Chapter 465: Matters of the Past (First Update)

Emperor Jiawen's movements suddenly froze, and he whipped his head around to look!

A tall and slender figure appeared before everyone's eyes!

He walked forward slowly, a casual smile playing upon his bewitching face. His eyes were deep and pure like a starry night, and his entire body was enveloped in an indescribable aura, as if he were not a being of this mortal world.

It was none other than Prince Li—Rong Xiu!

Chu Liuyue's eyes widened slightly.

Because with every step Rong Xiu took forward, the aura surrounding him intensified!

Seeing this scene, the crowd broke out in shocked exclamations.

"Is that... is that Prince Li!?"

"Wasn't His Highness Prince Li physically weak and suffering from chronic illness? What is happening now—"

"He actually broke through to the third rank—no! The fourth rank martial artist?!"

Facing this sudden change, almost everyone was stunned on the spot.

Chu Liuyue's heart, however, skipped a beat.

Was Rong Xiu planning to reveal his true strength!?

"You, you—"

Emperor Jiawen's gaze was fixed tightly on Rong Xiu, his expression shifting several times.

"Rong Xiu! You aren't sick!?"

Rong Xiu did not answer his question immediately; instead, he walked straight to Chu Liuyue's side and came to a halt.

He lowered his gaze and took her hand, his fingertips gently brushing over her fractured wrist.

A warm and powerful surge of energy instantly flooded into her body!

"Your Highness, actually, you don't need to—"

Chu Liuyue originally wanted to say that there was no need to worry about such a minor injury; she was a Heavenly Physician herself and had already performed simple first aid. It would heal on its own after a while.

But as she met Rong Xiu's deep and tender gaze, a warmth rose in her heart, and the words she was about to speak were swallowed back down.

"I'm sorry, I'm late."

Chu Liuyue shook her head gently.

In the shadows, Qi Han's gaze grew even colder.

"Leave the rest to this Prince."

Hearing Rong Xiu say this, Chu Liuyue actually felt a sense of trepidation.

"What... what do you plan to do?"

He had painstakingly hidden himself for so many years; why reveal everything today?

Rong Xiu's thin lips curled slightly.

"I am merely bringing things to a conclusion."

Chu Liuyue's heart stirred. She subconsciously looked up to glance at Emperor Jiawen, who was suspended in mid-air.

A moment later, she turned her hand to gently squeeze his

"Alright."

In the time it took for the two to converse, the aura on Rong Xiu's body had already broken through to the fifth rank martial artist!

Only after confirming that Chu Liuyue was not in any great danger did Rong Xiu turn back to look at Emperor Jiawen.

At this point, if Emperor Jiawen still couldn't see what was happening, he would have sat on that dragon throne for all these years for nothing.

"Rong Xiu! You... you have been deceiving me all this time!?"

Not only was he not sick, but his cultivation talent was clearly extraordinary!

Otherwise, he absolutely would not have reached this level at his current age!

No!

It seemed Rong Xiu had not stopped!

He was visibly breaking through to the middle stage of the fifth rank!

Rong Xiu smiled faintly.

"Your son is merely learning from Imperial Father. For all these years, have you not always been the same?"

Emperor Jiawen froze, then suddenly realized something, a flash of shock crossing his eyes.

"You... you knew all along!?"

Rong Xiu smiled without speaking, which was clearly a tacit admission.

Emperor Jiawen's mind instantly became a chaotic mess, and his aura grew turbulent. Even the Sky Curtain Realm, which was so close, began to appear somewhat illusory.

"Wh-when? What else do you know!?"

A rare look of panic and tension appeared on Emperor Jiawen's face.

Chu Liuyue narrowed her eyes.

She had never seen such an expression on Emperor Jiawen's face before.

It was as if a secret hidden for many years had suddenly been discovered.

His shock was only natural, and the others around them had the same reaction upon seeing the current Rong Xiu.

But where did this tension and panic come from?

"Imperial Mother passed away many years ago; there is truly no need for Imperial Father to be so worried."

Rong Xiu's tone was calm, as if he were speaking about someone else's business.

Emperor Jiawen felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Rong Xiu... he... he must know everything!

The anger from being deceived earlier vanished instantly, replaced by a rapid surge of guilt and remorse in Emperor Jiawen's heart.

"Rong Xiu, the matters of that year were not as you think! I had my own difficulties back then!"

If he truly didn't feel guilty, how could he have lived his life like this all these years?

For twenty years, he had converted all his apologies and regrets into indulgence and affection for Rong Xiu.

Even though Rong Xiu had been sent to the Bright Moon Heavenly Mountain early on and was not raised by his side, he truly held Rong Xiu in the highest regard!

He wished he could give him all the best things in the world!

If Rong Xiu did not want to return to the Imperial Capital, he allowed him to stay at the Bright Moon Heavenly Mountain.

If Rong Xiu did not wish to leave the manor, he ordered that no one disturb him.

When Rong Xiu wanted to marry Chu Liuyue, even though she was once the Crown Prince's fiancée and had severed ties with the Chu family, he still agreed!

Were all these things, in Rong Xiu's eyes, so laughable and worthless!?

It seemed he wanted to explain himself.

But Rong Xiu had no interest in listening.

He continued to smile with a gentle, lazy air, yet his eyes were like a thick layer of frozen ice.

"The past is the past. Even if you say these things now, Imperial Mother cannot hear them. As for your son, I only came today to fulfill Imperial Mother's final wish."

As he spoke, his cold gaze fell upon the object hanging around Emperor Jiawen's neck, and he smiled meaningfully.

"After all, you did eventually use this thing, did you not?"

Emperor Jiawen's face rapidly turned ashen! He looked as if he had aged a dozen years in an instant!

"No, no... I was forced into it."

He clenched his fists, his face full of conflict and pain.

First the Empress, then Rong Jiu!

Everyone was betraying him!

If he did not fight back, he would be completely trapped and die in this palace!

Years of hard work would go to waste!

How could he accept this!?

If these people hadn't pushed him to this point, how could he have done such a thing!?

For all these years, he had lived in guilt, restless day and night; were these punishments still not enough!?

A faint trace of mockery flashed across Rong Xiu's face.

Some people are always the best at finding excuses for themselves.

"No one forced you, Imperial Father. Since you made your choice back then, you should have anticipated today's circumstances."

What must come will always come; it is merely a matter of time.

Emperor Jiawen suddenly thought of something and asked urgently

"No! I have always wanted to compensate her! You just said you wanted to help her fulfill her last wish—what is it?! If I can do it, I will certainly do my utmost!"

"Is Imperial Father's word true?"

Rong Xiu's sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly, appearing somewhat moved.

Emperor Jiawen nodded vigorously.

"It is my fault to her... I was wrong! If there is anything I can do to make amends—"

"Imperial Mother said she does not wish to see you step into the Sky Curtain Realm even once."

Emperor Jiawen's voice cut off abruptly, his entire being as if frozen.

Rong Xiu's gaze was icy as he spoke, word by word.

"She wants you to stay here forever, unable to leave, in life or in death."