Chapter 22 (1/2)

In all of Tong Hua‘s historical novels, she chooses to write about characters who often have epic identities, but in doing so each is bound by responsibilities and ties that cannot be easily forsaken What et to sneak a peek at how these aweso Liu, and Zhuan Xu would be like if they didn’t have their burdens to shoulder Their alter egos of Xiao Liu, shi+ Qi, Fang Feng Bei, and Xuan tease us with hoonderful their lives could be if they could love and live with abandon Xiao Yao desperately wants that but she co way in the last chapter Everyone’s beloved Xiao Yao died, she really did die, and the only hope for her resurrection lays in the hands of Xiang Liu Even if heforward there is no longer any certainty that being a Princess with all theLiu and Xiao Yao planted that pair of bugs in them, neither expected it would actually be so critical down the road I love this chapter because it feels like a stolen tiether again I’ Yao unspoken roe the more stable choice for her But it’s nice to have a demon warrior who tucks you away in his own private safe haven to save your life, yes?

Chapter 22 – It Feels Like Such a Long Parting:

The prison on Sheng Nong Mountain

The sconces were lit along all four walls casting the cell in a light as bright as day

Mu Fei was covered in blood and strung up in the air

The prison door opened and Zhuan Xu, Feng Long, and Xing Yue walked in Xing Yue furrowed her brows and covered her nose with a handkerchief Zhuan Xu said “If you’re not co Yue shook her head

Feng Ling said “We’re not going to do anything in front of her Plus this concerns ht to hear it so she understands”

A tall guard said to Zhuan Xu “We’ve only used three tortures on him and his body has already broken down and cannot endurefor death but still will not confess his cohorts”

Zhuan Xu said “Let hiuard let Mu Fei down and he opened his eyes and said to Zhuan Xu “I killed your sister Do what you ith ive yourself too hed coldly and closed his eyes, indicating he had nothing more to say and they could kill hiuys took action, youthat could be traced back was done by you I think you were chosen not because you are all that smart or brave, but because even if the two Ee, all they can kill is you alone since every one of your tribe members are all dead You don’t have a tribe left to exterminate colared at Zhuan Xu with a look of superiority

Zhuan Xu smiled “But if the Mu family really has only you left, and you died, then the Mu bloodline really is ended Years ago to save you from Qi Yo’s wrath, countless people in your family must have died to protect you I believe that even if you are all that reckless and want to do so that would end the Mu fa, you already have a son out there”

Mu Fei’s expression changed and Zhuan Xu’s se “You can choose to die but I will find your son and send him to reunite with the entire Mu family in the afterlife”

Mu Fei cla

Zhuan Xu called out “Xiao Xiao”

Xiao Xiao walked in “We have already collected the names of all the women who have had any contact with Mu Fei in the last hundred years Only tohter of Mu Fei’s nurse, she loves hio and has a son The other is the Tan family maid, when Mu Fei lived with his Tan relatives in their home, the maid worked there She was kicked out of the fa with a ating and find that maid If she ith a man, she could have bore him a son”

“Yes”

Xiao Xiao turned and walked out

Mu Fei’s body betrayed his spirit and he was tre and only stared at Zhuan Xu with rage and desperation

Zhuan Xu said “You hurt my sister and I will definitely kill you But if you tellI won’t touch your son”

Mu Fei closed his eyes indicating he wasn’t going to talk to Zhuan Xu, but his hands continued to shake

Zhuan Xu said “You don’t want to betray your cohorts, I can understand that I a for their names, I just want to knohy you want to kill Xiao Yao If you tell me why, I won’t kill your son”

Zhuan Xu stood up “Think about it Don’t attempt suicide otherwise I will save all the torture for your son”

Zhuan Xu said to Feng Long and Xing Yue “Let’s go!”

After they walked out, Xing Yue asked “Why don’t you use his son’s life to ask for the naive his cohorts up, that is a betrayal and requires a lot longer for hih it in his mind But Zhuan Xu asked why he wanted to kill Xiao Yao, that is not really a betrayal and won’t require toosome babies in and let their cries sound all over the cell Byhe’ll be ready to talk Once we knohy he wanted to kill Xiao Yao, it won’t be hard to find his cohorts”

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There is no measure of time in a prison cell so time appeared to pass extra slowly and was harder to endure Mu Fei couldn’t endure through the first night and hollered loudly that he wanted to see Zhuan Xu and also wanted Feng Long present

Both men walked into the cell and Mu Fei said “I can tell you why I killed your sister, but I want your word that you will not harm my son”

Zhuan Xu said “If you tellLong “He is from the Xuan Yuan tribe and I don’t trust him I want your promise, and to say it tosmiled at Mu Fei “If you tell Zhuan Xu the truth, I promise no one will use what you did to harets into his own trouble, forget Zhuan Xu, I will deal with him myself!”

