Chapter 42 (1/2)

Chapter 42 Original and most updated translations are from volaretranslations

My brows furrowed, and I hastily opened the curtains to look outside, hands gripping the edge of theFresh air mixed with hot, dense wind to assail ust welled up within me There was no one outside, and the quilt across the horse’s back was splattered with tiny spots of blood

The carriage was shaking violently now, and all I could hear was the sound of wheels crushi+ng past stones mixed amidst thunderous hoofbeats The scenery flew past us, branches occasionally scrabbling nosily against our vehicle Startled by the fire dragon, the horse had his head bowed as he ran for his life It was clear to see that the shock had frightened him out of his senses

Straight in front of us was the edge of a cliff…

I grittedwildly in the wind Just as ave a heavy lurch and tilted to the left So apart My eyes widened

Curses! Soed our ride…

“Shao’er, I think soe,” someone spoke from within

“That’s right, it’s about to fall to pieces”

Without anyone to control hi forward, dragging the shuddering carriage behind hie…

I irabbed hie roof as I flew into the air, the hipping our robes

“Where are we going?” Han Zichuan asked as I held hi his hair askehile he squinted at htly on air He seemed as if he wanted to ask ht instead

This guy, he’s so heavy…

Actually, I’d already regretted the e with hireen I didn’t haveoff We hadn’t even reached the top of the cliff before I ran out of qi My foot slipped a few paces as rabbed an outcropping rock on the cliff face while the other carried the weight of a second person…a glance doards revealed the carriage at the bottom of the cliff, utterly destroyed

Our co

“Shao’er…” he looked at o?”

I choked on rip Of course I wanted to let go, but for Fang Hua’s sake, I couldn’t just abandon you The botto ways down, but Han Zichuan kept sh that smile…

…made me extremely uneasy It was as if he’d come to some sort of decision

My heart felt heavy as I tightened ht voice “Don’t even think about th to fish you back up if you drop”

He slowly smiled and reached out a hand to eht of shattered stars Curses, I thought he was going to kill hi with his hands like that…I…I really don’t have any strength left!

My hand had stopped feeling sore and long turned nu down my wrist The rock had cut into my flesh, but there was no pain as I raised ht spilling over the edge of the cliff Gritting y and used brute strength to force my way up My foot stepped on air as I leapt upwards, but before I could reach the top, qi burst into my chest andfrorew hazy…

In the end, I blacked out

The last thing I re me into his arms as the scenery rushed past us So even I had ht, this journey had really lead to a hugely inauspicious event

—

I didn’t kno much tih ht I saw scared me to death An abyss yawned before me and I instinctively backed away Behindbut precipitous cliffs Han Zichuan held ht embrace

One of his hands rested againstwhite sht flare up into the pitch-black skies, illunal Since he had so like this, why not use it earlier, before we fell off the cliff…

Hold on, I’m not dead?

“Shao’er, I’m sorry…I woke you” he used a hand to feel my forehead as he muttered to himself “Your fever still hasn’t left you”

I wearily clutched his sleeves, ritted as I asked, “What exactly happened?”

“You fainted, probably from exhaustion I happened to see a cave on the side of the cliff and brought you here just now”

Good Very good…very fortunate

Dare I ask exactly how you had the luck to carry a person in a dead faint to this cave while ere falling?

“Actually, my martial arts skills aren’t bad”

I spat

“What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell somewhere?”

I viciously used my sleeves to wipe h to spit blood This guy was perfectly capable of escaping froer but decided to rely on me Now look, ere both ruined and stuck in this dreary place

—

Inside the cave, an icy wind blew past,me shi+ver I bent down into a crouch and tried to feel about me, but he loopedabout to laugh as he spoke in a serious tone “You’ve been unconscious for half the day Don’t move around, we should share body warht”

I fell silent, not because of what he said, but because I discovered I couldn’t call forth a trace of qi fro

“Shao’er, why is your body so cold?” He seemed worried as he felt about me

“See you with cares,” I pushed aside his hands and closed , “We’ve already been forced off a cliff Have you figured out as targeting you yet?”

He frowned,“I’ you into it”

…I laughed bitterly

As I suspected, this person wouldn’t drag me back to the palace without reason If people could even hurt the euessed the news of s must be chaotic back at the house

“Nothing will happen Roughly around dawn, people will come to rescue us”

I re at him with a half-smile “Even on an inspection tour, the e his assassination? Looks like your rule hasn’t been all smooth and steady”

He lifted his eyes to look at me, the expression as if to say, how did you know?

Of course I knew My palhtest Even without adequate internal energy, the results shouldn’t have turned out like that Thinking back, the feeling I had then…there was definitely armor hidden beneath his robes, and he looked like an experienced fighter Maybe he was even the soldier of soeneral

No one frohu would dare to provoke me

Right noas ures in the jianghu, each one filled with determination to protect their Master It was doubtful that they’d let lance at Han Zichuan’s calht it a bit odd He didn’t seeth of the young Princes to kill rebellious, would-be assassins?

A sudden burst of pain filledin a deep breath Calm…I had to stay calm

“Though Zhen ascended the throne as the erasp There are plenty of people ish to rebel as well” he swept his gaze over e had been sabotaged, these ambitious rebels were really too bold

Hey…

I slowly struggled free and grabbed the front of his jacket, sullen “And you’re just letting theainst you like this?!”

“Shao’er, are you showing concern forinto a stateave hie

The current officials actually dared to send assassins after the emperor on his inspection tour Such an open, brazen display of actions was not only crude and rash, but stupid They seeht for the consequences, perhaps because Han Zichuan had forced them to this point

I should have realized it earlier…the person before me now had killed his own father while he was still a crown prince He wasn’t a leader you could provoke easily Though, if it was just his internal affairs, why drag an innocent person like me into the mess? Wasn’t this unfair? Unjust?

Tears…

Meanwhile, he kept staring and s at me, heart filled with happiness as he held ain? When you told o no matter what at the cliff, I knew…even if everyone in the world was plotting against me, you wouldn’t My Shao’er is still the same as before…”

If I could turn back time, I’d drop you without hesitation

He held my face in his hands as he lookedwith your face, it’s so pale Did you suffer some internal injuries?”

This guy, I was ready to sling him over my shoulder and throw him off the cliff He only just realized I had internal injuries Isn’t this a bit too slow?

Endure it…

“If you hold ht at hi out my words

He nestled closer in e nor tightening After a while, they rested over my shoulders as he came to a decision, “Zhen has methods Zhen will treat your injuries for you”

I gave a start

When he used the word “Zhen,” I had a premonition

“No…” No need

But the hands on my shoulders were like iron I was seized with panic as he turned over and pressed y, he spoke “If you don’t want to die early, then stop fiddling around with your internal energy”

Hey, why did his lines sound so fa me?

I grew blank He gave round His words were right I’d felt that soy as soon as we fell off the cliff, but what treat? Even as I stared at hi his own qi as he touched h orous, but it onlyto channel true qi inside me, I wouldn’t have listened to him

Pah, what a lousy idea

I resisted the tumultuous sensations withinthe stream of true qi as I turned over and pushed him aside He seemed at a loss as he tried to move over and pull at me “What happened, did I do it incorrectly?”

“That’s right That’s very right…”

If he gave ans and cause my body to burst He eased me into his e on my shoulders to repeat the process I couldn’t bear it any up a mouthful of blood

“Shao’er, what’s happened to you?” his voice shook, severely disturbed

I pulledJust letoverbetween yang and yin I can’t endure the usual…”