifice. The rise of the leader spilled the blood of the innocent and used their bones to break through obstacles. Carrying the skeleton on his back, Zhan Beiye, with a hoarse voice said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Of the 11 people, four had already been sacrificed. Ji Yu continued to lead the rest of the six people and clear the path. Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao followed behind silently and subconsciously broke out of the formation to watch over the seven people in front. They were not willing to once again witness that tragic sacrifice. Meng Fuyao took a nce at Zhan Beiye¡¯s hands. His hands were filled with blood spots from the ants. He had momentarily forgotten to deal with the ants when he saw Meng Fuyao ready to sacrifice herself to save his life. As she huddled closer to him, Meng Fuyao held up his hands and applied some Ajuga grass medicine on his wounds. Zhan Beiye instinctively flinched and said, ¡°This medicine that Zongyue gave you is very precious. Keep it, don¡¯t waste it on small wounds like this.¡± Meng Fuyao ignored him and thoroughly applied medicine. Only then did she finally open her mouth. ¡°You are the strongest person in our team, using this on you is by no means a waste, but rather, it is giving everyone a better chance of survival.¡± ¡°I would think that I am more of a burden.¡± Zhan Beiye smiled wryly as he said in a gravelly voice, ¡°Worse still, I am selfishly rejoicing.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Meng Fuyao fluttered her long eyshes as she looked up. ¡°I am d that Hua Zi reced you at thest moment.¡± Zhan Beiye looked at her solemnly, though in his eyes one could spot the turbulent emotions ¡ª filled with relief that Meng Fuyao was still alive and the worry when she tried to sacrifice herself. ¡°If the corpse that died with the whip was yours¡­ if it was yours, I would rather sink.¡± Meng Fuyao contemted for a while and uttered, ¡°You still have very important things awaiting for you to do. You have to save your mother, Zhan Beiye. If your purpose of this journey was to fight for the throne with your brother, I might have hesitated. But you took on this risky journey for your mother and so, I will definitely help.¡± ¡°Not like this,¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s gaze was filled with pain, ¡°Promise me, regardless of anything, please protect yourself first.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Meng Fuyao watched as the fog gradually dispersed and dered, ¡°I still have to protect all of you in that graveyard where nothing is known about it.¡± Her gaze was calm, and her tone was quiet yet filled with resolution. She unconsciously reached for the bag hanging around her chest. As she dug through her bag, a high-pitched scream escaped from her mouth. ¡°Where is the rat?!¡± The guinea pig was hanging on a vine not far away from the swamp. Meng Fuyao rushed back, stumbling, to the swamp as she recalled cing her bag down and Lord Yuan Bao might have dropped out at that time. In regards to what kind of consequences there would be for Lord Yuan Bao to drop out, she dared not even think about it. With her fastest speed, she rushed back to the area near the swamp and got on all four of her limbs, desperately searching for Lord Yuan Bao. Yet, at the same time, she was terrified that she might find a tiny dried corpse or skeleton. In the end, she found Lord Yuan Bao hanging from the vine that had initially forced them into the swamp. Meng Fuyao held her breath and carefully observed it ¡ª very silent, with closed eyes, dull and dirty fur¡­ there was little difference from its usual state, making it hard to determine whether it was dead or alive. After rotating her head in all angles to observe, Meng Fuyao got on the floor to watch Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s pink stomach intensively. Though minute, there was definitely stomach movement. ¡°Haaa¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief. After experiencing relief, she started scolding, ¡°This damn rat! So many ces to sleep yet slept in this terrible ce without telling me. Scared me to death!¡± Lord Yuan Bao was woken up by her boisterous scolding. Lazily, he opened his eyes and nced at her, then slowly got up, lifted up the vine leaf, that substituted as his nket, casually kicked away a vine that was in the way and walked over to Meng Fuyao is a rxed manner. Meng Fuyao¡¯s jaw almost dropped. ¡®Are these still the threatening vines that were spurting greyish green poison at us, forcing us into the swamp that ultimately took away two lives?¡¯ This was obviously the towel gourd stem in Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s garden! The ¡°towel gourd stem¡± obediently settled itself around Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s feet. While those red, dense thorns were still there, it seemed to have no effect on Lord Yuan Bao. Meng Fuyao was looking at Yuan Bao like she was staring at Superman. What she did not know was that even though Lord Yuan Bao was weakened after every infrasonic sound he produced, animals had the ability to protect themselves by producing a scent that was inordous to humans but warned other animals and nts froming close. Plus, Lord Yuan Bao was not affected by normal poisons. He strode up to Meng Fuyao and in all his honor, stepped onto her palm, promptlyid down and continued sleeping. Staring at the guinea pig, Meng Fuyao had the impulse to bite him. But in the end, all she did was shove him back into her arms resentfully. Just as she was about to stand up, she suddenly realized that there was a weird color peeking through the vines. Meng Fuyao stood up and furrowed her eyebrows. As she pulled out her dagger, Zhan Beiye beside her had already drawn his sword to test the ce. His sword hit an empty spot and as he was pulling back his sword, he vaguely heard a crisp sound from the collision of two hard objects. ¡°Hm?¡± Zhan Beiye raised his eyebrows as he picked up a pebble off the ground. With a flick of a finger, the pebble flew out. Yet, the expected sound of the collision did not arrive. ¡°Is this empty at the back?¡± Meng Fuyao voiced out She took a step back and looked up at the vines. The vines flowed down from a huge, towering old tree, and the center of it was actually empty, hiding half of the cliff. As approaching this was taboo, everyone that saw the vines avoided them subconsciously, thereby missing out the hidden empty cave. Zhan Beiye took a step back and exchanged a nce with Ji Yu, enlightened. ¡°Could this be the ce?¡± ¡°ording to the books, there were two old trees in front of the cave¡­ there¡¯s one here,¡± said Ji Yu. He took a closer look and realized that it was actually two trees instead of one. ¡°I see, the two old trees have been growing together for so long that they look like a single entity. How hrious that I was still looking for a cave with two obvious trees covering the entrance.¡± Meng Fuyao patted Lord Yuan Bao in her arms and praised, ¡°You getting lost was a blessing in disguise, wasn¡¯t it? Otherwise, we would have taken more unnecessary routes and might have gotten into more trouble.¡± The currently sleeping Lord Yuan Bao waspletely ignorant of the fact that by sleeping, he had brought about great contributions. Standing in front of the cave entrance, one could feel a gust of cold draft chilling one to the bone. In this mountain, there was high humidity and heavy fog, yet the cave was so dry and chilly that just by standing at the entrance for a while, one¡¯s sweat waspletely dried. The cave¡¯s karstndform was a result of the umtion of billions of years, forming stgmite that joined together with the stctite and stone flower to form two pirs. As the light shone into the cave, these statues of nature were like beautiful jade cravings, glittering in all its magnificent. The width of the cave was not uniform; in some parts, it was as wide as a tiny yground while the narrow spaces could only allow two people to pass through at once. They formed a long row and walked down carefully. Meng Fuyao had still remembered that behind the vine, she saw a shadow¡­ what was that? The fire swayed with the wind, elongating everyone¡¯s shadows, ovepping with the shadows of the pirs. Listening to the footsteps that echoed through the cave, for some reason, Meng Fuyao started to feel anxious, and her hands were moist from the cold sweat. Suddenly, a warm hand reached over and gently held her. The palm of the hand was rough yet firm. Meng Fuyao tilted her head to find Zhan Beiye¡¯s handsome side profile. As the me flickered, the contours of his face were harsh and prominent. Yet, his gaze was ever so gentle, staring at her as though as she was hope. It was as though he was not walking through a cursed graveyard of the Dagun n, but through a scenic ce with flowers blooming. Chapter 124 - Untitled Chapter 124: Untitled Meng Fuyao smiled and slowly withdrew her hand, saying, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Zhan Beiye averted his gaze, the light in his eyes dimmed a little, yet he still gave her a yful and charming smile. Meng Fuyao smiled back in return. Suddenly, the smile froze. In front of them, a ck shadow of half man¡¯s height silently appeared above Ji Yu¡¯s head, hanging upside down from the ceiling, crashing straight into Ji Yu¡¯s head. Meng Fuyao sprinted forward. Without looking back, Ji Yu drew his sword swiftly. The speed of which he drew his sword was so quick that it was as though the sword was initially in his hands. The sword drove straight into the bundle of ck shadow. ¡°Chi!¡± Blood sttered over the pure white stctite. A shriek could be heard from the ck shadow as it brushed past Ji Yu, stirring up the stench of death and blood. Ji Yu¡¯s sword followed, showing no signs of falling back, and aimed for the ck shadow. It was instantly sliced into two, yet it remained flying at high speed until it collided into a stgmite. The stgmite shattered into pieces as it fell onto the ground. In the pile of rubble, a ck pair of wings could be seen. It was actually a gigantic bat! Meng Fuyao stared at the bat and mumbled, ¡°This damn bat ancestor¡­ it¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± Suddenly, she felt that the cave got darker and it was followed by a fishy odor. She lifted her head. Meng Fuyao started gagging from the foul smell and said, ¡°I take back my words. That wasn¡¯t a bat ancestor, it was its descendant¡­.¡± A big patch of ck appeared in the narrow exit up front. The sound of pping wings could be heard as the patch of ck got closer and closer. Taking a closer look, they realized that it was arger cluster of bats, with each individual batrge beyond imagination. Even the gigantic bat from just now was considered small whenpared to this group. Zhan Beiye, even faster than Ji Yu, drew his sword and ordered, ¡°Formation, Seven Stars!¡± The well-trained ck Wind soldiers stood familiarly in their positions, with their weapons in hands, protecting Meng Fuyao. But Meng Fuyao snatched up the ¡°Tianshu position¡± andunched her first strike at the very first bat. Those bats had slightly gold fur on their abdomen area, a pair of jade green eyes and a mouthful of sharp teeth. Watching Meng Fuyao provoke them, the bats were filled with fury and pped their wings, once again stirring up the bloody stench. These beasts thought that their attack would somehow affect Meng Fuyao. To their disbelief, Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips broke into a grin and with a turn she disappeared. A ck Wind soldier suddenly appeared at the back of the bat and chopped off its wings while Meng Fuyao changed her position and stabbed her dagger into another bat¡¯s stomach. Blood spattered everywhere, and the bat¡¯s corpse was all around the ce. Experienced elite soldiers plus two skilled masters coupled with the formidable Seven Stars Formation, regardless of how sly and big these bats were, it was still a one-sided massacre. Especially for the soldiers, they were taking out the entire journey worth of anger and feeling of helplessness on the bats, killing the bats mercilessly. Very quickly, ayer of gluey blood umted on the floor and the air waspletely infused with the blood¡¯s stench, lodging between people¡¯s breath. Seeing that they were at a disadvantage, the first bat suddenly let out a cry, and the rest of the bats got into order, dashing towards the soldiers. The soldiers that werepletely sick of ying the bats at this point tried to stop and take a breath. Before they got to take a break, they saw the bats rushing towards them and making a sudden U-turn, flying towards Meng Fuyao, aiming for the lighter that lit the ce. The bats grabbed the lighter and ran. ¡°These sly motherf*ckers!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed and continued fighting, throwing the knives in the bats¡¯ direction, killing a few in one go. Except for Zhan Beiye, the weapons of the soldiers were thrown in the direction of the bats. There were only a couple of lighters left, and without lighters, the journey would be impossible to continue. These damn bats actually tried to cut off their escape route. As the injured bats fell, the lighter dropped on the ground. Suddenly, a group of bats rushed over and snatched the lighter away. Meng Fuyao, was struck dumb with astonishment as she stared at these ¡°intelligent¡± bats and uttered, ¡°Are these bats or assassins? They knew how to escape when their attack failed and made a feint attack. To hell with this Chang Han Mountain¡­ the things here are all ridiculous.¡± ¡°The Gun Tribe is a legendary mystic n. If not, it would not havepletely massacred the soldiers sent by the court a hundred years ago.¡± Zhan Beiye gripped the sword in his hands and said, ¡°Count the number of lighters, how many are there left?¡± The results were disappointing; there were only two lighters left. When they were at the swamp, to deal with the flesh-eating ants, they had already used up too many lighters. It was hard to say if the remaining lighters were enough tost them throughout the journey. ¡°Use them sparingly,¡± Zhan Beiye blew out the me and said, ¡°we are not weak amateurs, use your ears to rece your eyes.¡± He held Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Don¡¯t reject me, it will be safer if we walk together.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and no longer withdrew her hands. Her long fingertips brushed across his palm, and sheughed. ¡°Hmm¡­ Your hands are surprisingly not very big ¡­ ah, you actually have a single palmar crease [In ancient China, they believe palm lines are indicative of one¡¯s personality and fate], it is said that having a single palmar crease allows one to be in control of the military, and especially for men, they can dictate the court¡¯s discipline. Congrats, congrats. Unfortunately, people with this kind of palm crease are hot-tempered and difficult, though they value ties and are very loyal. They are very obstinate too, the ssic, ¡°cry only when death is staring one in the face¡± type¡­¡± ¡°What are you muttering,¡± Zhan Beiyeughed, ¡°Like some kind of con artist.¡± Just as Meng Fuyao was about to reply, she felt something slither under her. It was extremely light, as though it was a gentle breeze. She even felt that that ¡°wind¡± brushed the bottom of her pants and cold wind entered. Without hesitation, she stabbed her dagger into the floor and felt that her dagger almost slipped off. Slightly cold blood sttered over the back of her hand. Suddenly, she remembered something, and her face turned pale. Double-Headed snake. A me was lit, it was Zhan Beiye who quickly lit up the lighter. Indeed, what was on the floor was a Double-Headed snake. His expression changed immediately, and he quickly squatted down, checking Meng Fuyao¡¯s wound carefully. ¡°Did you get bitten? Wound, where¡¯s the wound?¡± Zhan Beiye asked anxiously. ¡°No,¡± Meng Fuyao flinched, ¡°It didn¡¯t bite me¡±. Though that might be the case, everyone could not help but stare at each other helplessly. To find a Double-Headed snake here was terrible news. Such snakes werepletely silent and could not be distinguished purely based on one¡¯s hearing, and yet there were not enough lighters. If they were to use the lighters now, they would die in the grave; but if they did not use the lighters, they would still die by the mouths of the snakes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t it bite you?¡± asked Zhan Beiye, perplexed. He looked up and saw that what was in front was nothing but a stone wall. It was a dead end. ¡°The grave should be nearby.¡± Zhan Beiye looked around the surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, there should be a reason that the snake did not bite. The Big Gun grave should be somewhere here, all of you, be careful. I want all of you out of here alive.¡± Everyone started to split up. With a dim light, they tried to search for the entrance of the tomb. Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Candles, torch, measuring tape, watch, brush,pass, matchstick, shovel, pen¡­ sigh¡± ¡°What are those?¡± asked someone. ¡°Raiding a tomb¡­ oh no, excavating¡­¡± Meng Fuyao blinked and looked at Zhan Beiye, ¡°Sly.¡± ¡°Fuyao, where are you actually from?¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her, ¡°You never seemed like someone from the Five Region Continent.¡± ¡°I came from this tomb.¡± Fuyao joked, yet there was a sense of mncholy in her heart. What if one day, she went back? Would she walk into a tomb of someone of this era while exploring archaeological sites and between all that jewelry and paintings, see someone familiar lying in the coffin?¡± Would she uncover the mask made out of silk and gold and reveal an unforgettable face? What kind of emotions would arise as a result of this time travel? Meng Fuyao shook her head and decided to put theseplicated emotions aside. She stretched out her and pulled out a ck Wind soldier¡¯s shovel. She settled on a small area and begun to dig the area, shoveling up the soil repeatedly. Zhan Beiye stood silently in a corner, observing her umon behavior and going into deep thought. Meng Fuayo closely observed the soil and the items that she shoveled up, and she sniffed the scent on the soil and shovel. Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Mottled soil [1. Soils usually have distinctyers of colors, and mottled soil is usually an indication of the presence of a grave]¡­ Unfortunately, it¡¯s not a Loyang shovel¡­ but I can guess what happened.¡± She stood up and dered, ¡°Though I do not know how people of the Big Gun n built a tomb under this cave, it should be under this karst cave. Meng Fuyo sketched a rough position of the tomb on the floor and exined, ¡°It is a huge tomb. From the looks of it, it is a dome-like tomb, and the person buried inside is no ordinary person¡­ Try this ce.¡± She pointed to a small corner, where the cave was slightly sloping down. It was a little dark and gloomy with a stgmite, but it looked perfectly normal. A ck Wind soldier walked over and searched that area. He shook his head. As he stood up, he identally bumped into a stgmite, and it cracked. The soldier unintentionally caught a glimpse of it and turned pale. A scream tried to rush out of his throat only to be caught midway. Both Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye rushed over like a bolt of lighting. Zhan Beiye reached first and in mid-air, waved his sword and sliced the stgmite into a half, all while protecting Meng Fuyao. The stgmite rolled over, as though as it was alive, directly towards Meng Fuyao. The stgmite rushed over rapidly, as though it had wheels. Meng Fuyao did a flip and directed an attack towards the stgmite. Between the rocks and sparks made from friction, she could vaguely spot a pale human-like figure, pale. Shocked, Meng Fuyao quickly withdrew her dagger, and instead, used the tip of her dagger to brush across the stgmite. Unable to hold against the sharpness of the dagger, the stgmite cracked open, and a white living thing rolled out. With a whistle from Ji Yu, everyone dispersed with a knife in hand, ready to fight against that suspicious thing. As though as it was alive, it continued to roll towards Meng Fuyao. She pointed the tip of the dagger towards the thing, and as though afraid, the thing stopped rolling towards her three feet away. Chapter 125 - Untitled Chapter 125: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Everyone saw what that thing was after it stopped. It was the corpse of a naked girl, with her head nted and hands hugged around her legs. There was not a speck of hair on her, and her skinplexion was unusually white, almost like the color of the stgmite. As such, no one noticed the corpse when it was buried under the roots of the rock formation. ¡°Quzhizhang 1 human sacrifice?¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled to herself. In the past, she had participated in archaeological excavations at The Guangfulin Site of Ancient Culture and encountered such burial mounds before. However, this corpse was abnormal. Though the limbs were bent, the corpse was not facing upwards or sideways. It was at that moment that she remembered that she was in an alternate world, and the way how dynasties changed, or the cultural habits of the present world, differed from her past. The skills she had learned, such as dating techniques in archaeology, lithology, and taboos about tombs were no longer applicable in the current context. She could only utilize her instinct and basic inferencing skills, based on her experiences in past excavations. For example, it was unusual for this girl that was sacrificed to be buried alone in the stgmite. Meng Fuyao carefully checked and realized that the thing was actually a very thinyer of jade. It was likely that a huge piece of jade was hollowed out in the middle and the girl¡¯s corpse was put inside. Under scrutinization, Meng Fuyao realized that the corpse¡¯s finger was slightly tilted and pointing towards a direction. Meng Fuyao straightened the corpse, and as expected, the finger pointed to the bottom of the stgmites, where a hole appeared due to cracks in the rock formation. The wind blew out from the bottom of the hole and circted around the empty cave. Everyone nced at the corpse that was as white as jade quietly lying by Meng Fuyao¡¯s foot. They felt very ufortable, as they stared at the pale-green luminescence of the corpse¡¯s flesh under the shine of the stctites. Ji Yu helped the soldier who pushed down the stgmites to stand up. The soldier was only momentarily stunned earlier on, and now embarrassed, he shyly looked down. Everyone smiled knowingly at him ¨C even for one who had experienced a hundred battles, in this thousand-year eerie tomb of the Gun Tribe whereby every step could signify danger, it was only normal for him to be shocked at seeing such a thing. However, as the soldier took another nce at the thing, he gave a loud cry once more. ¡°Her head was tilted up just now! Not in this way!¡± This cry touched a nerve in Meng Fuyao. Ji Yu frowned and asked, ¡°Were you so shocked that you saw wrongly?¡± ¡°No!¡± screamed the soldier. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. She looked up and gave me a look. Her eyes were green, so I, so I¡­ ¡± ¡°Burn her,¡± said Zhan Beiye. He walked over in big strides, his sword pointing towards the corpse. As a red beam of light shed past the de, the corpse tried to roll away as if it sensed danger, but it was blocked by Meng Fuyao¡¯s knife. ¡°This should be the ¡®Guard Door Virgin¡¯ of the Gun Tribe. They would always choose a girl born in the Yin year, Yin month and Yin day and separate her from her parents. Every day, she is fed cheese made from goat milk and mixed using a secret recipe, to keep herplexion crystal-clear. When she turns five, she would be cruelly killed and used to guard the entrance of a tomb. This thing is extremely resentful, and we must get rid of it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Meng Fuyao said after some thought, ¡°If this thing could be disposed by burning, the Gun Tribe wouldn¡¯t have used her to guard the tomb. There must be something up their sleeves to ce her here.¡± She looked around and spotted a tortoiseshell that was attached to the pouch hanging on Ji Yu¡¯s waist. She felt a sense of joy and said, ¡°This is good stuff. Come, offer it to us.¡± Ji Yu was evidently ufortable. He hesitated for a moment before taking it down. Meng Fuyaoughed and said, ¡°Your little lover gave you this? Don¡¯t worry, I will exin it to you in the future.¡± Ji Yu¡¯s face turned slightly red, and he looked away. Seeing such a demeanoring from a resolute youth like him, she could not help butugh even harder in a teasing manner. Everyone smiled knowingly, and the tense atmosphere in the sinister cave was slightly assuaged. Meng Fuyao split the tortoiseshell into two, one of which she pinched into a powder form and sprinkled it over the corpse. Suddenly, the corpse contracted and raised its head! Her green eyes shed an ominous light in the darkness. There was no focus in her eyes, but she looked like she was staring at everyone. Uponing into contact with her murderous nce, a cold burst rose from everyone¡¯s abdomen. A faint yellow light emerged from her transparent stomach, and the light shed brighter and brighter, like a cluster of eerie colors. The temperature suddenly rose, as though someone was boiling soup in the vicinity. There was no steam, but everyone could feel the heat crawling into their bones. All of them stepped back, but Meng Fuyao did not move. Zhan Beiye stepped in front of her, but Meng Fuyao pushed him away and said, ¡°You have too much Yang in your body. This thing is afraid of you, and more trouble might arise. Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡± She took a step forward, looked into the pair of green eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°Go.¡± As the tortoiseshell powdernded on it, the green eyes slowly turned white and the stomach bloated, as though there was something in the body that wanted to burst out but could not. The collisions created loud bangs while the faint yellow light shed continuously, gradually disappearing only after a long while. Meng Fuyao had been staring at it anxiously. Seeing the light disappear, she heaved a sigh of relief. She passed the remaining half of the tortoiseshell to Ji Yu and said, ¡°The tortoise shell is a sacred treasure that fends off evil spirits. It is one of the favorite items of tomb raiders so keep it properly.¡± Walking towards the opening of the hole, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°We can go down now.¡± Ji Yu snatched the tortoiseshell and held it tightly in his palms. He was about to slide down the hole, but Meng Fuyao stopped him, carefully inspecting the hole before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t slide! Keep your arms and legs on the walls in a spider posture and slowly go down. You must not choose the easy way out and slide down!¡± Heeding her advice, Ji Yu slowly climbed down the wall, and the rest followed. Zhan Beiye refused to let anyone go after him and insisted on being thest. Meng Fuyao was at the center of the group. While she walked, she touched the mud around her and suddenly ordered, ¡°Quick! Extinguish the lighter!¡± She spoke in a tense voice, causing everyone to tremble. The soldier who was holding on to the lighter blew out the me and asked Meng Fuyao, ¡°Why?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shone as brightly as stars in the darkness. She did not directly answer the question and only said, ¡°Go down first. If I¡¯m not wrong, there¡¯s something below.¡± The hole was not very deep, and soon after, light shone from below. As the hole shifted left, it became wider, and it was impossible for everyone to maintain the spider posture. They faced the wall instead and moved down by stepping on protruding stones. After another ten meters or so, Ji Yu suddenly shouted in surprise, ¡°Ah!¡± At the same time, everyone shut their eyes. A magnificent light shone brightly. Five strokes of light ¨C red, blue, green, yellow and purple ¨C shot out from the bottom of the hole. From far away, it looked like a rainbow-colored cloud rising out from the depths of the darkness, looking astounding, rich and crystal-clear. It was an unprecedented, gigantic gemstone mine, its value incalcble. What everyone was shocked at was not just this. There were enormous and towering pirs of crystal, and their tips were as sharp as swords. These pirs were nted in a criss-cross pattern, spreading as wide as a forest, standing tall and mighty. It was not hard to imagine that if everyone slid down as they would habitually do, they would have been prated by those sharp crystal pirs and ended up bing an eternal sacrifice to the Gun Tribe¡¯s tomb. Though the forest of crystals looked astounding, they were the deadly weapons that had been stationed here for thousands of years, waiting to take away the lives of humans. Indeed, at the northwest corner of the crystal forest, there were a few sets of skeletons hanging from the crystals, with postures looking like they were in pain. Those skeletons must have belonged to tomb raiders from long ago who had dug a hole down but unfortunately died. Everyone shivered as they looked at those skeletons as though they saw themselves hanging there. Zhan Beiye spoke softly behind Meng Fuyao, ¡°How did you know that there was this thing down here?¡± How did she know? Meng Fuyao smiled. All tombs built had precautionary measures to prevent tomb raids, such as quicksand, concrete blocks, mercury, fake coffins, stone-blocked doors, etc. In tombs that were built on mountains, there was the precedence of making use of natural conditions to kill raiders. Meng Fuyao recalled that she had once excavated a tomb of the Warring States period, which had made use of a rock formation. Hence, she took caution. This was her professional instinct that could not be exined. Zhan Beiye did not question, but suddenly, he let out a very soft sigh. At that point, the group had already reached the end of the hole, and Ji Yu jumped down into the cave of crystals. The cave was brightly lit, and the walls were studded with mica and agate gemstones. Shining as brightly as the crystals, long shadows of the gemstones were projected on the ground. In front of the forest of crystals, there was a painting of a gigantic and strange bird. The bird looked like a white crane but its feathers were red, and there were strange patterns on its body. It had only one leg and a long, white beak. Meng Fuyao looked up at the painting and mumbled, ¡°The ¡®ssic of Mountains and Seas¡¯ had such a record: there is a bird with its shape like a crane and one foot. It has red patterns, a ck body, and a white beak. Its presence signifies an impending fire¡­ This is the God of Fire, Bifang.¡± Zhan Beiye suddenly walked up and took a whiff of the surroundings. His expression instantly changed. ¡°Kerosene oil¡­ ¡± ¡°Yes, the painting is hollow and filled up with the highly-mmable oil.¡± Meng Fuyao quietly spoke. ¡°If I¡¯m right, there is probably a string below the painting that leads to the opening of the hole, where an explosive soil is.¡± ¡°So you that¡¯s why you told us to extinguish the lighters?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s turned serious. ¡°And not just this. That girl¡¯s corpse could not be burned as well. Once we burned it, the ground beneath us would explode, right?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled without saying a word, but deep down, she felt a chill because of the Gun Tribe. The designer of the tomb must be insane. Just the girl¡¯s corpse incorporated three methods that could have killed them. He had predicted that such an inauspicious thing would be destroyed by people who entered the tomb and the methods were usually none other than burning or chopping. Hence, he had buried this string that connected to the painting so that once there was fire, it would trigger an explosion from the bottom. If the tomb raiders decided to chop up that corpse instead, there would be venomous insects in the belly to wipe out everyone. Even if someone managed to survive, they would probably let down their guard and slide down the hole, right onto the deadly tips of the crystal formation. At that moment, Zhan Beiye also understood the dangers that they went through and said, ¡°Fuyao, you saved us thrice.¡± Chapter 126 - Untitled Chapter 126: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao smiled and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so clear on who saved who,¡± she said as she took big strides, walking past the painting and the crystal formation to arrive at a stone wall. ¡°Behind this door is the passageway of the tomb.¡± There were strange characters on the door, though it was unknown whether it was written using cinnabar or blood. Meng Fuyao did not even raise her head and directly muttered the trantion, ¡°Those who dare to dig my tomb will die without any descendants.¡± Zhan Beiye was carefully scrutinizing the Gun Tribe¡¯s characters that were hard to understand. When he heard that line, he asked dumbfoundedly, ¡°You can decipher thenguage of the Gun Tribe?¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled. ¡°All the tomb owners in the world only know this curse.¡± Zhan Beiye looked at her andughed. ¡°I really like how silly and bold you are.¡± Meng Fuyao pretended not to hear. She looked at the huge door shaft and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether the door opens inwards or outwards. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± It turned out that the door could only be opened from the inside. Meng Fuyao inserted a dagger into the seam of the door and moved it up and down. ¡°There is a door lintel and two jambs on both sides. It seems like there¡¯s also a lock that is quiteplicated,¡± she said. She reached out her hand and ordered, ¡°Fatty! The crowbar!¡± There was only silence behind her. Meng Fuyao froze for a moment and remembered what she just said. For a while, she was a bit confused, and as she turned her head, she met the peculiar gazes of the people behind her. Meng Fuyao twitched her mouth and embarrassingly said, ¡°Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue¡­ ¡± Two soldiers handed over two awls and asked, ¡°Do these work?¡± ¡°I will make do with it,¡± Meng Fuyao replied as she used the tools to open the door. Behind her, everyone stared at her so intently that it was slightly awkward. Meng Fuyao predicted that Zhan Beiye was probably looking at her with an expression that said, ¡®so you are a tomb raider¡¯. ¡®Sigh, this is too embarrassing.¡¯ The reputation that she had been maintaining up till now had dissipated. To be honest, the skills that Meng Fuyao was showcasing belonged to a tomb raider¡¯s skill sets and not of an archaeologist. For excavations on a national level, they would usually invite some ¡°folks¡± to help solveplex situations without damaging the site. Meng Fuyao¡¯s skills were picked up from one such ¡°folk¡±. Momentster, there was a sound of a crack. The door of the dead person had finally been opened by Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao pulled Zhan Beiye away as a pungent smell that seemed to have gone stale for 1,000 years wafted from the depths of the passageway towards the people standing at the door. A look inside revealed a fifty-meter long passageway without any stone doors on the walls. It was starkly different from the Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty tombs that Meng Fuyao had encountered in the past world, whereby boulders were used to block the passageway, and that made her slightly relieved. If there were too many boulders, it would have been impossible to st them up using the current gunpowder technology. The group cautiously stepped into the passageway, and Meng Fuyao instructed the group to light up the lighters. The top of the passageway was filled with colorful illustrations that mainly depicted warfare and sacrifices. asionally, they saw strange statues. As Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze passed by a corner of the mural, she vaguely felt that something was wrong, but that thought shed by in a split second. The soldier that held the lighter had already walked passed that corner and also because they did not have many lighters to waste, Meng Fuyao had no time to stop and investigate. As she walked, Meng Fuyao kept throwing out a few crystals that she had picked up earlier to test if there were any booby traps. The soldier who had the lighter was walking in front and answering Ji Yu¡¯s queries. Suddenly, he froze as if he saw something and subsequently, fell against the wall of the passageway. Following a thunderous sound, the walls cracked, and huge heaps of golden sand flowed out like river streams. The sand quickly filled up a crack that was very hard to notice, and another thunderous sound followed. The soldier suddenly dropped vertically. Whoosh! Zhan Beiye, who was walking at the back of the group, suddenly leaped to the front, his robes rustling against the wind. As a ck figure shed by, Zhan Beiye picked up the falling soldier. Below him, the ground creaked and suddenly swiveled, revealing a trench that was four to five meters deep. In the holey sharp des that seemed to be waiting for their next victim. Zhan Beiye, while carrying the soldier, did a flip in mid-air and kicked against the ceiling of the passageway. Using that momentum, he flew away from the trench. He had justnded when yet another thunderous noise sounded. The spot on the ceiling where he had kicked suddenly cracked open and sharp stones enveloped by huge volumes of soil cascaded down like torrential rain. Before long, the trench was already filled to the brim, but the stones continued to fall, and there was a vague clicking sound. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao had been iling her arms wildly and shouting, ¡°Go over! Quickly go over! The passageway is going to be sealed up!¡± Beside her, another crack appeared, and arge volume of sand flowed out from it, instantly culminating into a thickyer by her feet. Before long, the passageway would be filled up. Ji Yu had already kicked the soldiers over one by one. ¡°Quick!¡± he hollered. ¡°Miss Meng, quickly go over!¡± ¡°You go first!¡± Meng Fuyao shouted at him as she kicked another soldier over. Facing Zhan Beiye who looked like he was going to dash past the foggyyers of sand towards them, she said, ¡°I forbid you toe over unless you want all of them to die!¡± Zhan Beiye stopped in his tracks. In an instant, the muscles on his face twisted together. The stones were falling at an rming rate, and it looked like no one was going to be able to dash past. A wall was forming between the two groups and the remaining hole that was only as wide as half a human was closing up. Zhan Beiye¡¯s anxious face appeared in that hole and gritting his teeth, he stopped the soldiers around him at the speed of a tornado, before running towards the other group. At that time, there were only two soldiers left beside Meng Fuyao and Ji Yu, and they refused to leave, but the height of the sand was already reaching their knees. Meng Fuyao and Ji Yu looked at each other, and both of them leaped up, kicking a soldier each to the other group. The soldier that Meng Fuyao kicked over barely passed through the hole that was less than a meter wide and bumped right into Zhan Beiye, who had no choice but to catch him and step back. However, the soldier that Ji Yu kicked slid away like a fish to the back of where Meng Fuyao was standing and gave her a hard push. The height of the hole could only allow a person to pass by horizontally. There was no time to lose. Meng Fuyao was anxiously staring at Zhan Beiye and did not expect that the soldier would make such a move. She was pushed towards the hole, and in her hurry, she only managed to grab on to Ji Yu. Stones dropped down continuously, and the hole was quickly filled up by sand and soil. To make matters worse, a huge stone on the ceiling that was at least half a tonne suddenly loosened and crashed down! The spot that the huge stone was crashing down on was directly where Meng Fuyao would pass by the hole. She could do nothing to stop her momentum and could only anticipate herself getting smashed into a t patty. Zhan Beiye suddenly pounced over and pointing his sword and sheath up vertically, he carried the weight of the stone on his shoulders and his weapon, blocking its downward fall. Ssh! A mouthful of blood sttered on the huge stone. The mass of the stone was far more than 1,000 kg. Adding on to that the weight thates from the downward momentum, even Zhan Beiye who was bestowed with great strength had to vomit blood as a result of the force. Amongst the sound of scattered stones and sand, there was a slight creaking from Zhan Beiye¡¯s sword that was forcefully bent by the weight of the stone, or it could also have been the sound of Zhan Beiye¡¯s bones creaking under pressure. However, Zhan Beiye stayed where he was, and at the corner of his mouth where there was still fresh blood stains, a new streak of blood flowed out. The soldier that pushed Meng Fuyao also rushed over. He used his weapon and his shoulder to carry the weight of the stone, just like how Zhan Beiye did. The sand in the hole spilled as Meng Fuyao squeezed past it. Using one hand, Zhan Beiye pulled her to the safe zone. Ji Yu simrly tried to squeeze out of the hole, but he was toote. The huge stone suddenly fell, its sharp tip pointing directly towards Ji Yu¡¯s left arm. There was a sound of bones cracking, as Ji Yu¡¯s left arm was pressed under the stone. The color drained from Ji Yu¡¯s face, but he did not look at his arm at all. Determinedly, he pushed Zhan Beiye away and pulled out the sword that was about to break. As the sword was flung away, ttering on the floor of the passageway, Zhan Beiye staggered back and spat out another mouthful of blood. A ray of another sword shed by. Blood sttered all over. Ji Yu had chopped away his left arm. Right after, with a flip, he rolled onto the ground. The huge stonended with a crash, splitting the passageway into two and forever sealing it. Ji Yu¡¯s left arm was eternally left in the passageway of the Gun Tribe¡¯s tomb. Left behind with his arm was the soldier who was on the other side of the huge stone. It was destined that he would not survive right from the moment that he pushed Meng Fuyao. Ji Yu pushed against the huge stone, not caring about the blood oozing out from his left shoulder. He hit the stone with all his might and screamed, ¡°Three! Three!¡± There was no voiceing from the opposite side, only a faintmotion. Meng Fuyao ran over and ced her ear against the stone. Vaguely, she heard muffled sounds of struggling, thumping, gasping and a horrifying yell. What happened on the other side? What appeared in the other half of the passageway that was separated by the huge stone? The soldier left behind, the one who gave her his only chance to survive, what did he encounter? Was it not just the flow of sand that could bury people alive? Listening to the petrifying gasps and hollers, he must have seen something so scary that he could not tolerate. As a person who was waiting for his death, and an elite of the ck Wind Horses who had killed countless people, what could terrorize him to such an extent? Fear of the unknown made her imagination run wild. Meng Fuyao grabbed tightly on the huge stone and imagined how lonely, bitter and horrified he felt while facing the empty passageway, a tragic ending, the appearance of something petrifying and a hopeless struggle. Her heart was bleeding in pain and blood rushed up to her throat. She banged her head against the huge stone, without knowing why she did that. It was as though this was the only way to alleviate the pain in her heart, but no matter how much she banged, she could not save him. She could only watch and ¡°listen¡± to him fighting to his veryst breath in terror. A warm palm suddenly appeared in front of the huge stone, and her head crashed heavily into it. That palm, which had blood stained with ash, cushioned her head and stopped her self-abuse. Chapter 127 - Untitled Chapter 127: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was Zhan Beiye¡¯s hand. Protecting her forehead, he pulled her and Ji Yu away from the huge rock. Throughout, Zhan Beiye was calm and collected and did not spare a nce at the huge rock. He just silently embraced Meng Fuyao. There was no other meaning to this embrace. It was, in its purest sense, a hug to console her. His embrace was broad and warm. His scent could be characterized by the smoke, bloody and metallic smell that had been umted throughout the journey. But more so, it was the light undertones of his musky fragrance; like the pine trees in a snowy day, giving off afortable and refreshing aroma that would allow one to feel the resolution and power within him. Meng Fuyao leaned on his shoulder, allowing herself this one moment of weakness. The embrace had no regards for romantic feelings¡ªit was an act of reminiscence for those who had sacrificed. Ji Yu sat down quietly as he let his subordinates bandage what was left of his severed arm, staring quietly at the forever closed stone wall. Every single one here was, and still is, his closest brothers. They were brothers he swore to go through thick and thin with, through life and death with. Especially San Er. He was his fellow-townsman, his childhood friend. He had brought San Er out of their hometown to enter the ck Wind Horses that would be their glory. They had promised to make the ck Wind Horses¡¯ name resound across the continents, yet, he could not do anything but abandon them. When San Er turned around to push Meng Fuyao away, he could have stopped him. Yet, he did not. Between Meng Fuyao and San Er, he chose Meng Fuyao. Because that was someone the Prince loved. The prince had a sad life with no one by his side. For so many years, he had been praying for the prince to meet someone that could bring him warmth, and the prince finally did. It was a girl that was bright and vibrant, glistening beautifully the way pearls and jade did. She was the prince¡¯s saving grace and the one he yearned for. ¡®San Er¡­ please forgive my¡­ my choice.¡¯ After a very long time, Zhan Beiye slowly let go of his embrace of Meng Fuyao. Ji Yu turned around, putting his troubles at the back of his mind. After all, the journey had to go on. The group continued their journey in silence. There were no longer any traps or mechanisms in the tombs, yet the walls were filled with very eerie mural paintings. The mural paintings gradually faded away as they walked along the walls with their me. ¡°They¡¯ve oxidized,¡± mumbled Meng Fuyao. From the corner of her eyes, she nced at one of the mural paintings, contemting over the oddity she had just witnessed. One painting, she felt, was apletely different style from the rest of the paintings, though she failed to take a closer look. The passageway was made of bricks, forming a dome-shaped ceiling. On the two sides, there were two courtyards, and each courtyard had niches that did not worship statues of God, but rather, two golden cups. Under the cups, there were words inscribed. Zhan Beiye went forward and read the words out loud, ¡°With my holy water, worship my soul for misfortune will gue those who do not drink.¡± Stunned, Meng Fuyao retorted, ¡°Asking us to drink¡­ that? Does he treat us like pigs? How can anything from the tomb be drunk? Even if it resembled the nectar of the Gods, once any one of us drinks it, we will definitely be ghosts.¡± She moved forward to take a closer look at what was in the golden cup and almost vomited. What the golden cup contained was a ck gooey substance that had some sort of a resemnce to wine. It gave off a slightly fishy stench with hints of alcohol undertones. At the bottom of the cup was a small bundle of white thing that curved in, like an egg that was not yet fertilized. ¡°I would be a pig to drink this sh*t!¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her leg to kick the cup and said, ¡°Just staring at it makes me feel disgusted.¡± Suddenly, a sleepy head popped up, and Meng Fuyao stared at the frizzled Lord Yuan Bao. Then, shemented, ¡°You are actually awake?¡± Lord Yuan Bao ignored herment and stared straight at the golden cup with a creepy gaze. Watching him, Meng Fuyao mumbled as goosebumps formed, ¡°Rat, by any chance are you possessed¡­?¡± Lord Yuan Bao started to chitter and chatter loudly, pointing to the cup and the wine, and then Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth, after which he mimicked the way one would drink wine. Meng Fuyao finally got what Lord Yuan Bao was trying to say. With her jaw dropping, she carefully asked, ¡°You¡­ you are asking us to drink¡­ that?¡± Lord Yuan Bao nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Brother,¡± Meng Fuyao snatched it up to a corner to have a quiet, serious discussion with the guinea pig. ¡°Are you dumb from sleeping too much? This is wine from the tomb! Regardless, it is not something we can put into our mouths¡­ it has long past its expiry date¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°Chir! Chir!¡± ¡°Let me tell you a story. In my past life, there were a few tomb raiders that went to excavate a tomb. In front of the tomb, there was a lot of fragrant and aromatic wine, so the tomb raiders gave in to the temptation and drank it. When they left the tomb, the moment the sun hit their skin, they turned into ashes immediately¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao continued, ¡°Chir! Chir!¡± ¡°Brother¡­ that thing really cannot be consumed¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao grabbed the corner of her sleeve and pped her. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Meng Fuyao grudgingly rubbed the cheek that had just been pped, went back and announced resignedly, ¡°The rat told us to drink.¡± Zhen Beiye raised his eyebrows and agreed without much hesitation. Meng Fuyao pouted and reached for the golden cup. Almost immediately, a couple of other hands stretched out in unison. But no one was as quick as Zhan Beiye. He took over the golden cup and said with much authority, ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± He closed his eyes and gulped down the wine quickly. Everyone stared at him nervously. Zhan Beiye wiped the corners of his mouth andughed. ¡°Not bad, not as terrible tasting as I would imagine.¡± After a while, seeing that Zhan Beiye was still as fit as a fiddle, everyone else took turns to consume the wine, except for one soldier. The soldier frowned and said, ¡°Prince, Lady Meng, I cannot drink this.¡± Meng Fuyao wanted to convince him but with a bitter smile that young man exined, ¡± I was once an alcoholic, and I would do nothing but indulge in alcohol all day. We depended on the meager ie that my wife would get from selling her needlework. She was a virtuous wife who never once med me. But one winter, she went out to sell her needlework in the heavy snow and fell into an ice cave on the way back¡­ she was one month pregnant then.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes and words choked up in his throat. Meng Fuyao stayed silent as the young man sniffed and looked up. He continued, ¡± I swore in front of her grave that in this lifetime, I would never drink another drop of alcohol. Otherwise, I will be subjected to heavenly punishment.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, and then once again she dragged Lord Yuan Bao to a corner and asked, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t drink, will he die?¡± She decided that if he would, she would knock this youngd unconscious and force it down his throat. That way, it would not be count as him breaking his promise. Lord Yuan Bao hesitated, a little confused by Meng Fuyao¡¯s question. It didn¡¯t seem like he would die if he didn¡¯t drink but¡­ Lord Yuan Bao shook his head and after a while, nodded. Meng Fuyao red at it, hesitating, and then she turned around upon hearing a cry of rm. She quickly turned around to see that the door to the tomb had suddenly opened. What lied beyond the darkness disyed to them was unknown. Meng Fuyao gasped in surprised and asked, ¡°Why did the door suddenly open?¡± Zhan Beiye thought about it as he watched the cup being ced back into its original position. He came to a conclusion and exined, ¡°The position below the cup is spring-loaded, and it is linked to the door. So when we finished the wine, the change in mass of the cup triggered the door to open.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at the cup of wine. The designer of this tomb was definitely a professional when it came to mind games. Right from the entrance, every trap made use of a human¡¯s desire to protect oneself. From the corpse at the entrance to the chain mechanism and this very moment, where the door would never open if the tomb raiders refused to drink the wine, even if they made it here. As for those that could enter, daring to drink the wine, they were most likely the important figures who held the secrets of the Gun Tribe. This was a design that would protect the secrets of the tomb. But of course, no matter how of a genius a person was, one could not predict, much less include in their ns, the existence of such intrepid and bizarre being ¡ª Lord Yuan Bao, and the coincidence that such a being would enter the tomb. When the door opened, Zhan Beiye stopped the soldiers that wanted to scout out potential danger and went ahead himself with a sword in his hand. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao insisted on walking at the back and made Ji Yu and the rest of the soldiers walk in the middle. Though the passageway was short, the door was really wide. When Meng Fuyao passed by the door, she paid special attention to it and realized that the door had no hinges. It was a whole rock that was a meter thick. Even with modern technology, there was no guarantee that they would have been able to blow the door apart. Just as she got past the door, her vision went ck. Ji Yu¡¯s back was no longer visible. Imprable darkness shrouded herpletely, like the demons of darkness as they gathered and dispersed as they please. Those demons shape-shifted into twisted objects that elicited fear like the Double-Headed snake, the gigantic flesh-eating ants, the poisonous vines, or the corpse of the little girl¡­ it was like hell on earth where the guards of hell had opened the cursed doors to let out countless of vengeful spirits. Or perhaps, it was the Gods who disrupted the order of the world, taking back all hope and leaving nothing but demons to rule and trample over the world. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes and bellowed, ¡°Disappear!¡± She attacked the fog and the fog dispersed before her eyes, only to gather together once more. This time, the fog was thick and white like milk foam, and amidst the fog, one could vaguely make out a familiar figure. The soldier that died by the pond, the corpse that hung upside down on the poisonous vines, Wang Hu, who hadmitted suicide in the swamp, Hua Zi that had been burned alive in swarms of flesh-eating ants, the San Er who had pushed Meng Fuyao out only to be trapped in eternal darkness and hopelessness all alone¡­ those who had died in this journey now appeared in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Blood gushed out of them as their meat hang precariously. Their organs were falling out as they stumbled slowly, making their way towards Meng Fuyao. Right in front was Hua Zi, the young man that was burned alive, leaving nothing but a skeleton. He reached out his hands that were scorched by the fire, with his bones in full view, towards Meng Fuyao. ¡°It¡¯s so cold down there¡­ where¡­ where are my clothes?¡± he asked. Meng Fuyao gasped for air. Giddy spells hit her like waves, washing away her conscious and reason. Her heartstrings were tugged so tightly that she could physically feel a sharp pain in her heart. The young man in front of her was so real. He was burnt to the point where his features were unrecognizable, yet, she could still make up an eerie and scornful smile on his face. His face was so close, so authentic, so real to the point where she could smell the burnt and bloody stench emanating off his flesh. Calmly, he spat out the words, ¡°Meng Fuyao, when you were about to sacrifice yourself for the prince, you saw my expression, didn¡¯t you? Somewhere in your heart, you were waiting for me to stop you, weren¡¯t you? Otherwise, with your abilities, there was no way I could have stopped you. Did you feel that just because we are soldiers that we are disposable? That we should sacrifice ourselves for you?¡± Chapter 128 - Untitled Chapter 128: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was a cutting criticism of her personal motives. A chill ran from her fingertips to the tip of her toes. Was it? Was it? Was it! Was it true that she had no intention to sacrifice herself? Was it true that she was selfishly waiting for Hua Zi to stop her? No! No! No! Meng Fuyao growled, staggering back with ragged breathing. She desperately waved her hands in an attempt to chase away these phantoms. ¡°No! I did not! It wasn¡¯t like that! I¡­ I was taking off my clothes so I wasn¡¯t able to focus and my reaction was slow¡­ It was not like what you said!¡± she screamed. In the illusion, Hua Zi ¡®s hand stopped mid-air and floated around weightlessly. He seemed to have not expected that Meng Fuyao, under such circumstances, could still keep a clear mind and have the awareness to defend for herself. His face repeatedly formed and disappeared in the fog. Every time it formed, Meng Fuyao would feel dizzy, and every time she fainted, she felt less and less conscious. Just as she was about to fall into unconsciousness, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt a pain on her neck, as though it had been bitten by huge teeth. A small pair of ws climbed onto her shoulder and started giving tight ps across her face. Meng Fuyao bolted awake and jumped to her feet. She spat on the floor and scolded, ¡°Demon! How dare you pretend to be a hero!¡± The fog cleared in an instant, and ¡°Hua Zi¡± and the other figures disappeared as well. Saliva had the function of fending off evil spirits. Furthermore, evil spirits and sinful demons were afraid of righteousness. When righteousness rose, the demons always fled. Meng Fuyao panted as she leaned against a wall. She recalled how the soldier banged against the wall for no reason, as well as the struggle and screams of Three who was stuck in the passageway of the tomb. ¡®Did they encounter the same thing?¡¯ ¡®That thing capitalizes on the doubts and vulnerabilities that we hide in our hearts, and then it using those to manipte us to fall into eternal darkness?¡¯ Meng Fuyao struggled as she wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead. She took the guinea pig in her hands and smoothened out his hair, sadistically thanking him for his ps. The white smoke had disappeared by then, but the ck fog appeared once more. Nothing could be seen at an arm¡¯s distance. Meng Fuyao kept the guinea pig and tried to ignite a lighter. However, the fog exerted pressure as strong as steel, and the me was so pale that nothing and no one could be seen except for her own expression. Meng Fuyao extinguished the lighter, and as she cautiously walked, she called out in a low voice, ¡°Zhan Beiye¡­ Ji Yu¡­ ¡± There was no response. Meng Fuyao felt her surroundings, but it was empty. After stepping into this door, it was as though she entered a space of a different dimension. She was separated from the rest of the group and left to search alone in a ce filled with the unknown. Her voice started to tense. There was no one and no response at all. ¡®Where is Zhan Beiye? Where is Ji Yu? Where are all the ck Wind Horses? Where has everyone gone?¡¯ She shouted, ¡°Zhan Beiye! Zhan Beiye!¡± Her voice faintly resounded in the ck fog and the entire room was filled with echoes of ¡°Zhan Beiye, Zhan Beiye, Zhan Beiye¡±. Meng Fuyao reached out her hand and carefully groped around her. Suddenly, her fingertips came into contact with an object. It was slightly cool, had silk clothing on and was of a certain height. She rejoiced and instinctively called out, ¡°Zhan Bei-¡± Her call came to an abrupt stop. That was not Zhan Beiye! Zhan Beiye would definitely not stand opposite her but not make a sound! Zhan Beiye¡¯s skin was also not as thin as this ¡°thing¡±! Meng Fuyao retreated in a hurry. She retreated like a bolt of lighting, cutting through theyers of ck fog towards the direction where she came from. Her retreat caused the curtain of fog to slightly stir, opening to reveal a narrow line of brightness, which reflected a bit of the object¡¯s shape. Meng Fuyao saw the glimmer of light. With a scream, she thrust Destiny Rebellion into that faint line and sliced down! The ck fog silently split apart. Meng Fuyao leaped forward and escaped from the fog before it reformed. What she saw suddenly changed. It still looked like a tomb, with murals on the walls and the ceiling. It was a magnificent depiction of sacrificial ceremonies, hunting, and war. Strong men who had a drawing of the Double-Headed Snake on their arms marched out of a long mountain range, sword in hand, towards a huge army. These men were controlling snakes, bats and strange-looking beasts, while the army shot arrows that covered the mountain range like thunder clouds. This was probably the story of the Gun Tribe being wiped out by the court¡¯s troops. Meng Fuyao shifted her nce away and realized that there was a pond in the tomb, surrounded by handrails in the shape of a lotus and armed terracotta warriors. Using the lighter, Meng Fuyao spotted many small pits on the ground which were likely to be booby traps. She raised the lighter and shone it around the tomb, but she still did not see anyone. Zhan Beiye, Ji Yu and even the thing she touched earlier on had disappeared into thin air. In this eerie thousand-year tomb that was filled with danger, it felt terrible to lose allpanions and be left alone to face whaty ahead ¨C even the daring Meng Fuyao could not help but tremble. However, in a split second, she had alreadymanded herself to calm down. No matter what, Zhan Beiye was powerful enough to prevent anything from killing him. Since she was fine, he would definitely be fine as well. He might have encountered the same situation and was searching for her as well. The designer of the tomb had incorporated the essence of tomb designs of both the Han ethnicity and the Gun Tribe and had a specialty in strategizing how to control one¡¯s thoughts and feelings. It was highly likely that right from the moment they stepped into the tomb, they had already fallen prey to the designer¡¯s cursed gamen. Since it was made up of formations, there must be ws in it. Meng Fuyao extinguished the precious lighter and started to analyze the situation. There were some crystal beads scattered on the floor, reflecting scattered beams of light. Meng Fuyao stared at these glittering, crystal-clear objects and her heart suddenly thumped. She vaguely felt that something was not right, but she could not recall what it was. If a thought shed by, the best way to recall would be to run through her memory. She slowly recapped what she was thinking of. ¡®The beads¡­ reflection¡­¡¯ ¡®Reflection¡­¡¯ Something clicked in her brain, and that thought made her hair stand on end. ¡®Yes! The reflection!¡¯ When she used the lighter in the fog, there was a projection of her expression, and she vividly remembered how ashen she looked ¨C the question was, how did she see her own face? It meant that there was a mirror on the opposite side! However, the tomb that she stepped into after dashing out of the fog had no mirror. Could it be her position changed in that split moment? That the spot she was standing on was not where she first entered the tomb? Meng Fuyao took a deep breath and ignited the lighter once again. There was no coffin in the tomb, but there was a diverse collection of funerary objects, such as agate bottles, crystal cups, coral trees, products made of silver or gold, and y pots of various sizes. She walked towards a wall and wanted to take a closer look. Behind her, someone gently ced his arm on her shoulder, the exhtion causing her hair to sway. Meng Fuyao started to turn back in joy and said, ¡°Zhan¡­ ¡± From the corner of her eye, she spotted a long ck shadow with two sharp heads on the ground. That was not even human! Meng Fuyao did notplete her turn and forcefully twisted back her body. She sprinted forward, and with a raise of her arm, Destiny Rebellion drew a clean and sharp arc behind her. The shadow behind her twisted its body and with a whoosh, avoided her backhand slice with much agility. Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression changed once she saw what was behind. It was a Double-Headed Snake, but its size was beyond imagination! It was more like two snakes that twisted together to form a team. They stood at the height of one and a half humans, exceeding Meng Fuyao¡¯s height. There were two heads on the ground and another two above ground, adding up to four heads and eight ghostly eyes that stared deadly at Meng Fuyao. This tomb actually had the king of the Double-Headed Snakes, and from the look of it, the two snakes seemed to be of different genders. No wonder that Double-Headed Snake in the karst cave did not bite her ¨C the feast had to be offered to the ancestors. Meng Fuyao shed her knife, and the re of the de reflected a cold re. ¡®Come on, two big springs, I will handle the both of you!¡¯ The snake¡¯s heads shook and stared at Meng Fuyao but did not attack, continuously spitting outrge volumes of ck fog. Seeing the sight before her, Meng Fuyao realized that it was this thing that created the fog that was surrounding her before. One human and two snakeheads confronted each other in the cold and gloomy tomb. For some reason, the snake seemed to hesitate. However, in the end, it seemed unable to suppress its natural craving to kill. With a bounce of its body, its enormous tail swept towards Meng Fuyao. In fact, it was not just the tail but also the head. The green eyeballs hovered in mid-air while its sharp fangs bared, shooting a green and pungent venom in all directions. With a rustle, the snakehead had already neared with its mouth opened so wide that it could swallow a human, vaguely exposing its dark red organs. Meng Fuyao went head-on determinedly, and with a flip, shended below the snake¡¯s stomach and was about to stab her dagger into its abdomen. The giant snake had quick reflexes and avoided the stab even in mid-air by rolling away. Its agility was no less than any martial arts expert, but Meng Fuyao was even faster. She pounced on it and along with her leap came a series of slicing, chopping, stabbing and thrusting; she even used the sixth level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens martial arts. A green fluorescence luminescence radiated from her dagger and sparks appeared wherever the de passed by, leaving behind a deep trench. Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure was ever-changing, and she was even more agile than the naturally-flexible snakes. Every time the snake shifted, Meng Fuyao¡¯s de would be waiting in its line of motion. Though the snake had a tough body and nimble heads, it was still unable to avoid her attacks that were incorporated with inner energy. Before long, many slices appeared on the snake¡¯s body. Meng Fuyao attacked fiercely and punched aggressively, determined to vent all the pain and grievances she had suffered on this pair of snakes. ¡°Who told you to keep twisting and twisting and twisting! A damned pair of eels!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed ferociously. ¡°Let me help you untie your shoces!¡± A swish of her knife towards the twisted pair of heads made the heads cower in a hurry. Below, the other two heads looked up and slithered towards Meng Fuyao. Thetter did not even bother to take a look and directly chopped towards them, with the aura of ¡°I¡¯m going to split you apart even if I have to risk getting bitten by you¡±. Chapter 129 - Untitled Chapter 129: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Even though the pair of snakes had good chemistry, they were at a loss facing Meng Fuyao¡¯s attacks that resembled that of a lunatic woman. Instinctively, their heads turned towards two opposite directions. Capitalizing on that opportunity, Meng Fuyao suddenly dropped her dagger and grabbed a head in each of her hands. With a strong kick, two porcin pots flew towards them, and with a loud bang, the heads crashed into the respective pots. Meng Fuyao immediately stuck the pots in the lotus-shaped handrails. The pots were stuck tightly in the handrail. The snakes struggled to wiggle out, and the other two heads continued to pounce on the ground, but they were to no avail. Meng Fuyao picked up her dagger. Smiling wickedly, she walked up and said, ¡°I know you aren¡¯t afraid of me chopping you up into two because the two segments will just transform into four snakes. That¡¯s too much for trouble for me. With your main heads trapped, there¡¯s no use for your vice heads to try to fight.¡± She was about to settle the remaining heads when a loudmotion rang behind her, with sounds of objects crashing and some rustling. Meng Fuyao looked back and saw that the bunch of porcin pots had all fallen and were scattered across the ground. In some of the posts, ck objects slowly crawled out. As for the four terracotta warriors, the ck porcin pieces on their bodies started to crack and fall piece by piece, revealing a golden armor within it. Meng Fuyao was stunned. There was a cursed snake, and so be it but what was this? A mutated terracotta corpse? Of course, the Gun Tribe was rumored to be a demonic n that specializes in spells and curses. She should have expected that there would not have been any normal corpses in the tomb. What a pity that Meng Fuyao was not a student of the craft of tomb raiding. Up until then, she had never seen a mutated corpse with her own eyes, much less developed a habit to fight this species. Furthermore, the group of ck objects was as big as a pet dog. The thin and weak limbs were on the floor, and its red face looked somewhat human and non-human at the same time. It seemed even more poisonous than the snakes, leaving behind curtains of ck fog. The demonic atmosphere appeared, and Meng Fuyao was afraid that the phantoms woulde again. If she could not remain conscious in such a ce, only death would await her. So, she fled. Meng Fuyao smashed the snakeheads with strong kicks and ran far away. Behind her, the sound of cracks became louder and louder, while the temperature seemed to drop by a few degrees. The snakes were dead, but the fog became even thicker than ever. Meng Fuyao saw the ck objects crawling towards her, blocking her path. Each one burst open and revealed a red body, highly resembling the yed hedgehogs that they devoured a few days earlier. The ¡°hedgehogs¡± pounced on her, bringing along with them a fishy odor. Behind, the terracotta warriors finished shedding, and the golden-armored warriors raised their hands stiffly, seeming to follow the movements of the ck objects. It lifted its hands and in each palmy a bead. It¡¯s ¡°eyes¡± followed Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure, the bead in its palms continually adjusting their position, like a sniper aiming towards its target. Meng Fuyao was forced to the state whereby she could no longer retreat. The ces that the ¡°hedgehogs¡± passed by were contaminated with a sticky red juice that simmered with smoke. There was a booby trap below the tomb, and the ¡°hedgehogs¡± were wickedly trying to force her into the trap. Meanwhile, the four corners were stationed with the mutated terracotta corpses with their palms deadly aimed towards her. Once they finished adjusting their positions, she would be the sacrificial object at the intersection of the four beads. Meng Fuyao had nowhere to go. Out of the blue, she jumped upwards. She was only halfway through the jump when she nted her body and reached out to a branch of the coral tree in the corner of the wall. She swung to the other side, and with a kick, the gold and silver pots flew towards the group of ¡°hedgehogs¡± and the mutated corpses. Some of them were scattered further away, smashing against the walls. Those ck objects subconsciously avoided the pots, and their movements made the mutated terracotta corpses close their palms slowly. Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall, her back covered with cold sweat. A thunderous sound rang in her ears. The wall suddenly disappeared, and Meng Fuyao could not help but fall back. The same fishy odor wafted towards her again, and she saw those ck ¡°hedgehogs¡± suddenly appearing before her, their pungent saliva almost dripping on her forehead. The closest one to her raised its sharp and bloody ws to attack and was about tond on her eyelids. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sank. She was going to die! Almost instantaneously, a ck figure spun before her like a tornado and a pair of steel-like hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to safe ground. Meng Fuyao instinctively wanted to use her dagger to stab the figure, but its voice sounded, ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± It was Zhan Beiye. Meng Fuyao instantly rxed but almost dropped down again. Zhan Beiye caught her in time and hollered, ¡°Be careful!¡± Clutching on to him and without a clear vision, Meng Fuyao shouted, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°I was always here,¡± replied Zhan Beiye as he waved his sword, the gleam of its de shing by like strokes of lightning. ¡°I encountered the same situation.¡± It was at that moment that Meng Fuyao realized that she was in the corner of a tomb. Zhan Beiye was in front of her, and Ji Yu and the remaining soldiers were present as well. There was the mural she saw, shattered pots on the floor and the strange block objects. She was still in the same tomb with the same creatures, but under closer scrutinization, she found out that there were less funerary objects and there were no terracotta warriors in the four corners. It was obvious that it was a different batch. She thought for a moment and asked, ¡°The walls were flipped over, or are they mobile?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Beiye said as he stabbed one of the ck objects to death. ¡°We were separated once we stepped into the tomb. The ck fog was an illusion to hide the shifting of the walls. There are probably three rooms in here, including one main tomb and two side rooms. The one you were in is a side room.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s knife silently sliced past a creature, causing blood to stter. She asked, ¡°How do you know that this is the main tomb?¡± Zhan Beiye nodded his head towards a spot and said, ¡°Look at that.¡± There was a small door covered by the pond. The door had paintings on it too, though of a very different style. It incorporated drawing methods of ethnic minorities, using clean strokes and light colors. The painting depicted a man with pale-green clothing standing on a boat, his hands to his back while admiring the scenery. The strokes were few, but it created a very magnificent and celestial aura of the man. Meng Fuyao looked at the painting and promptly remembered that this was what felt abnormal when she was in the passageway. This painting appeared in the lowest corner of the mural in the passageway, and the difference in the style of the painting had aroused her curiosity. Looking back, he must be the owner of the tomb. However, this man looked like he was of the Han ethnicity. Why would the Gun Tribe tomb bury a Han as their ancestor? There was no time for her to think in depth. Meng Fuyao remarked, ¡°The path is over there, right? How do we get there?¡± ¡°ording to rumors, the Gun Tribe tombs normally had another tomb under a tomb. The bones are all kept in the depths of the hollow mountain, so there must be another pathway below this tomb, though I don¡¯t know whether it is wet or dry,¡± Zhan Beiye frowned as he looked at the floor and replied. ¡°There are too many of these objects. What¡¯s more important is that the booby trap will be activated soon.¡± Meng Fuyao then discovered that as more ck objects were killed, more blood oozed out and gradually filled up the small pits on the ground. Once a pit was filled up, the blood would flow to the next one. More than half of the pits were already filled up. ¡°What a wicked method¡­ ¡± Meng Fuyao sucked in a deep breath. It was intentionally putting them in a tough position. In order to survive, they had to kill these ck objects but doing so could cause blood to flow and trigger the trap. They were forced to a dead end. Burning them could probably work, but their lighters were already snatched away by the bats. There were not even enough lighters for them tost through the remaining journey, much less create a big fire. No one dared to use thunder crash bombs either. There was no guarantee that the architecture might not copse or trigger another trap. The owner had been arranging two paths right from the start ¨C one for people of their n to pass through safely and another filled withyers of traps for intruders. Seasoned tomb raiders who entered would not drink the seemingly dangerous alcohol, but if there were any exceptions, those who entered would have to face this trap, triggered by the blood of the objects. Meng Fuyao smiled bitterly and said, ¡°It would be good if we were all ¡®one spot killers¡¯ of the Central ins. One stab seals the throat, and only one drop of blood flows out.¡± ¡°It is of no use,¡± Zhan Beiye said without any hesitation. ¡°These things are like sacks of blood. Wherever you stab, a pool of blood will stter. They are meant for this purpose.¡± ¡°Why is there no ck fog?¡± Meng Fuyao spotted an anomaly and queried. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the fog appear wherever these things are?¡± ¡°Ji Yu crushed the remaining tortoise shell into powder and scattered them around this room,¡± said Zhan Beiye. ¡°His tortoiseshell is a treasure specially brought back from E Ocean, Luosha Ind in Fufeng. It is like no other and is exceptionally good at fending evil spirits. What a pity that it¡¯s all used.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay,¡± answered Meng Fuyao. ¡°I will get Yao Xun to find one as soon as possible.¡± Zhan Beiye did not reply. He killed another two creatures and looked at the pits that were about to be filled up, the gleaming blood flowing and sputtering as if it was alive. He promptly said, ¡°Fuyao,ter I¡¯ll carry you and try to cross over the trap. It¡¯s faster this way¡­ ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Meng Fuyao cut off his words. ¡°Do you take me for a pig? If we could cross this, we would have done it long ago. You¡¯re carrying me over because you want to use your back as a shield and then sacrifice your life for me? Forget about it.¡± Zhan Beiye frowned and said, ¡°Why do you suspect so much?¡± Meng Fuyao smirked and was about to retort him when there was a low cry behind them. At the same time, a few soldiers started to scream. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye looked back at the same time ¨C the Dark Wind Horses would never make amotion out of nothing so what had happened? What they saw, stopped them in their tracks. Amongst the soldiers, one of them suddenly hunched and whimpered in great pain. He gradually crouched down and handfuls of hair started to fall. The clothes started to rip apart bit by bit as well, the ck cloth resembling butterflies hovering in the air. Right after, his skin started to crack apart, revealing his bright red flesh. Chapter 130 - Untitled Chapter 130: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios His limbs started to contract into what looked like weak ws. The color of his limbs slowly drained, and all his blood seemed to flow towards his abdomen, which turned crimson red. His facial muscles gradually contorted and streaks of blood emerged, quickly turning ck and solidifying on his face. The flickering me illuminated his face. His facial features were grossly twisted, making him look like a murderous god that walked out of a mural. A soldier beside him who was holding on to the lighter was so shocked at the sight before him that his wrist trembled. The lighter almost fell, but Zhan Beiye caught it in time. A cold chill crept up Meng Fuyao¡¯s spine as she watched the soldier suffering from the convulsions in pain. Watching his body getting bundled up, his weak limbs, and the group of creatures on the ground which had ck coats and red bodies¡­ Could it be, could it be¡­ ¡°Old De, Old De!¡± Ji Yu shouted as his remaining arm was about to grab that soldier. ¡°Old De!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± ordered Zhan Beiye. At that moment, his face was also scrunched up, resembling the soldier in pain. ¡°He¡¯s poisoned!¡± Poisoned¡­ Meng Fuyao stared at the soldier and suddenly recognized him as the one who refused to drink the alcohol. Because of his repentance of the past and his promise to his deceased wife, he did not drink that alcohol in the end. Amongst the group present, he was the only one who was poisoned after stepping into this tomb. Meng Fuyao felt her heart sink. Was this destiny¡¯s arrangement? Was this retribution¡¯s punishment? How cruel it was for someone who sincerely wanted to repent! Everyone stared in shock as the soldier struggled in pain and bit by bit, shrunk to be one of the creatures on the ground. Those creatures¡­ were humans. Theirpanion who has been with them through thick and thin was about to be one of those creatures, bing an eternal spirit in this sinister and eerie tomb. The Dark Wind Horses, who had walked through this path resiliently and never showed fear, reached their mental breaking point. One of them turned around and flung himself on the wall. Momentster, sobs emerged from his arms, where he buried his head into. His sobs echoed in the empty tomb. It was deste, heartbreaking and sorrowful, filled with strong resentment towards destiny and a sense of helplessness at his inability. The me flickered, illuminating the mural before them. On the tall ship, the confident man still had his head raised towards the sky. His eyes determinedly looked at the horizon as he rode the waves and sailed with the wind. In a daze, Ji Yu looked at the deformed soldier and muttered, ¡°I should have forced him to drink¡­ ¡± He had yet toplete his sentence when the soldier suddenly let out a sharp cry and with a flip, leaped into the bunch of creatures. Everyone was stunned. It was the same ck bunch, with the same weak limbs and the same blood-red abdomens ¨C once he entered, no one could distinguish enemies frompanions. How could they attack? Every move could possibly stab thepanion who had apanied them on this tough journey! Those creatures started to cheer instead. They seemed to be delighted with the new ¡°human¡± addition, and all stopped to form a crowd around him. These ¡°humans¡± had been stuck for too long in this mountain. They seemed to have been looking forward to something fresh, and they danced in excitement. The soldier fell into the group and rolled to the other side of the wall. He crouched in the corner, but in his arms, he hugged a ck and round object tightly. He started to bang against the wall, but the mutation of his limbs was so painful that he had not much strength. However, the new panions¡± crawled over in joy and apanied him to bang the wall. Everyone could not understand what he was trying to do and looked at him dumbfoundedly. Then, there was a thunderous sound and the wall flipped, revealing a side room that the creatures rushed into. That soldier was thest to enter. Right before the wall shut, he looked back amongst the crowd. Only his eyeballs still looked slightly human on his deformed face. In those eyes, a wave of emotions shed by, including nostalgia, farewell, loneliness¡­ and determination. The wall shut, and he disappeared. Everyone looked on in a daze, engraving thest expression that they saw of him. He was a handsome and mightyd who could eat three pounds of meat in a meal and ughter three heads with one sh of his knife. The bravest and fiercest of them all ended up bidding farewell to the legendary Dark Wind Horses, his identity as a normal human, all his family and friends, and all of nature above ground. He had shrunk into this deformed pile and became one of those creepy creatures that anyone would hate on and kill at the sight of them. He would have to forever live on in this dark and dirty basement of the tomb, never able to see the daylight again. Just¡­ live on like that? It¡¯s¡­ too cruel. A thought shed by everyone¡¯s minds as they stood rooted to the ground: ¡­ Might as well die¡­ Bang! There was a low sound of an explosion, and the tomb swayed. Everyone¡¯s face turned ashen while Zhan Beiye slowly closed his eyes. A very slight click sounded, and Meng Fuyao turned her head, shouting, ¡°Watch out!¡± The pits had unknowingly been filled up. While they were still stunned at theirpanion¡¯s mutation and devoured in pain over losing him, they had forgotten that his blood had also flowed over to the pits. They ced all their attention on the creatures and subconsciously avoided the thought that theirpanion had be one of the creatures; his blood would simrly be a great sacrificial product for the pit. The pits were fully filled! Zhan Beiye immediately brought Meng Fuyao in his arms. Almost simultaneously, the pond and the ground beneath them copsed, revealing a hole as thick as a human¡¯s waist. Columns after columns of water shot straight up to the ceiling before sshing in all directions, creating arcs of water that resemble dragons. In an instant, water had filled up almost half of the room, and everyone was dispersed. The trap activated underwater, and arrows shot out, making whooshing noises in the water. There was a muffled cry, and a pool of blood started to spread. Zhan Beiye hugged Meng Fuyao tightly and shouted, ¡°This is the Nine Pces Formation! Follow the Nine Pces Footwork that I taught all of you before and swim over to the back door!¡± The back door was situated on higher ground. More importantly, an exit should be there. How was it possible for someone to walk out of the formation while carrying another person? Meng Fuyao struggled and said, ¡°Put me down, I know the Nine Pces Footwork. Let me swim by myself!¡± ¡°Fuyao, the current is too strong. I cannot afford to let you and me get separated!¡± Zhan Beiye refused, holding on to her tightly as he replied. ¡°Ah Hai, you are the best at swimming. I put you in charge of holding on to Commander Ji!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!.¡± With Meng Fuyao in his arms, Zhan Beiye dashed against the current while cautiously avoiding the arrows, which itself was already a very difficult movement that required a lot of stamina. Furthermore, Zhan Beiye had suffered internal injuries when he blocked the huge stone in the passageway of the tomb. Halfway through the swim, his face became as pale as a white sheet and water beads gleamed on his forehead, uncertain whether it was because of the water or his perspiration. Even so, he did not slow down at all. He slightly trembled at one point but immediately recovered and continued his swim. Meng Fuyao looked down and seeing a streak of blood flowing out from his robes, she eximed, ¡°You¡¯re injured! Put me down!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Zhan Beiye gave a powerful kick, and his body shot forward. He reached the back door, but blood streamed out at a faster speed. Meng Fuyao looked back nervously and saw that the soldiers behind them were swimming over, though most of them were injured. At the back of the group, Ah Hai carried Ji Yu on his back, but he was evidently struggling; his face was flushed, and his moves were heavy. On his back, Ji Yu shouted, ¡°Put me down! I am a useless person, don¡¯t let me burden you!¡± Zhan Beiye untied his belt quickly, tying one end on Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand and the other end on his wrist. ¡°I will fetch them,¡± he hurriedly said, while pushing Meng Fuyao up. Meng Fuyao climbed up the back door and found a small hole at the top. Knowing that it was the way to open the door, she stuck her hand in it and was about to pry it open. When her hand reached in, she did note into contact with any door stopper or an empty space. She felt something cold, thin and as smooth as silk. It was like a human, like the ¡°human¡± she wrongly thought was Zhan Beiye in the other room! She could even feel its gentle exhtion on the back of her palm, causing goosebumps to form. Her heart sank, and she almost fainted. She thought that she was gone for good. As long as this thing moved and chopped off her wrist, no one would be able to reach in the hole and open the door. Everyone would have to die here. With such a thought, she felt as though the sky was crashing down on her. Yet, at the same time, in her desperation, she boiled with anger ¨C after walking through such a difficult path, and after so many people died, they had to encounter this at thest stop. Heaven was f*cking annoying! Meng Fuyao gritted her teeth, with a fire burning in her eyes. In her anger, she couldn¡¯t care less and refused to contract her wrist. Instead, she gave a strong punch. ¡®No matter what you are ¨C mutated corpse or ghost ¨C and no matter what you want, I will kill anything that blocks my way, starting from you!¡¯ She packed a serious punch, but itnded at an empty spot in the dark. That thing, along with the faint exhale, had disappeared. Meng Fuyao felt a sense of joy. Without much time to think, she reached for thetch, and with a click, the door opened. Though the door was unlocked, Meng Fuyao was unable to pluck out her hand as the hole was too small. She gave a mighty pull of her arm, leaving a huge piece of flesh for the owner of the room. Meng Fuyao had no time to bother about the searing pain on her elbow. In her exhration, she quickly looked back, but she was bbergasted. The water level surged, reaching the necks of the people in it. Ah Hai, who was carrying Ji Yu, was suddenly sucked by an unknown force when he passed by the lotus pond and was quickly dragged down. As he started to fall, he hurled Ji Yu with all his might towards Zhan Beiye, who was rapidly swimming towards them. Zhan Beiye caught Ji Yu in time and was about to reach for Ah Hai, but he missed. The huge suction force of the water pipe sent Ah Hai spiraling downwards. Chapter 131 - Untitled Chapter 131: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Ah Hai¡¯s big physique blocked the opening of the water pipe. The huge suction force was stopped, and the water level ceased to rise after reaching the height of everyone¡¯s foreheads. Zhan Beiye reached out to pull him, but Ah Hai suddenly trembled and raised his head, his face wearing a strange smile that was thebination of agony and relief. Seeing such a smile, Zhan Beiye was confused for a moment. However, Ah Hai immediately grabbed on tightly to the rim of the water pipe, locking himself in that position. He gestured for the rest to leave before the water level rose again, but no one was willing to give up on him. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand stayed on the door while she quickly said, ¡°Take off your belts and tie one end to Ah Hai¡¯s waist. Then, swim to the door. When I count to three, everyone will dash past the door and tug Ah Hai along with us.¡± Some of them promptly took off their belts, swum over to Ah Hai and tied the belts on his waist. The strange smile surfaced on Ah Hai¡¯s face once again as he looked down at the water. Seeing that his skinplexion turned from pale to a bright red color, Meng Fuyao knew that he could not stay too long underwater. Once the rest were gathered around her, she straightaway shouted, ¡°Three!¡± Her shout was followed by a strong push towards the door. With a loud bang, the back door opened. A strong gush of water tripped them and pushed them into the room, where a white object could be vaguely seen to drift past them as water sshed in all directions. Meng Fuyao was secured tightly in Zhan Beiye¡¯s arms but her eyes hurt from beingpletely engulfed in the water. From her view of the room, there was no coffin, only a tall man with long and flowy hair floating in the water in a sitting posture. The silk clothing of his green robes and white cloak were casually scattered in the water, so weightless that they seemed to hover in the air. The sight disappeared in the blink of an eye. The next thing she knew, both she and Zhan Beiye were mmed against the wall in the room, where a hole appeared as a result of the water¡¯s force. Everyone could not help but stumble and bang against one another in the emerging whirlpool, and before long, they were all pushed through the hole. The world span around them. There was a stream that resembled a cascading waterfall, and water gushed past as fast as how time flew by. Through a thick patch of grass, an underground cave, a dark cliff and a burial pit that housed thousands of dead bodies, heaps of white skeletonsy on the banks of the stream. The lifeless and dark sockets were wide open, silently witnessing the intrusion of explorers into the sacred site of the Gun Tribe that no one had been able to step foot in for thousands of years. Broken bones protruded from the sand, and they were apanied by skulls that seemed to be mockingly looking into the sky, thinking about the philosophy behind survival and sacrifice. Along the bank, the forest of skeletons stretched for miles. While Meng Fuyao¡¯s head was still spinning, the bones formed streaks of white lines in her vision, though the sight shed by in an instant. She also detected a dull and rancid smell that signified death. It seemed that for thousands of years, the spirits were not destroyed, and they loitered above this stream by the mountain. All this while, Zhan Beiye had been pressing Meng Fuyao¡¯s head in his arms and using his body to block the powerful force of the scattered stones and the influx of water. No matter how disheveled he was as a result of the torrent ¨C which epassed the might of Heaven and Earth ¨C and no matter how dizzy he was, he had always miraculously positioned Meng Fuyao right above his heart. She and the guinea pig in her arms were tightly held against his chest. In such a rushing stream of water, she and the guinea pig did not have to swallow much water. They realized that the water had slowed down after they hit a bluestone. Diagonally in front of them, a gap between cliffs loomed in the horizon. Meng Fuyao wriggled out of Zhan Beiye¡¯s arms and turned back to give him a hand ¨C his body was filled with scars, and he nearly fainted when he spotted the exit. As he tried to steady himself on the bluestone, he saw that the rest had been washed up to the shore as well. Zhan Beiye slightly gasped for air, but on his face was an expression of relief. He helped the soldiers up one by one. Pointing towards the gap between the cliffs, he said, ¡°We have walked out of it.¡± Everyone panted on the stones, rejoicing at the fact that they had a close brush with death. Just then, a bang sounded, and thest soldier joined the group. He was the one who had been bringing Ah Hai along, and he had never let go of the belt, even after such a turbulent ride. ¡°I dragged Ah Hai out,¡± he said in a joyous voice, while he turned back to check on Ah Hai. ¡°You look like have a lot of muscles, but you¡¯re actually pretty light¡­ ¡± He did notplete his sentence. It was not just him. Those who were smiling tedly suddenly froze. The belt was still there, and so was Ah Hai, but there was only half a segment of his body. His body was chopped off from his waist. The part that remained turned white in the water, and his skin crumbled. It no longer looked like the body of a human, but a ster statue. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes. Ah Hai¡­ was probably dead long ago. While he was stuck in the water pipe, his lower body was already munched off by an unknown beast. Even so, he still hurled Ji Yu away. Without giving off any sign of struggle, he used his remaining half of the body to block the water pipe and gave them precious time to escape. The strange smile that appeared while he was in the water belonged to the smile of a deceased. Yet the rest were still rejoicing over not letting go of the belt, thinking that they had also grabbed on to theirrade¡¯s life. In the end, they realized that it was just a spirit that was set free. Drenched, Ji Yu sat on the shore and stared at Ah Hai¡¯s corpse expressionlessly. Zhan Beiye dug his fingers into the bluestone, gradually leaving a deep scratch mark that was stained with blood. Someone let out a cry. ¡°Where¡¯s Little Luo?¡± Zhan Beiye trembled and immediately counted the number of people. Indeed, there was a missing person. A soldier who looked very pale said in a shaky voice, ¡°¡­ He was beside me at first. Both of us were shot by arrows, and he said that he would protect me since he was good at swimming. When we were stuck together at the hole of the back room, he let me down first, andter I heard the sound of the door closing¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened after that¡­ ¡± No one would ever know what happened after that. The unknown beast that chewed away Ah Hai¡¯s body, and the tomb owner that was floating in the back room, could all be the murderers of Little Luo. Zhan Beiye fell silent and sat on the gravel floor filled with white bones. He sat straight up, his drenched eyebrows resembling that of ebony. After a while, he slowly said, ¡°We will wait for him for half a day.¡± Rays of sunset shone through the gap between the cliffs, illuminating the narrow alley, the dead and alive, and the deathly-white skeletons in the sand. The faint reflections gradually faded and were reced by the moon and stars. The crescent moon was like a hook suspended in the middle of the gap. In the silence, Zhan Beiye stood up and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Everyone got on their feet quietly and followed him under the cold moonlight. Step by step, they climbed up the cliff. The lush cliff was connected to the continuous mountain range. At the end of the winding mountain road, on a farther in, a grand cityy in sight. Zhan Beiye¡¯s ck robes fluttered in the wind as he stood on the cliff. With a cold expression, he looked at the city; the tall and thick city walls that birds found hard to fly over and the lights in the city were gleaming brightly like stars. As his sight narrowed towards the brightest and most radiant spot in the city, a deadly re shed in his eyes. He turned around and looked at Ah Hai¡¯s new grave, and at the remaining three of the eleven ck Wind Horses who stood by it. Of the three, two were injured, and one was crippled. The wind raged past the cliff and mmed against the rocks, as though trying to convey their bleeding sorrows filled with much detest. The yellow soil was arranged tly on the new grave. Ji Yu, who knelt the closest, picked up a handful of sand and sang in a low voice, ¡°In the ck mountains, wind and thunder raged. Mourn for our soldier who was supposed to walk out¡­ ¡± ¡°¡­ Mourn for our soldier who was supposed to walk out¡­¡± sang the rest of the soldiers. Their low voices resonated around the grave and faded into the night sky. The elegy that belonged to the deceased was left eternally on the Western Cliffs of the Changhan mountain range. Day by day, it echoed the most secretive and tragic narrow escape from death of the century. Zhan Beiye¡¯s gazended on Meng Fuyao, who was looking back at him. The tears in her eyes sparkled brighter than the stars, illuminating the fiery mes that were burning at the bottom of his heart. The mes so violently licked up all his willpower and soul, that he could hear the blood howling in his veins. He looked at her and slowly spoke, his gaze resembling the pitch-dark night sky that covered the universe. He called, ¡°Fuyao.¡± ¡°Mmhmm,¡± she replied. ¡°Just wait, for the death of Heaven Demon.¡± During the seventh spring of the Thousand Springs era in Heaven Demon, Prince Zhan Beiye encountered an ambush in the Changhan mountain range and was forced to tread in the ¡°Forest of Death¡±, which no one had ever exited in one piece. He was thought to be doomed, but he miraculously appeared from the west end. In three days and three nights, he crossed the entire mountain range, though no one knew how he did it. This story eventually became a secret that no one would ever know of in Zhan Beiye¡¯s entire life. It was also this story that led to a new era in Heaven Demon. In that very era, the most outstanding men and women gathered on the stages of the seven kingdoms, creating one legend after another. In historical records, Zhan Beiye¡¯s story was simply recorded in a few lines ¨C ¡°In the seventh spring of the Thousand Springs era, the Prince entered the wild and exited three dayster¡±. No one knew how much blood and terror this story epassed; no one knew that behind these words, a youngdy¡¯s figure was ever-present, existing adjacent to this seemingly in but actually pain-stricken record. The enormous wheel of time slowly span. It ran over those conspiracies that were ready to stir trouble and the crumbled paper-like future of the Heaven Demon Dynasty. It was the seventh year of the Thousand Springs era in Heaven Demon, but who did the longevity of Thousand Springs belong to? Time traveled just as quickly for everyone, and would not differentiate for any Kingdom. It was not only spring in Heaven Demon, but also spring in Wuji. During this spring, there was someone who fought hard against poisonous creatures and mutated corpses in the Changhan mountain range, narrowly escaping from death every time; there was also someone who graciously sipped tea on a boat, admiring the pleasant scenery of theke under thepany of beautiful servants. Behind theyers of silk curtains on that boat, girls who looked exquisite held various instruments and yed harmoniously. The mellow music resonated in the air, mixing together with the delicate smelling from the white jade teacup, and the faint chromatic mist drifting along theke. Chapter 132 - Untitled Chapter 132: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Theke glistened, reflecting an undting glow on one¡¯s facial features. On a rosewood table, a lc sleeve embedded with dark silver patterns of a dragon brushed past the surface, revealing long and narrow fingers that gently picked up a teapot. ¡°This maple leaf tea is a specialty of the Shuang Mountain in Wuji, and their trees are found on cliffs. The leaves stay green even after enduring the frost season and do not sink in water. Boiling it three times using the water of the Jade Lake in Min Mountain, will be able to extract its clear, delicate and rich fragrance¡­ Please have a taste.¡± The opaque tea in the white jade teacup reflected the impable smile of the host. He sat casually in the boat, and gently pushed the cup of tea over. A servant who was waiting by his side took the cup and walked down a few steps to a spot that was exactly half a foot away from the guest, before raising it high above his head. It was aplete royal etiquette filled with the utmost respect. The guest sitting on the left simrly raised their long and narrow fingers to pick up the teacup. Covering the mouth with sleeves, the guest took a sip and put it down right after, chuckling, ¡°It is indeed good. Light and amazing, the aftertaste still lingers in my mouth. This tea truly captures the essence of the art of tea brewing. If I wasn¡¯t a follower of Buddhism, I would have been reluctant to part with such a beautiful taste.¡± She looked up and sat on her seat with a smile. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes, but that faded in an instant, as though it had never appeared before. Princess Lotus sat prim and proper on the seat, just like a graceful lotus. ¡°You came from far away. Was it a smooth journey?¡± the host, who could only be Zhangsun Wuji, asked earnestly. ¡°It was myck of manners that I didn¡¯t make arrangements for the Ministry of Rites to receive you.¡± ¡°I was touring around the continent, visiting the famous ancient temples. Wuji is merely a stopover,¡± Lotus smiled. ¡°I dare not trouble the Ministry of your noble nation. That was thoughtful of you, Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Even so, you do not have many bodyguards, and your safety is at risk,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji, as he meticulously washed the teapot with boiling water. Gently drawing circr motions on the warm cups, he said, ¡°Though Wuji is pretty civilized under our rule, it is inevitable that there will be thieves or kidnappers appearing on the streets. While it is a relief that you arrived safely after a long journey with so few bodyguards, it is quite worrisome.¡± ¡°As a follower of Buddhism, I naturally have the protection of the deities to fend off all the evil spirits,¡± Lotus lightly chanted Buddhist scriptures, cing her palms together. Behind her, Ming Ruo blinked her eyes in confusion. She could not fully understand why the Princess did not mention, or ask for rewards, for Tie Cheng who escorted her here, as she had promised. However, she chose to purse her lips ¨C the Princess was always right. Zhangsun Wuji nced at Princess Lotus. Still smiling, he gently spoke, ¡°Are you here to return the diagram of Xuanji?¡± Princess Lotus trembled. There was suddenly an awkward silence in the air. Though the sound of the bamboo flute still continued, it seemed very far away in the minds of those upied in their thoughts. ¡°You must have been joking,¡± replied Lotus, as she looked down. ¡°Why would I be in charge of keeping the diagram? You should ask my father for it.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled without speaking a word. He leaned back and nced at the crystal-clear water, his fingers lightly rapping on the rosewood table, making sharps sounds of ¡°knock, knock, knock¡±. With every knock, Princess Lotus¡¯splexion turned a few shades paler. She bit her lips and grudgingly looked at Zhangsun Wuji, who did not avoid her gaze and looked back at her with all smiles until she lowered her eyelids once again. ¡°It is our nation¡¯s honor to have your presence here in Wuji. A few days ago, I met the divine monk, Master Kongshan, who mentioned that he would like to meet you and scrutinize Buddhist scriptures together.¡± Zhangsun Wuji thought for a moment and mentioned, ¡°The inn at Cang Mountain is very close to Huayan Monastery, where Master Kongshan lives. I¡¯ll let the Ministry of Rites arrange for your amodation at the inn. How about that?¡± ¡°I will follow your arrangements,¡± said Lotus as she slightly curtseyed. A smile was still stered on her face, but her eyes expressed disappointment. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the Princess be arranged to live in the Pce?¡± Ming Ruo suddenly interrupted. ¡°She dearly misses the Empress.¡± ¡°Ming Ruo, talk no more! Is this where you should speak?¡± Lotus nted her head and reprimanded her servant before she turned towards Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°My servant has been spoiled, so she doesn¡¯t know her manners. I ask for your forgiveness, Crown Prince.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. But he spoke no more. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Princess Lotus said charmingly as her eyes sparkled. ¡°After years of not meeting Her Highness, I do really miss her. I hope that if you are free, you can allow me to make a visit.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zhangsun Wuji spoke without any emotion. ¡°In these few years, the Empress became quite well-versed with Buddhism. She will be thrilled that you¡¯re here, but she has been meditating recently and has instructed me that she will not receive anyone. I dare not disobey Her Highness¡¯s will. However, since Buddhism is very particr about fate, and both you are Buddhists, I believe that your sincerity will touch Heavens, and fate will allow both of you to meet.¡± ¡°That will be good,¡± Lotus ended that topic, before raising her teacup gracefully. ¡°Your reputation as a filial son is respected by everyone in the Five Regions Content. I will substitute alcohol with tea and give you a toast.¡± ¡°I dare not deserve that praise,¡± said Zhangsun Wuji as he gently raised his teacup in her direction. The pair of royals, who showcased splendid grace in their speech and no fault in their manners, smiled at each other. The formalities continued in the boat. Meanwhile, in the outskirts of town, Tie Cheng departed with his team of guards. He looked back at the city through the cloud of ashes and sand and spat on the ground. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want us to send her in. Perfect!¡± Heshed his whip and was innately d that Lotus rejected his suggestion to escort them in. That way, he could meet Meng Fuyao earlier. He really had intended to follow Meng Fuyao¡¯s words to personally send her to Zhangsun Wuji, yet the Princess very politely but adamantly refused to let him apany her into the Pce, and he could not possibly follow her. Furthermore, he had already had enough of this weird Princess Lotus, who had an air of superiority about her, and smiled like a porcin figurine in a monastery. ¡®Let her and Zhangsun Wuji, the guy who always seems distant even when he grins, to smile creepily at each other!¡¯ ¡°Gallop!¡± Relieved and to his heart¡¯s content, Tie Cheng dashed towards Heaven Demon. ¡­ ¡°Where are your Dark Wind Horses located?¡± under a big bamboo hat, Meng Fuyao whispered to Zhan Beiye, as they squatted at a spot some distance away from the city gates of Pandu. ¡°I remember you saying that to preserve some of your military strength, the main forces of the ck Wind Horses have already rushed back to Pandu before you. How do you contact them?¡± ¡°They should be in the city,¡± replied Zhan Beiye, while pointing to a marking that was not very obvious on the city gate. ¡°Separate our forces into small groups. Then, wait for the opportunity to save the person.¡± He looked slightly more rxed, and his eyes shone with joy. It was the first time that he revealed such an expression in days. Meng Fuyao knew that he was putting up a strong front, and deep down, he was still in pain over the sacrifices of the ck Wind Horses soldiers, and still worried about the safety of his mother and the rest of the soldiers. Knowing that the main forces of his soldiers were intact, and his mother was safe, he could finally release some of the tension that had been building up in him. They were wearing the masks that Zong Yue previously made. No one in Heaven Demon would recognize the faces of the transportation officer, Tang Jian, or his vice. Meanwhile, Ji Yu and the remaining two soldiers were ordered by Zhan Beiye to recuperate outside the city. He originally intended for Meng Fuyao to join them too, but Meng Fuyao ignored him and stubbornly followed along. The gates of the city were crowded with people, and security was tight. At the front of the crowd, soldiers of the Gold of Heaven Demon were d in golden armor, solemnlyparing faces of the crowd with the drawing in their hands. Needless to say, they were searching for Zhan Beiye. Zhan Nancheng would never be fully assured until he saw Zhan Beiye¡¯s corpse. Both of them exchanged a nce and saw the mockery in each other¡¯s expressions. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye swayed to the gates, and the soldiers merely took a look at the drawing before letting them pass. They had just walked a few steps away when suddenly a golden pike reached out and blocked their paths. The tip of the pike was so shiny that light golden beams could be seen under the scorching sun. Zhan Beiye stopped, his eyes traveling from the tip of the pike to the owners¡¯ face. It was a Gold of Heaven Demon soldier who looked cold and arrogant. He directed the pike to Meng Fuyao¡¯s chin andmanded, ¡°Raise your head.¡± Zhan Beiye raised an eyebrow, and a ring of fire shed by in his eyes. Meng Fuyao immediately gave his hand a squeeze while raising her head at the soldier¡¯smand. Perversely, sheughed. ¡°Sir, do you have any instructions?¡± The soldier was silent while he scrutinized her. Momentster, he asked, ¡°Why are you wearing such a high cor in the hot weather?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she still chuckled. ¡°Sir, I have some disease, that is¡­ I grew some ugly pimples, and the doctor said to not expose them to wind. I don¡¯t meet many people too, for fear of spreading the disease to them. If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look¡­ ¡± Meng Fuyao continued to harp as she made a movement to unbutton her cor. ¡®Sigh, the mark that Lord Yuan Bao left on my neck a few days ago should still be there right?¡¯ she thought. ¡°Stop!¡± The soldier cried out in disgust while using his pike to stop Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands. ¡°How dare you harm other people when you¡¯re already contaminated with this spreadable disease? Scram back to your hometown!¡± ¡°My hometown¡¯s right in the city ¨C the third room of the big alley, the one with the nted willow tree,¡± Meng Fuyao pointed to a direction fearfully, while smiling in an attempt to ingratiate herself with the soldier. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Scram!¡± The soldier did not even bother to nce at her. With a flick of his fingers, the pike made a fancy and agile turn between his fingertips, before smacking right into Meng Fuyao¡¯s butt. ¡°Scram!¡± he shouted again. Meng Fuyao immediately covered her butt and fell in an exaggerated manner. ¡°Ouch!¡± she eximed. She fell a few yards away towards the city gates, tumbling in the soil and rubbing her butt continuously. As she sat on the floor, she madeical expressions and called, ¡°Big brother,e help me up! Ouch, I feel like my butt¡¯s fallen into two pieces!¡± The soldiers guarding the gates roared withughter. The soldier, who was riding on a horse, pointed his pike towards Meng Fuyao and chuckled. ¡°With that scrawny figure of yours, you¡¯d fit to be a washing board if you were broken into pieces!¡± In theughter, Zhan Beiye stood rooted to the ground. Only his dark eyebrows twitched, and his pair of ebony-like eyes slowly raised and swept towards that soldier. That soldier was just mocking at Meng Fuyao when he felt a cold chill down his spine, as though pricks had suddenly grown on his back. In that instant, he felt like a cold burst had prated past him, causing him to stopughing and look back. In a sh, Meng Fuyao limped over and pounced on Zhan Beiye, grabbing on to his robes while shouting, ¡°Brother, why have you gone silly again? Why stand here like a pir? The other folks are waiting to cross the gates!¡± Chapter 133 - Untitled Chapter 133: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao swung left and right, desperately staring into Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes as though she was concerned that her brother was deranged, when in fact she was ring daggers at Zhan Beiye to warn him ¡ª I dare you to act up now. Her head blocked Zhan Beiye¡¯s sharp gaze. The soldier, originally filled with suspicion, revealed a moment of realization after hearing her words. That dangerous, bone-chilling and murderous gaze that sent pricks and cold sweat down his back were merely the gaze of a madman. ¡®A madman¡¯s gaze¡­ indeed, it is this abnormal.¡¯ Looking at Zhan Beiye in disdain, the soldier casually waved his spear andmented with a tone of contempt, ¡°Which crazy woman gave birth to this madman and even let him roam about, being a disgrace? Scram!¡± Zhan Beiye trembled slightly. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze turned cold. As the two returned to normal, Meng Fuyao held Zhan Beiye¡¯s hand and obediently went over. ¡°Yes yes¡­¡± she thanked the soldier humbly as she bowed. Meng Fuyao was hunched over, with a devilish smile, and she suddenly cried out in surprise. She stepped forward and picked up something from the ground. As she wiped the item with the corner of her sleeve, she mumbled, ¡°¡­ What is this?¡± The soldier absent-mindedly nced over and was momentarily stumped for words. It was a huge pearl. Even though it was covered in dirt, one could still see its iridescence, as the glistening pearl peaked through the dirt. The pearl was akin to the beautiful eyes of a cat. It was a high-grade jewel with the worth of a thousand pieces of gold. Meng Fuyao stared at the pearl nkly and mumbled, ¡°This stone looks so weird,¡± as she stretched her hand out and showed the soldier. ¡°Sir, did you drop this?¡± She raised her hand, and under the sunlight, the pure white pearl sparkled beautifully in her palms. The mesmerized soldier¡¯s breath hastened. He hesitated for a moment before slowly stretching his hand out to take the pearl. ¡°Yes, thanks for spotting it,¡± said the soldier calmly. Meng Fuyao chuckled cheerfully, ¡°My pleasure, my pleasure.¡± ¡°You may leave.¡± The soldier gripped the pearl tightly in his hands and waved. He initially wanted to conduct a body search on these two, but now with this pearl in the palm of his hands¡­ this one pearl is worth three years of his pay. Zhan Beiye supported Meng Fuyao as she limped over the city gates. The gaze of the two changed almost immediately as they crossed the city gates. Meng Fuyaoughed, slyly and sinisterly, with a hint of murderous aura. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye remained silent as he looked at Meng Fuyao. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m always letting you suffer.¡± He apologized after a moment of silence. Meng Fuyaoughed, ¡°Insults from such lowly people amount to nothing. Only when it is a matter of life and death, we cannot be humiliated.¡± She fluttered her eyshes with a self-satisfied smile and said, ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve given him a heavy punishment.¡± ¡°What poison was on that pearl?¡± asked Zhan Beiye. ¡°Zong Yue gave me three types of medicine: one causes death, one physically disables, and one mentally disables.¡± She waggled her eyebrows. ¡°I initially didn¡¯t want to make a fuss out of this but he was already starting to be suspicious, and for your safety, I could not take this lightly. Actually, I had already given him a chance. I put some poison under his horse, and if it was not for his greedy nature, he would be dumb at most¡­ but since he wanted to take the pearl, he brought death upon himself¡­ hehe.¡± Zhan Beiye looked at her gently, ¡°Fuyao, you are still very kind.¡± ¡°I am kind by nature, evil by nurture.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned, pulling Zhan Beiye¡¯s sleeve as she ran towards a restaurant. ¡°Treat me to dinner!¡± she shouted. Zhan Beiye looked up and saw the two rows of shops lined up along a wide, long street. Various colors of signs filled up the streets. One particr red sign with the words ¡°Drunkard¡¯s return¡± caught Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes. He pointed towards the sign and told Fuyao, ¡°Let¡¯s go, this is a good drinking spot.¡± The wine from ¡°Drunkard¡¯s return¡± was good as expected. The aroma of the wine hit their noses the moment they stepped into the restaurant. And just as the name of the restaurant suggested, many returned to the restaurant the way a drunkard would ¡ª supporting themselves with the walls due to hunger ¡ª and returning home the way a drunkard would, because they were really drunk. Zhan Beiye generously ordered a whole table of food, and with one leg up on the chair, the glutton Meng chewed loudly as she devoured the food. At the same time, she joined in the discussion on ¡®wanted criminals¡¯ with the rest of the customers. Prince Lie¡¯s portrait would definitely not be in the wanted notice board in the restaurant, but Ji Yu¡¯s portrait was. She pointed at the portrait and shouted, ¡°Ay, that person looks very familiar.¡± That statement turned heads from the crowd. Meng Fuyao dragged Zhan Beiye over and said, ¡°Like my brother!¡± ¡°Chey¡ª¡± This anti-climatic continuation made heads turn back. Meng Fuyao, satisfied, went back to drink as she giggled. She casually ced a cup of wine under the table, and as she drank openly, Lord Yuan Bao drank sneakily under the table. Lord Yuan Bao slept for a couple of days and finally regained his energy. He gulped down the wine and sighed with happiness. The only thing good about following Fuyao would be that it could drink as much as it wanted, unlike following its owner where it could not drink more than three cups. In no time, both the guinea pig and the human got drunk. As they drank, Zhan Beiye drank very little as he attentively refilled Meng Fuyao¡¯s bowl with food and poured her wine. Incidents happened in between when a man yed the finger-guessing game with another man and lost painfully. The man who lost mmed the table and yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t have money today! Go to Ximen Hu where the fresh flowers are to collect the money tomorrow evening, after that time I will not be entertaining you!¡± The other man scolded, ¡°How the hell would I know what time you will being?¡± ¡°I work at the Yao family, the one with 300 workers. There are three shifts, and when I am done with my shift I will head over!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the free time to wait!¡± ¡°Forget it! I might be free in thete afternoon, wait for me there.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± This conversation, or rather fight, amused the customers sitting around as theyughed and continued drinking. As the two continued quarreling while making their way out, the door to a private room suddenly opened. An old man slowly walked out, hunched over, as the waiter supported him, ¡°Eunuch Hua, please be careful.¡± Eunuch Hua¡¯s vision was blurred from overdrinking, and he babbled, ¡°Why is it so dark outside? It¡¯s hard to walk outside at night. Quick, go and pack some wine. My Qiu Er is still waiting for a drink in the West Courtyard.¡± The waiter quickly went to fill up the wine. The old eunuch staggered, making his way to the door and identally tripped over Zhan Beiye¡¯s outstretched leg. ¡°Aiya¡±, he screamed as he fell, ¡°Which bast*rd dares to trip your grandfather?!¡± Zhan Beiye leaned forward to catch him as he apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me.¡± The old eunuch held onto Zhan Beiye¡¯s hand, pulling himself up with much difficulty. Squinting, he grabbed Zhan Beiye¡¯s sleeve and with a trembling voice, said, ¡°Just an apology? My old brittle bones are going to fall apart from this fall, and you are just going to apologize? Say, how else are you going to show your sincerity?¡± The crowd snickered as they listened ¡ª this old drunkard came here, got drunk, and fell every day. And almost every single time, someone tripped this ¡°brittle bones¡± and ended uppensating him. This old eunuch most probably relied on thepensation to be able to afford drinking such good wine every day. Looks of pity came from the surrounding customers ¡ª another victim! This drunk eunuch grabbed onto Zhan Beiye and refused to let go. Helpless, Zhan Beiye searched his pockets and finally managed to dig out a silver coin and hesitantly ced in Eunuch Hua¡¯s palm. ¡°Here, for you to visit the doctor,¡± said Zhan Beiye. The drunk eunuch weighed the silver in his palm and used his almost toothless mouth to bite the silver. ¡°I¡¯m going easy on you,¡± the eunuch sneered as he threw the silver Zhan Beiye justpensated him into the waiter¡¯s hands, ¡°Your tip,¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The waiter beamed as he held the silver in his hands. A uniformed ¡°tsk¡± came from the crowd in disapproval as they found this old eunuch evil for extorting a broke person just for the fun of it. After another few rounds of drinking, the sky darkened outside, and the waiter came to ask the two if they were nning to stay the night. ¡°Two¡­ no, one room¡± he replied as he saw the surprised look on the waiter¡¯s face. He half-dragged, half carried the drunk Fuyao to the inn in the courtyard as he exined, ¡°Everything about this brother of mine is good, it¡¯s just that he really likes to drink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s tough on you, would you like me to help you carry him?¡± The waiter offered. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled as he threw Fuyao over his shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s more convenient this way.¡± He carried Meng Fuyao into the room, kicked the door shut, and ordered, ¡°Bring a pail of water for washing!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Zhan Beiye threw Meng Fuyao that was sleeping like a pig on the bed. She rolled around and hugged the nket, murmuring, ¡°Yuan Bao¡­ why are you so big¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao rolled out, hugging the teacup, ¡°Chichi, chichichi¡­¡± A rough trantion would be, ¡°Meng Fuyao, why is your waist as fat as your butt¡­¡± Zhan Beiye stood beside the bed and looked at Meng Fuyao for a while. Afterward, he sat down, took out her shoes for her, took off the mask and unfolded the nket to cover her up with. He was so serious, so slow and so careful when carrying out this series of actions, as though there would be no next time. As the mask came off, the youngdy¡¯s breath rxed and sweat droplets formed at the sides of her face. A slight flush appeared on her cheeks and forehead in contrast to her snow-like skin, like a hibiscus flower blooming beautifully in the snow. A breeze entered the room, running through the youngdy¡¯s silk-like hair. Zhan Beiye¡¯s finger stopped right beside her cheek as he trembled that ever slightly. The tip of his finger could feel the miraculously warm and gentle sensation. Looking at this stunning beauty, from his fingertips to his heart, he trembled with slight pain. It was as though Heaven¡¯s Will had stopped him from touching her. The pain that stopped him lingered in his heart. Chapter 134 - Untitled Chapter 134: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Under the starry night sky, a cluster of vines climbed along the walls, blossoming into beautiful red flowers. Oh, that red, ever so vivid, so passionate. It was as though every stalk of flower contained so much hope and thoughts, waiting for that day where they would bloom into ming vines that could lit up the sky. With a gentle touch, the fervor in the air was uncontainable. Zhan Beiye¡¯s dark eyes were filled with so much passion, like the flowers, waiting to bloom. He slowly¡­ leaned in. Meng Fuyao suddenly flipped over. She rolled over to the wall and with a flick, she pushed Zhan Beiye away. She faced the wall with her back towards Zhan Beiye and continued to sleep. Zhan Beiye stopped moving as the air around them froze. The nervousness in their breaths was evident. After a moment of silence, Zhan Beiye opened his mouth. ¡°You were not that drunk, why pretend?¡± Meng Fuyao stiffened. Her eyes fluttered open as she stared at the wall. She¡­ was not pretending, nor did she want to hurt Zhan Beiye purposefully. Meng Fuyao was indeed drunk in the shop, but after the tribtions she had been through, she broke through the fifth level. At this level of Cleaving Nine Heavens, it was almost impossible to get drunk. She started to sober up when the waiter asked how many rooms they wanted but could not interrupt. After all, it would be weird for two men to ask for separate rooms. With trapsying everywhere for Zhan Beiye to walk into, she could not trouble him. Afterward, she pretended to be unconscious as she knew that Zhan Beiye would definitely take action tonight and would not allow her to follow. She intended to follow him stealthily after he let his guard down. Who could have expected thete night could have stirred up such troubles? Who could have expected Zhan Beiye to be this gentle and attentive? As his breath got closer, that familiar musky pine-like fragrance of a man enveloped her. She panicked and was at a loss as to how to react. All she could do was to backface him and reject him. For someone like Zhan Beiye, such a posture was telling enough. Meng Fuyao bit her lip, grabbed the corner of her nket and held her breath ¡ª there were too many irresistible impulses in life. Hence, she would not get angry with him but hoped he would not overthink this and pretend nothing happened. At least he would not get hurt. But Zhan Beiye refused to let this go like she hoped. He was a man that refused to give up easily. ¡°Fuyao.¡± He took a deep breath, sat at the corner of the bed unmoving and stared at the back that was so close¡­ yet, so far. ¡°Tell me, am I really forever one stepte?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s breath stopped as he asked. This bold, courageous and straightforward man would actually use such pained tone to ask such question? A gentle sigh from Meng Fuyao broke the silence as she sat up and turned to look at Zhan Beiye. She stared into his deep and calm eyes. Yet, that calmness was nothing but a facade; a result of the repression of his passion. She weed that straightforward gaze that allowed no escape. ¡°Zhan Beiye¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you are not good enough, nor is it that you camete. It¡¯s me, ¡± She smiled with profound resignation. ¡°It¡¯s me,ing at the wrong ce at the wrong time¡­ so I do not have the right to choose the right person.¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s expression returned to normal. What Fuyao¡¯s reply got in return was his contemtion and subsequently augh, ¡°There is no definite in this world. You said that your arrival here is a mistake? I want to let you know thating to Five Region Continent is no mistake,ing into my life is no mistake!¡± After he said his piece, he strutted out of the room and sat outside, waiting for Meng Fuyao to shower. Lord Yuan Bao sat beside him and the moonlight cast upon them two shadows; one big one small. Zhan Beiye raised his head and gazed at the moon. The gentle moonlight of the spring slowly soothed his frustrated heart. Suddenly, he tilted his head to look at Lord Yuan Bao and muttered, ¡°Your owner has such good luck.¡± Lord Yuan, slightly drunk, thought about his sentence. Personally, it felt that it was not the case. People who met Fuyao tended to not have good luck. It hugged the fruit and bit into it while thinking about it¡¯s past in Qiongcang¡­ The door opened, and Meng Fuyao appeared in front of Zhen Beiye wearing full ck. Heartily, she asked, ¡°Where are we going next?¡± Zhan Beiye turned around and replied with a twinkle in his eyes, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°That guy that lost in the finger-guessing game and that Eunuch Hua, they are both your people right?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, ¡°But I don¡¯t understand the code words.¡± ¡°They are the informers that my grandfather recruited when he was still alive. What he did for me would suppress your imagination,¡± a bittersweet smile formed on Zhan Beiye¡¯s lips, ¡°they told me that Mother is being locked in Xihua Pce with 300 guards watching over her every day. There are three shifts with 100 people each, and they will change shifts every eight hours. They arranged to meet meter to n the operation for saving Mother.¡± ¡°What about that Eunuch? What did he say?¡± ¡°Eunuch Hua is here to ry other news from the ce. When I helped him up, he gave me a slip of paper and inside the silver I gave him was a keepsake.¡± ¡°That silver, didn¡¯t he give it to the waiter?¡± ¡°It was merely a deceptive trick. He is a eunuch from the pce, there will definitely be someone watching him,¡± Zhan Beiye chuckled, ¡°So that silver was ¡°given out,¡± but when he did so, he switched the silver. He used to wander around, making a living when he was young, such tricks are a piece of cake for him.¡± His smile suddenly disappeared, and with a hint of sadness, he said, ¡°Pity he still has to drink at his age because of an order from grandfather¡­ even though he never liked drinking¡­¡± ¡°It was not recently that he went there to wait for you?¡± asked Meng Fuyao in surprise. ¡°No, from 20 years ago, Eunuch Hua has been getting drunk at ¡®Drunkard¡¯s return¡¯, a fact widely known in the pce. He once served under the previous Emperor, and people in the pce looked after him to a certain extent,¡± Zhan Beiyeughed coldly, ¡°So only in this critical period can he leave the pce as usual. After all, everyone is used to it.¡± ¡°To spend 20 years to cultivate a habit, to prepare for a rainy day 20 yearster¡­¡± Meng Fuyao took a deep breath and muttered, ¡°Your grandfather is certainly amazing!¡± During their conversation, the two had already walked past many houses into a courtyard. Zhan Beiye climbed onto the roof and lightly knocked on the tile. After a while, the same rhythm of knocking could be hearding from below. Zhan Beiye nodded his head and was about to bring Meng Fuyao down with her when he suddenly stopped. With a sniff, Meng Fuyao could smell a familiar smell that wafted past her. Blood stench! The extreme light blood stench drifted over. If not for the bloody journey they had experienced, it would be impossible for them to detect this blood stench. Meng Fuyao instinctively reached for Lord Yuan Bao to see his reaction but realized that this danger detector was still back in the room, drunk and huping. If it were to follow, it would not be a danger detector but a point of detection. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye dragged Meng Fuyao away without hesitation to retreat. Suddenly, the door opened, and a man in grey walked out. It was the man who said the code words in the restaurant today. Holding up his bleeding finger, he muttered angrily, ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, why knock at the hot water tank out of all ces? Look, the tank broke and cut my finger!¡± He held up his finger and wriggled it in the air. Blood dripped down from his finger. Meng Fuyao removed a piece of tile, and indeed, there were broken pieces of y with a puddle of water on the floor. Zhan Beiye realized what happened and entered the house with Meng Fuyao. The man in grey gestured the two to enter the house. In the house, there was another man, barely visible in the dim light. As he watched Zhan Beiye head over, he got up to bow, but Zhan Beiye stopped him. With a deep voice, Zhan Beiye asked, ¡°How is my mother?¡± ¡°News from the ce says that she is well. Please do not worry, as long as you do not appear, the Emperor will not harm her.¡± ¡°I want to fetch her, ¡± Zhan Beiye said straightforwardly, ¡°Would it be difficult?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± that person answered without hesitation. ¡°Aside from the 300 guards, the Emperor and Prince Heng ced many traps outside of Xihua Pce waiting for you to fall into them.¡± He did a rough sketch of theyout of Xihua pce and exined, ¡°I suspect this tower is equipped with gunfire since the opposite Chonglian Pce has higher wallspared to Xihua pce. It would be the perfect height for equipping gunfire that aims at Xihua pce. Furthermore, she has been prohibited from entering the front courtyard, implying that there are traps in the front courtyard too.¡± ¡°The guards are watching her so closely that it would be hard for even an ant to enter. Even when they are changing shifts, there are no loopholes to exploit as the people from the two shifts would ovep, meaning that there would be 600 people. No one dares to neglect as Prince Heng has ordered that if Lady disappears, without reason, all of them would be beheaded.¡± ¡°We tried to dig a tunnel, but Xihua Pce is situated right in the center with Zhenyi Pce Hall on its right and Fengzhu Pce on its left. The Empress is watching too closely, and it is the most heavily guarded pce. To dig a tunnel would be too dangerous and too long. Furthermore, we would be blocked by the stone wall in the inner city, and we would not be able to move forward.¡± The person described, in great detail, all the traps that could possibly be along the route to Xihua Pce. He also illustrated all the methods they had tried to save her. With her head propped up by her hand, Fuyao listened closely. The more she listened, the more she felt that saving his mother was mission impossible. Rather, their mission to take Zhan Beiye¡¯s life was more likely to seed. Under the dim light, one was unable to see Zhan Beiye¡¯s expression clearly. After listening, Zhan Beiye said nothing but replied with a ¡°mhm¡±. He nodded his head after the two adviced him to be careful. ¡°Indeed, it would not be wise to beat the grass and scare the snake now. A detailed n is required. At least I know that Mother is doing fine.¡± Chapter 135 - Untitled Chapter 135: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye smiled. ¡°All of you have done well. Continue to be careful.¡± Both of them bowed andplied. Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao walked out of the door, and once they stepped out, Zhan Beiye quickened his pace. Seeing that he was not heading towards the direction of the inn, she hurriedly reminded him, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re heading towards the wrong direction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong.¡± Zhan Beiye grinned from ear to ear, shing his white teeth that were so bright that they were shining. ¡°I¡¯m feeling hot. I need a stroll.¡± ¡°You wish!¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and scolded, ¡°It¡¯s not even summer, and yet you¡¯re feeling hot? The entire city is waiting for you to be captured, and yet you¡¯re strolling?¡± Zhan Beiye answered in a remarkable way, ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes you can, you can do that.¡± Meng Fuyao was utterly annoyed. However, as she surveyed the architecture around them, she suddenly asked in a suspicious tone, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re heading towards the Pce?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s smile vanished, and he kept quiet. ¡°Erm,¡± Meng Fuyao uttered, and she caught on after recovering from her stunned state. ¡°You were ¨C lying?¡± Zhan Beiye raised his eyebrows and was just about to turn and leave, but Meng Fuyao rushed up to him and pulled him back. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, did you not hear what they said? The copper and steel walls are waiting for you to try to barge in and get seriously injured. It would be futile even if you brought all 3,000 soldiers of the ck Wind Horses, not to mention that you have yet to gather all of your forces. Why the hurry? Why don¡¯t you wait until everyone is gathered and a meticulous n is produced, before heading to the Pce?¡± Zhan Beiye remained silent. He swatted her hand away and continued to walk as he stared at the ground. ¡°Stop right there!¡± barked Meng Fuyao as she ran up to him. ¡°I cannot let you send yourself to death!¡± ¡°My mother will die if I don¡¯t go,¡± replied Zhan Beiye in a calm manner, as he turned back. ¡°I must, at least, let her see me tonight.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him with her jaws dropped. She then realized that though he sounded calm, his eyes were filled with pain and worry. That solemn anxiety hit her like a ck whirlwind, causing her heart to twitch in pain. ¡°Though my mother has gone berserk, we have an innate telepathy between the both of us.¡± Zhan Beiye gently spoke. ¡°It was probably due to her mental illness that she became very sensitive to danger around her, and she could detect that both of us were in a precarious state. She knew that I went through a near-death experience these few days; she must also be as worried as I am. But I can handle it. Can she?¡± ¡°She was already very weak. If she continues being so petrified every day and night, how can shest until the day when I finallye up with a detailed n to save her?¡± Zhan Beiye spoke as crystal-like tears appeared in his eyes. ¡°During the day, I let Eunuch Hua send a token to her, so she must be waiting for me tonight. No matter what, I need to let her take a look at me. Even if I can¡¯t save her, this look will be the reason that will motivate her to not give up!¡± Meng Fuyao stared at his eyes. At that moment, she understood why he had been aware of the dangers of the Gun Tribe tomb, but he still determinedly chose to walk that path. He crossed the entire mountain range in three days, narrowly escaped from death, witnessed his soldiers sacrifice for him and almost died in it ¨C it was all for him to be by his mother¡¯s side as soon as possible! She suddenly recalled that when they escaped from the tomb, Zhan Beiye waited for half a day for Little Luo, who went missing. It was only now that she knew how anxious he must have been while waiting for his subordinate, whom everyone secretly knew that would not survive. From Changhan to Pandu, even with the fastest horses, it required ten days toplete the journey. Zhan Beiye, taking great pains and using all his might, reduced that time period to seven days. Yet, he wasted another precious half-day to wait for someone that obviously had no chance to live. In that half-day, every minute and second was a torture to him, and a torture to the telepathic mother and son who constantly worried for each other. Do not abandon, and do not give up. This was a man who was filial yet loyal, and never lost hope in anyone! Meng Fuyao opened her mouth to speak, but not a word came out. She resorted to reaching out her hand and grabbing on tightly to Zhan Beiye¡¯s robes. She said, ¡°Together.¡± Zhan Beiye immediately wanted to reject her, but Meng Fuyao added, ¡°If you refuse, I willpletely vanish from your sight from now on.¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her intensely and spoke a few momentster, ¡°I¡¯d rather you vanish, as long as you¡¯re safe.¡± Frustrated, Meng Fuyao wed at the wall. ¡°I saw that map just now as well. I¡¯ll go by myself,¡± she threatened. Dragging her away from the wall, Zhan Beiyeughed. ¡°I knew you would say that. Let¡¯s go.¡± Recently, security had tightened in Pandu and people were not allowed to walk around casually at night. The business of brothels and gambling dens were quite affected, and hence they closed early. The streets were so empty that there was not a figure around, but even if a cat scurried past, there would someone who would look around and check. It was not hard to tell that Zhan Nancheng and Zhan Beiheng put in tremendous effort to catch this brother who refused to die, and who refused to let them have a good night¡¯s rest. Luckily for them, they were so quick that in the eyes of the soldiers, they were merely vague silhouettes that passed by. Not long after, both of them had already crept up to the northern gate of the Pce. They stationed themselves on the roof of the Department of Decrees in Sky Street, right beside the Pce Square, and waited for the rotating arrow on a tower to change a direction. Meng Fuyao whispered to Zhan Beiye, ¡°Who were those two people?¡± ¡°One of grandfather¡¯s subordinates. After he passed away, he handed to me all of his former subordinates and forces that he cultivated over two dynasties,¡± replied Zhan Beiye. ¡°Not a small force.¡± ¡°Outsiders look at you as a useless Prince, leading 3,000 soldiers that can¡¯t create any change no matter how powerful they are,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled as she patted the bricks on the roof, ¡°for example, the room below us, seems to the office of the useless Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, I learned how to stamp decrees during that time.¡± Zhan Beiye spoke, as he pretended that such an experience existed. ¡°My stamps looked solemn and beautiful, so everyone called me the ¡®Number One Stamping Prince of Pandu¡¯.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed until there were tears in her eyes, and she looked away to secretly wipe them off. Then, she changed the topic while pretending that she was not very concerned, ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you stamp a decree for me some time in the future? Like Fufeng, Qiongcang, Xuanyuan, Xuanji, etc.¡± ¡°Qiongcang rarely issues decrees. They do not have any diplomatic rtion with us so, without their invite, no one dares to go,¡± replied Zhan Beiye. ¡°Furthermore, I was already informed to not give you any decrees.¡± ¡°Who informed you?¡± Meng Fuyao turned her head, her eyes staring intently at him. ¡°Which bastard is that?¡± ¡°That bastard Zhangsun Wuji,¡± Zhan Beiye looked at her slyly as he revealed the answer. ¡°He said that from our perspectives, even if we can¡¯t stop General Meng from pursuing her great ambitions, we must definitely not help her ns.¡± Meng Fuyao was rendered speechless. ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, that guy who needs to be shed 1,000 times!¡¯ she thought. He spoiled all her ns. She was thinking of helping the simple-minded Prince Zhan, and then fool him in giving her some decrees, but her ns were all disrupted now. The more Meng Fuyao thought, the more resentful she was, yet she had no channel to vent her anger. A certain bastard was far away in Wuji, probably having a romantic time with his fiancee. Sh*t, he wanted to be flirty, and yet he ruined her scheme. Meng Fuyao was angered once again, and she looked grudgingly at the bricks of the roof. She scratched at the bricks ferociously, imagining the bricks to be Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s skin. Zhan Beiyeughed at the sight, pulled away her ws and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± The two of them leaped up and crossed the square like a plume of ck smoke, dashing past at the instant when two teams of guards crossed each other. The fifteen-meter wall to them was merely a piece of cake, and they easily flew past it, reaching the tower. With a wave of his arms, Zhan Beiye plucked out the steel arrow on the huge crossbow, stuck the arrow in the throat of a soldier who was about to scream and dismantled the crossbow. Meng Fuyao snuck to the back of the tower where a small room was located and killed the remaining soldier on duty. Changing into their clothes, Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyaoughed at the sight of each other, as Zhan Beiye¡¯s one was too small, while Meng Fuyao¡¯s one was oversized. There were eight doors in total at the Pce. Of which, the Northern door, which was alsomonly known as Changxin Door, was the ce where the central officials of Heaven Demon usually gathered. It was the door that officials often entered and exited for their daily routine of meeting the Emperor, and its security level was considered medium amongst the eight doors. Zhan Beiye chose this over the Western door, which was considered the weakest door used to transport ves thatmitted offenses and feces trucks. That was because, based on his understanding of his eldest brother and sixth brother, the Western Door which was the easiest to ess would have be the hardest one by then. Zhan Beiye was familiar with theyout, so he led Meng Fuyao in avoiding the soldiers and speeding towards the central area of the Pce. The further they went in, the more soldiers there were ¡ª towards the end of their journey, they had to hide every few steps they took. Luckily, Zhan Beiye¡¯s familiarity with theyout was to the point of frightening. Once, soldiers wereing from both the front and back, and Meng Fuyao was already ready to silence them, but Zhan Beiye pulled her away just in time to a small root covered by trees. As Meng Fuyao looked at his eyes that were shining so brightly in the dark, she thought of the eighteen-year-old who was forced to live in the pce. He must have known the entire pce by the back of his hand. The Zhan family had been ignoring their son and treating him as an enemy, refusing to let him leave the pce. Little did they know that this decision would instead help Zhan Beiye many years down the road. However, the two of them had spent too much time avoiding the soldiers as they headed towards Xihua Pce. Though the surroundings were still pitch-dark, it was already the darkest moments right before dawn, and the sun would rise very soon. Opposite them, there was no sounding out from Chonglian Pce. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary outside the tall walls, but it was easy to guess that the entire Xihua Pce, especially its backyard, was under the supervision of the people stationed in. Xihua Pce, on the other hand, was so brightly lit that even an ant passing by would have been spotted. Meng Fuyao was slightly anxious, while Zhan Beiye had a solemn expression. He cued two people to climb up the only spot that could not be seen from Chonglian Pce, the outer wall of Xihua Pce that was diagonally facing Chonglian Pce. On the wall, one would be able to detect the scent of the fragrant flowers and luscious greenery. In the depths of the flowersy the garden of Xihua Pce. A soft sound drifted from within. That sound was weak and weightless, resonating in the air like loose strings, drifting amongst the shrubs like butterflies dancing. However, those were butterflies in the winter, and their dry wings could not stand the chilliness of the frost. While they struggled to hover, they still flew, bit by bit, in the thick snow. Listening closer would reveal that it was vaguely a girl humming in a low voice. ¡°¡­ In the faraway wilderness, at the vast seas, I do not know where my son went¡­ The mountains still stand tall, and daylight is still bright, but I do not know when my son will be back¡­ ¡± The tone of the voice was slightly raspy, though uncertain whether that was since birth, or because of over-singing, which strained the throat. However, in those simple words, every line expressed the singer¡¯s longing and deep feelings. Chapter 136 - Untitled Chapter 136: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios In the depths of the pce, ady was singing an old yet simple tune, her voice sounding weak yet far-reaching. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped and beat and felt goosebumps on her skin. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a sh of light. Tilting her head, she saw two narrow streams of water flowing down Zhan Beiye¡¯s face, while he was intently listening on the wall. The tears gathered into a drop of water on the face of the man who never cried, and slowly, it fell. That drop of water reflected the moonlight, and it was frighteningly bright. Meng Fuyao pressed her fingers into the wall. They were a pitiful pair of mother and son in the royal family. Day and night, the mother did not sleep, and continuously sang in the garden that was nearest to the wall; a wall away, the son was tear-stricken, listening to the yearning voice of his mother who was so near, and yet he could not meet her. The mother had gone berserk, but she was acutely aware of her son¡¯s situation ¡ª the son rushed his journey and was willing to sacrifice everything to dash back to her side, but he could only imagine her withered face outside the pce wall. So close, yet so far. Meng Fuyao pressed her forehead against the cold wall, and she too became tearful, as she thought of her hospitalized mother in the previous world. Was she also waiting for her and singing the tune ¡°Good Baby¡± whenever she missed her? Did she also go through sleepless nights and instead visited the garden under the moonlight, caressing the resting flower buds with her weak fingers? Her silent tears stained the dark red walls, and Zhan Beiye looked towards her. The tears had dried up in his eyes, but those eyes carried additional emotions of pity and dejection. His movements were constrained on the wall, so he reached out and gently patted Meng Fuyao on her shoulder. Meng Fuyao gave him a forceful smile, and the light and shadow in her eyes looked like a sky of broken stars. Looking at her felt like he was ncing at a scar he had from birth, one that was painful but inseparable. This girl who would cry because of him¡­ These people that he was determined to protect in his life¡­ Determination burned in his eyes. With a slight shift of his body, he was about to flip over the wall. ¡°¡­ I do not know when my son will be back¡­¡± ¡°Consort Dowager Gongjing.¡± The sudden male voice made both Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye jump in shock. With her quick reflexes, Meng Fuyao quickly grabbed on to Zhan Beiye, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°It¡¯ste, it will be better for you to head back to your room and rest,¡± it sounded like a eunuch trying to persuade Zhan Beiye¡¯s mother. There was no reply as she continued to sing. ¡°Please enter your room!¡± another male said, and he sounded young but cold. His spoke slowly, cing special emphasis on ¡°Please¡±. The eunuchs and servants seemed to have received instructions as there was the sound of footsteps, and then the singing stopped, as though someone had held on to the Consort Dowager. However, she seemed unwilling to cooperate as there were sounds of struggling, panting, kicking and dragging. ¡°Ouch!¡± someone cried. ¡°She bit me!¡± When they heard the struggling, Meng Fuyao immediately pressed down Zhan Beiye. In an instant, his eyeballs turned red, and his hair stood on end. Meng Fuyao wore an expression of pleading, silently begging with her eyes. ¡®Don¡¯t, please don¡¯t!¡¯ The pce was full of guards, and that young man was probably his younger brother, waiting for him to fall into the trap. Showing up now was no different from sending himself to death. Zhan Beiye leaned on the wall, his body shaking tremendously. As he dug his fingers into the wall, a bloody mess of flesh appeared at his knuckles. He turned his head very, very slowly towards Meng Fuyao¡­ He could dash head in without any fear of death, and face Zhan Beiheng and his traps, just so that he could protect his mother from the servants¡¯ rough pulling. His mother was afraid of strangers, and she had never allowed anyone other than him to touch her. Thinking of how scared and helpless she must have felt at that moment, he wanted to suffer in ce of her so badly¡­ But, he couldn¡¯t. He was not alone. Meng Fuyao was right beside him. He wanted to be responsible for his mother, but he also wanted to be responsible for Meng Fuyao. How could he put her in danger because of his selfishness? Zhan Beiye closed his eyes. He pressed his forehead against the wall silently and without any motion, but with all his might. Without any regard for his own health, he drilled his head into the wall and rubbed against it, causing the dark-red outeryer to wear off, and staining the wall with a differentyer of crimson red. That red area continued to widen, but he refused to stop, as though that was the only way to suppress his pain of not being able to save his mother, even though she was being humiliated. Meng Fuyao forcefully bit on her lower lip, sinking her teeth deep in. Looking away from Zhan Beiye, she forced herself to think of a way to save his mother, or at least allow them to meet each other. The poordy really seemed like she had no more strength to persevere. As the struggle ensued in the pce, Meng Fuyao continued holding back Zhan Beiye, for fear that he would be unable to withstand this grueling torture and suddenly jump up to attack. Amid themotion, someone spoke. ¡°Forget it.¡± It sounded like the voice of a middle-aged man and had the authoritative tone of a leader who was used to being in power. Beside her, Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and Meng Fuyao immediately understood that Zhan Nancheng was present as well. There was silence in the pce, and thedy did not cry. But her singing ensued right when the servants released her. ¡°¡­ I do not know when my son will be back¡­¡± Everyone in the pce listened to her quietly. A long whileter, the Heaven Demon Emperor gently sighed. ¡°I seemed to have heard of this song when I was young.¡± His tone was of reminiscence of his faded memories. He slowly said, ¡°Empress Dowager passed away early, but I vaguely remember that she really liked you, and both of you interacted frequently. When I was six, I sat on her knees and heard her sing this.¡± Everyone remained even quieter, and Zhan Beiheng seemed to cough. However, Consort Dowager Gongjing suddenly stopped her singing. Momentster, she stammered, ¡°¡­ Shouldn¡¯t have sung to you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhan Nancheng questioned. She said in a loud voice, ¡°You want to kill him ¨C you want to kill him-¡± At that moment, her flow of thoughts was clear, there was no pause in her speech, and she even knew what Zhan Nancheng wanted to do. She did not feel like a lunatic at all. Zhan Beiye trembled, and no one in the pce dared to say a word. ¡°So what if I want to kill him?¡± Zhan Nancheng paused for a moment, but he admitted without any hesitation. ¡°How can I let someone vie for my position?¡± ¡°¡­ He doesn¡¯t care!¡± she defended her son in an aggressive tone. Zhan Nancheng seemed to have smiled, probably because he felt that it wasical for him to converse with a lunatic woman. ¡°Enough of thismotion at such an hour. Subdue her and bring her to her room. The rest, back to your positions,¡± he coldly ordered, before turning to Zhan Beiheng. ¡°Younger brother Heng, follow me to the imperial study.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Footsteps faded in the distance, followed by a huge group of soldiers. In front of them, the soldiers on patrol were marching over to their wall, so Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye climbed over to another wall, and continued hiding in the shadows. From afar, Meng Fuyao took a nce at the Emperor and his brother who walked out and calcted the distance and the number of people around them. It seemed impossible to dash out at that point and take them, hostage, so she could only give up. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye continued waiting until it was the time that most people would choose to rx or doze off. They were just about to enter secretly, but there was the sound of a door opening, and it seemed like someone was walking over to their wall. That person leaned against the wallzily and yawned. ¡°For so many consecutive days, we haven¡¯t been able to have a good night¡¯s sleep. I am so tired,¡± he said. Another person agreed. ¡°I calcted the time. It¡¯s impossible for Zhan Beiye to be in Pandu at this time, even if he flew over. Why should we start guarding now?¡± The first person who spoke added, ¡°I even heard that he died in the Changhan mountain range.¡± ¡°Really?¡± it sounded like three voices, of which two sounded surprised, and one sounded upset. ¡°Tens of thousands of elite soldiers chased him and forced him into the Forest of Death. You know that no one ever walked out of that alive.¡± There was silence in the air. A whileter, someone said dejectedly, ¡°What a pity for a legendary hero like the Prince¡­ ¡± ¡°Cunzhi! Be careful of what you say!¡± one of them reprimanded. ¡°That¡¯s the traitor that the Emperor personally ordered to kill!¡± Cunzhi was indifferent. A whileter, he said angrily, ¡°Old Sun, how could you say this? Three years ago, your son had smallpox, and you couldn¡¯t afford to pay the famous doctor. You could only raise half of the fees even after asking all of your rtives for help, and your son was about to die. If it wasn¡¯t for Prince Zhan, who heard of the news and generously gave you money, the grass on your son¡¯s tomb would have been at least half a foot tall!¡± Old Sun coughed and kept quiet. Cunzhi smirked at him and stood up, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to the toilet.¡± He walked a few steps and reached the toilet. When he released his pants, a ck shadow shed by him. He raised his head in shock and looked right into a pair of big and bright eyes. The owner of those eyes amiably smiled at him and casually helped him to buckle up the pants that he had forgotten about. That person whispered, ¡°Shhhh-¡± This person who entered the male toilet to help someone buckle up his pants at midnight was, of course, Meng Fuyao. Cunzhi opened his mouth to scream but Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands shot up, and he immediately felt that he could neither breathe nor speak. He stared at Meng Fuyao in terror, not knowing how she would murder him. However, behind Meng Fuyao, a dark figure slowly appeared. A wave of emotions appeared in Cunzhi¡¯s eyes ¨C first, it was surprise, then joy, and then terror. Meng Fuyao stared at his expression and said, ¡°Brother Cunzhi, we overheard your conversation. Thanks for speaking up. I think you know what Prinze Zhan is here for, will you be willing to help us?¡± He hesitated and replied in a soft voice, ¡°I am delighted that you are still alive Prince¡­ but just a word of advice. Rescuing Consort Dowager is impossible. When you exit this toilet, be it inside or outside this pce, every step is filled with baits and booby traps. Even if I sacrifice my life, I will also be unable to help you rescue her.¡± ¡°I only want to see her,¡± said Zhan Beiye in a low voice. ¡°I want her to know that I am fine.¡± Cunzhi remained silent. Meng Fuyao suddenly asked, ¡°There¡¯s a female toilet adjacent to this male toilet right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°The number of soldiers guarding this area increased, so they built two toilets that are close to each other. Their back windows face each other.¡± ¡°If we let Consort Dowager enter the female toilet, won¡¯t they be able to meet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± he refuted. ¡°With Her Highness¡¯s status, she will definitely not use such a rundown toilet like this.¡± ¡°We can substitute her.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, and she muttered a few lines to him. After some thought, he nodded in approval. Zhan Beiye immediately questioned, ¡°Fuyao, what do you want to do?¡± Chapter 137 - Untitled Chapter 137: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Do what has to be done,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she patted Cunzhi on his shoulder. ¡°Brother Cunzhi, we¡¯ll rely on you. If it is a sess, we will definitely have the chance to thank you in the future.¡± ¡°Prince is famous in all of Heaven Demon. He treats the tribes well, chases away our enemies, and protects the citizens living on the borders. Such a virtuous Prince like him should not be treated this way.¡± He bowed and said, ¡°It is my honor to be of use to the Prince.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him and looked into his clear and sincere eyes. Her eyes slightly darted, and she exhaled. ¡°Go,¡± she said, as she gave him a small bottle. He walked out carefully with the bottle in his hands. Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao were afraid of bumping into anyone using the toilet, so they hid in the corner of the ceiling that was shadowed. This ce was already very close to the interior of the Pce so they did not dare to speak. Zhan Beiye slowly wrote on the wall: What do you intend to do? Meng Fuyao scribbled ¡°If possible, rescue her.¡± Zhan Beiye red at her with sharp daggers in his eyes. He reached out in an attempt to grab Meng Fuyao, but she avoided his hands and pointed downwards. Zhan Beiye gave up and stared at her while writing: Don¡¯t you think of anything weird in your brain! Her reply was: My brain has never thought of anything normal. Zhan Beiye flipped. Just as he was wondering whether he should subdue her and take her away, a pce maid suddenly rushed in the toilet, with her head hung low and her hands clutching her stomach. Meng Fuyao smiled and dashed in after her. Zhan Beiye immediately understood her ns. Feeling anxious, he wanted to chase after her, but Meng Fuyao suddenly turned back to give him a stare in mid-air. The stare was so sharp that it stunned the fearless Zhan Beiye. In that instant, Meng Fuyao had already ducked into the female toilet. With a raise of her hand, she subjugated the pce maid who was having a stomachache. She took off the maid¡¯s clothes and changed her appearance ording to how the maid looked like. Hearing the slight movement of wind behind her, Meng Fuyao slid away with agility. While she changed her clothes in the small space, she nimbly avoided Zhan Beiye¡¯s continuous strikes to stop her and said two lines. The first line was, ¡°She won¡¯t be able to hang in there any longer.¡± The second line, ¡°Trust me.¡± The movement of wind ceased as Zhan Beiye dumbfoundedly stopped his strikes. Meng Fuyao had already changed into her clothes, and she gave a radiant smile to Zhan Beiye, who was in a dilemma. She pointed towards the male toilet and walked out without turning back once. Once she exited the toilet, she walked briskly into the pce while hunching her body and clutching her stomach, as though she had diarrhea. Cunzhi, who was somewhat intentionally patrolling in front of the pce, raised his finger that was holding on to his pike and pointed towards a hidden room in the Inner Pce. Meng Fuyao gave him a thankful look ¨C she had asked him to, while he was patrolling in the Inner Pce, scatter the bottle of powder into the room that the pce maid lived in. He was very smart andpleted her request quickly. She stepped hurriedly into the Inner Pce. With a sweep of her eyes, she saw two eunuchs who both knew martial arts. Seeing that she was back, one of them asked, ¡°Orchid, you had a stomach ache? Remember to shut your windows, in case you catch a cold.¡± Meng Fuyao gave a muffled reply and walked over. That eunuch looked up, and surprised, he said, ¡°Eh? You¡¯re not¡­ ¡± He had yet toplete his sentence when Meng Fuyao had already subdued them one by one. She dragged them behind the curtains, before walking quickly into the inner room and repeating the same routine, thrashing all the pce maids. She did not know who was a trustworthy confidante of Consort Dowager; out of safety concerns, she could only subjugate all of them. The shadow of the bead curtain swayed while the silk curtain slightly drifted. A light, aromatic scent wafted from the bronze incense burner that had the Eight Treasure patterns. Amongst the pale-white smoke, thedy was in a deep sleep. Meng Fuyao gently squatted in front of her bed and looked at her. Zhan Beiye had simr facial features, and both of them had an unwavering aura around them. But she was pale and thin, and her sideburns had started to gray. Though her facial features still looked beautiful, her air of magnificence as an Empress had long gone. What remained after many chaotic and blurry years, was only endless sadness. Meng Fuyao hesitated. She had braved many risks to be here, but she could not be sure whether the mother would follow her ns and sessfully meet the son. After all, she had gone berserk for so many years¡­ The hourss made no noise, as the fine golden sand quietly signaled the passing of time. Meng Fuyao thought of how anxious Zhan Beiye must have been waiting for them, so she resolutely unsealed Consort Dowager¡¯s acupuncture points. Consort Dowager slowly opened her eyes. She saw Meng Fuyao and blinked her eyes in confusion. But she did not immediately scream. Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief. Leaning forward on the bed, she said, ¡°Zhan Beiye asked me to be here. Zhan. Bei. Ye.¡± Her enunciation was very clear, and Consort Dowager¡¯s eyes lit up. She spoke softly, ¡°Little¡­ Ye?¡± ¡°Yes, Little Ye,¡± Meng Fuyao answered in tears, touched by how clear the mother was at the moment. She pointed to the toilet outside the window and informed her, ¡°Female toilet, he¡¯s waiting for you there.¡± ¡°Waiting¡­ for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Meng Fuyao responded as she started to take off Consort Dowager¡¯s clothes, who flinched in fear. Meng Fuyao gently patted her back and gently persuaded, ¡°You can meet Little Ye after changing your clothes.¡± Hearing that, Consort Dowager stopped avoiding and cooperatively raised her arms for Meng Fuyao to exchange clothes with her. After that, Meng Fuyao changed her appearance to that of a pce maid¡¯s and brought her to the window. Meng Fuyao secretly pointed the direction again and said, ¡°There¡¯s the female toilet. Walk in with your head down, and you will see Little Ye inside. Don¡¯t say a word.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say¡­ will kill Little Ye,¡± Consort Dowager suddenly said in a clear voice. A lump came to Meng Fuyao¡¯s throat, and her eyes turned red. She nodded encouragingly and agreed, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t let him kill.¡± ¡°He cannot be killed.¡± Consort Dowager giggled, her expression full of joy. In that instant, she shone with the radiance and beauty of a teenage girl. Meng Fuyao nodded and gently pushed her to the door. She watched how Consort Dowager lowered her head and very carefully, stepped out as per instructed and how she pulled her clothes together and slowly headed towards the correct direction of the toilet. She also watched how Cunzhi intentionally blocked the vision of others while Consort Dowager was walking, step by step, into the female toilet without any interruption. Everything went so unbelievably smooth. Meng Fuyao quietly stood by the window and witnessed Consort Dowager¡¯s figure fading into the darkness of the female toilet. The tension in her body slightly released and she wondered how happy Consort Dowager would be once she saw Zhan Beiye¡¯s face in the window of the male toilet. Zhan Beiye would also be relieved to see his mother safe as sound. She thought hard of how Consort Dowager, although having gone berserk for so many years, became magically clear-minded at the mention of her son, as well as her own experience with Zhan Beiye. When she was around them, she had always witnessed these few noble values that many would not understand or possess ¨C loyalty, faith, respect, and ties. With tears in her eyes, she smiled and thought with fascination. Then, Meng Fuyao retreated andid down on the bed, wearing the clothes of Consort Dowager, waiting for her toe back, or not. Personally, if possible, she wished that Zhan Beiye would take his mother away as she could protect herself better than his mother could. However, realistically, she knew that Zhan Beiye would not leave her behind. Sheughed, cing her hands behind her head, thinking that she had aplished a wonderful deed. But her smile suddenly froze. Outside the pce, a eunuch¡¯s sharp and powerful voice rang in her ears. ¡°The Emperor has arrived-¡± Meng Fuyao immediately sat up with her jaw dropped, and looked towards the entrance. ¡®Why would Zhan Nancheng leave and return?¡¯ ¡®What went wrong?¡¯ She was on the horns of a dilemma. ¡®What to do now?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought hard as she zoned out for a second on the bed, before making a Meng Fuyao-style decision ¨C she was going to murder that Zhan Nancheng. The eunuchs and pce maids in the Outer Pce had all been hidden behind curtains, but two pce maidsy in front of her bed. Since it would be very suspicious to not have any servants around, Meng Fuyao unsealed their acupuncture points and immediately slept, back-facing them. The two pce maids rubbed their eyes as they woke up, confused over why they had suddenly slept beside the bed. Seeing that ¡°Consort Dowager¡± was sleeping soundly, they carefully retreated. Zhan Nancheng stepped in at that moment. He was very troubled, walking into the room with furrowed eyebrows and his hands behind his back. He just received news that Zhan Beiye¡¯s corpse was found in the Changhan mountain range, awakening him from his sleep. After thinking for a long while, he could not help but walk over to Xihua Pce. Meng Fuyao slept on her side and stared at the faint silhouette reflected on the pearl-white wall. She was all ready to attack him, as long as he took a step nearer. However, Zhan Nancheng stopped at a foot¡¯s distance. He stared at the curvy figure on the bed in a daze. A strange emotion shed by his eyes, as he waved his hand for the pce maids to leave. Very soon, there were only two people left in the room, both breathing gently and not moving. At the bedside,yers of smoke drifted from the incense burner and hovered in the air, resembling a translucent and beautiful silk curtain that draped between the two people. Meng Fuyaoid stiffly, feeling the passionate and powerful gaze behind her. His eyes were darting up and down her body, but he refused to take a step closer. Meng Fuyao was getting anxious waiting for him, yet she was scared that Zhan Beiye would dash in out of concern, and she could not help but curse in her mind. ¡®If you don¡¯te over now for me to catch you, I will curse your son to have no genitals!¡¯ Zhan Nancheng suddenly spoke. His first line was a call that seemed like a sigh. ¡°Consort Jing¡­ ¡± Meng Fuyao was momentarily stunned before realizing that it was probably Consort Dowager¡¯s previous title. But why would Zhan Nancheng call her Consort Jing instead of Consort Dowager Gongjing? ¡°I received news¡­ I can finally put down my worries.¡± ¡®What news?¡¯ Zhan Nancheng sighed again, ¡°¡­ Only you left.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ There was a moment of silence as Zhan Nancheng suddenly took a step back. Meng Fuyao almost jumped, but she vaguely saw Zhan Nancheng dragging over a chair and sitting down on it. ¡®Sh*t! You even want to engage in a long-term battle!¡¯ Meng Fuyao felt very itchy and ufortable under his sweeping nce. While she wished for him toe close, she was also scared of Zhan Beiye dashing in. She was filled with apprehension, but she could not move. The anxiety was as though her entire body was filled with louse, and yet she could not grab or scratch it. Zhan Nancheng sighed, yet again. Meng Fuyao listened and felt goosebumps crawling on her skin. ¡®This is one old man who entered menopause early!¡¯ ¡°¡­ I still remember how you looked like when I first met you¡­ ¡± said Zhan Nancheng, as he abruptly switched the topic and started reminiscing. ¡°I was the first to attack into the Pce of the Jin Dynasty, and I first headed to Shengyi Pce. When I opened the door, I saw you sitting in a dignified manner on the floor in in clothes. You slowly raised your head, smiled to me, and said, ¡®General, it must have been tiring for you to travel for such a long distance¡¯.¡± Chapter 138 - Untitled Chapter 138: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Nancheng paused and said softly, ¡°mes melt the snowkes as the moon appears¡­¡± The snowkes, the moonlight, the stunning queen from many years ago. Zhan Nancheng stared at the back that remained in his cherished memories. ¡°¡­ When I saw you, you didn¡¯t feel like the queen of the nation, but rather a young girl-next-door. Delicate, yful, exquisite, noble and innocent. Yet, that prideful aura you disyed made me feel that no one else but you were suited to be the queen. ¡± Meng Fuyao trembled a little. ¡®The heck, is this something a ¡°stepson¡± should tell her ¡°stepmother¡±?¡¯ ¡°¡­ You should have never gone mad. When the troops invaded the pce, you greeted them with a smile like the way a prideful queen would to her people. You were such a strong woman, why did you go mad? But perhaps, this unyielding part of you was your undoing¡­ when father raped you, and you got pregnant.¡± When a powerful person breaks down, it is harder for them to stand back up again. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes. ¡®I see, I see, that was what happened.¡¯ The shadow behind her moved slightly, as though Zhan Nancheng was about to leave. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart leaped with joy when suddenly, a timid knock could be heard from outside. Zhan Nancheng, unable to reconcile the past with the present, was confused by his own emotions. Upon hearing the knocking, he became even more frustrated and hollered, ¡°Scram, do not disturb me!¡± Outside, the eunuch bowed and retreated. Outside Xihua Pce he berated the reporting eunuch, ¡°You useless piece of sh*t, caused me to be scolded. Ask him to scram!¡± The eunuch, in his low voice, continued to emphasize his point, ¡°That person mentioned that it was an urgent notice, Prince Lie is here¡­¡± ¡°Forget about Prince Lie, it would be useless even if Emperor Lie was here. The emperor is currently mad!¡± The old eunuch waved his sleeve and shrieked, ¡°Ask him to scram!¡± The old eunuch stormed away, and the reporting eunuch dared not say another word. The reporting eunuch went outside the pce and broke the news to a man in grey, with a cut on his finger. ¡°Heavens will¡­¡± the man in grey sighed. Not another word left his mouth as he turned around and rushed into the darkness. Within two kilometers, as he passed by an alley, a ck pair of boots suddenly appeared in front of him. He slowly lifted his head and saw thest sh of light in his life. Light that reflected off the de. As he copsed, he heard thest sentence he would ever hear. ¡°Those who betray the Prince, die!¡± In that lonely street, a corpse was silently and unknowingly tossed into a drain. This assassination that happened in some random corner of some random alley was seemingly unimportant, yet, the consequences were more than far-reaching. This missed opportunity, unbeknownst to everyone and anyone, quietly changed the history of the country forever. It was the turning point of the Emperor and Prince Pan¡¯s fate, the key to the fall of an entire dynasty. Because of this missed opportunity, Zhan Nancheng lost the chance to receive information on Zhan Beiye¡¯s location, and hence, the best opportunity to kill him. Because of this missed opportunity, Zhan Beiye escaped death. At this very moment, this episode was not known by any of the parties involved. Meng Fuyao stared at Zhan Nancheng that rejected the eunuch and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. In the instant where the eunuch knocked on the door, for some reason, her heart started thumping hard against her chest, an ominous feeling enroached her. She was so nervous that she almost attacked him. But Zhan Nancheng¡¯s thoughts were not on the critical news. He was in a state of shock, pacing about in circles after standing up. As though he finally made up his mind, he walked towards the ¡°consort¡±. Zhan Beiye was in the toilet. The female toilet was too small, so he settled for the male toilet, hanging upside down from the roof in an absolutely ufortable position. He stared hard at the door of the female toilet without blinking. His heart was beating so quickly. He had never felt so nervous before in his life; not when they had no more rations left in the middle of the desert nor when he waspletely surrounded by the Mo Luo troops. Cold sweat dripped down his palm causing his hands to almost slip off the crossbar he was holding. He dug his fingers into the crossbar, unbothered by the splitters stabbing into his skin. Watching Meng Fuyao enter the pce hall, with no news, his heart got stuck at his throat. If not for the mild stabbing pain from his fingers, he would have really rushed out and pulled her back. Zhan Beiye did not do anything but watch the girl he loved put herself in danger. This was not something he could have done. But when Meng Fuyao left, the determination and resolution in her eyes were undeniable. When Meng Fuyao left, she said, trust me. For a girl like her, would learning to trust her be a needed journey? In his entire life, he was used to protecting women ¡ª like towards his mother, he thought that all the women were fragile, and needed to be protected. But Meng Fuyao taught him that there was another type of women, one that was strong, independent and confident. One that did not need to rely on anybody. Zhan Beiye pursed his lips as he stared into the darkness. The sweat in his palm slowly dried off and the nervousness gradually dissipated. ¡®Yes, trust her.¡¯ Then, he saw a pce maid slowly simrly walk towards him to the Meng Fuyao who entered the pce hall. Zhan Beiye¡¯s tears rushed up to the corner of his eyes. That person was his mother. He could identify her slow but light footsteps even with his eyes closed. Biting down his lips, Zhan Beiye stared straight at his mother as she walked towards the female toilet. Consort Dowager Gongjing focused on walking. She did not know the dangers of the moment, the worries of others nor the fact that she was the priority of Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao. One watching her from the toilet and the other from the window, praying with all their heart that she would reach Zhan Beiye safely. She only remembered Meng Fuyao¡¯s words: Don¡¯t talk, lower her head, female toilet, Little Ye. Her white figure finally disappeared into the darkness of the female toilet. She lifted her head, and in the opposite window, saw her son¡¯s face. Consort Dowager Gongjing stared nkly without a word but the corner of her eyes begun to turn red. She tiptoed and stretched out her hands, across that dusty window in the female toilet. She stretched as far as possible, trying to reach the window of the male toilet, trying to touch her son¡¯s face. Zhan Beiye immediately broke the wooden bar between them and moved forward. In between the toilets was a thick bush which covered the gap between the two toilets and a mother¡¯s gentle touch. At this moment, the mother and son were no longer crying. Zhan Beiye was afraid that his mother would feel his tears, and she felt happy about their reunion. They stood individually in the smelly toilets, a foot away from each other, smiling. Her hand gently caressed his face and plucked the beard stubble that he had no time to remove. She really did not like it. She went in a little too heavy handed and a bit of blood oozed out. Zhan Beiye did not flinch and even cooperated to make things easier for her to pluck. At this moment, they heard ¡°the emperor has arrived¡ª¡± Zhan Beiye jumped and Consort Dowager¡¯s nail slit across his face. He did not realize that as he wanted to jump out of the toilet. Halfway through, he stopped. Opposite him was his mother, looking at him with eyes of terror. He did not know what that announcement meant, but the fear and shock in Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes spread to her. She was, now, too in a state of fright. Zhan Beiye noticed his mother¡¯s fearful gaze and took a deep breath, calming himself down. He could not act on a moment of impulse. ¡®No, things are not at its worst. Fuyao is intelligent and excels in martial arts. She might just be able to hold up against Zhan Nancheng. If I were to rush in, I might cause more harm than good. ¡®She said, trust her!¡¯ He took a deep breath, held his mother hands and gently patted her. And waited. Zhan Nancheng walked towards the bed. His eyes were fixated on thedy¡¯s slender back. Her delicate shoulders framed an elegant butterfly, tampering into a slim waist. Her silhouette outlined her beautiful curves, reminding one of the scenic views of the mountains andke a poem would bring to one¡¯s mind. His breath quickened as he gazed at her. A trip down the memoryne brought him back to that day where he had opened the door along the corridor. The scent of flowers drifted into the room. Flower petals fluttered down gently as she lifted her head. It revealed a perfect jawline and a pair of dewy lips glistening under the sun. Her lips parted as she said, ¡°General thank you for your hard work.¡± It was as though those were words of prophecy. It was indeed hard on him afterward ¡ª when she became his father¡¯s concubine, then Consort Dowager. When they had no other form of rtionship with each other. He could not have anything to do with her. The Emperor of Tiansha, the moment he fell in love with her, these were words that could not be known by anyone. But in this moment, his guard finally came down. He felt light. This world was his, and once this woman left the protection of her son, she would be his. Why then, couldn¡¯t he get closer to look at her? Zhan Nancheng inched in as he immersed himself in the wonderful memories of thatte spring. As he leaned in, his breath tingled on the woman¡¯s shoulder. He reached out to touch that delicate shoulder. A de shed by. At the speed of light, the de cut across everything in sight, heading directly towards the enemy. Meng Fuyao exerted all her strength, attacking at her fastest speed. The reflection of light from the de bounced around the room as Fuyao attacked. ¡°Revenge for the prince!¡± howled Meng Fuyao as she pushed forward. Kacha¡ª The de instantly appeared beside Zhan Nancheng¡¯s chest. His eyes were filled with fury as he retreated carefully yet quickly. Yet, he did not once exchange blows with Meng Fuyao but intentionally retreated to the center of the room. Meng Fuyaoughed coldly. ¡°Traps?¡± As she continued her vicious attacks. Zhan Nancheng subconsciously titled his head, and suddenly, the de was now at his neck, threatening to behead him anytime. Chapter 139 - Untitled Chapter 139: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Idiot, this is a feint. You didn¡¯t even know that?¡± Meng Fuyao guffawed. Zhan Nancheng scoffed and snapped his finger. Meng Fuyao immediately exerted more force, causing Zhan Nancheng to go weak in his knees. But the speed in which his fingers snapped was quicker than Fuyao¡¯s actions. With a snap of a finger, fumes started filling the room as firearms were fired rapidly in Meng Fuyao¡¯s direction. As the firearms hit the wall, one could hear them cackling away, causing loud explosions. With the loud explosion, the soldiers outside came rushing in. With that loud explosion, Zhan Beiye let out a yell. He kicked away the rooftop of the male toilet and flew out. That act of his resulted in a couple of soldiers dying as they got hit by the roof. When hended, only God knew what trap he triggered as a shower of arrows weed him, once again killing off another group of soldiers. Zhan Beiye hugged his mother tightly as he covered her eyes with a piece of cloth. He whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t care about anything else, just hold onto me.¡± She leaned against her son¡¯s broad chest and nodded while smiling. Bam! Zhan Beiye kicked down the toilet¡¯s wall as he flew out in the midst of dust and smoke. Instead of escaping out of the pce, however, he single-handedly lifted up a few dead guards to cover himself as he rushed to the inner pce. ¡®Fuyao, I am here to fetch you.¡¯ Behind him, torches were being lit up as the sound of footsteps got louder. Arrows flew in his direction from both sides as gunfire loaded up. Zhan Beiye dashed across, with a corpse falling down on the ground with every step. To him, a new corpse was equivalent to a new shield and whoever was the bravest, also died the fastest. Some soldiers rushed up and sliced the human shields into halves, creating the perfect shield was to stepping stone ratio as Zhan Beiye used half the body to block the swords and the other half to step on. He was like a mad tiger, absolutely invincible. The traps set at Xihua pce were mostly situated on the escape route rather than near the pce for safety reasons. While there were still traps, Zhan Beiye was able to see through the traps in all of the chaos and pushed a soldier right in front of the trap. With a shriek, the soldier had been shot multiple times with holes all over him. But by then, Zhan Beiye was long gone, stepping on puddles of blood as he made his way into the inner pce. ¡°Stop him, the Emperor is inside!¡± Countless soldiers swarmed towards him, forming a human wall. des were pointed towards Zhan Beiye, the man who dared to trespass the pce alone. With a bam, Zhan Beiye made his way up his very first step when it suddenly opened to reveal a pit ¡ª a trapdoor! Zhan Beiye hollered and did a somersault, moving freely in the air like an eagle. Behind him, people from the Zhonglian pce ordered, ¡°Shoot!¡± Pew! The arrows resembled grey clouds as they covered the glimmer of daybreak, casting upon darkness to the earth as they headed for Zhan Beiye. The warfare outside the pce was one that was characterized by blood and fire; the warfare inside the pce was a battle of the mind and wits. At a nce, one could tell that the slightly yellow fumes were toxic. Without blinking or avoiding, Meng Fuyao grabbed Zhan Nancheng, dragging him into the toxic fumes. Zhan Nancheng eyes widened. Not in his wildest dreams would he expect this woman to be this ferocious and brave. In such circumstances, a normal human being would instinctively avoid these fumes but yet, this woman actually dragged him in to die together! Meng Fuyao would not let him off. ¡°To die together with the Tiansha Emperor, what an honor I, amoner, have,¡± she snickered. Suddenly, a cold snort rang beside Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears. With a snort, the yellow-tinted fume subsided. Zhan Nancheng¡¯s dead eyes suddenly brightened up. If not for Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand around his throat, he would probably beughing like a maniac. Meng Fuyao tightened her grip around her sword. Through the reflection of the sword, she could vaguely see that was ady with grey-white hair and an all-grey robe. She resembled a drifting cloud, though she was not moving, it made people had the illusion that she was constantly floating. She ¡°floated¡± on the beamzily as she scratched her head with boredom. As she fiddled with her hair, she casually mentioned, ¡°The Tiansha Emperor is really useless. If I were here just a stepte, you would have been done in by this little girl.¡± Zhan Nancheng¡¯s face turned green as Meng Fuyao giggled. ¡°Ay, this elder on the beam, don¡¯t look down on the Tiansha Emperor. He might not have the ability to fight, but he is talented in other aspects like schemes, setting traps and ambushing people, murdering his own brothers, and lusting after his own mother. He ain¡¯t too bad with them.¡± Zhan Nancheng ground his teeth in anger, ring at Meng Fuyao with resentment. Meng Fuyao red back, with no intention to mask her hatred towards him. In a sinister way, she questioned, ¡°Why? Want to kill me? What a coincidence, I would love to kill you too. If not for the fact that you still have a little use, I would have chopped and minced you into a million pieces, disgusting piece of sh*t.¡± The more she talked, the more enraged she got. The dead faces of the eight ck Wind Horses soldiers, Zhan Beiye¡¯s tearful face as he listened to his mother sing appeared in front of her eyes. These memories induced sharp pain in her heart. Frustrated, she lifted her hand and pped across his face. ¡°Damn it, seeing you makes me so aggrieved. I¡¯ll p you, then decide!¡± she muttered harshly under her breath. The sound of the ps resounded in the inner pce. The soldiers that rushed into to protect the Emperor witnessed this sight that drained all color off their face and made their knees go weak. Meng Fuyao nced at Zhan Nancheng as sheughed evilly. ¡°Scream, scream, scream for more people toe in,e in to be a spectator of the Tiansha Emperor getting pped by me. Come here quickly, for every new spectator, I will add another p, no additional charges needed, no tickets needed!¡± Zhan Nancheng trembled in anger ¡ª he could tell that Meng Fuyao was someone capable of carrying out her word. The honorable Tiansha Emperor being pped left and right by a lowlymoner in public! How can he still face anyone after this? Grudgingly, he red at the soldiers, ¡°Get out!¡± The soldiers retreated, bewildered, with cold sweat running down their backs. On the other hand, the elder on the beam opened her mouthzily and said, ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t be so arrogant. In front of me, pping him left and right is disrespectful towards me. Just once or twice is enough.¡± ¡°This elder, I really like your words, ¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you and p him once or twice.¡± She flicked her wrist and pped his face. She innocently exined herself in front of the furious Zhan Nancheng, ¡°The elder wanted me to p you twice.¡± The elder on the beamughed heartily. Though she looked old, herughter was sharp and crystal clear as she said, ¡°You little brat, I really quite like you, what a pity¡­¡± Suddenly, a sigh left her lips and during that sigh, her sleeves seemed to have moved. The sleeves moved again. Meng Fuyao faced the Jade Light as well as a ghostly white ray of light head on. She paused for a second as she tried to pull back. Unfortunately, the ray of light headed straight for her unperturbed. First strike! Second strike! Third strike! Three strikes. A split secondter, a lock of ck hair fluttered down to the ground, sliced off by the sharp inner energy. The glistening tip of the sharp de sat less than a centimeter away from Fuyao¡¯s forehead, less than a centimeter away in disfiguring her. Without flinching, Meng Fuyao calmly put down the sword andughed. ¡°Aiya, this elder, thank you so much for helping me get rid of this troublesome fringe.¡± The elder in grey suddenly questioned, ¡°You have Dafeng¡¯s ¡®Tempest¡¯ in your inner energy, are you his disciple?¡± Fuyao studied her intently. A pale face with delicate and refined features. Under the straight pair of brows was a pair of clouded eyes that seemed to stare into a distance. Her features revealed no signs of age ¡ª she could pass off as if she was in her forties or fifties, or perhaps twenties or thirties. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes flickered. From her tone, Fuyao could tell that she was probably one of the top ten martial artists. ¡®Yun Heng¡¯s gender is unknown, both Yun Hun and Wu Yin are female, who is this?¡¯ Also, ording to Zong Yue, amongst these three people, one of them held a grudge against Dafeng. Meng Fuyao contemted her answer carefully as she did not know if this elder was the one that resented Dafeng. Meng Fuyao dug her fingers in Zhan Nancheng neck as she lifted her sword in front of her. Sheughed humorlessly. ¡°I do not know Elder Dafeng. It was merely a chance encounter in some random cell a while back that we met. He forcefully transferred some inner energy to me, almost destroying my martial arts and taking my life. I guess this is the ¡®Tempest¡¯ you are speaking of?¡± ¡°Dafeng has a good eye,¡± The elder in grey peered at Meng Fuyao, you have a good constitute, well suited for my n¡­ what a pity¡­¡± Meng Fuyao once again readied herself. Hu¡ª An undercurrent stirred up around Meng Fuyao¡¯s feet, silently yet overbearing. With a tug around her ankles, Meng Fuyao was hurled aside by the undercurrent before she could react. Meng Fuyao hit the wall heavily as a mouthful of blood spattered on the floor. ¡°What a pity¡­¡± the elder in grey repeated. With a bam, Meng Fuyaonded at the corner of the table this time, ending up with a chipped tooth. ¡°Pity¡­¡± Bam! Meng Fuyao slid across the floor as friction peeled off pieces of her skin. ¡°Pity¡­¡± Kacha! One of the finger Meng Fuyao had used to hold her dagger snapped in half. Even so, she still grabbed tightly onto Zhan Nancheng. No matter what unknown force crashed her way, she refused to let go. Her blood or teeth, her meat or skin, her finger or joint, whatever the elder broke, whatever the elder cut off, she refused to let him go. Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger never once left Zhan Nancheng¡¯s throat. Every time the dagger swayed, Zhan Nancheng¡¯s heart palpitated in fear. Every time she was tossed out, the sharp de would leave its mark on his body. With every drop of blood she lost, he would have topensate that, many times over. The elder in grey finally stopped her attacks. With a majestic aura, she pulled back her sleeves and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone as cruel and unruly as you.¡± Chapter 140 - Untitled Chapter 140: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Senior,¡± said Meng Fuyao, as she spat her broken tooth that was engulfed in a mouthful of blood and saliva on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s face. Using his robe embroidered with golden dragons and drifting clouds to wipe her mouth, she continued to smile as she added, ¡°Please think carefully. I won¡¯t be able to beat you, but with my ability, as long as I¡¯m not afraid of death, it isn¡¯t too difficult for me to keep him a hostage. Even if you kill me, I will drag him to death as well. I¡¯ll let him understand what it means to be unlucky.¡± ¡°What for?¡± The woman perched herself on the ceiling, frowned down at Meng Fuyao and asked, ¡°Is it worth it? Why?¡± Meng Fuyao kept quiet as a collection of memories shed by like streaks of lightning in her mind ¨C the soldier who died from a snake¡¯s kiss by the pond, the ashen face that hung upside down in the green vines, Wang Hu whomitted suicide in the swamp, Hua Zi who was burned to his bones, Three who pushed her in the passageway, Lao De who triggered the bomb, Ah Hai who was left with half of his body, and Little Luo who was nowhere to be found. She slowly ced the dagger on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s throat and watched the thin line of blood flow down from that noble Emperor. Revealing a deadly smile, she answered, ¡°For those who sacrificed themselves.¡± The woman looked at her in confusion. A few momentster, she said, ¡°You¡¯re a talent, why always risk your life? Release him, and I¡¯ll just ask him to pardon you.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s a matter of whether I¡¯m willing to pardon him, not the other way round,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled pleasantly. ¡°You had it wrong.¡± The woman looked reluctantly at Zhan Nancheng and muttered, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have epted the gifts from the Zhan family in the first ce¡­¡± She thought for a moment and proposed, ¡°I will give you a strand of my white hair. In the future, this item might save your life.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at this violent yet naive martial arts expert and solemnly declined, ¡°Senior, I will also grow white hair in the future, and I might grow even more strands than you. I will not trouble you to give me yours.¡± The woman sighed as she started getting impatient, breaking the strand of white hair that she had been rubbing in her hands. ¡°Then I can only kill you,¡± she said. ¡­ Zhan Beiye was in mid-air. The stairs in front of him had exploded into bs, and there was a shower of arrows targeting his back. He had his mother in his arms, so he only had one hand left to attack. If he abandoned his mother and used the momentum to jump, he could very well avoid the pit and the arrows. Yet he held his mother even tighter to himself and gave a loud holler. ¡°Up!¡± With a kick, his foot picked up the stone b that was falling. It was an entire piece of white marble b, its length reaching a few meters and its mass nearing a tonne, yet he hooked it with only one foot and flung it into the air! The b flew towards the shower of arrows behind him. Even the sharpest arrow could not pierce through the strong stone, and the arrows all broke into segments. With these movements, Zhan Beiye inevitably started falling. He was falling towards the pit filled with steel knives. Zhan Beiye hollered once again. ¡°Stop!¡± His holler was as loud as thunder, and it stunned the soldiers on the first step, who were armed with pikes and ready to stab him into the pit. In that split second, Zhan Beiye did a split, showing a degree of flexibility that was almost impossible to aplish in mid-air. As he fell, he stacked his two legs on the rim of the pit, stopping his downfall. Once Zhan Beiye steadied his body, he was as stable as a monolith that would not shift even under a tornado. As he looked up, he shot a solemn re that hit the soldiers like heavy steel, causing them to suck in their breath. Zhen Beiye¡¯s legs pushed against the rim and crossed, causing him to spiral in the air. With a grab, he snatched over ten odd pikes and flung them out towards the soldiers. In the midst of the whooshing noises of the pikes cutting through wind, the soldiers all flew back, ttering together in a mess while rolling and groaning on the floor. Then there were those who fell into the pit, who let out tragic screams as blood sttered all over. Zhan Beiyeughed at the sight, and stepping on the heads of these miserable people, he leaped towards the entrance of the pce. However, more soldiers dashed out. The soldiers who were ordered by Zhan Nancheng to stay outside the pce formed rows of barriers to try to stop Zhan Beiye. ¡°Whoever blocks my way will die!¡± Zhan Beiye always kept his words simple and did what he said. With a sh of his sword, he had already stabbed three people, leaving behind bloody marks. He smirked. ¡°I really love killing people. Thank you for providing your brains.¡± His eyebrows and body were stained with blood and flesh; every sh of the sword had resulted in spurts after spurts of blood that scattered in the magnificent pce like a rainbow. Those soldiers who fell but had yet to die were mercilessly stepped on, causing their skulls to break, creating sessive cracking sounds. Organs and brains flowed in the pool of blood and broken bones. Kill, to stop killing. At that moment, Zhan Beiye no longer wanted to think about whether he was a part of Heaven Demon. He only knew that for every second they dyed him, Meng Fuyao would be ced in greater danger. Since whoever blocked his way would be an indirect murderer of Meng Fuyao, whoever stopped him would have to die! The merciless shes and celestial aura of a reincarnated God of War caused the soldiers¡¯ hearts to thump and their limbs to go weak. Though they dared not back off due to their responsibility, their attacks weakened, and many secretly retreated while attacking. Zhan Beiye showed no mercy, and in his dash he created a bloody path, allowing him to run into the Inner Pce. Once he ran in, he noticed neither Zhan Nancheng nor the grey-clothed woman. He only saw Meng Fuyao¡¯s bloody appearance, her swollen lips, and even that broken finger which she tried to hide behind her sleeves. His eyes turned red at that sight. Then he saw Zhan Nancheng who was badly beaten, and heard the woman on the ceiling say, ¡°Then I can only kill you¡±. Immediately, he dashed in. He cut through the wind with such force that his robes created rustling noises, and he dashed head-on like a steel knife. The woman only raised an eye andzily said, ¡°One more, sigh, looks like I will need to put in a bit more effort to kill.¡± Zhan Beiye smirked, and without any hesitation, he pounced on her and hollered, ¡°If you want to kill her, kill me first!¡± The woman looked down and agreed casually, ¡°Kill both of you.¡± Suddenly, Meng Fuyao interrupted, ¡°Zhan Beiye, stop right there!¡± Zhan Beiye ignored and continued charging towards the woman with great fury. Meng Fuyao could only shout, ¡°Ouch!¡± The wind ceased, and Zhan Beiye stopped in his tracks. In a second, he ran to Meng Fuyao¡¯s side and asked, ¡°What happened? Where does it hurt?¡± This time, Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes at him, before turning to the woman. ¡°Senior Cloud Soul, you receive gifts from the Zhan family, and you have the liberty to kill anyone you want. But to such a woman,¡± she pointed to Consort Dowager in Zhan Beiye¡¯s arms, and continued, ¡°do you also want to kill such a pitifuldy who endured so many sufferings in this world?¡± ¡°Tell him to put her down, I won¡¯t kill innocent people,¡± Cloud Soul answered nonchntly and did not ask how Meng Fuyao knew of her identity. ¡°If you kill us and leave her here alone, how will she survive?¡± Meng Fuyao snorted. ¡°Have you not heard of the saying ¡®Although I did not kill Boren, Boren died because of me¡¯?¡± Cloud Soul frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Zhan Nancheng to not kill her.¡± ¡°Sigh, I¡¯d rather believe in a pig than believe in Zhan Nancheng,¡± Meng Fuyao said painfully. ¡°Even a pig has a greater sense of humanity than him.¡± ¡°What to do then?¡± Cloud Soul opened her eyes wide and even asked Meng Fuyao dumbfoundedly, ¡°What¡¯s your opinion?¡± ¡°Hmm, this is hard,¡± Meng Fuyaomented as she furrowed her eyebrows together. ¡°How about this, if we die here and leave her here, she will definitely die as well, and you¡¯ll be killing innocent people. Why not we head out and let you kill us? It¡¯s better to die outside than inside of the Pce.¡± She had just finished suggesting when Zhan Nancheng puked out a mouthful of blood. He could not speak, and could only stare grudgingly at the willy and shameless Meng Fuyao, before looking pleadingly towards his only savior, Cloud Soul. Cloud Soul did not speak. The eyes of this woman who looked old yet young, and seemed mature yet naive, was at times focused and at times lifeless. One moment, she was muddle-headed, and the other moment, she was very sharp. She looked casually at Consort Dowager and said emotionlessly, ¡°I find her pretty likable, and for such a rare person that suffered even more than I did, I cannot kill.¡± Meng Fuyao agreed loudly, ¡°Yes, once you kill her, you will be the most miserable person in the world. That¡¯s not good, you need someone to be worse than you.¡± Cloud Soul smiled and scrutinized Meng Fuyao, slightly pointing at her and said, ¡°Young girl, don¡¯t treat me like a fool. I just chose not to do what I could do.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned at her cheekily, but deep down, she thought of how all the top ten martial arts wielders were weirdos. Gale spent 13 years in jail looking for a disciple, Splendor of Stars took revenge on all women just because he was deceived by a lover, and Cloud Soul, at times sharp and at times muddleheaded, liked to randomly gift her white hair. She wondered how the rest of the experts were like. Anyway, no matter what, she was able to capitalize on the loophole. It was also a relief that Nancheng¡¯s personality was too poor and he was not a likable person. Cloud Soul evidently did not like him, and only protected his life out of responsibility. ¡°I allow you to bring Zhan Nancheng and this woman out of the Pce,¡± Cloud Soul said as shezily chewed on snacks, the crumbles dropping on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s head. ¡°However, I cannot give you so much leeway. Once we¡¯re out of the pce, the two of you have to fight with me. No matter whether you two die or not, Zhan Nancheng must be released.¡± Meng Fuyao looked towards Zhan Beiye. This was his enemy, so he should make the decision. Zhan Beiye merely said, ¡°There are many other chances to kill him.¡± He nced at Meng Fuyao gratefully. For the night, he had only nned to take a look at his mother and had no expectations of trying to save her. Lo and behold, the situation turnedpletely different from what he had in mind. Fuyao substituted his mother and subdued Zhan Nancheng, then Cloud Soul appeared, and it became almost impossible for him to safely bring his mother out from the huge army. But Meng Fuyao was able to decipher Cloud Soul¡¯s personality in just a short conversation and bait her into agreeing to battle outside the pce. As long as they exited, the ck Wind Horses would be able to bring his mother to a safe spot. The importance of this to him was immeasurable! It was all thanks to Fuyao. The girl who never gave up even in the worst situations and created miracles from the impossible! Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes darted across Meng Fuyao, who was still giggling although her body was terribly injured. Before he dashed in, how did Meng Fuyao even confront Cloud Soul who was a top ten expert, and still adamantly kept the hostage in her hands? He looked up silently at the caisson ceiling that was engraved with dragons and phoenixes. In his arms, Consort Dowager suddenly whispered, ¡°¡­ Daughter-inw¡­¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s body stiffened, and he let out a long breath. Cloud Soulughed on the ceiling, ¡°Yes, daughter-inw, if not why would she help you to this extent? You are blessed, this young girl is a deserving match of your silly son.¡± The corners of Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched, and she said, ¡°Senior, have you not heard of ¡®close female friends¡¯ or ¡®friends who live and die together¡¯?¡± Chapter 141 - Untitled Chapter 141: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Close female friends?¡± Cloud Soul suddenly snorted, as though this line had touched her nerve. Her voice quickly turned shrilling as she yelled, ¡°Get out now, I¡¯m waiting to kill people!¡± Meng Fuyao stuck her tongue out. She dragged Zhan Nancheng along, shouting, ¡°Get out now, or are you waiting for me to carry you?¡± When they exited Xihua Pce, everyone was stunned. Meng Fuyao smiled from ear to ear as she stood on the steps, pushing along Zhan Nancheng who had obvious p marks on both sides of his face. She spoke, ¡°Comrades, it¡¯s been tough for you but hang in there and put down all those arrows, bombs and whatnot. As for the tunnels and booby traps, go switch their locations.¡± She ordered around the soldiers to stick the arrows into the barrels, and then activate the barrels in the direction of the man-made pond, sessfully causing both to blow up. Then, the weapons were thrown into all kinds of booby traps, and sessive cracks sounded, signaling the destruction of the majority of the traps. Even the musket team that cameter was not spared. Their guns were thrown into the pit under the fallen steps, and Zhan Beiye kicked a b into it, utterly wrecking all the precious guns in it as a plume of ash rose. The leader of the musket team was Zhan Beiheng who rushed back after going to his home. This was a man with long, narrow and slightly uplifted eyes, with a paleplexion and cold expression. He red icily at Zhan Beiye in silence, and though he seemed he liked he wanted to express his opinion when Zhan Nancheng ordered his team to disarm, he remained quiet. Cloud Soul kept her hands in her sleeves as she looked on nonchntly. She was worshipped by the old Emperor in numerous ways before she agreed to save the lives of Emperors in times of emergency. She¡¯s toozy to bother about other issues. Surrounded by tens of thousands of soldiers, the group walked out slowly. From the top view, it looked like a huge group of golden things engulfing and following the movement of a small group, but not nearing it. Once they were out of Xihua Pce, Meng Fuyao ordered, ¡°Bring me a horse, I¡¯m tired from all the walking!¡± Zhan Beiheng waved his hand, and a soldier promptly brought over a few handsome horses. Hugging his mother tightly, Zhan Beiye smirked while Meng Fuyaoughed, and they happily mounted on the horse. Seeing that Meng Fuyao was mounting on the horse, Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes shone. But Meng Fuyao did not sit down. Instead, she pushed Zhan Nancheng down on the seat of the horse. ¡°Ah!¡± Hearing the loud cry and seeing a few drops blood, Zhan Beiheng¡¯s expression changed. Zhan Nancheng was shivering, and a narrow stream of blood flowed down from his robes, along his leg, and onto the ground. His face was scrunched up in pain, and he looked grudgingly at Zhan Beiheng, causing thetter to step back and mutter, ¡°Emperor¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Hey Emperor, where did it poke you? Hopefully not your reproductive organ?¡± Meng Fuyao roared withughter. However, she had lost her tooth, there was a big hole in her mouth, and the badly beaten face was really gross to look at; she wasughing, but that lopsided and horrendous smile sent chills down the soldiers¡¯ spines. This bold yet meticulous, presumptuous yet cautious woman! Meng Fuyao gave Zhan Beiheng a look of despise. ¡°Trying to y underhanded tricks on me? You¡¯re too amateur for that,¡± she scorned as she threw the needle-filled saddle on Zhan Beiheng¡¯s face. ¡°Change the horses! Rece them with the ones under your butt!¡± New horses were brought over, and Cloud Soul rode on one too. The soldiers followed in close proximity, but they had just reached the second Pce door when there was a sound of a bombing from the front. Then, there were shouts and the thumping noises of hoofs, so violent that it was as though the ground was shaking. In the sky, bright fires emerged, causing a red luminescence to appear on faces. Everyone looked up sharply and saw soldiers who were guarding the front few doors running and tumbling back in a mess, shouting, ¡°The ck Wind Horses are attacking the Pce!¡± As though to respond to his shouts, a loud sound of a huge crash rang in his ears, like thunder crash bombs breaking apart the thick Pce walls. At the same time, thousands of people shouted at the walls, ¡°Kill! ughter that sickening Emperor!¡± ¡°You all are revolting!¡± Zhan Beiheng barked in anger, as hisplexion turned stale green. ¡°You have merely 3,000 people, and you dare to forcefully break through the Pce, do you treat my 30,000 imperial guards and soldiers stationed in the City as nothing? Someone, issue my order-¡± ¡°Sigh, since when has the Heaven Demon Emperor changed to a different person?¡± Meng Fuyao yelled even louder than him. She blinked at Zhan Nancheng with feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°Have you stepped down? No? If you haven¡¯t, why is there someone so eager to y your role?¡± Zhan Nancheng gave her a deadly stare, but he still looked at Zhan Beiheng with a cold expression. Meeting his brother¡¯s gaze, Zhan Beiheng¡¯s heart sank, and he knew that he hadpletely offended his brother. If he was able to survive past the night, he would definitely face torture. Zhan Nancheng had ultimate power, while he was only a symbolic Prince who acted as a figurehead for the imperial guards that only listened to the Emperor. As for the soldiers in the City, if there wasn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s decree or the signatures of all three Premier Ministers, no one could order them around. Thoughts ran through quickly in his mind, but he could only give up and lower his head silently. Zhan Beiye pointed his sword towards the soldiers who were guarding the front door and ordered, ¡°Open the doors!¡± Zhan Nancheng flicked his hand in silence, and the doors opened up one by one. As they galloped outside, thousands of soldiers trailed them as if they were being escorted out. As thest door opened, they saw the Dark Wind Horses armed with swords and arrows, chasing the soldiers on duty with a murderous aura. Capitalizing on the opportunity that most soldiers were gathered in the Pce, they were able to kill the remaining ones to their heart¡¯s¡¯ content. Even after the doors opened, they were still engrossed in their own world, chopping soldiers away at the speed of a whirlwind. One could see that on the big quadrangle in Sky Street, there were huge clots of blood everywhere. When the Dark Wind Horses finally looked back and saw the sight of Zhan Nancheng being held as hostage, they gave out loud cheers in happiness. On the other hand, Zhan Beiheng asked in a murderous tone, ¡°We have dropped our weapons and gave up on the battle. Are you still going to use the ck Wind Horses to bully the weak?¡± He did not know the identity of the person ¨C Zhan Beiye had wornyers of human-skin masks, spoke very little and changed his pitch. More importantly, he and his brothers rarely met due to resentment. They were not even considered acquaintances. In the eyes of the Zhan brothers, Meng Fuyao and this stranger were a pair of subordinates who came to take revenge for Zhan Beiye and rescue Consort Dowager. Zhan Beiye smirked, ¡°Only the Zhan royal family can bully the weak, but others can¡¯t?¡± At that moment, the Dark Wind Horses had fallen into formation and dashed into the Pce to receive Zhan Beiye. The murderous aura of the horses could travel miles away, but when ordered to stop, the horses braked neatly and cleanly. The front two of the pack came over, and they were both teens with superb riding skills. One of them was clean and sharp in his movements, with a wild and deadly aura. The other had eyes that looked like the night sky, and it was not hard to tell that he was a handsomed even from a far distance. When Meng Fuyao saw that person, she almost blurted out in shock. ¡®Yun Heng!¡¯ ¡®What is he doing here?¡¯ Yunheng first saw Meng Fuyao¡¯s horrified expression. He was dumbfounded at first, but his eyes traveled across Meng Fuyao¡¯s beaten face and looked into her eyes. Then, his eyes lit up brightly. Those dark eyeballs were like meteorites; once they brightened, they were as beautiful as a ss filled with all the stars in the sky. Meng Fuyao knew that he recognized her and she immediately showcased a perfect one-and-a-half-teeth smile. Yun Heng scrutinized her face again. He sighed in resignation and walked over to Zhan Beiye to bring Consort Dowager away. She instinctively wanted to avoid his touch, but Zhan Beiye gently whispered in her ear, ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± This line made her stand still and allowed Yun Heng to touch her. A group of Dark Wind Horses promptly rode over and escorted them away. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes sparkled. She had always felt that Zhan Beiye had magical strength which was beyond the limits of a figurehead Prince. For example, how did the Dark Wind Horses use such advanced equipment? One needed not only money but also connections, to obtain supreme arrows, top-tiered armour, and precious thunder crash bombs. Zhan Nancheng definitely did not give him these, and his sry was pathetically meager, so how did he get all these things? Also, how did the Dark Wing Horses hide in Pandu, when security was so tight? How did they quickly receive the news to gather? They seemed to have a detailed n to rescue Consort Dowager, so where did they stay in the City? How many hidden forces exactly had his grandfather given him? However, this was not the right time to question. Meng Fuyao met Yun Heng¡¯s concerned gaze, and she smiled. Turning to Cloud Soul, she suggested, ¡°Senior, it¡¯s really too petrifying to fight in the City. Why don¡¯t we go to the outskirts to fight?¡± Cloud Soul nodded in a daze. Her attention was on the fading moonlight, which she stared at with sadness. Then, Little Seven whispered to Zhan Beiye, who quickly added on, ¡°There is a space in the western suburbs of the Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and it is suitable for battle.¡± Cloud Soul nodded again as she continued to look at the sky casually. She did not feel that these two young juniors could escape from her palms. Zhan Beiye then reminded the vice-captain, Little Seven, to lead the Dark Wind Horses to retreat. That youngd crossed his arms and said, ¡°I refuse. There must be some people following you.¡± Zhan Beiye was about to reject, but thatd added, ¡°To bring back your corpses.¡± Meng Fuyao chortled ¨C Zhan Beiye was too embarrassing a Prince. Her chuckle had not yet subsided, but Yun Heng suddenly neared her, and a certain Lord slowly crawled out of his sleeve. Now it was Meng Fuyao¡¯s turn to be embarrassed. ¡®Wasn¡¯t Lord Yuan Bao sleeping in the inn? They went to the inn?¡¯ With great skill, the guinea pig scurried his way up to her shoulder. Holding her face in his paws, he meticulously peered at her broken tooth, broken finger and disheveled face. His protective ¡°only me and my master can bully this woman¡± sentiment suddenly erupted, and he turned to the nearest person, Zhan Nancheng, whom he straightaway identified as the culprit. Leaping into the air, he showcased a ¡°backward somersault with a 180-degree split¡±. Immediately, a light-red mark of a w appeared on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s face, and interestingly, it lookedplimentary with the five finger mark that Meng Fuyao gave him. The guinea pig¡¯s gym session was not yet over. He pounced on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s head, shamelessly digging away all the gemstones on the Nine Dragons Jade Crown. Plucking these priceless gems down, he ced them all in Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. Chapter 142 - Untitled Chapter 142: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Feeling consoled, tears offort welled up in her eyes as Meng Fuyao patted Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s head, ¡°You are so caring, you know how to earn medical expenses for your boss¡­¡± The troupe reached Mount Luo Feng, abandoned their horses at the foot of the mountain and moved on. Halfway through Mount Luo Feng, at a tform amongst the steep precipices and cliffs, Cloud Soul said with a satisfied expression, ¡°The Fengshui 1 here is not too bad, perfect for all of you to be buried.¡± Zhan Beiye whispered into Meng Fuyao¡¯s ear, ¡°Fuyao, we must persevere till the moon rises.¡± Meng Fuyao blinked and looked at the sky. ¡®Crap!¡¯ It was only dawn and to persist till moon rise? Even withbined force, Zhangsun Wuji and Zhan Beiye were no match against Gale in the past. Now, for them, who was already heavily injured, to fight against Cloud Soul and persist till nightfall? Cloud Soul that ranked sixth amongst the top ten, merely a rank below Gale? Zhan Beiye said, ¡°Focus on her Achilles heel¡­ Fuyao, you must not risk your life, I will protect you.¡± Meng Fuyao sealed an acupoint point on Zhan Nancheng, motioned for Little Seven to lead him away and guard over him, said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s just a day, no big deal.¡± She smiled as she moved a step forward. Zhan Beiye followed suit and Yun Heng who had been keeping silence, suddenly moved a step forward as well. Meng Fuyao pushed him away immediately and said, ¡°Don¡¯t try. Otherwise, I will kill you by pushing you down the cliff. ¡± ¡°Go ahead¡± Yun Heng replied undeterred, ¡°I will climb up again.¡± Meng Fuyao was annoyed, but Zhan Beiyemented with a smile, ¡°Brother Yun, heard you had a fortuitous encounter whilst in Taiyuan, you have shown great progress indeed.¡± Yun Heng responded with a smile, ¡°Nothingpared to Ms. Meng, however, I should be qualified to fight alongside her.¡± He looked towards Meng Fuyao and asked with a sparkle in his quiet eyes, ¡°Worthy?¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her nose and felt she was really unlucky. She had always thought Yun Heng was an honest and guileless child and certainly did not expect him to be so eloquent. She looked down and saw Lord Yuan Bao, who had been crouching on the floor took a step forward suddenly. Meng Fuyao stared at the small round ball, speechless. The ball did not bother with her either, as it stood there, slowly taking at out a seed and hugging it in its paws. Meng Fuyao looked at it nkly as she asked Zhan Beiye, confused, ¡°¡­ If I may just rify¡­ this is Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s new weapon¡­?¡± Zhan Beiye looked at that guinea pig with tears andughter. ¡°Stop fooling about, this is not a game.¡± Lord Yuan Bao dismissed hisment. On the other hand, Cloud Soul looked curiously at Lord Yuan Bao and asked, ¡°Where did thise from?¡± Meng Fuyao casually waved her hand. ¡°A friend¡¯s.¡± ¡°What friend?¡± Cloud Soul was more interested in Lord Yuan Bao than to fight. Determined to find out, she prompted again ¡°Who?¡± Meng Fuyao replied with a smile, ¡°Elder, you will have to kill me first for me to reveal anything.¡± Cloud Soul thought for a moment and proposed, ¡°If you give it to me, I will not fight with you all.¡± Meng Fuyao gulped. ¡®Seriously, Lord Yuan Bao is actually worth that much? Damn it, if I knew I should have auctioned him off.¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao spat valiantly against Cloud Soul¡¯s suggestion. Cloud Soul pulled back her sleeves and askedzily, ¡°How about it? One rat, three lives. There is no better deal out there.¡± She nced at the three in front of her and dered in an unhurried manner, ¡°The three of you are not weak, in fact, in your own category you are the stronger few. At your age, I might not even be as strong as the three of you. Regardless, if you all were to fight with me now, you all will definitely die.¡± She might have said it calmly, but Meng Fuyao knew that every word was the truth. A world-renowned fighter, putting aside her solid inner energy, her mere experience inbat as well as control over her unique arts was not something they, amateurs, could win against. Three lives. One rat. She squatted down and stared at Lord Yuan Bao. Meng Fuyao stroke Lord Yuan Bao and said sadly, ¡°I never knew you were worth this much¡­¡± Then she stood up, going face to face with a confident smile stered on Cloud Soul¡¯s face. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Cloud Soul raised her eyebrowzily and stretched out her hand to receive Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°You better kill me.¡± Simple decisions to make, yet, tragic could be the only word to describe it when ites to realizing those decisions. For example, to fight for one¡¯s life. Whilst Cloud Soul was still stunned by Meng Fuyao¡¯s words, the crafty Meng FuYao was already halfway in the air, ready bombarding Cloud Soul with kicks. To any top-notched master, any feints or fanciful tactics were meaningless. Only speed faster than lightning, strength and continuous attacks would work. Cloud Soul understood this even better than Meng Fuyao. As Meng Fuyao rushed up, she too had already flown over. One move was as intense as a bolt of lightning that struck across thend, the other move was akin to a typhoon as it stirred up everything in its way. The tyrannic wind rattled the stones on the ground as they retreated back to the cliffs, falling off. One could only hear the sound of the stones hitting the ground after what seemed like an eternity. In that lonesome mountain, the sound of the two forces colliding resounded throughout. The impact had dispersed the morning fog, and it seemed as though the first ray of light was too almost dispersed by the impact. The magnificent disy of power, was, unfortunately, still below Cloud Soul. Cloud Soul only smiledzily as she waved her sleeve calmly, blocking the three attacks with ease. Her inner energy flowed like the wind as she disappeared like an illusion. Without a single sound, presence, or even trace, her energy could appear anywhere in any possible direction. Her strong and crystal-like shield was able to block all forms of attacks. Pong¡ª The quickest attacker, Meng Fuyao was bounced away. Kacha¡ª Zhan Beiye had managed to get close to Cloud Soul and cut through her sleeves. Yet, in that veryst inch, he was forced back by that mysterious inner energy. His shoes dragged along the floor, producing sparks, as he tried to stop the impact to no avail. Only when he hit a rock did he manage toe to a hail. Chi¡ª Yun Heng¡¯s fast sword was usually faster than Meng Fuyao. Yet this time, his eyes could not even keep up with her figure, much less his sword. All he could was spot the remnants of her movements, and in his attempt tond a strike on her with his fastest move, Cloud Soul lifted her finger. All that was left in front of him was no Cloud Soul, but a bundle of clouds. Between the fog, a gentle yet strong pair of hands pushed Cloud Soul. Though unstable, Yun Heng¡¯s sword followed her and managed to catch her sleeve. As Zhan Beiye rushed towards Yun Heng, thetter had already teleported to Meng Fuyao¡¯s side and pushed her towards his sword. Yun Heng panicked as he tried to keep his sword. In the midst of the thick fog, Meng Fuyao and Yun Heng lost track of each other. Afraid of affecting Yun Heng¡¯s attack, she tried to evade the sword. Suddenly, she felt nothing under her feet. Unknowingly, she was at the corner of the cliff. Meng Fuyao fell straight. Yun Heng immediately pounced over, grabbing onto Meng Fuyao with all his might. This pounce caused the sharp edges of the rock to cut into the arms of Yun Heng. Blood flowed down along the patterns of the stones, dripping onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. ¡°Hold on to me¡ª¡± The young man with an anxious gaze crouched at the corner of the cliff holding onto her so desperately that his fingers turned cold. She lifted her head up and smiled at him. She wiped off the blood on her face and leaped high up back onto the cliff. As the fog dispersed, Cloud Soul could no longer hide herself. She lifted up her head and watched as a de headed straight for her. ¡°Very well!¡± Cloud Soul had to avoid this attack. With a sh, Lord Yuan Bao snatched the opportunity as Cloud Soul was avoiding the de and attacked her throat. Cloud Soul chuckled. ¡°Even a little thing like you dares to bully me!¡± She flicked her finger and flung Lord Yuan Bao away. Meng Fuyao caught it as Zhan Beiye, and Yun Heng attacked once again. ¡°Great chemistry!¡± Cloud Soul praised. She had experienced the trio¡¯s ability and dared not treat them as lightly. Those continuous current flows became stronger. Cloud Soul was smart. She could tell that the two males cared for Meng Fuyao and focused her attacks on her, forcing Zhan Beiye and Yun Heng to give up their teamwork. However, Meng Fuyao¡¯s courage and bravery made her apprehensive. A woman with wounds all over, yet, Fuyao was still so determined and resolute. Regardless of how many times she was flung out, she would always stand back up. Lord Yuan Bao weaved between the people. This guinea pig was really sly and sharp, with a frightening ability to decipher the moves. With every attack it made, it was urate and helpful to the trio. At the same time, Cloud Soul had expressed her obvious interest in this guinea pig so regardless of what this guinea pig did, she would not bear to kill it. The battle that consisted of four humans and one guinea pigsted for over two hours. After two hours, Lord Yuan Bao raised the white g and surrendered. The wounded trio looked at each other ¡ª everyone was pale and breathless. Even if Cloud Soul did not kill them, they would probably die of exhaustion if they continued fighting. After contemting, Meng Fuyao raised her hand. This act caught Cloud Soul by surprise, and she stopped her attack. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Lord Yuan Bao needs to change his diapers,¡± said Meng Fuyao with a straight face, ¡°If not, it will have hemorrhoids.¡± The ¡®for sale rat¡¯ rolled his eyes. ¡®Brat, seriously? Can¡¯t you use a more sophisticated reason to stall for time? For example, the well rounded and elegant Lord Yuan Bao needs to practice its dance, it needs to practice its singing. Can¡¯t you?¡¯ Chapter 143 - Untitled Chapter 143: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Cloud Soul was stunned, not expecting something like that toe out from Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth. After a while, she uttered, ¡°Then change.¡± Meng Fuyao pulled the two over behind the mountain rock as she sped the guinea pig in her hand. Behind the rock, the trio immediately copsed onto the ground. Meng Fuyao felt as though every single bone in her body was going to shatter as she grimaced. ¡°Zhan Beiye¡­ can notst¡­¡± Yun Heng, slightly breathless, asked, ¡°Why do we need to wait till nightfall?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a guess¡­ perhaps a hope¡­ tonight is a full moon¡­¡± Zhan Beiye muttered to himself irresolutely. Smiling bitterly, he said, ¡°Hang in there, let¡¯s see if we have this luck.¡± The trio seized the moment to heal themselves. Meng Fuyao gave out the Ajuga grass medicine like it was free, ¡°Eat! Eat! It would be useless when you are dead!¡± Cloud Soul sat behind the rock in a trance. ¡°Hey, continue,¡± she called them over, estimating that they were done changing the diapers. This battlested for another two hours as the trio took turns to get flung out. There were stters of blood all over the floor. This round, the spoils of this battle consisted of a piece of Cloud Soul¡¯s sleeve, half a nail and three strands of white hair. Once again, Meng Fuyao raised her hand, ¡°Yuan Bao needs his milk¡­¡± In the next round, the trio had an addition of 38 scars. The spoils of this battle was a small slit on Cloud Soul¡¯s shoulder by Zhan Beiye. Meng Fuyao raised her hand. ¡°Yuan Bao needs to pee¡­¡± In the next round, Yun Heng waved his sword which was identally stopped by Meng Fuyao, the two coincided. Panting, Meng Fuyao raised her hand. ¡°Yuan Bao¡­ needs to sleep¡­¡± In the next round, Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Nightfall¡­ Nightfall¡­¡± as she attempted to climb back up to fight. Zhan Beiye pulled her back as he stood back up unsteadily, with his sword supporting, ¡°Elder¡­ please¡­¡± The brilliant orb of amber sunk lower and lower in the sky until it dipped down into the horizon, painting the sky with magnificent hues of fiery red and crimson purple. With every inch the sun lowered, it was as though Zhan Beiye could see another glimmer of hope. His eyes sparkled with anticipation. On the other hand, for Cloud Soul, frustration grew with time. Cloud Soul¡¯splexion was no better. For her, whose ability swept through the martial art world, to not be able to kill the three youths, despite using her full power, was thoroughly exasperating. She looked at the sky impatiently. The initial calm andzy expression were now reced with a look of frustration. With a snort, her palms turned into fists, directing her punches at them. Those fair and slender hands pounded harshly and cruelly into Zhan Beiye¡¯s chest. Zhan Beiye punched out too with all his might. The two collided. Cloud Soul took a step back and vomited a mouthful of blood. On the other hand, Zhan Beiye flew out like a kite with a broken string. He plummeted into the ground filled with gravel and mud beside Meng Fuyao. Yun Heng beside him had lost conscious, and Meng Fuyao was breathless as she struggled to move closer to Zhan Beiye. Barely audible, she whispered, ¡°¡­ blurred vision¡­ can¡¯t see the sky¡­ is it nightfall already?¡± His heart trembled in pain as he gently covered her eyes with his hand andforted her, ¡°¡­ almost¡­¡± ¡°Not ¡­ here yet¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s voice was filled with disappointment. What quickly followed was humorlessughter as she copsed onto the ground, mumbling, ¡°Zhan Beiye, in the end, we still couldn¡¯t make it through, huh¡­¡± Zhan Beiye carefully wiped off the blood stains at the corner of her mouth. He looked at the agitated Cloud Soul standing by the cliff and smiled. His smile was gentle and calm, contrasting against his usual loud, cheerfulughter. ¡°Fuyao, I feel like this is the happiest moment in my entire life ¡ª to fight together, to kill together, to risk our lives together¡­ and to die together¡­¡± As the murderous aura overwhelmed them, miles away, flowers were blooming, andughter was in the air. ¡­ Back to a few days ago, it was probably when Meng Fuyao had just stepped onto the soil of Heaven Demon nation, bathing under the warm rays of light. The rays of light too shone into the Imperial Study at Wuji Pce. The Imperial Study was filled with tiles of gold, reflecting a lone figure of a man buried in documents. The door creaked open softly as a eunuch cautiously brought more documents into the room, leaving it on the desk. Zhangsun Wuji stared at the mountain of documents he had to look through and leaned back as he frowned unconsciously ¡ª in the past, he never felt that dealing with the national affairs was a chore, but these days, he found that to rule a country was a troublesome matter. The eunuch observed his expression and carefully moved backward. Drawing the blinds, the eunuch let in rays of light,posing what looked like a beautiful poem with rows of words. Zhangsun Wuji watched the light rays mindlessly and suddenly inquired,¡± What has the princess been up to these days?¡± ¡°Various discussions and visits to the senior.¡± The eunuch knew what Wuji was asking without him spelling out and continued, ¡°She requested for an audience once, but the servants said that you were not around, like what you ordered.¡± Zhangsun Wuji contemted. ¡°The princess has been out for a long time. I believe that Xuanji Empress would miss her and be very worried about her? I¡¯ve also heard that the princess had encountered bandits on ournd? Send my orders to the Ministry of Rites, to write a letter of apology to Xuanji, stating our inability to protect the princess, letting her almost fall into the hands of the bandits¡­ well, they know how to write.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The eunuch bowed. As he bowed, the corner of his mouth twitched. He knew that the crown prince was finally going to chase that princess away out of frustration. That Empress of Xuanji was a renowned jealousdy that cared deeply about Princess Lotus, who could strengthen her position and bring about great reputation to the country. She would definitely send someone to bring the princess back immediately upon news that she hade face to face with danger. In the future, even if the princess wanted to travel around in the name of Buddha, it would be challenging. He turned around to pass down the order and suddenly remembered something. ¡°Crown prince, a few days ago, the empress heard that the princess was arriving and mentioned that she wanted the Ministry of Rites to arrange a meeting.¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s busy hands that were going over the documents stopped. His expression remained unmoved though he lifted an eyebrow. He paused, ¡°Then?¡± ¡°The Ministry of Rites said that they will report to the Crown Prince,¡± the eunuch pointed to the document sitting on the table, ¡°It is inside.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wuji casually flipped through the documents and ced one of the documents in a golden box, ¡°Leave it 1 .¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The eunuch retreated. Zhangsun Wuji suddenly lost interest in dealing with national affairs. He pushed the documents on the table, and he stood up. He walked towards the open window, weing a gentle breeze into the study. The breeze wasced with a delightful fresh fragrance of Magnolia flowers, filling up the room with a pleasant aroma. Zhangsun Wuji stood by the window as he looked at the maid kneeling down to pick flowers in the imperial garden. The youngdy¡¯s slender finger reminded him of a familiar loved one. The corners of his mouth raised slightly as he caught a petal between his fingers, carving a word on the petal¡­ A familiar sound code reached his ears. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hands stopped, but he did not turn around, ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°There is chaos in the Heaven Demon Nation, and Prince Lie went missing in Changhan mountain range¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned around abruptly, ¡°What about her?¡± The man in grey raised his head to meet Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s gaze. The frightening darkness in his eyes actually made the man cower in fear. Softly, he reported, ¡°ording to investigations, Zhan Nancheng had brought tens of thousands of soldiers to ambush Zhan Beiye at the entrance of the Changhan mountain range. There was someone that rushed to save Zhan Beiye and disappeared with him¡­ and¡­¡± The man in grey daren¡¯t go on. Zhangsun Wuji closed his eyes to regain hisposure. He paused and calmly opened his eyes. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°They were forced into the Changhan forest, also known as the forest of death. Apparently, no one can get out of the forest alive. Some subordinates risked their lives to enter the forest and discovered the remains of a corpse. From the signs of the corpse, it died only a few days prior. Though some subordinates tried to go deeper into the forest, three died in a single day¡­ they had no choice but to retreat¡­¡± They were the elites of the Wuji secret force. To have three people die in a forest in a single day was unprecedented. No one said anything or made any movement. The atmosphere got heavier and colder to the point of suffocation. It was as though someone was using a gigantic ice boulder to put pressure on the atmosphere. No one could breathe nor escape. The man in grey remained upright as cold sweat gradually formed on his forehead. Zhansun Wuji stayed silent, without any reaction. The magnolia petal in between his fingers suddenly, but slowly, dried silently. He crushed the petal in his grip as his fingernails dug into his palm. ¡­ Bam! ¡®We will die together.¡¯ Zhan Beiyeid on the floor. Beside him was a half-conscious Meng Fuyao and a fully unconscious Yun Heng. Even Lord Yuan Bao was sweating profusely as it panted. Cloud Soul slowly made her way over. She looked into the resolute eyes of Zhan Beiye and calmly uttered the words, ¡°You three have lost, though in glory.¡± Zhan Beiye let out a long sigh. He knew that this sentence came from the bottom of her heart and knew that this was a recognition of their abilities as a top-notch young fighter from one of the strongest martial artists. For 30 years, in the Five Region Continent, there was no one else that could cross more than a hundred moves with the top ten martial artists. Especially with the top five martial artists not fighting anymore, Cloud Soul was definitely the number one martial artist. And today, they had an intense battle with this almost mythic person and even injured her with their experience and inner energy. That was to say, if it were a one-on-one battle, the three of them could cross over a hundred moves with Cloud Soul. It was an achievement worthy of admiration. One that was unprecedented, one that might never ur again. Zhan Beiye only smiled. ¡°Actually, I am very grateful to you.¡± Cloud Soul¡¯s gazended on his hand that held tightly onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands. She watched him as his bloody fingers carefully, preciously touched Meng Fuyao¡¯s broken finger. She witnessed him holding onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand, trying to transmit some inner energy over despite him too suffering. Pain shed in her eyes as she watched him disy his love for Fuyao. It was as though her heart was being pierced by something. Chapter 144 - Untitled Chapter 144: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The sight took Cloud Soul¡¯s breath away. The sky slowly darkened. In the horizon, the crimson red sunset gradually disappeared into the depths of the mountain in the west. The idyllic rose-colored setting was reced by a splendid shade of turquoise, and as their surroundings dimmed, their shadows vanished as well. Night time was impending, and the bright moon was about to rise. Cloud Soul finally sighed. ¡°I swore¡­ to protect the heir of the Zhan family, and never pardon their enemies.¡± White velvet mist circted around her extended hand. Instead of defending himself, Zhan Beiye secretly pressed his palm on Meng Fuyao¡¯s back, waiting to push her out as long as Cloud Soul attacked. Not far behind, Little Seven was waiting to receive them. He would definitely be able to catch Meng Fuyao. Without any warning, the mist neared Zhan Beiye¡¯s chest! Zhan Beiye gave a low holler, and thest bit of his inner energy prated out of his body, though it was not directed at Cloud Soul¡¯s murderous move. Instead, he gave a strong push towards his back. ¡°Little Seven, catch!¡± Thed rushed forward, yet he did not catch Meng Fuyao whose body made a clean arc in the air. Without looking back, he barked, ¡°You guys catch!¡± He zoomed past Meng Fuyao and without saying a word, thrust his pike towards Cloud Soul. Zhan Beiye was exasperated. ¡°Bastard, scram!¡± he barked. Little Seven retorted arrogantly, ¡°I will scram after saving you!¡± He went head-on, violently stabbing his pike at Cloud Soul from left and right, with no sense of control in his movements. He was an underground gangster, a homelessd who had been fighting on the streets since he lost his parents at the age of three until Zhan Beiye took him in and personally taught him martial arts. But he was not as uncultured as how he appeared ¡ª he was sharp to realize that Cloud Soul was a woman and had a natural disadvantage in stamina. She would have the lower hand if she exhausted all her inner energy after a day of intense fighting. Facing someone like her, it was better to just fight than try to trick her. Little Seven wielded his pike, using all of his strength in every attack he made. He seemed to be able to hear the slight tears in his ligaments and muscles for overusing his body, and he could feel his body slightly shivering like he was about to melt into a pool of mud. Yet for his every strike, he would still use the same amount of strength. The fine stones on the cliff were swirled away by the violent wind. Cloud Soul¡¯s face darkened with anger, and she icily asked, ¡°A clown like you dare to provoke me?¡± With a wave of her sleeves, Little Seven was forcefully thrown out. However, while he was still in mid-air, he used his pike as an anchor on the ground to swivel himself back, aiming towards Cloud Soul and using exactly the same attack! Cloud Soul raised her eyebrow so high that it almost looked vertical. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with everyone I met today? Why didn¡¯t they know how to shun, or fend for themselves, or run away? Why did they only know how to foolishly use their body and flesh to persevere through my attacks?¡¯ she thought. Extending her arms in frustration, she sent Little Seven flying in the air time after time. She disdained Little Seven as a being too inferior for her to kill; if everyone got to know that one of the top ten martial artists like her bullied a servant, her reputation would be tarnished. Little Seven slowly contributed to the blood stains sttered on the ground, but he continued tough as he blocked Zhan Beiye¡¯s body. Every time he felt faint due to exhaustion, he would grab a handful of sand and forcefully smear it all over his face. The rough sand resulted in searing pain, but even under great grief, he wiped off the blood on his face and dashed ahead again. That long pike had no g attached to it at all, but the air of determination and belief around it shot into the sky. Let his blood be the ink, and the sky be its g! Zhan Beiye was speechless and had no more strength left to verbally stop Little Seven. He quietly looked away and stared at the moon on the horizon. The moonlight was rising! Tonight, was the night of the full moon! Finally, after Little Seven risked his life to fight for time, the golden and round moon rose from the tip of the cliff, engulfed in a sea of velvety clouds. Cloud Soul suddenly looked up. When she saw the full moon, her expression changed. After listening intently to her surroundings for a few seconds, she silently rose above the ground. As she floated in the air, her weapon dimmed and glowed in her hands. Finally, without any hesitation, she flung it with great power towards Little Seven¡¯s skull. Plop! It was not the sound of a skull being cracked open. The weapon had been captured into a, and it hit against a soft item. It was a dazzling, with every line as bright as silver, looking shiny and clear; a gentle pluck of it would produce dreamy rays of silvery light. At times, the was like the string of a legendary instrument that one would y while basking in the beautiful spring; other times, it felt like the silk scarves that smoothly flowed through the hands of beautiful women. When it did not move, it was like a pool of calm water as refined as jade ¡ª when it flew, it became the purest and brightest stroke of moonlight. The lingering moonlight once cherished deceased beauties, sighed over diminishing prosperities, reflected the liveliness of dynasties and witnessed emotional farewells. Over the countless years, be it in the past or present, the moonlight was forever silvery-bright. The moonlight was in the arms of the person who stood in the moon. As the cool moonlight shone from above, the person was so in that he looked like one of the beams of light. His long and narrow fingers were as white as the moon, and they held onto the dazzling. The elegant and charming eyes looked towards Cloud Soul. He slowly spoke, ¡°Why are you hiding from me?¡± Cloud Soul¡¯s expression continually changed. Ever since that man appeared, she had kept her back facing him, and she refused to turn back. She was fidgety as if she did not know where to ce her hands. Twice she seemed to be desperately attempting to stick her grey hair in her cor, but both times she gave up, and could only look away without knowing what to do. Yet that man seemed to be oblivious towards her tiny movements and unweing posture, and he casually walked up. Light had be extremely bright ever since he came, so it was natural for one to feel that only a figure who hid in the moon would be so ring. But these few steps he took would make one realize that he was, in fact, the moonlight. Inner energy radiated around him and hazy rays of light surrounded him. Wherever he walked, it was as though a magnificent radiance was added to the scenery. He had long silver hair that shone when he moved, and a captivating and joyful appearance so eye-catching that it was hard to distinguish his gender. When he smiled, his lips were like a crescent moon that seemed far but charming. Though he exuded a cold presence, his expression was warm and especially when he looked towards Cloud Soul, it felt strangely like a moon on fire. Throwing Little Seven away to a faraway ce, hemented, ¡°So smelly and dirty, don¡¯te and suffocate my dear Cloud.¡± When Cloud Soul heard ¡°my dear Cloud¡±, she immediately wanted to flee, but she was held back by the. As the man slowly pulled back the until she was standing right in front of him, hemented, ¡°My dear Cloud, you always mercilessly run away from me. If it wasn¡¯t because of the full moon that strengthened my tracking abilities, I wouldn¡¯t have found you even till now.¡± Cloud Soul stiffened her back and was determined to not look back. She leaned forward, grudgingly trying to resist the with all her strength, but she did not see the eerie smile on the man¡¯s face. By that time, she was already fully exhausted from a day¡¯s battle, and she was of no match to the man who hade well-prepared. Exasperated, she barked, ¡°Moon Soul, bother me again, and I will fight till death with you!¡± ¡°You have said this for 38 years, a total of 217 times,¡± said Moon Soul as he wickedly checked her out from top to bottom, his eyes seeming to caress what he saw. ¡°Come, let¡¯s fight till death then.¡± He said this line in such a lingering and suggestive manner that one would almost have a nosebleed from hearing this. Even though Cloud Soul back-faced him, it was not hard to notice that her neck had turned red. She stammered, but no word was expressed. Moon Soul remained silent too. As he gazed at Cloud Soul¡¯s figure, his joyous and bold expression was slowly reced by one of loneliness and sadness. As Cloud Soul continued to give the cold shoulder, Meng Fuyao ¨C who regained some of her inner energy ¨C ran over to Zhan Beiye¡¯s side. As she panted, she stared at Moon Soul in a daze. ¡°This is the person you¡¯ve been waiting for?¡± she asked. Zhan Beiye heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°He finally came,¡± he said. ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhan Beiye smiled in a slightly cheeky way. ¡°I just know of a legend that Moon Soul has been chasing after Cloud Soul for many years. For some reason, Cloud Soul refuses to ept his pursuit and hides away from him every time. Then one day, when she wasn¡¯t paying attention, Moon Soul nted a mark in her body. From then on, whenever there was a full moon, he would use his ¡®Moon Attracts Tide¡¯ to sense Cloud Soul¡¯s location¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Meng Fuyao raised her hand and interrupted, as suspicion grew in her mind. ¡°You were so sure that he woulde? What if he had othermitments? What if he was far away? What if he wasn¡¯t even in Heaven Demon?¡± Zhan Beiye innocently replied, ¡°That¡¯s why I said that it depended on our luck¡­¡± ¡°You told us to persevere till night time, just because he ¡®might¡¯e?¡± Meng Fuyao asked, nearly copsing on the floor. With a tiny bit of hope left, she added, ¡°So if he¡¯s here, he¡¯ll definitely save us?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Zhan Beiye answered honestly. ¡°Moon Soul¡¯s emotions are unpredictable. He does things ording to his mood, and his mood ispletely based on Cloud Soul¡¯s actions. So¡­ he might help us, or kill us even before Cloud Soul does.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. His mood depended on Cloud Soul¡¯s attitude? Weren¡¯t they dead meat then? Judging from Cloud Soul¡¯s actions, Moon Soul would likely get rejected for the 217th time. Wouldn¡¯t they die sooner? ¡°I am going to die because of you,¡± Meng Fuyao howled. ¡°You can¡¯t fool people like that.¡± ¡°Fuyao,¡± Zhan Beiye held her hands and earnestly said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t say this, we would have had no motivation to hang on after half a day. We would have died by then.¡± Meng Fuyao became silent. Momentster, she sucked in her breath, patted on his shoulders and smiled. ¡°Yes, with hopees the strength to continue.¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her distorted face, a tinge of sadness shing through his eyes. There were some things that no one gave him hope at all, but he still did not want to give up. For example, this woman in front of him. But Meng Fuyao was ignorant about his expression. She kept staring at the pair, and her eyeballs darted back and forth between the two. Suddenly, she nudged Zhan Beiye and whispered quite excitedly, ¡°Hey, is Moon Soul male or female? Tsk tsk, what a pretty transgender.¡± Her voice was kept very low, but Moon Soul heard her. Turning back, he drawled, ¡°You cane over personally to examine me.¡± Not a speck of blush appeared on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. Lying on the floor like a dead dog, she stared at his beauty and spoke, ¡°Senior Moon Soul, I have a piece of advice. Do you want to hear?¡± Chapter 145 - Untitled Chapter 145: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Moon Soul tugged on the in a clingy manner ¨C he had eyes only for Moon Soul. It was obvious that her appearance was far less beautiful than his, but one would think that he was staring at a legendary beauty from the way that he looked at her. He casually replied, ¡°Yes?¡± Meng Fuyao straightened her expression. ¡°This advice is really important. I can¡¯t possibly give it without anything in return,¡± she bargained. Finally, Moon Soul looked at her in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re indeed a sly woman. You want me to protect your lives? Sure, provided that the advice is useful,¡± he smiled, and he slowly added, ¡°Otherwise¡­ I will kill you first.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Meng Fuyao agreed without any hesitation, while she resolutely shook away Zhan Beiye¡¯s hand. On the other side, Cloud Soul turned her head in anger and barked, ¡°Moon Soul, on what basis are you interfering in my affairs?¡± ¡°On the basis that I have chased you for 38 years, and on the basis that I dare to admit in front of these juniors that I have chased you for 38 years.¡± Moon Soul was not furious, but every word he said sounded like sharp diamonds. Meeting his gaze, Cloud Soul immediately turned mute and hurriedly looked away. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao was slowly climbing onto her feet. Zhan Beiye struggled to pull her back, begging, ¡°Fuyao, don¡¯t take the risk! We have other chances to survive!¡± Oblivious, Meng Fuyao ordered, ¡°Rat, go!¡± The guinea pig leaped forward and stuck his fat body in Zhan Beiye¡¯s mouth to shut him up. Spitting out the guinea pig, Zhan Beiye tried to push himself up to stop Meng Fuyao, but he was too badly injured from the individual fight with Cloud Soul. He copsed back on the ground, almost suffocating the guinea pig. Meng Fuyao did not look back. She held her knife and slowly walked towards Moon Soul, who turned towards her with his silver in hand. Looking at him up close, she realized that his appearance never aged and his youth was eternal,pletely different from Splendor of Stars who looked handsome from far but shabby when near. Meng Fuyao stared at his face ¨C which was as clear as the bright moon ¨C and a pang of jealousy hit her. How tragic it was for women that someone in the world could be so blessed as to never age! She stole a nce at Cloud Soul, who stood as stiff as a wooden doll. Cloud Soul kept twirling her fingers around her hair, continuously trying to pluck off those grey strands that were iparable to Moon Soul¡¯s magnificent silver ones. Meng Fuyao smiled and confirmed her suspicion. After taking her time to walk up to Moon Soul, she whispered in his ear, ¡°I will teach you how to chase women.¡± As she spoke in a very soft voice, he almost could not hear what she said except for thest word. Coincidentally, Cloud Soul heard that word too, and Meng Fuyao caught her tensing up from the corner of the eye. Moon Soul doubted, ¡°You? A young girl, whose teeth have yet to fully grow, knows how?¡± ¡°Quality over quantity for teeth,prehension over age for chasing women,¡± Meng Fuyao answered as she showcased the perfect one-and-a-half-teeth smile. She stood so close to Moon Soul that she was almost brushing against his shoulders. Moon Soul was preupied in his thoughts, so he did not notice, but Cloud Soul kept looking over once in a while. Smiling wickedly, Meng Fuyao tugged on Moon Soul and said, ¡°Senior, let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡± ¡°No, she will run away,¡± Moon Soul rejected, refusing to let go of the. ¡°I promise you that she won¡¯t,¡± Meng Fuyao leaned in and mumbled, ¡°You want to know how she feels towards you? Follow me.¡± It wasical that she smiled like a witch even though her face was badly bruised. Seeing her sparkling bright eyes made him feel pressured, so Moon Soul conceded, but he warned, ¡°If she runs, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Up to you.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned with confidence. Cloud Soul indeed remained at her spot. Still back-facing Moon Soul, she shouted, ¡°I want to kill these people before leaving!¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°After I finish my intimate conversation with Senior Moon Soul, you can kill us however you want.¡± Under her sleeves, Cloud Soul clenched her fist so tightly that her veins could be seen. She looked away in silence. Moon Soul nced at Cloud Soul¡¯s figure, and thoughts seemed to run through his mind. After they crossed a boulder, he spoke to Meng Fuyao, ¡°In the past 217 times, this is the first time that she has not run away.¡± Squatting behind the boulder with a strand of grass in her mouth, Meng Fuyao scolded Cloud Soul, ¡°Senior, forgive me, but you really are quite dumb.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± came the reply. It was a strong nasal sound, and the temperature in the air seemed to drop by a few degrees. ¡°Do you know why she doesn¡¯t ept you?¡± asked Meng Fuyao. This line sessfully managed to change the icy and murderous atmosphere to a warm and romantic one. ¡°Inferiority! Inferiority!¡± she continued. ¡°Inferiority?¡± the old yet beautiful man muttered in disbelief. ¡°She feels inferior for what?¡± Meng Fuyao sighed in exasperation. ¡®This man is even weirder than Cloud Soul!¡¯ ¡°Youe over here,¡± she said as she dragged Moon Soul over to a puddle of water. ¡°Have a look at yourself. You never age, and your youth is eternal. You are so beautiful that any human would be jealous of you.¡± Staring at his reflection among the ripples, Moon Soul innocently agreed, ¡°Eh? It seems so. Sigh, I haven¡¯t looked at myself in the mirror for so many years.¡± Meng Fuyao desperately tried to suppress her desire to beat someone up. Patiently, she continued to advise him, ¡°You are blessed, your appearance remains the same. But what about her? She¡¯s young but her hair has grayed, and her appearance is in.¡± ¡°Even so, she shouldn¡¯t reject me,¡± answered Moon Soul. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that I¡¯m beautiful.¡± ¡°You are better than her in martial arts too, am I right? But you gave up your position in the rankings out of your love for her, is that so?¡± Moon Soul kept quiet. A whileter, he said, ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t like losing to me.¡± ¡®What a fool¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. He¡¯s totally ignorant of the fact that women were animals who did not mean what they said. Intentionally losing to her would only make her feel even more upset. ¡°Let me ask you: do you usually speak without thinking, and especially like to say flirty things around women?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± asked Moon Soul as he slowly kept his. ¡°Actually, other than her, everyone is of the same gender to me.¡± ¡®What a fool-¡® Meng Fuyao almost wanted to explode. ¡°You don¡¯t differentiate between genders, but she does!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You are so beautiful, and that is enough to make her feel inferior. You give up your ranking, and she¡¯ll think that it¡¯s because you can¡¯t bother to fight with her. Your appearance is splendid, and you¡¯re flirtatious, so you¡¯re definitely always being surrounded by beauties. At the same time, you have a carefree soul and have no idea how to keep away from women ¨C how will she feel looking at you?¡± Moon Soul was stunned, as though he had just been struck by lightning. This beautiful man zoned out under the moonlight. Furrowing his brows, he mumbled, ¡°I have been wrong the whole time?¡± As Meng Fuyao studied him, she felt that these top martial artists were actually all quite pitiful. They devoted so much time into sharpening their skills that their mental health started having problems. Furthermore, people who stayed in high positions for long usually were the ones who could not understand the simplest reasons. With their status, people feared them more than they felt affectionate towards them. Hence, everyone liked to stay away from these top figures. That was why, after so many years, no one actually dared to take the risk to advise this pair of romantically-dumb lovers. ¡°Hey, so do you mean-¡± Moon Soul suddenly grabbed onto Meng Fuyao as he asked, ¡°She doesn¡¯t not like me, but doesn¡¯t dare to like me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Meng Fuyao patted his shoulders in a brotherly fashion as she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re too beautiful, too powerful and too flirtatious, and don¡¯t seem reliable. She¡¯s scared that she will be even more wounded if she opens her heart to you. If so, she might as well never ept you, and still see you for a few more times.¡± Laughing cunningly, she spoke softly in his ear, ¡°If not, why would she always be ¡®found¡¯ by you?¡± Moon Soul nced sideways at her. ¡°Such a young age and you¡¯re like an expert on love.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled arrogantly. ¡°Thanks for the praise.¡± Secretly, she looked towards the frustrated Cloud Soul and chuckled. ¡°See, she¡¯s jealous, she¡¯s jealous¡­¡± Unexpectedly, Moon Soul asked, ¡°I think those two guys have an interest in you. Why are they not jealous when you act like you¡¯re really close to me?¡± Meng Fuyao was taken aback. She twitched her brows and replied, ¡°We¡¯re friends, what¡¯s there to be jealous about?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m really a fool?¡± Moon Soulughed heartily. Rolling her eyes at him, Meng Fuyao emphasized, ¡°Trust, do you know what trust is? What the two of youck most is trust.¡± ¡°¡­ Trust¡­¡± Moon Soul muttered as memories seemed to flood back. ¡°We actually grew up as close friends. 38 years ago, I always liked her, and I thought that she knew. I originally intended to propose to her at the end of the year, but she was down with a strange disease during Mid-Autumn and her hair turned gray after that. At that time, I was still roaming around, and I wanted to visit her when I heard about it. Coincidentally, Fog saved me when I was fighting my enemies, and I brought her along with me since she expressed her interest to visit my hometown. Fog and I went to visit her on that day, and when Fog pushed open the door, she was looking at her reflection in the mirror. When she turned around and saw us, the mirror fell and cracked¡­¡± Meng Fuyao did not say a word. Looking at Moon Soul who was pacing up and down, she thought of how this woman would always be slightly in a daze and always trying to break apart her hair strands. She recalled Moon Soul¡¯s awkward and weird personality, her proiming that she was the most miserable woman on earth despite her status, and her hurt expression when she heard the line ¡°close female friends¡±. 38 years ago, when she was so depressed that her hair turned gray while she was still in her teenage years, how hurt did she feel when she saw her lovering hand-in-hand with another woman who had a perfect appearance? So hurt that she still could not get over it until now? It turned out that she was just a pitiful person who kept worrying over love and choosing to escape from reality. Meng Fuyao neared Moon Soul and gently asked, ¡°Do you want to know how she feels towards you?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°This way!¡± All of a sudden, Meng Fuyao packed a powerful punch. Amid the raging sound of the wind, she hollered, ¡°Since you won¡¯t allow me to live, let¡¯s all die together!¡± Her punchnded on Moon Soul, who was closer to her. As he was already back-facing the cliff, her unexpected move caused him to fall off! A gray light shed by at the speed of lightning. Moon Soul dashed over at an unbelievable speed and saw no one, not even the murderer, Meng Fuyao. Leaping off the cliff, she shouted in anxiety, ¡°Moon-¡± She fell from the cliff, with an unwavering sense of determination. She fell into a hug that was long overdue. Under the cliff, the moon-like man silently held open his arms, waiting for the hug that he had anticipated for 38 years. When the light, gray-haired woman really jumped down from the cliff without any hesitation into his arms, his eyes turned red in an instant. Chapter 146 - Untitled Chapter 146: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Moon Soul released his hand, allowing the silver around their bodies to hang from the cliff as it casually swayed them from side to side. Hugging her tightly, he rubbed his chin carefully and affectionately against her forehead. When he spoke his voice was gentle, like the moonlight half-hidden behind the mist and mountain, and his usual charming tone was reced by one of solemness and sadness. ¡°My dear Cloud, I have been waiting for you to call me this way for 38 years,¡± he said. Cloud Soul understood what happened the moment she fell into his arms. She was about to struggle, but her heart wrenched at the sadness in his tone. Leaning in his arms, she realized that she had not been in contact with this familiar yet foreign masculine scent in 38 years. The moonlight was calm and chilly, illuminating the pair of lovers hidden amongst the velvety white mist in the depths of the dark mountain. A wave of feelings ¨C shyness, joy, and heartache ¨C swept pass Cloud Soul as she stayed in Moon Soul¡¯s hug. For a moment, she forgot where she was, only vaguely hearing Moon Soul say, ¡°So this appearance can ruin things too¡­¡± Then, there was the sound of shuffling. She did not know what Moon Soul was doing, but she was reluctant to leave his warmth, so she stayed still and kept quiet. The moon illuminated the actions of the magnificent man. As he gently sucked in his breath and blew out a speck of light, his silvery-white hair darkened to a shade of grayish-white, which looked even more withered than Cloud Soul¡¯s hair. Simrly, fine wrinkles started to emerge on his beautiful and youthful appearance. Those creases on the corners of his eyes and lips immediately made him look 20 years older. He smiled, leaping upwards and gentlynding on the cliff. The whole time, he did not let go of Cloud Soul and hugged her tightly while she, who was overwhelmed with shyness, turned away from him awkwardly. Suddenly, there was a cry from Meng Fuyao, who pointed towards Moon Soul¡¯s aged appearance and white hair. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± she uttered in shock. Moon Soul beamed and waved his sleeve. A silvery object flew from his palms towards her. ¡°This is a one-of-a-kind treasure from my sect. The inner energy stored here can only be rivaled by an expert wielder, who must have trained for more than 50 years and has extremely pure inner energy. My eternal youth was all thanks to this, and since I have no use for it anymore, I¡¯ll just pass it to you.¡± Meng Fuyao held the small round object in her palms, and without the silvery light, it looked translucent like a sarira. She hesitated as she nced at the object¡­¡¯This gift, seems to be a bit too much?¡¯ Meanwhile, Cloud Soul looked up. Upon seeing Moon Soul¡¯s face, she let out a cry and tears filled her face. She was left speechless and tear-stricken, and could only stare at his face, his still charming smile, and magnificent aura. That night, he had given up on his appearance that never aged in 38 years, just for her. Once he understood her inferiorityplex, he was willing to downgrade any trait that made her feel ufortable. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s hard to find someone who loves you,¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly spoke, as she nced at the couple on the cliff. ¡°Senior Moon Soul has proven to you that nothing is more important than you. So please, in the future, give up on your so-called inferiorityplex and learn to trust him.¡± Cloud Soul looked briefly at Meng Fuyao. A whileter, sheughed. ¡°Should I thank you or scold you?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t kill me.¡± Meng Fuyao shrugged. ¡°I will still bring away Zhan Nancheng as I have taken a vow before. Afterward, I will quit mymitment towards the Heaven Demon royalty and never interfere in the matters of the Zhan family again,¡± said Cloud Soul as her fingers flicked, revealing a small box. ¡°I think that I still need to thank you. This is a small object that I have been holding on to for decades, but have never figured out its utility. If you can find out, count yourself lucky.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned like a Cheshire cat. Though she suffered quite a bit that day, it was a worthy experience. Moon Soul smiled as he flew away with Cloud Soul and Zhan Nancheng in his hands, disappearing into the stars and clouds. As his figure faded away, Meng Fuyao thought back of his smile that was peaceful and satisfying, and that beam seemed even more beautiful than the one he wore when she was first shocked by his appearance. She turned back, looking at the shaky Zhan Beiye, the arousing Yun Hen, the blood-coated Little Seven, and the gluttonous guinea pig. The sky above her was clear and windy as the clouds had vanished, and she felt satisfied. ¡®Every cloud has a silver lining.¡¯ After leaving the Mount Luo Feng, Meng Fuyao, Zhan Beiye, and Yun Hen were immediately directed to a residence in the western side of Pandu City to recuperate. Externally, the residence looked like a normal one that anyone would possess, but its inner structure was shockingly wide andplicated. From the booby traps to the secret tunnels, Meng Fuyao witnessed the ns of the farsighted ¡°ultimate turncoat official,¡± the Old Grand Preceptor Zhou ¨C during the messy days of the Jin dynasty, he had protected a huge group of talented officials. When the Jin dynasty had already been destined to fall, he had been willing to shoulder the reprimands and humiliation by future generations and had led the surrender of the city. He had used his entire life to build and maintain his connections and umted indescribable wealth and power for his descendant. This wise man had fully been aware that someone was plotting against him, but he had still pleaded for Zhan Beiye to be a titled Prince and suggested that his territory to be the rural Geya Desert ¨C that was because a knowledgeable schr had told him that the Desert used to be and of riches, but it waster buried by sand. Deep in the grounds of the ruined nation, there were countless treasures left behind by the prosperous dynasty, and these treasures soon became one of the sources of ck Wind Horse¡¯s superior equipment. This dessert that was far away from authority and free from intervention also became the perfect location for Zhan Beiye to train his soldiers. In the fertilend, other than the ck Wind Horses, there were also tens of thousands of elite soldiers that Zhan Beiye gathered by capitalizing on loopholes in the recruitment system. His army even consisted of the brave and aggressive Mo Lo soldiers that he spent fortunes trying to recruit. Furthermore, because of Old Grand Preceptor Zhou¡¯s surrender, many schrs and generals were able to seek protection under his noble status. Though the authority of most of these people was undermined, and some of them switched their loyalties, there was still a portion of them who persevered through the difficulties of the political arena and held substantial power in their positions. These people were silently grateful and were always waiting for an opportunity to repay the kindness of the remarkable man. When the clouds stir, and the storm arrives, these forces would rise proudly like a dragon, bringing about revolutionary change to the entire continent. After staying in the secret chambers for a period of time, Zhan Beiye walked out of the darkness on one fine day, and informed the smiling Meng Fuyao, ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Meng Fuyao acknowledged as she looked calmly at him. During this period of time, while he was still recuperating, he met batches after batches of people and discussed strategies every day and night with advisors who appeared out of nowhere. As he had almost fully recovered on that day, she knew that he was going to leave. Zhan Beiye gazed into her bright eyes, and while he was full of ambition, a sense of reluctance rose in his heart. This time round, his trip would be dangerous and violent. When he returned, would everything stay the same? He really wanted to tell her ¡°Fuyao,e with me¡± but he could not. He could not be so selfish. He was going to flip over this dynasty and could not continue putting her in a dangerous situation when he had already done so. Her bones that fractured and her tooth that fell were like the blood that would forever bubble in the corner of his heart; it was a painful bruise that was difficult to heal. Slowly reaching his hand into his robes, he gently caressed the small pouch that contained half a tooth ¨C that night in the inner pce, he secretly picked it up and kept it. If in his entire life, he would never witness the day that they exchange tokens of love, he would at least have this item that he could call his own. He would keep it until he died and burn it together with his ashes. He spoke, ¡°Fuyao, I have already sent my men to inform Zong Yue to let him treat your injuries. I¡¯ll also leave the ck Wind Horses with you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Meng Fuyao rejected in a crisp tone. ¡°Take them away, I know that the forces you have in the city are no opponents of the royal soldiers stationed there. You need to send your mother back to Geya, then lead your elite soldiers and other prearranged forces to attack into the city. When you return to Geya, you must be escorted, and though I had the intention to, I have other important matters to attend to. Hence, we will settle our own affairs, and no one has to worry about the other person.¡± She beamed, her eyes shining with excitement. There were indeed more important things to do ¨C Zhan Nancheng was going to personally grace the True Martial Art Meet, whereby the champion of thepetition would be praised in front of him and entitled a portion of Heaven Demon¡¯s military power. She was going to clinch the champion title, snatch the military power of Heaven Demon, and kill Zhan Nancheng! She wanted to be the one to personally open the Pandu city gates for Zhan Beiye¡¯s charging army! Her small face radiated with determination, and it was hard not to be blinded by the brightness of her smile. Zhan Beiye gazed deeply at her and was about to caress her face, but he retracted his hand in mid-air andughed heartily instead. ¡°Fuyao, just wait until the day that you and I meet again in the golden pce of Heaven Demon!¡± After sending away Zhan Beiye, Meng Fuyao devoted herself to a sleepless period of bitter training as she had many things to do. After the fight with Cloud Soul, her inner energy improved again. She had tobine Gale¡¯s inner energy with hers as soon as possible, find out whether Moon Soul¡¯s gift waspatible with her own inner energy, and investigate the purpose of Cloud Soul¡¯s box ¨C a ck object the size of a palm with no edges at all. It seemed impossible to open it, and it was hard to distinguish the material used to make the box. After a long period of fumbling, she gave up and left that box aside, choosing to wait for the so-called fateful moment. Yun Hen stayed in Pandu ¨C his original intention ofing was to participate in the True Martial Arts Meet. After Taiyuan split into Shangyuan and Taiyuan, the Yun family had been recognized as the new noble family due to their contributions in protecting the Emperor. With his status, it was expected for him to represent Taiyuan ande to Pandu. When Yun Hen met the ck Wind Horses and knew that Zhan Beiye was in danger, he immediately came to support. Now that Zhan Beiye had specially asked him to take care of Meng Fuyao, he would naturally shoulder the responsibility. Meanwhile, Ya Lanzhu had been dashing over with all her might, yet she arrived the day after Zhan Beiye left. When she realized that she was one step behind, she broke down in tears and was about to chase after him again, but Meng Fuyao pulled her back ¨C if she caused a bigmotion while chasing, Zhan Beiye¡¯s whereabouts would be known to everyone. Hence, Meng Fuyao utilized her persuasive skills, praising Ya Lanzhu¡¯s martial arts skills to the point that she was convinced that the True Martial Arts Meet would be a lot more boring without the presence of her as a champion. With that, she stayed to wait for thepetition, all ready to clinch the champion title to boast to her parents. Chapter 147 - Untitled Chapter 147: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao was thoroughly bored of training these days, sneaking out to loiter about with Ya Lanzhu and Yun Hen. The True Martial Arts Meet was about to begin, and the streets were filled with passersby armed with swords. Restaurants were filled with people from all around the world that frequently got into fights with one another for no reason as though they were going through the preliminary round. The trio made their way to the ¡°Drunkard¡¯s return¡± and settled down in a table. They saw Eunuch Hua getting drunk as usual, tripping over some victim, as usual, exorting the victim as usual. Ya Lanzhu giggled at that sight, and so did Meng Fuyao, yet in her eyes, one could faintly see the painful admiration ¡ª an old man who abhorred drinking, and yet, he got drunk for 20 years for Zhan Beiye. As Eunuch Hua hobbled out of the door, Meng Fuyao went forward to support him. The old man lifted his head and epted the pill she gave him. Meng Fuyao went back to continue drinking and y finger-guessing game with Ya Lanzhu. They could not help but overhear a boisterous and arrogant announcement from another customer. ¡°The other nations can forget about sending people topete in this True Martial Arts Meet because even if they doe, they are merely bringing humiliation onto themselves. Our Shangyuan Flying Double Sword is the sect leader of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect at a young age and with his Stirring Thunder Technique that is renowned, who could be their enemy?¡± ¡°Double Flying Sword will be here?¡± Someone asked. ¡°I heard that the couple is busy with national affairs, they might not have the time.¡± ¡°Senior brother will be here.¡± The statement came from the mouth of a self-conceited young man. ¡°Even if he does not, my presence is very much equivalent to his for he taught me personally the Stirring Thunder Technique. ¡± A group of people started chattering as waves of people rushed up to offer him words of ttery. The grin on his face widened as an unbearably pronounced arrogance could be spotted from miles away. With his nose in the air, he watched his surroundings proudly. Another group of people, however, hung their heads down in shame ¡ª this youngd had been showing his sword skills, and his haughtiness was by no means unwarranted. Aughter cut through the chattering. ¡°Hey, what is the Flying Double Sword you are talking about?¡± Meng Fuyao leaned on the table asughed to Ya Lanzhu. ¡°What flies? A pair of ducklings? A pair of love birds 1 ? Or a pair of bats?¡± Ya Lanzhu blinked. ¡°Did it not refer to a pair of chicken wings?¡± The two burst out into unrestrainedughter as they mmed the table uncontrobly. The crowd fell into absolute silence as they looked at Meng Fuyao with pity ¡ª this frog in the well who knew nothing of the immensity of the heaven and earth. She actually dared to offend thed that mastered the Stirring Thunder Technique. One can only hope she can die with aplete corpse. Meng Fuyao wiped away her tears ofughter as she continued to giggle. ¡°My lord¡­ Flying Chicken Double Sword¡­¡± With a chilling sh, the tip of a de sat inches away from the tip of Meng Fuyao¡¯s nose. ¡°How dare you insult my Senior Brother Yan? Die!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyaopletely ignored the murderous aura directed at her and asked gleefully, ¡°Who is your Senior Brother Yan? I¡¯ve never heard of him before?¡± The mor from the crowd rose once again. Everyone felt that Fuyao was either looking for death or acting dumb. Aparable pair with honorable family backgrounds. To even say that they were a match in heaven was underrated! Furthermore, Yan Jingchen was the sect leader of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect, one of the top three sword sects in Shangyuan. How could she not have heard of them? Meng Fuyao onlyughed in an innocent and benevolent manner. The youngd was pleased with himself as he entertained the thought of her going mad with fear. He chuckled. ¡°That is because you are an ignorant and inexperienced small fry. The two of them are a distinguished existence, a match made in heaven. Who could have not heard of them? Today, you have insulted my Senior Brother Yan and Senior Sister Pei, outrightly going against the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. But since we are so magnanimous, we shall forgive you as long as you kneel down.¡± ¡°Ptui!¡± Meng Fuyao spat out a shattered bone on the youngd¡¯s face, sttering grease all over his face. This was the simple answer she had for that egoistic youngd. She turned back and smiled at Ya Lanzhu and Yun Hen. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I am in a good mood and don¡¯t feel like fighting.¡± Ever since Yun Hen heard Yan Jingchen¡¯s name, he did not speak a word. His eyes darkened as he got up. ¡°Stop there!¡± That youngd, never in his wildest dreams, could imagine someone had the audacity to treat the Mystic Essence Sword Sect in this manner. He was in such shock that he stared nkly at her when the bonended on his face. It was only after a moment that he came back to his senses. Enraged, he drew his sword without any warning and headed straight for Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. His stance, his prowess as a swordsman, was apanied by the quiet sounds of thunder as he made his move. Illusions of petals from the de movements filled the air with a flick of his wristing together to be dozens of blooming flowers. The crowd cheered as the spectacr sight unfolded itself before their eyes. Someone cheered, ¡°Stirring Thunder Technique! No wonder it is one of the top mantras in the world!¡± Some of the more charitable customers shouted, ¡°Careful! Escape now!¡± The sharp de appeared right behind Meng Fuyao in an instant, determine to stab through her. Meng Fuyao continued to move forward as if nothing happened. Some people in the crowd held their breath. They let out a sigh only to stop halfway. Their eyes slowly widened. In front. The sounds of the wind stopped. The petal-like des wilted instantaneously. The hundred-year sharp de was suddenly in Meng Fuyao¡¯s palms. She bent the de so nonchntly and absent-mindedly like she was molding a pile of y. A breeze ruffled her hair as she leaned closer to the tip of the sword, scrutinizing it very carefully. And then, she twisted it. That exquisite de was casually molded into a thin metal thread. With a couple of twist and turns, the de was unrecognizable, or rather, recognizable as a wire sculpture. She nodded her head with satisfaction. The audience took in a deep breath at this sight. Some managed to notice that the de was only a centimeter from Meng Fuyao¡¯s back and merely by lifting her hand, she managed to catch the tip of the de in her hands. ¡®How quick must her eyes be and how strong mus her inner energy be in order to catch the sword of the Stirring Thunder Technique?¡¯ ¡®Since when did such a young talent appear?¡¯ A few boastful Shangyuan martial artists immediately kept quiet, and they looked at each other rmed. They thought that with the aggressive behavior of the Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡¯s disciples and with the new leader¡¯s unparalleled Stirring Thunder Technique, the Sword Sect would definitely clinch the championship. Who could have possibly entertained the thought that in this very moment, an insignificantss could stop a rising disciple of the Sword Sect just by lifting her hand! The excitement in the crowd rose. It turns out the results for this year¡¯s True Martial Arts Meet was not as predictable as they expected. The owner of the de, or rather flower sculpture at this point, stared at Meng Fuyao in disbelief as she once again slowly wove the de into something else. Once she was done with her pair of dog sculpture, she tossed it into thed¡¯s arms. ¡°As usual, the Mystic Essence Sword Sect would attack someone behind their back. If I may just trouble you to pull a more decent move next time. Also, this pair of dogs, pass it to your sect leader. Take it as my congrattory gift for their marriage.¡± She dusted off her hands and turned to leave. As she left, an exasperated howl could be heard. With a clink, a patch of fine needles shot out from his sleeve, making their way towards the trio. Meng Fuyao remained unbothered as she stopped the more-than-ready to fight Ya Lanzhu. Yun Hen, who was walking behind, flung his sleeve and the needlesnded on the floor silently. The needles were coated in blue, and one could tell that they wereced with deadly poison at a single nce. Yun Hen turned back coldly and fixated his cold dark eyes on thed who pulled a sneak attack on them. His gaze sent chills down thed¡¯s spine and that youngd could not help but take a step back. His step backward made him realize that Meng Fuyao, who was initially right by the door, was now quietly behind him. He jumped backward in shock and disorientation. It was toote, however. Fuyao¡¯s cold voice came from behind him. ¡°Those who do not learn from their mistakes require a heavier punishment.¡± She lifted her hands and pointed her fingers. Her movements looked slow, but as the youngd stared at her hand, he realized her hand had prated every corner of the room, blocking his escape route. No matter where he ran, he would not be able to escape from her next move. His eyes widened in shock as fear drowned him. Kacha! With a crisp sound, blood sttered everywhere followed by a cry of despair. Meng Fuyao¡¯s move cut through the youngd¡¯s bones. She looked down coldly at the youngd on the floor with pain. ¡°You offending me that does not warrant such a punishment. However, not only were you arrogant, but you were also cruel in killing the innocent. For people like you to master martial arts, more innocent civilians will get hurt in the long run. Therefore, I shall take on this trouble to deal with you.¡± The thick scarlet-red blood covered the floor. Meng Fuyao stood upon it all. Those words came out of her mouth in a calm tone with a tinge of murderous aura. Everyone held their breath in a restaurant so silent that one could hear the sound of a needle dropping. It was only then that they finally took a serious nce at this insignificantss. Thisss was one that gave off a murderous aura as if she had climbed back up from a mountain of corpses and skeletons. One that experienced the depths of hell yet making her way back ¡ª a survivor. The few Shangyuan martial artists snuck away while thepanions of the youngd came over timidly to help him out. That youngd was a stubborn mule, too. Despite the pain, he did not once utter a sound. With cold sweat dripping down his forehead, he gave Fuyao his death re. Biting his teeth, he growled. ¡°¡­ Mystic Essence Sword Sect¡­ will not tolerant insults¡­ leave¡­ your name. Our sect leader Yan will definitely¡­ definitely¡­ repay you the favor!¡± Leave your name. Meng Fuyao looked up slightly. She looked out of the windows where the sun rays scattered glitters of gold along the pavements, bringing her back to the day where a young man would bring her a warm smile amidst the heavy rain; that day where she slit open a sleeve; that day where he sneaked an attack on her; that day where he, someone she had loved deeply, with his very own hands, pushed her down the cliff of despair. It was all in the past, but that past had signified her very beginning in this world. In those days, Meng Fuyao was a nobody that everyone belittled. She was trash that was despised by the man she loved. She was one that everyone in the Mystic Essence Sword Sect bullied. The wheel of fortune spins as time flies. That lowly, useless, ugly girl from the past was no more. It was time to let the entire sect and the entire world hear of her name. Meng Fuyaoughed, so brightly and cheerfully. ¡°Tell Yan Jingchen, I, Meng Fuyao ept your challenge, and I will trample upon the sect¡¯s pride. He better pack his bags and get the hell out of Tiansha. Otherwise, I will wipe the sect¡¯s name off history.¡± When Meng Fuyao went back, she found that Tiecheng rushed back with the guards and in the living room, there sat a man who drank his tea leisurely. Chapter 148 - Untitled Chapter 148: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Dressed in robes as white as snow, this man had a calm disposition while he used his one-of-a-kind teacup and unique tea leaves. Not even a fly dared to be within three feet of him. Zong Yue. Upon seeing him, Meng Fuyao instinctively wanted to leave. Just as she turned around, the sharp-tongued man spoke, ¡°We haven¡¯t met for some time, and General Meng¡¯s ability to seduce men has be better than before; you neverck theirpany.¡± Hearing that, Yun Hen¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and anger shed in his eyes. Meng Fuyao tugged his sleeve and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s just like that, ignore him. At least he¡¯s useful as a doctor.¡± Then, she turned back and smiled. ¡°Yes, look, you¡¯re here to add on to the count as well.¡± Zong Yue sipped on his tea and said, ¡°At least I¡¯m useful as a doctor.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed sheepishly and paced up and down around him, showing her teeth. At first, Zong Yue pretended to not see her and calmly drank his tea. It was only until momentster that he let out a gasp, as though he had just noticed her. ¡°Eh? You have a new makeup style? How outstanding, a celestial aura that belongs to immortals,¡± he eximed. Meng Fuyao caressed her broken tooth and sighed. ¡°His personality is just shaped in this way¡­¡± When Doctor Zong Yue had finally finished his obnoxious remarks, he pulled Meng Fuyao into the inner room, inspected her teeth, and asked his men to prepare some materials. Filling teeth was also a skill even in ancient times, but to Zong Yue, who had nimble hands since birth, it was merely a piece of cake. He used a mixture of amalgam made from tin, silver, and foil to make fake teeth. Afraid that the silver tooth would affect the appearance, he specially crafted a very small cover. Meng Fuyao held the tooth in her hands and could not stop remarking at how real it looked, as she did not know how it could have been made. Then, Zong Yue pulled her to another room. Half a tooth was hard to install, so he might as well pluck her entire tooth. So, Ya Lanzhu, Yun Hen and the guinea pig soon heard screams that seemed to belong to a ughtered pig ringing in their ears ¡ª it was rounds after rounds of ¡°Ouch- painful- ouch -¡°. Ya Lanzhu asked Yun Hen in a daze, ¡°She didn¡¯t even frown when she was so badly injured before. What¡¯s with her screams now that it¡¯s only extracting a tooth?¡± Yun Hen also could not understand Meng Fuyao¡¯s mannerism, and he threw a confused look towards the guinea pig, which had been with Meng Fuyao for the longest time. The guinea pig gnawed at his fruit and could not bother to answer such a dumb question ¨C when she was fighting with her life, no one would bother even if she cried in pain so what was the point of shouting? Now that someone was paying attention to her, naturally, she would howl in pain. Indeed, Meng Fuyao requested for a scrumptious fee as a treat for her injured tooth, but Zong Yue coldly said, ¡°Your tooth has not yet solidified. Porridge is the only option.¡± Meng Fuyao furrowed her brows and could not stop sighing. But she was conveniently ignored by Zong Yue, who was counting the herbs in his medical pouch. Suddenly, he let out a soft sigh. Meng Fuyao curiously asked, ¡°Why?¡± Zong Yue answered, ¡°We are still short of one herb for the antidote.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Meng Fuyao remarked in joy, but that happiness was only short-lived. He added, ¡°I heard that thisst herb can only be found in the Changqing Shrine in Qiongcang, and I cannot enter it.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes turned lifeless, and she identally drank the porridge through her nose. Momentster, she sighed grudgingly. It seemed that she had a tangled affinity with the Changqing Shrine in her previous life. No matter what she wanted to do, it all boiled down to that fateful spot. Remembering the bead that Moon Soul gifted, she took it out for Zong Yue to see. Zong Yue¡¯s expression changed, and after hearing the whole story from Meng Fuyao, he exhaled. ¡°Seems that it really is true that good people don¡¯t live long, but bad people have better luck,¡± hemented. Meng Fuyao was oblivious to the first part of hisment. She asked in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s good stuff?¡± Zong Yue took the bead from her and carefully split it into two halves. After soaking them in snow lotus and alcohol, he ced them in a cool ce and instructed, ¡°Take it during midnight and operate three cycles of your inner energy. In the future, if you keep training during the brightest time of the night, I¡¯ll guarantee that your martial arts skills will rise by a level, and you will enjoy endless benefits.¡± Meng Fuyao stared pettily at the small half left and questioned, ¡°What about the other half?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use so much now, keep the other half,¡± replied Zong Yue. ¡°Use it after you progress two more levels and the effect will be extraordinary.¡± After contemting for a moment, Meng Fuyao took out the box that Cloud Soul gave her and said, ¡°Mongolian doctor, you cured so many of my diseases, but I¡¯ve never paid you for it. I will gift you with this box.¡± ¡°So you do remember that you owe me consultation fees,¡± mocked Zong Yue, out of instinct. As he looked at the box, he could not find anything special and said, ¡°Maybe I can melt a hole on this box. I¡¯ll keep it first and return it to you if it¡¯s hard to open.¡± Waving her hands and yawning continuously, Meng Fuyao showed how sleepy she was. Meanwhile, Zong Yue sat down and did not want to leave. When the shadow of the willow tree was projected on his face, a strange smile disappeared, and he suddenly spoke, ¡°When I passed by the Xuanji borders, I coincidentally met the team of people from Xuanji Nation that went to wee back Princess Lotus.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a bit. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, ¡°So what?¡± Zong Yue¡¯s gaze glittered. A grin appeared at the corner of his lips as he said, ¡°So you have met her. If not, you would have directly asked who Princess Lotus is.¡± Knowing that it was a slip of the tongue, Meng Fuyao tried to cover it up by giving arge yawn. She responded, ¡°It was just a coincidence. This Princess has a unique personality and has vastly different morals and worldviews from normal people. I wouldn¡¯t dare to have an interest in her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use even if you¡¯re interested,¡± said Zong Yue casually. ¡°ording to news, when Princess Lotus went back, she suddenly received instructions from Gods and Buddhas that a sacred disciple of Buddhism was going to appear in Heaven Demon. As the famous and pious saint in the Five Regions Continent that was born with a lotus within her mouth, she has said that she must personally see the sacred disciple and meet that person.¡± Meng Fuyao gulped and remarked, ¡°What a pitiful Buddha. When will she stop using the Buddha as the ultimate shield?¡± Zong Yue gave her a long look and said, ¡°Since you aren¡¯t interested in this information, I¡¯m leaving.¡± He strolled away, leaving behind Meng Fuyao who was lying in a daze on the bed. A short whileter, she whispered to the guinea pig, which was on the small bed beside her, ¡°Hey, rat, when we were in the Changhan mountain range, what was it that you wanted to tell me?¡± The guinea pigid in rxation, propping up his leg and shaking it nonstop, choosing to ignore Meng Fuyao. ¡®Who told you not to hear me out and make me lose four strands of hair! Now you want to listen, but I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡¯ ¡®Anyway, it¡¯sing so you two can fight it out face to face.¡¯ Heughed evilly to himself. The guinea pig satisfied that he got his revenge, went back to sleep. Someone was left squatting on the bed as her pair of eyes shone brightly in the darkness, resembling two torchlights. The next day, Meng Fuyao headed to the Department of Martial Arts to register for the True Martial Arts Meet, which was a requirement for all participants. Meng Fuyao wrote down her name, and the scribe stared at it for so long that Meng Fuyao wondered if her identity was exposed. However, the scribe asked, ¡°Meng Fuyao? General Meng Fuyao of Wuji nation?¡± Hearing him, all the officials flooded out of the department and scrutinized Meng Fuyao as if she was a novel object. Many voices sounded. ¡°You¡¯re that legendary Wuji General Meng Fuyao?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Meng Fuyao who barged into the enemy camp alone, and killed seven generals?¡± ¡°I heard that you defended Yaocheng to the best of your abilities, but was almost forced tomit suicide at the city gates?¡± ¡°I heard that the ns of the Wuji traitor, King De, were foiled because you were a spy in the military camp?¡± ¡°I heard that you killed King De?¡± ¡°I heard that King De shouted, ¡°I hate to be born at the same time as Meng Fuyao¡± before he died. Is that true?¡± ¡°I heard that the Wuji Crown Prince adores you and personally arranged a banquet for you in Top Sun Pce?¡± The rumors became more and more ridiculous. Meng Fuyao listened with her mouth agape and muttered, ¡°Sh*t, who¡¯s this amazing person? That¡¯s not me, right?¡± She was used to being a small figure and could not get ustomed to the feeling of shooting to fame overnight. The curious nces of the people surrounding her and the envious yet jealous looks of the participants behind her were like arrows shooting towards her back. Unable to bear the attention, she resolutely walked away. Unfortunately, she only managed to take a few steps when someone came out of the inner room located behind her and said coldly, ¡°Just a peasant who got wealthy by sucking up to the royals. All of you are officials of our Heaven Demon nation, yet you are all boosting outsiders¡¯ morale and diminishing your own authority!¡± The voice sounded familiar, so Meng Fuyao turned back to take a look. Once she saw the figure, her pupils narrowed to the thickness of a sharp needle tip. It was Gu Lingfeng, the head of the Gold of Heaven Demon. The scene of the thunderstorm in the Changhan mountain range shed by her eyes. It was as though she could hear the deafening raindrops and smell the rancid odor of the arrows. It was precisely that night that Gu Linfeng led the Gold of Heaven Demon to chase and surround them. Because of them, she and Zhan Beiye were forced to escape into the Changhan mountain range and experience the near-death test, which subsequently triggered a whole series of events. This cold-blooded guy ¨C who flipped out of the trap by stepping on his subordinates¡¯ bodies ¨C was still alive? It seemed as though he was also going to participate in the True Martial Arts Meet? Meng Fuyao smiled widely, with the corners of her lips touching her ears. As she beamed, Meng Fuyao slightly bowed towards Gu Lingfeng and said, ¡°Commander Gu? Nice to meet you, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Gu Lingfeng nced at her from the corner of his eye. ¡°You know me too?¡± he asked. ¡®I know that you are about to die¡­¡¯ she thought, but she answered, ¡°Of course, I have long heard of your reputation as a decisive and resolute man who aplished many feats.¡± ¡°At least you know your own position,¡± said Gu Lingfeng, giving her a sideway look. ¡°I will spare your life during thepetition.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± Meng Fuyao said, and she bowed¡­ She truly should thank him. She didn¡¯t even consider keeping him alive, but he was still thinking of sparing her life. What noble character. While Meng Fuyao kept her back hunched, she walked out of the room. She was bowing so low in such a servile manner that she identally bumped into someone. That person stepped aside, slightly stabilized her and said, ¡°Be careful.¡± A calm voice and appropriate manners. Meng Fuyao stiffened her body, but she soon relinquished and smiled. ¡°You be careful too,¡± she said in a low voice. From the corner of her eye, she spotted red robes embroidered with soaring mythical birds, and it looked gorgeous and magnificent. The color was already very eye-catching, but as if that was not enough, golden tassels hung from the belt. There was no end as to how dramatic it looked. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes quickly darted across a dark red scarf, and immediately shifted her gaze away in satisfaction. Beside her, people were greeting in a somewhat ttery andpetitive tone. ¡°Sect Master Yan and his wife are here? There¡¯s going to be lots of drama in this year¡¯s True Martial Arts Meet,¡± theymented. Some spoke sadly, ¡°Yes, Sect Master Yan has been really powerful in recent years, overpowering all of the 18 Sects in Shangyuan. Is heing to snatch the champion title too?¡± Others remarked, ¡°Heaven Demon¡¯s Commander Gu, Wuji¡¯s General Meng, Xuanyuan¡¯s Sir Yun, Fufeng¡¯s Princess Ya, Taiyuan¡¯s Scarless Sword, Xuanji¡¯s Junior Prince Hua¡­ and the rising Yan couple. There¡¯ll be an interesting show to watch as theypete for the highest title.¡± Chapter 149 - Untitled Chapter 149: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That person smiled and humbly bowed. ¡°You tter me, I dare not hold that title¡­¡± he said to the people around him. Yun Hen smirked, but Meng Fuyao pulled him away and headed towards the exit. The person who was socializing suddenly turned around and a curious gazended on her figure. Meng Fuyao had already walked out of the door in big strides, far away from the ¡°virtuous couple¡±. When they ate dinner, Meng Fuyao bit on her chopsticks and was deeply absorbed in thought. She asked Zong Yue, ¡°What now? How did I not know that my reputation has spread to Heaven Demon? Now there¡¯s a bit of difficulty if I want to stir some trouble in this ce. Zhan Nancheng will never want a General of another nation to enter his court.¡± Zong Yue focused on eating ¨C he ate only the food in front of him and refused to let other chopsticks enter his territory. He was all the more against the idea of someone talking to him while he was eating. However, Meng Fuyao had always been thick-skinned, and she never cared about what Zong Yue¡¯s expression was whenever she wanted to say something. Seeing that his food was under the risk of being contaminated by her saliva, he promptly shifted his bowl away and answered, ¡°That¡¯s easy, just cut your ties with Wuji.¡± Meng Fuyao uttered dumbfoundedly, ¡°How?¡± ¡°Leave it to Zhangsun Wuji. He has a thousand ways to make Zhan Nancheng believe that you¡¯re a materialistic viin who is physically strong but simple-minded, and who despises the poor treatment of Wuji Nation and wishes to change allegiance to Heaven Demon,¡± replied Zong Yue, in a rare asion that he did not talk in circles. ¡°But the pre-condition is you have to be the champion. Only then will the talent-scarce Heaven Demon try to rope you in.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao responded as she searched for pen and paper with her chicken wing still in her mouth. As she wrote, she read it aloud. ¡°Dear Crown Prince, please think of a way to let Zhan Nancheng have the impression that I am a materialistic viin who is physically strong but simple-minded, and who despises the poor treatment of Wuji Nation and wishes to change allegiance to Heaven Demon¡­¡± If he choked to death while reading it, that would be perfect. ¡°I think that it¡¯s a bit hard to be Number One this year,¡± said Yun Hen, who only ate vegetables and picked out all of the scallions and garlic. ¡°Fuyao, not sure if you noticed, but the Yan couple seems weird.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent ¨C of course, she noticed it. Just one look was enough to make her realize that Yan Jingchen¡¯s martial arts skills improved at the speed of light. Even his inner energy felt slightly different. That change did not seem to be because of the Stirring Thunder Technique but some entric skills, as a green fog seemed to circte below his eyes. As for Pei Yuan, though her face had not yet been seen, Meng Fuyao remembered that her martial arts skills were disabled by Zhan Beiye. Recalling how she walked in the day, she had obviously recovered. What was going on? Furthermore, during the Taiyuan incident, Yan Jingchen chose to save her instead of Pei Yuan, and thetter was so angry that she even vomited blood. After such drama, why was she still willing to marry him? Did she really love him so much that she could forgive everything he did? Or did she feel that the only man in the world was Yan Jingchen? Meng Fuyao¡¯s brain was in a tangled mess. Thinking that the Yan couple had always been weird people, and not humans that a normal person like her could understand, she decided to give up. Sheughed and asked Yun Hen, ¡°You¡¯re Scarless Sword, aren¡¯t you? This name sounds so much more pro than that ¡°Flying Double Sword¡±. Zhan Beiye said that you had a fortuitous encounter, what was it?¡± ¡°After Taiyuan split, I once led the army to battle with Shangyuan,¡± Yun Hen exined simply. ¡°When my subordinate and I were too worn out from chasing an enemy, we identally walked into the depths of a mountain and met an old Taoist that had rotten skin on the bottom of his foot. I piggie-backed him out of a cave, and before I left, he patted my back and told me ¡®Good personality, good physique, I will give you a gift to express my gratitude¡¯. I didn¡¯t think too much about it then, but when I went back, I realized that someone had written an entire set of sword skills and inner energy pointers. There were only 3 stances for the sword skills, but there could be countless transformations. Up until now, I have not fully discovered all of them.¡± Meng Fuyao choked and spat out the chicken wing that she was chewing on, causing the guinea pig to stare at her defiantly. Meanwhile, Zong Yue had already shed away with his bowl in his arms. He instructed the housekeeper, ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll trouble you to bring my food to the room. I¡¯m not able to eat properly in such a situation.¡± Meng Fuyao could not be bothered with him. She grabbed onto Yun Hen¡¯s sleeve and questioned, ¡°A very ragged old Taoist? One that looked perverted at first sight? With rotten skin on his head and pus on his feet? Body filled with scrambling fleas?¡± Recalling for a moment, Yun Hen answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t notice the fleas.¡± It was basically admitting that the Taoist was indeed very perverted. Meng Fuyao let out a long sigh and threw the chicken wing to one side. As her eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling, she muttered, ¡°Out to bring misfortune to people again¡­¡± Yun Hen turned towards her and asked, ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°I know him, and very well too,¡± said Meng Fuyao through her gritted teeth. She patted Yun Hen and added, ¡°Your luck could have been good or bad. Anyways, the next time you see that old guy, be sure to avoid him. When he¡¯s free, he likes to act like a disabled or a lunatic to talk to people on the streets. If he likes you, good for you. If he doesn¡¯t, you¡¯re bound to be in trouble. You can¡¯t possibly have such great luck every time so stay away from him.¡± Yun Hen looked at her, a stroke of starry light shing by in his eyes. He said, ¡°I feel that he¡¯s my benefactor. Otherwise, how would I be able to chase you¡­ your level?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a bit when he was halfway through his sentence, but immediately rxed when he finished. Heartily patting on his shoulder, she responded, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright, we are all family, we won¡¯t fight each other.¡± Something darker and more solemn appeared in his expression as he gazed at Meng Fuyao. A whileter, he advised, ¡°Ms. Meng, the Yan couple is weird, don¡¯t let down your guard.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Meng Fuyao agreed as she squatted on the bench and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°If onees, I¡¯ll destroy one. If twoes, I¡¯ll destroy a pair!¡± ¡­ The True Martial Arts Meet took ce, and thepetition was split into four rounds. The preliminary round would decide on 40 people to be sent to the second round, which would then narrow the number of contestants down to 20 for the third round. Thest round involved drawing lots to decide on one¡¯s opponent until a ranking could be formed. As there were many people in round one, thepetition was held in the Qingyuan Monastery in Shang Mountain, at the western side of Pandu City. The subsequent second and third rounds would be held at the quadrangle in Sky Street. Lastly, the final round would be held at the Heaven Demon Pce. Only using 1/3 of her abilities, Meng Fuyao sessfully passed the first two rounds, simr to the elite wielders sent by various nations. The Yan couple were not in the same group as her, so they did not get topete, but Meng Fuyao did look at their fight. Indeed, their skills had improved tremendously, and their inner energy was peculiar. When they exhibited their sword stances, there were not only sounds of thunder but also a thinyer of smoke. Yet she did not know what skill that was. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao had be very famous in these two rounds. Martial arts wielders used to ce their attention on famous people like Gu Lingfeng, Guo Pingrong, Xuanyuan Yun, Ya Lanzhu, Yun Hen and Yan Jingchen, but now they would especially take a look at Meng Fuyao. But Meng Fuyao intentionally hid her true abilities. In the second round, she did moderately well, ranking 17th or 18th out of everyone. Everyone just felt that this young Wuji General was pretty decent and had rtively great skills at her age. Other than some sharp-eyed ones, most would not have ced her on the same rank as the famous ones, much less associated her with the Champion title. The third round wouldmence three days after the second. As Meng Fuyao left thepetition area, she heard some nobledies who were watching the Meet whisper excitedly, ¡°We must see thest round¡­¡± ¡°Yes, but it will be in the pce. How do we get an invitation?¡± ¡°Just think of a way, it¡¯s such a rare opportunity. Other than this time, when will we ever be able to see him?¡± ¡°I heard that he didn¡¯t have the time toe over but somehow, he epted the invitation in the end. The True Martial Arts Meet had invited many royals from various nations to be the referee, such as the past King of Taiyuan and the Head of the Fufeng n. But he has never attended¡­¡± ¡°Ah, no way, no way, I need to rush back to think of a way. My rtive knows Princess Royal, and I have to pester her to help me plead for an entry¡­¡± ¡°Wait for me, I want to go too¡­¡± As they left, Meng Fuyao shook her head as she tilted her nose towards the sky. Chasing after idols was really a habit that transcended time. She wondered which amazing character could have caused these budding teenage girls to be so infatuated with. In this round, she was not in the same group as Yun Hen and Ya Lanzhu. As she was about to find them, someone called her from behind. ¡°Fuyao,¡± said the person. Meng Fuyao stopped in her tracks and sucked in a deep breath. ¡®Why is it that once you start hating a person, even the person¡¯s voice sounds so unbearable?¡¯ she thought. She summoned upon her inner energy as a defense measure before turning back. Twitching an eyebrow, she asked, ¡°Sect Master Yan, your Junior Brother has finally conveyed my message to you?¡± Standing before a willow tree, Yan Jingchen was still warm and friendly, and handsome and tall. Only his face looked slightly ashen and thinner than before. There was a slightly refreshing aura, butpared to Yun Hen¡¯s innate aura and cool temperament, Yan Jingchen felt less natural. That did not undermine the fact that he was still an outstanding man. The figure underneath the tree had the looks of a charming man who casually leaned on a tree with a horse in hand, prompting girls on the street to look twice. There was a hidden sense of unbearable pain in his eyes as he stared at Meng Fuyao. Though this girl standing in front of him was dressed as a man, she still stood upright and confident. She had pride but was not prideful, and her aura was extraordinary. If she was a hidden piece of jade when she concealed her true appearance back then, now the dust had been cleared, revealing a magnificent radiance that illuminated the seas and mountains in all directions. When he breathed, he felt pain in his organs. This was Fuyao, once his Fuyao, but he had wrongly let her go. That mistake hurt him every day like sharp daggers stabbing into him, and time after time he would regret having despised her. Why did he tell her that he was going to marry Pei Yuan? If he had kept mum, maybe things would have turned out differently¡­ He bashed himself the moment he said that line. He still did not fully understand Fuyao and did not understand that in her strong and resilient heart, she had undying pride within her. So, one line meant an eternal mistake. However¡­ Maybe there would be a chance¡­ If talking could no longerpensate for his misdeed, he was not afraid of trying other methods¡­ Curling his fingers into his sweaty palms, he smiled warmly and said, ¡°Fuyao, my Junior Brother is young and ignorant, and I have punished him for offending you. As for thepetition, let¡¯s not talk about it. No matter what, I would not attack you¡­¡± ¡°But I would,¡± replied Meng Fuyao emotionlessly. ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to step back and restrain your disciples, then fine, I will not wipe out the Mystical Essence Sect. As for you, I will see you on the battle stage.¡± She was about to turn and leave. Behind her, Yan Jingchen asked bitterly, ¡°Fuyao, do you really hate me so much that you¡¯re not even willing to talk to me in person?¡± Chapter 150 - Untitled Chapter 150: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°No, I do not dislike you.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and shook her finger in his face, much to Yan Jingchen¡¯s surprise. ¡°I am disgusted with you. Just talking to you makes me want to puke,¡± she continued. She ignored Yan Jingchen, walking away in big strides. Yan Jingchen begged. ¡°Fuyao, please give me another chance, and¡­ give yourself another chance too¡­¡± Without turning back, she shook her head and said, ¡°Sect leader Yan, those blinded by greed do not deserve any chances.¡± The man behind her did not utter another word though she could hear the sounds of him trying to adjust his breath. Sheughed grimly as she thought to herself, ¡®You want to fight? Very well, today shall be the day Pei Yuan bes a widow.¡¯ Meng Fuyao quickened her steps. Something seemed wrong. Wasn¡¯t the martial arts arena just nearby? Isn¡¯t there supposed to be a stream of people walking around? The crowded area now seemed dested with not a single soul. The surroundings seemed to have changed as a nket of dark, gloomy fog settled down slowly. The dense fog twirled around clumsily, inching closer as it steadily wrapped itself one¡¯s breath, hands, blood, and consciousness. Meng Fuyao could hear her heartbeat slow down as the blood in her veins crawled to other parts of her body. Her limbs were now sluggish to the point where she could barely lift a finger. Her heart sank. She quickly tried to circte her energy only to realize that she was not poisoned. Rather than poisonous fog, these resembled a martial art that could control someone unknowingly. Such martial arts was not something that Yan Jingchen would know of! Meng Fuyao had her guard up towards Yan Jingchen this whole time. Even when her back was facing him, every part of her was observing his move. He did not have any chance to attack her at all. So what happened? Amidst the fog, a crazed and hystericalugh could be heard. It was a raucous voice that held an uncanny resemnce to the sound long nails made when dragged across a rough stone surface. A voice that left one squirmish and ufortable. Theughter was the cue for Meng Fuyao¡¯s copse. She copsed into the embrace of Yan Jingchen who had unknowingly appeared by her side. The wind howled as the fog slowly dispersed. The raucous voice produced heartyughter and asked, ¡°My dear disciple, how are you going to thank me for helping you?¡± Yan Jingchen held Meng Fuyao in his arms as he bowed. ¡°It will all be as you wished,¡± he replied. He lowered his head as he watched Meng Fuyao. Her long silky eyshes, her calm, tranquil expression as sheid in his arms so obediently. It was a stark contrast to her usual cold and hurtful behavior. To hold her close like this was the first time in forever. It was something he had desperately hoped for in those lonesome nights when he reached for the illusion of her, only to realize there was nothing between his arms. He revealed a sorrowful smile as his fingers brushed against Meng Fuyao¡¯s cheeks. His movements were gentle, yet his eyes showed nothing but resolution. Yan Jingchen whispered, ¡°Fuyao, you once said that some mistakes were like a wound caused by a fast knife. One might not realize anything in the beginning, but as time passes, the wound will start to hurt and bleed¡­ If that is so, then let me hurt. It would be better than to lose you¡­ and you forgetting me.¡± The surrounding changed. It was no longer near the crowded martial arts arena but a secluded mountain cave. A carriage stopped in the middle of the forest. The thin fog slowly dissipated to reveal a scrawny old man in yellow. The old man wasn¡¯t just scrawny, but extremely scrawny, like a skeleton with ayer of skin. His brown snake-like eyes sat above those high cheekbones as he nced at people sideways. The evil gaze he had made people feel disturbed. He cackled evilly. Checking Meng Fuyao out, he said, ¡°Women¡­ women are ugly beyond words.¡± Yan Jingchen forced a smile. He lowered his head and carried Meng Fuyao up to the carriage. Before he even sat still, the old man in yellow followed suit, sitting closely with Yan Jingchen as he ced a hand on Jingchen¡¯s thigh. Yan Jingchen froze. This subtle action was detected by the old man in yellow as he turned around, and he asked chillingly, ¡°Why? Are you despising your teacher once you got the girl? What did you say back then? If I knew this would happen, I would have killed her.¡± ¡°You must be kidding.¡± Yan Jingchen immediately lifted his head and smiled. ¡°Of course not¡­ I am just afraid that the carriage driver would catch on¡­¡± His voice got softer and softer though he shuffled closer to the man in yellow. The old man in yellow smiled, satisfied. The old man patted his hand, holding onto his eyes as he slowly caressed his palm. ¡°Now, that is my boy¡­ Look at how much I dote you on. You want this woman, I helped you out despite my unwillingness. So, how are you going to repay me?¡± This was his second time asking about the repayment. Yan Jingchen daren¡¯t avoid his question once more. He lowered his eyes as he forced a smile, answering, ¡°Teacher¡¯s kindness in helping disciple will not be forgotten¡­ whatever disciple has¡­ it is teacher¡¯s¡­¡± The old man in yellow cackled once again, seemingly pleased with his reply. He whispered into Yan Jingchen¡¯s ears. ¡°Nighttime¡­ night time¡­ pity¡­¡± He gently stroked Yan Jingchen¡¯s face andughed gleefully as he announced, ¡°I dislike the scent of women. I shall head back first.¡± Yan Jingchen bowed. ¡°Yes, please.¡± In a sh, the man in yellow was gone like the wind. Yan Jingchen¡¯s tensed shoulders finally rxed. He stared nkly at the direction the man disappeared in and suddenly grabbed a handkerchief, rubbing his face. He rubbed with such force that his skin tore as tiny blood vessels peaked through. Only upon feeling the burning sensation did Yan Jingchen realize how heavy-handed he was. He quickly dropped the handkerchief and touched his face. After contemting, he dug up a box of regenerating skin ointment and carefully applied it to his wound. He could not leave a trace. Otherwise, once that paranoid old fellow found out, it would be another round of questioning¡­ and¡­ His hand gradually stopped as the color drained off his face. His breath sped up as traumatizing memories washed over him. Those pale white and blood-red, the rotten scent and meandering moments, those happy days with unbearably painful nights. These memories shook him to the core as he held back the waves of pain. Yan Jingchen sat there nkly. The sun rays, broken up by the blinds in the carriage, reflected on his pale face. He lowered his hand until it finallynded on Meng Fuyao face. He caressed her brows, her beautiful eyes and those elegant lips with such gentleness and carefulness. It was as though he was determined to carve this long desired beauty into the bottom of his heart, with his fingers eagerly memorizing every inch of her face. ¡®Fuyao, as you traveled around Seven Kingdoms, as you raked up achievements in Wuji, as you walked towards the honorable stage of the Seven Kingdoms with much splendor, have you ever thought that someone out there would give up everything to catch up to you, to get you?¡¯ Fallen into despair as he sacrificed himself to the devil, with no hope of salvation for eternity. The carriage rocked ever so slightly as the bamboo blinds crackled. The emerald green from between the blinds came from the nature that surrounded them. The clean and fresh air outside, the soil of mother nature, the gentle sun rays and the cooling rain ¡ª these were all things that he could never have again. Yan Jingchen smiled. A young sect leader, practicing in the Stirring Thunder Technique, his name sweeping across Shangyuan, world-renowned. There was nothing but glory in all of these. But who could see the struggles and sacrifices he had made? Heughed, an unbridledugh in a silent yet almost manic manner. In that brokenugher were pearls of tears dripping onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. Yan Jingchen did not stay in the inn that Tiansha had arranged for people participating in the True Martial Arts Meet. Instead, he stayed in a mansion owned by Zhan Beiheng given the close rtions Zhan Beiheng had with the Mystic Essence Sword Sect. Ever since Yan Jingchen became the sect leader, the rtions got even closer as it was managed by the couple. Zhan Beiheng was always eager to be on good terms with the various royals that practiced martial arts such as this couple. Yan Jingchen entered from the back door and headed straight for a cer. Before he headed down, he asked his servant, ¡°Where is my wife?¡± ¡°Mydy came back after herpetition but was immediately invited to view flowers by Prince Heng,¡± he replied. ¡°Sir Sang has ordered you to meet him once you are back.¡± Yan Jingchen froze. After a moment, he managed to croak out an ¡°mhm¡±. He headed down to the cellr. In that dark cellr, the only thingcking was light as all basic amenities like a bed and table were present. Yan Jingchen carefullyid Meng Fuyao down and took away her dagger. From his sleeves, he took out a thick ck chain and chained her to the bed frame. He stared lovingly at her before bitting down on his lips and rushed out. At the room in the front courtyard sat the man in yellow. The me from the candle flicked as the man in yellow nced out of the window, his gaze was filled with evilness. Yan Jingchen rushed over. Looking at the shadow cast on the window, he paused before opening the door. The moon hung above the sky as the wind rustled the leaves of the trees. It was as though the trees were crying for help in the dead night. The lotus leaves were half-closed with an asional drop of water, which reflected the luminous moonlight, roll off the leaves and into the glistening, yet unfathomable pond. Sweat quietly rolled down the jade-smooth skin as Yan Jingchen suppressed his breath. Amidst the messy bed, a wrinkled and dried out hand reached out as the owner of the hand emitted a terrible rotting smell, one that belonged to someone in their twilight years. This was not the first time he had to bear with this scent. Yet, today, he felt even more miserable and pathetic than ever with the girl now within his reach. He could not help but avoid the outreached hand ever so slightly now that his disgust had increased. It was only a small distance, barely a nail long. But that old man realized. The old man¡¯s fingers stopped in the middle of the air, and he said creepily, ¡°Seems like I made the wrong decision to help.¡± ¡°Teacher!¡± Yan Jingchen panicked as he moved over. ¡°It is not as you think, it is just that disciple¡­ disciple is feeling a little unwell¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The old man stared at him coldly, pushing him down. ¡°Since you don¡¯t feel well, then rest,¡± said the old man as he put on his clothes. Yan Jingchen avoided his gaze as he tried to not look at the old man put on his clothes. After a moment, he asked, ¡°It¡¯s night time¡­ where are you going?¡± The old man turned back and smiled slyly. ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough fun. To extinguish the me.¡± Chapter 151 - Untitled Chapter 151: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yan Jingchen¡¯s expression changed in an instant. He shot up on the bed and kneeled his way over to his teacher, tugging his sleeve. ¡°Teacher¡­ I¡¯m done¡­ You, you can just¡­¡± stammered Yan Jingchen. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking,¡± responded the yellow-clothed elder as he smiled warmly. Personally covering the nket over Yan Jingchen, he instructed, ¡°Rest well, you must not be tired out. The disciples of Fog, Splendor of Stars, Cloud Soul and Moon Soul are all participating in the Finals of the True Martial Arts Meet. As my precious disciple, you must do well.¡± ¡°I¡­ will definitely not let you down,¡± answered Yan Jingchen, as he lowered his head meekly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Mist, and heughed as he left. Yan Jingchen sat on the bed and stared at his figure in a daze, his hands crumbling the sheets beneath his tight fist. Mist walked at the speed of light, dashing towards the cer, and the people guarding the entrance did not dare to speak a word and let him in. He walked down the cer and stopped by the bed, staring at Meng Fuyao who was asleep. A momentter, a strange smile appeared on his face. He watched in silence, and his eyes shone with a yellow luminescence. Around him, grey fog slowly rose and engulfed him, almost hiding his entire figure. ¡°Just a woman like that?