Chapter 183

Chapter 183

"Master, what exactly does Yan Chaoji want to do?" 0067 asked in a low voice in his mind as he watched the figure that had already left Cishou Palace.

“He was exceptionally gifted and held a prestigious position in his youth, which made him a thorn in the side of many. After Yan Sui ascended the throne, he needed to be constantly on guard against him, but he was also unwilling to lose such an ally. The master of Cishou Palace became a shackle that imprisoned him.”

"If Liu Yun wants to use me to bind him again, he will only be provoking Liu Yun's wrath."

"Yan Chaoji already felt guilty, so how could he allow the old story to repeat itself?" Ying Ning looked at the Yan Jin Talisman in her palm, which was still stained with blood that had not yet dried.

"But all things in this world, if owed in the future, must be repaid a hundredfold or a thousandfold."

After hearing his master's words, 0067 also secretly glanced at the figure outside the hall.

Outside Cishou Palace.

The two groups of people outside the palace bumped into each other at that moment. Upon seeing this, Liu Yun knew that Yan Chaoji was in Cishou Palace, but she did not know whether Princess Zhaoning was also in Cishou Palace.

Upon seeing Yan Chaoji, Liu Yun waved his hand, summoning the surrounding crowd to gather around. He then immediately produced a flute and spoke in a sinister tone:

"Your Highness, I've been looking for you quite a bit. Could it be that you're enjoying the beautiful moonlight with Princess Zhaoning?"

"Do you need someone to serve you?" Liu Yun's words were full of malice.

The tall figure standing outside the main hall had long since broken free of the hair ornament, his black hair cascading down his back. His hawk-like eyes were solemn, and although his thin lips were stained with vibrant color, it did not make one think he was seriously injured.

Yan Chaoji merely stood there, yet his aura was as unstoppable as a thousand troops.

This reminds us once again that he was an invincible general who dominated the battlefield, and his fame was so widespread that he was even more popular with the people than His Majesty.

That is why His Majesty both loves and hates him.

A minister of exceptional talent who can serve Your Majesty faithfully and fight on the battlefield is certainly a great asset. However, if his prestige subtly surpasses Your Majesty's reputation, then he will arouse suspicion.

"Liu Yun, I will hand over the Wild Goose Ash Talisman."

"But it must be handed over to Yan and Sui."

Yan Chaoji addressed the Min Dynasty emperor by his given name, causing the surrounding imperial guards to grip their weapons tightly.

"Oh?" Liu Yun was naturally a little wary and asked, "It seems that the trip to Cishou Palace has reminded the Prince of some things, and his mind is much clearer now."

"Your Highness's move is indeed clever."

"Liu Yun, I must see His Majesty now." Yan Chaoji strode forward, causing the surrounding Imperial Guards and blue-robed men to take a step back.

Liu Yun saw this and knew they were afraid of Yan Chaoji. He hardened his heart and said, "Your Highness, as long as you hand over the Yan Jin Talisman to me, I will naturally hand it over to His Majesty."

"There's no need for Your Highness to make that trip again."

"Liu Yun, do you think you're worthy of touching the Wild Goose Ash Talisman?" Yan Chaoji took a few more steps, his hawk-like eyes already fixed on Liu Yun with murderous intent.

The feud between him and Liu Yun was destined many years ago.

Upon hearing Yan Chaoji's words, Liu Yun was somewhat skeptical: "I'm afraid Your Highness doesn't intend to hand over the Wild Goose Ash Talisman, does he?"

"Are you going to disobey the orders of Yan Sui?" Yan Chaoji asked coldly.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun felt uneasy. She wondered what Yan Chaoji was up to, but he was sure he wouldn't hand over the Yan Jin Talisman so easily; he probably had some other plan.

He was only distracted for a moment, and by the time he reacted, he felt a fierce killing intent rushing towards him!

Liu Yun could not dodge at this moment; the cold dagger pierced into his flesh along his right arm!

"Ahhhhhh..." Liu Yun clutched her right arm and staggered back a few steps.

Even though Yan Chaoji's dagger was a weapon that could cut through iron like mud, it was unable to sever Liu Yun's right arm at this moment, leaving only an extremely gruesome wound.

In the blink of an eye, Yan Chaoji leaped forward again and immediately stabbed at Liu Yun's left arm. Liu Yun, in pain, covered her right arm before she could stop him, so she had to extend her left palm to block.

But he was stabbed through the heart by the dagger.

"Aa ...

"What are you waiting for?!" Liu Yun shouted fiercely, and the few people in blue robes reacted instantly. The surrounding Imperial Guards also rushed forward with their weapons.

It's really not their fault. They only saw a dark shadow flash by before they heard Lord Liu's painful roar, and that's when they realized what was happening.

The Imperial Guards immediately formed a line and surrounded Yan Chaoji. Several men in blue robes began to play black flutes, and the Gu worms in Yan Chaoji's body began to struggle once again.

puff...

Yan Chaoji coughed up a mouthful of blood, but he seemed unaffected and once again leaped to attack the blue-robed man on the side.

A snowflake falls upon the world.

But the snowflake that fell into the world landed on the cold gleam of his blade, and was gently brushed away by him. It listened quietly to the deathly silence of the flute music around it, and after feeling the man's touch, the snowflake even shed a tear. Then the tear fell into the dirty ground, where it was moistened and stained with blood.

Then it witnessed the horrors that followed its arrival in the world.

The continuous flow of blood almost transformed the man into something else entirely; he resembled a demon crawling out of hell, adding countless ferocious features to the otherwise white world.

The mournful cries nearly drowned out the deathly silence of the flute.

It merged into the river of blood, watching as the man's wounds multiplied and his movements slowed, until he finally killed the last person holding the flute with all his might.

final...

He fell into the vast, heavy snow...

"Cough cough cough..." Yan Chaoji almost coughed up his internal organs, and he was too weak to stand up. He could only lie on his side in the snow.

My vision is gradually blurring...

Liu Yun had already escaped at some point, but she certainly wouldn't let him go easily; there would likely be another fierce battle to come.

In a daze, Yan Chaoji seemed to see a figure step out of the palace gate.

"Yan Chaoji, you're about to die." Her voice rang out as she stepped into the blood-soaked snow. The countless wreckages surrounding them, a living hell, seemed to be nothing more than a backdrop for this one person. She then hoisted his body up and helped him slowly walk out of Cishou Palace.

He could only choke out a sob, which could be considered his tacit agreement.

The blood that hadn't yet dried on Yan Chaoji's chest gradually stained Ying Ning's robes. Supported by her, he managed to speak with all his might:

"noob..."

"noob..."

"I will...send you away...from the palace." Yan Chaoji buried his head in her neck, vaguely feeling her trembling at his breath.

He swallowed a mouthful of blood, and more blood kept gushing from his mouth, oblivious to his surroundings, muttering under his breath, "Little White..."

"The sword I forged for you... but... I haven't had a chance to give it to you yet..."

"Feel sorry..."

"Always... just one step short."

"I'm sorry..."

Yingning suddenly felt a burning sensation on her neck, while the person on her shoulder was breathing much less, seemingly because they were in too much pain.

"Yan Chaoji, I saved you back then..."

"I'm not asking you to willingly send yourself to your death."

In the last moments before he fell into a coma, Yan Chaoji heard her say these words.

He choked back tears... but dared not tell her...

He did it willingly...

He owes her.

And he loved her.

Then endless darkness enveloped him, and the Gu worms in his body seemed to know that his life was slipping away, and they greedily devoured his vitality.

*

Yan Qizhen followed the palace path from Lingyun Palace all the way here, but found no one along the way. After hearing the sounds of killing inside Cishou Palace, he hurriedly chased after them.

But before Yan Qizhen even stepped into Cishou Palace, he saw Yingning supporting the unconscious person. He walked over quietly without making a sound.

"A-Ning."

Yan Qizhen's gaze shifted to the face of the person beside her, and the image of the rainy night flashed through her mind, seemingly somewhat familiar.

It was him...

Yan Qizhen raised his hand and took off his palace hat. His watery eyes were full of smiles, as well as a few indescribable expressions. He looked up at Ying Ning and said, "A Ning, let me see you off."

His fingertips dug deep into his flesh, seemingly unaware that he had pierced his skin, letting a drop of blood fall into the white snow.

But his chest was in excruciating pain.

really...

Nobody wants me.

Mother is also...

The same to you...

Ah Ning...

Why give me hope time and time again, only to push me back into hell once more?

*

The long-sealed palace was even more dilapidated than Cishou Palace, and it also had a strange, pungent smell. Yan Qizhen walked ahead and brushed away a large amount of cobwebs, then turned around and smiled at Yingning, saying, "Aning."

"Come on."

He looked relaxed, not at all like someone who was running for their life.

"Let the young prince rest here for a while. I remember there are some ointments in the back hall that might come in handy."

“Even if we leave now, the injuries on the young prince's body will hardly last until we escape the capital. I’ll go get some ointment first. Aning, you stay here with the young prince.” Yan Qizhen’s tone was quite relaxed. He even wiped a clean spot on the ground with his sleeve.

"Okay, thank you."

"Ah Ning, wait for me here." After saying that, Yan Qizhen strode towards the back hall of the palace, leaving only the unconscious Yan Chaoji and Ying Ning sitting there waiting.

When he returned, he had several more bottles and jars in his arms.

"Ah Ning, these two are for stopping bleeding."

"This one is for oral administration." He handed over the medicine bottle, but didn't ask any further questions. Instead, watching Ying Ning apply the medicine to Yan Chaoji, he said softly:

“Ah Ning, this is the palace where I lived when I was a child.”

"Mmm," Yingning simply replied.

"Look, that's where I read and write..."

