Chapter 1944

Hu Xiaotian changed the subject, pointing at the skull Ji Feihua had brought and said, "What about this one?"

Ji Feihua said: "Really!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "In that case, the skulls they stole earlier have all been found." Recalling what Liu Yuzhang had said earlier, he added: "No, these two are not the two Liu Yuzhang mentioned; there should still be a skull with Hu Buwei."

Ji Feihua said: "That skull is Liu Yuzhang's responsibility to retrieve."

Hu Xiaotian nodded. The skull originally had been given by Liu Yuzhang to Hu Buwei to smuggle out of the palace; retrieving it should not be difficult. In that case, all conditions for opening the underground palace are met—everything is ready, we just await the moment tonight when the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's underground palace opens.

Ji Feihua said: "Do you know Huo Xiaoru's background?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head. "I don't know!" Although he had known Huo Xiaoru for a long time, this girl was the first to make his heart flutter upon arriving in this world, yet in his heart she remained as elusive as clouds and mist, mysterious and unfathomable, and her every move was inscrutable.

Ji Feihua said: "Her martial arts are not inferior to mine!"

Hu Xiaotian stared agape; Ji Feihua's martial arts were formidable, while Huo Xiaoru had seemed utterly feeble in his memory, but Ji Feihua would hardly deceive him, so her statement must be true. He whispered, "Have you sparred?" Actually it was obvious—if Ji Feihua had not fought Huo Xiaoru, she wouldn't say that.

Ji Feihua nodded and said: "Don't worry, she's fine!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm more worried about whether you're alright!"

Ji Feihua chuckled, eyeing Hu Xiaotian with disdain, yet a warm feeling rose in her heart; although this guy's words might not be entirely true, she believed he certainly cared more for her. Ji Feihua said: "Remember, no matter what lies in the underground palace, after we open it we must first eliminate Liu Yuzhang."

Hu Xiaotian nodded. Liu Yuzhang was certainly no good person; after meeting Wuyou the previous night, he realized Liu Yuzhang was merely a clone, a clone that had lost control, so eliminating him would incur no guilt to his conscience. For some reason, he placed unconditional trust in Ji Feihua, never doubting her motives, even though Ji Feihua herself was a descendant of the Heaven's Mandate bearer.

Ji Feihua said: "You're disobedient!"

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but startle, not understanding why she would say that.

Ji Feihua said: "What did you promise me when we previously parted?"

Hu Xiaotian then understood: when they had previously parted, she had asked him to do two things—marry Qiqi and overthrow the Xu clan. Neither could be accomplished overnight; he had already become engaged to Qiqi, which he could count as fulfilling that task, whereas overthrowing the Xu clan would likely still take some time. He gave a wry smile and said: "Perhaps I just need a little more time."

Ji Feihua said: "I hope you have that much time."

Hu Xiaotian suddenly recalled Qiqi's recent abnormal behavior and quietly told Ji Feihua about it.

After listening, Ji Feihua's brows furrowed slightly, her expression grew grave; she rose to her feet, slowly walked to the window, flung open the lattice window, turned her gaze toward the imperial palace, and said anxiously: "Have you considered that perhaps there is nothing in the underground palace at all, and someone has simply set up a trap?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I cannot rule that out, but to eliminate the phantom we must take a chance."

Ji Feihua sighed, nodded and said: "It seems we have no choice." She turned to face Hu Xiaotian and said: "What if there is no weapon to counter the phantom in the underground palace?"

Hu Xiaotian resolutely said: "Then we destroy the airship!"

Ji Feihua said: "You intend to use this method to force the phantom to reveal itself?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "That airship is the phantom's only hope of leaving here; if we destroy it, she will appear to stop us."

Ji Feihua said: "At least Hong Beimo still lacks the ability to repair the airship! Things haven't reached the worst point yet."

Night had just fallen; Hu Xiaotian, accompanying Qiqi, had already arrived at the Imperial Herb Bureau. Earlier he had made meticulous preparations, so the entire Imperial Herb Bureau was under his control. After they entered the medicinal storehouse, Huo Shengnan would lead his subordinates' experts to completely surround the Imperial Herb Bureau, just in case.

Although only Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua accompanied Qiqi into the medicinal storehouse, their combined strength was more than enough to laugh scornfully at the world; Liu Yuzhang was no match for them.

Qiqi also donned a warrior's attire, wearing Phoenix armor underneath; this set of Phoenix armor originally belonged to Qin Yutong, but now that Qin Yutong is six months pregnant with her belly swollen, she can no longer wear it. Just in case, Hu Xiaotian borrowed the Phoenix armor to let Qiqi use it temporarily as protection.

Qiqi had just stepped through the gate of the Imperial Herb Bureau when her face turned pale; she reached out and took Hu Xiaotian's arm, whispering: "I'm terrified inside!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "What's there to fear? With me by your side, no one can harm you."

Qiqi nodded, then gripped Hu Xiaotian's arm even tighter, and in a barely audible voice said: "Let's set the wedding date when we get back."

Hu Xiaotian inwardly chuckled: although this girl was strong-willed, after all she was a woman and still relied heavily on him.