¡± uttered Mist. ¡°She¡¯s just a bit younger.¡± Heughed icily and said, ¡°After I kill you, he will have peace.¡± Extending out his hand shaped in a w, with smoke surrounding the dark side fingernails and the yellowish middle fingernail, he grabbed towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s throat! The atmosphere was chilly, and a murderous aura loomed. However, the fingers suddenly stopped one centimeter away from Meng Fuyao¡¯s throat. There was suffocating silence in the air. Without changing the expression on his face that was as withered as a skeleton¡¯s, or taking a look back, he slowly spoke, ¡°You indeed tailed me¡­¡± Mist spoke gently, and with such disappointment towards Yan Jingchen who just arrived, that thetter¡¯s expression changed. Yan Jingchen swiftly kneeled on the floor and pleaded anxiously, ¡°Teacher, the fault is all on me, she¡­ she has nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a stubborn child,¡± said Mist as he turned around and looked coldly at his disciple. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that she has no interest in you? Is it worthy of you to be like that for her?¡± ¡°Teacher¡­ she was hurt by me¡­¡± replied Yan Jingchen as he hung his head. ¡°I was the one who despised her and hurt her pride. She is a straightforward woman who will either love or hate someone, so it¡¯s natural that she is spiteful towards me. As long as I exin to her clearly, she¡­ will forgive me.¡± Mist looked at him solemnly. A whileter, he reprimanded, ¡°Foolish child, foolish child, why did you do that while fully knowing the consequences?¡± Yan Jingchen leaned his weight on his hand, and his back was slightly shivering as he gently said, ¡°Yes, I regretted it that instant. I thought that I could be rid of her, but once I let go, I knew that I was wrong.¡± ¡°Jingchen, as you tell me this, are you not afraid that I¡¯ll be unhappy?¡± asked Mist as he removed his hand. Staring deadly at Yan Jingchen, he added, ¡°I thought that you only wanted to y around. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so in love¡­ Jingchen, you¡¯re mine. How can I allow my man to be stepping on two boats?¡± ¡°Teacher!¡± Yan Jingchen cried as he quickly looked up. Mist gave a chilly stare with his venomous eyes. He said coldly, ¡°Jingchen, I¡¯m not happy, I really am not happy.¡± Shaking, Yang Jingchen crawled over and hugged his leg. ¡°Teacher¡­ I¡¯m wrong¡­ please¡­ I beg you¡­¡± he pleaded. Mist peered at him without any emotion in his eyes. Secondster, he said in a serious tone, ¡°I still care for you, but there is always a limit, or you¡¯d be overstepping.¡± Laughing creepily, he suddenly pointed at Meng Fuyao and ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t you want her? Then let me be caring towards you for one more time. Go rape her, and afterward kill her!¡± ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°This is the limit of my tolerance. For women, you¡¯d own her after having her body, so raping her is also a wishing true for you. Afterward, pledge your full allegiance to me and don¡¯t ever harbor any romantic sentiments again. If not,¡± Mist smirked and added, ¡°I¡¯ll only have to reluctantly trouble myself to have a taste of what breaking a woman¡¯s virginity feels like, and then send her to hell.¡± Silence fell upon the room once again, and one could only hear the sounds of breathing. The long and heavy one was Mist¡¯s, while the calm and gentle one belonged to Meng Fuyao, who had no idea that her fate was being decided by someone else in an instant. As for the rapid and uneasy one, it was Yang Jiangchen¡¯s, who found himself in a dilemma. ¡°There is a limit to my patience. Make your decision, I¡¯ll only give you the amount of time that is needed for half a joss stick to finish burning,¡± said Mist and he flicked his sleeve, neatly cutting away half the length of the joss sticks that just started burning in the copper incense burner. It was humid in the cer, and the smoke surrounding Mist made him look even more ghostly, like a supernatural being. He had his hands to his back and a smirk stered on his face. For every breath he took, the light in the cer would shake a bit. At the same time, three trails of smoke drifted from the joss stick. The tiny speck of red me flickered in the burner, resembling a ghost eye that was eerily blinking. Meanwhile, Yan Jingchen continued to kneel on the floor. His fingers dug into the tiles; he stared at the small segment of the joss stick, and cold sweat dripped down from his forehead. As his perspiration came into contact with the ground, they made clear sounds of raindrops. The shorter the joss stick, the colder the smile on Mist¡¯s face became. Suddenly, Yan Jingchen gritted his teeth and crawled up from the ground in a forceful motion. He headed straight towards Meng Fuyao. A satisfied smile appeared on Mist¡¯s face. Taking a step back, he sat down and propped up his leg, ready to admire a live bed scene. Just then, Yan Jingchen stopped in front of the bed, slowly leaning forward. Thedy before his eyes, though having changed her appearance, had an exquisite face that looked calm and at ease. The breathinging from her chest was very mild, as though she was having a peaceful and beautiful dream. Yan Jingchen gazed deeply at her. One moment, it felt like he was looking at a magnificent ball ¨C separated by a crystal barrier ¨C that he was not fated to participate in. Another moment, it felt like he was admiring an ancient drawing that had legendary strokes, causing people to instinctively want to get closer. Beautiful and dazzling was the girl of his dreams that he could never get close with. He fell silent, slowly caressing Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, neck and wrists. Behind him, Mist questioned, ¡°Are you nning to just touch her until daylight?¡± The moving hand stiffened. Yan Jingchen straightened his body and started to remove his clothes. On the other side of the cer, Mist watched with a smile. He was admiring the beautiful body slowly being revealed by his precious disciple, and the distinct and trained body lines. But his smile suddenly froze on his lips. He barked, ¡°Careful!¡± Quickly leaping up, smoke appeared at his fingertips! Bang! On the bed, Meng Fuyao who had been sleeping peacefully all this while suddenly jumped on her feet. As she looked up, her suppressed anger let loose. The wrist that was previously locked on the bed frame gave a strong pull! A huge segment of the structure was plucked up right there and then. Apanied by the violent and raging sound of the wind, and a forceful murderous aura, she promptly flung the frame outwards! Crash! Screech! The moment that she flung the structure, Mist¡¯s fingernails had simultaneously arrived. Both strong forces crashed into each other, creating a loud noise that signified the crumbling of the thick bed structure. Wooden shreds flew to the height of a man amongst the dust andnded on everyone¡¯s face. Yan Jingchen, who was still removing his clothes, was just right the connecting point of the two strong forces. One wanted to kill him while the other one wanted to save him. Stuck between the two, he unexpectedly sputtered out a mouthful of blood and copsed. Seeing such a sight, Meng Fuyao jumped up. The chain that had locked her to the bed was still on her wrist. Without any hesitation, she swung the chain, and a silvery light shed by, shing down straight on top of Yan Jingchen¡¯s head. However, Mist had already neared, and he snatched over the unconscious Yan Jingchen. Throwing him behind, Mist¡¯s body drifted and stopped right in Meng Fuyao¡¯s path. Meng Fuyao stood on the bed, swinging the chain in her hand. With an icy tone, she shouted, ¡°F*ck, a pair of disgusting men!¡± As she cursed, Mist¡¯s snake-like eyes stared at her sinisterly. A green light shone and disappeared in his eye and in an even icier tone, he remarked, ¡°You¡¯re looking for death.¡± Stepping down the bed, Meng Fuyao weighed the dagger in her hands. ¡°Mist, right? You¡¯re really wasting such a dreamy name. You should be called Castrated instead.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, kiddo,¡± said Mist,ughing cunningly. ¡°I¡¯ll preserve a full corpse for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re perverted, old dog,¡± replied Meng Fuyao with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a shower of stabs and separate your corpse for you.¡± Both were smiling, and as they continued to smile, they crashed into each other! A whirlwind of smoke and a tornado! Mist¡¯s figure was like a belt of smoke, drifting among the flickering light in the cer. Though it looked gentle and calm, wherever the smoke passed by, tables and chairs silently broke apart, the curtains shredded into pieces, and even the cement on the walls started to fall off. One could imagine that if the smoke neared a body, enormous damage would result. Mist did not even have to move his hand. He only had to control his breathing, and the smoke would move like his arms. Its agility was spectacr. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure was like a gust of wind, with a violent charge but a hidden strong force. What else could blow away the thick smoke? Wind! The way Meng Fuyao dashed was as though she was diving head-on into Mist¡¯s killing moves. The wind not only dispersed the cement once again, but even the tables and chairs were also swept away as well. As her speed was too fast, her shoes produced a long screeching sound while dragging across the floor. Before the sound subsided, she had already passed through theyer of smoke andnded right in front of Mist. The dagger¡¯s gleam was ck and bright. Resembling the lightning that belonged only in the realm of clouds above the Nine Heavens, her dagger headed straight for Mist¡¯s chest. ¡°Eh?¡± Mist remarked. ¡°You¡¯re Gale¡¯s-¡± He had yet toplete his sentence when Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger flicked, and a silvery beam appeared. The entire cer suddenly lit up like a new moon had just been born, and all that remained was that warm and gentle moonlight. Mist¡¯s eyes stared wide open. He eximed, ¡°You¡¯re Moon Soul¡¯s-¡± Shocked twice, he suddenly realized that Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger was faster than he imagined and it had reached him. Promptly, he twisted his body to avoid it but there was a sound of tearing ¨C there was a long hole in his clothes in front of his chest. Then, he heard Meng Fuyao roar withughter, and in thatughter, she did not stop. She turned and retreated like a bolt of lightning to where Yan Jingchen was. With another flick of the chain, she shed the exact same way as before towards Yan Jingchen. At that point in time, Mist had yet to recover from his shock and could not understand why Meng Fuyao wanted to kill Yan Jingchen in the midst of battle. Instinctively, he bolted over. Meng Fuyao¡¯s move was actually a feint. She knew that Mist loved his disciple and would definitelye forward to save Yan Jingchen. She flung away the chain, the silvery beam still in the direction of Yan Jingchen¡¯s body, while she dashed towards the entrance of the cer. What¡¯s the use of forcefully battling a pervert like Mist? It was wiser to escape first. Just now, when Meng Fuyao bolted towards Yan Jingchen, she had flicked some random powder on him. It was the pollen that the guinea pig had been very attracted to recently. A certain Lord suddenly developed an interest in scents and often made himself aromatic from head to toe, leaving traces of pollen in Meng Fuyao¡¯s pocket. During the battle, Meng Fuyao did not have enough time to dig out other poisonous powders. Hence, while she was retreating, she had already torn open her sleeve and scattered the pollen all on Yan Jingchen¡¯s body. Chapter 152 - Untitled Chapter 152: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Mist¡¯s expression changed when he saw the powder, and he hurriedly checked Yan Jingchen¡¯s pulse. Seizing the opportunity, Meng Fuyao bolted out of the cer, kicked away the two Mystic Essence Sect disciples who were guarding the entrance and dashed away. But she shed right into another person. A strong, elegant scent of a peony wafted into her nose, and her forehead came into contact with a soft and smooth silk clothing. Life was indeed full of coincidences. While Meng Fuyao was still buried in that aromatic hug, she did not even raise her head and immediately stabbed towards that person. A ck beam of light shone and immediately disappeared. Simultaneously, a mouthful of blood was spat out, and the blood flew away in the darkness of the night. Pei Yuan held her ribcage and staggered backward, her red clothes dyed with arge patch of blood. However, Meng Fuyao shook her head in pity. ¡®Sh*t, Pei Yuan¡¯s skills have indeed improved. Even under such unexpected circumstances, she could still twist her body and avoid her vital parts from getting injured. What a waste of my dagger,¡¯ she thought. Even so, she did not stop. She leaped, stepped on Pei Yuan¡¯s head and dashed past the backyard, escaping as she flipped over the wall. The series of actions ¨C jumping up, battling Mist, attacking Yan Jingchen, escaping from the cer, running away after she did not manage to kill Pei Yuan ¨C were so fast that it seemed as though they happened simultaneously. Within a few blinks of an eye, she had already dashed away from the residence of Prince Heng. Once Meng Fuyao was out, she zoomed like a sh of light, through a few dark alleys, towards the noisy ces where residents gathered. The alleys were pitch-ck, and the space was narrow. Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes brushed past the wind, continuously dashing through the darkness and fog of the night. Just a distance away, the central street that was busy all day and night could be seen. As long as she reached that area, no matter how perverted Mist was, he could not possibly kill her on the streets. However, the fog in front of her seemed to have thickened. Rather than fog, it was more apt to call it smoke. A thick, drifting, yellowish-grey smoke. Meng Fuyao stopped in her tracks and turned towards another direction. Yet that unwavering smoke still lingered everywhere. Mist had managed to catch up with her. Meng Fuyao had been injured by him before and knew how peculiar his martial arts was. It was probably the type that could silently lock one¡¯s veins, so she dared not to remain still like how she had done when conversing with Yan Jingchen. Instead, she continuously dashed in all directions, her inner energy ballooning and flowing through her body, trying to find a point that she could break through in the ever-present smoke. Mist¡¯s voice appeared from theyers of smoke, though it was hard to determine how far away he was. ¡°Kiddo, you¡¯re not bad,¡± he said. ¡°You have the inner energy of both Gale and Moon Soul, and even some superior martial arts skills that I cannot tell¡­ who exactly is your teacher?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and retorted. ¡°I¡¯m not your mum, I¡¯m not obliged to answer your questions.¡± Theyer of smoke shook for a moment, resembling how one¡¯s breathing would thicken out of anger. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes brightened, and she immediately bolted forward. A while ago, she had already realized that Mist¡¯s smoke was controlled by his breathing so angering him was the only way to find his weakness. As such, she had been behaving as evil as she could. Anyway, the old guy had never intended to let her live. While Meng Fuyao was still in mid-air, her dagger neared the hole that previously appeared in the curtain of smoke, and she gave a violent stab! ¡°You¡¯re cunning!¡± shouted Mist as the smoke dissipated, revealing his figure. The old man waved his sleeve, and a strong gust of wind rolled towards Meng Fuyao, sweeping her off her feet and causing her to instantly glide three feet away. While she glided, it felt like she was stepping on moonlight and riding on the wind. She drifted backward like floating clouds and rushing streams, and oblivious to the wall behind her, she banged right into it. With a loud crash, a huge hole emerged in the wall, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure fell right through it. Behind the hole were starry lights and flowy curtains. In the romantic atmosphere beneath a red tent, a pair of lovers were shocked by the sudden midnight intrusion. It was obviously a wild pair of lovers. With a look back, Meng Fuyao saw the nude couple screaming and scrambling onto their feet on the bed. Her eyes specially darted around some important body parts and swiftly scanned her surroundings, quickly confirming that she hadnded in a brothel. She could not help but smile. ¡°My apologies, please continue.¡± Digging out a pill and throwing it over, she added, ¡°I hope you¡¯re not too shocked by me that you can¡¯t continue? Here¡¯s a gift to strengthen your stamina as a form of constion.¡± Then she looked up, grinned at Mist who had just followed in and bounced away immediately. Meng Fuyao did not stop retreating, banging past bead curtains, room doors, railings, and the main hall. Where she passed by, the beads of the curtains scattered, the room doors crumbled, the railings gave way, and the vases broke. Amid the tumultuous chaos, there were voices of people screaming, of people shouting to avoid the wreckage, and of therge crowd of bystanders from the opposite street enquiring to ask what was happening. In an instant, chaos erupted in the main street of Heaven Demon, resembling a hot pot of boiling porridge. It was exactly the effect that Meng Fuyao wanted. After crossing paths with some of the top ten martial arts wielders, she could somehow figure out where the essence of their skills came from. They were all able to control elements of nature and blend in nature¡¯s forces with their own skills, forming a unique and natural inner energy belonging to that of an expert. Because of that, when they were ced in a suitable environment, their strikes would be more effective. For example, for Mist, his skills operated the best during the time before sunset, when the fog would rise from the forests. That was why she unknowingly fell into his trap during the day. In other words, in a ce far from nature where the air was contaminated, and lights shone brightly, Mist¡¯s skills would be limited. A brothel was even better, an unexpected surprise for her. Meng Fuyaoughed arrogantly and continued bashing her way around, leading Mist who had been closely tailing her into the noisiest part of town. Meanwhile, Mist was truly furious. He would chase her until his death, and would definitely use his palm to kill this obnoxious woman. Though he vaguely detected a few ck figures that suddenly appeared behind him, those people¡¯s skills were nothing to him. No matter what, he had to kill this lunatic woman first! At that moment, the night had just arrived, and there were shadows of people everywhere. In the brightly-lit town, crowds of people flooded by, including the drunk martial arts wielders who have just participated in the True Martial Arts Meet. Their jaws were agape as they saw Meng Fuyao who ran by like lightning, shocked at her speed and strength. Then, they saw the yellow-clothed old man who followed closely, and the knowledgeable ones immediately eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Mist!¡± Suddenly, there was a wave ofmotion, and everyone was in shock. The top ten wielders were like gods to the people of the Five Regions Continent. Even the famous and high-status Sects did not get to easily meet these characters who were immortalized by themon men, much less a normal person on the streets. Now one of them, Mist, suddenly appeared in a brothel in Heaven Demon¡¯s town and he was chasing after a randomd. Judging by his looks, was he trying to kill thed? Everyone propped up their chins and tilted their heads, watching Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure roll and dash past like a ck tornado, and Mist¡¯s figure closely chasing after her like a concentrated line of grey smoke. They looked at this battle of the experts that could not have happened but somehow did in town, and they all fell into a daze. But Meng Fuyao suddenly turned back. She retreated so quickly and turned back even faster. In an instant, she had already stopped her violent momentum and was not restricted by the friction of her motion at all. With a raise of her hands, she packed a pair of strong punches towards Mist! Punches forward! The strong wind would rise, and the current would destroy! The fist neared before the wielder did, and as the punch cut through the wind, the wind raged. With a loud bang, thenterns and their tassels in the main hall had been forcefully swept by the violent and sharp wind, shooting up vertically towards the ceiling. The scriptures and drawings on the walls were rolled up while pictures of beauties were distorted, turning into pictures of old hags. A brave brothel visitor some distance away wanted to see what was going on, and he was so engrossed that he forgot to drink the cup of tea in his hands. Without any warning, he felt scorching heat on his face ¨C the tea had spilled out and sshed on his face. Meng Fuyao¡¯s punch was right in front of Mist¡¯s chest! Mist gave a smirk and extended his withered hand, which held a very elegant fan. With a sweep, a cloud of smoke billowed out, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s punch was blocked at a one-centimeter distance away. Twitching the corner of his lips, Mist wanted to say something along the lines of ¡°to be able to force me to use my weapon, you have not wasted your life¡±, but Meng Fuyao suddenly raised her head and smiled. Seeing her expression, Mist¡¯s heart thumped, and his instinct told him that something was not right. This kiddo was up to no good, so if she smiled, something bad would definitely happen. With quick reflexes, he was about to sweep his fan, but Meng Fuyao¡¯s fist that was blocked by the fan suddenly flicked out a segment of a dark de! The de was ck, but the surface was bright as snow, and the gleam of it resembled moonlight. It arrived from the raging seas, descended from the firmament, and in an instant, it shone tens of thousands of miles away! Just moments ago, the punch was already right in front of Mist¡¯s body. As such, the de that flew out from the punch immediately cut through the fan and silently stabbed into Mist¡¯s chest! Mist retreated hurriedly, but there were low shouts of ¡°Gather!¡± that appeared from behind him. Then, a huge force appeared, and like a steel wall, it stopped his retreating motion. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a few ck-clothed men lining up vertically behind him. Everyone¡¯s palm was ced on the back of the person in front of him. The one at the front of the line had palms of steel and delivered a blow towards Mist, forcefully pushing him into Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger. Furious that a legendary expert like him was cornered by mere juniors, he resolutely decided to stop retreating. Keeping his fan, Mist gave a strong sweep. The smoke resembled the furious tide hitting against the shore, cascading in waves and epassing endless anger, and rolled towards Meng Fuyao. But the moonlight was like a silver needle that assembled the spirits and gathered the souls, shooting past the wide but thinyer of smoke in a straight line. When smoke met moonlight¡ªblood sttered! The light-grey smoke and pale white moonlight were two distinct forces that shed together. At their intersection point, two bright red spots of blood silently ruptured. Under the illuminated setting, the color was bright and creepy. Both people were sent flying in opposite directions due to the sh. On one side, blood spattered from Mist¡¯s chest. Meng Fuyao¡¯s strike was so violent that it managed to injure his heart channels. On the other side, Meng Fuyao stuck the dagger on the ground and used it to support her weight. She was panting very heavily like a dead dog, and for every exhtion, she would puke out a few drops of blood. ¡®Sh*t, an ultimate strike from the old pervert was not fun at all. My bones are all going to copse,¡¯ she thought. As she squatted on the ground, bystanders started to crowd around her, trying to discern who was this teenage martial arts expert who was able to fight on the same level as a top ten wielder. Meanwhile, two people walked up quickly. One of them did not speak a word. He wielded his sword, which had a chilly effect on anyone who stood within a ten-feet radius, causing people to step back in fear. The other had his hands to his back, and he seemed to walk slowly in peace. However, anyone who stood within three feet of him would feel strangely ufortable, and that also caused the bystanders to retreat. Chapter 153 - Untitled Chapter 153: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The bystanders dispersed cooperatively, while two pairs of hands helped Meng Fuyao up at the same time. One said, ¡°You- sigh!¡±, while the othermented, ¡°I have only not seen you for half a day, and you already have a new interest ¨C fighting in a brothel.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and looked at the anxious Yun Hen and Zong Yue who seemed calm but had actually umted dust on his clothes. As sheughed mischievously, her big mouth that stretched apart like a bloody gourd looked really unsightly. Looking at her face, Yun Hen¡¯s eyes gleamed and he pointed his sword towards Mist. Meanwhile, Mist held his chest and looked grudgingly at Meng Fuyao. All of a sudden, with a wave of his sleeve, a plume of thick and slightly smelly smoke rose from the ground. Everyone immediately retreated, but when the smoke diffused away, Mist was nowhere to be seen. There was only a new pool of blood on the ground. Onlookers tried to crowd around them again, but Zong Yue grabbed Meng Fuyao and quickly led her away. It was a rare asion that Zong Yue did not despise how dusty, dirty, sweaty, and bloody she was. Making use of the opportunity, the shameless Meng Fuyao rubbed the dirt on her clothes against Zong Yue to her heart¡¯s content. It was obvious that Zong Yue was desperately trying to tolerate her, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Thinking that Zong Yue was finally going to explode, Meng Fuyao instantly shunned away. However, Zong Yue only looked towards a teenage boy who was standing under a roof on the opposite side. The bright moonlight cast dark and light shadows below the roof, slightly shadowing the boy¡¯s figure, but his beautiful appearance was still distinct. Even though he was a bit short, his body proportions were bnced, and that made him seem more exquisite than dumb. Instead of looking at Meng Fuyao who created an uproar, he stared only at Zong Yue with bright eyes and a mixed expression. He spoke, ¡°It¡¯s been long since we met, have you been well?¡± Immediately, Zong Yue regained his unweing mannerism and replied, ¡°Thanks to you, Sir Yun, I¡¯ve been very well.¡± He turned around, picked up Meng Fuyao aggressively and reprimanded, ¡°Why are you taking such a long time? Are you not going back to recuperate?¡± Meng Fuyao felt a strong sense of injustice¡­¡¯Please, you are the one who¡¯s taking such a long time, and it was also you who stopped to chat. Pot calling the kettle ck, how shameless of you,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Eh? Sir Yun of Xuanyuan? Wasn¡¯t he the one who was the first to pass the second round of finals? The one who was said to be Moon Soul¡¯s disciple? What is his rtionship with Zong Yue?¡¯ Sensing that the boy was still standing in the same position and silently looking at their departing figures, she wiggled out of Zong Yue¡¯s hold and turned back out of curiosity. Suddenly, she saw a gleam shing by that boy¡¯s eyes. Meng Fuyao was stunned. That was the gleam of a tear. ¡­ One of the top ten martial arts wielders, Mist, fought with someone in a noisy town in Heaven Demon. Not only were they on par, but Mist was even forced to escape! This was nothing less than the most shocking news throughout the True Martial Arts Meet, and rumors spread like wildfire all over Pandu City. Participants of the Meet were all trying to find out who that mysteriousd was, but the town was crowded, and the battle happened too quickly, and no one clearly saw Meng Fuyao¡¯s appearance. Everyone had considered the top contestants of the Meet, even Yan Jingchen, but no one thought that it was Meng Fuyao. Meanwhile, the teenage expert who stirred up the ruckus in Pandu was lying on the bed like a dead dog, shouting in pain as Zong Yue executed his treatment. It was obviously an inner injury, but Zong Yue just had to pick out a cut not much wider than a strand of hair and im that ¡°proper treatment is needed by taking medicine and pouring ointment on it, and massaging it would be even more effective¡±. So, the guinea pig proactively offered his assistance and used his paws, which were coated with sugar and fruit juices, to give Meng Fuyao a ¡°massage¡±. This sessfully elicited a p from Meng Fuyao, who shouted, ¡°Zong Yue, you¡¯re just in a bad mood, don¡¯t vent your anger on me!¡± She had yet toplete her sentence when Zong Yue ced the bowl of medicine down, straightened his back and left. Confused, Meng Fuyao and the guinea pig squatted on the bed and watched him leave with their hands in their mouths. A few secondster, Meng Fuyao nudged the guinea pig and asked, ¡°Hey, Rat, did Zong Yue¡¯s Big Aunt 1 arrive?¡± The experienced guinea pig shook his head in disagreement. He personally felt that it was not just the Big Aunt who arrived. There was an 80% chance that all his Aunts arrived at the same time. As Zong Yue walked out, Yun Hen stepped in. He had been guarding at the entrance and noticed how unusual Zong Yue was, but he was not as curious as Meng Fuyao. Picking up the bowl, he said, ¡°It¡¯s going to be cold if you don¡¯t drink it.¡± Depressed, Meng Fuyao could only finish up the medicine in silence. Yun Hen did not even blink while staring at her, and he asked, ¡°In the afternoon, you disappeared after thepetition, and it took us so much effort to locate you. We first went to Yan Jingchen¡¯s residence and almost broke into a fight with Prince Heng¡¯s guards. But you suddenly dashed out¡­ what exactly happened?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and simply recounted the story to him. Though her inner energy was blocked by Mist, she was not fully unconscious at that point in time. After Yan Jingchen locked her up in the cer, she started to stir, probably because the moon was bright that night. She had felt a ball of light emerging within her body, and it slowly surged like a tide, releasing her locked veins one by one. When Mist came in to kill her, she was already near full recovery. Then, Yan Jingchen arrived and gave her some time topletely recuperate and deliver a blow towards Mist. Yun Hen listened in silence and sighed continuously. ¡°You¡¯re injured again, what about the third round?¡± he asked. Suddenly, he reached out to grab Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse. Almost instantly, Meng Fuyao kept her hands and stared vigntly at him. ¡°What?¡± she questioned. Seeing that Yun Hen remained silent, she immediately understood what he wanted to do and eximed, ¡°You want to transfer your inner energy to me tost through the third round? You¡¯re mad! If you meet an expert, how are you going to protect yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just withdraw,¡± replied Yun Hen casually. ¡°If you withdraw, how are you going to live in Taiyuan?¡± asked Meng Fuyao as she looked at him. She thought of his maniptive step-father who would not treat him well if he withdrew halfway through the Meet. She gently sighed and lightly patted Yun Hen. ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry,¡± she spoke and added, ¡°I might just meet Yan Jingchen. That¡¯ll be just right since he¡¯s injured as well.¡± As she fell silent, she thought of how Yan Jingchen slowly caressed her face and neck while she closed her eyes. When she was about to jump up and attack, that pair of hands suddenly reached her wrists and slightly opened the lock of the chain. At that time¡­ what exactly did he want to do? Why¡­ did he not remove her clothes first? Also, did he really, for the sake of improving his skills, do something with that disgusting old man¡­ Meng Fuyao softly exhaled and covered her eyes with her hands, refusing to think about these. No matter what he wanted to do, be it to release her or sacrifice himself for her, just him asking Mist to capture her was already a sin that she could never forgive. Love was aboutpromise, not about force. It was a pity that some people would never understand this rationale. As she fell into deep thought, her expression became one of displeasure. It was slightly ufortable for Yun Hen to watch the usually cheerful Meng Fuyao in such a state. Instinctively, he wanted to switch the topic to something more rxing, and after some thought, he spoke, ¡°Right, I heard that the referee of the final round has reached the borders of Heaven Demon. The Emperor has sent people to receive the referee but lo and behold, the Ministry of Rites personnel saw a good show¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao drawled as she covered her eyes. After a moment of silence, she continuedzily, ¡°What¡­ happened¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s that Lotus¡­¡± said Yun Hen as he turned back. But Meng Fuyao was already half asleep. Remembering that she had been kidnapped, fought a tough battle with Mist and was injured, he realized that it was a tiring day for her and she would not have the energy to listen to gossip. Smiling, he covered the nket over her and extinguished the candle. With that, darkness fell upon the room. However, Yun Hen did not immediately leave, and he stood at his spot. Moonlight shone in from the window, illuminating his expression as he quietly gazed at Meng Fuyao. It was clear, bright, as sparkly as thes, as cool as jade, and as deep as the sea. ¡®Fuyao, the wind that belongs to you will stir one day. Maybe, in the end, I can only be the wings that follow you as you soar, but I¡¯m still very relieved that I¡¯m lucky enough not to be thrown too far away from you,¡¯ he thought. ¡®One day, I want to leap far up into the sky, and move along with you.¡¯ During the two days that Meng Fuyao took to recover, she was utterly tortured by Zong Yue. Thetter felt that she was an innate rebel, that even after he cautioned her against Yan Jingchen, she still fell for his antics. Served her right for having to participate in thepetition with injuries. Hence, while he treated her day and night, he could not stop mocking at her. Meng Fuyao howled, ¡°I need to fight, don¡¯t you have to at least give me some rest?¡± Ignoring her pleas, Zong Yue replied, ¡°Whose inner injury can be treated within two days? Now I can only suppress your injury, and you have to pray that you don¡¯t meet an opponent who has pure Yin inner energy. If not, your injury will be activated, and you might not even pass the third round, much less think of being the champion!¡± As he said, his expression was as cold as snow. From the day that he found Meng Fuyao, he had always been behaving this way, causing the guinea pig to be very cautious when he had to break wind, for fear that he would be thrown into the toilet bowl for polluting the air. Meng Fuyao also did not dare to retort and could only secretly scowl at Sir Yun, whose horoscope was probably a natural enemy of Zong Yue¡¯s. Later, when she met him, she would aggressively beat him up. Three dayster, the third round took ce as scheduled. Right from the morning,rge crowds had gathered below the stage. People of the Five Regions Continent liked martial arts and wielders had a noble status, so no one wanted to miss out on this grand asion. When Meng Fuyao reached, she almost could not squeeze in and continuously sighed over why the fools of Heaven Demon did not make use of the opportunity to sell tickets. ording to the rules, everyone would draw slots, which were either red or ck. The pair of people with the same number would battle and would be refereed by Zhan Beiheng. Before drawing the slots, Zhan Beiheng announced the change in rules of thest round. The ten finalists would first battle in pairs, and the losers would be the bottom five. As for the top five wielders, whoever felt that they could be the champion could jump on stage and contest the person on it. Thest one standing would be the true champion. After the announcement, there was an uproar amongst the crowd over the unfairness of the rules. The first one who went up would have to face four rounds of strong opponents, and that easily meant defeat. However, Zhan Beiheng only smiled and signaled for themotion to cease. He said, ¡°Everyone might feel that it is unjust, but isn¡¯t drawing lots even more unfair? The top ten experts are on different levels in terms of ability. If the sixth in ranking battled the first, he would definitely lose, but if he met the fifth, who would know what the oue would be? This is an important matter of the top five ranking of the Meet, and one cing above or below could make a lot of difference. Since we rank by ability, then the ablest should emerge champion of the Meet! Not by luck, but by capability!¡± Chapter 154 - Untitled. Chapter 154: Untitled. Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiheng smiled at Guo Pingrong, Gu Lingfeng, Xuanyuan Yun, Ya Lanzhu, Yun Hen, Yan Jingchen and others, before asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± Guo Pingrong remained expressionless as he cleaned his sword. It was the first time in a long while since Meng Fuyao met him in the general¡¯s residence. She felt that though his General Guo¡¯s martial arts did not worsen, he was no longer filled with vigor as he once was. His eyes were lifeless as he continuously cleaned his sword. Who knew what Zhangsun Wuji had done to him back then, reducing him to this state. As she thought about it, she broke into a tight-lipped smile. Probably, he dealt with General Guo the same way he dealt with Qi Xunyi¡¯s subordinate. It was a method befitting of Zhangsun Wuji ¡ª refined, elegant and nothing short of a silent, malicious act. Gu Lingfeng, the main representative, was naturally unwilling to be outdone. With a heartyugh, he announced, ¡°This is what the Prince meant, let our strength speak for itself!¡± The young master from Xuanyuan nation, Xuanyuan Yun, was not only surprisingly young but had a remarkably refined mannerism and an exquisite face. Ever since he reached the arena, it seems as though he was searching for someone. His eyes scanned the surrounding, only to reveal a sense of disappointment. He blushed when Prince Heng asked his question and then replied gently, ¡°It¡¯ll be as you say.¡± Ya Lanzhu fiddled with her braids and said absentmindedly. ¡°I¡¯m just here to y. It will be more fun fighting with more people at once.¡± On the other hand, Yun Hen nodded silently in agreement. Yan Jingchen shed a charming smile and answered, ¡°The Prince is wise.¡± Meng Fuyao gaze swept past Yan Jingchen¡¯s face. He looked pale, and his sunken eyes were now more solemn and his eyebags darker. ¡®Even though he had been involved in the collision of the two forces the other day, it merely grazed him. In theory, his injury is by no means as heavy as mine. So why does he look half dead?¡¯ wondered Fuyao. ¡®Probably the overindulgence in his lust¡­¡¯ The strongest few had no objection, and naturally, others had none either. Zhan Beiheng nodded his head, with a wave of his hand, a servant brought up the draw box. Meng Fuyao red at Gu Lingfeng, hoping to draw his name and take this chance to ughter him ¡ª the rules stated that unless necessary, one could not take another¡¯s life. She would stop, eventually. But not until she finished wrecking him. The extremelyrge draw box was moved over. To ensure fairness, everyone had to draw their lots in the two openings of the box at the exact same time. Meng Fuyao stared at the two openings as she wondered what Tiansha was thinking. ¡®Why do they have to ensure fair y for something¡­ like this? What is the difference since everyone is closing their eyes to draw the slot? ¡®Plus, what is with that long and huge box? Such a big area for only 20 lots. It will take forever to find a lot to even draw. What are they trying to do? Waste everyone¡¯s time?¡¯ Suspicious, she cautiously and slowly reached for the draw box. She scanned through the various hands ¡ª if there were to be any foul y, it would definitely be on the hand. Then, she noticed Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand. His five fingers were short and stumpy with his nails slightly red. It was evident that he had cultivated some sort of poisonous martial arts, and more importantly, he wore a ck ring on his middle finger. The ring was normal obsidian. There was nothing particrly weird about the ring, but Meng Fuyao firmly believed that if that ring were to move, then undesirable stuff would being out of it. It seemed as though Gu Lingfeng and Zhan Beiheng were in cahoots, with Gu Lingfeng determined to cliche the championship. Gu Lingfeng stood diagonally opposite her. To her left was Xuanyuan Yun, her right was Guo Pingrong, and right opposite her was Yun Hen. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand went into the box and tugged on Yun Hen¡¯s sleeve, signaling him to be cautious of Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand. A moment of realization shed by Yun Hen¡¯s eyes, and he nodded extremely slowly, careful not to be noticed by anyone else. All 20 people ced their hands in the box. Meng Fuyao put her hand in and bounced her sleeve. Inside her sleeve was a certain lord ¡ª Meng Fuyao had refused to bring it along for thepetition, but Lord Yuan Bao had insisted oning by throwing tantrums. Grudgingly, she brought Lord Yuan Bao along but decided to toss it down the stage. Now judging from the circumstances, his presence was perfect here. Lord Yuan Bao entered the draw box silently. Hugging its fruit, it sat in the dark gnawing on its fruit. It set its sight on Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand, and following Meng Fuyao¡¯s finger, it slowly made its way towards Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand. Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand was moving towards Xuanyuan Yun ¡ª Moon Soul¡¯s disciple was a formidable opponent and performed the best in the previous battles. In order for Gu Lingfeng to win, he would have to first get rid of Xuanyuan Yun. Lord Yuan Bao grabbed Meng Fuyao¡¯s pinky and tugged it to the left. Meng Fuyao looked up and saw Xuanyuan Yun. She hesitated but suddenly recalled the scene she saw three nights ago where he cried. Her heart softened. Her hand inched over. In the dark, 20 hands, except for three, were focused on drawing their lots. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand suddenly reached out at the speed of lighting. With a flick of a finger, a strong force headed straight for Gu Lingfeng¡¯s veins. The force closed in. Feeling wary, Gu Lingfeng pulled back his hand unconsciously and struck with his palm. But Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand was already waiting for him at his escape route. Her fingers were bent into a w, hard as steel. In a split second, she grabbed and clutched his hand down. Gu Lingfeng flicked his finger repeatedly to attack. Meng Fuyao picked up a lot like a weapon as Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand continued to move towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand. His finger dug into her palm, but she curled her fingers into a fist and attacked viciously. At the speed of light, the two exchanged 3 moves in the dark box. Kacha! The fist stopped right on Gu Lingfeng¡¯s wrist acupuncture point. He never expected someone to be so urate in sealing the acupuncture point even in the dark. Strength left his fingers as Meng Fuyao took the chance to grab him ¡ª his wrist was now in her hand. Extremely shocked, he quickly used his other hand to aid. But Yun Hen¡¯s hand was faster and urately caught his wrist. With both hands held down, Gu Lingfeng¡¯s face turned ck. He looked up to search for the perpetrator only to identally meet Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze. On her face hang a cold, cynical smile. A chilling yet burning gaze. He had seen such gaze before. Rooted to the ground, he felt like he was submerged in ice cold water. Suddenly, he remembered that he had seen that gaze before on a certain rainy night as he drew his sword. That night, he saw a hazy figure that turned back amidst the rain, carving that resolute gaze into his mind. He suddenly realized who she was. But it was toote. Meng Fuyaoughed silently, clutched his finger and snapped it. ¡°Ah!¡± Gu Lingfeng let out a blood-curdling screech that made everyone, including the audience, jump in surprise. A smile crept onto the calm and collected Meng Fuyao. She let go of his hand. In that instant, she had crippled his entire hand¡¯s meridians and sent a force down his core. Not only could he never poison another with his poisonous palm, but his life was also left hanging on the thread. Gu Lingfeng¡¯s screech continued ¡ª Yun Hen followed suit and crippled his other hand. Lord Yuan Bao rushed forward excitedly and bit down on both hands, hard. Afterpleting his task, Lord Yuan Bao spat out some blood residue in disgust and hurried back into Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. Meng Fuyao smiled charmingly as she casually drew a lot. Everything had happened in a split second. The audience only saw 20 people¡¯s hands going into the box, drawing lots with much attention. Then their ears picked up on Gu Lingfeng¡¯s screech, and right after, they witnessed him taking his bloody hands out of the box. Zhan Beiheng stood up abruptly and yelled, ¡°What happened?¡± The rest of the 19 people who finished drawing their lots moved away innocently as the judges rushed up to take a look at Gu Lingfeng¡¯s hand. To the judges¡¯ bewilderment, what greeted them were animal bites. Zhan Beiheng was taken aback by the announcement. He initially expected Gu Lingfeng¡¯s injuries to be the result of another contestant¡¯s attack. But to think that the injury was an animal¡¯s bite. In disbelief, he went forward to personally check only to be silenced by the truth. All he could do was go back to his seat, upset. For a Tiansha seeded yer to be out on the third round without a fight! Everyone was whispering back and forth. Some of the indignant Tiansha citizens stood up and shouted, ¡°Prince, there must be something fishy going on! Please search the other contestants!¡± Zhan Beiheng¡¯s expression remained cold. In contrast, Ya Lanzhu was all smiles and giggles. ¡°Yes, we are all extremely suspicious. Not only did we put our hands in the box, but we also put our mouths in the box and bit General Gu.¡± That statement bought on a wave ofughter. In the midst of theughter, Yun Hen coldly said, ¡°This box that the nation has created is definitely intriguing. Probably too many tricks which ended up hurting oneself instead.¡± Zhan Beiheng¡¯s face twitched. After all, he did have a guilty conscience, so he didn¡¯t dare continue further investigating the matter. He waved his hand, ordering his servants to bring Gu Lingfeng down and announced, ¡°Thepetition will continue¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and looked at her own lot. ¡°ck, seven!¡± At this time, the judges were already reading out their lots: Guo Pingrong versus Yan Jingchen, Xuanji Chen An¡¯s Count Wang Huayan, Ya Lanzhu drew red five, which was supposedly Gu Lingfeng¡¯s lot, so she did not have to fight. As the top contestant for the previous two rounds, the audience paid close attention to Xuanyuan Yun. Most of the reputable contestants already had their match, and the rest of the contestants were those that had a lower ranking in the first couple of rounds. The audience looked around to see which was the unlucky one to fight with this strong young man. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he carefully handed the lot over and gently announced, ¡°Red, seven.¡± The judges turned towards the remaining few. They all had a smile of relief, looking rxed. The judge waved the lot and asked, ¡°Who has ck seven?¡± Meng Fuyao stepped forward, smiling, as the audience waited eagerly and pointed to herself. ¡°I have it.¡± Excited discussions filled the atmosphere. Someone shouted, ¡°Aiya, forget about this match.¡± ¡°Surrender earlier and move on to the next person.¡± ¡°How meaningless, I thought we could watch an epic battle.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and smiled, waving her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t chase me away, the importance lies in the participation.¡± She walked down the stage as the jeers and teasing went on, waiting for her turn. Not long after she sat down, Zong Yue silently appeared next to her. His appearance made her rub her eyes. Chapter 155 - Untitled Chapter 155: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zong Yue calmly asked, ¡°Why? Have lice?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Yes, lice in my eyes ¡ª one in my left eye, one in my right. It makes me feel like a sinner, a third wheel to be stuck here. This Mongolian doctor, how about changing ce with me?¡± Without lifting his head, he took her pulse and said, ¡°If you spew less nonsense, perhaps you can live longer.¡± He added, ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Meng Fuyao opened her mouth obediently. Zong Yue tossed a pill into her mouth. ¡°Initially, wasn¡¯t going toe here. But I heard a certain someone had such a stroke of bad luck to draw that person. I could only make a trip here. Let me tell you, you better take care.¡± After he was done, Zong Yue left without hesitation. That pure white back view of his, those slow yet determined steps of his felt as though he was a snowke fluttering down the horizon of a snowy scenery, cold and distant. Meng Fuyao turned around subconsciously. Indeed, she saw that shy, green-eyed Xuanyuan Yun staring. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meng Fuyao supported her head with her palm and sighed. ¡®Damn it, what a small world¡­¡¯ Guo Pingrong and Yan Jingchen was the third match. Coincidentally, neither of them were in their best state. Even though Guo Pingrong did not lose his inner energy, he was not as quick-witted as he was in the past. On the other hand, though Yan Jingchen was injured, three days of recovery were quite enough. His foundation was not as strong as Guo Pingrong¡¯s, but he made for what hecked in the talent he possessed ¡ª his attacks were quick and swift. His posture was elegant in contrast to the ¡°clumsy¡± Guo Pingrong. The fight came to a standstill. It was only at the 300th move that Yan Jingchen won by a close call. During Yan Jingchen¡¯s match, Pei Yuan sat below the stage. Even though the couple was known as ¡°Pearl Jade Double Swords¡±, they could not fight together in individual matches. Princess Pei Yuan sat in an upright position with both her hands ced on her knees. Compared to a certain someone who obviously abandoned her image while sitting or standing, Pei Yuan¡¯s temperament was ten folds better. That certain someone gobbled down her snacks as she nced as Pei Yuan¡¯s veil. Her gaze traced down from Pei Yuan¡¯s veil, ribs, and waist. Then, a sly smile crept onto Fuyao¡¯s face. The sixth battle was between Yun Hen and Huayan. That young prince from Xuanji, whose birth was a secret, was unlike from Gu Lingfeng, Guo Pingrong and Yan Jingchen who came from famous sects. Even so, he had a strong foundation of inner energy and excelled at the use of the spear. This dignified man that stood across Yun Hen brought on cheers for the audience. Meng Fuyao jumped on the chair excitedly and dramatically swung her hands in the air, screaming, ¡°Ah Hen, you can do it! You can do it!¡± Lord Yuan Bao in her sleeve was flung around. The world around it spun as it crawled out of the sleeve fuming mad, baring its ¡°fangs¡± at Meng Fuyao. She quickly apologized and ced Lord Yuan Bao on her palm to show affection. Yun Hen looked at her in annoyance, casually waved his hand and told Huayan, ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Please!¡± The moment the word ¡®please¡¯ left his mouth, Huayan rushed up instantaneously like a storm, wielding his spear. Exploding sounds filled the air continuously with the impact of the st leaving the hairs at the back of Yun Hen¡¯s neck standing. Meng Fuyao was stupefied as she tightened her grip. ¡°That fellow is attacking with such ferocity¡­¡± She gripped tighter and tighter, forgetting that Lord Yuan Bao was still in her palm¡­ Yun Hen kept a calm face and growled, ¡°Good!¡± and pounced forward. The two entangled with each other. It was a battle that put power in the limelight. This was unlike the previous battle where Yan Jingchen had won by a close call with clumsy techniques ¡ª this was a battle which focused on true strength, moves, inner energy, foundation, and technique. It was an exhibition of the strength of the elites where one resembled a tiger with his strength, and the other resembled a dragon with his agility. The golden spear and the green sword hue that entangled together as they sliced, chopped, cut, pierced brought on cheers from the audience. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart, unlike the passionate audience, sank. She realized that even though Huayan might notst till the 500th move given his aggressive use of inner energy, Yun Hen was not only new to the sword technique but also had ack of foundation. Compared to Huayan¡¯srge amount of inner energy, Yun Hen was clearly at a disadvantage. Even though it might look like the two were on par, it would be tough for Yun Hen tost till the 500th move. She tightened her clutch, thinking of how tofort the defeated Yun Hen. At the 400th move, Yun Hen had shown no signs of losing still, however. Despite color draining off his face, his sword was as powerful as before and his determination to fight remained. His sword swept across like the waves on the roaring seas with no inkling of weakening. This was his battlefield, and it was something he refused topromise! Yun Hen refused topromise. The moment hepromised he would be giving up his pride and persistence. Yun Hen was already very exhausted. Exhausted to the point of almost copsing, to the point where his heart was thumping hard against his chest. Huayan¡¯s reversed Gait of the Seven Stars had really made him see stars due to his exhaustion. His breath was caught by the eager spear weaving the air around him. He felt as though his blood was slowly freezing and with every strike he made, the frozen blood was about to fall off in cubes. Thus, Yun Hen bit his tongue and held the blood in his mouth. That sharp pain and the metallic blood stench kept him conscious as the golden spear transformed into Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword ¡ª the one he had seen on Xuanji Mountain that year. Her moves were swift and precise, and her ck pupils were as bright as ice. She was like a flower in the wild, alone yet filled with pride ¡ª a pride that would not be corrupted or broken by the ways of the world. Yun Hen vividly recalled that pair of eyes. When he had met her once again in Taiyuan pce, he did not manage to recognize her in a rush. Yet, as he went back and thought about it, the gaze of her would always be in his memory. He remembered the fresh blood that flowed out when she had stabbed herself with the dagger, her schemes, and herposure that one would find hard to achieve. He remembered a proud yet undisciplined, sly yet aloof girl. ¡®Fuyao.¡¯ ¡®I can lose to you, but I definitely cannot lose to someone else in front of you!¡¯ The 500th move! Huayan started to pant. His golden spear was too heavy. Even though it was powerful, but once he overused it, it would be harmful to himself. Before he came, his teacher had especially reminded him that he could only use this method if he were to face the Scarless Sword Technique or match up with Yan Jingchen or Ya Lanzhu. But if he were to fight someone with the same inner strength like Gu Lingfeng or Guo Pingrong, he would not be able tost. When he drew Yun Hen, he was secretly pleased and boldly used this method. What he did not expect was that this Yun Hen that did not have the same inner strength could actuallyst for 500 moves. Once the spear lost its strength, the impact would be halved. Yun Hen took a deep breath, bearing the immense pain in his chest, and continued attacking. With a strike like a fluttering butterfly on the 587th move, Yun Hen hit the long spear out of Huayan¡¯s hands. Huayan, too, was an honorable man. With his weapon out of his hands, he did not continue to fight but admitted defeat without rancor. With a clear gaze, he stepped forward and told Yun Hen, ¡°My respects.¡± The admiration was for his strong resolution and his persistence. His refusal to give up in such adversity showed that he had a real man¡¯s courage and strength, one that was unbeatable. With his upright posture, Yun Hen returned the courtesy politely and respectively. As the audience looked upon him with admiration and showered him withpliments, he walked over to Meng Fuyao. He looked at her and smiled. Meng Fuyao hugged her knees and watched him. She sighed and silently passed him a handkerchief. Yun Hen received the handkerchief and covered his mouth, coughing slightly. Gently, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to refuse to spit out your blood in front of me. If that¡¯s so, I will not appear in front of you again.¡± Yun Hen smiled as he sat down. Meng Fuyao took out some medicine and shoved it in his hands. She stood up to do some light stretching. With a slight smile, she announced, ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡± Yun Hen tugged her hand which caused her to turn back. His gaze was a stark contrast to his cold expression ¡ª filled with passion and worry. His gaze caught her by surprise. It was as though his eyes could speak a thousand words. With a burst of unrestrainedughter, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Rx, I am not like you. If I were to lose, I would lose. Definitely will not secretly swallow my own blood.¡± Under the watchful eyes of the audience, some filled with kindness while others mockery, Meng Fuyao strode towards the stage. From her seat, she had to pass by Yan Jingchen and his wife, who sat in the first row to get onto the stage. Of course, she could have walked around them, but she refused. Meng Fuyao walked straight over. As the ce was a little narrow, the couple had to stand up to let her pass. Watching her walk over, Yan Jingchen felt as though his entire body stiffened as he stood up awkwardly. But Meng Fuyao did not even bother sparing him a nce. With a smile stered on her face, she passed Yan Jingchen and made her way to Pei Yuan. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao tilted her body and turned her feet. Initially, Pei Yuan did not bother paying much attention to Meng Fuyao, but suddenly, she felt a huge force rushing up to her legs and throwing her backward. She subconsciously reached out her hands to grab onto something, and Meng Fuyao immediately stretched her hand over, loudly asking, ¡°Are you okay, Mrs. Yan?¡± Amidst her scream, Meng Fuyao grabbed onto Pei Yuan and spun her. With a stagger, Pei Yuan turned to face the audience as her veil flew away due to the force of the spin. An ¡®Oh¡ª¡¯ filled the arena. Pei Yuan shrieked. Before she even realized what had happened, she saw her veil in the air. The hidden face that even her family had not seen was now exposed to everyone. On that face, the cross scar hadpletely healed though not gone, showing a bit of redness. While the scar was not absolutely disgusting, it was a stark contrast to the delicate features and pale skin on her face. Yan Jingchen turned around and stared nkly at Pei Yuan ¡ª all these while she had been finding excuses like ¡®she had skin ulcer¡¯ or ¡®she needs it to train¡¯. Plus, the couple in name had always been sleeping separately, so he had actually not seen her face ever since she had put on her veil. So her face was already ruined¡­ He closed his eyes and then turned to Meng Fuyao. Thatdy dressed like a man, with her eyes that sparkled like jewels, skin that glowed despite the disguise and a small tiny face made one apprehensive ¡ª her beauty had made one fear. Chapter 156 - Untitled Chapter 156: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yan Jingchen slowly raised his hand ¨C not to help his wife. He had already forgotten about his wife, and he only ced his hand on his heart. There were as though countless searing, sharp stones that were grating past his heart, and everywhere they passed, white smoke and bloody flesh would appear as a result of the burn. Those wonderful times that he crossed shoulders with because of his ignorance and greed when he was younger! Those injuries that were sins hemitted unknowingly, and an umtion of mistakes that wouldnd him forever in hell! He stood rooted to the ground, oblivious to the fact that his ¡°wife¡± screamed in pain, covered her face, and ran away from the scene. Dazed like a wooden doll, in an instant, he seemed to have aged 10 years older. When Meng Fuyao stood on the stage, Xuanyuan Yun was already waiting for her. This beautiful young man used a gleaming crescent hook as his weapon. Looking at this disciple of Moon Soul, Meng Fuyao decided not to use the treasure that Moon Soul had gifted her so that someone would not be jealous. Meanwhile, the audience started tozily crack open melon seeds between their teeth and eat them, waiting for this battle that had no controversy at all to be finished within three moves. On the stage, both people politely bowed to each other and said, ¡°Please-¡± Without finishing her sentence, Meng Fuyao lunged forward, stirring violent winds that trembled the air around her. With a bang, the rack containing weapons suddenly copsed, and the halberds and short hooks were scattered on the floor. The audience sucked in their breaths, thinking that even if she wanted to win despite her slim chances, she should not have been so anxious. Actually, Meng Fuyao only wanted to win this fight in three moves ¡ª she had yet to recuperate from her inner injury and was not fit for long battles. Opposite her, Xuanyuan smiled shyly. A glimmer of light appeared between his fingers, and a new moon unrolled like a belt. The moonlight transcended dimensions and was ever-present, immediately blocking all of Meng Fuyao¡¯s attacks. However, Meng Fuyao did not get near him at all. Flipping like an eagle, she leaped over his head. Without taking a look back, she delivered a blow, her palm that was bright as electricity aiming directly towards his shoulder. Xuanyuan Yun swerved to avoid her strike; his figure resembled the moonlight too, quietly gliding by in silence. On the stage, one could only see his pearly-white figure floating by as he moved and transited from one point to another just like time passing by. While he was light and agile, his body had the solidarity and stability that could withstand thousands of years and would not copse even under the worst circumstances. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao had a different style. Deafening thunder and fiery lightning apanied her movements, causing a gale to stir, allowing her to cleave through the Nine Heavens! Her punches were like aggressive tigers that broke out of cages and had the explosive roar of the King of the forest, causing all other animals to bow low in submission. Wherever her fist passed by, the hard wooden flooring would uproot one after another like the wooden nks on a boat and break apart, producing the sound of firecrackers. One nk would fly and bump into the next, and in no time, there were a dozen of nks rotating violently in mid-air, right above Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s head! There were loud screams of exmation. Thousands of people in the audience threw away their melon seeds and jumped to their feet. Shadows of the giant wooden nks filled up the entire space, covering the glimmer that came from Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s shiny crescent weapon. Meng Fuyao shot into the air, gliding past the wooden nks as she soared. Her purple robes fluttered in the wind, making her look like the Goddess of Lightning that rode on thick clouds, descending from the Nine Heavens. Even without steps for her tond on, she could still flip, jump, kick and step. Those wooden nks seemed to be brought to life, and in an instant, they were approaching Xuanyuan Yun from all directions, cornering him! Yet, Meng Fuyao did not rx. As she zoomed down, a ck glimmer appeared from her elbows, and Destiny Rebellion was already right beside her arm. This was a move picked up from Zong Yue, a move that was the fastest, the cruelest, the most agile and certain to hit the target in one strike! She only needed to ce this sword on Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s neck, and this battle would end! With that thought in mind, she dashed down like a phoenix dashing through the Nine Heavens, or a snowstorm with unstoppable power. Themotion among the audience had been silenced by the strong winds, and she was solely focused on her target. As Xuanyuan Yun was still trying to handle the wooden nks, white streaks of light appeared at his crescent hook. That light seemed to have an innate force so powerful that it could destroy all matter, and a few inches before it even reached the nks, the nks would silently crumble. But these few seconds had already allowed Meng Fuyao to get near him. She was like the cumulonimbus clouds that could not be avoided, and the gleam of her dagger shed by Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s eyes. At the same time, exmations of shock erupted in the audience. However, Xuanyuan Yun suddenly smiled. In his hands, his weapon shook and a pair of ¡°wings¡±, which were shiny des, emerged on the crescent hook. Once they appeared, the temperature in the surroundings suddenly dropped as chilliness took over. When moonlight was paired with wings, how fancy and eye-catching they were! While Xuanyuan Yun was still shyly smiling, he flicked his wrist, and the moonlight in his palms suddenly moved twice as fast. Just a gentle slide and the frosty hook was directly in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s face! In an instant, one could feel a cold shiver in the body, as though blood was going to freeze. Meng Fuyao knew that she had fallen for his trick. He had been hiding a treasure, just like her! Xuanyuan Yun had pure Yin inner energy but only chose to reveal it at this moment. At the start, he purposely concealed it to tempt her to unleash all her strength to end this battle quick. Then, at that moment when the force of her old strike was subsiding, and she had yet to summon new energy, Xuanyuan Yun disclosed such moves, wanting to aggravate her old injury! No wonder Zong Yue said that he did not want toe, but still came to give her medicine. So he was worried about Xuanyuan Yun. The biting cold chilled her body that was depleted of inner energy, and she felt a visceral pain within her. At the same time, Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s hook had been drifting towards her. The hook was extremely shiny, like a full moon that hung high in the sky. Its radiance was so bright that everyone had to squint and use their hands to shield the light, to try to clearly witness this ever-changing and exciting battle that had exceeded their expectations. In the brightness, Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s weapon suddenly stopped at the most crucial timing. As he nted his body past Meng Fuyao, he quickly said, ¡°Let me see him, and I¡¯ll lose to you.¡± Meng Fuyao was momentarily stunned, and she nearly choked. ¡®This child is willing to give up on the champion title just to see Zong Yue?¡¯ she thought. ¡®He really has great charisma¡­¡¯ The hook stopped in front of her face as Xuanyuan Yun waited for a reply. But Meng Fuyao only smiled. Just as quickly, she replied, ¡°That¡¯s his business, and I have no right to interfere. Anyway, I don¡¯t need your mercy.¡± Meng Fuyao had yet to finish saying the word ¡°mercy¡± when Xuanyuan Yun promptly retreated at the speed of wind. However, he was toote, or rather, he was already destined to lose out on the opportunity to beat Meng Fuyao when he stopped. Meng Fuyao gave a low holler and extended her fingers. A very bright gleam suddenly appeared in her palm. It was first a white cluster of righteous air, which quickly expanded and outshone the moonlight. The center was scorching hot, and the sides were like mes that spread like wildfire. The remaining nks erupted from the ground and flew backward as though someone was rapidly dragging them away, forcing spectators in the front row to run away from their seats. Ahead of them, Prince Heng and the referee sat on high ground stacked up by the same nks. Those strong nks that were secured by metal chains also silently copsed, causing Prince Heng to nearly fall in embarrassment. The sixth level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique, ¡°Sunrise¡±! Ocean waves and velvety clouds were bathed in an orange-gold illumination, like the rise of a burning sun! When sunlight appeared, there was no ce at all for moonlight. Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s expression changed. It was still air filled with righteousness, but he was knowledgeable enough to know that he would not be able to directly counter it. He backed off like a bolt of lightning, at a speed no slower than Meng Fuyao¡¯s previous strike. Nevertheless, two fingers were gently ced on his throat. In contrast with his frosty aura, this pair of fingers were hot, searing passionately like fire. His throat stiffened as he felt the scorching heat on his throat, causing him to have goosebumps. On the destroyed stage, strong winds blew by, causing his robe to flutter in the air, emphasizing his narrow yet strong figure. Another glimmer of sunlight gently shone, revealing her fingers that were steadily pinching her opponent¡¯s throat. That glimmer slowlypressed into a white glow at her fingertips which aimed directly at the vital spot, causing the thousands of people in the audience to be silent. The referee opened his mouth to speak a few times, but no word was expressed. Finally, he gawked, ¡°Meng Fuyao, won!¡± Though everyone knew that this was the oue, they continued to suck in their breath. As the noise created rang through the gigantic stage, it sounded like giants huping. In the meantime, Xuanyuan Yun did not dare to blink as he waited for Meng Fuyao to release her fingers, which Meng Fuyao did not do. He was already about to tear from the strong white light, and his eyes turned red as though he was wronged. Meng Fuyao secretly scolded, ¡°Rabbit!¡± She did want to remove her hands. But she could not. Earlier, she had taken a gamble by quickly condensing her inner energy to break into the sixth level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique. She was now in a much worse state than Xuanyuan Yun. All the bones in her body seemed to be dislocated, while her abdomen was a chaotic mess ¨C inner energy was dashing in all directions uncontrobly. A slight movement of her finger and she would probably spit a mouthful of blood and all her organs on Xuanyuan Yun. As she stood rooted to the ground, others thought that she intended to show off and was reluctant to let go of her victorious moment. She was a ck horse ¨C a major one ¨C who just wielded one movement and immediately took down Xuanyuan Yun who was most likely the winner of the Meet and caused him to drop out of the tenth ce. It was a battle that everyone expected no controversies and could be settled within three moves. It was indeed three moves, but the winner and loser switched ces. With their jaws agape, they stared at Meng Fuyao who froze in a dramatic pose, but no one thought of rescuing this victorious winner. On another side of the stage, Yan Jingchen gazed at her figure in a daze. After he stood up from his seat, he never sat down again. When Meng Fuyao wielded her first strike, he had almost cked out. Even when those wooden nks smashed against his leg, he did not sense them at all. When Meng Fuyao finished the battle with herst move, and the audience eximed in shock, he let out a low cry. ¡°Ah!¡± That cry used up all of his remaining strength. Others would not know, but after having practiced the Stirring Thunder technique, he understood that the move was the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique! Chapter 157 - Untitled Chapter 157: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The cultivation technique that was the best in the world and far better than the Stirring Thunder technique ¨C Cleaving Nine Heavens! ¡°Fuyao¡­ Fuayo¡­¡± Yan Jingchen had no idea what he was calling out for. His heart slowly sank in excruciating pain to the depths of his chest. The pain seemed to destroy his kidneys and rip apart his lungs, and it prated deep into his bone marrows, causing him to suffocate in agony. Those decisions that he made as a smart alec, those destinies that were a result of his mistake after mistake, and those punishments that were long fated to arrive¡­ ¡°You will sooner orter suffer.¡± Yan Jingchen puked out a mouthful of blood, which spread out like blossoms on the dusty, grey floor. While Yan Jingchen suffered, perspiration was dripping down Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. She felt that she was going to experience a mental disorder, and that sense of helplessness as she neared the dark abyss caused her to almost ck out. As she raised her head, she looked desperately at Xuanyuan Yun for help, but he only knew how to blink and cry. ¡®Save me¡­ though it¡¯s a really eye-catching pose, my life will still be in danger from posing too long¡­¡¯ Behind her, someone with a cool and refreshing aura walked up. A chilly palm held onto her, and he spoke calmly, ¡°You must be tired, let¡¯s go.¡± The palm was steady and strong, and a slightly cold inner energy emerged. It traveled through her veins and slowly appeased the heat and chaos in her body. As her own ruthless and tyrannical inner energy calmed down like a stream returning to the ocean, she realized that she could move. She had survived. Meng Fuyao let out a deep breath and was so grateful that her eyes were teary. Turning back, she muttered, ¡°Yun Hen¡­¡± At such a crucial moment, though he sat far away, he could see the precarious state she was in! This transfer of inner energy really came at the right moment, helping her to pass through the most difficult stage after she had forcefully upgraded her skills. If he had not done so, Meng Fuyao could very well be a winner who died on stage, and appeared on the headlines as ¡°someone who was overly excited, and died as a result¡±. Meanwhile, Yun Hen just faintly smiled at her, and the sparks in his eyes shone radiantly like a sparkling gxy. In his expression, there was joy because of her victory, and relief because she had managed to aplish a breakthrough in her skills. He was the type of man who would reside in high mountains and listen to the flow of the river as heid down peacefully. A resilient man whose whereabouts could not be traced. As he held her hand, he slowly walked down from the right side of the stage. ¡°Hold on to me,¡± he said. ¡°If misfortune is on the left, I¡¯ll bring you towards the right.¡± In the next few days, Meng Fuyao was undoubtedly the most famous character in Pandu. Everyone was discussing how she was the unexpected ck horse who beat the strongest Xuanyuan Yun and froze on the stage in delight after her victory. Even the guinea pig heard about this rumor when he went shopping with Tiecheng, and when he came back, he would clutch his stomach and roar withughter. Luckily, no one understood hisnguage, and even Meng Fuyao just foolishlyughed along with him. This made the guinea pig even happier, and he decided to report this back to his master. After a few days of rest, the ck horse had not fully recuperated, but she was forced to go to the stage of thest round, which would be held at the pce. When the three of them arrived, there were not many bystanders, but an entire round of folding screen was set up. Behind those translucent screens, there were the sounds of ttering beads and ornaments, and a slightly aromatic scent wafted in the air ¨C crowds of countless beauties were lined up. There were even the pleasant voices of the beauties. ¡°He¡¯sing, he¡¯sing.¡± ¡°Quick, take a look!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t squeeze me -¡± ¡°Ouch, you stepped on my feet¡­¡± When Meng Fuyao walked in, there was amotion among the beautifuldies. They looked neatly in a single direction, and some even ignored their status, boldly standing up and screaming with their faces covered by their fans. Meng Fuyao was so happy, thinking that she had finally shot to fame. As she walked in big strides across the pce, she grinned from ear to ear and waved her hands at her admirers. The ¡°admirers¡± took a look at her and neatly turned their heads away. As Meng Fuyao stood dumbfoundedly, there was a loud call. ¡°The Emperor has arrived-¡± A stream of people walked out from the inner pce, and one could sense a magnificent entourage and powerful aura. When Meng Fuyao heard the announcement, she immediately looked away. She had suddenly thought of a very serious problem ¨C she had to bow to Zhan Nancheng? How depressing¡­ Meng Fuyao shook her tiny head in frustration, pondering over what methods she should use to skip the ritual¡­ She sprained her back? Fractured her hand? Injured her spine? Out of the corner of her eyes, she vaguely saw that those people had sat ording to their positions and had even politely let the other parties sit first. ¡®Disgrace to the true gentlemen!¡¯ she thought. Then, she heard another wave ofmotion behind the folding screen. Thedies were stepping on each other¡¯s skirts, tripping over each other¡¯s socks and panting amongst the mess. Seeing such a sight, Meng Fuyao felt even more angered. ¡®Sh*t, there¡¯s still a bunch of obsessed women!¡¯ However, she suddenly felt that something was not quite right. The aura was wrong! Not an aura of a human! Furthermore, from her peripheral vision, who was that person with the purple robe and silver embroidery? Stiffly, with her bones making cracking noises, her neck turned towards the other direction. In front of her, on the jade steps, someone was slightly tilted towards Zhan Nancheng and talking to him. Wearing a purple-golden crown and a grey belt, that person downed a shiny light-purple gown befitting of a Prince. His hair was like ink, and hisplexion was like jade, and an exquisite mask covered half of his beautiful face. Even so, the visible eyes were still as radiant as a God. Sensing Meng Fuyao¡¯s stare, he was all smiles as his gazended upon her. Instantly, Meng Fuyao felt that her entire body, including her inner garments, were scrutinized by his hawk-like eyes. As though a look was not enough, that person slowly, elegantly, and alluringly gave her a smile, which made people mad and hateful but at the same time, could not help but be attracted towards. Then, Meng Fuyao heard a smile in his voice, which secretly emerged only at her ear. ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Meng Fuyao almost jumped. ¡®A lie, continue to lie!¡¯ ¡®Continue to always lie no matter the time and ce!¡¯ Her first instinct ¨C dash out, find a rake and give him an aggressive beating. Her second instinct ¨C this move was too anxious of her and would only give him a chance to counter her. She had to defeat him without battling him. The third instinct ¨C silence was the greatest humiliation. She should look away and ignore him. As such, she turned her head away determinedly and put on a solemn expression as she stared towards the front. She followed the others and bowed, not caring whether she had to kowtow to Zhan Nancheng. In the meantime, Zhan Nancheng did not look very pleased, since Heaven Demon¡¯s most able candidate Gu Lingfeng was strangely defeated in the Meet. Only one from their nation entered the top ten, and there was no chance of him winning the champion title. However, he still retained the mannerisms of a major nation¡¯s Emperor and put on a smile as he introduced Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°We are more than honored to have the Crown Prince of Wujie from miles away to personally referee thest round of the Meet in this pce.¡± Zhangsun Wuji slightly bowed and smiled. ¡°I am not as able. Taking on the position as a referee was merely because I did not want to let down your invite, Your Majesty,¡± Zhangsun Wuji responded. Zhan Nancheng added, ¡°You have endured much trouble. It is ourck of manners that it¡¯s your first time here in Heaven Demon, and we¡¯re already hurrying you to be a referee without a proper wee.¡± Zhangsun Wuji again politely replied, ¡°It is reasonable, Your Majesty. You do not have to be so polite.¡± Both people exchanged nces and smiled. There were rustling movements behind the screens as thedies squeezed against each other and spoke in low voices. The entire setting really seemed more like a brothel than a sparring stage. Zhan Nancheng became slightly displeased. He was not willing for the Meet to turn out this way, but Zhangsun Wuji was already famous at a young age and was a legendary figure among the royals of various nations. In each nation, there would be schrsing up with tunes about his biography to praise his achievements. These nobledies had been too lonely and miserly living alone in their rooms and had to rely on reading his biography to let their imagination run wild as a pastime. Since it was a rare asion that he came to Heaven Demon, thesedies had gone mad,ing to the pce day and night to ask for entry to take a look at their fantasy. Seeing that thedies had gone over the top, Zhan Nancheng was also mildly embarrassed. Hence, he cleared his throat and change the topic. ¡°Your nation¡¯s General Meng is truly a young hero. Three days ago, that battle stirred an uproar in the city. There are truly many talents in Wuji nation,¡± he said. Zhangsun Wuji swept his nce past Meng Fuyao, who had no expression on her face but her evil eyes, and paused before answering, ¡°We are lucky.¡± Immediately, Meng Fuyao rubbed her arms, as if trying to soothe out her goosebumps. ¡®Lucky, lucky my foot! I feel very unlucky seeing your face.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji smiled, extended his hand and discretely made a grabbing motion, as if to pick out her goosebumps, causing Meng Fuyao to stare at him. She really felt that he was a thick-skinned and ck-hearted demon, who could ughter the heads of those 3,000 miles away with just a fling of his sword. As she thought, Meng Fuyao took a step back to stand behind Yun Hen, and she rubbed her nose, deciding not to confront that demon. Being a sensitive person, Yun Hen nted his head to look at her and then turned to look at Zhangsun Wuji. He was not sure what happened between them, but he felt that Meng Fuyao became abnormal once she stepped into the pce. A bold and fearless person like her actually looked ufortable¡­ was it because of the Crown Prince? His face fell at that thought. But when Meng Fuyao hid behind him, his eyes lit up, and a gentle smile spread across his face. Meanwhile, Zhan Beiheng continued to host thest round, and he read the names of the ten finalists ¨C Meng Fuyao, Yun Hen, Yan Jingchen, Ya Lanzhu, Changtao from Xuanyuan, Wei Shanrui from Shangyuan, Yan Taiyu from Taiyuan, Shen Ming from Heaven Demon, Tang Yizhong from Xuanji, and Bagu from Fufeng. After the list has been read, everyone realized that something was off. Why was Yan Jingchen absent? Everyone took great pains to ovee each stage and arrive at thest round of the Meet. Why would someone give up such an opportunity? Zhan Beiheng¡¯s brows were furrowed. He instructed the pce servant beside him to summon Yan Jingchen, and the servant hurried down the stairs, but he bumped right into a eunuch at the entrance. That eunuch spoke in a hurried tone, ¡°Your Majesty, Mrs. Yan of Taiyuan wishes to be granted an audience.¡± ¡®Pei Yuan? What¡¯s she doing here?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought as she frowned in confusion. ¡®Hasn¡¯t she already made a fool of herself yesterday?¡¯ In the meantime, Zhan Nancheng was slightly stunned, but he recovered and said, ¡°Summon her.¡± Chapter 158 - Untitled Chapter 158: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As the long summon was announced, everyone turned to look at the entrance. Back facing the sunlight, the woman stepped in with her head raised high. It was still a very eye-catching red robe, and her long shadow was reflected on the dark red pce door studded with copper. She seemed slightly thinner, but her back was straightened. Meng Fuyao stared at the pair of eyes not covered by her veil, and her heart slightly thumped. This woman had lifeless eyes, like a pond of stagnant water. It was silent but shockingly eerie. Meanwhile, Pei Yuan walked straight in without looking at anyone and did not rise after her greeting. She knelt on the floor and spoke clearly, ¡°Your Majesty, my husband Yan Jingchen felt unwell during night time and is unable to participate in the True Martial Arts Meet. However, since we have traveled all the way here to Heaven Demon, we¡¯re not willing to return without a battle. Since my husband and I are like one, please allow me to fight in his ce!¡± ¡°Outrageous!¡± Zhan Nancheng immediately refused. ¡°Yan Jingchen was the one who earned the right to enter the final battle of the Meet, not you, Mrs. Yan. If you rece him, how is it fair for all other contestants who have lost?¡± ¡°I have merely not participated in the fight for the champion,¡± Pei Yuan responded, and she looked up with dignity. ¡°If Yan Jingchen can earn that right, so can I!¡± Zhan Nancheng was taken aback. He looked towards Zhan Beiheng, who added, ¡°There is precedence for the wife recing her husband in the battle. Furthermore, if Yan Jingchen lost his chance just like that, it would be unfair to him as well.¡± After he spoke, Zhan Nancheng contemted for a moment, but his expression had rxed. Smiling towards Zhansun Wuji, he said, ¡°The Crown Prince is the referee of the Meet. You shall decide.¡± Meng Fuyao scrunched her face. ¡®What a pair of cunning foxes. Your attitude is already clear, so what else should Zhangsun Wuji say?¡¯ Looking towards Pei Yuan without much emotion, Zhangsun Wuji spoke, ¡°I will not revoke your im that you have the ability to earn your right. However, a im is still a im without any evidence. If you want all the heroes in the world to believe you, you have to show us what you¡¯ve got.¡± Pei Yuan promptly answered, ¡°May the Crown Prince point any of the ten finalists to battle with me! If I lose, I will ept my punishment for disturbing the Emperor!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhangsun Wuji grinned, and his gaze darted across the ten people andnded on Meng Fuyao. He smiled. Thinking that he would assign her to chase Pei Yuan out of the pce, Meng Fuyao rolled up her sleeves in preparation. But Zhangsun Wuji looked away and beamed at Ya Lanzhu. ¡°Princess Ya, please,¡± he said. Ya Lanzhu was momentarily stunned, but she recovered with augh and remarked, ¡°Okay, anyway I had one less battle in the previous round. It¡¯s just the right time for me to practice my skills.¡± She strolled over and blew at her fist. Giggling, she opened her arms and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± In the meantime, Meng Fuyao could not see Pei Yuan¡¯s expression from the back. However, she realized that while Ya Lanzhu still looked as naive and lively as before, the way she stared at Pei Yuan was different. Her eyes had darkened. Pei Yuan¡­ was there anything abnormal about her? Meng Fuyao suddenly realized that there seemed to be a deeper meaning behind Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s move in provoking Pei Yuan to propose a battle, and then appointing Ya Lanzhu. Did he sense something? While she looked back with suspicion, battle cries had already sounded in the pce. Two strokes of light, one colorful and the other crimson red, had tangled together in mid-air; Pei Yuan and Ya Lanzhu had started fighting against each other. When Pei Yuan executed her first move, Meng Fuyao already knew that she was not lying. Though her skills were not on par with Yan Jingchen¡¯s, she was more familiar with the Stirring Thunder technique, and her sword technique was not worse than his. Furthermore, her inner energy was simr to Yan Jingchen¡¯s ¡ª they were both disciples of Mist. Meng Fuyao felt that this couple was full of puzzles. How did they be a couple? Was she taught by Yan Jingchen or Mist? As husband and wife, they were strangely awkward, so were there any reasons behind their marriage? How did Mist even allow Yan Jingchen to marry her? As Meng Fuyao was pondering over those matters, she still kept an eye on the fight. Ya Lanzhu was born into the royal family of Fufeng, and of magic, so she had a strong martial arts foundation. In addition, she had been chasing after Zhan Beiye for many years and became very quick and agile in her movements. As she leaped, she resembled a shiny rainbow that blinded one¡¯s eyes. The weapon she used was a pair of strange but exquisite copper dice cups which rang a shrill or clear sound every once in a while when they shed. The vibrant colors and messy sounds easily gave people migraines whenever she passed by. As for Pei Yuan, she was starkly different. Steadily, she wielded her sword, and each move was apanied by fog and the sound of thunder. The air around her was heavy and forceful, seemingly to overpower Ya Lanzhu¡¯s agile and distracting tactics. Her strategy was indeed useful; the butterfly-like Ya Lanzhu started to slow down her steps and attack her face-on. At the 127th move, there was a twist to the battle. Pei Yuan obviouslycked in staminapared to Ya Lanzhu, which was reasonable as her skills had once been destroyed, and she could in no way catch up with Ya Lanzhu¡¯s solid foundation. Seeing the colorful sleeves travel across the pce like rainbows, her eyes turned icier. Suddenly, she flicked the sword. The gleam of the sword was originally apanied by fog, but the fog changed from a shade of light grey to ck, and there was a slightly rancid smell. As she wielded her sword, she smirked and aimed straight for Ya Lanzhu¡¯s face ¡ª all her attacks only targeted the face. Habitually, Ya Lanzhu nted her head and avoided the strike, but a very small ck bead suddenly exploded out of the tip of the sword and aimed towards her ear. The angle was very uncanny, causing Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart to thump. Then, the ck bead suddenly grew out microsize ws! It was alive! What was that! That thing was as fast as a meteor and so near its target. If it shot into Ya Lanzhu¡¯s ear, what would be the consequence? Meng Fuyao was about to jump, but Ya Lanzhu¡¯s nted body suddenly made an arc and pivoted in the other direction. The ck w followed her movement tirelessly. Nevertheless, as though she was boneless, Lanzhu rotated a full circle back to where Pei Yuan was standing, and suddenly raised her copper cup. A slit appeared in the cup, revealing a red light which shed by. Suddenly, the ck w trembled in mid-air, and as though it was maized, slowly got sucked into the slit. From Meng Fuyao¡¯s perspective, she could see that the ck w was struggling in mid-air and wanted to break free. Yet, no matter how it struggled, it could not defeat the red thing in Yan Lanzhu¡¯s strange weapon, and could only be absorbed into the slit. Pei Yuan slowed down in her strikes. She had only lost one ck bead, but her face turned ashen. On the other hand, Ya Lanzhu giggled and said, ¡°ying with this in front of the ancestor of Guchong 1 ? That¡¯s cute of you.¡± Then, she pped her cups and happily eximed, ¡°Little Treasure has some snacks again!¡± That was when the realization struck Meng Fuyao. No wonder the cups looked familiar yet peculiar ¡ª they were the cups used to raise Guchong! Zhangsun Wuji must have noticed that Pei Yuan had something up her sleeves, so he appointed Ya Lanzhu, a royal member of Fufeng. Who else would be abler than Ya Lanzhu, a descendant of the three major witch ns in Fufeng, to handle all witchcraft? Meanwhile, Pei Yuan stepped back with her sword. Ya Lanzhu kept her cups and was walking back to her seat, but Pei Yuan stopped retreating and suddenly dashed forward, raising her sword towards the back of Ya Lanzhu¡¯s heart! Ya Lanzhu felt something approaching her from behind, and when she turned, she realized that Pei Yuan¡¯s figure had already shadowed her. In her hurry, she raised her hand to block. With a sh, Ya Lanzhu¡¯s cups flew, while Pei Yuan¡¯s sword menacingly shed towards the top of her forehead! A light-purple beam darted by. The beam suddenly appeared in the air, and it was as light as clouds and wind. It resembled the feather that dropped from the peak of a holy mountain or a floating cloud above the Nine Heavens. That beam shot past, and it gathered to form a light-purple figure, which casually raised his fingers and easily grabbed onto Pei Yuan¡¯s sword. Pei Yuan tried hard to sh, but she could no longer do so. When she tried to pluck out her sword, it did not even move. Subsequently, Zhangsun Wuji smiled. Calmly but adamantly, he took away her sword and said, ¡°Mrs. Yan, enough is enough.¡± Though Pei Yuan¡¯s eyes were bloody and she looked extremely resentful, the authoritative tone in his speech silenced her. There was another round ofmotion behind the screen as chatters of ¡°No, I am going to faint¡­¡±, ¡°Ah¡­ demure as a maiden and quick as a rabbit¡­ the demeanor of god¡­¡± appeared, to which Meng Fuyao responded by muttering under her breath, ¡°Hoes!¡± This elicited a look from that person, who smiled and transmitted hisments quietly. ¡°Fuyao, you¡¯re prettiest when you¡¯re jealous.¡± Meng Fuyao took in a deep breath, shut her mouth and retreated three steps. Someone was particrly thick-skinned, and scolding was of no use. Anyway, physical scolding meant no effect, while not scolding meant scolding him thoroughly in her heart. That would suffice. At that moment, Zhan Beiheng had already walked over. He hurriedlymented, ¡°Princess Ya¡¯s weapon fell on the floor, so Mrs. Yan won.¡± Meng Fuyao boiled with anger. There really was no end to shame. Stepping forward, she gazed curiously at Zhan Beiheng and smiled. ¡°Prince, your Heaven Demon nation really holds the moral high ground. You are not afraid of pain and exhaustion, and that makes us really envious of you.¡± Zhan Beiheng stared at her with caution and asked, ¡°General Meng, what do you mean?¡± ¡°You sent an invitation letter to the Crown Prince of Wuji from thousands of miles away, to be the referee of thest round of the True Martial Arts Meet. Yet you¡¯re not willing to let him be tired out, and often hurry toplete his duties for him. Such a move really touches our hearts and makes us want to cry¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked up at Zhangsun Wuji and asked innocently, ¡°Crown Prince, do you feel like crying?¡± Zhangsun Wuji gazed deeply into her, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He did not look at the embarrassed Zhan Beiheng and answered, ¡°General Meng has always known me well.¡± ¡®What do I know of you!¡¯ Meng Fuyao retorted internally. But a wide grin was stered on her face, and she responded humbly, ¡°Sometimes, only sometimes.¡± The corners of Zhan Beiheng¡¯s lips twitched. He could neitherugh nor reprimand and stood at his spot awkwardly. Seeing that this could not go on, Zhan Nancheng spoke, ¡°Beiheng, you have overreached. The refereeing should, of course, be done by the Crown Prince.¡± Chapter 159 - Untitled Chapter 159: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°No worries,¡± said Zhangsun Wuji as he casually walked back. ¡°Prince Heng¡¯s reputation as a wise man is known by all nations. Naturally, he is not wrong.¡± Just as Pei Yuan looked up in surprise, Zhanhsun Wuji added, ¡°Mrs. Yan did not admit defeat earlier on and attacked again. Though that defeats moral values, it is not against the rules. However, since Mrs. Yan¡¯s weapon had also been struck down by Princess Ya, both people are on par.¡± Pei Yuan¡¯splexion turned ghostly-white. Zhangsun Wuji may have seemed forgiving, but a simple line as ¡°Though that defeats moral values¡± said in the setting of the True Martial Arts Meet would definitely spread into everyone¡¯s ears. From now on, she would lose the respect of all other martial arts wielders. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao was not very satisfied with the results and still wanted to kick Pei Yuan out of thest round. As she nced around, she saw how Pei Yuan shot cold looks at her, and how Ya Lanzhu stared at Pei Yuan as though she was ready to skin Pei Yuan alive. Realization struck her ¡ª during the mixed battle of thest round, Ya Lanzhu would definitely be more focused on defeating Pei Yuan than snatching the champion title. Then, Pei Yuan would not have the chance to y dirty tricks on her. This meant that two of her strong opponents were indirectly removed. ¡®Sigh, that guy¡¯s calctive thoughts are deeper than the ocean. He even wants to utilise Ya Lanzhu, who is at least on friendly terms, in his mastern. That¡¯s shameless!¡¯ Thereafter, the drawing of lotsmenced. Meng Fuyao would battle Tang Yizhong, Yun Hen¡¯s opponent was Ya Lanzhu, Pei Yuan¡¯s was Shen Ming, Wei Shanrui¡¯s was Yan Taiyu, and Chang Tao¡¯s was Bagu. Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief. She was in a dilemma, thinking of what she should do if she drew Yun Hen or Ya Lanzhu. Defeat them? Ya Lanzhu was still fine since she was just a yful character, and Meng Fuyao would not feel too guilty defeating her. At most, she would only disrupt Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s well-thought ns. But for Yun Hen, he was a man in his prime time to contribute to his nation. How could she bear to rip him of such a precious opportunity? If Yun Hen battled Ya Lanzhu, there was an 80% chance that Ya Lanzhu would lose. She liked to y and was not as hardworking as Yun Hen, and she alsocked the rich experience that he had from his years of fighting, if not, she wouldn¡¯t have been sessfully attacked by Pei Yuan from the back. Meng Fuyao sighed, nced at Zhangsun Wuji and thought, ¡®You¡¯re trying to enforce your grand n? Ya Lanzhu would still not be able to end up in the top five positions.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji merely smiled and ignored her provoking thoughts. He gently sipped from the teacup and chatted with Zhan Nancheng from time to time. His demeanor sessfully angered Meng Fuyao. There were just people like him who didn¡¯t know how to spell ¡°guilty!¡±. Flipping back her robes, she took big strides towards the center of the stage. This time round, she was the first to be up. Tang Yizhong, who had, unfortunately, be herpetitor, smiled bitterly and came up to her with his sword in hand. Even before the sparring started, he bowed and spoke, ¡°Tang Yizhong from Xuanji, wishes to battle General Meng.¡± He bowed so humbly that Meng Fuyao was about to return the formalities, but he suddenly whispered, ¡°I¡¯m willing to admit defeat quickly to preserve General Meng¡¯s strength. Please show mercy on me.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him with a slight beam ¡ª he was smart. He noticed that she was angry and ready to punch someone up, and knew that no matter what he would not be able to win, so he tried to please her in advance. With a bow, she softly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I only beat up those who deserve it.¡± That person was none other than the one sitting high up on the steps. The two of them started fighting, and it was a spectacr sight. The pair of swords were like blossoming flowers, but that was all there was to the fight. In less than a hundred moves, Tang Yizhong jumped six feet high and exposed his front towards Meng Fuyao. Such a posture, which resembled an eagle preying on a rabbit, usually only worked when the better wielder performed it on the weaker one, and there had to be a huge disparity in their skills. By using this move, Tang Yizhong was obviously giving Meng Fuyao an opportunity, and she could only graciously ept it. With a kick, Tang Yizhong flew away. He spun three somersaults exaggeratedly in mid-air beforending clumsily on the ground. Without even flushing or panting, his expression became one of ¡°utter humiliation¡± and he ¡°threw his sword away and admitted defeat¡±, shouting, ¡°Your skills are admirable!¡± While trying to suppress herughter, Meng Fuyao returned the formalities. ¡°You¡¯ve been kind, thank you,¡± she said. She could not help but shoot one more look at this guy who looked average-looking. An interesting person indeed, and he was smart and fun. If she visited Xuanji in the future, she could make friends with him. In the meantime, Zhan Nancheng pped his hands and smiled. ¡°This battle is extremely interesting.¡± Turning to Zhangsun Wuji, he asked, ¡°Crown Prince, what are your thoughts?¡± The royals of all the nations in the Five Regions Continent were skilled in martial arts and naturally would have been able to recognize that this battle was merely child¡¯s y. Zhangsun Wuji smiled and answered, ¡°Interesting indeed. Mr. Tang is no weakpetitor and could havested at least 200 hundred moves. It is honorable that he doesn¡¯t care that much about fame.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhan Nancheng remarked. ¡°Crown Prince, you are very impartial. I thought that you would praise General Meng.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you are wise, how would I dare to lie?¡± Zhangsun Wuji responded with a smile, as he looked at his tea in a daze. ¡°I heard that you are very fond of General Meng,¡± Zhan Nanchengmented discreetly. After a moment of silence, Zhangsun Wuji replied, ¡°Thisd is excellent and truly a talent that people in power would naturally be fond of.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so if General Meng won the champion title, how does Wuji nation intend on rewarding him?¡± ¡°Our nation is very regretful that General Guo was unable to make it to top ten,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said as he diverted the topic. ¡°If he had been able to make it to top three, with the great deal of military achievements that he has, his loyalty towards the court, and his poprity as an old general, he would definitely be bestowed the title of Generalissimo.¡± In other words, the Wuji court had never considered granting any significant position for little General Meng, who had neither the experience nor the achievements. A gleam appeared in Zhan Nancheng¡¯s eyes. He vaguely recalled hearing a rumor that though General Meng received the Crown Prince¡¯s affection, he was more of a male lover than a treasured talent. ording to rumors, the Crown Prince always brought him along wherever he went and did not avoid anyone. General Meng¡¯s position was also very dubious; for such a paramount achievement as protecting the city gates, he was bestowed a noble but powerless title. Even that achievement sounded made-up. Riding into the enemy camp alone? Killing seven generals by himself? Being forced tomit suicide at the city gates? Acting as a spy in Prince De¡¯s army? Today, both his and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s expressions were not very right. The more Zhan Nancheng thought of the rumor, the more he felt that General Meng was the male lover. Zhangsun Wuji was someone who didn¡¯t like trouble, so why would he ept the invitation to be a referee? Could it be because of General Meng? Though Zhangsun Wuji looked like he had nothing to hide, he seemed slightly upset. Zhan Nancheng would definitely not fully believe Zhangsun Wuji if he had purposely cleared his rtionship with Meng Fuyao since he was known to be witty, but that slight expression on his face caused Zhan Nancheng to involuntarily think deeper. On the other side, Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression was also very natural, but she seemed to be very displeased with Zhangsun Wuji, and that emotion felt real. Could it be ¡ª there was a problem in their rtionship? Was Meng Fuyao truly like what he said, a dissatisfied male lover who wanted to seek achievements in Heaven Demon? Zhan Nancheng gently caressed his knees and sighed in his mind. Military talent was sparse in Heaven Demon; among the two best generals, Beiqi strangely died in Changhan mountain range, and Gu Lingfeng had be a useless person who could neither speak nor move. Yet Zhan Beiye was still lurking in the shadows, and this younger brother¡¯s presence was like a shadow that heavily burdened him. He could vaguely feel that danger was nearing, but he had little talent to use. If he was not forced to such circumstances, why would he want to eye a general from a different nation? Feeling pain in a certain body part, he could not help but gave an icy look towards Zhan Beiheng ¨C that night in Xihua pce, the saddle that was covered in needles made him suffer quite badly. Up until now, he was still receiving treatment every day and was afraid that he would be physically dysfunctional. Every time he recalled that a noble Emperor like him had to go through such fate, he would boil with anger and tremble. ¡®If I catch you, ck-clothed boy, I will definitely shred you into pieces!¡¯ While the people on the steps were absorbed in their thoughts, the fight on the stage had been in full swing. Pei Yuan had defeated Shen Ming, and Yun Hen was going to go up against Ya Lanzhu. Ya Lanzhu flicked her dozen braids and giggled as she jumped on stage. Pointing towards Yun Hen, she said, ¡°Fight properly, don¡¯t think that I will be merciful towards you.¡± Yun Hen merely smiled and took a look back at Meng Fuyao. There were indistinguishable emotions in his eyes, making Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skip a beat, but she could not understand what that meant. However, when the two started fighting, Meng Fuyao gradually realized what that expression signified. Ya Lanzhu, who darted across the stage like a beam of colorful light, had excellent running skills and martial arts moves, but her inner energy paled inparison with Yun Hen¡¯s. Furthermore, she was familiar with Yun Hen and would not use those cups that contained Guchong. Hence, fighting against Yun Hen, who had skills no less superior to hers and inner energy that exceeded hers, was definitely a defeat for her. But that was not what happened. The rainbow-colored butterfly fluttered around, drawing elegant lines as it continuously spiraled around Yun Hen. The energy of Yun Hen¡¯s sword could have instantly broken past those colorful clouds, but it seemed darker and darted around the mist. The radius that the porcin-white energy swept past became smaller and smaller. From the exterior, the rainbow colors seemed to be cornering this patch of porcin-white light, forcing it towards the center of the mist. How did this happen? Yun Hen did suffer injuries in the third round but it was not serious, and he had almost fully recuperated under Zong Yue¡¯s treatment. Why was he suddenly so weak? He was definitely not in good spirits in this fight, but where did his bravery and perseverance go? Did he note to Heaven Demon to fight for the top three positions of the True Martial Arts Meet? At the 308th move, the colorful beam and porcin-white light suddenly disappeared. Ya Lanzhu¡¯s short pike was already on Yun Hen¡¯s throat, and she grinned. ¡°You¡¯ve lost.¡± Yun Hen smiled gently and calmly. Then, he retrieved his sword, bowed silently, and turned to walk back. As Ya Lanzhu stood on the stage, subtle emotions shed by her eyes as she looked admiringly at his retreating figure; when she turned towards Meng Fuyao, the corner of her lips lifted, revealing a smile. That smile was one of admiration. Meng Fuyao fell silent. She understood his expression. Giving up, and sacrifice. The sacrifice that the ambitious man made, just for her. He also realised the rationale behind Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s attempt to let Ya Lanzhu enter the top five. He worried that if he won, he might not be able to counter the poisonous Guchong that the ill-intentioned Pei Yuan brought. As such, he gave up his top five position, for the owner of the King of Guchong, Ya Lanzhu. Chapter 160 - Untitled Chapter 160: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The most promising top contender in Taiyuan who had already secured his position in the top five, the most valuable youth who was destined to establish himself in front of every martial artist under the heavens, gave up his dream of reaching the top five in the True Martial Arts Meet purely for the sake of her safety. Heaven knows how long he had prepared for this? And Heaven knows whaty waiting for him after he lost this chance. Meng Fuyao¡¯s fingers were pressed against her forehead as she desperately fought back the tears that were threatening to spill out. She had been too kind to Pei Yuan back then! She should have killed her much earlier! During the final round, with her heart despondent, Meng Fuyao decided that she might as well be the first to initiate the round and was about to begin her rampage when Zhangsun Wuji suddenly and unexpectedly turned to Zhan Nancheng and said, ¡°Your Majesty, for the final round, what do you say we have it on another day?¡± Zhan Nancheng frowned as he replied, ¡°What does the Prince mean?¡± ¡°After today¡¯s battles, more than half the contenders are already exhausted. I¡¯m afraid that if they continue fighting, they wouldn¡¯t have enough energy left,¡± Zhangsun Wuji gestured lightly and gave a slight smile as he continued, ¡°Especially Princess Ya and Madame Yan; they¡¯ve both already fought two matches each. If we let them continue straightaway to the final fight of the top five, it would be unfair to them.¡± Zhan Nancheng remained quiet, apparently deep in thought. Zhangsun Wuji smiled again as he said, ¡°Throughout my entire journey here, I have always heard that this time, the True Martial Arts Meet was benevolent and impartial, even spending much consideration on the design of the lot box. I wouldn¡¯t dare to im to have the true meaning of the True Martial Arts Meet but¡­¡± Zhan Nancheng immediately responded, ¡°Fine.¡± Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky, her hands tucked in her sleeves. ¡®Fine, dy a day then dy a day it is, even if they dy a day I¡¯ll ughter them all the same.¡¯ She felt Pei Yuan¡¯s cold gaze on her, whether intentional or unintentional. This woman was destined not to get along with her in this life. The one thing that puzzled her was since both husband and wife already knew her identity, why didn¡¯t they tell the Zhan brothers? It was within reason that Yan Jingchen did not say, but why would Pei Yuan not say either? Was it because her personal hatred was too great that she felt that this secret was of not much use and simply wanted to kill her herself? She let out an unfriendly snort and strode out of the pce, ignoring the prating gaze focused on her back. ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, don¡¯te and find me tonight if you have the balls not to.¡¯ It was a pity that the meaning of ¡®having the balls¡¯ she thought and the meaning that a certain someone thought was never the same¡­ That evening while Meng Fuyao was eating dinner, she aggressively served food to Yun Hen, saying, ¡°Come, eat, eat more.¡± She continuously piled Yun Hen¡¯s bowl with food, as though wanting to use the chicken, duck, fish, and meat to make up for the guilt she felt. Yun Hen simply ate quietly, eating whatever Meng Fuyao gave him. When Meng Fuyao could no longer pile any more food on his bowl, she suddenly remembered that Yun Hen did not like to eat and usually ate very little. He simply wouldn¡¯t be able to finish so much oily foodstuff. Yet, Yun Hen continued eating quietly, only because he did not want to disregard her good intentions. Meng Fuyao put down her chopsticks and looked at his serene expression. He was still that cool youth, He was not despondent nor tearful. He did not think that he had done her a favor, nor did he feel that giving up was a kind of sacrifice, and even did not try to console Meng Fuyao¡ªhe knew that the more he tried to console her, the worse she would feel. Her good intentions seemed unnecessary and superficialpared to him. The atmosphere at the table became heavy, and Ya Lanzhu mmed her chopsticks down unhappily. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just that I identally won against Yun Hen¡­ I didn¡¯t even mean it¡­¡± Laughing, Meng Fuyao picked another piece of dongpo meat for her and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s none of your business,e, eat some meat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so fatty I¡¯ll vomit,¡± Ya Lanzhu declined. ¡°Just nice, vomit on Pei Yuan tomorrow,¡± Meng Fuyao responded without turning as she watched Lord Yuan Bao kneeling in a corner with a huge stomach, hisrge eyes rolling around. Unable to hide her curiosity, she asked, ¡°Rascal, what¡¯s wrong? Is your period here?¡± Lord Yuan Bao raised his head and gave her a wretched smile. Startled by the smile, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt uneasy. Immediately, she heard Tie Cheng, who had eaten dinner earlier and gone outside, suddenly give an angry shout, followed by the ¡°Hu!¡± sound of a powerful de swirling the winds. Everyone was rmed, thinking that there was an enemy attack. Zong Yue flicked his sleeve, and a white beam shot out. The white beam shot out the hall¡¯s doors, and suddenly, there was no movement whatsoever. Even Tie Cheng¡¯s voice had gone missing. Zong Yue raised his eyebrows, but Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao had already risen from their seats and sprinted outside. The first to sprint outside was Meng Fuyao since she had already been sitting close to the door and could reach the door threshold upon turning around. She poked her head out and immediately retreated backward again, knocking into Yun Hen who was behind her, before shutting the doors with great force, even dragging a stool to block the door. As though unsatisfied with just one, she dragged another one and another one, and when she reached the third stool, she couldn¡¯t drag anymore. There was already someone sitting on it, donned in pale purple robes decorated with fine silver embroidery. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands stiffened as her gaze traveled upwards slowly only to see the unholy person sitting firmly on the chair smiling down at her as he said, ¡°Fuyao, how thoughtful of you, you know that I am tired, so you helped me bring a chair over.¡± Meng Fuyao met the person¡¯s gaze for a split second and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, unsheathed her sword! Her de shone like the snow on the peak of Qiongcang Mystic Mountain, its speed as swift as the shooting stars that shed past the Evergreen Shrine. One strike and legs were cut off! The legs of the stool were cut off. All four legs of the stool were sliced cleanly off, leaving only the seat. Meng Fuyao sheathed her sword,ughing hysterically. ¡®Sit! I told you to sit!¡¯ However, herughter was suddenly caught in her throat. Across her, at the moment when the legs of the stool hit the ground, there was a white sh, and Lord Yuan Bao rolled over carrying a wooden block, stopping precisely under the seat, stabilizing the stool. ¡®Damn it, traitors and their dog followers are the number one beings in the world that should be exterminated!¡¯ Meng Fuyao gnashed her teeth, her gaze traveling past a strange-expressioned Zong Yue and Yun Hen, who was watching them silently. She simply wasn¡¯t able to settle scores with this ck-hearted forefather here. Kicking the door open and sprinting to her own room, she roared, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji if you have the balls then don¡¯t follow me¡­¡± ¡°Only if I didn¡¯t have the balls then I wouldn¡¯t follow.¡± Zhangsun Wuji carried Lord Yuan Bao and followed behind her nonchntly. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± ¡°Shut your bird mouth!¡± Lord Yuan Bao felt indignant; his, was clearly a rodent¡¯s mouth, how did it be a bird¡¯s mouth? Using one leg to prop open her room door, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt that something was wrong. What was this called? Luring the wolf into her room? She turned around and leaned against the door frame and said, ¡°If you have something to say then say it here!¡± ¡°Do you really want to say it here?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed as he looked around him and asked again, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head doubtfully and looked out as she grabbed a flower vase from the windowsill and threw it, shouting, ¡°Eavesdroppers will be killed without exception!¡± With a ¡®ping,¡¯ the flower vase fell into the shadows of the flower tree in the courtyard and the chickens and dogs scattered hastily in fright. Having just thrown the flower vase, Meng Fuyao patted her hands and said, ¡°Your Highness, if you have something to say, please say it quickly so that I can sleep, and, don¡¯t ask me why I¡¯m angry. Even though you have your reasons for asking, but I must remind you that, if you ask I¡¯ll be even angrier.¡± ¡°I know that if I ask you will be even angrier.¡± Zhangsun Wuji leaned against a tree as he held onto Lord Yuanbao. ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯m so fortunate that you have an inconceble nature.¡± Pausing slightly, he smiled meaningfully before continuing, ¡°Thanks to your personality, I finally more or less realized that, this chase between you and me that is destined to always face rejection, might not be entirely hopeless.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed coldly. ¡°Your Highness, yes, I admit I¡¯m angry, I won¡¯t pretend and say that I¡¯m unaffected and be depressed and vomit blood behind people¡¯s backs, but please don¡¯t be so narcissistic to think that I¡¯m angry because I¡¯m in love with you. I just feel that, even if it¡¯s just as friends, one shouldn¡¯t swear to be honest and open on one side and hide the truth and do secretive things on the other. This is a serious question of a person¡¯s moral ethics, Meng Fuyao is very angry!¡± ¡°Fine, I knew you wouldn¡¯t admit it.¡± Zhangsun Wuji sighed with a hint of impatience and walked over. Meng Fuyao leaped backward immediately, ¡°Don¡¯te here!¡± His Royal Highness simply couldn¡¯t hear her. Meng Fuyao jumped again. ¡°If youe any closer I¡¯ll fight you to the death¡ª¡± Thud. She tripped against the door threshold, and her body fell backward. As she fell, she immediately thought, ¡®Oh no!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t afraid of the back of her bodying into contact with the ground, but rather that a certain someone would use the chance to make intimate contact with her. Hence, she sped up her tumble in an attempt to get out of her disadvantageous position, but a certain someone was always faster than her by one step. She felt her body stop falling and a hand had been ced on her back. Once that hand had secured its territory it did not stop there, hitting her seven vital points in rapid session. Meng Fuyao looked at the sky tearfully as shemented, ¡®God, why are you helping the assaulter!¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji carried her up and murmured, ¡°Why did you be lighter again? Sometimes I really just want totch you to my side¡­¡± He calmly carried Meng Fuyao into the room and calmly shut the door on certain invasive stares. The fire in the room was not yet lit, but Zhangsun Wuji also did not light it. He ced Meng Fuyao gently on the bed and after drawing water, carefully cleaned her face under the light of the moon and stars. His gaze was soft as silk as the sleeve of his light purple robes brushed past her face, smooth as the spring breeze as the hand holding onto a handkerchief patted her face lightly, across her forehead, eyes, cheeks, nose, and finally lips. His fingers lingered on her upper lip, and at a certain area, he pressed it with utmost gentleness, as though afraid of hurting her. Following that, he let out a long sigh. He said, ¡°Fuyao¡­ You¡¯re always making me worry¡­¡± Unable to move, Meng Fuyao red daggers at him. ¡®A hypocrite!¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji seemed unaffected by her re and after wiping her face, proceeded to wipe her hand, cleaning off the intentional ckish stains. When his fingers brushed past Meng Fuyao¡¯s right pinky, he hovered hesitantly for a moment, and, separated by the handkerchief, gently held onto the slightly deformed finger. For a long time, he held on, his head slightly raised, as though wanting to carve the shape and outline of the digit deep in his heart. The soft rays of the moon shone into the room as he sat peacefully in the shadows, his energy calm and cool. When he removed the handkerchief, he switched hands and held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s wrist. Meng Fuyao only felt a jolt through her entire body and a stream of powerful inner energy traveled through her pulse. The energy spread rapidly throughout her body, heading straight to the internal wounds that had yet to recover. The inner energy seemed extremely familiar with its path; it was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s own, and she attempted to raise her own inner energy to repel it only for her vision to suddenly ck out. A certain no-good person had teased her to sleep again. Chapter 161 - Untitled Chapter 161: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios When Meng Fuyao was finally released and awoken by a certain someone, she only saw Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back leaning against the bed as he stared at the moon, his long hair in ripples behind him and his breathing steady and calm. When he heard the sound of her sitting up, without turning around, he said gently, ¡°Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao hardened her face, refusing to reply. ¡°Princess Lotus is not my fianc¨¦e.¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned for a moment. Following that, she gave a coldugh and said, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you shouldn¡¯t be so stubborn even if you want to shirk responsibility. This is the Five Region Continent, you¡¯re the prince of the most powerful country, and she¡¯s the princess of the most powerful country. Based on her status, if that wasn¡¯t the truth, how could she have faced aplete stranger and said that she was your fianc¨¦e?¡± The more she thought, the more ridiculous it felt and sheughed until her teeth were showing as she reached out a hand, grabbed Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s arm and bit down viciously. ¡°I¡¯ll bite you to death, you lying, ck-hearted prince, who knows who you¡¯ve cheated, number one crook in the Five Region Continent¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji let her continue biting him as he smiled mildly. ¡°Ah, it hurts.¡± ¡®Pain his ass!¡¯ Meng Fuyao simply couldn¡¯t bite down to begin with. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s skin was not steel-like like Zhan Beiye¡¯s, but inner energy surrounded every inch of his body, and when Meng Fuyao bit down, she felt the inner energy rebound against her teeth and rubbing her sore teeth, she angrily let go of his hand and cursed, ¡°Do you really think she¡¯s just boy crazy, not caring about her pride and status to just grab a man and anyhow im to be his fianc¨¦e¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s really just boy crazy.¡± A simple sentence elicited a response more shocking than thunder as Meng Fuyao instantly jumped up, her voice even changing as she asked, ¡°What?¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned around. Although it was only a difference of a period, he actually suddenly looked somewhat exhausted, his face slightly pale under the moonlight, slightly translucent like jade. He replied mildly, ¡°Princess Lotus, isn¡¯t a normal girl.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him, not noticing his expression. She was thunderstruck by his reply earlier and asked again, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I should put it this way, Princess Lotus isn¡¯t a girl you can use ordinary girls in the Five Region Continent topare with. She may look kind and benevolent, but actually, she¡¯s extremely petty and paranoid. Her religiousness is also more or less just to adjust her temperament,¡± Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyebrows as he continued, ¡°I still prefer to call her Feng Jingfan, and indeed I was once engaged to Feng Jingfan, and I once used a hand-drawn map of Xuanji as an engagement gift, but after that, I broke off the engagement.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°My breaking off the engagement caused quite a bit of trouble. Back then, Father was critically ill, and there was uncertainty within the nation. All the officials were uneasy, and I was still young and inexperienced then, not ready to serve the nation. The neighboring nation, Fufeng, was watching us closely and waiting for an opportune moment and I intended to head out to resolve the external problems. However, Father was afraid of offending Xuanji, worried that Xuanji would form an alliance with Fufeng and go against Wuji. Yet, I was adamant on breaking off the engagement, and hence used several tactics, forcing Xuanji¡¯s leader to finally agree to it, but he made a single request to me.¡± ¡°Mn?¡± ¡°He said, Feng Jingfan has been different from the others since young and adding on to the fact that she had a deep infatuation with me and would not marry anyone else, the blow from having the engagement broken off be publicly announced might cause her to want to end her life. Thus, we only agreed to break it off in secret and wait until Feng Jingfan got older and found someone else to fill her heart with before letting the princess announce it publicly to the seven nations. Before that happens, he requested that for the sake of the Feng n and the princess¡¯s life, to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Did you agree?¡± ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s because at the time the situation in the nation was unstable and we couldn¡¯t afford to offend Xuanji. Secondly, I was still young then; I felt that I was at fault and that the princess was pitiable, that a girl wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the burden so as a man I had to bear it, and agreed. I only requested that they return the map of Xuanji.¡± ¡°Did they return it?¡± ¡°No?¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s smile looked slightly cold as he said, ¡°Xuanji¡¯s leader made many excuses, first saying that the map was with the princess and that she treasured it a lot, taking it back would harm her life. After that, they said that the map was missing and not in the pce, and they promised me that they would find it back. In the end, after searching for so many years, not even a shadow could be found.¡± Meng Fuyao was biting her finger, still in shock, and she asked skeptically, ¡°Feng Jingfan really doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯ve already broken off the engagement?¡± ¡°I doubt that she doesn¡¯t know,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji, ¡°I tried testing her. From the looks of it, she probably already knows something, but pretends not to know.¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°You¡¯re twenty-six and still unmarried, and she¡¯s not young anymore either, yet she¡¯s willing to wait around like this, could it be that she¡¯s waiting for you to have a change of heart?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled without saying anything. It was a silent consent. Meng Fuyao rubbed her face, thinking, ¡®No wonder Zhangsun Wuji never mentioned about this matter. There was never a fianc¨¦e in his heart to begin with.¡¯ She thought of another question and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t said why you wanted to break off the engagement?¡± Zhangsun Wuji fell silent for a moment before responding, ¡°I met someone else.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Meng Fuyao immediately shot back, ¡°Don¡¯t use your feelings for me as an excuse, you hadn¡¯t even met me when you requested to break off the engagement.¡± ¡°That engagement was a mistake.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her intently and said, ¡°Since it was wrong, I have to correct it no matter what.¡± Meng Fuyao snorted and said, ¡°How is meeting me not your mistake¡­ Nevermind, let¡¯s not mention that, oh right, you¡¯re actually an arbitrator for the True Martial Arts Meet. I heard Yun Hen mention that you put on a good show at the Tiansha border. I didn¡¯t get the chance to ask him, but it¡¯s the same asking you, what good show did you put on?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just sending away a certain someone who made you jealous?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he twirled her hair slowly around his finger. ¡°She said that a divine disciple of the Buddha was born in Tiansha and I insisted that there wasn¡¯t. Getting rid of a nation may not be that easy, but getting rid of a ¡®divine disciple¡¯ is a simple task.¡± ¡°Why would I be jealous? Zhangsun Wuji, your greatest w is that you are too narcissistic.¡± Meng Fuyao thought for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she sat down on the bed and hugged her knees. She said, ¡°It sounds very reasonable, fine, Zhangsun Wuji, I forgive you for your lie.¡± Her nonchnt tone made Zhangsun Wuji crack a smile. Under the moonlight and the darkness, that smile was strikingly beautiful, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she cursed silently¡­¡¯That destructively handsome man¡­¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji turned around, pressing his forehead softly against hers, his breath tickling her face. He cupped Meng Fuyao¡¯s face gently and smiled. ¡°Fuyao, I love your brightness the most. I want to keep you like this and never let you have to shed any of that brilliant light because of worldly conflict.¡± The night was quiet and the cool evening wind of the summer carried a faint fragrance. One could hear the sound of crickets chirping under the window, their sounds melding into a long, soft tone, and the faint breathing amid close contact as the sound of their heartbeats drowned away the rest of the night¡¯s symphony. After a long time, Meng Fuyao awkwardly patted his hand away and turned around as she rasped, ¡°Go away, pervert, don¡¯t take advantage of me.¡± Zhangsun Wuji ignored her. ¡°Don¡¯t be too urgent to be touched, I haven¡¯t finished speaking¡­ I don¡¯t like it when you don¡¯t mean what you say.¡± ¡°What?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows, ¡®Have I? Have I? Have I?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji reached out a finger and lightly traced her cheek. Softly, he said, ¡°A certain someone seems to have once promised me that, no matter what happens, she would always, believe me, understand me, and not be misled or swayed by those matters.¡± His voice was extremely gentle, and his tone carried equal parts mirth and equal parts warmth. He ran his finger lightly through her hair. ¡°In the end¡­ Did you do it?¡± ¡®Eh, what a viin, countering the moment I retreated one step and shifting the me so quickly.¡¯ s, Meng Fuyao was willing to tolerate anything except being taken advantage of. She squatted on the bed and thought carefully back to the conversation at the inn in the Hua Region. Suddenly, she started sniggering suspiciously and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re trying to twist meanings again, I seem not to have promised you anything back then.¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. Delightedly, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Who asked you to win all the time, you should lose once too.¡± ¡°Fuyao, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Zhangsun Wujiy down beside her. Slowly stroking her messy hair, he said mildly, ¡°It seems like I¡¯m always winning, but actually¡­ against you, I¡¯ve always been the one who loses.¡± Who loves, who loses. That kind of wholehearted trust, that kind of longsting feeling, that kind of banter, that kind of tentative yearning. Within that kind of love, there was a kind of unspoken, excruciating torment. And the reason why it would hurt, was only because he cared. Meng Fuyao sucked in a breath lightly. In that instance, her chest suddenly started hurting again, that familiar, long-absent pain which burned through her meridians like a fiery ze. Her eyebrows knitted together as she moved back slightly, sighing inwardly and reminding herself, ¡®Lock your feelings, lock your feelings.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji seemed to have sensed it as well. Turning to nce at her, he did not say anything more, but simply reached an arm across her and pulled the nket over her. He said, ¡°Tiansha has a cold climate, even though it¡¯s summer, you should use a nket at night, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Meng Fuyao thought it was fine as well. With a nket, she could avoid easy skin contact through their thin clothing. Not wanting to let that person help her, she pulled the nket halfway over and said loudly, ¡°Naturally, I too am afraid of catching a cold.¡± Meng Fuyao was resolute, but Zhangsun Wuji said lowly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel bad for me, do you think I can¡¯t take care of myself?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s tiny conscience was once again pulled out by that heartless prince, and she could only scrounge her nose and remain quiet. Suddenly, she spotted Lord Yuan Bao on the table scampering towards them with a huge pile of things on his back, beforeing to a halt in front of them. Meng Fuyao was surprised, but Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°Yuan Bao says he has a good show for me to watch.¡± Pulling Meng Fuyao towards him, he shared with her half a pillow and said, ¡°Come, together.¡± Meng Fuyao was deathly curious and so settled downfortably to watch, and then¡­ was angered until her nose was crooked. It truly was a ¡®good show¡¯! Lord Yuan Bao stood on the table and faced the two of them, first raising his short paws and simted the movements of a snake, and then suddenly punching the air, pretending to beat up somebody, before jumping up and acting out a ¡°vicious scolding¡±. Finally, he waved his paw around and acted beating someone up again. Meng Fuyao already understood; he wasining, he was saying that the two-headed snake from the night pond was silently advancing, that his well-intentioned warning was misunderstood by her. ¡®This petty and narrow-hearted hamster, haven¡¯t I already apologized to him!¡¯ Smiling, Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°Yuanbao,mon folk have the vision of a mouse, it is inevitable that they would not understand your wisdom.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. Who was he scolding? Lord Yuan Bao nodded his head vigorously and wriggled his plump behind, letting the pile of things on his back fall in a heap. He first pulled out a small teapot and ced it on the table, then he grabbed a needle. Carrying the smooth and shiny needle, he hacked and shed at the teapot, and following that he threw the needle aside forcefully and lunged at the teapot, its paws grabbing onto the lid. After that, he stood there firmly, looking up, not saying anything. Chapter 162 - Untitled Chapter 162: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Lord Yuan Bao stood there for a long time¡­ Meng Fuyao nearly vomited blood. Wasn¡¯t that copying her wrapping her fingers around Xuanyuan Yun by the throat and forcefully transferring inner energy to him that day? That legendary, ¡°Meng Fuyao wins the fight against Xuanyuan Yun and is so delighted that she refuses to leave the stage¡±, rumor, reenacted hamster-style? Seeing Lord Yuan Bao with its head raised and an arrogant expression on its face, Meng Fuyao too raised her head and made a noise, reaching out to tten the hamster. Zhangsun Wuji blocked her, his eyes glinting as heughed. ¡°Fuyao, humans shouldn¡¯t have the same kind of wisdom as Yuanbao¡­¡± Meng Fuyao racked her brains on ways to seek revenge as she red at Lord Yuan Bao, who was returning to its owner without fear. His lightning-white front teeth were half colored ck, and it was clear that it symbolized broken teeth. The rascal was copying her missing tooth! ¡®Damnit!¡¯ She could no longer tolerate it, it copied it with such ugliness that she couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore. Meng Fuyao got up furiously and roared, ¡°How dare you, go and die, you hamster demon!¡± Following that, she flung a pillow at him, hitting Lord Yuan Bao with a ¡®ping¡¯. Lord Yuan Bao scampered away,ughing at her with its ¡°half tooth¡±. Beside her, Zhangsun Wuji smiled and said, ¡°Oh, so this is what it looks like when one¡¯s tooth falls off, it¡¯s rather pretty¡­¡± He reached out a hand and pressed Meng Fuyao down, saying, ¡°You still have a match tomorrow, rest early.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s tearful face was pressed down. ¡®Damnit.¡¯ Installing her fake tooth waspletely useless, the hamster copied it so well, even getting the ridges where it broke off exactly the same! She muttered, ¡°One day I¡¯ll skin you alive and sew embroidery on it¡­¡± She closed her eyes heavily, unsure why she felt even more exhausted despite having slept earlier, as though something in her body was slowly washing over her core, making her feel at ease and drowsy. She fell backward onto the pillow, her words iprehensible as she murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll get back at you guys tomorrow, Zhangsun Wuji, don¡¯t you dare sleep here¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she fell asleep. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he tucked her into the nket, scrutinizing her now-thinner face. Finally, he called Lord Yuan Bao over, and the hamster sprinted over, his jet ck eyes glistening brightly as he leaped onto Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body, rubbing against it¡­ ¡°You did very well,¡± Zhangsun Wuji praised as he stroked Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s smooth white fur. ¡°Keep doing that from now on.¡± ¡®From now on? There¡¯s still a next time?¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®He has got to be kidding, the suffering hasn¡¯t ended?¡¯ It still had to continue teasing Meng Fuyao? Then why didn¡¯t he say so earlier? It had already utterly andpletely offended Meng Fuyao, this time it was finished¡­ ¡°She hasn¡¯t a stable personality, whoever fancies her would never live well,¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed, ¡°It¡¯s also difficult for me to be with her all the time, so I can only ask you of this favor.¡± Lord Yuan Bao was in anguish. Why was it being sent to protect Meng Fuyao? Why wasn¡¯t Meng Fuyao the one being sent to protect it? Why couldn¡¯t it be it¡¯s master¡¯s lover, allowing him to protect it with his life? ¡®Ah, the earth-shakingly handsome one is over here, Master, why wouldn¡¯t you look at it carefully?¡¯ Its master didn¡¯t have the time to look at it. Just like that, its master had fallen asleep while leaning against the bedside. Half his face reflected in the moonlight, his regal face looking considerably softer and rxed as though it were a gentle wave against the shoreline or a slowly blooming lotus. The next day when Meng Fuyao awoke, she felt extremely invigorated and refreshed, finally oveing the most crucial period of lifting the sixth tier of Cleaving Nine Heavens, ¡®Daybreak¡¯. It was most likely thanks to the effectiveness of Zong Yue¡¯s medicine, and although her internal injuries were not fully healed, she believed that as long as she didn¡¯t get into any idents, she could battle under any condition. In her vigor, she excitedly reached out and grabbed, preparing to drag either Zhangsun Wuji or Lord Yuan Bao to practice her punches. However, she only managed to grab air, and she opened her eyes only to realize that his royal highness was not there, how great, it was rare that he wasn¡¯t trying to take advantage of her. But then again,st night when he made her unconscious, there was no way of proving whether or not she was taken advantage of. Lord Yuan Bao, on the other hand, was present, squatting in front of its own little bed and waving a white g around with its head down. Meng Fuyao snorted, flicking its head as punishment before happily heading out the door. While walking past the garden, she spotted Zong Yue picking flowers. Meng Fuyao suddenly remembered that Xuanyuan Yun had not left Tiansha after losing, instead waiting at the ce she appeared every day and attempting to follow her. However, apart from the guards that Tie Cheng brought along, Meng Fuyao still had the invisible guard Zhangsun Wuji. Xuanyuan Yun had tried twice but failed, and the closest he got was the one time when he followed until they were only two streets apart. But when he excitedly ran forward, he hit into a wall and on the wall was a drawing of a tortoise. Xuanyuan Yun stared at the tortoise, his eyes reddening again. That night, he slept right under the wall, a seemingly rich and pampered young master, actually slept out in the open against a dirty wall just like that, asionally crawling up and staring at the little tortoise, He was also asionally crawling up the wall and looking around at thentern lights in the people¡¯s homes, as though hoping to be able to spot Zong Yue¡¯sntern among the tens of thousands ofnterns. Tie Cheng, who was responsible for ensuring Meng Fuyao¡¯s safety was watching from the shadows. It was rare that he expressed any feelings and actually came to tell Meng Fuyao. After listening, Meng Fuyao too sighed and ordered Tie Cheng to send a nket over to Xuanyuan Yun. Tie Cheng left the nket at the foot of the wall and hid himself, only to hear the child hug the nket and murmur, ¡°¡­ it¡¯s you¡­ it¡¯s you¡­¡±, his voice low and filled with sadness, causing even a rough warrior like Tie Cheng to tear up. Hence, seeing that Zong Yue¡¯s heart was moved that day, Meng Fuyao fearlessly asked, ¡°Doctor, are you really not going to see that Young Master Yun? He even gave his chance to be the True Martial Arts champion to me.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of owing someone a favor, you can return it,¡± replied Zongyue lightly, ¡°Just don¡¯te to bother me.¡± Meng Fuyao poked out her tongue and stalked out only to see Yun Hen with his arms raised in front of him staring at a tree in the courtyard, looking extremely focused as though he were learning some kind of ultimate martial arts technique. There were just a few noisy crickets jumping around on the tree. Meng Fuyao watched his back and rubbed her lips, unsure what to say or do. In the end, she could only discreetly walk by, but Yun Hen¡¯s back seemed to have eyes, and he suddenly said, ¡°Fuyao, Pei Yuan wille harboring malicious intentions, you must be careful.¡± Meng Fuyao felt a sourness go through her nose as she said ¡°Mn¡±. Yun Hen turned around and smiled crisply at her. He still carried the tranquil air unique only to him, unaffected by any tribtion. He added, ¡°Waiting for you to return in triumph.¡± Meng Fuyao responded again with another ¡°Mn¡± and went hurriedly through the door as though escaping, but when she opened the door, it seemed to have some kind of resistance. She pushed the door forcefully again, only to realize that something was blocking it. Frustrated and filled with anxiety, Meng Fuyao raised her leg and kicked the door. With a ¡®ping¡¯ the door flung open, and whatever object that was blocking the door went rolling out, and a faint ¡°Aiya¡± could be hearding from the object. At the entrance of the door, there was a person covered in dirt rubbing his eyes as he raised his head. The person rubbed his eyes, then rubbed his sore behind. Meng Fuyao took a closer look at the ashen dirt-covered face of the person and only then did she realize that it was actually Xuanyuan Yun, that little prince. ¡®How did he find his way here? From his appearance, did he spend the night here?¡¯ Xuanyuan Yun scrambled to his feet unsteadily, sleep still evident in his eyes as he leaned against the door frame and pleaded with Meng Fuyao, ¡°General Meng¡­ I, I finally managed to reach this ce, please let me see him once, just once, once¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, thinking that the sour feeling wasing again as she said slowly, ¡°How many times have I said already, Young Master Yun still doesn¡¯t get it, Zong Yue has the personality of a cow, the more you bother him, the more he won¡¯t see you, and the more you ask me to introduce you the angrier he will get. Why do you trouble yourself so?¡± ¡°I¡­ I have to go back already¡­ It hasn¡¯t been easying out¡­¡± Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s eyes were wide and red, and Meng Fuyao felt troubled. ¡®Why is this kid such a crybaby? Looking at his spoilt appearance, what did hee out for? And he still got entangled with Zongyue, that guy isn¡¯t even human; if he ate you, even your bones wouldn¡¯t be left.¡¯ Thinking about this child¡¯s surname, Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart jolted as she asked, ¡°Young Master¡¯s surname Xuanyuan, are you of royal descent?¡± ¡°She is Xuanyuan¡¯s regent king Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s daughter, her real name is Xuanyuan Yun,¡± A cool voice suddenly traveled over, and Meng Fuyao turned around to see a person who was purer than water standing under the summer sun. Despite being under the re of such strong sunlight, he still looked as cool as ever, as though his entire being down to his core was cold as snow. Xuanyuan Yun looked at him, and her mouth gaped open in surprise as she stammered, ¡°Big Brother A-Yue¡­¡± Suddenly, she spotted Zong Yue¡¯s gaze and immediately shut up. Zong Yue stared at her, his expression unreadable; within his eyes seemed to hold the burning red of a sunset, the storminess of a hurricane and the whiteness of snow-capped mountain peaks. It held the mncholy of a traveler who had traveled much and was exhausted by his journey, and finally, everything melted into a snow-like coolness. He stared silently at Xuanyuan Yun before turning away and walking off without a sound. Xuanyuan Yun stood there motionlessly, and Meng Fuyao pushed her hastily. ¡°Still not following?¡± The child jumped up and, ncing at her gratefully, hurriedly followed him without even bothering to pat the dust on her robes. Meng Fuyao watched as their figures disappeared through the inner door and smiled slightly to herself. Zong Yue was finally moved by Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s sincerity and opened up a little bit of his heart to see if that child could continue to touch his heart. Judging from that child¡¯s steely determination despite her soft appearance, Zong Yue, whose bark was louder than his bite, would probably not be able to withstand her. Meng Fuyao started giggling as she thought about that soft ¡°Big Brother A-Yue¡­¡±, that way of addressing carried such a child-like innocence¡­ what kind of past did it exactly hold for Zongyue? ¡­ It was thest round, the battle of the top five! Just like during the match at the Golden Pce, when Meng Fuyao entered the pce, she saw Zhangsun Wuji and Zhan Nancheng chatting andughing heartily together as though they were close brothers. Upon seeing her enter, Zhangsun Wuji discreetly turned around, his gaze swiftlynding on her, his expression and feelings exceptionally mesmerizing. Chapter 163 - Untitled Chapter 163: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao refused the intense gaze Zhangsun Wuji was giving her ¡ª for two man to exchange amorous nces on such a tform? Even if you are shameless I still want my pride. She calmed down and readjusted her breathing. Since things have nowe to this, it would only be right to fight for a ranking befitting of Yun Hen and Zong Yue. And, to ughter the people she wanted to ughter! The people that came to watch the battle was the same as yesterday. Though there was not as many audience as in the third round, the people that came were of high status in the society ¡ª the Tiansha royalties, officials, well-known sect leaders and royalties from other nations. However, not everyone was present yet. In the pce hall, with exception of the rack meant for weapons, all other weapons were removed, emptying out a vast space. Tiansha nation had always favoured rugged, rough yet spacious style. Little exquisite details are added with things kept simple and in. The hall is a couple times bigger than other halls, with the viewing tform, the judging panel and the throne set far away. Everyone stared at Meng Fuyao curiously. Apparently this fellow is awesome? The idiom ¡°It never rain but pours¡± is definitely for ¡®him¡¯. Apparently this fellow is very frivolous? This fellow won Xuanyuan Yun and refused toe down from the stage? Zhangsun Wuji sat on his chair as he leaned against the red table. He looked at the stage with vague smile as the people on the two sides hustle and bustle about ¡ª other than looking after Meng Fuyao, they still had to look after him. Zhangsun Wuji was known to avoid the crowd and barely reveal himself publicly. So why did he decide to ept Tiansha¡¯s invitaiton this time? Rumors has it that Zhangsun Wuji is extremely ugly with a vicious heart. Could it be that underneath the mask, there are some secrets? Technically such high levelpetition require more than one judge. However, Zhan Nancheng only invited Zhangsun Wuji alone. Nobody knew if such a decision was made out of respect for Zhangsun Wuji or that Zhan Nancheng found it a hassle to deal with more than one person. Regardless, for thest round, majority of the elites are present and one can only dream of ying dirty tricks in front of them. People started streaming in, filling up the empty seats. In the pce, the Tiansha royals took their seats with the foreign royals. Meng Fuyao counted the tables set up for the royals and realized that there was two extra tables. As the golden bell chimes thrice, thepetition officially begun. The guests from thest two tables finally arrived. The one walking in front was a middle-aged man in his forties. He looked refined with an elegant demeanor and in his actions, one could tell that he was cultured. If not for hisvish and exquisite dressing, he would look like a lowly schr. The jade qilin[1.The qilin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures, said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.] that hung from his purple waist belt was telling of his identity ¡ª the regent Xuanyuan Chen that held the authority for a long time in Xuanyuan Nation. Right at the end was a pair of model siblings. The man that stood in front of thedy was pale, thin and weak. He, too, was adorned invish and extravagent clothing even though he did not look that part. Rather, he looked like gentle breeze could have swept him away. Thedy on the other hand¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes darted. Another unpleasant meeting. Lotus. The dignified, elegant and sacred Princess Lotus. Legend has it that she was born with a lotus in her mouth and this benevolent, magnanimous Lotus donned on a pure white dress with golden embroidery of lotus at the corner of her sleeves. The borate golden lotus looked realistic as the plush-green leaves embroidered ttered it. The flowy sleeves swayed gently as she walked. Sophisticated yet honourable she was. She lifted her head to the perfect angle, pair with a perfect smile, emanting a form of brince that one cannot ignore. An ¡®Ooo¡¯ filled the room. The guests in this room were people of high status and would naturally, not loudly discuss or exim like the uncivilizedmoners. But still, they could not help but share their thoughts. It wasmon knowledge by now regarding the marriage between Wuji and Xuanji. However, the two countries were too busy with their national affairs to fuss over Zhangsun Wuji and Feng Jingfan¡¯s marriage. Finally, ten yearster, it was the first time the two had publicly appeared in such a rare event. People could only question, ¡®Zhangsun Wuji is already 26 and Feng Jingfan in her twenties. With their early engagement and status, why haven¡¯t the two held their wedding ceremony?¡± Princess Lotus seemed as though she was not midnful of the gazes of others as she sat down beside her brother in a demure manner. The neighbouring Xuanyuan Min greeted them with a small smile. ¡°Fourth Prince Feng and Princess Lotus? To be able to meet the renowned Princess is my greatest honour. Princess, you who has devoted your heart to the Buddha would be interested in this martial artspetition?¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern Prince,¡± Lotus answered graciously. ¡°I do not know of martial arts but brother loves it. As we met on the way here, I decided to apany him here. Furthermore¡­¡± She gave Meng Fuyao a smile and continued. ¡± I have just found an old friend and felt the need toe here. Even if I do not know of martial arts, I can be here to prove moral support.¡± Despite their soft exchange, Meng Fuyao could still heard them clearly with her sharp ears. She grinded her teeth silently and looked up to the sky. Fine, fine, ¡®old friend¡¯. Why are you even called Princess Lotus? Why not Princess sticky? What Zhangsun Wuji said was too polite. What ¡®stubborness¡¯? She is just a pervert! After grinding her teeth for a while, she could not help but take pleasure in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s suffering. See? All you did to chase her away was for naught! She had no ns to look for another. Look, now that she has grown impatient, is she not clinging onto you? As sheughed at him, she also felt a litte difort in her heart ¡ª one that she did not understand. Instead she turned over to watch Ya Lanzhu and Pei Yuan fight with their expressions. In the pce hall, Zhangsun Wuji was no longer smiling but had no expressions either. He turned to talk to Zhan Beiheng, ignoring the inquisitive gaze of the crowd. He paid no attention to Princess Lotus either, not that she seemed to mind as she smiled quietly and continued her conversation with her brother. In fact, it was the sickly brother that had a look of displeasure in full disy and red at Zhangsun Wuji every now and then. Finally, everyone arrived. The bells chimed in unison as Zhan Nancheng took his seat. He saw Princess Lotus and asked, ¡°Would the crown prince like the princess to sit here instead?¡± Zhangsun Wuji still refused to look at Lotus and calmly said, ¡°Thank you for your goodwill but that would be unnecessary.¡± In that spacious pce hall, a vast majority of people did not hear Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s rejection. Suddenly, Princess Lotus flung his sleeve. Fourth Prince Feng turned around to look at her in confusion. With a smile, she said, ¡°An ant has climbed onto the table. Let me sent the ant out, I believe it cherishes its life.¡± ¡°Sister really do care for all lives.¡± Fourth Prince Feng nodded, pleased, and turn back. The corner of Princess Lotus lips tugged upwards as she stuck a finger out of her sleeve. She dragged her sharp nail, one that resembled a knife, silently across the golden floor. Carefully, she inched towards the tiny insect and cut across it¡­.the small ant was now neatly dissected into three parts ¡ª the head, the body and the back¡­ In the pce hall, Zhan Beiheng was reciting the rules as everyone listened quietly. Thest battle: Mixed battle! Thest five people: Meng Fuyao, Ya Lanzhu, Pei Yuan, Yan Taiyu and Bagu. Mixed battle means that whoever goes first is most likely to draw the short end of the stick. The audience drank their tea as they knew intutively that the start of thispetition would be the hardest, and the longest. Zhan Beiye barely finished when someone with messy braids leaped up, pointed towards Pei Yuan and loudly shouted,¡±You damn old witch,e and die!¡± The pair of eyes that sat on top of her veil was fuming with anger. Laughing coldly, Pei Yuan replied, ¡°I¡¯ll fulfil your death wish!¡± Meng Fuyao immediately followed suit and stepped forward shamelessly. ¡°Hey, I want you to die too. So two versus one?¡± Everyone there roared withughter. They have seen shameless, but never so shameless. In whatever case, she was still the top contestant and yet she had no sense to conduct herself in a manner that was befitting of her current identity. To this situation, Zhan Beiheng replied, ¡°A two versus two battle is allowed. Or you can battle her after. But one versus many is not allowed.¡± Meng Fuyao threw her arms in the air. ¡°Since I am up here, I do not intend to go down. If so, Ya Lanzhu you can go first while I squat in a corner.¡± ¡°Why let General Meng stay idle? Allow me to take this time to learn from General Meng.¡± Yan Taiyu and Bagu walked up from behind her together. Yan Taiyu smiled. ¡°Let the women fight it out while we men fight our battle.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrow. She knew that these two fellows probably wanted to finish her first and then benefit when both Pei Yuan and Ya Lanzhu are badly injured.¡±Very well, whom first?¡± Yan Taiyu stepped forward and cupped his hand in salute. However, Meng Fuyao¡¯s gazended on Bagu¡¯s face. This reticent man that had short hair, a very dark skin and well-defined features. It reminded her of people who lived in the mountains ¨Che was not fat, yet had a very ¡°heavy¡± atmosphere around him. It was as though he had practiced a different form of techniques that had resulted in this forceful and ¡°heavy¡± feeling. This unassuming man did not have a spectacr performance in the previous round yet, was able to smoothly make his way into the top five. Meng Fuyao stared at Bagu and felt that his aura was a little weird. In front of her, Yan Taiyu had already rushed towards her. This tall young man wielded a whip longer than him. The whio was divided into three sections, each with a different colour. The sections are connected by joints and the way the whip moved was unlike that of a normal whip. The middle part of the whip could be on the right yet the first section already made its way to the left. When one would be focused on guarding the right side, it could suddenly appear on the left. It was like a hard yet flexible weird snake which was able to achieve sharp angles and move swiftly. More impressively, such weapons that is usually connected by joints have an achilles¡¯ heel ¡ª the joint. But this long whip was made with a material that was neither gold or metal and with its ingenious design, it made it all that harder to deal with. Yan Taiyu smiled as he flicked his wrist. The long whip attacks from three different angles which is hard to predict. This weapon in his hands came from an elite fighter and was known to be unbreakable. To this, Yan Taiyu remained absolutely confident of his victory. This caught the notice of Meng Fuyao as she shouted, ¡°Interesting.¡± With the inner energy,hand to handbat and sword techniques from the Cleaving Nine Heavens and the real battle experiences she had had, she was able to boldly adapt the sword techniques taught to her. With countless improvision during real life battle, it was time to bring her sword techniques to the table. Chapter 164 - Untitled Chapter 164: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao drew her sword. The lightning of the Cleaving Nine Heavens struck from across the sky, cutting through theyer of earth and stirring up the specks of dust and pebbles. Every strike of hers resembled that of a whip with the way it moved. Her current improved sword technique purely relied on strength but was abination of power and agility; swiftness and calmness. Within the calmness was contained an unlimited amount of power. ng! Cang! ng! At the 101st move, Meng Fuyao¡¯s de collided with Yan Taiyu seven times. Every collision targeted the joints of the whip using a slightly different degree of strength and technique. Her attacks were continuous and quick. Finally, a crack appeared on the seemingly indestructible whip. Meng Fuyao, the opportunist, took the chance to strike. A section of the whip hit the ground. Appalled, Yan Taiyu stumbled back. This was no normal whip. It was a whip that could not be broken by swords, and the people who tried were usually the ones that ended up getting hurt. His father had told him, with much pride, that the whip was indestructible. And indeed, armed with this whip, he had beat many otherpetitors. Who could have thought that today, someone actually broke it? As Yan Taiyu moved back, Meng Fuyao forced her way forward. With another seven strikebo, the middle section of the whip broke. As the collision happened, Meng Fuyao felt her heart thump hard against her chest. It was as though someone had tugged her heart. But it was only momentarily. Very soon, her heart rate went back to normal. Mrng Fuyao pushed it to the back of her mind as she lifted up her sword and pointed it to Yan Taiyu. ¡°Do you still want to continue?¡± Yan Taiyu¡¯s face was ashen as he picked up the pieces of his whip. ¡°I¡¯ve lost,¡± he admitted as he dragged the whip down. The more knowledgeable spectators whispered to each other as they shared a collective pity for the excellent whip that was just lost. The victor was in an extremely good mood as sheughed. ¡°Mr. Ba.¡± ¡°Bagu.¡± The man corrected her with a strange ent and half closed eyes. Meng Fuyao frowned ¨C she disliked this peculiar man. ¡°Very well then, EightAuntie. 1 How about we get straight to it?¡± Bagu lifted his head and calmly said, ¡°I have already begun.¡± Meng Fuyao paused and what quickly followed was her heart tightening. It was as though an invisible hammer had struck her heart causing much pain. She suddenly remembered she had the same pain when she was battling Yan Taiyu. She just realized what Bagu meant when he said he had ¡®begun¡¯ ¡ª this earnest-looking man had actually snuck an attack on her while she was battling Yan Taiyu! ¡®How dare you scheme a sneak attack on me? When I learned how to scheme people, god knows which corner you were in ying with your own urine and mud!¡¯ Meng Fuyao leaped forward. A ray of ck light with the innermostyer of white shot over. It was the sixth level of the ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens,¡± and wherever the de traveled, the sounds of the wind would cause the currents to form a vortex, colliding with each other! The furious Meng Fuyao used all her skills at once. Her de, unlike the previously quiet attacks, was now filled with murderous aura and instantaneously appeared near Bagu¡¯s chest. Bagu, who stood opposite her quietly, remained at his spot without much movement. Suddenly, an eerie grin crept onto his face as he showed his palm towards Meng Fuyao. In the palm of his hand was a single eye. It had a charcoal ck pupil, giving off a chilling vibe. That eye ¡°stared¡± at Meng Fuyao, as though as it was ¡°looking¡± into her deepest thoughts. As Meng Fuyao rushed over, Bagu remained still. All he did was put his two hands together and shake them. Then, that ¡°eye¡± started to blink. Beautiful rays of light fanned opened. Amidst the magnificent light rays, a long-awaited familiar yet a little foreign scene unfolded itself in front of her. Pure white walls, pure white sheets. Beside the bed was a bedside table with a vase sitting on it. A nurse dressed in pink walked in, pushing a cart full of medicine. A metal rod on the side hung an IV¡­ and on the bed, was a haggard and skinnydy donned in blue ¡ª Mother! In the illusion, everything felt so unbelievably real. Meng Fuyao could even hear the gentle voice of the nurse, her mother¡¯s cheerful reply, the sound of the IVing in contact with the metal and the footsteps of the family members here to visit. And then, she saw her own de stabbed into her own heart. Fear struck her as the illusion fell apart. As the light faded, her mother appeared. Her mother lifted her head and smiled weakly at her daughter rushing towards her with a knife. Quietly, her mother muttered, ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡®Mother!¡¯ In that second, Meng Fuyao, with all that she could, tried to stop her attack. As a result, the force injured herself instead, and blood rushed up to her throat. Meng Fuyao watched her mother from the other dimension. Thanks to this, her soul was almost shattered into a million pieces. At this very moment, Zhan Nancheng and Zhangsun Wuji were chatting over tea. After Meng Fuyao¡¯s exciting disy of her techniques in the battle with Yan Taiyu, the audience had lost any form of interest or expectation in the battle with Bagu, who only had a decent performance throughout. Some of the audience begun to chatter, others enjoyed their tea while others built connections. However, a majority of them who took delight in gossiping turned to the engaged couple. Zhan Nancheng then asked Zhangsun Wuji, ¡°Pardon me but many have heard of the engagement between the Crown Prince and Princess Lotus. Why is it that the wedding is still not held? I am looking forward to enjoying the wedding feast.¡± The royals that were present all turned their attention over after hearing this sentence. Princess Lotus slowly ced her teacup on the table, straightened her back, looked down and ced her hands on her knees. Everyone¡¯s attention, except for the two fighting, was now focused on Zhangsun Wuji. The initially noisy pce hall had now be oddly quiet. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhangsun Wuji remained silent, not replying to the question for a long period of time. Everyone was now looking at Zhangsun Wuji. No one knew of the danger Meng Fuyao was in. They were just purely curious and did not expect any ¡®out of the blue¡¯ sort of answer. Only Princess Lotus, as she kneeled in front of the table without moving, hid her hands in her sleeves as she trembled ever so slightly. As the scrutiny of the crowd enshrouded Zhangsun Wuji, he remained silent, as though he was in deep thought. After a while, he smiled and replied, ¡°The Princess and I have already nu¨C¡± His words abruptly stopped, and he quickly turned to the battlefield. Without notice, he flew towards that direction. The spectators, who were waiting for his reply, were all caught by surprise ¡ª a remarkablyposed person suddenly revealed a worried expression and even flew out half way. Lotus stopped trembling. Fourth Prince Feng beside hermented, ¡°What¡¯s with this crown prince¡­¡± He then noticed that Lotus was pale. Concerned, he asked, ¡°Sister are you alright? Why do you look so pale?¡± Lotus forced a smile and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother. I am blessed by the Gods and will always turn peril into safety.¡± Fourth Prince Feng found her response a little odd but did not bother overthinking it, and he turned back to watch the battle. Lotus sat upright steadily andughed silently. Thatughter of hers was chilling, and a little sinister. Meng Fuyao retracted her de suddenly, and the huge impact was immediately redirected to her alone. She felt a loud rumble, and her entire body was being weighed down by a tremendous power. A mouthful of blood forced its way up her throat as she was flung out by the power. Opposite her, Bagu, who was waiting patiently for his chance, finally moved. He stepped forward, stretched out his hand, which had a ghost head w in his palm, and attacked Meng Fuyao. At this point in time, the audience redirected their attention back to the battle. To their surprise, the battle had done at 180-degree turn ¡ª Meng Fuyao who was on the verge of winning was now rebounded by the force and flung out. Not only that, Bagu¡¯s ghost head w was inches away from sinking into her chest. With Meng Fuyao being unable to retaliate given her heavy injuries, the shocked audience could not help but gasp. A sardonic smile appeared on Bagu¡¯s face as he watched Meng Fuyao¡¯s desperate attempts to evade. Meng Fuyao was unable to, however, as her heavy injuries and her disordered meridians inhibited her movements. She closed her eyes in despair. In the split-second, before her eyes were fully closed, a figure swept by. Zhangsun Wuji had arrived. He had drifted over so gently, yet, every strike of his was strong and solid. With a wave of his sleeves, he stopped Bagu¡¯s attack! The howling of the wind stopped as Zhangsun Wuji lightly stretched out his finger and stabbed it in between the eyes of the sinister ghost head. Bagu looked his ghost head w as anger slowly warped his face into the devil¡¯s look alike. With a ghastly expression, he looked up at Zhangsun Wuji. Enunciating each and every word clearly, he questioned in a menacing tone, ¡°Crown Prince. As the judge of thispetition, you actually intervened in the battle, publicly protecting your own contestant. Do you not think that your actions are nothing short of outrageous?¡± ¡°In my opinion, I am protecting you,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji. Coldly, Bagu retorted, ¡°This joke of yours is not very funny, Crown Prince.¡± ¡°I cannot be bothered to joke around with you.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°All I ask you is one question, are you really from Fufeng nation?¡± The audience burst into a heated discussion, shocked. The True Martial Arts Meet had stringent rules about a contestant¡¯s nationality. Once it was discovered that the contestant lied about his or her nationality, the rights to participate in thispetition would be immediately canceled. If Bagu had lied about his identity, he had no right to stay. Chapter 165 - Untitled Chapter 165: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Bagu¡¯s face turned back as he replied, ¡°Naturally!¡± ¡°Oh? So it was I who remembered wrongly?¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled. He looked towards the top of Bagu¡¯s head and raised his eyebrows. ¡°If I may just ask your distinguished self, why is your wiging off? Ah, and is that a mark on your forehead?¡± Startled, Bagu quickly touched his forehead but found that there was nothing there. Observing the gaze from the surroundings, he came to the realization that he was duped by Zhangsun Wuji. Colour drained off his face. Zhangsun Wujiughed as he walked back. Calmly, he said, ¡°You should remove your wig yourself. If you were to trouble his majesty¡¯s Tiansha Golden Military, things probably wouldn¡¯t end up very nice.¡± Those who were knowledgeable could not help but murmur. Bald, a mark on his forehead. In the entire Five Region Continent, there was a special existence, and only one, that was the ascetic practitioner of Qiongcang. ording to legends, ascetic practitioners would never concern themselves with worldly affairs. Could it be that this self-proimed Bagu from Fufeng nation was the most mysterious ascetic practitioner in the country? But his wig was in perfect condition, and his mark on his forehead did not appear. So how did Zhangsun Wuji find out? Without turning back, Zhangsun Wuji walked back towards his seat. Bagu stood rooted to the ground when he heard someone whisper, ¡°Ascetic practitioners of Qiongcang are not allowed to involve themselves with worldly affairs. Not only did he break the rules of the True Martial Arts Meet, but also vited thews of Qiongcang. Is he not afraid that his majesty would inform Qiongcang of his sins and ask for an oracle?¡± Bagu trembled. ¡®This Crown Prince from another country is really as scary as rumors had it.¡¯ He was very cautious in hiding his identity till thest round, only using a little bit of the Qiongcang technique in the fight for the championship. He even concealed his techniques by passing it off as Fufeng¡¯s witchcraft. Even then, the Crown Prince still managed to spot it. He subconsciously looked towards Pei Yuan but quickly withdrew his gaze for fear of Zhangsun Wuji finding out. He was determined to deny to the end yet feared Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s words. He stood there hesitantly, uncertain of what to do. Grimly, Zhan Nancheng looked at Bagu and asked Zhangsun Wuji, ¡°Crown Prince, what are your thoughts on how to deal with him?¡± ¡°I have done my part,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji, ¡°Strictly speaking, what Bagu used just now was no longer martial arts but a forbidden art, going against the rules of thepetition.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Zhan Nancheng nodded his head, ¡°Bagu¡¯s rights topete will be re¨C¡± ¡°Hold it!¡± The words actually came out from the mouth of Meng Fuyao, who was half kneeling and leaning on the sword for support. Zhangsun Wuji was just about to return to his seat when he heard her. He froze. When he turned back, his expression was back to normal though his eyes were filled with exasperation. His longshes covered his gaze as he asked calmly, ¡°Is there anything you would like to say, General Meng?¡± Meng Fuyao gripped her sword a little tighter as she looked up. She hasty swallowed a mouthful of blood that threatened to spill out and loudly replied, ¡°I cannot let his sneak attack just go like that! I want to fight him to the end!¡± Everyone in the audience was baffled by her actions, staring at her like she was an idiot ¡ª With Bagu¡¯s contestant rights being removed and the battle of Pei Yuan and Ya Lanzhu still ongoing, despite Meng Fuyao¡¯s injuries, she could still beat the exhausted Pei Yuan or Ya Lanzhu easily. On the other hand, Bagu remained in top condition and had a forbidden skill in his hand. How could she be his opponent? To refuse a championship given to her on a silver tter and to die in the hands of Bagu? Furthermore, even if her battle with Bagu were to continue, it would not be under the True Martial Arts Meet but rather a personal grudge. That would mean that she would not be protected under the rules of thepetition and the results would be hard to predict. What a lunatic! Half kneeling, she disregarded the gazes of others and only red at Bagu ¡ª No, she wasn¡¯t a lunatic and wasn¡¯t just throwing caution to the wind to revenge for herself. There was only one reason, she really saw her mother in that instance. It was not an illusion nor was it her imagination. It was a real scenario. She was certain that in that instance where she saw her mother in the hospital, it was not a snippet of her memory. She saw the flower by her mother¡¯s bedside was a crimson red plum blossom! Plum blossom! Meng Fuyao¡¯s finger dug deeply into the crevices on the golden floor. If she did not put in so much strength, she was afraid that her tears would flow out unconditionally. As the tears in her eyes reflected, the memories of her past life unfolded, revealing a path towards a door. The door opened, and the girl walked in. She ced a stalk of jasmine into the vase and kissed the patient on the bed. She carefully scrutinized the flower in the vase,ining, ¡°The color of this flower is too in. When the plum blossoms in the garden bloom, let¡¯s pick the most beautiful one!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fuyao, go ahead and do your stuff.¡± Her mother smiled. ¡°The climate in Yun Nan is humid, remember to bring some Pogostemon patchouliwater 1 ¡± ¡°Okay!¡± She waved her hand and pushed open the door. A step out of the door, she suddenly popped her head back in and said, ¡± I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be gone for. If anything dys my return and the plum blossoms have bloomed, ask Qiangzi to help you change the flowers every day.¡± ¡°Silly child, it is only summer now. Why wouldn¡¯t you be back by winter?¡± Her mother smiled kindly. It was herst meeting with her mother ¡ª 18 years ago. That year, that dimension, that promise about that plum blossom. In the many sleepless nights, she would sit on her bed with tears in her eyes as she reminisced the past and wondered, ¡®Is mother still waiting for me? Waiting for that plum blossom I can never personally bring to her? And waiting for me that may never return, how would mother be feeling counting the days to my return?¡¯ It was that summer when she was finally promoted and had a pay raise. That summer, it was the first time she had the money to send her mother to the hospital. That summer, it was when the mother and daughter made the promise to put the most beautiful plum blossom on the bedside. But that summer, fate broke their promise apart. But today, in a previously unimaginable battle, when that unsettling contestant opened his hand to reveal an eye, in that instant, she saw it. She saw the promised plum blossom, she saw her mother, she heard her mother¡¯s sigh and counted the new white hairs on her mother¡¯s head. It was that flower and a more haggard Mother that made Meng Fuyao believe that the world that the eye opened was not a showcase of memories. It was a real scene projected across dimensions! She even came to the conclusion that the two dimensions had a different flow of time ¡ª the 18 years that had passed here was not equivalent to the time that had passed there. Mother¡¯s illness would not allow her to live past 18 years. From what she had seen, even though her mother had gotten visibly older, it was not someone who had aged 18 years. Meng Fuyao sighed in relief as tears welled up. Her hands were almost put together to thank the heavens above that the two were not parallel worlds! Mother was still alive! All this while, her seemingly hopeless hopes were to be proven right! This was the very reason she could not let Bagu go. He was the only alchemist that gave her hope. She must secure more information about her mother from him. Slightly breathless, she stood up and pointed her sword towards Bagu. She did not spare a nce for Zhangsun Wuji ¡ª regardless of his permission, it would not stop her. But Zhangsun Wuji stared at her. He watched her tears, her stubborn expression, her resolute stance and her body trembling in its entirety, except for her sword. Pain shed across his eyes as he sighed quietly. Looking at her was like spotting an oasis in the desert, so close yet so far. Loving her, even though afraid of her losing her life, he had to let her fly. The silence in the hall was deafening as everyone waited for an answer. Atst Zhangsun Wuji answer was, ¡°Since General Meng challenged him, then, please.¡± Meng Fuyao took in a deep breath. She suddenly felt like crying. For him to say that sentence, it must have been hard. She seemed to always be making things difficult for him. To make him choose between protecting her and letting her go. To make him decide between following his heart and fulfilling her desires. Sometimes letting go was harder than protecting. Meng Fuyao silently swallowed her saliva as she gulped down a pill that Zhangsun Wuji had secretly given her during his entrance. The reason why she knelt on the ground was so that she could take the pill without anyone noticing. The championship was almost in Bagu¡¯s hands after all that effort, but thanks to her, it was all for naught. Meng Fuyaoughed lightly ¡ª she really was incorrigible. As sheughed, she took a deep breath and forced down her raging inner energy. She gently brushed off any dirt on her de and lightly sliced her finger with the de. With a slice, a line of blood appeared. The ck de glowed with red. When a divine weapon was fed with the blood of its owner, it could break evil spells. The red got brighter and brighter. Despite bathing in the blood of the enemies, it was the ck Destiny Rebellion¡¯s first time tasting its owner¡¯s blood. Bagu watched as the ordinary-looking sword started glowing in in red. His gaze faltered as though he remembered something. The moment he was distracted, Meng Fuyao attacked. She swung her de. ¡®ughter him!¡¯ The ck, red de that held an enormous forcended heavily on the ground. Kacha- A crack appeared in that hard golden floor from the impact of the de. Arge fault line cracked open as pieces of gold bricks flew in the air. In a blink of the eye, the sword vanished and emerged right under Bagu¡¯s feet. Nobody could train the very bottom of their feet! Such a tricky and weird angle! Bagu¡¯s entire body was focused on guarding against Meng Fuyao¡¯s formidable strike. What caught him by surprise was that she would use all her energy to attack the floor and before he even reacted, the sword was already at the bottom of his feet. The impact of a level six ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± was not something that people could take head-on. With an ¡®oh¡¯, Bagu instinctively jumped upwards. Chapter 166 - Untitled Chapter 166: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Bagu was in a critical situation. At the moment when he jumped up, Bagu shed open his Ghost Head ws. Although his Ghost Head Eyes were already destroyed by Zhangsun Wuji, within the depths of his blood-filled sockets still appeared a pair of strange eyes! However, Meng Fuyao was no longer opposite him; she was waiting for him in his path. Without any hesitation, sheunched into the air, her movements like a flying swallow as she appeared above him upside down in the air, falling towards Bagu like a zing arrow! ¡®I¡¯m above you, if you have the skills, then carve some eyes on top of your head as well!¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s meet with our heads and see whose is harder!¡¯ Meng Fuyao sneered as she unleashed her ¡®heaven-killing¡¯ scroll! Like a wind-summoning g, the wind began blowing all around the scroll, yet the wind was not some formless wind; it was more like a hurricane, initially glowing a faint white in its epicenter. That was the essence from the inner energies of ¡®Ascension¡¯ and ¡®Cloud Soul¡¯ glowing along her frame, the brilliant and pale white light suddenly shooting out like a fan disy. At that moment, everything melted intoplete purity, a glistening, milk-like white. Following that, within the wrathful howling of the wind came a re of utmost brightness. When the brightness reached its peak, it began to fade, yet the wind grew even stronger several times over! The ultimate forms of inner energy, ¡®Daybreak¡¯, ¡®Cloud Soul¡¯ and ¡®Gale¡¯ finally came together as one when Meng Fuyao entered the most critical moment. As the absolute mystic power from the three energies formed as one, under the sun and moon, a hurricane broke forth! With a deafening howl, Pei Yuan and Ya Lanzhu, who were desperately crossing swords with each other, were both swept out of the vicinity. With a loud dragging noise, the pair of one-tonne-heavy golden dragons in the main hall suddenly began to move backward, leaving a heavy trail of scars in its wake. Within a few rounds of howling, the yellow brocades surrounding the pce were swept up, flying through the air as though they were celestial fairies dancing about. It was a pretty sight, however, the brocades also brought with them several tes of premium fruit and teapots, smashing them all over the ce, the fruit rolling all over the ground like broken jade. Zhan Nancheng was drinking tea and was caught off guard when the wind suddenly came, the boiling tea in his cup suddenly sshing out. Afraid of scalding himself, he¡¯d let go, but it was toote. The water had already sshed out, and just as Zhan Nancheng braced himself, a hand lightly reached out, catching the cup and catching the water in one fluid movement before cing it firmly once again in his palm. Zhan Nancheng breathed a sigh of relief as he raised his head and smiled weakly. ¡°Many thanks to the prince, this wind is¡­ too strange¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji did not reply him but instead turned around and stared at the epicenter of the wind, his eyes reflecting a slight worry. At that moment, the wind picked up again! The women hurriedly grabbed their skirts in rm, and the men gaped in shock. Yet when they looked in the epicenter of the wind, they were met with a calm and almost tranquil situation, all repetitive action having culminated in a single action¡ªMeng Fuyao was upside down above Bagu¡¯s head, her de pierced through its center. A trickle of blood streamed down from the top of Bagu¡¯s head, just ever so thin. Meng Fuyao¡¯s de was only lodged on the epidermalyer of his scalp. It did not prate deeply. When the howling of the wind resided, shended lightly, only to spew a mouthful of blood uponnding, losing more blood than Bagu. Nheless, her hand did not cken as she shifted the de between Bagu¡¯s eyebrows. She growled, ¡°Your eyes¡­ what forbidden technique is that?¡± Bagu refused to speak, his mouth shut tightly. Meng Fuyao said coldly, ¡°As long as you show me the scene from earlier one more time, I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Bagu rubbed his mouth as though considering. On the jade throne sat a calmly spectating Zhangsun Wuji, his hand suddenly pressing against the throne¡¯s arm. He watched Bagu with expressionless eyes, his palm hovering closely over his armrest. On it was a pair of eyes of the Ghost Head w that he had just gouged out. He ced his palm over the eyes and pressed it gently. Bagu suddenly tensed up. Tensing up under Meng Fuyao¡¯s de, it was as though his entire body was pulled inwards, his four limbs convulsing strangely as his breathing became rushed and his face turned purple, his gaze suddenly shining brightly as gurgling noises came from his throat. He twisted his torso slowly, as though trying to turn around to look for something. Meng Fuyao panicked, her de piercing through between his eyebrows as she shrieked furiously, ¡°What are you trying to do!¡± She was already heavily injured and had already used every ounce of her inner energy to subdue her opponent. Having been startled again, she spat out another mouthful of blood onto Bagu¡¯s face, several dropletsnding on the ground as well. The blood was a brilliant, eye-catching crimson red. Still sitting on the jade throne, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hand immediately stopped moving. His gaze traveled from the blood to Meng Fuyao¡¯s paper-white face, a hint of pain shing in his eyes. Slowly rxing his hand, he stopped moving and, watching Bagu, he pressed downwards again. Upon seeing the fiery expression with which Bagu was looking at Meng Fuyao, his hand stopped moving again. He repeated the action several times. Three times. But the moment felt like a thousand years. That kind of faint rising and falling, as though he was just tapping his hand unintentionally, an action that was as faint as a butterflynding on a flower, or a slight wind rippling the water. Nobody noticed the relentless struggle within the person¡¯s heart. Finally, Zhangsun Wuji slowly let go. He closed his eyes. Nobody could hear the long, mncholic sigh within his heart. Once he let go, Bagu returned to normal, looking as though he had forgotten that he was frantically struggling just a few moments earlier. He opened his eyes and looked at Meng Fuyao, suddenly saying, ¡°So what if you see it? It¡¯s the same as not seeing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my business!¡± Meng Fuyao tightened her grip on her sword and swallowed the blood in her mouth as she roared, ¡°If you want to die, then hurry up!¡± Her state of mind was already slightly off, even getting her words wrong. Bagu straightened his neck as though intending to rebel, staring at Meng Fuyao with a fiery expression, but eventually he said, ¡°Given my abilities, I can only show you for a very short amount of time.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Meng Fuyao felt extremely frustrated, her insides squirming as though they were forcefully being kneaded together. She felt excruciating pain as though she was being torn apart and she clenched her teeth, refusing to pass out within the next moment. She hadn¡¯t seen what she had been fighting to see yet, how could she pass out before that? The two of them were locked in a stalemate in the middle of the pce, and nobody knew what they were doing, thinking that Meng Fuyao was again disying her strange habit like the time when she defeated Xuanyuan Yun and began tough at her. Fourth Prince Feng received the brocade that the eunuch had picked up and leaned against the armrest of his throne as he turned to Princess Lotus andughed. ¡°This Meng Fuyao is indeed formidable. You mentioned that you two have met?¡± ¡°It should be him.¡± Princess Lotus stared fixedly at Meng Fuyao, saying, ¡°This was easy to recognize, but Big Brother, you know that I specialize in distinguishing human scents. When he walked past me earlier, the scent I picked up was the same as the person who saved me back at Dade Temple.¡± ¡°Then after you leave the stage you¡¯ll have to go thank him,¡± Fourth Prince Feng said, ¡°Such a talent will definitely be known throughout the world after today¡¯s battle. You should make use of this chance to build yourwork earlier.¡± ¡°Whatever Big Brother says so.¡± Then, Princess Lotus rubbed her lips,ughing. ¡°Such a person, how could I not meet?¡± Herugh was cold. It carried the high quality of a lotus floating above the water, its stalk swaying slightly, casting a thousand brilliant rays, ever-shifting, and within the numerous folds of leaves, nobody noticed the dewdrops that rolled off quietly. That familiar scent¡­ It actually appeared on a person it should not appear on! Bagu finally faced Meng Fuyao once again and opened his palms. With the blink of his ¡°eyes¡±, the sinister light appeared again. The mysterious forbidden technique split open a slit in space-time and the scroll of an alternate universe slowly unraveled. It was still that sick room, still the same evening colors, the yellow glow of dusk reflecting against white bedding, reflecting against her mother¡¯s white hair. Her mother¡¯s gaze was focused; she was reading a book. That book was extremely old, dirty and already curling at the edges. The cover was filled with flowers and trees, as well as a crooked little duck, badly drawn beyondparison. A row of extremely ugly words were written beside the duck, varying in different sizes: ¡®Meng Fuyao¡¯s book, whoever steals it will be beaten¡¯. In that instant, Meng Fuyao¡¯s tears erupted. That was her book, ¡®The Little Prince¡¯, the only children¡¯s book she ever had in her childhood. Her mother had bought it for her after working overtime for a month, and she had treasured it as though it were pearls and jewels, flipping through it countless times every day and even adding her own mark. Her mother had told her to draw a dragon since she was born in the year of the dragon, but she didn¡¯t like it since dragons looked like earthworms. She liked fluffy ducks instead and hence decided that she would be born in the year of the duck from then on. Afraid that others would steal it, she even added a few words. If she didn¡¯t remember wrongly, at the part where her mother¡¯s finger was covering, was a skull and the words written in red¡ªCurse, whoever steals will be poisoned to death. Several bottles were drawn beside the skull¡ª¡¯Poison¡¯, ¡®Must Die¡¯. Ah¡­ Since young, her personality was that ruthless¡­ Meng Fuyao snorted through her tears. The book she was looking at seemed older than the one in her memories, its broken edges having been carefully mended over. It also looked rather delicate. The book probably had been touched multiple times by her mother, and its corners were smooth and shiny. She watched as her mother¡¯s fingers tenderly trace over that ugly duck. The hand was withered and bony, sickly pale with its joints poking out against the skin which was covered with the remnant scars of needles. Meng Fuyao reached out with trembling hands, wanting to hold onto those hands which she had not seen for eighteen years, yet where she touched turned into fragments of broken light and the image of her mother began to shake. She hurriedly retracted her hands, not daring to ruin this scene. They were so close, yet she couldn¡¯t touch anything. Her mother was still looking at the duck, her eyes filled with affection, as though she was seeing her little daughter sitting in front of her, tittering away as she drew. The unique scent belonging only to her daughter would remain lingering even after so many years. The hand touching the duck suddenly reached forward tentatively as though she could feel the silhouette of her daughter. Yet, she too couldn¡¯t touch anything. Separated by time and space, a pair of mother and daughter passed each other by. Meng Fuyao¡¯s tears finally fell from her eyes, streaming down her face and mixing with the bloodstains on the corner of her mouth, turning pink as it fell onto her shirt cor. The Little Prince said¡ªit is precisely because you spent so much time nurturing your rose that she became so famous and precious. And it was precisely because it was so difficult persevering through those eighteen years that Meng Fuyao¡¯s tears fell unceasingly at that moment. The entire pce had gone silent as though everyone had lost their voices. They did not understand what Meng Fuyao was doing; they could only see her standing fixedly in front of Bagu and suddenly burst into tears. They stared at her suspiciously, yet when they saw her expression they were struck with such an iprehensible sorrow that they couldn¡¯t help but remain silent. Chapter 167 - Untitled Chapter 167: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji nted his head, and his usually calm fingers slightly trembled. He let go of the teacup that had been on his palm, keeping his hand into his sleeve. There was a type of pain that he could not lessen, but he had to suffer along with her. But Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped crying. Time was precious. Tears would only blur her vision of her mother¡¯s face, and that was too much of a waste. She tried hard to blink her eyes wide open. Then, she heard a bang as the door to the ward was being pushed open, and a crowd of people barged in. The one in front had a big physique ¨C Fatty. Fatty, who had cried for his parents in the ancient tomb, whose bum she had attacked. He was followed by the others¡­ all her colleagues from the excavation team. Fatty was carrying a huge pot, and the others brought in food. Theyughed as they walked in, bringing some liveliness to the remote room. Then, they set up the hot pot and ted themb meat. ¡°Aunt, let¡¯s eat hot pot together!¡± On the bed, her mother smiled and said, ¡°I have troubled all of you once again¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite, this is what we should be doing. Meng Fuyao isn¡¯t around, we¡­¡± one had yet toplete his sentence when he was poked by someone else, and he promptly stopped talking. Her mother was still smiling, and she meticulously closed the book and caressed the cover page. ¡°She¡¯s here¡­ she¡¯s in my heart,¡± she said. ¡®Mother¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao instinctively dashed forward, wanting to run into the warmth that was a world away. Yet the illusion shook, resembling waves of a pond, and the scenery slowly faded into a mist of white light. Feeling anxious, Meng Fuyao hurriedly tried to grab the scene in front of her, but all she grabbed was cold emptiness, and nearly dislocated Bagu¡¯s nose. Bagu¡¯s face was full of perspiration. The long sustenance of the illusion had utterly exhausted him. Closing his palm, he said, ¡°You promised to let me go.¡± Meng Fuyao contemted ¨C she had other ns. Looking at her expression, Bagu seemed to realize something. Hurriedly, he added, ¡°I can only perform this thrice in my lifetime. That was the third time, don¡¯t dwell over it.¡± In an instant, Meng Fuyao nearly copsed. But after that depression came immense hatred. She suddenly looked up at Bagu, her eyes resembling that of a starving wolf, causing Bagu to shiver. He shouted, ¡°You¡¯re going back on your promise!¡± However, Meng Fuyao pushed him away, barking, ¡°Scram!¡± Like a mad woman on the streets, she forcefully pushed Bagu again, sprouting a string of ¡°scram, scram, scram, scram, scram, scram, scram!¡± as she did. Bagu, with his pale-whiteplexion and ck eyes, stared at Meng Fuyao who had embarrassed him in front of all the martial arts wielders in the world, and he clenched his fist so tight that the cracking of his knuckles could be heard. Suddenly, he felt an icy stare thatnded on his back, and it was so sharp that he seemed to feel the pain of it. When he looked back, he saw theposed Zhangsun Wuji sitting on the jade steps, smiling at him. That smile made him tremble and not dare to do anything else. Lowering his head, he swiftly walked away. The stage was left with only Meng Fuyao and Pei Yuan ¨C Ya Lanzhu was blown away by Meng Fuyao¡¯s strike earlier on. Without much inner energy left, she fainted out of exhaustion. Pei Yuanid on the floor and panted hard. Her five fingers were crimson red, but it certainly did not look like blood. While Pei Yuanid, Meng Fuyao crouched. One seemed unable to push herself up anymore, while the other continuously coughed up blood. The fight for the champion of the True Martial Arts Meet was approaching a devastating ending. At that point in time, everyone could not decipher who would emerge as the winner ¨C the alleged champion seemed like she could be shoved away with just a push of the finger. It really depended on who¡¯s the luckier one. Whoever could draw out herst bit of strength to strike down the other party would be the champion! Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao hugged her knees and stared at her reflection in the pond of blood in a state of mental numbness. Who was that person in there? Where did the red-haired demon go? Meng Fuyao was so engrossed at the sight in front of her that she did not realize the exmations of shock that rang beside her. Pei Yuan had propped herself up on her elbow and was struggling to stand up. Pei Yuan crawled very slowly, and she had just lifted her body off the ground when she immediately copsed again. Nheless, she took a few deep breaths and relentlessly, tried to lift herself up again. After a full 10 minutes, she finally staggered onto her feet. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao continued to squat on the ground, and she seemed to have forgotten about her surroundings from scrutinizing her reflection. She was not resigned ¨C the pool of blood reflected the caisson and the four walls of dragon murals, but it never again reflected the people and events that she wanted to see. Stupefied, she stained her fingertip with blood and slowly drew on the ground, one round¡­ one bend¡­ Someone was gently calling out for her by her ear, trying to wake her up at such a crucial moment. It was his elegant and mellow voice. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± Pei Yuan panted as she approached. ¡­ One more curve¡­ then, two small triangles¡­ ¡°Fuyao!¡± Momentster, Pei Yuan finally walked up to the back of Meng Fuyao. But Meng Fuyao continued to be engrossed in her drawing¡­ Just one more stroke left¡­ Under the scrutiny of all the spectators, the childish drawing that was simultaneouslypleted when the enemy approached, was finally presented on the expensive and bright golden tiles. Duck. As she finished thest stroke, Pei Yuan had also raised her palm. With her blood-red fingers, she thrust her hand towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s head! ¡°¡­ Fuyao!¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly looked up! Almost immediately, she fell to the side. As she fell, she glided away, causing Pei Yuan¡¯s strike to miss, upsetting thetter¡¯s bnce. Pei Yuan thus fell forward, and in that instant, she crossed Meng Fuyao¡¯s body in the perpendicr direction. In that instant, when they crossed. A glimmer of ck light shed by. Blood sttered out like a silky ribbon, before extending to form what seemed like a huge umbre. It was passionate and fiery, like the me that swayed on a burning torch. A torch that burned away one¡¯s life. Pei Yuan let out a very short ¡°Ah!¡± from her throat. That sounded like a murmur produced when one experienced the emptiness after waking up from a dream. She copsed gently, like a flower that suddenly withered, or a wisp of cloud that was blown away by winds in the mountain, or even a goose that flew away and never came back. 21 years of age ended at this date. All the gratification, grievances and tangled emotions that resulted because of love broke apart, resembling a silk string ced against a sharp knife. Maybe, from the moment that Pei Yuan first met him, her life was already destined to fall into a dark abyss. That was because she fell in love with a man who had no interest in her. Bothdies had crossed paths till then, but Pei Yuan had copsed halfway, while Meng Fuyao continued to proceed after clearing the blood on her sword. Life was so wide yet so confined. It could epassnd from seas away, but it could not tolerate the narrow-minded thoughts of calctive or maniptive characters. As Pei Yuanid on the ground, she could feel the wind breezing past her. In the extreme heat, she felt a cold chill, just like the one she experienced the first time she met him in winter. Layers of snowkesnded on her face, and her freezing hands were held by her Teacher. She took a shy look across the foreign courtyard, and that handsomed who was sweeping the snow in front of the cherry blossom tree turned back and smiled, and spring seemed to have arrived. He said, ¡°Morning, Junior Sister.¡± That year, she stared at him in a daze and forgot to answer. Pei Yuan gently beamed¡­ how could she not answer? That was thest chance for her to do so in her lifetime. She closed her eyes and murmured, ¡°The wind is strong, and the snow is frosty. Senior Brother¡­ take care.¡± The True Martial Arts Meet hade to an end! An end that happened in the most tragic way. Zhan Nancheng opened his mouth a few times, but he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to congratte Meng Fuyao. After moments of silence, Zhan Beiheng finally said, ¡°The winner is Meng Fuyao of Wuji!¡± There was an uproar among the spectators as they feigned joy in the face of the blood and corpse. Many came up to congratte Meng Fuyao, and Zhan Nancheng vaguely spoke about something rted to a celebratory feast. Meng Fuyao almost drowned in the sea of endless conversations and saliva, and she stared at them in a daze, with no idea what they weremunicating about. She only knew that they were giving her migraines, and they even stepped on her duck! Someone squeezed forward to hold her hand ¨C it was Ya Lanzhu who had slightly recovered. She pushed away the crowd, oblivious to their prominent statuses and shouted straightforwardly, ¡°Clear the path, we want to go home!¡± They wanted to go home. But where was home? Meng Fuyao was clueless even as Ya Lanzhu dragged her out. She could vaguely feel a warm but pain-filled gaze lingering on her, but she had no strength left to bother with it. All she wanted was to leave that ce quickly and sleep, and hopefully, she might be able to relive the earlier moments in her dreams. The crowd dispersed, and they proceeded to exit the pce. However, someone still chose to block their paths. The pearl-white dress embroidered with exquisite lotuses gently swayed to the breeze, and that person was as demure as a lotus. Princess Lotus said in a holy manner, ¡°Congrattions General Meng, I thank you for helping me out the other time. I have arranged for a small feast for you¡­¡± ¡°Can you shut up?¡± Princess Lotus quietened in shock. Meng Fuyao raised her head, and though resembling a rabbit with her bloodshot eyes, she looked at Lotus with such annoyance that she seemed like a wolf. Gritting her teeth, she enunciated her words clearly. ¡°Rotten lotus, please, go act innocent in front of everyone else, but not me, especially now! Did you know that I f*cking want to vomit whenever I see your pretense? I¡¯ve had enough of vomiting today!¡± Princess Lotus seemed as though she was struck by a hammer, and she turned ashen as she staggered back. Supporting herself with the pir, her voice changed when she spoke, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°I dislike you, and that¡¯s that.¡± Meng Fuyao brushed past her and added, ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mood and serves you right for being unlucky. Let me curse for you.¡± Meng Fuyao turned her head and approached Princess Lotus. Revealing a ghastly smile, she whispered by her ear, ¡°Stop fronting, do it and you¡¯ll get struck by lightning! Stop acting pure, do it and you¡¯ll get raped!¡± She chuckled, and a mouthful of blood trickled down her face. Wiping it off, Meng Fuyao stretched her arms wide and strolled away. ¡°Feels so good!¡± No matter how torn and tattered that lotus was as a result of her words, Meng Fuyao walked past theyers of exits without taking a look back. Under the scrutiny of those envious, surprised or jealous, she stepped out of the hell that she had to spill blood for. As the doors opened up one by one, the sunset shone in, creating a belt of light that seemed like a red carpet that stretched far away, allowing Meng Fuyao to tread on it. She had finally reached this day and got what she wanted. Yet, heaven had to send her a joke which seemed to be a surprise that sprung out of a toy box, hitting her where she hurt the most. Chapter 168 - Untitled Chapter 168: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao mounted on the horse and said, ¡°Zhuzhu, go back first. Let me be alone for a while.¡± Feeling worried, Ya Lanzhu was about to oppose, but she suddenly changed her mind. ¡°Be careful then.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded, and her horse galloped away against the wind. Weaving through crowds and zooming past alleys, she rode towards the direction closest to Qiongcang. Ten miles away from the city, a small mountain and a glistening pond could be seen on the horizon. When she dismounted and admired the scenery, she got lost in her thoughts. Somewhere in her memory, she remembered that her hometown also had such a crystal-clear pond, which she used to fish in when she was young. In such a frosty and dark night with the gentle breeze and the wilting flowers, who would light up the path for the lost? Who would use his body temperature to warm the hearts of the disheartened? Behind her, someone slowly approached her and spoke, ¡°Fuyao, the brave are not afraid of crying.¡± His voice was gentle and epassed the deep and steady tone of one who had been through ups and downs. It sounded as though he had been through the same pain, like a piece of jade that cracked and reflected a beautiful gleam which appeared shiner and warmer. Meng Fuyao suddenly turned back¡­ and leaped towards the warmth. She leaped into his hug. In her whole life, her tears had never been so worthless, and buckets after buckets of them fell and drenched his shoulder. The patch of light-purple cloth darkened a few shades, turning into the color of thevenders that were beside the pond. Meng Fuyao pressed herself tightly into his arms and boldly rubbed her tears and mucus on his shoulder. She wanted to use this seemingly imaginary hug as a constion, for her to vent all her frustration that had been pent-up for 18 years. She bawled, ¡°She has more white hair now¡­¡± ¡°At least they let her stay until winter¡­¡± ¡°She has grown age spots¡­ age spots¡­¡± ¡°They must have gotten their hands on the treasure, if not where did the hospital feese from¡­¡± ¡°At least they still have the conscience to apany her¡­¡± ¡°What a dumb bunch, can she even eat hot pot?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to clean her body? Those clumsy nurses? How willing are they to help? She¡¯s so prideful¡­ there are some things¡­ there are some things that no one can help her with¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s still waiting for me¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji trembled at thest line and immediately, Meng Fuyao quietened. All her negative emotions seemed to have been slightly discharged, and she realized that some things could not be said straightforwardly. Her wish to return was something that could not be easily revealed. To her enemies, that meant asking for trouble; to her friends, it was still troublesome. The wisest and most open of herpanions, Zhangsun Wuji, would allow her some space and freedom. But even he would never ept her leaving the Five Regions Continent and this world, especially if it meant eternally departing from him. She had to bear the pain herself. Lifting her sleeve to her face, she wiped away the tears and then copsed on the floor ¨C the breath that she had been hanging on to was finally released, and she no longer had any remaining strength left. cing his hands over her shoulder, Zhangsun Wuji hugged her shoulders as he sat down on the grass patch, and silently watched the clear moonlight. The wind was a bit strong in the wild, and both their robes fluttered against the wind. Under the moonlight, two distinct silhouettes sat side-by-side, and their identities could not be mistaken. As they held each other in their arms, they admired the scenery until their eyes were moist. In such broad and mellow wilderness, be it one or two figures, they were but two stones that were buried in the depths of the abyss of time, surrounded by endless loneliness and barrenness. Unexpectedly, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body scent turned stronger in such a frosty ce. Meanwhile, bells seemed to chime from a faraway monastery. As Meng Fuyao whiffed in the scent and listened to the chimes, memories flooded back to her, and she found herself traversing between reality and imagination. In her daze, she seemed to have understood something, but that thought faded away in an instant. Gently, Zhangsun Wuji spoke, ¡°Fuyao.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Humans are bitterly obsessed over pursuing their wants, but they don¡¯t realize that it¡¯s right beside them.¡± Meng Fuyao tilted her head in confusion and tried to process what he said. ¡®What did he mean?¡¯ ¡°Fuyao, do you have any wants?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered honestly. ¡°Me too.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked up at the moon and added, ¡°When I was young, I¡¯ve always wanted my mother not to keep sighing at me, which made me feel as though she never liked me. When I was teen, I wanted to find someone whom I could protect, to assure myself that I¡¯m still needed. Afterward, I suddenly realized that what I¡¯ve been looking for has always been beside me. The journey ahead is long, but I wish to forever apany her down this path.¡± Meng Fuyao did not reply. Momentster, she said, ¡°Some paths are destined to bepleted alone.¡± Above her, a solitary silence prevailed. Far away in the wide field, petals were blown away by the wind, and they descended like solitary snowkes. Closing her eyes, Meng Fuyao felt that her heart was overwhelmed with an aching bitterness, and it was so bitter that it seeped into her organs. Life was never docile ¨C it resembled a beast that crouched in the darkness, refusing to be tamed. She could ept being beaten ck and blue by fate, but she had no way of preventing innocent people from suffering as a result. Not thick-skinned enough to linger in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s warmth, Meng Fuyao struggled away and was about to stand up. However, Zhangsun Wuji hugged her with even more strength. She tried to push him away, but he flipped her shoulders to face him instead. As a dark shadow fell upon her, his lips descended. Itnded on her lips. A moment of affection. The taste of their lips was enchanting; they had only drank tea, but there was a faint and intoxicating scent of alcohol. They transited from one type of softness to the other, and from one type of entanglement to the other. His kiss was the wind. It was the moon, the clouds, the mist, the purest of all nature, gently creeping in her dreams and filling up her world inch by inch. If she was barren, he would be her saturation; if she was dry, he would bring moistness to her. It felt like their first kiss in the hot spring ¨C he was still as devoted and affectionate. At first, his lips brushed against hers as delicately as a flower depicted by a poet, but he became firmer and stronger. He bit her lips in vexation as if to seal his mark on her so that she would forever remember his scent and the memories associated with him. Electric sparks flew as their tongues battled against each other, and they shuddered as they whimpered in silence. Meng Fuyao started to gasp for air, but he would adamantly seal her gasps between their connected lips. Bit by bit, he kissed away the blood stains beside her lips and shared that metallic taste with her. Sensing her struggle, Zhangsun Wuji increased the force of his hug. From the time that they met, he had let her fly away from him far too many times, and her soaring wings resembled knives that left bloody cuts across his heart. That night, he no longer wanted to let go, even if that meant going against her for once! Zhangsun Wuji neither wanted life to be too long of a journey nor to sh by like a stroke of lightning. If he had to die a righteous death one day and end up bing a faded memory of hers, at least this painful kiss would remind her of their shared journey of vicissitudes. Such an aggressive and heavy kiss did not seem to belong to theposed Zhangsun Wuji, but it reallypressed against Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart. She softened, bending more and more backward in his arms, like the arch of a willow branch. But the tears in her eyes gradually fell, silently sliding down Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s face, and he sucked it up. This kiss was so long, yet so short. Finally releasing her, Zhangsun Wuji traced his lips to her forehead and gave a gentle peck. Then, he ced his forehead against hers and stopped moving. Their breaths were hitting on each other¡¯s face, intertwining with each other. Meng Fuyao¡¯s light pants drifted in the quiet surroundings, and rosiness finally appeared on her ashen face. It was such a rare moment that she revealed an expression as charming as spring. Deeply gazing into her, Zhangsun Wuji whispered, ¡°Fuyao¡­ what I am supposed to do with you?¡± A few secondster, she smiled. ¡°I realized that our rtionship can¡¯t even rely on fate. There are some things that Heaven has never bestowed upon us, right from the start.¡± As her blush faded and rity returned to her eyes, Meng Fuyao got on her knees and slowly smoothened out her messy hair. Meng Fuyao could not say it, or allow herself to be unrestrained, or overindulge in those feelings. If in the past she had ever doubted the value of her determination, from now on, she would never look back again. Her mother was waiting for her. It was confirmed that the past 18 years that she had most feared were no longer a life-and-death barrier between her and her mother. What other reason was there to stop her from returning? Zhangsun Wuji slowly released his hand. Such a helpless pair of hands destely tried to grab onto her, but there were only a few drops of dew in his palm. The person standing opposite him was silent but adamant and epassed unwavering determination. Gazing at Meng Fuyao quietly, he seemed to witness the bitter consequence of hispromise, but he could only swallow that harsh oue, even as its sharp edges ufortably blocked the passageway of his heart. Chapter 169 - Untitled Chapter 169: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios In a low voice, Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯m not letting go.¡± In response, she sighed a long and dejected sigh¡ªwhat else could she say? How could she convince him? Just as he could never convince her, she had no way of being a hypocrite to try to convince him either. Yet, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly beganughing and said, ¡°I believe that my sincerity can be felt by the heavens and the earth, and I believe that even though all beings on earth have a destiny above one¡¯s will, there will eventually be a way to break it.¡± He gently held onto Meng Fuyao, saying, ¡°You should sleep, you¡¯ve had a tiring day. Some things, when you think too much, will hurt others. On the other hand, it would be better if you forget about it.¡± Not waiting for Meng Fuyao¡¯s retort, he lifted a finger and habitually tapped her vital sleep points. Seeing Meng Fuyao fall asleep while having a bitter expression on her face, Zhangsun Wuji reached out and ced a hand on her back. Closing his eyes, he sent inner energy flowing, going one round through her meridians swiftly. After a while, he let go, quietly watching Meng Fuyao sleeping features. He brushed his finger past her slightly swollen lips as he murmured, ¡°Since it was fated to be so, I will let you fly even higher, and instead of watching you struggle painfully and obsessively for a lifetime, I will help you ovee all obstacles.¡± After that day, Meng Fuyao returned to Zhan Beiye¡¯s secret manor to nurse her wounds. She had no interest in listening to the rumors spreading outside about the True Martial Arts champion. Instead, she spent every day desperately training and nursing her wounds. She had already reached the sixthyer of Cleaving Nine Heavens and had sessfullybined the inner energies of Gale and Moon Soul together with Cleaving Nine Heavens. Yet, though she had managed to do that, it was still as that old priest had said, only during the moment of critical danger between life and death would she be able to unleash her power with great speed beyond what she was capable of reaching under normal circumstances. ording to the old priest, he had attained the sixthyer when he was 24, but nobody before him had ever attained it and deemed it a miracle. Now, it could still be considered that there were no predecessors, and the future generation wouldn¡¯t be able to receive any guidance from him anymore. When Meng Fuyao thought about the old priest admitting defeat, her mood lifted greatly. Although she managed to attain it sessfully, she had suffered serious injuries. Thebined inner energies were also unstable, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing. It would require a long period of recovery and meditation, and now that her target was set, she could only follow through with her training without any distraction and not run off impulsively to Qiongcang before she attained allyers of Cleaving Nine Heavens. She only had one chance ¡ª once she went to Qiongcang, there was simply no room for failure! Hence, Meng Fuyao should stick to the ns in order to do what she wanted to do, and raise some trouble in Tiansha during this period of recovery. Zhangsun Wuji had ¡®returned home¡¯, and Zhan Beiheng had personally sent Zhangsun Wuji out of Pandu, gifting him a horse carriage filled with jewelry and gifts that the nobledies in Tiansha had implored him to pass on. Zhangsun Wujiughed goodnaturedly and really took the horse carriage and left. However, this was just what was know on the surface, but in actual fact¡­ Meng Fuyao sighed again¡ªthat person had put on a disguise and was still by her side. ording to what he had said himself, his father¡¯s condition had improved recently and was able to attend to matters, or else it would have been difficult for him to rush to Tiansha. Since Zhangsun Wuji had traveled from afar, he should rest a little longer before leaving. Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t think that there was a need to rest, but since he did look a little unwell, and thinking that chasing him away after he had traveled thousands of miles was utterly shameless, she remained silent. Xuanyuan Yun had also left as well. That was real; not daring to not follow her father when he returned home, she had tearfully requested to see Zong Yue again before she left. That day, Meng Fuyao returned in a semi-conscious state after the battle at the golden pce and did not know how the conversation between the two was going. Thinking that the other party was already aware, she had taken the initiative to let her in only for Xuanyuan Yun to be chased back out of the herb garden by a swarm of venomous bees that Zong Yue had been breeding recently. That evening, Meng Fuyao¡¯s medicine resembled human excrement, smelly beyondprehension. Zong Yue had returned to his old self, apart from his eyes prickling slightly upon hearing her voice call out, ¡°Big Brother A-Yue¡±, he acted as though he was not affected at all. His sentiment was like the glow from amp in a faraway vige, warm yet distant. After recuperating for several days, Meng Fuyao received a banquet invitation from Zhan Nancheng, and before she left for the banquet Zhangsun Wuji had reminded her, ¡°Zhan Nancheng is indeed sincerely inviting you, present the military tactics that I¡¯ve taught you well, but don¡¯t be too proficient in matters of the court. Zhan Nancheng needs a courageous but easy to control and of average wisdom general, not an all-rounded genius who is both skilled and intelligent, so don¡¯t overdo it.¡± After finishing his sentence, he had stuffed something into her hands, continuing, ¡°If something happens and you find yourself extremely angry yet unable to retaliate, then open this.¡± ¡®What kind of genius kit strategy is he trying?¡¯ Meng Fuyao scrounged her nose. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve ever encountered such a situation in my life where I was unable to retaliate?¡± Despite what she said, Meng Fuyao still agreed, and clutching the invitation, she left to attend the banquet with Ya Lanzhu. The guards behind them were investigating a bag horse carriage, and Tiansha guards nked both sides of the carriage. When the carriage went past her, it stopped, and a pale, frail-looking youth poked his head out to greet her, ¡°I see it¡¯s General Meng, are you here to attend the banquet?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and met Fourth Prince Feng¡¯s smile. Zhangsun Wuji had already ¡®left¡¯, why had these siblings not left yet? Looking at his scrawny appearance, was he still not aware of her cursing the rotten lotus? And where was the rotten lotus? Had she been hiding in her room and crying these few days? Speaking of the devil, the curtains of the horse carriage suddenly whipped open as Princess Lotus¡¯s face peeked through from behind the carriage,ughing as she said, ¡°General Meng, what a coincidence.¡± Herugh was as pure and light as ever, her tone harmonious. She even gave off a vibe that resembled Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s noble elegance. Meng Fuyao red at her, hissing coldly. She wasughing? She was actuallyughing? She was actuallyughing at her? ¡®Damnit!¡¯ Meng Fuyao had never been truly angry at any woman before in her life, but now she was truly pissed off at Feng Jingfan! Despite having been cursed to such extent by someone, this woman still was not angered, even being able tough at the person who had cursed at her. It was truly incredible, did she curse the wrong person that day because her injuries were too severe? Or was it because a rotten lotus had contracted a kind of selective amnesia? Nheless, the rotten lotus¡¯s next wordspletely dispelled her thoughts, and she felt as though her vision turned ck after hearing those words¡ªhow could anyone be this powerful in the world¡­ Princess Lotusughed softly. ¡°General Meng, how are your wounds? Jingfan was thinking that during that day, Jingfan had indeed been rude, insisting on inviting General Meng to the banquet despite knowing General Meng was injured. May General Meng forgive me.¡± Fourth Prince Fengughed. ¡°How could General Meng hold a grudge against little sister over such a small misunderstanding? Later during the banquet, just offer an extra toast to General Meng, and all will be fine. General Meng¡¯s reputation is known throughout the world and is a true hero, he is worth of Lotus¡¯s toast.¡± ¡®Worthy? Worthy? You probably think Lotus toasting me is doing me an honor, but I¡¯m actually afraid that if I drink it, my stomach will rot¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao raised her sleeves over her lips and coughed, saying, ¡°My wounds have yet to recover, I wouldn¡¯t dare to receive such an honor, many thanks, many thanks.¡± The two still attentively offered, ¡°The horse carriage is spacious, what do you say of sharing the carriage for the rest of the journey? Since General¡¯s wounds have yet to heal, I¡¯m afraid that riding a horse would be exhausting for you.¡± ¡°I was born with a thug¡¯s bones, I can¡¯t stand to sit in a luxurious carriage. Once I sit down, I will feel uneasy and spew smoke from all seven holes¡­¡± Still covering her mouth, Meng Fuyao gestured with one hand. ¡°Please, please.¡± The two then bowed courteously and went ahead. Meng Fuyao put down her hand and straightened her neck. She turned to Ya Lanzhu, who was beside her, and said, ¡°Zhu Zhu, pinch me, quick, check if I¡¯m still alive?¡± Ya Lanzhu stared ahead fixedly ahead as she said in a hazy tone, ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for you to pinch me, my soul has not yet returned.¡± The two of them turned to each other and exchanged nces, muttering, ¡°What a talent, what a talent indeed¡­ Meng Fuyao, you are not fit to even lift her shoes.¡± Meng Fuyao said smugly, ¡°Zhu Zhu, that¡¯s what you call a princess,pared to her, you¡¯re like a petty auntie picked up from the vegetable market.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ya Lanzhu sounded indignant, ¡°What an elegant and wless princess, whose face is as thick as the castle walls, I truly cannot stand at the same level as her¡­¡± ¡°The difference in level is indeed not just one or two levels¡­ No, I¡¯ll probablymit suicide if I sit with her.¡± Meng Fuyao stopped moving forward, and turning the horse around, she said, ¡°Zhu Zhu, sorry to bother you but, could you tell Zhan Nancheng that I have diarrhea and that I¡¯ve gone back to slowly relieve myself?¡± ¡°I want to have diarrhea too, if I don¡¯t relieve myself now then when I see her I¡¯ll definitely not be able to control myself, so let¡¯s go back together.¡± Following suit, Ya Lanzhu too turned her horse around. s, it was toote. Two rows of people hade to wee them, with the ministry officialsing to greet them themselves. They had already spotted Meng Fuyao and Ya Lanzhu much earlier, and when they noticed them turning their horses around, they immediately rushed forward to stop them and tried cating them, saying that they were taking orders, and if Meng Fuyao insisted on leaving she would make things difficult for them. Helpless, Meng Fuyao could only follow them in. She sat with her legs dangling on the horse as she consoled Ya Lanzhu, ¡°Zhu Zhu, just pretend that someone had identally left a bucket of feces at the banquetter, don¡¯t see anything and don¡¯t hear anything and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ya Lanzhu sighed, replying, ¡°If I¡¯d known earlier, I¡¯d have relieved myself beforeing¡­¡± When Meng Fuyao entered the banquet hall of Wude pce, the Tiansha royal family, generals, as well as the various royal families and sects had already gathered in the hall and greeted her warmly when she entered. Princess Lotus was sitting at the third seat on the right of the throne, and upon seeing Meng Fuyao enter, she raised her head and smiled. Looking at her, Meng Fuyao sucked in a breath and returned a smile. ¡®Since you are unable to feel shame since it¡¯s impossible to curse you to death, then let¡¯s change tactics.¡¯ The officials guided Meng Fuyao with low voices into the inner pce, saying that His Majesty would like to meet General Meng in the inner pce for a short while. Meng Fuyao turned to look at the official, knowing that the main question had arrived, and quickly followed him in. Sure enough, Zhan Nancheng was there, but strangely enough, Zhan Beiheng was absent. Meng Fuyao bowed and exchanged several courtesy phrases with Zhan Nancheng before he finally asked, ¡°General Meng is highly ranked in Wuji Pce, and your reputation precedes you throughout the seven nations despite your youth. It is truly admirable.¡± Meng Fuyao held onto the teacup and steadied herself, allowing a bitter smile to grace her lips before wiping it from her face and saying, ¡°Your Majesty is too kind. It is but an empty title, it¡¯s not worth much.¡± Zhan Nancheng¡¯s eyes shed as he smiled. ¡°Even if you say it is an empty title, it is not something that can be attained by ordinary humans.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡± Still holding the teacup, Meng Fuyao agreed perfunctorily. Chapter 170 - Untitled Chapter 170: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°But then again,ing back to the topic.¡± Zhan Nancheng smiled. ¡°During my youth, when I was studying, every time I chanced upon the legends of brave heroes, I would hungrily devour the scroll, imagining myself as the character in the stories, unswayed by gold, righteous and brave, sweeping up a storm in the world or sprinting thousands of miles in the desert, or even leading armies to fight against enemies. How unparalleled would that satisfaction and happiness be? s, the moment I became emperor, I became stuck in the dreary depths of the pce alone, my life as boring as can be.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, countless servants are willing to lead for you, how could anyone bepared to Your Majesty?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, then sighed. ¡°The winds are in General Meng¡¯s favor, yet why do you sigh?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, after listening to you, it jolted my thoughts.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Since young, I¡¯ve never been one to pursue books, I only enjoyed learning about military strategies and believed that it was everything that a man needed, to be learned in the art of war and serve the royal family loyally, offering my own head as a wine cup or my blood as nourishment if needed.¡± Meng Fuyao knelt down suddenly, eximing loudly, ¡°Forgive my insolence!¡± ¡°General Meng, you must be kidding.¡± Zhan Nanchengughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you standing today among the top three ranks in Wuji, your achievements known to all, who would dare disrespect you?¡± ¡°Thismoner would rather lose his rank and general¡¯s robes in exchange for armor and war boots, head to the desert 3,000 miles from here and fight to the death, entering with a clean de and leaving with a red de, this is true satisfaction!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed loudly, hupping halfway and hurriedly calming herself down and apologizing, ¡°Forgive thismoner¡¯sck of respect.¡± ¡°No matter, I like frank and honest men like you.¡± Smiling, Zhan Nancheng helped her up. ¡°How passionate, how earnest!¡± After beating around the bush for a long time, he finally asked, ¡°Looking at General Meng¡¯s expression, it seems that something is troubling you, unless¡­ did something unfortunate happen?¡± ¡°How could there be anything unfortunate? I merely feel wronged!¡± Meng Fuyao pped her thigh and leaned forward as she said, ¡°Your Majesty, honestly speaking, ever since thismoner had taken up the superficial post of whatever General, I still feel the happiest during the day when I was entering the camp and killing people. Now all I do every day is draw this and circle that, doing nothing and drinking and making merry with a bunch of officials, where is the meaning in this!¡± ¡°Prince Wuji dotes on General Meng, there is so much potential for promotion and your future is infinite, how can you give up?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows, not speaking. The question that Zhan Nancheng had asked stumped her. Stuttering, she replied, ¡°The prince¡¯s affection¡­ makes me not want to perform my duties all the more¡­. It is extremely difficult to tolerate the rumors of others¡­. To think that I, an upright man, would¡­.¡± She spoke stutteringly as Zhan Nancheng listened, his eyes glinting; her words were just as he had heard. Not asking any further, he slowly began tough. His tone became even more affectionate as he beckoned Meng Fuyao to sit closer and asked, ¡°General Meng is skilled in the art of war, could you advise me on some military tactics?¡± ¡°Your Majesty is too kind, I only know one or two tactics.¡± Meng Fuyao sat down and began pointing fluently at the tactic board she had prepared earlier, ¡°¡­ work together, the foot soldiers should make use of the hills, forests, natural obstacles, and grasnds. If the terrain is unfavorable, they must dig trenches. Divide the calvary into reserve andbat teams and attack alternatingly. If the enemy strikes on both sides or surrounds us, go into a circle formation with the archers on the outermost side so that there will be no friendly fire and the rear soldiers can also strike back easily from inside¡­¡± Half a periodter, Meng Fuyao stumbled out of the inner pce with the Emperor of Tiansha himself alongside her. Zhan Nancheng¡¯s face was full of smiles as he held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand, personally sending her to her seat. Meng Fuyao ground her teeth and controlled herself, barely stopping herself from wanting to send him to see his grandmother with the hand that he was holding. Since they had arrived, the banquet began. Since it was a banquet for the royal and noble families, it was extremelyvish, and Meng Fuyao buried her head and began to eat furiously, refusing to look across at the rotten lotus. s, ignoring her did not mean that she would be let off the look. Halfway into the banquet, Princess Lotus tugged at Fourth Prince Feng¡¯s sleeves, and with his apaniment, they came over to offer a toast. Smiling, she said, ¡°I have always respected the great hero, the True Martial Arts champion General Meng, this toast must be offered.¡± Everyone¡¯s gazes fell on them as they praised, ¡°General Meng is so fortunate, Princess Lotus¡¯ toast is not something just anybody can drink.¡± ¡®Indeed, if anyone drinks it, their stomachs will rot.¡¯ Meng Fuyao stood up and received the cup, her smile was even faker. ¡°That¡¯s right, Princess Lotus¡¯ virtuous and upright reputation is known throughout the seven nations, how can a ruffian like myself be worthy of drinking the princess¡¯ wine?¡± She raised the cup, not drinking, swirling it in her hands as she turned to face the crowd and smiled. ¡°Everyone believes that the princess admires martial arts and that¡¯s why I am able to receive this toast, but the truth is that the princess and I had had a fateful encounter previously, and it¡¯s entirely my honor to be part of this encounter.¡± Once her words left her lips, everyone¡¯s interest was piqued as they said, ¡°Do you mean that General Meng and Princess Lotus have met before? Yet, when and where?¡± ¡°At Diecui Mountain in Tianquan.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Back then the princess had run into a group of formidable foes, and coincidentally, I happened to pass by and lend a helping hand.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed modestly. ¡°That was truly a memorable scene.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a case of the hero saving the damsel in distress.¡± Someoneughed and continued, ¡°General Meng, don¡¯t be selfish, everyone¡¯s still waiting to hear it.¡± ¡°Actually it wasn¡¯t much either, the princess¡¯ guards are naturally brave and courageous, and bandits are naturally ruthless. All the damsels in distress have the same story, the only thing shocking was the behavior of the person during that time.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled slightly and continued, ¡°The princess remained calm, praying faithfully to the Buddha throughout. Back then, blood was being shed everywhere, and the horse carriage had fallen, and the guards were all dying one after another. The princess sat within the horse carriage, her expression calm as she prayed for the fallen guards, praying for each one as they fell, one after another¡­¡± When everyone heard her words, it was as though they never heard anything, but as they continued ruminating upon her words since they were all exceptional individuals, they wouldn¡¯t not understand a single sentence. Slowly, they stoppedughing and Princess Lotus¡¯ hand, which was holding onto the wine cup, trembled slightly. Meng Fuyao continued ceaselessly, ¡°The guards died quickly, but the princess¡¯ prayers were even more timely, exorcizing their loyal souls into heaven before they could even step into the underworld. I¡¯ll say, as the princess¡¯ guards, for them to die in front of the princess was probably their highest fortune. At the very least, there was no need for anypensation.¡± The entire pce was in shock, and not even the sound of chopsticks moving could be heard as everyone listened to Meng Fuyao sing her praises, greatlyuding Feng Jingfan for her virtue and elegance as she loyally prayed for her guards without a single flicker of fear in the face of death. ¡°Even rarer still was that, on that day, I finally witnessed true equality and universal love.¡± Turning solemn, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°I witnessed with my own eyes, just before a guard had died protecting the horse carriage, he was desperately trying to prevent the bandits from entering and harassing the princess, he was stabbed to death by one of the bandits. At that time, I saw the princess lose herposure and be agitated upon seeing blood, and she went up and sliced off the arm of the bandit, which thennded in front of the princess. The princess viewed everyone equally, and ced the arm with the guard¡¯s corpse, and proceeded to pray for them together¡­¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Ya Lanzhu forcefully spat out the food in her mouth, and everyone turned to look at her as she frantically waved her hands about. ¡°Continue, continue, spectacr, spectacr, truly worthy of emting. I was just wondering how the poor guard would feel being exorcized together with that arm?¡± Gripping her wine cup tightly, Princess Lotus stood there quietly, her eyes lowered as she remained silent. If one did not look closely, they would not be able to notice that her sleeves were trembling at all. Fourth Prince Feng looked at her in surprise, then at Meng Fuyao, and opened his mouth and said angrily, ¡°Meng Fuyao, what are you talking about!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that the princess is virtuous, holy and brave.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him innocently, ¡°Princess Lotus was born with a lotus, her reputation known throughout the seven nations. There should at least be some honest, personal encounters and honorable stories for people to spread so that ruffians like us can respect and worship her even more.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Merely spreading the good name of the princess, I wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything else.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled as she faced Fourth Prince Feng. ¡°Your Majesty, could you be finding my words disagreeable?¡± Without waiting for Fourth Prince Feng to reply, she turned around and gave Princess Lotus a long, hard look as shemented and sighed, ¡°With regards to such, I¡¯ve suddenly realized that,pared to the princess, there are too many things that I¡¯ve been grant about, may the princess forgive and advise me. I¡¯ve finally understood the true meaning of holypassion, there is no need for distinguishing between good or bad, no need to separate loyalty and betrayal, no need for distinguishing between right and wrong¡ªjust focus on praying.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed and walked several steps forward, standing right in front of Princess Lotus, her posture straight and her voice clear. ¡°That day after returning, I had many mixed feelings, tossing and turning in my bed unable to fall asleep, so I woke up and put on my sleeping gown and wrote something of my own ord, would the princess be interested in listening? After all, it was also written for your guards.¡± Princess Lotus remained silent, raising her eyes as she met Meng Fuyao¡¯s fiery gaze and her own expression darkened, flecks of sinister light swirling in her eyes, its intention unclear, yet deeply calm like the weather before a storm. Her gaze carried the sharpness of a needle and the intensity of a me, piercing into Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Meng Fuyao did not avoid her re and met her gaze with a smile. If Princess Lotus; expression was a poison needle, hers would be a vicious knife. Both of their gazes met with a brilliant fiery ze. She did not reply, but Meng Fuyao simply didn¡¯t wait for her reply as she raised her wine cup. With a crisp and clear voice, she intonated each word, ¡°Acknowledging your selflessness, I pray for all, regardless of whether friend or foe, ascending to heaven equally. ¡°Second line, a virtuous and holy lotus.¡± ¡°Good! Good! Truly encapsting the truth of the whole process, each word filled withpassion, truly wonderful!¡± The only person apuding was Ya Lanzhu, smiling widely as her braids flew around her, the crisp sound of her apuse even more striking in the silence as it reverberated around the pce, ¡°General Meng is truly a rare genius, the princess is even more so a rare genius!¡± Everyone lowered their eyes, staring desperately at the banquet in front of them¡ªheaven knew when those two people bore this grudge. Meng Fuyao actually dared to humiliate Princess Lotus in front of everyone during such a setting, was she not afraid of the Xuanji nation seeking revenge? They watched Princess Lotus¡¯ back, unable to see her expression. How would the princess, famed for her magnanimity and kindness throughout the seven nations, react to this sudden bout of humiliation? Chapter 171 - Untitled Chapter 171: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Only Meng Fuyao was able to see her expression. Princess Lotus was actuallyughing. Herugh was calm and pure, and using a voice only the two of them could hear, she said quietly, ¡°Meng Fuyao, I came to offer you a toast, not for you to shame me.¡± ¡°You came here to harm me.¡± Meng Fuyao tooughed as she replied lowly, ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t be so stupid as to add poison to the wine, but, you prepared something over at your ignorant brother¡¯s side¡­¡± Herughter turned hostile as she said, ¡°How courteous of you, how persuasive of you, and with so many people supporting you, I would have to drink if I didn¡¯t want to lose face. But no matter how much I think,pared with your pride, my life is worth ten thousand times more, so I¡¯ll have to disappoint you.¡± Meng Fuyao stepped backward and raised the wine cup, her volume rising as she said, ¡°With the virtuous Princess Lotus whose honorable deed of exorcizing the enemy corpse standing before me, I dare not overstep my boundaries. The only thing I can do is to use this cup of wine and offer it to the guards who died protecting the princess.¡± Solemnly, she emptied the contents of the cup on the ground. The clear liquid of the wine fell noiselessly onto the golden tiles as everyone silently turned to look at Princess Lotus¡¯s skirt. She was still standing straight, as though paralyzed and unable to move away. Fourth Prince Feng red hatefully at Meng Fuyao, then at Princess Lotus, reaching out to pull her as he said, ¡°Little sister, let us return to our seats.¡± However, Princess Lotus suddenly startedughing as she flicked her sleeves and pushed away her elder brother¡¯s hand. With her chin slightly tilted upwards and one hand behind her back, she returned to her seat, her back as straight and elegant as ever. As she walked, she said, ¡°Ipletely don¡¯t understand what General Meng is saying, I am but a weakdy who does not know any martial arts, when faced with the enemy, apart from being scared lifeless and praying for Buddha¡¯s protection, what else can I do? Those guards fought to the death protecting me, and I wished nothing more than to take their ce, but under that kind of circumstances, I rushed up to ask them to protect me and increase their burden, and as for that arm¡­¡± Her eyelid twitched as she turned calmly and red at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Does General Meng honestly think that a woman with no background in martial arts can distinguish, between friend or foe, a severed flying arm?¡± She began tough lightly and magnanimously. ¡°But, no matter what, it is rare that General Meng would sympathize with the soldiers who died, I thank you on behalf of them.¡± Meng Fuyao began tough coldly and had not yet opened her mouth to reply when Princess Lotus continued, ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is, where does General Meng¡¯s anger stem from? Speaking of which, myself and General Meng can be considered to be master and servant from the same pce in the future, why do you have to be so merciless and force people, could it be that the rumors are true and that General Meng is doing this because of¡­ jealousy?¡± Meng Fuyao was drinking water and spat it out when she heard her. She raised her head incredulously and stared at her. ¡®Seriously? Master and servant in the same pce? Does she mean that she will be empress of Wuji and as a general of Wuji I will be her servant? And that line about jealousy, what did it mean exactly? Has she already seen through my true identity, or is she hinting at the rumor of ¡°General Meng and Crown Prince Wuji having an illicit homosexual affair¡±? Regardless, for her to mention this here, in front of distinguished guests from the seven nations, has she gone mad?¡¯ At this point, everyone expressed yet again exmations of surprise, not just at the suddenness of Princess Lotus¡¯ words but even more so at thest sentence. Of course, they would never think to question Meng Fuyao¡¯s gender, but only that¡ªthe fianc¨¦e of Crown Prince Wuji would actually reveal the secret of the prince¡¯s homosexuality in public? Was the reason why Crown Prince Wuji had not married after so many years really because he preferred men? Meng Fuyao stood there speechless with anger, ring at the shameless woman who was outrightly spouting lies. Suddenly understanding what Zhangsun Wuji meant when he said ¡°angry but unable to retaliate¡±, he had already predicted that after he left, Princess Lotus would not give up and probably try to create chances to discuss it. Now that she mentioned their engagement in front of the seven nations, despite knowing that she was lying, given Meng Fuyao¡¯s status and position, how could she reveal her lies? Meng Fuyao reached slowly into her robes and felt the outline of the object and immediately broke into a smile as she asked Princess Lotus, ¡°Princess, did you just say, master and servant of the same pce?¡± Princess Lotusughed daintily. ¡°Everyone under the heavens knows about this, so I don¡¯t need to treat it like it¡¯s taboo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve actually forgotten.¡± Meng Fuyao gestured. ¡°May I know when Her Highness the crown princess will assume her position?¡± ¡°General Meng seems to be getting ahead of himself.¡± Princess Lotus lowered her eyes as though in humiliation or delight. ¡°The crown prince has already set things for me, just that, in what way does General Meng seem to believe that he is qualified to ask such a question?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Up until now I am still considered a servant of Wuji, so naturally I don¡¯t have the right to ask the crown prince about the wedding date, just that¡­¡± Stopping mid-sentence, she began tough. Princess Lotus watched her quietly; she actually refused to ask. Meng Fuyao was about to burst. ¡®What will make this woman stop pretending?¡¯ Fortunately, there was still Ya Lanzhu. The adorable, little Ya Lanzhu fluttered her eyshes as she asked, ¡°Just that what?¡± Meeting her cue, Meng Fuyao gleefully replied, ¡°Just that why did I hear that the engagement between Crown Prince Wuji and Princess Lotus had already been annulled 10 years ago?¡± ¡°Is that true!¡± On behalf of the crowd, Ya Lanzhu eximed in shock, ¡°Why haven¡¯t we heard about it?¡± The eyes of everyone in the pce had turned to look at Meng Fuyao in shock, and even Zhan Nancheng, who had been watching everything casually stopped moving. Zhangsun Wuji and Feng Jingfan had already broken off their engagement? This piece of news was too shocking to be true, and everyone refused to believe it. Firstly, it was something that they had not heard even a rumor of, and secondly, it was because of Princess Lotus¡¯ behavior. If the engagement was really annulled, how could Princess Lotus bring it up again in front of the distinguished guests of the seven nations? Did she honestly not care about her status and pride anymore? It was most likely some nonsensical lie fabricated by this General Meng when he was stumped by Princess Lotus. Everyone¡¯s eyes were glinting, and Fourth Phoenix Prince couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Suddenly standing up, with his pale face swollen and red, he shouted, ¡°How dare you! This is too impudent! Your Majesty, first this Meng Fuyao nders my nation¡¯s princess, and now he¡¯sing up with nonsensical and grant lies, please teach this mad and disrespectful dog a lesson and throw him out of this ce of royalty and nobility!¡± Zhan Nancheng scrounged his eyebrows and looked at Meng Fuyao. He did feel that Meng Fuyao had gone overboard. Even if he had a personal grudge against Princess Lotus, he shouldn¡¯t publicly attack her in such a scene. However, he had gotten along very well with Meng Fuyao earlier, and knowing that Meng Fuyao was actually not Wuji¡¯s man, he had gotten rid of a huge burden and wanted to control him. Hesitantly, he said, ¡°General Meng, you¡¯ve probably had too much to drink, you should return to your lodging earlier.¡± ¡°Is Your Majesty just going to let him off so lightly?¡± Meng Fuyao had yet to reply when Princess Lotus spoke first, her posture straight, as usual, a peaceful smile ying on her lips. However, her smile carried a clear hostility as she said softly, ¡°Princess Lotus is half a monk, I am not sure how I managed to offend General Meng. It¡¯s fine to just receive his humiliation, but today, in front of all the guests of the seven nations, he hinted at me being a shameless liar¡ªthis, I cannot ept. Even the Buddha has moments of anger, Princess Lotus may be amicable usually but the matter today concerns my reputation and the integrity of the Xuanji nation, I cannot help but demand an exnation! General Meng, you said that the two nations had broken off the engagement, so where¡¯s the evidence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, where¡¯s the evidence?¡± Fourth Prince Feng repeated loudly, rage evident in his expression. ¡°If you can¡¯t provide evidence, then for humiliating my princess, for humiliating Xuanji, the entire nation will not forgive you for this!¡± ¡°Aiya, I am but an insignificant individual with the strength of an ant. For you to raise the nation¡¯s war g to subdue me, wouldn¡¯t it be like killing a chicken with a bull¡¯s knife?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m so terrified, Xuanji, a whole nation!¡± ¡°Does General Meng only have this mouth of yours to use someone?¡± Princess Lotus pulled back her sleeve and pulled over the raging Fourth Prince, smiling faintly as she said, ¡°Actually, just answer the original question, where¡¯s the evidence? Show us if you have any.¡± ¡°The princess is indeed the shrewd one, never steering from the topic, not letting anger get the better of your mind.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled back, spreading her hands in front of her, under the fixed stares of everyone as she said nonchntly, ¡°There¡¯s no evidence.¡± ¡°What? No evidence?¡± ¡°Is this something you can grantly spin lies about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really looking for death! How dare you publicly humiliate Princess Lotus in front of the distinguished guests of the seven nations!¡± ¡°The princess¡¯s reputation is known by everyone and today, it¡¯s been tarnished by your evil scheming and pettiness!¡± Suddenly, terrible insults began to thunder throughout the hall and smothered Meng Fuyao. Princess Lotus¡¯ reputation in the seven nations was much better than the newly-known Meng Fuyao. She had often engaged in charitable acts, often roamed the world on pilgrimage and visited various nations¡¯ temples. Today, she received such humiliation and even when she was wronged she maintained her exemry behavior. Upon seeing such a scene, even the disinterested or uninvolved felt bad for her and increased their respect for her, standing against Meng Fuyao, a newly-known general ofmoner descent, the object of the crown prince¡¯s homosexual rumor, who without good reason began making things difficult for their beloved princess. For him to continue his ceaseless verbal attack and even attempting to nder the princess and put her in a disreputable situation, he was going way too far! ¡°You humiliated my princess¡¯ good name without reason, Xuanji will not let you off!¡± Fourth Prince Feng pped his armrest, the veins jumping on his neck. Even Zhan Nancheng frowned at Meng Fuyao, wondering if he should first send this tyrant out; this rascal really knew how to create a scene. Everyone was in disarray, yet the two who were involved in this remained extremely calm, with Meng Fuyao leaning against a table picking her teeth and Princess Lotus sitting upright, tugging lightly at her older brother¡¯s sleeve as she giggled. ¡°Big Brother, there¡¯s no need to get angry, justice is known in everyone¡¯s hearts. Today, the leaders of the seven nations and the great martial artists from the five regions are present, with so many pairs of eyes watching how some petty individual deliberately ndered others, they will remember this in their hearts and seek justice for their nephews and nieces, so why are you in a hurry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, why are you in a hurry.¡± Meng Fuyao pped loudly. ¡°Look at how shrewd your little sister is, so daintily wrapping the entire seven nations on her war carriage. In the future, I, Meng Fuyao, would be just like a rat in the streets, who could ept me within the seven nations? You p the table and hit your armrest and kick up a fuss, but all your little sister has to do is move her lips. Fourth Prince Feng, oh Fourth Prince Feng, no wonder you can¡¯t be the crown prince, in terms of emotional maniption, you still have much to learn from your little sister!¡± Chapter 172 - Untitled Chapter 172: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°There is no need for General Meng to sow discard with your nonsense.¡± Princess Lotus took a nce at Fourth Prince Feng that was red with anger. Coldly, she said, ¡°Even more so, you should not measure others¡¯ corn by your bushel. I do not understand what goes on in your head, nor do I wish to. All I know is that your words should be just and backed by evidence. Without evidence, no matter how honey-tongued you are, it would be useless.¡± ¡°Please. I am certainly not honey-tongued, unlike your ¡®nectar¡¯ tongue.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Not only has the princess a ¡®nectar¡¯ tongue, but you are also a lotus dripping with nectar from top to bottom. Pretty sure you even wish to soak every single strand of hair in lotus water so people can smell the extremely holy lotus odor you exude and remember that you are a gift from God. This phrase was made for you. Do not involve me in this.¡± ¡°When ites to speaking nonsense, there is no one better than General Meng.¡± Princess Lotus calmly ced her long slender fingers on the table and gently said, ¡°I only have that sentence for you, without evidence, you are Xuanji¡¯s eternal enemy, merely a lowly person despised by everyone here. Till now, there is only one sentence that you said it right ¡ª that from now onwards, there will be no ce for you in the seven nations.¡± Meng Fuyao stopped smiling. She leaned back, stared at Lotus and coldly asked, ¡°I do not have evidence, do you? If we all do not have evidence, why are you the one feeling wronged here?¡± ¡°How do you know that I do not have evidence?¡± Princess Lotus looked up and sent her a hostile gaze. ¡°You do?¡± Meng Fuyao was taken aback. Again, she asked, ¡°You do?¡± ¡°So what if I do? So what if I don¡¯t?¡± Princess Lotus avoided the answer and quietly looked at Meng Fuyao. ¡°General Meng, do you not think that you should give me an exnation for your words?¡± ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll leave my punishment up to you,¡± replied Meng Fuyao without a care, casually waving her hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­ I believe that you do not need me to punish you. You can deal with it.¡± Princess Lotus seemed to have been waiting for that statement as her eyes red with hostility once more. A smile immediately appeared on her face as she announced with pride, ¡°Unfortunately for you, I do.¡± ¡°You do??¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Her eyshes fluttered down, revealing a modest amount of coyness as she demurely told everyone. ¡°I was too shy to bring it up, but since matters have escted to this point, I cannot help but admit¡­¡± It was as though it took Princess Lotus all of her courage to look up and around the room. With eyes that spoke of shyness and apprehension, she announced, ¡°I believe everyone here knows of the diagram of the Xuanji Nation that the Crown Prince had personally created is the betrothal gift when we had announced our engagement.¡± Everyone nodded their heads in unison. This was something known amongst all of the Five Region Continent, and till this day, many different nations took pride in their copy of Xuanji diagram. Back then, when the politics had swayed, Qi Xunyi 1 had once used this diagram, consisting of 32 different military strategies to draw the attention of Crown Prince Qi. ¡°Lotus is foolish and greatly admires the talent of the Crown Prince.¡± Princess Lotus¡¯ voice got softer and softer as she spoke, embarrassment flushing through her skin. ¡°Yes, ever since I received the diagram of the Xuanji Nation, I have kept it my side¡­ every day¡­¡± With her announcement, the crowd came to a realization ¡ª Princess Lotus loved the Crown Prince. In all honesty, there had been rumors about that, which was but an open secret. Furthermore, the two had been engaged since young, and her having feelings for him were no fault of hers. The thought of her publicly admitting his love for her pained the hearts of many. This was a matter close to a youngdy¡¯s heart, yet, she was forced to disclose this in front of everyone by this wicked rascal. As a princess of a nation, how ufortable must it have been for her? They could not help but think of Zhangsun Wuji ¡ª he had dragged on the wedding ceremony for such as long time as the close to twenty princess waited agonizingly. She even had to be humiliated by this toy boy that had seduced the Crown Prince. Having to go through such a miserable encounter, how could any fragile, well-protected royal endure it? They watched as Princess Lotus brought out a yellow embroidery with charcoal ck, peacock blue, crimson red words on it ¡ª words that seemed to have an air of grace to it. Someone in the crowd vaguely remembered that when the Crown Prince of Wuji had made the diagram of Xuanji Nation, it was hand-sewn by the number one master of embroidery, Lady Yun. Lady Yun was an expert at sewing words and could often bring out the spirit of the original writer. With some of them having the replica of this diagram, while it was not exactly the same, the simrity was enough to allow them to determine the authenticity of this diagram. More importantly, Lady Yun had died early. All her works were now unrivaled and could not be replicated. Princess Lotus gently touched the Xuanji diagram as she shed tears. Silently, she held the diagram in both her hands and lifted it up, disying it for everyone. The diagram had already been dyed in her tears, expressing all that she felt. Really, sometimes silence was better than words. With the exception of the coldlyughing Ya Lanzhu and the scowling Zhan Nancheng, the rest of the people in the pce hall sent their hostile res over. Anger, unfairness, mockery, despise, disgust¡­ numerous unfriendly nces came Meng Fuyao¡¯s way. A vulnerable beauty being humiliated had always been something that could stimte the grievances and protective desire of a man. A well-dressed youth stood up and yelled, ¡°Meng Fuyao, you have gone too far today! Seeing that the princess is helpless against you, you have taken your willful acts overboard. Do you not think anything of the distinguished guests and heroes sitting here today? Today, I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of the princess!¡± Meng Fuyao took a nce at him without a word ¡ª he seemed to be a distant rtive of the Tiansha royals, an insignificant duke or so it seemed. Crossing her legs, Meng Fuyao calmly watched as the young man rushed forward with nothing but his fists; after all, one could not be armed in the pce hall. ¡°Very well. Courageous!¡± Meng Fuyao sat there, unperturbed. With a face full of smiles, she stretched out both her arms as though she was about to receive a hug, when in fact, she was just waiting for him to bring disaster upon himself. It was such a pity when the young man was stopped in time by a middle-aged man that shouted,¡± Hongzhi! You are in front of his majesty. Stop your impudent behavior at once!¡± This middle-aged man was most likely his father as he dragged the young man back, nagging, ¡°Some people are just in arrogant and ignorant. When the timees, someone will teach them a lesson. You do not have to stick your nose in this!¡± He hauled the young man back. What a joke. No matter how presumptuous Meng Fuyao was, she was still the champion of the True Martial Arts Meet. She had won with her real skills and to go against her was just looking for death. Meng Fuyao sighed in dissatisfaction. What a pity, she could not stir up more trouble than this. At this point in time, the diagram of the Xuanji nation had already been passed around. Such a profound and esoteric masterpiece. If it was not the legendary betrothal gift then what could it possibly be? Holding the diagram of the Xuanji nation, Princess Lotus turned around to disy her piece. With an elegant smile, she asked, ¡°General Meng, how should I punish you?¡± ¡°Princess, there is no need for you to. Thisd should take his own life out of shame!¡± ¡°Meng Fuyao, is there a need for Tiansha to lend you a sword?¡± ¡°Even if he were to be shameless continue his life, he would be nothing but the walking dead for he can no longer face everyone!¡± ¡°Ptui!¡± ¡°Zhu Zhu¡­¡± Meng Fuyao fiddled with Ya Lanzhu¡¯s sleeve as though she did not hear a thing. ¡°Really, an ignoble person is certainty invincible¡­¡± Ya Lanzhu stared at the diagram of Xuanji Nation with a frown, feeling unsettled. She tugged Meng Fuyao and quietly asked,¡± Hey, that looks real. Do you have any evidence? With themotion, you caused today this damn woman will never let you off.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed heartily. ¡°Zhu Zhu, I suddenly feel that people can really differ so much.¡± She looked at Ya Lanzhu and was reminded of the fact that this girl here could be counted as her ¡®love rival¡¯, right? Why was there such a difference in their attitude? At this juncture, some people had been growing impatient. The insignificant duke that had previously rushed out had once again, jumped the gun. He grabbed a sword from a Tiansha guard and threw it in front of her face all whileughing coldly. The sword, together with its scabbard glided over the floor as if it was gliding over ice. With ease, Meng Fuyao stopped the sword with her foot and kicked it into her hands. She flicked the sword, and with a clear and bright voice, sheughed. ¡°Leave it for yourself, you¡¯ll need it.¡± Meng Fuyao did not specify who the ¡®you¡¯ referred to but only looked askance at the smiling Lotus waiting for her reply. To which, she said, ¡°Princess, you said that yours is the diagram of the Xuanji Nation. But who here, can prove that it is?¡± This statement caught everyone by surprise. Indeed, no one had ever seen the real diagram of Xuanji Nation. Who could determine with 100 percent certainty that this was the real deal? ¡°You are obfuscating the people with your nonsense again!¡± This time, a man from Xuanyuan rebutted. Looking at his attire, he seemed to be the sect leader of the Xuanyuan Longevity Sword Sect. With a face filled with fury, he howled, ¡°I have seen the exact replica of this thing in my country. Are you implying that the replicas are in the hands of every country are all fakes?¡± ¡°Finally the truth!¡± Meng Fuyao sat cross-legged as she pped in with all her might. ¡°They are all fakes! The replicas in your hands came from this copy that this future Wuij Crown Princess had created. She is the manufacturer of the pirated copies, and you are all the ignorant buyers.¡± ¡°General Meng, the diagram of the Xuanji diagram has 441 words, 21 words for every vertical and horizon line. It can be read vertically, horizontally, diagonally, alternately, normally, backward or through removing or adding a word. In the sentence, the words vary from 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 words and can be categorized into four types ¡ª strategic positions,manders, usage of soldiers and plots. I believe that, in this world, other than me, there is no one more familiar with the diagram. However, just as you mentioned, my diagram might not be the real one. But your words cannot actually prove that my diagram is fake. I still go back to the same sentence ¡ª where is the evidence?¡± Princess Lotus ignored Meng Fuyao¡¯s strange words andughed lightly. ¡°Merely a desperate struggle of someone on their deathbed and the truth will still be revealed. Isn¡¯t that the perfect sentence to describe General Meng¡¯s current actions?¡± ¡°Right back at you,¡± replied Meng Fuyao coldly. She slowly took out something and threw it on the table. ¡°This is my evidence!¡± It was a roll of dirty-looking cloth in a light purple. The seams were not even, and they even had a ruffled edged. Dirty and crumpled, there were a few hastily scribbled words on the cloth. While it was the content of the Xuanji diagram, it was not color divided nor did it have the exquisite sewing skills that one would have expected. Forget about the world-renowned Xuanji diagram, this resembled more of a torn piece of cloth that the content of the Xuanji diagram was copied onto. Chapter 173 - Untitled Chapter 173: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios To say that thing was the diagram of Xuanji Nation was certainlycking any persuasiveness. The crowd quietened down before bursting intoughter. Some spilled their sidesughing, some were tearing up while others were mming the table inughter. ¡°Goodness¡­ you actually dare to say that this is the Xuanji diagram. Are you treating us like blind people?¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll tear off my sleeves for you to copy down the Xuanji diagram and you can go around telling people that ¡®this is the diagram of the Xuanji Nation¡¯!¡± ¡°If that is the Xuanji diagram, the bedsheets that my month-old daughter peed on can be the ¡®Cleaving Nine Heavens¡¯ diagram! Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Lad, man up. Stop humiliating yourself in front of everyone! If you were tomit suicide here and now, we might not look down upon you so much.¡± This matter was certainly a headache for Meng Fuyao as she stared at that rag with a ck face. ¡®F*ck,¡¯ she thought that this was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s Xuanji diagram and tossed it out with much swagger. ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, you bastard! How can you make this kind of joke!¡¯ Meng Fuyao tightly clutched the bag that the ¡®rag¡¯ came with much hatred and crumbled it up as though it was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s brain. Suddenly, she felt that there was still something in the bag and peered into it. It turned out that there was a note slipped inside. She took out the paper and read it,ughing immediately. The people around her couldn¡¯t make sense of her sudden outburst ofughter and stared at her. Princess Lotus, who was watching the crowd mock Meng Fuyao, was the first to turn her gaze to Meng Fuyao,menting, ¡°General Meng, are you prepared to write yourst words right now? Would you like me to give you an elegy [1. In English literature, an elegy is a poem of serious reflection, usually ament for the dead.]?¡± ¡°Elegy?¡± Meng Fuyao grabbed the Xuanji diagram and stood up, slowly making her way towards Princess Lotus. ¡°Keep it for yourself!¡± She inched closer to Princess Lotus, and the vignt Lotus immediately took a step back. The rest of the crowd immediately jumped up and bellowed, ¡°What are you doing? Get away from the Princess!¡± Meng Fuyao stopped three steps away from Princess Lotus, casually waving her hand, and she said, ¡°What can I do? Surrounded by enemies, it would be dumb of me to go against the majority alone. All I wanted to do before I say goodbye to this beautiful world, is to understand all of the beauty around me. For instance¡­ the material of this piece of clothing on the Princess is absolutely unique, and I would love to know what it is made of. Perhaps I could buy it for myself and dress myself in it during my funeral. Would Princess be willing to satisfy thest wish of this dying person?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s gleaming eyes were fixated on the luminous white with a sheen of blue. She seemed to really like this glorious and luxurious dress. Princess Lotus frowned. She would never believe that Meng Fuyao, this little gangster, would be interested in her clothes, yet she could not understand Meng Fuyao¡¯s intentions behind this. Before Princess Lotus could think of a reply, Fourth Prince Feng rushed to answer, ¡°You shameless brat, trying to suck up to us right now. But very well, people from the Xuanji Nation have always been very forgiving. Therefore, I shall let you die knowing! This is the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery, our nation¡¯s specialty. The namees from its beautiful sheen just like the brilliance of the moonlight. So what if you know? It is a top grade brocade, and even if you want to put your corpse in this, there is no way you can get it!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao nodded, as though she did not understand the spitefulness in those words. Curious, she asked again, ¡°This brocade is very unique and has a sheen of blue under different light angles. It seems to even have a pattern, though it is unclear.¡± Fourth Prince Feng wanted to reply but was stopped by Princess Lotus. This time, the sect leader of the Chang Kong Sect, a sect from Xuanji, stepped up and said, ¡°Naturally, the full moon diagram. Otherwise, why would it be named Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery?¡± He probably could not take the insults towards the Princess lying down and had to speak up. ¡°Our Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery, like the other renowned brocades, have very limited production and would never be sold to other nations. Even within the nation, his majesty would only bestow it to the royalties asionally. Only the Princess is suited to wear clothes made from these materials. What are you to wear? Or even ask about it?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Meng Fuyao dragged out the sound and asked once more, ¡°Are you certain that other than the royals from Xuanji, no one else has seen it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± replied the sect leader decisively. Princess Lotus smiled. ¡°General Meng, you finally understand that there is no hope of you wearing this. Let¡¯s forget about the matters of today; I will not punish you for your crimes. I hope that you can stay strong and continue to live your life.¡± In the sea ofpliments, Princess Lotus maintained her picture-perfect smile as she prepared to keep the Xuanji diagram. Meng Fuyao snorted suddenly. Her snort came from the bottom of her abdomen, low and powerful. While to others, it might not seem much, this abrupt snort had sounded ferocious in the ears of Princess Lotus. The shock caused Princess Lotus to drop her Xuanji diagram as her hands trembled. The diagramnded on the floor as Princess Lotus stretched her hand to pick it up. Unfortunately for her, Meng Fuyao was faster, grabbing away the Xuanji diagram in front of her eyes. Princess Lotus lifted up her head and made eye contact with Meng Fuyao¡¯s murderous gaze. With the Xuanji diagram between her fingertips, Meng Fuyao lightly tossed it towards Princess Lotus, as though she was going to return it to her. Princess Lotus unconsciously reached for it, but that brocade swiftly slipped past her face and her hands. It was as though Princess Lotus could feel the cold draught of the full moon seeping into her heart. She grasped the air tightly, like someone with a cramp. Suddenly, she remembered something and started to shriek. ¡°She is going to destroy the diagram! She is going to destroy the diagram!¡± Chaos ensued as people rushed up aggrieved. Some, due to the rush, tripped over the table, spilling food everywhere. But blinded by anger, they forgot to ask for forgiveness and headed straight for Meng Fuyao. ¡°This bastard is too much. Tear him apart!¡± Meng Fuyao retreated a step back, holding the Xuanji diagram above her head with both hands and yelled, ¡°All of you f*ckers stay there! I will really tear this apart if any of youe closer!¡± Shocked, the crowd stopped hesitantly and looked at one another with uncertainty. The shrieks from Princess Lotus resounded throughout the room. Everyone could tell how precious this Xuanji diagram was to her, and if they really caused the diagram to be torn apart, it would be akin to taking Princess Lotus¡¯ life! ¡°Meng Fuyao, don¡¯t go too far!¡¯ yelled a three-grade Tiansha official angrily. ¡°Swindling away the diagram, attempting to tear the evidence apart. How dare you!¡± ¡°For what would I tear the diagram apart? A masterpiece from Lady Yun! To tear one would be to lose one piece. Even if you guys do not find it a pity, I find it a pity.¡± Meng Fuyao held the diagram high up andughed. ¡°My little kids, do not be impulsive. I have taken the diagram, and want you guys to open your eyes, to show you all clearly what this diagram is made of!¡± The crowd paused and subconsciously took a closer look at the diagram. With the diagram in the air, under the lights of the pce, one could see patterns of the full moon glistening, barely visible. Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery! Princess Lotus¡¯ knees buckled a little as she held on to a pir for support. Some of the smarter ones in the crowd frowned and contemted while others, who had no inkling of what Meng Fuyao meant continued to shout, ¡°So what?¡± ¡°What is there to look at? Haven¡¯t we seen enough just now!¡± ¡°You manservant, stop trying to waste our time and die!¡± ¡°You all manservants¡­ what idiots¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°What did I ask just now? What is the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery? It is the specialty of Xuanji which is only exclusive to their own royals. Then, how would the crown prince of Wuji be able to use to Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery for the betrothal gift? He, the Crown Prince of Wuji, would not use his nation¡¯s own specialty and instead use the ¡®exclusive Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery¡¯? Smiling, she asked, ¡°Many of you have wives. Those who don¡¯t will eventually have. If I may just boldly ask, if you were in Tiansha and wanted to marry ady from Taiyuan with a good sword as a betrothal gift, would you use the Crow steel of Tiansha to forge the sword? Or would you go all the way to Taiyuan, look for Tianyuan Ming Steel, bring it back to Tiansha, find someone to forge the sword and send it back to Taiyuan?¡± The crowd quietened down. Still, there was a group of people that argued, ¡°It could be that Xuanji¡¯s emperor bestowed it to the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince used it for the Xuanji diagram to show his love and respect for her.¡± ¡°Wow, you certainly are meticulous. You must be an expert at picking up girls.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°I know, I know. You are definitely the idiot that will run to Taiyuan for the Ming Steel, go back to Taiyuan to forge the sword and then send it back to Taiyuan for your Taiyuan wife. But unlike you, the Crown Prince is a normal human being. He doesn¡¯t have the strong logic and valiant mindset like you do.¡± She kept the Xuanji diagram and opened up the ¡®rag¡¯. Simrly, she ced it under the rag and yelled, ¡°Let me show you the choice of the normal person! As everyone knows, Xuanji¡¯s Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery, Xuanyuan¡¯s Misty Embroidery, and Wuji¡¯s Silver Embroidery are the renowned big three brocades in the Five Continents. They are also known as the ¡®royal brocades¡¯ where only the royals can use them. With Crown Prince Wuji¡¯s identity, the brocade he would use would naturally be from a representative of his nation. And this is what you are seeing, this piece of ¡®rag¡¯ that resembles the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery only in its form!¡± This obsolete rag was unfolded. Under the candlelight, a sheen of silver reflected off every strand, as though as someone had sprinkled moondust on the cloth. The ¡®rag¡¯ mirrored the starry night of Qiongcang where the stars would twinkle and illuminate the dark night. Immediately, the dull piece of rag exuded its splendor, elegance, and charm. Wuji, Silver Embroidery! This had reminded the crowd of the clothes Zhangsun Wuji had donned on as the judge of the True Martial Arts Meet. It was exactly like this rag where the silver sheen could only be seen in certain angles, subtle yet elegant. It was theplete opposite of Xuanji¡¯s Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery which wasvish. Amidst the silence, some people turned back to look at Lotus and hear from her. Despite her pale as snow face, she held her head up high and stood straight. Coldly, sheughed. ¡°Even if the rag is Silver Embroidery, what can it prove? Who can prove that the Xuanji diagram was made of Silver Embroidery and not the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery? The Crown Prince is unconventional in his ways, so who can be sure that he would not choose the brocade of another country?¡± Chapter 174 - Untitled Chapter 174: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I think you¡¯re the stubborn one.¡± Meng Fuyao smirked as she shook her head. ¡°Okay, even if the Crown Prince used the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery that your father gifted, the Ministry of Rites and the Royal Historical Records will have detailed ounts of the gifts exchanged between nations. Shall we go and check? If Xuanji is not willing to provide those ounts, we are more than happy to do so.¡± Without waiting for Princess Lotus to answer, she said, ¡°Transporting the records back and forth can be pretty troublesome, let¡¯s not waste so many resources and settle this right away. Princess Lotus, ording to you, you are the most well-versed with the map. So let me ask you, how many ways can you interpret it?¡± Princess Lotus immediately answered, ¡°Four sections and 115 sentences.¡± Smirking, she added, ¡°If you can interpret it in one more way, I¡¯ll admit my defeat to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to, but it seems like you must.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled as she flicked the map in her palm. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s 116 sentences.¡± ¡°Not possible! I¡¯ve spent a decade investigating it, and there is no other way. You¡¯re lying again, do you really not respect all the knowledgeable schrs¡­¡± ¡°There you go again,¡± interrupted Meng Fuyao, feeling the formation of a headache. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to turn all the schrs into my enemy this time round, aren¡¯t you tired of doing so? Anyway, that was not said by me.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± the tone of her voice changed. ¡°Who do you think?¡± Meng Fuyao drawled as she nced at Princess Lotus from the corner of her eye. Instantly, Princess Lotus¡¯ paleplexion turned as red as blood, and the flush even traveled to the bottom of her eyes. With those bloodshot eyes, she shot icy and venomous stares at Meng Fuyao. Oblivious to her expression, Meng Fuyao showed the picture towards the audience and said, ¡°The 116th sentence ¨C reading diagonally from the first word of the first sentence to the eighth word of the eighth sentence, this line has eight words which do not form a military strategy but the timing of someone¡¯s birth!¡± Beaming, she asked, ¡°May I dare to ask, Princess Lotus, what¡¯s the timing of your birth? ¡°ording to your age, it seems like you do not fit what¡¯s stated on the picture? ¡°You have been scrutinizing this for a decade. What a pity, why did you not spot the most important sentence?¡± An awkward silence fell upon the room, and one could even hear the sound of wax slowly dripping down a candle. The front of the mob released their clenched fists, while some gradually stepped back. There was also a portion of them who looked at Meng Fuyao in fear, and then at Princess Lotus. From the moment that Meng Fuyao announced the birth details, this Princess suddenly lost all her calmness,posure, gentleness, and pure demeanor as though they were being swept away by a tornado. So did her facial expression and energy, as she stood rooted to the ground and color drained from her face. She was still that Princess Lotus, but she resembled a dead, stiff, frozen, emotionless, and zombie-like one. If she was still that beautiful, graceful, and wless princess minutes ago, she was now just a lowly being who wore a royal crown. Then, she suddenly copsed. Meng Fuyao immediately barked, ¡°Faint for what!¡± The ¡°what¡± word was so shrilling, resembling the sound of a bomb ringing in everyone¡¯s ears. Wind swept past the room, causing thenterns to all fall, and the flickering candle lights to extinguish. There was hence a moment of darkness before the hidden curtains started to flutter gently in the wind, as though there were countless shadows of ghosts squirming in the room. Such a thundering voice caused everyone to cover their ears instinctively, and Princess Lotus was no exception ¨C she could no longer faint. She had yet to do so when a person, who suddenly appeared by her side, smiled innocently and said, ¡°Lotus, I was cornered by you for such a long period of time, and I did not even faint. Why are you in such a hurry to pass out? You¡¯ve got to at least wait until the matter is settled. A human must be considerate, and you have lived up to your fans¡¯ expectations. Look, if you faint just like that, how awkward will that be for your supporters?¡± Princess Lotus put down her hands at an extremely slow speed, and she stared deadly at Meng Fuyao as though venomous snakes were popping out of the eyes to strangle her. After looking at her from head to toe with that toxic expression, Princess Lotus suddenly let out a miserableugh. ¡°It¡¯s just this way. Whoever loves, loses.¡± A few momentster, Meng Fuyao spoke. ¡°Do you still think that what you¡¯re doing is considered love? You¡¯re just being obsessed. Honestly, Princess Lotus, if you were a bit more normal, who would have the energy to be hostile towards you? We¡¯d rather destroy 10 temples than break apart a couple, and let the Crown Prince have a good wife. Unfortunately, you¡¯re simply unbearable.¡± With a swing of her sleeves, she resolutely walked away from Princess Lotus. It was at that moment when Zhan Nancheng finally asked, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask, how did General Meng have the original copy of the map of Xuanji?¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Meng Fuyao bowed and responded. ¡°All the officials of the Wuji court knew that the Crown Prince of our nation had canceled his marriage with Princess Lotus and had taken back the map of Xuanji, and despite the fact that a certain Princess chose to conceal this fact. The day before the Crown Prince left Heaven Demon, he once told me that back when the marriage was canceled, he had eded to Xuanji¡¯s request to announce the news only after the princess was of age. However, we did not expect that the Princess would still position herself as the fianc¨¦e. This not only put our Crown Prince in a tough spot, but it also harms her reputation. That day, I had already volunteered to persuade the Princess, but I held back because my status was not high enough to convince everyone. Hence, the Crown Prince gave me this map and instructed me to never show it unless the Princess brings the matter up in front of the royal family¡­ Your Majesty, I lost my temper only because I was angered that she said ¡®master and servant in the same pce¡¯. I ask for your forgiveness.¡± Zhan Nancheng sighed and contemted for a moment. ¡°It is because of her deep love that the Princess is as such¡­ attendants, send the Princess back to-¡± Suddenly, he was interrupted by a loud shrill. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you¡¯re so cruel! I will never ever forgive you, even after my death!¡± Princess Lotus had yet toplete her sentence, and there was already a gleam of a sword that brightened the pce like a rainbow. Exmations of shock rang through the bystanders and her brother immediately shouted ¡°sister!¡± while others cried ¡°Princess you must not kill yourself!¡±. Someone glided forward and snatched away the sword. In the midst of the chaotic shouts and cries, the sword fell onto the ground. The tter made when the steel sword hit the golden-tiled floor was loud and clear and made everyone shiver. With her back facing Princess Lotus, Meng Fuyao did not even bother to look back, and a smirk formed on her lips. If someone really wanted to die, would they try tomit suicide in a crowd? The royal Princess, indeed, never forgot to put up a pretense. Princess Lotus fell into her brother¡¯s arms and sobbed miserably. ¡°Why did you not tell me? Why did you not tell me!¡± Hugging her, the prince was also full of tears. He said, ¡°I also didn¡¯t know, our parents must have been afraid that you wouldn¡¯t be able to ept the news, and wanted to wait until you recovered¡­ Who knew that this would happen¡­¡± Suddenly snapping his head backward, he stared angrily at Meng Fuyao and demanded an exnation. ¡°General Meng, are you satisfied now? Are you happy to make Lotus so depressed that she could only seek for death?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be happy or unhappy about?¡± Meng Fuyao folded her arms and surveyed the empathetic expressions of the people around her. She slowly said, ¡°When I see that all of you are being pitiful of the liar, I feel that life is f*cking unfair. Just now, when I was forced tomit suicide, why did no one pity me? If I really did that and did not take out the map of Xuanji, everyone would probably p and cheer, right? So these are the royals of the seven nations, and this is true justice ¨C the honest ones are universally condemned, while the liars are being cared for?¡± As she swept her gaze past each person, they hung their heads in embarrassment. One of them tried to whisper, ¡°Well, the Princess didn¡¯t know of the truth. Who told the Crown Prince of Wuji to keep this a secret?¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Meng Fuyao boiled with anger. ¡°Is your brain full of cement or pig feces? You dare put the me on the Crown Prince? If it wasn¡¯t because of your country¡¯s ruler who begged the Crown Prince to dy the announcement until after the impossible recovery of Princess Lotus, would he have to keep it a secret? The Crown Prince was indeed wrong, but his only mistake was being too soft-hearted to the hypocritical nation of Xuanji!¡± Meng Fuyao grinned like a Cheshire cat and took big strides forward, causing that person from Xuanji to step back in fear. Ignoring him, Meng Fuyao picked up the same sword that Princess Lotus used, and gently ced it on her throat, pretending to make a swiping motion. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m about to kill myself okay!¡± Immediately, Ya Lanzhu pounced on her and screamed, ¡°General Meng, do not kill yourself!¡±, while snatching away the sword in her hand. Meng Fuyao promptly released her grip and hugged Ya Lanzhu as she pretended to cry. ¡°Why did you not tell me? Why did you not tell me!¡± Caressing her back solemnly, she replied, ¡°If I told you, you would cry to the moon, and vomit blood on the flowers¡­¡± Both of them roared withughter, and Ya Lanzhu staggered towards the wall in fits ofughter as she clutched her stomach. ¡°Oh my god, I can¡¯t anymore¡­¡± Meng Fuyao threw the sword on the ground and crushed it with her feet while speaking in a belittling tone. ¡°See, I also know how to kill myself in a crowd!¡± The crowd of royals stared with their jaws agape, but Meng Fuyao merely bowed towards Zhan Nancheng and grabbed Ya Lanzhu by the arm. The two of them strolled past the high threshold, and their silhouettes eventually faded into the distance. Only the hearty banters could be clearly heard. ¡­ ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, I will never ever forgive you, even after my death-¡± ¡°General Meng, you must not kill yourself!¡± ¡°Aish, why did you snatch my sword. Let me die, let me die-¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who passed it to me?¡± ¡°Please, my appetite is not good, and it just bes worse listening to this over supper,¡± said Zong Yue, and he picked up his bowl of rice and resolutely walked away. Chapter 175 - Untitled Chapter 175: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Princess, you must not-¡± ¡°Pah!¡± With a flick of his w, the guinea pig had thrown a chicken bone into the mouth of the person exaggerating, and the bone locked itself between her upper and lower gum. Annoyed, Meng Fuyao smashed her bowl on the thunder and said, ¡°Not even letting meplete my sentence! How am I supposed to live?¡± Beside her, Yun Hen sighed. ¡°I have already heard that dramatic scene thrice.¡± Meng Fuyao pouted her lips and pushed the bowl. ¡°Not hungry!¡± she shouted, and she left straightaway, refusing to look at anyone. A person quietly ate his wantons in deep thought, and the guinea pig squatted in front of him, showing a sympathetic expression of ¡°master, you¡¯re in trouble¡±. Smiling, Zhangsun Wuji caressed the guinea pig, causing him to dance in joy. As the guinea pig offered his half-eaten nut, his expression had already changed to one of ¡°the trouble lies with Meng Fuyao, master is forever victorious¡±. Zhangsun Wuji stuffed that nut back in the guinea pig¡¯s mouth as a form of affirmation, then grabbed him and headed straight towards a room. Behind them, Yun Hen silently gazed at their figures for a few moments and turned his head away. Out of the blue, Ya Lanzhu asked, ¡°Yun Hen, what¡¯s your feeling?¡± She still had a mouthful of soup, so her question sounded more like a mumble. Yun Hen turned to look at her, and sparks flew by in his clear eyes. Without answering or raging, he pushed aside his chair and walked over to the window, choosing to watch the impending nightfall. His bamboo-like silhouette seemed to be embedded into the dark backdrop, appearing lonely but resiliently bright. But even that firm brightness was inevitably coated with a darker shade, radiating soft glimmers of sadness. Meanwhile, Ya Lanzhu refused to give up and went up to him. Tilting her head, she suddenly said, ¡°Actually, I know how that feels.¡± Yun Hen looked back and was met with her smile. At that moment, she was no longer the radiant, colorful and cheerful girl, but more mellow and depressed. She said, ¡°I like Zhan Beiye, and I have been chasing him for five years.¡± There was so sign of shyness on her face. Openly, she told Yun Hen, ¡°For five years since I was 12 years old, I have chased after him from Fufeng to Heaven Demon, then to Taiyuan, Wuji, and back to Heaven Demon again. In the end, it became a natural habit, and I ended up being the joke of Fufeng. My parents would scold me every time and ground me in the pce, but I would always escape either through climbing past the window, digging a tunnel, faking death, or bribing my attendants. Then, my parents confiscated my allowance so that I would have no money to survive outside, but I sold all my expensive jewelry, and even the gem on the royal seat was not spared. The whole of Fufeng knew that Princess Ya was an obsessive woman, and had lost her mind from chasing after men ¨C the more they disapproved orughed at my actions, the more unwilling I was to give up. What did they know? Did they ever wash the heads of their mothers? Did they ever bleed for their subordinates? Have they ever starved themselves to hunt down their enemies, just to let their nation enjoy peace? These people merely sleep on their beds and kick away the women who wash their heads ¨C they are the universally recognized men, the machos, but not the ones I acknowledge.¡± Stunned, Yun Hen wanted to say something, but in the end, he chose to be silent. Ya Lanzhu¡¯s expression suddenly changed to one of wistfulness. ¡°I chased after him for so long that it became a routine. There were many times when I felt very, very tired, and I terribly missed home, but I would assure myself to hang on for a while more. Zhan Beiye might have been avoiding me, but one day I would be an inseparable part of him, and he would not be able to do live without me. It has been five years, five full years, and Zhan Beiye has already gradually be number towards my chase, sometimes even smiling at how disheveled I look. Hence, I thought that the day was approaching¡­ then, Meng Fuyao appeared and then, it was love at first sight for him.¡± Cocking her head to one side, with her big round eyes glistening under the moonlight, she questioned Yun Hen, ¡°So, what do you think I should feel?¡± Yun Hen froze, and he instantly felt that it was hard for him to talk. A few momentster, he tried to exin, ¡°She didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± ¡°Look at you, look at all of you, the first reaction is always to defend her as if I would eat her up,¡± interrupted Ya Lanzhu. Though she giggled, her smile had a hint of helplessness. ¡°Meng Fuyao has a tough life, but at the same time, she¡¯s very lucky. All the people she met are people who understand, love and protect her. Compared to her, I often feel that I have nothing at all.¡± After she sat down, Ya Lanzhu kept her hands beneath her colorful robes and slightly swayed as she wistfully watched the stars shining brightly in the horizon. ¡°Today, in the pce, when I saw how miserable and ugly Lotus was after she brought demise upon herself, I felt that she did it only because of love. Only because she wanted love, and I am no different from her. But when I saw her state, I suddenly felt shivers all over my body. I don¡¯t want to be like her, that¡¯s too pitiful.¡± ¡°I like Zhan Beiye, and I like how righteous and frank he is. So, I also want to be a frank and righteous person to be able to stand by his side. If not, if I look down upon myself first, how will Zhan Beiye even take a look at me?¡± Ya Lanzhu stood up and leaned against the window, scooping up an ant in her palm. Seeing that it was anxiously darting in all directions, resembling how flustered she was when she chased after Zhan Beiye, she could not help but chuckle. She said, ¡°The first time I met Meng Fuyao, she told me that the revolution is far from sessful, and I have to work harder. Sigh, what an interesting sentence that was. I liked her the moment I heard that line.¡± ¡°At the inn in Huazhou, I was sleeping on her bed, but I somehow ended up on the outer room, and when I woke up, I realized that I was tightly wrapped inside my nket. Usually, my nket would end up on the floor, so I was curious about why that did not happen,¡± she added, and she turned towards Yun Hen. ¡°Come on, make a guess, how did the nket not drop?¡± After thinking for a few moments, Yun Hen asked, ¡°She covered it over you?¡± Scrunching up her face, Ya Lanzhu replied, ¡°Even if I¡¯m covered with the nket I can still kick it away. It was because she used a chair to secure the corner of the nket. At that time, I thought that she was prettyical to care about whether the nket dropped or not because even my mother did not bother about this. Sigh, how troublesome, no wonder I felt so warm.¡± A faint smile appeared in Yun Hen¡¯s expression. ¡°Then, news of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s death came.¡± Ya Lanzhu beamed at the ant and took a sniff of the mud on it. ¡°She was so silent that she scared me. As I squatted in front of her, I thought about what my reaction would be if I heard the news that Zhan Beiye died. I would definitely not be like her, who was obviously smiling but without a soul. I would have gone berserk, used a knife to kill people, and thenmitted suicide in front of Zhan Beiye¡¯s grave. But the way Meng Fuyao acted, was the first time that I felt like crying for someone else.¡± Yun Hen¡¯s body swayed slightly, and he stayed silent as he pressed his hand against the window frame. Giggling, Ya Lanzhu looked at him and asked, ¡°Feels bad right? This is the exact feeling. I¡¯m human, and I will also feel jealous and want to ughter her whenever Zhan Beiye chases after her. However, I know that if I really do that, I will lose Zhan Beiye forever.¡± Slowly drawing a long, vertical line on the window frame with her fingernails, Ya Lanzhu muttered, ¡°Meng Fuyao taught me how to persevere.¡± She sent the ant back on its original path, flicking its antennae to correct its direction. ¡°Sending you home,¡± she said gently. Then, she stood on the window, opened her arms and shouted against the wind, ¡°Persevere!¡± Her petite figure was on high ground, her colorful braids were untangled, and her purple and golden pants were filled with wind; she seemed to be a rainbow-colored mainsail that stood upright against the wind. Taking a step back, Yun Hen took a better look at this child. He had always felt that she was only a child, and didn¡¯t even pay attention to her. Though slightly simr to Meng Fuyao, her bright characteristics had always been overshadowed by Meng Fuyao. It was only then that he realized that the child-like Ya Lanzhu epassed the maturity and wiseness that were no less than anyone else. She might never be able to achieve what Meng Fuyao did, but her shining personality and understanding of life were definitely on par with Meng Fuyao. For a princess who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, who had to tolerate universal mockery from pursuing the person she loved, and then witness an outsider extinguish her blossoming hopes, she had thousands of reasons to hate Meng Fuyao. But she chose to focus her attention on a ce further away. Some people might be selfish, but there were magnanimous people as well. Ya Lanzhu looked back and let out a shout. Her red cheeks rose and fell ording to her breathing, and she suddenly jumped down and dragged Yun Hen away. ¡°What are we fools doing by staring at nothing? Come, let¡¯s get a drink!¡± Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao stomped away and barked without looking back, ¡°Lord Yuan Bao, I¡¯m warning you. If you continue following me, I¡¯ll fry, steam, cook and sear you, and arrange you into a feast!¡± The guinea pig felt very wronged. ¡®Who wants to follow you? That person¡¯s obviously my unscrupulous master, and I¡¯m just an essory who¡¯s dragged along with him. You¡¯re just picking on the weak!¡¯ Folding his arms and looking miserably at the sky, the guinea pig considered a very serious question, ¡®Was Meng Fuyao fated to be his nemesis?¡¯ Ever since he met her, he had been downgraded from a worshipped ¡°legendary guinea pig¡± to bing her bodyguard, essory and sidekick. His status fell by such arge margin, and his future was no longer bright. His master suddenly looked down at him and understood all his hidden frustrations. As a sign of constion, the master caressed his head, and simply changed a hand to drag him. When Meng Fuyao turned and saw that someone was still smiling calmly, her inner self exploded with rage. Without returning to her room, she stood there and faked a grin. ¡°Your Highness, I suddenly feel that there¡¯s a need for me to apologize to you.¡± Chapter 176 - Untitled Chapter 176: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Mn?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed lightly, his smile as radiant and pure as the moon. ¡°I¡¯ll decide whether I want to forgive you after you speak.¡± Meng Fuyao ground her teeth and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ve destroyed your perfect wedding, then realized I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have destroyed it, you two are too perfect for each other!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re both experts at lying!¡± Thinking about that lotus made Meng Fuyao lose her appetite. ¡°One doesn¡¯t have the map of Xuanji and yet says he does, one clearly has the map of Xuanji and yet says she doesn¡¯t!¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her, his expression mixed as he said, ¡°Fuyao, please think carefully. From the time I met you until now, perhaps there were things that I did not exin clearly before, but as long as it was something I said, have I ever lied?¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and searched through her memory carefully only to realize that¡­ he really didn¡¯t. ¡°From now onwards, you¡¯ve lied!¡± She bristled, her words unreasonable. Zhangsun Wujiughed and suddenly reached out an arm and held onto her, leaping forcefully off the ground. ¡°Aiya, what are you doing!¡± Meng Fuyao had yet to finish speaking when she realized that she was already sitting on the wall. The wall of this courtyard was particrly high and sitting on top of it, she was able to see an endless array of streets, roads, buildings,moners¡¯ houses and the majestic royal pce in the background. The cool evening wind blew by, and the mes of the tens of thousands of families flickered along with it, creating a scene that was both striking and satisfying to the heart. ¡°When a person is in a high position because the things he sees are even moreplicated, his heart and mind will also be even clearer.¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s words carried a deep meaning, and Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but feel touched by his words only to be angered again as he added, ¡°So by bringing you up here to enjoy the wind, I hope you¡¯ll be able to refresh your brain.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been clear-minded and rational, intelligent beyondparison.¡± She turned around and pushed Zhangsun Wuji viciously, ¡°Go down, go down, the wall is narrow, you¡¯re blocking my vision.¡± ¡°When a person is your equal, they will never block your vision, many a time the one blocking your vision is actually yourself.¡± Zhangsun Wuji seemed especially sentimental today. ¡°Fuyao, is my lying really what you hate?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Meng Fuyao turned to face him, her eyes reflecting the moonlight like a pair of cat eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not so pretentious to deny not liking someone.¡± Smiling mildly, Zhangsun Wuji pulled out a cape seemingly from nowhere and ced it around her shoulders, saying, ¡°The wind is strong, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Thereafter he continued, ¡°I really haven¡¯t received back the map of Xuanji that I sent as an engagement gift.¡± ¡°Mn?¡± ¡°Everyone thinks that there is only one map of Xuanji, but actually, there are two maps.¡± Zhangsun Wuji cracked a smile. ¡°It came from two segments of a single cape, each side containing half the contents. The real map of Xuanji contains 882 words, eight chapters in total, and the one I¡¯ve given you is one of the halves.¡± ¡°Since the one you took out was the half that you held onto, then why wasn¡¯t the one you gave out in Lotus¡¯ hands?¡± asked Meng Fuyao suspiciously. ¡°She even took out the fake map of Xuanji and acted as though she had never seen the real one?¡± ¡°This was precisely why I wanted to break off the engagement.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her, smiling meaningfully as he said, ¡°The one I met was someone I did not want to meet.¡± ¡°Do you mean, there¡¯s someone else who¡¯s your fianc¨¦e?¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly turned to look at him. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°No, what I suspect is that the reason why Feng Jingfan took out the fake map was because the real map was indeed lost and in desperation, she made a fake one to rece it.¡± Zhangsun Wuji seemed to be searching his memory as he nced at her from the corner of his eye and said, ¡°Some things will reveal themselves sooner orter, but then again, Fuyao, I really have to thank you for finally settling things with that woman for me.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you feel that it¡¯s a pity?¡± Meng Fuyao teased, ¡°What a wless and noble reputation, even her aura was just like yours, she really put in a lot of effort to copy you. Yet it was brutally destroyed by me, how despicable.¡± ¡°There are even more despicable deeds.¡± Zhangsun Wuji picked a de of grass and nibbled at it as he said nonchntly, ¡°I heard they left Tiansha the next evening. I ordered my men to wait at the border, whatever Zhan Nancheng tried to do to me, I am willing to return tenfold.¡± ¡°You sent someone to assassinate Lotus¡ª¡± In that instant, Meng Fuyao understood what he meant, her body jolting upwards in shock and her eyes widened as she asked, ¡°Marriage tragedy in Tiansha?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s a marriage tragedy or not, but the point is for Feng Jingfan to just die.¡± Zhangsun Wuji nced at her and yed with her hair lightly. ¡°She must die as soon as possible.¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lip, not saying anything ¡ª she was rather speechless. Although Zhangsun Wuji didn¡¯t exin clearly, how could she not know that he wanted to kill Lotus because of her? Given Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s personality, he actually despised assassinations, much less assassinating someone like Lotus. Yet, he still chose to go against his own principles and use the fastest solution, purely because he didn¡¯t want Lotus to have another chance to harm her. In truth, there were many other more discreet and effective ways Zhangsun Wuji had up his sleeve to get rid of the marriage with Lotus, yet he let her pick the most dramatic way causing great hatred between the two and then clearing up after her. The reason why he did so many seemingly foolish things was only because he wanted her to live more carefreely, more happily. Meng Fuyao remained silent for a long time before turning around, her nose red as she sniffed. ¡°Sorry¡­ I always don¡¯t trust you enough.¡± ¡°The reason why you don¡¯t trust me enough is because of me.¡± Zhangsun Wuji tried to evade the topic again, bing extremely interested in her hair as he said, ¡°I¡¯m always full of secrets, and I¡¯m not open and honest enough. With this kind of character, I don¡¯t me you for not trusting me.¡± ¡°No more, not anymore.¡± Filled with guilt, Meng Fuyao felt that Zhangsun Wuji really was a good person, always remembering to exin for her whenever she was wrong. In a moment of gratitude and passion, she felt that she had not done enough for her conscience and was thinking of how she could repay such a gentleman when suddenly, that gentleman whispered in her ear, ¡°Hey, Fuyao, what are you wearing against your skin, why does it have two straps?¡± Against her skin¡­ Straps¡­ Deep in thought on how she could repay him, Meng Fuyao took several moments before she could react¡ªhe was talking about her self-made inner dress! And she was wearing an outer robe over it, along with a cape, so how did he see her inner dress? ¡®This despicable gentleman!¡¯ Meng Fuyao screeched with anger andunched a kick at him. ¡®Shameless, I should have just let you and Lotus be a couple!¡¯ However, the moment she raised her leg, it was pressed back down by Zhangsun Wuji, and with one hand pressing her leg, he brought his other hand to his lips. ¡°Shh-¡± Meng Fuyao wanted to curse at him, but following that, she heard the sound of footstepsing from the little alley on the other side of the wall, so she turned around to take a look as well. The night was dark, and the little alley was deep, the silhouette of schrs studying deep into the night outlined against their windows, a faint glow of light seeping out and lighting the alley with a dim, yellow hue. In the depths wasplete darkness, and slowly, the outline of a person could be seen. Someone was slowly walking out of the darkness of the alley. He was walking very slowly, holding something in his arms, and while he walked, he was chanting something softly. His voice was carried by the wind, and she could make out a few lines, ¡°¡­ May your soul return¡­¡± The person was performing the soul-summoning ritual for the dead. Meng Fuyao sighed softly and looked at the silhouette; the person was very young, for him to be out here performing the ritual alone, he was probably doing his duties as a filial grandson. Not wanting to disturb the interaction between the living and the dead, she turned around to jump off the wall. But as she turned her head, the person walked into the moonlight, and the moon¡¯s rays fell upon his clear face, his eyes moist, bearing a mncholic pain. Yan Jingchen! Meng Fuyao was so stunned on the wall that she forgot to leave. She sat next to Zhangsun Wuji, watching as Yan Jingchen¡¯s solitary figure appeared in the alley, holding a jade container as he walked slowly, softly chanting for a soul to return while scattering the paper money in his hands little by little. The ashen colored sheets of paper fluttered off his fingertips like butterflies before being blown by the wind and disappearing over the wall. All the scars of an entire lifetime, blown away like a kite whose string was broken. As though attracted by her mncholy, a piece of paper money fluttered upwards and pasted itself onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm. Meng Fuyao reached out and grasped it, and in that instant felt a soft aching from the depths of her heart. She raised her eyes and watched Yan Jingchen chanting attentively, suddenly remembering that today was the seventh day of Pei Yuan¡¯s death. ording to the traditions of Taiyuan, on the seventh day of death, family members must walk over the ces she had once walked and summon her soul. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze fell onto the little jade container. Had that red-robed woman, once vibrant and proud as a peony, whose presence was felt wherever she went, reduced to a container of grey and white ashes in that simple, little container? Would her unresigned soul be able to find rest within this tiny container, or would it struggle to break free? As for Yan Jingchen, he was a young master born with a silver spoon, the future sessor of an entire sect who had his future lit ahead of him, who stumbled and fell after meeting her. How would he continue the rest of his journey? There were some naturally unfair encounters, such as she and Yan Jingchen. That fateful meeting on Xuanyuan Mountain, from the beginning to the end, only created a journey of a thousand miles for her, and after she left without turning back. He refused to admit that their encounter was fateless, clinging to the past and making wrong decision after wrong decision before losing everything. Meng Fuyao thought of everything she had witnessed at Zhan Beiheng¡¯s manor and her fingertips felt cold. She was speechless at the cold cruelty of fate. Suddenly, she felt a warmth on her palm. Someone had held onto her hand and taken away the piece of paper money from her grasp, recing it with his own five fingers and wrapping them around her own. The warmth of his palm had a smooth touch, reaching from her fingertips to the depths of her heart like silk, passionate yet soft as though she were being embraced by a light feather nket. He was always able to read her mind and her feelings at the correct moment, and used his own way to tell her: ¡°I am here with you.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head and gazed at him, thinking that she was lucky. After all, not everyone could enjoy this kind of warmth, this kind of unconditional apaniment. As for those people, Yan Jingchen, Pei Yuan, Lotus, they were all people who loved, but s, they loved in the wrong way and loved with the wrong method. Chapter 177 - Untitled Chapter 177: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The person that Meng Fuyao had met and the way and methods in which she had met the person were the most correct. Yet fate would always find ways to y with her¡ªshe was unable to have the person she had the fortune of meeting. Meng Fuyao blinked several times, desperately fighting the tears welling in her eyes as she watched Yan Jingchen¡¯s solitary and somber figure under the light. Pursing her lips, she wrote on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s palm, ¡®I want to kill Mist.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji paused momentarily before replying, ¡°Fine.¡± Silently sucking in a breath, Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡®Yan Jingchen, I killed your wife, now I can only kill your master aspensation.¡¯ Yan Jingchen was not aware that at this moment two people had made a decision regarding his life while watching him perform the soul ritual for his dead wife. He scattered the paper money quietly, the cool jade container bing slightly warm in his embrace. This was the first time he had ever held Pei Yuan so closely. That arrogant woman eventually nestled quietly in his arms in this manner. The mouth of the container was frost-like cold, like the snow of the previous year¡¯s winter,nding on Yan Jingchen as he drank wine in solitary, the ground littered with empty jars¡ªthat time, he had just met Mist not long ago, and had the ¡°fortune¡± of being selected by him to be his disciple. In the beginning he enjoyed himself, but it soon became a nightmare, and even worse was that this was made known to several fellow disciples of noble descent, who slowly spread an inside joke within the noble Yan Jing n¡ªusing ambiguous tones, awkward nces, sneers, and other mocking gestures to express themselves. That kind of joke was the same as cing a formless wall in front of him, despite being unable to see or feel it, it stood there coldly in front of him, and he had been hurt many times by it. Yet, no amount of energy could break it. The tongues of others had always been the greatest trap on earth, killing without counting, and the more one struggled, the more one was hurt by it. Then, she appeared. There were changes in the pce of Taiyuan, and after the country was rebuilt, she appeared for the first time. He had thought that she wanted to mock him and used his sleeve to cover his face, but instead, she had sat down and, in a rather uncouth manner, grabbed a jar of wine and finished it in one gulp. After the wine had been finished, she flung the jar away and stared into the mountain scenery, partially hidden by clouds. Following the sound of the jar smashing into pieces at the bottom of the cliff, she had said, ¡°I¡¯ll marry you.¡± He had turned to look at her in shock, but she had not been looking at him; she was staring straight ahead with a quiet determination. She had steadied her voice and stood up, saying, ¡°Come at my n and apply in three days.¡± He had been afraid to apply to the Pei family again, afraid of being humiliated once more, but Mist had been happy, and he had said, ¡°It¡¯s rare to have someone who is willing. Actually, I don¡¯t really care about this, you¡¯re the one that¡¯s easily ashamed. Since she¡¯s willing to marry you, then your life is alreadyplete. I¡¯ll personally send the invite for you.¡± Following that, he left. When he came back, he happily told Yan Jingchen, ¡°Prepare to get married.¡± Only after that he realized that Pei Yuan had used those three days to console a raging General Pei and that she had also discussed things with Mist. As for what she had sacrificed to reach such an oue, he would never be able to know the answer. He would never know how she felt, being husband and wife yet having to sleep in different rooms, and that she would always sit alone by a me, watching the candlelight in his room. After that, the rumors spread¡ªthat Pei Yuan¡¯s marrying down was her biggest mistake. How much she had sacrificed for him was how much he owed her. She loved him, he loved another her, yet she loved another him. How many lives had been yed by fate? Yan Jingchen gently touched the jade container and ced his cheek on it. The slight coolness of the container felt familiar, simr to her temperament, carrying a cold, piercing pride that was unkind, even poisonous, yet only he knew that she had given her entire life¡¯s passion to him. Just that from then on, the single, flickering me that gave him warmth was extinguished by the coldness of fate. Yan Jingchen hugged the jade container tightly and meekly turned back. The people watching him on the wall continued to watch his retreating figure sorrowfully. Even Lord Yuan Bao had wriggled out of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s sleeve and nestled itself between the two of them as it watched Yan Jingchen scatter paper money as he left, its round, ck eyes moistening slightly as it thought, ¡®Back then at Qiongcang, that beautiful and brilliant ck pearl¡­¡¯ Yan Jingchen¡¯s shadow was long and solitary behind him. Yet, the night was interrupted by a raucous noise. There were two people, singing andughing loudly as they stumbled into the alley and the crisp sound broke the mncholic silence. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s drink¡­ let¡¯s drink another three jars!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not drunk¡­ hic¡­ I¡¯m not drunk!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ avoid me¡­ You despicable¡­ I¡¯m as pretty as a flower, yet you avoid me!¡± ¡°Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!¡± Ya Lanzhuughed loudly as she sang, stumbling zigzaggedly. She wasughing gleefully, and the burden was on her unlucky drinking buddy who was supporting her arm carefully, swaying with her. Sitting on the wall, Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes. ¡®Since when did Ya Lanzhu go drinking with Yun Hen? How did she get so drunk?¡¯ Ya Lanzhu began to sing. ¡°Big Brother march forward bravely, Little Sister will chase you without turning back, Big Brother you¡¯ve exhausted three horses, Little Sister will exhaust nine cows¡­¡± Meng Fuyao snorted and fell against Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s shoulder, desperately trying to hold in herughter. ¡®This girl¡¯s ability to modify the lyrics is way too powerful, how did the song, upon reaching her lips, suddenly kill off horses and cows?¡¯ Sheughed until her shoulders trembled, looking like a silent butterfly under the dim light. Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly and pulled her into his chest. He lowered his head, thinking that the lyrics were actually rather apt and he could also use it on himself. Lord Yuan Bao squatted on its master¡¯s shoulder, looking at Meng Fuyao reproachfully. ¡®You still have the audacity tough? Not you, what would we of noble descent know what is called vulgar?¡¯ The two drunkards stumbled down the alley, and when they crossed paths with Yan Jingchen, Yan Jingchen frowned and covered the jade container with his hand, afraid that they would knock into it. Retreating to one side, he waited for them to pass by. Yet, just as Ya Lanzhu walked past him, she suddenly felt an urge to vomit. She could have just vomited on the streets, but she just had to be a princess and was used to vomiting into something. She looked around dazedly, and upon seeing that Yan Jingchen was carrying a container, she immediately reached out and grabbed at it. Yan Jingchen¡¯s eyebrows shot up as he raised an arm to push her when Yun Hen immediately pulled Ya Lanzhu back and blocked the blow, snarling, ¡°She¡¯s drunk and doesn¡¯t mean it, why must you be so vicious!¡± The two¡¯s elbows shed as they raised their heads, and upon seeing each other under the light, both of them went ¡°ah¡± and said in unison, ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Yan Jingchen¡¯s face darkened as he nced at Yun Hen, before putting down his hand and leaving. Yun Hen watched him, his eyes shing with hostility when Ya Lanzhu stumbled over. Seeing that she was about to crash into the wall, Yun Hen could only catch her. Ya Lanzhu¡¯s limbs were flinging about, and a tearing noise could be heard as Yun Hen¡¯s robes were torn by the drunkard and an object fell onto the ground with a tter. However, Yun Hen did not hear the object fall as he frantically tried to support a dead drunk Ya Lanzhu, unsure where to hold, eventually settling for dragging her by the cor. He was about to leave when he heard Yan Jingchen¡¯s voice, ¡°Stay there.¡± Yun Hen turned around only to see Yan Jingchen holding onto a little green and gold stone swallow. His expression changed as he leaned Ya Lanzhu against a wall, ready tounch himself. Yan Jingchen retracted his hand, saying solemnly, ¡°Where did you get this thing from?¡± ¡°Return it to me!¡± ¡°Where did you get it from?¡± ¡°I said, return it to me!¡± Yan Jingchen stuffed the swallow into his robes and said coldly, ¡°This is the mark given to the sons of the Yan n at birth, nobody but direct descendants of the Yan n can have it. If you don¡¯t tell me how you got it, I won¡¯t return it to you.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Yun Hen immediatelyunched himself at him. Before he could reach him, Yan Jingchen retreated, his de already unsheathed. With a swift movement, Yun Hen deflected the de with his palm, creating a thunderous sound upon contact. The two actually started fighting. On the wall, Meng Fuyao called out, ¡°Why did you guys start fighting?¡± She was too far away and couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, only that Yan Jingchen had picked something up, Yun Hen had demanded it back, and then the two began fighting in earnest. Zhangsun Wuji tugged her hand and looked over, saying casually, ¡°There are some things that if buried in time for too long, they will be discovered by fate.¡± The wind howled in the little alley as Yun Hen, and Yan Jingchen fought, but their fight soon quickly came to an end. Yan Jingchen fighting with one hand was simply not Yun Hen¡¯s opponent, yet Yun Hen was not in the mood to fight; he just wanted to quickly take back what was his. Exchanging a dozen moves, Yun Hen¡¯s de had already suppressed a single-handedly fighting Yan Jingchen. Yan Jingchen pursed his lips and watched as Yun Hen continuously amodated him despite having the advantage. A hint of suspicion shed past his eyes as he suddenly thrust the jade container in his hands forward as he shouted, ¡°My wife¡¯s ashes!¡± Yun Hen¡¯s de was swift as lightning, but in that instant, Yan Jingchen¡¯s voice sounded out as his de was about tond on the jade container. Upon hearing him, Yun Hen fell back in shock as the rebound force of his sword pushed him back a step. Immediately, the de of a gleaming sword was pressed lightly against his throat. Watching the fight on the wall, Meng Fuyao thought that Yun Hen would definitely win and did not expect this oue. In shock, she muttered ¡°despicable¡± and was about to leap down when she was stopped by Zhangsun Wuji. Following that, she noticed the expression in Yan Jingchen¡¯s eyes. That tumultuous, mixed expression filled with confusion and suspicion. She also saw the movement of his mouth. He was saying, ¡°Little Brother.¡± The words ¡°Little Brother¡± drifted through the evening wind, despite its softness, striking the hearts of those who heard it. Upon hearing his words, Yun Hen stumbled, suddenly finding himself at the mercy of Yan Jingchen¡¯s de. He stood there, unable toplete his action, giving others the impression that he had turned to ice under the rays of dusk. Chapter 178 - Untitled Chapter 178: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yan Jingchen was panting slightly, staring erratically at Yun Hen, his expression somewhat agitated. Sitting atop the wall, Meng Fuyao suddenly realized that while Yun Hen and Yan Jingchen were encountered separately, it was extremely difficult to link the two together. However, now that they were facing each other, she was able to see some simrities in their features. Both of them were lean and long-limbed, as well as so white that their skin had a translucent quality and their veins could be seen faintly against their skin. They were also tall and upright with exceptionally sharp noses. She wasn¡¯t able to notice these things before. The only thing was that their personalities differed too greatly. Yun Hen seemed unwilling to ept Yan Jingchen¡¯s contemting gaze and suddenly turned away as though he did not notice the de against his neck. Shocked motionless, Yan Jingchen had forgotten to retract his sword and just like that, Yun Hen was cut by the de, and a thin red line appeared on his neck. Horrified, Yan Jingchen quickly pulled back his sword, but Yun Hen was already walking away, ignoring the blood dripping from his neck as he picked up Ya Lanzhu, who was slumped against the wall still singing and mumbling, and left. Yan Jingchen returned his sword to its scabbard and gave chase hastily, grabbing Yun Hen¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Yun Hen! Are you Aunt An¡¯s child?¡± Yun Hen¡¯s shoulder trembled, and from her angle, Meng Fuyao could see a sh of anger cross his face as he jerked his hand away and said, ¡°Get lost!¡± Yan Jingchen met his gaze and was so surprised his hand trembled. He was about to let go, but Yun Hen had already firmly pushed his hand away and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t ever mention that name or the Yan n, they¡¯re not fit to be mentioned!¡± ¡°Yun Hen!¡± Yan Jingchen rushed forward, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about what happened back then, I only heard the whispers around¡­ but¡­ but¡­ could there have been a misunderstanding somewhere? Come back with me, we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± ¡°Go back? Go back where?¡± Yun Hen turned to the side coldly, his handsome features like an ice sculpture, so cold that even his gaze was icy. ¡°n Leader Yan, please get it clear, you are a vassal king of Taiyuan, I am a servant of Taiyuan. My father¡¯s name is Yun Chi, your father¡¯s name is Yan Chi. Why should I go back with you?¡± Refusing to give up, Yan Jingchen tried persuading him once again. Yun Hen¡¯s expression hardened, and he swung his sword sideways, aiming straight for the jade ash container. This time, Yan Jingchen was startled and flinched. When he recovered, Yun Hen was already swiftly striding away. After several steps, he turned around slightly, and not looking at Yan Jingchen but instead at the dark corner of the wall, he said, ¡°n Leader Yan, if you ever mention what happened today to anyone, or try to im rtions again, don¡¯t me my sword for being disrespectful!¡± His figure quickly disappeared into the darkness of the other end of the alley, leaving only Yan Jingchen who was still standing there in shock as he watched Yun Hen disappear with an uncertain and frustrated gaze. Afraid that Yun Hen would feel awkward, Meng Fuyao waited until he exited the alley and leaped off the wall. She walked broodingly into the courtyard, then to her room, then to her bed only to realize that someone had also instinctively followed her in. Snapping back to reality, she pushed him out of the house and snapped. ¡°Get out, get out, only one man can sleep on my bed!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhangsun Wuji asked in amusement. Lord Yuan Bao ignorantly poked its head out and looked at its master with wide eyes as it pointed at its own nose. ¡®That man is the devastatingly handsome yours truly.