Finally reaching the bottom of the cliff, the three were stunned by the sight. Lush green grass, fragrant flowers, and birdsong in the woods—everything was captivating.
"Nangong Hua, see if the people we sent are nearby..." Chang Yu, retracting his astonished gaze, instructed Nangong Hua. Since this place was so unexpectedly different, it was possible that Li Chenxi and Ming Yu were alive and well somewhere.
"Your subordinate obeys. Gong Yu will protect the young master well," Nangong Hua said, looking sternly at his younger brother, Nangong Yu.
Nangong Yu had long shed his immaturity and youthful ignorance, replaced by a shrewdness in his eyes. "Brother, don't worry, I will swear to protect Young Master Chang Yu with my life."
Chang Yu chuckled inwardly. What could such a young boy protect him from? He could barely protect himself. However, what happened next changed Chang Yu's perspective. There was always someone better, and one should not underestimate others.
After Nangong Hua briefed his brother, he leaped away. "Young Master Chang Yu, shall we rest here or continue?" Nangong Yu asked.
"We'll wait for him to return and assess the situation," Chang Yu said, scanning his surroundings, a sense of unease growing in his heart.
Nangong Yu nodded and found a rock to sit on, his eyes vigilantly observing the surroundings, allowing no hint of movement to escape his notice.
Suddenly, the grass in the woods rustled slightly. Nangong Yu gripped his long sword and stared intently at the rustling grass.
Chang Yu also sensed something amiss and looked warily at the grass. Then, a sword flew out from the jungle, hurtling towards Chang Yu.
The sword returned to his hand. Nangong Yu jumped out and shouted, "Show yourselves!"
Instantly, over a dozen assassins in black leaped out from the grass. Nangong Yu positioned himself in front of Chang Yu. "Young Master Chang Yu, you go first. I will cover your retreat."
Chang Yu's sword pointed at the black-clad assassins, his expression icy. "Tell me, who sent you?"
The assassins did not answer. Instead, sword light flashed. Chang Yu leaped forward, his sword sweeping with immense force, felling several assassins.
Ming Yu observed the singing birds and fragrant flowers within the valley. It had been five days since she had fallen to the bottom of the cliff.
"Miss Ming Yu, look what I've brought back," Li Chenxi's voice echoed from a distance.
Ming Yu looked up and saw Li Chenxi returning. Her gaze turned colder.
Li Chenxi approached her, setting down the wild fruits he had gathered. "Miss Ming Yu, please eat. I've tasted them, they are very sweet."
Ming Yu picked up a wild fruit but did not eat it, placing it back down.
Li Chenxi was slightly taken aback and looked at her. "Miss Ming Yu, you are..."
"Li Chenxi... No, what should I call you?" Ming Yu asked Li Chenxi, word by word.
Li Chenxi trembled and looked at her. "Miss Ming Yu, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
"Stop pretending. You are not Li Chenxi," Ming Yu said, word by word.
Hearing this, Li Chenxi couldn't help but laugh. "Miss Ming Yu, what's wrong? If I'm not Li Chenxi, then who am I? How could I be someone else?"
Ming Yu shook her head. "You are not Li Chenxi at all. I was a little suspicious before, thinking that no one but Li Chenxi could understand me. But only just now did I confirm something: you are not Li Chenxi."
Li Chenxi looked at her and suddenly smiled. "If I'm not Li Chenxi, then who am I?"
Ming Yu did not reply immediately. She picked up a fruit and took a bite. It was indeed very sweet. Looking at the fruit, she said, "Although this valley is considered a place of exceptional natural talent, such sweet fruits with such good quality are rarely found. I can't imagine where else, apart from the imperial palace, such good fruits would come from."
Li Chenxi was stunned. "Miss Ming Yu, how could these be from the palace?" Upon hearing this, Ming Yu stood up. Li Chenxi also stood up, and Ming Yu said, "Stop pretending, Your Highness."
Li Chenxi was taken aback. He then looked at Ming Yu and asked, "When did you find out my identity?"
"At the bottom of the valley, I didn't suspect anything. I truly believed you were Li Chenxi, but..."
"But what?" he asked.
"You claim to be Li Chenxi, so why aren't you in a hurry to leave the valley?"
"It's not that I don't want to leave the valley, it's that it's impossible to leave."
"No, that's no reason at all. It only proves that you don't want me to leave the valley, which means you are not Li Chenxi."
"Perhaps I could be someone else? Like Chang Yu?"
"Impossible," Ming Yu stated plainly.
"The fruits you brought look nothing like fruits that grow naturally in the mountains, which is why I began to suspect you."
Hearing this, Li Chenxi seemed to realize his mistake. "It seems I have lived too little among the common people and overlooked these details."
"But why didn't you think I was Hua Yun Dan?"
Ming Yu heard him and said, "You couldn't possibly be Hua Yun Dan, because he wouldn't need to impersonate Li Chenxi."
Hua Yun Jin had to admire Ming Yu's observational skills. "Miss Ming Yu, since you know my identity, you should also know that I am determined to have you."
"Is it all because of that ridiculous prophecy of the Phoenix Destiny?" Ming Yu asked Hua Yun Jin, looking up at him.
Hua Yun Jin replied, "It's not solely because of the Phoenix Destiny prophecy, but it is a significant part of it. Miss Ming Yu, I am the lord of a city, and you are the person of Phoenix Destiny. Our union would be in accordance with heavenly principles."
"To hell with heavenly principles," Ming Yu retorted. "Your Highness, you know I don't like you."
"Then who do you like? Hua Yun Dan? Or someone else?"
Mentioning Hua Yun Dan, Ming Yu's gaze deepened. "Hua Yun Jin, the Phoenix Destiny prophecy is nothing but nonsense. If I have the Phoenix Destiny, why has my life been so miserable?"
"The Imperial Preceptor said it was because you did not encounter the Imperial Star."
"Imperial Star?" Ming Yu was taken aback.
Hua Yun Jin nodded. "Miss Ming Yu, I am the Imperial Star. If you are with me, you will be invincible."
"But I don't want to," Ming Yu said.
"Miss Ming Yu, you have already expressed your unwillingness through your escape. But as your sovereign, you must be with me as you possess the Phoenix Destiny, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what? Your Highness intends to kill me?" Ming Yu asked Hua Yun Jin.
She let out a soft laugh. "In that case, we are even. My cruelty to you back then, and your cruelty to me, we are truly quits."
"But I don't want us to be truly quits." For some reason, an unease gnawed at him. Without this bond, she would leave him. This feeling intensified.
"Why? Isn't it better this way?"
"As long as you don't leave me, everything is good." Simply the fact that she stayed with him made him feel at peace, and his heart felt full. He had never felt this way before, but now he did.