Chapter 7: Chapter 3: Why Am I Always Losing?

Chapter 3: Why Is It Always a Loss?

Suddenly, panic erupted within the Buddhist hall.

"Put out the fire! Amitabha, go put out the fire quickly!" Even Master Minghui, who had appeared so calm, found himself somewhat unable to maintain control at this moment. "Your Majesty, protect the Emperor and all the officials. Get them out of here!"

As for the so-called Emperor, he had already fled to some unknown location long ago. Almost no one had seen when Jun Lanfeng had exited.

It had not rained near Fafa Temple for several consecutive months. Once Jun Lanfeng left the courtyard, he saw that the backyard was already engulfed in raging flames. A flash of panic crossed his face, which was immediately replaced by a direct sprint toward the temporary post in the backyard.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is missing! Her Majesty..."

Just as Jun Lanfeng reached the courtyard, staring at the house that was about to be consumed by fire, several maidservants suddenly rushed out, crying out in anxiety.

*Slap...*

Jun Lanfeng felt a series of flames licking at his surroundings. He turned and circled the room, only to see it empty. Finally, he could not help but roar, "The entire guard consists of a hundred elite soldiers, yet you cannot even protect the Empress? What use is there in me keeping you all?"

Cuier scrambled up from the ground, clutching her stinging face, and knelt. "Your Majesty, this servant only went out to warm the medicine for Her Majesty. When I returned, I found the room empty."

"Your Majesty, we were performing our duties to the letter. We truly do not know how Her Majesty disappeared," the Captain of the Guards reported.

Jun Lanfeng watched the massive fire inching closer to this room. To be honest, his heart had truly never been this chaotic. So chaotic that he did not know how to untangle his thoughts.

"Search for them! Find that envoy from Huadu Country. You must capture him alive, otherwise, I will skin you all!"

He let out a roar, staring at the courtyard that was about to be swallowed. He went back and searched the area once more.

The people were terrified and rushed to find someone, but the massive fire burning on both sides of the great temple gradually began to overwhelm the entire room.

"Amitabha, Your Majesty, leave this place quickly!"

Master Minghui walked over and hurriedly pulled Jun Lanfeng out of the fire pit. As the abbot of the royal temple, Master Minghui possessed profound, hidden martial arts. He alone was sufficient to carry Jun Lanfeng out of the massive fire pit.

"Master, is this what you called... the Phoenix Calamity?" Jun Lanfeng asked in a heavy voice.

"Amitabha, Your Majesty, this fire came with such ferocity. It was completely beyond Minghui's expectations." Master Minghui shook his head. "Looking at this fire, I fear Fafa Temple will be destroyed in an instant. Amitabha, such sin, such sin."

Jun Lanfeng glanced at him and turned to leave. "I heard that two hundred years ago, Fafa Temple also suffered a mysterious great fire. That was when the Buddha took Master Jueran to his final rest here. They say it was heavenly fire, and to this day, no one knows who actually set it."

"Yes, that fire burned almost the entire courtyard. Looking at the current situation, I fear history is about to repeat itself," Master Minghui sighed. "If that is truly the case, and Fafa Temple causes Your Majesty to lose the Empress, this old monk can only throw himself into this sea of fire to atone with death."

"The East Courtyard likely cannot be held." Jun Lanfeng took a long breath and sighed. "In that case, abandon the East Courtyard. Tell the monks to pour all the water onto the small path between the East and West Courtyards to form a river. That way, we can use it as a barrier."

"Amitabha, Your Majesty is wise. This old monk will see to it immediately."

Master Minghui suddenly looked up and smiled. To sacrifice the small to save the large—as monks, they were taught to protect every piece of land and save every living soul. But in truth, once a certain point is reached, learning to let go can actually result in gaining more.

However, in this world, aside from Jun Lanfeng, perhaps only the missing Jing Yue'er possessed such audacity.

"Your Majesty, a group of people has broken through from the foot of the mountain. There are about three hundred of them, and every one of them looks ferocious. This subordinate believes it may be related to the Empress's disappearance."

A subordinate came to report.

"Let me go see." With those words, he strode away.

