"But why did you harm Wu Jin Chu?" Liu Jin asked, confused.
"I didn't harm her!" Shen Yin's distorted face relaxed slightly.
"You were the last person she saw the day her poison acted up!"
Mentioning Wu Jin Chu, Shen Yin's complexion improved, and the madness on her face lessened.
"Wu Jin Chu was an innocent person; why would I harm her!"
Liu Jin was about to continue when Qin Jiu Jiu took her hand and then turned to Shen Yin, "Do you know what poison she was afflicted with?"
Shen Yin shook her head, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Sister A Jin, she's been in the Nan Feng Pavilion in Xi Liu City; it's unlikely she could concoct poisons."
Upon hearing this, the person on the ground's eyes flickered, as if a tremendous truth had been revealed.
"How do you know she was from Nan Feng Pavilion?"
"That time, when I was abducted by the Nine-tailed Fox and before I was sent to Chun Feng Du, I was held in Nan Feng Pavilion. People from Nan Feng Pavilion have a distinctive mark: the floral adornment on their foreheads cannot be washed off, and every person has the same special pattern. Outside Nan Feng Pavilion, I've never seen a woman with such a floral adornment on her forehead."
Hearing this, Shen Yin reached to cover the floral adornment on her forehead, as if it were her shame.
But no matter how much she rubbed, the adornment seemed etched onto her skin and wouldn't come off.
Even after death, she would have to live with this shame.
"Miss, you've also been to Nan Feng Pavilion? Do you know what kind of place it is?" Shen Yin suddenly asked.
Qin Jiu Jiu replied, "I don't know what kind of place Nan Feng Pavilion is, but I know Shen Ting Chi is a good person."
"Miss, when you were in Nan Feng Pavilion, did you hear that story?"
"Stop talking!" The person who had been calm moments before suddenly struggled to her feet, took out a hairpin, and lunged towards Qin Jiu Jiu.
"Jiu Jiu!"
Liu Jin had already reached Qin Jiu Jiu, but before Shen Yin could get close, Xie Jing kicked her flying to the ground.
Ever since Qin Jiu Jiu mentioned Chun Feng Du, Xie Jing had been on alert.
Therefore, the moment she harbored murderous intent, Xie Jing firmly pinned her down.
The youth's eyes were as dark and unfathomable as if ink, with a faint, nascent scarlet visible within.
The bloodthirsty factor within him suddenly erupted when Shen Yin harbored killing intent towards Qin Jiu Jiu.
Seeking death!
Shen Yin looked at the youth's eyes and face, sensing a potent killing intent.
Driven by instinct to survive, she reached out, trying to move Xie Jing's foot away.
However, the disparity in strength was too great; she tried many times but failed.
Seeing this, Liu Jin quickly stepped forward to intervene.
"Young Hero Xie Er, this person cannot be killed yet!"
Xie Jing glared at her, black mist already swirling around his lowered hand, as if it would surge forth and kill her at any moment.
"Host, the villain's blackening value has increased again!"
Qin Jiu Jiu quickly looked at Xie Jing. Although she could only see his back, she inexplicably felt an immense killing intent.
Black mist vaguely enveloped him.
Not good! He's going to blacken again!
Shen Yin appeared to be in pain, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Xie Jing! Spare her life!"
Just as Liu Jin was about to get close, Qin Jiu Jiu shouted.
Xie Jing froze, but the murderous intent that surged within him did not completely dissipate.
"You are clearly acting for her good! But she, on the other hand, finds you terrifying and constantly tries to stop you! She doesn't love you..."
A voice swirled in Xie Jing's mind, as if something was about to explode.
"Host, this is bad! The villain's blackening value is still rising! If this continues, he will blacken!"
*Bang!*
Liu Jin was sent flying by a palm strike, her body landing not far away, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Qin Jiu Jiu anxiously looked at Liu Jin, seeing her eyes slowly close.
Unable to tend to Liu Jin now, Qin Jiu Jiu hurried towards the retreating blue figure.
She spread her arms and embraced the young man's slender waist.
*Bang!*
She was violently struck in the chest and sent flying back a considerable distance.
"A Jing..."
Qin Jiu Jiu's voice suddenly reached Xie Jing's ears. The black mist around him flickered violently, and the scarlet in his eyes faded.
Xie Jing retracted his foot and slowly turned.
He saw the young girl lying on the ground, coughing incessantly, her breathing clearly labored.
"Pfft!" Suddenly, she coughed up a large mouthful of blood.
It blurred Xie Jing's vision.
"Little Jiu'er!"
Realizing what he had done, Xie Jing's heart sank deeper and deeper...
Until it was submerged in darkness.
Faint voices could be heard...
[You were born in darkness, yet you yearn for light. This light will ultimately be consumed by you...]
Xie Jing rushed forward and hugged Qin Jiu Jiu, who was still coughing up blood.
"Host, I have activated the self-healing mechanism!"
"Restoration in progress!"
"Current percentage: one!"
Xie Jing's voice became indistinct. Qin Jiu Jiu looked at the face before her but could never see it clearly.
"Xie Jing... I'm fine..."
Ultimately, she had overestimated her strength...
Xie Jing held Qin Jiu Jiu tightly. The young girl in his arms instantly turned pale, appearing shattered...
"A Jiu!"
His cries echoed from Xie Jing's lips.
"Let her go quickly!"
Qin Jiu Jiu drifted into unconsciousness.
When Dao Qing arrived, he saw the youth, enveloped in black mist, his face a deep scarlet, like a demon from hell come to claim a soul.
The girl in his arms was clearly that maid.
He knew it! No one who got close to this youth had a good end!
His mother was the same, and so was his father!
Xie Jing numbly held Qin Jiu Jiu's lifeless body, seemingly deaf to Dao Qing's voice.
The next second—
"She can still be saved! But if you don't let her go, she might not be!"
A roar ripped Xie Jing from his own world.
He quickly released the woman in his arms, his scarlet eyes instantly turning black.
"Please! Save her!"
Dao Qing was startled. Could the demon also beg for help?
...
"Host, crisis averted!"
Divine Observation.
"Your Majesty, Wu Jin Chu has been brought!"
In the secret chamber, Su Ming looked at the moon-white figure before him and was momentarily dazed.
To complete the Emperor's task, he had risked bringing Wu Jin Chu here; it was truly a last resort.
Su Ming's panicked heart hung in the air, unable to settle.
"Very good! How many days until the ritual?"
"If all goes as expected, three days."
By the middle of this month, on the night of the full moon, when Yin energy would be at its peak.
"At that time, with the extremely strong Yin energy, it will be most likely to recall the Empress's soul!"
"And can Yao Yao's appearance be restored?"
Sheng Huai Zhi turned around, his imposing face directly looking at Su Ming.