[Fantasy] The Harem is in Chaos (Complete) - 11

Text 46. Growing to loathe each other...

The Southern Buddha's grand palace, the Dragon Flower Hall of the Eastern Palace.

In the hazy night, the opulent purple bed curtains rippled under the moonlight, shimmering with layers of silver light. A night breeze drifted in through the window, swaying the golden curtain hooks and making a crisp "tinkling" sound against the dragon-carved bedposts.

Low moans and gasps rose and fell, the spring light in the room dispelling the chill of the winter night, leaving only a room full of alluring beauty.

"Mmm... Your Highness... I can't take it anymore, I can't take it anymore... Ah..." With a woman's shrill cry, the bed curtains swayed violently, and then, only the sounds of breathing filled the room.

Outside the long window, where shadows slanted across the room, a figure who had been spying crouched down, gradually disappearing into the darkness along the corner of the wall.

A moment later, another dark figure drifted in through the window like the wind, silently closed it, and knelt before the bed to pay respects: "Your Highness, the person has left."

The curtains were lifted, and a beautiful woman stepped down from the bed. She first gathered the layers of gauze curtains with gold hooks before kneeling before Li Shi.

Her gold-embroidered robes were neatly reclined against the bedpost, her long hair flowing freely, her expression cold and alluring, her face devoid of any lust. He waved for the woman to leave and asked Li Shi, "Did he confess?"

Li Shi replied, "We've tried all sorts of torture. That old bastard Xumi was in tears, only saying that when he broke into the Tian Sheng Palace to steal, he didn't know it was the key to the Tian Qin Treasure Box; he thought it was just an ordinary gem. Later, realizing he'd caused trouble, he'd been hanging around with a small caravan. Five years ago, that caravan was destroyed by Yue Xiao Manor. When he was fleeing, his bundle was stolen by a little girl from the caravan. He couldn't say the girl's name, only that she was about eleven or twelve years old at the time, and everyone in the caravan liked to call her 'little girl.'"

Jin Lü narrowed her eyes, her beautiful face, like a ghostly flower, covered with a layer of frost. She said, "Eleven..." A two-year-old girl? Can you steal his things?

Li Shi said: "My subordinates didn't believe it either. They picked on his hamstring. He fainted from pain several times. When he woke up, he swore that he didn't tell any lies. It didn't look like he was lying."

The golden thread touched his forehead: "If you can't open the Tianqin treasure box... success or failure is unpredictable."

Li Shi thought for a while and said, "Your Highness, why don't you order the thief to draw a portrait of the girl, and we can find out what's going on?"

Jin Lu shook her head, a little troubled, and said, "Let me think about it again."

When I was young, I suddenly asked: "How is she?"

Li Shi began to sweat on his head and said, "I was just about to report this matter to His Highness. Miss Qin... was rescued by Huangfu Jue."

"Who?" Jin Lu suddenly raised his head.

"The Thirteenth Prince of Xiwu, King Xi, Huangfu Jue." "Li Shi lowered his head.

"How could it be him? What was he doing in the Holy Land? "Jin Lu frowned.

"According to the news, he did nothing except rescue Miss Qin. It seems that he went there specifically for Miss Qin. "Li Shi whispered.

Jinlu frowned even more deeply, paused for a moment, then suddenly relaxed and said, "Tell Su Yingge to snatch her away immediately."

Li Shi respectfully replied, "Your Highness, Su Yingge hasn't reached the Saint Realm yet."

Jinlu was stunned, then became somewhat frantic: "With the Three Heroes of the Reverse Waves clearing the way for him, plus his lightness skill, he should have arrived by now. Why hasn't he? Where is he now?"

Li Shi reported, "He didn't take the Three Heroes of the Reverse Waves as Your Highness instructed, but instead boarded the large ship sent by the Xi King's Mansion to pick up Huangfu Jue. Right now, he's probably still fishing on the Jiaye River."

Jinlu was

so angry she was practically fuming. "Your Highness, shouldn't Su Yingge be taught a lesson for being so two-faced?" Li Shi suggested rather unkindly.

"We'll discuss this later. That guy's injuries are serious; only he can ease her suffering. Go and send him a letter immediately, ordering him to take good care of her and make amends. Otherwise, I'll blow up his Tianyi Pavilion." Jinlu said angrily.

Li Shi obeyed.

Jinlu tilted his head back, deep in thought, "Now is her most vulnerable moment, the easiest time for her to be moved and softened. In a woman's mind, it's often hard to distinguish between being moved and liking someone... Aren't I just doing all the work for someone else?"

Li Shi was speechless.

In the darkness, Jinlu's eyes shone brightly like stars. After a moment, she suddenly laughed silently.

Li Shi looked up, curiously observing her.

Jinlu glanced at him sideways, then suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Li Shi began to have a better understanding. Her laughter was so heartwarming; she must have thought of a wicked plan to deal with Huangfu Jue.

Sure enough, after laughing enough, he cleared his throat and said, "Since this Huangfu Jue is so free, I don't mind giving him something to do. Li Shi, go, give the Tian Sheng Palace token you 'picked up' last time to Green Robe (that is, Fang Na's maid), take 100,000 taels of silver notes and find any small sect, and then..." He beckoned Li Shi closer and gave him these instructions, which Li Shi nodded repeatedly.

*

In the boundless forest, a campfire illuminated the weathered and dilapidated hunter's hut.

Li Yue lay on the cold ground, weak and exhausted, staring at a lump of meat a few feet away, writhing on the fire.

Headless and limbless, a round, plump piece; it was unclear whether its internal organs had been removed, or what kind of animal it was. This was the trophy Huangfu Jue had brought back after abandoning her that afternoon.

Judging by its size, Li Yue strongly suspected it was a rat.

Her gaze followed the sizzling branches upwards, and Li Yue saw clean, white fingers that clearly never touched meat. Further up, a grumpy, icy face came into view.

Life's twists and turns are so unpredictable. Both psychologically and physically, Ye Qianxun's relationship with her far surpassed that with Huangfu Jue, yet in times of crisis, the former ignored her, while this man she loathed had saved her.

He hadn't even looked at her properly, nor spoken a single word to her, demonstrating the extent of his dislike for her.

Furthermore, this guy clearly had no experience caring for people; after carrying her here, he simply dumped her on the cold, damp ground, without even bothering to lay down some dry grass for her.

Her body shivered, yet her cheeks burned, and her mouth was parched.

Li Yue was certain she had a fever.

Looking at Huangfu Jue's handsome, noble features in the firelight, she licked her lips and said in a hoarse voice, "Ice, I'm thirsty."

"Endure it," Huangfu Jue said succinctly, without raising an eyebrow.

"I want water," Li Yue continued, seemingly oblivious.

Huangfu Jue frowned, simply ignoring her.

"Ice, I'm thirsty," Li Yue repeated.

Huangfu Jue continued to frown.

"I want water."

"There's no water source around here!" he exclaimed impatiently.

Li Yue's eyes darted around, a faint, mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Saliva will do..."

Huangfu Jue froze, his face darkening. He simply turned away, refusing to look at her.

"Ice cube, I'm thirsty."

"..."

"I want water."

"..."

"Give me some saliva."

"...!"

"Ice cube, I'm thirsty."

"You're so annoying!" Huangfu Jue finally couldn't bear the incessant, maniacal chatter any longer. He roared and jumped up, glaring at the woman lying on the ground, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling.

Seeing his furious outburst, Li Yue smiled slightly, her dry, chapped lips uttering, "I want water."

Huangfu Jue clenched his fist, inhaled, then clenched his fist again… After several repetitions, his body stiffened as he walked out of the wooden shed and disappeared into the shadows deep in the woods.

A sharp pain in her chest, hunger and thirst, a chill running through her body… it was unbearable.

Only now did Li Yue finally give up, her face contorted in pain.

Aside from the time she suffered a qi deviation during cultivation five years ago, she had never experienced such pain.

