◎Xie Heng is his appearance, Cui Heng is his soul◎

After saying this, Xing Ling gripped her sword, turned, and rushed out. Soon after, Xing Ling’s cold voice could be heard outside: “They’ve all escaped, and you’re still standing here? Quickly inform Palace Master Ji to capture them!”

“Yes! This subordinate will report to Palace Master immediately!”

With the responding voices, chaos erupted outside.

Hearing the commotion outside, Xie Heng suppressed his coughing: “Don’t delay, we should leave quickly.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing finally had time to turn back and see Xie Heng standing not far away.

This was the first time in so long that she could see him face-to-face.

He had lost much weight, thinner than Cui Heng by some measure. His single robe was practically hanging on his body, even more gaunt than the “Xie Heng” she had seen on Liufeng Island.

His long hair was loose, his complexion pale as paper, making his beautiful features even more striking.

He looked at her with labored breathing, hand covering his shoulder where he had been severely injured. Fresh blood seeped through his fingers, staining them like a blooming lotus.

Luo Wanqing quietly looked at that hand covering the wound.

That jade-carved, ice-sculpted hand with distinct knuckles.

So beautiful it was unforgettable, heart-stopping.

Xie Heng noticed she wasn’t speaking and slowly raised his eyes.

They stared at each other in silence. Xie Heng breathed heavily, and in her prolonged silence, his gaze grew increasingly wary.

This look was no different from how he had looked at Xing Ling—cold and guarded. The only difference was that he seemed to be suppressing something, but it was buried so deep it might have been an illusion.

This gaze made Luo Wanqing’s heart tremble slightly, causing some discomfort.

She had so much to ask, so much to say, yet seeing this expression, she couldn’t ask anything.

Her heart felt like a fire lit on a plain, flames burning the grass, only dampened by his blood and somewhat controlled.

Luo Wanqing took a deep breath, knowing this wasn’t the time for conversation. She finally suppressed all her emotions, pretending she knew nothing, turned away her gaze, and said softly: “Let me carry Young Master out.”

With that, she stepped forward, kneeling on one knee before Xie Heng, exposing her entire back to him.

Xie Heng’s movements paused slightly. He remained silent for a moment, then finally pressed his lips together and responded: “Mm.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t turn back, only feeling the weight settle on her back after hearing his response.

This weight was nothing to her current strength. She stood up, carrying him, and instructed: “Hold on tight.”

With that, she carried Xie Heng toward the end of the corridor, raised her sword to remove the iron window, and leaped out with Xie Heng.

After landing, she carried him toward the back mountain.

The passage into Jirui Palace was completely blocked. Behind it lay deep mountain snow forests. Luo Wanqing had never been to this area, but relying on experience accumulated over these days, she quickly found her bearings and headed directly into the dense forest.

As soon as she entered the forest, it felt like returning to those recent days when she had run and fought alone in the woods. Her heart calmed down. Carrying Xie Heng, she ran swiftly through the forest, having no time to question other matters while running, clearing traces, and quickly gathering medicinal herbs and wild fruits when she spotted them.

Xie Heng leaned against her back, watching her skilled movements without saying a word.

Her features were delicate and beautiful, yet her gaze was resolute and bright—extreme gentleness and strength fused, beautiful enough to make one unable to look away.

He hadn’t seen her for so long.

In the prison, even in their intimacy, he could only see her outline. Now truly seeing her, he discovered she was far more beautiful than his memories or imagination.

He quietly watched her, finding it hard to look away.

Luo Wanqing sensed his gaze but pretended not to notice, afraid that if she turned back, she would disturb something.

Like countless times before.

The two ran silently through the dense forest without speaking, yet both knew the other was their support.

After running for a while, sudden cheers erupted from Jirui Palace. Luo Wanqing looked back coldly and heard many people shouting in unison: “Kill Xie Heng, gain a hundred gold! Kill Xie Heng, gain a hundred gold!”

These passionate shouts came from behind like a tide. Luo Wanqing’s heart sank.

While running, she pondered the reason for these people’s sudden excitement.

