Xu Xi’s calm tone delivered a harsh reality, yet his words weighed heavily on the girl, recovering from her injuries on the bed.
“I…”
“What is happening to …”
Wu Yingxue’s eyes were distant, clouded with disbelief.
From a high-ranking princess to a fugitive—this jarring shift in her identity shattered her composure. She sat motionless, montarily forgetting her injuries.
“This can’t be right. I was the one ambushed, and now I’m the one being hunted?”
“This… this doesn’t make any sense.”
The faint scent of blood still lingered on her robe. She muttered to herself, pressing her right hand to her head, her brows tightly furrowed as if to block out the incomprehensible truth.
A warrior’s eyes should be bright and resolute, but Wu Yingxue’s gaze was now filled with confusion and fear.
“The officials searching for you imply that soone from the Daqian court orchestrated the attack,” Xu Xi explained further, his voice steady. “It might be directed at you personally, but it’s more likely aid at the person behind you.”
The “person behind her”—her father, King Dingyuan.
Xu Xi had heard of him. A man of imnse power in the third realm of Innate God-Seeing, with bright, god-inhabited acupoints, King Dingyuan was only half a step away from the realm of immortality. If soone like him had been targeted, Wu Yingxue’s ambush would make perfect sense.
“I…”
Her voice faltered, her dim eyes and trembling lips failing to form coherent words. She fell into silence.
The thought of becoming a fugitive was too bizarre, too frightening. It opened the door to unsettling possibilities.
The most alarming of these was that Emperor Daqian might no longer tolerate King Dingyuan’s influence and had begun purging his allies. Just the hint of such a possibility overwheld her. She lowered her head, staring at her hands as if searching for answers in the lines of her palms.
Lost.
“She’s just a sapling that hasn’t weathered the storm,” Xu Xi thought, sighing inwardly.
Despite her air of independence and composure, Wu Yingxue was still only sixteen. While her early maturity had given her an edge, it had also painted an illusion of invulnerability. Her limited life experiences had left her unprepared for a crisis of this magnitude.
In her silence, she withdrew into herself, struggling to reconcile her present with the weight of her reality.
Still, Xu Xi didn’t think her reaction made her weak. The circumstances were undeniably extraordinary, even leaving him unsettled.
…
“Though so local records are inaccurate, most can be trusted,” Xu Xi thought as he left the room to give Wu Yingxue space. “The royal bloodline of the Daqian court is known for its exclusive martial arts. After reaching the Innate Realm, they manifest the Qinglong Qi of the royal family. That dragon pattern confirms her status.”
He grabbed the spear leaning against the door and held it aloft, letting the sunlight catch its fine craftsmanship. A faint dragon pattern shimred on the floor tiles—a hallmark of the royal family.
“This child really is from the royal bloodline,” he concluded, shaking his head.
The thought of what might have happened to King Dingyuan, or the events that led to Wu Yingxue’s ambush, was troubling.
As he pondered, the creak of the wooden door behind him broke his thoughts. Wu Yingxue stepped out, still wearing her bloodstained robe and armor. Her face bore signs of determination, a marked change from her earlier confusion.
“I’m going back to the capital,” she said firmly. “I need to uncover the truth myself.”
But before embarking on her journey, she made a request.
“Can I stay here for a while?” she asked, her voice carrying strength. “I need ti to recover. Don’t worry, I’ll compensate you.”
Xu Xi was about to refuse when she forced two bottles of elixirs into his hands—rare Qi and Blood Elixirs reserved only for Innate warriors.
…
[Simulation: Year 7, Age 22]
[After seven years, your strength has grown significantly. In Qingniu Town, where skilled warriors are rare, you’ve earned a reputation as the young genius known as the Green Ox Swordsman.]
[Businessn seek your favor, and gangsters fear your presence. You are the town’s protector, often leading the charge against demon tides that threaten its safety. The townspeople admire and respect you.]
[In the sa year, you encounter a girl claiming to be the legitimate daughter of King Dingyuan. At just sixteen, she has already reached the Blood Exchange Realm, showcasing unparalleled talent.]
[Though initially reluctant to get involved, her generosity changes your mind. You accept her elixirs and allow her to recover in your ho.]
[Most days, she remains in her room, lost in thought about her future. Occasionally, she steps out to watch you practice your unyielding routine, a sight that leaves her deeply impressed.]
…
One evening, as Xu Xi practiced his punches, Wu Yingxue walked into the courtyard. She frowned, visibly dissatisfied with his thod.
“Xu Xi, this kind of training is inefficient,” she said. “Let teach you a family tradition…”
But her voice trailed off as her hand rested on a massive blue steel stone.
The mont her palm touched the stone, it disintegrated into powder, carried away by the breeze.
“…?”
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