She could let Huangfu Jue see her weakness, because her physical condition was beyond her control. But she couldn't let him see her vulnerability, because… they weren't close.

A woman's vulnerability easily evoked pity, and she didn't need anyone's pity.

A short while later, Huangfu Jue returned, a piece of his robe torn at the hem, a wet rag dripping from his hand.

"Open your mouth," he commanded the woman on the ground harshly.

Li Yue had already composed herself. She glanced at the damp cloth in his hand, her face showing disgust, and said, "So dirty. Couldn't you have used a bamboo tube or something..."

Before she could finish, Huangfu Jue lost his patience. He frowned, threw the damp cloth at her face, and turned back to the campfire to continue roasting meat.

He must be crazy. Why did he save this woman? What did it matter to him whether she lived or died?

Didn't Guan Du and the others misunderstand that he and this woman had that kind of relationship? Anyway, it was impossible to explain, so wouldn't it be better to let her die?

But...

even if she was so hateful, he still couldn't watch her die miserably in the wild.

He must be too kind! The capable are always busy, and the kind are always troublesome!

With a sigh in his heart, he focused his attention back on the small piece of roasted meat.

Li Yue's face was covered by the damp cloth. Cold water droplets slid down her cheeks and into her hair, cooling her burning cheeks slightly, which felt somewhat comfortable.

What an uncouth and impatient man! Only a blind woman like Jiang Hanyu would fall for him. It seems the power of childhood sweethearts to cloud a woman's judgment is truly extraordinary.

She licked the damp cloth with her tongue, feeling her parched lips swell like a sponge. Although her throat was still thirsty, she no longer expected this man to fetch her water.

In this world, if others help you, it's your good fortune; if they don't, that's your just fate. No one is born with the responsibility to help anyone else, just as she wouldn't help everyone she met who needed help. In a

way, this man had already done quite well.

After a while, Huangfu Jue withdrew the branch and checked if the meat was cooked.

The silence around him made him raise his eyes curiously to look at the woman opposite him.

He didn't take her pulse because he didn't know medicine, but he could tell she was badly injured; otherwise, she wouldn't have remained in the position he had left her on the ground for the entire afternoon without even turning over.

Looking at the bandage on her face, he felt he had gone too far.

But… this woman just had that ability; she could make you so angry you forgot you were injured!

He really couldn't understand how people could be so different. If it were Jiang Hanyu, she would have been understanding and comforted him, telling him her injury wasn't that serious and not to worry… (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be enjoyable? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain ejaculation sensation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sex positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

Thinking of Jiang Hanyu, he couldn't help but think of his mother. He wondered how the two of them were doing in the palace. That bastard Huangfu Zaichun certainly wouldn't treat them well.

Just wait, one day, he would take back everything he had taken from them!

Lost in thought for a moment, he turned his gaze back to Li Yue's face, only to notice something faintly visible under the damp cloth, gently tugging at it—it seemed to be… her tongue.

The subtle movement, like a sharp blade of grass, gently pricked his heart. At

six years old, forced to kill her mother, then left alone to wander the world… He truly couldn't imagine how she had survived. Just the thought of killing her mother alone would have driven him mad. Once

she truly entered her heart, regardless of whether it was against the will of heaven, she would do anything for him…

But what did she gain after defying the heavens for love? A lifetime of pain and sin.

She must have anticipated this, yet she still did it. In this respect, he felt ashamed of himself…

“Hey, you stinky ice block, trying to suffocate me? Take your rag away, you wicked man!” Just as he was lost in thought, she suddenly became noisy.

Huangfu Jue was taken aback, then angrily used a twig to pry off the tattered cloth covering her face. He twisted his body and focused intently on the roasted meat.

This woman was completely insane! He had almost felt pity for her; she was truly mad to the extreme.

He tore off a piece of meat, examined it for a long time, carefully put it in his mouth, smacked his lips, and immediately spat it out.

Apart from a faint fishy smell, it had no other taste; it was tasteless and hard to swallow.

He remembered that when he went camping with Guan Du and the others, their roasted meat was always so fragrant and delicious.

Huangfu Jue was puzzled and frustrated. He raised his hand to throw the roasted meat away, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the woman watching him with sparkling eyes not far away.

After thinking for a moment, he turned around, magnanimously extending the branch to Li Yue, saying, "I'm saving it for you."

Li Yue smiled slightly, seemingly grateful, and said, "This is the first time I've realized how kind you are."

Huangfu Jue's cheeks flushed instantly, and he averted his gaze.

Li Yue chuckled inwardly, leaning over to lightly nibble on the roasted meat. She hadn't missed his earlier struggle to swallow, but unlike him, she hadn't eaten for two days and two nights. If she missed this meal, and had to wait for this rough-around-the-edges man with absolutely no wilderness survival experience to prepare the next one, she feared she would have already starved to death.

She had assumed she would be like him, spitting it out after one bite, but Huangfu Jue waited and waited, yet the complaint he craved never came. He glanced at Li Yue, stealing a look.

The woman strained her neck, gnawing on the roasted meat on the branch like a small animal, not even letting go of the slightly charred parts.

She swallowed with great difficulty, yet refused to stop, looking as if she hadn't eaten for decades.

Watching her struggle to survive, his heart was inexplicably pricked by the soft blade of grass.

A moment later, the branch was completely devoured, leaving not a trace of meat. She finally relaxed, her tense body settling down to catch her breath.

Huangfu Jue frowned at the black charcoal-like grease stains on her lips and cheeks, hesitating whether to wipe them off, when she suddenly glanced at him sideways, saying in a mocking tone, "I only realized today that there's something even uglier than your expression—your barbecue skills!"

Huangfu Jue really wanted to rub that greasy branch against her face again!

He turned to his side, leaning back against the wooden plank, preparing to sleep.

After a long while,

"Ice cube, I'm cold,"

he said, pretending not to hear.

"Ice, I'm so cold."

He pretended to be asleep.

"Ice, I'm so cold, so cold."

He tried to snore, but accidentally made a pig-like "snoring" sound.

"Ice, I'm so cold, so cold, so cold." Li Yue wanted to laugh, but as soon as she grinned, a sharp pain shot through her chest, so she had to give up.

Huangfu Jue, his handsome face flushed, opened his eyes impatiently and added a few branches to the campfire.

Just as he was about to lean back, Li Yue complained, "Still cold."

"Don't even think about making me take off my clothes!" Huangfu Jue glared at her.

Li Yue pouted aggrievedly, "I don't want your clothes."

"Then why are you yelling about being cold?" Huangfu Jue was furious.

Li Yue bit her lower lip shyly, gazing at him affectionately with her eyes, and whispered, "I want a hug."

Huangfu Jue was stunned.

"Are you afraid of getting a nosebleed again? Don't worry, I don't have the energy to touch you today." Seeing his noncommittal attitude, Li Yue quickly 'comforted' him.

Huangfu Jue's face darkened. It would have been better if he hadn't brought it up; just mentioning it made him furious!

But what could he do? He couldn't very well take his anger out on this half-dead woman! He

immediately huffed angrily, got up, and ran outside to vent his frustration on the flowers and plants.

Seeing him storm off, Li Yue smiled slightly.

This man, though not particularly likable, at least he was genuine; what he thought was immediately written all over his face.

Perhaps he wasn't so deep and composed, but the advantage was that she didn't have to deliberately suspect or be wary of him. That… was actually quite good.

Her physical exhaustion and weakness had reached their peak. Without any care, she could only tremble uncontrollably as waves of dizziness washed over her, desperately wondering if she would ever wake up again after this fainting spell. "

Huangfu Jue, you idiot, you stingy brat, would it kill you to hug me?" I haven't told you the whereabouts of the jade pendant yet...

Chapter 47, Endless Resentment...

Right where the Holy Realm borders the Southern Buddha lies a breathtakingly beautiful landscape—Crescent Bay.

The Kasyapa River, which flows through the entire territory of the Southern Buddha, slows down here, gently bends around the towering "Imperial Preceptor Mountain" before flowing towards its final destination—the sea.

