Chapter 78

Zong Zi Heng sat stone-faced on the edge of the bed, having not uttered a word for a long time.

"Big brother, are you cold?" Zong Zi Xiao wiped the back of Zong Zi Heng's shoulder with a cloth towel. Perhaps the force was a little strong, and the cloth towel left a red mark on the smooth, white back.

Zong Zi Xiao paused, his fingertips quietly poked on the tender pink texture a few times, then retracted his hand as if he had been burned. He let Zong Zi Heng's wet hair down to his front chest, and a long, slender snowy neck came into view. From neck and shoulder to spine, a large piece of white skin and flesh, like sweet and soft tofu, tempting to taste, and this time he finally couldn't help but blush. He could only shift his eyes away and quickly wipe away the rain.

Zong Zi Heng was unaware of his brother's restlessness. He was like a puppet on a string at the moment. There was nothing but helplessness on his face at the manipulation of others.

"Big brother, you can replant the flowers since they are gone. I will accompany you to find flower seeds and we can build another orchid garden. With more and better ones than we planted before."

"I don't know what's going on between you and Consort Shen, if it's because of me ... I'll give you the divine sword, I'll do what I say."

"I had someone look at it. If there are any with more intact roots, just plant them in pots. There must be some that will survive."

"They've been soaked in water." Zong Zi Heng said softly, "They’ll no longer survive."

Zong Zi Xiao's heart ached, "Not necessarily, there are so many. I'll accompany you in rebuilding the Orchid Garden, really."

Zong Zi Heng slowly lifted his face, his eyes had just rained and the gloom had not yet lifted, "Xiao Jiu, if big brother wants to take you away now, will you come with me?"

Zong Zi Xiao froze, "What?"

I want to leave Wuji Palace, leave Daming and never come back again.

Zong Zi Heng thought in his heart, but could not say it out loud.

At the moment his Orchid Garden was destroyed, in fact he felt freer. Even the last thing he had left of this place where he was born and raised was gone, and that he should run away without looking back and live a life of his own.

He would build his orchid garden in a place that is surrounded by mountains and water, where it is spring all year round, so that his flowers would not have to go through the hardships of winter, and he would watch the sunrise and set and the clouds roll in and out every day, living a life of idyllic wilderness. Occasionally traveling around Jiuzhou to get rid of evil spirits and subdue demons, and to pacify the people. Born and coming into the world, asking Dao and cultivating immortality, and following his heart.

"Brother, are you serious?" After being dazed, Zong Zi Xiao asked cautiously.

Zong Zi Heng took a deep breath and gave a miserable smile.

But he couldn't leave. It was a pity, hateful, sad, ridiculous and lamentable, he couldn't leave.

His uncle, his second brother, and the many others who had sacrificed and would suffer were now a thousand pounds on his shoulders. How could he think of himself only when his parents had created the sins? If he could not stop them, his body would be in the sky, and his heart would be imprisoned in this bottomless Wuji Palace.

"Big brother, I'll go with you. I said before ah, I'm willing to go anywhere with you." Zong Zi Xiao clothed his big brother, "But wait a little longer, wait until I get the sword forged by the Shen Nong Ding. I've thought about it. You can use that divine sword. Anyway, we have the same bloodline, you can use it just as well, okay?"

Zong Zi Heng's heart fiercely trembled. He suddenly thought of the opportunity that would draw Lu Zhao Feng out.

Nowadays, the top-grade weapons and magical weapons produced in the immortal cultivation world had to have the owner's blood added during the casting process, so that only the owner and his blood relatives could use the weapon or magical weapon, lest it fall into the hands of outsiders. If Zong Zi Xiao's blood is added to the sword casting process, Lu Zhao Feng will definitely come to grab the sword. With Lu Zhao Feng's cultivation, if he possesses both the divine sword and the Chasing Mountain Whip, he's afraid that there will be no one in the world who can beat him.

If we could kill Lu Zhao Feng before it was too late, perhaps the secret of Xiao Jiu's birth would be preserved.

Zong Zi Heng grabbed his brother's wrist: "Big brother doesn't want your sword, you deserve that sword."

Zong Zi Xiao's face showed hesitation, "Big brother, I meant every word I said before. I can give you anything. Between you and me, there should not be a gap, okay?"

Zong Zi Heng stroked his brother's hair and said softly, "We won't, big brother only wants you to be good."

"I also just want big brother to be good." Zong Zi Xiao grabbed Zong Zi Heng's hand and quietly placed it on his heart.

"Xiao Jiu, promise me one thing."

"Say it."

"During this period of time, don't come to Qinghui Pavilion. If something happens I will go to Bailu Pavilion to look for you, and ... stay away from my mother."

Zong Zi Xiao frowned, "Okay. Big brother, if Consort Shen punishes you again, just come and stay with me at Bailu Pavilion."

"It won't happen, you just have to take care of yourself." Zong Zi Heng said gloomily, "The murderer of your second brother has not been caught yet. Everything you eat and drink must be tested for poison first, understand?"

"Mm, don't worry."