“There used to be a peach tree in the palace, but it died from insect infestation.” Yan Qizhen stood up and pushed open another palace door that was covered with cobwebs.

With a creak.

The chill outside instantly dispelled the stench of decay within the palace, and a few snowflakes sneaked in.

The view outside the palace was fully revealed to the two of them.

“A-Ning.”

"Under that tree, I found a kitten." Yan Qizhen pointed to a tree in the yard that had long since withered over the New Year, his eyes filled with memories.

"I also fed it small fish."

Then...the cat was beaten to death by those eunuchs...

“I used to wash clothes there when I was a child, but now it’s all frozen over.” Yan Qizhen pointed to the frozen pond, his voice tinged with regret.

In fact, he hated snowy days the most. His hands were bleeding from frostbite, yet he still had to wash clothes for those eunuchs in the icy water.

“I also like to paint plum blossoms there,” Yan Qizhen said meaningfully, pointing to an open space.

There used to be plum blossoms there, but there was only one tree, which he brought back from the Imperial Garden when he attended a banquet for the princes.

He envied the other princes' palaces, which were filled with blooming flowers, and he also wanted to add some color to his own palace. He used to cherish that plum tree to death.

But it only lasted one spring before it withered and died.

It was growing just fine in the Imperial Garden, but it couldn't do so in this palace.

It seems...

He was destined to leave behind nothing beautiful...

Yan Qizhen looked around and then walked to Ying Ning's side: "Actually, I didn't like this place when I was a child."

"But there was still some hope. I thought that being born into an imperial family, even if I had suffered a lot in the past, I would eventually be able to get ahead."

"Ah Ning, you know that my birth mother is from the Bi Mi clan, right?" His eyes no longer held their usual calm and collected demeanor, but instead displayed an extremely radiant smile.

He was born with good looks, and the bloodline of the Pimi Flower clan was perfectly continued in him. When he looked at people now, his eyes, like pools of water, almost reflected the image of the person opposite him.

A misty, rainy scene, a single star in my gaze.

He has a passionate face, and his eyes cannot hide his deep affection.

“That person named Jiaoyu told me that my birth mother was chosen by my father from the Bimi clan, but the Bimi clan could not possibly continue the royal bloodline.” Yan Qizhen stared into her phoenix eyes and suddenly said.

"But after only a few months of favor, she fell in love with the bloodline of the enemy who wiped out her clan."

"How stupid."

When Yan Qizhen mentioned his birth mother, tears welled up in his eyes, and he continued:

"After being abandoned in the cold palace, she discovered that she was pregnant with my illegitimate child. She was both mad and overjoyed, but she also knew that her bloodline with her father could not survive."

"I have no idea what method she used to switch me with the palace maid's son, which can be considered as giving me a chance to survive in this world."

"Ah Ning, just as I expected..."

“Those who shouldn’t live in this world, even if their lives are stolen, are meaningless.” He lowered his eyes, picked up the medicine bottle beside Yan Chaoji, and stroked it in his hand.

“A-Ning.”

"I used this kind of wound medicine when I was a child."

"Those eunuchs beat me so badly... but they all died unexpectedly. One of them hanged himself on my favorite peach tree..."

"Another one drowned in the pond..."

"By the way, Aning."

"The place beneath your feet... is where an old eunuch accidentally ate poisoned food and died, vomiting blood." Yan Qizhen raised his head, the smile on his lips sending chills down one's spine.

Yan Qizhen seemed to be trying to catch some expression on Ying Ning's face, but he couldn't catch it for a long time. He couldn't help but find it interesting: "A Ning, do you think... I look a lot like a member of the Bi Mi clan?"

Then, he seemed to look at Yingning with curiosity until he saw her fall to the ground. Only then did he walk to her side with heartache, carefully pick her up, and lay her down on a tatami chair.

"Ah Ning...why aren't you saying anything?"

"I suppose... the medicine must have taken effect." Yan Qizhen then tossed the small medicine bottle aside. "A-Ning, I'm sorry."

"I think I remembered it wrong."

"That bottle isn't medicine for injuries; it looks like a drug that can make people faint."

"Ah Ning, you certainly won't blame me, will you?" Yan Qizhen's eyes were extremely beautiful. He stroked Ying Ning's cheek, then glanced at Yan Chaoji beside him.

The young prince was already on the verge of death, and now he's completely unconscious; he probably won't live much longer.

And his Aning...

From now on, I'll only have myself by my side.

......

0067 kept a close eye on Yan Qizhen's condition and asked in a low voice in his mind, "Master, do you really not need me to block the effects of the sleeping potion?"

It had given a few words of advice just as its owner opened the medicine bottle, but unexpectedly, its owner told it not to worry for the time being.

Seeing that the man in front of his master seemed a bit off, 0067 immediately spoke up again.

"Little 7, it's alright." Yingning reassured 0067.

"Don't worry too much."

After hearing Ying Ning's words, 0067 noticed that its master's voice still seemed quite energetic, as if it hadn't been too affected by the drug, and then it quieted down once again.

Yan Qizhen looked at Ying Ning, who was unable to move at the moment, and his mood instantly improved. The premonition that he was about to be abandoned seemed to have vanished with the wind. He lingered on the touch of his fingertips and slowly said, "A Ning."

"I really am just like her, despicable."

"I just happened to fall in love with the wrong person." Yan Qizhen took another step closer to her, but then suddenly remembered something and stopped moving.

"Sui Feng," he called softly from behind.

"Your Highness." A figure emerged from the darkness. It was Sui Feng, who had not left beforehand. He guarded the secret passage inside the palace, waiting for Yan Qizhen to appear.

"Let's get the young imperial uncle out first." At Yan Qizhen's command, Sui Feng immediately helped up the unconscious Yan Chaoji.

“Your Highness…” Sui Feng hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Ying Ning again.

"I'll speak a few more words with A-Ning, then I'll follow them." Yan Qizhen's voice suddenly turned cold, not giving Sui Feng a chance to speak: "Are you disobeying my orders?"

Sui Feng had no choice but to agree, and carried the unconscious Yan Chaoji step by step toward the secret passage inside the hall. Only after Sui Feng's figure disappeared did Yan Qizhen slowly move his bony hand toward Ying Ning's neck.

He touched her slender and extremely fragile neck, feeling her pulse throbbing in his palm, and then gradually tightened his grip.

He only slowly released her hand when he saw her face begin to turn red, and whispered in her ear, "Ah Ning, you bully me like this too."

Yan Qizhen grabbed her neck again, this time for a longer time, leaving a bright red mark before he finally let go.

He seemed to be indulging in a morbid state.

Then, after seeing the marks, she pretended to be surprised and asked, "Ah Ning, does it hurt?"

"I'm sorry, I'll be gentler." Yan Qizhen stroked the mark, his eyes gradually darkening, and he leaned in to kiss her.

"Feel sorry..."

“A-Ning…”

I shouldn't have done that.

"Don't let it hurt, okay?"

........

He repeated it over and over, as if in repentance, but the hickeys on his lips gradually spread with his words until his desire completely covered the pinch marks.

Yan Qizhen gradually released Ying Ning, his eyes filled with suppressed emotions: "A Ning...why don't you want me?"

Am I not good enough?

"Now that the young prince is gone, no one can take A-Ning away from us."

He leaned forward again, the kiss marks gradually extending down his neck, and his hands also tried to break free from the other person's robes. The heat in his body had made him lose his former tenderness.

People who have been tormented for too long are eagerly awaiting a moment of commotion.

Yan Qizhen suddenly reached out and enveloped Ying Ning's palm, seemingly quite satisfied, but the words he uttered sounded like the words of a devil:

“A-Ning…”

"You only have me now... Where do you want to go now?"

"When Ah Ning has the strength, she will definitely leave me," he said between kisses.

"Then Aning shouldn't go anywhere... okay?"

“However... if we leave Aning in the palace now, Aning will die.”

"Father will definitely kill Aning."

"Ah Ning...do you want to die?"

"I'll die with Aning, okay?" He seemed to have made a decision, then looked up and left a lingering kiss on her lips.

It's better to die together than for her to leave me.

"I'm willing to die with Aning."

After he finished speaking, he suddenly got up, walked to the windowsill, and took the tinderbox that he had prepared in advance.

"Gunpowder was prepared in advance in this palace. It was originally intended to destroy the secret passage, but I never thought it was meant to ensure my eternal love with Aning."

"Ah Ning..." He kissed her a few more times.

"From now on, you'll only have me by your side."

Yan Qizhen stood up, but noticed that Ying Ning's eyes were still looking at him quietly, as if she was not frightened by what he had said.

"A-Ning, why aren't you afraid?"

Ying Ning's gaze seemed to touch Yan Qizhen's heart, so he immediately reached out and covered her exceptionally bright phoenix eyes.

Then, seemingly having made up his mind, he reached out to tear open the robes of the person beneath him, the crimson in his eyes deepening.

Just as Yan Qizhen made a move, an unexpected sound seemed to appear outside the hall!

A sharp voice rang out: "Here!"

It was Liu Yun leading the pursuers.

Upon hearing the noise outside the hall, Yan Qizhen's expression changed drastically. He had not expected the Imperial Guards to appear here. He said with some regret, "It seems someone is going to be buried with me and Aning."

"That's fine too."

"It saves Aning from being bored."

But after a moment, he helped Yingning up and muttered to himself, "Never mind... I still can't stand having other people around Aning."

"How about I find a burial place for Aning later?"

The moment the two figures entered the inner hall, it seemed the pursuers had already smashed open the hall doors.

Thump!

The sound of the palace doors being smashed open was as if Death itself had stepped in, eager to devour the lives of the people.

"Search quickly!"