Legend has it that on a clear moonlit night, if you stand atop Imperial Preceptor Mountain and look down, you will see the Kasyapa River at the foot of the mountain resembling a crescent moon, hence the name Crescent Bay.

However, compared to Crescent Bay, "Imperial Preceptor Mountain" is far more famous, but its fame is not because of its beautiful scenery, but because of a person—Kuming.

Kuming was the Imperial Preceptor of the Southern Buddha Emperor a hundred years ago. He was knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, knew the past five hundred years and the future five hundred years, and there was nothing he didn't know, from heaven to earth, from ancient times to the present.

During his fifty years as Imperial Tutor of Nanfo, he used his unbelievable prophetic abilities to help the people of Nanfo escape calamities such as earthquakes, floods, plagues, and droughts dozens of times.

At that time, the nobles and common people of the three kingdoms worshipped him like a god. In his

old age, he resigned from his position as Imperial Tutor and went into seclusion on this mountain, which was thus named "Imperial Tutor Mountain," and has remained so for over a century.

Some say he is dead, others say he is still alive, an old immortal; the accounts are varied and impossible to verify.

Tonight, the moon shines brightly, and the Milky Way stretches like a ribbon.

The large ship of the Xi King's Mansion is moored in Crescent Bay, and on the shore lies the endless, undulating, dense forest of the Holy Realm's border.

Guan Du and Yan Ji stand on the bow deck, facing the fierce, cold wind as they gaze at the dark outline of the forest. A moment later, Guan Du said, "Qin Liyue must be badly injured, otherwise, the Prince wouldn't have carried her."

Yan Ji stroked his beard and laughed, "If the Prince knew that you sent people to follow her from the outside instead of going to meet her, he would probably be furious."

Guan Du said seriously, "That girl is injured and alone... where else can you find such an opportunity?"

"Ahem!" Yan Ji cleared his throat, straightened his expression, and said, "That's true."

Guan Du's lips curled into a slight smile, but his expression turned serious again. He said, "What I don't understand is, since Qin Liyue was injured, why didn't Ye Qianxun save her, but instead rescued Yu Lianqiu?"

Yan Ji said, "Didn't we receive intelligence that he returned to that cliff a second time? But by then, Qin Liyue had already been taken away by the Prince."

Guan Du shook his head and said, "What I really find strange is that Yu Lianqiu is just a concubine's daughter of the Yu family. Why is Ye Qianxun so determined to get his hands on her? If he wanted to use her to blackmail the Yu family, I'm afraid it wouldn't be very effective. His actions are truly perplexing."

"Seventeen years ago, Yu Zhanhua took Liu Zixian, the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world, as his concubine. Liu Zixian gave birth to Yu Lianqiu less than six months after entering the household and died in childbirth. There are probably many secrets behind this. Outsiders are completely confused, but those involved probably know the truth perfectly," Yan Ji said.

Guan Du nodded silently.

After a moment, Yan Ji suddenly lowered his voice and said, "I'm worried that we might have chosen the wrong time to send the Prince to Nanfo."

Guan Du followed his gaze to the stern of the boat a few feet away. From this angle, only a fishing rod lying diagonally across the river could be seen; no one was visible.

Yan Ji said, "He seems leisurely but is actually bored. It seems he didn't want to come here, but had to for some reason. And his purpose here is obviously singular."

Guan Du thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of him, I'm reminded of another person—Qu Liushang."

Yan Ji said, "Is he the man who stayed at Yiqing Residence with Qin Liyue at Zhuwu Gate?"

Guan Du nodded, "I saw them together when I went to Tianyi Island last time. Speaking of Qu Liushang, every time I see him, I feel like I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't remember where."

Yan Ji pondered, "If he really came here at Qu Liushang's request, then we don't need to worry about getting into trouble."

*

Late at night, deep in the moonlit forest, by a ribbon-like stream.

Huangfu Jue sat on a rock by the stream, holding a woman who seemed to be unconscious in his arms, his handsome face as red as a boiled shrimp.

He had only brought her to the stream to cool her down because she was unconscious and her forehead was burning hot.

In the darkness, finding no suitable tool, he could only moisten his fingers and rub them on her forehead and lips.

Her lips were soft and smooth, stirring his heart, and he hesitated to withdraw his fingers. Tragically, tragedy struck at that moment.

Because his fingers were wet, she, extremely thirsty, instinctively took them into her mouth, sucking them gently like a baby, making his fingertips tingle. Her

slippery little tongue pressed against his fingertip, gently licking and entwining, bringing a warm, soft touch that made his entire arm feel weak.

His mind kept screaming to pull his fingers away, but his actions were beyond his control. Even though his face was burning red, he couldn't help but gently twirl his fingertip, curiously exploring her smooth mouth.

He had never had his fingers licked before, and if it weren't for the inexplicable heat throughout his body, it would undeniably feel quite nice.

Although unconscious, Li Yue clearly disliked his unauthorized exploration. Just as he was lost in his own world, Li Yue silently withdrew her tongue, quietly gathering her strength. Once everything was ready, she suddenly and unexpectedly bit the mischievous finger. "Ouch

!" The sudden attack caught Huangfu Jue off guard, causing him to cry out in surprise and frantically try to pull his finger back.

Unexpectedly, Li Yue instantly transformed into a giant turtle biting its prey, refusing to let go despite Huangfu Jue's flicking of his finger and the way he tossed her head around.

Huangfu Jue was in pain and anxious, so he first placed her on a large rock, then used his other hand to forcefully pinch her jaw, forcing her to open her teeth, thus avoiding becoming another nine-fingered beggar.

Washing his bleeding finger in the stream, he glared hatefully at the woman lying on the rock with her eyes still closed.

Hmph, this woman, she must be faking it! He'd fallen for her trick again.

"Hey, the water's right here. Either get up and drink it yourself, or forget it. I absolutely won't feed you again, you hear me?" he yelled at her impatiently.

Li Yue lay on her back on the large rock, completely unconscious, even her breathing was gradually weakening.

Seeing that she wasn't moving, Huangfu Jue shoved her arm: "Stop pretending!"

She still didn't move.

Huangfu Jue got angry, thinking: If she really fainted, how could she have the strength to bite me?

"If you like playing dead, then continue. I'm not playing along!" He stood up, shook the water droplets off his clothes, and turned to leave.

After walking quite a distance, he stopped and turned back, seeing Li Yue still lying motionless on the rock.

Hands on his hips, he sighed deeply, regretting his soft heart, and walked back.

He roughly scooped the woman up from the rock, shaking her, extremely impatiently saying, "I told you to stop pretending! Is this fun?"

Li Yue frowned, and blood slowly seeped from her nose.

Huangfu Jue was stunned. Before he could react, crimson blood, like a writhing snake, gushed from the corner of her mouth.

He panicked, frantically wiping away the overflowing blood while crying out, "How could this happen? Hey, wake up, Qin Liyue!"

Only the babbling of the stream beside him answered him.

*

Dawn was breaking, the forest still shrouded in darkness.

Huangfu Jue ran for a while, and then the view suddenly opened up. He looked up at the sparse, overgrown grassland, knowing that once he crossed it, he would reach Crescent Bay.

Although exhausted and starving, the thought of the woman in his arms dying at any moment kept him from stopping. He took a breath and ran again.

"Ice Block, can't you learn from a thoroughbred horse and run more steadily? I want to sleep," Liyue said weakly, her eyes half-closed, her voice faint but each word clear.

Last night, he had channeled some of his inner energy into her, and after much effort, he had finally managed to wake her.

Hearing this, he didn't stop walking, saying, "Don't sleep now, I'm afraid you'll drool."

Li Yue wanted to laugh but didn't have the strength, but she really felt painful from being jostled around, so she said, "If you don't stop, I'm going to throw up."

