From initially wanting to kill her, to testing her later.
Now she seemed not so simple to him. In his most violent and bloodthirsty moments, she would involuntarily appear, stopping his murderous frenzy, suppressing the demonic nature within him.
This had never happened before.
It seemed like he hadn't killed anyone for a long time. Although those people deserved to die, it wasn't his place to act. He acted because his deep-seated sorrow had nowhere to be vented.
The world-destroying rage made him only want to kill to vent his hatred. The demonic nature hidden within him grew stronger day by day.
Thus, the world called him bloodthirsty and demonic, cold and merciless.
In truth, this was indeed so, but now when his demonic nature arose, he would think of her. And each time after interacting with her, he would successfully subdue the demonic nature within him, bringing himself peace…
Murong Chong's thoughts drifted, his eyes fixed intently on the young girl beside him.
Meanwhile, Yun Xiao, unaware of the great hero Murong’s thoughts, stared at the tree with keen interest.
By the Han Yu Pool, a group of people had arrived. It was the Empress Dowager of Chang Xin Palace, her face now filled with anger as she commanded the eunuchs by the pool: "Pull the person out immediately."
The supervising eunuchs knew the Empress Dowager's authority. Who dared to disobey? They immediately scrambled to pull the person from the pool.
Unfortunately, after calling out for a long time, several consorts remained unresponsive, completely frozen. The pool water had even frozen over again. The eunuchs smashed the ice and dragged the people out.
The consorts were all on the verge of death from the cold. The Empress Dowager looked at the scene before her, her charming face now dark and displeased. She fiercely commanded: "Quick, send them back to their respective palaces immediately, and summon the imperial physicians to tend to them."
"Yes, Empress Dowager."
Everyone took their orders. Eunuchs and palace maids from each palace began to carry their mistresses back.
The Han Yu Pool was soon deserted. Even the Empress Dowager boarded the soft sedan she arrived in and returned to Chang Xin Palace.
Yun Xiao watched the play conclude, smacking her lips. She turned to look back, only to see Murong Chong’s eyes filled with bloodlust, his lips pressed into a thin line, a cold aura enveloping his entire being. He stared fixedly at the side of the Han Yu Pool, unmoving, as if petrified.
Suddenly, his figure blurred. He raised his large palm, and a gust of wind arose, swirling the vast expanse of snowflakes. Layers of vortices were stirred up as the wind howled past.
He had inexplicably gone mad. The branches and leaves trembled incessantly. Yun Xiao, startled, reached out and tightly embraced the large tree, glaring angrily at the man who had gone berserk.
"Murong Chong, what are you freaking out about now? Get a grip and be quiet immediately."
In the cold night, Yun Xiao's stern words, as if a flying vine striking Murong Chong’s mind, made him jolt. He instantly quieted down, the bloodlust in his eyes receding, returning to a clear, dark hue.
The white fox fur cloak, after swirling, slowly settled. He stood beside Yun Xiao and reached out to pull her up.
Fortunately, she was there. Just now, he had nearly fallen into demonic possession again.
Demonic possession meant killing. In the past, anyone who dared to stop him could only watch as he killed to vent his hatred. But this little girl was different from everyone else; she wasn't afraid of him at all. She always berated him at the most critical moment, bringing his clouded mind back to clarity.
"It's okay now."
He called out, his voice steady. He reached out and pulled her, leaping down from the tree.
As soon as Yun Xiao landed, she impatiently flung Murong Chong’s hand away, turned, and walked off, ignoring him completely.
Behind her, the tall, upright man stood with his arms crossed, composed. In his luminous, jewel-like eyes, a hint of playfulness emerged as he gazed at the departing little girl, his chest filled with emotion.
He didn’t know what that was, but he knew this girl was the only exception in his life, the only thing that was extremely interesting.
Did fate always send surprises when one was on the brink of madness?
He smiled elegantly, knowing she would return.
Indeed, not long after, Yun Xiao ran back in anger, tilting her head up and speaking righteously: "You, take me back. I don't know how to get back."
Murong Chong couldn't help but laugh. His laughter was like a gentle breeze brushing the ears, like falling snowflakes, like melting ice. The戾气 of the entire night vanished. He knew this girl was always extraordinary. Despite being a little directionally challenged, she still held her head high, speaking righteously.
Yun Xiao grew even more annoyed, frowning, completely unable to understand this man.
He was unpredictable. One moment he was furious, the next he was smiling as if he had found something precious, like a captivating demon.
"Murong Chong, what are you laughing at? You're not laughing at me, are you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Murong Chong laughed again. It seemed he had gained quite a lot tonight.
This was his only laugh in over four years, a completely relaxed one, and he had laughed twice in a row. His subordinates, hidden in the shadows, were as terrified as if they had seen a ghost, exchanging bewildered glances. Was this their master?
For four years, their master had never smiled. He killed like a butcher, bloodthirsty and cruel. No one had ever escaped his grasp. Yet, this fool from the palace not only broke his limits but also created many unexpected situations one after another.
Their master seemed to like this girl a lot. How long had it been since he last killed someone?
Zhui Feng and Zhui Yue’s eyes were misty. Seeing their master in pain and consumed by demonic rage truly pained their hearts.
But now, finally, someone had entered his heart, allowing him to no longer feel so lonely and desolate, or even driven to madness. This was truly wonderful.
"Alright, I'll take you back."
Murong Chong reached out, pulled Yun Xiao, and prepared to escort her back.
Yun Xiao was initially very angry and stood still, glaring at him. But he was a head taller than her, and she had to crane her neck, which was truly tiring. Slowly, she remembered another matter and was no longer angry.
Why could this man move freely within the palace? He had been fine earlier, but then he became agitated. Was it because he saw something he shouldn't have?
Her eyes flickered several times, and she finally remembered the Empress Dowager who appeared later. Was it because of the Empress Dowager that he flew into a rage? What did this mean? Was his enemy the Empress Dowager?
Although she had doubts, Yun Xiao wisely asked nothing. The man had just calmed down, and it was best not to bring up painful topics. However, she could potentially join forces with him to do something.
"Murong Chong, I want to make a deal with you."
"A deal?" Murong Chong doubted if he had heard correctly and repeated the word. The night wind lifted his black hair, making it fly everywhere. Snowflakes fluttered, sprinkling on both of them, on their heads, creating an unexpectedly beautiful scene, like a picturesque painting.
"Yes. How about we join forces to deal with the people in this palace? Shang Guan Yao, isn't he your enemy? He's my enemy too. Let's team up and cause chaos in the imperial palace. Wouldn't that be exhilarating?"
As Yun Xiao said this, her entire face lit up, covered in an excited veil. In the cold night, it bloomed with a captivating glow.
Murong Chong, looking at her radiant smile, found himself unable to refuse. Moreover, chaos in the palace would be more beneficial to him.
"Good, let's join forces to throw the imperial palace into disarray."
Murong Chong nodded. His cloak spread out, and he leaped up, like a ball of white light. He quickly darted through the intricately carved palace eaves and, in the blink of an eye, arrived at Jin Hua Palace. He released Yun Xiao and turned to leave.
Behind him, Yun Xiao couldn't help but call out: "How are we going to join forces?"