"Don't miss a single corner." It was Liu Yun's voice, choked with pain. He had come to find Yan Chaoji.

However, Yan Qizhen was unaware of this. He thought the secret passage had been exposed, so he quickened his pace. He was not good at martial arts, and the weight of the two people made him sweat profusely.

Fortunately, he managed to reach the secret passage, which was hidden beneath a scepter-shaped cabinet with incense sticks on one side of the bed in the rear palace. The dark passage had silently endured the long years in this old palace.

Just as Yan Qizhen helped Ying Ning to the front of the secret passage, they heard the Imperial Guards stepping into the back hall: "Search this place!"

His back trembled, but he did not turn around.

Instead, he carefully placed the person in his arms into the secret passage before emerging from it again.

When he reappeared in the inner palace, the Imperial Guards had already entered his bedchamber. Upon seeing him, they immediately shouted, "Here he is!"

The others came running at the sound.

Yan Qizhen clenched his fists, his eyes still holding an inexplicable depth. It wasn't until he met the gaze of the pursuing Imperial Guards that his expression gradually turned cold. Behind him was a secret passage, and as he turned to look at the person still unable to move in the passage, a tearing reluctance gradually rose in his eyes.

The expression in his eyes gradually crumbled, and a hint of helplessness seemed to curl up at the corner of his lips.

He can't leave now.

Never mind...

I was already reluctant to part with her.

As Yan Qizhen heard the approaching footsteps, he suddenly turned his head and leaned out to touch the mechanism of the secret passage. A guard thought he was making a move and immediately shot an arrow into his arm.

A soft, guttural sound!

Yan Qizhen's arm was pierced directly by the arrow!

The arrowhead even brought out a lot of flesh and blood, hanging bloody on his left arm, but Yan Qizhen let out a muffled cry of pain and did not take a step back.

He raised his hand and wiped the blood from the side of his lips.

The stone slabs of the secret passage had begun to move, and Liu Yun, who had just arrived at the bedroom, seemed to have noticed something strange: "Fourth Prince, what are you doing?"

Yan Qizhen endured the pain, reached out and lit the tinderbox, and smiled at the group of people in the back hall, saying, "Didn't you all come to see me?"

"Since you're here, accompany me on a journey to the Avici Hell."

Liu Yun also noticed the commotion in the secret passage and immediately ordered, "Stop him!"

There are people in the secret passage!

The surrounding imperial guards immediately raised their bows and arrows and aimed at him.

Yan Qizhen did not give him any more chances. He gently threw the tinder onto the bed in the dormitory, and then a raging fire almost shot into the sky.

And at the same instant!

Following Liu Yun's orders, countless arrows were aimed at him, followed by the sound of arrows piercing flesh and blood. Several arrows even hit his spleen!

Pfft...

Pfft...

He couldn't stop spitting out large slicks of blood, then collapsed weakly onto the stone slab. Yan Qizhen felt the surrounding temperature rise instantly, and even seemed to smell gunpowder.

Boom!

There was a large amount of gunpowder buried in the dormitory floor, and the ignition fuse was the already burning oil, followed by a series of explosions!

Boom!

Boom!

......

As the gunpowder was gradually ignited, massive cracks appeared in the palace that had stood for countless years in the Min Dynasty imperial palace amidst the ever-growing flames.

Boom!

After the explosion, the palace pillars gradually broke in the middle, and the massive object, several meters long, crashed directly to the ground, causing the entire palace to tremble.

Then came the endless sound of falling rubble and the sight of the surrounding walls gradually cracking. In the raging fire that burned everything, everyone's vision was blurred.

Collision sound...

The sound of bones being crushed was almost constant in this fiery inferno.

"Aa ...

"Aaaaaah...my legs!!"

"Help me...help me..."

"Aaaaaah, it hurts so much..."

But the most common sound was the collapse of the enormous palace, and the heavy smell of gunpowder, along with the stench of burning flesh, gradually enveloped the palace, which had once buried so much resentment, in flames.

This place instantly transformed into a colossal inferno on earth.

Yan Qizhen watched as people desperately tried to escape, only to be killed by the relentless explosions. Those who managed to escape were buried in the crumbling palace...

He couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing, watching the fleeing people with a cold eye.

Before he collapsed, Yan Qizhen swallowed the blood that kept flowing down his throat with all his might, and slowly turned his head to look at the secret passage stone slab that was about to close.

Even though he knew she could no longer see him, he still spoke silently, his pale lips uttering two words: "Let's go."

Let's go...

Ah Ning.

Knowing full well that he should be buried forever in this decaying palace, how could he bear to let her be buried with him? It seemed that all he could offer her, besides endless lies, was this insignificant life.

Let's go.

Leave him.

*

The western border region—the territory of the Balin tribe.

The Balin tribe was a small tribe under the command of King Basun of the Western Regions. The tribe was only about two hundred miles away from the border of the Min Dynasty. In the past, caravans from both countries would trade here. It was one of the richest tribes in the Western Regions.

"Benefactor Yan, this is the last bowl of medicine." The thick medicinal liquid emitted steam.

"This humble monk can only heal injuries, but I am helpless against the Gu worms in your body," the monk with narrow eyes said to the tall, upright man lying on the bed after placing a bowl of medicine beside the bed.

"Thank you." The person half-lying on the bed was Yan Chaoji, who had been carried away by the wind through the secret passage.

When Yan Chaoji woke up that day, he found that he had left the palace, and a hooded monk was standing next to him, staring at him with unfathomable eyes.

This man's name was Wuwei, and he said he saved himself.

The ineffective medicine could only treat his wounds, but it could not get rid of the Gu worms in his body.

Yan Chaoji naturally knew what kind of rare Gu worms were in his body, and Liu Yun's intervention kept the Gu worms active. The restlessness of the Gu worms caused him to experience the pain of having his flesh and blood devoured at all times.

The once dark eagle eyes now showed a faint gray tinge.

Yan Chaoji picked up the medicine bowl and gulped it down. His injuries had mostly healed in the past few days. After swallowing the bitter medicine, he turned his head and asked, "Wuwei, are you still unwilling to tell me her whereabouts?"

Wuwei, who was standing by the bed, shook his head before speaking meaningfully: "This humble monk promised Benefactor Bai that he would keep it a secret."

“I have no intention of harming her,” Yan Chaoji said immediately.

“This humble monk knows that you would not harm me,” Wuwei said, clasping his hands together and nodding.

His words were loaded with meaning, but Yan Chaoji couldn't care less at that moment.

He needed to confirm Xiaobai's safety. He hadn't seen Yingning since he left the palace, and he had a bad feeling about it.

"Then why are you so reluctant to tell me her whereabouts?" Yan Chaoji had recovered quite a bit of energy today, and continued to press for an answer.

Yan Chaoji looked at Wuwei standing by the bed with a somewhat solemn expression.

Wuwei's monk robe was already somewhat worn, and there was even a tear at the hem, but when this person stared at people, a few dark lights would flash in his eyes, causing his pupils to dilate involuntarily, revealing a demonic nature in a daze.

This person does not seem like a kind person.

"I did not tell you this for your own good." When Wuwei said this, he lowered his eyes and covered them, which made people feel the Zen atmosphere as if they were in a Buddhist temple.

This was the first time Yan Chaoji had ever seen a monk who so perfectly blended demonic and Buddhist qualities. His unease intensified. Since waking up, he had been constantly asking about Xiaobai's whereabouts, but Wuwei always used the same question to cover up her whereabouts.

"Benefactor Yan, you should rest well." After saying this, Wuwei prepared to leave.

Upon seeing this, Yan Chaoji knew that Wuwei still did not intend to reveal the truth today.

He pulled a dagger from the side of the bed, leaped forward, and held the dagger to Wuwei's neck.

"Benefactor Yan, what are you doing?" The monk tilted his head slightly, intending to dodge the sharp dagger, but his martial arts skills were far inferior to those of the famous Regent, yet he still felt a chilling coldness on his artery.

Yan Chaoji did not kill him, and said apologetically, "Wuwei, I only want to know her whereabouts, and I do not wish to harm you."

"When Bai left, she instructed this humble monk not to tell anyone her whereabouts." Even though Wuwei was threatened by the sharp blade in Yan Chaoji's hand, he showed no sign of panic and repeated the same words.

"Then how can it be considered for my own good?"

"I will no longer hide this from you, Benefactor Yan."

"The first thing I saw when I saw Benefactor Yan was the death aura surrounding him. However, the death aura on Benefactor Yan can be dispelled. The source of the dispelling is Benefactor Bai. I only took action because I intended to save Benefactor Yan's life."

"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, so this humble monk still wants to do this good deed."

Despite the pain from the Gu worms biting her chest, Yan Chaoji refused to believe Wuwei's words: "I was already going to die, so how could I be related to her?"

"I do not believe your explanation."

Wuwei shook his head: "Benefactor Yan, please don't force it."

"In this world, fallen flowers and flowing water are but fleeting moments. What do the rights and wrongs between you and Benefactor Bai amount to?"

“If Benefactor Yan wishes to live, she should not seek out Benefactor Bai.” Wuwei lowered his hands, rubbing the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist that were missing a few beads, and advised.

“And…” Wuwei fell silent.

"And what...?" Yan Chaoji caught the pause in his words.

“Benefactor Bai’s life lamp is about to go out, and you will not be able to find her.”

Upon hearing Wuwei's words, Yan Chaoji looked at him in disbelief, while a bone-deep pain spread from his heart to his entire body, almost causing his right hand holding the dagger to tremble.

"Non-action!"

"What do you mean by 'the lamp of life is about to go out'? Tell me!"

“Benefactor Yan already understands what this humble monk means, so why ask any further questions?”