How long had it been since Fafa Temple had encountered such a fire? It was a true fusion of ice and fire. Jun Lanfeng stood in the wind, watching the clash of cold weapons below, sending sparks flying.

"Why are we only defending and not attacking?" Jun Lanfeng asked sternly. "If we do this, even though my army has the advantage, we will be exhausted. Nangong Yu, how have I been instructing you?"

"Your Majesty, this is the forbidden ground of Mount Buddha. Unless absolutely necessary, we dare not harm people," Nangong Yu looked at the soldiers below awkwardly. "I have heard that whoever starts the slaughter first will be blamed by the Buddha."

Jun Lanfeng let out a long sigh and drew the sword from Nangong Yu's hand. Then, he threw it out. One of the men in black was struck, blood gushing as he fell to the ground. For a moment, a sudden silence fell over the surroundings.

"Today's events were a deliberate act by a neighboring country. If the Buddha blames us for this, then I can only say that I do not care for piety. My army shall not be hindered by anything. By the special rights Heaven has bestowed upon me, I command you: no matter how much blood is spilled, leave nothing behind!"

The glint of blades and the shadows of swords moved with unstoppable force. The road at Mount Buddha was almost a river of blood. In the two hundred years of this Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony at Fafa Temple, such a bloody scene had never appeared.

Of course, this was the first time Nangong Yu had seen such audacity, and he couldn't help but feel even more admiration for Jun Lanfeng. "Your Majesty, with you here, the empire shall last ten thousand years."

Jun Lanfeng did not speak. Perhaps on ordinary days, he would have considered more before acting. But today, to save Yue'er, he was practically risking everything.

"General Nangong, is there only this one path down from Fafa Temple?" Jun Lanfeng asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Very well. Until I return, you shall make all decisions regarding Fafa Temple on my behalf."

Having said that, Jun Lanfeng tapped his toes, and in the next second, his shadow had completely vanished.

***

Somewhere at the foot of the mountain, General Wild Wolf was holding Jing Yue'er, riding his horse down the mountain. Amidst the jolting, Jing Yue'er struggled several times. "Lanfeng, what are you doing? I'm so tired."

Her hazy eyes shifted slightly, and she suddenly saw a figure. Clad entirely in black with a black cloth mask, Jing Yue'er felt her body go limp with fear. "Who are you? Put me down. I feel terrible."

Because of Jing Yue'er's shouting, the horse's galloping speed slowed significantly.

"I'm so hungry, I'm starving to death..."

Jing Yue'er struggled on the horse, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from her body. Yet she continued to struggle; in her panic, she grabbed a hand and bit down hard.

Wild Wolf gasped, tightening the reins. He looked back, and finally, he held her as he jumped off the horse, took off his robe to pad the ground, and placed her upon it.

"Wait here. I'll go pick something for you to eat."

Wild Wolf's raspy voice held a hint of tenderness.

Jing Yue'er's delicate body lay on the robe. She closed her eyes, watching Wild Wolf leap into a tree to pick fruit. Her eyelids slowly closed again.

"Why did you bring me here?" Jing Yue'er asked weakly. "And being so good to me... aren't you afraid my man will come chasing after me?"

"I'm not afraid even if he does. I want to take you back to Huadu. Everything he can give, I will give you even more." Wild Wolf answered her mosquito-like voice while picking fruit.

"No matter how much you give, you are not him."

Within a few sentences, Jing Yue'er felt cold sweat breaking out, feeling as if she were about to faint again.

Just then, a wave of the unique sweet and sour sensation of night grapes gradually flowed into her throat. "Jing Yue'er, you belonged to me from the start. Do you know that?"

He pinched her chin. "Are you willing to come back to my side?"

With a cluster of delicious grapes before her eyes, Jing Yue'er felt her stomach growling even more fiercely.

"I'm not willing."

Jing Yue'er turned away as if she hadn't seen the grapes.

"It doesn't matter," he sneered, placing the grapes into her mouth one by one. "Beautiful things must be fought for. Jing Yue'er, if... you refuse me and insist on returning to him, I wouldn't mind destroying you."