When she left, she had asked Xie Minsheng to delay Ji Ruifang and gave him the Qianji. If Xie Minsheng had succeeded in killing Ji Ruifang, then the current leader of Jirui Palace should be him.

But now, Jirui Palace was clearly under someone’s control and organization, yet what they shouted was to kill Xie Heng, proving Xie Minsheng had failed.

With Xie Minsheng’s failure and Ji Ruifang controlling Jirui Palace, Ji Ruifang was the one who killed Xie Minran.

But at this moment, Ji Ruifang’s first target was still killing Xie Heng.

Luo Wanqing felt something was wrong, but didn’t voice it. Once they entered the depths of the dense forest, both sides would be safe. Seeing her furrowed brow, Xie Heng on her back, seemed to know what she was thinking and finally spoke: “What’s wrong?”

“What did you do to Xie Minran?” Luo Wanqing quickly reacted, immediately analyzing: “I killed Xie Minran, so why does Ji Ruifang want to kill you first?”

“Perhaps she hates me more…”

Xie Heng finally spoke, but before finishing his sentence, Luo Wanqing could no longer contain herself and suddenly threw him off!

Xie Heng’s expression immediately grew alert. Using the momentum, he rolled once in the snow, then heard wind howling behind him. He instinctively turned to block with his hand, and the Qianji pressed against Luo Wanqing’s throat while her hand pressed against his, forcing the blade to his throat and slamming him hard against a tree.

Xie Heng looked at her coldly, seeming prepared, while Luo Wanqing stared into his eyes with fire in her gaze, her hand gripping the blade handle white with force, saying nothing.

Xie Heng saw her expression, swallowing the bloody taste in his mouth, and said hoarsely: “What, you want to kill me too?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. That “too” caused sharp pain in her heart.

She didn’t respond to him, only staring into his eyes while reaching out to feel Xie Heng’s pulse.

She knew he wouldn’t tell the truth.

He was always deceptive, fundamentally a liar. She didn’t expect him to say a single true word.

Seeing her silence, Xie Heng smiled: “Why won’t you speak?”

He coughed lightly, joking: “Don’t tell me you rebelled just to check my pulse?”

Luo Wanqing knew he was provoking her. Hearing this, she remained unmoved, only seriously examining his pulse.

His pulse was completely chaotic, impossible to read, clearly deliberately altered by him.

She knew his abilities and understood the source of his confidence.

Unable to discern anything from his pulse, she could only control her emotions while constantly recalling all fragments related to Xie Minran.

With Xie Minran dead, Ji Ruifang couldn’t not react to her and focus on Xie Heng.

Xie Heng must have done something.

After thinking repeatedly for a long time, she suddenly remembered Xie Minran’s shocked and panicked expression when absorbing her internal energy, finally realizing as she looked up at him, “There’s something wrong with the true qi you gave me?”

Xie Heng’s face revealed no answers, and she didn’t intend to get any information from him. She only continued examining his chaotic pulse while analyzing: “Xie Minran was born with imbalanced yin-yang internal energy, which is why he needed women who cultivated the Yin Moon technique to balance his internal energy. In the fake Yin Moon cultivation, your true qi never fused with mine at all. You practiced the Blazing Yang technique—your internal energy is extremely yang, conflicting with his. Entering his body, he couldn’t withstand your true qi at all and would suffer meridian rupture on the spot, already doomed.”

She continued with certainty: “If he’s dead, this is the real cause of his death, isn’t it?”

When she struck, Xie Minran couldn’t resist not only because she had released Xie Minsheng, but because at that moment he fundamentally couldn’t fight back.

Whether she had broken free or not, Xie Minran couldn’t have done anything to her!

“You calculated this from the very beginning when you gave me your true qi.”

Luo Wanqing understood, suppressing her emotions while her speech quickened involuntarily: “As long as Xie Minran absorbed my true qi, he would surely die. When Ji Ruifang came afterward, she only needed to examine his meridians to know you were the one who struck. You broke your promise to her six years ago, and now you used my hand to kill her disciple. You would become the person she must kill, no matter what. Then, I would gain Xie Minran’s internal energy, she’d be busy killing you, and regardless of whether Cui Junye managed to get in—”

Luo Wanqing’s voice grew hoarse: “I could escape, couldn’t I?”