After last night, Huangfu Jue realized completely that no matter how stubborn this woman was, she was truly weak now, and afraid that she would vomit blood again, he had no choice but to gradually slow down.

Li Yue felt a little more comfortable and immediately closed her eyes and started to doze off.

"Hey, don't sleep if you don't want to die!" He looked down at her.

She forced a smile and mumbled, "You can't bear to part with me?"

Huangfu Jue shut his mouth. This woman, how could she be so heartless? Even in this state, she still had the mood to joke.

Seeing that her eyelids were starting to droop again, Huangfu Jue became a little anxious, looked around, and found a wild plum tree not far away that was just beginning to bloom, its red spots standing out conspicuously and enchantingly against the green and yellow winter wasteland.

He walked over, placed her on the grass, broke off a branch, shoved it into her hand, then held it to her chest. He picked her up again, somewhat awkwardly saying, "Play with this, don't sleep."

Li Yue forced her eyes open, looking at the plum branch pressed against her nose, feeling a little helpless. This ice block, he couldn't even coax her properly. What was so fun about a broken flower? He should have lowered his head and said, "Here, play with it, don't sleep."

However, looking at the fiery red, delicate petals of the wild plum, she felt a slight attachment and longing for life.

Living was good after all; look, this world is colorful, and if you're willing to look, you can see all kinds of beauty. And death… it must be like fainting, with nothing but endless darkness before your eyes…

Li Yue thought drowsily, struggling against drowsiness. Just then, Huangfu Jue stopped abruptly, his body tensing, and shouted, "Who goes there?"

"Su Yingge." Before the words were even finished, the man who had been several dozen feet away was already close by like the wind. He flicked the sleeve of his white robe embroidered with cloud patterns, his fingers gliding across Li Yue's wrist, and then said with a dark face, "Why isn't she quite dead yet? Truly, a scourge lives on for a thousand years!"

Last night, he was sleeping soundly when a carrier pigeon suddenly crashed into his window. That brat Jin Lu had actually threatened him again because of this pig demon. It was truly... endless resentment!

He was worried that if she died, he wouldn't be able to have peace, so he had to drag himself out of his warm bed in the middle of the night to come find her. Heaven knows, he really has a bad temper when he wakes up! Especially when he's not fully awake!

Speaking of which, if the people of the Xi Wang Mansion can't fix the door he kicked off today, won't he have to sleep in a different room tonight?

Li Yue was too exhausted to hold on any longer. Hearing his voice, she only felt a vague sense of strangeness, and didn't even have the strength to turn her head to look at him.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and her vision grew darker and darker. In her last moments before fainting, she vaguely heard Huangfu Jue say, "It's your turn to hold her..." Then she lost all consciousness.

Su Yingge's expression froze: "Why should I hold her?"

Huangfu Jue said, "Didn't you come to save her?"

Su Yingge turned and left, saying bitterly, "I came to see if she was dead or not, but I'm very disappointed!"

*

So itchy...

It felt like tiny, warm ants were crawling all over my limbs and internal organs. It was so itchy.

Li Yue struggled uncomfortably and woke up.

Opening her eyes, she saw a plain, unfamiliar bed curtain. As her consciousness gradually returned, she was surprised to find that her limbs were itchy, like scabs on wounds, and her most severely injured chest only had a slight pain.

How could this be? She vaguely remembered that she was in excruciating pain before she fainted. And now... she thought maybe she could try getting out of bed and walking around.

Habitually acting on her thoughts, she began to move without hesitation, only to be shocked by what she found.

Although the pain in her limbs and chest had lessened, they felt incredibly heavy, making even moving a finger extremely difficult.

Good heavens, how long had she been lying there?

Just as she was lamenting, the door creaked open.

She turned to see Su Yingge carrying a medicine bowl. Seeing that she was awake, his expression immediately turned extremely displeased. He slammed the bowl on the table, crossed his arms, leaned against the edge, and coldly glared at her, saying, "Your life is really comparable to a rock in a latrine—stinky and hard!"

Li Yue looked at him, only slightly startled before immediately understanding.

Seeing how displeased this sharp-tongued man was, he certainly hadn't come to save her willingly. The only one who could have asked him for help was Liu Shang Xiao Guai. Poor Xiao Guai, she didn't know what conditions she had offered to get this sharp-tongued man, whom she could practically sworn enemies with, to heal her.

And he even dared to put on a "I saved you, you owe me a life forever" face in front of her to disgust her? Humph! Could it be that Liu Shang Xiao Guai hadn't asked him for help enough, and now he wanted to take the opportunity to make her suffer?

Anyway, she wasn't going to die now, there was no way she would bow down to him!

"Go outside and fart, it stinks!" Li Yue glared at him, with an expression like she was staring at a toad.

Su Yingge froze, then reacted in a flash, instantly exploding in fury: "You'd be dead long ago without me! How dare you talk to me like that! Is your brain filled with pig brains? Even pigs have more humanity than you!"

"Did I beg you? Who told you to be so impulsive? Get lost, get as far away as you can, don't stand here and ruin my mood!" Li Yue glared at him with utter disgust, then turned away angrily.

Su Yingge felt like he was about to explode! He was already incredibly frustrated by being forced to rescue her by Jin Lu, and now that he'd saved her life, he had to put up with her jerk attitude!

This was the last straw!

He refused to believe he couldn't deal with this damned woman!

With that thought, his face darkened, and he strode towards the bed.

Li Yue caught a glimpse of him approaching out of the corner of her eye. Even a fool could tell it wasn't going to end well. So, she pretended not to notice, secretly taking a deep breath. Just as he was about to extend his claws, she screamed, "Help!—[illegible]—"

Before the weak cry, a mix of high-pitched scream and sobs, could even finish, someone burst into the doorway, drawing his sword and yelling, "Where do you think you're going, you lecherous thief!"

Su Yingge's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Li Yue glanced sideways and saw a handsome young man she didn't recognize, leaving her completely bewildered.

Lin Jiu saw only two familiar faces in the room, and the male of them clearly looked furious at being interrupted. He immediately realized his rashness. He chuckled awkwardly as he sheathed his sword, saying, "I'm the prince's guard… I just happened to be passing by… and heard the cries for help… so… hehehe… I must have misheard. You can continue." With that, he turned to leave.

"Hey, you can't just stand by and watch me die! He's really going to rape me, his patient! Go get your father to save me!" Li Yue cried out in a panic.

"Shut up!" Su Yingge gritted her teeth and squeezed out the two words, feeling her hands twitching from holding back her laughter. She really wanted to strangle her!

Lin Jiu hesitated when he saw Li Yue looking at him with tearful, helpless, and frightened eyes. She... really looked like she needed help. And he... did look very lecherous!

After hesitating for a while, his sense of justice began to surge uncontrollably.

He put one hand on the hilt of his sword and walked up to Su Yingge, saying, "Young Master Su, please forgive my bluntness, but although you have healed this young lady, it seems that she is not yet able to... cough, so, if you really need it, perhaps I can discuss with the Prince about docking the ship so that you can... um... take care of it."

Li Yue's chest started to ache again from trying to suppress her laughter.

Su Yingge was furious. She squinted at Lin Jiu and said, "Do you really think I'd be so desperate?"

Lin Jiu looked him up and down several times, then nodded with absolute certainty and said, "Yes..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Yingge shoved him on the forehead and roared, "Go to hell!"

Lin Jiu staggered backward, quickly regained his balance, and looked up to find that Su Yingge had already left. He turned to comfort Li Yue, saying, "Miss, he's gone. You should rest well." Li

Yue stared at the dark handprint on his forehead and hesitated, "Don't you... feel a little headache?"

Lin Jiu thought for a moment and said, "It seems... a little..." As soon as he finished speaking, he fell backward.

Chapter 48: An Enemy Attacks...

From that day on, Su Yingge seemed unwilling to even see her. Lin Jiu was the one who brought her medicine each time.

Three days later, she miraculously managed to get out of bed. Her martial arts skills hadn't fully recovered, but her body was almost fully recovered. Although she was still somewhat weak, it was unlikely that such a severe injury would fully heal in a short time.

