Chapter 127: She Must Be Brought Back to Be the Empress of the Fire Nation! (5000)

"Useless trash! So many people couldn't even catch a single young girl! What use are I keeping you?!" the Fire Emperor roared, glaring at the commander of the imperial guards kneeling on the floor.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty! This general will surely redouble our efforts and search thoroughly!" the commander replied with every word ringing out firmly, though cold sweat was already drenching his face.

"Get out!" The Fire Emperor was consumed with fury, his eyes bloodshot—clearly having slept not a wink for two days and a night.

"Yes, this general withdraws." The commander retreated in panic, leaving only the Fire Emperor and Mo Yan in the imperial study.

"Father, I beg you to rescind the order!" Mo Yan suddenly dropped to his knees before the Fire Emperor and pleaded.

The Fire Emperor did not even glance at him. His gaze remained fixed on the wall diagonally opposite, yet he seemed not to look at it at all, instead sinking deep into his own thoughts.

All day long, he had done nothing but sigh and feel remorse, while also pondering: if the Fire Eye Stone was indeed steadily depleting, it proved that the spiritual power it possessed was finite—though this was somewhat difficult to believe.

Naturally, he was not foolish enough to believe that last night had marked the absolute limit of the Fire Eye Stone's endurance; the girl Jin'er's abnormal reaction made it clear that the problem lay with her.

However, if the spirit stone ultimately had its limits, and its radiance was already somewhat dim, then yesterday's accident could only be considered as having slightly hastened the time of the stone's failure. Thinking along these lines, he felt his own guilt lessen considerably...

That very afternoon, a thought had suddenly occurred to him. He remembered reading in secret historical records about the rebellious state preceptor of five hundred years ago, who, just before his death, had laughed wildly and shouted several phrases.

He had deliberately gone to the secret chamber to retrieve the text and read it again. The record described those words as follows: "Do you think you will forever be noble and invincible?! Hahaha! I have failed, but five hundred years—merely five hundred years! You imperial clansmen, the so-called descendants of the Five Gods, will lower your noble heads and bow in allegiance to a new ruler! You will not revel in your triumph for much longer! Hahaha..."

Connecting these two matters now, and linking them to the destruction of the Wood Kingdom, he truly began to wonder if the state preceptor's prophecy might be true. Regardless, he now felt much more at ease.

"Father, matters have reached this point; even if Jin'er were truly killed, it would accomplish nothing. If the spirit stone is indeed so vital, how could it be destroyed so easily? Jin'er had no other intentions, and she is innocent!" Seeing that the Fire Emperor ignored him, Mo Yan could only continue his earnest persuasion.

"Not vital?! It is something passed down by our ancestors generation after generation, and you witnessed its spiritual power yourself!" The Fire Emperor was displeased by Mo Yan's denigration of the spirit stone.

"If that is truly the case, perhaps it is all Heaven's will! Even we, the direct descendants of the imperial bloodline, could barely endure for less than half an incense stick of time, yet Jin'er could persist for so long, and seemed to have completely absorbed the spirit stone's power. What does that indicate?"

Hearing this, the Fire Emperor let out a heavy, helpless sigh. "This matter is indeed bizarre, and I cannot fathom it either."

After another sigh, he raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and said, "Enough. You are right; since what is done is done, dwelling on it further is meaningless. What we must do now is face the changes and adopt countermeasures.

"I thought about a great deal this afternoon. The inheritance of spiritual power no longer plays a decisive role. After all, those who possess spiritual power are few, and against an army, they will ultimately be outnumbered. If the nation itself falls, how can we speak of continuing the imperial lineage? The fate of the Wood Kingdom is a warning from the past; a strong country is what matters most."

"Father is wise!" While agreeing, Mo Yan also caught a faint glimmer of hope, and his haggard, dim eyes blossomed with a trace of light.

"Therefore, even without the spirit stone, as long as the nation remains strong and stable, our imperial bloodline can be passed down for thousands of generations just the same," the Fire Emperor said solemnly.

Mo Yan nodded solemnly, waiting for what would come next.

