“Oh, Your Highness, you may not know this, but the poisons made by those Nan’an poison masters are indeed extremely insidious. If Your Highness hadn’t been so cautious this time, and had waited for Young Master Yi to return and persuade him to join us before taking action, we probably wouldn’t have been able to deal with that madam, let alone destroy the entire Wanjiao Pavilion.” Cheng Liang once again admired his master’s meticulous and thoughtful approach.

However, after hearing Cheng Liang's words, Xuan Yuanhan remained silent as usual, with an icy demeanor.

Because he hadn't seen or heard it with his own eyes, but only heard his subordinates describing the Ice Beauty in glowing terms, Cheng Liang seemed genuinely regretful. He said to Xuan Yuanhan, "They said that Young Master Yi said Tuoba Ze spared no expense to bring back a magical, completely transparent Ice Beauty butterfly from the distant Arctic glacier region outside the Lingkong Continent. It's the coldest creature in the world. It's over a foot long, emerging from its chrysalis with the winter snow, feeding on ice flowers. It has a crystal-clear body and thin wings. When it flies, it scatters ice flowers as it lands..." It could then emit a seven-colored radiance. However, after being refined by the wicked poison master madam in the Wanjiao Pavilion by Tuoba Ze, and nourished with the most poisonous blood of a beautiful woman in the world, the Ice Beauty Butterfly transformed into something that appeared to be just the size of an ordinary butterfly, yet its appearance was as serene as a beautiful woman, its crimson skin more vibrant than blood, evoking pity; its movements were like a lover weeping blood, tragically beautiful and heartbreaking; after its rebirth, it was like a beauty bathing and burning in blood and fire, a new life interwoven with crimson flames—the most poisonous, beautiful, and evil Ice Beauty Gu in the world.

At this moment, Cheng Liang saw that Xuan Yuanhan was still unsurprised and remained silent, so he asked, "Does Your Highness know what happens to those who are poisoned by this Gu?"

"The world is vast and full of wonders." Xuan Yuanhan had read extensively since childhood and was already used to all kinds of strange and unusual things in the world. He could remain calm and composed, let alone such evil magic.

Cheng Liang pursed his lips, seemingly already accustomed to his master's calm demeanor, and continued speaking as if talking to himself, yet his excitement remained undiminished. "Young Master Yi said that if someone doesn't have a beloved in their heart and is poisoned by this poison, they will die on the spot. But if the person poisoned has someone they love, the moment they fall in love, it will activate the 'Ice Beauty Gu' poison, the coldest poison in the world, which can only be suppressed by the fiery body of their most beloved person in the world; otherwise, they will die of cold on the spot." What's most infuriating is that this method can only alleviate the effects of the poison; ultimately, death is inevitable, as this poison is utterly incurable. However, death occurs without shedding a drop of blood, and the victim reverts to the appearance of an eighteen-year-old immediately after their heart and pulse have severed. Such an insidious poison—who were they intending to use it against? Fortunately, the poison was neutralized, and the madam reaped what she sowed, dying. But strangely, after the madam's death, Young Master Yi was weeping uncontrollably; no one knows why.

To everyone's surprise, after Cheng Liang had said so much, Xuan Yuanhan finally asked about something related to Young Master Yi: "The poison master died, and Young Master Yi cried?"

Cheng Liang, noticing Xuan Yuanhan's somewhat surprised expression, nodded slightly and said, "Although he tried his best to hide it, I could tell at a glance that he had been crying. His expression was completely different from his usual arrogant and unruly demeanor. Moreover, he personally buried the madam in that willow grove. I just don't know what he's trying to hide."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han lowered his head and pondered to himself.

"Your Highness... when I came over just now, I saw you looking so heartbroken. Are you thinking about that woman you met when you were a child again? Some things are best left in the past. Everyone is born with their own predetermined destiny. Why must Your Highness dwell on it and hold onto such resentment?" From the moment Cheng Liang arrived at the foot of the mountains north and south of the city and saw Xuan Yuanhan sitting there so dejectedly, he knew that only that one event could have caused his master to appear like this. So, after hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke to Xuan Yuanhan, offering his advice.

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan suddenly frowned, speaking with a tone he had never used before, more agitated than when speaking to Cheng Liangguo. "But that woman is carrying a baby about to be born! 'Two lives lost, one unborn child'—what virtue or ability do I possess, what right do I have to sacrifice the lives of both mother and child to save me alone? 'I did not kill Boren, yet Boren died because of me'—how is this any different from me personally killing them? I never imagined that my hands would also be stained with the lives of such innocent people. How can I possibly forget all of this, pretend she didn't exist, pretend she never happened?!"

Xuanyuan Han said excitedly, then slowly stretched out his two large, powerful hands with distinct knuckles, staring at it with gritted teeth.

