Chapter 61

When Hua Yu Xin woke up and saw a room full of people staring at her, she was so frightened that she shot up from her couch and reached out for her sword.

"Miss Hua, there is no need to be nervous." Xu Zhi Nan's voice was gentle and calm, and had a reassuring power of its own.

Hua Yu Xin looked at Xu Zhi Nan in surprise and confusion, and then at the others, "Xu Zhen Ren, Your Highness ... you guys, me, what's going on?" She wanted to get up, but her body felt weak and feeble, as if her fever had just subsided and her skin was still burning. She had sweated a lot, and her body was sticky and very uncomfortable.

Qi Meng Sheng said, "Don't move around, listen to us."

Hua Yu Xin stared at Qi Meng Sheng, her emotions, which had just been slightly calmed by Xu Zhi Nan, had tensed up again. There were many evil legends about the Cangyu Sect in the Central Plains, and Qi Meng Sheng's reputation as a demoness was well-known. Her first contact with the Cangyu Sect was this big shot, who was also a cold-faced beauty, so it’s normal for her to feel scared.

When Qi Meng Sheng saw Hua Yu Xin's reaction, she raised her eyebrows slightly.

Xu Zhi Nan laughed twice in a low voice: "Meng Sheng, don't scare her. Let me speak."

Qi Meng Sheng gave a cold snort and looked away.

"Does Miss Hua remember what happened tonight?"

Hua Yu Xin thought for a moment, "I remember that after the banquet, Consort Shen invited me to Qinghui Pavilion to sit for a short while." She looked at Zong Zi Heng, "Consort Shen treated me to her treasured wine, did I ... drank too much? What happened after that, I don't remember. Where is this place?" She lowered her head and smelled her clothes, not only did she smell of wine, but also a strange floral scent.

Zong Zi Heng was so ashamed in his heart that he did not dare to look directly at Hua Yu Xin, but simply remained silent at the side.

But hearing these words, everyone was secretly relieved, and Xu Zhi Nan gave a few unnoticeable smiles.

If she didn't remember, then this matter was much easier to explain.

"Miss Hua was indeed drunk, and Consort Shen ordered His Highness and Ninth Highness to send you back to the guest residence, but on the way, you guys were attacked."

"What?!" Hua Yu Xin's eyes widened, "By who?"

"It's a long story." Xu Zhi Nan glanced at Zong Zi Heng, "His Highness was wounded. Fortunately His Highness asked us to drink here this evening, not far from where you were attacked. Ninth Highness ran to ask for help and we arrived in time before the villains had to retreat, otherwise tonight, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

When Hua Yu Xin saw that Zong Zi Heng had indeed changed his clothes and was pale and weak. She was so young and innocent that she did not suspect him at all and shouted in fear and anger, "Who was it?! Who tried to harm me?!”

"It was not to harm you, it was to harm us." Zong Zi Xiao stood beside Zong Zi Heng, clutching his sword, lying without changing his expression, "However, this is somewhat related to your Huaying Sect."

Hua Yu Xin immediately understood, "Could it have something to do with my little martial uncle?"

"That’s right." Xu Zhi Nan sighed, "We eliminated the Lion Alliance and captured Chen Xing Yong alive, but this matter is not over yet. Where those cores Chen Xing Yong had dug, including your little martial uncle's core, went, we still haven’t found out. Uncovering the buyer behind the scenes is far more important than catching Chen Xing Yong."

"Then has Chen Xing Yong confessed?"

"He's confessed, and that person is now in Daming."

"Who is it?!" Hua Yu Xin said sternly, "How dare he try to kill and silence Your Highness and Ninth Highness!"

"He is the head of the Wuyun Sect - Yan Shu."

Hua Yu Xin's pupils suddenly shrank and she drew a breath backwards.

"We already knew about it last year, but due to his status, we simply didn't dare to alarm the enemy and act rashly without hard evidence. Now that he's become the head of the Wuyun Sect, he's even harder to shake." Xu Zhi Nan said in a deep voice, "But I never thought he would be so arrogant as to strike first and dare to assassinate the prince in the territory of Daming."

Hua Yu Xin clenched her fist, "It's really a case of knowing people and not knowing their hearts. So what should we do now?"

"We have a plan that might unravel his true colors, but we originally did not want Miss Hua to get involved in this matter."

"But I'm already involved." Hua Yu Xin tightened her grip on her sword, "No, I want to tell my big brother."

Xu Zhi Nan stopped her, "The fewer people who know about this matter the better. If you hadn't been attacked with the two Highnesses this time, you wouldn't have been allowed to know about it, and this is also for your elder brother's safety."

"Alright, so what is your plan? What can I do?" Hua Yu Xin gritted her teeth and said, "Let me know who ate my little martial uncle's core, and I will definitely kill him!"

"This plan will be twice as effective with half the effort if Miss Hua helps."

---

Before Xu Zhi Nan sent someone to send Hua Yu Xin back, Hua Yu Xin found Zong Zi Heng and thanked him, "Your Highness, thank you for saving me."

Zong Zi Heng bowed his head slightly: "Miss Hua is very modest, it is because of us that you were involved in danger." Although he was avoiding Hua Yu Xin's pure gaze out of guilty conscience, in Hua Yu Xin's eyes, he looked weak because of his injuries.

Hua Yu Xin stepped forward worriedly, "Your Highness, where are you hurt?"

Zong Zi Xiao immediately stopped her, "It's in a place that is not good for people to see."

Hua Yu Xin's pretty face flushed, "Then ... is it serious?"

"It's nothing serious, it will be fine after a few days of recuperation." Zong Zi Heng said softly, "Miss Hua, it's getting late. If we don't go back soon, your brother will be worried."

