The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Almost at the same time that Qi Wang landed, a dozen guards wearing the unique black armor of the Xingyuan Guard, with a sharp but slightly disheveled aura, also rushed out of the plum grove, their bodies bearing more or less marks from sword strikes.

Upon seeing Si Xingzhou, unharmed on horseback and even intimately close to Tang Xixue, they were overjoyed and relieved, a huge weight lifted from their hearts. They quickly stepped forward and knelt on one knee to pay their respects.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty! You are safe and sound! That's wonderful!"

"Your subordinate arrived late to protect Your Majesty; I deserve to die!"

Si Xingzhou sat on his horse, looking down from above, having fully regained the majesty and composure of Emperor Xingze.

No need for formalities.

He calmly swept his gaze over Qi Wang, whose face was icy cold, then looked at his rather disheveled subordinate, and gave a curt reply.

"What are you doing here?"

The leading captain of the Star Abyss Guard immediately clasped his hands in return, his voice carrying both lingering anger and respect:

"Your Majesty! We are acting on the orders of Prince Xuan to capture this audacious scoundrel who has kidnapped Your Majesty!"

As he spoke, his gaze sharpened like a knife, glaring fiercely at Qi Wang, who stood expressionless to the side holding a sword, as if he wanted to slice him to pieces with his eyes.

Qi Wang didn't even lift his eyelids, but the air pressure around him was even lower and the chill even stronger, like an ice volcano that might erupt again at any moment.

"It was a misunderstanding."

Si Xingzhou's tone was flat and emotionless, revealing little emotion.

His gaze lingered for a moment on Qi Wang's handsome but slightly dark face before he said, "This matter has nothing to do with War God Qi."

"His Majesty?!"

The Star Abyss Guards were stunned, exchanging bewildered glances, completely unable to comprehend it.

They fought tooth and nail for half a day, and His Majesty just dismissed it with a casual remark?

That order from Prince Xuan...

Si Xingzhou stopped explaining to them and instead turned his gaze to Qi Wang, his eyebrows slightly raised, his tone carrying a hint of imperial grace and an almost imperceptible teasing:

"God of War, if there are any misunderstandings in the future, it's best to clarify them as soon as possible."

"I know you've always been taciturn and sparing with your words, but since you've been given a mouth," he paused, his tone slow, "it should be used to speak, shouldn't it?"

It was as if it were a friendly reminder, or perhaps a subtle mockery: If he had just explained himself earlier, he wouldn't have had to endure this attack for nothing.

"..."

Qi Wang's thin lips were pressed into a cold, straight line, and his jawline was taut.

The pent-up frustration and resentment in his heart, which had nowhere to go, was about to burst out and transform into tangible sword energy that would flatten the entire plum grove!

Didn't he say so?

When the Xingyuan Guards surrounded him and drew their swords, didn't he coldly explain that it wasn't his doing?

It was Si Xingxuan, the notoriously obsessive and insane King Xingze, who sat in the sedan chair and simply didn't believe it!

He even vaguely heard a cold, emotionless whisper come from inside the magnificent yet icy sedan chair as the curtains fell and it slowly drove away: "...Beat it to death."

Utterly absurd!

His deep, unfathomable gaze fell upon the snow-white figure on horseback ahead, who appeared utterly innocent and even had a leisurely, spectator-like air about her.

Tang Xixue seemed to sense his tangible, icy gaze. The light veil of her veil stirred, and she turned her head slightly to face his direction.

Their eyes met from afar, separated by a thin veil.

Qi Wang clearly saw that behind the light veil, a pair of eyes brighter than the stars and deeper than a cold pool seemed to gently curve into an extremely faint, extremely lively, and also... extremely infuriating arc.

She—she's a complete femme fatale!

She can stir up a storm and create huge waves, yet remain unscathed, calmly observing from the sidelines, and even turning around to admire the chaotic scene caused by her.

"Then what about this undeserved calamity I've suffered?"

Qi Wang finally spoke again, his voice colder than the snow-covered mountains and sharper than the edge of the Tan Hua sword.

Tang Xixue chuckled softly.

The laughter was exceptionally pleasant, like jade beads rolling onto an ice plate, making a tinkling sound.

She gently tugged at the reins, and Zhu Xing immediately understood, slowing down his originally rapid pace and changing to elegant and steady steps.

Carrying the two of them, it slowly passed by Qi Wang, who exuded an aura of unapproachability.

