Chapter 1303

Hu Xiaotian only returned to Zilan Palace after night fell; there was nothing unusual inside Zilan Palace. Xi Yan floated down from above like a light feather landing silently on the ground, her pretty face filled with endless resentment as she scolded: "You've been gone so long? Do you truly not care whether I live or die?"

Hu Xiaotian broke into a grin, showing a mouth full of even teeth, and handed the snacks he had brought to Xi Yan, saying: "Fill your stomach first, then we can talk."

Xi Yan was indeed a bit hungry; she took the snack and started eating. Seeing Hu Xiaotian sitting beside her watching her, she pinched a piece and slipped it into his mouth, whispering: "How is the situation outside?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "That secret passage probably can't be used anymore; Hong Beimo already knows about last night's events, though fortunately he likely wouldn't dare make a fuss, but we cannot rule out the possibility that he has set up defenses inside the passage."

Xi Yan nodded.

After she had eaten her fill, Hu Xiaotian then asked: "Why did you come to Kangdu? And why are you disguised as Mu Rongzhan?"

Xi Yan blinked her bright eyes and said: "Your wedding is such a big event—I naturally had to come join the fun."

For some reason, hearing her say that made Hu Xiaotian feel a twinge of guilt. After all, Xi Yan had performed the wedding rites with him, but recalling her background and methods, he instantly calmed down; the Xi Yan before him was clearly a demoness who recognized no kin, having once schemed against him in Yongdu to his detriment. He gave a wry smile and said: "Heaven's decree cannot be defied!"

Xi Yan said: "So it's Long Xuan'en forcing you to marry? Pure nonsense. If you don't want to wed, you can simply refuse—you now control three cities, command nearly fifty thousand elite naval troops, and hold the advantage of Yunze; if you don't wish to come, that foolish ruler can do nothing to you."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head. He secretly thought: Xi Yan is, after all, a woman; no matter how clever she is, women are innately lacking in politics, so she could not have guessed his true purpose in coming to Kangdu.

Xi Yan said: "Why are you shaking your head? Speak up if you have something to say; don't put on that inscrutable, profound act."

Hu Xiaotian asked with a smile: "Seeing the husband you once swore to heaven and earth about now taking another wife—doesn't that feel awful in your heart?"

Xi Yan gritted her teeth and snapped: "Don't think so highly of yourself; in my heart you mean nothing!"

Hu Xiaotian replied: "But your appearance, every word you speak, is dripping with sourness."

Xi Yan sneered: "You think too highly of yourself." Seeing Hu Xiaotian's playful, smiling face, a sudden inexplicable irritation rose in her heart; she nodded and said: "Exactly—I came to Kangdu this time to kill you two adulterous lovers!"

If one claimed Xi Yan wasn't jealous, even a fool wouldn't believe it.

Although Hu Xiaotian didn't know whether Xi Yan's frantic jealousy was genuine or an act, seeing a great beauty jealous for his sake still gave him an indescribable sense of satisfaction. He said: "You should stay calm; last night you saw with your own eyes. The old coot hid Long Tingzhen on Miaoxiang Mountain but kept the news secret. His true aim is to prop up Long Tingzhen as crown prince, using my coming to Kangdu for my wedding with Qiqi as a chance to wipe us out in one fell swoop."

Xi Yan's willow brows shot up: "You really know how to sound affectionate!"

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "I'm telling you about serious matters—can you keep your personal feelings out of it?"

Xi Yan said: "Fine, then talk about the serious stuff. What serious business do you have?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Naturally, it's to thwart that foolish ruler's scheme."

Xi Yan said: "You took Qiqi, became a prince consort, then brought your little princess safely back to Dongliang Jun to live a blissful life as a pair—pah! Why should I let you have your way?"

Hu Xiaotian silently sighed that this woman's jealousy was truly unreasonable.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm not hiding it from you—I came to Kangdu this time certainly not for personal reasons, but to crush the foolish ruler's treacherous plot. If I didn't come, I'd be in the wrong; he'd accuse me of contempt for the court, of tearing up the marriage pact, and would pin a rebellion charge on me."

"Rebellion, so what? Why should you care about his feelings?"

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "If a person lacks loyalty and righteousness, what face does he have to stand in this world? Not only will the common folk despise him, even his own subordinates will lose faith in him—Li Tianheng is a case in point; though he has declared independence, the people of Xichuan have never been united in heart."

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian mention Li Tianheng, Xi Yan's gaze turned cold: "You have always regarded me as your enemy in your heart!"

Hu Xiaotian cried out in despair: "Heaven and earth, my conscience…"

"Don't mention conscience—your conscience has long been devoured!" After saying that, Xi Yan still felt it wasn't enough to vent her resentment; she fiercely bit into a snack, glaring at Hu Xiaotian with a tiger's stare. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh: "I'd rather be eaten by you!"

Xi Yan finally couldn't hold back her laughter, but immediately she straightened her pretty face and said: "Even a dog wouldn't eat that!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "You came to Kangdu this time for the Li clan, right?" He didn't believe Xi Yan would travel all this way just for him; he knew she came from the Wuxian Sect, which had given its full support to Li Tianheng, and she had often acted on behalf of the Li clan's interests—this time would surely be no exception.