Guan Du casually mentioned that he hoped she could visit the Xi Prince's residence.

Li Yue politely declined. She wanted to go to Tianyi Island to see Liu Shang. She only said that Huangfu Jue had been kind to her this time, and if the Xi Prince's residence needed her help in the future, she would definitely come.

That afternoon, Huangfu Jue had a big argument with her, the reason being the jade pendant she had taken.

Li Yue naturally refused to back down, and the two almost came to blows. Fortunately, Guan Du arrived in time and forcibly pulled the grimacing Huangfu Jue away.

Early the next morning, there was fog on the river, a vast expanse of white, making it impossible to see beyond five meters. To avoid accidents caused by obstructed visibility, the ship had already anchored.

Li Yue leaned against the railing of the pavilion on the third floor of the ship, feeling somewhat depressed.

Seeing that her body was gradually improving, she tried to practice her martial arts again last night, but not only had her strength not recovered, but her chest pain had also returned.

She couldn't understand. If she was too young to bear the power of the Blood Demon, then Ye Qianxun, who wasn't much older than her, could cultivate such formidable martial arts.

Thinking of Ye Qianxun… she tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and thought: This has to be settled. Her

head, still heavy from lack of rest, was unable to form coherent thoughts.

She heard light, steady footsteps beside her and immediately recognized them as either Guandu or Huangfu Jue. Su Yingge, with her sharp tongue, walked silently, and early morning was usually a busy time for servants, so she wouldn't typically come to the viewing platform.

Without turning around, she continued to close her eyes and rest.

Huangfu Jue stood at the top of the stairs, looking at the girl in the mist. She was casually wrapped in a moon-white gauze dress, her black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her face was slightly bowed, but her complexion was even whiter than the thick fog. A small, delicate white hand rested on the vermilion railing, as white as snow.

She was serene and delicate, a stark contrast to the violent and tyrannical image she had previously projected onto him.

He turned his head slightly and let out a soft sigh.

Hearing the sigh, Li Yue turned her gaze. The aloof young man stood proudly at the entrance of the stairwell, his face obscured by the mist, a faint reluctance visible.

Li Yue chuckled. It seemed he really had been forced here by Guan Du. This stubborn look of being forced to apologize yet unwilling was quite childish.

Perhaps her smile revealed too much of her inner thoughts, so Huangfu Jue's reluctance was tinged with a hint of annoyance. He stood frozen at the stairwell for a while before awkwardly walking towards her, stopping a few feet away by the railing. His long, slender fingers touched the slightly damp railing. After a moment of thought, he finally spoke coldly: "Yesterday, I shouldn't have resorted to violence."

Li Yue's smile froze. What was this? What

did he mean by 'shouldn't have resorted to violence'? Did he think this was an apology?

"Hey, Huangfu Jue, are you free today? Coming here so early to spout nonsense." Li Yue said lazily, leaning against the railing.

Huangfu Jue frowned, his bright eyes sweeping over her, and said, "You were in the wrong first."

“Yes, I was wrong. Back then, when you forced me into a corner in the caravan, I shouldn’t have stolen your jade pendant—that’s my first mistake. Zhu Wumen, I shouldn’t have willingly served under others and risked my life for the Xi Prince’s mansion just to make amends to you—that’s my second mistake. Yesterday, I shouldn’t have disregarded my still-healing body and tried to let you ravage me to vent your anger—that’s my third mistake. All my mistakes are my fault. I apologize to you, Your Highness Xi Prince. Please forgive me, for you are a magnanimous person.” Li Yue stood up, her expression sincere and her tone earnest, and bowed respectfully to Huangfu Jue.

Two red clouds instantly rose on Huangfu Jue’s fair cheeks, and his cold mask crumbled, revealing a hint of youthful embarrassment and bewilderment.

Li Yue looked up and couldn’t help but cover her mouth and smile, then pitifully asked, “Your Highness Xi Prince, will you forgive me or not?”

“Anyway… in short, you lost my mother’s beloved possession, and that was wrong.” He regained a sliver of reason and said curtly.

Li Yue looked at him and found him quite adorable at that moment, a typical big boy who was being rebuked and was unwilling to back down, yet stubbornly arguing his point.

After all, he was only seventeen years old, and had grown up pampered and spoiled in the deep palace, so how worldly and mature could one expect him to be?

"What's wrong with that? Even if someone should be angry, it should be the Dowager Consort who's angry,

not you." Li Yue retorted matter-of-factly. Huangfu Jue choked for a moment, then changed the subject, "If I lost your mother's beloved possession, wouldn't you be angry?"

"Of course not, as long as you didn't lose my mother." Li Yue said with a grin.

Huangfu Jue seemed speechless, looked up, and stretched out his hand.

Li Yue asked, puzzled, "What for?"

"To prove it to me." Huangfu Jue said.

Li Yue understood; he wanted her to take out the item her mother had left her and destroy it on the spot.

"Oh dear, this is troublesome." Li Yue pinched her chin, pondering. "My mother's most cherished possession... was none other than my father's portrait. She did indeed give it to me, but I can't give it to you now."

"Hmph." Huangfu Jue withdrew his hand, his face full of disdain. "Anyone can talk."

"It's not that I'm unwilling to give it to you while it's in my possession; I've already used it." Li Yue said.

"Used?" Huangfu Jue frowned, somewhat puzzled by the word. How could a painting be 'used'?

"I was traveling that day and happened to have diarrhea. I didn't have any toilet paper, so I used it." Li Yue said casually.

Huangfu Jue stared at Li Yue, somewhat incredulous. "You mean, you used your father's portrait... as toilet paper?!"

Li Yue rolled her eyes at him: "What's so strange about that? I'm just a commoner, unlike you, a privileged son of heaven, pampered and waited on hand and foot, with beautiful women even serving me toilet paper. Do you expect me to use grass instead of drawing?"

Hearing her tactless remark, Huangfu Jue was speechless. "You're simply..." He trailed off, then looked up, rubbing his forehead in annoyance.

Li Yue chuckled, turned around, leaped onto the railing, and looked down at the deck. She said calmly, "Can a jade pendant really replace your mother's presence? Your mother is trapped in the palace, suffering humiliation. Instead of trying to save her, you're arguing with me over such a trivial matter. Don't you think you've got your priorities backwards?"

"My affairs are none of your business," the voice behind him said coldly.

"Oh? Then what brings you here today?" Li Yue turned back, her gaze lightly sweeping over the handsome young man, and asked with a faint smile.

Huangfu Jue was taken aback by her question. What was he doing here today?

The abbot said they needed the support of the Blood Shadow Palace to be on par with Huangfu Zaichun in the martial arts world. Since it was clear that Ye Qianxun's relationship with her was quite special, she was the first person they needed to win over.

But... he really wasn't used to it. Apart from Hanyu, he had never been alone with any other woman.

And this woman in front of him was so eccentric and unpredictable, making him both annoyed and hateful, yet also leaving him helpless.

"Hey, I wasn't born to be stared at like a daze. Go somewhere else if you want to daydream." After the teasing they had just had, Li Yue's internal injuries from last night's intense training of the Blood Demon technique began to flare up again. Seeing Huangfu Jue staring at her in a daze amidst the pain, she felt irritated and immediately told him to leave.

Huangfu Jue snapped out of his daze and said unhappily, "It's my ship, I can be wherever I want."

Li Yue's chest ached, and she was too lazy to argue with him. "Fine, it's your territory, you're the boss, I'll leave." As she spoke, she slid down the railing. She had only taken two steps when her feet suddenly wobbled. Before she could react, the ship's siren blared.

Enemy attack!

A commotion erupted on the first deck as guards ran back and forth, on high alert. The thick fog obscured what was happening, but Guan Du's steady voice rang out: "Protect His Highness!" The guards responded, and orderly footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Huangfu Jue turned, grabbed Li Yue's wrist, and rushed downstairs. Before they reached the top of the stairs, two iron chains suddenly flew from the right side of the ship, their massive steel claws accurately hooking onto the two pillars on the right side of the pavilion.