"Tell me, where is she?!" The dagger had already slashed Wuwei's neck, and a trace of bright red blood slowly flowed down his fair skin.

Upon hearing this, Wuwei's eyes suddenly darkened, revealing a wicked, manipulative nature.

“Benefactor Yan has sought his own death, so please don’t blame this humble monk,” Wuwei said slowly.

......

Yan Chaoji's figure had gradually disappeared into the desert of the Balin tribe, and the monk standing in the original place also withdrew his gaze. A trace of regret flashed in his narrow eyes, and then, as if thinking of something, he shook his head straight.

People who want to die...

He couldn't persuade him otherwise.

The monk turned and left, stroking the broken string of prayer beads as if they were his most precious treasure.

*

Several small towns are located in the Western Regions bordering Biancheng. One of these towns, Cangling City, is located on the edge of the Balin tribe. Compared to the surrounding prosperous trading towns, Cangling City is indeed sparsely populated, but it is home to many people from the Western Regions who have inherited the herding lifestyle for generations.

When Yan Chaoji arrived in Cangling City, it was May, and the town's commercial streets were filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares. Having spent a long time on the border, he could roughly understand their language.

"Azure Ox, five hundred coins."

How much for your little calf?

"Rosin cookies, rosin cookies."

"Give me two bags of feed, and deliver them to my ranch later."

......

It was midday, and the sun was high in the sky.

The Western Region people in Cangling City had long since taken off their heavy fur coats, and some had even left the commercial street shirtless, carrying sacks of feed.

Yan Chaoji was still wearing a black-sleeved robe with a raccoon collar, and his face was still a little pale.

"Young man, you don't look well. Wearing such a thick coat in this weather will make you sick." The old man at the stall noticed the man's odd behavior and kindly offered his help.

"Thank you." Yan Chaoji nodded, stopped, and said a word of thanks in the Western Regions language as a response.

There were already quite a few women from the Western Regions quietly observing him. When he stopped, a woman in a peach-pink dress ran over and said, "Here you go."

She tossed aside a sandalwood flower and ran back shyly.

Before Yan Chaoji could react, the old man at the stall teased, "Oh, so this little girl from the Dali family has taken a fancy to you?"

"They've all given sandalwood flowers," the old man said with a smile, then, seeing Yan Chaoji's expression, he added:

“Kid, you don’t seem like one of us from the Western Regions.”

"He must be from the Min Dynasty." The stall owner was already white-haired and knowledgeable, not to mention that Yan Chaoji's appearance was quite different from that of people from the Western Regions.

"Um."

Yan Qizhen didn't know the significance of giving sandalwood flowers to others in the Western Regions, but he figured it out after hearing the old man's explanation.

Perhaps it was a gift of silk flowers and jade pendants.

He then placed the sandalwood flowers on the side of the old man's stall and ignored them. The little girl from Nadari was immediately saddened when she saw this, and soon left.

"I never thought that the usually pampered Miss Dari would be turned away one day. It seems that the second young master of the Nara clan will be heartbroken again." The old man seemed to be very familiar with the interpersonal relationships in Cangling City. His casual remark made the man who was about to leave stop in his tracks.

"Old man, do you know everyone in this town?" Yan Chaoji asked.

"This old man has lived most of his life in Cangling City. He knows everything about the people of Cangling City, not just the people, but also how many calves each family's ox has had."

The elderly man with white hair spoke with remarkable humor and wit.

"Have you seen any unfamiliar faces in Cangling City? It should be a man and a woman who came together. The woman is probably older than the man and has a beautiful face, and looks like..." Yan Chaoji rarely spoke so much directly, and he wanted to continue.

But the old man interrupted him directly: "Alright, alright, aren't you talking about Xiao Chu and Xiao Ning?"

"This is the first time I've ever seen someone praise someone like this." The old man waved his hand and pointed in a direction for Yan Chaoji.

"But you're not wrong either."

"I still remember the first time I met these siblings, I was really shocked."

"How could anyone be so good-looking? Although they rarely come into the city, quite a few people have come to the outskirts of the city. Some are looking for Xiao Chu, while others are looking for Xiao Ning."

"That girl from the Dali family just now, her brother is one of the most outstanding young talents in Cangling City. I heard that he runs to the outskirts of the city every day to try and run into Xiao Ning, and has been chased away by Xiao Chu several times, but he still won't give up."

"This Cangling City hasn't been this lively in a long time."

"May I ask where they live, old lady?" Yan Chaoji finally felt a little relieved after hearing about Ying Ning's whereabouts.

The old man squinted as he recalled, "They lived near Cangling Yuewan, not far away, about seven or eight li from here."

"If you keep going south along the commercial street, you'll find them."

"However...a few days ago, Xiao Chu rushed into the city to call for a doctor. I wonder if Xiao Ning is sick."

"If you see them, please ask them for the old man..." The old man thought of this and decided to ask Yan Chaoji to check if the siblings were alright.

Before she could finish speaking, she realized that the tall man who had been standing in front of the stall had vanished in an instant.

"Hey hey hey."

"Young man, you forgot your sandalwood flowers!"

But the figure disappeared from the shopping street almost instantly. The old man thought he was seeing things. Wasn't this young man in poor health?

Why are you walking so fast?

The old man had no choice but to put aside his doubts and muttered to himself, "Alright, I'll accept the little girl's sandalwood flowers."

*

Cangling City got its name because it is close to Cangling Moon Bay, which is formed by a tributary of the sacred river of the Western Regions, the Dajiang River.

Cangling Yuewan is shaped like a crescent moon.

Beside the crescent moon, there are pools of water of all sizes. If you look at Cangling Moon Bay from a distance, it is as if you are seeing a rare scene of a crescent moon weeping.

Therefore, Cangling Moon Bay is also known as "Canglei Bay".

The old man's directions were spot on. Yan Chaoji had barely left the city when he saw several small courtyards with a distinct Western Region style. He immediately knocked on the first door, and a fierce-looking man came out: "What do you want?"

Yan Chaoji turned and left, heading to the second door.

No one answered the second door.

He then knocked on the doors one by one in order, but none of them came out.

Finally, Yan Chaoji walked to the second courtyard and gently knocked, attracting the attention of the burly man whose door was not yet closed:

"You're here for Xiao Chu, right?"

"He's not home." The burly man finished speaking and was about to close the door when a voice stopped him.

"Excuse me, where is Bai Chuning?"

The burly man took a moment to react before realizing that Yan Chaoji was referring to Xiao Chu, who lived next door. He said, "Xiao Chu should be in Moon Bay..."

He paused, then said directly, "However, if you have something to do, you can come see him again in a while."

"He probably can't care about anything else right now."

As soon as the burly man finished speaking, Yan Chaoji felt a bad premonition rise in his heart. It was as if several pieces of ice had been nailed to the softest part of his heart, and a bone-chilling coldness crept up his spine: "What's wrong with him?"

“It’s not that something happened to him…” the burly man touched his bald head before speaking.

"But it's his older sister, Xiao Ning, what a wonderful girl."

"Who knew they would suddenly fall seriously ill and collapse overnight..." The burly man lived near the siblings and was naturally aware of their situation.

"What did you say?!" Yan Chaoji said coldly.

"Take my advice and come back to see Xiao Chu in a while."

"He's acting a bit strangely lately," the burly man said with a sigh as he closed the door.

Yan Chaoji, who was standing still, listened to the second half of the burly man's words in a daze, and even after the wooden door in front of him was closed, he did not react.

Is he so ill that he can't recover?

How could that be...?

Wuwei's words seemed to echo in his ears once again: "Benefactor Bai's life lamp is about to go out, and you will not be able to find it."

A strange surge of blood rushed to his throat!

"Hmm."

In his desperation, Yan Chaoji coughed up a mouthful of blood. These past few days, he had been constantly worried about Xiaobai, and he had been holding on to his last breath.

He was in excruciating pain in his chest, veins were bulging on his forehead, and several voices kept echoing in his ears.

"Who knew she would suddenly fall seriously ill and collapse overnight."

“The life lamp of Benefactor Bai is about to go out, and you will not be able to find it.”

Another mouthful of blood...

The Gu worms seemed to realize that his body was gradually weakening, so they struggled even more recklessly, trying to steal the little life force left in his body.

But after only a few breaths, Yan Chaoji calmed himself down, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the side of his lips, and tried his best to control the Gu worms in his body. A faint look of determination reappeared in his hawk-like eyes.

No...

How could someone suddenly fall seriously ill?

He won't believe it until he sees Xiaobai.

Thinking of this, Yan Chaoji was about to turn around and look for him when he noticed a man in a snow-white robe not far away. He had not tied his hair up and let the messy strands stick to his face, looking extremely dejected.

Bai Chuning walked slowly, her steps slightly unsteady, without paying attention to her surroundings.

Those once clear and bright phoenix eyes were now filled with deathly stillness, and she didn't even look up at Yan Chaoji as she passed by.

"Bai Chuning," Yan Chaoji finally spoke up.

Even after seeing Bai Chuning's appearance, Yan Chaoji still wouldn't believe Wuwei's words and was determined to find out the truth.

Upon hearing his voice, the snow-white figure paused, turned around, and upon seeing who it was, Bai Chuning's expression changed drastically.

"Your Highness, how did you find your way here?"

The young man, as if sculpted from jade, had phoenix eyes filled with mockery.

His resemblance to Xiaobai touched Yan Chaoji's already aching heart even more, and he couldn't help but speak:

"And her?"

"Is the Regent asking... about my elder sister?" The phoenix-eyed young man chuckled softly, but his voice was filled with unconcealed pain.

"Yan Chaoji, what is your relationship with the Imperial Sister?"

Bai Chuning clearly didn't want to talk to Yan Chaoji and turned to leave.

"Bai Chuning!"