“You’re overthinking…”

“Are you still going to lie to me?”

Luo Wanqing interrupted him.

Xie Heng paused, then slowly raised his eyes, seeming to realize something as he stared at her: “What have I lied to you about?”

What had he lied about?

Luo Wanqing’s eyes reddened slightly.

Xie Heng scrutinized her, tensing his muscles as he said coldly: “I did indeed tamper with the true qi I gave you because I wanted to kill Xie Minran, but what does that have to do with you?” He smiled: “You’re just a fifth-rank Inspector in the Supervision Department. Am I worth this trouble for you?”

These words were humiliating. Luo Wanqing laughed in anger, unable to help but speak with a trembling voice: “Yes, Young Master is far-sighted and calculating. Everything has nothing to do with me. But what about your wounds?” Her gaze fell on the blood on his shoulder—the same place where Cui Heng had been shot with an arrow on Liufeng Island.

Luo Wanqing’s voice grew hoarse: “I could escape, couldn’t I?”

“You’re overthinking…”

“Are you still going to lie to me?”

Luo Wanqing interrupted him.

Xie Heng paused, then slowly raised his eyes, seeming to realize something as he stared at her: “What have I lied to you about?”

What had he lied about?

Luo Wanqing’s eyes reddened slightly.

Xie Heng scrutinized her, tensing his muscles as he said coldly: “I did indeed tamper with the true qi I gave you because I wanted to kill Xie Minran, but what does that have to do with you?” He smiled: “You’re just a fifth-rank Inspector in the Supervision Department. Am I worth this trouble for you?”

These words were humiliating. Luo Wanqing laughed in anger, unable to help but speak with a trembling voice: “Yes, Young Master is far-sighted and calculating. Everything has nothing to do with me. But what about your wounds?” Her gaze fell on the blood on his shoulder—the same place where Cui Heng had been shot with an arrow on Liufeng Island.

She pressed her lips tightly together, pursuing the question: “Where did your wounds come from, and for whom?”

“What wounds?”

Xie Heng asked calmly in return.

Luo Wanqing was thoroughly enraged. Her blade descended like lightning, slashing directly toward the fabric on his shoulder.

However, though her blade was fast, Xie Heng’s hand was faster. He directly grasped her sharp blade with his flesh and blood, forcibly stopping her blade’s edge.

Luo Wanqing’s gaze contracted sharply as she quickly withdrew her blade’s force. Her hand trembled slightly as she watched blood flow from his palm.

She breathed rapidly, while the person before her remained as calm as ever, his expression showing no hint of wavering or retreat, warning her by calling her name: “Liu Xiniang.”

Luo Wanqing’s blade could advance no further. She knew that if she dared take one more step forward, he would dare destroy them both.

She suddenly realized that he understood everything.

He knew it all.

He clearly understood what she was suffering from, what she was struggling with, but when he lied to her, he lied, and when he wouldn’t answer, he wouldn’t answer.

From beginning to end, he was the absolute controller between the two of them. When he was Cui Heng, he came and went as he pleased; when he was Xie Heng, he acknowledged when he wanted to acknowledge and denied when he wanted to deny.

She couldn’t force him at all.

This realization made even breathing painful for her.

She spoke hoarsely: “Why?”

Why lie to her?

Why continue lying to her even now?

Having come this far, what was the necessity of deception?

Why continue lying?

Xie Heng looked into her eyes, thought for a long time, then lowered his gaze and said softly: “Treat the wounds first, we’ll talk afterward.”

With that, he supported himself to stand, staggering forward as if nothing had happened, analyzing calmly: “I hear water sounds. Let’s go check ahead. You obtained Xie Minran’s internal energy, didn’t you? That’s not yours—you need time to merge it. Come with me.”

Luo Wanqing remained silent. She watched him—each step was difficult, blood dripping from his body onto the snow, blooming like flowers.

Yet he stubbornly continued forward, always walking.

Despite being covered in wounds, he remained utterly clear-headed.

It seemed only she was trapped, only she was unable to move forward.

