The servant left and never returned. Prince Mu waited for a while, but the servant still didn't come back. Meanwhile, the sounds and smells in the air were becoming increasingly distinct. Prince Mu's face turned grim, and he knew that something was wrong. He immediately shouted, "Everyone, come out immediately and quickly inform people to get up."
Guards rushed in to obey the prince's command, but despite their vigilance, they were too late. One guard, his face filled with horror, pointed to the sky behind him: "It's red! It's on fire! It's on fire!"
Prince Mu turned around abruptly and looked up. Sure enough, he saw flames shooting into the sky in the distance, and that distance was indeed his villa!
"Fire! Quickly!" Prince Mu made a decisive order, commanding everyone to put out the fire immediately. He also instructed, "Pay attention to the surrounding area. This fire is not simple. Such a large fire all of a sudden suggests that someone deliberately set it on fire. Do not let any suspicious person near the villa escape."
"General Mo obeys!" the guard replied, then pulled Prince Mu aside and said, "Master, General Mo should escort you away first; it's too dangerous."
Prince Mu shook his head, his gaze extremely gloomy. Fire, another fire! The fire burned down his Prince Mu's mansion, and now they're going to burn down his villa? Who is it this time? Is it Mu Yunhe again? Does that child hate him that much? To use such an extreme method to retaliate? Or has Luo Zhiheng's actions truly dealt him such a heavy blow?
The entire courtyard seemed to be under a spell; in the blink of an eye, the fire surged, leaping and raging like molten lava flowing backward. The people inside were dumbfounded. This fire was abnormal; even a large fire wouldn't burn like this—it was so intense it seemed capable of consuming everything.
"Your Highness, leave this place immediately!" The loyal subordinates escorted Prince Mu away.
Prince Mu abruptly shook off the guard's hand and rushed into the room, which he had wrecked. The guards behind him yelled and begged him to come back, but he remained unmoved, charging inside like a madman. The guards had no choice but to follow him.
But this fire was like a meteor shower of fire; the fireballs fell in scattered bursts, drawing streaks of breathtaking beauty across the sky. After their dazzling brilliance, wherever they landed, a fiery hole would instantly be blasted open, and then that area would spread rapidly at a terrifying speed, burning, devouring, and destroying everything!
Everyone was focused on the eerie fire, but no one looked up at the sky above. If anyone had looked, they would have been utterly astonished.
For in that corner of the sky, a tall figure hovered in mid-air, clad in a faintly glowing purple robe, with exquisitely beautiful features, alluring and stunning, his long hair flowing freely. He was ethereal and otherworldly, breathtakingly beautiful. It was as if he were a celestial being descended from heaven, idly frolicking in the vast galaxy, utterly incomparably handsome, playing with a deadly charm!
The Queen's long, slender, fair hands moved swiftly, and a dazzling fireball appeared out of thin air. Flames and sparks crackled on the fireball, yet she seemed completely unaffected. A mesmerizing smile played on her red lips as she calmly watched the scene below.
Seeing that Prince Mu not only did not flee but instead rushed back as the fire raged, the Prince raised an eyebrow, his voice both wicked and elegant, yet brimming with bloodlust: "Looking for death? Fine, I'll grant your wish!"
She suddenly pushed her hand forward, and the fireball fell at the speed of light, landing precisely on the room where Prince Mu had entered.
In an instant, the fireball blasted a hole in the roof, and the flames spread rapidly in all directions. Even the moment the fire struck, the intense heat could burn a person's skin.
The room was suddenly engulfed in flames. Prince Mu had just rushed in when the fire stopped him in his tracks. His face was contorted in the firelight, his eyes bloodshot with terror, whether from the firelight or from his anxiety, it was hard to tell. A roof beam fell straight down from directly in front of him, blocking his frantic advance.
If his subordinates hadn't rushed in just in time and pulled him back at the last second, Prince Mu would have been a ghost under the beam. The flames burned fiercely, blocking the view from the room, which instantly became as hot as a cage.
His subordinates anxiously urged, "Master, please leave here quickly! This fire is too strange; we should not stay here any longer."
"Let me go!" Prince Mu stubbornly refused to leave, struggling to rush inside, determined to get past the raging fire and reach the small study. But he was being held tightly and couldn't break free. Prince Mu had gone mad and even used martial arts, nearly sending his loyal subordinates flying backward: "Let me go!"
"Your Highness, Master! What exactly do you want to do? Tell me, and I will go in."
