Chapter 13 (2/2)

Xiao Yao took a soft breath and said to herself: This is nothing Dad is waiting for met at the summit altar This is the same as the rehearsal, just with one more set of steps

Xiao Yao sloalked out of the cloud tent and the maids helped adjust her train

The entire summit altar was constructed fro out wide and narrowing as it got to the top Both sides of the steps were ringed with Gao Xing cereuests were dressed in their finest and watching fro as she waited for disaster to happen

Zhuan Xu was cal back, it alsowas filled with anticipation He wanted countless ti to see her But evenfro him feel he was so distant frohtly and flooding the suracefully walked up the summit steps

Her inky black hair was upswept, a white dress robed with a cinched waist paired with an outer gossa train The robe was en of a s and peach blossom forest As she walked, the robe fanned out on the white jade steps The peach blossoe of an entire forest of blooirl followed the sound of the horn and walked straight forith her head slightly raised as she stared ahead to the top of the summit Her snohite skin, fine features, and a sht in the center of her forehead – she was breathtaking A who’s who of the entire world was here for her but her expression was aloof, her lips tightly pressed together without a hint of a smile, and her eyes conveyed her annoyance and unhappiness to be here, with a dash of scorn

Whether it was the bright sun shi+ning down, or steps full of peach blossoe was dizzying

Zhuan Xu and Jing stood in the very front and could see the clearest Zhuan Xu was slightly angry but didn’t knohy he was angry Jing felt this awe inducing sight before hirab onto so

Xiao Yao stood very still before the Grand Ehed – so often fate is on its own tracks and no one could stop it

The Grand Emperor took Xiao Yao to pray to the Heavens, and then prayed to the Gao Xing ancestors Xiao Yao’spraying in between all the chanting and bowing Thanks to Ru So’s daily torturous training, she was able to do this feeling coh the memorized motions She secretly scoffed, the more one looked totally stiff, the more the spectators would consider her totally proper in such a sole

Until the very end, when Xiao Yao felt like her body was so stiff it was about to collapse, she heard the announced that the cereuests froe and let out a huge breath The Grand Emperor asked “Tired?”

Xiao Yao nodded The Grand Eo rest You don’t need to coht’s banquet if you don’t want”

“Dad, aren’t you tired?” Xiao Yao didn’t need to go but the Grand E

“I’m used to it”

Xiao Yao asked “Dad, how co the outfit you don’t like?”

“Clearly Ah Nian hed “I knew you were aware of all the stuff she was doing”

“If I knew this, I would have stepped in But……Ah Nian is using unreasonableness to hide her unease and insecurity When it was just her, she was the only and never had to fight for anything Now that you are here, she compares herself to you The only ones who can reassure her are Zhuan Xu andfavorites so I’ht now But I feel like…souys need to resolve it yourselves”

Ah Nian’s fear, Xiao Yao could understand the worry that she would take away her dad and older brother But insecurity? Xiao Yao laughed “I can take care of itwith her”

The Grand E I have to exchange for everything I want I have regrets but will still do it again The only thing I worry about is the two of you sisters If you can love and accept each other sincerely and look out for each other, then I will have nothing else to worry about”

This was the rare instance of the Grand Eenuine sadness and it s that one cannot do alone Xiao Yao didn’t have faith she could do what her dad asked with Ah Nian so didn’t want to make a promise she couldn’t keep But she vowed to try her best

The cloud carriage returned to the Palace, with the Grand E Garden while Xiao Yao returned to Ming Se Court

The maids knew her personality so immediately took off her outfit and re a hot bath, Xiao Yao finally felt like she was alive again

Xiao Yao would never envy a woman with a y cinched waist any robe to put on and then she sprawled on the pallet while the e and she pro soundly, she had no idea that a group of youth were discussing her in Qi Qing Garden

Xing Yue and Yi Yang grabbed Zhuan Xu and wheedled “Call your cousin out We want toand the rest of the sons of powerful fahed “She has a very strange personality I doubt she’ll be willing to coot a te Yue said to Zhuan Xu “Aren’t we all friends? Later if people ask if we are friends and if we met your cousin, are we to say we know her but she’s never , Zhuan Xu had no choice and turned to Jing “Help uys stop putting Zhuan Xu in a difficult position”

Feng Long i Zhuan Xu There are plenty of opportunities in the future to make her acquaintance”

