Heart Protection

HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 80

It was halfway through the banquet. Qing Qiu's king put down his jade wine cup. When the cup touched the saucer, it rang with a crisp sound. It was a soft sound, but it spread through the entire tree. Everyone paused in their drinking and looked toward their king.

The moon had reached the top of the tree and just so happened to illuminate the king's back. It was like the Heavens had given him a crown. He was so noble and brilliant that the attendees couldn't look straight at him. 

"Qing Qiu hasn't feasted in long while. Nevertheless, we have held a banquet in the middle of war. I feel helpless and ashamed." Qing Qiu's king spoke a few modest phrases. Immediately, some of the clansmen in the lower tiers shook their head in quiet protest.

Qing Qiu's king continued: "50 years ago, the demons and xian cultivators fought. It split the north and south into two parts. Us demons clans and the xian sects had a temporary peace. Although I thought the southwest was a bit desolate, for the sake of peace and our bloodlines, I believed we could live here and quietly cultivate even though we never considered living here before. But now, Central Plain's xian sects no longer want us to live in the southwestern corner to cultivate and grow. They are pressing in and killing our clan members. Their methods are ruthless and extremely malicious."

Qing Qiu's king's tone was always very indifferent. However now, there was a murderous tone that sank into the skin.

Yan Hui recalled Su Ying's method to refine the fox lust fragrance. She felt a little fear because of this murderous tone, but at the same time she couldn't help feeling resentment.

That lofty and untouchable Su Ying acted that way 20 years ago towards Tian Yao. Now 20 years later, she was acting the same way towards other demons. Most likely she would never see a demon's life as truly a life. That's why Su Ying was able to act so maliciously.

The demons sitting in the lower tiers had already long ago held simmering anger towards Central Plain's cultivators. Many of them slapped the tables and smashed the cups in anger.

The crown prince stood up and bowed to the king. Then he immediately turned around and addressed the attendees below: "My clan's soldiers hadn't fought since those 50 years. However, it's not that they cannot fight." He paused then spoke again with ringing words. "Who is willing to join me in crossing San Chong Mountain and fight into Central Plains?"

From below immediately came a deafening cheer.

Compared to the fired-up demons below, the nine-tailed fox demons at the topmost layer seemed very cool-headed. Tian Yao silently sat in the corner and sipped wine.

Yan Hui coldly took in the sight. She finally understood. This banquet was to welcome back the princess in name only. Its true purpose was for the clans to pledge troops.

It was to stir up morale and win over the people's hearts.

It seemed like a large-scale attack from the demons was imminent.

Yan Hui heard the demons start to chant "Vengence" in a heated roar. Her heart was filled with all kinds of emotion. She had cultivated for 10 years under the xian pathway. Now fate pushed her into the middle of a scene of demons pledging troops.

What you encountered in life was truly unpredictable.

Yan Hui raised her eyes and looked toward the distant Xian Ge who was garbed in red. Xian Ge sensed someone was looking at her, and she eyes also moved to look at Yan Hui.  The two of them looked at each other. Xian Ge lightly smiled and waved the cup in her hand. Yan Hui also took up her cup, raised her head, and drank it all in one gulp.

Food and drink had been abundant. The performances had stopped. Qing Qiu's king faded into invisibility. The demon clans left the banquet. The nine-tailed fox demon princes bid each other goodbye and also left. 

Yan Hui had just stood up when Xian Ge walked over: "Want to talk?"

Yan Hui shot her a look: "Of course." Then she turned and left Tian Yao with instructions: "Go and watch over Huan Xiao Yan. She's a wild child. Don't wait until she drinks too much and gets into some kind of mischief. It'll be troublesome when someone comes to me to complain tomorrow."

Tian Yao opened his mouth, but Xian Ge had already taken Yan Hui's arm. "Let's go," said Xian Ge. They disappeared from the platform.

Tian Yao's extended hand only grasped a light breeze. He clenched his hand into a fist and suddenly felt for some reason a little angry at the returned princess.

Or perhaps it could be said.........

Envy.

She so justly and easily took Yan Hui away.........

In the distance where Yan Hui and Xian Ge walked, Yan Hui paid no mind to Tian Yao's state of mind. Xian Ge brought Yan Hui onto a thick branch and then laughed: "Someone's getting angry at me."

Yan Hui turned her head: "Who's mad at you?"

Xian Ge smiled but didn't answer. She just brought out two jars of wine: "Let's sit and chat."

Each with their own jar, they sat on the tree and gazed up at the moon. Xian Ge's red robe was blown somewhat loose in the wind. Its sleeves fluttered in the breeze, creating an enchanting sight.

Yan Hui looked over and saw Xian Ge take a gulp of wine. She couldn't help asking: "Before, didn't you not drink wine and only drank tea? How come you started drinking wine after returning?"

Xian Ge looked at Yan Hui and laughed: "Oh Yan Hui, it wasn't that I didn't like drinking but rather I couldn't." She explained, "Actually, I love drinking, but I drink too much. I saw worried someone would see through me. That's why I had no choice but to substitute wine with tea to trick myself."

Yan Hui gulped down some wine: "Then what about Feng Qian Shuo? Bofore you liked him a lot. Was that all an act, and you don't like him after coming back to Qing Qiu?" 

Xian Ge's smile froze and gradually faded away: "I am a Qing Qiu spy planted in Central Plains." She continued, "The nine-tailed fox demons have a deep bloodline. The clan doesn't hold a deep trust in other demons aside from our own kind. That's why for secret matters, only those blood-related can do it. I am a chess piece thrown into Central Plains. I secretly entered Qi Jue Group, searched out news of Central Plains, and used methods to send that information back to Qing Qiu." Xian Ge gave a mocking smile: "I stayed in Central Plains and became part of Qi Jue Group. I even became the mistrustful Feng Qian Shuo's confidant. But everything I was in Central Plains was fake."