¡¯ His smile unfaltering, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly said, ¡°Should I drown you?¡± Lord Yuan Bao immediately gestured respectfully with its paws, as though conceding. ¡®The only man that can sleep on her bed is none other than the unparalleled and amazing talent that is you, my master, heh.¡¯ Meng Fuyao immediately flicked Lord Yuan Bao out of the room with her fingers and berated, ¡°Rascal, from now on, you can forget about sleeping on my bed anymore!¡± ¡°Fuyao, I didn¡¯t intend to sleep on your bed,¡± said Zhangsun Wuji calmly, dispelling a certain someone¡¯s self-entitled thoughts. He continued, ¡°I just wanted to borrow the remaining half of the Moon Soul training tool from you.¡± Without waiting for her reply, he located the half and pocketed it before drifting out the door. Before leaving, he turned around and smiled, saying, ¡°I definitely have no interest in sharing a bed with a hamster, especially when the other person is an alcoholic.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ who¡¯s an alcoholic? Isn¡¯t it clear that there are only one person and a rodent here?¡± retorted Meng Fuyao. At that moment, she saw Yun Hen dragging Ya Lanzhu hurriedly, and she remembered that Princess Ya was drunk. Who else could shoulder the heavy responsibility of taking care of the drunkard besides her? Sure enough, taking care of a drunk was not a job fit for humans. Meng Fuyao remained busy throughout the night, listening to ¡°Big Brother, walk forward bravely¡­¡± the entire night. At dawn, Ya Lanzhu suddenly turned around and hugged her, mumbling incoherently, ¡°Let us never be like Meng Fuyao and Feng Jingfan.¡± She was not conscious at all when she said it, but Meng Fuyao immediately understood. The hand that was gently patting Ya Lanzhu paused, and she gently pushed away the strands of hair stered on Ya Lanzhu¡¯s face as she said softly, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s never be like Meng Fuyao and Feng Jingfan.¡± Subsequently, she fell asleep, still holding onto a towel. When she awoke, the sky was already brightly lit. Ya Lanzhu was lying on her stomach, and Lord Yuan Bao was lying on Ya Lanzhu¡¯s stomach. A monotonous voice was announcing something outside¡ªZhan Nancheng was inviting her to go hunting at the imperial grounds. Ever since she became the True Martial Arts champion, Meng Fuyao had moved house. She had no intention of revealing the secret location of Zhan Beiye¡¯s camp to the Tiansha Emperor and besides, she had money. Yao Xun had earned quite a sum while doing business in Wuji, especially that Young Master Li from the Jiangbei magistrate¡¯s manor; both of them were truly born to business, both equally unscrupulous. They had managed to earn quite arge sum fromdies, selling silk fabrics, clothing, shoes, cosmetics and the like. Yao Xun had arrived several days ago to deliver some silver, intending to promote Meng Fuyao¡¯s elegance and talent. Hence, Meng Fuyao¡¯s money pouch was filled to the brim, and even Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s chamber pot was switched to one made of gold. Meng Fuyao¡¯s new manor was extremely eye-catching. She had bought three entire yards at the same time, totaling seven or eightyers from the outside to the innermost side, eachyer morevish than the previous. Ordinary people could only enter up to the secondyer, but in actual fact, she simply wanted to own the nearby plots ofnd and build a secret underground passage from a room in the courtyard of the sixthyer leading directly to Zhan Beiye¡¯s secret base camp. Zhan Nancheng¡¯s invite was but another round of investigation of each other. Meng Fuyao quickly switched her outfit and was about to leave only to be blocked by Zong Yue in the garden. The vicious-tongued man nced at her carefully-prepared outfit and remarked, ¡°Out to cheat people again?¡± Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky. ¡®When will this human learn to say something nice? Such exemry disposition is truly wasted on him.¡¯ ¡°Since you¡¯re out to lie, I might as well help you lie even more convincingly.¡± Zong Yue tossed a little wax capsule. ¡°Open it when you have the chance and sprinkle it on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s sleeves.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Meng Fuyao caught it, not bothering to ask about its purpose. Out of the blue, she thought of something and asked, ¡°Actually, I really want to know when we can kill Zhan Nancheng so that I don¡¯t have to hold my vomit in and tolerate his interaction. It¡¯s just a pity that ever since that time, he¡¯s even more careful now and nobody can get close to him at all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no use killing him now. Zhan Nancheng has sessors and still holds the power to influence the three top officials in the imperial court. If he dies, there¡¯ll be some disturbance, but it might not be enough to cause great upheaval.¡± Zong Yue dismissed her words and rushed her. ¡°Why are you saying so much anyway, you¡¯re blocking the sun from shining on my herbs!¡± In a fit of rage, Meng Fuyao trampled on a clump of evening primroses, knowing that Zong Yue treasured his flowers like they were his life. Before he could murder someone, she sprinted out, remembering to send a signal to Lord Yuan Bao, who was perched on the window ledge watching the show. When Zongyue left Lord Yuan Bao would help her ¡°take good care¡± of those precious medicinal herbs, using his excrement as fertilizer and whatnot. The horse carriage that Zhan Nancheng had sent to receive her was waiting outside the door, and when she arrived at the Tiansha Imperial Pce¡¯s Nanyue Mountain Hunting Grounds, she saw that almost half the mountain slope was covered with tents, surrounding the biggest tent in the middle. The tent had a golden roof, and quite a number of people were congregated outside, awaiting orders. Meng Fuyao scanned them closely and beamed as those were all people she knew. ¡®That guy, isn¡¯t he the one who had thrown a sword in front of me and demanded me tomit suicide just several days back at the pce hall, Lord something something? And that guy, isn¡¯t he the General something who had told a certain princess who was trying to mit suicide¡± to ¡°not take her life lightly¡± and very kindly saved that certain princess?¡¯ Smiling gleefully, Meng Fuyao headed over, and when the various lords and noblemen saw her, they immediately stopped whatever they were discussing. They hastily stroked their beards and stared at the sky, changing the topic. ¡°Ah, Lord Zhang, the weather today is excellent, truly excellent, indeed, haha¡­¡± ¡°Eh, General Wang, the robe you are wearing today is splendid and full of vigor, hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Lord Zhang, the weather today truly is excellent, look at the clouds and the dragonflies flying about. Ah, there¡¯s a dragonfly on your headdress, let me get it for you. Ah, no need to be shy, I¡¯ll be done at once¡ªpa!¡± Meng Fuyao pped Lord Zhang¡¯s headdress off his head with a smack of her palm and smoothly stepped on it, crushing it to bits. Finally, she turned to a purple-faced Lord Zhang and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve finally gotten rid of that damned dragonfly¡­¡± Lord Zhang¡¯s eyebrows nted downwards, and he looked ready to explode with anger when Meng Fuyao eximed again, ¡°Aiya, Lord Zhang¡¯s sword is really exquisite. That day, if you had thrown this sword at me instead, perhaps I might have really fallen for it and used it tomit suicide. Dying by such a magnificent sword, even as a ghost I would be honorable¡­ Can you let me take a look at it? ¡­ Aiya, don¡¯t be so petty, just a little look, just one look¡ªcha!¡± The ¡°magnificent sword¡± broke cleanly into two and Meng Fuyao stared innocently at the sword. ¡°It¡¯s actually a fake!¡± Pretending to be respectful, she returned the two halves of the sword back in Lord Zhang¡¯s hands and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Zhang. You can try wielding it as a double sword.¡± By now, Lord Zhang¡¯s veins were popping out with rage, and he desperately wanted to raise his fist, yet Meng Fuyao had just broken his sword like it was nothing. Meng Fuyao patted his shoulder,ughed loudly and turned around; the lord and noblemen who were congregated in one group earlier had scattered like wild beasts. Shrugging, Meng Fuyao strode towards the head tent where Zhan Nancheng was standing by the entrance. He had seen everything that had happened clearly but did not react, merely smiling amicable and saying, ¡°General Meng really loves to joke around, but this kind of personality will offend others easily.¡± ¡°I am but a ruffian.¡± Meng Fuyao stroked her chin. ¡°I am the same wherever I go, if those pretentious people can¡¯t get used to it, that¡¯s their problem. If I like it, I like it, if I don¡¯t then I don¡¯t. If they offend me, I¡¯ll beat them up!¡± Chapter 179 - Untitled Chapter 179: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Nanchengughed heartily, looking much more at ease as he held Meng Fuyao¡¯s elbow and said, ¡°General Meng¡¯s unparalleled strength would be better suited to beat up those wild beasts!¡± The two then mounted their respective horses. Pulling his reigns, Zhan Nancheng said, ¡°General Meng, there are fierce beasts towards the east of the hunting grounds, given your martial ability, you would be happier hunting those bastards, go ahead!¡± ¡°I think it is better to stick with Your Majesty.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°I was born from a hunter¡¯s family in Taiyuan. With regards to hunting, the other lords and generals should enjoy more!¡± Just then, the sound of cheering filled the air as the lords and generals took off on their horses and kicked up a cloud of dust in their wake, their hunting eagles soaring above them. Meng Fuyao remained obediently behind Zhan Nancheng as his bodyguard while they hunted some small beasts in the south of the hunting grounds and caught enough rabbits to fill up both sides of a horse. When the sun began to set, Zhan Nancheng turned around and said merrily, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, I¡¯m tired.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded and was about to pick up speed when she suddenly stopped motionless for a moment before returning to Zhan Nancheng¡¯s side and said, ¡°There is something off about the smell in the wind, Your Majesty, let¡¯s move quickly, I¡¯ll be behind you!¡± ¡°Why would it be dangerous here?¡± Zhan Nancheng smirked. ¡°General Meng, you are too wary¡ª¡± His voice stopped abruptly. A sudden gust of wind blew from behind him, carrying the stench of blood. The trees swayed violently, and they could see the smaller beasts fleeing in fright in all directions. Just when the sky glowed a brilliant orange, everyone¡¯s horses began trembling and pawing the ground restlessly, and no amount of pulling at the reigns could appease them. Just then, the trees shook violently, and a yellow light shed from within, and a deep, menacing growl could be heard from behind Zhan Nancheng. ¡°Roar¡ª¡± The metallic stench of blood intensified and the trees parted as a ferocious tiger leaped out, turning its menacing head and fixing its bloodthirsty eyes on Zhan Nancheng, who was the nearest to it. With a thud, Zhan Nancheng¡¯s horse copsed on the ground, its knees having turned to jelly, and Zhan Nancheng fell off, still in shock as to why there would be a ferocious beast in the area, and rolled right towards the tiger¡¯s jaws! The sight of a bloody mouth filled with sharp canines greeted Zhan Nancheng¡¯s eyes, and several drops of pungent saliva threatened to fall on his face. Terrified, Zhan Nancheng reached for his sword but was unable to unsheathe it as he was lying on it. He was so close to the tiger that he could see each individual tooth of the tiger. His vision cking out, Zhan Nancheng let out a despairing howl. ¡°Protect the king!¡± A crisp voice pierced the air like a knife as a shadow flew by,nding almost instantaneously in front of Zhan Nancheng. With actions as fast as light, there was a shing from the figure, and the tiger¡¯s head was sliced open! Blood burst forth from the cut and drenched Meng Fuyao as she shouted without turning around, ¡°Idiots! Protect the king!¡± The shellshocked guards came back to their senses and rushed forward, surrounding Zhan Nancheng. Zhan Nancheng recovered from his shock and watched with trepidation as Meng Fuyao pierced the tiger between the eyes as it howled with excruciating pain. The de had pierced the tiger¡¯s nose, through its passage and out its left eye! The tiger roared again, shaking the forest grounds as it shook its head frantically, flecks of blood spraying everywhere. Zhan Nancheng stared at the tiger, a ck knife protruding from its head, as he retreated slowly with the guards surrounding him, speaking as dignified as possible while giving a forced chuckle, ¡°Many thanks to General Meng¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, however, an ear-splitting roar came from behind him as another orange and ck silhouette jumped out of the forest, carrying with it the heavy stench of blood! There was actually another tiger! The tiger pounced mercilessly, getting past the wall that the guards had formed in an instant. With two swipes of its paw, it got rid of thest two guards and headed straight for Zhan Nancheng! Zhan Nancheng¡¯s vision went nk yet again as the stench of blood overwhelmed him! This time, he had managed to unsheathe his sword and make a swing at it, cutting the tiger on the waist. However, the tiger merely twisted its body and floored him with its tail. Turning around, the tiger gave a great leap into the air. Lying on the ground, Zhan Nancheng thought that he had met his end. It had been an extremely unfortunate circumstance since there had never been fierce beasts in the south of the hunting grounds, and yet it was not one but two that appeared today! The only person that could save him was General Meng, and his weapon was still lodged between the other tiger¡¯s eyes; there was simply no time! ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ming to save you!¡± Upon saying that, she appeared, her shadow surfacing as she shed past Zhan Nancheng like the wind andnded a punch in an instant! Ping! The dull sound of flesh violently contacting flesh resounded around them, the viciousness and power of the blow obvious to all who heard it. Thereafter, the tiger roared again, but this time, it was a stifled roar, as though it was choking on its own blood stuck in its throat. Zhan Nancheng and the remaining guards turned to look only to unanimously exim in astonishment. Meng Fuyao had actually punched right into the tiger¡¯s mouth, using only her bare hands and bypassing the tiger¡¯s sharp canines. She had not just stopped the tiger from biting down on Zhan Nancheng, but also destroyed its windpipe and created a hole at the back of its neck! With a single punch, the tiger was killed! This kind of tiger-killing technique, this kind of ferocity and power, had never been seen or heard before! And what Zhan Nancheng was most touched and astonished about was the bravery and selflessness that Meng Fuyao had shown at such a critical time. Meng Fuyao retracted her hand only to see several streaks of deep cuts along her forearm. Due to the speed of her actions, she had torn her sleeves and grazed her arm against the tiger¡¯s teeth. However, she acted as if nothing was wrong and adjusted her robes, cleaning the blood off her forearm on the tiger¡¯s corpse before heading to the other tiger to im her sword. Finally, she turned to face a pallid Zhan Nancheng and bowed. ¡°Your Majesty must have had a fright.¡± ¡°General, General Meng¡­ Many thanks to you¡­¡± Zhan Nancheng¡¯s gaze fell on the two tiger corpses before moving to Meng Fuyao¡¯s bloody arm, his tone filled with utmost gratitude. ¡°Your Majesty is too kind, I am merely performing my duties.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, d that the Gold of Tiansha were not present but instead patrolling the outskirts of the hunting grounds and the main tentage. She was also pleased as the group of guards apanying Zhan Nancheng had been a bunch of spineless and inexperienced nobodies. Hence, she was able to have the chance to show her mettle in front of him. After sessfully gaining Zhan Nancheng¡¯s gratitude, Meng Fuyao made use of her wounds as a reason to excuse herself. unting her arm to the admiring and jealous stares of everyone as she returned to her manor, she waved her arm as she shouted, ¡°Vicious doctor, vicious doctor, thanks in advance¡ª¡± In a sh of white, a round object flew past her, and the vicious doctor appeared, his robes floating gracefully around him. His expression was calm, but his eyes carried hostility, looking nothing like a virtuous doctor and more like an assassin. Meng Fuyao let out an ¡°ah¡± and immediately remembered what she had done before she left earlier, grabbing Lord Yuan Bao and running for their lives. As she ran, she asked Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°What have you done that the vicious doctor wants to kill you?¡± Signaling frantically, Lord Yuan Bao replied, ¡°Eep! Eep!¡± Meng Fuyao was stumped, and she contemted whether she should learn Yuanbaonguage from its owner. Suddenly, a pair of hands reached over and wrapped themselves around her shoulder as a voice said, ¡°Meng Fuyao, when will the time finallye when you can leave and return in one piece?¡± Meng Fuyao scanned herself in rm before raising her head defiantly, saying, ¡°What did I lose? What did I lose?¡± Smiling at her reaction, Zhangsun Wuji sighed and indicated for her to sit down before heading to a chest of drawers and retrieving a medicine box. From her angle, Meng Fuyao could see his longshes as he bent his head to look for the appropriate medication. His eyes carried a hint of mncholic softness and darkness, his expression gentle and calm with a hint of sorrow. No matter how she looked, she couldn¡¯t see the famous and invincible Crown Prince Wuji; instead, she saw a peaceful and quiet boy next door. That kind of boy next door¡ªwas desirable deep down in everyone¡¯s heart, his smile evoking a chorus of spring colors with the vibrancy of flowers blooming in spring that could touch all who saw it. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart stirred as she watched Zhangsun Wuji, his features half in the light and half covered by shadows. Immediately, she felt an aching pain in her heart, and at the same time, she felt a coolness on her arm. She sucked in her breath softly, and Zhangsun Wuji instantly looked up at her. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡®It hurts, but it hurts not where your hand is pressing, but rather at the root of where all my veins connect, my heart.¡¯ Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes with a bitter smile on her lips as she said, ¡°You¡¯re horrible, are you here to treat my wounds or are you taking the chance to exact revenge? Look at how hard you¡¯re pressing!¡± ¡°This skin regenerating cream has to be massaged into the skin for it to be effective so that there won¡¯t be any scars in the future.¡± Ignoring her, Zhangsun Wuji continued massaging her arm gently. Meng Fuyao felt as though his fingertips were mini stoves, burning wherever they massaged and she felt extremely ufortable. Finally, she couldn¡¯t tolerate it anymore and blurted, ¡°Enough, enough, don¡¯t massage anymore, this general of yours doesn¡¯t have anything but scars anyway. I¡¯ll probably have even more next time, you can¡¯t heal them all.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhangsun Wuji suddenly looked up and smiled. Meng Fuyao stared at his smile suspiciously, thinking that there was something off about it, and jumped to her feet hastily. Unfortunately, she was toote. Her arm was still in someone¡¯s hands, and Zhangsun Wuji flipped her arm, his fingers following the flow of her pulse. As he pressed down, she felt her entire body cken while falling towards the ground. But, Zhangsun Wuji had already flipped her onto the bed. Meng Fuyao gasped in shock and screamed, ¡°Yuan Bao, Yuan Bao,e here quickly, if you don¡¯te sooner you won¡¯t have the chance to take his first time anymore¡ª¡± Lord Yuan Bao sprinted over as Zhangsun Wuji turned to smile at it, immediately. ¡°Yuan Bao, the more time you spend with a certain someone, the more your intelligence level is dropping, and your mind is dulling.¡± Lord Yuan Bao dipped its head in shame¡­ Cultivation required a thousand years, but it only took a single moment of impulsiveness to lose everything and stray down the irreversible path. Having sessfully destroyed his beloved pet with a single sentence, Zhangsun Wuji watched as it prepared to bite Meng Fuyao. Smilingly, he said, ¡°I heard that your Excellency was valiant and formidable, braver than a thousand soldiers.¡± Chapter 180 - Untitled Chapter 180: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao let out an ¡°Ah¡±. ¡°I heard that you trespassed the Changhan Secret Forest, raided the Gun Tribe¡¯s ancient tombs, fought against Cloud Soul and Mist, winning and losing, winning and losing, breaking a front tooth, filling your entire body with scars. How heroic, how brave, worthy of adoration! Your servant has only heard these stories and has been thinking about it, dreaming about it, wanting to witness it himself, but he knows he¡¯s not worthy of asking for it.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth fell wide open, her saliva almost dripping out. ¡®What, what, what, what is he saying? He, he, he, he looks like he¡¯s angry? Why, why, why, why is he angry? Wasn¡¯t he not angry earlier so why is he suddenly angry now?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji continued giving her his usual elegant and amiable smile. ¡°It¡¯s such a rare asion today that the great general has allowed your humble servant to witness the scars of your heroic deeds. Your servant extends his utmost gratitude¡­¡± ¡®What, what, what, what did he mean?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought hard for a long moment before realizing, ¡°Ah! You want to take off my clothes!¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued smiling as he corrected her, ¡°I want to see the general¡¯s wounds with my own eyes.¡± ¡°What difference is there- Ahhh¡­!¡± Meng Fuyao cried out, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you¡¯re such a scoundrel, if you try to touch my clothes, I¡¯ll drown you¡ª¡± ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± The ferocious, murderous General Meng was shocked motionless. She suddenly felt a cooling sensation tickle her back as a breeze blew in through the unclosed window. That feeling made her confirm¡ªher clothes had really been taken off! Meng Fuyao immediately opened her mouth, ready to scream when a certain someone instantly tapped on her vital point, effectively cutting her voice. Meng Fuyao bit hard into her pillow as she cursed Zhangsun Wuji, ¡®Did you eat the wrong medicine today or have you suddenly developed such urges, taking off my clothes in the middle of the day? I¡¯ve lost my spring, nobody had ever seen my beautiful back which I¡¯ve maintained for eighteen years, ahhh¡­¡¯ A slightly cool finger pressed against her back, as though there was ointment on the tip of the finger, cooling and smooth, rubbing over her various scars. The finger moved over each scar carefully, its touch extremely light and gentle like the wind gently ripping over water, igniting a certain feeling against her skin, spreading directly to the depths of her heart. Meng Fuyao stiffened slightly and bit her lip, her fingers curling discreetly around the nket covering her bottom half. The rays of the sun shone through the window as specks of dust danced in the air, creating a kind of warm, hazy effect. Under the rays sat an elegant man, his fingers gently caressing a woman¡¯s scar-ridden back¡ªher skin was clear and translucent, the curves of her back exquisite like a finely crafted porcin vase, yet the scars marred its perfection. The man gazed deeply at those faint red scars with a hint of pain in his eyes, as though burning their imprint into his memory. There was an inexplicable heaviness in the air, and in its density, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt a little guilty and a little surprised as she slowly let go of the pillow she was biting. After a long time, the person whose fingers were massaging her scars slowly finally spoke, ¡°Fuyao, I won¡¯t stop you from wanting to live life vivaciously. Although I don¡¯t agree with it, I also won¡¯t stop you from pushing yourself to your limits every time. However, I really don¡¯t like the fact that you always have to do everything to the extreme. I don¡¯t like that you know how to treasure others yet you don¡¯t know how to treasure yourself, that with regards to such things, you could have done it some other way, yet you always have to use the most dramatic and extreme methods to do it. For example, you went hunting today, if you wanted to earn the trust of Zhan Nancheng, why did you still have to injure yourself? Was it just because you wanted to leave an even deeper impression? Tell me, are you worth it?¡± Meng Fuyao felt her eyes moisten. ¡®I didn¡¯t have my weapon with me then¡­ I wasn¡¯t thinking so much then¡­¡¯ ¡®Then again¡­¡¯ She blinked guiltily, it seemed like she could have avoided getting injured¡­¡¯Damnit, how is Zhangsun Wuji not tired of living, even worrying about me hitting too violently?¡¯ ¡°Fuyao, you can be fearless and brave, but you shouldn¡¯t seek fights and be too vicious. I just want you to treasure yourself more unless you want me to say another string of nonsense,¡± Zhangsun Wuji finished applying ointment on the scars and kept the bottle before continuing quietly, ¡°Have you ever thought about how I feel when I hear your words and see these scars?¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes, her gaze flitting about as she refused to meet Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes¡­ ¡®Fine, I was wrong, I won¡¯t be petty about you seeing me, big brother can you return me my clothes now?¡¯ However, the person got up gracefully, tucked the medicine bottle in his robes and adjusted his sleeves, saying lightly, ¡°I know you¡¯re a stubborn person who always can¡¯t listen to what others say, so to leave a deeper impression¡­ You can put on your clothes yourself.¡± Thereafter, he drifted out the room, leaving Meng Fuyao raging. ¡®You¡¯ve tapped on my vital point so how am I supposed to put on my clothes!?¡¯ Just as he reached the doorway, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly stopped, and Meng Fuyao rejoiced, thinking that he had remembered to release the lock on her vital points. However, he merely leaned against the door frame, looking as if he had just thought about it and said, ¡°Oh right, next time if you endanger your life needlessly again, I¡¯ll treat you as such.¡± With that, he flicked his finger and left. Meng Fuyao grimaced as she looked up at the sky¡ªhe had only unlocked her voice, clearly forcing her to ask Ya Lanzhu for help, and given Ya Lanzhu¡¯s personality, she would definitelyugh for at least half a month. Thus, her impression of this incident would inevitably be even deeper. Wasn¡¯t it that her mouth was a little too fast and she said the wrong things¡­ s! He truly was a vicious man! When Ya Lanzhu was finally summoned over by Meng Fuyao¡¯s raucous shouting and unblocked her vital points, true enough, she had doubled up inughter for a good half day, and afterughing she had patted her shoulder and said, ¡°I really have to say this, you¡¯re quite a scumbag, but you¡¯re really lucky.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes at her as she watched Ya Lanzhu leave, her face still red fromughing. She hugged her knees and sat in the darkness alone, and after a long time, she heard a little sigh. When the sky turned dark, she stood up and remembered that Yun Hen had gone drinking the previous night. This person clearly had no tolerance for alcohol, and after he came back, he had developed a fever, and till now he still couldn¡¯t get up. Hence, she made lotus eight treasures soup. Originally, she had only made one bowl, but thinking that the vicious doctor had also worked hard, she added more ingredients. Then, thinking that she shouldn¡¯t show favoritism since Ya Lanzhu had helped her out of her trouble and that Lord Yuan Bao liked sweet things, she unwillingly added more ingredients¡ªas for who it was meant for? Who knew!? She lugged the huge pot and went to each individual room personally, but Yun Hen was still asleep, looking ufortable as though he was having a nightmare. His breathing was soft and short, constantly getting disrupted as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Meng Fuyao put down the bowl and grabbed a towel to clean his sweat, but unexpectedly, he suddenly grabbed her hand. rmed, Meng Fuyao immediately tugged her hand backward, but Yun Hen¡¯s grasp was extremely tight as though he was someone who was unable to swim, was drowning and had managed to grab onto a piece of driftwood. He even used inner energy, and Meng Fuyao could sense that his inner energy was unstable due to his nightmares. If she acted in haste and challenged his inner energy with her own, she might hurt him, so she could only remain motionless. Just when she was feeling rather awkward in that position, Yun Hen suddenly pulled her down towards him. Meng Fuyao struggled desperately, twisting her body here and there trying to get up. From a certain angle, it looked as if Meng Fuyao and Yun Hen were doing something unspeakable. The entire house was dark, and the moonlight only shone on a part of the house. Both of them were in the dark portion and in the silence, only a slightly rushed breathing could be heard. Meng Fuyao kept feeling like it was not appropriate, using her free hand to light a candle, but after grasping around for a long time, the candle fell onto the ground, and she could only sigh in defeat. Yet, the person in the darkness suddenly brought her hand to his cheek and gently rubbed against it. Meng Fuyao stiffened and hastily tried to retract her hand only to hear Yun Hen murmur, ¡°¡­ Mother¡­¡± Meng Fuyao stopped moving as she heard him sigh softly, his warm breath against her breath, moist, and after the breath had passed, all that remained was a cool mist, as though it were the feelings of a long-buried past. ¡°¡­ Mother, have you climbed out already? Have you climbed out already?¡± What did that mean? ¡°You¡¯ve pushed me out already¡­ Why can¡¯t you climb out yourself¡­¡± ¡°All this dirt¡­ It¡¯s so smelly¡­¡± ¡®Dirt?¡¯ Meng Fuyao stiffened in the darkness as she watched a pale-faced Yun Hen flinch. This cool and quiet youth had always suppressed all his thoughts and feelings within his own heart, until yesterday when he met Yan Jingchen at the alley after drinking. Those long-buried feelings and memories began slowly resurfacing, starting from the moment Yan Jingchen called him ¡°Little Brother¡±. It was as though his memories had been summoned from the depths of his nightmares, stirring slowly and dragging him into the depths of his bloody and painful past. ¡®The mother who was buried alive¡­ The mother had pushed out her son¡­ Was it like that? Was it like that?¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s fingers started trembling. She had guessed the story of Yun Hen¡¯s birth before as for why an honorable family like the Yan n would abandon their own flesh and blood and be the enemy¡¯s adopted son, there must have been some unspeakable past. Yet she had never imagined that it would be this tragic. Her trembling fingers were caught by Yun Hen, as though he had sensed her thoughts through the slight trembling, He held on even tighter onto her hands, his five fingers locked around her own as he mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll pull you up¡­ I¡¯ll pull you up¡­¡± Suddenly, he gave a powerful tug. Meng Fuyao was still thunderstruck by Yun Hen¡¯s past and was caught unaware as her body jerked forwards and she fell onto Yun Hen¡¯s chest. Yun Hen immediately hugged her tightly. Meng Fuyao immediately struggled to get up when she suddenly heard some movement from behind. She turned around only to realize¡ª Zhangsun Wuji was standing right by the door, watching her intently. Lying awkwardly on Yun Hen¡¯s chest, Meng Fuyao smiled sheepishly at the ¡°hero¡±. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s face was expressionless as though he were stuck in the darkness of a dream. Upon seeing Meng Fuyao¡¯s sheepish smile, his eyebrows shot up wordlessly. Following that, he pushed open the door and walked towards them. He nced at their intimate position, then at Yun Hen, then pointed at Meng Fuyao and chastised, ¡°Why are you still lying on him, do you really want him to have nightmares about being pressed down by dirt?¡± Meng Fuyao red at him tearfully as she thought, ¡®This person really is one of a kind at insulting people, what am I, dirt? I¡¯m the most beautiful dirt in the world¡­¡¯ Slowly, she removed herself from Yun Hen¡¯s grasp, but just as she managed to extricate herself, Yun Hen immediately iled his arms desperately trying to grab her again. Zhangsun Wuji reached out and tapped his vital point as he pulled Meng Fuyao to one side, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve already sent him the soup, cleaned his sweat, and even let him hug you. Is it my turn to drink some soup now?¡± Chapter 181 - Untitled Chapter 181: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao found this sentence odd, yet was unable to retort. Looking into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes, she could see some sort of emotions in them, yet she could not decipher if it was anger. Regardless, she knew it was not appropriate, and from her experience, as long as Zhangsun Wuji felt that it was not appropriate, she could not say otherwise. With much resentment, she said, ¡°Drink then.¡± She handed over the bowl of soupzily to Zhangsun Wuji, but he was not going to let her off so easily. ¡°Here? In someone else¡¯s house?¡± ¡®Goodness, this young master is certainly a handful to wait upon. Also, what is with that sour smell emitting off you? How stingy!¡¯ Gloomily, she grabbed the soup and followed behind him. He strolled leisurely around the garden, where mimosa silk tree flowers bloomed joyfully. The pale pink of the flowers resembled the attractive lips of a youngdy, fanning out into rows of red. Zhangsun Wuji walked towards a white stone table and sat down. ¡°This ce is beautiful, scenic, where everything is clear and pure.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. ¡®Is he insinuating that her being with Yun Hen in a room is ¡®dirty¡¯? Geez, what a tight-arsed man.¡¯ Resting his chin on his hand, Zhangsun Wujimented, ¡°Is mydy nning for me to drink the soup with my eyes?¡± This poor, tormented servant could only bitterly serve up the soup in a bowl. She shoved the bowl in front of him, spilling it on the table. With augh, he looked into the bowl andmented, ¡°This amount included everyone but yourself?¡± Meng Fuyao snapped back. ¡°I am just a poor, suffering cook whose life is to serve my masters their soup!¡± Heughed and slowly scooped up the soup. ¡°I did not mean to disturb the two of you.¡± Her heart sunk a little, yet she stillmented, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you generously say ¡®please continue, I did not see anything¡¯ and just leave?¡± Zhangsun Wuji ignored this thick-skinned ruffian and continued, ¡°Because¡­ I received news on Feng Jingfan¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± She sat there, with her mouth agape. He chuckled and sent a mouthful of soup into her mouth. ¡°Here, to the most honorable chef.¡± Meng Fuyao swallowed it in the most inelegant way she possibly could, ignoring his gentleness. Then, she anxiously grabbed onto his sleeve, asking, ¡°Dead? Killed¡­ really? Is¡­ it a lie?¡± ¡°ording to the news, they met with the bandits fighting for territory in the borders of Tiansha. Feng Jingfan was identally killed in that exchange.¡± Zhangsun Wuji slowly sipped his soup as he contemted. ¡°What about Fourth Prince Feng?¡± ¡°Escaped in shock and got separated with his sister. He went back to search for her corpse only to find a shoe of hers.¡± Meng Fuyao frowned. Then, she realized that Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s tone was unusual. ¡°Are you saying that there was no corpse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhangsun Wuji tapped his finger on the table and looked towards the north. ¡°Variables appeared. Feng Jingfan¡¯s assassination was nned by my subordinates. They are professional assassins and have never failed missions of such nature. Yet, this time, a strange phenomenon has appeared. ¡°Mn?¡± ¡°They lost a portion of their memories.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Zhang Wuji turned to look at her. ¡°Their memories were from where they masqueraded as bandits and intentionally included Feng Jingfan in the conflict. They remembered everything clearly until the point where she was shot. However, when she fell down the cliff, everyone¡¯s memory blurry. More so, a majority of the people did not even realize that their memories had been tampered with. Their memories jumped from when Feng Jingfan fell off the cliff to where they came back to report to me their aplishment. In their eyes, this was a normal, sessful assassination.¡± ¡°Then how did you realize something was abnormal?¡± ¡°The leader of the invisible guards. He participated personally as he was worried. He has followed me for the longest, picking up some stuff, and he felt that something was wrong. He has a habit of checking the time frequently, and I had especially given him a golden pocket watch from the western region. After checking the time, he realized that there were 25 minutes where they had no memory of any actions.¡± He looked towards Qiongcang, the stars reflected in his dark eyes. In his gaze, a form of uncertainty and weariness lingered as he remembered someone who was present at thest round of thepetition that day. Slowly, he muttered, ¡°Perhaps, someone I really hate finally appeared¡­¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and curiously asked, ¡°You have someone you hate? I never thought that you could have such normal human emotions.¡± ¡°When you have learned to love, you will learn to hate. And I am d I have learned.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled lightly as he stared at her lovingly. Embarrassed, Meng Fuyao could not help but turn away. But at that moment, she suddenly recalled something. ¡°I remember you practice a form of art that can remove one¡¯s memories and control them. Could it be¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled gently. ¡°Fuyao, sometimes you are indeed intelligent.¡± She paused, and then said, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, I have never been one to inquire deeply into things that people do not tell me. That¡¯s why I have never asked about your birth and the peculiar things about you all this while. But do you really intend to not tell me anything if I do not ask?¡± Zhangsun Wuji ced his bowl down and sat down beside her. He held her hand in his palm as their knees touched and gently said, ¡°Fuyao, I have already told you what I should, but for the things that I did not, it is because knowing them will do you more harm than good.¡± A quiet sigh escaped his lips. ¡°I think it would be better for me to make a trip to Fu Mountain¡­¡± ¡°No need!¡± From afar, a woman¡¯s voice could be heard. The voice seemed to ring right beside their ears, yet at the same time, it seemed to havee from the other end of the word. The voice sounded¡­¡±empty¡±, with the intonation of every word the same. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s gaze changed ever so slightly, and he pushed Meng Fuyao away. He then ced his hand on the white stone table. What followed was a crack appearing on the white table. The crack came, without a notice or sound. Initially, it was like a light slit across the table. But gradually, the crack deepened, and like a de, made its way towards the direction of Zhangsun Wuji, inching closer to the eight treasure lotus soup. The woman¡¯s satiricalughter resounded in the air. It was a peal ofughter voided of any joy, yet, the voice was now more alluring than before. ¡°Senior Brother, you certainly are enjoying yourself. I havee from afar, are you not going to treat me to a bowl?¡± Zhangsun Wuji tapped his finger on the table. That crack that was continuously expanding stopped right beside the bowl. He lifted one of his eyebrows andmented, ¡°Tai Yan, you¡¯ve never been one to snack.¡± ¡°An asional snacking is surely fine. Just look at this lotus soup, what kind of exceptional, sacred soup this must be for the Senior Brother who has distanced himself from the worldly affairs and emotions to enjoy this soup being fed to him as he overlooks the beautiful scenery?¡± In her meandering, the crack once again extended. With his finger, Zhangsun Wuji smoothened over the crack and in an unperturbed tone, said, ¡°Merely amoner¡¯s taste. It definitely is not something that you will take a fancy of, lest it taints your sophisticated pte.¡± ¡°Would I be any more sophisticated than Senior Brother? That genius that even I have to look up to?¡± Her tone was filled with unmistakable scorn, removing any bit of allure she had and recing it with mockery. ¡°So, you can drink it but I can¡¯t?¡± In her veryst word, her voice cracked as it turned into a high-pitched shriek that reverberated, splitting open the bowl. The bowl broke apart, yet, not a single drop of soup spilled out. Zhangsun Wuji had lifted his hand the moment Tai Yan raised her voice and swiftly gathered the soup, even maintaining its original shape without spilling a single drop. Zhangsun Wuji stared at the soup, with a hint of weariness in his eyes. He fixed his cold gaze at the corner of the roof and said, ¡°You can have it. Not only this but whatever I can get, you can get too. I told this to our teachers years ago. So, right now, you may leave.¡± ¡°Why should I leave?¡± Following Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s gaze, a tiny figure appeared at the corner of the roof. A ball of light-pink blending with the moon, looking so soft and fluffy. It also resembled a ball of mimosa silk tree flowers, causing a mismatch between the alluring, mature and cynical voice that they had heard. But there was absolutely no doubt that the voice belonged to her as she shouted, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji. I hate when you do this. I told you I don¡¯t want you to let me, and you do not have the right to let me!¡± Just as she finished her sentence, with a ¡®bam¡¯, the stone table instantly shattered into pieces. The fragments danced in the air, initially slowly, then with a sh, they gathered together, forming a long snake heading straight for Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s forehead. Zhangsun Wuji ced his hand in front of Meng Fuyao to prevent her from being injured by the fragments. Then, he stretched out his fingers and shed, silently cutting the ¡°stone snake¡± into two. But that ¡°stone snake¡± divided into another section and reassembled itself swiftly. Suddenly, it transformed into a stone fan, and as the woman flicked her wrist, the fan swung back and forth, attacking Zhangsun Wuji. Zhangsun Wuji waved one of his hands, and the bowl of soup became strings of pearls flying in the air. Those ¡°pearls¡± became a strand of m beads at the tip of his finger. The pearls knocked against the fan and shattered into dust. ¡°Since you want it so much, I¡¯ll let you try,¡± he said coldly. Tai Yan snorted. With amand of a finger, those white stone fragments immediately realigned themselves, transforming into multiple things; a butterfly, the clouds, the storm and the legendary dragon that resided in the deep sea. Regardless of angle, aggression or size, Zhangsun Wuji was able to counter them all with a bit of soup. Unlike Tai Yan, he did not conjure up an array of forms but instead used the beads of soup in a different formation to defend. Chapter 182 - Untitled Chapter 182: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Such a meticulous yet vicious battle. Even so, Zhangsun Wuji was still smiling. ¡°Congrattions, Junior Sister. There I was wondering why you would once again step back into the worldly affairs. It must be because of your mastery over the heavenly arts.¡± ¡°Right. After you, I have mastered.¡± Tai Yan¡¯s voice returned to that elegant yet distasteful tone. ¡°It is forever ¡®after you¡¯¡­ Zhangsun Wuji, I think that without you, there will be no ¡®after you¡¯. Am I right?¡± With a flick of a finger, the wind started to roar as the petals on the ground swirled with the wind, forming a giant crimson red spear, dashing towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s chest. ¡°Then, if there is no ¡®after¡¯ me, I will be the only one. Am I right, Tai Yan?¡± Zhangsun Wuji said calmly as he flicked his finger. That string of beads suddenly gathered into a heavy, translucent ball, hitting straight onto the spear. Bang! It was hard to imagine that the collision of those fragile petals and soup could result in such a tremendous impact; and even harder to imagine that such breathtakingly beautiful battle could ensue ¡ª petals dancing around in the air as the spear was shattered by the pearls of water, creating a purple and red horizon of petals. Meng Fuyao remained seated. Her gaze was fixated on this battle that did away with all movements except of the finger. Mesmerized by that fast-paced, ever-changing battle, she could feel her adrenaline pumping. Ever since she broke through the sixth level ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡±, each level could further be subdivided into three sections where she had to get past them. Currently, she had yet to find the method to cultivate the second section of the sixth level, ¡®Break of Dawn¡¯. But the battle between Zhangsun Wuji and his junior sister Tai Yan had allowed her to gain enlightenment. With dust all over her, Meng Fuyao excitedly paid attention to Zhangsun Wuji and Tai Yan¡¯s every movement, contemting over every movement that brought about millions of changes to life, searching for the origins and process of these changes. Her finger subconsciously emted the moves, sponging up the miraculous actions. Engrossed, she failed to notice the anger on Tai Yan¡¯s face. Bam! Meng Fuyao suddenly felt a burning sensation on her cheek when a force hit here. She staggered backward as Tai Yanughed coldly. ¡°You scoundrel actually dare to secretly learn the heavenly arts! Go die!¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned back and red with anger. Meng Fuyao regained her bnce and caressed her cheek. She could feel her face heating up and the appearance of a red welt ¡ª her blood immediately boiled. ¡®pped me? How dare you p me! ¡®In my two lives, I¡¯ve never been pped! ¡®How dare she hit ady in her face. Thisss must be looking for death!¡¯ Without a word, Meng Fuyao jumped and rushed out. But someone was faster than her. Zhangsun Wuji, who remained in the same spot throughout, suddenly moved. With a sh, he dashed across the dancing petals to the opposite rooftop. In mid-air, he waved his sleeves and directly attacked the roof. Tai Yan had sat on the roof, expecting his attack. His attack came, though was unexpectedly directed at the roof she was sitting on. Tai Yan fell from the roof. She quickly did a flip in mid-air andnded on the floor with much elegance. With a snort, she raised her hand to attack, but Zhangsun Wuji was now on the half-destroyed rooftop. Looking down on her, he prepared to attack once more. Shocked, Tai Yan subconsciously moved backward on to have the wall behind her copse. She could only move forward, towards Meng Fuyao rushing towards her direction. Smoothing her sleeves, Meng Fuyao sprinted forward. Seeing that Tai Yan was being forced in her direction, Meng Fuyao eagerly weed her with a p only for Tai Yan to sessfully avoid it. Tai Yan vanished and appeared right behind Meng Fuyao, with a smirk, she said, ¡°You have no ability to eveny a finger on me.¡± Her sentence was barelypleted when a purple finger shed past her eyes and delivered a p to her. The sound of the p lingered in the air ¡ª a celebratory sound of the stinging pain on Tai Yan¡¯s cheek. The sound had Zhangsun Wuji grinning. ¡°Me pping you is equivalent of her pping you.¡± ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you shameless prick. How dare you join hands with someone to attack!¡± Tai Yan clutched her face as a sardonic peal ofughter came out of her mouth. ¡°Do you not have the least bit of shame?¡± ¡°Since you have learned to pull off sneak attacks, why can¡¯t I surround you?¡± His icy cold eyes pierced through her. ¡°Tai Yan, you and I have fought for many years, and you still refuse to let the matter go. This is up to you but let me warn you that if you dare to harm the innocent, I will not mind personally killing a fellow disciple.¡± ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, let me tell you as well. As long as you are alive, I will forever continue to fight you.¡± Tai Yanughed manically. ¡°Since I have mastered my heavenly arts, teachers have allowed me to intervene with worldly affairs once more. Henceforth, I will have all the time in the world to go against you. What you do, I will destroy. What you protect, I will harm. I will prove to the teachers who is the real number one!¡± Her finger pointed to Meng Fuyao. ¡°Like this. This p is merely a prelude. From now on, when I am not in a good mood, and there is time, I wille and p her.¡± Meng Fuyao scowled at her. ¡®This vicious¡­ midget! ¡®Urgh¡­ Fine, a decently exquisite midget. ¡® Tai Yan actually looked like a kid with a height of a 12-year-old,pleted with a round and chubby face with some baby fat. If not for that mature voice and that bright gaze, she would be the epitome of a delicate young girl with rosy cheeks. Midgets tended to be disgusting and ugly, but she wasn¡¯t. But when Meng Fuyao looked at her face and height and then listening to her voice, she felt as though the voice was ipatible with the rest of her body. It was uncertain if Tai Yan was born with this ipatibility or if it was an after-effect of something else. ¡®This Tai Yan seems to be enemies with Zhangsun Wuji right from the start. Does she feel that pping me is equivalent to Zhangsun Wuji? Then, ain¡¯t I losing out?¡¯ Tai Yan turned a blind eye to Meng Fuyao¡¯s inquisitive gaze, seemingly unbothered by the attention her unique appearance had garnered. She clutched her face and turned to look at Zhangsun Wuji with much disdain. Zhangsun Wuji looked at her with weariness and exasperation. He was done bickering with Tai Yan and casually blocked in front of Meng Fuyao. The Lord Yuan Bao that slept through the conflict finally woke up and poked his head out to take a look. To its utter shock, it saw Tai Yan and immediately squeaked. ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± But that squeak was not from Lord Yuan Bao. A Lord Yuan Bao look alike, albeit a fatter version, climbed out from Tai Yan¡¯s sleeve. It had a glorious ck fur, and the moment it saw Lord Yuan Bao, its eyes brightened up and sping its ws together, it rushed forward. ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Lord Yuan Bao scurried back into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s clothes and burrowed in desperately, as deep as it could. ¡®I did not see anything, I did not see anything, I did not see anything¡­.¡¯ But this ck Yuan Bao refused to let go and was ever ready to dash forward. ¡°Squeak, squeak! Squeak, squeak, squeak!¡± It struggled as Tai Yan grabbed its tail and shoved it back into her sleeves. ¡°ck Pearl! Stop being such a let-down! It is not as though all male rats have died, why must you go for the ugliest!¡± Lord Yuan once again poked its head out and squeaked angrily in response to her false allegations. ck Pearl immediately turned back with tears in her eyes and scolded Tai Yan. ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡± Amidst all those squeaks, Meng Fuyaopletely forgot about the p and almost broke down. ¡®My God, the many evils of the world to actually have a ck Yuan Bao!¡¯ Tai Yan finally managed to shove ck Pearl into her sleeve ¡ª her scolding was still ongoing and even started to recite love poems. The squeaking was absolutely intolerable. She nced sideways and people like Zong Yue and Yun Hen, who finally took notice of themotion, rushed over. Without another word, she turned to leave. Looking at her back, Zhangsun Wuji asked, ¡°Her?¡± ¡°If you have the ability, find her and kill her.¡± Tai Yan¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and then she leaned in to whisper, ¡°My unprecedented Senior Brother of a genius, if I would say so myself, your skills seem to have gotten rusty¡­¡± Tai Yanughed heartily. Without waiting for Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s response, she waved her sleeve and walked onto the wall beside her. A neat pair of footsteps appeared as she calmly made her way up the wall and onto the rooftop. She then walked on air, slowly and steadily, as though gravity had no impact on her. The wall which she had crossed was indented with her footsteps. As everyone was being entranced by the extraordinary disy of Qinggong 1 which defied the usual limits and workings, Meng Fuyao suddenly squatted down, picked up a stone and threw it out. ¡°What a showoff, what a faker!¡± Bam! That stone actually managed to hit Tai Yan on her back. With a ¡®bam¡¯, an assortment of white and grey dust appeared on her back. Tai Yan did not guard against this sudden, shameless attack and swayed unsteadily, almost falling off to the ground. She tried her best to stabilize herself and barely managed to keep the demeanor of an elite martial artiste. With a sh, the white figure vanished from the sky. pping her hands together, Meng Fuyaoughed, unrestrained. ¡°Youngdy, I knew that Qinggong exhibition of yours was extremely dangerous. The point in which old power makes way for the new power is the weakest, and there, you have certainly made a fool out of yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡± Meng Fuyao then touched her face, brushing against her wound. The ends of her hair stood up. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you either!¡± ¡°Zhangsun Wuji ah, Zhangsun Wuji.¡± Meng Fuyao sat beside Zhangsun Wuji as she looked at him with her head resting on her chin. ¡°Thanks to you, my face has been involved. Shouldn¡¯t you have some exnation regarding this Junior Sister of yours that jumped out of a rock?¡± ¡°Tai Yan is the daughter of my teacher¡¯s brother. She is ferociouslypetitive.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and pried away her hand on her cheek. Upon seeing that the red mark had more or less faded, satisfied, he then continued, ¡°Before I entered as a disciple, she was the most gifted and highly regarded. But subsequently, when I entered as a disciple, she gradually began to hate me. Just as you have seen, she will go against me with whatever chance she gets.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with her height? Born with it?¡± ¡°No, it is because she practices the Art of Lady. Tai Yan is toopetitive, wanting to get a headstart on everything. Art of Lady will hurt the person cultivating it, and one should only practice it after 15 years of age. But to be first, she started when she was 12. In the end, her body got stuck at that age for eternity. It is pitiful though she personally does not think so. She feels that women taller than her are all ugly.¡± Chapter 183 - Untitled Chapter 183: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao snorted and said, ¡°Eh, speaking about her, why is she always trying to go against you?¡± She racked her brains, thinking, ¡®Would this be another way of expressing her feelings?¡¯ During her previous life, when little boys chased after little girls, they would always pull at their braids and made them cry. ¡°You don¡¯t understand Tai Yan. People who grew up where I trained wouldn¡¯t develop romantic feelings.¡± Zhangsun Wuji could tell what she was thinking, and he smirked. ¡°If there was somebody who, from the first day you appeared, tried ways and means to chase you away,id traps where you trained, let venomous beasts into your room while you slept, ced numbing needles in your clothes on the second day of yourpetition, following you wherever you went, constantly thinking up ways and means to get you in trouble¡ªdo you think this is called affection?¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent for a moment before retorting, ¡°What kind of lousy junior disciple is she, and, listening to her tone, what is she fighting with you for? Zhangsun Wuji, it¡¯s not that I want to chastise you, but you¡¯re the soon-to-be king of the top nation. What other position under the heavens could be higher than yours? Just let her off and save on this annoying nonsense.¡± ¡°Do you honestly think that there would be anyone or anything willing to let her off given that personality of hers?¡± Zhangsun Wuji sighed and continued quietly, ¡°Apart from you, this is probably the only other thing in my life that I cannot stand, yet can¡¯t do anything about.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear anything. I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡¯ ¡°Sleep.¡± Zhangsun Wuji patted her and said, ¡°If you can¡¯t fall asleep, I don¡¯t mind apanying you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy!¡± Meng Fuyao dashed to her room, sprinting faster than a hare, leaving Zhangsun Wuji and Lord Yuan Bao facing each other. After a long time, Lord Yuan Bao gave a long, mncholic sigh. ¡®Ah¡­ ck Pearl, why didn¡¯t you die from obesity¡­¡¯ Hearing Tai Yan¡¯s tone, it seemed that Feng Jingfan had been saved by her, and unsurprisingly, the earth-shaking news arrived that Princess Lotus and Fourth Prince Feng of Xuanji had run into assassins at the border of Tiansha, the prince had managed to escape, but the princess was killed, and the King of Xuanji was extremely upset. Although he had many children, he had never chosen an heir, and it was said that he secretly wanted to choose the elegant and benevolent Lotus. Yet such an incident urred, and the aggrieved empress had thrown a fit and prepared to head to Tiansha to settle scores with Zhan Nancheng, only to be stopped by the King of Xuanji. The couple even had a huge fight at the entrance of the pce, and the king¡¯s face ended up having a few new scratch marks. With such a sacrifice, he managed to control the female tiger in his pce and hurriedly wrote a letter to Zhan Nancheng, beseeching him to hand over the murderer, but where was Zhan Nancheng supposed to look for the murderer? All the officials he had sent to Fu Mountain to investigate the murder had note back to him. Zhan Nancheng sighed impatiently as he scrunched his eyebrows. Just then, he met Meng Fuyao who was there to greet him. During this period, he had enjoyed working with her, and she had provided him with a considerable amount of military stratagems and advice. Zhan Nancheng had also begun bringing her along with him more and more, at the beginning they were separated by quite a distance, butter he let down his guard and often asked her to meet him. Upon hearing it, she smiled and said, ¡°How is this difficult? A three-legged toad is hard to find, but two-legged assassins are a dime a dozen.¡± Thereafter, along with a group of guards, she personally left for Fu Mountain that night, traveling hundreds of miles to kill all the bandits located near the mountain. After that, she ordered the heads of the bandits to be ced in front of the messengers from Xuanji, intentionally forgetting to preserve the heads, which began to rot in the summer heat, causing the officials and Fourth Prince Feng to run away before even taking a look at the heads, retching, and vomiting against the mountain walls. Meng Fuyao grabbed a head and ran after them, saying, ¡°Eh eh, take a good look first, seeking revenge for the princess is more important-¡± Fourth Prince Feng covered his face with his robes as he shut his eyes and turned away, waving his hand and eximing, ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ªIt¡¯s fine¡ªIt¡¯s fine¡ª¡± ¡®Fine it is then, who asked you not to look carefully.¡¯ When Meng Fuyao returned to the pce to report to Zhan Nancheng, the two of them smiled at each other, and Zhan Nancheng¡¯s eyes glinted as he asked, ¡°Did you do it? You and I have always been honest and frank with each other, you can tell me, I won¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled at him and said, ¡°Your Majesty, during the incident at Fu Mountainst night, your servant was still at the restaurant drinking wine. I think Your Majesty knows it too, but if I had been given the chance, I truly wanted to say that I had done it myself.¡± Zhan Nancheng broke intoughter, thinking that he and Meng Fuyao hade to understand each other even more. But Meng Fuyao brought out a piece of paper and discreetly handed it to Zhan Nancheng. ¡°Your Majesty, I found something important!¡± The moment Zhan Nancheng read it, his expression changed. Written in crooked handwriting were the words: ¡°ck Dragon in the wild, raising our g high in the wind!¡± Zhan Nancheng rolled the piece of paper up and leaned heavily against his armrest, then stood up and walked around the room restlessly, his head bowed in thought. From his semi-bowed appearance, his eyes flickered, and his expression was that of anger, with a hint of concern within the anger, as he continued to think without saying anything. Meng Fuyao pretended not to know anything and asked innocently, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of secretnguage that is, there was a folksong from the vige in the four wilderness, has Your Majesty heard of it?¡± ¡°It is but nonsensical and ignorant gibberish,¡± replied Zhan Nancheng. Then, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at her, saying slowly after a moment, ¡°General Meng, since you were unhappy about not being able to fight when you were at Wuji, are you willing to help Tiansha and establish yourself lest you live a life without achievement?¡± ¡®My God, you¡¯ve finally asked the question!¡¯ Meng Fuyao felt a tinge of warmth in her heart, and her eyes became teary, but on her face was an excited and nonchnt expression as she said immediately, ¡°Very well, these few days I¡¯ve already quit being Wuji¡¯s official. Now, I will build up a huge army under Your Majesty¡¯smand, best if it¡¯s a border army so that I can-¡± ¡°You are such a talented individual, how could I ask you to suffer and be the leader of the border army?¡± Zhan Nancheng waved his hand. ¡°You will hold a vice-captain position in the imperial camp¡¯s Flying Leopard Army. Although it¡¯s of the fourth rank and not as high as your original position, if you do it well, the position of the General of the Flying Leopard Army will be yours!¡± ¡°Your order is mymand!¡± After a thousand years outside of Tiansha, returning on the seventh month, ck Dragon rises from the wild. Ever since parting at Pandu she had not heard any news from Zhan Beiye, yet the moment she heard from him, it was with such shocking aplishment. On the thirteenth day of the seventh month, Zhan Beiye had just arrived at Geya and barely had any rest, yet he immediately summoned the huge army hidden in Geya to join the north-eastern border soldiers in battle. Killing the enemy general Liu Wei, he earned the title of ¡°Unstoppable King¡± as he raised the gs of rebellion and sessfully stormed his way into the maind of Tiansha. At the same time, when he was on the way to Geya, the warriors from the wild had already begun their attack, using the strength that they had built over many years, from Pan Du to Geya, killing the assassins hidden in Changchun Mountain and all who doubted Zhan Beiye¡¯s loyalty for the kingdom. Rumors of Zhan Nancheng¡¯s army misusing his army had also spread all around and even a legend was spread, ¡°The gods determine the victors of war, the ancestors have a saying, within the two generations, ck Dragon of the wild has sided with the Ferocious King, the king chosen by the heavens has arrived.¡± The legend quickly spread thousands of miles to the maind of Tiansha, eating away at the people¡¯s faith in the current king. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Yuecheng fell. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, Yunyang fell. On the twentieth day of the seventh month, Kuixi fell. On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, Jinyan, the capital city of the Taijing government, surrendered the city as the ck Dragon banner approached. On the twenty-sixth day of the seventh month, the final barrier between the north of Tiansha and the central region, the city of Jinshui, was broken, and three thousand soldiers were released. On the twenty-seventh day of the seventh month, the capital city of Minglin surrendered. On the third day of the eighth month, when the great ck Dragon army was resting their horses by the river, the undefeated army finally encountered their first great resistance right in front of the greatest border of Tiansha. The two armies were separated by the river as they stared at each other, shouting across at each other. The killing intent of both sides could be felt across the river like a ck cloud, a huge battle imminent. On the third day of the eighth month, at night, along the banks of a ferociously flowing river, atop a tall rock, was a man in ck sitting on a ck horse, staring far into the south, the moonlight engraving his shadow on the ground like iron. The wind howled, the night seemed to slow as he flew by in his ck robes, the red embroidery on his shirt like a furnace burning from within. As the moon shone on his single face, illuminating his dark eyebrows, illuminating textures on his shirt, illuminating the expression on his face as he looked up into the sky above the heart of Tiansha, his eyes were filled with deep longing. ¡®Fuyao¡­ I used the fastest time of two months to return to Tiansha and to the ce closest to you. ¡®Are you¡­ well? ¡®At this moment.¡¯ When the Ferocious King Beiye zed through the seven nations, the city of Pandu was facing a simr rebellion, and 100,000 soldiers were being activated to quell the rebellion. Compared to the mes of war, a certain person¡¯s promotion was not that obvious anymore, such as, a certain True Martial Arts Champion, a famous, skilled martial artist with no brains who gave up his position in Wuji to be a vice-captain in Tiansha¡¯s imperial army. One was an earth-shaking change, while the other was an inconspicuous promotion. From the looks of it, they seemed entirely unrted, and nobody would think of linking these two things together. Hence, nobody knew the secret and unspeakable link between the two, just like the infinite possibilities on a chess board, nobody would be able to predict the ending of the nation¡¯s great civil war at this moment. On the third day of the eighth month, at night! There was wind and rain, the moonlight shone on the lonely river! Meng Fuyao finally returned from her new position, swaying as she walked back, hugging several trees and smiling stupidly along the way¡ªshe had been invited to drink again. The new captain was generous and idiotic, just because she said a few words of praise he had been extremely happy and treated her out of his own pocket, inviting his fellow soldiers every few days to drink until they became good brothers. If not for the fact that there was an imminent war at hand and that the king would be angered, he would have brought the entire camp out to drink with beautifuldies. She had drunk too much again tonight. Leaning against a tree, she shouted for beauties, and knocking into another tree, she shouted for handsome men, making things difficult for Tie Cheng as he struggled to support her, unable to ovee her strength. Before returning to Meng Fuyao¡¯s manor, they had to pass by a small alley in themon folk¡¯s neighbourhood, and Meng Fuyao walked by with familiarity, counting the number of shadows that the walked past. Suddenly, just as they rounded a bend, they banged into someone. Chapter 184 - Untitled Chapter 184: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Aiya, beauty!¡± Meng Fuyao touched the tip of her nose and closed her eyes as she apologized, ¡°Big Brother didn¡¯t mean to bump into your chest¡­¡± ¡°Fuyao¡ªrun!¡± It was said extremely softly, as though it were a ray of moonlight or a slight breeze, yet it struck Meng Fuyao with such suddenness. rmed, she raised her blurry eyes, but the person had already brushed past her as though he were a gust of wind and disappeared into the depths of the little alley, leaving only a faint, familiar sound of breathing, carrying with it the taste of sunshine that she had felt before. Meng Fuyao¡¯s vision suddenly cked out. Following that, she noticed that the night was extremely hot and humid with the smell of impending rain, and a faint smell of smoke drifted in the air. The smell of the slightly moist smoke was heavily concentrated in the narrow alley, blocking their path like an iron board. And as for the sky above her, she wasn¡¯t sure when the faint yellow light of the moon disappeared. Meng Fuyao got up suddenly. She got up and immediately raised a leg and kicked Yao Xun out of the way. Yao Xun was not expecting the kick, and his long and thin body drifted out like a kite. Due to his exceptional Qinggong, he flipped his body in mid-air and crossed over the wall. Yet, he wasn¡¯t able to cross over the wall. A sh of smoke appeared, and the sky darkened and brightened as a faint yellow smoke surrounded all four directions,ing down on them like a nket from above. ¡°Shhh¡ª¡± Mist! Had the darned old man recovered from his wounds already? He actually came to kill her in this dark alley without caring about his status! A look of incredulity shed past Meng Fuyao¡¯s face¡ªNo matter how entric the top ten were, they at least all had some individuality and the air of a true master; this Mist was truly a disappointment to the top ten, he should be removed! The haze became thicker and thicker, and she heardughter within the mist, ear-piercing and eerie. Meng Fuyao knitted her brows together and cursed, ¡°Which old pigeon is learning how to squawk like a chicken in the middle of the night, do you want to live or not?¡± ¡°Little girls will always be this fearless of death.¡± Mist¡¯s cackling was as near and far as ever, ¡°I was dyed by some misceneous duties recently. But today I especially took some time out to take your mongrel life,e on, be a sport, just kill yourself.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Meng Fuyao wriggled her eyebrows and drunkenly flung a broken tile at him. ¡°Be a sport, use this tile to smash your own head.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The haze thickened and rose into the air, condensing into a spear and striking straight for her! Whoosh! A gust of wind as strong as a desert sandstorm filled the air,ing from below and above and simultaneously mping down like an enormous nket, mercilessly falling upon Meng Fuyao and her guards. The ¡®nket¡¯ was humongous, covering a huge area around them and Meng Fuyao and her men were like ants, unable to escape in any direction. However, Meng Fuyao did not try to escape either. She suddenly raised her head andughed strangely, her eyes glinting brilliantly, piercing through the smoke; where had the drunkenness from before gone? ¡°Old mongrel, you¡¯ve been had!¡± Before she finished her words, she suddenlynded a punch on the wall beside her. With a loud crack, the ¡®bricks¡¯ of the wall fell offpletely, revealing a ck iron sheet. She kicked it, and a deep hole suddenly appeared on the ground they were standing. Immediately, Meng Fuyao and her guards jumped down, followed by herughter, ¡°May this gentleman enter the tunnel!¡± She reached into the pre-prepared pit and pulled a lever; instantly, with a loud rumbling noise, all the walls of the ¡°alley¡± fell off, revealing iron sheets. Thereafter, following the contraption, the iron sheets quickly formed together, trapping Mist right in the middle! Mist let out a blood-curdling roar. ¡°Shameless!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled unabashedly and reached into the pit, retrieved the spear she had prepared beforehand and jumped out with her guards¡ªthis iron sheet could only trap Mist for an instant, time was of the essence! Between the iron sheets, the smoke diminished, shing intermittently; Mist could strike out at any moment! Meng Fuyao stepped onto the far corner of the pit and leaped up. Halfway up, Tie Cheng gave a great shout from behind her and waved his spear as Meng Fuyao stepped against it, sending her up five feet into the air like a whirlwind. She handed atop the metal box and immediately plunged her spear through the iron sheet with lightning speed! Yao Xun, Tie Cheng, and the other guards sprinted over as well andunched their swords forward in unison, piercing the steel box. Mist roared angrily, and the steel box split open with a tremendous bang, splintering into a thousand ck metal fragments in the night sky. Whoosh! A sh of white light appeared above them, and lightning streaked between the clouds like golden snakes dancing. The clouds seemed to tremble, and countless droplets of water began to fall, first gently, then getting heavier and more intense as the droplets were blown about by the wind, looking like crystals falling from the sky. ck steel fragments were scattered on the entire ground, and under the rain, they glittered brilliantly. The water on the ground quickly flowed in all directions, and among the various streams of water, one of them was dyed a pale red. Mist was standing there with a deep, bloody hole on his shoulder. His knee was bleeding as well, fresh blood spurting out and staining his yellow master¡¯s robes crimson. His face was pale as he stood there breathing heavily. Following his breaths, the smoke surrounding his face seemed to thicken and fade, and each time, the smoke seemed to be even denser when it reappeared. It was clear that having taken two blows from Meng Fuyao had truly angered him, and he was probably going all out to kill her now. However, Meng Fuyao refused to give him a chance to strike back. Sheughed under her breath and with a sh of Destiny Rebellion, its de shing white under the moonlight, she lunged forward with great force. Rise Wind, Ascension, Moon Soul! After winning the final battle of the True Martial Arts Meet, this was the first time Meng Fuyao used her newly-honed skill ofbining the powers of Gale, Moon Soul and Ascension in battle. She had been training diligently this period to get used tobining the three great inner energies. As such, there was no sound of the wind nor great light, yet the air around them had suddenly turned a bone-chilling cold, and she had be more than three times faster than the usual human limit. Speed! The true power ofbaty in speed; in facing an opponent whose inner energy far exceeded one¡¯s own, one had to be a shifting wind, everchanging, not giving one¡¯s opponent a single chance to unleash his ability! Meng Fuyao had turned into light and shadow, into the whirlwind that traveled thousands of miles, swirling around in all areas without limit, with only one target at its core¡ªevery evil deed that Mist had done! Mist could no longerpare with her in terms of speed. He was injured, and his movements were inhibited, the wound on his shoulder especially severe; it was Meng Fuyao¡¯s lethal blow, and ordinary masters would have already been skewered by the spear, but more importantly, the tip of the spear contained poison! As for the four walls of the iron sheet surrounding Mist, they all sprayed poison! Now, he was poisoned, injured and forced into a fight with Meng Fuyao. Tie Cheng and the other guards rushed forward to aid her only to be met with her re as she scolded them, ¡°Damnit if I still need your help by now, I don¡¯t need to live anymore!¡± Out of the corner of her eye, high up on the roof of the opposite house, she noticed a person sitting there, his pale purple robes drifting lightly in the air. The person was even holding an umbrezily and on his knee squatted a certain white-furred lord. Both person and rodent were smiling down at her with no intention of moving. It was the person that always let her go her own way yet always kept her within his vision. Meng Fuyao smiled slightly and turned back to fight and kill without worry. As for the two perched on the roof, they too watched as she fought and killed without worry. Mist¡¯s assassination attempt in the night had failed, and he was mentally exhausted. Adding on to getting injured and poisoned unexpectedly, he was physically exhausted. Now that he was facing the well-prepared and ruthless Meng Fuyao, he was running out of energy. However formidable a strong contender was, he always had a limit, and with all three aspects exhausted, one could only die! The 328th move. The smoke surrounding Misting from his palms was thinning. Meng Fuyao used a feint and proceeded tounch aplicated set of hand movements. She had learned it from watching the fight between Zhangsun Wuji and Tai Yan that night. Once theplicated dance wasplete, Mist raised his hand tond a blow only to hit empty air. At the same moment, Meng Fuyao stepped back and turned around, her ck hair flying around her like a dense fog. In a single graceful move, she had already backed herself straight into Mist¡¯s chest! It was an extremely unexpected move, and Mist had never thought to fight backward, yet someone had actually dared to leave her own backpletely exposed to him, even running straight to him herself. Mist was startled, and itter would prove to be fatal. Sha! The ck de sliced through the rain in a sh. Meng Fuyao retracted her sword, blood running down its de, gleaming under the night rain. As the rain slowly washed away the blood, it looked as if it were a soundless dance of life, fading into nothingness after a moment of brilliance. The rain did not make any sound, and the two were both drenched in rain and blood. Meng Fuyao kept her back against Mist¡¯s chest until she felt the body turn cold, as though the smoke that lingered around him suddenly dissipated through his wounds. She raised her eyebrows, raised her leg, and did a backthrust. With a ¡°ping¡± the body flew into the air several feet before skidding against the wet ground for another few feet andnding partially submerged in a puddle. A faint stream of reddish water streaked along the floor. His blood was the same color as anyone else. It was as though after death there was no shocking difference due to his status. Just like that, one of the top ten, whose name had been shaking the earth for thirty years, the legendary master Mist, died on a most ordinary rainy night in a little alley. He was killed by a young woman barely eighteen years of age. If anyone had the chance to witness this fight, they might not have even believed their own eyes. Except, there was someone who had seen everything clearly. In a dark corner up ahead, Yan Jingchen was slowlying back to his senses, his vision cloudy¡ªhe had watched the entire fight, from Mist¡¯s initial offense to getting trapped to Meng Fuyao fighting against him to his eventual demise. He stood there motionless, not daring to believe what he just saw as he stared into nothingness, as though he had not seen anything, yet also as though he had seen the benevolence and kindness of fate. He lowered his head slightly, staring through the rain, watching a smiling young woman with a sword in hand, her long hair and robes flying freely around her, her silhouette like that of a celestial being. The air about her was severe yet warm, without an ounce of arrogance, yet it made one unable to tear one¡¯s gaze from her brilliance, and it made one feel ashamed to approach. Chapter 185 - Untitled Chapter 185: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yan Jingchen could no longer be near to¡­ Meng Fuyao who was once his. From the time that she disyed the ¡°Breaking Nine Heavens¡± technique in the True Martial Arts Meet, he once again felt the distance andck of fate between them. That figure under the limelight would forever be the scroll of art or the flickering chandelier that hung high in his life ¨C beautiful but out of reach. She had left him far behind. Even if he did not cherish himself, even if he was willing to sacrifice everything and put himself in a humiliating situation, in the end, he was not even deserving ofing into contact with her. Meng Fuyao was born to stand on the pinnacle of life. The romance that happened on Mystic Essence Mountain was merely a gift from Heavens for him to meet her, and he was not destined to be able to wish for more. Then, his vision slowlynded on Mist¡¯s corpse thaty motionless in the alley. That was his teacher, benefactor, and foe. He thought that he would never be able to escape from Mist¡¯s needs and traps, just like how he would never forget the pain he suffered during those disgusting and humiliating nights. But today, because of her, he was free. Yan Jingchen understood what she meant ¨C she killed his wife and then destroyed his nightmare aspensation. What a straightforward but pitifulpensation. As for him, from now on, should he continue to drown in pain, or let go and try to forget? Yan Jingchen stood in the rain, and his robes were drenched. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao put down her sword, and her smiling eyes ¨C an expression he had never seen before ¨C fell upon the spectator standing on the opposite roof. Those eyes were gentle but they evoked joy, and a glimmer shed by in her pupils. On the opposite side, the spectator had an umbre in hand, and as he slightly leaned forward to smile at her, his calm eyes seemed to embrace the entire universe. The moment that their eyes met. Yan Jingchen instantly felt that he was shrinking to the size of a speck of dust that floated in the skies. Momentster, Yan Jingchen brushed past Meng Fuyao and slowly walked towards the corpse. He squatted and scooped it up. The aged bodypletely deted in his arms and it could no longer bring any harm to him. As for those intertwined destinies and the love-hate rtionship, in the end, they would follow this body to be forever buried. With Mist in his arms, Yan Jingchen stood up. No matter what, Mist was once his teacher, and he had the responsibility to give Mist a proper burial. Step by step, he walked away, and there was not a moment that he looked back. Meng Fuyao watched his figure gradually fade into the darkness. ¡®Yan Jingchen, our grudges have finally been settled today. Hopefully, you will make the right decisions for the path ahead.¡¯ Behind her, Tie Cheng and his subordinates cleared away the metal scraps. All the residences around this area had actually been bought by Meng Fuyao, and a barrier was set up at the outer rim to stop people from entering. Over the past few nights, a fake alley made out of metal ¨C a trap ¨C was built within the original alley. By feigning drunkenness to scratch the walls and lie on the tree, Meng Fuyao was merely triggering the trap. A few days ago, when Mist finished recuperating and rushed back from the rural hills of Pandu, she had already spotted him. She drank and actively sought entertainment, just to wait for him. Having no advantage at all, how could Mist not lose? An umbre slowly hovered over her head and blocked the downpour. Under the umbre, that person beamed, and the gentle and radiant smile brightened up the chilly night. Meng Fuyao looked up and simrly showed him a satisfied smile. ¡­ In the seventh year of the Thousand Springs era, on the third night of the eighth lunar month, a general from Heaven Demon led his army to cross the banks of Qi river, in an attempt to discreetly attack the ck Dragon army. He was, however, defeated by Zhan Beiye, who was awake and waiting. When his soldiers waded over the Qi river and emerged on the other side, they were greeted by the ck and ghostly metallic pikes of the ck Wind Horses soldiers. On the same night, Mist, one of the top ten martial arts wielders, was killed. The news of his death created an uproar. When it reached the ears of the other nine experts, most were baffled, except for the couple who chased each other for 38 years, and they exchanged a smile as they simultaneously recalled the strong and determined girl on the Fallen Phoenix Mountain. The silver-haired man slowly said a sentence that would soon continuously spread around the whole world, ¡°This is just the beginning.¡± ¡°The era of the top ten wielders will pass by, and the new generation will finally rise.¡± ¡­ The next target ¨C Zhan Beiheng! There used to be a reasonable number of offsprings in the royal family of Heaven Demon, but over the years, the second, fourth, eighth and ninth son had all passed away at a young age. If it wasn¡¯t for the farsighted grandfather who sent Zhan Beiye to Geiya in his earlier years, he might have long been dead. When Zhan Beiqi died in the Changhan mountain range, Zhan Nancheng was only left with Zhan Beiheng by his side. As the longest-surviving prince and a somewhat trusted confidante of the Emperor, Zhan Beiheng would definitely not be as in and incapable as he seemed. From Meng Fuyao¡¯s observation, he was a cunning and scheming man who had great tolerance ¨C Ya Lanzhu used to be his fiancee, but she disregarded their marriage agreement and chased after Zhan Beiye instead. While she became theughing stock, he was not spared from the mockery as well. However, he nonchntly agreed to break off the engagement and treated Ya Lanzhu like a stranger from then on. When they met at the True Martial Arts Meet, his expression did not waver at all. A person like him meant trouble. With him around, even if Meng Fuyao killed Zhan Nancheng, she would only be doing a favor for him. Hence, Meng Fuyao has already decided to first kill Zhan Nancheng, and then ughter Zhan Beiheng. The method to kill him ¨C by using the hands of someone else! Now, Meng Fuyao was a general under Zhan Beiheng. Thetter managed the imperial guards on behalf of the Emperor and was the boss of Meng Fuyao¡¯s boss. He was in the good books of the Emperor, and every day, he would receive an overwhelming number of visitors trying to meet him. As the pair of stone guardian lions had been polished sparkly clean by the officials who leaned on them, they were reced by a pair of steel ones, and he earned the reputation as the ¡°Aristocrat of the steel guardian lion doors¡±. A man like Prince Heng would not bother to meet a subordinate¡¯s subordinate like Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao made three visits to his residence, and each time her card that was used to request for an audience was collected by the stuck up attendants at the door, yet she could not meet Zhan Beiheng at all. But she was not anxious. When she went back, she expressed her amazement that it was a rarity among royals to have someone receive such special favor from the Emperor, to which Zhangsun Wuji replied, ¡°Is the Emperor especially generous to him recently?¡± After some thinking, Meng Fuyao agreed, ¡°Seems true.¡± ¡°Just like how one tries to essorize flowers with beautiful brocades or add oil on top of a fire, everything starts to go downhill once one reaches his zenith.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°History has proven that either the ruler or the subordinate will definitely change during a period of reign. Zhan Nancheng must have be suspicious of Zhan Beiheng.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes darted around, and she pounced on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s knees. Looking up at him innocently, she said, ¡°Your Highness, Fuyao is loyal to her ruler and has always pledged allegiance to Wuji. It is merely a temporary antic to devote myself to another court now. Seeing that you¡¯re showering me with so much favor, could it be that my death day ising soon? I beg Your Highness to not favor me, please don¡¯t favor me-¡± Everyone spat out their rice at the same time, and Ya Lanzhu barked, ¡°Meng Fuyao, how shameless of you!¡± Faking a kick, Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°Away with you, I dislike the sight of you. You can continue being a nuisance to civilization for another thousand years.¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled and sauntered away, heading towards Zhan Beiheng¡¯s residence for the fourth time. This time round, she did not give the attendants her card. Instead, she stopped the two attendants in an alley not far from the residence and gave them a fierce beating. Afterward, she demanded, ¡°Who told you guys to look down on me and not let me in? From now on, I¡¯ll beat you up every time I see you.¡± The attendants cried, ¡°Captain Meng, this, this¡­. It¡¯s not up to us to make the decision¡­¡± ¡°F*ck, you dare belittle me? I¡¯ll make you broke.¡± Meng Fuyao cursed and then she instructed, ¡°Later when I¡¯m at the door, take my card. Wee me in a grand fashion, and then serve me tea and chat with me in the waiting area. You no longer have to pass the card to the prince, and just do what I told you. If you keep to my instructions, I¡¯ll not beat you up.¡± If she did not want to deliver her card to request for a meeting, why would she be there? Just to drink tea and chat at the waiting area? The attendants could not fathom it, but her request made their jobs a lot easier, and they hurriedly agreed. Momentster, Meng Fuyao strolled to the door, and the door was opened quickly even before she delivered her card. The attendants squeezed past the crowds to wee her, giving her 90-degree bows and formally inviting her in. Officials who had been waiting under the scorching sun turned their heads in unison and stared at Meng Fuayo. ¡®Thisd is something! The servants of Prince Heng usually have their noses up in the air, and since when have they ever been so humble and courteous? There¡¯s an 80% chance that he is the Prince¡¯s confidante!¡¯ thought most of them. After a while, Meng Fuyao ambled out of the door as the attendants politely sent her out of the door. In a loud voice, she said, ¡°I suddenly remembered that I have urgent matters to attend to. As for Prince Heng, I¡¯lle byter for him to call upon me!¡± When everyone heard that, they felt that Meng Fuyao was even more amazing. ¡®He cane and go as he wishes, and that definitely means that he has intimate ties with the Prince!¡¯ they thought. In a hurry, those officials who had been unable to enter crowded around Meng Fuyao and blocked off her path. One after another, they tried to curry favor with her, and their chatter was all over the ce. ¡°May I know of your noble surname, General?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Governor Liu, what an honor to meet you, General¡­¡± ¡°General, you¡¯re handsome, and you have a spectacr aura. I took a liking to you when I first saw you, and I really hope to meet you. Do you happen to be free? I booked a table in a grand restaurant, and I hope that you¡¯d grace the banquet¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was all smiles, and she responded, ¡°It¡¯s hot under the sun, let¡¯s talk under the shade.¡± So, under the shade, they went, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands were very soon filled with gifts, many of which by those who had requested for her ¡°speak kind words¡± of them in front of the Prince. Some officials even wept on her sleeves and cried, ¡°Please take pity on me. I¡¯ve entered the capital for so many days, but I¡¯ve yet to see the Prince. My money is running out soon even though I don¡¯t even have a proper job. Lord Meng, if you can help, please help¡­¡± ¡°My pleasure! My pleasure!¡± Meng Fuyao beamed as she left, under the watch of the expectant officials, and with her arms filled with luxurious items. The next day, she visited the residence at another time of the day. She pulled off the same trick, and simrly went back with a huge load of gifts. The day after, she continued to receive the offerings but this time round, she carried a basket. After days of repeating the same routine, the attendants anxiously went up to her and said, ¡°General Meng, His Highness is waiting for you at the garden. Chapter 186 - Untitled Chapter 186: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios With augh, Meng Fuyao turned back and instructed, ¡°Bring forward my gifts!¡± Her guards brought forward a huge basket filled with the gifts that she had epted over the past few days. When Zhan Beiheng saw the casket, he could not help butugh. ¡°General Meng, you¡¯ve got the guts to ept my gifts in front of my residence!¡± Waving her hand, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Returning the property to the rightful owner. If I didn¡¯t do so, how would you be willing to meet me?¡± Both exchanged augh, and Zhan Beiheng summoned for tea to be served. ¡°The world only knows of General Meng¡¯s martial arts skills. Little did they know that you were so smart,¡± he remarked. Meng Fuyao beamed and responded, ¡°It¡¯s just to entertain you, Your Highness. You have countless capable men under you. How would ordinary tactics grab your attention? I could only think up of such a shocking method, under such helpless circumstances.¡± However, Zhan Beiheng narrowed his eyes until they were as thin as the tip of a needle. Without any hint of a smile, he said, ¡°You¡¯re already a favored person of the Emperor, and rumors have it that you¡¯ll soon be the General of the Flying Leopard Army. I¡¯m just aid-back Prince who has nothing to offer you. Why would you spare so much thought to forcefully enter my camp?¡± ¡°A true General should have the ambition of conquering the world. Naturally, only I would know who is able to offer me a channel to fulfill such an ambition.¡± Meng Fuyao gulped down her tea andughed, and she added, ¡°Your Highness, you say that you can¡¯t offer anything, but I feel that you can offer me much more.¡± ¡°What high-sounding remarks!¡± Zhan Beiheng changed his expression, and he stared at her icily. ¡°What else can I give you? What is it that you want?¡± ¡°Since when do people demand for things without offering any presents first?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed nonchntly under his scrutiny. ¡°It¡¯s still too early to tell you what I want. I¡¯m not that thick-skinned to state my requests without aplishing something for you. How about this, I will show you my sincerity.¡± Leaning forward, she stopped by his ear and smiled. ¡°Your days are numbered!¡± ¡­ ¡°You guys didn¡¯t see how he looked like then,¡± Meng Fuyao illustrated dramatically, ¡°It was as though a prick suddenly appeared under his bum, and he almost jumped and hit my chin.¡± All along, when Meng Fuyao spoke, Zong Yue would always eat his meal on the side. This time round, he casually sipped on his tea and without looking up, hemented, ¡°Meng Fuyao, can you for goodness¡¯ sake be more focused when you bite on bones? If your teeth broke, there¡¯s no way that I¡¯d be able to install a fake one for the second time.¡± Grumpily, Meng Fuyao stared at him and said, ¡°Mongolian doctor, can you for goodness¡¯ sake not rub salt on one¡¯s wound?¡± ¡°Your entire body is filled with wounds anyway. It doesn¡¯t matter which one I rub salt into.¡± Suddenly, Zong Yue ced his teacup on the table and asked, ¡°The treasure from Moon Soul that was soaked in snow lotus ¨C where did you move it to?¡± Meng Fuyao was momentarily stunned. Then, she recalled that it seemed to have been taken away by Zhangsun Wuji. As to where he shifted it to, she never bothered to ask, since she never cared much about such treasures and Zhangsun Wuji wanted to take it. Instinctively, she wanted to look towards Zhangsun Wuji, but she stopped herself. Speaking to herself, she said, ¡°Oh, about that. I was scared that rats would eat it, so I shifted it somewhere else.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one rat here.¡± Zong Yue smirked. A certain Lord rolled his eyes. ¡®I¡¯m not a rat, how many times do I have to repeat that?¡¯ ¡°I took it.¡± Naturally, it was Zhangsun Wuji who spoke. With a calmposure, he added, ¡°I took it to study its medicinal effects.¡± ¡°Study its medicinal effects?¡±Zong Yue immediately turned around and sniggered. ¡°Wuji¡¯s Crown Prince is multi-talented, but I never knew that he was also the best in the world in leechcraft.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best physician, of course,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji and showed no signs of anger. ¡°But being the best in healing others doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re the best in using medicine.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zong Yue straightened his back, and his face was ashen. The usual peaceful and clear demeanor suddenly changed, and his eyes turned as dark as the foggy night sky. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that I used the medicine wrongly, and I¡¯m harming Fuyao?¡± Zhangsun Wuji remained silent and continued drinking tea. At this point, Meng Fuyao was dumbfounded. ¡®What did Zhangsun Wuji mean? Why would he say that Zong Yue used the medicine wrongly?¡¯ Over the past two years, she had been injured countless times, and Zong Yue had healed her every time. Some injuries were so serious that any other person¡¯s inner energy would have suffered a great blow, but under Zong Yue, her martial arts foundations were never harmed, and his treatments even strengthened her inner energy. Her ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± technique improved at the speed of lightning, and even Gale¡¯s and Moon Soul¡¯s inner energy were sessfully incorporated into her own. If there was anything wrong, would she not have already died thousands of times? Worriedly, she looked at Zong Yue ¨C he appeared calm, but he was actually very prideful. He had long reigned in the realm of leechcraft and was universally respected for his skills. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s usation could be counted as a direct and personal attack, and the seriousness of this matter was no less than a mighty and eight-feet tall man not being able to go through sexual intercourse. ¡°Hey, stop talking¡­¡± she tugged on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s sleeves and whispered, ¡°Erm, let¡¯s go sleep¡­¡± Meng Fuyao bit on her tongue once she said that sentence. ¡°Shucks!¡± she eximed and promptly covered her mouth. Feeling like she was about to cry, she thought, ¡®Sh*t, how unlucky, I don¡¯t even know to speak when I¡¯m anxious. What a low-standard sentence¡­¡¯ Yet, that dude who always capitalized on every possible opportunity immediately looked back and smiled. ¡°Okay, once this is settled, let¡¯s sleep together¡­¡± In the meantime, Zong Yue continued to stand straight on his spot. Solemnly, he spoke, ¡°Crown Prince, you have yet to answer me.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked down, and momentster, he frowned. ¡°Mr. Zong, since we all have no intention of harming Fuyao, let¡¯s not dwell too much into this matter. I¡¯m sleepy, please excuse me,¡± he replied and stood up, ready to walk away. ng! A glimmer of light shed, tracing a clean arc in mid-air, andnded coldly in front of Zhangsun Wuji. Slowly looking down at the knife directed towards his heart, and then at the emotionless wielder, Zhangsun Wuji waved his hand and stopped the dashing motions of both Meng Fuyao and his guards who were in hiding. Gently, heughed. ¡°Mr. Zong, knives are not meant to be pointed towards friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not deserving to be the Crown Prince¡¯s friend,¡± said Zong Yue. ¡°And I have always disliked a particr habit of yours ¨C you always spoken in half sentences, always looked down upon others, and always handed out things out of pity. Those receivers don¡¯t even understand why they have been pitied.¡± Silently, Meng Fuyao thought of how Zhangsun Wuji hinted that Zong Yue used his medicine wrongly, but intended to walk away without offering an exnation. That was equivalent to shutting Zong Yue up and not offering him a chance to defend himself. No wonder Zong Yue was angered. As Meng Fuyao was absorbed in deep thought, her expression must have turned to one of disapproval, and Ya Lanzhu and Yun Hen must have had simr expressions too. Only the guinea pig dashed out and started to chatter and wave his arms in the air. Meng Fuyao grabbed him and stuffed him inside her sleeve. ¡°Don¡¯t create trouble!¡± she chided. Suddenly, Zhangsun Wuji gazed at her, but his emotions were a little strange. He seemed to feel helpless and sighed at her. After staying quiet for a while, he reached out and gently pushed away the knife. Sitting down slowly, he questioned, ¡°Do you really want me to say something, Mr. Zong?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zong Yue retorted calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll only ask you a few questions.¡± Once Zhangsun Wuji made up his mind, he no longer hesitated. He asked, ¡°When Fuyao was injured at the Fallen Phoenix mountain, her inner energy was severely disrupted by Cloud Soul. Did it show signs of instability?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zong Yue agreed straightforwardly. ¡°However, I treated it for her and even used precious herbs to remove the blood clots. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He spoke with a provocative tone, to which Zhangsun Wuji ignored. He added, ¡°Okay. So, when Fuyao participated in the third round of the True Martial Arts Meet, she forcefully advanced into the next level, and almost erupted and died on the stage. It was only because of Sir Yun¡¯s extremely frosty inner energy that this did not happen. I believe you know that too.¡± Nodding, Zong Yue answered, ¡°Yes, I also did not forget to remove that frosty inner energy from Fuyao¡¯s body when I was soothing her blood vessels. What exactly do you want to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only ask a question.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°How did Fuyao sessfully incorporate her own inner energy with Gale¡¯s and Moon Soul¡¯s energies?¡± Zong Yue opened his mouth to reply, but realization struck him, and his expression changed. ¡°During that period, Fuyao continuously got herself injured and did not properly rest at all. Yet, her inner energy improved at a miraculous speed, to the point that it defied norms, for her to be able tobine three gusts of superior inner energy so quickly,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said speedily, ¡°There¡¯s a limit to one¡¯s energy, and any advantagees with a w. Her inner energy improved quickly, but what about her meridian system? At what time of the day were those lines repaired? They are not like steel trees, which can continue to grow even after they are shed, not to say that even steel trees can¡¯t abstain from a weakened foundation after continuous damage.¡± Zhangsun Wuji added, ¡°So I want to ask Mr. Zong ¨C to aplish such a miraculous feat, to improve at a pace that defied nature¡¯sws, how did Fuyao do it?¡± Then, he asked, ¡°I want to ask Mr. Zong ¨C have you not heard of the story of plucking the weeds to elerate growth, which teaches that too much zeal spoils everything?¡± Zong Yue fell silent. His expression changed numerous times, and his already ashen face further paled by a few shades. The gentle light shone and reflected his clear yet misty eyes, which resembled a cup of crystalline but rippling alcohol. Meng Fuyao was once again dumbfounded. No wonder she was always surprised by how fast she progressed. The old Taoist priest was known as a genius, but even he entered the sixth level of the ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± technique six years after her. No wonder she felt that her inner energy was not stable, and after every round she passed, the time taken to stabilize her energy was more than the duration she used to advance in her skills. No wonder she was always confused as to why she had continuously suffered serious injuries ¨C and while normal people would take days to recover, and suffer setbacks in their skills to protect the meridian system ¨C she seemed to advance even while she recuperated. No wonder! Zong Yue used medicine to suppress injuries in her meridian system, causing her body to prioritize advancement over the protection of her organs. But that didn¡¯t sound right either. If her meridian system never had time to fully recover, problems should have arisen by now. Why was she still feeling fine? Furthermore, no matter what, she adamantly refused to believe that Zong Yue would harm her. His intentions were to protect her. If she didn¡¯t advance and incorporate those inner energies before the True Martial Arts Meet, she would have lost long ago, right? Chapter 187 - Untitled Chapter 187: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios At the moment, the entire room was silent with only the coarse breathing of the people in it. However, Zong Yue seemed to be gradually calmer and even cracked a smile after a while. ¡°Yes, Zhangsun Wuji, I admit that you¡¯ve asked the right question, but then again, how do you know that I would definitely not have a solution?¡± ¡°I know Sir Zong is fearless and that you probably already have an idea in your mind. I also know that you have never had the intention to harm Fuyao, which was why I never mentioned it.¡± Zhangsun Wuji gazed outside the window at the flowers swaying in the wind with a gentle expression and softly continued, ¡°Just that, Sir Zong, no matter what, this idea is dangerous. What should we do if Fuyao encounters something unexpected and you¡¯re not there? With regards to Fuyao¡¯s safety, I¡¯m not assured.¡± ¡°It would make one even more anxious if Fuyao wasn¡¯t skilled enough!¡± Zong Yue immediatelyshed back, ¡°That personality of hers makes her get into trouble all the time, endangering herself and getting injured. If you wait for her to actually sit down and obediently meditate without stopping, how would she ever get enough power to face the countless obstaclesing her way? Furthermore, up till now, she¡¯s been controlling very well without any problems. I didn¡¯t even have to use the ideas I prepared¡ª ¡± He suddenly paused and widened his eyes. This was the first time the calm, sharp-tongued doctor let out a look of shock as he stuttered, ¡°It¡¯s you¡ª It¡¯s you¡ª¡± Zhangsun Wuji immediately cut his words short and got up. Walking past him, he suddenly turned back and said, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand, Sir, you¡¯ve always been slow and steady, why are you being so hasty about this?¡± His tone was light, but Zong Yue looked as if a powerful streak of lightning had suddenly struck his head and he just stood there, dumbstruck. Even if the entire room caught fire, his expression would probably not change. Finally, his face turned a terrible shade of green, followed by white as ayer of frost appeared on his face. Under the dim candlelight, he looked like a paper figure which had been blown frozen by the wind. The entire room fell silent again. The rest did not know which of Zong Yue¡¯s nerve Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s words struck, actually making this elegant and cool person suddenly react as such. Meng Fuyao was shocked motionless as well until Ya Lanzhu tugged at her sleeve and she came back to her senses¡ªno matter what, this fight started because of her, so she had the responsibility of ending it. Meng Fuyao walked over quietly and nudged Zong Yue, muttering, ¡°I know you meant well¡­¡± Zong Yue suddenly retracted his sleeve and pushed Meng Fuyao away forcefully. He had used considerable force, and Meng Fuyao stumbled back three steps. Immediately, Yun Hen and Ya Lanzhu rushed forward to support her as Yun Hen snapped angrily, ¡°Sir Zong, why are you venting your anger on Fuyao!?¡± Tie Cheng, who had been standing guard outside the window, jumped inside in a sh with his sword raised. Meng Fuyao quickly shouted, ¡°Stop it, stop it¡ª¡± However, Zong Yue had already lunged forward and flipped Tie Cheng to the ground, his sword flying out of his hand and lodging itself in a bench, nearly hitting Ya Lanzhu, who shrank back in fright. Yet, Zong Yue had already flown out of the window, his snow-white robes looking like a leaf covered in frost as he disappeared into the night. Meng Fuyao quickly gave chase, but his shadow was already gone. Stopping, she wondered how the dinner had suddenly turned sour like this and turned around to see that Lord Yuan Bao had not left, but was squatting on the ground staring at her. Meng Fuyao stared at it, while it stared back at Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao walked several steps to the left in an attempt to go around it, but Lord Yuan Bao immediately moved to the left as well. When Meng Fuyao moved to the right, Lord Yuan Bao instantly mirrored her actions. In short, it was determined to stand in Meng Fuyao¡¯s way, determined to make Meng Fuyao acknowledge its existence, determined to make Meng Fuyao notice its pure and innocent gaze and evoke guilt for its master. It wanted Meng Fuyao to know that she was a despicable creature that didn¡¯t know how to feel bad until she was reminded. Finally, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and leaped into the air. Thereafter, she strode towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s room¡ªin a courtyard essible through a tunnel from another room of the third courtyard. True warriors must bravely admit their mistakes, and she, Meng Fuyao, had always been a female warrior. Without knocking, she dashed into the room where Zhangsun Wuji seemed to already be sleeping. There was no light in the room, and in the inky darkness, she could see the faint outline of a person lying on the bed, seemingly asleep, breathing peacefully. The entire room was filled with soft breathing, and Meng Fuyao quietened down as well as she listened to the person¡¯s breathing in the darkness. She felt an inexplicable tranquility and calm. She suddenly smiled, thinking that whether she exined or not, whether she apologized or not, really wasn¡¯t that important anymore. No matter what, Zhangsun Wuji knew her, and she too, knew Zhangsun Wuji, so what was there to say? She turned around softly to leave. However, azy voice traveled from behind her as it said amusedly, ¡°Creeping into other people¡¯s rooms in the middle of the night, are you not going to do anything and just leave?¡± Meng Fuyao turned back and smiled. ¡°Beauty, I have no intention of taking anyone¡¯s dignity.¡± With that, she patted her behind and prepared to leave, but the person¡¯s tone suddenly turned mncholic as he sighed softly. That single sigh stopped Meng Fuyao in her tracks as she stood there with her hand on against the door frame, one foot in and one foot out of the room. Zhangsun Wuji flipped on the mattress and raised a hand towards her, saying, ¡°Come,e hug me.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately shifted away. ¡°Can¡¯t a person who was wronged by you get a constion hug?¡± Meng Fuyao shuddered¡­¡¯Why are there people who are so adept at guilt-tripping others? Furthermore, Meng Fuyao, why must you have a conscience?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji beckoned her with a hand, and a rush of warm energy sent the guilty party to his front where he proceeded to wrap an arm around her and pulling off her hairpin with the other as her hair fell in waves around the bed. Zhangsun Wuji buried his head in her hair andy there contentedly for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°How did you think ofing here?¡± Struggling, Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Yuan Bao forced me toe here.¡± ¡°Oh? You didn¡¯t want toe here at all?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled, his expression as warm as a flower yet to bloom in the darkness. ¡°I just wanted to ask you,¡± Meng Fuyao finally found the opportunity to breathe and took a huge breath before continuing, ¡°When I didn¡¯t face any problems earlier, was it because you had been adjusting my meridians?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled without replying, instead brushing his fingers through her hair and untangling a small knot. Finally, he said, ¡°I¡¯m begging you, pleaseb your hair before you tie it up, look at you, your hair is full of knots after it¡¯s untied.¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lip as she stared at the person who refused to admit everything that he had done for her and her eyes felt slightly hot¡ªrecently, he did not look very well and his face constantly held some fatigue and vulnerability to it. She had thought it was because he was tired out by affairs of the country, yet it was actually because of her. Just that, why would simply adjusting meridians make this invincible human so exhausted? Meng Fuyao eyebrows scrounged together, and she was about to ask a question when suddenly, the heavy and mncholic sound of music drifted over from a distance. The song was old and sad, its notes heavy with a kind of innocent, pure, beauty like snow drifting over an ancient road in the dark of night. The melody was neither xiao nor flute, differing from the xiao and clearer than the flute, yet carrying a kind of aftertaste as though drinking a bitter tea and reaching straight through one¡¯s heart. It made one remember the bittersweet taste of fate and life. Still in embrace, the two of them listened quietly. When the song ended, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes had already be moist. She murmured, ¡°Ocarina¡­ I actually got to listen to an ocarina piece with my own ears¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji seemed to have thought of something and suddenly pushed her gently, saying, ¡°You should go.¡± Meng Fuyao got up and smiled at him before turning to go outside. After crossing the courtyard, she reached a garden. In the garden was a pavilion, and standing on the roof of the pavilion, decked in snow-white robes, a man was facing the moon as he blew on the ocarina, a golden-red artifact with dragon and cloud designs. The melody was beautiful yet mncholic, carrying the feelings that had been umted over a long period of time. His white robes swayed silently in the wind, and he looked as if there were some things long buried in his heart that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say but was instead trying to express it with his actions. Meng Fuyao stepped onto the roof as well, sitting down silently beside him. Unintentionally, she nced at him only to see Zong Yue immediately turn away as well, but in that instance, she caught several drops reflecting the moonlight on his face. Those were¡­ tears? Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart jumped! Zong Yue was actually, crying? She had never thought that she would ever see this warm yet proud man shed tears in her lifetime. But Zong Yue had already silently opened his mouth. He said, ¡°Today is Ru Han¡¯s death anniversary¡­ She has been gone for seven years.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡®Who is Ru Han? His¡­ sister? Lover?¡¯ She remained silent, not wanting to ask. Since Zong Yue raised the matter himself, then he should be the one to initiate conversation, and she was only responsible for listening. ¡°She was my fianc¨¦e. We had been engaged since young. Back then, I didn¡¯t like her at all; such an oddball, preferring to y with spears and sticks despite being an aristocrat¡¯s daughter. It seemed like she didn¡¯t like me either, publicly dering that I was weak andpletely useless. We had a huge fight and parted, swearing that we would never marry each other.¡± He smiled drily as he fiddled with the ancient ocarina in his hands. His eyes were gazing expressionlessly into the far horizon. It was as though his feelings were a leaf which had already been pressed between an old book and withered over the years, and taking it out would cause it to disintegrate into fine powder. ¡°After that, that same year, my family¡­ had a tragedy, those that died, died, and those that escaped, escaped. Under the protection of the family guards, I was able to escape death countless times as I ran for my life for 3,000 miles. Back then, our enemy was powerful, and nobody dared to vouch for the innocence of my family. Actually, that was also very normal, everyone lives for themselves in this world, so where¡¯s the wrong in that? ¡°Much, muchter, I finally heard that, after my family was obliterated, someone did stand up to speak, and that person was her. She had gone to the ruins of my house, found the broken shards of my ancestral que of merit and gone to the enemy¡¯s house, throwing the pieces on the ground in front of him and cursing for all to hear, ¡®Just three generations ago, your family swore an oath of brotherhood before the ancestors, never to betray each other, yet now you raise your sword! Justice demands retribution for yourck of loyalty!¡¯ Back then, everyone¡¯s expressions changed when they heard her, but she remained resolute as she said again, ¡®I am also one of the survivors of the Yue family who should have been killed, so please kill me!¡¯ When the enemy refused, she did not back down, circling the city three times carrying the ancestral que as she berated the enemy. Everyone mocked her and dered, ¡®Nie Ru Han must be killed!¡± Chapter 188 - Untitled Chapter 188: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Carrying the que and trespassing the enemy¡¯s house, raising havoc in the city, with just a few quiet lines, the girl that had been gone for seven years was brought back to life, her scarlet robes billowing around her fearlessly. Zong Yue¡¯s eyes had started to moisten again, but Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but p her hands in approval, dering, ¡°What a good woman!¡± Zong Yue nced at her gratefully and continued softly, ¡°I knew that you would like her, you two are very simr in some areas, but after prolonged interaction, there are also many differences. It¡¯s just a pity that she wasn¡¯t willing topromise like you, she was too stubborn and unyielding, or else she wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± His voice trailed off, and Meng Fuyao sighed, hugging her knees as she stared at the moon. She had a nagging question in her heart, but after hearing Zong Yue¡¯s tone, the enemy must have been an extremely vicious person. Why else would he still not kill Nie Ru Han despite being publicly humiliated by her? ¡°Back then I didn¡¯t know that she had done all this and I even used her of being birds of the same feather with that enemy of mine, because back then the country¡¯s nobles all knew that despite beingbeled as the young mistress of the Nie family, Nie Ru Han was actually the illegitimate daughter of the enemy who was adopted by the Nie family. But back then Ru Han herself didn¡¯t know about it; given her fiery temper, nobody dared to tell her, and after that, she really paid no heed to her family¡¯s objections and went around looking for a master and seek revenge for me. The Nie family couldn¡¯t do anything about it and went to beg her biological father, so the enemy summoned several fake ¡®masters¡¯ to teach her ¡®earthshaking skills¡¯. Ru Han was delighted and devoted herself to practicing day and night, but because she was an aristocrat, she couldn¡¯t go out to duel, so she battled the masters at home and naturally, she would always win. Hence, she began to feel aplished in her abilities and really tried to assassinate her father. Needless to say, she failed, but she was indignant and imed she¡¯d heard that I wasn¡¯t dead yet and that she wanted to find me and die together.¡± Meng Fuyao was amused at what she¡¯d heard, and if not for the atmosphere and the fact that the person in question was already dead, she would haveughed. ¡®Ah, this ferocious yet adorable girl, how wonderful would it be if she were still alive? The poison-tongued guy may not be so lonely or poison-tongued anymore.¡¯ Zong Yue turned to look at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes as he said, ¡°Smile if you want, she¡¯s always been a happy-go-lucky girl, she wouldn¡¯t mind it.¡± Meng Fuyao replied gently, ¡°I believe that she would be even more willing to see you smile.¡± Zong Yue did not reply and turned his head away, lightly tapping the golden-red ocarina in his palm. After a long time, he opened his mouth again, but his voice came out hoarse. ¡°She traveled afar, but her skill had never gotten better. Her biological father was a meticulous man who did not miss anything and had sent a considerable number of men to follow her. Once she encountered any danger, they would discreetly use a flying needle to eliminate the danger. As such, she actually managed to make a name for herself out there and became known as the ¡®Sky Needle Witch¡¯. Meng Fuyaoughed for real this time. ¡°Ah, innocent witch.¡± ¡°That year, she really bumped into me in another country. Back then I was having a duel with someone, and she happened to chance upon it. She had eximed when she understood the level of her own skills, but I was distracted by her and lost to my opponent. She saved me after I got injured and took care of me for a long time, yet when I woke up, I immediately pushed her away, mistaking the guards behind her for assassins sent to kill me.¡± ¡°It rained heavily that night, and we were stuck in a mountain cave. I was in the cave and she squatted by the entrance in the rain. She did not beg me to let her in, instead saying, ¡®A-Yue, I finally know what true martial skills are today, I¡¯ve been mistaken¡­ A-Yue, I heard that your medical skills are exceptional, help me, help me raise my skill level and we can go back and kill him together.¡¯ Yet I stuck my nose in the air and told her to get lost. After looking at me for a long time, she got up and left.¡± The night rain fell harshly, and the mountain wind shrieked mercilessly as the fianc¨¦ in the cave, and the fianc¨¦e outside missed the chance to embrace and share their warmth due to a cruel twist of fate and misunderstanding. From then on, they would never have the chance again. ¡°The next time I met her, another year had passed again, at an inn. I saw her enter the inn together with a green-robed man,ughing and chatting merrily, so I went upstairs to confront her. Yet I noticed that she did not look well, as though her inner energy was blocked. I also didn¡¯t know where she had managed to develop inner energy during the past year, and I wanted to stop her and treat her, yet after seeing her carefree and happy expression with that man, I didn¡¯t feel good, so I just left and went back to my room. And the room they booked was right next to mine. ¡°In the middle of the night, I heard some soundsing from the room next door. I was filled with rage and hatred at the time and thought that in the end, she was a loose woman, and it was the right decision to ignore her. Following that, I heard the bed next door begin to rock; it was summer then, so they used bamboo beds, and once there was movement, the sound could be heard very clearly. The more I heard, the angrier and more frustrated I felt, even intending to kill off the adulterous pair, but then I thought that to see such a scene would be the filthiest thing in the world¡­¡± He lowered his head and shut his eyes, suddenly bing quiet. After a long time, with his eyshes glittering with beads of tears, he said softly, ¡°In the end, I didn¡¯t go, in the end, I didn¡¯t go¡­¡± The fragmented memories of the past seemed to resurface and bring about a mncholic pain, and Zong Yue¡¯s breathing became heavier. The golden-red ocarina in his hands trembled in his palm as he grasped it tightly. Fearing that he would break it, Meng Fuyao retrieved it gently from his hands and said, ¡°Is this something she left behind? Don¡¯t break it.¡± Zong Yue responded with a faint ¡°Mn¡± and focused on calming his breathing. After several moments, he turned and smiled at her, yet his smile did not harbor any happiness, and Meng Fuyao quickly averted her eyes and turned away. ¡°The next morning when I had paid for my room and was about to leave, one of the inn¡¯s servants was knocking next door. I didn¡¯t pay much heed to it and intended to walk away, but when the servant pushed lightly, the door opened by itself.¡± The door opened. Seven years ago, the door opened slowly, and sunlight streamed in, shining into the small bedroom. The sunlight was blinding and hurt his eyes, yet from then on he would forever be engulfed in pain and darkness. That door had been locked up with a thousand chains, never to open, thrown into the deepest recesses of his heart. ¡°¡­ She had died on the bed, and the corpse of a man in green robes was lying on the floor.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a curt ¡°ah¡±. Although from Zong Yue¡¯s description she knew that Nie Ruhan was definitely not a promiscuous woman who fooled around, she was shocked to hear that this was how she died and she remained bbergasted at the cold cruelty of her fate. Zong Yue¡¯s voice had quietened considerably, as if speaking to this point was the most painful of all, to the point where he had be numb and unable to feel anymore. ¡°That night, the green-robed man wanted to rape her, and she probably expected it, so she kept a knife beside her pillow. There was probably a struggle, and in the struggle, although she had managed to kill the other party, the inner energy controlling her anger suddenly went out of control. After that, the rocking sound from the bamboo bed was due to the extreme pain when she went into psychosis before she died.¡± ¡°When she died, her body was curled up, one hand grabbing her chest, the other reaching out as if yearning for something¡­¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lip. ¡®What a cruel way to die¡­¡¯ In the small inn, with all lights extinguished, one struggled alone in the darkness as she fought the final battle of her life, the other enraged due to a misunderstanding, eventually not making the crucial step to save her. When she died, she did not know that the person she was calling for was just next door; when she died, he did not know that she had never betrayed him. Was the hand that reached out during thest moment of Nie Ru Han¡¯s life an illusion that she conjured with her final breath, having mistaken the hard wall for the chest of the man she loved? Yet she would never know his true feelings behind the wall. So close, yet so far. And Zong Yue was not speaking anymore. But Meng Fuyao had already understood everything he said. The reason behind his haste was but an attempt to relieve the unrelievable burden in his heart. That year, if he had helped Ru Han raise her skill level, she would not have approached quack doctors in desperation and built up inner energy the wrong way, resulting in her being prone to psychosis and her death at the inn. That chance meeting at the inn, if he had treated her once he saw that she was not well, things would not have turned out this way either. These two mistakes had taken away all the happiness in his life, resulting in his haste in trying to help Meng Fuyao raise her spiritual level. He was afraid that if she encountered any danger, just like Ru Han, she might hurt herself because she did not have enough power. The reason why he was so dedicated to helping Meng Fuyao control her wounds, treating her immediately when any problem popped up before her body had any chance to even recover by itself, was because he was afraid that Meng Fuyao would be like Ru Han, and he would miss the opportunity to save her and lose her life. Arge part of how Zong Yue gained the title of ¡®Holy Doctor¡¯ was due to the speed of his treatment; once he epted a patient, he would go all out and work day and night to treat the patient in the fastest time possible. Meng Fuyao had thought that this was just his personality, but now she knew that the reason for his haste was an irreversible mistake. The nightmares of his past that he could never escape! Meng Fuyao sighed, the breeze carrying her sigh into the night. However, Zong Yue took back the ocarina in her palm and rubbed it tenderly before bringing it to his lips. A stream of music drifted from his lips, carrying the pain and sadness of the past, as well as a hint of longing that could never be extinguished. It was the melody of a girl dancing among the falling autumn leaves, treading lightly on the maple leaves without breaking any of them. The years continued to go by, and the fallen leaves could never return to its branch, yet its memory remained ever so warmly. A song of ¡°The Sorrow of Loss¡±. Humans are always suffering from the sorrow of loss, yet refuse to reconcile. Standing atop the pavilion, in the night breeze, under the moonlight, he slowly began to blow his ancient ocarina. The young girl decked in elegant robes, her eyes bright and sharp, bent down to scold him, ¡°You¡¯re such a scrawny and useless chicken, you won¡¯t be able to protect me at all!¡± The young girl stuck her nose in the air with a childish temper. Only that many yearster, what she said would actuallye true. And that year on Xuanyuan Mountain, vibrant and full of life, the young woman leaped across tree after tree as he raised his head to gaze at the greenery above him, catching a glimpse of her lowered eyelids¡ªluminous as snow, like a snowke that had fallen on her eye. Chapter 189 - Untitled Chapter 189: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Then, that time on the water. A helping hand. Meng Fuyao¡¯s long hair graceful floated on the surface of the water with her graceful movements. The moment they made eye contact, Zong Yue¡¯s heart stopped as it reminded him of his childhood friend. Emotions he could not understand rushed up as he threw away his very important waistband just so he could quickly escape. Whether he left back then, the wheel of fate had already started to spin. They had once again met at the Wuji Red Stone Hill where she had stopped and robbed with her half-assed martial arts. Suddenly, Zong Yue wanted her to stay. And so, he used an excuse to make her stay as a maid. She was definitely a talent. With her, they went from King De¡¯s residence to Yaocheng where he had witnessed her crying over the pain of others, watched her save normal citizens and saw that sly her in front of Magistrate Su. He had seen how she made the bailiffs surrender, ordered them to fake information, find evidence from a corpse as well as ferociously choke the throat of Ah Shina. Such a vicious yet kind, deceitful yet sinceredy. Such a casual yet respectabledy where she would choose to lock her feelings to disperse the poison instead of obeying another. Zong Yue gradually realized that Meng Fuyao was Meng Fuyao, she was not Ru Han. Despite the simr dazzling gaze, despite their strong character, what remained in their heart was vastly different. Ru Han had rejected gentleness with her fortitude, but she had embraced gentleness with her fortitude. When Yaocheng was surrounded, Meng Fuyao actually chose to feign surrender, and she entered the enemy¡¯s camp alone. As the citizens of Yaocheng spit upon her in despise, she forged ahead. A heart filled with righteous ardor was but forsaken by the masses, almost forced to take her own life outside the gates of the city. He was at Qiongcang picking herbs back then. When he received the news of her adversity his hands trembled and the stinking passion flower he had finally picked after a grueling process fell down the abyss. But he could not care less, rushing down the mountain. Within a few days, he had exhausted a couple of horses to death as he rushed to Yaocheng. A journey that had almost caused his old injuries to rpse. To see her fine and well, a long sigh of relief escaped from his lips. It was also as though something in his heart was gradually copsing. When the news of Zhangsun Wuji ¡®death¡¯ arrived, Meng Fuyao broke down. Yet, she still remained standing in a calm and collected manner. She refused to cry ¡ª she would let the enemies shed those tears. Zong Yue watched as she quietly and emotionlessly made it through and was reminded by the Ru Han that vowed to get revenge against her father. Using her frail hands that never lifted anything heavier than a spoon, she carried the heavy monument of achievements. Dragging herself forward, she made it through 3,000 miles. When she had reached the pce hall, she was crushed by the monument as she attempted to put it down. Blood spilled from her mouth, but all she did was wipe the blood away and continued carrying the rock another three rounds around the crowded market. Till this day, he could not understand how Ru Han was able to carry that monument. The girl that had never trained a day in her life. Suchdies. Braving through the storms yet staying resolute. Their unique charm came from their perseverance. Zong Yue always thought that he admired suchdies and wished thatdies that had Ru Han¡¯s strength, and even more gentleness than her, would always be protected and loved. He did not want to, once again, witness the sorrowful end that Ru Han to rey itself. But, was that really the case? Last night, after Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s gentle questioning, it was as though the hazy thoughts had be clear. He was able to look into his emotions ¡ª those ¡®cold¡¯ yet lingering thoughts he had, crystal clear. Ru Han was the fiance he had no fate with and never loved. The number of times they had met could be counted with one hand, but he still remembered. He remembered the pain, the guilt when he had let her down, but it was those feelings that slowly blurred her face in his memories. Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, was apanion in life¡¯s journey. Her presence was a scenery that would attract people to chase after, and would be more and more pronounced and clear as time went on. But why? Why was he so afraid? Why was he so afraid that she would end up the same as Ru Han? Even though he knew she was not? Because he cared, he was afraid to lose her. Those longings were hidden deep, long frozen by the experiences he had. But finally, spring came and warmed his heart. Those frozen emotions started flowing again. That wave finally started moving. But unfortunately, the wave would no longer be able to wash up the bank of longing, for the thousand-mile-long bank that belonged to her reflected the light of another moon. Zong Yue smiled. His pale lips gently pressed onto the ocarina and yed ¡®The Parting Song¡¯. Her by myself, the pain of parting. A melody, a silent sigh. Zong Yue yed his ocarina through as the moonlight reflected on him. Meng Fuyao sat beside him, with her hair dancing in the air, quietly observing his side profile as she was reminded of thedy whomitted suicide by hitting her head against the wall and their tragic fate. She was reminded of the privilege that was favored by the god-like figures¡ªZhangsun Wuji, Zhan Beiye, Yun Hen, Yan Jingchen. ¡®Is it destined that these privileged people must be gued by the worldly affairs more than a normal person would? ¡®When they have status, wealth, position and knowledge, it is as though God must take back some of the ordinary happiness to belong to them, to add an imperfection on that beautiful life.¡¯ To love deeply would throw away one¡¯s life; To be strong would attract insults. Meng Fuyao quietly stood up. This moment belonged to Zong Yue and his fiancee, and this day for the memorial should not be easily disturbed by anyone. She slowly made her way out, not knowing the person in the heart of the man on the pavilion, the man ying the ocarina under the moonlight, was her. Till she left, Zong Yue never once turned back. His fingers gently danced on the sound hole, and he smiled calmly. ¡°Ru Han, why do I feel that my meeting with her was a punishment from you?¡± Meng Fuyao did not hear that sentence. A little downcasted, she headed back to her room and climbed into her bed, and then in a warm embrace. With a quiet ¡®En¡¯, Meng Fuyao pushed him away. ¡°I am not in the mood to joke around or punch anyone. You can go.¡± ¡°I know you are not in a good mood today.¡± That person did not move but instead pulled her into his embrace with his slender fingers. ¡°So I am responsible for delivering you some good mood.¡± Between the two, there was still some gap. Lord Yuan Bao immediately crawled over and filled in the gap. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help butugh. And then she rejected with a single word ¡ª ¡®hot¡¯. That person very cooperatively adjusted the surrounding temperature by using his inner energy. His inner energy was more on the cold side, and by using it to cool down the surroundings, the temperature wasforting. With Lord Yuan Bao on her shoulder, Meng Fuyao was now reluctant to part with this. She grabbed his palm and said, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, what a rare asion that you are such a good boy.¡± That personughed; his chest vibrated slightly. ¡°To someone like you, tough love doesn¡¯t work. All I can is be a good boy and hope that General Meng will spare me some concern.¡± ¡°You sound so pitiful.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. Her eyelids grew heavy as she drowsiness hit her. ¡°Who knows how many people have been victims of your honeyed wordsced with evil intent.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he looked at her. Thatdy, with a graceful disposition, bathed in that gentle moonlight. Her fatigue had added azy allure that was unlike her usual cheerful self. Her long and silky eyshes that brushed against his palm reminded him of a cat; thatziness and mysterious vibe. The eyshes that fluttered tickled his palm. He smiled gently and asked, ¡°What story have you heard that caused you to be so upset?¡± Meng Fuyao stayed silent. Then, she brought up the story of Ru Han and concluded, ¡°Misunderstandings harm people, it cannot be truer.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. A misunderstanding that would cause death, would be because they didn¡¯t love enough,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji. Meng Fuyao, unconvinced, retorted, ¡°Look at Zong Yue¡¯s longing. Is that not love?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled without replying. Be it, men or women, they tended to confuse guilt and love. Regardless, there wasn¡¯t a need to exin anything to this silly girl. After all, Zong Yue was a love rival. Meng Fuyao absent-mindedly tugged Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s fur and asked, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, why do you, you all, go through such experiences that normal people usually wouldn¡¯t?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and stuffed Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s mouth who was now about to bite people out of rage. He shoved the guinea pig into a corner and covered it with a pillow. Then, he gently patted Meng Fuyao on her back, coaxing her to sleep and replied, ¡°We weren¡¯t normal people to begin with.¡± Upon hearing his reply, sheughed, thinking that this person was such a narcissist. But then she understood what he meant ¡ª the royal family was the dirtiest and darkest family riddled internal strife. Like a wolf in a sheep¡¯s clothing, the royals enshrouded by grace, yet in their bones, there was nothing but filth and evil intent. Looking across the Seven Kingdoms, which aristocratic family had never been tainted with blood? Which rich family¡¯s abandoned well never contained a single corpse? Which pce never had the souls of those who lost the battle for power? Meng Fuyao quietly sighed. ¡°I once heard a story; A princess, before the copse of her country, sobbed. ¡®May I never be reborn into the imperial family.¡¯ Then, I thought that she was unlucky. After all, who could have it worse than a princess that had to face the doom of her country? But now, I see that even a princess or prince in peacetime is as unlucky¡­ Zhangsun Wuji, is there a dynasty where everyone is equal and that there are a check and bnce of power? Even though dirty-handed methods and unfairness would be unavoidable for the said dynasty, it would try to be fair and right to the best of its abilities¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji remained silent. After a while, he replied, ¡°You can build one.¡± Meng Fuyao startedughing instead as she covered her eyes and copsed into the nket. ¡°I must be dumb. For someone who studied history to ask such a silly question. A fair and right dynasty in this feudal, backward system where production rate is low? Doesn¡¯t that equate to asking when China will win the ser World Cup, discussing the idea of humility with Sister Feng 1 ¡­ wait for me to build? If I¡¯m here forever, I will. But now? Not free.¡± Meng Fuyao closed her eyes, exhausted, and felt that someone approached her quietly. A soft, soothing voice rang beside her ear. ¡°What are you busy with?¡± ¡°¡­ going home.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled over andzily replied. She casually waved her hand and said, ¡°Remember to close the door on the way out.¡± She fell into a deep slumber without hearing a reply. But before shepletely cked out, Meng Fuyao felt a warm, moist breeze brush past on her forehead. In that breeze was a gentle yet lingering sigh. Chapter 190 - Untitled Chapter 190: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Days resumed its peace. The conflict due to the treasure from Moon Soul and the longing for a woman long gone was finally carefully kept in the bottom of their hearts; never forgotten yet never talking about it again. After all, one should continue to move forward instead of turning back for whaty behind was nothing but shadows. Only by looking forward could they see the sunshine. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiheng had been getting along well recently ¡ª That one sentence, ¡®Your death is imminent¡¯ Meng Fuyao had told Zhan Beiheng the other day terrified him, and she was almost thrown out of the door by Zhan Beiheng¡¯s guards. Even then, all Meng Fuyao did was to sit there, unperturbed, slowly sipping her tea. ¡°The kind-hearted me has taken the risk to enlighten you with the perfect wisdom, but yet you want to throw me out of the door? Very well, I shall leave, but I will never enter here again.¡± She rearranged her clothes and even ordered the guards. ¡°Lead the way properly. Next time, you won¡¯t get to see such amazing general as me.¡± The actions of this smart yet dumb, bold yet ignorant general rendered Zhan Beiheng at a loss whether tough or to cry. But even so, he stopped the guards and let Meng Fuyao continue to enjoy her tea and chat. After their tea session, Zhan Beiheng finally could not help but ask, ¡°That sentence, what do you mean?¡± ¡°No exnation,¡± replied Meng Fuyao. ¡°You are perfectly aware of what I mean without any exnation.¡± Zhan Beiheng leered at her. After a long pause, he continued, ¡°What about you? Instead of being the fair-haired boy in front of his Majesty, why did youe here and provide me information?¡± ¡°Men. When sober, they want power over the world, and when drunk, they desire thep of a beauty.¡± Meng Fuyao giggled. ¡°What is the position of the General of Flying Leopard Army even worth, to be an official that aids the emperor of a whole new dynasty would be the real aspiration! ¡± Zhan Beiheng was once again provoked by her as he jumped up and yelled, ¡°How dare you! Guards-¡± Meng Fuyao sat still with a smile on her face. Zhan Beiheng¡¯s sentence stopped short as he red at her. The anger that flooded his veins robbed him of his ability to form a coherent sentence, with any attempt sounding like ¡®You! You! You!¡± With a look of pity, Meng Fuyao stood up and waved her hand. ¡°Aiyo, not going to drag me onto the pce hall? Not going to behead me in the grandiose pce gates? I was still thinking that it would be such an honor to be able to have our heads rolling on the same ground. What a pity, what a pity.¡± Zhan Beiheng had his hand pressed on the table. He really could not go against the infuriatingss¡ªWith a single sentence, he would be dragged to the pce hall? If the emperor were to ask ¡®why was he telling this to you in your residence?¡¯ and connect the dots a little, his punishment for a felony would definitely be heavier than General Meng! ¡®This fellow, vicious!¡¯ But Meng Fuyao added, ¡°I know it might be hard for you to believe me now. That¡¯s alright, one day I will let you see my sincerity.¡± She strolled arrogantly out of the residence to meet her fellow soldiers in the imperial camp. In general, themander of the imperial camp usually would be stern and serious. Not only that, they were usually rigid in handling affairs, and as a result, unpopr. However, this new vicemander was not only generous and straightforward but she also never meddled with the daily affairs, turning a blind eye to their illegal methods of earning a bit of cash. A good person! After gambling on the dice for a period of time, Meng Fuyao lost again. She gave a half-heartedugh and casually dug out arge silver and chucked it on the table. ¡°I did not carry any spare change today, so just take this,¡± announced Meng Fuyao. Stumped, the person replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have a scale, how do I find change for you?¡± Meng Fuyao casually waved her hand. ¡°What change, just remember it, and it¡¯ll be easier when I lose next time,¡± she said as she walked out of the door, ¡°I¡¯m going to go pee.¡± After a burst ofughter, someonemented, ¡°He even keeps some silver in case of losing, General Meng, nice one!¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hands. ¡®What nice one? Aren¡¯t they justughing behind my back and cursing me to lose next time? Idiot!¡¯ Meng Fuyao walked out of the room though she did not head to the toilet; After all, she never went to the toilet outside. After walking a few steps, she unsurprisingly weed a pale, beardless man. It was a familiar-looking face that turned out to be the eunuch in the pce. That eunuch looked at her for a moment, cleared his throat and announced, ¡°General Meng, the emperor has summoned you to the pce.¡± With an ¡®mhm¡¯, Meng Fuyao obediently followed the eunuch with a stoical expression, ignoring the curious and odd gazes that the eunuchs gave her along the way. Zhan Nancheng waited for her in the imperial study. She greeted him, but he did not show the same warm wee as he did previously. It was as though he had not heard her and did not pardon her from kneeling. And so, Meng Fuyao patiently kneeled there, counting the tiles on the floor. It was after a very long time that Zhan Nancheng put down his book and turned to Meng Fuyao. With an insincere smile, he said, ¡°General Meng has certainly been busy with the new position and doesn¡¯t have the time to enter the pce.¡± Meng Fuyao blinked and replied, ¡°Your Majesty did not summon for me.¡± This reply made Zhan Nancheng choke a little. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you request for a meeting? I see that you have been eagerly visiting Prince¡¯s Heng residence?¡± ¡®He couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking, eh?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought with much disdain. ¡®Old Zhan, you and Zhangsun Wuji are certainly on a different level, no wonder he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to deal with you.¡¯ Zhan Nancheng stared at Meng Fuayo and thought that this fellow would definitely beg for forgiveness in terror. But instead, she stated, in a matter of fact manner, ¡°Your Majesty, I am tired from kneeling.¡± Zhan Nancheng¡¯s face turned ck then white. He suddenly remembered that, indeed, she was as uncivilized as the reports had stated and that her guts were without a limit. That being said, she was not scheming and to exchange ¡®blows¡¯ with this person was a waste of energy. He could only ask her to stand up, and he even granted her a seat. Happily, Meng Fuyao took the seat and started chatting with Zhan Nancheng about random affairs in the imperial camp. Looking at her straightforwardness, he knew that beating around the bush with her would be useless and could only directly remind her to watch her behavior. ¡°You are an official, and it wouldn¡¯t reflect very well on you to be on close terms with princes. I suppose there isn¡¯t much to report to Prince Heng¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°Yep, there isn¡¯t much.¡± Meng Fuyao honestly nodded her head. ¡°But Prince Heng is my superior, if he asks me to go over, I cannot not obey.¡± This reply once again stumped Zhan Nancheng. Everything about this fellow was good, just a little too pea-brain. Troubled, yet at the same time, Zhan Nancheng felt assured¡ªas an emperor, for a general to be too smart was in no way good. Meng Fuyao continued to excitedly gossip about Prince Heng¡¯s residence with Zhan Nancheng. ¡°Prince Heng has 18 concubines, called 18 celestial beings. They say that the prince is like a Buddha that subdued the celestial beings till they are all obedient and docile. I don¡¯t even know how he has that stamina, mhm, I bet it is the herbal recipes and the medicine that the imperial physician gave him. I asked him for the medicine he was using. At first, Prince did not admit. Hehe, I said I wanted to marry three concubines and have fun and f*ck them every day. But I was afraid to hurt my body and pestered Prince to make a copy for me. He ordered me to not spread it around, but I found the words a bit blurry, so I snuck in and secretly copied myself. Your Majesty, do you want?¡± Zhan Nancheng did not know whether tough or to cry. ¡®What is this, a discussion about the Prince¡¯s promiscuous lifestyle and share viagra recipes?¡¯ If this were to spread, people would think that he was a licentious ruler, so he very quickly refused. But Meng Fuyao dug out a dirty piece of paper and shoved it in his hands. Zhan Nancheng took a nce and suddenly paused. On the paper were listed a few types of herbs, which were tributes from Mo Lo that he had seen on lists from previous years. He had been under the impression that Mo Lo had not sent any this year and did not question about them either. The other time, when Lady Cheng had wanted to use the medicine, there had been none left in the storage. Beiheng had been present when it was announced, but he had not said anything, who could have thought that they were actually in his residence? He took over the remedy, thoroughly looked through and could not help but frown a little. He knew medicine and could tell this remedy was more than just a viagra. In fact, it could help greatly with boosting the recovery time of a weak body that had received external injuries¡ªa precious remedy. When he was held hostage, he had been injured and never fully recovered. He had hinted Beiheng to find some good remedies for him. Beiheng had agreed and indeed had brought remedies though they were useless. To think that he had such a miraculous remedy on hand! So why did he not give this remedy? He then thought of his children ¡ª he had only two sons and one daughter, his third son was slow in learning while the crown prince as weak¡­ at that thought, cold sweat dripped down his back. Despite the cold sweat on his back, Zhan Nancheng did not reveal his feelings on his face. He casually threw the remedy on the table and said, ¡°I will not carelessly use a remedy provided by an official. But seeing your sincerity, I will keep it and ask the imperial physician to look through before returning it to you. Naturally, I will not be using some random remedy, but it would be safer to check the remedy before you use it.¡± ¡°Thank you, your Majesty, for your care and concern!¡± Meng Fuyao giggled. ¡°I have not consumed it yet as the herbs were hard to find no matter how much money I was willing to spend. What a waste of time for me to sneak into Prince Heng¡¯s residence to copy this remedy.¡± Zhan Nancheng revealed a cold smile. ¡®Of course, you can¡¯t buy it, even I don¡¯t have the ingredients!¡¯ Suddenly, he caught Meng Fuyao¡¯sst sentence. He raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°This remedy, you snuck in Prince Heng¡¯s residence to copy it?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± replied Meng Fuyao innocently. ¡°The copy that Prince Heng gave me was very messy and did not have as many medicines as this list. This remedy was locked up in a hidden drawer and imperial physician Su did not let me go near it. I had to dupe him to go elsewhere, and I even had to pick the lock. As a gangster, I might not know other things, but I definitely know how to pick a lock, hehe.¡± Zhan Nanchengughed insincerely and waved his hand. ¡°You may leave.¡± Meng Fuyao left the pce. Then, she got on the horse and rode it under the beautiful rays of light reflecting on the roads. It was at this moment where she rxed and revealed a small smile. Within a few days, there was a decree that promoted Meng Fuyao to be the vicemander of Flying Fox and themander of Flying Leopard. In the three imperial camps, Flying Fox, Flying Leopard, Flying Tiger, had amander position left empty and the many vicemanders fought hard for it. Atst, the position was taken by the overall head of the imperial camps Xie Yu Jian. Now, Xie Yu Jian¡¯s position as overall head of the imperial camps remained untouched, but he was relieved of his duties as themander of Flying Fox, General Meng, imed the position out of nowhere. It was certainly a strange move by the imperial court, and what was weirder was that Prince Heng, who was directly in charge of the imperial camps, had no objections to the decree nor did the various vicemanders. Prince Heng thought that General Meng was under him while the variousmanders had the mindset that ¡®if I can¡¯t have it, you can¡¯t have it¡¯. And on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s side, he believed that Meng Fuyao was his too. Chapter 191 - Untitled Chapter 191: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The most shameless and maniptive official had appeared on the court of Heaven Demon. The shameless official, Meng Fuyao, continued to visit Prince Heng¡¯s residence every day. After a while, trouble finally came. The most favored ninth concubine, out of the 18 concubines who lived in the residence,mitted adultery with him. And they were caught red-handed. Did anyone understand the reason why Zhangsun Wuji questioned Zong Yue in the previous chapter? The meridian system was actually a concept in medical science; everyone had a self-healing function, and whenever necessary, it was vital to always cultivate one¡¯s immunity and ability to recuperate. As the saying goes, every medicine is 30% poisonous. Hence, relying on medicine to suppress medical conditions or injuries may wield results in the short term, but in the long run, it might not be beneficial for the body. A good example would be taking antibiotics Children who lived in China would be given antibiotics whenever they were down with a fever, but such a method was not encouraged overseas, where doctors would choose to let the child recuperate by developing his own antibody. A body that was strengthened through pain was much more reliable than one that relied on antibiotics to heal. Furthermore, there were definitely no benefits from relying on antibiotics. Zhangsun Wuji was implying that Zong Yue knew that allowing Meng Fuyao to slowly heal was the best way, but he had anxiously used medicine to control her conditions. It created a false impression that she was very healthy, and her martial arts did improve, but in the future, her body condition might falter or even suffer from after effects because of this. The whole incident started because our General Meng was simply too handsome. The handsome General Meng was chatting with Prince Heng one day, while his concubines seemed to be riding on horses in the back garden. Somehow, one of the horses was provoked, and it charged crazily in all directions, causing people to scream in shock. The guards dashed after it, but they could not match up to the speed of the fiery horse that was a special tribute from Mo Lo. They wanted to stall the horse, but they were also afraid of identally causing harm to the ninth wife who was on the horse. With such a dilemma, the crowd shifted to the front yard in a mixture of screams and shouts. On the horse, the ninth wife¡¯s hair was in a mess, and the color had drained from her face. She was already at a loss for words, and as the horse dashed faster and faster, she realized that her hands were so weak that she could no longer hold on to the reins, and she was about to fall. Seeing that the horse was still charging towards the Prince, she knew that her only oue would be death, whether she fell or the horse bumped into the Prince. In her state of helplessness, she decided to just close her eyes and let go of the reins to wait for her impending death. As the horse waspletely let loose, there was a long roar as the horse broke into a mad gallop. The ck and mighty horse resembled a mobile dark iceberg that was about to viciously collide into Zhan Beiheng, who looked back in shock. Amidst the screams, Meng Fuyao turned her head. Reaching out her hand, her fingers extended like a blossoming flower, and they hooked on the horse¡¯s neck and twisted. Hui! The fiery horse ¨C taller and more buff than ordinary horses ¨C was sent revolving in mid-air just by the force of her fingers! The massive horse did a somersault in the air, andnded heavily, creating a hole in the ground and causing a huge volume of dust to rise as high as one-feet tall! Meanwhile, the ninth wife fell. She fell as lightly as a peach blossom branch, and the bottom of her pink robes opened like a flower. When she fell, she saw the handsome and attractive teenage boy, who smashed the horse in another direction as his robes flew. She saw how he looked back, and how his eyes sparkled with radiance. Her heart thumped, uncertain whether it was because she was about toe into contact with the ground or the teenage boy¡¯s shoulders. Luckily, whenever damsels were in distress, there were always attractive knights d in shining armor who woulde to their rescue. Meng Fuyao pulled back the hand that was on the horse¡¯s neck and extended it towards the beauty¡¯s neck instead. Without any pity for the beauty, she applied the same twist on the beauty¡¯s neck. Though her fingers looked normal, it created a strange rhythm, causing the beauty to turn limp. In no time, she had already swiveled lightly in the air to a different position, and shended safely in Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms. The damsel looked up, and her eyshes fluttered while beads of tears formed in her eyes, and she gazed firmly at her savior. The man in front of her had such a charmingposure and was remarkably talented¡­ However, Meng Fuyao did not even look at her, and she hurriedly shoved the boneless woman in her arms towards Zhan Beiheng. ¡®Mamma mia, what powder did she apply on her face? It¡¯s insanely overwhelming and even scarier than Lord Yuan Bao who¡¯s recently madly in love with aromatic scents.¡¯ Zhan Beiheng held his ninth wide in his arms. As she looked down, under her moist eyshes, the watery eyes secretly stole a nce at Meng Fuyao, and her gazes came one after another¡­ And these gazes slowly created trouble. The ninth wife became much more virtuous from then on. Whenever there was a need to serve tea or food ¨C chores that the attendants would usually do ¨C she would personally snatch these jobs. Once, she even boiled soup personally, and such an unprecedented move immediately caused Zhan Beiheng to look displeased. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao gobbled down the food ignorantly, and even showered many praises. ¡°The ninthdy has such great skills! Your Highness, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± Hearing her words, the ninth wife smiled as beautifully as a flower. In her eyes, there seemed to be a boat waiting for a passenger to board, but the passenger was too dumb and only knew how to eat. She became upset and looked vertically up at the sky, which reflected the shadow of that person who did not have a conscience. ¡®Maybe the soup isn¡¯t fresh enough, and I need to add more ingredients?¡¯ she thought. Meng Fuyao peeked at her from the corner of her eye. ¡®What a pity, for such a young girl tond up as one of the eighteen women. No matter how much stamina Zhan Beiheng had, and no matter how much he favored her, thrice was probably the maximum number of times each month¡­¡¯ Engrossed in her thoughts, she walked back home. The guinea pig pounced on her and sniffed her as soon as she entered the door, and then turned to chatter towards Zhangsun Wuji. Meng Fuyao grabbed the guinea pig¡¯s ears and questioned him, but he chose to fold his arms and look in another direction. Zhangsun Wuji tranted his words. ¡°He says that you¡¯re using low-grade powder, and there¡¯s the smell of women on you.¡± The corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡®What did that mean? Am I not a woman? Did I not smell like a woman before?¡¯ After contemting for a moment, she changed her mind. ¡®Actually, maybe, probably, I don¡¯t.¡¯ For the next few days, Meng Fuyao continued to smell that way. Zhangsun Wuji smiled more and more suggestively, but Meng Fuyao pretended as if nothing was happening. Then, on one fine night, Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiheng tested their abilities to drink. Zhan Beiheng didn¡¯t win, and Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t lose, so the drunk Zhan Beiheng was escorted back by his attendants. Waving his hands on a wooden bench, he slurred. ¡°Captain Meng, goodbye¡­ won¡¯t¡­ send you¡­¡± Meng Fuyao waved towards the enormous enamel flower vase. ¡°Prince, goodbye¡­ won¡¯t send you off¡­¡± She burped, spun three rounds around the room and prepared to sleep in the inner room, thinking that this was her house. As she walked, she felt that it was too warm, so she took off her outer robe and draped it on her arm. When she reached a corner, a guard was walking up to her. She was about tomand him to leave, but a pair of soft hands suddenly reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into darkness. The pair of hands smelled very nice and had the scent of the ¡°low-grade powder¡±, as certified by the expert, a certain Lord Yuan Bao. It tugged on Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeves and led her to an empty room in a corner of the yard. That was a room for the Prince to rest and admire the flowers, and the inner decoration was exquisite. Rarely would anyonee by, hence after much research, the ninth wife chose this location as the ce to confess her love. All was ready except for the crucial element, but that night the crucial element came, and the smell of alcohol was strong. Good, very good. The bed was soft and smelled pleasant, and amongst the jade-colored bed curtains and gold hooks, a strong smell of agarwood wafted from the gold incense burner. The ninth wife sat on the bed, and she was scantily d. Her chest could vaguely be seen, as the front of her red robes had an open slit. She took lotus-like steps, and her snow-white legs could roughly be seen ¨C summer was such a good season, as people wouldn¡¯t be afraid of catching a cold even if they wore less. Meng Fuyao immediately pounced. And shended on the soft¡­ bed sheets. She rubbed her face against it and probably felt that it was as smooth and cool as a particr person¡¯s pal. Thus sheid on it and stopped moving. The ninth wife had amorously waited for almost half a day, but someone started snoring. Once again, she looked sadly at the sky. Thinking that since she had already kidnapped the person to her bed, and a lost opportunity might note again, she decided to just do it and all other matter could wait. Hence, she started taking off Meng Fuyao¡¯s inner robes. There were many buttons, and when she reached the third one, Meng Fuyao was already starting to sober up. ¡°Pa!¡± In an instant, she pushed the hand away and scolded, ¡°Gangster! Trying to take advantage of me again!¡± In return, the ninth wife chuckled softly. Leaning close, she whispered, and her breath breezed against Meng Fuyao¡¯s ear. ¡°Officer, I¡¯ll not take advantage of you,e take advantage of me then¡­¡± Her fingers had just opened Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes halfway, when she suddenly eximed, ¡°Ah! What¡¯s this belt of cloth¡­¡± Instantly, Meng Fuyao became one-third sober, and she recalled that she was wearing her inner dress. ¡®Ah, if she sees this precious thing, won¡¯t my chest area that just started to grow be in danger?¡¯ she thought. Immediately, she climbed up, pushed the ninth wife and headed to the door. However, the ninth wife was not going to let that happen, and she smiled as she extended her snowy-white legs to hook Meng Fuyao back. Her feet sessfully hooked onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s half-opened dress, and Meng Fuyao fell back on the bed. Laughing seductively, the ninth wife pounced on her, but she rolled away and pulled together both her inner dress and outer robe. Just as she was about to grab the robe on the floor, an ¡°octopus¡± had tangled her from behind. The sharp octopus-like fingernails hooked on her robes and tugged, and her inner dress immediately was torn open. Angered, Meng Fuyao leaped back and was about to punch someone, but the ¡°octopus¡± felt that this was a manly move and smiled as she weed Meng Fuyao¡¯s move. As such, Meng Fuyao¡¯s punch was not sessful, and she was pushed back down to the bed again. After much entangling and fighting on the bed, the ninth wife panted heavily and slipped herself into Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms like a slippery snake. ¡°Nice man¡­¡± she said. The nice person was hurriedly trying to disentangle herself when a ray of light shone in from a far distance. Shocked, the ninth wife covered her eyes with her hands, but from the gaps in her fingers, she could see two rows of pcenterns approaching from the garden. At the center of thenterns stood a very displeased Zhan Beiheng. It had always been the rule of thumb for husbands to appear in a scene of adultery. The couple on the bed got up in a hurry. While the ninth wife was worried about being caught red-handed, Meng Fuyao was anxious about her inner dress being torn apart as her insides would be revealed! In her scramble, she grabbed a piece of clothing and stuffed it in her clothes. Looking up in a state of drunkenness, she smiled at Zhan Beiheng. ¡°Prince¡­ your female dog is in need of some romance, please bring her back.¡± Beside Zhan Beiheng, a guard shouted icily, ¡°Meng Fuyao, how daring of you to flirt with the Prince¡¯s favored concubine!¡± ¡°Did I? Did I?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her arms as she looked down. ¡°My clothes are tidy¡­¡± Chapter 192 - Untitled Chapter 192: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Suddenly, Meng Fuyao stopped short ofpleting her sentence. The bright light shone, and her clothes could be clearly seen ¨C there was a dudou 1 on her body! The pink dudou was embroidered with lotus leaves and a pair of mandarin ducks. Under the light, the fabric was as smooth as water, and the luster was captivating. On Zhan Beiheng¡¯s face, it was clear that his expression conveyed his thoughts. ¡®Adulterers! You¡¯re even wearing the dudou of my favored concubine, how dare you deny that something¡¯s not going on between you two?¡¯ Meng Fuyao was grief-stricken ¨C it was pitch-ck, but how could she have grabbed the dudou out of all things!? In the meantime, the ninth wife covered her face and whimpered. Her cries annoyed Meng Fuyao so much to the extent that thetter climbed down the bed and grabbed her clothes to go. Furious that she was just going to leave so casually, Zhan Beiheng barked, ¡°Take him down!¡± Hence, Meng Fuyao was subdued, but she did not even resist. With a sound of ¡°gudong¡±, she copsed onto the floor and slept again. Looking down at Meng Fuyao ¨C who reeked of alcohol ¨C Zhan Beiheng wondered why she did not counter. ¡®With his martial arts skills, if he really wanted to forcefully barge out, who could stop him? If he really did, I¡¯d just have to deal with it, since family shames shouldn¡¯t be spread to the public. But now that he¡¯s so easily subdued, what should I do? Should I really send him to the central jail in Pandu? What crime should this be considered? If I let everyone know about the real reason, I¡¯d be the one who would be embarrassed.¡¯ As he contemted, he looked at the shameless person who was in a deep slumber, shot daggers at the weeping ninth wife, and waved his hand. ¡°Lock them in the firewood store!¡± Meng Fuyao was locked up in the store, and she wrote her letter of repentance. Sprawled on the ground, she used the ninth wife¡¯s dudou as paper and the burnt coal in the store as her ink. Solemnly, she wrote. ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, really I am. I knew that one¡¯s self-control would be low after getting drunk, and would cause misunderstandings that are neither controble nor predictable, but I didn¡¯t expect that to ur to me. That night, I was drunk and felt that the surroundings were too warm, so I took off my robes. Then, the ninth wife saw me and was probably scared that I¡¯d catch a cold. Being the virtuous woman she was ¨C she always remembered each time the servants took off their clothes ¨C she pulled me away to give me clothes. I didn¡¯t want to wear them and wanted to go home, but she refused, and we wrestled each other. After a while, I realized that my clothes had suddenly all fallen and my outer robe was gone, but I knew that my robe would never go missing without any reason. I panicked after a futile search and fumbled around the bed untilte into the night. When I saw a sparkly cloth at the corner of the bedsheet, I thought that I finally found it, and so I wore it. The fabric was simr, but the design was different, and there were even flowers embroidered on it¡­ I¡¯m truly dumb, really I am.¡± Afterpleting her letter, she cautiously handed it over to the guard watching over the firewood store, so that he could send it to the Prince. The dudou was stacked on top, and the guard could not help but steal a nce at it when he was walking, and he ended up spraining his ankle. When he handed both the letter and the dudou to Zhan Beiheng, thetter was sipping on tea. Halfway through reading the letter, he spat out a mouthful of tea. This legendary letter somehow reached the ears of people outside of the Prince¡¯s residence, and it spread like wildfire in Pandu. It became a sensational topic, and when people in Pandu greeted each other in the morning, the usual saying of ¡°have you eaten?¡± changed to ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, I really am.¡± Additionally, during even midnight, Meng Fuyao would definitely climb out of the windows to steal some alcohol from the neighboring kitchen. After drinking, she would shout ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, I really am!¡±, causing Zhan Beiheng to start having migraines. He would lose face if he just released her, but if he didn¡¯t, he would unknowingly be theughing stock of the town. Meng Fuyao still acted innocent, while the ninth wife just wept, refusing to talk. He was now in a Catch-22 situation. Because of this, he secretly cursed at the guard who woke him up. If he knew that things would turn out this way, he would have just let them get away with it, and things would have been fine. While the dudou story spread widely in Pandu, the captain whomitted adultery continued shouting in the firewood store, causing Prince Heng to be very anxious. On the third day, someone finally came to ease him of his predicament ¨C Zhan Nancheng had summoned for Meng Fuyao. The next morning, a ¡°butler¡± came to request for a meeting in front of the Prince¡¯s residence, and the attendants at the door did not dare to slight him. Speedily, they reported to Zhan Beiheng, who instantly felt very relieved as he could finally chase that God of gues out of his firewood store. The ¡°butler¡± smiled as he waited in the garden, and Zhan Beiheng nced at him from time to time. He felt that though this person had a dull appearance, he was tall and calm, and had a greatposure. Though he was standing humbly in one corner, everyone who passed by would spot him at their first nce, and could not help but steal a few more nces. Furthermore, during the earlier conversation between them, he neither passed off as inferior nor rude, and his formalities wereplete. How did that horrid Meng Fuyao find such a talent? After a few moments, Meng Fuyao walked out in a state of drunkenness. When she saw the ¡°butler¡±, she narrowed her eyes and stopped in her tracks, as though she wanted to run and escape. However, seeing that Zhan Beiheng was still watching her, she grinned and greeted the ¡°butler¡±. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± she said. The ¡°butler¡± smiled and slightly bowed. ¡°Master, are you feeling well? I havee to receive you,¡± he replied. In his sub-consciousness, Zhan Beiheng thought that Meng Fuyao shivered, but he quickly confirmed that he was only seeing things. Meng Fuyao beamed and agreed. Then, Meng Fuyao walked over to grab the sleeves and staggered as she bowed. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, I¡¯ll¡­ erm, I¡¯ll make my way first,¡± she said. The butler flipped his hand to grab Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm and held her as she slowly walked out. However, Zhan Beiheng suddenly said coldly, ¡°Going off just like that?¡± Both people looked back. Meng Fuyao was very drunk and not as fast as the butler, who smiled and asked, ¡°Your Highness, what other instructions do you have?¡± Zhan Beiheng raised his eyebrows and smirked. ¡°Bring her away,¡± he said, and he pped his hands. A gentle and beautifuldy covered with a cloak slowly walked out of the inner room. It was the ninth wife. Instantly, Meng Fuyao¡¯s face turned ashen. Waving her hands in denial, she said, ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no, no¡­¡± Looking at her, Zhan Beiheng could not decide whether tough or be angry. ¡°Captain Meng, do you really think that I¡¯ll want a woman that you have set your hands on before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m wronged¡­¡± cried Meng Fuyao as she leaped towards Zhan Beiheng¡¯s knees. ¡°I have never touched a hair of hers, much less set my hands on her. I¡¯m truly dumb, I really am-¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Zhan Beiheng quickly interrupted. Grumpily, he said, ¡°Captain Meng, you¡¯re ying it too far. You should have directly told me that you favored the ninthdy. Would I not be willing to let you have her? Why do you have to do such a discreet act? Aren¡¯t the rumors spreading in Pandu unpleasant enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, I really am-¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Zhan Beiheng waved his hand and instructed, ¡°Go now, her fate will be at your disposal.¡± Looking up, Meng Fuyao innocently asked, ¡°Can I not want her?¡± ¡°You can.¡± Zhan Beiheng smiled coldly. Handing over a sword, he added, ¡°Then, Captain, help me kill this woman, and save me the trouble of dirtying my hands.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s cheerfulness was quickly deted. ¡°Alright then.¡± The butler looked at Meng Fuyao with what seemed like a smile and said, ¡°Congrattions, Master, seems like I have to n a wedding for you.¡± Dumbfoundedly, Meng Fuyaoughed and burped. Throwing her weight on the butler, she muttered, ¡°Go do what has to be done.¡± Staring at Meng Fuyao for a moment, the butler carried her in his arms and apologized to Zhan Beiheng, ¡°Your Highness, excuse us.¡± Zhan Beiheng waved his hands hurriedly, to quickly chase them away. With Meng Fuyao in his arms, the butler entered a pnquin and did not forget to instruct for one more pnquin for the ninth wife. He chose not to leave and sat steadily while hugging Meng Fuyao. ¡°Master, feigning drunkenness will not let you escape from punishment,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao squinted and grinned. She was really drunk; these few days, to escape the watch of a particr person in the residence, and toplete the act as a useless Captain, she drank to her heart¡¯s content. Hence, her mind was in an ted and dreamy state. Flowers looked red, the sky looked blue, the top of the pnquin looked like it was revolving, and the green-robed Zhangsun Wuji looked cold from the outside. cing her hand against his chest, she tilted her head and grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, why do I feel that you look more alluring wearing this green robe and small hat,pared to when you¡¯re donning formal wear?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhangsun Wuji questioned her lightheartedly. Today, this person, who was usually adamant in rejecting intimate physical contact, was finally not aware of her posture ¨C both were sitting in the pnquin, and Meng Fuyao was on his knees. She was curled up in his arms, and her slightly pink face was on his shoulder. Both her hair and expression were soft and lingering, replicating the mncholy feel of alcohol, and even her breath had an intoxicating scent to it. The drunk Meng Fuyao, the Meng Fuyao who did not realize that she was in a dangerous position, finally had a rare moment whereby she temporarily forgot about going back home. How could he not taste her? That would be a lost opportunity for him, who had waited for too long and dared not to flirt with her, for fear of triggering the Emotion Lock. Anyway, she was the one who said, ¡°Go do what has to be done¡±. Smiling, Zhangsun Wuji flipped over Meng Fuyao in that small space which was carefully chosen before, and Meng Fuyao ended up beneath him. That position allowed him to exert absolute strength of his body, and sessfully take up all the space that Meng Fuyao could move in. His knees were against hers, and his arm held her neck as though he was embracing a soft cloud. Her ck hair poured down like a stream of water, and it felt as smooth as silk against his skin. He smiled, and his eyes were like clear alcohol, reflecting her own misty eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, and her radiating youthfulness seemed to eternally pause at that moment. Uttering, she tried to push him away. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, don¡¯t take advantage of people¡­¡± But he bent down even lower¡­ A gust of wind seemed to breeze from a faraway teau, and it swept past her forehead. The gust cast visualizations of the lush greenery in spring, the aromatic lotuses in summer, the flowy chrysanthemums in autumn, and the thickyers of snow in winter. Her surroundings seemed as vivid, beautiful and ever-changing as the four seasons. The wind continued to travel by her, bringing about images of tall mountains, low gullies, and territories that spanned miles away. On the meandering paths, the cotton-like rain of spring continued to pour into her world. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao felt suffocated and could not help but slightly open her mouth to get more fresh air. However, an agile fish swam into her territory instead and traversed into the sacred ces never explored before. He tasted soft and clear, resembling the taste of almonds, which would first induce a slightly bitter but refreshing feel, and then create a beautiful aftertaste that would continue to linger in the mouth. Not forceful but ever-present, and with a low-profile radiance¡­ it was the scent of a King. Chapter 193 - Untitled Chapter 193: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Though Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t willing to let both of them indulge in this moment, she could not help but moan softly. As a result, Zhangsun Wuji held her even tighter, and her arms were locked in his arms. It was as though she was experiencing a cool breeze during summer, like a nephrite that provided a shocking but addictivefort. She was on cloud nine, pampering herself by enjoying the sweet moments of life, and getting whirled into the heavenly life of immortals, unwilling to fall back to earth again. However, it was merely a moment of indulgence. Something tugged at her heartstrings painfully, and she slightly shifted away. His breath breezed past her lips and sealed his mark on the corner of her lips. Caringly, he mildly pulled away and looked affectionately at her. The blush on her cheeks had spread to her neck, causing it to be stained with an enchanting shade of pink. As the pnquin wobbled, their bodies continually bumped against each other in the tight space. The warmth of their body radiated to the other person, and a slight tremble emerged behind the thinyers of clothing¡­ somehow, someone¡¯s breathing quickened. Then, Zhangsun Wuji hugged Meng Fuyao dotingly. Her hair was wet, and the ck strands stuck against her fair skin, like a snow mountain melting under the scorching heat. Extending his finger, he gently picked up a small cluster of hair and twirled it around his finger. After that, he pulled a cluster of his hair over and was about to tie a knot between the two clusters. At that moment, they were about to bind their hair together 1 . Suddenly, Meng Fuyao started to struggle violently. She could see how bright his eyes sparkled, and how deep his feelings were. As the daylight shone in from the window slit, it reflected the nourished and dark clusters of hair between his fingers. She could almost imagine that if they were bound together, it would create the shiniest and most beautiful knot in the world. However, just as the binding was about to happen, the images of a strand of white hair, a pair of hands, and a worn fairytale book shed before her eyes. Instantaneously, she jumped. It was in such a small space that was almost impossible to navigate around. Bang! The roof of the pnquin was torn open, and Meng Fuyao leaped out of the roof like a rabbit. The well-trained carriers had previously received instructions to ignore any unusual motion. Hence, when the pnquin shook and wobbled earlier on, they turned a blind eye to it. Yet, how could they counter the strength of Meng Fuyao¡¯s full-force leap? The four carriers felt as though they were hit by a strong force and their hands went weak, letting go of the pnquin. When they turned around, Meng Fuyao had already stepped on top of the wreckage. Behind her, the ¡°temporary butler¡± with the calmposure strolled out of the ruins and continued to smile. ¡°The Captain is drunk, and he mistook this for his training space.¡± Meng Fuyao looked up and twisted her head forcefully, choosing to stare at the sky. It was an intrepid and resolute pose, but her neck had a suspiciously rosy tint. Meanwhile, Zhangsun Wuji had already motioned for the guards to bring over two horses. Personally passing her the reins, he smiled calmly. ¡°Please get on the horse.¡± ¡®So there were horses!¡¯ Enraged, Meng Fuyao interrogated him with her expression of ¡°then why did you forcefully pull me over to sit in the pnquin?¡±. ¡®Well, two ns are needed to fulfill my one desire.¡¯ The Crown Prince beamed as he thought, ¡®The pnquin must be used, and I was 80% percent certain that it would break. Horses should be prepared as well so that after the pnquin is broken, there¡¯s still another mode of transportation.¡¯ ¡­ Captain Meng was having a concubine. As such, a banquet was set up =in the residence, andrades in the army were invited to drink. During the banquet, some joked at Captain ¡°Dudou¡±, who replied in a state of drunkenness, ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, really I am.¡± The whole room roared withughter, and they sent Meng Fuyao to the bridal room, and she walked away happily as everyone stared admiringly at her ¨C what luck he had! He slept with the Prince¡¯s woman, but the Prince did not deliver any substantial punishment and ended up gifting him the woman. Had they known that this would be the case, they would have gone to seduce some¡­ In the meantime, Zhan Nancheng heard of the infamous ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb¡± incident too. Even though his mind was upied, he could not help butugh too. However, his brows quickly furrowed afterward ¨C the army which was fighting on the banks of River Qi sessively suffered defeats under Zhan Beiye. Worse still, after a portion of his army surrendered to Zhan Beiye, some of the garrison troops stationed at the border had started to reveal signs of wavering. At the moment, he desperately needed a victory to turn the tables, but this seemed impossible to aplish with Zhan Beiye around. Zhan Beiye was already a famous general in the Heaven Demon court, and he could even be considered the cream of the crop in the Five Regions Continent. ording to the analysis done by idle military experts, other than Wuji¡¯s Crown Prince who had yet to show his true strength, Zhan Beiye was indisputably the best. This was also one of the reasons why Zhan Nancheng mobilized tens of thousands of his soldiers once he decided to kill Zhan Beiye. If the killing could not bepleted speedily, grave consequences would follow. Indeed, the consequences were now here to haunt him. After several sighs, Zhan Nancheng felt even more depressed ¨C somehow, his Crown Prince kept contracting weird diseasestely. He would often faint for no reason and appear lethargic. The imperial doctor could not figure out what was wrong, and all the famous doctors were also unable to provide a clear exnation. In such low spirits, Zhan Nancheng felt even lonelier than before. But he then started to wonder why he felt loneliness, though it had usually been this way. After thinking for a long while, he recalled that Meng Fuyao was on marriage leave and had not entered the pce for a long while. On normal days, he would be quite annoyed by Meng Fuyao¡¯s rattle. Now that it was gone, he felt empty instead. Chuckling, Zhan Nancheng silently scolded, ¡°How absurd of him to take a ¡®marriage leave¡¯ when he merely acquired a concubine!¡± As the sun set, the candles were lit up. Eunuch Hua instructed the junior eunuchs to hang the pcenterns properly, while he beamed and chatted. Slowly, Zhan Nancheng walked over to eavesdrop, and he realized that Eunuch Hua was gossiping about the poetic and passionate happenings in Captain Meng¡¯s residence. ¡°Captain Meng started a dance party at home, and the bride wore a backless garment, tsk tsk¡­¡± a bunch of eunuchs gawked at the story, but when they turned their heads and spotted Zhan Nancheng, their expressions changed. However, Zhan Nancheng was suddenly in the mood. ¡®Sigh, has thisd be a bit more mature after getting himself a woman? I¡¯ll go take a look! Just treat this as a form of rxation.¡¯ Ever since he was almost assassinated the previous time, he rarely stepped out of the pce, and this time round, a huge crowd of attendants followed him. As he had expected, it was very chaotic in the residence. Meng Fuyao had led a group of servants to invite the militaryrades and their spouses to gather for a masquerade mask dance party. When Meng Fuyao saw Zhan Nancheng, she was quite ted, and after the greetings, she pulled him to wear a mask too. Though Zhan Nancheng was curious, he adamantly refused. What a joke, mix in a huge crowd while wearing a mask? If someone struck, he would be dead meat. Meng Fuyao did not impose her will on him and apanied him while calling over her new concubine to greet the Emperor. Zhan Nancheng had seen this woman in Zhan Beiheng¡¯s residence, and she was very cheerful, though she seemed to be dolled up strangely. Nevertheless, he smiled and tactfully instructed her a few lines, before letting her leave. The ninth fairy left like a fluttering butterfly and mingled excitedly in the crowd. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao kept inviting Zhan Nancheng to rest in the inner room, saying that the garden was too chaotic. Waving his hands, Zhan Nancheng rejected and sat remotely. The troubles on his mind constantly bothered him, keeping him in low spirits, and he wanted to observe the joys of humanity to relief some of that pressure. Leaning on a pir, he let Meng Fuyao join the dance while he sipped on tea. As he thought of the Crown Prince¡¯s strange illness, his eyebrows locked together in frustration. Suddenly, he overheard a conversation between two women that took ce behind a bunch of bushes. One said, ¡°Lady Meng, how lucky you are. Look at how gorgeous your Captain has dolled you up to be. This string of rubies must be worth no less than a thousand gold.¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was thecent voice of the tactless ninth fairy. ¡°My master has said that good women need to be apanied with jewels. Diamonds are longsting, and any one of them can be passed down eternally.¡± She seemed to be showing off the jade bracelet on her wrist, and her silveryugh rang through their eyes. ¡°Sister, let me tell you, you have to spot the right man. I was lucky to hit the jackpot with my master, but if it was back then¡­ hmph.¡± Zhan Nancheng was thinking of leaving as he listened since it did not make sense for someone of his status to eavesdrop on women¡¯s conversation like that. However, when he heard what the ninth fairy said, he silently chuckled and felt that she was brazen and shameless. It was obviously not an incident to be proud of, and if he hadn¡¯t hinted at Zhan Beiheng to release Meng Fuyao during the two days that they were locked up, they would have been sold to a brothel or demoted, respectively. Others would have tried all methods to cover this story, but there she was, actively bringing it out on her own. One of the women fell silent, probably because she did not expect the ninth fairy to be so simple-minded. Momentster, she crammed out a reply. ¡°I heard that Prince Heng treated you quite well back then¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± The ninth fairy smirked. ¡°He always imed that he gave me the most precious treasures and asked me to keep them properly, but those were just rotten pieces of paper locked up in a box. That mysterious thing, which doesn¡¯t look likend deeds, took up so much space in my room. And I¡¯m illiterate, but he wouldn¡¯t allow me to ask. Prince¡­ is honestly just a taciturn person¡­¡± The sound of their conversation faded into the distance. Zhan Nancheng quietly ced his teacup down, and after a few moments of silence, he got onto his feet and headed out. Meng Fuyao, who perspired a great deal, hurriedly came over. Seeing that he was leaving, she was taken aback. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re leaving now? It¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have yed by myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your issue, I should return,¡± said Zhan Nancheng as he dismissed her. ¡°The sky is too dark, and idents would easily ur if I walked on the streets.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Immediately, Meng Fuyao bowed perceptively. ¡°I¡¯ll send a team of soldiers from the Flying Leopard Camp to escort you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Zhan Nancheng smiled at her. ¡°Change it to your subordinates from Flying Fox. Flying Leopard Camp has frequently been operating in the city, and it¡¯s time to change a group of people. Sometimes, the people closest to you might not be good.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned and sent him out of the door. As she witnessed his figure fading quickly into the darkness, a fleeting smile appeared on her face. That smiled resembled the venomous Madara flower that bloomed at night. Three dayster, a piece of news shook the entire city. Zhan Beiheng, the noblest Prince of the Heaven Demon royal family; the official guarding crucial internal and external affairs; the Emperor¡¯s younger brother who was the most trusted confidante; the ¡°Aristocrat of the steel guardian lion doors¡±, and the undefeatable Prince, was suddenly sent into jail! On August 19, soldiers silently encircled Prince Heng¡¯s residence and quickly subdued all the guards. High-ranking officials personally led a team to seal the Prince¡¯s residence and dug three feet into the residence of Prince Heng¡¯s most favored former concubine, the ninth fairy. Chapter 194 - Untitled Chapter 194: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios On August 20, Prince Heng was brought into jail, stripped of his title, and forced to wait for his impending judgment. In three days, the imperial guards were like thunder strikes and gloomy clouds, endlessly pouring out of the red pce doors like floodwater, into the residences of the noble families in Pandu. Their forces infiltrated everywhere to catch the aplices and faction members. Meanwhile, in the pce, Zhan Nancheng continuously sent orders in a flurry to clean the army and organizations that Zhan Beiheng had ess to when he was in power. As for those who used tobel themselves as Zhan Beiheng¡¯s faction or those who were very close to him, none of them were able to escape. Pandu was engulfed in a fearful atmosphere, causing the people in the city to live with worry. This case sent ripples of shock throughout Pandu. Zhan Beiheng used to have over 3,000 visitors, and hemitted many kind deeds. Hence, some people tried to vouch for his innocence. However, when an official in the court tried to bring this up, Zhan Nancheng smirked and threw down a bunch of objects. There were restricted items, imperial tributes meant for the pce, and a wooden doll carved with the birth details of the Crown Prince. A big case on witchcraft, Guchong! Silence fell upon the officials, and they broke out in cold sweat as they retreated. Cases rted to Guchong had always been taboo in past dynasties, and the royal family especially avoided witchcraft at all costs. Once a person was found guilty of utilizing it, death was the only possible punishment, and no mercy should be shown. A thought drifted in their minds. ¡®Prince Heng, was done for!¡¯ There was no prior news about this case, and even Prince Heng was not prepared at all. In an instant, he was jailed, and all his confidantes were either executed or reced. During the years that he was in the city, though he was only the acting leader of many affairs, the number of his faction¡¯s people being strategically ced in various organizations was not little, and all of them were not spared. However, most shockingly, Captain Meng ¨C who was the closest to him and even had a concubine who was once his ¨C was the only one who was not implicated. Still taking on the role of Captain steadily and safely, there were even signs of her gaining greater favor. It was not just a rarity, but a miracle. ording to rumors, when the case was revealed, some people petitioned about Meng Fuyao being to close with Zhan Beiheng and not being loyal to the Emperor. However, they were all ced on hold by Zhan Nencheng. As he read the petitions and carefully went through the entire case in his mind, he felt that there was no way Meng Fuyao could be involved. She wouldn¡¯t have epted the ninth wife if not for him instructing Zhan Beiheng to bestow her. When he went to her residence, it was an impromptu decision that no one knew beforehand. During the dance party, Meng Fuyao invited him to rest in the inner room numerous times and had no intention to let him overhear the conversation in the garden. They were all coincidences. How could anyone be so shrewd as to n every coincidence without any mistake at all? After much thinking, Zhan Nancheng could not bring himself to believe that a person like Meng Fuyao could have formted such a dangerous master n which spanned such a long duration. As such, Meng Fuyao continued to live her stable life, being the sociable captain that she was. She continued to waste her days in the camp while figuring out how to harm people at night. Meanwhile, as it was inte August, rainfalls and dark clouds were amon sight. The Heaven Demon court was engulfed in a simrly gloomy atmosphere, and there were sessive orders, food, and soldiers sent to River Qi, but in the face of the massive ck Dragon army, they were all in vain. The court¡¯s army was extremely vulnerable, and they became more and more fearful after each defeat. Once the enemies crossed the River Qi, there would be no other cities to defend Heaven Demon from the ck Dragon army. The whole of Heaven Demon would be exposed to the enemy! On the night of August 24th, the tension was high in Pandu, but Captain Meng¡¯s residence had a peaceful ambiance. In her garden, Captain Meng was ying a game of self-made mahjong with the others. Losers would have to eat peanuts ¨C but hands were not allowed. Actually, Meng Fuyao wanted to see the handsomeds use their mouths to pick up the peanuts. How cute that would be¡­ she grinned from ear to ear and shuffled the sets. ¡®I used to be a pro at this and used this to earn the pocket money of my dorm mates. You guys just wait to use your mouths to lick those peanuts in front of everyone¡­¡¯ Yun Hen lost the first round and took out his sword. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡®Ah, brother, if you don¡¯t want to embarrass yourself, just let me know. Weapons are not necessary, right?¡¯ With a sh of his sword, the corner of the table that the peanut was ced on dropped, while the peanut bounced up andnded into his mouth. During the second round, Zong Yue lost. The Mongolian doctor slowly looked at the peanut, then his sleeves shook, and¡­ the peanut was gone. The game was supposed to make the losers eat the peanut and not destroy it. Hence, Meng Fuyao was not willing to let him go. Zong Yue, however, smiled. ¡°This is the newest powder that disintegrates corpses. Next time, I¡¯ll let you have a try at it?¡± After the third round, Zhangsun Wuji finally lost, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°No weapons and no medicine!¡± Zhangsun Wuji nodded while smiling, seemingly willing to cooperate. With that reassurance, Meng Fuyao felt relieved that she could finally see the ungraceful side of the noble Crown Prince. In the end, His Highness snapped his fingers, and the guinea pig who was squatting on the side immediately went to fetch the peanuts, sending them one by one into his mouth. Gracefully, the Crown Prince chewed and nodded his head in approval. ¡°Very fragrant.¡± In the meantime, there was a knock on the window. Meng Fuyao solemnly walked over to the window, and in the darkness, a glimmer of light shed by, and a small wax pill was shot into her palm. Meng Fuyao shook her head and smiled. ¡°80% chance that that guy won his fight¡­¡± As she walked over to the table and opened the pill, a few people, feeling concerned, crowded around her. A piece of paper, which was of average quality and stilled stained with the smell of blood and gunpowder, wasid on the table. A gentle motion of rolling it open seemed to allow the reader to feel the atmosphere of the bloody war. The quality of the content was even more sub-par. With generous strokes of ink, a few gigantic characters were written on the paper. ¡°Fuyao! I will eventually cross the River Qi one day. Wait for my return!¡± In the brightly-lit room. Two heads gathered around her ¨C Ya Lanzhu¡¯s and the guinea pig¡¯s. Three other people remained still in their seats ¨C the handsomeds who had mixed expressions on their faces. Yun Hen looked down, Zong Yue drank his tea in silence, and Zhangsun Wuji washed the deck. When he swept a nce on that piece of paper, his expression was one that seemed to be a smile. The ink was sttered on the paper, and the casual yet powerful strokes were written with force. Those few words appeared lively. Simrly, the feelings of longing seemed toe to life on the piece of paper. In a hurry, Meng Fuyao crumpled the paper in her hands and gave a sillyugh towards the curious Ya Lanzhu. ¡°Zhan Beiye said that he¡¯sing back soon.¡± Ya Lanzhu shrewdly walked away from the mahjong table because she did not want to be the outlier among the three handsomeds. Feeling a little down, and with the desire to y mahjong not being satisfied, when she heard Meng Fuyao trying to conceal the content, the corner of her lips twitched in despise. ¡°ording to his personality, I don¡¯t even need to see, and I know that he probably wrote ¡®XX has been destroyed, wait for my victorious return¡¯, or something along those lines,¡± she said. Meng Fuyao looked up at her admiringly. ¡°Zhu Zhu, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Ya Lanzhu¡¯s eyes darkened, but she soonughed. ¡°Compared to you, everyone¡¯s a genius,¡± she responded. Grabbing the guinea pig, she retreated to the bed and continued to chat. Looking at her lonely figure, Meng Fuyao thought of how Ya Lanzhu knew that the line ¡°wait for my victorious return¡± was not directed at her. This teenage girl, who had chased after Zhan Beiye for many years, had to endlessly extend her chase because of Meng Fuyao¡¯s appearance. How long more did she have to wait before her dream would be realized? But how many teenage years could a woman have to spend them on such an endless chase? Propping up her cheeks, Meng Fuyao carefully calcted the probability of her matching up Zhan Beiye and Ya Lanzhu. However, she remembered the consequence of her matchmaking Zhangsun Wuji with Hu Sang. If even a generous guy like Zhangsun Wuji could not tolerate such a nonsensical match and had to torture her, with Zhan Beiye¡¯s bomb-like personality, he would probably dismantle her bones, right? If so, forget it, she should just go with the flow. As Meng Fuyao was engrossed in her thoughts, she was not focusing on the game while the others yed attentively. Suddenly, Zhangsun Wuji pushed his blocks and announced his victory. ¡°I won.¡± Meng Fuyao leaned over and cried, ¡°My money¡­¡± On that night, Meng Fuyao lost a house, ten acres ofnd, a dozen attendants, and even her newly-wed concubine were given to Zong Yue. But Zong Yue didn¡¯t want her and demanded money instead. With teary eyes, Meng Fuyao removed the ruby bracelet from the ninth fairy¡¯s wrist, who her foot was painfully stepped on by the ninth fairy instead. The ninth fairy was not the true ninth fairy ¨C the one in the Prince¡¯s residence was real, and so was the one who liked Meng Fuyao and wanted to have intimate contact with her. However, during Meng Fuyao¡¯s interaction with Zhan Beiheng, she had carefully scrutinized his concubines and chose the favored and brazen ninth fairy. She even bribed the servants in the inner courtyard to use Zong Yue¡¯s powder to stun the horse, allowing Meng Fuyao to be the knight in shining armor. When the ninth fairy was sessfully gifted to Meng Fuyao, she immediately sent her far away. The ninth fairy that Zhan Nancheng saw was merely Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s subordinate in disguise. Anyway, Zhan Nancheng could not possibly have had a deep impression of Zhan Beiheng¡¯s concubine who rarely came out of the residence. In the future, if she knew of Zhan Beiheng¡¯s death, she would note back and look for her own death too. As such, Meng Fuyao could be considered as her savior. As for those restricted items and imperial tributes kept in the residence, they were all thanks to the secretive force that was left behind by Zhan Beiye¡¯s grandfather. The grandfather used to gather talents with diverse expertise, and there were a few tomb-raiders who were pros at digging tunnels and stealing objects. With geniuses and a well-nned strategy, it was easy to make Zhan Beiheng fall into their trap. It was a pity that General Meng was good at plotting against others, but was no match for those people in front of her. Yun Hen was good at calcting and in less than two times of ying the game, he had remembered every block clearly. On the other hand, Zong Yue yed as though he was prescribing medicine, and his movements seemed even more well-trained than an experienced yer like her. He didn¡¯t calcte the blocks, but he would especially memorize Meng Fuyao¡¯s. Whatever Meng Fuyao needed, he would never release it, holding on to the belief of ¡°victory for myself is not important, but I¡¯d never let you win¡±. Zhangsun Wuji was even better. He seemed average aspared to the other two since he yed casually and did not win every round. However, after one round, Meng Fuyao realized that he¡¯d definitely win once after two losses, and would always win back the money he lost. In the end, he would definitely not lose any money ¨C to be able to y mahjong, a form of entertainment that relied so much on probability and luck, to such a calctive extent, it was longer a game of mahjong but another battle of wits. Chapter 195 - Untitled Chapter 195: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao broke down as she pushed the tiles in front and screamed, ¡°Three bullying one, I¡¯m not ying anymore. Change yer!¡± Then, she dragged Ya Lanzhu to the table while she watched from the sidelines. Ya Lanzhu took over. She did not bother to take a calcted risk or keep tabs on the tiles of others. Therefore, those trying to control the situation were unable to do so as she yed happily and randomly without care. Meanwhile, Lord Yuan Bao continued to discard its card in a corner¡ªwhen it lifts up one of its w: one bamboo, two ws: two bamboos so on and so forth. When it showed off its butt, the tile was a whiteboard, if it stuck out its tongue, it would be a red ¡®zhong¡¯ etc. They yed till dawn, and the house, ten acres ofnd, a dozen attendants, and the ruby bracelet that Meng Fuyao lost all ended up in Ya Lanzhu¡¯s hands. Meng Fuyao flipped the table in anger. ¡®Indeed, there is a difference in moral standing, but there are no limits to biasness! How hurtful.¡¯ She got changed,den with grief and ran ¡ª straight to the execution grounds. Today, at Heaven Demon Dynasty¡¯s capital, its dragon execution grounds on the main street was where Zhan Beiheng was to be executed! Dragon execution grounds. For officials above the fourth rank and royals, the dragon execution grounds was where they enjoyed theirst moments. The foggy drizzle made the execution grounds more slippery than usual, washing away the dirt to reveal clearly the grains on the ground. The grains on the ground was slightly red, a result of countless people¡¯s blood soaking through the floors. Beside the execution grounds sat a ferocious-looking ck Dragon with its fangs bared, waiting for its new blood sacrifice. The table for the officials to sit was already on the execution grounds. Kou Qihong, the main in charge of this case sat in the seat in the middle, while Meng Fuyao sat beside him as the vice. The huge executor¡¯s knife gleamed. The whole area was surrounded by bamboo screens¡ªafter all, it was the very first time a royal was being executed ever since the start of Tiansha. Zhan Beiheng could be considered the most distinguished person that the execution grounds had seen. In order to give Zhan Beiheng the deserving treatment as a royal, bamboo screens were set up and other than the officials, the citizens were stopped three streets away. Even when he was executed, it was taken ce inside the bamboo screens to prevent the head of a royal from rolling around, hurting the dignity of the royal family. High summer was over, and the cold traces of autumn seeped through the hearts of people. The raindrops thatnded on the execution grounds swirled the crimson red blood into beautiful flowers that bloomed in sorrow. The sound of the cart nged in a monotonous tone, almost a little terrifying in that silence. Gradually, in the ox cart, a disheveled Zhan Beiheng in cangue 1appeared in the field of vision of the numerous officials. To think that the distinguished and imperious Prince Heng in the days of yore would end up in such a state. The many officials of Tiansha revealed wistful, dested expression as they looked up at the grey skies. The troops across River Qi would eventually make their way there, they thought, like the grey skies hanging above the city, Zhan Beiye would make his way there. They could not help but feel that it was an ominous omen. It was as though the end of Prince Heng was the end of Tiansha; that the fresh blood flowing out Prince Heng¡¯s neck was but the start of the river of blood that would be flowing. A royal could end up with his head on the ground in an instant, why couldn¡¯t the pce copse the same? In that instant, the capital was silent. In that instant, the entire world, surprised, was paying attention to this bizarre case as they waited for the storms and schemes to unfold themselves. In that instant, Meng Fuyao watched Zhan Beiheng, thinking about the Grand Preceptor Zhou that died by his assassination. The two turncoat officials that did not care about their own glory or shame, spending a lifetime to destroy this dynasty and even many years after their death, they continued their revenge. Zhan Beiheng got down the shabby cart, stoic, and was lead onto the execution grounds. The bamboo screens on the four sides were ced, blocking everyst bit of sunlight he had. Thest chapter of life was tooing to, concluded. In that absolute silence, a heart-wrenching scream came from behind the bamboo screens. ¡°Heartless emperor, my gross injustice!¡± That howl with immense pain and indignation struck the grey skies like a pestle, as though clearing up those grey clouds ever so slightly. It was only but a second, as the grey clouds once again covered the sky, hovering over the city. Meng Fuyao suddenly stood up. As the crowd watched her, she calmly stood up, poured a ss of wine and said, ¡°Let me send Prince Heng off.¡± Without a care, she walked towards Prince Heng. ¡°General Meng.¡± The official in charge of this case called her, reminding her of her current position. Meng Fuyao turned around, with a loud voice, she clearly enunciated every word. ¡°Despite his wrongdoings, Prince Heng has been punished by thews of this nation. He had always treated me well, how can I bear to let him go his way without a cup of wine in the cold weather?¡± The officials lowered their heads slightly hearing her words. Behind the bamboo screen, tears welled up in Zhan Beiheng¡¯s eyes. In such a situation, all the officials avoided him like the gue. Only this halfwit, pea-brained general showed him such kindness in face of adversity! Meng Fuyao made her way behind the bamboo screen. Zhan Beiheng looked up, with tears in his eyes, as he watched the youngd bringing the wine over, kneeling beside him and cing the wine beside his lips with the utmost respect. The youngd smiled slightly, pure eyes filled with honesty and straightforwardness. Looking at such a gaze, Zhan Beiheng¡¯s anger gradually dissipated. He thought of the days where he had locked her up in the woodshed and revealed a slightly guilty smile. He did not know of the encounter Zhan Nancheng had in the Meng Residence, nor did he know that the doll hade from the ninth concubine¡¯s room. If he had known that this sincere young fellow in front of him was the culprit behind his current situation, forget about smiling, he would probably rush up and bite a chunk of meat off him. But now, all that filled his mind was something else. ¡®Zhan Nancheng, how dare you to kill me, don¡¯t me me for being cruel then¡­¡¯ He smiled, though he did not drink the wine. In a low voice, he whispered, ¡°General Meng¡­ he treated me in an unjust manner, and I do not need to speak anything of loyalty with him. Let me tell you something, you can choose to remember it or not, but count it as myst gift to you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°His Majesty has an unmentionable aliment that will rpse every autumn. In the previous years, he would use the excuse of going to the north to hunt to recover in secret. It won¡¯t be possible this year¡­ who knows what methods he will use to treat his illness¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°That certainly is worrying, what kind of illness?¡± ¡°One that nobody knows. I only know that when the Zhan Family had not gotten the position of the emperor, he did not have this illness. It was after father had ruled the world¡­¡± Zhan Beiheng stopped short and finished the cup of wine. ¡°¡­ And finally, foring to send me off, I thank you.¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her head to meet his gaze. She wanted to take this moment to tell him the truth and anger him to the point of no return. But watching him with a face full of gratitude, she swallowed back her words and felt that taking his life would suffice, there was no need to be too cruel after all. ¡®Let him bring thisst bit of ¡®warmth¡¯ on his way, perhaps in his next life he could be a better person.¡¯ Meng Fuyao kept the cup and made her way out of the bamboo screens. The bamboo screens slowly covered the young man¡¯s slim figure as the image of Fuyao¡¯s side profile could be seen through the cracks. The gaze that was sharp like an eagle¡¯s and that slim figure was somehow familiar. Zhan Beiheng frowned as he contemted. A burning me that certain night and a youngdy on the horse with a cold gaze entered his mind. ¡®Those eyes¡­ Those eyes¡­¡¯ It was as though the frozenke had experienced an earthquake as the waves of water rushed up, soaking his heart stone cold. Zhan Beiheng, in his heavy cangue, suddenly jumped up. He yelled, ¡°You-¡± Sha! With a sh of light, the knifended down in a familiar fashion! The world turned cold in that instant. Blood spattered everywhere on the floor and on the bamboo screens, forming a bloody scenery on the ground ¨C vaguely resembling the mountains and the sea. The brush of the ghost, a blood red painting of the country! The execution grounds finally had its fill of the blood of a royal. The autumn rain slowly regained its quietness as the officials at the execution reported the happenings to Zhan Nancheng. Naturally, the news of Meng Fuyao sending Zhan Beiheng off without qualms had already reached the ears of Zhan Nancheng and not only was he not upset by that, he even showed an expression of ease. ¡®This fellow really isn¡¯t a heartless, unloyal person.¡¯ Meng Fuyao looked upon with a cold gaze and gave an insincere smile. It was but petty tricks, with the most scheming future by her side, even a person who had never eaten pork had watched a pig run. ¡®I might not be good enough to deal with him, but you? More than enough.¡¯ She rode her horse back. From the pce back to her residence was a purple bamboo forest that she would have to pass by. It could be considered as one of the more quiet and secluded areas in the city center. As the bamboos swayed in the wind, the crisp rustling of the leaves was like nature¡¯s music. ¡°This is perhaps one of the only peaceful areas left in the capital that is riddled with storms.¡± No reply came from the back. Meng Fuyao frowned, Tie Cheng did not like to speak but at the very least Yao Xun would entertain her? That fellow was the best at sucking up to people. She looked up and carefully observed a droplet of water on a bamboo leaf. On that droplet, a pink figure was reflected. Meng Fuyao suddenly jumped out. With a flick of a hand, she flew off her horse without looking back and suddenly, all the bamboo leaves surrounding her released a ¡°Sha¡± sound and uniformly shot towards her. The bamboo leaves folded uniformly into half and headed straight for Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. Meng Fuyao, with her agile body, turned to let those dagger-like bamboo leaves shoot past her. She stretched out her hand, and they floated on her palm, surrounded by a pale yellow orb. Smiling, she looked at the ball of pink andmented, ¡°Tai Yan, has no one taught that men and women don¡¯t pass in person?¡± Tai Yan¡¯s head popped up from behind Yao Xun. Her cheeks were blushing while her hair wasbed into a low ponytail that did not match no matter how one looked at it. She frowned as she looked at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Men or Women, they are but ants, there is no difference.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± eximed Meng Fuyao. ¡°Then, Tai Yan, could it be that you have your arms around the waist of an ant and you can¡¯t even reach the shoulder of the ant? You are so tiny.¡± Tai Yan¡¯s sparkling eyes sent a death gare in Meng Fuyao¡¯s direction. ¡°Are you insulting me? Has no one told you the consequences of scolding me? Also, I am not as tall as him? If I were to kill him, wouldn¡¯t he be shorter than me?¡± Meng Fuyao immediately drew her de. The moment Tai Yan had said ¡°If I were to kill him¡±, Meng Fuyao had readied herself and headed straight for Tai Yan. Chapter 196 - Untitled Chapter 196: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Tai Yan only snorted coldly and used her hand to block the attack. But she did not expect the de to change its direction, stabbing into the hind legs of the horse. With a de stuck in its leg, the crisp sound of the horse¡¯s bones could be heard as it copsed in pain. Tai Yan, unprepared for this feint, lost her bnce. Her adaptability was naturally top-notched. With a tilt, she was already in the air, yet she still held tightly onto Yao Xun. Meng Fuyao lifted her hand and quickly flew to a bamboo nt and stuck something on there. Curious, Tai Yan subconsciously wanted to see but due to her height, she could not. So she could only step on Yao Xun to fly higher, and in that instant, she felt a gust of wind under her feet. Meng Fuyao had already rushed over and grabbed Yao Xun. Tai Yan looked up and saw that the thing stuck on the bamboo was nothing but a toothpick. She turned purple, flipped over and red at Meng Fuyao. ¡°You are very cunning, but you are fighting with a skilled person. This is not something you can win merely with wits.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at her, grinning from ear to ear. Though this midget was very strong, it was apparent that she had ack of experience. Since Meng Fuyao¡¯s wounds were healing and now she could wield the ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± it would not be hard to end the fight with a draw. That being said, why must they fight? Why can¡¯t they instead make use of the ¡®I will destroy everything Zhangsun Wuji has¡¯ mindset instead? ¡°Say, why are you blocking the way here?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°To kill me? Or to p me again? If so, why are you sprouting so much nonsense?¡± ¡°For what reason would I kill you?¡± replied Tai Yan emotionlessly. ¡°I am a true disciple, unlike that Zhangsun Wuji that joined in halfway. Unless it is the enemy of the sect, I will not kill.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled immediately but then heard Tai Yan adding, ¡°I am only here to ask you to pass a message to Zhangsun Wuji. Teacher has something to tell him, ask him to listen carefully.¡± Surprised, Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°His teacher is here?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then how would he know his teacher¡¯s message?¡± ¡°All you have to do is pass the message,¡± retorted Tai Yan, annoyed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pass the message yourself?¡± questioned Meng Fuyao, ignoring her tant annoyance. Tai Yan remained silent. After a while, with a murderous re, she warned Meng Fuyao, ¡°Another question and I will really kill you.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, I shan¡¯t ask then.¡± Meng Fuyao shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Miss Tai Yan, please focus on honing your skills to kill Zhangsun Wuji, stop interrupting our matters. Also, if you want to kill me, go ahead. But do not barge into the pce and disrupt his Majesty, he is who I need to protect. ¡± Coldly, Tai Yan spat. ¡°Since when was it up to you to order me around?¡± She turned to walk away and suddenly turned back. ¡°You probably think that you will be Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s queen?¡± With a strange gaze, Tai Yan looked at Meng Fuyao. That emerald green eyes resembled a shattered piece of jade in the abyss, bore into her soul. ¡°You are really pitiful.¡± The gaze that prated Meng Fuyao made her felt anxious as she pointed to herself and asked, ¡°Me? Pitiful?¡± Leaving an insouciant nce for Meng Fuyao, she vanished. Meng Fuyao stood there as she looked to the sky in shock. Suddenly, the sound of the bamboo leaves rustling, and a light fragrance wafted past her nose. Without looking back, she said, ¡°Here you are to fetch me again. I¡¯m not a kid. Plus, look, Tai Yan didn¡¯t manage to do anything to me anyways.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°A kid is less worrisome than you.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and asked, ¡°You heard the sentence just now, what did she mean?¡± Zhangsun Wuji did not reply. He seemed to be troubled with some matters, a little absent-minded. After a moment, he pulled Meng Fuyao into his embrace and quietly asked, ¡°Fuyao, when can our hard work be in the same direction?¡± Meng Fuyao looked up. The light in his eyes seemed to have been dimmed. As the bamboo forest reflected on that purple embroidered robe, he seemed a little mottled from the shadows. Fuyao felt that his breath was not stable and actually felt downcasted along with him. She sighed. ¡°Give up, Zhangsun Wuji.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji froze as he remained silent. Meng Fuyao thought about it and quietly said, ¡°Actually Tai Yan¡¯s personality isn¡¯t that evil, and she is pretty skilled in martial arts, but that height of hers¡­ sigh, if there was a perfect girl out there that matched you, I would be relieved.¡± Zhangsun Wuji stayed silent. Suddenly, heughed. Heughed, but it was unlike the usual gentle and lovingughter. This was cold and harsh. With a wave, he pushed Meng Fuyao away. It was the first time he had pushed her away ever since they met. Meng Fuyao stepped back without a word and leaned against a bamboo as she hung her head down. ¡°Meng Fuyao¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her. ¡°Are you trying to y matchmaker again? Haven¡¯t you had enough thest time? Do you really not understand that your ¡®consideration¡¯ for me now is nothing but ironic?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed bitterly. ¡°If I was just trying to y matchmaker I wouldn¡¯t have dealt with that Lotus.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her and with a faint smile, said, ¡°Fuyao, no matter how unwilling I was, I never once stopped you from chasing your path. So please, do the same for me and do not concern yourself with my pursue.¡± Meng Fuyao looked up into the sky. ¡®You want me to ignore your pursue¡­ the issue is, the one you are pursuing is me, please. With you being touchy and feely all day, do you really think that I am a wooden block? Even wooden blocks get stuck in quicksands, what¡¯s more, a living human being like me, wouldn¡¯t I fall into your love trap? It might be easy for you to say, but you don¡¯t know how hard it is to insist on my stance. The stress my insistence brought me made my bones ache, messed up my period and even my hormones secretion have gone down¡­. Is it easy for me?¡¯ The man in front of her was honorable yet silent, like an untouchable God¡­ This was a God-like man. Perfect without a w. Even his gentleness was strong like a jade, and no one could find fault in him. Indeed, he had no fault and would never be wrong. s, the faulty in her. She was emotionalness, cold, heartless, shameless¡­. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and suddenly felt annoyed beyond words. Why did she have toe here? Why did she have to meet him? Why did she have to fall into this trap of ¡®to love or not to love¡¯? She felt guilty for rejecting him¡ªbut why did she? Wasn¡¯t she as hurt? Or perhaps even more hurt than him to make that choice. She started to grind her teeth, she did not understand the disgust and anger that wasing up. ¡®Instead of being tormented by hate and love, wouldn¡¯t it be better to end everything at once? To make him leave in anger and let time heal our wounds. This is the most humane way to deal with it, isn¡¯t it? I might have never dated anyone, but I certainly watched enough soap operas to know what words to defeat you with.¡¯ ¡°Zhangsun Wuji I hate your pursue. Can I please beg you to disappear from my sight? I do not want to continue owing you any favors, or else I will never be able to repay to debt, and I¡¯ll continue living my life in pain. So please, let me off and let yourself off. Alright, these are my true feelings, and in this entire life, I will only say this once ¨C Bye, thank you. and I hope we will never meet again.¡± ¡®There is certainly a benefit to cultivating the Cleaving Nine Heavens, well, just look at this amazing disy of lung capacity¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao angrily wiped away her tears and walked away without looking at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s expression behind her. She walked with her head held high, a little too high, making people suspect that the only reason for that bodynguage was to prevent a certain liquid froming out. She stomped away but could not help but listen for the sounds of any footsteps. But it was still silent. She wanted to turn back so badly, to see what his expression was, to see what he was doing. But she stopped herself as she walked on and yelled, ¡°Leave!¡± But suddenly, a gust of wind blew from the back. An almost unnoticeable current whirled around her leg upwards, bringing a thin piece of a leaf with it. The leaf fluttered gracefully on Meng Fuyao foot. ¡®Where did the winde from? ¡®The other end of the bamboo forest¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao immediately turned back and noticed that at the other corner of the forest, between the bamboos, there was a tiny pink figure. With a coldugh and a glimmer of light, she headed straight or Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back. Meng Fuyao immediately pounced over. She pounced aggressively like an angered lion or leopard. As the leaves fluttered down, the ck sword instantly reduced them into a ball. ¡®This damned Tai Yan!¡¯ At this moment Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s reaction speed is at his lowest! In the other direction, the invisible guards also rushed forward with all their might. But when Tai Yan waved her sleeve as she drew her sword, no one could get close 30 feet from Zhangsun Wuji with the exception of Meng Fuyao. That sword was stabbed right into Zhangsun Wuji back as he turned around to defend himself. However, whether it was Tai Yan or Meng Fuyao, they could tell that he was one step too slow. Meng Fuyao was a step slow too. After all, she was too far away. ¡°Chi-¡± The quiet sound as the weapon stabbed into his flesh made Meng Fuyao¡¯s gut wrenched. Tai Yan¡¯s ear-piercingughter rang in the forest. She was satisfied, a little heartbroken and relieved as she let out the crazed, manicughter. ¡°I finally beat you once!¡± The sword in her palm stopped short and went upwards. That sword did not gopletely through Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back but cruelly cut open his spine! The sword glided past the flesh without hesitation, slicing it open. It seemed as though the sword was going to go all the way down when it suddenly stopped. Chapter 197 - Untitled Chapter 197: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm blocked the sword¡¯s de firmly. Fresh blood dripped steadily from her hand, following the de as it flowed onto the wound on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back. Their blood was mixed together as it fell onto the deep purple leaves covering the earth. Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she wrapped her fingers around the tip of the sword, intending to snap the de. However, the sword seemed to be made of an extremely slippery material and Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand slipped, resulting in another flesh-splitting wound. She roared in anguish and lunged forward, wanting to hit the sword with her own shoulder and push the de out of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back. However, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly reached out and pulled her behind him, making the longsword embedded in his back sink even deeper as fresh blood spurted out, dyeing hisvender robes a deep purple. Tai Yan¡¯s hand trembled as a look of panic shed on her face, but Zhangsun Wuji had already grabbed his sleeve. Upon grabbing his sleeve, his robes instantly hardened andshed out heavily onto the de of the sword, causing strange shockwaves. Tai Yan¡¯s hand ckened, and she involuntarily let go of the sword. Immediately, Zhangsun Wuji turned and pulled out the longsword, and with a wave of his hand, the sword shone brightly as though it were lightning and, not targeting her, flew towards a nearby pond. Tai Yan flipped in the air, rushing to retrieve the sword bestowed to her by her master. The sword had hit against a rock by the pond and rebounded, suddenly shooting towards her with greater speed. Tai Yan hastily evaded it and reached out to grab the sword when suddenly, her body stopped moving. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s finger had already tapped between her eyebrows. His hand was stained with blood, and he left a deep red fingerprint between her eyebrows, making Tai Yan¡¯s plump and flushed face look like Sudhana, the kind child God. However, her expression was anything but kind, frightening even, as she red at the finger in shock, screeching, ¡°You dare to use the forbidden technique on me¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten again, apart from shutting one¡¯s memories, the Heaven Reversal Point can also leave a permanent mark.¡± Zhangsun Wuji stared at her dispassionately, his expression calm as he watched Tai Yan¡¯s face instantly turn ashen. He flicked a finger against her and said, ¡°I think this is the most fitting punishment for you!¡± Tai Yan tumbled backward onto the fallen bamboo leaves as she frantically rubbed at the mark on her forehead to no avail. The brilliant red mark remained fresh on her forehead, looking extremelyical. Tai Yan¡¯s face paled, and tears sprung to her eyes as she stamped her foot, turned around and left angrily. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t care less about her and rushed forward like the wind, holding onto Zhangsun Wuji and feeling his body in a blind panic. ¡°How are you, how are you¡­¡± She felt Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back, her hands stained red with blood, shocking her to the point where her voice changed as she tore at her own clothes with trembling hands to tie up his wounds. However, her hand trembled too greatly and no matter how hard she tugged, she couldn¡¯t tear the fabric. Feeling Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body cken slightly, she hurriedly settled him down and tore at her clothes again, but Zhangsun Wuji suddenly reached out a hand and stopped her. His palm was slightly cold and damp with blood, yet it carried the same gentleness as it pulled Meng Fuyao¡¯s trembling hand away from her clothes and caressed her face, bringing tears to her eyes as it dripped on his hand, mixing with the blood. Meng Fuyao stared dumbly at his fingers and touched her eyes only to realize that her face was already filled with tears. This knowledge made her heart ache¡ªit turned out that one¡¯s feelings would betray one¡¯s willpower. No matter how much she fought against it, she would still cry when it was supposed to hurt. She stared at her own tears numbly, and even more tears gushed out as she sobbed openly and loudly onto Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s my fault¡­ I don¡¯t know what came over me¡­ I suddenly went overboard and said those nasty things¡­ It was my fault¡­ Hit me, hit me, hit me¡­¡± As she sobbed, she pressed a hand against the wound, searching desperately for the Ajuga grass medicine in her and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s robes before stuffing those precious pills into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mouth. The wound against her palm felt as though it was stabbing her heart to the point where she was filled with scars, and those scars suddenly began to bleed as it enveloped her heart, causing her heart to beat even faster and tumultuously until she almost couldn¡¯t tell where her heart was. Yet, Zhangsun Wuji chuckled lightly as hey in her embrace, bringing his tear-soaked finger to his lip as though he were tasting the saltiness of her tears. He reached out again and stroked her hair, closing his eyes wearily as he said, ¡°Let me sleep for a while¡­¡± True to his word, he fell into a peaceful sleep, and Meng Fuyao gazed intently at his pallid face and the longshes on his closed eyelids. Suddenly, her heart felt as though it were hit by a war carriage. ¡®He, he, he, he wouldn¡¯t have died, right?¡¯ With trembling fingers, she reached for Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s pulse and actually couldn¡¯t locate it several times before finally feeling it. She silently spat out the breath she had been holding and suddenly felt at a loss, unsure what she should do. Several guards rushed over and tried to carry Zhangsun Wuji, but by then she had recovered her wits and pushed them away, saying, ¡°Let me do it.¡± ¡®It¡¯s my fault, let me do it.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao had entered the cold war period. Actually, to describe it in that way was not very urate; more urately, Meng Fuyao no longer had the face to see Zhangsun Wuji, so the two of them stopped meeting each other. Every day, shey on the roof drinking her sorrows away, singing nonsensical songs to the moon and falling asleep after getting drunk, tumbling down from the roof in the middle of the night and kicking off several tiles¡ªZhangsun Wuji was still recovering from his wounds and since his injuries were severe, Zong Yue and Yun Hen were busy tending to him and couldn¡¯t care less about her. Even Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s beloved pet moved around with its eyes stuck on its forehead, simply ignoring her existence. Meng Fuyao continued to drink every day as she allowed her drunken thoughts to roam freely. The more she thought, the more she felt that there was something off about the events of the day, that there was something off about the sudden bout of viciousness from herself; it was definitely not something she would have done in a rtively calm state of mind, unless there was a trigger, but what was the trigger? If it wasn¡¯t something Zhangsun Wuji said, the problemy with Tai Yan. She reflected carefully, her suspicion on the expression Tai Yan had given her as she said her final words to her; she had felt that the expression was off, and now as she thought about it, it still felt off. Didn¡¯t the kind of martial arts that Zhangsun Wuji practiced have some kind of hypnosis technique? Had Tai Yan hypnotized her back then? That was why she had stopped halfway and did not make a move, it was because she had controlled a part of her mind and rxed her wariness, and then using her to attack Zhangsun Wuji before sneaking an attack¡ªshe should have thought of it; a master who could train someone like Zhangsun Wuji, why wouldn¡¯t Tai Yan have any malicious intent? It was due to her own stupidity, assuming that ack of battle experience meant ack of wisdom. She was such an incorrigible pig! After thinking through everything, Meng Little Pig felt that there was nothing that could be repaired. How could she repay the hole in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back? She caused him to get hurt¡­ She caused him to get hurt¡­ The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to just end herself; was the meaning of her existence to hurt him in both body and heart? Meng Fuyao stared at the moon sorrowfully, once again raising her cupzily and toasting, ¡°Chang Er, you damned girl, who asked to run? To run to the moon? To cross through time and space? Now you can¡¯te back, can¡¯t you? You can¡¯t go back, and you still destroyed other people¡¯s lives, from a general to a monk, don¡¯t you have any sense of guilt?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Someone had sat down beside her and snatched her wine jar away, taking a swig as sheughed. ¡°All the wine at home has been drunk by you, now I don¡¯t have any left to drink.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes were expressionless as she slurred, ¡°I don¡¯t have a home.¡± ¡°Meng Fuyao, home is where the heart is.¡± Ya Lanzhu turned around, her eyes gleaming brightly in the darkness as she continued, ¡°You home is right here.¡± ¡°Ha¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao snorted drily. ¡°Even if you refuse to admit it,¡± Ya Lanzhu shook her head exasperatedly, ¡°Who was the one who carried a bloodied up Zhangsun Wuji and stumbled into the house, looking like a ghost, shouting for Zong Yue until her voice was hoarse, scaring the wits out of me thinking that you¡¯d bothmitted suicide. Meng Fuyao, I should have drawn how you looked like then, see if you can continue to be stubborn after that.¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent, and after a long moment, she grasped a handful of her unruly hair. ¡°Damnit are you looking for a fight¡ª¡± ¡°Looking for a fight your head.¡± Ya Lanzhu tapped her head with the wine jar and said, ¡°Do you remember what you said to me previously, live in the moment? Live in the moment!¡± ¡°After hurting someone, I can never live in the moment but only live in the past¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao wailed. Ya Lanzhu couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and stood up. With one foot, she kicked a hole in the roof and then, she proceeded to kick Meng Fuyao. There was a bout of thunderous sounds apanied by loud cursing before suddenly bing quiet as though the mouth that was cursing had suddenly been blocked. Ya Lanzhu squatted down and peered through the hole as she shouted unapologetically, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji you didn¡¯t get hurt, did you? I¡¯ve handed the person in denial who¡¯s been drinking on your roof to you, receive her well¡­¡± Meng Fuyao rolled down. Ya Lanzhu¡¯s kick was sudden and vicious, and given her drunkenness, she fell down in the ugliest manner with her arms and legs iling. Fortunately, in her drunken stupor, she still remembered that the one below was Zhangsun Wuji and that he was injured, and so did not fall on him. Halfway in the air, she flipped, stepping onto a stool before leaping back up. It was probably better that she slept on the roof, she hadn¡¯t thought of how to face Zhangsun Wuji yet. However, the stool suddenly broke. Meng Fuyao stepped into the air as she flipped in rm, reaching out to grab the pir only to have an additional white ball on the pir. Two round eyes stared back at her, seething with hatred as it turned back andunched at her. ¡®I scratch! I scratch! I scratch! I scratch! Scratch! Scratch!¡± ¡°Bam!¡± Sugar-filled ws scratched at Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, viciously scratching at the drunken coward. Chapter 198 - Untitled Chapter 198: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Ping¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao fell onto the mattress and flopped as if she were a dead fish. Feeling something warm and soft beneath her, she hurriedly felt around, afraid that she had fallen onto Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body. Suddenly, she heard a low chuckle as someone said, ¡°What are you feeling about for?¡± The voice was low and gentle, smooth as a ball of silk yarn which spun around and around in the darkness of the night, causing one¡¯s limbs to feel weak. Meng Fuyao stiffened and retracted her hands as sheughed sheepishly and replied, ¡°I lost some money, so I came down to look for it, it¡¯s not with you? Sorry, sorry, I¡¯ve disturbed you.¡± She still couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at Zhangsun Wuji and got up to leave. However, she felt herself being pulled by someone against another person¡¯s body. She could smell the faint fragrance of various medicinal herbs as it wafted around her. Eyes wide open, Meng Fuyao instinctively pushed, only to realize that¡ªshe was trapped¡­ She was trapped! The most serious situation in her lifetime had happened! She, Meng Fuyao, was, trapped! Meng Fuyao shouted and was about to push away the vicious person with all her force when the person on top of her suddenly spoke weakly. ¡°Go ahead and push me, you¡¯ll only just injure me one more time.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at the ceiling exasperatedly¡ªZhangsun Wuji really knew how to guilt-trip a person. ¡®Fine, I won¡¯t push you, lest I touch your wounds.¡¯ Meng Fuyao forced a smile onto her lips as she said breathlessly, ¡°Fine, fragile items should be handled with care.¡± She attempted to hold Zhangsun Wuji gently, but that person already seemed to know what she was thinking and refused to move away as he murmured, ¡°Can¡¯t you just lend me a ce to rest?¡± ¡®The bed is such a huge ce, why do you have to use my neck to store your brain? Why do you have to use my chest to rest your shoulder? I¡¯m still a growing youngdy, it hurts being trapped like this!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s temper was ignited again, and she wanted to hurt this stubborn person again. It was just physical injury, why would he be weakened to this state? He was milking her pity with his injury¡ªshe was determined not to fall for it! Just when she had steeled herself not to fall for it and was about to flip the person off her, Zhangsun Wuji murmured again, ¡°The techniques practiced by my fellow disciples trains the entire body, from the skin to the flesh to the veins. Every part is a weapon, every part is filled with inner energy, and when one trains to the highest level, every part is protected, so we will not get injured easily, but once we get injured, physical damage is equivalent to internal damage¡­¡± He snuggled against Meng Fuyao¡¯s neck as he spoke, his breath falling in little huffs behind Meng Fuyao¡¯s ear, ticking it slightly. Meng Fuyao moved away slightly, unsure whether it was due to his breath or his exnation that made her body feel warm and she softened slightly. Yet, she did not know that she had already softened into a puddle of spring water nestled in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s chest. Their breathing melded together as one, and in the darkness, it seemed that it had be slightly heavier. After a moment, Meng Fuyao finally said defeatedly, ¡°You can only hold me to sleep, got it¡­ No doing anything else.¡± There was a muffled chuckle, and the person¡¯s eyes glinted in the dark as he moved slightly. Meng Fuyao suddenly felt something wet on her face, followed by a pair of soft lips against her skin, moist and supple. She then felt a faint breath belonging only to him, carrying the faint scent of medicinal herbs, an exquisite and refreshing fragrance against her face, following the trail that Lord Yuan Bao had left on her face slowly, meticulously and gently. A thought suddenly struck Meng Fuyao¡¯s brain, and her entire face instantly flushed and began to burn¡ªhe was actually licking the syrup on her face! The warm and gentle tongue was engrossed in its actions as he left a glistening trail on her skin; the mark he left held a faint sweetness, following up to the corners of her lips which held the dense fragrance of wine, intoxicating yet cool, invoking memories of the past, as though it were her own taste¡­ Zhangsun Wuji stopped at the corner of her lips, unmoving for a long moment before sighing. ¡°No wonder our ancestors all said they would rather die drunk on the wine of their hometown¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s face reddened, and she pushed him away. Zhangsun Wujiughed as he allowed himself to be pushed away, yet he refused to let go, holding her as she slept. ¡°Fuyao, before you truly andpletely ept my love, I won¡¯t touch you.¡± ¡°Do you dare?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s embarrassment turned to anger, ¡°Do you know Guo Pingrong? That¡¯s a fine example!¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and reached forward to bite the side of her lip. Meng Fuyao cried out in astonishment, and heughed. ¡°Can you bear to?¡± Meng Fuyao huffed indignantly and turned away, slowly settling down. After a while, she mumbled sullenly, ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned on one side and propped himself up with an arm as he asked, ¡°Hm?¡± Meng Fuyao cast a side re at the shameless person and refused to speak any further. Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and reached out to tidy her messy hair, saying, ¡°You finally said it.¡± ¡°But I still feel that what I said that day wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡­¡± muttered Meng Fuyao. The two of them remained silent in the darkness, each upied with their own thoughts. Their feelings at the moment had nothing to do with the wind and the moon, yet the things they were thinking off were more distant than the wind and the moon. After a moment, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly asked, ¡°Who is the person you are missing?¡± Meng Fuyao hesitated before replying, ¡°My mother.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± This time, Meng Fuyao remained silent for a long time before replying, ¡°In a ce far away.¡± Zhangsun Wuji gazed at the sadness in her eyes and the tears threatening to spill out as his eyes too stung slightly. Finally, he slowly said, ¡°Fuyao, can¡¯t I help you at all?¡± Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t reply. Help? How could he help? It would be too painful. She wanted to go against the heavens, how could he give up a life of happiness to follow her? ¡®No matter what, I always hope that you will be well¡­ The position as the Emperor of the Five Regions Continent is the only title most befitting for you to revolutionize the world and be an excellent¡­ emperor.¡± Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and tried to imagine Zhangsun Wuji in the Emperor¡¯s dragon robes, and what kind of empress would be beside him. However, no matter how hard she thought, the woman¡¯s face remained a blur, and she couldn¡¯t fit anyone in it. She let out an emptyugh. ¡°Sleep now, you¡¯ve not been resting well these past few days.¡± Zhangsun Wuji patted her, his voice soft as he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t make things difficult for yourself. If you make things difficult for yourself, it¡¯s the same as making things difficult for me, andbined together it would be double the suffering. Think about it, is it worth it?¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but let out augh. Zhangsun Wuji leaned forward and kissed her forehead, saying, ¡°You little fool, it¡¯s no use trying to convince you. Let¡¯s just¡­ take it one step at a time.¡± Meng Fuyao finally returned to her usual self. She smashed the wine jar, donned new robes and gaily went to work. Sitting at one side, Ya Lanzhu and Lord Yuan Bao watched her retreating silhouette and nced at each other. Their meaning was clear in their eyes: ¡°She deserves a beating!¡± Meng Fuyao rode a horse through the streets. At the moment, Pandu was peaceful and quiet, but it was the kind of peace that made one inevitably feel that there was something sinister brewing, especially at the east wing assembly point of the nobles. The feeling of unease was even more apparent, and there were people attempting to escape, attempting to collect grain. The country that had been at peace for so many years was beginning to panic at the impending entrance of a single person. Meng Fuyao looked up and gazed at the dark clouds which refused to part. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she felt a nagging uneasiness in her heart as though uncontroble things were happening far away, that there was an insidious change which couldn¡¯t be detected, cumting like the dark clouds before a storm. And very slowly, without changing its course, it was making its way towards her. No matter how she thought, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t think of a way to avoid it. After a long time, she gave the horse¡¯s side a little kick and continued moving forward. Pandu had already begun preparing for war, and all the troops had been gathered and were awaiting orders. Zhan Beiye and the great ck Dragon army had already crossed the river and powered forward with tremendous force. Although the great ck Dragon army was formidable inbat and overwhelmed the rusty Tiansha army like a pack of wolves descending from the desert, they were merciful and avoided frightening the people and killing the innocent. Cities that took the initiative to surrender were given special treatment as well. As such, the small yet powerful group moved forward with speed, and there was but a day left before they descended upon Pandu. Due to that, Tiansha had conducted numerous discussion conferences, the topic of their discussion being whether they should send the troops out to the city of Danshui sixty miles from Pandu and take Zhan Beiye head-on with their infantry and prevent the enemy from reaching Pandu, or centralize their forces within Pandu to defend the imperial city. Both sides debated heatedly and refused to concede to each other. Today, they were debating again. Zhan Nancheng was sitting on the throne, wearily watching both sides argue. Recently, he had not been looking well, and everyone thought that it was because of Zhan Beiheng¡¯s betrayal that affected his mood. Only Meng Fuyao watched him gleefully, trying to guess what kind of disease he had contracted. At the discussion, everyone speaking were high officials who had the power to decide national affairs, and someone like Meng Fuyao had no authority to speak, so she simply stood there nonchntly looking at her fingernails. Suddenly, Zhan Nancheng called out to her. ¡°General Meng, what do you think about it?¡± Everyone present shut their mouths and hastily turned around, their eyes full of curiosity and suspicion. ¡®This silly rascal, what could he possibly know?¡¯ ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao hurriedly put down her hands and stood at attention as she replied, ¡°Your Majesty, with your power, regardless of whether at Danshui or Pandu, we will always secure victory and ovee all obstacles and send the treacherous thieves fleeing¡­¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Everyone turned away¡ªHow shameless! Zhan Nancheng massaged the spot between his eyebrows wearily and said, ¡°General Meng, just say what you really want to say.¡± ¡°Although my parents are the ones who gave birth to me, Your Majesty is the one who knows me truly.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and said, ¡°Then your servant shall speak?¡± Zhan Nancheng smiled bitterly and nodded. Meng Fuyao suddenly turned around, and spread her hands wide as she roared, ¡°You fools!¡± All the officials turned green with rage¡ªhow could this rascal just open his mouth and curse like that! One of the three great officials rebuked angrily, ¡°Meng Fuyao, is this royal court a ce for you to let loose?¡± Meng Fuyao jumped onto the steps and pointed at his nose as she retorted, ¡°Old Man Xi, His Majesty has allowed me to speak my mind, yet now you¡¯re not letting me speak? Are you defying His Majesty¡¯s orders? Why are you defying His Majesty¡¯s orders now? Unless you harbor malicious intent? Why would you harbor any malicious intent? Unless you¡¯re trying to switch to Zhan Beiye¡¯s treacherous faction¡­?¡± Old Man Xi lowered his head and coughed slightly as he shook his head and shrank back, utterly defeated. Chapter 199 - Untitled Chapter 199: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As Zhan Nancheng frowned, Meng Fuyao made a huge turn and said in a loud voice, ¡°Your Majesty, both suggestions must not be used!¡± The entire court of officials was taken aback. Xie Yu, Commander of the Imperial Army, smirked and asked, ¡°Captain Meng, what¡¯s your brilliant opinion?¡± ¡°My brilliant opinion is,¡± Meng Fuyao spoke without looking embarrassed at all, ¡°Traversing 60 miles to fight at River Dan is equivalent to cing Pandu City in a precarious situation. Once the enemy attacks from two different routes, Pandu will be in danger. Furthermore, Pandu is one of the most guarded cities, and our strong walls and powerful bombs make it easier for us to defend than to attack. Setting up the defense at River Dan instead of Pandu? Absurd!¡± Zhan Nancheng nodded, and those older officials who highly supported the idea of fighting at River Dan tried to rebuke her. ¡°Don¡¯t you just mean setting up the defense at Pandu? There¡¯s nothing new!¡± ¡°How we defend also requires thinking!¡± Meng Fuyao shook her fist at him. ¡°Has any of you carefully analyzed the makeup of Zhan Beiye¡¯s rebel army? It¡¯s true that his main strength lies with his soldiers from the desert, but he still has two armies belonging to Commanders-in-chief Jin Yan and Ming Lun, who were his early followers. This two rebels are very loyal to rebel Zhan and are vital to his army¡¯s strength. Don¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯t know that?¡± ¡°So what if we knew?¡± some muttered. ¡°No matter what, the ck Dragon army is still the main force, and their strength¡­¡± Meng Fuyao spat on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s boosting the enemy¡¯s morale and dering our own defeat! If we can¡¯t counter them by force, why can¡¯t we win them by wits?¡± Another official retorted. ¡°And what wits do you have?¡± ¡°To defeat a general, you have to crush his army¡¯s morale. Jin Yan and Ming Lun are generals who are regional governors, and ording to tradition, their families are all in the city¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled creepily. ¡°Bring them onto the city gates and ughter them!¡± Silence fell upon the court¡­ thisd was evil! An official questioned, ¡°What if both Commanders-in-chief ce righteousness before family¡­ no, not care about the lives of their family members? Moreover, they are just supplementary forces, and even if they left, it wouldn¡¯t change the overall situation¡­¡± ¡°Eh? How does that concern the Commanders-in-chief?¡± Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide. ¡°The person I¡¯m exerting pressure on is Zhan Beiye. Don¡¯t they all say that the ck Dragon soldiers are northerners, and are brave and fierce men who are also strongly righteous? When the families of the two Commanders, whom he is indebted to, are held captive, how will he choose? If he retreats, his ns will be totally foiled because of that final step. If he doesn¡¯t, even if the Commanders are not resentful and are still loyal to him in the future, what right does he have tomand the thousands of brave soldiers? How is he going to face his brothers who have shed their blood and tears, and had their families ruined because of him? How will the hotblooded soldiers under him still be willing to risk their lives for such a heartless ruler?¡± Everyone sucked in their breaths and stayed silent. What a wicked and sinister man to pull off a trick to exterminate all of Zhan Beiye¡¯s forces! The guileless Heaven Demon had always respected real men who were upright and magnanimous. Though there was never too much deception in war, such an act of using the innocent as a bargaining tool had always been despised by Heaven Demon generals. Other officials might have thought of such a strategy, but they were aware that once they raised such a suggestion, their names would go down in history as bywords for infamy. Furthermore, as officials, whoever became the Emperor wouldn¡¯t have that much of an impact on them. Hence, the thought might have run past the minds of the more calctive ones, but no one chose to say it. Unexpectedly, the idiotic Captain raised it so outrightly in court. However, Xie Yuughed coldly. ¡°You think that both Jin Yan and Ming Lun are fools? That they won¡¯t know to fetch their families before the war?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him from sideways. ¡°From your tone, you seem to have visited the residences of the Commanders-in-chief? And you didn¡¯t see anyone? If you already had such a strategy in mind, why didn¡¯t you tell His Majesty beforehand?¡± Xie Yu¡¯s face paled while Zhan Nancheng looked over. Meng Fuyaoughed again. ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter even if their families are not in the city. I can casually tie a few women and children on the city gates and say that they are the family members. If the Commanders-in-chief don¡¯t admit that they are real, I¡¯ll make the women cry, ask the children to call ¡°father¡± and the olddies to call ¡°beloved son¡±, and make the act seem as real as possible. The Commanders are always away from their families when they go on military expeditions, right? They can¡¯t be sure whether their families are safe or not, am I right? Humans tend to believe what they see, and in front of the tens of thousands of soldiers, with such a seemingly real crying scene, how can they not believe that they are the true family members? Under that situation, if the Commanders refuse to admit, they are just cing righteousness in front of personal ties, and arepromising for the big picture. But if Zhan Beiye refuses to admit, what does that make him? Hah, if we can force Zhan Beiye into a dilemma because of fake family members, won¡¯t we able to make him vomit blood in anger?¡± With lively expressions and upbeat movements, she concluded her exnation. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be great!¡± Amongst the silence in the court, everyone looked at each other in dismay. Amon consensus was quickly established ¨C never offend thisd in the future! Highly skilled in maniptive strategies to control the minds of others, and also utterly shameless! The audacious Meng Fuyao grinned from ear to ear. ¡°This is much more effective than holding Zhan Beiye¡¯s own mother as hostage. He can not care about his mother for the sake of the others, but he can¡¯t ignore the mothers of others¡­ Anyway, the families of the Commanders-in-chief are already in my hands. ¡°In your hands?¡± Zhan Nancheng immediately looked at her. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Meng Fuyao straightened her back. ¡°Ever since rebel Zhan started to make noise and Jin Yan surrendered a city, I sensed that they might be in the same camp. Hence, I strengthened the city¡¯s defense as a precaution, and my brothers from the Flying Fox camp captured the families of the Commanders-in-chief. They are currently locked in my residence. I want to teach Zhan Beiye a tough lesson under the city gates of Pandu, to let those wavering regional governors understand who¡¯s the real boss!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Zhan Nancheng was delighted. ¡°You¡¯re truly loyal to the country!¡± ¡°Since I receive my sry from you, Your Majesty, I am obliged to shoulder your worries.¡± Meng Fuyao pointed to the sky and swore, ¡°I¡¯m willing to be theckey, to stand on the frontline and ughter the Zhan camp for you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a talent. How can you be theckey?¡± Zhan Nanchengughed in joy. ¡°Send my orders!¡± ¡°Former Commander of the Imperial Army, Xie Yu, shall be the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War. The position of the Commander,¡± said Zhan Nancheng and paused, looking affectionately at Meng Fuyao. As the court turned silent, Meng Fuyao raised her head innocently. ¡°Shall be taken over by former Deputy Commander of the Imperial Army and Captain of the Flying Fox camp, Meng Fuyao!¡± ¡°Your humble servant thanks you!¡± ¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve seen shameless people, but no one as shameless as you.¡± Ya Lanzhu ran hermentary with a chopstick. ¡°You actually used your mouth to swindle the Emperor and be the Commander of the Imperial Army at the veryst moment! Wow, the Imperial Army is the strongest armed force in the city, and the three camps have about 100,000 soldiers in total. You¡¯ve hit the jackpot!¡± Wearing an apron and reeking of oil, Meng Fuyao ced thest dish on the table like a dead dog. Ever since Zhangsun Wuji started to heal his injuries, she had been cooking. General Meng had slightly unique talents; she knew nothing of the four arts ¨C zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting ¨C but she was not bad in day-to-day skills like cooking and sewing. As such, when the cooks in Meng Fuyao¡¯s kitchen cooked, those few royals would refuse to eat, because their taste buds were too ustomed to Meng Fuyao¡¯s cooking. Once, Yun Hen asked her, ¡°Fuyao, you don¡¯t seem like a very capable one, but why is your cooking so brilliant? Even the most average vegetables taste great.¡± As Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart ached, she thought, ¡®If you also had an ill-stricken mother live by empty pockets, hesitate in the wet market with your meagre earnings, diligently try to bnce between medical fees and food costs, and still be able to take care of the taste of the food on top of these¡­ you can likewise make 18 variations out of a single vegetable.¡¯ Sitting miserably at the edge of the table, she took her chopsticks and was ready to eat. However, she realized that she had only taken off her apron, and the dishes on the table had already switched ces. ¡®Why did my sweet and sour pork rib, hot and spicy beef, and cabbage steamed in three vegetables break off from my magnificent camp, and be the subordinates of the enemy?¡¯ The ¡°enemy¡± sat high and mighty, with the ribs on her left, the beef on her right, and the cabbage positioned in front of her. On her sides, the handsomeds poured alcohol and grabbed the food for her. The vicious-tongued man grinned widely as he picked up vegetables for Queen Ya, and his attitude towards her was so much better than that towards Meng Fuyao, causing someone to stare until her eyes turned red with envy. Meanwhile, Yun Hen shifted all the good dishes towards Ya Lanzhu. As such, there was a highly disproportionate ratio of meat and non-meat dishes on each side of the table. When the space in front of her was full, he stacked the tes until they were three-stories high. Thanks to his skills, the stack was like a rollercoaster that did not fall, and someone gritted her teeth in anger. That someone ced her hopeful gaze on the loyal Crown Prince, who smiled at her in response. Then¡­ he personally filled up Ya Lanzhu¡¯s ss. Meng Fuyao had a mental breakdown. ¡®A bunch of dogs who forgot about friends when they saw beauties, forwent righteousness in front of personal gains and ignored the cook when the dishes were up! ¡®They can¡¯t be so biased!¡¯ Boiling with anger, Meng Fuyao mmed the chopsticks on the table and started scolding, ¡°I have to work in the morning, cook at night, and still change medicine and do massages during midnight¡­¡± Suddenly, she shoved the chopsticks in her mouth. ¡®Urgh, I just blurted that out.¡¯ Leaning casually on the chair, Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyshes to look at her, and his expression was one of delight. ¡®Very good, such idents should happen more often.¡¯ Not willing to give up, Meng Fuyao changed her content and continued scolding, ¡°Every day, I have to cook for you guys, and youzy bunch still want me to wash the dishes¡­ wash the vegetables¡­ wash¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Princess Ya¡¯s birthday today.¡± Opposite her, Zong Yue¡¯s one-liner shut her up. Meng Fuyao opened her mouth, but her tongue seemed to be twisted in knots. As she stood dumbfoundedly, the birthday girl had already ced both her hands on her heart andmented in a bright but mncholic tone. ¡°I¡¯m truly dumb, really I am. I thought that everyone would be very happy to celebrate my birthday, but I didn¡¯t know that there would be an exception¡­¡± The corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips twitched, and she raised her sleeves to cover her face in shame. ¡®I¡¯m truly dumb, really I am. One has to know that one who tricks others can be fooled by anyone. The consequence of the birth of a legendary scripture is to be hoisted by my own petard.¡¯ When she put down her sleeves, her expression had already changed to tter Ya Lanzhu. Standing up, she personally ced thest dish of spicy diced chicken in front of Ya Lanzhu. ¡°Aish, Zhu Zhu, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that it was your birthday? Otherwise, how would I know that it¡¯s your lucky day? Look, now that I know, I¡¯m super ted and excited¡­¡± Using her bum to nudge away Yun Hen, Meng Fuyao passionately sat beside Ya Lanzhu and asked, ¡°Zhu Zhu, what do you want as a birthday gift? What kind of presents did you receive in the past? Let¡¯s have a special one!¡± ¡°Last time¡­¡± Ya Lanzhu tilted her head, and her wide eyes blinked sessively. ¡°Last year at this time, I had just arrived in Taiyuan. That night, there was a wedding in a residence not far away from my inn, and the firecrackers were all over the ce, so I sat on the rooftop with a bottle of alcohol. Every time a firecracker sounded, I would give myself a toast, sight how lively that was¡­¡± Chapter 200 - Untitled Chapter 200: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios There was silence in the room as Meng Fuyao awkwardly ced her hand on Ya Lanzhu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The previous year, I was grounded in Fufeng. My father and mother prepared a birthday feast to console me, and I requested for it to be as crowded and as grand as possible. On that day, amongst the crowd, I ran away again, and in such a hurry that I left my backpack behind. During midnight, I was starving, so I used a broken gold hairpin to exchange for half a stale biscuit with a farmer. Facing the lively pce, I munched on the biscuit and imagined that its taste was simr to the pork and beef whipped up in the imperial kitchen. Having smelled the aroma of those dishes somewhat means that I have eaten them¡­¡± ¡°And the year before that, I was lost in the Geya Desert. A bunch of robbers wanted to rob me, and I killed them, but they poked a hole in my water bottle. That night, the moon was huge, resembling the ice bowl in the pce. As I stared at the moon, I imagined how great it would be if it really was an ice bowl, as I would scrumptiously finish it. I used toin that there was too much and wouldn¡¯t finish it, but at that moment I regretted¡­ Then, I thought that I shouldn¡¯t die of thirst in Geya as that was too ugly a method to die, and no one would recognize me. So, I went to drink the blood of the robbers¡¯ corpses, hehe¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t say anymore¡­¡± Meng Fuyao used the wall as support and stood up. In the silence, she didn¡¯t look at Ya Lanzhu but gave a forceful smile. ¡°I¡¯ll go add a few more dishes. For Zhu Zhu¡¯s birthday, these dishes are too simple.¡± Looking at her figure, Ya Lanzhu suddenly beamed. She knocked her chopsticks and said, ¡°Meng Fuyao, I told you guys all these not to ask for your pity, but to tell you that in matters rted to romance, there¡¯s bound to be bitterness. The more persistent you are, the more bitter it will be. You¡¯ll even be lonely, homeless and ced in dangerous situations, but so what? As long as you dare to, no matter how tough it is, you¡¯ll be able to ept the hardships dly. The scariest thing is to not even dare to try.¡± She picked up a bunch of vegetables and slowly munched on them while handing out the vegetables to the beauties beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t put up that lifeless front of pretending to be nonchnt when you guys actually care a lot. Truthfully, I¡¯m quite satisfied. This year¡¯s birthday is really an unexpected surprise, and suddenly, I feel that I have everything. It¡¯s important to be loved, but some rtionships are just as valuable as that, right? All the birthday feasts held in the pce before I was 12 and the birthdays I celebrated while drifting around afterwardbined have not made as happy as I am today¡­ Meng Fuyao, you better scram back. Why add more dishes? Do you want me to die from overeating?¡± Suddenly, Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Princess Ya, why weren¡¯t you the one who was engaged with me? If not, I would have already freed myself of my worries.¡± Shooting him a sideway nce, Ya Lanzhu giggled. ¡°I¡¯ll gift you a sentence said by someone: the revolution is not yet a sess, and more work needs to be done.¡± As Zhangsun Wuji smiled, she raised her cup and delivered a toast. ¡°I won¡¯t be biased. I¡¯ll say the same sentence to everyone ¨C the revolution is not yet a sess, and more work needs to be done.¡± In an instant, the Crown Prince looked displeased, and he sighed as he continued to eat. Sucking in a deep breath as she back-faced Ya Lanzhu, Meng Fuyao stared at the bright and round moon. She imagined how, under the same fiery moon in a desert, a fifteen-year-old girl had drunk the blood of a corpse as she celebrated her birthday. Many momentster, she raised her hand and flicked away a teardrop on her eysh. Then, she grabbed the guinea pig who had simrly been looking depressingly at the moon andughed. ¡°I¡¯ll add just thest dish.¡± Ya Lanzhu gnawed on the pig¡¯s trotters and mumbled, ¡°Non-meat please¡­¡± After a while, Meng Fuyao mysteriously appeared with a golden te on her hand, and it was covered with a silver top. ¡°The highlight!¡± Lifting her eyebrows in suspicion, Ya Lanzhu spoke. ¡°You¡¯re acting weirdly, what are you up to¡­¡± She opened the top, and instantaneously, she spat out a mouthful of alcohol. Sitting in the center of the te, was the guinea pig who was dressed with a crimson red bowtie. ¡°Presenting my birthday gift to you¡­ the pure, loyal and bachelor Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s¡­ virgin dance.¡± Meng Fuyao solemnly weed the guinea pig, who slowly stood up and arranged his bowtie. Elegantly, he gave Ya Lanzhu a formal bow, and he reached out a paw. Ya Lanzhu tried hard not tough. She looked at the invitation for a waltz dance ¨C she had been with Meng Fuyao for such a long time, so it was only natural that she learned it too. But¡­ dancing with the guinea pig? The guinea pig waited in a dignified manner. He had made up his mind; he was going to give his very first dance to Zhu Zhu, and even his master had to wait. Ya Lanzhu looked at the solemn guinea pig waiting for her, the beaming Meng Fuyao who was witnessing the scene, and the beauties beside her who were trying to overstuff her. Her eyes shone brighter and brighter, as though countless pearls were rolling inside them, but none of them fell. Momentster, the corner of her lips lifted and she extended out a finger to hook onto the guinea pig¡¯s paw. She said, ¡°Yuan Bao, don¡¯t step on my hand okay.¡± In the silence and under the moonlight, a huge circle of light shone on the table, reflecting a snowy-white ball of fluff hugging onto a skinny finger. He was totally absorbed into the noiseless waltz dance, and the finger followed his movements cooperatively, making flying,nding, swaying and swirling poses¡­ There was no mockery, no sense of despising and nothing about the scene wasical. The finger and the ball of fur were as sincere and serious as they could be. All precious intentions should be responded with sincerity. After one song, the guinea pig returned the finger in a gentlemanly fashion and made another bow. Ya Lanzhuughed. ¡°This silly Yuan Bao actually did the whole set of rituals. It¡¯s your loss, your first dance belongs to me¡­¡± Suddenly, she couldn¡¯tplete her sentence, and she covered her eyes with her hands. Secondster, crystal-like pearls fell from the gaps in her fingers. The guinea pig scurried onto her arm and used his bowtie to slowly wipe them off as he slowly squeaked. Just then, Meng Fuyao walked out in strides. She walked out of the door and made a hand gesture. Without looking back, she headed over to the garden, before receiving the wax pill that was sent by the ck-clothed messenger. ¡°You may leave.¡± Gradually, she opened up the pill. When she saw the mboyant handwriting, she felt aplicated mix of emotions, and she slowly crumpled up the piece of paper. After that, Meng Fuyao returned and stuck her head inside the house as she leaned by the window. At that moment, Ya Lanzhu had already regained herposure. Smiling, she asked, ¡°News from Zhan Beiye again? He¡¯s reaching tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao beamed brightly at her. ¡°He wants me to convey his well-wishes. He wishes you a happy 17th, and hopes that you¡¯ll always have luck by your side.¡± ¡°If every day was as lucky like today, I might not be able to handle it.¡± Ya Lanzhu smiled and gave her a meaningful gaze. ¡°Thank you.¡± Meng Fuyao stiffened, but she relinquished herself. ¡°When you¡¯re polite, I can¡¯t handle it as well.¡± Walking away from the window, she announced, ¡°I¡¯m washing my hands. You guys help yourselves.¡± Instead of washing her hands, she sat quietly in the garden. In the distance, rays of light reflected off a pond of water, and the varied and shiny rays created a silvery luminescence over the pond. In the pond, the lotus seemed slightly withered and remotely rested under the whitestone bridge. As wind breezed past the surface of the water, a refreshing and aromatic scent of chrysanthemum wafted into her nose. Beside hery a small chrysanthemum, looking as delicate and fragile as a pearl ring. Someone sat down by her side, and the entire patch of chrysanthemum slightly bent, as though they were shocked by the intruder¡¯s magnificent appearance. That person, however, only smiled gently and scrutinized the chrysanthemum between her snow-white fingers. ¡°What a beautiful color.¡± Without turning her head, Meng Fuyao muttered, ¡°She said thank you. Who do you think she was thanking?¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and replied momentster, ¡°Princess Ya is extremely smart.¡± It elicited a sigh from Meng Fuyao. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve overreached myself once again.¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned to look at her, his deep gaze prating into her bright eyes. ¡°Precisely because she¡¯s a smart one, all the more she understands where you¡¯reing from.¡± Meng Fuyao exhaled and leaned back, covering her eyes. ¡°I often feel that I¡¯m a sinner¡­¡± She stopped short of talking and sniffed the air in doubt. ¡°What smell is that?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°Show you a magic trick.¡± When Meng Fuyao nted her head, she was immediately speechless. The Crown Prince was taking out¡­ a dish from his extremely wide sleeve. Simmered meatballs. Meng Fuyao tried hard to suppress herughter. No wonder she felt that something was wrong just now. Other might not have noticed, but as the cook, she was quite aware of how many dishes she whipped up. Little did she know that it was smuggled by this glutton. ¡°If you want to eat, I can make it for you. Is stealing necessary? To think that a noble Crown Prince is stealing dishes from the table, aren¡¯t you ashamed¡­¡± Ignoring her, Zhangsun Wuji looked dejectedly at the te of unappealing meatballs. He uttered, ¡°I thought that meatballs could best retain their taste. I didn¡¯t expect that after a while, they still turned so unsightly¡­¡± Meng Fuyao instantly stopped her nagging. So he specially kept it, because she didn¡¯t eat much on the table and he was scared that she would starve? The royal and elegant Crown Prince stole dishes from the table¡­ What an unimaginable scene. Sigh¡­ a pity that His Highness really wasn¡¯t very talented in stealing the right dishes. Once the meatballs cooled down, they would stick together, and it was near impossible to eat them. Meng Fuyao wanted tough, but even as the corner of her lips lifted, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so. Bending over, she hugged her head to cool down, and then she took the te of meatballs and shoved them into her mouth. However, Zhangsun Wuji took the te away. ¡°It¡¯s cold, don¡¯t eat it. You might just get a stomachache.¡± Then, he pulled her up and added, ¡°Don¡¯t bezy, go make supper.¡± Refusing to budge, Meng Fuyao protested. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°But I am.¡± A certain person dragged her along with no trace of politeness. ¡°I¡¯m still recuperating, and you have to take care of my nutrients intake.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes, thinking about how ¡°difficult¡± it was for His Highness to recover from his injuries. ¡°I¡¯ll make supper, but you have to burn the firewood for me.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Fifteen minutester. There seemed to be a harmonious sight in the kitchen ¨C the charming cook busied herself in front of the stoves, and her hands sessively produced amazing white wantons. Her hands were even fairer than the wantons, and her gestures were so light, as though she was dancing. Behind the stove was a man who leaned on the wall and leisurely ced the firewood into the stove. The bright and fiery fire reflected his handsome features, and his appearance radiated an evesting jade-like glow. Though he was in a dirty ce behind the stove, his posture did not change, and he asionally looked up in smiles to gaze at the busy woman with a lingering expression. There was a rosy andfortable atmosphere surrounding them¡­ Chapter 201 - Untitled Chapter 201: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios An hourter. The cook¡¯s willow-like eyebrows were crossed as she grabbed on the wanton skin. Frustrated, she stuck her hands to her waist. Billows of smoke wafted in the kitchen, as though someone had set fire to it, or the burning of a murdered corpse had just happened. Under the stove and behind the pile of firewood, there was a moment of rustling before a person with distinct facial features crawled out, and he coughed while he dusted off his expensive light purple robes. Those robes were so ck the original color could no longer be seen. That person held a piece of firewood in a dignified manner, and he frowned gracefully as he investigated why he could handle his inner energy and war situations, but not control a simple fire in the kitchen? Meng Fuyao looked up dejectedly. ¡®Look at how bad his life skills are. If someone were to disguise as him and rece his position, how will he survive in the wilderness?¡¯ But as she looked on, she felt happy ¨C she finally found something that the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t do. Meng Fuyao thought that he could handle anything from destroying a nation to sewing. Looking at her expression, Zhangsun Wuji knew what she was thinking of, and he walked over to pull her away. ¡°It¡¯s hot by the stove, you might be overwhelmed by the steam. I¡¯ll cook the wanton, and you can light the fire.¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a look of despise. ¡®Some people just have to act lovey-dovey even when they¡¯re manipting others,¡¯ she thought. Momentster. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji are you cooking wanton or porridge¡­ Ah, where¡¯s my wanton? Even the skin is gone¡­¡± An hourter, after finishing up the rotten wantons, Meng Fuyao climbed onto her bed. As she climbed, sheined to the guinea pig. ¡°What a painful life I have. I have to go to war soon, which is sucking away my strength, energy and good spirits, and I still have to cook, clean up and make supper at midnight. Who am I indebted to¡­¡± The guinea pig answered, ¡°Squeak squeak (you brought it upon yourself).¡± The ill-fated one indeed lived a tough life. She had justid down when there was a sudden and thundering nose from afar that caused the ground to vibrate. The golden hooks on the bed dangled erratically, producing clicking bell sounds, and then, there were loud bangs on a door. Meng Fuyao sat up and wore her robes, and was just in time to see an enormous fire at the western side of the city. ¡°The ck Dragon Army is invading the city-¡± Meng Fuyao dashed to high ground and looked at the crimson color in the horizon, muttering, ¡°He came so quickly. Does he not care about his life!?¡± Almost instantly, there was a sharp shrill as an arrow shot straight towards the clouds amid the fire, with such a strong piercing force that it resembled a rocket tearing the heavens into two parts. A momentter, the gigantic arrow burst in mid-air and a banner miraculously appeared in the explosion. It showed a ck dragon that swerved among the lightning bolts andyers of clouds, with sharp fangs and dramatic ws. The dark red banner was distorted as it flowed in the st, causing the ck dragon to seem as if it was ready to trample the ground with a suffocating force! There was an uproar in the city as the people were taken aback by the powerful and impending ck Dragon army. Countless people dashed onto the streets and gazed at the sky in a daze. Only Meng Fuyao stayed at high ground, and with her amazing eyesight, she caught sight of the banner that appeared for a moment before it disappeared into the darkness. There were a few gigantic characters written on the banner inrge globs of ink. ¡°Here I am!¡± ¡°Here I am!¡± He used to shout. This was the one-and-only Zhan Beiye¡¯s style ofmunication ¨C especially used to inform Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky that was dyed a crimson shade because of the fire, and at the ck dragon that faded into the center of the clouds, and her eyes shone as she smiled. From the True Martial Arts Meet to the drama on the court, it took her half a year of diligent work to slowly pave her way up. Today, she had finally captured the core of Heaven Demon¡¯s strength ¨C a third of its military power ¨C and became a close confidante. The pledge that she had made when Zhan Beiye left was going to be realized! But she had more important things to do now. How could she let theck of thest effort spoil the mountain that she had built until now? She walked down and changed her clothes, ready to leave. Behind her, someone called out. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± It was Yun Hen¡¯s voice. Meng Yao turned around. Against the backdrop of the distant ze, his eyes were clear and bright. Looking at Meng Fuyao, he said, ¡°The Crown Prince is injured, and it isn¡¯t suitable for his identity to be exposed. Mr. Zong is not free either. Let me go with you.¡± Seeing that she stayed quiet, Yun Hen added, ¡°I received many letters from my family in Taiyuan asking me to go back. But I didn¡¯t, because I have been waiting for this day. I¡¯ll wait for your n to seed and then leave in peace.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, and she was speechless. She thought about how each of them belonged to different nations and had their own careers, but gathered together because of the True Martial Arts Meet. Once this matter was settled, they would probably leave, such as Zong Yue, who stayed until now likely because he was worried about thisst fight. Ever since he saw Xuanyuan Yun, he acted even more mysterious and kept sending messages. Sometimes, he would even go out at night, though no one knew what he was preparing. Life was full of gatherings and separations, and in the end, everyone had their own path to walk, though anyone would inevitably feel lonely while traversing. As she did not speak, Yun Hen quietly turned his head away, and the two of them remained quiet amidst the chaos outside. Momentster, Meng Fuyao gave a long sigh. ¡°When you leave, don¡¯t do so secretly. You have to let me send you off.¡± Yun Hen agreed and went off to change into a guard¡¯s uniform. While Meng Fuyao waited for him, she asked Tie Cheng who had intended to follow her to go back and then called Yao Xun over to give him a few instructions. After that, she led Yun Hen to the pce. ording to Heaven Demon¡¯sw, as there were no orders yet, generals only had the authority tomand their armies, but not mobilize them. When Meng Fuyao hurriedly reached the pce to meet Zhan Nancheng, she met a eunuch who looked very worried while he dashed out of the entrance with a team behind him. Upon seeing Meng Fuyao, the eunuch grabbed onto her sleeve as though she was his savior. ¡°Captain Meng, pleasee into the pce quickly¡­¡± Meng Fuyao stared at the flustered eunuch, and there was a gleam in her eye. On the surface, she acted as if she was even more anxious and pushed him away. ¡°Is this the time to enter the pce? Has the Emperor not given his orders to mobilize the troops? If there¡¯s no order, I¡¯ll go to the city gates and fight!¡± After finishing her sentence, she turned to walk away. This made the eunuch even more anxious, and he quickly grabbed onto her. In his hurry, he spoke as though he was about to cry. ¡°Captain Meng, the Emperor, the Emperor, he¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Meng Fuyao looked back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Emperor?¡± ¡°My noble Captain Meng, please follow me to take a look, I beg of you!¡± The eunuch tugged on her sleeve, and Meng Fuyao nodded. Yun Hen started to follow, but the eunuch instinctively wanted to stop him. Meng Fuyao said, ¡°You dare to stop my trusted guard? Who are you to do that?¡± The eunuch kept his hand and immediately apologized. Hurriedly, he brought Meng Fuyao into Zhan Nancheng¡¯s room. As Meng Fuyao stared at the dark and solemn room, she frowned. ¡°Where are the three main Ministers?¡± The eunuch lowered his head and didn¡¯t answer. Heaven Demon¡¯s noble officials had always disliked eunuchs, as they were afraid that these people would manipte the Emperor and disrupt court proceedings. Every time they met, the officials would look at them in disgust and find faults in them, sentencing them to death easily. Now that the Emperor was not well, he would definitely be ordered a death sentence if he informed the main Ministers, as he was the eunuch in charge of the Emperor¡¯s residence. In his anxiety, he thought of Meng Fuyao, the young and favored Captain who was always friendly and generous when she entered the pce, and well-liked by other officials. If she was the one present, he might have a chance to live. Meng Fuyao smiled as she understood the eunuch¡¯s intentions. ¡®Very well, luck is on my side.¡¯ She walked briskly into the pce and crossed the candlelit outer room. Thickyers of silk curtains reached the floor, covering up every streak of light in the inner room, while the bright yellow carpet was so thick that one¡¯s footsteps could not be heard. Meng Fuyao brushed away the maze-like curtains, which resembled nightmares that could not be swatted away. Behind thestyer of curtains, Zhan Nancheng could be seen lying on the bed, with a very pale skinplexion, blood-red eyes, and ragged breathing. When he saw Meng Fuyao sweeping away the curtains to enter, causing a trace of candlelight to be seen, he immediately waved his hand in annoyance. ¡°Quickly put it down, quickly put it down!¡± Meng Fuyao put down her hands and surveyed the surroundings. Two tall, silent, mighty and loyal guards positioned themselves beside Zhan Nancheng¡¯s bed. They were the ves that were raised by the Zhan family, and they were loyal and brave but dumb. In the past, Zhan Nancheng used to find them too troublesome and foolish, so he didn¡¯t bring them with him. Ever since he was held captive, these ves had never left his side. If Meng Fuyao¡¯s hunch was right, there were probably trap mechanisms on Zhan Nancheng¡¯s bed too. She was Zhan Nancheng¡¯s highly-favored official, but up until now, she had never been able to stand within three steps of them. Now that Zhan Nancheng was ill, would he be more cautious or let down his guard? Meng Fuyao took a step forward to test the waters, and Zhan Nancheng instantly looked over as he panted. ¡°Step back, step back¡­¡± Hence, Meng Fuyao stopped moving, and she stepped back respectfully to greet him. Zhan Nancheng asked, ¡°Outside¡­ what¡¯s the situation outside?¡± Without a change in her expression, Meng Fuyao replied, ¡°Zhan Beiye is attacking the city.¡± Zhan Nancheng trembled and tried to sit up with all his might. ¡°Send my decree¡­ my decree¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked back and cued for the eunuch to bring the materials. The eunuch wanted to call for the official on duty for writing decrees, but Meng Fuyao stared at him with an icy expression. ¡°Is this the time to further dy orders? Don¡¯t I know how to write?¡± Zhan Nancheng spoke in an annoyed tone. ¡°Don¡¯t make noise¡­ Stop making noise¡­ Send my orders¡­ you and Xie Yu¡­ will lead the Imperial Army to guard the city¡­ let the three main Ministerse¡­ then send someone to contact Prince Pingjing¡­¡± Meng Fuyao wrote down inrge strokes. ¡°Your Majesty, please use your imperial stamp, and bestow the tiger tally tomand the armies.¡± As his hands shivered, Zhan Nancheng took over his stamp and was about to chop, but he suddenly saw the words and eximed, ¡°You¡­ why did you write this¡­¡± The fingers on the stamp were about to move away, but Meng Fuyao smiled and grabbed his hand to chop on the decree. Zhan Nancheng trembled from head to toe. He pointed at her, and his eyes bulged out. ¡°You, you-¡± The two ves looked over sluggishly. Meanwhile, Zhan Nancheng¡¯s other hand discreetly crept under his pillow. Meng Fuyao looked on in smiles, and neither stepped forward nor backward, causing the ves to stop moving as well. Then, Meng Fuyao took out a small cup and a bottle of alcohol. Gently, in front of Zhan Nancheng, she slowly poured the contents into the cup. There was the sound of water. The alcohol flowed in a straight line and patterned against the cup, producing a calm and peaceful sound that had no murderous aura. Chapter 202 - Untitled Chapter 202: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios However, to those who had contracted weird illnesses, it resembled a drum that sucked away souls or a bell that took away lives! Zhan Nancheng suddenly tensed and jumped up from his bed, reaching a height of half a meter, before falling heavily on the bed again. There was a moment of spasm, panting and struggling, and before long, thin streaks of blood started flowing out from his eyes and nostrils. As he wriggled painfully in bed, he resembled a dying fish or a hysterical prawn in the ocean. The silk bed sheet was continuously stained with spots of blood, which looked as striking as a radiant rosa rubus. Meanwhile, the ves froze in their spots ¨C their natural instincts had been destroyed ever since they were at a young age. The only order they received was: if anyone tried to near the Emperor and attack him, kill them! And at that moment, Meng Fuyao stood far away, and she was merely pouring alcohol. Calmly, she poured the contents from the bottle into the cup, and vice versa, forming a continuous routine. As such, Zhan Nancheng¡¯s suffering was also endless. He screamed as he rolled in bed. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t-¡± Meng Fuyao stopped and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the tiger tally?¡± Zhan Nancheng looked up at her. He was so weak that he no longer had the strength to activate the trap mechanism. Perspiration from his head mixed with the blood at the corner of his lips and dripped down, and his expression was as resentful as it could possibly be. He looked like a starved ghost that crawled out from the gates of Hell, ready to munch on humans. Meng Fuyao stayed nonchnt. If someone once witnessed hisrade getting eaten down to their bones by ants and being burnt to death, there wouldn¡¯t be a scene that he could not face. Those who harmed others could be harmed by anyone else. It was as simple as that. Sensing no reply, Meng Fuyao took out a burner from her robes and brought it near the bottle of alcohol. Immediately, Zhan Nancheng¡¯s expression changed. He stared at the burner in horror, as though he had just witnessed ten thousand venomous snakes appearing in his bedsheet. ¡°Don¡¯t-¡± His voice cracked as he whimpered. Meng Fuyao opened her palm to him. As Zhan Nancheng shivered and refused to speak, Meng Fuyao tossed the burner in her hand. ¡°Death isn¡¯t scary. What¡¯s scary is going through immense suffering before death. Your Majesty, which method do you like?¡± Zhan Nancheng closed his eyes, and he waspletely drained of his energy to think or to hate others. In his sub-consciousness, he felt that he hadmitted an unrectifiable mistake ever since he gave orders to chase Zhan Beiye in the Changhan mountain range. Then, he had unknowingly fallen into a well-nned trap, the True Martial Arts Meet¡­ the teenage champion¡­ the foolish Captain who was depressed about being a male lover in Wuji¡­ Beiheng being killed¡­ his illness being triggered earlier than expected¡­ Right from the start, he had already tumbled into a calcted n. He wasn¡¯t able to kill Zhan Beiye, and hence, he would have to die. But he¡­ who was he? Amongst him and Zhan Beiye, one brought an army to invade his nation, while the other became an official to murder him. Withbined internal and external forces at y, he had no chance at all. He lost so tragically to them! Opposite him, the teenaged smiled. His eyes were crystal-clear, as simple as snow and as striking as a ck butterfly thatnded on an iceberg. Zhan Nancheng was struck with realization ¨C he had been the most foolish one. How could he believe a wordless interaction between him and the Wuji Crown Prince? How could such radiant and striking eyes belong to a male lover who had gone through suffering? Finally, he closed his eyes. Extending the finger which had a missing nail because he broke it off in pain, he pointed towards the ceiling. Looking towards the direction he was pointing to, Meng Fuyao saw that in two hidden corners of the ceiling, there were golden statues of beasts. Each had a slightly agape mouth, and they shone in the light. Meng Fuyaoughed and gauged the position of the beasts. Making up her mind to tackle the one on the left, she flicked her fingers, and a golden glimmer fell off. With the token and decree in her hand, she started to head out. Suddenly, there was the movement of wind behind her, and her hand shot back to grab the source of the sound. However, that thing slipped away from her palm. Meng Fuyao immediately wielded her knife and sliced behind her, creating a gust of wind that made the thick curtains flutter. Yet that thing still slid away from the tip of her knife. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly bolted away. That thing chased after her relentlessly and tried to pounce on her, traveling at the speed of sound or light; it was so fast that one wouldn¡¯t realize until it neared. In her hurry, Meng Fuyao turned back with her knife in hand, ready to counter the attack. But she was greeted with a rancid smell, and a pair of dark purple eyes shot towards her face. With a blink of the eyes, a stream of purple liquid sshed in all directions! Almost simultaneously, Meng Fuyao threw ger knife forward, which was in time to cause the liquid to split in other directions. Majority of it was blocked by Meng Fuyao¡¯s inner energy, but there was a string of it ¨C as thin as an eysh ¨C that was right in front of her forehead. Meng Fuyao felt her blood turn cold. In her joy, she had underestimated the attack! ¡°Chi-¡± Suddenly, a sword swerved in from the side. The thin and long sword was covered with a shimmery silver luminescence, and in an instant, there was an arc of light in the darkness like a shooting star. The sword headed straight for Meng Fuyao¡¯s face at a speed even faster than that of light or sound, causing her to be so stunned that her hair stood on its ends, and her eyes closed in the face of the strong, icy gleam. Then, the sword stopped almost instantly, narrowly brushing past her eyebrows. It came quickly but stopped even quicker. The silver luminescence glowed continually. The sword was so close to Meng Fuyao that a slight mistake could have caused her eyes to go blind, or her forehead to be stabbed through. Yet, even Meng Fuyao¡¯s longest eysh remained intact. Correctly positioned in front of her eyshes, just for the purple liquid to be sttered on it. A dark room without light! A booby trap that was so close to her! A poisonous liquid as thin as silk. To deliver such an urate wield that was beyond describable, how shockingly good should a person¡¯s wrist strength and eyesight be? There was the sound of sizzling, and the purple liquid instantly expanded, making the clear surface of the de turn dark. As for the spot that the liquidnded on, a hole gradually appeared in that area due to the erosion of the de¡­ what a powerful poison! Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief and gave Yun Hen a thankful look. ¡®You saved me again!¡¯ She quickly took out her knife to ughter the purple beast. As Yun Hen kept his sword, he felt difficulty in using his strength, as his wrist seemed to have been dislocated after he overexerted himself to control the strength of his wield. He broke out in cold sweat, and his inner robe stuck closely to his body like an entangled rope. That wield¡­ was the best one he ever did in his entire life. In that split second, he had realized that something was wrong and when he swatted the curtains away, the poisonous liquid was the very first thing he saw. Without hesitation, he had wielded his sword. However, now that he thought back, he realized that he had not made clear sense of the situation at that moment. With his skills, such a rushed wield could likely have resulted in him stabbing a hole in Meng Fuyao, so how did he do it? Then, how did he execute such perfect control? What forces were at y to umte into such a miraculous sight? Yun Hen heaved a deep breath and closed his eyes as he thanked the Heavens. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao walked up to him. As she cleaned the blood off the de, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that a domino trap would be activated at thest step of retrieving the tiger tally, and this weird monster would be hidden in the right beast.¡± Looking down at the gory mess of blood, meat and purple liquid, she added, ¡°Yun Hen, you sword skills have improved yet again. I can¡¯t even execute what you did.¡± Yun Heng merely smiled. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao¡¯s jaws dropped at the sight of his face. ¡°What happened to you? Why are you perspiring so much?¡± She took out a piece of cloth and was about to wipe away his perspiration, but she changed her mind, and she passed it to him as she pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m pretty clumsy, heh¡­¡± When Yun Hen took the cloth, he stuffed it in his robes, making Meng Fuyao blush, pretending that she didn¡¯t see that. As Yun Hen gazed at the unconscious Zhan Nancheng on the bed, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t kill him? Sparing his life might give us a headache in the future.¡± ¡°This is a favor that I want to ask of you,¡± Meng Fuyao said. ¡°Zhan Nancheng can¡¯t be killed now. I¡¯m issuing a fake decree to order all officials to be gathered outside the pce, to stall the three Ministers who have the authority to mobilize troops. They¡¯re experienced officials, so they¡¯d barge in once they get anxious, but leaving Zhan Nancheng and his ves behind could make them believe in us and let us stall for more time. I¡¯m entrusting this ce to you to ensure that nothing goes wrong. Guard this ce using the identity of my guard. If our n fails, please kill him. If it seeds, then I ask of you to¡­ kill him!¡± Yun Hen was taken aback, while Meng Fuyao gave a helpless smile. ¡°Zhan Beiye has a soft heart, and he might not be able to kill his brother. But sparing Zhan Nancheng¡¯s life is equivalent to having a tumor¡­ Let him be a clean and morally upright Emperor. The crime of killing his brother shall bemitted by me!¡± She smiled brightly andughed. ¡°Anyway, I seem to be on my way of bing the second Old Grand Preceptor Zhou, Heaven Demon¡¯s ¡®ultimate turncoat official¡¯.¡± Sensing her bravery to dash past all barriers and shoulder all responsibilities, Yun Hen gave her a long look. Momentster, he looked away and said, ¡°Okay!¡± Meng Fuyao grinned from ear to ear. ¡°As the saying goes, hold the feudal overlord, and you control his vessels. A true act of a real man!¡± Then, she passed the bottle of alcohol to Yun Hen, who received it and asked, ¡°What illness did Zhan Nancheng contract? Why is it so strange that he could not stand the sound of water or be exposed to light?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Meng Fuyao shrugged. Before Zhan Beiheng died, he told her of Zhan Nancheng¡¯s illness, and she consulted the Mongolian doctor about this. Zong Yue asked her detailedly about Zhan Nancheng¡¯s expressions and level of energy, and even the color of his fingernails. A few dayster, he gave her a packet of powder and instructed her to smear it on her sleeves when she was summoned by Zhan Nancheng. Nothing much had to be done, and she only needed to flick her sleeves. Zhan Nancheng usually didn¡¯t allow anyone near him, but when she debated in the pce and proposed her military ns the day before, she made exaggerated gestures, and the unlucky Emperor must have breathed in some. As to what that illness was, she could only say that his symptoms resembled that of rabies, though they were not totally alike since it wasn¡¯t the right season. It was highly likely that Zong Yue made a powder that could aggravate his conditions, and severely injure his nervous system, causing him to hyperventte. Sigh¡­ the pitiful Zhan Nancheng. How many traps did he fall into simultaneously? Reassuring Yun Hen with a smile, Meng Fuyao pushed aside the curtains and revealed a smile to the eunuch-in-charge who was dumbfounded. ¡°Had fun overhearing our conversation?¡± The eunuch¡¯s face turned ashen, and he stepped back and dropped to his knees. Continuously kowtowing with all his might, he begged. ¡°Captain Meng spare my life, please spare my life¡­¡± ¡°Why should I kill you?¡± Meng Fuyao patted his shoulders affectionately and stuck a pill in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a sweet¡­ is it sweet? After you finish eating, go and announce the decree.¡± The eunuch hesitantly received her fake decree, and his fingers trembled continuously. Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Announce the decree properly, and I¡¯ll reward you with another sweet when you¡¯re back.¡± Suddenly, her face turned ice-cold, and she added sinisterly, ¡°You know best what¡¯s the state of the Emperor and this nation. Do you understand what you have to do?¡± Chapter 203 - Untitled Chapter 203: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The eunuch looked up, and he nced at the dark and solemn room. The heavy breaths of the person on the deathbed marked thest of Heaven Demon¡¯s Thousand Springs era. Further away, outside the city gates, young and brave generals were galloping with pride¡­ a fated death and ending. Who else would want to sacrifice everything to retain a nation that was about to copse? He bowed respectfully. Meng Fuyao smiled and pointed him the way out. ¡°Congrattions on bing the first batch of Prince Lie¡¯s close attendants!¡± His eyes gleamed, and he walked out briskly. As he left, Meng Fuyao smirked. People like eunuchs, because of the sufferings they faced when they grew up, were the most shameless and had no principles, as they prized personal gains above anything else. By threatening him, and then bribing him with glory and status, she could be sure that he would not dare to betray her. After she strode out of the pce, she mounted her horse, and Tie Cheng and her guards brought two huge carriages. Meng Fuyao nodded in response and went straight to the Imperial Barracks. The Captain of the Flying Tiger camp, Jian Shuangjin, was so anxious that he came up to her once she arrived. ¡°Boss! Have you received orders to mobilize the troops?¡± Shaking her head, Meng Fuyao frowned and sighed. ¡°The Emperor does not wish to see anyone. I wasn¡¯t able to meet him.¡± ¡°Why is it so?¡± Jian Shuangjin rubbed his hands continuously. ¡°The enemy is striking offensive attacks on our city, yet the hundred thousand soldiers in the Imperial Army are not allowed to strike back. This¡­ Does this even make any sense!¡± ¡°Captain Jian, are you doubting the Emperor?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°The Emperor is wise. What right do we have to question his wisdom?¡± Jian Jinshuang was taken aback, and he quickly lowered his head and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smirked and went inside the camp. As he tailed her, Jian Jinshuang added, ¡°Sir, when a general is out at war, some exceptions can be made. Even if the Emperor hasn¡¯t given his orders yet, we can still ask the three main Ministers to use each of their one-third of a stamp to deliver an order¡­¡± The stamps of the three Ministers? A smile crept up Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips¡­ Yao Xun should havepleted his mission by now? He had not done this for a while now, and he was itching to try again, so he must have been very happy to be assigned such arge target. Hopefully, the three Ministers would still have their underwear intact on them¡­ Just then, she stopped short in her tracks and nced at this man who was famous in the Imperial Army for being rash and straightforward¡­ It would be easy to kill him, but doing so might stir unnecessary rm. Furthermore, he was pretty good at warfare, and he could be of use to Zhan Beiye in the future¡­ In a split second, she turned and beamed. ¡°Captain Jian, you¡¯re right. Pandu is in a state of emergency, and we as defenders should not be afraid of the responsibilities that we have to shoulder. If there is no order from the Emperor, we¡¯ll ask from the three Ministers. If they don¡¯t agree, we¡¯ll bring our forces to the city gates to attack! I¡¯ll ount for any me!¡± She said it in such a passionate and emotive manner that Jian Shuangjin was moved to tears. In a loud voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely shoulder the me with you!¡± Then, he spoke apologetically. ¡°I¡­ am guilty¡­ of nearly doubting your loyalty just now¡­¡± Meng Fuyao patted his shoulder, and she gazed deeply at the faraway Qiongcang. In an emotive voice, she responded, ¡°The storm puts strong grass to the test; troubles times test a faithful official¡­¡± Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck out of nowhere, causing a huge tree to be burnt from inside out. While Jian Shuangjin was still reprimanding himself, Meng Fuyao calmly said, ¡°Alright now, the war is impending. Captain Jian, I¡¯ll trouble you to organize the various Camps, and call the four Vice Captains over. I have a few details to discuss with them.¡± Jian Shuangjin hurried off happily, and Meng Fuyao waited for the Vice Captains to arrive. These were people whom Meng Fuyao bonded over gambling, hence they werefortable with each other and not very strict on formalities. Theyughed when they walked in. ¡°Sir, what instructions do you have for us?¡± Meng Fuyao sat high and mighty on her seat, and she slowly drank her tea. With a wave of her hand, the front door to the room instantly closed. The four of them were stunned, but Meng Fuyao waved her hand again. Immediately, her personal attendant brought two tes forward; one had a pearl that was the size of a thumb, the other contained a dagger. The pearl shined radiantly in the dim room, catching the attention of all four Vice Captains. They had seen plenty of such goods, but they had never seen one of this size and quality, and the shine of the pearl illuminated their captivated expressions. Satisfied with their reactions, Meng Fuyao calmly sipped on her tea¡­ these few were the ones whom she carefully picked to befriend, who were also the ones who fought for every penny and cent. How would people like them have resilient mindsets and grounded principles? Ever since she entered the Imperial Army, she had been gambling every day, but that was not without reason. It was minor to use money to buy the loyalty of others, and the main focus was to actually use gambling as an opportunity to decipher others¡¯ personalities and rope in those who were promising. As the saying goes, discreditable things are often done in the dark. As the four people sucked in their breaths while staring intensely at the beautiful treasure, Meng Fuyao put down her cup, and the thin porcin made a sharp sound as it came into contact with the table, causing the four to jump. ¡°I¡¯ll gift you a life of prosperity.¡± Meng Fuyao pointed at the pearl. Their expressions were a mix of joy and confusion. Meng Fuyao pointed again, but it was directed towards the dagger. ¡°Or a massacre.¡± 15 minutester, the door to the room slowly opened. Meng Fuyao was still sitting on her seat in all smiles, but the pearls and dagger had disappeared. The four Vice Captains sat on her sides and smiled at her with a tinge of nervousness; their sleeves were all slightly heavy. After a while, other Captains came forth after receiving the order. The Imperial Army was split into three camps that each had a Captain and two Vice Captains, but they were not all filled up. For example, Meng Fuyao was also the Captain of the Flying Fox Camp. Other than Meng Fuyao, Jian Shuangjin who was in charge of patrol duty, and the four Vice Captains, there were still the Vice Commander of the Imperial Army, Captain of the Flying Tiger Camp, and the other Vice Captains of the three camps. The Vice Commander, Zhenghui, was a close confidante of former Commander Xie Yu. When Xie Yu was shifted to the Ministry of War, he thought that he would have a chance to be promoted, but little did he know that the Emperor would bestow the position upon a young and inexperiencedd like Meng Fuyao. Naturally, he did not ept the decision, and always paid lip service to Meng Fuyao while he opposed in secret. After he sat down, he gave a supercilious look at the ceiling. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao ced her hands on her knees and was not angered at all. As she beamed at him, she said, ¡°Captains, I just received the Emperor¡¯s decree from the pce. Our Imperial Army will bear the responsibility of protecting the pce. Later, we¡¯ll swap out the pce guards.¡± Everyone in the room was stunned. Flying Fox¡¯s Vice Captain eximed, ¡°Our Imperial Army has always been the main defense of the city. Now that the rebels are attacking, we should be immediately ordered to fend off the enemies on the city gates. Why would we swap out the pce guards?¡± Meng Fuyao caressed her knees, and her eyebrows were locked in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t oppose the Emperor¡¯s decision as well.¡± Standing up, she announced, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s get ready to do the swap.¡± ¡°Wait there.¡± Slowly turning around, she saw that Zheng Hui was the one who spoke, just as she had expected. In a belittling manner, he nced at Meng Fuyao and sniffed. ¡°Sir, the Imperial Army is an army that fights, not the guards that watch the door for the concubines and princesses. You actually epted such an order without speaking a word? Why didn¡¯t youy out reasons for the Emperor?¡± ¡°May I ask, Sir Zheng, how am I supposed to reason with His Majesty?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled affectionately as she asked. ¡°Should I tell His Majesty that ¡®Hey, Your Majesty, your guards are too weak and their weapons have long rusted from watching the pce gates. Why don¡¯t we let our Imperial Army fight, while the watchdogs continue watching?¡¯. Is that what you¡¯re implying?¡± Zheng Hui was at a loss for words. Momentster, he stood up and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to say it, I¡¯ll go!¡±. Then, he started walking out. ¡°Stop there!¡± The shout was as loud as thunder, causing the armored captains to jump in shock as their ears rang. A vase dropped from its rack, cracking into a near powder form; the turquoise porcin pieces flew as the vase shattered, causing the Vice Captains to step back in fear. Zheng Hui¡¯s heart thumped when he heard the shout, and he momentarily realized that this famous yet foolish Captain was the Champion of the True Martial Arts Meet. He intended to leave but he didn¡¯t dare to, so he stood rooted the ground. Just then, the teenage Captain who was usually calm and friendly suddenly released her fury, and her suffocating force instantly came down on him like a thunderstorm. ¡°Zheng Hui!¡± In a towering rage, she said with a stern voice, ¡°I must have to remind you that this is an order, not a discussion. If you think that you can¡¯t execute my order, then we are no longer boss and subordinate ¨C there are two ways to settle this. Either I stop being the Commander or you stop being the Vice, but right now, I do not have the first option in mind. So, if you continue to resist against my order, I can only give you two choices. One, you immediately bring the Captains to carry out mymand, or two, I¡¯ll lead the fellow Captains to¡­¡± As Zheng Hui was so bombarded by this string of words, he could feel himself bing giddy and his heartbeat starting to quicken. Hence he stood dumbfounded in his spot. Instinctively, he was waiting for herst sentence, but Meng Fuyao suddenly pushed her robes to one side, stepped on the mess of broken porcin pieces, and pounced on him like a furious dragon or demeaning eagle. ¡°Kill you!¡± When she pounced, her raging inner energy swept up the porcin pieces, causing them to fly in all directions. The Captains quickly raised their sleeves to protect their faces, and from the gaps of their sleeve, they could only see a pitch-ck robe crossing the room, creating an arc that resembled the movement of a curved knife. In a split second, she had cut through the stagnant air and appeared in front of the stiff Zheng Hui. Using two fingers, she perched and pinched! There was a very light sound of cracking, resembling the noise made when walnut was broken apart. In an instant, everyone was so stunned that they seemed to have been pegged onto their seats. The only person moving was Zheng Hui ¨C his Adam¡¯s apple on the broken neck wriggled weirdly, and strange sounds appeared in his throat. His neck slumped, but his body copsed on the ground. With a bang, he fell on the ground filled with the porcin pieces, creating a very muffled echo. Gradually, thin streams of blood flowed out from under his body, slowly slithering on the floor like snakes until they reached the foot of the Captains. Chapter 204 - Untitled Chapter 204: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Captains tried to step back to escape, but suddenly, they realized that they could not move. It turned out that while they were in a state of shock over Zheng Hui¡¯s sudden death, theirrades who had previously been bought over by Meng Fuyao had silently captured them. They nced at Zheng Hui¡¯s corpse and at theirrades beside them. For a long while, they stayed silent, and no one resisted. Standing in front of the lifeless body, Meng Fuyao slowly smiled. Killing the least number of people to achieve the greatest effect was what Zhangsun Wuji always said. She was able and well-prepared enough to easily kill all of them, but why should she go through all that trouble? Why should she push people to a dead end and risk suffering unnecessary revoke? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for them to give up their struggle andpletely surrender to her by letting them witness their superior¡¯s death and theirrades¡¯ betrayal? Any human would have a herd mentality. If others fought with their lives, one would be willing to follow and sacrifice his life. If everyone else chose to surrender, one would feel that counting him in would not make much of a difference. Meng Fuyao stood in the pool of blood, and she felt a bit tired as she looked towards the city gates. Time was not on her side. She was a soldier that appeared out of nowhere and only had enough time to be the Commander at the veryst moment. Although she had the greatest amount of power, there was not enough time for her to establish her authority and be able to lead the entire Imperial Army to revolt with her. What she could do was to try to destroy the core of the strongest one-third of Pandu¡¯s military strength! After instructing the four Vice Captains to organize their troops to swap out the pce guards, and then locking up those who have surrendered with Jian Shuangjin, Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief. When she walked out of the camp, she bumped into a person. Xie Yu. Meng Fuyao squinted her eyes at him. ¡®Did he not heed the decree and attend the court assembly in the pce? Things could get troublesome,¡¯ she thought. Xie Yu looked at her solemnly and was about to speak, but Meng Fuyao spoke first. Taking out the Tiger Tally and the self-made decree, she said, ¡°Vice Minister Xie, you came at the right time. Are you here to apany me to take over the imperial guards? His Majesty has ordered me to be in charge of the Imperial Army and imperial guards, and take over the responsibility of defending the inner city.¡± When Xie Yu saw the decree, he raised his eyebrows in suspicion, and he took it over to have a closer look. Then, he scrutinized the Tiger Tally. As an experienced general, he was naturally able to identify these objects. However, even as his face paled, he still maintained a straight face. ¡°General Meng, you¡¯re still young and might not be able to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. I have received orders from the three Ministers to temporarily take over the imperial guards and fight alongside you. In my opinion, since His Majesty trusts you, it will be better for you to enter the pce to protect him. Leave the defense of the city gates to me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows and smiled. ¡°The Ministers have delivered their order? Can I have a look?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Xie Yu slowly took out a piece of paper from his robes and handed it to Meng Fuyao, whoughed when she saw it. She chuckled and pointed to the bottom corner of the decree. Where there was supposed to be the marks of three stamps, only one of them was present. Raising her eyebrows, she smiled at Xie Yu. ¡°I have only heard of an order given by all three Ministers, but I¡¯ve never heard that merely one stamp can also be counted as an order.¡± Xie Yu¡¯s lips twitched, and momentster, he replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯m an executing an order given by Minister Kui. Both of us will shoulder all responsibility and ept our punishments in front of His Majesty. Captain Meng, just follow the order.¡± ¡°No such thing,¡± Meng Fuyao returned the order to him and smirked. ¡°Vice Minister Xie, your request is absolutely ridiculous. An order given by Minister Kui who only has one-third of the authority to do so, cannot possibly override the authority of His Majesty¡¯s decree or the Tiger Tally in my hands. Unless you opine that Minister Kui¡¯s order is even holier than the decree or the tally?¡± This was inevitably forcing Xie Yu to admit to a major wrongdoing. However, Xie Yue maintained a nonchnt expression. ¡°Minister Kui has already led the imperial guards to the city gates to defend against the enemy. He said that, as a court official, for him to be able to sacrifice his life in war for His Majesty, meant much more to him than being surrounded by great fortune during death. Same goes for me. Captain Meng, since you¡¯re not willing to execute the order, I will not force you as well. I¡¯ll just personally chat with the Imperial Army soldiers.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyelid twitched as a sign of bad omen ¨C she never knew that this bastard was actually deadly loyal to Zhan Nancheng. After managing the Imperial Army for many years, his reputation as a just and strict leader had earned him the respect and affection of the soldiers, allowing him to establish strong authority within the camp. He had much more of a say in the camp than her, who had just suddenly appeared two months ago. If he showed up, even if the Captains who had surrendered to her did not betray her, the soldiers would also follow him. Her efforts would be put to waste. After those thoughts shed by in her mind, she beamed. Opening up her arms, she said, ¡°Why do we need to fight over this? Aren¡¯t we all doing this for the longevity of our empire? And to spare no effort into our dying days for His Majesty¡¯s rule? Vice Minister Xie, you¡¯re a long-time general of Heaven Demon, and your experience and conduct are spectacr. Since I¡¯m young and less knowledgeable, I¡¯ll naturally heed your orders.¡± Xie Yu revealed an expression of joy, and as he looked at her from head to toe, he nodded. ¡°This would be great.¡± ¡°However,¡± Meng Fuyao added. ¡°Vice Minister Xie, your order is, after all, an iplete order from the three Ministers, whereas I¡¯m holding on to the decree and the Tiger Tally. You might dare to look down on the decree, but I don¡¯t; you want to be buried in horsehide, while I only think of staying loyal to His Majesty¡¯s instructions. Come, let¡¯s each take a step back.¡± She turned around and pointed at the Imperial Army camp. ¡°Two-thirds of the camp will defend the pce, while the rest will follow me to defend the city gates alongside you and Minister Kui. If His Majesty mes me in the future, I¡¯ll count on you and Minister Kui to speak up for me. How¡¯s that?¡± Giving a disgusted look at her, The Majesty¡¯s favorite yet despicable courtier who had such a slippery character, Xie Yu contemted for a moment and answered, ¡°Alright.¡± He ran through his considerations in his mind. ¡®Meng Fuyao is only bringing one-third of the Imperial Army forces towards the city gates, and no matter what, she cannot possibly stir any trouble under my watch. With my presence, how will Meng Fuyao be able tomand the Imperial Army? But I wonder what went wrong with His Majesty for him to keep giving ridiculous orders tonight. Minister Kui and I are only trying to save the city from danger by rebelling against the decree. Later, when I enter the pce, I must persuade Old Minister Xi to not overtly trust Meng Fuyao. After getting the new decree, I¡¯ll still be able to grab back the control of the Imperial Army.¡¯ ¡­ Pandu had strong walls and powerful bombs, and its high city walls were the best in the Continent. Furthermore, there were fiveyers of defenses, the enceinte and drawbridge were intact, and there were three segments of moats to especially defend the city against knights. With elite soldiers, sufficient food and wless weapons in the city, they were at an advantagepared to Zhan Beiye¡¯s exhausted and poorly-supplied army which had dashed to the city without any sleep or rest. Xie Yu was confident that once he was able to regain control of the Imperial Army, he would definitely be able to ughter Zhan Beiye in front of the city gates. With suspicion in mind, he nced at Meng Fuyao, who was grinning widely, as though she had nothing to hide. Minister Kui had repeatedly said that thisd harbored unfathomable thoughts and had to be guarded against, but she was willing to hand over the authority of the camp. ¡®Minister Kui might have had a wrong judgment of him,¡¯ he thought. Meng Fuyao did not miss out on any change in his expression. Her lips curled up as shemanded the Flying Fox camp to follow her and Xie Yu to the city gates. Seeing that Tie Cheng was hurrying a horse carriage behind them, Xie Yu could not help but give a surprised nce. ¡°His Majesty asked me to bring the family members of Jin Yan and Ming Lun, the two Commanders-in-chief, up onto the city gates. We¡¯ll follow the original n,¡± said Meng Fuyao. Feeling relieved, Xie Yu nodded in agreement. At this point in time, both of them had already arrived at the city gates, and from afar, they could see the burning mes and hear the deafening war cries. ck-clothed soldiers and purple-clothed imperial guards were running up and down hurriedly like ants, while the crossbow machinery made squeaking sounds as it spun 360 degrees to fire torrents of arrows. They had just reached the top level of the gates when they saw the disheveled Minister Kui striking clumsily at a ck Dragon soldier who had just climbed up. When the soldier packed a punch back at Minister Kui, everyone rushed forward to pull Minister Kui down from the edge of the wall, but he still struggled to climb forward while he gave loudmands. ¡°Shoot! Go shoot! Drop the stones! Roll the logs! Pour the burning oil! Throw down the sandbags!¡± He barked until his throat became hoarse. When he looked back, he saw Xie Yu and the ck-robed Meng Fuyao, who stood quietly in the vibrant sea of red light and the pouring rain of arrows. Her face was slightly ashen, and her expression seemed dark when she looked at the loyal official, causing his heart to skip a beat. However, that feeling did not remain for long, as in the next moment, Meng Fuyao was already walking up to him in smiles. ¡°Sir Kui, you¡¯re loyal to the nation. I admire a nonbatant official like you who is willing to lead a charge!¡± In heavy breaths, Minister Kui waved his hand in exhaustion. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao walked to the edge of the gates and looked down. Then, she saw Zhan Beiye! In the vast field, amongst the ferocious cavalry lined up in formation, a ck figure rode on a ck horse. With a team of elite, brave and aggressive soldiers following him, he dashed across the formations like a furious dragon. In his handsy a golden pike that was heavy but bright, drawing golden arcs of light across the night sky like a shooting star. The fierce and resilient expression on his face when he asionally looked up could be felt even from a far distance away, and he dazzled like a glistening diamond, seemingly breaking open the night sky in a lustrous and searing manner, causing the night sky to explode into a star-studded gxy. Wherever he passed by, soldiers would split apart like ocean waves, and he zoomed towards the city gates seamlessly. Those gigantic stones that fell from the top of the gates were an easy piece of cake to him, as they were instantly destroyed by his golden pike. In the continuous sounds of explosion, he flung one of the stones back up to the gates, creating a massive hole in the sturdy wall that was already strengthened by cement. This was a true, heroic general who should be the one leading a charge, who was wise and fierce, and whose bravery exceeded that of anyone! With a swing of his pike, he took the opportunity to nce up, but his body instantly froze. He saw Meng Fuyao. High on the walls, she had her hands ced on a battlement, and her attitude was one of nonchnce, strikingly different from the nervous atmosphere that surrounded her neighboring guards. In smiles, she looked down, and her ck robes and silver hair tie swayed in the wind casually, against the backdrop of the towering city. Her calmness just seemed so poised and steady amongst the crowd of soldiers who were busy fighting a bloody war ¨C nothing seemed to frighten her. It was the confidence of a natural leader. As Zhan Beiye looked at her, he felt a wrench in his heart, and he almost dropped his golden pike to the floor. Hurriedly, he regained the grip on his weapon, but he realized that his palm was full of perspiration and it was too wet for him to have a stable hold. During the six months that they were separated, he had thought of her day and night. His thoughts of her, if they could be stacked up, were even taller and wider than the city wall before his eyes. When he traversed in his dreams, her figure was omnipresent, and he would bump into her everywhere he went. When he walked, he thought of how she looked when she rode on her horse; when he drank water, he remembered how she was more fond of hot water; when he ate, he recalled her slightly ungraceful manner of finishing the food, and when he slept, he often reminisced about the night that the two of themid in the same bed. He had stared at her figure, which was beautiful but meager, like a crescent moon that seemed so close, yet so far. Chapter 205 - Untitled Chapter 205: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye contemted¡­ And contemted, pacing around the room as he contemted without being able to escape. He repeatedly thought, under what circumstances would they reunite? In the pce hall? On the streets? Or the original residence? In what ways would they meet? Would she wee him with a smile, or would he rush forward, smiling? There were even a couple of times where he woke up in cold sweat, determined to fight his way back to the capital, only to be stopped by his subordinates¡ªthat night, he had dreamed that she was dead, kneeling down on the floor with blood all over. She attempted to draw something on the ground with the blood, then, copsed. He did not fall back asleep, sitting in the courtyard, hugging his knees as he watched the moon till sunrise. In another dream, he dreamt that she disappeared and did not wait for him at the capital. He woke up and stared nkly at the wall. Perhaps, this was something that she could possibly do. Then, would he look for her after attacking the capital? Or would he just not attack? The next day, he saw the ck Wind Calvary knights and saw the single-arm Ji Yu. He once again resumed his journey. A man had a man¡¯s responsibility. Some things could not be up to him and his whims. Now¡­ After a long six months, he finally saw her. The moment he saw her, he felt that his longing for her amounted to nothing. The longing that tormented him day and night,pared to this moment, was as thin as a piece of paper. Seeing her was like being struck by lighting and like looking at her made him want to rush over without a care. Her figure, to him, was an oasis to a soldier dying of thirst in a desert. He had to go over even if it meant climbing; regardless of death. And so, he really went over, waving his golden spear, between the rain of arrows and the shing of swords. But Meng Fuyao gently put her thumb up. She weed that person that was far away, yet one could still feel his burning gaze as he lifted his index and middle finger, forming a scissor. ¡°Victory!