When I woke up, the entire cultivation world was talking about my master.

Before stepping into the front hall of the emperor's bedroom, Ji Fuyao took a deep breath.

Since the emperor claimed to be ill, this palace has been guarded by the crown prince's confidants, with no leaks whatsoever.

Years of cold kinship made her not care much about this nominal father, and she was even less inclined to get involved in the power struggles between the Crown Prince and the Emperor. Since joining the Xuan Yang Sect, she had been away from home for most of the year and rarely returned to the capital, and she never felt a sense of belonging here.

But today, she has something she must ask the emperor about.

The guards immediately swarmed forward and blocked the princess who was walking at lightning speed.

"Your Highness, please wait!"

One of the guards stepped forward and bowed, saying, "His Majesty is unwell. The Crown Prince has ordered that no one is allowed to enter and disturb him."

Ji Fuyao glanced at him, her expression cold and stern: "Get out of the way."

The guard looked troubled.

The Crown Prince is currently staying in a Zen monastery and cannot be contacted at all. They dare not disobey the Crown Prince's orders, nor do they dare to confront this princess head-on.

"Your Highness, but..."

Before she could finish speaking, the sword light from the Heavenly Phoenix Umbrella shone an inch. Ji Fuyao, lacking the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator, gripped the umbrella handle and said coldly, "Don't make me say it again."

Having said that, he rushed into the palace.

Upon entering the inner hall, a stench of decay and decay filled the air and lingered for a long time, with scattered medicine bowls covering the floor.

Ji Fuyao had smelled a similar scent on dead people before.

Her gaze fell upon the figure sitting in meditation with his back to the main entrance deep within the hall.

"Father."

The emperor slowly turned around, glanced at her, coughed, and said in a nonchalant tone, "It's you."

The emperor's facial skin was loose and drooping, his eye sockets were sunken, and there was a bluish-black tinge under his eyelids, showing extreme fatigue and weakness. His once majestic face was now unrecognizable.

Ji Fuyao frowned.

Aside from Crown Prince Ji Ran, who possessed a celestial spiritual root and was highly regarded, the other royal children were merely ties maintaining relations with various cultivation sects. She always knew she wasn't valued by her father and was too lazy to confide in him, so she asked directly, "What exactly happened in the palace the year Ji Ran was born?"

"Third brother, did he really die young due to congenital deficiencies?"

The untimely death of the Third Prince of Nan Cang was no secret in the cultivation world.

He and Ji Ran were twins born from the same source. The two brothers were born into the world at the same time, but their fates were very different. Unlike Ji Ran, who had a heavenly spiritual root, the third prince could not even cry when he was born and soon died.

Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyelids twitched, and his gaze suddenly sharpened.

He asked, as if he had finally gotten his chance, in a somewhat strange tone, "Do you really want to know?"

Ji Fuyao opened her mouth and said, "Yes."

The emperor remained silent for a long time. He closed his eyes, then opened them again and looked into the distance, lost in thought.

After a long while, he finally looked away, unhurriedly avoiding Ji Fuyao's question, and instead asked:

"How has the Crown Prince been feeling lately?"

"As usual." Ji Fuyao was taken aback, not expecting him to suddenly care about this. She frowned slightly and said, "Five days ago, Ji Ran's old illness flared up, and she is still recuperating at the Zen temple."

After hearing this, the emperor scoffed, "I'm afraid you'll have no peace every night, and if you're not careful, you might even go mad from practicing qi cultivation!"

He added, "It was never meant to be a container for a Heavenly Spiritual Root. It's fortunate that it's been forcibly stuffed in for so many years and has lasted this long."

Upon hearing this, Ji Fuyao's pupils contracted slightly. "What do you mean?"

She came here to inquire about why Chu Xianlan had been living in exile, but the emperor clearly had more to say than just that.

Ji Fuyao's heart skipped a beat. She had a vague idea that if she continued to ask, something would break out of the ground and many unimaginable truths would emerge.

The emperor suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of black blood. He slowly wiped it with a handkerchief and said, "Speaking of which, it was truly a terrible thing."

"Your mother did indeed give birth to twins. The first one, Ji Ran, was of ordinary talent and had nothing special about him. The one who was born later," the emperor paused, a sigh escaping his throat, "caused extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth from the moment he was born. The clouds in the sky moved and the radiant light shone brightly. That was the only celestial spiritual root in the world in a thousand years."

A deep voice echoed in the main hall.

"But it's true that this child has congenital deficiencies."

"The Third Prince possesses the rarest spiritual root in the world, yet his body is extremely weak. At birth, he needed spiritual medicine and arrays to keep him breathing. We believed he probably wouldn't survive—even if he did, his broken body simply couldn't bear the power of the Heavenly Spiritual Root. If he died, the Heavenly Spiritual Root would be gone too. What would become of the Southern Cang royal family's reputation?"

