From the perspective of the eldest son of the emperor, they were all treacherous and disloyal ministers.
But Huan Juntian's expression remained calm. It seemed that he had always been like this, no matter what happened, his expression was always indifferent.
Moreover, on the day of his defeat, he had already guessed that he would die today.
These days were merely a precarious existence for him, bought with the humiliation and compromise of his senior brother.
That's enough. Although his life was short, he has lived to this point and can be considered to have no regrets.
The only regret is that I couldn't bring my senior brother out of his dire straits.
Huan Juntian raised his eyes and looked up at Lu Pianpian, who was being restrained by Huan Changming. Their gazes met in the void, and Huan Juntian awkwardly raised the corners of his lips, giving Lu Pianpian a reassuring smile.
Lu Pianpian's eyes were empty and cold, but when she saw Huan Juntian's smile, tears fell silently.
Huan Changming stared at the tears on Lu Pianpian's face, sneered, and then shouted, "Traitor Huan Juntian, do you have anything else to say?"
Huan Juntian said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I will sacrifice myself to ensure my senior brother's safe return home."
Huan Changming suddenly reached out and pressed Lu Pianpian's tear-streaked face into his arms. "What right do you, a prisoner, have to negotiate with me?"
Lu Pianpian struggled against his chest, trying to turn her head to look at her junior brother, but Huan Changming held her down even more forcefully, saying above her head, "Lu Pianpian, Huan Juntian is going to use his life to exchange for yours. What do you think?"
Lu Pianpian gripped Huan Changming's imperial robe tightly, opening his mouth several times to beg for mercy for his junior brother, but the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back.
He had pleaded with Huan Changming many times for his junior brother's sake, but each time he was met with humiliation from Huan Changming.
In front of all the civil and military officials, Huan Changming was determined to have his junior brother beheaded today. Now he was pretending to ask for his opinion, which was nothing more than using the same old trick to humiliate him and vent his anger.
Huan Changming waited for Lu Pianpian for a moment, and seeing that he remained silent, the smile in his eyes grew wider, but his eyes were cold. "Fine, I'll grant your wish..."
The guard threw a tinder into the crematorium, and a raging fire instantly broke out. The scorching heat could be felt even through the furnace walls; if someone were to enter, they would likely be burned to ashes.
Jing Yi walked down to Huan Changming's feet, and across a few stone steps, he said to Lu Pianpian in Huan Changming's arms, "Today is His Majesty's enthronement ceremony. Lu Xianjun's junior brother has been identified as the leader of the traitors. Killing him would be a good thing for His Majesty."
Lu Pianpian lifted his head from Huan Changming's embrace, gripping Huan Changming's imperial robes even tighter, his eyes pleading as he looked at Huan Changming's profile.
He kept pleading with Huan Changming in his heart: Please, please spare my junior brother, please.
But Huan Changming's beautiful, bewitching blue eyes didn't even glance at him.
Huan Changming smiled and indulgently said to Jing Yi, "Granted."
Lu Pianpian's hand, which was gripping his imperial robe, suddenly lost its strength and slid down.
The tears in his eyes dried up; all the emotions—pleading, anger, hope, resentment, and pain—were utterly shattered by Huan Changming.
Huan Juntian was lifted up from the ground by the guards. He calmly said to Lu Pianpian, "Since ancient times, the victor is king and the loser is villain. I have seen my senior brother one last time before I die. This is enough for me in this life."
"Senior brother, take care..."
Jingyi sighed upon hearing this, "Truly devoted."
Huan Changming found it jarring. He frowned in displeasure, then suddenly felt his arms go empty. A flash of golden light stung his eyes, forcing him to close them.
The sound of flapping wings reached Huan Changming's ears, and his heart tightened for no apparent reason.
"A monster! It's a monster!"
"Protect the Emperor! Quickly, protect the Emperor! The butterfly demon is about to harm people!"
The ministers scattered and fled, creating chaos.
As the golden light dissipated, Huan Changming quickly opened his eyes. Lu Pianpian revealed her demon form, spread her wings, flew towards Huan Juntian, and landed beside the Bone Burning Furnace.