"It's fine. I went out on a trip alone and he wasn't even worried." Hua Yu Xin said somewhat smugly.

Zong Zi Heng smiled lightly, "As big brothers, I think he must be worried. It’s just that he can't stop you from growing up."

Hua Yu Xin smiled shyly, "Then, I'll go back first."

"Miss Hua, what we agreed upon tonight, you must keep it a secret, and if you see Yan Shu or the people of the Wuyun Sect tomorrow, you must also be calm and composed, and do everything according to the plan."

"Don't worry, Your Highness." Hua Yu Xin put her hands behind her back and took two steps back, seemingly a little reluctant. She pursed her lips and said slightly shyly, "Your Highness, aren't you curious about what Consort Shen said to me?"

As Zong Zi Xiao watched the two of them make eyes at each other, and watched Hua Yu Xin's undisguised affection for Zong Zi Heng, his patience had reached its limit, and he suddenly let out an ‘ouch’ sound, covering his stomach and squatting down.

"Xiao Jiu, what's wrong?" Zong Zi Heng held him up with one hand.

"Big brother, my stomach hurts, I don't know what's wrong."

"Is Ninth Highness alright?"

Zong Zi Heng saw right through Zong Zi Xiao as he coughed lightly, "It's fine, I'll take care of him, Miss Hua, then I won't see you off."

Hua Yu Xin walked away with a little disappointment.

Zong Zi Heng kicked Zong Zi Xiao's butt: "Still pretending?"

Zong Zi Xiao straightened up and snorted coldly, "I'm doing this for your own good. If you keep talking to her, I'm afraid you'll be exposed."

Zong Zi Heng was stunned and gloomy, "I am indeed ashamed to face Miss Hua. To have put her through such a thing, and to lie to her and use her."

"It's not even your fault, it's Consort Shen's ..." Zong Zi Xiao barely resisted the urge to say something mean, "She's gone too far. She's simply harming others and herself. She's extremely foolish."

"How could I have ever imagined that my mother would commit such a mistake?" Zong Zi Heng could not relieve the anger, shame and pain in his heart, and he did not even know how to go back to face his mother.

Seeing how hard it was for Zong Zi Heng, Zong Zi Xiao followed suit. He held his elder brother's hand and comforted him, "Big brother, you shouldn't blame yourself too much. After all, nothing really happened. Hua Yu Xin doesn't know, no one will know."

"Heaven knows, the earth knows, and you all know. Big brother can't get over it." Zong Zi Heng shook his head and said in a weak voice, "I've been straightforward and upright all my life, yet I came close to doing the most shameless and nastiness thing, and being set up by my own mother, I ..."

Zong Zi Xiao sighed and, with arms that were not yet wide enough, hugged Zong Zi Heng: "Big brother, it's not your fault, don't blame yourself too harshly."

Zong Zi Heng closed his eyes, feeling the unstinting warmth and care of those closest to him.

However, Zong Zi Xiao was so close that he was distracted by the fragrance of orchids that came to his nose.

Originally, this familiar and elegant scent had been overshadowed by the scent of the charming love potion, but after bathing and dressing, the smell of the potion dissipated, and the residual medicinal properties left the heat of Zong Zi Heng's body unabated, making his body fragrance more and more fragrant.

Zong Zi Xiao thought of his big brother’s unkempt clothing and confused expression under the moonlight. Thinking of the house separated by a door away, warm candles, warm water, flirtatious deep moans, his brain boomed and his whole body heated up. He quietly let go of his hand, not daring to press against it like this again. His Adam's apple slid and his nerves tightened: "Big brother, you have not recovered yet, so go back and rest early. You have a lot of work to do tomorrow.

"Tomorrow ..." Zong Zi Heng said gruffly, "Your task tomorrow is to have a good match. Don't be distracted by it."

That night, neither of the brothers went back to the palace, instead they stayed overnight at Xu Zhi Nan's guest house. Zong Zi Heng stayed up all night thinking about his mother's appearance of either grief, anger, disappointment or pity.

---

The second day of the Jiaolong assembly was naturally much more interesting than the first, as the eight finalists would be chosen to compete on the third day.

Both Zong Ruo Ning and Zong Zi Yun were eliminated on the first day. Zong Ruo Ning's cultivation was shallow and she had only come to the competition for fun, but Zong Zi Yun was not bad and was considered one of the best among his peers, yet he lost to a female cultivator two years younger than himself.

Despite his frustration, he lost convincingly, and the female cultivator, named Chen Lan Duo, joined her two fellow disciples in making a name for herself at the Jiaolong assembly.

This is the first time that the Cangyu Sect has participated in the Jiaolong assembly. In fact, in previous years, they have occasionally sent people to watch the competition in the Jiaolong assembly. It was only a matter of time before they got closer to the Central Plains sects and integrated into the Central Plains immortal cultivation world. And this time's Jiaolong assembly, they sent two women and one man to compete in the tournament, and each of them was able to defeat their opponents within a few moves. They were so powerful that the crowd had new speculations about the winner this year.

Zong Zi Xiao has to compete 3 times today. If he wins all three, he will be competing for the top spot tomorrow. And his first match was against another female cultivator from the Cangyu Sect.

The woman's cultivation was not bad, but she was still no match for Zong Zi Xiao and was soon defeated. And as Zong Zi Xiao rested, the crowd all tacitly flocked to the western ring.

Zong Zi Heng whispered, "The Wuyun Sect and the Chunyang Sect have been drawn together. Yan Shu will definitely be there to watch, so let's go over and watch too."

----

Edited on 28 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

 

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