Chapter 390: Met (Second Update)

No one responded.

Rong Jiu’s sword-like brows furrowed slightly. He stared at that spot for a long while before suddenly turning and walking toward the screen.

The Empress had been kept in solitary confinement here for several days, guarded by heavy troops outside; it was impossible for anyone else to have entered.

*Tap.*

*Tap.*

The sound of footsteps echoed through the empty, deathly silent hall, feeling almost suffocating.

Just as Rong Jiu was about to walk over, a macaw suddenly flew out!

Rong Jiu struck immediately!

A strand of Origin Power transformed into a sharp arrow, piercing directly through the macaw's belly!

*Pfft!*

Blood splattered everywhere!

The macaw fell to the ground instantly; its body convulsed twice violently before going still.

Rong Jiu frowned.

He recognized this macaw; it was a pet kept by the Empress.

He hadn't expected such a thing to still be left in this hall.

Suddenly, Rong Jiu’s gaze sharpened. He saw that within the ruptured belly of the macaw, something seemed to be hidden.

He immediately leaned down, took a careful look, and then pulled out the object hidden inside.

It was a black sphere.

The thing was no larger than a fingernail and looked quite ordinary.

However, Rong Jiu’s expression grew increasingly solemn.

Because he recognized this black sphere!

This object was also known as a "Ink Bead." It appeared to be just an ordinary black sphere, but in reality, it could be used to transmit messages.

As long as one used a special method to crack it, the information hidden within could be retrieved.

When he was in the army, he had used such methods before.

However, because these things were extremely rare and each Ink Bead could only be used once, he had not used them many times.

To think that such a thing was hidden inside the belly of the Empress's pet macaw!

His motive was clear at a glance!

He looked toward the Empress and indeed saw her face as pale as death, her entire being seemingly plunged into utter despair.

"I did not expect Her Majesty the Empress to possess such methods. Rest assured, I will present this Ink Bead to Imperial Father and examine it closely."

Having said that, Rong Jiu did not linger and quickly left the hall.

After a long time, the Empress slowly covered her face.

She had no tears left; there was only a bone-deep, piercing pain throughout her body.

After an unknown amount of time, a soft voice drifted low into her ear.

"Your Majesty, Xingchen is willing to help you. If you have any requests, please do not hesitate to command me."

***

At the Prince Li Mansion.

Rong Xiu glanced at the sky, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

For the past few days, at this exact hour, Yue'er would come to the Prince Li Mansion. Today, for some reason, she had been late.

Beside him, Yu Mo, who was attending to him, seemed to guess his thoughts and immediately said

"Master, Miss Liuyue went to Vice General Mu's place today. She was likely delayed by something."

"What could he possibly—"

Rong Xiu spoke indifferently, then suddenly paused.

That wasn't right!

"Is Mu Qinghe in the mansion today?"

Yu Mo froze for a moment

"That... your subordinate does not know."

Mu Qinghe was no ordinary person; it was already very difficult to monitor him.

And over the past few days, he seemed even more vigilant than before. Fearing he might alert the enemy, Yu Mo had withdrawn most of the people monitoring him in secret.

Rong Xiu’s expression turned grim, and he suddenly stood up.

"Go and investigate immediately! Where is Mu Qinghe right now!"

"Yes!"

Hearing Rong Xiu's words, Yu Mo also had a sudden realization—could it be that Master suspected Miss Liuyue had been taken away by Mu Qinghe?

"Master, we also have people at the Imperial City gates. If there is any movement, news should be sent to us—"

"If Mu Qinghe does not want them to know, he certainly has plenty of ways."

Rong Xiu's voice was cold, and a trace of chill seemed to settle between his brows.

Yu Mo’s heart tightened.

"...Your subordinate was wrong! Your subordinate will go at once—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Rong Xiu, who had just taken two steps, suddenly stopped and looked up toward the sky!

Yu Mo followed his gaze in confusion, only to see a tall figure rapidly approaching!

The person was walking through the air; his movements appeared leisurely and composed, yet his speed was incredibly fast!

In the blink of an eye, he had already approached the airspace above the Prince Li Mansion!

Just as Yu Mo was about to step forward, he saw Rong Xiu press a hand down.

Only then did he restrain himself, though his eyes remained fixed intently on the newcomer.

Almost simultaneously, the newcomer also stopped.

Jian Fengchi’s sword-like brows arched slightly as he looked down with considerable surprise.

He had originally thought the Prince Li Mansion was merely an ordinary residence, but after arriving, he discovered that the defensive strength, both inside and out, was much stronger than he had anticipated.

To an ordinary person looking from the outside, there would be no way to see the intricacies.

But with his level of vision, he had sensed an unusual aura the moment he approached.

Therefore, he simply abandoned the idea of visiting through the main gate and instead chose a more direct method.

After observing from mid-air for a while, he finally confirmed his suspicion—within this massive Prince Li Mansion, besides the tight defenses, there was actually a highly powerful Mystic Array buried!

He knew very well that if he took one more step forward, what awaited him would be a significant amount of trouble.

Jian Fengchi had always loathed trouble, so he stopped quite self-consciously.

In any case, he had only come today because he wanted to see what the rumored Rong Xiu actually looked like.

Thus, he stood suspended in the air, one hand behind his back, and spoke with a smile

"I am Jian Fengchi, here specifically to pay my respects to Prince Li."

Yu Mo was tense all over.

Jian Fengchi?

Wasn't that the Divine Physician whom Mu Qinghe had invited from the Tianling Empire?

The matter of him curing the Princess of Pingping a while ago had been the talk of the Imperial City.

Many people had tried every possible way to seek an audience, but this Jian Fengchi was extremely arrogant and had rejected them all, refusing to see a single one.

That would be one thing; after all, for a Divine Physician of such background, having pride was normal.

But what was even more astonishing was that this man was as elusive as a dragon appearing only partially; many people had waited day and night without ever catching a glimpse of him.

How had such a figure suddenly come to their Prince Li Mansion today? And he said he wanted to see Master?

As soon as Jian Fengchi finished speaking, his gaze suddenly froze.

In the courtyard stood a youth dressed in white.

He looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, and his snowy white robes seemed even more brilliant than the pristine snow in the mountains.

He merely stood there, yet he seemed to gather all the light, causing people to involuntarily focus their gaze upon him.

His features were incomparably noble and refined, his grace unparalleled under heaven.

Jian Fengchi considered his own appearance and temperament to be top-tier, but the moment he saw the white-clad youth before him, he understood instantly what it meant to feel inferior.

In an instant, he understood what Mu Hongyu had said.

Never mind the Kingdom of Yaochen; even in the Tianling Empire, there was almost no one who could rival this youth's grace.

Even that thing, Jiang Yucheng... instantly fell into a lower tier.

Rong Xiu’s voice was cold as he spoke indifferently

"I wonder for what matter Young Master Jian seeks this Prince?"

Jian Fengchi suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"Prince Li, have we perhaps met somewhere before?"