Everyone piped down and thus dispersed to look for things to do Zhuan Xu turned to thank Jing when suddenly Jing said “I want to see Xiao Yao”

The expression in Zhuan Xu’s eyes changed and he was silent for a“I can only pass word for you She decides whether or not to see you”

Jing said “Thank you Please tell her that I will be waiting for her at the base of the on bone prison”

Zhuan Xu didn’t understand “That is secluded enough but not exactly a good place to gobowed “If you please” and then turned and disappeared from the banquet

Zhuan Xu had a servant deliver the news that “shi+ Qi is waiting for you outside the dragon bone prison” Xiao Yao felt happinessshe couldn’t fully understand

She finished her meal, washed up, and then casually ordered the uest Pick me a pretty outfit”

It was the first time the maids heard the Princess ask to dress up nicely and they all perked up in excitement and pulled out all sorts of pretty outfits for the Princess to choose from

The maids conferred and decided on three to pick from Xiao Yao wanted one that didn’t have a cinched waist and was told she would look like she was pregnant under the ht

Another maid said “Princess, we can’t wear these outfits even if anted because our waist isn’t sh You look so pretty in it, why don’t you wear it?”

Xiao Yao asked “I really look nice in it?”

All of the ht about how this was her first tio with pretty over coreen robe and the maids did her hair with a bell hair pin so it whistled as she walked She took a few steps and felt tired but the o see the person now We proet you”

Xiao Yao’s face was burning “What are you guys talking about? I’ular friend”

All of the ular friend as so regular that the Princess would spend all that ti herself up

Xiao Yao took the cloud carriage down the ot off to walk the rest of the way It was a full moon out and Xiao Yao sloalked until she could hear the sound of the waves crashi+ng against the cliff

She saw athe ocean and quietly waiting It was unclear how long he waited, it was unclear how er he’ll continue to wait

The person waiting for her was Ye shi+ Qi

Xiao Yao felt all her frustration slowly disappear until all that was left was joy and nervousness

Xiao Yao walked quietly towards him

At the ceremony, Ah Nian was so excited to see Xiao Yao make a fool of herself, but who could have expected that Xiao Yao would end up wearing an outfit that was eventhe center of attention of the entire vast wilderness

Ah Nian almost rushed out and trashed Xiao Yao’s outfit then and there, destroying Xiao Yao and destroying herself But her htly held onto her hand, her eyes filled with despair and entreaty Ah Nian would misbehave towards anyone except her mom So Ah Nian could only close her eyes and endure until the ceremony was over

She escorted her mom back to her residence but couldn’t stay in the Palace any longer Since Xiao Yao returned, the Palace no longer felt like her own hoed ride and left he Palace She didn’t knohat she wanted to do, she just wanted to escape for now and not hear the celebration that was for Xiao Yao

The s aimlessly and Ah Nian was tired so she had it stop in a little island in the middle of the ocean It was the size of a shi+p and Ah Nian sat down on a jutting rock and watched the ocean churning around her The noise it , and norht she wasn’t afraid She even felt it would be best if a beast came and hurt her Her dad and older brother had Xiao Yao now and they no longer cared about her When she was injured and near dying and they found her, they would coht about how sad her dad and older brother would be if they lost her, and she felt some comfort in that

Another wave crested towards her and riding on the as aa silver ently said “It hurt a lot? Your father and older brother have abandoned you?”

Ah Nian recognized hi Liu who kidnapped her once with Xiao Liu Perhaps it was because Xiao Liu was the one who did all theLiu wasn’t bad She was nervous now but not afraid of hi here?”

Xiang Liu laughed “What do you think? The entire vast wilderness is discussing the Gao Xing Eldest Princess Naturally I got curious so caain! It was still Xiao Yao! Ah Nian loudly harru Liu s’s one and only Princess, your dad’s only daughter, your older brother’s only sister But she rando froe on her?”

Ah Nian bit her lips and said nothing She knew not to e called hi as a deal that couldn’t be h enticeled “I hate her, but I don’t want her dead I just want things to go back to the way it used to be”

Xiang Liu gently said “I confess I ’s Princess We Sheng Nong resistance aret on the Grand Emperor’s bad side”

Ah Nian knew that which is why she wasn’t scared of hiested “You want to torht?”

Ah Nian slowly nodded her head

Xiang Liu laughed “You are a kind girl, your dad and older brother ought to love you more”

Ah Nian felt like this was the first true words she heard in a long ti?”