She watched him go ahead. After waiting a long time, she finally suppressed her emotions and followed his steps.

The two arrived at a small cave with the sound of water inside. Luo Wanqing went in first to explore, confirming it was a large limestone cave before leading Xie Heng inside.

After entering the cave and exploring, confirming there was a small spring inside, Luo Wanqing said: “Young Master, please clean up here first. I’ll go prepare some food.”

Xie Heng responded, and Luo Wanqing put down the herbs, turned to gather some firewood, arranged the cave entrance, and then returned to build a fire.

When Xie Heng emerged, Luo Wanqing had already lit the fire. Seeing him come out, she placed wild fruits before him, saying quietly: “Young Master, please eat.”

With that, Luo Wanqing retreated to one side.

Xie Heng was silent for a moment, glanced at the herbs she had gathered along the way, and said softly: “Come here.”

Luo Wanqing sat motionless. Xie Heng thought for a moment, stood up, took the herbs, and walked to her. He sat cross-legged and reached for her hand.

Luo Wanqing instinctively pulled back. Xie Heng only said, “I can’t hold onto you.”

Luo Wanqing’s movement paused. Xie Heng gently pulled her hand toward him, feeling her joints. Her thumb had been dislocated during her escape—when he touched it, she trembled.

Xie Heng was silent for a moment, then took an herb, crushed it, and dripped the juice onto her joints, saying softly: “Does it hurt very much?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t know why, but when he asked, she suddenly felt her nose sting.

She didn’t answer, only looking down at the wound on her hand.

Her hands were covered in injuries, which would normally be considered serious, but compared to his arm wound that was deep enough to see bone, it seemed like nothing.

Luo Wanqing was drawn to the wound on his hand, seeing the bloody bone beneath his carved-away flesh. Understanding, her heart ached as she said quietly: “You asked me for the lamp to burn your bone powder?”

“Mm.” Xie Heng’s voice was flat as he tended to her wound. “My bones are soaked in a hundred poisons, only suppressed by special blood. My blood is the antidote, but my bones are highly toxic.”

With that, Xie Heng smiled self-mockingly: “After I die, I cannot be buried, or the land for miles around would be contaminated by me.”

Luo Wanqing was speechless.

Xie Heng thought for a moment, tore a strip of cloth from his garment, and lowered his head to bind Luo Wanqing’s hand, securing the joints and bandaging the wound, continuing: “At the hour of mao, I took mandala incense medicine. If I don’t have a second dose tonight, withdrawal will set in. Ji Ruifang is certain I’ll come to her, so their mountain search isn’t too intense yet. By tonight, she’ll spare no effort to find me. Though I haven’t practiced Ji Ruifang’s techniques, I can guess their nature. After I help you completely merge Xie Minran’s internal energy, you should leave to find Cui Junye. You understand his identity—protecting him is more important than protecting me.”

“I won’t.” Luo Wanqing refused in a low, hoarse voice. “What you all want to do has nothing to do with me.”

Unexpectedly, Luo Wanqing had such a temper. Xie Heng was also taken aback.

After a moment’s thought, he spoke softly: “Won’t you avenge your father?”

With that, he looked up at her: “Your father was implicated by the Cui clan back then, so his military achievements were never recognized, remaining in Jiangnan as a criminal minister. Now your family’s vengeance is unavenged, your brother cannot enter officialdom, and your family doesn’t even have proper names. Don’t you care?”

“Besides threatening, calculating, and bribing, what else can you say?!”

Hearing his threats, Luo Wanqing was provoked to suddenly raise her head.

Xie Heng was silenced by her question, his grip on her hand involuntarily tightening.

However, his expression remained unmoved as he analyzed calmly: “Staying with me has no value except dying together. Better to protect Cui Junye and what he carries. As long as that item remains with the Supervision Department, Ji Ruifang won’t truly kill me.”

Luo Wanqing turned away without speaking.

She knew Xie Heng might not be wrong.

She couldn’t defeat Ji Ruifang. If she joined Xing Ling and Zhuque in escorting Cui Junye, they might be able to escape.

As long as the item remained in the Supervision Department’s hands, Ji Ruifang would have to keep Xie Heng alive.