¡± Zhan Beiye stopped and looked at her in shock. At this point, Meng Fuyao had already turned her back to him as she watched Xie Yu force the families of themander-in-chief up. Those weak women and young men were tied up and pushed onto the city wall by the guards. Xie Yu grabbed a woman, lifted his shield, and yelled, ¡°Zhan Beiye, these are the families of the two Commanders-in-Chief, Jin Yan, Ming Lun!¡± The ferociously attacking soldiers abruptly stopped their attack. They turned back in fear as Zhan Beiye¡¯s face turned ck, slowly raising his hand up. Xie Yu¡¯s lips curled up as he leaned out and shouted, ¡°The twomanders-in-chief have followed you from the very beginning. They apanied you through battles thousands of miles away. For you, they abandoned the riches they could have enjoyed, and instead, they have their blood sttered on the grounds you¡¯ve fought. Now that their families are here on the city walls, if you dare to order an attack, I will immediately finish them off. I¡¯ll let you guys from the north understand that this renegade that you guys have given your loyalty to is nothing but a cold, emotionless traitor!¡± The yells gradually stopped. The cold wind blew as the fire torch lit like the stars in the sky. Everyone¡¯s eyes were directed to the center of the crowd, the silent and handsome man. Thousands of soldiers remained silent as they waited for one to make his tough choice. Xie Yu held a sword against a woman¡¯s throat andmanded, ¡°Retreat!¡± Zhan Beiye, with his gaze of steel, stared straight at Xie Yu. Xie Yu remained unmoved as he tightened his grip around the sword. ¡°Retreat! Tie up yourself ande up! Otherwise, you¡¯ll be a sinner in everyone¡¯s eyes!¡± Zhan Beiye slowly raised his head and looked at the city walls. His ck robe fluttered with the wind as his handsome face resembled a jade sculpture under the zing sun. With unswerving determination, he looked at the weak men and women on the city walls, looked at the calm Meng Fuyao, and finally, slowly, took a step back. This step back was of great significance! Joy and excitement could be reflected in Xie Yu¡¯s eyes. Sha! The gleam of light reflected off the sword. It was as though a white flood dragon 1 had descended from the skies above to the human realm to have its fill of human blood! A silver sh suddenly came out of the ¡°weak girl from themander-in-chief¡¯s family¡±. The sh was sharp, fierce, and quick as it very swiftly and urately shot through the middle of Xie Yu¡¯s forehead. Blood slowly dripped down from his forehead, forming a steady stream of blood falling on the ground. The body of Xie Yu remained forever frozen on the walls of the city. His final feelings of joy had forever stopped at the instant where Zhan Beiye had taken a step back. His expression right before his death was a mixture of shock and joy, resulting in an odd smile. He slowly let go and took onest nce at the person. Meng Fuyao. That youngd ced one of his hand on the walls as he smiled at him in the calmest, serene way possible, while his guards stood behind him. That gaze, he finally understood everything before he died. In the end¡­ they lost¡­ Their dynasty¡­ had ended. This was thest thought Xie Yu had before his death. As everyst bit of strength left his body and his consciousness faded, he toppled down from the buttress and fell from the tallest city wall in the world. With a loud ¡®Pong¡¯, his bodynded heavily in front of Zhan Beiye¡¯s horse. As his corpsended, it bounced up again slightly, stirring up the yellow soil around up. That moment. Everyone stayed solemn as they quietly watched the death of the veryst general loyal to the dynasty. Thousands of soldiers, yet, not a sound. Zhan Beiye slowly looked up the city walls. On top, a young man in ck stood there with a mischievous and enthusiastic vibe that was unbefitting of this solemn moment as she showed off the victory sign that belonged to her alone. Suddenly, his body froze. On the wall, behind the young man, a guard quietly made his way over and stood beside her. He stood beside her, such a suitable position. From his gaze to his smile, they perfectly enshrouded her. His gaze calmly swept across the people below the city walls. Such a poised, resplendent gaze. It was no doubt, the gaze of a ruler. Zhan Beiye looked up above the city walls. Her eyes were initially fixated on him. However, the moment that person appeared, she turned around. Surprised, shemented something, and then he replied something. What followed was that joyful gaze in her eyes, as though all flowers in the wild had bloomed. That blooming flower that sat above the city walls was spectacr beyondprehension, beyond the grasp of anyone. Zhan Beiye suddenly lifted his hand and slowly pressed against his heart. A gust of wind blew. It was cold, that hole in his heart. For half a year, his journey back was filled with nothing but danger¡­ escaping secretly¡­ putting up ns and strategies without rest¡­ riding his horse without stopping¡­ the pain of battling miles away¡­ half a year, merely half a year, he had ovee the obstacles and battles in thend of Tiansha. Leading his soldiers, he had conquered cities after cities. He swung his weapon to contend for hegemony, and that weapon had paved the way through thends of blood and fire and cut through miles of territory¡­ His military had created a miracle, but only he knew that that was the miracle of longing. He had once ridden the horse for seven days and seven nights without resting, falling down from the horse when he was extremely exhausted. He was afraid of missing the best opportunity and continued even with his injuries. And till today, those injuries were still unhealed and bleeding. He had once single-handedly infiltrated an enemy¡¯s camp, almost losing his life there. He even rapidly advanced with his soldiers for three days to be ahead of the enemies, setting ambush and grabbing the best opportunity¡ªhis ferocious battle against the heavens, the enemies and time were just so that he could arrive at the capital even a second earlier. His sharp de had never once changed its direction moving forward¡ªit was always towards her. And today, the two armies met, and he finally saw her. Yet, their reunion was as such. His hand pressed against his heart. He suddenly felt lost. The pain and struggles, the haste and the rush, those anxious attacks, and quick pacing were all so they could meet, like this? It turned out longing was like needles, stabbing holes in every part of one¡¯s body. And the blood that came out from every wound was the blood directly from the heart. Zhan Beiye finally put down his hand. He heaved a long sigh, turned around and waved his hand in the air. ¡°Attack!¡± The horn had signaled the start as the yells mimicked the bloodthirsty beasts that preyed. A forest of weapons was formed as attacks were exchanged, stirring up the stench of blood. Zhan Beiye looked up as he stood in the middle of chaos. His charcoal ck hair blew in the air that ck was their battle g! The authority over all this territory was nothingpared to the longing he had in his heart. It was all for her. Without the awkward position he was in, the endless assassination attempts or the worries for the safety of his loved ones, he was able to chase her more freely without restraints. Who said that when Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward, he, Zhan Beiye, had to take a step back? He refused to have such a reunion, and he refused to lose this battle! ¡®Who will admit defeat? Who will be defeated? Her smile was like a beautiful flower. The youngdy has yet to wed, as long as she hasn¡¯t stepped into your Top Sun Pce in the gown, as long as her name hasn¡¯t been recorded in your family¡¯s book, I, Zhan Beiye, will not admit defeat! ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, I will definitely be fighting for her!¡¯ Meng Fuyao did not know of the miseries Zhan Beiye currently felt. Surprised, she looked at Zhangsun Wuji currently donned in the uniform of a guard. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she mouthed. Zhangsun Wuji smiled calmly. ¡°In such a critical moment, why not?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, thinking that the critical moment he meant was the fall of the Tiansha dynasty. She did not even think of anything else. Looking over, she saw Minister Kui and those generals originally in charge of defending the city being subdued by the ¡°Commanders-in-Chief¡¯s families¡±, ring at her. Seeing that the soldiers everywhere were now all in a mess, she could not help but grin. But Zhangsun Wuji reminded her, ¡°The soldiers defending the capital are all elites and have always taken pride in guarding the biggest city. For them to surrender without fighting¡­ it might be tough to convince them¡­¡± With a satisfied and proud grin, she patted his shoulder and said, ¡®Brother, I will allow you to admire me.¡± She stepped forward and announced, ¡°His Majesty has passed away!¡± With this announcement, the soldiers on the city wall that were still resisting turned to look at Meng Fuyao in shock. Calmly, Meng Fuyao added, ¡°The pce has fallen, His Majesty has passed, the generals have been executed¡­ What are you all still sacrificing your lives for? Now should be the time to support Prince Lie and those who do, are his officials of great merit. But those who resist¡­¡± She pointed to the ck Dragon Army that was still attacking ferociously. ¡°Otherwise, the thousands of elite soldiers and the weapons would be after you!¡± Chapter 206 - Untitled Chapter 206: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The soldiers looked at each other in dismay. Meng Fuyao peered at the lower ranking military officers and said meaningfully, ¡°Prince Lie is merciful, and this is known by the world. Otherwise, he would not have been able to conquer the capital in such a short time. Now that the tides have changed, he who understands the times is a wise man. It is up to you all follow this new emperor and find sess or to stick to your futile struggle, die courageously here and let your old parents and young kids have no one to depend on¡­ You can decide for yourself!¡± She no longer looked at the crowd and turned to exit. Behind her, Minister Kui angrily spat out a mouthful of saliva with blood in it and yelled, ¡°You shameless traitor!¡± ¡°You are right.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°The person I admire most is a traitor! Now that I finally am a traitor, I cannot be happier!¡± Everyone stared at this individual with unique behavior in shock. Now, this person even dared to spout such sphemous words ¨C that he was ¡®willing to be a traitor?¡¯ Everyone cared about, and greatly valued, their reputation. But why was this fellow not afraid of the repercussions, the rumors, and for his terrible morals to be recorded in history? Meng Fuyao onlyughed, thinking about the famous turncoat officer, the Grand Preceptor, that he could finally rest in peace! Minister Kui continued yelling and scolding, ¡°As loyal retainers of the imperial court, how can they just surrender without fighting¡­¡± Pang! Meng Fuyao grabbed a stone and shoved it in his mouth, knocking off three of his teeth. She stepped forward and retorted fiercely, ¡°You want to be your loyal retainer? Zhan Nancheng bestowed you with riches and beauty. All your life, you have been enjoying the benefits he had given you. So if you want to remain loyal to him, no one is stopping you. But what rights do you have to force these soldiers who never once benefitted from his rule, or rather, suffered under his rule, to die with you? Zhan Nancheng had always oppressed the good and to follow the new ruler would be to do the country good! Thirty years and the wheel of fortune has finally turned. You can follow your ruler down to hell, and we will enjoy our life under the rule of the new ruler! Just wait and see!¡± On the city walls, the soldiers fell silent. Only the battle cries could be heard from afar. Everyone was secretly calcting and weighing Meng Fuyao¡¯s words. Her words had hit the nail on the head, ying on their emotions. Not only that, her straightforward words filled with righteousness won the hearts of the soldiers. Indeed, as officials of the country, they should be loyal. But why should they die? Even if they died, what about their innocent families? Furthermore, Prince Lie was renown for his love and generosity for his people. To battle and die with someone like this¡­ The soldiers on the city walls let their guards down. Seeing this, the opposition took the opportunity and climbed up the city walls, and he immediately attacked the first soldier beside him. That soldier saw the de, quickly avoided with a turn and ripped off a piece of white fabric before yelling, ¡°We surrender!¡± This single sentence broke the ice and was immediately followed by waves of cheers. ¡°We surrender!¡± The weapons nged against each other as soldiers threw them to the ground. Some waved the white g in the air, others fled in disorder, but a majority of them rushed down to open the city gates. Minister Kui closed his eyes, pained. ¡®The unbeatable city was finally ruined in the hands of a viin. And the city guards that were always determined to protect the capital, honored to do so, actually abandoned their weapons after listening to a few words!¡¯ But he did not understand that circumstances, honor, love, and loyalty were the four biggest factors to conquering a person. Meng Fuyao ignored him and smiled as she went down the stairs with Zhangsun Wuji. The ck Dragon Army¡¯s ferocious attacks gradually died down, and hundreds of soldiers worked together to open the doors. The gigantic dark brown door slowly opened as a glimmer of light shone in. A group of ck horses galloped in, stirring up the dust beneath them. They weed Meng Fuyao, who made it to thest step on the stairs. The knights on the horses were filled with dirt and dust, but their backs still remained upright, like a pine tree, as their ck robes fluttered in the air. Zhan Beiye sat upright, weing Meng Fuyao. The horse galloped without a stop towards her and Meng Fuyao smiled as she stood at thest step, watching Zhan Beiye¡¯s burning gaze, waiting for his signatureugh and wave as he would yell. ¡°Fuyao, we finally met at the capital again!¡± In the end¡­ Zhan Beiye did not utter a word. He waved his whip, spur his horse and dashed forward like an arrow. Without stopping, he passed by her and then, single-handedly grabbed her! Before she could react, Meng Fuyao was already thrown onto the horse. Zhan Beiye held the reins with one hand and held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s waist with another as he swiftly passed by Zhangsun Wuji. The soldiers cheered as they galloped straight for the capital. Zhangsun Wuji stood on the ground, unmoved. He smiled as he coughed a little, watching Meng Fuyao being taken away by Zhan Beiye at such speed. He quietly shook his head and said to Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°Look, this is how a bandit is trained.¡± Lord Yuan Bao stroked his beard and thought, ¡®If he doesn¡¯t explode in silence, then, he might die in silence¡­¡¯ And then he thought again,¡¯ Perhaps it¡¯s like this ¨C once he explodes in silence, he¡¯ll probably die in silence¡­¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji carried Lord Yuan Bao and leaned back slightly, watching the whirlwind of dust and calmlymented, ¡°We should appeal to people with virtue¡­¡± The unlucky Meng Fuyao that was currently on the horse finally reacted after three kilometers and had an outburst of anger as she threw a punch over. ¡°Zhan Beiye, you motherf*cker, are you still human? Let me down!¡± That punch was very heavy, and Zhan Beiye gagged a little, but his hands did not let go. Meng Fuyao felt that it was a little weird and turned to take a closer look. His dark robe seemed a little darker as a circr patch slowly widened. She could vaguely smell the metallic blood stench¡­ Meng Fuyao gazed to the sky. ¡®Why do I always unintentionally create problems like this¡­¡¯ The entire city was in chaos. Zhan Beiye¡¯s army was busy dealing with the duties of the defense team and issues with the weapon storage and food storage. Another group of soldiers followed Zhan Beiye to the pce. Zhan Beiye did not utter a word but held Meng Fuyao close. His robe covered her as the scent of a manced with the stench of blood, and the smell of gunpowder entered her nostrils. Meng Fuyao looked up and frowned slightly ¨C she realized that the degree of blood stench that Zhan Beiye was giving off meant that he was probably heavily injured. At this moment, she had many different ways to escape from him but no matter which method she chose, she¡¯d probably further injure him¡­ unless she sealed his acupuncture points¡­ Meng Fuyao sighed. This was certainly not the time to seal his acupuncture points¡­ Zhan Beiye was no Zhangsun Wuji that would shamelessly make use of his own wounds to earn the pity of this cold-hearted yet somehow loving fellow. Zhan Beiye did not have any inkling of Meng Fuyao¡¯s current thought process but merely felt happy that the beauty in his arms had stopped struggling. After a journey of galloping, the anger and frustration that he initially felt when he saw Zhangsun Wuji beside Meng Fuyao were now released. He smiled a little. ¡®Ay, half a year of not seeing Meng Fuyao, she seems to be more gentle?¡¯ Thinking to this point, he got worried. ¡®Her gentleness, it couldn¡¯t be that it was Zhangsun Wuji that fellow that taught her to be gentle?¡¯ The horse jumped up, and the bodies of the two touched a little. Zhan Beiye could not help but stiffen a bit with Meng Fuyao in his arms as he felt her back gently touching his chest. Through the clothes, he could actually still feel that smooth, beautiful curve line of hers. The wind ran through her hair, and a strand of air got stuck on his slightly sweaty chin. He was unwilling to turn his head to get rid of the strand of hair, so instead, he gently bit down. It was only a single strand of hair, yet he could still taste her own unique scent ¨C sweet. He controlled the reins with one hand as he took the chance to peer over at her. From his position, he could only see the top of her head. He had identally tugged on her hair, and her hairstyle was now falling apart, revealing the whorl on the top of her hair. He secretly blew the loose strands of hair away and counted the whorls, ¡®One, two, three¡­ she actually has three hair whorls! No wonder she is so stubborn.¡¯ And then, he noticed her dainty little ear lobes. They were like two pearls, and she actually had no ear holes. He immediately felt that in this entire world, ears with no ear holes were the prettiest. For two holes to be made in these beautiful ears, it would certainly be a waste. As he thought to himself, he could not help but want to touch her. He wanted to know the feel of those pearls, or perhaps, he could move his hand down a little to her delicate shoulders. He felt that she seemed to have gotten thinner again after half a year of not seeing her. Though such delicate shoulders were indeed beautiful, it would be better if they were firmer¡ªhe would feel more at ease¡­ Zhan Beiye¡¯s gaze brushed past her shoulders, and he snorted quietly¡­ Since Zhangsun Wuji and Zongyue were there, why couldn¡¯t they protect her? It seemed like she¡¯d be better off with him. After all this was over, he would give her his everything without reserve. He was ted at this thought, and his arms around her waist moved slightly upwards towards her shoulders. His hands moved that ever slightly but left his lower abdomen open. With a beautiful flip, Meng Fuyaonded steadily behind him. Meng Fuyao questioned him with a smile, ¡°Zhan Beiye, are you a wolf? Be careful, or else I¡¯ll chop off those ws of yours.¡± Zhan Beiye frowned slightly and nced at her. ¡®Meng Fuyao, do you know what is an irresistible impulse?¡¯ Naturally, Meng Fuyao seemed to not understand this. In her eyes, anything a man touched above her knees and below her neck without consent was considered perverted ¨C including Zhangsun Wuji. However, she was never one to care about these nitty-gritty details and was genuinely happy to reunite with Zhan Beiye after such a long time. She could not help but rattle off and inform him of all the stuff that happened ¨C from scheming to entering the imperial camp to how she step-by-step gained more and more power to cause the downfall of Zhan Nancheng. She even proudly announced what happened today. Of course, she removed the pain, despise, and injuries she had to suffer through and merely focused on the sess she had gained. She did not seem to realize that Zhan Beiye¡¯s was turning cker and cker by the moment, and at the end, he was almost as ck as a pan¡¯s bottom. Chapter 207 - Untitled Chapter 207: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Let me tell you about that damned Zhan Nancheng, the ce where he hid the Tiger Seal was really despicable. To begin with, I don¡¯t know what was even in that goddamn beast on the right side, aiyo my dear mother, even its tears were lethal weapons. Fortunately, I was quick-witted and adaptable¡­¡± ¡°Meng! Fu! Yao!¡± A deep bellow abruptly interrupted her war-story narration, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she watched Zhan Beiye turn around with an extremely unpleasant expression on his face. His eyes were bloodshot and burning with fury, and the veins on his neck and forehead were all visible; his appearance was a terrifying sight to behold. ¡°Has your brain died? Who asked you to be so nosy? That is the spirit beast from the Tiansha imperial pce, meant to protect the nation, it¡¯s the most poisonous spirit beast! Not just its tears contain poison, if a single strand of fur evennds on you, then you¡¯ll immediately die ten thousand times!¡± Meng Fuyao blinked several times, feeling rather indignant at the line ¡°Who asked you to be so nosy¡±. Eventually, after thinking for a moment, she decided to be understanding and mumbled, ¡°I still managed to ughter it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you were in luck!¡± Zhan Beiye interrupted her viciously again, ¡°Back then, the number one archer in Tiansha who once won the True Martial Arts Competition, Xue Wuxie, fell victim to the very beast¡¯s ws! That thing just has to scratch the epidermalyer of your skin, and even the Buddha can¡¯t save you! You you you you¡ª¡± He was so angry that his entire body was trembling almost uncontrobly as he continued, ¡°You really are ignorant and na?ve, be it the Tiger Seal or control over the imperial army, is it worth using your life to exchange for it? Idiot!¡± ¡°Your mother, you¡¯re the idiot!¡± The cannon was immediately lit, and Meng Fuyao immediately red up on her horse, shouting, ¡°Zhan Beiye, you bastard, we haven¡¯t met for just half a year, and youe yelling and cursing. Did you take the wrong medicine? It¡¯s my business to snatch control of the imperial army, and it¡¯s also my business to take the Tiger Seal, what does it have to do with you!¡± ¡°Of course it has to do with me! How has the matter of your life and death not to do with me!¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s voice was even louder than hers as he roared, ¡°I would rather fight in the city for half a month and use my own power to take the throne than let you take such risks for me, Meng Fuyao! Where do you ce yourself? And in what position do you ce me, a man of my word?¡± Pointing at himself, his voice became more agitated as he said, ¡°I, Zhan Beiye, wish to seek vengeance and be the emperor, yet ultimately I have to depend on¡­ depend on a woman to risk her life to open the city gates for me! Where would I have the face to see my people after that, where would I have the face to see you?¡± ¡°My ass, are you looking down on women? So what if it¡¯s a woman? Didn¡¯t your mother give birth to you?¡± Meng Fuyao seemed to emit smoke as she swooped in front of this chauvinistic bastard. ¡°In what way am Ickingpared to you? Why can¡¯t I do the things you do? All the regions in Tiansha were taken by your effort, so what are you afraid of me stealing your credit? Rx, you, Zhan Beiye, will forever be the heroic one and I, Meng Fuyao, will always be the nosy one. Rx, I¡¯ve never once thought that you had to rely on me to open the city gates, I just, I just¡­¡± She suddenly paused, and her breathing became slightly unstable as she bit her lip and finally said, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of those sacrifices! If there is a solution without the need for bloodshed, then why can¡¯t I work hard too? Must blood always be shed in the fight for the throne? All those fathers and mothers had brought up lives equally as precious as ours, why can¡¯t lesser people die?¡± Zhan Beiye was stunned again. The two ck Wind Calvary soldiers standing behind him had heard their argument, and they too were stunned. Everyone had turned around to look at the raging, uncouth girl with her hands on her hips as she stood viciously on Zhan Beiye¡¯s horse, and after a long moment, they unanimously turned to nce at their king. For the first time, Zhan Beiye was pitied by his loyal subjects¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s rage was beyond control as she stamped forcefully on Zhan Beiye¡¯s horse and shouted, ¡°Damn it, you boar!¡± Zhan Beiye closed his mouth, his lips forming a tight line. ¡®Damnit, this woman has misunderstood again!¡¯ When did he feel that she was being extra? Since when was he afraid of her stealing the credit? Since when did he feel that her risking her life to cooperate with him from within the city humiliating? For the sake of respecting and preserving the lives of the tens of thousands of men who followed him, he, Zhan Beiye, didn¡¯t care about face! He just¡­ didn¡¯t want her to take the risk. Earlier while on the horse, he had heard the things that she had done and the more he heard, the more frightened he became, and he nearly let go of the reins due to his hands turning soft. She was literally dancing on the knife¡¯s edge in a pool of blood, and her life could be over any moment, yet this girl was still so gleeful and utterly oblivious about it. Given this kind of fearless and boundless personality, if something were to happen, even if he offered everything he had, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to save her! Behind him, his horse was getting trampled by Meng Fuyao, and it was exasperatedly letting her continue, feeling rather indignant in its heart¡­ Actually, the line that he said, ¡°rely on a woman to help me open the city gates¡±, what he actually wanted to say was ¡°rely on the woman I love to open the city gates for me¡±. However, he was surrounded by people all around, how could he say it out? Zhan Beiye wrung his hands frustratedly. Sigh, he simply wasn¡¯t good with words, no matter what he said, it would be misunderstood by this female tiger, and he also couldn¡¯t exin himself, and even worse if his exnation was misunderstood by her as well. Hence, he could only shut up. He gripped the reins tightly, green veins popping slightly on his knuckles¡ªthe two of them had been separated for half a year and finally met with great difficulty, yet the minute they met they started arguing, what was going on! Behind him, Meng Fuyao was getting tired from stamping, and since he didn¡¯t leave, she sat down stony-faced and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of the situation in the pce? I¡¯ve already banished all of them to the Qin Zheng Pce, then you can just waltz in and chase them away. I¡¯ve already asked Yun Hen to kill Zhan Nancheng, you don¡¯t have to dirty your hands. When you go, if you¡¯re smart, remember to cry for a bit in front of the pce and say something along the lines of ¡®I never intended to harbor any rebellious thoughts, I travelled thousands of miles back only to kneel before Your Majesty, my loyalty is as unwavering as the sun and moon, yet Your Majesty did not wait for my return, and I am filled with grief¡­¡± or simr, have some drama, even if nobody believes you, you still have to do it. If you can¡¯t cry, then there are still two options.¡± She bbered on, pulling out several bulbs of garlic and a bunch of chili peppers as she said, ¡°These goods are guaranteed to make you cry.¡± The ck Wind Calvary turned around again and looked at her silently, then at Zhan Beiye. This time, their expressions were full of jealousy. In this world, how many women would curse you yet at the same time help you unconditionally¡­ Zhan Beiye stared at Meng Fuyao intently, and his heart warmed, causing his eyes to be slightly moist. He cleared his throat and prepared to say in his most gentle voice, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ Yet who knew that the girl would continue to bber on, ¡°I¡¯m tired already, if you¡¯re that hung up on me helping you too much and think that I¡¯m belittling you, then for future issues, you can settle them yourself, I¡¯m leaving.¡± With that, she was about to get off her horse, when she thought for a moment and added, ¡°If you want to find me, Zhu Zhu and myself will both be at the general¡¯s manor on the Second South Alley. When you go over, you better remember clearly, the day before was Zhu Zhu¡¯s birthday and I told you before to bring a letter to wish her. You better not forget, or else there might be conflict then.¡± As she spoke, Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyebrows arched again as he struggled to listen to her patiently. ¡°Why do I have to remember that?¡± He replied coldly. Meng Fuyao huffed and berated, ¡°I told you before to wish her a happy birthday on my behalf!¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s ck eyebrows were scrounged tightly together, and his eyes were lit with fury as he asked again even more coldly, ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Meng Fuyao had justnded on the ground, and upon hearing his words, she nearly stumbled. Turning around suddenly, she shouted, ¡°Yes! What does it have to do with you? So what do I have to do with you either?¡± Zhan Beiye was stunned speechless as he turned around and red at Meng Fuyao with his dark eyes. Countless sparks seemed to dance within his eyes, and Meng Fuyao was startled by the intensity of his gaze. She retreated one step, but Zhan Beiye suddenly jumped off his horse. After jumping off the horse, with quick strides, he stopped in front of Meng Fuyao and without saying a word, he kissed her! The momentum he carried with him as he ced his lips upon hers was wild and forceful, carrying the intensity of his feelings as he kissed her! Zhan Beiye aggressively kissed her, his hands grasping her shoulders tightly as he used his tongue to attack, entering the mouth of the unprepared as it explored the new territory; the taste between her lips fragrant and sweet like the crape myrtle flowers that grew in the pce during the spring season. It was as though spring hade and her warmth was as soft and gentle as the featherforter in the Jiao Ni Golden Pce during the harshest winter, leaving a warm and memorable impression that was deeply touching and left one yearning. And because of its brilliance, he was pulled into its beauty, and the pitch ck world of his seemed to clear, and he was stepping on clouds over a rainbow. His body was trembling slightly due to the shock of the feeling and the forcefulness of his tongue, wanting to trap the angel who kept trying to fly away in his heart forever¡­ He felt a sudden pain in his abdomen. It was as though an icy de hilt had hit an equally hard area. Zhan Beiye paused for but a moment. He curled his fingers, squeezing her waist even tighter as he ignored the pain, refusing to let go of the territory he had gained and even bit Meng Fuyao¡¯s tongue lightly/ ¡®If you have the guts then just kill me for real!¡¯ It was a pity that the woman he loved was simply not weak or dainty enough. And that she did not like being forced into a kiss and biting the other party¡¯s tongue, drinking the other party¡¯s blood as a token of affection! Meng Fuyao suddenly reached out and grabbed his chin. With a twist of her fingers, a soft crack was heard. Zhan Beiye¡¯s jaw had been dislocated¡­ Thereafter she moved back immediately and stood up, staring defiantly at Zhan Beiye with her chin lifted up, oblivious to the thunderstruck expressions of the ck Wind Calvary. ¡°Zhan Beiye, just after half a year you¡¯ve actually grown to be a despicable man openly forcing women to subject themselves to you. Congrattions.¡± With that, she turned and prepared to leave. One of the ck Wind Calvary soldiers caught his master¡¯s eye and attempted to stop her, only for both man and horse to be sent flying with a single kick. Zhan Beiye watched as her silhouette vanished at the end of the long street, his expression dark and unreadable¡­ He had made a mistake again. He was always making mistakes, every time he met her, he would make a mistake, and every time he made a mistake, he would push her further and further away. Zhan Beiye had always thought that he was a rational and collected person and he was proud of that, but every time he saw her his reasoning would melt away like snow in the fire, and he would lose himself. Chapter 208 - Untitled Chapter 208: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye clearly knew that Meng Fuyao was headstrong, proud, and disliked being forced by others. He had also been trying very hard to change his habit of protecting women and tried to give her as much freedom as possible, and he didn¡¯t want her to keep avoiding his love because she felt stifled. Yet, this clearly smart woman was beyond clueless when it came to affairs of the heart. Her ability to rile his anger was even more powerful than hisbat skills, and he had been burnt a thousand times, as he had been once again, utterly defeated. ¡®Fuyao¡­ Who could ever cross the river to your heart and not have to stand on the other side with yearning?¡¯ Zhan Beiye¡¯s ck robes fluttered silently around him as he stood on the road. He stood before the pce gates, ignoring the soldiers and people scattered in the street. His back was upright and straight, yet it looked as if it were burdened with something. The ck Wind Calvary soldiers remained silent behind him, unsure what to say. They hoped that the special, mesmerizing, kind yet ruthless girl would be their queen, but looking at her exceptional stubbornness, His Majesty¡¯s journey of pursuit would probably be filled with obstacles. After a long time, Zhan Beiye suddenly mounted onto his horse, and with a crack of the reins, he shot forward. The reinsnded hard on the horse as if he no longer had a care for horses and his ck hair flew in the wind, looking like a ck ball of fire. It was rage, sadness, and the misfortune of unrequited love that sparked this fire. Meng Fuyao was striding back, pebbles flying in her wake and scattering all four directions around her. ¡°I¡¯m really an idiot, I actually let the highly respected, proud and stubborn Prince Lie lower his royal head and lie to a woman who truly loved him! ¡°I¡¯m really a bloody idiot, I actually thought that after half a year, that arrogant person would actually learn to understand and treasure this kind of precious feeling! ¡°I¡¯m really, really an idiot, I actually tossed away someone¡¯s sincere feelings!¡± ¡°Oh? Whose feelings did you¡­ toss?¡± A voice tinged withughter floated over. Meng Fuyao was still fuming at Zhan Beiye, and upon hearing the voice, she immediately replied, ¡°Zhan Bei¡­ Hmmph, nothing!¡± Without even raising her head, she turned away to leave, saying, ¡°Aiya, I just remembered that Yun Hen is left alone in the pce, I have to get him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the Secret Guard to infiltrate the pce and get him. The pce is in chaos right now, and all the servants are desperately trying to flee. The imperial guards can¡¯t even do anything about it, and it¡¯s not bad if they can manage to guard the gates already. There¡¯s no need to cause more trouble for them.¡± Zhangsun Wuji sauntered over, smiling slightly as he tugged on her sleeve. ¡°What are you running for, Lord Yuan Bao misses you a lot.¡± Lord Yuan Bao rolled its eyes. ¡®I was just sleeping with herst night, miss her my ass. You guys are really horrible, using my name as an excuse anytime you want to.¡¯ ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to see that rodent¡¯s face,¡± Meng Fuyao retorted, ¡°I¡¯m sick of it!¡± Lord Yuan Bao was enraged. ¡®I¡¯m the one that doesn¡¯t want to see your pig mouth!¡¯ ¡°Then¡­¡± The person behind her was stillughing, pulling at her sleeve. ¡°I miss you, alright?¡± ¡°Gross.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him from the corner from her eye. ¡°We just met a second ago.¡± ¡°And within that second I suddenly started to miss you.¡± A certain person said seriously, ¡°This second of separation made me suddenly realize that some things are like sand, once scattered, they would follow the wind and drift far away.¡± The more Meng Fuyao listened, the more self-conscious she felt. ¡®This person is truly annoying, always speaking in circles and metaphors until one couldn¡¯t distinguish between true and false. Ah, would he really have found out about the scene from earlier?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji held onto her, refusing to let go. Meng Fuyao suddenly turned around and faced him, then swiftly retracted. Laughing drily, she asked, ¡°Seen enough? Stopped missing me? Alright, I have to go back and sleep now.¡± She skirted past Zhangsun Wuji and hurriedly headed towards her room, but before she could move even two steps, she heard Zhangsun Wuji sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve not seen your face, but I have seen your lips as red as blood.¡± With a thud, Meng Fuyao stopped in her tracks, her face burning. Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward and smiled over her shoulder, running a finger over her still slightly swollen lips from being kissed earlier. His eyes held a mild concern, but he did not ask anything and onlymented, ¡°Unhappy?¡± Upon hearing his question, for a moment, Meng Fuyao felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over her, and she lowered her head, standing in front of him like a little student as she sniffed, saying, ¡°That wild boar Zhan Beiye¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and patted her head. Steering her towards the house with his hands on her shoulders, he said, ¡°Mn, I¡¯ll have to think of a way to make that scoundrel pay¡­¡± On the fifth day of the ninth month of Tiansha¡¯s Thousand Springs era, Zhan Beiye descended upon Pandu. The three imperial armiesid down their weapons, and the guards of the city gates opened the gates themselves to wee the ck Dragon army as they thundered through the capital. They headed straight for the royal pce, defeating both imperial troops. At that point, all the armed forces within Pandu hadid down their weapons and pledged their full support to Prince Lie. It was autumn, and the city was filled with red maple leaves fluttering about. A grand carpet covered the thousand steps of the white jade imperial square, ready to wee the new king and the new dynasty. With his ck robes billowing behind him, the Prince of Lie stepped onto the red carpet. A light rain had begun to fall as he reached the imperial pce and the court officials came out to greet him, kneeling at the front of the Dancing Sun Gate. As expected, several officials refused to bow down to the new king¡ªtwo of the three top officials were executed, and the Prince of Lie ordered a proper burial for them, earning praise for his benevolence. Kou Zhongshi was detained in the pce and cursed him in front of everyone and refused to kneel. The Prince of Lie was not angry; instead, he went down from his seat personally and eximed, ¡°Kou Zhongshu is wrong to be suspicious of me. My conscience is as clear as the sun and the moon.¡± Following that, he said a piece on brotherly betrayal and pain, receiving an emotional response from everyone as they sang praises yet again¡ªanother beautiful line for the history books. However, at the time, a certain sharp-eyed official stated¡ªHis Majesty looked unhappy, and his expression was dark, and when Kou Zhongshu cursed at him, his eyebrows had twitched, and he looked as if he was about to explode with rage. Yet no one knew what happened, and he simply squeezed the object in his hand and suppressed his anger. As for that object¡­ he was truly sharp-eyed, and he said that it was either a garlic bulb or chili pepper. At the time, nobody believed his words¡ªThe Prince of Lie had traveled several thousand miles and finally fought his way onto the throne, why would he be holding onto a garlic bulb or chili pepper? It couldn¡¯t be that it was his protective talisman, right? It was simply absurd! When Zhan Nancheng fell, there was no ringing of the mourning bell¡ªthe procession was canceled for the celebrations of weing the new king. However, Zhan Beiye did go and visit the grave, shutting himself inside alone for a long time beforeing out. Ji Yu and Little Seven, who were guarding the doors, could faintly hear him say, ¡°Although you were killed by her, if your soul is unable to rest, please remember toe to me for revenge.¡± Ji Yu and Little Seven exchanged nces and silently sighed. That day, the new emperor returned to the adjacent pce; since he had not yet ascended to the throne, he could not move into the official pce yet. That night, thentern fire burned throughout the night, faintly reflecting Zhan Beiye¡¯s lone silhouette against the white paper windows, showing the loneliness of one in a high position. Ji Yu and Little Seven looked at each other again and sighed silently once again. After that, Ji Yu left the pce and went to the general¡¯s manor on the second south street to pay a visit, only to see that the gates were shut tight and a note on which the following words were scribbled: ¡°I¡¯m not receiving any guests, especially the emperor!¡± Yet, a letter was lodged within the door frame. Ji Yu retrieved the letter and hurried back to the pce, thinking that Zhan Beiye did not know that he had gone to the general¡¯s manor, but Little Seven had already secretly told him. Zhan Beiye didn¡¯t go to sleep and frequently peeked out to take a look until Ji Yu returned before shutting the door tight with a thud. Ji Yu immediately offered the letter, and Zhan Beiye received it happily. However, upon reading it carefully, he pped the table angrily and roared, ¡°Damn Zhangsun Wuji! He¡¯s made a move first!¡± The seventh year of Tiansha¡¯s Thousand Springs era was also the final year of the nation of Tiansha. Deep into autumn that year, at the same time that the mes of battle tore through thends of Tiansha, a purge happened simultaneously. The person who had spent a lifetime building up the resources and power finally surfaced and made his move. Under the secret orders of Zhan Beiye, they infiltrated Pandu, assassinating countless nobles who stood against him, the death toll amounting to thousands. Numerous schrs wouldter write poetry and prose about the story of the rise of the new emperor. With the help of several mysterious individuals, he went through thend, carrying out the wishes of the people despite fighting a civil war, and seized the throne. Politics and military affairs were like an eight trigram diagram, and they were bnced perfectly by the experienced officials of Tiansha. Within a short period of time, Tiansha experienced its smoothest transition ever. Many yearster, when historians analyzed the fall of Tiansha, after tracing back the many clues and facts, they would alle up with the same answer; the ones who caused the end of Tiansha¡ªZhan Beiye, Meng Fuyao, and Grand Preceptor Zhou. In the sixteenth day of the ninth month of the Thousand Springs era, Zhan Beiye ascended the throne of Yongde Imperial Pce and renamed the nation as Dahan 1 , and the new era Eternal Progress, the seventh year of the Thousand Springs era as the first year of the Eternal Progress era. From that moment on, Thousand Springs was no more, and Tiansha was no more. As for why the nation was renamed as Dahan, Zhan Beiye, Meng Fuyao, Ji Yu, as well as the eight soldiers of the ck Wind Calvary who had left their souls deep within the Forest of Death, knew. Those who belonged to the heroic, the brave, and those who sacrificed their lives and feelings would never be forgotten by the ones who walked alongside them. They were remembered in different ways¡ª On the day that Zhan Beiye ascended the throne, the sky was clear for thousand miles, and the sun shone brilliantly upon thend, casting Yongde pce in a golden glow as the new emperor, clothed in a ck and gold dragon robes, looked upon hisnd, his gaze limitless. All the officials immediately bowed down, bending like grass in the wind. Chapter 209 - Untitled Chapter 209: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The sound of the golden bell and jade drums resonated through the air as the emperor of a new dynasty sat before a golden throne glittering with a thousand jewels. With regards to the creation of a new dynasty, the first in line in terms of contribution was none other than the already famous Meng Fuyao. This person had silently infiltrated the enemy territory and toppled the throne, instigated the troops to switch sides, and miraculously preserved the military power of a hundred thousand soldiers. Considering the extent of her merit, she was indisputably number one, much more than even Jing Yan and Ming Lun who had been fighting from the very beginning. It was known that going undercover in court was much more exhausting than fighting on the battlefield. It was a pity that this number one contributor had put on such proud and arrogant airs while mentioning that it was not easy to aplish her feat, that she should present herself in front of the new emperor, yet she had fallen sick and hence was unable to attend court, simply scribbling the words, ¡°The new era has arrived!¡±, on a piece of paper. Zhan Beiye stared at the words for a long time. He remembered that this was meant to be an insult, yet based on his understanding of Fuyao, she would definitely not curse herself, so this line was most probably meant for him. The poor new emperor squeezed the garlic bulb in his fist as he approved her absence; the award ceremony had to go on¡ªthe previous general of the imperial army Meng Fuyao would be the King of Fan, and for her contributions, she would be gifted the six towns around Mt. Changhan as well as Mt. Changhan itself. She would also have full autonomy over the troops stationed at the border pass. A wave of disbelief sounded among the officials¡ªthey knew that Meng Fuyao had to be rewarded generously, but they never thought it would be this generous! The Dahan empire no longer had any direct rtives, and originally in Tiansha only those who carried the Zhan surname were able to receive the title of King, and those of other surnames would only be able to receive the title of Lord as the highest honor. Even though Meng Fuyao¡¯s contribution was indispensable, was the 18-year-old Meng Fuyao able to carry this heavy responsibility? In the future, there was much time to contribute, even more, this award should be kept first and giventer as a promotion. If she were to be given the title of king now, what was there to reward her with if she made further contributions? The officials all thought that the Dahan empire would no longer have kings, but they did not think that His Majesty would be so generous! Even more generous was that this was the irond King of Fan, offeringnd was the same as offering the country; a king was the true ruler of thend with his own army and governance. It would not be easily influenced by the imperial court, and although there were many rural viges in the Changfan region, it was also a plot of Dafan¡¯snd; His Majesty had just given someone of a different surname one-sixth of his country, wasn¡¯t he afraid that it woulde back and bite him in the future? As for the officials who loved manipting words, they somehow saw ¡°King of Fan¡± as ¡°King of Han¡±; the nation was called Dahan, and Meng Fuyao was now given the title of ¡°King of Han¡±, what was this supposed to mean? This was simply not appropriate at all! His Majesty¡¯s affection was like a burning cage, burning too strongly and harming himself. Could it be that there was a deeper meaning? It couldn¡¯t be that¡­ His Majesty was nning something behind the scenes? All the officials were in disarray, but Zhan Beiye remained sullen and stone-faced at his throne, squeezing ¡®Zhangsun Wuji¡¯ the garlic bulb in his hand continuously¡­ ¡®Damn you, Zhangsun Wuji, borrowing flowers to offer Buddha, how shameless!¡¯ He had originally nned to give the three rich provinces closest to Pandu to Fuyao. She was worthy of such a gift, and he had already nned to give Fuyao this surprise during the official award ceremony. He did not think that Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s single letter would throw all of his ns out the window. That person had said in the letter, in view of Fuyao¡¯s great contribution, he beseeched His Majesty to give Fuyao the title of King of Fan to serve as a support for the rest of her life. If he was scared of the court officials opposing to such an idea, he, Zhangsun Wuji, was willing topensate His Majesty in private by humbly announcing that he actually did not help much. And if His Majesty could remember his help, he did not have to repay him, but just add it to Fuyao¡¯s contribution and reward her with something even better. As for the gifting ofnd, he had talked to Fuyao that the title of King of Fan was but an honorific, and it was not respectful to ask for goodnd and make things difficult for His Majesty. Thus, they would settle for Mt. Changfan, since Fuyao had also mentioned that she had some interest in thend as well. After reading the letter, Zhan Beiye was so angry he nearly executed the soldiers present in front of him. Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t be petty and give Fuyao only the best reward, yet Zhangsun Wuji made it seem as if he was unwilling and only after Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s persuasion did he gift the title of King of Fan to Fuyao. He was the one who had nned to give Meng Fuyao a surprise, but now it had be a surprise that Zhangsun Wuji used to please her instead. Clearly, thend of Dahan belonged to him and was up to him to give away, yet now it had be the ingredients in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s dish, and he had gone first and served it to Meng Fuyao, even self-righteously helping Fuyao select this and that, choosing the damned Mt. Changhan region. And even worse, he couldn¡¯t refuse, not just because the region was the least likely to be objected by the court officials, but also because¡ªFuyao liked it. He was clearly willing to give, yet it had be as if he was unwilling; he wanted to give her something good, yet now it became as if he couldn¡¯t not give something lousy. He was the one who had thought of giving much earlier, yet now it seemed as if Zhangsun Wuji who had fought for it. What an unfortunate and mournful turn of events, the prince of deceit had cheated the king of thieves! And the one thing that made Zhan Beiye unable to soothe his anguish was that he had taken Mt Changfan! What meaning did Mt. Changfan have? It was situated between the borders of Dahan and Wuji, and it was the only passageway that allowed his troops to pass through to Wuji. Now that it belonged to Fuyao, she was like a protective barrier between him and Zhangsun Wuji. In the future, if he wanted to seek revenge for this arrow of betrayal and wanted to pass through, how could he? Meng Fuyao would definitely not let him pass through Changfan to take Wuji. If he really did such a thing, there was a high chance he would have to first face Meng Fuyao¡¯s retaliation and anger, and given Fuyao¡¯s strength, she would definitely cause a great deal of trouble for him. By then he would already have his hands full, so how could he touch Wuji? Even if Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t take action, once she was angry with him, he wouldn¡¯t have to think of ever getting her in this lifetime! What a vicious and sinister n it was¡­ Everything had been taken by him first, everything had been precalcted by him, even the good intentions were reced with him, and in the end, he still had to offer Changfan with both hands, clearly knowing that giving Meng Fuyao was equivalent to giving Wuji, yet he couldn¡¯t not give. His Royal Highness¡¯ help was truly never freely given¡­ That night, Zhangsun Wuji stared at the letter broodingly till morning. Actually, he could ignore the request to give Changfan and directly give Meng Fuyao the three provinces he had intended, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel that Zhangsun Wuji must already have hinted to Meng Fuyao his intentions, and being well versed in politics, she must have also known about the significance of Changfan. Her not refusing already meant that she had willingly acquiesced to being the barrier between the two of them and under such circumstances, if he were to reject, the consequences would be hard to predict. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s one letter had given him a question of choice¡ªEither throw away the chance to attack Wuji or throw away Fuyao! Poor Zhan Beiye, his hair had turned white overnight. That kind of mncholy, that kind of hesitation, that kind of foresight totally did not match Zhan Beiye¡¯s straightforward and rash way of dealing with things; it was all but for the sake of love. He loved her, and he didn¡¯t want to go against her. In the battle for affection, he had alreadygged behind Zhangsun Wuji, and now that he had infuriated Meng Fuyao over the matters of Changfan, his chances were nearing zero. The beauty of the mountains and the rivers were indeed not easy to attain. When the sky started to brighten, Zhan Beiye finally reached out and tore the letter into pieces. ¡®Forget it.¡¯ Half of the empire of Dahan could be said to due to Meng Fuyao¡¯s contribution, and without her, he wouldn¡¯t be sitting so easily on the emperor¡¯s throne. It was only fitting that he made some sacrifices for her now. He was never an ambitious person who dreamed of taking over the world. The reason for taking over the throne was simply to better protect his mother, as well as his previous oath that ¡°Tiansha must die¡±. As for Zhangsun Wuji who took such measures and actions, it was just his paranoia acting up. Moreover, giving Meng Fuyao and in Dahan meant that Dahan was now her home, and the two of them had be neighbors. Since they were so close, not only could he visit her often, with her presence, wouldn¡¯t it mean that Zhangsun Wuji wouldn¡¯t be able to spy on Dahan as well? Zhan Beiye smiled slightly. ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, don¡¯t think that you¡¯re invincible. As long as she¡¯s in my home, I¡¯m in a much more convenient position than you, and regardless of whatever it is, there¡¯s bound to be chances in the future sooner orter!¡¯ Since he had just taken over the throne, there were many things to settle, and Zhan Beiye wasn¡¯t able to visit the general¡¯s manor. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t forget to distribute money, and he had already settled the matters regarding building the new King of Fan¡¯s manor in Pandu. Meng Fuyao did not pay much attention to it, and after receiving the rewards, she had sloppily written a letter of gratitude, her column of words ugly, the quality of paper lousy, even the ink had started to smell, and the paper was dotted with Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s paw marks. Yet, Zhan Beiye had snatched it greedily and stared at it for a long time. On the eighteenth day of the ninth month, Meng Fuyao sent Yun Hen off. The autumn day was breezy and refreshing as the youth in green robes smiled lightly against Meng Fuyao¡¯s tears of farewell. She downed another ss of wine, the clear liquid reflecting the blue sky, reflecting her feelings and reluctance in parting. Yun Hen received the white porcin wine jar engraved with plum blossoms, his fingertip lightly brushing past Meng Fuyao¡¯s finger. Upon feeling the silky smooth touch, he hastily pulled back and flushed slightly. Opposite him, the girl in men¡¯s robesughed brightly, herughter tinkling innocently like the rays of the sun. The fingers wrapped around the wine cup seemed to also carry the scent of plum blossoms, wafting faintly with an air of elegance. On the river ahead, someone was gently ying the pipa on a boat as osmanthus flowers fell from the row of trees along the river. The person ying the pipa sang as he strummed, and it seemed as though he had somehow managed to match the mood, his melody smooth like flowing water. He remembered the first time they met. Adorned with a face full of ugly makeup, her gaze was clear and resolute as she unsheathed her sword and advanced. As her sword shed around in a flying dance, from then on, she had wildly danced into his cold and abandoned heart. He hade carrying such hatred, wanting to kill that half-enemy Lin Xuanyuan, yet he returned with such bewilderment¡ªher one smile was enough to make him dizzy and his eyes weak as stalks of plum blossoms appeared in his vision, intoxicating him with its brilliance. Hence, he also fell for her. It seemed far too easy, yet against certain people, not falling for them was the true difficulty. Up till today, he had few encounters with her¡ªsometimes he secretly felt d that the encounters were few; her presence was like a drug and every moment with her was brilliant and full of anticipation, and even if it was for a moment, she was always able to leave her mark. Even if they met only three times, each time was as if he had entered a field of plum blossoms, making him happy beyondprehension. Yet, in the end, he clearly understood that perhaps he was just a passerby. Chapter 210 - Untitled Chapter 210: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Yun Hen smiled lightly. He could still leave now. If he were to continue to stay, perhaps, they could not even be friends. He spun the wine cup on his fingertip as he hid the fragrance of osmanthus from the three autumns and the winter plum deep in his heart. Yun Hen smiled and finished his wine in a gulp. ¡°Take care.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°You take care too.¡± She paused as she tried to find her words. ¡°When you return, if there¡¯s anything¡­ anything special, don¡¯t forget to inform me. I love excitement.¡± Yun Hen looked at her with his brighther eyes. He knew what she meant¡ªhis ranking for this True Martial Arts Meet was dissatisfactory and there was a possibility for the conflict he had with the Yan Family to be exposed. She was afraid that he might run into trouble. With a faint smile, Yun Hen replied, ¡°Prince Meng, of course, when you are crowned the prince. A friend with such a strong backing, how can I bear to not borrow your strength?¡± With this rare joke of his, Meng Fuyao grinned from ear to ear and said innocently, ¡°As an official, I have the duty to exploit the court and bring glory to my friends¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao on her shoulder had also opened its mouth, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m sick of my golden toilet, I guess I¡¯ll let Prince Meng customize a ck pearl toilet for me.¡¯ Yun Hen smiled and waved goodbye to Ya Lanzhu who came to send him off. He took big strides and got onto the carriage. His guards were staying in another part of the city but were now waiting for him by the carriage. Meng Fuyao watched as his carriage disappeared into the horizon and sighed. ¡°To wave ast adieu we sought, voiced for us by each whinnying steed¡­¡± [1. Farewell: Poem by Li Bai, an acimed Chinese poet in his own day]. ¡°Aiya, Meng Fuyao, you can actually recite a poem!¡± eximed Ya Lanzhu. ¡°I know plenty!¡± Meng Fuyao wriggled her eyebrows as she shuffled towards Ya Lanzhu. ¡°Let me recite a better one for you. Bright moonlight before my bed, two pairs of shoes on the ground, a pair of adulterers, HAVE, NOTHING, ON¡­¡± ¡°Hm, what does thest sentence mean?¡± asked the pure Princess Ya innocently. Meng Fuyao smiled slyly, considering if she should taint the innocent little princess¡¯ mind. Suddenly, someone from the backmented, ¡°It probably means not wearing any clothes.¡± ¡°Could it be that you also time-traveled here¡­¡± Meng Fuyao stopped her sentence halfway and slowly turned back. Ya Lanzhu that was originally beside her had already sprinted over. ¡°Zhan Beiye Zhan Beiye-¡± Under the cypress tree stood a man in ck with his ck horse. The jade green shade and the pale trunk made him seem darker than he was. His pupils were crow ck and somehow had a mysterious strengthen in them. It made one remember of an extremely straight and upright ironwood tree, high and mighty, rustling as the wind blew. Meng Fuyao looked at him as she thought, ¡®Why did his disposition suddenly improve after a few days of not seeing him? Being an emperor is such a good upation, definitely a necessity when ites to improving one¡¯s disposition.¡¯ Zhan Beiye¡¯s gaze brushed past Ya Lanzhu and subconsciouslynded on Meng Fuyao. His gaze was then forced back to Ya Lanzhu by Meng Fuyao¡¯s ¡°If you dare to ignore her I¡¯ll make you regard your whole life¡± gaze. He faked a smile and said, ¡°Princess Ya, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s been such a long time.¡± Ya Lanzhu looked up with her hand on her forehead and smiled brightly towards Zhan Beiye that bathed in the glimmering sunlight. ¡°230 days and 10 hours.¡± Zhan Beiye held his breath and nced at her. After a moment of contemtion, he replied thoughtfully, ¡°Why do I remember it being 197 days and 6 hours?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s face turned ck. ¡®What the f*ck do you mean? Aren¡¯t you counting the days that we separated? Even if you were to count, why must you tell Ya Lanzhu?¡¯ Her face warped into a hideous expression. Ya Lanzhu turned to nce at her and Meng Fuyao kept her ugly expression and tried to muster up a smile instead. By that time, Ya Lanzhu had already turned back as though nothing happened and giggled. ¡°Is that so? Then I must have remembered wrongly.¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her, now with a more gentle gaze, and asked in a rigid manner, ¡°Your birthday was the day before, right? My bad didn¡¯t manage to congratte you in time.¡± Meng Fuyao wanted to bash him so badly. ¡®This damn Zhan Beiye! If you were to apologize like this, can¡¯t you show at least a bit of sincerity? You got the hours we were apart right, but you can¡¯t even get her birthday, right? It was four days ago, four days ago!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s alright!¡± Ya Lanzhu did not seem to have noticed this mistake andughed happily. ¡°You¡¯ve never remembered it in the past before.¡± Zhan Beiye remained silent and passed her a box. ¡°Birthday gift.¡± Ya Lanzhu received the present, pleasantly surprised. Meng Fuyao smiled slightly to show encouragement. Zhan Beiye¡¯s face turned even cker, and with a low voice, he muttered, ¡°The eunuch in charge picked this, I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s smile immediately slid off her face¡­¡¯This damn Zhan Beiye, can¡¯t you finish something good for once?¡¯ But Zhan Beiye made it as though he had already taken such a big step back, suffered such injustice and had been so apologetic. He turned to look at Meng Fuyao with a burning gaze. ¡°I still don¡¯t know when your birthday is.¡± Meng Fuyao yelled to the sky, ¡°I jumped out from a stone, you can go and ask the stone.¡± Zhan Beiye held back his anger and tried to change the topic. ¡°Shall we go look at your new house? I¡¯ve already sent people to Changhan to build your residence. Which county do you like? The Jiao county is near the water and has a magnificent view while the Gan county has the most resources¡­¡± ¡°Say, Your Majesty, are you very free?¡± Meng Fuyao held Ya Lanzhu¡¯s hand. ¡°You even camete sending Yun Hen off but yet you have the time to ask me which county I would like my residence to be in?¡± Anger rushed up Zhan Beiye¡¯s head, but somehow he managed to tolerate once again. He paused and said, ¡°Fuyao, I know you are angry with me over what happened that day¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Zhuzhu, I remember there is a winehouse in the city that serves really fragrant alcohol. Shall we go and drink?¡± Meng Fuyao spoke loudly, covering Zhan Beiye¡¯s voice as she grabbed the curious Ya Lanzhu that was trying to listen in. ¡°I¡¯ll treat, you¡¯ll pay¡­¡± She escaped with her tail between her legs, vanishing from Zhan Beiye¡¯s vision. Zhan Beiyeughed bitterly. Little Seven, who was being him, loudlymented, ¡°Your Majesty, bash her up!¡± Zhan Beiye turned back and red at him. Little Seven continued on loudly without fear. ¡°The women we had in our hometown, there were some who didn¡¯t listen either. Easy, lock her up in the woodshed, beat her up and from then on, they will definitely serve their husbands obediently!¡± Zhan Beiye did not know whether tough or to cry. He could not help but scold, ¡®Idiot!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, women are beaten to be good. Listen to me, it¡¯s definitely right!¡± Little Seven insisted. With a stomach full of frustration, he thought about Meng Fuyao and the big pile of papers waiting for him to pass in the imperial study. Who would have the energy to seriously reply this idiot¡¯s ramblings. Annoyed, he got on the horse and headed back to the pce as he replied, ¡°If you have the ability, you go and lock her up. You go and bash her!¡± With troubles weighing down on his heart, he waved the whip, and the ck horse dashed off, leaving a trail of smoke. Little Seven was a little slower. This impulsive idiot sat on the horse with a hand on his chin as he very seriously considered thest ¡°decree¡±¡­ s, even the words of the unlucky resulted in trouble. Misunderstandings were created when words shed¡­ ¡°I am a pervert from the north-¡± ¡°Two tigers two tigers run quickly-¡± ¡°Chichichichichi-¡± As the night fell, the two humans and one guinea pig hugged each other as they sang in public. They held onto each for support as they stumbled along. The guards followed behind, though they didn¡¯t dare to get close to these two crazy drunkards¡ªone would hug people while sobbing and the other would catch a person to beat up. No one could or would get close to them. They finally made it back to the residence. Zhangsun Wuji and Tie Cheng came out to wee them. Tie Cheng carried Ya Lanzhu while Zhangsun Wuji held a drunkard in one hand and a drunk guinea pig in another, sending the two back to their room. This drunkard took a peek and sent out a punch. Halfway, she stopped short. ¡®Punch the heavens, punch the floor or even the emperor. But not this Crown Prince, he¡¯s too poisonous.¡¯ The other time she caused him to be a little bit injured. Look, how long did she have to be the chef, the nurse aid, and even the masseur¡­¡¯But that being said, the Crown Prince had such good body¡­ So smooth, so pleasant for the eyes¡­ Perfect for viewing pleasure¡­¡¯ A certain someone giggled as a few drops of saliva dripped out¡­ Zhangsun Wuji personally helped her clean up and covered her with a nket. He sat down beside her, looking at her as hemented, ¡°You incorrigible drunk. Your position is higher and higher, and the people who can keep you in check get lesser and lesser. If I¡¯m not around, who¡¯s going to keep you in check?¡± Meng Fuyao giggled as she reached out to grab the beautiful face in front of her. She held his head in ce as she seductively whispered, ¡°I, a beauty¡­ a prince¡­ can keep a dynasty in check, can¡¯t I keep¡­ myself¡­ in check?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed as he took her hands off his face and squeezed them between his palm. He slowly ced his fingertip on her fingertip as he looked up slightly, as though he wanted to read her inner heart by putting their fingers together. His face bathed in the serene moonlight. In the silence, there was a sense of passion, yet between those brows, it was the markings of the troubles of worldly affairs. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°You have your troubles, struggling half your life. Your journey is to move forward, yet your heart remains ashore. You¡­ are never willing to stop for anyone.¡± Meng Fuyao hugged his palm as she sleptfortably and inelegantly, with saliva dripping from her mouth. Zhangsun Wuji slowly pulled back and looked towards afar. ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯ve received a message from my teacher, I¡¯ve to return.¡± Meng Fuyao flipped over and replied with an ¡®En¡¯. ¡°I might not be able to receive information about you for a while.¡± Zhangsun Wuji frowned and gently patted her back. ¡°You must be careful.¡± Meng Fuyao hupped and grabbed Lord Yuan Bao over, shaking him left and right. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Yuan Bao with you.¡± Zhangsun Wuji hesitated. ¡°But you have to protect yourself and don¡¯t rely on its abilities too much.¡± Meng Fuyao scoffed. ¡®I need a rat to save me? Forget it.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji no longer spoke as he pulled her in his embrace. Meng Fuyaoidfortably on his thighs, toozy to move. She was surrounded by his unique scent as she drifted in and out of her dreand. In her dream, it was a beautifulndscape as countless of snow white flowers fluttered down to the ground, covering all the 2,000 jade steps. Purple clouds scattered in the sky gently floated. A man turned back and smiled; a handsome beauty with looks that charmed those in his way. Chapter 211 - Untitled Chapter 211: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao lost herself in that dream, that person¡¯s embrace, in the scent and body temperature that only belonged to him. That night, she dreamt of the most beautiful dream she ever had. A dream like that. As the daylight shone into that side of the bed, the warmth eventually cooled down, and the scent eventually dispersed. Meng Fuyao did not get up but closed her eyes andy on her stomach. It was as though as the warmth was still there, the scent still lingered; that scent was certainly odd. She always felt that it was a warm scent, yet today, as she smelled it on her nket, there was a cold scent of snow. Or was it because the person that could bring her warmth had left? The truth was that the previous night, she wasn¡¯t drunk at all. Meng Fuyao knew that he was eventually going to leave and merely did not want to face it. In her entire life, she had always been escaping with all her might, yet, ironically, she was terrified of separation¡ªespecially after such a lively reunion, the separation seemed all the more forlorn, like the fireworks in the sky that would eventually fade into nothingness. She would be left alone to pick up the empty dishes as the once warm and liveliness days slipped through her fingers. But there were some things that one could not run away from in spite of fear. If she didn¡¯t get used to separation now, in the future, she would be even more lonely. To hope that the sharp knife of time would cut away the scars burned one¡¯s heart. Meng Fuyao got up and sat on the bed. On the bed, there was an impression left from him hugging her the entire time. She reached over in an attempt to smooth the bedsheets, but eventually, she stopped herself. In the frivolous, fluttering sunlight, she sat there quietly for a moment. Then, she got up to wash up. Today was the day where an official position would be conferred upon her. Afterzing around for so many days, it was time for her to show some respect to the new emperor and turn up in court. After breakfast, she called Tie Cheng over and ordered him to bring a portion of guards with him to her fief 1 in Changhan. Yao Xun had already brought the generous gifts Zhan Beiye granted to Changhan, but Tie Cheng refused the order and simply replied, ¡°Where you are will be where I am.¡± Meng Fuyao could only say, ¡°Then you can stay home for today to arrange for someone to take care of Princess Ya. She has yet to wake up from her slumber after drinkingst night, and Sir Zong is not around. Who knows where he is¡­ I haven¡¯t hired a butler here, and now even Yao Xun is not around. You don¡¯t have to follow me to court.¡± Tie Cheng thought about it and finally agreed. Meng Fuyao donned on her court robe and posed in front of the bronze mirror for a substantial amount of time before getting on to the sedan-chair and head to court. She was now very famous, and once she stepped out of the house, she would be recognized and surrounded. As such, she had especially customized a pair of ck crystal sunsses for herself, feeling like a big celebrity from her previous life. The spring night was awfully short, while the days were painfully long. The King of Han rarely made an appearance in morning court, and when she finally made an appearance in the resting quarters for the high officials, officials, regardless of ranking, all got to their knees. Some of the newly appointed officials that did not recognize her quietly tugged on another to ask of her identity and then came to the realization. ¡®Oh, she is that General Meng that publicly announced on the city walls of her desire to be a traitor.¡¯ Meng Fuyao sat in a corner, keeping a low profile as she sipped her tea, dealing with the never-ending people surging over to pay respects. ¡°Wishing your highness good health¡­¡± ¡°With pleasure, with pleasure, I¡¯m already dying from an illness.¡± ¡°May it be auspicious for your highness¡­¡± ¡°With pleasure, with pleasure, the weather today is not bad.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°With pleasure, with-¡± Meng Fuyao looked up upon hearing a familiar voice. ¡°His Majesty would like you to make a trip to his temporary residence, there is something he would like to discuss with you.¡± Meng Fuyao stared suspiciously at Little Seven. ¡®What is it that Zhan Beiye cannot speak of in court or in the pce but have to specially go to his residence to talk?¡¯ But under the watchful gaze of the crowd, she could not question his order and could only nod her head. Little Seven bowed and walked out with a poker face. Meng Fuyao watched his back as he left. Although she felt it was a little odd, but considering that this fellow never lied, she felt relieved; Afterall, this was probably some tricks Zhan Beiye came up with. At this time, the golden clock chimed, and the officials entered the pce hall in an orderly manner. The tall dome that greeted everyone as they entered reflected the brilliant prestige of the emperor. They did not even dare to let out a soft cough. In the middle of the pce hall was a golden table and on it were golden files and a gold seal. Meng Fuyao stood in the middle, mindlessly counting the tiles on the floor as she waited. Her mind wandered as she did a random estimate of the weight of the gold seal sitting on the table when suddenly, an announcement by the eunuch interrupted her thought process. ¡°The Emperor has arrived-¡± The officials immediately got on their knees once again. It was at this point Meng Fuyao realized an important issue¡­ she had to bow down to this damn Zhan Beiye! At this point, everyone in the pce hall was on their knees except for Meng Fuyao. The longer she stood there, the more she stuck out like a sore thumb. Meng Fuyao rubbed her nose and decided to slowly kneel down. Suddenly, she heard Zhan Beiye¡¯s low voice, asking, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that recently official Meng¡¯s knees have been affected by the cold, are you fully healed?¡± ¡°Ah, Your Majesty.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and immediately rubbed her knees. ¡°Ay, my old knees¡­¡± The hundred of officials looked at the ¡°old knees¡± of this 18-year-old in contempt. Meng Fuyao remained unfazed as Zhan Beiye¡¯s dark eyes swept past her face. ¡°I shall pardon you from kneeling then.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding!¡± Meng Fuyao replied cheerily. It turned out thatrade Zhan Beiye could be quite obedient at times and perhaps, she could be a bit more gracious and forgive him a little. The golden clock chimed once again. She stood still in front of the golden table. ording to the old rules of Tiansha, the Prince could only confer upon two envoys: one from the first rank, another from the second rank. Today, Meng Fuyao had been granted envoys of both the first rank. It was an unprecedented favor from the emperor once again. The officials began to chatter amongst themselves. With a re from Zhan Beiye, the chattering immediately died down. Even though the emperor had ascended his throne not long ago, the officials were aware of Zhan Beiye¡¯s actions and character. Though the new emperor was a generous and kind-hearted man, he was by no means lenient. His actions were swift, decisive, and resolute, giving strict punishment where it was due, and vice versa. His way of doing things extended to the way he dealt with politics, and in a mere matter of days, he had managed to undo the entangled mass of a court, restructuring itpletely. Even though the various issues that gued the country could be understood even without knowing the full picture, the crowd could not understand how a free andzy Prince could learn suchmendable policies. That being said, the new emperor had managed to build his authority in such a short period of time was now an irond fact. The power of this leader, though in its embryo stages, had undoubtedly been built and with a nce of his, he could garner people¡¯s admiration and respect. The two old officials finished reading the decree and with one holding the gold decree, the other holding the gold seal, the two made their way to Meng Fuyao under the lead of Little Seven. Other than the prince, the rest of the people were not allowed to touch the gold decree or seal and so, it was ced on a tray as the two carried it over. At this point, Meng Fuyao was frustrated and impatient from listening to the decree and just wanted it to be over. She quickly reached out her hand to receive the items with a smile, d that it was finally over. She was inattentive to what she was receiving and the thought that there would be anything wrong with it never once passed her mind. After all, what could possibly go wrong with a decree personally written by Zhan Beiye, given in court, right under the eyes of Zhan Beiye. Unfortunately, she did not notice the slight smirk on Little Seven¡¯s mouth. To confer upon the title of a Prince was a grand and solemn ceremony. However, this time round, the rituals were simplified. Zhan Beiye knew that with Meng Fuyao¡¯s impatient personality, she would definitely be annoyed with the trifle and fussy etiquettes. Even though he really wanted to see her in close proximity for a while longer, he could only end the ceremony quickly under her pressuring ¡°hurry up and end this, I need to pee¡± gaze. Once the ceremony was over, Meng Fuyao, who was supposed to stay in court, took her leave of absence citing her ¡°old knees¡± as a reason. She quickly exited the pce hall and made a turn. Little Seven followed closely behind and called up to her, saying, ¡°Prince, His Majesty would like you to wait for him in his residence after court. He has something to discuss.¡± Meng Fuyao threw him a nce. ¡°What matter? Is it a must to go to his residence? I¡¯ll wait here for him.¡± Little Seven dug out a piece of paper from his pocket, took a look, and shoved it back. In a monotonous voice, he recited, ¡°His Majesty said, the pce is inconvenient.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, not knowing whether tough or cry. She grabbed his sleeve and asked, ¡°A miraculous n in this pouch?¡± Little Seven swiftly avoided and took out another piece of paper. With a poker face, he read, ¡°His Majesty said if you want to know the miraculous n in the pouch, wait for him in his residence.¡± The finger in his sleeve secretly crushed the piece of paper ¨C the paper was actually nk! There was absolutely nothing in it. Whatever he had said, his intentional actions of reading the paper in an unnatural manner was all a n taught to him his majesty¡¯s secret intelligence group¡ªaimed to deal with smart, careful yet curious people. Meng Fuyao was indeed amused by this. ¡°He certainly is learning how to y tricks, sure, I will go,¡± she saidughingly. She left the pce and got onto the horse, following Little Seven to Zhan Beiye¡¯s temporary residence on Mt Yu Bei. The residence was rtively small, with a total of five pces. Little Seven brought Meng Fuyao to the innermost pce and stopped right outside the steps of Hua Yin Pce. Meng Fuyao noticed the cute table set right outside Hua Yin Pce with four delicate, snow-white jade stools. She could not help walk towards the stool and say, ¡°What a beautiful stool. I shan¡¯t be going into that stuffy pce. Instead, I¡¯ll sit here, sip my tea, and enjoy the breeze.¡± Right after saying that, she sat right down. Bang! A hole appeared on the floor as the stool fell right into the hole. Having full trust for Zhan Beiye¡¯s subordinates, she fell in with the stool. Immediately, the table flipped over, and with a ¡®bang¡¯, the exit to the hole was now sealed, and Meng Fuyao could no longer see the light of the day. Meng Fuyao was in a shock. She turned around and realized that this was an underground, closed stone room and quickly tried to smash open the wall. As she moved, the gold decree dropped out of her sleeve andnded the floor. As the decree cracked open, smoke filled the room. Meng Fuyao quickly held her breath. Unfortunately, the room was small, and the smoke had spread quickly; hence, she inhaled some. Dizziness hit her as she immediately sat down to readjust her internal energy. Amid her foggy consciousness, she could hear Little Seven¡¯s manicughter from above. ¡°Haha, Your Majesty, haven¡¯t I seeded in locking her up? Now, I will beat her up for you!¡± ¡®Zhan Beiye?¡¯ ¡®He set me up?¡¯ Meng Fuyao held her giddy head as she thought, ¡®Zhan Beiye set me up? He wants to beat me? ¡®That fellow was looking at me with such honest eyes in court, but he was actually scheming to attack me?¡¯ The clogs of Meng Fuyao¡¯s brain spun. One moment she felt that this emperor Zhan was not as terrible to this point, she did understand his personality; but the next moment, she felt that he could have possibly orchestrated this. After all, he did forcefully kiss her in public. Little Seven above was walking heavily, as though he was stepping on some traps. Immediately, ropes flew out from the stone wall behind Meng Fuyao as they interlinked themselves. Then, the ropes were pulled back in an attempt to tie Meng Fuyao to the wall. Meng Fuyao swiftly flew up and slipped between the ropes. As the ropes tightened, she grabbed the chair that fell with her and shoved it in the trap. Meng Fuyao looked at the stool tied tightly to the wall. The rope that linked to the surface of the floor vibrated slightly. Little Seven, who was unable to see what was happening underground, could only determine it by observing the rope. Seeing movement, he naturally thought it was Meng Fuyao and excitedly eximed, ¡°Haha, I finally got that vicious b*tch. Time to beat you up!¡± Chapter 212 - Untitled Chapter 212: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Little Seven was about to go down when he suddenly stopped. ¡°She¡¯s not even my wife, why should I beat her up? Naturally, His Majesty should be the one to do it,¡± he mumbled to himself. pping his thigh, Little Seven ¡°cleverly¡± turned to leave. When he was outside the gates, he roughly ordered the guards, ¡°Watch this ce well, even a fly shouldn¡¯t be allowed to escape!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Meng Fuyao listened as Little Seven¡¯s voice drifted further and further away. Her mouth twitched slightly¡ªthere were still people in this world that were tired of living! She arched her back and stretchedzily¡ªgiven her strengthbined with the recovery medicine from the Mongolian doctor, she had long recovered her original condition. Even if she wasn¡¯t in top condition due to her constant adjustment of her state, Little Seven¡¯s inferior doping medicine was not enough to knock her out. Even making her slightly dizzy was already an aplishment. Meng Fuyao reached out and patted her head, frowning. The stone b above her was extremely heavy, and given her current posture, it would be rather difficult to break it open. Hence, she could only use another way to get out. She quietened down and analyzed the stone room carefully. Just then, she realized that the stone room didn¡¯t seem like a simple underground room. Rather, it seemed to be an ancient passageway. It had probably been several generations since the passageway was used. The walls were pockmarked, and theyer of dust on the ground was very thick; it didn¡¯t look like people frequently entered or left. She scanned the stone room one more time, the knowledge and tricks gained from the darned old Taoist priest and the crown princeing in handy. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze locked onto a Kirin symbol on the wall. She reached out and gave its protruding hind legs a little twist. Immediately, a low, rumbling noise could be heard, as well as a faint whirling of some mechanism. Feeling something off about the sound, Meng Fuyao instinctively flipped backward. She had just straightened herself when she heard the sound of something sharp piercing the air. A rain of needles/arrows shot out like a thunderstorm with great force, scattering around all four corners and covering the entire stone room! The arrows flew about in all directions, as dense as a thick, ck fog. No matter where she looked, there were arrows everywhere in the space that was even hard to turn around. Deadlier than a porcupine, the needles even further split into several smaller needles. Unable to escape anywhere, Meng Fuyao could only stick herself firmly to the roof of the room, frantically sucking in her stomach and chest andying as t as she could. In the dark, the needle-arrows whistled past her nose, to the point where she could smell the faint smell of poison on the needle tip. The needle-arrows shot past her ceaselessly like a hailstorm, and she felt chilled to the bone. She felt as if even a single eysh would be trapped between the needles¡ªthat hidden weapon was way too dense! Meng Fuyaoy there like a lizard, afraid to even breathe or move. After a while, Meng Fuyao finally heard a click. The hidden weapon had finished its attack, and the four walls emitted a faint rumbling noise. Meng Fuyao jumped down and checked herself, still shaken, only to realize that there were several tears in the chest area of her robes. She was millimeters away from getting shot. Amen¡­ Fortunately, her chest was only 34B¡­ At that moment, Meng Fuyao deeply felt that, for someone in the martial world, it was better to have a smaller chest, reducing the area of contact. During times of emergency, it was truly a matter of life and death¡­ Dotted on the four walls were tiny needles. This was a solid stone wall with an extremely high degree of hardness, yet such thin needles were able to deeply pierce through it¡­ the strength used must have been unimaginable! ¡®Dammit, that scoundrel Little Seven, did he want to kill me!¡¯ By this time, Meng Fuyao was bing more and more suspicious about the matter¡ªZhan Beiye would never try to kill her. Meng Fuyao was still confident in this bit of trust in him. However, it was just this little bit of trust; recently, Emperor Zhan¡¯s behavior hadn¡¯t been too good, and Meng Fuyao had said some harshments in his face. She squatted on the ground and guessed, ¡®There is an eight in ten chance that Zhan Beiye doesn¡¯t know about the horrifying traps underground, but no matter what, Little Seven is his subordinate. Was it ack of discipline, or did he have an ulterior motive? Regardless, this debt will be recorded on his head!¡¯ The wall containing the hidden weapon finally opened to reveal a passageway. Meng Fuyao stared down the dark passageway, feeling rather hesitant. Should she go or not? Opening the door was already so deadly, who knew what else was waiting for her inside? Yet, she was absolutely unwilling to wait here for someone to save her or beat her up. That would be way too humiliating, and her pride had never been thispromised before. After thinking through, she decided that children who did not wish to retaliate after getting bullied were not good children¡ªshe would get back at Zhan Beiye! She tore several strips of fabric from her outer robe and bit her thumb, allowing her blood to stain the strips, thenying the stained strips of cloth on the ground¡ª¡¯Hehe, I¡¯ll leave some blood for you to trace, yet the person is gone. I¡¯ll let you go ahead and guess, Zhan Beiye, you know that there¡¯s a kind of corpse-dissolving poison that exists in this world, yet Zong Yue is not around and can¡¯t analyze the poison on this needle-arrow. Thereafter, you¡¯ll be more and more afraid, and after I leave this secret passageway, I¡¯ll go behind you and spy on you. If this was your idea, you can await your misfortune, if it wasn¡¯t your idea, then Little Seven¡¯s misfortune will be your misfortune as well¡ªI¡¯ll make you anxious to death! Haha!¡¯ Meng Fuyao violently bundled the strips together, even forming a suspicious-looking human form¡ªactually, her creating a human form was rather unreasonable, but she firmly believed that creating a human form would make the effect even more effective and deadly. In a sh, Meng Fuyao entered the passageway, and the secret door slowly closed behind her. Meng Fuyao thought of the Kirin symbol, feeling that there was something strange about it. ¡®The Zhan n used the ck dragon as their symbol, so why would there be a secret passageway in the Zhan n¡¯s manor? Moreover, which nation¡¯s symbol did the Kirin seem to look like? ¡­ I¡¯ve already forgotten.¡¯ The passageway was pitch ck and rather roughly built, without any luminous stones or wallmps. The surface of the ground was uneven and once one entered, the smell of earth and rotting unique to underground passageways entered her nostrils, but it wasn¡¯t overbearing, implying that there were an exit and some form of air vent present. Meng Fuyao treaded forward carefully, not daring to touch the walls. She had a faint feeling that the walls were made of marble, and they were arranged extremely evenly, a sharp contrast from the rough surface of the ground. She did not know why such a scenario would ur. She held a bunch of pebbles in her hand, throwing pebbles as she walked, reaching halfway through the passageway uneventfully. However, she dared not let her guard down and was continuously on her toes, at the same time thinking about other things that were bugging her. Ding¡ª A strange noise halted her footsteps, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes narrowed as she selected arger pebble and flung it. Shhh¡ª Just a few meters away from her, the walls suddenly slid open noiselessly and revealed a huge cave, and under the cave was filled with water. The water rushed forward and rippled on the surface; it was live water! Was this passageway built underwater? Meng Fuyao scrutinized the direction of the passageway, feeling that it couldn¡¯t be entirely built underwater. The water probably came from one of the turns. It was clear that this area was underwater; no wonder the walls were all sealed tightly. Meng Fuyao thought carefully about Pandu¡¯s terrain, remembering that on one side of Mt. Yubei was a river, and that river flowed directly out of the city. Did that mean that she had already left the city underground? There were not many traps here, but each one was deadly. Whoever fell into the waterway would instantly be washed away. Meng Fuyao jumped over the waterway, and the ground closed up again silently. Was this trap used often? If not, why would there be no sound at all? The next section of the passageway was uneventful again, and Meng Fuyao finally reached the end¡ªthere was no secret room, nothing at all. At the end was a shiny, smooth wall, the same as the one from the entrance, and the symbol of a Kirin. Because of what happened earlier, Meng Fuyao naturally didn¡¯t dare to carelessly touch the Kirin. She scanned the Kirin carefully, noticing a small button underneath the Kirin. Based on the design, this was probably the real method for opening the door. Meng Fuyao let out a breath of relief, inwardly congratting herself for being vignt and not touching the Kirin. She bent down and carefully pressed the small button. Whoosh¡ª The entire wall suddenly rose upwards and immediately, a great wave of river water gushed in, reaching up to the waist level. Meng Fuyao felt as if she had been hit in the chest by an invisible giant¡¯s hammer, pushing her out viciously, and she knocked against a wall behind her¡ªa long and dark passageway was originally behind her, but in the instance the button was pressed, a wall was suddenly erected just two meters behind her. Under the force of the water, Meng Fuyao was mmed against the wall, causing her head to spin and her vision to blur. ¡®Zhan Beiye, once I¡¯m out I¡¯m definitely going to kill you¡ª¡¯ This thought was just a fleeting one as Meng Fuyaoughed helplessly. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could save her own life, where did she have the time to think about such things? She struggled desperately, swimming about in the water. She clearly knew that this would cause the oxygen to be used up even more quickly, yet she didn¡¯t want to give up on any sliver of hope until she felt the Kirin on the wall. The icy metal was colder than water to the touch, and Meng Fuyao hesitated for a split second. It was highly possible that beyond the Kiriny the extremely powerful flying arrows from earlier, and she simply wasn¡¯t able to dodge them. Once she was shot, she would end up riddled with holes like an ant nest. However, if she didn¡¯t end up riddled with holes like an ant nest, then she would drown and turn into a balloon. She didn¡¯t have a choice. The water had already reached up to Meng Fuyao¡¯s nose, and the veins on her forehead were bulging as she was pressed under the pressure. Blood had rushed to her face, turning her red, and after the redness, it slowly turned a deathly white. Under the enormous pressure, her body felt as if she were about to explode and die any second. Damnit, this feeling was way too horrible! Chapter 213 - Untitled Chapter 213: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao would rather die a little faster! Meng Fuyao reached out and mmed her hand on the Kirin! Bang! Meng Fuyao, whose eyes were shut and waiting for death, found the noise rather strange. It wasn¡¯t the same sound of the arrows from before, and following the sound, she felt a rush of cool air blow above her head. With great ecstasy, she stood up from the water and raised her head to see that there was another cave entrance, and it had already opened a fraction to reveal another stone room. Drenched, she hastily mbered up, and the stone wall silently closed again, separating her from the water below. Meng Fuyaoy on the ground panting like a dying dog for a long time. She thought of how she had nearly lost her precious life in that goddamn passageway and cursed in a fit of anger, ¡°Zhan Beiye, I¡¯ll definitely ask you to experience drowning and burning¡­¡± After cursing for a while, she finally got up and thought for a bit. This stone room looked very simr to the one that Little Seven had tricked her into falling into, but it was muchrger, at least five square meters wide. There were even a table and a long bench, piled with clothes. This was probably the real secret room in the passageway, and the one earlier was a trap. Both were exits; one was a dead end, leading to the bottom of the river, while the other was a life exit, heading to this secret room. The one that designed these traps must be a master strategist; he had calcted that whoever entered this secret passage would first go through the poison arrows from the Kirin, and then clouded with suspicion and not dare to touch the real button. Meng Fuyao sat on the ground catching her breath, and after several moments she thought, ¡®Why did the traps in this secret passageway feel rather simr to the ancient tombs of the Gun Tribe? Could it be possible that the two are rted?¡¯ She still couldn¡¯t understand what was going on when she suddenly heard the sound of hushed conversation. The sounds were unclear and stifled as if they were talking to each other while being separated by a distance. The stone room was pitch ck, and it was hard to see under the sparse light. Suddenly, the surrounding area was filled with a strange smell. It smelled like the original smell of the rocks mixed with water and the faint metallic smell of blood. It made one involuntarily think of the bloody corpses buried deep in the graves situated in the forest, shining in the moonlight¡­ Thereafter, in theplete darkness and silence, she suddenly heard a flurry of voices. Meng Fuyao was so shocked that she instantly jumped up. She reached down to feel for a matchstick, but after feeling her wet hand, she remembered that her matches were all soaked and rendered useless. Hence, she could only quieten her heart and sit in the darkness, listening carefully. The air seemed to be shrouded in a thickyer of fog, wisps of ck drifting slowly as a bird of the night cried out in the distance and pped its wings, its sound piercing the darkness. Meng Fuyao¡¯s bright, clear eyes glinted brightly in the darkness. After a while, she suddenly stood up, following the voices as she felt against the ceiling. Sure enough, she reached a tiny hole and pressed her ear against it. Immediately, the voices became a lot clearer; it turned out that this was an air vent, and just above was the surface, and two people were talking up there. It was already in the middle of the night, for people toe out into the forest to talk so secretively, what kind of good could they possibly be up to? Meng Fuyao pressed her ear firmly against the air vent and listened intently. ¡°¡­ I heard that it was just nearby, but the brothers have been searching for the past few days and still couldn¡¯t find it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an 80% chance that it¡¯s fake? After all, Prince Wen Yi¡¯s entire family had been executed and their wealth confiscated. Even if one managed to survive, where would they find the money to set up an underground resistance in various nations?¡± ¡°Rumours don¡¯te from nothing, the Regent King said, we must keep looking carefully and dig out his nest.¡± ¡°The man himself had already been captured and if there¡¯s anything to ask, can¡¯t we just interrogate him? If we torture him, why should we be afraid of not getting any results? Why do we have to spend effort ande here, even suspiciously digging graves in the middle of the night¡­¡± ¡°The Regent King is clever and meticulous since he wants to find Zong Yue¡¯s nest, he naturally has his own reasons¡­ You should stop talking in case you let something out. Zong Yue¡¯s position is high in the various nations, and he has many connections. If word goes out that he had been captured by us, things will get troublesome¡­¡± Zong Yue! Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t hear what the two above were saying anymore. Her mind was whirring, and her eyes were wide in shock. Zong Yue had been captured? Regent King? The only nation in the Five Regions Continent that had a Regent King was Xuanyuan. Did Xuanyuan Cheng capture Zong Yue? Zong Yue had traveled across the continent, his position was high, he was well-informed, and he had an immeasurable amount of secret powers with him. His actions were also extremely secretive and given his rtionship with Xuanyuan Yun, it seemed like it fit the description of this person. Meng Fuyao lightly sucked a breath of air as she listened even more attentively, wanting to see if the two would reveal the location where Zong Yue was captured. However, the two above suddenly stopped talking, and there was no sign of movement any longer, only the faint whistling of the wind and the terrible cry of the old crow, ¡°Ah¡ª Ah¡ª¡± The sound was shrill, and Meng Fuyao felt a chill go down her spine. She remembered how the two men had mentioned that this was a burial mound and couldn¡¯t help but smile as she thought, ¡®Could it be that they had suddenly encountered some ghosts?¡¯ Thereafter, she heard a series of ghost-like footsteps. ¡®Rx, rx.¡¯ As though it were a gently bouncing feather in a pillow or an infant bird¡¯s feather falling from a tree, almost no sound was made. If not for Meng Fuyao pressing her ear tightly against the ground and feeling the faint tremor and sound, she simply wouldn¡¯t have noticed. Another way to put it was, regr martial arts masters would definitely not be able to notice it. The footsteps drifted closer, following a strange tempo; it was light and floaty yet fast; Shuu¡ª Only one sound. Wu¡ª After that, silence fell once again and apart from the cries of the old crow bing even more shrill, there wasplete silence on the surface once again. Meng Fuyao listened, rmed, wondering who or what thest ¡°wu¡± came from. Suddenly, she felt a coolness on her ear, as though a liquid had suddenly dripped onto her ear. Meng Fuyao froze temporarily. ¡®Not good!¡¯ She had been too engrossed in listening to the news of Zong Yue. Since her ear was pressed so closely to the hold, if anyone noticed and dripped a drop of mercury down, her life would be over in a sh! This fright was not to be taken lightly, and she hurriedly tilted her head to let the liquid drip out. She reached out to touch it; her fingers felt rather sticky, and she stole a look under the faint light¡ªit was crimson red! ¡®Blood!¡¯ Had the two people above been killed in an instant? Meng Fuyao sucked in her breath sharply. Had the ¡°wu¡± sounde simultaneously from the two people? No wonder it sounded rather strange, the other party¡¯s sword was too fast and only made a single move, killing both men together. ¡®The stifled ¡°wu¡± actually came from the two men¡¯s throats as they died?¡¯ Such a fast sword, such a straightforward and clean method of killing people. As Meng Fuyao watched, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh and think that she had been too merciful in her method of killing people. Blood from the ground continued to seep through the vent, collecting into a small puddle. It seemed like the other party preferred ughtering people as a method of killing. It was a little bloody. Meng Fuyao stared at the puddle of blood on the ground when suddenly, she noticed that the reflection on the puddle seemed to change. It seemed as if¡­ something was moving? Meng Fuyao immediately flipped and pressed herself against the roof¡ªshe had seen enough strange things happening today, it was better to be cautious. Sure enough, her hunch was right. Just as she had ttened herself, the opposite wall noiselessly opened again, revealing the cloudy night sky and releasing a silvery fog and enveloping the ground like a silvery-white nket. Under the moonlight, above the silvery nket, a shadow clothed in ck noiselessly appeared. Tall and muscr, lean, clothed in a tight ck outfit, with the moonlight shining on his figure. The man¡¯s body was full of sticity and power, yet it wasn¡¯t bulky. It carried a strange, wild kind of beauty and the ck hair that had been tied up shone like silk, drifting slightly as he walked into the room with his strange footwork. It made one think of the five-colored spotted leopard from the forest. ¡®What a great figure!¡¯ Meng Fuyao nearly whistled; she hadn¡¯t even seen the face yet, but the figure was more than enough! She held her breath and sized the man up lecherously, silently pressing herself even closer against the ceiling¡ªthat man¡¯s figure was good, but it seemed like his fighting skills were even better, and she didn¡¯t want to fight right now. After the man entered, he pressed something, and a secret door appeared. The man then headed to a pile of clothes and lit a candle and picked up a robe. Meng Fuyao stared at the me on the candle, once again noiselessly shifting herself into the darkness. She then continued to look down, and then¡­ nearly stared until her eyeballs dropped off. Across, in the faint candlelight, that man was¡­ changing clothes. If when fully clothed that figure already made one hard to tear one¡¯s eyes away, after the clothes were removed, it was even more¡­ brilliant. Extremely luscious skin, supple, smooth with a faint jade-like quality, seeming to glisten like honey under the candlelight. It was different from the exquisite whiteness of regr Jiangnan men. On the other hand, he carried a wilder allure, and as the candlelight outlined his body, one could see the lines of his muscles, faintly glowing, every inch hinting at the flexibility and power of the man, yet there were no knots, everything flowed smoothly and naturally to the point where it was mesmerizing. ¡®Ah¡­ What a beauty¡­ Only a body that looks even better without clothes can be called true beauty¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes roamed greedily all over the body. ¡®The extremely beautiful inverted triangle shape, the broad shoulders and narrow waist, the smooth and clean back, the intricate movement of the shoulder des¡­ and below¡­ skip, skip¡­ oh, what long legs, yet full of sticity and power, a perfect bnce between elegance and strength, it is truly the most perfect and touching body shape¡­¡¯ It was a pity that time was too short¡­¡¯Why did the man have to change so quickly¡­ Sigh¡­¡¯ Ultimately, the man did not turn around, and he had changed into yet another ck outfit. He gathered his previous bloodstained robes into a bundle and held it in his hand, and using his strange footwork, he opened the door of the secret room and left. Meng Fuyao waited for several moments until she was sure that he wouldn¡¯t being back before slowlying back down. Her ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± technique had been continuously improving, and she could hold her breath for a much longer time than normal people. It was also thanks to this that she had gone unnoticed by the man, or else no matter how far she was, she would have been found out by this powerful man. Chapter 214 - Untitled Chapter 214: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao fumbled around, trying to find the mechanism. Finally, she found the mechanism and escaped the secret room. As expected, whatid outside was an unmarked graveyard. The tombstones were in shambles as they leaned side to side, with some of the corners chipped. One could spot the white bones that were dug out by the wild wolves and that withered tree that the sorrowful moon seemed to be hanging for. An old crow sat on the branch as it cawed. The surrounding had a strong blood stench. Meng Fuyao looked around and realized that the corpses of the two had already disappeared. Meng Fuyao stood under the cold moonlight and looked back to where she came from. It had perfectly blended in, covered by the dried branches. She thought about her experience, and it was such an unexpected adventure. Little Seven¡¯s unintentional scheme would actually throw her in danger¡¯s way¡ªsecret room with flying arrows, in a pool of water without escape, blood dripping in her ear, a handsome man stripping¡­ and she even heard such a shocking piece of news. Zong Yue has been held captive in Xuanyuan by Xuanyuan Cheng. Meng Fuyao nced towards the direction of Xuanyuan Nation and revealed a cold smile. Without a thought, she rushed back. With her abilities, there was no need to reveal her identity to request for the city gates to be opened. She directly jumped over the wall and returned to her residence. She first made her way to Zong Yue¡¯s house. The house looked normal as though the owner was still there, but when Meng Fuyao touched the bed, it was cold. Looking at the bed, it was as though no one had slept on this bed for a very long time. She stood nkly there in the house as she reflected her own attitude towards this man with a poisonous tongue. Was she too cold and unconcerned towards this man? Even though she knew he had been busy and going out a lot, she had never thought to ask him what he was doing. Now, even when he was missing, Meng Fuyao was thest one to know, and she could not even find any of subordinates or friends to confirm that with. Perhaps, in her heart, she had gotten used to relying on Zong Yue¡¯s help, used to his poisonous tongue solving all problems, and hence, never thought that he would have gotten into any trouble. Perhaps, there was another reason that she did not want to face¡ªthat she subconsciously wanted to keep a distance between them so that they could cut off their ties clearly in the future. At this moment, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt that she was very selfish. ¡®Towards such a friend that helped you again and again, even if you cannot provide love, there should at least be a word of concern? As a friend, isn¡¯t there some stuff you should be concern about too?¡¯ To be like her and hide far away, wasn¡¯t that be a bit too heartless? Meng Fuyao decided that she was no longer going to be selfish. She was always using this Mongolian doctor¡¯s medicine, it was high time she treated him too. She swiftly packed her stuff and casually shoved the sleeping Lord Yuan Bao into her bag. She nced towards Ya Lanzhu¡¯s house and felt that she would choose to stay. And so, she grabbed her bag and made her way out. The moment she opened the door, she saw Tie Cheng hugging his sword while sitting at her door. Meng Fuyao smiled resignedly as she rubbed her forehead. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to abandon you here. I just wanted to make a move first. You can wait here for Wuji¡¯s invisible guards to make contact with you and then¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Tiecheng remained unconvinced. ¡°As for the secret guards, I¡¯ll just leave a secret code. I know their secret code.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled as she tossed her bag to him. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go!¡± Their conversation dispersed into the wind with no trace, unable to reach the ears of the people who wanted to know of their whereabouts. And for the Meng Fuyao that had anxiously rushed off, she had long forgotten about an unlucky fool that would face the unfortunate situation where she was missing, and not a corpse could be found¡­ In the middle of the night, two shadows made their way across the quiet streets, rushing past like a whirlwind. The guards on duty vaguely felt a breeze of wind. Rubbing their eyes, they looked up to find only dried, withered leaves swirling on the floor. The two shadows had long disappeared into the roads outside the capital. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Xuanyuan.¡± ¡°Morning, Mt. Yu residence.¡± From the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain, all routes had been blocked off by the soldiers of the imperial camp. Three steps, a guard and five steps, a sentry post. The woodcutters that lived on around Mt Yu were all stopped at the foot of the mountain as they tried to make their way up the mountain to chop some trees. They looked up and saw gold dragon gs flying in the air all along the mountain route and coughed in surprise. ¡°Apparently His Majesty rushed up the mountainst night?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, I didn¡¯t hear of anymotion.¡± ¡°Apparently a notorious bandit escaped!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± A gasp of fear resounded. A farmer with a shoulder pole 1 that entered the city to sell his vegetables happened to pass by. He made his way into the conversation andmented, ¡°Ya,st night was certainly unsettling. You could hear the old crow crying to the point where your heart feels uneasy. Yet, when you go out to look, you can¡¯t see anything.¡± He lived outside the city at the Yushui West. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the bandit killed someone there?¡± Someoneughed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry up and report this to His Majesty?¡± The farmer red at him as he shook his head and left. Zhan Beiye did not catch the importantst sentence, though even if he heard, he would still not have managed to link it to Meng Fuyao¡¯s whereabouts. Right now, his entire head was in a mess with only one thought: Meng Fuyao is missing. What¡¯s worse was that this was no normal missing case, there was a high chance she was in imminent danger! Last night after receiving Little Seven¡¯s report, he almost vomited blood on the spot and even kicked the proud Little Seven who was actually waiting to be praised. He rushed out of the pce like a madman and did not even bother taking the imperial carriage. He grabbed a random horse, got on it, and rushed straight to Mt Yu without even waiting for the horse to get saddled up. Because of that, by the time he reached his residence at Mt Yu, his legs were already bleeding from the friction. He did not notice at all and threw the reins, sprinting straight to Huayin pce. His heart was in a mess on the way there. He repeatedly thought of the possibilities that might happen when Meng Fuyao came out; If she were to misunderstand him, he would¡­ he should¡­ what should he do? He had absolutely no idea how to exin himself. Little Seven was his loyal subordinate, if not for this, just with Little Seven¡¯s capabilities, there was no way he could set Meng Fuyao up. Little Seven¡¯s actions were equivalent of his actions, and if Meng Fuyao really wanted to me him, there was nothing he could say. However, the worst was yet toe. When the trap opened, Meng Fuyao was nowhere in sight. Looking at the empty stone room, even Little Seven was surprised. He scratched his head as he mumbled, ¡°Uhm¡­ I saw her falling in.¡± Zhan Beiye initially thought that Meng Fuyao had escaped and was relieved. But the few droplets of blood caught his attention. Then, he saw the pieces of cloth and the rming number of poisonous arrows, which were very fine yet deeply embedded into the tough stone wall. His vision went ck. Zhan Beiye jumped in and picked up the cloth. He recognized it was indeed Fuyao¡¯s and his heart sank even further. He tightened his grip with the piece of cloth sped in his cold palm. It was as though that piece of cloth was an icy pair of hands, tugging at his heart with all its might to the point where his heart was hitting against his ribcage, and there was no strength left in his hands and legs. Big drops of sweat dripped down his forehead. Looking at Zhan Beiye¡¯s expression, Little Seven knew he had gotten into deep trouble. He threw himself to the stone wall and anxiously looked around as though he was trying to dig Meng Fuyao out from the stone. He fumbled around and identally touched the kirin, and the hidden door slid open quietly. Zhan Beiye perked up immediately, dashed towards the door, but he was held back but his guards. Little Seven got down on his knees and kowtowed 2 as he begged, ¡°I created this trouble, I¡¯ll go!¡± After that, he rushed in with the guards. In the end, in barely anytime, Little Seven was soaked and dragged out by the few guards that were still alive¡ªthey had entered the waterway, and half the guards were washed away by the water. The other half of guards now cautiously walked along the path, with Little Seven protected in the middle. When the front few guards were cut off by the rotating stone wall, the guards behind managed to grab Little Seven in time. With a stone wall in between, they listened helplessly to theirrades as they struggled, yelling for help and eventually¡­ the silence. Little Seven scratched the stone wall to the point where his nails came off, his blood dripped, and the flesh was exposed. Zhan Beiye looked at Little Seven¡¯s bloody hands, made eye contact with the horrified guards, and stumbled backward. His expression could not even be described using the word ¡®ugly,¡¯ and none of the guards dared to look into his eyes. Little Seven kneeled there, stoned, without saying anything, without kowtowing. Then, he suddenly jumped up, stretched out his hand, and a beam of white light shone. But Zhan Beiye sent a punch over. The strength of his punch was heavy, and Little Seven flew from the impact of the punch,nding heavily on the wall. With the ¡°kacha¡±, his arm dislocated and slumped down. Zhan Beiye red at him. He was pale from not sleeping the whole night. Above his lips, there were short beard stubbles, and one could see the red veins in his eyes. The web of red veins was fiery red as he yelled, ¡°To die now would be the way of a coward! You, get up and look for her! If she¡¯s alive, I want to see her, if shes¡­, She¡¯s not dead! Go look for her! No matter where she is if you can¡¯t find her, don¡¯te back!¡± He reached out and grabbed a whip from the guard beside him and threw it in front of Little Seven. ¡°Take this whip and find her! After finding her, give this to her! Let the person who is supposed to beat you, beat you! Beat you to the point you remember that being impulsive, petnt and bumptious are lessons that even death cannot buy!¡± Little Seven kneeled on the floor, without a sound, he took the whip and ced it on his back. Biting his lip, he kowtowed to Zhan Beiye, stood up unsteadily, and walked away. Ji Yu, who was standing beside Zhan Beiye, looked at Little Seven worriedly and subconsciously took a step forward. Angered, Zhan Beiye yelled, ¡°If you dare to take another step, you don¡¯t have toe back too!¡± Ji Yu stopped. Zhan Beiye remained unmoved. It was only till Little Seven¡¯s backpletely disappeared outside of Huayin pce that he turned his body slightly and nced towards the direction he left. That nce was first filled with anger, and then it gradually turned to helplessness andstly, indelible pain. In his life, he had never once chased his own brother away. And today, he forced this child to wander around the world. And from today onwards, the Little Seven that he had liked for his innocence was due for its death. The things precious about this young man that he had protected ¨C the young man¡¯s untainted innocence ¨C would be single-handedly destroyed by him. Chapter 215 - Untitled Chapter 215: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was Zhan Beiye¡¯s overindulgent love for Little Seven that had caused him to be this wilful and arrogant. And in the end, he let them shoulder the painful consequences. How much of a selfish leader he was! At the break of dawn, Zhan Beiye stood there in the chilly autumn wind. In that one night, he was devastated and haggard. Beside him, Ji Yu watched him as tears slowly welled up. Zhan Beiye did not look at anyone, he merely stood there silently. When the soldiers that were dispatched to search for Meng Fuyao in her residence came back to report that her house was empty, the lights in his eyes dimmed. He then personally walked down that dark tunnel and stood in front of that hidden door. With all his might, he shattered the stone wall with his palm! The pieces of stones flew vengefully. ¡°Fuyao, where are you!¡± Dahan; Eternal Era, 9th December. Dahan¡¯s one and only King Pan went missing after the ceremony. The reason for it was a thoughtless remark and an innocent goal. Everyone in Dahan entered a frantic state where they urgently searched for Meng Fuyao. Though the news that King Han was missing was kept a secret, everyone in the country, regardless of province, searched for a youngd that ¡°enjoyed disguise that has a white rat and a ck skin guard (this guard might disguise too)¡±. With such vague information, it was like searching a needle in a haystack and had left many scratching their heads. Even neighboring countries received Emperor Han¡¯s documents ¨C he would seldom bother with all these diplomatic talks ¨C that were very politely, discussing the weather, the economics, and the policies. He would then casually bring up his main point, writing at the bottom that if ¡°your country finds a young man is like this, please do inform us. I would be very grateful¡­ ¡± To be very honest, with such a method of searching, the new emperor of Dahan was certainly pitiful¡ªeven after flipping every stone in the country, he still could not find the person. Taking the desperate measure, he could only list Meng Fuyao as being ¡°wanted¡± in the Five Regions Continent. Whether or not he could find that heartless person, it was all dependant on his luck. Dahan Eternal Era, the year where history was rewritten and the country that experienced an exchange of fire where blood washed itsnds finally regained its peace on the surface. On the other hand, its neighboring country Xuanyuan was about to experience a stormy situation as a result of one¡¯s arrival. Xuanyuan, Zhao Ning year 12, prosperous and peaceful. At the borders of Xuanyuan Nation, a young man in ck, with a white guinea pig squatting on his shoulder, smiled gleefully as he looked slyly in the direction of the city gates. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she patted the shoulder of the honest and sincere man beside her, whispering, ¡°Look, a beauty!¡± It was, indeed a beauty. A few days ago, Meng Fuyao even had the honor to observe that unparalleled body of a beauty. This Prince Meng that had time-traveled from the future prided herself on seeing the beauty of man all over magazines and having an in-depth understanding of the aesthetics of the human body. Even such a person could not stop herself from salivating and thinking about it, going to show the extent of the allure of this beauty. Meng Fuyao¡¯s tiny universe sparkled and shone as her thoughts ran wild but yet, she took a step back. Tie Cheng hugged his sword as he looked at his owner oddly. ¡®That expression was of one eager to jump forward, but that action was one to run away. What does she want to do?¡¯ Guard Tie had never once been worried about the chastity of his owner¡ªsince none of the people around her were of any good. The crown prince was scheming, Emperor Han, domineering, Zong Yue, cruel, Yun Hen¡­ Yun Hen had never liked him¡ªdon¡¯t ask the reason why no one knew. Was there anyone in the world that would be worthy of Meng Fuyao? Guard Tie¡¯s answer would always be a resolute ¡®no¡¯. Meng Fuyao made eye contact with Tie Cheng and giggled. This fellow would never understand that she had used her entire life¡¯s experience ¨C umted with blood, sweat, and tears ¨C to derive this irrefutable form: Beauty = trouble, with the level of trouble being proportionate to how beautiful one was. In front of her was a beauty donned in ck. He stood with his hands at the back near a bun store as he looked at the night sky beyond the borders of Xuanyuan Nation. ck seemed to fit him like a glove as the slim body of his emanated strength and calmness, like the night sky that silently and instantly permeated thends. He himself seemed to enjoy wearing the body suit as well, with not a single piece of unnecessary fabric. It was obvious that it was not to show off that stunning figure of his, but rather, for convenience. Meng Fuyao could almost imagine that once this agile, streamlined figure, once itpletely disappeared into the darkness, would definitely be like the sharpest, smoothest and the most fitting dagger that one would ever have. It would, in an instant, cut across miles of darkness without any hindrance, like a sharp pair of scissors gliding across a soft, gentle silk fabric. Without obstruction, with the fastest speed. This person¡¯s upation was definitely a killer. Meng Fuyao squatted in a corner, far away, observing how the beautiful killer would enter Xuanyuan as the security at the borders of Xuanyuan was extremely strict. The buildings were tall and broad, heavily guarded. Without a decree, no one could enter. That being said, Meng Fuyao actually had the decree to enter Xuanyuan, but she only had one and Tie Cheng this fellow refused to leave her side. To force her way in under broad daylight would be unlike the usual low-profile actions of the great Meng Fuyao¡ªshe always preferred killing at night. Meng Fuyao initially wanted to secretly enter Xuanyuan Nation tonight. Who could have thought that she would run into that beauty and watching his stunning back, she knew that he didn¡¯t have that useless decree. And so, she was determined to find out what methods he would use to get into Xuanyuan Nation. In the night, that figure remained unmoved. And then, he suddenly floated like a falling leaf. He floated to the top of the city walls and with great precision, passed through the walls where no light shone ¨C a blind spot ¨C and gently stuck himself to the walls, camouging with the ck walls. His posture was a little odd. He hung upside down on the city walls, his feet hooked onto the crevices of the wall and his head and hands hanging upside down in the direction of the gates. Such a position required great skills and had a high degree of difficulty. Initially, Meng Fuyao believed that he had the same n as her¡ªto quietly pass through the city gates at night and kill a few guards along the way. But instead, he hung upside down as though as he was waiting for something. This piqued Meng Fuyao curiosity as she inched forward, hiding in the grass as she too, waited. The autumn night was a little chilly. Xuanyuan Nation looked peaceful and the soldiers, basking in the moonlight, patrolling the city walls could have never dreamt of the fact that in this very moment, a man was beneath them quietly waiting. And further down, in the grass, was one with a pair of bright eyes, shimmering like the moonlight. They would also never guess that the owners of these two pairs of calm eyes would brew an unsalvageable storm in Xuanyuan. The moonlight shifted. It was now past midnight. That person had plenty of patience, and so did Meng Fuyao. She remained hidden in the grass when she suddenly heard the sound of horses galloping from afar. The fast beating sound of hooves hitting the ground was still far away a moment ago, but in a blink of an eye, the horse was nearby. Under the moonlight, the grand white horse galloped quickly as its rider whipped it hastily, evident that the warrior was in an emergency. In an instant, they reached the city gates. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze flickered. She knew what the beauty was going to do. But¡­ She frowned¡­ How would he clean up the aftermath? Galloping loudly through the night, the guards at the city gate were quickly made aware of this iing guest. One could then hear a series of footsteps and orders being given. The torches on the city walls were swiftly lit up, and a toon leader looked down and yelled, ¡°Reveal your identity. You cannot enter the city gates at night!¡± The masked warriorughed coldly without a word and showed the guard on the city walls a golden token. Meng Fuyao was not able to clearly see the golden token clearly but only heard the shock in the guard¡¯s voice. The guard¡¯s tone immediately changed, ¡°My apologies, I did not know that it was the honorable special envoy from the Holy Pce. Come, open the gates for the great sir!¡± The torch was kept back, and it was then followed by disordered footsteps. The warriorughed coldly and arrogantly as he crossed his arms, waiting for the city gates to open for him. It was that moment where he carelessly waited alone, where the guards were no longer looking down, and the gates were still not open. That moment. It was the only moment where he could take advantage of. The beauty hanging upside down on the city gate suddenly flew down. Like a withered leaf falling naturally from the branch, he fluttered down right in front of the warrior. Just when the warrior registered a vague shadow passing, he felt his throat going cold. It was as though the slender fingers of the beauty gently and carelessly brushed past a flower, swiftly picking away the petals of life. Before the blood had the chance to follow out, the beauty in ck hit the body with a sharp knife. And for some reason, that blood was sealed in. He waved his hand in the most elegant way posture and a ray of light shot out. In the next moment, a bloody face in perfect condition was in his hand. He then lifted his hand and threw the corpse up. The corpse silently flew towards the wall and moving very slightly, a white ray of light shot out from his sleeve and pierced through the corpse, nailing the corpse to the top of the gate¡ªthe ce he was hanging from just now! Kacha¡ª The heavy gates opened. At this moment, the person that now entered the guards¡¯ vision was now the cold ¡°masked warrior¡± from just now with the golden token in hand. The guards bowed politely as several guards came out, as usual, to look around¡ªdefense at the Xuanyuan gates was always tight. There was no ce to hide near the gates, not even a bush. A guard with a sharp nose stiffed a little and asked doubtfully, ¡°Why is there a stench of blood¡­¡± Before he couldplete his sentence, his leader smacked him as he pouted a little. It was then that the guard came to a realization. Apparently, the Knights of the Holy Pce were elite assassins that carried out top secret missions. It couldn¡¯t be more normal for the smell of blood to follow him. The guards did not have any findings and went back in ease. With an outstretched arm, they carefully invited the ¡°knight¡± into the nation. The knight nodded his head, suddenly looked back and then waved his whip and galloped into the direction of the autumn moon. The city gates once again closed. Meng Fuyao, currently on the hill, heaved a long sigh. ¡®Damn¡­ what a cruel person.¡¯ His attack was precise, cruel, and urate. The timing was perfect to the second! Chapter 216 - Untitled Chapter 216: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Hanging upside down on the city gates, he waited for his target, making his move once the target presented his token and entered the gate. In the mere minutes when the guard checked the token to the target¡¯s entrance into the city, he leaped down and assassinated him, skinning him and nailing the body at the same time. Hepleted these actions in one fell swoop, making the act almost seem like a form of art. The most wondrous part was nailing the body,pletely making use of one¡¯s logical blind spot. Because there were no other possible ces to hide a body, no one would expect to just look up and see a whole corpse nailed onto the city gates itself. One could expect the shock when Xuanyuan discovered a body nailed onto the city gates the next day. This beautiful assassin was not only highly skilled in assassination techniques, but also seemed to be very knowledgeable of Xuanyuan¡¯s internal affairs. One could tell that he already knew that this ¡°Holy Pce Special Envoy¡± would enter the city overnight, and thus specially waited to intercept his token. Needless to say, the token he stole was definitely something very valuable. This guy definitely did note with peaceful intentions. Looks like something was about to happen within the nation of Xuanyuan. Meng Fuyao recalled the look he gave before leaving. That man, he probably noticed her. ¡®What did he mean with that look? That I should learn from him?¡¯ So she did. She didn¡¯t imitate him well though ¨C his face-skinning technique was too exquisite, and she was unfamiliar with it, so she just drew arge cross instead. Very soon, the intelligence reports from the various kingdoms made the following announcement¡ª On X year X month X day, Xuanyuan had been infiltrated. The infiltrator was vicious and bold, hanging three corpses on the city gates, one of them was faceless, and the other two had crossed on their faces. Allegedly a demonstration of power from neighboring kingdoms, Xuanyuan was now going around searching for the perpetrator¡­ the peace amongst the five kingdoms might possibly be disrupted and result in war again¡­ This intelligence report naturally caught the attention of the Dahan intelligence agency, but unfortunately, everyone was out busy trying to find undercover agents, and no one had time to return to the agency. Therefore, by the time the Dahan Emperor saw this extremely important report, he would have very, unfortunately, missed the initial critical moment¡­ The Kunjing Nation Protecting Temple of Xuanyuan had always been Kunjing¡¯s most popr area, with a bridge that resembled that of today¡¯s Old Beijing¡¯s sky bridge and street vendors selling food or reselling cultural items all around the ce. Of course, these were just low-quality products, like cooking dishes, brooms, and bamboo dustpans by the mountain walls, and these items could be thrown away after just three uses. The fragrant noodles would lose their fragrance by the time it reached home, the woodenbs would break after several uses, the pepper and salt were mixed with flour, and the textile store sold mainly coarse cloths in blue, moon white, grey, light blue colors, fabrics for the peasants that were usually stored for long periods of time in the storage rooms and rotted away after several washes. In summary, it was a ce where profiteers and cheats gathered. Yet also because it was so chaotic, there held a possibility of finding something new and unexpected. The West wall of the Nation Protecting Temple was usually the area for street performers and martial artists, and it operated on a firste, first serve basis. Early that morning, the sound of the gong thundered through the air. ¡°Uncles and aunties, brothers and sisters, fellow countrymen¡­ ng, ng, ng, ng¡­¡± The Gong striker used rope and white cloth to encircle the area as pockets of passersby started to gather curiously. ¡°Those walking by, don¡¯t miss this¡­ ng, ng, ng, ng, ng, ng, ng¡­¡± The performer stuck a dog-skin ster onto their forehead, walking about arranging several stools. The crowd was beginning to grow. ¡°We brothers havee to yournd¡­ ng, ng, ng¡­¡± Having said that, the performer climbed atop a stool as the crowd yawned. ¡°Failing to find our rtives and having no money on us, Big Brother lies in bed ill with no money for treatment¡­¡± The performer wiped a tear as the crowd continued to yawn. ¡°Thendlord threw us out¡­¡± Another tear wiped, the crowd indifferent. ¡°Fell into a drain as we came out of the front door¡­¡± Tears were wiped again while the crowd remained indifferent. ¡°Smashed into a bone inside the drain, and two dogs fighting over it thought that I was also here for it and leaped at me and bit me¡­¡± The performer held tears in their eyes as they made a show of removing their pants to reveal the wound as the crowd shushed in response. ¡°As we mbered out of the drain, a horse carriage ran over Big Brother¡¯s hand¡­¡± The performer cried out, disying ¡°Big Brother¡±¡®s heavily bandaged hand. The crowd was finally moved ¨C these two damn kids were way too unlucky. ¡°Big Brother tried to im medical fees from the carriage owner and was kicked in the groin instead by the Mistress¡­¡± Tears were now streaming down, and Big Brother silently trembled with clenched teeth as the crowd sympathized with the indignant-looking boy. ¡°We went to the medical hall for treatment, but because we didn¡¯t have money for good medicine, the ck-hearted physician gave us some unknown damaged products which stank, if you don¡¯t believe me just smell this¡­¡± The performer made a show of undoing Big Brother¡¯s pants while the crowd stuck out their necks excitedly to watch when ¡°Big Brother¡± grasped onto his pants and said through gnashed teeth, ¡°Master, can you have some limits?¡± ¡°¡­ And then we ran into Kunjing¡¯s street bullies¡­¡± ¡°Alright, here¡¯s some money,¡± An aunty with tears in her eyes undid her clothing, then undid the three buttons within, took out a small bag, opening up thirteenyers of handkerchief wrapped on it, revealing a double wrapped wallet, and from within she fished out with trembling hands¡­ a single copper coin. A single copper coin! Everyone turned to look admirably at thed hitting the gong ¨C Heavens, such a silver tongue! This ¡°Iron Hen¡± who hadn¡¯t been charitable in thirty years actually did charity for the first time today! Xuanyuan¡¯s Kunjing Iron Corner Street Persimmon Alley¡¯s Aunty Li, also known as Kunjing¡¯s number one Iron Hen; it was said that it was harder to get her to give an extra copper coin than for Xuanyuan¡¯s manor¡¯s little master at hiding a man in her bedroom. What happened next was even more jaw-dropping. The gong striker didn¡¯t seem to understand what record-breaking and historical symbolism this copper coin held as he moved to reject the coin, solemnly saying, ¡°One does not get rewarded without reason, even though us brothers are poor, we aren¡¯t here to receive empty-handed. Today we are here to show our skills, using our skills to earn money, honorably, or else we would really just be mere beggars.¡± ¡°This child has backbone!¡± Thedy looked benevolently at the Gong yer¡­¡¯What a good lookingd, he would probably fetch at least an ounce of silver at the men¡¯s brothel¡­¡¯ ¡°Stop shooting your mouth off!¡± Someone said impatiently, ¡°Can you y with knives? Crescent spades? Or will you walk on a tightrope? Or can you wave banners¡­¡± The gong performer smiled, held up a finger, and shook his head. ¡°How is any of that considered refreshing? Since it¡¯s my first time here, naturally I¡¯ll have to show you something interesting such that we will live up to the name of this brilliant capital. And of course, to let you folks see what¡¯s out there, look at my¡­ ng, ng, ng!¡± Striking the gong hard, the performer announced, ¡°Unrivalled, magnificent, beautiful, universe-startling, heaven-moving, unique from the skies to the underworld¡ªthe one and only, Magical Rabbit!¡± ng, ng, ng, ng! The ¡°Magic Rabbit¡± made its appearance. Covered from head to toe in ck fur¡ªa disguise, wearing a red robe¡ªfrom her own bag, four short legs¡ªthey were Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s. The ¡°Magic Rabbit¡± gracefully leaped onto arge red painted crate on the stage, shing an appropriate smile that revealed its four shiny front teeth and well-manneredly waving its paws at the audience. If the original owner of this ¡°rabbit¡± were here, he would probably end up spitting out blood¡ªa precious mythological pet, a rare, treasured rodent with intelligence on par with humans, afternding in Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands has fallen so far that it would have to make a living by selling skills in a third rate marketce. The ¡°mythological pet¡± itself did not have much awareness of its lineage, instead enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention, taking its time to turn around to smile, showing off its teeth charmingly¡­ ¡°Ah! Small ck rabbit!¡± ¡°Rat!¡± ¡°Roon!¡± ¡°Weasel!¡± Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s face darkened as it red at Meng Fuyao hatefully. ¡®Who let you dye my fur ck? It¡¯s ruining my dashing image!¡¯ ¡°Fellow countrymen,e and look!¡± Meng Fuyao hit on the gong hard and continued, ¡°A magical rabbit that can recognize words¡­¡± ¡°Able to recognize words?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible, stop boasting.¡± ¡°Thisd is spouting nonsense! Careful not to get tricked!¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hand andughed. ¡°True gold fears no fire. Whether it¡¯s a donkey or a horse, a rabbit or a weasel, you will know once we take it out for a spin!¡± She continued to strike the gong, sessfully attracting the attention of the crowd around. She watched as a few inly dressed, but calm-looking men made their way over, her eyes gleaming as she smiled and said, ¡°Speaking of this magical rabbit of mine, there¡¯s nothing particrly special, just that it is able to recognize couplets.¡± There was a wild outburst in the crowd ¨C the ability to recognize words was rare enough, much less the ability match couplets! Immediately someone yelled out excitedly, ¡°And what if it can¡¯t?¡± ¡°I will send my Big Brother to be your ve!¡± The ck-hearted Meng Fuyao pointed at her poor ¡°Big Brother¡± Tie Cheng and said, ¡°After treating his illness, he¡¯s still a considerably well-built man who can do hard work!¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯lle up with one first, Red Flower!¡± Lord Yuan Bao red at the man with despise, ignoring him¡ªthis man was clearly belittling its intelligence. ¡°Come on, can we have something with more than five words?¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t insult my Lord Magical Rabbit¡¯s intelligence.¡± The crowd started to think hard for a couplet, a truly difficult task for the less educated lower ss. One of the men scratched the back of his ear as he pondered, catching a flea and then biting on it in his mouth. The flea was bigger than usual, and it caught on his teeth. While regretting the early aging of his teeth, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he yelled out, ¡°This rabbit¡¯s front teeth are very big!¡± Lord Yuan Bao was immediately enraged and spat out a sequence of phrases. ¡°Your mother has fat thighs!¡± ¡°Your father strikes luck when he leaves the house.¡± ¡°Your mother deserted you at birth.¡± ¡°This ce is outstanding with beautiful mountains and waters,¡± said a poor man excitedly, rocking his head back and forth. ¡°Your mother¡¯s steps create valleys and sand flies everywhere; she creates miracles of nature.¡± ¡°Utter rubbish! How can a rodent¡¯s intelligencepare with a human¡¯s!¡± eximed the poor man angrily. ¡°Utter rubbish! Your mother¡¯s dumber than a mouse!¡± Aunty Li dimly asked Meng Fuyao, ¡°Why is it scolding your mother in every sentence?¡± Meng Fuyao replied with deep sentiment, ¡°Because itcks motherly affection¡­¡± Aunty Li continued dimly, ¡°It¡­ it¡­ it really is a rabbit?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Meng Fuyao dragged her sentence meaningfully as Aunty Li and the surrounding crowd strained their ears to listen. ¡°It¡¯s just a rabbit.¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± Instantly there was an outburst of exmations and everyone wandering about the Nation Protecting Temple made their way over and copper coins showered through the air¡ªmagical rabbit, truly a magical rabbit! Lord Yuan Bao puffed out its chest proudly and smiled, fully immersing into its character while biting a copper coin it personally picked out and throwing it into the bamboo basket¡ªit was truly an honorable feeling to earn money with its ownbor, even though these copper coins wouldn¡¯t even be able to pay for a single button on its robes¡­ Chapter 217 - Untitled Chapter 217: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao cupped her fists and smiled brightly as she sounded the gong. ¡°Thank you for your support, thank you for your support¡­¡± Countless people surged forward, wanted to see the ¡°foul-mouthed, literate¡± Lord Magical Rabbit, but Meng Fuyao picked up the proud fellow and stuffed it in her robes, smiling slightly as she said, ¡°It¡¯s shy, please do not disturb its creative process. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can talk to the manager¡ªI am the contact person¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao struggled frantically in her robes, ¡®Let me out! You damned child, I finally found such a rare moment of happiness¡­¡¯ Aunty Li barged forward and eyed Meng Fuyao and her sleeve calctively as she said, ¡°Little brother since you¡¯re not familiar here and your elder brother is hurt, if you don¡¯t mind, my house is¡­¡± ¡°Move it.¡± A deep voice suddenly cut their conversation, its tone carrying a hint of unruliness. Not one, but two men had stepped forward, and the other had already shoved Aunty Li away. Aunty Li raised her head and was about to start scolding when her eyes fell upon the other party¡¯s Kirin token. Instantly, her face turned white, and she fell back silently. This rascal had actually caught the attention of the Regent King¡¯s men¡­ Whether it was fortune or misfortune, it was unknown¡­ ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and asked, ¡°Are you rewarding me?¡± ¡°Naturally you will be rewarded, perhaps even more than you imagine.¡± The man said frankly and pointed at Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve, ¡°That ¡®Magical Rabbit¡¯ of yours, sell it to us.¡± His tone was resolute, and he took out a heavy-looking money pouch from his robes. ¡°300 taels of silver,¡± he said as he thrust it towards Meng Fuyao. The surrounding onlookers gasped in disbelief; 300 taels of silver! It was more than ten years of ie of the average family! The Regent King actually had so much money! There were also people who looked on enviously at Meng Fuyao¡ªrumor had it that the little master had left her manor several days ago and fell ill upon her return. His Highness had always doted on this daughter of his and often sent his men out to look for interesting toys to entertain her. The Regent King¡¯s men had probably taken a liking to this literate rabbit. Thisd was indeed lucky, 300 taels of silver was a fortune. The guard threw the money pouch and expected Meng Fuyao to offer up the rabbit. However, Meng Fuyao caught the money pouch in her hand and smiled brightly as she said, ¡°How heavy¡­¡± Thereafter, she threw the money pouch back. This time, the Regent King¡¯s men were surprised. The guard frowned as he said, ¡°You dare to ask for more?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Meng Fuyao wagged a finger and replied, ¡°Have you heard? A moment of fullness, yet losing one¡¯s rice bucket. We brothers depend on this magical rabbit for our livelihood. If you take away our treasured magical rabbit, how would we earn our livelihood in the future?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t 300 taels of silver enough to spend?¡± ¡°300 taels of silver, huh.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed and turned to him, saying, ¡°Supposedly it¡¯s enough, but if one has the fortune of receiving it but not the fortune of spending it, what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The guard was taken aback for a moment; then he continued angrily, ¡°Are you suggesting that we won¡¯t pay you?¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head and looked at him sympathetically. How was this poor child¡¯s intelligence lower than ¡°Your Mother¡± Lord Yuan Bao? ¡°If I take the 300 taels of silver now, once I leave this bustling city, all the thieves and bandits of Kunjing will target us.¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head and nced at Aunty Li, who was still shrunk back, then shifted her gaze to several men with gleaming belts who had mixed in with the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m weak and cowardly, I can¡¯t handle it,¡± she said. The guard had alsoe to understand her exnation and raised his eyebrows in amusement. ¡°You¡¯re quite perceptive, so what do you want to do?¡± he asked. ¡°Give me a ce to stay and food to eat.¡± Meng Fuyaoy her hands in front of her and continued, ¡°My brother has traveled far and actually, we don¡¯t wish to continue traveling any further. Take the 300 taels of silver as payment for buying my brother as a ve. It¡¯s a fair transaction.¡± This request was not unreasonable, but the guard hesitated slightly. The Regent King¡¯s manor was different from the other manors; the Regent King held supreme power over all and was connected to the imperial pce, and entering the Regent King¡¯s manor was equivalent to entering the imperial pce. Hence, the Regent King had always been strict in who was let in. Nobody was allowed in unless the person was from aw-abiding family in Kunjing and guaranteed his status, and even so, this standard of a ve could only clean up to the third gate. The inner manor had always been attended by eunuchs and courtdies. If thisd wanted to enter the manor, the guard really didn¡¯t have the power to do so. Meng Fuyao watched the guard intently and did not pursue the matter further as she smiled and said, ¡°I will be here for several days to perform and after that, I will move to a different location. If you enjoy my performance, please remember toe and support me.¡± With that, she left. The guard quickly said, ¡°Eh, you¡ª¡± but quickly fell silent. The other guard beside him remarked, ¡°This rabbit is indeed entertaining, the little master will surely like it. Why don¡¯t we report this to her and let her decide if she wants it.¡± Several people nodded and left. Meng Fuyao had heard what they had said, and her lips curled up into a smile. ¡®I¡¯ll bait you with my ¡°ingot¡± and wait for you toe yourself¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao performed for three days, and each day, there were different tricks. The first day: matching couplets, ¡°Your Mother¡± couplets that shocked everyone. The second day, ballet on ice: Meng Fuyao personally used the energy of Moon Soul and summoned ice, creating a rainbow-colored ice rink for ¡°Lord Magical Rabbit¡±. Fundamentally, the performance was a great sess; apart from ¡°Lord Magical Rabbit¡¯s¡± slightly round appearance, everything else was perfect. The third day, acrobatics. Three little mice were forced to do 180-degree somersaults until they were green in the face and returned to their burrows with their paws wrapped around their heads. After three days, news that a ¡°talented and literate Magical Rabbit that could match couplets, dance and fight had appeared at the Nation Protecting Temple¡± spread throughout Kunjing and every day, the temple would be packed to the brim with people who hade to watch Lord Yuan Bao. Such was his fame that it had attracted one of the most legendary political figures in the Five Regions Continent; a certain prince. The three met again in the evening to count the mountain of copper coins. As they were counting, two of them had begun to tear; Meng Fuyao was touched that she had discovered a potential superstar, and Lord Yuan Bao had discovered that actually, its rodent life still had so much meaning and value. In all its years following its master, it had always been overshadowed by his brilliance, it had thought that it was simply a ¡°family pet that only knew how to eat and sleep¡±. Despite Meng Fuyao¡¯s ck-heartedness and cunningness¡­ it had to give some credit to her as well. When Lord Yuan Bao single-handedly ¡°brought up¡± two humans with its own rodent power, it felt majestic and powerful, and Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao were but grains under its belly¡­ That evening, for dinner, Lord Yuan Bao had brought Meng Fuyao to the most luxurious restaurant in the city, the ¡°Heavenly Restaurant¡±, and snatched the menu, and ordered a feast for the two of them. Meng Fuyao smiled, grateful for its generosity, but when the bill came, she quietly slipped the waiter a string of silver¡ªthe copper coins that Lord Yuan Bao had earned were not enough to cover even half of the meal¡­ On the fourth day, when Meng Fuyao was about to sound the gong once again, she suddenly froze in shock. Among the crowd was a familiar silhouette dressed in fitting ck clothes, his figure lean and tall. The man was standing quietly in the bustling crowd like a ck rock unperturbed by the flowing river around him. He watched Meng Fuyao from a distance, the gaze from his slightly nted eyes severe. His eyes were like the most exquisite piece of ss, reflecting light in all angles and his lips were plump and luscious, a startling red. ¡®Gay porn.¡¯ Meng Fuyao suddenly thought of this phrase, especially thest word, ¡®porn¡¯, he was the hottest man among all of the porn that she had seen, with his beautifully sculpted figure, perfect features, perfectly ced widow¡¯s peak, jade-like skin, ssy eyes, and fiery lips. His entire being was as bright as a multi-colored g disyed in front of a hunter. Meng Fuyao stared at him, gazing at the man with an elegance that was different from Zhangsun Wuji, fierier than Zhan Beiye, with an air of purity and coldness more than Zong Yue. Suddenly, the man smiled at her and turned around. It was just that in the blink of an eye when the crowd parted again, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t see his silhouette anymore, as though the man was but an illusion in her eyes, that he never appeared to begin with. She retracted her gaze andughed distractedly as she thought, ¡®We¡¯ll definitely meet again.¡¯ She raised her gong and was about to sound it again when the crowd suddenly parted to reveal the Regent King¡¯s guards approaching arrogantly. They sauntered along and approached Meng Fuyao with a generous smile. Meng Fuyao put down the gong, smiling, as she lightly patted Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s fur. Honestly speaking, she had been rather reluctant to let Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s beloved pet to perform in the streets. As of now, the performance had finally ended. If they were to continue, she was afraid that one day Zhangsun Wuji would find out and she wouldn¡¯t know which body part she would lose. Her eyes were twinkling as she gazed far away into the blue sky. His Highness the Regent King, Xuanyuan Cheng. ¡®I, Lord Meng, have arrived!¡¯ The Regent King¡¯s manor was indeed huge¡­ The new pet had already lived in the ce for about half a month, yet it still had not finished exploring the entire manor. Every day, it could only look down from the highest point of the manor, the Sky-Weing Tower. However, this was also rted to its identity as the little master¡¯s pet Xiao Si. Meng Fuyao had been assigned a room in the servant¡¯s quarters of the inner court, and her movement was limited to the first three courtyards. As for thest courtyard in the inner court, there was a wide red gate; that was their forbidden area¡ªit was said that the red door connected directly to the imperial pce. There was only one room for the two ¡°brothers¡± to share. Meng Fuyao was fine with it, but Tie Cheng, on the other hand, looked ufortable. He insisted on guarding the room door every night but was pushed back into the room by Meng Fuyao¡ªthere were dangers lurking everywhere in the Regent King¡¯s manor, why would he guard the room outside? He was simply looking for trouble. Chapter 218 - Untitled Chapter 218: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The two ¡°brothers¡± slept on the ground with Lord Yuan Bao in the middle. Lord Yuan Bao was always the one with the best treatment with his own little bed. While it could not use his golden toilet any longer, the little princess had personally sewed a down feather nket for it. Lord Yuan Bao was very satisfiedpared to Meng Fuyao, anydy was ady. This rabbit-like princess, Xuanyuan Yun, was still timid as a rabbit. When she first saw Meng Fuyao, she blushed, looked at Tie Cheng, blushed. Even when she saw Yuan Bao, she still blushed! Naturally, Meng Fuyao¡¯s appearance was different from when she was at the True Martial Arts Meet. Since she had so many human skin masks, her hobby was now to pretend to be different beautiful young men; changing one¡¯s appearance could bring about trouble but also plenty of conveniences. Meng Fuyao was basically not afraid of any trouble, and so, naturally, she would have to n to maximize the convenience. The convenience it brought was apparent. At first nce, Xuanyuan Yun had taken a liking to her and especially allowed Meng Fuyao to enter the first three inner courts. But she was repeatedly instructed that the veryst inner court could not be entered. Meng Fuyao obediently promised and ording to the usual schedule, brought Lord Yuan Bao in to keep herpany for 2 hours every day. This day, Lord Yuan Bao did not perform upon arrival. Rather, it grabbed Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s hand and started to sigh. Xuanyuan Yun turned to look at Meng Fuyao in shock. Troubled, Meng Fuyao exined, ¡°It heard that one of its distant rtives was eaten by a wolf¡­ it¡¯s in the midst of grieving.¡± As she exined, she closely observed Xuanyuan Yun. ¡®Does she know of Zong Yue¡¯s kidnap?¡¯ There was nothing odd about Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s expression, though, for some reason, she seemed to be greatly affected by Lord Yuan Bao and the corners of her eyes reddened. Sitting there, tears suddenly started to fall. Meng Fuyao was ted. ¡®Something is going on!¡¯ Yet, her expression was one of fear as she frantically apologized, ¡°This rabbit has caused your highness to be upset, I will bring it down to discipline it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡± Xuanyuan Yun quickly stopped Meng Fuyao as she wiped away her tears. ¡°No¡­ No¡­ I just thought of some upsetting matters¡­¡± Meng Fuyao kept her mouth shut as she looked at the sky nkly¡ªshe could not rush to ask her question right now. This child had been bottling up too much and would definitely spill the beans herself. As expected, Xuanyuan Yun waited a while for Meng Fuyao to express her sympathy and regards but seeing that her reaction was as cold as others, she sighed in disappointment. Then, she hugged Lord Yuan Bao and gentlymented, ¡°You could still grieve for your own distant rtives¡­ But I don¡¯t even know who I should grieve for¡­¡± Meng Fuyao continued to act like a deaf. Xuanyuan Yun continued to ramble on without reserve. ¡°When will Brother Yuee back¡­ Father promised me to bring him back and return him his position. Yet, till today, there¡¯s not a single news about it¡­ Father said that he wouldn¡¯te back¡­¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡®Xuanyuan Yun doesn¡¯t know that Zong Yue is already in the hands of Xuanyuan Cheng?¡¯ ¡®Xuanyuan Yun once begged Xuanyuan Cheng to return Zong Yue¡¯s position as a royal? ¡®In other words, she was the one that revealed Zong Yue¡¯s identity and hiding ce? ¡®Why is this child, born in the dirtiest, darkest and unpredictable imperial family, still so childish?¡¯ With anger, Meng Fuyao nced at Xuanyuan Yun. This child was clothed in a pastel yellow dress. She had bright and teary eyes with exquisite, delicate features and silky smooth skin. Her cheeks were fluffy, and pink like cotton rose hibiscus, looking down at Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s smooth fur with her slightly redden eyes. That hibiscus looked so delicate and frail as though it could not even survive the cool autumn breeze. ¡®She is truly a protected, frail flower in a greenhouse, untainted by pain and sufferings of the human affairs.¡¯ Not the Ya Lanzhu that traveled around the different countries at 12, nor the Feng Jingfan that had toured various countries in the ¡°name of Buddha¡±. Her life had no cracks; it was as bright and clear as a mirror, lighting up her life. It was always her father creating the illusion of a rosy world for her, and the biggest hardship she ever suffered was probably the night where she stayed outside Meng Fuyao¡¯s residence all night. No wonder her father eventually joined the True Martial Arts Meet¡ªhe was afraid of his pure daughter suffering and wanted to bring her back personally. Meng Fuyao quietly sighed. What kind of method did Xuanyuan Yun even use to recognize Zong Yue and inform her father? That being said, it was her fault. Why did she take pity on her and let Xuanyuan Yun meet Zong Yue? ¡®At this point in time, there¡¯s no point in sighing. Since Xuanyuan Yun had no intentions to harm Zong Yue, that means that there is still hope.¡¯ Her gaze had fixated on Xuanyuan Yun for too long. That child was after all a master of martial arts, and she quickly turned back, surprised by the intense gaze she felt. But Meng Fuyao had already kept her gaze. She bid her goodbyes to Xuanyuan Yun and slowly made her way back to her own ce. She had passed by the third inner court, she suddenly spotted a person sitting by the pond and flowers, under the pavilion. From the back view and dressing, it seemed to be a slim man. Meng Fuyao had never seen a man¡¯s waist so slim before, nor had she seen a man¡¯s back view so¡­ enchanting. His long sleeves dangled and touched the surface of the water. The moon-white sleeves resembled a fluffy cloud, gently bringing about ripples on the surface of the water. The narrow waist and delicate fingers back-faced Meng Fuyao. It was like a flower in the blooming as his enchanting voice sang: ¡°Slowly, gracefully rises the moon from the sea, Cynthia the Moon Goddess flies to the east again¡­ The goddess rises from her throne and lightens the sky¡­ When she smiles, the world is bright¡­ The scenery is like the Birth of Venus from the Aegean Sea¡­¡± [1. Lyrics from Beijing Opera, The Drunkened Beauty, a masterpiece by Mei Lan Fang, talking about Lady Yang Yuhuan, the Emperor¡¯s favorite concubine that was eventually neglected him.] Loneliness settled in the garden as the breeze swept a few blooming flowers off its branches. Under the jade, white pavilion sat a handsome, elegant man that seemed to resemble the branches of the willow. It was actually a great voice that was filled with power but not at the expense of losing the gentleness and soothing nature of his voice. Every word of his was well-pronounced and intoxicating to its listener. Heced each word with the emotion it should have happiness, sadness, shyness. Prim and proper like an untainted celestial, yet filled allure, seducing the souls of those who love. Meng Fuyao stood rooted to the ground. She had never watched opera before and had never understood why man like Mei Lan Fang 1 could take on the role of women and dominated it with his charm. Only personally seeing the vibrant performance of this man that she could truly understand that such beauty goes beyond gender and time, unmatched in its generation. In her hand, Lord Yuan Bao suddenly sucked his saliva. The slurping sound surprised that slender beauty, stopping his performance. ¡®What a waste¡¯, Meng Fuyao thought to herself when suddenly the beauty turned back and looked at her. That seductive eyes nced at Meng Fuyao and lit up. He stood up elegantly and excitedly threw himself over. ¡°San Lang-¡± ¡®San Lang¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll be the Emperor of Tang dynasty then!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched, stumbling a step back¡ªtroubles like the ninthdy once is enough. She certainly did not want to end up being locked in a shed writing ¡°I am dumb, I really am¡± again. His alluring eyes turned to her, seducing her as his lips puckered. With eyes filled with loneliness, his slim fingers gently touched Meng Fuyao cheeks as he asked with a tone of resentment, ¡°Could it be that His Majesty is going to the West Pce?¡± ¡®West Pce, huh¡­peting for favor with Concubine Mei?¡¯ Meng Fuyao, with a serious tone, stepped back and replied, ¡°My Lady, His Majesty has gone to the East Pce!¡± ¡°Aiya¡­¡± The beauty covered his face and eximed coquettishly, ¡°Yesterday, His Majesty ordered me to hold a banquet at my Hundred Flower Hall. Why did His Majesty suddenly go to the East Pce? Oh, it must be that b*tch¡¯s idea! Whatever, let him be! Hmph, you cane to the banquet and serve me while I drink!¡± ¡®What banquet even¡­ Which damn son entered the wrong door and came to half crazy, half dumb, acting out some out ¡°resentment¡± story?¡¯ Meng Fuyao revealed a ¡°Gao Li Shi¡± 2 version of a wretched smile. She casually picked up a teapot on the table and bent down to fetch a teapot of pond water. Smiling slyly, she presented the teapot to him. ¡°Mydy, here¡¯s my toast to you.¡± In the teapot, the ¡°all-night wine¡± was crystal clear, reflecting the silky ck hair of the beauty. He hid his lips behind his hand, and with those expressive eyes, he looked at Meng Fuyao in a manner as though as he was smiling. One could vaguely spot a moment of surprise in those eyes but had vanishedpletely in the charm of those eyes. ¡°What wine would that be?¡± ¡°All-night wine.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed quietly to herself. After all, she did watch Li Yu¡¯s version of << The Drunken Beauty>> and remembered the ¡°All-night wine¡± very clearly. ¡°Ya, ya, ya!¡± The beauty scowled a little, his lips pressed together. ¡°Who would spend all night with you!¡± Meng Li Shi scratched her head. ¡®What¡¯s the next line?¡¯ She forgot. Who would expect that the beauty remained unbothered that Meng Li Shi had forgotten the lyrics, smiling flirtatiously as he inched closer. ¡°Since it¡¯s named ¡®All-night wine¡¯, why don¡¯t you and I drink¡­ all night.¡± Thest two words exuded nothing but seduction. It was not something that could fall into the ears of another! Meng Fuyao held onto her forehead. ¡®Ya, ya, ya! Changing the story as he pleases. This damn man is such a yer!¡¯ ¡°What is mydy saying¡­ How would I dare to make the emperor wear a greenhat 3 !¡± The beauty bent down and swiftly leaned against Meng Fuyao, pouring the ¡°All-night wine¡± down her mouth. ¡°There are many green hats in the world, and it does notck one from the emperor. Li Shi, let us make our way back to the Longetitivity Pce and enjoy ourselves!¡± He fell into Meng Fuyao¡¯s embrace. While pouring water down her throat, his naughty hand made its way down to a very important private part. That heavy stench of makeup and perfume suffocated Meng Fuyao, angering her. ¡®You sexually deprived man, how dare you assail me with such obscene acts! And even dared to pour pond water down my throat!¡¯ She reached out and grabbed the dy¡¯s¡± slim waist. Taking over the pot of ¡°All-night wine¡±, sheughed. ¡°Very well¡­ I shall apany mydy to have this 300 round battle!¡± And then, she dragged him to the trees around the corner. ¡®Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go back to the pce!¡± The beauty waved his sleeves elegantly as Meng Fuyao dragged him along. ¡°The emperor has lied to me, let me down, destroyed my hopes! Hurray! I¡¯ll go back to the pce with Li Shi and sleep together!¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, let¡¯s go back to sleep!¡± The edges of Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®I¡¯ll endure it, I¡¯ll endure it, I¡¯ll endure, endure, endure!¡¯ With little effort, she dragged the beauty to the corner, and after a second, one could hear the sound of flesh against flesh. Then in another second, Meng Fuyao walked out, blowing her fists, with a calm expression. She carried her ¡°rabbit¡± and continued to walk around the third inner court, forgetting all about the ¡°performance¡± she witnessed just now. At the corner of the wall. The beauty sprawled over the withered flowers and leaves, his hair and clothes in a mess. His face was swollen while his smooth, silky clear skin was now dirtied by the mud. Water was poured over him with his charcoal ck hair stuck to his back. Heid there unmoved, though his shoulders trembled slightly. After a while, a few guards appeared. Upon seeing him, they eximed, ¡°Found him!¡± But then, seeing the mess he was in, they all got a shock. Chapter 219 - Untitled Chapter 219: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Quickly report this to the Regent King! Someone has attempted to assassinate the emperor!¡± Assassinate the emperor. Xuanyuan¡¯s emperor, Xuanyuan Min. Xuanyuan Min¡¯s shoulders were actually shaking slightly. His guards kneeled down, gazing at each other, all at a loss of what to do. In this lonely pce, the only thing that he could do for leisure was to sing opera. The only ces he could go other than his own pce would be thest inner court. Yet, today, he came all the way to the third inner court and was even so badly beaten up. Could it be that this fragile majesty is crying? A guard carefully reached out to help Xuanyuan Min up but was very surprised when he lifted his head. He had a face full of dirt and bits and pieces of dried leaves stuck on his exquisite skin. A thin trail of blood trickled down his nose with half his lips swollen. All these made him look a lot more disheveled than the guards were expecting before he turned around. Yet, there was not a single drop of tear on his face. He wasughing. Heughed to the point where his shoulders trembled, to the point where he rocked back and forth, to the point where¡­ he had let loose¡ªwhere tears of joy speckled in his eyes, the emotion of surprise written all over his face. ¡®Today¡­ Is really a happy day¡­¡¯ He was used to the lonely pce with the quiet and never-ending corridor, the tall and unreachable dome, the uniform curtains around his bed that seemed to follow him like a nightmare and those zombie-like eunuchs and servants that always had the same tone, same expressions¡­ how many nights did he spend walking barefooted around the huge and magnificent pce, singing an opera only heard by one, walking to the point of exhaustion at the first glimpse of sunlight only to fall asleep on the throne when he went to court. Not only that, how could he, a serious insomniac, sleep at the hours that one would expect? And the breeze that entered his room at night was heavy like a metal board, forcing the curtains around his bed to inch closer and closer with one another, barely allowing one to breathe. In such a dark prison, it almost drove one to yell and scream, and yet, everyone else seemed to go nothing above a whisper. Even as he sang to himself, he could not get used to the gazes that were given to him, and so, in his huge room that could amodate a thousand people, he hummed to himself softly. Riches were limitless, yet dreams were bleak and deste. But today, with an idental entrance to the third inner court, he had met such a youngd. Bright and vibrant, he even punched people with such tyranny, not the least bothered by the rich and powerful in the regent king¡¯s residence. In the residence more important than the imperial pce, that youngd had continued his opera performance, casually ¡°toasted him wine¡± and even punched him as he pleased. ¡®Interesting, interesting.¡¯ Xuanyuanughed in surprise as he ordered his guards, ¡°Come, invite the Regent King over!¡± Meng Fuyao was naturally oblivious to her ¡°good luck¡±, where just a random punch from her could hit the emperor. If she had known, she¡¯d definitelyment over the fact that she was cursed to meet the imperial family. Her thoughts were still on Zong Yue. Since Xuanyuan Yun had no intentions of making life hard for Zong Yue, naturally, Meng Fuyao should find a chance to discuss this with Xuanyuan Yun, convincing her to help. It had been a while since Zong Yue was kidnapped. She had searched the entire residence yet found nothing suspicious. Then, the only ce left would be the building behind the red door, probably where the imperial pce was, and probably where she could find Zong Yue. So tonight¡­ she would enter the red door. Whoever stopped her, death awaited them. The sky gradually darkened. Bringing the guinea pig along, she took the chance and made her way to the big red door. Meng Fuyao had already familiarized herself with the regent king¡¯s residence and had managed to make her way past the inner courts in a jiffy. When she passed by Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s court, she carefully slowed down as she could vaguely hear Xuanyuan Yun ordering her servants, ¡°Bring out the incense burner table, I want to burn some incense.¡± ¡®Ay¡­ silly child, prayers are not always helpful. Things like God, sometimes they only make things worse. If you really want to reach your goal, you would have to take action when there¡¯s an opportunity.¡¯ Meng Fuyao had raised her hand and tried to grab the stars with all her might. She suddenly stopped. In front of her was the big red door. The security was certainly¡­ secure. There were close to a thousand guards patrolling near the wall. Their weapons gleamed under the winter moonlight as the soldiers passed by each other in groups. There was no room or space for Meng Fuyao to make use of. To enter the red door lit up by thosenterns, forget about two adults, even if it was just Lord Yuan Bao, it would need to lose at least 180 times of its current weight. ¡®Charge in head-on? Just trespass directly? Really¡­ going in like this? ¡®Let¡¯s just force our way in.¡¯ Meng Fuyao whispered into Tie Cheng¡¯s ear. Before the unwilling Tie Cheng could reject her proposition, she pped him and pushed him out. What followed was her jumping up and shrieking. ¡°Thief! Where do you think you are going!¡± One could hear the pittering and pattering of the rocks being thrown around, hitting the surrounding nts falling left and right as though plenty of people had stomped across that area. Meng Fuyao yelled, ¡°Adulterer! Stop there! ¡°Ah! How dare you run towards the princess¡¯ room! Are you looking for death!¡± Tie Cheng, being pushed out by Meng Fuyao, had no choice but to turn around halfway and hide amongst the bushes. By this time, the guards near the red door had already been alerted of themotion as they looked at each other in dismay. The Regent king¡¯s order was that they had to patrol the entrance to the pce, and no one was allowed to leave their position without an order. But the person currently in danger was not just anyone, it is the apple of Regent King¡¯s eyes. And the person was even an ¡°adulterer¡±. If anything happened to her, and the Regent King demanded someone to be responsible, it would be a death penalty for all of them if they did nothing. The leader of these guards thought about it for a moment andmanded, ¡°Half of the guards to chase the thief!¡± Immediately, the guards in front of the red door were halved, and now the leader had to relocate the guards patrolling when suddenly, there was anothermotion from the other side. ¡°Assassins!¡± ¡°Protect His Majesty!¡± Meng Fuyao perked up immediately. Who had such great chemistry with her to try to trespass the pce at the same time? She was still racking her brains to think of a method to move the other half of the people away, but by the looks of it, there was no need to worry¡ªthe leader had already ordered the doors to be opened tomunicate the situation to the guards patrolling in the pce. They were positioned throughout the pce, and by this time, Meng Fuyao had already sealed the acupuncture point of thest guard, dumped him in a bush, and taken over his role. Her outfit was originally a stolen guard uniform. Following the troop, she had entered into another side door. Bending down, she clutched her stomach and snuck into a bush. Behind her, a soldierughed andmented, ¡°An Zi? You are always like this. Once there¡¯s anymotion, you would always have a stomach ache. Hey,e back quickly, now is not the time for a stomach ache!¡± Meng Fuyao waved one of her hands without turning her head and ran into the bushes. That soldier teased, ¡°Careful you meet the assassin, and he¡¯ll stab you to death.¡± Beside him was the vice-leader of the third toon. With a tone of annoyance, he ordered, ¡°What kind situation are we in, still running away! Old Liu, drag him back, we have to search the entire Sixth East Pce. Seriously, this is so odd. I remember seeing a ck figure passing.¡± ¡°Anyways, we have confirmed that the assassin is not anywhere near the emperor¡¯s residence.¡± Old Liu giggled as he made his way through the bushes. ¡°As for His Majesty¡­ we might not even be able to find him, would the assassin be able to?¡± ¡°Talk less!¡± The leader yelled. Old Liu stuck out his tongue and quickly shut up. Amongst the dimmed bushes, heughed and kicked. ¡°An Zi, are you done pooping! Come out!¡± Realizing that he kicked nothing but the air, he looked around confused. ¡°Where¡¯s he?¡± Meng Fuyao had long flipped over the wall and entered the center of the Xuanyuan Pce. ces like the pce, it could be said that she was very familiar with them. The Taiyuan Pce was small and elegant, the Wuji Pce was exquisite and luxurious, the Tiansha Pce was simple yet generous in its design, the Xuanyuan Pce¡­ Xuanyuan Pce was really odd¡­ There wasn¡¯t much architecture. A dark yellow pce wall with green encaustic tiles. It was well-organized, and the decorations were simple. That being said, the entire pce was extremely spacious, and the ceiling was high up¡ªit was twice the size of a normal pce. In such a pce, even if someone were to break their neck trying to see the ceiling, they might not see it. Living in such a space, wouldn¡¯t it make one feel smaller than they were? Meng Fuyao squatted on the tallest roof, observing her surrounding as she guessed which ce Zong Yue was locked up in. Suddenly, she spotted a small dark ce where the lights flickered. The light flickered profusely. In this pce where all lights were dimmed, that was definitely strange. Meng Fuyao immediately flew over. The light resembled a ghost with its greenish hue, appearing in a dested part of the pce. Meng Fuyao silentlynded in the courtyard. She realized that this ce was not upied by anyone and seemed as though there was no one, yet, guards and eunuchs were positioned around it. And in the room, there was a bit of light and quiet breathing. ¡®It seems like this is the ce used to lock someone up¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao flew over without hesitation, sealing the acupuncture points of the guards around it. She jumped into the courtyard like a withered leaf, gently fluttering down to the ground. The courtyard was deadly silent. The beginning of the winter brought with it a light nket of fog, surrounding the building. On its walls, condensation formed, causing the walls to be wet to the touch. The night was foggy. Meng Fuyao swiftly made her way across the courtyard, and in a jiffy, she was in front of the room. The light from just now suddenly dimmed. Meng Fuyao heart begun to thump, and she immediately focused all her consciousness and energy on sensing what was happening around her. Unfortunately, she could not sense anything and that ¡°danger ranger¡± was too sleeping soundly in her arms. Everything looked normal. But at such a ce, at such a timing, normal was the synonym of abnormal. If it was any other careful person, they would contemte before entering, some would even turn to leave. But for animals like Sir Meng, she never knew the word fear, nor did she understand the concept of giving up halfway. Like now, after hearing the soft breathing in the room, she would definitely not give up if she didn¡¯t take a look herself. She opened the door directly and walked in. It was a normal pce, empty, surrounded by the four walls. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes scanned the ce. She touched a painting on one of the walls and as expected, one of the walls begun to move. Chapter 220 - Untitled Chapter 220: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Slice¡­ What an unoriginal trap. The wall pulled open and revealed several steps leading into the darkness. Meng Fuyao remained fearless as she followed the steps up, but she had only gone up several steps when the first thing that entered her line of vision was a white screen with plum blossom embroidery. Behind the screen, under the dim light of thentern, she saw the silhouette of a man in white robes, both hands tied high above him. His robes were disheveled and stained with blood, and the rope that bound his hands tightly together had cut into the flesh. Tatters of his robe were dangling, and there were wounds all over his body. That person seemed to be already unconscious, his head lowered. Long, ck hair covered his face. Meng Fuyao froze. Was that Zong Yue? That night when she was eavesdropping in the little cave, the other party had mentioned that they wanted to torture Zong Yue and make him confess to the underground forces established in the other countries. Had Xuanyuan Cheng already made his move on Zong Yue? Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed coldly, anger bubbling and threatening to spill over. However, she did not rush up immediately¡ªthe night had been too smooth, too smooth that it aroused suspicion. Xuanyuan Cheng did not look like the kind of person who would only have these few tricks up his sleeve. Now that he had captured Zong Yue, he wouldn¡¯t set only these few defensive measures. Even though the guards and traps were enough to stop a regr martial master, against a special master like her, it no longer had any restrictive ability. Zong Yue had traveled far, and his connections were countless, how could Xuanyuan Cheng not prepare against the possibility of a top experting to rescue him? She stood there silently, looking at the head of the man swaying slightly in the wind, his hands dangling above him as blood dripped all around him¡­ If this was Zong Yue, the trap might be from that point to him. There were less than ten steps between them, and the ground was smooth, without any crevices. The screen itself looked simple, and it was translucent, eradicating any possibility of a trap installed within it. Precisely because of that, Meng Fuyao was nearly convinced that there was ¡°definitely nothing suspicious¡±. Given the fiery and bloody experience that she had, there was simply no way to believe that there were no traps along this road. She contemted for a long time, thinking up countless possibilities and running them through her head. The glow of the moon gradually traveled westward, and fog slowly settled in the room, drifting in the darkness. The man dangling from the top did not move nor react. Meng Fuyao looked at the sky through the window and finally clenched her teeth. To hell with it! Onwards! Even if there were any traps, why would she be afraid? She got up and dashed out. Except that this was the exact moment. A strange noise suddenly emitted from the opposite direction, and a ck dagger suddenly shot out from behind the man, aiming straight for his heart! The man was tied up and unable to evade as the dagger pierced through his back noiselessly. Blood spurted in all directions as the man¡¯s body bucked forcefully as he raised his head in pain. His ck hair covered his face as he clenched his snow-white teeth, the sound of suffocation gurgling from his throat. In midair, Meng Fuyao was thunderstruck! She had witnessed the dagger fly out clearly, and she also saw the spurt of fresh blood. Her mind temporarily went nk as though it had been shattered into a thousand pieces by a sledgehammer, and all logic and calmness left her as unadulterated fear and panic took their ce. How could this happen? What trap had she triggered? She had just rushed forward and hadn¡¯t even touched anything, why would the flying dagger trap suddenly be activated? Zong Yue! Meng Fuyao lunged forward. She sprinted forward through the swirling mist,unching herself in midair and catching the man before his feet could touch the ground. She couldn¡¯t think of anything else as she cut the ropes above them and the slightly cold body fell into her arms. Meng Fuyao hastily cradled his limp body and raised his head to smoothen his messy hair as she called out repeatedly, ¡°Zong Yue¡­ Zong Yue¡­¡± Her voice was suddenly stuck in her throat. Thereafter, her body was also stuck. In her arms, the man in the white robes with his hair and body filled with blood had suddenly sealed all her meridians in one fluid movement! Following that, he raised his head and ran his fingers through his tousled hair, smiling at Meng Fuyao lightly as he said: ¡°The concubine of Xuanyuan has arrivedte, but I forgive you.¡± Meng Fuyao nearly had a breakdown¡­ Who the hell would have thought that this Rabbit Lord would hide out here and y dead¡­ What a tragic misunderstanding¡­ Xuanyuan Ming smiled gleefully as he hugged Meng Fuyao and stepped onto the execution tform, pulling off the fake dagger from his back and discarding the broken bag of chicken blood on his back. He then proceeded to peel off the intricately arranged wounds and smoothly stuffed them into a secretpartment. Meng Fuyao stole a nce only to discover that there were wigs, fake limbs, trick ropes, hundred-treasures box, an expandable and contractible rod, fake arms¡­ It seemed like there was a hidden magician in the imperial pce¡­ After performing his ultimate trick, the magician looked extremely pleased with his aplishment, carrying Meng Fuyao into an inner room. The bed looked extremely grand, and on the innermost corner there was another small space, and steam leaked out of it faintly. The great magician of Xuanyuan gentlyy Meng Fuyao on the bed and sat by the side, gathering his thoughts, his long and thin eyebrows scrunched together as his eyes glinted. Like flowing water or a spring wind, his gaze swept over Meng Fuyao¡¯s body, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her body as though a million insects were crawling over her. Not withholding her anger, she red at him and spat, ¡°If you look one more time, I¡¯ll dig your eyes out!¡± It was a pity that an emperor who liked to y dead in the middle of the night was not easily frightened by anyone¡¯s re, much less Meng Fuyao¡¯s re. Xuanyuan Minughed, his red-lined eyes curving into slits as he moved closer to Meng Fuyao. He pointed at the inner room and asked, ¡°Your Grace, shall we take a bath?¡± ¡®Bath your head, I¡¯ll wash off your skin sooner orter!¡¯ However, Xuanyuan Min¡¯s statement earlier was not a question, but rather an order. He smoothly undid Meng Fuyao¡¯s buttons, smiling as he undid them. ¡°Your body is so strange, it¡¯s all soft¡­ Eh, why is this button so hard to undo¡­ Eh, why is there a lump on your shoulder¡­¡± He was just about to tear Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes when he suddenly stopped and pricked his ears up. The wind had carried the faint sound of someone¡¯s robes. He stopped moving and thought for a moment, saying, ¡°Another visitor? Let¡¯s see who we can catch this time?¡± Thereafter, he stood up and left, closing the door, preparing to y dead again in his hundred-treasures box. Meng Fuyaoy silently in the dark as she stared upwards helplessly. Fine¡­ This was the first time the ever-fortunate Lord Meng had been reduced to this state. Tonight¡¯s carelessness was purely because of the enemy¡¯s emotional maniption. It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t alert enough, but rather that she was too concerned with Zong Yue¡¯s safety. Under such circumstances, even the most alert person would rush forward when they saw the person they wanted to save ¡°getting killed¡±. Who knew that this was all just a bad coincidence that she encountered such a farce. Wait¡­ Meng Fuyao frowned. Was this really just a coincidence? Was it that she simply bumped into this rabbit lord¡¯s game? If it wasn¡¯t, then this guy was indeed too cunning. However, if he had intentionallye to wait for her, how did he know that she wasing? Or¡­ was he originally not waiting for her? Meng Fuyao sighed. Her shoulder was beginning to feel itchy as a certain Lord crawled out of her cor and propped itself on its fat hind legs, sitting on her chest, matching her gaze. The two of them began a conversation via eye contact: ¡°Damn you, keep sleeping, sleep sleep sleep, don¡¯t even know how to warn me when there¡¯s danger!¡± ¡°Is this dangerous? What do you know, I am only sensitive to murderous intent, that guy didn¡¯t have any murderous intent towards you.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t have murderous intent, but he had sexual intent!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great¡­ If you¡¯re not a virgin then Master won¡¯t want you, then he¡¯ll be mine.¡± ¡°¡­ So you¡¯re actually a Lotus number two!¡± The two gazes struck each other, igniting little sparks. However, Yuan Bao deserved to be scolded. It was fortunate that it shared some friendship and experience with Meng Fuyao. Moreover, its master had countless of peach blossoms by his side, even without Meng Fuyao, there would be others after her. From the looks of it, other than her ck-heartedness and bad temper, she was different from other women¡­ She was still considered better than other women by a little bit. Lord Yuan Bao slowly stretched its ws and hit and rubbed on the meridian points as directed by Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze. After a while, Meng Fuyao finally stood up and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re pretty fast, much faster than me unblocking my meridians by myself.¡± Lord Yuan Bao cast her a withering nce when Meng Fuyao swooped down and stuffed it into her sleeve once more as she stealthily moved to the side of the door and peeked out. Sure enough, Rabbit Lord had hung himself up again. Honestly speaking, under the dim lighting, those wounds and blood and the dagger all looked incredibly real. The workmanship was truly brilliant, deserving of the best male actor award. And the sound of the wind had already arrived before her. The candlelight wavered slightly, and the air shook for a moment as the silhouette of a man in ck suddenly appeared on the highest level of the stop steps. Tall, lean, sharp, simple yet exuding a strange beauty and elegance, his actions alert and calcted, his strength controlled, like a leopard who had emerged from the forest to hunt. It was the beautiful assassin! Meng Fuyao stared at the man¡¯s figure. His head was slightly raised as he looked at the Rabbit Lord hanging above. Meng Fuyao noticed the sword at his waist, and her eyes shed, finally acknowledging that he was the number one most attractive assassin. That year when they had met in Taiyuan, he had armed himself with that very sword as he weed Zhan Beiye¡¯s challenge. The fight between the two of them in the Forest of Death was the first time she had witnessed the ferocity and power of two masters fighting. If not for Zhangsun Wuji dragging her away, she definitely would have continued watching to the very end. That time, he could be considered to have helped her, and after that at the gates of Xuanyuan, he had taught her his method of crossing the gates. Since he wasn¡¯t an enemy, he was naturally a friend. Meng Fuyao had never been the kind of person that thought ¡°since I got unlucky I hope you¡¯ll be unlucky too¡±; she couldn¡¯t imagine how the bed was going to fit three people if the attractive assassin were to be dragged into this small room by the Rabbit Lord. Chapter 221 - Untitled Chapter 221: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao squeezed herself between the slit of the door, watching as Shadow de raised his head to look at the cross dresser hanging above with a strange expression in his eyes and he looked as if he were slightly shaking his head. After that, he prepared to fly up. ¡°Don¡¯t go there!¡± With a ¡°ping¡±, the stone door was pushed open, and a slender ck silhouette came flying out, first kicking away the stepping stool hidden under cross dresser Xuanyuan Min¡¯s feet. Xuanyuan Min gave an astonished shout as he dangled for real this time, and Meng Fuyao had already flown outside and banged into Shadow de¡ª¡±It¡¯s a trap!¡± The force in which she had rushed forward was like a cannon, and Shadow de had his attention focused on Xuanyuan Min and was unguarded against her. As such, she had managed tounch herself into his chest, and he reached out instinctively to grab her shoulder but did not let go. In the flurry of events, he raised his head and nced at the dangling Xuanyuan Min once again. The two of them made eye contact, shing in the dimness of the candlelight. Still holding Meng Fuyao, Shadow de turned around and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why can¡¯t I go over?¡± His voice was somewhat hoarse, as though he had suffered a voice-rted injury before, but it was not unpleasant to hear. On the other hand, the raspy quality of his voice had a sort of maic effect, and each word uttered seemed to swirl around. There was a kind of touching quality to it, and Meng Fuyao listened to it drunkenly, thinking that every aspect of Shadow de was good, even the ¡°defect¡± in his voice turned out to be a blessing in disguise bestowed by the heavens. ¡°That guy is a trap,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she pointed at Xuanyuan Min. ¡°Everything on him is fake.¡± Shadow de¡¯s eyes glinted as he replied, ¡°Oh?¡± Without a second word, he dragged Meng Fuyao along and left. Still hanging from the punishment rack, Xuanyuan Min opened his mouth as if he wanted to shout something, but then he immediately closed it again as he watched the two figures leaving with a piercing expression. After a moment, a mysterious smile appeared on his lips. He kicked his leg up lightly and undid the rope binding his left hand, and with a mid-air flip, the rope on his right hand came undone as well. Hended on the ground and pressing his slender fingers against his lips, he smiled faintly. Shadow de held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand as they ran through the pce grounds in the darkness of the night. The entire pce was already on alert, from the Regent King¡¯s manor to the imperial pce, and guards carrying torches were moving swiftly. Everyone was headed towards a specific direction, precisely the direction opposite from them. There was a group of men in ck who were streaking about like lightning, constantly entering the vision of the pursuers. This was probably the power that Shadow de had employed to divert the attention of the pce guards. Meng Fuyao watched from afar as a man in imperial golden robes ordered the guards to surround the men, his auramanding and unhurried. From the looks of it, he was probably Xuanyuan Cheng, and Meng Fuyao looked at the ck-clothed men worriedly. ¡°If they get caught, it will be very hard to save them,¡± she muttered under her breath. Shadow de turned around and nced at her with his ssy eyes. ¡°Why save them?¡± He asked, mildly. ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao gaped. ¡°If we don¡¯t save them¡­¡± She continued with great difficulty, ¡°Then what will happen to them?¡± ¡°Die.¡± It was such a simple and honest answer without any malice, and Meng Fuyao was thoroughly stumped by the single-worded reply. After a moment, she shook her head and sighed noiselessly. After sighing, she shook off Shadow de¡¯s hand from her own and turned to leave. However, Shadow de suddenly reached out and grabbed her sleeve. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrows scrounged together, and she turned around, ready to unleash her anger when Shadow de pressed her head down. He pressed with such force that Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was nted in the ground as she thought of protecting the possibly squished-to-death Yuan Bao under her, but Shadow de refused to let go as he continued pressing her down. Immediately, something began to glow in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes, and a huge ball of light lit up high above their heads. It was more than enough to light up the roofs of several houses around them and needless to say, Meng Fuyao and Shadow de¡¯s figures were well lit up for the guards to see. From afar, Xuanyuan Cheng had also turned around. The middle-aged man in imperial golden robes raised a strange-shaped bow in front of him and calmly looked to their direction. He was able to discern that the fireball that forced them to reveal themselves was caused by him. Thereafter, Xuanyuan Cheng continued looking at them expressionlessly, and after focusing his energy, he released a powerful ming arrow towards them. The ming arrow looked like a shooting star, glowing brilliantly in the night sky and shining upon Meng Fuyao and Shadow de. ¡°Go!¡± Shadow de pulled Meng Fuyao and ran. The ming arrow behind them was fast, but it was not as fast as the two of them. From afar, the arrow looked like a little meteor following the two nimble ck-robed humans. Eventually, it lost by a considerable distance. Meng Fuyao released the breath she had been holding only to hear a terrible whistling sound. The sound was urgent and fearsome, and in that instance, a shower of ming arrows was headed straight towards them from behind, piercing the air and aiming directly at Meng Fuyao¡¯s back! The arrow was so fast it seemed impossible to describe its speed. What iparable arm strength! In that instance, Meng Fuyao actually thought of Zhan Beiye. From the time she entered the Five Regions Continent to this day, of all the archers that she had met, only Zhan Beiye had reached this stage. It was unthinkable that the nation of Xuanyuan would also have such a master! The ming arrow whistled through the air as the mes danced a fiery red. Three arrows were shot in rapid session, one after the other, to the point where the trajectory of the arrows was no longer clear, and one could only see a brilliant wall of fire in front of them. In the blink of an eye, thest arrow had already caught onto the back of Meng Fuyao¡¯s robe! Meng Fuyaoughed coldly as Destiny Rebellion shed by her side, ready to counter. However, Shadow de, who was beside her, suddenly shouted softly, ¡°You can¡¯t receive it!¡± Before he finished speaking, he had already lunged forward and pushed Meng Fuyao away, recing her body with his own. Meng Fuyao stumbled forward and immediately heard a low sizzling sound followed by the stench of burning flesh. As she turned around, she saw the ming arrow pierce Shadow de¡¯s back, and in an instant, his entire back burst into mes as the fiery flickers of fire danced upon his back. Even his hair had also been burnt as it disintegrated into ashes. Meng Fuyao leaped forward to extinguish the fire, but Shadow de stopped her and snapped, ¡°Move away!¡± His tone was full of pain and panic, but the panic did not seem to be because of his own injuries, but rather that he was afraid of Meng Fuyaoing into contact with the arrow. Meng Fuyao was momentarily stunned by his tone and did not move, but in that instance, the fire seemed to burn even more ferociously, and the smell of burning flesh prated deep into her soul. She couldn¡¯t help but remember Hua Zi who had been burned alive before her eyes in the Forest of Death. Upon remembering that burns were the most painful and difficult-to-treat kind of injury, tears almost sprung from her eyes. Shadow de remained expressionless and calmly reached behind him and pulled out the arrow. His actions were extremely slow and careful, and Meng Fuyao soon became anxious as she berated, ¡°Can¡¯t you pull it out faster! Burn wounds can kill, you know!¡± However, Shadow de ignored herpletely as he held onto the burning arrow with his bare hands. In an instant, his palms had been scalded bright red, and his eyebrows twitched slightly. Nheless, he remained unflinching as he continued to pull the arrow gently as if it were a treasured item, as though his hands had not been scalded by it, resisting the immense pain as he slowly, gently, ced the arrow on the ground. His actions when he ced the arrow down were extremely careful as though it were a fragile treasure and ignoring the excruciating mes on himself. Nheless, after putting down the arrow, he immediately got up and patted the mes on his hand away before swiftly rolling away the mes on his back. By this time, Meng Fuyao had already rushed forward and was frantically patting the mes away. However, Shadow de grabbed onto her and muttered, ¡°Hurry up and leave!¡± He ced the still ming arrow on the highest point of the ground and pressed it down with a rock. Then, taking a rope out of his robes, he tied it to the stone and grabbed Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand and ran. Behind them, the guards had almost chased up to them, and when they reached the point, Shadow de viciously pulled at the rope! The stone toppled and hit against the arrow beneath. The arrow rebounded, and the sky was illuminated with a blinding light. Bang! A huge explosion followed and even the ground beneath the two who had already dashed several miles away trembled. Countless ss debris rained everywhere¡ªand this was already the effect far away from the imperial pce. One could only imagine the huge damage in the epicenter of the explosion. Meng Fuyao widened her eyes in shock. ¡®That arrow, what a terrifying arrow! No wonder Shadow de did everything he could to block the arrow. No wonder he would rather endure the excruciating pain of being burnt by the fire and carefully take out the arrow.¡¯ If she were the one that had received the arrow and attempted to slice it, she, Shadow de, and even Lord Yuan Bao would have turned into ashes instantly. If she were the one who had been pierced by this arrow instead, would she have been able to endure the pain from the fire burning through her heart? Given the level of tolerance and patience required to slowly release the arrow, could she have ensured the safety of the people around her? ¡°What arrow is this? It¡¯s that powerful?¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but ask. Suddenly, she felt something sticky in her palm and looked down to see that Shadow de¡¯s burns had begun to blister and burst, and pus was flowing out, sticking against her hand. Nheless, seeing that he was in such pain, she decided not to let go of his hand. ¡°That was the Spirit Shocking Arrow, a single arrow can shock the nerves and cause blindness for days and months,¡± Shadow de replied softly. ¡°Xuanyuan Cheng was once a disciple of Moon Soul, as well as the true number one archer in all of Xuanyuan.¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent, thinking that she had been too arrogant and na?ve. Blinded by her own ability, she had actually dared to barge into the imperial pce without even knowing this. After a long time, she finally murmured, ¡°Are you alright¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Shadow de took a deep breath and suddenly copsed. In his semi-conscious state, he held onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand tightly. Caught by surprise, Meng Fuyao let out an astonished ¡°Ah!¡± and proceeded to fall along with him¡­ Meng Fuyao had justnded, but she had already caught Shadow de in midair, and afternding lightly, she looked around. It seemed to be a cold pce, and nobody was around. Although it looked like it was cleaned regrly, it was roughly used. The courtyard and rooms were filled with several old chamber pots, brooms, and other misceneous items, and they looked like they had not been used for a long time. It was a rather quiet ce. The imperial pce had always been the best at wasting resources, and one could find an empty room by simply looking around. Meng Fuyao looked at the badly burnt beautiful assassin in her arms and heard the onught of hurried footsteps outside. Since it was probably impossible to carry Shadow de and escape out of the pce, they might as well stay in the room and rest. They would figure out what to do after he woke up. Chapter 222 - Untitled Chapter 222: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao dragged the beautiful assassin towards the pce, passing by a flowerbed where the beautiful assassin had suddenly regained his conscious. He turned to look at the flowerbed and pushed Meng Fuyao away, struggling to make his way there. His legs suddenly lost energy, and he rolled straight into the flowerbed, crushing a section of flowers. He reached out his hand to pick something and kept it in his sleeve. Meng Fuyao followed behind him. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to pick just ask me, why do you have to pick it personally,¡± she asked. ¡°Japanese knotweed and Snowgrass has to be dug out from its root. You might not pluck it out properly.¡± The beautiful assassin copsed into the flowerbed to catch his breath. Meng Fuyao looked at the unfortunate flowers that were squashed by him andmented thoughtfully, ¡°I have a friend that loves nts. In winter, he would make cotton-padded jackets for his purple gromwell to wear. Whoever touches his flowerbed, even the slightest bit, will definitely be hunted down. If he were to see you like this, he¡¯d definitely kill you.¡± ¡°You are talking about Zong Yue?¡± The beautiful assassinughed. ¡°Does he even have the ability to kill me?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him and slowly replied, ¡°Who knows¡± as she went over to help him up. ¡°Don¡¯t stay here, let¡¯s enter the room.¡± She helped the beautiful assassin into the room. Within a short while, the blisters on the beautiful assassin¡¯s palm burst open, and his skin started rotting. The bright red flesh was certainly a ghastly sight. His parts of his clothes were burnt onto his back. His injuries were pretty serious, and Meng Fuyao turned to look at his wounds, but at such a critical time, she was actually thinking about how it would be such a pity to leave scars on this beautiful body. She suddenly remembered that the arrow should have pierced through his body. ¡®Such wounds are lethal, but why is it that even though he looks heavily injured, he doesn¡¯t look like he is dying soon?¡¯ She inched closer to take a closer look, but the beautiful assassin blocked her with one hand and said, ¡°That arrow only pierced through my clothes. I knew that he had such tricks up his sleeve so naturally, I managed to defend against them.¡± That being said, the fire had been set on his back, and there was no avoiding the burns. Furthermore, he should also be injured by the internal energy projected onto the arrow that hit him. Meng Fuyao, being a busybody, tried to check out his condition, but the beautiful assassin swiftly avoided it andmented, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows and announced, ¡°I¡¯ve great medicines!¡± The beautiful assassin ignored her and dug out his own medication. Meng Fuyaoughed, annoyed. ¡°Fine fine, you have plenty of medicine. I¡¯m just being a busybody.¡± She moved a couple of close stool in front of him. ¡°Here, with this blocking you, you don¡¯t have to be worried about me peeking,¡± she said and turned around angrily. ¡®Seriously, why are killers so weird, hmph, what are you even covering, I have already seen you naked.¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao slowly climbed up and squatted on her shoulders, watching the beautiful assassin. Suddenly, it patted Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao turned back and saw that obstinate fellow fainted once more, with the bottle of medication now on the floor. Meng Fuyao sighed and grumbled, ¡°Can¡¯t you just surrender earlier? Damn kid, what are you being so stubborn for?¡± She picked up that jade bottle containing the medication and gently put him on the floor. With no shame, she tore open his shirt. His back was filled with clusters of blisters, with his entire skin red. But thank goodness the injuries on his back was not as bad as the ones on his hands. Meng Fuyao tested the medication¡ªit was cooling and smooth. One could tell at a nce that this was extremely good medication, and with this medication, if the beautiful assassin were to take good care of his back, he could still maintain his beautiful back. Meng Fuyao carefully applied on the medication but frowned slightly. She clearly remembered that the fire had first burnt his back, but why were the injuries not as severe as the ones on his hands? But now was not the time for that, Pervert Meng didn¡¯t even have the time to enjoy the beautiful view in front of her. She had heard orders and footsteps from outside the walls. Someone was heading in this direction. Meng Fuyao looked around and saw that in a dark room, half of the room was filled with close stools. Without hesitation, she dragged the beautiful assassin into it. In between, the beautiful assassin seemed to have regained consciousness and quietly asked, ¡°Where are we hiding¡­¡± Meng Fuyao replied, ¡°Latrine pit.¡± The beautiful assassin seemed to have gotten a shock. Meng Fuyao waited for him to struggle, but there was no movement from him, and upon turning around, she realized that he had fallen asleep once more. ¡°How obedient¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Much more obedient than Zong Yue, thatd. If he were here, he would kill me beforemitting suicide.¡± She dragged the beautiful assassin, hiding behind the carefully stacked up close stools, cautious to not anything touch the wounds on the beautiful assassin¡¯s back. Just when they managed to hide themselves, they could hear the door being knocked down as arge group of guards rushed in. The leader of the group yelled, ¡°Search, search every single pce. The assassin is most likely still around!¡± The guards agreed loudly and what followed was the footsteps being dispersed, with guards searching in every room. The torch moved quickly with the guards, shining on all the misceneous items. Someonemented, ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the East Room.¡± Three to four people quickly entered the room while the rest waited on the stairs. These people were very cautious, stabbing their long speak into the crevices between the close stools, making sure that there was no one inside. Meng Fuyao frowned. ¡®It¡¯ll certainly be troublesome tonight.¡¯ She unsheathed her sword with one hand and held onto the beautiful assassin with another. They hid in the corner of the room where there were the most close stools. The close stools were packed tightly and closely to the point where there was barely any space. The guards armed with spears checked the ce one by one but did not find anything, so they walked further into the room. One of the guards suddenlyughed andmented, ¡°How would this ce fit anyone? One of you going to take a look is enough.¡± Upon hearing this, the rest stopped andughed. ¡°Then you can go in and smell.¡± That person teasingly scolded, ¡°You damn monkey, why are you acting indifferent when you benefitted.¡± It was then followed by that person¡¯s footsteps getting louder. The dagger in Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand was now upright. That person individually stabbed each individual crevice. The close stool stacked right on top swayed a little. Meng Fuyao frowned as she looked up, afraid that the close stool would fall and crash onto the beautiful assassin¡¯s wounds. She quietly reached her hand over and blocked over her head. Suddenly, a spear made its way in! Directly towards the beautiful assassin¡¯s heart. The tip of the spear glistened, reflecting the yellow me from far away. It was surprisingly bright. Meng Fuyao readied her Destiny Rebellion! The beautiful assassin suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was brighter than the spear, gleaming in the dark like a leopard waiting for its prey. He gripped Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand tightly, preventing her from attacking. Then, he lifted up his head and suddenly lifted his thumb up. In the dark, in between the crevices of the close stools, the severely injured beautiful assassin woke up and had his thumb up towards the long spear that was about to pierce through him. In that instant, the spear stopped. The sharp spear, glistening in the dark, only stopped short at a millimeter away. The guard slowly kept his spear. As he kept his spear, heughed to his waitingpanions. ¡°Damn! There¡¯s nothing here!¡± Everyone heaved a sigh, and the guards waiting outside said, ¡°The Regent King is still not asleep, waiting for our report. At least we tried our best. Since there isn¡¯t anything here, let¡¯s go to Han Yin Xuan then.¡± That guard dragged his spear as he traced back his footsteps, scolding, ¡°The stench here is terrible. What a waste of my effort.¡± Suddenly, it was as though he tripped over something, he lost his bnce. ¡°F*cking rats!¡± he cursed. At this time, everyone had already made their way out of the room. He rubbed his feet on the floor and rushed out. The light from the torch moved towards the walls and gradually disappeared beyond the doors. With a ¡°kacha¡¯, the doors shut closed, and darkness fell, once again. In the darkness, Meng Fuyao heaved a huge sigh. She wasn¡¯t afraid of charging her way out of the pce. Even though the Spirit Shocking Arrow certainly was terrifying, she should still be able to escape. But now that the beautiful assassin was heavily injured, the probability of escaping under the Regent King¡¯s watch was close to zero. ¡®Ah, this troublesome fellow certainly implicated me.¡¯ She heartlessly pushed away the me, but the truth was that the person that was being implicated wasn¡¯t her¡­ The sounds gradually disappeared afar. Given the size of the pce, there should be no oneing back for now. After calming down, Meng Fuyao kept her dagger. She then noticed the palm that the beautiful assassin had used to grab her were all sweaty and gently pried his fingers away. ¡°Rx, it¡¯s over,¡± she tried to soothe him. And then she asked, ¡°You have inside help?¡± The beautiful assassin took a nce at her, in that gaze was probably ¡®you dumbass how could I trespass the pce without inside help¡¯. Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Didn¡¯t I enter without inside help?¡± But all that got her was another gaze retort from the beautiful assassin¡ª¡¯that¡¯s because you got lucky.¡¯ Meng Fuyao was toozy to fight with an injured person. Furthermore, the two were in the middle of stacks of close stools which probably wasn¡¯t the best ce for a conversation to take ce and the the beautiful assassin beside her wasn¡¯t even fully clothed¡ªthe clothes were torn apart at the back, and the front of his shirt was barely covering the stuff it should be. His graceful shoulder lines were revealed, that smooth skin glistening in the darkness. His perfect skin and lines were like a piece of art and to be squeezed in such an enclosed space with this half-naked beauty¡­ Meng Fuyao, this timid pervert was absolutely ufortable with the current situation as she pushed the close stools away and stood up,menting, ¡°Let¡¯s see what your inside help has left for you.¡± When Meng Fuyao stood up, she suddenly felt that something was wrong and instinctively turned towards the beautiful assassin. But he hid behind the close stools, and Meng Fuyao could not see anything wrong with it. She tried to recall that sh of intuition that hit here, but somehow she just could not seem to remember anything. After struggling to remember, she could not help but give up and tiptoe her way towards the corner. Fumbling around, she found a tiny pouch shoved in a crevice between two close stools and took it back to the beautiful assassin. Opening it, there was a token, a map of the pce, a list of timing where the guards changed their shifts and the different orders. There was also a small piece of paper filled with stuff she couldn¡¯t understand¡ªit was probably a secret code formunication. Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Ah¡­ why didn¡¯t he leave something to eat, only these useless stuff.¡± Lord Yuan Bao rubbed his tummy, agreeing with all its might. The beautiful assassin kept the pouch and closed his eyes. After a moment, he asked, ¡°Now, can we move these close stools away?¡± Meng Fuyao kicked Lord Yuan Bao with the front of her feet. ¡°Hey, Rat, I remember that you rolled a stool for your owner to seat on, you rolled quickly and urately. Actually, a stool and a close stool is quite simr, so could I trouble you to do so?¡± Lord Yuan Bao kicked the beautiful assassin. ¡°Chi, chi, chi¡­¡± The beautiful assassin watched this pair of unscrupulous pet and owner and kept silent. He leaned against a close stool, half lying down. ¡°Good, a casual person! Compared to a certain someone, you are so much better!¡± Meng Fuyaoplimented him as she inched closer, asking, ¡°You know Zong Yue, are you also here to save him?¡± Chapter 223 - Untitled Chapter 223: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The beautiful assassin half closed his eyes. After a while, he replied, ¡°A word of advice, don¡¯t be such a busybody. Saving Zong Yue is not easy.¡± Faintly, Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t really want to save the Mongolian doctor. That person is terrible, poison-mouthed, captious, and even a clean freak. The entire world is filthy, only he is pristine. I swear he is so immacte to the point that he would wash the air more than three times if he could! Whoever¡¯s beside him would definitely feel like a pig that has rolled in a puddle of mud. I¡¯m no masochist, why would I drag such a person around to torture myself?¡± The beautiful assassin nced at her, those ssy eyes observed her closely. ¡°But your actions show that you seem to be looking for torture.¡± Meng Fuyao ground her teeth in anger. ¡°You two are pr opposites, but of all the things, you have to have that poisonous mouth of his; filled with thorns and venom.¡± The beautiful assassin remained silent and decided to change the subject after a while. ¡°Under Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s watch, saving Zong Yue is hard, but so is everything else.¡± Meng Fuyao stayed quiet. She knew that Xuanyuan Cheng was most probably a lot harder to deal with than that suspicious, talentless Zhan Nancheng. He was probably better than King De, who simrly got their family name bestowed to them. Above King De was Zhangsun Wuji, known as the world¡¯s most scheming man, who had always kept him in control. But she had never heard of any great deeds by Xuanyuan Min, whose authority was above Xuanyuan Cheng. Xuanyuan Cheng had personally directed the change of emperor during the coup d¡¯¨¦tat, ordering the death of the Crown Prince Wen Yi and appointed the eighth brother of Wen Yi as the next emperor. But he probably felt that the eighth prince was too old to control and within two years, the eighth prince had suddenly dropped dead. He then picked a weak and sickly child to ascend the throne and ever since then, the Regent King¡¯s power had been solidified in the country¡ªtechnically an emperor. If these were still the usual methods of an official greedy for power, then Zong Yue, with his identity and the power and influence he had both as a doctor and in the underground, showed that he had never once given up on snatching the throne back. And till today, he had yet to seed and even gotten himself kidnapped. Meng Fuyao was clear of Zong Yue¡¯s ability, which definitely made him a difficult target. From another perspective, that was to say that Xuanyuan Cheng was not an easy opponent. Tonight, when he had attacked, he almost took her life. Even though she was careless, the ruthlessness of his actions was in as day. ¡°No matter how hard it is!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s personality was one to dive head into challenges. ¡°If he dares to even touch a strand of hair on Zong Yue¡¯s head, I¡¯ll finish him!¡± she swore. The beautiful assassin cast a nce at her. Before he could show any emotions, he heard her shamelessly adding, ¡°If Zong Yue were to die, where can I eat precious medicine for free? If he were to die, who would help me fix my fake tooth if it dropped?¡± Lord Yuan Bao, squatting in one corner, held onto its forehead¡­¡¯That poor Mongolian doctor¡­ He is at most a box of herbs and a dentist¡­¡¯ The beautiful assassin remained quiet and flipped over to sleep, back facing this shameless fellow. Meng Fuyaoy down to rest too, far away from the beautiful assassin. But in the darkness, she could clearly hear the beautiful assassin¡¯s rough and ragged breathing and could not help but climb up and touch his forehead. She thought that it could be the burns being infected and went to check his wounds, but the medication was really effective, forming a fineyer of foam protecting his wounds. However, his face was still slightly red, and with his uneven breaths, it was likely that he was running a fever. People who had burns were weak as the internal heat and poison affected their body. Thirsty, running a fever, frustrated, mumbling unconsciously were all possible actions. Meng Fuyao nced at the cold, wet floor, stumped. It was barely the start of winter, and this part of the pce seldom saw the sunlight, resulting in it being overly cold. To let a severely injured person sleep on such a floor was absolute sphemous as it would be terrible if his wounds were infected. After much consideration, she climbed up and started to break the close stools apart. She tossed away the seats, picking only the t wooden boards and quietly went to the well to scrub the boards clean. Then, she pieced the boards together, joining them by using the iron to pierce through the boards then linking it up with the hooks from the close stool. After almost two hours of busying about, the ¡°close stool bed¡± finally appeared. Then, she took off her outer robe, ced it over the ¡°bed¡± and carefully moved the beautiful assassin onto the ¡°bed¡±. The moment she touched him, the beautiful assassin woke up. He grabbed her wrist and questioned, ¡°¡­ What are you busy with?¡± Meng Fuyao wiped off her sweat and smiled. ¡°Making a bed for you.¡± The beautiful assassin watched her flushed cheeks from hustling about. His gaze was now more gentle than before as he pulled Meng Fuyao over. ¡°¡­ You rest too.¡± ¡®Close stool bed¡­ I don¡¯t want to sleep on it!¡¯ Meng Fuyao groaned yet dared not struggle free from the barely conscious beautiful assassin. The wounds on his hands were already rotting if she identally tore a piece of skin off while trying to shake him off¡­ Meng Fuyao shivered at the thought. She could only obediently reply with an ¡®okay¡¯, rigidly climb onto the bed and lie down beside him, stiffly. But the beautiful assassin tugged her closer and asked, ¡°You took a robe off¡­ are you not cold?¡± Meng Fuyao hugged her shoulders and dered resolutely, ¡°I am a strong and sturdy person.¡± Just as she barely finished her sentence, there was another piece of cloth on her, well, technically half a piece. The beautiful assassin had covered her shoulders with half his top that covered his front. In all honesty, that cloth was not the least bit warm, but somehow, as she held onto the silky, smooth top, warmth spread into her blood. The cloth was cool, yet her heart was warm as it thumped gently, filling her with tranquility and serenity. The night breeze knocked on the windows while silence roamed the room. A man and woman rested on the close stool ¡°bed¡± covered in a robe. A torch and the pce light from far away brought in a glimmer of light, shining on one that sat upright and the other that slept. After a while, the one sitting upright gradually slumped down further and further. The one sleeping gently pulled her down and covered her in half a piece of cloth. He leaned towards her, snuggling closer to share the same piece of cloth and then fell back into a deep slumber. Meng Fuyao drifted off to sleep for a while. In her dream, Lord Yuan Bao paced left and right in front of her, ying with the masks using the light from the candle. The flickering lights blinded her eyes as she waved in annoyance, scolding, ¡°Rat, you are damn annoying.¡± This scolding woke her up, and to her surprise, the first bit of copper hues had already peaked through the horizon. Meng Fuyao climbed up while the beautiful assassin continued to sleep. Looking at his cracked lips, she got some water to feed him as she knew that fever patients were usually very dehydrated. With much care, she helped the beautiful assassin leaned against her knees. Despite his severe injuries, his lips were still rosy red. The clear water gracefully dripped into his mouth from between his lips like droplets of water dancing between the petals of the roses¡ªa sight to behold. Meng Fuyao stared nkly as she could not help but reach out her fingers to wipe his lips. This touch did not wipe off the makeup she had anticipated; her fingertips were still clean. Meng Fuyaoughed quietly to herself as she shook her head. Did she think that all men enjoyed putting on makeup like that crossdresser? Her finger brushed past the corner of his lips and paused there when suddenly a handtched onto her wrist. The beautiful assassin woke up once again, quietly looking at her as he rested on herp. The ssy eyes seemed to hypnotize her as it conquered up beautiful fantasy. Meng Fuyao, with her guilty conscience, tried to pull her hand away but ¦Óhe beautiful assassin refused to let her go and held her hand against the light as though he was admiring the elegant contours of her fingers and the pure white skin. He was entranced and then suddenly, he sent her fingertip into his mouth and gently bit down. Meng Fuyao quickly pulled her hand away and yelled angrily, ¡°What are you randomly biting for?¡± The beautiful assassin turned to the side. His gaze was somewhat mystical, like a silver river enshrouded by the morning fog, sparkling under the golden sun rays and glistening under the moon¡¯s silver touches. From Meng Fuyao¡¯s angle, she could clearly see the straight nose bridge and perfectly carved out lips, with a sheen of rose. It was a beauty that belonged to another magical race, like a vibrant piece of art standing out in a white, foggy background¡ªa beauty that quickens one heartbeat. His words made one¡¯s heart beat faster¡­ out of anger. ¡°Since you randomly touched me, I¡¯ll randomly bite you,¡± he replied calmly. This left her speechless as she flung her hands in the air and strutted towards the door. With his eyes closed, the person behind enquired, ¡°Where are you going?¡± She responded in an exasperated tone, ¡°Since you can bite people, you probably can protect yourself. I¡¯ll go look for some food and salt, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The person behind no longer spoke. Meng Fuyao took a few steps but walked back out of worry to leave Lord Yuan Bao there. She patted its head as she inculcated all the knowledge and actions that a bodyguard should have to him. She also formed a barrier of close stools surrounding the beautiful assassin before she left. As she left, Meng Fuyao secretly cursed at her life that¡¯s to be toiled away. Even when this fellow was so ungrateful, she still remembered to grab items to nourish him and hydrate him. Seriously, she needed to stop being such a pushover. Pushover Meng carried the map as she started off her journey to look for food. From the map, there was a big kitchen nearby, especially for the eunuchs and maids. She avoided the guards and sessfully made her way towards the kitchen. She had smelled something odd when she had passed by a plot of bamboos but dared not stop to see and rushed straight to her goal. The day barely begun, and there was no one in the kitchen. On the shelves sat some pastries, even though it was by no means exquisite, it could satisfy their hunger. Meng Fuyao stole one of every kind and stacked it back in its original order to prevent people from finding out. She also grabbed some salt and sugar; salt was to make salt water to keep the beautiful assassin hydrated while the white sugar was for a home remedy she used to use to treat burns. A block of tofu mixed with a handful of sugar would stop the pain once the mixture was applied to the wound. Even though the beautiful assassin did not make a sound, she knew that the pain of burns was excruciatingly unbearable. What if thatd couldn¡¯t hold back and yelled? Wouldn¡¯t that expose her location? Of course, there was no way egoistic Meng would admit that she was just worried¡­ With all these things in her hands, Meng Fuyao suddenly remembered hearing that apparently, patients with burns were not able to pee properly? The beautiful assassin seemed to not have peed till now? Could he be holding back? This worrywart squatted on the floor and started worrying over a certain someone¡¯s peeing issue. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong. ¡®Ah, if only I had some rhubarb and borneol, it would clear internal heat and detoxify the body. I wonder if the Imperial Physician Bureau has it?¡± After contemting, she decided to make her way there to search for medication, but then, a jar with ¡®tofu¡¯ written on it caught her eye. She was overjoyed! No wonder she couldn¡¯t find it just now turns out the tofu was hiding in here. She tried to move the jar, but to her shock, she could not lift the jar! Chapter 224 - Untitled Chapter 224: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Since when was there a jar under the heavens that Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t lift? Meng Fuyao was angered. With a huff, she tugged forcefully. The jar was pulled towards her, but the contents inside the jar spilled onto her chest as well. An intoxicating, rich, and sweet aroma filled the air, prolonging Meng Fuyao¡¯s anticipation and excitement. A thought suddenly struck Meng Fuyao. Her instincts were telling her to kick the jar since her action of pulling was too vicious, and the entire eight-treasures rack had begun to sway. There were many bottles on it, and if they were to fall off, it would be an earth-shattering disaster. Hence, she quickly reached out with one hand to stabilize the rack and caught the falling bottles with the other. A leg also shot up close to her head as it caught a certain bottle, but the tip of her foot toppled the pepper bottle onto her nose¡­ When both a person¡¯s hands and feet are upied, one¡¯s body was basically at the mercy of others. And this ¡°other¡± person¡¯s face was lit up inughter as he sat upside down atop Meng Fuyao¡¯s head, feeling extremely pleased with temporarily having control over Meng Fuyao¡¯s body. He watched as the bottles smashed to the ground, then stuck his pinky out and began to sing slowly, ¡°Long live¡­ How do you like this concubine¡¯s ¡®Sitting Atop a Lotus¡¯ style?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s left hand was holding onto the rack, her right hand holding bottles, her left leg supporting cans and her right leg kicking the pepper bottle. Huffing angrily, she shot back, ¡°I don¡¯t like it at all! I prefer the ¡®Old Man Pushing The Cart¡¯ style!¡± ¡°Oh, is that a new style?¡± The man pped his hands together and pointed innocently at Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest, drawing circles around them as he asked, ¡°What kind of position is that?¡± Meng Fuyao viciously flung the bottles in her hand and on her leg towards the man¡¯s head and roared, ¡°This style!¡± ¡®Damnit, how dare you p my chest, I¡¯m still a growing adolescent girl and finally managed to get to a size 34B. If you tten it into a 32A, how am I supposed to live on?¡¯ The bottles smashed towards the man, and he flicked his sleeve and received the bottles easily. He did all this while still sitting atop Meng Fuyao. Then, he promptly ced the vegetable cans and vinegar bottles onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest and asked, ¡°How does the old man push the cart?¡± Meng Fuyao was enraged. It was truly a case of ¡°I give you an inch, you take a yard¡±. ¡®I didn¡¯t dare to cause a ruckus here, but you¡¯re getting from bad to worse. Nevermind, since I¡¯ve been discovered by you, I¡¯ll catch you and make you my ve!¡± She gave an ear-splitting smile and reached out to grab the man¡¯s throat, and then said threateningly, ¡°You have two choices. Either follow me or be killed. Choose yourself.¡± The corner of the man¡¯s lips twitched. Meng Fuyao loosened her grip, and he said, ¡°Why are they all dead ends?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed. Setting him down properly, she said less rudely, ¡°Fine, don¡¯t y anymore. Fancy seeing you twice in a single night. This castle is too small. Tell me, what do you want.¡± Laughing, Xuanyuan Min looked at her and said, ¡°What do you want? Do you think Xuanyuan Cheng is a pig? He knows that you haven¡¯t escaped, and he also knows that you¡¯re looking for food and medicine. He¡¯s already stationed troops in the doctor¡¯s manor and all the kitchens. Since this kitchen is the farthest from the Sixth West Pce and it¡¯s the lowest ranked kitchen, it had just been forgotten by the imperial troops¡¯mander. Once he remembers, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Heughed again and added, ¡°Our Regent King is a kind man, the assassins we caught yesterday did not shed a single drop of blood; they were sent straight into a pot to boil.¡± He pointed towards the direction of the bamboo forest from earlier. ¡°Do you smell that? The smell is quite special, right? Why not keep it boiling every day, one a day, a different location each time. By tomorrow it would probably reach the cold pce.¡± He eyed Meng Fuyao and said, ¡°You¡¯ll definitely be fresh and tender when you¡¯re boiled¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. She finally understood what the sour smell from earlier was and couldn¡¯t help but scrounge her noise and frown. She knew that given Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s paranoia and wariness, he would definitely search the imperial pce one more time. Yet, before Shadow de had recovered from his wounds, she had no way of facing him directly. It looked like trying to protect two humans, and one hamster from the heavily armed imperial army and Xuanyuan Cheng was going to be a problem. Meng Fuyao had been thinking for a long time and felt frustrated. ¡°Then what are you doing hanging around here? Fool around and sing?¡± She snapped, ring unkindly at Xuanyuan Min. She wasn¡¯t worried about him being Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s agent¡ªwhy would he spend so much energy? When she and Shadow de appeared the previous night, all he had to do was shout. ¡°Life is like a show, what¡¯s wrong with singing?¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled and looked at her, running a dark-purple painted fingernail across her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m still short of an empress¡­¡± he added. Meng Fuyao leaped up and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m still short of a princess!¡± With that, she kicked him away and headed outside. Xuanyuan Min was sprawled on the ground as he watched her leave. Suddenly, he flicked his finger, and a little bead flew towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. She quickly turned around to catch it with a hand, only to hear him say, ¡°When you have a change of heart,e meet me at the back garden of the Fragrant Jade House.¡± ¡®Change your grandma into a bear,¡¯ thought Meng Fuyao as she roughly stuffed the candle bead into her sleeve and weaved past the guards, returning to the cold pce. First, she checked carefully that the strand of hair she had used to mark the door was still in its original ce. Only then did she flip over the wall. Once she entered the dark room, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes scanned the surroundings and located the previously arranged close stools. To her shock, the arrangement of the close stools had been changed. She immediately unsheathed Destiny Rebellion and treaded carefully towards the close stools, searching for any sound of breathing in the surrounding. She nced at an empty space among the close stools from the corner of her eye¡ªsure enough, there was nobody. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart began to beat swiftly¡ªwhere had Shadow de gone? Had he encountered some guards? Was he caught by Xuanyuan Min? Shit, if she had known she wouldn¡¯t have left him earlier¡­ She thought of the sour smell and involuntarily shuddered. Just as she was about to run outside to find Shadow de, she suddenly heard a voice from above. ¡°Come up.¡± She raised her head to see Shadow de sitting atop the highest point of the close stools. He was surrounded by close stools, yet he still managed to maintain a distinguished look. Even close stools could turn into a throne when he sat on it. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart rxed for a moment, but was almost instantly reced by anger as she couldn¡¯t help butsh out, ¡°Why did you run up there, you scared me.¡± Shadow de satzily on the wall of close stools and used his chin to indicate at a small sky window near the ceiling. ¡°This position is higher than the courtyard gates. You can see all outside movement from here,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao carefully mbered up and nced out the window. Sure enough, it was as he described. ¡°This time, we can expect the enemy. Trust you to find such a hidden window,¡± she said gleefully. Shadow de¡¯s eyes glinted, and he smiled but did not say anything. Meng Fuyao retrieved a biscuit from her chest, and her face instantly turned ck¡ªthe biscuit had beenpletely squashed by Rabbit Lord, and it now looked like Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s feces. Was this fit for human consumption? It was probably more suitable for a rodent! ¡°Damn it, that godforsaken scoundrel!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed under her breath. Shadow de turned around and asked, ¡°What?¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head and said, ¡°Fill your stomach first.¡± She thrust the biscuit at him and batted her eyshes, hoping that if Shadow de ate it, then it would motivate her to eat it as well. Shadow de stared at the unsightly, squashed biscuit and frowned slightly. In the end, he still took a piece and slowly began to eat. Meng Fuyao rejoiced internally with tears in her eyes¡ªHeaven knows how ugly this thing had been squashed into. If it were Zhangsun Wuji or Zhan Beiye or any of those nobles, they would rather starve to death than eat it. Truly,moners were still the best, being both practical and amodating. When the biscuit was brought before Lord Yuan Bao, the noble magical hamster was extremely angered and disappointed¡ªits food had always been nothing but the best grain, and the imperial chefs would only select the best and most expensive ingredients and spend hours meticulously creating rare and exquisite dishes for it. Since when did it have to eat this kind of peasant fare? And something that had been squashed and looked like Meng Fuyao excreted it? Was this fit for rodents? More like it was fit for humans! How disappointing¡­ Ever since it followed Meng Fuyao, its status had dropped, its future had be bleak, and even its quality of life sank so low it was underwater¡­ It had already forgotten that just days ago Meng Fuyao had just invited it to the Heavenly Restaurant to eat bear¡¯s w with bird¡¯s nest¡­ After a long and arduous battle with its pained and confused heart, Lord Yuan Bao finally reached out with its paws and picked up a piece of the ¡°feces¡±. Shutting its eyes tightly, it stuffed it into its mouth¡­ When both of them had finished eating, Meng Fuyao finally retrieved the second piece of biscuit in perfect condition from her robes and began to eat it slowly and deliberately. What a despicable move! It ignited the ire of the other human and one hamster; thus Lord Yuan Bao lunged at her. ¡®I¡¯ll scratch you! I¡¯ll scratch, I¡¯ll scratch, scratch, scratch¡­¡¯ Shadow de gave Meng Fuyao a deep look. ¡®This girl really never forgets how to have fun in life despite whatever dangerous situation she is in; what a fearless and brilliant girl!¡¯ She would worry, but never mull over things; she would get anxious, but she would be even more careful next time; she had so many ws, yet she bravely confronted them. She was afraid of what she was meant to be afraid of, but not because of the difference in strength, but rather that in her fear, she would not forget to be rational¡ªto be brave but wary, ruthless but reserved, every step must be a perfect bnce on the tightrope ofbat. Even more, she shouldn¡¯t show any emotion to the opponent, nor overlook the opponent¡¯s emotions. Her strength was her irond will. Shadow de sighed lightly. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He turned around and caught a whiff of a sourish smell drifting from below. Meng Fuyao had smelled it too, and she nearly lost her appetite because of it. Nheless, she closed her eyes and stuffed the biscuit into her mouth¡ªthe situation was critical; they were surrounded, and she was the only real power left among the little group of two humans plus one hamster. She had to maintain her strength. The two of them sat atop the close stools in silence. After a while, Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°Do you know what smell this is?¡± Shadow de¡¯s eyes held a mild hint of amusement as he replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao turned to look at him sharply. With an ashen face, Shadow de said emotionlessly, ¡°When I was very young, I smelled something like this before. My wet-nurse was killed this way.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at his peaceful expression and couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°That was your subordinate, I heard earlier that Xuanyuan Min will boil all of them to death. Perhaps today, or tomorrow, we will be boiled to death on this pile of close stools while looking out this sky window.¡± Chapter 225 - Untitled Chapter 225: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°So what about that?¡± Shadow de turned to look at her. ¡°Are you suggesting that I should run out to my death while they are being boiled?¡± Meng Fuyao was stumped and didn¡¯t know how to reply for a moment. Shadow de was right; if he rushed out, he would simply be giving his life away. However, she had already long been used to Zhan Beiye and the ck Wind Calvary¡¯s sacrificial rtionship with each other. Hence, she was simply under the impression that within the Five Regions Continent, such a rtionship would naturally exist between Shadow de and his subordinates. Meng Fuyao was slightly surprised and mumbled, ¡°I just feel that¡­ I probably can¡¯t stand it any longer.¡± Shadow de fell silent. He moved his body with great difficulty andy down on the close stools to sleep. Meng Fuyao turned around to redress his wounds, her fingers moving over the healing wounds like a delicate butterfly. It was hard to believe that when it came down to delicate tasks, the generally boisterous Meng Fuyao would actually be so gentle and meticulous. The golden rays of dusk fell upon her face, illuminating her translucent earlobes, reflecting on the fine, little strands of hair behind her ear, shining on her delicate cheekbones, on her moist, pomegranate flower-like lips, and on her beautifully shaped eyebrows¡ªthese were all very beautiful, but the most beautiful of all, was the look of concentration and concern in her eyes. Shadow dey down with his head turned towards her. There was an ambiguous expression in his eyes as if night had suddenly descended, and he was separated by night while looking at the daylight. The finger on his back was as gentle as a flower petal, as translucent as jade green spring water, washing over his back like a soothing and warm presence. He was shaken when he felt his heart stir, and he felt a bright, warm, and soothing feeling. That kind of beauty, that kind of natural brightness made him inevitably think of his own darkness, all the chasing and escaping, all the fighting and bloodshed. The soundless swords in the night, blood-drenched robes on the ground as he changed clothes repeatedly, yet he was unable to remove the smell of blood that had prated deep into his bones. He belonged to hell, to the dark night, to the monstrosities and predators. He belonged to everything that was the opposite of her. He suddenly felt the desire to confess. He opened his mouth to speak, and Meng Fuyao stopped moving. ¡°You probably think that such a master is too cold and cruel, but actually, I feel that my survival is more important than the survival of anyone else.¡± Meng Fuyao was speechless. If it were Zhan Beiye who said something like this, there was an 80% chance it would probably be changed into ¡°If you all live, I¡¯ll be even happier!¡± ¡°If I survive, then I¡¯ll have a chance of saving them. Even if I can¡¯t save them, I¡¯ll also have a higher chance of avenging them. I can alsopensate their families and ensure their quality of living. Compared to them, my life is more valuable.¡± Seeing that Meng Fuyao had a rather disapproving look on her face, Shadow deughed and said, ¡°I had an extremely loyal servant. He would never leave or abandon anyone he served. Back when the enemy n was hunting us, apanion was hurt and abandoned. He refused to give up, returning in the middle of the night to save him. However, he was captured by the enemy and tricked into revealing our location¡­ It was a bloodbath, everyone died¡­ He and I were all caught in the death trap. I was saved, but he had been skinned alive. I remember thest thing he told me when he pushed me down the well to hide¡­ something like trust¡­ was too much of a luxury¡­¡± Meng Fuyao did not say anything. Shadow de had spoken efficiently and straightforwardly, but it was as though she could smell the metallic smell of metal and the stench of blood in the forest, as though she could see the servant¡¯s loyalty and anguish, the scene where he had been tricked and forced to betray, as though she could see them being skinned alive, and the little boy hiding in the well, his face smeared with blood. ¡°I used to think that trust was a two-way thing. If you were honest, others would reciprocate ordingly. However, this is often just a pipe dream. If there isn¡¯t any benefit to gain, the trust is nothing. ¡°So with regards to me and my subordinates, there is only one rtionship, master and servant. I control their will, their lives, their families, and promise them sufficientpensation after their sacrifice. As such, they offer me their unyielding loyalty, and I never have to worry about any betrayal. If not given the situation now, I am badly hurt, and they are boiling in the pot, but I can sit here without fear and tell you my story.¡± He gave a coldugh and asked Meng Fuyao, ¡°Have you ever thought, given something like this, if they couldn¡¯t stand the torture of being boiled and gave me up, what kind of situation you and I would be in right now?¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent and sighed. She couldn¡¯t not admit that Shadow de and Zhan Beiye were two entirely different people. Nobody was right, and nobody was wrong, they all had their reasons. This topic was getting too serious. Meng Fuyao touched her nose and changed the subject, fishing out the pill from earlier and said, ¡°Cross Dresser said that he can save us, but I think he also had some conditions.¡± She broke open the pill and revealed a piece of paper. A row of words entered her vision: ¡°This emperor is still short of an empress!¡± ¡°Your mother, what has youcking an empress, got anything to do with me?¡± Meng Fuyao jumped up and stomped angrily on the piece of paper. ¡°And I still thought it was some kind of secret n, turns out it was just a load of rubbish¡­ Wait, this emperor? This emperor?¡± She picked up the crumpled piece of paper and ttened it against the wall, reading it again. ¡°This emperor?¡± She repeated dumbly. Shadow de suddenly cut in nosily, ¡°I heard that the puppet king of Xuanyuan is rather¡­ special.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her forehead. ¡°Indeed¡­ rather special,¡± she affirmed. He was a cross-dresser who called her ¡°Long Live¡±. An heir who grew up under the sick and twisted reign of the Regent King, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he would be even sicker and twisted. The game he yed was the throne, while the wine he drank were the concubines. The flower he admired was the Xuanyuan flower, and the one he climbed was the Meng family willow. He was like an unshakable thousandyer of quilts. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Shadow de¡¯s eyes glinted as he asked. ¡°Meet him at the back garden of the Fragrant Jade House¡ªthat is, if I have a change of heart and ept his conditions,¡± Meng Fuyao replied wearily. The corners of Shadow de¡¯s lips curved upwards slightly. ¡°To be his male empress?¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly sat down on a bucket and said seriously, ¡°I feel that he doesn¡¯t deserve me.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± replied Shadow de. ¡°The one who is worthy of Your Ladyship probably has yet to be born.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes, refusing to argue with a sick man. She asked again, ¡°What do you think he means with this suggestion?¡± ¡°Xuanyuan has been recruiting concubines recently,¡± replied Shadow de replied. ¡°For His Majesty to enrich his harem. Although His Majesty has quite a number of concubines in his harem, they are all of poor standards. As for the Fragrant Jade House, it is precisely where a new batch of girls who are most likely to enter the pce are residing.¡± ¡°Ha, why hasn¡¯t an empress been selected after so long?¡± ¡°After a person¡¯s freedom had been restricted too much, he would surely find some way to get back, be it singing, ying dumb, or not selecting an empress,¡± Shadow de replied lightly. Meng Fuyao sighed and squatted on the bucket. The noise outside had not yet died down as she wondered, ¡°Before night falls, Xuanyuan Cheng will surely search the pce again. We¡¯ve already escaped him once, we can¡¯t possibly escape him again. Hey, has your fever resided?¡± Shadow de replied mildly, ¡°Before tonight, I will rpse one more time, so you can leave by yourself.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Meng Fuyao climbed down the close stools and scooped up Yuan Bao. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first, goodbye,¡± she replied. She headed towards the door. Shadow de remained motionless, perched atop the close stools, watching her. Meng Fuyao walked to the door and turned around. ¡°Hey, how do I get to the Fragrant Jade Pce?¡± she asked seriously. Shadow de looked at her silently, then suddenly smiled. His smile was like a fresh flower blooming, the original weak look disappearing as it was reced by the brightness of his ssy eyes and fiery red lips, bathing everything around it in its light. For a moment, Meng Fuyao was blinded by its brightness and shut her eyes. ¡®How bright, truly bright, I¡¯m both shocked and touched, I¡¯m going to die by a beauty¡¯s smile, being an ¡°empress¡± is fine too¡­¡¯ It was a pity that the smile onlysted an instant and Shadow de had already returned to his cold and pointed self. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to sacrifice yourself to do anything. Moreover, Xuanyuan Min¡¯s conditions might not be as simple as they look, why do you need to put yourself through this,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao smiled and wrinkled her nose slightly. Pointing at herself, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so narcissistic already, Brother Shadow de. I¡¯m not doing this for you. I just don¡¯t want Xuanyuan Cheng to be toofortable, forcing me to hide so pathetically and almost losing my life. How can I just let it go? I insist on going against him; if Xuanyuan Min wants to use me, why can¡¯t I use him too?¡± She waved a hand and said grandly, ¡°Since there¡¯s something fun, why can¡¯t I y and insteade here and gamble my life? Come, brother Shadow de, brother Yuan Bao, I¡¯ll be able to let you two eat bird¡¯s nest this time.¡± She adjusted her robes and readied her weapons, preparing for the arduous and risky journey to look for the Fragrant Jade House. ¡°Where is the Fragrant Jade House?¡± she asked again. Shadow de looked at her for a long time until she was almost about to leave before finally saying, ¡°It¡¯s just next door.¡± Meng Fuyao stumbled slightly against the wall and turned back bitterly. ¡®Damn child, you¡¯re too cruel¡­¡¯ The Fragrant Jade House, where the new concubine candidates were staying, was just across a wall. Meng Fuyao tiptoed and peeked over the wall, smiling as she said, ¡°Ah, silk robes and fine dining, soft beds and beautiful tapestry, here Ie¡­¡± ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t asked you, where did the bed I slept onst nighte from?¡± Shadow de nodded his head at the bed, feeling that the material looked rather odd. Meng Fuyao immediatelyughed and turned around. ¡°I made it bybining the close stools,¡± she replied gaily. This time, Shadow de stumbled, and Meng Fuyao pretentiously rushed forward to support him. ¡°Ah, brother, are you alright?¡± Shadow de took a deep breath, then calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Meng Fuyao said, sympathetically again, ¡°How can you go out in this condition?¡± She turned around, not looking at his beautiful, half-naked body and pinched her face as she added, ¡°If I¡¯d known earlier I would have brought the robes that the cross-dresser was wearing. That red and green peony and macaw robes was really not bad.¡± After speaking, she shuddered herself. However, Shadow de said, ¡°Are your eyes shot? Can¡¯t you see the bag hanging on the vines behind the wall?¡± Meng Fuyao looked across, and sure enough, there was a cloth bag hidden between the vines, and two sets of eunuch robes were hidden inside. After helping ¡®Dar Charm¡¯ change, she too quickly changed into her set of robes. Their actions shook the vine, and someone had gently knocked on the wall. Carrying Shadow de, Meng Fuyao flipped over the wall. Theynded in a little courtyard, where a man who looked like a eunuch was waiting for them on the front porch of the Fragrant Jade House. Chapter 226 - Untitled Chapter 226: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Seeing the two people walk away, he quietly moved back. His footsteps were extremely light, and he pointed to a tightly closed room, signaling the two to go over. He then swiftly exited from the courtyard. From the door, one could see eunuchs and guards at the door. Meng Fuyao was a little hesitant, afraid that this was a trap set by the Regent King or that emperor. But Shadow de dragged her as he strode along, pushing the door open. With a ¡®kacha¡¯, the flower-carved door pushed open to a seductive scene where words of love were exchanged. A goldced bed canopy, soft silk sheets, copper incense burner with gentle smoke. Behind the screen with hundreds of flowers embroidered in it, one could vaguely make out the shapes of a naked man and woman intertwined together. The seductive whispers and the weird flexible positions, be it ¡®cross-legged on a lotus¡¯ or an ¡®old Han pushing his cart¡¯. The oddly tantalizing fragrance that filled the room mixed with the passion and scent of the two¡¯s fluid. It was an odd smell, indeed, causing the people who had just entered the room to blush. ¡°¡­ I¡­ can¡¯t anymore¡­¡± ¡°Aw, my little baby¡­ my good girl¡­ call me¡­ Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Your Majesty¡­ My name is Zi Er¡­ why do you always¡­ ah¡­ forget¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Zi Er¡­ You are so lovable¡­ Here¡­ Change position¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­ My God¡­¡± Breathless words were exchanged in between their sensual moans. A snow white smooth arm probed out of the bed canopy embedded with speckles of pearls. The fingers gently grasped the air, desperately¡­ Shadow de turned his head while Meng Fuyao smiled. She dragged a chair over and sat down leisurely, ready to enjoy this erotic live show. In her arms, Lord Yuan Bao poked its head out and watched intensely¡­ and more intensely¡­ Suddenly, it covered Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes with his ws but continued to watch the interesting scene. Meng Fuyao immediately pulled away the troublesome, nosy ws and covered her hands over his eyes. Using the difference in size as an advantage, she managed topletely hold him together, ignoring the guinea pig¡¯s struggle. She whispered softly in its ears, ¡°Here, see no evil, your eyes will grow needles.¡± Then, she happily continued ¡°growing needles on her eyes¡±. Lord Yuan Bao was instantly angered. ¡®Why do my ws only cover half her eye but her hands can cover my entire body? Meng Fuyao was in the middle of researching names for the different positions when suddenly her vision turned ck. A certain someone, with hands that smelled like medication, had covered her eyes and whispered into her ears, ¡°See no evil, your eyes will grow needles.¡± Meng Fuyao pulled down his hand resentfully. With such amotion between a human and a guinea pig, the two behind the screen were alerted of their presence. A certain person pulled out at a key moment and made his way over, resting on the screen, naked without the slightest shame and greeted them. ¡°You are here.¡± He was unperturbed as though someone had walked onto him eating. On the other hand, the girl screamed, and with a trembling voice, she quaked, ¡°Your Majesty, why¡­ at this time¡­¡± and then she realized that there were people behind the screen and shot up. She jumped up, with her skin smooth as silk. The man was extremely unbothered while the girl was obviously very embarrassed. Meng Fuyao subconsciously turned away, and before she could, she saw Xuanyuan Min¡¯s arm waving at the same moment the girl jumped. In a sh, that hand was around the girl¡¯s neck, and then, with the sweetest, warmest smile, the fingers wrapped down on her neck. ¡°Kacha.¡± The sound of the neck being broken resounded in the otherwise quiet, refined and elegant room, like thunder on a peaceful night. As thedy¡¯s throat cackled, her big eyes stared straight at the man who smiled sweetly at her, and immediately after, the whole neck copsed into a flimsy mess. She died. She died in the hands of the man whom she had been making love with, the man who whispered honeyed words and promises to make her the next queen. She died at the peak of her excitement, in her sweet fantasies for the future. And then she plummeted from the pinnacle of desires, falling onto the bed adorned with dragons and phoenixes, copsing into her virgin blood that flowed out when her hymen had broken. The very first sacrifice of the imperial family¡¯s deceitful and dirty conflict: Yu Wen Zi. The room was silent as the scent of blood entwined with the room full of love. Amidst all this, Xuanyuan smiled like a blooming flower. Meng Fuyao stared at him as if she was staring at a man-eating nt. What kind of man choked the woman he had just had pleasure with, the woman that he¡¯d had intimate contact with? What kind of people were the people from the Xuanyuan? Compared to them, Taiyuan¡¯s Qi Xunyi, Wuji¡¯s King De, and Tiansha¡¯s Zhan Nancheng were all pure, innocent and cute as the newly-born Lord Yuan Bao. Meng Fuyao heaved a long sigh ¡ª the environment certainly nurtured such talent¡­ She was now regretting her choice. Looking at the situation, this Xuanyuan mess of a family was no longer about asking a tiger about its hide or finding a tiger from its hide. To settle this situation was harder than making a tiger vegan. With a sultry smile, Xuanyuan Min gently whispered, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ If this woman didn¡¯t die, how would you be my empress? That is to say, you caused her death.¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯ll ride you under me¡­ and beat the sh*t out of you.¡± Meng Fuyao ground her teeth. ¡°My pleasure. ¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled. ¡°I was enamored by your punches the other time; I can¡¯t seem to forget that feeling~¡± He tossed a book over to her and ordered, ¡°Quickly memorize all information regarding Yu Wen Zi¡¯s background. I still have to rush out the mask, ah, why is my life so difficult¡­ I even have to make the mask myself¡­ By the way, because I love you too much, you, Yu Wen Zi, are not able to get down of your bed for these three days. In these three days, memorize everything and familiarize yourself with identity.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Meng Fuyao caught the detailed information thrown to her. She had measured Shadow de¡¯s pulse this morning and realized that the external injury was secondary; because of the internal energy ced on the arrow, it had caused his internal wounds to rpse once more, and without a long period of resting, there was no way he could recover. The fact that he was sitting upright was him just forcing himself. He needed time to rest, and since she¡¯s now caught in this damn trap in this damn pce, she could only settle down and find a way to survive. ¡°Very simple. This time round, the imperial concubine selection is not a normal one, four concubines will be chosen to be prepared for the position of the empress. So in this Fragrant Jade House, there is a total of 8dies who are all the daughters of the Regent King¡¯s rtives or trusted officials. I already have a pile of spies in my pce, and the four of these women are too under the Regent King¡¯s people. I can ignore these concubines, but once an empress is decided, ording to Xuanyuan rules, there is no limit to the times the empress can seek for an audience with the emperor, while the emperor must call her in more than four times a month. My freedom will be greatly restricted, and so this empress cannot happen¡ªat least not now.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed coldly. ¡°I am merely a passerby. What happens if I leave?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when that timees. And who knows if you will bear to leave?¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled meaningfully. ¡°Furthermore, your life as an empress will probably not be easy. I¡¯ll be counting on you to deal with my Lady Xian and Lady Shu.¡± Meng Fuyao yawnedzily, thinking, ¡®My life is certainly great¡­ I even got involved in the pce¡¯s conflicts.¡¯ ¡°Why did you choose this Yu Wen Zi?¡± ¡°She is the Regent King¡¯s distant rtive, the closest in terms of blood rtions amongst the eight, yet she lives the farthest away from him. She¡¯s from Zhang Ning residence, which is located at the border of Xuanyuan. The rest of the seven are the Regent King¡¯s daughters who lived in the capital, and he watched them grow up. So he is the least familiar with Yu Wen Zi, and she is the only loophole we can make use of. Plus¡­¡± Xuanyuan blinked his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been making love to her daily to the point where she is barely able to get out of bed. No one had the chance to get to know her.¡± ¡°Xuanyuan Cheng isn¡¯t guarded against you?¡± Meng Fuyaopletely ignored the seductive gazes he was throwing her and changed the topic. ¡°Otherwise why would he leave such a big loophole for you?¡± ¡°What loophole are you talking about?¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled. ¡°Almost everyone in my pce is his, and the eightdies are under him too. Definitely very guarded. ¡± His eyes crinkled into two crescents as his lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t lie in quantity, but the quality of the people. I¡¯ve grown up in the pce for so many years, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t have people of my own.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the Regent King has certainly been busy recently.¡± He pointed at Meng Fuyao. ¡°He has to worry about the assassin and also, his little princess.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xuanyuan?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be that he would scheme against her too, right?¡¯ ¡°Just a little illness.¡± Xuanyuan Min grinned. ¡°He keeps a close eye on that apple of his eye, it¡¯s not easy trying to make a move on her.¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t be bothered asking him how he was going to make his move. She was, after all, an expert at schemes herself. Xuanyuan Cheng was blessed with both wits and strength; his only weakness was this daughter of his. If one was going to exploit his weakness, what else would it be other than his daughter? ¡°Don¡¯t kill her off¡­ She¡¯s a pretty good kid.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for not helping you.¡± ¡°You are such an oddball¡­ concerning yourself over irrelevant people.¡±Xuanyuan Cheng looked up at her with a single eyebrow raised. ¡°A failure of an empress.¡± Meng Fuyao stered on a fake smile and stood up to make her way out. ¡°Then, you can invite someone that qualifies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know where Zong Yue is?¡± Meng Fuyao turned back, raising her eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Xuanyuan Min waved his hand around innocently. Meng Fuyao viciously waved a fist in his direction. ¡°¡­ But once you be the empress, with the two of our abilitiesbined, do we still need to be afraid of not finding out his location?¡± With a ¡®hmph¡¯, Meng Fuyao grabbed the information and suddenly turned back to smile at the silent Shadow de. ¡°Chun Mei, go and pour some tea for yourdy, the future empress.¡± That night, the new version of ¡°Yu Wen Zi¡± and ¡°Chun Mei¡± stayed in that courtyard. When night fell, Shadow de¡¯s injuries started to act up. He ground his teeth and remained silent yet moved around relentlessly on the bed. Meng Fuyao stayed up the entire night, busy changing his medication, lowering his body temperature and feeding him water. Seeing that his temperature was overly high, she undid his shirt and slowly wiped down his body. In her past life, she often took care of patients and was familiar with the ways of taking care of people. At this point, there was no need to concern herself with the dos and don¡¯ts between men and women. In her eyes, there are only patients. Chapter 227 - Untitledf Chapter 227: Untitledf Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The damp handkerchief slowly glided over his porcin, velvet like skin, wiping away the sweat and cooling down the overheating temperature. Shadow de gradually quietened down as he regained a bit of his consciousness. Suddenly, he grabbed Meng Fuyao hand. To avoid the awkwardness, the room was not lit up. Meng Fuyao was caught by surprise, thinking that he was going to bite her finger once more. But this time, An Mei gently ced her hand on his heart and mumbled something. Meng Fuyao inched closer, trying to make out what he was mumbling but the moment she leaned in, the rich, fresh scent of a man rushed up her nose. Her heart thumped as the smell engulfed her, and then she remembered that he was not properly clothed. She quickly stepped back. She leaned over with her hand being pressed down on his heart. She could feel the heartbeat on her palm;hurried and shallow, like a raging river rushing through the quiet night, elicting a profound resonance with the vast with its undescribable serenity and restraint. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped, and for an instant, it was as though the heart rate had synced with the one beneath her palm ¡ª same feelings yet different troubles. In this cold winter night, the wind could not blow away the loneliness and fear carved deep down into one¡¯s heart. Meng Fuyao pressed her lips together and reached to pry his hands away. But Shadow de suddenly let go of her hand, letting out a long sigh. Meng Fuyao got a shock. She thought that he had woken up but seeing his eyshes flutter and the beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, she realized that he was still unconscious. Meng Fuyao sat in the dark, holding the wet handkerchief in her hands as she watched him, thinking what kind of dream would he be in to cause such a helpless and sorrowful sigh. Early in the morning, she decided to channel inner energy to help treat his wounds. At this dangerous ce, wasting precious inner energy was an extremely risky thing to do. Meng Fuyao did not have second thoughts about her decision, however. No matter how precious or how dangerous, it is not as important as health. Once Shadow de gets better, wouldn¡¯t they be able to move around more freely? Furthermore, the conscientious Sir Meng couldn¡¯t stand watching him suffer. When she ced her palm behind Shadow de and wanted to channel her inner energy over, he suddenly trembled and immediately rejected her energy after realizing what she was trying to do. Meng Fuyao tried to channel thrice but was rejected thrice. Seeing that he refused to ept, she could only give up ¡ª after all, them being in such a state will not allow him to rest properly. That night, she did not once shut her eyes. In the dim room, she quietly watch Shadow de as he took his every breath, listening to his quick, shallow breath gradually turn into something more calm and peaceful. Knowing that the hardest obstacle has passed, she could not help but let out a sigh of relieve. Three dayster, Meng Fuyao version of ¡°Yu Wen Zi¡± is officially here. On the third night, Xuanyuan Min had passed her the finished human mask. As Meng Fuyao changed into her new disguise, she looked at Xuanyuan Min with disdain. ¡°What kind of speed is this, taking three days to make a mask. My bones are all slept tten because of you.¡± Xuanyuan Min immediately reached out his hand: ¡°Let me touch, let me touch.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately trampled over that idea cruelly. Shadow de slept in the little room beside Fragrant Jade House. Naturally, his identity was now the Chun Mei, the maid of Yu Wen Zi. ¡°Chun Mei¡¯s¡± height was too tall and hard to disguise. Hence, once ¡°Yu Wen Zi¡± was rested, ¡°Chun Mei¡± would fall sick as a result of being too tired out taking care of herdy. Meng Fuyao was worried that this would merely be a short term solution but Shadow de insisted that if he were to rest for a couple more days, he could somewhat manage to shrink his bones and maintain it around an hour or so. So if there was a need for ¡°Chun Mei¡± to make an appearance, he should be able to handle. There was once when Xuanyuan Min had visited Shadow de and Meng Fuyao¡¯s dark eyecircles caught his eye. With plenty of jealousy, his hand formed an ¡°orchid finger[1.A hand gesture that orginated from Peking opera, where the hand resembles the petals of an orchid flower ¡ª considered a sign of grace and femininity.]¡± as he teased, ¡°You adulterous pair, have you been making love with one another all night? There was once I did all seven girls at once and I didn¡¯t seem half as exhausted as you are!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. You¡¯re the invincible hero that never falls, dealing with seven wolves in one.¡± Meng Fuyao kicked him out of the room. ¡°Please, you have already ¡®showed your love¡¯. With anymore love, I¡¯ll be drowning in it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, the perfect time for me to see your skills!¡± Xuanyuan Min swung his sleeves around excitedly. In a coquetry manner, he whispered, ¡°Since the very first time I met you, I felt that you are definitely gonna ace and shine at this game of imperial harem¡­ My love, when would you punch me once more?¡± ¡°Right now!¡± Meng Fuyao stepped on him and it was followed by the sounds of her punches. Finally, after throwing out the happy cross-dressing emperor, Meng Fuyao opened the door that has been tightly shut for the past three days. With her hands on her back as she walked out in a ¡°difficult yet proud¡± manner. With the aura of a well-loveddy that stood above the rest, she elegantly and pridefully strutted towards the sunlight, in theplicated gazes of those next door. Sir Meng had finally taken her very first pretentious, confident step, pulling the curtains for her grandiose performance in the Xuanyuan¡¯s imperial harem. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Sister Zi? I¡¯ve heard you haven¡¯t been feeling too well recently? Are you better now?¡± As expected, before Meng Fuyao even got out of her courtyard, anotherdy had ¡°coincidentally passed by¡± and decided to stand around to send her regards with a smile. But that smile, stopping short at her cheeks, was clearly fake from whichever angle. Thisdy is impatient, not calm enough, third-rate acting ¡ª analysispleted. ¡°Aiya¡­ thank you for asking. I am finally much better.¡± With a slight frown, Meng Fuyao held onto her back and sighed loudly. ¡°Ah¡­ he seriously tired me out¡­¡± Thest sentence was lightly spoken but managed to turn thatdy¡¯s face ck. With a scoff, she side-nced at Meng Fuyao and gave a word of ¡°friendly advice¡±. ¡°Sister Zi is certainly frivolous. One could only fear that though the flower may bloom beautifully yet there is no one to admire, only there to deflower. If you are unfortunately not chosen, with this body that is no longer pure, I wonder who you could marry?¡± ¡°Sister Hua is right.¡± Meng Fuyao gasped, as though as she had just been enlightened. After much contemtion, she pped her hands and continued, ¡°If there¡¯s isn¡¯t any other way out, I¡¯ll marry your father then! In the capital, he is well known for his promiscuity ¡ª Married to 10 of them and all 10 of them is well satisfied. I¡¯ll be the 11th one and Sister Hua you would have to call me ¡®mother¡¯.¡± ¡°You ¡ª Shameless!¡± Lady Hua face turned ashen as she flung her sleeves and left. Meng Fuyao waved her handzily. ¡®What ack of fighting abilities, how boring.¡± But someone behindughed gently. ¡°I usually don¡¯t get to see Sister Zi and certainly didn¡¯t know that you had such a way with your words.¡± Meng Fuyao turned back. Below the wistaria was ady dressed simply, facing her with a perfect smile ¡ª edges of her lips were curled up perfectly to 30 degrees, revealing just nice half a row of pearly white teeth. From the angle to the curvature, everything was wless. Thisdy remained calm as she observed and make sense of the situation. She held herposure and smiled at logic times. Her acting abilties would definitely be above average ¡ª analysisplete. ¡°Sister Xue you are very polite. I have always been the type to speak the humannguage to humans and spew rubbish¡­ to trash.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled humbly. ¡°I am not as good as Sister Xue¡¯s royal blood; everyone¡¯s role model.¡± ¡°No matter how great of a role model I am, I will never be able to hold a candle to Sister Zi¡¯s glory, being admired by the emperor.¡± She looked closely at Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, making her way closer with mincing, light footsteps. And then, with a wave of a hand, she ordered her maid to give a basket. ¡°These are all herbs and food to nourish one¡¯s body. Sister, your face looks a little pale, please remember to cherish your precious body.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at that basket. Without taking it over, she smiled. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Sister. Little An ¡ª¡± Little An was an eunuch that was transferred over to serve Meng Fuyao under the orders of Xuanyuan Min. Apparently, this Little An had came from an impoverish background and entered the pce at a tender age. A very careful person, though often tired. He silently bowed. ¡°Sister Xue, your basket is certainly pretty, definitely from the hands of a renowned artisan. I feel bad enough epting these gifts, how could I still take away your loved basket? Little An, go to my room and take my rattan basket that his majesty has bestowed to me and also bring the Pearl Powder that his majesty for Sister Xue,¡± Meng Fuyao continued. ¡°How could I¡­¡± Jian Xue¡¯s smile froze, though she somehow still managed to maintain her elegance. She took over the basket and left quickly after giving her thanks. In Meng Fuyao eyes, however, Jian Xue had merely fled in panic after her n was exposed. Meng Fuyao stretchedzily. Seriously,let¡¯s just say that her acting abilities was well-above average but her schemes were too simple. I don¡¯t even have to use by brains, just based on the plots from ¡®War and Beauty¡¯ and ¡®Beyond the Realm of Conscience¡¯ 1 , I could probably kill off a batch of them. Well, the things weren¡¯t posioned but there were poison needles embedded into the basket. If anything were to happen, she could just destroy the basket while no one was paying attention and there would be no evidence left behind after the deed. Not a bad n, but the acting¡­ was a littlecking. Once the basket was handed over, her gaze changed. A lot of room for improvement! Meng Fuyao strolled back. Looking at the pleasant weather with the sun high up in the sky, she decided to ask Little An to fetch some pastries and settle down in the courtyard to contemte. ¡®Could it be the things I¡¯ve gone through and people I¡¯ve met was a little too amazing? Now this imperial harem game is merely child¡¯s y.¡¯ And then, she thought about how Zhan Beiye was now piled up with work as a new emperor¡­ recalling Zhan Beiye, she suddenly felt that something was wrong. After seriously thinking about it for half a day, she suddenly realized that she had gone off in a hurry and seem to not have informed him? That heartless Meng Fuyao thought about it for a while and then decided ¡ª serves him right, who asked him to order someone to beat her up? And then she thought about Wuji¡¯s invisible guards. Till today, there were no news from them. Xuanyuan border was certainly hard to trepass and these couple of years, they had merely given a handful of Clearance Medal to a few countries. Those invisible guards were certainly pitiful. Even though they were elites when ites to assassinating, protecting and searching, but with herwless entrance to the various different countries, the invisible guards were not able to keep up with her antics either. If Zhangsun Wuji were to know that she had once again shaken off the invisible guards¡­ her butt would probably take the brunt of it. Ah¡­ thinking of this fellow, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Using the sesame biscuit, she drew a big circle on the stone table, and then a small circle, and then an even smaller circle, and then a huge firework. BOOM¡ª Don¡¯t ask her what she was doing, she didn¡¯t know either. Haven¡¯t you heard of the word doodling? The sesames on the biscuit had now all fallen down and Meng Fuyao wet her finger with a little bit of water to pick up the sesames to eat¡­ hm¡­ I¡¯ll eat my troubles away¡­ Once she finished the sesame on the table, she grabbed another biscuit. Suddenly, she felt that something was wrong ¡ª there were initially four biscuits, why are there only two left? Something dropped down on her head. Meng Fuyao quickly picked it up ¡ª a sesame seed. Chapter 228 - Untitled Chapter 228: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao stared at the sesame seed for half a second then raised her head and smiled slightly, saying, ¡°Has the wild cat from upstairs snuck into my courtyard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me!¡± The leaves shook with a swishing noise, and a round face, apanied by two round eyes, a round mouth, a round chin, and two round ears appeared. Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind went nk. ¡®Has Doraemon also crossed time?¡¯ Doraemon smiled at the seven sesame seed biscuits that Meng Fuyao was revealing and said sweetly, ¡°Hehe¡­ Howe sister¡¯s biscuits are always tastier than the ones at my ce?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s vision turned ck again. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me this is also what the Empress Dowager is using to select concubines, isn¡¯t this way too unusual¡­ ¡®Wait a moment, the youngest concubine candidate was General Yang¡¯s youngest daughter, the sixteen-year-old, Tang Yiguang¡­¡¯ The sesame seeds above her head continued to fall as Tang Yiguang version Doraemon spoke incoherently while chewing her biscuit. Meng Fuyao hurriedly jumped away from her area of attack and heard her say, ¡°Hehe¡­ Sister, your chest is so big¡­ How did you grow it¡­¡± Meng Fuyao lowered her head and stared at her chest. ¡®It can¡¯t be? I¡¯m a 34B, but why am I looking at a 36D at least, and the other is probably 38E; I haven¡¯t even reached the courtyard door, but my chest has already reached the front of the bed, how did Tang Yiguang grow her eyes?¡¯ Doraemon was still stupidly and blindly investigating, ¡°Hehe¡­ How did you grow them¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was about to fall apart. ¡®This person should seriously be sent to childcare, not the imperial pce.¡¯ The crumbs above her head fell even more vigorously; there seemed to be a hole in Tang Yiguang¡¯s chin, and crumbs kept falling as she ate. Even more, she used a fishing rod to hook the biscuits¡ªpreviously she had used this method and soundlessly taken another biscuit. Meng Fuyao red at the frightening hook swaying around her head, deathly afraid that this girl would carelessly hook an ear or something, so she hurriedly offered all the biscuits above her and said, ¡°Can you pleasee down and eat, any more and my neck would be full of your sesame seed crumbs.¡± Tang Yiguang giggled and stuffed the biscuit swiftly into her mouth. With a gurgle, she miraculously swallowed the biscuit which wasrger than her palm and jumped down. She raised her head to look at Meng Fuyao and asked, ¡°Is there any more?¡± Meng Fuyao had seen the way she jumped down. ¡®She actually knows martial arts¡¯, she thought as her eyes shed. Waving her hands, she smiled and said, ¡°Yes, there is, but you have to tell me, why did you run up the tree?¡± ¡°Looking at my home¡­¡± Tang Yiguang licked the sesame seed crumbs on her fingers, looking nothing like a sixteen-year-old but more like a six-year-old. ¡°If I sit high enough, I can see my home,¡± she said. Then, she blinked several times, and tears began to form in her eyes as she suddenly said tearfully, ¡°I miss home¡­¡± Her eyes roamed around Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest, revealing a ¡®Thisdy looks a lot like mummy, can I depend on her¡¯ expression¡­ Meng Fuyao jumped up and said hastily, ¡°Little An, bring a basket of biscuits to stop Lady Tang¡¯s tears¡­¡± Then, she lifted her skirt and began to run¡ªshe had seen the girl¡¯s furtive expression and was terrified that this girl who looked as if she still craved for milk would suddenly bite her chest in search forfort¡­ She burrowed into the courtyard and shut the door, releasing a sigh as she leaned against the door. It was the first time she felt the feeling of ¡°meeting one¡¯s match¡±, damnit, she still thought she was peerless in the Xuanyuan imperial pce, and she could easily ovee anyone or anything that came her way. Yet, today she met a Doraemon who had herpletely shut down. Beside her, someone was chuckling softly. Meng Fuyao turned around and saw Shadow deughing as he leaned against the door watching her,ughing. Her face reddened, and she thought, ¡®Could he have seen what happened earlier? We¡¯re still separated by a courtyard.¡¯ However, she heard Shadow de say, ¡°¡­ That kid really doesn¡¯t have a good eye for things¡­¡± Meng Fuyao turned around angrily and shot back, ¡°Bigger than yours is good enough!¡± With a thud, Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s biscuit fell from its paws in shock¡­ Shadow de was speechless for a moment, his pale face actually flushing slightly and Meng Fuyao realized that she said something wrong again, and her brain began to spin as she thought of any way to salvage the situation. Swallowing, she tried to escape into the room, but Shadow de was blocking the door. As Meng Fuyao attempted to slip past him, he suddenly reached out a hand and stopped her. He was tall in stature and blocked the doorpletely, and with his hand up, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t squeeze past at all, instead, knocking into his chest. She tried to move away, but he had already held onto her waist tightly as he leaned his head against her hair and said softly, ¡°I once tried not to go near you¡­ All I can bring you are deceit and darkness¡­¡± Meng Fuyao held onto his waist, preventing any further bodily contact as she thought, ¡®It seems like none of you have given me any kind of glory or honor?¡¯ However, her mouth moved differently, and she unkindly retorted, ¡°Then get away from me quickly.¡± ¡°But I changed my mind now.¡± Shadow de ignored her and held her shoulders as he continued, ¡°There¡¯s a type of person who was born to dispel the darkness, such as yourself. Since no matter where you are, you¡¯re destined to always face deceit and danger, since you¡¯re destined to never shake away the darkness, then why can¡¯t it be me?¡± ¡°Are you having a fever again? What nonsense are you saying.¡± Meng Fuyao reached out and felt his forehead, yet her hand was grabbed by Shadow de as he ced her palm on his own face and told her clearly, ¡°Yes, my heart is burning, and because it is burning, I am awake.¡± The skin under her palm was not hot, even slightly cool, reminding one of the snow hidden atop the mountains, just like this devastatingly beautiful man whose temperament had always been slightly cold. However, his breath was hot, his gaze was hot, and the hand that was tightly holding onto her own was hot, and she felt a gentle warmth beneath the skin, a burning heart between the cool skin. The room was empty as the man and woman faced each other, her palm pressed against his face silently in shock, and the surrounding air seemed to quieten into a tranquil lull that was hard to describe. After a while, Shadow de turned his face into Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm and pressed his soft and warm lips against it. That kind of warm yet soft lips was as gentle as the silky texture of a rose petal, or a warm glow of the moon filled with emotion. It was as if he was trying to reach her heart through her palm and write his own story, all the past that was hidden deep within, the tears that were shed, the faint fragrance of the paint box, the cracks on the walls of the old cottage, the ones that were forgotten by the living but remembered by him; he hoped to share all of these memories with her. ¡®My lips are written on your palm, it does not leave a deep impression, but I hope it will imprint on your heart.¡¯ One print, as light as a dragonfly skimming the water¡¯s surface, yet full of emotion. After that, Shadow de let go of her hand and turned to leave, his robes billowing behind him as he moved. Meng Fuyao was left standing, stunned, her palm curled into a fist. The slight moistness in the center of her palm was soon burned away by the temperature of her body. Her heart was in shock, and she hadn¡¯t managed topletely get over it yet. Finally, she forced her palm open, looked at the sky, andughed helplessly. Why the hell was it that when they were being charming, it was always so fast and sudden that she didn¡¯t have the chance to pretend she didn¡¯t notice? Lord Yuan Bao was sitting on the table looking at Meng Fuyao as it pondered. It couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®this brat really has quite a number of suitors, should I try telling the one at home?¡¯ As a qualified and ultimate pet, from the perspective that it had to warn the prince, there was an urgent need. However, from the perspective as a suitor, as Meng Fuyao¡¯s love rival, there wasn¡¯t a need. It was really a difficult situation¡­ That night, Xuanyuan Min barged in again, and Meng Fuyao locked him in the house, first giving him a punch, then stepping on His Majesty¡¯s back and viciously asking, ¡°That Tang Yiguang, how did she manage to sneak in among the concubine candidates? Does she actually meet some requirement from the Regent King¡¯s Empress?¡± The cross-dresser chortled in delight at being stepped by Queen Meng and said gleefully, ¡°You¡¯re right, she does meet the requirement. She was born into a top grade martial family. When she was four, she fell off a horse and hurt her brain, yet she still knows martial arts. She will only bring trouble to any family that she marries into, and it¡¯s perfect for me¡ªFor such a simple-minded yet skilled empress, it will be the same as being tied up by eighteen different ropes; I won¡¯t even hope to think of redeeming myself in this lifetime.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled warmly, thinking of the antics that the little empress would offer the emperor. ¡®She¡¯ll drop crumbs all over¡­¡¯ Her smile was perhaps too sadistic, and the cross-dresser turned around suspiciously. Meng Fuyao immediately switched expressions and shouted, ¡°And hence you threw this annoying yam to me! I can¡¯t hit her or scold her, and I can only resort to ying useless mind games on Lady Tang Yiguang¡­ Oh, my sanity¡­¡± ¡°Long Live, given your brilliant and undefeated mind, it is but a trivial matter, what does it count for?¡± Xuanyuan Min wriggled his eyebrows and crawled up. ¡°I am willing to be your vanguard and clear the road for you and defeat the enemy¡­¡± Meng Fuyao, who was squatting on his back, suddenly fell over after he suddenly got up and was hence enraged. However, she suddenly heard something off and raised an eyebrow and asked skeptically, ¡°Hm? What are you up to?¡± ¡°Tomorrow is the official selection of the consorts and be weed by the Regent King and me at the Jiuyi Pce,¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled, patting Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just burn down, kill, or rob all of my pces and courtyards!¡± After twelve years on the throne, the heirless emperor of Xuanyuan, Xuanyuan Min, had finally to, under the invitation of the Regent King and court officials, select eight gentle, proper, virtuous and beautiful candidates. On the twenty-fourth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year, at the Xuanyuan imperial pce, he would pick his consorts, and the Regent King would oversee everything closely. Eight consorts were selected, and they were all backed by powerful families with military or merchant backgrounds¡ªof course, it all had nothing to do with Xuanyuan Min. Among the eight, an empress would be selected, a Consort of Virtue would be selected, and the rest would either enter the harem if they caught the emperor¡¯s eye or if they were not weed, they¡¯d be bequeathed to a member of the royal family. That day, two rows of rednterns were hung, symbolizing that the official ¡°Royal Concubine Candidates¡± carriage was entering through the gates. Under the guidance of the eunuchs, Meng Fuyao and the seven other candidates were presented before the pce steps and given a body check before greeting the Regent King. For Meng Fuyao, lowering her head to him was a great and painful humiliation, and with every bow, she swore to get back at Xuanyuan Min, and with every bow, she cursed Xuanyuan Cheng. Perhaps she cursed too much because Xuanyuan Min kept sneezing on the throne and Xuanyuan Cheng turned around with a concerned look and asked, ¡°Is Your Majesty feeling alright?¡± Chapter 229 - Untitled Chapter 229: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Xuanyuan Min waved his hand as his eyes roamed around. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, they are all beauties. Next time when I am singing opera, I don¡¯t have to worry about not having a partner,¡± heughed. Everyone in the pce gave a forced smile, and Xuanyuan Cheng gently said, ¡°After Your Majesty selects an empress, you¡¯ll get married in no time, so this opera¡­ it¡¯s better not to sing it.¡± Xuanyuan Minzily replied, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll listen to the Regent King.¡± He retrieved the Ruyi 1 from the te and turned to ask Xuanyuan Cheng, ¡°Which family¡¯s daughter does the Regent King favor?¡± However, Xuanyuan Cheng maintained a kindly expression and smiled. ¡°They are all good women who can please Your Majesty. However, from what I see, General Yangwei¡¯s youngest daughter, Yiguang, is gentle and pretty. Perhaps she is more suited for Your Majesty.¡± The eunuchs immediately stepped forward and ced Tang Yiguang¡¯s tablet in front of Xuanyuan Min. Without even looking, Xuanyuan Min repeatedzily, ¡°Whoever the Regent King thinks is the best, is the best.¡± He raised the Ruyi and was about to throw it onto her tablet when Xuanyuan Cheng smiled slightly. Just before the Ruyi left his hand, Xuanyuan Min suddenly grabbed it again and nced at Tang Yiguang. ¡°Surnamed Tang?¡± He asked with a smile. Tang Yiguang¡¯s mind had already drifted far away¡­ ¡°Surnamed Tang?¡± Tang Yiguang was still thinking of Meng Fuyao¡¯s, especially delicious sesame biscuits¡­ ¡°Surnamed Tang?¡± Xuanyuan Min had raised his voice on the final call and then curiously came down from his seat. He walked past Xuanyuan Cheng and just at the moment when his body blocked Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s, Meng Fuyao flicked her finger. Tang Yiguang let out a cry of surprise as she was hit by Meng Fuyao on her tailbone and fell on the ground with a thud, knocking down the bronze crane in front of the throne as it rolled away noisily. The eunuchs hastily rushed forward to pick it up, and in the midst of the chaos, Tang Yiguang had already begun to cry. ¡°Ouch, ouch¡­ pain¡­¡± Xuanyuan Min personally supported her back up and scrutinized her face where the makeup had run. ¡°Truly fragile, very fragile,¡± he said with a smile. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as he smiled again and said, ¡°Physician Yushi¡¯s daughter, Jian Xue, is famed in the city for being sensible and virtuous, truly a top choice in terms of character and appearance. She is a fine candidate as well.¡± The eunuchs immediately reced Tang Yiguang¡¯s tablet with Jian Xue¡¯s tablet. The girl herself was dressed in a simple and elegant light green and silver dress, clearly different from the other candidates who were dressed extravagantly. She did not move, but simply maintained her elegance and bowed slightly. On her head was a meticulously selected jade hairpin handed down from her grandmother, reflecting against the sunlight and shining on her five features, making her look even more vibrant. Xuanyuan Cheng watched her and did a quick mental evaluation. He felt that although this girl was perhaps a little scheming, this kind of scheming girl would best know how to grab an opportunity when it presented itself. That was not a bad choice, either. He smiled and looked at Xuanyuan Min, his expression serene, and did not say anything. Xuanyuan Min looked to be very satisfied as well and moved away from Tang Yiguang towards Jian Xue. He was about to speak when Jian Xue¡¯s face reddened, and she lowered her head shyly. Xuanyuan Min¡¯s expression wavered, and he reached out to lift her face. From the side, Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s eyes shed as he sipped his tea happily. ¡°Achoo!¡± Jian Xue suddenly sneezed! At this moment, during the serious and quiet selection of consorts, the sneeze not only shocked everyone but when Xuanyuan Ming raised his hand, his expression changed to that of disgust¡ªhis palm waspletely covered in mucus¡­ Jian Xue¡¯s face paled in an instant. Sneezing was one thing a person couldn¡¯t control, and she kept sneezing, one sneeze after another until she waspletely exhausted and humiliated. Her vision turned ck before her, and she let herself fall as she fainted¡­ Xuanyuan Min cleaned his hands on the handkerchief a eunuch had brought forward hurriedly andughed as he turned to Xuanyuan Cheng. ¡°Truly proper, very proper.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng downed half a cup of tea and nced at Jian Xue who was being supported to one side, then nced at Xuanyuan Min again, his eyebrows creasing slightly. Meng Fuyao shut her eyes in meditation. ¡®Lady Jian, you¡¯re so simple, you have the heart to hurt others, yet why didn¡¯t you think of self-defense? It¡¯s fine that you threw away the pearl powder that I gave you, but why didn¡¯t you throw it farther away? Why didn¡¯t you throw it away yourself? You don¡¯t understand the pains of themon folk¡ªsuch a precious powder, your servant wouldn¡¯t bear to really throw it away. She would have hidden it and used it for herself, but her using it is the same as you using it. It¡¯s actually itchy powder, usually harmless, but when youe into contact with His Majesty who loves using apitong essence, the powder will react, and you can await an endless flow of mucus¡­ Poor thing, the title of Empress of Snot will probably follow you for life already, haha.¡¯ Xuanyuan Cheng was no longer drinking tea but had straightened himself and looked at the candidates. Since two of his most favorable candidates for empress were eliminated, he naturally had his suspicions. Moreover, the next few candidates didn¡¯t seem to have any further problems. Xuanyuan Min went around them, his brows furrowed as if he had not managed to find one he favored. Finally, Xuanyuan Cheng said, ¡°Your Majesty, if you aren¡¯t able to find one that you favor, you can choose the four consorts first and select the most suitable one another time¡­¡± He had yet to finish speaking when Xuanyuan Min suddenly shut his eyes and picked up the ruyi from the te,ughing. ¡°I¡¯ll pick whomever itnds on!¡± Then, he threw it into the air. ¡°ng.¡± The sound of the ruyi hitting the ground startled everyone. Xuanyuan Cheng too scrounged his brows¡ªselect randomly? Even though he had a surprised expression¡ªrandom was fine too; besides, things had alreadye to this point anyway. The ruyi fell to the ground. It skidded between Yuwen Zi and Hua Zhirong. Hua Zhirong was so tense that her back was as straight as a rod and her eyes were fixed intently on the spinning ruyi. However, the ruyi soon came to a stop,nding on Yu Wenzi¡¯s name. Yuwen Zi! The entire pce was so silent one could hear a pin drop. The only sound came from the shrill voice of a eunuch as he called out the name, and all the other candidates huffed in anger¡ªnot because they weren¡¯t selected, but because the selection process was way too arduous and tortuous. All of the girls had waited with halted breaths, yet the pretty emperor purposely dragged the process on and made them anxious beyond relief. Now that the position of empress had been decided, despite their disappointment, the girls were finally free. Only Hua Zhirong¡¯s face was filled with hatred and anger as she red at the jade ruyi in the golden te¡ªit had clearly moved towards her, so how did it slide to Yuwen Zi¡¯s name? Without any change in expression, Meng Fuyao received the ruyi and said, ¡°Yuwen Zi expresses her gratitude!¡± Xuanyuan Min personally went to get her and Meng Fuyao lifted her eyes, making eye contact with him. Both of them were smiling merrily, and one party¡¯s eyes were filled with satisfaction while the other was clearly saying, ¡°We¡¯ll see, we¡¯ll see¡±. Xuanyuan Cheng was watching from the side, the steam from the tea he was holding clouding his deeply contemting eyes. Naturally, he knew that Xuanyuan Min especially favored Yu Wenzi, and it seemed like he had actually done some preparation in order to select her today. However, he didn¡¯t mind Xuanyuan Min¡¯s little trick; if a member of the Xuanyuan family didn¡¯t have any motives, then that would be abnormal instead. Now that he had selected his beloved as the empress, that was fine as well. At least he wouldn¡¯t have any excuses not to see the empress. Moreover¡­ He smiled behind the faint trail of steam. No matter what, since he had already given his opinion, Tang Yiguang and Jian Xue definitely had to be chosen. Since he did not make things difficult for Xuanyuan Min today, if Xuanyuan Min understood his intentions, he would know that he had already taken a step back. Hence, in the selection of consorts, the choices would naturally be clear. He was very clear about it, but Xuanyuan Min seemed to be extremely satisfied at having a wife that he had forgotten about the four consorts, preparing to leave with Meng Fuyao. The eunuch supervising the rites coughed loudly and unnaturally, and an official beside him stepped forward and tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Your Majesty, the four consorts¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Oh¡­¡± As though he suddenly remembered, Xuanyuan Min waved his sleeve and announced, ¡°Let the Regent King decide, I think anyone is fine, the delicate are delicate, the proper are proper.¡± Following that, he pulled Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve again and walked towards the pce. Meng Fuyao covered her face with a sleeve ¡°shyly¡± and nced back at the Regent King for help. Finally, Xuanyuan Cheng couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and cleared his throat. ¡°Your Majesty, where are you going?¡± he said. ¡°Going back to sing opera,¡± Xuanyuan Min replied gleefully. ¡°After singing¡­ then we can talk about matters of the heart.¡± The pce was filled with the sound of coughing as Xuanyuan Cheng replied, ¡°Your Majesty, this is the empress, wouldn¡¯t it be too demeaning to just drag her into the pce like this?¡± Xuanyuan Min sighed and let go of Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand, then asked, frowning, ¡°When will the official ceremony be held, today?¡± ¡°When themon folks marry, they also don¡¯t marry on the same day, but first pay a visit. There are also many ceremonies involved, much less for the royalty? ording to tradition, the empress should be invited from the mother¡¯s house and brought to the pce, but since Empress Yuwen¡¯s family is far away in Changning and she has no other rtives in the city, the Regent King¡¯s manor can be considered as her house. I will treat her as my real younger sister and send her offvishly.¡± Turning to the ministry of rites, he ordered, ¡°Prepare to issue an announcement to the nation, the emperor is about to get married, and send invitations to the royal families of the other nations.¡± Following that, he smiled and stood up. He turned to face Meng Fuyao and bowed, saying, ¡°It is a true honor for the Regent King¡¯s manor to produce an empress.¡± Meng Fuyao bowed courteously and reciprocated, ¡°It is merely this little sister¡¯s fortune, the credit goes to elder brother.¡± She secretly shook off the goosebumps growing on her arms, suddenly remembering a very serious problem¡ªIt seemed like the Xuanyuan family¡¯s session tradition was something like ¡°if the emperor dies, the younger brother takes over¡±, so Xuanyuan Cheng and Xuanyuan Min were both of the same generation as Prince Wenyi; now that she was ¡°married¡± to Xuanyuan Min, wouldn¡¯t that make her Zong Yue¡¯s aunt? ¡®Oh, hahahahaha¡­¡¯ Aunt Meng envisioned a certain poison-tongued, cold, young man dressed in flowy white robes calling her ¡°aunt¡±, and cracked a wry smile. Xuanyuan Min eyed her strangely. ¡®This woman is really not right in the head, doesn¡¯t she know what position she is in already? It¡¯s clear that Xuanyuan Cheng has let her into his manor because he doesn¡¯t trust her and there is a high chance that he will test her again, yet she can still smile so carefreely¡­¡¯ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month of the twelfth year of the Zhaoning era in Xuanyuan, the royal Xuanyuan family had finally selected the empress from the Yuwen family. It also so happened that the new queen came from the north of Xuanyuan, from the Changning Wang tribe, and was distantly rted to the Regent King. Hence currently, all the attention was upon the Regent King¡¯s manor. After thirteen days, the Regent King¡¯s manor would send Yuwen Zi off as a younger sister with avish ceremony for her to be wedded into the imperial pce. Chapter 230 - Untitled Chapter 230: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Entering the pce with the new empress were the Consort of Nobility, Tang Yiguang, and the Consort of Virtue, Hua Zhirong. Apart from the four imperial consorts, there was also the Jade Consort, Jian Xue. The ceremonial preparations were almostplete, and all the streets were decorated with brightly colorednterns and red streamers. In particr, the short street from the Regent King¡¯s manor leading to the imperial pce was especially vibrant with flowers everywhere, characteristic of the royal family style. Because there were too many flowers, the supervisor in charge of building the structures had to go into the city to hireborers to finish the work before the big wedding day. In the city, the queue forborers had stretched into a long line, and their physical condition was scrutinized carefully by the eunuchs as if they were animals. However, it was but a trifling issue they had to suffer¡ªwhenever the royal family hired workers, the remuneration and clothing were always pretty good. Furthermore, it was also an honor to talk about it. That bright morning, the Minister of Rites, Eunuch Zhao, headed out to the city again and bumped into the head housekeeper of the Regent King¡¯s manor, so they set out together to selectborers. After a while, they had selected ten men and were about to leave when Eunuch Zhao noticed a youngd standing in the corner of the street. The youngd was dark and strong, his features well-defined. There was also a scar on his face, and he was covered in ayer of dust and dirt, even the color of his clothes was already unrecognizable. He was ad that the people of the city often met hanging around. The only strange thing was the whip he carried on his back¡ªck and covered with streaks of metal. There was nothing strange about it, just that, weren¡¯t whips supposed to be carried at the waist, so why was he carrying it on his back? Eunuch Zhao¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, and he approached the young man and asked, ¡°Why do you carry that whip on your back?¡± The youngd raised his head, and a strange, bright expression appeared on his dirt-ridden face. The expression was simr to that of a wild beast, and Eunuch Zhao unconsciously stepped back. Nheless, the youngd retracted his expression and rasped, ¡°Are you looking forborers?¡± Eunuch Zhao shook his head. The ten people he wanted were already selected. When the young man saw him shake his head, he immediately turned away and ignored him. However, Eunuch Zhao¡¯s interest was piqued. He felt that thisd was rather interesting and reached out to pull the whip on his hack when thed suddenly turned around and moved his fingers! Fortunately for Eunuch Zhao, someone was with him and immediately pulled him away, along with augh. ¡°Eunuch Zhao, you¡¯d better not touch thisd¡¯s whip, I recognize him, several days ago he was selling his arts at the Nation Protecting Temple, and he had whipped a bunch of thugs half to death. They had thought that he was weak, but once they touched his whip, he flipped over and whipped them till their legs broke. Therefore, you can touch him all you want, but don¡¯t touch his whip.¡± Eunuch Zhao was intrigued by the story and asked, ¡°What kind of treasure is it? Is it that precious?¡± However, he did not try to touch it anymore, and the youngd slowly let go. Eunuch Zhao peered at him, thinking that his build was pretty decent and would make for a goodborer. He thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°Want to work for me?¡± The youngd raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The pce!¡± said Eunuch Zhao confidently, expecting thed to smile with happiness. However, the youngd immediately shook his head and said, ¡°Not going!¡± Eunuch Zhao tutted and turned to the Regent King¡¯s manor¡¯s head housekeeper and asked, ¡°Old Lee, look at thisd, isn¡¯t he interesting? Doesn¡¯t the Regent King¡¯s manor require workers too? Why don¡¯t you ask him if he¡¯s willing to go?¡± Upon hearing ¡°Regent King¡¯s manor¡±, the youngd immediately raised his head and eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Eunuch Zhao and Old Lee were startled for a moment, then Eunuch Zhao gave a self-mockingugh and said, ¡°Even a foreign, wanderingd knows that the Regent King¡¯s manor is superior to the imperial pce¡­¡± He patted the youngd¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Next time when you havepleted your work at the Regent King¡¯s manor, you cane to the pce and do some odd jobs. Ie to the city often, my surname is Zhao.¡± The youngd raised his head again, looked at Eunuch Zhao intently, then nodded. After wandering around for more than a month, this was the first person that treated him kindly. The youngd¡¯s weather-beaten, hardened gaze softened slightly. This youngd was naturally Little Seven. Protecting the whip, wandering the earth, waiting for Meng Fuyao to wield it, Little Seven could never go back unless he found her. That day after being chased away by Zhan Beiye, Little Seven stood at the top of Mt. Yu. The sky was vast above him, and he didn¡¯t know where to start searching. He had tried searching in the country, but even with Zhan Beiye¡¯s supply of personnel, it was fruitless. Hence, he began looking at other countries. Simple-minded people would have simple thoughts, and the straightforward thought was to head to the heart of everything. Little Seven¡¯s eyes fell on Xuanyuan, the neighboring country of Dahan. When finding someone, one must naturally start from the closest point, and he had spent quite a significant amount of effort and energy to get into Xuanyuan, but that didn¡¯t require mentioning anymore. When he kept moving, he actually still didn¡¯t think of anything, and after entering Xuanyuan, he quickly became a nobody and spent his days begging or stealing food until he reached Kunjing¡ªMeng Fuyao was a ma for royal trouble and her favorite hobby was to create havoc in other people¡¯s countries; hence, a trip to Kunjing was a definite must. However, he had no money and still had to eat, so he put the skills he learned previously when he was working in the tourism industry to use and performed in the streets, and the Nation Protecting Temple was the most suitable ce for street arts. Finally, he got wind of the ¡°Literate Magical Rabbit¡±. Little Seven had never met Lord Yuan Bao before, but he had heard Zhan Beiye mention about this bad-tempered magic rodent, and now that he heard about the people in the streets talking about a ¡°Your Mother¡± coupletpleting rabbit, he immediately thought of Lord Yuan Bao. Things became slightly easier after that since wherever Lord Yuan Bao was, Meng Fuyao would also be there. Since it had been taken in as the little master¡¯s pet, Meng Fuyao would be at the Regent King¡¯s manor. After confirming this piece of news, he sighed for a long time¡­. After two months of wandering from Dahan to Xuanyuan, he was no longer an honored noble of the Han dynasty, a hero, the young and ferocious Captain Little Seven in the ck Wind Calvary, or the ¡°General Seven¡± that everyone patronized in the new dynasty. He was just a wanderer awaiting punishment, carrying a whip, walking across the earth¡¯s surface endlessly. For two months, he had been drenched in the rain, covered in snow, fallen ill, fallen off a cliff, stealing food and got bitten by a family¡¯s dog ¨C that was when he was extremely tired, and in pain, and in the end he still got bitten. The first time he stole vegetables, he had been cursed by the owner and felt extremely sad for a long time, but after a while he got used to it, stuffing his robe with corn cobs and twisting the neck of the owner¡¯s dog when it came running out. However, all of that wasn¡¯t the hardest to cope with. The hardest to cope with was the loneliness, the bone-chilling loneliness of having been abandoned. Spending nights alone out in the barren mountains and wilderness, a single shadow facing a pile of firewood that has been put out. Hearing the wolves howl at the moon, their cries reverberating across the valley, his heart would beat ferociously, and he too would have the urge to extend his neck towards the moon and howl, howl that the world was cold and cruel, howl so that he wouldn¡¯t feel the loneliness. It was the same as many years ago. He was a wolf child. His parents had died since he was young and he was abandoned in the mountains by his uncle. A female wolf adopted him; he had thought that it was his mother and fed on her milk, hunted with it, had yed fights with his wolf siblings, hunted for rabbits in the snow during winter, his bare feet leaving footprints faster than his wolf siblings. When the moon was bright and round, he would howl to his heart¡¯s content. He did not know how many years he had lived this way, but he was discovered by a hunter and brought back. The old hunter taught him to eat rice and speak¡ªinitially, he only knew how to eat raw meat and bark. After he had learned how to eat rice, speak humannguage and basic human behavior, the old hunter passed away, and his son threw him out once again¡ªthis wolf child was proud and ungrateful and behaved just like a wolf if he stayed he would jinx the family sooner orter! He had heard this through a crack in the door and returned silently to the mountains to find his wolf family. However, the old female wolf had already been killed by hunters and the wolf siblings he had spent his younger days ying around with had grown into strong adult wolves, and they bared their ws at him, ring at him with animosity, growling menacingly. Hence, he understood, he couldn¡¯t go back anymore. Regardless of humans or wolves, no ce was his home. He eventually became a wanderer, picked up by humans, and even thest sliver of freedom in the mountainous wild was taken from him. He also met the cold and fearless wolf-like ck Wind Calvary. He had a family, had a master who was the eternal king in the future. He worshipped him the same way he worshipped the leader of the pack. Besides, humans were but weaker wolves. He was the valiant Little Seven, giving all his energy and effort to Zhan Beiye, all his passion, and courage to the ck Wind Calvary. His gaze was straight, like a wild beast which could only look ahead, never turning around to look at the scenery around him, but also never turning back. Hence, he hadmitted such a grave and painful mistake to the point where he was unable to face it himself. Thest few months, every time he washed his face, he would see Zhan Beiye¡¯s disappointed face. That expression was indescribable, and it only made him want to tear his heart out in guilt. He was terrified of facing this heart-wrenching foreign guilt, and since then, he stopped washing his face. Thosete nights, the intense loneliness, coupled with the howling of the wind, kept him awake. The hail would extinguish the fire he set for warmth in an instant, and he would awaken due to the cold, then climb to the highest mountain peak and stare wistfully in the direction of Dahan. He wondered, ¡®What is His Majesty doing now? Ji Yu and the rest must have reced me for night duty.¡¯ This thought made him miss the ck Wind Calvary; he had never been apart for this long previously. The days were as long as a lifetime, and he had finally gotten a clear look at himself¡ªa wolf that hated humans due to his background as a wolf child, a proud and self-important wolf that was always being protected by humans. Under the patience and guidance of his master and counterparts, over thest sixteen years, he had learned to let go of his hatred, let go of the innate wildness of a wolf and learned to be a human, beginning from the most difficult part. Little Seven pursed his lips and hoisted the tools he had bought for himself along with the ¡°you can touch everything but this¡± whip and followed the head housekeeper to the Regent King¡¯s manor. He thought that entering the Regent King¡¯s manor would be the closest to reaching Meng Fuyao, yet what he did not know was that he had already missed an even better chance by ident. Chapter 231 - Untitled Chapter 231: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The moment Little Seven had quietly followed the butler to enter the residence, Meng Fuyao was grandly andvishly weed into the Regent King¡¯s residence as the next empress-to-be, with ¡°Chun Mei¡± as her maid. She strolled into the red door and thought about the days she tried to get through the door; she had even betrayed Tie Cheng for it. The way the world worked was certainly funny, with a trip to the ce, she was now the next empress, and the Regent King¡¯s residence was now her maiden¡¯s house. Her gazended on a marking near the red door. ¡®Tie Cheng has already safely made his way out, seemingly with someone¡¯s help? Did Wuji¡¯s invisible guards finally reach?¡¯ The official politely led her to the third inner court, Residence Harmony, which was her temporary residence, close to the little princess¡¯ ce. She did not know that in front of her, an innocent young man that had been searching for her for the past two months, was standing at the intersection point. Some meetings were unknown to the people involved; only fate knew. Meng Fuyao¡¯s residence was very near to the little princess¡¯ residence. Naturally, the Regent King had already enjoined his daughter to ¡°spend more effort¡± on this Xuanyuan empress-to-be. With all matters excluding ones regarding her Brother Yue, she very obediently heeded her father¡¯s words. And so, she invited Meng Fuyao over for a tea session. Actually, this rabbit-like princess could not be said to be a social butterfly; nking out as she sipped her tea and answering wrongly to questions about apletely different topic. Anyways, this rabbit princess was now thinner than before. Brother Yue wasn¡¯ting back, and the ¡°Magical Rabbit¡± had vanished into thin air. She had sent people to search but could not find any trace of it. Heartbroken, the princess had spent days with tears in her eyes. Meng Fuyao looked at her teary eyes and thought, ¡®Even Lin Dai Yu 1 would have to admit defeat seeing her.¡¯ Looking at the exquisite lifestyle, this delicate, fragile girl lived, she had that one moment when her heart softened. But then, there was no construction without destruction. To crumble the beautiful, rosy world that her father had built for her might not necessarily be a bad thing. After all, she had to face them eventually. Meng Fuyao stayed in the princess¡¯ room for approximately two hours, talking about everything under the sun. She also brought up another country¡¯s ancedote: The story of the descendants of a certain royalty being hunted down by a powerful official. The two had a battle of wits and power, but in the end, both sides suffered great losses. The little princess listened attentively, and as expected, she very quickly rted to the story. cing both hands on her chest, she sighed. ¡°Thankfully, not all stories have this ending.¡± ¡°If not this ending, what else could it be?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed menacingly. ¡°The two hold such deep grudge against each other without a desire topromise. Not just them, even today, which fight for power would end up in a happy ending? It is merely killing each other off.¡± ¡°But why must they kill each other?¡± asked the innocent, confused princess. ¡°They could stille together to find a peaceful solution.¡± ¡°Princess, you certainly are benevolent.¡± Meng Fuyao inched closer as the fresh baby scent wafted up to her nose,menting the injustice in life. ¡®Why do some people get to huddle up in their tiny little soap bubble without it bursting and them crashing down? No, this can¡¯t do.¡¯ Evil Meng would burst it for her. ¡°But a peaceful solution is impossible. There is no such idiot in the world that would take a step in the face of their enemies. You have to understand that once you take a step back, what you give up is the life of the entire family. Whoever is in this situation will not do that.¡± After sowing the seeds of ¡®poison¡¯, Evil Meng smiled and turned to leave. ¡°Then, princess, I shall take my leave.¡± The princess sunk into herst, poisonous sentence as she replied, bewildered, ¡°Ah? Okay.¡± Meng Fuyao did not ask her to send her off either¡ªthis poor girl could probably think of only one thing at once a time. Then, she shall let this girl focus on tasting the poisonous apple Evil Meng had just given to her. That night, Meng Fuyao sat down at her Residence Harmony and smiled slyly at Shadow de behind the closed doors. At the same time, it was time for the Regent King¡¯s daily routine to visit his daughter. He sat beside his daughter as they chatted for a long time. Xuanyuan Cheng sat on his daughter¡¯s bed as he lovingly yet resignedly caressed her hair. This child was born prematurely, resulting in her weak constitution; even her personality was timid and weak. Even though he had begged his senior Moon Soul to teach her personally and trained her since young, she was still as timid though she had finally learned some martial arts. Sometimes, when he looked at his daughter, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of karma his past life had umted to have no sons in this life and have his only daughter to be this weak. If this was not the case, he would have long usurped the throne. To him, ¡®bestowed names cannot be emperor¡¯ were mere excuses used by the officials in the court. In the battle for power, one¡¯s ability was God. If one day he really decided to usurp the throne, he wouldn¡¯t allow for those old officials to say a single word. The only reason why they were still alive was just because he was toozy to deal with them. What was the use of the throne? He had no heir. It was easy for him to take the throne, but after his inevitable death, he would leave this child on the throne with no support to face the obstacles and the underhanded schemes of the imperial family. What then, would the tragic ending look like? One could see the fear in Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Xuanyuan Yun. A sigh could not help but escape from his mouth. Xuanyuan Yun looked at her father, meekly. She wasn¡¯t dumb, so naturally, she knew why her father had sighed. In her heart, she too wished that she was more bold and courageous so that her father would not have to worry for her. However, her grandfather had always warned her, ¡°Xun Er, you don¡¯t have to be strong. The Xuanyuan family has the blood of an ancient god in their veins, and they have the rightful inheritance to the throne. It will not end well for those who steal unrightfully. With you being weak, your father will always be hesitant and not choose to make the grave mistake. Otherwise, do you really want to be enemies with Ah Yue for the rest of your life?¡± To be enemies with Brother Yue for the rest of her life¡­ she would rather die. ¡°Father, why isn¡¯t Brother Yue willing toe back?¡± she asked that same question for the millionth time. Xuanyuan Cheng looked at his ipetent daughter as a hint of dismay appeared in his eyes. Recently, he had been feeling frustrated and looking his daughter absorbed in the idea of her Brother Yue¡¯s return, coupled with his gut feeling, he couldn¡¯t help but want to give this daughter he had spoilt a wakeup call. ¡°You really wish for him toe back earlier, and then, kill your father?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Xuanyuan Yun did not know how to answer. ¡°You beg me to convince him toe back but do you really not know that he and I are at daggers drawn? The grudge between us is deeply embedded into our very soul, what methods do you have for us to bury the hatchet? Return his position? You marrying him?¡± Xuanyuan Yun opened her mouth and stared at Xuanyuan Cheng, shocked. ¡°Putting aside whether he will marry you. Your idea alone is childish to the point it¡¯s ridiculous! Return his title as a Lord? Do you think that Ah Yue will be satisfied with a mere lord position? ¡°What about the revenge for Wen Yi¡¯s family? Don¡¯t you dare forget that his father died in my hands! He was initially the heir to the throne!¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± Xuanyuan Yun paused for a second, taken aback. Suddenly, she turned around and red at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t convince him toe back at all, did you?¡± Xuanyuan Cheng remained silent. After a while, he stood up and said, ¡°Rest well and take care of yourself. Don¡¯t worry too much about these. Some things are not as simple as you think.¡± ¡°You have not answered my question!¡± Xuanyuan Yun suddenly jumped down from her bed and kneeled down on the cold jade floor. She grabbed the Regent King¡¯s sleeve and looked right into his eyes. ¡°You did not convince him toe back¡­ I even told you his identity and location¡­ what¡­ what have you done to him?¡± Her skinny body bent over like a crescent moon. Her straightened neck was paler than the moon; it was so thin too, as though a gentle grasp could shatter it. Those long eyshes fluttered, framing the graceful gaze of hers. But right now, in those eyes, tears of fear swirled, blurring the vision of the ever noble father. Xuanyuan Cheng back-faced her, standing straight. The sentence ¡®things I have to do¡¯ almost rushed out of his mouth, but he swallowed back in. Eventually, what came out was a sorrowful, restrained sigh. He turned back and carried his daughter back onto her bed. ¡°Be good, nothing, I didn¡¯t manage to find him.¡± ¡°You did something to him!¡± Despite his lies, she understood. When her father asked her to ¡®be good¡¯, the majority of the time was because he needed to lie to her. One could see the green veins on her pale hands as she held tightly onto his sleeves as tears streamed down her face. ¡°You lied to me, you lied to me, you lied to me! You liar!¡± she yelled. She had been ill for a couple of days, and her voice was now raspy and hoarse. Her husky screams, packed full of anguish and disappointment, tore through the hearts of those who heard, shattering the peaceful atmosphere in this luxurious ce that knew nothing of the pain and sorrows of the world. At that moment, the silk bed canopy rose with the breeze and gently covered the little princess¡¯ frail shoulders. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s steady hands begun to tremble ¨C but only in that second ¨C and then, he calmly and slowly pried away, Xuanyuan Yun¡¯s hands and stood up. Once again, back-facing Xuanyuan Yun, he coldly told her, ¡°Yun Er, you are my daughter, the descendant of royalty. In the past, there were some things that you refused to understand, and so, I shielded you from the painful things. But now, I feel that I have harmed you. Why shouldn¡¯t you know? You not understanding anything is my greatest wrongdoing to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about knowing anything¡­¡± Xuanyuan Yun stared at him with her watery eyes. ¡°You are lying again, you are lying again. Grandfather was right. You lied to the world. Before Mother died, you held her hand and promised her that you would never marry again, but within a year after her death, you took in three concubines¡­ you lied to Mother, and now you are lying to me¡­ You harmed my Brother Yue¡­ You have made me unable to face him even in death¡­¡± ¡°Yun Er!¡± hollered Xuanyuan Cheng. Xuanyuan Yun trembled as she quickly shut up. It was one of the first time seeing her ever gentle father shaking in anger, fury written all over his face. She opened her mouth in fear, and then remembered that in her emotional state, she had said extremely unpleasant words that hit hard on her father¡¯s sore spot. Seeing that her father had raised his hand, filled with rage, she could not help but retreat in terror and crouch in the corner of the bed. Xuanyuan Cheng had his hand in the air but seeing his daughter¡¯s fearful gaze, his heart ached. That gaze resembled the one who had passed, pure and clear like water, without a hint of contamination. It was the kind of rity that aroused one¡¯s desire to protect with everything he could¡­ his queen, the only person he had ever loved. Before she passed, he held her hand and swore that he would not marry others, he promised that he would love their child with his everything¡­ But he had already broken the very first promise. Chapter 232 - Untitled Chapter 232: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios All for an heir. Now, he dared not even pay respects to her grave. On the day of her death anniversary, all he could do was to burn three joss sticks in his room. Amidst the swirling smoke, the illusion of her eyes filled with condemnation were every so real. He owed her too much; a debt that could not be repaid in this lifetime. The gut-wrenching betrayal he hadmitted all for an heir, but still, his sacrifices did not bring him an heir! He had taken control over his own life with his iron fist, but yet, the fangs of revenge continued to follow him, leaving wounds that would not heal for eternity. Xuanyuan Cheng slowly put his hand down. At this moment, he felt as though his ambitions were shattered. ¡®All these years of painstakingly nning, schemes just to give you the very best¡­ but your gaze is on somewhere else¡­ why bother, why bother¡­¡¯ He looked at his daughter with fear and anger in his eyes. In a trance, he thought, ¡®She hates me too¡­ hate me then¡­¡¯ ¡°You are only concerned about your Brother Yue, but has your Brother Yue ever thought about you?¡± He calmed down and slowly walked towards her. ¡°Do you know why I have no children other than you? Do you know why your only brother died at infancy? Yun Er¡­ It turns out you are also part of the cold-blooded royal family, but your coldness is only towards your father that loves you so much.