Mu Fei was taken aback “Grow up?” He appeared to irown and then sood person, but I won’t be able to see it…”

Because of what Feng Long said, Mu Fei’s intensity faded and he said “Perhaps you hatesuch a calamity for the Gods clans of the Middle Plains, but I had to kill her If it was you, you would have done the sa Princess, she is Qi Yo’s daughter”

Feng Long shouted “Ihed bitterly “I remember that devil’s eyes, I can’t be ed and furious but still went to investigate to confirm The fake Princess’s own uncle confiro Xuan Yuan’s ninth prince was killed by the Xuan Yuan princess because he discovered her illicit love affair with Qi Yo”

Zhuan Xu coldly huffed “A load of nonsense! My Auntie did killto light It was…” Zhuan Xu paused “It was because my Mom wanted to kill my Ninth Uncle and inadvertently killedYu as my Grandfather’s third wife My Moed my Auntie to protect reed to protect iven to the outside world was that Zhuan Xu’s mom was injured in battle and died But to know she committed suicide…such was the secret annals of the royal fa and Mu Fei had ever even heard this But Mu Fei knew Zhuan Xu was telling the truth

Feng Long added to Mu Fei “You have never met the Grand Emperor so you don’t kno brilliant and ruthless he is But you do know that when the Gao Xing Five Princes revolted, it was the Grand Eer brothers, and even killed all their wives, sons, and daughters Do you think such a ruler would not knohat your investigation uncovered? If he had even a sliver of doubt about Xiao Yao’s parentage, ould he hold such a lavish ceremony for her? That was a proclamation to the entire vast wilderness that he loved Xiao Yao!”

Mu Fei was confused, did he really kill the wrong person? No, no! He could not have mistaken that set of eyes Mu Fei said “I’m not mistaken, I’m not mistaken…”

Zhuan Xu coldly said “Even if you know you are wrong it’s too late! You hurt Xiao Yao, you will pay with your life!”

Zhuan Xu turned and left the cell and Feng Long followed,

Zhuan Xu stood expressionless at the edge of the cliff Despite telling Mu Fei it was impossible, but did he really not doubt either? This wasn’t the first tihter Zhuan Xu really understood nohy Xiao Yao was frightened The first few times it could be brushed off as a joke…but the h his ownstood silently behind Zhuan Xu and let hi time Zhuan Xu then said “Many families were exterminated by Qi Yo but there aren’t a lot of orphans left Such persons will also need to be close to Mu Fei so they can trust each other to plan this matter The other two irl is involved Only with a girl’s involveht tined I think you probably have an idea already of who did it”

Feng Long said “To Yue and I will have an answer for you”

Zhuan Xu said “What Mu Fei just said, I hope only you and I know Not just because this involves my Auntie and the Grand Emperor’s reputations, but because my two uncles actually tried to use the God tribes of the Middle Plains to kill Xiao Yao”

Feng Long said “I understand” What happened to Xiao Yao could be handled discreetly or blown up If not handled well, the entire Middle Plains could erupt

Zhuan Xu said “I was the only who placed Xiao Yao in a visible spot to attract the attention of all reatest help, so when sending her to stay at Little Zhu Rong’s residence, they think I aer to win you over to my side, then they won’t even suspect you’re already on my side This happened because I put Xiao Yao in a position of danger Feng Long, Xiao Yao actually knew all along that I was using her”

Feng Long patted Zhuan Xu’s shoulder “Xiao Yao will be fine”

Zhuan Xu sighed “All ht, Zhuan Xu snuck into Little Zhu Rong’s residence through the secret passageway Feng Long and Xing Yue aiting for hie’s investigation, we confir Xiao Yao Other than the Mu family’s Mu Fei, there are the Shen fa, Tan Xue Ling, and Zin Yue Jian

Zhuan Xu said “That is good to know, thank you”

Xing Yue added “Xue Ling is the fiancee of the Gong faether and in threefaed since childhood Both the Gong fa family are part of the Middle Plains Six Major Fa Yue and casually asked “What do youYue’s heart skipped a beat and she est you reconsider”

Feng Long clapped his sister on the back and said to Zhuan Xu “I think the same way You need people on your side and if you kill the faoals, you have to knohat you can afford to do Xiao Yao is already hurt, but if you kill theer It’s pointless! If you forgive theet more help to build your empire”

