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Chapter 64: The Girl in Distress
On the morning of the twenty-first, Prince Huixin awoke in his independent villa within the city. Two maidservants attended to him as he dressed. Once he was ready, Prince Huixin made his way to the main hall, where Wei Deputy and several guards were already waiting. Wei Deputy, a man with large ears and handsome features, bowed and reported, "Your Highness, the incident with the Green Demon Eagle has left the people of Qingyang City in a state of panic. This situation must be quite a blow to the Tenth Prince, who has increased patrols fivefold."
Upon hearing the report, Prince Huixin's expression reflected a man well-acquainted with turmoil. Unlike the naive youth who had once been oblivious to the world, his demeanor had changed drastically since meeting Lin Chuyu. He looked at Wei Deputy with sharp eyes and said, "Father has entrusted the management of Qingyang City to my brother. With the Green Demon Eagle causing such chaos in the city, I can only imagine how displeased he must be. You all have worked hard; continue gathering intelligence."
"Yes!" The guards bowed and withdrew.
Once they had left, Prince Huixin donned a more carefree expression and playfully said to Wei Deputy, "Alright, now that business is settled, I'm going out for a stroll. Don't worry; I won't be back too late this time."
Wei Deputy understood that Prince Huixin was restless. He sighed and replied, "Your Highness, all the soldiers follow you because they believe in you. Please don't indulge too much; make effective use of the information we gather and don't let us down."
Impatiently waving his hand as if to dismiss him, Prince Huixin retorted, "I know, I know! Stop nagging; my ears are getting calloused from hearing it."
Just as he stepped out of the threshold, Wei Deputy recalled something important and called out, "Your Highness, wait! I forgot to mention that a scout from the front lines will return at noon. You need to be back before then to hear the report."
"What?" Prince Huixin frowned in distress. "Noon? That's not possible! I have an appointment. How about this: let the scout rest for a bit when he returns; I'll come back around evening."
Prince Huixin arrived at the oak tree where he had first met Lin Chuyu and waited for half a day without seeing her appear. He chuckled wryly to himself, "She didn't come. Here I am, a dignified prince being stood up."
"Well, it's not like I was really expecting her to show up," he said aloud, though deep down he felt a twinge of disappointment.
Leaving the inn and heading back toward his villa, he spotted Ji Zichen outside a tea stall. She was carrying the Demon-Slaying Sword while sitting with Meng Hai and Shen Bifan. Prince Huixin didn't recognize Ji Zichen but found her sword wrapped in black cloth quite intriguing.
He sat down at Ji Zichen's table as an elderly man at the tea stall brought over a bowl of bitter tea. After paying with some coins, Prince Huixin leaned in to listen intently.
Meng Hai spoke with a slightly heavy tone, "This matter has nothing to do with Mad Bull; those Sand Bandits left Qingyang City yesterday."
Ji Zichen suddenly asked, "Not them? Then who?"
Meng Hai's expression darkened as he shook his head in confusion. "Exactly, aside from Mad Bull, we haven't offended anyone else since arriving in Qingyang City."
Shen Bifan, feeling anxious, interjected, "Brother Zichen, could it be that it wasn't a human doing, but rather a Demon Beast? The Green Demon Eagle has been here once; perhaps it will come again."
Ji Zichen exchanged a glance with Shen Bifan and said, "She has Vajra. I'm not worried about encountering a Demon Beast."
"Vajra?" Prince Huixin exclaimed in surprise. "Could it be that they know that girl?"
Seeing that sitting around discussing wasn't getting them anywhere, Ji Zichen said, "Uncle Meng, it's indeed difficult for the three of us to find someone in such a large place. Could you ask the brothers from The Divine Alliance Under the Covenant for help?"
Meng Hai replied, "Do you think I got the news about Mad Bull by chance? Don't worry; they are already keeping an eye out."
Ji Zichen's expression turned serious. "I’ll go meet the local power in Qingyang City. I've sold him magical artifacts before, so we have some connections."
With that, Ji Zichen stood up and left. Prince Huixin quickly followed him.
Prince Huixin trailed behind Ji Zichen as they walked through Xiran's grand plaza and headed toward a dilapidated alley. He dared not get too close and waited until Ji Zichen turned the corner at the end of the alley before peeking out to observe.
However, as soon as he poked his head out, he saw Ji Zichen leaning against the wall at the corner, waiting for him. Ji Zichen glanced at Prince Huixin and asked, "What are you following me for?"
Startled, Prince Huixin took a few steps back and feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about? Who's following you? I live here; I was just heading home."
Ji Zichen sneered and pointed at the alley where Prince Huixin stood. "Living here? Are you sleeping in the garbage?"
Prince Huixin looked up and realized he was indeed in a dead-end alley with no doors or shelters—only piles of trash scattered everywhere.
Prince Huixin was momentarily speechless.
Ji Zichen shot him a sharp glare. "Stop playing dumb. I can tell by the way you walk lightly that you must have excellent lightness skills!"
Suddenly, Ji Zichen reached out to grab Prince Huixin by the neck. Although Prince Huixin was quite close, his reaction was swift; he leaned back just in time, causing Ji Zichen to grasp nothing but air. Ji Zichen snorted coldly, "You've got some skills, haven't you? The truth is out!"
Despite Ji Zichen's seemingly casual grab, the speed and force behind it were impressive. Prince Huixin appeared calm on the surface as he dodged, but internally he thought, "So strong!"