Wild Wolf drew a dagger from his waist, sharp and shining like silver. He slowly approached her face. "I spent three years reborn through fire. From now on, all the beautiful things in this world can only belong to me. Truly, I don't have the heart to destroy you. As long as you are obedient, everything I own will belong to you in the future."

"Pervert."

Jing Yue'er turned around, looking at the surrounding scenery. "I'm telling you, if I love, I love; if I hate, I hate. If a single knife could make me change, I'd have lost count of how many people I've been by now."

A strange flicker passed through Wild Wolf's eyes, replaced instantly by a smile. "I find you more and more interesting."

Jing Yue'er rolled her eyes. "Boss, you must think I'm stupid. Come on, give me a slit to the throat. Just make it quick."

Wild Wolf only smiled and said nothing.

"Consider it a plea. Rather than spending the rest of my life under your disgusting presence, I'd truly rather find liberation early." Jing Yue'er acted as if she were in unbearable pain.

"Since you are so intent on death, killing you would be no fun."

She felt that this moment was the most painful time of her life. Damn it, if she had even a shred of strength, she would definitely beat this scumbag to death. Scumbag, scumbag!

"Then, handsome, I beg you. Let me go. I am... most, most, most... afraid of death. Please don't kill me."

"Mm, that's much better. A submissive woman is the most beautiful."

Beautiful my ass!!

Jing Yue'er couldn't help but curse inwardly.

"I'm telling you, don't expect Jun Lanfeng to come save you. Because right now, he can barely save himself."

This time, Jing Yue'er couldn't help but look at Wild Wolf, her eyes filled with a gaze that seemed to want to devour him alive.

"Even if he can come save you, so what? This time, he is destined to lose, do you believe me?"

"I believe you," Jing Yue'er smiled faintly. "I believe you are insane."

"Heh..."

The raspy voice let out a sudden laugh. "Full?"

Jing Yue'er ignored him.

"If you're full, let's go."

Wild Wolf stood up, preparing to pick her up, when suddenly a figure descended from the sky. The faint, elegant scent of *Junzi Lan* instantly scattered with the wind. "If you dare touch her, I will tear your hands off, piece by piece, today."

"You arrived quite fast."

Wild Wolf's raspy voice was intentionally sarcastic.

"My speed at killing is even faster. If you don't believe me, feel free to try." His cold gaze held a profound, icy chill. "Touch her even once, and you will learn what the most cruel punishment in this world is."

"But, since it's death either way, why don't I gamble on how important this beauty in my hands is to you?" Wild Wolf smiled. "They say the Emperor dotes on the Empress, dotes on her to the heavens."

"Release her now, and I can let this go." Jun Lanfeng pondered for a long time. "This is my greatest concession; do not push your luck."

"Hahahaha..." His laughter scattered in the wind, terrifying to the extreme. "Jun Lanfeng, do you really think I am that stupid? Holding such a treasure in my hands and not knowing how to set the price?"

With a *bang*, a powerful surge of internal energy from Jun Lanfeng had nowhere to go, causing a crater to collapse beneath his feet.

Soon, three words were forced from his mouth: "You—are—dead."

"Haha, I am seeking death. But do you dare kill me?" Wild Wolf said.

As their blood-red eyes met, neither could discern joy or anger. Jing Yue'er felt a sudden chill in the air. "Lanfeng, you probably know by now. I don't have many years left to live."

Jun Lanfeng froze. When his gaze shifted to Jing Yue'er, it instantly became as gentle as jade. "What are you saying?"

"In the future, find someone gentler than me, someone more womanly. Find someone you can have babies with." Jing Yue'er chuckled softly. "Listen to me. Turn around. When I die later, just collect my body. I'll be eternally grateful."

"Shut up!"

Jun Lanfeng could no longer listen and barked in anger.

"What do you want?" He looked at Wild Wolf, clearly compromising.

"Your life," Wild Wolf said. "Everything you have." This, of course, included the struggling woman in his hands, though Wild Wolf did not say it aloud.

"Sigh, his life belongs to me. I won't give it, I won't give it!"

Jing Yue'er shouted loudly.