Even though Lu Pianpian didn't mention it at all, Huan Changming took in all of his words and actions.
Therefore, Huan Changming knew perfectly well how much Lu Pianpian disliked her demon form.
But now, in order to save Huan Juntian, he is willing to reveal his demonic form in public.
That familiar burning jealousy surged through Huan Changming's chest once more. He abruptly stood up from the dragon throne, glaring fiercely at Lu Pianpian. "Haven't I taught you enough these past few days? How dare you still oppose me?"
"Lu Pianpian, you're asking for it!"
"Senior brother, what are you going to do?" Huan Juntian looked up at Lu Pianpian from under the furnace. "You've done enough for me. Don't risk your life for me anymore!"
Once he dies, his senior brother will no longer be coerced by Huan Changming and can leave in peace.
“Junior brother,” Lu Pianpian said with a faint smile, “I’ve said it before, even if it means death, I will die before you.”
After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Huan Changming, who was high above him, and said, "Huan Changming, the grudges and affections between us will vanish after today."
Huan Changming suddenly had a bad feeling. The next moment, he saw that the pair of golden wings behind Lu Pianpian were suddenly broken by an invisible force, and the light gold color on them instantly dimmed.
With a wave of her hand, Lu Pianpian sent the pair of broken wings flying from the sky to Huan Changming.
“The Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly clan cannot be taken from them unless they willingly sever their wings.” Lu Pianpian spat out a mouthful of blood, yet her body remained steadfastly upright by the stove, unmoved. “Huan Changming, you’ve schemed so hard to obtain it. Now, I’m giving it to you myself. I only hope that you can spare my dearest loved one for the sake of our past relationship…”
Huan Changming stared blankly at the wings within his reach, still stained with their owner's blood. His mind was a mess, and for the first time, he looked at Lu Pianpian with a blank expression, "Why did you do this..."
Huan Juntian stared at the blood gushing from Lu Pianpian's broken wing on her back, and belatedly realized something. He began to struggle, but the guards pressed his body hard to the ground once again. "Senior brother!"
As Lu Pianpian's blood dripped into the Bone Burning Furnace, the flames shot up rapidly, the dazzling firelight reddening Lu Pianpian's pale face. Surprisingly, the scalding fire gave him a sense of warmth.
"Huan Changming, release my junior brother!" Lu Pianpian stepped into the Bone-Burning Furnace. "I'll pay for the new emperor's prize..."
The beautiful lyre butterfly lost a wing and transformed into a broken and dull butterfly, which fell into the scorching furnace and was instantly taken away by the bone-burning fire.
"Lu Shaoyan!"
The young emperor, who possessed unparalleled honor, tumbled and crawled down the steps.
He fell, his head covered in blood, his golden crown fell to the ground, and his appearance was ruined, but he didn't care. He got up and ran towards the incinerator in a disheveled state.
He didn't care about anything else; all he wanted was his butterfly, which had fallen into the furnace, and he wanted to pull it out.
He even forgot to fly on his sword. All his reason collapsed at this moment, and he became a madman who lost his mind. He jumped into the Bone Burning Furnace without regard for his own safety and chased after the butterfly.
The emperor jumped into the incinerator, a scene that shocked everyone present.
Jingyi shouted frantically, "Put out the fire! Bring His Majesty out! Quickly! Quickly!"
Suddenly, a sword pierced through the air, cleaving the Bone Burning Furnace in two. The flames instantly went out, revealing a person inside, covered in burns.
"Huan San!"
Qu Fuyi arrived on a sword with Qu Surou. The master and disciple landed and helped Huan Juntian up from the ground. Seeing that he was safe and sound, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
Qu Fuyi had just seen the Bone Burning Furnace from afar and assumed they were going to throw their three disciples into it, so she destroyed the furnace with a single sword strike.
Unexpectedly, Huan Juntian stared blankly at the person who had been burned, "Senior brother, you just jumped in."
Qu Surou was stunned for a moment, then rushed to the man and found that his burns were healing themselves little by little. The gentle spiritual energy was so familiar that it made her nose tingle.