Prince Huixin had every reason to be astonished. Although he was a prince, his martial arts training was beyond what ordinary people could imagine. He had never encountered anyone as quick as Ji Zichen.
From a young age, he underwent rigorous training. At seven years old, he was locked in a dark room with ten ferocious dogs larger than himself. An old man opened the door to the room, which was shrouded in darkness despite it being noon outside. When the door swung open, bright sunlight instantly flooded in, dispelling the shadows.
Prince Huixin lay half a foot away from the door, covered in wounds, his back facing a bloody dagger in his hand. Beside him lay the corpses of ten ferocious dogs, and his body was soaked in their blood.
Seeing Prince Huixin in such a dire state, the old man felt no sympathy; instead, he barked sternly, "Get up, Prince! The training has only just begun."
Gasping for breath and trembling, Prince Huixin pleaded, "Master, please stop the training! I'm so tired. If it continues like this, I might die!"
The old man's gaze was cold and merciless as he replied, "Die? Good! It's right to be afraid of death. Do you think being the prince of the Desolate Central Plain is easy? Before you ascend to the throne, you must live alongside death. Those ten ferocious dogs are your ten brothers. If you give up now, one of your brothers will eventually take the throne and then order your execution. This is an unchanging law of the royal family."
"Have you thought about what will happen to your mother then? If you are executed, she will be sold into slavery."
With trembling legs, Prince Huixin stood up with gritted teeth and tears streaming down his face as he glared fiercely. "You shall not insult my mother!"
The old man was quite pleased with his reaction. Instead of showing any glee at Prince Huixin's suffering, he wore a satisfied expression and said, "Remember your anger now because if you lose it, your mother will become a slave!"
Calmly continuing, the old man said, "What I am teaching you is not just martial arts for battle; it is self-preservation skills. To protect yourself means cutting others' throats. You may think this is despicable now, but one day you will understand my intentions. The first rule of survival as a prince is to be ruthless! Only by being ruthless can you survive in this palace!"
Ji Zichen dodged Prince Huixin's attack effortlessly and without hesitation, he pushed forward with a palm strike. Seeing the force rushing toward him, Prince Huixin thought, "This is dangerous! I can't die; if I do, my mother will become a slave!"
"He wants to kill me! Then I'll strike first!" Prince Huixin's eyes gleamed with malice as he drew a dagger. He swiftly evaded Ji Zichen's palm strike and leaped above him, raising both hands with the dagger aimed at Ji Zichen's head.
Ji Zichen snorted coldly, "You're seeking death!"
With a quick push off the ground, Ji Zichen retreated half a step and began to speak, "Burning..."
But before he could finish, he fell silent. He noticed that Prince Huixin had suddenly sheathed his dagger. No one would suddenly withdraw their weapon in the midst of a fight. Prince Huixin stared intently at Ji Zichen and asked, "Even if I'm following you, we have no enmity. Why do you want to kill me?"
Ji Zichen replied coldly, "You were secretly following me; isn't it for the reward money?"
Prince Huixin was taken aback. "What reward money? I'm following you because I heard you play the Vajra at the tea house. I just met a girl who also has a Vajra."
Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Ji Zichen remained skeptical and said, "Oh?"
Prince Huixin continued, "I arranged to meet her yesterday to teach her some martial arts; she agreed, but I never saw her."
Ji Zichen remarked, "So you don't know where she is either."
Prince Huixin responded, "I overheard your conversation earlier; is she missing? I was with her when we encountered the Green Demon Eagle yesterday. Now that she's gone, I'm quite worried."
Ji Zichen was surprised. "You encountered the Green Demon Eagle?"
Prince Huixin nodded. "Yes, but we managed to escape. She returned to the Inn in the evening. You really jumped into action without much conversation; I almost took you seriously."
Ji Zichen turned and walked out of the alley. "No matter who you are, just don’t follow me anymore."
Prince Huixin did not follow. He thought to himself, "I’ll have Wei Deputy look for someone when I get back."
---
The night had grown dark, and another day was coming to an end. Lin Chuyu was indeed not captured by Mad Bull. She lay on a soft pillow, covered by a comfortable Silk Quilt, with moonlight streaming through the window, illuminating her exquisite face that had no flaws to speak of.
Her long, dark hair lay lazily across the pillow, accentuating her delicate face and rosy lips. Her fair arms, as white as lotus petals, were captivating, reminiscent of Peony Spring Sleep.
Lin Chuyu slightly opened her eyes, feeling as heavy as stone. Just as she was about to close them again, she suddenly sat up wide-eyed, realizing she was in an unfamiliar room. Lin Chuyu hesitated and murmured, "Where is this...?"
With a creak, the door opened. Hearing the sound, Lin Chuyu quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed. The room was dimly lit by a single candle placed in the center of a tea table about half a meter away from her. It was evident that the room was spacious; the candlelight could only illuminate the area around the table, leaving the door shrouded in darkness.
As Lin Chuyu noticed a figure entering from outside the door, she nervously called out, "Who is it?!"
The person moved lightly and approached the tea table. As they came closer, the candlelight revealed their face—a Blossoming Young Girl who appeared no older than fifteen. Her features were distinct and strikingly beautiful, though her delicate face bore traces of tears. The moment this girl met Lin Chuyu's gaze, she pleaded in a sorrowful tone.
"Please help me..."
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