"Letters, there are so many letters inside! Her letters, the letters she gave me!!" Prince Mu shouted hoarsely, his eyes red, as he desperately tried to rush inside, but his subordinates were too loyal and held him back tightly.
Prince Mu only took the first letter the princess had ever written to him, which he considered a love letter. The letter contained simple words, the princess's deep affection, his own sudden infatuation, and his realization of his mistake. Love at first sight. Their love at first sight. He couldn't let go, even knowing that she was gone, that he would live the rest of his life in regret and longing, he still couldn't let go.
But not taking the other letters didn't mean he didn't care. They were the princess's love letters, the only things that could prove a love had once existed between them, that the princess had truly loved him. The princess was gone; he couldn't let these things disappear too!
The sluggish heart, the suppressed pain, and the vague sadness that had been lingering in my mind finally became clear at this moment!
He had lost everything. The woman he loved most was gone, and he would never find a trace of her in his future life again! It was as if he had fallen in love with someone from a dream, someone he couldn't grasp, couldn't touch, and could no longer truly feel. When he missed her, he could only let the agonizing longing devour his heart.
Desire, unrequited love, wanting but not seeing. Lifetime after life, she ultimately abandoned him, and he remained alone.
The flames suddenly made Prince Mu feel as if his insides were burning, and he was in excruciating pain all over his body. He saw that his letter was being consumed by the flames and was on the desk...
Suddenly, Prince Mu roared and once again shook off his subordinates who were holding him, rushing into the sea of fire, followed by a series of terrified screams from his men.
This madness, this recklessness of Prince Mu, was something none of them had ever seen before. He was utterly irrational and devoid of any composure. For a moment, the subordinates were horrified, but then they recklessly rushed in after him.
Prince Mu was covered in sparks, which then spread like wildfire, but he didn't care anymore. He jumped over the beam, crossed the messy fire pit, and saw his desk was right in front of him. The small box on the desk was still safe and sound.
"Hmm, something you care about a lot? So much that you'd risk your life?" The King hovered in mid-air, toying with a fireball in his hand, a wanton smile on his lips, his eyes dripping with malice. Suddenly, he smiled, and the entire night sky seemed to brighten instantly, so dazzling that it was... terrifying!
"Since you care so much, then just destroy it." A gentle and charming murmur, yet utterly ruthless.
The fireball shot out with a whoosh, heading straight for the desk in the small study.
That's how accurate it is! Otherwise, he wouldn't be the King!
With a deafening roar, the entire house shook violently. The fireball's impact was immense, destroying the roof with a crack. Shouts erupted outside, while sparks flew everywhere inside.
The fireball crashed down with a deafening roar right before Prince Mu's eyes, which were filled with shock and horror!
Perfectly balanced, right in the center of the box.
Prince Mu's hand had even touched the edge of the box, but, just one step away! Just one step away!!
Boom boom boom—
A blinding flash of light erupted, and Prince Mu instinctively pulled his hand back to cover his eyes, but it was too late. He was thrown back by the exploding fireball. The powerful fireball actually contained internal force?!
The moment Prince Mu had this thought, he knew that the fire was actually being manipulated! This thought horrified Prince Mu, but in the next instant, excruciating pain and a burning sensation swept over him, engulfing his thoughts.
He opened his eyes and saw only a blurry, crimson scene. He reached out with all his might towards the desk, but could no longer reach it. The desk, along with the letters he had desperately tried to retrieve, turned to ashes!
In the blink of an eye, the enemy's ships and forts were reduced to ashes...
"Ah!!" Prince Mu was stunned for a moment, then roared in grief and indignation. His voice contained his profound internal strength, which spread out in circles, making the already crumbling house even more dilapidated, and it could collapse in the blink of an eye.
At this point, Prince Mu's cold and hard heart completely collapsed!
A mouthful of blood gushed out, and Prince Mu collapsed to the ground. His men rushed in, trembling with fear at the sight of Prince Mu's wretched state—covered in blood, with flames still burning, and most terrifying of all, his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face, filled with despair and sorrow.
His subordinates frantically extinguished the flames on his body, then carried him away from this terrible inferno.
The King smiled, his red lips curving into a smile that could topple kingdoms and cities, but his gaze was arrogant and wicked: "This is the consequence of bullying Xiao Heng'er. Did you really think that Xiao Heng'er would be beaten and scolded by you just because she became your daughter-in-law? Did you really think that our family had no one left!"
As she spoke, another fireball suddenly appeared in the Queen's hand, its sinister and cruel aim directed at the people below who were carrying the unconscious Prince Mu as they tried to escape. If she so desired, this fireball would ensure that everyone fleeing below would meet a gruesome end, including Prince Mu.