Seeing Mo Yan's eager expression, how could the Fire Emperor not know what was on his mind? Giving him a somewhat disgruntled, sideways glance, he reprimanded, "You, your heart is filled with nothing but that Jin'er!"

"Didn't Father support Jin'er and me before? She is a good girl, and moreover, I truly love her. I beg you, spare Jin'er!"

"Get up." Seeing that Mo Yan remained still, the Fire Emperor added somewhat reluctantly, "Since she has obtained the entire spiritual power of the Fire Eye Stone, naturally I will not let her go."

Hearing this, Mo Yan sprang up in a panic and was just about to speak when the Fire Emperor continued, "She must be brought back to be the Empress of the Fire Kingdom!"

Mo Yan was stunned at first, then overwhelmed with boundless joy. He had never expected such a drastic turnaround from his father, and for a moment, he was too stunned to react. After a long while, he finally offered his grateful and joyful thanks to his father.

***

On a night of alluring moonlight and gentle breezes, Jin'er sat before the campfire, meditating to heal her injuries for nearly an hour before she opened her eyes again.

"Are you feeling better?" Shi Yuan asked, seemingly casually.

"Mm. Though it will probably take another half a month to fully recover." Had she not been in such a rush on the road where taking medicine was inconvenient, she could have compounded some healing remedies of her own to speed up the recovery.

"No matter. With me here, it's fine."

The three simple, cold words filled Jin'er with an incomparable sense of security.

***

"Time for sleep." She smiled at him, laid out a thin layer of dry grass, and lay down on her side.

The bonfire burned brightly, its crimson light reflecting upon her beautiful, delicate face, flickering and dancing from time to time. Paired with her serene and sweet sleeping expression, motion and stillness blended into something vividly captivating.

Shi Yuan, sitting diagonally opposite her, stared expressionless at the campfire until he heard her steady, soft breathing, whereupon he raised his head to look at her.

How could there be such a beautiful woman in this world? A beauty surpassing anything else in existence. More importantly, she possessed not only a breathtaking appearance but also a deeply captivating and unique temperament. At times proud and untamed, at times playful and lovely, at times gentle and charming, and at times so reserved and unfathomable that one could never guess what she was thinking.

When he first saw her, she had merely given him a sense of sudden radiance, but his heart had been as still as stagnant water back then. Even the most beautiful woman would have left him entirely indifferent—all the more so since she was the one Mo Yan favored. Yet, as the days spent with her accumulated, his heart began to melt from some unknown moment, until eventually he found himself irresistibly and uncontrollably infatuated with her.

Although he harbored no grand illusions, he cherished every day and every moment guarding by her side. He had assumed she would soon belong exclusively to Mo Yan; though his heart ached, seeing how sweet and happy they were, he could only offer silent blessings and prepare to leave alone, never expecting such a sudden turn of events.

Gazing unblinkingly at the sleeping figure, Shi Yuan's all-indifferent gaze unconsciously softened considerably. He had to admit that at this moment, he felt a faint trace of joy and contentment, even if it was just quietly watching her like this...

After a long while, Shi Yuan fished the Snow Skin Ointment—which she had forcefully shoved into his tunic earlier—from his pocket. After hesitating for a long moment, he stood up and walked over quietly.

He half-knelt cautiously beside her, unscrewed the lid, scooped a small amount of ointment onto the pad of his index finger, leaned in close, and gently applied it to the wound on her neck. Although the wound was not deep, carelessness could not be afforded.

Extremely gentle though he was, the softer the touch, the more it tickled the sleeping girl. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Jin'er suddenly raised her hand in her sleep and grabbed the culprit disturbing her sweet dream.

Shi Yuan was startled, holding his breath without daring to make a sound, his captured hand frozen in place for fear of waking her. However, Jin'er used both hands to clasp his hand, pulled it up against her own cheek, and rubbed against his broad palm with a slight, spoiled murmur at the corner of her lips.

Feeling his breath catch, Shi Yuan instantly grew tense to the extreme. Seeing that she had not woken up, he let out a secret sigh of relief. After stiffening for a long moment, he leaned over and used his other hand to carefully pry open her small hands, attempting to rescue his right hand.