Xi Yan's beautiful brows furrowed slightly: "In your heart I've always had ulterior motives—quite right, I do indeed have ulterior motives; I came to Kangdu to kill!" Upon her flawless pretty face appeared a trace of unprecedented chilling killing intent, making even Hu Xiaotian feel a chill in his heart. This bastard hehehe laughed: "You wouldn't be here to kill me, would you?" Yet in his mind he recalled Xi Yan's former words—"I won't give any other woman a chance to grieve over my husband; any woman who has hooked up with you I will surely slaughter to the last, not leaving a single one; as for your not-yet-married princess wife, I will send her to Zhong Xiang Lou and make her the top courtesan."

Xi Yan said: "You needn't fear—I intend to kill Long Tingzhen!" Her expression suddenly returned to calm.

Upon hearing those words, Hu Xiaotian felt relieved; it made sense for Xi Yan to come kill Long Tingzhen, since Dakang's two most legitimate heirs are Prince Long Yefang and Long Tingzhen. Li Tianheng has long used Long Yefang as his pretext for independence, claiming Long Yefang is the true orthodox line of Dakang, and now Long Xuan'en holds Long Tingzhen as a card, so it's natural for Li Tianheng to want to eliminate him. Xi Yan must have learned that Long Tingzhen is alive, which is why she came to Kangdu. Hu Xiaotian felt relieved yet also a pang of regret—after all, Xi Yan is still that demoness of the Wuxian Sect; everything she does has a clear purpose, and she would hardly develop feelings for him lightly. This visit is likely still for the Li clan's benefit.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Killing Long Tingzhen won't be that easy; the monk Bu Wu has formidable martial arts, and Hong Beimo has invited him to guard Long Tingzhen—even I might not be able to pull it off."

Xi Yan said: "In this world, what's truly formidable isn't martial arts but intellect; I don't believe that bald thief's brains are as formidable as his kung fu."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Dealing with him isn't without a solution."

Xi Yan blinked her beautiful eyes and said: "Stop beating around the bush—just say it!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "It seems we have finally found a possibility of cooperation between us."

"Different paths, no plotting together!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "That depends on your choice between yin and yang."

Xi Yan, so clever, instantly grasped the meaning behind his words, her pretty face flushing as she spat: "Shameless!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'll help you get rid of Long Tingzhen, but you also need to do me a small favor."

Xi Yan bit her cherry lip and said: "Speak!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your disguise skills are superb; since you can pass yourself off as Mu Rongzhan, assuming another person's appearance should be no trouble."

Xi Yan said: "Who do you want me to impersonate?"

"Ji Feihua!"

Long Xuan'en gazed at Hong Beimo, his expression exceedingly complex; he was struggling to control his emotions, and although his trust in Hong Beimo had wavered, he could not let it show. Even though he had ordered that no one be admitted, not even the Yongyang Princess, he made an exception for Hong Beimo's arrival.

Hong Beimo smiled: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations!"

"What is there to celebrate?"

Hong Beimo whispered: "The Reincarnation Tower is nearly complete; only one thing remains."

Long Xuan'en furrowed his brows; unless the Reincarnation Tower is finished, he won't feel joy: "What is still lacking?"

"The Ice Soul Stabilizing Spirit Pearl! However, this subject has already learned the whereabouts of the Stabilizing Spirit Pearl, and at the latest in two months we can retrieve it."

Long Xuan'en finally heard some good news, but for him it no longer brought the former delight; he even began to doubt the Reincarnation Tower's efficacy: "Can the Reincarnation Tower truly produce an elixir of immortality? Can it make me return to youth?"

Hong Beimo nodded: "Your Majesty need not doubt; once the Reincarnation Tower is completed, you will not only achieve immortality but also become a celestial immortal, ruling the universe."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Long Xuan'en's eyes, but it quickly faded back to reality; he coughed once and said: "I trust you."

"That Stabilizing Spirit Pearl still requires activation by Your Majesty's Seven-Star Chain."

Long Xuan'en nodded: "I will personally handle this."

Hong Beimo silently cursed Long Xuan'en's cunning—"no rabbit, no hawk"—did he really think what he held could be used to blackmail him? Having finished with the good news, he naturally had to mention something bad: "Last night, someone sneaked into the Lingxiao Palace on Miaoxiang Peak; eight or nine out of ten they have already discovered the matter of the third prince."

Long Xuan'en said: "You didn't say that place was heavily guarded? How could someone sneak in?"

Hong Beimo said: "This person must be extremely familiar with the imperial palace."

Long Xuan'en impatiently shook his head and said: "Just let Mu Rongzhan go investigate!"

Hong Beimo said: "Perhaps it's Ji Feihua!"

Hearing Ji Feihua's name, Long Xuan'en couldn't help but draw a sharp breath; Ji Feihua was his greatest nightmare in life—it was she who single-handedly orchestrated the palace coup, driving him from the emperor's throne and imprisoning him in the Ethereal Peak Numinous Heavens Palace. Recalling that period, Long Xuan'en still feels a lingering fear.

The annual works evaluation has begun; there is a link on the homepage. Please vote for the annual author award for Zhangyu, striving for the Medical Union to achieve a good ranking. The link is below—go find that bald Zhangyu and cast your vote for me!. /ploy/20151215/(To be continued...)