“The one who cannot coexist with me is Jun Beiyue.” Xuanyuan Lige’s voice turned cold. That was all he said—no further explanation.
Yanzi scoffed disdainfully. “A fool’s dream. Tell me the secret of Lishang, and perhaps I’ll spare her.”
Xuanyuan Lige fell silent. The fact that this woman had come to threaten him was proof enough that he still had value to her.
“Won’t speak?” Yanzi snorted coldly and rose to her feet, looking down at Xuanyuan Lige with disdain. “This is the imperial capital of Da Zhou. Tonight a fine drama is about to unfold in the palace—are you interested?”
Xuanyuan Lige remained silent still.
Yanzi was in no hurry. Toying with her fingernails, she said slowly, “Not everyone on the Lone Island is immune to all poisons. Only those of its direct bloodline carry that constitution—and anyone immune to all poisons bears a birthmark-like scar on the side of their face…”
Before she even finished, Xuanyuan Lige had already lifted his head, his eyes blood-red, glaring at Yanzi against his ghostly pale face like the eyes of a demon from hell.
Tonight was the traditional Flower Queen Gathering in the capital of Da Zhou—how could he not know that!
“You wouldn’t dare!” The words were nearly ground out from between his clenched teeth. He had seen the scar on Ziqing’s face—seen it up close, with his own eyes!
It was a hideousness so ugly it sent chills down one’s spine.
It was an ugliness that even the bravest woman would struggle to bear.
“Tell me Lishang’s secret, and perhaps I’ll consider it,” Yanzi said with a smile.
“Tomorrow, once I’ve seen that she’s safe, I’ll tell you,” Xuanyuan Lige answered at once, without hesitation.
But Yanzi suddenly raised her hand. “You’re not qualified to bargain with me!”
Xuanyuan Lige sneered. “Breaking one’s word—I’m quite used to playing that game myself.”
“You—!” Yanzi cried out in anger. She had indeed intended to break her word.
“You won’t kill her, yet you want to know Lishang’s secret. As the guardian of the Lone Island, aren’t you ashamed before your ancestors?” Xuanyuan Lige said coldly. Sharp as he was, after a few exchanges he had already seen through this woman completely.
“Ashamed before my ancestors?” Yanzi was clearly provoked, her face full of contempt. “If I waste my prime years and my peerless beauty guarding something in eternal darkness, how could I ever face myself?”
“Don’t hurt her. I’ll agree to anything you want,” Xuanyuan Lige said, his voice weak, yet carrying an unyielding strength of its own.
To his surprise, Yanzi agreed readily. “Very well.”
But then she immediately added, “As long as you tell me Lishang’s secret, and help me find the Lone Island—help me find the other person immune to all poisons—I’ll let her go.”
“You—!” Xuanyuan Lige was shocked. This woman already knew!
“Well? That’s not an unreasonable deal, is it?” Yanzi asked, quite seriously.
Within the direct bloodline of the Lone Island, once every five generations, two people immune to all poisons would be born—one male, one female, one yin and one yang—and both could be cultivated into poison Gu! The yang was the natural nemesis of the yin.
For years, many factions had secretly searched for the Lone Island, all for the sake of finding someone immune to all poisons. A single person immune to all poisons was enough to cultivate an unrivaled poison Gu—the power of a single Gu could withstand a thousand armies, and none of the nations of Longyuan could stand against it.
That was precisely why Nanzhao had destroyed the Lone Island!
If a yin poison Gu were cultivated without being controlled, it would only turn on its master. But if a yang poison Gu were also obtained, the yin poison Gu could then be used without restraint!
“You know! You know everything!” Xuanyuan Lige said through gritted teeth.
“You know just as much as I do. You’ve been stopping them from finding the Lone Island all along—you even deliberately stirred up Nanzhao’s suspicions, making the Nanzhao royal family obstruct them. You know quite a lot yourself,” Yanzi said, smiling elegantly.
That secret was hidden inside the demonic zither, on the cliff above the Wuxie Ravine. He had played “War Rising” to rally the three armies, but upon seeing the Eastern Qin army’s defeat, he had furiously snapped one of the strings!
It was precisely while repairing that zither that he had discovered the secret hidden within it.
He had always wanted to kill Jun Beiyue, and he had indeed always been stopping Ziqing from searching for the secret of the Lone Island!
It was a terrible secret—better it stayed buried forever at the bottom of the sea. Why did it need to be uncovered?
Aside from finding a cure for the charm-dispelling incense, this secret brought Ziqing no benefit at all!
On the continent of Longyuan, Ziqing was the only surviving orphan of the Lone Island. As long as no one found the Lone Island, no one would ever dare touch Ziqing—because without finding the other person immune to all poisons, no one could control a yin poison Gu!
Only this way could Ziqing remain safe—only this way would she avoid being cruelly turned into a poison corpse, a poison Gu!
“You will never learn Lishang’s secret, even if I die!” Xuanyuan Lige warned, word by word.
Yanzi looked at him with disdain. “Just wait. Tonight, I might just let you see Han Ziqing.”
With that, she gave a cold laugh and turned to leave.
She possessed unrivaled beauty and unmatched martial skill—how could she allow herself to end up like the previous generation, guarding Mingsha Mountain in bitter solitude until old age?
Since the age of ten, she had been searching for the secret of the Lone Island. At fifteen, she had set her sights on Prince Yao of Da Zhou, who had won fame in a single battle—a young man only a year older than her. Only a man of his talent and looks was worthy of her, only he could conquer the world of Longyuan together with her!
But she had never expected that someone immune to all poisons would actually appear on the continent of Longyuan—and that this person would be found by Jun Beiyue!
She had been waiting, biding her time for the perfect opportunity to profit from the conflict. At last, she could wait no longer, because their next destination was none other than Mingsha Mountain, the place she guarded…
At sunset, the Flower Queen Palace was bustling with excitement. Lanterns and festive decorations lit up the open courtyard of the palace as bright as day.
Guests were pouring in one after another, chatter rising and falling on all sides. After all, this was a grand banquet personally hosted by Prince Yao, who rarely attended such gatherings—and rumor had it that his consort would be attending as well!
If Prince Yao was in such high spirits, who wouldn’t be eager to come and see the excitement for themselves!
Ziqing rested alone in a side chamber, dressed in pale purple. Though petite in figure, she carried none of the delicate frailty one might expect—instead, an air of elegance and grace only added to her noble refinement.
Looking out through the half-open window at the bustling courtyard, she felt nothing while preparing earlier, but now, she found herself growing nervous.
“Has Beiyue arrived?”
“He’s with Prince Baxian. Why, are you nervous?”
Looking at the woman before him, as beautiful as an immortal, he couldn’t help but wonder—would she be the one to give Beiyue more of a surprise tonight, or would Beiyue be the one to surprise her more?
“I’m not nervous. How many people are attending?” Ziqing finally asked.
“That’s not important,” Situ Haonan said, leaning against a pillar with a carefree smile.
“Why are there so many people coming?” Ziqing asked again. By now all the guests had arrived—Emperor Tianhui, all the consorts of the inner palace, and every official of the third rank and above throughout the court. The scene was even grander than one of Emperor Tianhui’s own night banquets.
“That’s not important either,” Situ Haonan said, still smiling, thinking to himself about how extravagant Yingzi’s phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, and her eight-bearer palanquin, must be on the other side.
Tonight was destined to be no ordinary night!