Zhuan Xu was silent for so and Xing Yue smiled in relief

Zhuan Xu suys a story aboutthen when randfather I stayed with ht my unconscious Mo her head on the ground because she didn’t bring my Dad home My Dad died in battle! My Grandmother asked my Auntie what happened and my Auntie wanted me to leave the room but my Grandmother had me stay She said from now on, I was the only s I only understood parts of, but I understood that my Dad didn’t need to die but my Ninth Uncle caused his death But my Grandfather took my Ninth Uncle’s side I watched my Grandmother, my Mom, and my Auntie hold each other and cry”

Zhuan Xu stared directly at Feng Long and Xing Yue “You have never experienced the pain of losing a loved one, so you can’t iine the pain of those three woest bravest women I had ever known in this world, but in that moment they were three heartbroken desolate inconsolable people In that , be powerful, be greater than even the Yellow Emperor, just so I could protect them I never ever wanted the But before I could grow up, my Mom killed herself, my Grandmother died of a broken heart, and my Auntie died in battle I could not protect any of them They still died all alone and without any protection”

Zhuan Xu suddenly stopped talking though he still s Yue didn’t dare say a single word

After a row up as quickly as possible solely to protect therandfather solely for thero but not yet powerful But I will never ever allow anyone to har those who hurt Xiao Yao so that I can grab power, then I a the me who stood on Cao Yun Peak that day If I betray my o, then I will never be able to remember the happy and sad moments ofLong “You are right that there is a ti But one should never betray one’s own self for any reason I hope one day when I a the entire world that I have united, I can remerandfather, he rules the world but has locked hi stared at Zhuan Xu and Zhuan Xu turned to Xing Yue “You want ht that if today I can give up protecting Xiao Yao for a reason, then one day I can also give up protecting you for another reason”

Xing Yue was du

Zhuan Xu said “I’ood husband for any woman But I will never ever not protect the women in my life! Whether it’s you, Xiao Xiao, Jin Xuan, if anyone hurts any of you, I will never let that person get aith it!”

Xing Yue smiled and there were tears in her eyes

Zhuan Xu said “Under reatest advantage and uses any tactic, but in the few instances like this, I would rather take the harder road and feud with the Gong and Cheng fa the wider easier path for the narrow thorny path, but what of it? The hed “Fine! I’ll walk the thorny road with you!”

Zhuan Xu said “I believe that one day the Gong and Cheng families will decide that it’s still better to followsrabbed Zhuan Xu by the shoulders “You are definitely the guy I picked!”

Zhuan Xu’s face turned and he pushed Feng Long off “I don’t have those tastes, dude”

Xing Yue laughed and then rushed outside while wiping her tears away “Who has ti saw the door to the hidden roo in a low voice “Do you like my sister’s identity hed “Then do you like Xiao Yao’s personchuckled

Zhuan Xu said “Even though I’ve decided to kill them, but the method is critically i and Cheng faer”

Feng Long burst out laughing “You just said all that and upsether all worried, but you never intended to walk the thorny road”

Zhuan Xu stared back “Don’t letlaughed “How do you want to kill therandfather, soht make the connection and reach their own conclusion that will har Yue to keep this news frorandfather The other three I will handle myself This way it also won’t alert my uncles”

“How do you plan to handle it?”

“There are countless ways to deal with Tan Xue Ling, but seeing that she’s a woive her a quick and fast death! But Zin Yue Jian, I will destroy his reputation first so the Cheng fa then I will kill hi I will hand him off to my subordinates and see howactually adave him some lip “No wonder all the women like you, you definitely let them off the hook easy”

Zhuan Xu stood up “I need to hurry back now” After he got to the door he paused “How is Jing?”

Feng Long sighed and shook his head “He’s being kept alive by the spiritualhesitated and then asked “Do you knohy he’s so despondent as to want to die?”

Zhuan Xu replied “Wait until he wakes up and you can ask him”

Zhuan Xu opened the door to the hidden roouards

Many days later, the world found out about the Gao Xing Princess being attacked and gravely injured

Little Zhu Rong captured the culprit as Mu Fei of the Mu family Because he was the last of the bloodline, athered together to beg for leniency for hi as the Yellow Emperor preserved the final bit of Mu family bloodline

The Yellow Emperor ordered Mu Fei to be cut into thousands of pieces and his remains tossed into the wilderness He then harshly rebuked all the families who pleaded for leniency for hied

The Grand Emperor sent an envoy to the Middle Plains to have a banquet for all the major clans and fa would no longer welcome the children and disciples of these fa Fro always controlled thetechniques in the world All the God fa to find the best weaponsthis, the Grand E these Middle Plains clans and fa forward

Everyone in the Middle Plains was frantic and feared an i was there to cal everyone praying the Gao Xing Princess would quickly recover so the Grand Euished

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Xiao Yao felt that the last thing she saw before she died was a thick wall of cherry blosso towards her It wasn’t scary and instead was so beautitful!

