L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 126

"'Grief-stained white hair'? Even you and Master can't cure it, is the Sect Master truly beyond saving?" Huang Ying's eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head, murmuring to herself. No wonder Master had been searching for classical medical texts for the past six months, burying himself in the medical hut all day, never leaving except to visit the Sect Master each month. It turned out he was searching for an antidote for the Sect Master. 'Grief-stained white hair'? How laughable! She, the world's number one divine physician, had never even heard of it. How could she possibly save the Sect Master?

Sheng Zi turned to look at the man who was still sleeping with his lips tightly pressed together and beads of sweat constantly dripping from his forehead. He choked out, "The sect leader has been poisoned again. Elder Huang's pills can only protect the Holy Lord's heart meridian for one day. If we don't find an antidote or the Seven-Colored Lotus, I'm afraid... I'm afraid he won't make it through the night." His eyes were already brimming with tears, and they were about to fall.

"Zi, why did the sect leader's poisoning flare up so quickly this time? Wasn't a Seven-Colored Lotus supposed to suppress the poison for a month? Why did it only last half a month before the sect leader succumbed to the poison, and it seems to be even more painful than before?" Sheng Zi's words made Sheng Qing jump up, asking anxiously, two streams of tears flowing down her cheeks. No, she didn't believe it, she couldn't believe the sect leader could only live one more day. That was too cruel, too cruel to the sect leader, too cruel to Prince Jin…

"I think it was Saint Chi's evil technique that damaged the sect leader's heart meridian, arousing the suppressed poison." Saint Zi choked up and shed tears as well.

“Sheng Chi, it’s that traitor Sheng Chi again. Even on his deathbed, he still tries to harm people. This kind of person should go to the eighteenth level of hell, no, he should never be reincarnated…” Sheng Lü cried and cursed Sheng Chi.

"Qing, Zi, Lü, Xiao Yingying, don't cry. I believe... the Sect Leader is such a good and powerful person, a miracle will surely happen. I'll send someone to find Dongfang right away, to see if he's found the Seven-Colored Lotus yet?" Sheng Cheng took a deep breath, his eyes slightly red, and comforted the four who were crying like babies. The Sect Leader had overcome so many hardships, and he believed that the Sect Leader would definitely be able to overcome this calamity as well.

“Cheng is right. I’ll immediately send a message to Elder Huang via carrier pigeon and tell him to come over as soon as possible.” Sheng Lu took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and said firmly.

“Okay, let’s not disturb the sect leader’s rest. Xiao Yingying, go help Prince Jin and the others heal their wounds. Zi and I will stay here to take care of the sect leader. We’ll call you when the sect leader wakes up.” Sheng Qing wiped away his tears, patted Huang Ying’s head, and said in a hoarse voice.

"Yes." Huang Ying nodded, her eyes still blurry with tears, and said softly.

Sheng Cheng and the others glanced at Ao Jun one last time, then quietly left, leaving behind only Sheng Qing and Sheng Zi sitting on the edge of the bed with worried expressions, and Ao Jun, who was in a deep coma.

In the bamboo grove, a man dressed in black with a black mask on his face stood with his hands behind his back. His eyes, which gleamed with an evil aura, seemed to be deep in thought as he stared at the bamboo in front of him. Although he was just standing quietly, he still exuded a kingly aura, and his noble temperament gave people an invisible pressure.

"This is for me, isn't it?" Jin Xuan silently approached Shi Di from behind, took out a slip of paper from his pocket, and held it out to Shi Di. He spoke in a deep, magnetic voice, his profound eyes revealing his understanding.

A wicked smile flashed in Shi Di's eyes. He reached for the note, unfolded it, and read: "Seven Killers are not dead." He squeezed it tightly, and the note instantly turned to ashes. His voice, laced with malice, said, "Haha... Prince Jin already knew, didn't he?"

"It really is you, Yelü Ying." Jin Xuan smiled faintly, his eyes flashing with complexity: Yelü Ying was also one of the murderers who killed the monarch. He should hate him, even kill him, but he saved him many times last night. If it weren't for him, he, the Holy Monarch, and everyone in the Holy Immortal Sect would have died here. They couldn't have killed the Holy Crimson.

"Haha..." Shi Di laughed loudly, threw off the black cloth covering his face, revealing a handsome but wicked face with a wicked smile.

"Yelü Ying, how did you end up here, becoming Sheng Chi's subordinate?" Jin Xun's deep eyes were fixed on Yelü Ying's familiar wicked smile as he asked with a faint question. Yelü Ying had disappeared since the king's 'death'. Even the Cangliao King's dispatch of all the royal guards couldn't find him. It was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. Unexpectedly, he had hidden in the Seven Star Tower and become Sheng Chi's most 'loyal' subordinate.