She wouldn’t kill him.

“But she’ll torture you.”

After enduring for a long time, she finally spoke.

Xie Heng’s expression didn’t change. Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but continue: “The wounds on your body were all given by Jirui Palace. Before, they didn’t dare touch you because they didn’t know your trump card, and didn’t dare fight you to the death. But now it’s different—they’ve probed your depths. You have nothing left to intimidate them. She can completely cripple your meridians, turn you into a useless person…”

“I’m still Xie Heng.”

Xie Heng interrupted her. His gaze showed no ripple as he said: “As long as I’m alive, I’ll always be Xie Heng.”

He was the Director of the Supervision Department, Xie Heng, who intimidated the entire court and martial world, whom the people worshipped as a deity.

Luo Wanqing couldn’t speak further. She looked at the young man before her, gilded with soft firelight. His expression was as calm and indifferent as when he was at the Supervision Department, but his gaze held Cui Heng’s gentleness, like a divine statue imbued with compassion.

He was so close to her, yet so far away.

Luo Wanqing felt uncomfortable and couldn’t help but ask: “Don’t you feel pain?”

Xie Heng paused, then heard Luo Wanqing say: “I do.”

She knew she shouldn’t speak; what was there to say?

He didn’t care about himself; he had always lied to her—a calculating liar, a liar who tried every means to shake her off. What was there for her to say?

Xie Heng’s gaze showed some fluctuation. Luo Wanqing’s fingers curled slightly as she turned her head away, somewhat embarrassed: “Does Young Master know… what I was thinking after Guanlan left?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. Luo Wanqing continued with difficulty: “When he fell, I followed him down.”

Xie Heng gazed at her, silently clenching his fingers in his sleeve.

Luo Wanqing kept her head down, recalling those days: “But I was powerless. I fainted underwater. When I woke up and heard there was no news of him, I went searching. I went into the water every day, not daring to stop for a moment, searching constantly. Because as soon as I stopped, I would think of him.”

As Luo Wanqing spoke, mist involuntarily gathered in her eyes. She looked up at the person before her, struggling to control herself: “I felt pain.”

With that, she placed her hand on her chest: “I felt such pain.”

Recalling that piercing agony, Luo Wanqing averted her gaze, saying with difficulty: “So I didn’t dare think of him, not for a moment. I kept finding things to do for myself. I didn’t believe he was dead, so I searched for him. Later, when Lord Cui told me to live well, I entered Xueling Mountain to kill and seek revenge. During my time in Xueling Mountain, I rarely slept, always finding things to do, because I was afraid of the pain. So—”

Luo Wanqing turned to look at him, her gaze bright and determined: “I won’t let myself suffer like that a second time.”

“I…”

“Even if there’s only a one-in-ten-million chance,” Luo Wanqing knew what he was going to say and interrupted, “I won’t let it happen. I choose my path.” Luo Wanqing stared at him: “If Young Master wishes to punish me, this subordinate is willing to go to the Punishment Hall to receive punishment.”

This silenced Xie Heng, leaving him speechless for a moment.

After thinking for a long time, he sighed softly and said, “Give me your hand, give me a strand of true qi.”

Luo Wanqing was somewhat resistant, but knew this wasn’t the time to be stubborn with him.

She coldly placed her hand on his palm, channeling true qi into his palm.

Xie Heng looked up at her, unable to help but show some amusement in his eyes.

He looked down at her palm, guiding that strand of true qi into his body, then said: “Follow me through one cycle, feel it.”

Luo Wanqing was displeased but still let him guide her, circulating true qi between them.

As Xie Heng led her to feel the method of true qi fusion, he said: “In my youth, I went to the Dao Sect. All that I cultivated and sought was to follow my heart’s desire. Most of my life went smoothly, always thinking I was omnipotent.”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him. Not understanding why Xie Heng was suddenly telling her these things, she said: “Why are you telling me this, Young Master?”