Such dazzling cherry blossoms wrapped around her body like a cloud and after the sudden sharp pain, as the blood fro turned nu, but just as it was about to stop, she heard another heart beating It was strong and powerful, leading her heart so that it wouldn’t completely stop It was like a sole flauished at anyweakly with life

Xiao Yao felt that she heard Xiang Liu snarking at her: Just this and you’re going to give up?

Xiao Yao retorted back at him: What do you mean just this? If you’ve been poked so h both top and bottoive up

She really had no strength left, so that even the weak sole fla was tooher heart, still the heartbeat greeaker

Suddenly power coursed through her, unending streams of power that allowed the weak heartbeat to continue beating

She couldn’t hear it, couldn’t see it, couldn’t even feel it, but she felt sad because the spiritual poas so sad and devastated Even the poas crying and Xiao Yao couldn’t even iine how heartbroken the owner of the spiritual poas

Xiao Yao wanted to see as so sad but didn’t have the strength She could only follow the guidance of the other heart and slowly locked herself up Just like a flower bloo a bud, into a seed, back into the soil, laying in the Winter to wait for the Spring to arrive

Xiao Yao couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, couldn’t feel, but she still felt unbearable

It was like sleeping, except in real sleep one couldn’t feel the passing of ti but the conscious wasn’t, then it was like being locked up in a coffin and buried into the ground Conscious sleeping was so unbearable!

In the pitch black darkness, ti beca she had been in the darkness, and she didn’t kno er she needed to be there She was trapped in forever, and Xiao Yao realized for the first ti duck neck was a really enjoyable thing to do, but if eating duck neck beca she did forever without an end, then it’s not enjoyable at all and would instead be a truly scary torture

In the unending darkness, Xiao Yao felt like a hundred years had passed If her conscious could commit suicide, she would have killed herself But she could do nothing other than stay like this forever She started to hate the person who saved her

One day Xiao Yao suddenly felt so, like a little bit of warmth entered her body froreedily clung onto that warmth

Every so often the war, but the war asn’t scary anyain She didn’t kno er It was like the flickering sole flaht wasn’t as bright at least the flauished

One time as the war Her heart soared as if she was encountering an old friend

Xiao Yao wanted to laugh: Xiang Liu, is it you? I’ve healed you that many times, now it’s finally your turn to repay ain, Xiao Yao didn’t kno much time passed but she felt ti darkness, every ti Liu came to heal her became the only time she felt like she was still alive, because she felt another heart beating

Not sure howher body, Xiao Yao suddenly felt a sensation, she felt soe, she couldn’t hear or see, and couldn’t even feel her own body, but perhaps because of the voodoo bug within and their two hearts were as one, she could vaguely sense hisher cheek, and then he fell asleep and didn’t move beside her Xiao Yao was sleepy and fell asleep too

When Xiao Yao woke up, Xiang Liu was no longer there

Xiao Yao didn’t kno long she waited, perhaps just a few hours, but when she felt Xiang Liu again it was like he was coreeted her, and then later he laid down next to her

He fell asleep again so Xiao Yao fell asleep again

Because of Xiang Liu’s daily cohtened Because it was no longer unending forever, she could sense ties

Every twenty or thirty days Xiang Liu would heal her When he was healing her, they ought to be very inti her She could feel hi Liu wouldn’t hold her, at most he could caress her forehead and cheeks

More tiuessed it wasLiu healed her so many times she lost count

Gradually Xiao Yao felther, she could feel his body heat, and could also clearly feel what the war Liu’s blood, and it was different than nor hot, and every drop felt like a little fla Liu’s essential soul blood

Xiang Liu fed her his essential soul blood, but because he was poisonous all over, even his blood was poisonous, so he needed to suck the poison out of Xiao Yao afterwards

Xiao Yao heard of a voodoo spell where a person could use their life in exchange for another If Xiang Liu used his life to save hers, she hoped that he really had nine-lives because then if he gave her one it wouldn’t be too detrimental for him