"Ha... Seeing you die tragically because of my selfishness, I am filled with resentment, regret, and heartbreak. I spend my days drinking, afraid to be sober, but the more I drink, the more sober I become. I know I can't go on like this. I want to follow you, but I don't have the courage. I'm afraid you don't even want to see me. I want to atone for my sins, I want to avenge you. I know there's someone behind Cheng Wuying, it's the Seven Fiends, but the Seven Fiends are too mysterious. I can't avenge you at all. So I tried every possible way to join the Seven Fiends, get close to them, become their most trusted attendant, and help them control the Soul Devourer. But I've never seen the Seven Fiends' true face, nor have I ever seen Cheng Wuying. I can't kill them all by myself. When I learned that you and the Holy Lord stormed the Seven Fiends Tower and the Seven Fiends started setting up their scheme, I knew that only by joining forces with you could I avenge you. I just never imagined that the Seven Fiends was actually the Holy Red, and that he was still alive." Yelü Ying said with a wicked smile, lost in memories.

He spoke of it casually, but Jin Xuan's great affairs were definitely not as easy as he made them out to be. He must have suffered a lot and endured a lot of torment. And his eyes—Yelu Ying was born with red eyes, so why did they turn black?

Seeing that Jin Xuan was staring into his eyes, Yelü Ying smiled indifferently and said, "My red eyes would expose my identity, so I used drugs to change the color of my eyes so as not to arouse Qi Sha's suspicion."

He spoke lightly, but the suffering he endured was truly indescribable: just changing his naturally red eyes required inhuman torture, and the medicine used to change his red eyes would become ineffective every ten days, so every ten days he had to endure inhuman torture again, not to mention the torture inflicted on him by the Seven Killers and the cruel way of life in the Seven Killers Tower... He was originally the crown prince of a country, and from childhood to adulthood he had never suffered. This time he experienced the most cruel and painful life in the world.

"Yelü Ying, I believe you only resorted to such ruthless means because you loved Jun too much. You were also deceived by Cheng Wuying, and Jun won't blame you," Jin Xuan sighed softly. Although he had also played a part in separating him and Jun, he never intended to kill Jun. Jun's 'tragic death' caused Yelü Ying no less pain, bitterness, and regret than he had. For Jun, and to get closer to Qi Sha, he had already suffered enough, let alone wanting to sacrifice his own life to protect him. How could he still hate him?

"Heh... I can't escape blame for Jun's death." Yelü Ying chuckled remorsefully, a hint of weariness creeping onto his otherwise wicked face, as if he were tired and weary. "Ouyang Jinxuan, you are the one Jun deeply loved. You must live well; I think that's Jun's wish. As for Jun's misunderstanding of you... heh..." He turned and gazed leisurely into the distance, then continued, "I will help you explain to her." Sheng Chi and Cheng Wuying, who killed Jun, are already dead, and Mo Yueying has been punished. Now only he remains, and he has the courage to see Jun now.

"Yelü Ying, you..." Jin Xuan exclaimed in surprise. He knew what Yelü Ying meant by those words, but Yelü Ying, perhaps the ruler wasn't dead, and the Holy Ruler might actually be the ruler...

Before Jin Xuan could finish speaking, Yelü Ying suddenly turned and looked up at the sky, his eyes flashing with a sincere smile as he looked at Jin Xuan. He smiled wickedly and said, "Ouyang Jin Xuan, if it weren't for what happened when we were kids, if we hadn't both fallen in love with you, we would definitely be good friends, good brothers. But... maybe in the next life! Let's be good brothers again in the next life!" In fact, it was undeniable that although he hated Ouyang Jin Xuan from childhood and vowed to defeat him, deep down, he had always admired and respected Ouyang Jin Xuan.

"No need to wait until the next life. From today onwards, you, Yelü Ying, are my good friend and brother, Ouyang Jinxuan." Jinxuan put his hand on Yelü Ying's shoulder, gave him a sincere smile, and said heartily. Jinxuan had always admired 'Devouring Flame Evil Lord' Yelü Ying; his talent was no less than his own.

"Haha... Ouyang Jinxuan, thank you. I, Yelü Ying, have no regrets in this life for having a brother like you. Now that I have your forgiveness, I can leave in peace." Yelü Ying also put his hand on Jinxuan's shoulder and laughed heartily.

"Yelü Ying, can you really leave in peace? Can you let go of your father, can you let go of the Cangliao Kingdom?" Jin Xuan asked calmly. Yelü Ying was actually determined to die.

"Father? The person I can't let go of the most is my father, Ouyang Jinxuan. Promise me, after I'm gone, if anything happens to Cangliao Kingdom, you must do your best to help." Yelü Ying stopped laughing and said with guilt in his eyes. The person he felt most sorry for was his father.

"Yelü Ying, actually the Holy Emperor he..."

Just as Jin Xuan was about to speak to Yelü Ying about the Holy Emperor, Yi Tian and Yi Han appeared behind him and reported, "Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress have arrived."

"What? Why did my brother and Yuqing leave the capital?" Jinxuan turned his head, looking puzzled, and muttered to himself. After thinking for a moment, he calmly asked, "Where are my brother and Yuqing now?"