"Not good!" Li Yue cried out softly, flicking her right hand to unleash two sharp blades formed from true energy, instantly severing the two iron chains. Just then, the ship suddenly capsized to the left, followed by the sounds of people or objects falling into the water.

Li Yue turned around and saw that two steel claws had also hooked onto the left railing.

The sounds of fighting came from downstairs, and a figure leaped into the air, landing lightly on the already tilted second-floor railing.

Huangfu Jue grabbed Li Yue again and pushed her towards the figure, shouting, "Father, protect her!"

Before she could think about why he had blurted out such a sentence, Li Yue lost her balance and slid downwards. She immediately pushed off the tilted floor with both feet, trying to jump up and grab the railing to steady herself, but as soon as she activated her true energy, a tearing pain shot through her chest, and the salty taste of blood immediately rose in her throat.

Just as Guan Du was about to offer assistance, four dark figures suddenly appeared like ghosts in the thick fog, surrounding him. With a flick of their sleeves, a chilling silver light flashed. They were four formidable swords, their imposing sword energy sealing off all his escape routes as soon as the attacks began.

Guan Du was slightly alarmed. These four were clearly top-tier martial arts masters from the start. The fact that they could send four at once meant their background was extraordinary, and he immediately worried for Huangfu Jue's safety. He had

been careless this time. There had never been any conflict or entanglement between the Xi Wang Mansion and the various forces of Nanfo. He had assumed that nothing major would happen during his travels in Nanfo, so he had only brought a small number of guards. He hadn't expected to encounter such powerful enemies on the way. The fact that they chose to attack in the foggy morning meant they had been following them for some time.

Fearing they might harm Huangfu Jue, Guan Du ducked low, his movements strange and incredibly light as he plummeted downwards. The four men, ignoring Huangfu Jue who was right in front of them, chased after Guan Du to the first floor, where a chaotic battle ensued.

"Your Highness!" In the chaos, Lin Jiu had already led the guards to the second floor, but the ship was tilted, and everyone was unsteady.

"Go down and protect your father!" Huangfu Jue gave a short order, using the ship's tilt to lunge downwards, grabbing Li Yue's wrist to stop her slide, and hooking his other hand onto the railing.

Li Yue's body hung in the air, her chest aching terribly, and she had no strength to climb back up.

Seeing this, Lin Jiu slid down the tilting platform, intending to pull them both up, when suddenly a rope flew out from nowhere, wrapping around Li Yue's waist and dragging her deeper into the thick fog.

The opponent was extremely strong. If Huangfu Jue didn't let go, Li Yue's arm would probably be torn off. He immediately released his arm from the railing. The weight of the two of them prevented the opponent from wrapping them up together at once. As their speed slowed down, the two of them fell into the river together.

"Your Highness!" Lin Jiu cried out in alarm, leaping towards Huangfu Jue.

A short sword spun through the air, severing the rope binding Li Yue. Li Yue struggled to look up and saw Su Yingge standing on the tilting gunwale, the severed rope already in his hand. She felt no joy at being rescued, only a growing sense of unease.

"Splash!" Li Yue and Huangfu Jue were suspended in mid-air by Su Yingge. Lin Jiu, trying to rescue Huangfu Jue, fell into the river, quickly surfacing and swimming towards the gunwale. "

Ouch, so heavy! Huangfu Jue, let go! I can't pull anymore!" Su Yingge complained loudly as she slowly pulled the rope upwards.

Huangfu Jue pursed his lips, his face pale, refusing to let go.

Li Yue's arm ached from being dragged down, but out of consideration for his earlier assistance, she remained silent, only looking up at Su Yingge and yelling, "You son of a bitch, either pull us up now or let go!" Her waist was practically broken from the weight, and his leisurely manner infuriated her.

She could vaguely see chaos on the boat behind him, limbs flying everywhere, blood splattering, and heads and severed limbs occasionally flying off the gunwale and into the river. Yet he remained unperturbed, calmly pulling the rope while coldly saying, "You think pulling two pigs is easy? Why don't you try? You even dare to threaten me with such disrespect, watch out if I let go..." Before he could finish, someone suddenly flew past from behind, slamming into his back with a 'bang.'

"Ouch!" Caught off guard, he tumbled downwards.

Li Yue, being pulled down by Huangfu Jue, fell even faster. "Su Yingge, I won't let you get away with this!" Before hitting the water, Li Yue glared at Su Yingge, who was also rapidly plummeting towards the river at the other end of the rope, and shouted.

Lin Jiu, who had just climbed onto the gunwale, saw this and turned to jump into the river as well.

"Splash" sounds rang out one after another as the four of them fell into the water.

Li Yue was a good swimmer, and as soon as she fell into the water, she instinctively swam upwards, trying to surface for air. After swimming a few times, she couldn't move. Turning her head, she saw Huangfu Jue struggling wildly, gripping her wrist tightly.

This guy can't swim? No wonder he wouldn't let go earlier.

She was both angry and amused. Enduring the sharp pain in her chest, she turned around, trying to lift him to the surface first, but saw about seven or eight people swimming towards her like fish.

Li Yue was in a panic. She was injured, and Huangfu Jue couldn't swim. If these people wanted to harm her, it would be too easy.

Just as things were getting tense, a hand suddenly gripped his wrist. Turning around, he saw Su Yingge and Lin Jiu swimming over. Lin Jiu was supporting Huangfu Jue's body, while Su Yingge was trying hard to pry his hand off Li Yue.

Whether he was nearly unconscious or genuinely frightened, he wouldn't let go no matter what. Su Yingge tried several times but failed. The seven or eight people swam closer, leaving

Su Yingge with no choice but to confront them. Lin Jiu swam back with Huangfu Jue in his arms. Li Yue, held by Huangfu Jue, had less freedom of movement and could only kick her legs. This meant Lin Jiu was dragging two people while swimming, slowing him down considerably. Before long, the pursuers caught up with them.

These people were not only excellent swimmers but also skilled in martial arts. They moved nimbly and moved with remarkable agility in the water, quickly forcing Lin Jiu to release his grip. Two people held onto Lin Jiu, two held onto Su Yingge, and the other three dragged Huangfu Jue and Li Yue away.

Chapter 49. A Basin of Dirty Water...

"Cough cough..." Because she choked on water, Li Yue coughed violently as soon as she was dragged onto the deck. The shock to her chest caused a sharp pain, and the smell of blood rose again. She forced down the surging blood and looked towards Huangfu Jue beside her, following the pain in her wrist.

He was pale and motionless, seemingly unconscious.

Remembering how he had saved her in the Holy Realm, Li Yue didn't bother to check who else was on the ship. She got up and knelt beside Huangfu Jue, pressing on his chest repeatedly while calling out, "Huangfu Jue, you damn well better wake up! You're just pretending to be dead after choking on a few mouthfuls of water? Are you even a man?!" He

didn't react. Li Yue gritted her teeth and increased the pressure. After a moment, his chest trembled slightly, a few drops of clear water spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his eyelashes began to flutter.

Li Yue breathed a sigh of relief, sat down on the ground, and began to pry open his fingers that were tightly gripping her wrist. It really hurt terribly.

"Tsk tsk, what a deep and abiding love! Such a bond of life and death is truly moving!" A mocking voice rang in her ears.

Li Yue looked up and saw a man in his thirties, dressed in ochre robes, standing with a sword at his side. Beside him stood a woman in white robes, wearing a bamboo hat with a white veil hanging from the edge, obscuring her face. Judging from her figure, she was likely a woman. Behind them stood a dozen or so men, seemingly the man in ochre robes' subordinates.

The man saw Li Yue's face clearly, a look of amazement flashing in his eyes. His lustful gaze lingered on Li Yue's curvaceous figure, accentuated by her soaked clothes. His Adam's apple bobbed twice, and he remained silent.

