The Sundial Immortal Mansion was currently in a state of utter chaos.
Wails of grief echoed from the surrounding areas while manpower was stretched thin, and Xiao Xinran’s situation was equally grim.
Canghai glanced at the plum blossom spots on her skin, his brow furrowed with a look of hesitation.
“It is indeed a Blood Gu. The parasite is bloodthirsty. As long as you use a living person’s essence blood as bait, you can lure it out of Miss Xiao’s body. However, if you do that…”
“If we do that?”
Lin Shu asked, her eyes lighting up with a single line of hope.
Qin Cha already understood and said with a bitter smile, “If we do that, wouldn’t the bait be doomed?”
Everyone’s expression turned strange.
Trading one life for another—the Bloodthirsty Banner Lord was truly sinister.
Who would be willing to sacrifice their own life for someone else unless they were blood relatives?
In the room, Xiao Xinran was in a half-awake, half-dreaming state.
Racked with a high fever, she was still dizzily clinging to the white-robed youth.
She let out incoherent, muddled whimpers that were strangely adorable, and no matter how much water she drank, her thirst could not be quenched.
The plum blossom blood seal on her hand had already spread to her neck like a demonic tattoo.
With her Foundation Establishment cultivation, she wouldn’t last through the night.
The group fell into silence.
Lin Shu gritted her teeth and was about to stand up when Qin Cha pressed her down.
“Miss Lin, stay calm. Even if Xinran is saved this way, she won’t be grateful to you. Or do you want her to live the rest of her life burdened by guilt?”
“If it weren’t for Miss Xiao, I would probably be in a state worse than death right now. How can I just watch her die before my eyes…”
Lin Shu bit her lip, her voice filled with passion.
While the newly rescued Flower Queen was showing such loyalty, Cloud Flow, who was nearby grinding Qi Circulation Powder and Healing Medicine, was breaking out in a cold sweat.
‘Is she subtly pointing a finger at me?’
He wondered.
‘Is she implying that I, the black-hearted contractor, am just sitting by indifferently while my employee is being hauled into the ICU?’
Cloud Flow felt somewhat guilty about this.
If it hadn’t been for his joke, Xiao Xinran wouldn’t have put herself in such danger.
Now, the Deadpool’s mission was a complete success, but she was truly about to die in the line of duty.
Although the situation was critical and the atmosphere heavy, Cloud Flow really wanted to laugh.
It was even harder to keep a straight face when he saw the dazed Ji Shiyu.
The designated bane of poisonous insects, the Little Yellow Hair herself, was sitting at the dining table with her chin in her hands.
She was clearly starving, but she was too embarrassed to mention starting the meal.
Trapped by the heavy air in the sickroom, she felt forced to look sympathetic.
Her sympathy was purely superficial.
In reality, the heartless, Silly Girl didn’t care at all.
To Ji Shiyu, Xiao Xinran wasn’t even a friend; she was just a dummy who had accused her of stealing her man and then agreed to a life-and-death duel in 3 years.
It was already a miracle she wasn’t hanging a banner to celebrate.
When he thought back on it, how had the plot devolved into this?
Cloud Flow looked at his childhood friend curled up in his arms.
He felt bad for her, but the situation was mostly just ridiculous.
If the Qi Luck Maiden of the East Pole Province died in a team-building exercise in the Royal Capital right after leaving the Newbie Village, the mutt back at Sunset Peak would never hear the end of it.
The only one who would be happy was that Phoenix Hatchling.
***
At noon, a sudden commotion erupted outside the building as a brilliant pillar of light shot into the sky.
The sun had risen again.
To be precise, the Falling Sun had reappeared above the Royal Court.
This time, the new sun was even more dazzling and scorching, sweeping away the unease in the hearts of the citizens.
High in the sky, a Golden Crow Attendant dressed in royal robes rode a massive fire bird to patrol the Royal Court.
It was none other than Her Highness, the Princess, who had purified the King’s Seal.
At the critical moment, Jing Tan’er had appeared right on time.
She used the Dance of the Solar Wheel to soothe the wounds of Yudu, raining down glowing feathers until the divine descent was complete and the two suns merged into one.
With the dust settled, the soul-stirring good news spread throughout the city.
Everyone was amazed and talked incessantly, but no one knew what had actually happened inside the Palace.
“That was faster than I imagined…”
Cloud Flow’s lips twitched as he offered 3 seconds of silent prayer for Ling Tong.
Now, he just had to wait for Ao Tian to return with the good news.
By stabilizing the collapsing empire and saving the people from water and fire, no one could ever shake Jing Tan’er’s authority or status again.
The Empress’s ascension was in accordance with Heavenly Fate.
