Chapter 672: Chapter 675: Malicious Heart [Third Update]
On the other side, Master Li the Fortune Teller, an elderly man, held a Spatial Mirror and gazed at Princess Miaoshan’s serene face within it. He spoke respectfully, "Princess, I have sought you out this time because I have found a master who may know the reason for the strange things happening to you."
"Really?" Miaoshan’s tone was placid.
Behind her, the two young attendants, Jin Zhi and Mulan, shook their heads. If even the Sect Leader of the Shen Xiang Sect can’t discern the truth, who else could? It seems hopeless. Does Master Li know that Princess Miaoshan is in low spirits? Is he just trying to comfort her?
"Master Li, please, let it be," Miaoshan said, her voice gentle. She was not angry; no matter the time or place, she treated others with kindness, her voice more soothing than a spring breeze. "I have resigned myself to my fate."
In the Spatial Mirror, however, Master Li’s face was full of determination. He believed that this time, he was not here to comfort Miaoshan, but had truly found someone extraordinary for her. He had not actually spoken much with Miaoshan. It was just that whenever they met, he felt a sense of familiarity, nothing more. Some people become friends simply because of ’fate.’
At this thought, Master Li made a fist-in-palm salute. His voice was sonorous and powerful as he said, "Princess, I assure you, the person I’ve found this time is a true master of the divine. He can definitely help you."
"This..." Miaoshan was startled. It was the first time she had seen Master Li be so persistent.
Master Li’s eyes were fervent, hoping Miaoshan would agree. The kind-hearted Princess Miaoshan had never learned how to refuse others. Refusals were just too hurtful. She could not even bear to harm a blade of grass, let alone a person.
"Alright," Miaoshan agreed. "I will have one of my avatars make the trip."
Master Li was taken aback but still nodded. Creating an avatar was a skill others could not learn no matter how they tried; it seemed to be Miaoshan’s Innate Divine Ability. And an avatar was, for all intents and purposes, the person herself. An avatar is acceptable, Master Li thought. After all, how could a princess of the Immortal Dynasty come to such a remote region in person?
Everything seemed to settle down. Master Li awaited the arrival of Miaoshan’s avatar, Si’er investigated who had colluded with outsiders to capture Qin Yuhan, and Wu Tian continued searching for the Heavenly Eye, scouring the entire Divine Temple of the True Lords without finding a trace.
This frustrated Wu Tian. Yang Jian, that guy... where could he have hidden the Heavenly Eye? Or rather, who would he have entrusted it to?
「In the Xiuyuan Realm, a few things were happening that seemed unrelated to Wu Tian.」
Many people in a tavern were discussing a recent event.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"In a one-star country within our realm, a prince was suddenly poisoned to death."
"Who could the murderer be?"
"Everyone suspects the second prince."
"The second prince? Plausible. The territory of that Star Country isn’t small, and the King has two sons and one daughter. If the eldest prince dies, the second prince is the definite successor."
"Yes, it has to be the second prince."
As this event occurred in a Star Country within the Xiuyuan Realm, Si’er had a responsibility to intervene. She, too, wondered who the murderer could be.
Si’er went to find Wu Tian.
Wu Tian made a quick divination and came up with four words: "Closest of flesh and blood!"
Si’er was startled. "I know who the murderer is now. It seems it really was the second prince."
Wu Tian glanced at Si’er impassively and shook his head. "That may not be the case."
"What?" Si’er was taken aback by his response. After a moment’s thought, she asked, "Could it have been their mother, the queen? Perhaps she favored her second son and wanted him to be king?"
Wu Tian shook his head again. He then went to his study, leaving Si’er standing there in a daze, completely unable to understand what he meant.
「Meanwhile, in the Royal Palace of the one-star country where the rumors had originated...」
"It wasn’t me! It really wasn’t me! Why do you all suspect me?"
"Father, Mother, I am your own son! How could you suspect me?"
The second prince, doubted by all and branded the murderer, was now confined to his bedchambers. He was forbidden from taking even a half-step outside without permission. He longed for freedom. The confinement was suffocating. After being framed and falling from favor, the servants had stopped bringing him food, pushing him to the brink of madness.
Now, he slammed his fists against the wall, one punch after another. He was not a powerful warrior, and his knuckles were already bloodied, but he did not stop. He was venting his rage and his sense of injustice. Everyone believed he was the one who poisoned the eldest prince. He wanted to scream that he was framed, but no one believed him.
The second prince was pale, his eyes lifeless, his hair disheveled. "Why don’t you believe me? Although my elder brother and I were competitors, we never truly intended to kill each other! Why don’t you believe me?! Let me out! Let me out!"
He kept smashing the wall and roaring, but no one came to open the door. The doors and windows of his bedchamber were tightly locked, plunging the room into a gloomy darkness that drove him insane, made him wish for death. He looked haggard, his eyes completely bloodshot.
In the middle of the night, a window creaked open.
"Second Brother, are you hungry?" a young, childlike voice asked. An eight-year-old girl had quietly opened the window and climbed inside with a food box, her expression full of concern as she looked at the second prince.
She was Rui’er, the eight-year-old princess who had once hoped Wu Tian would help her. Rui’er was just as adorable as Si’er. But Si’er was now the Queen of a Three Stars Country. And I’m nothing, Rui’er thought, displeased.
Seeing it was Rui’er, the second prince smiled excitedly. "I knew it was you. I knew only you, my little sister, would still care about me."
"Second Brother, you must be starving. Here." Rui’er took some pastries from the food box. "Hurry and eat before you starve." Her voice was still sweet and childlike.
The second prince took the pastries, so moved he began to cry. The people who used to flatter him now avoided him like the plague. Only my little sister would still come to see me and worry if I was hungry.
The prince was deeply moved. He gritted his teeth and said, "Little Sister, you were born so much later. I’m twenty-one and you’re only eight. I’ve always been so busy with power struggles that I never paid you any attention. That was my fault. I apologize."
"Don’t apologize," Rui’er quickly shook her head, her face full of concern. "As long as you’re healthy, Second Brother, that’s all that matters."
"Yes, yes," the second prince nodded vigorously. If I ever get out of here, I’ll take good care of my little sister, he thought. She’s just too good to me.
"You must be starving. Hurry and eat," Rui’er urged. "The pastries won’t taste as good when they get cold."
"Mm-hm."
The second prince quickly devoured a pastry. It was delicious on its own, but Rui’er’s care infused it with a warmth and affection he had never tasted before. The prince felt it was the best pastry he had ever eaten.
Tears of emotion streamed down his face as he ate. He finished one and reached for a second, but suddenly, his pupils dilated. A sharp pain stabbed him in the chest. How can this be?
Rui’er still wore a cute smile as she said, "Go in peace, Second Brother."
Comments