"Cough cough..." Huangfu Jue coughed as he woke up. Li Yue finally managed to pry his fingers open. His wrists were bruised and purple from his grip. She rubbed her wounds and said coldly, "I didn't expect that your Huajian Sect would be strong enough to become notorious bandits." Although she said this, she was a little suspicious. Huajian Sect was a small sect on the banks of the Jiaye River. They definitely couldn't send out experts who could rival Guandu. What was the

background of the four experts on the ship? The man in ochre clothes changed his expression and said, "You, what nonsense are you talking about? Who is from Huajian Sect?" He wanted to deny it, but his mental fortitude was not good enough, and his voice trembled as he spoke.

Li Yue scoffed, saying, "Not using any banners or announcing your identities, choosing unfamiliar faces like you who rarely venture into the martial world to carry out this mission, is indeed a good way to conceal yourselves, but..." Her gaze swept over the triangular pattern on the hilt of the man in ochre robes' sword, and she continued, "You forgot to remove the sect emblem from the hilt."

The man in ochre robes glanced down at the hilt, startled, and looked up at Li Yue, his mouth opening and closing, but before he could speak, Li Yue said, "Of course, perhaps you'll say that you're carrying Hua Jian Sect swords just to frame them. Hmm, you're very clever, you've done it very convincingly, so we completely believe that it was the Hua Jian Sect who kidnapped Prince Xi of Xiwu on the Jiaye River."

The man in ochre robes' face darkened, and he snapped, "You brat, shut up! He's Prince Xiwu, perhaps we wouldn't dare kill him, but you..." He gave a signal, and the man in black standing beside Li Yue drew his longsword and reached for Li Yue's neck.

Li Yue was about to retaliate when someone acted faster than her. The woman in white flipped her right hand, and a point of silver light shot out, striking the sword with a "clang." Not only did it knock the sword away, but the force also caused the man in black wielding it to stagger to the side.

The man in ochre robes turned sharply to look at the woman in white, his anger simmering but he dared not retaliate. He lowered his voice and said, "Holy Envoy, this..."

"You handle your own affairs. She is not for you to kill," the woman in white said coldly. Judging from her melodious and clear voice, she was definitely no more than twenty years old.

Li Yue was quite puzzled. Firstly, she couldn't discern the woman's background, and secondly, she didn't know why she had come to her aid.

While they were having internal conflicts, Huangfu Jue had fully woken up and immediately stood up to face the man in ochre robes. Li Yue, however, was injured and felt it was more comfortable to sit, so she maintained her cross-legged sitting position.

"Who are you?" Huangfu Jue was soaked to the bone, his black hair clinging wetly to his neck, his face pale, and his lips bloodless—a truly disheveled figure. Yet, his demeanor and tone remained noble and imposing, his iron will and natural authority commanding respect.

Li Yue sighed inwardly: This man might not be exceptionally skilled in martial arts, or have a particularly good temper, but this seemingly innate, natural kingly aura was indeed rare.

The man in ochre robes was taken aback by his shout. Looking at Huangfu Jue's handsome face, still glistening with water droplets, he unconsciously cupped his hands in response. Halfway through, he hesitated, realizing it was inappropriate. This Prince Xi was a disgraced younger brother exiled by the Emperor of Xiwu, not a prince of Nanfo. Why should he be polite to him?

He quickly and impassively lowered his hand to the hilt of his sword, saying, "Prince Xi, please don't blame us for our rudeness. It's just that you took what you shouldn't have." He pointed to the woman in white beside him and continued, "This is the Holy Envoy sent by the Heavenly Saint Palace to find the key to the Heavenly Treasure Box. Prince Xi, please return it intact."

Li Yue's heart skipped a beat. So it was the Heavenly Saint Palace. No wonder they could send such a master. The key to the Heavenly Treasure Box was in Huangfu Jue's hands? Even Yu Wuchen couldn't find Sumeru, how did Huangfu Jue manage to do it? Could it be that his strength was even greater than that of Yuexiao Manor?

Thinking of this, she smiled bitterly. Yu Wuchen, Yu Wuchen, she had never truly understood him. How could she know that he hadn't hidden anything from her about this matter?

"Inexplicable!" Huangfu Jue was both shocked and angry, but he was unwilling to lower himself to defend himself.

"Prince Xi, stop hiding it. The whole world knows the key to the treasure box is in your hands. If you don't want to face this trouble again, you'd better end things now. Otherwise, given the strength of the Heavenly Saint Palace and the allure of the key, I'm afraid your Zhu Wu Sect will never have peace again," said the man in ochre robes. "

Since the Heavenly Saint Palace knows where the key is, why didn't they send their own people instead of sending you nobody to make a fool of yourselves? Could it be that the Heavenly Saint Palace is also without capable people?" Before Huangfu Jue could answer, Li Yue interjected.

The man in ochre robes was about to reply when the woman in white raised her hand to stop him. Her face was hidden behind a veil, so it was impossible to tell who she was looking at. She said, "Prince Xi, we can give you time to consider, but before you decide to hand over the key, we need to take this young lady away."

So they came for her?

"Hey! Are you kidding me? I'm nobody to him. Your bargaining chip is too weak!" Li Yue was worried about Liu Shang and Tan Lang and wasn't prepared to be kidnapped for no reason.

"If he doesn't give you the key in exchange, we'll have to report this to the King of Xiwu," the woman in white said.

This move was truly brilliant. The Heavenly Treasure Box contained a prophecy about who would rule the world. The key was stolen a few years ago, and powerful figures from the three kingdoms were all searching for it. If they had the key, they might have the chance to be the first to open the Heavenly Treasure Box. At that time, whether the prophecy was inside or who the prophesied person was would be irrelevant. What they needed was the deeply ingrained credibility and prestige of the Imperial Tutor, Ku Ming.

Therefore, the Emperor of Xiwu must also be extremely interested in this key. If he knew that the key was in the hands of the Xi King, whom he deeply feared and was always wary of, how could he let it go?

The sun came out, and the fog on the river thinned a bit. Huangfu Jue's handsome brows furrowed as he stared at the woman in white without speaking, his mind racing: Who had tried to frame me? Unless I truly found the key and handed it over, judging from their words, I was utterly unable to clear my name. This matter could be discussed later; the most urgent thing was to prevent Huangfu Zaichun from getting wind of it, otherwise, his mother and Hanyu would be in danger.

He declared, "As long as I live, you will not take anyone away." His words implied a willingness to fight to the death.

Li Yue looked up at him; water still dripped from his hair and clothes, but sunlight illuminated his face, his expression calm yet resolute, exuding an unassailable aura.

Ultimately, he was proud. He disliked her, even hated her; there was no romantic feeling between them, not even friendship. But because she was now on his side, he would not allow anyone to trample on her; to trample on her was to trample on his dignity. For this, he was willing to risk his life.

Li Yue sighed softly in her heart. How similar she was to her, yet how different. Her dignity was not to be violated, but she would not fight to the death when she was weak. She would keep this life to make a comeback and utterly crush all those who had hurt her under her feet. This was her choice.

"Does Prince Xi mean that he would rather die here than hand over the key?" the woman in white said coldly.

"It's not that I'm unwilling to hand it over, it's that I can't." At this moment, any explanation seemed pale. In his helplessness, this was the only sentence he could use to express his innocence.

The woman in white remained silent, but the man in ochre beside her drew his sword, saying, "In that case, Prince Xi, please forgive us for our offense..." Before he could finish the word "offense," a heart-wrenching cry rang out from below: "Help! Help! Help! I'm drowning! Qin Pig Demon, help me—"

The unseemly cry for help instantly shattered the tense and solemn atmosphere on the ship. Li Yue rubbed her forehead, thinking to herself: This sharp-tongued man really changes his tune faster than flipping through a book. He was so cold just a moment ago, but now he's all cheerful again.