The fake princess had attempted an assassination, the Former King had passed away, and the Demonic Sect Fiends had taken the opportunity to invade, intending to subvert the dynasty and harm the Sacred Crow.
Jing Tan’er could write the narrative of this night of chaos however she pleased.
She was smart and caught on quickly; she knew exactly what to do the moment she got the script.
Relying on the power of the Black Crow, she took advantage of the moment when Madam Jing Rui and the various lords were both wounded to pull the remnants of the Demon Sect out by the roots.
To the subjects, the truth behind the scenes didn’t matter.
It would be sealed within the Pillar of Feathers Court and become a secret of the Royal Family.
This year’s Shengyu Festival had not been peaceful.
Bad news arrived in waves.
In the courtyard, Lu’er’s eyes were blood-red as she grieved alone.
Nini had been killed by “Demonic Sect Fiends” in a deserted corner.
Her body was already cold when it was found, with a wound on her back that had nearly torn her entire body apart.
The expression of disbelief on her face was frozen forever.
Jing Tan’er would not allow a spy from the Demonic Sect to stab her in the back again.
Perhaps from now on, it would be difficult for her to trust anyone.
Cloud Flow sighed.
Growing up always required paying a price; the Sorrow of a Fallen Nation had rewritten more than just one person’s fate.
The little Princess who once confessed her feelings was gone.
The next time they met, she would be Sage Empress Zhu.
The innocent and lively Villainous Young Lady on the Sect’s mountain path was a memory of the past.
Knock, knock!
Someone knocked on the door, interrupting the young man’s thoughts.
It was the blonde-haired girl, holding a plate of meat buns.
“Do you want some? They smell great!”
Ji Shiyu smiled and broke one in half.
The scratches on her face were already covered with bandages.
Cloud Flow shook his head, but then he saw a timid chicken head peeking out from Ji Shiyu’s hair.
It was rare to see Lord Ao Tian looking so wretched and guilty.
‘Shouldn’t the performance have been a total success?’
“Cheep… I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
Cloud Flow froze for a moment.
Besides the unlucky Xiao Xinran, was there another unexpected development?
“The good news.”
“Xing Shu’s doppelganger was heavily damaged, so she went back home through the Star Gate. She won’t have time to nag you anymore!”
Cloud Flow’s pupils shrank.
He suddenly had a bad feeling.
“She was injured… How is that good news?! What’s the bad news then?”
Ao Tian scratched its head and gave a silly smile.
“The person got away. I couldn’t stop her. Heh!”
When the Yellow Chicken started trying to act cute to get away with something, the problem was very serious.
“What!?”
Cloud Flow jumped up on the spot, losing his composure for once.
He had considered 10,000 ways things could go wrong, but he never expected even the Madam to fail.
Killing Ling Tong was a necessary step; cleaning up the loose ends was vital.
“Don’t be in such a rush, listen to me first. That demonic woman is incredibly powerful. She is definitely not just the Soul Capturing Banner Master. Being able to repel her and protect the Vermilion Bird was already not easy.”
Ao Tian pulled its neck back, lowering its head aggrievedly, still feeling a bit of lingering fear.
It wasn’t just making excuses.
It had smelled the scent of Fortune on “Ling Tong.”
After personally experiencing that battle, it felt that even if Shiyu’s physical vessel had been there, she might not have been able to keep that enchanting female demon there.
“I’m not in a rush! Are you in a rush?”
Cloud Flow’s smile was “kind” as he rolled up his sleeves, preparing to pluck the chicken’s feathers.
His identity as the False Holy Son wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny.
If Ling Tong was allowed to get away, wouldn’t they all go down together?
The room became a chaotic mess of flying feathers as Ao Tian dragged its fat body around, flapping and chirping.
This time, the Madam wasn’t there to save it.
Ji Shiyu glanced at the unconscious Xiao Xinran, then sat by the edge of the bed swinging her legs, giggling as she ate her meat bun.
She was completely confused and didn’t understand a word, only knowing it had something to do with the “old friend” her mother had come to visit.
Either way, the job had been botched.
If even the old mother hen couldn’t keep her there, just how terrifying was the true cultivation level hidden beneath the fake princess’s skin?
The man and the bird made a fuss for a long time, both of them looking pale and unable to think of a solution.
Since things had reached this point, they could only take it one step at a time.
The attempt to silence her had failed, and they didn’t know if Ling Tong would come back for revenge.
If the truth ever came out, his only choice would be to dive into Youyou’s embrace for protection.
Fortunately, Ling Tong had also been seriously injured.
She wouldn’t be able to come looking for trouble anytime soon.