"I give up on you. At a time like this, do you really not want to live?" Wild Wolf's words sounded half like jealousy.

"Compared to my man's life, my life is worth nothing. You can take it whenever you want." Jing Yue'er stared at the knife, wishing she could just throw herself onto it.

That phrase—*compared to my man's life, my life is nothing*—hit Wild Wolf's ears and caused him to choke momentarily.

"You think you're worthless, but in his eyes, you are a treasure," Wild Wolf said.

"Wild Wolf, right?" Jing Yue'er endured her temper and gritted her teeth. "I hope I never meet you a second time in this life, otherwise, I'll kill you."

"Being remembered by you isn't so bad either," Wild Wolf smiled, shouting toward Jun Lanfeng. "I want to test your husband's feelings for you. You should thank me."

"Lanfeng, even if you truly die, he won't let me go. Don't be foolish, Lanfeng!" Jing Yue'er cried out.

Jun Lanfeng felt a pang in his heart. How could he not know what Jing Yue'er was saying? But if he truly had to watch her die, Jun Lanfeng absolutely could not do it.

"Yue'er, if he fails to keep his word, I will drag him to hell with me even as a ghost."

Jun Lanfeng drew the dagger from his person. "Wild Wolf, I am at your mercy today. I accept it; you have a very firm grip on me. However, if I die and you still do not let Yue'er go, you will not have a peaceful life. Do you hear me clearly?"

Wild Wolf nodded.

"Lanfeng, don't be like this. If you die, what purpose is there in me living?"

Jing Yue'er screamed. She was almost at the point of heart-wrenching despair, as in her dreams. No, it could be said that she simply lacked the strength to scream that loudly; in reality, her voice had long since gone hoarse.

"Yue'er, with your abilities, there is no fear that you cannot escape him."

Jun Lanfeng gradually placed the knife against his own neck. As the blade shimmered under the dazzling light, a panic unlike any before appeared in Jing Yue'er's eyes.

An unprecedented sense of helplessness. She felt as if the entire sky had gone dark. All she could see was that knife slowly approaching his delicate, translucent skin, and Jing Yue'er was moved to tears by the terror. Her entire face was covered in tears.

"Lanfeng, don't do anything foolish. I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!" she screamed desperately, hoping to restrain this Emperor who had been blinded by emotion.

In truth, Jun Lanfeng's responsibilities were heavier than the heavens. If he died, the entire world would surely fall into chaos. The people would be displaced, and the sun and moon would lose their light. It would be unknown how many years it would take to achieve the peace they had now.

But at that moment, none of that existed. He only cared about Jing Yue'er's life or death; he did not want to watch her die.

If she hadn't experienced it personally, Jing Yue'er would never have known that an Emperor's soul could be so pure.

"Yue'er, you must find a husband who dotes on you, do you understand? Without me by your side, you cannot be as willful as before." Jun Lanfeng smiled with effortless calm.

Blood slid down his neck, but each drop fell directly into Jing Yue'er's heart, causing a pain so sharp her breathing nearly stopped.

"Bullshit! Without you, who would tolerate me enough for me to be willful? If you die, I'll only be even more willful!" Seeing his vision blur, Jing Yue'er shouted.

"Wild Wolf, you bastard! I'm going to fight you to the death today!"

She didn't know where the strength came from, but she reached down Wild Wolf's waist. Accidentally, she touched—something. "Uh, what is this..."

Wild Wolf's face instantly darkened, and he roared, "Woman, let go! Did you hear me?"

"No!"

Her strength suddenly increased as she wiped her tears. She actually turned around and gave his—that thing—a fierce, circular squeeze. She naturally knew she had gambled correctly this time. That was definitely a man's most vulnerable spot.

As for Jun Lanfeng, he looked at the two of them with a bewildered expression. For a moment, he couldn't even process what was happening.

Wild Wolf was completely unable to remain calm. His face beneath the black cloth had not broken into a cold sweat like this in a long time. Finally, he could not help but push Jing Yue'er to the ground.

She lacked strength, so she fell to the ground without any ability to resist.

Seeing Wild Wolf release Jing Yue'er, a ruthless light flashed in Jun Lanfeng's deep, dark eyes. He threw the dagger in his hand toward him.

