Feng Xian slowly extended her hand, clutching the dart tightly in her palm. She knew that once the dart flew, her sisterly affection with Feng Ling would truly be severed.
"Xian'er, don't hesitate..." the King of Northern Borders said softly from behind her.
Feng Xian gritted her teeth and shook her head, "No, I can't do it."
"It's alright, my Xian'er is very kind, which is why she cannot do such a treacherous deed," the King of Northern Borders whispered, pulling her into his embrace.
Feng Xian lowered her head and asked, "Your Highness, do you think I am useless?"
"Nonsense, how could this king think you useless?" The King of Northern Borders held her, speaking with a hint of anger.
"But I feel I am truly useless, unable to help you," Feng Xian said with some self-reproach.
The King of Northern Borders smiled and said, "Xian'er, if you say that, this king will be upset. I like you, not because I am using you. Whether you can help me or not, this king will still like you."
Feng Xian's eyes lit up at his words. "Your Highness, you are so good to me."
The King of Northern Borders held her, a flicker of mockery crossing his gaze.
Suddenly, a white light flashed, shooting directly towards Feng Ling's face. Feng Ling dodged, but at that moment, the Grand Elder's palm strike arrived. Unable to evade it, she took the blow and was sent flying a great distance. She vomited a mouthful of blood upon landing.
The Grand Elder paused slightly. Feng Ling could have dodged just now, but it seemed she was trying to avoid something else, causing her focus to waver and her to miss the evasion.
However, no matter what, she had lost, and losing meant submitting to the victor.
Feng Ling knew there was no changing this.
She coughed out a mouthful of blood, her vision went black, and she fainted.
When she awoke, three days had passed. She got up and headed towards the Grand Elder's room. The room was impeccably clean, as if no one had ever lived there.
She grabbed a servant from the residence and asked, "Has the King of Northern Borders left?"
The servant replied, "His Highness has been gone for three days."
Three days? Feng Ling's brow furrowed. It took about half a month to travel to the Feng Yin clan. However, with Feng Xian and the Grand Elder leading the way, it would likely take only ten days.
This meant she had already lost half the time. With this thought, she headed towards the exit of the residence. Just as she reached the entrance, someone stopped her. "Miss Feng, His Highness has an order..."
Feng Ling waved her hand, and the guards at the gate collapsed. She said coldly, "I couldn't defeat the Grand Elder, how could I possibly not defeat you?"
Yet, standing outside the residence, she suddenly didn't know what to do. Should she inform the Empress?
But emotionally, she sympathized with the members of the Feng Yin clan. In fact, if she weren't the clan leader, Feng Xian's words would have been very tempting. Who wouldn't want to live their entire life beneath the desert?
The vast world outside, how wonderful it was.
Didn't she herself not want to return after venturing out in the past?
And there were so many clan members who had never even seen the world beyond the desert. What right did she have to strip them of their choices?
But she was the clan leader, the one who would lead the entire clan into the future, not into destruction.
"Trouble again?"
Feng Ling turned and saw Wen Yu Xi. She frowned slightly. "Why are you like a persistent ghost?"
Wen Yu Xi smiled awkwardly. He didn't want to pester a girl like this, but he had received news that Feng Xian was leading the Northern Borders towards the Feng Yin clan. He had intended to follow discreetly, but he never expected the Grand Elder to be so skilled. He was discovered just a short distance into his pursuit.
To avoid alerting them, he had to plan carefully. He suddenly realized Feng Ling was not there, so he specifically waited for her.
Feng Ling was unaware of Wen Yu Xi's intentions, only feeling that he was rather persistent.
While not detesting him, she didn't particularly like him either.
"When a lady is sad and distressed, I will appear before her."
Feng Ling scoffed at his words. "Honey-tongued."
Wen Yu Xi twitched his lips. "Is there such a handsome person who is honey-tongued?"
Feng Ling snorted. "You can know a face but not a heart. How do I know you're approaching me for some ulterior motive? It wouldn't be for the Feng Yin clan, would it?"
Wen Yu Xi was truly surprised that Feng Ling would say it so directly. He could only defend himself, "Miss, you misunderstand. I have no such intentions."
"Since you have no such intentions, then forget it," Feng Ling said, preparing to leave.
Wen Yu Xi quickly stepped forward and said, "You can tell me anything that is troubling you."
"Why should I tell you? Who are you to me?" Feng Ling raised an eyebrow.
Wen Yu Xi looked at Feng Ling and suddenly leaned closer. "Whoever Miss wishes me to be, that's who I will be..."
"Stay away from me..." Feng Ling took several steps back.
Wen Yu Xi smiled faintly. "Miss, what are you afraid of? I won't do anything to you."
"You wouldn't dare," Feng Ling said, shaking her fists in front of Wen Yu Xi.
Wen Yu Xi smiled. "Indeed, I wouldn't dare. I also can't defeat you."
Feng Ling sized him up and down, then finally said, "You're talking nonsense. It's impossible that you can't defeat me."
Wen Yu Xi replied, "How could I bear to fight you with my full strength?"
Feng Ling sneered at his words. "Young Master Yan, don't try to flatter me with indirect compliments. What exactly do you want?"
Wen Yu Xi smiled. "Miss, you are thinking too much..."
"Is that so? But I've heard that Young Master Yan has a rather close relationship with the Empress."
As Feng Ling spoke, she felt the previously pleasant and handsome face of the person before her suddenly change, as if turning from water to ice.
She was slightly startled, her gaze deepening. Perhaps this was his true demeanor.
"Miss Feng, what are you trying to say?" Wen Yu Xi's expression grew a bit cold, a change he himself hadn't noticed.
"Young Master Yan, you care about the Empress? Do you like the Empress?"
As Feng Ling voiced her questions, she felt his expression become even more distant.
She couldn't help but mock herself. So he was only approaching her to gain information about the Empress.
For some inexplicable reason, a pain she couldn't quite define spread through her entire being.
It seemed all the perceived favoritism she had felt over the years was now being returned in kind.
"Miss Feng, there are some things you don't need to know."
"Did I say something wrong?" Feng Ling asked.
"Miss Feng, that is not something you should be concerned with."
Feng Ling paused and chuckled softly. "Young Master is truly cold. Just now you were quite cheerful with me, and now you say this."
Men were truly fickle.
"Miss Feng, I do indeed have a favor to ask," Wen Yu Xi suddenly bowed and clasped his hands.
"What are you doing? Why are you suddenly so serious?" Feng Ling stepped back in surprise.
"Your clan took the King of Northern Borders to the Feng Yin clan?"
"How did you know?" Feng Ling asked coldly.