The moment we brushed past each other.

She leaned slightly forward and tilted her head in his direction.

A voice, languid and sweet with a hint of a smile, slowly and deliberately drifted into Qi Wang's ears, word for word:

"Of course it lives up to its reputation."

His name is Qi Wang, which means "unexpected disaster" or "misfortune without cause."

That's exactly right, and it truly deserves the title.

"..."

Qi Wang trembled with anger, and the silver tassels in his dark hair swayed gently.

He stood still, the Tanhua sword in his hand emitting a clear and melodious clang.

Red plum blossoms continued to fall softly, settling on his shoulders and hair, and kissing the hilt of the sword he gripped tightly.

He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the biting, bone-chilling air.

She knows more than just how to annoy people.

Tangxi Snow was probably his destined calamity, his lifelong enemy.

Every time he runs into her, he suffers a terrible misfortune.

Thinking of his missing wife, his heart ached.

Just as he composed himself and lightly touched the ground with his toes to leave, he used his internal energy to depart.

Another unexpected event has occurred!

On the back of the Star Chaser, Si Xingzhou suddenly wrapped his arms around Tang Xixue and leaped into the air. His clothes fluttered in the wind and snow like a crane spreading its wings, and he landed gracefully on an open space a few steps away.

"Si Xingzhou, what's wrong with you?"

Tang Xixue's voice showed no panic, only a calm and composed demeanor as if she had expected it.

She knew he had ulterior motives; he was definitely no good.

He must have been pretending to be infatuated with her.

That was just part of his plan.

Fortunately, she had her own rhythm and didn't believe a single word.

"Mirror Weaving, don't worry about it, I know what I'm doing."

The Star Abyss Guards had silently subdued the restless Star Chaser, forming an impenetrable barrier.

"Since you refuse to give me the answer I want."

He turned around with her in his arms and walked toward the carriage waiting outside the woods, his voice clear and resolute in the wind and snow.

"Then I will give myself a satisfactory ending."

They can give a whole set of advice to others, but they're completely inept at convincing themselves.

This was a shocking revelation—if she didn't choose him, he would simply take her away.

Once you snatch it, it's yours.

"Si Xingzhou! I advise you to let go immediately!"

Tang Xixue looked up from his arms, her gaze calm yet subtly gleaming behind the veil.

"Otherwise, you will definitely not get away with it."

"Bitter fruit is also fruit," he said, his steps unwavering, a near-obsessive smile curving his lips. "A karmic entanglement is also a karmic connection."

The voice, however, was low and gentle, almost like a coaxing:

"Kyoko, be good. I... can't bear to see the future empress get hurt."

This swift and decisive takeover caused Qi Wang, who was already several feet away and couldn't help but turn around, to suddenly stop.

"No, are all these people this crazy?"

He often felt out of place in this world because he wasn't eccentric enough.

"A vase is just a vase; though breathtakingly beautiful, it is also fragile and easily broken."

Qi Wang whispered something that sounded mocking, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch.

"That troublemaker... is ultimately my brother's sister-in-law. If Emperor Xingze were to forcibly take her away, wouldn't Ying Lin be heartbroken?"

The hand gripping the sword tightened unconsciously.

In that split second of thought, disaster struck!

The wind and snow suddenly became fierce, and dozens of mysterious figures silently appeared around the plum grove.

Their aura was as condensed as an abyss, and their steps were perfectly synchronized. In the blink of an eye, they formed an encirclement, trapping Si Xingzhou and his Xingyuan Guards in the core.

The leader, dressed in a dark, sturdy robe, stood tall and straight like a lone pine tree on a precipice, as dusk settled.

His expression was calm, yet his gaze was sharp as a blade tempered in the dark, offering only a slight bow to those ahead:

"Your subordinate is late, but respectfully welcomes Your Highness's return."

"Clang!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the Hidden Dragon Guards drew their longswords!

The cold light reflected off the snow, and the sword's aura turned to frost. In an instant, the plum grove fell silent, and even the wind seemed to freeze.

That was the chilling aura forged from absolute obedience and protection.

The Star Abyss Guards were all taken aback.

The Hidden Dragon Guards—the most mysterious and sharpest blade around Emperor Shengchen, who has always protected only the emperor, have now come out in full force for Princess Jing.

Judging from this situation, it seems that Emperor Shengchen really did not leave a single guard by his side, but sent them all to Tang Xixue's side.

Who exactly is the Lord of Chenyao?