Wild Wolf reacted, his figure flashing away. He was not injured, but the tight black cloth was sliced at a corner, exposing a face that was too familiar.

"It's you!"

Jing Yue'er and Jun Lanfeng spoke in unison.

"Jun Lanfeng, I will return."

With those words, he tapped his toes and vanished from the spot as lightly as a feather.

"Yue'er..."

Having experienced life and death once more, the two felt as if they had been reborn. As Jun Lanfeng walked over, Jing Yue'er turned and threw her arms around him, holding him tightly, as if she feared he would turn to ash the moment she let go.

She didn't know what words to use to express her emotions at this moment, and neither did he. They could only use their tight embrace to speak of all the beauty in their hearts during this moment.

"Yue'er, nothing is more important than you."

He smiled and wiped away her tears. "In this life, I, Jun Lanfeng, have encountered every kind of hardship. It is no trouble to accompany Yue'er through the rest of this life."

"Yes! Me too."

In truth, the two had too many similarities. Both had suffered torment since childhood, both were unyielding in the face of life, and both were strong-willed. However, the only difference in front of Jing Yue'er was that for this woman, he had set aside much of his personality.

Actually, sometimes setbacks were nothing. What mattered was whether her heart was close to his.

"Lanfeng, I'm so hungry. How many days has it been exactly?"

On the way up the mountain, Jing Yue'er asked discontentedly from Jun Lanfeng's embrace.

"Two days," Jun Lanfeng replied.

"Why didn't you feed me?"

"..."

Jun Lanfeng felt truly wronged, more so than any historical figure. "Yue'er, do you know you've had a fever this whole time? I even had to force the medicine down your throat!"

"Is that so?"

Jing Yue'er smiled and said no more. It wasn't a lie that she had no consciousness while unconscious; she knew Jun Lanfeng was talking to her. But as for what he specifically said, she had forgotten it completely.

But she knew her own body very well.

"Yue'er, what was that... just now?" Jun Lanfeng asked subtly.

"What was what?" Jing Yue'er was somewhat lost.

"Just now, what did you grab on him that made him so agitated?" Jun Lanfeng asked.

"You're a man; you must be asking when you already know," Jing Yue'er said helplessly. "Tell me, where else could you touch that would make him fly into a rage?"

After receiving confirmation, Jun Lanfeng felt a surge of fury in his heart.

"Yue'er, from now on, you are not allowed to touch other men. Especially..."

Jun Lanfeng almost couldn't say it. Although he knew Jing Yue'er's actions had indeed saved them, the thought of her touching that man made him feel uncomfortable.

"Are you jealous?" Jing Yue'er looked at him.

"What do you think?" Jun Lanfeng smiled discontentedly.

"I was considering the big picture! If I hadn't done that, would I have just watched you die?" Jing Yue'er shouted.

"Even if you were watching me die, you are not allowed to do that," Jun Lanfeng looked at her and said solemnly.

"Unreasonable!"

Jing Yue'er curled her lip. She wanted so badly to tell Jun Lanfeng that if he spoke like that, she'd tell him she had seen many "fruit men" before—men without clothes. If she said it, she didn't know how he would react.

Perhaps sensing her dissatisfaction, he said earnestly, "Yue'er, who told you to keep that engagement with that person?"

"Enough..." Jing Yue'er hooked her arms deeply around his neck and buried her face in his chest. "I just did it casually... it wasn't intentional. Besides, you know exactly what my attitude toward that man is. You, man, have too much possessiveness."

Jun Lanfeng smiled and said discontentedly, "So what if I am possessive? You can only be mine for the rest of your life."

"And who was it just now that said I should marry someone else?" Jing Yue'er laughed.

For a moment, Jun Lanfeng was speechless.

***

"Your Majesty, the fire has reached the West Courtyard. The fire is too large; it has actually burned across the water. Fafa Temple is likely to be destroyed."

Upon returning to Fafa Temple, they saw the massive fire raging before their eyes.

"Amitabha, this great fire is coming with such ferocity. What should be done?"

