Chapter 82

Lu Zhao Feng was Zong Zi Heng's sworn enemy. A scourge he had to get rid of at all costs, but fate was so vicious and twisted that he actually needed Lu Zhao Feng's help. After all, the only person who would wholeheartedly save Zong Zi Xiao and had the ability to rescue him from the heavily bounded and heavily guarded Wuji Palace was Lu Zhao Feng.

As for the grudge between them, it would still have to be settled when Zong Zi Xiao is safe.

Chu Ying Ruo, who knew Zong Ming He's character well and was eager to protect her son, was eventually convinced by Zong Zi Heng.

The two agreed that the next night, Zong Zi Heng would sneak into Bailu Pavilion and unlock the spell formation, while Lu Zhao Feng would take Zong Zi Xiao away. As that spell formation was Zong clan's original creation, if he broke it with force, it would be discovered. As long as the spell formation was not set personally by Zong Ming He himself, he thought that there was no cultivator within the Wuji Palace who could overpower him, so this step had to be done by him.

Late at night, Zong Zi Heng avoided the guards, and with his familiarity with Bailu Pavilion, he quietly sneaked in.

Zong Zi Xiao was lying on the ground with his face against the wall, and Zong Zi Heng's sharp eyes noticed his shoulders move slightly, but did not turn around.

"Zi Xiao." Zong Zi Heng said quietly, "I know you're awake."

Zong Zi Xiao sat up and slowly turned around, those unusually bright eyes meeting Zong Zi Heng's in the darkness. His cheeks were noticeably narrower, not knowing whether it was the shadow of the moonlight, or whether he had lost weight.

The meal that had been knocked to the ground gave Zong Zi Heng his answer.

Zong Zi Heng let out a sigh, "Big brother is taking you away."

"Why?"

"'Why'?"

"Where is my mother?"

"She is in the Cold Palace."

"Is Father going to kill us?"

"He will not spare you." Zong Zi Heng formed a seal with his hands and chanted an incantation, pouring spiritual energy into the spell formation, which began to reverse until it was silently lifted.

Zong Zi Xiao gave Zong Zi Heng a cold sweeping glance and tentatively stepped out, finding that the spell formation had actually disappeared, he frowned and said, "Are you really here to save me?"

"Cut the crap and get going."

"Where's my mother?"

"Someone will save her." Zong Zi Heng pulled Zong Zi Xiao's wrist as he did so.

But Zong Zi Xiao fiercely shook off the hand and questioned intensely, "Who?"

"There is no time to explain now. Come with me now before it's too late!"

"I won't leave my mother alone and run away." Zong Zi Xiao said coldly.

"You ..." Zong Zi Heng gritted his teeth, "I said there would be someone to save her, your ... biological father." To ask himself honestly, even if Shen Shi Yao had committed so many sins, if it was a matter of life and death, he still couldn't abandon her, so if he didn't reassure Zong Zi Xiao, they definitely couldn't leave.

Zong Zi Xiao froze: "That ... man from Lu Sect? He's alive?"

"Mm." The identity of Lu Zhao Feng was left to explain itself. Whether Zong Zi Xiao could accept it or not, that was the destiny he needed to face.

Zong Zi Xiao was silent.

The two of them left Bailu Pavilion and silently sneaked towards the Orchid Garden. They were both so familiar with this place that they could find their way with their eyes closed, and the ordinary guards would not be able to detect them at all.

The Orchid Garden was originally located in the most remote corner of the Wuji Palace, and since the flowers were destroyed by Shen Shi Yao, the place had become deserted. Zong Zi Heng looked at the depression in front of him, and those prosperous, carefree spring days seemed just like yesterday. When he thought of their current situation, his heart felt so uncomfortable that it felt like it was being pushed into hot oil.

"Why did you save me?" Zong Zi Xiao glared at Zong Zi Heng. Still high on guard.

"Xiao Jiu, big brother had some difficulties. Believe me, I never wanted to harm you or your mother."

"Then you shall explain." Zong Zi Xiao said in a cold voice.

A thousand threads were woven together. Zong Zi Heng didn't know how to explain for a moment. He calmed down a bit: "The things I hid from you, and the spell seal I put in Bailu Pavilion are because I knew about your birth and was worried that your biological father, Lu Zhao Feng, would come looking for you. As for how my mother knew about it, I really don't know."

"With one sentence of ‘I don’t know’, you want to write yourself off?" Zong Zi Xiao narrowed his eyes dangerously, "Isn't everything Shen Shi Yao done just for you?"

"... it was for me, but I didn't know about it beforehand."

Zong Zi Heng also knew how flimsy such an explanation sounded, almost like sophistry, but he felt that his Xiao Jiu should believe him, with their fourteen years of brotherly love.

Hesitation and struggle did appear in Zong Zi Xiao's eyes, and he pondered for a moment, "Then how did you know?"

Zong Zi Heng could not say in front of Zong Zi Xiao that he had caught his mother cheating, so he had to say, "This matter, let your mother explain it to you when you leave here."

"..."

"Xiao Jiu, after you leave, you will be incognito and never be Zong Zi Xiao again. As long as father reigns, you must not reveal your whereabouts. Big brother only wants you to live out the rest of your life in peace."

There was confusion and pain in Zong Zi Xiao's eyes, "Father, really wants to kill me?"

Just a while ago, he was Zong Ming He's favorite youngest son, so much so that he was even willing to forge a sword for him with the Shen Nong Ding. How could he accept that, in an instant, his father wanted him dead? Was there nothing left of their father-son love after ten years?

When Zong Zi Heng thought of him suffering such a change, falling from the heavens into the mud. He was also heartbroken, and could not bear to tell him the crueler truth: "Father still thinks of your father-son love and does not intend to kill you. But in terms of the law of the country and the rules of the house, he can't pardon you. Do you want to be locked up for the rest of your life?"

Zong Zi Xiao closed his eyes, gasped and said softly, "What about you."

"I ..." If he let Zong Zi Xiao go, there was no way Zong Ming He would let him go, but he bet Zong Ming He wouldn't kill him.

"You're coming with me." Zong Zi Xiao opened his eyes, those extremely beautiful and charming fox eyes, staring at Zong Zi Heng like stalking prey, "You have asked me several times if I am willing to leave Wuji Palace with you, now it is my turn to ask you. If you come with me, I will trust you and believe that you are not harming anyone for the sake of the throne."

Zong Zi Heng revealed an expression that was about to burst into tears, "Xiao Jiu, big brother can't go with you."

If he left, what about his mother? If he left, who would seek justice for his uncle and the many innocent cultivators who died in vain? If he left, who could stop Zong Ming He from continuing his evil deeds?

Zong Zi Xiao said with red eyes, "You really can't let go of the throne. You keep saying you want to leave this place and live a free life, but it's all a lie. My mother saw through you long ago. She said you were hypocritical and jealous. It’s ridiculous that I always believed in you!"

Zong Zi Heng felt as if a knife was piercing his heart: "Big brother has a reason to stay, one day you will understand."

"I ..."

The sound of shouting and killing suddenly came from outside the Orchid Garden.

Zong Zi Heng's expression changed and he drew out his Jun Lan sword.

----

Edited on 4 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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