"An Ning..." Xue Zi Ning called out again.
After a long pause, a weak voice replied, "I'm here."
She hurried forward and discovered that An Ning's soul had become transparent.
"What's happening?" she asked in surprise.
An Ning looked up at her and chuckled softly, "I'm about to disappear."
"How can that be?" she was shocked.
An Ning stood up and walked in front of her. "From now on, this body will be yours alone. Frankly, I'm unwilling, but I know you are more suited to possess it than I am, because you can do many things, you can stop Xue Chang An, you can..."
An Ning slowly lowered her gaze. When she looked up again, her eyes were slightly red. "I was always a non-existent person. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have appeared. I've lived these past few years, and I'm content. During these years, I've met many people and experienced many things. These will be the most precious things in my life."
"Don't give up. There will be a way for us to coexist."
An Ning shook her head. "Let's not even talk about whether coexistence is possible. Even if it were, are you sure you want to coexist with me during the wedding night?"
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback.
An Ning chuckled softly. "Ah Ning, people can be selfish sometimes. You might want to coexist with me, but I might not want that. Because in his heart and eyes, there is only you, not me. Perhaps I am just a passerby in his heart. But, it's fine this way. Otherwise, having attachments would make it truly difficult to leave."
"When?" she asked softly.
An Ning smiled. "I want to see him one last time. Otherwise, I won't be able to leave in peace."
"Alright, but let everything conclude first. You must hold on until then."
"Okay, I promise."
"I need your help now."
"I know."
"Your Majesty..."
Xue Zi Ning opened her eyes and saw Feng Jiu, who was already heavily injured. Yet, even in this state, he had never left her side. She quickly changed her hand seals, performing them along with "her."
A powerful beam of light shot out from her chest, and many people, dressed in strange attire, appeared around her.
Feng Jiu was startled. "Your Majesty, this..."
"Help me up and leave. They can hold them off for a while."
Feng Jiu didn't delay. He helped Xue Zi Ning up, and together with Rong Bo, they departed from the scene.
"Don't let them escape!" Nangong Yue shouted.
The imperial guards wanted to pursue, but they were surrounded by these strange people. Even after being decapitated, their severed heads would reattach, and they would resume their form.
"Lord Nangong, what... what kind of strange people are these?"
Feng Jiu also witnessed this, astonishment filling him. He then looked at the young woman in his arms, who had closed her eyes, her face pale and weak.
This must be incredibly draining of internal energy.
Feng Jiu and the others returned to the temple. Rong Bo's junior disciples were all there.
Upon seeing Rong Bo, his junior brother Bi Luo and junior sister Qiao Qiao quickly went to greet him. Qiao Qiao asked, "Senior Brother, where did you go? Senior Brother and I were worried sick."
Rong Bo said, "It's a long story."
"Who are these people, Senior Brother?" Qiao Qiao asked.
Rong Bo whispered, "Does Xue Zi Ning know who they are?"
Qiao Qiao nodded. "Master mentioned her. She was the former Empress of Arid Marsh, a wise ruler."
"She is the one," Rong Bo said.
Qiao Qiao was stunned, then asked, "Senior Brother, have you been deceived? Master said the Empress had already passed away. How could she be resurrected?"
"She is indeed the Empress," Rong Bo stated.
Qiao Qiao frowned. Senior Brother never lied. Could it really be?
"If Senior Brother says so, then it is," Bi Luo readily agreed with Rong Bo.
Rong Bo walked up to Feng Jiu and asked, "Lord Feng Jiu, what do we do next?"
Feng Jiu replied, "We have people outside the city. Please go and inform them."
"Alright, I'll go now." Rong Bo said.
"Senior Brother, I'll go too," Qiao Qiao added.
Rong Bo said, "You stay here and look after His Majesty. Your Second Senior Brother and I will go."
Qiao Qiao watched her Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother leave. She knew this was not the time for her to be willful.
She stepped forward and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
Feng Jiu said, "Please, Miss, find some water."
Xue Zi Ning woke up, and it was already dark. "Your Majesty, you're finally awake."
Feng Jiu breathed a sigh of relief.
"How long have I slept?"
"About three hours," Feng Jiu replied.
"That's quite a long time. Where are we?"
Feng Jiu said, "Still in the previous temple."
"Why hasn't Senior Brother returned yet? It takes at most two hours to travel back and forth from the city gate to here!" Qiao Qiao paced back and forth, feeling uneasy.
"What's going on?" Xue Zi Ning asked Feng Jiu.
Feng Jiu answered, "I sent them to deliver a message, and they haven't returned yet."
Xue Zi Ning sat up and said, "Go and see."
Feng Jiu was taken aback. "No, your subordinate needs to protect Your Majesty."
"Go, I can protect myself."
Feng Jiu knew that once His Majesty made a decision, he couldn't change it. "Your Majesty, please be careful!"
With that, he left.
"Miss Qiao Qiao, don't worry. Feng Jiu has gone, and everything will be fine."
Qiao Qiao nodded. "Master suddenly disappeared. I only have Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother. What would I do without them?"
"Everything will be fine," Xue Zi Ning comforted Qiao Qiao.
Two hours passed, and Feng Jiu had not returned. Rong Bo and Bi Luo had also not returned.
Xue Zi Ning stood up and walked out of the temple. Suddenly, she leaped into the air and landed on the roof of the temple, looking towards the city gate. There was no sign of anything unusual.
Returning to the temple, she said to Qiao Qiao, "I'm going to the city gate to have a look. Do you want to come?"
Qiao Qiao nodded. "I'll go with you."
Xue Zi Ning and Qiao Qiao headed towards the city gate. The road was as silent as midnight, even though it was still daytime.
After about half an hour, they arrived at the city gate, which was heavily guarded.
Xue Zi Ning evaded the patrolling soldiers and came to a side hall. She asked Qiao Qiao behind her, "Can you get past?"
Qiao Qiao nodded. "Yes."
"You go first, I'll cover you."
Qiao Qiao leaped up, landed on the wall, and dropped down. After a long wait, there was no sound.
"Miss Qiao Qiao?"
Still no answer.
Xue Zi Ning leaped up and looked down. Qiao Qiao was nowhere to be seen.
She landed on the ground, which was covered in a thick mist, obscuring the view ahead. It was likely that the other side couldn't see her either.
"Qiao..." she said, uttering only a single syllable before quickly closing her mouth. This wasn't mist; it was a poisonous miasma.
Holding her breath, she hurried forward. Something seemed to be blocking her path. She squatted down and reached out to feel it. It seemed to be a person. Without regard for who it was, she helped them up and walked.
After walking for a long time, the poisonous miasma gradually lessened. She looked back and saw that behind her was still a dense poisonous miasma.
She looked at the person she had helped out. It was Rong Bo.
She assumed the remaining people were all within the poisonous miasma and that she needed to get them out quickly.
Xue Zi Ning thought if there was any method in the secret arts to deal with poisonous miasma.
"Sister..."
Xue Zi Ning was startled and turned around.