"Identity, past, and even my aura," said Xian Ge. "But my heart was moved. I wanted it to be fake too, but only that part of me was real."

Yan Hui paused before replying: "Then why did you come back? Qing Qiu and Central Plains are on the brink of war. This is precisely the time when information is needed. Xian Ge, you clearly could've stayed in Central Plains longer with your planted identity."

If it was that deep a love, then even an extra day there would be like it was stolen to Xian Ge.

Xian Ge shook her head: "When the demon clans crossed San Chong Mountain and attacked their way to Guang Han Sect, the xian sects in Central Plains didn't receive any information about that. Ling Xiao went to Qi Jue group and reprimanded Fang Qian Shuo for not doing his job well. It was only then that I found out Fang Qian Shuo and Qi Jue group were linked with Ling Xiao."

Yan Hui was also shocked by those words.

Was Feng Qian Shuo one of Ling Xiao's chess pieces in Central Plains?

Yan Hui thought hard about it. Last year, Feng Qian Shuo's uncle, Feng Ming held the power in Qi Jue Group, but Feng Ming was never able to get rid of Feng Qian Shuo. Before, everyone in the jianghu thought that Qi Jue Group's elders were protecting Feng Qian Shuo. Moreover, Feng Qian Shuo was exceedingly smart and good at hiding his strengths and biding his time; that's how he was able to escape the plots. But now looking at it, was it also because Ling Xiao was quietly in the background supporting him..........

Did Ling Xiao involve himself in Qi Jue Group's affairs to get to Qi Jue Group's intel?

Yan Hui never heard anything about that in Chen Xing Mountain. Ling Xiao even more wouldn't have said anything. He quietly made a move and recruited Feng Qian Shuo. What was it all for.......

Yan Hui even more couldn't understand her former shifu.

"After that, Ling Xiao directly involved himself with Qi Jue Group. It became hard for me to send information from Central Plains to Qing Qiu. My father feared my identiy would become exposed, and the xian cultivators would harm me. Jiu Feng hurriedly wrote for me to return. I had no excuse to refuse........"

Yan Hui fell silent for a moment at what she heard: "Feng Qian Shuo let you leave?"

Xian Ge bitterly laughed: "Naturally he couldn't let me go. I knew too much of Qi Jue Group's affairs, too much of Central Plain's intel. No matter what, he would never let me go."

"Then you........."

"Faked my death." Xian Ge took a gulp of wine. Her expression turned frustrated when she said that. "From now on in Feng Qian Shuo's world, Xian Ge of Qi Jue Group is thoroughly dead."

Yan Hui was silent. Those simple words made the situation seem so easy and simple. However for Xian Ge, it was probably a difficult thing to do.

She had to kill herself in the eyes of the one she loved and completely remove herself from his life, never to meet again.

Although Xian Ge was still alive, to Feng Qian Shuo, she was only a memory now.

Yan Hui sighed, but Xian Ge smiled: "However when I 'died', I saw Feng Qian Shuo's forever smiling expression actually change. I'm actually pretty proud." She continued, "Knowing that I also touched is heart is enough. That caring look he had is enough to last me a lifetime, like a jar of wine I can never finish drinking."

Yan Hui remained silent for a long time. Aside from drinking the wine, she had nothing to say.

Xian Ge turned her head to look at Yan Hui. She looked for a long time: "Yan Hui, your personality has quieted down a lot. Before you would've exploded hearing me talk about this. You definitely would've pushed and pestered me not to waste time, that if we couldn't be together, then just forget about him and freely live my own life."

Yan Hui shot Xian Ge a glance: "Would I really have said that?"

Xian Ge pulled Yan Hui's hand until it was resting on over own shoulder: "You would've even hung off my shoulder while saying that, like a little hoodlum."

Yan Hui thought about it and then laughed. She didn't remove her hand from Xian Ge's shoulder. Hugging Xian Ge's shoulders, Yan Hui found a little bit of spark inside her and lamented: "These worldly matters are always fickle. Who hasn't had a time when they were worn down? I also understand. There are some matters that we just can't change. Even if my temper was better and if you were prettier, we can't escape or fix our current situation. Just like right now how you can't forget about Feng Qian Shuo, and I can't kill Ling Fei."

Xian Ge looked at Yan Hui. She saw Yan Hui's lips had curved into a smile. "Now, all we can do is do what we can and endure the rest. There is no other alternative. Perhaps this is a tribulation to teach me how to be clever or a lesson."

Xian Ge patted Yan Hui's hand that was still draped across her shoulders: "I have a rough idea about what happened with your Head Senior Disciple. The word in the jianghu is that you and Tian Yao joined forces and killed Zi Chen in the prison cell."

Yan Hui snorted in disdain. Her eyes were cold.

"But I know that you wouldn't have done that."

Yan Hui's expression was cold: "Do you know anything about Ling Fei's current circumstances?"

"She was expelled by Ling Xiao and returned to Guang Han sect."

"Alright, it's good those two sisters are together now." Yan Hui laughed. "Now I don't have to go to two places to seek them out."

Xian Ge momentarily paused at those words: "However, I think Ling Xiao has another plan." She paused again. "When he came to Qi Jue Group to reprimand Feng Qian Shuo, I overheard some words. A few months ago when you were kicked out of Chen Xing Mountain, Ling Xiao actually always had people watching over you. When you were at Yong Zhou City, Ling Xiao specifically told Feng Qian Shuo to keep a close eye on you. I think he actually isn't unconcerned about you........"

"So what?" Yan Hui cut off Xian Ge before she could finish. Yan Hui looked off into the distance. Her voice was strangely flat: "Head Senior Disciple is already dead."