"Changning, I truly loved you, but..."
"Love? Don't defile that word. Hua Yunjin, do you know that liking you was my most foolish choice?"
Hua Yunjin trembled all over.
She ignored Hua Yunjin behind her and looked at Yan Zhao below the city wall.
It turned out that in every life, she owed Yan Zhao.
"Yan Zhao, the decision I regret most is missing you. This life, past lives, or this current one, but things end here. No one will ever again hinder your steps, never..."
"Princess..." Yan Zhao looked at her.
She smiled, then suddenly grabbed the wrist of Hua Yunjin, who held a dagger to her throat, and leaped down forcefully.
"Changning..." Hua Yunjin was caught off guard, not expecting her to drag him to his death with her.
"Princess..." Yan Zhao couldn't believe it and spurred his horse forward.
The bright red wedding dress fluttered in the wind. Xue Zining saw Yan Zhao galloping towards her and smiled, "Yan Zhao, no one will ever be able to confine your steps again."
"Ah..." Yan Zhao leaped off his horse, cradling the person who had fallen to the ground, and roared at the sky.
Tears dripped onto her face, "Don't... don't cry..."
The world spun, she knew her life in this world was meant to end.
What she didn't see was Yan Zhao holding her, walking away without looking back. The soldiers behind him asked, "General, what about the enemy troops?"
"Kill them, leave none behind," Yan Zhao's voice, chillingly cold, carried through the area.
Arriving at the imperial palace, the crimson canopy was still there. He gently placed the person in his arms down and smiled, "Princess, don't be afraid. I'll be with you soon."
"General, the person has been brought," an old man with graying hair was pushed in.
He looked at the old man and asked, "Can she be saved?"
The old man glanced and shook his head, "She cannot be saved. Her heart is set on death."
"How can she be saved?" he asked.
The elder looked at him and slowly said, "This old man has heard that the Yan family possesses a pair of precious gemstones that can bring the dead back to life."
"Yes, they are on me," Yan Zhao replied without hesitation.
"Does the General wish for the Princess to live immediately, or..."
"In this life, her heart has turned to ashes. Give her a good life."
"What is the price?"
"Name it."
The old man smiled, "Seeing how deeply the General is devoted to the Princess, to love and not be able to obtain it is the best price."
Yan Zhao was stunned. After a long silence, he said, "It can be done, as long as she has a perfect life."
With that, he lay down beside the Princess, holding her hand tightly. Even if he could not obtain her love, he would recognize her at first sight and protect her.
The old man looked at the two figures enveloped by a halo and sighed, "The confusion of three lifetimes, all for the desire of one person's overflowing tenderness."
Jingzhou Poison King Valley
"Qingyi, have you changed his medicinal water today?" the Poison Master asked Qingyi.
Qingyi nodded, "Master, please rest assured. Qingyi changes it daily."
Suddenly, a tremendous sound erupted.
Qingyi and the Poison Master exchanged glances. The sound occurred precisely when...
When the two arrived, the room was filled with broken tubs, and the person was gone.
"Where is Yan Zhao?" Qingyi asked in surprise.
The Poison Master delivered a forceful blow to Qingyi, "Are you not going to look for him?"
Qingyi quickly rushed out and finally found Yan Zhao in the woods behind the mountain, wearing only a jacket and walking barefoot.
His steps were unsteady.
"Young Master Yan," Qingyi stepped forward, attempting to grab Yan Zhao's hand.
But he was repelled by a surge of power.
Someone caught Qingyi from behind. Qingyi narrowly escaped and turned to see the Poison Master. He couldn't help but ask, "Master, what happened to Young Master Yan?"
The Poison Master stepped forward, but before he could reach him, a force tried to push him away.
The Poison Master concentrated his power in the index and middle fingers of his right hand. He finally entered and grasped Yan Zhao's pulse with his two fingers.
Qingyi quickly stepped forward and asked, "Master, what's wrong with Young Master Yan?"
The Poison Master's expression was grim, "There's a force running amok within him, controlling his actions."
Before he finished speaking, the Poison Master was also flung away.
"Master, are you alright?" Qingyi rushed to the Poison Master, who had been pushed away by Yan Zhao.
The Poison Master shook his head, "This is the first time I've encountered such a situation."
"What do we do now?" Qingyi asked anxiously.
"Follow him and see what he intends to do," the Poison Master said.
That force was too immense; it had almost shattered his meridians.
Suddenly, Yan Zhao leaped up and moved in a particular direction.
Qingyi was greatly alarmed, "Master, it's bad! Young Master Yan has run off."
"Chase him!" the Poison Master slapped Qingyi, his voice full of anger.
Qingyi pursued him into a mountain valley and saw Yan Zhao in the hot spring water within the valley.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Yan Zhao walked out, his closed eyes suddenly opening.
Qingyi trembled all over and retreated several steps, almost falling to the ground.
How... how did he wake up? This was too terrifying.
Yan Zhao walked towards him and said one word, "Clo..."
Qingyi frowned and after a moment, he understood, "Clothes?"
He saw Yan Zhao glance at him. Finally, he put on the jacket Yan Zhao had come out in and tearfully returned to the valley.
He saw the Poison Master checking Yan Zhao's pulse.
"Master," Qingyi said grievance.
His master ignored him and asked Yan Zhao, "You don't remember what happened before?"
Yan Zhao shook his head and said faintly, "I don't remember."
Qingyi was stunned, "Master, can one live without a heart?"
The Poison Master glared at him and said, "Aren't you going to change your clothes? How improper! Aren't you blinding people?"
Qingyi looked down and saw that his jacket had come undone. He quickly pulled it closed.
"A voice was calling me," Yan Zhao suddenly spoke.
"What voice?" the Poison Master asked.
Yan Zhao shook his head, "I don't know."
"Do you remember who Xue Zining is?" the Poison Master asked.
Yan Zhao showed no reaction, "Who is she?"
The Poison Master sighed, "It seems you have many things to remember."
At this moment, someone walked in from outside, "Poison Master, you sent for me..."
The person saw Yan Zhao in the room and trembled, "Th-the Crown Prince?"
Yan Zhao looked at him, "Do I know you?"
Someone behind the man darted out, "Your Highness, you... don't you recognize Xuesong?"
Yan Zhao shook his head, "No. Who are you?"
Xuesong heard this and cried, "Your Highness, how can you not recognize Xuesong?"
"Xuesong? I remember now," Yan Zhao said.
Xuesong's lips twitched. This was acceptable? As expected of his Highness.
"Where is His Majesty?" the Poison Master realized the Empress was not present.
Feng Wu said, "His Majesty's whereabouts are unknown. I fear she has entered the Cold Palace."
Yan Zhao suddenly stood up and walked towards the outside.
Everyone was startled. They only heard Yan Zhao's voice from outside, "Where is the Cold Palace?"
Feng Wu walked out and asked, "Crown Prince, have you remembered anything?"
Yan Zhao shook his head, "No. It's just that a voice was calling me. I thought it was an illusion, but just now you mentioned the Cold Palace, and I realized that voice came from the Cold Palace. I want to go to the Cold Palace."