Xie Heng didn’t elaborate. Looking at the lines in her palm, he said slowly: “At that time, I often traveled with my two elder brothers and sister, following my uncle. One year, we encountered a county magistrate handling a case locally. A noble’s son had forcibly abducted a commoner’s daughter. The magistrate ruled the noble’s son innocent because the woman had fought back, so the magistrate thought both parties were at fault. My uncle wanted to deal with this official, but the official truly believed he was right.”

With that, Xie Heng emphasized: “He truly believed he was right, not that he had accepted bribes.”

“So what?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t understand, asking coldly.

Xie Heng wasn’t annoyed and continued: “Later, we visited many more people and discovered this was a good official. He judged this way only because he believed it should be judged so. At that time, I was still young and told my uncle why such things happened frequently—it was because the court gave officials too much power. Though the court had laws, they were too scattered. For most cases, officials relied more on their own conscience and inner judgment. Everyone had different standards, so final case judgments differed. I said if we could establish unified standards and have officials judge cases according to unified laws, such incidents would be much rarer.”

“So Lord Cui authored the ‘Great Xia Code.'”

Luo Wanqing finally understood what he was talking about, looking up at him.

Xie Heng nodded, his expression calm: “Though I was young, I participated with my brothers, seeking scholars throughout the realm to compile this book together. Combining existing laws, studying tens of thousands of precedents, revising old and adding new, we finally authored this book. However, this code was too detailed, greatly limiting officials’ power, especially for aristocratic families who lost legitimate means of wrongdoing, so it was deeply criticized. To promote this book, my uncle was constantly ostracized. At that time, my father scolded me, saying I was causing trouble, but I wouldn’t listen—I always supported them. One year while drunk, my eldest brother Cui Zigui asked me if I would be afraid if we were later held accountable and sent to the execution block. I said What did I have to fear—we’d come together and go together, nothing to fear.”

“I always thought this way—dying together was no big deal, nothing to fear. Besides, how could it come to that?”

Xie Heng smiled bitterly, mockery in his eyes: “His Majesty supported us, the Cui clan was prosperous with troops and power, and I was still winning competitions and drinking tea at music gatherings. How could it come to that?”

Yet it did come to that.

His mother died in the palace, and he was in the imperial palace with severed tendons and shattered bones, becoming a useless person.

His crown prince brother Li Shengzhao and his empress aunt Cui Lianyi’s whereabouts were unknown, while he was imprisoned, unable to do anything.

He could only wait daily, watching and hoping, trying to use his noble status to wait for someone’s salvation, someone’s arrival.

He didn’t even dare risk having Zhang Chunzi reshape his bones, wanting to rely on his aristocratic status to wait for His Majesty, his father, his uncle—anyone to lead him out of that heavenly prison.

Until Ji Ruifang arrived.

Luo Wanqing’s heart tightened, not daring to speak for a moment.

She only heard Xie Heng continue slowly: “She told me the Cui clan was imprisoned for treason. She planned a prison break but needed my help—I had to help her convince the Cui family members and create opportunities for her. I agreed, and she secretly took me to see them. I finally saw them.”

Luo Wanqing watched him, seeing him seem to recall something as he smiled, his voice gentle: “My eldest brother, my sister, many people I knew—they were all there. At that time, I wasn’t afraid. I told them, at worst, we’d all die together. But my brother refused.”

Xie Heng’s voice gradually grew hoarse. He unconsciously tightened his grip on Luo Wanqing’s hand, trembling as he closed his eyes: “He said too many had already been sacrificed—the ‘Great Xia Code’ must be implemented. He said…”

Xie Heng’s voice stopped. After a long time, he spoke hoarsely: “Xie Lingshu, it began with you, it ends with you.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing’s heart shook violently.

Beginning with him, ending with him.

This was a curse, a binding, using countless people’s blood as chains to create a cage and shackles for him.

“But you were just responding to words…”

“Not just words.” Xie Heng shook his head. “Not merely words.”

With that, Xie Heng opened his eyes to look at their clasped hands, as if finding some comfort, and said slowly: “At that time, the Cui clan’s informants knew Ji Ruifang’s prison break was a trap—just a net used by aristocratic families to catch Cui clan remnants. So from the beginning, brother Zigui abandoned that path. We just didn’t know then that Ji Ruifang truly wanted to save them. We all thought she was sent by the aristocratic families, so we decided to turn the tables, using the lives of Cui clan descendants at Qingyun Crossing to pave this path for me.”