"Where is Bai Yingning?!" Yan Chaoji grabbed Bai Yingning's shoulder.

"Whatever her illness, I will save her."

Where is she?

Yan Chaoji questioned the person in front of him, but what he said was the truth. No matter what kind of illness Xiaobai had, he would definitely search the world for famous doctors to cure her.

Upon hearing his words, Bai Chuning stopped in his tracks, a strange glint in his voice: "Save her?"

"Yan Chaoji, why didn't you save him back then...?"

"What do you mean?"

Bai Chuning already understood. The clarity in her phoenix eyes shattered, replaced by a dark expression: "It seems... you really don't know anything."

"Back then, when my elder sister was kidnapped in Biancheng because of you, why didn't you rescue her?"

"What's with the pretense of kindness now?"

"Bai Chuning, I only want to see her." Yan Chaoji didn't understand why Bai Chuning brought up Biancheng at this moment, but he had no intention of asking any further questions.

"It seems the Regent is also feeling guilty."

"I simply find it laughable that my elder sister would save someone like you."

"Not only did it cause a lot of trouble, it also led to my death."

"What are you talking about?" Yan Chaoji had already sensed something was wrong, and his eagle eyes noticed the young man's hateful expression.

"I feel so sorry for my elder sister!"

"The Regent kept saying he wanted to save his elder sister."

"Do you know what my elder sister went through when she was kidnapped? Can you see the wounds all over her body? Do you know... what she looked like when the guards found her?" Bai Chuning's voice trembled.

He overheard this story by chance when he was a child.

I heard that when the guards found my elder sister, she was on the verge of death in the Wild Dog Graves in Biancheng, almost devoured by wild dogs. That's why my elder sister was arranged to leave the palace and go to a separate residence to recuperate, and later she happened to save me from my desperate struggle for survival.

Those people came specifically for Yan Chaoji...

If they didn't achieve their goal, why would they let the Empress go?

Just a little bit more...

He would never see his elder sister again...

But now he has still lost his elder sister...

Bai Chuning's eyes stung with tears. He tried to suppress his endless grief, but it was of little use. He could only vent his anger and sorrow on others.

"Yan Chaoji, it seems being a fool is really quite comfortable." The young man glared at him fiercely, wishing he could tear a piece of flesh off him.

"Bai Chuning, I want to see her."

"Is she here?!" Yan Chaoji desperately wanted to see Ying Ning immediately, to know if Bai Chuning's words were true...

If it's true...

Why didn't she tell herself...?

The young man, however, was unwilling to let him off so easily. Bai Chuning's next words were like pushing someone into an abyss: "Didn't you want to know where the Imperial Sister is?"

The young man took a step forward, his phoenix eyes filled with grief: "Then I'll tell you, my imperial sister is dead!"

She's dead!

Bai Chuning's words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Yan Chaoji stunned on the spot. After a moment, he finally reacted: "Bai Chuning, what are you saying?"

What does it mean to...die?

He unconsciously tightened his grip, causing the latter some pain, but he didn't utter a sound.

"Bai Chuning, I ask you, what does it mean to be dead?!" How could Yan Chaoji believe such absurd words?

But Bai Chuning did not lie.

The young man with phoenix eyes lowered his dim eyes: "The doctor said... my elder sister had a hidden illness, and with the worry she's been experiencing these past few days, she couldn't hold on any longer."

"I thought that upon returning to the Western Regions, my elder sister and I..."

At least my elder sister and I can be together.

Or perhaps...

As long as my elder sister is alright, that's all that matters.

But life is unpredictable, and wishes may not always prevail.

Even though he desperately hoped that his elder sister could live, he could never touch her face again.

In the past few days, almost absurd ideas have been popping into Bai Chuning's mind...

If the imperial sister didn't have a hidden illness...

If they didn't go to the Min Dynasty, would they still stay by my side?

......

"If it weren't for you, how could my elder sister have this hidden illness?" Bai Chuning thought of this and could no longer suppress her anger. She suddenly grabbed Yan Chaoji by the neck.

He has already mastered martial arts, and his attacks are ruthless.

Moreover, at this moment, he wished he could kill Yan Chaoji.

The eagle-eyed man in the black-sleeved robe with a raccoon collar did not immediately retaliate, even though Bai Chuning was holding his life force in his throat. Yan Chaoji felt that he could no longer hear what Bai Chuning was saying.

How could that be...

How could she...?

But Bai Chuning's words of piercing intent were not yet over: "Yan Chaoji, do you know why the Imperial Sister agreed to Bai Lirong's marriage alliance with the Min Dynasty?"

"Given her status, if she truly didn't want to come, she could still put up a fight."

"But my elder sister once said that she has an old acquaintance in the Min Dynasty, and perhaps she can take this opportunity to come to the Min Dynasty for the marriage alliance and see how he is doing."

Even after suffering such harm, I still care about you.

"Yan Chaoji, how dare you be worthy of me?!"

Bai Chuning went berserk for a moment: "Over all these years, have you ever wanted to find your elder sister even once? Just to see if she's doing well?"

"As a prince of the Min Dynasty, second only to the emperor, don't tell me you can't even find a single person!" Bai Chuning's hatred was almost overflowing. His phoenix eyes were bloodshot, but his words were like sharp swords piercing the person in front of him.

Yan Chaoji was unaware of this past event. The bloodstains on his thin lips were still not wiped away, but waves of blood surged up in his chest, trying to completely break down all his defenses. It seemed as if he was only now coming to his senses:

"Bai Yingning, she..."

His thin lips moved, and he almost uttered a word, but he dared not ask another question.

But Bai Chuning didn't give him that chance: "Didn't you say you wanted to see her?"

"Alright, I'll take you there." Bai Chuning suddenly released Yan Chaoji from his grasp, his eyes filled with grief, trying to drag him down into the abyss.

......

Cangling Moon Bay.

Bai Chuning walked very fast. Even just looking at his back, one could sense that his back was tense, and he seemed to be burning with anger.

The young man finally stopped beside a small pond, his heart aching.

Only a few days later, the person who had accompanied him to admire the Moon Bay over the Cangling Mountains was gone.

Bai Chuning's mind was once again filled with the scene from a few days ago. After arriving in Cangling City, his elder sister always seemed to be in low spirits. At first, she could still go out for a stroll a few times, but then she would stay in the courtyard all day watching him practice martial arts, occasionally giving him a few pointers.

One day, he suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness. He rushed to the city to find a doctor, but the doctor shook his head after examining him and said it was an old ailment that he could only take good care of in the future.

He had planned to take his elder sister back to the capital in a few days. Even if they returned to the Western Regions capital and faced a Bai Lirong who was not the same as before, she could at least recuperate there.

One night, when the moon hung low over the Milky Way, Bai Chuning heard Ying Ning gently knock on his door and ask him, "A-Chu, would you like to come with me to see the moon?"

“Alright, Your Majesty.” He certainly wouldn’t spoil her fun.

"But the doctor said that my sister needs to rest well, so let's just stay for a while and then come back."

“Okay,” she said.

These days, Bai Chuning was happy to be able to stay in Cangling City with Yingning. He was free from the troubles of the Western Regions and no longer had to worry about being in a foreign country. Although Cangling City was small, it had the familiar atmosphere of the Western Regions, and he liked it very much.

Therefore, he did not realize that Yingning was acting strangely that night.

The two walked side by side, their steps bathed in moonlight, while Cangling Moon Bay seemed to await their final arrival through the hazy night. A voice broke the silence:

"Ah Chu, do you like it here?"

When Bai Chuning heard Ying Ning ask him this, he nodded obediently: "Royal sister, I like it here very much."

“When you were young, I still remember you knocking over the seventh prince’s glass cup, and you almost got beaten up by his men.” She was wearing a dress, her black hair was braided back, and on her forehead was an enamel hairpin that she had bought in town yesterday. The hairpin was made by a craftsman in the city, and three small silver chains extended from the end of the hairpin, with nine enamel beads at the ends swaying freely.

The moment Bai Chuning saw it, she knew it was perfect for Yingning.

He stole another glance, a faint smile in his phoenix eyes: "It was thanks to my elder sister that I stopped my seventh brother, otherwise A-Chu would have suffered a lot."

“You were all still young then, and the seventh prince was not bad.”

Bai Chuning naturally understood: "Seventh Brother is indeed a fiery and impulsive person. Compared to Bai Lirong, he can't be considered bad."

"Elder sister, if we don't return to the capital now, will Bai Lirong be dissatisfied with you?" Bai Chuning suddenly thought of the plan to take her elder sister back to the Western Regions capital in a few days, and couldn't help but feel a little worried when Bai Lirong was mentioned.

Bai Lirong's obsession with her elder sister has reached a pathological level. Years ago, her elder sister often protected her, which displeased Bai Lirong.

After he ascended the throne, he became even more unrestrained in displaying his possessiveness towards his elder sister. Rather than saying that Bai Lirong and his elder sister had a childhood friendship, it would be more accurate to say that he had an extremely twisted feeling towards his elder sister.

“He wouldn’t be so arrogant on my grandfather’s turf.”

“Ah Chu, you don’t need to worry so much.” The two chatted as they walked to Cangling Moon Bay.

Bai Chuning watched her take two steps and stand alone on the rocky beach of Cangling Moon Bay. For a moment, he felt that her figure was somewhat lonely, as if she would disappear at any moment.

"Ah Chu, do you still remember what happened after you broke the glass lamp?" The person on the shore spoke slowly, the weariness in his eyes gradually fading as he thought of something amusing.

"And then?" Bai Chuning thought back.

"When the imperial sister found A-Chu, A-Chu had been punched in the face by the seventh imperial brother."