Xiang Liu said “All you need to do is lure her out and not be detected I’ll handle the rest”

Ah Nian asked “Why are you helpingLiu s It’s rare that I can do so for you and I’ resistance army If in the future the situation arises, I would ask that Princess to help me once in return”

Ah Nian smiled “You don’t even want e?”

Xiang Liu soleently said “I trust you”

Ah Nian smiled sweetly “Fine! If you teach her a lesson, I will do one thing for you in the future”

Xiang Liu handed a clam shell to Ah Nian “Lure her to the ocean and then smash this I will be there” Ah Nian put the shell away and rode her s back

Xiao Yao happily looked at theon the rocks and walked towards him Suddenly a rock struck her back and she turned to see Ah Nian standing in the distance waving at her to go over Xiao Yao walked towards Ah Nian when she suddenly turned and ran off

Xiao Yao furrowed her brows and looked back at the cliff side, and then follohere Ah Nian disappeared to

Ah Nian’s form flitted in and out of the forest and Xiao Yao knew she was trying to play with her so she went along to see what Ah Nian had up her sleeve They eed from the forest to the other side of the e of the cliff

Xiao Yao sloalked over “What do you want?”

Ah Nian looked at her and her expression was conflicted Xiao Yao also looked at Ah Nian and couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do Even if she pushed her off the cliff, she wouldn’t die

Ah Nian shed “You really want to push me off the cliff?” She wanted to duck but Ah Nian used an ice sword to block Xiao Yao’s escape

Ah Nian said “You guessed right!”

Xiao Yao could kill Ah Nian if she wanted, but she couldn’t beat Ah Nian in a fight Suddenly Xiao Yao felt a power strike her back and her body flew over the cliff

Xiao Yao wasn’t scared, she had been cliff diving since she was young and she actually quite enjoyed this free fall before entering the ocean

The wind blew her hair around her and her robe billowed out so she looked like a falling butterfly with green wings flying towards the ocean

Xiao Yao stretched out her body and squinted her eyes, when suddenly her eyes opened wide – under the ht, in the dark blue ripples of the ocean, a white haired white robed ht s a dance that was for his eyes only

Xiao Yao wanted to escape but she was in theand her only as down She could only watch as she got closer and closer to hiht on top of Xiang Liu At that rabbed her hand and pulled her doith him

He held her under water but Xiao Yao kneouldn’t kill her but only wanted to torment her so she endured it

When the final breath was alrabbed his hands and pleaded with hi underwater Xiao Yao felt her entire chest was about to explode and her hands no longer had any strength She let go and Xiang Liu grabbed her around the waist with a s that if she wanted fresh air, she was going to have to get it herself

Xiao Yao shook her head In the past, she was Wen Xiao Liu, she never saw herself as a woman But now, noLiu’s smile disappeared and he embraced Xiao Yao and continued to sink deeper

He stared at Xiao Yao, and Xiao Yao stared at hi faster and Xiao Yao realized that faced with a Nine-headed de, her identity as the Gao Xing Princess couldn’t protect her

Xiang Liu was sinking even faster and the soft water was filled with such pressure it made Xiao Yao feel like it would rip her to pieces Her chest was about to explode and her entire body hurt

Life and death – it was one simple choice

Their faces were so close, so close their noses were al All Xiao Yao needed to do wasto his lips

But…she couldn’t!

Xiao Yao felt all the water rushi+ng into her head His lips were so close, so close…and then Xiao Yao lost consciousness and fainted

Xiang Liu jerked her head forward to his lips and then rocketed to the surface with her

The two of theed on the surface and pulled up the unconscious Xiao Yao and placed her on his leg His summoned power to his palhed and spit outconsciousness though her entire body as weak and sore and her head was heavy She couldn’tLiu’s lap

After resting for a good while, Xiao Yao finally was able to think straight and she pressed down on Xiang Liu’s leg to help her sit up Likely Xiang Liu’s poas for a solid surface so the waves underneath her felt like a soft cushi+on,herLiu was expressionless and just staring at her He said nothing so Xiao Yao didn’t knohat to say either

They were in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by endless darkness, as if the entire world was just the two of the to pretend I didn’t know you when I saw you again”

“I still have the voodoo bug into welsh on your proht to be that only I can sense you, but you can’t senseLiu raised his hand and pulled Xiao Yao’s hair back fro in her face “This is your true forreat liar”