One day Xiao Yao suddenly heard a noise It was a dull soft thud She anxiously wanted to confir Liu was such a silent person that for the entire night he made no noise

Xiao Yao was so furious she couldn’t even sleep, hollering inside but it was no use The person next to her lay there quietly without even the sound of breathing

In thehe left and there was the sound of the dull soft thud as if so slowly Xiao Yao felt that she would really hear now, but also wondering if she was so desperate she iined it

Xiao Yao strained to stay awake so that she could hear one so it was dead silence everywhere with no sound

That night there was the sa Liu returned to her side He stroked her forehead and then held her hand Xiao Yao desperately felt that she really could hear and the soundYet Xiao Yao didn’t feel like she was laying in a roo when she couldn’t hear any sound it felt horrible, but later when she discovered that she could hear again, Xiao Yao desperately wanted to hear any sound, especially the sound of people talking She wanted to hear so her na Liu didn’t say a single world

The entire night he said not a word

At dawn Xiang Liu left again

This went on forXiao Yao was furious and angrily cursed! It couldn’t have been that soLiu turned into a ain

Xiang Liu saved Xiao Yao by feeding her his essential soul blood and then used his powers to push life through all her vital organs Then he bit down on Xiao Yao’s neck and sucked the poison out from his own blood that was now in her body

When the healing was done, Xiang Liu didn’t immediately put Xiao Yao down and instead continued to cuddle her in his arently placed her down and stroked Xiao Yao’s face “Xiao Yao, I hope that when you wake up, you won’t hate me”

Xiao Yao yelled in her heart: I won’t hate you, I won’t hate you, I pro as you talk ain

Xiao Yao angrily raged inside: I hate you, I hate you! Even if you saved me, I’ll still hate you!

Xiao Yao wanted to hear sound but she heard nothing She couldn’t sleep well at night and was , she was totally in a badLiu came back, he went to check on Xiao Yao’s body and sensed that Xiao Yao was still not stirring and appeared the same as always, but there was this aura around her brows that was different

Xiang Liu suddenly remembered how Xiao Yao used to be, so sneaky and clever but always so scared of being alone He said to Xiao Yao “Are you bored fro?”

Xiao Yao was stunned: I’m in the ocean? I’m actually in the bottom of the ocean? No wonder she always felt like she was floating in theLiu said “I’ll take you to the surface to look at theLiu held Xiao Yao in his arms and swam upward like two entwined fishes

They reached the surface and Xiao Yao felt the waves undulating and the sea breeze flowing over her She could hear the waves and hear the wind Xiao Yao was so touched she wanted to cry

Xiang Liu said “Tonight is a crescent moon like a bow Every fullyou to the surface Actually, I haven’t seen a full ht that her assu her once athe fullLiu chose that ti and silently held Xiao Yao in his arms As the waves rose and fell, the crescent moon in the sky quietly shone on the Liu lowered his eyes to look at her and s Liu would take Xiao Yao out to play Sometimes it was on the ocean surface, so Liu continued to have very little to say but he would still talk here and there Perhaps because Xiao Yao had no movement or expression or reaction, so he said whatever he felt like and chatted about whatever caain and the clouds swirling around the nearly roundLiu said “Tonight’s orilla mirror The memories you secretly saved in that mirror……”

Xiao Yao was frozen in fear inside

Xiang Liu was silent for some time and then coolly said “After you wake up, you have to erase it”

Xiao Yao let out an inner sigh: As long as you don’t get mad, I’ll even destroy the mirror if you want!

One time they encountered a tornado in the middle of the ocean that looked just like the tornado on land but even scarier

Xiang Liu said “When I escaped froravely injured all over I almost died in an ocean tornado but it was my adoptive father who savedNong Kingdo with Qi Yo and Zhu Rong, were the three greatest generals of the Sheng Nong Kingdom He saved a runaway slave like ravely injured and h training my powers He even wanted to take me to the Flame Emperor for medical treatment But I didn’t trust him so I ran away”

Xiao Yao wanted to hearLiu didn’t continue and instead took Xiao Yao safely away fro Liu took her to the surface and Xiao Yao felt little bits of icy cold hit her face Xiang Liu softly brushed away the snow on Xiao Yao’s face “It’s snowing Where is the most beautiful snowfall you’ve ever seen?”

Xiao Yao thought and said inside: The North Pole where it’s erous yet oose feathers floated down and landed on Xiang Liu’s body

Xiang Liu said “The snowfall in the North Pole is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen To avoid my attackers, I escaped to the North Pole and hid there for over a hundred years The snow there not only savedintechnique hting style”