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xuanyuan Yun stood there, paralyzed. As the pair of father and daughter fought, Meng Fuyao eavesdropped from behind the wall gleefully. With her ears upright, she meticulously identified the muffled sobbing sound from the residence opposite as aplicated expression filled with pain and joy hang on her face. Behind her, Shadow de leaned on the wall, crossed-arm, beside the tree, his eyes filled with amusement. In the entrance further down stood Little An. The rest of the servants that were sent over by the Regent King were all stopped outside of the courtyard to allow her to carry out her deeds. The sound of the door opening seemed rushed. Xuanyuan Cheng hurried out, his footsteps were elegant and solid. In his haste, his posture was tilted as he walked. An evil thought crept into Meng Fuyao¡¯s head, ¡®Could it be that he had a stroke?¡¯ But upon closer look, she realized that his footsteps were a little odd. Despite the speed, every step was solid. ¡®Could it be a martial art he has trained in?¡¯ She should have gotten down immediately, but her curiosity made her stare longer than she should have as she tried to decipher Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s martial arts. Seeing her there unmoved, Shadow de panicked as he rushed forward and hugged her leg, trying to pull her down. Meng Fuyao refused as she clung onto the wall. Shadow de grabbed her leg. This girl, fresh out of the shower, wore only a thin dress in the cold. Even though the dress could cover her skin, the flowery scent of her skin could not be covered by it. Between the pieces of cloth, her white skin sparkled, tender and soft. And so he hugged, not wanting to let go. Meng Fuyao¡¯s attention was still focused on Xuanyuan Cheng as she carelessly patted his head like a little puppy, urging him to let go. Shadow de ignored her, and the absent-minded Meng Fuyao paid no heed. After all, she was still analyzing Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s martial arts; something that seemed useful for her to break through the sixth level and third section of her ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡±. Then she felt something tightened around her kneecap. As though something was stuck to it. Slightly cooling, she could feel the silky smooth skin even with the thin piece of dress between them a little itchy too. A certain someone had too long eyshes and had managed to tickle her knee despite her dress. It reminded her of the flower petals that would gently flutter and float on peaceful water during springtime, with not an ounce of its beauty diminished. Meng Fuyao heart fluttered too, and it was soon followed by fits of giggles as the eyshes tickled her. As sheughed, he looked down and saw Shadow de gently hugging her leg with his face glued to her knee. She trembled a little, and the tiles on the wall rang quietly. From afar, Xuanyuan Cheng immediately turned over. Shocked, Meng Fuyao immediately jumped down, but she had totally forgotten that her leg was still in someone¡¯s embrace. With this jump, the force had silently pushed the still injured Shadow de over. Yet, he refused to let go of her leg and so, just like that, Meng Fuyao was too dragged down by him. Meng Fuyao was a worrywart, to begin with, and as she fell down, she still recalled that the severe injuries on Shadow de¡¯s back were not healed¡ªhe could be her meat cushion. And so, she quickly turned and cushioned him. His body heavily pressed down on hers. As he fell down, he could not control his weakened body, and his facended right in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Meng Fuyao nkly stared at this face without any form of makeup, only the hair-do of ady. But even so, his beauty was ever so stunning and breathtaking. She rolled her eyes and pushed him away, but Shadow de was still on her, panting slightly. His scent rushed up to her nose. It wasn¡¯t the fragrance of a flower, yet it was more seductive than a flower fragrance. This man that belonged to the night had an air of mystery that surrounded one. His hand wrapped around her waist gently, not wanting to let go as he gazed into her eyes. Their legs intertwined, all their actions silently screaming ¡®entangled¡¯ at this very moment. Fragrance wafted as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes. A lifetime of loneliness, love to be forgotten at this moment. Shadow de closed his eyes and panted slightly, content with that fact that the kinddy under him didn¡¯t dare to push him away with too much force for fear of hurting him. His eyes remained closed as he took the chance to savor every fragrance that belonged to her¡­ ¡®Ah, her scent is like a flower at the top of a cliff, noble yet amiable, cold yet warm, blooming from afar.¡¯ He opened his eyes and cherished every moment of eye contact they had as though thest hope that was destroyed was once again rekindled. ¡°How much luck do I have in this life to be able to exchange for a single moment just to have you in my arms¡­¡± His raspy voice was like a soft finger rubbing against fine sandpaper, a melody that would somehow take one¡¯s soul away. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped, but at the same time, she could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer. A servant quickly announced the Regent King¡¯s arrival. Meng Fuyao was just about to push Shadow de away when Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s cheerful voice resounded from outside the courtyard. ¡°I havee to pay my respects to the empress and to see if there are any inconveniences that you may have.¡± He was surprisingly respectful as he stood outside to wait, but he made thedy in charge report to him what the empress was doing. ¡°Mydy is admiring the moon with her servants.¡± Meng Fuyao quietly sighed as she pulled the silent Shadow de up. ¡°Look at the mess. Quickly shrink your bones, and hopefully, the Regent King¡¯s visit tonight will not be over an hour¡­ Otherwise¡­¡± But¡­ Murphy¡¯sw, you see. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s visit dragged on as he sat in the front hall, not wanting to leave. Shadow de¡¯s ¡°Chun Mei¡± carefully ¡°served¡± him. From her appearance, ¡°Chun Mei¡± was a normal maid that Xuanyuan Cheng had paid no attention to. But before he left, he suddenly started to discuss about the talents in the Seven Kingdoms. The hands on the clock ticked. Xuanyuan Cheng rambled on jovially; Meng Fuyao listened in trepidation, worrying that Shadow de could not maintain his bone-shrinking. Once it was revealed, it would be ¡®Game Over¡¯ for everyone. All she could do was to continue the conversation as naturally as possible while carefully listening to Shadow de¡¯s movements. However, after an hour, she could hear the slightest cackling of a bone. ¡°Ka!¡± This sound echoed like a bomb in her ears, almost robbing her of her hearing. The bone-shrinking was undone! Opposite her, the smiling Xuanyuan Cheng suddenly kept quiet as his gaze scanned across the room. Meng Fuyao immediately lifted up her finger that was on her knees and awkwardly mumbled, ¡°Argh, can¡¯t get used to wearing nail sleeves¡­ it broke again.¡± On her left middle finger sat a broken nail sleeve. Xuanyuan Cheng kept his gaze. Meng Fuyao feared the sound of the bones would ring once more¡ªher nail sleeves could not be broken continuously. She quickly coughed elegantly, covering her lips with her sleeves as she said, ¡°My bad, Regent King. I cannot get used to the weather in the capital and have caught a cold.¡± She then ordered ¡°Chun Mei¡± to ask Little An to bring her some ginseng pills. ¡°Chun Mei¡± bowed as he turned to walk away. Suddenly, Xuanyuan Cheng asked, ¡°Your Highness has a cold? Oh, dear, how could this be? Chun Mei, get the doctor in the residence to visit.¡± Meng Fuyao panicked. It was obvious that Shadow de could not maintain his bone-shrinking technique any longer and having to walk to the front courtyard in this state would cause trouble, especially given that she would not be by his side. If Xuanyuan Cheng were to catch him, she wouldn¡¯t be able to save him even if she wanted to. ¡°A mere cold. The imperial doctor has already written down the medication, and if I were to use other medication, they might sh. Furthermore, the night is no longer young, it would be extremely inconvenient.¡± Meng Fuyao emphasized the words ¡°extremely inconvenient¡±, meaning: You, Regent King, in my ce at this time of the night is extremely inconvenient. Unfortunately, Xuanyuan Cheng did not get the hint. With a smile, he replied, ¡°We are all family. There is no such thing as an inconvenience between us.¡± And then, he turned to ¡°Chun Mei¡± and ordered sternly, ¡°Go now!¡± Meng Fuyao could feel her heart palpitating as her skin crawled. Forcefully calming herself down, she gracefully made her way over and ordered. ¡°Very well, Chun Mei do go¡­¡± Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s expression rxed. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao leaned forward, and Shadow de reached out to help her. Meng Fuyao had now gotten back on her feet and gave Shadow de a p. Chapter 233 - Untitled Chapter 233: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°You dumbss! How many times have I told you to not put the little incense burner under the table! You¡¯ll cause someone to trip and fall! Go and keep it right now!¡± That p of hers produced a crisp sound as it rang in the room despite not hitting him. The long sleeve nails embedded with jewels slit open Shadow de¡¯s cor. He quickly covered it while Meng Fuyao continued to reprimand him, ¡°Ugly b*tch. What kind of ce do you think this is for you to show your ugliness! Little An, drag this thing out and drill some discipline in her!¡± Her words came out like the wind, and once the final word was said, Little An had already bowed as he vicariously dragged ¡°Chun Mei¡± away, berating ¡°her¡± as he walked. ¡°You are an experienced maid beside Her Highness, but how can you still make such amateur mistakes. Wait till you get to the pce¡­¡± His voice gradually faded into the night, and from afar, one could hear the soft sobbing sound of ady. Meng Fuyao turned around ¡°enraged¡± as she mustered a small smile to Xuanyuan Cheng. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to see that. Chun Mei is a maid I brought over from Chang Ning. She¡¯s isn¡¯t very smart, but she has been by my side since I was young after all¡­ Keeping her around¡­ nostalgic, I guess¡­¡± As she ¡°reminisced¡± the past, the corner of her eyes reddened. Xuanyuan Cheng watched her. He had heard that while this Yuwen Zi was the eldest daughter of the Yuwen family, due to her mother¡¯s early passing, she had been neglected as the concubines pulled the strings. The treatment she had was not one that was considered appropriate for her status and might have shaped the temperament she now had. Looking at it, the information seemed to match. He quickly smiled. ¡°Your Highness is filial and generous. I understand.¡± Meng Fuyao ced her hand on the table, and she lightly yawned. With her eyes ncing at the clock and a smile on her face, she mumbled, ¡°This incense certainly makes one sleepy¡­¡± Xuanyuan Cheng ¡°came to a sudden realization¡± and looked at the time. With a smile filled with a bit of guilt, he replied, ¡°I was too worried about your body and actually forgot about the time. Please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± ¡°What are you saying,¡± replied Meng Fuyao politely. ¡°This discussion with you has been enlightening, and after I enter the pce, I still hope to learn from you.¡± Then, she turned to order her maids to send the Regent King out in her stead. She had already announced his departure, and so Xuanyuan Cheng could only stand up to take his leave. ¡°Please rest early, Your Highness. I have ordered the doctors toe to the inner courtyard, and they will wait for your instructions.¡± At this moment, Meng Fuyao only wanted this pest to leave immediately, and she half-heartedly agreed. He continued to ramble on and nagged. Meng Fuyao¡¯s fingernails dug into her palm, but her expression remained unchanged as she courteously responded. With an elegant posture, she smiled and graciously sent Xuanyuan Cheng to the door while listening out to any sort of moment happening behind. She blocked the door and stood rooted to the ground. Unsurprisingly, Xuanyuan Cheng indeed turned back after a few steps and said, ¡°Your Highness, please go back and rest early.¡± His cold gaze scanned Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. Finally, he rxed upon seeing her calm and peaceful behavior and strutted out of the door. Meng Fuyao slowly closed the door and ordered Little An to put the curtains down. ¡°Chun Mei, bring me some water to wash off my makeup!¡± Her voice could be heard clearly before being cut off by the closed doors. Once the front door was closed, Meng Fuyao instantly bolted back into the room. She sprinted into the room and quietly opened the door. Shadow de was still in his ¡°Chun Mei¡± appearance, standing behind the door without changing his clothes. Seeing that he still did not return to his original appearance, she stomped her foot anxiously. ¡°You, you, you¡­ Why haven¡¯t you quickly recovered!?¡± Only when the crackling sound of the bones sounded again did Shadow de slowly reply, ¡°If he were to turn back¡­¡± Withoutpleting the sentence, he copsed. Meng Fuyao reached to support him. Before he could say anything else, a mouthful of fresh blood spattered all over, dying half her dress ruby red. Concerned, Meng Fuyao sealed his acupuncture point and moved him to the bed wanting to heal his wounds. Suddenly, Little An entered and informed her, ¡°The Regent King is currently outside in the courtyard. He seemed to have ordered his servants something, I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying as it was too far.¡± ¡°Is it possible for you to contact His Majesty?¡± Meng Fuyao turned around, the capiries in her eyes evident. ¡°Xuanyuan Cheng is still suspicious of me. He will definitely take action tonight. The most possible course of action he would take is to say that there is an assassin and search my residence. We need countermeasures.¡± Little An contemted. ¡°There is¡­ But¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what methods you use. Get Xuanyuan Min here, or else, I will wash this off my hands and leave. All conditions will be invalid!¡± Meng Fuyao cut him off, annoyed. ¡°Quick!¡± Little An thought about it, bowed and made his way out. Tonight would be another sleepless night. In the middle of the night, the serenity in the Regent King¡¯s residence was broken as the yells of the word ¡®Assassins¡¯ filled the air. What followed were torches being simultaneously lit up, bringing light to the dark and gloomy residence. Everyone¡¯s response was quick, almost too quick for a response under normal circumstances. The guards were neatly groomed, appearing in the perfect ce at the perfect time. The Regent King rushed out of his own room, not a button wrong, clothes neat and tidy. He was in an energetic and clear state, obvious that he had not gone to bed at all. In that instant, the residence was surrounded and filled; there was not a single blindspot. The ¡°assassin¡¯s¡± appearance was certainly bizarre¡­ He was everywhere, yet nowhere to be found. The guards marched on noisily as they hunted for the ¡°assassin¡±, making their way from the front courtyard to the back courtyard and from the back courtyard to the inner courtyard to¡­ the real destination. ¡°Your Highness! An assassin has trespassed the residence and for your safety, may I please request Your Highness toe out? I will take all responsibility for this disturbance.¡± Using his inner energy to amplify his voice, Xuanyuan Cheng asked as the rest of the guards surrounded Residence Harmony. There was no response. Xuanyuan Cheng raised his eyebrows. After a while, he repeated himself again. In a voice that not only the people in the Regent King¡¯s residence could hear, but the people in the pce probably could as well. Finally, this time, there was a response. From Residence Harmony, a female voice repliedzily and coquettishly, ¡°It is very safe here. Why would I move about in the middle of the night? Here is fine.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng raised his eyebrows again, his eyes betraying hints of suspicion. In a low voice, he tried to persuade her once again. ¡°Your Highness, since you stay in my residence, I am responsible for your safety. I dare not take chances. If anything happens to you before your wedding, I cannot make it up. Please, Your Highness.¡± The courtyard fell silent once again. After a while, Meng Fuyao replied, ¡°You do not have to take any responsibility if anything happens. I will suffer the consequences of my choices.¡± This response deepened Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s suspicions. When he had stepped out of his daughter¡¯s room, he had vaguely spotted something sh by the wall. Subsequently, he had heard an odd sound when he visited Yuwen Zi. Initially, he did not think much of it, but afterward, he felt that sound was one of the bones moving; definitely not from Yuwen Zi. Then, who could it be? He did not need to suspect the people under him, and the most probable would be the servants beside Yuwen Zi. Linking it with the vague sh he saw, how could he not have his doubts? This Yuwen Zi fitted the information he had of her to the tee. But what about the people around her? Furthermore, Yuwen Zi had denied him of his entry, which had aroused his wariness. If it was just a cloud of suspicion, it was now an ominous, dark sky of suspicion that he had to clear. ¡°Your Highness! You are ady, if the assassin were to break into your room, how would you protect yourself?¡± Enunciating each word clearly, he continued, ¡°Your Highness¡¯ safety is my responsibility; it cannot be taken lightly. Your Highness, pleasee out!¡± He waved his hand, and thousands of guards chanted uniformly, ¡°Your Highness, pleasee out! Your Highness, pleasee out!¡± The ear-splitting, deafening chant resounded in the entire yard. Even the copper bell vibrated ever so slightly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Thedy sighed resignedly. A whileter, Meng Fuyao gave in. ¡°Then if I may just ask you to enter alone.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng was taken aback. Meng Fuyao added, ¡°You can be considered my rtive. There¡¯s nothing to hide¡­ Really¡­ I¡­ I¡­ Please enter.¡± Her hesitation caused Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s gaze to waver. After some deliberation, he said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The guards beside him immediately crowded forward and quietly tried to persuade him, ¡°Your Highness, your valuable body¡­¡± ¡°No harm.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng smiled elegantly, but an undeniable hint of arrogance was embedded in his tone. ¡°There is no one in this world that can take my life in one move, not even my senior.¡± Under the illumination of the sea of torches, alone, he pushed open the doors to Residence Harmony. He was greeted by darkness. A few shadows that were cast from the light beyond the walls further added to the eerie and mysterious vibes of the ce. His heart jumped. Then he calmed down. ¡®What could there even be? An assassin? A spy? A killer? Very well, I¡¯ll let him never return.¡¯ His shoes knocked against the stone floor in a calm, steady beat. The yard was oddly quiet but listening closely, it was as though someone wasughing softly. Xuanyuan Cheng stopped short in his tracks, his eyes filled with confusion. ¡®Laughter?¡¯ In the middle of the night, not a single torch lit in the yard, surrounded by thousands of armed soldiers. To actually hear a peal ofughter in this situation. Xuanyuan Cheng snorted. ¡®Trying to act mysterious? Scaring me away?¡¯ He pulled his sleeves back, quickening his steps. He had used his inner energy, and the ces where his feetnded would cause a hairline crack in the tiles. He made his way into the third inner courtyard¡ªstill no one in sight. Suddenly, the peal ofughter faded. The air in the courtyard was still, as though there was not a single soul there. Yet, it felt as though every corner of the ce was under watch, hiding behind the walls, the flowers, the trees¡ªit was omnipresent. Xuanyuan Cheng took in a deep breath. ¡®The opponent seems to be skilled in psychological attacks. Without making a move, he can instill anxiety into people.¡¯ He refused to be controlled like that. ¡°Your Highness, my apologies!¡± His actions were quicker than his words. Before the words ¡°Your Highness¡± had been said, he had already broken down the first door that led to the inner room. Bang! The heavy door collided with the wall with such force that even the residence seemed to shake. This one move of his had instantly opened out all the windows of the residence,ying the sight in the house bare for Xuanyuan Cheng to see. Chapter 234 - Untitled Chapter 234: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Kacha¡ª There was a soft noise, and the room was instantly filled with light. Following that, they heard the dainty breaths of a girl as she murmured, ¡°I¡¯ve cum¡­ Quick, let me up¡­ How outrageous¡­¡± Her sentence ended abruptly as if she were muffled by something, followed by a peal of soft giggles along with a man¡¯s low chuckle. Xuanyuan Min was here. Under the bright light, a man in the prime of his youth was half-naked, loosely clothed in an outer robe. Half of his jade-like shoulders were exposed as he traipsed over, settling down on the frost-covered windowsill andughed. ¡°Since the Regent King was so urgent, I thought I¡¯d y a little joke on you.¡± Behind him, hidden behind a pale pink screen, ¡°Yuwen Zi¡± sat up slightly. Her hair was tousled, and her eyes were red as she tried to maintain a dignified posture. She remained silent in embarrassment, but it was clear from her expression that she had just engaged in some explicit activity. Xuanyuan Cheng did not expect to encounter such an awkward situation and stood there motionless for a moment before bowing deeply and saying, ¡°Forgive my impudence¡­ I was just wondering why Your Majesty would be here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve arrived here a long time ago¡­¡± Xuanyuan Min rubbed an eye slowly andughed faintly. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve even heard everything that you¡¯ve told my empress earlier.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng looked shocked as he said doubtfully, ¡°Arrived here a long time ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xuanyuan Min beamed and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t be apart from Zi-er for even a day, so I snuck in together with the servants first. After you went to see Yun Er after receiving the empress, you didn¡¯t notice me at all, did you?¡± Xuanyuan Cheng did not say anything, and his expression looked as if he were contemting something. After a long while, he said, ¡°Your Majesty, this kind of behavior is rather inappropriate, you¡­ are being ridiculous¡­¡± ¡°Whatever, whatever,¡± Xuanyuan Min waved a hand and loosened his outer robe with the other. He stood there tantly with everything hanging out without bothering to cover up and called out to thedies-in-waiting, ¡°This manor is also considered part of my pce, so what¡¯s wrong with meing early to enjoy my empress¡­ Chun Mei, help Her Highness to her bath. An Zi, bring my clothes here. I¡¯ll talk to the Regent King after wearing my clothes.¡± Someone answered softly and entered to support ¡°Yuwen Zi¡±. Xuanyuan Cheng retreated a step back, and his gaze swept the entire room. The windows werepletely open, the bedchamber waspletely open, and it looked like it was exactly where Chun Mei had been sleeping. An Zi was rubbing his eyes, the short staff he was using to guard the inner pce was propped against the door¡ªeverything looked extremely normal. It was so normal that he had no excuse whatsoever to remain there. Retreating another step back, Xuanyuan Cheng said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and we still have to attend court tomorrow. May Your Highness rest early, I will excuse myself.¡± ¡°Are we not talking anymore?¡± Xuanyuan Min stopped dressing and looked rather disappointed as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s hear about what you¡¯ve discussed with the empress first, regarding that witch from Fufeng, I¡¯m rather interested to know more.¡± He patted his cheek and said excitedly, ¡°Every time after intercourse, I get especially alert. Oh right, I also have a way to strengthen one¡¯s libido¡­¡± ¡°May Your Majesty take care of your body, I will excuse myself,¡± Xuanyuan Cheng finally couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and cut him off respectfully but firmly. He bowed slightly and left. Following that, his voice could be heard dismissing the guards that had been summoned in the middle of the night. Xuanyuan Min stood in front of the window for a long time as he watched Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s silhouette disappear into the darkness and the courtyard doors close behind him before lowering his eyes and revealing a cold, mocking expression. That expression disappeared in a sh, and hezily turned around, waving his sleeves as heunched himself towards ¡°Yuwen Zi¡±. ¡°Oh, my darling, let us go for another 300 rounds¡­¡± Ping¡ª Meng Fuyao unleashed a leg and sent the emperor, who had painstakingly rushed over to save her, firmly under her foot¡­ ¡°If you dare to act as if this is real, I¡¯ll turn you into a female!¡± She kicked off the clingy cross-dressing emperor and flipped over the mattress to reveal an unconscious Shadow de. When she thought of how she was pretending to be fooling around with that damned cross-dresser on the bed earlier, she cringed, wondering if this unlucky guy under the bed had heard them. ¡®He didn¡¯t hear, did he? It was way too humiliating, I¡¯ve never made such lecherous sounds in my life, and yet I had to do it in front of other men, my reputation is gone, ahhhh¡­¡¯ Seeing that Shadow de¡¯s hand was moving slightly, yet the man was not yet awake, Meng Fuyao sighed and was about to check his wounds when Xuanyuan Min suddenly came over and said, ¡°Let me take a look.¡± ¡°You?¡± Meng Fuyao eyed him in disbelief. ¡°If I don¡¯t look, then what, you¡¯re going to take a look? There should be a divide between men and women, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡®This damned cross-dresser, now he knows how to say that men and women shouldn¡¯t be too close.¡¯ Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry as she moved away. She nced at Lord Yuan Bao, indicating for it to remain and keep watch for her as she climbed up to the attic. There was no choice, danger lurked in every corner of Xuanyuan, and everyone hid their true intentions behind masks. One couldn¡¯t trust anyonepletely and always remain on alert¡­ Meng Fuyao ced her hands on her hips as she watched a candle me dancing in the cold wind. She thought of Tie Cheng, who was unable to leave the manor because he had helped her enter the pce, she thought of the Wuji guards who were unable to approach her. Suddenly, she felt an unfamiliar sense of loneliness. Yet, she did not know that the one who caused it was herself, loneliness had always been temporary and just in the neighboring country, a certain someone¡¯s ck pupils were gazing in the direction of Xuanyuan as he headed closer towards her¡­ Under the heavens, every person had their own way of living their lives. The manor of Xuanyuan¡¯s Regent King was filled with deceit and danger, and thousands of miles away, there was another nation whose renown city should already have fallen under the mes of war, but due to the contribution of a certain someone, it managed to ovee its tribtion smoothly and peacefully. Of course, this was also due to the diligence of the emperor, whose room light remained burningte into the night¡ªever since a certain unscrupulous someone had left, Emperor Zhan had forgotten to sleep. On the twenty-sixth day of the eleventh month, on the first year of the Dahan Eternal Progress era, at night. The Qinzheng Pce was, as usual, lit up withnterns. Ji Yu had personally taken the night shift, and he was staring at the me in one of thenterns, as well as the ck shadow that was cast against the window, and let out a long, mncholic sigh. Up ahead, a eunuch was rushing over, bringing with him the one in charge ofmunications. Ji Yu noticed that the man¡¯s face held a terrified expression and couldn¡¯t help but feel wary. The man handed over the two letters andmented, ¡°One of the letters had been hidden at the bottom of the pile due to me not knowing the importance of it, and only today did I read it¡­ Hope that you would help me appease His Majesty¡­¡± Ji Yu received the letter silently and nodded. His Majesty had not been in good spirits recently and would probably reluctantly agree to hear him out. He entered the pce with the secret letter. ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s a secret letter via homing pigeon.¡± Zhan Beiye, who had been deep in thought, suddenly lit up and immediately opened the letter. He quickly read through its contents and ced it heavily on his armrest and remarked, ¡°What has Xuanyuan selecting an empress have to do with me? Why does this also have to be reported via homing pigeon?¡± Ji Yu realized¡­ It seemed as if the movements of all the nations were reported within the contents of the letter¡­ ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s another letter,¡± Ji Yu reminded after seeing Zhan Beiye throw the letter aside. Zhan Beiye frowned and reluctantly opened the letter. He nced at the date, and his frown immediately deepened as he asked, ¡°Why was this dyed for so long before finally being handed to me?¡± Without waiting for Ji Yu¡¯s reply, his expression turned doubtful, and he read the letter again swiftly. He stared at the words intently as if he wanted to carve each word onto his heart, and after a long time, he finally shifted his gaze. The pce fell into a suspicious silence. Bang! The letter was suddenly thrown across by him, and it mercilesslynded on Ji Yu¡¯s face! Zhan Beiye¡¯s roar resounded through the entire Qinzheng Pce. ¡°How was this dyed for so long!¡± The same question, yet the tone it was delivered with was entirely different; Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and veins were visible on his forehead, while his entire body was trembling. Such an important report was actually dyed for a full month! Ji Yu silently fell to his knees. He had already seen the contents of the letter, and as the one who had caused the letter to be dyed, it was hard for him to avoid me. He cowered on the ground in anguish as hemented, ¡°I¡­ am not fit to be your spy any longer, may Your Majesty punish me and strip me of my duty, I ept my punishment¡­¡± Zhan Beiye was stunned for a moment. He turned and nced at Ji Yu¡¯s empty sleeves spread out on the floor, his shoulder des extremely prominent and streaks of white in his hair. He suddenly remembered Ji Yu back in the past, a handsome, brave man, the most dashing leader of the ck Wind Calvary, worthy of thedies¡¯ praises. Even the Fufeng Shaodang n¡¯s most beautifuldy, Mu Zhenzhen, had gifted him a priceless dragonfly pearl¡­ The passage of time kept flowing, and in an instant, he was no longer in the peak of his youth. And the reason he had overlooked this was because after Fuyao left, he was afraid that he might do something stupid due to his broken heart, so he remained by his side day and night, hence abandoning his role as the head ofmunications. In a short few months, Ji Yu had be even frailer than him. ¡°Get up¡­¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s heart winced slightly as he said tiredly, ¡°It is but an unlucky twist of fate from the heavens¡­¡± However, Ji Yu remained on the ground and bowed again as he said, ¡°Your Majesty, whether you punish me or not, please strip me of my position as head ofmunications.¡± ¡°Even you want to leave me now?¡± Zhan Beiye looked at him bitterly and turned away. His broad and long silhouette was reflected against a painting of Dafujiang Mountain, and it looked extremely lonely. Ji Yu gazed at his back view, finally unable to withhold his tears, he stopped himself from sniffing as he mumbled, ¡°The imperial court is a ce of utmost honor and discipline, there shouldn¡¯t be any tolerance for a crippled official. I am also not willing to let my beloved emperor receive mockery because of me¡­¡± ¡°Who would dare mock you?¡± Zhan Beiye suddenly turned back around. ¡°You are a hero of the nation, and your contribution is exceptional. Your name will travel down in history, and if anyone dares to mock you, may their brains rot!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Ji Yu said lightly, ¡°I would like to go to the sealing grounds of the King of Han.¡± Zhan Beiye suddenly froze after understanding this old servant¡¯s predicament. He stared at Ji Yu and retreated back into his seat. After a while, his eyes had already be red. Chapter 235 - Untitled Chapter 235: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Little Seven will ultimately be back. He must have improved after experiencing what he had. That¡­ will put my mind at ease.¡± Ji Yu kowtowed and looked up with a faint smile. ¡°I have been assigning my subordinates to follow him. News from Xuanyuan state that he entered the Regent King¡¯s residence¡­ Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± As Zhan Beiye listened to Ji Yu, he suddenly felt that something was not quite right. As he was in deep thought, he gave a casual reply. ¡°King of Han is in Xuanyuan. Moreover,¡± Ji Yu paused. His next line was earth-shattering, but it corroborated with the doubt that shed by Zhan Beiye¡¯s mind. ¡°I have a hunch that the newly-crowned Xuanyuan Empress is her!¡± Zhan Beiye shot up in an instant, and he overturned the heap of documents stacked up in front of him. ¡°How dare she!¡± At the same moment that Zhan Beiye flipped his table over, on a faintly discernible mountain far away, someone simultaneously gently raised an overturned table. ¡°You have made tremendous progress, and in no time, I will no longer rival you.¡± In a jade shelter, Zhangsun Wuji smiled and corrected the position of the table that was utterly disfigured by Tai Yan. Reaching out his hand, he asked, ¡°I admit my defeat, can we stop now?¡± Although Tai Yan d herself in pink, her face was turning green in outrage. A few momentster, she spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, can you not be so gross? I have said it a million times ¨C I don¡¯t need your mercy!¡± Choosing not to speak, Zhangsun Wuji smiled and walked towards a fence, and he nced far away into the distance with slightly furrowed eyebrows. Beside him, mist ascended from the field of jade-white snow lotuses in dense fumes and meandered around him like a ttering brocade, showcasing his handsome features and grand presence which was simr to that of an immortal. ¡°You can choose whether you want it; I decide on whether I do it.¡± He could always use the simplest tone to drive Tai Yan mad, and he casually brushed his sleeves and walked away in smiles. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, just jump off the cliff.¡± He left the enraged Tai Yan behind and walked away. When he turned at the corner of the corridor, he saw a green-clothed elder who was smiling. Immediately, he bowed respectfully. ¡°Teacher.¡± The elder smiled at him, but his expression switched between a huge grin and nothingness. ¡°Competing with Tai Yan again?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s progress is astounding by the day. I am happy for her too.¡± However, the elder frowned. ¡°Tai Yan¡¯s talent is limited. She will neither end up as the extraordinary genius of our sect, nor the one to bring our sect to greater heights.¡± Zhangsun Wuji remained quiet. The elder stared at him, and his eyes resembled the misty surroundings of the mountain. With an emotionless tone, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re still unwilling?¡± After a moment of silence, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ¡°Teacher¡¯s Junior Brother and his sessors are central figures who have experienced many years in the mortal realm. They should¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s my own issue.¡± The elder interrupted him and gazed at him for a long while. ¡°Wuji, you have always been my favorite disciple, and you have never let me down all this while. Why is it that only a year has passed and you have changed so much?¡± ¡°I am guilt-ridden for disappointing you.¡± Zhangsun Wuji spoke no more. He brushed his robes to the side and knelt on the cold and wet jade floor. Leaning forward, the elder looked at the gentle yet dignifiedposure of his favorite disciple, and his expression turned to one of anger. A whileter, he waved his sleeve coldly. ¡°You¡¯ll reflect here then! Get up only when you havee to your senses.¡± Still, in smiles, Zhangsun Wuji gently bent over in the moist and cold weather. ¡°Yes.¡± All good luck belonged to Meng Fuyao. The unfortunate mishaps only happened to her unfortunate suitors. Be it overturning tables or being punished to kneel, both Emperors had been tirelessly strategizing to get her to be their Empress. Yet a certain someone had already ended up in an unrted country to temporary live that life. The thirteen days that Meng Fuyao spent in the residence were daunting, with a mix of being doubted, testing, spying, and being spied on, but it finally ended without any mishap. Xuanyuan Cheng never found out anything suspicious about Yu Wenzi, and Xuanyuan Min¡¯s appearance that night gave a very good exnation for themotion around the wall and the popping sound of bones. Xuanyuan Min cleverly chose not to exin these two incidents and instead left Xuanyuan Cheng to infer on his own, which was much more credible than him specially exining it. It was worthy of mentioning that Xuanyuan Min was not one to mess around with. When he came over that night, he actually remembered to bring along an attendant who had a simr body size as Chun Mei, and he gave her Chun Mei¡¯s mask and made her act as ¡°Chun Mei¡± for a short while. Meng Fuyao could tell that Xuanyuan Min had concealed his strength and bided his time over many years. Since he had enough power in his hands, he was ready to fight thest battle with Xuanyuan Cheng. Thetter also seemed to be aware, or he would not have forced Xuanyuan Min to crown an empress so hurriedly. It was now a fight for time and freedom. Xuanyuan Min needed her as a fake Empress to help him get rid of the locks in the pce. As for hisplete n, he would not reveal it, and Meng Fuyao would not ask him about it. She had always cared only for the friends she was indebted to, and what she was doing at the moment was all for the sake of Zong Yue. However, she could not help but worry whenever she thought of it. Even if Xuanyuan Cheng was disposed, Zong Yue and Xuanyuan Min simrly had conflicts of interest between them. Once themon external enemy was rid of, inner conflicts would arise. In the end, what would the oue be? The contest for power over thend under the heavens was like a game of chess. One careless move and the whole game would be lost. In the contest of Xuanyuan, Meng Fuyao was no longer the leading figure, and she was willing to be one of the chess pieces, just so that she could help Zong Yue during a crucial moment in the future. Even if she was a chess piece, she had to be an aggressive one. This was Meng Fuyao¡¯s principle; only when she was powerful enough, then could she thrive in this dark and bloody Five Regions Continent which was surrounded with conspiracies. Recently, she was even more diligent in her training, and after spying on Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s agile yet powerful steps that night, she was beginning to grasp the third sub-level of the sixth level of the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique, Cloud Steps. The breakthrough was at her fingertips. ¡­ It was the auspicious day of the marriage between the Emperor and the Empress. At midnight, Meng Fuyao was already woken up to be dressed. After the cleansing of her skin, she went through threading, and a thinyer of pearl powder was applied on her face. An intricate pair of silver scissors was used to trim the already tidy eyebrows, and a mini brush made of purple bamboo was stained with ck umber dye and gently used to draw on her eyebrows, painting a beautiful and elegant image. After the eyebrows, a smooth and delicate stroke was applied at the corner of the eye, and it soared like the wings of a phoenix. A lc pearl was ground into powder form, mixed with oil and swiped over the eyelids of the shining eye, and ayered feel was instantly brought out by the eye shadow. Then, her lips were drawn, and her hair wasbed, and she changed into a golden phoenix robe sewn with colorful long-tail pheasants and the sea dragon. She was given the phoenix crown to wear, and it was studded with aesthetic bird feathers, crystal jade pieces, 18 peach blossoms made by rubies, a tassel with a phoenix and dragon biting on a jewel, and¡­ it was indeed beautiful, but it was way too heavy. After four hours of preparation, Meng Fuyao grabbed her heavy head which carried a heavier crown, and she felt that the weight on her neck and the powder on her face was heavy enough to tten her. ¡®F*ck, an Empress isn¡¯t something that ordinary people can be. I will never be an Empress for the rest of my life!¡¯ After that thought, she touched her face. She had to admit that Xuanyuan Min¡¯s mask-crafting skills were almost as good as Zong Yue¡¯s. The masks that they made were as delicate as a cicada¡¯s wings, and the details were so realistic. It seemed as though the masks were treated by a substance, as the pores could still breathe as per normal and makeup could directly be applied on the mask. Vaguely, Meng Fuyao recalled that she incidentally chance upon Zong Yue cleaning up his medicine case, and there was a mask which was so thin that the arches of a finger could be clearly seen through it, and drops of water could seep past it. To be able to craft masks to such an extent could be considered as legendary. The senior attendant who dressed her up seemed to be very satisfied with her product and brought her before a bronze mirror to tidy her up. Meng Fuyao stared at the reflection in a daze. She looked elegant and expensive, and she shone so brightly that the entire room seemed to be lit up by her radiant shine¡­ It was too bright and too ring. A figure slowly appeared in the bronze mirror. Although d in an attendant¡¯s uniform, the pair of eyes gleamed, resembling a zed surface. ¡°She¡± silently scrutinized the dolled-up Meng Fuyao, and the expression was slightly strange. On the contrary, Meng Fuyao revealed a huge and thoughtless grin to ¡°Chun Mei¡± as she was in a good mood. She was originally worried about Dark de as he had forcefullypressed his bones that night and carried on for another hour for the sake of her safety. Sessive injuries were very dangerous, and Meng Fuyao was afraid that it would end up as an illness which could not be cured, but he rejected all her offers to examine his condition. Then, she feared for his health on the day of the wedding, as a ¡°close attendant¡± like him would probably have a lot of work to do. It was a relief that a senior attendant was specially assigned to help her and ¡°Chun Mei¡± wouldn¡¯t need to do anything but follow her on the carriage. Once her worry was alleviated, her mood immediately improved, and she no longer had that manyints about being an empress. Meng Fuyao scratched the thickyer of powder on her face and thought that luck wasn¡¯t on her side. If Xuanyuan Cheng wasn¡¯t so smart, she would have thought of a way to escape in the past three days¡­ ¡®Sigh, forget it since I have started this, I will see it to the end.¡¯ Outside the residence, the Regent King had already led a teamprising the Minister of Rites and the Censor Chiefs ¨C the main and deputy escorts of the bride ¨C to await for Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao took the Imperial Edict that dictated her as Empress, and casually ced it on the golden te which the attendant was holding on to. ¡®I should take less of such things like the Gold Decree. The previous time I was bestowed the title of Han King, I ended uping to Xuanyuan. If I receive another decree, even if it¡¯s under the name of someone else, I¡¯ll probably get blown away to Fufeng,¡¯ she thought. After the conferring ceremony came the weing ceremony. Meng Fuyao first boarded the imperial pnquin, then the phoenix carriage at a brighter area in front of the residence. As the carriage swayed past the road, Meng Fuyao very casually opened the curtains and took a look outside. On both sides of the road, some workers who had set up the greenery overnight carefully moved away and knelt behind the nts or the walls. When Meng Fuyao nced by, she suddenly felt that one of the figures was slightly familiar, but the carriage quickly passed by, and she could not have clearer sight. That figure belonged to Little Seven. He was in deep thought while he corrected the position of a nted pot of flowers. In the few days that he was in the residence, he had not seen Meng Fuyao and did not know where she had gone. As he was deeply engrossed, he did not notice the imperial pnquin that the Empress was riding on. Beside him, a worker tugged on his clothes and softly said, ¡°Hey, the Empress is passing by, quickly, kneel down!¡± Chapter 236 - Untitled Chapter 236: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Little Seven raised his head and gave the worker a stare so deadly that thetter retreated. However, Little Seven still slowly knelt with his head kept down. When the pnquin passed by, a pair of eyes in the pnquin seemed to have nced at him. Nonchntly, Little Seven looked up and carried on with his work. After a while, the pnquin stopped in front of the screen wall, and everyone waited for Meng Fuyao to board the phoenix carriage. When Meng Fuyao alighted from the pnquin, she realized that the eunuchs and attendants stood in silence, and not one person even coughed. Though the drums rang loud and clear, the atmosphere was much more solemn than joyous, and she could not help but grin. She suddenly felt yful and ced her hands behind her back, towards the direction of ¡°Chun Mei¡±, who was sitting in the pnquin. After making a scissor-like shape with her index and middle fingers, she shook her hand. It was the victory gesture unique to her. Immediately, Little Seven straightened his back. He recognized this gesture! That day, during the battle at the gates of Pandu, he was right beside His Majesty. The teenager who looked down from the city gates had plotted to kill Xie Yu. After his sess, he simrly made such a strange gesture to His Majesty! It was her! Little Steven stood in stunned silence and grabbed tightly onto the pots of flowers in his hands. ¡®She¡­ how could she be Xuanyuan¡¯s Empress?¡¯ ¡®She became Xuanyuan¡¯s Empress, but what about His Majesty?¡¯ He watched as she received the Ruyi 1 and apple unwillingly from the Imperial Matron of Honor, and stepped onto the phoenix carriage. When the curtains were drawn, her eyes darted around as yfully as a koi in clear water. At that moment, Little Seven no longer had any doubt. It was indeed her! Then, there was the sound of drums, and the phoenix carriage left grandly as everyone knelt on the sides of the street to send the Empress off. Little Seven resolutely ced his pots to one side and walked forward inrge strides. Behind him, hispanions seemed to be shouting at him in shock, but all of these did not register in his mind. He could only think about his next goal. He needed to find Eunuch Zhao. He had to enter the pce! Meanwhile, as the phoenix carriage departed from the Regent King¡¯s residence, the Emperor of Dahan and his entourage was simultaneously being weed by the Ministry of Rites. Even though the officials of Xuanyuan were secretly curious about why the new Emperor of Dahan would spare time to observe the wedding ceremony, they kept these thoughts to themselves and warmly weed the entourage. Zhan Beiye halted his horse outside the city gates, and his ebony-colored eyes reflected the brilliant pce situated at the city center. A wave of emotions shed by in his eyes, as though they were signaling an impending storm. ¡°Meng! Fu! Yao!¡± ¡­ On the 12th winter of Xuanyuan¡¯s Zhaoning era, the residents of Xuanyuan finally witnessed the crowning of their new Empress. ¡°¡­ The noble Empress stands with me. To inherit the will of ancestors and mother, thend under Heaven is no easy feat! Only the maiden of the Yunwen n, whose virtues are second to none, is deserving of this title. Today, I hereby present the Gold Decree and Phoenix Seal, and crown her as Empress, the head of the Imperial Harem.¡± To the residents of Xuanyuan, the new Empress was the ¡°solemn and virtuous, warm and respectful, gentle and bright, and calm and beautiful¡± nation¡¯s mother as stated in the decree. To the royals of Xuanyuan, however, the new Empress was their unknown and eternal cmity. Of course, currently, the court of Xuanyuan was still in an ignorant state and carried on with the wedding processions in an atmosphere of joy. Ceremonial arrangements for the Empress had already been set up in the main pce way before the procession. Outside the main pce, the instruments were neatly arranged at the sides, and once the phoenix carriage arrived, the instruments would be yed. Officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Grand Herald had also set up a table in the center of the main pce facing south, a decree table facing west, a jade table facing east, a dragon-decorated pavilion in the inner room, and the worshipping spot for the Empress in front of the incense table. The Gold Decree, Gold Seal, and other documents were ced inside the pavilions, and they would be presented to the Empress by the Grand Schr and the Minister. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao¡¯s carriage had yet to reach the door of the main pce. She held the Ruyi, and after the long parade amongst the streets of Xuanyuan, she was already very dizzy and sleepy. The apple in her hand smelled very enticing, and Meng Fuyao could not stop swallowing her saliva after being woken up so early and having had a very light breakfast. Then, she heard a swallowing sound that was even louder than hers. Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Rat, you¡¯re hungry? Come, let¡¯s share this.¡± Beneath the wide sleeves of her phoenix robe climbed out Lord Yuan Bao, who rubbed his miserable stomach. As he surveyed his half of the apple that was split open by Meng Fuyao, he felt that Meng Fuyao¡¯s slice wasrger and he immediately raised his paws to request for an exchange. Enraged, Meng Fuyao scolded, ¡°You still want to exchange after touching and scratching your half? I don¡¯t want to be gued by a rat disease!¡± Dejected, the guinea pig sat on Meng Fuyao¡¯sp and munched on his apple. Both of them chomped happily on their food, totally oblivious to the fact that this apple was the royal and noble apple, which was meant to bring harmony and wealth. In a moment, the guinea pig had already eaten the apple down to its core, and he climbed up the window reluctantly, ready to throw the core away. He was leaning on the window frame and looking around, but suddenly, he started squeaking loudly. Meng Fuayo jumped in shock and grabbed his tail, and she hissed in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re asking for trouble! Rat! What are you shouting for! What if you get noticed! You bettere down this instant!¡± The guinea pig swatted her hand away, and instead, he tugged on the ruby-studded tassel of her long earring. Meng Fuyao cried in pain as she was pulled to the side of the window. Without even having the time to clutch on her ear lobe, the guinea pig had already drawn the golden curtains apart in an instant. In a state of confusion, Meng Fuyao leaned towards the window. ¡°What? What?¡± Feeling resentful at how slow she was, the guinea pig gave her a p, jumped and squeaked as it pointed towards a corner. There was a ck and long line, which didn¡¯t seem like a line under close scrutiny. It was instead a crowd of ck-clothed warriors who rode on handsome horses. Even from Meng Fuyao¡¯s position, she could feel the magnificent presence of the warriors, who had an aggressive and dauntless vibe that ordinary people would not possess. On their waists, a dark red belt could vaguely be seen. Against their ck clothes, the contrast was even more distinct. Meng Fuyao sucked in her breath, but it was stuck at her throat. The ck Wind Cavalry! Other than Zhan Beiye, no one could be more familiar with the aura of these people. Worse still, the ck Wind Cavalry only ever appeared when Zhan Beiye was around, so¡­ Empress Zhan had arrived? ¡®Oh my god¡­ what a turbulent world¡­¡¯ In a sh, Meng Fuyao released the curtains, and she stared at the guinea pig in a daze. ¡°Heavens, that aggressive man is here.¡± The guinea pig looked at her pitifully. ¡®Meng Fuyao, you are in such good luck. If my master is here, probably no trouble will arise, but it is that fool who is here¡­. you¡¯re done for,¡¯ thought Lord Yuan Bao. Still, in a stunned state, Meng Fuyao sat down and the more she thought about it, the more worried she was. Secretively, she opened the curtains again, but she was in for a shock. The ck Wind Cavalry was right beside her and patrolling in the vicinity behind the security clearance. Right in the center of the cavalry, a man dressed in a ck and magnificent robe reined in his horse, turned his head coldly and took a long nce towards the carriage. Meng Fuyao shot up in an instant, and she felt like crying. ¡°Heavens, why is he staring at the carriage? He can¡¯t be so phenomenal to the point that he can recognize me pass the walls, right?¡± Beside her, the guinea pig brushed its mustache. ¡®The fool is indeed very phenomenal today¡­¡¯ Even more phenomenal things awaited her¡­ Just as Meng Fuyao hadpleted her sentence, the carriage suddenly nted to one side! As though it had stumbled on stones, the wheels of the carriage tilted towards the left. The 18 well-trained horses immediately tried to pull and correct the position of the wheel, but one of the horses suddenly let out a long neigh and copsed. This led to a domino effect, whereby a number of horses subsequently tripped and fell too. The gold strings shook, and the carriage was about to copse towards the left side! Caught off guard, Meng Fuyao rolled from one side of the spacious carriage to another in a giddy state. However, she did not dare to use her martial arts. In a frenzy, she extended her hand with much difficulty and quickly grabbed the guinea pig, which had been rolling around the carriage. ¡°Protect the Empress! Protect the Empress!¡± The solemn and neat weing entourage immediately became a state of chaos. Everyone dashed forward and tried to raise the phoenix carriage, but the carriage was surrounded by eunuchs who were raising giant gs and parasols, and attendants who were carrying incense burners and valuable vases. They could not possibly put away the items in their hands, and they would have no strength to raise the heavy carriage. As such, they blocked the Regent King, who tried to rein his horse and turn back. There was still the heavy ceiling of the carriage, which seemed about to be crashing to the floor in an instant! While the eunuchs shouted, a yellow figure shot by. The Regent King no longer tried to squeeze past the chaotic crowd on his horse. Shooting up into the sky like a shooting star, he dashed towards the carriage. But he was one step toote. Another ck figure shed by like a radiant me and appeared at the side of the carriage. Snatching over the parasol from a frightened eunuch, he turned it upside down and raised the wooden handle towards the sky. The copse of the phoenix carriage was halted in an instant. It leaned precariously on a thin wooden handle. The ck figure moved at such incredible speed and executed the action with such uracy that themoners could not help but exim their admiration at the sharp and clean move, even if they did not understand martial arts. However, the wooden handle could not possibly carry the weight of the phoenix carriage, which was heavily studded with gold and jade. Just as the handle creaked, signifying its impending break, the man extended his hand and carried the weight of the carriage with his bare hands. Everyone sucked in their breaths and were stunned by that immortal-like strength. But that handsome man gently bent his back. He leaned forward and stopped in front of the window, blocking the view of others. The nted window frame had already broken, and the curtains were tugged away by him as well. The noble woman in the carriage, while dizzy, stared back at him in fear with an unfamiliar face and an unfamiliar pair of eyes. The corner of Zhan Beiye¡¯s lips raised as a sign of confirmation. Without any further words, he extended his hand, and his fingers reached for the woman¡¯s skin! ¡°How dare you!¡± The woman screamed indignantly, and the shrill and prideful tone slightly stunned Zhan Beiye, but he did not give up and continue reaching towards her face. Suddenly, the woman looked down and viciously bit on Zhan Beiye¡¯s fingers with her sharp teeth. The bite was so forceful that there was a deep mark on Zhan Beiye¡¯s fingers and blood flowed out of the mark. ¡°How can an impertinent man like you be so frivolous in front of me!¡± After spitting out the blood in her mouth, she barked in anger. Her voice was filled with haughtiness, and her attitude was one of disdain. She sounded impatient and vain, making her seem noble and cold. Chapter 237 - Untitled Chapter 237: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhan Beiye stared at her, the coldness in his eyes fading as he slowly retracted his hand. ¡­ It wasn¡¯t her? Such a humble gaze, such a sharp tone, such a frail voice, such a foreign¡­ expression. Although she acted as a martial expert, whenever she looked at him, he had always felt his honest warmth and brightness. This expression¡­ He wasn¡¯t used to such an expression. Just that at that moment, Xuanyuan Cheng had already arrived. Zhan Beiye immediately pulled back his hand and covered his fingers with his sleeves. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s gaze swept upon him, then upon the panic-stricken officials and representatives sent by the various nations, and paused for a moment before bowing slightly. ¡°I did not expect that the Emperor of Han would personallye to the aid of the Empress of Sui. The nation of Sui expresses our immense gratitude.¡± Zhan Beiye briefly returned the greeting. He wasn¡¯t really in the mood to waste time with the Regent King; despite being polite and cultured, he felt a general dislike for the man. ¡°No problem, no problem, it was nothing at all,¡± he said dismissively. He nced at the dainty girl again and seeing the same arrogant and angry eyes, his expression darkened and moved away. He moved away, but as he walked by he reached out and snatched a phoenix fan, which then he stuffed it into the arms of a bbergasted eunuch. ¡°Hold on to this. Now that itcks an item, it¡¯s not a full set anymore.¡± His sudden action had surprised everyone; the phoenix carriage had already been dangling precariously, and now it toppled down instantly. Meng Fuyao once again fell on her head, and with a loud thud, she hit against the carriage walls. ¡°Zhan Beiye, I¡¯ll XXXX you, you OOOO!¡± she screamed. Upon seeing this especially unlucky phoenix carriage topple again, Xuanyuan Cheng suddenly reached out a hand and uttered something; instantly, his fingers turned into a metallic color as it held firmly onto the carriage. With a whoosh, the phoenix carriage was righted again! All the onlookers cheered with awe, this time, the sound was even greater¡ªwhat awe-inspiring coolness, truly fit to be the Regent King! Zhan Beiye turned around and suddenlyughed merrily. ¡°The Regent King has some good skills, worthy of respect! Respect!¡± He reached out and patted Xuanyuan Cheng heavily on the shoulder. ¡°Next time, when you are free, you have to teach me a thing or two!¡± His pat caused Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s entire body to shake, and he felt a surge of warm energy shoot through his shoulder. Instantly, he felt as if his inner energy had been depleted by half. Since he wasn¡¯t born with spiritual energy, he relied on sheer brute strength, and now that Zhan Beiye had patted him like this, his arm ckened. His inner energy would escape if he opened his mouth, yet he couldn¡¯t ignore Zhan Beiye¡¯s words. In the end, he could only grimace and reply, ¡°I¡¯m not worthy, not worthy¡­¡± Bang! The unfortunate phoenix carriage, carrying the unfortunate Meng Fuyao, after being righted, toppled again due to a certain someone and came into contact with the ground¡­ It was said that many years ago, the historians actually included the toppling of the phoenix carriage into the history of Xuanyuan, suggesting that it was inauspicious for the carriage to fall so brutally onto the ground during a national celebration, and that the Empress¡¯ nose and face were bruised and inmed, and the entire Xuanyuan was in chaos. Actually, it was but a certain person throwing a tantrum¡­ However, at that time, when the phoenix carriage was finally righted with the effort of the guards, Meng Fuao was squatting in the carriage and cursing to Lord Yuan Bao, who had been ttened, ¡°Dragons and old mice are the hardest to rear¡­¡± After that, the end of the street slowly came into view. The carriage was supposed to continue for another two streets and enter the Qinsheng gate through the Changan gate, but due to the change in the situation, Meng Fuyao immediately gave an order to change the route andplete the marriage as fast as possible¡ªshe was afraid that His Majesty Zhan would pull something again. Moreover, Xuanyuan Cheng felt that this situation was rather strange as well. The new emperor¡¯s personality was indeed boisterous and strange, so it was better to avoid him. Hence, Xuanyuan Cheng epted her request and added another order¡ªoriginally, he was supposed to settle the guest amodations first, but now he issued an order to settle it after the ceremony. The ministry of rites wasunched into a flurry of activity with the new changes, yet Zhan Beiye stood quietly and watched themotion, a slight suspicion rising in his heart¡ªWas the fact that Meng Fuyao was the new empress just a wild guess by Ji Yu and himself? There was no evidence at all, so what should he do? Continue to attend the ceremony? Or gather more information in Kunjing first? Behind him, a child holding a stick of candied fruit walked past him and bit happily into the fruit, leaving a huge bite mark¡­ A spiritual light suddenly shed in Zhan Beiye¡¯s mind! He immediately raised a hand and looked at his fingers. The bite mark was deep, and the teeth marks were visible. Zhan Beiye suddenly startedughing loudly, hisughter traveling down the entire street. Hisugh was extremely sudden and shocked the surrounding onlookers. The child jumped in fright. Zhan Beiye swung his hand and threw down a gold ingot,ughing as he said, ¡°Thank you, thank you, I¡¯ll buy you ten year¡¯s worth of candied fruit to eat!¡± He picked up the horsewhip and with a swish of his robes, he led the ck Wind Calvary away. Behind him, the Minister of Rites mbered up and shouted, ¡°Your Majesty, the ceremony has been canceled, you have to go to the pce¡­¡± Just as Zhan Beiye was sprinting manically towards the pce gates, Meng Fuyao had already arrived at Qinsheng Pce and alighted from the phoenix carriage. A fire was lit in front of the Qinsheng pce, awaiting the new empress to cross over it while carrying a golden bottle. However, the empress lifted the curtain of the carriage herself and reached out a hand towards thedy-in-waiting and leaped out of the carriage, stuffing something at thedy-in-waiting. Thedy-in-waiting took a look at the object¡ªhalf a fruit pit, a pile of broken jade pieces¡­ Cold sweat dripping¡­ The fire burned brightly, and twodies-in-waiting were waiting for her, but Meng Fuyao casually grabbed the golden bottle and stuffed it under her armpit, then with a hitch of her skirt she hurriedly ran ahead. Meanwhile, the twodies-in-waiting were dumbstruck. Cold sweat dripping¡­ Meng Fuyao ran towards the fire, rushing to ¡°get married¡±¡ªshe had to hurry, or else the madman Zhan would appear soon. Just at that moment, the Regent King had just finished weing the guests and was settling the arrangements, unaware. Apart from several officials, eunuchs anddies-in-waiting, nobody knew that the ¡°Empress¡± was hurrying so¡­ By then, Zhan Beiye had already reached the pce grounds. Although the Regent King had changed his orders and had it sent to the pce within the shortest time possible, the door guards had not yet received the message and thought that Zhan Beiye was here to attend the marriage, and happily weed him in. The rule that no horses were allowed in the pce held no weight in Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes, and with a flick of his gold whip, the horse flew through as the guards¡¯ and eunuchs¡¯ voices trailed helplessly behind him, ¡°Your Majesty, when there is a royal ceremony, no horses are allowed in the imperial pce¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never used my own legs to enter a pce! Every pce is the same!¡± Without turning back, Zhan Beiye continued his gallop forward. The guard broke out in a cold sweat¡­ At that moment, in front of the Qinsheng pce, was a 1,200-step white marble stairway, shining majestically like a stairway to heaven under the sun. As the chosen one to be the nation¡¯s empress, while walking up this long road, full of glory, slowly moving with gracefulness, and ording to etiquette, every step had to be apanied with a slight pause. However, in Meng Fuyao¡¯s case, a fraction of a period was all it took for what was supposed to be a period-long ceremonial ¡°ascension¡±. Zhan Beiye followed the music from the ministry of rites and sprinted to the Qinsheng pce. Meng Fuyao had just crossed the final step and had yet to enter the pce gates. Zhan Beiye raised his head to see hundreds of ministers and nobles heading towards the pce gates, and at the top, the slim silhouette had vanished. He hopped off his horse in an instant. Yet someone suddenly shouted for him to stop. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The Empress¡¯ carriage had been silently parked outside the Qinsheng Pce gates, and from the side window, the curtain was drawn open to reveal a beautifuldy¡¯s face. Zhan Beiye was getting anxious and didn¡¯t have the time to bother with her. Although it was strange that this person immediately recognized his identity with a single shout, he didn¡¯t care and prepared to leave. ¡°If you rush out now, you¡¯ll ruin her n.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Zhan Beiye finally responded. ¡°Why does she mind other people¡¯s business again?¡± The girl was naturally Shadow de¡¯s disguise. He looked at Zhan Beiye, and after a moment, he said, ¡°Probably the same as when she helped you previously.¡± Zhan Beiye frowned deeply and snarled, ¡°Who are you!?¡± ¡°Regardless of who I am, you just need to ask yourself, do you need to use force?¡± Shadow de nced around the pce, his expressionplicated. ¡°A beauty¡¯s heart is ever-changing, especially a girl like her. If you try to stop her, you¡¯ll only incur her annoyance and wrath. Your Majesty, I didn¡¯t want to say this to you, but now that I¡¯ve said it, you should listen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me to stand by one side and watch her be someone else¡¯s Empress?¡± Zhan Beiye snorted coldly. ¡°The royal ceremony is but a facade, they didn¡¯t even bow to the heaven and earth, and a recement had already been found for the bedroom. If she¡¯s not willing, she doesn¡¯t even need to enter the bedroom.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s arms were crossed around his chest, and his expression darkened as he said, ¡°Let me tell you, even if it is fake, I still don¡¯t want her to stand beside someone else as husband and wife! She can only be my Empress!¡± With a swish of his sleeve, he ignored Shadow de and strode out. Shadow de watched his determined silhouette with a mixed expression in his eyes. After a long time, he leaned lightly against the carriage and mumbled, ¡°Whatever¡­ Much less you, sometimes even I want to stop her too¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was standing in front of the altar. The Minister of Rites picked up the book of rites and began to read. ording to custom, this chant would continue until the ceremony ended. Given that there were several thousand words in the flower-embroidered book, adding on the old man¡¯s reading speed, for it to take so long was understandable. Chapter 238 - Untitled Chapter 238: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios In the end, the old man had just opened his mouth when Meng Fuyao suddenly ced a finger on his lips. The old man felt his mouth turn cold as if something had entered his stomach as he suddenly opened his mouth, only to hear a whisper beside his ear, ¡°Read faster, you only have fifteen minutes to finish reading! If not, the Sky Mountain Ice Poison silkworm will eat your heart all the way to your liver, so start reading fast!¡± After receiving Meng Fuyao¡¯s ¡°blessing¡±, the entourage witnessed the fastest chanting speed for the first time in all of Xuanyuan¡¯s history. ¡°The Changning Yuwen n¡­ the title of Lord of the Six Pces!¡± Apart from these few phrases, the hundreds of officials couldn¡¯t catch anything else that rolled off the old man¡¯s tongue. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but cast an expression of praise. ¡®If this old man was brought to the modern world, he could probably secure a career as a HIP-HOP singer,¡¯ she thought. After the chant was finished, she ordered again, ¡°Quickly offer up the gifts!¡± In front of the pce gates, Zhan Beiye had been stopped by the guards. ¡°The pce is currently holding a huge ceremony, may Your Majesty return.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here precisely for that!¡± Zhan Beiye raised his eyebrows. ¡°I was invited here!¡± The leader of the guards looked slightly awkward as he wiped the sweat off his head and said, ¡°The nation just changed the ns¡­ The viewing ceremony has been canceled, may Your Majesty alight from your horse and head to the pce stables, after that the Regent King will personallye to apologize¡­¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m already here, why are you stopping me, is this how Xuanyuan treats their neighboring emperor?¡± Zhan Beiye frowned and red at the guard. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let off bullying my new nation?¡± The leader of the guards retreated three steps in fright and bowed frantically, stuttering, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­ Wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± A war between two nations was not what a mere guard leader like himself could afford to start¡­ ¡°Then get out of the way!¡± Zhan Beiye shoved him aside and dered, ¡°Once I¡¯ve pulled my bow, it won¡¯t turn back!¡± Bringing only two ck Wind Calvary warriors, he galloped through the Qinsheng gate as a hundred guards frantically tried to stop him. However, Zhan Beiye used all his might and shook all of them off. ¡°Emperor of Dahan, you¡¯ve gone overboard!¡± A piercing, hostile voice shouted at him, and Zhan Beiye paused for a moment before moving on, pretending he hadn¡¯t heard anything. ¡°Please stop!¡± The person had already arrived and was standing right in front of Zhan Beiye. Zhan Beiye slowly raised his head and stared at Xuanyuan Cheng. ¡°Emperor of Dahan, this is the first ceremony the nation has had in almost a decade. Thus, it has to be carried out with utmost respect, so please watch your actions!¡± Zhan Beiye stared at him and suddenly startedughing. ¡°Is the name of the honored Empress Yuwen Zi?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s voice was light, but the entire pce could hear him. ¡°If I remember correctly, seven years ago when I was at Geya fighting against the Mo Luo troops, I was betrayed and put in a disadvantageous situation, and I had to retreat, injured, into the northern region of the country. At Changning¡¯s Mt. Changluo, I encountered ady who was visiting the mountain who saved me. Because of her care and protection, I am grateful even today. She had not left her name then, but after I searched and enquired around, I finally confirmed the identity of my savior,¡± he pointed towards the top of the pce steps and announced, ¡°It was precisely Empress Yuwen!¡± Xuanyuan Cheng was stunned momentarily as Zhan Beiye eyed him and continued, ¡°Even if Xuanyuan has changed the procession and disallowed guests from viewing, can¡¯t youpromise and let me see the empress, my savior, during her most glorious moment? I¡¯ve even traveled thousands of miles to get here.¡± He added, ¡°Since Xuanyuan values tradition so much, as a gentleman of the nation, is it right to treat other nations¡¯ emperors in this manner?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s words reverberated throughout the pce grounds as everyone remained silent. He had made a great point, and in the heat of the moment, Xuanyuan Cheng was unable to give him an answer. In the meantime, Meng Fuyao was listening from within the pce, her face darkening as she thought, ¡®Damn it, this madman Zhan¡¯s really good at faking it!¡¯ She raised her head and red at the Minister of Rites, who had already been shocked dumb earlier, and growled, ¡°Go and retrieve the treasures from the dragon pavilion, quickly!¡± The official had already been tormented by this vicious person the entire morning and dumbly agreed to get the treasures. However, his movements were slow, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s anxiety only rose even more, and she wanted nothing more than to kick the official on the arse and send him flying directly to the dragon pavilion. On the jade pedestal, Xuanyuan Cheng had already been thoroughly stumped by Zhan Beiye and couldn¡¯t stall him any further. If he really wanted to remove this ¡°grateful¡± Emperor of Dahan away, he not only had to disrespect Dahan in front of everyone, Zhan Beiye¡¯s actions had always been fearsome and destructive; earlier on, he had already stationed troops along the borders, clearly sending a message: ¡°if you offend me, I¡¯ll trample on you¡±. This new emperor was also world-famous and spent merely half a year restoring Tiansha to its former glory. Given the circumstances, Xuanyuan couldn¡¯t afford to offend such a dangerous enemy. But if they let him in, who knew what outrageous things this boisterous emperor would do? Xuanyuan Cheng frowned and wondered if he picked the wrong day. This ceremony was destined to turn into the joke of the nation. After a long silence, he finally sighed lightly and moved away, but did not leave. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, Your Majesty may remain to view the ceremony.¡± Zhan Beiye smiled brightly, refusing to let him pass as he moved ahead first with a swish of his robes. Xuanyuan Cheng had never met such an overbearing person and could only grit his teeth and follow behind. The minister finally brought the treasures before Meng Fuyao. Once she received the treasures, the ceremony wasplete. Meng Fuyao reached out and said, ¡°Give it to me!¡± ¡°Hold it!¡± A thunderous bellow resounded through the hall, leaving a buzzing noise in everyone¡¯s ears. Only Meng Fuyao remained indifferent as she reached out to grab the treasures. ¡°Do you still remember back then, the sword that I once gave to you?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s voice suddenly quietened, his question halting Meng Fuyao in her footsteps. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for you to return it for a long time.¡± The entire pce broke out in chaos. He was really here to steal the Empress¡­ With a dull thud, the old Minister of Rites, unable to withstand blow after blow from the day¡¯s happenings, finally fainted¡­ Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s expression changed as he shouted, ¡°Emperor of Dahan, this is too much!¡± Zhan Beiyeughed coldly and crossed his arms around his chest, ignoring the res and outrage around him as he fixed his gaze on Meng Fuyao. Everyone turned to look at Zhan Beiye in shock, then at Xuanyuan Min who was sitting on the throne smiling away, then at the heart of the matter, the empress that the two emperors were fighting over, Meng Fuyao. Countless curious and suspicious gazes were upon her slim silhouette as she stood motionless, the hand reaching out to grab the treasure hanging in mid-air. It was as if that exquisite and narrow hand was holding an invisible string and pulling everyone¡¯s gaze towards it, taut with tension. After a moment, the hand finally lowered and did not continue to receive the treasure, but instead rested itself against the armrest. Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes glinted as the entire pce froze. However, Xuanyuan Min suddenly covered his face and coughed slightly. A suspicious expression appeared on Meng Fuyao¡¯s face as she slowly turned around. Looking back at him, she smiled slightly and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Your Majesty¡­ But, I really don¡¯t like learning martial arts¡­¡± Uh¡­ Everyone present remained motionless, trying toprehend what her reply meant. Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes shone again as he heard a certain someone¡¯s voice whisper into his ear, viciously, ¡°Are you done ying? If you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll never forgive you this entire lifetime!¡± Zhan Beiye raised his eyes and stared at Meng Fuyao¡¯s hate-filled expression as if it were nothing and whispered back, ¡°Since when have I never?¡± Daggers shot out of Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes as she shot back, ¡°Always!¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s gaze turned, and he suddenly broke into a smile. His smile was extremely joyous as he said, ¡°Ah, empress, you¡¯re still the same as you were all those years back.¡± Then, he retreated and satfortably onto the chair behind him, appearing oblivious to everything that was happening around him as he said, ¡°After I saw you, I suddenly remembered that I haven¡¯t repaid you from the time at Mt. Changluo. I also see that you¡¯re rather skilled in martial arts, and I remember that I promised to teach you a set of sword techniques for defense, but you¡¯ve rejected my sword and left me, unable to repay my debt. Today, now that I¡¯ve seen you in the pce as a glorious empress, I remembered the past and couldn¡¯t help but¡­¡± His next words were frank and casual without a single sliver of guilt as he said, ¡°¡­ crack a joke.¡± The poor Minister of Rites had just been awoken when he heard thest sentence and fainted again. Meng Fuyao discreetly wrung her wrists¡ªwhen madman Zhan was saying those kinds of disgusting things, it really wasn¡¯t a normal kind of repulsiveness¡­ ¡®Damned maniptive bastard!¡¯ He wasn¡¯t here to disrupt her ¡°wedding¡± to begin with, he was merely concerned about the time when she was forced a kiss and couldn¡¯t let things go, so he deliberately tried to create trouble and force her into a corner and express her forgiveness. For a simple ¡°I forgive you,¡± Zhan Beiye had yed around with the royal wedding ceremony of a nation and the rtions between two nations! Meng Fuyao deeply believed that if she did not let Zhan Beiye hear what he wanted, this Emperor Zhan would really ignore everything and confess to her right here, right now. With a weak smile, Meng Fuyao nced at Xuanyuan Min. In the entire pce, he was the only one who was able to see everyone the most perceptively. He was the calmest, mostposed, without saying anything throughout it all, not even giving an outraged or shocked expression¡ªhad he already seen through Zhan Beiye¡¯s act of madness? Speaking of herself, she was facing away from the man. Being forced to ¡°marry¡± him, she had originally wanted to settle scores with him after that, but now she didn¡¯t even have the heart to do so¡­ How detestable! Meng Fuyao nced at Xuanyuan Cheng. He was breathing heavily, and his expression was unreadable as he stood there, his sleeve covering his face. She momentarily felt extremely happy. ¡®Haha, I¡¯m not the only one being yed, you guys are suffering too.¡¯ Smiling brightly, she thought, ¡®Actually, Emperor Zhan is still good, he¡¯s just a little rough around the edges. If a certain prince were to be here instead, I wouldn¡¯t even know what would happen.¡¯ Chapter 239 - Untitled Chapter 239: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Xuanyuan Cheng finally managed to calm down themotion after much effort. Regardless, the situation took a turn for the better, and it set the stage for Zhan Beiye to back down. Or would he insist and worsen themotion? He waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Vice Minister, please continue the ceremony!¡± Meng Fuyao turned around leisurely, receiving the Gold Seal from the trembling vice minister and bowed to the throne. As she stood there elegantly, all the officials heaved a long sigh of relief. It was certainly not an easy task for her to be crowned the Empress¡­ Zhan Beiye could only gaze at her, wondering when she would don on this dress for him. The Emperor of Dahan turned to look at the skies and too, heaved a sigh. The road ahead would be long, the climb, steep¡­ The beauty as unreachable as the clouds in the sky! With ¡°her saving his life¡± as an excuse, it would naturally be reasonable for Zhan Beiye to propose a toast to her during the feast where the guests from various countries arrived. As the Emperor and the Empress walked over to him, he lifted his golden cup up with a smile. But unlike the others, wishing the couple ¡®a harmonious union¡¯, he instead apologized. ¡°I am very apologetic for themotion I had caused previously. Would the Emperor of Xuanyuan allow me to propose a toast to the Empress in private, to apologize as well as to thank her?¡± Xuanyuan Min stepped aside with a smile and generously replied, ¡°Of course. Please.¡± With the wine cup in his hand, he went over to Shangyuan¡¯s courageous and loyal Gong Yan Lie to have a conversation. With a smile stered on her face as she toasted to Zhan Beiye, Meng Fuyao covered half her face with her sleeve. With a menacing voice, she cursed under her breath. ¡°Zhan Beiye, you¡¯ve gone too far¡ª¡± Zhan Beiye ignored herment and said, ¡°I finally found you!¡± Meng Fuyao paused. Then, she suddenly realized that he looked a lot more haggard after a mere few months. His eyes were bloodshot with dark eyebags underneath. One could tell the weariness in his eyes. After some reflection, Meng Fuyao felt that perhaps she had gone too far. Even though she was mad at his actions, she should still leave behind a letter before she left. The twist of fate had brought upon him suffering for no reason. Watching him attempt to stop the sedan chair without a care for his own safety, without a care for his dignity as an emperor, risking his authority and rushing into another country¡¯s ce out of worry for her made her forget what his subordinate had done. In fact, just seeing his haggard looks itself would be enough for her to bury the hatchet. She sighed and toasted. The two held their wine cups as they politely ¡°caught up¡±. ¡°Have you seen Little Seven? I ordered him toe to find you,¡± asked Zhan Beiye. ¡°No, he came alone?¡± asked Meng Fuyao, surprised. ¡°He should take responsibility for his wrongdoing.¡± Zhan Beiye exined Little Seven¡¯s thinking behind his actions, and after listening, Meng Fuyao frowned and grumbled, ¡°He¡¯s still a child. Such harsh punishment¡­ What if something really happened to him? Ah¡­¡± As so, in between the toasts, the two exchanged brief updates on their situation. Zhan Beiye¡¯s face remained stoic throughout, only frowning slightly at the mention of Shadow de. ¡°Just to save someone, did you really have to y the role of this fake Empress? Did you really¡­ Ha¡­¡± His sentence was cleanly cut off by the expression of Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. He could only change the topic. ¡°You want to help Xuanyuan Min defeat Xuanyuan Cheng, but this might not benefit Zong Yue at all.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed coldly. ¡°Just watch.¡± The two gold cups in their hands clinked, and they both went their separate ways. Meng Fuyao continued to go around and propose a toast to the guests. When she came to Yan Lie, she smiled. ¡°Shangyuan¡¯s Yan family is renowned, especially Yan Jingchen, taking over the sect at such a young age. Despite living in the rtively secluded north of Xuanyuan, I¡¯ve admired his actions for a very long time.¡± Yan Lie¡¯s eyes darkened as he bowed slightly. ¡°For his name to enter the ears of the Empress is his honor.¡± He lifted his cup and then quickly gulped it down as though he was forced to consume some sort of bitter tea. Meng Fuyao nced at him thoughtfully. She had been upiedtely and did not have any news of Yan Jingchen¡­ ¡®I wonder how Yan Jingchen, whose wife and teacher have been killed by me, is doing? Apparently, he doesn¡¯t seem to be doing very well?¡¯ The next table of guests were actually acquaintances from the True Martial Artspetition. The Wang Hua Yan from Xuanji that had lost to Yun Hen. Beside sat his wife, Feng Yu Chu, the eighth princess from Xuanji. Just by noticing her identity as a Xuanji princess, Meng Fuyao immediately wanted to ughter her. Thank goodness this eighth princess actually looked normal¡ªinparison to Princess Lotus, most people were, unsurprisingly, normal. Her status was even higher than her husband. As she stood up in a sophisticated manner, she gently apologized with a toast. ¡°The Emperor has fallen ill and is unable toe personally. He has sent me in his stead to congratte Your Highness.¡± ¡®That Old Man Feng has fallen ill? As a result of sadness over Princess Lotus¡¯ death? Aiya, with that bunch of sons and daughters that are all able to inherit the throne, wouldn¡¯t chaos ensue once that old man drops dead? To be sent out here at such a critical moment¡ªthat princess should be out of the game?¡¯ Smiling slightly, Meng Fuyao finished her wine. After toasting to all the guests, it was time for the guests to give their gifts. Most of the presents were gold and jewelry that was valuable butcked any sort of consideration. The most shameless present was from Da Han, where he had directly moved over a statue of a gold Buddha. It was huge, but the craftsmanship was rough. God knew which family workshop had manufactured such a ¡®piece of art¡¯. Meng Fuyao nced over at Zhan Beiye who was currently gulping down the wine with a ck face. ¡®Well, managing to give a gift is good enough, just look at the depressed, haggard face,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought to herself. But thest present caught everyone¡¯s attention. From Wuji. The rtionship between Xuanyuan and Wuji wasn¡¯t the best. Wuji not sending an ambassador to congratte the birth of the new Empress was more than normal¡ªXuanyuan did not even extend the invitation to Wuji. Hence, this gift that they had asked Shangyuan to bring over caught everyone¡¯s attention. The heavily packaged lc purple brocade box sparkled beautifully under the light from the luminous pearls. Looking at the color of the box, Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart thumped. Yan Lie opened the box. Oneyer, twoyers, threeyers¡­ His face turned ck. ¡®Why didn¡¯t the ambassador from Wuji mention that the gift had so manyyers?¡¯ But Meng Fuyao was reminded of the time in Yaocheng, the night of waltz where Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s gift to his master was too covered inyers¡­ Her lips curled up slightly¡­ Perhaps it was someone¡¯s little surprise, or perhaps it was just mere coincidence. The smile was abruptly reced by a frown as she squashed that damn guinea pig in her sleeves. She seemed to remember Wuji explicitly mentioning his inability to receive any information on her for a period of time. But by the looks of it, he seemed to be up to date? Using what methods? That damn guinea pig? The guinea pig squatted in her sleeve, its eyes rolling in exasperation. ¡®Is it easy for me? Only the Heavens would know how much hardships and inner struggles I¡¯ve had to go through send information to my master about my love rival¡­ AHHHHHH! Only the Heavens would know how difficult it is to transmit arge amount of information from one end of the world to another¡­ AHHH!¡¯ Finally, the contents in the box were revealed after much wait. All was left was but a lc pouch. The pouch was intricate with borate designs that coruscated under the light. But when the pouch was opened, there was nothing in there. Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the crown prince of Wuji possesses remarkable talent and even his actions are different from others, and today, I¡¯ve witnessed that his actions are indeed different, very different¡­¡± Everyone giggled. ¡°Different indeed¡­ different indeed¡­¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. She hated the sardonic tone Xuanyuan Min had! Initially, she felt that as long as she understood his message, it would be enough. After all, Zhangsun Wuji did not n for anyone else to understand. But now, she had enough! Just as the box was being kept away, Meng Fuyao suddenly reached out and picked up the pouch. She tugged on the silk strings and flipped the pouch over. The pouch in her hands was now a handkerchief. The strands of threads could be seen clearly, but they did little to diminish the elegance of the design. In fact, because of the individual strings, there was more depth to the pattern. Meng Fuyao held the handkerchief up, disying it. ¡®Wah¡ª¡¯ It was a picturesque scene of a royal couple admiring the sea. In the scene, the sea reflected the evening sky, embellished with the rosy pink clouds. The rays of hues of orange cast down on the golden pce, softening the lines between the roof and the sky. The smoke danced around the pavilion as the elegantdy and honorable man stood there. Bearing the semnce of a smile, shoulder to shoulder, the two gazed at the intersection of the sky and the sea. The man pointed towards the horizon which thedy looked towards it with love and longing. A simple action but somehow, the gracefulness and the charm was firmly embedded into each and every thread of the embroidery. The same phrase immediately came to everyone¡¯s mind: A match made in heaven. There was no other word that could describe such perfection. Yan Lie was the first to snap out of the daze. ¡°A match made in heaven is the perfect way to describe the Emperor and Empress of Xuanyuan.¡± Everyone began theirpliments, but some of the sharper audience questioned, ¡®The man and the woman¡¯s clothes are simr, but Xuanyuan is andlocked country. So where did the seae from?¡¯ But Meng Fuyao¡¯s attention was on the material of the handkerchief. This is another subset of Wuji¡¯s Silver Embroidery, a rare type. ¡°Thousand Silk Embroidery.¡± Thousands of silk, thousands of longing. Longing, regardless. Meng Fuyao gently caressed that smooth Thousand Silk Embroidery. The embroidered scene on the handkerchief brought happiness to her eyes¡­ ¡®Zhangsun Wuji, Zhangsun Wuji, to congratte yourself being a match made in heaven with another¡¯s wife on his wedding¡­ And he even had to thank you for it¡­ Only you would do something like that.¡¯ But somehow, her emotions that had been weighed down by the deceitful schemes and dangerous acts, slowly but surely, lightened up¡­ After keeping the gifts, Meng Fuyao apanied Xuanyuan Min around the hall to propose a toast to all the honorable guests adorned with gold and jade. Under the flickering lights, the ¡°majestic match made in heaven¡± made their way around the hall. Chapter 240 - Untitled Chapter 240: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios When night fell, fiery sparks of golden, vermillion and green ignited against the backdrop of the dark sky. They bloomed uniformly like beautiful flowers above the pavilion in the imperial garden, embellishing the otherwise ck sky with an array of colors. The vivid colors reflected on the surface on the calm jadeke, glistening in all its glory. That fireworks spread out in the sky. The royal couple stood at the water pavilion with a smile as they admired the scene that unfolded before their very eyes. Thedy donned invish dress and jewelry looked up. Though vivid, the colors in the sky was nothingpared to the radiance in her eyes. She looked at the fireworks, but her gazended on the horizon. At the corner of the water pavilion, a man clothed in a ck embroidered robe had his hands behind his back, refusing to participate in the splendor that this feast brought. He stood quietly like a rock, gazing at that slim back. Further down, in a certain part of the pce, a man dressed as ady watched the sky still. In his eyes, one could see the troubles hidden in his heart. Zhao Ning Year 12, winter. Thest of the fireworks vanished into nothingness. Outside the bustling pce, Little Seven waited painfully at the market for Eunuch Zhao. He waited for the entire night without a single bite of food or a drop of water. Some people, who couldn¡¯t bear watching him, tried to persuade him. ¡°Today is the ceremony where the Empress is crowned. Eunuch Zhao is definitely swamped with work. You should go back first ande back to wait for him tomorrow.¡± Little Seven nodded and continued to wait. After all, where else could he return to? At night, though it was not Eunuch Zhao, Eunuch Li from the pce came to recruit eunuchs to do hardbor. Unlike the hardbor outside, those who had been recruited into the pce for hardbor were required to remove an organ for a man, which most workers were unwilling to do so. Normal eunuchs were also unable to carry out hardbor. ¡®What a tough chore.¡¯ He had unintentionally noticed the confused Little Seven squatting in a corner. Even though he was young, it was obvious that he had a well-trained body. His eyes lit up as he went up to ask, ¡°We need someborers, do you want to go?¡± Little Seven beamed. Laborers, thest time Eunuch Zhao also asked him if he wanted to enter the pce as aborer. He was afraid that he would have to be a eunuch and especially rified with Eunuch Zhao. Since he didn¡¯t have to be a eunuch, he, of course, was doing it. He had been on the street for a long time and somewhat had acquainted with the treacherous aspect of human nature. Carefully, he inquired once more. ¡°Labourer?¡± ¡°Labourer, the ones that do hardbor,¡± replied Eunuch Li. ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Eunuch Li smiled widely. ¡°I still have some stuff to settle. I¡¯ll give you a list, and you can go outside the pce to look for me. My surname is Li.¡± Little Seven nodded as he kept the list while strutting along. ¡®Where should I sleep tonight? There is a bridge near the Nation Protecting Temple, which keeps the wind out. I guess I¡¯ll sleep there tonight.¡¯ He had no money ¡ª he had worked for three days and left without getting paid. Furthermore, he had forgotten what money even looked like. Little Seven plodded on the long streets. He was ted that he had a sheltered ce to stay tonight, ted that he could enter the pce tomorrow to find Meng Fuyao. After she whipped him, he could then return to look for His Majesty. Not far from the Nation Protecting Temple is the pce. Right in front was the intersection. On the long lonely street, thenterns lit up the crow-ck road. The sides on the road were littered with withering sunflowers that could not withstand the cold, bitter winter. The corners of the golden petals curled slightly as they unwillingly descended onto the ground, shivering in the brutal weather. As the heavy footsteps of passersby trampled over it, destion fell. Zhan Beiye was on his way back from the pce. The hooves of his horse ttened the flowers on the ground. The soldiers from the ck Wind Calvary followed behind him, treading over eggshells. Regardless, His Majesty was definitely in a bad mood. All of his ¡®unbothered¡¯ disy or ¡®unperturbed¡¯ behaviors were all mere acts to not affect Meng Fuyao¡¯s ns. Which man on this earth would be unmoved upon seeing the love of his life standing beside another man, getting married? Which man would be able to happily congratte the woman he loved marrying another man, even if it was fake? He wanted to Xuanyuan to be in trouble, but yet, in his heart, how could he not have wished for the reply to contain another answer? The soldiers of the ck Wind Calvary remained silent as they thought about Little Seven being chased away, Commander Ji Yu breaking his arm and leaving for Chang Han. His Majesty¡¯s right and left-hand men all left because of the King of Han¡­ His Majesty, too lonely¡­ Zhan Beiye did not utter a single word as he waved his whip absentmindedly. A figure that had his head down suddenly passed by his horse with ragged and shabby clothes. Zhan Beiye froze! This figure resembled Little Seven. Then, he quickly dismissed that thought with a smile. Little Seven did not hang his head down in his entire life. This fiercely, stubborn child would never bend down his neck. He would always joke that his neck was made with gold and he would rather break than bending it. The shabbily-dressed man brushed past quickly with his head lowered. As he walked past, his head tilted to the side to rub against his own shoulder. Zhan Beiye was shocked! A certain someone had a pitiable birth and was raised up by wolves. The habits of an animal that was deeply ingrained with him could not be changed with the experiences he had living amongst people. When his neck itched, he would move his head to rub it against his shoulders, forgetting that he could use his hands. Little Seven! Zhan Beiye grabbed the shoulder of the figure. Little Seven, who was in deep thought, turned back in anger. But the moment he saw Zhan Beiye, he pounced over with a loud cry. He pounced over so ferociously as though as he wanted to knock Zhan Beiye down from his horse. Zhan Beiye swayed but very quickly regained his bnce. He wanted to get down the horse, but Little Seven hugged his leg tightly without moving. After a while, Zhan Beiye felt that the corner of his pants, where Little Seven was at, was slightly damp. The dampness was getting more obvious by the moment, soaking through the robe and directly onto his skin. And then, into his heart. With his head down, Zhan Beiye looked at the kid that was clinging onto his leg silently, trying his best to suppress his shivers. In just two months, this kid was now covered in dirt, wearing clothes that did not suit the season. His hands were covered in calluses and wounds from the incorrect position he had been holding the work equipment. Everything about him changed. Only the whip he had stubbornly carried on his back; even the position was unchanged. Two whole months¡­ This child that had once experienced abandonment, whose life only contained him and the ck Wind Calvary, whom he had heartlessly chased away¡­ How did he get through those difficult days? The ck Wind Calvary remained silent as they all turned away as tears filled their eyes. Zhan Beiye looked up. The pale winter moon shone selflessly on the handsome profile of the Emperor of Dahan. Slowly, quietly, gentle drops of tears dripped down his haggard face, falling down onto the sobbing child¡¯s messy hair. Pain, beyond words. This night, on the streets of a foreign country, the men sat there unmoved as sadness held them hostage. Till the cold wind had the child with only a piece of cloth trembling. Zhan Beiye quickly took off his outer robe and covered Little Seven with it. ¡°Where do you stay now?¡± asked Zhan Beiye. Stumped, Little Seven kept quiet. Zhan Beiye immediately understood his silence as a sigh of guilt escaped from between his lips. ¡°Return to the inn with me.¡± But Little Seven shook his head. He held the list that Eunuch Li had given to him. He was not done, he had to enter the pce. Noticing his action, Zhan Beiye asked, ¡°What¡¯s in your sleeves?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I got to know an uncle while I was in the Regent King¡¯s residence. He¡¯s a good man. I pawned something for him today, and now I¡¯ve to send the receipt and the money over. I¡¯lle back after I pass him the stuff.¡± This lie was without w. A few days ago, when a few workers snuck out, they had used this excuse. He remembered. Zhan Beiye did not expect this child to learn to lie after two months of being on the streets. He nodded. ¡°Remember toe over.¡± And then, he ordered his guards to give him some money and a horse before letting Little Seven go. As he left with the ck Wind Calvary, he turned back to look at Little Seven. That child painted a lonely figure on the streets as he stood there, hugging the money as his eyes followed Zhan Beiye¡¯s back. The moonlight drew a long, dark shadow on the ground. Zhan Beiye could feel the tears threatening toe out. ¡®This child has had it hard when he returns, I¡¯ll make it up to him¡­¡¯ He waited at the inn for Little Seven but never managed to await his return. Even Ji Yu, who was tasked to follow Little Seven, lost him identally. Fate has its own n at every turn. The next day, Little Seven carried the list as he walked to the pce, not knowing the fearful event that awaited him. Meanwhile, the new empress ¡°Yu Wenzi¡± had her very first important task. The paying of respects¡­ Meng Fuyao was extremely frustrated, she decided that she was going to make this swift and quick with the women of Xuanyuan. She polished her de, ready to ughter the ¡°chickens¡±. Xuanyuan Min thought that she was going to kill the chicken to scare themonkeys 1 and disy her authority. Meng Fuyao took a deep breath, and with a smile that revealed her white teeth, announced, ¡°No such thing. If they cross the line, no one has the luck to be a monkey.¡± Enunciating each word clearly, she dered: ¡°They. Are. All. Chickens!¡± Early in the morning, the concubines in the imperial harem were mostly awake. Early in the morning, VERY early in the morning ¡ª 3 am. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The new Empress passed down a new decree that said that she would be waking up at 3 am to exercise, and after her exercise, she would shower and then rest. The period where she rested would be the usual time where the rest of the concubines paid their respects. Her rest was more important than some insignificant ¡®paying of respects¡¯ and so, she decided that all concubines would too, not get to sleep. After all, they had their fair share of sleep when there was no empress, right? So the concubines, who were used to waking up when the sun was out, struggled painfully to drag themselves out of bed at 3 am. ounting for the need to wash up and do their make-up, which took around 2 hours, that would mean that, essentially, they didn¡¯t have to sleep. Of course, like any of the times, it nevercked people who were, without brains, two, rebellious. And so, naturally, there would be ¡°trailzers¡± and ¡°unique personalities¡±. Chapter 241 - Untitled Chapter 241: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The representative of this era was none other than Consort Xian, the most favored person in the harem before the new Empress entered. Consort Xian of the Gao n was a descendant of a prominent figure who contributed to the founding of the nation, and she was the daughter of King Xiping. This King was known to be a highly principled man with nimble foresight. As the former close confidante of Prince Wen Yi, he was in charge of many critical affairs under the Prince, but he sold those vital pieces of information to Xuanyuan Cheng, and once again became a close confidante. Naturally, the Regent King bestowed the Gao family with gifts and his favor, and even Consort Xian seemed to be in charge of the Imperial Harem. She became conceited and stuck-up, and the attendants around her changed at the speed of chopping chives. The ones that were reced were either dead or sent to harsh ces such as the department in charge of washing clothes. As such, when other attendants and eunuchs were told to enter her pce, they acted as though they were told to drink poisonous wine ¨C they quickly held the hands of theirpanions and friends and bade their farewells in tears. The entire harem had long suffered under Consort Xian. After the new Empress entered the harem, many had naturally tried to influence the tough Empress to take action. After hearing these, the new Empress, in a half-asleep state, merely said, ¡°Oh.¡± Many were so disappointed, thinking, ¡®So she was just here for show.¡¯ Since it was the first time greeting the Empress, everyone should, supposedly, wake up no matter what. Yet Consort Xian sent an attendant the day before to inform that she was not feeling well, and she would greet the Empress on another day. When Meng Fuyao heard the message, she smiled. ¡°Tell her that she should treat her illness. Go ahead.¡± The attendant went back and ryed the exact message. At that moment, the well-dressed Consort Xian was just casually admiring the flowers in front of the window. Her pce had a special room, where the top-notch gardeners would specially attend to her flowers every day. The flowers which were in season would bloom right in front of her expensive, pale-rose and delicate muslin window so that Consort Xian could smell the scent of various flowers in her room without even sitting up on her bed. However, she was not in a good mood as the gardener was unable to make her favorite peonies bloom. Hence, in her rage, she made the gardener turn into fertilizer, and she ordered the eunuchs to find a better gardener. When the attendant ryed the Empress¡¯ decree, the corner of her lips lifted and she smirked. Extending her fingers that were guarded by sapphire nail protectors, she gently snapped a stalk of green chrysanthemum that was painstakingly taken care of. Slowly, she tore off the petals of the precious chrysanthemum one by one, until a bare stalk was left. ¡°At least she¡¯s adaptive to the circumstances.¡± Then, she went back to sleep and was prepared to wake up at her usual timing. By 3 a.m., the concubines had already gathered in the Empress¡¯ pce. Those who were ranked equivalent to or higher than a Noble Concubine were given seats in the outer room, while those ranked lower than that could only kneel and wait in the courtyard. In the wee hours of a cold winter morning, this bunch of pampered women knelt to the point that they resembled the shivering stalks of grass in the harsh and icy wind. In the outer room, though the ming charcoal wood kept them warm, Meng Fuyao was not going to make their lives easy, and she tortured them in another way. Those of noble statuses sat stiffly in their spots and Consort Jade, Jian Xue, hung her head in difort. Her position was arranged in a very strange manner ¨C the first on the left was Noble Consort, Tang Yiguang, the first on the right was Consort De, Hua Zhirong, second on the left was her and second on the right was Consort Shu, Situ Linyun. The arrangement was¡­ messed up. ording to the harem¡¯s hierarchy of status of the Four Consorts, Noble Consort shoulde first, followed by Consort Shu, then Consort Xian and finally Consort De. Other than Tang Yiguang¡¯s position, the other three Consorts were arranged wrongly. She who was supposed to be seated on the third position from the left was now sitting on Consort Xian¡¯s position. If Consort Xian were to know of this, there would be trouble for her, and Jian Xue whimpered in her heart. ¡®Who said that the new Empress is a pushover? Even before she appears, she has already arranged the seats as such. That¡¯s pushing Hua Zhirong and me to be the enemies of everyone else, and especially me as an enemy of Consort Xian!¡¯ she thought. At that moment, she was surrounded by the bizarre nces of the other women, and she sat so ufortably on her seat as though needles had grown all over her body. Looking at how Hua Zhirong remained nonchnt, and how Tang Yiguang only cared about eating the snack from her sleeves, she smirked to herself. ¡®How reckless of them!¡¯ Then, she thought of how she sent tonics to Yu Wenzi and suddenly sneezed during the selection of Empress, resulting in her missing out on the position of the Empress and the Four Consorts. Was that¡­ also not a coincidence? As she thought of that, she could not help but shiver in fear. Just then, Consort Shu grinned and asked, ¡°Sister Jian, are you feeling cold? Be careful not to catch a cold in this frosty weather in the winter.¡± Forcefully, Jian Xue looked up and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Sister Consort Shu, for your concern. Please take care of your noble body too.¡± Casually, Consort Shu surveyed her nail protectors under the light and said, ¡°I am an unrefined person and have always been able to handle tough situations unlike you, Sister. You¡¯re a real jade that can¡¯t catch any cold at all. I heard that after the day of the Empress selection, you caught the flu?¡± In an instant, Jian Xue¡¯s face turned ghastly white. The incident of her sneezing during the selection was her greatest embarrassment in life, and these women indeed did not intend to let it pass by! ¡°Consort Jade is a real delicate one. No wonder His Majesty favors you. I heard that when you sneezed into His Majesty¡¯s palm, he did not even get angry.¡± Another Noble Concubine covered her mouth and mocked. ¡°That is because Consort Jade is so virtuous and beautiful, and hence His Majesty dotes on her. If it were ordinary people like you and me, forget about sneezing, we wouldn¡¯t even be able to pass if we just revealed our teeth when we talked.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, not everyone can be the ¡®Sneezing Imperial Consort¡¯¡­¡± It turned into a lively discussion as everyone chimed in andughed about it. Women in the harem had always been the most boring biological bunch in the universe. The only thing they would do other than trying to make themselves more beautiful would be to find ways to embarrass their opponents. With those gentle lips of theirs, they would sprout sentences that resembled sharps knives and daggers, making deep cuts in only the weakest spots of their enemies. Being theughing stock of the group, Jian Xue was drowned in a sea of mockery andughter. She was already shivering with anger, and the acts of Hua Zhirong merely watching on and Tang Yiguang being engrossed in her snacks made her feel even more bitter. All three of them had fallen into the new Empress¡¯ trap, but the two of them were utterly ignorant and did not know how to help each other, leaving her to fight the war alone. Why enter the harem then! Seeing how the number of enemies around her was as dense as snow, how the two of them were as dumb as cattle, and how the new Empress had forced her into dangerous grounds even before showing her face, Jian Xue felt her heart drop. Suddenly, she recalled what her wise and farsighted grandmother had said when she entered the pce. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly and never get involved in the fight in the harem. The fight in Xuanyuan¡¯s harem is far eviler than that in any other country because that is no longer a fight between women for favor, but one that concerns the power over the country. It is a highly turbulent situation now, the Emperor is not without support, and every woman there is backed by their ns. Glory and downfall may happen to you at any moment, so don¡¯t fight. If you¡¯re forced to fight, then choose to follow the most malicious one!¡± Choose to follow the most malicious one¡­ In an instant, Jian Xue made her decision. Slowly looking up, she smiled. ¡°Since it is brought up, I apologize for that incident. It was actually intentional on my part to be down with the flu.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jian Xue stood and bowed respectfully towards the middle seat. ¡°When I first saw Her Majesty in the first round of selection, I immediately thought that Her Majesty had such a majestic presence to look after thend under the Heavens. I dared not to fight with Her Majesty, so I chose to voluntarily step back.¡± Although she said it in such a sincere and solemn manner, the other concubines revealed expressions of mistrust and distaste. They had seen shameless people who boot-licked, but they had never seen one so shameless! Jian Xue beamed and sat down ¨C it was not meant to be said for them anyway. While there was a battle of words in the outer room, the situation was vastly different in the courtyard. The weather was too cold for the concubines to speak, and there had no news even after they had been kneeling for such a long while. Seeing that there was no one else, they started getting restless. The timid ones would try to move their legs as they leaned their weight on their hands, and the brazen ones directly stood up, holding on to the walls as they groaned and exercised their leg muscles. For a while, the courtyard was filled with the sounds of stomping. ¡°This is trying to torment us on such a cold day!¡± ¡°There should at least be a coal burner to keep us warm.¡± ¡°Forget it, someone is bent on making you kneel. What burner could there be!¡± ¡°I heard that she was not very favored when she was in the Zhang Ning residence? She probably knelt a lot when she was young. Now that the tables have turned, she would want us to have a taste of that!¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯re too nice. I¡¯m more worried about this ¨C does she even know what a coal burner is? Don¡¯t tell me she has yet to know all the things we use in the pce?¡± Giggles ensued. ¡°Hah.¡± A sudden voice appeared, and it seemed as though the speaker was very interested in joining their conversation. ¡°I heard that the northern areas don¡¯t even use a proper coal burner, and all they use are heated brick beds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Concubine Liu, whose father was not ranked high but held significant authority in the court. As a Vice Minister at the Ministry of War, he was in charge of weapons and was a trusted confidante of the Regent King. Naturally, Concubine Liu basked in this honor and was able to speak with such confidence. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall and rubbed her waist. In a casual tone, she added, ¡°I heard that the beds are huge in the northern area, and male and females sleep together and roll around on the floor.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ there¡¯s really such a way of sleeping?¡± The same person continued asking with much enthusiasm. ¡°Yes,¡± Concubine Liu answered and smirked nonchntly. ¡°I wonder who our Empress sleeps with on that big brick bed? Her elder brother? Younger brother? Grandfather or uncle? Hah.¡± She was happily speaking away and did not notice that her surroundings had slowly turned quiet. The lively chatter just now had entirely died down, and the atmosphere was eerily silent. ¡°I feel that it¡¯s nothing much to sleep with the younger brother. It won¡¯t be nice if it was the grandfather or uncle,¡± replied that person, who raised her opinion in a very earnest voice. ¡°What do you know?¡± Concubine Liu raised one corner of her lip. ¡°That¡¯s already pretty mild. There are even cases of people who crawl into the beds of their daughter-inw! Didn¡¯t the third master of the previous generation in the Yuwen nmit suicide because of this? The genes do pass down¡­¡± she spoke, and she removed her hands from her waist in smiles. Turning to look back, she added, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so naive and cute¡­¡± Suddenly, she choked, and her eyes slowly widened. Behind her, all the concubines had already knelt at their original positions, but one person was standing who did not wear any make-up. With hair tied up simply, she was d in simple but strange clothes, and steam was still evaporating from her head. She beamed and looked at Concubine Liu with her hands behind her back. Seeing that Concubine Liu looked back, she smiled and asked, ¡°Say it, continue and say it. Why are you stopping?¡± Concubine Liu¡¯s lips quivered. From the surroundings and the essories on this woman¡¯s waist, she had inferred the identity of the woman. And just now¡­ just now¡­ just now, when the Empress led her on, what exactly has she said? Slowly recalling what she had uttered, Concubine Liu felt as though she was struck by thunder and her body shook. Her knees gave way, and she knelt down immediately. In tears, she cried, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Your Majesty¡­ your humble servant is ignorant¡­ it was all nonsense¡­ your humble servant will p herself!¡± Making up her mind, she raised her hand and gave herself a tight p across the cheek. The sharp sound of the contact made the women in the courtyard bow down even lower, and Concubine Liu shivered as she looked up pitifully at Meng Fuyao. Chapter 242 - Untitled Chapter 242: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao waved her hand and leaned slightly, smiling as she looked at her, not saying a word. Liu Pin had gotten impatient and could only p herself again. Meng Fuyao remained motionless and smiled slightly without saying a word until the skin on Liu Pin¡¯s face was bruised and inmed. Finally, Meng Fuyao slowly said, ¡°Why is Sister Liu so afraid? I¡¯ve just finished running around and haven¡¯t even caught my breath when you start pping yourself¡­ what¡¯s the point?¡± Liu Pin copsed onto the ground, tears streaming out of her face as she heard the heartless person add, ¡°Aiya, look at this tender and smooth skin, how ugly it is after being pped¡­¡± Liu Pin didn¡¯t even have the energy to cry anymore and stayed on the floor, her heart filled with hatred, yet she didn¡¯t dare to show it on her face as she heard the Empress¡¯ footsteps; she sounded like she was leaving the courtyard. Liu Pin couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved when the Empress suddenly turned back and said, ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t settled the official matters yet.¡± Everyone looked at Meng Fuyao expectantly as she turned to thedy-in-waiting beside her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the punishment for insulting the nation¡¯s mother?¡± Thedy-in-waiting curtsied and replied, ¡°Replying Your Grace, the punishment is death by suicide, along with the elimination of the criminal¡¯s maternal family.¡± She responded calmly, but when everyone heard her, they began to tremble, and Liu Pin shrank back immediately. Meng Fuyao smiled brightly at her and said warmly, ¡°That¡¯s why I said, Sister Liu, you were being too extreme. Whatever crime youmitted will be punished by thew, so why are you so anxious over getting beaten? Wouldn¡¯t it be redundant?¡± Death by suicide¡­ All the concubines¡¯ faces paled; they never imagined that just Liu Pin would cower beneath Meng Fuyao, not even daring to raise her head as she looked at her fearfully. When her gaze met Meng Fuyao¡¯s cold andposed gaze, her heart instantly sank to the very bottom. She could only open her mouth. Meng Fuyao continued smiling as she gazed at her¡ªShe heard that Liu Shng doted on this daughter of his immensely and even didn¡¯t want to send her into the pce back then. What would he think if he saw the scene today? ¡°No¡ª¡ª¡± Liu Pin finally managed to gather a response from the blow andunched herself forward as she grabbed Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes and sobbed. ¡°Your Grace, Your Grace, I am guilty, forgive me, Your Grace, spare me¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Who said I wanted you dead?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s wordsforted, then frightened Liu Pin repeatedly and she felt mentally and emotionally exhausted after blow upon blow. She remained kneeling on the ground as she heard the Empress announce with an extremely tragic tone, ¡°Good karma falls upon those who show mercy, even though you grantly insulted my family, to take one¡¯s life just because of a few sentences, it won¡¯t do¡­ It won¡¯t do¡­¡± Liu Pin watched her with a shell-shocked expression. She did not dare rejoice¡ªwho knew when something scary woulde out of that mouth again? ¡°However, that mouth of yours is really terrible, truly terrible. I¡¯ve heard that you used to take pleasure in treating your servants and rtives like a joke?¡± Without looking at her, Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze swept across all the concubines. ¡°Speaking too much and without thinking will cause the end of your life sooner orter. I can¡¯t bear to see you go down that path, so how about this, I¡¯ll help you¡­¡± She adjusted her sleevezily and said, ¡°¡­ Sew your mouth shut.¡± The entire hall fell silent, and several weak-hearted concubines started crying in fright. Liu Pin slowly raised her head and nced at Meng Fuyao, who was looking back down at her and smiling. Then, her body swayed, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Meng Fuyao kicked her aside and swept the hall again. She called a girl over, ¡°Yang Chongrong,e here.¡± The girl who had been called turned pale. Not daring to stand up, she crawled over on her knees and stuttered, ¡°Y-your Grace¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you with sewing Liu Pin¡¯s mouth,¡± Meng Fuyao said simply. ¡°Since you are on good terms with her, you naturally know the severity of the situation lest other people perform shoddily and ruin Sister Liu¡¯s face.¡± Yang Chongrong¡¯s face looked worse than Liu Pin¡¯s as she knelt on the ground for a long time before finally whispering, ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Go to that hut to do it, don¡¯t scare the sisters here.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded satisfactorily and indicated for the eunuch to take them away. She waved a hand, and a eunuch carried a burning hot branding iron in as well, the boiling red and sizzling object was like a bloody ghost¡¯s eye, and all the concubines clenched their mouths tightly shut as if their lips were being pressed by that horrendous thing. They felt a burning sensation on their lips that traveled all the way down to the bottom of their hearts. They watched with bated breath as the eunuch closed the door, and after a while, terrible screams could be heard from the hut. The piercing screams tore at their hearts; immense pain was like a terrifying ck hole, it could send a person¡¯s mental health spiraling into somewhere unknown. Thereafter, a faint stench of urine and blood drifted from the hut. There was a deadly silence. If Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t speak, everyone dared not speak either and maintained an absolute silence as they listened to the screamsing from the consorts that had given her nothing but trouble. The rest of the concubines remained kneeling, their faces ashen as they trembled. Several concubines fainted directly, and below some of the concubines, a bodily fluid could be seen leaking out. Ping¡ª The door of the hut from which terrible screams and cries were heard suddenly swung open as Yang Chongrong flew out, her hair a terrible mess and her eyes bloodshot as she screamed, ¡°I can¡¯t do it¡ªI can¡¯t do it¡ªForgive me¡ªForgive me¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t even greet Meng Fuyao nor did she turn to look at anyone as she sprinted out wildly all the way until she banged into the fountain in the courtyard, stumbling for a moment before running again. ¡°Yang Chongrong is a coward, send her back. She doesn¡¯t need toe out anymore.¡± All the concubines listened to her with their heads buried¡ªthe two consorts were the most powerful among all of them, and they were usually the closest to the Emperor and today, Her Grace had settled them in one go. The Empress¡¯ intent was clear. Meng Fuyao sat upon the steps as she watched Yang Chongrong run. She couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly¡ªshe hadn¡¯t intended to be so cruel, she just wanted Shadow de to scare them a little; could he really have done something terrifying? She nced at the concubines gathered in the courtyard¡ªthey were all fine specimens of the fairer sex and were definitely worthy of being called a consort, unlike the ones who just wanted the world to burn. When the Regent King selected concubines for Xuanyuan Min, the only requirement was that they had to be beautiful, so beautiful such that the Emperor would be deeply mesmerized by them. Come to think of it, thesedies were rather pitiful too, they had be their families¡¯ sacrificial pawns, unable to have children, the only entertainment they had was to gossip about each other. When Xuanyuan Min discussed with her to be a fake empress, in the end, he just didn¡¯t want a real empress to control him. As for the others, if she could handle these concubines and stop them from spreading baseless rumors, then that would be the best. He wasn¡¯t clear about Meng Fuyao¡¯s threshold and didn¡¯t have very high hopes for her, but he didn¡¯t expect that she would actually be this useful? Regardless of who was using who, she also wanted to use this status as Empress to change Xuanyuan¡¯s political scene. ¡®Create chaos, but not too much chaos, or else Zong Yue will be troubled when I hand the nation over to him¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrows creased together in thought. She raised her chin and called outzily, ¡°Attention, my sisters.¡± All the concubines hurriedly turned to look at her. ¡®The harem has the responsibility to support His Majesty on internal affairs, in the past, I was not around, and you have all been too rxed, but now, discipline must be restored,¡± Meng Fuyao announced. ¡°From this day on, every alternate day, you will stay with me and do embroidery to create handmade handicrafts to serve as rewards for meritorious officials. This is also a way to express gratitude on behalf of the royal family.¡± Everyone present protested silently. Do it themselves? Every alternate day? Embroidery was alright, but even weaving as well? These concubines all came from distinguished families in Xuanyuan and were spoilt as young mistresses at home, they had never done something soborious before! And yet, the Empress¡¯ reason was righteous and reasonable, to the point that they had no way to protest against it. Even if the Regent King came, he wouldn¡¯t be able to help much in matters of the harem. Seeing that she had fully convinced the concubines, Meng Fuyao nodded and said, ¡°All of you may leave.¡± Then, she turned around and went into the inner pce. ¡®The conflict is probably over now, right?¡¯ Several highly-ranked concubines had seen everything that happened in the courtyard that morning and immediately sucked in their arrogant expressions and stared at Meng Fuyao fearfully, rmed at the Empress¡¯ cruelty, yet Meng Fuyao treated them warmly as she suddenly said, ¡°Noble Concubine.¡± The Noble Concubine, who had been extremely smug about criticizing Jian Xue earlier, jumped at being called and hurriedly bowed. ¡°I heard His Majesty mention yesterday that there was a flood in the southern region, and the head of state spared no expense in rescuing the victims and faced the situation in an orderly manner, and now he has been promoted to Stock Minister. In addition to his merit, I should also give you a promotion.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled slightly. ¡°You shall be a consort, the Noble Consort.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Grace!¡± The Noble Consort hurriedly thanked her with unexpected glee. Meng Fuyao waved a hand and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already said before that a concubine¡¯s promotion is directly rted to her family¡¯s honor. Actually, when the family contributes to the nation, the concubine will also have a share of the glory. Since all of you here are all highly regardeddies, there will always be a chance in the future.¡± ¡®Everyone has a chance,¡¯ thought Concubine Tao as a sh of jealousy appeared on her face. Her father was a great schr and had always been at political loggerheads with the Noble Consort¡¯s father, now that the Noble Concubine had been promoted to Noble Consort, and she was still stuck as a concubine, how could she swallow this down? The Noble Consort stood up as everyone gazed at her in envy. The Xuanyuan regime was trulyplicated; the game that the Emperor yed under the scrutiny of the Regent King was a tightrope. The imperial court was divided into two sides with each having their own ns as the Regent King watched from his tower, holding the two sides tightly in his hands. Meng Fuyao pretended not to notice as she sipped at her tea. Suddenly, she asked, ¡°Why is the Consort of Virtue not here?¡± Chapter 243 - Untitled Chapter 243: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios All the concubines stared at her, aghast¡­ Hadn¡¯t she already reported sick? How did you forget so quickly? Someone was about to mention it when Jian Xue immediately continued Meng Fuyao¡¯s question as she looked and remarked, ¡°That¡¯s right, I felt as if someone was missing, turns out it was Consort of Virtue that didn¡¯t turn up, perhaps she had¡­ forgotten?¡± Meng Fuyao nced at her and responded with an offhanded ¡°Oh.¡± Then, she continued drinking her tea and casually ced the cup back down. The rest of the concubines then attempted to rise slowly and excuse themselves, but Jian Xue remained standing around at the back. Meng Fuyao was sitting down, slowly sipping her tea without looking at her. When the crowd dispersed, Jian Xue suddenly turned around andunched herself before Meng Fuyao¡¯s knees. Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes and stared at her. After a while, she smiled. The new Empress had sure been busy. Liu Pin and Yang Chongrong had both been dealt with; Liu Pin had yet toe out of Chongxing Pce, and Yang Chongrong was mentally unstable. The Noble Concubine had been promoted. Everyone had to do work at the Chongxing Pce every alternate day. The Noble Consort was bestowed numerous gifts and treasures. This move naturally came to the Regent King¡¯s attention, and when Xuanyuan Cheng heard about it, he thought, ¡®What a vicious girl.¡¯ The visor beside him remarked, ¡°The harem will resort to any means to gain the Emperor¡¯s affection.¡± Xuanyuan Cheng thought for a moment and felt that this was the case, yet he couldn¡¯t tell what the new Empress was trying to do. On the one hand, she looked like she was cleaning up the six pces, yet she let off the most arrogant Consort of Virtue. On the other hand, she looked like she was using her power to gain affection, yet she promoted the Noble Concubine. Xuanyuan Cheng was not a greenhorn in the game of politics, and he was also rather well versed in a woman¡¯s mind. The visorughed and said, ¡°Your Highness, you don¡¯t have to worry. After all, Empress Yuwen is your distant rtive, and she knows how to behave. Moreover, she is alone here, what can she do?¡± Xuanyuan Cheng chuckled. Whatever everything in the imperial court belonged to him anyway. With more than ten years of foundation, how could a mere girl hope to move? Moreover, if there was anything unsatisfactory about Yuwen Zi¡­ he could still prepare to take her life. When Meng Fuyao was busy taking care of the harem, Little Seven knocked upon the gates of the outer pce. A little eunuch yawned as he opened the door and chastised, ¡°Why are you disturbing people this early¡­¡± However, when he saw Little Seven, he paused slightly, and a hint of suspicion shed past his eyes. Little Seven was wearing a cloak, making the little eunuch even more suspicious as he sized up Little Seven¡¯s outfit, his gazending on Zhan Beiye¡¯s ck fox fur cape upon his shoulders. Then he nced at theborer¡¯s clothing under the luxurious cloak and shook the cloak slightly as he asked, smiling, ¡°Oh, are you here to do odd jobs? It¡¯s not easy to work here, it¡¯s difficult trying to get into the pce.¡± Little Seven raised his head and noticed the eunuch eyeing the fur cloak greedily. He thought for a moment, then silently took off the cloak and stuffed it into the little eunuch¡¯s hands. The eunuch happily received it and, reaching out to pinch Little Seven, he praised, ¡°Little Brother, you¡¯re really obedient. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll progress far in the future.¡± Little Seven pped his hand away, but he wasn¡¯t angry as he said daintily, ¡°I¡¯ll go report your arrival.¡± After a while, he returned and said, ¡°Eunuch Li is looking for you.¡± Then he called out, ¡°Wang Daozi, wake up, there¡¯s work to do.¡± Little Seven silently followed him into the courtyard. When Eunuch Li saw him, he pulled his arm delightedly and said, ¡°Come, sign your name here.¡± Little Seven pulled his hand back and replied sheepishly, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to write words.¡± Then, he casually drew a circle and said, ¡°I always draw circles.¡± When he was a general, he used circles to sign off any document. Eunuch Li didn¡¯t seem to mind as he kept the document and told Little Seven to take a bath. After his bath, he handed him a loose robe, and Little Seven had just put it on when Wang Daozi came in carrying a bunch of objects. He nced at Little Seven and said, ¡°Come with me.¡± Little Seven noticed him carrying a bunch of objects, such as white cloths, a wooden axe, and several bottles and boxes. Thinking that he was on the way to work, he followed him into a hut. The hut was empty, and even the windows were tightly sealed with paper. In the middle, there was a bed and some loose rope. Wang Daozi handed him a bowl of soup and said, ¡°Drink this first.¡± The soup was ck and slightly smelly, so Little Seven was naturally suspicious about it. He carried a silver needle in his sleeve, which he refused to sell no matter how broke he was. He took it out and carefully tested the soup. Wang Daozi guffawed loudly. ¡°Ha! There are still people who use silver needles to test the numbing soup!¡± No poison. Little Seven was also beginning to feel thirsty and finished the soup in one gulp. However, the soup was hot and tasted rather strange, as if it was disgusting yet not disgusting, and Little Seven¡¯s body began to feel light as he suddenly felt his head be heavy, and his eyelids started to droop. His hand ckened, and the spoon fell to the ground as Wang Daozi caught it skillfully. He faintly heard the door open, and several people enter. Wang Daozi took out a gleaming, curved knife and ce it over a me as he instructed, ¡°Take off his clothes and put him on the bed¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know anything that happened after that. The outer pce gates creaked open slightly. A little eunuch snuck out suspiciously holding an object wrapped in cloth, a bit of lustrous fur poking out of the seams. He stroked the cloak happily, thinking that he had struck gold today. When he pawned itter for some silver, he could go gamble. It was an early winter morning, and there were little passersby, and a thinyer of ice covered the ground. The little eunuch walked along the outer pce walls and carefully avoided the frozen areas. However, his boots had already been worn out, and the soles had be thin and slippery, thus as he walked, he still slipped and fell with a thud. The bundle flew out of his arms, and the cloak spilled out. The little eunuch panicked and scrambled forward to retrieve it, but up ahead, someone appeared and swiftly picked up the fur cloak. The little eunuch shouted, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Yours?¡± The other party raised his head as a strange expression appeared on his face. ¡°Yours?¡± He repeated. ¡°Of course!¡± That person reached out a hand andnded a fist on his head. ¡°I dare you to say one more time that it¡¯s yours!¡± The blow was like a hammer crashing down, and the little eunuch¡¯s brain rattled. He felt as if his brain had been hammered into his neck as he saw stars in front of him. ¡°I¡­¡± Ping! Another blow. ¡°Say it one more time if you dare?¡± The little eunuch started sobbing¡­¡¯I didn¡¯t mean to say it¡¯s mine¡­ I wanted to say ¡°I won¡¯t say anymore,¡±¡­¡¯ The person repeatedly looked at the cape, and impatiently said, ¡°Tell me where you got it.¡± The little eunuch was filled with tears as he shrank back and pointed at the personnel in the harem and said, ¡°Ad who wanted to work as an odd jobs eunuch offered it to me in respect¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± The person¡¯s voice was so thunderous that the little eunuch nearly wet himself. ¡°What status is he to treat you with respect?¡± ¡°What do you mean by status?¡± The little eunuch was dumbstruck. ¡°What status could a mere peasant have?¡± ¡°Peasant?¡± The person asked suspiciously, ¡°What does he look like?¡± The little eunuch stuttered his answer, and the person¡¯s face grew more and more serious. ¡°Little Seven?¡± He mumbled under his breath. He raised his head and nced at the pce walls behind him¡ªLittle Seven had been abandoned by his heartless master and spent a long time in the Regent King¡¯s manor before receiving word that his master had already gone to the pce to meet the Empress. He was just thinking how to enter the pce and didn¡¯t want to be seen around with Zhan Beiye¡¯s cape since it was different; even his own clothes had been smothered with charcoal, and nobody was able to recognize it. Hence, it was extremely suspicious to spot a little eunuch holding Zhan Beiye¡¯s cape, so he naturally had to ask only to receive a shocking piece of news¡ªLittle Seven had gone to be a eunuch? Tie Cheng¡¯s mind was whirring nonstop. He naturally knew about Little Seven being banished, and it was understandable that Little Seven wanted to enter the pce. However, the consequences of entering the pce in this way were far too brutal. Nevermind Zhan Beiye, but his master would have nightmares for a lifetime. ¡®Silly Little Seven! You¡¯re not atoning for your crimes this way, you¡¯re causing more trouble!¡¯ Tie Cheng immediately grabbed the little eunuch by the head. ¡°Where is he? Take me to him!¡± Moving back to ten days ago, atop a cloud-filled mountain in the divine realm, the pair of master and disciple had been in conversation for over three nights. The area was filled with fog as a simply-dressed figure knelt silently, not getting up. A round figure suddenly appeared in front of him in a sh, standing atop the steps in front of him. Tai Yan flicked a finger, and a red light fell onto Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back as she shouted, ¡°Person under punishment, why are you sleeping! You are going against master¡¯s instructions!¡± Zhangsun Wuji was stunned for a moment and raised his head. He was about to say something when Tai Yan suddenly disappeared as another figure appeared noiselessly in the fog. Zhangsun Wuji lowered his head. ¡°Wuji, why haven¡¯t youe to your senses?¡± Supreme Elder¡¯s ancient face was unclear in the fog, and his expression was unreadable. Zhangsun Wuji remained unmoving, unspeaking. His robe was open, and there was snow on his knees. Delicate snowkes had also gathered between his eyebrows. The old man watched him silently, and after a while, he sighed soundlessly. ¡°I once liked that attitude of yours, but now¡­¡± He turned around and said, ¡°You may get up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied, but did not immediately stand up. The old man did not turn around, but he knew that he was temporarily unable to get up. The peak of Jade Mountain was of the harshest cold, and normal humans would already lose their lives long ago if they were to kneel there for three days and three nights. With a swish of his sleeve, natural energy began to circte again as Zhangsun Wuji slowly stood up, leaning against a pir behind him for support. ¡°Why?¡± The old man¡¯s voice carried a hint of exhaustion. ¡°My father is unwell,¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied mildly. ¡°As his son, I have a responsibility to support my father through his illness.¡± ¡°The elders have already given into you and allowed you to enter the mundane world, not taking on this position would not stop you from expressing your filial piety in the mundane world. In the future, whether you be emperor or not wouldn¡¯t affect you, so what do you still want?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve caused Master to worry, Wuji daren¡¯t disobey.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already reached the Earth Celestial stage after Iplete the mundane world tribtion, I will head to the Limitless Realm. If not for the fact that I¡¯ve been fighting Tai Yan for so long, I would already have given you the position much earlier. Now that I¡¯ve managed to convince the elders, you still remain stubborn as such, Wuji, you¡­ Can¡¯t you just listen to your master and take the position earlier?¡± Chapter 244 - Untitled Chapter 244: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji became silent. Momentster, he spoke. ¡°Teacher, this is not a role that I can assume.¡± The elder¡¯s fingers slightly trembled. When he turned back, a golden ray suddenly appeared in his eyes. The sudden brightness, at that moment, seemed like the burning sun which rose over the clouds and the seas, and its radiance shone far in all directions, especially towards the depth of Wuji¡¯s heart. ¡°Wuji¡­ what exactly are you afraid of?¡± Without any change in his expression, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ¡°I am scared that I will bring unrest to our sect and cause our sect to disintegrate, thereafter bing the ultimate sinner to all disciples.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± The elder gazed intensely at him. Secondster, he sighed. ¡°I finally have the chance to step out of my cultivation. Originally, I wanted to settle all these matters, but I can no longer find peace after all of you created so many troubles¡­ Forget it¡­ leave.¡± Sparing no more attention towards Zhangsun Wuji, he sat cross-legged on the ground and waved his hand. In an instant, countless streams of air current appeared at his palm, as the surrounding mist and wispy clouds seemed to be attracted to the rising inner energy from his palm. Swirling towards his fingers inyers afteryers, they eventually merged to form a gigantic door. With the Heavens and thend as their canopy, and the clouds and the seas as their screen, the traces of the invisible immortals remained well-hidden behind sessive closed doors. He has gone into cultivation once again. Without making any noise, Zhangsun Wuji gave a long exhale and copsed on the ground behind him. Someone held him with slightly cold fingers. That person also let out a long sigh, but it was a mix between relief from being released from pressure, and helplessness at the situation they were in. With the help of that pair of hands, Zhangsun Wuji took great pains to look back, and his gaze fell on a certain location far from the remote mountain they were located on. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± ¡­ A snow-white crescent knife was being heated up above a fire. In the meantime, Little Seven had already been tied down to a bed using white cloth around his waist. Four assistants pressed him down as he was being forced to drink a bowl of soup which had giddy effects. He could vaguely tell that he was not in a favorable situation, but he felt so giddy that he could not be fully conscious. Someone held the knife and walked over, and in an agile motion, he extended his hand- A slightly warm knife came into contact with the skin; the tip was hot, but the de was cool. In an instant, the unique edge of a razor-sharp weapon and the rancid aura of the weapon approached him. The aura that he was most familiar and most cautious of in his whole life! From the arrows during his childhood to the knives in his teenage years and the swords he yielded in miles after miles of war. The icy feeling of the impending weapon was as eerie as when he stabbed his knife into the body of others. The result would be a stab just as deep and an eternal mark. The knife! It was about to enter his body! When his skin had such a reaction, a decision was immediately made in his mind! Hit back! Little Seven raised his head and howled into the air! The lengthy bawl resembled a wolf¡¯s howl! It was so frightening that the weapon wielder trembled and the edge of the knife brushed past Little Seven¡¯s skin, causing beads of blood to ooze out. However, the release of the weapon, the howl and the drop of blood instead triggered the wild and ferocious side of him, which had been concealed beneath his surface for a very long while. The most vicious form of strength that originated from the most brutal battle for survival could not be constrained by any type of medication in this universe! For a descendant of the wolf, the body belonged only to himself! Suddenly, Little Seven leaped up. With his body which was as agile as a fish, he expanded his body, and the ropes around his limbs and the white cloth around his waist were torn apart in unison. The four assistants screamed as they fell to the ground. Little Seven flipped, and beforending on the ground, he used his elbow to break the knife into pieces. Ping¡ª The door was forcefully kicked away, and it shattered into dust when it banged against the wall. Tie Cheng, who just rushed in from the cold weather, dashed into the room. Immediately, he spotted Little Seven, who was only d in half a piece of white cloth but was chasing the wielder of the knife. In the chaos, his eyes fleeted, and he caught sight of blood stains on the ground. At that moment, he red up, and in his rage, he threw his knife towards the wielder who was just miserably escaping towards the door. When the knife entered the body, blood sttered out like a rainbow. The wielder would never have imagined that he would get into trouble with these two malicious immortals when he was merely performing a castration that had been done over a thousand times. As his eyes flipped up, he died even before he could make any noise. Eunuch Li, who heard the noise after going back to sleep, stumbled out. When he saw the wide-eyed corpse leaning by the wall, and the angered Tie Cheng who was holding on to a knife, he was so frightened that he shivered and turned away to run. With a stretch of his hand, Tie Cheng grabbed him by the cor and barked, ¡°Old dog, how dare you. I¡¯m gonna kill-¡± However, Little Seven suddenly cut in. ¡°Work.¡± He had yet to regain his consciousness from the medication. Just now, hepletely relied on his battle instincts to save himself from danger. Now, he felt giddy again. Wearing his robes and carrying the whip on his back, he repeated himself. ¡°Work.¡± Things around him were blurry, and he hadn¡¯t even recognized Tie Cheng or recalled what happened. It was merely instinctive for him to kill the wielder. Other than that, the only thing he remembered was to ¡°work¡±. Staring into those ck eyes of Little Seven, tears suddenly welled up in Tie Cheng¡¯s eyes. What an undistracted and focused child, who was so pure that he was not contaminated by the mortal realm, and who only knew how to channel all of his efforts and determination in achieving that one goal! He should not be treated so unfairly by the Heavens¡­ In a careful tone, he asked, ¡°You¡­ do you want to look at your injuries?¡± Little Seven looked at him dumbfoundedly and shook his head. Tie Cheng felt that it was hard for him to continue the sentence as well. As such, he turned back and grabbed Eunuch Li. ¡°Alive? Or dead?¡± After hanging around King Meng for so long, he had also learned her way of tormenting others ¨C one must not speak too much when threatening others. The most talkative one would be the least authoritative. With trembling fingers, the pitiful Eunuch Li wept. ¡°Alive¡­¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tie Cheng replied as he dropped Eunuch Li to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t care what kind of method you use, but you must get my brother and me into the pce. Being a eunuch is fine¡­¡± He paused and neared Eunuch Li, bared his frightening teeth and tried to mimic the evil, shameless, and cunning smile of his master. ¡°But a fake one, do you understand?¡± ¡­ Recently, there were no news in the pce. It was quite understandable. The concubines had to wake up early to greet the Empress every other day, and the remaining day would be used to weave clothes. There was not even enough time for them to sleep, much less stir up other matters. The immoral Meng Fuyao even left a space for a garden in her pce. She divided the garden into dozens of small plots, and each plot was allocated to one concubine, who had to be in charge of growing and managing the plot ofnd. Every small plot had a Green Head Piece 1 attached to it. Whoever was better at growing vegetables or weaving cloth would be bestowed with the Emperor¡¯s presence for the night. When Xuanyuan Min first heard of her decision, he was bending his back for training. In the end, he failed the action, and he twisted his back. Holding on to his waist and gritting his teeth, he dashed over to Meng Fuyao and solemnly protested against her ascetic measure. Vegetables could not be grown overnight, and neither could cloths be sewn in a day. Especially for concubines who were rarely exercised, their efficiency was miraculously low. Under such a situation, how was he supposed to pass by the long and lonely nights? Moreover, some concubines were too tired and too afraid of the Empress that they ended up denying to sleep with him. The previous time, he flipped the Green Head Piece of Beauty Wang, and that woman immediately wore her ring. But he remembered that she just wore the ring ten days ago. What type of menstruation wouldst for half a month? In response to his brazen request, Meng Fuyao revealed her perfect smile, whichprised two real teeth and one fake tooth. Caringly, she told him, ¡°Settle it yourself.¡± The cross-dresser was reluctant, and he tugged on her sleeves. With teary eyes, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you be a nice human and help me to relieve my desire¡­¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a tight p, and he flew out of her pce¡­ Rubbing his nose in the garden, the cross-dresser said, ¡°I originally had some interest in this woman. Now that I think of it, people who are interested in her probably need to be as strong as steel, as determined as Vajrapani, as valiant as a cockroach, and possess the nine lives of the magical nine-lives cat¡­¡± Meanwhile, the guinea pig was squatting in the garden and listening to his insights. The guinea pig looked up at him in admiration and thought, ¡®Your Majesty, you¡¯ve really got it right.¡¯ Actually, Lord Yuan Bao also wanted to say, ¡°Your Majesty, I just peed on where you are sitting on right now¡­¡± After the cross-dresser finally finished crying andining, he crawled up from the garden. Suddenly, he realized that a patch of yellow stain had somehow appeared on his beautiful bright green and peach-red robe. A concubine, who carried a spade to grow her vegetables, wailed in front of the vegetables he destroyed, as though her parents had passed away. She cried so miserably that the cross-dresser Emperor had no idea what to do. At that moment, he felt that his biggest mistake in life was to get that woman to be his Empress¡­ Hence, he dashed to plead for mercy for that concubine. Meng Fuyao reached out to take a look, and she said empathetically, ¡°No wonder she¡¯s crying. It wasn¡¯t easy for the vegetables to grow some leaves, but now they are all destroyed by you, and only the bugs are left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to punish her, right?¡± With tears in his eyes, Xuanyuan Min nced at the poor concubine who continued weeping in the garden. ¡°I never punish others¡­¡± Meng Fuyao munched on her chicken wing. ¡°I only told them to eat what they nt.¡± ¡°Stop being nosy.¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a p and brought him back to earth. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask how your n is going, but if you want me to cooperate well with you, you have to let me know about some things. When exactly do you n to confront Xuanyuan Cheng?¡± ¡°Give me one more month,¡± said Xuanyuan Min. ¡°I think you are already able to guarantee my freedom in this one month, but I still need you to help me remove Consort Shu and Consort Xian. This includes removing the influence of their families, but it should not rm Xuanyuan Cheng and result in his attack.¡± ¡°Do you know that you are talking about a mission that is almost impossible?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him from the corner of her eyes. ¡°As long as I target the two Consorts and their families, the Regent King would definitely react to it. He¡¯s not a pig.¡± ¡°So this will need Your Grace to showcase your ground-shattering wisdom and second-to-none talents.¡± Xuanyuan Min rubbed against Meng Fuyao and repeated that motion continuously¡­ Meng Fuyao kicked away the flirty Emperor and continued to munch on her chicken wing as she fell into deep thought. As she continued thinking, she munched and munched and munched¡­ Xuanyuan Min stared at the chicken wing which was already down to its bones, and he listened to the sharp noises of the teething into contact with the bones¡­ ¡®How frightening¡­ This is too scary. If it was a hand instead¡­¡¯ After thinking for a while, Meng Fuyao extended her hand. Instantly, Xuanyuan Min delivered a handkerchief for her to clean her hands. The chicken wing and the bones had already disappeared, and she has already forgotten that they existed in her hand. Solemnly, she said to Xuanyuan Min, ¡°Namelist.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°I need a name list of all the influences and connections you have within and beyond the pce.¡± Raising an eyebrow, Xuanyuan Min revealed an expression that seemed like a smile. ¡°I think that it¡¯s totally reasonable for you to want a name list for within the pce, but abnormal to request for a list that is beyond the pce.¡± ¡°It would be abnormal if you understood what I want to do,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she leaned back on the chair. ¡°Fine with me if you don¡¯t want to. But tomorrow, your Empress will be dead.¡± Chapter 245 - Untitled Chapter 245: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°You¡¯re not at all worried about him?¡± Xuanyuan Min tilted his head towards the direction of the inner room. ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡± Meng Fuyao smirked evilly. Both Zhan Beiye and Wuji¡¯s guards had arrived. If all of thembined powers, it would not be difficult for them to leave the Xuanyuan pce. She stayed only because she had something else in mind. After staring at her for a moment, he removed the fake water sleeve that he often used when he turned into a crossdresser. ¡°Soak it in alum water, then ce it on top of the fire to read.¡± Meng Fuyao praised him and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you really know how to find a good hiding ce. No one would have thought that you would wear this name list every day so openly.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I even casually throw it on my cupboard or bed.¡± Xuanyuan Minughed sneakily. ¡°Xuanyuan Cheng keeps infiltrating the pce with his own men, but those fools will never be able to realize.¡± Browsing through the water sleeve in her hand, Meng Fuyao smirked. With the exception of those in the pce, which of these officials and generals were actually individuals who could be settled by Xuanyuan Min, who allegedly ascended the throne at a young age and had never been in contact with important officials before he was fetched to Kunjing? When their gazes met, both turned their heads away. Both of them were smart, and nothing more had to be said. ¡°Xuanyuan Cheng relies most on two officials and generals each ¨C Senior Minister Situ Mo and Grand Schr Yao Ling, and Commander of Capital Defence, Li Yuan, and Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies, Tang Dusong. Each one of them is in control of their own forces and are highly domineering. They are not on good terms with each other,¡± said Xuanyuan Min, and he illustrated in the air. ¡°Of course, the bulk of the military power is still in his hands. The Ministry of War and Commanders-in-Chief are only in charge of registering soldiers, making policies, and training recruits.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± remarked Meng Fuyao as she thought of the simr military system of the Ming Dynasty. After thinking for a moment, she had an idea, but she chose to say something else. ¡°Since you still need another month, removing Consort Xian and Consort Shu will have to wait for a while. I know what to do, and you can scram now.¡± After kicking away the unreluctant and pestering crossdresser, Meng Fuyao walked towards the inner room and reached her head inside. ¡°Are you better?¡± Shadow de was recuperating in bed, but his eyes gleamed in an instant. Then, he smiled nonchntly. ¡°Not too bad.¡± He got up and looked at the garden, and his eyes looked as though they were smiling. ¡°You¡¯re such a natural tormentor.¡± ncing sideways at him, Meng Fuyao thought that his expression had some change. However, she did notment much. ¡°Don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m being nosy.¡± ¡°They are lucky enough to have you be nosy.¡± For once, Shadow de did not mock her. Looking at the energeticdy who was wrapped in a huge furry coat, out of the blue, he reached out and gently wiped away the juice at the corner of her mouth. He smiled. ¡°Are you staying to make dinner?¡± His move was sudden but very gentle, and it brushed past like the wind. Meng Fuyao could feel the cold finger at the side of her lips, and a fresh aroma wafted by. Just a momentter, he retreated his hand. When Meng Fuyao looked up, she caught his expression. She saw her entire reflection filling up his clear eyes, and could not help but step back. However, with every step that she took backward, Shadow de took a step forward. Both of them quiet, and the atmosphere was eerily silent. When Meng Fuyao took her third step, her back came into contact with the window. Without any more space for her to retreat, Shadow de smiled and extended his hands once again. Meng Fuyao also raised her head and smiled at him. Then, she did a backflip, and with a bang, she flipped out of the open window. Shadow de¡¯s hand froze in mid-air. He watched as that woman happily hopped towards the garden in the pce, picked up a ck furry creature which was spying, and ran off while scolding it. Momentster, he slowly put down his frozen hand and gently pressed it on the window frame. She¡­ cared about the vast territory and the political turmoil, was willing to deal with the treacherous methods used in the court and harem, handled mutual deception and ruthless killings, but strangely, rejected the feelings of romance and affection. The bitter winter was about to arrive. Holding the burner in hand, she stared at the gloomy weather and ordered her attendants. ¡°Is Consort Xian feeling better? Send some of the ginseng from Xichang to her again.¡± The eunuchs received the instructions and asked, ¡°Your Highness, the gardener attending to Consort Xian¡¯s flowers was sacked¡­ Eunuch Li found another gardener. ording to tradition, he has to be screened by you.¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hand and said, ¡°Send him over.¡± She was about to turn and leave, but she suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡°Wait, let me take a look.¡± When the gardener was brought to her, Meng Fuyao stared at the figure and instructed all surrounding attendants to leave. ¡°Come, I have instructions for you.¡± The gardener followed her meekly, and when Meng Fuyao stepped into her pce, she immediately turned around and grabbed his face. The corner of her lips raised and sheughed. ¡°Youd! I was still thinking of some way to secretly sneak you into the pce, but you actually thought of such a method toe in by yourself!¡± Tie Cheng gave her a stare. ¡°I¡¯m always left behind by you, so I can only think of ways by myself.¡± In a good mood, Meng Fuyao patted his cheeks. ¡°Good boy, you have to train these skills when you follow a master like me. I think I no longer have to teach you,¡± she said. However, when she surveyed Tie Cheng¡¯s expression, she was stunned. ¡°You seem unhappy?¡± Blinking his eyes, Tie Cheng replied, ¡°No.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him suspiciously. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how you entered.¡± ¡°I registered myself, and Eunuch Li sent me to be a gardener.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him in the eye. ¡°Are gardeners in the pce recruited this easily? Many guarantors and pieces of evidence are required, but you can¡¯t even distinguish all the flowers from one another. That old dude would have to be seeking death to rmend you toe. Tie Cheng!¡± Tie Cheng shivered. ¡°Are you going to lie even to your master?¡± shouted Meng Fuyao with a stern expression. Helplessly, Tie Cheng swallowed his saliva. ¡®My master¡¯s so sharp that few in the universe are able to match up to her. It won¡¯t be possible to fool her. Furthermore, since Little Seven has be aborer in the imperial kitchen, Meng Fuyao will definitelye across him. By then, I won¡¯t be able to keep anything from her.¡± With a sigh, he told her about how he met Little Seven. At first, Meng Fuyao listened to him quietly. When she heard of how Little Seven was going to be castrated, her expression finally changed. Grabbing Tie Cheng, she asked him sternly, ¡°It happened? It really happened?¡± Tie Cheng gave a vague answer. ¡°He was about to kill someone back then, and he wore his clothes very quickly. I didn¡¯t get a clear look, but I saw¡­ blood.¡± Releasing her grip, Meng Fuyao pushed Tie Cheng out of the room. When she turned back, she knocked her head against the wall. ¡°That freaking child, freaking child, freaking child, freaking child¡­¡± And no one knew who she was referring to. Tie Cheng¡¯s jaw was agape, and he felt pitiful looking at how she banged so hard that kes of paint wereing off the wall. But he did not dare to stop her. Suddenly, the curtain to the inner room was flipped open, and Shadow de dashed out and used his body to block the wall. Meng Fuyao¡¯s head banged directly on his chest. While she did not express the pain when she banged against the wall, she shouted ¡°aiyo¡± when her head came into contact with Shadow de¡¯s chest. Her eyes resembled that of a wolf, but the rims of her eyeballs were already red. As he lowered his head, Shadow de looked hurt, but that expression vanished in a second. His fingers gently brushed away the kes that were stuck on her forehead, and he said in a low tone, ¡°The wall¡¯s pitiful, don¡¯t bang against it. Bang against me instead.¡± Meng Fuyao could not help butugh, and tears streamed down her face. As she stood stiffly, tears dropped from her eyes like beads of pearls. Some rolled across her fair cheeks, and some directly fell beneath Shadow de¡¯s cor. His cor became wet and heavy, just like how his feelings were. Looking at the hurt yet stubborn girl, who refused to slouch and be weak even when she cried, Shadow de felt a wave of emotions sweep past him. In the end, he gently held her shoulders and said, ¡°Please, if you want to cry, do it without any fears. You crying this way is instead making others more hurt.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him away, but he tightened his grip. ¡°I¡¯m only lending you my shoulder. Do you think that I will bear to lend my heart to you?¡± Teary-eyed, Meng Fuyao smiled and sighed, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Shadow de made sure to not cross the line when holding her, and as he looked up, he revealed his exquisite jawline. Dazedly and with much sadness, he stared at the turbulent weather and the snowkes in the horizon. Momentster, he felt that the cloth on his shoulders became even wetter than his cor, and he could vaguely feel that person shamelessly using his clothes to wipe off her mucus. After that, she ensued her, crying. ¡°I¡¯m so unfortunate, yet so lucky¡­¡± Shadow de stiffened and looked pitifully at his miserable cor. Slowly, he let out a sigh. ¡®I am lucky as well to have met you, though¡­ it is also my misfortune.¡¯ As the new gardener was able to nt vegetables, the Empress cherished his talent and instructed him to stay. She gave him the responsibility of teaching the concubines the art of nting vegetables and instructed her attendants to find another talented gardener for Consort Xian. Before that, she had instructed Tie Cheng. ¡°There is no need to let Zhan Beiye know of this,¡± she said. With a poker face, Tie Cheng nodded¡ªthis expression had remained so ever since his master cried on Shadow de¡¯s shoulders. When Meng Fuyao looked over, she could clearly see what was written on his face: not another one! Meng Fuyao sighed, and she had no intention to exin to this freaking child. She was simply not in the mood. A few dayster, in the middle of a meal, Meng Fuyao flipped over her table, and it crashed to the floor with a loud bang. The entire room of concubines was shocked. All of them ced their chopsticks down, left the table, and shivered as they knelt on the floor. In an angry tone, Meng Fuyao shouted, ¡°What kind of bird¡¯s nest cabbage is this? The bird¡¯s nest looks like strands of noodles, and the cabbage has been done up like a vegetable!¡± Everyone went: ¡°¡­¡± The head eunuch of the imperial kitchen quickly came to ask for forgiveness with a scrunched-up face. ¡®Well¡­ bird¡¯s nest do look like noodle strands¡­ and cabbages and vegetables are pretty simr¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡°The fire was too small! The quality of the water used was poor! That will affect the quality of the dishes!¡± Meng Fuyao continued tosh out her anger, and she added, ¡°Who brought the firewood? Who started the fire? Who collected the water? The degree of the fire is most important for this dish! You need the coal that is burned from the ten-year-old Paulownia firewood found on Mountain Jade River, the water from Ningdai Springs ¨C which has to be downstream as upstream water is only suitable for brewing tea. So who chopped the firewood and collected the water! Everything¡¯s not right with just one mouth!¡± The eunuch wiped away his cold sweat¡­ what a picky eater¡­ ¡°Your Highness, the person who carried the firewood, burned the coal and brought the water, is a new eunuch called Little Seven. Your poor servant has not educated him well. Your Highness, I plead for your forgiveness¡­¡± answered the head eunuch answered. He turned around and barked his orders. ¡°Get that Little Seven here to admit his wrongdoing before Her Highness!¡± Chapter 246 - Untitled Chapter 246: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Upon hearing the word ¡°eunuch,¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart ached. She mmed the bowl on the table and turned to thedies having the meal with her. ¡°Such disgusting food. I wouldn¡¯t force you guys, go back to your own residences to have your meal.¡± The concubines dropped their filled bowls like a hot potato, as they gave their thanks as though they were granted amnesty, scurrying out of the pce. After a while, in the opened doors, a tall, skinny figure appeared. Little Seven trudged over with his head hung down. Meng Fuyao stared at his shadow¡ªshe couldn¡¯t look straight at him; her heart would hurt so bad. It was all her fault. Why was she being so petnt? To act out over something like this? The consequence of this joke was beyond imagination. At the corner of her eyes, she saw the shadow gradually pulling closer. How many hardships did he go through this few months? She remembered that he had never once hung his head down in the past. He always strutted with confidence, looking forward with a face full of pride. He even dared to ignore Zhan Beiye¡¯s orders. But what was it that had taught him to bow down, to lower himself in front of mere mortals? A pure child¡­ Who was it that carved the scars of the world onto his heart? Who was it that tainted his snow white heart? Bam! A crisp, loud smack shocked the servants as their skin jumped uniformly. Meng Fuyao looked up with hot tears swirling in her eyes. Mustering up an ugly smile, she choked as she got an excuse out. ¡°It¡¯s so weird that there are actually mosquitoes in this cold winter!¡± Tie Cheng turned away without a word. An Zi chased everyone out, leaving only Meng Fuyao and Little Seven. Meng Fuyao stared at Little Seven, sniffling, as she closely observed his footsteps. ording to Tie Cheng, before he entered the room, Little Seven had already broken free. But under what circumstances did he break free was something that Tie Cheng did not manage to rify¡­ there was blood¡­ how serious was the wound? Looking at the way he walked, she couldn¡¯t tell anything. She also couldn¡¯t deduct the condition of his wounds from the timing¡ªwounds that would take other people months to heal would not be able to confine him to bed for more than seven days. She couldn¡¯t tell, she couldn¡¯t ask. Meng Fuyao was almost going crazy. She could only pray to the Heavens. ¡®Heavens, y¡¯all better be nice, else I¡¯ll curse your entire family every time, every day¡­¡¯ Heavens obviously did not care, refusing to give her any hints about his current condition. Little Seven had no inkling of her current dilemma. He made his way over to her, quietly watched her before stripping off his outer robe. He reached behind him and took out something. He took a step forward. Then, he knelt down and lifted the item in his hand high up for Meng Fuyao. That item was ck, long and covered in dust. Yet somehow, it glistened ominously in his palms. The whip! Meng Fuyao trembled. She swayed a little, slowly pressing her hand to her heart as she leaned back against her chair. Her pale face struck a stark contrast with the golden screen embroidered with eighteen phoenixes that glimmered under the light, making her look paler than ever. Two streams of tears rolled down her pale face. Under the light of luminous pearls, her tears glistened. She did not wipe them away but took a deep breath and stepped forward, epting the whip. Even if she was dying, her leg was broken, her head had fallen, she would climb over to ept this whip, not to mention she was absolutely fine at the moment. This child had wandered around for months, trying to look for her. He had used his life as an exchange to bring this whip to her. If she were to reject it, it would be letting him down. Whoever refused to take the whip was a b*tch! His promise weighed a thousand tonnes; Her whip that could not hesitate! She, who understood him, knew that she had to whip him! Bam! That whipnded on his back with a force to be reckoned with. A red, swollen line immediately formed on his skin. Little Seven swayed as he revealed a smile of relief. Finally¡­ Meng Fuyao turned away. She didn¡¯t dare to face that relieved expression. With a ¡®swish,¡¯ the whip wrapped itself around Little Seven¡¯s wrist. Bewildered, Little Seven looked out but saw Meng Fuyao¡¯s calm eyes reflected back in his eyes. With a flick of a finger, he could feel a rush of warmth heading towards his core. Where the warmth had passed through the meridians, it was as though the impurities within him were being purified. The inner energy that entered his body continuously filled him generously. Little Seven¡¯s face changed. He was a practitioner of martial arts, and naturally, he was familiar with the concept of transferring of inner energy. It was the essence of those that trained¡ªextremely valuable. The amount of inner energy that Meng Fuyao had given him was equivalent of ten years worth of training for him. Meng Fuyao smiled as she tossed the whip aside. She walked back towards her chair, exhausted. The loss of inner energy was rather significant for her, especially given that she was right about to enter the sixth level, third section of the ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens.¡± Now, it was postponed. The sixth level of ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± was a division. Before the sixth level, the martial arts focused on the ¡°Fundamental Arts¡± while only after the sixth level would the practitioner enter the legendary ¡°Arts of God.¡± Only upon entering the seventh level could one master thews of nature and reach the pinnacle of martial arts. Between the sixth and seventh level was a decisive leap, and it¡¯s also the hardest to break through. When she truly got past this, her skills would be on apletely different scale. So this postponement was not one without sacrifice. But she had no regrets. Ever since she hade to this ce, she had spent all her time training¡ªnot even sparing the time used to sleep and eat. Even though she had devoted all her time and energy to refining and strengthening herself in order to reach her goal, in this very moment, she was willing to take on this loss. In every loss, there were gains. How could anyone expect to take without giving? Behind her, Little Seven tugged her sleeves. Meng Fuyao turned back with a smile. ¡°Little Seven, those who persevere deservepensation.¡± Day 15 since the Empress was crowned. On this day, ording to the traditions, the wives of the officials and the daughters that were rted to the imperial family were required to enter the pce to pay their respects. Meng Fuyao got up early in the morning to meet people. She was extremely polite to the mothers of those concubines who had authority¡ªshe did not want them to pay their respects by kneeling down. She decided to order An Zi to announce her decision to ¡°consider the proposal and event details.¡± Upon hearing that, thedies struggled to maintain their expressions¡ªhalf the day was filled with activities, including looking at embroideries, visiting the weaving rooms, the fields, etc. ording to tradition, thedies would go back to the pces of their respective daughters to reminisce, but the overly enthusiastic Meng Fuyao was so excited that she insisted on a banquet in Chong Xing Pce so as to allow thedies to partake in the honor of the royals and also have a taste of the vegetables that their virtuous daughters had personally grown. She even decreed that everydy was to use an ingredient from their own vegetable field to cook a dish for their mother personally as an act of filial piety. Mostdies werepliant enough, but the concubine that had her vegetable field ttened by the Emperor could only weep silently beside her worm-infested field. In the end, the Emperor took pity on her and went to steal some vegetables from the field next door. That particr concubine threw herself at the Emperor gratefully and whispered, ¡± Your Majesty, I was blind¡­ I have something to tell you¡­¡± Whatever it was she wanted to say, no one ever found out, except that after the Emperor managed to coax the concubine to leave, he murmured in the direction of Meng Fuyao¡¯s pce, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that growing vegetables would open these cans of worms¡­¡± Mid-afternoon came around, and it was time for the doors of the pce to close. They had finished paying their respects, and thedies said their goodbyes and left. Throughout the entire event, they were under the public eye and could only discuss their embroidery skills and how sulent the vegetables were while looking at their vegetables tearfully, for they were not given a single chance to have a private word with each other. Meng Fuyao only allowed Xuanyuan Yun to stay. ¡®Now, after all these days, that rabbit princess should have finally thought everything through, right?¡¯ The princess wrapped her hands around her hand warmer and sat on the toasty grounds of her residence. Her fluffy pink cor furs framed her round cute face, but the innocence and purity in her eyes were now fading. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± She sat in the residence for an entire hour without muttering a single sentence. Meng Fuyao followed suit, staying silent while staring at her in amusement. After an hour, the princess, lost in her own daze, finally returned to earth. ¡°¡­ What should I do now?¡± ¡®Ah yes, your loss of soul is getting more and more serious. Seriously a tough nut to crack.¡¯ ¡°Looking at it, father has harmed Brother Yue¡­¡± The princess could not bear it any longer, and finally, tearfully, confided in her ¡°best friend.¡± ¡°I must save him!¡± Meng Fuyao nced over and asked, ¡°Who is Brother Yue?¡± ¡°Brother Yue is Brother Yue.¡± With a silent groan at this retarded answer, Meng Fuyao officially gave up on ying games with this little girl and patted her shoulder. ¡°You wanna save him? Knowing your enemies is the key to victory. How else are you going to save him? Do you know where your Brother Yue is?¡± The princess shook her head. ¡°Have you thought of how to save him?¡± Meng Fuyao sighed in exasperation. She shook her head again¡­ ¡°Have you thought of the consequences of saving him?¡± She shook her head once more¡­ Sympathetically, she stated, ¡°My poor niece. Looks like you really have to rely on me.¡± The princess looked up at the sky, disying the epitome of puppy eyes. ¡®En, remember that super cute angle and use it to your advantage when needed¡­¡¯ ¡°Aw, you look so skinny. Guess I¡¯ll have to do this for you once.¡± Meng Fuyao bit down on her teeth. ¡°Yun Er, think of a way to obtain the map of the Regent King¡¯s residence, especially the important ces, schedule for shift changes, guards cement and where your father meets people frequently. We can then properly decipher and determine where your Brother Yue is likely to be locked up by your father.¡± Xuanyuan Yun was no idiot. She frowned hesitating. ¡°You are afraid that once you hand over the secret information regarding the Regent King¡¯s residence to me, it will be detrimental to your father?¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled. ¡°Yun Er, in what ways would I harm your father with this information? On the one hand, you have the powerless me that is nothing more than a puppet empress. On the other hand, you have the all mighty Regent King that holds the power to control the soldiers. With thisparison, is there anything else that needs to be said?¡± Stammering, the princess tried to exin herself. ¡°No¡­ I¡­ that was not my intention¡­¡± The ¡°angry¡± Meng Fuyao waved her sleeves. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it all because I was taking pity on you that I wanted to help you? Putting aside the rest, you are equipped with martial arts while I am just a weak, helplessdy. If you think that there¡¯s anything wrong with me, you can just choke me to death! That easily!¡± Chapter 247 - Untitled Chapter 247: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Ah¡­ S-s-strangle¡­¡± The honest rabbit chief met the ck-hearted tiger lord and was easily forced into a corner. The cowardly rascal didn¡¯t even dare to say the phrase ¡°strangle to death¡± as her face turned red with panic and tears started to well in her eyes. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± She stuttered while desperately pulling at Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. Meng Fuyao grabbed onto her sleeve dramatically in return and wiped a few non-existent tears. ¡°Chief, us women have it hard¡­¡± A simple sentence seemingly unrted yet harbored such deep meaning, thess immediately thought of how difficult her life had been recently and immediatelyunched herself onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder and began wailing. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll give¡­ I¡¯ll give¡­¡± She said between sobs. Meng Fuyao patted her and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­ We¡¯ll save your big brother A-Yue and send you to your grandfather¡¯s ce¡­ When your father can¡¯t find you, his anger will cease¡­¡± The girl against her shoulders was now sobbing uncontrobly as Meng Fuyao patted her. She slowly looked up toward the inner room. A long silhouette could be seen against the tightly shut screen, watching her and the little chief, his ssy eyes shining brightly. Another few days went by, and the Emperor and Empress were soon preparing to go hunting. In the past, only the officials and imperial guards would follow them, but now that the Empress was participating as well, and that she had also ¡°extended the invitation in a disy of love and eptance¡±, the six pces woulde along to ¡°watch the Emperor in his glorious moment¡±. Thedies were all extremely delighted at being able to escape sewing and nting greens, and the chance to leave the pce. Hence, they were very excited about the event. With the entire harem following her, Meng Fuyao headed towards the encampment. Thedies were separated from the men by a small hill. Magnificent red tents dotted the slopes as they swayed in the wind. Meng Fuyao stood on the slopes and stretched out her hands, eximing, ¡°Two little white rabbits came out to pick mushrooms, the ground is littered with poisonous mushrooms, and now the pot awaits them¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao squatted in her sleeve, listening darkly to her macabre recitation. He really missed the years following his master, listening to ssical music, appreciating famous flowers, ying around¡­ Ah, it felt as if it were a different life¡­ Meng Fuyao was drunk in her own poetic talent when someone behind herughed and said, ¡°Great poem! Great poem!¡± Meng Fuyao turned around to see the cross-dressing emperor holding an unknown beauty and immediately smiled. ¡°Your Majesty is too kind, I cannot match up to you.¡± Xuanyuan Min ced a hand on his forehead as Meng Fuyao eyed the beauty who had already arrived in front. ¡°This is¡­?¡± She asked. ¡°The Consort of Virtue greets Her Grace the Empress.¡± The beauty halted her advance and bowed slightly. Her behavior was more regal than the Empress. ¡°Ah, the Consort of Virtue¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled brightly and asked, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Thanks to Your Grace¡¯s concern, I am much better now.¡± ¡®My ass, you imed you couldn¡¯t even get out of bed yesterday, yet you can evene out to hunt today. Even dogs can¡¯t recover as fast as you,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought vehemently. However, the smile on her face did not falter as she replied, ¡°Consort of Virtue, I was just talking about you with the Jade Consort. She wants to gift you a set of hand-embroidered riding attire, did she manage to catch you? Oh, could she have gone ahead to your tent already?¡± The Consort of Virtue¡¯s expression changed suddenly as she pressed a hand against her forehead. ¡°I suddenly feel rather dizzy¡­¡± She said apologetically to Xuanyuan Min. ¡°Oh dear, my love must have caught a cold!¡± Xuanyuan Min immediately ordered the eunuchs around him to take her away. He turned and nced at Meng Fuyao¡¯s mischievous expression as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve helped you get rid of the people already, if you have anything to say to me, hurry up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say, my queen, what is your name exactly?¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled and nudged Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. ¡°You tell me you¡¯re called Yao Fu, but how can such a vicious person have such amon name?¡± ¡°This was what you wanted to say to me?¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him and prepared to leave. ¡°What a waste of my time.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, don¡¯t leave,¡± Xuanyuan Min sighed and leaned towards her ear, looking as if he were being cheeky as he whispered, ¡°This isn¡¯t the pce. Many people are looking at us, so you should be more intimate with me.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrow twitched slightly¡ªof course, she knew that there were eyes on her and Xuanyuan Min, but those gazes were nothing but dog feces to her. However, she also sensed a different kind of gaze upon herself, one that seemed to be even more intense whenever Xuanyuan Min came near her. ¡°If you¡¯ve something to say then say it quickly,¡± Meng Fuyao ¡°smiled¡± and ¡°lovingly¡± moved towards his ear and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll spare the life of one concubine for every minute that you save.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve really never heard of such a threat¡­¡± Xuanyuan Min coughed and lovingly grabbed her waist and whispered, ¡°We have to bring forward our n earlier. There¡¯s been an increase in the number of suspicious people in the city recently. I¡¯m not sure if Xuanyuan Cheng already suspects something, but, be careful.¡± ¡°Suspicious people in the capital, huh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and suddenly smiled. Her eyes shone with mirth, startling Xuanyuan Min, and he suddenly said, ¡°My Empress, I feel like I have never seen your true face¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know me!¡± Meng Fuyao flicked away Xuanyuan Min¡¯s fingers and moved out of his grasp. Just then, she noticed a deer sh past in the forest. The deer was pure-white, a rarity among rarities. She definitely wanted to hunt that white deer! The sound of the hunting horn spread through the air as everyone around gave chase. Meng Fuyao¡¯s interest was piqued as well, and she found a white horse and chuckled, ¡°I want!¡± She hoisted herself onto the white horse and tied up her hair, then immediately shot away like an arrow, disappearing from Xuanyuan Min¡¯s sight in a sh. Xuanyuan Min watched as her white-clothed figure disappeared into the forest and ordered his guards to follow her. He hugged his shoulders and grabbed his heart as he mumbled, ¡°If there were really a day where she could be my real empress and tell me ¡®I want¡­¡±, how wonderful would that be¡­¡± Behind him, Shadow de appeared noiselessly and replied coldly, ¡°You¡¯re looking for death!¡± Cracking her horsewhip, Meng Fuyao hurriedly increased her speed. Due to her superb horse riding skills, she soon left the guards in the dust. Like the wintry wind, she flew by, kicking up columns of snow behind her. Her hair was blown into a mess, and she removed the hair tie and let her hair fly behind her in a ck mess. Meng Fuyaoughed out loud, weing the chilly wind as she galloped towards the mountains. She was truly feeling amazing! These few months she had been stuck in the pce ying the harem game, and although she was a natural at it, she felt bored after a while. Moreover, she disliked the four walls of the pce, and even more, she hated having to smile constantly but secretly hate the group of women. There were many ways one could live, why did she have to pretend? Thinking about it, trapping this eagle that was her in a cage was truly a cruel thing to do! The eagle was finally set free, and with a glint of her eyes, she searched for the white deer. Ah, if she caught it, she would skin it and make a pair of beautiful sleeves with it. As for who she was giving it to? Not telling. From the corner of her eye, something snow-white shed past. The deer was like a bolt of lightning shing through the forest, its body beautiful and slender. Meng Fuyao could even see the faint red antlers on its head which resembled a bayberry branch. Meng Fuyao immediately raised her arms. She retrieved a bow! She retrieved an arrow! Took aim! Shot! Whoosh! An arrow pierced through the air. Due to its power and speed, even the air around it seemed to bend as it went deep into the forest towards the eyes of the white deer! Only the eyes were punctuated, no part of the flesh was injured. Swoosh! From behind the forest, another arrow was fired from an unknown location. The arrow had viciously knocked away her own arrow and miraculously changed direction in midair¡­ right through the eyes of the white deer. Meng Fuyao was outraged. Daylight robbery? The deer was heavily injured, yet it did not die, and with a sharp cry, it sprinted away, its speed several times faster than before. From the other direction, the sound of movement in the leaves could be heard. That person seemed to give chase as well. Meng Fuyao felt thepetitive streak in her awaken as she too, gave chase. Deep into the forest, the deer was like a streak of white light while the two behind it, one ck and one white, flew after it like the wind. In the denseness of the forest, Meng Fuyao could make out that the person in front rode a ck horse, yet she wasn¡¯t able to recognize the person on the horse. The two of them chased the deer, deeper and farther into the forest until they reached a small mountain. The white deer sprinted to the top of the mountain and finally, out of energy and life, crumpled to the ground, dead. In front, the horse suddenly stopped as the rider bent down with a swish of his flowing robes and picked up the white deer carcass. The green mountain was set against the blood red sky, slivers of clouds dotting the sky here and there. The dusk glow fell against his straight back, his features were delicate and handsome. His robes were regal and awe-inspiring like a celestial descended from the heavens. Meng Fuyao stared suspiciously at the figure and tightened her grip on the rope. That person turned around and smiled slightly. He gazed at her from afar, his regal figure glowing slightly in the dusk atop the lush green mountains. Meng Fuyao immediately felt pinpricks on her body¡ªshe started to fidget unconsciously¡­ That person came closer and smiled at her habit of fidgeting whenever she felt ufortable. He raised the white deer in his hand and said, ¡°Only the Empress has the honor of capturing the deer of thisnd.¡± With both hands, he offered the deer to Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao immediately recovered from her stupor and remembered that the person in front of her had poison and probably came to seek revenge. If she didn¡¯t want to be forcibly extracted and sent into another country, she should retreat as fast as possible. ¡°Anyone can hunt the deer of thisnd.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled wryly and started to move back. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you with skinning the deer, I¡¯ll go find some firewood.¡± With a twist of her feet, she immediately turned to flee, but the person opposite her raised a hand and a series of branches cracking resounded through the air as numerous broken branches fell behind her into a huge pile, blocking her exit. ¡°The firewood is here, there¡¯s no need for Your Grace to trouble yourself.¡± The person smiled exquisitely and waved around. ¡°Please take your pick.¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°These firewood are thick like pigs¡¯ waists and as huge as elephants. They can be used as firewood in the pce, it would be a pity to use them to roast a deer.¡± Chapter 248 - Untitled Chapter 248: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°It is of the highest honor to pick firewood for the Empress herself, and even more to light the fire to cook the deer that will fill Her Grace¡¯s stomach,¡± responded Zhangsun Wuji solemnly. ¡°No matter what, picking is better than throwing away.¡± ¡®Double meaning! Someone is ying with puns again, who was thrown away? Clearly, he was the one who threw me aside, alright? Why was the oneining always him first? The pot calling the kettle ck? Why did he always have to make me feel guilty of every little thing?¡¯ Angered, Meng Fuyao put her hands on her hips and turned around. ¡°I!¡± She announced loudly. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he watched her, his eyes slightly moist. ¡°¡ªwill go pick the firewood¡­¡± Meng Fuyao got off her horse and hadn¡¯t straightened herself when her vision went dark. In an instant, she had been swept into a warm embrace. That person still carried the faint fragrance, but it seemed to have be stronger, carrying a faint snow or jade-like coolness, striking and noble, yet his embrace was hot like the spring sun. Meng Fuyao sighed and held onto his shoulders, then turned to lean against him quietly, not saying a word. She heard him say, ¡°When will you learn to behave?¡± Meng Fuyao retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve always known how to behave.¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled exasperatedly and reached forward and leaned against her forehead, suddenly feeling that it felt artificial. He then pulled off her mask before leaning his own forehead against hers again contentedly. With their foreheads pressed against one another, both of them could feel the soft smoothness of each others¡¯ skin, silky-smooth and sliding right into their hearts. Theirshes brushed each others¡¯ faces slightly, tickling them and making them want tough, yet neither of them wanted to ruin this quiet warmth. Both of them closed their eyes, unmoving, hearing the faint noise of breathing, and the trees rustling in the wintry wind. In the distance, Meng Fuyao could hear a search party looking for her, or perhaps even further in the distance, she heard the joyful cries of birds returning to their nests. The evening sun was a brilliant vermillion. After a long time, Meng Fuyao pinched his shoulder and said bitterly, ¡°What¡¯s with this scrawny body, have you gotten thinner? Did your master starve you?¡± ¡°Would he simply starve me?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed lightly and continued, ¡°He also made me kneel, beat me¡­¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, you¡¯re really getting dumber as you age.¡± Zhangsun Wuji brushed a finger over her lips and added, ¡°Do I look like someone who would be asked to kneel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a breath of relief and smiled. Honestly, this guy was way too good at lying, making her worry for nothing and forget how clever and talented he was. How would a master ever have the heart toy a finger on their protege? She red at Zhangsun Wuji and snapped. ¡°Liar! I curse you to only download files to 99%!¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled slightly. He did not ask what her strange sentence meant, but instead gently caressed her, tousling her naturally flyaway hair. Meng Fuyao could only re, feeling as if his expression felt rather strange, yet she couldn¡¯t tell why he seemed rather moody. Suddenly, she felt something in her sleeve struggle, and she remembered the ck-rabbit version, Lord Yuan Bao. ¡®Damn¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t let Zhangsun Wuji see Lord Yuan Bao in this state! ¡®It¡¯s not virtuous to let the original owner see his pet being abused!¡¯ Meng Fuyao stuffed Lord Yuan Bao in as deep as she could as Lord Yuan Bao screeched incessantly in her sleeve¡­ ¡°Eep eep! Eep eep! Eep, eep, eep, eep, eep, eep!¡± Zhangsun Wuji suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s change a location.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t had the chance to react when Lord Yuan Bao sprung out of her pocket and mbered up to her neck. It turned around and smiled happily at Zhangsun Wuji. Meng Fuyao broke out in a cold sweat as she touched her inner robe¡­ A certain damned rodent had bitten a huge hole in it¡­ Lord Yuan Bao squatted on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder proudly and waved its paws mboyantly in the air, its pose strikingly like Tarzan, its expression telling. Zhangsun Wuji stared at his unrecognizable precious pet. After a moment, he finally said, ¡°I never knew you were twins with a ck pearl.¡± Lord Yuan Bao copsed into tears¡ªthis was the harshest criticism it had ever received in its life¡­ Meng Fuyao smiled sheepishly and offered the tear-stained pet with both hands. ¡°Er¡­ You told me not to show anyone its true abilities, so I disguised it¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji sighed. ¡°You really did a great job at the disguise, it looks like it was born this way.¡± Lord Yuan Bao looked around frantically for water¡­ who said that it looked better ck? Who said that its ck fur was like a ck pearl, it was the scoundrel burning firewood over that side. It naturally was supposed to be ck; besides, ck had its charm, a certain purity, and nobility, cold and alluring, mysterious, noble, charming, it really wanted to wash its body¡­ Meng Fuyao watched unapologetically as Lord Yuan Bao rushed off to wash itself. She nced towards the foot of the mountain and remarked, ¡°Those bunch of idiots still can¡¯t locate me? Ah, how do I get down?¡± Zhangsun Wuji nced at her and sat downfortably on the pile of leaves. ¡°Why are you so urgent to go back? Is being an empress that addictive?¡± ¡°Only the dead will like it.¡± Meng Fuyao felt a sourness in her nose. ¡°It¡¯s the most boring n alive.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s fine to let you continue acting for now,¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked deep in thought as he added, ¡°I feel rather sorry for Xuanyuan and the other concubines.¡± Meng Fuyao snorted andy on a pile of leaves, both hands forming a pillow under her head as she repliedzily, ¡°They have so much time to y mind tricks, they might as well take the time to learn some life skills. I¡¯m actually doing this for their own good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough for you to poison one nation¡¯s concubines.¡± Zhangsun Wuji searched around her carefully for a moment before selecting a leaf, then flicking it into the air skillfully. ¡°I won¡¯t give you the chance to poison anyone anymore.¡± Meng Fuyao paused, suddenly understanding what he meant. Was he suggesting that, if she became his empress, there would be no one in the harem for her to poison? Meng Fuyao thought for a while, deciding that this promise was too good to be true. It was better to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard. Zhangsun Wuji suddenly moved forward and lightly plucked off the pair of gold phoenix earrings dangling from her ears¡ªas the Empress, it was imperative to wear earrings at all times. Hence, Meng Fuyao had pierced her own ears in the spirit of self-sacrifice. She would often remove other essories or simply not wear them, but she waszy to put on and remove her earrings all the time. And now, her earrings seemed to have annoyed a certain someone. Meng Fuyao thought that Zhangsun Wuji would return her the earrings after removing them, yet who knew that with a flick of his finger, he flung the earrings into the air into some unknown, far away corner. ¡°What a pity! What a pity! That was ten years¡¯ worth of food for regr folk!¡± she cried out, unable to save it. Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyebrows and chuckled. ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s handmade earrings are the only ones of true value,¡± he saidzily, turning around and grabbing her earlobe gently. Meng Fuyao only felt his hands move, and something went through the hole in her ear. A soft, thin leaf was sticking through her ear, slightly itchy. Sheughed and remarked, ¡°What an ugly thing.¡± Zhangsun Wuji opened his palm to reveal another small leaf ¡°earring.¡± The soft, green de had been rolled into a round shape with various intricate and beautiful patterns cut out. When the sun shone on it, the leaves reflected the light in all directions just like gold. It was the purest and most exquisite form of beauty. The leaf ¡°earring¡¯s¡± borate and natural design clearly featured great workmanship and thought. Meng Fuyao coughed slightly and thought, ¡®Is this person in front of me really a person? He really exists tond blows on people¡¯s confidence; why the hell is he able to make something this amazing out of a single leaf? He¡¯s putting all the master jewelers to shame.¡¯ It truly was worth an entire city, and inparison, those golden phoenix earrings should really be thrown away¡­ Meng Fuyao stared at the entirely natural yet brilliant earring and felt slightly unwilling to put such a delicate thing on her ear. She reached out to remove it, but Zhangsun Wuji smiled and reached out to put on the other earring for her. He leaned against Meng Fuyao¡¯s right and put on the earring. Half of his body was on hers, his jet-ck hair falling lightly on her cheek. Meng Fuyao breathed in the faint misty, snowy scent and felt something hot on her lips. After putting on the earrings for her, Zhangsun Wuji had turned around and pressed his lips on hers. In that moment of heart-moving warmth, Meng Fuyao was stunned. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he cupped her face and carefully appraised the earrings. ¡°This is the most suitable color and design for you,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao wrinkled her nose and smiled. ¡°Narcissistic, short-tempered, even owns a country, yet refuses to send me jewels or gold.¡± Zhangsun Wuji buried his head in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. ¡°I give myself to you,¡± he murmured. Meng Fuyao fell silent, thinking that after a few months, someone had increased their sweet-talking skills, and she could only relish in it, raising a hand to stroke his earlobe, her hand extremely gentle and sensual. She ran the other hand through Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hair and sighed, saying, ¡°How pitiful I am,cking the love of friends or brethren, I¡¯ve already sacrificed so much¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and flipped her over. ¡°Then let¡¯s sacrifice you all the way!¡± he responded. Meng Fuyao moved away hastily and snapped. ¡°Scoundrel, I¡¯ll defend against you till I die.¡± Chapter 249 - Untitled Chapter 249: Chapter 249, Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji lifted a brow. ¡°Is the Taoist priest better looking than the nun?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, thinking, ¡®The Crown Prince is swamped with work, yet he remembers the dirty jokes I told Lord Yuan Bao.¡¯ She turned and saw a drenched Lord Yuan Bao staring at her resentfully. Meng Fuyao sat up and gazed down from the mountains and wondered, ¡°How strange, why is the distance between them increasing?¡± Zhangsun Wuji calmlybed Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s fur and replied carelessly, ¡± The imperial gardens are a forbidden segment of Lingzhu Mountain. Themoners cannot enter and know that full well. However, there remains the possibility that some lord or envoy might have identally stumbled in while hunting and touring.¡± Meng Fuyao blinked, and it dawned upon her suddenly. ¡± Zhan Beiye?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled.¡± And that famous little tail.¡± ¡°Did Zhuzhue too?¡± Meng Fuyao remarked happily. ¡°All us fools have gathered once more.¡± After pondering the issue for a while, she realized something was amiss. ¡°Are you up to something again? For example, luring the people who are out to find me to Zhan Beiye so that you have the opportunity to kidnap me?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled but did not deny it. He looked into the distance.¡± The Emperor of Dahan isn¡¯t too stupid either. He lured himself to Ya Lanzhu.¡± Meng Fuyao facepalmed. ¡°Poor Zhuzhu¡­¡± ¡°Why do you not take pity on me?¡± Zhangsun Wuji sighed. ¡°Ever since I met you, I haven¡¯t managed to rest.¡± Meng Fuyao nudged him. ¡°Why not return to Wuji? You haven¡¯t been there in ages.¡± ¡°I have returned,¡± said Zhangsun Wuji expressionlessly. ¡°I returned to Wuji beforeing to Xuanyuan. My apologies, I am unable to abandon my responsibilities.¡± ¡°Why should you apologize?¡± replied Meng Fuyao. ¡°Your home country is, too, your responsibility. A responsible man is a true man.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and looked at her solemnly, sighing. ¡°Fuyao, you are so perfect sometimes that you make me both proud and afraid¡­¡± Proud that she was such an open-minded and cheerful girl, born to be a queen and looked up to, yet afraid that she would soar to such heights that many others could not help but to follow and chase after her. Meng Fuyao merely smiled, thinking, ¡®There is no perfect being on this Earth, only two halves of a whole that fit so well that they are perfect in each others¡¯ eyes.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go. People areing.¡± She pushed Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Since you are here, you probably know what I want to do. Whether you want to help, n to help, it is all up to you. Zong Yue is no Zhan Beiye. The effects of Zong Yue taking back the throne, and his revenge is something I cannot predict. So, please use an objective perspective to deal with Xuanyuan and don¡¯t have any reservations because of me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zhangsun Wuji rubbed her forehead and stood up. ¡°Remember I am in Kunjing, by your side.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, sitting on the floor as she watched him leave. Under the dappled light, the gaze of the man who turned back was filled with so much love. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes followed his back as it gradually disappeared in the horizon. She slowly took off the pair of tree leaf earrings, trying to read the words carved on them. A miniature carving. Meng Fuyao squinted her eyes, reading what was carved onto one of the earrings, Meng Fuyao. The other earring, Yuan Zhaoxu. Under the glorious sunset, her lips curled up into a smile as she previously encapsted the pair of earrings in her palms. When the guards of Xuanyuan found the Empress, they spotted her squatting in the forest and skillfully waving her knife to peel away the skin of the deer. Seeing the sweaty guards rushed over, the Empress lifted her bloody knife and proudly dered, ¡°This deer looks delicious. We have meat to eat tonight.¡± Xuanyuan Min quickly arrived too with a bunch of concubines following behind him. Meng Fuyao immediately served up a pail of deer blood to Consort Xian that was stuck to Xuanyuan Min like chewed gum. ¡°Deer blood is the best for nourishing your health. It is also renowned for its beautifying effects. Would Consort Xian like some?¡± The dignified and honorable Consort Xian¡¯s gazended on the bucket of blood and then onto the smiling Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, which was covered in stters of deer blood. Without a word, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fainted. She really fainted this time round. Meng Fuyao signaled the same to other concubines, but with the exception of Tang Yi Guang and Jian Xue who sipped a little, the rest avoided it like the gue. ¡°Consort Xian has a weak constitution. Consort Jade, you share the same tent with her so please take care of her,¡± said Meng Fuyao. Jian Xue quickly agreed and personally brought Consort Xian back. Xuanyuan Min pointed his whip and excitedly asked, ¡°My Empress, I¡¯ve heard that this Lingzhu Mountain has plenty of strange beasts in deep parts of this forest. That white deer is one of them. I¡¯ve heard that you have great archery skills and horse-riding skills, are you interested inpeting against me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Meng Fuyao wriggled her eyebrows. ¡°6 hours. The one with the most prey wins!¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Xuanyuan Min dered with a rare trace of heroism. He turned back to order his guards, ¡°None of you are allowed to follow us, only An Zi and Little An. I want to have a fair fight with the Empress!¡± While the guards were hesitating, Xuanyuan Min had already bolted out on his horse. Meng Fuyao followed suit swiftly, and the guards were quickly left behind. Meng Fuyao moved closer to Xuanyuan Min and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Xuanyuan is about to take action!¡± Xuanyuan Min smiled coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what medicine he¡¯s been eating, but I heard that his mistress is now pregnant.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± This news caught her by surprise. She once heard that Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s ability to reproduce was secretly ruined by Zong Yue. So where did this childe from? ¡°He has probably thought it through and decided that I could never inherit his great rule and he¡¯ll never have another child. The child in his mistress¡¯ stomach is most probably a lie, and when 10 months have passed, and it¡¯s time to give birth, he¡¯ll just take a child from his family.¡± Xuanyuan Min revealed a cold smile as he bit down on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve just received the news that, coincidentally, his cousin¡¯s wife is pregnant.¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent. ¡®After waiting for so many years, Xuanyuan Cheng has finally decided to take this course of action. Since he has decided to continue his lineage in this manner, he¡¯ll definitely be snatching the throne this time round.¡¯ ¡°I guess we wouldn¡¯t be hunting for anything exotic today¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°Both the Empress and emperor have, unfortunately, met with danger and lost their lives? No wonder he didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°So we cannot stay at the base. It is littered with enemies. Nor can I inform my people to protect me, that would be equivalent of telling Xuanyuan Cheng who belongs to me. We can only hide.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous out here too? Just you and I hunting, anything can happen.¡± ¡°In the deep forest of Lingzhu Mountain, there is a route to exit. Once we get there, there will be someone to receive us. I do not know what methods Xuanyuan Cheng will use to kill us, but it will definitely not be a simple ambush.¡± Meng Fuyao listened quietly, a little absentmindedly. Somehow, she seemed to be listening to the sounds of the wind from afar. After a while, she turned back and made eye contact with Shadow de. Xuanyuan Min also frowned. Meng Fuyaomented, ¡°Not a simple ambush as expected.¡± She looked around the surroundings. The thick evening mist and the verdant and lush trees. Looking over from their direction, there seemed to be vague sounds of soldiers and horses. But no matter how fast they were, they still could not move forward. Formation. A formation that made use of the position of the mountains, the rivers, the sun, and the moon, causing one to enter this supreme formation. Meng Fuyao sighed softly. ¡°Fog.¡± Everything in nature was part of the formation. A rock could suddenly take the shape of a tree. A bird might turn into a flying rock instantly. The fallen tree could be a trap that one would fall in, only to find that one¡¯s legs were still firmly rooted to the ground the next second and instead, a fiery me would be descending from above. The bright tinum disc hanging in the lonely sky seemed to be guiding one to the correct route. But following the moonlight would only lead one to the depths of the abyss. As one tried to trace his or her road back, they would only turn to the realization that the moonlight was on the other side. But at this point in time, following the moonlight was no longer a safe bet and looking up once more, the moon was the sky. Cutting down trees to reveal its growth rings. Walking in the direction where trees were aged would lead one to the nests of snakes and in the direction where trees were rtively young would bring one to thorn bushes. And that damn mist, it wasn¡¯t in chunks, but rather, like pieces of cloth torn apart into pieces, appearing at a perfect timing. For instance, if it was an abyss right in front of someone, that fog would cover their eyes. Perhaps only for a moment, but it would be the moment of death for them. That was how An Zi died¡ªhe carelessly stepped forward to find that it was the edge of the cliff. He felt that something was wrong and immediately stepped back, grabbing onto Xuanyuan Min in a pinch. The two fell down together and then¡­ Xuanyuan Min came back up. Meng Fuyao did not question how he returned; Shadow de remained expressionless. Regardless of whether An Zi had sacrificed to send Xuanyuan Min back up or Xuanyuan Min had stepped onto An Zi to climb up, there was no point in pursuing the truth any longer. And so, a life was quietly taken away on this ordinary hill. Because of Fog, a small part of the mountain was transformed into the arena of death. Danger lurked at every corner, hidden behind the mist and even the most ordinary of things could be a weapon of death. What was worse was that this formation had no pattern to determine what was physical and what was a mere illusion. Meng Fuyao thought that she spotted a pattern, and when she had noticed a trap covered with grass, she believed it to be an illusion. She thought that it¡¯d definitely be safe to walk over, but then suddenly, there was nothing beneath her and gravity pulled her downwards. But a strong pair of hands grabbed onto her. Meng Fuyao looked up and saw Shadow de¡¯s eyes looking back. He had been walking by her side the entire time, sandwiching her between Xuanyuan Min and himself. She knew that he wasn¡¯t afraid of Xuanyuan Min using underhanded methods on him, but rather he was afraid that Xuanyuan Min would use him as a stepping stone in the face of danger. Seeing her grateful gaze, Shadow de smiled gently. ¡°Careful,¡± he muttered. In this dark night, everyone¡¯s face seemed to be a little blurred; except for his. He was as strikingly beautiful, like a piece of art carved on an obsidian gem. His husky voice seemed to be more gentle than usual, bringing warmth. Chapter 250 Chapter 250: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao smiled in return. ¡°You too.¡± The trio wandered around as the sky was quickly darkening. No one knew where they were. Technically, given the speed of the three people, no matter how precarious the road was, after such a long walk, they should have already gotten out of the Lingzhu Mountain. However, right now, it felt as though they were still circling around the same ce. Meng Fuyao copsed onto the ground in dismay. ¡°Let¡¯s not walk anymore. Perhaps, if we stay here, we might be able to avoid some of the dangers,¡± she whined. ¡°No.¡± Shadow de pulled her up. ¡°We must get out of here before Foges. Right now, she has merely set a formation, but when she is free to take action, it will be over for us in this disadvantageous environment.¡± ¡°How¡¯s her martial arts?¡± asked Meng Fuyao. ¡°Just based on her whimsical and erratic formation, it is enough for her to stand above the rest. Coupled with her skilled martial arts, who else would be able topete against her? Why is she only the eighth out of the ten strongest?¡± ¡°Her natural talent is inadequate,¡± exined Shadow de. ¡°Apparently Fog is also from Xuanyuan, and her parents were blood-rted siblings¡­ a taboo topic; barely anyone knows of it.¡± He carefully listened to the sounds of the wind. ¡°We seem to have walked to somewhere near a river.¡± Meng Fuyao sniffed the faint scent of water and heard indistinctive yells as weapons shed against another. ¡°A battle?¡± Meng Fuyao asked questioningly. But Xuanyuan Min seemed to be focused on something else. ¡°Ning Dai river? We reached the corners of the hunting grounds?¡± The two had their attention on different things, but neither was wrong. Just as thest word was muttered, a ray of silver light shed past. One could vaguely make up the shape of a person. His moves were swift, and as he advanced, he stirred up the surrounding mist. The mist graciously moved aside, creating a path as though a sharp de had neatly cut it into half. Suddenly, a figure appeared amidst the fog. ck hair and robe. Sleeves embroidered with fiery red mes. A stance ready to attack. A swift figure that contained no frivolous, extra actions, yet ever so imposing. Meng Fuyao cried in surprise, ¡°Zhan Beiye!¡± But Zhan Beiye continued his move as though he didn¡¯t hear her, the sword heading straight for her. With a murderous aura, the de was now right in front of her face. Meng Fuyao could feel beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead, stumbling backward, shocked. ¡°Be careful!¡± The one that yelled was Shadow de. He stood there, not moving an inch, but one of his hands had already wrapped around Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms, holding onto her. Meng Fuyao quickly stood up and identally kicked a pebble. She could vaguely hear the pebble rolling down the grassy slope and then falling into something ¨C probably a cave. What followed was a series of strange sounds. She couldn¡¯t figure out what was in the cave, but her instincts were screaming at her, telling her it wasn¡¯t anything good. Meng Fuyao was still badly shaken. She nced over and realized that the mist had recovered and Zhan Beiye had disappeared. nkly, she sputtered out a question: ¡°Illusion?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a reflection,¡± said Shadow de. ¡°He should be somewhere nearby, and that attack was probably for his enemy but was reflected in front of you by the mist.¡± ¡°How intriguing,¡± mumbled Meng Fuyao. Suddenly, the wind picked up its speed and looking around, one could see a group ofrge, grey birds dispersing the mist as they flew low around the forest. With long and sharp beaks, they pecked the moment they bent down. ¡°Even you havee to bully me!¡± yelled Meng Fuyao, angry and amused at the same time. She turned, and all of a sudden, Destiny Rebellion was already in her hands. A ray of ck light attacked the birds. Droplets of blood apanied by soft, grey feathers filled the surroundings as it descended elegantly from the sky. The birds shrieked in fear, attempting to avoid death in a chaotic manner. But Destiny Rebellion was persistent in its pursuit, and wherever it passed, the new bird carcasses would appear on the ground. Xuanyuan Min stared at the dagger, surprised. It was the first time he had seen Meng Fuyao taking action. He stared nkly at Destiny Rebellion, then, at Meng Fuyao in deep thought. Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t seem to realize the oddity as she proudly recalled Destiny Rebellion. Suddenly, the expression on her face changed. The birds had all fallen, but Destiny Rebellion had disappeared! Then, she heard someone yelling for her. That voice belonged to Zhan Beiye. Meng Fuyao responded to his call; she knew that they were all, oddly, interconnected, and that dagger of hers not only reflected but even made its way there. The unlucky emperor from Dahan had no calm and collected Shadow de and suddenly saw Meng Fuyao¡­ this dagger¡­ wouldn¡¯t take his life, would it? Worried, Meng Fuyao wanted to rush over to find him, but Shadow de stopped her. ¡°The formation is changing too quickly. We can¡¯t move forward anymore, nor can we touch anything. Ignore all illusions, calm down, and wait.¡± Grudgingly, Meng Fuyao kicked a bird carcass. As she kicked, the mist dispersed, and suddenly, a figure entered her version. It was a pretty face, and she dressed in a colorful outfit. She was lying down on her stomach at the bottom of the ¡°mountain of rocks¡± as she struggled to climb upwards. What was behind her was a dark, unfathomable abyss. Meng Fuyao cried, ¡°Zhu Zhu!¡± and reached out to pull her up. But as she reached her hand out, there was no one there, and instead, a slimy thing wrapped itself around Meng Fuyao¡¯s wrist. Meng Fuyao immediately smashed her hand onto the floor. With a ¡°kacha,¡± the snake made its escapade, but it was toote for Meng Fuyao. She could feel her wrist go numb, and upon a closer look, there were two pinhole-sized holes on her wrist. ¡°God damn!¡± Meng Fuyao muttered harshly under her breath. Next, to her, Shadow de¡¯s expression changed into a worried one. He grabbed her hand over and swiftly tore off a piece of his sleeve, tying it around the elbow to stop the poison from moving up. Without a word, he bent down to suck out the poison. ¡°I¡¯ve got medicine!¡± eximed Meng Fuyao. Shadow de ignored her and continued to spit out the blood with poison. He continued until the color of the blood lightened, and only then did he apply the medication on her wound. He then produced two green pills for both of them to swallow. Meng Fuyao watched him and noticed that the corner of his lips seemed cracked ¨C powerful poisons were able to create wounds instantly in one¡¯s mouth. Worried, Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°Are you not going to fetch some water to rinse your mouth?¡± Shadow de shook his head. ¡°This is the time where we shouldn¡¯t move. This formation is linked to our emotional state and now is, in fact, in its most pressing time.¡± Meng Fuyao remained concerned. This poison seemed to be extremely pervasive in nature. Despite her fast reaction and Shadow de¡¯s quick response, she had still shown symptoms of slight dizziness. In Shadow de¡¯s case, he came in direct contact with the poison, and if he didn¡¯t rinse his mouth, he would be in a very precarious situation. Meng Fuyao could hear the sound of water flowing. Inferring that a water source was near, she got up in search of it. ¡°You are not allowed to go!¡± hollered Shadow de. Without turning back, she responded, ¡°Shut up!¡± Shadow de turned red in anger. Xuanyuan Min looked curiously at him and then at her. Meng Fuyao was ready to set off when suddenly, Lord Yuan Bao scuttled out of her embrace and disappeared in an instant. Shocked, Meng Fuyao called out anxiously, ¡°Rat, rat-¡± She turned back and nced at Xuanyuan Min. She had been unwilling to let the Xuanyuan family know of Lord Yuan Bao, and now the guinea pig had made its own appearance, most probably to get some water. In a sh, the guinea pig disappeared. Since no one knew where it went, she could only wait for it at the same spot. Thankfully though, this guinea pig was a detector for danger. ¡®¡­ that should be useful in this formation?¡¯ Meng Fuyao had little faith in this thought as she squatted there, sighing. Then, she remembered seeing Zhu Zhu. ¡®She seemed to have fallen off a cliff? Which cliff? Got to find some way to save her. And Zhan Beiye, did I attack him? Ah¡­ What a bunch of unlucky kids¡­¡¯ With another sh, Lord Yuan Bao quickly ran back with arge piece of leaf in its ws. On the leaf, there was some liquid. ted, Meng Fuyaoplimented Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°Good rat!¡± she praised as she passed the liquid over to Shadow de. ¡°Quickly rinse your mouth.¡± Shadow de stared at the liquid with a frown. Meng Fuyao took a closer look and felt that this liquid was indeed a little murky. Even though they couldn¡¯t tell the color of the liquid because of the leaf, it was clear that it was not water¡­ it even had a strange smell. ¡®Which muddy puddy did that rat collect water from?¡¯ Seeing Shadow de¡¯s unwillingness, Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows as she began her lecture. ¡°The rat, with the risk of losing its life, passed through so many obstacles¡ªgoing through the fire, the rain of bullets. etc., before finally getting this precious water into your hands! And you actually dare not drink it? You really don¡¯t appreciate yourrades enough, and you are letting down those who have sacrificed themselves for you¡­ you are too¡­¡± Shadow de looked up and poured the ¡°water¡± into his mouth without a second thought. He would rather drink the dirty water than listen to Meng Fuyao nag¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right, if you want to be the best of the best, you must suffer the bitterest of the bitter.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled happily. Shadow de, on the other hand, gagged as he forced himself to rinse his mouth and turn around with a frown. Meng Fuyao quietly turned over to the guinea pig. ¡°¡­ Sir, did you actually go and collect water? What the heck is that liquid?¡± Lord Yuan Bao squatted on her shoulders with its mouth mped shut. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t tell you, I¡¯ll have you know that this is very precious too, it clears out internal heat and detoxifies!¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao revealed a wretched expression¡­ The trio sat on the floor as they listened to the odd sounds in the surroundings. From afar, no one knew who Fog was fighting against, and despite the formation, they could feel the imposing aura. Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky, and above the mist, she could vaguely see the shiny stars scattered across the sky. At this point in time, the thick fog made it impossible to see the stars clearly, but the light that the stars emitted could still be seen. From here, one could deduce the brightness of the stars. Meng Fuyao seemed to have seen a simr scene but couldn¡¯t recall anything about it. The fog dispersed and Zhan Beiye appeared once again. Jokingly, Meng Fuyao reached her hand out and demanded, ¡°Return the dagger to me!¡± With a blink of an eye, Zhan Beiye vanished. Meng Fuyao kept her hand, and this time, she saw Ya Lanzhu. She was still climbing with much difficulty, and for an instant, Meng Fuyao noticed that there was something on top of the cliff she was climbing. Then, the scene disappeared. Meng Fuyao frowned. This revolving scenes and cliffhangers were certainly making her anxious. Fog¡¯s formation was certainly unparalleled. Even without personally fighting, she could make use of the surroundings to attack them. The ones that were trapped in here, which of them wasn¡¯t an elite? But even so, they were all rendered powerless against a bunch of grass, rocks, and trees. She enquired Shadow de about the surrounding cliffs and described the ce that Ya Lanzhu was in. After contemting, Shadow de replied, ¡°There are three cliffs that resemble what you¡¯ve just described. But we are not even sure of where we are, how are we going to find her?¡± Meng Fuyao was exasperated as she stomped her foot. She prayed that Zhu Zhu would be safe and thought about how the strength of the ten strongest had stemmed from their ability to hack thews of nature. Her being able to reach the sixth level of ¡°Cleaving Nine Heavens¡± made her one of the top fighters in the martial arts scene. But right now, at this ce, she was beaten at every step of the way. No matter how she trained, at the most important moment, her inner energy would always get stuck¡­ If she could not reach this level, even if she were to have all the power and authority in the human realm, what rights did she have to go over the Evergreen Shrine? Chapter 251 Chapter 251: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios If all else failed, she could call the guards to kill her! Feeling motivated, Meng Fuyao could not help but swing her fist aggressively in the air, and this caused the mist to flow. The scene before her darkened and brightened, and Zhan Beiye appeared. Meng Fuyao ignored that sight and stood rooted to the ground. ¡®That¡¯s a fake.¡¯ When Zhan Beiye saw her, his eyes shone, and he extended his hand to grab her. Meng Fuyao continued to stand still. ¡®That¡¯s a fake.¡¯ Shadow de, who was resting beside her, suddenly opened his eyes. He was about to stand up, but Zhan Beiye¡¯s grip has alreadynded on her. Meng Fuyao felt the weight of steel on her arm as his grip was as solid as a boulder, and he seemed unwilling to ever let go. That firm feeling was obviously not fake, but in her shock, she instinctively avoided it. The foggy scene in front of her changed, and she was brought over to Zhan Beiye¡¯s side. Beside her, thick plumes of fog continued to produce thundering noises, but she was obviously no longer in the same position. Looking displeased, Meng Fuyao stared at Zhan Beiye and asked, ¡°How did you find me? Grab all of them over here.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± was Zhan Beiye¡¯s reply. He added, ¡°I encountered Fog before, have you forgotten? Back then, in the depths of the forest in Wuji, I was trapped inside there because of her, and I nearly lost my life. This formation is probably the weirdest one out of all her formations, as it includes ¡®Mirror Switching,¡¯ one of Xuanyuan¡¯s ancient tricks. Each element gives birth to another, and change is imminent. If they don¡¯t move, I won¡¯t be able to know their positions, and even if I do, I might catch a venomous snake instead.¡± When Meng Fuyao heard this, she felt slightly guilty and hurriedly let down her sleeve. Zhan Beiye caught sight of that with his sharp eyesight, and he frowned. ¡°You were bitten?¡± he asked as he bent down to check her injury. But Meng Fuyao pushed him away quickly. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± she remarked. As she turned around, she saw her dagger, and it was still stuck on his shoulder. ¡°Erm,¡± Meng Fuyao said, and she continued to ask in a meek tone, ¡°About that¡­ my dagger¡­ can you return it?¡± She felt guilty as she said that. The dagger was still stuck on Zhan Beiye¡¯s body, and he hadn¡¯t even asked forpensation fees. Luckily, Zhan Beiye looked towards the dagger and plucked it out nonchntly. As the blood sttered, he spoke. ¡°Your dagger is magical and has an affinity with you. If I didn¡¯t get shed, I probably would not be able to find you.¡± Disregarding the injury on his shoulder, and the surrounding dangers and thick fog, he looked at Meng Fuyao with an expression of delight. ¡°Atst I¡¯m able to spend some alone time with you¡­¡± Out of the blue, Meng Fuyao¡¯s ears shot up and her eyes gleamed. ¡°Who shouted?¡± Suddenly, she shot to her feet and dashed forward. ¡°Zhu Zhu!¡± That shout seemed to be just a meter away, as though Zhu Zhu was beside her and in danger. When Meng Fuyao heard this, she could not help but get on her feet and sprint. However, she was suddenly being pulled back. Without looking back, Meng Fuyao swatted the hand away. ¡°Release me!¡± Zhan Beiye refused to let go. Extending his hand and channeling his energy, he pushed Meng Fuyao backward, causing her to m against a stone wall. It was only then that she realized that they were near a cliff. cing his hands at her sides, he locked her into position. His firm chin was slightly above Meng Fuyao¡¯s head, and as he towered above her, his eyes stared deeply into hers. He said, ¡°Fuyao, can you give me some time to properly speak to you alone?¡± His voice was low, and his tone seemed even heavier than the micro-size dew in the foggy night. Taking in his determined but exhausted expression, Meng Fuyao felt softhearted. If it was any other day, she would have just listened to him. But she was immensely worried about Ya Lanzhu¡¯s safety at the moment and absolutely had neither the mood nor the time to lend him an ear. As she looked up, she replied softly, ¡°There¡¯s so much time. Why does it have to be now?¡± ¡°Since when have you ever generously given me your time?¡± Zhan Beiye suddenly cackled withughter. ¡°I just have to be slightly thoughtless, and you will run away at the speed of light. Looking for you is as though finding a needle in a haystack. After finding that needle painstakingly, it still pricks my hand-¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled too. ¡°If it pricks, why don¡¯t you let go?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Zhan Beiye said in a resolute tone. ¡°I won¡¯t let go even if it is a knife, much less a needle. Since I am beside you, I should protect you, and hence, your life is not just yours but also mine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your protection.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head, and her nose almost met his. With a fiery expression, she said, ¡°My life has always belonged to me. My life, my opinions, and everything about me should only be mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you over this.¡± Zhan Beiye took in a deep breath. He had already had enough of arguing with Meng Fuyao. When two hot-tempered people met, a raging inferno would ze¡ªnot the romantic type, but a poisonous fire that would burn the skin and undermine the determination of others. Even if their friendship was strong, how many more times could their ties tolerate such burns? He believed that Meng Fuyao would forever lend him a helping hand, just as how she would with other people; he also believed that she would be the one-of-a-kind and legendary woman on the Five Regions Continent who would support the rise of numerous Emperors, such as what she did to Zong Yue and him, and it would be a feat that would surpass all others of her kind before and since. However, he loathed how everything came with ¡°just as.¡± Yes, it was the same, and everyone was treated the exact same way. She would treat everyone equally favorably and even risk her life to do so, but there would be no distinction at all. The ties were strong, but there was no romantic feeling at all. He dug out his passionate heart for her, and she would receive it in smiles, and then leave it at one side. He never epted rejection in his whole life, and she was an exception. Time and time again, he would extend his hand and receive nothing but the cold moonlight. ¡°Fuyao¡­¡± The aggressive and hot-tempered Zhan Beiye finally learned how to sigh because of her. He leaned forward, and his fingers grabbed her shoulders, alternating between a light and heavy grip. He had no idea what to do, but he wanted to be closer to her, and even closer¡­ But he heard her clearly say, ¡°Do you want your jaw to be dislocated again?¡± As Zhan Beiye stiffened, Meng Fuyao pushed him away without any hesitation and walked away inrge strides. In a hurry, Zhan Beiye blocked her way. ¡°Fuyao!¡± Meng Fuyao stared back at him angrily. Zhan Beiye looked back at her and did not avoid her gaze. In a solemn tone, he said, ¡°Fuyao, do not act on impulse.¡± ¡°Zhu Zhu¡¯s in danger and you¡¯re telling me not to go?¡± Meng Fuyao was enraged. ¡°So I should do nothing and watch her fall down the cliff?¡± ¡°Zhu Zhu¡¯s in danger? How did you know that?¡± Zhan Beiye seemed genuinely confused. ¡°Did you not hear her shout?¡± Meng Fuyao looked back at him suspiciously. After he shook his head, Meng Fuyao locked her gaze with him, and she frowned. ¡°Are you denying it on purpose so that I will not act impulsively?¡± Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and his ck eyes stared back at her in disbelief. By then, Meng Fuyao seemed to confirm her suspicion. Folding her arms, she looked at Zhan Beiye icily. ¡°I know that you don¡¯t like Zhu Zhu, and I know that you always avoid and apologize to her. But can you, at the very least, somewhat care of her? Even towards a normal friend, you shouldn¡¯t be so cold-hearted, right?¡± As Zhan Beiye looked at her, his expression gradually darkened like dense ink spreading in all directions. The sky seemed to be filled with just his eyes, which resembled a ck metal stone, sucking everything into the bottomless whirlpool, causing people to drown in the extremely high waves. After staring at Meng Fuyao in that way for a few moments, the emotions quickly drained from his eyes. He turned around without speaking a word, and he took a step forward. He walked into the thick fog, and there was a muffled sound. Then, there was a huge tremor with a loud bang! Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Quickly, she spun and dashed forward. ¡°Zhan Beiye!¡± Even after pouncing towards the origin of the sound, she did not find any signs of Zhan Beiye, and she could no longer distinguish where Zhu Zhu¡¯s shout came from. The humid feeling which she felt earlier on, however, seemed to be more obvious. She reached out her hand and groped around in the waterfall-likeyers of fog, like how Zhan Beiye had done for her, and she did not care about the risk of getting bitten. Suddenly, she came into contact with a hand. That hand was not small, and the bone structure seemed wide. Meng Fuyao felt a wave of joy. ¡°Zhan Beiye, where in the world did you go¡­¡± In an instant, she paused. Then, she heard a person beside her. ¡°Why are you grabbing me?¡± It was an unfamiliar voice, with an emotionless tone and a very special¡­ pitch. What was special was that she actually could not tell if the speaker was male or female. She could not even distinguish if there was any sense of enmity. If it was anyone else, their first reaction would be to release the grip. Unfortunately, Meng Fuyao¡¯s guts were out of the world. From the position of that person, she could tell that he was the one who exchanged a move with Zhan Beiye. If so, there was no reason for her to release her grip. Instead of letting that person go, she pulled him towards her and smiled. ¡°The fog is thick, and the sky is dark. It¡¯s easier to be brave if there are more people.¡± And that person really allowed her to pull him over. Nonchntly, he said, ¡°It¡¯s burdensome when there are more people.¡± ¡°A burden to what?¡± asked Meng Fuyao curiously. That person became quiet. He turned around and looked at her. Once again, Meng Fuyao was stunned. Was this person¡­ a male or female? With hair being tied up in a gender-neutral way, robes that had a sense of curves to it, and a slightly elongated face shape that both males and females could possess, the gender was hard to be distinguished. That person had moderately-wide shoulders and waist, a pair of lively and radiant eyes, a high nose bridge, thick eyebrows, and full lips ¨C he would be too handsome as a male and too beautiful as a female. To be straightforward, it was a type of gender-neutral beauty, and that aura was so in that the gender could not be distinguished. That was in stark contrast to Moon Soul, whose gender was hard to tell as he was so extremely beautiful. Fog? The person who triggered the 38-year love marathon between Moon Soul and Cloud Soul, and who was the cause of the scandal amongst the top 10 wielders, was such a woman? And Cloud Soul felt disheartened, and avoided Moon Soul for 38 years because such a woman was by his side? Suddenly, Meng Fuyao felt likeughing. It was so ridiculous. This person¡¯s aura did not seem toplement that of Moon Soul¡¯s in any away. However, she realized that she longer had the urge to. No, not that it wasn¡¯tplimentary. Rather, they were the perfect match. If the two were to stand together, the effect would be strangely splendid. If their genders swapped, Fog as a handsome male and Moon Soul as a beautiful female would still make a perfect couple. No wonder Moon Soul was so heartbroken that she went into hiding back then. These two were such a good ¡°match¡± that no other couple couldpare to. Sensing her strange gaze, Fog looked at her sideways. Chuckling, she asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t died?¡± ¡°Even if you die, she won¡¯t!¡± There was a sudden bark, and the ck light seemed to rise from the ground. Like a whirlwind, Zhan Beiye spun over, and his clothes cut through the thick fog. With a strong force, he raised his golden pike from the ground! Chapter 252 Chapter 252: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Fog raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°It¡¯s you again.¡± As she extended her hand, an ancient mirror suddenly appeared in her palms. There was a ray of light, and the shadows in front her shifted. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao saw both Shadow de and Xuanyuan Min seemingly trying to look for her, but Xuanyuan Min was slowly delivering his palm towards Shadow de¡¯s back. What did he want to do? Was that real or fake? Crash! Meng Fuyao did not care about the truth. In an instant, she tilted her body and charged towards Fog with her shoulder. Before the shoulder reached, Destiny Rebellion shot out from below in the trickiest and weirdest angle ever. When Fog finally realized that she had hidden the sword under the shoulder, the ck gleam of the sword ha¦¤ already reached the mirror! Raising her eyebrows again, she swatted Meng Fuyao away, and Meng Fuyao instantly flew out weightlessly. However, Destiny Rebellion, surrounded by a white and misty luminescence, continued to aim towards her wrist. The moment Fog saw the pale-white glow, her expression changed expectedly. In a low tone, she shouted, ¡°Where did you get this inner energy-¡± As she was distracted, her wrist trembled and the mirror flipped upwards, just in time for Zhan Beiye¡¯s golden pike to sh down on the surface. Zhan Beiye barked, ¡°Break!¡± Fog chided angrily, ¡°Trying to seek death!¡± Kacha¡ª There was a soft sound of breaking, and a crack silently appeared on the ancient mirror. The crack quickly meandered down the mirror, but it suddenly stopped halfway through. Meng Fuyao sighed, feeling that it was such a pity. She did not expect that the mirror would be so tough. Even after using Moon Soul¡¯s inner energy to mentally distract Fog, thebined strike of the both of them was still not able topletely ruin the mirror under such a great opportunity. Luckily, there was a crack in the mirror, and the surrounding fog seemed to be less dense. In the thickyers of fog, there was augh. ¡°You almost managed to trap me!¡± While the first word sounded like it came from the back of the mountain, when he reached thest word of the sentence, he was already right beside them. Someone seemed to move as there was the fluttering sound of sleeves and the movement of wind, and Meng Fuyao felt a bright light above her. When she looked up, she finally saw something apart from the thick fog that she had been staring at all day. The clear sky, the hazy crescent moon, and a splendor of stars. It was a sky filled with stars. As romantic as fireworks and revolving around like snow, miles of stars seemed to charge towards them from the faraway gxy. They zoomed past the extensiveyers of clouds and fog, and dashed past the chilly moon and tumultuous weather conditions, just to reach that person¡¯s fingertips in an instant and allow him to control as he pleased. With a simple flick of his fingers, a ray of stars glided by. Though they looked small and tiny, they were eternal, and would forever brighten the lost ones in eons toe. Splendor of Stars, Fang Yimo. In the meantime, Meng Fuyao looked at him with conflicted feelings ¨C she did not know whether it was lucky or unfortunate to see him now. Evidently, the person who was battling with Fog was him, and he was trapped in the formation which Fog set up with all her strength. Just now, when Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye cracked the mirror, Fang Yimo escaped from the trap instantly, and he should, supposedly, thank her. But¡­ Meng Fuyao clearly remembered that when they bade farewell the previous time, he said that he would kill her once and save her once. So, in this encounter, would he save her¡­ or kill her? When Fang Yimo turned around in mid-air, he spotted her. Though Meng Fuyao wore a mask, Fang Yimo saw the apanying Zhan Beiye, and he looked back at her with a knowing expression. Brushing his sleeves, he chuckled. ¡°Why do you always happen to offend the most powerful wielders?¡± As she gazed at this ¡°attendant¡± who still looked handsome and youthful, she gave a helpless smile. ¡°I¡¯m a natural foe of you all.¡± While Fang Yimo battled with Fog with one hand, he pointed at Meng Fuyao with his other hand. ¡°Should I save you or kill you?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him in smiles and stayed quiet. ¡®What¡¯s up your sleeves with all these pretenses? At least I gave you a crystal house before. And I am no fool either,¡¯ she thought. However, Zhan Beiye stepped in front of her as a form of protection. In the silence, Fang Yimo nted his head and thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll first¡­ kill you!¡± Simultaneously, Fog said, ¡°Return Moon Soul¡¯s inner energy!¡± Shuu¡ª The two voicesbined into one, and the two expert wielders chose to attack Meng Fuyao at the same time. The stars extended miles away into the gxy and the fog seemed so heavy that it weighed tonnes. Large patches of silvery-white glow werebined with the thick ck fog, and they rolled towards her with the resemnce of raging waves. It was as though millions of sshes appeared on the vast sea and formed a high wall shaped like a vicious beast¡¯s mouth, charging towards a rocky and light boat swaying in the middle of the stormy winds. Meng Fuyao turned into the shape of a boat! Inner energy that was as aggressive as a tornado was not something that could be deflected with the mere strength of a human, and Meng Fuyao definitely could not handle thebined strike of two experts in her current state. Instantly, she was swept off the ground and was sent flying away into the distance. Fortunately, there was still Zhan Beiye. Beforehand, when the two of them spoke, he had already dashed forward. The magnificent shine of the golden pike was no less splendid that the glow of the Splendor of Stars. That ray of light instantly glided past the fog and the night sky like a shooting star and headed straight for Fog¡¯s iron fist. Bang! Fog staggered half a step back, and her face paled. Meanwhile, Zhan Beiye swallowed a mouthful of blood. Though his body swayed, he managed to grab Meng Fuyao before she was sent flying away. In his arms, Meng Fuyao did a huge flip, resembling an eagle, and Destiny Rebellion shed down viciously on the splendor of stars created by Fang Yimo. However, in the very instant that Zhan Beiye did not continue his attack to grab Meng Fuyao, and as Meng Fuyao shed towards Splendor of Stars, Fog flipped her ancient mirror. At the same time, Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao felt that the ground beneath them vanished. Both were previously not stable on the ground. Zhan Beiye leaned back to grab Meng Fuyao, and he bore the weight of her sh, while Meng Fuyao had no point of contact with her ground after her flip. As such, when the ground disappeared, both of them immediately dropped into the dark abyss. As they fell, they could hear the movement of wind and the sound of water below them. River Ningdai! So they were on the cliff right beside the river just now! When Meng Fuyaonded, she was about to flip and hit the water, to use the momentum to spring back up. Suddenly, there was a strong force that came from the cliff above her. That force was aimed for her chest, and Meng Fuyao had no way of avoiding it in mid-air. She had no other choice but to use her hand to block it forcefully. In her vision, a ck shadow shed by, and something swiveled towards her and formed a wall of protection above her. Then, there was a muffled grunt, and the ck shadow fell at the speed of light,nding heavily on Meng Fuyao. The force was so hard that Meng Fuyao¡¯s vision ckened and she could feel blood up to her throat. She said, ¡°Zhan¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she had already started rolling and tumbling down. Ssh! Ssh! The impact of a human body falling into water from the high ground was not to be underestimated. Even so, Meng Fuyao struggled to regain a bit of her consciousness as she recalled that Zhan Beiye had blocked that strike for her. However, at the same moment that her back came into contact with the water surface, a palm suddenly emerged and gently touched her back. Meng Fuyao could only feel two strong forces streaming in from her chest and her back. As the forces collided, it caused the inner energy in her body to sh, and out of the blue, she felt a sense of enlightenment. It was as though there was unlimited brightness in a yurt, and before she had enough time to feel this strange light, she was knocked out by the raging inner energy in her body. She slowly sank into the bottom of the water body. As shey quietly, her face under the mask waspletely ashen, but there were some changes to her skin. It could have been because she was far away from light or other reasons, but her skin turnedpletely transparent, and the thin veins could be seen. Then, the transparent skin slowly reversed back to the original white state, and it seemed to be fairer than before. It resembled the color of milk or jade, and there was a vague shine of precious stones, as though she was a perfectly sculpted statue. Her body also went through the same change. Even her teeth, fingers and fingernails gradually turned milky-white and became firmer than before. Meanwhile, in the non-visible areas of her organs, inner energy flowed continuously at an unprecedented speed, expanding her meridian lines and improving blood cirction. Inner energy was being collected, mixed, absorbed and changed non-stop until it concentrated to the volume of a raging river flow, and it flowed into the hidden treasure of Moon Soul that was kept in her stomach. That bit of revolving and silvery gleam was engulfed in the river flow, and in an instant, magnificent light shone from her stomach and radiated to all other organs in the body. Where the light reached, damaged meridian lines, unnoticed blood clots, and weakened energy would be instantly repaired, cleaned, and firmed up. Superior to the sixth level of ¡°Breaking Nine Heavens,¡± and the bottleneck of breaking through the mortal state, it was the seventh level, ¡°Jade Body¡±! Sleepless days of diligent practice,bined with the concentration of inner energy from the top expert wielders, and with the extremely urate timing of the front and back attack, the blockages in Meng Fuyao¡¯s meridians were finally cleared. She had aplished the most crucial, and hence, most difficult level out of the nine levels of the ¡°Breaking Nine Heavens¡± technique. If anyone could be considered a first-ss wielder before the sixth level, then anyone who crossed the seventh level would be considered to have stepped into the league of top experts. He or she would have peeked into the important secrets of acquiring a technique that originated from elements of nature, making a significant improvement in their martial arts. Most of the past practitioners of the ¡°Breaking Nine Heavens¡± technique had found themselves unable to cross this decisive level, and in their whole life, they could only pace around the entrance to this immortal-like seventh level. From now on, the path to reach a godly level of martial arts would be forever open to Meng Fuyao. However, Meng Fuyao did not know that this moment could be considered a significant turning point in her life, and she continued sleeping soundly in an unknowing state. Now that she experienced an important stage of enhancing her martial arts, a deep sleep for her to repair and recuperate was the most necessary. And no one disturbed her deep sleep. On a white stone sat a man with a calmposure. His robes gently flowed in the river and brushed past the herds of fish and groups of seaweed. In the dimly-lit environment, he gazed at the sleeping girl. His dark strands of hair dispersed in the water and his long eyebrows became darker after being moisturized by the current. His eyes were gentler and brighter than the dim rays of light, and his smile was one of relief. When he watched the slight change in the girl¡¯s body and skin, he smiled, and narrow streams of blood flowed down from the corner of his lips. In the water, it turned into a light pink shade, and it was instantly washed away by the current. The impact from falling down the cliff, the inner energy of Splendor of Stars, and his own inner energy, were three bursts of forces that had to be stacked up in her body simultaneously. Additionally, he had to instantly determine where the blockages in her meridians were. Even an immortal would not have it easy trying to do these. But luckily¡­ it was atst settled. Zhangsun Wuji smiled and floated to Meng Fuyao¡¯s side. His movements caused a string of crystal-like bubbles to form, and the bubbles left his body like beads of pearls before they were gently pecked by the silvery-red fish. As he lightly stroked Meng Fuyao¡¯s hair, he ced his fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. While his expression was one of satisfaction, he was also slightly frustrated. Suddenly, he gently leaned forward, and his lips slowly kissed along Meng Fuyao¡¯s forehead, and finallynded on her lips. Chapter 253 - Untitled Chapter 253: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Those lips were more luscious than usual as the water dripped down to her lips, giving it a sheen, like a beautiful rose in full bloom. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he bit her lips gently, savoring the unique scent that belonged to her. Taking the chance as she remained unconscious, it wouldn¡¯t trigger her ¡°emotion lock.¡± ¡®Might as well take it further,¡¯ he thought, as he pried apart her teeth, opening a whole new world of underwater treasure. His tongue was now like an agile fish that swam gracefully and happily in that sea of sweet scent, exploring every nook and crevice of this underwater treasure. ¡®You worrisome little¡­¡¯ Hiding this amused tone in his heart, he pulled thedy under him closer, leaning in for a slow yet affection kiss; a kiss that was so passionate, so focused. He deepened his kiss, greedily devouring her taste till he felt the breath of the person beneath him hastened and the flow of her inner energy slowing down; only then did he reluctantly tore himself away from her. His unwillingness made him turn to her earlobe, teasing it with his fingers lightly before gently biting down on that small, soft and smooth earlobes. Thedy beneath him trembled as a low, rumblyugh escaped from his throat. They had now been in the water long enough and couldn¡¯t afford to stay underwater any longer. And so, he wrapped his hands around her and swam towards the air, rushing out of the surface of the water. With a ssh, the two pierced through the calm water surface. At the same time, Meng Fuyao regained consciousness. The first thing she saw after opening her eyes was water surrounding her, and then, she noticed that she was in Zhangsun Wuji arms. ¡°Why is it you¡­¡± she asked with widened eyes, surprised. Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyebrows. ¡°Who is it if it isn¡¯t me?¡± The corners of her mouth twitched. Who else could she say? Zhan Beiye? That¡¯s¡­ a misunderstanding. ¡®But where¡¯s that unfortunate Emperor Zhan?¡¯ Thest memory of Zhan Beiye she had before losing consciousness was that sh and Zhan Beiye recing her¡­ and then¡­ and then it became Zhangsun Wuji. ¡®Why does he always appear at the right time?¡¯ Why did her lips feel a little numb and her earlobes ache a little? Why did she have the feeling that other people would always suffer from the unlucky events, while he would always end up benefiting from them? Meng Fuyao touched her lips and red suspiciously at Zhangsun Wuji. Noticing that his face was a little pale, she asked him, concerned, ¡°You alright? Why do you look so malnourished?¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°Maybe because I saved too many people,¡± he said as he pointed up his fingers one by one in a matter of fact way. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± ¡°Where did threee from?¡± mumbled Meng Fuyao. A sudden realization came over her as she eximed, ¡°You saved Zhu Zhu too?¡± He nodded. ¡°I had actually left Zhuling Mountain but coincidentally noticed the starlight in the sky. When I rushed back, the formation had already been activated. When I tried to break into the formation from along the river, I saw Ya Lanzhu hanging on a cliff¡ªon an eagle¡¯s nest in fact. A young eagle that couldn¡¯t fly was almost dragged down by her, and the adult eagle was about to peck out her eyes. Ya Lanzhu could only let go and jump down, and I had to save her first.¡± Meng Fuyao remembered seeing something on Zhu Zhu¡¯s head while she was in the formation. ¡®So that was it what it was. This child is certainly courageous, jumping off like this. Thankfully Zhangsun Wuji was there to save her, otherwise, if she were to lose consciousness due to impact upon hitting the water, she¡¯ll be over in two minutes.¡¯ ¡°And then I caught Zhan Beiye.¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled. ¡°I realized I didn¡¯t have to go and find you guys. I just had to pick you up when you all took turns to drop off the cliff.¡± Meng Fuyao guffawed. ¡°The two? Is Zhan Beiye okay? Let¡¯s go over¡­ Why are we still floating on the water, talking?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked into her eyes and slowly replied, ¡°Firstly, floating on the water allows us to be closer. Secondly, I like to have a one on one. Thirdly, so does Princess Ya.¡± ¡®The crown prince is certainly scheming¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao looked down and saw that she was drenched from head to toe. Zhangsun Wuji carried her in his arms, and whatever that could or could not be revealed was all revealed; whatever that could or could not be touched was touched. Recalling his three sentences, her little universe started steaming with anger as she reprimanded, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, when can you stop scheming¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji bent down and sealed her mouth. ¡°When you marry me.¡± Meng Fuyao could only produce sounds like ¡°mhm¡±, and before she could show any form of objection or permission for that matter, Zhangsun Wuji had already let go of her, muttering, ¡°Bit by bit¡­ Anyways, I¡¯ve taken my share for today.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him suspiciously. But Zhangsun Wuji suddenly let go of her and gently nudged her. ¡°Here, let¡¯s go to the shore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a few kilometers to the shore. You must be dreaming wanting me to reach the shore immediately¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao sted away as she lifted her leg. Suddenly, her rant was cut off by her own ¡°oh.¡± ¡­.After lifting her feet, she was now on the shore. Meng Fuyao slowly looked down in disbelief. She wanted to make sure that there was no rocket or any form of rockets installed beneath her feet. Then, she slowly looked up. There didn¡¯t seem to be wings on her back either? She stretched out her hand and carefully observed. Other than feeling stronger than usual, there didn¡¯t seem to be any oddities. The fact that the waves of inner energy had gushed up was the truth. The fact that she had instantly transported across a couple of kilometers was also the truth. Leveled up? From the changes on her skin, she seemed to have skipped level six and gone straight to level seven? But she had just given a portion of her inner energy to Little Seven and as a result, gone down a section. She was lingering in level six, section one. Compared to her usual training speed¡­ This was a bit too miraculous? Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he trod lightly onto the shores. ¡°Congrattions, Fuyao, the inner energy of Moon Soul inside of you haspletely integrated and been refined by your own inner energy. You have leveled up.¡± Meng Fuyao stared dumbly at him. ¡°That attack from Starlight?¡± ¡°He¡¯s such an oddball. First, he kills you, then saved you¡ªkilling you and saving you.¡± ¡°What that does mean?¡± ¡°That attack could kill you, but with Zhan Beiye blocking it, the blunt force was removed and turned it into inner energy which cleared up your meridians.¡± ¡°If Zhan Beiye didn¡¯t block it?¡± ¡°It depends on your luck. If you were able to ept it, the power would be endless. Otherwise, death it is.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched as she scolded, ¡°Man, what a pervert. Making a killing or saving someone soplicated, and now I don¡¯t know whether to thank him or hate him.¡± ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t care either way,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji calmly. ¡°Fang Yimo has always been erratic as far as his behavior is concerned.¡± ¡°But I still feel that there¡¯s something odd about this level up¡­¡± Meng Fuyao furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled without saying a word. Holding her hand, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look at those two.¡± The pair walked past a cliff and at a stone mountain, Zhan Beiye was there in his underwear, unconscious. Ya Lanzhu had started a fire and ced his clothes above the fire to dry. Looking at the scene, Meng Fuyao was a bit embarrassed to go over. She quietly signaled to Zhangsun Wuji, asking, ¡°Were you the one that took off his clothes?¡± Zhangsun Wuji shook his head. Meng Fuyao thought, ¡®Zhu Zhu, I admire you.¡¯ She stroked her chin. ¡®Emperor Zhan¡¯s underwear is still wet¡­ Will Zhu Zhu take even that off to dry?¡¯ ¡®Zhu Zhu, can¡¯t you be braver and strip him offpletely?!¡¯ Her gaze was probably a little too creepy. Zhangsun Wuji turned back and quietly whispered into her ears, ¡°Your thinking is right, I should have done so earlier too.¡± Meng Fuyao pinched him with all her might. Zhangsun Wujiughed, letting her do as she wished. Then, he suddenly dragged her away. As he pulled her along, Meng Fuyao kept turning back, concerned about the two. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the ck Wind Calvary to fetch Zhan Beiye here,¡± said Zhangsun Wuji simply. He pointed towards the top of the cliff and asked, ¡°Fuyao, don¡¯t you want to test out your current level of martial arts?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him with her eyes shining. Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to change the names of the top ten martial arts practitioners that haven¡¯t been touched in thest 30 years?¡± Meng Fuyao whistled as she cheerily caressed his cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know the person who gave birth to me, but I know that Zhangsun Wuji knows me best!¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and nudged her. ¡°Go on, you can touch all you want after you win.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed as casually tied up her long, loose hair. And then, she bolted forward. She flew up the cliff easily as though she was running across a t surface. The wet clothes clinging onto her were immediately dried off as she used her inner energy. Zhangsun Wuji watched as she instantly took off like a battle g being proudly raised to the blue sky. He gazed at her back intensely, as though he had seen the Phoenix he had so carefully protected, spread its wings and fly towards the sky. The rise of the Phoenix, towards the sky, breaking through the vault of heaven! Meng Fuyao headed straight for the top. The battle of the top martial arts practitioners was still ongoing. Fog, whose formation was unable to trap Fang Yimo, had the ability that was evenly matched with him. So two years ago, the two had promised to battle with one another, where the location would be chosen by Fog while the timing of the battle would be decided by Fang Yimo. Fog had epted her n¡¯s request to finish off Xuanyuan Min and Meng Fuyao but was suddenly caught by Fang Yimo. Frustrated, Fog stopped halfway, moving backward as she said straightforwardly, ¡°You and I have been fighting for so many years over these rankings¡ª8th seat and 9th seat. How about I just let you take the position.¡± ¡°Your position is going to be mine. What do you have to ¡®let¡¯?¡± A sardonic voice came from behind. Both Fog and Fang Yimo turned back uniformly and saw the boastful Meng Fuyao calmly strolling up from the bottom of the cliff. Fang Yimo noticed her steps and smiled. ¡°You certainly have good luck.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him and snickered. ¡°Hm, Moon Soul¡¯s inner energy?¡± asked Fog. Meng Fuyao pointed to herself and giggled. ¡°It has all been absorbed by me. Even if you had the ability, even if you sliced me off piece by piece, you wouldn¡¯t be able to get it back.¡± Fog studied her, surprise evident in her eyes. After some thought, she came to this conclusion, ¡°You go and look for Moon Soul andpensate him 30 years of inner energy.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even want it, why are you being such a busybody?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s good for him,¡± replied Fog simply. ¡°Seriously, how could he just give it to someone? His hair is now all white.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at her¡­¡¯Thisdy is aplete opposite to that bashful personality of Moon Soul¡ªso direct and straightforward. If she likes you, she¡¯ll be nice to you. If you don¡¯t like her back, forget it.¡¯ There was no sign of defeat or sadness that usually apanied when the love was not reciprocated in her eyes. Meng Fuyao had never seen someone love so simply and so undaunted; not afraid of being known, not afraid of rejection. The love was hers and hers alone. Chapter 254 - Untitled Chapter 254: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios No one could hurt this woman. No wonder she coulde up with such a formidable and unbreakable formation. Meng Fuyao believed that if it was just about personalities, this woman would suit Moon Soul just fine. However, the feelings of love and fate yed an essential role too; it was never simply just about the suitability of personalities. Everything was dependent on the heart. Even if she once wanted to kill her, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help as her heart softened. ¡®Ah, the top ten martial arts practitioners are so interesting, they¡¯re all precious gems. There¡¯s no point in fighting to the death; just snatching her position is good enough.¡¯ Smiling, she slowly lifted Destiny Rebellion up and clearly enunciated each word. ¡°Only if you have the ability to order me!¡± Fog¡¯s eyebrows twitched as she looked at Meng Fuyao, a little surprised. ¡°A challenge?¡± Meng Fuyao nodded. ¡°Yes, a challenge.¡± Fang Yimo, who had retreated to one side by this point smiled. ¡°It has been 30 years since anyone challenged the top ten.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start with me.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned broadly. ¡°If I may trouble Sage Starlight to be the judge.¡± ¡°Were you the one that killed Mist?¡± questioned Fog abruptly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him getting hurt by you, and ording to the rules, you are already qualified to be one of the top ten.¡± ¡°In the case of the death of Mist, I made use of coincidences that happened and some traps,¡± replied Meng Fuyao. ¡°But now, I will use nothing but my skills to win you.¡± ¡°Condition?¡± ¡°If I lose I will be in your hands, you can do whatever you want to me¡ªyou can shred me into pieces and dig out Moon Soul¡¯s inner energy.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°But if you lose, your position in the top ten martial arts practitioner will be mine, and you have to promise that you will never be involved in the Xuanyuan family matters again.¡± Fog looked down as her fingers tightened around the bronze mirror. ¡°Go on.¡± She retreated, not daring to underestimate Meng Fuyao¡¯s abilities. She clenched her fist, sending the bronze mirror in the air. Immediately,yers of mist started forming. The Sky, Earth, Water, Wood, Nature, all elements of matter started rising and surrounded Meng Fuyao. Instead of retreating, Meng Fuyao advanced, drawing a snow white arc with her dagger in mid-air. The force of the dagger cut through thend, slicing apart flowers that grew far away. The dried leaves that settled into the crevices of the cliffs were instantly rendered into a fine powder, scattering into the sky. The cracks that ran across the cliff slowly widened. The idle Fang Yi Mo, who was sitting on the peak of the cliff with his sleeves swaying leisurely with the wind, frowned slightly and with a flick of a finger, the cracks immediately stopped widening. On the other side, the battle had already begun. Fog¡¯s mist immediately wrapped itself around Meng Fuyao, eager to keep her trapped in the formation of mountains and rivers. But Meng Fuyao, who had already experienced the formation, was determined to not fall for it. She had long calcted her footsteps, customized it to the geography of the cliff. With every careful move she made, she took advantage of her abundant inner energy to instead slowly trap Fog in her own formation and bring the state of the battle to something that was more beneficial to her. Fang Yimo sat on the escarpment in a rxed manner as he watched the battle indifferently. Even though he knew that Meng Fuyao¡¯s abilities had increased, he still had little hope for her; after all, the top ten martial arts practitioners were renowned and had be an untouchable existence. But as the battle went on, Fang Yimo was thoroughly surprised. This girl kept impressing him every time they met¡­ She seemed to have just leveled up but yet, she had already managed to figure out the beginnings of thew of nature. In the battle of the strong, with one¡¯s own inner energy as the foundation, the person who was able to freely control the rhythm and pace of the battle was the winner! And this girl had managed to quietly push Fog into her own trap. In addition, even though Fog knew of her ns, Fog couldn¡¯t escape it! He sat there, focused on the battle, unaware of the widening crack on the rock beneath him. In that instant, the ce where he was sitting was controlled by Meng Fuyao as part of a battlefield. Fang Yimo hastily flicked his fingers to stop the widening cracks and finally managed to regain his bnce, albeit a little flustered. The wind howled as the mist scattered and gathered. Commanding the wind, Meng Fuyao turned and yelled, ¡°Copse!¡± With a sh of ck light, Destiny Rebellion made its appearance but vanished a secondter. Suddenly, the dagger had flown out mysteriously from behind her knees, directly towards Fog¡¯s forehead! Shhh¡ª The sharp dagger cut through the shrieking wind. The soft, fluffy mist was mercilessly sliced apart by this ruthless de, knocking against the two sides of the cliff with such force. With a sh of light, Fog¡¯s figure was revealed, and that ck dagger was now between her brows! ¡°Go!¡± It was a deep, powerful, and low yell. Fog¡¯s bronze mirror shot out a gray ray of light. The two opposing forces collided and suddenly, the ck dagger veered off course and rushed towards the bronze mirror. With a ¡°ching,¡± the mirror cracked, and the residue force threw Fog off bnce. ¡°Fall!¡± Before Meng Fuyao¡¯s scream had ended, her punch had already reached! Every move and change was within her calction. The pure force of her punch had stirred up the winds, changing the direction of the wind, knocking down a gigantic tree thirty feet away. The tree had coincidentally crashed onto the stone Fang Yimo was resting on. The force of this punch had pushed Fog backward, and suddenly, her body tipped over, and there was nothing beneath her feet. Before she knew it, gravity had pulled her downwards. She was forced down the cliff by Meng Fuyao! Fang Yimo immediately stood up. The ck figure beside him shed past, and Meng Fuyao had already made her way down. Her inner energy was at its peak, and every part of her was strengthened and protected. That ck figure had rushed down the cliff faster than the speed that Fog was descending! She made her way down like an eagle, brushing past the surface of the water that sat at the bottom of the cliff. Swinging Destiny Rebellion in her hand, she had created waves of water! Fog did a somersault in mid-air, ready tomence an attack once again. She was about to make use of the water and the mist to trap Meng Fuyao, but who could have thought that Meng Fuyao would take action first. The first rays of copper hues finally made their appearance as the sun peeked out of the horizon. The river now glimmered gold under the light as Destiny Rebellion created waves. Tiny beads of water sparkled in the air as beautiful tiny rainbows formed. Fog quickly retreated as the droplets of water sttered over her bronze mirror. ¡°The rise of the sun! The dispersal of mist!¡± Fog hollered as she was forced to retreat by the water walls. She counter-attacked, making use of the winds and clouds. The huge pieces of dark clouds rolled over, bringing it the angry sounds of thunder as it cruelly crushed onto Meng Fuyao! Fog was now thoroughly angered. Meng Fuyao sneered. With the dagger, Meng Fuyaomanded a pir of white light that was brighter than the rising sun and weed the gray, dark force. The two met in the air, giving their all in that one move they had exchanged! Bang! The rays of light lingered in the air as the ck-white forces met with each other. What followed the collision was an explosion as the two forces attempted to engulf each other. Then, one could see the white pir gradually getting longer and longer and eventually, swallowing the ck force into nothingness! Rosy clouds, ck midst, jade white! A three-colored rainbow! Under the odd rainbow, the man looked up in awe. On the river bank, a man donned in light purple smiled slightly as he watched his Goddess. A little further down, the girl beside the campfire turned back, while the unconscious man had been rudely awakened by the deafening sound. He shot up, immediately surveying his surroundings. Further down on Zhuling Mountain, the mist dispersed, and the man with bright eyes stopped in his tracks as he gazed in the direction of the sky. The three-colored rainbow reflected in his eyes. In the bustling city, Xuanyuan Cheng stood beside a window in the tallest tower in the capital, with his hands by the window frames. The height of the tower had allowed him to have the full view of the city and beyond. His eyes looked in the direction of the Zhuling Mountain. Countless people had noticed this odd rainbow and excitedly watched upon this strange phenomenon caused by an anonymous elite martial art practitioner on Zhuling Mountain. Meanwhile, at the cliff of Zhuling. The battle had yet to end, but the winner had been decided. The ck force shot towards the shore, and the white light followed suit. The twonded on the shore in session. The sound of the wind faded; The shore was now in a state of destion. Fog back faced Meng Fuyao with her long robe dragging on the floor. Two cracks ran across the rumored ¡°invincible¡± bronze mirror that Fog had held onto. The first crack was made when Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiyebined their powers to attack and the second crack was made at thest move. Thedy had her hands behind her back. Her back was straight as usual as a bleak sigh escaped her lips. She hesitated. And then she finally admitted defeat. ¡°I lost.¡± Lost¡­ Fang Yimo stood there nkly as he came back to his senses and slowly repeated, ¡°Yes. Fog lost.¡± One of the top ten martial artists that no one had challenged for the past thirty years. Thirty years of being the pinnacle of martial arts in the eyes of others. Thirty years of not hearing the word ¡®lost.¡¯ Fang Yimo would have never thought that in this lifetime, he would have the chance to utter such a deration. As the deration left his mouth, he somehow felt disappointed; after all, Fog¡¯s loss was his too. He sighed and suddenly wanted to sit down and rest¡­ Perhaps, they had all gotten old. But there was nothing to sit on! In his shock, he had forgotten to use his inner energy to keep the crack from widening, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s ferocious inner energy had destroyed the entire cliff. There was nowhere to sit, nothing left to maintain his cool and elegant aura. Chapter 255 - Untitled Chapter 255: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As expected¡­ Fog lost. This battle defeated two people at once¡­ which they had conceded from the bottom of their hearts. Fang Yimo looked up and watched the clouds as they changed. He was reminded of something that Moon Soul had said when Mist died. Back then, he had brushed it off as pure nonsense, but now, looking back at it, he couldn¡¯t agree with it more. The era of the top ten had passed. The time hade for the new leaders of the Five Regions Continent to be born. He looked at Meng Fuyao. Standing erect with pride, thedy on the cliff was beautiful like jade. The bright majestic sun rose above her head, as though it had just bestowed upon her the crown of victory. The golden rays of light shone onto her exquisite side profile, carving at the elegant curves on her face. The sun dyed her robes in a morous red, donning her in a battle suit that seemed to tell the story of her eighteen years of blood, sweat, and tears. And today, she had be one of the top ten martial arts practitioners! He gazed at this eighteen-year-old elite with mixed emotions in his eyes. After a long pause, he broke the silence as he asked, ¡°What would your name be as the eighth of the top ten?¡± Meng Fuyao lifted her head up with a smile. Her gaze was warmer than the sunlight, more dazzling than the sun. She strutted over and dropped two words firmly. ¡°Nine Heavens!¡± Xuanyuan, Zhao Ning Year 12, December 16th. The ranking for the top ten martial arts practitioners finally had a change after thirty years. The mysteriousdy had challenged Fog in Xuanyuan, Zhuling Mountain, and kicked her off of her position. Fang Ximo was there, and Fog had admitted defeat on the spot. When asked of her name, the mysteriousdy replied, ¡°Nine Heavens!¡± Nine Heavens! Phoenix beyond the heavens; a mere cry was enough to shake up the entire Five Regions Continent and demand for their allegiance. The name that thedy had given herself actually superseded the rest of the names that the top ten had given themselves. And from this name alone, the ambitions of thisdy was clearly seen. Fog¡¯s loss and the appearance of Nine Heavens had shattered the invincible image that the top ten had. It had sparked a wave of fear amongst the elites from all around the Five Regions Continent, and even after many days, ¡°Nine Heavens¡± still remained a hot topic to discuss. For so many years, the top ten had been glorified as God-like existences. Marital artists didn¡¯t dare to utter a disrespectful word about them, let alone challenge them. But this harsh winter, the legends of their gods were being debunked and then, did they finallye to the realization that the top ten could too, be defeated. They had had their positions for too long. Just as Moon Soul had said, the legends and the time of the top ten was about to pass, and a new era was about to begin. The birth of the new top ten had sent the various countries into a frenzy as they readied decrees, prepared to present them to Nine Heavens when she arrived. They were all eager to maintain cordial rtionships with her. Of course, it would be better if they could hire her as Preceptor of the state. That being said, there were few in the free-spirited top ten that were willing to take up such jobs. Even so, there was no harm in maintaining a good rtionship with the top ten. Unfortunately, this new figure hadpletely vanished after the battle at Zhuling Mountain without even leaving her real name. The only known facts about her were that she was female and extremely young. But even after looking through all the famousdies in the Five Regions Continent, they could not find anyone that fit. Someone even suggested that it could be Ya Lanzhu. When the Princess heard this, sheughed to the point where her little braids danced. ¡°Oh my god, this is so amazing, I am Nine Heavens, I am Nine Heavens¡ª¡± She secretly inched closer to the person who came to confirm her identity and whispered into his ear, ¡°Let me tell you, Nine Heavens¡­¡± That person perked up, listening excitedly with sparkling eyes. ¡°¡­ is someone I don¡¯t know.¡± The appearance of ¡°Nine Heavens¡± was a sh in the pan while the real Nine Heavens had already made her way back to the Xuanyuan empire, waiting to be ¡°saved.¡± After defeating Fog, she went to take a look at Zhan Beiye. Seeing that he was now conscious and how Ya Lanzhu was carefully taking care of him, she didn¡¯t disturb them. Afterward, discussing her ns for the future course of actions with Zhangsun Wuji, she returned to Zhuling Mountain to meet Xuanyuan Min and Shadow de. When she reunited with the two, Shadow de heaved a long sigh of relief. His eyes were filled with anxiety, and in this bitter winter, ayer of sweat actually formed. One could only tell how worried he was. Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Min only had eyes for Lord Yuan Bao. Staring into its eyes, he asked curiously, ¡°You understand what I am saying, right? Right? Say something, say something!¡± Lord Yuan Bao covered its ears in the face of this unbearable torture. ¡®This damn crossdresser is even more long-winded than that old hag. I understand what you are saying, how many times must I tell you I understand? Why do you not understand that I understand?¡¯ Meng Fuyao snatched Lord Yuan Bao over and shoved it back into her sleeves. With a menacing tone, she warned the crossdresser, ¡°You did not see it, you did not see it. Remember, you did not see it!¡± Lord Yuan Bao, with its arms crossed, snorted in much disapproval. ¡®What a joke, with my handsome looks and exceptional aura, how would anyone be able to forget about me? You want to clear that crossdresser¡¯s deeply embedded memory of me? How is that even possible?¡¯ Shadow de quietly reached his hand over and measured Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse. Pleasantly surprised at what he found, he said ¡®congrattions¡¯ to her. Meng Fuyao smiled. In Shadow de¡¯s eyes, her smile was like a flower that blossomed ever so beautifully. At this point, the troops rushed over. The trio immediately returned to their roles¡ªthe weak emperor was weak as usual, the empress that knew of no martial arts still had no knowledge of it, and the obedient servant continued to listen to orders obediently. They galloped back to the pce. Once they reached the pce, Xuanyuan Min and Meng Fuyao split up. Along the long road back to her residence, she internally recorded down every surprised gaze in her heart. Once she reached her residence, before she even sat down, she asked one of the eunuchs that stayed in the pce, ¡°Are the concubines back?¡± The eunuch replied respectfully, ¡°Noble Consort, Consort Shu, and Concubine Tao have made their way back first. The rest are still at Zhuling Mountain Imperial grounds.¡± With an uninterested ¡®oh,¡¯ she grabbed the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup of tea to quench her thirst. Then, she suddenly paused and ordered, ¡°It¡¯s a little chilly. Take out my coat for me.¡± The eunuch followed her order with muchpliance. He was also someone that Xuanyuan Min had sent over and had always been under An Zi. In charge of the inner affairs, he was a man of few words; quiet yet reliable. He soon returned with the coats. Smiling, he politely said, ¡°Your Highness, I did not know which coat you would prefer¡ªboth this ck fox coat and that silver fox coat seem like good choices.¡± As he said that, he handed over the coats. Noticing his hand, Meng Fuyao smiled and took over the silver fox coat. Suddenly, her hand stretched out and clutched his wrist. With a fling, she threw that eunuch over. With a cry, he was flung into the air andnded heavily on the wall. The two coats were promptly dropped on the floor. He looked at Meng Fuyao in terror as he trembled uncontrobly. Meng Fuyao smiled as she strolled over leisurely. She trampled over the coats and conveniently stepped on the hand beneath the coats. She did not use much force, but beneath the clothes, the sound of bones breaking could be heard¡ªat her level, she could control her inner energy with ease. Every part of her body was now a weapon. Forget about stepping, even if she were to just breathe, she could end the life of this eunuch. His whole body convulsed due to the intolerable pain as he bit down his lips without a word. Meng Fuyao leaned over and calmly asked, ¡°I¡¯ve long suspected that there are double agents beside Xuanyuan Min. I finally caught one today. Tell me how many are there? Oh, I believe there are also the Regent King¡¯s people spying on the various concubines? Here, tell me.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ Your Highness¡­ I do not know¡­ w-what you are talking a-about¡­¡± the eunuch stuttered. ¡°That¡¯s fine, as long as I know. That tea has been touched. Someone had poisoned it. Unfortunately for that person, I have already ced another type of poison in the teapot. Upon contact with the water, the person¡¯s fingernails would change colors. You stirred the tea with your fingers, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Meng Fuyao apathetically. ¡°Let me tell you, in front of me, there is no use lying or acting. Whether you try to seem pitiful or put on a brave front, it¡¯s all futile. The smartest way is to be honest.¡± He knew she wasn¡¯t lying. He trembled in fear, yet, his mouth remained shut. ¡°Do you believe that I can make you confess without touching a single strand of your hair?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled sinisterly. As the person directed his gaze of disbelief over, she added, ¡°All I have to do tomorrow is to promote you to the head eunuch of my Chongxing Pce and bestow you with gold and jewelry¡­ mhm¡­ if the Regent King were to see that I am healthy and safe, but you are rising in the ranks, what would he think of you? A turned double agent?¡± That person looked at her in pure terror. Who could have thought that thiszy, tyrannical, dumb-looking empress could be so vicious? If she were to really do that, the Regent King would not let him off for sure. And the way he would die would surely be beyond his worst nightmares. Meng Fuyao smiled cheerily at him. She couldn¡¯t even be bothered to use any of her torture methods¡ªcreatures like eunuchs had limited loyalty. There was no need to waste any energy. He cowered from her gaze. After a while, he copsed at her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll confess¡­ I¡¯ll confess¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. After listening to his confession, she ordered the eunuch to do something. He seemed troubled by her orders, yet he had no choice but to listen to her; he had already confessed, what else could he do? And then, Meng Fuyao called Tie Cheng toe in. ¡°Contact Little Seven and ask him to do something.¡± Tie Cheng sent out the orders. Meng Fuyao stayed in the pce alone, watching the curtains flutter as her lips curled into a smile. ¡®Whoever should be pregnant is pregnant. Those who are to be eradicated will be eradicated. If there is once, there will be twice.¡¯ Rather than sitting around to be backstabbed once more, she would rather take action first! Thest battle amongst the Xuanyuan family. She had no interest in letting the two take control of the battle¡¯s pace. She would be the decision maker! The calm before the storm! Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Someone had secretly entered the residence, projecting a short shadow on the floor. That person¡¯s footsteps were light and quiet like a cat¡¯s. Meng Fuyao stayed still as she casually continued sipping her tea. That person inched closer silently. Meng Fuyao looked down without moving. Her gaze was icy cold. ¡®A sneak attack? ¡®You must be looking for death!¡¯ A warm, smooth pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes. Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulders stiffened as Destiny Rebellion slipped out of her sleeves. Inner energy was coursing through every part of her body, ready to take action. ¡°Guess who I am?¡± Chapter 256 - Untitled Chapter 256: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was a sweet, childish voice with a yful tone. Meng Fuyao immediately braked! In that instant, she kept her dagger, rxed her shoulders, suppressed her inner energy. How precarious! She almost revealed her abilities! Taking a deep breath, Meng Fuyao turned around and looked at the ¡°Doraemon¡± Noble Consort resignedly. With a frown, she sighed.¡±Ah Guang, why didn¡¯t you notify the guards before entering. You are getting more and morewless.¡± Tang Yiguang smiled innocently as her honest hand reached for the desserts on the table. ¡°I¡¯m craving for the walnuts here,¡± she admitted. Meng Fuyao sighed and pulled her over. From the drawer, she retrieved a box and handed it over to her. ¡°The ones on the table are not fresh. Have this instead.¡± Tang Yiguang was happy as long as there was food. She took over the box with much glee. It was only then that she remembered to greet Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao stopped her, thoroughly amused. ¡°The next time you want to enter my pce, you must notify the guards. Got it?¡± That child replied with an ¡®mhm.¡¯ Meng Fuyao always had low resistance to such adorable creatures and would never, in whatever case, decide to kill someone with the intelligence of a four-year-old child. She personally helped her open up the walnuts. Watching that child eat in glee, she remembered Xuanyuan Min telling her about that child falling off the horse. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ah Guang, you were only four then. Why did you go horse riding? Did your father teach you?¡± Chomping down on a mouth full of food, Tang Yiguang garbled, ¡°¡­ Bwother taught me.¡± Meng Fuyao did not manage to catch the name of the brother and did not bother with it either. Once Tang Yiguang was done with her food, Meng Fuyao sent her out. After returning, she stood in the middle of the room and thought about the ns she had. All of a sudden, she felt the doors behind her open and listening to the light and odd footsteps, she could tell that it was Shadow de. Without turning back, Meng Fuyao asked casually, ¡°Have the wounds from the poisonous snake healed?¡± Shadow de responded with a quiet ¡°mhm¡± and gently walked to her side, cing his hand on her shoulder. Meng Fuyao subconsciously avoided his hand. But Shadow de insisted. ¡°Let me ease your bones. It will be beneficial for you, given that your power has made it into your joints.¡± Meng Fuyao hesitated before replying, ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± He sighed softly. ¡°Are you going to make me owe you for my entire life, till the day I die?¡± Meng Fuyao froze. She turned back and said, ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as you put it. Friends don¡¯t sweat such details.¡± Upon hearing her words, he felt no joy. Instead, his mncholy intensified. But eventually, he put up a soft, sad smile as he asked, ¡°Then, can I at least help you rx your bones?¡± With his insistence, she climbed onto the couch andid downfortably. ¡°If I fall asleep, please don¡¯t look. The way I look asleep is just a little bit better than Lord Yuan Bao.¡± Lord Yuan Bao squatted by her pillow and red at her with despise. ¡®At least I don¡¯t drool!¡¯ Meng Fuyaoid down on her stomach as she thought about her next ns. Just as her brain buzzed with thoughts, she suddenly felt something on her back¡ªShadow de had already ced his fingers on her back. His long slender fingers gently danced on her back. With every touch, a fuzzy sense of warmth entered her limbs. As those beautiful hands applied pressure, Meng Fuyao could hear the sound of her joints cracking, producing a crisp sound. At the same time, she could feel a power wave cleansing out the tension in her body, easing every part of her body. It felt sofortable that a moan almost escaped from her lips¡ªshe quickly bit down on her pillow, stopping the moan. Behind her, the man calmlymented, ¡°Fuyao, you are too nervous. Your entire body is tensed.¡± ¡®Because I can¡¯t tell if you are a gentleman,¡¯ she thought with apprehension. Shadow de smiled and changed the topic. ¡°Are you willing to stay in Xuanyuan forever?¡± he asked. Meng Fuyao was caught by surprise. This was the topic she had been most afraid of. Remain in Xuanyuan? No, in this life, she was never meant to stay for anyone. Both her heart and footsteps were destined to move forward; even if she had to go against her heart, she had no choice but to continue her journey¡ªTaiyuan, Wuji, Dahan, Xuanyuan¡­ Her destination was forever in front. She stayed quiet. The fingertips on her back stopped. Shadow de¡¯s scent wafted up to her nose as he bent over. Meng Fuyao had that intention to avoid him, but she was lying on a narrow couch with enough space for one. That meant that she could either roll into his embrace or turn over to face him, which would have been awkward either way. As she weighed her options, Shadow de stopped beside her ear. His hand gently caressed her earlobes. His fingers were soft and warm. The icy cold from back in the days had dissipated, bringing about a gentle touch. This contact made the two tremble slightly. Meng Fuyao turned her head, but Shadow de had already let go as he quietly muttered, ¡°¡­ In the end, you can¡¯t stay, huh¡­? But the days are still long. Fuyao, look, for someone who refused to make any markings on your body, you broke your rules and pierced your ears for me¡­ I hope that one day you can break more rules for me.¡± After a while, she replied, ¡°Mypromises are always, and will only be, in the boundaries I can ept.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Shadow de gave a sad smile, filled with much destion, like the cold winter air. ¡°If there would never be anotherpromise again, at least, this once is better than nothing.¡± He stood up and handed her a tiny box. He walked away and just as he was about to leave the room, he stood by the door without turning back and muttered softly under his breath, ¡°Fuyao¡­ I really hope you won¡¯t let the earholes close¡­¡± Meng Fuyao pressed her lips together as she opened the small box. The box opened to reveal a snow-white pill that was the size of a thumb, emitting a pleasant scent. While Meng Fuyao was not able to decipher the contents of the pill, she was certain that this was extremely valuable. She turned to the direction Shadow de had left, touching her earlobes as she stared into the sky, dazed. After a long time, a soft sigh escaped from her lips. Xuanyuan, Zhaoning era, December 21st. Winter was bitter and harsh, rendering even the smallest drop of moisture into ice. The mountains along the borders of Xuanyuan and Dahan were covered in snow. Silence remained the wall between the strict, stringent borders of the two countries. Somehow, this winter was exceptionally cold. The heavy snowfallst night raised the white ground, drowning whatever is left of summer. Every household closed their doors as they huddled up near a fire source, allowing the wilful snow to tten the ground. In the early morning, the nascent rays hit the earth¡¯s white canvas, painting soft shade of reds, whites, and silvers. A few muddy footsteps were added onto the canvas as the snow crunched noisily under their feet like sugar cubes. The tranquil silence was abruptly broken by their chatters. ¡°My gosh, can¡¯t believe I have to get out of the house to guard the gates in this weather!¡± ¡°They are just afraid that the Dahan army might attack us. But it¡¯s just false bravado, their emperor is still here.¡± ¡°Well, with this hellish weather, even the enemies are snuggled up in their tents with their firece burning. Battle? How?¡± ¡°I swear the army doesn¡¯t treat us as people!¡± This chaoticmentary of theirs destroyed the idyllic wintry morning. A toon from Xuanyuan dragged themselves across the snow sluggishly as their swords rattled boisterously. Today, they were in charge of patrolling the border. The toon that was well ustomed to warmth could not take the cold weather. They all were wrapped in thick winter clothes to fend off the cold, but this outfit of theirs, stuffed full of cotton, made their arms stick out straight like a carrot. Forget about drawing their swords, it was even a challenge trying to reach their own butt. The leader of the toon climbed up a small hillzily. He nced across the gloomy, sober army camp on the other side of the river as he announced with a huff, ¡°Only a ghost woulde out in this weather! Not even a single movement! Let¡¯s go back!¡± They all turned back happily. But suddenly, thest soldier asked, ¡°Hm, what¡¯s that sound?¡± He turned back and came face to face with a group in red armor across the river, galloping on their horses. That group of soldiers ¡°galloped¡± in the thick snow with bows in hand. With such a scene disyed in front of him, that soldierughed heartily and remarked, ¡°Haha, look at that idiot hunting in this weather!¡± The restughed along. Suddenly, the keen leader pointed out, ¡°Eh, which army is this? Dahan¡¯s soldiers wear ck armor.¡± ¡°Who cares which army he¡¯s from. It has nothing to do with us.¡± The toon turned back and suddenly saw one of the soldiers in red draw his bow. In front of his horse, a rabbit was frantically running for its life, running across the surface of the icy river, towards this toon. The leaderughed excitedly. ¡°What a fat rabbit! Since it¡¯s made its way here, let¡¯s make it into a good meal!¡± He drew his bow, shooting right through the rabbit¡¯s heart. As the rest of his soldiers apuded his remarkable skills, the leader dered proudly, ¡°This is but a rabbit. During the battle at¡­¡± He suddenly went silent. Theughter stopped immediately. With widened eyes, the soldiers¡¯ eyes focused on a red arrow now through the leader¡¯s chest. The leader slowly looked down as he saw the arrow in his chest tremble ever so slightly. As the cruel winter wind blew on, that arrow was icy cold. His blood was boiling hot. But that warmth was thest signs of life. Very soon, he would be as cold as the snow on the floor. He copsed, with his eyes opened. His crimson red blood-spattered onto white canvas, giving the painting a new shade of red. At the corner of his eye, before he copsed, he saw the man who shot him. With his cold calm eyes, he had shot him with one hand; the other hand remained paralyzed under his sleeve. He enunciated each word clearly: ¡°You. Killed. King Han¡¯s. Rabbit.¡± ¡°You killed King Han¡¯s rabbit.¡± The most ridiculous reason to start a battle in the entire history of the Five Regions Continent. This deration spread like wildfire in the Five Region Continent, bringing back the already popr King Han as the topic of every conversation once more. Even many years after that, many still used this deration as a synonym for a challenge¡ªI want to punch you! Why? You killed my rabbit! Chapter 257 - Untitled Chapter 257: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Nheless, the one who had made the announcement, Xuanyuan, had been thrown into an awkward and helpless situation. The snow fell heavily that day as the Dahan¡¯s King of Han advanced upon the defensive troops of Xuanyuan. Xuanyuan immediately counter-attacked, but it was only for a moment before the King of Han¡¯s army forced itself upon them. The Dahan troops that had been stationed at the border were also steadily advancing behind. They did not attack; however, they were made up of elite and battle-hardened soldierspared to Xuanyuan¡¯s defensive troops, which hadn¡¯t had a battle in years and weren¡¯t familiar with the terrain¡ªthey created a great psychological weight upon them. The defensive troops swiftly sent a status report back to Kunjing, and the Regent King held a full day¡¯s worth of meetings as the court officials sighed hopelessly at the King of Han¡¯s shamelessness. Although King Meng¡¯s territory was close to the borders of Xuanyuan and Dahan, there was still a distance of several hundred miles. Moreover, who would go hunting during such terrible snowfall? What rabbit were they hunting to kill an entire troop? Was this really hunting? This was an attack! Dahan¡¯s King of Han was even more vicious than the Emperor of Dahan himself, directly stepping onto Xuanyuan¡¯s face! After getting stepped on, Xuanyuan issued an emergency meeting. They cleverly rushed back to look for the Dahan Emperor who was still at Kunjing, only to realize that the person that Xuanyuan Cheng had ordered to be heavily guarded had already disappeared, and nobody knew when he had left. Finally, Xuanyuan Cheng desperately sent out all of his best generals. Even Lord Tang Rusong came to his aid with his five armies, sending a hundred thousand men to the border to support. On the day Tang Rusong dispatched his armies, the Regent King sent him off personally, offering him wine. Tang Rusong finished the cup in a single motion and dered, ¡°I will not retreat until Meng Fuyao is ughtered!¡± At that moment, an arrogant voice traveled over from the harem. ¡°Empress Yuwen¡± was tapping on the pear-wood table with her long fingernails as she let out a bright smile and said softly, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re going in the wrong direction.¡± The expression in her eyes was probably too sudden and sinister that even from afar, Xuanyuan Min couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Meng Fuyao looked at him and beckoned for him toe over. Xuanyuan Min hurried over instantly and started massaging her legs. Noticing the dirt on his fingernails, Meng Fuyao kicked him away and said, ¡°Did you steal something from the garden again?¡± Xuanyuan Min replied solemnly, ¡°No, it¡¯s been cold recently, and nothing can be grown. I¡¯ve ordered my men to head out to the market to buy some vegetables for thedies to nt.¡± Meng Fuyao touched her forehead¡­¡¯Too sentimental, he really is too sentimental.¡¯ Xuanyuan Min smiled and leaned on her knee. ¡°After Tang Rusong, there are three more, their arms and legs should be cut off at least.¡± ¡°Politics is a wonderful thing, it requires gentleness and appearance, don¡¯t describe things to be so gory,¡± rebuked Meng Fuyao. ¡°Rx, there will eventually be a solution.¡± The cross-dresser raised his head and gazed at her. Suddenly, he said, ¡°Am I on your hit list?¡± Meng Fuyao nced down and warmly met his gaze. She smiled and replied, ¡°What do you think?¡± The cross-dresser smiled and did not answer, instead, changing the topic. ¡°Can I try to guess who you are?¡± he asked. Meng Fuyao grabbed a handful of walnuts and stuffed them into his mouth. ¡°No,¡± she said firmly. The cross-dresser covered his face with his sleeves in anguish and sang, ¡°The silver river is long and winding, in the pce, the concubine weeps in front of a candle¡­ Your Highness, which fox has stolen your heart again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m off to kill a vixen.¡± Meng Fuyao kicked aside her ¡°concubine¡± and said, ¡°Get lost.¡± Her ¡°concubine¡± then turned and retreated as a slow and soft voice sang: ¡°Oh, oh, oh¡­ you¡­ have killed¡­ my¡­nd¡¯s¡­ rabbits¡­¡± On the twenty-third day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of the Zhaoning era, Xuanyuan experienced it¡¯s most difficult internal turmoil since its inception. After getting rid of King Meng of Dahan¡¯s rabbit, Shangyuan had suddenly gone against Xuanyuan, raising their suspicions that their Empress Dowager had been killed by Taiyuan¡¯s Empress Dowager. Since the Empress Dowager was no longer alive, this revenge would fall upon Xuanyuan. Shangyuan requested that Xuanyuan offer up the culprit and provide an exnation to the King of Shangyuan. A twelve-year-old case had suddenly been raised again, exactly at the moment when Xuanyuan was embroiled in a conflict with Dahan. The matter had happened in Taiyuan, yet they did not go to Taiyuan to seekpensation, but instead came to Xuanyuan. This was probably a consequence of King Meng of Dahan¡¯s interference¡ªit was simply daylight robbery. It was said that when Xuanyuan Cheng received the national book, he had mmed his fist on his armrest so forcefully that it had cracked, and the entire court knelt down in terror. Only a single, old official remained standing and immediately began reading. The contents were merciless and shocking, revealing everything that the Regent King hadmitted, from assassinations to sinister political plots and other unforgivable crimes. And this person that stood out was a great schr, originally the Regent King¡¯s concubine¡¯s father, the Regent King¡¯s father-inw, now a renowned schr that was widely respected by all schrs throughout thend. The entire court wasunched into chaos, and Xuanyuan Cheng finally exploded. Moreover, nobody was of a high enough status to use him of these crimes; hence, he simply sent Dou Mingji into the dungeons. He was still controlled enough not to kill him on the spot since the man was already old and frail, and the entire court was his witness. Even worse was that, after the schrs learned that their oldrade was locked up so mercilessly, they revolted and protested in the streets of Kunjing, generating even more unrest¡­ The Regent King had to send out his men to suppress the unrest and chase them away. Finally, they returned back to their quarters. With the entire court in turmoil and Shangyuan¡¯s message after message of revenge, Xuanyuan Cheng could only send out his border troops, refusing to give an answer and kill some rabbits. Xuanyuan Cheng ordered them to investigate why Shangyuan would suddenly go crazy and demand revenge out of no reason and dere war against them. He wanted them to know that Xuanyuan wasn¡¯t that easy to bully! However, the results of the investigation only further chilled his heart. Recently, Shangyuan had encountered an internal turmoil¡ªback when Shangyuan was building its nation, Wuji had always been trying to push the two plots ofnd to Shangyuan. At that point, Qi Xunyi had been extremely grateful, only to realize that those two plots had been filled withndmines that put them at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mercy. Qi Xunyi simply couldn¡¯t control them and ended up having to abandon his wealth and serve his people wholeheartedly, helplessly requesting Zhangsun Wuji to take back thend. Who knew that whatever was given out was difficult to return, the valiant and generous crown prince of Wuji imed, how could one return what was given to them? Unless they were trying to make, the giver lose face? It was simply uneptable, moreover, at that point, Qi Xunyi himself had been utterly delighted, so why was he going back against his delight now? Was he unhappy with what Wuji had given him? Then, would he like Wuji to gift him another two plots ofnd? The messenger from Wujiughed coldly as he delivered his message, and Qi Xunyi nearly copsed on the spot¡ªhe had only known of fighting earnestly for one¡¯snd, he had never seen an instance of offering freend and yet unable to return it. Then and there, he knew that he had been caught in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s plot¡ªwhatever he gave out was never easy to receive. In the end, Qi Xun had to tug at the messenger¡¯s sleeve and plead desperately before Zhangsun Wuji finally retracted this ¡°gift.¡± However, there had to be conditions? What conditions? Qi Xun asked tentatively, his expression helpless. The messenger unhurriedly unraveled a secret scroll and read it mysteriously to the King of Shangyuan, ¡°Your Highness¡¯ mother had died for so many years, you can finally take revenge.¡± Hence, Shangyuan suddenly felt like seeking revenge, and Xuanyuan was now being attacked from two sides. Thend that Wuji had given out was now reimed one-for-one. Zhangsun Wuji had also helped a certain someone, who now didn¡¯t even need to send out her own army. This was the highest form of gaining profit without any investment¡ªSend you something to trap you and make you willingly return it, yet I am unhappy when you return it and demand for additional conditions. Poor Shangyuan, poor Xuanyuan¡­ After understanding what was happening, Xuanyuan Cheng immediately lost all thought. Shangyuan actually had such an insidious shadow as Wuji lurking behind them. Xuanyuan definitely couldn¡¯t face them directly, Qi Xunyi had opened up hisnd with the assurance from Zhangsun Wuji to attack Xuanyuan. Xuanyuan Cheng was helpless and could only send talent after talent, and even his closest aides, to personally head to the borders between Xuanyuan and Shangyuan to engage in diplomatic discussion with the King of Shangyuan. When the cross-dressing emperor heard the news, he gazed at Meng Fuyao for a long time. Meng Fuyao affectionately stroked his head and said, ¡°You must behave.¡± The cross-dressing emperor smiled bitterly and stalked off, singing as he swayed, ¡°Oh, oh, oh, I¡­ My mother¡­ I must seek revenge¡­¡± As for the rest of them, she would ughter from within. This was the n Meng Fuyao had arranged much earlier. She would first create an external disturbance and strike the inner pce when Xuanyuan Cheng was distracted, making her move. This was the only way to attack the inner pce without rousing Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s suspicion and retaliation. On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month, the pce would naturally prepare for celebrations as well. Meng Fuyao had directed the concubines to sew and nt vegetables; hence, they were able to retrieve the vegetables they had nted to utilize in their own kitchens, to the concubines¡¯ delight, and they all chose to retreat into their own quarters and celebrate by themselves. Ever since Consort Jade Jian Xue had received Meng Fuyao¡¯s orders to take care of Consort Xian, Consort Xian had been cast aside and imprisoned within her own quarters as punishment, and living in the Cuiyun Pce beside Consort Xian¡¯s Suxin Pce, Jian Xue would invite herself over and celebrate with Consort Xian. Originally, Consort Xian hated her, but upon seeing that she too was not favored by the Empress, she changed her mind, and the two of them happily ate their New Year¡¯s meal at the Suxin Pce. Jian Xue had personally cooked the dishes, and Consort Xian decided to prepare several dishes as well. The pair worked in harmony, and when they ate, they were extremely courteous and amicable. Among the dishes was a sliced chicken dish, and Jian Xue mentioned that it was Consort Shu¡¯s favorite dish, why not send some to her out of goodwill. Chapter 258 - Untitled Chapter 258: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Consort of Virtue¡¯s mouth twitched as she said, ¡°She dares to eat what I offer her?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she dare?¡± The Jade Consortughed and whispered into the Consort of Virtue¡¯s ear, ¡°Everyone can see the Empress¡¯ tyranny. Sister is second only to the Empress and is the only one who is able to stand against her. No matter how powerful she is, given Sister¡¯s family status and connections with everyone, wouldn¡¯t the gap in your status already be covered?¡± The Consort of Virtue¡¯s eyes shone as she acknowledged what the Jade Consort had said. The Jade Consort then got up and smiled as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to her personally.¡± Initially, the Consort of Virtue was still worried, but after hearing the Jade Consort volunteer to go herself, she felt reassured and smiled back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Sister,¡± she said. The atmosphere was light and cheerful in the Suxin Pavilion as the pair of ¡°sisters¡± tittered with each other, but it was a different view in the Chongxing Pce. Recently, Meng Fuyao had her head stuck in the clouds as she walked around urgently. She wanted to use a blunt knife and slice Xuanyuan Cheng slowly to death. At night, she returned from Xuanyuan Min¡¯s Chengming Pce and had just stepped into the courtyard when she stopped walking. Why was it so dark? The past few years of experience told Meng Fuyao to retreat the moment she found something suspicious, but she hadn¡¯t had the chance to retreat even a step when the courtyard doors suddenly closed noiselessly. Meng Fuyao steadied herself, real energy rotating within her, but after that, she smiled and walked over happily. Antern had suddenly appeared in front of the pce. Thentern was made of crimson mesh, its workmanship intricate. Gold ribbons adorned its edges,pleting its look as a new year¡¯sntern, yet it shone brighter and looked even more beautiful than the regr pcenterns. The redntern shone beautifully against the dark pce walls, casting a mesmerizing glow, yet because it was so wondrous, it also caused one to feel uneasy. Meng Fuyao looked up attentively. Thentern drifted towards her, and she noticed little round and ck shadows upon it, doing a ¡°dance of flight.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at it a little longer andughed. They were more like ¡°flying pigs.¡± Thentern floated slowly into Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand, and two golden ribbons shot out. One said: ¡®Bring thentern along as your entry pass.¡¯ The other said: ¡®Let us celebrate the end of winter and the dawn of a new year.¡¯ The words were written in beautiful and precise handwriting, unlike Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s graceful ease or Zhan Beiye¡¯s messy coarseness. Meng Fuyao smiled and grasped the two golden strips tightly in her hand. She nced at the ¡°flying pigs¡± and wondered, ¡®It hasn¡¯t burnt out yet?¡± Upon closer scrutiny did she realize that the candles were wrapped with a faint jade tube. No wonder the light was so radiant. Just then, Lord Yuan Bao appeared, donning its red robes as it smiled brightly, its white teeth shining. It felt extremely handsome at the moment and began to dance when it was suddenly grabbed by the cor and stuffed back into some corner. After being used, it was cast aside¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shone as she smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that someone like you would pull something like this.¡± The man opposite her had half his face illuminated in the candlelight, his lips a luscious pink, his ssy eyes reflecting light in a thousand directions. He smiled lightly and nudged Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s New Year¡¯s,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao looked up and gazed at the sky. ¡°Indeed, I have be a year older.¡± She sighed. Shadow de chuckled softly and said, ¡°If you¡¯re old, then what are the rest of us? Walking trees?¡± He pulled her along as he walked and continued, ¡°I¡¯m cooking today, so you¡¯re in for a treat.¡± ¡°What treat¡­ I¡¯m still thinking about what to eat¡­¡± Meng Fuyaozily let him pull her along when she suddenly stopped and said, ¡°Ah? There¡¯s good food? Ah? Are you cooking?¡± Shadow de did not reply her. Meng Fuyao wrinkled her nose and stared dubiously at his back, thinking, ¡®Him, cooking? This kind of spoilt, delicate brat who can¡¯t even stand the smoke and fire from the kitchen, could he have steamed a te of green vegetables along with water?¡¯ Shadow de lit themp in the hall and instantly, the dark room brightened along with a faint warmth from an intricately carved bronze stove. Avishly decorated tabley in the hall, and atop it, a rainbow of dishes could be seen, along with a myriad of delicious smells emanating across all four corners of the hall. Meng Fuyao sat down numbly as she stared at the beautiful dishes made with various medicines, herbs, and vegetables¡ªheck, even the carrots were carved into beautiful flowers. After a moment, she inhaled deeply. ¡°This must be an illusion¡­¡± she remarked. Shadow de picked up a piece of m pancake and ced it in front of her. ¡°Slowly fill your stomach first, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll eat too quickly.¡± Meng Fuyao took several bites before suddenly blurting out angrily, ¡°Someone actually knew how to cook all along¡­¡± Shadow de continued to smile as he slowly filled her te with dishes. Lord Yuan Bao squatted on the table and tugged at his sleeve, and he smoothly pushed the te of m pancakes towards him. After he had gotten rid of the light bulb, he finally turned to Meng Fuyao and said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to celebrate New Year¡¯s like this with the two of us.¡± Meng Fuyao put down her chopsticks and slowly said, ¡°In the past, my New Year¡¯s were always very, very lively¡­¡± Shadow de poured her a cup of wine and asked, ¡°Were there a lot of people?¡± Meng Fuyao paused for a moment before shaking her head. Looking slightly lost, she replied, ¡°Ah, it was also just two of us, but why do I feel like it was extra lively then?¡± Many, many years ago, under a dimly lit ceilingmp, nothing like the grand pce that she was in; the table was filled with dishes, nothing like the expensive delicacies on this table. The space within the four walls was drab and undecorated, nothing like the gold incense burner and the bronze stove warming the hall. Nheless, when the two of them sat closely and shared a steamboat, picking food for each other over the heat of the steam, their faces red withughter¡­ Those memories were the warmest. Beside her, Shadow de¡¯s hand paused as he turned to look at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. After a while, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, I¡¯ll be hurt, you know.¡± When Meng Fuyao came back to her senses, she apologized sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old people tend to reminisce often.¡± Shadow de shook his head and didn¡¯t say anything further. The two of them sat in silence as they ate, but Meng Fuyao felt that the silence was ratherforting and peaceful. The person opposite her wasn¡¯t the boisterous kind; he had a kind of cold loneliness, yet within that coldness, she felt a warmth that was given only to her. After a while, he said, ¡°Got any new year¡¯s wish?¡± Meng Fuyao sucked on the tip of her chopsticks as she thought for a moment, her eyes brightening and darkening as she thought. Finally, she said, ¡°I wish for my dream toe true, and for everyone, I love to live well.¡± Shadow de lowered his eyelids and slowly drank his soup. Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°What about you?¡± Shadow de fell silent, and Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t press any further. After the two of them had finished eating, Meng Fuyao smiled and said, ¡°We have to rest now, the night may not be safe.¡± Picking up a stuffed Lord Yuan Bao, she turned to leave. She was about to reach the door when she heard Shadow de murmur, ¡°I wish that someone will always be there to apany you every year.¡± Someone to apany her every year. Who was that someone? Carrying Lord Yuan Bao in her arms, she stared listlessly into the darkness, thinking of the passionate yet cold man who had just spoken that line. The faint silhouette of the Imperial Pce of Xuanyuan could be faintly seen. That pce¡­ That kind of beginning and ending, what was he thinking of all the time? Meng Fuyao sighed as the wintry wind carried her breath away. It was already deep into the night. ¡°Report¡ª¡± The sound of hurried footsteps and an urgent terrified voice pierced through the silence of the night. Countless people were rushing around between Chongxing Pce and Cheng Ming Pce. The sound of terrible crying could also be heard faintly. Meng Fuyao smiled in the dark. She pushed open the door and stepped out. As she stood atop the steps, a sweat-soaked eunuch from Consort Shu¡¯s pce was kneeling at the bottom of the steps. She called out coldly, ¡°Why are you making such a ruckus thiste into the night?¡± ¡°Replying Your Grace¡­¡± The eunuch¡¯s face was twisted with fear, and even his voice had changed as he said, ¡°Something, something has happened to Consort Shu!¡± Meng Fuyao frowned and said immediately, ¡°Prepare to head to Jinyun Pce!¡± When she arrived, Jinyun Pce was already filled with people. Xuanyuan Min and the other concubines had already arrived. The hall was packed with doctors, and the corpse of Consort Shu had already turned cold. Meng Fuyao rushed into the brightly lit inner pce and caught Xuanyuan Min¡¯s eye. Then, she said loudly, ¡°Who were the ones serving Consort Shu tonight? They should be beaten to death¡ª¡± ¡°Have mercy, Your Grace!¡± Consort Shu¡¯sdy-in-waiting had been stripped of her dress, and she knelt on the ground, crying uncontrobly as she dragged her knees and came in front of Meng Fuyao. ¡°Your Grace, it wasn¡¯t me, my Lady had gotten a stomach ache after eating the chicken slices given by Consort Jade¡­¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly turned around and nced at the Jade Consort Jian Xue, who had already been stripped of her crown. Jian Xue looked unapologetic and defiant as she knelt on the ground. ¡°That dish was given by me, but it was personally prepared by the Consort Xian herself,¡± she said. ¡°Consort Jade!¡± Consort Xian screamed, her face green with anger. Simrly, Meng Fuyao berated, ¡°Consort Jade, don¡¯t use others blindly¡ª¡± Consort Xian was stunned and stared suspiciously at Meng Fuyao. However, Meng Fuyao turned and bowed to Xuanyuan Min. ¡°May Your Majesty make the decision,¡± she said. ¡°The harem is your business,¡± replied Xuanyuan Min. ¡°I am very sad¡­ I want to see my beloved consort one more time, ah, my Consort Shu¡­¡± The cross-dressing emperor flung himself towards Consort Shu and began to act. Meng Fuyao had gotten impatient and said, ¡°Send Consort Jade for interrogation. Since Consort Xian is a suspect, she is temporarily forbidden from leaving her pce.¡± ¡°Why am I forbidden?¡± Consort Xian was enraged. ¡°Does Your Grace suspect me?¡± ¡°Can you prove your innocence right now?¡± Meng Fuyao met her re steadily. ¡°I am approaching this matter in the most impartial way, if you have something to say, I rmend that you say it at the Zongzheng temple.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Consort Xian continued ring at her. Seeing that Xuanyuan Min was still ¡°grieving over the corpse,¡± she spat, ¡°You barbaric empress, one day¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and asked, ¡°One day, what?¡± Consort Xian opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out. She turned around promptly and left, mming the pce doors loudly as she left. Meng Fuyao smiled faintly and said, ¡°Consort Xian has such a bad temper.¡± All the other consorts and concubines dared not say a word. Meng Fuyao continued, ¡°Consort Hua, stay behind andfort His Majesty, do not let his grief affect his health.¡± Consort Hua immediately agreed happily while Concubine Yao looked on with envy¡ªXuanyuan Min had flipped her tag that night and had just felt her body and praised her for having supple and snow-like skin, even promising to promote her as Consort Snow. Now that such a turn of events had urred, her ambitions were shattered. Chapter 259 - Untitled Chapter 259: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios In this month, Consort Hua had not just once snatched the Emperor¡¯s favor from her. Her face flushed pink, and her breathing was uneven. She dug her nails deeply into her palms, and she trembled with so much anger that the beads of her hair essories collided into each other, making clear and sharp noises. Pretending not to see, Meng Fuyao ordered for Consort Shu¡¯s corpse to be taken away. She instructed her attendants to deliver the news of the death and to prepare for the funeral. Then, she said, ¡°Everyone is dismissed.¡± Afterward, she turned and slowly stepped out of the door as her attendants followed, and she looked up at the sky. The snowkes had finally spiraled down. How many corpses would this round of snow cover? Three dayster, another strange incident in the pce astonished the whole of Xuanyuan. Apparently, Noble Concubine Yao and Consort Hua had an argument during their encounter. Both shoved each other and Noble Concubine Yao pushed Consort Hua into the pond. However, the chilliness of the pond in winter was too much for a weak pce woman to handle. When Consort Hua was finally brought onto the shore, she was found to be dead. While Xuanyuan Min howled beside the corpse, ¡°Empress Yuwen¡± did nothing but send Consort Hua¡¯s family into the pce. Consort Hua¡¯s father, the Minister of Revenue, Hong Xi, had only one daughter out of his many sons. If Meng Fuyao had not appeased his wife, his wife would have cried until she fainted. His wife knelt and begged the Empress to seek justice for her daughter. However, Meng Fuyao opened her palms and said, ¡°It was cold, and no one else was on the street, and only a few attendants pointed to Noble Concubine Yao as the murderer. However, there is no concrete evidence, and Noble Concubine Yao will not admit it. Furthermore¡­¡± she leaned forward and whispered by Mrs. Hua¡¯s ear, ¡°Noble Concubine Yao¡¯s father, Grand Schr Yao Ling, entered the pce a few times and swore that no such thing happened. Mrs. Hua, you must know that Grand Schr Yao is a favored official in the Regent King¡¯s camp. Well, I¡¯m in a very difficult position¡­¡± Mrs. Hua raged. ¡°Yao Ling, how dare you abuse your power to harm the lives of others!¡± She crawled to her knees, and without even thanking the Empress, she rushed back home to find her younger brother, Li Yuan. He was the Commander of Capital Defence and had true authority over the military power in Kunjing. Though he was a subordinate of the Regent King, simr to Yao Ling, both of them were foes. When Li Yuan heard that his niece was harmed, but her family could not seek justice, he was extremely furious. Immediately, he mobilized 3,000 soldiers from the Capital Defence and charged towards Yao Ling¡¯s residence. Before Yao Ling could reason out the situation, Li Yuan had already dashed into his residence with a swarm of armed soldiers and grabbed him by the cor. ¡°You old dog, you won¡¯t be able to make up for your misdeed even after 100 deaths!¡± And he shed down with his silvery sword, and out came the bloody weapon. Then, this aggressive general killed everyone in the residence, wiped the blood off his soles and strode away, as though nothing had happened. The bloody incident sent shockwaves throughout the court. Yao Ling was part of Situ Mo¡¯s camp, and within the camp, marriages across families weremon. Yao Ling¡¯s wife and daughter-inw were all esteemeddies of officials under Situ Mo¡¯s circle of influence. Since Li Yuan opened a can of worms, these officials were prepared not to let this matter slip. Some Commanders, who were also in control of the capital defense forces, gave the Li n and Hua n a taste of their own medicine, and the Li camp retaliated. As such, Kunjing ended up in chaos as the two camps fought endlessly with each other. The chaos between the two camps with deep grievancespletely erupted because of the death of a concubine and the act of a person who intentionally sowed discord. It affected the entire Xuanyuan court at an uncontroble speed, and almost 80% of the officials were involved in this scandal. In the end, there were even cases of assassins being hired to kill others or rows of corpses beingid out on the streets. Everyone¡¯s safety was at risk, and many took sick leave from the court. Additionally, as senior officials under Prince Wen Yi¡¯s camp stirred trouble and aggravated the situation, the Xuanyuan court ended up in a dysfunctional state. When the chaos ended, there were more than 100 casualties amongst the officials and Kunjing, and it included both minor and highly-ranked officials. In the 12th year of the Zhaoning era, amongst the bloodshed in Kunjing, the citizens were restless. Through the continuous and bloody conflict of the two major camps, they seemed to witness the end of the reign of the Regent King, who used to have ultimate power. This seemingly strange but nned chaos wasterbeled as ¡°Bloodshed of Kunjing¡± in history. At that moment, Xuanyuan Cheng had a taste of the consequences of bncing the powers between the two major camps. He cultivated each camp to the point that they could no longer incorporate with one another, and any spark would cause a conflict between the two. He also equally distributed military power amongst the two camps, and though on the surface he said that it was to equally govern the city, it was meant for the two camps to spy on each other. Now that the camps were in a messy fight, their military subordinates had also be restless, even though he ordered them not to be involved in the fight. The core members of the two camps who were the steadiest and could control the situation were despatched to a farnd, and he could only manage it himself. Not only did he have to control the mess amongst the officials in the capital, but he also had to face calls from Prince Wen Yi¡¯s camp to re-investigate the case, and still constantly monitor the next move of King of Han. Though he knew that something was wrong in the harem, he was too busy to take care of that. And the woman who stood on the pinnacle position of the harem, smiled as she watched on the well-choreographed incident. Finally, it hade to the final stages of the n. The final n targeted the Regent King¡¯sst and most loyal official, the father of Consort Xian, the Gao n. However, before that, she had to first make Consort Xian, ¡°kill¡± the Empress! It was December 27, after the snow ended. Meng Fuyao smiled as she and her attendants stepped into the pce that Consort Xian was grounded in. Consort Xian walked up to her unsettlingly, and she asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you here to release me?¡± As Meng Fuyao continued to beam at her, she became so ufortable that she knelt obediently. Then, Meng Fuyao nodded as a cue for her decree to be read. Ever since the chaos, the attendants within the pce were swiftly changed out by Xuanyuan Min, and the ones under them right now were trustworthy people. While Consort Xian listened to the decree, her expression changed. It stated that from the time she entered the pce, she was easily jealous and not virtuous, killed people like scything grass, was unrespectful to the Empress, bullied the other concubines¡­ ¡°No! I did not!