rift

Chapter 65, Discord

I was dragged out of that suffocating stone cell by two trusted men, each holding one of my arms. The wooden door behind me slammed shut, completely blocking out Lan Feiyu and Mr. Tao's anxious shouts, leaving only an empty echo swirling in my ears.

The night wind was biting cold. As soon as I stepped out of the cell, it rushed into my mouth and nose, and I couldn't help but shiver—I didn't know if it was because the night wind was too cold, or if the fear in my heart was climbing up my spine.

Whether they were leading the way or escorting me, these people didn't utter a single unnecessary word. They just gripped my arm and pulled me forward, their knuckles digging until my bones ached. We walked along the corridor of Yousheng Temple, the shadows cast by the pillars crisscrossing on the ground like cold iron bars. In the courtyard outside the corridor, the moonlight stretched the shadows of the trees into long, thin strands, the branches stretching and clawing at the ground like ghosts lurking in the shadows.

The entire temple was eerily quiet; not even the chirping of insects could be heard. The only sound was our footsteps echoing through the empty courtyard, each step making our hearts clench. The wind howled through the eaves of the halls, like someone weeping in the shadows, adding to the eeriness.

I shivered again, ignoring the feeling of sand in my throat, and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

No one answered; the only response was the sobbing of the night wind blowing through the corner of the corridor.

Turning a corner of the hall, a soft rustling of clothes suddenly came from the darkness ahead—several figures emerged from behind the pillars, the leader being Yuanzi. She was still wearing that close-fitting outfit, her dark green eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. Her gaze swept over the confidants escorting me, finally settling on the leader, her tone carrying a hint of scrutiny: "Where are you taking Princess Zhao so late at night?"

The leader's trusted confidant suddenly paused, turned to the side and slightly bowed to Yuanzi, but his voice was devoid of any respect, instead revealing an unyielding force: "Reporting to Your Excellency, this is the general's family matter, and it is inconvenient for your subordinate to say more."

"Family matters?" Yuanzi suddenly sneered, the cold light in her dark green eyes instantly turning murderous, and even her voice became several degrees deeper, "When did the princess of Dongchu become a 'family matter' that Xie Kun can handle on his own? If you know what's good for you, get out of my way!"

But even after the words had been spoken for a long time, the soldiers remained motionless, like stakes driven into the ground. The leader's trusted confidant looked up to meet Yuanzi's gaze, his tone becoming even more subdued, carrying a hint of defiance: "If the envoy has any doubts, he may go to the front hall to ask the general himself. Why make things difficult for his subordinates here? His subordinates only know to obey the general's orders and dare not act without authorization."

Yuanzi didn't say much, only giving the leader's trusted confidant a cold glance before suddenly flicking her wrist. The people behind her immediately surrounded her like cheetahs poised to pounce, their hands on their knife hilts, their eyes fixed sharply on Xie Kun's confidant, the atmosphere instantly becoming as tense as a fully drawn bowstring.

Xie Kun's confidants were equally decisive, immediately ordering their men to draw their swords. The clanging of blades as they were drawn was particularly jarring in the night. The two sides faced each other, tense and ready to draw their swords.

I was completely baffled, but the current situation was crystal clear: there was a deep rift between Yuanzi and Xie Kun, and they had reached the point of fighting each other.

Is there an opportunity to take advantage of this?

Unfortunately, before she could finish thinking about it, a laughing voice suddenly came from the shadows behind Yuanzi. Although it sounded sickly, it also contained a hint of ruthlessness: "Why is the envoy so angry? This general just wanted to have a chat with my sister. How is that not a family matter?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the figures in the shadows retreated, and Xie Kun emerged, surrounded by a dozen or so trusted men. His face was still pale, and his gaze swept over the two opposing sides before finally settling on Yuanzi. A half-smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Does the envoy think that I, this general, don't even have the right to speak to my own sister?"

Yuanzi, however, was not buying his act and said coldly, "If it's just a casual chat, why be so secretive? Xie Kun, don't think you can fool me!"

Xie Kun sneered, his eyes full of provocation: "Envoy, how can you and I talk about 'playing' each other? Western Shu is gone, but who was really playing whom for a fool?"

These words were like a thorn, instantly causing Yuanzi's face to darken. Her subordinates behind her also took a half step forward in unison: "I'm not going to waste my breath on you! Xie Kun, you can forget about taking Zhao Xi away!"

Before she finished speaking, her curved sword flashed from its sheath, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight, reflecting a chilling light like autumn water. Xie Kun's confidants were equally swift, immediately raising their swords to meet her attack. With a crisp clang, sparks flew as swords clashed, shattering the night. In an instant, the two sides were locked in combat, their shouts and the clash of weapons shattering the temple's deathly silence.

I was suddenly pulled backward by Xie Kun's henchmen, my arm gripped so tightly it hurt. Seeing them locked in a fierce struggle, I made a snap decision—rather than wait to die, I'd take advantage of the chaos and fight!

Just as I deliberately bent down, preparing to make a move—

"roar--!!!"

A completely inhuman roar suddenly exploded from the depths of the courtyard! The roar seemed to carry the force of a thousand pounds, forcefully piercing through the clashing of swords, and slamming into my eardrums like a heavy hammer. I felt a dizzying sensation and staggered back two steps.