Having managed with great difficulty to pry away one hand, he furrowed his brow and prepared to deal with the other little hand when he inadvertently glanced upward. That single glance nearly made his heart leap out of his chest.

Jin'er was staring wide-eyed at him with a pair of captivating almond eyes, her gaze filled with shock and confusion. At this moment, the distance between them was close and deeply ambiguous.

"What—what are you doing?" Jin'er swallowed anxiously, looking at the stiff, handsome face hovering inches above her, and asked with inexplicable tension.

Shi Yuan tried to pull his hand back and failed, so he could only awkwardly stammer out those two words.

It was then that Jin'er realized she had been pressing his hand against her cheek. She abruptly jerked her hand away, casting it aside, her cheeks burning red.

Good grief! Why was she clutching his hand? Just now... Right, just now she seemed to have dreamed of Mo Yan; in the dream, he was gently stroking her neck, and then... At this thought, Jin'er hastily reached up to touch her neck. The ointment on the wound had not yet fully absorbed, leaving it slightly slick and smooth.

"This..." Shi Yuan awkwardly indicated the jar of Snow Skin Ointment in his hand. "Sleep." Without waiting for any response from her, he stood up, returned to his spot, and lay down on his side with his back to her, pretending as if nothing had happened—though his heart was hammering wildly against his ribs.

Jin'er turned her head to look at him in a daze, then raised a hand to gently touch her neck once more. After a long moment, she pressed her lips into a faint smile and turned onto her side as well.

Who would have thought this fellow was so attentive? She had completely forgotten about the wound on her neck.

The next day, both of them tacitly swept the awkwardness of the previous night under the rug, acting as though nothing had occurred. After breakfast, the two of them resumed their journey.

***

"Let me send you back," Shi Yuan said in a secluded corner of Wenzhou City, looking at Jin'er, who was applying fake moles to her face to further "ruin" her appearance.

Jin'er paused her hand for a moment before resuming her work. Without even looking at him, she said, "Do you want me to go die?"

"The wanted posters have been replaced by a search-and-reward decree for the crown princess-to-be, and judging from that detailed and vivid portrait, it might well be Mo Yan's own handiwork. There shouldn't be any trouble."

"This is very likely a trap, do you understand?" Jin'er gave him a speechless side-eye.

Mo Yan had her portrait in his study; the old emperor could easily have fetched a couple of copies and had the court painters duplicate them.

"Mo Yan has already ascended the throne as emperor; he is the master of the nation now. Even if the former emperor's anger hasn't fully subsided, Mo Yan will surely protect you," Shi Yuan said in a low, detached voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"I don't believe it. The old emperor was ready to hack me to pieces just a few days ago; how could he suddenly change his mind? It's definitely a setup for me." As she spoke, Jin'er pressed another mole onto the corner of her mouth. Annoying—the new portrait was far too lifelike; she had no choice but to be cautious.

"But..."

"Hey, when did you become so talkative? Didn't I still have to help you save someone? Have you forgotten?" Jin'er said with a trace of annoyance.

"We can return to the palace first, and then go." Though somewhat vexed at being called talkative, he remained outwardly calm.

Jin'er rolled her eyes and complained fretfully, "Why can't you understand my words? If you want to go back, go back yourself! I am certainly not going back!" With that, she turned to leave, but Shi Yuan grabbed her back by the arm, and due to her unstable footing, she crashed straight into his embrace.

Just as she tried to pull away, Jin'er felt her waist tighten as Shi Yuan preemptively blocked her retreat.

"You don't want to marry Mo Yan." He now held this suspicion once more, even more strongly than before, so he directly dropped the interrogative tone.

Jin'er felt a pang of guilt and forgot to struggle. Turning her face away, she furrowed her brow and said, "Why do you keep asking this question? I told you, it's a trap."

"I will go back and help you confirm it."

Jin'er's mouth twitched, and she felt a strong urge to bash her head against a wall. She realized with dismay that people really do change! When did this taciturn lump of stone become so stubbornly persistent? This was entirely out of character for him. Wasn't he always supposed to be indifferent to everything in the world?!

