The escalator beneath Xue Zining’s feet was shattered by scattered stones, leaving her with nowhere to stand. She had no choice but to retreat back into the grand hall.
Now, before her stood a tall man clad in armor, his appearance completely obscured.
He opened his closed eyes and said coldly, “No outsiders are permitted in the divine hall. Please return, young lady.”
His voice boomed throughout the hall.
Xue Zining looked at the man and retorted, “Since I have come here, I will not turn back.”
The man’s gaze turned sharp. “You refuse the offered toast and insist on a beating. Do not blame me for being impolite.”
Before his words had even fallen, the man shot towards her like an arrow loosed from a bow.
His speed left Xue Zining somewhat astonished.
She dodged aside, but he still managed to brush against her hair, and a lock of her dark tresses fell to the ground.
Xue Zining narrowed her eyes; it seemed a bloody battle awaited her today.
Soon, the man launched his second attack, each subsequent one faster than the last.
Xue Zining retreated several steps. She hadn’t anticipated someone possessing such stamina. She couldn’t afford to waste any more energy here, or how would she manage the second and third floors?
Drawing her silver whip, she cracked it a few times in the air. In the candlelight, it flashed several dazzling silver beams.
The man’s attacks slowed slightly. Xue Zining had noticed earlier that the man always avoided the brightest areas illuminated by the candles.
She realized that when dealing with opponents from the darkness, their greatest fear was light. She needed to use the brightest light to defeat him.
Therefore, the silver whip was her best source of light.
As expected, the man’s attack speed decreased. Seizing this opportunity, she leaped forward and plunged her dagger into his neck.
The man seemed to have not anticipated being killed by such a small girl, sputtering out several disbelieving exclamations before collapsing and dying.
Xue Zining breathed a sigh of relief. She retrieved her dagger and bowed to the man, “Apologies.”
A rumbling sound echoed, and as she turned, she saw a new staircase leading to the second floor appearing.
She let out a long sigh of relief, glad her guess was correct. Only by killing the man would the staircase to the second floor emerge.
She ascended the stairs leading to the second floor. She didn’t know what awaited her there, but whatever it was, she would overcome it.
Upon reaching the second floor, the area instantly brightened as all the candles were lit.
Everywhere she looked, there were shelves packed with books.
Xue Zining stepped forward and pulled out a book. It was titled “Jiangnan Baixing Tu.”
Flipping it open revealed scenes of Jiangnan.
She placed it back and took out another, a medical text.
After examining several more books, she realized this place was a collection of all the unusual talents, customs, and traditions of this continent.
It was practically a treasure trove.
But she knew things wouldn't be that simple; the staircase to the third floor was nowhere to be seen.
How was she supposed to ascend?
Suddenly, a book fell to the ground. She turned and looked at the book lying on the floor.
After a long moment, the book showed no peculiar signs. She walked forward, picked it up, and as she opened it, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Before she fainted, only one thought remained in her mind: a book had managed to incapacitate her. She had been careless.
“Your Majesty, wake up, wake up quickly…” A familiar yet unfamiliar voice reached her ears.
She snapped her eyes open and saw a face that was both impossibly familiar and unfamiliar.
“Your Majesty… why are you looking at this servant like that?”
“Why are you here?” Her expression was as cold as frost, radiating a chilling aura that seeped into the bone.
“Your Majesty, what is wrong? Where else would this servant be?”
“Your Majesty, it’s dire. Prince Mingxian has surrounded the imperial palace with his men,” a person said, kneeling on the ground, their clothes stained with blood.
Xue Zining startled. Prince Mingxian? Why did that sound so familiar?
“Your Majesty, what is wrong? Don’t frighten this servant!”
Annoyed by the wailing, she said coldly, “I truly don’t know what you are talking about? What Prince Mingxian…”
Suddenly, she remembered. Prince Mingxian—wasn’t that the title of Xue Zining’s former self, Xue Zixuan? It was a title she herself had bestowed.
“Xueyan, tell me, what time is it now?”
Xueyan saw the maiden’s eyes were clear and alluring, filled with an intense chill.
Her heart trembled, and she stammered, “Year of Huangze, one hundred seventy-second year.”
Xue Zining shoved Xueyan away and got out of bed. She walked to the man kneeling on the ground, his face obscured by blood, and asked, “Where is the Grand Tutor?”
The man blinked. As Xue Zining looked up, she saw that the person before her was still a youth. Blood trickled down his broken forehead, dyeing his handsome face red, yet his eyes shone with exceptional clarity.
“Li… Li Chenxuan?” she stepped back in shock.
“Your Majesty…” Li Chenxuan stepped forward and supported her as she swayed.
Once she regained her balance, he knelt again. “I was rash, Your Majesty, I have offended you.”
She looked at Li Chenxuan’s bowed head. Every scene before her was identical to her past life. She bit her tongue hard; the pain jolted her to full consciousness.
She opened her eyes. Li Chenxuan was nowhere to be seen. Before her lay the book she had flipped through.
Several characters suddenly appeared on a blank page: “Year of Huangze, one hundred twenty-seventh year, Prince Mingxian led troops to surround the imperial palace. The Empress of Huangze was trapped within.”
Her heart jolted. She quickly flipped backward, but the pages were blank.
She was amazed. Looking at the title, four characters appeared: “Huangze Historical Records.”
What she had just experienced wasn’t a dream; it had been real. She had returned to her past life.
This book…
She gazed deeply at the book and carefully placed it into her embrace.
Suddenly, a powerful force pulled her back.
She was greatly alarmed. Had it started again?
“Your Majesty, this servant will surely deliver the message to the Grand Tutor.”
Xue Zining opened her eyes and saw Xueyan kneeling on the ground, her concealed joy still evident.
In her past life, she had trusted Xueyan too much, causing her to overlook the maid’s subtle expressions.
“Give me the tiger tally,” Xue Zining extended her hand, appearing before Xueyan.
Xueyan froze. In that moment of stunned silence, Xue Zining stepped forward and struck Xueyan on the neck, knocking her unconscious.
Li Chenxuan watched the entire sequence of actions, his gaze momentarily stunned.
Regaining possession of the tiger tally, she looked up and saw Li Chenxuan’s astonished face. She had no time to explain. “Do you still have any subordinates?”
Li Chenxuan shook his head, his gaze filled with sadness. “They died protecting me.”
Xue Zining paused, then bit her lower lip. “In a moment, you will accompany me out of the palace.”
Exchanging clothes with Xueyan, Xue Zining carried the unconscious maid to the bed, drew the curtains, and stepped out.
Li Chenxuan’s gaze lingered. The maiden before him no longer possessed the lifeless demeanor from before; instead, she radiated an exceptional brilliance.
Dazzlingly radiant.
“Let’s go.” Xue Zining turned and led Li Chenxuan into an imperial palace secret tunnel.
It was no longer safe outside; only this tunnel offered any semblance of security.
In her past life, she hadn’t believed Xue Zixuan would truly kill her, so she had forgone the opportunity to escape, intending to ask Xue Zixuan herself why he had done what he did.
Now, heaven had given her a second chance, and she was determined to seize it.
“Your Highness, you cannot enter,” the guards blocking the way stopped the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness. “Get out of the way…”
With a wave of his hand, the guards were sent flying. He pushed open the doors of the divine hall and walked in. The doors slowly closed behind him.
Suddenly, he was pulled in by an unseen force, and his vision went black.