¡± Halfway through the reading, Consort Xian barked. She crawled over to rip the decree. ¡°You¡¯re maligning me!¡± ¡°You did not disrespect me?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°On the day that I entered the pce, why did you note to pay your respects?¡± ¡°I sent my attendant to request for absence!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao took her time to tidy her clothes. ¡°Then, do you remember what I said at that time?¡± Since Consort Xian could not possibly remember, Meng Fuyao reminded her out of goodwill. ¡°I said, go and treat it if you have a disease.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s what you said. If I have a disease, I should treat it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned from ear to ear. ¡°But did I give my consent for you to note? ¡°As for saying that you kill people like scything grass¡­¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Someone¡­ bring those beautiful bones forward, to remind our forgetful Consort Xian.¡± The ghastly-white bones of the gardeners buried were brought forward, and the creepy bones which were coated with slightly red mud were right in front of Consort Xian¡¯s eyes. The rancid mud smell and the rotten smell unique to a corpse caused her to scream. Her eyes flipped upwards, and she was about to faint. But Meng Fuyao was not willing to let her faint. There were still things that Meng Fuyao wanted her to do. Hence, she walked forward and gently patted Consort Xian. When Consort Xian regained consciousness, she saw the beaming Meng Fuyao lean towards her like a monster. Thetter¡¯s cor was open, and a small pair of golden scissors was tied to a string on her cor. ¡®Scissor¡­¡¯ Consort Xian stared into Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes, which were radiant and gleaming. They were blurry and shiny, as though the eyes were trying to say something. Say what? Consort Xian started to feel giddy again. The blurred feeling overwhelmed heryer byyer, and she felt as though she was floating for a moment, and then falling and moving for another moment. It was as though she was about to float and turn to dust, fog or smoke, and evolve into a free spirit in this universe. Then¡­ Consort Xian had no idea what happened afterward. When Consort Xian became slightly awake, she found herself in a room filled with eunuchs and generals. The Empress¡¯ body was coated with blood on the ground, and the Emperor was crying miserably beside the corpse. Meanwhile, she felt that her hands were slightly cold and gluey. When Consort Xian looked down, she realized that her hands were full of blood and she was holding on to a small pair of scissors. Then, she saw the Emperor charge towards her furiously, and he pointed at her nose and scolded her about something. He said something else to the generals, and those dirty and rugged soldiers came forward and picked her up aggressively. Consort Xian¡¯s hair was in a mess, her dress was stepped on mercilessly, and her precious essories were messily thrown to one side. Consort Xian did not struggle, but she stared dumbfoundedly at the Emperor, the one who had called upon her every night, whispered into her ears and called her his ¡°precious baby,¡± ¡°obedient sheep¡± and ¡°little rabbit.¡± He was the same Emperor who had sworn to favor her as much as possible using his authority as an Emperor. Yet, he ignored her, and those eyes stared at her with rage. His expression was cold, and there were no feelings in it. It was so unfamiliar, so disgusted, and so pressing. No wonder¡­ Consort Xian slowly smiled. ¡°What a joke¡­¡± This was thest sentence left behind by Consort Xian, the most favored woman in the harem. The news of Consort Xian murdering the Empress sent shockwaves through the capital. As evidence was concrete, and the entire harem had heard her saying that she would let the Empress pay the price, everyone said that she was worse than a beast to murder the Empress, who had treated her with so much care. After she was banished to the cold pce, the entire court called to punish the Empress¡¯ murderer. The Gao n begged the Regent King to help them, and the troubled Regent King agreed after much hesitation. However, even before he had time to arrange, that night, Consort Xianmitted suicide. She did not die because of the conspired n, but due to her romantic feelings to the Emperor. To the politicians who carefully nned their steps, her death was merely an arrow that attacked thest of the Regent King¡¯s defenses. Though Consort Xian obviouslymitted suicide, when her father entered the pce, the Xuanyuan Emperor showed him evidence of Consort Xian being strangled to death and even passed the murderer to him, who was someone he recognized. The murderer was none other than one of the double-identity spies that were ced in the pce to monitor the Emperor and Empress, as per the Regent King¡¯s instructions. At that moment, no other exnation was needed. The Regent King must have known that there was no way that Consort Xian could be saved, so in his helplessness, he decided to kill Consort Xian first! And he would make it seem as though it was an act of suicide! Xuanyuan Min watched as the father wept and he had a heart-to-heart talk. ¡°Come¡­ my most favored concubine is actually still Consort Xian. Originally, I sent her to the cold pce just so that the hype would die down, and then I would spare her life, but who knew that¡­ Sigh¡­ it was actually not umon to see people getting rid of others once their purpose has been served¡­¡± Chapter 260 - Untitled Chapter 260: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After wiping off his tears, he immediately returned home. On that night, three sounds of a cannon rang, and it surprised the residents in Kunjing. He decided to rebel. The unsteady power of the Regent King, after sessive days of being undermines, finally copsed with this rebellion. That night, the loud sounds of the cannon in the outskirts was clearly heard by even those in the pce. Everyone shut the pce doors and waited quietly in the dark, waiting for the bloodshed to pass by once again. However, in the closed doors of Chong Xing Pce, a ¡°ghostly shadow¡± slowly moved. Meng Fuyao¡¯s long hair fluttered in the wind. With hands to her back, she slowly looked at the pce that she had lived in for two months, and her expression was hard to discern¡­ The end of Xuanyuan Cheng was nearing, and she had finally aplished what she wanted to do. That day, she used the most perfect method to end her journey as Empress, and Yu Wen Zi would no longer exist in the universe. Power resembled a knife. It could aggressively split apart any obstacles, but it could also slowly undercut any high and mighty boulder. Hearts of humans were craftier and harder to grasp. It could bring about revolutionary change, and it could either create or destroy everything. At that moment, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt tired and deste, feelings that came after the fall of a flourishing era. In the Bloodshed of Kunjing and the chaos within the Xuanyuan pce, how many people died? She did not dare to count, and neither did she do it. A sessful battle would already require tens of thousands of bones to pave. A sessful capture of the throne, would require even more bloodshed. As she slowly opened her palms, she stared dazedly at the jade-likeplexion of her skin in the darkness. How much blood has this pair of hands caused? Some crumbs suddenlynded on her palm. Meng Fuyao beamed. She had been too busy recently. How could she have forgotten this child? A turmoil was about to happen in Xuanyuan. She should send her back to the Tang family. A child should not be sacrificed in the dark turmoil of the pce. Hence, she opened her arms and said, ¡°Ah Guang,e down, I will bring you back home.¡± Someone replied softly and the tiny body plummeted down afterwards. There was a tinge of the aroma of fresh flowers and delicate snacks, and it made people recall the soft and sweet memories in life. When Meng Fuyao hugged the warm body, her heart which was made of steel also softened slightly. She rubbed Tang Yiguang¡¯s hair and said in a low tone, ¡°It¡¯s about to end¡­¡± Suddenly, her voice was cut off. A cold gleam appeared before her eyes. Tang Yiguang¡¯s palm flipped up, and a dagger which was as cold as the moonlight, instantly appeared! The same moment that the tiny body ran into Meng Fuyao¡¯s hug, the dagger had also silently reached Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest area. A dagger which could cut gold and break jade pieces, and Meng Fuyao who was totally caught off guard. The dagger was an epic treasure and it was coated with extreme poison. Just a small cut on the skin could cause the death of the victim. It was worse that the front of the dagger split open, and a push of the finger could cause poisonous needles to shower upon the target. There was a spring in the middle of the dagger, and once triggered, a sapphire-blue and triangr thorn would fly out. There was also a chain between the de and the handle, so that the length could be adjusted anytime. Furthermore, the handle was hollow, and any force applied on it would cause it to explode. In other words, this was a tool that was a dagger, an explosive device, a poisonous weapon and also a hidden trap. It was used to defeat very strong opponents, causing them to be unable to handle the strike, nor throw it away or try to block it. No matter what they did, it would be inevitable to be slightly harmed, and that slight damage could mean the loss of a life. In that instant, Meng Fuyao changed four different hand tactics, including point, strike, hook and press. No matter which tactic she used, unless she another hand, there was no way that she could settle that dagger without getting harmed, especially under the situation that Tang Yiguang could still strike her at such a close distance. That child was way too close to her. That dagger was also way too close. Meng Fuyao sighed. In that split second, she chose to press towards the dagger. She could no longer care about the consequences. All of a sudden, a hand reached out and very gently, it gave a pinch. It was just a simple pinch. But the difficulty positioning the hand in that way was simr to that of trying to reach the sky. In that moment, all five fingers were fully utilised. The thumb pointed, the middle finger pressed, the index finger flicked, the fourth finger striked and thest finger could still hook. Every joint of each finger were moving separately, and in that short amount of time, there were more than 10 changes every time the hand moved. The thumb pressed shut the front of the dagger, the middle finger pressed the spring away and blocked the trigger of the trap, the index finger flicked the triangr thorn back to its position, the fourth finger struck between the middle of the handle and the de, then thest finger hooked the chain on the handle, blocked the catalyst and prevented Tang Yiguang from igniting the explosives. It was an extremely urate movement of the hand which was so intricate that it was giddy to watch. A pair of hands with unrivaled nimbleness. Only one person on this universe had such hands and could execute such a movement. He was devoted to medicine his whole life and was called ¡®Holy Doctor¡¯. He could create the finest human skin that could be mistaken as real, make the pill that gathered the essence of all the treasures in the universe, superiorly handle the degree of heat and perform the hardest of surgeries. All these needed a pair of intricate and nimble hands, a pair of hands that were exclusively unique. Zong Yue. He suddenly appeared as though he had been standing there the whole time. With the sh of a white shadow, he used those hands that could save and kill many, to pinch away the most dangerous dagger in the universe. Then, he casually threw it in the pond outside the pce. Naturally, Tang Yiguang copsed onto her knees. Since Zong Yue had helped to settle the dagger, subduing Tang Yiguang was only a matter of seconds. Ignoring Tang Yiguang, Meng Fuyao looked up at the man who was d in white cloth and whose lips were as red as cherry. He was still as calm andposed, and in the darkness, he resembled the snow that had not yet been contaminated by the dirts on earth. However, Meng Fuyao looked at him as though she did not recognise him. It was only momentster that she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to take down that ridiculous mask.¡± Zong Yue looked emotionlessly at her. After taking of the Shadow de mask, the color of his hair, eyes and lips returned to original, and even his temper seemed to have reverted to the usual demeanor of Zong Yue. He still sounded as arrogant when he spoke. ¡°Actually, whether I take it down or not, I will still look better than you wearing that woman¡¯s eyes.¡± Meng Fuyao stared into his eyes and asked curiously, ¡°I can not care about the others, but how did you change your eye¡¯s color? I can¡¯tprehend at all.¡± ¡°I also can¡¯tprehend ¨C when did you realise?¡± Zong Yue replied with another question. But Meng Fuyao only smiled creepily. She did not want to reveal that she had actually found out about that a long, long time ago. It was when she met him in the pce, while she applied medication on him. Back then, he must have worn something that protected his skin, which was why the arrow was not able to cause too much harm to him. His injuries were moderate burns instead of serious ones, and before she applied the medication, he went away to remove thatyer of protection. That night, as she applied, she realised that his skin tone was different before and after he removed his clothes. Afterwards, she recalled that when she saw Shadow de taking off his clothes in the secret room, there was a difference in the skinplexion. She could not understand at that time. However, she dreamed of Lord Yuan Bao ying in front of her, and the shing lights made her giddy. When she woke up, she suddenly understood. She never believed that with Zong Yue¡¯s ability, he would be easily captured by Xuanyuan Min. Furthermore, between Shadow de and Zong Yue, though their appearances and demeanors were different, there were some points in which they were very simr. For example, she had been testing out whether Shadow de was a hygiene freak, and there was also the simr texture of the human skin and the mastery in medicine. As another case in point, when the crossdresser Emperor faked death, he was likely waiting for Shadow de, but she ran out without any knowledge and foiled the ns. If Shadow de was not shot by the arrow to save her, he would have left safely after meeting with Xuanyuan Min. Hence, the person who was implicated, was actually Zong Yue. Since Meng Fuyao linked all these points together, with her personality, how could she bear to leave Zong Yue behind again? As such, she made up her mind to help him until the end. Whether or not he wanted it was another matter. She would just do what she felt she had to. Zong Yue had to stay in the pce to discuss with Xuanyuan Min regarding ns to counter Xuanyuan Cheng, so she was willing to be the Empress. As Zong Yue and Xuanyuan Min trusted and guarded against each other, she helped to warn against Xuanyuan Min. She also knew that the list of connections that Xuanyuan Min passed her belonged to Zong Yue. Zong Yue was sufficiently prepared, after years of nning secretly, to topple the court in one strike. If she did not guess wrongly, the fake Zong Yue that was kidnapped by Xuanyuan Cheng, was likely to be an inevitable trump card. Actually, her goal seemed to be different from Zong Yue¡¯s¡­ Meng Fuyao smiled at that thought. She was used to snatching the throne, but Zong Yue¡¯s priority was just to kill Xuanyuan Cheng. She had no idea what Zong Yue¡¯s original n was, but that n definitely did not include borrowing the power King of Han, or having Shangyuan pressurise the country. It would easily spell trouble for Xuanyuan, and as a citizen, Zong Yue would never collude with the external enemy, no matter how messy the internal struggle was. So¡­ let her be the evil one. As for the most crucial stage of fighting the ultimate boss, there was no more need for her to interfere. It was the fight for revenge between Prince Wen Yi¡¯s camp and the Regent King. This fight should be left for the Zong Yue to settle, since he had been enduring and nning for so long. ¡°What happens after this is up to you,¡± Meng Fuyao said and passed him an information scroll of the Regent King¡¯s residence. It was secretly passed to her by Xuanyuan Yun, who entered the pce a few days ago. ¡°I actually think that you have something simr to this, but I just like to be nosy. Whether you use it or not is up to you.¡± Zong Yue took it and held it in his palm. Out of the blue, he said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never thought of bing the Emperor.¡± Meng Fuyao responded. ¡°I think so too, but¡­ I just like to be nosy.¡± With a silent smile, Zong Yue watched as she lowered her eyelids and looked towards the ground. Both chose not to say what was hidden in their hearts. Momentster, Meng Fuyao frowned at the ball of fluff which was weeping by her feet. ¡°I haven¡¯t even cried. Why are you crying?¡± ¡°¡­ Brother Ah Liu is going to die¡­¡± Tang Yiguang hugged Meng Fuyao¡¯s leg and wailed. ¡°I can¡¯t save him anymore¡­¡± Meng Fuyao ced her hand on her forehead¡­ She was evidently the victim, but why did it seem as though she owed something to the assassin Tang Yiguang? Meanwhile, Tang Yiguang continued to cry and she wiped her mucus and tears on Meng Fuyao¡¯s clothes. ¡°Why do you refuse to die¡­ if you don¡¯t die Brother Ah Liu will die¡­¡± Chapter 261 - Untitled Chapter 261: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips twitched as she picked up Tang Yiguang by the cor. After staring at the tear-stricken face for a few moments, Meng Fuyao sighed helplessly. Should she really kill Tang Yiguang? This dimwit child whose intelligence was only that of a four-year-old? Conflicted, she looked towards Zong Yue to try to garner some constructive advice from him. However, Zong Yue ignored her and looked up towards the sky. ¡°I¡¯ll only tell you that it¡¯s not true that she¡¯s a durd.¡± ¡®Of course, she is,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought as she rolled her eyes. If not, could she and Zong Yue not have spotted it? Would they have allowed her to get close to Meng Fuyao at the most crucial stage, while Meng Fuyao was totally unaware? If she was not a durd, how could she still execute her mission without any hesitation, even at the stage when the monkeys were about to scatter from the toppling tree? It was precisely because she was dimwit that the Regent King chose her. Who was that¡­ Brother Ah Liu? It could not possibly be Zong Yue, right? A fake Zong Yue who was kidnapped could not have harmed both Xuanyuan Yun and Tang Yiguang, right? Meng Fuyao stared at Zong Yue suspiciously, and Zong Yue immediately defended himself. ¡°Why are you looking at me? Do you think I will be affiliated with this tiny idiot in any way?¡± Suddenly, Meng Fuyao grinned. ¡°Since she is not affiliated with you, I¡¯ll show no mercy.¡± Her palm aimed straight for the top of Tang Yiguang¡¯s head. ¡°Hold it!¡± When that voice rang, Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm stopped and hovered above Tang Yiguang¡¯s head. She smiled. ¡°It is indeed you,¡± she said. In the darkness, the beautiful and colorfully-dressed crossdresser Emperor slowly walked out. He looked at Meng Fuyao with a strange expression, and he looked towards Tang Yiguang, who was still wailing. There was a mix of emotions in his eyes, including reminiscence, disappointment, sorrow, and helplessness¡­ It was filled with the inner thoughts that he wanted to express so desperately, but he held back, as he instinctively did. A few secondster, he walked over, squatted down, and hugged the child. As he slowly caressed Tang Yiguang¡¯s head, he gently spoke. ¡°Brother Ah Liu¡¯s horse is thergest one in the field. How could you ride that?¡± Instantly, Tang Yiguang trembled and stopped crying. She raised her tear-stricken face and wept softly. ¡°The little white horse was killed by father. He did not allow me to ride.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xuanyuan Min took out his aromatic handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat and tears off her face. Gently, she said, ¡°If you want to ride a horse the next time, Brother Ah Liu will apany you so that you will never fall off again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Brother Ah Liu?¡± Tang Yiguang stopped crying and took a look at him seriously. With a red nose, she mumbled, ¡°Brother Ah Liu is not as tall and as colorful as you¡­¡± Unable to control herself, Meng Fuyao burst out inughter. But she rubbed her nose after that and turned away. Why did she suddenly feel her heart wrench? The youngest son of a sidelined prince was chosen to enter the pce as a puppet Emperor. The youngest daughter of the general there dashed after him on the day that he left, but her little white horse was killed, and she mounted the aggressive horse that her Brother Ah Liu left behind instead. Then, she fell, and her world was never the same again. Everything became as blurry and thin as a snowke on the window, and all that was left was a vague image of her Brother Ah Liu. 12 years went by. While he performed The Drunken Beauty alone in the enclosed pce, she forever guarded the little boy with her 4-year-old mental state. They were a mournful pair of childhood ymates and the portrayal of royal grievances. When Tang Yiguang saw the colorful Xuanyuan Min, she suddenly wiped the tears off her face and used it to wipe Xuanyuan Min¡¯s face. Xuanyuan Min did not move, but he was teary-eyed as he watched the child use her hands filled with crumbs to remove his makeup. From his cheeks to his eyebrows, lips, and skin¡­ the extravagant pretense was slowly wiped away by the girl¡¯s palms, and a pale but handsome face appeared. Tang Yiguang lept forward. She jumped into the arms of the Brother Ah Liu she knew 12 years ago. Brother Ah Liu left on a day in Spring, and a horse carriage took him away from her. From then on, her life experience eternally froze at the moment that she chased him. It was thatst look Tang Yiguang had before she fell off from the horse that was as tall as two humans, and her eyes reflected the upside-down view of the romantic pasture that stretched thousands of miles in the rural areas of the nation. Afterward, she could only remember the horse field that they were in and their respective mounts, the yful moments that he and she shared, and how she would fall asleep on his shoulders whenever she became tired from watching the sun set. At night, when the stars and moon rose, he would carry her back, and his robes would be stained with the aromatic fragrance of the dew from the surrounding flowers. Many yearster, she became his Noble Consort and thought of her Brother Ah Liu as she munched on the snacks in her golden pce. The Regent King had told her that Brother Ah Liu would be returned to her once she became the Noble Consort, and she could forever be with Brother Ah Liu once the Empress was killed. Being the Empress would be great, but nothing was more important than her Brother Ah Liu. Tang Yiguang snuggled her head against Xuanyuan Min¡¯s shoulder and cried her lungs out. Xuanyuan Min just hugged her, and he nced sideways at Meng Fuyao. In response, Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°Murderers cannot be spared.¡± Xuanyuan Min continued to look at her. Momentster, he remarked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just worried about me?¡± Slowly, he carried Tang Yiguang and stood up. ¡°If you guys can win, I will not fight you. Let me take her away and be an idle Prince.¡± However, Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°You¡¯re willing to give up?¡± ¡°So what if I do or don¡¯t?¡± Xuanyuan Min gave her a habitual wink. ¡°You did so many things, and though you appeared to remove Xuanyuan Cheng, you¡¯re helping him to remove another enemy. Ah Yue could have settled Xuanyuan Cheng on his own, but you¡¯re putting in so much effort just to remove us both in one shot.¡± ¡°I have no choice,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she beamed. ¡°Your Majesty, you make me very wary of you. You¡¯re too good at enduring silently, faking, and being calctive. As such, I feel that you spell trouble. Any trouble must not be kept.¡± Xuanyuan Min snorted. ¡°Among you two, one of you steadily infiltrated the court officials, while the other directly colluded with external forces. I¡¯m merely a figurehead Emperor that is confined in the pce and have only acted as a messenger and cover during this whole time. Even the people I use belong to Xuanyuan Yue. Do you think I can stir up anything?¡± Meng Fuyao stayed silent and thought, ¡®Now you¡¯re under our absolute control, but if Zong Yue doesn¡¯t sit on the throne, with all your pent-up frustration that was umted from enduring for so many years, you¡¯ll probably be another Xuanyuan Cheng.¡¯ ¡®Luckily you¡¯re able to submit to your circumstance.¡¯ Xuanyuan Min carried that Doraemon who refused to let go of the hands encircled around his neck. As he slowly rocked her, he said, ¡°Actually it¡¯s nothing¡­ What I ultimately want is just freedom¡­¡± He squinted, and his expression was one of anticipation as he spoke in a deste tone, ¡°The horse field we grew up in will be prettier next Spring, right? The grass field, the cherries, the flowers, and the purple alfafas¡­ blooming passionately in the colors of red, yellow, purple and green. The sky is so far that its end cannot be seen. When you scream, the echoes will reverberate through the three huge mountains¡­ hehe¡­ It¡¯s so good. I¡¯ve had enough of being surrounded by pce walls and singing lonely tunes. I¡¯ve had enough¡­ really had enough¡­¡± The horse field, the grass patches, and the aromatic fragrance of flowers etched in his memory. The child that belonged to the field from 12 years back, finally crossed past the dark pce in smiles and walked towards the hometown in his dreams, step by step. He brushed his shoulders past Meng Fuyao in a dreamy expression. When he passed by, he suddenly looked over and asked in an extremely low voice, ¡°Meng Fuyao, you put in so much time and effort to help Ah Yue snatch over the position. Is it really just because you¡¯re afraid that I will harm him after I sit on the throne?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s body shook at his words, but Xuanyuan Min had alreadyughed and walked away. Slowly, Meng Fuyao fell into silence. She thought that only she would know the thoughts that were hidden deep in her mind. Who knew that an outsider like Xuanyuan Min would be so clear of her intentions? If he could, why wouldn¡¯t the clear-minded Zong Yue know? Suddenly, Meng Fuyao felt a sense of embarrassment and could not stand being beside Zong Yue anymore. Hurriedly, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get some fresh air from outside.¡± Zong Yue did not move and watched as she escaped out of the pce walls. Momentster, a miserable smile appeared on his pale face. That smile resembled the initial rise of moonlight when the stars had yet to shine, and the moon just hung in istion in the clear and lonely sky. ¡®¡­ Fuyao.¡¯ ¡®You used such aplicated way¡­ just to reject me.¡¯ ¡®I only wanted to be a carefree doctor who could forever be by your side after my mission had beenpleted. But you would rather force me to sit on the throne, and use the responsibility of governing a nation to remove my freedom to chase you.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t actually have to go so many rounds.¡¯ ¡®I have had enough of my double identity and theplex life of moving between darkness and daylight. In front of you, I only wanted to be the simplest person.¡¯ ¡®I wanted to love you in the simplest way.¡¯ ¡®Even if you were bound to give me the simplest form of rejection.¡¯ Meng Fuyao, the natural maniptor of thrones, nosily helped the sharp-tongued man remove the Regent King¡¯s forces and chase Xuanyuan Min away for his eternal safety and security. Zong Yue allowed her to do what she wanted since he only wanted to do one thing¡ªkill Xuanyuan Cheng. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s forces may be removed, but his authority was not totally undermined. After being in power for so many years and being very skilled in politics, he deeply understood the importance of the military. Though he was in such a bad situation, 3,000 soldiers of the Capital Defence still remained in his control. The 3,000 guards in his residence were also the true elite forces. While the external forces outside the borders were just a pretense to hold up his soldiers, a tough and bloody fight in the capital would be truly unavoidable. Zong Yue¡¯s method was to appear rxed but tighten his internal forces and slowly gather his power. Xuanyuan Cheng had always controlled and pressured the underground forces in the nation, so Zong Yue used his status as a ¡®Holy Doctor¡¯ to build his forces in other nations. He did not reject any requests of royals who sought his help and did not ept mary payment. He used these opportunities to ask for favors in exchange. He had the tightest information web in his hands, the most exquisite but advanced military weapons, a rtively small but extremely well-trained army of soldiers. These soldiers were recruited at a young age and went through the toughest training during the chilly winters at the Northern ins of Qiongcang, where the climate was the worst. They were able to use medicine to infiltrate any steel of bronze, and they were also thergest assassin group in the continent under the control of the top assassin, Shadow de. The assassination missions that spanned seven nations were all real-life experiences to train their battling skills. Simr to him, these assassins blended in as the averagemoner on the streets, saving people in the day and killing ruthlessly at night. They could be a teenage girl selling flowers or an old man selling wanton and peaches. Every flower in her basket represented a life lost, while the containers carrying the wanton and peaches contained bloody swords. This group has endured for a long time, and each strike of theirs would definitely be sessful. Over two years, Zong Yue slowly ced his most elite subordinates in different positions in Xuanyuan by using all kinds of methods. During the birthday celebration for Xuanyuan Chengst year, amongst the royals of the continent that came to give their blessings, there were 18 of them who were reced by his subordinates, and they subsequently stayed in Xuanyuan. Chapter 262 - Untitled Chapter 262: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was an intentional move for the Regent King¡¯s daughter to meet him. At the same moment that Xuanyuan Cheng abducted ¡°Zong Yue,¡± the final n was immediately activated. The first and most important target was the Holy Pce. While Meng Fuyao used all her might to trigger the fight between the Xuanyuan officials through maniption in the harem, Zong Yue¡¯s aim had already been pointed to another direction. The first thing he did was to remove the sharpest ws and sturdiest wings of Xuanyuan Cheng ¨C the hidden organizations that especially helped Xuanyuan Cheng to monitor the court officials, investigate and arrest enemies, and secretly threaten the officials who did not listen to him. Before that, when Meng Fuyao dashed to Kunjing, performed on the streets and searched for him for more than half a month in the Regent King¡¯s residence, Zong Yue was already using the fake skin of the Holy Pce Messenger to infiltrate into the Holy Pce headquarters in the southern outskirts of Kunjing. After that, it was merely a cycle of deploying assassins and using cunning methods. Only after the Holy Pce was destroyed, such that the pressurizing threat towards court officials were removed, could he safely link up with the officials who were still emotionally attached to their former master. When problems arose within the Holy Pce, Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s instinctive reaction was to doubt Xuanyuan Min. Hence, it resulted in the hurried process of selecting the Empress. Unfortunately, he was not very lucky as he met the professional throne-snatcher, Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao was not part of Zong Yue¡¯s n. Zong Yue actually intended to rally 100 court officials to speak up against the Regent King and his closest aides, using the reason that Prince Wen You¡¯s case still had many points of contention. ording to Xuanyuan customs, those who were used of betrayal towards the nation by six officials of at least the third rank would have to be temporarily suspended from duties even if they were not convicted, and await investigations from the security bureaus. Of course, Zong Yue was not expecting Xuanyuan Cheng to obediently give up his power. But as long as he took a step back amongst the strong waves of opposition, and stay at home to wait for the chaos to die down, Zong Yue would be able to immediately cut off the ties with his confidantes and kill them. Even if Xuanyuan Cheng chose to change thews and not stay away at home, his close subordinates would still have to retreat from court to avoid overwhelming opposition. By that time, their fate would be up to Zong Yue. The Regent King¡¯s residence may be heavily guarded, but the Grand Schr¡¯s residence definitely was not. A few dayster, the Regent King gave a hurried order to deploy the troops from the Capital Defence and battle against Consort Xian¡¯s father. He also arranged for some of his guards in the Capital to wipe out the opposition camp. He was also an amazing politician of his generation. When he realized that the enemies were lurking in the dark, and retreating would only pronounce a dead corner, he resolutely chose to ce all his bets on one final hitch. Whenever diplomacy was useless in politics, being tougher than the rest was the only way out. The brave guards of the Capital rode speedily, and bellows of dust appeared as the horses galloped by. In a reckless and high-profile fashion, the horses dashed towards the Capital with a murderous aura. Families shut their doors, and businessmen closed their shops. Through the cracks in their doors, they could see the armored soldiers holding their knives and charging into the residences of court officials. However, just as the soldiers stepped past the door, there was an immediate tremor. Then, blood sttered out from the soldiers who flew out of the door. There seemed to be a very strong force that hit the soldier in the chest, and he flew away faster than when he dashed in. While he hit his mates standing at the back of the line, blood spluttered crazily, and ck and small flying arrows appeared simultaneously in front of him. Every arrow was at an unimaginable speed and force, and each one of them was able to sessively strike three people. The fastest to dash in was the fastest to die as well. In an instant, there were already about a dozen corpses lying in front of the residence. Then, while the other soldiers froze in their tracks, the huge door opened, and a ck-clothed and toned man walked out. His appearance was average, but he had a murderous aura. In his hand, he held a strange item that looked like a bow and arrow, and it gave a chilly shine under the reflection of the winter sunlight. The knowledgeable ones probably would have cried out in shock by then. Thus, was the ¡®Pearl-Falling Bow¡¯ which could shoot out 18 arrows sessively. Invented by the most famous crafter of weaponry in Xuanji, this arrow could kill people as fast as pearls falling from a broken string, and nothing could stop its way in a short amount of time. This arrow was extremely expensive, to the point that even a thousand taels of gold would not be able to buy one. Even in Xuanji, where the invention originated from, they were unable to produce it inrge stocks. Yet these people had one of each in their hands. A simple press on their finger and lives would fall as easily as how patches of maize were cut off. It was a powerful arrow used specially to cause long-distance damage. To use it in a simple fight in the alley was such a weird move. The guards of the Capital ended up exploding like mountains of ants. No one was willing to use their flesh to fend against such a monstrous weapon. While the guards shouted to retreat after hundreds of theirpanions were killed, screams sounded in other ces. Guards dashed out of the residences of high-ranking officials towards all directions, and even themands of their superiors could not stop the chaos. While they escaped miserably, elderly officials rushed out and used their walking sticks to poke the guards¡¯ butts. ¡°Shame on you! Tsk!¡± Thy sky was stained with blood, and people thronged the streets like floodwater. Regardless, the ck-clothed men held on to their arrows and watched on coldly. Suddenly, all of them looked up as a whistle sounded from above them. At the cue of the whistle, these men uniformly flipped over the walls of the various residences and dashed to the Regent King¡¯s home! The residence was still as strictly guarded as before, but there were patches of bloodstains, piles of disintegrated flesh and traces of gunpowder in front of the door. There were even some corpses lying around as they were not cleared in time. Just a few moments ago, Consort Xian¡¯s father had led his army to charge pastyers of obstacles to reach a distance of three yards away from the Regent King¡¯s residence. That was also the closest distance he had ever achieved in killing the Regent King. Three yards away from the residence, while Consort Xian¡¯s father happily instructed his subordinates to carry out the ¡°final attack,¡± the ck steel walls of the residence suddenly flipped. Huge and solemn gunners appeared, and each wall was packed with three of them! Having only prepared for an alley fight, Consort Xian¡¯s father totally did not expect Xuanyuan Cheng to actually construct his residence as a city. As such, the gunners fired, and he died. In the meantime, from the highest point of the residence, which was also the highest point of the city, the windows of the viewing gallery suddenly opened in unison. Countless bows and arrows appeared, facing 360 degrees and covering every angle, and the opposing army fell quickly under the wave of arrows. From the fourth level onwards, the bows and arrows were used. Below that, thunder crash bombs were thrown out, forming a dark arc in the night sky, and patches of red appeared wherever theynded on. At the top of the gallery, the calm andposed Regent King wore clothes and a crown befitting of a noble king. cing both of his hands on the window frame, he looked down and smirked. Only then had the bloodshed of Kunjing officially entered the climax. When Xuanyuan Cheng forcefully defeated the betrayer, Consort Xian¡¯s father, Zong Yue simultaneously appeared in front of the residence. Zong Yue was still dressed in clothes as white as snow, and his lips were as red as a cherry. He calmly rode an equally calm white horse, and he seemed to float like a bright pearl above the clouds. When he stopped in front of the residence, he looked up, and he met Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s gaze. It was a vengeance that spanned over 10 odd years and two generations. For the past decade or so, they had schemed tirelessly against one another, and each day was a matter of life or death to them. Yet, it was only now that they were truly facing each other as enemies. Xuanyuan Cheng squinted his eyes, and the eyes resembled arrows that were coated with poison. On the other hand, Zong Yue merely looked up nonchntly without any facial expression. He did not seem like he was staring at an enemy whom he had endured over 10 years to scheme and plot against, but rather a flower that belonged to his garden. During the day, he would protect and cherish them, but at night, his blood-coated boots would mercilessly step on these fragile blooms. They were separated by 10 odd years of grievances, the smell of scorching firewood mixed with gunpowder, and a tall building made of copper and steel walls. They locked gazes for just a second, and then, both shifted their eyes away. Xuanyuan Cheng raised his arm ¨C he was going to use his rich stock of weapons in the viewing gallery to destroy these bunch of ants who had overestimated their own strength. Meanwhile, Zong Yue gently snapped his fingers. He had activated the cue for the attack. However, his attack started from within the residence! Bang! A deafening sound marked the start of the final life or death match between Xuanyuan Cheng and Xuanyuan Yue. It was also a reflection of the bloody ending of Prince Wen Yi¡¯s when his entire household was killed. A bomber could be bombed by anyone else! After the bang, plumes of smoke exploded out of the viewing gallery, and the structure started to waver slightly. Then, the degree of wavering slowly increased, and the smoke rose higher and higher into the sky. Over time, smoke eventually covered half of the gallery and amongst the smoke were crimson red sparks of fire. The fire sent its red tongues continuously licking across the sturdy building. What made the situation worse was the explosive weapons hidden in the gallery. This rming explosion was, essentially, a talisman that sped up the rate of death. As the fire grewrger andrger, sounds of firecrackers and explosions continued to ring, and the explosive weapons shot out of the gallery uncontrobly. While it aggravated the damage caused, more lives were lost as well. Guards on the gallery continually screamed as they were toppled down, and theynded in the fire and were burnt to death. 3,000 loyal guards dashed out to put out the fire, but they realized that there were continuous explosions on the ground beneath them and the ground flipped open. The rooms were shattered to ruins, and the trees toppled over. There were always people dying from the dark red mes that suddenly appeared at their feet, and from the front of the residence to the viewing gallery, the route was filled with corpses or pieces of broken limbs. The guards screamed as they dispersed, and they slowly realized that the line of the explosion was the route that led to the viewing gallery. The intention was only to cut all possible sources of remuneration. As such, the guards stopped in their tracks and stared at each other, being unable to understand why such an aggressive explosion could appear in the heavily guarded residence. Just then, Zong Yue raised his hand. The ck-clothed men immediately changed the arrows on their bows to rockets, aggravating the situation! Screams and howls rang more frequently and panicked, and on the viewing gallery, Xuanyuan Cheng could no longer maintain his calm. He tried to turn and walk down the gallery, and from afar, one could see the confusion and shock in his expression. Zong Yue watched on silently, but his eyebrows slightly raised as a sign of mockery. The method was actually very simple: it was an act of perseverance. Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s residence was known to be one made of steel. Not only was it hard for outsiders to enter, but his guards were also carefully chosen and maintained. He moved the people living around him to other ces, and builtyers of walls and deployed countless guards. He even personally invented a small suspending hammer that would rm him if there were tremors beneath the ground, which was to prevent people from digging a tunnel into his residence. The defense that heid out could be considered to be super tight and secure. However, Xuanyuan Cheng still made a fatal mistake. To better control Xuanyuan Min, he ced his residence at a spot very near to the pce. This was no doubt opening up another door. His residence might be hard to infiltrate, but there were plenty of opportunities for people to scheme in the pce, especially if his opponents thought through their ns meticulously and were not afraid to resort to any means. Chapter 263 - Untitled Chapter 263: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Ten years ago, Zong Yue was betrayed, and forced to escape and hide, and his loyal servant was skinned alive. The guard that resulted in all of these ¡°identally¡± died because of a snake¡¯s bite. One of his children was raised by an old widow. After the child grew up, he entered the pce as a eunuch to make ends meet. Because of this background, the department in charge of manpower did not doubt him and let him enter, despite having a reputation of being very strict with background checks. Afterward, because of his loyalty and shrewdness, he was even chosen to serve beside the Emperor. When the child was adopted by the old widow, he ¡°met¡± a thief who was especially skilled in digging tunnels and the child learned the skill from him. After finishing learning the technique, he continuously tried to use this skill to earn more, but every time, he would fail and be heavily beaten. He also tried to start a small business and do manualbor to sustain his livelihood and his mother¡¯s. However, he was strangely unlucky. Every business would end in deficit, and everybor work he did would result in people picking fights with him. In the end, he was forced to have no other choice but to be a eunuch. After bing a close attendant of the Emperor, there were still people who continued to check on his background, until they could confirm that he was indeed an average and pitiful child who was unlucky. It was only then that he was allowed to stay by Xuanyuan Min. This child was none other than Little An. The manipted life of this child was one of thergest ns than Zong Yue formted in the past 10 years to defeat Xuanyuan Cheng. Little An worked hard his whole life for his ¡°adoptive mother,¡± and his ¡°adoptive mother¡± used her entire lifetime to request that he seeded well in one thing. It was digging tunnels. In the morning, he would attend to the Emperor. At night, he would secretly dig tunnels. The front stages of the work were still smooth. However, towards theter stages of digging the tunnel towards the Regent King¡¯s residence, Little An became even more silent and less noticeable than ever. Almost every shovel he took would take about eight minutes toplete. Sometimes, he could dig the distance of half a finger in one night. He took three years to dig this tunnel, and he had just finished the mission when he went to receive Meng Fuyao in the pce the previous time. As for the concretizing of the tunnel to prevent leakage, or stuffing the tunnel with explosives, these were left for other people to do. There was a whole bunch of people, with stories simr to Little An, that Zong Yue ¡°raised.¡± Those who worsened Prince Wen Yi¡¯s circumstances back then, or the betrayers who turned to support the Regent King quickly, were already noticed by him. However, he did not kill them and only controlled them over the long term. They would be left as passes for him to infiltrate into Xuanyuan Cheng¡¯s inner circle. Xuanyuan Cheng could doubt everything else, but he definitely would not have thought that Zong Yue would use people in his own camp to defeat him. Indeed, it was a choice that people in power would choose; long term benefits always prevailed over short-term exhrations. As long as he could kill Xuanyuan Cheng, how major could the crimes that these sinnersmitted be? As such, Zong Yue smiled calmly. Blood and fire were all over the ce, but he remained uncontaminated andposed. He had enough of blood and the life of switching identities between day and night. He thought that after tonight, he could truly be that clean-freak doctor who loved flowers and healed people, and stop staining his hands with blood and just spend his life worrying for that woman who loved to fight. Yet she pushed him onto another road, and from then on, he still had to continue killing others. So be it. Slightly exhausted and annoyed, he raised his head and looked at the viewing gallery, which was engulfed in smoke and red mes. He looked at how Xuanyuan Cheng decided on flying down the viewing gallery that was about to copse, and he smiled. He rolled his sleeves and counted internally. ¡®One, two, three¡­¡¯ Ping! Xuanyuan Cheng, who was jumping halfway out of the window, suddenly dropped hard towards the ground. However, when he reached the corner of the fourth level, he hung on the brick roof. That level was filled with thunder crash bombs, and the explosion was the most aggressive one. The mes approached him like shooting stars and quickly lit his robes on fire. The thick ck smoke caused him to cough continuously, and he could not open his eyes no matter how hard he tried. Even though a chill went down his spine, Xuanyuan Cheng tried hard to calm his breath. To his horror, he realized that his stomach area was airy, as though there was nothing inside. Where was his inner energy? What about his martial arts? Why was his inner energy suddenly sucked away even before he had time to shoot the ¡®Spirit Shocking Arrow¡¯? And when did all of these start? The mes quickly spread on his body, and it burned his skin such that there were sizzling sounds. It was an extremely unbearable level of heat, and the patch of burned skin looked so bad that everyone in the universe would even feel pity for¡­ In his sub-consciousness, he thought of someone simr. He had ordered for that person¡¯s skin to be cut off, and when the scorching metal touched the skin, it sizzled in the same way. Even the smell of burned stuff was also like that¡­ Oh¡­ No, not right. It was not this way. The sound was simr, but the smell¡­ the smell was different! In an instant, he opened his eyes that were blinded by the burn. In the awkward posture, he tried to raise his head and look towards Zong Yue¡¯s face. It was the fake Xuanyuan Yue who was already sentenced to death! They were so alike¡­ it was a face that the exact replica of Prince Wen Yi¡¯s. He had always thought that it was really Xuanyuan Yue and no one else could be so alike. In spite of this, he continued being cautious and never stood close to that person. He stood far on the steps in the jail and looked at his subordinates execute the punishments. So¡­ So it could happen in this way too¡­ Xuanyuan Cheng twisted on the roof and turned into a pile of charred flesh that could not be distinguished as human. Zong Yue looked up at him calmly. Did anyone hear of the term ¡®Human Medicine¡¯? A person would have to be chosen to eat special medicine for every meal and be soaked in a tub full of herbs every day and night. Even when asleep, he or she would have to be fumigated by the aroma of medicine, until every part of the body, skin, flesh, and fingernails were all infiltrated. In these long days, he also used his nimble hands to keep adjusting that person¡¯s face who was already very simr, using his own face as a reference. In this slow manner, he used years to quietly change that person¡¯s face. He knew that Xuanyuan Cheng would definitely use harsh tools on him and could not help but watch the process. As long as that person¡¯s skin was broken, the rancid smell of his blood would slowly seep into the organs of whoever was watching. The higher the level of the victim¡¯s martial arts, the greater the damage done. Whoever was affected would suddenly explode the next time they tried to use their inner energy. Zong Yue¡¯s prediction that Xuanyuan Cheng would go up to the viewing gallery was as urate as his prediction that Xuanyuan Cheng would eventually copse from the highest point of that building. ¡®Perfectly in this way. I want you to die in this way, to fall miserably and die in an ugly fashion. It is the same as how you personally killed Prince Wen Yi back then,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Dad-¡± A shrill scream suddenly sounded, and the voice was so powerful that it was louder than the chaotic crowd. Instantly, Zong Yue¡¯s smile froze. Yun Er! He had already instructed people to enter the residence, knock her out, and send her to her grandfather¡¯s house. Why would she appear at the bottom of the viewing gallery? Hurriedly, Zong Yue pointed towards the viewing gallery. ¡°Dash in and stop her!¡± The ck-clothed subordinates quickly jumped over the wall, but they were still one step toote. That small figure had already wielded away some of the guards who tried to block her, and she stepped on the corpses on the floor as momentum to fly up. A secondter, she reached the fourth level, and among all the blood and fire, she hugged the half-burned, wriggling and indistinguishable father. Immediately, her body was also lighting up in fire. Her ck hair turned into ash, and her skin turned to blood. As the tongues of the me flickered, she also rolled up in pain, but she never let go of her father¡¯s dead body. At that moment, only the mes could hear her say, ¡°Dad, I was wrong.¡± 13 years of vengeance ended up as this massive fire that fell upon Kunjing. Theplicated feelings of love, hatred, greed, and misery were all burned to nothingness. And the child that shyly smiled in this journey forever disappeared without a trace. About three streets away, a woman who was hurriedly galloping on her horse suddenly stopped. Then, she slowly shut her eyes. Her body trembled in the same way as the girl on the gallery. Subsequently, she lowered her head silently into her palms. Behind her, a man who was dressed in purple robes gently pulled her into his embrace. He turned around, blocking that intensely grim scene. Caringly, he patted the woman in his hands. Looking back, he saw the white-clothed man shoot up from the back of the horse and fly towards the top of the viewing gallery. In his eyes, there was a small sigh that signaled helplessness. On that day, the Regent King, who had enjoyed superior authority for 13 years did not manage to finish thest new year in his life. In the end, Xuanyuan Yun was saved by Zong Yue and did not die. However, she would forever lose her skin, which resembled the texture of jade, and she also lost her own voice. No one knew if she became mute because of the burn, or because she was no longer to speak in this polluted world after that firepletely burned away the beautiful things in her life. Meng Fuyao felt very guilty for this. She rushed down to personally send Xuanyuan Yun away, but she was toote. She was even more repentant for manipting Xuanyuan Yun to get that map from her, which dealt Xuanyuan Yun so much hurt. Sinful people should be punished, but what right did she have to harm the innocent? But Zong Yue told her that he did not use that map at all. By analyzing his route of attack, it was indeed true that there was no rtion with Xuanyuan Yun. Meng Fuyao understood that this was Zong Yue¡¯s way of protecting her. He was not willing to let her bear the guilt of involving the innocent, and he would rather choose that he bore the consequences of all these evil deeds himself. The 12th year of the Zhaoning era in Xuanyuan ended in a night of blood and fire, and it would forever go down in history. On the day that Xuanyuan Cheng died, Xuanyuan Min left the pce to be the idle Prince in a rural city. When he stepped out of the pce, he slowly turned around and gazed at the walls that had locked him up for 12 whole years. In that instant, there was a mix of emotions in his eyes, but a peaceful expression was eventually restored. In front of the pce door, the white parade square made of jade extended in front of him like a pond, under the reflection of the cold moonlight. That was a clear and magnificent mirror that reflected the rebirth of the Xuanyuan court. In the cold weather, the man who no longer had his makeup on suddenly rolled up his sleeves gently. Pinching his fingers, his lips widened, and he sang in the lonely and windy night, which still smelled of gunpowder, ¡°The rivers and the mountains remain the same, but where did the ambitions of the youngd go? It has disappeared into dust unknowingly! The river still feels warm, and that pains my heart! Wait, this is not the water of the river¡­ it is the blood of heroes that even a duration of 20 years would not be sufficient for it to finish flowing!¡± Beside him, a small girl held on to his sleeve tightly and raised her head in admiration. Her eyes were bright and gleaming. ¡°Brother Ah Liu, you sing so well.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xuanyuan Min paused and went into a daze for a while. Then, he smiled, picked up the child¡¯s hand, and walked away. ¡°But I will never again sing in my life.¡± In the spring of the next year, the new Emperor seeded the throne and unveiled the era of Cheng Qing. Before the new Emperor ascended the throne, he tried to gift the 600-milend on the borders of Xuanyuan and Dahan to Meng Fuyao, but Meng Fuyao politely rejected it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the rabbit of King Meng of Dahan will never run to your house again.¡± Zong Yue stayed quiet. Secondster, he smiled. He said, ¡°But what if the head of Xuanyuan has the intention to invite Master Nine Heavens to be the Protector and Teacher of the nation, and be crowned as a noble?¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao grinned and answered with pride. ¡°A reluctant yes.¡± She gave Zong Yue a reassuring pat on her shoulder and ¡®instructed¡¯ him, ¡°Be a good emperor. I¡¯ll conduct spot checks.¡± After she said her piece, she turned to leave without hesitation. But somehow, the intense gaze from the man behind her seemed to add weight to her steps, making her feel uneasy. She could only turn back. Without nothing else better to say, she tried to make conversation. ¡°Hey, why did you refuse to take down your mask despite knowing that I was searching for Zong Yue?¡± The man donned in ivory white remained silent. Then, he quietly replied, ¡°Ask me again the next time youe to Xuanyuan.¡± The corners of Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched. Rolling her eyes at him, she turned away. Behind her, Zong Yue¡¯s eyes were focused on her. Only when her figurepletely vanished from his sight did he slowly sit down on that precious throne of his, overlooking thevish ce. The cup of tea in his hands reflected his face. He stared back at his reflection in deep thought as he gently touched the side of his face. ¡®Fuyao. ¡®I did not remove my mask for I hoped that¡­ ¡®You would perhaps fall in love with that me.¡¯ ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Up to you. But there is an invite that you¡¯ll definitely be interested in.¡± ¡°Mn?¡± ¡°Xuanji has recently chosen a new empress. They have invited the leader of the three states, Nine Heavens, Meng Fuyao to join the ceremony.¡± ¡°Ah?!¡± ¡°I demand a red packet 1 !¡± Her slim white arm stretched over, on the table with a custom made red packet in her hands. That red packet was extremely huge¡ªwith a circumference of three feet. Beside that arm squatted a ball of white, following suit immediately. One human and one guinea pig salivated over their potential fortune as they stared at their goldmine with expectations. The person of attention leaned back in his chair leisurely as his fingers tapped lightly on the table. With a side nce, hemented, ¡°Yuan Bao, I have finally understood the meaning ¡®touch pitch, and you will be defiled¡¯ thanks to you.¡± The decadent Lord Yuan Bao squatted in a corner in shame and sulked. Meanwhile, the intrepid Lord Meng never had the phrases ¡®retreat without a fight¡¯ or ¡®feeling ashamed of her inferiority¡¯ in her dictionary. Her red packet was still in her hand as she continued to pester him. ¡°I don¡¯t have high expectations. All I want is two thousand dors worth of notes to fill this packet up. I believe that the ever honorable Crown Prince will not reject this small request of mine.¡± The Crown Prince smirked teasingly as he looked up. ¡°Rx, no one will dare to treat Lord Meng shabbily.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao raised her brow as she rested her chin on her palm. ¡°Lest your rabbit runs amok.¡± ¡°That sentenceing out from Ji Yu, that ice block¡¯s mouth¡­ It¡¯s too effective¡­¡± Meng Fuyao grinned. ¡°¡­ Eh, why was he the one that led my army? Zhan Beiye doesn¡¯t want him anymore?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± said the crown prince in an impish manner. ¡°You have to know that with such a circumstance, Ji Yu cannot be an official.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him. ¡°Shameless, shameless.¡± ¡°Thank you for yourpliments,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji humbly. Meng Fuyao was exasperated. This Crown Prince had such thick skin and vicious heart that the likelihood of him discovering his conscience was even slimmer than Zhan Beiye dancing nude in public. She could only change the topic. ¡°Hey, so are we going to celebrate the coronation of the next empress? But you haven¡¯t even told me who she is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± replied Zhangsun Wuji honestly. ¡°They actually didn¡¯t write the name of the new empress. Who knows what tricks Feng Xuan has up his sleeves this time.¡± ¡°He ain¡¯t dead?¡± Meng Fuyao was confounded. ¡°If he is not dead, then why did they cornate the new ruler?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll just abdicate then. There are many examples, such as this. Before this, Taiyuan faced the same issues due to the overwhelming numbers of heirs, and the conflict left the old emperor with no choice but to relinquish his throne. In Xuanji¡¯s case, not only are there many sons, but there are also many daughters, worsening the conflict. ¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°But in my opinion, this is not as simple as it seems.¡± ¡°How many kids are there? I¡¯ve only seen three.¡± ¡°Eight males, nine females. There were more initially, but they died.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ their reproductive abilities¡­¡± Meng Fuyao gasped in amazement. ¡°Like pigs¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji nced at her knowingly. After a while, he came to a decision. ¡°Since you have the habit of getting into trouble no matter where you go, let me briefly share with you the information on the piglets.¡± ¡°No need, no need.¡± Meng Fuyao knocked her knuckles on the table as her smile reached her eyes. ¡°Or is there anyone else who has been bullied, oppressed, and needs this olddy here to give a helping hand? Ah¡­ Yun Hen, Brother Yun! But he seems to be a little far from the throne, no?¡± ¡°Nothing is certain in this world.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Perhaps Xuanji might notice the heroic, handsome you and decide to beg you to be the next emperor.¡± ¡°Ho, that sounds about right.¡± Meng Fuyao came to a ¡®realization,¡¯ and she waved her hand carelessly. ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°The Empress has two sons and two daughters, giving her thepetitive edge over others. Then, it is followed by Noble Consort Rong with two daughters and one son, with both the eldest princess and son under her name. Next, Concubine Ninges from a powerful background, and her son, the third prince, has some authority too. Apparently, he is known to be well-versed in literature and martial arts, and hence, very much favored by Feng Xuan. As for the others, while there are still talents, their futures are restricted by the status of the mothers. Just take note of them.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­¡± Meng Fuyao bent down and attentively looked through the details of the Xuanji¡¯s royal heirs. ¡°Why is it that the Empress¡¯ children are the youngest? And after the Empress, why are there no other concubines or consorts that gave birth? This doesn¡¯t make any sense. ording to his age, Feng Xuan should still be able to reproduce? Could it be that they got tired of giving birth?¡± ¡°Feng Xuan¡¯s current Empress is a step-empress. She¡¯s a lot younger than Feng Xuan and other concubines.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled meaningfully. ¡°She is renowned for her jealousy and cruelty among the Five Continent Region.¡± Meng Fuyao chortled. ¡°Noble Consort Wan?¡± Zhangsun Wuji watched her suspiciously. ¡°Nothing much. Just remembered some history about the possessive and jealous Wan Noble Consort who did not allow other women to give birth to princes and princesses. The two probably came out from the same mold.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed and brushed him off quickly. A thought shed through her mind but vanished in a second. She looked up and noticed Zhangsun Wuji observing her. ¡°Fuyao, which country and dynasty did this historye from?¡± he questioned. ¡®Urgh, I identally leaked out information again,¡¯ Meng Fuyao reprimanded herself. Zhangsun Wuji added. ¡°Fuyao, this odd history of yours, don¡¯t bring it up in front of anyone else.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded, agreeing with him that she shouldn¡¯t reveal so much. She stood up and stretched. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Get the waiter to bring up the food. Ah, what a lonely New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.¡± She poked her head out of the window, watching as the heartwarming families celebrated their reunion dinner, listening to the cheers andughter as they drank the night away. A soft sigh escaped from her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a lively reunion dinner where everyone would gather around arge table and eat¡­¡± ¡°Why did you leave so quickly?¡± Zhangsun Wuji patted her head. ¡°If you didn¡¯t insist on leaving Kunjing yesterday, Zong Yue would have definitely arranged all the officials to drink the night away with you.¡± ¡°Forget about it.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay in Kunjing and see the fresh blood still stuck to the corners of the wall, the Sky-Weing Tower that was half destroyed¡­ I would be reminded of the father and daughter hanging on the fourth floor¡­ Xuanyuan Cheng deserved it, but Xuanyuan Yun was innocent¡­ I¡­ It was all my fault.¡± Her hand gripped the window frame as she watched the tiny city beside Xuanyuan being slowly lit up. A sad smile crept onto her face. ¡°Fallen buildings can be rebuilt, but broken hearts are hard to mend¡­ I hope that Zong Yue can rest with his people and hope that he¡¯ll be a good emperor¡­¡± ¡°Fuyao.¡± The man behind her called out gently. As her heart warmed, she had already been pulled into his embrace. Her back leaned against his chest, and she could feel his heartbeat despite the clothes. She stood there, quietly listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat, calming her heavy heart with his soothing warmth. Soon, their hearts danced together to the same rhythm, dancing away thest of loneliness in this cold New Year Eve. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m here.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled slightly. Watching Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s shadow being cast onto the wall in front of her, she slowly stretched out her fingers and drew a heart on the shadow. ¡®Mhm¡­ I know you are here.¡¯ Neither of them said a word as they quietly enjoyed the stillness of the night, listening to the time slowly tick away as a new year weed them. Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips curled. ¡®A cozy and peaceful night is good too,¡¯ she thought warmly. All of a sudden, with a ¡®Bam,¡¯ red fireworks bloomed in the sky, dyeing the sky in vibrant neon lights, illuminating Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Swoosh! Swoosh! The beautiful red sparkled in various parts of the city, scattering across the sky like stars. Those fireworks were not expensive ones used by only the imperial family but normal firecrackers used by the citizens. Every family set off their firecrackers and fireworks as the atmosphere of the city was immediately transformed into a noisy, lively one. Countless of fireworks bloomed extravagantly in the sky like cherry blossoms. Under the light, doors suddenly creaked open. Kids and their parents carried theirnterns as they walked out excitedly with firecrackers in their hands. The streets resembled the Milky Way, driving away the darkness and gloominess that had previously consumed the city. In an instant, the city was being lit up. Meng Fuyao stared at this scene¡ªthis coincidental liveness. ¡®No, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence,¡¯ she thought. The citizens in this city were extremely poor. Even in the best inn, the bed was but a cheap piece of wood that would creak with every movement, barely lined with anything. Not every family could afford fireworks. Then, she remembered that when she passed by the magistrates¡¯ court, she had seen people queuing for something. She initially thought that it was just the officials giving out money to help the poor to tide over the new year. But now, it seemed like they were probably giving out firecrackers to celebrate this night, to show a bustling and flourishing scene for this new beginning. Chapter 265 - Untitled Chapter 265: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao¡¯s arrival lit up a city. The spectacr fireworks were a gift from the man garbed in white. He knew that she would not enjoy a luxurious wee in a war-torn city where the scent of blood still lingered, yet feared solitude and looked forward to enjoying the warmth of gathering. Hence, he chose to set off fireworks so as to chase away the loneliness. Meng Fuyao eyes reflected the vibrant colors in the sky. That year, she gave that person a bustling scene. This year, another had put in great effort to present her with an astir city. All the beautiful thoughts in the world unfurled in front of her eyes; so precious that it made one feel bittersweet. Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji hugged her as he too enjoyed the splendor of this city. ¡®I had such ns too, but since I am on yournd since Fuyao is by my side, forget it¡­¡¯ he thought with a slight sense of superiority. But, just feeling touched for a while was enough. Just a while. The magnanimous crown prince, a trait he had apparently given himself, admired the lips that had enamored him so much with glee. And then, he leaned in for a kiss. Fireworks burst through the dark night, leaving a zing trail of red. The window embellished with curtains that drape down halfway made the perfect frame for the night sky. As the gentle breeze caressed and teased their hair, the two remained in each others¡¯ arms as they stood there quietly, cherishing the moment they had. Another year had passed, just like that. Meng Fuyao was now continuing her uncertain journey as a 19-year-old. Compared to a year ago, or even the loneliness and emptiness from three years ago, despite the hardships she had gone through, every day was filled with fulfillment. She had left a mark on the world with her arrival¡ªthe Five Regions Continent remembered her, just like how she so vividly remembered her previous life. Meng Fuyao smiled as she led her horse along the tranquil streets. After a night of celebrations, every household was resting behind closed doors. Meng Fuyao walked over the tiny pieces of red from the firecrackers as a feeling of warmth surged in her heart. She looked up at the city gates as she left the city. There were three holes made from a sword. The blood that was spilled that day was long gone. But it was right here, three months ago, that the other Zong Yue, the world¡¯s best assassin, had taught her how to sneak past security. She wasn¡¯t a good student¡ªhe peeled off human skin, but she ripped off pieces. As she passed by the hill, she slowed down, looking back at the position she and Tie Cheng had hidden themselves as they observed the man in ck¡¯s amazing skills in the dark night. Zong Yue that fellow¡¯s body was certainly worth salivating over¡­ Meng Fuyao revealed ascivious smile over his body. ¡®That guy should be currently busy with stabilizing his regime by eliminating those who oppose him and giving confidence in those who believe him, huh,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought. The most splendid man in the whole of the Five Region Continent; he deserved his throne. She smiled as she changed reins. From far away, a melodic piece could be heard. The notes sounded as if they came from the pages of history, quietly mourning a loss. They echoed, a deep timbre different from that of a flute, yet, left a pleasant, mellow aftertaste to those who heard it. From above the city walls, icy snowkes fluttered gracefully from the sky. The snowkes danced quietly to the rhythm of the melody,nding onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s charcoal ckshes. Her warmth silently melted the tiny snowke. A tiny drop of water formed at the corner of her eyes, as though expressing emotional state. Wind, road, separation, and melody. A song of ¡®Remembrance.¡¯ To remember who, to remember what? Back then, he had performed this song for her as he shared with her his past. Now, it was a song of separation where his yearnings had morphed into a snowke, quietly forming a tear of longing on her cheeks. Right now, she was outside the city, looking in the direction of the city as she sat on her horse. He was in the city, gazing in the direction she had left. She was outside, as the snow fluttered down while the melody rang. As the floor and the sky blended into one uniform color, she was reminded of the man with beautiful eyes. He was inside, performing a song for her as he reminisced the little details they had experienced with one another¡­ that time she had pounced over urgently¡­ that time where she had protected his head with her hand as the sword probed in¡­ the close stool bed she had painstakingly made¡­ the gentleness she had as she carefully applied medication on him¡­ the kiss in her palm¡­ the hug behind the wall¡­ hitting her head against his chest¡­ making a wish under the redntern¡­ the first and perhaps thest time they could spend time together¡ªjust the two of them. Through the trials and tribtions, they had¡­ those were the days that could not be reced. Those days that they apanied and supported each other through every adversity. From now on, his life would head in the direction of fame and glory, but he would never love again. The end of the song, the silence from the two. Meng Fuyao watched the city guards but still, she could not spot him. After a while, she drew her dagger and flicked her finger against that dark de. Wong¡ª A crisp, loud sound could be heard. Meng Fuyao smiled in that direction and galloped away. She galloped away, but that unique sound that belonged to her rang in the air for a long time. In the city, the man donned in white slowly put down his ocarina. His long fingers gently caressed the ocarina. The corner of his lips curled up into a small smile. ¡®Fuyao, take care.¡¯ As she passed by the Xuanyuan border, she could spot groups of people with torches in their hands. They were reasonably far away so as to not cause chaos or create a ruckus. The Emperor of Dahan paced around the border, waiting to wee her. With a hand on her forehead, sheined, ¡°A tiger in front, a wolf at the back and a fox beside me¡­ Why is my life so hard¡­ Ahhh¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao on her shoulder, with a cape around its shoulder, thought, ¡®You heartless piece of sh*t. You sure didn¡¯tin about them when you were using them.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be helped. Meng Fuyao knew that it was easy for her to invite the ¡®Gods¡¯ but hard for her to send them away. She sniffed as she braced herself. ¡°Ah, what a good weather today, is Your Majesty out for a hunt?¡± Zhan Beiye stared at her as he replied nonchntly, ¡°I am out to hunt for rabbits.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched. Apparently, hunting rabbits was now the synonym for robbery. ¡°I have nothing on me.¡± Meng Fuyao opened her arms. ¡°I¡¯ve certainly had nothing His Majesty would take an interest in.¡± ¡°I just need you,¡± Zhan Beiye said straightforwardly, totally ignoring the Zhangsun Wuji beside her. Meng Fuyao looked up and nced at the soldiers behind Zhan Beiye. Those soldiers belonged to King Han¡¯s army. ¡®Can¡¯t this fellow look at the current situation and not just confess? He needs to know my future subordinates are listening,¡¯ she thought in annoyance. ¡°I heard you are going to Xuanji.¡± Before she had the chance to reply, Zhan Beiye added. ¡°How do you n to go there?¡± ¡°Through Yaocheng and then follow the waterway to Xuanji.¡± Zhangsun Wuji broke his silence, and with a smile, he said, ¡°Fuyao hasn¡¯t gone back to Yaocheng in a while.¡± ¡°From Fuyao¡¯s territory, she can enter Xuanji directly.¡± Zhan Beiye red back. ¡°Fuyao hasn¡¯t been to her fief.¡± Meng Fuyao facepalmed¡­¡¯Having too muchnd sure isn¡¯t a good thing¡­¡¯ ¡°Let Fuyao decide for herself.¡± This sentence was actually said by Zhan Beiye! Meng Fuyao looked up at him, surprised, but then, he casually added another sentence. ¡°Empress Dowager has followed me out for a change of pace. She is currently resting at Wuqing County 50 miles from here, and she really wishes to see you. Her health is not the best, and I don¡¯t dare to bring her along with the army. She¡¯s now there waiting for you.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him¡­¡¯Zhan Beiye you actually dare to y mind games with me!¡¯ This was the ce where it was the closest to the three countries, the best ce to decide whether to go via Wuji or via Dahan. The moment she went to Wuqing county, there would be no justifiable reason to make a detour back to Wuji. While Zhan Beiye gave her the power to decide, it was but an illusion of choice. To go Wuqing county would essentially mean that she would be taking the Dahan route. But how could she bear to make the sickly Empress Dowager wait in this weather? ¡®Damn this Zhan Beiye, how dare he involve his mother?¡¯ Zhan Beiye understood her gaze and raised his brows. ¡°You can go wherever you want. Empress Dowager hasn¡¯t been out for many years, and she¡¯s just out for a change of pace.¡± Meng Fuyao red at him. ¡®Yes, she came out on her own ord, but she wouldn¡¯t suddenly choose Wuqing County, would she?¡¯ Zhan Beiye weed her gaze head-on. While she didn¡¯t particrly think that whichever route she took was important, it just didn¡¯t sit well with her that she had to make the decision in front of everyone. Just as she hesitated, Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°Since Dahan¡¯s Empress Dowager wishes to see you, then head to Wuqing County.¡± Meng Fuyao heaved a sigh of relief and gave Zhangsun Wuji face of gratitude. He looked back with a smile and gave her a ¡°taking a step back isn¡¯t the most important, sometimes showing who the boss is¡± kind of gaze. Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips curled up and threw back a ¡°you are the sliest¡± gaze. Zhan Beiye watched on as the two interacted with their gazes. Suddenly, he raised his whip and pointed towards the direction of Wuji¡¯s border. With a smile, he asked, ¡°Crown Prince, if the Dahan army were to cross your borders and invite your officials over to our capital as guests, I wonder how that would feel?¡± Chapter 266 - Untitled Chapter 266: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Kacha¡ª Following the noise, several dozen longswords shot through the sky, emitting a snow-white glow. They formed a wide made of light, trapping Zhan Beiye within it. Among the glow cast by the swords, Zhangsun Wuji smiled peacefully and said, ¡°Instead of activating such arge army to invite Wuji to Pandu, why not let me invite Your Majesty the Emperor of Dahan to Zhongzhou as my guest, wouldn¡¯t that be even better?¡± ng! The Dahan army, which had been keeping a close distance with Zhan Beiye, suddenlyunched into action, unsheathing their swords. Beside Zhan Beiye, Little Seven remained silent as he advanced forward, slicing at Zhangsun Wuji with a sh of his sword. Zhan Beiye quickly raised his hand and stopped his army and Little Seven. He coldly nced around at the forests and greenery behind him where several Wuji hidden guards had suddenly appeared to attack him and said expressionlessly, ¡°With just these few?¡± Zhangsun Wuji snorted. ¡°As well as the Yao City Infantry near our borders. The soldiers of the Yao City Infantry are famed to be loyal and brave, men among men. One of them even single-handedly infiltrated an enemy camp and brought back the head of the general. I think there is no need to burden the King of Han.¡± Meng Fuyao gazed at the sky¡­ ¡®If you guys want to fight then go ahead and fight, why are you involving me in this? Zhangsun Wuji, you¡¯re too cruel, the one that offended you is Burden Zhan, why are you finding me instead.¡¯ Zhan Beiye turned around and nced at her for a moment, the tension on his face rxing slightly. He suddenly saw the scene from the wild mountains near Yao City from that night, the girl who was weeping in theke, her jade-like skin glistening under the moonlight and the blood-stained footprints on the rocks by theke. ¡®Sigh¡­ Forget it.¡¯ Did he really intend to rough it out with Wuji? The Emperor of Dahan looked up at the sky, allowing the cold snowkes to fall on his face, cooling his burning face slightly. With much difficulty, he suppressed his anger at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s tactics against him. Zhangsun Wuji smiled and waved away the hidden guards. Hiding his hands in his sleeves, he said amicably, ¡°Wuji and Dahan have always been friends, I was merely joking with you, I wouldn¡¯t mind at all.¡± Zhan Beiye let out augh as well. He reached out to grab the reins of Meng Fuyao¡¯s horse and said, ¡°Honestly, if we wanted to fight, we wouldn¡¯t even have to speak first.¡± The two of them looked at each other. Although both of them wore smiles on their faces, Meng Fuyao felt electricity tingling in the air, followed by a loud crack of thunder, making her jump in shock. ¡®Damn, the lightning has struck the volcano again¡­¡¯ Throughout the entire journey, Empress Dowager had been taken care of thoroughly by the eunuchs. Thedy looked well taken care of and in top health. It was obvious that Zhan Beiye had done his best to care for her¡ªafter all, the reason why he traveled thousands of miles and fought countless bloody battles to seize the throne was simply to ensure that his mother would live herter years in peace. When Empress Dowager saw Meng Fuyao, she immediately let out a wide smile and reached out to hug her. ¡°My daughter-inw¡­¡± she called. Meng Fuyao was about to run over happily when she suddenly felt uneasy and turned around to see if Zhangsun Wuji was following her. However, he was merely sitting at the pavilion drinking tea when he turned and suddenly smiled at her. Meng Fuyao immediately returned a stubborn and shameless smile. Zhangsun Wuji smiled, raised his cup at her, and mouthed something. Meng Fuyao hadn¡¯t had the time to decipher what he¡¯d mouthed when Empress Dowager called out again, ¡°Daughter-inw,e here.¡± Afraid that Empress Dowager would call out again, Meng Fuyao hurried over affectionately. Zhan Beiye was sitting beside Empress Dowager, watching her with both hands firmly on his knees. Meng Fuyao was in a dilemma on whether to give some face to the Emperor when Empress Dowager shifted to one side and motioned for her to sit beside her. Meng Fuyao obliged and sat down, only to realize that the seat was too small for three people. ¡®Uh, Emperor Zhan, there are so many seats down there, why did you have to choose this one? Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯ve taken up almost the entire seat, how are the two of us going to sit?¡¯ However, Emperor Zhan was unaware; biting his lip, he scooped a bowl of ginseng soup and tested its temperature before feeding it one spoonful at a time to his mother. Empress Dowager received the soup happily, her expression that of peacefulness. There was an indescribable sense of contentment in her eyes¡ªto her, the greatest happiness in life was to be with her beloved son. Even if he didn¡¯t be the emperor, she wouldn¡¯t mind at all. The house was extremely quiet, and amp cast a warm glow on the room. The person feeding and the person drinking were both very focused, the only sound that could be heard was the faint tinkling of china. Meng Fuyao watched them quietly; she really liked the Zhan Beiye she was seeing right now, feeding his mother soup under the warm light. The usual aggressiveness and brutality during the day had been cast off, and there was a silent but moving warmth. A long, long time ago, she too, had fed her mother ck Chicken Soup in this fashion¡­ Meng Fuyao smiled slightly, tears welling in her eyes. Now, who was the one boiling soup and feeding her mother? After Empress Dowager finished drinking, she smiled and lifted Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand. She had always been untalkative, and every word she uttered would linger on deeply in Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart. ¡°Thin,¡± said Empress Dowager simply. Then, she turned around and smiled at Zhan Beiye. Thetter looked stunned, and the next moment, a suspicious flush crept over his face. Meng Fuyao immediately stood up and said, ¡°No need, no need¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m terribly scared of drinking ginseng soup¡­¡± Meng Fuyao had always been eloquent and smooth with her words, twisting them to conform to her logic no matter how hard. This time, however, she was finally faced with something that made her feel embarrassed and stumped¡­ If that Emperor Zhan really obeyed his mother and fed her even a small mouthful of soup, if she couldn¡¯t bury herself in the ground, she would find a wall to bang her head against¡­ Fortunately for her, Zhan Beiye was not Zhangsun Wuji. His face waspletely scarlet, clearly indicating that he would probably not be able to perform such an act. He lowered his head and coughed slightly, looking as if he wanted to leave, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he decided to stay instead. Meng Fuyao feltpletely out of ce at that moment; the number of times she and Zhan Beiye were alone together was not few, yet now that there was a senior present, why did she feel so awkward, wanting to leave yet unable to do so, wanting to shoot her mouth yet unable to act disrespectfully in front of Empress Dowager; what if Meng Fuyao frightened her? In the end, she could only smile dumbly at Empress Dowager, who also returned her smile happily. When Zhan Beiye saw the pair smiling at each other so harmoniously, he too couldn¡¯t help but let out a smile. The three people in the room just sat there, smiling at each other¡­ Finally, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t hold her smile anymore and was about to excuse herself when Empress Dowager suddenly grabbed her hand with surprising speed and with a flick of her hand, secured a bangle onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s wrist. A locking sound followed. Meng Fuyao looked down to see a new addition to her wrist, a golden, regal-looking bangle. The bangle looked rather aged, and there were no patterns on its smooth exterior surface, but ancient carvings could be seen on the inside. Because it had been worn for a long time and had been in contact with human energy, it had be smooth and warm like soft jade and wearing it did not feel heavy. It was like wearing a cloud on one¡¯s wrist. Meng Fuyao¡¯s instinct told her at first nce that this was definitely not something simple, thinking desperately that it had better not be something like a family heirloom ¡°passed down from the grandmother to the daughter-inw,¡± and she hurriedly tried to remove the bangle from her wrist. When the bangle was first put on her wrist, it was still rather loose, but after Empress Dowager ¡°locked¡± it, it actually became a perfect fit for her own wrist, and no matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t remove it. Meng Fuyao felt cold sweat breaking out as she suddenly remembered the words that Zhangsun Wuji had mouthed to her earlier. In the midst of her frenzy, she somehow managed to make out what he had said¡ª¡±Don¡¯t ept anything.¡± ¡­ This guy, he could even guess something like this! Upon seeing that Meng Fuyao was desperately trying to remove the bangle, a hint of doubt shed past Zhan Beiye¡¯s eyes. Finally, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°This bangle has been with my mother since young; it was her protective amulet. Why are you trying to remove it?¡± Thinking that the significance of this item wasn¡¯t that serious, Meng Fuyao finally stopped and said simply, ¡°I can¡¯t ept her protective amulet.¡± ¡°I am the Emperor of a nation, do you think I can¡¯t protect her myself?¡± Zhan Beiye stared at the golden bangle hanging from Meng Fuyao¡¯s slim white wrist, thinking that it was too pretty to let her remove it. ¡°Empress Dowager is grateful to you, consider this as a token of gratitude. You don¡¯t have to try to remove it already, there¡¯s a mechanism hidden in this thing, once it¡¯s locked, it can¡¯t be removed.¡± Meng Fuyao did not answer but instead rolled her eyes, thinking that she would try using the Bone-Shrinking Techniqueter on. However, deep down, she knew that the Bone-Shrinking Technique could only shrink the muscles and tendons, it couldn¡¯t actually change the size of the bones. Moreover, the bangle was secured so tightly, it was definitely going to be difficult to remove. ¡®Sigh¡­ A trap, there are traps everywhere¡­¡¯ Upon returning to her room, Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze immediatelynded on a certain someone sittingfortably inside reading a book and hastily pulled her sleeve over the bangle, but Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyesight was too sharp. ¡°Received another gift again?¡± Meng Fuyao refused to reply, her face sullen. ¡®What do you mean by ¡°received presents again¡±? Do I receive presents often?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji grabbed her hand and scrutinized it for several moments before dering, ¡°What do I do with you? You¡¯re soft-hearted when you win, and also soft-hearted even when you lose.¡± Meng Fuyao knew what he meant, but she refused to admit it and retorted, ¡°Tell me, how am I supposed to ignore the hands of the sick?¡± Zhangsun Wuji nced at her and leaned back in his chair, a bitter smile appearing on his face as he said, ¡°You like this kind of scenarios very much, don¡¯t you? Sorry, perhaps I might never be able to give you¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, realizing that he was referring to Empress Dowager Yuan. Compared to the deep bond between Zhan Beiye and his mother, Zhangsun Wuji was not only unable to give her this kind of happiness, he himself couldn¡¯t enjoy it either. Following this train of thought, Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart eventually softened, and she patted his shoulder. ¡°Your mother will understand you one day,¡± she said. Zhangsun Wuji wrapped an arm around her waist and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s enough as long as you understand¡­¡± Meng Fuyao massaged his back in a motherly fashion and responded softly, ¡°Mn¡­¡± Thereafter, she suddenly felt that the Crown Prince¡¯s hand on her waist was moving in an increasingly unbing fashion, and then¡­ Ping! The sound of someone banging into furniture could be heard, followed by loud swearing from a certain someone. ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you godforsaken fox!¡± Chapter 267 - Untitled Chapter 267: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After traveling for countless days, they finally reached the Sealed Grounds of Changhan. In order to ensure thefort of Empress Dowager, the group travelled very slowly, but Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t in a hurry either; Empress Dowager had been imprisoned within the pce for most of her life, and now, she finally had the chance to tour around Dahan with her son. Who had the heart to deny her this chance, looking at how happy and contented she was? Moreover, time was aplenty, and there was no need to rush anyway. When Meng Fuyao raised her head and saw the four words ¡°King of Dahan Manor¡± in ck against a gold tablet, then looked around at the manor itself that seemed to stretch on for an eternity, she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Those who do not know the extent of my contribution might think that I am trying to usurp the throne, building a scaled-down version of the imperial pce.¡± Under the ring sun, Zhan Beiye looked at her and smiled, his smile even brighter than the sun. ¡°If you want the imperial pce, I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao pretended not to have heard him and remained silent. She had just crossed the threshold when the inner doors suddenly swung open and Ji Yu and Yao Xun, along with a group of guards, poured out. Ji Yu dutifully led the guards and knelt down in greeting, while Yao Xun rushed forward andunched himself at the ground in front of Meng Fuyao. He grabbed her robes and bawled, ¡°Heavens, my master, you¡¯ve finally returned, I¡¯ve recently earned a huge sum of money, yet I had nobody to praise me, how torturous¡­¡± Meng Fuyao kicked him aside, unceremoniously and scolded, ¡°Dirty money!¡± Turning to Ji Yu, she personally supported him up and smiled. ¡°General Ji, I have yet to thank you for killing that rabbit,¡± she said. Ji Yu¡¯s mouth curved upwards slightly as he responded, ¡°That is due to Your Highness¡¯ effective method of rearing rabbits.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed loudly and patted his shoulder forcefully. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for you to be this good at cracking jokes,¡± she remarked. She turned around and bowed, smiling at Zhangsun Wuji and Zhan Beiye as she cupped her hands in front of her and said, ¡°I can finally host you two in my own home.¡± When Zhan Beiye heard her words, his eyes lit up happily, and he nced slightly at Zhangsun Wuji. Zhangsun Wuji was smiling, his expression unchanged as he let Zhan Beiye enter before him. As for Meng Fuyao, who had been smiling throughout the journey without speaking a word, she had already revealed her tail a long time ago¡­ That evening as they were having dinner, Emperor Zhan¡¯s expression was extremely dark. Empress Dowager nced at him anxiously, unsure why he was acting as such. However, Zhan Beiye realized that he had ignored his mother and quickly softened his expression. Meng Fuyao snorted inwardly, thinking that Zhangsun Wuji was too much and could only offer wine in return as the owner of the manor, fully intending to get the two drunk so as to make things easier to handle. Much to her chagrin, she soon realized that the two had insane alcohol tolerance and despite her hand getting tired from constantly pouring wine, the two men remained unchanged. In the end, they bypassed her pouring and simply drank straight from the jar. Meng Fuyao sat by the side watching them, afraid that they might start fighting once they¡¯d gotten drunk. Hence, she stayed and watched the two of them drinking¡­ Standing guard as she lifted her eyelids with her fingers and watched them drink¡­ Standing guard as she peeled her eyelids open and watched them drink¡­ Finally, Meng Fuyao stood up, outraged, and stormed out of the room. ¡®I¡¯m not going to apany you two anymore, you can drink until you die!¡¯ She had every intention to go back and sleep, and after asking Ji Yu where the sleeping quarters were, she headed in. However, the damned manor was too big, and after half a period of walking around, she soon realized that she¡¯d gotten lost in her own manor. All of the rooms looked simr, and she couldn¡¯t identify which one was her own, and thinking that since the entire manor belonged to her, it didn¡¯t matter which room she slept in. Hence, she randomly selected a meticulously prepared room and undressed, ready to sleep. The day¡¯s journey had been tiring, and she was finally able to rx and sleep peacefully in her own manor, so she fell asleep very quickly. At that moment¡­ In the middle of the night¡­ Under the cold moonlight¡­ The streets were long, dark, and silent. A single shadow traipsed down the street, stumbling around, dripping blood and sweat on the ground as the figure fell, crawled back up, and fell again. The figure finally made its way, leaning against trees and walls, towards the King of Han Manor. The person was heavily intoxicated as they walked into the manor, swaying as they inched their way towards precisely the room Meng Fuyao had chosen. Ya Lanzhu sat atop the roof of the King of Dahan Manor, drinking sorrowfully. She had gotten into an argument with Zhan Beiye the other day and in a fit of anger, refused to follow him and had gone ahead to Dahan to have fun. In the midst of her journey, she¡¯d heard that His Majesty was apanying his mother on a tour of the region, along with the King of Han. Since she¡¯d not seen Meng Fuyao for quite some time and missed her, and also couldn¡¯t bear to be away from Zhan Beiye, she followed them. However, upon reaching Dahan, her ego red up again, and she refused to appear in front of Zhan Beiye just like that. Hence, she had snuck into the kitchen to steal some wine, found a little area, and began to drink. Obviously, the guards were able to see her, but Ji Yu and Yao Xun had already stated long ago that the doors to the King of Han Manor would always be open for Princess Ya; thus, they let her do as she wished. Ya Lanzhu leaned against the wall, several jars of wine piled around her. Her alcohol tolerance was average, yet she intentionally stole the wine known as ¡°Drunken Dusk.¡± She¡¯d heard that this wine was the strongest and three mere bowls could knock a person out cold for a whole evening. However, let alone three bowls, she had already drunk three jars, and yet she only felt slightly tipsy. She sullenly picked up a jar and sniffed it, swaying. In the end, she let out a burp and sighed. ¡°My alcohol tolerance¡­ ah¡­ it must be getting better¡­¡± However, what she didn¡¯t know was that after Yao Xun had received the news, he immediately ordered for all the wine outside to be switched to a much gentler ¡°White Jasmine.¡± Who was anyone kidding? One Zhan Beiye plus one Zhangsun Wuji plus one Meng Fuyao; this manor was under his care, and every grass and tree was worth several thousand pieces of gold, what if the three crazy alcoholics got drunk and started breaking things? What if they broke little friend Lord Yuan Bao? Even if they couldn¡¯t break Lord Yuan Bao, it wasn¡¯t good to break the flowers and trees either. The shrewd Yao Xun had long ago dabbled in the business of counterfeit wine and hence, what Princess Ya had stolen was ¡°White Jasmine¡± stored within ¡°Drunken Dusk¡± jars. However, too much White Jasmine would still cause one to get drunk, and Ya Lanzhu was already gone as she cupped her burning face and thought, ¡®Zhan Beiye really is heartless, I just wanted to help him dry his clothes since they were wet. Speaking of which, since when did a princess like myself bother about this kind of servant work? Moreover, instead of being grateful, he¡¯d reacted nastily¡­ If Meng Fuyao was the one doing it, would he still react this way? If it were Meng Fuyao instead¡­ No¡­ If it were really Meng Fuyao, he wouldn¡¯t get mad at all, he might even be nervous, wouldn¡¯t he?¡¯ Ya Lanzhu thought for a moment and started to get jealous. pping herself slightly, she grabbed a jar of wine and began drinking again. She drank ferociously as if she wanted to wash all of her previous thoughts into her stomach. Finally, she wiped her mouth and murmured, ¡°Ya Lanzhu, Ya Lanzhu, can you have some dignity, you¡¯ve already stolen other people¡¯s wine, now you want to eat their vinegar too?¡± She squinted at the moon and thought that the moon was actually rather pretty, much better than Zhan Beiye¡¯s constantly dark face. She couldn¡¯t help but blurt out drunkenly, ¡°What a bright moon, the beauty¡¯s face is truly stunning, Iyfortably, but my heart is troubled¡­¡± Suddenly she felt that this poem was too good for the bastard and thought of another poem that she had remembered when she was drinking with Meng Fuyao that was much better than this one, and hence, she began reciting: ¡°Last night, heavy snow pressed against the huge trees, I drink alone, get drunk on the road, losing all my clothes along the way I regret, why do I keep drinking vinegar? I look around at everyone around me, and suddenly I realize, everyone is the same, they¡¯re all difficult!¡± Beneath her, a group of guards was patrolling by and quickly moved way¡­ Just then, Lord Yuan Bao was just passing by beneath her¡ªit was originally sleeping in Meng Fuyao¡¯s room, waiting obediently for her, yet after a long time she did not return, and it had felt the need to relieve itself after drinking too much wine¡ªZhangsun Wuji did not let it drink normally, but since Zhangsun Wuji himself had drunk a little too much, Lord Yuan Bao had snuck into every empty jar andpped up the remnants. There was more than enough leftover for it to drink, especially from Zhan Beiye¡¯s jars due to thetter¡¯s sloppy drinking ways. After three vats, Lord Yuan Bao was filled, and it soon felt the urge to pee. It had tried relieving itself in a flowerpot, but the flowerpot was dirty, so it decided that it might as well explore the manor as it looked for a suitable ce. The guards had naturally received orders earlier to not do anything if they saw a fat white ball roll by, and not mistaken it for a rat. Lord Yuan Bao had just relieved itself somewhere when it suddenly heard a voice above it go ¡°Good poem¡± and immediately headed up. It stretched its ws andy down beside Ya Lanzhu, preparing to sleep. Ya Lanzhu looked at the little white and brown furball beside her andughed happily. ¡°Yuan Bao, you¡¯re the best, you know how to apany me,¡± she chortled. Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s mouth twitched as it looked at the half-finished jar of wine. ¡®I just enjoy sleeping with the fragrance of alcohol,¡¯ it thought. The human and the guinea pigy down together. Ya Lanzhu stared at the moon, absentmindedly and sighed. ¡°How far¡­ How far indeed¡­¡± She murmured. Lord Yuan Bao nced at her, its heart thinking, ¡®Just go to sleep, just go to sleep¡­¡¯ After that, it crawled into a wine jar. Suddenly, it sniffed the air and pricked its ears. Ya Lanzhu had also noticed a strange noise and crawled up to take a look. She noticed a figure, stumbling towards them in the distance. The person looked to be seriously injured and had difficulty walking. Under the moonlight, she could faintly see that his body waspletely covered in blood. The direction he was heading towards was precisely the King of Dahan Manor. However, he was still two alleyways away, and even further in the distance, a group of men d in grey came chasing after him. They seemed to be intent on stopping this man from reaching the manor. Eventually, one of them released an arrow straight through the back of the man. What the hell¡­ In broad daylight¡­ Right in front of the righteous Princess Ya¡­ who dared tomit murder so tantly? Chapter 268 - Untitled Chapter 268: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®Huh?¡¯ Hmph! Ya Lanzhu jumped up, grabbing one wine jar, and she flung it around. She leaped towards a wall along the alley. In mid-air, she whirled the jar in her hand,unching it forward against the iing arrow. Just as she flung out the jar, she noticed something wrong from the corner of her eye. She turned around and saw that Lord Yuan Bao was missing. And then, she spotted a ball of white fur with huge eyes gawking at her from inside the jar¡­ Ya Lanzhu shrieked as she lunged forward. But she was toote. The wine jar had already collided with the arrow. Ya Lanzhu screamed again as she closed her eyes, afraid that a bloody skewered guinea pig would greet her the moment she opened her eyes. In the end, she heard a man holler. Ya Lanzhu hesitantly opened her eyes and witnessed a sauve Lord Yuan Bao stepping on the arrow as it did a perfect 360-degrees somersault, and its ws heading towards the man who drew the bow¡­ It wed out his eyes¡­ That man hollered in pain, swinging his sword randomly. With swift movements, Lord Yuan Bao skittered around, avoiding the sharp de flexibly. There were a couple of close shaves, scaring the onlooker witless. She quickly rushed forward and smashed the other wine jar over. That group of men in grey swarmed over, surrounding herpletely with razor-sharp swords in their hands. The leader of the group looked over to the majestic King of Dahan Manor and hesitated. Then, he ordered decisively. ¡°Get this over quickly!¡± Ya Lanzhu giggled as she drew her dagger. ¡°Come, I haven¡¯t fought in a while, and I¡¯m itching to fight!¡± Lord Yuan returned to her shoulders and posed in an intrepid manner. They encircled her. Ya Lanzhu¡¯s curved dagger brought with it a rainbow light, forcing them to retreat. In the hectic situation, she turned back to look at the dying person she just saved. He was disheveled; his messy hair stuck to the gooey blood, covering half his face. Even so, Ya Lanzhu managed to recall who he was eventually. Surprised, she gasped, ¡°It¡¯s you¡ª¡± As Ya Lanzhu and Lord Yuan Bao savored their wine, Great Ol¡¯ Mighty Meng was still in her beauty sleep. She dreamt that she was in a huge pce, feeding her mother ginseng soup. It was tranquil in the pce. The only sounds that could be heard were the tinkling of the ceramic spoon against the bowl. She smiled at her mother, her mother smiled back at her. Just like that, the two happily gazed at each other. Suddenly, someone broke into the pce and then a gigantic stone crashed onto her. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes flung open¡­ A nightmare? Ghost on her body? Why did she feel that the heavy object was still on her, and there was an icy breezeing in? Then, the scent of alcohol hit her, and she could hear the breathing sound of another. She slowly looked as she tried to decipher who that person was based on his clothes and size. That¡­ That¡­ That damn Zhan Beiye! He actually dared to use her as a meat cushion and just fell asleep like this?! Meng Fuyao immediately pushed him off viciously, but Zhan Beiye suddenly rolled over. Not only did he not fall off the bed, but he was also now facing her, hugging her tightly. Meng Fuyao frowned. She lifted her knees and tried to move him away from her with all her might but even so, that man remained unmoved. Meng Fuyao scowled and reprimanded, ¡°Zhan Beiye you are drunk from all that Yellow Wine! How dare you barge into my room!¡± The person on her suddenly opened his eyes, and she found herself facing that pair of ck pupils in close proximity. Behind those eyes, it was as though there¡¯s a dark abyss eager to suck her in. With such a gaze on her, Meng Fuyao felt as though her heart was being pulled in by those eyes and actually started to ache. That guy mumbled. ¡°This is my room.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned. Surveying her surroundings, she realized that the decorations of this room looked nothing like how a master bedroom should, rather, it looked more like a guest room. Could it be that she was the one that made a mistake instead? ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you then.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him away, but Zhan Beiye refused to move. Lazily, he muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve drunk too much. I don¡¯t want to move after lying down.¡± He stayed still, leaning against Meng Fuyao as he took in her natural scent. The fragrant scent of hers made him inebriated like the wine tonight, with light undertones of jasmine that lingered in his lung chambers. This scent was all around, enticing one to chase after it. Yet, it was always dancing amongst the wind, untouchable. Zhan Beiye closed his eyes and took a deep breath¡­ He didn¡¯t think too much, he just wanted to quietly immerse himself in her presence and smell. He had all the wealth in the world but yet, such precious alone time with her was not something that could be bought. He didn¡¯t want to force her, didn¡¯t want to go against her¡­ then, please just allow him to silently keep this precious memory for him to reminisce in the future days of separation. An exasperated exhtion of breath escaped her lips as she muttered, ¡°Poor bed¡­¡± And then she punched! Smashing the bed beneath her with her fist! The entire bed copsed, putting distance between the two. Meng Fuyao grabbed this chance and rolled out of his embrace, kicking the nket over Zhan Beiye on her way up. She was in her underclothes, standing barefoot on the ground. She red angrily at Zhan Beiye as she grabbed her outer robe, ready to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Zhan Beiye stopped her. Meng Fuyao ignored him and continued striding forward. Zhan Beiye climbed up from the nket nest and pulled Meng Fuyao back. And then, he got down on one knee. Meng Fuyao frowned as she scolded, ¡°Zhan Beiye, please don¡¯t force me to be a fishwife. If things do get to that stage, it won¡¯t be nice for any of us. We are all smart people¡ª¡± Her sentence was stopped halfway. The warm moonlight cast upon Zhan Beiye¡¯s straightened back, shining upon the pair of shoes in his hand. Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoes. Zhan Beiye carried it in his hands and then, got down on one knee. Half kneeling, he gently lifted up her leg as he said lovingly, ¡°You can run all you want, but not wearing shoes in the cold winter, are you out to make me feel bad if you catch a cold?¡± The silvery moonlight drew the outlines of the Dahan Emperor on one knee. In no way did he feel that he had condescended to a simple man, nor did he feel that he had given any exceptions to her. In the most natural and loving manner, he carefully put on shoes for the woman he loved. His hands that were rough with calluses came into contact with her sensitized smooth, tender skin, making her skin burn with embarrassment. Her slightly cold and beautiful foot was in his palm, soft like jade, making his heart tremble. Taken aback, she only felt that the burning fingers flustered her as she hastily pulled back her feet. Afraid that he was going to wear the other shoe for her, she hurriedly shoved her foot into the shoe on the floor. But even so, the Emperor of Dahan remained in the same position, lowering his head down slightly. The tips of his ears werepletely reddened. He did not think much of putting on her shoes for her. While he might be the Emperor of a country, his status was not something he could unt in front of her. After all, he had met her in his most difficult times, and she was the one by his side. Half of Dahan could be considered hers. What¡¯s more, she had saved him more than once. In front of such a girl, the pride of an emperor or the authority of a king were all rendered into nothing. He simply wanted her to wear her shoes, afraid that she might catch a cold. But every time they touched, he could not contain himself¡­ Still kneeling on one knee, he took a deep breath. His hand was on the icy cold ground, supporting him as he tried to suppress the raging desires. After a while, he slowly stood up. Meng Fuyao hastily put on her outer robe. She really did not know what to say. Covering her face with her sleeves, she said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m off.¡± She turned to leave. Suddenly, she heard a scratching sound. It was a weird scratching sound like an animal wing against the wall. Then, with a sh, a white Lord Yuan Bao appeared, yelling aggressively as it waved its ws in the air. ¡°Chichi! Chichi!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. What¡¯s this drunkard doing?¡¯ she thought but to her utter shock, she noticed a red splotch on Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s white fur. Blood? Meng Fuyao made her way over to the wall, and Zhangsun Wuji and Zhan Beiye suddenly appeared beside her. Zhangsun Wuji reached his hands out and carried Lord Yuan Bao over. He was initially sleeping in the next room and had already gotten up upon hearing the loudmotion from the bed copsing. Somehow, the always neat and tidy Crown Prince was a little disheveled. His cor was unfastened, revealing that exquisite corbone and sexy chest. Laziness, yetced with sexiness. Meng Fuyao blushed at this sight, quickly turning her gaze away. Zhangsun Wuji nced at her and then nced at Zhan Beiye. As Lord Yuan Bao tried tomunicate, Meng Fuyao made her way up the wall as she repeated. ¡°Furball got hurt? Hm? Furball got hurt!¡± Herst sentence was doused in a murderous aura. Lord Yuan Bao, now squatting in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s palm, pointed animatedly towards the alley outside. The trio turned and noticed that a colorful figure was currently in a blood bath. A group of grey men surrounded her, intentionally forcing her towards the manor. Looking at the design of the dagger, she knew it was Ya Lanzhu. ¡°How dare you!¡± Meng Fuyao bellowed in rage. ¡°I didn¡¯t go out to hunt for any rabbits, and someone actually had the balls to kill my rabbit!¡± Before she was done yelling, Zhan Beiye had already rushed out to save Rabbit Ya. His guards and the manor¡¯s soldiers were already rmed as they sprang to action. Standing tall on the wall, Meng Fuyao had her arms to her hips as she ordered, ¡°Go! Capture the leader alive. The rest, ughter!¡± Chapter 269 - Untitled Chapter 269: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios All the manor¡¯s gates opened uniformly, and big groups of soldiers swarmed out like bees, swiftly heading to the designated area. The sound of galloping and the heavy footsteps woke up the sleeping city as noise prated the silence. The fire torches lit up the manor¡¯s surroundings. Noticing that something was wrong, the assassins tried to escape. But a ck figure shed by and pulled the lightly injured Ya Lanzhu away with one hand, and choked somebody to death with another. In an instant, the well-trained soldiers and guards had blocked all escape routes andpletely surrounded the men in grey. The fire from the torches illuminated the hopeless faces on the assassins as well as the eyes of the bloody, unkempt man who leaned against the wall. That unkempt man lifted his tattered sleeves. Under the flickering light source, he saw Dahan¡¯s emperor sh by with his soldiers following closely behind him. With countless of people under him, he quickly walked over with a straightened back, with his eyes filled with a murderous aura. He finally saw that man. As he blinked, a teardrop escaped from his eyes, streaming down his bloody face. He mumbled, ¡°¡­ Yu Chu¡­ You didn¡¯t die in vain¡­ I finally met the Emperor of Han alive¡­¡± Meng Fuyao strutted over and noticed the breathless Ya Lanzhu; her hair was tousled, and she had a patch of blood on her shoulder. Fury sparked in her instantly, and she abruptly swerved back, ring at the group of people who no longer dared to attack Ya Lanzhu. That group of people, in turn, watched her in terror. This delicate, slim youth was that King of Han notorious for her ferocious, shameless and cruel acts? Apparently, King of Han was a female? And she was the new top ten martial artists, ¡°Nine Heavens¡±! The leader¡¯s expression became a bleak one. When he had taken on this mission, hismander had repeatedly ordered him to kill the person that was seeking for help without rming the King of Han, regardless. This group of elites had crossed borders just to kill this person for that sweet reward. It was no one¡¯s desire to provoke a strong opponent. Unfortunately for them, their ns could not keep up with the changes, leading them to the situation they were in now. But he strongly believed that once he announced his n¡¯s name and pleaded with her nicely, this King of Han would not be that unreasonable so as to massacre them and offend the powerful force of another country. Regarding the losses on his side, he could only admit thatdy luck wasn¡¯t on his side. But where there¡¯s life, there¡¯s hope! Decided on his n, he forced out a smile and bowed. ¡°If I may ask this is the King of Han?¡± ¡®Being so courteous with me, it couldn¡¯t be that you still think you have a chance to escape?¡¯ Meng Fuyao looked at him, amused. stering on a fake smile, she replied, ¡°That would be me.¡± ¡°It is my greatest honor to meet you atst.¡± The man in grey bowed once more. Meng Fuyao was pretty intrigued by this civility that this assassin disyed. ¡®It seems like we won¡¯t be wasting time on interrogation,¡¯ she thought slyly. Lazily and slowly, she asked, ¡°The pleasure is mine. Now, may I know what is your intention behind trespassing my manor and injuring my friend?¡± The man in grey frowned. ¡®You¡¯ve assigned the me too quickly to us, isn¡¯t it? There are at least four streets before one will reach your manor. Also, the person we are after isn¡¯t even your friend!¡¯ the assassin thought, aggrieved. Even so, he put on a sorrowful face as he hastily stepped forward and exined, ¡°Your Highness, please do not misunderstand. We are after the traitor of our sect and have identally entered Your Highness¡¯ territory. Please forgive us this time for the sake that we too belong to a martial arts sect.¡± ¡°Oh? Martial arts? What sect do you belong to?¡± Meng Fuyao questioned. That man in grey puffed up his chest. Despite retaining his humble tone and expression, he was certain that Meng Fuyao¡¯s attitude would change after hearing his sect¡¯s name. ¡°I belong to the Eternal Sky n!¡± He peered over at Meng Fuyao and continued, ¡°If the King of Han would be willing to drop this matter and not pursue us, when I catch the traitor, the entire n will definitely be grateful to Your Highness! While we might not be as powerful and honorable as Your Highness, we do still have a meager force that will definitely be of use to Your Highness in the future!¡± Meng Fuyao tilted her head, and the well-informed Yao Xun beside her leaned in and whispered, ¡°The biggest sect in Xuanji, the strongest force in Xiao Ao Green Forest.¡± Meng Fuyao gave a casual ¡®mhm¡¯ and turned to look at the man in grey with a smile. ¡°Eternal Sky n ah¡­ Nice to meet you.¡± Looking at her expression, the man in grey was now relieved, certain that he was able to get out of this mess rtively unscathed. Meng Fuyao nced at him. ¡°Not pursuing responsibilities, huh¡­ Taking him away¡­ it isn¡¯t impossible.¡± The man in grey was ted and quickly said, ¡°As long as Your Highness agrees, our sect leader will definitely thank Your Highness for your kindness!¡± ¡°Wee wee. We are all from the martial arts world, after all.¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hand. She turned back and saw that the person who was being chased was now being supported by the guards. Xuanji Chen An¡¯s Count, Wang Huayan. Meng Fuyao had only seen him twice, the first time was at the True Martial Arts Meet. He was Yun Hen¡¯s opponent and had left Meng Fuyao a deep impression due to his vast inner energy. The second time was during the crowning of Xuanji¡¯s empress where he and his wife, Xuanji¡¯s princess Feng Yu Chu, were sent to Xuanji to congratte them. It was there and then that she knew that they were kicked out of the fight for the throne. But wasn¡¯t he too pitiful? To the point where he could not even stay in his own country, and the assassins still wouldn¡¯t even let him off even when he had escaped his country. Meng Fuyao had a decent impression of him. She remembered during Yun Hen¡¯s battle, this prince had given his all in the fight, but when he lost, he lost with honor, disying true sportsmanship¡ªa worthy opponent for Yun Hen indeed. Her gazended on Hua Yan. From his eyes, she could see his anxiety and desperation, yet there was no ounce of fear. Satisfied with what she saw, she turned back. ¡°But, it doesn¡¯t seem that reasonable just to let you guys go like this¡­¡± The man in grey panicked as he frantically tried to convince her. ¡°King of Han¡­¡± ¡°This is not your Eternal Sky n¡¯s traitor.¡± Meng Fuyao eyed him coldly. ¡°If your traitor is the Prince of Xuanji, Eternal Sky n would be building a country right now! Lies. How dare you lie in front of me?!¡± The man in grey turned pale as beads of cold sweat started forming on his forehead. After some hesitation, he asked carefully, ¡°What would Your Highness like me to do so that you will let us off?¡± ¡°Easy.¡± Meng Fuyao gestured. ¡°I am, after all, still the ruler of Chang Han. The safety of the civilians here are my responsibility. You guys are here, on my territory, to kill someone. If I let you guys off without a usible reason, wouldn¡¯t it be too humiliating for me?¡± The man in grey hung his head down as he contemted. Meng Fuyao craned her head back and looked at the sky with her hands behind her back while Zhangsun Wuji, Zhan Beiye, and Ya Lanzhu remained silent. They were used to Meng Fuyao handling her own affairs; Afterall, Meng Fuyao had been enlightened from the best of the best¡ªlearning how to be ck-hearted from Zhangsun Wuji, ferocious from Zhan Beiye and acting like a ruffian from Ya Lanzhu. And of course, the trio was more than happy to save themselves from the trouble. The man in grey searched for ways to get out of this quickly. He knew that if he did not give any reason, it would be impossible for him to leave. The truth was that any of the leaders would have dealt with it the same way she did; Meng Fuyao was already being very polite about it. It turned out that she wasn¡¯t as unreasonable as the rumors made her out to be and were someone who knew to change with circumstances. ¡®We would have to deal with this figure of authority sooner orter, so I guess it¡¯s fine to do her a favor,¡¯ he thought naively. And so, this person, who failed both at being an assassin and a politician, inched closer to Meng Fuyao. In a hushed voice, he whispered, ¡°Your Highness, please keep this a secret¡­ This is someone that the Eleventh Prince is after¡­ He wants to see him, dead or alive!¡± Xuanji¡¯s Eleventh Prince, Feng Xuan¡¯s favorite son and the empress¡¯ first son. Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind traveled back to the content that Zhangsun Wuji had tossed at her that day. She smiled and asked, ¡°Oh¡­ I see, but why does the Eleventh Prince want to kill him?¡± The man in grey looked at her doubtfully, unable toprehend why this politician that rose through the ranks in such a short time would ask such a childish question. But even so, he carefully replied, ¡°I only vaguely heard that this Prince has something important with him, and that needs to be taken back¡­¡± Meng Fuyao replied with a ¡®mhm¡¯ and smiled. Stretching herself, she muttered, ¡°Ah¡­ Wasted a good¡¯s night sleep¡­ Well, this is enough.¡± She nodded in the direction of the man in grey and revealed a bright smile. Caught by surprise, the man in grey frantically returned a polite smile, showing off his eye that was dug out, sending shivers down the spines of those who saw it. Meng Fuyao continued to smile sweetly and then, turned with her hands behind her back. Without saying another word, she calmly walked away. The man in grey watched her back in bewilderment, not understanding what she meant. Then, suddenly, a low, raspy voice emanating with a murderous aura ordered: ¡°Kill!¡± The voice was swift like a de, and then, before the man in grey could regain his senses, fireworks of blood bloomed in front of him, spurting out of the necks and bodies of those who he knew. In the midst of the chaos, he saw thedy¡¯s back slowly disappear. From the beginning to the end, she never once turned back. His eyes slowly drooped down, seeing the new big hole being created in his chest. Through that hole, he miraculously saw his own brothers copsing into their own blood, and their corpses were being trampled over. And then, he copsed too. Thest thought of his life was: ¡®She didn¡¯t seem to have promised to let us off¡­¡± Meng Fuyao made her way towards Hua Yan¡¯s side as though she could not hear the anguished screams of those behind her. She nced at him and ordered the guards to send him to the manor. Then she turned back towards Ya Lanzhu and asked, ¡°Zhu Zhu, are you okay?¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just some small wounds.¡± But then, guilt hit her as she quietly said, ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯ve caused you trouble again¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡¯caused me trouble¡¯?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed heartily. ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m a natural trouble receptor. And putting all matters aside, bullying my friend on my territory and he still expects me to let him off? Dream on!¡± Chapter 270 - Untitled Chapter 270: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Ya Lanzhu did not make a sound. She knew Meng Fuyao¡¯s personality, and she also knew that Hua Zi would travel thousands of miles to help her, and would never let his own family be killed. However, such brutal ughtering and viciousness were after all, because she, Ya Lanzhu, had been bullied. You bully my people, I kill your entire family. Besides, they were going to sh sooner orter, so there was no need to leave any legroom; Meng Fuyao had always disliked leaving things half undone. Meng Fuyao nced at Hua Yan and ordered her subordinates to arrange for him to rest first before speaking. Then, she told Ya Lanzhu to rest as well beforezily heading back to catch up on her sleep debt. This time, she knew the way and did not get lost. After entering the courtyard, she nced at the sky and sighed hopelessly. ¡°I realized that my talent for meeting royalty is getting scarier and scarier, I haven¡¯t even left Dahan and entered Xuanji, but I¡¯ve already bumped into them.¡± ¡°That is your inborn talent of attracting trouble.¡± A person appeared beside her, chuckling. Meng Fuyao nced sideways and noticed the person¡¯s delicate corbones peeking from under his open shirt. Immediately, she pinched her nose and, pressing the person against the wall, she reached out to button his shirt. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t instigate others tomit crimes.¡± ¡°Pleasemit a crime¡­¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed lightly, half his features illuminated under the moonlight, the other half covered by shadows. His charm was like an exquisite dream. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t wreck the bed,¡± he said in a low tone. Meng Fuyao hurriedly buttoned his cor before putting down the hand that was covering her nose. ¡°That was close,¡± she said. That was close, if she were to get a nosebleed right in front of him, she would never have to see him ever again in this lifetime. ¡°I¡¯m about to go and sleep, why bother with my buttons?¡± Zhangsun Wuji touched his cor, his eyes glinting as he added, ¡°Actually, I just realized that I look cooler with my cor open¡­¡± ¡°Then you can slowly go and look cool, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed him away and stormed into the room, mming the door heavily after her as she mumbled. She wanted to sleep, yet she didn¡¯t dare to undress; there was a big, bad wolf outside and before it left, the pure and innocent white rabbit must be on alert. Sure enough, the big, bad wolf did not leave, leaning against her window as the moonlight cast his rxed shadow against the thin paper. Meng Fuyao gazed at the person¡¯s exquisite silhouette and thought, ¡®What a beautiful figure, just like a jade sculpture, is this the pinnacle of the human realm?¡¯ The figure outside the window did not move, as if he were staring distractedly at the moon. After a long time, he softly murmured through the window, his voice tinged with hesitation and helplessness, ¡°Fuyao, is there any way¡­ to make you stay?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was the first time Zhangsun Wuji asked her so directly, almost as if he were begging her, to stay. Before that, both of them had been avoiding the topic carefully, deathly afraid of receiving rejection from the other party. Yet that night, why did this sly person who had always held double meanings in his words, suddenly be so direct, using the simplest unspeakable question to directly target her heart? She remained silent for several moments before finally hardening her heart and said resolutely, ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Two simple words were as heavy as a ton of rocks, and the figure swayed slightly, causing tears to start falling from Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. She shut her eyes tightly and sat up silently in the darkness. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s voice drifted softly through the window again, ¡°¡­ What if, I gave you a family?¡± Meng Fuyao started for a moment; she knew why he was asking for her hand in marriage, but¡­ didn¡¯t he know that he would definitely get rejected by asking like this? ¡°Fuyao, you¡¯ve never once mentioned that you wanted to find your previous life,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said again, sighing sadly. Meng Fuyao continued to remain silent, immediately understanding what he meant by the family that he was talking about. Her hands gripped the cold nket above her tightly, the coolness of the silk as cold as her feelings. Finally, she said, ¡°I¡­ do not wish to disrupt other people¡¯s lives¡­ Forget it¡­¡± Since she was determined to leave, then may her parents of this life forget thest fourteen years with her and get used to not having her at all. Given her current status and skill level, she didn¡¯t need Zhangsun Wuji to easily retrieve even memories from before she was five, but what was the point? The memories before she was five were like broken shards, but even though they were scattered, she could still faintly make out that it had been a dark, sorrowful, lonely, and nightmarish childhood. No matter how troubled her parents were, for them to give her such a childhood meant that they were unable to provide for her. If she insisted on going back, she might perhaps be adding on to their problems. She too was human and wanted to live a bright and happy life, afraid that she would uncover the nightmares of her past if she tried to chase after it. Outside the window, Zhangsun Wuji had fallen silent. He leaned quietly against the window, not speaking and not leaving, one person outside and one inside, separated by a thin piece of paper, listening to each other¡¯s sorrowful breathing. The night was short, and the sky already began to lighten, yet the road ahead seemed to be increasingly unclear and winding. After several days, Meng Fuyao finally headed for Xuanji. Zhan Beiye sent her all the way to the border between Dahan and Xuanji before leaving reluctantly. He couldn¡¯t possibly follow her into Xuanji; although Xuanji had invited him previously, he was still in the midst of building up his empire and shouldn¡¯t have the time to visit other nations. He had to use the excuse of investigating the borders to follow Meng Fuyao this time as well, and he didn¡¯t have any further reason to follow her into Xuanji. Meng Fuyao would act as his representative in Xuanji instead. ¡°Rx, I definitely won¡¯t be stingy on showing your gloriousness!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you blocking my glory.¡± Zhan Beiyeughed heartily as he looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you revealing too much glory and causing trouble in Xuanji.¡± ¡°No such thing.¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head. ¡°If they don¡¯t offend me, I won¡¯t offend them. Even if they offend me, I¡¯ll try my best not to retaliate.¡± ¡°What if someone tried to offend you repeatedly?¡± Ya Lanzhu asked curiously. ¡°Then I have no choice but to retaliate viciously!¡± Meng Fuyao replied, grinning evilly. Ya Lanzhu cupped her fists in front of her respectfully as Meng Fuyao moved closer and whispered, ¡°Zhuzhu, perhaps you are close to seeding soon, don¡¯t give up, based on the speed that Emperor Zhan rushed over that night, it¡¯s clear that he still cares about you.¡± Ya Lanzhu¡¯s eyes lit up, and she said, ¡°Is that so? Then I guess I¡¯ll stay at Dahan for a little longer, I originally wanted to follow you.¡± ¡°Fishing for a husband is more important, go on!¡± Meng Fuyao pushed her away andughed as she left with Tie Cheng, Ji Yu and the rest of the guards. This time, she was leaving the country with style, with 3,000 infantry guards behind her, and all of them were elite soldiers handpicked by Zhan Beiye. He was afraid that her own troops had not received sufficient training; hence, he had chosen the bravest and most ferocious soldiers to follow her. A single nce at the army was enough to sense the tenacity and killing intent of the battle-hardened soldiers. Meng Fuyao turned around slightly and nced at Hua Yan, remembering the words that he had said to her in the previous night. Focusing back on the present, she raised her head to see Zhangsun Wuji smiling at her on his horse, waiting for her. She cracked the reins and galloped swiftly ahead, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. ¡®Xuanji!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ming for you!¡¯ The morning rays cast a faint glow over the road towards the pce. It was nearing the second month and the wintry days were slowly transitioning into spring as the ice melted and the warm springtime wind blew in. Emerald green leaves were starting to appear on barren branches, and the azure sky was starting to fill with countless flying birds beneath fluffy white clouds. Perhaps because it was still too early, the path was empty except for two figures, precisely Meng Fuyao, and Zhangsun Wuji. Behind them, Tie Cheng and the 3,000 infantry guards followed far behind. Even the elite soldiers who were used to traveling at high speeds by horse could only alight and trail after her, watching her back closely as she galloped ahead. Other than his hidden guard, Zhangsun Wuji never brought any other soldier along. He was the only royalty in the Five Continents that did not have a personal, trusted guard. Meng Fuyao guessed that it was probably because, given his ability, he already did not need any additional protection. Moreover, this guy had so many secrets, it was probably difficult to trust anyone, right? Oh, wait, no, he did actually have a personal guard, except that this personal guard had already be her object of entertainment and source of ie. Thinking up to this point, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt slightly bad and turned to Lord Yuan Bao, who was sitting atop her shoulder with its arms crossed, enjoying the scenery. ¡°Furball, I¡¯ve saved the money that you earned thest time inside my money pouch, I¡¯ll give you 60% of it, let me know whenever you need it, and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes shone happily, and it began squeaking excitedly, its paws dancing in the air. Meng Fuyao turned to Zhangsun Wuji questioningly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, it wants money for fruit honey; specifically the best kind of ¡°Snow Floral Fragrance¡± honey, the one and only one in the nine realms, the kind that¡¯s worth ten taels of silver for a small jar,¡± Zhangsun Wuji interpreted mildly. ¡°Oh,¡± Meng Fuyao replied, thinking that its share was at least enough to buy a small jar. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a lot either, about a pce full of it is enough,¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued tranting. Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The pce doesn¡¯t have to be too big either, about as big as the Xuanyuan imperial pce is enough.¡± The conditions weren¡¯t done. Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± After a long time, Meng Fuyao sighed and said, ¡°You should just sell me and see if you can exchange me for enough money to buy the world¡¯srgest pce.¡± Lord Yuan Bao was disgruntled and scolded, ¡°Chi chi chi chi chi chi!¡± Zhangsun Wuji tranted, ¡°It said you¡¯re a despicable and ungrateful hoarder of wealth, heartless, inhumane, taking advantage and bullying the weak, hurting a small, pure and innocent soul like itself¡­¡± Meng Fuyao promptly stuffed the little rascal that just scolded her and cursed, ¡°You should learn to keep your mouth cleaner!¡± Zhangsun Wuji responded moodily, ¡°Actually, I personally feel that thest ten or so words were very urate.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at the sky. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear anything, I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji nced at her with a smile as he sighed inwardly. He pointed ahead and said, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the Xuanji borders.¡± The location of the border gates faced towards Dahan and Wuji, and from afar, they could see the gates open, and two soldiers d in brightly colored armor headed towards them. A young man d in bronze robes followed behind the purple cloud embroidery on his sleeves extremely obvious. Zhangsun Wuji squinted his eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s the Prince of Xuanji.¡± Chapter 271 - Untitled Chapter 271: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t tell, based on the age it¡¯s probably the ninth or twelfth prince. He probably came to receive you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and waved at the boy, waiting on her horse. However, the boy did not stop, swiftly bypassing Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji along with his guards. When he crossed them, he nced at them for a fleeting moment before turning back. Meng Fuyao stared after him, shocked. She looked down and herself, then at Zhangsun Wuji, and pointed at her nose and asked, ¡°Which part of me doesn¡¯t look like a lord?¡± Zhangsun Wuji lifted his reins casually and remarked, ¡°The world only sees the outside, not the inside, how tragic.¡± Both of them were dressed casually in robes often worn by the nobles of the Five Regions Continent. In fact, it was considered to be slightly simpler and casual. Although Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s silver robes were extremely elegant and expensive, they were rather lowkey, and themon folk wouldn¡¯t be able to discern. Much less so for Meng Fuyao who didn¡¯t care about the material at all¡ªin her previous life, she was used to being thrifty. When the Xuanji prince passed by them, it seemed as if he suddenly thought of something and stopped abruptly, and snapped his whip on Meng Fuyao¡¯s horse with a loud crack. Startled by the sudden strike, Meng Fuyao¡¯s horse lost control and tried to throw her off its back. However, Meng Fuyao tightened her grip and with a cold snort pressed the horse back to the ground, rage shing through her eyes. She lowered her head and checked the horse¡¯s body; a heavy whip mark was swelling on its side, and her anger rose several notches. Meng Fuyao had always loved horses, and the one she had chosen was a one-of-a-kind famous steed, and she herself couldn¡¯t bear to whip it, yet today, it was unreasonably given a whip by this bastard! She turned around and red icily at the boy. The Xuanji prince seemed to be unaware of her hostility, and his eyes brightened when he noticed the horse she was sitting on. ¡°You¡¯ve got good eyes!¡± He praised as his eyes roamed around Meng Fuyao¡¯s horse. ¡°What a good horse! One of the best horses around!¡± he eximed and nced at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s horse. ¡°Good! This one¡¯s good too!¡± he eximed again, turning to meet Meng Fuyao¡¯s re. ¡°How are you guys fit to ride such horses?¡± he asked. This person¡¯s speech and actions were fast, and before Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji could react, he had already finished a full monologue. Waving her hand at an enraged Tie Cheng, Meng Fuyaoughed and said, ¡°Is it perhaps that Your Highness thinks that I¡¯m not fit to ride this horse, and only you are worthy enough to ride it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The Xuanji prince replied frankly and continued, ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t need it, I¡¯m going to give it away. I don¡¯t have to snatch it from you either, Little Four¡ª¡± A guard stepped forward. ¡°Reward!¡± The boy flicked his hand grandly. The guard immediately pulled out a silk money pouch covered in purple cloud embroidery and threw it at Meng Fuyao¡¯s feet. ¡°Did you see that? The Twelfth Prince is rewarding you heavily, aren¡¯t you going to show your gratitude?¡± Meng Fuyao nearly stumbled off her horse before quickly regaining herposure and smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the twelfth prince, pardon myck of respect, your humble servant should give his horse to you, but I would like to ask Your Highness one question,¡± she said. ¡°Ask!¡± The Twelfth Prince waved a hand. ¡°I have deep feelings for this horse, but if Your Highness likes this horse then I can only part with it, I just want to know, who will be the new owner of the horse?¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving it to Crown Prince Wuji and King Meng of Dahan,¡± The Twelfth Prince did not seem to notice anything unusual and replied straightforwardly. ¡°I¡¯m here to receive them, I heard that they are traveling together. The royalty of the Five Regions Continent are all skilled in fighting, and good horses are hard toe by. I¡¯m sure that Crown Prince Wuji and King Meng will definitely be pleased when they see these two horses.¡± He looked extremely pleased, chuckling to himself. Meng Fuyao smiled and offered her horse to him, even good-naturedly throwing a piece of advice. ¡°The carriages belonging to the two of them is probably about a mile away from here, when Your Highness heads down the path, you should be able to see it.¡± ¡°You two are not bad after all, it looks like your abilities are not to be underestimated either.¡± The Twelfth Prince nced at them again. ¡°If you enter the capital in the future, you can find my eleventh brother or me!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Your Highness,¡± Meng Fuyao bowed and moved aside humbly. ¡°Please go ahead, please go ahead¡ª¡± The Twelfth Prince stuck his nose upward arrogantly and with a crack of his whip, he galloped ahead. However, the guests that he was supposed to receive had their horses taken by him, and they also ate a huge portion of his dust¡­ Tie Cheng got off his horse and moved aside. ¡°Master, why did you stop me? This rascal deserves a beating!¡± he blurted angrily. ¡°Indeed, he deserves a beating,¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled and said, ¡°Therefore, what fun is there in you beating him up alone? Why not let Ji Yu and the other 3,000 soldiers beat him up!¡± Tie Cheng¡¯s mouth curved slightly, imagining the scene when the Twelfth Prince bumped into Ji Yu and the royal army while bringing along Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao¡¯s horses; the moment they recognized that the horses belonged to Meng Fuyao, they would definitely take action first, talkter. This was called true insidiousness¡­ Meng Fuyao turned to Zhangsun Wuji, smiling as she asked, ¡°How will your hidden guards react?¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied mildly, ¡°I¡¯ve already ced a marker on my horse, my hidden guards will probably break all of his subordinates¡¯ legs, no matter who they are.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent¡­ It seemed like whoever offended the Zhangsun family was the truly unfortunate¡­ The money pouch was still on the ground, and Meng Fuyao scooped it up with the tip of her foot and caught it, jangling it in her hand. Laughing, she threw it to Tie Cheng and said, ¡°Take it to buy some snacks.¡± Tie Cheng pped the money pouch away and retorted, ¡°No need!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed and shrugged. ¡°Why are you not clever at all, why don¡¯t you want it? You should happily spend other people¡¯s money,¡± she said, picking up the money pouch and checked the contents. Laughing coldly, she said, ¡°Is this enough money to buy your Snow Shadow and my Moon Chaser? Pei!¡± She spat angrily. However, when she saw the unique royal purple cloud embroidery on the pouch, her eyes lit up, and she tucked it into her robes. Tie Cheng offered his horse for Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao to ride it together. However, they ended up getting into an argument as to who would sit in front and who would sit behind. ¡°I want to measure your waist and see if you¡¯ve gotten fatter,¡± Meng Fuyao insisted on sitting behind. ¡°I want to measure your shoulders and see if you¡¯ve gotten thinner again,¡± Zhangsun Wuji too, insisted on sitting behind. Standing by the side, Tie Cheng looked up at the sky¡­ Even this was worth fighting over?! Finally, Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°Then let us both not ride the horse.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Meng Fuyao thought that this was a good solution. ¡°My turn to carry you.¡± Meng Fuyao got on the horse obediently and said, ¡°I feel that not riding a horse when there is one is called being stupid.¡± ¡°Wise and honest words!¡± His Highness, the Crown Prince, agreed enthusiastically. He had won this round. The two on the horse had fallen silent after bickering earlier. Meng Fuyao did not say anything, letting her eyes wander around her. Zhangsun Wuji shiftedzily and clearly intentionally rested his chin on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder. After a while, he switched shoulders and continued resting. Annoyed by his constant switching and the noise and itch from him moving his head around, she cursed, ¡°Can¡¯t you be quieter?¡± ¡°No.¡± His Highness the Crown Prince immediately denied and said softly, ¡°If I¡¯m too quiet, you¡¯ll forget my existence, so I¡¯ve decided to always disturb you and make you constantly bothered by me.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s neck turned slightly pink; she wasn¡¯t used to direct words of affection. However, the person behind her was a pro at saying these kinds of words, and they were getting more and more tant and obvious; hence, she rubbed her neck and retorted, ¡°Why would I be bothered? You¡¯re really narcissistic, can¡¯t you see that I¡¯ve already broken out in goosebumps?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled slightly and shrugged. ¡°Why do I feel as if someone is blushing?¡± ¡®Mushy¡­ Mushy¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky. She could easily parry a battle of words, but she was a total amateur when it came to a battle of feelings. ¡°Actually¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s faint fragrance lingered beside her ear as he murmured silkily, ¡°Making you have goosebumps is better than you not reacting at all.¡± He gently blew into Meng Fuyao¡¯s ear and looked at the little bamboo sticks lodged in her earlobes; the earrings that he had given her had been removed. ¡°Where are the earrings that I¡¯ve given you? Why aren¡¯t you wearing them?¡± he asked, smiling. Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes at him again and said nastily, ¡°Please, do you really think your gift was really made of jade and wouldn¡¯t spoil?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and said, ¡°As long as there is heart, anything will not spoil.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent and shifted her body forwards. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she muttered. Indeed, they had arrived. It was a short distance to begin with, but Zhangsun Wuji had managed to seize the opportunity to make his advances. Meng Fuyao had painstakingly built tall walls around herself, yet the Crown Prince slowly but easily climbed over them. When they arrived at the city gates, the three people plus one horse were covered from head to toe in dust and dirt and looked extremely pitiful. The door guard watched them from his high chair as they entered the guardhouse and ced a hand in front of him. ¡°Gate pass!¡± he demanded. Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows and looked at Zhangsun Wuji, then said slowly, ¡°We don¡¯t have one¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have one?¡± The door guard waved his hand and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t have a gate pass, we can¡¯t let you in. Move aside and get lost, there are important guests arrivingter, don¡¯t block the road.¡± The guardhouse was not small and was filled with officials in red robes and purple beltszily gazing at passersby as they drank their tea. They were chatting among themselves and looked as if they were waiting for someone. The door guard pushed the two aside and hurried up to a young man sitting among the officials and bowed. ¡°Your Highness, it is boisterous here, please head upstairs to have some peace.¡± ¡°It is more or less time, I shall wait here,¡± The young man¡¯s tone was extremely affectionate as he smiled and said, ¡°Father has ordered me to lead the officials in weing the esteemed guests from afar. The Twelfth Prince has already gone ahead to receive them, they should be arriving soon.¡± Meng Fuyao saw that he was in his twenties, and he was dressed in simple pale golden robes with faint brown cloud patterns on the sleeves. The color scheme matched his personality, warm andforting, and although his appearance was not extremely outstanding, the aura around him was impressive and based on his status and tone, he was probably a prince, just that, she didn¡¯t know which one. The door guard ced a hand on his hip, and shoved Meng Fuyao with the other. ¡°Why are you still standing around here!¡± he barked rudely. However, the prince smiled and chastised, ¡°If they don¡¯t have a gate pass then let them leave, why do you need to be so rude, making Xuanji look as if we don¡¯t know how to behave any better.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at the prince, and thinking that his character was really not so bad, she decided not to tease him anymore and smiled. ¡°Actually, I mentioned that I don¡¯t have a gate pass, because¡­¡± She waved a hand, and Tie Cheng walked forward, his face solemn as he pped a gold invitation tablet on the table. Chapter 272 - Untitled Chapter 272: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°¡­ The regr Xuanji gate pass is way too low level!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. A gust of wind blew by, and the cover of the gold invitation tablet flipped open, revealing its contents; handwritten by Xuanji¡¯s leader and stamped with the imperial jade seal. The gate guard let out a startled ¡°Ah,¡± his mouth gaping wide open. Meng Fuyao nced into his open mouth briefly and said, ¡°You seem to have inmmation of the tonsils, perhaps you have tonsilitis? I rmend gargling your mouth with a mixture of honeysuckle and seawater.¡± The guard immediately shut his mouth, letting out another cry as he bit his tongue. The entire room was still in shock, but the prince regained hisposure the fastest. He scanned Meng Fuyao¡¯s invite quickly and immediately stepped up and said, ¡°My officers are ignorant and disrespected King Meng, I hope that King Meng does not deem it as intentional.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and replied, ¡°I dare not, I dare not, your nation is humble and respectful, a true model of grace, it¡¯s heartbreaking, hehe, heartbreaking indeed.¡± The entire room was filled with confused and ashamed faces as the prince tried to resolve the situation, and ushered Meng Fuyao into the inner room to rest. He nced at Zhangsun Wuji who was wearing a mask and standing behind Meng Fuyao, and said, ¡°Are these two your bodyguards? Please enter together¡­¡± Meng Fuyao immediately turned around and bowed solemnly. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, please go first.¡± All of the Xuanji officials were now frightened motionless, and the prince froze for a second as well. However, his reaction was fast, and with a swish of his sleeves, he quickly turned around and bowed deeply at Zhangsun Wuji, this time bowing for an even longer period of time. ¡°Please forgive this ignorant prince¡­ that was¡­ truly disrespectful¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, we would have to bother Your Highness with lending us two horses since there are still several hundred miles before we arrive at Tong City. Although King Meng and myself do not mind walking, I¡¯m afraid your reputation will be affected.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re too serious!¡± The Prince was clearly suspicious as to why the two didn¡¯t even have horses, yet did not ask and immediately ordered his men to prepare some horses for them. He tried to diffuse the awkward tension in the air and smiled. ¡°My twelfth brother has already gone ahead to receive you two, have you not met him?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao sat down slowly and lifted a leg on the chair. ¡°Did we? We only met a robber who robbed us of both our horses.¡± ¡°Did something like that really happen!¡± The prince was stunned for a moment, anger shing between his eyes as he shouted, ¡°Who would dare to rob the Crown Prince and King Meng in broad daylight, and right before the borders? Are the people of Xuanji that useless?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed and sipped at her tea. Suddenly, she mmed the cup down and said, ¡°With regards to the unjust humiliation and shock that I¡¯ve received at the borders, I can only seek Your Highness for help, please take on this responsibility and seek justice for us.¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± The prince finally noticed something wrong with her words. His eyes shed, but his face remained expressionless as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll immediately order the border troops to conduct a thorough investigation and give King Meng and the Crown Prince an answer, and bring the robber to justice¡­¡± ¡°Robbery¡ª¡± A loud yell from outside cut all conversation and everyone raised their heads as they watched a cloud of dust rise from outside, and in the dust, a group of fearsome soldiers on horses carrying red gs rushing after a group of people. The people from this group were all grabbing on to their robes and running frantically, abandoning all armor. Some already had their legs bare and the person that was shouting was stumbling forward behind them, constantly falling under the attacks of the horsebacked soldiers. Everyone started looking carefully, could this be the group of bandits that had robbed the Crown Prince and King Meng earlier, striking another poor victim? How vicious these bandits were, shing the victims¡¯ pants¡ª The prince suddenly shouted, ¡°Twelfth brother!¡± Everyone jumped in fright, realizing that the disheveled figure covered in bloodstains in front of them was not the beloved Twelfth Prince, so who was he? Meng Fuyao had already jumped up and shouted as she pointed out of the window, ¡°The robber is here, the robber is here! That¡¯s them! That¡¯s them!¡± While she was shouting inside, the Twelfth Prince was shouting outside, ¡°Eleventh brother, someone robbed me¡ªsomeone robbed me¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped shouting. Eleventh Prince! Notorious for bribing governments and underhanded assassinations, the one that had chased after Hua Yan for thousands of miles and killed him in her territory! It was actually this simply dressed, well-mannered guy? Meng Fuyao gritted her teeth. Why was it that all the offspring of the Empress of Xuanji were all born actors? Don¡¯t you know, she hated actors! Meng Fuyao red at the Eleventh Prince; that person was indeed calm. He clearly knew that something was off, yet his expression did not change as he rushed forward and asked, ¡°Twelfth brother, what¡¯s going on!¡± The Twelfth Princeunched himself into the room, leaning against the frame of the door and breathing heavily. ¡°That group of people¡­ that group of people tried to kill me right after seeing me, without even saying anything¡­ Even my belt is broken¡­ Eleventh brother, help me beat them up, beat them up¡ª¡± Bam! A crisp, pping noise startled everyone, and the Eleventh Prince touched his cheek, dazed by the blow. He had just been beaten up and robbed, and had finally managed to ask his brother for help, yet the eleventh brother had also given him a p for no reason! ¡°Eleventh brother! Are you mad!¡± After a long time, he finally came back to his senses and bellowed. ¡°You¡¯re the one that¡¯s mad!¡± Despite his rage, the Eleventh Prince¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he pressed his de against the jeering soldiers. ¡°Have you gone blind? Can¡¯t you see who this is? Is this a group of bandits? This is clearly the Dahan Imperial Army!¡± The officials who were supposed to wee Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji got a huge scare as they looked out, realizing that the men were arranged in a neat formation, d in shiny armor, oozing tenacity and viciousness. Each of the men had a red phoenix sigil on their robe, the unique sigil belonging to the King of Han, King Meng. This was indeed the Dahan Imperial Army. What exactly was going on? The Han army robbing the King of Han? Or¡­ Everyone turned to look at Meng Fuyao, whose arms were crossed in front of her as she smiled at a stunned Twelfth Prince and said, ¡°Yes, yes, robbery, our horses had been robbed by this person here.¡± The poor Xuanji had been humiliated by Dahan¡¯s King Meng to the point where they finally understood what awkwardness was, as they stood pale-faced in the shadows, not daring to make a sound. The Eleventh Prince was stunned for a moment, his eyes shing slightly before he forced a smile and said, ¡°You must be kidding¡­¡± ¡°What robbery!¡± The Twelfth Prince finally noticed Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji and shouted, ¡°I paid you!¡± He thought for a moment and turned to her again as if he had realized something and pointed at her angrily. ¡°I see, you were the one who led me into the Han army, causing me to get beaten up. You actually dared to attempt murder on a member of the royal family, you¡¯re looking for death, looking for death¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao snorted loudly; this guy really was something, he still wasn¡¯t aware of who she was up to this point,pared to the perceptive eleventh prince, he simply couldn¡¯tpare. The Twelfth Prince was still cursing at her, but the Xuanji officials¡¯ faces were drained from color as they faced Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji; for a prince of their country to humiliate honored guests from other nations like this¡­ Moreover, with regards to these two guests, one was an important political ally, the other was one of the leaders of a newly-built nation; both were top political figures in the Five Regions Continent. Who knew what they were thinking as they saw the Prince of Xuanji and his officials getting humiliated over and over again? Several knowing officials nced at each other anxiously¡ªXuanji was currently facing some internal turmoil, if these two famous figures noticed, would it cause even more trouble? What was His Majesty thinking? That Meng Fuyao was a famous royal troublemaker; first getting rid of Wuji¡¯s King De, then killing off Dahan¡¯s Zhan Nancheng, and recently exterminating Xuanyuan¡¯s Regent King. Wasn¡¯t His Majesty afraid that Xuanji might end in her hands? The Eleventh Prince listened as the Twelfth Prince continued on his death-seeking tirade. Finally, he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and pped his shoulder, saying, ¡°Twelfth brother, shut up. You¡¯re being disrespectful to His Highness the Crown Prince and the King of Han!¡± The Twelfth Prince¡¯s voice stopped abruptly upon getting hit, and his mouth continued to open and close, yet no words came out. Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji looked at each other, humor apparent in their eyes. Not bad martial skills. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s actually Your Highness.¡± Meng Fuyao looked as if she had just realized something and stepped forward, scrutinizing the Twelfth Prince, her gaze lingering longer than usual on his broken belt to the point where the Twelfth Prince embarrassedly held onto his belt. ¡°What an evil twist of fate, Your Highness, I don¡¯t understand, why did you rob our horses, only to give it back to us?¡± The Twelfth Prince started coughing profusely. She sighed again and continued without skipping a beat, ¡°Your Highness, when you sent our horses to my army, wasn¡¯t that equivalent to stepping on the King of Han¡¯s face? It¡¯s fine if you step on my face, but my loyal subjects are concerned about my safety and could only trample on Your Highness without asking. Look, this is what a misunderstanding can cause.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± The Twelfth Prince was already speechless and could only breath angrily. The Eleventh Prince grimaced as he murmured, ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­ A misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness, please promise me first that you will definitely punish the culprit,¡± Meng Fuyao said, deliberately stretching her words, causing the Xuanji officials to feel even more anxious, unsure of what she was trying to y at. The Eleventh Prince scrounged his eyebrows together and was about to say something when Meng Fuyao smiled again and said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to talk about it anymore.¡± The Eleventh Prince smiled bitterly again and replied, ¡°Many thanks to the benevolence and understanding of the Crown Prince and the King of Han.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that a princemitting a crime is different from amonermitting the same crime,¡± Meng Fuyao said solemnly. ¡°I heard that Xuanji¡¯s legal system is strict, and the Supreme Court is especially fair and rigorous. As long as a crime ismitted, it doesn¡¯t matter who it is, the case wouldn¡¯t be treated frivolously. The neighboring countries have long admired this aspect of Xuanji, so I¡¯m certain that Your Highness will see to it that the Twelfth Prince will get his just punishment for his actions.¡± Chapter 273 - Untitled Chapter 273: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao bowed. Before the Eleventh Prince could respond, she said in a very polite tone, ¡°I would like to request for a favor. The punishment does not have to be too severe, and you can just do it as a gesture of goodwill. Additionally, all the damages including the whip on my horse, the broken swords of my guards, the pain we had to go through from traveling such a long distance, and the minor injury that I suffered after being robbed by you¡­¡± At that, she carefully found a small split in her fingernail, although that was actually a result of her biting her nails since she felt that her fingernails were too long. She showed that split to the Eleventh Prince and the other officials. ¡°It¡¯s really painful. Just give us some appropriatepensation.¡± The officials looked towards the Twelfth Prince and his guards, who were covered with blood, had their pants off and were beaten up very badly. Then, they looked at the guards of Dahan, who were sittingfortably on their horses, smirking and hugging the knives which were broken because the guards used them to sh at their own people. After that, they looked at the noble King of Han, who had stopped her horse in front of the city and brazenly disyed that ¡°very painful injury¡± on her fingernail, even though it was almost unnoticeable. All of them covered their faces with their palms. They had seen shameless people, but not anyone so shameless¡­ At this point, the victim was being used as the robber, while the offenders still wantedpensation. They pitied the Twelfth Prince, who was being bound by the phrase ¡°A Prince who vites thew must be punished like any other ordinary person,¡± and had to suffer from some form of punishment. ¡°I will definitely give you an exnation.¡± The Eleventh Prince spoke through gritted teeth, and he looked back and ordered, ¡°Twelfth, scram back to the city right now! You¡¯re grounded for two months and do some reflection in there!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± The Twelfth Prince felt so wronged that he choked with sobs. ¡°Go!¡± ¡°You!¡± The Twelfth Prince stomped his feet and gave a vicious stare at Meng Fuyao. He took another used look at the Eleventh Prince, wore his pants and dashed out of the ruckus, causing a few officials to cry out in shock as they banged against each other. Meng Fuyao smiled and casually admired her fingernails. At the wave of her hand, Ji Yu and the others dismounted and brought arge box forward. The box was extremely big, and its contents seemed to be of simr size. When the guards brought it forward, there was even the sound of objects banging against each other. The Xuanji officials stared at the box and tried to guess what kind of gift King Meng would give, given that she was a noble of three nations, and also known to be as wealthy as a nation. ¡°Eleventh Prince has such good manners, so I should give you something in return as well.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned. ¡°It is merely a small gift, and I hope you will ept it.¡± At that moment, the expression of the Eleventh Prince softened. He smiled. ¡°This sincere gift overwhelms me.¡± To show his strong regard for the gift, he personally opened it in front of everyone. When the cover was lifted, a slightly pungent and rancid odor, strangely mixed with the smell of cement, immediately wafted out. Instantly, the Eleventh Prince¡¯s expression changed. Beside him, one of the officials swayed and copsed to the floor. Then, someone behind hurriedly came forward to hold the official, but that person unexpectedly took a look at the contents. In that split second, strength drained from his hands. He dashed outwards, and a few momentster, everyone could hear the sound of vomitinging from the corner of the house. Ping! The unlucky official whom no one steadied, fell on the floor and knocked his head against the ground¡­ Amongst the sound of vomiting, Meng Fuyao beamed. ¡°I have heard that the Eleventh Prince was heeding the head of Xuanji¡¯s orders to patrol the northern borders, and was responsible for clearing the rebellious forces there. Coincidentally, I met a bunch of them on my way, and they were robbing people who passed by and bringing disaster upon the residents there. Hence, I settled them, and a thought struck my mind. What other gift could be more practical for you?¡± She smiled and waved her hand past the ten-odd heads in the big box. In a warm tone, she added, ¡°They are preserved well, and their appearance can still be distinguished. I heard that amongst them, there are even the heads of the rebellious forces. I think that you will definitely recognize them.¡± The Eleventh Prince pressed his hand on the rim of the box and gazed intently at these heads, which were very carefully preserved with cement, such that the expressions of shock and fear before they died were still captured. The gleam in those wide eyes had vanished, but they seemed to depict to him the sudden massacre that night, as well as the evil intentions of the ¡°gifter¡±¡­ His fingers slightly trembled, but he regained hisposure very quickly. Momentster, he gentlyid down the lid. A click sounded when the lid wasid down, and it caused the Xuanji officials to slightly jump in fear. By then, the Eleventh Prince had already regained his amicable and graceful aura. He smiled and responded, ¡°Yes, I do recognize them. One of them is among the heads of the Eternal Sky n, and I ced a bounty on his head. He is extremely cunning and has repeatedly escaped the arrests. Many thanks to you, King of Han, for abdicating the viins for the better good of our citizens.¡± He bowed after he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Meng Fuyao returned the bow and looked up. Their eyes met, and both smiled. That night, the Eleventh Prince, Feng Jingrui, set a wee feast for Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao, and the location was set at the best restaurant in the vicinity. Zhangsun Wuji had always beenposed and cold in his mannerisms, and other than exhibiting his passionate feelings towards Meng Fuyao, he was always polite but distant to other people. On the other hand, Meng Fuyao remained the character that could not wait to stir upmotion wherever she went. During the feast, she was the only one who continuously chatted charismatically and analyzed the current political situation. However, the other officials sat as still as wooden sticks. The aftershock of being yed by King Meng still remained, and no one had the appetite to eat. When a te of Crysta Lion¡¯s Head, also known as pork meatballs, was presented, Feng Jingrui introduced the dish. ¡°This is specially prepared by our famous chef in Xuanji, and it is known for its excellent vor and aroma. Your Highnesses the Crown Prince and King of Han, please¡­¡± Meng Fuyao raised her chopsticks excitedly, and the other officials quickly followed suit. She leaned forward, and she smiled as she praised the dish. ¡°What a beautiful and crimson red head!¡± The officials hurriedly threw away their chopsticks as their faces turned ghastly-white. It was followed by a te of Seven Treasures and Winter Melon Soup. The hungry officials had just raised their chopsticks again, when Meng Fuyao started praising, ¡°I peeped after opening the lid, and the insides are so red and white!¡± All the officials disposed their chopsticks in unison and started making gestures of suffocated vomiting. Then, a deskinned roasted chicken was presented, and it smelled very fragrant. As the officials continued to raise their chopsticks, Meng Fuyao took the chicken in her hands and shook it. As the skin fell, she praised even more aggressively, ¡°Sigh, it fell so nicely! Looking at this skin, it is as white as cement!¡± All the officials threw their chopsticks away and were prepared to flee. In the end, the entire exquisite feast that was specially prepared was not touched at all. It was all thanks to the unsurpassable imagination of the valiant King Meng that no one could hold their chopsticks for more than one second. The famous chef who had rushed from the capital and prepared the feast for three whole days, internally cried when he saw that all the dishes were not eaten at all¡­ During the feast, Meng Fuyao heard that the coronation ceremony of the Queen would only take ce in mid-April and she was slightly taken aback. Feng Jingrui then exined to her, ¡°Our nation has a tradition, that April is the most auspicious month, as it is the birth month of the Holy Protector of our nation. As such, all of our past and major ceremonies were all held in that month.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned and asked, ¡°Then who is your Queen?¡± ¡°About this¡­¡± Feng Jingrui smiled and answered, ¡°We don¡¯t know about this. His Majesty¡¯s decree of inheritance will only be read out before the coronation ceremony,¡± ¡°Then do you know who it is?¡± Meng Fuyao nced sideways at him. ¡°That is up to His Majesty.¡± Feng Jingrui¡¯s smiled stayed. ¡°What a pity.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed and said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean that you have no chance in this? On the contrary, I feel that you have a magnificent aura and exceptional vision befitting of a ruler.¡± ¡°Please do not bring this up again.¡± Feng Jingrui cautioned as his expression changed. ¡°His Majesty is bright and wise. The new ruler he chooses will definitely be the bright head of our nation. I dare not to listen to such words that overstep his authority.¡± ¡°Why so serious?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyeballs gleamed. She smiled and added, ¡°Everyone takes turns at bing the Emperor, and it mightnd on you the next year.¡± Coughing sounds rose in the other tables as the color drained from their faces. They had heard of King Meng¡¯s brazen reputation as a professional rebel, and it was indeed true! She even dared to incite rebellious thoughts on their ownnd! As such, Feng Jingrui coughed and resorted to changing the topic. ¡°I also did not think that you and the Crown Prince would arrive so early. Everyone is highly honored by your presence.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Meng Fuyao took out the invitation, flipped it around, and said in confusion, ¡°Your nation¡¯s Emperor did not even write the date, so I thought that the ceremony would be near.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Feng Jingrui looked away for a split second before he smiled. ¡°Since you are here, do visit the attractions in our nation. We have many ces that have beautiful and reputable scenery of mountains and rivers. I will specially order people to wait on you two.¡± ¡°If so, thank you very much.¡± Meng Fuyao grinned and ced her chopsticks down. Then, she turned to Zhangsun Wuji, who had been smiling and drinking tea. ¡°Are you full?¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± The Crown Prince answered in such a way, although all he did was just sip on tea. When the two of them stood up, the starving officials stood up as well and greeted them respectfully. As Feng Jingrui watched the two figures disappearing outside the room, his eyes shone. Momentster, he turned towards a certain direction and tilted his head. ¡­ ¡°Are you full?¡± Meng Fuyao leaned outside Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s window and knocked at it. ¡°I¡¯m starving to death.¡± The window opened, and Zhangsun Wuji looked out. ¡°What a pitiful me. When I¡¯m with you, I have to starve and even lie.¡± ¡°Come on out, there are delicious things.¡± Meng Fuyao gestured for him to get out and her eyes gleamed. ¡°What delicious thing can you whip out.¡± Zhangsun Wuji was doubtful, but he still floated out of his window and sighed. ¡°Can you bring out something better than a table of exotic delicacies?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it this way. To hell with those exotic delicacies! I promise mine¡¯s better.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled mischievously and pulled him to the backyard. There was already a small garden there, and Meng Fuyao had cleared out a smallnd of mud. On the ground, she set up a fire. She squatted on the floor and kept dealing with the firewood. When she looked up and grinned, her ck eyes were shiny and crystal-like under the reflection of the fire, resembling zed pearls. But there was a small ck spot on her nose, which slightly ruined the image. ¡°You¡¯re boasting again. You¡¯d rather not eat those exotic delicacies and make yourself messy like this.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and raised his hand to wipe the ash away from her nose. At that moment, there was a vague scent of something sweet. It was unfamiliar, but it had the temptation of something simple and delicious. He took a sniff and his appetite improved, even though he was someone who wouldn¡¯t feel hungry even after starving for three days and nights. Yet, he was unsure whether he was hungry because of the aroma of the food, or because of Meng Fuyao¡¯s smile. ¡°So this is what you deem better than the feast?¡± Zhangsun Wuji became interested. He squatted down to watch her assemble the firewood, and he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Something average that farmers do. I found this in the cer of the backyard. Hehe, I bet you have never eaten it before,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she casually cleaned her ck hands on her robes. Beside her, Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s eyes shone with excitement, and it grabbed a thin wooden stick to poke around. It had also never smelled something like that before, and it wanted to eat it. Chapter 274 - Untitled Chapter 274: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°I was wondering where you had been. So you were just hiding here and snacking.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he helped her with the fire. ¡°Are you not afraid that Feng Jingrui will hire someone to assassinate you?¡± ¡°Does he even have the ability to do so?¡± Meng Fuyao pouted. ¡°It¡¯s much more likely that he killed Hua Yan and his wife.¡± ¡°What exactly did Hua Yan tell you that night?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she fell into deep thought. ¡°I asked him why he crossed his own national borders to find me, and he said that he was being chased, while Feng Yu Chu died along the way because of a serious injury. As he escaped from the northern borders, the first territory he entered was mine, and he recalled how he met me once before. Since I was the only person who was powerful enough in the area to protect him, he came straight looking for me. But I feel that he still had things that were not said. For example, the object which the assassins mentioned was what Feng Jingrui was after.¡± ¡°He could not possibly tell you everything when he has only met you once,¡± Zhangsun Wujimented and added, ¡°Fuyao, what exactly is your n? Send him back to the city or just help him to take revenge?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to me right now.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°You also know that from the moment I ordered my people to kill them in front of the residence, Feng Jingrui will never let me away. Unless I step back and not care about Hua Yan¡¯s life, and allow him to die in front of my residence, I¡¯ll definitely be Feng Jingrui¡¯s enemy. Since it was meant to be¡­ I might as well strike first and gain the upper hand.¡± ¡°So you deliberately showed your strength today as a warning sign, and even sowed discord among the brothers.¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°You¡¯re indeed an expert at stirring trouble.¡± Meng Fuyao just gave a casual grin. Suddenly, she cheered. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± After dousing the fire and brushing the ash away, she dug out a few ck objects inside and raised them high above her head, and respectfully offered them to Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, please have a taste of this unrivaled, extremely sweet and fragrant¡­ baked sweet potato!¡± Baked sweet potato¡­ Stunned, Zhangsun Wuji raised his eyebrows and stared at the ck objects. He knew what a sweet potato was, but he had never had the opportunity to eat such things that usually belonged to the diet ofmoners. Furthermore, when he inspected sites after disaster struck, the sweet potatoes he saw were cut into slices and cooked with porridge in the pot. They were obviously yellow, so why would they look so ugly now? How could he eat them in this manner? Seeing his expression, Meng Fuyao kept her hand and gave him a despised look. ¡°Sigh, does the high and mighty Crown Prince not know how to eat such food of themoners?¡± Carefully, she peeled away the burned and ck skin of the sweet potato, revealing a bright and radiant yellow color of the flesh. The sweet aroma unique to a baked sweet potato immediately wafted into their noses. It gave them the warm and fuzzy feeling of cooked food, and the distinct smell caused their stomachs to rumble. ¡°Does it smell good?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that it would be so fragrant. Immediately, Meng Fuyao gave him the baked sweet potato as though she was presenting a treasure. Zhangsun Wuji gently smiled and opened his mouth. After a moment of hesitation, Meng Fuyao blushed and forcefully stuffed the sweet potato in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s mouth. ¡°I will fill you to bursting point!¡± Zhangsun Wuji bit down on half of it and slowly ate. As he chewed, he looked at her with a radiant beam. ¡°Mmm¡­ so beautiful¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s so beautiful¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth was filled with yellow and ck contents, and she could only ask in a muffled voice. ¡°I¡¯m saying that¡­ themoners indeed have beautiful delicacies.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and gazed at her, and his eyes were soft. Suddenly, he reached out his hand and lightly brushed it across her lips. The long finger scooped a small piece of golden sweet potato. Zhangsun Wuji raised his finger and smiled at Meng Fuyao until her face turned red. Then, he ced that piece of sweet potato ¨C which was stained with the fragrance of her lips ¨C into his mouth and ate it. ¡°Thank you for letting me have¡­ such a beautiful taste.¡± His tone was charming and gentle, and each word felt like a tease. Was he referring to the simple but beautiful taste that belonged to amoner¡¯s sweet potato, or the natural fragrance of those bright and radiant red lips? In an instant, Meng Fuyao turned scarlet. He¡¯s an ancient person¡­ An ancient person like him¡­ actually knew what an indirect kiss was? Or was His Highness a natural flirt? Meng Fuyao started shifting away, as she made up her mind to distance herself from this Crown Prince who looked very dangerous yet tempting, charming and beautiful. How could he create an atmosphere like this just by eating baked sweet potatoes¡­ Just as she moved away, out of the blue, there was a loud sound in the sky. A light appeared above their heads, and then there was the sound of an explosion. When she looked up, she saw countless dark red arrows which were lit on fire. They created huge arcs of bright light and had unique whistle sounds. Cutting viciously across the sky, the arrows aimed straight for the second floor, where she and Zhangsun Wuji were staying in! The dark red arrows cut across the night sky like shooting stars and aimed urately at Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s rooms. In an instant, there was a raging inferno, and the second floor immediately became a sea of fire. ¡°They took action! They attacked!¡± Meng Fuyao jumped, and she seemed more excited than scared. Continuously stomping her feet and rubbing her fists, she eximed, ¡°How unexpected! They indeed chose to attack!¡± ¡°Why are you so smug?¡± Zhangsun Wuji did not move, as though he did not see the fire at all. Slowly and calmly, he peeled a sweet potato for himself and happily munched on it while facing Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°Feng Jingrui did not start the fire, and I bet that tonight he¡¯s definitely ¡®not around.¡¯ The real culprit will definitely be one of those people from the Eternal Sky n, who are ¡®seeking justice¡¯ for their brothers who were killed¡¯.¡± ¡°I know that Feng Jingrui will push the me of this attack on the Eternal Sky n.¡± Meng Fuyao giggled. ¡°Anyway, Xuanji is in a mess now. Rebellious forces collude with Princes, and Princes collude with court officials; those serving in the capital get chased out, while those outside the borders stare at the city like it is a piece of fat meat. Since Feng Jingrui will definitely not be the Emperor, why won¡¯t he stir up more trouble in this situation? If both of us died, wouldn¡¯t it be even better for Dahan and Wuji to attack Xuanji? Feng Jingrui might even be able to have some gains out of this chaos.¡± ¡°So Feng Jingrui ordered this killing without any hesitation since he does not have to be responsible for Xuanji.¡± Zhangsun Wuji stuffed a peeled sweet potato into Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Fuyao,¡± he said. ¡°Yes,¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled as she quickly munched on the contents in her stuffed mouth. ¡°Do you intend to kill Feng Jingrui right now?¡± ¡°No,¡± Meng Fuyao replied. ¡°It¡¯s easy to kill him, but it will be troublesome to hire people to kill him. Since we¡¯re on thends of another nation, we shouldn¡¯t be so high profile¡­¡± While Zhangsun Wuji was still wondering why she became so humble, she suddenly added, ¡°We can wait for those in hiding to surface and expose themselves as we travel to the capital. Then, we can gather all those problematic and harmful ones, and then kill them all at once.¡± ¡­ It was indeed King Meng¡¯s style. ¡°So¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°It seems as though we are going to be chased and killed soon.¡± He described the precarious and difficult situation in such a simple tone, and Meng Fuyao listened on nonchntly as well. ¡°Oh,¡± she ced her cheeks in her palms and seriously thought about ways to run. ¡°How should we escape? Escape with 3,000 other people? That¡¯s not giving enough face for Xuanji.¡± ¡°I think,¡± Zhangsun Wuji spoke and smiled. ¡°Just now Feng Jingrui mentioned something about beautiful sceneries of mountains, rivers, and springs. That sounds like a decent idea.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up quickly, and she praised the idea. ¡°Ah! I have not traveled in so long!¡± She wiped her mouth and looked up at the second level. Then, as she heard the barks and the calls of revengeing from outside, she said, ¡°We should at least fight for a while before we ¡®disappear¡¯.¡± As she rolled up her sleeves and tied up her hair, her eyes gleamed. ¡°My hands are itchy!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Zhangsun Wuji suddenly stopped her and took her hand. After taking a careful look at her fingers, he said, ¡°Your fingernails grow very quickly. Trim them first, or they might break during the fight, and your fingers will hurt.¡± In a swift movement, he pulled down Meng Fuyao onto a chair. Taking out a small and golden nail clipper from his clothes, he gently started trimming her fingernails. Meanwhile, the fire raged above them, and chaos surrounded them. While countless armed members of the Eternal Sky n surrounded the area aggressively, the two of them calmly trimmed the fingernails in such a precarious moment. Zhangsun Wuji was very serious in the trimming. He held the tip of Meng Fuyao¡¯s fingers and did one finger after the other. From Meng Fuyao¡¯s perspective, she could see his clean and bright forehead, his slightly pursed lips, his high nose bridge, and the golden-red reflection of the fire on his face which seemed bright and radiant. Yet, his expression was unusually focused. It seemed as though the neatness of the fingernails in front of him mattered a lot more than the possibility of people surrounding them to kill them. Chaos was around them, but that ce was calm and peaceful. Only the breathing and trimming sound could be heard. After a while, even the crisp and tiny clips seemed to have a lively rhythm to them. It was the most beautiful moment. Meng Fuyao sat cross-legged in front of him. The pile of fire beside her was still emitting warmth, the aroma of baked sweet potatoes had yet to drift away, and Lord Yuan Bao slept between them with his stuffed stomach. Suddenly, she felt calm and warm in this moment, even though the future was unpredictable and dangerid ahead of them in all directions. It resembled a moment years ago in the previous world when she had apanied her mother back from the hospital. When they had seen the stall selling baked sweet potatoes along the street, they had spent a dor on buying one, and the mother and daughter munched on it by the road. While they were eating, they smiled and each other. It was as though they had not just been sharing a sweet potato, but also the warmth in winter ¨C the feeling derived from pushing through hardships together, and the telepathy of people who would apany each other for the rest of their lives. Neen yearster, she was in another world and sharing sweet potatoes with another person once again. It might be a different setting with different characters, but the feeling remained simr. Meanwhile, the clipper continued making crisp clicking sounds as Zhangsun Wuji slowly trimmed¡­ She went into a daze again, as she recalled how her mother always cut her fingers back then. After her mother had fallen ill, she had always been the one cutting. At that moment, she would never have imagined that many yearster, in another world, a royal man who had never served others would quietly and gently cut her fingernails under the brightly-lit night sky. Then, she heard that person say solemnly and slowly, ¡°Fuyao, I hope that I can bake sweet potatoes with you every winter, and then cut away these overtly long fingernails for you.¡± Meng Fuyao sighed internally and patted his hand. As she stood up, she replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s much more practical that youe and fight with me now. Let¡¯s go.¡± Both of them leaped onto the roof and looked down. The 3,000 guards who were arranged to live in another area by Feng Jingrui, because of ack of space in the current amodation, were rushing towards their room. Then, they saw soldiers who ¡°came worriedly¡±, rushed out of their base in an extremely efficient manner, and lined themselves on the paths that would lead the 3,000 guards to the residence. It seemed as though the soldiers were actively extending help, but they actually blocked the paths of the guards. With so many people hogging up the small alleys in the rural city, it was impossible for the guards to move. Chapter 275 - Untitled Chapter 275: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao folded her arms and smirked. She called Tie Cheng over in a low tone and instructed him. ¡°Contact Ji Yu and let the ck Wind Cavalry disperse like how they used to do. Enter the capital from different routes in Xuanji, and meet me there in early April.¡± While Tie Cheng left with her instructions, Meng Fuyao looked at their amodation, which had no venttion at all. Fire could be seen everywhere, and the steel weapons emitted a murderous gleam. As shouts of ¡°take revenge for our brothers¡± sounded through the sky, she could not help but smirk again. ¡°The rebellious ns even have weapons that belong to the army? A collusion to this extent? Xuanji is done for.¡± However, Zhangsun Wuji said, ¡°The head of the Eternal Sky n was rumored to be a character who could rank as one of the top ten wielders. He is no ordinary man, and you have to be careful.¡± Meng Fuyao looked down at the entrance of the amodation ¨C amongst the crowd stood an elder who was bald and dressed in red cloth. His temples protruded greatly, and he seemed to be full of energy as hemanded his people to attack the amodation. Instantly, Meng Fuyao¡¯s interest was aroused, and she dashed out quickly. Her figure created a thick and ck line in the sky, and it immediately caused the wind to howl beside her. The surrounding mes neatly shunned away from the ball of vital energy surrounding her, and the mes were kept to just the perimeter wall. On the other hand, the arrows aiming at her lost their sense of direction, brushed past her sleeves, and struck the door instead. The door, which was already pretty fragile from the fire, copsed after the arrows struck. As a result, dust and wooden splints flew in all directions, and some hit the Eternal Sky n members who were actively trying to attack the door. Blood immediately flowed down from these members¡¯ heads. This shocking presence caused the Eternal Sky n members to step back in shock. In that swift moment, Meng Fuyao zoomed past the fire and the stunned green-clothed crowd, resembling a long umber-ck knife that cut across the backbone of a giant green snake. Where she passed by, there were bodies that flew into the sky and blood that sttered in all directions. Terrified screams quickly overwhelmed the cries of revenge. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao aimed straight for the head of the Eternal Sky n. That elder could not help but raise his eyebrows at her shocking appearance, and he took a step back and waved his hand. Immediately, there were sounds of knives shing against one another, which came from 18 knives being stacked together to form an extremely sturdy formation. The knives were very shiny, and the 18 beams of light created a fast and strange rhythm as they moved through the 18-people formation. The beams shed in all directions and reflected the light from the fire, causing people to be even more blinded by the sight. The surrounding people could not help but raise their sleeves to block their eyes, and at that moment, nothing clear could be seen. In the meantime, the elder rolled up his sleeves and exposed his pair of thick and blood-red palms behind the formation. It was obvious that those were palms which could poison. The elder smirked and gazed at Meng Fuyao, and waited for the instant that her eyes met the blinding knives. It was a light formation that was taught by an expert, and it became even more extraordinary under the facilitation of the poisonous palms which could disappear in a trace. Up until then, there were already a few top-notch wielders who had died under this formation, and he believed that it would be no exception for the 19-year old girl, even though she was one of the top ten wielders. Contrary to his expectations, Meng Fuyao suddenly twisted her body in mid-air. She dashed so aggressively that no one would imagine her being able to ovee that forceful momentum. Yet Meng Fuyao flipped so easily, as though she was a fish swimming in the ocean, and she kicked one of the Eternal Sky n members over to the formation. The gleams of the knives instantly brightened, and as a traumatized scream sounded, the knife prated the member¡¯s body. At that moment, the people in the formation were taken aback. However, they were well trained, and their reflexes quickly made them move. The dead body slipped down, but Meng Fuyao did not stop as she delivered ten-odd kicks in that quick instant. As though she was just kicking rubber balls, the green-clothed Eternal Sky n members were sent flying towards the knives at the speed of lightning. Even though they tried to evade, there was no way for them to do so. One by one, the knives prated the bodies. As there was not enough time for the formation to shake the bodies off, the formation quickly became skewers of bloody ants. Meng Fuyao flew to the sky, stepped on the corpses on the knives for momentum and flew past the formation, towards the head of the Eternal Sky n. That elder smirked and delivered the blood-red palms which he had mustered for a long while. He barked, ¡°Today, your position will be reced by me!¡± 120% of his inner energy was invested into that extremely vigorous palm. As he delivered his blow, he created a wave of rancid odor that reached miles away. However, Meng Fuyao suddenly disappeared. In a swift and nimble movement, she flipped over the head of the Eternal Sky n. When the head saw that she disappeared in a second, he was not too flustered and quickly delivered another blow behind him, which was just as aggressive and as smelly as the one before. It was hard to imagine that the amount of energy in both palms was the same, and his front and back attacks were just as agile! It came to the moment when he delivered the back blow. Suddenly, he felt a figure drift past before his eyes. The feeling of spotting someone from the peripheral vision always seemed strange and imaginary. In that instant, the other party gave him the impression that he was seeing things, that it was just a mirage as he was always slightly distracted by the glow of the fire. In reality, he was also blocked by the knife formation in front of him, and Meng Fuyao flipped towards his back. At that moment, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone in front of him. However, the experienced head, who had dominated Xuanji and gone through decades of battles, immediately raised one palm to defend his front and the other palm to support. Unfortunately, he was one step toote. A palm gently reached over and closed above him. The surrounding gust of air, which was still moving a second ago, suddenly stopped as if it was glued. Even the movement of his blood-red palm was stopped. The head of the Eternal Sky n slightly stiffened in his attack. Behind him, Meng Fuyao did not even look back, and she immediately packed a punch! The punch immediately destroyed the heart! Ping- In the surrounding chaos, only the head of the Eternal Sky n heard that muffled but depressing crack. It resembled the sound of the sky falling down on him or the ground splitting beneath him; in that instant, all his blood, flesh, and consciousness were utterly crushed and buried. He could hear the blood in his body flowing speedily as they lost control after his organs and heart crumbled, and it seemed as though the blood was skipping joyously with newfound freedom. However, this was also thest time in his life that it could be so joyous that it neared the point of hrity. It resembled thest dance of a banquet, and then, nightfall came, and the stars and fire extinguished. He didn¡¯t even voice hisst shout or spit out thatst mouthful of blood. Heavily and hopelessly, he copsed to the ground. In his life, hisst thought was ¡°the person in front of him¡­ who was that?¡±. The person in front was Zhangsun Wuji. His Highness, the Crown Prince, who was veryzy and loathed fighting, had been leaningfortably against Meng Fuyao¡¯s back. When King Meng flipped over, he slipped off her back like cotton andnded right in front of the head of Eternal Sky n, although it was not very kind of him to do so. But he was already in that position, and he had to at least move a little. The head of the Eternal Sky n, who could not rival Meng Fuyao even with the knife formation, would not possibly be able to fend off the front and back attacks wielded by two shameless experts. The only difference was how fast he would die. In just one move! The head of the Eternal Sky n was dead! The n members were baffled. In their eyes, they only saw Meng Fuyao dash out super aggressively and kick ten-odd people over to the formation in the blink of an eye. Then, there seemed to a light purple shadow that floated by when Meng Fuyao suddenly backflipped in front of their head? After that, it was just a blow by Meng Fuyao. And their head was dead. The old head, who had never been defeated in Xuanji and could even rival the top ten wielders, died just like that? There was nothing more devastating than witnessing the downfall of a seemingly unsurpassable idol. In that instant, the members of the n stopped their attack and started retreating in shock. Some of those who were more senior flew over, but they did not dare toe near as well. As they hesitated and nced at each other, they saw an opportunity ¨C since the head was dead, there would be a new fight for power. It was more important to preserve their forces. ¡°Retreat!¡± After a moment, one of the vice heads shouted, and the other members immediately moved away. However, Meng Fuyao became anxious. ¡®Shit, if you guys retreat, how are we going to ¡®disappear¡¯? We wouldn¡¯t be able to y the game then?¡¯ she thought. Seeing how the members retreated instead of taking revenge for their head, and the guards from afar were also finally ¡°reaching,¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned for a moment. Suddenly, she frantically waved her hands and dashed towards the crowd, shouting ¡°Ah ah ah¡­ kill me please, ah I did not bring any weapons¡­¡± When no one bothered with her, she quickly subdued one and grabbed his hat, and subdued another and stripped his clothes off¡­ She mixed into the bunch of Eternal Sky n members who retreated hurriedly and ran far away. On January 26, the Crown Prince of Wuji and King Meng of Da Han were attacked at their amodation in the outskirts of Xuanji. It was carried out by the Eternal Sky n as revenge for one of the senior members, who was killed by the two of them. In the mess, the head of the Eternal Sky n was killed, while the Crown Prince and the King of Han disappeared. Golden mountains bred beautiful rivers, and the river flowed like transverse waves. The Beautiful River, thergest river in Xuanji that spanned the northern and southern regions, was also the river that maintained the lives of countless citizens in Xuanji. The Beautiful River lived up to its name for being limpid and gorgeous, and thendscape was excellent, resembling the graceful poses of beautiful court women. The segment of the river beside the Jade Cliff was even more renowned. It had 18 beautiful sceneries, including the ¡°Belle Hairdo,¡± ¡°Full Moon Cliff,¡± ¡°Jade and Bamboo Sendai¡± and ¡°Elegant Hairpin Summit.¡± The River was so clear that the appearance looked like jade, and it was known as ¡°The Most Beautiful River in Xuanji.¡± It was an early morning in Spring, and there were still lightyers of fog above the river surface. A small boat turned round the corner of a mountain and appeared. The boatdy steered the boat proficiently and went past theyer of fog under the light-red rays of sunrise. Nimbly, she controlled the boat to glide across the clear and crystal-like water surface. The sound of the rowing neared and echoed in the calm morning. ¡°Hey, boatdy!¡± A crisp call suddenly sounded from the river bank. The boatdy heard the call and looked over, and she saw a teenage girl d in light-green clothes waving towards her. She beamed happily, and her disposition was even more charming than the most beautiful Full Moon Cliff, and her eyes illuminated so brightly that the lightyer of fog seemed to be even thinner under the gleam. Beside her stood a tall man who was dressed in ease. His appearance could only be half-seen, and he had his hands behind his back as he nced at the river surface. One¡¯s breathing could be messed up by just looking at that fluid nce of his. The boatdy looked at the pair in a daze. She had no knowledge of sophisticated words to describe them and could only praise from the bottom of her heart. ¡°What a beautiful couple!¡± Even as the boatdy continued to stare dazedly, the teenage girl did not be angry. She giggled and handed over one silver ingot. ¡°Please bring us past this river.¡± The ingot was exquisite and worth five taels, which was about the ie that the boatdy could earn only after half a year of rowing. In a joyous expression, the boatdy rowed over and took it. That teenage girl giggled again and said, ¡°I will give you another five taels after we alight.¡± Upon hearing that, the boatdy was overjoyed. However, the teenage girl smiled and added, ¡°But I have conditions.¡± Counting her finger, she spoke in a fast tone, ¡°One, do not peek. Two, do not ask. Three, your food must be delicious. I will deduct one tael for every extra peek, two taels for any questions asked, and three taels for untasty food, until the five taels are fully deducted. If there is a deficit, you have to pay us back.¡± Chapter 276 - Untitled Chapter 276: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The boatdy quickly shut her mouth, her intentions to strike up an amicable chat shattered almost instantly. She went back quietly to row her boat and heard the youngdy call over an honest and sincere man. ¡°Tie Cheng, please hurry up. I didn¡¯t say that you can¡¯t look, why are you turning away?¡± Shefortably settled down on the boat floor without many qualms, upying much space in the already tiny boat. With her hands behind her head, sheid down with satisfaction. ¡°Ah, such days are life¡¯s enjoyment,¡± shemented. The boatdy eyed at this weird, witty girl oddly. After a while, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°There is something I must ask.¡± That man smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, go on.¡± ¡°Are you guys siblings or a couple?¡± ¡°Siblings.¡± ¡°Couple.¡± The two different voices gave two different answers. That girl sat up and kicked the man. ¡°You talk too much,¡± she spat and turned to the boatdy. ¡°Why are you asking about this? I¡¯m really going to give you fewer taels.¡± ¡°There are different kinds of good food that a pair of siblings and a couple can indulge in.¡± The boatdy smiled cheerily and continued, ¡°If it is a pair of siblings, I will cook for you, but if it is a pair of loving couple, there is someone new from the capital that is a great chef on Wu family¡¯s boat. But I¡¯ve heard that he has many rules and every day, he only cooks a maximum of three dishes, and only married couples can eat. If the two of you are not a couple, I will not waste the effort to row over.¡± ¡°Delicious¡­.¡± That young girl sat there as she salivated, desperately reining in her impulses to give into temptation. The boatdy looked at her, wreathed in smiles. Then, her pupils dted as she noticed something wriggling in Meng Fuyao¡¯s sleeves. Whatever that was moving vanished, miraculously reappeared on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder and scurried to her cor. With its ws, it grabbed her earlobes and tugged and tugged¡­ ¡®What in the world¡­ is that¡­¡¯ Naturally, it was the world¡¯s greediest, sleepiest Lord Yuan Bao, its vicious and sly owner and the number one most shameless and ferocious King of Han. This idyllic, uninterrupted trip for the three of them was a rare chance toe back. In the breathtaking nature and the unique infrastructure, there was a lot to see in Xuanji. The trio sauntered along the streets, enjoying themselves and as a result, they were barely 100 kilometers away from Taiyuan Province. Meng Fuyao sat down, still struggling between the choices of being known as a couple or that mouthwatering, appetizing food. While Meng Fuyao was still absorbed in her internal struggle, Zhangsun Wuji had already settled the conclusion. ¡°We are a couple, it¡¯s just that this child is throwing a tantrum. Sorry to trouble you but please bring us there.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± The boatdy paddled along as the punt 1 gently bobbed with the small tides. Meng Fuyao sat cross-legged as she casually asked, ¡°Apparently, they are searching pretty hard for us?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said as he tidied up her sleeves. ¡°On our end, they have sent out officials to every city to search for us. It is a mere act, of course. But Xuanji is anxious about it.¡± ¡°What did that eleventh say?¡± ¡°He did not do a good job of getting rid of the bandits and have requested for punishment. But since he wasn¡¯t there that night, he was stripped of his position and was ordered to continue getting rid of the bandits in the forest. Apparently, he already has the heads of several leaders of the Eternal Sky n. I doubt the authenticity of this information, but even if it¡¯s real, he probably killed those leaders to instill those bandits that are under him as the new heads.¡± ¡°Officials and crooks have close ties since the olden days¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed. ¡°I love criminal syndicates.¡± ¡°Take a break,¡± Zhangsun Wuji persuaded her. ¡°Enjoy while you can, once we reach the city, there will definitely be a ton of mess.¡± ¡°I have no interest in their affairs as long as they don¡¯te and bother me.¡± Suddenly, Meng Fuyao wrinkled her nose as a smell wafted up to her nose. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± She carefully took a sniff, and her eyes began to shine. The boatdy turned back and pointed in the direction of a red g with the words ¡°Boat Gourmet¡± billowing in the air. Meng Fuyao looked in that direction and saw a huge boat. The boatdy turned back with a smile and said, ¡°We have reached our destination. Wu family¡¯s boat, the biggest boat in Golden River. My dear guests, you are in luck, just in time for mealtime. That renowned chef from the capital is probably about to start cooking.¡± Surprised, Meng Fuyao rified. ¡°It¡¯s so early in the morning, and it¡¯s mealtime¡­?¡± ¡°This guy from the capital is pretty entric. He starts cooking at around 10 plus, or 11, and before he starts cooking, it is a must to hear him speak about national affairs. He believes that family affairs, national affairs, and worldly affairs are something that everyone should be concerned about; like how everyone has a share of stir-fried, steamed, or cooked vegetables.¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled. ¡®This guy has certainly piqued her interest,¡¯ she thought. As she leaped over to that huge, sturdy boat that was decorated in a tasteful and exquisite manner, she eximed, ¡°What an intriguing person!¡± There was not a single soul on the deck, nor was there anyone rushing up to wee her. But she could dimly hear someone talking at the top of his voice, and she headed over, following the sound. ¡°¡­ Today¡¯stest news¡­¡± In between the words, she could hear the sounds of the paper flipping. ¡°¡­ The crown prince of Wuji and King of Han have been announced missing¡­ What an eventful period at Xuanji¡­ with incidents after incidents like oil over a fire! Actually, the fundamentals of ruling a country are the same as cooking. You can¡¯t add too much or too little seasonings; the heat cannot be too high or too low¡­ Just look at that eleventh prince with his fiery stance in eradicating the bandits¡­ too much¡­ Speaking of heat control, back in the days when the restaurant was hiring chefs, there was no need for any fancy dishes. We made fried eggs! Stir-fried bean sprouts! When the egg came out, the yolk was golden, a little runny at the perfect consistency. That bean sprouts, let me tell you, every single strand, the color the size the smell was the same! ¡­ Raw? No way! Just take a bite, that crisp crunch that will sound¡­ Ah¡­ And the vourful juices well-seasoned with salt, pepper, vinegar, and wine¡­ all the tastes you can ever ask for¡­ Real skills can be seen in normal, family dishes¡­ Well, let¡¯s not talk about food¡­ there¡¯s nothing to eat now anyway.¡± ¡°¡­ And that King of Han¡­¡±The stool shifted. ¡°¡­ so many people said that she is vicious and that luck is on her side. Otherwise, how can someone with no foundation or backing achieve such a level of sess? In my opinion, things aren¡¯t as simple as they seem on the surface ¨C ah, like cooking with dried sea cucumber, or whatever dried goods. Before preparing, they all look dry, insignificant, and unappetizing. You can¡¯t fry it, cook it or steam it, how do you eat it? So you need to prepare them! How do you do that? Do you know? How about you? You? You?! Hmph! You guys are customers on a ship, and you don¡¯t even know how to prepare a sea cucumber! Let me teach you a few tricks, before submerging it in hot water, remove the internal organs and impuritiespletely. It must be clean else it will note out nicely. And in a pot, fill it up with hot water and put the sea cucumber instead, covering with the lid. Pour out the water after one day, and you¡¯ll have a nice, plump, well-prepared sea cucumber! I bet this King of Han was dunk it hot water ¨C going through a lot of obstacles ¨C and that is why she looks so sessful!¡± ¡°¡­ Speaking of which, it certainly isn¡¯t peaceful recently¡­ that Regent King died a while back.¡± The stool shuffled once more. ¡°Just look at the days that Xuanyuan hadst year¡­ the officials, the guards everyone is being scrutinized and clean out¡­ in big groups¡­ Just like a feast where it starts with a cold dish, but it¡¯s quickly followed up with warm dishes and soup to end it! The cold dishes must be beautiful, but they mustn¡¯t be messy; otherwise, people will just eat them carelessly ¨C just like the harem in the Xuanyuan pce. The warm dishes must back an impact, striking the nostrils directly with its pungent, mouthwatering scent, just like that ¡®killing of rabbit¡¯ that resulted in war. Apparently, the crown prince from Wuji had a part to y. Shocking! And soup to finish it off, a big bowl indeed. With the water and thend fully surrounded, those that were supposed to die all died. That night, the revolution, how many in the Xuanyuan pce died? Atst, don¡¯t forget to serve a bowl of plum blossom dessert soup ¨C the highlight of the feast. Just like the Regent King¡¯s burnt corpse hanging from that room¡­ Forget it¡­ If I continue, we can¡¯t stomach anything.¡± ¡°The topic of discussion today shall be about that King of Han. She first started stirring up trouble in Wuji.¡± The sound of paper flipping could be heard. ¡°¡­ Back then, Wuji was fighting a war with Gao Luo with two battle front lines. King De thought he had a chance, but in the end, he was done in¡­ Gao Luo is near the sea. There was once I went, and the families by the sea served their guests oysters. Have you eaten oysters? No? Aiyo, it¡¯s white, yellow and ck and it¡¯s alive! A table full of guardsmented that it tasted like blood. They don¡¯t know how to appreciate. Seafood cannot be pan-fried, stir-fried, steamed, or cooked! Otherwise, it will lose its freshness¡­ Just like that, add the soya sauce, vinegar, and some pepper. Do you guys even know what pepper is? The two together¡­ Oh oh, back to the war. Look at Zhangsun Wuji. What kind of person is he? How would he let himself end up in a state where there is a need for two frontlines? That pitiful King De and his pipe dream¡­ it didn¡¯t ur to him that it was just a bait¡­ speaking of bait¡­¡± Meng Fuyaoughed inwardly. Zhangsun Wujiughed quietly. What a gourmet¡­ Someone well-aware of the situation yet sandwiched his views between a bunch of principles about cooking and feasting. He was well-versed in the politics and knew of Meng Fuyao¡¯s family history and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s schemes at his fingertips. Yet, he sprouted away in amoner¡¯s ship by the river, sharing his ¡°food politics¡± with fishermen and tourists that barely understood the meaning behind his words. Was it a mere game for him? A rant? Or with an intent? Meng Fuyao probed her head into the cabin. In that humble cabin with things lying around, the customers with their saliva dripping down their mouths sat down. Rather than listening to the man who was sitting on top of a chair that was stacked on the table, they were entranced by the fragrant scent of the food. The man on the chair was a scrawny man, dressed in simple green outerwear with oil sttered over it. There was still half a leaf stuck on his cor and with his sleeves rolled back, he discussed excitedly with the papers in his hands. Meng Fuyao pped as she strutted in. ¡°Well said, well said!¡± That man put down the papers in his hands. He looked like he was in his thirties, a little pale. Squinting, his gazended on Meng Fuyao, and then he looked over to Zhangsun Wuji. The first sentence that came out of his mouth was: ¡°Married couple?¡± Smiling, Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°If we aren¡¯t?¡± ¡°Then get out.¡± That person waved his hand unceremoniously. ¡°Don¡¯t you know my rules?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Meng Fuyao sat down. ¡°Since we are here, we naturally know your rules.¡± Chapter 277 - Untitled Chapter 277: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That man gave her a side-nce, dawdled down the stool and then slowly climbed down the table. ¡°We will end here today.¡± The restless crowd let out a collective sigh of liberation. ¡°As usual, those who aren¡¯t married, get out.¡± That man ambled into the kitchen as he continued, ¡°Otherwise¡­ I¡¯ll make you vomit it out.¡± Meng Fuyao, who was sipping her tea, spurted it out. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he gently patted her back. Meng Fuyao turned back with teary eyes and said, ¡°Why is this dude so grumpy¡­¡± Even though this grumpy man looked tough on the exterior, his dishes were indeed unrivaled. Meng Fuyao sat in the cabin, smelling the seductive, ambrosial aroma as she sighed. ¡°How fragrant!¡± ¡°He just started the fire,¡± a customer beside hermented unnecessarily. ¡°It¡¯s done! It¡¯s done!¡± Meng Fuyao eximed excitedly with sparkling eyes after a moment. ¡°He just put in some condiments.¡± Another customer acted as a wet nket. After a while more, Meng Fuyao climbed onto the stool and looked around. The customers below shushed her uniformly. ¡°Calm down, he only just put the fish in the pot!¡± Meng Fuyao, thoroughly and utterly tortured by the mouth-watering scent, was writhing restlessly in her seat, seriously considering the idea of deploying 3,000 here to help the chef cook. Suddenly, the curtain at the end of the cabin flung open, and a pleasant-looking girl brought out the dishes, serving to every customer. With a melodious voice, she announced, ¡°First dish, Mandarin Duck1 Fish.¡± Meng Fuyao heard the name and pouted. ¡°Howme!¡± But the aroma, the presentation, and the taste were itsplete opposite¡ªabsolutely refined. The meat of the fish was soft, ky, and tender. A translucent, light yellow skin gently wrapped around it. The pale yellow fish contrasted beautifully with the white jade te, surrounded by that savory, hearty and warm broth. That broth looked in and clear yet, the aroma it was giving off made one want to dig right into it. Meng Fuyao pounced forward and skillfully manipted her chopsticks, urately splitting the fish into halves. ¡°Half each!¡± The girl made her way over and reminded them with a smile. ¡°No splitting of food, please share it.¡± Meng Fuyao looked around and noticed that the surrounding couples were eating with their heads to heads. ¡®Urgh, such public disy of affection. No wonder he requested for couples only,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought, slightly disgusted. ¡°This dish has two main tastes. The head and the tail have a light, fragrant taste to it while the middle has a vorful bite.¡± The chef appeared at the cabin¡¯s entrance with adle in his hand. ¡°Couples must sit facing each other as you eat. When you two initially met, it was probably a nd, boring meeting. But as the two of you get to know each other and spend happy, memorable times with one another, the two of you who had nothing to do with each other, are now being bound by love and fate. The two of you now walk down the same path, through both tough and happy times.¡± He nced at Meng Fuyao in disgust. ¡°If you don¡¯t understand my rules, don¡¯t eat my food lest you defile my meaningful delicacies.¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled under her breathe, ¡°What¡¯s with all these dumb rules!¡± Zhangsun Wuji, however, had already started eating. They each upied one end of the table. He smiled. ¡± These are great rules, great rules. ¡± Meng Fuyao was annoyed but could not resist the temptation of the delicacies. She could only dig in, albeit a little unwillingly. The more she ate, the more the sweet, fresh taste of seafood came through, lingering on the tip of her tongue. Really, how did this guy make this fish taste this fresh and this juicy! As they chomp their way to the center of the fish, the tip of their noses almost touched. Suddenly, with a ¡®ding,¡¯ she felt that there was something odd beneath her chopsticks. Meng Fuyao picked it up and noticed it was a white, pearl-like fishball. ¡°Yay, we managed to find the Double Happiness Fishball!¡± The surrounding couples cheered. The chef yelled, ¡°Whoever picked it up, bite half of it and give it to the other party!¡± Meng Fuyao exploded. In a fit of rage, she quit listening to the chef. ¡°What a miser, can¡¯t you afford two fishballs?¡± ¡°Fishballs?¡± The chef looked at her with contempt. He crossed his arms and looked up at the sky silently. Meng Fuyao red at him and gritted her teeth. Thedy at the next table smiled. ¡°Miss, you may not have known this, but this is no ordinary fishball. This fishball was made from the ¡®Fish of Seven Treasures¡¯ from the golden river. As it often traversesrge distances, the meat is tangy and bouncy, perfect for making fishballs. However, as the golden river is too far away, only one in a million survive the journey. It is already a feat that they can serve one fishball per table. Even this one single fishball costs 100 tales.¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her nose in chagrin. ¡°Country bumpkin seethed the chef.¡± Meng Bumpkin had no choice but to push the fishball across the table. She swallowed her saliva and told Zhangsun Wuji, ¡°You can have it.¡± Despite her sacrifice, the chef refused to let it go, yelling, ¡°Share! Share! Are y¡¯all posing as a couple?¡± ¡°So what if we are?¡± Meng Fuyao leaped up and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°What can you do to me?¡± The chef didn¡¯t respond but pointed to a sign near the cabin door. Meng Fuyao then saw that it wrote: ¡°Those that impersonate couples, please strip and swim back to shore nude.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ Why did you not remind me?¡± Meng Fuyao poked Zhangsun Wuji. The boat was smack in the middle of the wide river. To swim back would be too pitiful. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°I feel that no matter what happens, I won¡¯t lose out.¡± He picked up the fishball and asked, ¡°Why do you have to entertain him? Just eat the fishball, and the problem resolves itself.¡± He bit off half of the fishball gently, and conveniently fed the other half to Meng Fuyao, who had opened her mouth to lecture him. Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji savored the food, nodded, and went back to sipping his tea. ¡°Hm, great taste,¡± hemented. Suddenly, he stretched his hand over and gently patted the back of her neck. With muchmiseration, he asked, ¡°Did you choke?¡± He tried to help her breath again as he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be too agitated.¡± Teary-eyed Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± When the second dish was served, Meng Fuyao crawled out from her internal struggle as her eyes focused on the dish¡ªaway from Zhangsun Wuji. The name of this dish: Peach Blossoms. Indeed, the dish lived up to its name. In its clear broth, there were bits and pieces of light pink snail meat floating peacefully it in, like peach blossoms making their way down the stream. The aroma was strong yet not sickening, refreshing like the peach blossoms as the wind caresses the trees. ¡°From this dish onwards, your rtionship as a married couple will be put to the test. This is the Golden River¡¯s famous peach snail; an extremely tough ingredient that demands high levels of skills from the chef. If done well, it will be fresh and sulent. But if not well prepared, it will be fishy and hard to swallow. The two extremes resemble the love life of a married couple¡ªa loving marriage or one filled with hatred orints. This dish will tell me which couples you all belong to.¡± Meng Fuyao was deep in thought trying to figure out the connection between the test and the snail meat, but it was quickly broken by the chef. ¡°To all the husbands here,¡± the chef asked, ¡°How many of your wife¡¯s ten fingerprints are spiraled? How many are loops?¡± Meng Fuyao mmed down her palm on the table, her anger was fueled once more. What a detailed, tough question! Who would be that free to count the number of spirals on his wife¡¯s fingers? Putting the husband aside, even she herself didn¡¯t even have any inkling to the answer. As expected, a good half of the people couldn¡¯t answer the question. Without an ounce of civility, the chef threatened them to hand over the fees for the meal. The wives were provided a small boat to sail back to the shore while the husbands were forced to strip and swim back to shore in this cold, freezing water of the early autumn. The corners of Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched. She was d that the women got boats but pitied Zhangsun Wuji ever so slightly. But then, a lecherous intent crept into her head. ¡®Oh ho, the Crown Prince is going to strip. The crown prince is going to swimpletely naked. The world¡¯s best benefit! To be able to lust after a certain someone¡¯s toned body for free¡­¡¯ The sound of the water sshing continued. This question was too odd to be able to answer. The girl who had been serving the dishes bit her lips with a smile as her gaze carefully measured every aspect of Zhangsun Wuji. ¡®How shameless! Waiting to see his naked body!¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought with anger. The chef sat on the stool that was currently on the table. Looking down at Zhangsun Wuji, he questioned, ¡°You?¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued sipping his tea leisurely, looking down quietly. ¡°If you can¡¯t answer, head out and in ten steps, jump into the water,¡± the chef said as he climbed down the chair with disappointment. He plodded back to the kitchen and yawnedzily. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be cooking the next dish today.¡± ¡°Seven spirals, three loops.¡± He casually and abruptly replied, and then, continued sipping his cup of tea. Shocked, Meng Fuyao immediately lifted up her hands to double-check. After a while, she put down her hands and continued her dazed state. With a teasing smile, Zhangsun Wuji nced over. And then, he leaned in and whispered, ¡°Not just the fingers. From the moment I¡¯ve known you, every part of you, including your changes in size, I know them all.¡± Ping¡ª After a moment, the realization that a certain someone had seen her from head to toe finally hit. She threw out a vicious punch¡­ ¡°The third dish!¡± The chef pped his hands, ignoring the killing intenting from Meng Fuyao¡ªthe ¡®only loving couple that managed to pass the treacherous test.¡¯ ¡°My esteemed guests, please head over to the cabin below to enjoy the third dish individually,¡± the chef announced. He made his way to the inner cabin first. Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji exchanged a nce and quickly followed him. That person made many turns before finally stopping in front of one of the doors. That space avable in the boat was very narrow. The area near the door was dark, and vaguely, one could see something sh by, and a fishy smell followed. That person suddenly turned and pounced over. Quick and agile, he pounced over to their feet. Both Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji did not bother to move when he leaped over. The two could be considered as elites, and they were clear on the fact that someone rushing over did not necessarily mean that he would attack. On the other hand, someone who harbored the intent to attack might not rush over. Whether a person attacked, only their killing intent would tell. This person not only did not have any killing intent, he barely knew of any martial arts. He leaped over, and his initial grouchy and unfriendly attitude had now done a 180. Sincerely and politely, he looked up and greeted the two. ¡°I have disgraced myself in front of the Crown Prince and King of Han. Please forgive me!¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Haughtiness to humility, huh¡­¡± Meanwhile, Zhangsun Wuji took a step back. ¡°We dare not ept your bow without knowing your identity.¡± Meng Fuyao muttered again, ¡°One who is unountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions.¡± That person stood up and lowered his head. ¡°Xuanji¡¯s Feng Wu, greetings to the Crown Prince and the King of Han.¡± Meng Fuyao uttered under her breath once more, ¡°Feng Wu? Psh, I¡¯ll be Liu Wu!¡± Zhangsun Wuji pinched her back, and she immediately retaliated in the same way. The two continued pinching each other as they smiled. ¡°Ah¡­ Prince Feng Wu¡­ Nice to meet you.¡± The two did not bother to ask why a prince was cooking on amoner¡¯s boat, nor were they curious as to why he would hide his identity yet expose it to them. After exchanging their greetings, Meng Fuyao patted her stomach. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m so full.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s head back. Tie Cheng and the boatdy are still waiting for us,¡± Zhangsun Wuji responded. The two turned to leave. Chapter 278 - Untitled Chapter 278: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Fifth Prince, Feng Wu, smiled bitterly but did not attempt to persuade them to stay. Suddenly, he said, ¡°Danger lies in front with many eyeing covetously. Xuanji has mobilized the entire country to ¡®search¡¯ for the Crown Prince and the King of Han. Do the two of you really know nothing of it?¡± Meng Fuyao tilted her body backward slightly and with one hand pressed on the cabin¡¯s wall, sheughed. ¡°If I really didn¡¯t know that, why would we go ¡®missing¡¯ and end up here, in a boat, meeting you?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince and the King of Han are talented and powerful, and it is but natural that a mere Xuanji will not bother the two of you.¡± Feng Wu paused. ¡°But I have, coincidentally, heard that someone is out to harm the two of you and has enlisted the help of many elite martial artists. The Eternal Sky n is but an appetizer. The traps and dangers that lie in front are the real hot and spicy ones.¡± ¡°Apparently, the Eleventh Prince has gathered Xiao Ao Green Forest¡¯s forces in the northern borders to finish you two off in the name of eradicating the bandits. The people who seed will be rewarded handsomely with fame or power. Also, Noble Consort¡¯s oldest daughter is also patrolling in that area. She has the Amethyst Cape Knights in her hands, simr to that of an assassination association. These people are on close terms with those officials and those underground. The moment you two leave the northern borders, you¡¯ll enter the territory controlled by the Amethyst Cape Knights. And beyond this territory, the Third Prince is investigating a huge case; thus, controlling the security and army in that area. These people are nothing but a bunch of vicious dogs, who treat human lives like bugs. They have the same terrible reputation as the Amethyst Cape Knights. Once onends in their hands, they are not afraid of death, they are just afraid that living is worse than death! This is merely their disy of power to show that they are fighting for the throne. As for the pce and the others¡­ Ah¡­ It¡¯s like a hodgepodge, hard to recognize!¡± Meng Fuyao eyeballed this prince that couldn¡¯t utter three sentences without bringing in cooking. Unperturbed, she replied, ¡°That¡¯s nothing. We aren¡¯t afraid of losing face, and if all else fails, we will just return to our country.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might not be able to.¡± Feng Wu¡¯s tone was terrorizing. Meng Fuyaoughed and pointed to herself in disbelief. ¡°Us? Unable to return?¡± ¡°State your intent directly, Fifth Prince,¡± Zhangsun Wuji interrupted. ¡°It was the only choice I had left.¡± Hope could be spotted in Feng Wu¡¯s eyes. He bowed slightly and continued, ¡°Let us continue our conversation in the inner cabin.¡± ¡°No.¡± Meng Fuyao rejected with a frown. She hated small, narrow spaces with a passion, and thus, refused his offer directly. ¡°Other than the top five elite masters, the people who could eavesdrop on our conversation and not be found out have not been born yet. Just say whatever you want to with a peace of mind.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Feng Wu deliberated for a moment. ¡°Long story short, the fight for the throne in Xuanji has always been known as the most intense one amongst all countries. Last summer, my father suddenly came down with an odd disease which gets progressively worse by the day. Who is to inherit the throne became the biggest and most pressing issue in court. The Empress demanded her children be selected, Noble Consort insisted on her child while Consort Xian requested it to be her son. The three parties fought relentlessly for close to half a year, and in that period of time, many princes and princesses died. Last winter, His Majesty¡¯s illness was at its worse, and he finally decreed the emperor to take over the throne. However, he kept the identity of the next emperor a secret¡ªhe only mentioned that it would be a princess. Naturally, the officials are worried, but ording to our rules, the new emperor will only officially be coronated in April. Right now, the situation is precarious, and there are still a few more months before she can be coronated. His Majesty did not reveal her identity, most likely to protect her. And for now, things have settled a little.¡± ¡°Then one day, after my wife came home from the pce, she wanted me to immediately pack up and leave Tong City. I had no idea what was happening but judging by her anxious expressions, I insisted that we leave together. But she said she had to go to the pce in the morning. We then promised to meet in a pavilion ten miles away from the city before the pce gates lock and leave together.¡± At this point, Feng Wu revealed a pained expression. Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji exchanged a nce. They both knew that he probably waited in vain for her. Indeed, Feng Wu continued. ¡°That night, I waited till the moon was high in the sky, till the break of dawn but did not even manage to catch a glimpse of her. My loyal servants knew that something was wrong and knocked me unconscious. Afterward, I tried to quietly contact some people I knew in the capital in attempts to scout for her information. But still, I couldn¡¯t find her, dead or alive.¡± He turned away as a tear rolled down the corner of his eyes. A long, silent sigh escaped his lips. Forcing himself to smile, he turned back. ¡°Excuse my behaviour¡­ I¡­ We were an extremely loving couple, and this is known by everyone in Tong City. My wife came from humble origin ¨C daughter of a minor official ¨C and the imperial family would never allow a marriage with someone that is below the ranking of the third grade. Back then, I had painstakingly insisted on this marriage. I had no support from my mother¡¯s family since she was just a lowly concubine. For this I went against my father, losing his love for me. In the end, it was the Tang Family from Qing who took pity on us and adopted my wife as their goddaughter. Only then could we get married. My wife suffered a lot getting married to me. She did not once enjoy the fortunes of the imperial family and even got mocked and ridiculed on many asions by our sisters-inw. The Empress and Noble Consorts disliked her too. The wives of the other princes were only required to enter the pce twice a week, chatting and gossiping during their visit. On the other hand, she frequently entered the pce to serve the Empress¡­ doing things that the maids and eunuchs do¡­ When the rest of them entered the pce to sit around and chat, she wasn¡¯t even given a seat¡­ standing around to serve them¡­¡± Feng Wu went on incessantly, his thin face warped with pain in his heart. ¡°I am useless¡­ I couldn¡¯t give her a good life¡­ Every time, she woulde back with a smile on her face, going on excitedly about the fun things and delicious food she had in the pce. I always believed that she enjoyed herself in the pce if not for witnessing it myself identally¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed lightly, her hatred towards the Xuanji¡¯s pce deepened. ¡®That darn Xuanji Empress better not let me meet her, or else I¡¯ll p her!¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought indignantly. ¡°My wife is extremely virtuous.¡± Feng Wu calmed himself down, suppressing his emotions, and went on. ¡°Ever since she got married to me, she knew that the fact both princes and princesses could take over the throne was a silent killer. She would always persuade me against fighting for the throne and instead, just focus on being an idle prince. Of course, having lots of fortune at our disposal was great, but ultimately, there would be no point if we didn¡¯t have the life to enjoy it. I listened to her, and every day, I¡¯d just go to the magistrate¡¯s inquisition chamber for formalities sake, and I¡¯d spend the rest of the time with her reciting poems and cooking. I enjoy cooking and have always been ridiculed by my brothers for that, saying that it ¡®I¡¯m cheapening my own worth,¡¯ or being a ¡®humiliation¡¯ for the imperial family. But she, on the other hand, believes that being looked down upon in order to stay alive is better than being a respected corpse. Her words are urate for those who have ridiculed me are mostly dead¡­¡± Meng Fuyao remained silent. ¡®This girl is able to grasp the situation very clearly. Many things are easy for the bystander to give up, but those who are involved are often blinded by what is in front of them. Furthermore, she was bullied and mocked. If it was someone else, they would definitely urge their husbands to take over the throne so that they could hold their heads up high. It is rare that she could make such a logical, calm decision. Feng Wu sure has a good eye for people,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought, slightly impressed. No wonder Feng Wu would test the rtionship of couples even if they were just eating. It was probably because he missed those loving days he had with her. ¡°What did she hear to bring upon this cmity?¡± Meng Fuyao muttered to herself irresolutely. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That night she had hurried me to leave in a fearful manner. No matter how I asked, she would insist that some things are better left unknown. She only said one sentence before sending me out of the door¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°She said, why would this happen to that person¡­¡± ¡°Is that person a male or a female?¡± Meng Fuyao pressed him for further details. Feng Wu shook his head in dismay. After a while, he covered his face with his hands as he sobbed. ¡°She should have escaped with me that night, but she insisted on returning to the pce¡­ She knew that dangerid ahead, yet she still made her way there¡­ Why am I so dumb? To not have noticed that she was giving me time to escape¡­¡± In the dark, damp walkway, the pale man leaned against the wall and wept silently. The air had somewhat of a salty taste, the taste of tears filled with longing and pain. ¡°And so you baited us here with your food and politics?¡± Meng Fuyao broke the silence. ¡°How did you know we wereing here?¡± ¡°Initially, I did not have such ns.¡± Feng Wu blew his nose on a dirty cloth before continuing. ¡°Back then, I was broken-hearted and roamed around various ces ¨C rivers, towns, the wild ¨C while cooking as a way to take off my mind. But recently, I received news from the Tang Family, a loyal official that refused to take sides in this fight for the throne. He told me that before returning home that night, she went over and discussed something with him. He did not mention specifically what they talked about but told me to think of ways to stop the two of you and inform you two that danger lies in front¡ªplease be careful. In the northern borders, which is under the rule of the Eleventh Prince, it would be wise to travel on water even if it might be inconvenient. If possible, make use of the pirate gang that isn¡¯t under the control of the Eleventh Prince to avoid around some of the traps and danger. In the middle of your journey, it is best to travel through mountains as the Amethyst Cape Knights have a difficult time entering mountain ranges. And so I thought of this food and politics idea to attract your attention¡­¡± ¡°And then?¡± Meng Fuyao gaze wavered as she smiled. ¡°Exchange this limited information for our help to find your wife or to take revenge for her?¡± The thin-skinned Feng Wu hung his head down in shame, acknowledging it. Meng Fuyao watched him and sighed. She turned to Zhangsun Wuji who had been quiet but smiling all this while. ¡°Look, everyone enlists me as a volunteer to help out. At least he provided some information. That Wang Huayan went to my house without anything.¡± Zhangsun Wuji caressed her head as if she was a dog. ¡°Well, you are known for your nosiness, especially when ites to imperial affairs.¡± ¡°Me, nosy? Nosy?¡± Meng Fuyao pointed to herself. What a huge misunderstanding! Since when was she nosy? Wasn¡¯t it just a coincidence that she was involved with Zhangsun Wuji, Zhan Beiye, and Zong Yue? She just didn¡¯t want to owe them anything! Chapter 279 - Untitled Chapter 279: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao turned around to face a hopeful Feng Wu, then looked at Zhangsun Wuji questioningly. Zhangsun Wuji merely smiled lightly and whispered into her ear, ¡°Scoundrels will always fall under King Meng¡¯s hand.¡± Every time he whispered into her ear, his voice was always husky and slightly wavering, making goosebumps erupt all over Meng Fuyao and making her feel soft. She hurriedly moved aside and red at him, then at Feng Wu again. Thinking about how his beloved wife was missing, all alone with nothing but the sorrow of losing his wife and having to sell cooked vegetables on a fishing boat and even offering them a huge feast just to request for their help, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but think it was rather pitiable for a prince to end up in this state. No, a better way to put it was, as a royal member of Xuanji, this was way too miserable¡­ After a while, Meng Fuyao muttered, ¡°Since things have already turned out this way¡­¡± She turned around and said, ¡°Your Highness, I will remember your words. I advise you not to remain here as a chef anymore, conceal your identity, and look for my subordinates and follow them back to the capital. If you¡¯re lucky, you might meet Hua Yan, the Hua family still has at least some influence.¡± She handed him a basket and said, ¡°This is a mask after you¡¯ve disguised yourself, head to the walls between Mianyong and Xian City and wait there, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you back to the capital.¡± Feng Wu hurriedly thanked her and pulled out a small bamboo tube. ¡°Little Master Tang requested me to bring this to King Meng,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao nced at him with an unreadable expression and thought, ¡®Utter nonsense.¡¯ If she didn¡¯t offer to help him, he wouldn¡¯t give it to her, would he? She received the tube but did not open it and said, ¡°Where¡¯s the third dish?¡± Feng Wu was taken aback; he didn¡¯t expect that up to this point, this woman did not forget to eat and remained soidback. How did she achieve all those feats in the past? Feng Wu could only begin preparing soup, earnestly filling the table with dishes in an attempt to appease the two before the table, as well as Lord Yuan Bao. Meng Fuyao and Lord Yuan Bao immediatelyunched themselves at the table and began devouring the food, but Zhangsun Wuji picked at each dish indifferently, then put down his chopsticks and sighed. ¡°I still think that the first two dishes were the best¡­¡± Meng Fuyao red at him from the corner of her eye. ¡®The food isn¡¯t the best, rather the way of eating suits your taste the most, right?¡¯ After eating, Meng Fuyao wiped her mouth and pointed at the final dish of assorted stir-fried vegetables. Laughing, she said, ¡°This is akin to the royal members of Xuanji, a bundle stuck together, yet each having their distinguishable color. There¡¯s only one way to tackle them.¡± She lifted the te and finished the dish with Lord Yuan Bao. Feng Wu still didn¡¯t get what she meant and asked her, to which she promptly replied, ¡°Stir-fry them in one wok!¡± After finishing the food, she dragged Zhangsun Wuji and left. However, Feng Wu suddenly remembered something and ran after them. ¡°How do you two intend to change your route?¡± The two of them turned around and, smiling, replied in unison: ¡°Continue touring!¡± ¡°Why stop the fun?¡± Meng Fuyaoy downzily on the boat and burped. ¡°Does Feng Wu really think that the other princes and princesses wouldn¡¯t know just because he was selling vegetables on a boat? Once Feng Wu leaves, even though the Xuanji royal family is not too sure of our location, they will definitely know that he has spoken to us and think that we would change our route¡­ Well, I refuse to change, I refuse to go another way!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you refuse to go another way, the princes and princesses of Xuanji don¡¯t know that our great King Meng is naturally born stubborn, refusing to budge until she hits a wall.¡± Meng Fuyao tilted her head and smiled at the fellow faking his sleep. ¡°Comrade, it seems as if you have some opinions against me?¡± ¡°I daren¡¯t, I daren¡¯t,¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that all those who had opinions against you are all dead now.¡± Meng Fuyao snorted and ttened herself on the deck. Staring at the fluffy clouds against the blue sky, and listening to the faint flow of water, she said, ¡°Talking about life and death during such a great moment is truly doing a disservice to the scenery¡­¡± ¡°What did Little Master Tang say to you in that bamboo tube?¡± ¡°A very strange and suspicious statement, just four words,¡± Meng Fuyao replied. ¡°Lord Yama greets you.¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and said, ¡°What kind of message is that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s nothing good,¡± Meng Fuyao said. ¡°I suspect that the person that the princes and princesses sent is veryplex. Not only did they hope to kill us and instigate a three-nation war to seize the throne, but they would also rece the old emperor with a new one if need be. None of them have good intentions, and the two of us seem to have be the target of the entire nation of Xuanji, everyone¡¯s taking turns to take a swing of their sword at us, ah¡­ I¡¯m tired just thinking about it.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve already been swept into this and every step we take is dangerous, we might as well keep moving forward,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said mildly. ¡°In the game of politics, retreating and hiding may not be useful sometimes.¡± ¡°I want to ask you one question.¡± Meng Fuyao moved over and leaned over Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°When you said that your junior sister saved Lotus, were you speaking the truth or not?¡± Zhangsun Wuji opened his eyes and smiled slightly at the forehead in front of him. Pulling Meng Fuyao onto his chest, he said, ¡°One kiss and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°You never forget to take advantage at any time, you lecherous wolf!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed. She scrambled around to get up, but the boat suddenly swayed, and she fell down again into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s weing bosom. Zhangsun Wuji flicked his finger, and a gold leaf fell silently beside the boatdy¡¯s feet. The boatdy ecstatically picked it up and beamed; this was a good deal! Zhangsun Wuji gently kissed Meng Fuyao¡¯s forehead, not intending to go any further. Letting go of her contentedly, he said, ¡°Tai Yan was deliberately trying to anger me. I¡¯ve already asked around when I went back previously, although she was there, she didn¡¯t save Lotus.¡± ¡°Then, she¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s when the problem arises,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said. ¡°At that time, Tai Yan didn¡¯t know the truth and only saw Lotus getting ¡°robbed,¡± hence, she tried to save her. After sealing the memory of the fake robber, she turned around, and Lotus was gone.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± Meng Fuyao was shocked. ¡°How can a fully grown human being disappear right under Tai Yan¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Tai Yan was enraged at the time as well, so after finding out the truth, she came to look for me.¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyebrows tightened together slightly as he gave an exasperatedugh. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Meng Fuyao sighed deeply, not saying anything else. Suddenly, she felt her body shake, and she sat up immediately, turning around only to see the boat shaking and beginning to sink. Someone had created a hole in the hull of the boat underwater. The boatdy rushed over frantically, pping her oars against her thighs and wailing, ¡°How cruel are the water ghouls! Didn¡¯t I already pay you?¡± Meng Fuyao initially thought that the perpetrator was after the two of them and was pondering over the ability of these people to find them so quickly. However, after hearing the boatdy, she dragged Zhangsun Wuji towards the canopy of the boat and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Do you two know how to swim? Hurry up and leave, now¡¯s not the time to be talking!¡± The boatdy threw aside the oars tearfully and tied all the money on the boat to her waist. Meng Fuyao sighed and said, ¡°This is the inescapable fate of falling into the water¡­¡± She turned around to see numerous boatsing towards them, all of them ck boats with red gs, and the people on the boats were all brandishing sabers and sounding their drums. The sound of the drums traveled far over the surface of the water, and Meng Fuyao shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s head to that boat together, the early spring weather is cold, and it¡¯s not a joking matter to catch a chill.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go there, we can¡¯t go there!¡± The boatdy turned to look at the boat, and her expression looked as if she had seen a ghost as she stuttered, ¡°Those are the Lishui Gang, they raise their gs to kill the water god, no wonder my boat was destroyed. If I¡¯d known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t havee out¡­ Don¡¯t go there, this is their most important ceremony of weing spring, they¡¯ll use you as an offering!¡± After finishing her speech, the boat was left with just the tip, and the boatdyunched herself into the water. Meng Fuyao, Zhangsun Wuji, and Tie Cheng stood atop the floating canopy as she reached out and picked up a piece of rope, then threw it towards therge boat. The long rope flew in a straight line and secured itself firmly on the side of the boat. Meng Fuyao was about to pull herself against it when the sh of a saber could be seen on the boat, and the rope was cut. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrow twitched as she retracted the rope and kicked the side of the canopy and tread onto the water, flying as she swung the rope towards them with tremendous force! Bam! The wet rope ripped across the still water like a steel whip, creating a wall of water in its trail as itnded heavily on the boat! Kacha¡ª A loud cracking noise could be heard as the wood was struck with this ferocious whip. The boat buckled, and a huge hole appeared on the deck as it began to sink. The men on the boat shouted rmedly, desperately calling for help, and there was a flurry of activity on the boat. ¡°Get to the other boat!¡± Someone¡¯s shout could be heard faintly. ¡°We¡¯ve already begun the ceremony, we can¡¯t stop it midway!¡± ¡°Push him off!¡± Whoosh! Meng Fuyao heard the sound of running water as if something heavy had been pushed off. From her angle, she wasn¡¯t able to see what they had pushed off, neither did she try to save it. She stood on the canopy of the boat, smiling coldly as she watched the boat slowly collect water and begin to sink, then at the people on board frantically sliding into another boat. She waited for another moment, her eyebrows knitting together. She heard a ssh beside her as Tie Cheng jumped into the water and started swimming towards the thing that was pushed off earlier. Meng Fuyao turned to look at Zhangsun Wuji and said, ¡°This child, always so rash.¡± The two of them looked at each other and smiled. The first three people could see that the offering was a human, and after the boat was split apart, Meng Fuyao was wary of traps; hence, she waited for a moment. However, the person did not resurface, so it seemed like this was real. She watched as Tie Cheng saved the person and began swimming towards the second boat, then together with Zhangsun Wuji, she flew to the second boat. This time, nobody tried to stop her; a single whip could destroy the entire boat, this person was not to be trifled with. Chapter 280 Chapter 280: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao stepped onto the boat and smiled at the shining sabers. ¡°Good afternoon, gentlemen,¡± she greeted. The leader was a man in yellow robes, and he looked visibly enraged as he roared, ¡°Who are you! How dare you disrupt our gang¡¯s ceremony!¡± ¡°How old-fashioned, what age is it already, still using human sacrifices?¡± Meng Fuyao wriggled her eyebrows at the unconscious person in Tie Cheng¡¯s arms. The person had a face as small as a palm, his hair sticking to his pale face, making him look even frailer. He was bound tightly by leader ropes, and Tie Cheng was busy trying to untie him. Looking at the person¡¯s age, he was clearly still a child. ¡°That¡¯s our business!¡± The yellow-robed man yelled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of death, an outsider poking your nose into our business?¡± The men on the boat brandished their sabers in the air, shouting and chanting¡ªthis was the secret signal to attack the enemy. Meng Fuyao smiledzily and reached a hand out; suddenly, the yellow-robed man¡¯s throat was between her fingers. The shouting and banging of sabers stopped abruptly as the men looked on in shock and retreated slightly. The yellow-robed man was struggling frantically, his face turning red yet he could not utter a single word. Meng Fuyao continued squeezing the opponent¡¯s throat unhurriedly and closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a liking to this boat of yours, so I¡¯m definitely using this boat to head to Lishui. From now on, the men from all three boats must stay on this boat, the top five rooms are for us. Apart from the rower and the chef, everyone else is to stay below deck and report everything, from using the toilet to eating. Every day, I will count the number of men, if even one is missing, I¡¯ll kill the whole crew,¡± she said casually. She lightly, almost gently, reached for an iron anchor that was almost a hundred kilograms and kneaded it into a round shape as if it were y, then hung it on the neck of the yellow-robed man. Smiling faintly, she said amicably, ¡°Do you need me to kill someone right now to prove it?¡± All the men had watched as she kneaded the iron anchor as if it were y, then watched as she hung it on their leader¡¯s head and how he immediately sank to the ground when she let go, unable to get up. Even if he didn¡¯t die, he would, sooner orter, having something like this hung on his neck for all his life. Meng Fuyao pped her hands together, then reached for another anchor and threw it towards the third boat that was waiting to escape. The anchor flew through the air with a whistling noise andnded heavily on the boat, smashing its hull as water started to seep in. Meng Fuyao sat down arrogantly and waved at the men on the boat. ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a meeting,¡± she called out. The men had no choice but to board her boat, and the boat was now filled with people. Meng Fuyao let Tie Cheng order them into the lower deck, each cabin filled with five to six men. Meng Fuyao stuck her head in and took a look at the cabin design. Each room was sealed shut with only a door. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll open a window for you guys.¡± Reaching out for a spear, she stood in the first room andunched it at the cabin wall. The spear pierced through the wooden wall with a thunderous noise and instantly, a new, gaping hole was nted on the wall of every cabin. Everyone could see through the hole and see the movements of everyone in the cabin rooms. ¡°I¡¯ve already said, if one of you tries to escape, I¡¯ll kill the whole crew.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled coldly and pointed at the hole. ¡°You¡¯re wee to report any offenders.¡± She headed out, chortling again when she reached the door and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee to try and escape.¡± The men, packed like sardines, could only stare at her silently, their expression that of looking at a man-eating demon. Meng Fuyao was very satisfied with the oue; it was either kill one of them to instill fear or else she would have to oversee so many men. How tiring would that be? If not, Tie Cheng would have to oversee them, and she was unwilling for him to expend that energy as well. It was more efficient to let them oversee each other. Shezily headed to the top deck, but Tie Cheng was still uneasy and pulled a bench to the entrance of the lower deck and sat there. As Meng Fuyao walked past him, she sighed and said, ¡°Silly, you¡¯ll worry yourself to death.¡± Tie Cheng was still counting something on his fingers. Meng Fuyao smiled and continued walking as Lord Yuan Bao crawled out of her robes and nted itself on her shoulder. Facing Tie Cheng, it pointed at its own nose. ¡®One more room, is for me, Lord Yuan Bao.¡¯ Tie Cheng sighed and nced at the ¡®sardines¡¯ with a sympathetic expression. Meng Fuyao walked past the cabin that the child was sleeping in and nced in. The child was still unconscious. She went in and felt his pulse; it was erratic, and it seemed that he was suffering from trauma, but there wasn¡¯t anything serious. The child had skinny limbs but rough hands, worn out by fishings, he was probably a fisherman¡¯s child, yet nobody knew how he became a sacrifice for the water god. Meng Fuyao was rather sensitive towards children, and after checking his condition, she immediately left the cabin and headed back to her own. However, after opening the door, she spotted a certain prince lying on her bed as if it were his own and upon seeing her, he waved at her and said, ¡°Come over.¡± Meng Fuyao felt that the Crown Prince was bing increasingly unbing, often catching her off guard and causing her to be on high alert at all times. Wanting to discipline him, she said sternly, ¡°Hey, why are you sleeping on my bed!¡± ¡°This is your bed?¡± Zhangsun Wuji blinked innocently. ¡°Obviously!¡± Meng Fuyao replied sternly. ¡°But I heard that someone has the habit of entering the wrong room.¡± Someone was digging up old dirt. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face darkened as she said, ¡°I won¡¯t enter wrongly today, firstly, I didn¡¯t drink, and secondly, I¡¯ve already asked Tie Cheng to put a mark on the room he prepared for me.¡± All the cabins on the boat looked the same, and Meng Fuyao was afraid that someone would use the excuse of ¡°entering the wrong room,¡± and hence, she had called Tie Cheng to create a mark on each of the rooms. Tie Cheng had already told her that the first room was hers, marked with a salted fish, and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s was marked with fishbones. ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly and tapped the room door, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right a mark.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head only to see fishbones dangling from the top¡­ ¡°Shameless, you changed the mark!¡± Meng Fuyao cursed angrily. Zhangsun Wuji merely smiled and waved a hand. A cat wriggled out from under the bed with a ¡°meow,¡± and he patted its head tenderly, praising, ¡°Good kitty, you eat very fast.¡± ¡°Eeeee¡ª¡± Lord Yuan Bao let out an ear-piercing shriek and dove into the deepest folds of Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes¡­ Zhangsun Wuji got up and pulled Meng Fuyao over, still smiling. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which room is the right one or not,e, let¡¯s look at the water view together.¡± The cabin room was only that big, and it was difficult to turn around, so Meng Fuyao sighed and squeezed by his side. The two of them leaned against each other as they watched the water ripples on the surface of the river. There was a certain quality to the quietness and tranquility around them, and after a while, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°If you can think of this, why not think about how we can get to Tong City quicker.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it great now?¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled. ¡°Based on the current situation, going by water is the safest route. Earlier on, the gang was performing their ceremony, so the surroundings are clear, and there isn¡¯t a single boat around. Right now, nobody under the heavens knows where you and I are located.¡± ¡°Your hidden guards and my soldiers don¡¯t know as well,¡± Meng Fuyao reminded. Sighing, she said, ¡°There is good and bad.¡± ¡°Earlier, I had a little chat with the boat¡¯s chef upstairs,¡± Zhangsun Wuji tried changing the topic. ¡°He said that these three boats belong to the elite of the gang, and after the ceremony, they had originally intended to stop at a harbor and participate in the Green Forest Alliance Conference held by the Guangcheng County. ording to him, it¡¯s because the bandits that Eleventh Prince had bribed were disrupting the martial bnce in the northern region of the Green Forest. Apart from the ns that Feng Jingrui had bribed, the others did not want any rtion with them, yet also did not want to dere enemies with Feng Jingrui. This Green Forest Alliance Conference was set up to select a Green Forest Alliance Leader to fight against Feng Jingrui.¡± As Meng Fuyao listened, her eyes slowly started to light up with a sly glint, her eyes rolling around in their sockets as she thought. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s lips curved slightly and immediately nted a kiss on her forehead. Before she could react, he¡¯d already let go and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Meng Fuyao was about to get back at him for sneaking a kiss on her but was surprised that he suddenly let go and temporarily forgot to punish him. She yawnedzily andy down to sleep, faintly hearing ceaseless reportsing from below the deck. ¡°Report, I need to pee!¡± ¡°Report! I need to shit!¡± ¡­ She snorted and closed her eyes. As she slept, she rolled around on the bed, feeling as if something was amiss, yet she couldn¡¯t tell what was amiss. She patted the bed and sat up, but she still couldn¡¯t sense anything, so shey back down to sleep, thinking, ¡®What is it? What is it?¡¯ In the middle of the night, she suddenly felt the board beside her disappear and the bed shift, then¡­ A pair of arms reached out, and she smelled the familiar faint fragrance as her entire being was swept into a certain person¡¯s warm embrace. That person¡¯s eyes were glinting in the dark like a pearl in a cave as he said in a calm yet assertive tone, ¡°I¡¯ve said before, it doesn¡¯t matter which room is right or wrong, this board¡­ is movable.¡± Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides.¡± The godforsaken scoundrel continued, ¡°Your bed is right next to mine, it was meant to be together. Once the board is removed, it bes one bed. You and I were sleeping on the same bed to begin with.¡± Meng Fuyao, tearfully, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Fuyao, look.¡± Zhangsun Wuji blew gently on her forehead, then on her nose, followed by her lips. He chuckled softly and said, ¡°We really do have fate, even on a random boat we are fortunate enough to share a bed.¡± ¡®Fate your head¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao was already in tears¡­ ¡®@#$% you, if we have fate then why did you block my meridians?¡¯ Chapter 281 - Untitled Chapter 281: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Indeed, there shouldn¡¯t be any view-damaging incident happening during such a moment,¡± Zhangsun Wuji exined by her ear. However, his exnation didn¡¯t feel like an exnation but rather a taunt, causing Meng Fuyao to clench her teeth. His hold was neither firm nor rxed and did not hurt, yet it made her tremble as if a current was running through her body. Zhangsun Wuji chuckled softly and seemed to have moved even closer as he whispered, ¡°Fuyao¡­ After 10 years of cultivation, we finally share the same boat, after 100 years we get to share a pillow, you and I have cultivated hundreds and thousands of years¡¯ worth of fate, so how could you keep pushing me away heartlessly?¡± Meng Fuyao red at him murderously. ¡®If I say I can, then I can!¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji nced at her and chuckled under his breath, beaming as brightly as he could as if to tell her: ¡®If I say you can¡¯t, then you can¡¯t.¡¯ Still smiling, he reached out and blocked a certain person¡¯s murderous re, then leaned in towards her. Zhangsun Wuji leaned in gently against Meng Fuyao¡¯s cheek. Under the silvery glow of the moon, his breathsnded gently on her hair, and the cool-blooded person seemed to be hotter. That heat came from deep within his blood, enveloping her like a fire instantly. Meng Fuyao felt the intermittent heat and coolness as if she were doused in mes, yet there was a jade-like coolness surrounding her heart. Between the hot and cold, she thought drowsily, ¡®Tonight¡­ tonight¡­ Does he really¡­ intend to abandon all inhibitions?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s fingers were like a gust of wind, trailing from her smooth, pale neck to her red lips, then back down to her cor. Moving up was teasing her, moving down was the real intention. Meng Fuyao held her breath, unsure of what to feel as she waited, thinking that her heart trembled as his fingers wandered up and down. Suddenly, the boat jerked violently. There was a faint shout of surprise; it was Tie Cheng¡¯s voice. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, and Zhangsun Wuji had already gotten up. ¡°Looks like this dream is hard to fulfill¡­¡± he murmured before turning away and heading to the door. As he reached the door, he smiled and said, ¡°Do I really have to block your meridians?¡± He flicked his finger and released her, saying, ¡°You rest here, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Meng Fuyao watched as his figure disappeared into the darkness and slowly sat up, hugging her knees as she fell into deep thought. She pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, feeling the heat of her skin. At this moment, she did not want anyone to feel. In her semi-consciousness, she heard the door open and someone enter, she forced her eyes open and saw that it was Zhangsun Wuji, then huffed coldly and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing much, we rounded a bend earlier and the rower carelessly brushed by some rocks.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded and curled herself up, waiting for the burning feeling to fade. She felt Zhangsun Wuji lie down beside her and very naturally pulling her into his arms, and begin to knead her back gently. His movements were still as gentle as ever, his breathing faint as he massaged her shoulders gently. The moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on him, making him look as if he were an illusion that was difficult to grab hold of. Meng Fuyao had no strength to resist, but in her haziness, she felt as if something was amiss. While she was deep in thought, she felt Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s handnd again on her corbone. Meng Fuyao was slightly frustrated now and pushed his hand away roughly, saying, ¡°Do you really want me to die?¡± ¡°How is this wanting you to die?¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and started to untie her belt, his robe already hanging loosely and revealing his wless skin. ¡°For Yin and Yang to intertwine is most beneficial to the female, so how could I not dote on you?¡± Hearing those words, Meng Fuyao felt ayer of ice surround her heart as she thought, ¡®This kind of sentence¡­ this kind of activity¡­ He really dared to say it out? To act it out?¡¯ She opened her eyes, faintly making out his silhouette in her blurred vision. The person on top of her continued to untie her shirt, a faint chillnding on her bare skin as it came into contact with the air. That coolness prated deep into her heart, and Meng Fuyao felt tears welling in her eyes. She had never felt such shame in her life! Yet, the person above herughed, as if marveling over the beauty and purity of the woman in front of him. He kicked aside the bed board and pressed himself heavily on her, and the searing pain in Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest intensified, ready to erupt at any moment. Yet, within this moment of life and death, Meng Fuyao felt her consciousness returning to her and her sight bing clear¡ªsince things hade to this point, there was no use panicking; she might as well disregard everything that was happening to her body. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to suppress the poison that was beginning to leak into her bloodstream. She breathed in deeply. Suddenly, everything became clear! Scent! She remembered! This person¡­ This person¡­ Everything about this person was exactly like Zhangsun Wuji, but, he didn¡¯t carry his scent! She had never smelled Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s unique scent on anyone else before! He wasn¡¯t Wuji! Once this fact became apparent in Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind, countless thoughts shed through her mind¡ªwhere was Zhangsun Wuji? How did this person infiltrate to this degree in such a short period of time? What had happened earlier? Where did this persone from? And the scariest thought began to surface, chilling her entire body¡ªHow could Zhangsun Wuji let such an imposter appear right under his eyes, did¡­ did something happen to him? Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart began to race, yet her entire body stiffened. As soon as her body stiffened, the person above her chuckled and said, ¡°What an enlightened girl!¡± The imposter¡¯s original voice had returned. It sounded like a woman¡¯s voice, but Meng Fuyao knew that it definitely was not a woman. Every feature about him was definitely male. Her gazended on a pair of eyes exactly the same as Zhangsun Wuji, yet within those eyes, there was no familiarity at all, instead filled with mockery and arrogance, as well as a hint of surprise and impatience. Shock shed through Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes; she was currently in a disadvantageous position, but she continued to maintain herposure as a silver sh shot through the air. The man paused for a moment, just a moment, as he heard Meng Fuyao growl: ¡°Get lost!¡± As she growled, she spat out a mouthful of poisonous blood in his face,unching a knee at the man and flipping away from him. In an instant, Meng Fuyao had already created a distance of two cabins between her and the man. She pulled up several boards and sealed herself away from the man,st seeing the man¡¯s surprised expression filled with admiration as she pressed the board firmly between them and tying her shirt together. She then raised the remaining boards, and with a rush of emotion, the poison within her Emotion Lock spread throughout her body as she struggled to stand up, shing Destiny Rebellion at the boards. She had yet to take action when she heard the sound of the wind howling next door, followed by the sound of robes ruffling in the wind. There was a thunderous p, and the entire boat rocked back and forth, followed by the sound of a woman giggling fading into the distance. Suddenly, the boards flew open, and a person grabbed her hand, his fingers cool to the touch, his face carrying a stricken expression. Upon seeing that face, Meng Fuyao instantlyunched her sword forward only to hear the person shout, panic-stricken, ¡°Fuyao, it¡¯s me!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword stopped abruptly in its tracks, her hair flying in all directions behind her, her eyes shing fiercely. The person in front of her wore a calm expression, yet panic and rage were evident in his eyes as he saw her robes hanging loosely from her pale frame, her belt tied loosely and her shirt dyed with blood. Instantly, his eyes held a burning ferocity so bright it seemed to illuminate the room. Meng Fuyao had never seen such an expression from Zhangsun Wuji and, caught by surprise, she froze on the spot, her sword still raised in front of her. Opposite her, Zhangsun Wuji no longer tried to go near her, instead, kneeling on the bed and retracting his hands, his fingers forming fists as theynded heavily on the mattress. Lowering his eyes, he murmured, ¡°Fuyao¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand trembled again; she had never seen Zhangsun Wuji look like this, nor had she ever heard Zhangsun Wuji apologize¡ªhe never had the need to apologize, because he was never wrong. Yet tonight, due to a moment of impulse, perhaps not really impulse, perhaps he merely wanted to tease her like always, sealing her meridians and healing her while she slept, yet an imposter suddenly appeared and triggering her Emotion Lock; once the lock was broken, if not for her strong sense of survival, perhaps the worst would already havee true. Wrong¡­ Who was in the wrong? For feelings to blossom between a man and a woman, he wasn¡¯t a virtuous man, he would pursue her if he liked her, but he always remembered the danger of her Emotion Lock and never tried to push her to her limits. And she had always been careful to guard her heart, remaining sober during all those times of pursuit, yet tonight, she lost herself in the flurry of passion. Or perhaps, the one in the wrong was her, easily losing control, weak-hearted, deciding not to engage herself personally in the Five Regions Continent, yet uncontrobly falling victim to his affection. Chapter 282 - Untitled Chapter 282: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Though Meng Fuyao was not young mentally, her body was still one of an 18 or 19-year old teenage girl. It was the age that she would develop feelings for the other gender and instinctively be attracted to the warm and gentle gestures that she yearned. As such, to get this youthful body to continuously reject his temptations was no easy feat. A slight waver in her determination was all that was needed for her to fall down the slippery slope. As Meng Fuyao bit down on her lips, she tried to recall how much the bastard had done. Previously, when she shut her consciousness to focus on mobilizing her inner energy, she essentially lost sense of what was happening around her. The experiences of being a virgin in both worlds meant that she only understood some things conceptually, and not what it would feel like in real life. If pain was the deciding factor, she was already feeling it from the poison in her body being triggered. As for bleeding¡­ there were no such symptoms, but that did not mean that there was no physical contact! When she thought of this, Meng Fuyao immediately felt like breaking down. How could she let an unfamiliar man tarnish her pure body? She pulled down the wall once again, and itnded with a crash. With Destiny Rebellion in hand, she quietly chopped the bed frame into two halves and quickly dragged her side of the frame, towards the room and far away from the wall. While she did all these, there was no movementing from the other side, and Zhangsun Wuji also did not try to pull down the wall again. At that moment, Meng Fuyao was in a thoroughly bad mood. She hated the boat, hated the weird man, hated the Five Regions Continent, hated everything that she saw, and she hated herself the most! It was because she was not determined enough and she allowed herself to give in to her feelings, that such a terrible situation happened. From then on, she was going to be as cold-hearted as a stone! She scrambled into the bed and covered her bed under the sheets, literally wrapping herself up into a stone. The moonlight shone directly on that stone from the small window, but the stone did not move at all and remained stiff. A whileter, the moonlight slowly shifted to the neighboring window. Zhangsun Wuji quietly sat on the broken half of the bed frame and leaned against a wall. Simrly, he slowly turned into a fossil that swallowed the pain and endured the hidden heart wrench. Ever since the ¡®Zhangsun Wuji¡¯ incident that night, Meng Fuyao and the real Zhangsun Wuji officiallynded in an awkward period. That night, Meng Fuyao hid under the nket like an ostrich, and when the neighboring Lord Yuanbao pried open her door, she mmed into so hard in his face that his nose was almost ttened. Afterward, the temperature of Meng Fuyao¡¯s surroundings dropped by 20 degrees, and anyone who saw her became as quiet as a cicada in winter. Even the sardines needed no warning to automatically jump into their own cans, and that saved Tie Cheng a lot of trouble. In Meng Fuyao¡¯s perspective, she was not angry at anyone, but she was frustrated and mad at how useless she felt, and the disgust she felt during that incident further soured her mood and made her temperamental. On the other hand, Zhangsun Wuji felt guilty. Everything that happened in his life was under his control, but something that he would regret for his entire lifetime almost happened that night. Mixed amongst the guilt was also anger, which could not be expressed. This sense of anger was unfamiliar but heart-tormenting, and he had never felt it in his past 26 years of living. It broke his usually calm andposed demeanor and even the casual smile which he often put on disappeared from his face. Personal feelings aside, Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji did not give up on their hunt for the culprit. However, except for the members of the gang, there were only cooks and boat-rowers who were not equipped with any martial arts skills. There were simply too many people and no distinct target, and Meng Fuyao was toozy to check the level of martial arts one by one. From her analysis of the situation, the culprit was an expert whom she could not rival. If he really wanted to conceal himself, no one would be able to expose him. To this point, both Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji vaguely knew who the culprit was. If someone could conquer the martial arts realm for three decades, and yet let no one be able to distinguish his gender despite the enormous number of people he had met, the level of mystery and pretense of this person must be the top in this universe. Aspared to putting in the effort to slowly investigate what identity he used to get onto the boat, or whether he was still on board, she was more willing to wait for his next move. Meanwhile, the child who was saved that day was questioned. Tie Cheng opened his door at the first possible moment, and the child was sound asleep and did not wake up until the next morning. The child said that he was from a fisherfolk family downstream. Because his family could not pay for their expenses, he was sold to a pirate gang as a manualborer. His family signed a lifetime contract, and his survival would only be up to the gang from then on. That year, that gang faced many difficulties in their raids and were oppressed by the court. As such, the gang agreed on holding a live sacrifice, something which had not been done in more than 10 years. Unfortunately, the child was chosen amongst the ves. As that child¡¯s voice was changing due to puberty, and he also stammered, it took a long while before his incoherent sentences made sense. Meng Fuyao listened to him and did not sense any ws in his statements. Hence, she merely sent him home. The boat drifted for another day and night before it stopped by the shore. Meng Fuyao was in a bad mood and had intense hatred towards the royals of Xuanji. Picking the vice head of the pirate gang by the cor, she dragged him onto the shore and fully concentrated on walking ahead. Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji followed quietly, while Tie Cheng could not understand why there was such an immense change between the two of them in one night. However, he was still happy to see it, and he followed her joyously. Meng Fuyao was full of vigor. She dragged that person and aimed straight for the location where the rebellion forces gathered. Today, she was determined to be the head of the union. Whether or not the person who offended her was Feng Jingrui, she was determined to bring some trouble for him! The gathering was held on a tform located at the waist of a secretive mountain. Just moments before the few of them hiked up to the destination, they suddenly heard chaos happening above them. Then, there was a heated argument. ¡°Who are you! You¡¯re not even making sense!¡± ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°Could he be a spy sent by the court?¡± ¡°Search him!¡± Momentster, there were distinct sounds of weapons shing, and someone cried, ¡°We are all men! Why be so touchy!¡± Afterward, the same person shouted, ¡°I identally entered this area while I was touring the mountains. If I¡¯m a nuisance, then I¡¯ll just apologize to all of you¡­ but all of you¡­ have no manners at all!¡± Secondster, he barked, ¡°I¡¯m getting angry!¡± A whileter, he screamed again, ¡°I¡¯m really getting angry!¡± The sound of struggling became louder, and there was a mix of mockery andughter. One person from the crowd jeered. ¡°Nerd!¡± ¡°Throw him out!¡± Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and a white figure rolled out of the crowd. He rolled towards Meng Fuyao and Tie Cheng, who were walking at the front of their group. Tie Cheng ced his hands behind his back; his master was active and would definitely catch that. Instead, Meng Fuyao raised her hand, gave a tight p, and sent that figure flying in the other direction. A man! A man who was only wearing undergarments! A man with fairplexion wearing only undergarments! The three things that King Meng absolutely hated! Meng Fuyao, feeling disgusted, sent him flying away. Then, she tookrge strides without looking sideways and stepped on that man who was crying and wailing. Without moving away, she continued to step over him. At the same moment, Lord Yuan Bao crawled out of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s robes, and he shivered as he bit on his ws. Seems like Master was right to tell him to switch locations! King Meng was now allergic to anything male! The man whom Meng Fuyao stepped over shouted, ¡°My bones are breaking!¡± Casually, Meng Fuyao threw a golden ingot at him. ¡°Medical fee!¡± Meng Fuyao said. The medical feended on his ribs, and there was a clear bang¡­ It seemed as though his bone really broke this time¡­ That man sucked in his breath in pain. After grabbing the golden ingot, he threw it at Meng Fuyao. ¡°I¡¯m really really angry right now!¡± Tie Cheng looked down at the pretty face, which looked slightly childish. Frowning, hemented with much detest, ¡°Just a pretty face.¡± Then, he crossed over the man. Meanwhile, Zhangsun Wuji did not even bother looking down. As such, that physical mass was left behind¡­ At the end of the mountain path was the tform. A group of men who were dressed in all manners was arguing profusely. When they saw Meng Fuyao and her group walking in, they stopped arguing and looked at the intruders in shock. Someone frowned. ¡°Who is intruding this time round? Give them a beating and chase them away!¡± Immediately, someone retorted, ¡°Boss Bull, it seems as though you¡¯re not the head of the union yet, right? Why are you assuming the role so naturally and ordering us around?¡± Boss Bull gave a stare towards the person who spoke. ¡°You were defeated by me, and you have the face to talk here?¡± That person flushed red in embarrassment. However, he raised his head with much dignity. ¡°Weren¡¯t you also defeated by the Chief of the White Mountains? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± Arguments and chaos ensued. It was along the lines of who defeated who, then it extended to whose female rtivesmitted adultery with who, and it escted to an artistic, unimaginable and exciting description of the genitals of these female rtives¡­ ¡°Shut up!¡± The shout was so loud that everyone twisted their heads. It was only then that they recalled they were here for the fight to be Head of the Union, and they had forgotten about the intruder. Immediately, someone barked. ¡°Who are you to raise your voice here?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Meng Fuyao pointed at her nose and pushed the vice head of the pirate gang to the floor. ¡°Your new Union Head!¡± There was a deafening silence for a moment. Then, there was a thunderous round ofughter. These aggressive men who were used to living life on the edge didn¡¯t even bother to curse, and they looked at this pretty and thind as though they were surveying a strange specimen. Apparently, Meng Fuyao wore the mask again, as she was used to not showing her true appearance in front of a crowd. ¡°I will teach all of you in this mob ¨C who have no idea how to cooperate ¨C the way to oppose the court, and how you can achieve greater freedom and liberty even under oppression.¡± Meng Fuyao pretended not to hear the roaringughter. Sitting down casually on a rock, she added, ¡°But before this, I¡¯ll teach you all what are the rules of the Union Chief.¡± Gesturing for the Chief of the White Mountains and Boss Bull toe over, she said, ¡°Come, get a beating from me.¡± The Chief of the White Mountains looked like a refined middle-aged man who did not participate in the filthy speeches of the uncultured masses. He had been sitting at the side with a look of despise, and that moment, he smiled in aposed demeanor. ¡°Lad, you are brazen enough, and I¡¯ll let you live for a while more. Boss Bull, go teach him a lesson.¡± Boss Bull heeded his orders pretty well. He took a pair of specially-made knives which looked thick and heavy, and he walked up. The veins on his stout legs were exposed, and every step he took left a deep hole. It seemed like he specialized not just in martial arts, but also the strength in his lower body. The gleam of the knife swept by as he raised his weapon. Opening his eyes and mouth very widely, he shouted at a volume as loud as thunder, ¡°Lad, get a beating from me¡ª¡± Bam! He had yet to finish his sentence, and huge teeth suddenly appeared on the ground. The white teeth bounced like pearls on the ck background, and each bounce further shocked the audience. Instantaneously, silence fell upon the spectators. In the meantime, Lord Yuan Bao, who had just peeked out of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s robes, covered his mouth in fear. ¡®Oh my, those teeth¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡°Learn one of my words, and it will cost you one tooth!¡± As though she had never moved at all, Meng Fuyao continued smirking on the stone. ¡°Five teeth today! Better remember your lesson!¡± Then, she heard the sounds of deep breathing. When she looked back, she saw the Chief of the White Mountains slowly standing up. He dusted his clean and green robes and walked to her, step by step. Chapter 283 - Untitled Chapter 283: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor@: As Studios Meng Fuyao nced over with a look of appreciation. The Chief of the White Mountains was a true expert; the steps he took resembled nature¡¯s elements and were invulnerable. He was much better than Boss Bull, whose inner energy could not match up to his own exterior skills. However, in her eyes, the Chief of the White Mountains was still far from being her opponent. The Chief originally did not view with Meng Fuyao with high regard. After the p that she delivered towards Boss Bull, he became a lot more cautious, but he still thought that Boss Bull was just careless and Meng Fuyao was slightly faster in her movements. Wouldn¡¯t it be alright as long as she did note close to him? He reached towards his waist and extracted a grey rope, which flicked out silently. The rope was exceptionally long, and even though he stood far away, the rope extended until it reached Meng Fuyao¡¯s face. The wind howled, but the tip of the role calmly aimed for Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. In response, Meng Fuyao raised her hand. The movement did not seem fast, but the jade-like hand caught the rope, which was as hard as steel after being injected with the Chief¡¯s inner energy. Then, she flicked her wrist, and there were immediately wave-like tremors on the rope. The tremors became more and more intense until the Chief¡¯s fingers went weak from the shock and he released his grip of the rope. Meng Fuyao immediately grabbed the ckening rope and flicked it again, causing it to be straight. The end of the foot-long rope thrust into the Chief¡¯s chest. Instantly, the Chief of the White Mountains spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying, and hended into the crowd full of shocked spectators. Meng Fuyao threw the rope away and said nonchntly, ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time. All of you cane at me at the same time.¡± As such, all of them went up simultaneously. Hence, after some sounds of crashing and banging, a pile of human bodies quickly appeared on the ground. 15 minutester, Meng Fuyao stood and stretched. ¡°The overall standard is pretty low, and none of them are strong independent fighters. Forming a sea of fighters is the only strategy that they can think of.¡± She extended her hand towards the defeated opponents on the ground. ¡°Pass me themand token.¡± Everyone turned to look at the Chief of the White Mountains in unison, and thetter silently passed the token to her. The rebellious forces were not as cunning as politicians. Whoever was stronger would naturally be the leader. In ces like this, it was actually a lot easier to manage and control. Meng Fuyao let Tie Cheng calcte the number of people present, and there were 18 of them. They led different ns, with the bigger ones having a few thousand members and the smaller ones having a few hundred members. ns were distributed amongst differentnds in the northern region, and though their influence could notpare to that of the Eternal Sky n, the vast number of people in the Union could bring down any huge power. Furthermore, to Meng Fuyao¡¯s surprise, she found out that there was one of the ns that housed people from all trades. Such a n usuallyprised of people who belonged to the lower echelons of society and was set up especially for lowly manualborers including opera and circus performers, prostitutes, and grocery-sellers. These people were often bullied and needed protection more than other people, and they had the money to be epted into the n. Since they were very willing to submit their membership fee, such ns were usually rich. But in situations like the current one, they had no status at all and could only stand in a corner, and people who walked by spat on them. Meng Fuyao tried to speak up for them. ¡°Sigh, don¡¯t discriminate against our hardworkingborers.¡± Some replied angrily, ¡°These people even ept traffickers in their n. They are devoid of conscience!¡± The person who was scolded hurriedly hid his head between his legs. Meng Fuyao pulled his head out and asked, ¡°Traffickers?¡± These traffickers spread a type of secret lotion on their palms, and anyone who came into contact with the lotion would obediently follow the trafficker. This was the most shameless industry out of all the jobs in the Three Religions and Nine Schools, and even the rebellious forces would find it degrading to sit beside them. Somehow, they managed to steal the invitations and insisted on staying even after being spat on. After thinking for a moment, Meng Fuyao called the head of the n over. He was a man with a huge mole on his face, and on the mole were three strands of long hair. The head came over, joyously at Meng Fuyao¡¯s call. Meng Fuyao understood that the Eleventh Prince¡¯s campaign of fighting against the rebels was promoted very widely, but he also had ties to the underground society. So where did the men whom he caughte from? After a few rounds of questioning, she realized that those were people who were struggling to make a living. They either did not submit the fees to abstain them from capture, or have no authority or power, and were being forced to their wits¡¯ ends. Without many choices left, they could only gamble by cing their lives with the Eleventh Prince. Meng Fuyao squatted down and sighed. ¡°All of them are pitiful people¡­¡± Below her, the head of the n wept and kept giving Meng Fuyao money. ¡°Union Chief, take pity on us too.¡± That made Meng Fuyao happy. ¡®What a goodd! He is the first to call me Union Chief, and in such a loud and clear voice,¡¯ she thought. Smiling cunningly, she stood up and pped her hands. ¡°Since I am the Union Chief now, I will not let your loyalty go to waste. Do three things for me, and if they¡¯re done well, you will lead a prosperous life from now on.¡± Ignoring the discussions that buzzed among the crowd, she said loudly, ¡°Firstly, send me the best traffickers, prostitutes, head-shavers, manualborers and even thieves. I don¡¯t care who you send, be it by hook or by crook, get them to interact with the Eleventh Prince¡¯s subordinates. Get them to collect information on who is colluding with what ns, and I want specific information on which side these ns are on too. ¡°Secondly, pass the name list to the Chief of the White Mountains. After that, every n will send out their most expert martial arts wielders to kill the Eleventh Prince¡¯s subordinates. Assassinate as many as possible, and kill them only when they are alone. Leave behind the marks of different ns in this way ¨C let¡¯s say subordinate A has ties to n B, subordinate C has good rtions with n D, and subordinate E is enemies with n F. Then, when killing A, leave the mark of C, and when killing C, leave the mark of n F¡­ do you understand?¡± She directed thest question at the Chief of the White Mountains, who seemed to understand where she wasing from. He nodded solemnly and asked, ¡°If there are members of a n who are on different sides, can we make use of that too?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him appreciatively. ¡°You are worthy of being taught.¡± The Chief forced a smile as he continued to get educated. ¡°Why should we target the subordinates then? Isn¡¯t the Eleventh Prince the main leader?¡± ¡°So you want to assassinate the Eleventh Prince?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°At moments like this, security around him will be tight. But will his subordinates also be protected by guards or soldiers? It¡¯s not easy to kill the Eleventh Prince, but it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to target some subordinates, right? ¡°As to why we have to kill those subordinates,¡± Meng Fuyao opened her palms and added, ¡°Do you think that the Prince is very free? Will all leaders personally settle everything? The Eleventh Prince is indeed sweeping the rebellious forces in the northern border, but with his noble status, will he personally offer amnesty to or negotiate with the heads of the rebellious forces? You have to know that leaders are there to give a vision, and the execution is done by the subordinates. And these subordinates definitely have vested interests and will collude with the different ns. Between the subordinates, because of different interests, there will surely be conflicts even if they appear to be on good terms with one another. At such a moment, by using A¡¯s forces to kill C and C¡¯s forces to kill B, when they investigate afterward¡­ think about it, how messy will it be for them?¡± Everyone listened silently. Although they were uncivilized and not very educated, they slowly grasped the meaning of what she said, and their eyes slowly lit up. ¡°When too many people die, and in strange manners, the Eleventh Prince will not be able to maintain the friendly rtions that he shares with the rebellious forces right now. They will definitely doubt and suspect each other, whether the doubt arises from the Eleventh Prince¡¯s side, or the rebellious forces who are under the radar. The Eleventh Prince will suspect that the forces have ulterior motives, while the rebellious forces will suspect that the Eleventh Prince has another hidden n¡­ Once there is some clout between their rtionship, their ties will only go down the slippery slope¡­¡± As she reached this sentence, she suddenly stopped short ofpleting her sentence, and her heart fell. Instinctively, she looked up, and her gaze met Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s, who had been silent the whole time. His expression was solemn, and his eyes, which seemed as deep as the ocean, looked back at her. The expression cause¦Ä her heart to wrench, and she looked away ufortably. Then, her enthusiasm disappeared, and she didn¡¯t feel like exining too much to this crowd. She concluded simply. ¡°When too many subordinates die, the court of Xuanji will respond as well¡­ but of course there is no need for all of you to hear this.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Suddenly, the Chief of the White Mountains asked. He scrutinized Meng Fuyao calmly, and his eyes darted around her. ¡°Your n is good, but how can you make us believe in you?¡± ¡°How to believe?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Why do you think that I have to go through so much trouble to lie to you when my level of martial arts is much higher than all of you?¡± The crowd fell silent. Meng Fuyao threw out something that looked snowy-white, and itnded in the hands of the Chief of the White Mountains. ¡°Some things require money and manpower. I¡¯ll give this to all of you, and you can take this to any medicinal hall called Guang De. All of you know that Guang De is present in every corner of the Continent, and you can use this to ask them for money, manpower, food, and drinks. But do not use this excessively. After you¡¯re done, send it to the capital and bury it at the foot of the city gates. I¡¯ll send someone to retrieve it.¡± The Chief carefully kept that belt, and Meng Fuyao added, ¡°If you spoil it or lose it, I¡¯ll kill your entire family.¡± With a petty mindset, she watched as the Chief kept the belt even more carefully. Then, she smiled casually. ¡°Actually, I have spies beside the Eleventh Prince¡­¡± Everyone gasped as they looked at her eagerly. Meng Fuyao continued to speak. ¡°I heard that the Eleventh Prince recently gave a promise. Whoever reported to him the content of this gathering will be crowned as a Sixth-Level military official in the court¡­¡± Everyone gasped again, but at that split second, Meng Fuyao suddenly roared withughter. She extended her hands and charged forward! ¡°And it¡¯s you!¡± Amongst herughter, there was the sound of a person¡¯s screams. As a ck figure dashed by, something seemed to be thrown out, and it spun in the air. Before everyone could have a clear look at the object, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes suddenly gleamed and he waved his sleeves. The sleeve became a soft and caught the object which rolled around gently. Then, casually but carefully, Zhangsun Wuji flicked his sleeve, and the object rolled off into a deep alley at the side. Immediately, there was an incredibly loud sound of an explosion and the ground even tremored. Momentster, plumes of smoke and ash rose from the deep alley, and they gathered to form a small and ck-red cloud above the tform area. In an instant, the surrounding air was contaminated with the pungent odor of gunpowder. The sky above the tform seemed to darken by a few shades because of this. Chapter 284 - Untitled Chapter 284: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: @As Studios A huge thunder crash bomb! The crowd gasped again. Evidently, this was specially prepared for them. The tform was only this big, and once the bomb was triggered, anyone present would die. Even immortals would not be able to escape. As the smoke slowly cleared, Meng Fuyao¡¯s figure appeared. Her hand was sped tightly on the throat of a thin and petite man. Someone shouted angrily, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the vice head of the Soaring n?¡± ¡°So he¡¯s a spy!¡± The crowd became indignant. The content of their scolding once again returned to the important body parts of their mothers, sisters, and aunts. Since there was an obvious target, even the great-grandmother of the vice head was said to have had countless physical and intimate interactions with the men present. Meanwhile, the thin man tried to seek survival. He struggled and screamed, ¡°No, no! I¡¯m wronged! I¡¯m wronged!¡± Meng Fuyao raised his hand with a smile, and between his fingers, there was still ck gunpowder present. The weapons in this universe were just average, and since the exterior of a thunder crash bomb was rough, traces would be left on the hands. ¡°If you¡¯re not a spy, why were you nervous when I said I had spies beside the Eleventh Prince? If you¡¯re not, why were you so agitated when I mentioned the reward of bing a Sixth-level military official?¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hands and threw this man towards the Chief of the White Mountains. ¡°This is the third thing that I want to do. When there are too many people, good and bad ones intermingle. Spies will definitely be present in such a gathering, and now I have identified him for you. Now, will you be more careful when you¡¯re doing things the next time?¡± The Chief nodded quietly, and he stepped back as a show of respect. Meng Fuyao pped her hands and said, ¡°This will be all. Everyone, off to your own duties and don¡¯t try to find me. When I have the time, I¡¯ll send someone to contact you.¡± With that, she strode away from the crowd. She left as quickly as she came, and everyone opened up a path for her to leave. Some of them were confused, but the majority of them looked towards their new Union Chief in admiration. With superior martial arts skills and superb strategies, she easily came up with a cunning n that none of them could ever possibly think of. And she saved their lives so casually. However, they did not know why she would suddenly appear and get involved in this. Though most of them were uneducated, they knew that some people were meant to live high and look down. Being in control of the overall situation, nothing could surprise such people. These were people whom the crowd could not easily admire or be near too, so they would just listen. Meng Fuyao nonchntly walked away, under the admiring gazes of the Xuanji rebellious forces. As the sun started to set, clouds gathered, and rays of twilight could be seen. Looking at the sky, Meng Fuyao frowned and thought of how they would have to spend the night in the open fields. She turned to look at Zhangsun Wuji and wanted to say something, but suddenly, she also did not know what to say. Momentster, she sighed and continued trekking silently. Lord Yuan Bao ran forward and squatted on Meng Fuyao¡¯s shoulder as a sign of affection, but Meng Fuyao swatted him away. When Lord Yuan Bao climbed again, Meng Fuyao continued to swat him away. Unwilling to give up, Lord Yuan Bao climbed once more, but that angered Meng Fuyao. She plucked a few stalks of spring onion from the bottom of a mountain and handed it to Lord Yuan Bao. Though confused, Lord Yuan Bao obediently hugged those stalks. Meng Fuyao searched around again. She found a few pieces of ginger that had a strong scent and handed them to Lord Yuan Bao. Lord Yuan Bao thought silently¡­ ¡®I need to be obedient. An obedient Lord Yuan Bao will be able to appease the stubborn bull,¡¯ he thought. As such, he continued to hug whatever was given to him. Then, Meng Fuyao dug into her pockets and found some salt. She continued to pass it to Lord Yuan Bao. Lord Yuan Bao could no longer handle it¡­ Someone¡¯s stomach was so big that the number of items he could hold was limited. Hence, he used his mouth to grab it. With much ttering and adjusting, the group walked a short distance. Besides the mountain path was a forest, and Meng Fuyao made a suggestion. ¡°Since we won¡¯t have any amodation tonight even if we descend from the mountain, let¡¯s spend the night here.¡± As such, Tie Cheng diligently picked the firewood, while Lord Yuan Bao continued hugging the spring onions, gingers, and salt. When the fire was set up, Meng Fuyao dug out two biscuits from Tie Cheng¡¯s bag. She gestured at Lord Yuan Bao for him toe over. Thinking that it was food for him, Lord Yuan Bao ran happily. Meng Fuyao grabbed him and mumbled, ¡°Probably just the size of a Kentucky chicken¡­¡± She grabbed the two biscuits and wedged Lord Yuan Bao in between the two pieces, while he continued holding the spring onions and ginger. Then, she grabbed a stalk of grass to wrap around the product, stuck a wooden stick through it, and ced it above the fire. Tie Cheng, who was holding on to his bag, unexpectedly dropped his backpack in shock. In a stunned state, he looked towards Meng Fuyao and asked, ¡°Master, you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Roasting a hamburger,¡± Meng Fuyao replied nonchntly as she twisted the wooden stick. Meanwhile, Lord Yuan Bao finally understood what was going on. He let out blood-curdling screeches of help. Zhangsun Wuji reached out and saved ¡®Yuan Bao Hamburger¡¯ from the fire. Actually, the fire was still far away, and Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s fur was not even toasted because he was squeezed between two thick pieces of biscuits. However, the evil intentions behind such a move made Lord Yuan Bao terror-stricken. ¡®So that bastard asked me to hug the spring onions to make me into a hamburger!¡¯ he thought. Naturally, Lord Yuan Bao hugged Zhangsun Wuji and cried until his liver and guts split, and the volume of his tears could form a downpour. ¡®Ah, ah, ah, Master, I really don¡¯t dare to help you anymore. If I help you again, I won¡¯t be a hamburger anymore and instead be toasted to be a hotdog. Please rely on yourself and do your best¡­¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji patted him gently and remained silent as he faced the fire. The human and the guinea pig hugged each other sadly, and they faced someone, who remained as still as an ice mountain. Momentster, someone stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll gather more firewood. The fire is not hot enough.¡± She left before Tie Cheng could stop her. She had just walked a few steps away when she suddenly kicked into something. The objectid just right in the middle of the road. When it was stepped by Meng Fuyao, someone cried. ¡°You¡¯re stepping again! I really, really, really am getting angry!¡± Meng Fuyao bent down and stepped even harder on the pretty face. Slowly, she wiped the soles of her shoes against the face. ¡°You can try to get even angrier.¡± Coldly, she stared at the disheveled man. With just one look, she could tell that he was no simple man, and he seemed to have been injured, with his inner energy being locked. However, his appearance was quite attractive. He had beautiful eyes, and though he looked like a child, he was so handsome that it seemed to tempt people to have impure thoughts. Even now, while Meng Fuyao was still having a strong distaste towards men, she could not help but gravitate towards him. But this did not stop her from being aggressive. She wiped her shoes against both sides of the face, and she was determined to make those eyebrows look like dirt. After wiping her shoes, she was satisfied. Just as she was about to cross over the man, she suddenly picked up a rancid odor. Rustling sounds wereing from the surrounding forest, and then, numerous ck silhouettes appeared. As the smell of blood intensified, there was also the sound of animals sniffing. At the height of half a man, numerous beams of neon green glimmer shone. Momentster, she heard Zhangsun Wuji rushing over and warning her, ¡°Fuyao be careful! It¡¯s the wolf pack!¡± ¡°Furry animals¡ª¡± A loud scream that shot through the sky caused Meng Fuyao¡¯s hair to stand on its ends, and the pack of wolves to take a step back. That person suddenly climbed up from the ground. Terrified, tear-stricken and disheveled, he pounced into Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Someone recklessly snuggled into Meng Fuyao¡¯s arms. Quickly, Zhangsun Wuji turned around. He raised his eyebrows, and his fingers seemed to move, but somehow, he did not move from his position. ¡°Scared? My foot!¡± Meng Fuyao immediately pped the man away and sent him flying towards the pack of wolves. She was thinking of adding another kick, but behind her, Lord Yuan Bao suddenly leaped onto the man¡¯s shoulders. As the man screamed even more terrifyingly, he threw all the spring onions and ginger that Meng Fuyao previously passed on the man¡¯s body. ¡®Let you hug the spring onions and ginger, and jump into the wolf pack. A scallion meat patty!¡¯ ¡®Who told you to be scared of furry animals!¡¯ The meat patty flew andnded right in the center of the wolves. When he looked up and saw the surrounding wolves sniffing at him, he screamed, hugged his head and lifted his butt off the floor. Then, hey there and stopped moving. After taking a few steps away, Meng Fuyao took a look back as she was worried. However, her eyeballs fell off at sight. The wolves were actually hypnotized by the strange pose of the meat patty. They shuffled around but did not dare to move. One of them was starving and anxious, so it tried to bite down on the highly-lifted butt. The fangs caught hold of the robes and it flicked its head. Hence, there was a crisp sound of tearing. The window was opened¡­ ¡°Aiya¡­ my butt, ah¡­.¡± It was another blood-curdling scream. Hurriedly, Meng Fuyao walked back and ordered Tie Cheng, ¡°I¡¯ll pass it to you, go settle it!¡± In a bad mood, Tie Cheng took out his knife and shed down. There were howls and the sttering of the wolves¡¯ blood, and the man quickly climbed to his feet and watched from Tie Cheng¡¯s back. ¡°Good! Brother, this move of ¡®Divide Mt Hua¡¯ is agile and powerful. A simple move, but the way the strength is used must have been guided by an expert. How slick! ¡°This move is ¡®Viewing Moonlight from the tform¡¯? Ah, that¡¯s not right. It has been changed before, ah, ah, what a marvelous change! Must have been done by an expert! ¡°Good! You can even use these two moves together? What a forceful but amazing move! Ah, ah, Brother, your martial arts are incredible! Paragon of experts from three different schools! You onlyck inner energy, just the inner energy that¡¯s left!¡± Meng Fuyao stopped walking. This man had such sharp eyes. Tie Cheng¡¯s foundation was average, but as he had been serving as her bodyguard loyally, he was being guided by Zhangsun Wuji, Zhan Beiye, and Zong Yue. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s martial arts style was fluid, Zong Yue¡¯s one was nimble, and Zhan Beiye¡¯s one was aggressive. All three characteristics were present in Tie Cheng¡¯s moves, and he could actually be considered an expert wielder if not for theck of stronger inner energy. This man who looked like a nerd could actually point out all the sources of his martial arts just by watching a few moves. He was actually an expert at this. And this man seemed as though he wasn¡¯t intending to hide the fact that he knew martial arts. Meng Fuyao did not look back. She took a whiff at the air, which smelled even more rancid than before. Asking Tie Cheng toe over, she said, ¡°This is enough. There will be more and more wolves that are starving, so there is no need to waste your stamina on this. Tonight, we can¡¯t sleep here anymore. Let¡¯s trek down over the night.¡± Tie Cheng obeyed and was about to keep his knife. However, the knife was stained with wolves¡¯ blood. Casually, he took the torn piece of the man¡¯s robes to wipe his knife clean, before returning the piece of cloth to him. The man looked at the cloth, which no longer looked like its original form after being stained with blood and mud, in a stunned manner. Miserably, he used it to cover his butt. Without looking at him, Meng Fuyao started to walk downhill. The man, with one hand covering his butt, chased after her and screamed, ¡°Aiya, wait for me, don¡¯t leave me behind. I¡¯ll hire you guys as my bodyguards. I¡¯ll give you money, lots of money!¡± Chapter 285 - Untitled Chapter 285: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao did not bother to look back. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to wait for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a fancy residences and beautifuldies. Just send me to the capital!¡± ¡°Not interested!¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m familiar with Xuanji. Name all the roads and the people! There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know!¡± When the man said that, Meng Fuyao stopped walking. She folded her arms and looked down at him. ¡°Oh? Then may I ask, do you know who your female Empress is?¡± She asked this question so that she would chase him away when he had no answer. Unexpectedly, the pretty nerd smiled mischievously. ¡°Of course, I know that.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated, and it can¡¯t be exined in a few sentences.¡± The man disyed his histrionics by shaking his head and sighing. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m in the capital.¡± After staring at him for a while, Meng Fuyao smirked. ¡°You want to follow us? Alright, as you said, you will be our guide, servant and bodyguard. If there¡¯s no path you will have to find one; if there¡¯s no food you will have to beg for some and if there¡¯s no ce to live you will have to tidy out a space for us. When we¡¯re back in the capital, pay me 10,000 taels of silver, one fancy residence and 10 pairs of beautifuldies. Then I¡¯ll agree.¡± Tie Cheng forced a smile¡­ only a pig would agree to such shameless requests. ¡°Alright,¡± a certain pig said and agreed. He ran over joyously as the shattered pieces of cloth on his butt fluttered against the wind. ¡°Sigh, everything¡¯s fine as long as you bring me along. I¡¯m most afraid of being left alone, but my dad forcefully chased me out so I could experience life in the wilderness. God knows how I¡¯m afraid of being alone. I¡¯m scared of the dark, wind, rain, thunder, empty streets, packed ces, and most importantly, furry things¡­ Ah!¡± Lord Yuan Bao appeared before him with a creepy expression¡­ ¡°Save me!¡± That man jumped on Tie Cheng¡¯s back and stuck on Tie Cheng like glue. ¡°Fur, ah, ah, ah-¡± Tie Cheng pulled him down and barked, ¡°Weak chicken! Don¡¯t stick yourself on me!¡± ¡°How aggressive.¡± That man shook his head and sighed. ¡°Please call my name, Zhong Yi.¡± ¡°Alright, servant Zhong Yi.¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him from the corner of her eye as schemes ran through her mind. ¡®You must stay behind? Alright, whoever you are, if you dare to stay, you have to be careful of me, King Meng. Recently, I¡¯m having my menopause!¡± ¡°We have no ce to sleep tonight, so the rest of the things will be settled by you. I request for a space that I can lie down.¡± An hourter, in front of a worn temple at the bottom of the hill, Zhong Yi beamed at the door after carrying out the instructions. ¡°We can lie down now!¡± Meng Fuyao stepped in with doubts in mind. But when she entered, she saw a fire, clean floors, an area covered with clean rice straws, and a broken pot that was hanged above the fire. She had no idea where the pot came from, but it was already scrubbed clean, and the fire inside wasing to a boil. Zhong Yi may have looked nerdy, and resembled a lunatic and fool, but he performed his tasks very well. Tie Cheng, who only liked to fight and was not strong in handling detailed tasks, just couldn¡¯t bepared with him. Satisfied, Meng Fuyao gave a nod of approval. Seeing that Zhong Yi was actually perspiring from doing all this work even in a breezy spring day, she raised her eyebrows and gave Tie Cheng instructions. ¡°There is not enough firewood. Find some more and remember to feed the horse.¡± Tie Cheng acknowledged and walked out. At the same time, Tie Cheng smiled as he neared. He found a mug in the backpack, filled it with water, and presented it to Meng Fuyao with both hands. ¡°Please enjoy the tea.¡± Meng Fuyao casually took the mug from his hands. She was used to being waited upon and did not think much, but did not notice Zhangsun Wuji looking over towards her. Frowning, Meng Fuyao told Zhong Yi, ¡°Please grab one of Tie Cheng¡¯s robes and wear it. Do you think you look very presentable like that?¡± Obediently, Zhong Yi said, ¡°Okay.¡± He covered his butt and walked away to find the clothes, while Meng Fuyao slowly drank the water from the cup. She felt that it was slightly sweet, and under a closer look, she realized that honey was added. With an eyebrow raised, Meng Fuyao smiled at the sight, and she slightly zoned out as she recalled some events from the previous universe. Then, she felt that the man was solicitous to the point of being shameless, and her smile was about to widen, but it suddenly stopped. She felt a pair of eyes glued onto her back, and it was so sticky that it made her heart feel ufortable. Those eyes did not search into her, trouble her or ask her; they merely looked at her back calmly. However, even if Meng Fuyao was back-facing those eyes, she could almost imagine the kind of expression and emotions in them¡ªthose eyes may seem expressionless, but actually, all the emotions were contained in them. Although Meng Fuyao made up her mind to ignore it, she felt even more ufortable after persevering for a while. She looked down at the clear water surface, and that person¡¯s figure was reflected in it. Tonight, he seemed extremely silent. Even with such a noisy person like Zhong Yi, he did not speak a word at all. On any other asion, he would probably have stopped her from taking in Zhong Yi, but his silence today made her heart wrench. Her heart wrenched painfully, but she did not know what kind of happiness in her life could make up for her pain. In the Five Regions Continent, where situations changed every day unpredictably, every happy moment was a luxury. Who knew what kind of change would appear in the next moment? They were the most capable and proud people, but they never lived a sweet, simple life; people beckoned at their calls, but they were also surrounded by enemies from all sides. In their whole lives, they had to be very careful in what they said and did, and n every scheme detailedly. Indulgence spelled disaster andziness meant destruction. If they tried to pamper themselves, even if it was once a while, they might identally lose to their enemies and injure themselves. Meng Fuyao lowered her eyelids. She walked up to dispose of the water, refilled the mug with water from the river outside the temple and hang it above the fire. Zhong Yi ran over joyously wearing Tie Cheng¡¯s robes which looked slightly oversized. He was about to add honey again into Meng Fuyao¡¯s mug, but Meng Fuyao coldly rejected him. ¡°No need,¡± she said and added, ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re putting in honey or poison.¡± However, Zhong Yi was not angry. He smiled like a Cheshire cat. ¡°Which fool will try to use poison in front of you all?¡± ¡°A real fool is one who pretends to be a fool in front of us.¡± Meng Fuyao ignored him and continued adding firewood. At the same time, Zhong Yi sat beside her, ced his cheeks in his hand, and stared at her curiously. Momentster, he asked, ¡°Do you wear a mask? Take it off and let me see? I feel that you and my elder sister really look alike.¡± Meng Fuyao shook her head and smiled at him. ¡°I feel that you and my family¡¯s Three really look alike.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Three? Your younger brother?¡± Zhong Yi was very happy to hear. ¡°My family¡¯s cat.¡± Meng Fuyao stood up, poured the boiled water into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s special mug, and asked Lord Yuan Bao to bring it over. Lord Yuan Bao looked miserably at the mug that was as tall as himself. He felt that it was a very difficult task, but he was also very guilty that he could not console his master because of his size when he finally had the opportunity to do so. As such, he walked to the corner of the wall and drew circles. Meng Fuyao did not speak and pursed her lips. She ced the mug on the floor between the two of them, and after a while, she used a finger to nudge the mug away from her. Secondster, she pushed again, and momentster, she pushed once more, and once more¡­ She looked at neither the cup nor Zhangsun Wuji. Focusing on the fire in front of her, her eyes were expressionless¡­ Quietly, the mug slowly moved along in the dark shadows¡­ The distance was only half a meter long, but it was a journey as difficult as conquering 100,000 miles¡­ When Meng Fuyao pushed for the sixth time, her hand suddenly came into contact with a warm finger. That finger held the mug, and it seemed to have been extending towards her direction. It slightly stopped when it touched her hand, and he instinctively shifted away, but at the next second, his hand reached over and held both her hand and the mug together. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand was gently wrapped in his. The warm mug in her palm resembled a ball of fire, and its warmth reached the bottom of her heart. Silently, she sat cross-legged beside the fire. Her eyes were clear and bright like a water body, and her tears rippled noiselessly in her sockets. On the other side, Zhangsun Wuji did not speak as well, but he continued to hold her hand. Thebined heat from both their palms seemed to significantly slow down the cooling of the water in the mug. The temperature of the mug continued to drop, but her heart started to warm up bit by bit. At that moment, time passed so slowly. That was until Tie Cheng walked in through the door with a slightly cold breeze. As the moonlight shone behind him, when he opened the door, his figure looked slightly blurry. There was also the smell of grass and flowers on his body, which seemed to be the effects of feeding the horses. He strode in confidently and so quickly that the fire swayed to one side. He headed towards Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji, who released their hands and shun away. M eng Fuyaoughed and lectured him. ¡°Aggressived, you can¡¯t even walk properly.¡± Tie Cheng smiled and reached into his bag for some dried food. Zhong Yi, who sat in the corner quietly just now, suddenly ran over and disyed the robes in front of Tie Cheng. ¡°Do I look good in this?¡± Impatiently, Tie Cheng swatted him away. ¡°You look ugly in whatever you wear!¡± Just then, Meng Fuyao suddenly looked up. Tie Cheng did not recognize his own clothes? Tie Cheng? Tie Cheng! Swoosh! A purple figure flew by, and the fire flickered¡ªZhangsun Wuji had already shot up from his spot. He had always been as nimble and quick as a rabbit when he moved, and today, he leaped at a speed unattainable by any other human. Even with Meng Fuyao¡¯s superior eyesight, she could notpletely catch his trace of movement. With just a skip of her heart and a flick of the mes, hended in front of ¡°Tie Cheng¡± and an exquisite Ruyi rolled out of his sleeves. Pinching the Ruyi with his fingers, he flung it towards the enemy¡¯s eyebrows! By that moment, Meng Fuyao was able to reach his spot. Destiny Rebellion was taken out so quickly that its ck shadow could not even be seen, and she shed it down on the enemy¡¯s forehead. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes to not look at the face, which was the same as Tie Cheng¡¯s to prevent being distracted, so her strike was so forceful that the brain juices could be smashed apart! Meng Fuyao could spare anyone else but this person! The bastard who insulted both her and Zhangsun Wuji! The Ruyi was as white as snow, and Destiny Rebellion was as dark as a ck stream. The bright and dark gleams were clearly in contrast, but they intertwined and rolled together like spinning tops, forming a huge double-colored web. It surged violently like a huge wave and was as silent as a fine drizzle as the web towered above the enemy. When Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wujibined forces, their martial arts style werepletely different but also extremelypatible, as though it was a natural match. She was so forceful that she was slightly unstable, but this w was well covered by his delicate and epassing inner energy. But that man stillughed. It was a sharp voice, and the tone was more ofcency than shock. And then, he retreated. He retreated weirdly, almost as though a cocoon breaking out of his shell. As he stepped back, he detached himself from Tie Cheng¡¯s robes, which seemed to be mobile on their own. The sleeves raised themselves to fend off Meng Fuyao¡¯s and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s attack, as though they were a real person. Then, the purse, belt, and all other items started to drop. Wearing only his undergarments, he retreated amongst the mess of the flying objects and disappeared with just a twist of his body. Chapter 286 - Untitled Chapter 286: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Everything happened in that instant; against a top-level martial expert, a regr expert wouldn¡¯t have a chance to exchange several hundred blows. When the wind finally stopped, and the purple robes settled, the ground was left with a pile of broken rags. Meng Fuyao dashed out, her robes flying behind her as she looked around. The night air was slightly misty, and the moon shone from above. Where did the human silhouette disappear to? She stared at the spot where the person had vanished, a surge of rage coursing through her blood as shended a blow on the temple doors, sting them open. Suddenly remembering Tie Cheng, she hastily looked around and found him lying by the stream in only his underwear. His meridians had been sealed, and he had been casually thrown by the side of the stream. The person who had thrown him was truly heartless, throwing him face-first into the dirt and when Meng Fuyao found him, he had almost died of asphyxiation. Zhangsun Wuji had to personally transfer energy to him in order to save his life. By now, Meng Fuyao was even more enraged, her face bing increasingly green and purple as she growled, ¡°From now on, nobody is to leave each other¡¯s sight to avoid getting ambushed by the enemy¡­¡± Speaking up to this point, her heart skipped a beat as she realized what that bastard meant. By despicably attacking the people close to her, he deliberately wanted to force them to raise awareness against each other and cause distrust between each other and even going their separate ways, splitting them apart. This thought made Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart turn cold; she had never once feared danger nor formidable enemies, but the one thing she feared most was separation and distrust. This kind of emotional poison was far more powerful than any enemy or obstacle and could create unimaginable consequences. Instinct told her that the enemy¡¯s target was her, yet they chose to attack the people around her instead in an attempt to iste her. Why did she have to bring trouble to others as well? ¡°Let¡¯s move separately,¡± After a long moment, Meng Fuyao said wearily, ¡°Tie Cheng, you return to Changhan or Yaocheng. Zhangsun Wuji, you go wherever you want to go, just don¡¯t be with me.¡± ¡°I only want to be with you,¡± Zhangsun Wuji immediately replied calmly. ¡°Being with you is where I want to go.¡± This was the first time the two of them had spoken to each other since that night on the boat, and both of them were very calm, yet now their opinions differed again. Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes, feeling a chill run down her spine as she thought of how she had to be wary of even the person closest to her from now on. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how long more do we have to remain on guard against each other? That¡¯s¡­ too frightening.¡± ¡°Fuyao,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said lightly, ¡°What he wants to achieve is to break this spirit of yours, then slowly slice away at your strong sense of trust and confidence. He doesn¡¯t intend to kill you, but he definitely wants to destroy you. And I won¡¯t allow for it to happen, much less yourself.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled, sensing himing closer to her and carefully ce his hands on her shoulders¡ªEver since that night, he no longer tried to tease her like before, and every time he interacted with her, it was always somewhat hesitant and unsure; this faint hesitation made Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart sting. After that, she heard him say, ¡°There has to be a way, true camaraderie and trust is definitely not something an unknown bystander can destroy easily.