Ji Fuyao gripped the handle of the Heavenly Phoenix Umbrella tightly. She had a rough idea of ​​what would happen next, but she still found it hard to believe.

"Therefore, someone suggested changing the spiritual root."

Twins are of the same origin and share the same bloodline. The older brother can naturally accommodate the younger brother's spiritual root and preserve the heavenly spiritual root to maximize its value.

"It's a pity that Ji Ran couldn't escape the backlash," the emperor said regretfully. "But the situation isn't too bad; at least he won't die."

After saying this, the emperor coughed violently, staining his white handkerchief black and red, as if he was trying to endure something. "Fuyao," he said, panting heavily, "bring me another handkerchief."

Ji Fuyao did not move.

She looked at her father as if he were a stranger, utterly shocked, her palms trembling.

What does it mean to say... Where is the dignity of the royal family?

Children whose spiritual roots have been replaced are already physically weak. How could they possibly survive after having their spiritual roots forcibly removed and being abandoned by their closest relatives?

Just to preserve the Heavenly Spiritual Root, just for the ridiculous face of the royal family, they ruined the life of an innocent infant—

That wasn't premature death. That was murder!

The emperor's casual mention of changing spiritual roots, however, ruined Chu Xianlan's life.

Her third brother, who was related to her by blood...

Ji Fuyao couldn't help but recall the faint embarrassment and bitterness in the young man's eyes when he mentioned his background, saying that he didn't remember where he was born and had no family.

He should have grown up under the protection of the royal family, and should have been admired by thousands for his rare and extraordinary spiritual root, enjoying a bright and open life.

What exactly did Chu Xianlan go through to survive such cruel harm and grow into such an upright and warm person?

Ji Fuyao murmured, "Mother...she agreed too?"

"There is no need for her consent." The emperor gave her a deep look.

"How could you..." Ji Fuyao's lips trembled slightly, and she could barely utter the next words.

The Empress Dowager was heartbroken for many years because of this. Her health deteriorated rapidly after her third brother died young. She was kept in the dark until her death, unaware that the child she cared for day and night had died at the hands of her own family.

I really don't know whether to call it absurd, crazy, bizarre, or pathetic.

Ji Fuyao knew from a young age that her fate was predetermined from birth.

Those in positions of authority should fulfill their duties.

In order not to damage the reputation of the Southern Cang royal family, she was strict with herself, knew what was important and what was not, and did everything perfectly and dignifiedly. Even though Ji Ran stirred up trouble and deliberately suppressed and targeted her for many years, Ji Fuyao repeatedly yielded and endured it for the sake of the overall situation.

face.

--cheat.

Light and heavy.

--use.

The big picture.

——Abandon.

Ji Fuyao's face turned black and looked extremely ugly, her fists clenched so tightly they made a sound.

All the faint illusions they had long held about royal status were shattered at this moment.

Seeing her in such a useless state, the emperor was disappointed. He had no expectations for his sentimental and indecisive eldest daughter, and he could neither be ruthless nor stir up any trouble.

A single swirling flower is destined not to become the one who overturns the game.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have a better candidate right now.

I also blame myself for not being able to control Ji Ran. I never expected that raising a tiger would turn out to be a threat, and that this wolf in sheep's clothing would turn the tables on me. If it weren't for that, how could things have come to this?

However, the emperor did not leave no contingency plans.

Ji Ran has been in control of the situation for a long time, and the feud between father and son is deep. The reason why he has not killed the emperor so far is not because he cares about the relationship between father and son.

Rather, it was because Ji Ran never obtained the "Emperor's Sword," which symbolized the succession to the throne.

That was an artifact passed down through generations of the Southern Cang royal family, called the "Emperor's Sword," but it wasn't always a sword. It could change its appearance according to the needs of its inheritor, transforming into any form, whether it was a sword, a knife, or even an inconspicuous personal item like a ring or earring.

For many years, Ji Ran has kept him under control in order to find the whereabouts of the "Emperor's Sword," sending people to monitor him every day and never leaving his side. But to this day, he still hasn't been able to find the "Emperor's Sword."

The emperor knew that his days were numbered.

In order to conceal the secret of changing his spiritual root from the outside world, Ji Ran forced him to take a silencing poison for many years. After telling Ji Fuyao the truth, he will soon die from the poison, and there will be no cure.

"Enough. There's no need to argue about right and wrong anymore. In any case, the third brother is already dead. Ji Fuyao, listen carefully, no matter who the Emperor's Sword falls into, it cannot be given to Ji Ran... So, give it to Cheng'an."

The emperor forcibly grabbed Ji Fuyao's wrist, and a telepathic message entered her mind—the hiding place of the Emperor's Sword.

"I won't help you."

Ji Fuyao's eyes were as cold as frost and snow. She suddenly pulled her hand back and subconsciously gripped the sword in her hand, as if only in this way could she find her center of gravity.

The emperor looked at her with a mixture of pity and sorrow, and then coughed up a mouthful of black blood.

"Heh...heh..."