Xiao Yao wanted to explain “It’s not lying, I really thought I was Wen Xiao Liu”

“The Princess of Gao Xing?” Xiang Liu laughed coldly “No wonder you would die to save Zhuan Xu”

Xiao Yao didn’t dare say anythingLiu’s hand seeer passed by her neck and he softly said “What else have you lied about? Why don’t you coether today I won’t kill you”

“I told you before, I only bullshi+t but I never say anything fake I like to talk because I’ lonely If I’et”

Xiang Liu’s sharp finger retracted in that moment and Xiao Yao never kne close she was to death

Xiang Liu silently stared out at the pitch black sky, unclear as on his e of the sharpest sword blade, so sharp that no one could get close

Xiao Yao didn’t knohy – she was floating on the surface but she felt like she was sinking into the depths Her heart ached with this pressure when she looked at hi and pulled out a wet satchel and took out a small jade bottle She du Liu “Want to try?”

Xiang Liu ate it like he was eating candy, slowly eating it one by one

“How is it? Iall sorts of redients”

The thru Liu diminished and he said “It’s passable”

“Passable?” Xiao Yao was alredients came from the row”

Xiang Liu coolly asked “You still want to poison me?”

“I’eneration, I can even poison a Nine-tailed fox, there is no reason I can’t poison you Nine-headed de Liu smirked “I’ll wait for it”

Xiao Yao felt the erous as before so carefully asked “How did you get mixed up with Ah Nian?”

“Can’t I?”

Xiao Yao grabbed his sleeve and sternly said “No! You can’t go ain She’s been so well protected byLiu leaned forward and laughed “A person like me? What kind of person am I?”

Xiao Yao rolled her eyes at hi Liu casually said “She doesn’t see you as an older sister and you’re already rushi+ng to be a good older sister”

“The relationshi+ps between people, one person always needs to make the first move Men and women, and even parents to children Before a child is aware, the parents are already giving I’ve always been selfish and never want to make the first move But between Ah Nian and I, I’ve decided to make the first move not because she’s worth it, but because ofto do it for et a reciprocal response She can sell you out to me, that means she can sell you out to someone else She can push you off a cliff today, next tier into your chest”

“I knohich is why I’ Liu said “I pro with your sister for fun, but you’ll have to pro”

“Can I say no?”

“Of course not”

Xiao Yao looked at hi Liu said “Continuepoisons for reed “But…but…how can I hand it to you? I’ Shui Town anymore, and you can’t cohed “This is your probleed period of tio looking for your sister”

Xiao Yao pouted “I knew you wouldn’t forgiveLiu said “I’ve already forgiven you”

Xiao Yao continued pouting and Xiang Liu coldly humphed, and then he suddenly asked “Why?”

Xiao Yao knew exactly what he was asking – why did she refuse to kiss him and would rather die She pretended to be clueless “Why what?”

Xiang Liu grabbed her ar so Xiao Yao yelped “Oh, I re Liu stared at her and Xiao Yao “Because I’m scared”

“It’s scarier than death?”

Xiao Liu thought about it and finally put it into words “My Gege, that is Zhuan Xu, he said one night ere talking that I was still a girl who dreams So…so…I’m scared that if I’m not careful, you’ll walk into my dreams And you…” Xiao Yao shook her head “You’re soirl’s dreaht actually be scarier than death”

Xiang Liu started chuckling, and it grew louder and louder until he was laughing He released Xiao Yao and his body drifted away

Xiao Yao yelled “Hey…hey…don’t leaveLiu laughed “Swim back!”

Xiao Yao was in disbelief “You want me to swim back from here? This is the deep ocean and sea ot very weak powers, any rando Liu sood If I’ht accidentally enter your drea for death That would be a cri and sank into the ocean and disappeared

Xiao Yao couldn’t believe it and yelled “Xiang Liu, Xiang Liu, Nine-lives! Nine-headed demon! Devil bastard! You damn Nine-headed demon bastard…”

The waves ripped around her and the sea was desolate Xiao Yao felt the ocean grew darker and looked around to gather her bearings and started swi towards Five Gods Mountain

Initially she was scared a seati land, she was scared she would drown She conserved her energy and stopped thinking and just started swi in a steady rhythradually it all disappeared – the sky was not the sky and the sea was not the sea She couldn’t feel her own existence and i like she was letting everything all go and justforward