The King has come today to eliminate the threat completely!
She couldn't bear to cause even the slightest trouble for the young couple who had been through so much together. She had orchestrated a misunderstanding, and afterwards, upon learning the girl was her own niece, she was filled with regret and heartache. This old bastard dared to sow discord and hurt her, Xiao Heng'er! He deserved to be torn to pieces!
The Princess had already aimed, practically ready to throw, when suddenly her brow twitched, and she instinctively looked into the distance. She saw a fast horse galloping towards the direction of Prince Mu's residence. If it were anyone else, the Princess wouldn't have paid any attention, but she had a sense of it. Ever since learning that Luo Zhiheng was her niece, the Princess had been tampering with Luo Zhiheng and could sense her presence. Therefore, she knew that the person on that fast horse was Luo Zhiheng.
The King frowned, withdrawing the fireball from his palm. He was surprised that Luo Zhiheng was here so late. Shouldn't she be at home comforting Mu Yunhe's injured little beast?
Luo Zhiheng rode this way at breakneck speed. What was she doing here? She was here to kill someone!
A female bandit can't afford to suffer a loss; even a small one would keep her up at night and prevent her from eating properly for a year. Luo Zhiheng's anger was ignited by Prince Mu's treachery and madness, and it exploded. She truly could no longer tolerate it.
She was never a willful person and understood the bigger picture. But she was a female bandit who killed and robbed based on her mood; what did she care about the bigger picture? Now that Prince Mu had driven her to the brink, she could no longer tolerate it.
She believed that since falling in love with Mu Yunhe and talking things out, her temper had become much milder. For Mu Yunhe's sake, she tried her best to appear more feminine, but that didn't mean she had no temper. She could be threatened and have her dignity trampled on at will!
Luo Zhiheng is the kind of person who'll fight to the death, but you can't aim for my weak spot. If you try to cut me, leaving me a bloody mess, you'd better pray you can kill me outright. If you leave me even a breath of life, you can forget about it! I'll slaughter your entire family, ancestors for eighteen generations. The living will be killed, the dead will have their graves dug up! I'll absolutely wipe you out, leaving no one alive!
She held her breath until Mu Yunhe fell asleep, then had the wet nurse apply pressure to his pressure points to put him to sleep, finally managing to extricate herself. She knew she couldn't truly kill Prince Mu; after all, he was Mu Yunhe's biological father, even though they no longer acknowledged each other. But if she killed Prince Mu, then her relationship with Mu Yunhe would be over.
But she couldn't get over this hurdle without getting angry. If she didn't kill him, surely she could at least give him a stab?
She rode at full speed, the wind whistling past her ears. Even the strong wind couldn't calm her down, but the closer she got, the clearer she could see the flames shooting into the sky. Luo Zhiheng was startled on horseback, but couldn't be sure if this was the location of Prince Mu's villa until now, when she was even closer, she was certain.
Then, shocked, she reined in her horse and stopped it on the side of the villa, staring dumbfounded at the raging fire inside.
What's going on?! Has Heaven seen right? Has the heavens smiled upon us? Who's so particular about acting on behalf of Heaven?
Luo Zhiheng glanced at the bow and arrows slung over her shoulder and the tinderbox at her waist, and clicked her tongue. She had also been thinking of burning this damned courtyard down to the ground. Mu Yunhe didn't know about the mourning hall inside; if he did, wouldn't he be furious? His mother's beloved husband was setting up a mourning hall for her mortal enemy right beside her?
Luo Zhiheng felt only satisfaction, but since she hadn't taken action herself, she felt her anger wasn't completely released. She hesitated for a moment, the fire calming her somewhat. She exhaled a sharp breath and decided to leave. As for Prince Mu's life or death, she didn't care. If Prince Mu died in this fire, it would only be his misfortune; this was a case of those who do many evil deeds inevitably perish!
Unfortunately, just as Luo Zhiheng turned her horse around, a group of armored warriors blocked her way.
This group of people looked hostile, each exuding murderous intent and coldness. They glared fiercely at Luo Zhiheng and shouted, "You audacious thief! How dare you set fire to Prince Mu's villa! Capture him alive and bring him to the Prince!"
Luo Zhiheng froze, then suddenly cursed inwardly: "Damn it! I'm innocent! I haven't done anything yet! If I really set it on fire, you can arrest me! Is this what they mean by being a scapegoat?!"
