"Yes, Your Highness..." Xue Feng was about to turn away.
Xue Jingyun suddenly said, "Xue Feng, if it were you, would you choose the present or the past?"
Xue Feng was startled and looked up at his master. "Your Highness, although I don't understand the meaning of your words, I know that the past is gone, and the present is what should be cherished. If one constantly dwells on the past, it's very unfair to the present."
Xue Jingyun paused. "Unfair?"
Xue Feng nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. I am a coarse person, speaking nonsense."
Xue Jingyun fell into thought.
After a long while, he walked out of the room and stood in the courtyard. The sound of a baby crying came from next door, along with Xue Yan cursing Xue Song for not even being able to watch a child properly.
"Then watch him yourself." Xue Song, angered, leaped onto the wall. Upon seeing Xue Jingyun, his footing slipped, and he fell to the ground.
Xue Song, a guard to the Crown Prince himself, had fallen to the ground. He felt utterly humiliated. With a mournful face, he said, "Your Highness, why did you suddenly appear here? You made me fall, and I don't know how people will laugh at me tomorrow."
Xue Jingyun heard this, turned, and said, "Xue Song, come here."
Xue Song scratched his head, dusted himself off, and followed. Upon seeing Xue Jingyun stopped in this courtyard, his expression soured. "Your... Your Highness, you wouldn't..."
A series of wolf howls and ghost-like wails came from within. Outside, Xue Li picked at his ear and sighed, "Xue Song is truly unlucky to run into the Crown Prince when he's in a bad mood. Isn't he just asking for a beating?"
Xue Song covered his face and wailed, "Your Highness, you hit but don't hit the face."
Half an hour later, Xue Jingyun rubbed his fist and said lightly, "Xue Song, your skills have regressed."
Xue Song said indignantly, "How could I possibly be a match for Your Highness?"
Xue Jingyun sat down on the ground, looking exhausted. Xue Song was slightly taken aback, having never seen His Highness with such an expression. He walked over and sat down as well. "Does Your Highness have something on your mind?"
Xue Jingyun looked at him and asked, "We received a letter from the Poison King Valley."
Xue Song was startled and quickly asked, "What is it about?"
"The soul needs to be transferred as soon as possible, otherwise, the soul body will begin to reject it."
Xue Song's gaze faltered, and he lowered his eyes. "Your Highness, on this matter, your decision is still needed."
"Xue Song, in the past, I would have made decisions without hesitation, but now, I find myself wavering."
Xue Jingyun's expression held an unspeakable sorrow.
Xue Song was stunned. After a long while, he said, "Your Highness, what are your thoughts?"
Xue Jingyun shook his head. "I don't know."
He deeply loved Xue Zining, willing to give up everything for her, even his life. But now, he was using a living life to exchange for her life.
Once you interact with that vibrant life, you'll find she is very different.
Many times, he asked himself if he had changed his feelings for A'ning.
No, he knew that was impossible, yet for Anning, he found himself unable to be ruthless.
He shouldn't be so indecisive.
"Your Highness, Anning's soul is that of the Empress. It is normal for you to be attracted to her, but she is not the true Empress after all. Her body will eventually be destroyed. By then, it might be too late for the soul transfer," Xue Song said in a low voice.
He spoke these words cruelly, especially since Princess Anning had saved Xue Yan and their child; she was their savior. But Anning was a person who could not exist.
Xue Jingyun's eyes flickered upon hearing this. "You may withdraw!"
Xue Song sighed. He couldn't help His Highness; only His Highness could figure it out for himself.
Suddenly, footsteps approached. Xue Jingyun didn't turn his head, merely saying indifferently, "Go out. I wish to be alone."
"If the Crown Prince cannot think of a good solution, I have a good one."
Xue Jingyun looked up, his gaze clear and cold. "Why does the楼主 of the Thousand Gold Tower have the leisure to visit me?"
Wen Yuxi chuckled softly and sat down. "Because Princess Anning visited the Thousand Gold Tower today to make a deal with me."
Xue Jingyun's gaze flickered slightly. He turned, looking at Wen Yuxi with a frosty expression, and said coldly, "What deal?"
Wen Yuxi smiled, her face showing unprecedented pride. "I won't tell you."
Xue Jingyun's expression turned subtly chilling, and the surrounding air became thin.
Wen Yuxi also sensed the change around her and said calmly, "I have a way to preserve the soul body, but it might cause Your Highness some harm."
"What way?" Xue Jingyun asked.
"The Thousand Gold Tower previously received a damaged book that happened to explain a method for preserving the soul body. Even if the body temporarily hosting the soul disappears, the soul will not dissipate and can continue to be transferred into the true body. However, activating this formation requires a person with profound inner strength to continuously transmit inner energy until the host body of the soul disappears."
"The book, give it to me," Xue Jingyun asked.
Wen Yuxi smiled upon hearing this. "Crown Prince, shouldn't you question the veracity of this matter? Aren't you afraid I'd fabricate a false story for you?"
"You wouldn't," Xue Jingyun said calmly.
Wen Yuxi was taken aback, then suddenly laughed, a touch of self-mockery in her tone. "You... you are truly as I imagined. Don't worry, I will help you activate it." Da Feng Novel Network
"No need," Xue Jingyun refused.
Wen Yuxi was surprised. "Do you know one person cannot bear it?"
"Protect her well. Xue Chang'an will not give up."
Wen Yuxi's gaze turned cold. "I know. I guarantee you, with me here, she will absolutely not be harmed in any way."
"Give me the book," Xue Jingyun extended his hand.
Wen Yuxi took the book from her embrace and threw it over. Xue Jingyun caught it and turned a page. After a long moment, he said, "You are not welcome to stay."
Wen Yuxi smiled helplessly. She truly found him as irritating as before, yet also admirable.
Arid Marsh
Xue Chang'an looked at the secret report, a slight smile on her lips. "I wondered why the body couldn't be found. So it's in the Poison King Valley. Xue Zining, do you wish to be revived? I will ensure you do not succeed. Whether you are Xue Changning of the past life or Xue Zining of this life, you will die by my hand, with no chance of reincarnation."
"Someone..."
A person landed before her, kneeling on one knee. "Your subordinate Xue An greets Your Majesty."
Xue Chang'an nodded. During this period, she had Xue Yu train a group of people comparable to hidden guards. She needed people. In Anguo, she knew her weakness was the lack of manpower. She never wanted to spend a large sum of money at the Thousand Gold Tower to buy a fool again.
That was why she had Xue Yu train a group of people for her.
"Lead the people to the Poison King Valley and destroy everything within the valley," Xue Chang'an said coldly.
Xue An replied, "Your subordinate obeys!"
He withdrew.
Xue Chang'an walked out of her sleeping chambers and leaped onto a tree, looking at the endless expanse of the Arid Marsh. This place belonged to her; the Arid Marsh was hers.
Not just the Arid Marsh, but this entire world should be hers.