"Boss, that Star Iron seems to be a gift from the Jing Jue Kingdom. It's strange, why do the stories in each place not quite match?" Hu Bayi asked doubtfully as he watched the scene on the screen.
Zhang Tian thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps Prince Gumo only knew that the old blacksmith had iron from the heavens, but he might not have known it was a gift."
"It would be even better if the ancient city had such a thing," Zhang Tian added. If the Jing Jue ancient city possessed Star Iron, Zhang Tian wouldn't even need to pry the armor off the Loulan princess; he could forge as much as he wanted. But that was contingent on the Jing Jue ancient city having it, and on him being able to reach an accord with the queen.
The screen flickered several times before finally settling on an image.
"As expected of the Loulan princess, she single-handedly annihilated tens of thousands of elite soldiers!"
"Indeed, she is the hero of the Loulan Kingdom."
"General Loulan is battle-hardened; I must compose verses for her."
It appeared to be a victory celebration. After the Loulan princess's triumphant return, countless citizens expressed their gratitude. The Loulan princess had now grown into a statuesque and elegant female general.
As she entered the royal palace, the pride on her face shifted, replaced by a hint of coldness.
"Next year, I have discussed with the Queen of Jing Jue. Jing Jue has a sorcerer who is very fond of you. Our two nations can form a marriage alliance, which will surely bring greater prosperity."
"Our people will also be happier. The Buddha says to abandon the small family for the greater good. Xiao Ya, what are your thoughts?"
The King, his voice somewhat stern, greeted her as soon as she entered.
"Buddha, Buddha, Buddha, you only care about Buddha. Do my opinions matter to you?"
"It's all the same to me. I'm not going anyway," the Loulan princess declared, waving her hand and entering her chambers.
Loulan, a nation profoundly influenced by the Silk Road, where Buddhism flourished. The Loulan King had inherited this religious devotion, viewing himself as a Bodhisattva alleviating suffering, aiding neighboring smaller kingdoms and helping the populace. Regrettably, he never considered his own family.
The Loulan princess's life, it seemed, was not as glamorous as her appearance suggested.
The final scene showed that in the year of the proposed marriage alliance, rebels stormed the city, and the Loulan princess perished at their hands. Her death, perhaps, was orchestrated, or perhaps it was fated.
Subsequently, Zhang Tian and the others felt a white flash, and the images vanished. They found themselves once again in a sea of sand. However, the little girl before them had transformed into a tall and graceful, mature beauty.
"Thank you for helping me find myself again." The woman before them spoke slowly, her voice still pleasant. The Loulan princess was tall, dressed in the distinctive, ornate attire of the Western Regions. Her voice was gentle, as if she possessed no temper.
"As expected, the princess is as kind-hearted as the rumors say. We were entrusted by the King to find you." Zhang Tian bowed, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.
"Kind-hearted? Am I not considered a demoness, a madwoman in the eyes of the world?" The princess spoke softly, her face expressionless.
"Your white camel has rescued countless people in the desert. Perhaps, as the saying goes, pets resemble their owners, and your temper must be good." Zhang Tian said. The Loulan princess shook her head.
With a wave of her hand, the armor on Zhang Qilin's wrist fell into her grasp. "I never expected he would send my armor here. It's strange, considering how many times I fought my way back." The Loulan princess murmured, gently stroking her armor with a hint of nostalgia.
"You fought your way back?" Zhang Qilin suddenly spoke, his gaze casually resting on the Loulan princess.
The Loulan princess nodded slightly. "He is dead, yet he uses the souls of the entire city's people to satisfy his selfish desires. He even wants me to return to the era he ruled. You have all been deceived by him. He traps the souls in the murals, he controls them, he can control every single soul. If you see anything, do not believe it; it is all his plan."
As the Loulan princess spoke, she donned her previous battle armor. Zhang Tian was momentarily bewildered. This felt like a scene from a spy thriller, leaving him utterly confused. Between the King and the Loulan princess, who was telling the truth? When Zhang Tian had used the compass to divine earlier, he had felt shrouded in mist. Was this the reason?
"Why are you telling us this? And after you fought your way back, why is your soul here?" Zhang Tian asked the Loulan princess. After all, the chances of the Loulan princess returning after fighting her way back were slim. The King, after all, was unharmed, while the Loulan princess had returned. These two facts seemed incompatible.
The Loulan princess looked at Zhang Tian and spoke slowly, "My remains are buried here. Even in failure, the residual soul can return to recuperate, devouring the souls of other living beings. At worst, it will take a long time to recover."
The Loulan princess's words only deepened Zhang Tian's confusion. The King had given him the ghost pill, the map, and even the armor to find the Loulan princess, clearly showing his affection for her. Yet, why would the princess say such things? Furthermore, if the princess needed to devour souls to regain strength, it implied she wasn't a benevolent figure either. Zhang Tian was now utterly perplexed, unsure who to trust, and decided to trust neither.
"The King had us bring you the ghost pill." Zhang Tian slowly produced the pill, intending to test the Loulan princess. He had a nagging feeling that something was amiss; one of them was definitely lying.
The Loulan princess looked at the ghost pill in Zhang Tian's hand and shook her head. "It carries his resentment. He intentionally wants me to eat it." The Loulan princess explained. Zhang Tian looked at the ghost pill. Indeed, it bore the King's aura, but since it was obtained from the King, it was normal for it to have his scent.
After a moment's thought, Zhang Tian asked, "Then, what do you plan to do next?"
"With this armor, I can fight my way back again and rescue those souls." The Loulan princess replied, appearing serious. Zhang Tian was dejected; she was truly persistent.
"Boss, what are you guys talking about? It's all in Xia language, but I don't understand a single word." The fatty interjected, stating that while he understood the individual words, he couldn't make sense of the whole conversation.
"This is adult business. Children shouldn't butt in." Hu Bayi pulled the fatty aside.
"I don't recommend you go now. If what you say is true, then that armor is problematic. I suggest you get stronger before you go." Zhang Tian said, sensing that the Loulan princess's strength was decent but not at its peak.
The Loulan princess hesitated for a moment. "You don't need to worry about that. If you are working with him, I advise you not to meddle in this matter." The Loulan princess said, preparing to move towards the sandstorm.
"Wait! We are going to the Jing Jue ancient city. Are you going?" Zhang Tian called out. "Your weapon is there; perhaps it can improve your strength." The Loulan princess paused.
"Jing Jue ancient city." She seemed to recall something peculiar, and her expression changed.