"We've already entered the residence," Yi Tian replied respectfully. They were also puzzled as to why the Emperor and Empress had come. Moreover, they seemed to be in a great hurry. Since the death of the strategist, the Empress had remained in the inner palace, grieving all day long, and had not stepped out of the palace gates once. Now, not only had she left the palace, but she had also followed them here.

"Jinxuan." Just as Jinxuan was about to go see Zhengxuan and Aoxue, a familiar, urgent female voice rang out.

Two hurried figures arrived in front of Jinxuan in an instant.

"Brother, Yuqing, what brings you here?" Jinxuan greeted them, frowning as he asked. Seeing how travel-worn his brother and Yuqing looked, he knew they had rushed here at breakneck speed. What could have made them so anxious?

While Jinxuan was still guessing, Aoxue grabbed his hand and asked breathlessly, "Where is the Holy Lord?"

"Yuqing, what happened?" Jinxuan's brows furrowed even deeper as he asked, his heart pounding. Why had Yuqing rushed here so urgently for the Holy Emperor? Had she also discovered something? Was the Holy Emperor truly the same person as the Emperor?

"Stop asking, take me to see the Holy Lord quickly." Yuqing hurriedly grabbed Jinxuan's hand and walked forward. She couldn't tell Jinxuan yet. If it turned out that the Holy Lord wasn't a ruler, Jinxuan would definitely not be able to bear it. She would tell Jinxuan everything after she saw the Holy Lord and confirmed whether he was a ruler or not.

"Jin Di, take us to see the Holy Emperor first!" Zheng Xuan put his arm around the anxious Ao Xue, patting her back to help her catch her breath, and said wearily. He glanced at Yelü Ying standing to the side, startled and puzzled: How could Yelü Ying, who had been missing for so long, be here? He showed no reaction to them, seemingly completely detached from the world. But he had no time to think about that now. Qing'er had been traveling day and night for the past few days, exhausted both physically and mentally. If they continued to rush things, she might not be able to handle it.

"I probably won't be able to see him for a while. He fought a fierce battle with Saint Chi last night, and the Holy Lord was seriously injured and is resting," Jin Xuan said hoarsely, his eyes dimming. When Huang Ying came to treat their injuries, she told them that the Holy Lord's injuries were no longer a problem and that he was resting. But seeing her red, tear-filled eyes and lifeless face, they knew she was lying. No matter how much he insisted on seeing the Holy Lord, she wouldn't let him go. Sheng Cheng and the others also tried to stop him, repeatedly assuring him that the Holy Lord was truly alright, just severely injured and needing rest. They also said that the Holy Lord had ordered that he not see anyone, which was why he hadn't been able to see him yet. But he believed that with Huang Ying around, the Holy Lord shouldn't be in any danger!

"What? Seriously injured? How is he now?" Upon hearing that the Holy Lord was seriously injured, Ao Xue immediately pushed Zheng Xuan away, grabbed Jin Xuan's hand again, and asked anxiously.

"Saint Chi?" Zhengxuan frowned, looking at Jinxuan questioningly. Wasn't Saint Chi killed by the ruler at the border?

Jinxuan nodded and recounted everything, including the battle last night, which made Zhengxuan frown repeatedly.

"I never imagined that the Seven Killers was actually Saint Chi, and Cheng Wuying is dead too?" Zheng Xuan sighed softly, his face full of thought. He hadn't expected that the one who died last time was a fake Seven Killers, while the real Seven Killers was Saint Chi—he had hidden himself so well! Fortunately, the Holy Lord's move had drawn him out; otherwise, the Dragon Xuan Dynasty would have been in grave danger! The Holy Lord is indeed incredibly wise; this move was brilliantly executed!

"Okay!" Jinxuan nodded expressionlessly.

"Hey, stop worrying about Sheng Chi and Cheng Wuying! What I want to know is where the Holy Lord is now? How is he?" Ao Xue pushed aside the two brothers who were looking very serious and shouted loudly with her hands on her hips. What's the point of talking about Qi Sha and Sheng Chi? They're all dead. What matters most is how the Holy Lord is doing and whether he is still a ruler.

“He’s resting in his room right now. Shengcheng doesn’t allow anyone to enter, so I haven’t seen him yet, but Huang Ying said he’s fine.” Jin Xuan said calmly, but his deep eyes were filled with deep worry and unease.

"Where is the room? Now that you're all better, you can see us, right?" Ao Xue's dark eyes gleamed with a clever glint as she smiled. No matter who stood in her way, she was determined to see the Holy Emperor today.

"Okay, let's go!" Jinxuan thought for a moment, then nodded and led Aoxue and the others to the room where the Holy Lord was now.

As soon as he reached the door, he was blocked by Sheng Cheng. He was no longer the nonchalant, flippant figure he once was; instead, he stood before them with a serious expression, his voice low and menacing: "Your Highness, the Sect Master is resting and cannot receive guests. Please leave!" He looked exhausted and didn't even notice the two strangers who had appeared. He couldn't let them in; although the Sect Master had woken up, he was still very weak, and he feared they would discover the truth.