This shadow was like an inescapable curse, perplexing his master since childhood. Cheng Liang felt heartbroken every time he saw his master looking so lonely and helpless.

Over the years, in Cheng Liang's mind, he had always been a tall, noble, and almost omnipotent figure, but he was so helpless in the face of this unexpected incident many years ago.

After a long pause, Cheng Liang said, "But the facts are already like this, and there's nothing we can change. Over the years, hasn't Your Highness been working hard to fulfill that woman's dying wish? Hasn't Your Highness been protecting Western Qin and more lives with your own life? I believe that if that woman has a spirit in heaven, she will surely see Your Highness's efforts."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han gradually closed his eyes, calming his emotions. He hadn't been this excited in a long time.

After a long silence, he slowly opened his eyes and told him his conjectures from when he was sitting alone, saying, "Cheng Liang, do you think that woman back then might not have been a person from my Western Qin Kingdom at all?"

Cheng Liang pondered for a moment upon hearing this, and said, "Back then, the missing person notices we posted were almost everywhere in the country. If she were a citizen of Western Qin, I believe she would have seen the notices and appeared. Thinking about it this way, perhaps she really isn't from our country? Or perhaps she is a citizen of our Western Qin, but has no family left?"

Xuanyuan Han disagreed, immediately retorting, "No, she must have a home and family. Because when I saw her, she didn't bring much luggage, but she had so many guards with her, and each of them was a master, no less skilled than the first-class guards in the Western Qin palace. They must have had some urgent matter that led them to risk traveling so far, so she must be someone of extraordinary status. I've already investigated Western Qin thoroughly, and there's no such person there, so it can only be someone from outside Western Qin."

Cheng Liang thought for a moment, and seemed to understand somewhat, only saying, "Then what Your Highness means is..."

Before Cheng Liang could finish speaking, Xuan Yuanhan hurriedly ordered, "Immediately notify our spies in various countries to investigate carefully before that time period, which country's royal palace had a noblewoman or empress who was about to give birth travel to our Western Qin territory, and what her purpose was?"

"I understand... But Your Highness, do you remember that woman knew your name? I feel like she came specifically for you?" Cheng Liang asked with some doubt after accepting the order.

Xuanyuan Han looked up, seemingly puzzled. Cheng Liang continued his analysis, "Moreover, the woman only said two sentences to Your Highness from beginning to end: the first was asking, 'Are you really Xuanyuan Han?' The second was her last words: 'From now on, you must protect Western Qin. Your Highness... Western Qin... the Xuanyuan royal family... Your Highness...'"

As they spoke, Cheng Liang seemed to have discovered a great secret. He suddenly stopped, looked at Xuan Yuanhan, and solemnly said, "Your Highness, do you still remember the mysterious power protecting the Xuan Yuan royal family? Your Highness is a descendant of the Xuan Yuan royal family. When you faced great calamity that day, could it be... could it be that the woman was the legendary guardian of the Xuan Yuan royal family—Ruo Xi? The one who swore to protect the Xuan Yuan royal family with her life?"

When Cheng Liang finished speaking, he himself found it unbelievable and was extremely surprised. However, Xuan Yuanhan immediately denied it, saying, "Impossible. That power disappeared forever when Ruoxi accidentally fell off the cliff back then. Moreover, outsiders don't know that the guardian of that mysterious power existing in my Xuan Yuan royal family is only the true emperor of Western Qin, generation after generation, and not all members of the entire Xuan Yuan royal family. Therefore, even if the guardian Ruoxi is not dead, the person she is protecting is only my brother... You are overthinking it."

Cheng Liang then understood and said, "Is that so? So that's how it is. Then who exactly is that woman? Why did she travel all this way, heavily pregnant, to come to Your Highness?"

After a moment, Cheng Liang asked again, puzzled, "If that's the case, then why did Your Highness still have Lu Xian secretly investigate Ruoxi's matter with all his might?"

Xuanyuan Han said, "I just feel that something is amiss and I want to find out who instigated and provoked that internal strife back then, and what kind of conspiracy was involved?"

Upon hearing his master's words, Cheng Liang suddenly seemed to remember something. He then said, "I've heard that the biggest beneficiary of that palace turmoil back then was... the Empress Dowager. The Emperor was only made Crown Prince after that incident. Could it be... Your Highness suspects..."

Xuanyuan Han sighed, then asked Cheng Liang beside him, "By the way, weren't you chasing after that escaped Tuoba Ze's bodyguard? Why are you sitting here without moving?"

Cheng Liang scratched his head and said with a smile, "Oh, I was just following the bloodstains here when I suddenly disappeared. So I sent people to search carefully around here. I came here to keep Your Highness company for a chat..."

Before Cheng Liang could finish speaking, a guard suddenly rushed forward, holding something in his hand...