"Quick, hold your breath," Yun Xiao immediately knew the scent before them was a potent sleeping incense.
The guards and Shangguan Yao, caught off guard, fell victim to the incense. Yun Xiao and Jin Jian retreated a step, standing alert as they watched the people descend gracefully from the air, glaring at them coldly.
Whether friend or foe was yet unknown; caution was necessary.
"Who are you?"
Yun Xiao asked calmly, ceasing her movements as the masked men brought their subordinates, whose martial arts were formidable. With a single move, they had dealt with many guards. By the looks of it, their intervention wouldn't be needed.
The leader of the black-clad men raised his hand, and a white light flashed, revealing a portrait. Under the dim lamplight, the person in the portrait was clearly visible. It was... herself?
"What?!"
Yun Xiao cried out, unable to comprehend why her portrait was in these people's hands. Before she could say anything, the black-clad man moved with astonishing speed, like a gentle breeze, appearing beside Yun Xiao. In an instant, he produced a silk handkerchief and covered her mouth.
Yun Xiao's head swam instantly. She reached out to strike the black-clad man. She had been careless, and this person's martial arts were too superior; she was no match for him at all. She glared at him coldly.
You wait, don't fall into my hands, or I won't let you off. You damn wretch.
Beside her, Jin Jian suddenly cried out, "What do you want?"
He lunged forward. The leading black-clad man shifted his body, evading him. With one arm, he embraced Yun Xiao, and with a swift movement, like a soaring bird, he ascended into the sky, leading his group and vanishing.
Jin Jian pursued them closely, but the black-clad men were soon out of sight. He had no choice but to quickly return to Yun Shui Mountain Villa to report to his master.
By the time Shangguan Yao and the others awoke, it was morning. He lay in bed, with eunuchs and palace maids kneeling on the floor around him, along with several imperial concubines, while imperial physicians busied themselves beside him.
Shangguan Yao, recalling his complete loss of power and the disappearance of the Jade Dragon Talisman, felt despair overwhelming him, almost seeing his own demise. He waved his hand in anger, "Scram, all of you, get out. No one is allowed in."
The entire hall of people fled in terror, unsure what had provoked the Emperor to such a fit of rage. Although the assassins from last night were not captured, it hardly warranted such an outburst.
In a carriage, Murong Chong slowly regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and glanced at his surroundings. His imperial brother, Shangguan Lin, and Mu Li were seated beside him.
He curved his lips into a smile. His exceptionally beautiful face, as pure as jade, was now even more dreamlike with its gentle radiance. He slowly turned his head to look the other way, not seeing the person he wished to see, and then scanned the entire carriage.
Finally, his expression darkened, and he sat up abruptly. He roared at Shangguan Lin, "What is going on? Where is Xiao'er?"
"Yun Xiao asked us to take you out of the palace first. As for her, we don't know what happened to her?"
Shangguan Lin replied calmly. He didn't want to hide anything from his imperial brother. He believed his brother had the right to know everything Yun Xiao had done for him.
Unexpectedly, Murong Chong moved, and ordered forward, "Turn back to Yan Capital immediately. Now."
His handsome, ethereal face instantly plummeted from heaven to hell. His eyes, filled with bloodlust and ferocity, were terrifying and sinister.
A bone-chilling cold emanated from his face. His large hands clenched into fists and slammed down fiercely. The small table beside him shattered instantly, but it didn't unleash the usual immense power.
Shangguan Lin watched him impassively. His imperial brother's words had already betrayed his weakened state. How could he possibly go back? And recalling Yun Xiao's words in the palace...
She had forbidden him from returning. Therefore, no matter what, he couldn't let him go back.
With that thought, Shangguan Lin nodded impassively, "Yes, Imperial Brother."
He surged forward, raising a palm and striking Murong Chong's nape. Murong Chong's eyes widened in rage as he glared at him, causing Shangguan Lin to tremble slightly. Only when his imperial brother reluctantly closed his eyes did he breathe a sigh of relief and wipe the cold sweat from his face.
Even knowing his cultivation was greatly damaged, he was still terrifying.
"Your Highness, what about this?"
"Return to Yun Shui Mountain Villa," Shangguan Lin urged the driver of the carriage in front. The carriage moved like lightning, disappearing into a small dot in an instant...
When Murong Chong next awoke, he was in the Feng Pavilion of Yun Shui Mountain Villa. In the small room, many people stood, including Prince Yun, Prime Minister Sima Qingyun, and his adopted sister Murong Yingxue. Worry was evident in everyone's eyes. Seeing him awaken, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Shangguan Lin and Yi Yuxuan were missing. Recalling the final moments, Murong Chong's eyes were tinged with a cold, brownish hue, his expression grim and violent. He swept a glance at Zhui Feng and Zhui Yue, "Where is Prince Lin?"
"Master, they have gone into the palace to rescue Miss Yun. Master should focus on recuperating."
Upon hearing this, Murong Chong's expression finally softened, but he said nothing further. His mind was occupied with a single thought: to recover his power as quickly as possible, then rescue Xiao'er, and reclaim the throne.
However, as he extended his palm to circulate his energy, he immediately felt his inability to do so. The antidote pill Yun Xiao had given him was effective, but his power had already been greatly depleted.
Compared to before, he likely had less than fifty percent of his original cultivation. How could he possibly rescue Xiao'er in this state? It was no wonder his imperial brother had struck him down. It seemed he needed to recover quickly.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince should focus on recuperating."
Yun Mo spoke with a heavy heart. He was the most sorrowful among them all.
With his beloved son and daughter now missing, how could he not be heartbroken and distressed? But there were still important matters to attend to. The Crown Prince had to recover quickly, and then they could rush back to Yan Capital to reclaim the throne.
"Mm, I know."
Murong Chong naturally knew that time was of the essence. With his identity as Crown Prince exposed, and the identity of the Minister of War, Lan Qinglun, also revealed, he feared the dog emperor would not let him off. He would surely force him to hand over the military tiger tally.
But the tiger tally was now in his possession; Lan Qinglun did not have it. Therefore, the emperor would not let him off and would surely make Lan Qinglun suffer.
Furthermore, if Xiao'er fell into his hands, she would likely suffer greatly. Thus, he had to recover his cultivation as soon as possible.
Murong Chong lay quietly on the bed. On his ethereal features, a sharp and captivating clarity flashed, emitting a cold aura, like a snow lotus blooming on a sacred mountain, fragrant and intoxicating, daring no one to harbor any disrespectful thoughts.
"Then we shall leave first."
Sima Qingyun spoke calmly. In truth, he was very anxious. Now that Murong Chong's identity as Crown Prince was exposed, he feared his family in Sima Manor would be harmed. The thought made him sleepless and consumed by worry.
But seeing the Crown Prince's condition, it seemed he wouldn't recover anytime soon. Therefore, he could only pray that his family in Sima Manor would be safe.
Inside the room, Sima Qingyun and Yun Mo withdrew, leaving only Zhui Feng and Zhui Yue, along with Murong Yingxue and Xi Menyao.
Murong Yingxue's eyes were red, and her expression was extremely haggard. Seeing that only a few familiar faces remained, she could no longer control herself and began to cry.
"Brother Murong, Yingxue is so afraid something will happen to you. I won't bother you again from now on. You must live well."