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, reopened them, looked up at the stone-like face looming above her, pulled a sinister smile, arched an eyebrow, and said, "Do you still want me to help you save someone? If you do, listen to me; otherwise, we go our separate ways!" Regardless of whether it was a trap, she was not going back now.

Seeing how resolute she was, and realizing she still wouldn't give him the answer he wanted, Shi Yuan slowly withdrew his hand and gave up.

Seeing that he had finally obediently fallen in line, Jin'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Stinky stone, if I don't get a little fierce with you, you won't know this lady has a temper, hmph!

When leaving the city, Jin'er was scrutinized closely by the inspecting soldiers just like everyone else. Afterward, one of the soldiers couldn't help muttering in disgust, "Such a nice face, and yet it's covered in so many disgusting moles..."

Jin'er forced down the urge to glare at them, managed a strained, unnatural smile, and then turned to leave the city.

"Ugh, am I really that ugly?" Jin'er walked forward a few steps, complaining in frustration while reaching up to touch her face. She hadn't looked in a mirror; it seemed she might have applied a few too many...

At that moment, a hand from somewhere behind her suddenly grabbed her arm. Jin'er was startled, thinking the soldiers from the gate had caught up to her. Turning back nervously, she saw the face of the newcomer and froze in such wide-eyed shock that an egg could have been dropped into her mouth.

"Yue!" Shi Yuan instinctively moved to act, but hearing Jin'er's cry of startled delight, he realized she knew the person, withdrew his hand, and frowningly sized up the man who looked even prettier than a woman.

The newcomer was dressed in snow-white robes, his ink-black hair soft and lustrous. His features were delicate and soft, blurring the lines between male and female, with picturesque brows, bright eyes, vermilion lips, and thick, long eyelashes that fluttered with infinite charm whenever he blinked.

Good heavens, how could a man grow to look so... breathtakingly alluring to all beings?

"Jin'er, I've finally found you!" Qingyue's eyes shone brightly, and his radiant smile made the blue sky and white clouds instantly lose their luster, drawing a chorus of gasps from the surrounding onlookers.

This was true allure capable of captivating all beings, regardless of gender or age...

Jin'er, who had also nearly been mesmerized, snapped back to her senses upon hearing the commotion around them. She grabbed Qingyue by the hand and strode forward rapidly. The surrounding pedestrians remained frozen in place, gazing longingly as the white-clad figure disappeared, as if they had just witnessed an immortal descending from the heavens.

Finding a secluded corner ahead, Jin'er finally stopped and turned around to see Qingyue looking at her with deep affection in his eyes—truly deep affection... She couldn't help shivering slightly, averting her gaze with some embarrassment to avoid meeting his eyes.

Her gaze drifted unconsciously and landed on Shi Yuan, who was furrowing his brows and staring fixedly at Qingyue, a strange and unnameable glint flashing in his eyes. Huh? Had this fellow's expression changed? It seemed he was acting abnormally again.

"Jin'er, I've finally found you. You worried me to death!" Before the words finished falling, he suddenly pulled Jin'er into his arms and held her tight, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

Shi Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Upon first seeing Qingyue, Jin'er had been genuinely happy, but now that he was suddenly being so intimate, she began to blush with embarrassment. Moreover, remembering that Shi Yuan was standing right beside them, she uncomfortably wriggled out of Qingyue's embrace.

"Why did you come here? Didn't I ask you to keep watch over the Myriad Poison Sect?" Jin'er asked, eager to break the awkwardness.

"Don't even mention it. You sneaked away on your own and haven't come back after all this time. If I hadn't had Commander Bai instruct the various branch halls to keep an eye out for your whereabouts, I wouldn't know how long it would have taken to find you." With that, he turned his gaze to Shi Yuan, a hint of wariness lurking in his watery autumn-water eyes.

Good grief, Jin'er! First there was that fellow Tianyu, and now another unusual and handsome man had popped up by her side. And what was the deal with all those wanted posters and reward decrees?

[Today's update ends here.]

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