Bai Chuning chuckled as he thought of this. He was already beginning to show the skeletal structure of an adult male, and his relaxed expression made him appear even more dashing.

"My elder sister applied medicine to my wound."

"I applied medicine to your wound, but you started crying." Yingning coughed a few times, and as soon as she finished speaking, she felt warmth on her back. It was the young man who gently draped his cloak over her.

"Ah Chu remembered this incident, and in the end, she cried herself to sleep in her elder sister's arms," ​​Bai Chuning said.

"Yes, back then, to coax A-Chu to sleep, I casually picked up a picture book and read it aloud. A-Chu cried and said, 'Are there really such beautiful places in this world?'"

"I'll remember that."

Bai Chuning couldn't quite remember what happened after that. He only remembered falling asleep while listening to his elder sister read the picture book, but he was a little hazy about what he had said.

"You said you wanted to visit this place someday." Yingning stood by Moon Bay, the Cangling Moon Bay in front of her like a dazzling moon river flowing through endless years.

"Ah Chu, I've brought you here."

Her soft words triggered a sudden, overwhelming flood of memories for Bai Chuning: being beaten by his seventh brother, his elder sister applying medicine to his wounds and reading from a picture book...

Yes, the place in that picture book is Cangling Yuewan.

For some reason, thinking of the past, Bai Chuning's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and a feeling of unease washed over him. He was stunned for a moment, then thought it might be his imagination: "Royal sister, you still remember the jokes from our childhood."

"I will remember everything Ah Chu said." The woman's voice beside him was a little weak, which made Bai Chuning worry whether he should have come out to see the night view with her today.

What if my elder sister catches a cold?

"This Cangling Moon Bay is truly excellent." Although Bai Chuning said this, his gaze remained fixed on Ying Ning's back.

But a single sentence brought back the unease in his heart.

“Ah Chu, if one day I am gone, if you don’t want to go back to the capital, it’s fine to stay here. If you don’t want to stay here, you can go to the Basun Royal City.”

“I have already informed my grandfather that he will treat you well in the future.”

"Sister, what nonsense are you talking about..."

"Ah Chu, my body..."

"Your Highness is perfectly fine, Ah Chu, don't say such things." Upon hearing Ying Ning's words, Bai Chuning quickly walked to her side and hugged her tightly like a child: "Your Highness, don't talk nonsense. Wherever Your Highness is, Ah Chu will be there!"

"Silly Ah Chu."

Bai Chuning heard her sigh, and then she said, "Ah Chu, everyone must part ways eventually."

Upon hearing this, Bai Chuning felt an unease that almost overflowed from his chest and even overwhelmed his throat. He held Yingning tightly and said, "A-Chu will not leave my elder sister."

"Sister, please stop talking nonsense!!" The young man almost burst into tears, but he didn't want Yingning to worry, so he held them back. His voice was full of sorrow: "A-Chu will accompany you for all eternity."

Wherever she is, he is.

No one in the world has ever treated him like this, so how could he bear to leave?

Unexpectedly, Ying Ning shook her head and gently patted the young man's arm: "A-Chu, you've grown up. Can I ask you for a favor?"

"As long as my sister doesn't leave me, I can do anything!"

"When I was young, I loved to travel around the world. I thought I would be able to travel all over the world in my life, but I never thought that I would never have the chance again."

"If possible, Ah Chu, could you go and take a look for me?"

"The golden snowfields of the North, the beautiful water lilies of the South, the dragon-capped peaks of the East Fence, Ah Chu, take a look at them all for me..." Her voice paused, followed by another cough.

Then, Bai Chuning felt the weakness in the person in his arms, and he panicked instantly: "Royal sister, is something wrong with you?"

"Let's go back, okay?!"

He straightened up, looking at the woman's increasingly pale face, not knowing what had happened: "Royal sister, I'll take you back!"

"I'll go find a doctor right now!"

He had barely finished speaking when he was about to pick up Yingning and turn back, but a voice suddenly stopped him.

“Ah Chu”.

"It's too late." Yingning's words, accompanied by the gurgling sound of the bay water, reached his ears.

Bai Chuning was born intelligent and quick to understand. After hearing Ying Ning's words, he slowly stood up and uttered a sentence after a moment: "Royal sister... did you come here tonight to say goodbye to A-Chu?"

"Feel sorry."

Two words are more powerful than many words.

Bai Chuning looked at Yingning in disbelief: "Is Your Highness really going to leave A-Chu?"

"We've already left the Min Dynasty, so why... why... can't we just keep living like this?!"

At this point, the phoenix-eyed young man's eyes welled up with pain, until he couldn't hold back his tears, but he could only grip her shoulders tightly and speak painfully:

"Royal sister, I beg you..."

"Don't leave A-Chu."

"I originally intended to leave the Min Dynasty quietly, but I was afraid it would make you worry. After thinking about it, I realized it wouldn't be fair to A-Chu, who is naturally perceptive."

"My body can't be hidden from you."

"Feel sorry..."

"To say goodbye like this..." Yingning gently wiped away his tears, suppressing the urge to pull away, and continued, "A-Chu... don't be sad..."

Then came another fit of violent coughing. Bai Chuning watched helplessly as her face gradually lost all color, yet her smile remained radiant, exactly as it had been when they first met years ago.

"How...how could I not be heartbroken..." the young man sobbed, pulling her into his arms once more: "Royal Sister..."

"Don't leave A-Chu."

"Ah Chu can't live without his elder sister."

“Ah Chu… all these years you’ve always felt that you were born because of me, but haven’t I been too? It’s my blessing that Ah Chu is by my side.”

His tears were scalding hot, almost burning Yingning's neck.

Yingning reached out and gently wiped away his tears, but they never stopped flowing.

"It is clearly..."

"It's Ah Chu's... good fortune." He sobbed.

But the person in his arms still spoke softly, "Over the years, A-Chu has always stayed by my side... always putting me first, but my elder sister hopes that A-Chu can go and see the four states and five seas in the future."

"All things in this world... My elder sister hopes that A-Chu can experience them... If he doesn't just stay by my side, he might encounter other blessings."

"No! No!" Bai Chuning lowered his head, unable to bear looking at her any longer.

"No one will ever treat Ah Chu like this again."

"My elder sister is the only one who treats A-Chu well!"

"Ah Chu...you must remember..."

"Bai Yingning will always be your older sister."

"She wanted to protect you as you grew up, so she couldn't bear to see you sad..."

So Bai Chuning, you must live well.

"My elder sister is leaving... Ah Chu... Ah Chu will be sad..." His voice was broken and hesitant with sobs.

She seemed unable to bear touching his tears any longer. Bai Chuning felt the hand in his arms slowly fall down at this moment. He finally couldn't hold back his pain and raised his head: "Royal Sister!"

"Royal Sister!"

"No one else will ever treat A-Chu like this again...!" With that, he bent over in anguish, clutching Ying-Ning, trying to hold onto her last vestiges of life, but only then did he hear Ying-Ning's final words:

"Ah Chu...please stay safe and sound..."

Upon hearing her words, Bai Chuning's shoulders trembled violently. He held her tightly in his arms, his body gradually curling up until he finally collapsed to the ground.

His tears fell uncontrollably onto the rocky beach.

He was delighted when he arrived.

But at this moment, he was left all alone.

*

The snow-white figure stopped in front of a pool in Cangling Moon Bay. Not far away was a coffin made of nanmu spirit marrow. The guards of King Basun were stationed beside the coffin. The coffin had been closed. Bai Chuning did not walk to the coffin, but stopped on the side of Moon Bay, looking at the pool in front of him: "This is the last place she came to."

"I intend to bury her here."

Then Bai Chuning spoke up again: "She has never been very willing to stay in the capital, so she should be satisfied."

The tall figure behind Bai Chuning didn't listen to what he was saying. Instead, he stumbled and ran to the coffin made of nanmu spirit marrow. When Yan Chaoji was only a step away from the coffin, he suddenly stopped, not daring to look at who was inside.

Upon hearing the sound, Bai Chuning turned around and looked at Yan Chaoji, where he saw his appearance.

"Isn't the Regent looking for the Empress Dowager?"

"My elder sister is right there."

"Why wouldn't you dare to see me?" Bai Chuning said mockingly.

The person in front of the coffin ignored Bai Chuning's words. When Yan Chaoji saw the intricate carvings on the coffin, his heart seemed to stop for a moment.

He dared not look...

Wuwei and Bai Chuning's words seemed to be reminding him that Xiaobai was really dead, but when the coffin was placed in front of him, he dared not take that last step.

He slowly reached out and stopped at the intricately carved deer beast in front of the coffin. In the Western Regions, the Azure Spirit Deer Beast is considered a sacred beast. Legend has it that the Azure Spirit Deer Beast can travel to the other side of the River Styx, devouring all spirits to nourish all things in the world. The royal family of the Western Regions would carve the Azure Spirit Deer Beast on the coffins of the deceased in order to pray that the souls of the deceased could go to the underworld to be reincarnated.

Yan Chaoji had a premonition, but he still lowered his hand.

"Has she... uttered any complaints?" Yan Chaoji was asking whether Bai Yingning had regretted saving him all these years, because if it weren't for him, she wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

"Of course I hate it."

"I hate you to death." Bai Chuning's phoenix eyes were still bloodshot as she gritted her teeth and said these words.

"Yan Chaoji, why don't you just die?!"

My beloved elder sister is dead...

What makes Yan Chaoji think he can live?!

Bai Chuning gripped Yan Chaoji's collar tightly, her clear face momentarily contorted with madness: "My royal sister hates you so much she wants to kill you with her own hands, Yan Chaoji, you really deserve to die!" Then she threw a punch.

He struck with considerable force, a blow imbued with the pent-up pain and resentment of recent days, directly onto Yan Chaoji's face.