Huan Changming's face was burned beyond recognition, his skin and flesh turned bloody and raw, yet he still clung tightly to the white shirt that was burned to only half its original state, and asked blankly, "Senior Sister Qu... can you tell me why he disappeared?"
He searched for him in the fire for a long time, but only found this garment.
At this moment, he was so ugly that he looked like a charred corpse, both hateful and terrifying.
"Huan Changming, you should have died long ago!" Qu Surou drew her sword, wanting to slash at him, but was stopped by Qu Fuyi. She cried out to Huan Changming, "A person like you wouldn't deserve to die a thousand or ten thousand times! Only a fool like Pianpian would give you her true heart, even willing to give you her spirit bone! To defy fate for you and let you live to torment him!"
What spirit bone, what defying fate? Wasn't his survival and ability to rebuild his meridians due to the Imperial Skin Grass?
His spiritual bone energy...
Huan Changming's eyes were instantly covered in blood, his blue eyes seemed to lose their color and fall into darkness.
No wonder he kept coughing up blood, no wonder his injuries never healed, no wonder he never flew on his sword again, no wonder even this small Liwang Palace could trap him.
It was never Huan Changming who became stronger; it was that powerful immortal lord who gave him his spiritual bone.
But Huan Changming used the life and cultivation he had given him to bully, humiliate, and hurt him all the time.
The rain suddenly came in, hitting Huan Changming's face and jolting him awake.
He used his burned, bloody fingers to sift through the surrounding ashes, turning them gently and carefully, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. "He is a Celestial Lord... he is an immortal being. How could the fire used to burn mortals possibly harm him!"
Qu Fuyi was filled with grief, "The moment Pianpian gave you the spirit bone, he became no different from an ordinary person."
Huan Changming paused for a moment, then continued searching. "So what... even without the spirit bone, he's still the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly. I don't believe he'd just die like that. I don't believe it, I don't believe it..."
Huan Juntian closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Raindrops slid down his face, like tears and rain. "The wings of the Lingxi Butterfly are the embodiment of life force."
So even without wings and spiritual bones, he still chose to jump into the bone-burning furnace.
Lu Pianpian had long been prepared to die, but Huan Changming believed that as long as he held his closest loved ones in his hands, Lu Pianpian would not dare to seek death.
But a person's defenses have a limit. Lu Pianpian's defenses couldn't withstand his repeated destruction and trampling. Lu Pianpian, he just didn't want to live anymore.
However, Huan Changming never wanted his wings.
Huan Changming never mentioned this matter to him.
The little butterfly's wings were so beautiful that Huan Changming couldn't take his eyes off them. How could Huan Changming let him break them?
Huan Juntian looked at Huan Changming, who was searching for Lu Pianpian's remains on the ground like a madman, and his heart was instantly filled with killing intent and hatred.
He drew his knife and stabbed Huan Changming through the chest, shouting, "Huan Changming, you deserve to die!"
Huan Changming spat out a mouthful of blood, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his ear. Then, a line of words was engraved in his mind: I want you to never be able to harm my fellow disciples in this lifetime.
Huan Changming was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing, "Ha...ha..."
"So, you never...trusted me from the very beginning..."
If you had just said one word, I wouldn't have killed either Huan Juntian or Qu Surou.
But you'd rather trade your own life for theirs, rather plant a spell on me, than trust me.
"I never intended to kill them. I was just angry at you for never taking me to heart..." Huan Changming laughed through his tears, "In your heart, they are all more important than me..."
"You would easily abandon me for any one of them..."
"Lu Pianpian, but you're all I have..."
I just want you to stay by my side.
Why, even you don't want me anymore?
Huan Juntian withdrew his sword and gave Qu Fuyi and Qu Surou a deep look. Qu Fuyi instantly realized something and tried to take Huan Juntian's sword, but she was still a step too late.
Huan Juntian raised his knife and brought it down, leaving an unstoppable cut on his neck.
Qu Surou caught his body and burst into tears, "Why! Why! What are you going to do with me? What am I going to do now..."
Qu Fuyi wept uncontrollably as she continuously channeled spiritual energy into Huan Juntian's body. However, the more she channeled, the more she felt that Huan Juntian's body was withered and emaciated, indicating that he was already on the verge of death.