The sudden, deafening roar jolted both sides into a halt, their weapons clattering to the ground. They stared in astonishment at the side hall hidden in the darkness—the very direction from which the roar had come. A heavy, pungent stench, mixed with the eerie medicinal scent from before, swept through the night air, making them want to vomit.

"It seems my 'Dharma Protector' is a little impatient to meet the distinguished guest."

A steady and powerful voice came from inside the hall, carrying a hint of nonchalant laughter, yet exuding a chilling sense of oppression. As the voice fell, the two heavy wooden doors of the side hall were slowly pushed open from the inside, the creaking sound particularly jarring in the deathly silence of the night.

A figure in dark robes emerged against the light, his posture upright as a pine tree, his clothes fluttering slightly in the night breeze. The man was around forty years old, with a handsome face, a high nose, and a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. His demeanor was refined, like that of a well-read scholar. Yet, his deep eyes were like those of a thousand years-old iceberg, and when he glanced at the crowd, he carried a chilling indifference, as if looking down upon ants.

The man in the black robe stopped and waved his hand lightly towards the inside of the hall. Immediately, the heavy, sluggish sound of chains dragging on the floor echoed from within, accompanied by labored breathing. A figure slowly emerged from the darkness—

My blood almost froze!

That's—a drug person!

The drug-using man was chained by the neck with an iron chain as thick as a child's arm. His naked body was covered with scars of varying depths, old wounds overlapping new ones, some with dark purple scabs that gleamed dimly in the moonlight. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and thick-backed, with clearly defined muscles in his limbs. At first glance, he seemed no different from an ordinary strong man, but when he slowly raised his head, the surrounding air instantly seemed to freeze.

From his lower jaw upwards, his flesh seemed to have been ripped away, leaving only a layer of withered yellow skin tightly wrapped around his stark white skull. His eye sockets were empty, dark holes devoid of any life; only a few remaining teeth were embedded in their sockets, a chilling sight. What was most unsettling was that a few sparse strands of black hair remained on his bald head, clinging to his skull like withered grass, swaying gently with his movements.

The man in the black robe waved his hand and said to the medicine man in a gentle tone, "Don't worry, I'll give you a good meal later."

The drug-wielding man seemed to understand, his low growl growing heavier, his hollow eye sockets turning towards the fighting crowd, his limbs slightly tense, looking like a wild beast about to pounce on its prey.

I broke out in a cold sweat. Who exactly is this person? How could he tame such a ferocious drug-infused human like a pet? What are he and this drug-infused human planning to do?

Xie Kun, however, abandoned his previous arrogance at this moment, quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly to the man in the black robe, and spoke politely, even his voice softening: "Sir, why did you come out in person?"

The man in the black robe raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the frozen Yuanzi before settling on me, who was being supported by his trusted aides. A hint of amusement flashed in his deep eyes: "My child is wild by nature; once awake, he refuses to stay still. Hearing the commotion here, how could he sit still? Naturally, he had to come and see. Who knows..."

He paused, then let out two sinister laughs, his voice barely audible yet clear enough for me to hear: "There are a few tender ones inside, enough to whet the child's appetite."

Iris's expression changed completely. She stared at the man in black robes, then looked at Xie Kun, and almost squeezed out the question through gritted teeth: "Xie Kun, what do you want to do?"

Xie Kun laughed so hard his face seemed to tremble. He coughed twice before speaking: "What do you mean, Your Excellency? That's a funny question! I brought you to Yousheng Temple, isn't that enough sincerity? But what guarantees did you give us? Your Excellency, since Western Shu has fallen into the hands of Eastern Chu, instead of asking me what I want to do, you should think about how you're going to explain yourself to the King!"

These words struck me like a chord: judging from her tone, Yuanzi had not yet managed to obtain the treasure from Xie Kun.

"Xie Kun—" Yuanzi's expression darkened further, "You're going to betray Tu Luo?"

"Betrayal?" Xie Kun scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain. "I've never been loyal to Tu Luo from beginning to end, so how can there be any talk of betrayal?" As he spoke, he gestured with his chin toward me, and the two henchmen holding me immediately used brute force, grabbing my arms and dragging me backward. My heart skipped a beat, and I was about to resist when I heard Yuanzi shout sharply, "Don't even think about taking her away!"

Before she could finish speaking, the man in the black robe suddenly put his finger to his lips and whistled a sharp whistle. As soon as the whistle ended, the iron chain around the man's neck rattled off with a clatter and crashed to the ground with a gust of wind.

As if receiving a command, the drug-wielding man instantly unleashed a violent roar from his throat, his hollow eye sockets fixed on the kite, and his bare feet kicked out two shallow marks on the ground.

At this critical moment—

"Master!"

A clear shout suddenly pierced the chaos, carrying a hint of anxiety and an undeniable complexity, and it exploded from the shadows of the corridor behind.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, causing the medicine-wielding man who was pouncing on the kite to abruptly stop, his roar weakening, and his empty eye sockets slowly turning towards the direction from which the sound came. The black-robed man's face instantly darkened, his previously smiling lips tightening into a straight line as he turned to look into the shadows.