Another punch!

"Why should your elder sister save you?!"

Another punch!

Yan Chaoji did not retaliate. This once invincible regent was beaten to the ground by Bai Chuning, a novice martial artist.

Hearing Bai Chuning's words, his heart ached even more. Even though he knew Bai Chuning was lying, he still thought of that person. The pain of the Gu worms was no longer worth mentioning. Blood kept spilling from his throat.

Yan Chaoji was lost in thought as pain from punch after punch landed on him, yet he hesitated to block them and uttered not a word of explanation.

Bai Chuning didn't even feel the blow on his hand. Standing on the rocky beach, he looked down at Yan Chaoji, who was lying on the ground covered in mud and spitting blood. Bai Chuning knew he wouldn't have gone this far; it seemed Yan Chaoji was already seriously injured. He couldn't help but feel a little pleased and sneered, "The Regent is in quite a sorry state."

He beckoned his guards over.

"Throw this person away, don't dirty my elder sister's coffin."

"yes."

*

That night.

The man who had been thrown to the side of Moon Bay slowly stood up and returned to the stone beach along the same path. By this time, the guards responsible for watching the coffin were already fast asleep, so he quietly walked to the front of the coffin.

Yan Chaoji pushed open the coffin door and only then did he see the face he had longed for day and night.

He had a premonition, but his heartbeat suddenly stopped at that moment. Then it felt as if someone was slowly tearing his heart apart, causing him so much pain that his eyes almost stung. His chest churned with blood, and he swallowed a mouthful of blood. Only after a long time did he reach out and gently touch her phoenix eyes: "Little White."

"Wake up."

"You haven't learned the new sword technique I taught you yet."

"Jiji has run off again."

"Over the years, you..."

"Have you...?"

"Miss me...?" He choked up as he said this, and blood spilled from the side of his lips. After a while, Yan Chaoji continued, "Bai Chuning told me a lot of things, but I can't verify them with you now."

"Between you and me, everything is wrong."

"I failed to save you; it was a mistake."

"I failed to find you, that's my second mistake."

"I failed to protect you again, that's my third mistake."

"After much thought, I've already apologized far too many times."

"Little White is tired of listening too."

Yan Chaoji gently removed his hand from her face, and despair gradually spread in his hawk-like eyes. He took out the dagger he had intended to give her, but it was no longer the same as before, having been covered in wounds during the battle with the Imperial Guards.

Just like her.

Yan Chaoji slowly walked to the side of Cangling Moon Bay, no longer looking at the glaring coffin.

According to sacred texts, the Cangling Deer Beast devours all spirits and is willing to pave the way for the dead, increase their blessings, and eliminate their karmic obstacles. People in the Western Regions have a custom of offering sacrifices to living beings, hoping that the sacred beast can lead the deceased to the River Styx for reincarnation.

I wonder if his already damaged body can guide her to the River Styx?

If possible, this would be a way to repay some of the debt I owe her.

......

With a clatter, the sound of metal hitting the ground.

A vibrant color gradually appeared on the water of Moon Bay. Yan Chaoji leaned weakly against the lower side of the coffin. The blood flowing from his chest gradually spread into the pool. The Gu worms on his chest also sensed the abnormality in his body and were making their final struggle, wanting to devour more flesh and blood at the last moment.

Pfft...

The worms seemed to have bitten into his internal organs, and Yan Chaoji coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Before long, he was vomiting blood all over the ground, but he still forced himself to stay strong, unwilling to soil her coffin. The significant blood loss from both parts of his body was gradually making him delirious. At this moment, Yan Chaoji suddenly remembered something from the past...

When was that...?

It was May back then...

A small courtyard in Biancheng.

"Zhao Zhao, this sword is too difficult to use." The girl, dressed in a pale yellow dress and with a small willow-shaped hairpin in her hair, threw the iron sword aside, seemingly unwilling to practice anymore.

"I can never seem to get it right!"

Still young, he sheathed his sword and, seeing her expression, could only say, "Then I'll go buy you another sword tomorrow."

"Besides, how many times have I said it?" he said, frowning.

"Don't call me Zhaozhao anymore."

"By the way, Zhaozhao, do you know how to forge swords?" But she didn't listen.

“My name is Yan Zhao,” he said stubbornly.

"It seems you know how to do it. How about you forge one for me? I want a sword that's imposing and full of killing intent!" the girl with phoenix eyes and pale yellow eyes pestered her.

"don't want."

"Yan Zhao, Yan Zhao."

"Forge me a sword." She seemed really keen on having a sword made by herself. After her shaking made his head ache, Yan Chaoji finally relented:

"When I have time."

"When will I have time...?"

"Let's talk about it another day."

"Zhaozhao, let's go to the ironworks now." She excitedly pulled her away from the mansion, then turned to her and asked, "Should we take Xiaoji with us?"

Why bring it?

"Maybe it also wants a sword." The girl's phoenix eyes were brighter than the city's prosperity, and she winked mischievously when she mentioned the cat.

It was as if a pebble had been thrown into his heart, instantly creating ripples. He forced himself not to look at her anymore, and strode forward with a cold and stern face, but he did not break free from her hand.

What was he thinking at that time...?

I can't remember...

He seemed to have said something when he was young:

"Stop fooling around."

*

Five years later, in the capital of the Western Regions.

As Sui Feng listened to the townspeople around him discussing the recent war in the Western Regions, he couldn't help but sigh at the unpredictable changes of the world. The hostage who had been sent to the Min Dynasty had now established himself as king and even maintained close ties with the other three kings based on the power of King Basun. Bai Lirong's army had already suffered many losses.

There are even rumors that Bai Chuning will declare himself emperor and rival Bai Lirong.

Sui Feng carefully put away the medicine packet in his arms before steadily returning to his residence in the capital.

"Your Highness, I'm back." Sui Feng stepped into the courtyard, but didn't see the figure that usually stayed there, so he quickly went to the study.

I knocked twice on the door to give the person inside some time to prepare.

"Go in." The voice was somewhat hoarse.

As the wind pushed open the door, a white jade mask appeared. The person in front of the desk wore a green cloud-patterned robe with wide lapels and narrow sleeves, with a few traces of blemishes on his forehead, as if he were holding a brush and drawing something.

"Sui Feng, is there any news?" The man's voice was hoarse. He was Yan Qizhen, whom Sui Feng had rescued from the collapsed palace. He was wearing a white jade mask, which concealed his gentle face.

Five years have passed, and his temples have already turned somewhat gray.

"There are rumors that Bai Chuning may be planning to declare himself emperor," Sui Feng said from the side, revealing some information about Bai Chuning.

"What about Aning?"

"Isn't she with Bai Chuning?"

But the wind remained silent.

In recent years, the names of Bai Chuning and Bai Yingning seemed to have disappeared from the Western Regions. He and His Highness had been searching for their whereabouts in the capital. It wasn't until a few months ago that Bai Chuning's name gradually reappeared in the capital, but all of it was in the form of rumors of war.

Until a few days ago, no trace of Princess Zhaoning had been found, but today a secret letter from an informant was received.

"Princess Zhaoning...this humble servant has discovered a clue." Sui Feng pondered for a moment, then spoke with a hint of reluctance:

"A message came from King Basun, saying that after Princess Zhaoning left the Min Dynasty, she did not return to the capital, but instead..."

"And what is it?" The jade-faced man rarely heard news about Ying Ning and was about to put the brush down when he was suddenly interrupted.

Sui Feng did not look at Yan Qizhen, but instead hardened his heart and said, "Princess Zhaoning never returned to the capital. She died in the Balin tribe long ago."

A drop of ink permeated the Xuan paper.

Looking at his master, who was wearing a jade mask, Sui Feng couldn't bear it and said, "Your Highness, Princess Zhaoning is very likely... dead, and Bai Chuning's behavior is also somewhat suspicious." As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of an inkstone falling.

"Shut up, Sui Feng!"

"Your Highness."

But Sui Feng continued, "In the past few years, Your Highness has been searching for Princess Zhaoning ever since you recovered, but why have you found no trace of her?!"

Don't you understand?

"Only the dead are completely gone without a trace."

"Bai Chuning's personality has changed drastically, yet Princess Zhaoning has not appeared for a long time. Your Highness should understand this."

"King Basun's informants also prove this point; otherwise, why would King Basun, with his power, be backing Bai Chuning?!"

"Princess Zhaoning, she..."

"Sui Feng, shut up!!" The man with the jade-like face seemed to be getting hysterical.

Despite Yan Qizhen's anger, Sui Feng still managed to say, "Your Highness, we must leave the Western Regions as soon as possible."

Sui Feng sincerely advised that the emperor had passed away three years ago, and now Crown Prince Yan Dingjun had ascended the throne. His younger brother Yan Jingxu was his right-hand man. The new emperor was kind-hearted and did not inquire about the reason for the departure of the princess and prince from the Western Regions. Instead, he lightly brushed the matter aside with the words, "Although there is no marriage between them, we are still willing to quell the war with the Western Regions within ten years."

However, Yan Jingxu was very keen on his own prince.

Sui Feng naturally hoped that his master could go to a safe border. At this time, the Western Regions and the Min Dynasty were on good terms, so it was not good for his master to stay in the Western Regions, not to mention that there was Bai Chuning there.

"Sui Feng, get out!" The person in the white jade mask leaned on the table, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably, as if he was furious or in extreme pain.

Ah Ning... how could she not be in the Western Regions?!

"King Basun's information cannot be wrong..."

"Your Highness, it's time for you to wake up."

Seeing that his master was not in good condition, Sui Feng cautiously said something. After he finished speaking, he thought that His Highness would be furious, but he did not hear anything for a long time. Only then did Sui Feng slightly raise his head.