¡± After hearing those words, Meng Fuyao¡¯s thoughts suddenly shifted to the pair of hands on her shoulders. At that moment, a vision suddenly shed in her mind; it was the scene from the cabin room, when the imposter had his hands on her body, leering at her with eyes full of greed¡­ The disgust and panic rose within her, and she involuntarily let out a shudder. It was an extremely slight shudder, almost as if she had not moved at all, but Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hand immediately stiffened, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart stung again as she tried to fix the situation, but it was already toote. Zhangsun Wuji slowly retracted his hand. His actions were very natural and casual as if he were afraid of making it awkward for her as if he did not notice her reaction, but how could she not notice? It was as if a wire was attached to the pair of hands, pulling at her heart, and she felt an ache course through her entire body. Perhaps, that wire was also wrapped around Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s heart, causing him pain not any lesser than hers. The two of them fell into a deep silence as they supported Tie Cheng back into the temple to recuperate. Zhong Yi was sitting on the ground ying with his own sleeve, and when he saw them, he broke out into a wide smile. Meng Fuyao gazed at him, thinking about that moment of passion between herself and Zhangsun Wuji. She did not know whether him leaving the cabin alone was intentional or not to stop the fake Tie Cheng. Looking at the facts, he was the one who had saved them; if that scoundrel were toe any closer, who knew what else would have happened? Moreover, in the current situation, the lesser the people around her, the better, this way the likelihood of anyone else getting strung along would be less. Yet Meng Fuyao did not know why her instincts told her not to be wary of Zhong Yi. His innocence and naivety were very likable, just like a neighbor¡¯s little brother. She tried to think about why she felt this way, going back to her 19-year-old self; her bloody and fiery experiences had hardened her, and the memories of a once peaceful life had faded deep into the recesses of her mind. Only when she thought of her previous life did she suddenly realize this. In her memory, Xiao Li was a very sincere child, often pouring water for during her hectic days that she forgot to eat and drink, mixing osmanthus honey in the water to aid in clearing the mind. She remembered that the water was refreshing and sweet, just like the time when she first entered the temple and drank the water that Zhong Yi offered her. It was just as sweet. Or perhaps it was because she was dreaming too much about her previous life that she would feel this way. Meng Fuyao chuckled to herself and settled down on the grass mat. Zhangsun Wuji nced at her, then at Zhong Yi. Based on his understanding of Meng Fuyao, during such a moment, she was best at chasing others away, yet she did not do so. Zhangsun Wuji thought for a moment but remained silent. Meng Fuyao started tidying the bags, throwing away all the rations, saying, ¡°We can¡¯t eat anything that bastard touched.¡± Forcing a smile at Lord Yuan Bao, she added, ¡°Sorry that you¡¯ll have to go hungry, Zhong Yi, can you take a look if there are any wild fruit that you can pick?¡± Zhong Yi nodded obediently and headed out of the door as Lord Yuan Bao stared at Meng Fuyao with tearful eyes. ¡®Ahhh, King Meng, can you not be so selfless, there is a shadow in my poor heart that is difficult to remove already¡­¡¯ However, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly fished out two flour biscuits from his robes. After carefully peeling off the outer skin and roasting it over the fire, he broke a piece and gave it to Meng Fuyao. ¡°Luckily Yuan Bao didn¡¯t eat this previously.¡± He broke the remainder in half and handed it to Lord Yuan Bao, keeping the other half for Tie Cheng, who was still unconscious. The biscuit was actually the one that she had used to make a ¡°Yuan Bao hamburger¡±; Zhangsun Wuji did not throw it away after saving Yuan Bao. He had always been a thrifty person and never wasted anything. The biscuit was still warm in her hands as if his own warmth was embedded in it. Meng Fuyao remained motionless for a while before tearing her piece into two halves, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll eat the bigger piece, and you can eat the smaller one.¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at the biscuit and epted it. Suddenly, he smiled and asked, ¡°Not leaving any for the Zhong boy?¡± Meng Fuyao munched on her biscuit and nced at Zhong Yi¡¯s bag. ¡°That rascal probably has his own food, I guess? The water he provided even contained honey,¡± she muttered. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes shed as he responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and did not say anything else. After a while, Zhong Yi returned to the temple holding several ck fruits that looked like chickens¡¯ feet. ¡°These things might not look good, but they taste refreshing and sweet,e and try them,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao pulled the boy toward her and tried to peel his skin as Zhong Yi chortled, looking as if he was feeling ticklish rather than frightened. Heughed and fidgeted like a cheeky monkey, and after a while, Meng Fuyao let go and stared at the fair-skinned, noble-like boy. Although he looked like a pampered child, his survival skills were top notch. Meng Fuyao pushed him aside and said, ¡°Stay further away from us, lest I treat you as an imposter and kill you.¡± However, Zhong Yi did not retreat. Still smiling brightly, he said, ¡°Good sister, I¡¯m so real that I can¡¯t be fake if you¡¯re not certain you can touch me again.¡± ¡°Pfft, do you think you are Jia Baoyu or something?¡± Meng Fuyao had been caught off guard by being addressed so affectionately and pushed the boy away. She had just extended her arms when Zhangsun Wuji flicked his fingers. Zhong Yi let out a cry and covered his head as he eximed in rm, ¡°Who hit me? Who hit me?¡± ¡°Me,¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied without turning his head, his expression unreadable in the dim candlelight. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping thiste in the night and instead disrupting other people¡¯s rest?¡± he said coldly. Meng Fuyao stared aghast at Zhangsun Wuji. Hadn¡¯t this guy always been respectful? His smile was always present on his face regardless of who he met, even if he were facing a traitor. She had never heard him speak so disrespectfully before either. Was he angry? What was he angry for? ¡°I¡¯lly the bed for you,¡± Zhong Yi¡¯s temperament was naturally good, and after rubbing his head, he soon forgot about what had just happened. He turned around and tidied Meng Fuyao¡¯s straw mat and was about to reach into the straw when a certain Lord popped up in front of him, its arms firmly on its waist¡­ ¡°Furry¡ª¡± Zhong Yi jumped backward in fright as Zhangsun Wuji smiled and stroked his beloved pet in approval¡­ Meng Fuyao¡¯s thoughts were preupied with thinking of how to deal with that godforsaken imposter and did not notice the little sneak attacks. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and announced, ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping anymore, I¡¯ll keep watch for the night. From tomorrow onwards, I have to train even harder.¡± She sighed inwardly and thought, ¡®Among the top ten strongest experts, there is a huge gap in skill between the top and bottom five. And between each of the top five is an evenrger gap. As of today, I¡¯ve already be the strongest martial expert within the Five Regions Continent, yet I¡¯m still being led around in circles, unable to retaliate.¡¯ Chapter 287 - Untitled Chapter 287: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Martial abilities?¡± Like a fly that was hard to swat away, Zhong Yi leaned in again, beaming as he said in a secretive tone, ¡°Everyone under the Heavens knows that Fufeng has the most wondrous objects. Xuanji is the closest to Fufeng and has quite a bit of good stuff as well, but they¡¯re all kept in the imperial pce under the watch of the royal family. Many of these items have the ability to raise one¡¯s skill level.¡± At this point, Meng Fuyao suddenly remembered the white pill that Zong Yue had given to her; he had mentioned before that he had tried using other ingredients to rece the herb that grew only in the Changqing Shrine, and after multiple failures he had finally managed to cultivate the pill that could improve one¡¯s basic abilities and increase her martial skills without having a significant impact on her Emotion Lock. However, Zong Yue had also mentioned that the effects of the pill were extremely powerful and a period of meditation to assimte the pill into her body. She was now troubled with a new predicament; to eat or not to eat? Her brows knitted together in frustration as Zhangsun Wuji cast a questioning gaze at her. After exining her predicament in a few quick sentences, Zhangsun Wuji replied, ¡°Give it to me.¡± Taking the pill, he rotated a hand over it to reveal a smooth, grey pearl. Zhangsun Wuji scrutinized it carefully under the moonlight, and after a moment, he announced, ¡°Now you can ingest this.¡± Meng Fuyao instantly recognized it as the partially-cultivated essence that Moon Soul left behind. At the time, Zong Yue had kept half of it, saying that she should only take it after she became strong enough to withstand it. After that, it was taken away by Zhangsun Wuji, and Meng Fuyao soon forgot about it. However, now that it was in front of her, she knew it was no longer the same as the half she had taken previously. The pill was covered with an even brighter sheen and looked exquisite. Meng Fuyao poked at it with her finger, and the moon-colored sheen shed directly through her heart. After a moment, she said, ¡°You have been cultivating this with your own inner energy for a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled, not replying, and Meng Fuyao fell into deep thought. ¡°I know that your martial skills have not progressed ever since you met me. At first, I didn¡¯t understand, but now I know. How many people can withstand constantly giving away energy for an extended period of time? Now that I¡¯m aware, I don¡¯t want you to do this anymore. This pill is no longer the one that Moon Soul gave me, at least half of its essence is yours, so take it back,¡± she said finally as she pushed it back to him. However, Zhangsun Wuji merely smiled and changed the topic. ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m afraid of the most?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of being unable to save you when you¡¯re in danger,¡± Zhangsun Wuji stared at the fire and said mildly, ¡°You¡¯re too good at causing trouble, and you¡¯re too independent and self-driven. I¡¯m terrified that something might happen anytime that you can¡¯t deal with and I¡¯m not there by your side. So the best idea is to let you be strong enough to handle it on your own. You bing stronger is more important than me bing stronger.¡± He raised a hand and blocked Meng Fuyao¡¯s airway, forcing her to open her mouth to breathe and then popping the pearl-like pill into her mouth. Afraid that she might vomit it out, he pressed a finger against her throat and forced her to swallow it into her stomach. Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and patted her head. Then, hey down, neither sleeping nor speaking. Meng Fuyao sighed and sat down on the grass mat. The fire was almost out, and the air was filled with the faint smell of spring. In the darkness, the two figures remained unmoving, yet their eyes were wide open, unable to sleep. The next day, true to his word, Zhong Yi took on the role as a guide and caretaker. Along the way, he diligently searched for rest houses and even checked to see if Meng Fuyao¡¯s chopsticks had been boiled or not to whether her horse had been fed. Of course, he did not care about anything else; staying by Meng Fuyao¡¯s side like a little smiling flower. Meng Fuyao continued to be on her guard against him and treated him coldly, yet in the face of Zhong Yi¡¯s persistence, her icy exterior crumbled slightly, and she began to joke with him. Zhangsun Wuji remained sullen and quiet, looking especially sour when he saw Meng Fuyao and Zhong Yi chatting with each other. It was also apparent that he had been trying to recover his inner energy these few days. The martial arts he practiced was very mysterious, and on some mornings, his face looked transparent, yet in the evening, it seemed to have taken on a jade-like quality. He and his pet seemed not to care about anything else, only during mealtimes did Lord Yuan Bao insist on sitting between Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji, and Zhong Yi could only sit opposite them despite his attempt to sit beside Meng Fuyao. As they progressed further, Meng Fuyao noticed that the route that Zhong Yi was taking was not the wilderness, neither was it the main road. He seemed to be extremely familiar with the route, familiar to the point where he could lead others along. asionally as they passed through a certain vige or town where there seemed to only be one road, he could actually uncover a small road behind random families¡¯ courtyards that went through the entire town. It was obvious that very few people would know about this road, it was covered with grass and looked untrodden. As for why this rich-looking rascal would be so familiar with such routes, Meng Fuyao simply didn¡¯t bother asking. Zhong Yi¡¯s origin was unknown, and it wasn¡¯t clear whether he was a friend or foe, but before she could find a solution if he was useful, why not use him? Today, they had arrived at Guanyuan County¡¯s Donn Town. This was already more than halfway to Xuanji¡¯s borders, meaning that they had already left Feng Jingrui¡¯s sphere of influence several days ahead of their original n. Donn Town was not arge town, but because the town was next to the huge Guanyuan County, there was a poption of about two thousand and it was considered a rather busy town. The roads were arranged neatly and in the distance, the sound of gongs and drums, as well as the fragrance of food drifted by. The sky was darkening, and dusk soon fell upon them. Meng Fuyao parked her horse by the entrance of the vige. Cupping her eyes with her hands, she nced at the sky andmented, ¡°What ghastly-looking weather, there¡¯s an eight out of ten chance of a thunderstorm.¡± ¡°I meant to walk along the mountains behind the town,¡± Zhong Yi said. ¡°I heard that Noble Consort¡¯s daughter, the Eldest Imperial Princess¡¯ ¡®Amethyst Cape Knights¡¯ are within the vicinity. Although we¡¯re not afraid of them, we don¡¯t have to encounter these mongrels and create unnecessary trouble. The only thing is that there isn¡¯t much shelter avable in the mountains to hide from the rain, so it might be rather ufortable.¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and nced at Zhangsun Wuji. She knew that Zhangsun Wuji had already re-established contact with his hidden guard ever since they left the river. Once entering the mountains, they wouldn¡¯t have a ce to avoid the rain, but the ones who would suffer would be Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hidden guards, who were stationed outside. Zhangsun Wuji naturally knew what she was thinking and said, ¡°Safety first.¡± However, Meng Fuyao raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°What is this, forcing me to hide around? Do I have to camp outside even in the storm? I¡¯m not doing that!¡± She pointed towards the town at a brightly decorated ck and white brick house. ¡°It looks like a wedding is happening there? Regardless of how arrogant the Amethyst Cape Knights are, they wouldn¡¯t ruin a wedding for no reason, right? Let¡¯s go over and ask for a cup of wine!¡± Meng Fuyao cracked her whip and headed towards the house. When she arrived at the door, she bowed to the beaming old man decked in red and said, ¡°Congrattions to you!¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you¡ª¡± The old man habitually bowed. When he raised his head and saw several unfamiliar faces, he froze for a second. The town was only that big, and everyone knew each other. The old man could tell instantly that these were outsiders and quickly bowed again, saying, ¡°Forgive me, but you are¡­¡± ¡°Just passing through, here to celebrate with your family,¡± Meng Fuyao replied. Tie Cheng immediately brought forward a bag of gold. Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes at him and thought, ¡®This poor fool, is he trying to create trouble for me?¡¯ She reached into the bag and pulled out a gold leaf. Offering it to the old man, she smiled and said, ¡°Just a small gift, hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Aiya, I¡¯m not worthy!¡± To Meng Fuyao¡¯s surprise, upon seeing the gold leaf, the old man quickly pushed it back to her and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind theck of hospitality, your presence at my son¡¯s wedding is already a great honor. How could I ept your gift, I¡¯m not worthy, really not worthy.¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned. This gold leaf was likely equivalent to three years¡¯ worth of expenditure for a regr farmer¡¯s family, yet this old man did not covet it. What a rare moment, this town indeed brought about several pleasant surprises. Meng Fuyao stowed the gold leaf away and said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to bother you.¡± ¡°Did you miss the resthouse?¡± The old man said courteously, ¡°After having some wine,e here to rest, we don¡¯t have much, but we do have a few clean rooms.¡± Meng Fuyao thanked the old man again as he called a rough-looking boy to take them in. Their appearance was greatly different from the guests and attracted several stares as they walked, and severaldies started giggling when they noticed Zhangsun Wuji and Zhong Yi. Meng Fuyao mumbled, ¡°Superficial!¡± Zhong Yi smiled and said, ¡°When will you also smile at me like this¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao promptly pped him away. After exchanging a few lines with the rough-looking boy, she found out that this was the Li family, and that they were an honest and respectable schr¡¯s family. Their ancestors had been officials, and they had retreated into the countryside due to their dissatisfaction with the imperial court, buying several plots ofnd and settling down. Now that the family¡¯s only son was having a wedding, all the neighbors in the town were invited. They were not calctive over wedding gifts and weed everyone even if they came with just an empty red packet. They simply wanted to share their happiness. The boy brought them through three courtyards and straight into the main hall. There were only three banquet tables in the main hall, and a fat man with big ears was sitting at the head of one of them. The boy introduced the man as Magistrate Xian, and on both sides were the important figures of the town. As he spoke, he gestured for them to sit together with Magistrate Xian. Meng Fuyao pulled Zhangsun Wuji and took the seat¡ªshe was used to sitting in high ces, and during normal circumstances, others had to see if she was satisfied with the seat. However, once she sat down, voices started to buzz around her¡ª¡±Severalmon travelers, apart from being good-looking there was nothing impressive about them, how could Old Li invite them to sit at the main table! This is merely an act of courtesy from the Li Family, and if these people were perceptive enough, they would already refuse, yet they decided to just sit down like that!¡± Meng Fuyao ignored the buzz of voices and stares and began to eat and drink heartily with Zhong Yi. However, Zhangsun Wuji did not drink any wine, and he looked somewhat exhausted. Meng Fuyao nced at him worriedly, wondering if he had trained too hard. After three rounds of wine, the bride came out to greet the guests. The bride was slender and graceful, and Meng Fuyao beamed at her approvingly. As a woman, she was appreciating another woman, and the guests that were already looking at her distastefully twisted their faces disapprovingly¡ªthis rascal, how grant! Chapter 288 - Untitled Chapter 288: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Magistrate Xian nced at the official beside him, and the official stood up and raised a cup of wine in front of Meng Fuyao, saying, ¡°Honored guest, have some wine.¡± Meng Fuyao reached out to ept it when the official¡¯s hand jerked, and the wine sshed out towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s face! Everyone¡¯s eyes followed the trajectory of the wine. Meng Fuyao snorted coldly. She tapped her chopsticks lightly. The wine suddenly froze. Everyone present gaped, horror apparent in their eyes as they watched the wine freeze in midair with a crackling sound. And in Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand was no longer a pair of regr wooden chopsticks; it had be frozen, and when it touched the wine, ayer of white frost quickly spread through it. The white frost grewrger andrger, extending towards the hand of the official. To everyone¡¯s horror, his hand suddenly became a pair of ¡°frozen hands.¡± The official was already gaping in shock, and after a long moment, he shouted in rm as Meng Fuyao tapped his hand with her chopsticks and asked, ¡°Do you like my little trick?¡± ¡°Demon! Demon!¡± The entire table retreated in fright, toppling over their chairs in panic. Only Magistrate Xian retained hisposure as he stood up and pointed at Meng Fuyao with fat, trembling fingers. ¡°You, you, you¡­ Where are you from, demon! How dare youmit evil in my presence!¡± ¡°Me?¡± Meng Fuyao smiled and sipped at her wine. She ced a foot on her chair and pulled the magistrate towards her. ¡°[a] Thud! After hearing her pompous and dramatic self-introduction, Magistrate Xian¡¯s eyes rolled upwards, and he fainted. Whoosh¡ª All the guests in the hall ran away. Meng Fuyaoughed loudly, sending the bag of gold in her hands, flying into the hands of Old Li¡¯s hands as he rushed forward to check on the situation. ¡°I really didn¡¯t intend to cause any trouble, but yet I was born to attract trouble¡­ Old Li, this bag of gold is enough to buy four rooms from you for us to stay the night,¡± she apologized. Old Li was an understanding man; upon seeing Li Zheng, whose hands were still frozen in a throwing position, he immediately understood what was going on and quickly said, ¡°No matter, no matter.¡± He personally brought Meng Fuyao and the others to the courtyard to rest. When Meng Fuyao entered the house, she saw a sh of lightning streak across the sky. Dense, grey clouds began to rumble, and a heavy shower soon began to fall from the sky. Meng Fuyao smiled and said, ¡°What a torrential rain.¡± Turning to Zhangsun Wuji, she said, ¡°Rest well, you don¡¯t look so good.¡± Zhangsun Wuji nodded, and Meng Fuyao returned to her room to sleep. However, she felt uneasy, as though having a thunderstorm during a wedding was a sign of misfortune, as though something was about to happen. She had already changed into her sleeping robes, yet she still couldn¡¯t sleep well, sitting up and lying down repeatedly. Suddenly, she heard a loud noiseing from outside the window. Standing up, she saw a huge gust of wind blow the window against the wall. That gust of wind was extremely huge, nearly smashing the window into smithereens. The torrential rain spilled in, spraying on everyone and Meng Fuyao hurriedly ran forward to close the window. At that moment, a sh of lightning streaked through the sky like a white de, illuminating the entire courtyard. In that sh, Meng Fuyao suddenly noticed that the window opposite hers had been blown open as well, and Zhangsun Wuji, who had been sitting on the bed resting, had suddenly retreated. The scene disappeared as the lightning receded, plunging everything into darkness. Meng Fuyao was in shock and had already jumped out of the window. She rushed into the rain just as another lightning shed in the sky, lighting up her entire body. She sprinted into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s room only to realize that the floor was filled with water. When she entered, a white streak rushed out, and Meng Fuyao shouted, ¡°Furball, it¡¯s me! What¡¯s going on!¡± In the darkness, Lord Yuan Bao squeaked loudly, its tone fearful nd urgent, and Meng Fuyao could even make out the despair in its tone. She lunged forward and stepped onto the bed, reaching for Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s pulse. His body was cold, and there was almost no pulse at all! Meng Fuyao was almost scared unconscious and desperately pped herself as the stinging pain brought her back to her senses. She calmed her heart and measured his pulse again, realizing that it seemed as if Zhangsun Wuji had trained too hard and ended up heading towards the path of going out of control, but in that instant, he had gone into hibernation mode and forcibly shut down his bodily functions, preventing his body and inner energy from getting affected. However, at the same time, he had also forced himself into a deepa. Meng Fuyao sent a stream of inner energy into his body and instantly knew why he would risk going out of control. Zhangsun Wuji had been using inner energy continuously for a long time to solidify her foundations, yet his own cultivation and inner energy development hade to a pause. When he tried to kickstart his cultivation again, he was momentarily unable to withstand the aggressiveness of his practice. And because of the deep hatred in his heart, he refused to give up, resulting in himnding in this state. This state, wasn¡¯t it as good as being caused by her? Meng Fuyao bit her lip and supported him up, pressing her hand behind his back. ¡°Furball, go and get Tie Cheng to cast a protective array for us, we can¡¯t be disturbed right now.¡± Lord Yuan Bao[b] At the same moment¡­ The sound of sprinting horses thundered through the air, their hooves sshing the water all about the streets of the little town. The rain seeped into the purple capes of the riders, dyeing them ck. They looked as if they were the manifestation of death itself, knocking away the rednterns hanging along the main doors of the Li family. A momentter¡­ Ahh¡ª A bloodcurdling scream pierced the night sky, yet it was cut off abruptly, followed by the ear-splitting rumble of thunder. The rain continued to beat down, creating a waterfall from the top of the steps to the front doors. The water was dyed a deep red. The blood-water flowed across the ground past the glistening surface of pattering purple oiled boots. The Amethyst Cape Knights strode through the blood-water, their des shining with blood as they headed through the great hall and into the courtyard, bringing with them the metallic stench of blood and the storm, looking like a nightmare awaiting the fall of the Li family. Patter, patter. The sound of blood-soaked soles squelched disgustingly across the courtyard. Every sound was dulled by the storm, or perhaps it was because one was being strangled, making it difficult to discern anything. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± A woman¡¯s scream was followed by the sound of fabric ripping, simultaneously, lightning lit up the room, and a wless, snow-white body was revealed. The sound of wild, raucousughter rang out through the rain. ¡°¡­ Truly a beauty¡­ This trip was not wasted!¡± ¡°Brothers, hurry over¡­ Look at this pale skin, Brothers, I can¡¯t resist anymore¡­¡± ¡°Why are you rushing! Line up and take turns! I¡¯ve long heard that Old Li¡¯s new daughter-inw was a looker, let¡¯s all have some fun today!¡± The rain and wind continued to batter against the windows like a whip. ¡°Ouch¡ª¡± Suddenly, a man¡¯s cry resounded through the rain, followed by a crisp p of thunder and someone cursed angrily, ¡°B*tch! How dare you bite me!¡± Following that were the sounds of a scuffle, followed by a ¡°Ping!¡± as the door was kicked open and a woman whose robes were hanging off her shoulders stumbled out into the rain. Her red bridal costume had been torn into shreds and dyed in various shades of red. Her hair fell all over her face, sticking to her jade-white forehead as she stumbled out and tripped over a corpse. She tumbled to the ground and crawled towards it to take a look. ¡°Husband¡ª¡± The woman screamed andunched herself forward to hug the corpse that had been her husband. Her husband, her husband, just a moment ago she had been filled with joy and waiting for him to remove her veil, yet just a momentter she was now kneeling at the door staring at the still-warm corpse of her new husband. Behind her, someone had rushed over. The woman retracted her outstretched hands and grit her teeth as she ran down the steps, yet at the foot of the steps was yet another head. As the woman focused her eyes and took a look, she let out another heartbreaking cry. ¡°Father¡ª¡± Her father, who had apanied her for the wedding and did not go home due to the rain, stared at her with eyes that would never close by themselves again. The daughter knelt down in the rain, trembling profusely as the rain sshed down on her frame. Blood mixed with rainwater as it streamed down the courtyard. The men who had been chasing stopped chasing suddenly, wrapping their arms around their breasts andughing loudly in the rain. ¡°Whore, who said you could run¡ªdo you still hope for anyone to save you now?¡± ¡°What are we chasing for? Once she¡¯s done looking at all the dead bodies, wouldn¡¯t she return to lie under us?¡± Someone¡¯s footsteps could be heard treading lightly in the rain, and a figure appeared holding an umbre. He faced the man atop the steps and said, ¡°Captain, having some fun in the rain is rather interesting too, slippery like a fish, it¡¯s a different kind of experience¡­¡± The captain¡¯s eyes lit up, and he began tough heartily. Patting the man¡¯s shoulder, he said, ¡°This rascal¡¯s really something!¡± The manughed along, and antern light shone over his face as he bent his back; it was actually the official whose hands Meng Fuyao had frozen earlier. He wiped the sweat off his brow¡­ These men had just been nearby and were looking for a certain wanted criminal, yet they had been pestering him for a girl to relieve themselves, even taking an interest in his 13-year-old daughter¡­ Helplessly, he could only sacrifice the Li family¡¯s new daughter-inw¡­ yet¡­ these Amethyst Cape Knights were far too cruel¡­ the Li family were so unfortunate¡­ [a]Missing part [b]Missing part Chapter 289 - Untitled Chapter 289: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Li Zheng bowed down low. His gaze flickered, and he dared not meet the gaze of the wide-eyed corpse on the stairs. The leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights, on the other hand, gained interest in the suggestion. He walked down the stairs inrge steps, and Li Zheng hurriedly followed, carefully holding the umbre in his hands. ¡­ The girl could no longer run, and she crawled through the pool of blood with much difficulty. In her memory, she vaguely remembered that Magistrate Xian had not left because of the heavy rain, and he was staying in the guest room at the backyard. He was the head of the county and the protector of the hundred thousand odd residents in Guanyuan County. Tonight, so many members of the Li family were murdered, but as long as he was present, he would seek justice for them! She must take revenge for the Li family! It was thest speck of hope that supported her broken body, and allowed her to continue to struggle with every crawl she made in the rain. Usually, she could have reached the backyard in a few steps, but now, the difficulty of crawling over was simr to that of crossing an insurmountable moat. In the guest room, Meng Fuyao sat cross-legged. She gave some instructions to Tie Cheng, who hurriedly came over. ¡°Do not step out of this house at all and don¡¯t let anyone disturb us. We¡¯ll rely on you now.¡± ncing over at Zhong Yi who entered the room as well, she lowered her voice and added, ¡°Remember, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders.¡± Tie Cheng acknowledged with a solemn nod. He turned around to backface the window Meng Fuyao was facing. With his sword in his hands, he guarded the room attentively and did not even blink. Meanwhile, the rain was too heavy, and it drowned all the screams and shouts. In such a thunderous shower, it was really very difficult for one to hear strange noises. However, Tie Cheng suddenly frowned. He vaguely heard a voice that miserably called out ¡°father.¡± Opening his eyes wide, Tie Cheng tried to find the source of the sound amidst the heavy downpour. Then, at the entrance to the backyard, he saw something slowly crawling towards him. The girl was crawling in the muddy road and thunderous shower and her body was covered with mud and bloodstains. She was using her elbows and knees to cross the most difficult and most miserable journey in her entire life. The leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights smirked, and he slowly followed her movements; for every crawl she made, he casually took a step forward. He was sheltered from the rain, and he folded his armszily as he smiled. His gaze flickered back and forth on the girl, whose curves werepletely revealed as her clothes were wet. He felt that the butt bulged nicely, the shoulders were thin and delicate, and the half-revealed skin shone due to the water drops on it. Additionally, her crawling movements seemed even more enticing than how she would like if she was naked in bed¡ªit was better able to evoke those raw desires that were a natural part of a male¡¯s nature. He swallowed his saliva, and his lower body tensed. By then, the backyard was within the girl¡¯s vision. The protector of the county, the noble Magistrate Xian, was living in one of the three rooms facing the entrance of the backyard. He was thest straw of hope for the Li family¡¯s daughter-inw. Meanwhile, Magistrate Xian was still awake. He was a light sleeper, and especially since he was heavily bribed these few years, he had be more and more afraid of encountering ghosts at night. Even when he had nothing to do at home, he would wake up during midnight to count the silver under his bed to feel safe. This habit of not sleeping only intensified in a stranger¡¯s house. He crouched beside the window and used his saliva to create a hole in the window sheet. Shivering in fear, he watched as the girl crawled towards him like a ghost in the downpour. Beside him was a subordinate who originated from the same hometown. The subordinate also shivered and shook all over. The more he watched how the Li family¡¯s daughter-inw crawled towards them like a ghost, and how the man behind her cornered with a cunning smile, the more afraid and resentful he became. All he could think was the girl had brought the ruthless Amethyst Cape Knights into the courtyard and endangered their safety. Without holding back, he cursed. ¡°Hey! This girl! This girl!¡± Magistrate Xian covered his eyes helplessly and sighed. ¡°Muddle-headed! Muddle-headed!¡± No one knew who he referred to. The bride of the Li family could not hear the toned-down curses of the noble visitors. She raised her head, which was covered in blood, tears, and rain, and looked hopefully at the shut door at the top of the stairs. In her imagination, she saw Magistrate Xian walking out of the door and reprimanding those evil sinners. Then, he would wave his hand, and his soldiers woulde to save her and take revenge for the entire Li family. However, in reality, the rain continued to pour while the door continued to be shut. ¡°Sir-¡± The devastated girl struggled to climb up the stairs, and she tugged at the handles. In the meantime, the leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights smirked and watched on with no intention to stop her. ¡°She¡¯s knocking the door, she¡¯s knocking the door. Say that I¡¯m not in, say that I¡¯m not in-¡± ¡°Sir, rx, rx, just pretend that you¡¯re asleep¡­¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The girl was unable to push open the door as it was blocked with a chair on the other side. She crouched over the stairs, with half of her body exposed to the rain and the other half in front of the door. She kowtowed, making loud and clear noises as her head banged against the door. ¡°Sir.. please save me¡­¡± ¡°Damned girl! Damned girl!¡± Magistrate Xian flipped over and covered his nket over his head. He was using the thick nkets that the family had given him to shut out the miserable cries of the girl, and the thunderous sound of the rain. Behind the door, it was calm and peaceful, and the nket formed a cocoon around him. Outside the door, buckets of tears fell, signaling an impending death. The sense of righteousness never appeared in the hearts of the despicable. When the girl looked up, there was a bloody patch on her forehead, but she seemed not to notice it. Suddenly, she became silent and gazed quietly at the door, which belonged to her family but would never open for her. In that instant, she understood the filthiness and shamelessness thatid within humanity and the selfishness and timidness of humans. Meanwhile, the leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights was bing impatient. He smiled evilly and tookrge strides forward. Picking the girl up by her hair, he turned to walk away. ¡°Sir,¡± Li Zheng hurriedly called out as he rushed over. Pointing towards the back of the three rooms, he said, ¡°There seem to be a few martial arts wielders staying here tonight. They are quite expert wielders, so do you want to¡­¡± Rubbing the arm that was still stiff, he looked towards where he pointed with a deep sense of hatred. ¡°Martial arts wielders?¡± The leader was stunned for a moment, but he quickly recovered andughed hysterically. ¡°So what? Don¡¯t they also not dare to say a word? If they dare to be nosy, I will kill them as well! Just watch how I y with this girl in front of them today. I¡¯ll make sure none of them dares to make any sound!¡± As he roared withughter, he dragged the Li family¡¯s daughter-inw by the hair and tossed her towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s door. He grabbed his clothes, and there was a sound of tearing¡ªthe girl waspletely naked. ¡°Ah-¡± When the Li family¡¯s daughter-inw crawled into the backyard, Meng Fuyao was already in a state of meditation. To better replenish Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s inner energy, she was willing to return her own inner energy back to him. However, this was as dangerous as walking on a tightrope. Any slight shock could waste all their previous efforts, and even harm them both. At that time, Tie Cheng¡¯s eyes were already bulging out of their sockets. He guarded the room, and he had been listening to all the cries and screams in the backyard. It was as though he was going through the cruelest torture in the universe; he was so anxious that he kept looking through the window and punching his fist in his palm while pacing around. He looked at Meng Fuyao many times, and each time, he wished that she would wake up earlier so that he could save the girl. Then, he would hear the girl¡¯s desperate cries for Magistrate Xian to save her, and he would wish for Magistrate Xian to do something for the girl. When her pleas fell on deaf ears, he could feel his eye sockets tearing apart. The room was filled with his panting¡ªit was messy, hurried, and uncontroble. There were countless times that he wanted to jump to his feet and shoot out of the window. However, each time he tried to, he would stop in mid-air and fall miserably to the ground. He was not alone, and someone needed his protection. The greatest wish in his life was to follow and protect her, even though he wasn¡¯t necessary most of the time. This time round, she had solemnly said, ¡°Remember, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders.¡± Her instruction weighed heavier than a thousand tons. He could not bring himself to break such a huge promise. No, he couldn¡¯t do it. The downpour was like a wall, a transparent wall which seemed to be forcefully sent by the Heavens. The deste wall stood right in front of him and weighed his heart down. His wide eyes were already sour from prolonged bulging, and through the waterfall-like downpour, he could see a few figures walking over in huge strides. The footsteps in the puddles of water created clear sounds of ¡°kuada, kuada,¡± and something soft seemed to be dragged along. The soft thing was dragged over and heavily thrown into a puddle of water in the backyard. With a swing of a hand, the sounds of clothes tearing and crying could be heard instantly. As the skin waspletely revealed, Tie Cheng¡¯s eyes turned red. The blood in his body seemed to not belong to him anymore. It was as though blood flowed out of his body and dashed aggressively towards the rain, towards the killings, shameless deeds, rape, and violencemitted in this night. With a raise of his legs, he shot into the sky and dashed forward without any hesitation. Suddenly, he felt his body being pulled back. After turning around and seeing that it was Zhong Yi, Tie Cheng shouted angrily, ¡°Let me go!¡± Zhong Yi stared at Tie Cheng, who had bloodshot eyes and who looked madly in grief. After a while, he really released his grip, and Tie Cheng hurriedly dashed forward. However, Zhong Yi coldly said behind him, ¡°Go, quickly go, and attract the enemies here. Then, you¡¯ll cause death to your master.¡± Tie Cheng stiffened. One leg was outside the door, and the other leg remained within. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how she actually chose you to be her bodyguard.¡± The person behind him continued to mock, without the obedience and cuteness that was portrayed during the journey here. Those words hit him like sharp knives stabbing him. ¡°A bodyguard¡¯s sole responsibility is to protect their master well, and not always think of helping the weak or righting the wrongs. Those are things that chivalrous people do. In my opinion, you should just be a knight errant. You¡¯re not fit enough to be a bodyguard.¡± Tie Cheng froze in his spot. His five fingers dug deep into the window frames, and the splinters caused blood to drip. However, he really stopped moving. Momentster, he turned around extremely slowly. It seemed so difficult to turn, and it required so much of his strength that Tie Cheng could even here the cracks created by the stiff turns of his bones. But he still turned around. When he turned around, he had bloodshot eyes that were crimson red in color. Zhong Yi looked at him with a strange expression. Secondster, he spoke in a low tone, ¡°Just bear¡­ bear for a while. It is much more useful than doing 1,000 things for your master.¡± ¡°Seal my acupoint please¡­¡± Tie Cheng gritted his teeth and begged. ¡°Seal it!¡± ¡°And you trust me?¡± Zhong Yi smirked. Tie Cheng stiffened, and suddenly, he gave a low growl as he hugged his head and crouched down. Meanwhile, a small white figure was on the ground. Lord Yuan Bao had found a mouse hole, and disregarding the dirt within it, he hid his head in the hole. Silence fell upon the room. Everyone held their breaths, and their eyes gleamed in the dark. Those eyes were filled with pain and blood. In the silence, the sound of the thunderous shower and screams became much more intense and clearer. It hit at one¡¯s sense of humanity like a tough whip. But, for her, he had to tolerate! Everyone had to tolerate! Suddenly, Meng Fuyao moved. Her inner energy had just circted one round, and she was trying to inject it into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s meridian system. As this was too crucial a stage, she dared not hurry the process and wanted to understand the flow of Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s inner energy. Hence, she paused for a while. Chapter 290 - Untitled Chapter 290: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was during this pause that she heard the screams. Those were the sounds of struggling, unique to any woman who was suffering violent abuse. There was also the sound of clothes being ripped off and the lewdughs of not just one man. Those noises were drowned out by the heavy downpour, but in her ears, they were as loud as a huge thunder! Right outside her room, in front of the window and just meters away from her, a woman was suffering the most destructive torture in the universe. How could that happen! Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind went ck, and she instinctively wanted to release her grip. Her first instinct was to jump out, dash out, and kill the offender. However, it was at that moment when she retreated her fingers, that Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s inner energy instantly became chaotic because of her unsteady pace. His inner energy surged and became messy, and it was a perilous situation! Meng Fuyao froze. She could not move¡­ could not move¡­ could not move! Her inner energy had already entered into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s meridian system. If she moved away now, she would cause Zhangsun Wuji to die! However, if she did not move, the girl outside the window would be continuously raped until death, and it would be right before her eyes! Meng Fuyao started to shiver violently. At that moment, she faced her greatest dilemma in her life. If she let go, she would lose him; if she didn¡¯t, she would lose the dignity and reason to live as a human! In her whole life, she had been decisive, brave, and not afraid to do what she wanted. Yet, in this rainy night in a small town of another county, she was caught in a Catch-22 situation like no other. How could she release her hand, and cause death to someone who followed her through ups and downs, who was solely invested in her, and who ended up in such a state because of her? How could she not release her hand, and allow an intolerable event to happen in front of her eyes, and yet do nothing about it? In that instant, Meng Fuyao could feel her inner self releasing a long howl like a wolf. That howl was blood-curdling. It undermined all her sense of chivalry and braveness, and it made her heart wrench deeply. Her heart seemed to be unable to tolerate the weight of the pain, and it harshly broke. The Heavens showed no mercy at all! While the girl outside the window suffered the cruelest torture, the people beneath the window also felt the pain of their conscience calling out to them. It was hard to tell who felt more pain. Zhong Yi did not move, he backfaced the window and looked up. His face had turned even more ghastly white. Tie Cheng did not move as well ¨C he hugged his head, and his arms wrapped around so tightly that the bones in his neck cracked. Meng Fuyao¡­ did not move. She seemed to sit as calmly before, and the palm on Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s back was just a steady. Her fingers did not even shake at all as she directed the flow of inner energy. From injecting inner energy in, to guiding its flow and merging it in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s body, she did not make any mistake at all. However, from the corner of her lips, a stream of blood slowly flowed down. It was blood caused by her biting down on her tongue and lips, as well as blood surging out uncontrobly from her organs. It was a few drops at first, but the drops slowly linked up to form a stream, which flowed down more and more violently. It fell from her chin andnded on her cor and clothes, and even created a huge patch of red on the bedsheet. In such a situation, she sat cross-legged, and her eyes burned with determination. Blood was flowing out her mouth, but her expression and fingers were calm and steady as she directed her attention towards Zhangsun Wuji. She was looking only at Zhangsun Wuji. She looked at his thin figure, his ck hair, his exquisite yet pale side profile, and his calm eyshes. It was him, and it was an appearance that would be etched in her memory. She could not selfishly have him, but she would never be willing for it to disappear from her life. She wanted him to live properly, just as how he was like before he met her ¨C noble, free-spirited, and strong. A person who could look down upon life and revolutionize the universe, and sail through life with a smile. To allow him to return to such a state of life, she was not afraid of dashing ahead of life and investing all she could to reinstate that perfect him. Even if it meant losing her dignity for life. Just let her¡­ be selfish for once, even if she had to bear the lifelong guilt afterward. While someone roared withughter, someone cried quietly. In the rain, the Amethyst Cape Knights who were strong and had great stamina took their turns to have a taste of the girl behind them. They enjoyed the smooth-as-a-fish-and-extremelyfortable ride that they had never tried before in the rain. The snow-white skin was stained with a thick substance. She flopped on the floor like a fish, and her screams have quieted down. On the floor, there was a light-red substance that continuously flowed into the rainwater. The menughed to their hearts¡¯ content. The outrageousughter rang throughout the backyard, and it could also be heard inside the room. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t I say that we should y in front of them! They won¡¯t even dare to fart!¡± ¡°What things are they to try to oppose us?¡± ¡°Look over¡­ I¡¯m having the time of my life¡­ Come out and kowtow to us. If I¡¯m happy, I¡¯ll let you try the fun too!¡± ¡°Just lick it clean for me!¡± The roaringughter was mixed with the mournful shrills of the girl. ¡°Heaven has no eyes! You do not protect the innocent!¡± Bang! An explosive sound rang in the courtyard, and it even caused the room to shake a little. Beneath the clouds, thunder and lightning appeared, and its brightness shone in all directions. The grey clouds were lit upyer byyer, as the stroke of lightning came down upon thend like a golden armor ting. Heaven was enraged! The huge thunder caused the men to pause. Tie Cheng, who was kneeling on the floor, lost his bnce and hit against the bed frame. Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao swayed, and a small box suddenly rolled out from Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s robes. The lid opened, and the snow-white pill that Meng Fuyao had given him appeared. The aromatic scent of the pill wafted into her nose, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes opened. In that instant, her eyes were like lightning as she directed her gaze at the pill. Raise her inner energy¡­ if that happened, she could release her hands earlier and save that girl¡¯s life! She automatically ignored Zong Yue¡¯s countless warnings. The aftereffects of the pill were too strong, and after administering it, she should recuperate for a month and not use her martial arts. Meng Fuyao looked up towards Zhong Yi, signaling at him to feed her the pill. As Zhong Yi hesitated, Meng Fuyao stared even more ferociously at him. Looking at the continuous stream of blood down Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips, Zhong Yi gritted his teeth. He quickly walked up and ced the pill inside her mouth. Feeling a bit worried, he ced his arms on the bed frame and carefully inspected Meng Fuyao¡¯s expression. When the pill entered her mouth, in an instant, Meng Fuyao¡¯s skin turned red. Even the wrist which was not masked turnedpletely red. It was as though blood in her body was suddenly triggered, and that caused Zhong Yi to jump in shock. Then, the red color subsided, and Meng Fuyao¡¯splexion returned back to normal. Meng Fuyao almost fainted when she swallowed the pill. A huge bomb seemed to be activated in her chest, and that sent her physical body and consciousness shattering to pieces and floating above the clouds. Blood almost surged out of her body. At that moment, it was the crucial stage of raising her martial arts, and as long as she guided it right, she could unlock one level above the Seventh Level of ¡®Breaking Nine Heavens.¡¯ However, Meng Fuyao immediately twisted the flow of the inner energy and sent it towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s meridian system. Her body shook as she could feel the block in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s inner energy being pushed open by the immense force. His inner body has woken up and could finally recuperate by itself. Heaving a sigh of relief, Meng Fuyao slowly took her hand away. She was careful and stable at the start, but once itpletely left her body, she turned into a stroke of lightning! It was a sh of ck lightning that burned with a fiery, red fire! The ck lightning shot through the room so quickly that her silhouette quickly disappeared. She shouted her instructions, ¡°Tie Cheng, stay behind to guard the room!¡± In the meantime, the rain had not stopped. Another explosive noise sounded, and it resembled the sound of a huge thunder. When the men looked up, they saw the windows in the opposite house being ripped open uniformly. Then, a ck figure dashed out like a raging lightning strike! It was more aggressive than thunder, more anxious than lightning, more forceful than the heavy downpour, and even fierier than blood! In mid-air, that person kicked down half a wall. As the wall crumbled to the floor, she spun and gave another kick. The falling bricks immediately shattered into small stones and were sent flying violently and aggressively towards the Amethyst Cape Knights. ¡°Formation-¡± There was a loud shout. The trained Amethyst Cape Knights had fast reactions, and they jumped to their feet in unison. In an instant, they had lined up in their formation, and those flying stone bricks were aimed towards the girl on the ground instead. But Meng Fuyao had arrived. Sticking very close to the floor, she nimbly shot forward like a ck sparrow hawk. With a swing of her arms, she had picked up the girl and used whatever cloth was remaining to cover the body. She ced the girl under a flower rack beside the well, then she spun and did a somersault in mid-air,nding in front of an Amethyst Cape Knight at the side of the formation. That was the w in the formation ¨C this person had just finished his deed, and he was busily pulling his pants up. Meng Fuyao was not in the mood for any fancy tricks. She directly turned herself into a bomb, bing a stroke of ck light, a shing silhouette, and a raging boulder as she shot towards the man. Beside her, the curtain of rain was sent flying in the opposite direction because of the force of her strike. There was not a single drop of water within a one-meter radius! She crashed down like an unavoidable avnche, and her impending victim stared back in helplessness, trauma, and fear. It was the kind of fear that left her satisfied, the one that could allow her to release all the grievances and determination that were bursting in her chest! Chi! When her body banged into the man, Destiny Rebellion appeared from her elbows. It was ebony-ck and blood-red at the same time. Another blood rainbow appeared in the rainfall! Meng Fuyaoughed to the point that she sounded like a lunatic. With a raise of her hand, a ck gleam shone by, and the head was sent flying away, crashing into an adjacentpanion! Thatpanion thought that the man was still standing properly beside him, but the head suddenly flew towards him, and the traumatic expression of a man¡¯sst moment remained. It was so wide and so clear in his vision, and the blood that spluttered out blinded his eyes. Then, he felt a chill at his neck area. He could see his own head flying out as well. It spun creepily in the dark and thunderous night, and he could see the scenes of all angles. He saw the houses surrounding him, a hidden shadow on the roof, a backyard full of corpses, and the brothers who were tuning the houses upside down. He could see his body still at its own spot, and then the scary ck tornado kicked the body away. Ping¡ª It was a chain of heads being kicked off! The corpse and head of the person who just died were kicked by Meng Fuyao once again, and they were sent flying to the next person. Another violent kick! Those men were not fast enough to match Meng Fuyao¡¯s pace under her intense rage, and even before they could pluck their swords out, the bulging eyes of a deadpanion had already appeared in front of him. Those white eyeballs hit against him, and he felt a stroke of white light in his blood. Then, he felt something else explode as well. Chapter 291 - Untitled Chapter 291: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios His head was thrown out, smashing into smithereens as it collided into the next head. The dominos of death. The sound of the crashing skulls reverberated in the pouring rain, like a ferocious beast bellowing in rage. Completely drenched, Meng Fuyao¡¯s ck silhouette blurred with the background and only gusts of wind and blobs of shadow could be seen threading through the group of people. The wind was dyed in colors of red, white and various colors as amputated limbs and pieces of meat scattered in the wind. It was apanied by miserable shrieks, filling the air as crimson blood flowed and became one with the heavy rain. In that instant, nine people were killed! The ten that acted as the ambassador of violence in the rain belonged to elites amongst the elites¡ªwith the best martial arts and stamina in the organization. After all, not every man was strong enough to dare carry out such an act in the middle of the rain. The Amethyst Cape Knights were the imperial court¡¯s most valiant and savage assassination tools. They were trained with brutal methods beyond imagination. This particr troop especially was the cream of the crop, and technically, even if they were toe face to face with Meng Fuyao, they should have been able tost¡ªat least for a while. But rage took over this exceptional being as she refused to consider the bacsh that her attacks might give her, unleashing all her might. These ten talents could not go against Meng Fuyao¡¯s reckless, rage-fueled attacks. It was as though Meng Fuyao morphed into a cyclone, spiraling towards thest person with belligerence as she trampled over the dead bodies of the nine. Thest person was the leader of this decimation, the leader who had thrown the Li family¡¯s bride in front of Meng Fuyao¡¯s door. He was also the smartest; as he saw the flying, decapitated heads of those under him through the curtain of rain, he immediately attempted to escape. Just as he took a step, a bolt of lightning struck right at the front of his foot, searing a line of burnt mark down the courtyard¡¯s green stone. It was so close that it was bordering on his toe. He pulled his leg back in fear, and what immediately followed was the hustling of the wind. With a sh, a ck light appeared andnded vicariously. Bam! The horrific screech was apanied by a quiet, shattering sound. And then, something ugly rolled down onto the floor. Meng Fuyao waved her sword and utterly fragmentized his manhood! The leader writhed in excruciating pain, curling into a ball. Unconsciously, he bounced a little, but only this time round, he was no longer the happy, proud flying fish but a dying, struggling fish. Hugging his lower body, he wriggled on the ground, trying to get away from this Death God, back to the zone of life! Other than this guest courtyard, there were forty others rummaging the ce for any sort of valuables. Further down, there were another three groups, and every group had fifty people patrolling around the area. As long as he escaped and rmed the rest, they wouldn¡¯t have to die! Not only would they not die, but they could also get in contact with therger troop that was deployed at Guanyuan County. It could then be reported to the headquarters and even to the Eldest Princess! They could tear apart this Death God from every corner till nothing was left of her! They, Amethyst Cape Knights, were an organization that had efficientworks that could spread information far and wide. As long as he escaped! The leader struggled desperately as he slowly crawled away bloodily, his position an exact replica of the Li family¡¯s newly married couple. Meng Fuyao¡¯s disheveled hair and icy cold gaze perfectly took over the leader¡¯s original role. With her arms crossed, she made her way behind him, step by step. The rain hit the ground ruthlessly and endless as though it was trying to scrub away all the blood and rage that the night had, but yet, it could not wash away the sadness and the boiling anger in the girl¡¯s heart. The leader climbed, and Meng Fuyao followed. After three steps, she stepped forward and with a swing, and an arm was cleanly removed from its owner. ¡°Ah!¡± Amidst the shrieks, Meng Fuyao was cold and clear. ¡°This is for massacring the Li Family!¡± The leader cradled his amputated arm, trembling in pain. He tried to crawl out quickly, fighting off the pain that threatened to render him unconscious. Meng Fuyao took a step forward once more. An entire leg was neatly left on the green stoned floor. ¡°This is for humiliating the bride!¡± The heartwrenching shrieks no longer sounded human at this point, rather, they seemed to resemble a terrifying screech when two bolts of lightning collided into each other. That bloody ball of meat on the ground no longer looked human either. It resembled more of a beast that fell into a trap, trapped by a hunter after it had its meal. He was still trying to escape, drawing lines and lines of thick, gooey blood on the floor. Meng Fuyao stepped forward once more and stabbed her Destiny Rebellion straight into his chest without hesitation. ¡°This is for forcing me to fall into depravity!¡± As red and green sttered around, that ugly beast stiffened and then, no longer moved. Meng Fuyao let her sword down and panted slightly. She covered her eyes with her hands. The rain and the fresh blood on her hand flowed down rapidly, as though as they were the tears of regret that refused to fall from when she had heard the cries for help and yet, made that decision. ¡®Actually, I am¡­ as shameless as you¡­¡¯ That ball of unrecognized matter on the floor suddenly moved again. The sheer tenacity that this life had. Even with hisst breath, he still dragged himself along, struggling to use his only hand left to bring himself to the door. The door that separated the front courtyard and the back courtyard. At this point, the dying man was no longer clear conscious. He hadpletely forgotten that unmoving Meng Fuyao behind. The only thing he could remember in that blood-stained memory of his was that that door represented life and hope. Only a centimeter left. Beside the door, a figure rushed out unsteadily and bent his arm with all her might! The bone broke with a ¡®Kacha.¡¯ The delicatedy who had never even once ughtered a chicken mustered all the strength she could and finally, heard that hair-raising crack. That leader did not make another sound. Finally, this time, he really stopped moving. The Li Family¡¯s bride let go of his arm and sat down on the threshold. She craned her neck back andughed. The bruises of various color scattered all over her body¡ªa tragic sight that was unbearable. The torn dress could barely cover her body, and the snow-white skin was littered with scars and injuries from her abuse. Sheughed, maniacally, and heart-wrenchingly. Thatughter resounded over the gregarious thunder, breaking through the grey clouds that hovered over the corrupted world, shattering the silence and grievance that lingered in the house of the Li Family. Meng Fuyao shuddered vigorously at thatughter, as though she was being punished by Lingchi 1 . She stepped forward, attempting to hug the girl as she muttered, ¡°Please stopughing¡­ I beg you¡­ please¡­¡± Thatdy suddenly tilted her head and bit down on Meng Fuyao¡¯s upper arm. Her sharp teeth pierced through the skin and a salty, gooey liquid oozed out, dyeing her white teeth red. She refused to let go, and in those green pupils, a beast-like satisfaction could be seen. Meng Fuyao remained on the spot and gentlyforted her. ¡°Bite¡­ If it makes you feel better¡­¡± ¡°ptui!¡± She suddenly let go, baring her blood-stained teeth. She turned to spit out a mouthful of blood together with a couple of broken teeth. With disdain and contempt, she nced at Meng Fuyao and growled with hatred: ¡°Filthy blood!¡± Meng Fuyao stumbled back, as though she was struck by lightning, and leaned against the vine rack. A flower that was separated from its stem fluttered down to her cheeks and stuck there. It made her lookical but yet, in her daze, she had forgotten to remove it. In her torn dress, the Li Family¡¯s bride sat there in the pouring rain, pointed at her and yelled, ¡°Well-trained, yet you hid like a turtle and watched on as the Li Family got massacred! ¡°You sat in the main hall and was served great wine! The wine was wasted on a dog!¡± Meng Fuyao leaned on the flower rack and stared at her. At this very moment, the torrential rain and howling wind turned into a wisp of smoke. The universe seemed to have shrunk until it was the size of the rack, leaving only the cursing of the Li family¡¯s bride. The words echoed throughout the area, and each word pierced through Meng Fuyao like countless indiscriminate arrows. She was helpless against the relentless usations and allowed each word to hurt her. Meng Fuyao slowly crouched down, hugging herself in an attempt to soothe the excruciating pain. Yet, she did not know where to hug for her body was still well and intact. It was her identity and pride that was utterly broken. In this life, she had lost, she had failed, but she always had a clear conscience. But in the face of the Li family¡¯s bride, every word of hers was something she could not retaliate. Such a bleak conscience. It turns out that¡­ she was no different than them. Justice was nothing in front of her personal interest. She was never better than anyone¡ªshe was as selfish, as despicable, as shameless and as cowardly! The heavens above were unjust; she was but a lowly being! She had always stood on her ground, but this time, she had finally bowed to the corrupted world. From now on¡­ How would she face the her at this moment? But the Li Family¡¯s bride was no longerughing nor scolding. She sat there, leaning against the wall with her neck craned back slightly¡ªan eternal posture. She was dead. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A yell of dismay towards the sky, and then, grey clouds started forming. Like a tornado, Meng Fuyao sprinted out as she broke through the walls of the two courtyards. She rushed across without using any form of inner energy to protect herself. Her head smashed against the walls, and blood started to flow down her forehead. Intense pain took over, but even so, she did not bother to wipe the blood away. Compared to the anger and pain in her heart, this was nothing! Meng Fuyao ran in the pouring rain, amongst the pile of corpses thatid on the floor. She overestimated herself. She thought that she was able to endure the consequences that this choice would bring her. She believed that she could use her remaining lifetime to repay the debt caused by her selfishness. But when the Li Family¡¯s bride had cursed at Meng Fuyao before she died, Meng Fuyao finally broke down. The skies were copsing as the entire universe drowned her. Chapter 292 - Untitled Chapter 292: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao no longer knew what she wanted, neither did she have any inkling of where she was going. She only felt that the air around her was frigid, but she herself was filled with rage and restlessness. The dual torment of the emotional pain and physical pain evoked by the pill caused all her blood to go wild, rushing everywhere so as to escape. That uncontroble, untethered gushing of blood engulfed her consciousness like a snake, wrapping itself tightly around her, suffocating her and causing her to ck out. Meng Fuyao wanted to escape! Escape! Escape! She charged screeching! By now, the 40-odd people looting the Li family¡¯s front yard had heard themotion. The windows and doors of the chambers of the Li family¡¯s main family flew open. A few peeked outside, then looked at each other again. ¡°What was that noise? What ghastly yelling is going on?¡± Then they all saw a ghostly ck figure stepping into the corridor. Their gazes had barelynded on that ck figure before a ck light spun past. Then they felt something cold brush across their necks like at the speed of light. TIme stalled at this very moment. Blood from their neck spurted towards the sky. The decapitated headsnded neatly outside the door. Four headless bodies fell, forever frozen in surprise and curiosity. Meng Fuyao stepped onto the corridor, charging through them with her de. Only one move! One de, four heads! Meng Fuyao did not even bother looking at the four heads. She stepped into the next room. Only then did the headsnd with a loud thunk. Within the room, there was a man d in purple, staring fixedly at the golden me within themp. Hearing themotion, he looked up in surprise. Before he could even ask anything, he felt that the light went out momentarily. When it recovered, it had already turned red. That was his own blood. He looked down slowly and realized that somehow there was a gaping hole in his chest. A pasty hand soaked in blood was pulling out a ck dagger. Immediately after, he saw the corner of a ck robe. The scent of blood filled his nose, but that shadowy figure had already disappeared. He toppled, hisst thoughts being ¡­ that was not a human creature. At this point in time, Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t want to be human anyway. Since being a person was too difficult and cruel, why not be the devil! Eradicate this shameless humanity, obliterate the blind heavens! She sprinted through the entire Li family yard, stabbing everyone in sight. Eventually, the Amethyst Cape Knights all cooperated together, rushing out to tackle her. Amongst them was a brave young warrior who managed to get close to her. Meng Fuyao, with a single dagger, stabbed the dagger¡¯s de through his nose bridge and split him in half. The de was stuck in the nose bridge and could not be pulled out in time. As more people attacked from the back, Meng Fuyao lifted the dagger with the corpse and smashed the iing attacks with it! Such ferocity disyed petrified those who witnessed it. And so, some retreated out of cowardice, failing the formation, quickening their death process. Meng Fuyao had spotted two trembling figures hiding fearfully behind water jugs amidst her killing spree. She dragged the two out and realized that they were the Magistrate Xian and his aid. Meng Fuyao readied herself, eager to end their lives as they begged for mercy, trying to exin that they were weaklings that could not save anyone even if they wanted to. Meng Fuyao stopped short. After all, what right did she have to point fingers at them and kill them? She was even more despicable than they were! She tossed the two away and continued rushing forward with her dagger. She vaguely knew that the side effects of the medication were going away, and the best thing for her to do would be to rest and recuperate. But she couldn¡¯t stop. Only by running forward, continuously killing, could she render the resentment, anger, and sadness in her heart into a blood cleanse for the corrupted world, washing away this pain seared into her bones. Lifting¡­ Dropping¡­ Stabbing¡­ Pulling it out! Fresh blood spurted out; none was redder! Killing wildly and unstoppable running. It might have seemed like a long time when, in fact, it was but a short killing spree. Unknowingly, there were people behind her and Meng Fuyao vaguely knew that it was her own people¡ªthe hidden guards and Tie Cheng. The hidden guards attempted to stop her but were quickly brushed off. ¡°Go and protect your master, scram!¡± With searing red rims, Tie Cheng tried to hold her back with reddened eyes. She delivered a p. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save them? Why didn¡¯t you?!¡± A crisp p resounded. The man began to wail. Not because of that painful p but that this cruel world left him with no alternatives. That the wounds on Meng Fuyao¡¯s body continued to bleed! Meng Fuyao was still rushing about. Those that were supposed to die were already killed, yet, she continued to rummage through the corpses. That ck, shadowy figure bounced around imperiously, moving in a hysterical state. She vaguely heard someone yelling, ¡°Stop her! Stop her!¡± ¡°Let her cry! Otherwise, she will go mad!¡± The reply came from a brittle voice. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­¡± Go mad, go mad! This cruel world is utterly corrupted and living on this earth, there is nothing but bitter pain. Might as well let us all go mad together! Suddenly, a figure shed by. It was as though she didn¡¯t notice it and collided straight into the figure with such impact. An impact that was enough to destroy anything and everything in her way! That figure did not avoid her. Ping! She crashed into a warm, gentle embrace. The surroundings were bitterly cold, only this embrace was warm as usual. Meng Fuyao tensed up and trembled. Right now, every part of her body was frozen solid, yet her organs were burning. The only thing she wascking was this peaceful quietness and warmth; afort total opposite to her turmoiled feelings and boiling blood. It was the saving grace just in time to prevent her from entering the state of Qi Deviation 1 and harming herself to the point of no return. Meng Fuyao felt that person¡¯s shiver and cough. Then, a small drop of liquidnded on her forehead, causing her to be slightly more conscious. She reached up to touch, but that person stopped her and pulled her into a tighter embrace. He hugged her tightly in the pouring rain, gently whispering into her ear, ¡°Fuyao, Fuyao, Fuyao, Fuyao¡­¡± He repeated her name over and over again, awakening her consciousness. ¡°How can I live without you? ¡°The sinner is me, not you. If I didn¡¯t get into an ident, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. If I hadn¡¯t sent the hidden guards out to assassinate the Amethyst Cape Knights, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Fuyao, we are both in the wrong. Always remember that I will face it with you, don¡¯t face it alone. Don¡¯t face it alone. ¡°If you die, everyone here will die. And I will be the first. ¡°Cry, there is nothing we cannot face, and there is no reason not to cry.¡± He cupped her bloodied face with streaks of rainwater running down. It was a scene of two drenched figures with their foreheads pressed together. In a trance, Meng Fuyao saw that beneath his long and thick eyshes, there were streaks of blood vessels. The worry, pain, and hurt in his eyes drowned her. His lips made their way over to hers, kissing away all the pain and hurt she had. It was as though he was trying to use all of his body warmth to soothe all the wounds she had umted throughout the night. In the freezing rain, a warm, salty liquidnded on her cheek. Ding¡ª That moment, the sound of the teardrop shattered the wall of ice that had formed in her heart. A long sigh escaped. Suddenly, she copsed. In Zhangsun Wuji arms. In his arms, she wailed and howled without reservations, letting out all those tears and pain that had haunted her. It was as though she used up her lifetime supply of tears, wetting Zhangsun Wuji¡¯syers of clothes and into his heart. Zhangsun Wuji hugged her without moving, sitting right in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by blood and corpses. The heavy rain hit down on their heads as Zhangsun Wuji lifted up his head, weing the rain. He hugged her tighter as he looked up, and one could vaguely see the gratitude in his face. ¡®Thank goodness¡­ It was not toote.¡¯ ¡®Time will heal all wounds.¡¯ In the rain, surrounded by corpses, a drenched couple embraced without words. She was crying with anger and pain, he was hurting with her pain. Even so, he was grateful he didn¡¯t lose her. She cried, spitting out a mouthful of dark red blood. He smiled, but his face was getting paler by the second. And then, still in the embrace, they copsed. Hugging her, he copsed in the rain. The two no longer had any energy to maintain a sitting position. One was utterly exhausted, the other had not recovered yet rushed to stop this manic, getting injured in the process. Not just anyone could stop Meng Fuyao¡¯s attack, given that the medication effect was at its peak. Even without the medication, Meng Fuyao was considered an elite in martial arts. Especially today, with the exception of the top five, there were only a handful of people that could intercept her attack, and Zhangsun Wuji was one of them. But as elites conditioned to protect themselves, at that moment, the only person that did not avoid that attack was Zhangsun Wuji. At that moment, he could have avoided the attack and pulled Meng Fuyao backward instead. At least, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt. But he did not, because he knew how important that moment was to Meng Fuyao. She had ingested the medication that Zong Yue had given her, but it was transferred over to him right after the first stage of energy outburst. However, most of the energy was, in fact, still with Meng Fuyao, and she had expended it through her killing spree. Her meridians and breath were working at full speed, reaching their peak. But because it was working beyond its usual speed without guidance, all the inner energy in her body ran amok, colliding without any form of escape. Thatst attack was herst attempt at saving herself. Otherwise, the inner energy would in turn devour her in its entirety. That collision cost him a mouthful of blood in exchange for herst ray of hope and escape. Chapter 293 - Untitled Chapter 293: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios One decides how much importance it holds. The rain seemingly hit down with the force of a bullet, determined to flood the streets for the entire night. The drenched Meng Fuyao stayed in the equally soaked Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s arms and coughed non-stop. A dark mouthful of blood apanied every cough. As she coughed, she took Zhangsun Wuji pulse. He opened his eyes, pressed down on her hand, and smiled. Meng Fuyao gazed into his eyes. It was a calm, abstruse sea. All the pain and suffering in the world were nothing but a sea breeze, teasing the waves as they pass. That gaze told her: All the pain and suffering will eventually disappear into nothingness. Love, hatred, grievances, and grudges will be buried in its grave. No one should carry a coffin as they move ahead. No one should fall because of a mistake that was not their fault. Choosing family over strangers is but human nature. What is there to me? In a difficult position, yet you still helped her out of righteousness. What fault is there? The rain continued to fall as longing filled the air. Sometimes, no words were needed tofort. A mere gaze, a mere act was enough to show that he cared, he understood. Regardless of the perils, he faced that collision head-on. Even though he knew of the dangers, he did not avoid. That act of his shattered icy wall that formed in her heart. That gaze of his continued to focus on her. Meng Fuyao slowly looked up and weed such a gaze. Amidst the pittering and pattering rain, everything he wanted to express could be read clearly. Every word entered her heart, so deeply, so silently. Gradually, immersed in that soothing gaze, her bloodlust eased, and her heart calmed. The dark, grey world previously engulfing her entire being was now reced with colorful surroundings as the flowers gently bloomed. That flower finally bloomed in that bloody storm. Though slow, it was not toote. She finally looked up and gave him the tranquil smile he wanted to see. That smile wasced with mncholy, yet, it was refreshing and more radiant than before. It was just like the wild nts growing in the garden, fresh and clean after braving a storm. An ablution, from her heart to her body. Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he closed his eyes. Meng Fuyao smiled too, reaching out to cover his face from the pouring rain. The hidden guards and Tie Cheng rushed over to help the two up. Meng Fuyao nced over at Tie Cheng, wanting to console him but her exhausted and abused body didn¡¯t allow for that. Her heavy eyelids snapped shut. ¡­ The cave was warm, toasty, and clean. From far away, the melodic sound of birds chirping could be heard. Zhangsun Wuji woke up. It was a peaceful atmosphere. The scent of the soft grass wafted to his nose. She was beside him, tear streaks on her face still apparent, yet, she was holding onto his hand with a small smile. ¡®She¡¯s here, breathing and alive.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji looked at her and then continued looking at her. He quickly closed his eyes as though such luxuries shouldn¡¯t be used up all at once. He gently caressed her hair, every touch overflowing with love and tenderness. ¡®¡­ What can I do for her? This girl that suffered so much internal turmoil because of me?¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji pondered. He always felt that it was not enough¡­ Not enough¡­ In the end, he couldn¡¯t bear it and opened his eyes, perusing every aspect of her. That girl was pale. Her eyshes were long yet unable to hide the purplish undertone beneath her tired eyes. Yet, her expression was one of quietude. Only the Heavens knew how much pain and turmoil was undergone in exchange for this peace. But that was her destiny, her fated obstacles. In the restless world filled with people who act out of self-interest, everyone mastered the arts of protecting their selfishness and took that for granted. She was the only one who detested that natural selfishness of hers and for that, was painfully tortured. But that pain was not because of her mistake¡ªshe was never in the wrong. The only wrong was for the Heavens to have gifted her a personality eager to uphold justice and was filled with so much passion; one that would not allow her to remain indifferent to the deaths of the innocent. Even without any repercussions, she had inflicted upon herself the most agonizing punishment for what could take her down was not any form of martial arts, but the guilt and self-me in her heart. And this was why she was Meng Fuyao. The irreceable Meng Fuyao. The most radiant, the bravest, the Meng Fuyao that had countless men under her thumb. Even if he had to sacrifice, he wanted to have every part of her¡ªthe mostplete, the most honest Meng Fuyao. Zhangsun Wuji smiled and wanted to take Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse out of habit. But that hand stopped him, and that girl grumbled, ¡°Enough.¡± Meng Fuyao woke up. She climbed upzily. As she climbed up, she could hear her bones crackling, surprising her. ¡°Congrattions, Fuyao, you leveled up again.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled wearily. ¡°Thanks to you but please, from now onwards please don¡¯t transfer any more inner energy to me. Otherwise, one day, I might really surpass you and that will surely be embarrassing for you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to transfer any inner energy to you,¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°I just wanted to see how much you have leveled up. ¡°But,¡± His amused tone changed into a displeased one as he continued, ¡°I need a talk with Zong Yue. He must have been muddled-headed to actually have given you such domineering medication.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t wrongly use him.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately stopped him. ¡°He did warn me about the effects repeatedly. I was the one that was too impatient.¡± She nced at Zhangsun Wuji and sighed. ¡°Actually I panicked. When your breath resembled a near-death state, if I were to patiently wait for you to recuperate, it would have been fine¡­ I was unlucky¡­¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t that a blessing in disguise? As long as we take the time to recuperate and rest, with the help of that medication, we can both level up.¡± Zhangsun Wuji leaned against the wall with a smile. Ah¡­ Even though the consequences were a little dire, he was happy that Fuyao would panic over him. Meng Fuyao waspletely oblivious to his current thought process. She leaned against the wall. In that narrow and small cave, the two squeezed together, body to body, without an inch between them. This was the first time the two hade into such close contact in a conscious state after that night on the water, though neither of them felt anything wrong with it. Meng Fuyao toasted her hands, putting them near the campfire. Surveying her surroundings, she asked, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°The back of the mountain in town.¡± The person that replied to her was Zhong Yi. The two were safeguarded in the most secure position in the cave while the rest guarded outside. When they heard them waking up, Zhong Yi entered with a cheery smile. ¡°Those Amethyst Cape Knights are searching high and low in town. They even rummaged 100 kilometers surrounding the town, giving out ¡®wanted¡¯ posters along the way. Since it¡¯s like that, I will stubbornly go against their expectations and hide right under their eyes!¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a smile of gratitude, thankful for his arrangements. Both Zhangsun Wuji and herself had copsed and given that the hidden guards would not intervene in such matters and that Tie Cheng was not the brightest bulb, it was thanks to him that they got away rtively unscathed. ¡°Look at your pale face, here,e over and warm up,¡± Meng Fuyao called him over. Zhong Yi didn¡¯t stand on ceremony as he squeezed in, right beside her. ¡°Thankfully, you are fine. You really scared me.¡± Heughed naively. Hugging a bundle of sticks, he tended to the fire as he asked, ¡°We cannot stay here for long. The Amethyst Cape Knights will find us sooner orter. But both of you, your wounds are not healed¡­ What should we do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably need one month topletely recuperate. What about you?¡± Meng Fuyao tilted her head and asked Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Probably less time than you.¡± Zhangsun Wuji added, ¡°But as long as we get past the first ten days, we should be able to deal with them afterward.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gotten by the hardest time, what else is there to be afraid?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at the flickering fire and grinned. ¡°No matter what methods we use, even if we are to escape with our tails between our legs, I will bear with it and give myself time to heal. The wheel of fortune always turns. When I ampletely healed, they¡­ Hmph!¡± ¡°Let them have some time to wash and scrub their necks clean. That way, you¡¯ll have an easier time decapitating them.¡± Zhong Yi giggled as he tossed in more sticks. He did not add the sticks to his side, but rather, would always add it to Meng Fuyao. Zhong Yi inched closer and closer, and their bodies rubbed against each other. Meng Fuyao moved away uneasily, but in that tiny cave, there was no ce to escape. Looking at this situation, Zhangsun Wuji frowned silently and then twirled his fingers. A white figure shed by and Lord Yuan Bao strutted in proudly. ¡°Cate¡ª¡± A shriek could be heard, and Zhong Yi vanished at the speed of light. Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s insect repellent brand. Meng Fuyao stared at Lord Yuan Bao. Even though it still looked the same, somehow, it was a little gloomy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the rat?¡± Meng Fuyao turned to Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Hm¡­ Probably because its rtives¡¯ scent got stuck on him.¡± Zhangsun Wuji probed his head out and took a look at Lord Yuan Bao. Seeing Meng Fuyao¡¯s confused face, he borated, ¡°In order to not let himself create more chaos, he hid in a rat hole.¡± With an ¡®oh,¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s face fell. Zhangsun Wuji noticed and gently said, ¡°Fuyao, we are not afraid to talk about it nor to face it, but there is no need to carry that burden with you for life.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Meng Fuyao sniffed and gave him her radiant smile. ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through. There are some things that we have no choice over, and we have to prioritize. I can only choose between pain and more pain. I am not a saint, and neither do I want to be one. If this happens again, I¡¯ll still make the same choice.¡± ¡®If this happens again, I¡¯ll still make the same choice.¡¯ After going through such deplorable matters, Meng Fuyao, utterly tortured and then finally reborn, stated her determined choice. Zhangsun Wuji suddenly felt like he could not breathe. An unconstrained life filled with freedom. One would know that bnce of politics at the tip of his tongue would actually be emotional with just a short, single sentence. His long days of quiet persistence and tough choices were rewarded with this touching remark. Heughed quietly, tugging her long hair behind her ears, and leaned in for a kiss. ¡°Fuyao, I¡¯m so fortunate to have met you in this lifetime.¡± ¡­ Xuanji, Tiancheng day 12, Month 2 and Year 30, the Amethyst Cape Knights, renowned for their menace faced their first setback since they were founded. That night, the tyrannical Amethyst Cape Knights who controlled thew trespassed into the wealthy Li Family. They massacred, raped and plundered¡ªamon act for the Amethyst Cape Knights and an act that no one dared to intervene. But that night, they were taught a lesson. Chapter 294 - Untitled Chapter 294: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The entire team of fifty were annihted, each dying in a strange manner. A little farther outside the town, what was originally a backup team that had meant to aid their brothers in the robbery was now a pile of dead bodies. They were attacked and robbed instead by a dozen grey-clothed men, and not one was left alive. Eldest Imperial Princess was furious and sent the order to investigate this shocking case thoroughly, but it was raining so heavily that night that all traces of evidence had been washed away, and the only evidence left was the smashed courtyard fence in the Li family¡¯s home, as well as a huge hole in the courtyard, clearly indicating that the perpetrator was an extremely skilled martial artist. After the Amethyst Cape Knights investigated the scene, they urately reported back that the perpetrator was not a regr martial artist; they suspected him or her to be on equal standing among the top ten martial artists. This piece of news did not appease Eldest Imperial Princess¡¯s wrath¡ªshe was a royal princess of Xuanji, and Feng Xuan¡¯s first daughter no less, she had been doted on and spoiled since birth and hence was both prideful and a sore loser. ¡°Find the perpetrator!¡± She flipped through the case scrolls angrily. She had never experienced such a situation and was absolutely furious. Then, she flung the case scroll at the general of the Amethyst Cape Knights. ¡°I don¡¯t care who it is! Bring his head here to me!¡± The Amethyst Cape Knights began a search mission throughout Xuanji. Using the unique power granted to them by the royal court, they were able to search through every town and city under the name of ¡°nabbing a wanted criminal.¡± Eldest Imperial Princess personally requested Eleventh Prince Feng Jingrui in the North, and Third Prince Feng Chengtian in the South, to assist in the search. Due to himself having his own followers killed, Feng Jingrui was frustrated and immediately agreed. Third Prince of the South also agreed very quickly, and the two of them proceeded to use the Iron Guard to assist in the search. The deaths of a hundred Amethyst Cape Knights seemed to shock the entire Xuanji royal court, and hundreds of officials were outraged as they cried for justice to be served to the murderer. As such, the Amethyst Cape Knights and the Iron Guard came together for the first time to resolve this great incident. Yet nobody mentioned the 116 members of the Li family that were massacred, as if the Amethyst Cape Knights¡¯ actions were justified, and the Li family¡¯s deaths were merely their tragic fate. Their deaths were washed away by the court of Xuanji, yet it had been recorded by the ones who had witnessed that night, burying the hatred deep within their hearts, waiting for a day for the truth to be revealed. On the thirteenth day of the second month, at night, at the mountain behind Donn Town. The entire town was lit with torches as the Amethyst Cape Knights searched through the night. The entire town was filled with the frantic squawking of chickens and barking dogs, yet the search yielded no result. One of the Captains in charge of the search raised his torch at the back mountains and peered at it. ¡°Has this area been searched?¡± he asked. ¡°Responding, the area has been searched on the night of the incident,¡± One of the Amethyst Cape Knights replied. ¡°Search again!¡± The captain thought for a moment and suddenly waved a hand. ¡°The enemy might think that once you¡¯ve searched through the mountains, you wouldn¡¯t search again.¡± ¡°Captain is so brilliant!¡± The troop of 500 men entered the smallish mountain again, snaking around its paths like a snake, their torches glowing brightly among the dense greenery. The one in charge of searching the north of the mountain was a little captain, carrying fifty men as they spread out and searched. However, due to the enemy possibly having the strength of the top ten, each knight carried a signal re, and once the enemy was discovered, they were to signal the re and not to engage. The thunderstorm the day before had dampened the entire mountain road, and the mountain¡¯s red soil made it difficult to move without slipping. The little captain led five men to the farthest corner of the mountain and The person was walking extremely carefreely, looking very strange as he jumped about, but upon closer look, he was merely jumping over a pile of wood. On his back were several firewoods. Seeing such a person in the middle of the night naturally arouse suspicion, and the little captain immediately drew his sword and shouted, ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Officer, I¡¯m a woodcutter from Donn Town,¡± The person put down the firewood and responded respectfully, ¡°Due to the thunderstorm, all of the firewood at home had be useless, so I could only head out to cut some firewood.¡± ¡°Cutting firewood in the middle of the night?¡± The little captain raised an eyebrow and sized the person carefully. Feeling that the person¡¯s energy was weak and didn¡¯t look like someone who knew martial arts, the hand on the signal re rxed and let go. ¡°We ran out of firewood,¡± The person smiled helplessly. Putting down the firewood, he said, ¡°Officer, are you tired? Why not take a break on these logs, there¡¯s nowhere else to sit since everything is wet. I found this firewood from the cave over that side, there¡¯s a lot of dry grass as well.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The little captain¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked urgently, ¡°Where is the cave?¡± The person pointed towards a certain direction, and the little captain hurriedly ordered five men to follow him as they headed over to take a look. The woodcutter picked up his logs and asked again, ¡°Officer, are you not resting?¡± ¡°Move aside¡­¡± The little captain said in annoyance, but before he could say another word, he suddenly peered into the smiling eyes of the person. The person¡¯s eyes held a peaceful gaze, yet there was a sudden sh that appeared from deep within. After that, the little captain felt his mind move, and his consciousness slip as he suddenly felt as if he really was exhausted. ¡°¡­ Ah, I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± He mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± That person smiled, ¡°Why not sit down and rest?¡± ¡°Mn¡­ sit down,¡± the little captain suddenly felt that the firewood looked extremelyfortable and was one of the best ces to sit down and rest. He immediately sat down. Following that, he suddenly felt his entire body go numb as if it had disappeared. As he sat there, he heard the person say in a soothing voice, ¡°When the reste, why not let them sit down as well, since they¡¯ve been busy all night, they must be tired.¡± ¡°Mn¡­ Let them all sit down.¡± ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for is on the mountain top,¡± the person pointed at the peak of the mountain. He continued to stare into the person¡¯s eyes, thinking that those eyes were mysteriously beautiful and extremelyforting. He said, ¡°Mn, on the mountain, not leaving.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very powerful, the person you¡¯re seeing, is waiting for you to find him, for you to kill him.¡± ¡°The person I¡¯m seeing, waiting for us to kill him¡­¡± The few people who had finished creating the footprints trodden over. One of them held onto the ¡°woodcutter¡± and asked, ¡°Is everything alright?¡± The person smiled and patted the other person¡¯s hand, his eyes not leaving the little captain¡¯s. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± He ordered. The little captain immediately felt drowsy and closed his heavy eyelids. As the few people snaked around him, somebody mumbled, ¡°Want to kill, want to kill, I want to kill¡ª¡± ¡°There is still use in sparing their lives,¡± The gentle, low voice of the man said. ¡°I resist, I resist, I resist, resist, resist,¡± the mumbling faded into the distance. This sentence seemed to wake the little captain as he opened his eyes. He continued to sit there as he watched the five men return from the cave after a fruitless search. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired,e, sit,¡± he called out immediately. It was rare for the five subordinates to see their superior acting so friendly; hence, they sat down happily and fell into a silence. The little captain raised his finger and pointed at the mountain top. ¡°Up there, I saw, very powerful, he said he¡¯s waiting for us to kill him,¡± he said. The five subordinates squinted at the mountain top and responded, ¡°Mn, at the top. ¡­ On the night of the thirteenth day of the second month, a five-man team of the Amethyst Cape Knights imed to discover ¡°traces of the enemy¡± on the top of Donn Mountain. When they were brought back to report to the General of the Amethyst Cape Knights, they imed that the enemy was not going anywhere, he was waiting for them atop the mountain, waiting for them to kill him. All five were unanimous in their report, and after investigating the mountain, they indeed found several footprints in the mud heading towards the top of the mountain, just as the five had described. As such, the General of the Amethyst Cape Knights rushed to Donn Mountain that very night, bringing with him half of the Amethyst Cape Knights and surrounding the mountain tightly. ¡°Not even a housefly should be able to leave this ce!¡± On the fourteenth day of the second month, at the main city of Guanyuan County fifty miles from Donn Town. A long, snaking crowd had gathered in front of the city gates early in the morning. People inside wanted to go out, people outside wanted to go in. However, all of the merchants and city folk were stuck at the city gates. The gate guards were even more meticulous than usual in their checks, even feeling their clothes. Whatever money they felt was conveniently taken away, and the women suffered, forced to take off their shoes as the guardsughed and felt around their dainty shoes, causing thedies to cry helplessly. Everyone had an uneasy look on their faces, yet none of them dared to say anything, merely standing in line and engaging in hushed conversation with the people around them. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s going on recently?¡± ¡°I heard they¡¯re catching a huge criminal!¡± ¡°¡­ This ce is still good, the checks at Donn Mountain, as well as the wilderness, are even more stringent!¡± ¡°¡­ See those purple-robed men? Amethyst Cape Knights!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I heard that just a few days ago they were searching Donn Town for someone, and after they couldn¡¯t find the person, they released their anger on the townsfolk, robbing and looting them! The poor Li family even¡­¡± ¡°Silence! Do you still value your life, mentioning this!¡± There was a sharp silence as the cowardlymoners shut their mouths and followed the crowd, moving forward obediently. In the crowd, a haggard-looking Daoist priest suddenly rolled his eyes and stroked the three hairs growing from a mole on his face. Beside him, a peal of tinkingughter sounded from a child as he bent down and patted the dust on his robes. ¡°Master, be careful of getting your robes stepped on,¡± he said. Behind him, an old man smiled and nced at the child¡¯s hand. ¡°Go and support the master,¡± He said to a young servant beside him. Chapter 295 - Untitled Chapter 295: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The servant eded to his request moved forward to support the old man, but the old man continued to stroke his mole and chuckled, ¡°No bother, no bother, this old man is very careful.¡± The servant¡¯s face darkened, but the old man¡¯s eyes seemed to beughing. This was naturally the four of them in disguise. Zhangsun Wuji was the old man, Meng Fuyao was the haggard-looking Daoist priest, Zhong Yi was the little child disciple, and Tie Cheng was the servant. Given their abilities, it was naturally easy to hide from the Amethyst Cape Knights searching on Donn mountain, but for Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji, they had to retaliate even when running away. As a result, the Amethyst Cape Knights were led by the noses and were now searching the mountaintop frantically for the expert who was ¡°waiting for them to kill.¡± The four of them had discussed things through, to first rest at a ce with less Amethyst Cape Knights and go through Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s initial period of recovery. As long as the two of them could recover a little more, the situation would be a lot less dangerous. The queue at the city gate inched forward slowly and finally reached their turn. The guards roughly shoved the ¡°skinny-like-firewood Daoist priest¡± against the city walls and searched him thoroughly. The ¡°Daoist priest¡± felt ticklish andughed, his body trembling as he said, ¡°Eee, eee, Officer, this priest is unable to withstand such treatment, gentler¡ªgentler¡ª¡± Even when Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest was being searched, she didn¡¯t think anything about it; after the events that stormy night, she had thought deeply and had learned to tolerate certain things. After all, they were just touching, and they were touching the Daoist priest, not Meng Fuyao. Although she had tolerated this time, someone was unable to do so. After searching the old Daoist priest, it was the little child disciple¡¯s turn to be viciously pushed. However, when the guard pushed the child, he suddenly felt a slight pain in his left hand, but it was just a slight pain as if he were bitten by an ant, so he paid no heed to it. After that, when he searched the old man, the fingers on his left hand seemed to feel slightly numb, but it was for a fleeting moment. The feeling was too faint, and the guard was annoyed and busy; hence, he didn¡¯t care much about these few people who didn¡¯t even carry any water. Three dayster, this guard¡¯s hands would rot away. Of course, this was an unrted piece of news. Finally, it was Tie Cheng¡¯s turn. Since the servant was carrying a huge bag, the bag naturally had to be searched carefully. The guard opened the bag to reveal several worn-out Daoist robes, cooking utensils, faded yellow talismans, a wooden sword, and several other misceneous items. After searching through the items and not noticing anything valuable, he threw the bundle aside with a huff. The bag sailed through the air, spilling its contents all over the ground. Meng Fuyao reached out to grab the bag, but the guard turned around at that moment and noticed that a corner of the bag looked unusual. He immediately intercepted the bag and reached into it, fishing out a ck thing. ¡°Aha, what is this? A cat?¡± Afraid of being found out, Lord Yuan Bao stiffened in the guard¡¯s hand and rolled its eyes. ¡®Don¡¯t insult me by calling me a cat!¡¯ ¡°Officer, that is a little Daoist Demon Subduing Mouse!¡± Meng Fuyao hurried over. ¡°Demon Subduing Mouse?¡± The guard guffawed and squeezed so tightly that Lord Yuan Bao let out a squeak. ¡°Ah, please stop it!¡± Meng Fuyao shouted, ¡°That is my rice bowl¡­ Officer, please have mercy!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll stop just because you say so?¡± The guard red at Meng Fuyao and dangled Lord Yuan Bao by the ears. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Demon Subduing Cat, but I¡¯ve never heard of a Demon Subduing Mouse, how does it work? Can it help us find those bastard murderers?¡± ¡®Damnit!¡¯ ¡®You must be looking for death!¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s anger began to bubble as she red icily at the guard; in that instant, the guard felt a throbbing pain on his finger. Lord Yuan Bao had bitten off half his finger! He shouted in pain and flung Lord Yuan Bao away. Lord Yuan Bao flew into the air and disappeared in the corner of the wall. ¡°Beat them up!¡± The guard cradled his bloody finger and howled, pointing at Meng Fuyao and the others. Severalrge guards immediatelyunched themselves at her. Meng Fuyao retreated a step back, curling her fingers. Even if she was gravely injured, it would only take a few minutes to settle these bastards! However, from the corner of her eye, she noticed that all of the guards were already looking towards their direction. The Amethyst Cape Knights were drawn by the noise and wereing down to take a look. The majority of the Amethyst Cape Knights were congregated within fifty miles of where she was and would be able to rush over within a single period. She thought of the injuries on herself and Zhangsun Wuji. She needed the precious three days to recover. She thought of the promise she had sworn in the cave on Donn Mountain. Tolerate! She had to tolerate through this. ¡®One day, I¡¯ll return this to you tenfold!¡¯ ¡®Whatever I¡¯ve suffered will be returned a hundredfold!¡¯ Meng Fuyao bent forward and hugged her head. ¡°Please stop¡ªplease stop¡ª¡± The old man rushed forward and said, ¡°Officers, please have mercy, my grandson has been possessed and is waiting for this Daoist priest to cure him if you beat him up, what am I to do¡­¡± He rushed forward and soundlessly pushed Meng Fuyao into a corner of the wall such that nobody could reach her. Then, he stood in front of her, blocking Meng Fuyao from the guards. The fists of those cowardly guards began to fall on Zhangsun Wuji. Tie Cheng immediately rushed forward, blocking Zhangsun Wuji, and the sound of fists hammering down on flesh continued. From where she was stuck, Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t see what was happening, but she could hear the sound of flesh against flesh and unrestrained cursing, as well as the tauntingughter of the guards. At that moment, he had used his body to protect her, blocking her from the humiliation and beating mere centimeters away. The most respected and treasured man in the Five Regions Continent, a Crown Prince that could overturn governments with a raise of his hand, a man who had lived his life being respected and feared, one of the most powerful beings on earth, had chosen to take her ce and be beaten at the city gates of a tiny city. It was easy to share the good things, but hard to share suffering. Hence, he had chosen to take all the suffering for himself. There was a kind of strength, not of the body, but of the heart and mind, that made the selfless decision to take her ce. No matter how injured he was, he still took the punches of those guards. Furthermore, the consequences were even worse. Even an immortal might not be willing to block the blows they suffered today, yet he didn¡¯t even let her fall victim to such an inconsequential incident. Meng Fuyao raised her head and looked above her. She could faintly make out Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s silhouette. His expression was lighthearted as he met her gaze and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed bitterly and said, ¡°You¡¯re really unlucky when you¡¯re with me, even getting beaten like this.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s answer was light yet firm, ¡°The experiences I have with you are something nobody else can give me.¡± ¡®Nobody else can give you,¡¯ Meng Fuyao pouted. ¡®Even taking a beating from these peasants.¡¯ Under normal circumstances, these guards weren¡¯t fit to even kiss the dirt on his robes. After beating them without getting any response for a while, the guards soon got bored. Only the guard whose finger had been bitten refused to settle, cradling his finger as he shouted, ¡°This Daoist priest carries a demonic animal! How can the heavens tolerate such a demonic human being? Take him! Take him!¡± Zhong Yi immediately realized he was trying to ckmail them and prepared to retrieve some silver, but Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. Prison! What ce was safer and more undisturbed than the prison? In a ce crawling with the Amethyst Cape Knights, nobody would think that the people they were looking for were in the prison of Guanyuan County! Meng Fuyao began to smile¡ªalthough the living conditions would be less than eptable, they could just treat it as a life experience. She nced at Zhong Yi, who immediately caught her intention. After shouting for a while and seeing that nobody had taken out any silver, the guard was enraged and pointed at Meng Fuyao, shouting, ¡°This demonic priest carries a demonic animal, he must be here to wreak havoc in the city, take him down!¡± Several guards walked forward to secure several chains on Meng Fuyao as she ¡°struggled in surprise¡± and pleaded, ¡°Officer, please have mercy, I am a Daoist priest from Qingfeng Temple thirty miles from here, it¡¯s famous for being virtuous and righteous¡­¡± Several guardsughed in her ear and said, ¡°It¡¯s no use, hurry up and ask your buddies to take out some money for our boss¡¯s treatment, we¡¯ll release you after a few days, or else¡­ Heh heh.¡± Zhangsun Wuji rushed forward as well and grabbed the guard. ¡°Officer, please don¡¯t do this, my grandson is still waiting for this Daoist priest to exorcise him, he is the only descendant of three generations, if something happens to him, nobody will be around to inherit the family wealth¡­¡± The guards¡¯ eyes lit up one after another; wealthy family! Family riches! Anxious family members! Waiting to be saved! It all sounded like a huge sum of money waiting to be earned! Murderers and rapists could be pardoned, but this person definitely had to be imprisoned! ¡°You must be up to no good, hanging around this demonic priest! We must investigate this situation clearly!¡± The Guard pointed at Zhangsun Wuji and ordered, ¡°Round them up!¡± After securing the two screaming criminals, they left, leaving the onlookingmoners shaking their heads. Someone hurriedly advised Zhong Yi, ¡°Little Daoist priest, quickly gather up some silver to bail them out, the Guanyuan County Prison is¡­ terrible!¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice,¡± Zhong Yi bowed respectfully, dragging away a Tie Cheng upset at not being caught together with them. ¡°It would be good to keep them locked up for three to five days¡­¡± The remainingmoners were utterly bamboozled by Zhong Yi¡¯s happiness. Scratching their heads, they mumbled, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s still in shock?¡± Bam! A bowl of leftover rice fell throw the metal bars. The rice and tofu were already rotting and giving off an unpleasant sour smell. Meng Fuyao nced at the ceiling for a while before turning to smile at the person behind her. ¡°Have you eaten? If you¡¯ve eaten then eat more if you haven¡¯t eaten then hurry up and go home to eat.¡± Chapter 296 - Untitled Chapter 296: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The person behind Meng Fuyao blinked and replied, ¡°You¡¯re wee. You go ahead.¡± Both took a look at that bowl of rice, and they turned away in unison. The jail cell was dim and damp, with cobwebs and mouse feces all around them. There were also mushy cotton paddings and rice straws on the ground. asionally, there would be ck mice that scurried by, and their figures and appearances werepletely iparable to that of Lord Yuan Bao. As Meng Fuyao kicked away one of the mice, she rubbed her nose and muttered, ¡°I hope that that guy remembers to send us food. I want to eat steamed butter meat with ham and the Auspicious Dry Shark Fin¡­¡± Zhangsun Wujiughed. ¡°The only thing that you can eat right now seems to be me.¡± He took his hand out of his sleeves, and his exquisite wrist bone shone in the dark like a piece of jade. While listening to him and staring at his wrist, Meng Fuyao blushed, and she darted her eyes around. However, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly pressed down on the arteries on her wrist, and she immediately pressed down on his too. Both used their unique martial arts to allow their inner energy to circte within the other person¡¯s body. Momentster, they released their grips and shared a smile. Both felt that the other person¡¯s smile was exceptionally gorgeous and radiant in the dark jail cell. Because of Zong Yue¡¯s pill, Meng Fuyao¡¯s and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s inner energy had merged together when their inner energies surged. Their bodies contained traces of the mixed inner energy, and this allowed them to replenish each other when they were recuperating. Hence, their strengths couldplement each other. Another advantage ¨C they could simultaneously recuperate and release their grip together if they were to sense danger. There was no longer a need to specially arrange for someone to guard over them, which was a waste of time. As Zhangsun Wuji gently fondled her hand, he suddenly said in a deste tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know why I suddenly have this feeling. There may be many ces to explore in my lifetime, but all those fancy luxuries, beautiful residences, or the mountains, rivers, seas, temples, and pces are all nothingpared to this jail cell. It feels exceptionally nice¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really¡­¡± Meng Fuyaoughed as well, but she cut herself short and switched the topic. She mumbled to herself, ¡°This time, I don¡¯t think we will meet Gale again, right?¡± Feeling that this thought was quiteical, she smiled and looked around, but there was no one around them. Then, she felt that her mask was not worn properly this time, so she asked Zhangsun Wuji to help block her as she took off the mask and started adjusting it. They sat back-facing each other and looked up. Feeling the warmth of each other¡¯s back and smelling each other¡¯s unique body scent, they thought calmly about the chaotic Xuanji, the things they would do when they were outside, and the enemies that were hidden within the shadows. Meng Fuyao toyed around with her mask, and a whileter, she sighed. In a low tone, she said, ¡°Give me three days, just three days¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, a ck figure shed in front of her eyes. A thin and bony hand reached out from the adjacent wooden railings and snatched the bowl of rice. The fingers were very agile as they swept the fallen rice into the palm, and then, the hand retreated at lightning speed. When Meng Fuyao looked back, she saw a prisoner in the adjacent cell wearing grey robes that were so dirty that the color could not be distinguished. While he quickly stuffed the rice in his mouth, he smiled at her foolishly. Meng Fuyao looked at him with a frown, and she cautiously moved away. She ended up being under a spot of light that was a result of a lighted oilmp on the far side of the adjacent cell. Meanwhile, that person revealed his dark yellow teeth as he smiled. As he chewed ferociously, he took one look at her and another. Then, he suddenly paused and released his grip, causing the rice in his hands to drop all over the floor. But he was ignorant of it, and he stared intensely at Meng Fuyao. The emotion in his eyes switched continuously; there was hesitation¡­ then confusion¡­ and remembrance¡­ and finally, it changed to a look of shock and terror. His mix of expressions and consciousness suddenly fragmented, and what was left was an extremely terrified reaction to a shocking revtion. That terror was as though a patch of greenish-purple haze thatnded on him instantly and totally clouded his consciousness. He raised his hand, and his fingers shivered as she pointed at Meng Fuyao. He could not speak proper sentences as well, and he squeezed out each word from his gritted teeth. He said, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you¡­ Wan¡­¡± ¡°Wan? Bowl?¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him confusedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t snatch yours!¡± ¡°A ghost!¡± That person looked at her and shrilled. Suddenly, he shot to his feet, hugged his head and ran around in his jail cell. He seemed to be desperately searching for a ce that he could hide in, but where could he hide in a cell which only had stone walls and wooden railings beside him? He stuck himself to the wall and slid down, and then he tried to lift his shirt to cover himself. When that failed, he finally raised the rice straws and stuck his head below it, while half of his butt was still exposed. Meng Fuyao felt that the scene was quiteical. Turning towards Zhangsun Wuji, she said, ¡°This is the first time that I realized that I appeared so scary.¡± Zhangsun Wuji fell into deep thought as he looked at the man who crouched beneath the rice straws. Though he repeatedly looked at the man, he ended up only saying, ¡°There are many things happening right now, and it¡¯s better that you don¡¯t take down your mask so often.¡± Hence, Meng Fuyao wore her mask, and she stared at the exposed butt. As she knocked on the wall, she asked, ¡°Hey,rade,e and chat with me. Tell me which ghost do I look like?¡± The man immediately crawled even deeper within the pile of rice straws. Meng Fuyao twitched her mouth and scraped down a rock. Throwing it onto the butt, she said creepily, ¡°Wan¡­ It¡¯s here¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t find me!¡± That man screamed so hysterically that even Meng Fuyao was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he added. After tying up a few rice straws together, Meng Fuyao inserted the bunch through the wooden railing to reach for that person¡¯s butt. She scratched the butt as she sang casually, ¡°¡­ There was a little girl called Little Wan in town¡­¡± She sang a random tune out of yfulness. Judging by that man¡¯s tone, her appearance resembled that of Wan¡¯s, but Wan was already dead? However, she did not expect that the man would act as though he was pricked by a needle when he heard the tune. ¡°Ah!¡± he screamed, and he flopped andnded like a fish. Anxiously grabbing at any rice straw he could find, he stuffed them in his ears and banged his head forcefully against the wall. The bangs were very loud, signifying that he did not show mercy at all, and he banged as though the wall and his head were one. When Meng Fuyao heard that noise, she was stunned. Sheepishly taking the bunch of rice straws back, she muttered, ¡°Better not make him go crazy and bang until he¡¯s dead¡­ Forget about it.¡± She tiptoed and peeped at the adjacent. With much regret, she said, ¡°A wonderful gossip has just flown away¡­¡± But that was just a casual line, and she did not look very regretful at all. Soon after, she sat down and tried weaving the rice straws to kill time. Zhangsun Wuji tilted his head to look at her¡­ ¡®Fuyao seems as though she¡¯s not very interested to know about her own background. Could it be she¡¯s just purposely avoiding it because she has a hunch that it won¡¯t be a pleasant story?¡¯ ¡®If she was not interested in finding out, then so be it.¡¯ Yet¡­ fate was too unpredictable. The inevitable wouldn¡¯t be avoided. The dim light in the jail cell reflected Meng Fuyao¡¯s fast fingers. She seemed to be weaving something, and Zhangsun Wuji leaned forward to take a look. However, Meng Fuyao raised her palm and blocked his vision. ¡°Look at it after I¡¯m done.¡± Very cooperatively, Zhangsun Wuji closed his eyes. Momentster, he felt Meng Fuyao nudging him, and he opened his eyes to see a fat rat lying on her palm. Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Your Yuan Bao.¡± Then, she took out a small figurine and added, ¡°You.¡± Zhangsun Wuji took the product from her hand and scrutinized it. ¡°Yuan Bao isn¡¯t this fat.¡± Then, he looked at the small figurine and added, ¡°And I¡¯m not this ugly.¡± Meng Fuyao burst intoughter. ¡°If you have the ability to use these rice straws to weave a legendary beauty, I¡¯ll kowtow to you.¡± ¡°The rest are alright, but there is one bigger w in what you weaved. You left out something very important.¡± Zhangsun Wuji ced the rat on the figurine¡¯s shoulder andmented. ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao nced sideways at him. ¡°Close your eyes too.¡± This person¡­ could not stand being at a disadvantage at all. Meng Fuyao smiled and closed her eyes. When she shut her eyes, the surroundings became silent. Without distraction from the outer world, her awareness became sharper and calmer. The sounds that she would not notice when she closed her eyes now appeared in her mind like floating statues. Bit by bit, she could visualize the actions that created these sounds. She listened to the noise of nimble fingers weaving the rice straws and the heavy breathing of the man who was tired of shrilling in the adjacent cell. She could also hear the sound of guards patrolling outside and the flow of water from an unknown source. The water did not sound like it was flowing, but rather, it seemed as though someone ran their skin through it¡­ The fingers scooped up water and sshed it away? Then, someone seemed to apply something¡­ and there was the sound of clothes rustling. Suddenly, it turned pitch dark. Even with her eyes shut, Meng Fuyao could feel the sudden darkness. Originally, the light from the oilmp shone on her eyelids, and she could feel the warmth of it. But the trace of light had disappeared almost instantly. Meng Fuyao immediately opened her eyes! The first thing she did was to grab Zhangsun Wuji, who was originally sitting opposite her. When she extended her hand, she seemed to havee into contact with Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s slightly cold fingers in the dark. Before she could have a firm grip, she suddenly heard a bang. Cement kes flew, and the wooden railings of the jail door copsed in unison. Meng Fuyao leaped up, and someone¡¯s hand reached towards her amongst the ash and dust. ¡°Fuyao, be careful-¡± that person said, and she immediately reached forward to grab. However, another person behind her seemed to fly past and say, ¡°Fuyao, be careful-¡± Meng Fuyao froze. Two people! Two Zhangsun Wujis! And both of them sounded exactly the same! The jail cell was ruined, and it was filled with plumes of dust. With a blurry vision, she could not clearly make out the faces of the two people, with one standing in front of her and the other behind her. Judging by the distance, the person in front should be standing outside the cell, while the other person was inside the cell. However, who could be sure that the one behind her would definitely be Zhangsun Wuji, and the one in front would definitely be that bastard? Meng Fuyao was stunned, and she tried hard to recall what she heard just now, as well as the possible scenarios. The sound of clothes rustling ¨C was it a result of Zhangsun Wuji discovering the enemy and then leaping forward, or because of the enemy jumping in? She shut her eyes for just a short moment, and when she heard the rustling, she had immediately jumped to her feet. Yet, when the door copsed, dust was all over for a moment, and it was very likely that the other party could have swapped positions with Zhangsun Wuji in that short while. Maybe he had dashed in, while Zhangsun Wuji leaped outwards. But¡­ she still could not confirm her suspicions. In the face of such a strong opponent, she and Zhangsun Wuji had to fight together if they wanted to survive. However, who should she join hands with? If she chose wrongly, she would make a very grave mistake! Meng Fuyao took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down her nerves. Ever since that stormy night, she had learned how to stabilize her emotions. The more dangerous and precarious the situation, the more she could not act with undue haste! Chapter 297 - Untitled Chapter 297: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao was waiting. She was waiting for the ash to fade awaypletely. That bastard could not possibly be so legendary to be able to exactly replicate someone else. As such, he would always use smokescreen whenever he appeared. The first time was in the dark cabin, while the second time was when he walked so quickly that the pile of fire surged and blurred their vision. This time, he made use of the moment that she closed her eyes to destroy the wooden railings. When ash was all over the ce, he capitalized on the opportunity to appear at the same moment as Zhangsun Wuji did. The ash would eventually fade, and there would definitely be a w in his trickery. However, the ash did not fade, and instead, there were thick plumes of haze in the air. Meng Fuyao held her breath and stepped back cautiously, but she sensed that the haze was not poisonous. The faint smell in the haze was not very useful, but it sessfully masked Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s unique body scent. The person in front of her calmly said, ¡°Fuyao,e over.¡± At the same time, the person behind her said quietly, ¡°Fuyao, it¡¯s me.¡± The one in front looked up and gazed at the one behind. Without any additional words, he flicked his sleeves, and a jade Ruyi appeared. There was a sudden gleam of the jade as he aimed the Ruyi towards the other person¡¯s face. When Meng Fuyao saw that jade Ruyi, her eyes lit up, and she immediately flipped over, raising her palm to attack the person behind her. However, the person behind her did not speak a word and lept over her. A simr smooth jade Ruyi also appeared from his sleeves. Meng Fuyao was bbergasted, and she forcefully kept her palm. However, the momentum was too strong, and she could only divert her strike to the wall. There was a loud bang as the wall linking to the adjacent cell copsed in a second, and that caused her neighbor to scream as though he was a pig being ughtered. Meng Fuyao had yet to fully recover, and such a forceful stop in her strike caused her inner energy to flow ufortably. Hearing that person¡¯s screams while she felt frustrated and disgusted was especially annoying. Hence, she cursed. ¡°F*ck, shut up!¡± As she barked, a mouthful of vent-up blood flew from her mouth andnded on the wall, and she immediately raised her hand to wipe it. The two people behind her could not see her vomiting, but they could hear her unstable tone. In shock, they asked in unison, ¡°Fuyao, are you alright-¡± Enraged, Meng Fuyao turned sharply and shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡± After shouting, she felt very helpless. What situation was this? The two Zhangsun Wujis looked coldly at each other, and their expressions were a carbon copy of each other. It was icy cold and full of hatred. One of them extended his sleeves, pressed down his jade Ruyi and created a flowy 3-foot arc in the air. Immediately, there was an arch of an inverted arc, and it looked like the moonlight that rose from the sea. This made Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes light up again. She had seen Zhangsun Wuji performing this once before, and it was so unique that no one could replicate it. Kicking herself away from the wall in front of her, she leaped and dove like a sparrow, while the ck gleam of Destiny Rebellion appeared from her elbow. She aimed straight for the other Zhangsun Wuji. That Zhangsun Wuji looked up at Meng Fuyao, and his expression was one of anxiousness and regret, which made Meng Fuyao falter a bit. Instinctively, her strike slowed. At that moment, that Zhangsun Wuji pressed down his jade Ruyi and made an arc of moonlight across the air¡ªit was the exact same move! Meng Fuyao broke downpletely. She heaved a long sigh and allowed herself to drop to the ground with a loud bang. She rolled in the pile of rice straws and decided not to get up anymore. Then, the two Zhangsun Wujis said at the same time, ¡°You-¡± Meng Fuyao resolutely shut her eyes and pretended to be dead. The two Zhangsun Wujis took a look at each other. This time round, none of them spoke and decided to battle it out. It was so chaotic as they tumbled and zoomed past like spiders and butterflies. With eyes wide open, Meng Fuyao watched their battle and thought that the enemy should be stronger one since Zhangsun Wuji was injured. However, she could not be totally sure as the enemy could be showing his weakness to lure her into his trap. This bastard had an entric personality, and he seemed to like witnessing people struggle, doubt, and guard against each other. He also seemed to especially favor the act of making people turn ruthless and mistrusting, and eventually, make them kill the people of their own kind. To him, assassination was not the top priority. In front of her were two people with expert moves. Since true experts could learn another person¡¯s moves instantly, it was not possible to find a w through their battle. Feeling annoyed, Meng Fuyao looked down, and she suddenly saw the figurines that she weaved. There were the ones of Zhangsun Wuji and Lord Yuan Bao which she weaved, and there was another half-finished product. Looking at the slim figure of the product, she guessed that Zhangsun Wuji probably wanted to weave her figure. Holding that half-finished product in her palm, she suddenly asked, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, what were you weaving just now?¡± Amongst the chaotic battle, both of them turned to look at her. One immediately answered, ¡°You.¡± Meng Fuyao was about to feel a sense of joy, but the other person said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s you.¡± The corners of Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips twitched. Thought that Zhangsun Wuji was slightly slower in answering, the real Zhangsun Wuji was always long-winded in the way he spoke. On second thought, both opened their mouths at the same time. As long as one¡¯s reaction was fast enough, it wasn¡¯t impossible to learn the same answer. Meanwhile, the two of them continued to battle, and they slowly approached her. Their figures continuously zoomed by her as they shifted from one position to the other. Sitting downzily, Meng Fuyao acted as though she was tired of dealing with the situation. Suddenly, she said, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, if I had known this would happen, I shouldn¡¯t have talked to you when I first met you at Yanjing.¡± Both of them fell silent for a moment. One said, ¡°Essence Mystic Mountain.¡± The other person immediately said, ¡°Who said we first met at Yanjing? We were on Essence Mystic Mountain¡­¡± Meng Fuyao immediately lept up. When she jumped, the dark aura of Destiny Rebellion shot into the air. Without speaking a word, she struck towards that person¡¯s back! The person who said too much and learned the wrong words! The fake one had an opportunity to harm the real Zhangsun Wuji, but he somehow let go of that chance. Making use of this moment, Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward, forcing the fake to shun away, and that allowed his back to be exposed to Meng Fuyao! At the same time, Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword was waiting for his heart! Wield! Aim for the heart! A strike filled with hatred! The jade Ruyi suddenly brightened up! Aiming for the chest, the snow-white gleam intensified, and the pir of light silently yet forcefully cornered the enemy! Strikes from the front and back! All for this moment! Real trust and telepathy could never possibly be easily destroyed by an outsider! That person seemed to be slightly stunned. As he zoned out for a moment, he was already unable to avoid the powerful and murderous strikes from his front and back. It was too close to him, and they showed no mercy at all! At that moment, he understood that Meng Fuyao was merely pretending to not be able to distinguish the real Zhangsun Wuji. She was trying to make him underestimate them, and then fall into the trap of abined attack. ¡°Amazing! So you too were actually well-prepared!¡± As heughed, his body suddenly thinned. He really thinned¡ªhe resembled a piece of thousandyers cake that was suddenly ttened. Theyers were still there, but they were even more tightly pressed against each other. Simrly, his width expanded, but his body ttened in such a creepy way. Under the dim light, one could almost see his bones and skin beneath his green robes being ttened. That process was one that superseded the limits of what a human body could do. It was the same as moving himself in a box which had no space left, and hence, the fatal spots of his body were no longer at their original positions. ¡°Ping-cha!¡± The jade Ruyi and ck knife struck the heart simultaneously, and there was the uniform noise of the human body being stabbed through. However, the position of the strike was no longer where the heart was. Meng Fuyao could even clearly feel that her knife had stabbed in, but itnded in the spot between two rib bones. The distance between the bones was only paper-thin, but her knife somehow brushed by the bones and ended up slotting into that tiny hole. It would at most cause injury to his skin and flesh, but there wouldn¡¯t even be a fracture. This bastard even calcted this distance in that split second, and it was so extremely urate! An almost legendary ¡°Anti-Constriction Trick¡±! A formidable instinct that an exceptional expert could use to be in control of the battle, and seek survival in times of emergency! Hence, when the jade Ruyi and the sharp dagger stabbed in, blood spluttered out of that person¡¯s ribs. But he merely looked over andughed in that thin voice of his. ¡°Amazing, amazing. I haven¡¯t seen my own blood in decades!¡± Without stopping at all, Meng Fuyao tried to raise her dagger up his chest. As she gritted her teeth, she smirked. ¡°Really? Do you want to see more?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± That person smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been very courteous to the both of you. It¡¯s time I see your blood.¡± When he finished speaking, there was an immediate shrill. It was not very loud, but it was extremely unpleasant to hear. It was like the shrill of tens of thousand snakesing from a deep alley,bined with the image of a corpse mountain filled with white bones, and the long call of apemen who had be mythical spirits, calling out for the demons and monsters in the dark and creepy mountains. Suddenly, there was a tremor! This tremor caused everything to sway and the ground beneath them to sway. The splits in the wooden railings widened silently, and the oilmp on the wall beside the cell door extinguished and dropped onto the ground. Meanwhile, Destiny Rebellion in Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm started to vibrate as well. The vibration quickly moved from the tip of the dagger to its handle and lightly bounced off her wrist. That caused Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand to go numb for a moment, and she felt that her heart seemed to be very suffocated after that shrill, causing her to be unable to catch her breath. Instinctively, she activated her inner breath to save herself, but just then, the shrill changed. The shrill sounded narrow at first, but it suddenly became very wide and seemed to expand into the bright sky. If there were demons from the dark realms of Hell a while ago, now there were only bright skies that floated above the Nine Heavens. There was not even a transition from that extremely dark to an extremely bright stage. It was as though darkness had just clouded one¡¯s eyes for a second, and the surroundings suddenly brightened afterward. There was only one consequence under such a situation¡ªone would instantly lose their eyesight. Just as how if there was a suddenpression and then expansion of the chest, one would instantly feel stifled and dizzy. Additionally, though the inner breath was activated at the moment that the heart was suffocated, when the target location to rescue suddenly disappeared, the inner breath would turn to attack the host body. Only a split second was required for blood to surge like a tide. When experts battled against each other, only a split second was required too! That shrillsted for just a short instant, and in that instant, many things had happened. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart felt suffocated for a moment and expanded for the next. Then, she felt giddy, and she almost cked out. Right after, she heard a light giggle from the enemy. She shifted her body to move away from her sword, and she felt the movement of wind in front of her face. Someone was grabbing towards her face. Meng Fuyao immediately lowered her head to try to shun, but before she could, the wind current moved again. Someone glided in front of her and blocked her. Meng Fuyao quickly dragged that person towards her. Almost at the same moment, that person dragged Meng Fuyao towards him. Both were as agile as fish, and they dragged each other towards themselves continuously, trying to put themselves in danger instead of the other party. Seeing this scene, the enemyughed. ¡°What a lovey-dovey couple. I¡¯m getting giddy watching you two spin in front of me,¡± he said in a teasing tone. Suddenly, his arms cracked and made an external 90-degrees bend. It actually went around Zhangsun Wuji who was blocking in front, swerved to reach Meng Fuyao who was standing behind, and he reached towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s chest! Chapter 298 - Untitled Chapter 298: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Ahh!¡± A terrible scream reverberated around the dark, tiny cell as fresh blood sttered across all four walls. w-like fingers twisted here and there around the body; clearly, this was not pain that a normal human could endure. The throat emitted a gurgling noise as fresh blood spurted out again from the mouth. Thereafter, a lifeless body fell heavily onto the ground. Thud. The nasal, youthful voice eximed softly as if slightly surprised and murmured, ¡°Pity.¡± It wasn¡¯t clear whether the voice was referring to the lifeless body or the person that had suddenlyunched itself over. The voice sighed nonchntly, and with a flick of his sleeve, he retreated outside in a puff of green smoke and said, ¡°Count yourselves lucky¡­¡± The green smoke dissipated, revealing the body on the ground. It belonged to the prisoner from the cell next door. Meng Fuyao punched the bars of the neighboring cell; the three of them had already shifted their fight to the wall next door, fighting all the way to that neighbor. Not counting the neighbor as part of the fight, they ignored him, leaving him to watch them, trembling, until the imposter reached out behind Meng Fuyao, did he suddenlyunch himself forward. With her mind filled with the fake Zhangsun Wuji, Meng Fuyao reached out to block Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s turning body, yet she didn¡¯t expect someone to be willing to be a human shield for her. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was filled with shock as she stared at the dying man beneath her feet. After a moment, she bent down and asked, ¡°Why?¡± The man looked at her, perhaps it could have been a reflection, but his eyes seemed to shine even brighter as he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his throat was blocked by blood froth. Meng Fuyao reached out and grabbed his wrist, then patted his back, letting him cough out the blood froth. He took a deep breath and stared at Meng Fuyao, then stuttered, ¡°Are¡­ you¡­ her¡­¡± His voice was slight, and his words iprehensible. Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t hear him and leaned closer to ask, ¡°Wan?¡± The person sniffled noiselessly, it seemed as if he were crying. Meng Fuyao thought for a moment. She knew that this person¡¯s organs were utterly damaged and there was no hope for him to speak coherently anymore. Hence, she had to ask, ¡°This Wan, is it alive or dead?¡± ¡°Dead¡­¡± Meng Fuyao revealed an ¡°I knew it¡± expression when the person said again, ¡°Alive¡­¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth twitched, only then remembering that this person was half-mad to begin with, what could she expect from him? She was expecting too much. ¡°Where is she? Who is she?¡± ¡°Wan¡­ Yan Forest¡­ Under¡­¡± ¡°Yan Peak? Yan Pass? Yan Forest?¡± Meng Fuyao asked persistently. There were too many simr-sounding names on Mandarin, and it was difficult to figure out which one he was referring to. ¡°Can you write?¡± However, thest spark of life had left the person¡¯s eyes as it dulled, his body tensing suddenly as he grabbed her hand, tears welling in his eyes as he rasped, ¡°Wan¡­ I was wrong¡­¡± He trembled violently, unable to coherently express anything anymore, yet he continued to mumble ¡°wrong,¡± lodging the word in his blood-filled throat. Seeing that he was still clinging on to life torturously as if waiting for something, she thought for a moment and said, ¡°Are you waiting for her forgiveness? If¡­ If she and I are rted¡­ I forgive you on her behalf.¡± Once those two words, ¡°forgive you,¡± left her mouth, his entire body rxed, and the person leaned back and let out a long sigh, his eyes wide open as it slowly darkened. After that, he did not move any longer. The moon shone across the partially destroyed wall, falling on the person¡¯s pale body. In the darkness, Meng Fuyao sat in silence, thinking about the few words he had spoken before his death, thinking about the expression of indignance and guilt, thinking about how he still sought for his Wan-er¡¯s forgiveness even at the doors of death. Suddenly, she felt a cold creep through her body, as if her body had been doused in ice and all the heat in her body sucked dry. Behind her, someone ced a hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Fuyao, sometimes not knowing has its advantages, knowing will be a burden. No matter what, I¡¯m here with you.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Meng Fuyao murmured as she smiled and grasped his hand. The skin on her shoulder was hot under his touch,forting and warm. Because it was cold, it felt even warmer. At that moment, everything was cold, the road was dark and bone-chillingly sinister. Yet, because of the love she had, the fire continued to burn in the midst of winter, forever lighting the path for her, never having to experience what a cold heart felt like. Meng Fuyao bent down and rubbed the person¡¯s face, cleaning him up slightly to reveal a normal-looking middle-aged man¡¯s face. From between his eyebrows, she could tell he was an honest and loyal person, except, who said that loyal and honest people wouldn¡¯t make mistakes? It could be that this mistake had been so great that he could never forget about it even at death, and because of a simr-looking face, he sought thest form of relief. She exchanged nces at Zhangsun Wuji, then put down the body and stood up. After a while, they heard several voices getting louder and louder as the prison guards rounded in. Upon seeing the two destroyed cells and the corpse on the ground, and the Daoist Priest and the Old Man who had been originally locked inside were missing, they hurriedly called their superiors. Because of the unique way that the cells had been destroyed, Magistrate Xian arrived personally, along with the Amethyst Cape Knights. The Amethyst Cape Knights barged into the prison, and after searching the destroyed cells carefully, they kicked Magistrate Xian out of prison. ¡°Bastard! Why didn¡¯t you report locking such a person!¡± Magistrate Xian hugged his leg indignantly and turned around, pping the guards who had arrested Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao. ¡°Bastard! Why didn¡¯t you report this to me!¡± The prison guards rubbed their faces and retreated timidly, ring at each other¡ªthey had caught too many people without reason and never reported it, they were simply unlucky this time.¡± ¡°My Lord¡­ We will definitely search thoroughly, very thoroughly,¡± Magistrate Xian stuttered. ¡°Search, my ass!¡± The Amethyst Cape Knights kicked him again. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that the entire prison has copsed! They¡¯ve already escaped!¡± The knights ran out while shouting, ¡°Search the city and its outskirts!¡± Magistrate Xian mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s good that they¡¯ve escaped, serving the little servant serving the woman every day has almost stuck to me!¡± After receiving orders on how to deal with the bodies, he shouted impatiently, ¡°Send someone to settle the corpses and ask them to pay three tassels of silver as collection fee!¡± ¡°This person doesn¡¯t have any family,¡± the Book Keeper replied him after flipping through the records and shaking his head. ¡°No family? Then how did he get locked in here?¡± ¡°Let me check¡­¡± The Book Keeper raised a candle over the records and searched carefully, and after a while, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, there are no records of him from the past six years, it was probably the work of the previous officials.¡± ¡°A load of rubbish!¡± Magistrate Xian flicked his sleeve angrily. He knew that these guards received very little and would often catch people to let them out for a sum of money. However, this person had been locked up, not for money, and probably for a long time, to the point where nobody knew where he even came from. These things were often overlooked by the magistrates since there were little urrences of screw-ups. ¡°Drag it out and throw it in the Burial Mound!¡± The knights rushed out noisily, and the prison became quiet once more. Nobody nced at the corpses on the ground, and nobody thought to search the prison one more time. The oilmp continued to flicker on the wall, shining at the two cells, as well as the rest of the cells beside them. Right next to the cell that had been destroyed, someone was leaning against the wall, smiling maliciously within the shadows of the setting sun. Meng Fuyao. She and Zhangsun Wuji had never left. Nobody else under the heavens could take advantage of others¡¯ blind spots as well as she and Zhangsun Wuji, and nobody would think that after being beaten like this, they wouldn¡¯t leave. If the prison was the most dangerous ce to be in earlier, it was now the safest, the imposter would not return after getting injured, the Amethyst Cape Knights would not return, instead continue searching for them at Guanyuan County. As for that person¡¯s body¡­ The hidden guard would follow them to the burial mound to retrieve it. After listening to the Amethyst Cape Knights and Magistrate Xian, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyebrows knitted together slightly. This person had already been here for a long time? Where did hee from? Why would he be locked up for so many years? What was his rtionship with Wan-er? And that year, what had happened to the girl that looked like her, for this man to me himself so, using his entire life to wait for her forgiveness? Things had alreadye to this stage and some things, even if she wanted to avoid, couldn¡¯t be avoided any longer. Once she moved forward, she would encounter the dark past that had been sealed off for many years sooner orter, perhaps with just a slight push, the bloodstained greyness woulde rolling out, enveloping her entire body. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and let out a helpless sigh. After seven days, Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji were ¡°let out.¡± Following the marks left by the hidden guard, they gathered in an unassuming inn in the north of the city. It was the base for Zong Yue¡¯s ¡°Virtuous Guild,¡± a restaurant on the first floor and lodging on the second. Xuanji now was in turmoil, and it was already difficult for them to establish their power overseas. However, the innkeeper was a Xuanji citizen who had lived in Guanyuan for tens of years and was an honest and kind man. Even so, he was shocked by what was happening¡ªThe Amethyst Cape Knights wreaking havoc in the city, and the suspects¡¯ list had already grown to hundreds of people who were held captive in the Amethyst Cape Knights stronghold at Nanzhi County. And in order to enter the stronghold, family members had to cough uprge amounts of silver, and even so, it wasn¡¯t certain if they could sessfully bail the suspects out. ¡°It¡¯s a mess! It¡¯s a mess!¡± The ordinary-looking Virtuous Guild owner sighed repeatedly. ¡°Those Amethyst Cape Knights have just issued a notice, setting up a ¡°Whistleblower Box¡± and encouraging the people to submit secret reports, if the household is found to harbor criminals, then the entire family will be wiped out. Some people have used this as a chance to seek revenge, yet the Amethyst Cape Knights don¡¯t care and round them up all the same for interrogation. The entire city is shaking with fear, and many people have retreated into the basement at the slightest noise, unable to sleep soundly at night¡­ sigh¡­¡± Chapter 299 - Untitled Chapter 299: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji exchanged a look and decided. ¡°Let¡¯s take him away and return peace to Guan Yuan.¡± ¡°How?¡± The second boss eximed, astounded, ¡°There are over 10,000 people outside the city. In the Magistrate¡¯s manor located in the city, there are a few hundred powerful people. And apparently, in the Shang Mansion near the southern borders, where you all will definitely pass by, there are close to 10,000 Amethyst Cape Knights and guards waiting specifically for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they have the whistleblower box?¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Please do me a favor.¡± Early morning with rare great weather and sunshine. In front of the Magistrate¡¯s manor in the south, there was a red and purple box. A slit ran across the top of the box with the back of the box being locked. That ¡°whistleblower box¡± was opened every dawn for the letters to be retrieved while at night, the box remained there, waiting for the confidential letters to be delivered. Those suspicious shadows that loitered around the city were the messengers that brought upon fortune to the Amethyst Cape Knights. They were, too, the death gods that ended the lives of innocent people. Whenever passersby noticed that box, they would always reveal an expression mixed with hatred and fear¡ªsuch a simple, normal box. And yet, it contained the darkest, deepest secrets of many that led to countless broken families, countless victims of cruel torture and the humiliation of countless unmarried, innocentdies. It wasn¡¯t just a normal box; It was the notorious box of disaster in Guan Yuan. The door opened with a creak, and the innocent passersby immediately fled. The few Amethyst Cape Knights in charge of opening the box yawned, making their way to the box as they joked around. ¡°I wonder who is the unlucky fe today¡­¡± ¡°My only concern is, are there any beauties there?¡± ¡°Seriously, thest time there was a request where there was no woman nor money. What a waste of effort. I¡¯ll skin the person that submitted this request alive!¡± The knightsughed and joked about as they insouciantly headed back in. A couple of passersby watched apprehensively, wondering who was the next unlucky victim. That night. A couple of Amethyst Cape Knights died a sudden, disconcerting death. That night, all Amethyst Cape Knights did not sleep a wink. With fire torches in hand, theybed the entire city, searching for the killer. Unfortunately for them, they returned empty-handed due to the oddities of the death¡ªall corpses were without a single wound and showed no form of struggle. Atst, it was determined that it was death by poison, and the entire manor was flipped upside down. The next day, a couple more died. The next day, a couple more died again. Those who died were on duty the night before. Initially, everyone was focused on the duty, but it was only on the third day did someone remember about the whistleblower box. They quickly went to check the box for clues, but those letters were disposed to god knows where right after being read. Where the heck were they supposed to search for clues? They got a doctor over. He stuck his head inside the box and sniffed. It had a weird smell, and he announced that the cause of death was probably due to the letters being poisoned. That night, the secret box was promptly removed. The civilians of Guan Yuan were ecstatic at this decision. The night where the secret box was removed, the Amethyst Cape Knights had an overnight meeting. Halfway through the meeting, two Amethyst Cape Knights came back yelling at one another, using the other party of snatching their woman. Halfway through the conflict, the two knights copsed and died. And so, the topic of the meeting became¡ª ¡®not pleasuring oneself from unknown sources.¡¯ And then, problems started arising with the food provided to them every day. All ingredients and food were tested for poison before being delivered to the kitchen. But somehow, despite all results showing that the food was fine, there were people vomiting and suffering from diarrhea every day, weakened to the point of death. The Amethyst Cape Knights traced down every aspect from the delivery to the cooking. But no one would be concerned over how the delivery man would look like. At this point in time, the knights no longer dared to stay in the manor, nor did they dare to live in other ces of rich families¡ªafter all, they destroyed those ces and families. That night, as the Amethyst Cape Knights fled the city, every family closed their doors and prayed. There were many Amethyst Cape Knights, and they were divided into smaller groups as they left the city. In a winehouse not far from the city gates, a man and a woman stood there with their hands behind their backs. With cold eyes, they looked down as rows of purple streamed out of the gates. After a while, that man held the woman¡¯s hand. With a smile, he said, ¡°Dry weather, the perfect time to kill.¡± Thatdy nced the well-dressed Amethyst Cape Knights and replied, ¡°Dark night andfortable breeze, the perfect time for a nude run.¡± Xuanji, Tiancheng, Day 28, Month 2, Year 30. Nighttime. On the foot of a mountain thirty miles from Guan Yuan, clusters of fire lit up, and hundreds of tents were pitched. There were purple silk tassels at the top of the tents, indicating that they were the court¡¯s special organization, the Amethyst Cape Knights. Large groups of Amethyst Cape Knights retreated from Guan Yuan and met up with another group of Amethyst Cape Knights that guarded Donn Mountain for many days and yet, still had not found the enemy. ording to the orders of the Eldest Princess, they were on their way to the Shang Feng Manor. On their way there, they wanted to rest in a small town but noticed a pale-faced viger being carried towards the mountain. When they inquired further, it turned out that a weird illness was going on in the vige and a few people had even died. The Amethyst Cape Knights noticed that every family tossed rice and spilled wine to protect themselves from the evil and the knights, who were already shaken by the baffling deaths in Guan Yuan, did not dare to settle in the town. And so, the Amethyst Cape Knights, who always demanded the best bed and food, finally had their once in a blue moon outdoor camping experience. The knights pitched their tents in this breathtaking scenery. It was a pity that the perturbed knights were not in the mood to enjoy. After the knights for night duty were decided, the rest went ahead and slept. At the top of the cliff near the tents, a man and a woman sat there. The woman sat at the corner of the cliff, with her legs suspended in the air. With her neck craned back, she admired the starry night and heaved a long sigh. ¡°After restraining myself for so many days, all that torture, anger, and unjust¡­ we even entered the jail. Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll make sure topletely annihte you in the worst way possible.¡± That man tilted his head. With a gentle smile, he picked up the woman¡¯s hair touching the ground. ¡°There is no need to put in so much effort. Save some for dealing with the interesting drama in Tong City.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Meng Fuyao pouted. ¡°Such a disgusting organization like the Amethyst Cape Knights is only the tip of the iceberg of this rotten empire. Rather than slowly chipping off this iceberg, let¡¯s justpletely rece it.¡± She picked up two little pouches with her fingers and announced proudly, ¡°Zong Yue is such a great kid. When he heard that we went missing in Xuanji, he knew that something was up and got his Virtuous Guild to send some good stuff over. He even thought of the medication that I might go out of control once I consumed it. Well, at least all that effort for him ¨C even acting as an empress ¨C was worth it.¡± She went on happily, but the Zhangsun Wuji beside her quietly said, ¡°Just for this, I will have a good talk with her one day.¡± Meng Fuyao immediately kept quiet and rolled her eyes. Changing the topic, she asked Lord Yuan Bao sitting beside her, ¡°Rat, are you ready?¡± Lord Yuan Bao nodded its head with a tinge of vengeance¡ªthe initially free and rxed Lord Yuan Bao was now filled to the brim with hatred towards Xuanji. In this darn country, the honorable Lord Yuan Bao, who had no conflict with anyone, was actually forced to go into a rat hole! It was even squashed in someone¡¯s hands¡ªthe greatest humiliation it had ever experienced! One that could not be forgotten or forgiven! If it didn¡¯t get its revenge, it ain¡¯t no guinea pig! ¡°Go on.¡± In a loving manner, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Where there is light, there is darkness. The darkness calls for the light, and the light calls for the dark. You are a fighter, the representative for love and justice. You must annihte them in the name of justice! ¡°Go and strip off those pants of those who insulted you!¡± In a ck suit and a headscarf around his head, the agitated Lord Yuan Bao made his way down the cliff swiftly along the cliff. That small ball of ck slipped into darkness and entered the various tents. It scattered the powder in the red pouch all over their nkets and then scurried to the corner of the tent and poured a bit of the powder in the green pouch over the incense burner. The red pouch contained Prickling Dust, and the green pouch contained rming Soul. When the two powders were used together, they caused overwhelming emotions to the soul. Powerful and strong. With just a bit, all of them can forget about sleeping. Lord Yuan Bao scattered more powder in the tents that wereced with gold¡ªthe Amethyst Cape Knights had a hierarchy, and goldced tents belonged to those of a higher rank. The pouches were quickly emptied. Lord Yuan Bao did not leave, however. Instead, he found himself a bush and squatted there with its eyes wide open and waited. Beside it, there were two others, waiting with their eyes wide open too. One of them yawned. ¡°Eh, tired. Brother, give me some fire.¡± The other gave him a big eye roll. After a while, there was amotion in the tents. Those Amethyst Cape Knights who were in a deep sleep suddenly felt really hot and tossed and turned. With that, they picked up all those Prickling dust, causing intense itch. The dust was passed on from one to another, causing a group of people to start itching. And so, all of them crawled out of bed and scratched and scratched. Even though blood wasing out from their skin, the itchiness persisted as though it was bone-deep. It was as though the itchiness would only stop if they skinned themselves; an absolutely unbearable itch. The tiny tent made it too stuffy for them to continue staying there. That group of knights rushed out to find that people in the surrounding tents were out too; even the leaders were there. Everyone scratched and scratched. For the Amethyst Cape Knights who had not been to a camp in such a long time, they were unsure if the itch was caused by the straws and some of them took off their pants to check. But staring at it, they could not see anything other than the red marks they had made themselves. ¡°Ah! Itchy! Itchy!¡± someone in the tent yelled. As he mimicked the act of taking off the pants, he continued, ¡°Recently, it has been rainy. Wearing such damp pants is so ufortable! Urgh, take it off!¡± Chapter 300 - Untitled Chapter 300: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios They were frustrated and annoyed with the itchiness that engulfed them. The moment they heard that it was because of the clothes, they instantly stripped off everything as they cursed at their heartless superiors would demand that they remain fully clothed even while asleep. Under the moonlight, they looked at each other¡¯s naked bodies and burst out inughter. Suddenly, with no clothes on, everyone seemed so unfamiliar and different. Cheerily, they started topare the sizes of their manhood, teasing and mocking one another yfully. In the campsite, a group of nude men fooled around. Various toon leaders came out to stop this chaotic scene, yelling for them to return to their tents and take precautions to no avail. The crowd giggled, giving a half-hearted, haphazard reply and continued what they were doing. There were 20,000 Amethyst Cape Knights in total, and the overall leader was in charge of everyone. Under him, there were 20 toons with each toon consisting of 2,000 people. Dividing into sub-toons, there consist of 500 knights in each sub-toon. Splitting further, there are teams of 50. Initially, there were only 10,000 people deployed at this area, but ever since the Eldest Princess was tasked to patrol the area, she made adjustments to the manpower. Right now, there were 10,000 and 3,000 people she could freely assign about. An extra 3,000 knights were forced upon this current leader¡ªwith 2,000 people being the offsprings of officials while 1,000 people from another leader. As a result of this fragmented and sudden change, there was a limit to the amount of authority he held¡ªespecially when he too was scratching his butt. After scratching for a while, the crowd squatted down by the entrance of the tents, discussing whether the cause of this itchiness was due to the high humidity in the environment. ¡°Hm, humidity¡­ there are herbs on the mountain that can treat such itchiness. After applying a little, the itchiness will go away. The mountains are filled with it. It¡¯s dark green, curved leaves and right on the very top, it has spiky whiskers. You¡¯ll recognize it at one nce.¡± Just as he finished his sentence, someone yelled from the mountain, ¡°Hey! Why are you still scratching? There¡¯s medication on the mountain, and I don¡¯t feel the itch anymore!¡± Amotion erupted as the naked Amethyst Cape Knights dashed uniformly towards the mountains. Countless of naked man dashed in the directions of the mountain under the starry light, resembling fishes rushing into the deep sea. The naked ones very quickly streamed into the mountains from various entrances, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. ¡°Come back! Come back! You are not allowed to enter the mountains at night!¡± The Amethyst Cape Knights¡¯ leader and vice leaders felt that it was a bad idea, yelling them toe back as they rushed out of the tents. But those subordinates eager to stop the itchiness at all cost pretended to ignore those orders and scuttled away. The leaders probed their heads out from the tents, scratching their butts as they yelled, ¡°Bring back more for everyone to use¡ª¡± The yells danced to the top of the cliff along with the breeze. A certain youngdy, with her chin resting on her palm, watched on intrigued by this scene. With a light sigh, she marveled. ¡°What a spectacr sight!¡± ¡°Certainly a once in a lifetime scene!¡± Zhangsun Wuji stood up. ¡°Tie Cheng and Zhong Yi have finally driven them up the mountains. Let¡¯s leave it to them, and next up, it¡¯ll be our turn¡­ Dark night andfortable breeze, the perfect time for a nude run.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Dry weather, the perfect time to kill.¡± The leader sat in the main tent, scratching away. As he scratched, he thought about the odd stuff that happened tonight. From the epidemic in that town to the itchiness that gued the entire army of knights, the more he pondered over it, the more he felt that something was wrong. He stood up abruptly and headed to call them back. Every single one must return! Even if it meant killing those that refused to listen! He quickly got himself dressed. Just as he was about to call someone in, the curtains of the tent were lifted up, and a person in purple gracefully entered with a smile. ¡°My dear leader, you do not have to call for me. I am right here.¡± With a faint smile, that person strolled over. Noticing that person¡¯s gaze, the leader felt shivers running down his spine. His instincts, from the many years of experiences he had, warned him that this person wasn¡¯t one he would win against and he quickly retreated. Chi¡ª That quiet sound of the de against the skin was a familiar tune for the leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights. He had heard it countless times in his lifetime, but this time was different. This time, it was the sound of his own skin against the de. His back was cold. But yet, in the cold, a warmth emerged. The coldness was another¡¯s de, the warmth was his blood. The leader slowly turned back with difficulty. In his blurred and shaky vision, he could see a youth with delicate features pointing her de forward with a sinister smile. And he, this time round, was the one hanging from the de. That youth¡¯s hand remained there sturdily. It was as though the de had been fixed there and it was he, the leader, who willingly skewered himself onto the de. But that leader knew, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. He had climbed up to his position, in an environment where the strong had preyed upon the weak, step by step. How could he be weak? After countless of blood baths and battles, he could instinctively locate enemies and their killing aura anywhere in ten feet of his radius. But just now, not only did he not know how that person entered, he did not even sense anyone behind him. This must be the person that massacred 100 of the Amethyst Cape Knights, making them search, day and night. The moment before his death, he could clearly feel that de slowly pulling out of him, casually sttering blood over his face. ¡°What a cool style. Very well, from now onwards, call me Meng Stter Blood,¡± she decided whimsically. Meng¡­ So¡­ it was her. The leader wanted to open his mouth. He wanted to scream and announce it to everyone that he finally knew who that person was. Unfortunately, Meng Stter Blood would not give him another chance to struggle. The veryst thing he noticed was a ball of ck and white scurrying over, shutting him up with its butt. On the side of the main tent, there were a couple of tents for the vice leaders. They scratched away and discussed the current situation with absolutely no inkling of what was happening in the tent next door. ¡°Like a bunch of headless flies. Right now, we don¡¯t even know who the other party is!¡± ¡°Our brothers have died a baffling death in Guanyuan!¡± ¡°We have the short end of the stick! The enemy¡¯s hidden in the shadow, yet every move of ours is exposed!¡± ¡°Stopining. We don¡¯t have it the worst. Apparently, the brothers who have cooperated with the guards at Shang Feng had to suffer losses but could only bear with them. This group of assh*les, vicious!¡± ¡°What¡¯s his highness thinking¡­ Actually working together with the Third Prince.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about national affairs, let¡¯s not. Whatever the top decides is not something we can doubt!¡± Those in the tent fell silent. Xuanji¡¯s fight for the throne was something that everyone knew but also a taboo topic. Apparently, every time this national affair took ce, a heartless, cruel massacre would always flood. The current king had braved the storm of death and he too, chose to continue this tradition, subjecting his heirs to the same experience he had. Even though he had decided on the heir to take over the throne, he had still allowed for the princes and princess to hold authority in their hands. The mostpetitive Eleventh Prince, Eldest Princess, and Third Prince seemed to have been exiled and banished on the surface. Yet, in actuality, they held great power in their hands, controlling the north, central, and west borders, respectively. No could tell what His Majesty was thinking, nor did they dare to. Someone muttered, breaking the silence, ¡°How odd, why are they taking so long to pluck the herbs?¡± ¡°Probably because it¡¯s hard to see in the dark,¡± someoneughed. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t remind me of this itch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scratch for you.¡± ¡°Who would want that, clumsy as heck an¡ª¡± One of the other leaders froze in mid-sentence. This voice¡­ An unfamiliar one! He looked up and noticed the rest were paralyzed with fear. Under the lighting, their faces paled, resembling a doll. He tried to turn around to see who was behind him to no avail. Forcefully, he looked up and notice a man in light purple smiling with his arms crossed while another youth, strutted over. Blood was rolling down the tip of his de as he walked over. Those sticky blood scraps passed his dense purple aura, glistening under the light. He strolled over. As he got closer, the few vice leaders could feel the pressure on their body being released. They nced at each other. With all their might, they leaped up, rushing towards the roof of the tent. Escape! The vice leaders were no weaklings. In an instant, they had already reached the top of the tent, and their heads had already made it out of the tent. They felt relieved. And then, they suddenly felt that their bodies were really light. Really, really light. The entire body weight was cut down by half, even the heaviest of all was taken away¡ªthe soul. On the roof of the tent, six heads stuck out of it in a deadly fashion. The six faces looked at each other, forming a hexagonal shape at the top of the tent, watching as the death painted their faces white, as the essence of life slowly vanishing from their pupils. In the tent, Meng Fuyao wiped her sword as she mumbled to six halved corpses, ¡°How convenient.¡± And then, she looked up and knocked against the other half of the corpses. ¡°Cortizone 10, relieves itchiness fast. Your one and only trustable brand.¡± On the mountain, the stark naked Amethyst Cape Knights searched frantically for the herbs. Someone looked behind the rocks and uttered, ¡°Eh, there aren¡¯t any of those herbs.¡± A person nestled right next to him, searching for the herb. Suddenly, he grabbed and pulled a nt out and eximed, ¡°Look, is this it?¡± The Amethyst Cape Knights speedily gathered over and eyed the nt with doubt. ¡°Hey, why are you wearing clothes?¡± One of the knights pointed out, surprised. That person shed him a radiant smile and patted his shoulders while driving a knife into the heart. With an innocent voice, heughed. ¡°You must have gotten it wrong. All humans wear clothes, only beasts don¡¯t.¡± Behind a shrub on the mountains, a crystal clearkeid there unsullied. At one nce, one could tell that the water was not polluted and clean to the point where drinking directly wasn¡¯t an issue. As one of the knights passed by this glistening water, he was immediately enticed. Calling over his friends, they jumped into the water eagerly. ¡°Feels good!¡± Someone yelled as they sshed into the water. ¡°Just take it as showering. Maybe after soaking in this water for a night, we¡¯ll get better!¡± ¡°Help me scrub my back.¡± ¡°Psh, why do you smell like hair, cream, and oil? Tell us honestly, which married woman did you do it with?¡± ¡°With your mother!¡± ¡°Pei! Looking for death, huh?!¡± The sshing sound lurked in the air as the knights smacked each other yfully. They had been tense recently, and even normally, they seldom had the luxury to bask themselves in nature and fully rx. Teasing each other, their giggles andughter resounded in the night as they fooled around. Chapter 301 - Untitled Chapter 301: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios As they fooled around, they suddenly felt giddy. Not just giddiness, but anxiety too. They panicked, breathing with much difficulty. In front of their eyes, waves of white light appeared. They thought it was water, but it wasn¡¯t. They thought that water got in their eyes and they lifted their hands up to rub. Instead, blood started trickling down their eyes and their hands. Then, they looked up. Somehow, the faces of the rest were all red and bloody. But thereiny the question of was it because of their vision? Or was it because the others were red like this? The moon was high, and the night was silent. In that crystal clear water with a dark cliff in front of them, the group of people stood in the water, watching on as more and more blood flowed out from each other¡¯s eyes. It dawned upon them that there was something wrong with the water. They scrambled out of the water, causing a stampede to the shores. Unknowingly, there was someone squatting by the water, pressing his lips together. With a heavy sword in hand, he whacked those who attempted to flee right back in the water. An exciting Whack-A-Mole indeed. Swift and urate, not a single one was missed. Those in the water shrieked, desperately climbing out like no tomorrow. That person swung his sword, running side to side at the speed of light, not letting a single one escape. Gradually, those who still could struggle lessened. Eventually, those in the water lessened too as they sunk to the very bottom, only floating up when it was time. That person looked down and shook his tired wrist to ease the ache. He flung his sword around and nodded with satisfaction. As if lost in thought, he stroked his chin and muttered, ¡°Master said to watch over this water and promised that my skills will definitely improve. Now that I look at it, the effects are great.¡± There were more people in groups, scattered around the mountain, searching high and low for the non-existent itch-stopping-herb. Perhaps, some of them would run into such a situation: The sudden appearance of a couple of men in grey, surrounding them in an exquisite formation. After inserting a de into their hearts, the men in grey would vanish before the blood touched the ground, repeating this all over again. There, too, were the careful ones that would gather arge group of people, around 10 or so, in fear of danger or wild beasts. Cheerily, they foraged for the herb, treating this as a soothing night excursion. Admiring the grass in the fog was certainly an experience. The serenity even evoked the poets in one as he swayed from side to side, reciting his poem. ¡°Bright moonlight in the sky, crotches once I look down. With nothing but small crotch sizes, I am the biggest one!¡± The surrounding people immediately burst intoughter, pouncing on him uniformly, eager to open his eyes to whose was the biggest. Under the fluffy clouds, a group of men in their birthday suits engaged in a yful grapple with one another. At the peak of their excitement, they suddenly felt a certain ce go cold. Just coldness for the sensation of pain had yet to register. Then, they noticed a youth donned in dark purple, smiling at them. That youth had their manhood neatly arranged in one hand and a dark de in another. ¡°How would youpare? How about we cut it off and weigh it! Here, here, let¡¯s all be the judges to who is the biggest, shall we?¡± that youth asked, with sincerity imbued in every word. Xuanji, Tiancheng, Day 28, Month 2, and Year 12. The night where the Amethyst Cape Knights sustained great blows. Then, the Amethyst Cape Knights were met with attack once more. This time round, the consequences were much more dire¡ªthe bodies of one leader and 12 vice-leaders were strewn around the camp. Seven to eight hundred Amethyst Cape Knights¡¯ corpses were found in various colors andpletely naked at the back of the mountain; a bewildering death indeed. There were also close to 2,000 missing knights¡ªsome were those who witnessed the massacre and quickly escaped while others were the lucky ones that fled from the mountains but came back to a pile of dead bodies, escaping in fear of whatever punishment they might face. The majority were, however, those who neither witnessed the massacre nor been to the mountain but came back to find everyone dead and missing. They knew that they would be in deep sh*t if they were to return and might as well run away with the money in the tents. Even though the benefits were great, and they could carry out any deed they desired, they were often in danger for the hatred they had garnered. Now that the leaders were all dead and they could not even exin what happened, rather than being interrogated and tortured in a dark room, they might as well change their name and hide away as a rich man. 3,000 men in one night. If the hundred knights that died the other time shook the Xuanji¡¯s Dynasty, this time round, it was crushed to the core. Eldest Princess, who faced these setbacks in session, was thoroughly enraged, kicking one of the leaders who came to report this situation to death. She removed the head of the Amethyst Cape Knights and gave the new leader an ultimatum¡ªeither offering the enemy¡¯s head or his own head. She was initially staying in a vi near the headquarters, but after these setbacks, she rushed down to Shang Feng Mansion in the southern borders. Shang Feng was a route mandatory to pass through if one wanted to enter the north. Tens of thousands of knights were ced on Shang Feng as wanted posters were stuck to walls on viges hundred miles along Shang Feng. The knights were determined to stop and kill their enemies at Shang Feng. But till today, there was no one who had a clear view of the perpetrator. Back then, Magistrate Xian and Li Zheng were both survivors but that Li Zheng, who brought the Amethyst Cape Knights in, in the face of Meng Fuyao¡¯s massacre, was literally frightened to death. The rest tried their best to recall, but all they remembered was that that person had ¡°red eyes, gleaming de and lots of blood.¡± Once they gave such vague statement, they experienced the ps from the Amethyst Cape Knights. With such useless witnesses, it made it all the harder to search for them; they couldn¡¯t even put together a wanted poster with the information they had. Eldest Princess ordered the various officials to prohibit their civilians from exiting or entering as they wished. When entering the city, there needed to be a rmendation letter, a passport, and a stamp detailing the date of exit or entrance. Those who needed to exit or enter the city every day were required to register with the officials. The wanted criminal, whose face was put together based on the vague witness statement, was pasted on walls along the city gates. The colors on this portrait were bold and exquisite, bearing stark resemnce to Zhong Kui 1 , especially with those bright, blood-red eyes. Xuanji, Tiancheng, Day 3, Month 3, Year 30. The day of the ¡®Aurora Spring¡¯ gatherings. ¡®Aurora Spring,¡¯ held every third day of the third month, was one of the most important festivals to the civilians of Xuanji. To them, it symbolized the beginning of spring and the happiness that it brought about. Residents living in a hundred miles from the city would all rush over to Shang Feng and disy their most exquisite handiwork, the most intricate tools, and magnificent performances. Xuanji was renowned for its intricate works which the handicrafts being a big contributor to the country¡¯s economy and with this ¡®Aurora Spring¡¯ as a tform forpetition, the crafter who won this would be known as the king of this industry and never have to worry about money again. And for thedies who produced the most beautiful embroidery, their value would be appreciated, and families would rush to ask their hand for marriage. This day, the city gates were flooded with people, with the queue spanning over a few kilometers. The guards were all swamped with checking and granting ess to the civilians. Seeing the only increasing queue trend, the guards were frustrated, and they eased up on their security. An experienced aide led the couple of guards at the city gates. With beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, he hollered, ¡°Hey, queue up! Queue up! Stop pushing and get back! Hey, hey, get back! I¡¯m talking about you!¡± In their awfully busy state, they suddenly noticed a willowydy with half her face covered, making her way over gracefully. Beside her were her inws and husband, carrying the stuff they needed to set up a store on his shoulders. Thatdy was beautiful with dark, almond eyes that captivated those who saw. As those eyes blinked, the young guards felt their hearts thump against their chest. Even so, the guard dared not slight her and quickly received the documents that thedy handed him. All the required documents were there, but suddenly, he felt that there was something odd about the material of the documents. Just as he was about to bring it up, thatdy leaned in and smiled seductively. ¡°Sire¡­¡± The love knot tied to her fan gently brushed against his hand. That silky touch made the guard nk out, forgetting what he wanted to say. Thatdy winked, and as she took back the documents, her nails gently scratched against his palm. With a teasing expression and yful tone, she asked, ¡°Sir, can we go in and get our stamp?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The soul of the guard was seduced away as he stared nkly at thedy. He smiled dumbly as she left,pletely forgetting about any oddities he had vaguely noticed. The person in charge of the stamping was the experienced aide¡ªa responsible gentleman. Every piece of document would be thoroughly scrutinized before passing. That scent of thatdy wafted over as she made her way over and handed the documents over. An ¡°mhm?¡± escaped from the experienced aide¡¯s as he touched the documents. But coincidentally, as if she was run into by someone, thedy slipped and her silk fannded in front of him. The aide¡¯s eyes lit up. Such remarkable embroidery! A beautifuldy in in clothes, leaning by the window frame as she admired the moon sorrowfully. The embroidery that was of a palm-size took into ount every detail, producing a vivid, lifelike embroidery. It was as though one could feel the flowy dress swaying in the breeze and that serene, sorrowful night seemed to unfold itself in front of his eyes. There was a line of words sewed on beside the scenery. While the aide was not very literate, he could tell that the unique words were nothing ordinary,plementing the beauty in the scene. Even in Xuanji, such a masterpiece was hard toe by¡­ With such a thing appearing on the ¡®Aurora Spring,¡¯ how many people would go crazy over it? The aide¡¯s heart began to thump as he was reminded of his troubles¡ª his daughter was already 18 years of age. Yet, due to her ugly looks, she remained unmarried. Despite his attempts, he could not find a husband for her. Now, with this, he wouldn¡¯t have to fret over it anymore, would he? His eyes glued onto the fan. Thedy whispered sweetly andughed, ¡°Ah, it got dirty.¡± She sent the fan into his hands, and the aide subconsciously tightened his grip around it. With this, he no longer had the time or attention to vocalize his suspicions. With a gentle push from thatdy, the guard beside the aide stamped the documents and let them pass. Chapter 302 - Untitled Chapter 302: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The few made their way across leisurely and smiled. That mother-inw chuckled. ¡°Thy beauty stuns even the ol¡¯ aide.¡± Bashfully, thatdy stabbed her long finger into her ¡°mother inw¡¯s¡± forehead. ¡°Wipe that smirk off your darn face!¡± The ¡°husband¡± jumped in and rolled his eye. In a soft, harsh tone, he muttered, ¡°Rabbit!¡± ¡°Is it easy for me, huh?!¡± That dy Zhong¡± grumbled bitterly. ¡°The real woman refuses to dress up and made me, a real man, put on makeup and even sacrifice my cherished Lady Yun¡¯s embroidery! And yet! Yet, none of you are grateful!¡± ¡°Fine, fine. You did great. A natural-born talent in acting with unlimited seductive vibes emitting from you.¡± Meng Fuyao nestled over with a smile, admiring her ¡°daughter inw¡¯s¡± acting. The ¡°daughter-inw¡± immediately leaned on Meng Fuya sensually and with his feminine fingers, he gently touched her and whispered, ¡°A good person¡­¡± Suddenly, someone grabbed his cor from the back. The daughter-inw turned back with much displeasure and reprimanded harshly, ¡°Tie Cheng can you stop spoiling the mood every ti-¡± The ¡°father-inw,¡± which was Zhangsun Wuji, stared straight into his eyes with a smile. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s expressions were gentle, but his intentions were clearly written in his eyes: If you continue touching her, I will let Lord Yuan Bao serve you day and night¡­ The daughter-inw retreated and dragged his feet away, dejected. ¡°Abandoned once used, huh¡­¡± The Aurora Spring festivalsted for seven days. Even though the Eldest Princess and the Third Prince ordered that none of the knights were allowed to leave the camp, the Amethyst Cape Knights and some of the high ranking Iron Guards could not help but sneak out, seduced by the bustling streets and excitement in the air and well, to enjoy the festival with the ¡°civilians¡±. Naturally, the civilians they were going to enjoy the festival with weredies. However,pared to thewless Amethyst Cape Knights, the Iron Guards were much better. They usually only engaged with the prostitutes and especially after the deaths of many Amethyst Cape Knights at the Li Family¡¯s ce, they no longer dared to touch civilians. As per usual, the Amethyst Cape Knights and Iron Guards operated in their own territories and always minded their own business. The Eldest Princess and the Third Prince were afraid that the two would fight and would engage in unproductive rivalry. Thus, an order was given for that, and the two parties coexisted in peace. But something went wrong today. ording to tradition, every Aurora Spring, the most popr courtesans from surrounding towns would make their way over to the city and perform their arts in hopes of gaining more recognition and having better deals. It was no different this time round. Beauties arrived, especially the one titled ¡°Sensual Cloud.¡± But what did it mean by sensual cloud? Apparently, after attaining this skill, the body of thisdy would be warm and soft like clouds and for the man who woulde into contact with this body, one can only imagine what pleasure, what sensation they would experience! Actually, the desires of the lower half would always supersede the upper body. ying the zither, reciting poems and painting were but secondary. When it came to the real charm, these skills could not hold a candle to Sensual Cloud. And so, the skilled courtesans in the city paled inparison and could only watch on as everyone showered their attention on Sensual Cloud. This time round, Sensual Cloud chose a vastly different ce to entertain her customers inparison to the normal courtesan. She chose to be located Qixing River inside the city, one of the most renowned rivers in the city. Normally, there would be a couple of courtesans in boats, waiting for customers, and Sensual Cloud decided to do the same and chose this river. Derailing from her usual choice of avishly adorned boat, she instead opted for a small boat with rednterns. And so, on the calm, beautiful water, she driftedfortably, stirring up their customers with not just her beauty, but this feeling of serenity. Music yed on cheerily as countless of men waited impatiently on the shore, waiting for the arrival of that beauty. Apparently, Sensual Cloud was not a normal courtesan that could be bought by any one; She was one with status, ss, and poprity, and their clients must personally be picked by them. ording to thisdy: Even a chicken has personality! A small boat drifted in the midst of everyone¡¯s expectations and stopped ten meters away from the shore. Everyone waited eagerly and anxiously. Amongst this crowd, there was one Amethyst Cape Knight leader and one Iron Guard leader. They gave each other a nce of disgust and turned away. There remained no movement from the small boat. The silence was, to the crowd, a dangling carrot that enticed them, yet remained so out of reach. Just before some exploded in frustration, the redntern suddenly lit up, and ady in simple clothes stood below thentern. A soft, flowy dress that elevated the charm she had. The redntern softened thatdy¡¯s features, shrouding it in obscurity. Even so, her celestial aura peeked through, enticing those who caught a glimpse of her. From the view of the crowd, they only saw her porcin, smooth, pale hand. With her fingers from both hands crossed, her gracefully disposition made her a magnolia 1 that bloomed only during dawn. The corner of her white dress resembled a white lotus, swaying gently to the breeze at the beginning of spring. The most beautiful of all was that beautiful contours. The simple dress and makeup could not hide the allure that came from within. Every curve at absolute perfection, as though a master craftsman personally carved every detail of her. From faraway, her seductive figure took the crowd¡¯s breath away. Really¡­ Sensual Cloud¡­ But thatdy did not utter a word and instead, entered the cabin. The gazes of the crowd could not help but follow her. The atmosphere quietened down, and then, the sound of the pipa resounded in the air. That piece was like a sudden bolt, as the strings rattled, dispersing the hazy clouds that hung over all pain and loss! The sound of each note seemed to call upon the seas and the five continent. They could feel the music in one¡¯s veins, and the music thumped against one¡¯s chest, bringing them the majestic view of the continent, the excitement of soaring high in the sky. All things magical and breathtaking ¨C the sunrise, the mist, the breeze ¨C seemed to one by one unfold itself in front of their eyes. The moon that hung high above the sky as they were transported to the bustling city of a dream. Everyone entered a dreamy state. The masterpiece of a century. Never once did they experience such a fusion between such thrill and serenity in one song. Each twist was natural, linking the song together perfectly. Putting the skills aside, just the fact that this song managed to illustrate three different atmospheres already made it a masterpiece. And how beautiful would the yer of this piece be at the moment? Everyone was intoxicated with their fantasies of the charmingdy and pipa, thinking about her body and curves. A fire burned in them, turning theirst bit of logic into ashes, leaving only that seductive figure in their minds. The song ended, and a maid came out. With a flower on her finger, she smiled. ¡°Great sirs, if I may ask, who would be willing to enjoy the night¡­ with mydy?¡± Herst words in the sentence made the men¡¯s lower half tighten up. Thedy tossed the flower overboard and announced, ¡°Whoever gets this flower, gets the prize.¡± That magnolia floatedfortably down the river. Immediately, ten figures flew up from the shore. The bodies of the men collided into each other. Then, the sound of weapons shing could be heard. Half way through, someone yelled, ¡°What the f*ck are you Iron Guards joining in the fun for?¡± ¡°Ugly ass Amethyst Cape Knights, why can¡¯t Ie when you can!?¡± ¡°This is the southern part of the city! Our territory!¡± ¡°Who ever said that the Qixing river belongs to the southern part?¡± ¡°My ass! Get out!¡± ¡°You get out!¡± There were people continuouslynding in the water. Even in the water, they still continued their brawl. The Amethyst Cape Knights and the Iron Guards had already held a grudge against each other for a very long time. It was due to the orders of the Eldest Princess and the Third Prince that they stopped themselves. Now that they both had strong desires to get thedy and that the Qixing river ran through both the Southern and Northern city. Since they weren¡¯t breaking any rules, they decided that they were just going to beat the other party up! They continued to fight with one another even as they got onto the shore. They were both respected leaders in their army that hated each other. Furthermore, with such a prettydy as a prize, how could they let go of this chance? If they let go of this chance, they would lose face! Their martial arts were on equal levels. The Amethyst Cape Knight leader rushed over to snatch the flower first, and the Iron Guard leader quickly followed suit. Exchanging a few moves, the two got the flower in their hands. Half each. The Amethyst Cape Knights yelled anxiously, ¡°My half isrger! Me!¡± That boat drifted towards the north a little. Looking at the position of the boat andparing it to the boundary given by the Third Prince, the Iron Guard eximed excitedly, ¡°Now the boat is in the North! Me!¡± Just as he finished his sentence, that boat floated back towards the south. The Iron Guard¡¯s im made the Amethyst Cape Knight enraged as he sted away. ¡°You shameless, blind piece of sh*t!¡± ¡°Assh*le! It was in my territory just now!¡± ¡°You are looking for death, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You muddle-headed fool!¡± ¡°I will kill you right now!¡± ¡°Next year, at this date, it will be your death anniversary!¡± Ping! Bam! ¡°Murder-¡± With the exception of the fighting guard and knight, the rest of the civilians had already fled the scene. The boat swayed and rowed away. Of course, those barbaric killers were unable to notice, and even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up. In the boat, thedy smiled as she served wine to the man sitting opposite her. ¡°Your pipa skills enticed me.¡± That man leaned back against the pillow as his long fingers teased the strings. In the dimly lit room, his skin was smooth like jade. He looked up with a smile, gracefully, and seductively. Chapter 303 - Untitled Chapter 303: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°This is a song written for you, called ¡°Phoenix Dance of Fuyao.¡± I finally had the chance to y it today.¡± He smiled as he plucked the zither strings. The melody was sharp and clear as if reflecting his feelings. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll y it for you every day of my life.¡± On the third day, third month, the thirtieth year of Tiancheng, Xuanji, the two pirs of Xuanji, the Amethyst Cape Knights and the Iron Guard disregarded their superiors and began to fight each other, the generals from both sides dying or suffering grave injuries, both armies taking heavy damage. Some of them died directly in Qixing River, their bodies floating up several dayster. This conflict resulted in several days of chaos, and 10,000 people were embroiled in the civil war, creating a massive mess. The Eldest Imperial Princess and Third Prince were busy resolving the conflict between their subordinates and were absolutely exhausted; hence, they didn¡¯t care about ying their petty assassination games. Hence, a certain group of people snuck out of the city and left the mess for the royal family to resolve, and happily went on their way, moving out at night. On the tenth day of the third month, a messenger hurriedly sent an urgent memo to the Ministry of Rites; causing the ministry to move in a frenzy. ¡°Crown Prince Wuji and King Meng of Dahan have suddenly appeared, they are arriving at the capital with a troop of 3,000 men, please receive!¡± On the tenth day of the third month, the ¡°missing¡± Crown Prince of Wuji and King Meng of Dahan finally appeared in public on Xuanji. It was said that the reappearance of these two people who had mysteriously disappeared was even more mysterious; the little watchguard at the Jingjiao Watch Station had just woken up from his sleep when he saw a person covered in dirt stumble in, acting as if the ce was his home and grabbing whatever he found on the table and began to eat and drink to his heart¡¯s content. The little watchguard was shocked motionless by the person¡¯s actions, and upon closer inspection, he confirmed that the person as not one of the aristocrats from the capital. Although his position was low, the Jingjiao Watch Station was located in a special ce, and the guests it saw were always aristocrats, even the Emperor himself would pass through often. Hence, the little watchguard gathered his courage and shouted, ¡°Who are you, how dare you trespass the Jingjiao Watch Station of Xuanji!¡± However, the person simply threw a fruit pit at him and red, shouting even louder than him, ¡°Who¡¯s that on the bed? How dare you raise your voice at me?¡± The little watchguard was stunned again by the person¡¯s exmation, his upational hazard acting up again as he thought hard to recall if he had missed out on any nobleman. This person¡¯s behavior was even more pompous than the Twelfth Prince, Feng Jingsong, and based on many years of experience, one¡¯s behavior often determined one¡¯s position. ¡°Dare I ask who you are?¡± the little watchguard asked carefully. ¡°A missing person!¡± The person waved his hand nonchntly. When the little watchguard finally found out who this pompous person was, he immediately wrote a letter with trembling fingers and sent it to the Ministry of Rites. The infamous great King Meng had suddenly appeared in his bedroom without letting him even change out of his sleeping gown as he wrote the message, even writing on the letter himself: ¡®Ministry of Rites! How disrespectful! How dare you not personally wee me? This King is very angry, this is too much!¡¯ The little watchguard immediately dispatched the letter. Once the 3,000-strong army heard that Meng Fuyao had finally arrived, they immediately left the city to receive her. Upon seeing them, Meng Fuyao happily waved at them and said, ¡°Tomorrow, I want all of you to change your robes, wear red! Best if you have new boots! We must shine brighter than the most dazzling gemstone! I¡¯m done with keeping a low profile! From now on, I want to be high profile!¡± Upon hearing that King Meng insisted on being high profile, Xuanji¡¯s ministers did not know what to feel about it. The good news was, the officials from Dahan and Wuji would no longer pester them incessantly over the disappearance of their king and crown prince; moreover, the Dahan officials kept discussing over tea, whether Xuanji¡¯s borders should be reduced further south? Since the nations surrounding Xuanji were already unified by Dahan, why not erase Xuanji from the mappletely? The Wuji officials were also in agreement of Dahan¡¯s view, raising their desire to unify the nation under the leadership of their Crown Prince and their allies¡ªthe Xuanji officials had suffered a full month of such terrifying talks, and as of now, they were finally free. However, the bad news was, the one arriving was not arriving in good faith; the few officials from Dahan and Wuji were already horrible, what else was in store now that the leaders were here? How would the infamous King Meng react? Even if they didn¡¯t use their brains, they could already tell that King Meng, who had been ¡°ambushed and disappeared, suffering tremendously to escape and finally arrive,¡± would definitely not let the matter rest. As such, the Prime Minister of Xuanji especially entered the imperial pce to seek advice from His Majesty on how to deal with her; once Meng Fuyao raised the incident about being ambushed, how should they respond? Ever since the Xuanji Emperor had fallen ill, he had not attended the imperial court for a long time, permanently resting in the Longquan Pce. The Prime Minister could only greet him separated by a screen, the faint smell of medicine drifting in the air and the quivering silhouette of His Majesty the only indication of his illness. After kneeling for almost half a day, he finally gained a response from behind the screen. The faint sound ofbored breathing punctuated the silence, and there was a faint scuffle behind before a eunuch popped out from behind the screen and ryed the message, ¡°Wee with a feast, ede to their requests.¡± After receiving these eight words, the Prime Minister felt even more anxious. ¡°ede to their requests?¡± Was His Majesty not aware of how shameless the other party was? What if she wanted Xuanji topensate with three cities, should they ede to her request then? The Prime Minister immediately regretteding to seek advice; if he had known earlier, he wouldn¡¯t havee. His Majesty was clearly stricken by his illness. After cradling the memo carefully in his bosom, he retreated from the pce. Even if he wanted to ignore thest four words, he still had to obey the first four; hence, the Prime Minister specially invited the two highest-ranking members of the royal family, Second Prince and Tenth Princess, to receive her¡ªof these two, one was the eldest son of Consort Rong, the other was the eldest daughter of the Empress. Adding on the officials who were of the third rank and above, it should suffice. After getting busy for a whole night, the next morning, the city gates opened wide and the prince and princess, along with several hundred officials, headed ten miles out of the city to receive King Meng. A huge assembly of people donning colorful robes stood in front of the city, their banners fluttering in the wind. However, after a long time, there was still nobody in sight. The sun beat down on the officials as sweat dripped down their necks, shining like fish scales. Apart from the two royal members who were on horses, the rest hade on foot and were all officials of the third rank and above. Having been used to a sheltered lifestyle, how could they bear to stand for so long? And under the sun, no less? After waiting for a long time, they sent a messenger to the watch station only for him toe back and ry, ¡°They are brushing their teeth.¡± After the time taken to brush one¡¯s teeth a hundred times, the messenger was sent again. This time, he ryed, ¡°I¡¯m masking.¡± Masking? Mask? After a while, the messenger left and returned again, rying, ¡°I¡¯m washing my face.¡± Washing his face while wearing a mask? After the time taken to wash one¡¯s face a thousand times, and then some, the messenger ryed, ¡°I haven¡¯t washed off the cleansing milk yet, this step is very important, there will be serious consequences if it¡¯s not washed off properly.¡± The officials stared at each other in confusion¡ªCleansing milk? Was that some kind of high-grade medicine? After waiting a while longer, they invited her again, only to have the messenger ry, ¡°Hang on, I¡¯m waiting for my toner to dry.¡± Toner? After the toner dried, pearl essence had to be applied, and after it was applied, sunblock lotion had to be applied, and the messenger had returned with a broken leg as he asked, ¡°The king said, his sunblock lotion wasn¡¯t SPF 50, he¡¯s afraid of getting tanned, is there any SPF 50 sunblock in the city?¡± The young Tenth Princess threw the whip aside and shouted, ¡°What are you talking about! How arrogant!¡± The Second Prince smiled bitterly. After all, he was older and more mature. Turning to the Minister of Rites, he said, ¡°Go and tell King Meng, it¡¯s almost noon and the sun will be even hotter, wouldn¡¯t he be caught under the sun?¡± This line seemed to have worked; at least the official didn¡¯te back crawling like a dying dog. After a while, an orderly line of soldiers d in armor appeared at the end of the road. An extremely grand and eye-catching army of red began marching towards the city. An army of red! Fully decked in red robes with gold trimming! Their sabers polished until they reflected the sky! Their boots were shinier than jewels! The calvary in an orderly line! 3,000 soldiers, every one of them handsome, cold, fierce. They carried the aura of a war-ready and bloodthirsty battalion! And behind the guards, were two casually dressed individuals. When the Xuanji officials looked up at them, they all lost their voices. On the white horse sat a man in lc robes with silver embroidery, his hair tied up in a white jade hairpiece and purple and gold ribbons. The lower half of his face was covered with a silver mask, but his appearance was virtuous, and he looked extremely regal. His eyes were deeply mesmerizing, and when one looked at it, one couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking, yet it was captivating and soul-provoking. Sitting on the ck horse next to him was a young man in white robes, simple and clean. Faint purple embroidery decorated his cor and sleeves, and his hair was pulled back in an ornate jade hairpiece. His entire appearance was elegant and simple, yet his aura was formidable, especially his pair of bright, shining eyes that seemed to sparkle brighter than the sun and seemed to miss nothing. They were clearly looking at two men, yet at that moment, everyone¡¯s hearts thought, ¡®What a pair of celestial beauties!¡¯ King Meng of Dahan was known throughout the world, and although they had yet to see his face, based on the shape of his eyes alone, they could tell that he was definitely a beauty, except¡­ It was rather different from what they had heard in rumors! Such a shameless and arrogant person actually looked so elegant and virtuous! It was truly ironic! The Xuanji officials were still cursing internally over the unjustness of such a development as the music began to y and they all bowed down respectfully. ¡°We wee the Crown Prince of Wuji and King Meng of Dahan!¡± Meng Fuyao watched them from her horse, not in a hurry to get down. She raised her whip above her head and sighed. ¡°Sitting on a horse is still morefortable, poor me had not had a single horse or carriage the past half month!¡± The moment she spoke, everyone sighed a breath of relief¡ªIndeed! The moment she opened her mouth, they knew that she was definitely King Meng of Dahan! Chapter 304 - Untitled Chapter 304: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The Second Prince smiled bitterly and dismounted, then dragged a ck-faced Tenth Princess off her horse. On the other side, Zhangsun Wuji had dismounted as well, then pulled Meng Fuyao off her horse as well. Upon touching the ground, King Meng squatted down and started wailing, ¡°My legs are swollen from running, they¡¯ve already gone numb, I can¡¯t stand up, aiyo¡­¡± Meng Fuyao rubbed her legs and raised her head to look at an official who looked extremely sheepish. Sighing, she said, ¡°You, Xuanji, must cure this¡­¡± She shook her head, and everyone present rolled their eyes and face-palmed. However, King Meng wasn¡¯t done. She sighed again and continued, ¡°The people of Xuanji have questionable morals¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s faces fell as she pouted without continuing her sentence. However, her expression was even more tortuous than listening to her. King Meng seemed to be oblivious to other people¡¯s feelings as she continued to be engrossed in her monologue, ¡°You¡­¡± The Second Prince suddenly interrupted and said, ¡°Since King Meng is unable to walk, then please return to your horse.¡± Meng Fuyao seemed not to have heard him as she continued, ¡°¡­ King Meng has been chased by murderers and robbed, I am currently in post-trauma stress, and both of my legs have gone soft. I¡¯ll have to apologize for myck of respect, I¡¯ll be squatting here, if it doesn¡¯t obstruct you, you guys go ahead, go ahead.¡± All of the Xuanji officials looked up at the sky in disbelief¡­ ¡®With you like this, how are we to continue?¡¯ Only the honorable and calm Crown Prince Zhangsun seemed not to mind at all, pulling the Second Prince and Tenth Princess along as theypleted the ceremonial greeting,pletely apathetic to King Meng who was still squatting on the ground. However, the Tenth Princess had not managed to reach Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s level of apathy, and after every few sentences, she would nce at Meng Fuyao ufortably. If Meng Fuyao simply squatted there and kept quiet, it would have been easier, but even when squatting, she refused to remain quiet. She suddenly raised her head to face Xuanji¡¯s Prime Minister and said a few lines. Her mouth was moving, yet no sound came out. The Prime Minister couldn¡¯t hear her clearly and nced at her questioningly. Meng Fuyao ¡°said¡± a few lines again, and the Prime Minister could not stand it any longer, hurrying towards her and bowing slightly as he asked, ¡°Dare I ask what requests the King of Han has?¡± However, Meng Fuyao cupped her hands around her ears and said loudly, ¡°Ah? What are you saying? Ah? I can¡¯t hear you.¡± The Prime Minister¡¯s mouth twitched again as he bent down a notch lower and repeated his words in a louder volume, but Meng Fuyao still tilted her head and asked, ¡°Ah?¡± All the officials looked sympathetically at their Prime Minister, who was by now nearly kissing the floor, recalling that he seemed to have a back problem? Tsk tsk, they had heard that whoever offended King Meng would receive tenfold in revenge, and the higher the position, the more she liked to go against them, sigh¡­ The Prime Minister¡¯s role was indeed not something anyone could take on. ¡°I¡¯ll say, your position is way too prestigious,¡± Meng Fuyao finally said after ¡°listening¡± for half a day. She raised her head and smiled. ¡°However, I¡¯m a guest, so how could you look down on me while speaking? Is Xuanji used to speaking down to diplomatsing to discuss international affairs?¡± Such a heavy usation seemed too much for the Prime Minister to bear. Hence, under the stares of everyone around, the number one most respected Prime Minister of Xuanji grimaced and squatted down carefully and faced Meng Fuyao, waiting for her to speak. The two of them squatted facing each other, extremely quiet. Half an hour passed by as the two of them stared at each other in silence. Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± Prime Minister: ¡°¡­¡± After staring at each other for a long time, the Prime Minister couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and asked, ¡°Does King Meng have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him, ¡°Didn¡¯t youe here to speak on your own ord? Why aren¡¯t you speaking anymore?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Prime Minister¡¯s face flushed red as he exined, ¡°King Meng, you were the one who wanted to tell me something, that¡¯s why I¡­¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Meng Fuyao looked surprised and innocently raised her hands in front of her, ¡°I didn¡¯t make a single sound, since when did I speak to you?¡± Thud. Xuanji¡¯s treasured Prime Minister¡­ fainted. After standing under the sun for half a day, bending his back and squatting for half a day, then getting embarrassed so viciously, the Prime Minister couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Anyone who was human wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it. The Xuanji officials rushed over and immediately carried the Prime Minister away, not daring to stay in front of Meng Fuyao a second longer. They were deathly afraid of her opening her mouth and making them squat with her. However, Meng Fuyao casually stood up and nced in the direction where the Prime Minister was being carried away and said regretfully, ¡°Aiya, I wanted to have a good conversation with the Prime Minister, if the conversation went well, I would have written off everything that we have suffered on the way here out of goodwill, but now it seems¡­ Tsk tsk, there¡¯s no sincerity at all.¡± The Xuanji officials copsed for the third time¡­ However, Meng Fuyao simply shook her head ignorantly and returned to her horse. Suddenly, her legs were no longer aching, her neck no longer sore, and even her movements became swift and light. When she was still several meters away from her horse, she gracefully leaped onto it, even giving a beautiful pose in midair. When the Xuanji officials saw it, their faces darkened. The fourth blow¡­ Truly¡­ shameless to no end. The extravagant procession was precisely topensate them for the ¡°attacks¡± they had ¡°suffered¡± during their ¡°disappearance,¡± and the Xuanji officials had intended to make them feel guilty under their warm and generous hospitality. Unfortunately, before any of their ns could take action, the other party had not given them even a chance to speak before shutting them downpletely. Putting on airs and refusing to let matters rest, Meng Fuyao andpany were clearly deliberately making things difficult for Xuanji. It was truly life¡¯s greatest tragedy to have someone that was as shameless yet politically powerful as Meng Fuyao. It soon became clear that one could offend anyone under the heavens except Meng Fuyao. She was the only person within the Five Regions Continent to have personal and close rtionships with three major countries, even ying a part in resolving the civil conflicts within the three countries and oversee the recement of a new reign. Offending her could very well mean challenging Wuji, Dahan, and Xuanyuan¡ªsuch a consequence was too heavy to bear. The Xuanji officials retreated several meters away, leaving this incredulous person to the Prince and Princess to deal with. The Second Prince forced a smile and said, ¡°The sun is strong, why do we have to stand under the sun¡­ May Your Highness the Crown Prince and King Meng enter the city, we¡¯ve already prepared a feast for you at Ning Xi Pavilion in the pce, may the two of you¡­¡± ¡°Are the dishes prepared by a lukewarm fire fit for human consumption?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s response made the Xuanji representatives¡¯ faces contort. They had yet to think of how to reply to ber disrespectful and remark when she continued, ¡°It is only fit for the emperor.¡± Some people lived to torture others¡­ Finally, King Meng insisted on rejecting the feast, iming it to be ¡°pretty but not that fantastic and that I have to keep toasting and it¡¯s just a ything created by nobles it¡¯s not something that suits Crown Prince Wuji¡¯s taste and Dahan¡¯s King Meng¡¯smoner background.¡± After listening to her speech, they began breathing heavily as they racked their brains for a solution when the Second Prince asked courteously, ¡°Then, the two of you intend to¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly and nced at Meng Fuyao. ¡°Ask King Meng,¡± he said. The officials secretly rolled their eyes. ¡®The entire world knows that you only have eyes for King Meng, pleasing him is equivalent to pleasing you, perhaps even better than pleasing you directly, asking you was but an act of courtesy.¡¯ King Meng pped the table and began. ¡°I came from a humble beginning¡­¡± The officials lowered their eyes. ¡®We know, the way you speak is way toomon¡­¡¯ ¡°I like wok-fried dishes¡­¡± The officials began thinking, ¡®XX street or XX alley seemed to have such a restaurant, but was itrge enough to fit so many people?¡¯ ¡°¡­ I miss my mother¡¯s gyoza the most¡­¡± Gyoza? What kind of thing was that? ¡°Steamed on top and fried at the bottom, filled with vegetables, once the vegetables are cooked the gyoza is ready, the steamed part is soft and juicy, the fried part crispy, filled with the vor of vegetables¡­ Ahh, truly unparalleled!¡± ¡­ How can something be steamed and fried at the same time? And, was it flour or vegetables? ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Meng Fuyao pped her hands and mounted her horse, suddenly casting a smile. ¡°Could it be possible that this treasured nation, which ims to have the most talented individuals, not know how to make amon dish like gyoza?¡± ¡°Ah, no, no, we¡¯ll make it immediately, make it immediately!¡± Meng Fuyao sat on her horse and watched as the little messenger scurried away under the gaze of his superior, probably to search the entire city for ¡°Gyoza¡±. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled. Beside her, Zhangsun Wuji asked softly, ¡°What kind of thing is that?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know either,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll make some for you next time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a promise,¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled, ¡°However, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know when we can finally eat something today.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already eaten before going out today,¡± Meng Fuyao said heartlessly as she nced at the starving Xuanji officials who had yet to eat anything. ¡°After leaving the worst possible first impression, there will be less of them trying to curry favorter on.¡± Since the two of them didn¡¯t know when they could eat dinner that night, they decided to retire into their sleeping quarters first. Meng Fuyao nced at the ck-faced Tenth Princess who had excused herself and shook her head. ¡°Trouble in the making,¡± she remarked. Then, she nced at the Second Prince, who had been trying to ede to all her requests, and shook her head again. ¡°Not an easy person.¡± Then she wondered aloud, ¡°Who is the queen exactly? We can¡¯t even see her shadow, could she really be an old acquaintance of ours?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and said, ¡°Come what may, when the queen arrives, King Meng will beat her up as always.¡± Meng Fuyao snorted and suddenly raised her head to look at the moon. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t that imposter not appeared yet? Is he waiting in Tong City?¡± she said. Ji Yu appeared beside her as she asked, ¡°Where is the chef that I asked you guys to receive, Hua Yan, now?¡± ¡°After we entered Tong City, some of us stayed in the inns, the rest stayed outside the city. After that, Mister Zong¡¯s Virtuous Guild found us and relocated us to a secret assembly point,¡± Ji Yu was still morefortable with using Zong Yue¡¯s old title, ¡°The two of them are now in a manor at Sweet Water Alley.¡± ¡°Change locations,¡± Meng Fuyao said, ¡°I asked earlier, the queen¡¯s coronation will happen on the sixth day of the fourth month, that date is an auspicious date, choosing that day means that the coronation is extremely urgent and important. In other words, all activity leading up to it will be under heavy surveince. The Crown Prince and I will be under close scrutiny, and I expect it to be extremely difficult for us to say or do anything. Even if I put on airs and make them not dare to ask anything, they will definitely watch me from the shadows or find ways to follow me. Hence, I want all of you to assemble and find a way to mix the two of them among yourselves and bring them here.¡± Chapter 305 - Untitled Chapter 305: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios After Ji Yu acknowledged her orders, Meng Fuyao added, ¡°From now until the coronation ceremony, this part of Xuanji belongs to me, even if it isn¡¯t mine before it¡¯s mine now, you guys had better guard it well. Even if the Emperor of Xuanji wants to enter, if I didn¡¯t give permission, you still kill!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled humorlessly and entered the hall to continue drinking tea with the Second Prince and the officials from the Ministry of Rites. However, the tea that they drank was a strong tea, and the Xuanji representatives who had not had anything the whole day could feel the fiery tea burn their eyes and emit blue light. Only when night fell did a messenger finally arrive to say, ¡°We¡¯ve set up four tables at the West Wind Parlour, may the honored guests head over.¡± All of the Xuanji officials rejoiced, their faces filled with relief as they invited King Meng. However, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°Let me change first.¡± After spending almost half a period to change, Meng Fuyao finally emerged and sauntered towards the West Wind Parlour. Behind the West Wind Parlour was a little building meant for the eunuchs serving the royal family to use. From t Except¡­ Every table was notden with beautiful delicacies, but instead a huge ck pot. Within the pot were pancakes, the top steamed and the bottom fried. Hot steam emerged from the mouth of the pot, and the aroma was enticing, but to see such a dish at such a noble event was rather unfitting. The servants wanted tough but couldn¡¯tugh, the officials looking extremely awkward, unsure what to do or say. However, someone stood up, giggling, as she raised a hand in invitation. ¡°Please excuse our simple dishes and inferior wines, Crown Prince please, King Meng please.¡± The girl was elegant and slender, dressed in a pale green pce robe decorated with jade green embroidery and emerald pearls. Her eyes shone with courtesy, and under the chandelier, they sparkled like a fountain. Her features were not impressive, far inferior to Meng Fuyao, but her expression was kind and honest, her eyes straightforward. Meng Fuyao looked at her, feeling that her demeanor was rather likable. Based on her words, she was probably one of the princesses of Xuanji as well? That was rare, although she didn¡¯t inherit any of the good looks characteristic of the princesses of Xuanji, she did have the good character that those shallow princes and princessescked, and she felt her hatred for the Xuanji royal family diminish slightly. ¡°Ninth Sister, why have youe?¡± the Second Prince suddenly asked. ¡°I heard that Tenth Sister was not feeling well and left earlier,¡± The girl smiled, ¡°I just thought that as a fellow woman, King Meng should have some female apaniment, or else it would be seen as ack of respect on Xuanji¡¯s part. Hence, I decided toe here, uninvited.¡± shing another smile, she raised a cup at Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao, then downed it. ¡°Given everything that¡¯s happened, may Your Highness and King Meng forgive us, let me down these three cups as punishment.¡± Indeed, she downed three cups in session, her expression unchanged as she put down the wine cup. Clearly, she was a drinker and adding on to her frank behavior, the earlier awkwardness was washed away as she reacted so naturally, casually, carefully, not embarrassing Xuanji nor losing an ounce of respect towards Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao. Upon looking at this turn of events, Meng Fuyao began to respect this princess, digging into her memory for any information on the other party. Xuanji¡¯s Ninth Princess, Feng Danning, the youngest daughter of Consort Rong. She was a learned and courteous individual, known as the Number One Female Prodigy in Dan City. The title of Female Prodigy had always been a prestigious title referring to those who spent their whole lives either studying or with their noses pointed up reciting poems¡­ Meng Fuyao did not feel averse to Female Prodigies¡­ Using her way of speaking, they were: Nerds! Hence, she had not taken the Ninth Princess¡¯ information seriously, but since she was a perceptive individual, her interest in the princess began to grow. ¡®Does she have a im to the throne as well? Based on talent, she is definitely suited.¡¯ With the Ninth Princess joining the banquet, the entire atmosphere warmed considerably. This royal princess was courteous and smart, learned in all cultures and histories, and the entire banquet soon fell into her rhythm. The Xuanji officials, who had been terrified by Meng Fuyao, were also rescued from their nightmare. After three rounds of wine, Feng Danning smiled and pulled out a pale golden scroll. ¡°The Crown Prince and King Meng havee from afar, Xuanji does not dare to neglect you and has specially prepared an itinerary for the two of you during your stay here. Rest assured that we will spare no expense on service during your journey.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at the scroll; the next day, they would visit Dan City¡¯s Feni Mountain, the day after they would visit Yuchi Lake, then Taiyou View the day after, and the thousand-year-old Wanxian Temple¡­ The entire half month was filled with traveling, all the way until the fifth day of the fourth month. Upon looking at the itinerary¡¯s locations, tsk tsk, they seemed to be all remote areas? Upon looking at the apanying staff, tsk tsk, how did it look like sightseeing excursion? It sounded more like an assassination in the works. A clearly absurd arrangement, since when were there high-ranking representatives who visited a country without paying a visit to the Emperor? Upon looking at the stamp at the bottom of the list, Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed; Xuanji¡¯s symbol was the Phoenix. Hence, there should be a phoenix on the stamp, yet this was a picture of a mountain scenery with the words ¡°Master of Ming Pavilion.¡± It was obvious that it was a personal stamp. ¡°Your Highness¡¯ personal stamp is rather unique,¡± Meng Fuyao pointed at the stamp and smiled, ¡°Master of Ming Pavilion, is that your title?¡± Feng Danning¡¯s eyes shed, and there was a fleeting moment of unease in her eyes before she replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Meng Fuyao raised an eyebrow as Feng Danning continued, ¡°It was sent out by the inner court, we¡¯ve never seen this stamp before, but it contains His Majesty¡¯s personal handwriting.¡± She moved closer and proceeded to point at ¡°His Majesty¡¯s personal handwriting¡± for Meng Fuyao, her jade-like finger traveling over the pale golden scroll, notnding at the bottom of the list, but instead pointing at the word between ¡°Feni Mountain¡±, ¡°Yuchi Lake¡±, ¡°Taiyou View¡± and ¡°Wanxian Mountain¡±. Meng Fuyao squinted her eyes, Zhangsun Wuji tilted his head, and the two of them chuckled unanimously, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Feng Danning curtsied and retreated. They carried on eating the gyoza, the sound of merriment filling the air as the officials began to appreciate the vor of the gyozas, which tasted even better with wine, and the more they ate, the more theyughed. Meng Fuyao drank her winezily, a slight smile gracing her lips. ¡°Lai, Chi, You, Xian.¡± ¡°Lai ci you xian.¡± (The second word of the names of the locations mentioned earlier form a simr pronunciation to the Chinese phrase for ¡°Coming here is dangerous.¡±) Feng Danning actually thought of using assonance to warn her discreetly. However, she wasn¡¯t a pig, how would she not be aware thating here was dangerous? Feng Danning naturally knew that they were aware as well. Hence, the warning was fake; it was merely the Ninth Princess¡¯s attempt at hinting her alliance. Seems like there were quite a few factions within the Xuanji Royal Court. Meng Fuyao smiled and tapped her fingers on the table. ¡°Your Highnesses, food must be eaten, ces must be visited, and official matters must be discussed as well. I have yet to receive a response on how Xuanji intends to answer for the Crown Prince and I being trapped and ambushed in the North. Who is the culprit? How many are there? Have they been caught? How do you intend to deal with the criminals?¡± After being bombarded with these questions in rapid session, all of the officials quickly put down their chopsticks, and the room quickly fell quiet. The Second Prince looked slightly stunned, his gaze falling upon the easily manipted Prime Minister. He knew that the Prime Minister had gone to meet the Emperor about this matter previously, but he didn¡¯t know what had been discussed. The Prime Minister¡¯s fingers tightened around his chopsticks as he frantically thought of what to say. He would never tell Meng Fuyao directly what His Majesty had said, yet he didn¡¯t know what else to say, and after a long time, he mumbled, ¡°¡­ We¡¯re currently investigating the situation. The entire of Xuanji will definitely give the Crown Prince and King Meng a good answer.¡± Meng Fuyao nibbled on her chopstick and smiled. ¡°How efficient, how efficient.¡± The other Xuanji officials remained silent, acting dumb. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to do much, there¡¯re so many people in the world, finding those few murderers is like finding needles in a haystack, I don¡¯t want to trouble you guys,¡± Meng Fuyao said to the delight of the officials. However, she continued, ¡°As the saying goes, a head for a head, if you beat someone then pay them, the Crown Prince and I could be counted as being beaten by Xuanji. Since our statuses are different, you don¡¯t have topensate us with silver, just cut a few cities for us.¡± The tone in which she spoke was casual and light, yet when the officials heard her, they almost fainted, and after several moments, the Prime Minister stuttered, ¡°¡­ Cut¡­ cut a few cities?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need much,¡± Meng Fuyao chewed on gyoza and raised a hand, ¡°Just this is enough, the Crown Prince will take therger ones, I¡¯ll take the smaller ones.¡± ¡°Five¡­ five cities¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Meng Fuyao smiled, ¡°Just a few days ago, wasn¡¯t Dahan just discussing with you guys about erasing a few cities on the Xuanji map? The discussion should probably be finished by now? If it¡¯s not finished, then my troop of 30,000 men from Chang County and Wuji¡¯s troop of 30,000 stationed at Mianzhou is precisely located on both sides of Dan City, so¡­¡± She formed a scissor-shape with her fingers and mimed cutting the air, smiling sinisterly. ¡°Just like that¡­ Snip!¡± All of the officials jumped in fright as if they had really been cut by her. ¡°This is no small matter, no small matter,¡± the Prime Minister wiped his sweat, ¡°We don¡¯t have the power to make this decision, no power¡­¡± ¡°This is the most pressing issue that I want to settle right now,¡± Meng Fuyao said solemnly. ¡°Before it¡¯s settled, I have no intention to travel around.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Uh¡­¡± The Prime Minister was stumped; he naturally knew that the traveling arrangement was absurd, but what wasn¡¯t absurd at that moment? The Imperial Court was in a mess, and all the officials were uncertain as to who the new leader was going to be. His Majesty had locked himself in the harem and refused toe out, only releasing orders, yet asionally the orders had been contradictory as well. Under such circumstances, although the Prime Minister had been trying hard to hold things up, he was already at his wit¡¯s end. Now that the opposing party was on the offense, what could a mere official like him offer? His head? One look at the itinerary was all it took to understand His Majesty¡¯s intent not to let the Crown Prince and King Meng remain in Dan City to witness the civil unrest. But since he had been so unwilling, why had he invited them in the first ce, creating such a situation now? The Prime Minister¡¯s mind was in a jumble, yet unable to understand what was going on in the secretive Xuanji Pce. He broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to shift the topic. However, Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t have the patience and retrieved a box from beside her. ¡°I have a present from Dahan to personally offer the Emperor of Xuanji, yes¡­ personally! But with the itinerary that you nned for me, it seems like I won¡¯t be able to meet His Majesty, this is¡­¡± Chapter 306 - Untitled Chapter 306: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuayo smiled at the Second Prince and pushed the gift towards him. ¡°Will you receive it?¡± The Second Prince immediately stood up and stepped back. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to, I don¡¯t dare to.¡± Thus, Meng Fuyao pushed the gift towards the Ninth Princess. ¡°How about you?¡± The Ninth Princess stood up and bowed. ¡°I do not dare to overstep my boundaries.¡± Even before Meng Fuyao could pass the gift towards the Prime Minister, the old man had already put his chopsticks down and retreated far away. ¡°Then I have no other choice.¡± Meng Fuyao ced the box down, and she asked for a pen and paper. As she wrote, she recited, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s schedule will be canceled. The Crown Prince and I will enter the pce to meet the Emperor and the Empress, and the robbing incident shall be the main focus of our state-level discussion. This is all.¡± When she walked to the door, she looked back and smiled. ¡°Quickly inform your Emperor to be well-prepared. If not, when I enter the pce, he might not even have his pajamas on yet.¡± Right before nighttime, under the bright crystalmp located in the West Wind Building, many people sat for the wee banquet, which had tumultuous undercurrents. Inside the Xuanji pce, however, the Emperor¡¯s pce was dimly-lit. The dim rays of yellowish light were hidden behindyers of curtains, and they flickered slowly and silently under the hazy night sky. They resembled fireflies waiting to be set free from the bottle, but there was an invisible barrier in front of them. Deep in the pce, there was almost no one at all. Since the Emperor had fallen very ill, it was said that he had been frustrated by hearing chatters. Hence, he had chased his close attendants away. Currently, most matters were personally settled and attended to by the Empress. Behind the curtains, there were sounds of cutlery shing with each other and silhouettes of two people facing each other. From the shape of the silhouettes, one seemed to be lying in bed, while the other person sat and fed the former with a ceramic bowl. It was very quiet, and only the heavy and muffled breaths of the sick could be heard. Momentster, the person who was sitting by the bed set the bowl down heavily on a nearby table. ¡°You¡¯re not willing to eat again! I wasted my efforts in getting the kitchen to take three days to boil this for you!¡± It sounded like a woman who seemed neither young nor old. The person behind the curtain seemed to have said something, and the woman silently listened. She replied with an impatient tone, ¡°You¡¯re indeed worrying about that matter. I said I¡¯m not seeing them!¡± Then, there was another string of muttering. Afterward, she still stood by her stand. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing them! Both of them are bastards! One retracted from Lotus¡¯s marriage unreasonably, while the other embarrassed Lotus in front of everyone else. They even joined forces to harm Lotus! They dare toe to Xuanji? They cane, but they¡¯re not leaving so easily!¡± The person on the bed coughed for a while, and it seemed as though he was a bit angry, as he suddenly raised his voice and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re making that mistake again! What can you do to not let them leave!¡± After that, he coughed violently again. There was a moment of silence before the woman spoke. ¡°You¡¯re so ill right now, so why care about those matters? And why must you wait until April? You can just abdicate your throne too¡­¡± ¡°Xuanji¡¯s throne was always passed down in April. If I go against my ancestors¡¯ traditions, I will be punished by the Heavens. What do you know!?¡± The woman seemed unwilling to back down, and she wanted to retort back. However, when she looked towards the inner part of the pce, she stopped herself. In a cold tone, she made her remarks. ¡°How impressive and authoritative she is to use the so-called robbery as a threat, and even change our court¡¯s proceedings at her own will! And we have to be at her beck and call!¡± Coldly, she stood up and waved her sleeves, sweeping the bowls and chopsticks to the floor, and they smashed into pieces uponing into contact with the golden tiled floor. Her voice was even sharper and colder than the sound of the ceramic shattering. ¡­ ¡°Comrades, we¡¯re now sitting on the same boat, but there are ways out for us.¡± Meng Fuyao drank her tea casually as she looked at Hua Yan and Feng Wu. The two of them had mixed amongst the guards and entered their amodation area. Right now, they stared at each other ufortably as they sat opposite her. ¡°It¡¯s up to the both of you, whether we will fight and survive at least another season, or we will give up and resign to fate.¡± Meng Fuyao crossed one leg over the other and grinned. ¡°So,e, tell me all the inside information that you know, even if it seems insignificant.¡± Though she faced both of them, her eyes were focused only on Hua Yan. It was obvious that the line was targeted at him. Hua Yan hesitated for a few moments, and his expression kept changing, as though he was thinking deeply about a very important and sticky issue. Meng Fuyao chose not to hurry him, and she waited patiently. After a while, Hua Yan seemed to have made up his mind. He slowly stood up, took out a small pouch from his robes, and respectfully held it with both hands. Raising the pouch above his head, he handed the item over to Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji. Meng Fuyao observed his extremely solemn and respectful attitude, and she saw traces of blood on the bright golden pouch, although she did not know whose blood it was. Then, she saw that the pouch was holding something very square, and the shape made her think of something very frightening. Her heart skipped a beat, and she screamed internally. ¡®It cannot be that, right?¡¯ With doubts in her mind, she reached out and opened the pouch. Layers of silk fabric were securely wrapped around the content, and when thest dark-redyer of fabric was removed, a wless and exquisite piece of white jade was revealed. It was a beautiful chop that had a solemn and impressive golden dragon carved on top of it. At the bottom of the chop, there were very obvious words carved on the chop, and the words were ¡®Emperor¡¯s Imperial Seal.¡¯ It was the Jade Seal! That was why the Eleventh Prince had ceaselessly tried to assassinate Hua Yan, even if it meant rming Meng Fuyao! So he was after the Xuanji¡¯s Jade Seal! It was indeed frightening! On the other side, Feng Wu also seemed stunned at the object. She sat on her spot, wriggled her fingers, and rubbed her feet together ufortably. Even her breathing seemed to quicken. The Jade Seal was the noblest emblem of any country, and it symbolized the epitome of the power to kill andmand. Countless people lived and died for it, and went to war for it. Just as how history had turned out in Meng Fuyao¡¯s previous universe, the Jade of the He n or the jade seals that had been passed down through thousand-year dynasties recorded the tumultuous war history that spanned thousands of years. There had been the violent Qin Dynasty, the rising Han Dynasty, the two dissolute Jin Dynasties, the diverse Sixteen Kingdoms of Five non-Han people, and then the impressive Southern Dynasties. One could continue the tour down historyne past the Turkic minorities and the fulfilling Tang Dynasty, before the traces of the jade seals had been lost during the era of the Five Dynasties. After that, there had been no longer evidence which had enough historical significance to prove the presence of the royal powers. As such, one could imagine that if the Xuanji¡¯s Jade Seal fell in the hands of someone with ulterior motives, the scale of sessive troubles would be unimaginable! As Meng Fuyao caressed the smooth and shiny object, she suddenly felt a bit surreal. The seal that belonged to Xuanji¡¯s ruler, and the true treasure of an Emperor, had actually appeared in front of her in such an unexpected manner. However, why would Hua Yan have this? ¡°The Emperor passed me this.¡± Hua Yan seemed to have understood her doubts. In a bitter tone, he added, ¡°Two months ago, the Emperor called for my wife and me to enter the pce. I don¡¯t know what happened inside the pce, but when my wife came back, she looked very frightened. She brought all the soldiers along and asked us to leave the capital with her. Then, we were attacked, and the soldiers that followed us slowly died in the long escape. We were injured as well, and there were many moments when I felt that it was impossible for us to escape. There were countless times that I tried to ask my wife the truth, but she always shook her head and refused to speak as she cried. Finally, when we neared the borders between Dahan and Xuanji, my wife could no longer persevere. Before she passed away, she passed this Jade Seal to me and asked me to head towards Dahan, where yournd is.¡± ¡°What else did she say?¡± ¡°She said that this object must not be easily given away. If you save me and agree to help us take revenge, we will pass the Jade Seal to you for you to return it back to our Emperor in Xuanji. Our Emperor will then give you his rewards.¡± ¡°How strange,¡± Meng Fuyao said as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is your Emperor bored to death? Why would he let your wife go out of the pce with such a treasure, tour one round in the wilderness while narrowly passing by death, harm so many other lives, and then let me send it back? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­¡± Hua Yan shook his head. ¡°I also can¡¯t understand¡­ Maybe the source of this seal is unclear. But no matter what, my wife has already died, and we can only ask HIs Majesty now. You¡¯re entering the pce tomorrow, so please think of ways to pass this back to His Majesty.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him yourself? Or even try to use this Jade Seal to take the throne?¡± Meng Fuyao frowned at him. ¡°You¡¯re handing such an important item to an outsider like me? Furthermore, I don¡¯t really have a good reputation.¡± ¡°My family has no control over the military force, so what use is the Jade Seal to me? In seconds, I will be shredded to pieces by the princes and princesses who are in control of different powers. And why would the generals, who have so much power in their hands, listen to me? This is not a jade seal, but rather, a sword that kills and harms others. I don¡¯t have the fate to live that kind of life, and I don¡¯t want my family to be broken further apart.¡± Hua Yan gave a long sigh. He stood up and added, ¡°As to why I¡¯m passing it to you¡­¡± He stood silently and thought about how we led the 3,000 guards back into the city with Ji Yu. Along the way, he had observed how disciplined Dahan¡¯s army was, and how efficient and urate messages had been passed, or matters had been settled. He recalled how Ji Yu and the others had been talking about Meng Fuyao in almost an idolizing manner, and the stories he had heard along the way about the struggles this infamous woman had been through. Those were stories that had left him deep in shock. Momentster, he said, ¡°I trust you. I believe that the leader whom subordinates like General Ji are highly respectful and loyal to will never disappoint me.¡± ¡°How stressful¡­¡± Even after Hua Yan and Feng Wu walked far away, Meng Fuyao was still sighing. ¡°I am now so burdened without any prior notice at all.¡± ¡°The ones in power seem to be living an impressive life, but the responsibilities they bear far exceed anyone else, and you will have to get used to that sooner orter.¡± Zhangsun Wuji and Lord Yuan Bao were ying the game of ¡°guess the number of dice¡± beneath the light. Zhangsun Wuji grabbed dice in his palm and let Lord Yuan Bao guess. Lord Yuan Bao stuck his butt up and tried to find out the answer from the holes between his master¡¯s fingers. However, his master¡¯s fingers seemed to be made of steel, and nothing could be seen. As such, he kept missing the right answer. Lord Yuan Bao felt very frustrated. He felt that he was not very wise when he first chose his master. Why had he chosen Zhangsun Wuji? Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, was very interested. She moved over and said, ¡°Rat, don¡¯t y this with him. Even if you guess it right, he will just move the dice discretely, and you will still be wrong. Come y a game of ¡°twist your mind¡± with me.¡± Lord Yuan Bao looked at her in confusion. ¡®What did it mean to twist one¡¯s mind? Wouldn¡¯t the mind end up in knots?¡¯ ¡°Xiao Ming¡¯s father had three sons. The eldest was called Big Fur, the next in line was called Two Fur, so what is the third son called?¡± Lord Yuan Bao hugged his stomach and roared withughter. It was too easy! Way too easy! So easy that it was an insult to his intelligence of a legendary creature! He extended three fingers and squeaked. Meng Fuyao asked, ¡°Three Fur?¡± Lord Yuan Bao nodded, feeling very proud of himself. It was Meng Fuyao¡¯s turn to roar withughter. ¡°Oh my dear Yuan Bao, if your father gave birth to three rats including you, and if your eldest brother was Big Bao and your second brother Two Bao, should you then be called Three Bao?¡± Lord Yuan Bao opened his eyes wide and squeaked violently. Meng Fuyao observed his expression, which seemed like one of excitement. Confused, she turned towards Zhangsun Wuji, who tranted it for her. ¡°He asked how you knew that his eldest brother was called Big Bao.¡± Chapter 307 - Untitled Chapter 307: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± Lord Yuan Bao became very interested in the game, and he pestered Meng Fuyao to continue. However, Meng Fuyao felt that it was too inhumane for her to y such aplicated mind game with a guinea pig of low IQ. She refused profusely, but when she could no longer fend off the guinea pig¡¯s pestering, she asked another question. ¡°There is one male chicken and one female chicken. Guess two words?¡± Lord Yuan Bao fell into deep thought, but he didn¡¯t know the answer. ¡°Two chickens!¡± Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is one male chicken and one female chicken. Guess three words this time round.¡± After hearing that, Lord Yuan Bao scratched his ears and cheeks. He still did not know how to answer. ¡°Still two chickens!¡± Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°There is still one male chicken and one female chicken. This time, guess six words. It¡¯s really easy.¡± Lord Yuan Bao bit on his paws. He thought very hard, but he still had no answer. ¡°What a fool! Still two chickens!¡± Lord Yuan Bao, ¡°!¡± After making a certain low-intelligence guinea pig flip with just a few sentences, Meng Fuyao shifted over to Zhangsun Wuji with bright, sparkly eyes. She smiled. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, your intelligence is unrivaled, and your abilities are unsurpassable. May you answer a very minor question of mine?¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked up and nced at her sideways. He read her expression as cunning, sly, provoking him and baiting him to fall into her trap¡­ However, he maintained his expression and smiled. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Behind every sessful man stands a woman. So what is behind a man who has failed?¡± After a moment of silence, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ¡°Meng Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao: ¡°¡­¡± Secondster, she said in a frustrated tone, ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± ¡°Is the answer inurate?¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked at her innocently. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°The answer I wanted to say was¡­¡± Meng Fuyao spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Behind every failed man, stands too many women¡­¡± Zhangsun Wuji grinned. Looking down, he said with much sincerity, ¡°Luckily, I only have you. Seems like I¡¯m destined to seed.¡± Meng Fuyao, who was set to taunt Zhangsun Wuji, had been taunted instead. Before the mighty Crown Prince, she had once again failed miserably¡­ After a while, Meng Fuyao asked in a resentful tone, ¡°Thest question¡­ what kind of person lies to others and himself?¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled again, but he did not answer, and he slowly drank his tea. Meng Fuyao seemed to not expect an answer from him as well. With a gleam in her eyes, she nced towards the door. Someone walked in with a bitter smile. ¡°That¡¯s me you¡¯re talking about.¡± Both looked at him with an expression of ¡°you¡¯re finally being honest¡±. He wasn¡¯t embarrassed at all, and he satfortably on a seat. After brushing his robes, he poured himself a cup of tea. As his eyes darted back and forth, he revealed an expression that was thebination of an eagle and a fox. ¡°Tang Yizhong, Little Master Tang.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°My answer to this is ¡®liar¡¯. You finally admit to it.¡± Zhong Yi still wore that pretty smile on his pretty face. Innocently, he said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not considered lying. I have never spoken any lies to you.¡± ¡°I fought a match with you during the True Martial Arts Meet.¡± Meng Fuyao scrutinized his face. ¡°Tang Yizhong, Master Tang, which face is your true face?¡± ¡°How could I have let those ordinary men observe my legendary appearance during the True Martial Arts Meet?¡± Tang Yizhong said in a calm voice. ¡°My appearance right now is obviously real.¡± ¡°Your real aim of appearing beside us is this, right?¡± Meng Fuyao pointed at the Jade Seal on the table. ¡°You thought that after Hua Yan pleaded me, the Jade Seal would definitely be with me, right?¡± ¡°Honestly, I was confused when he didn¡¯t pass you the Jade Seal at first. You¡¯re willing to help others and bear those troubles without the temptation of the Jade Seal? Prince Meng, you are indeed a weirdo.¡± ¡°Do you think that everyone is as selfish and utilitarian as you?¡± Meng Fuyao smirked. ¡°Do you not know that I have a noble and benevolent character, my personality is top quality, my appearance is unrivaled, and I¡¯m admired by all¡­¡± As she continued on, Zhangsun Wuji turned his head away while Lord Yuan Bao covered his face. Both were too ashamed to be known as herpanions¡­ Yet Tang Yizhong listened intently with an expression of admiration. His eyes were shining, and he kept sighing, and he looked as though he was utterly fascinated. After she finished, he said, ¡°Ah¡­ so that¡¯s why!¡± Meng Fuyao stopped talking and looked at this man who gave her a strong impression, even though they had only met each other for a short while. Having no other alternative, she gave his head a forceful pat. ¡°Talk about serious things!¡± ¡°This is how it is.¡± Tang Yizhong said slightly closer, and he added with a solemn expression, ¡°I have no ill intentions, and I only want to recover the Jade Seal. I resorted to locking my own martial arts skills and appearing alone to gain the trust of both of you, and I have also used my actions to prove that I have never harmed any of you.¡± ¡°Do you even dare to?¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a sideways nce. ¡°If you did, I would have smashed you into ash.¡± ¡°Actually, even though I nned to get close with the two of you, I also can¡¯t be sure if what I want to find is the Jade Seal,¡± Tang Yizhong suddenly said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°His Majesty has not seen any officials in a long while, and no one can enter his pce.¡± Tang Yizhong revealed a worried expression, which was a rare sight. ¡°This is highly abnormal, and because of this, I activated the spy I have in the pce. He told me that the number of attendants in the Emperor¡¯s pce has been decreasing and even he can¡¯t enter. I have a hunch that His Majesty seems to be restricted in his movements.¡± ¡°Restricted?¡± Meng Fuyao was very confused. ¡°He is the ruler of a nation. Who can restrict him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Tang Yizhong fell silent and answered only after a while. There was a slight hesitation in his tone when he spoke. ¡°My spy once snuck into the pce when no one noticed. He heard His Majesty mumbling in his sleep, repeatedly asking Ah Liu toe back¡­ ¡°The Ah Liu that HIs Majesty mentioned refers to his sixth child, who is Hua Yan¡¯s wife.¡± Tang Yizhong continued to exin. ¡°It was obvious that something was taken away by his sixth child, and he was anxious to recover it. After recalling that she was being attacked, and the Eleventh Prince had anxiously dispatched assassins towards the borders of the nation, I made the links and derived that something very important must have been lost, such as the Jade Seal. Furthermore, very little people must have known, and the Eleventh Prince probably unintentionally learned about it. Hence, only he tried the most extreme method and attempted to kill you two. If not, your journey would have been even more bustling.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s not just this.¡± Meng Fuyao smirked. ¡°Have you not seen that bastard imposter?¡± ¡°That person¡­¡± Tang Yizhong frowned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like someone that the Princes or Princesses can hire. I still know one or two things about these people. His Majesty had many children, and his defense was always up, so he never stopped bncing the power amongst his children. They don¡¯t seem like people who have such an ability.¡± ¡°Epsilon.¡± Meng Fuyao bit her white teeth into her lower lips. When she mentioned him, her cheeky expressionpletely disappeared. If there was one person in the universe that she wanted to kill and must kill, it would be him. If it wasn¡¯t for him, how would she have nearly been raped? How would she have distanced with Zhangsun Wuji? How would Zhangsun Wuji have almost gone into psychosis, which indirectly had led to the killing of the Li family and the subsequent dilemma, which had almost resulted in her death?¡± ¡°If it really is him, it would be a troublesome matter then.¡± Tang Yizhong seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°The Xuanji royals used to have a saying that was secretive¡­ maybe I can look into that.¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him from the corner of her eye and did not further question. Momentster, she asked, ¡°Even if your Emperor lost something, why are you being nosy, even resorting to locking your own skills and taking the risk of finding us?¡± ¡°In hister years of ruling, His Majesty did not attend much to state affairs and the state was in a mess. The army and the economy are not doing well, his children are busy with scheming for the throne, while the court officials are busy taking sides. The ws in our nations have piled up over a long while.¡± Tang Yizhong was very serious this time round. ¡°His Majesty has indeed been bed-ridden for long and will not live much longer. In such a messy situation, how is it only His Majesty¡¯s affair as to who is the new ruler? It actually concerns the millions of citizens in Xuanji, the entire court proceedings, and the fate of our nation. How can I back down from such a responsibility?¡± ¡°The rise and fall of the Land under the Heavens is everyone¡¯s responsibility.¡± Meng Fuyao had a sense of respect towards him, but before she could continue praising him, he giggled and added, ¡°It is also because, what if the next ruler is not wise and he kills all his dissidents after taking the throne? Where will officials like us find our prosperity and wealth then?¡± Meng Fuyao spat and could not bring herself to bother with him. But Tang Yizhong nced at her and said, ¡°I had some doubts before this journey. Right now, however, I think I have some clues¡­ haha.¡± He stood up and added, ¡°I will go back. If you have anything in the future, just call me straight away. As for the Jade Seal¡­ return it whenever you feel that it is the appropriate time.¡± With that, he brushed off his robes, and he walked away casually and confidently. From the time he stepped in, he had not looked at the Jade Seal at all. Meng Fuyao watched this Little Master walk away with her wide eyes and agape jaw. Momentster, she asked in a stunned voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t he follow me for the Jade Seal? Why is he not caring anymore right now?¡± Zhangsun Wuji took a nce at the golden yellow fabric. With a slight frown, he sighed. ¡°Some things¡­ cannot be avoided¡­¡± The next day, the Emperor and Empress met with the Wuji Crown Prince and Dahan¡¯s King Meng in their pce. Under Meng Fuyao¡¯s strong request, Xuanji¡¯s Emperor, who had not seen anyone in the past few months, finally made an exception and weed the two important guests. The closed doors of his pce opened up one by one after many days, and the thick and heavyyers of curtains, which blocked out sunlight, were raised as well. The eunuchs and attendants; who had been chased out, once again appeared by the sides in silence to create a grander spectacle. They would wait to be called to serve the guests, and after that, they would be chased out again. The only barrier left was the lightyer of silk in front of the imperial throne. There were silhouettes moving around, which caused the figures to be hazy. Apanied by the prolonged reporting of names on the jade steps, Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao, along with their respective subordinates, were led inside the door by a eunuch. The thick and exquisite carpet drowned out the sounds of footsteps. The princes, princesses, and officials, who had originally been waiting in the pce, stood up in unison. The Head Eunuch of the pce came up respectfully and did a low bow. ¡°Your Highness and King Meng, kindly wait for a while. His Majesty will be here shortly.¡± Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao nodded. It was not suitable for them to be seated together in such a setting, so they sat on one side each, and they smiled when they made eye contact. This smile caused the hearts of the apanying officials to skip a beat. They were afraid that the both of them might create some drama in such an event. In the huge pce, all the officials waited in silence, and there wasn¡¯t even the sound of anyone coughing. After a while, there was a series of muffled coughs from behind the thin curtain, along with the sounds of feet that dragged across the floor. It was the heavy and hoarse panting unique to someone of age, and there were the noises of waist ornaments shing against each other. One could vaguely see two figuresing out from the inner pce, and one was male, while the other was female. The female walked on the exterior, and she wore a majestic crown and beautiful robes. The 12yers of robes embroidered with phoenixes created light rustling sounds as they dragged across the floor. As the sunlight shone through the thin curtain, it reflected her raised chin, her straightened back and the man she was holding on to. He wore dragon robes, hunched his back, and seemed weak. As he walked, he continued to cough non-stop. Chapter 308 - Untitled Chapter 308: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The two of them stood side by side, one tall and one bent, the female¡¯s sleeve falling on the male¡¯s arm. It didn¡¯t look at all like the Empress holding onto the Emperor; instead, it looked as if the Empress was being supported by a eunuch. Meng Fuyao immediately smiled frivolously. The consequences of robbing the cradle were indeed brutal¡­ Upon seeing Meng Fuyao¡¯s smile, the Xuanji officials immediately felt their eyes hurt. Since when had His Majesty been like this? He had always been a handsome man, preserving his youthful masculinity despite his age and only starting to show signs of aging during the past half year. But even so, it couldn¡¯t have been as bad as this, what had happened during thest two months of not meeting anyone for him to degenerate into such a state where he couldn¡¯t even stand up straight? An old husband and a young wife, what a scene¡­ Behind the screen, the Empress of Xuanji supported the Emperor as he sat down. Meng Fuyao had originally thought that she was going to sit at another ce beside him, but when she raised her head, she saw the Empress¡¯ hands rested elegantly on the Emperor¡¯s knee. She actually sat right by the Emperor¡¯s side on the throne itself. The Xuanji officials paled. In the past, no matter how audacious the Empress had been, she had never officially participated in political affairs. His Majesty had been strict about it, letting her run amok in the harem, but never disturbing the imperial court, so what was happening today? Allowing the Empress to sit at the throne, right in front of honored guests from Wuji and Dahan? This, this, this, this¡­ Weren¡¯t they going to be the world¡¯s greatest joke? Had His Majesty¡¯s illness finally muddled his brain? They raised their eyes to see King Meng, and sure enough, she was once againughing shamelessly. Not justughing, but with her mouth wide open, not just wide open, butughing hysterically as well. ¡°Eh, since when did Xuanji have two Emperors? Wasn¡¯t it said before that no country can have two leaders? Yet now, we have seen the extraordinary.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled at the green-faced Minister of Rites beside him and said, ¡°May the Minister draw up the charter, I will await the ceremony.¡± Based on the customs of the Seven Kingdoms¡¯ royal families, the ceremony for visiting the Emperor and the ceremony for visiting the Empress were different. Given Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao¡¯s status, they should only have to bow to the Emperor of Xuanji, and the Xuanji Emperor would return the greeting. However, to the Empress of Xuanji, they only had to greet her without bowing. Now that she was sitting at the throne, it naturally became difficult to establish which ceremony to follow. The Minister of Rites nced towards the screen, at the arrogant Empress and silent Emperor, unsure how to proceed. In the past, all the ceremonies had proceeded as nned, but now that the Empress was here, what should he do? The heads behind the screen did not move, and outside the screen, Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao remained motionless as well, resulting in an awkward yet irresolvable situation. The Minister of Rites began to break out in cold sweat. Meng Fuyao sat there nonchntly, picking at her fingernails, clearly bored. She did not feel any pressure at all. At the throne, the Empress felt uneasy and red at Meng Fuyao, scrutinizing her intently. If that re could transform into a beast, it would already have attacked. Hence, upon further rumination, Meng Fuyao realized. ¡®It seems that this person was Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s previous father-inw and precious mother-inw? It also seems like, the son-inw who withdrew from the marriage had brought his new girlfriend in front of them to show off?¡¯ Ah, this was certainly too much! No wonder the two looked so tensed and enraged, sitting there without moving, yet their expressions said it all. Meng Fuyao naturally refused to admit that she was the girlfriend of a certain person, but it seemed that she couldn¡¯t stop others from thinking that way. Moreover, the whole of the Five Regions Continent would think that way after seeing how closely the Crown Prince was watching her. It seemed that they didn¡¯t just think that way, but there were also many strange and hrious versions that she had heard from two Xuanji officials during the banquet at West Wind Parlour. The gist of the idea was wondering whose girlfriend Meng Fuyao actually was; clearly, it was Crown Prince Wuji beside her, yet she had be a King of Dahan? Why had she frivolously be Xuayuan¡¯s Regent King after bing a King of Dahan? The events were simply impossible for anyone to imagine and the rumors of a love triangle or an even more angled love conflict had arisen. As such, she, Meng Fuyao, had soon be the most frivolous female lead in all of the Five Regions Continent¡­ Sigh¡­ The mother-inw stared at her ex-son-inw, her eyes tearing, then looked at the ex-son-inw¡¯s girlfriend, her ws showing¡­ When she thought up to this point, she couldn¡¯t help smiling brightly. Below, the Xuanji officials were feeling extremely awkward. Not everyone had the ability to make awkward situations as well as Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao, and by simply sitting there without greeting, even the Wuji and Dahan officials following them refused to stand, such a situation had never happened before. As such, they could only watch and see what would happen silently. The princes and princesses of Xuanji were also present, and the Eldest Imperial Princess was looking impatient as she raised an eyebrow, looking as if she wanted to say something. However, after noticing the Ninth Princess¡¯s slight shake of her head, the Eldest Imperial Princess looked up at the ceiling and snorted, not saying anything else. The Tenth Princess, Eleventh Prince and Twelfth Prince were sitting together. They were all the Empress¡¯ children, and their expressions were unanimous as they red at Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao. They clearly wanted to impose pressure on them, but Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t care about them but instead nced at the gentle-looking man sitting beside the Eldest Imperial Princess twice¡ªthat person¡¯s expression had been neutral from the beginning and was extremely calm. No matter how the people in the hall reacted, he had been the only one who had remained apathetic and expressionless. Looking at that person, it was Consort Ning¡¯s Third Prince? As the only child, he was a rather lonesome individual, yet because of his mother¡¯s status, he was arrogant and stubborn. From the looks of it, he did not harbor good intentions either. Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze swept across the princes and princesses of Xuanji, watching them intently when there was a slight movement from the other side, and the Empress finally spoke. ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss?¡± Behind the screen, the Empress sneered. Her sharp voice echoed throughout the hall as she said, ¡°His Majesty and myself are here as husband and wife, how are we not fit to receive respect from the juniors?¡± The Empress sat upright, determined not to give in even if she were to be punished by the court officials in the future. Today, she was determined to make those two arrogant juniors bow to her and relieve the anger in her heart. Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. She wasn¡¯t stupid; she obviously knew that the Empress was raising the matter of age superiority to suppress them. If they were to go by age and not national superiority, it was apt to bow to her. It was a pity that Meng Fuyao would rather bow to a pig than to her; she detested that woman that much. ¡°Done.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled faintly, speaking grandly in front of the Xuanji officials. ¡°The Empress is benevolent and loves her people, her name is spread through the seven nations, and I have long admired her. This bow is definitely appropriate.¡± A cold snort traveled from behind the screen. The Empress of Xuanji knew that no matter how good she thought she was, she knew her reputation was definitely not ¡°benevolent¡±. Meng Fuyao was clearly being sarcastic. ¡°Except that the nation is also considered as one entity, and if we were to measure by age superiority.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled at that before she continued, ¡°If we really were to go by age superiority, ah, wasn¡¯t Wuji founded much earlier than Xuanji? Does this count as being older? In that case, wouldn¡¯t you have to bow to the Crown Prince instead? Aiya, it¡¯s absurd to think of it, truly absurd!¡± The Xuanji officials listened to her, bbergasted. The knew that King Meng wouldn¡¯t have anything good to say, but since the Empress was the one who had instigated such an action, then she should settle it herself. Meng Fuyao was toozy to continue talking nonsense with her and directly pped her hand. ¡°If Your Grace really wants to discuss seniority that much and wish for the Crown Prince and myself to greet you, then please return to the harem before we proceed any further.¡± ¡°How disrespectful of a junior!¡± The Empress suddenly stood up, and with a swish of her robes, the pce maid standing beside her, fanning her, was pushed down the stairs. The pce maid fell to the bottom of the steps and blood ran from her head, yet she dared not cry out and was soon dragged away by the well-trained eunuchs of Yongchang Pce. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed angrily. ¡®This evil b*tch! Judging by her viciousness, how many innocent souls had fallen victim to her hands?¡¯ Feng Xuan suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Empress¡­ where is my medicine¡­¡± The old man¡¯s raspy voice reverberated throughout therge hall, and the Empress paused, surprised. Then, she said, ¡°In the harem¡­¡± Turning around, she realized that Feng Xuan had already retreated back into the throne, upying the seat fully and leaving no space for her. She paused again, and in that instant, she understood that her husband was asking her to leave in a way that did not embarrass her. At this point, it was naturally for the best to go with the flow, but for a woman who had never been ced at a disadvantage for decades, she wasn¡¯t willing to lose out even for a single second, much less be willing to have her husband ¡°take sides.¡± She stood there and wrangled her fingers under her robes, causing grinding sounds with her decorated fingernails. Then, she suddenly raised her head and nced at a certain corner behind the screen. There seemed to be the shadow of a slender figure. Meng Fuyao suddenly leaped up! Just at the moment when the Empress of Xuanji raised her head, Meng Fuyao¡¯szy posture had suddenly turned into a flying leopard, shooting from her seat like a ray of light across the quiet hall, towards the throne! The entire hall was in shock as the Xuanji officials tried to stop her, yet they were unskilled in martial arts and suddenly felt a suffocating darkness sweep across the hall silently, wave after wave. After they managed to hide from it, Meng Fuyao had already reached the throne. Sheunched herself towards the screen as a guard d in golden armor blocked her path, but without even looking at the guard, she sent the guard flying across the hall onto an borately decorated pontoon. Before the guard could stabilize himself, she sneered and flipped a stool at him, then sprinted directly behind the screen. ¡°Show yourself!¡± Without looking at the shocked old man and the bewildered woman, Meng Fuyao directly reached behind the screen. However, her fingers grasped air. The space behind the screen was empty, since when had there been any silhouette? Meng Fuyao was stunned. Didn¡¯t she use her full speed to get here? How many people under the heavens had martial abilities that surpassed her? Indeed, in that spur of the moment, the person had disappeared! She swept her eyes around the hall again, indignantly. There was only a table and stool at the back of the hall, with a carpet covering the ground. The four walls were heavily draped, and Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze fell on the lowered drapery, wanting to tear them down, but she knew that it was no longer possible. Chapter 309 - Untitled Chapter 309: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The royal members of Xuanji, as well as all the officials, rushed over, along with arge group of imperial guards. ¡°King Meng! Are you trying to assassinate the Emperor?¡± the Eldest Imperial Princess screamed. ¡°King Meng¡­ This is far too disrespectful!¡± The Prime Minister pointed a trembling finger at her, giving off an ¡°I have never seen such disrespectful and shameless behavior in front of a nation¡¯s king¡± expression. ¡°Can King Meng please exin herself!¡± The Twelfth Prince¡¯s voice chimed in angrily. Emotions were running high as everyone squeezed forward together, yet they remained a distance of one zhang away, pointing angrily and shouting at the shameless, disrespectful and vicious yet formidable King Meng. Representing the nation and the hundreds of officials, the Eleventh Prince announced calmly and resolutely, ¡°Your actions have severely hurt the feelings of the people of Xuanji!¡± ¡°We demand retribution for such behavior!¡± However, someone suddenly pushed through the crowd and walked forward calmly to Meng Fuyao. He ordered the guards to retreat, then personally supported the Emperor, who had been frightened by themotion and had fallen to the ground, then conveniently picked up the Empress who was cowering at one corner because she thought she was about to be attacked. After sitting both of them down in a dignified manner, he turned and bowed to Meng Fuyao, saying, ¡°I believe this is ack of nning on Xuanji¡¯s part, inciting King Meng¡¯s wrath. I apologize on Xuanji¡¯s behalf, it¡¯s just that Father is gravely ill and does not take to scares well. Hence, may King Meng please exin her actions to His Majesty, such that he may be relieved.¡± Beautiful! Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes and looked at the poker-faced Third Prince. He truly lived up to his reputation, his every action respectful and filial without any fault. His words were beneficial to both sides; clearly, he was on a level several tiers higher than his royal siblings! ¡°None of that.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled slightly, dragging her voice as she said slowly, ¡°Xuanji has good governance, good scenery, beautiful and respectful rulers, as well as talented princes and princesses. As an uncouth person, I can only look on enviously, how could I get angry?¡± She smiled sincerely and reached behind her back. She pulled out something and waved it in front of everyone. ¡°I¡¯ve merely discovered a little rat.¡± Lord Yuan Bao lolled its head and extended its ws, cooperating with Meng Fuyao as it pretended to be dead in her palm. ¡°Ah¡ªrat!¡± Before even looking at the thing in Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands, upon hearing the word ¡°rat¡±, the Empress¡¯ face paled as let out a screech and retreated a step back. ¡°Look, the Empress has gotten a fright now, hasn¡¯t she?¡± Meng Fuyao stuffed the ¡°dead rat¡± back into her sleeve as she waved a hand at the multiple res in front of her. ¡°I knew that Her Grace would be frightened.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Meng Fuyao said dramatically, ¡°When I discovered a vicious rat suddenly scuttle into the honored throne of Xuanji and slip behind the screen, clearly intending to frighten the elegant and noble Emperor and Empress, making them lose face in front of everyone¡ªhow could I let such a thing happen? How could I not take action and seize this godforsaken creature, and squeeze it to death! Cut it up! Burn it into ashes! Throw it into the sea!¡± All the representatives of Xuanji stared dumbstruck as King Meng continued tombast the rat so viciously. ¡®Why did she have to be so cruel to a rat? Did she have some animosity with this rat in her previous life?¡¯ Only the Third Prince and Ninth Princess remained unperturbed as they smiled slightly and bowed, one of them praising, ¡°How thoughtful of King Meng!¡± and the other even pping and eximing, ¡°Many thanks to King Meng for extending a helping hand and saving our Emperor and Empress from danger!¡± Meng Fuyao returned the bow and responded, ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, you¡¯re too kind.¡± ¡®Oh, it seems like this Third Prince is on an even higher level than the Ninth Princess¡ªhis skin is even thicker.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± Meng Fuyao ¡°wiped¡± her ¡°sweat¡±, ncing at the Empress who was ring at her from the throne. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered from some injuries just a little while earlier and have yet to recover. This move has sapped my body of energy, ah¡­¡± She swayed slightly, and upon spotting a stool, she sat down immediately and started massaging her legs, looking ¡°extremely weak and unable to walk¡±. The Xuanji representatives¡¯ mouths twitched. ¡®Just now, when you rushed over, you were filled to the brim with energy and ferocity, even a guard wearing the special enhanced golden armor was no match for you after one blow, so why are you suddenly ¡°extremely weak and unable to walk¡±?¡¯ Although they felt extremely dubious, they didn¡¯t dare to say anything; if they said anything, it was hard to guess what this person, who was within the ranks of the top ten martial artists, would do, perhaps even using them as a ¡°practice target¡± on the spot. Anyway, it was extremely clear to everyone now; under the heavens, there were only things that King Meng didn¡¯t want to do, and nothing that she did not dare nor felt embarrassed to do. ¡°May the Crown Prince and King Meng please rest in the pce tonight,¡± the Third Prince said after receiving stares from the rest of his siblings. ¡°Actually, if not for the fact that we were afraid that the two of you wouldn¡¯t be used to it, Father originally wanted to invite the two of you to stay in the pce.¡± ¡®One night is more than enough, any longer and one would start erupting in rashes,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought as she smiled superfluously, using her eyes to express her approval of the Third Prince. ¡°Many thanks to Your Majesty for understanding, many thanks to the Third Prince¡­¡± ¡°I disapprove!¡± The Empress suddenly stood up and screeched, ¡°I do not agree!¡± Her entire body was trembling with anger as she pointed at Meng Fuyao and continued, ¡°This person¡­ this wretched b*tch¡­ how is she fit to enter the Imperial Pce of Xuanji!¡± Immediately, the Xuanji officials¡¯ faces darkened as they red at the Empress. ¡®Haven¡¯t you made enough mess! How dare you still say such things out loud!¡¯ ¡°It has already been quite a while since I traveled around various nations,¡± Meng Fuyao said calmly. Her back was facing the Empress as she added slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that although each of the countries I¡¯ve visited was good, they were toow-abiding and had no personality, no surprise, nor did they have anybody as spectacr as Xuanji¡­¡± ¡°May Her Grave please return to her pce!¡± An official couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and stepped forward, bowing at the Empress. ¡°The front of the pce is for His Majesty to make the decision. Your control is over the harem!¡± Meng Fuyao smiled as she looked at the courageous fellow. ¡®Not bad, not bad, it is indeed rare to find such a brave official. I¡¯ve already said before, for someone as extreme as the Empress of Xuanji, it was enough that she was unreasonable in the harem, but how could the court tolerate her in the front pce?¡¯ she thought. ¡°May Her Grave please return to her pce!¡± All of the Xuanji officials bowed together, their voices solemn and cold, reverberating around the hall. The Empress had always been an unpopr figure, using the Phoenix Tribe as a shield. As long as she hadn¡¯t tried to interfere with matters of the imperial court, whatever she had done in the harem had grudgingly been overlooked. However, today, she had chosen to suddenly appear in the front pce, and the Xuanji officials knew that Meng Fuyao wasn¡¯t easy to deal with; they didn¡¯t need someone creating additional trouble for them. Sensing that the Empress was probably going to create even more trouble, they might as well chase her away first. Besides, everyone was responsible in some way or another. If everyone asked her to leave, then the Empress wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it either. Indeed, the Empress was helpless in front of the officials¡¯ request. Even members of the Phoenix Tribe had to listen to them, much less herself, She stood up angrily, the jewels on her headpiece sparkling brightly as she red at them. After a moment, she flicked her sleeve forcefully and turned around to leave. ¡°The Empress is leaving¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled and waved merrily at the Empress¡¯ retreating figure. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re willing or unwilling, even if you Xuanji officials have sent the Empress away, I am definitely staying here tonight.¡¯ ¡®I must figure out who that damned shadow belongs to!¡¯ The Xuanji Imperial Pce was exquisitely beautiful under the moonlight, filled with borately designed gardens and buildings. It was very different from Dahan or Xuanyuan, with not many tall buildings, but instead filled with winding pedestals and pavilions. It was very special. The consequences of it being extremely special was that¡­ Meng Fuyao nearly lost her way. Although she and Zhangsun Wuji were staying in the Pce that night, they had been separated; she was staying in the Qixiu Room, while Zhangsun Wuji was staying in the Duanchang Room. Indeed, she couldn¡¯t request to stay in the same room as Zhangsun Wuji¡ªit wasn¡¯t like she could waltz up to the pce officials and tell them that she was used to staying in the same room as Zhangsun Wuji, right? If word got out, adding onto a certain person¡¯s jealousy, it would be huge news in the Five Regions Continent. Hence, Meng Fuyao could only head to the Qixiu Room herself, but the damned ce was so borately designed that it felt like she was in a maze, walking past room after room and garden after garden, unable to find her way as she wandered about cluelessly. After walking around the ce three times, Meng Fuyao still couldn¡¯t find the bedroom. She was rather familiar with arrays, yet she waspletely clueless when it came to Xuanji¡¯s pceyout. In the end, she could only squat helplessly under a flower shelf and sigh at Lord Yuan Bao, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about finding the person, I¡¯ve lost myself already.¡± Lord Yuan Bao looked at her with a speechless expression when someone said from up ahead, ¡°I knew you would get lost, that brain of yours always seems to get muddled up when it shouldn¡¯t.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her head in pleasant surprise to see the corner of a light purple robe above a flower shelf. Smiling, she said, ¡°Why did youe here? Infiltrating a woman¡¯s room in the middle of the night¡­ Mn, a woman¡¯s private room, aren¡¯t you afraid of bing the joke of the Five Regions?¡± ¡°Not infiltrating a woman¡¯s private room in the middle of the night, should I be waltzing in during the day instead?¡± Zhangsun Wuji retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t want me to appear? Not at all?¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled and crossed over the flower shelf, sitting down lightly beside him and saying honestly, ¡°Yes, I want, but I don¡¯t really want to spend the night sitting under this flower shelf.¡± Beside her, Zhangsun Wuji smiled and looked at her¡ªthere were many good things about her, and the best thing about her was that she didn¡¯t beat around the bush; she was as transparent as the clearest jade. Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky, knowing why Zhangsun Wuji hade. It was very well possible that Epsilon was in the pce, and the two of them couldn¡¯t be apart for him to take advantage. Chapter 310 - Untitled Chapter 310: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Wait for a while more. When the lights are out, let¡¯s go y one round at the pce,¡± Meng Fuyao said. ¡°For some things, if you want to find the answer, it can only be found there.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Zhangsun Wuji replied. He picked up the light fragrant scent of the woman beside him, and it was the cool and sweet-smelling aroma unique to a maiden. Mixed amongst the rows of cherry-apples and iridaceae, her smell was not overwhelmed. Instead, it was one-of-a-kind, and it seeped into his body. Meanwhile, she wore soft and in robes, and she resembled a cloud floating across the silky sea of purple, red, yellow, blue, and red flowers. Under the starry and hazy night sky, she radiated a mysterious sense of beauty. As he looked at her, he thought a lot about her. He thought of her clear forehead, her bright eyes, the corner of her eyes that slightly lifts up when she smiled. He wanted to apany her in a field of apricot blossoms and watch each other until the sun rose. Suddenly, he recalled that it seemed to have been a very, very long while since he had tasted her at such a close distance. As such, being the proactive person that he was, he immediately tugged Meng Fuyao¡¯s waist towards him, while she was still thinking about her night ns. Tilting his head, he quickly nted a kiss on the corner of her lips. Meng Fuyao was shocked. Before she could react, the unique scent disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. Zhangsun Wuji was leaning by the flower rack and watching her with a smiley expression. Seeing his expression, Meng Fuyao could not help but feel softhearted. She sighed and said, ¡°To think that the noble Crown Prince is bing more and more sneaky! No decorum at all, no decorum at all.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled gently. ¡°This is not counted¡­¡± He stopped short ofpleting his sentence. Suddenly, he looked to the side and shouted in a low tone, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Vertically in front of him, an extremely faint silhouette shed by. Meng Fuyao immediately jumped to her feet. She twisted her body and dashed straight ahead. The silhouette was extremely stealthy, and in just a moment, it had already escaped far away. While the silhouette was in mid-air, it looked back, and it seems to look back at them vengefully. Though it was far and hazy under the night sky, one could feel the extreme resentment in those eyes. It resembled a snake silently climbing out from a dark corner, staring at them creepily with bloodshot eyes. Even from far away, anyone could sense the chilly and rancid odor. One look at those eyes, and one would immediately feel a chill down their spines. However, Meng Fuyao smirked. Resentment? Who in the universe never had that before? She might have dominated the Five Regions Continent, experiencing different kinds of emotions, and had been domineering and shameless, but her heart was also as steel and cold! She had brushed past weapons and survived raging fires! Simrly, her pores were filled with the same kind of resentment. She had nothing to be afraid of! Her figure resembled a dull rainbow in mid-air. In an instant, she tracked down the silhouette ceaselessly, and one could hear her robes fluttering against the wind behind her. She was not extremely fast nor slow, but she constantly tailed the figure. Knowing that Zhangsun Wuji was right behind her somehow gave her a calm and soothing effect. It was as though whenever he was here, she would never be afraid of not having someone behind her back. Some people did not need to do anything¡ªthey were naturally the widest and greatest pirs of support. As she chased quickly, the person in front used a very strange technique. The silhouette would swing to the left and right, and with every swing, a gust of green smoke would appear. The smoke would disperse in an instant and gather within the next instant. Suddenly, when it dispersed once again, the smoke turned around a corner. Meng Fuyao followed the smoke, and when she turned at the corner, a ck figure jumped out and dashed towards another direction, and it seemed to be heading to the northwest corner of the pce. The more they ran, the more remote their surroundings became, and less and fewer buildings appeared. The person seemed to change techniques again as it seemed to slow down; there was no longer the dispersion and gathering of green smoke. After running for a while, he suddenly twisted his body and disappeared into a forest. When Meng Fuyao reached the spot, no one could be seen behind the trees. Stunned, she stopped, and she looked towards her left and right. There were only deste greenery and a pce that left slightly ajar. Moonlight shone on the ground, but the man had disappeared. Meng Fuyao could not really believe that anyone in the universe had actually escaped from her. Of course, the strongest five of the top ten wielders would be an exception. However, was that really Epsilon? Tang Yizhong¡¯s tone seemed to imply that Epsilon had ties to the royal family. However, who was the person he was affiliated with? Meanwhile, there was the movement of wind as Zhangsun Wuji reached. When he neared, he lightly snapped his fingers¡ªthis was the secret signal agreed between him and Meng Fuyao. It was to prevent the imposter from pretending to be Zhangsun Wuji again. ¡°Disappeared?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao carefully searched her surroundings. She guessed that for a person to suddenly disappear, there must have been a tunnel or something like that. Zhangsun Wuji looked up and said, ¡°Xuanji¡¯s pce is designed in aplicated and strange manner. It is probably as such to conceal things in the dark. We can afford to search more carefully.¡± Suddenly, he pointed towards a small corner of a roof that appeared behind the trees. He added, ¡°Fuyao, look at that. That pce seems a bit strange.¡± When Meng Fuyao raised her head, she saw a dpidated and dark-red corner of a roof under the night sky. A copper bell which had turned ck was hung on the roof, but as the bell was too rusty, no sound was created even when the wind blew. It lightly swayed in the windy sky, and from afar, it looked like a stiff puppet that was being hung up. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw that sight. In an instant, she felt a strange feeling that was hard to be expressed. It was as though she was walking along a forest, and she heard a long and far-sounding call from the past. The call seemed to evoke a silent but passionate response in her body. The response overwhelmed her like waves hitting against the coast, but it was also silent and solemn at the same time. It seemed as though a quiet but grand film was being yed in front of her eyes; it shook her to the core, but it was also noiseless and stifling. Her body swayed. Immediately, Zhangsun Wuji extended his hand to support her. He leaned down and asked in a very concerned tone, ¡°Fuyao?¡± Meng Fuyao blinked, and she could not fathom why she would have such an extreme reaction from seeing a corner of a roof. Was it because it was too simr to a random horror film scene in the previous universe, and it was etched in her memory? In the meantime, Zhangsun Wuji searched her eyes intently. Suddenly, he spoke. ¡°Fuyao, let¡¯s go back. Did we not say that we wanted to explore the Emperor¡¯s pce?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked at the sky. If they did not go now, it would be toote. Furthermore, if it was indeed true that Xuanji¡¯s Emperor was immobile, then there must be someone who wouldn¡¯t want him to meet anybody. To explore his pce tonight, they would have to spend more effort. They had to get there earlier. She looked up and took another look at the roof. She stepped out towards the opposite direction, but suddenly, a breeze passed by, and the copper bell swayed. The silent sway of the bell seemed to be a puppet that was injected with nightlife, and it waved to her just before she walked away. Uncontrobly, Meng Fuyao walked towards the bell. Meng Fuyao walked so slowly that she seemed to be wading in mud and water, and her footsteps were no longer light and breezy as before. However, Meng Fuyao seemed not to have realized that she was abnormally slow, or rather, she had lost consciousness of her body. As Zhangsun Wuji stared at the beautiful figure in the night sky, his eyes gleamed, as though he had something to say. However, he chose to remain silent and walk up to her. Step by step, Meng Fuyao walked toward that direction. She pushed the secretiveyers of short bushes towards the side, crossed a sealed and dpidated wall, and stopped in front of an abandoned pce. Meng Fuyao looked up at the average-looking pce, which was deeply hidden behind the trees, and did not have the exquisiteness and beauty of other Xuanji pces. The copper lock to the door was rusty, the walls were stained with dark-green moss, and creepers filled the walls. Under the chilly moonlight, the creepers seemed to be pairs of ghostly green hands that swayed creepily. In her mind, a scene of the cold moonlight seemed to sh by, and a simr yet slightly different image unveiled in her memory. There was a dark-red but bright door, beige and clean walls, green-clothed attendants and purple-clothed eunuchs rushing in and out, and someone who stood in front of the door. That someone lowered down gently and spoke to her in a low voice. Suddenly, her vision seemed to have changed to another angle, as she needed to look up before she could see the golden bell on the roof, the clear blue skies and the exquisite chin above her head. As the wind blew past the roof, the copper bell created crisp and clear sounds, but the bell did not sound as good as that person¡¯s voice. The person was still speaking, but what was said? What exactly was said? The voice seemed to dash towards her from the deep end of her memoryne. It was blur and long, like raindrops creating strikes of watermark on an originally clear and transparent ss surface. Those words gave her a sense of reminiscence, and while it seemed so familiar as though it was said right beside her, it sounded like it came from the other end of the world. Meng Fuyao tried hard to listen to what was said, but she strained herself so much that her brain suddenly hurt. Pain engulfed her in waves, and the ss surface in the rain was utterly shattered. Her vision, the dark-red pce door, beige walls, the attendants and eunuchs, the roof and the bell, hadpletely disappeared. What remained was just the cold moonlight, the locked pce door, and stained pce walls. After looking at the wall for a long while, Meng Fuyao slowly walked up and gently ced her hand on it. As though she was caressing the skin of a loved one, she carefully brushed her hand from top to bottom. When she was about to reach the foot of the wall, suddenly, her heart felt suffocated, and she felt cold from head to toe. It was as though she was being struck by lightning. That strike hit her body and the top of her head as well. It caused her mind to gopletely white, and she could no longer see her surroundings. Out of extreme dizziness, Meng Fuyao gave a low cry. She hugged her head and stepped back profusely, and she kept sucking air into her mouth because of the unbearable pain. A pair of warm hands suddenly pressed on her shoulders. It was steady and calm, and heat emitted from the palms. With the simple press, a warm current flowed into her body and calmed her chaotic inner energy. Zhangsun Wuji spoke in a worried tone. ¡°Fuyao, let¡¯s go back.¡± Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and opened it. Without saying anything, she patted his hands. Then, she pursed her lips and took a step forward. It was a clear sign of her attitude towards her decision at the moment. It was also her attitude towards life¡ªshe would escape if she could, but if she couldn¡¯t, she would face it. Although Meng Fuyao knew that it would be painful, it might be even more painful to not know. To turn away and escape because of fear was not something that she would do. Gently, she took a determined step forward. She walked up the dusty steps, and with a flick of her fingers, the copper lock fell. The heavy, rusty and ck copper lock fell into her palms. It was cold and heavy, just like how she felt at the moment. The door was right in front of her eyes. Those stories that constantly neared her but detoured away would probably rush towards her uncontrobly after she opened the door. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand stopped in mid-air. However, that stop was only for a short while. Then, without any hesitation, she pushed the door open. Creak¡ª The door shaft, which had not been oiled for a long while, created a loud and long creaking noise that sounded like the whimpers of a lonely person waiting for their death at midnight. The moonlight was stretched, and it reflected on the long pathway that was filled with dried leaves. Chapter 311 - Untitled Chapter 311: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The pathway was not long, and it linked three courtyards. The sides of the staircase were filled with cobwebs that swayed in the air, and they reflected the silver moonlight with every sway. Meng Fuyao silently looked at this average-looking pce. It felt familiar yet foreign, as though she had seen it before, but it was not familiar to the point that she knew it by heart. There were just some details of certain ces that tugged at her heartstrings and evoked strong emotions within her. Very slowly, she walked along the pathway. As she stepped onto the dried leaves, sounds of ¡°cha, cha, cha¡± were created as the leaves cracked, and the sound resembled mumbles she had heard in the past that were hard to understand. Like a drifting ghost, Meng Fuyao went up the winding corridor, and she went straight for the third courtyard. Finally, she stopped in front of a small room that was locked. As she stood before the room, she tilted her head with a look of confusion. Memories flooded her mind, and she could visualize chaotic and fragmented scenes. Those scenes shed by like a slideshow¡­ the small room¡­ ady in a green dress¡­ lips pursed due to worries¡­ a dark and small corner¡­ hazy, bloodshot eyes¡­ ghastly-white hands that reeked of urine¡­ Meng Fuyao whimpered, and she hugged her head. The messy scenes caused her blood to surge towards her brain, forcefully breaking past the barriers that guarded her memories. These memories that were instinctively locked up for self-protection were revealed in an instant; it was as though there was a small raft trying to survive the raging whirlpool of blood in her mind. Her brain was under extreme pain, and it seemed like there were thousands of knives stabbing at it. In just a short while, she had already broken out in cold sweat. She was so resistant¡­ so resistant. Meng Fuyao started to doubt herself. Could she persevere and walk into that room? She had not fully undergone one month of recovery, and her martial arts skill was not at its highest level. After taking so long to stabilize her inner energy, she must not let herself end up in psychosis twice in one month. Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly extended his hand. He took her hand in a very determined manner and said, ¡°Fuyao, let¡¯s go. At least for now, it is not the right time for you to face it.¡± After a moment of silence, Meng Fuyao suddenly walked over. She dusted off the thickyer of dust on the window of the room, and she reached her head inside. She saw just an average-looking room. Everything was covered in dust, and she took quite a while to distinguish the objects. There was a bed¡­ drawer¡­ vase¡­ curtain¡­ and a ck and half-concealed ck object behind the curtain¡­ All of a sudden, Meng Fuyao fell backward. She fainted. When shended in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s arms, her face was pale, her breathing was light, and the long eyshes lightly fluttered. Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly ced his fingers on her wrist to check her pulse, but he realized that other than a slight unsteadiness in the pulse, she was not injured. Fuyao¡­ probably was too innately resistant. She had fainted out of a natural instinct to protect herself. Zhangsun Wuji quietly carried Meng Fuyao in his arms, and he thought of her reaction when she saw the corner of the roof, and when she fainted when she peeked into the room. What kind of conflicts and tortures had she been enduring on this whole journey? The memories may have tried all means to force her to escape, but she still gritted her teeth and came close to her memories without any fear of consequences. Yet, in the end, she still lost. As Zhangsun Wuji stood in front of the window, his eyes seemed to dart towards the interior of the room. It was as though he wanted to look at what was inside, but he quickly shifted his nce away after thinking twice. In the end, he just turned around, and he tightly hugged the woman in his arms. Gently, he leaned down and gave a consoling, soft and careful kiss on Meng Fuyao¡¯s lips. ¡°Fuyao¡­ I¡¯m here.¡± It was a breezy day. There was the aromatic scent of flowers that blossomed in autumn. A person quietly bent down, and an exquisite chin could be seen. Who were the people speaking? The voices sounded near yet far, but it was continuous. The tone was low, the surroundings were slightly cold, and there was a nice fragrance, although it did note from the flowers. The exquisite chin was moving. When a silky sleeve brushed by, it felt a smooth as skin. Everything was dark, but that person shone so much that it seemed as though her life had never been as bright. Outside the window, there was the sound ofughter and footsteps. There was also bright and radiant sunlight. Sunlight¡­ it seemed like a long while since it appeared. In the darkness, someone extended thick and weak fingers that looked like a bird¡¯s ws. They were as small as that of a baby, and the fingernails were filled with wood shavings. wing at wood¡­ that was the only pastime. ¡°¡­ I have to attend at the front¡­ Please help me take care, you must¡­ must¡­¡± ¡°Okay!¡± There was a cheerful reply from someone who sounded honest. Suddenly, the small body shivered. It was fear¡­ extreme fear. It was as though that honest-sounding voice was the worst and evilest mutter she had ever heard in her entire life. The strange-smelling hand reached in. The air around her suddenly moved like the ripples in the ocean. The scene was squashed, folded, and it quickly spun! It spun so fast that the traces could not be captured. Meng Fuyao opened her eyes wide to try to picture aplete image from those fragmented scenes in her mind, but she felt more and more dizzy, to the point that she felt like she was going to crumble, and she was going to be forever stuck in that sticky darkness. ¡°Fuyao¡­ I¡¯m here.¡± I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here. Someone¡¯s voice was gentle but thick, resembling a cup of strong tea with a sweet aftertaste, helping her to dilute the bitterness in her life that she could not be rid of. It stopped her from submerging into darkness and pulled her out from the pile of mud. There was a familiar and unique scent that belonged to neither flowers nor trees. There was an ancient and implicit charm to it. Slowly, Meng Fuyao opened her eyes, and she looked right into a pair of intent eyes that expressed anxiousness. When the eyes caught her nce, they immediately lit up, and there was a mix of emotions in the expression¡ªanxiousness, worry, difort, regret, pain, and hesitation¡­ She never knew that Zhangsun Wuji, who always concealed his feelings, would possess suchplicated and conflicted emotions. Meanwhile, her surroundings started to look clearer and clearer. It no longer moved ceaselessly like a water body and she was still in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m alright, now.¡± Meng Fuyao got up and jumped to her feet. She looked at the Emperor¡¯s pce that was further away, and then she looked back at where they hade from. A long whileter, she said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s stick to our original n.¡± Zhangsun Wuji neither tried to persuade her nor said anything. He only caressed her head quietly, and he watched how she once again sucked in all the pain like an oyster and allowed the pain to torture her from within while hiding it from others. Then, as time passed, she would try hard to convert those pains into a shiny pearl. The universe saw how impressive and bright-minded she was, but they could not see the deep injuries that she had suffered as a result. It was not that he didn¡¯t feel sorry for her, but rather, he was afraid that he would feel too sorry. If he was, he might uncontrobly want to stop her from moving forward. Meng Fuyao had never been the type of woman who would be willing to be protected and guarded by him, or let him pamper her, while he spread his wings to deter all types of pain and suffering. Her own wings were wide and strong, and they were always ready for a challenge to allow her to soar even higher. If he did not allow her to be fine-tuned by the darkness in the universe, how would she be able to ride the tides that would only be higher and stronger each time? In the darkness, two silhouettes silently flew towards the Emperor¡¯s pce. The pce was quiet, and the number of guards was never too much or too little. Both of them dashed in like pairs of scissors when two groups of guards just finished crossing each other. Thest person of the group suddenly felt the movement of wind behind him, but when he turned around, the surroundings werepletely empty. Meng Fuyao was about to dash into the most inner room, which was the Emperor¡¯s quarters, but suddenly, Zhangsun Wuji tugged her hand. He led her to another side of the wall, and both of them pressed their ears against it. Then, she vaguely overheard a conversation. ¡°¡­ Just get rid of them!¡± It was the sound of a woman. It seemed sharp, like the voice of Xuanji¡¯s Empress. ¡°¡­ You are finally not going to endure it?¡± the other person said in smiles. The voice was thin like a girl¡¯s, and the tone was one ofziness and impatience. When Meng Fuyao heard it, her mind exploded, and she could feel the blood rushing to her forehead. It was this voice! Epsilon! In an instant, her eyes turned murderous, but she quickly kept that expression. She remained as still as a boulder¡ªexperts like Epsilon could sense any form of movement or murderous aura within dozens of feet. No matter how angry she was, this was not the right moment. ¡°¡­ I really can¡¯t bear it anymore¡­¡± Xuanji¡¯s Empress seemed to be highly agitated. She paced back and forth quickly in the room. A whileter, she stopped and scolded, ¡°A bunch of bastards!¡± ¡°This was not what you originally wanted¡­¡± Epsilon continued to speak in a steady tone. Heughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want the people to be killed without any consequence, and still be able to stabilize the situation?¡± ¡°Judging by how it is, how am I going to stabilize it? I just¡­ sigh!¡± The Empress seemed as though she wanted to curse, but she ended her sentence with a bitter sigh. ¡°You should have said earlier. It would have been much easier, if not, why would I¡­¡± Suddenly, Epsilon gave a gentleugh. ¡°¡­ Still, let them live until now, and be able to eavesdrop beside the wall!¡± Bang! Before Epsilonpleted hisst sentence, Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao had already hurriedly retreated. Even so, in an instant, the wall shattered into pieces, and ash flew as the bricks were thrown in all directions. The dark red and yellow zed roof tiles created gusts of wind as they circted in the sky, and in mid-air, they transformed into rays of light and crashed right on top of their heads! ¡°Is it tiring to hang on the wall? How about letting me bring you onto your deathbed?¡± As the tiles flew, someone walked down the staircase andughed. He stood at the center of the courtyard, nted his body, and looked over with an eyebrow raised. He seemed like a piece of jade soaked in the moonlight. Soft and gentle, he resembled the shadows of the scattered trees reflected under the moonlight. Meng Fuyao smirked, and she kicked off half of the pce wall. The entire chunk flew towards Epsilon, creating loud sounds of wind movement. ¡°You can go and sleep instead. I¡¯ll first gift you a nket!¡± Right after she kicked the wall away, she leaped onto it. Her ck robes fluttered violently in the wind, and her body created a line as sharp as a de. ¡°Watch out for my flying carpet!¡± Epsilon smiled and watched. Casually, he extended his hand to catch the piece of wall. One hand hit on the wall, while the other hand went to grab Meng Fuyao, who jumped over like a ck cat. Heughed. ¡°Sleeping under the same nket is good too. Just right, we can continue what we left off on that day.¡± When the flying piece of wall reached, the gleam of Destiny Rebellion appeared. Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind the wall. The hand was carrying a jade Ruyi, and it silently shattered the cement bricks, as though those were tofu instead of stones. The Ruyi made superficial contact as it zoomed past, and the purple light gleamed as an arc screen was created, which aimed straight for 18 major acupuncture points on Epsilon¡¯s body! Immediately, Meng Fuyao backflipped and jumped off the piece of wall. She executed it with extreme uracy, making herselfnd right behind Epsilon¡¯s back. With a hand raised, she wielded a deadly stab of Destiny Rebellion! However, Epsilon¡¯s body suddenly twisted. With that twist, all the bones in his body seemed to be twisted out of ce, and they glided away from their original spots. One sleeve swayed towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s jade Ruyi and twisted around the Ruyi. Then, the sleeve tugged on the Ruyi to hit on Meng Fuyao¡¯s sword! Chapter 312 - Untitled Chapter 312: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ng¡ª The low resounding note surprised the two of them as they immediately retreated. The sleeves fluttered like a butterflynding on a flower under that warm moonlight. Meng Fuyao made use of that action and drew a long ck line in the air. She bent over and did a 360 flip in the sky, towards Epsilon beside her. She flung her ck hair, blocking Epilson¡¯s vision and in that split second, directed her Destiny Rebellion towards him, right into his eyes. But Epsilon¡¯s astonishingly flexible body bent over and avoided around the Destiny Rebellion. In that split second, Epsilon¡¯s head almost touched his shoes. With a sh, he used the tip of his foot and grabbed Meng Fuyao¡¯s de and tossed her towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s Ruyi. Meng Fuyao was unable to stop herself in mid-air and might as well pounce into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s embrace. Zhangsun Wuji grabbed her with one hand and turned around. The two twirled in the air and slowlynded. After being with each other for such a long time, both of them had a clear grasp on each other¡¯s martial arts; thus, having such chemistry. The two gentlynded on the ground, and Meng Fuyao quickly nced at Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s Ruyi, afraid that she had ruined his weapon. Thankfully, they were all elites that had good control over their inner energy. Zhangsun Wuji looked up and smiled at her, signaling her that everything was alright. Meng Fuyao snorted and turned to re at that darn pervert that enjoyed watchingpanions kill each other. This person must have been lied and cheated by his ownpanions countless of times to be this warped. ¡°Have you thought of how to die?¡± She lifted her Destiny Rebellion and gazed at him disquieting. ¡°Have you thought of how to die?¡± That person raised his brow and shot a baleful nce in her direction with his green almond eyes. ¡°I bet you have no self in your existence thus far, living your life as another¡¯s shadow, as a puppet.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡°Having such a spineless person in the top ten is utter disgrace and tragedy.¡± ¡°I bet you have no self in your existence thus far, living your life as another¡¯s shadow, as a puppet.¡±That personughed too as a wisp of smoke swayed under the moonlight. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart pounded against her chest. Her brows furrowed in anger as she spat, ¡°Can¡¯t you say something that isn¡¯t my words?!¡± That person ignored and reflected back her every move¡ªeven the tone was an exact replica. ¡°Can¡¯t you say something that isn¡¯t my words?!¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart began to hurt once more as if stabbed by something. Her blood began to boil as though she was about to level up. Beside her, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly yelled, ¡°Fuyao!¡± Meng Fuyao snapped out of her trance upon hearing Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him lest he copies you!¡± Zhangsun Wuji warned. That moment, the realization that this was one of Epsilon¡¯s tricks hit her. This ever-changing person had the ability to steal the soul. Even during conversations, it was possible for one to fall into that person¡¯s trap. Opposite her, Epsilon remained smiling. This time round, Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s words were being echoed. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him lest he copies you!¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± Meng Fuyao noticed that Epsilon¡¯s target was switched and reminded Zhangsun Wuji with concern. ¡°This person is trying to control you, don¡¯t fall into his trap.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled and continued talking, undeterred by Epsilon. ¡°This person is trying to control you, don¡¯t fall into his trap.¡± Meng Fuyao red at Epsilon and watched Zhangsun Wuji that didn¡¯t seem to notice he was being learned. Her heart thumped. Wuji had fallen into his trap! ¡°Fuyao, step back for now. And don¡¯t speak anymore.¡± Zhangsun Wuji enjoined her worriedly as he went pale. ¡°Fuyao, step back for now. And don¡¯t speak anymore,¡± Epsilon replied with a smile. Meng Fuyao panicked. Wuji hade to her rescue and fallen into Epsilon¡¯s trap! ¡®What should I do? Call his name? Attract Epsilon¡¯s attention onto myself? It seems as though he could only control one person at a time.¡¯ Meng Fuyao¡¯s anxious thoughts flooded her mind. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Zhangsun Wuji looked away and slowly recited, ¡°How does it feel, to witness my loved one marry another?¡± ¡°How does it feel¡­¡± Epsilon suddenly froze. ¡°To see her donned in a crown and dressed in red, spending the wedding night with another. How does it feel?¡± ¡°To see her donned in a crown and dressed in red¡­¡± Epsilon opened his mouth as his face turned green. ¡°I am useless.¡± Zhangsun Wuji ignored Epsilon and sighed to the moon. ¡°As one of the top ten martial artists that has the world at my beck and call, I am not even able to get an ounce of concern from my beloved one.¡± ¡°I am¡­ You!¡± It was apparent that Epsilon was struggling as the color of his face turned from green to white. Meng Fuyao noticed his expressions and realized that Epsilon¡¯s ¡°mimicking¡± was a form of control over the consciousness. But when it came to conscious control, it was a must for the controlling party to have absolute advantage and confidence. Otherwise, the controlling party would easily suffer the bacsh. Zhangsun Wuji initially pretended to be under his control and forced him to direct all his inner energy towards controlling Wuji. And then, Wuji suddenly hit the nail on its head, targeting Epsilon¡¯s most painful memories, causing distress to Epsilon and attempted to dominate the pace. Epsilon was now being pulled along by Zhangsun Wuji, stuck between a rock and a hard ce. He did not want to follow, yet he could not opt-out. If he continued to follow, he would end up suffering the bacsh. If not for fear of distracting Zhangsun Wuji, Meng Fuyao would have burst out intoughter. ¡®Epsilon, ah, Epsilon, your martial arts may be higher than the two of us, but you have forgotten that you are in the face of the slyest fox in the entire Five Regions Continent. Belittling him is equivalent to belittling your own life!¡¯ she thought triumphantly. Meng Fuyao was too ted and could not help but squat in a corner, hugging her stomach, and she guffawed quietly. As sheughed, she slowly took out Destiny Rebellion and quietly made her way behind Epsilon. ¡°Even if I begged, a shattered mirror cannot be repaired,¡± Zhangsun Wuji gazed at the moon and said it with a sorrowful tone. ¡°Even if I¡­ Even if I¡­¡± Epsilon struggled, his face turning paler by the second and his veins bing more apparent. Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger was three inches away from his heart. She couldn¡¯t rush; otherwise, she would destroy this atmosphere, destroy the trap that Zhangsun Wuji had set. ¡°To see another be by her side, what do I do with these feelings?¡± The moonlight lit up the contours of his face. His tone was filled with torment and sorrow. Somehow, Meng Fuyao felt that Zhangsun Wuji wasn¡¯t just describing Epsilon emotions, but rather¡­ his own pain? ¡°To see her¡­.these¡­ these¡­¡± Blood slowly began to drip out the corner of Epsilon¡¯s mouth. The de gradually moved forward¡­ Only an inch left! Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze flickered. She knew that this chance bestowed by the Gods was extremely rare. Epsilon¡¯s abilities were phenomenal, and under normal circumstances, he would not have let things develop to this point. It was due to his careless under Zhangsun Wuji repeated acts of causing him distress that he had lost control. This chance would note another time. After this, there was no after! ¡°To even follow her around, in hopes that she could show me some care,¡± Zhangsun Wuji whispered gently, his eyes still fixated on the moon. Suddenly, his gaze dropped. Andnded on Meng Fuyao. Caught by surprise, Meng Fuyao almost dropped her de. She tightened her grip around the dagger, continuing her slow and steady killing. Just a centimeter left! But once the calmke was being stirred up, it would not return to its peaceful state anytime soon. The never-ending ripples¡­ ¡°I have no other wish but to spend the rest of my days with her, to have her heart and never be separated.¡± ¡± I have¡­¡± Epsilon spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Epsilon!¡± A shriek shattered the carefully calcted atmosphere. Epsilon immediately turned back. Zhangsun Wuji shook. Meng Fuyao immediately rushed forward and stabbed. Shhh¡ª The sound of the dagger stabbing into him rang in the air. Drops of fresh blood sttered in the air as Epsilon pounced towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s direction. In her worry, Meng Fuyao lost focus and felt that Destiny Rebellion had slipped out of her hand and brushed passed something hard and slippery. Meng Fuyao refused to give up her chase and did a flip and attempted to stab him once more. However, Epsilon had already escaped, like a long snake, slithering behind the Xuanji Empress that had just run out. Once hended, he grabbed the Empress¡¯ arms and smiled. ¡°You are worried about me¡­¡± The Empress brushed him away. Stamping her foot on the ground, she shrieked and demanded, ¡°Kill them! They cannot stay!¡± ¡°Yes, of course, we cannot stay.¡± Meng Fuyao blew off the blood on her dagger and smiled. ¡°To find out about your adulterous affair, we cannot stay.¡± ¡°You b*tch!¡± The Xuanji Empress turned back, with her bloodshot eyes and screeched with anger. ¡°What right do you have to tell me this? Everyone in the Five Regions Continent knows that the most shameless woman is you! Seducing men here and there. With your mediocre abilities, there is no way you can be the leader of the three nations. Naturally, you must have¡­¡± Bam! A heavy p was directed towards her. Zhangsun Wuji calmly tidied his sleeves and calmly said, ¡°If you dare to continue, no matter who is beside you, I will kill you.¡± His tone was calm, and his expression did not change even the slightest. Xuanji¡¯s Empress red at him as she put her palm over her burning cheek. After the initial shock, she cursed at him, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you are a piece of¡ª¡± Bam! This p was even louder than the previous one. The impact forced Xuanji Empress to turn back. Meng Fuyaoughed coldly as she threatened her. ¡°If you dare say another word about him, I do not care who is protecting you, I will dig out your heart and see what color it is.¡± ¡°You two sure like to brag.¡± Epsilon finally opened his mouth. He did not bother himself with the sobbing Empress but instead stared coldly at the two. ¡°Do you think I am destined to lose due to that mere moment of careless?¡± Meng Fuyao readied herself. ¡°You can try.¡± Chapter 313 - Untitled Chapter 313: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Epsilon smirked, and he was about to speak, but the door behind him suddenly opened. The old and frail Feng Xuan stumbled out and continuously panted as he leaned on the window. In a low tone, he asked, ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening¡­¡± Meng Fuyao looked at him, who was weak but still had handsome facial features. After carefully scrutinizing his eyes and eyebrows, she suddenly harbored a very daring thought. She must have lived in this pce before, and she looked exactly the same as someone else. Could that someone have lived in the pce before? If so, would Feng Xuan recognize her? Rather than fainting every time she came into contact with those objects in the abandoned pce, she might as well try to let others discover her. If he recognized her, if he recognized her¡­ She shot into the sky. With a flick of her sleeves, a lighter dropped into a bunch of flowerpots on the side. The lighter was ignited upon contact with wind, and in an instant, a huge fire raged. It brightened the dark pce, which was kept dim on purpose. Feng Xuan, who was still leaning on the window, looked up in confusion. At the same time, Meng Fuyao lept towards his direction, and she raised her hand to tear away her mask¡­ Meng Fuyao was in mid-air, and she was about to reveal her appearance in front of Feng Xuan. However, a ck figure suddenly crashed towards her. The figure came in a strange manner. He flew out from the side pce, stepped on the window frame, and leaped into the air. While he was in mid-air, there was a white gleam. Three feet away, a green de appeared, radiating a murderous and icy-cold aura. It was a legendary weapon in his hands. While the figure was still a foot away, the famous sword had already neared Meng Fuyao and it aimed straight for her extended wrist. With a smirk, Meng Fuyao raised her hand to cut across the strike. When the hand was extended, it was as steady as a piece of jade, and it sliced the gleam of the sword into half. Her fingers sped the tip of the long sword. She didn¡¯t resist the strike, but she held the tip and hit it straight towards the person who had suddenly appeared. However, that person did not stay on in the fight for long, and he abandoned his legendary sword. With a swift turn, he jumped through the window Feng Xuan was leaning on, and he grabbed Feng Xuan along with him. At the same time, he gave a strong back kick and shut the open window. There was another bang as the window was tightly closed once again, and Feng Xuan was carried in. Meng Fuyao was about to raise her hand to remove her mask again, but at this sight, she immediately stopped. For a long while, she looked furious. And which bastard was it this time round, showing up unexpectedly and disrupting her ns? It was obvious that he did not want to be in a life-or-death fight with her, and he only wanted to prevent Feng Xuan from seeing her. Judging by how determined he was to stop her, it was evident that he was an insider. At this moment, the insider who would stop her from finding out the truth was most probably the foe who had harmed her years ago! She could confirm that whatever had happened to her before she turned five was definitely nowhere good. Even if she disregarded that segment of history, she had been ¡°ruined¡± by the old Taoist priest for a decade, and she had suffered all kinds of torture to train her martial arts. After she had turned 15, she had been stranded around the Continent and had been continuously bullied. All these were the result of that bastard¡¯s actions! Meng Fuyao boiled with anger. She raised her legs and made a dash forward. Suddenly, Epsilon flicked his sleeves towards the direction of the floor. His sleeves resembled steel blocks that created a trail of sparks as they brushed past the limestone staircase. He raised a finger, and the trail of sparks suddenly leaped onto his finger like a chain of stars. They shed brightly, and the mes continued to flicker. Under the shine of the fire, Epsilonughed cunningly. ¡°I may be injured, but you two seem no better. This is the perfect moment for me to show you the real difference between the top five and bottom five wielders in the top ten rankings.¡± All of a sudden, he slowly turned around and exposed his back to Meng Fuyao. When Meng Fuyao saw his back, a chill went down her spine. Though his clothes were torn and there was a vague scar, she clearly remembered that she had shed with her dagger with much force. Even if the knife slipped out from her hands right after, she was able to create significant damage to Epsilon. But right now, the scar on his back was no longer bleeding. More shockingly, the long and narrow scar seemed to be quickly healing at a visible speed. What an amazing recuperating ability! While Meng Fuyao was still in shock, Epsilon suddenly waved his hand, and the unextinguished chain of fire sparkles created a bright arc in mid-air. There was little volume in the sparks, but strong inner energy and raging wind currents could be felt from the swing. With a force powerful enough to break apart the Heavens, Epsilon delivered his blow towards her! Bam! The ten-feet wide well was broken into half, and the bush that Meng Fuyao had lit up was extinguished in an instant. Thirty feet away, outside the main hall, thentern that was lit up in the corner of the roof outside the pce suddenly swayed. The paper exterior of thentern was suddenly sucked in towards the candle, and it caught on fire, turning into a ball of fire that fell. The entire courtyard of Aurora Spring petals was also silently crumbled into powder. The corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes flew because of this violent sh, and it covered her face. Meanwhile, her surroundings were pitch-ck as all the sources of light were extinguished. She could sense a chilly aura approaching her. Someone smiled cunningly in the wind, and it sounded like he was right beside her ear. She vaguely thought that nothing would happen, but she suddenly felt a cold chill on her cheeks, followed by excruciating pain. He was trying to ruin her appearance! She could hear someone flying hurriedly towards her, and she guessed that it was Zhangsun Wuji. A loud pping sound was heard, and subsequently, the ground shook. Meng Fuyao was already boiling with anger. At this point, she could no longer control her anger. Disregarding the pain she felt on her face, she raised her hand and delivered a strong blow as well. It was delivered in the dark, and the segment of the ck de, which appeared from the side of her hand, was concealed. Destiny Rebellion! Bam¡ª Air pressure suddenly intensified, as though there was a huge hammer hitting her heart, or she was drowning in the sea. It was also the feeling one would feel when a piece of boulder crashed down on them. The huge force caused her to ck out, and she could taste blood in her heart. In that instant, the blood in her body totally lost control. She was suddenly dragged away forcefully, and as the surrounding wind became stronger, the unique scent in the darkness also became stronger. Then, she could hear Epsilon saying in an astonished voice, ¡°You- Good! So you¡¯re actually-¡± Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly stopped talking andughed. In the meantime, Meng Fuyao was already dragged out of the hall by Zhangsun Wuji. Her body became a g that was unfolded in the windy night sky. She flew past the rows of pces and buildings like a shooting star. Behind them, Xuanji¡¯s Empress stomped her feet angrily. She shrilled. ¡°Why did you not kill them and remove subsequent troubles! Go chase, go chase them!¡± Epsilon remained silent. Momentster, he raised his hand and grabbed his chest. There was the sound of a cough, followed by another cough. Then, he slowly raised his sleeve and covered his mouth. He spoke in a slightly raspy voice, ¡°There are many talents in the Five Regions Continent¡­ I have indeed¡­ grown old¡­¡± ¡°Go chase! Go chase!¡± The Empress was still unsatisfied, and she continued to urge him. Epsilon put down his sleeve and took a nce at her. There was a mix of emotions in his expression, consisting of depression¡­ helplessness¡­ regret¡­ and worry¡­ A whileter, he said, ¡°Ning Er¡­ I really regret spoiling you so much. In the future, if I can no longer protect you, what are you going to do?¡± The Empress stopped urging, as though she was touched by the nickname which no one had called her by in a long while. ¡°What happened to you today? Lost your soul? You¡¯re frightened by those two scrawny fellows? Didn¡¯t they get injured too? You¡¯re ranked fourth in the Top Ten Wielders rankings. How can you boost others¡¯ self-esteem and lose your own confidence?¡± Epsilon merely smiled, and he did not answer her question. ¡°I tried to persuade you so many times to change your personality, but you never listen. Just listen to me for once, can you?¡± ¡°Change what?¡± The Empress¡¯s voice turned sharp again. ¡°Why can¡¯t you protect me? Didn¡¯t you promise to protect me, from life until death?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Epsilon said calmly. ¡°From life, until death. When you die, you can only be buried beside me. I do not allow you to go to the mausoleum of the Feng n.¡± ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense.¡± The Empress nced at him and added proudly, ¡°I live and die with him. The position beside his tomb belongs to me and only me. The whole mausoleum is mine and his. No one can change that.¡± ¡°I do not allow that,¡± Epsilon replied calmly. ¡°If you¡¯re buried there, I¡¯ll ruin the entire mausoleum and dig out your corpses. His will be fed to the dogs, and I will eat your corpse. If you want to be buried there, I will make sure you will not be buried in peace.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The Empress was shocked by the frightening words he said in the calm tone, and she looked back at him in shock. Epsilon¡¯s expression remained superficial, whereby no one could tell his true thoughts and feelings. However, after staying so long with him, she somewhat knew his personality. After some thought, she spoke in a cautious tone, ¡°You¡¯re kidding. You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Epsilon stared at her, and there was a look of disappointment. However, he quickly smiled and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m kidding.