While she hesitated, the group of people pounced on her like hungry tigers, their swords and knives indiscriminate and deadly. Luo Zhiheng wasn't particularly agile on horseback, and coupled with the fact that the group of people were skilled in martial arts, the horse was startled and kept bucking back and forth, nearly throwing Luo Zhiheng off several times.
Her cold, aloof face was chilling. Though wronged, she showed no fear. She drew her cane and brandished her knife. After fending off several men who rushed at her, Luo Zhiheng took a moment to speak coldly and elegantly: "If I said I didn't start this fire, would you believe me?"
"Bullshit! Who else could it be but you? Wandering around the villa in the middle of the night, carrying a bow and arrows, and what's that on the arrowheads in your quiver? I can smell the strong odor of alcohol right here. Instead of trying to deny it, just surrender and come with us to see the Prince!" The leader was clearly stunned by the precious sword in Luo Zhiheng's hand. He shouted and gave his companions a look. The group of people spread out and surrounded Luo Zhiheng.
Is this a fight to the death? A bunch of grown men ganging up on a little woman?
Good, very good! As expected of soldiers trained by Prince Mu, they are all... cowards!
"Since you don't believe me, there's no point in me saying more. You're courting death, so why should I be polite?" Luo Zhiheng was too lazy to explain. She sneered, jumped off her horse nimbly, and with a slash, the sharp blade energy flashed out along with the beautiful light of the precious sword, kicking up dust and countless pebbles, all rushing towards the three people on the left.
The moment the treasured sword is drawn, blood will instantly appear!
Three screams of agony rang out; without even a direct cut, the mere aura of the blade was enough to kill the three men.
Luo Zhiheng was already seething with pent-up frustration and anger, and then a few sparring partners were offered up. Naturally, she felt no remorse and began sparring without a care in the world. Morally and ethically, killing Prince Mu was a heinous crime. Since she couldn't kill Prince Mu, surely killing a few of his subordinates was acceptable? After all, they were the ones who provoked her first!
Having cleared a fighting space for herself, Luo Zhiheng plunged her knife into the horse's rump with a shallow thrust, yet it was enough to provoke the horse into a frenzy, causing it to gallop wildly. The horse's madness threw the three opposing forces into disarray, and Luo Zhiheng seized the opportunity to strike immediately, slashing across the air with a clean, ruthless blow.
The king is so powerful that blood will splatter everywhere; it's no wonder!
The person on the other side didn't even have a chance to scream.
In the blink of an eye, he killed four people in succession. His knife never missed, and every strike drew blood and was fatal!
The remaining six or seven men were dumbfounded, their scalps tingling with horror. They too had returned from the battlefield, but they had never seen an enemy like this before, especially not a woman who could kill without blinking an eye! Her attacks were swift, accurate, and ruthless! This shocking scene suddenly appeared, causing the others to hesitate to make any rash moves.
As the glint of the blades faded, the remaining people finally saw her clearly in the blazing firelight.
The starry sky suddenly became her backdrop. Her skin was as white as snow, her black hair flowed freely, and her exquisite face shone brightly in the firelight, yet her cold and aloof expression gave her an air of noble inviolability. Dressed in red and wielding a precious sword, her gaze held an untamed arrogance, as if she were a wild horse surveying the world with unparalleled dominance.
Her gaze told them that she regarded them as... ants!
397 Live freely and unrestrained! (Bonus chapter for 29,000 comments)
Updated: 2013-10-20 20:55:29 Word Count: 3375
Ants, the lowest and most lowly life forms, are worthless like weeds and can be crushed at will.
The stunningly beautiful and aloof woman before them was looking at them with an air of superiority, devoid of contempt, only calm arrogance.
These were men of fierce spirit, veterans of the battlefield; how could they withstand such a gaze from a woman? Her cold arrogance was utterly unbearable, not even contempt, but something far more unbearable than contempt itself. Enraged, the group lost all composure, brandishing their swords and charging forward.
Luo Zhiheng let out a cold snort from her delicate nose, her gaze sharpened, her fair fingers gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, and she suddenly took two steps forward, leaping into the air with powerful energy. Her bright red dress bloomed dazzlingly in the intense firelight, unfolding, roaring, and spinning in one smooth motion, perfectly in sync with its master, Qin.
Her supple body spun two and a half times in mid-air, a difficult pose. Instead of retreating, she advanced, meeting the challenge head-on, and easily and shockingly broke into the enemy's encirclement. Her posture was quite arrogant and aloof.
Swish, swish, swish!