The man with the jade-like face gripped the corner of the table tightly and uttered, "Sui Feng... you can leave now."

"Your Highness."

"go out!!"

Sui Feng was already worried that his master would do something rash again, so he did not listen to Yan Qizhen's words and did not leave for the time being, but Yan Qizhen did not say anything.

When Sui Feng saw that the man with the jade-like face seemed to be staring intently at the painting on the desk, he knew that his prince had not listened to him today.

Does Your Highness still wish to persist?

For the past five years, Princess Zhaoning has been nowhere to be found, from the Min Dynasty to the Western Regions. When a little news finally came, it turned out that Princess Zhaoning had already died.

If Your Highness doesn't face reality, where else can you find Princess Zhaoning?

Dongzhou?

The North?

For a moment, Sui Feng didn't know what to say. After noticing that Yan Qizhen was not acting strangely, he could only slowly back out.

Inside the room, in front of the desk.

Ugly scars spread from his wrist into his narrow sleeve, but even so, one could still see that this person's fingers and bones were once extremely beautiful. Yan Qizhen raised his hand and gently removed the white jade mask, revealing a face half covered in burns.

One side is perfect and flawless, while the other side is ugly like a monster.

A ticking sound.

The water soaked the unfinished painting again. Yan Qizhen reached out to wipe away the tears, but unexpectedly wiped the still-dry ink into a mess. He trembled and tried to wipe away the ink again, but could only watch as the painting was destroyed by his own hands.

Suddenly filled with resentment, he threw the scroll to the ground, but after only a few moments, he picked it up again and unfurled the painting of the beautiful woman once more.

In the painting, she is holding a teacup and chatting with a smile, but her own mistake has tarnished her charm.

"Ah Ning, why can't I find any trace of you?" The red mole on his earlobe looked like a drop of blood, but his heart was truly aching.

"You're not by Bai Chuning's side..."

"But it's not in the Western Regions?"

"Can you tell me, Aning?"

......

He had been staying in the capital of the Western Regions for the past two years, trying every possible method, but he still couldn't find any trace of her. As time quietly passed, even though Sui Feng didn't say anything, he had a vague premonition.

Bai Chuning's actions over the past year have been quite reckless, as if he were a beast with no way out, and now he has joined forces with the various vassal kings of the Western Regions to try to pull Bai Lirong off his position.

This behavior was self-evident long ago.

He then took out a scroll from the side. The woman in the scroll lifted her mask with one hand, but left half of her face covered, leaving room for imagination. Her phoenix eyes were captivating, and with just a few strokes, her peerless beauty was depicted.

Yan Qizhen gently stroked her face. The painting was cold, but his tears were hot, gradually blurring one side of the painting. He seemed to have made a decision: "So, after all this time, I've actually lived a few more years."

“Ah Ning, I seem to be even more insane than my mother. All she wanted was to have a child for that person, but all I wanted was to die with you.”

“For the past few years, I have thought of your face every day. I heard a Taoist priest say that love in this world is fleeting, but only hatred in the heart is remembered more clearly.”

"So, it turns out I hate Aning."

"I hate that Aning doesn't love me, I hate that Aning left me..."

"I hate that Ah Ning beat me to it..." He choked on his words, tears welling up, unable to utter the word that terrified him. It was almost laughable...

He has never been afraid of death; he has died countless times over the years...

But why...?

Hearing that she died...

Why would he be so scared...?

Jade Face wept silently on one side of the table, a single tear of blood on the mask's outline becoming almost real, while the eyes of the person stroking the scroll gradually softened:

“A-Ning.”

"Five years late, have you been waiting for me?"

......

Sui Feng stood guard outside the room, listening to the crashing sounds inside, and slowly closed his eyes.

Your Highness...

Don't be so attached to it.

After a long while, Sui Feng realized that there had been no sound inside for a long time, and wondered when his master had vented his anger: "Master."

"Are you alright?"

There was no response from inside for a long time, and he couldn't help but worry, so he gently pushed open the door: "Your Highness, I apologize for my rudeness."

He had only taken one step into the room when he saw the gaunt figure slumped amidst countless paintings: "Your Highness!"

The emerald-clad figure lay silently on the cold stone slab, surrounded by portraits of beauties he had spread out—some depicting figures wielding whips with unrestrained abandon, others showing the silhouette of a lone traveler under the moonlight...

Each painting depicts the same person, and with just one glance, one can see the artist's obsession with the subject. For the past five years, someone has barely survived by painting each stroke of their brush.

But now...

But he was unwilling to live on.

The people in the painting are full of spirit and vitality.

The people in the painting are long gone.

*

0067 secretly slept in for two days before hearing the main system's notification:

"Congratulations to the system holder for cracking the hidden line. You will receive a reward of one gold coin, which can be exchanged for 5,000 ordinary points or a chance to win a system lottery."

Hidden reward lines typically offer two types of rewards: gold coin points and regular points.

The main system's voice was cold as it announced the rewards, but 0067 in Ying Ning's mind was unusually excited: "Master, draw the prize!"

Let's draw a prize!

Hearing 0067's cheerful voice, Yingning went along with it: "Okay, let Little 7 draw the prize."

Regular points can be obtained in every world, but the chance to win gold coins and points through the system's lottery is extremely rare. Usually, system holders will choose to gamble for the reward.

Although the rewards come in all shapes and sizes, some are useless while others may actually be useful.

Upon hearing its master's words, 0067 immediately selected the lottery button in the system. A moment later, the main system's voice sounded again: "Congratulations to 0067, the system holder, for obtaining the 'Dream Spirit' reward."

"The reward has the following effect: the system holder can use it on any person, and will enter that person's dream for a specific period of time."

"This skill can only be used three times."

"This skill can only be used in the same world. System holders should use it with caution."

......

0067 carefully read the instructions for using "Dream Spirit," and asked in a slightly curious, childlike voice, "Master, are the rewards that Little 7 drew useful?"

"Why can you only enter other people's dreams, but not change reality?"

“Useful.”

Anything or any word, if used at the right time, even if it seems insignificant, may generate huge benefits in the future.

"Little 7 is very lucky," Yingning praised it.

0067 was clearly a child at heart; after being praised a couple of times, he immediately perked up: "Master, the rating from the last world has been released."

"Yan Chaoji's emotional distress score is 999 points, and his physical distress score is 1045 points. Yan Qizhen's emotional distress score is 1034 points, and his physical distress score is 1058 points, for a total of 4136 points."

"Touching the hidden line in a high-level world rewards you with one gold coin."

"The world rating is A+." 0067's chubby voice was full of enthusiasm at this moment. It glanced at Ying Ning and thought its master was in good spirits.

"Master, it's time to begin the next world."

"Okay, Little 7, let's move on to the next world."

*

"Fairnd has reached 100 million players worldwide!!"

"In three days, the company will launch the third generation of Fairnd holographic mode, which will bring players a new gaming experience."

Headline: "Z's future executives have revealed that Fairng's first competitive tournament will be held within a year!"

"Fairnd will launch a co-branded product with xx beverage on December 18th!"

"Fairnd's famous streamer 'GuGu the Cutest' has had his true appearance revealed in his live stream?! The sweet GuGu of the past is actually a giant?!"

“fairnd...”

......

Fairnd is a holographic game launched three years ago by Future Technology, the largest game technology company in China. It became an instant hit in China upon release, and the following year, North American and European servers were launched...

Xia Yueyue is one of the players of the game Fairnd. She is not very good at playing games, but the reason she plays Fairnd is that a month ago, she was walking on the road when she was knocked unconscious by an unidentified object that fell from the sky.

Upon waking, a voice entered her mind: "Life form indicators have been identified and meet the system binding standards."

"Aaaaaaah, what's talking?!" Xia Yueyue looked around warily, wondering what was beside her.

"There's a ghost!!"

...........

It took Xia Yueyue two days to accept the fact that a system had appeared in her mind. This system called itself the "Cupid's Love System," which claimed that it could improve the host's various beauty indicators by collecting the love values ​​of people around them.

"System, can you really make me more beautiful?"

The somewhat cold and arrogant system in his mind said, "Yes, host."

"As long as the host can obtain a sufficient number of men's affection points, this system can enhance the host's beauty."

Xia Yueyue glanced at the person in the full-length mirror. The person in the mirror had a loose t-shirt that couldn't hide the excess fat that was beyond normal size, greasy hair that was a bit tangled, and shoes that were already a bit yellowed.

Her mouth was relatively small, but the skin on her face was pockmarked from overeating.

She took out her phone, opened someone's Moments, selected a photo, and her expression turned somewhat disdainful when she saw it: "Is this level of beauty acceptable?"

The voice, which called itself the "Cupid's Love System," glanced at the photo and dismissively said, "Okay."

"This level is no problem at all."

"How can I know if you're telling the truth or not?" Xia Yueyue asked nervously.

"As a reward for binding, this system will provide the host with one free overall body shaping session, valid for 10 days."

"Really?!"

"Yes, you can immediately receive the 'free' reward after binding."

"This system will automatically collect affection points periodically to maintain the host's beauty."

Hearing the system's words, Xia Yueyue was still immersed in the excitement of becoming a great beauty and did not notice the key point in the system's words.

"I see..." Xia Yueyue looked at the stunningly beautiful woman on her phone screen, then glanced at herself in the mirror, and made a firm decision: "Then I'll choose to bind to the system!"

Before she went to college, she always looked down on people who were good-looking.

But then she met the person she liked...

But that person has a girlfriend...

Xia Yueyue gripped her phone tightly, scrolled through a few more selfies, and only after looking at them for a while did she exit this person's Moments interface.

Her phone number has the name You Yingning saved in her contacts.

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