---

Zong Zi Heng wrote a secret letter to Xu Zhi Nan, which was sealed with spiritual power, in which he asked for the help of Chunyang Sect and Cangyu Sect to kill Lu Zhao Feng, and in return, he decided to fight for the Crown Prince's throne. He understood wholeheartedly that Xu Zhi Nan wanted him to be the Crown Prince, and in no way did he want him to boil Zong Ming He to death in a few decades, ascend the throne and become the Crown Prince. The next step would be to plan how to make Zong Ming He give up the throne. As a son and a minister, if he could keep Zong Ming He alive, he would be doing his last filial duty and righteousness. Only by becoming the Human Emperor could he stop his parents, could he do his best to pay for the sins they had committed, could he seal the mouths of Xu Zhi Nan and Qi Meng Sheng, so that Zong Zi Xiao would always be the ninth prince of Emperor Zong, and not the wild son of a core thief born from adultery.

Only when he becomes the Human Emperor will all the crisis seem to have the possibility of turning for the better.

After sending away this letter, he found Shen Shi Yao and said with an expressionless face, "Mother, I want you to promise me three things."

Shen Shi Yao said calmly, "Say it."

"First, do not go to Bailu Pavilion again. Second, do not go near Xiao Jiu, and third, do not make a decision without authorization."

"Continue on."

"If you agree, I will present myself to father and ask him to make me the Crown Prince. Xiao Jiu is still young and has always listened to me, so he won't fight with me. If you don't agree, or if I find out that your words or actions are inconsistent, I will lock you up in Qinghui Pavilion, unless Father or the Empress summons you, you will not be allowed to leave even one step."

Shen Shi Yao narrowed her eyes, "You dare?"

"I dare." Zong Zi Heng looked at his mother coldly and not angry, "You killed Zi Mo, I will never let you have any chance to do evil again."

Shen Shi Yao snorted coldly, "Do you think if you beg Zong Ming He, he will pass the throne to you? You have overestimated him and underestimated Li Xiang Tong."

"What if I can get the support of the Chunyang Sect and the Cangyu Sect?"

Shen Shiyao's eyes lit up, "You mean ..."

"Yes, with the Chunyang Sect and the Cangyu Sect, it would be enough for Father to check and balance the Wuliang Sect."

The expression on Shen Shi Yao's face changed, elation, complacency, apprehension, hesitation, all at once.

Only after a long time did she gently shake her head, "No, I can't. Not now."

"......"

Shen Shi Yao stepped forward and wanted to hold Zong Zi Heng's hand, but he immediately took a step back. Shen Shi Yao's face paled as she said, "To have the help of the Chunyang Sect and the Cangyu Sect is naturally like a tiger with wings, however, it is a double-edged sword. How Zong Ming He scorns the Li family, he will also be equally scornful of you. If he knows that you have roped in the two future heads of the Chunyang Sect and the Cangyu Sect right now, it will definitely backfire, so instead, before you become the Crown Prince, you cannot reveal this."

"What should I do then?"

Shen Shi Yao smiled faintly, her pair of beautiful eyes were full of ambition, "My son has not let Mother down, and Mother will not let you down either."

"You ..."

"Heng Er, Mother promises you." Shen Shi Yao said sincerely, "I will not go to Bailu Pavilion again, and I will not see Xiao Jiu, you can rest assured."

Zong Zi Heng looked at her with disbelief.

"You can get the help of the Chunyang Sect and the Cangyu Sect, this throne of the Human Emperor will be yours sooner or later, Mother believes in you."

Zong Zi Heng's heart was vaguely uneasy. He could no longer trust this person who was supposed to be the dearest person in the world, but he could not think of anything else she could do for a while. After all, her cultivation was limited, and a trick like poisoning, when everyone was on guard, it would be almost impossible to find another opportunity to do it.

---

Before the summer, Zong Zi Heng received word that Xu Zhi Nan was ready, and at the other end, Zong Ming He had already made preparations for the sword casting, and would be leaving for Kunlun in three days.

In order to activate the Shen Nong Ding, Zong Ming He collected the best materials from Jiuzhou, gathered a hundred high-ranking cultivators from Daming and other sects, and invited the master of the Giant Spirit Villa to come out and cast the sword himself.

Giant Spirit Villa is famous in Jiuzhou for its ability to forge swords. Among all the famous swords in the immortal cultivation world, except for those handed down from our ancestors, the ones refined by the Giant Spirit Villa are the best. In addition to swords, there are many weapons, magical weapons and immortal pills that Giant Spirit Villa specializes in, and all the sons and daughters of famous families are bound to have a weapon from Giant Spirit Villa if they cannot get an ancestral weapon.

The old master of the Giant Spirit Villa has already gone to take care of his grandchildren and has not personally quenched swords for many years, only Emperor Zong could ask the old master to come out of the mountain.

This trip to forge the sword was so dynamic and powerful that it had not been seen in the immortal cultivation world for 20 to 30 years.

Although the sword was promised to the youngest son by Zong Ming He many years ago, the first son had just passed away, and this action was debated even by outsiders, so one can imagine what it was like for Li Xiang Tong and the Wuliang Sect.

The rumor of Zong Ming He thinking of appointing Zong Zi Xiao as the Crown Prince once again circulates outside of Wuji Palace. Now that he has achieved great success and his first son has died, it seems only logical that he will succeed Emperor Zong, who is so fond of his ninth son that he even forged a sword for him out of the Shen Nong Ding, and who is so gifted that he will rarely be found in a hundred years.

The more the rumors spread, the more frightened Zong Zi Heng became. Before leaving for Kunlun, he kept an eye on Shen Shi Yao, fearing that these words would enter her ears, but Shen Shi Yao was indeed as he had said, hardly setting foot outside of Qinghui Pavilion if not necessary.

However, he did not let his guard down because Shen Shi Yao was so unusually calm, which made him anxious.

----

Edited on 3 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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