¡± ¡­ Zhangsun Wuji held Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand and brought her over one roof after another. He was extremely fast, and he ran rounds against the wind. After receiving Epsilon¡¯s strike, Meng Fuyao¡¯s inner energy was stuck in her core, and it needed to be dispersed in the fastest possible timing. When he ran the third round, Meng Fuyao spat out a mouthful of blood. It was then that Zhangsun Wuji stopped and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s done-¡± Meng Fuyao looked up at him gratefully. He was always the clearest about her body condition, so much so that he didn¡¯t even need to check her pulse. Then, she looked at him brightly and said. ¡°The palm he delivered just now seemed to have cleared some blockages in my core. A few dayster, after I fully recover andpletely absorb the effects of Zong Yue¡¯s pill, I will be able to achieve a breakthrough. This is the advantage of fighting with the top ten wielders. With every fight, I be one level higher. Epsilon, just you wait, remember to prepare your coffin!¡± However, Zhangsun Wuji was not concerned about what she was ted over. He quickly removed her mask and frowned. ¡°Your face is not injured, right?¡± When the mask was revealed, he was in for a shock. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face was full of blood, and it was a frightening red shade. Furthermore, her overtly-wide grin made the image so ugly that it was diforting for people to see. However, under a closer look, he felt relieved. It was only the nose that was broken. Meng Fuyao touched her nose, and her reaction was very slow. She looked at her blood-coated hand in shock. ¡°Oh? Why didn¡¯t I know that my nose bled? Luckily, my nose bridge is high, and it can help to fend me even if the sky is falling down. If not, my eyes would have been damaged instead.¡± With a helpless sigh, Zhangsun Wuji looked at her and gave her a knock on her forehead. ¡°Look up,¡± he said. He took out a napkin to wipe away the blood on her face, and he added, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman who cares so little about her appearance like you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of a good appearance?¡± Meng Fuyao rebutted. ¡°It just adds on to your troubles, and you¡¯re easily despised by others who will say that you¡¯re merely an empty vessel. No matter what you aplish, they will think that it¡¯s because of your good looks and your abilities will bepletely undermined. Also¡­¡± She suddenly smiled and continued, ¡°There are some advantages of being ugly. It¡¯s a lot quieter.¡± Chapter 314 - Untitled Chapter 314: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji was helping to wipe her face, and his hand froze when he heard this line. Secondster, he looked at her and raised an eyebrow. ¡°So do you think that we chase you because of your marvelous looks?¡± When Meng Fuyao heard that, she knew that His Highness was unhappy and she smiled sheepishly. Though she kept quiet, her eyes gleamed in mischief and her look conveyed what she wanted to say. ¡®I think that looks are still very important, and there¡¯s an 80% chance that looks are partly why you guys like me. However, my skin is not that thick, and I¡¯m not daring enough to say this, so just ept it.¡¯ Zhangsun Wuji kept his napkin and sighed. ¡°Luckily, it¡¯s me¡­ If it was that bad-tempered one here, he would probably let you bleed straight away.¡± However, Meng Fuyao was indignant. She raised her chin high and said, ¡°Am I wrong? Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Terrible error!¡± Zhangsun Wuji smirked. ¡°You¡¯re, in fact, insulting us by saying it this way.¡± ¡°How serious,¡± Meng Fuyao muttered under her breath. ¡°Alright, I admit. You guys are lofty and unsullied, and are never moved by others¡¯ appearances.¡± Then, she looked around at the surroundings. Seeing that they were surrounded by low-lying houses fenced up with short walls, she frowned. ¡°What is this ce?¡± she asked. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s where eunuchs and servants live in,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said. ¡°You know that eunuchs and attendants whomitted mistakes, or are too old or ill, will be relocated to other quarters.¡± ¡°More like throwing them to one side to let them perish on their own.¡± Meng Fuyao instantly understood, and she sighed. ¡°They are all pitiful people¡­ Let¡¯s go. We can find another chance a few dayster to settle those bastards.¡± She had just turned around when Zhangsun Wuji suddenly eximed. ¡°Oh?¡± When Meng Fuyao looked back, she saw that Zhangsun Wuji was looking at a corner in the house. Someone was squatting in the dark corner, and he looked like an elder from the back. His white hair was messily scattered over his shoulder, and he was using a straw of grass to draw something on the ground. Who could possibly be drawing at midnight? Meng Fuyao took a curious look, and she was about to leave, but the old eunuch suddenly cried ¡°hehe¡±. Then, he threw the grass away and copsed backward. Hurriedly, Meng Fuyao went forward to support him, but she frowned when she came into contact with the old eunuch. She really disliked the smell of urine on the eunuch. When she looked up, she saw that the old eunuch¡¯s face was full of dirt, the messy hair seemed like it had not been washed for a long while, and strands of hair were stuck on the rice grains which were not wiped away from his face. His facial features could not be distinguished, and at that moment, his jaws were agape, his hazy eyes were staring widely, and saliva drooled down from the corner of his lips. He seemed as though he was suffering from stroke, or a certain disease was acting up. Meng Fuyao patted his face and said, ¡°Hey¡­ Hey¡­¡± The old man tried hard to open his eyes. When he saw Meng Fuyao¡¯s face, his eyeballs suddenly froze in the sockets. He stood so rigidly that Meng Fuyao almost thought that he was dead from seeing her. Shocked, she tried to call him continuously. The old man struggled, and he seemed to want to call back and be released from her grip. However, his body was stiff, and he could not move at all, and his struggling was merely light spasms. From Meng Fuyao¡¯s perspective, she thought that he must be suffering from a stroke attack. ¡°Dead person! Going berserk again!¡± Behind her, there was suddenly the sound of a door opening. A woman whose clothes were messy and whose expression was numb walked in withrge strides and she shouted openly, ¡°Crazy old man, always not sleeping at midnight and acting like a zombie all the time.¡± She trotted over and snatched the old eunuch from Meng Fuyao¡¯s hands without even looking at her. Then, she dragged the old eunuch¡¯s withered body away, kicked open the door and threw him out. After that, she kicked the door shut, and the kick was so strong that the entire house shook. Meng Fuyao found the scene veryughable. Looking behind at Zhangsun Wuji, she said, ¡°This is the first time that I realized that I¡¯m actually transparent.¡± However, Zhangsun Wuji did not reply to her, and he stared at the floor in a daze. For some reason, hisplexion suddenly looked much paler under the moonlight, and there were even traces of green. The corner of his eyes also seemed to be trembling, as though something had strongly affected him and even¡­ angered him. Since it was such a rare sight to see him with such an expression, Meng Fuyao was taken aback. She turned to look towards the floor, but Zhangsun Wuji suddenly moved. He seemed to want to use his feet to wipe away the drawing on the ground, but he retracted his leg right after he extended it. Meng Fuyao squatted down and stared at the drawing. It was very messy and abstract, and it was at the standard of a child¡¯s scrawling. There were three drawings. The first one could vaguely be recognized as a pce. It was a very average hall, not like theplicated ones in Xuanji¡¯s Pce now. There was a woman dressed in simple clothes talking to a man who was dressed like a eunuch. The second drawing depicted a room, which had ayout simr to all other average-looking rooms. There was a bed, drawer, pots, and curtains. The same eunuch from the previous drawing was squatting down, and he extended his hand behind the curtain. A square corner could vaguely be seen there. Meng Fuyao stared at that drawing, and her breathing started to quicken. The third one seemed to be in a different setting, as there were more decorations. A woman who wore all kinds of pearls and jade on her head was lying on the floor, and there was also a thin teenage boy there. Someone hid behind the curtain and gripped the curtain tightly, and it seemed to be the same eunuch. The old eunuch seemed to have drawn a few messy lines close to each other to depict the feeling of suffocation and anxiety in the drawing. Anxiety! Out of the blue, Meng Fuyao¡¯s vision turned ck, and her heart instantly started beating very strongly. Pressing a hand on her heart, she struggled to look up at Zhangsun Wuji. In the meantime, Zhangsun Wuji kept staring at the second drawing with a pained and sorrowful expression. Although Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t know what he was sorrowful over, seeing his expression made her heart feel very heavy all of a sudden. It was as though a heavy object was pressing down on her organs, and she felt excruciating pain in an instant. At this moment, both were quietly in pain. Just like how they were standing in the courtyard and not willing to walk away even though they wanted to, they were unable to escape from reality, even though their hearts stated otherwise. Meng Fuyao took another look at the second drawing in a daze, even though she was innately very resistant towards looking at it again. In her mind, the bright images appeared again¡­ the dark room¡­ the hand that reeked of urine reaching in¡­ fingers that were abnormally long and thin¡­ Meng Fuyao swayed, but before Zhangsun Wuji could support her, she suddenly stood up and walked over to the door, and she opened it with a strong kick. In the turbid room which smelled like stench, the middle-aged woman who was scolding and wiping the sweat off the old eunuch looked up in shock. She saw Meng Fuyao walking over to the old eunuch determinedly. Meng Fuyao extended her hand, snatched the old eunuch up from the bed and was ready to walk off. ¡°Hold it!¡± The woman jumped down the bed, grabbed the bamboo broom at the side of the wall, and gave a fierce swing. ¡°Who are you! How dare you kidnap people in the pce!¡± Meng Fuyaoughed when she heard that, but that smile was cold. She shook the subconscious old eunuch and smirked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m kidnapping people here in the pce, and I do as I please. If you¡¯re tactful, you will scram to one side.¡± ¡°You¡¯re disregarding thews! You scram!¡± The woman waved her broom and dashed forward. Meng Fuyao flicked her fingers and made the woman freeze. Looking up at her, Meng Fuyao said in an emotionless tone, ¡°You¡¯re loyal to apany through the troubles in the pce. I won¡¯t kill you because of this¡­ Tell me, who is he?¡± ¡°Bah!¡± The woman spat on the floor, and it contained very dense phlegm. ¡°Your Dad!¡± ¡°My Dad died long ago.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled icily. ¡°If you miss my father, I can send you to Hell to meet him. How about that?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Meng Fuyao frowned. People who endured years of suffering in the Pce aged very quickly. The woman had long lost her original personality, and she was not afraid of death at all, so it made the situation more troublesome. Seeing that the old eunuch might not provide much useful information, she would have to rely on the woman instead. As such, after some thought, she grabbed the woman and with one person under each of her arms, she stepped out of the door. This ce was remote, and no one usually passed by. As such, even with such a hugemotion, none of the guards walked over. Meng Fuyao casually brought the two people back into the inner room of her amodation. After throwing the two people down on the floor, she sat wide-legged and said, ¡°See, I brought you guys out of the Pce. Speak properly, and I¡¯ll promise your freedom in return.¡± She said that towards the woman. As for the old eunuch, before his identity and history were known, she would not grant him freedom. ¡°We¡¯re out of the Pce?¡± The woman crawled to her feet and looked at the surroundings. Leaning on the window, she nced out. There were tall trees outside the amodation, which was a sight that would never be seen in the Pce. Hence, she immediately understood that she was out of the Pce. Then, she started hitting her knees, and she roared withughter. ¡°Ha ha ha, I¡¯m out of the Pce, I¡¯m out!¡± She leaped over and shook the old eunuch with all her force. ¡°Old Lu, Old Lu, we¡¯re out of the Pce! We¡¯ve finally made it out! We no longer need to be afraid of peopleing to kill you! Haha, we¡¯re out!¡± When Meng Fuyao heard thest sentence, she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who wants to kill you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± One corner of her thin lips raised in defiance. ¡°It¡¯s not my business.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°How are you guys any of my business? I think I should just send the both of you back to continue getting killed.¡± After staying silent for a while, the woman looked at the old eunuch who kept shivering on the ground. Suddenly, she asked, ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°Who is he? As well as his experience and your experience in the Pce.: ¡°Nothing much can be said,¡± the woman said in an icy tone. ¡°He is Old Lu, my partner, who entered the Pce much earlier than me. When Imitted a mistake and was banished to the dark hall, he was already there. As to why he was allocated there, he didn¡¯t tell me when I asked him. Before being banished, he was just a lowly eunuch serving in Consort Ying¡¯s pce. After Consort Ying died a sudden death, many of her servants were banished to the dark hall, and most of them died within two years except for him. He took care of me during my time there; hence, we decided to be partners. Consort Ying¡­ Meng Fuyao thought hard about this title, but she could sense any special meaning from it. After thinking for a while, she said, ¡°There¡¯s an abandoned pce behind a bunch of bushes in the southwest corner of the Pce. Do you know which pce is that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pce there?¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s a restricted area in the southwest corner. Attendants like us are not allowed to enter, and I have never seen it before.¡± Meng Fuyao frowned, and she tried to ask in another manner, ¡°What is the name of Consort Ying¡¯s pce?¡± Meng Fuyao remembered the man she had met in Xuanji¡¯s jail, and he had mentioned something that sounded like ¡®Yan Ling¡¯. She had checked the names of all the ces in Xuanji, but none of them sounded simr to what was said. Now that she thought of it, could it have been the name of a pce? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The woman still shook her head. ¡°Consort Ying passed away 14 years ago, and I entered the Pce eight years ago. How would I know her affairs?¡± Chapter 315 - Untitled Chapter 315: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°14 years ago¡­¡± Meng Fuyao was shocked. ¡°When did Old Lu enter? Was it 14 years ago as well?¡± ¡°Yes. 14 years.¡± The woman turned to look at Old Lu, who was whimpering on the floor. Her expression was one of sadness and helplessness. Usually, Meng Fuyao might have been touched by such an act of supporting each other during humble circumstances. But right now, she was very frustrated, and there were burning questions in her mind, so she could not care less. She asked, ¡°Who wants to kill you two?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just him, not me,¡± the woman said. ¡°It was supposed to be peaceful there, as no one cared about us. Our circumstances may be humble, but we got used to living this way. Yet, a few months ago, someone suddenly wanted to kill him and mixed poison in his food. Luckily, I hit the bowl by ident, so the rice fell and was eaten by the dog. I was feeling grudgy at that time, but that dog experienced fits and died right away. It scared me so much that I couldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep that night. There was no ce to hide or escape, and two sinners like us could only await for our deaths in a corner. However, nothing happened after that, and no one asked a question. That made me question if the murderer almost killed the wrong person, and was willing to give up. Then, I thought about how before that happened, this lunatic kept drawing on the ground, saying that it¡¯s for someone else to see. He couldn¡¯t exin clearly who it was, so I wondered if the picture was the root of our troubles, and I forbade him from drawing again. Who knew that he would instead wake in the middle of the night to draw. I¡¯m always so tired from washing eunuchs¡¯ clothes in the day, so how would I have the energy to guard against him at night. See, now he attracted both of you¡­¡± Something that she said made her sorrowful, and she raised her sleeve to wipe away her tears. Meng Fuyao sat, stupefied. Each word reached her ear, but each word made her even more muddleheaded. Her past resembled sparks of fire thaty unextinguished in a pile of ashes, and they continuously shone a bright-red color amongst the dark patch. One would find it hard to pick them out, and the sparks may even extinguish anytime, leaving behind a chilly and grey pile, just like how her heart felt right now. Beside her, Zhangsun Wuji silently and gently took her hand in his. His palm was slightly hot, but to Meng Fuyao, whose limbs were icy-cold at the moment, this warmth was the mostfortable feeling for her. As she enjoyed the heat in her daze, she suddenly thought of matters that were totally unrted. She remembered how Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s palms used to be slightly cold, as his martial arts skills leaned more towards the softer side. However, recently, his palms had been warm no matter when he had extended it to her, and the warmth crept into her heart. At this thought, she nced over to him. Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s hands were in his sleeves while he held a cup of hot tea, and it was the reason why his hands were exceptionally warm. This observation made her feel touched. He probably wanted to give her more warm feelings as she traveled along this dark journey. He gave her warmth not just by his actions or words, but also through physical contact; it was not only his continuous support andpany but also his warm pair of hands heated up by a cup of hot tea, whenever she felt cold and chilly, be it mentally or physically. If there was someone on the universe, who was willing to treat you in this way and listen to the truth with you, no matter how fearful or terrifying it was, what else was there to be afraid of? Taking a deep breath and with tearful eyes, Meng Fuyao ced her own hand on his and caressed it in a consoling manner. Then, she signaled Tie Cheng to bring the woman somewhere else to be guarded, as she would decide on where to send her to only after she found out about what exactly happened. She also instructed her subordinate to secretly find a doctor ¨C the old eunuch was seriously ill. She would only be able to fully know the meaning behind the three drawings, Consort Ying¡¯s past, and the person who wanted to kill him if the old eunuch said it himself. After the people left, there were only the two of them who remained in the hall. They looked at each other and listened to the rooster¡¯s morning call. A few streets away, the early wakers opened their doors, and the watchmen pped their ppers. Rays of sunshine slowly shone in through the window panels, and the reflected light made people look very bright and fair. The extremely disturbing and dark night passed by like a river flow. Some feelings also passed by her like water flowing back to the East ocean, and these feelings could not be retained. However, her past ¨C which was meant to be buried in the old books ¨C barged into her life in a highly unrestrained manner. The past expanded and remained as a block in her heart, making her want to choke at every moment. Zhangsun Wuji got up and blew out the candles. He pulled her into her arms gently and slowly caressed her face, wiping away the frost and traces of tiredness that were embedded at the corner of her eyes. In a low tone, he said, ¡°Sleep for a while. The sky¡­ is going to get bright soon.¡± Meng Fuyao did not refuse, and she leaned in silently in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s arms. She could hear his calm and powerful heartbeat, and every sound of his heart beating was the most peaceful and beautiful song in the entire universe. Their night adventure in the pce did not allow them to find out who the ck figure behind the curtain was, but the secrets hidden in the past were slowly revealed until only thest barrier was left. When Meng Fuyao woke up, she regained herposure. She had been in power for long, and she was no longer the unknown person who continuouslymitted mistakes whenever she acted rashly. After experiencing revolutions in four nations and getting used to stirring trouble to topple others, she would not allow anyone to have the chance to topper her. Meng Fuyao first went to visit the Ninth Princess. In the inner room of the residence, she and the Ninth Princess were engaged in a long discussion. Thetter was calm andposed, and she told Meng Fuyao clearly that her father¡¯s situation was special, and it was definitely not as simple as it seemed. The new female ruler definitely would not be someone of their own; hence, it wasical and useless for the various princes and princesses to guard their own powers tightly. ¡°The soldiers guarding our city¡¯s defenses are split amongst three people.¡± The Ninth Princess drew up a distribution chart of their military strength. ¡°His Majesty naturally holds the overall power to mobilize the troops, and he also personally manages the Capital Imperial Guards, though it¡¯s probably the Empress who¡¯s controlling the forces now. There are still 100,000 Divine Knights and 150,000 Eternally Valiant Soldiers. The Divine Knights are controlled by the Ministry of Military, which is headed by my third brother¡¯s uncle. This means that the Divine Knights are under my brother¡¯s control. Additionally, there are about 10,000 Amethyst Cape Knights and 10,000 Iron Guards, and each province has its own military forces too. It¡¯s not easy to tell which camp they are under or how they will act in the future. However, in my opinion, once the new ruler seeds, the answer will be clear.¡± ¡°Who are the Eternally Valiant Soldiers under?¡± ¡°They are under His Majesty, and they are split into three camps. One camp belongs to the Eldest Princess¡¯ grandfather, while the other two camps are remaining neutral as for now. It is worthy to note that the captains of the Eternally Valiant Soldiers mostly served as soldiers guarding the border, and in their early years, they were under the former Generalissimo, whoes from the Tang family.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°So, what are your ns now?¡± The Ninth Princess stood up solemnly, and she bowed towards Meng Fuyao. ¡°I hope that you and the Crown Prince can extend a helping hand, to help my Xuanji settle its new ruler quickly, and therefore save the Xuanji royal family from internal bloodshed.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Meng Fuyao pointed to her nose. She looked at the Ninth Princess, and momentster, sheughed. ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m a nosy King? It seems like I have no responsibility or obligation to care about Xuanji¡¯s internal fight.¡± ¡°I may not know who the new ruler is, but I do know that the person in power right now does not harbor any favorable feelings towards you.¡± The Ninth Princess looked down and calmly added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get it done once and for all?¡± Meng Fuyao grinned and said, ¡°The royal descendants of Xuanji are eyeing the throne with much determination, and they aren¡¯t afraid of causing bloodshed amongst themselves. How admirable it is that you stand aloof and are the only who cares more about ties than the throne.¡± ¡°In just a short span of one year, my fourth and sixth sister, as well as my seventh and eighth brother have died.¡± The Ninth Princess was expressionless. ¡°Though our mothers are different, we are also connected by blood. Yet they silently died, one by one, due to internal strife for ultimate power. More people may die in the future, but there are just too many children born into the royal family, and their deaths are deemed as insignificant as grass being trimmed away. Even if the Heavens and my parents do not pity them, I do.¡± She bowed again. ¡°May you take pity as well.¡± Meng Fuyao stood to stop her bow. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just a foreigner who is temporarily staying in your country, and I only have 3,000 guards with me. So what if I take pity on you? You think too highly of me. But there¡¯s something right about what you said. There are people in the court who are very displeased with me. Since I¡¯m never one to retaliate only after someone offends me, when the time is right, I will actively strike.¡± There was a joyful expression on the Ninth Princess¡¯ face. ¡°Thank you, King of Han. If you need any help, I¡¯ll never reject your requests.¡± ¡®What a smart person. She does know that everythinges at a price,¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought as she smiled. She took out a drawing from her sleeves and said, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re well-versed with reading and writing. Hence, you attend to His Majesty with regards to official documents and reports in the Imperial Study. You would send all the reports to the Emperor¡¯s pce every three days, right? Then, can I trouble you to present this drawing to His Majesty at your own convenience.¡± When the Ninth Princess received the drawing, she could see all the contents on it. Meanwhile, Meng Fuyao carefully studied her expression. Seeing that there was no abnormal reaction, she could not help but frown. This drawing was abination of the scenes on the three drawings, and the fragmented scenes in her memory. Itprised the abandoned pce and a smiling woman, who looked like Meng Fuyao with a slightly different expression, and the woman was slightly older as well. Behind her, there was a tiny room. A closet and pots could vaguely be seen, and the curtain draped to the floor. In Meng Fuyao¡¯s opinion, Feng Xuan might not have ever noticed the eunuch nor the scene depicted in thest drawing. However, he would definitely have some recollection about the woman, right? After the Ninth Princess kept the drawing, Meng Fuyao asked about the whereabouts of Feng Wu¡¯s wife. After thinking for a while, the Ninth Princess answered, ¡°My fifth sister-inw¡­ Fifth brother should just give up on searching for her.¡± This answer was more than enough. With a sigh, Meng Fuyao stood up and left. When Meng Fuyao returned to her amodation, she arranged a few tasks for her subordinates. Then, she cleaned herself up and left. She headed towards an alley where most high-ranking officials in Xuanji lived. Just like how the Amethyst Cape Knights and Iron Guards each minded their own business, the senior management of these two organizations also lived very far from each other. Dressed in ck, she first went to the residence of the Captain of Iron Guards. After finding the room of the Captain, whose leg was still recovering from the injury caused at Sensual Cloud, she pushed the door open in smiles. Casually, she picked up a precious 100-year vase from the table and knocked it down on the recuperating leg, and the Captain¡¯s leg was broken once again. Chapter 316 - Untitled Chapter 316: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Thereafter, Meng Fuyao walked out of the room casually, ignoring the screams of the Captain. She visited the homes of the officials who were close to the Iron Guards as per the list provided by the Ninth Princess, not doing much, simply knocking down theirnterns and burning half their houses, causing the officials to tear themselves away from their soft concubines and run out buck-naked into the streets, or entering their houses and collecting their silver and spreading them out in the streets for anyone to pick. After wreaking havoc in several houses, she visited the house of the General of the Amethyst Cape Knights and spread a bag of low-quality poison into his well. Once the poison touched the water, the water immediately turned white and started frothing. Much less humans, even a pig wouldn¡¯t drink the water after seeing it. Discovering that there was something wrong with the water, the Amethyst Cape Knights immediately began investigating. At that moment, they noticed a figure sh over the high wall, and they immediately sent some men to give chase. However, the more they chased, the uneasier they felt; why were they headed towards the direction of the Iron Guards? Just as they were deliberating, the men that were sent from the Iron Guards to go after the murderer came thundering out. Hence, they all collided with each other. One side thought the other side had beaten the leg of their Captain and evenmitted arson and robbery, the other thought the other side had sent someone to poison their well and yet still im victim. There was already several years of animosity between the two parties, and there was simply no room for calm negotiation to determine who was behind this. Moreover, adding on to the disheveled officials on the Iron Guards¡¯ side rushing over with their hair flying and their feet bare, using the Amethyst Cape Knights before determining anything, there could only be one result: ¡°Screw you, asking for a beating!¡± Hence, they began exchanging blows. 10,000 Amethyst Cape Knights versus 10,000 Iron Guards began fighting each other once again, and the Eldest Imperial Princess and Third Prince immediately rushed over to quell the mes, yet this time was different from the previous. This time, officials whose houses were burnt and silver were robbed were involved; hence, they pestered the two royal members, demanding for justice. Third Prince maintained hisposure and ignored the gripes of the Iron Guards and the officials, however, Eldest Imperial Princess naturally had a hot temper, and upon hearing theints of the leader of the Amethyst Cape Knights, her face immediately contorted in anger. ¡®Fine, I haven¡¯t even bullied anyone, yet they¡¯re already trying to bully me!¡¯ Did they not know how powerful her Amethyst Cape Knights were? She had already tolerated getting her general killed the previous time, yet Third Prince still wasn¡¯t willing to let them off! Third Prince was still acting ignorant, as well as the uncanny timing of the events unfolding, making it look as if his men were the ones getting bullied? Eldest Imperial Princess¡¯ eyes shed with anger. Moreover, it was still uncertain as to who would inherit the throne, and His Majesty had already given her authority. Many people had whispered in her ear that perhaps His Majesty would make her the female leader, except that he had to remain impartial and see who would emerge victorious, to see who was most suited to be the emperor. She had been swayed by such words, yet she was still uncertain. However, now that the spark had been lit, she had decided. Fine then! Let the Xuanji court open their mongrel eyes wide and witness her power and worth! Now that Eldest Imperial Princess had decided, she let out a coldugh and waved an arm. Her men immediately understood her order and sprinted away to pass the message. Once the 50,000-strong Changyong Army started moving, the 10,000-strong Divine Knights had to move as well. Now that both forces were in motion, the leader of two troops of the Changyong Army, the Tang family, immediately announced that the capital was in danger and sent one troop to settle the Divine Knights in the capital, and the other to surround the Imperial Pce. However, the Divine Knights and the Yulin Army naturally did not care, and the Little Young Master of the Tang family smiled brightly as he took out a piece of paper and wrote several words, then ran to the inn where Meng Fuyao located the imperial stamp from the toilet where Lord Yuan Bao had been using it as a stepping stone. With a ¡°pa¡±-sound, a stamp was made! A beautiful imperial edict appeared under the hands of the CEO of ¡°Fuyao Throne-Capturing Mercenary Private Limited¡±! Tang Yizhong of the ¡°throne-capturing two-man group¡± carried the imperial edict and entered the chaos, adding fuel to the fire as he went along, adding a kick to someone and setting fire here and there. This time, Dan City really was lit up in red¡ªit was doused in mes. Meng Fuyao didn¡¯t care at all about what she had instigated. To her, the Xuanji Royal Family were but a bunch of rubbish firewood, and anyone could ignite them with the slightest spark. She felt both delighted and worried at the same time; delighted because her natural energy was rising and was about to breakthrough, worried because the Ninth Princess had sent the message that His Majesty had been surprised after looking at the drawing, but after a long time, he continued to remain silent. Meng Fuyao really couldn¡¯t fathom exactly what Feng Xuan was trying to y at, and eunuchs continued to invite reputable doctors to treat him, yet he still remained the same, unable to get anything out of his mouth. After returning from the Ninth Princess¡¯ manor, Meng Fuyao had been gued with worry. Hence, upon seeing a drinking house, she headed in, sitting in a corner with Zhangsun Wuji and taking a hard-earned break. A reading performance was ongoing, telling the story of ¡°The Deeds of the King of Han¡±. As Meng Fuyao listened, her mouth twitched slightly and shemented, ¡°Truly, the good deeds are not known yet the bad deeds spread thousands of miles.¡± However, someone from the table beside her suddenly said, ¡°Nowhere is safe.¡± Upon hearing, Meng Fuyao froze¡ªhad someone recognized her? She turned around to take a look only to see a young girl sitting at the table. Her hair was tied up strangely in three braids, separating her hair into three parts as it rested on her shoulder. Gold earrings adorned her earlobes, and she was using a de of grass to poke at something inside a box on the table. Looking at her expression, it seemed like she was talking to the thing inside the box, not at Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao smiled and was about to turn back when she suddenly noticed the woman sitting next to the young girl. She didn¡¯t look directly at the woman¡ªall she saw were her hands beside the box. Her fingernails were wless, yet upon closer look, she noticed that they were slightly curled as if they had been soaked in hot water. Usually, only people who were trained in physical martial arts would do it to protect their fingernails, but which woman would learn that kind of aggressive skill? Moreover, it was obvious that this pair of hands was extremely slim and smooth, and had probably never picked up a sword before, much less trained in physical martial arts. Meng Fuyao stared at the pair of intriguing hands curiously, and her gaze followed the hands upwards to a blue and red sleeve. The colors were extremely vibrant, and upon looking upwards further, she saw a long and delicate neck, and after that, an exquisitely beautiful face. The woman¡¯s skin was honey-colored and had a translucent quality, and her features were sharp and bright, yet she did not carry the air of a mutant race. Her eyes were deep-set, carrying a gaze that looked like a me burning within an ocean. The first impression upon seeing her eyes was that it was cold, yet a second nce made one feel it was simply alluring. Meng Fuyao had never seen such eyes¡ªZhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes were as deep as the ocean, but it was a sun-kissed ocean, dazzling and brilliant, yet this woman¡¯s eyes were deep and brooding, like a mystical ocean that one was unable to enter. Sensing Meng Fuyao¡¯s gaze on her, the woman looked up and gazed fixedly at Meng Fuyao. In that moment, Meng Fuyao swooned. Thereafter, she heard the young girl suddenly let out a snort, as if unhappy that Meng Fuyao was staring too tantly at the woman. With a push of her hand, she sent to box towards Meng Fuyao. The five-colored box slid across the table to reveal several white paper-like things that drifted towards Meng Fuyao¡¯s arm. Meng Fuyao poked the thing with her finger, and the thing stopped in midair and struggled for a moment before growing out four little legs. Suddenly, tubes sprang from its legs, and it sank itself into her finger. The white tubes instantly turned red upon contacting Meng Fuyao¡¯s skin; that thing could actually suck blood! Meng Fuyao was definitely not willing to let this monster suck her blood and reached out to break the tubes when the woman suddenly reached out and flicked, her finger, breaking the tubes. She then cast a withering nce at the young girl and made several gestures at Meng Fuyao, seeming to apologize. Meng Fuyao was already thinking that it was too much to suddenly let monsters bite other people without reason, but when she saw the woman, she could only smile and nod, preparing to leave. However, the woman continued to look at her fixedly, then suddenly made several more hand gestures. The three-braid young girl rolled her eyes and tranted unwillingly, ¡°Saint¡­ Mdy says, are you thinking about something? Do you have something troubling you that you can¡¯t resolve.¡± Meng Fuyao was stunned and exchanged nces with Zhangsun Wuji. She smiled casually and said, ¡°Yourdy is indeed special, then can I first ask, whether yourdy can tell what¡¯s troubling me?¡± The woman made several hand signs wordlessly, and the young girl interpreted, ¡°Mdy says, ¡®Youe, and you go, but if you don¡¯t know where to go, how can you find your way?¡¯¡± Meng Fuyao was thunderstruck by now, thinking that there were indeed many wondrous people in the Five Regions Continent. This woman was probably somewhat spiritual, so she decided to continue testing her and replied, ¡°May thedy, please exin.¡± The woman sat up and smiled gently at Meng Fuyao, making Meng Fuyao swoon once again, feeling as if her brain was flying swiftly past several scenes, faster and faster until everything became a blur. Suddenly, she stopped, and she faintly heard a faint popping noise and her entire body shuddered as she watched the woman¡¯s eyes suddenly fly out and move around in her brain as if trying to rece her eyes. This feeling was way too horrifying, and her heart went cold, and she instantly woke up. After she woke up, she realized that the woman was still sitting perfectly still opposite her. Where was there any of that eye-popping action earlier? It was probably an illusion, Meng Fuyao¡¯s mind was a blur, her heart was empty as she stared numbly, unable to speak. She was afraid of the woman¡¯s abilities now but seeing that Zhangsun Wuji had not interfered with the woman¡¯s actions, it meant that the woman was not attacking her. Except¡­ what was she looking at? She still couldn¡¯t recall anything. However, the woman had already picked up the young girl and stood up, then threw over a piece of red and white paper. ¡°Burn it and drink it, even if you don¡¯t drink it, breathing in the ashes is fine too, do what you will with it,¡± the young girl interpreted. Chapter 317 - Untitled Chapter 317: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios When Meng Fuyao heard her, sheughed. This was literally the same as the witches in her previous life. She stuffed it into her bag and watched as the woman leave, then Zhangsun Wuji and herself made their way down as well. ¡°Should I drink the ashes that the witch gave me¡­¡± ¡°What witch?¡± someone beside her suddenly interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t¡­¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped speaking and froze, then turned around hurriedly. Her eyes widened as she went, ¡°Zong, Zong, Zong, Zong¡­¡± ¡°Have you gotten dementia after just a few months of not meeting? Or do you not know how to call people by their names anymore?¡± A certain person¡¯s tongue was as vicious as ever, not caring about how others thought. Habitually, he took her wrist and felt for her pulse. Meng Fuyao poked her tongue out in surprise and delight, ignoring even his poisonous tongue and said, ¡°Ahh, Zong Yue, why are you here¡­¡± ¡°I heard from the messenger at the Virtuous Guild that someone was looking for a reputable doctor,¡± Zong Yue said. He was still the same white-robed Zong Yue with snow-like skin; even being emperor for a while did not seem to have any influence on him. He was still immacte and clean, like snow in a crowd, and people still walked around him as he went by. He felt Meng Fuyao¡¯s pulse carefully, then rxed his tightly-knit eyebrows and looked at Zhangsun Wuji disapprovingly. ¡°Did you forget who the best doctor under the heavens is already?¡± ¡°Even if I search the entire Five Regions, I wouldn¡¯t dare to find you,¡± Meng Fuyao waved her hand. ¡°Have you ever heard of calling an Emperor of a faraway country to travel thousands of miles to treat a eunuch¡¯s illness?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te here for him,¡± Zong Yue replied simply. Suddenly, he looked around and asked, ¡°Who were you talking to earlier?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either, she was very mysterious.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him. ¡°You know her?¡± Zong Yue pondered for a moment, then replied, ¡°No, just that I find her silhouette rather familiar. Perhaps I was mistaken.¡± Then, he turned to Zhangsun Wuji and said, ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s condition looks rather good, much better than Fuyao.¡± Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. Could this person not be so prickly all the time? ¡°I¡¯ve been lucky.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled slightly. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s condition looks even better, much better than the two of usbined.¡± Every time these two started talking, Meng Fuyao would feel a headacheing. Hence, she quickly moved away until she reached the stables. ¡°Quack Doctor Emperor, you¡¯re not who you were in the past anymore, quickly treat the patient and leave,¡± she called out. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much time to argue with you either.¡± Zong Yue took Old Lu¡¯s wrist, and after a moment, his eyebrows scrounged together, and he said, ¡°His time is up.¡± Then he exined, ¡°I can wake him up, but I have to tell you first, once he wakes up, he won¡¯t be able to remain alive.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent. She had always felt that this person did not have good intentions, but before the truth was out, who was she to give him the death sentence? Zong Yue looked at her, then at Old Lu, then suddenly turned to Zhangsun Wuji and exchanged nces. It seemed as if quite a bit of information had been exchanged with that single nce, and after a while, Zong Yue said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should sleep.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Meng Fuyao mumbled. After ordering Tie Cheng to arrange the amodations for Zong Yue, she headed back to her room, undressed herself, andy down. When she was removing her robes, she noticed the paper that the woman had given her. Chuckling, she casually threw it onto the table. After she had gone to bed, Zong Yue had the old eunuch transferred to the inner room. Pulling out the golden needles from his silk pouch, he began treatment. And in that bedroom, Meng Fuyao quickly fell asleep. While she was sleeping, Lord Yuan Bao had just finished a number two outside and returned, crawling onto the table and getting ready to sleep when suddenly, it saw the piece of paper. After getting nothing out of staring at it for a while, it threw it aside casually. The piece of paper drifted through the air andnded on the incense burner beside the bed, catching fire. The piece of paper began to burn, curling at the edges and shrinking until atst, it became nothing but white ash. A green smoke wafted through the air, mixing with the white smoke from the incense burner. Meng Fuyao suddenly flipped over. In the other room, beads of perspiration dripped from Zong Yue¡¯s forehead as he swiftly inserted golden needles into the back of the old eunuch¡¯s head. After that, he retracted his hand. He sat there, silently waiting. The old eunuch suddenly started trembling like a leaf caught in the wind and let out a low howl. After his outcry, he suddenly sat up, jumping out of bed with the finesse that a dying patient did not have, and let out another muffled cry, ¡°Don¡¯t kill¡ª¡± At that exact moment, a sharp cry came from Meng Fuyao¡¯s room as well. The cry was shrill and ear-piercing, and even the voice had changed. It didn¡¯t sound like anything that the fearless, havoc-creating Meng Fuyao would ever let out. Zong Yue¡¯s face instantly changed, no longer caring about the awakened old eunuch and flying out of his room in a sh of white, while a purple sh appeared in the dark outside as well. Within the dark room. Meng Fuyao sprang out of bed and copsed onto the ground, knocking over the table and several chairs as she grasped her heart in shock! She¡­ she had seen everything! Wind from an unknown world blew by, carrying the smell of smoke and night. The wind was not clear, carrying the faint smell of fire as it drifted towards her, drifting into a pair of pale, white hands. Little hands¡­ She looked down at her own hands. Since when had her hands be so small and frail? They were nothing but skin and bones, and her nails were filled with wood shavings. Wood shavings¡­ Where had the wood shavingse from? She remembered her own hands, long and slender, her fingernails clean, when had she have wood shavings? Wood shavings fell from above, falling on her head. She looked up to see darkness above her, along with the smell of rotting wood. She was surrounded by boards, an arm wide and two arms tall. She reached out to measure, but in actual fact, she didn¡¯t need to; she had already memorized the size of the space by heart, familiar to the point where she could tell the exact location where there was a little scratch in wood behind her, as well as all the little bumps and splinters along the wood, worn smooth like a red egg after years of touching. Red egg¡­ Hazily, she felt that she had never seen such a thing before. Why had she never seen it before? Meng Fuyao looked down at her small arms and legs, then at the cloth rope binding her legs, then at the eternal darkness enveloping herself. And not far from the darkness, a gentle bell was chiming, crisp, demure voices were speaking, and the light from a pcentern, light purple in color. Every day, thenterns would burn for three periods, from 5pm to 11pm, and then be extinguished. After that, she would once again be plunged into darkness, and she would eventually drift off to sleep. There was no bed nor pillow as she hugged several scraps of silk in winter. In the summer, she didn¡¯t use a single scrap, sleeping bare in the heat and darkness, her sweat wetting the wood. After a long time, the wood turned ck, like the color of soy sauce. Mosquitoes would also fly in and out of the small, stifling space, biting her silently as she flipped around restlessly, scratching herself to sleep only to be woken up by the head again after two or three periods and start hyperventting in pain, her whole body erupting in red spots, part of which were sores, the other self-scratched. She grew bedsores in many areas of her body¡ªa person with no illness, developing bedsores. In the summer, she yearned for winter, as though the coolness of winter was a godsend, yet when winter came, the harsh chill felt even more difficult than the heat of summer as wind entered in all directions, cutting through her skin like little knives and prating deep into her bones as she shivered uncontrobly. Every bone in her felt frozen as she bundled herself within every single scrap of old silk she had, yet it was unable to keep the cold out. It was so cold¡­ so cold¡­ It made her worry about developing arthritis at such a young age. Yet, she wasn¡¯t allowed to speak, not allowed to beg, not allowed to cry out, not allowed to¡­ step out of this locked cupboard. That¡¯s right, a cupboard. The beginning of her memories of this life had always started with that cupboard. And also¡­ the child living in the cupboard. The entire world was but an arm wide, within the rectangr cupboard. One couldn¡¯t stand in it and could only sit or squat, never sleeping straight. The flowers, birds, light, fleeting footsteps of freedom andfort or the tinkling ofughter in the spring had nothing to do with her. It had nothing to do with the world inside the cupboard. ¡­ Someone was tapping on the cupboard, a familiar three taps, one light tap, and two heavier taps. Then, a slight crack appeared as the door of the cupboard opened slightly, and two cold buns were stuffed through. A female¡¯s face shed past the cupboard, a young, beautiful face, yet frail and frightened due to prolonged living in fear. Her expression was that of despair, filled with suppression as if tears were to fall at any moment. Such was the expression that she had as she looked through the crack, watching her quietly, and in those eyes, Meng Fuyao saw a familiar, smaller version of herself. Everything was extremely familiar. The familiarity reached deep into her veins, so familiar that it shocked her as if she had been struck by a white sh of lightning, and her soul was separated from her body! This wasn¡¯t the present her! This was a five-year-old Meng Fuyao, this was the five-year-old Nameless Feng. Nameless, Nameless. A pce maid¡¯s protection, a little princess, born in secret after a moment of pleasure. Nobody had given her a name. Nor had anyone given her any chance of survival. After the Emperor had dered the new Empress, the new Empress was easily jealous and disallowed anyone to receive affection from the Emperor. No one was allowed to give birth to any more children for the Emperor, while she gave birth to one child a year herself. As such, the women in the harem no longer gave birth. If anyone dared to try to seduce the Emperor, dared to give birth to a prince, the consequence awaiting her would be the most painful form of death. And yet, that year, the hairbing pce maid from Consort Ying¡¯s pce had gotten herself pregnant. Nobody knew how she had gotten pregnant, perhaps the Emperor was walking by one day and discovered this beautiful pce maid and had instantly taken a liking to her youthful beauty; or perhaps, the young Emperor felt stifled due to the Empress disallowing him from spreading his seed in the harem and upon walking past a beautiful maiden, he tumbled into the grass with her just like that¡­ Chapter 318 Chapter 318: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was all just a possibility, and she would never be able to prove it with her life. Just like the past in that blood-colored pce, it had already rotted away into dust, never to be picked up again by anyone. Ten monthster, Nameless Feng was born into the world. She would never forget the first nce she had of this world. She saw a room with no light, saw the pale-faced woman gritting her teeth as she cut the umbilical cord in the bloody water, saw a tiny, jade lotus floating above the bloody water, heard the woman¡¯s cries muffled by the sheets, smelled the metallic stench of blood in the air, felt the tears from the woman¡¯s eyes falling ceaselessly upon her face as she begged, ¡°Child, don¡¯t cry¡­ You cannot cry¡­ Once you cry we¡¯ll both be dead¡­ I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± Henceforth, she had be the first infant never to cry, in order to save the lives of that woman and herself. After that, there had been many asions during that hellish five years, when she had really felt like crying. ¡®I should just cry. Honestly, crying is better, dying is probably morefortable than living,¡¯ she had thought. Back then, why hadn¡¯t she cried? After that, she hadn¡¯t even known how to cry anymore. Her mother of this world had brought her up inside a cupboard. For five years. From the moment she had been born until she had been five. When she had been five, she had still been as small as a three-year-old child. Because of prolonged crouching, her back was bent, and her legs were shrunken, all the bones in her body had been deformed. Until after she was five when her Master had been training her ceaselessly, using powerful techniques to reform her bones. She had trained extremely hard, even harder than anyone, but that was simply because she had never stood at the same starting line as the others. ¡­ The wind flew from a different world, carrying with it the smell of smoke and grass. That was the smell after the courtyard caught fire. The grass was the spring grass growing beneath the house, long and green with beads of dew clinging to it¡ªShe had never seen it before, her mother would squat by the cupboard and whisper to her as she tried to recall images from her previous life. In the five years of darkness, all she could see had been the faint glow of the purple pcenterns, faint silhouettes. Although the memories of her previous life had still been extremely clear, many details had be a blur, and she had to think for a long time before finally recalling what grass had been. Every night, her mother would sit by the cupboard and murmur things to her, such as the story of the Five Regions and the seven nations, the current situation, talking about whatever she thought about. She had seemed to be afraid that her daughter would go mad from constantly being locked up, and tried to find time tomunicate with her. She had only wanted to share with her daughter a little bit about the outside world, but what she hadn¡¯t known was that every line she had spoken, her daughter would respond, except, there had been no sound. She couldn¡¯t speak, she could only have a silent exchange with her mother with words that only she would know. Sometimes, she would feel as if she had to say something, but every time she would let out a monosybic word, her mother would immediately move away, leaving her open-mouthed, her face filled with sadness and despair. Once, her mother had suddenly sighed while speaking and murmured, ¡°My child¡­ You are the princess born with a lotus¡­ You should have been the most treasured princess in Xuanji¡­ Sometimes I don¡¯t understand the will of Heaven¡­ Why¡­ Why¡­¡± She would then stand up and search under the bed for something, then retrieve it and hand it to her through the crack beneath the drawer. She had grasped it in her hand, the tiny little lotus, pale jade in color, looking just like a real lotus, yet she immediatelyughed silently¡ªit had probably turned to stone already, right? Who had ever seen the most treasured princess in the Five Regions Continent that had been born with a lotus, brought up in a cupboard never to see anyone, fed with only two cold buns a day? This damned lotus was but a cold annoyance. She had thrown the lotus out as her mother hurriedly caught it, ming herck of understanding before carefully hiding it again and leaning against the drawer as she whispered, ¡°¡­ Perhaps, one day, this will prove your true status¡­¡± Status? Status was the most boring thing in the world. She didn¡¯t need to be a princess, if that lotus could give her back her freedom, she would immediately kneel before the lotus! What was freedom? What was darkness? What was hunger? What was the neverending torment of never seeing sunlight? And the most painful thing of all was that she couldn¡¯t even talk back or resist against this daily humiliation and torture! Pure lotus! Dirty hands! Her heart had sunk to the point of despair, and from then on, she no longer cared about cleanliness. ¡­ She crouched in the direction of the smell, ying with the wood shavings in her fingers. She had always been careful when picking wood shavings; once, she had been too loud, and coincidentally, there was a guest in the room. The woman had looked over suspiciously, but her mother insisted that it was a rat. Through the cracks, she could see the ground turn wet. That position was precisely underneath her mother¡¯s skirt. From then on, she became extremely artistic in ying with her wood shavings, using her saliva to wet it and pick at the wood, kneading it, imagining it to be a chicken drumstick, oh, a chicken drumstick¡­ She had not tasted one in so many years. The concubines had always been extremely temperamental with the pce maids, their food depended on their moods. A single mistake could cost one their meal, hence, after a while, she began to be able to tell the moods of the concubines. Two buns: normal, one bun: Upset, No bun: angry, the pce maids were getting punished. When there was no bun to eat, her mother would lean against the drawer, their stomachs rumbling together. Her mother would sometimes reach in tofort her, yet she would immediately push her hand away. Thinking that she was angry, her mother would sit by the cupboard until nightfall, then creep to the kitchen to steal scraps of leftover food. One big portion for her, one small portion for Mother. Actually, leftover vegetables weren¡¯t so bad; apart from the rotting smell, at least they had oil. ¡­ Crouching in the direction of the smell, sniffing her fingernails filled with wood shavings, she dreamed about the half-piece of turkey skin that she had stolen previously. Suddenly, the smell of the wind changed. Fragrance. A strange, expensive fragrance, like the purest lotus growing in the snow atop the highest mountains, cold and alluring, drifted gently through the air. In an instant, all of the strange smells in the world disappeared, leaving only that intoxicating fragrance. She raised her head, sniffing profusely, her mouth moving in the shape of words, yet no sound came out, ¡°The Royal Fragrance¡±. All these years, in order not to let herselfpletely lose the ability to speak, she had never stopped talking, using her lips to mouth the words. The fragrance suddenly intensified; it had already drifted far away, yet it came back. She tensed up, shrinking into the back of the cupboard. Her action seemed to have made the fragrance determine the location, and it instantly moved towards the drawer. She tensed up even more¡ªshe was five years old, and due to constantly being locked up in the darkness and malnourishment, nobody could tell whether she was three or five. Both her legs were bound by fabric, and if anyone were to pull a prank on her, she could only tolerate it, unable to retaliate. The fragrance stopped in front of the cupboard, and between the cracks underneath she could faintly make out a pair of boots, lc with silver trimming, intricately made. Yet, it was notrge; it seemed to be a child. The boots looked extremely expensive, perhaps it belonged to a prince from the pce? She shrank back even more¡ªa child in dire straights discovered and rescued by a kind prince, that kind of story only happened in fairy tales, it was the stuff created by people who had never seen the darkness of life. An evenrger probability was that if she was discovered, only death would be waiting for her. The cupboard suddenly opened. It opened noiselessly, and she remembered clearly that there was a huge lock in front of the cupboard, yet she hadn¡¯t even heard the sound of the chains. The cupboard opened, and the thin sliver of sunlight widened. First, she saw an borate cor, and following the cor was a youth even more beautiful and gentle than the finest silk. His robes were a multi-colored satin, moving elegantly in the wind. His gaze was that of silk, gently grazing her, instantly washing over her entire body¡ªA tiny frame, a shrunken face, messy hair, and frightened eyes. Her eyes, ustomed to the darkness, squinted in the sun,rge amounts of tears welling up as she stared at him blurrily, looking at the ocean-deep eyes shining underneath the rays of the sun. He seemed to sense that she couldn¡¯t suddenly receive so much sunlight; hence, he stepped forward and blocked the sunlight. Thereafter, he squatted down and asked, ¡°Who are you? Why are you sleeping in the cupboard?¡± She looked at him unwillingly, knowing that she definitely did not smell good, andpared to this fragrant youth, she felt even more awkward. Nheless, he acted as if he did not smell anything, only fixedly looking at her. At that moment, a thought suddenly shed through her mind¡ªLie, lie, she couldn¡¯t tell the truth, since this person didn¡¯t know who she was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if she lied. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the wind,¡± she suddenly opened her mouth and answered as clearly as she could. ¡°Do you have an illness?¡± He looked as if he suddenly understood something, once again eyeing her up and down. His eyesnded on her stick-like arms and legs; she indeed looked like an illness-stricken child. ¡°If there¡¯s an illness, why aren¡¯t you treating it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m treating it.¡± She had been a vice-lecturer in her previous life, after all, so she lied and said, ¡°The doctor said, I must stay in the cupboard for a month, I can¡¯t feel even the slightest bit of wind.¡± The youth chuckled, but a hint of darkness crossed his eyes when he suddenly murmured, ¡°Even you have to be locked up, huh¡­¡± She looked at him, rmed, as he suddenly changed the subject asked, ¡°What¡¯s your status? Are you a pce maid?¡± Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she denied. He looked at her suspiciously, and her heartbeat quickened, not yeting up with how she was going to lie about her status when her eyes fell upon the jade tassel hanging from his waist. The words ¡°The Heavens bless Wuji with longevity and prosperity¡± were engraved upon the jade tassel. Instantly, she understood that this youth was not from Xuanji and was probably a prince from Wuji. She knew that Wuji was a neighboring country to Xuanji. Since he was a prince from another nation, then he wouldn¡¯t be so familiar with Xuanji Pce, so she rxed her breath and muttered, ¡°I am His Majesty¡¯s youngest daughter.¡± Chapter 319 - Untitled Chapter 319: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios His gaze was filled with surprise and observed her once more. He could not tell that she was a princess for any angle. Even so, she continued her lie sincerely. ¡°I am ill. My mother doesn¡¯t like me. She has never once touched me or hugged me and ced me in the care of the servants instead.¡± That young man quietened down, and the pain in his eyes was evident. After a while, hemented, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the youngest daughter that the Xuanji Empress has is 8 this year.¡± Her head started to hurt. ¡®Why is this young kid so hard to fool?¡¯ she thought, exasperated. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that my mother doesn¡¯t like me? My name isn¡¯t on the ancestry book, I¡¯ve been hidden away.¡± She sighed as she continued spinning her lies That youngd nced at her with amusement, thinking that this interesting kid did not resemble an ordinary child. After some thought, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She shook her head and put on a pitiful expression. That youngd stared at her suspiciously. In his eyes, it was clearly written that ¡®I don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t have a name no matter how unloved you are¡¯. With no other way, she could only gesture him to the scour mattress. He was a little hesitant, but even so, he still searched. After a while, he held a small lotus in his hand and turned back, looking at her, confused. Beaming with pride, she looked up and dered, ¡°I am the only princess in the Xuanji family that was born with a lotus.¡± Imitating the snobbish and proud princesses she had seen in historical drama from her previous life, with her nose in the air, she announced, ¡°Auspicious matters would always fall upon the ones with nobility in their blood.¡± sping the tiny lotus in his hands, he suddenly smiled ¨C a smile so radiant that it dazed her. And then, she heard him agree. ¡°Hm, yes, the noblest princess.¡± With a smile, he bent down and unfastened the fabric that tied her legs together and carried the ¡®noblest princess¡¯ and ced her on his knees. She was, needless to say, extremely ufortable. After all, in thesest couple of years, no one had carried her at all. And even more so, she had the soul of a 22-year-olddy, which made it all the more harder to be treated as a child and ced on ¡®a man¡¯s knees¡¯. The chest behind her back was really warm. His hands were soft and gentle, the perfect hands to y the strings, brew tea, and write poems. In those hands, she could not help but rx, allowing herself to be surrounded by the warmth. He allowed her tiny head to lean against his shoulder as he stretched over to grab ab. Carefully, he meticulously unentangled her hair that had not been washed for ages. For hair as tangled as hers, no matter who tried tob her hair, it would definitely hurt. And yet, with his gentle hands, she did not even feel an ounce of pain. Somehow, the situation was a little funny. Looking at him, he was probably only about 10 years old. From what she could recall from her previous life, wasn¡¯t this the rebellious age where they would act as a nuisance for no apparent reason and attain joy from going against girls? But this young child, was calm, still and gentle like water. She sat therefortably, tilting her head as she tried to sneak a peek at his face. She turned back slightly to his straight nose bridge as well as his exquisite chin and rosy cheeks. She wanted to take in all his beauty, but he gave her a soft knock on her head and chuckled, ¡°How disobedient.¡± She returned the smile. Suddenly, she felt that this person was different from the rest. He was someone mature, someone that had long lost his innocent and energetic self. He was probably the same as her¡ªtheir hearts were both frozen cold. They were probably the same, both with a smile on their face. Yet, in that smile hid loneliness and darkness¡ªa smile filled with pain. Perhaps, his gentle treatment towards her was because he felt that they were the same? Hebed through her hair and attempted to braid it. For this noble prince,bing some hair was still a manageable task, but as for braiding, it was indeed a big test. His flustered attempt resulted in a messy and hideous braid and as the cherry on top of the cake, he pinned the tiny lotus on her hair, albeit very nted. He looked at his failed product, heaved a sigh, and decided to attempt it once more. She quickly stopped him, touched her braids, and gave him a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s pretty,¡± she said softly. ¡°No one has ever braided my hair for me.¡± He looked at her, his gaze was filled with pain and shock. After a while, he carefully asked, ¡°This kind of life¡­ Don¡¯t you want to escape? Shall I ask the Emperor and Empress for you?¡± ¡°Who are you? How are you able to talk to the Emperor?¡± she questioned, feigning ignorance. ¡°I am from a neighboring country.¡± He pointed to the south and continued, ¡°I followed my Teacher¡¯s Brother here. He has gone to visit an old friend, and I¡¯m strolling around while waiting for him. But I can also go directly to find the Xuanji Emperor.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡®Even if he is a prince, he is still the prince from another country. How can a passing prince intervene with Xuanji politics? To let that henpecked Emperor risk his wife throwing a tantrum and promise to give her a normal life? That¡¯s impossible. In fact, it is more likely that my mother and I would be murdered by the Empress.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She shook her head and lied, ¡°My nanny said that Mother has asked about me. I can probably go out. If you were to ask, it might anger her instead.¡± He nodded, asking, ¡°When is your birth date?¡± This was something she knew. Her mother had repeatedly told her about it, afraid that she would forget all about her own birth date. She whispered it to him. After some thought, he stood up and searched the room. Finally, he found an almost bald brush and a stale piece of ink. But no matter how much he searched, he could not find a piece of paper. He then decided to take off his outerwear, tore off a piece of fabric and scribbled over it. He wrote and paused, wrote, and paused. It seems as though he was writing a lot of numbers. Curious, she peeked over, and her eyes immediately widened. Xuanji Diagram! In front of her was a diagram that contained some military tactics. She scanned through it and spotted some clever war of art tactics. Who was he? How could one be so talented? Even scribbling down poems would be hard enough, what¡¯s more, military tactics that could be read vertically, horizontally, diagonally and alternately? Probably her surprise rmed him. He looked over with doubtful eyes. She immediately reced her surprise with a confused expression. After all, a young child like her should probably not know of the Xuanji Diagram, nor understand the subtleties of it. When he was done writing, he tore it into half and gave one of the halves to her. Muddled, she took over the diagram. To that, he smiled and said, ¡°Engagement gift.¡± ¡®What engagement gift? From now on, you will be living your luxurious life while I¡¯ll be squatting in the cupboard, tolerating the days without sunlight. What interactions will we even have?¡¯ She turned back to the cupboard. Now that she had finallye out, she did not want to go back in. ¡°Bring me out to take a look, I want to see the view outside!¡± she requested. Her n was to escape while he wasn¡¯t paying attention once he brought her out. And from then on, she would be free. He promised, covering her with his cape and carried her out. From the small slit between the cape, she could see that the ce she had been in for 5 years was a tiny vestibule. In front of the cupboard, there was a curtain covering over it. In the pce outside, there were an entrance and pale yellow walls with a dark red door. She was ted at the prospect of freedom once they got out of the pce. But suddenly, he froze. And then, he stood still, as though listening to something. She writhed with unease in his embrace. He pressed down on her head tightly, and she immediately stopped moving. Then, she heard a low, hushed whisper. ¡°I have something to do, I¡¯ll send you back first. I¡¯ll fetch youter¡­ alright?¡± She was a little disappointed, but her freedom was in his hands, and she could only nod obediently. He sent her back to her tiny amodation, and she stood by the window and watched as he soared over the tall pce walls. Her eyes filled with envy for the freedom he had. Suddenly, he turned back in mid-air. She could see his mouth moving, and she read his lips. ¡°Wait for me.¡± The autumn sunshine was bright, reflecting in the sincere eyes of the young man. She looked into those eyes and nodded her head trustingly. She believed that he would do as he said. And so, she looked around her surroundings, took off that lotus on her head, and for the very first time, crawled back into the cupboard willingly, waiting for his return. s, he did not return. He never did. Because that night, she lost herself. ¡­ The breeze brought with it a strange stench of metallic blood¡­ that smell¡­ that smell¡­ In the dark, she hugged her knees, losing hope by the second. Suddenly, she heard footsteps and was eager and ready to rush out towards him. But then, she heard an unfamiliar female voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t they spot that person here? Where is he?¡± More footsteps could be heard. She was absolutely frightened, and she dared not even breathe normally. Vaguely, she could hear someone replying to that girl in a low, muffled voice. Then, a crisp p could be heard. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why the Xuanji even has trash like you all? Even using the word trash is too polite,¡± that girl said haughtily. It seemed as though that girl was in a bad mood and ordered all the men to retreat. The surroundings quieted down as she hoped for that girl to leave quickly. Otherwise, if he were toe and see a stranger, he would not be able to take her away. The surroundings remained quiet for a long time. She thought that the girl had left and just as she was about to move, she could hear footsteps heading into the room. That girl actually entered the room. That girl paced around the room, seemingly annoyed. ¡°Uncle Epsilon said that he came. Why did he note to the pce? Doesn¡¯t he know I¡¯ve been wanting to see him for a very long time? Shouldn¡¯t the most renowned prince in the Five Regions Continent meet the most honorable princess of the Five Regions Continent?¡± Chapter 320 - Untitled Chapter 320: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡®Little Princess¡­ The youngest daughter of the Xuanji Empress? A princess, huh.¡¯ ¡®The legendary prince in the Five Regions Continent¡­ it¡¯s him?¡¯ ¡®It seems this princess is interested in him? Then again, he¡¯s a rather handsomed and is very intelligent too. Which girl wouldn¡¯t? With his age, he would be able to get engaged since they get married early in the Five Regions Continent,¡¯ she thought to herself. As she was lost in her thoughts, she realized that her surroundings werepletely silent. Then, she looked down, and to her utter shock, she had not properly kept the Xuanji Diagram. Half the diagram had slipped away andnded on the cupboard, while the other half hadnded on the floor. Her mind went nk as her heart quickened. Unsure whether the little princess had seen the diagram, she was torn between picking it up or leaving it there. But if the princess was quiet because her eyes were on this diagram, wouldn¡¯t she expose herself? Before she coulde to a decision, the doors to the cupboard opened. It was so sudden that she did not even notice any footsteps. After the initial blindness that the sudden brightness caused, she could see that in front of her was a red and gold dress withyers of hibiscus embroidered on to it, embellished with countless of pearls. She heard a quiet ¡°eh¡± before a small snow-white hand reached in, forcibly grabbing her chin up. She stared into a pair of eyes. Those eyes were not a boring ck but mixed with a tinge of brown. In those eyes, it was as though there was a horizon, or perhaps, it was the shimmer of star light-years away that she was seeing. Those eyes were quietly profound, yet its gaze seemed to flicker as itnded on her. Alluring eyesced with a perplexing glint, it contained nothing of a youthful innocence or loneliness. Rather, those eyes resembled an abyss, an unfathomable abyss. Lifting her chin in a rather derogatory manner, that little princess questioned her in a hubristic, authoritative manner, ¡°Who are you?¡± This time, she knew she wouldn¡¯t be fooling anyone. She remained silent and turned away. But that little princess probed no further as the princess looked her up and down. Surveying the surroundings, the realization hit the princess. ¡°Very well, very well.¡± The princessughed coldly as she nodded. Then, the princess¡¯ gazended on that half a piece of Xuanji diagram. Immediately, her face changed. She perused the diagram once more, again and again, and then, closed her eyes. Then, she lunged forward to grab that diagram. Anxiously, she snatched the diagram over. Her long nails slit across the skinny girl¡¯s hands leaving bloody streaks of red. Unbothered, the skinny girl quickly stuffed the diagram into her dress. The skinny girl was caught by surprise. She never expected the princess would try to snatch that. The princess¡¯ eyes focused on her. Those initially calm and peaceful eyes werepletely reced with a tinge of wrath that even the skinny girl with the 22-year-old soul feared. Then, that princessughed. Herugh did not reach her cold eyes. Suddenly, the princess flung her sleeves and brushed past the girl¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Sheughed inimically. ¡°He wrote it? No wonder someone said he was here, but he wasn¡¯t? He saw you, didn¡¯t he? He saw you, didn¡¯t he?¡± She repeated thest sentence twice. The second time, her tone was icy cold as if lying on a block of ice. ¡°You? Just you?¡± She inspected the girl in the cupboard in a tant, unrespectful manner. The corner of her lips twitched contemptuously, mixed with the fury of being defeated by this unseeming, disheveled girl. Then, sheughed. Theugh was gentle, with hints of pity in it. ¡°I guess I wouldn¡¯t have to search for that diagram from you, it¡¯s way too filthy,¡± she whispered tenderly. The princess smiled as she closed the door, pulling out a lock from god knows where. The locktched with a click and the moment darkness took over the girl¡¯s vision, she heard: ¡°You will obediently offer it to me yourself.¡± The cupboard was locked. Between the gaps where the sparse amount of light entered, a rainbow was reflected momentarily from that princess¡¯vish dress. And then, it slowly disappeared. That prideful princess no longer said anything and actually left. She heaved a sigh of relief. Hugging her knees, she continued waiting quietly in the darkness. That little princess was definitely up to no good, but even so, the girl was powerless and could only wait in the darkness for the unknown fate to descend upon her. ¡®I hope hees, I hope hees¡­¡¯ Footsteps resounded once more from outside. This time, she did not move. She could tell it was her mother¡¯s anxious footsteps. Aside from her mother¡¯s footsteps, she could hear another¡¯s. It was so familiar, so hateful! She began to tremble as she felt the hot and the cold alternately prickling against her skin, grinding against her skin like coarse sand to the point where her skin seemed to split apart. No, no, no, no, no, no! She could hear the muffled conversations from outside. ¡°¡­ Her Highness has called for me. I¡¯m already off duty, so I wonder what is wrong. Eunuch Lu¡­ Sorry to trouble you¡­¡± ¡°Fret not! Go ahead with ease,¡± the voice coated with sincerity replied. ¡°¡­ Sorry to trouble you every time¡­¡± Mother said between sobs. ¡°Back then, when I was giving birth to her, it was thanks to you too¡­ I don¡¯t have anything to thank you with¡­¡± ¡°Why are you bringing this up, it¡¯s been such a long time.¡± That ever so honest and benevolent voice responded. But to the girl¡¯s ears, this voice was nothing short of sickening and repulsive. She began to tremble as her stomach churned and gastric juices seemingly rushing up the throat. She felt nauseous, yet she couldn¡¯t vomit anything out. Everything seemed to choke her, preventing her from breathing normally. She sat there, drowning in that never-ending darkness. She struggled and struggled in that sea of darkness and disgust, begging for help¡­ ¡®Don¡¯t let hime over! Please don¡¯t let hime over! I¡¯m begging you please!¡¯ Her thoughts raced quietly as cold sweat dripped. All functions ofnguage seemed topletely shut down, and the words she wanted to say choked her as they remained unsaid. The world seemed to copse around her, covering her in its debris. Her mother could not hear her silent cries of help and rushed out, unsettled. But this time, she left and was never able to return. Those heavy footsteps echoed in the room, louder and louder by the moment, obnoxiously, announcing its unweed arrival. The spaces between the footsteps were filled with creepily, eager, andsciviousughter. ¡®Don¡¯t let hime over! Please don¡¯t let hime over! I¡¯m begging you please!¡¯ The inaudible cries for help and painful struggles were unable to save her from the five years of suffering; thousands of nights. Through the gap, she could see a pair of feet in ck shoes; a familiar pair of shoes that the monster of her dreams would wear. A pasty pair of hands with its urine-like odor made its way into the cupboard, slithering over like a snake slowly and steadily. It swayed from side to side like a snake, with those umon slender fingers, it explored the darkness, skillful searching for the body of that child. She trembled and curled into a ball, retreating into the corner of the cupboard, just like she did in the past. She desperately wanted to shrink herself and be a part of those smelly, moldy wood. She wanted to be the dust, pieces of wood, air, anything except¡­ her. That snake slithered freely along¡­ Tears dripped down her face in the dark as she hit her head against the cupboard wall. ¡®You promised toe back and find me. You promised me! Why aren¡¯t you back? Why aren¡¯t you back?!¡¯ ¡­ Those fingers meandered around, morphing into a snake that wrapped itself around her body¡­ And then it moved away¡­ That eunuch seemed to enjoy the process of hunting for his prey. It seemed to give his empty and repetitive lifestyle a different kind of excitement¡ªthis lowly eunuch that was robbed away of his masculinity could too, regain his power by controlling someone¡¯s will and¡­ body. In front of this tiny, powerless child, he could retrieve the power long taken away from him. The biggestpensation for his tragic, sorrowful life. He giggled excitedly as his fingers caressed her body till he had enough and then headed for the ce, with uracy and precision, he had wanted to enter since the very beginning¡­ ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Meng Fuyao jumped out of bed in cold sweat. She knocked down the table, destroyed the chair, put out the light, and screamed in agony. With a bunch of sheets on her, she dashed out of the room. In that instant, there was no more light in her vision. All that was left was endless darkness. In the boundless darkness, the burden of life was too heavy! The thousands of night living in the wooden hell with never-ending pain, hunger, and silence. That perpetually curled tiny body stuffed into the cupboard, the bitter winter and exhausting summer. Days of darkness with asional light entering through the gaps of the cupboard. That inescapable sexual abuse and humiliation by the perverted eunuch¡­ Ah¡ª Why did she have to remember? Why did she have to know? Why? Why? Why?! Those painful and humiliating memories! 14 years ago, she had chosen to forget the nightmares and never remember it again. But why, why must her wounds be torn open, letting her see her sufferings through this bloody lens? She yelled towards the sky and rushed out. She did not know where or what she was running into, but she felt that everyone in this universe was her enemy. The thing called fate stood at the top of the mountain, watching her as she became all broken and battered up with each obstacle. Struggling, she would then stand back up, only for fate to send another obstacle in her way. She screamed, rming the entire inn. Morphing into a huge typhoon, the furniture raised with the wind, hurled out of the room. Suddenly, a white figure appeared with a sh. Zong Yue rushed out from the next room. But at this point, Meng Fuyao, taken over by her emotions, was unable to recognize anyone. All she saw was a snow-white figure. A snow-white¡­ Icy mountain¡­ An obstacle to be shattered! Chapter 321 - Untitled Chapter 321: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao yelled and dashed towards the mountain of ice without hesitation. Without reservation, she delivered an attack, and the two collided with a bang. They rolled across the floor as Meng Fuyao struggled to get out of Zong Yue¡¯s tight embrace. The floor that they rolled over cracked into pieces as trees started falling due to her inner energy. Zong Yue hugged her, protecting her from the falling trees as well as preventing her from harming herself. As a result, Zong Yue was badly injured. With a purple sh, Zhangsun Wuji appeared, ready to pull Meng Fuyao back up. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Zong Yue stopped him urgently. In a single instant, he was already heavily injured by Meng Fuyao¡¯s inner energy. His white outfit was stained with fresh red blood, yet his eyes were still clear and bright, stopping Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s help. As he hugged Meng Fuyao rolling about, enduring her inner attacks, he quickly pulled out the golden needles and applied acupuncture onto her. Meanwhile, Zhangsun Wuji protected the two by redirecting the falling trees away from them. Meng Fuyao continued struggling and rolling about. Other than Zong Yue, one of the best physicians in the world, no one else would be able to urately apply acupuncture for her in such a berserk state. He had to bear the repeated attacks, risking his life just for the very second she would pause between these attacks. Making use of that break, he would urately insert the needle. One needle after another, Meng Fuyao finally calmed down. She gradually calmed down. The inner energy, as if alive, slowly went back into her body. This energy,pared to previously, was thicker and stronger that resembled a jade from afar. She had leveled up. In that moment, she had managed to convert the power from the medicine Zong Yue had given her back then and broken through the two levels consecutively, directly entering the seventh level and third section. She was not far from reaching the eighth level. Of course, Zong Yue¡¯s sacrifice yed a very big role in this sess. As he hugged Meng Fuyao, not only did he have to apply acupuncture for her, he still had to transfer his inner energy while she attacked him, making up for the deficit that her inner energy had, protecting her as she was breaking through. Meng Fuyao copsed on the floor and slowly controlled her inner energy. Zong Yue went into a coughing fit but rejected Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s offer to help up. Slowly, he climbed back up. He sat there in a daze for a while. Then, he broke the silence: ¡°¡­ She¡­ really is?¡± Zhangsun Wuji turned away as if he could not bear to answer. The two sat in the devastated surroundings quietly. One coughed quietly, while the other craned his head back and stared at the moon. The one coughing coughed out mouthfuls of blood, while the one watching the moon stared on with a face of mncholy and pain. Meng Fuyao continuedying on the floor. ¡°You two can go,¡± Meng Fuyao said wearily,pletely fatigued. In that silence, Meng Fuyao closed her eyes. She no longer wanted to say anything nor ask anything. She did not want to ask what happened after her mother had left. She had been forced away by the monsters in her memories that she had refused to confront. Instinctively, she had woken up, running away from the tragic ending. She did not want to ask why Zhangsun Wuji hadn¡¯t returned back then. What was there to ask? It was but her fate. Her life, one that was admired and looked up to by the entire Five Regions Continent¡ªleader of the three states, King Meng, Preceptor of Xuanyuan. This was how the life of the brilliant, glorious Meng Fuyao actually was. Filled with darkness, pain, and despair. ¡°Don¡¯t kill¡ª¡± The beast-like howls continued. Old Lu, awakened by Zong Yue, did not know that in this instant, not far away, the child he had abused in the darkness, looked up. He was just confused, his memories murky. The color of blood dyed the earth and the sky as the memories of his recent years faded, leaving only the unerasable memories from 14 years ago¡­ That little girl in the dark¡­ The tender and soft skin¡­ The child secretly given birth by the maid Xu Wan and who had been found out by the Empress¡­ The torture of ¡°grooming¡± where a metal brush, soaked in boiling water, would be dragged across a person¡¯s skin, exposing the bones beneath¡­ That pair of bloodshot eyes watching everything from the cupboard. That pair of eyes were red like burning charcoal, bearing no form of resemnce to a five-year-old child. Rather, it looked like a thousand-year demon being imprisoned in the Nine Serenities ¦§ell, with the world¡¯s hate and pain carved in her eyes. That burning charcoal scalded him, torturing his mind, slowly chipping away thest of his sanity. In this moment, he saw that pair of eyes again. Blood red, charcoal ck. Those chilling, deadly eyes. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. The moment she saw Old Lu, she jolted up. With a sh, she transversed across many miles and then, her hand had already stabbed through Old Lu¡¯s chest. The wind howled and then fell silent once more. The girl¡¯s in dress fluttered with the wind as if one was mourning with ¦Á white g. The dress swayed in the wind, but her body and fingers remained unmoved, firmly stabbing into Old Lu¡¯s chest. In the dark night, two living statues. After a long time, Old Lu¡¯s lips broke into a smile. A smile of relief. He was finally liberated¡­ He had waited for so long. Ever since those bloodshot eyes had been tormenting him day and night, pervading even the darkest of his nights, he had begun to wait. As he had been waiting, he had begun to draw, feeling her presence every second. He felt that she was watching as he drew, he knew he shouldn¡¯t have drawn, but he could not help it. He couldn¡¯t help but to draw under the surveince of these pairs of eyes but then came the time where he couldn¡¯t draw any longer. Then, his works were finally seen by the passing Emperor, and then he knew¡­ Everything was ending¡­ Really, the ending was beginning. And then, it ended. Everyone, regardless if they were kind of evil, suffered. Everyone, regardless, waited for the same thing¡ªthe inevitable taste of death. Old Luughed, staring into the eyes that were gradually regaining their calmness and the hand that was steady from the beginning to the end¡­ This little girl that was locked up in a cupboard until she was five finally grew up, huh? She was now strong enough to dig out his heart bare-handed. That year, he had touched her body. Today, she had single-handedly dug out his heart. Fair, fair. He looked at this cold, cruel world without reluctance for the veryst time and then, prepared to copse. His gaze suddenly stopped. In front of him, the man in white¡­ an unfamiliar yet familiar face. That unique body shape. Despite his clothes being dyed in white, his aura was not the least tainted¡­ Him! Old Lu suddenly began to tremble. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the third piece of his art, one that he had spent many years drawing to the point that every action, every expression, every person there was engraved into his memory. He saw the young man in the painting standing beside the Empress, walking over slowly, towards this man in white, and then they fused together. He saw him standing in front of the bed, he saw him open the cupboard, he saw him whisper, ¡°Before you be powerful, forget all your hatred.¡± Him¡­ It¡¯s him¡­ Old Lu pointed his trembling fingers at Zong Yue. Quivering, he choked as he tried to speak. Blood flowed out with every word he said. ¡°¡­ He¡­ He is your¡­ Your¡­¡± Meng Fuyao suddenly pulled her hand away. She pulled out her hand from Old Lu¡¯s chest. That corpse with countless of secrets hidden in it copsed on the floor. The blood flowed gracefully along the crevices of the floor and quietly, vanished into the ground. For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. [Bible, Genesis 3:19] For a eunuch, who had spent his entire life in the pce, he had yed the role of a monster that had locked her up in the darkness. But perhaps he was no evil. He had just been warped by the cruel fate that had led him to the road of a degenerate, and eventually, drawing the curtains of darkness onto the five years of a child¡¯s life. Then, he had used the rest of his life to ept the punishment until the sentence was passed. His trial was over. Regardless of heaven or hell, he no longer had to draw. But what about the trial of others? ¡°Old Lu¡ª¡± a miserable cry resounded as an olddy under the surveince of Tie Cheng rushed out. Tie Cheng was worried about Meng Fuyao and abandoned his mission. And so, she managed to escape, witnessing the death of Old Lu. She pounced forward, sobbing over Old Lu¡¯s corpse, mumbling of the great deeds and kindness he had when he was alive and cursed a painful death for the one who murdered him. Angered by her words, Tie Cheng stepped forward and pped her. Meng Fuyao remained there, without even wiping off the blood on her hands. She only stared coldly at the woman, and then, the corpse. Even this old guy without his manhood had someone to truly love him. What about her mother, the beautiful Xu Wan? Had she even lived a good day in her life? And that man who had personally caused her tragic end was sitting at the top of the throne, protecting the evil woman as he had wiped her existence away in his memory. This golden cage created a bunch of scum, and these scum refused to acknowledge their own doing, leaving the innocent to struggle in the darkness, wounded. Meng Fuyao stood there, without any expression. Zong Yue took a step closer, she took a step backward. This step made Zong Yue freeze in his step. Zhangsun Wuji watched her quietly, wanting to pull her over. She moved away, avoiding his hand. Zhangsun Wuji did not keep his hand but instead, stayed there, as if wanting to grab a breeze to calm the roaring pain in his heart. Meng Fuyao only stood there quietly and coldly. Chapter 322 - Untitled. Chapter 322: Untitled. Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao did not want to see anyone at this point in time. She did not wish to see the Zhangsun Wuji who had given her hope but eventually destroyed thest bits of her hope. She did not wish to face Zong Yue that had taken part in the events that happened eight years ago. Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart grew colder by the second. In that chilly night, as the wind seeped into her bones, she wondered, ¡®Who can I trust? What can I believe in? You believe that those who love you will never betray you, and yet, before you know it, they are standing on the opposite shore, watching on as you sink lower and lower in that roaring seas, alone in that abandoned ship.¡¯ In the end, she was always alone. Who knew the taste of regret? Who knew the taste of longing? Who knew the taste of longing and regret? Just as the wind turned frigid throughout the long night; just as the past memories crept upon her silently, a pair of solid ck eyes stared coldly at her, hiding its face behind a green mask. That icy cold nce was enough to shatter her heart. These ten years had been but a dream. ¡®A shroud of Her Highness¡¯ grief lingers on, humming year after year in the shade of trees in the court.¡¯ [1. Lyrics to the Melody of Heavenly Joy by Wang Yisun, tranted by Betty Tseng.] ¡®Like dreary dreams, ten years have passed. The swallows have flown over the Lake of the west, leaving in the ancient pce but an empty nest.¡¯ [2. Lyrics to the Night Flower by Wu Wenying, tranted.] ¡®The history of the six dynasties vanishes with the flow of water, there are but traces of smoke among wilting grass to the remaining green veil. [3. Fragrance of Cinnamon Twigs by Wang Anshi, tranted by Betty Tseng.] The traces of the past are but everywhere, s, that child¡¯s heart, unfound.¡¯ It was but a dream. He slowly swirled the wine in his hands as he sat on a tall tree, proposing a toast to the aloof moon. The night was bleak. The chill wine in his hand reminded him of that cold gaze of hers. With that gaze etched in his mind, the wine that entered his mouth tasted bitter¡ªa bitterness beyond imagination. 14 years ago, he had sampled that sensation. That year, he had broken his promise and lost her. That year, he had met her in that dark cupboard. That year, he had found a tiny lotus flower under the bed. That year, he had heard her proim that she was the noblest princess that was born with a lotus. That year, he had weed her gaze ¨C her tearful gaze. In spite of that, she had still given him a sorrowful smile. That year, he had ced her on his knees, untangled her knotted hair, untidied by anyone for five entire years. He had slowlybed through that hair, and somehow, it seemed as though his heart had been ensnared by the vine-like hair. That year, he had carried her in his warm, cozy outerwear. That five-year-old child had looked like she had been three and weighed like she was one. Hugging her had been like carrying a kitten, quiet and obedient. That year, he had intended that bring her away, yet, his Teacher¡¯s Brother instructions hade. Through telepathy, his Teacher¡¯s Brother had ordered him to visit Epsilon. So he had decided to put her back into the cupboard, visit Epsilon and then bring her away afterward. Halfway through, he had seen an 8-year-old girl rushing by with bouts of excitement and eagerness. He had vaguely understood that this princess had shown great interest in him and even especially had gotten an ambassador to visit Wuji. When it came to greetings, he would actively avoid it. At his young age, being diplomatic was something rtively foreign to him, and he had made the decision to get out while the going¡¯s good. He had hidden behind the pce walls, listening in on his Teacher¡¯s Brother and Epsilon¡¯s conversation. His Teacher¡¯s Brother had sounded a little indignant, even defiant at some points. ¡°Look at the senior of mine, that noisiness of his never changes! Using justice as a reason, he involves himself in all of these! There are so many odd, demonic and evil practices around the world, there is no way that he and his one sect can put an end to all of them! Just look, instead of allowing me to cultivate properly, he abruptly told me that some demon girl has descended, wreaking havoc in the human realm. He even ordered me to deal with her within this travel.¡± Teacher¡¯s Brother knocked his fingers on the table, and eximed in exasperation, ¡°What a joke! How am I supposed to find this one living human being in this crowd?¡± In the house, Epsilonughed. ¡°There are still issues you cannot solve? Other than your seniors and that bunch of others, who else is there that you cannot deal with? But since your senior ordered, there definitely will be this person.¡± ¡°Hmph¡ª¡± Teacher¡¯s Brother snorted. ¡°He only gave me a birth date and told me that oddities would ur when this child was born. But I¡¯ve been searching for her for 5 whole years, and I have yet toe across anyone that was born as strange phenomena happened. As for that birth date¡­ Where am I supposed to ask for ady¡¯s birth date?¡± ¡°When the birthday?¡± Epsilon sipped his tea calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask around if there¡¯s a chance.¡± Teacher¡¯s Brother told Epsilon the birth date. Shock came over him. That birth date was merely a day away from hers, and she¡­ was born with a lotus. ¡®Is it her? Is it her?¡¯ ¡®It probably is.¡¯ Her gaze was so unique. She was just a five-year-old child, yet, her eyes were filled with so much despair, sadness, and an understanding of the cruel world. A normal five-year-old might know of pain, yet, would not be able to understand the pain and despair life had to offer. A five-year-old child, locked up in a tiny cupboard, with bedsores and mutated bone structures from theck of movement and nutrients. There was a big chance that such treatment would result in mental disability. And yet, this child had a clear train of thought and a nimble reaction. Sometimes, her odd words and humor would even in embedded into the conversation. She was no normal child. His heart sank. Initially, he wanted to bring her along and beg his teacher to take her in when there¡¯s a chance. He wanted to give her enough strength so no one would bully her, a bright future of freedom. But now, that possibility seemed bleak. He needed to follow Teacher¡¯s Brother back to the sect and bringing her along, she would eventually be found out. There was no way he could hide her from Teacher¡¯s Brother and even more so, his intelligent teacher. He hesitated for a second, then he decided to send her out of the pce before the teacher¡¯s brother came out, find someone to adopt her for the time being and fetch her once he returned. However, just as he turned, Teacher¡¯s Brother had already floated out, calling him to go. He could only reluctantly follow his Teacher¡¯s Brother. In his journey back, he had forced himself to not turn back, but somehow, he had felt as though he could still hear her cries for help, begging him toe. In that hallucination of his, his face paled, heart tortured by the very thought that he couldn¡¯t be there. His Teacher¡¯s Brother had noticed and even teased him for being so afraid of the Xuanji princess. He had been terrified that his Teacher¡¯s Brother would realize and could only force himself tough along. That night, Teacher¡¯s Brother had dragged him to practice his martial arts. It had been the same homework that he had always been used to do. That night, anxious and restless, he had attempted to disturb his Teacher¡¯s Brother and even risked it by using his hypnosis. But in the end, all it had done was generate suspicion and nothing else. There had been no other way. Teacher¡¯s Brother had been too strong; he had not been someone that the 13-year-old him could handle. Even now, he couldn¡¯t. Till the third day, he had finally found a chance to leave his Teacher¡¯s Brother side and rushed back to the Xuanji pce. But he had been toote. The whole ce had been empty. Not just that cupboard or that small room, but also Consort Ying¡¯s pce. What had even been more appalling, however, had been the thick stench of blood that lingered in the room. Despite the floor being cleaned, he could still spot ck patches of still blood everywhere between the tiles. Even more so, there had been bits and pieces of meat and skin lying around. And that bed, while there had been nothing different except the change in color from ck to white if one were to touch the mattress, one¡¯s palm would turnpletely red. How much blood was needed to dye an entire bed? He had stood there, frozen from head to toe. Who had faced such cruel torture? Who had discovered the child in the cupboard? Who had died on this bed, with meat and blood scattered around? Who had known what that 5-year-old had been through in these past three days? He could not even find anyone to ask¡ªeveryone in Consort Ying¡¯s pce had been dead. Apparently, they had all died a sudden death. But he had no time to investigate. He still had to return to his Teacher¡¯s Brother side. He had rushed there, yet staggered as he had left. Whether she had been alive or not waspletely unknown. The promise he had broken wrapped itself around his heart like an iron chain and had never once been removed ever since. Later on, he had tried to propose marriage to Xuanji. He could not help but hold a sliver of hope. What if it had been Feng Xuan that had found her? If he had, then he might still be alive. After all, even a monster would not hurt its own children. Perhaps her mother might be killed, and Consort Ying might be affected, but as a princess, regardless of how menacing the Xuanji Empress was, she would not be able to kill his daughter in front of him. He had requested to marry ¡°Xuanji¡¯s youngest princess, the princess that was born with a lotus¡±. He had not known her name for he knew that she had no name. It had been the only way he could describe her. The Xuanji emperor had readily agreed. When he had heard of this news, he had been ecstatic, thinking that she had been indeed saved by Feng Xuan. But when the two had exchanged engagement cards, he had realized that someone had pretended to be her. It was Feng Jingfan¡¯s birthday that had been on the card. While rumors that Feng Jingfan had been born with a lotus had been spreading around the Five Regions Continent, no one seemed to notice why this rumor had only been spreading when she was already 8. And Feng Jingfan, if he had not recalled wrongly, had been the same princess that had wanted to meet him, but back then, her name had been written differently. A change in Chinese characters just to be known as the princess born with a lotus. No one would think twice about such a rumor. And as the days had passed, a conjured up belief had now be a fact. But he remembered. He knew. Thus, he had insisted on breaking that engagement. For this, he had gone to Xuanji. To save the engagement, Feng Xuan had even taken out the Xuanji diagram. Once the diagram had been taken out, he had been certain that Feng Jingfan had seen that child. If not, how else would she know of the contents? Since she had seen, she had been the biggest suspect of that tragedy. He had even used his Soul Capturing techniques. Back then, he had not been as well-trained in this technique, but even then, he had managed to find out bits and pieces of the happenings of that night. As expected, Feng Jingfan had spilled the beans. Enraged, the empress had ordered servants to torture Xu Wan and get rid of Nameless Feng. Feng Jingfan memories had started to get fuzzy as the torture had begun¡ªafter all, at a young age, she would still instinctively avoid it in spite of her heartless nature. Chapter 323 - Untitled Chapter 323: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios However, he was so shocked by the verdict that he stumbled back. He held the tree to support himself, and for a long while, he could not speak. At that moment, he gazed at Feng Jingfan, who looked like she was in a daze. He saw the cold and malicious expression on the small girl¡¯s face, and it was an expression simr to that of Xuanji¡¯s Empress. This child had killed another child¡ªshe was so evil at such a young age. Furthermore, she had even tried to deceive him. What use was there to allow her to live? He extended his hand, but he was blocked by Epsilon. Epsilon had always been the protector of the mother and daughter. Having stayed in the Xuanji Pce for a long while, he had not stepped out of Xuanji in years. Because of Epsilon¡¯s presence, the young him was not able to kill who he wanted to get rid of, and he could not further investigate the truth of what had happened that night in the pce. This man, who was powerful yet loyal to the malicious woman, was a protective wall that could not be shifted. Neither he nor Feng Xuan could cross that wall at that time. As such, he left quietly. Even if his martial arts was not as powerful, he had other methods as well. At the very least, he could not want that fake Lotus. After that, he had used all means to break the engagement. As for the secret request that the Xuanji royal family had raised, he had been nonchnt about it. No matter what, Feng Jingfan would never ever be his wife. However, for that tiny girl, his instincts had told him that she was still alive. He would not believe that she had died. The unique and bright girl, whose personality still shone even after five dark years of suffering, definitely had her role to y in the universe. She should not be silently subdued by fate and die at such a young age. That moment, he had made up his mind to find her, and then allow her to decide on whether she wanted to take revenge personally. If he could not find her in his lifetime, he would help her get rid of her foes before they died. Later on, he had not been very diligent with political affairs. When he had time, he would tour around the city in in clothes, hoping that he would have the chance to meet that girl etched in his memory. Then, on that fateful night at Mystic Essence Mountain in Taiyuan, he had been practicing his sword skills under the moonlight. When he had turned back, he had coincidentally seen the woman who had been pushed down the cliff slowly rising up. He had seen the expression on that woman¡¯s face. It had been sharp and cold, and she had seemed as though she had lived through many changes, which was a sight umon amongst her age group. That expression had been solemn and out-of-ce on her young face ¨C she resembled the five-year-old child from years ago, who expressed the sorrowful feelings of a 20-year-old. At that moment, his heart had slightly wrenched as he had recalled the ovepping expressions that had been buried deep in his memory. As such, he had made an exception to get close to her; ever since he had met Feng Jingfan, he had not been very willing to be near to women. However, he had neared her, understood her, and fallen in love with her. She had changed too much in these few years. It included her appearance, figure, and energy, and even the structure of her bones waspletely different from before. However, the gleam in her eyes had not changed. She still bravely persevered even after suffering from torture, remained resilient even under bad circumstances, and was still slightly awkward and embarrassed after being teased. But from then on, he had understood the feeling of being in a dilemma. He was both happy and worried about her losing the part of her memory that happened before she was five. It was much better for her to just forget such a depressing past, the pain that she had suffered and the act of him not keeping her promise. At least, she would remain well-protected. However, he was worried that there would be a deadline for her memory being locked. If she were to recall it one day, how would she face it? And how would he face her? There had been countless times that he had told himself not to tell her. It was because he had always felt that her happiness was much more important than taking revenge. However, was that really what he thought? Or was he more afraid of her further distancing herself from him when the truth was revealed, because he had not saved her from such a depressing and deadly suffering, and therefore resulting in a huge gap between him and her? He was Zhangsun Wuji, a man who was known to have superior wisdom, would calcte each step he took, and create revolutionary change. Everyone in the universe said he would nevermit mistakes, and he was the Wuji Crown Prince who was forever careful and detailed. Yet, only he knew that he had missed a chance in his whole life. And that one time was a sin that could never bepensated. When he had seen Old Lu drawing the scene of the second drawing, he had suddenly felt cold. He had fallen into the coldest ice cer of the first floor. He knew that the small Nameless Feng had lied to him. But he did not know that what she had been through was such a humiliating torture. In that drawing, the cupboard had been present behind the curtain. He knew, including what the eunuch had done¡­ a royal like him fully understood. He understood what she had been through back in those days. For five years¡­ it was almost about 1,800 days, and she had to live in such a manner. She had not only been hungry but also freezing during the winter and burning in summer. There had been dark days that daylight couldn¡¯t be seen, the suffering she had been subjected to every day, and there was also the mental torture which superseded all pain. Yet him, at that moment, had abandoned her after giving her hope. He had left her to be tortured by Old Lu once again, and face the cruelest ending in this universe. He had left her crying and screaming for help in the darkness. She had personally witnessed her mother¡¯s tragic death, but no one had answered her calls for help. How could he face her? He had made a grave mistake. He should have returned, even if it meant lying to his Teacher¡¯s Junior Brother going against his sect¡¯s rules. He should have brought her away, regardless of whether he would be chased down by his sect. It was wrong of him to hold on to the glimmer of hope that she would be fine after being hidden for so long, and it would be fine to wait for a few more days. Fate never waited for people. The terrible mistake was made. Furthermore, he was, to arge extent, responsible for Fuyao¡¯s suffering. If his Teacher¡¯s Junior Brother had not suddenly detoured to visit Epsilon when passing by Xuanji¡¯s Pce, if he had not coincidentally met her after being impatient of waiting, and if he had not appeared, which had made Feng Jingfan to know of his whereabouts, Fuyao would not have been discovered. Maybe Fuyao might be found out in the years toe as she grew up, and she would still have to go through the same torture. But no matter what, that night remained a nightmare which he had created by ident. Because of this, he felt like a sinner who wanted topensate her in every way possible. However, after what had happened, no matter how much hepensated her, it was still not enough to appease his remorse. Sometimes, he would think of silently removing all the affiliated people back then, so that she would never have the opportunity to find out the truth. But he knew that he had no right to be so selfish. Cleaving Nine Heavens required one to go through the most painful suffering, both physically and mentally, before one could truly reach the peak of the skill. Though the truth about Fuyao¡¯s background dealt an extremely painful blow to her, it was also a rare chance for her to improve herself, and he had no right to remove such a precious opportunity. Even if that meant he was not giving himself any chances. In anticipation of such a day, he had continuously been helping Fuyao train her physique, enhance her inner energy, and repair her meridian lines. He had done this because he was afraid of Fuyao not being strong enough to face the truth, which may lead her to go into psychosis if she was unable to control herself when improving her skills. Fuyao now had the ability to control herself. He trusted her and no longer worried about that. As for himself¡­ Zhangsun Wuji smiled, and his smile was so fragile and thin that it resembled a cracked, white porcin piece. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, as though the moonlight was too bright for him. The jade-white lotus in his palm appeared lively and clear under the shine of the moonlight. He looked at it in a daze, and his mind wandered back to his past. ¡°Wuji, you¡¯re born with the lotus mark, and it¡¯s bing clearer and clearer. Does this mean that your future wife is a jade lotus?¡± When he was three or four, he sat on his father¡¯sp and flipped through the official reports while listening to his father nagging for the 10,000th time about this lotus. Meanwhile, he casually edited ament on one of the reports. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a lotus-like girl tomorrow then.¡± His father projected into the future while hugging him in smiles. ¡°What kind of lotus can deserve my Wuji?¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked back and said clearly, ¡°Lotus or not, she must first be a good woman.¡± His father¡¯s eyes opened wide, as though he didn¡¯t expect his young son to be discussing about women with him. Unable to hold back, heughed and asked, ¡°So Wuji, what kind of women do you think are good women?¡± He looked away and continued editing the reports that didn¡¯t fit his standards. ¡°She will hug me and cry for me.¡± Behind him, his father turned silent. He also became quiet, and he pursed his lips. Even if his father hugged him for 10,000 times, without a mother¡¯s hug, he still felt lonely and empty. Childhood memories stayed distinct in his memory, especially this conversation. He would recall it from time to time, and each time it reyed, he would uncontrobly smile bitterly. It was such a simple request, but it was so difficult for him. For 13 years, no one had truly gotten close to him. Other people said no one dared to near a sly genius like him; his father was warm and loving, but he was often limited by his illness, and his mother¡­ she never needed him. That was until he turned 13. When he had first met her, he had empathized with her as a fellow sufferer, and he had treated her warmly. At that time, he had not thought much about it. However, when she had looked back at him when he had beenbing her hair, her expression had made his heart tremble. A sentence suddenly hade to him ¨C she was crying for him. Because she had experienced the same kind of loneliness, she had understood him, pitied him, and known the mature and bitter side of him, which had usually been hidden under his morous front. In that instant, she had given him what his closest kin had never given him. And when he had closed his palm on that tiny lotus, he had immediately made his decision. She would be his lotus. As such, the map of Xuanji had appeared. Very casually, but without any second thoughts, he had handed over his future to her. However, right now, she might not want it anymore, right? Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly. Raising his ss towards the cold moonlight, he downed it in one gulp. He drank from moonrise until the darkest time of the night, and from then to the wee hours of the morning when the sun had just started to rise, and the dewdrops could be seen. The half-kilogram wine jug fell from the tree andnded on the ground, causing the strongly fragrant alcoholic scent to waft around the courtyard. Chapter 324 - Untitled Chapter 324: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji had been exercising self-restraint and caution for his whole life, and he had never been drunk. However, any human would definitely be drunk at least once. It was the same as how it was impossible for a human to not make mistakes at all. Furthermore, the wine entered his body like mercury, and it slowly devoured his organs. The more he drank, the heavier his body felt. More wine spilled out as well, and in the end, he only drank half of thest jug. Suddenly, his sleeve jerked, and he clumsily threw the jug away. It crashed against a wall, and with a loud bang, the jug shattered into pieces. Then, he leaned backward and fell from the tree. He was drunk! During the same night, someone was drunk for once, while someone else was exceptionally quiet and clear-headed. Meng Fuyao sat upright in the dark room. There were many things lying on the floor, but she did not clear them. She just sat silently in the cold surroundings. Actually, she had never really wanted to depend on someone, or hope for warmth in this cold-hearted world. Having lived in two universes, she was clearer than anyone about the cold, hard truth of reality. She thought her defenses would have been very sturdy and would never break down, but when reality hit her, she still could not help but feel disappointed. Humans may not believe in warmth, but they would still uncontrobly wish for it. It was a fatal attraction; moths were aware of their ending if they neared the fire, but they still could not resist their natural instinct to fly towards brightness. Brightness¡­ Meng Fuyaoughed mockingly. Unless one radiated brightness from within, no one would bring light to you. She closed her eyes and silently adjusted her breath. Since she could not rely on anyone but herself, she had to be much, much stronger. This was the only way for her to leave this seemingly morous world, which was, in fact, an ice cer, and find her simple and prudent small home in the previous universe, which was always warm and cozy. As for theplicated past, and the mistakes that Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue hadmitted, she felt that she had no right to probe into them. Maybe they were indebted to her before, but after these few years of treating her wholeheartedly, it was more than enough for them topensate her. Though it was hard for her to forget grievances, she always remembered acts of kindness. She would not be who she was, if not for Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue. Even if Zhangsun Wuji had saved her many years ago, who knew how her life would pave out to be in the future? Life may take one on many paths, but the barriers and obstacles would definitely still be there. She may take a different path, but she would still be hurt, just in a different way. What was the worst ending? Since there was no source ofparison, who could make the judgment that she had gone through the worst ending? Although she always advocated determinism over fate, in reality, life was always controlled by the Heavens. If so, why should she inflict pain on others? With such a thought, the chilly feeling that surrounded her liver seemed to disperse a bit. Then, she perked her ears to pick up any sounds. Both were very silent, and one retreated back to his room, while the other¡¯s whereabouts were unknown. She could vaguely smell alcohol, and she was slightly taken aback ¨C Zhangsun Wuji was actively drinking? After a while, there was a muffled crash in the front courtyard. When she heard that, her eyebrows moved. In the meantime, Lord Yuan Bao stood on the table with one leg in front of the other, as he wanted to run out to console his master, and stay to console Meng Fuyao at the same time. While in a state of dilemma, he heard this sound, and his hair stood on its ends. ¡°Ga!¡± His shaky split turned into a full split in an instant. Meng Fuyao looked at Lord Yuan Bao, and Lord Yuan Bao looked back at her. When the four eyeballs met each other¡¯s gaze, Lord Yuan Bao looked as if he was begging her. Previously, when the Zhangsun Wuji imposter had created trouble, Lord Yuan Bao had pleaded in the same way, and he had ended up bing a hamburger. As Meng Fuyao remained silent, she poked Lord Yuan Bao towards the door. Making use of the chance, Lord Yuan Bao hugged her finger, because she didn¡¯t allow him to touch her before. Then, she pulled her finger towards the door. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t be able to move her, but he just wanted to express his desire. Meng Fuyao did not move and continued letting him tug. Suddenly, she said gently, ¡°Sigh, your mind is not functioning well. If our rtionship is not good, you can use this opportunity toe in between us.¡± Immediately, Lord Yuan Bao looked back, and his eyes widened in anguish. ¡®Even if I wanted to, this is not the way. Is my master this easily taken away? We advocate fair y and not dirty tricks!¡¯ he thought. Furthermore¡­ he swept his short tail in sadness. Compared to his master¡¯s feelings, his own love was insignificant. With a sigh, Meng Fuyao gently pulled him away and signaled him to leave. Depressed, Lord Yuan Bao left with his head hung low. He did not return after he left. After recuperating for a while, Meng Fuyao opened her eyes to look around. She was a bit confused, but she did not move. She recovered herself for a while more, and when she opened her eyes, she frowned. However, she still did not move. It was only after shepleted one round of recuperation, and when she saw the empty table and heard no noise from the courtyard, that she stepped out of bed. When she pushed opened the door, there was no noise in the surroundings. Not a single sound of breathing could be heard from Zong Yue¡¯s room. After thinking for a while, she called Tie Cheng over and pointed towards Zong Yue¡¯s door. Tie Cheng nodded and went over, while Meng Fuyao sighed and stepped into the front courtyard. She was greeted by the sight of wine jugs lying all over in the front courtyard. Zhangsun Wuji sat cross-legged under the tree, while Lord Yuan Bao guarded by him quietly. When she walked over, Lord Yuan Bao looked joyous, and he came over to pull her. Quickly, Meng Fuyao walked away inrge strides. Lord Yuan Bao stood stiffly, and he looked dumbfoundedly at Meng Fuyao¡¯s back as she left. He sucked his paw and looked back at Zhangsun Wuji, who slowly opened his eyes. Zhangsun Wuji calmly gazed at Meng Fuyao¡¯s leaving figure before he hugged Lord Yuan Bao back. Gently, he caressed Lord Yuan Bao, and he looked quietly at the passing clouds in the sky. Without making a noise, Lord Yuan Bao buried his head into Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s arms. Meng Fuyao secretly went to the Ninth Princess¡¯s residence. As the situation had progressed to such a stage, she could no longer ignore it. Even if she never acknowledged the Feng n as her family, she must take revenge for herself. The biggest obstacle in the Xuanji Pce was Epsilon. To remove Epsilon, she must first get rid of the Empress. However, judging by how closely Epsilon protected the Empress unless the Empress left the pce on her own, she would have no chance to remove her. How would the Empress leave the pce under such a chaotic period? Opportunities were created ¨C this was a move that Meng Fuyao was an expert in. That day, she and the Ninth Princess discussed for a long while. When she returned, she received a message from Zhan Beiye which read, ¡°Do you need me to send my army?¡±. Meng Fuyao thought for a while, and she asked Ji Yu to reply, ¡°Wait and see.¡± She, Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue still continued to live under the same roof. Zong Yue seemed to be very busy, and even as he recovered from his injury, he still did not forget to meet his subordinates in Xuanji. Though the Virtuous Guild¡¯s medicinal halls he had opened spanned the Five Regions Continent, Xuanji¡¯s base was thergest and most powerful. After many years of developing this base, help could be summoned at any moment. When Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji had been traveling from the northern borders, they had received significant help from this force. Zong Yue seemed to have gone out once during this period, even though he had not fully recovered. When he came back, he seemed even weaker, but he gave Meng Fuyao an envelope that night. After reading the letter, Meng Fuyao was silent for a long while. It made her very confused, as they used to be such close friends, but their rtionship seemed to have returned to the starting point. Even if they were leaving beside each other, they still had tomunicate through letters. She could not help but smile, but as the corners of her lips lifted, the smile turned into a bitter one. Zhangsun Wuji didn¡¯t leave the house at all. It seemed as though he and Zong Yue wanted to give Meng Fuyao some time to think through things carefully, or they were just holding back in. However, Meng Fuyao knew that they wouldn¡¯t stay inactive for long. The three of them were not the type toment their sufferings after a minor setback. They were trampolines that would eventually bounce back to life after being pressed down. After a few days, both the Ninth Princess and the Tenth Princess suddenly fell ill. One was the youngest daughter of Noble Consort Rong, while the other was the eldest daughter of the Empress, and both were royal princesses who enjoyed noble statuses in Xuanji¡¯s court. However, they had never interacted with each other before, and it was purely coincidental that they fell sick at the same time. Because of the chaos in the city, the Ninth Princess had visited the temple to pray. When she hade back, she suddenly had a headache. Luckily, she had met the Tenth Princess on the way, and because they were siblings, the Tenth Princess had gone over to show her concern. However, she had only asked a few questions outside the curtain. She had been very careful and had not entered the carriage, but she had still fallen ill when she returned to her residence. The symptoms they contracted were simr. They could not consume any food, and their faces became bright red. In the middle of the night, they would mumble outrageous remarks as though they had met with supernatural beings. The imperial doctors all gave up, and even after Noble Consort Rong and the Empress got civilian physicians to look at their illness, all of them said that the princesses were possessed. The Empress immediately chided those sayings as nonsense. They were peerless beauties of the royal family, and they were supposedly the most resistant towards witchcraft. Why would they be possessed without any prior notice? However, her tone was not very firm. The temple was located in the southwest corner of the pce. To return from the pce to the princesses¡¯ residences, carriages had to pass by the southwest corner, which was a ce that pce servants would be thrown into after theymitted crimes. There was nothing much there except for dead people. Which pce would not be haunted by the souls of the innocent? Furthermore, the Xuanji pce which was ruled by this particr Empress? Compared to other countries, Xuanji may not be considered a major power in terms of the size of their territory or national strength. On the other hand, if there was a ranking of the number of dead people in the harem, Xuanji would definitely take the throne. People would have a guilty conscience after killing too many people. Moreover, this Empress was known to be the number one killer of all harems. As she grew older, karma affected her more and more. She would not bother about praying to buddha or eating vegetarian food before, but now, she would do it once in a while. When the conclusion of the civilian physicians was known to her, she also became more concerned. Though she wanted to fetch her daughter into the pce, getting bewitched was a taboo in the pce. She was also scared ofnding into that situation. As she watched Noble Consort Rong run towards the Ninth Princess¡¯ residence every day in sobs, exiting the pce in the morning with rare herbs anding back at night with puffy and red eyes, she gradually became restless as well. There were a few times that she wanted to leave the pce, but Epsilon disapproved. ¡°If you go to her residence, it¡¯s very hard for me to protect you because it won¡¯t be convenient for me to enter the rooms of women. Tenth Princess¡¯ residential location was chosen very carefully. It is and of the ¡®Hidden Phoenix¡¯, which is very auspicious for females but slightly disadvantageous for people like me.¡± As he was very adamant, the Empress gave up after trying to persuade him for a few times. Actually, she did not think much about the downsides. ¡®Isn¡¯t the Ninth Princess in a very bad state too? Isn¡¯t Noble Consort Rong still safe after traveling in and out of such a chaotic city? It could not be so coincidental as to target me,¡¯ she thought. Chapter 325 - Untitled Chapter 325: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios It was already April, and it was only a few days before the ascension of the new ruler. The tension between the military forces in the city was not yet settled, and other than the Amethyst Cape Knights and Iron Guards, the forces in the city did not dare to act rashly. This was because whoever attacked first would attract the fury of all others, and therefore suffer the most. Everyone was waiting for the Emperor¡¯s decree and the ascension of the new Emperor. Some waited for a powerful force to manage the chaos in the city, though whoever did that could instead be overwhelmed by the mess. Xuanji¡¯s capital city was silently waiting for change. But no one knew who would direct the change. On the second day of the lunar month of April, there was a drizzle. Xuanji¡¯s Empress woke up early in the morning. She looked beneath the half-opened curtains and gazed at the spring rain, as well as the luscious greenery. It was supposed to be a pleasing sight, but she somehow felt very anxious. She sat up in a daze and felt that her heart was empty. Out of the blue, she recalled that during a day in autumn many years ago, that woman was tied to a chair in that small, ck room. When she used the woman of being a vixen and seducing the Emperor, the woman struggled to look up, and she screamed a blood-curdling curse. ¡°Evil woman ¨C you will die of shame one day!¡± She thought of this curse and the woman from that night. Under the shine of the dim oilmp, the woman¡¯s bones were seen, and all that was left in her eyes was extreme and never-ending pain. Those phantom-like eyes stared at her deadly, and even after she had died, they had remained wide open. Suddenly, a chill went down the Empress¡¯ spine. Then, she heard sounds of crying. A bunch of people hurriedly walked into her pce. In the middle of the crowd was Noble Consort Rong, who didn¡¯t have time to wash up and put on her makeup. The Empress was slightly annoyed by the noise, and she could not help but swiftly walk down the steps and shout, ¡°What¡¯s themotion about! Where¡¯s your decorum?¡± ¡°Your Highness-¡± Noble Consort Rong was so flustered that she did not even kneel. As she wiped away her tears and mucus, she said, ¡°My daughter might not make it past tonight. I have to go and save her now¡­¡± ¡°How can you save her?¡± The Empress mocked as she nced down at Noble Consort Rong. ¡°Using your amazing leechcraft?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monk who can perform a spell to help my daughter, but it requires the mother to stay by her side for one day and night.¡± Noble Consort Rong seemed to be oblivious to the Empress¡¯ mockery. She added in a determined tone, ¡°I won¡¯t be returning back to the pce tonight, and I hope to seek your permission.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Empress instinctively wanted to reject the request, but seeing how determined Noble Consort Rong suddenly became, she was afraid that Noble Consort Rong would pounce on her if she did not give her permission. Furthermore, she was also very concerned about her own daughter. If Noble Consort Rong¡¯s daughter could be healed, then her daughter could be saved as well. As such, she agreed. About a dayter, Noble Consort returned, and though she looked pale, her expression was one of joy. She said that her daughter could already sit up and consume porridge. A few dayster, there was news about the Tenth Princess ¨C her condition was worsening. At this point, the Empress could no longer hold herself back, and she went to find Epsilon. During that meeting, her close attendants could hear the sounds of sobbing and objects being thrown around the room, signifying a hugemotion that happened. The pce maids stole nces at each other, and the corners of their lips raised silently. The tried-and-tested routine had begun again. A few momentster, calmness returned. The Empress washed up and covered up her tears. Then, she ordered the carriage to take off. In a hurry, she ran to the Tenth Princess¡¯ residence. For her safety, sheplied with Epsilon¡¯s advice to set aside her dignity, and sit with Epsilon in an average-looking carriage. They took a road from the back of the pce to the residence. On the way, she could not help but feel nervous, and she continuously crumpled her dress. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the possible dangers that Epsilon had described or him. She had never sat so closely to Epsilon before. As Epsilon practiced Tongzi Gong 1 , he rarely came into contact with women. On the other hand, she was always wary of the distance between males and females, and she never gave Epsilon an opportunity to near her. She was Xuanji¡¯s Empress who mothered the Land under the Heavens; her nobility and status did not allow her to ept contact from other men. Everyone always ridiculed her as a fierce and ruthless woman who was ill-suited to be the Empress, and the killings she hadmitted in the pce had been used against her. However, she was nonchnt towards these remarks. Why should she share her husband with other people? A woman could resort to any means just to maintain her status and secure her husband¡¯s loyalty. As a well-read woman, she had seen enough of historical records of previous dynasties. Which harem didn¡¯t have atrocities? In which pce were there no bones of people wrongly used? If other people could do it, why not her? Meanwhile, the carriage continued to sway on the road. Since it was a carriage meant for women, it wasn¡¯t big, and it was just right the size for two people to sit side-by-side. Epsilon¡¯s legs continuously bumped against hers as the carriage swayed, and she tried to avoid it, but there was no space for her to shift. The space was too small, which made her highly nervous. Her sense of touch became much more sensitive, and those bumps against her thin pce dress made her much more aware of the toned body of the man beside her. The tight feeling made her heart skip a beat, and she subconsciously thought about the loose and old skin of Feng Xuan. Both were men, and Feng Xuan was even younger than Epsilon. Why was there such a huge difference? She was 40 years old this year, and for her, it was an age of ruthlessness. However, Feng Xuan has already revealed signs of old age whenever they had sexual intercourse. She was once suspicious that Feng Xuan had other women, which resulted in him having less energy when he was with her, but that was really not the case. Feng Xuan had indeed grown old. On the other hand, Epsilon looked like he was in his golden age. It was said that the Top Ten Wielders were very skilled in maintaining their appearance, especially Epsilon, who practiced Tongzi Gong since young. He practiced it until there were countless permutations, and his foundation was stable and hard to destroy. As such, his thin, long, and beautiful eyes remained glistening and lively even after many years¡­ As she thought of this, her heart wavered. However, it was only for a short while. Thereafter, she sat upright and kept her face straight while looking in front. Aspared to romance, her status and dignity were much more important. Hence, she should practice more self-restraint. Soon after, the carriage reached the Tenth Princess¡¯ residence. As the journey was smooth, the Empress heaved a sigh of relief, and she chided herself for being affected by Epsilon¡¯s personality. It was ridiculous of her to have felt beleaguered. The Tenth Princess¡¯ residence was standing tall and upright in the fine rain. A yellowmp was hung on a tall tower in the residence, which meant that someone was very ill. The Empress quickly alighted from the carriage, but she did not hear the footsteps that should have followed her. She looked back in confusion and realized that Epsilon was still sitting in the carriage, looking at the yellowmp with a serious gaze. After a while, Epsilon said, ¡°Ning, let¡¯s go back.¡± The Empress was stunned, and she was enraged in an instant. She screamed, ¡°You¡¯re crazy! We¡¯re already at the door, and you want me to go back?¡± ¡°Go back,¡± Epsilon replied in a determined voice. ¡°I need to be responsible for the both of us.¡± ¡°I need to be responsible for my daughter!¡± The Empress swung her sleeves in anger. She started to walk towards the door. ¡°It¡¯s not your child, so you don¡¯t know what it feels like!¡± ¡°Ning-¡± He suddenly tugged on her sleeve. Epsilon leaned out of the carriage, and his expression was one of anxiousness, which was a rare sight. ¡°Listen to me, let¡¯s go!¡± Hearing his tone, the Empress hesitated for a while. She was not a fool, and after many years of interaction with Epsilon, she knew his temper. She asked, ¡°There¡¯s danger?¡± Epsilon took another look at themp. In a daze, he said, ¡°¡­ Maybe.¡± ¡°Muddle-headed!¡± When the Empress heard this, she was immediately furious. She forcefully pulled her sleeve away and added, ¡°You¡¯re bing a coward because of a few ignorantds! There are 3,000 guards in the residence, and the Yulin Army is right outside. How brazen can they be to try to attack the Princess¡¯ residence? Even if they do, are you afraid?¡± She looked right into his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re afraid? You¡¯re afraid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not this¡­¡± Epsilon opened his mouth, but he seemed to be holding back his words. Momentster, he added, ¡°Just remember that I¡¯ll never harm you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not harming me, but you¡¯re harming my daughter now!¡± The Empress smirked. Without any second thoughts, she barged in the door. ¡°Sir Epsilon, I know that you worry for your life. Go hide first then. I¡¯ll enter myself!¡± She really ignored him and trod in the residence under the guide of the Tenth Princess¡¯ attendants. Stunned, Epsilon stood in the rain and forgot to fend himself from the rain. In a daze, he recalled that they had argued many times over the years, but this was the first time that she had left him so resolutely. He looked up at themp again¡­ There was actually nothing wrong with themp or the residence, and he did not sense any dangerous aura. The reason why he was stopped in his tracks by amp was because of a sentence that he had been told 14 years ago. Back then, an old friend of his hade to visit him. While they had been chatting over a cup of tea, he had asked his friend jokingly, ¡°How long will I live? Where will I die?¡± ¡°Huang Deng, Yun Jiao 2 .¡± Confused, he had probed further. The old fellow had hugged his teacup for a long while before answering, ¡°A yellowmp is a yellowmp.¡± Not willing to give up, Epsilon had asked about what rhymes went. His friend hadughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know about rhyming in poems? The four tones in Mandarin? Huang Deng Yun Jiao is said in the Ping tone, followed by the Shang tone, Qu tone and finally, Ru tone 3 ¡­ Combined together, that¡¯s Ping Shang Qu Ru 4 .¡± Immediately, Epsilon had spat his tea out. He had jumped up and taught his friend a good lesson. What Ping Shang Qu Ru? He had been practicing Tongzi Gong from young, so how would he ever be involved in it? However, he had seen the yellowmp today. Actually, he had seen quite a number of yellowmps in his life. At the start, he had thought of what his friend had said and felt nervous, but after being fine for many times, he had mocked his friend for predicting wrongly. Yet his heart started to beat very quickly in his chest today. No matter what, he could not retreat. She was in a dangerous ce. In his whole life, he had never left while knowing that she was in danger. Furthermore¡­ what¡¯s the worst possible scenario? He was Epsilon, the fourth most powerful wielder. To run for his life because of a yellowmp that he had seen countless times, and not care about the woman he loved, was way too ridiculous. He stood in the rain and took in a deep breath. Suppressing the uneasy feeling in his stomach, he followed her and entered the residence. The spring rain resulted in the floor being wet, and the reflection of the yellowmp in the puddle was bright and clear. Seeing that he followed her in, the Empress smiled in satisfaction. However, using the excuse that outsiders could not disturb the princess while she was ill, she stopped him outside the door. Since Epsilon originally did not want to enter, he sat in the outer room. The Tenth Princess¡¯ residence was not a ce that was suitable for him to stay in. When he entered, he felt very ufortable. He decided to just close his eyes and rest. The surroundings were silent. He could hear the sound of monks and the Empress praying. Incense was lit in the inner room, and when he took a whiff, it smelled like a how normal, valuable sandalwood would smell like. There was nothing out of the ordinary. He started to feel more and more calm. In the serene atmosphere, he heard a long-sounding strike of the bell from a temple far away. Chapter 326 - Untitled Chapter 326: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The yellowmp above continued to rotate in the wind, rotating¡­ rotating¡­ rotating¡­ Suddenly, themp tilted and fell onto the ground before the building, silently catching fire and burning up. Epsilon opened his eyes. There was no movement. A little servant brushed past him, his body filled with the scent of sandalwood as heunched himself at the burningmp, patting and stamping at the fire until ashes rose in clouds around him. His body was covered in ash as well as he patted himself and smiled at a youngdy who had rushed over. ¡°Elder sisters, please tend to these, I¡¯ll go change a newmp.¡± As he walked past Epsilon, thetter suddenly reached out and grabbed him. His grip was powerful and fearsome, and with a whelp, the little servant¡¯s face was instantly contorted in pain as tears and snot flowed. Shrinking back, the little servant raised his head and stuttered, ¡°H-h-honored guest¡­ w-w-w-what¡­¡± After determining that the servant did not know martial arts and noticing nothing suspicious, Epsilon let go of the little servant and said coldly, ¡°Leave, all of you. No one is to move around here.¡± ¡°You worry too much.¡± The Empress peeked through from behind the screen. ¡°The princess requires servants to wait on her. Moreover, this little servant was born in the pce, even I recognize him.¡± ¡°Leave.¡± Epsilon¡¯s tone was cold, but no longer suspicious. The Empress wavered for a moment before waving a hand to send the servants off. Even the Master Monk was sent away. When he left, Epsilon eyed him briefly; a monk with average martial arts abilities. He stared at the deep scar on his face. After that, the room quietened. Now, there wasn¡¯t even a yellowmp. Epsilon smiled peacefully and continued meditating. However, this time, he was unable to do so. He did not know from where the heat came from; it wasn¡¯t from his lower abdomen nor was it from his core. It felt more like it had traveled from his four limbs as if he were holding a mini furnace in his palm. Initially, he didn¡¯t feel anything, but slowly, the heat moved inward and was no longer a surfacial feeling, but prating his soul and bones, past his meridians and directly into his liver. His entire body started to itch, a strange sensation as if his body were licked by thousands of little tongues. Around him, grass started growing, longer and longer, binding his body like a rope as he dimly heard the ecstatic cries of his blood, his bones cramping, his core racing and a certain part tightening. Yet, the depths of his heart was empty. His heart suddenly skipped a beat; even though he had not encountered any woman in his lifetime, he knew what was going on. However, now was no longer the time to figure out when it happened, but to quickly activate his inner energy to suppress it. However, his inner energy ended up acting like fuel to fire, and in an instant, he felt as if his entire body had exploded. Desire was like a spring, the more it waspressed, the more it would rebound. Especially for one who practiced Virgin Boy Technique, once it was unleashed it couldn¡¯t be retracted, and Epsilon had practiced Virgin Boy Technique all his life, yet he was unable to calm his heart and meditate deep in the mountains. Instead, he was constantly surrounded by yin energy in the pce with women all around him. Hence, it was inevitable that he would be tainted, and despite his iparable grasp of martial arts and constant meditation in the pce¡¯s quiet room, he could no longer control it. Naturally, him experiencing this was due to a person¡¯s insidious nning that spanned across years, except that he would never know that in this lifetime. As though he were a firework exploding in all four directions, he suddenly felt heaven and earth turn white, and in that whiteness, he heard the Empress gasp softly, and he entered the room. The heavy screen fluttered and fell as the Empress stared at him suspiciously and said, ¡°Hua-er looks like she¡¯s about to wake up¡­¡± Suddenly, she frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing here? Get out, get out, don¡¯t act rashly!¡± Without replying, Epsilonunched himself upon her. Pressing himself onto her, using methods that he had dreamed of for countless nights, his rising and falling hands eliciting the sound of tearing silk, the Empress¡¯ gold and red dress had already fallen to the ground. The Empress had been startled, unable to speak a word, but he had already been aroused by the jade-like skin and grabbed her shoulder, instantly entwining with her. There was a faint fragrance from the screen, and the room was dark in order not to disturb the sick. Behind the thick curtains, the sounds of the rain and people outside were muffled, and nobody was around. It was extremely quiet, and in that silence, a fire burned brightly. The Empress struggled, stretching her neck to look at her daughter on the bed, muttering, ¡°She¡¯s here¡­ She¡¯s here¡­ We can¡¯t¡­¡± Yet, her half-hearted resistance seemed to excite him even more¡ªsuch a response was no longer a refusal! Without saying anything, Epsilon had already pressed himself against herpletely. A well-maintained forty-year-old woman, still bearing exquisite curves in the right ces, her skin as soft as clouds, or perhaps as smooth as jade? Or perhaps the softest cotton in the world? He raised his head and took several deep breaths¡­ It turned out that being a virgin for Virgin Boy Technique was honestly a stupid thing¡ªit turned out that embracing one¡¯s beloved woman was a beautiful thing. He continued to embrace the Empress, both their bodies covered in a sheen of sweat, slippery and salty like fish, entangled together in a mess of limbs, on the ground, in the darkness of the room, under her daughter¡¯s bed. After groping around for a while, he finally found the right ce and inserted himself as she let out a low cry of pleasure. Suddenly, his brain felt as if it had exploded, and his body started to move mechanically: In and out. In, out, in, out. There was no pleasureparable to this, and thest few decades of his life seemed to have beenpletely wasted. Years of suppression was finally released as the pair forgot themselves, forgot their statuses and positions, forgetting all morality. In the face of desire, all were equal, there was no difference in status or position. Suddenly, there was the sound of someoneughing coldly, unreservedlyughing as she strode into the room, carrying the wind, rain and years of hatred as she crossed the tightly shut doors and the heavy screen, full of vengeance. Meng Fuyao smiled and waved the golden whip in her hands, instantly shocking awake the sleeping Tenth Princess with a single whip. ¡°Come, get up, quick, take a look at your mom going at it with your uncle.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The scream came from the Tenth Princess, who had just been woken up. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± At the same time, another scream came from the Xuanji Empress, who was just getting heated with Epsilon. The Tenth Princess sat up straight on her bed, staring dumbly at her honorable mother, stark naked, under another man¡¯s body, entwined together like wild beasts. If not for the fact that her face was too familiar, she nearly wanted to believe that it was another woman pretending to be the Empress. Nheless, she still refused to believe it, dimly putting a finger in her mouth and biting hard. The sharp pain that shot from her finger caused her to cry out again, and even though she now knew that this was the reality and not some nightmare, she still couldn¡¯t ept it. She continued screaming, grabbing the sheets on the bed and covering her head with it, her entire body shrinking into the bed. Then, she stopped moving. The Xuanji Empress had already turned into a dead fish, hardened into a thousand-year-old preserved corpse. Shey there stiffly on the thick, warm rug, her legs still curled in agitation, veins popping through her jade-colored skin. She had suddenly fallen from desire and excitement into the cold and harsh abyss of reality. What had she done? What had she done? She had actuallyid with another man in front of her daughter, in her daughter¡¯s room, under her daughter¡¯s bed! She had gone mad! She must have gone mad! She had actually treated herself like a dirty whore from the streets, a loathsome damned woman! She had actually forgotten that she was the Empress of Xuanji, the most respected and most highly regarded woman under the heavens! How could she behave like other middle-aged women, losing her heart upon seeing a young man¡¯s flesh, losing her sense,mitting the most shameful and unforgivable act of all! She was the Empress! Empress! Meng Fuyaoughed coldly, watching the Empress¡¯ indescribable expression. With another self-indulgentugh, she cracked her whip at the wall! With a thundering noise, the wall crumbled to the ground. Outside, the rain was falling gently, and a crowd was standing in the rain. The people of the Tenth Princess¡¯s manor, from the stableman to the lowest-ranked little servant, no one was missing. They had been forced under the des of Dahan¡¯s guards and Wuji¡¯s hidden guards to stand in the rain to await the most exciting and scandalous affair in all of the Five Regions Continent. When the wall crumbled and the naked pair on the rug was revealed to them, everyone instantly gaped in surprise, letting out gasps of shock, unable to close their mouths, looking like fish out of water. Everyone present was staring in shock at the adulterous scene before them. Nobody could ept it. Moreover, this was the Empress of Xuanji, who had always been arrogant and proud. The gaping mouths were like holes that sucked her soul, the stares piercing like arrows as the Empress once again felt herself being pierced in a thousand ces. The Empress tilted her head backward, once again letting out an ear-piercing scream, ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Thereafter, she fainted, her body going limp in Epsilon¡¯s arms. The proudest woman would also be the most brittle after her pride was destroyed and her dignity trampled into dust, she had be nothing but a pile of rotting mud. However, Epsilon had kept hisposure throughout everything. Everything had happened in an instant, from Meng Fuyao striding in to wake the Tenth Princess when the Empress was still in the peak of pleasure, but he still didn¡¯t remove himself. Instead, he continued to finish what he had started. The first time in his life was also hisst, he wasn¡¯t going to sell himself short. At the moment when Meng Fuyao destroyed the wall to show their treacherous act, he carried the unconscious Empress and flew up, rolling the sheets on the bed around them as the Tenth Princess fell to the ground. Chapter 327 - Untitled Chapter 327: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studioss With a twist of Epsilon¡¯s body, the robes that had been discarded on the ground had suddenly returned to his body, and he carefully wrapped the Empress in the bedsheets, cing her gently on the bed. After that, he turned unhurriedly to face Meng Fuyao. When he turned towards her, there was even a hint of humor on his face. Meng Fuyao felt a slight sense of admiration for this man. Even under such circumstances, he was still able to maintain hisposure. The scene earlier must have been the ultimate form of humiliation for the Empress of Xuanji, and wouldn¡¯t it be so for one of the revered Top Ten as well? Even so, he remained apathetic, worthy of his status as a Sect Master in the Top Ten. Upon seeing how sincerely and lovingly he treated the evil Empress, although she couldn¡¯t understand how he had fallen for her, Meng Fuyao still held the utmost respect for his pure and sincere feelings. Yes, pure. Standing by that woman¡¯s side for more than a decade, being infinitely stronger than her, having so many chances to seize her for himself, yet he had never once tainted her. If not for the series of events that she and the others had plotted, he, Epsilon, would probably have stayed innocently by her side, protecting her to the end. Such resolve was scarcely seen in most men, especially powerful men. And precisely because he loved her, he did everything for her, even if it went against his morals. As long as she was happy, as long as it benefited her¡ªfor example, trying to split Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao apart. Meng Fuyao suddenly understood his actions that night on the boat; he was clearly able to take advantage of her, yet he had wasted a lot of time merely teasing her¡ªhe had never intended to taint her, he had simply wanted to sow discord between the two of them and achieve his objective. Everything he did wasn¡¯t because he hated anyone or that he wanted to hurt anyone; it was all for the Empress of Xuanji. Meng Fuyao suddenly felt distracted. She started thinking about the men by her side who had killed indiscriminately for her. As long as she required it, they would do it. From this angle, it seemed that, actually, they were the same. Standing from each of their own perspectives, Epsilon was not in the wrong. Meng Fuyao sighed softly, toying with the golden whip in her hand as she said mildly, ¡°Lord Epsilon if you leave and swear never to bother with Xuanji¡¯s affairs ever again, we can call it quits now.¡± Epsilon remained silent, standing in the rain, unspeaking, his narrow eyes glistening. After a while, he let out a strangeugh and replied, ¡°Why should I leave?¡± Meng Fuyao stared at him. In that short moment, his supple skin had already started to sag, wrinkles appearing around his eyes when he smiled. Once the Virgin Boy Technique was broken, all of his cultivation leaked out, and he was naturally unable to maintain his appearance. The Epsilon now was no longer an insurmountable opponent. ¡°If I were to leave, I will bring her with me,¡± Epsilon tilted his head and nced at the Empress. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not possible,¡± Meng Fuyao said coldly. ¡°Actually, even if I kill you, it¡¯s still justified.¡± ¡°Then why are we still talking?¡± Epsilonughed. ¡°Meng Fuyao, don¡¯t think that just because you are one of the Top Ten or that I have lost my Virgin Boy Technique cultivation, that you are now invincible. Even if you break my wings, I can still fly.¡± ¡°Then fly for all eternity.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe down anymore.¡± Before she finished speaking, there was a sh of golden light! She was on the golden light! Whip-like golden rays of light, pencil straight with ferocious piercing power, appeared as Meng Fuyao stepped on it, her body turning into even more ferocious lightning. Standing straight on the rays, she lifted her feet and the rays spread outwards in a brilliant fan-shaped disy, spinning and whistling sharply. From the tip of the whip to the end, several areas contacted Epsilon¡¯s body directly! However, Epsilon merely twisted his body. He twisted his body, suddenly turning into a twisted dough shape, a flexible and soft but extremely strong twisted dough. With a slight twist, the exquisite lightning and golden rays were scattered in all directions. Uponnding, his fingers extended out of his sleeve and tapped the tip of the whip lightly, as if he were charming a snake, and the whip instantly turned limp. Thereafter, he hooked his finger and hooked the whip into his hands. His actions were as fast as electricity was he twisted and turned without using a hint of true energy, using his years of training entirely. At that moment, Meng Fuyao finally realized the meaning of the saying that ¡°There was a gulf of difference between the top five and the bottom five among the Top Ten, and there was a world of difference between each member within the top five.¡± Epsilon was ranked fourth and had already lost the true energy that was the most important to every martial artist, yet he could still hold his ground against her, who was also among the Top Ten! Now, herpetitive spirit had been sparked; with Epsilon¡¯s formidable abilities and skills, fighting to the limits with him would definitely bring her skills to an even higher level! She curled her fingers, forming a ¡°Phoenix Formation¡± with her hands. She did not try to retrieve her whip; instead, she reached directly for Epsilon¡¯s meridians. Instantly, Epsilon¡¯s face changed. He had lost his true energy and could no longer fight as he wished with Meng Fuyao. He stepped back, his body moving fluidly like flowing water, his steps as light as a feather. It seemed that he could still use Qing Gong, but Meng Fuyao knew that it was merely the innate characteristics of the martial arts technique that Epsilon had cultivated, or else that night on the boat, he couldn¡¯t have pretended to be the child sacrifice of the Lishui Gang and fooled even Tie Cheng when thetter had carried him in his arms. That night on the boat, when she had returned to investigate, her suspicions eventually had fallen on the child¡ªthe guards that had been escorting him had disappeared midway. Epsilon¡¯s weightless movements demonstrated that he still had his Qing Gong abilities and was able to execute powerful techniques. As long as he didn¡¯t try to fight head-on with Meng Fuyao¡¯s inner energy, he could still hold on for a long time. Meng Fuyao nced up at the sky. She didn¡¯t want to spend too much time here; she still had to go to the pce. Suddenly, she flew up as well. Fluttering in the air like a piece of paper, she drifted beneath Epsilon¡¯s feet and raised her hand, unleashing Destiny Rebellion in a ck arc directly up at him. Epsilon could only move aside, and before he couldnd on the ground, Meng Fuyao swung again with the same movement and force, intentionally preventing Epsilon from reaching the ground. Remaining in midair for an extended period of time required true energy to sustain, and given Meng Fuyao¡¯s true energy, she could drift around in the air for a long time. However, that was not the case for Epsilon. Every time he was about tond, he was forced toe up again, unable to rest. A mouthful of negative energy began bubbling within him, rising up and causing his head to spin and his eyes to turn blurry. His eyes shed angrily as he snorted coldly and said, ¡°Truly as the saying goes, if a tiger stoops to a lower level, it would be insulted by dogs!¡± Suddenly, he no longer tried to dodge andunched himself at Meng Fuyao directly in a green sh of light. Meng Fuyaoughed and responded, ¡°If dogs were able to insult you, then wouldn¡¯t you be worse than a dog?¡± With a wave of Destiny Rebellion, a ck arc erupted in the air, and the two became locked inbat. The sky was instantly filled with the sharp shing of metal against metal! ck arcs streaked across the air like a humongous axe, destroying another wall in the room, while the green light was narrow and elegant, like the ceaseless drizzle outside, disrupting the ck arcs. ck and green shed into a bundle, emitting dramatic and beautiful shes of light. In the midst of it all, there would be the asional gold sh from the whip that Epsilon had snatched away. ck, green, and gold, it was a truly spectacr battle. Epsilon still refused to leave the bed containing the Empress. Even though it was obvious that fighting outside would be more advantageous for him, he still chose to fight Meng Fuyao indoors. His moves were borate andplex, vastly different from Meng Fuyao¡¯s massive surges of power. He preferred focusing on the details; within the green and golden shes of light was a pair of hands moving agilely and swiftly, ferocious and elegant. He could unleash five different techniques in a single moment, and each attack could be unleashed in different directions. On the 137th move, Meng Fuyao let out a yell and the air was filled with shadows of her sword, forming a directly above Epsilon¡¯s head. Epsilon suddenly smiled as well. His narrow eyes glinted, and his body softened, twisting his waist in an instant. Suddenly, he was holding a golden w, its ends rounded like four paws. It was an extremely intriguing design. His fingers gripped the golden w as he closed his eyes and sighed nostalgically, ¡°It¡¯s been many years since I¡¯vest used a weapon¡­¡± Suddenly, the golden ws seemed to extend, locking urately onto Meng Fuyao¡¯s palm and shooting out, the middle w hooking onto the Laogong meridian in her palm. Meng Fuyao retracted her hand, feeling a stream of energy spurt out from her hand. The golden w had actually managed to urately target the location of her true energy flow. Her heart lurched in surprise; she had not expected Epsilon to have such a powerful weapon. It seemed that it could manipte the opponent¡¯s true energy as it wished or block the flow of its opponent¡¯s true energy. It was especially effective for opponents who practiced more aggressive techniques. It seemed that Epsilon was truly a meticulous person; despite knowing how powerful his Virgin Boy Technique was, he still kept a backup weapon. The golden w shot forward again, manipted by Epsilon as he raised an eyebrow and taunted, ¡°You managed to make me take out my weapon¡­¡± ¡°Please, you Top Ten Masters don¡¯t have to keep harping on that statement,¡± Meng Fuyao interrupted, waving a hand and saying, ¡°I¡¯m sick of that statement.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad to die in the hands of this golden w,¡± Epsilon replied mildly. ¡°Since it has already imed too many lives.¡± He flicked his fingers and golden hooks shot out from the w. ck, green and golden shes of light once again surrounded the room, causing the bed canopy to rip into shreds as pieces of torn fabric fluttered down like butterflies. Immediately, a huge amount of true energy turned the shreds into dust, disappearing before it hit the ground. Outside, the spring rain continued to fall incessantly, yet in this small room, the scene felt as if it were from another world Chapter 328 - Untitled Chapter 328: UntitledTrantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao was starting to feel pressured with the introduction of Epsilon¡¯s strange, new weapon as true energy continued to be manipted and reversed constantly. As such, she didn¡¯t dare to use her true energy to unleash any more skills, resulting in her situation bing simr to Epsilon, resorting to move count. However, in terms of pure martial ability, Epsilon was far above her;rgely because she was constantly distracted by her true energy. If she was careless, it could blow up in her face, and then, she would die a terrible death. The golden ws attacked without stopping, following the flow of Meng Fuyao¡¯s movements. Every time it hooked onto one of her main meridians, it would force her to switch energies, just like how Meng Fuyao forced Epsilon not tond on the ground. Now, Meng Fuyao was forced by Epsilon not to channel true energy as her body flitted to and fro. Yet, no matter how many techniques she used, the weapon seemed to naturally home in on her. The faster she moved, the fasted it followed as well, like a shadow, and soon, a sliver of blood appeared at the corner of Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth. Not far away, the sound of robes fluttering in the wind could be heard as one purple, and one ck shadow appeared. It was Zhangsun Wuji as well as Zong Yue, who was wearing Shadow de¡¯s mask. In a single nce, they could tell that something was wrong and wanted to intervene, but Meng Fuyao immediately said, ¡°No need!¡± From today onwards, she had to settle these matters herself. Moreover, this kind of state, if she faced it, then Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue would also face it, and be even more severely affected. Why would she drag them along to face such dangers? Naturally, she was unable to express her thoughts truthfully, and the two men only saw her refusing profusely and were momentarily stunned by her reaction. Zong Yue stepped back and reached into his robes for something when Zhangsun Wuji suddenly stopped him and said, ¡°Let her do it.¡± Only when one continued to wee obstacles unyieldingly could there be a far greater yield, and the experience of battling the Top Ten had always been a one in a thousand opportunities. Moreover, Zhangsun Wuji had always tried to let Meng Fuyao face it herself. Meng Fuyao heard him but remained silent. Zhangsun Wuji watched Epsilon¡¯s moves for a while, then suddenly said, ¡°If you can¡¯t win then you have to win, using extreme softness to ovee extreme hardness if you keep persevering, you will break through.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes shed. She had been hesitating to try it, but with Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s word of approval, her eyes started to brighten. Then, she immediately unleashed her attack. Retracting her usual fiery and aggressive form of fighting and switching to a more traditional, simpler way of fighting, Meng Fuyao¡¯s moves were simple as all the true energy in her body channeled itself with efficiency. The speed of the fight instantly slowed as she started to engulf the battlefield with her own true energy, entrapping Epsilon who had already lost his true energy. The battle styles of both parties changed once again, entering the third stage, finally fighting at a visible speed. However, Epsilon¡¯sck of true energy was starting to be apparent, his techniques and movements limited, and he was unable to pursue Meng Fuyao as before. Meng Fuyao smiled faintly as she unleashed all kinds of techniques, swords, flying kicks and punches as she manipted true energy, enticing the golden w to attack where she wanted it to, contacting all of the main meridians in her body. Suddenly, she started to reverse her true energy! The true energy within her body had been condensing slowly during the fight, and suddenly, she flew backward, kicking aside a purple and golden statue and flipping into the air as the true energy started flowing through her meridians! In an instant, her face flushed red and white as sheunched herself forward, her entire body as though it had suddenly tensed up. Reversing one¡¯s pulse was one of the greatest taboos in the martial arts world. For thousands of years, nobody dared to attempt it, because reversing one¡¯s pulse was usually to break through, but because of the suddenness of the reversal, oftentimes, the result would be death due to the chaos. It was too risky to try. However, to the Meng Fuyao now, reversing one¡¯s pulse had another meaning. She was already in the third stage of the seventh level and was but a fraction of a distance from the eighth level. And she had to meet Epsilon, whose techniques were ever-changing, his spiritual weapon causing constant disruption to her flow of true energy. However, this only made the true energy continue to channel the true energy within Meng Fuyao. As such, she might as well let him continue disrupting her true energy, making use of that strange weapon of his to reverse her pulse! Hence, Meng Fuyao deliberately led him to reverse her pulse numerous times, allowing the w to hook her entire body as she slowly got used to the reversal and chaos in her meridians. In the midst of the turmoil, she grew stronger; hence, when she went all out to reverse her pulse, the suddenness wouldn¡¯t be so shocking! A one in a thousand chance to kill two birds with one stone! Except, although theoretically, it was logical, how many could actually execute it in the middle of a battle? And how many would actually dare to take advantage of Epsilon to do so and achieve a breakthrough? Zong Yue watched in shock as he murmured, ¡°Fuyao!¡± A hint of amusement appeared in Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s eyes as he looked up and gazed at the dark sky, feeling as if he were watching a phoenix flying into the air, spreading her wings as she broke through the heavens. The only question was, would shee back? In that instant, Meng Fuyao reversed her pulse, feeling her core suddenly shudder and immediately rotating the other way as her entire body emitted faint shing noises. Fortunately, because of Epsilon¡¯s technique earlier, her body had already be ustomed to it, and she was able to stop the chaos. Immediately, her meridians widened as true energy started surging forward like a roaring river, rotating clockwise and anti-clockwise, filling her body like waves crashing against a shore. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes widened ecstatically as sheughed out loud and raised her hands, her five fingers amassing a faint, cloud-like mass of energy. The eighth level of Cleaving Nine Heavens, Heaven Reversal! Epsilon¡¯s golden w once again came flying towards her, aiming for the Laogong meridian in her palm. Meng Fuyao¡¯s mouth curved into a smile and reversed her true energy once again, rendering the golden w¡¯s attack useless. Her fingers had already curled around the w and a loud crack could be heard. The longest ¡°middle finger¡± broke. Epsilon¡¯s expression changed instantly as he tried to retract the golden w, but Meng Fuyao reached out again, channeling her true energy and sending the golden w flying, unable to manipte true energy anymore. The sleeves of Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes swished around her like knives. Snap! The ¡°little finger¡± broke. The golden w spun into the air as Meng Fuyao followed it in a ck whirlwind, using her body to reach for the golden w. Laughing triumphantly, Meng Fuyao grasped it within her hands forcefully! Snap! The ¡°ring finger¡± was broken! Only one finger remained of the golden w as it flew into the air. Meng Fuyao smirked andunched herself up once again, waving her fists in the air, spinning like a ck tornado! Ping¡ª The spiritual golden w suddenly turned into a pile of unruly golden pieces, no longer recognizable. Meng Fuyaonded yet another blow, turning the golden w into a golden pancake. A faint, cracking noise emitted from within the golden w and a thin line appeared on its shiny surface, streaking until it reached the wielder¡¯s hands as red marks appeared on Epsilon¡¯s wrinkled hands. They turned redder and redder until finally, with yet another cracking noise, the skin and bones tore apart, revealing white tendons. Meng Fuyao¡¯s blow didn¡¯t just destroy the golden w; it also destroyed the user¡¯s hand. There was a deafening silence all around and only the pattering of rain could be heard as everyone stared at the battle between the top five and the bottom five of the Top Ten, watching the guardian of the Xuanji Royal Family, ranked fourth in the Top Ten, the man who was regarded as a god in the Xuanji Royal Family, fall, lose himself, his reputation, unleashing everything he had in the final battle of his life, yet still losing to the young girl¡¯s bravery and wisdom. Honor would always eventually die out, just like rotting dirt. The thousands of people in the princess¡¯ manor were silent as if nobody was there at all as they retracted their gazes from Epsilon and stared at their own hands. After a long time, Epsilonughed loudly, but his expression was beginning to calm down. Meng Fuyao was standing quietly, no longer acting out a victory pose as before; whenever Cleaving Nine Heavens advanced a level, it was a form of renewal and cultivation for her martial arts skills and character. Having just fought one of the strongest people in the world, it was a great boost to her courage and wisdom as she struggled to ascend in the midst of the blood and fire. The most painful and arduous process of cultivation had finally passed and cooled down, set in stone. Her expression was as calm as still water, and not even a ripple could raise a storm like before. ¡°Lord Epsilon, let¡¯s end it here,¡± Meng Fuyao retreated backward and returned Destiny Rebellion back into its scabbard. ¡°I still stand by my words earlier, you should leave.¡± ¡°Is this how you treat those who have lost against you?¡± Epsilon remained unmoving as he nced at her. ¡°It seems to be different from what I¡¯ve heard about you.¡± ¡°You did not lose against me,¡± Meng Fuyao said frankly. ¡°If not for the fact that we resorted to underhanded tactics to ruin your cultivation, I wouldn¡¯t have won.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as underhanded in the path of martial arts,¡± Epsilon replied mildly. ¡°Being able to destroy my cultivation is your own ability, moreover¡­¡± He suddenly let out a long and sincereugh. ¡°Perhaps, even if my cultivation had not been destroyed, I might not have been able to win.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Meng Fuyao bowed. Although she didn¡¯t have any good sentiments towards this guy, she still respected hisposure and dignity as a Sect Master who epted defeat gracefully. ¡°What that rascal said just now was pretty interesting,¡± Epsilon said as he stepped back and sat on the ground. ncing at Zhangsun Wuji, he suddenly said again, ¡°Pity you¡¯re stillcking something.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes brightened. Was Epsilon trying to give her feedback? The feedback of the first five of the Top Ten was even more valuable than a battle. However, she was pretty embarrassed to ask Epsilon, given that she had destroyed his cultivation. However, Zhangsun Wuji and Zong Yue didn¡¯t seem to care and stepped forward. Zong Yue nced at Zhangsun Wuji, thinking that perhaps Epsilon was referring to Zhangsun Wuji, he retreated again and ceased moving. Chapter 329 - Untitled Chapter 329: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward and bowed slightly. Meng Fuyao watched him intently. Was he unwilling to have any sort of dealings with Epsilon? Perhaps, his hatred towards Epsilon was deeper than hers, but even so, he still stepped forward. Epsilon looked at him, and a sigh escaped his lips. ¡°I have no reason to guide you two, but till now, this martial arts of mine only has one disciple. And looking at this disciple¡­ This martial arts cannot be lost in my hands¡­ Forget it¡­ Take it as mypensation for that day¡­¡± He tossed over a book that Zhangsun Wuji promptly caught, and then he ordered, ¡°Carry her over.¡± Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. At this point, she finally understood why Epsilon, of which she had done her due diligence of tormenting him, was willing to guide her. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect the Xuanji Empress and used this as a chip in exchange for her life. But she would rather not ept his guidance than to leave that woman alive! The three stood there motionless as Zhangsun Wuji made sustained eye contact with Epsilon. After a while, Zhangsun Wuji bent down and dragged out the Xuanji Empress out from under the bed. Disconcerted by his decision, Meng Fuyao red at him with anger in her eyes. Zhangsun Wuji weed her gaze without cowering. His eyes were straightforward and honest, with insistence scribbled all over his eyes. Meng Fuyao frowned, and after a while, she could not help but turn away. It was the first time the two had made eye contact after that night. Meng Fuyao felt that she had lost to him once more. She had lost when she was being unreasonable. And even if she had been reasonable, she still had lost. On the other hand, Epsilon couldn¡¯t care less about their eye contact game. He silently caught the unconscious Xuanji Empress, and in the most gentle, loving manner, he carefully ced her on hisp and tenderly caressed her long hair. This 40-year-olddy was still ever beautiful. In her slumber, the usual hot temperament etched onto her brows faded and was instead reced with a troubled, mncholic frown. It was a rare expression. Yet, he found that strangely familiar and he leaned back, deep in thought. In the cloudy sky, a young girl from his memories looked down upon him with knitted brows. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you? Dead?¡± She kicked him a couple of times, almost shattering his bones that were falling apart. He opened his eyes with a groan and saw a radiant girl amongst the bright rays of light that stung his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t move¡­ Don¡¯t move¡­¡± He really couldn¡¯t move. Thunder, that bellicose fellow, was way too ruthless. He¡¯s like a canon that must blow up both himself and the opponent. While the top five in the Top Ten would sometimes gather together to exchange blows, they were, after all, still masters that valued their own life. No one would fight like an uncivilized fool to the point of death. Except for this Thunder, this f*cking Thunder. If he moved now, his bones would fall apart. Thedy stood there and observed him. After a while, she got up and said, ¡°There cannot be contact between men and women. How can I stay by your side? I¡¯m off.¡± He stayed silent and motionless. ¡®Go as you wish,¡¯ he thought. After all, he would heal in a couple of days, lying here under the sun and the rain. At most, he¡¯d have a few pains from now on. But after a while, she returned with people behind her. ¡°You can¡¯t move?¡± She squatted down as her eyes reflected the sun rays. ¡°I am in a good mood these days, and so, I decided to save you,¡± she announced pridefully. She ordered the servants to cut down the tree and build a tiny house around him that could keep him away from the harsh weather conditions. He thanked her, and with her nose in the air, she said proudly, ¡°I am just caring for my citizens. I am, after all, the next empress.¡± In the next couple of days, she got her servants to send food over. Other times, she woulde personally and sit by her side, listening to his stories that he had from traveling around the world. The scent of a youngdy intertwined with the smell of nature, and for some reason, he could differentiate it. Some days, he would be intoxicated with that scent and relish in the thought that the world actually had such aroma to offer. He came from a poor family and was often bullied. After suffering many hardships, he had finally be a disciple of his current sect. To be able to practice Tongzi Gong, one must never sully his purity; an existence no different from that of a monk or eunuch. There was nock of disciples with great potential, but many were unwilling to give up their sexual desires. In the end, it was a choice between him and his senior brother. He knew that he was not as good as his senior brother, and so, he murdered him. He mastered the Virgin Boy Technique. His teacher repeatedly instructed him that women were like fire, one that would set the foundation of his martial art aze. And so, for many years, he had never gotten close to any woman. The scent and beauty of women was something that he had only seen afar and hidden away from once they got close. But now, the him that was rendered immobile could not reject the presence of a woman. The scent he had not smelled for the past ten years seemed to slowly fill up his lonely and empty heart. Her bad temper was something he understood with just a few days of interacting with her. She would often chase the ox carts down the mountain. And the ox that were frightened would tumble down the mountain, with some falling off the cliff with a miserable shriek. She would then be on her carriage, bursting into fits ofughter. ¡°Squeezing with me? Go and die!¡± Sometimes, as she would gather some flowers and carry those vibrant flowers in. Just as his eyes lit up at the scene of a beauty with a bunch of flowers in her arms, she would throw the flowers beneath her feet and stamp on them with so much hatred, till their original state was barely recognizable. ¡°What blooming in unison? I hate it! I hate it!¡± He would stare at her in confusion, unable toprehend the rage she disyed. But even her anger was so beautiful, so dazzling. She waspletely different from the gentle, boring women he had seen. She showed great interest in the happenings around the world and always asked plenty of questions. When he inquired why she, a noble, was interested in all of these, she put her head on her hand and slowly replied, ¡°Because I¡¯ve never seen it before, nor will I have the chance in the future.¡± His heart thumped. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. She straightened her back and yelled towards the sky, ¡°Because I will be the mother of the nation!¡± He listened and chuckled. ¡®What mother of the nation? What a crazy girl,¡¯ he thought to himself. But that was the truth. Half a monthter, he knew of her ¡°mother of the nation¡±. That night, the rain poured down from the dark skies. The tiny house, unable to withstand the strong forces of nature, was stripped of its rooftop. The floor was flooded with water. He slowly got out of bed and stretched. Since he was long healed, why did hey in bed and pretend that he couldn¡¯t move? It was high time he left. But as he reached the door, he saw a white figure in the dark mountains dashing towards him. It was her. In the stormy night, drenched from head to toe, she immediately pounced over into his arms the moment she saw him. A youthful, tender body in his arms. Her contours and outline of her body were clearly seen as the wet clothes clinging to her porcin skin, rubbing against his body. His body could not help but tense up. ¡°How¡­ How¡­¡± She sobbed in his arms. He lifted up her face. It resembled a rose, battered by the rain. So beautiful and yet, so fragile. Who was the one that had broken this flower, causing her to cry in this downpour? He gently patted her back and consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid. No one can bully you with me around.¡± Her sobs immediately stopped. That night, he hugged her as she confided in him her ¡®grievances¡¯ ¡ª the Xuanji Emperor had patrolled around South and had stayed in her family¡¯s mansion. He had his eyes on her sister born from a concubine and had decreed that he would marry her once he returned to the capital¡­ His Majesty stayed in her house and didn¡¯t notice her yet fell in love with that lowly sister of hers! It was not a humiliation that this noble, naughtydy could stomach. And so, she killed her sister. Now that His Majesty was here to bring her sister back, it was natural that she should be the one to go. But after all, they looked different. What if His Majesty realized? As he listened to her, he could feel his heart getting colder by the moment. Her acts were so sinister and unforgivable. He almost wanted to push her away, but it was the first time she was in his arms, shivering in fear. And then, in his daze, he thought, what¡¯s there for him to judge? She had killed her sister to snatch the empress¡¯ position. He had killed his senior brother in order to learn the Virgin Boy Technique. They were the same, the exact same. In his arms, she looked up with her tearful face. ¡°You promised to¡­ to protect me. You promised!¡± She sniffled. He looked at her, at this poisonous rose filled with thorns. ¡°Yes,¡± he promised, after a very long time. A promise for a lifetime. Epsilon¡¯s freedom was now tied down to the bloody, scheming pce of Xuanji. To this day, he could still vividly recall her expression when she heard her promise¡ªthe gleeful, sly look in her eyes. He knew of her little schemes. And he knew that she didn¡¯t love him. In her entire life, she only had eyes for authority, power, status, and worldly possessions. And in his lifetime, he loved illusion, obscurity, the rose in the swamp and the red spider lily 1 that grew in the ruins. She trembled slightly in his arms, and her eyes twitched a little, as though she was about to wake up. ¡®Don¡¯t, don¡¯t wake up.¡¯ There was too much pain in this world to face. Rather than for her to open her eyes and face the pain and shame, it would be better for her to sleep and enter the cycle of reincarnation. ¡®I know you wouldn¡¯t want to face it.¡¯ ¡®So sleep for eternity.¡¯ Epsilon smiled lightly. The ten over years became but a dream. In this lifetime, her countless vicious deeds, the vicious deeds he had done for her umted the bones of the dead, turning into her deathbed. ¡®It¡¯s fine, like this.¡¯ He smiled as he gently caressed her face. Her features he knew by heart, her scent that had not changed the past ten over years were all carved into his soul. Her eyes¡­ Her nose¡­ Her lips¡­ And then, his hand stopped at her throat. Ka. That quiet sound resounded loudly in the room. Epsilon¡¯s expression remained the same. He slowly removed his hand, and thedy¡¯s neck copsedidly. Her life was silently cut short in her sleep. Epsilon lovingly stroke her forehead, and recalled an intense fight they had many years ago. ¡°If you continue like this, there will be a day where you die without a ce for burial!¡± he had yelled. She had looked up and proimed, ¡°Then, before that, please finish me!¡± Rather¡­ ¡®In this life, I have fulfilled your wishes.¡¯ The rain drizzled down quietly. Meng Fuyao took a step back with her lips pressed together. For the Xuanji Empress, such a death was way to easy on her. But then again, death was the end goal, and as long she died, there was no need to harp on the means. Chapter 330 - Untitled Chapter 330: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That woman, with her bloodstained hands, was actually very lucky. Because she had Epsilon. Meng Fuyao sighed and turned to leave. Epsilon looked up suddenly and smiled at her. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. Meng Fuyao froze and then witnessed Epsilon quietly copse. He died. Without any warning, the fourth in the Top Ten, the renowned Epsilon, had chosen to end his life after personally ending the life of his lover. Perhaps he cut his own meridians, or perhaps, it was just the end of his natural life span. He had spent thetter half of his life living for her. Her death would mean the end of his purpose. Thest sentence he had said in his lifetime, was a ¡®thank you¡¯ to Meng Fuyao, the perpetrator that had destroyed his reputationpletely. To thank her for fulfilling his dreams. He had stayed by the Empress¡¯ side, never once thinking of taking her for himself. But when he had finally done so, he had finally felt that his life had not been in vain. A lifetime of glory and admiration from others could not hold a candle to this final andst brilliance. As Meng Fuyao came out from the Tenth Princess¡¯ mansion, Meng Fuyao ordered her subordinates to cremate the Xuanji Empress together with Epsilon, ording to the will the Epsilon had left behind. At the entrance, she met the waiting Tang Yi Zhong. He had arrived with Zhangsun Wuji in order to take control over Tenth Princess¡¯ 3,000 guards. Zhangsun Wuji had a discussion with him a couple of days ago. While Meng Fuyao had no inkling as to what had gone on in the discussion, Tang Yi¡¯s actions today exined everything. When he heard of Xuanji Empress¡¯ death, his jaw dropped in shock. Upon hearing the news that she was to be cremated together with Epsilon, his jaw hit the ground. ¡°Are you crazy?! Aren¡¯t you shaming the Xuanji imperial family? She is, after all, still the Empress! She will be buried in the mausoleum!¡± ¡°I have already shamed more than one, I do not care about shaming another one,¡± Meng Fuyao replied casually. ¡°But¡­ But you can¡¯t cremate her with Epsilon,¡± Tang Yi Zhong stuttered. ¡°Won¡¯t it be fulfilling her¡­ wishes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Meng Fuyao said calmly. ¡°I am fulfilling Epsilon¡¯s wishes, not hers. For a woman like her, her dream is to be buried in the mausoleum after her death, to enjoy the prayers of her royal descendants for eternity. Then, I will do the exact opposite.¡± Beside her, Zong Yue, who had been silent ever since Xuanji Empress¡¯ death, trembled slightly. Meng Fuyao noticed but did not say anything. Instead, she turned to Tang Yi Zhong and said, ¡°It is high time for the cat to be let out of the bag. Sir Tang, please make your choice. It is either you lend me your army of 100,000 soldiers to help me settle the issue, or I use Da Han¡¯s army to settle the issue. Your choice.¡± ¡°What else is there to say.¡± Tang Yi Zhong shrugged. ¡°I will listen to whoever has the Imperial Jade Seal.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao gave him a side nce. ¡°What about the imperial edict?¡± ¡°Imperial edict?¡± Tang Yi Zhongughed. ¡± The seal hasn¡¯t be ced on the imperial edict!¡± ¡°Very well then, let¡¯s go,¡± Meng Fuyao said simply and left on her horse. She did not bother to check if the two followed along. Her not chasing them away was already a big step forward. The two would not mind her attitude. From Tenth Princess¡¯ mansion to the pce, it was the closest to go by the northern pce. To enter from that door, they would first have to pass by the northwest corner of the pce. Meng Fuyao headed straight for the pce¡¯s main hall. But suddenly, she stopped at a crossroads. She tilted her head and looked towards the direction with a cluster of short trees. Behind that thicket, was a wall that was sealed up. Behind that wall, it contained the memories of pce life. Meng Fuyao stood there and suddenly recalled the experience of finding out this pce. The realization hit her, and then she turned to ask, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, that night, the ck figure that guided us here, was it arranged by you?¡± Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed. ¡®He wanted to know how much I remembered, huh? But then, afterward, he dragged me away¡­ Zhangsun Wuji, a man who has been decisive all his life, was so conflicted over this¡­¡¯ She sighed and decided to pry the bushes apart, walking straight through. Zhangsun Wuji followed suit, but Zong Yue stood frozen outside. Zhangsun Wuji turned back and nced at him. ¡°There are some things that be more painful the more you hide it. To treat the root of the illness or to let it slowly kill you, you decide for yourself.¡± Zhangsun Wuji told him. Zong Yue closed his eyes, and then quietly made his way across the thicket. Meng Fuyao had already strode over the wall, pushed open the doors and made her way into the floor covered in dust. One could still spot footsteps that were left by them the other day. Thest footprint was right outside the tiny room, underneath the window. She saw the cupboard from the corner of her eyes and immediately blocked out her memories. Meng Fuyao walked over. Her footsteps ovepped with the footprints made that day. She stood calmly in front of the window and then made her way into the room. She saw the cupboard at first nce. A ck, aged cupboard stood there, with 14 years worth of dust piling upon it. The cupboard was half-covered by a curtain, the exact replica of Old Lu¡¯s second painting. Meng Fuyao squatted down in front of the cupboard. The lock on the cupboard was long gone as the cupboard door hung loosely on its hinges, half-opened. A crack ran through the roof of the cupboard, and inside, there were pieces of cloth and ck cotton wadding. These were made into a nest by the rats, giving off an unbearable strong stench. Zhangsun Wuji suddenly turned away. Zong Yue leaned against the extremely filthy door frame covered in dust and cobwebs. But yet, he himself seemed oblivious to it as he sank into his own thoughts. Meng Fuyao suddenly wedged herself into the cupboard. She crammed herself into, shrinking her bones into the size of a child. She gently closed the door from the inside and observed her surroundings from a silt in the cupboard door. She stared at the bed. Zhangsun Wuji stumbled a little. He paused and then took a step forward as if he wanted to pull her out of that ce. He reached his hand out but somehow, he dropped it down to his side silently. Zong Yue¡¯s face was getting paler by the second. He leaned against the door frame as if wanting to put all his weight on that frail, brittle structure. Meng Fuyao looked at the bed. The candle was lit, flickering vulnerably in the wind. Meng Fuyao started recalling¡­ She waited for her mother in the cupboard. Old Lu had already scurried away. Just as he was touching her, she suddenly remembered that she could move, so she retaliated, biting down his finger with all her might. Old Lu shrieked and darted away to find himself some medication and bandage. Then, she could hear a racket from outside as arge group of people rushed in. Every part of the room was packed with people as countless legs paced around in front of her. The room quieted down and what followed was the sound of tinkling ornaments as ady strolled in. A luxurious, golden-red dress brushed past the floor. As if afraid that the floor would contaminate her long dress, two maids held the bottom of the dress up with their back hunched over. That dress stopped in front of the cupboard. She hugged her knees tighter, afraid that this cupboard would be opened for the third time today. But instead, the owner of the dress snorted coldly and turned over. Then, a piercing, sharp voice could be heard. ¡°Bring Xu Wan that bitch here!¡± Her eyes widened in fear. She could hear the muffled cries for help. It was the voice that she was very familiar with. It was the voice of her mother that had chatted with her every night. It was a voice she could recognize even if she only heard it for a split second. But she could not see her feet. Those cloth shoes that were making their way over belonged to the eunuchs. Then, she heard the sound of someone being thrown on the bed. ¡°Strip this bitch! Let me see what body did she use to seduce the emperor!¡± a woman shrilled. Amongst the sound of tearing fabric, she closed her eyes and bit her lip. Suddenly, the air seemed to be more humid and warm. A servant had moved a bucket of burning water over, apanied by the quiet nking of metallic items. ¡°With this body?¡± That womanughed sinisterly. ¡°I wonder if I were to strip you of your skin, leaving nothing but white bones, would you still be able to seduce His Majesty?¡± Whoosh! The sound of hot water being sshed seemed to burn her heart. She trembled. In the warm room, her heart was frozen with fear. The struggle on the bed intensified as the muffled cries of pain got louder and louder. Yet, that woman wasughing. ¡°Remove the cloth in her mouth. I want to hear this bitch cry. I wonder if she cried the same way in bed?¡± Once the cloth was removed, Xu Wan¡¯s raw, piercing screams erupted, seemingly shaking the whole pce to its core. ¡°Comb! Comb it thoroughly!¡± that woman ordered viciously. ¡°Let this shameless bitch that seduced His Majesty take a good look at her rotten meat!¡± ¡°Vicious woman¡ª¡± Xu Wan spat. Her body waspletely burned, and amidst the rotten meat, she red at that woman and cursed, ¡°You will die in shame one day!¡± ¡°Oh? Unfortunately for you, you cannot let me die in shame. No one can.¡± That womanughed coldly. Suddenly, she turned her head and said, ¡°Such an interesting show. How can we not let the most important audience see it? Here, crack open the top part of the cupboard.¡± With a sh, a crack opened on the cupboard, giving her full view of the situation. Meng Fuyao shivered. What¡¯s on the bed¡­ A pool of blood¡­ A bundle of meat¡­ A skeleton taking shape¡­ The ironb beingnded on the skin¡­ Bringing with it pieces of meat as it was lifted back up¡­ The blood dyeing the entire mattress red, seeping into the grains of the wood¡­ Xu Wan¡¯s miserable shrieks that told of her intense pain¡­ Grooming¡­ Grooming¡­ The cruelest torture method, one that she had heard of in her previous life, was happening to the woman that protected her for the past five years! And she was in that dark corner, witnessing everything that happened! She squatted in that cupboard, leaning against the cold wood. It was as though she was leaning against an icy mountain that was so cold, so cold. In that darkness, blood and meat seemed to rain down, suffocating her. It felt as though her intestines were being torn apart into many pieces¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ Look at the time. His Majesty is probably looking for me.¡± In that dimly lit room, the women with a headful of jewelry adorned turned and looked in the direction of the cupboard, unhappy that she could not continue. A handsome young man in white, pure and untainted, was initially blocked by the woman. He walked over and politely bowed. ¡°Aunty, leave it to me.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The Xuanji Empress patted his back. ¡°Don¡¯t let that woman die too quickly. Prolong her life, let her have a good taste of what it is to seduce my man. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to get to the root of it.¡± Chapter 331 - Untitled Chapter 331: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That young man bowed silently. Meng Fuyao suddenly mmed the cupboard door open. She mmed it open with such force that the door split into pieces,nding on the floor noisily. This cupboard that had locked her up for five whole years, containing her childhood darkest fears and traumatic memory, finally shattered 14 yearster. Without turning back, Meng Fuyao headed straight to the bedside. That bed waspletely ck due to Xu Wan¡¯s blood, and the skeleton of the bed frame was rotten to the core. She lifted up the ck bedding that soaked in Xu Wan¡¯s excessive blood and started to fossick through the bed. After a while, she found a tiny pouch. There were words sewn on the pouch, and inside contained the bud of a jade lotus. The jade lotus no longer resembled its original form. It was dyed in red, soaked in that fresh, metallic blood, turning into a blood lotus. Meng Fuyao clutched that tiny lotus in her hand, and then coldly threw the flower out. That blood lotus bounced slightly on the floor and rolled along, stopping right at Zong Yue¡¯s feet. Zong Yue watched the blood lotus attentively. Somehow, his hand was trembling. Meng Fuyao walked straight over, right passed Zong Yue, and squeezed her way through the door. The narrow door, decayed from its core, fell apart into pieces as Meng Fuyao pushed her way through. The frame creaked and then copsed over them. Zong Yue immediately reached his hand over to cover Meng Fuyao while he himself was coveredpletely in the dust. But without even looking up, Meng Fuyao continued walking forward. She headed right to the entrance of the pce and kicked the wall. A door sign hanging on the pce door dropped and crashed onto the ground. With her foot, Meng Fuyao attempted to sweep the dust aside. Two huge words were revealed ¡ª Yan Ling. Yan Ling Pce. Meng Fuyao kicked the wall once more with more force. The dpidated wall, unable to withstand the impact, instantly copsed into shambles. The pce wall crumbled into its own foundation as dust and smoke rose. Meng Fuyao did not run nor avoid. Instead, she stood there as her eyes searched for something. Her gaze suddenly stopped. At the corner of the pce walls, there was a cloth bag peeking out from beneath the soil. Looking at the bag, Meng Fuyao trembled. Even so, she bit down on her teeth and strode forward. She squatted down and started the dig with her bare hands, till she could remove the bag from the soil. She undid the knots on the cloth bag. A white, battered skeleton revealed itself. Xu Wan. The Xu Wan that had been buried at the corner of Yan Ling Pce for the past 14 years. 14 yearster, she finally saw the light of the day and finally reunited with her daughter once more. A breeze blew from afar. It turns out, the spring breeze could be so chilling to the bone, bringing with it the nightmare from 14 years ago. With that bag of bones in her hands, she stood there dumbly. That icy cold bones seemed to press on her heart, slowly dismantling the calm demeanor Meng Fuyao had put up. And so, she began to tremble uncontrobly, falling down to her knees, right in front of where the bones were buried. Suddenly, tears flooded her face. That night, when she had found out the truth, she had never once shed a drop of tear. But now, with her defense stripped and having the first tear broken free, tears rushed out like an unrestrainable river. A cry of desperation and pain escaped as her shoulders trembled. Her silent screams pierced through the hearts of those who saw, leaving them with a heavy heart. ¡®¡­ For so many years with that wall pressing on you¡­ It must have been tiring¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­ That vicious b*tch really died in shame¡­ Your daughter has taken revenge for you¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­ I am very well¡­ The most honorable and noble¡­ king¡­ of the Five Regions Continent¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­ I am sorry¡­ I used to me you for abandoning me and didn¡¯t want to look for you¡­ Sorry¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­ In your next life, I hope you don¡¯t have anything to do with the pce¡­¡¯ The moon gradually made its appearance. The gentle moonlight shone on thedy in ck, carving out a faint silhouette on the debris of the wall. It illuminated the deste back view of the majestic, renowned leader in the Five Region Continent. After a very very long time, she quietly tied the bag up, carried it in her arms, and stood up. And then she turned back. And stared at Zong Yue. She stared at the Zong Yue, who had been standing frozen at the door frame ever since she had dug out Xu Wan¡¯s bones. Her gaze was like an icy dagger, stabbing through Zong Yue. Enunciating every word clearly, she questioned, ¡°Did you kill Xu Wan?¡± Zong Yue stood there quietly in the darkness. The breath of the three was quiet yet uneasy. After a while, as if afraid of breaking this tense silence, he whispered, ¡°Yes.¡± Meng Fuyao let out a long exasperated breath. It was, by no means, a sigh of relief. Rather, it seemed as though it was Meng Fuyao¡¯s attempt to get rid of everything that was weighing on her heart. ¡°You saved me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zong Yue replied after a while. ¡°Very well.¡± Meng Fuyao quietly carried Xu Wan¡¯s bones in her arms and looked up in the sky. In that silence, a strong scent of Rosa Rubus 1 lingered in the air. After a long while, she said, ¡°Write off the gratitude and grudges.¡± With that, she hugged the bag of bones and walked away without turning back. The silent Zong Yue suddenly said, ¡°The Xuanji Empress was my distant rtive. The type that we barely keep in touch.¡± Meng Fuyao stopped and stood there, back-facing him without a word. ¡°Back then, after my family was massacred, I was forced to escape. Even though I have rtives in the Five Regions Continent, with many of them of high ranking positions, none of them was willing to take me, this trouble, in. It was her, the distant aunt that even I had forgotten I had, that had sent someone to fetch me. She had told me that with her protecting me, there would be no one that would dare toy a finger on me.¡± Zong Yue heaved a sigh. In that dark night, that breath actually turned white, as if they were in the dead of winter. However, it was the night of spring, the season filled with warmth and hope. Yet, his eyes were filled with bleakness and pain. ¡°Perhaps, it wasn¡¯t that she pitied with my encounter, but more so to show off the power and honor she had as an Empress. But even so, in the hardest times of my life, she took care of me. My ¡°Virtuous Guild¡± had started off in Xuanji, and without her help, I would not have been able to grow it. In fact, I would have long died in the hands of assassins and not have the chance to take my revenge.¡± ¡°You know? I would do anything to take revenge, much less follow her orders.¡± Zong Yueughed bitterly. ¡°She is the viin, and I am the viin¡¯s aplice. With Epsilon¡¯s position, there were some deeds that he was unwilling tomit. It was then that I was tasked to do it.¡± ¡°Including, murdering Xu Wan? To put her through the torture of grooming?¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s question was by no means a question. Rather, it was a rock with sharp edges, waiting to crush him. ¡°You¡­ can say so.¡± Zong Yue closed his eyes. ¡°After she was found out, she attempted to escape. Not towards the pce, but back into the house. She probably wanted to let you escape first. It was me¡­ that stopped her. I could not¡­ not stop her since the Empress had ordered me to. But back then, I did not know she wanted to let you¡­ escape.¡± Meng Fuyao stood there, silently. ¡°When she was in my hands, she begged me to let her daughter off. Looking into her eyes, I was reminded of my own mother. That night when my family was massacred, my mother begged our family¡¯s knight to escort me out safely¡­ her gaze¡­ was like this too. ¡°And so, I asked her if she was willing to die. She looked at me in surprise and nodded her head. She was really smart. Without any exnation from me, she had made her choice. I caught her and sealed her meridians using the golden needle. It could stop her from feeling any pain, it¡¯s just that with that, she would definitely die.¡± Meng Fuyao froze. ¡°What happened afterward, you know it too. Grooming¡­ I never thought that it would be so cruel to this point. The golden needle was not able topletely stop her from feeling pain. Furthermore, I was young back then and was not able to properly execute it. Xu Wan¡­ still suffered. ¡°But she died quickly.¡± Zong Yue sighed. ¡°Once the golden needle had pierced through the acupuncture point, she would not have been able to survive past an hour. She¡­ did not suffer as much as you thought. ¡°So I do not think that I owe her anything. I was the one that caught her, but even if I didn¡¯t, she would have definitely not be able to escape. Furthermore, she did not even think of escaping from the pce. And back then, I did not think I had any reason to save her,¡± Zong Yue exined. ¡°Fuyao¡­ I only felt like I owed you. Back then, if I had allowed her to let you go first¡­ then, at the very least¡­ at the very least¡­ you would not be forced to witness that scene¡­ that¡­ was my fault.¡± ¡°And so, you sealed my memories?¡± Meng Fuyao asked, emotionless. ¡°I regretted¡­ letting you witness that. And so, I brought you out of the pce and sealed your memories after much hesitation. Perhaps this decision was unfair but¡­ back then¡­ you¡­ I was afraid that you would go mad¡­¡± Zong Yue kept quiet. He recalled that night when he had carried that tiny, skinny child in his arms. She had not said a word but struggled vigorously. Even though she had not had any strength and he had been trained, every step trying to drag her away had taken so much effort. She had grabbed onto everything that she could. Her eyes had been filled with hatred and distrust towards him. He had been afraid that someone would find out, and when he had quickly carried her away, she had actually bit down on the bed frame. If he had not realized that something had been amiss, her mouthful of teeth would have probably been pulled out. With hatred¡­ anger¡­ frantically trying to hold it in¡­ From the start, she had not shed a tear nor uttered a word. He could only seal her acupuncture point and rush out of the city. He had been afraid that having such memory would cause harm to the child and could only choose to seal her memories after much hesitation. Chapter 332 - Untitled Chapter 332: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Zong Yue didn¡¯t simply wipe her memory but sealed it instead. As long as she was willing, she could have remembered any time she wanted to, yet she did not. She was even more vicious than his golden needle, choosing to seal herself. About a decade ago, alone at the top of a cliff, under the cypress trees, the little child had been ced in a bamboo basket and sent down the river, following the current. Zong Yue had stood there, atop the cliff, watching the basket drift away into the distance as the bright, silver moon shone down on it. It had been nearing mid-autumn, and the moon had been shining brilliantly, reflecting across the ripples of the water, resulting in him being unable to determine the direction that the basket had drifted to. At the time, he had felt a pang of sorrow, sighing at the uncertain future that awaited the child as she drifted away, thinking how cruel destiny was. Who would have thought that he had been the one who had built walls around his own thinking? Zong Yue fell silent. Currently, he was using Shadow de¡¯s face, with his ssy eyes, jet-ck hair and crimson lips, fierce and beautiful. However, aside from the usual intimidating beauty of Shadow de, there was a faint paleness peeking through, the color of snow in the moonlight. Because of revenge, he had sacrificed too much, such as taking on dual identities during day and night, such as taking on the face of Shadow de, such as his arrogance during his youth. Yet now he finally knew, the deepest and most painful was that he had unknowingly stood against her, exiled her, hurt her. Meng Fuyao, too, was silent, her heart numb and confused. She had always known that Zong Yue had a part to y in this, yet she had always avoided delving deeper into the matter because Zong Yue and Zhangsun Wuji were different. Zhangsun Wuji must have had his own predicament to break his promise, but it may not have been the case for Zong Yue. He was never considered to be a good person, and he had never hesitated to resort to underhanded tactics to seek revenge. He had struggled through the passage of loss, and in that struggle, countless innocents had fallen under his hand. So who could assure that Xu Wan had not fallen under his hands too? After all, back then, the mother and daughter duo could only be considered as strangers to Zong Yue. The Zong Yue back then had no reason to protect her, but could possibly have some reason to hurt her. Hence, she had been afraid to find out the truth, afraid that after finding out she would not know whether to be grateful to him or hate him. Thus, she had retracted the hand that was resting on Old Lu¡¯s chest and covered his mouth, refusing to let him continue speaking. Even so, she was unable to escape the truth and could only start over in this manner. Now that the end had be like this, she unexpectedly released a sigh¡­ It wasn¡¯t that bad, not that bad; after all, Zong Yue was still a youth back then, and even when his family had changed his heart, he had still managed to retain a sliver of humanity. He had not raised his sword against Xu Wan in the end, killing her was but fulfilling her request. As for the mistakes that he hadmitted¡­ including Zong Yue blocking Xu Wan and causing her to be caught, she might as well also me the eight-year-old girl who had locked the cupboard back then. The truth that had been simmering in the depths of the past had finally surfaced, and she couldn¡¯t immediately shake off the thoughts in her heart. Every time she thought of Zong Yue watching passively as Xu Wan was being tortured, her heart would turn cold. She stroked Xu Wan¡¯s remains lightly, and after a long time, she said mildly, ¡°I¡¯ll stand by what I¡¯ve said, this is a joke yed on us by the Heavens, it can¡¯t be controlled by anyone. My gratefulness and hatred cancel out each other, so we¡¯re even.¡± After that, she picked up Xu Wan¡¯s remains and left without looking back. Zhangsun Wuji followed her quietly. As he passed by Zong Yue, he nced at him as if wanting to say something, but eventually remained silent and left. It wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault, yet it was also everyone¡¯s fault. Everything was but the result of Heaven¡¯s will. Zong Yue remained unmoving. He slowly sank to the ground, sitting on the floor of the Yan Ling Pce, where the tragic incident had happened 14 years ago, sitting on the pile of dust and ashes. The moon cast its pale glow, carrying a slight, bloody hint, as though it were the same night 14 years ago, hanging alone atop the cypress trees. ¡®Fuyao.¡¯ ¡®Today, I finally understand.¡¯ ¡®I have crossed tens of thousands of miles, in thousands of lives, written and drunk years of poems and wine, yet I am unable to earn your unconditional gaze.¡¯ The night sky was still dark, lit up with countless glittering stars. It was Xuanji, Tiancheng era, Day 5, Month 4, Year 30. When the sky started to brighten, it would be the coronation ceremony to crown the new queen. Xuanji¡¯s history was about to flip to a new page, yet the pce was dark and somber without a trace of celebratory air. However, the front of Yongchang Pce was brightly lit. The 30,000-strong Imperial Army guarding every gate and door had yet to stop Meng Fuyao from entering. They stood guard, swords out, bows taut, filled with energy as the wintry sun reflected off their armor. Tens of thousands of soldiers stood there waiting, silent without even so much as a cough. The fire shone brightly, cutting through the harsh winter cold, casting a faint glow over the entire White Jade Square. Together with thest 3,000 of her men, Meng Fuyao entered calmly. Outside the pce gates, Tang Yi Zhong¡¯s 50,000-strong army stood behind her in support. The 3,000-strong cavalry lined up in front of the pce in unison. The brave calvary of Dahan was famed throughout the Five Regions Continent, and the 30,000 soldiers of the Imperial Army gazed at them with admiration, yet were unable to say anything. The weapons of the Dahan soldiers trembled in their sheathes, awaiting their king¡¯smand, eager to turn this evil dynasty into a bloody massacre. Instead, a horn sounded from within the pce. ¡°May Crown Prince Wuji and King Meng of Dahan please enter the pce¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao raised a hand and smiled. At this juncture, was there still a need for such announcements? ¡®If you let me in, I¡¯lle in, if you don¡¯t let me in, I¡¯m stilling in anyway, the only difference was whether or not I would have to step over several corpses to enter.¡¯ She strutted in fearlessly as the 30,000-strong Imperial Army silently parted to create a weapon-filled, narrow path. The forest of soldiers stretched from the entrance all the way to the top of the pedestal. Meng Fuyao suddenly remembered walking a simr path in Taiyuan. Back then, she had not known any martial arts, she had been hurt, in disguise, frightened and anxious. Now, she was nonchnt, free, happy, and glorious. Meng Fuyao suddenly felt her eyes water. For the progress of her life. She hade so far and gone through countless obstacles and tribtions to reach where she was. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head and walked up the steps, Meng Fuyao snorted coldly and headed straight for the pce. No longer was she going to be controlled by others, from now on, nobody was allowed to block her path! Within the inner pce and the heavy tapestry hung low. As usual, a singlemp was lit, its me flickering like a phantom. Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s footsteps resounded across the gold-tiled floor, reverberating through the hall. Meng Fuyao barged straight through, not stopping as she went through screen after screen until she reached the final screen, a flimsy, silk screen. A glow came from behind it. Through the translucent screen, two silhouettes could be seen, one sitting up, the other lying down. Their heads were inclined towards each other, and they looked to be extremely close. Upon hearing footsteps, the one sitting up raised her head and let out a giggle. ¡°Here already?¡± The person¡¯s tone was casual and expectant as if she had been waiting for Meng Fuyao for a long time as if Meng Fuyao were an honored guest who had arrived from afar, and she was the passionate host who had been waiting for her guest. Of course, this voice was extremely familiar, as well. Meng Fuyao smiled as she replied, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, how could I note?¡± The person giggled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to bother you to open the screen yourself, I¡¯m not in a convenient position to do so.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed open the screen noiselessly. A yellowmp cast the room in a faint, dusky glow, shining upon the person as she raised her head and smiled. Eyebrows perfectly arched like a crescent moon, poised and elegant, white robes with the faint embroidery of lotuses, carrying herself with an ethereal air, her eyes peaceful and serene without a trace of tainting from the mundane world. Feng Jingfan. Meng Fuyao gazed fixedly at her, and after a while, she let out a long sigh and murmured, ¡°This world is truly irritating, some people are just like cockroaches, unkible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Feng Jingfan chuckled. ¡°Truly irritating.¡± Immediately upon hearing her voice, Meng Fuyao gave a barfing expression and retched. Then, she hastily apologized, ¡°Sorry about that, I feel like vomiting every time I see you. Hope I didn¡¯t dirty this ce of yours? Actually, I don¡¯t think I would have since this ce is dirtier than cow shit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Feng Jingfan remained as cordial as ever, giving the person lying down a shoulder massage. ¡°You¡¯ve always managed to dirty wherever you¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s better than being born dirty.¡± Her gaze traveled down to the old man who seemed to be enjoying the massage very much. ¡°Are you not dead yet?¡± she asked sweetly. Feng Xuan opened his eyes and stared at her hazily for several moments, then let out a sigh and did not say anything. ¡°You¡¯ll have the chance to reconcile with him,¡± said Feng Jingfan. ¡°In hell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you should be going, I¡¯m not going to snatch it from you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say, why are we arguing here right now? It¡¯s what the wretchedmonfolk do.¡± Feng Jingfan suddenly smiled coyly and said, ¡°Dear respected King Meng, let us talk about serious matters.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Meng Fuyao beamed and sat down. ¡°Do you think that there could be any serious matters worthy of discussion between us?¡± ¡°Hand over that little stamp you have in your robes.¡± Feng Jingfan smiled slightly. ¡°As long as I stamp upon a certain decree, it will be settled.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say, Your Grace,¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s leg swayed nonchntly as she spoke. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be holding the Royal Scepter in your left hand and the Imperial Jade Seal in your right? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it that good-for-nothing Sixth Sister of mine who had stolen the Imperial Jade Seal?¡± Feng Jingfan smiled and continued, ¡°How nosy, the Imperial Jade Seal will belong to whomever who is supposed to own it, it¡¯s useless even if you take it.¡± ¡°Who said so? Taking it has its uses, at the very least, I can destroy it whenever I want to,¡± Meng Fuyao immediately pulled out an imperial yellow pouch from her robes and pinched it lightly. Thereafter, powdery jade fragmentsnded in a pile on the ground. Looking at the pile of jade fragments, Feng Jingfan¡¯s face finally changed. Then, sheughed coldly and said, ¡°Very good, very good, truly the number one madwoman of the Five Regions Continent, destroying the Imperial Jade Seal¡­ you really did it.¡± Chapter 333 - Untitled Chapter 333: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°That¡¯s more appropriate. This is the kind of tone and expression that people should have,¡± Meng Fuyao raised her hands and pped slowly. ¡°I had to destroy the Imperial Jade Seal, or else I would still have to face that nauseatingly fake smile of yours while speaking with you. That would really be worse than dying.¡± ¡°I feel that talking to you is still a waste of time,¡± Feng Jingfan replied coldly. ¡°You can get lost now.¡± ¡°How nice, I was just about to say the same to you. But I have something more to say/¡± Meng Fuyao smiled. ¡°You can get lost and die now.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Feng Jingfan chuckled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you not have eyes? Or do you think that the so-called hostage that is currently in your hands is able to exchange for your life? Sorry, but I¡¯m not interested.¡± Meng Fuyao waved a hand. ¡°Please kill him, please kill him quickly.¡± ¡°Even your 3,000 guards, all of your Dahan and Wuji forces that are gathered in Dan City, are not enough?¡± Meng Fuyao closed her eyes. ¡°Mn?¡± ¡°Do you think that Tang Yi Zhong¡¯s army of 10,000 soldiers is loyal? That they will obediently follow yourmand?¡± Feng Jingfan continued massaging Feng Xuan unhurriedly, her tone coy. ¡°What a pity that there will be an uprising tonight from within that army, and they simply won¡¯t be able to offer you any support. Your 3,000 guards have already entered the pce grounds and are exactly sandwiched between the 30,000-strong Imperial Army and the 50,000-strong Changye Army, which is rushing over as we speak. I¡¯d like to find out whether 3,000 of the fabled ck Wind Calvary are able to stand their ground against 80,000 equally equipped and trained soldiers.¡± She giggled and blew at a fingernail, then added, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that 50,000-strong army of Third Brother¡¯s is actually mine, Third Brother has been loyal to me for a very long time.¡± Meng Fuyao fell silent for a moment. Thereafter, they heard the sound of amotion from outside the pce doors, drifting faintly towards them. Feng Jingfan¡¯s eyes shone brightly as she beamed, ¡°Hear that? It has already started.¡± She turned to face Zhangsun Wuji and smiled again. ¡°Your Highness, ever consider being my husband?¡± Remaining seated on his horse, Zhangsun Wuji smiled and replied, ¡°If you were Fuyao¡¯s dowry and helped usy the bed and fold the nkets every night, I could consider you, except I¡¯m afraid that Fuyao wouldn¡¯t be too happy about it¡­ Besides, I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll end up vomiting.¡± Lord Yuan Bao suddenly appeared from within his robes and made a vomiting expression. Meng Fuyao¡¯s face had initially darkened due to a certain person¡¯s insensitivity, yet when she saw the expression on Feng Jingfan¡¯s face, she felt likeughing. When Zhangsun Wuji was being shameless, he could be truly unscrupulous. ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing else to discuss,¡± Feng Jingfan said frostily, her pale face flushing in anger. ¡°Get out! Leave Xuanji! Swear never to bother with Xuanji ever again! Or else, even if I am unable toy a hand on you two, it¡¯s simple enough to annihte 3,000-plus of your men!¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy enough for you to talk big as well.¡± Meng Fuyao remained seated as she continued, ¡°No matter how much rubbish you spout, it has already been decided by the Heavens. We¡¯ve already let you ascend the throne. We won¡¯t let you continue any further.¡± ¡°Not letting me?¡± Feng Jingfanughed coldly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, Meng Fuyao, supposed to be chivalrous and courageous? Didn¡¯t you always refuse to let your subordinates sacrifice themselves so easily? Aren¡¯t you the sort of person that refuses to implicate the innocent? Yet you¡¯re willing to sacrifice 3,000 of your loyal guards to kill me? It¡¯s fine if you hang around here, you can look forward to carrying the weight of 3,000 lives on your shoulders then. If you want to save them, I still have 18 highly skilled masters here. Even if they can¡¯t kill you, they can still dy you long enough to let 80,000 men finish off your 3,000.¡± ¡°You understand me pretty well.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled coldly. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we try it out?¡± Feng Jingfan stopped replying, green veins appearing on her white neck. Her gaze had also dropped several degrees in temperature, and under the dim glow of the pale purple pcemp, she looked like a wax figure that had yet to be painted. After a while, she suddenly muttered to someone, ¡°Go, take the proof to the Crown Prince and King Meng, let them see it clearly, the consequences of disobedience!¡± The sound of robes swishing in the wind could be heard fading into the distance from the roof. The three of them all stopped talking. The atmosphere was extremely quiet. Only the sound of the candle wax asionally dripping, and the deep breathing of an old man filled the air. The pcemp cast shadows everywhere. Feng Jingfan turned to stare at themp, her pale face expressionless as her fingers clenched and unclenched themselves repeatedly. The events of today were already the worst step that she had taken to date; her mother and Uncle Epsilon were both dead, herrgest support no longer wielded any power, and if she wasn¡¯t able to defeat Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao today, she would no longer be able to suppress their power. Her only hope was for Meng Fuyao to have a moment ofpassion and leave the pce, enabling her to ascend the throne and amass all the forces in the nation to kill off the two of them. As for the consequences of killing them, she no longer cared about it; so what if the nation was annihted? At least she had been the Emperor of Xuanji, at least she had sought the biggest revenge of her life! Initially, she had been worried about the statuses of the two and was afraid that her actions might cause Wuji and Dahan to dere war on Xuanji. Hence, she had allowed Uncle Epsilon to use his own means to sow discord and let them kill each other. She also held a faint trace of hope deep within her heart¡ªafter they¡¯d fallen apart, she could propose marriage once again, using her softness, which man on earth could resist? By then, perhaps, Zhangsun Wuji might change his mind? Hence, she had held on to this shred of hope and did notnd the killing blow. She should have killed them long ago! Feng Jingfan¡¯s expression darkened as she red at the old man lying on the bed. Feng Xuan was still in that half-dead state, unable to even open his eyes as he breathed with difficulty, his fingers twitching¡­¡¯Damn it, what exactly had Mother been feeding Father? Why did she turn him into such a state? It¡¯s fine if his mental state was weakened and he became easy to control, but now that the Imperial Jade Seal was destroyed and the Imperial Decree was only half-written, the name of the new Empress was still nk!¡¯ From afar, the sound of hurried footsteps thundered through the pce halls, shattering the silence. Feng Jingfan¡¯s eyes lit up, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Suddenly, the door swung open as someone strode into the hall, throwing several bloody heads at Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s feet. Both of them looked down, their expressions changing instantly. ¡°Reporting to the Fourteenth Princess, the betrayer Changyong General¡¯s head is here!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Feng Jingfan smiled as she ordered, ¡°Do it!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± From afar, the sound of shouting and killing could be heard as the smell of blood permeated through the air. Delighted, Feng Jingfan nced at the two and said mockingly, ¡°The Changyong Army is now under mymand. The leftover 3,000 men of yours must be minced meat by now, how would you two like to die?¡± She waved a hand, and from all four corners of the hall, eighteen figures appeared, surrounding Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wujipletely. ¡°Even if you die, dy them!¡± Feng Jingfan screamed. ¡°Let them hear the dying cries of their subordinates!¡± The eighteen men raised their swords, their des shining brightly in the dim pce hall as they formed a light web. ¡°This is the ultimate array technique that my Master, Epsilon, left behind. I¡¯ve taught this to these eighteen men, and they¡¯ve been training nothing but this technique their whole lives. Even if both of you have the power of the Top Ten, this must stop you!¡± Feng Jingfan¡¯s smile grew even wider as she turned around to pick up the Imperial Decree on the table. ncing at Feng Xuan, she said, ¡°Father, let us focus on finishing the decree.¡± She actually turned her back on the two of them. ¡°Cha!¡± Eighteen longswords struck the air simultaneously as the elegant swords cast the array. Meng Fuyao stood there, straining her ears to listen to the cries outside. Suddenly, she said, ¡°I think¡­ we really have to leave now.¡± Zhangsun Wuji chuckled and said, ¡°Wherever you go, I¡¯ll go.¡± When Feng Jingfan heard his words, her face darkened, yet at the same time, there was also a hint of delight. Retreating is good, retreating one step would mean retreating even more steps, and in the end, she would have a chance to finish them off. ¡°Reporting to Fourteenth Princess!¡± Feng Jingfan turned around suspiciously and said, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought several more heads from the Dahan Army!¡± The man shouted, ¡°To let King Meng of Dahan see clearly how her men had died! And so that she can also die earlier!¡± ¡°How considerate!¡± Feng Jingfan pped her hands gleefully. ¡°Offer them up!¡± The man raised his hands and tossed several round objects towards them, shining bloodily as they sailed through the air. Upon seeing the heads sailing through the air, Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji exchanged nces and suddenly retreated sideways, jumping onto the highest beam of the pce hall. Kacha¡ª Several ¡°heads¡± suddenly exploded in midair, some instantly exploding above eighteen people¡¯s heads, some shooting out numerous flying needles, some bouncing in midair and unleashing metal ¡°teeth¡± and grazing heads as they rolled past. And one more was directly headed for Feng Jingfan, its shiny, ck ¡°hair¡± suddenly releasing three golden knives! Feng Jingfan let out an enraged scream and flipped over the bed frame, but the golden knives continued to home in, following her as she tumbled and dodged from the back of the bed frame to the front, knocking overmps and running up and down the pce hall. By this point, the bed frame was already utterly destroyed, and bits of wood and candlewax littered her torn dress. She looked truly a sorry sight. And as for the eighteen men who were focused on setting the array, they did not expect the head to explode on the spot and were instantly killed before they could even scream. Pa pa pa¡ª Meng Fuyao stood on the pce roof, pping in mock-admiration. ¡°Your Majesty, is this the good show you wanted us to watch? It¡¯s truly spectacr!¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Feng Jingfan suddenly twisted around, ¡°How could this¡­ how could this happen!¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it happen?¡± The person who replied to her was someone else who had just entered the pce, smiling as he asked, ¡°Your Highness, when you were trying to create problems in my Changyong Army, did you think about whether the Tang Family was an easy pushover?¡± The pretty, child-faced Young Master pointed at Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°Are you trying to wreak havoc in front of him? Did you think about the reputation that the Crown Prince of Wuji wields?¡± Chapter 334 - Untitled Chapter 334: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios ¡°Are youplimenting me or insulting me?¡± Zhangsun Wuji sat on top of a pir in a pce hall and chuckled. ¡°Actually, the main issue is that mydy is so worrisome. Everyone can only be more careful.¡± ¡°How could this be¡­¡± Feng Jingfan suddenly turned back in mid-air. It was obvious that she was skillful, but her inner energy wascking. After a while, her hair was disheveled, and sweat beads started to form from the extended period of using her inner energy. Zhangsun Wuji did not bother looking at her, or even replying to her. It was Tang Yi Zhong, that chatterbox, that started rattling off his head. ¡°Your Highness, since the Crown Prince and the rest knew that you are still alive, they definitely had to show you some care and concern. You may be in the Emperor¡¯s pce hall, but you still had to ry the message. The person who was doing this was your personal maid, Ming Ruo, ain¡¯t it? We didn¡¯t even have to look out for anyone else; just her.¡± Feng Jingfan flipped in the air, narrowly missing a support pir that ran across the top of the pce hall. A golden de chased her relentlessly, cutting off some of her hair in the process. The golden de, unfortunately, was stopped by the pir. Thanks to that, Feng Jingfan could escape the de¡¯s pursue. Unkempt, shended right in front of Feng Xuan¡¯s couch coldly. ¡°The whereabouts of that little maid of yours was always under the control of the Crown Prince.¡± Tang Yi Zhong smiled cheerily. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that few decapitated heads that were being brought in just now? Other than those that were nned to be involved in the overthrowing, Ming Ruo was there too. Ah yes, also, those ¡®assassins¡¯ that you had especially trained, were there too. Honestly, just saying,pared to the Crown Prince¡¯s prowess in assassination, you are certainly verycking. ¡°Thank you very much for helping me remove the trash.¡± Tang Yi Zhong bowed elegantly, concluding his little speech. Feng Jingfan stood there without a word. Her hair was a mess from the flying de, falling down to her shoulders, tousled and ruffled. Some of her shorter hairnded in front of her eyes, covering her gaze. The gentle light source cast a shadow on her, illuminating her expression at the moment¡ªit was no longer an expression of fake gentleness. Rather, it was cold and sinister. She suddenly moved back. To Feng Xuan¡¯s side. She grabbed the unfinished imperial decree with one hand and clutched Feng Xuan¡¯s wrist with another. In a stern yet slightly desperate voice, she demanded, ¡°Father, write! Quickly write! Regardless, I am Xuanji¡¯s Empress! I am forever nobler and more dignified than that bastard child!¡± Her eyes were bloodshot as she took shallow, rapid breaths. No matter what, she would fight for it onest time! The pce hall was rtively quiet. Feng Xuan¡¯s sigh shattered the silence as he shoved the imperial degree into her hands. ¡°I¡¯ve already finished writing it,¡± he replied. Feng Jingfan suddenly noticed that he no longer panted, and his tone was calm¡ªhe no longer sounded sickly or weak. Shocked, she quickly looked down at the imperial decree, and her eyes scanned for the name of the empress: Feng Fuyao! Darkness engulfed her vision as she swayed unsteadily. Countless figures seemed to sh by in her vision, attacking her from all directions. In that split second, pain and dizziness struck upon her ruthlessly. ¡°Feng Fuyao¡­ Who is Feng Fuyao!¡± ¡°Your younger sister.¡± Feng Xuan sat up and calmly tidied his clothes as he crossed his legs. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair, smoothing it out. At this very moment, he was no longer the weakened, useless old man. He was a quiet and honorable man with a graceful smile on his face. Even though he was still pale, his demeanor of an emperor had returned. Meng Fuyao never once came down from the top of the pce hall. She looked down upon him, unsurprised by his sudden change. Feng Xuan looked up and smiled at her. Kindly, he waved at her and said warmly, ¡°Fuyao, my daughter. Here,e, let me take a good look at you.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed coldly, tantly ignoring him. She craned her neck back and stared at those oddly shaped beasts. She, from the bottom of her heart, felt that these ugly, weird beasts were a million times better looking than that old man. Feng Jingfan stumbled backward unsteadily and hit against the couch, yet, unaware of it as though she could not feel pain. With color drained from her face, she shrieked, ¡°Who¡­ who?! Younger sister? Since when did I have a younger sister?!¡± She whipped her head back and stared at Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. In those eyes, the curtains covering the window of her soul were suddenly drawn, revealing the memories from 14 years ago. The girl from the cupboard that had been staring at her silently from 14 years ago jumped out, ovepping with this cold, sinister woman in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ It¡¯s you!¡± Feng Jingfan was finally knocked down by cruel reality. Herst hope was shattered. Her foe was actually her old enemy from 14 years ago! And her father had actually given her the throne! ¡°Why!? Why!? Why!?¡± She suddenly turned around and yelled uncontrobly at Feng Xuan. ¡°Because you lost, it¡¯s as simple as that,¡± Feng Xuan answered her benevolently, with a lovingly smile. ¡°I am choosing an empress, not a daughter.¡± ¡°Was it because you hate me for joining hands with mother and teacher, imprisoning you here and forcing you?¡± Feng Jingfan watched him in disbelief as she mumbled, ¡°But father, you originally promised to give me the throne. We didn¡¯t do anything to you! Why did you have to do this to me¡­ Why did you do this to me¡­¡± ¡°What did I do to you?¡± Feng Xuan looked straight at her. ¡°Jingfan, I never once minded that you imprisoned me. In fact, I am pleased that you did that.¡± Feng Jingfan pointed to the damp, newly written name on the decree. ¡°If you had been able to get rid of Fuyao, the name on the decree would still be yours.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I told you, I am choosing a leader; one that is truly strong enough to take rein of the empire.¡± Feng Xuan looked down as he caressed the decree with great care. ¡°My body is no longer able to adequately manage the dynasty. The conflict is deeply rooted. With the princes and princesses busy fighting for the throne, ignoring all the court duties, the political power of Xuanji is weakening day by day. With such a situation, if the new leader is not powerful enough to reform the court and convince others that he or she is worthy of power, Xuanji will definitely fall into a vicious cycle to fighting for the throne. Sooner orter, the weakened Xuanji would fall prey to either the rising Dahan or the covetous Wuji. As the descendant of the Feng family, how can I let our empire fall into the hands of another? So, this throne can only belong to the worthy.¡± ¡°So you gave power to your children while spreading the news that you had already chosen a candidate? So you gave them almost equal authority to fight and kill each other on equal grounds? To battle to the death for one to be victorious?¡± Feng Jingfan¡¯s voice trembled as she yelled, her tone getting colder and colder. ¡°Those are not a horde of beasts fighting for food! Those¡­ those are your children!¡± Feng Xuan fell silent. And after a while, he said, ¡°That was how I got to where I am today.¡± With the throne as a bait, siblings were pitted against each other. Thest winner would be the next emperor, simr to wolves in the wild that had to fight with each other to be respected and to have the authority to rule! Only the one who emerged victorious from the bloodbath could stand above the rest, and the one on top would definitely be the most powerful and cruelest one! Compared to the country¡¯s survival, in Feng Xuan¡¯s heart, human life and family ties ?¦Åre nothing! This was the battle for the throne, this was the imperial family! The entire ce fell into absolute silence. This unsettling conversation between a father and a daughter brought chills to everyone¡¯s back on a warm spring night. Meng Fuyao had long guessed Feng Xuan¡¯s ns. But even so, she still found theposure he had disyed at this moment extremely disturbing. She gently touched the cold bones of Xu Wan she had carried with her, as though wanting to warm herself up with the love her mother had given her, once upon a time. ¡°Very well¡­ Very well¡­ Very well!¡± After the dead silence, Feng Jingfan burst out into maniacal, sinisterughter. Sheughed with such force that her body shook with every breath, and tears started to drip down her chin,ughing at the ironicallyughable acts. ¡°Great! My great daddy! I used to look down upon you, thinking I had you dancing on my palms. I used to scorn you, despise you for your weakness! I felt that you were not fit to be my father¡­ I was wrong! You are worthy! Very worthy of being my father!¡± ¡°Jingfan,¡± Feng Xuan called her gently. ¡°It is never an easy thing being the descendant of Xuanji. Xuanji is the only one, out of all dynasties, where the emperor has no surviving siblings. Have you thought of why?¡± Feng Jingfan leaned against the couch for support as she stared dumbly into the air. After a while, she mumbled, ¡°Yeah¡­ But when it¡¯s my turn¡­ I still¡­ didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said you are not as good as Fuyao.¡± Feng Xuan had taught such strategies to his daughter on many asions. This time round, it was as though he was just guiding Feng Jingfan through on another lesson, patiently borating his decision. ¡°Fuyao has a good sense of politics. She has been through the political instability of four countries and excels in such situations. That¡¯s why she makes for a good leader. Or perhaps, she is able to better analyze the situation without emotions as a bystander. You were unable to guess through my ns despite being by my side, yet, she seemed to have seen through it all right from the start.¡± ¡°I just want to know, how did you know she was that bastard child?¡± Feng Jingfan red at Feng Xuan with a cold smile stered on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t speak of your sister like that,¡± Feng Xuan reprimanded her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t upon your father either. In this aspect, your sister is stronger than you, she never once looked down upon me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I know how perverted and disgusting the Xuanji imperial family actually is.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed coldly. ¡°Also, let me tell you, if you say another word about ¡®sisters¡¯, I will immediately knock off all your teeth,¡± Meng Fuyao warned him. ¡°I¡¯ve long known that I had a daughter roaming outside.¡± Feng Xuan seemed to not have sensed Meng Fuyao¡¯s murderous aura and continued to exin to Feng Jingfan patiently, ¡°I knew she had gone missing when she was 5 and when King Meng became renowned, I investigated her background. It turned out, she¡¯s someone with no background, and what happened to her before she was 5 was all but a mystery. Somehow or another, I was reminded of my missing daughter that was close in age with King Meng. I wondered if they were actually the same person, and to justify this im, I send out many people to get close to King Meng. All they had to do was to find out her real appearance. Of course, it was an arduous task because this precious daughter of mine seldom appeared in front of another without a mask. But there will definitely be a time when the mask came off and just that once or twice was enough for me to confirm her identity by confirming her portrait with some of the old servants and of course, my own recollection.¡± Chapter 335 - Untitled Chapter 335: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Meng Fuyao snorted coldly, wracking her brain to recall when she had taken off her mask and who had seen it. But how on earth could she remember when she had taken off her mask in these past few years? And even when she had, the people nearby had either been a girl selling flowers or an old man delivering vegetables. Or perhaps, it had been a child that she had not had her guard up against? Who would remember who had taken down her real appearance? The reason why she wore a mask was that it was convenient to move around in, not because she, in any way, needed to hide it away. How would she have her guard up against something she believed was insignificant? ¡°Fuyao, my daughter.¡± Feng Xuan no longer bothered himself with Feng Jingfan and, instead, looked up at her and gave her a fatherly smile. With his arms wide open, he gently called to her, ¡°Here, let father take a good look at you.¡± In the pce, Feng Xuan opened his arms, weing Meng Fuyao into his warm embrace as he portrayed himself as a perfect father. Meng Fuyao leaned back against another pir with her hands crossed. She sat there, watching Feng Xuan emotionlessly. ¡°Father?¡± Sheughed after a while. Feng Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up. On the other hand, Feng Jingfan turned pale. Ignoring the obvious joy that Feng Xuan exhibited, Meng Fuyao slowly but clearly enunciated each and every word, ¡°Zhong Ze Ning¡¯s husband, the father of Feng Jingfan. You don¡¯t deserve to be the father of Meng Fuyao.¡± The corners of Feng Xuan¡¯s mouth twitched, in that instant, his features contorted with fury. It took him a while to return to hisposure, stering a forced smile on his face. ¡°Fuyao, I know you hate me, but I had no choice back then. Since you¡¯ve already killed the Empress, oh well, I¡¯ll just strip her of her status and massacre the entire Zhong Family as criminals who attempted to rebel. You can do whatever you want with the Zhong Family until you are no longer angry. ¡°And this.¡± Feng Xuan lifted up imperial decree and tried to entice Meng Fuyao with it. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to pass the throne to you. From today onwards, you are the Empress. You can decide another¡¯s life or death and control your subordinates. You will be standing at the peak of authority and glory, where everyone will be dancing in your palm. How¡¯s that? Do you like it?¡± ¡°No!¡± A shriek shattered the heavy silence that lingered in the air. Feng Jingfan, who had been supporting herself with the couch, suddenly pounced over, attempting to snatch the imperial decree. Feng Xuan¡¯s expression changed as he clutched the imperial decree closer to his chest. Feng Jingfan¡¯s long, slender fingers reached out, eager to grab the scroll over, without a care for the manicured nails that were wellced with poison or the fact that the poison might take her father¡¯s life with even the smallest scratch. In the huge pce, Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao watched coldly without moving. Meanwhile, Tang Zhong Yi had already avoided the trouble and retreated, busying himself with instructing the soldiers on how to rebel. Feng Jingfan lunged forward like the wind. Feng Xuan snorted coldly and mmed the imperial decree down on the desk and took a step back. The scrollnded on the table and unrolled itself. Feng Jingfan reached out and grabbed it, immediately tearing it apart. ¡°Shhh¡ª¡± The quiet, barely audible sound of tearing paper resounded in the room. Suddenly, something rang from below the table, and in the dark pce, one could vaguely see a faint glowing green light. It shed past, and a blood-curdling screech reverberated. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Blood spurted out. Yet, oddly enough, it was pale green, resembling nothing like blood. Rather, it looked like two weird green flowers. Thest flower of light. A trap wasid under the table, and in that instant, when Feng Jingfan had grabbed the decree, the trap was triggered, and the metal nails wereunched with such a force that they pierced into Feng Jingfan¡¯s forehead! One headed straight for her eyes, and the other nailed down the corner of her eyes. Both her eyes were blinded! Feng Jingfan¡¯s miserable cries seemed to shake the entire pce to its core, threatening to crumble it to dust. She shrieked with all her might, as though she would not stop till her vocal cords tore. This youngest, most pampered princess was protected her entire life. She had never once had someone touch her precious hands; she had never even broken a nail before. Because she was afraid of hardship and pain, coupled with herck of innate potential, despite having a renowned teacher, she had not managed to master even 50% of what Epsilon had taught her. Her focus mainlyid on training her inner energy so as to protect herself in times of need. So how could she bear the pain of her blinded eyes? Her manic, shrill cries pierced through the air. Blood gushed out of that deep wound, zing her skin as her messy, untidied hair stuck to the crimson liquid. ck and red engulfed her features, leaving the once noble princess utterly unrecognizable. Only her pale lips could be seen, but it was quickly covered up by the blood rushing out from her throat with every scream she mustered. Meng Fuyao shut her eyes. No emotions could be seen on her face. The beautiful golden and red dress resurfaced in her mind as she heard a ¡®kacha¡¯. The sound of the lock falling. ¡®Today, it is your turn.¡¯ ¡®This is the evil you brought upon yourself.¡¯ Feng Jingfan cried pitifully. Suddenly, she fell silent. Not a sound came from her anymore. She turned back and ¡®red¡¯ in Feng Xuan¡¯s direction with her bloodied eyes. Her eyes were no longer eyes; they were merely two balls of bloody meat. The bloodied balls were burning with such hatred, and the few intact blood vessels dted with every heartbeat, thumping ever so slight. Being ¡®stared¡¯ at with such ¡®eyes¡¯, even Feng Xuan, the cruel man who had emerged from a bloodbath, could not help but flinch, retreating backward slightly. Feng Jingfan suddenly pounced over. She pounced over so ferociously. The blood running down from her eyes sttered, forming a stream of blood in the air. Before that blood hit the ground, she was already right beside Feng Xuan. Feng Xuan did not expect that she still had the strength to attack him with her severe injuries and cried out fearfully, ¡°Fuyao, save me¡ª Fuyao save me¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao immediately leaned backward against the pir and made herselffortable. Feng Xuan cries for help resulted in nothing. Watching Feng Jingfan¡¯s vicious attacks, it was apparent that she would drag him to hell as apany. In an instant, Feng Jingfan¡¯s head had already smashed into his chest. He could feel his stomach acid rise up his throat with that impact, and his vision went ck for a moment. With a sh of light, Feng Jingfan once against raised her hands. He quickly pulled a golden dragon head beside his couch. Swoosh! Countless of daggers flew out from all four corners of the couch. Heading straight for every part of Feng Jingfan! Feng Jingfan heard the change in the wind direction. As an expert in inner energy, she was able to avoid the flying daggers since there was still some distance between the daggers and her. At the top of the pce, Meng Fuyao gently flicked her finger. Feng Jingfan felt that there was something blocking her back, as if a wall had been suddenly built, cutting off her escape route. Her body went cold. Countless parts felt empty, as though a tightly knitted, beautiful silk cloth had been pierced many times, bing a. That tattered fluttered in the wind, braving the bloody seas. Thousands of daggers piercing through her body¡ªa divine punishment. At this moment, Feng Jingfan no longer screamed. She couldn¡¯t, nor was there a need to. Her entirety was soaked in blood, washing away everything she once wanted to say in her lifetime. She only swiveled around, dyeing her moon-white dress into a crimson flower. That mournful, vibrant flower needed a blood sacrifice to be what it was¡­ from a once slightly cool tone white to an eye-catching red¡­ Moon white¡­ Moon white¡­ Her most hated color¡­ She hated those quiet sorrowful colors¡­ From a long time ago, she only loved the loud colors of gold and red. She loved the huge hibiscus that bloomed so stunningly. She loved the colorful jewelry, ah, the jade ones, the emerald ones, the crystal ones that her grandmother had given her¡­ She loved the bright, mboyant colors that revealed their beauty in all their glory¡­ But for him, for that lotus, she would always wear a in, white dress. She took off her luxurious jewelry and reced everything she had with lotus. She could study those boring scriptures¡­ All that hard work¡­ All that hard work¡­ A love that bloomed in her heart since she was 7¡­ But today¡­ today¡­ She craned her head back and started tough. So crazily, so silently. But no one could tell what her smile looked like. Sheughed as she stumbled around. Covered in daggers, she charged towards Zhangsun Wuji¡¯s direction. She didn¡¯t know why she wanted to do so, to die with him, perhaps? Or was it to tell him her love was him was but her own endless obsession and vanity? Obsession¡­ Obsession¡­ The Feng Jingfan, who never had anyone go against her, never knew the taste of rejection and would never ept rejection. And so, he became her obsession. She no longer knew if that obsession was love or hatred. She only knew she wanted to have him, needed to have him. Something that was but an illusion. ¡®It turns out everything in this world is an illusion¡­ That handsome young man is¡­ Her being born with a lotus is¡­ Her inheriting the throne is¡­ Father¡¯s love for her¡­ All the love and hatred..is¡­¡¯ It turned out, her schemes, her hard work, her insistence, and her bloodied hands were all for naught¡ªthey were but for the illusion of life. For this, she had spent her life being a person that wasn¡¯t her. What for? What for? Sheughed as if she had seen through the worldly affairs. But the truth was, she never did. Right until the end, until her veryst struggle, her gaze was still, in his direction. Zhangsun Wuji remained at the top of the pce, looking down, with hatred and disdain in his eyes, at this woman that still attempted to make her way to him even till herst breath¡­ If not for her, Xu Wan and Fuyao could have waited for him to go back and save them. Fate would have gone in another direction. If not for her, Fuyao would have not been locked in that cupboard, witnessing the terrible torment that Xu Wan had to go through. She would not have to have her memories sealed and go through 19 years of hardship. If not for her, Fuyao would not have been so hurt. If not for her, there would not have been a gap between him and Fuyao, one that he could not bridge even till now. Calmly, he waved his sleeves. A powerful force surged up and stopped the Feng Jingfan froming any closer, 30 feet away from him. He did not want her near him, even if it was underneath him. Colliding into that force was akin to banging against a wall, driving all the daggers deeper into her. Blood started spurting out profusely, blooming in mid-air. She slowly copsed. Before she did, her hands seemed to be trying to grab something, as if wanting to grab open the invisible wall between her and Zhangsun Wuji, as if wanting to choke the illusions of her enemies to death¡ªZhangsun Wuji, Meng Fuyao, Feng Xuan¡­ Those that she had been entangled with all her life, that had given her her beginning as well as her ending. Chapter 336 - Untitled Chapter 336: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Feng Jingfan continued crawling, her actions bing slower and slower until finally, she was no longer able to move as she hung there in the air. She hadn¡¯t been able to die afortable and eternal death lying down¡ªtoo many knives were stuck in her, propping her body 30 degrees in an exhausting posture. Her hand continued to remain raised, forever reaching out. The fake lotus saint who had spent her whole life learning to be elegant and righteous had died in the ugliest manner possible. The entire pce floor was filled with blood, seeping from the countless knife wounds, flowing and forming an illegible drawing. Feng Xuany curled up on the bed, coughing incessantly. His life had already been sapped dry from the beginning, having been with the Empress, Epsilon, and Feng Jingfan for so long in addition to taking care of court matters. It was almost time for him to draw hisst breath, and he had been holding on stubbornly. Feng Jingfan¡¯s blow earlier had made him feel like his entire body was going to copse. Hey there coughing, yet a hint of gleefulness was apparent on his face. So what if he was about to die? In the end, he was still the victor. He had chosen the most ruthless ruler, after seeing Fuyao¡¯s merciless actions without any hesitation; watching Fuyao stop Jingfan with her finger, sinct and straightforward. If she hadn¡¯t acted as she had done, he might have wavered¡ªXuanji didn¡¯t need a weak, indecisive, good person for the Emperor! 30 years ago, when his own father had eded the throne to him, he, too, had been covered in blood, the blood of his siblings. His father had said to him then¡ªit didn¡¯t matter to have more children as there would be more options then. The first generation of Xuanji had difficulty picking a good leader because he had too little children, and in the end, the son had caused Xuanji to fall for several decades. If not for the capable next generation, the nation would perhaps have ended a hundred years ago. His father had also said to him¡ª¡±Don¡¯t love too much. If you love too much, it will be hard for you to part in the future.¡± Hence, he had never truly loved, all those warm emotions and doting were, but necessities, such as the Empress; the entire Five Regions Continent knew that he, Feng Xuan, was a cuckold who had weed a tiger into his home and had be aughingstock. However, he had to love the Empress to be a cuckold; he had never loved that fake bitch, so how could he be a cuckold? The one who was a cuckold was probably the man who was as powerful as a deity. He once thought that there was a way to resolve it¡ªZe Ning was young, and Epsilon was in his prime; when a man and woman spent an extended amount of time together, it was inevitable that some sparks would fly. As long as theymitted adultery, Epsilon¡¯s technique would be broken, and her pride would fall. By then, where would they find the capacity to unt their power? As such, he had already taken action on Epsilon for many years, those heart-meddling pills, adding a little at a time in his food, in the bath, even on those close to him, just to make him lose control, to make himunch himself upon his wife. However, what he had never imagined was how respectfully that b*tch had held herself, remembering her royal status and not letting Epsilone within three meters of her. Thus, Epsilon had remained as powerful as ever, all those years of nning had beenpletely suppressed by the power of his martial ability. However, suppression was after, merely suppression. After suppressing a fire for so long, once it exploded, it would burn even more ferociously. After all, it worked, didn¡¯t it? Look, even his daughter had used the same method to end the pair once and for all. Desire and hatred were the same, they were both fearsome des, and if used correctly, they could be the most opportune weapon. Such as Meng Fuyao, if she hadn¡¯t been driven by hatred and revenge, would she have been this ruthless? However, her hatred also had to be contained within a certain threshold, if he were to let her hatred run wild, she might really burn Xuanji up. Feng Xuan continued coughing, spitting out a mouthful of phlegm and blood. He picked up the decree and smiled invitingly at Meng Fuyao. His face was deathly pale and his eyes a sunken ck, and under the dim candlelight, along with the stench of blood, he waved the Imperial Decree in what he had deemed as a tempting manner, giving a ghastly smile at Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao stared at the smile, feeling as if she were looking at a ghost that had suddenly popped out from the ground. The creature definitely had no humanity; since birth, its mission had been to devour all of the flesh that had fallen off itself. She fell silent for a long time. Feng Xuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He waited patiently, not believing that anyone wouldn¡¯t be moved by the power to rule thousands of miles¡¯ worth of mountains, rivers, andnd. She, Meng Fuyao, General of Wuji, King Meng of Dahan, Prime Minister of Xuanyuan, who loved to meddle in the political affairs of every nation, a born politician who always had a trick up her sleeve, why wouldn¡¯t she ept the offer to expand her authority? Which General, King, or Prime Minister would refuse the chance to be the Emperor of a nation, the Empress of Xuanji? The stench of blood lingered in the air, and a single candle flickered dimly. Outside, long rows of windows were beginning to lighten as a pink hue appeared on the eastern horizon. Even the darkest night would pass, and the sky was starting to light up. After the sky brightened, it would signal the coronation ceremony of the new Empress that Feng Xuan had painstakingly chosen. And, the new Empress, still squatting atop the roof of the pce, gazed silently at the countless people who had died fighting for the Imperial Decree. The scroll was soft and shiny, glistening in the dark like the holy text of a saint, untainted by the blood around it. Meng Fuyao finally moved. She jumped from the ceiling beam and drifted down, stopping before Feng Xuan. Feng Xuan closed his eyes and smiled contentedly. He gripped the decree tightly, waiting for Meng Fuyao to retrieve it. Then, he would shrink back and raise his conditions to her. However, it didn¡¯t go as he had imagined. Meng Fuyao ced both hands behind her back and did not move forward to receive the decree. Instead, she gazed at him coldly and said, ¡°Conditions.¡± Feng Xuan froze for a moment before his smile widened even more. ¡®Good, this is the aura of an Empress.¡¯ It was fine if he suffered a little disrespect; as long as the sessor was strong enough and clever enough, he was satisfied. It seemed that not searching for her all these years was the right decision. The Meng Fuyao, who had been weatherbeaten by all the trials and tribtions she had encountered, was clearly far more capable and formidable than the sons and daughters he had raised in the Imperial Pce. ¡°Swear it.¡± He flicked a finger and the wall behind him opened up, revealing a statue of a mythical creature with a bird¡¯s head and a human¡¯s body. ¡°Swear to the ancestors of the Feng n that you, Daughter of the Feng n, Feng Fuyao, will remain forever loyal to the Feng n, forever loyal to Xuanji, and govern all of the nation, nurturing its people andnds, protecting the nation of Xuanji from all dangers. Should you go back on your word, the Heavens shall deliver just punishment, striking your body with lighting until not even your ashes remain!¡± Lowering himself from the bed, he looked towards the statue, back-facing Meng Fuyao as he said solemnly, ¡°The origin of the Xuanji Feng n can be traced back to the ancient Phoenix God, mythical and extremely powerful.¡± Thereafter, he turned around and gazed at Meng Fuyao expectantly. Nobody had ever gone back on their oath after swearing before the God of the Five Regions Continent. As long as Meng Fuyao dared to swear before this God, it meant that she did not intend to hurt Xuanji or use her position to seek revenge. This was his final test for Meng Fuyao, and also his final attack. Although he personally felt that the position of Empress of Xuanji was more than enough to quench Meng Fuyao¡¯s thirst for revenge, he still had to take precautions; the oath had to be made. Meng Fuyao met his gaze, chuckling matter-of-factly and said, ¡°Feng Fuyao?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be thinking of remaining as Meng,¡± Feng Xuan replied. ¡°Feng is the surname of the true nobility.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to transfer the throne to Feng Fuyao? The lowest-ranked princess, born from you and the pce maid Xu Wan, Feng Fuyao?¡± Meng Fuyao asked again. Feng Xuan felt that these were all idle talk, that perhaps this child was too excited; hence, she couldn¡¯t help it. Heughed and said, ¡°Yes, since she is your mother, you can give her a title after you ascend the throne. Since you are to be the Empress, she is no longer a pce maid. If you like, you can even change the historical records and give her a better heritage. It¡¯s all up to you.¡± Meng Fuyao nodded and strode forward. Lighting three joss sticks, she enunciated each word carefully, ¡°Daughter of the Feng n, Feng Fuyao, daughter of Xuanji Tiancheng Emperor Feng Xuan and Xu Wan of the Qingze Tribe, will now ede her father¡¯s position and will remain forever loyal to the Feng n, forever loyal to Xuanji, and govern all of the nation, nurturing its people andnds, protecting the nation of Xuanji from all dangers. Should I go back on my word, the Heavens shall deliver just punishment, striking my body with lighting until not even my ashes remain!¡± She spoke clearly and fluently without any error. Feng Xuan listened carefully and let out a satisfied smile, then handed the decree to her. Meng Fuyao received it matter-of-factly. Holding the Imperial Decree was like holding a blood-red map, littered with words, and she could almost hear the screams and cries of those who had died unjustly, Fourth Princess, Fifth Consort, Sixth Princess, Seventh Prince, Eighth Prince, all of the princes and princesses who had died in the struggle for power. Oh, there was also Eldest Imperial Princess, she¡¯d heard that after the Amethyst Cape Knights had been defeated, she¡¯d been forced to the Duxiu cliff in Jingjiao. The Amethyst Cape Knights had scattered, and in order not to face the humiliation of defeat, she had taken her own life in a fit of rage¡­ Yet another dead. This was the Xuanji Royal Family, this was thend of Xuanji, this was the decree of Xuanji, a soft scroll decorated with golden and jade leaves, made with fresh blood, offered by a half-dead, rotting old man in a congrattory manner into her hands. Meng Fuyao held the decree, unable to feel any of the happiness of reaching the peak of power, nor could she think of any reason to be happy about assuming this position. She suddenly felt the urge tough, tough hysterically and without care, tough at the cruelty and darkness of this world, tough at all of the blood, tough at the bunch of clowns who had fought to their deaths for this darned scroll, for not knowing their oue. Hence, she began tough, as hysterically as she could. Sheughed for almost a minute. Initially, Feng Xuan thought that she wasughing because she was happy, andughed along with her. However, gradually, his expression changed, and just as Feng Xuan thought she hadughed herself mad, Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped, as if she had notughed so hysterically before, grabbed the decree, and turned away calmly, never turning back to face Feng Xuan again. Ahead, a ray of sunlight began to rise, enveloping the sky in a golden glow, filling the entire pce hall. Beneath the jade steps, having gone through a night of killing and bloodshed, the square had attained a peaceful silence. The Imperial Army had finally retreated after receiving the orders from His Majesty. The Tang Family¡¯s Changyong Army had always been under the control of Feng Xuan and was the final force he¡¯d saved for his final gamble. Of course, to the crafty Young Master of the Tang Family, His Majesty was now old news; as long as he remained loyal to the new Empress, the Tang Family would be assured eternal honor. Chapter 337 - Untitled Chapter 337: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios The army retreated as hundreds of officials marched in orderly. Neatly categorized ording to the type of officials they were, they uniformly knelt down on the floor where the blood had yet to dry. Everything was prepared, all that was left is for the name to be announced. The Prime Minister led hundreds of officials to kneel down in front of the pce, nervously waiting for that person that would decide their fate from now on. He did not know who it would be but only knew that His Majesty had once told him that whoever walked out of the pce would be the new ruler. The sun rose as sunrays cascade down on the majestic, long stretch of jade stairs. The reflected light rays gave the illusion of a mystical, heavenly stairway. At the top, the tightly shut door to the pce finally slowly creaked open in the watchful eyes of the crowd. A slim ck figure stepped out with the imperial degree in her hand. She stood against the light. She resembled a god that oversaw the world as she stood there, with her back straightened and facing forward. The hundreds of official squinted their eyes, trying to get a good look at the face of their new leader. A shocking revtion for the Prime Minister! ¡®Why is it King Meng of Dahan!?¡¯ The Prime Minister stared at that cold, emotionlessdy dressed as a man in stupefaction. Her sharp gaze was somehow familiar. He suddenly recalled a long time ago, when His Majesty had granted him an audience and said those profound words, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will search for us a resolute and steadfast leader for this nation.¡± Back then, he had bravely pointed out, ¡°Your Majesty is wise. Indeed, our current dynasty is chaotic and requires a resolute and wise leader. But¡­ there seem to be none amongst the prince and princess.¡± His Majesty had smiled before replying. After a long time, he had said, ¡°Perhaps, there will be when the timees.¡± Only today, only at this moment, did he understand! Only today did he finally understand what His Majesty meant! The thoughts of a visionary emperor were not something that a mere official could understand! With respect for the old emperor and fear of the new, he quickly straightened his back and led the crowd to prostrate themselves in front of their new leader. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Xuanji Tiancheng, the sixth day of the fourth month, the identity of the mysterious Empress, was finally revealed. The legendarydy who was Wuji¡¯s General, the King of Meng, as well as the Preceptor of Xuanyuan, had once again unfolded a new chapter that astonished the seven countries. On the sixth day of the fourth month, noon, the newly appointed Empress, Meng Fuyao, ascended the throne. The sun rays mercilessly hit down on the ground, Meng Fuyao donned on a phoenix robe embroidered with the majestic seas and the stunning skies, adorned with essories made of precious stones. She sat there on the throne, as her robe¡¯s long trainid down on the jade stairs. The 19-year-old youngdy was at the peak of her prime, so radiant, beautiful, and glorious. However, the gaze of the Empress reflected none of that; it was cold and sinister. As her icy gaze swept through the ce, all the aristocrats and officials lowered their heads. As the sounds of the long, resounding bugle-horn, Shao Yue 1 and the boisterous firecrackers intertwined, the officials began their ttery. As the officials prostrated themselves once more, another imperial decree that Feng Xuan had prepared for this coronation ceremony was being read out, giving the audience a well-manicured and beautified version of Meng Fuyao¡¯s birth and life experiences ¨C Born from royalty, she had gone out to experience the world from a young age, and gaining the approval of His Majesty with her admirable character and she had to be the next empress, so on and so forth. The officials, as well as ambassadors from various countries, noticed that as the imperial decree was being read out, the Empress had disyed her mild annoyance as she tapped her fingers against the throne. It seemed as if she was tapping to the rhythm of a certain melody yet no one knew what that melody was. Only Meng Fuyao knew. She was tapping to the rhythm of a folk tune that a professor, who was obsessed with it, and one of them was ¡®Zhong L?¡±?¡¤Red Embroidered Shoes.¡¯ ¡°The peak of the mountain gleams ominously like precious des. Sharpened icicles hang down from the cliff as apes and monkeys mourn, fooling around amongst the clouds. The cuckoo cries as it roars viciously in the dark cave. The dangers that lie in the steep mountain is nothingpared to the evils that lie in the human heart.¡± The ruthlessness of a steep mountain was nothingpared to the ruthless human heart! After the reading of the imperial decree, it was time for her to receive the imperial seal. Feng Xuan handed over the ¡®imperial seal¡¯ over to Meng Fuyao before retreating to the back of the pce. Naturally, the seal was no more as it had been destroyed by Meng Fuyao. Yet, the ceremony could not do without it, and so, Meng Fuyao had casually grabbed a steamed cake, wrapped it in a yellow satin cloth, and shoved it into Feng Xuan¡¯s hands. And so, Feng Xuan could only solemnly hand the ¡®steamed cake imperial seal¡¯ over to the official and during the ceremony, hand it over to Meng Fuyao after the official had delivered it to him. During that period, the corners of Feng Xuan¡¯s mouth twitched while Meng Fuyao continued as if nothing was wrong. In fact, if not for the fact that she would have to receive the seal, she would have gotten someone to dig out a pile of shit and wrapped it in yellow satin as if it was the seal. No one dared to point out whether it resembled the seal, and none of the princesses and princes were present¡ªthey were duped into the back of the pce and were told that they were not allowed to join the coronation. They were all invited to pray in front of their ancestors for the future of the country. Once the doors were shut as an army of soldiers guarded outside, the princes and princesses began swearing and cursing, of which no one bothered, of course. That being said, Meng Fuyao did give Ji Yu the right to shove a handful of rotten soil into the mouths of those who cursed. As the pungent, unbearable smell filled the room, the descendants of the previous emperor finally quietened down. Feng Xuan had no issues with it. Honestly, for someone that had finished off all his siblings the moment he ascended the throne, a mouthful of soil was nothing. Meng Fuyao sat down on the throne, epting the ttery and congrattions of both the ambassadors and officials alike. Suddenly, she froze. Zong Yue and Zhangsun Wuji were both there. The Emperor of Xuanyuan and the Crown Prince of Wuji could have sent an ambassador in their stead instead of turning up personally. Even so, the two seemed unbothered by the heated discussion and theck of etiquette in this case and sat there. As she nced at them, the two looked up. Zhangsun Wuji gave her a reassuring smile. He knew that to Meng Fuyao, this was not a moment of glory but rather a frustrating time where she had to sit through these formalities. However, Zong Yue stared at her. His eyes were no longer void but straightforward, filled with pain and anxiousness. Meng Fuyao weed his gaze and gave him a small smile. ording to the traditions, Zong Yue was the Emperor of Xuanji, the one with the highest status amongst all guests. Naturally, he should be the first to offer his well-wishes. He bowed slightly and said, ¡°Congrattions on ascending the throne. May the country under your reign be peaceful and prosperous. I would love for the two countries to extend our rtionship and trade with one another to mutually benefit.¡± Meng Fuyao stood up to return the favor. Xuanji¡¯s officials were pleasantly surprised by the turn of events. Xuanji¡¯s trade was renowned in the world with a hugendmass, dense poption, and plentiful goods. If the two countries were to begin trading, there would be a new market for the various products that Xuanji had to be exported, ensuring an inflow of ie. Furthermore, they could import ores from Xuanyuan, which were beneficial to the research and development of weapons. Xuanyuan¡¯s offer was of timely assistance in the face of Xuanji¡¯s weakening economy. Looking at his pained gaze, she seemed to have been brought back to 14 years ago. That youth donned in white, gently holding on to her shaky, painful teeth as he murmured under his breath, ¡°I hope you can forget this¡­ I hope you can forget this¡­ Don¡¯t be like me¡­ Remembering it every day¡­¡± What wrong did he have? The young child that had carried the pain and revenge of his family. His father was murdered in front of his eyes, forcing him to run for his life. What reasons did he have to not be cold? Those he had rtions with never bothered saving him, yet, he saved her whom he had no rtions with. He was burdened with such agony and suffering, tormented by it day and night. That¡¯s why he hoped she could be unburdened and grow up happily. He gave her a new beginning. In some sense, he created her¡ªwithout the Meng Fuyao who had forgotten everything, there wouldn¡¯t be a her that would face it courageously. The sentence that Old Lu did notplete, Meng Fuyaopleted it for him. He is¡­ your savior. Yes, savior. Perhaps, to Xu Wan, he was heartless. But to her, he owed nothing. She looked at Zong Yue andughed. ¡°Yes, Fuyao is always thankful for your good intentions.¡± Zong Yue¡¯s face lit up and wanted to say something. Then, Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward and interrupted the two. ¡°Wuji would love to maintain a good rtionship with Your Majesty. May Your Majesty fulfill this wish.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him. ¡®This person can sure joke about in this kind of situation. Seriously, a leopard can never change its spots, huh?¡¯ Meng Fuyao thought inwardly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Meng Fuyao stered on a fake smile. ¡°To say ¡®fulfill¡¯ would be too serious of you. It is my pleasure, too,¡± she replied. Zhangsun Wuji happily went back. ¡®Oh well, at least it was a smile.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t seen her smile in a very long time, specifically, 232 hours. Xuanji¡¯s officials were all extremely ted at this point. They knew that Her Majesty had a good rtionship with the two and was even the King of Han. With such a rtionship with the three countries, they no longer had to worry about their country being conquered! Meng Fuyao greeted the ambassadors. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao squinted her eyes. Ady walked towards her, donned in blue with streaks of dark red. The colors on the dressplimented her smooth, honey-toned skin, giving her a unique charm. She had a longer and more slender neck than others, and as the sun shone upon her, her beautiful features were highlighted. Those eyes of hers were like the night. ¡®It¡¯s her.¡¯ The mysteriousdy she had seen at the restaurant the other day. Because of that one amulet of hers, she had opened the heavy pce doors of her past memories, recalling her past memories. Meng Fuyao did not know what to say of this person. The actions of this person were natural and friendly but also odd. Meng Fuyao noticed Zong Yue¡¯s frown as he stared at thedy. ¡®Do they know each other?¡¯ Chapter 338 - Untitled Chapter 338: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Thedy quietly walked forward as she gestured towards the young girl. The youngdy stepped forward and exined to the utterly confused officers,¡±Fufeng Pagoda n, Saintess Fei Yan. May Your Majesty be blessed with longevity and happiness.¡± Fei Yan¡­ The Saintess of Fufeng n. Meng Fuyao recalled Yao Xun mentioning how the Fufeng Saintess¡¯ position was equivalent to that of the king. Somehow, this name Fei Yan sounded very familiar, but Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t recall where she had heard it. Fei Yan waved to the youngdy, and that youngdy presented a snow-white box. ¡°Allow me to present this Raksasa pearl from Raksasa sea on behalf of Fufeng. Raksasa pearl is known for its soothing properties, as well as its ability to stabilize the meridians and solidify energy. If supplemented with Fufeng¡¯s Dragon Oil, it will be useful for inner and external injuries as well as helping one to breakthrough.¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes lit up, and sheughed. ¡°Oh? Dragon Oil?¡± That youngdy donned in gold bracelets nodded proudly. ¡°We have plenty of unique treasures, and a majority of them are beneficial to the practitioner¡¯s inner energy. Dragon Oil is but one of them.¡± Meng Fuyao chuckled. ¡°How fascinating.¡± She looked up and made eye contact with the silent Fei Yan. Fei Yan gave her a shallow, unreadable smile. Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji knitted his brows slightly. After the end of the coronation ceremony, the official requested for Meng Fuyao toe up with an era name. After some thought, she casually said, ¡°Duan Ming then.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± The officials bowed to her. Meng Fuyao revealed an ambiguous smile as that few honor guests couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads. Xuanji, Duan Ming Era. The very first thing the Empress did was move the previous emperor from his pce to another pce. That new pce faced the temple where the memorial tablet of Xuanji¡¯s ancestors was ced, located in a deserted area. Meng Fuyao never once went to pay her respects and only got the soldiers to guard the ce. There were a couple of times where Feng Xuan wanted to see her, but she declined, saying she wasn¡¯t free. Even when the other princes and princesses requested for an audience, they were faced with the same rejection. The princes and princesses were still locked up in that temple. They were not allowed to return back to their pces, not allowed to make noise nor any requests. Meng Fuyao merely left them hanging there without saying anything or doing anything. On the 16th of the fourth month, the Third Prince, who attempted a coup d¡¯etat, failed. He was ced under house arrest, and when the Empress went for a visit, the Third Prince spat out usations about the ipetence and underhanded manner she had gotten the throne. The Empress listened without a word and pped as she praised, ¡°What an eloquent piece!¡± To which, she stood up. ¡°Such an eloquent piece requires time, effort, and patience devoted to it. How can it be corrupted by the conflict of power? You may stay here and take your time with it. Also, since you proim to be well-equipped with morals and talent, I¡¯ll give you a question rted to politics. If you can do it, I will let you out and bestow you the title of Regent King.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The Third Prince¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied solemnly. ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± The Empress stroked her chin and smiled at the third prince, staring at him till chills ran down his back. ¡®Looking at America amidst the intion of corn prices in the global financial crisis¡¯ was the question she gave. On the 18th of the fourth month, the Empress withdrew all positions given to the various princes and princesses by the previous emperor. One of the princes, the Eleventh Prince, defied the imperial order and secretly gathered his forces, liaising with the force in the Xiao Ao Green Forest to murder the officers in the northern borders. It was his intent to create a disadvantageous situation for the Empress. However, unfortunately, the moment he acted, he was stopped and attacked by the enemy forces that too resided in the Xiao Ao Green Forest. The Eleventh Prince was forced to run for his life, hoping that the new leader of the Eternal Sky n would protect him. But because of his past deeds of aiding the new leader to his position, he was killed by the vice-leader, who could have been the next leader, if not for him. To die in the hands of those he had yed in his hands. On the 20th of the fourth month, the new Empress rolled out new policies, abolishing Amethyst Cape Knights and the Iron Guard, consolidating the authority to investigate and arrest under the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice waspletely restructured, policies regarding the army changed. Authority over weapons, soldiers, and horses was consolidated under one party, and forcedbor was removed. Policies regarding taxation were redefined, and the national funds, as well as corruption, were all thoroughly investigated. A total of 28 new policies regarding criminalw, political involvement, conscription, agriculture, imperial exams, education, and economy were established. For officials that refused toply or carry out the policies, execution was their punishment! Corrupted officials, execution was their punishment! Spoliation of evidence in a legal proceeding to protect the perpetrator, execution was their punishment! Deceiving the Empress or high ranking officials regarding the real situation on the ground, execution was their punishment! Liaising with others for corruption purposes, execution was their punishment! In total, 81 officers were executed. The eunuch was weak from reading the imperial decree. There were many more heads that were dismembered without hesitation! Executions took ce every day, meaning that heads rolled freely on the ground. Someonemented that there would be ack of officials with all the killing and so the Empress swiftly changed the system to imperial exams, where even those poor and without background had the chance of bing an official as long as they had the talent. Apparently, the Empress had told one of the officials while smiling amicably, ¡°Ah? Killing too many? Don¡¯t worry about it. There isn¡¯t going to be ack of supply of people who want to be officials. Kill one, and I¡¯ll fill one. I¡¯ll make sure that every turnip has its hole. Oh, the turnip in your hole has certainly been there for a long time. Should I change a turnip?¡± From then on, officials kept their mouths shut, afraid that one day, their ¡®turnips¡¯ would be reced. The disarrayed political scene was, naturally, not something that could be resolved in a short period of time. But regardless, the iron fist that the Empress had waved in their faces had instilled fear in them, shattering any budding deviant behavior in them. Various government departments and organizations began functioning normally as new policies were slowly introduced without a hitch. After she settled the government affairs, Meng Fuyao turned her attention to her siblings that were currently under house arrest. On the very first day, she requested her siblings to write politicalmentaries. A myriad of politicalmentaries was handed up, of which one was titled: ¡®I am so silly¡¯. ¡°I am so silly, I really am. I only knew that father had 14 children, yet I did not know that there was one still roaming outside. That night, I even discussed with the Visor whether I should finish her off. I almost did, but ninth sister found out and stopped me from it. I refused. I want to be the emperor. Ninth sister tried to convince me against it, but when I came back, I saw that it was a floor of corpses. I knew that I lost my chance. I even asked around. Indeed, the chance was lost. I panicked and escaped out of my residence with my knights. I ran and ran till midnight. I reached the valley, and there were many people waiting for me there with weapons glistening in the night. I said, very well, it finally ended. I grabbed my de and started stabbing. But at the end of the day, I am not destined to inherit the throne and even ended up her. There isn¡¯t even medicine given for my hemorrhoid¡­ I am so silly¡­ I really am.¡± Meng Fuyao almost spat out reading this. Solemnly, shemented on the Twelfth Prince¡¯s answer sheet: ¡°Copying is a shameful act. Zero.¡± Then, she perused through the rest of thementaries and kept them aside. On the second day, she ordered the servants to not serve any food to her siblings, starving them for three entire days. Then, she got someone to deliver 10 buns over. In total, there were 20 royals in there, meaning that two people would have to share one bun. Of course, whether two people would share one bun was an unknown. She ordered Ji Yu to record down the reactions of the people after the buns were delivered to them. The next day, Ji Yu submitted the records. She nced through andpared the records to the politicalmentaries that had been handed. In the end, she took out three from the pile to put aside. The next day, she ordered Ji Yu to quietly call some people to chat. They were called out and returned mysteriously. Ji Yu recorded down their reactions and handed it to Meng Fuyao. This time, she only took out one record. After everything was settled, she wanted to rx and decided to go out for a stroll without any bodyguards; only Lord Yuan Bao. The rtionship between Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao was rather civil recently¡ªneither cold nor close. The extent of conversation they had basically revolved around, ¡®Morning, have you eaten? Ah, yes, I have eaten. Oh, what did you eat? I forgot.¡¯ But then again, given that Meng Fuyao had just ascended the throne, there was plenty to do, with not much time left for the development of the rtionship. Currently, the only development between the two was: Lord Yuan Bao had been granted permission to apany Meng Fuyao. Zong Yue had already returned to his country, with ease. Regardless, Meng Fuyao¡¯s forgiveness was his greatest fortune, and those painful memories could only be left to time to slowly heal the wounds. Meng Fuyao wore a mask as she shopped around with Lord Yuan Bao. Seeing candied fruit, Lord Yuan Bao refused to move and gestured to Meng Fuyao to buy it. She took out some money, ready to pay for it, but suddenly, a peculiar voicemented, ¡°Ah ho ho, an idiot! Ah ho ho, an idiot! A rat eating candied fruit!¡± Meng Fuyao, shocked by the unsolicitedments, turned back to see an ostentatious parrot hopping around on the candid fruit rack. As it hopped around, it impudently mocked Lord Yuan Bao. ¡°Ah ho ho, a white rat! Ah ho ho, an idiot! A white rat eating a candied fruit! Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s fur immediately stood up, and as he scolded angrily, ¡°Zhi Zhi!¡± That parrot had a weird yellow feather sticking out on the top of its head, as though a yellow steam wasing out from his head. With one eye closed, it gave Lord Yuan Bao a side nce. ¡°Ah ho ho, you understand humannguage?¡± Lord Yuan Bao puffed out his chest with pride. But then, the parrot continued with contempt, ¡°Ah ho ho, so what if you can understand humannguage? Ah ho ho, it¡¯s only rare if you can speak it. If you have the ability, say a few sentences for me? Say it, say it¡ª¡± It suddenly lifted its wings and head up, imitating Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s proud posture. It stayed in position and mimicked Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s cries. ¡°Zhi Zhi, Zhi Zhi!¡± Lord Yuan Bao, who had never faced such despise, exploded with rage. He pounced forward with his ¡°360-degree rotation flying kick,¡± of which the parrot avoided with ease. The parrot continued ridiculing him. ¡°Ah ho ho, rat, so what if you are white? So what if you understand humannguage? I have different colors, and not only can I understand, but I can also speak. I am a million times better than you! Ah ho ho!¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios Lord Yuan Bao was going crazy¡­ ¦§e shook his head and went over to grab Meng Fuyao¡¯s dagger, attempting to chope this darn parrot into chunks. That parrot hopped around triumphantly. ¡°Ah ho ho¡­ Zhi Zhi! Zhi Zhi!¡± ¡°Jin Gang, you¡¯re being mischievous again!¡± A familiar female voice could be heard, and soon after, that parrot was caught. Meng Fuyao also grabbed the struggling Lord Yuan Bao and noticed it was that youngdy Jin Huan, Fei Yan¡¯s servant. That youngdy gave Meng Fuyao a smile as she walked away. She patted the parrot and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Why are you dawdling, didn¡¯t you say that only food from our home is fit for your tastebuds? Let¡¯s head back and get some thousand sacred pills for you to eat. Hm¡­ We should go back to the n and look for the treasure¡­¡± She mumbled, walking further away. Meng Fuyao stood in the crowd, watching her back view disappear thoughtfully. Suddenly, someone appeared beside her and asked, ¡°Who did you see?¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and smiled at Zhangsun Wuji. ¡°A bird.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t lend you its wings?¡± Zhangsun Wuji looked towards that direction. Meng Fuyao just took off, casually replying, ¡°Who knows?¡± Zhangsun Wuji did not follow her. Instead, he heaved a sigh. Xuanji Duan Ming Era on the 18th of the fifth month. It was a stuffy, dry day. Feng Xuan woke up early in the morning. The moment he got up, he felt a weight upon his chest, as if the dark clouds on a gloomy summer were looming over him. He stared nkly at the damp wall, recalling the fact that he hadn¡¯t had any visitors in a long time. Then, he remembered the diagnosis that the imperial doctor had given him¡ªhe couldn¡¯t live past four months. Why was he still fine now? But honestly, the medicine recently had certainly been good. His energy levels were better than before, and especially his vision, which was originally blurry, was now getting clearer by the day. He found this somewhat ironic. He had already stepped down from his throne, what would he need such a clear vision for? Would there be anything he would have to personally witness? Just as he was deep in thought, he suddenly heard the noise from opposite his residence. He staggered over to the window to take a look and noticed that there were many craftsmen moving out things under the watch of a eunuch from the opposite pce, where all the ancestors¡¯ tablets were ced. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to see clearly. But today, his clear vision captured everything¡ªwhat they were moving were the ancestral tablets! The ancestral tablets of the previous Xuanji Emperors! Those illiterate, rough men casually carried out those sacred ancestral tablets, the ancestral tablets that even he himself would have to bow to, and randomly tossed them on a cart. Soon enough, the cart was filled up with the tablets that resembled a bunch of firewood. Feng Xuan jumped up in anger. Huffing and puffing, he tried to call for his maids and eunuchs. However, the servants that were usually at his every beck and call were nowhere to be seen. He could only lean against the wall for support, hobbling over to stop those civilians worthy of death. However, suddenly, someone asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Feng Xuan looked up and saw a toon of guards swarming in as the imperial carriage slowly made its way in. Meng Fuyao got down from the carriage and nced at him with her hands behind her back. ¡°Fuyao, just nice!¡± Feng Xuan was ted upon seeing her and eagerly went forward and tugged her sleeves. Pointing towards the opposite side, he said, ¡°Look at those thieves¡­ Look at those thieves¡­ They actually dare¡­ dare¡­¡± His face was red as he trembled with rage, unable to even speak clearly. ¡°Oh.¡± Meng Fuyao pushed his hand away, and nonchntly nced at him. ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± She walked towards the residence, and Feng Xuan followed her unsteadily and anxiously. ¡°Stop them¡­ stop them¡­¡± ¡°You saw everything?¡± Meng Fuyao turned to look at him. ¡°I saw! What¡¯s going on?¡± Feng Xuan clutched his chest and coughed. ¡°They¡­¡± ¡°They are moving the ancestral tablets of the Feng Imperial Family. Simple as that.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Meng Fuyao¡¯s tone made Feng Xuan realize the answer. He looked up and stuttered, ¡°You¡­ You were the one that let them¡­¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Meng Fuyaoughed, looking at him as if he had gotten dumber. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t given the orders, would anyone have dared to touch that ce?¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Feng Xuan stumbled backward and fell onto the ground. With his shaky legs, he tried to get up a couple of times but without much sess. ¡°Whether I am crazy or not, I do not know.¡± Meng Fuyao nced at him coldly, not bothering to help him up as she added, ¡°But I think you might be going crazy soon.¡± She strode over and sat on the couch. Her hands were on her knees as she looked down upon the struggling Feng Xuan. ¡°I am here to inform you that I have just given out a new order. From today onwards, Xuanji will be renamed as Wan Changsheng. All of Xuanji¡¯s Imperial Family will be normal citizens. From now on, there will be no more Xuanji!¡± As she finished herst word, Feng Xuan¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fainted. Meng Fuyao watched him calmly with her dark, unfathomable eyes. ¡®Xuanji, Xuanji, from now onwards, there will be no more of that darn Xuanji Imperial Family. Xuwan, Xuwan, from now onwards, there will only be your tablet!¡¯ Feng Xuan only regained consciousness after a very long time. When he woke up, his entire vision was ck. Initially, he thought that he had gone blind, but then, he noticed something glistening in the dark. Then he realized it was nighttime. And that glistening thing, was the eyes of a human, the eyes of Meng Fuyao who had not left. Feng Xuany on the floor in the exact same position he had fainted in. Hey there, cold and frozen like the dead. Only then did he realized how deep Meng Fuyao¡¯s hatred towards him was. He initially thought that such things were amon urrence amongst the Imperial Family. He thought that Meng Fuyao did not have her memories before she was five. He believed that an honorable throne was enough to soothe her rage and hatred. However, he thought it too simply. He simplified humanity, grudges, hatred, pain, and darkness. To him, power and authority reigned above all. Unfortunately, he did not know that to others, the most important thing could be their own heart. Those past experiences that contained joy and tears. Those memories that needed redemption. ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid of being¡­ cursed¡­¡± To witness the Feng Empire, he had protected all his life be destroyed in his own hands. To witness his sacred ancestral tablets being tossed into a dirty cart like trash. To witness himself being the traitor of the Feng family, unable to face his ancestors in death. Feng Xuan struggled with his veryst bit of strength, attempting to control the child he thought he could with his vicious words. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you just to tell you this.¡± Meng Fuyao squatted down and leaned in. ¡°¡­ That oath had nothing to do with me.¡± She smiled and gently whispered beside Feng Xuan¡¯s ear, ¡°The child you had with Xuwan, Feng Fuyao, was stillborn. And I¡­ am just Meng Fuyao.¡± Feng Xuan trembled. ¡°Feng Fuyao was loyal to the Feng family. She did not destroy Xuanji¡¯s Imperial Family. Feng Fuyao would never go against her oath because she was only alive for one hour.¡± Meng Fuyao smiled calmly. ¡°Feng Xuan, do you remember the oath? It was Feng Fuyao who said that, not me.¡± Feng Xuan suddenly started to convulse. His eyes were fixated on Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes. Those eyes of hers were emotionless, staring straight at him, locking him in an eternal abyss. In the dark night, he shook uncontrobly under the icy cold gaze of Meng Fuyao. He could hear the sound of his muscles tearing apart, his bones shattering, and his heart pierced. Somewhere in his body, something seemed to have snapped, inflicting upon him unbearable pain. A tiny crack appeared as a wisp of smoke escaped. That was¡­ his soul? It turned out the death of an emperor¡­ was so simple. An entire lifetime of scheming, manipting, but ended up¡­ to be controlled. This was karma, karma¡­ it was. Xuanji, Duan Ming Era, on the 18th of the fifth month. Xuanji was now known as Wan Changsheng. It was only then that everyone understood the previous name was, but short-lived [1. Changsheng refers to longevity in Chinese, thus a pun]. With the exception of the Ninth Princess, who was already married, the rest had now bemoners. Changsheng, on the 19th of the fifth month. Feng Xuan had passed on, buried in the mausoleum. There was no one else in the mausoleum, only him. Apparently, before he had passed on, he had requested to be buried with a yellow napkin over his face as he had no face to meet his ancestors. The Empress had allowed his request. Feng Xuan had be thest emperor to be buried in the mausoleum. However, there was a lucky one amongst the Xuanji Imperial Family¡ªFeng Wu. He was the prince that wasn¡¯t abolished and, instead, was tasked to be the next Prime Minister, overseeing the political scene. This move by the Empress left many confused. ¡°I gave everyone a chance, but he was the only one that passed,¡± was the only sentence the Empress had left. That day, where they all had been under house arrest, it had actually been to test them. 1. Politicalmentary-wise, there were 7 excellent people, including Feng Wu that had caught her eye. 2. Starving them for three days before giving them buns. The moment the buns had been sent in, only those that had been willing to share had passed the test. Feng Wu, who had too been starving for three days, had chosen to give up his bun to his nephew. At that point, there had only been three people left that had passed both the first test and the second test. 3. Ji Yu informing them that the Empress had the intention to choose officials from the princes and princesses. He had also told them the list of people that the Empress had ns for. Amongst the trio, two had been ted and begun to verbally attack each other. Only Feng Wu had remained calm. Hence, Feng Wu had passed. A good politicalmentary showed his talent. Giving his bun up showed his kindness. To not be swayed by temptation showed his prudence. Meng Fuyao used such methods to choose her officials. Initially, she could have slowly picked them from the nation, but since she was running out of time, she could only search for talents in the Xuanji Imperial Family that was experienced with the workings of politics. She also thought that if she were to leave in the future, she would hand the throne to Feng Wu. The nation would be incorporated into either Wuji or Dahan, and with Zhangsun Wuji or Zhan Beiye around, even if Feng Wu were to inherit the throne, he could forget about changing the nation¡¯s name back to Xuanji. Chapter 340 Chapter 340: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios That way, Meng Fuyao was able to answer to the innocent folk of the nation. At least, she¡¯d found them a verypetent manager. Duan Ming Era, on the 21st night of the fifth month. Thenterns bobbed dimly in the Yongchang Pce as Meng Fuyao walked in circles slowly around the room. After a while, she looked up at Ji Yu and smiled. ¡°Mn, this puppet does look very much like me, remember to look after ¡®me¡¯.¡± Ji Yu nodded silently, then said, ¡°Do you really have to do it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Meng Fuyao packed her bag and added, ¡°Can you tell your Master that you¡¯re already my subordinate now? If he dares to cross the line one more time, I¡¯ll fire you.¡± Ji Yu retreated silently. It was deep into the night, and the sky was pitch ck without a single star. After a while, a shadow crept out from Yongchang Pce. After walking several steps, a white sh suddenly appeared and shot straight towards the shadow, and after a moment of struggle, the night fell silent again. Lord Yuan Bao dug headfirst into Meng Fuyao¡¯s robes. ¡®I know you¡¯re going to Fufeng, bring me along! I want to find that Jin Gang and seek revenge!¡± ¡°Yuan Bao, tell me, what do you intend to do after finding that Jin Gang? Kill it? Boil it? Skin it?¡± Meng Fuyao was leaning against a tree, poking Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s head with a de of grass. The hamster was currently assuming a Tarzan pose, narrowing its eyes as it sniffed the cold night air, thinking dreamily, ¡®Ah¡­ This is the smell of home drifting in the wind from far away¡­ We¡¯re getting closer and closer to home¡­¡¯ Just as it was deeply immersed in its nostalgia, it suddenly heard Meng Fuyao¡¯s words and turned to re at her unhappily. Meng Fuyao returned its re with equal displeasure. ¡®When you were begging me to bring you out, you were still so humble and polite, now that you¡¯re out, you immediately turn on me, truly like a master, like pet!¡¯ She was feeling rather mncholic as she looked at the view around her. Acres and acres of wild ins that stretched infinitely into the horizon, hiding all kinds of strange nts, flowers, and shrubbery. The blue sky seemed high up and far away, with snow-capped mountains dotting the horizon. When she squatted down and leveled her vision, the wind came rushing from the mountaintops, sending a whoosh through the ins, whispering the song of the tribe. It was as if everything hade alive. This was Fufeng¡¯s borders, the separation between Dawan and the sphere of influence of the three tribes of Fufeng, and also Ya Lanzhu¡¯s home country. After crossing the border from Xuanji was a grassy in that extended all the way to the inner region of Fufeng. Fufeng¡¯s inner region wasplicated, filled with all kinds of ins and mountains. The winter was harsh with little snow, and the summer was hot with a lot of rain; sandstorms were abundant during spring, and autumn was dry and cool. The farther north they traveled, the worse the weather, but at least for now, it was still ratherfortable. Meng Fuyao stretchedzily andy down, gnawing on a de of grass. She¡¯d heard that Fufeng was huge with little people, and indeed, that was the case. After walking for a whole day, apart from her own guards and a whole lot of birds, she hadn¡¯t seen a single human. Only today did she finally notice nomadic establishment at the bottom of a river. The guards began pitching their tents, the white canvases looking like pearls scattered across the ins. This time, when she hade to Fufeng, she had not brought 3,000 guards like when she had gone to Xuanji. Instead, she had only selected the best 300, apart from leaving Ji Yu behind to lead the Dahan Army to keep watch over the Dawan Imperial Pce, Tie Cheng, and Yao Xun were both to follow her, and she had already sent men to Dahan to summon Yao Xun. Camping in this area was in order for Yao Xun to catch up with them. As for whether Ya Lanzhu woulde along, it was up to her. Chasing after her love and going home were both important, so it was up to her to decide for herself. Meng Fuyao propped a leg up and swung it distractedly. She had no interest in bing an Empress. When she had epted the position, it was but to gain power and facilitate her n, for the sake of revenge. Later, she would give Dawan away randomly. Besides, they wouldn¡¯t dare disregard her homnd. Her life¡¯s goal had always been to do one thing; go home. She wanted to go home. To Fufeng, not just because there were many unusual treasures there to help her break through the ninth level of Cleaving Nine Heavens, but even more because, in order to go to Cangqiong, she had to go pass through Fufeng. In other words, she had already begun the road back home, and if there were no setbacks, she wouldn¡¯t go back to Dawan. In her sleeping chambers within the Inner Pce, she¡¯d written a letter to Ji Yu, requesting him to open it only three yearster. Three yearster, if she hadn¡¯t returned, it meant that her wish had finallye true, she was finally able to bid goodbye for real to this godforsaken Five Regions Continent. After thinking up to this point, she felt a little excited. However, the excitement onlysted a fleeting moment before a wave of sadness once again washed over her¡ªleaving, leaving forever, she, Meng Fuyao, would disappear from this worldpletely as though she were dead, yet she wasn¡¯t able to shake off the marks that this world had left on her. She had created too many memories in this world, and while she was desperately sprinting towards her mother, she had avoided saying goodbye to the beloved friends and family she had left behind¡­ And those very people were the reason for her glorious memories here and were equally difficult to part with. However deep the memories of her mother were, these people had also left deep marks within her life. And she, as she traversed along her thorny path, her once steel-like heart had slowly begun to hurt. Could it be that she would have to live with the memories of both worlds, missing her mother in her previous life in this world and once she¡¯d return to her previous life, to miss the¡­ family of this world? Yes, family, they too were family who had apanied her, helped her, protected her, loved her. They were the warmest hands which held her through the darkest moments of her life and the people who kept the me of hope burning within her. Them. Them, whom she had met along the way, who had managed to entrench themselves within her bones. Zhan Beiye, Ya Lanzhu, Zong Yue, Tie Cheng, Yao Xun, Ji Yu, Little Seven, Lord Yuan Bao, and Lord Yuan Bao¡¯s master¡­ Zhangsun Wuji. When she thought of that name, Meng Fuyao¡¯s heart began to hurt. She bit her lip and suppressed the sudden surge of emotions, sighing deeply¡ªShe had been so determined all these years, never once wavering in her desire to go home, yet now that she was really on the journey home, saying goodbye still hurt, still hurt¡­ She took a deep breath and flipped herself onto the ground, burying her head in the dirt and suppressing her heart viciously, not allowing herself to feel hurt any longer. Lord Yuan Bao hadn¡¯t been able to take a deep breath before it was squished, and it struggled out of her robes, ring hatefully at the woman who had been acting strange ever since she had entered the borders of Fufeng. This woman was starting to be more and more unreasonable, if not for its master¡¯s request, it couldn¡¯t have been bothered with her. ¡®Why isn¡¯t Master here yet?¡¯ Lord Yuan Bao scratched its head with a paw and nced around exasperatedly¡ªhe had said that he had some things to settle and would bete, but it still hadn¡¯t been able to see even his shadow after a whole day. Speaking of its master, he was truly pitiful, he had originally intended to return to Wuji first, but now that things hade to this point, it seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to do so. The only silver lining was that its master¡¯s father was bing more and more promising, not expecting him to return home and govern the nation, letting him out as a nomadic prince, or else¡­ hehe. Lord Yuan Bao sighed again, thinking that its master didn¡¯t know how to appreciate a precious treasure that was right in front of him, instead choosing the smelliest and most stubborn moss-filled rock. It was truly unbing of the Crown Prince of Wuji and the stupidest thing he had ever done in his life. After hearing it sigh repeatedly, Meng Fuyao began to feel frustrated and turned around to grab a piece of cloth to stuff her ears when her hand slipped and insteadnded on the lotus embroidered bag that she¡¯d found under Xu Wan¡¯s bed. Back then, she had been too troubled to look at it and simply threw it into her bag to bring along with her, but now, she could finally take a careful look. After opening the old fabric, she made out several faded words written skillfully with cheap ink. ¡°For my nameless child.¡± It was the will that Xu Wan had left her. Meng Fuyao¡¯s hand trembled. ¡°Recently, Mother has been feeling unsettled, as if something inauspicious is about to happen. After pondering for a while, I¡¯ve decided to leave this letter to you, but I hope that you see this only after you¡¯ve grown up peacefully.¡± Meng Fuyao bit her lip, holding the aged paper as she read each word that Xu Wan had written about her and the life she hoped for her. ¡°¡­ My child, carry yourself with humility and dignity. Always be righteous and courteous. Should you marry after you grow up, always remember to respect your inws, be filial, and support the family, be benevolent andpassionate, love your husband, and nurture your child¡­¡± All the virtues of a traditional, historical-age woman, written by a mother, with her heart filled with fear, hoping earnestly for her daughter to pursue happiness in the way that matched the times, to live happily in the Five Regions Continent where men were superior, and women were suppressed. Meng Fuyao¡¯s eyes turned slightly red as she imagined, many years ago, in a small room with a candlelight the size of a bean, Xu Wan, immersed in writing the final letter for her daughter. Her heart filled with fear and uncertainty of the future, even more for the life of her young daughter. That kind of worry turned into the brush strokes and ink, into the bloodstained will that her daughter would read fourteen yearster, bringing out all of her feelings. And at that moment, she was already a pile of white ashes buried within the pce walls in eternal sleep. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to grow up ording to your wishes, but I was able to do what I should do.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve killed the b*tch that sentenced you to death and her tattletale daughter.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve destroyed the entire evil Royal Family of Xuanji, even the name, and ancestral temple, right from the roots.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve trampled upon the greatest wish of the man that fathered but did not nurture, the bastard that never cared about your situation. I¡¯ve wiped out him and the entire Feng n that he treasured so much and gave him a taste of his own medicine, and to die as a world-ss criminal without a single memorial tablet tomemorate his death.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve given them the most severe punishment they deserve.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve given you the biggestpensation I can offer, your name has be the name of the nation, the Royal Ancestral Hall only has your tablet, you are the first Empress Dowager of Dawan, courtesy name Eternal Compassion.¡¯ ¡®Do you¡­ still, have any unfulfilled wishes?¡¯ ¡°¡­ My nameless child, if one day you are able to meet a man from the Qingze Tribe with a scar on his forehead, and if he should mention me to you, you must tell him on my behalf, Xu Wan has never once truly med him¡­¡± 22 years ago, a yet-to-wed couple from the Qingze Tribe had arrived in Xuanji after escaping their hometown. However, on the day that they had arrived in the bustling capital, the rtives that they had been looking for had already moved away, leaving them helpless. They had originally intended tomit suicide together at the Hongxi Lake in Dan City, yet had been saved by a lowly official who had pointed the path to life for them. That year, the Royal Family had been hiring concubines, and all unwed women under 16 were to enter the pce. Some officials had been reluctant to let their daughter serve others. Hence, they had been looking for poor girls to rece them. The lowly official had let this couple choose for themselves, for the man to enter the pce as a eunuch, or for the woman to rece his daughter and enter the pce as a maid. He would thenpensate the man with arge sum of money, and after eight years, the woman would be let out, and they could wed then. After a night of painful deliberation, the pair had decided for the woman to enter the pce and return eight yearster. After a tearful parting by Hongxi Lake, from then on, she had entered the pce and lived out the tragic fate that awaited her. And he had waited for her in the capital, holding onto that sum of money, trying all means to hear any news about her while waiting for the agonizing eight years to pass. Chapter 341 Chapter 341: Untitled Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios And this parting had been eternal. Many yearster, knowing that she would never be able to be reunited with him, nor would she ever be able to return, Xu Wan was still determined to appease the eternal pain in her fiance¡¯s heart. A kind-hearted girl, she had hoped that through this method, she would be able to give him peace. Even so, she had been toote. That voice of forgiveness could no longer be heard. Meng Fuyao shut her eyes, remembering the man in the Guanyuan County Prison. He was so filthy that his scar was no longer visible, yet fate had arranged for her to meet him, arranged for her to remove her mask before him. Perhaps, that was Xu Wan¡¯s arrangement, using this method to give him an answer, and also to use that chance meeting in the prison to mark the true beginning where Meng Fuyao would finally start to face her true self that she had been avoiding all this while. As for how that person knew that Xu Wan was buried beneath Yanling Pce, or how he hadnded up in Guanyuan from Dan City and remained in the prison for so many years, these were all questions that nobody knew the answers to anymore, disappearing with his mortal body. Twenty-odd years ago, he had sent his fiancee into the pce and attained the chance to survive, twenty-odd yearster, she had died a tragic death, and he had met her daughter and returned his life back. It was but Heaven¡¯s will. Meng Fuyao sighed a little sadly and folded the fabric back together. ¡®That couple should have reunited in Heaven by now, right? Hopefully, they¡¯ll be able to steer clear from any royal family in their next life.¡¯ The sky was beginning to darken, and fires were started, dotting the ins and enveloping it in a golden hue against the lush green, their colors vibrant like a sea of gold. Meng Fuyao picked herself up and was about to go and eat when her eyes locked onto something. In front of her, under the bright, round moon, someone was performing a dance of swords. That person wore loose robes that flowed elegantly with every move, and under the pale golden moonlight, his movements were deft and agile, his sword reflecting brilliantly in the night. He was just a silhouette seen from afar, yet his speed and elegance were unrivaled, clearly obvious despite the distance, a perfect harmony of strength and grace. He looked like a jade-skinned celestial who had descended upon the ins. The wind swept around Wuji, and the moon enveloped the wild greenery as the figure danced with a pale ck sword beneath the jade-white moon, beautiful as a painting, one with his sword. She seemed to have seen such a scene before¡­ Meng Fuyao sat down numbly, following the person¡¯s movements as time reversed to two years ago when she had seen this for the first time. Suddenly, her eyes started to water. The first time, first time, two years ago, she had been suffering from betrayal and hurt in the back cave of Xuanyun. At the time, he had been in the opposite cave, drinking and dancing with his sword. The scene had left her thunderstruck, not knowing that that silhouette would soon fill such a big space in her life. Now, his swordy had reached an even more advanced level, yet her feelings were nowplicated and no longer as frank and honest as before. Her eyes watered, and her vision began to blur, and when she rubbed her eyes and looked again, the person dancing under the moon had already disappeared. The fire before her suddenly crackled even brighter as several branches fell from above, making the burning intensify. Meng Fuyao did not look up; instead, she stared at the falling branches quietly. Suddenly, a purple robe appeared before her eyes, decorated with elegant silver embroidery, the silky fabric illuminating slightly and flowing before her like a river current. The faint sound of tree branches moving could be heard above her; she could imagine a certain person fooling around without following any script. He must be lying on the brittle, thin branches, light as a cloud, frivolously throwing branches down, albeit with precision. Thereafter, the falling branches increased in number, slowly forming a pyramid structure, causing the fire to burn even more brilliantly. Meng Fuyao clenched her fist, unmoved. ¡®I know everything, I don¡¯t care at all, I¡¯ll see how long you can keep this up for.¡¯ The person above her chuckled softly as Meng Fuyao counted silently, ¡®One, two, three¡­¡¯ She hadn¡¯t managed to count to three. A certain person had fixed the bridge earlier, and a low, peaceful voice drifted from within the treetop. ¡°Miss, the wintry night is harsh, I¡¯m very cold.¡± ¡®How adept at memorizing stage lines¡­¡¯ Meng Fuyao bit her lip in an attempt to stifle herughter and straighten her sword, acting severe. ¡®Act, I¡¯ll tell you to act, I¡¯ll see how long you can keep this up for?¡¯ The purple robe in front of her lowered slightly; it seemed that Zhangsun Wuji was adjusting the height of the branch so that he could sessfullynd beside a certain uncooperative someone. However, he still maintained his nonchnt posture, high up on the tree, his eyes flitting up and down her body. Meng Fuyao twisted away and crouched into a ball, tucking her head in and not replying. ¡°Miss, are you cold?¡± Meng Fuyao unbuttoned the topmost button on her shirt, indicating that she was very hot at the moment¡ªit was the middle of June, it would be strange if one didn¡¯t feel hot. She was determined not to let him use the line: ¡°If you¡¯re hot, then take it off¡±. However, a fresh, red fruit came rolling towards her, fragrant and cool. ¡°Kirin Red¡±. Meng Fuyao red at the fiery red fruit, crossing her arms in front of her chest and pointing her nose at the sky. ¡®Her Majesty is already an experienced yer, I won¡¯t be tricked by this kind of rotten fruit, you can get lost, get lost, get lost, get lost¡­¡¯ Hu¡ª There was a white sh, fast as lightning, and a small furry ball came spinning through the air, flying-kick style andnded viciously on Meng Fuyao¡¯s nose. Meng Fuyao let out a shout and opened her eyes wide to see Lord Yuan Bao scratching and kicking at her face. ¡°Damned hamster!¡± Meng Fuyao flew into a rage as she jumped up and tried to grab Lord Yuan Bao, who had scampered away. ¡°You damned rascal. You won¡¯t be happy unless you piss someone off, huh! Why are you adding on to that person¡¯s childishness¡­¡± She knocked into the chest of a certain someone who had been waiting for a long time. Zhangsun Wuji had clearly been on the tree opposite her, but somehow he had suddenly appeared on a tree branch facing her directly. With a scoop of his arm, he pressed her into his chest and let go of the branch he was holding. Whoosh¡ª The flexible branch immediately rebounded, sending the two up onto the treetop. Meng Fuyao could only feel the leaves above her head swishing in the wind as several tender leaves fell onto her face. Her vision was already nothing but a bright glow as the moonlight shone into her eyes. And under the moonlight, a dragonfly danced fleetingly above the calm river flow, like the finishing strokes of an artist, flying over the endless ins, splitting the grass in half. The grass closer to them was a pale green, but farther up, under the golden glow of the moon, was ayer of even lush greenery. The color of the moon was full as it shone upon man since ancient times, just like the wind over the ins, crooning its unceasing melody. Meng Fuyao was enraptured by the vastness of the world. She couldn¡¯t imagine how different the view was from beneath the trees and from the treetops. After a while, she finally regained her senses only to be kidnapped as she mumbled reproachfully, ¡°Zhangsun Wuji, you¡¯re actually doing such childish acts of burning and kidnapping.¡± ¡°Who can understand my thoughts? Who can relieve me of my lovesickness?¡± Zhangsun Wuji continued embracing her relentlessly and said, ¡°I¡¯ve waited a long time for you to finish your business and waited a long time for you to sort out your thoughts. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± Meng Fuyao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and say, ¡°I used to think that Zhan Beiye was so tyrannical and stubborn, but now I realize that the true tyrannical one is you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a lovely night, let us not waste it talking about other people,¡± Zhangsun Wuji said mildly. ¡°After being apart for such a long time and finally having you in my arms, I don¡¯t want to take this precious time to argue with you about who is more tyrannical.¡± ¡°Besides¡­¡± He nced at Meng Fuyao, his eyes darkening in the moonlight. ¡°Your personality has always been like this, insensitive, even when I¡¯m shrunken in a corner and beating myself up in guilt and regret, you¡¯d probably be happy that there¡¯s one less thing to worry about. You wouldn¡¯t turn back tofort me either, but instead increase the distance between us until you are far away in the horizon¡­ I¡¯ve seen through you, but no matter what, I won¡¯t give up.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot to say today,¡± Meng Fuyao retorted. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s better to have some distance between two people, really, Zhangsun Wuji, by now you should be aware of my feelings. I would never try to bring up things from the past, ignoring you is for your own sake.¡± ¡°Whatever¡¯s better for me, only I will know for myself.¡± Zhangsun Wuji smiled. ¡°Fuyao, let us not argue over this anymore, you have your stubbornness as I have mine.¡± Meng Fuyao thought for a while before changing the topic. ¡°The view from here is great, it¡¯s high up, very cooling.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just sleep here tonight?¡± Zhangsun Wuji held her tightly. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t let you fall.¡± Ignoring him, Meng Fuyao said, ¡°I read this poem in the past, let me recite it for you¡ªAs you are enjoying the scenery on the bridge, upstairs on a tower people are watching you, the bright moon adorns your window, but you adorn others¡¯ dreams.¡± Zhangsun Wuji listened quietly, and thenmented, ¡°Very beautiful, but it¡¯s not in the linguistic form of the Five Regions Continent.¡± Meng Fuyao ignored his critique and said, ¡°Today, we are sitting atop this tree looking at the scenery, then, who is looking at us?¡± She continued, ¡°Throughout this path that we have taken, shing left and right all over the Five Regions Continent, several thoughts and feelings are inevitable, but no matter how we try to get around it, we still can¡¯t evade crashing into that inescapable wall. Then, who is controlling all of this?¡± Zhangsun Wuji fell silent. ¡°That is Heaven¡¯s will,¡± Meng Fuyao said. ¡°Heaven¡¯s will is looking at us, watching us, Heaven¡¯s will has arranged every step that I have taken up till now. If we were to talk about the first time we met at Taiyuan, I might still have been uncertain about the future, but now, I¡¯ve already determined the correct path for me to take. I believe that Heaven¡¯s will has arranged for me to reach this point for me to eventually achieve my wish. ¡°I am just a passerby,¡± Meng Fuyao turned around and gazed at Zhangsun Wuji, whose eyes were downcast and looking at the grassy in. ¡°I am a passerby, no matter what kind of mark I¡¯ve left, it is but transparent, look, even my birth, which should have been the most memorable thing, had been wiped clean.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!