Master Minghui looked worried. They say monks are detached, but seeing the temple they had guarded for a lifetime in this state, no one could remain calm.

"Your Majesty, is this perhaps the will of Heaven?"

The Prime Minister suddenly spoke, his eyes drifting toward the frail Jing Yue'er. "According to the method Your Majesty suggested, the fire should have been under control. If the century-old foundation of Fafa Temple is destroyed, who knows how many people will suffer."

"The will of Heaven?"

Jun Lanfeng raised an eyebrow. "The Prime Minister says so; what kind of 'will of Heaven' do you mean?"

"The Empress fell ill as soon as she arrived at Fafa Temple. The Prime Minister suspects whether it is because... she is incompatible with the Buddha?" The Prime Minister speculated. "Then, one after another, the envoy from Huadu Country caused a scene at the ceremony. Originally, the fire could have been controlled, but then Your Majesty, for the sake of Her Majesty, allowed this bloodbath to occur at Fafa Temple. This minister suspects, is it because the Empress has brought calamity to this great temple?"

"Prime Minister, if you have the courage, say those words again."

Jun Lanfeng was certain he wouldn't kill him!

"This minister is merely speculating," the Prime Minister said euphemistically. "The Empress's grace extends to the world; she is definitely not the 'femme fatale' some people claim!"

"Prime Minister, you were the one who said 'femme fatale,' weren't you?"

Jing Yue'er smiled darkly. "You slander this Palace so much, claiming I have brought calamity to Fafa Temple. It looks like you are only 'speculating,' but in the eyes of the officials, isn't the evidence already sufficient? That if it weren't for me, there wouldn't be this bloodbath today, and no one would have set fire to Fafa Temple. Is that right?"

"What a fine Prime Minister. On the surface, you say you are merely distinguishing facts, but if these 'evidences' are taken out, wouldn't they prove that whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made one, this Palace is undeniably a femme fatale? A disaster to the nation?"

Jing Yue'er analyzed the situation with calm indifference.

"This Palace believes that by tomorrow, everyone in the capital will know of your words." Jing Yue'er blinked. "The people of the Dragon Flame Kingdom have always believed in Buddhism. If these words spread, all the good things this Empress has done in the past will be forgotten by the people in an instant. Prime Minister, you are truly something. I haven't seen you for a few days, and your skills have grown!"

"Since the Empress has analyzed it herself, this minister has nothing more to say. As the Prime Minister of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, it is my duty to analyze the situation truthfully to save the entire nation."

"Saying these things—don't you find it disgusting? I feel disgusted on your behalf. A year ago, when the refugees flooded into the capital, who was it that tried to hide the truth to prevent them from entering the city? If this Palace hadn't discovered it, who knows how many lives would have been lost to starvation. Is that also your 'duty' to manage?"

"Your Majesty, let us discuss the matter at hand. Do not bring up the past," the Prime Minister turned away awkwardly.

"Bullshit! Discuss the matter at hand?" Jing Yue'er raised an eyebrow, feeling as if she had heard a massive joke. "Besides picking faults with this Palace, what else can you do?"

"Your Majesty's words seem to be unrefined," the Prime Minister said.

"For someone like you, do you even deserve the word 'refined'?" Jing Yue'er retorted without hesitation.

"On this matter, this minister also feels the Prime Minister is correct," someone from the Administrative Department spoke up. "Fafa Temple is the spiritual home of the entire nation. Given the current clear weather, the fire will likely burn for three days and three nights. As far as this minister knows, two hundred years ago, a woman's incompatibility with the Buddha also led to Master Jueran's passing. More than half of Fafa Temple was burned, and later, a woman was sacrificed to the heavens to make the fire stop."

As soon as these words were spoken, Jun Lanfeng's face turned pitch black. Jing Yue'er's expression also darkened.

She suddenly remembered what Wild Wolf had said. Today, no matter what, Jun Lanfeng would lose. Could it be that Wild Wolf had factored this in too? That he had calculated that she would inevitably fail to escape this calamity at Fafa Temple?

If that were truly the case, Jing Yue'er could only say: the superstition of a nation is more terrifying than anything.