“So I stayed in prison. After my bone reshaping succeeded and Cui Junye had switched faces with His Highness outside the palace and exchanged identities, I voluntarily requested His Majesty to let me replace my uncle and become his new blade.”

“Cui Junye?” Luo Wanqing reacted.

Xie Heng nodded: “The one who died then was Cui Junye—the identity His Highness now bears. He had once received His Highness’s favor and joined in compiling the book. Back then, he voluntarily entered the palace to die in his place, spending two months having Elder Zhong change his face to His Highness’s.”

So Xie Heng only reported to His Majesty two months later.

Not only because he needed bone reshaping, not also because yielding required time.

Most importantly, they needed to give Cui Junye time to change faces and become “Li Shengzhao.”

“Then what?”

Internal energy flowed around both of them. Luo Wanqing felt this seemed like some kind of emotion, flowing freely between them for the first time.

Xie Heng looked at her injured palm, continuing softly: “Afterward, I used news of the Crown Prince to gain His Majesty’s trust. But His Majesty wouldn’t trust someone he couldn’t control, so I voluntarily accepted His Majesty’s Sinking Bone Incense poison. The antidote was in His Majesty’s hands—one dose per month. To prevent me from being controlled by His Majesty, brother Zigui voluntarily became a medicine person, having his sister refine medicine, and finally exchanged blood with me.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but clench her fists.

She finally understood why he said this wasn’t just words.

His entire body and blood belonged to his relatives.

His path was climbed by stepping on his relatives’ corpses.

How could this be called “just words”? He was already covered in blood debt, with no way back.

“Liu Xiniang, there are no gifts from heaven in this world.” Xie Heng raised his eyes, looking at her calmly with a bitter smile. “Someone like me—living is already sinful, suffering is deserved. So whatever Ji Ruifang does, I deserve it. I haven’t lied to you.”

Xie Heng restrained himself, saying earnestly: “I am not Cui Heng.”

The last strand of true qi slowly flowed from his body into Luo Wanqing’s. This true qi had been refined by him, merging with Luo Wanqing’s internal energy.

He gazed at Luo Wanqing, gentleness in his eyes tinged with sorrow: “He won’t come back.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak, her eyes moist, stubbornly looking at him.

Xie Heng didn’t dare meet her gaze. He avoided her stare, and after the true qi around them completely calmed, he withdrew his hand to his knees, stood up, and said: “Rest a moment more, then you can leave. Quickly find His Highness. When you return, the Supervision Department won’t treat you poorly.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell His Majesty what you’ve told me?”

Luo Wanqing looked at his shadow, ignoring his command, her voice hoarse as she said slowly: “His Majesty thinks Sinking Bone Incense is your bridle, trusts you because he believes you’re constrained. You’ve told me these things today—do you think you’re about to die and have nothing to fear, or because the person speaking with me isn’t the calculating Director Xie?”

“I told you to make you leave.” Xie Heng looked at the ground, saying slowly: “Don’t let feelings for Cui Heng ruin the bigger picture.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. After thinking for a long time, she only said: “Was it voluntary?”

Not expecting her to ask this question, Xie Heng paused, then heard Luo Wanqing continue: “These choices—did you make them all yourself?”

Xie Heng didn’t answer. After a long time, he said softly: “Yes. This is the path I chose.”

“Cui Heng won’t come back.”

Luo Wanqing understood.

Xie Heng silently clenched his fists, affirming: “Yes.”

“Then let me ask you one last question.”

Luo Wanqing said, raising her eyes to look at the back of the person before her, saying calmly, “Answer me truthfully, and I’ll go find Lord Cui.”

Xie Heng didn’t speak, seeming to tacitly wait.

Luo Wanqing took a long time to gather courage, asking with difficulty: “That day on Liufeng Island when Cui Heng was shot with arrows and fell into the water—did he know his fate was sealed?”

She believed Cui Heng would risk his life for her.

But she didn’t know what kind of person Xie Heng was.