The man in ochre frowned and gave a wink to a man in black beside him. The man in black immediately rushed towards the ship's side, but before he even got close, a hysterical scream came from below: "It's freezing! I can't stand it!"

The man in black peered over the ship's side, but saw no one below.

Just then, two white ribbons, like two long rainbows, suddenly shot out from the sleeves of the woman in white, coiling towards Li Yue like snakes. Li Yue was about to dodge when Huangfu Jue suddenly turned and blocked her path, stretching out his arms to grab the ribbons and pull them back. The woman in white stumbled forward, seemingly enraged. The ribbons trembled and flew towards Huangfu Jue through the air.

Li Yue was stunned for a moment, then looked at Huangfu Jue's back and thought to herself: "In my sixteen years, some have tolerated me in my wandering days, some have saved me from the brink of death, but never has anyone protected me like this in the face of an enemy."

She always judged by results, not by reasons, and regardless of his true thoughts, his actions at this moment warmed her heart. She immediately resolved that from now on, as long as he didn't oppose her, she, Qin Li Yue, would never be his enemy.

The woman in white and Huangfu Jue had just clashed when the man in ochre saw his chance. He quickly signaled his disciples to seize Li Yue. The three at the front were all wounded by hidden weapons formed from Li Yue's true energy, and the others hesitated.

Seeing this, the man in ochre picked up two longswords and hurled them at her, thinking: Will you dodge or fight back? If you try to deflect these swords with both hands, we'll have a chance to take you down.

Li Yue had suffered severe internal injuries from the backlash of her internal energy last night, and her chest still ached terribly. After today's ordeal, simply sitting there was a struggle, let alone fighting them. Seeing the man in ochre throw his swords, she knew she was doomed and decided to strike first. She swung both swords simultaneously, sending two gleaming blades flying towards the man in ochre's face and lower body.

At the same time, two longswords, imbued with internal force, hurtled towards Qin Liyue. Liyue fell backward, landing flat on the ground, her fists clenched as she parried. Two bloody gashes appeared on her wrists, but the swords were knocked aside.

A scream and a muffled groan rang out simultaneously. The scream came from the man in ochre robes, who, unable to dodge in time, had a several-inch-long gash on his cheek from Liyue's blade. The groan came from Huangfu Jue, who, distracted by the swords aimed at Qin Liyue, had taken a blow from the woman in white.

The woman in white struck Huangfu Jue with a palm, but instead of striking him down, she leaped back and shouted at the man in ochre robes, whose cheek was covered in blood, "Don't hurt her!"

The man in ochre robes, already enraged by his injury, was further enraged by the woman's words. He retorted, "We captured her to exchange for the key and the bounty, not to work for your Heavenly Saint Palace. You forbid me from hurting her but still want to capture her? If you're so capable, go yourself!"

Hearing this, the woman in white took a few steps back, drew a crossbow from behind her, aimed it at Huangfu Jue, and shouted at Li Yue, "You'd better surrender obediently, or your handsome young man will suffer."

Li Yue was momentarily confused. Didn't she want the key? Why did it seem like she wanted to take her away more than the key?

Just as she was wondering, she heard a soft sound beside her. Turning her head, she saw Su Yingge, clinging to the ship's railing, panting and soaking wet, climbing aboard.

Seeing Li Yue looking over, he grinned and shouted at the people on the ship, "Surrender and you won't be killed! Surrender and you won't be killed!"

Li Yue rolled her eyes and muttered, "Idiot!" She was already in such a sorry state herself, yet she dared to threaten others to surrender.

Su Yingge, clumsily climbing onto the boat, said, "I asked them if they wouldn't kill me if I surrendered. Who's the idiot?"

If it weren't for the intense pain from her internal and external injuries, Li Yue would have kicked her long ago.

Su Yingge casually sat down next to Li Yue, wringing out excess water from her hair. Her gaze swept over them, and seeing Huangfu Jue being aimed at by the white-clad woman with a crossbow, she couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Huangfu Jue, if you knew you were going to be shot to death, you might as well have drowned cleanly. At least there wouldn't be any bloodshed."

Li Yue finally realized that this guy was a complete psychopath who couldn't eat unless others were in trouble!

Completely losing hope of getting help from him, she turned to the woman in white and said, "Before I surrender, there are two things I need to understand. First, how exactly did your Heavenly Saint Palace determine that the key is in Huangfu Jue's hands? Second, what will you do if the key isn't in his hands or if he refuses to give it to me in exchange?"

The woman in white sounded somewhat agitated, saying, "These are none of your concern. You just need to decide whether to come with me or not."

Li Yue bit her lip, her heart churning with conflicting emotions.

"Since your Heavenly Saint Palace is certain that the key is in my hands, why not take me away and have her send a message to my subordinates to bring the key in exchange for me? Wouldn't that be more reasonable and effective?" Huangfu Jue suddenly said during the stalemate.

The man in ochre robes and the others, upon hearing this, thought it made sense and all looked up at the woman in white on the cabin ceiling. Unexpectedly, the woman in white refused without hesitation: "The Heavenly Saint Palace has rules; no one from the royal family of any of the three kingdoms may be detained."

"I'm so hungry! Do you have anything to eat?" The originally serious and tense atmosphere of negotiation, coupled with Su Yingge's oblivious shouting, was truly somewhat comical.

"Shut up!" Li Yue snapped sharply.

"Oh dear, she's already made her intentions clear. All that talk about the key and not being allowed to touch royal family members is just an excuse. Her goal is to take you away. What are you still thinking about?" Su Yingge said.

The man in ochre robes and the others exchanged glances, unsure if she was telling the truth. Considering the series of unusual actions the woman in white had just taken, they became skeptical.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" the woman in white snapped.

"You, Tian Sheng Palace, surely know the difference between kidnapping and injuring royalty and imprisoning royalty, right? You not only kidnapped Prince Xi but also injured him, and now you're hypocritically spouting some ridiculous rules about Tian Sheng Palace. Don't you find it laughable?" Su Yingge stood up, slowly walked to the center of the deck, and looked up at the woman in white.

"Shut up!" The woman in white suddenly shot down a white silk ribbon, clearly intending to kill him to silence him.

Su Yingge deftly tilted his body, and without any visible movement of his left hand, the white ribbon was wrapped around his arm several times. With a slight tug, he flicked his right sleeve, which was dripping wet, towards the man in ochre robes and others not far away. As water droplets flew, he shouted, "Come down!"

The woman in white did not come down, but more than twenty people, including the man in ochre robes, all fell to the ground.

Su Yingge released the white ribbon from his arm, took a few steps back, and looked at the woman in white without saying a word.

The woman in white was startled by the sudden turn of events. Clutching the white silk ribbon she had just retrieved, her gaze darted across the deck, trying to discern what had happened.

In an instant, over twenty people collapsed, without struggle, without cry, and without any sign of life.

A chill ran through her. She looked at Su Yingge, who wore a serene smile, and began, "You…" She uttered only one word before falling silent.

Before collapsing, she struggled to look at the white silk ribbon in her left hand; its once pure white color had turned bluish-black.

With a muffled thud as bodies hit the ground, the deck fell silent.

Li Yue stared blankly at Su Yingge, who had taken dozens of lives in the blink of an eye yet looked at her with an innocent expression, speechless.

The realization that a casually flicked drop of water could kill in an instant filled her with an unparalleled chill, especially since his expression before and after the killings was identical. Without a single warning, without a moment's hesitation, without a trace of murderous intent, it was as easy and natural as crushing a few dozen ants.

Although she had always felt he was both righteous and wicked, she had never imagined he had such a cold-blooded and ruthless side.

"Don't force yourself, it won't do you any good," Su Yingge suddenly said in her daze.

Reminded by him, Li Yue belatedly realized that her chest was throbbing with a surging, excruciating pain. She obediently turned her head and vomited blood, watching the bright red blood spread across the wooden deck. Her mind gradually became hazy, and finally, she couldn't hold on any longer; her body slumped and she fainted.

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