With his life extinguished and his breath coming in gasps, his body convulsed violently, burst open, and blood flowed everywhere. Thick blood trickled onto the ground at Ji Fuyao's feet. His head was tilted to one side, his eyes wide open, dying with his eyes still open.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Ji Fuyao's white robes were instantly splattered with blood. Her heart was filled with shock and disbelief; she hadn't yet recovered from the gruesome death of her father when a deafening scream erupted from behind her—

"His Majesty has passed away!!"

"It was the eldest princess! The eldest princess killed the emperor!!"

"—Princess Ji Fuyao murdered the emperor and usurped the throne! Her heart is utterly despicable!"

A dozen guards suddenly appeared and swarmed over, naturally surrounding the eldest princess, who was holding a sword and covered in blood.

They fell for the trap.

As these three words came to mind, Ji Fuyao coldly raised her head, her gaze meeting that of Ji Ran, who stood in a high position with his hands behind his back, at the back of the crowd.

This scene overlapped with countless past images, and Ji Fuyao sighed inwardly. Her father and second brother were truly cunning schemers: the former used her to uncover the truth and take revenge on Ji Ran, while the latter waited for her to walk into their trap, killing two birds with one stone.

Ji Ran seemed to feel extremely sorry for her and said, "Why would you be so foolish, Your Majesty? Father has treated you well; how dare you commit such a treasonous act?"

Ji Fuyao didn't get angry; instead, she laughed.

She drew her sword from under the umbrella and pointed it at the Crown Prince, her voice clear and bright: "It's time to settle the score between us."

Ji Ran's lips twitched slightly, her face revealing neither joy nor sorrow, and she gave a light, airy command:

"Fourth brother, capture her."

The situation changed rapidly. Countless guards rushed towards Ji Fuyao with swords raised. The swords flashed coldly, and the light of the Azure Water Sword was particularly dazzling.

"Cheng'an, you..."

Ji Fuyao never expected that Ji Ran would send Ji Cheng'an to make a move.

She never imagined that Ji Cheng'an would actually draw his sword against her and take the matter to the point of armed conflict.

Since their mother left, the fourth brother has been clinging to her like a little tail. Back then, she taught Ji Cheng'an how to hold a sword and how to distinguish right from wrong. Could she have imagined that things would turn out this way?

"Royal sister, surrender!" Ji Cheng'an said, brandishing his sword again. "Killing the emperor is an unforgivable crime. I will plead with my brother, the Crown Prince, to show leniency!"

Ji Fuyao felt a deep desolation, believing that the Southern Cang royal family was beyond saving. Just as she was about to say something to him one last time, she saw Ji Cheng'an's sword block her side, slashing at a guard who was trying to attack her in the chaos.

Ji Fuyao: "...?"

The Azure Water Sword emitted a buzzing sound, and the guard was struck and cried out in pain, but he quickly staggered and disappeared into the crowd.

Ji Cheng'an remained calm, as if it had been a mistake, and continued to warn loudly:

"Since you're unwilling to repent, then I won't waste any more words. My apologies, Your Majesty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Cheng'an put two fingers together and quickly drew a line in the air in front of him. His spiritual power surged and his sword energy exploded, directly spreading out a giant sword formation in the narrow palace!

Hundreds of sword energies flashed continuously, almost blinding everyone.

Before Ji Fuyao could react, her arm was suddenly pushed outward by a powerful force. Under the cover of the sword formation, Ji Cheng'an's deliberately low and urgent voice came from beside her ear: "...Sister, let's go, hurry up!"

-

On the other side, Chu Xianlan leaned against the headboard, her long, unbound hair cascading over her shoulders.

He felt like he had slept for a very, very long time, and when he woke up, he was being watched by a full sixteen eyes, which put him under immense pressure.

His master's hand never left his palm, continuously channeling spiritual energy, just like those calm eyes that never wavered.

Xiao Shengsheng's ears drooped, her voice soft and gentle, her eyes moist: "Brother Chu, you bled so much, it looks so painful. Are you still in pain?"

Chu Xianlan shook her head at her.

For some reason, his spiritual power seemed to have opened a bottomless pit; as long as he didn't fill it, it would keep dissipating outwards.

Wei Jin looked at the silent witch doctor Linlang and asked, "Have you found out the cause?"

Linlang withdrew the last silver needle, placed her fingertip on Chu Xianlan's pulse for a moment, and sighed, "Her body is too depleted, it's hard to make a diagnosis. Let her take a medicinal bath for a few days to regulate her body, and I'll think of something."

Yi Chen scooped up Chu Xianlan's knees with one hand and wrapped his arm around his back with the other, holding him horizontally in his arms. Every movement was natural and effortless. Just like that, he stood up in front of everyone while holding his disciple.

Wei Jin asked, "What are you doing?"

Yi Chen said, "Take him to a medicinal bath."

--------

(Two parts combined! No angst, Xiao Chu will be alright.)