From their first meeting, he had always been calculating. He bore so much responsibility—how could he, in that moment, unhesitatingly block those arrows for her?

Was that part of some plan, or in that moment…

Did he choose to place her above his own life?

She waited for his answer, and he, with his back to her, seemed to take a hundred years before hoarsely admitting: “I didn’t know.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing’s eyes slowly brightened.

Xie Heng seemed somewhat flustered as he stepped toward the inner cave, urging, “You should go.”

Luo Wanqing watched him enter the inner cave, sitting in place.

He didn’t know.

He didn’t know.

In the moment he pulled her from the formation, he didn’t weigh pros and cons—he was Cui Heng.

Thinking this, looking down at the bandaging on her hand that was identical to Cui Heng’s technique, she felt like crying and laughing.

He lied to her, again and again.

Cui Heng was still there, always there.

In his unconsciously gentle gaze, in his involuntarily lowered posture, in a knot he tied while bandaging, in a pause he couldn’t help while speaking.

In his trust that allowed him to tell her the reason for his special constitution.

In his final “I didn’t know.”

How dare he lie to her that Cui Heng wouldn’t come back?

He was there, always there!

But she also knew he wasn’t wrong.

He wasn’t Cui Heng.

She understood—everything he said tonight, every sentence, every word, was telling her he was Xie Heng.

Why was he Xie Heng?

Because Xie Heng had things to do. Living was already sinful for him. He couldn’t have a wife, children, or close friends. He shouldn’t have human emotions.

This was his self-punishment and the only fate he could have.

Cui Heng’s hatred of Xie Heng was his hatred of himself.

He hadn’t lied to her—Cui Heng truly hated Xie Heng. Only, he was Xie Heng.

He had to implement the “Great Xia Code,” avenge the Cui clan, and stand in this position destined to be filled with bloodshed. Everyone around him would be implicated by him.

Everyone else had an escape route; he didn’t.

Everyone else could leave; he couldn’t.

In his previous life, when Xie Heng was executed by a thousand cuts, he was alone. He had been expelled from the family registry early on, had no wife, no children—he was utterly alone with no one else to hold accountable.

This was the life he had always sought.

If she had never seen Cui Heng, she would believe this was the life he wanted.

But there was Cui Heng.

She had seen that person.

She knew he could joke, could throw tantrums, could envision the future with her, could want to live—to live well.

He liked playing the qin, liked liveliness. He knew the good flavors of every restaurant in the Eastern Capital, understood the pairing of every hairpin.

He was human, a living person.

He would want to spend his remaining years with his beloved, would want to ride horses and sing songs, having a good youth.

How could such a person voluntarily choose a path to death without…

If truly as he said, everything was his choice—

Then what was he doing that night in the bamboo grove?

That night, he came from the palace, desperately trying to intercept Cui Qingping, wanting to change the Cui clan’s fate.

He wanted to save people, save more people.

He just didn’t succeed.

He was forced to choose this path. Everyone else died and could die cleanly, only he couldn’t.

Back then, he was forced onto this muddy path. Now he walked it alone—was this truly his choice?

If he was truly willing, truly without struggle or pain—

Why would there be Cui Heng?

Why would there be a dream-like person, born silently between them in the dark night?

That was him.

That was the real him.

Xie Heng was his appearance forged by others.

That Cui Heng who pulled her running under fireworks and turned back laughing—that was his true soul.

So many times already.

She thought.

She had heard too many of his lies. Each time he refused, yet reached out.

He let Cui Heng exist.

He gave her Xiling.

He could tell her his most secret matters to ensure her safe departure.

These were all his silent pleas for help. He was like a living person gradually swallowed by an iron furnace, consumed bit by bit. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t escape, could only silently watch her, quietly begging.

Save him.

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Xie Heng: “I’ve been exposed, it’s over. I’ve tried coercion and temptation and kind persuasion…”

Luo Wanqing: “At death’s door and still accelerating, I’ll send you to your grave right now.”

Xie Heng: “…Fine, I’ll tell the truth. Actually… I have a dream…”

Luo Wanqing: “…I’m actually moved by your dream. But plot-wise you can live, emotionally you still have to die!!!”