He then continued with a hint of regret, "It was truly a bargain for you men to see the body of a dignified princess."
The guards exchanged glances, wearing lewd smiles as they moved closer to Xue Ji.
Doctor Li washed his hands, preparing himself.
Bi Xi's face was grim as he rebuked them, "Stop right there!"
Shangguan Hong watched Bi Xi with a detached expression, refusing to speak further.
Bi Xi gritted his teeth and said coldly, "I am not Gu Pan'er. My name is Bi Xi. I am from Ye Qingcheng of the Nine Heavens. All of you, stop!"
The two guards glanced at Bi Xi but did not stop.
Shangguan Hong let out a sigh of relief, finally feeling his body relax.
This girl, she had finally admitted her identity, making all his efforts worthwhile.
"All of you, withdraw." Shangguan Hong waved his hand.
"Yes! Young Master." Although the guards looked reluctant, they still feared Shangguan Hong's expression and left the room with Doctor Li.
Bi Xi gasped for breath, exchanging a distant glance with Xue Ji, who was tied up.
Even if Xue Ji was biologically male, being seen by several men might not be a major issue, but Bi Xi absolutely could not allow such a thing to happen.
In his eyes, Xue Ji was a very important person, someone he liked. He did not want any man other than himself to see Xue Ji's body.
Furthermore, as a princess, Xue Ji's gender was naturally a nation's ultimate secret. If discovered, the consequences would be immeasurable, capable of stirring up unfathomable waves, which Bi Xi dared not estimate casually.
Xue Ji was utterly exhausted.
The countless lashes that had fallen upon her earlier had almost drained all her strength.
She had just yelled at Shangguan Hong, which further depleted her energy.
She had heard of torture methods like Lingchi and was perhaps afraid, but she had not shown it.
That Bi Xi would actually step forward for her, admitting his identity, was truly beyond Xue Ji's expectations.
She had to admit, she was somewhat touched.
Shangguan Hong looked at Bi Xi with a mocking gaze.
Bi Xi gathered his courage within himself and said, "Shangguan Hong, I'm telling you, I am Ye Qingcheng's person. You must know who Ye Qingcheng is."
Shangguan Hong smiled, took Ye Qingcheng's arm from the couch, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently.
"Isn't it just Miss Qingcheng? Do you really think I'm that foolish?"
Bi Xi sneered, "Since you know, you should also know that Ye Qingcheng has a master who dotes on her. Now, if you take my life, though it may be easy, you will also face retribution."
Shangguan Hong raised an eyebrow, "My retribution?"
"Ye Qingcheng has always doted on me. Think about it, if you kill me, will Ye Qingcheng let you off? And Ye Qingcheng's enemies are also her master's enemies. Do you think just by obtaining my inner strength, you can contend against Ye Qingcheng and that powerful figure?"
Bi Xi paused for a moment, then continued, "Even if you can indeed cultivate to an invincible realm, then think about it. Killing others might be insignificant, but Ye Qingcheng and I have a hundred years of friendship. If you kill me, won't she hate you? How long will she hate you? How deeply will she hate you? Will she not say a word to you, or even look at you?"
Bi Xi had calculated something.
That was that Shangguan Hong deeply cherished his master, Ye Qingcheng.
Therefore, he had only drugged Ye Qingcheng and had not done anything excessive to her.
Bi Xi was making a desperate gamble, using his master Ye Qingcheng as a bargaining chip to bet for his and Xue Ji's lives.
His words were spoken with tragic determination, but Bi Xi's heart was in turmoil.
He was truly worried that if his gamble failed, Shangguan Hong would have no reservations and would immediately kill him and Xue Ji.
However, the outcome was somewhat satisfactory.
Shangguan Hong, who had been indifferent to Bi Xi's previous threats, finally wavered upon hearing about Ye Qingcheng.
Shangguan Hong narrowed his eyes, glanced at Ye Qingcheng on the couch, and then said, "It's merely sparing two lives. Your spiritual energy is lost, and your princess is heavily injured. Do you think that even if I don't kill you, you can cause any significant disturbance?"
"Guards! Take both of them to the dungeon and guard them well!"
At Shangguan Hong's command, the guards who had left earlier returned, escorting Bi Xi and Xue Ji out.
This time, they were somewhat fortunate as Bi Xi and Xue Ji were thrown into the same dungeon.
This made it convenient for Bi Xi to care for Xue Ji.
Xue Ji was covered in wounds. Whether lying down or propped up, she inevitably touched her injuries.
Bi Xi knelt before her, his hands trembling, unsure what to do. He could only repeatedly call out her name, "Xue'er, Xue'er..."
Hoping she would remain conscious and not fall asleep.
In such a state, if she fell asleep, she might never wake up again.
Xue Ji, who had remained silent during the torture, had later become drowsy. She thought she was about to faint or die.
Now, hearing Bi Xi's voice, she seemed to gain some strength and forced her eyes open. Finally, she saw his face. Xue Ji forced a smile, her lips stretching.
"Qing Yuan."
Bi Xi leaned closer, nodding, "It's me. I'm here. Don't be afraid, and don't fall asleep."
Xue Ji nodded lightly, "Mm, I won't fall asleep. With you by my side, I can't bear to close my eyes."
Bi Xi's eyes welled up with tears, but he held them back, preventing any from falling. As if moved by something, Bi Xi lowered his head and kissed Xue Ji's lips.
He said, "Xue'er, I will definitely save you. You must believe me."
Xue Ji smiled, reaching out to cup Bi Xi's face and pressing it against hers.
Thus, their lips met again.
Between their lips, Xue Ji whispered softly, "Kiss me more, so I'll have strength."
Bi Xi could no longer hold back his tears, which flowed down his cheeks.
He smiled and leaned in, so Xue Ji wouldn't have to exert herself too much, "Okay. Not only now, but in the future too. We have a future."
The imperial palace was quite unsettled at this time.
Princess Xue Ji had been missing for several days, and the Empress, who had been confined to the inner palace for murder due to her arrogance, had been released.
Later, when people investigated the reason, it was generally believed that it had nothing to do with the Empress's and Emperor's relationship, but rather with a banished immortal Daoist who traveled the world and was temporarily residing in the capital.
The Emperor visited the banished immortal Daoist, seeking advice on governance and the empire, and the only response he received was a word: "Release the Empress."