Inside the Imperial Herb Bureau, after the area had been cleared, only Shi Xuedong was waiting there; he did not know what would happen tonight, but seeing the two approach, he hurried forward to pay his respects and reported in a low voice: "Following the Prince's orders, I have already sent away all idle persons."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "You may go! Tonight, no matter what happens, do not return to the Imperial Herb Bureau."

Shi Xuedong, from his tone, already guessed that something major would occur, but since Hu Xiaotian didn't speak, he naturally didn't dare ask; he nodded repeatedly, watched Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi head toward the Imperial Herb Bureau, and after they had gone far, he hurriedly left the Imperial Herb Bureau.

Qiqi, though anxious, felt much calmer seeing Hu Xiaotian's usual composure; arriving at the medicinal storehouse door, she saw it tightly locked and sealed, and Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I'm really clueless—I actually forgot to ask him for the key."

Hu Xiaotian drew a black-iron sword from behind him and with one strike split the door lock; this method of opening the door was simple, direct, and brutal, yet it was the most effective.

A calm voice came from behind: "You might consider becoming a locksmith in the future."

Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi turned around at the same time, only to see Ji Feihua standing not far behind them.

Ji Feihua and Qiqi locked eyes, their gazes both brightening, yet neither spoke. Hu Xiaotian inwardly sighed: these two must be half-sisters, though Qiqi is unaware of this; Qiqi's identity, however, is exceedingly complex—she is not merely a descendant of the Heaven's Mandate bearer, and though I had always thought Ling Jiazi was the Heaven's Mandate bearer, according to the Heaven's Mandate bearer Ling Jiazi's true identity is more likely the phantom. What kind of power do the offspring of the Heaven's Mandate bearer and the phantom possess? Having married such a wife, can I cope in the future?

Qiqi's gaze fell on the package in Ji Feihua's hand; a fleeting glimmer of azure light flashed in her eyes, and though the package obscured it, she still determined that Ji Feihua held the skull recovered from Long Ling Shengjing.

Ji Feihua smiled faintly, came to Hu Xiaotian's left side as if she hadn't noticed Qiqi, and asked Hu Xiaotian: "Has Liu Yuzhang arrived?"

Hu Xiaotian glanced inside the medicinal storehouse and said: "Perhaps he's already been waiting inside."

The three entered the medicinal storehouse together, came to the spot where the pattern lock was first discovered, and saw no sign of Liu Yuzhang inside.

Hu Xiaotian decided to go first into the lower secret realm to wait; Qiqi had previously opened the Double Dragon Emerging to Sea lock, and this time she opened it with ease—within moments the lock clicked open, with a creaking groan the ground sank, revealing a pitch-black opening.

Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi were not newcomers to this place, but Ji Feihua was seeing the mechanism for the first time; she produced a Night Pearl to illuminate them, and the three stood before the cavern, pondering whether to enter, when a thin, sharp voice echoed from below: "You've finally come; I thought you lot would stand us up."

The three exchanged glances; it turned out Liu Yuzhang had indeed arrived early and was already waiting below.

Hu Xiaotian jumped down first, then Qiqi jumped and he caught her; Ji Feihua needed no assistance and drifted down like a falling leaf.

Along the underground passage they walked for over half a li, a stone gate appeared ahead; Liu Yuzhang sat in front of it, a skull cushioning his buttocks, that transparent skull being exactly the one Long Xuanjiao had secretly brought out of the palace.

Ji Feihua furrowed her brows, her expression somewhat displeased; Hu Xiaotian happened to see it and immediately understood that this skull should be her ancestor, Liu Yuzhang's treatment of the deceased was clearly somewhat disrespectful. Fortunately Ji Feihua did not erupt on the spot, she silently thought to herself, Liu Yuzhang, you have given me another reason to kill you.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Liu Yuzhang, your actions are indeed unpredictable; I thought you hadn't arrived, but I didn't expect you to have taken the lead."

Liu Yuzhang also wore a full-face smile and said: "If we hadn't come earlier, how could we show our sincerity?"

Qiqi gazed at the resurrected Liu Yuzhang before her, her heart involuntarily feeling a bit afraid; she bit her cherry lips, the color of her pretty face growing ever paler.

Liu Yuzhang laughed and said: "Princess, you probably don't remember this old servant, but when you were little, I used to hold you."

Hu Xiaotian put his arms around Qiqi's slender waist to comfort her, laughing heartily: "Liu Yuzhang, don't just focus on ingratiating yourself; getting down to business is what matters."

Liu Yuzhang nodded repeatedly and said: "Prince, you're absolutely right; we should hurry up and get down to business." Perhaps to show his sincerity, he picked up the skull he had been sitting on and threw it to Ji Feihua, who reached out and caught it.

Both retreated to the side. Qiqi, accompanied by Hu Xiaotian, came to the stone gate and solved the pattern lock above. The two stone doors slowly slid apart, opening up ahead; a stone bridge spanned the underground river, the water rushing, the riverbed lying more than ten zhang beneath the bridge, while at the bridge's end stood a treasure pagoda, its summit glittering with light, inlaid entirely with night pearls.

Although Ji Feihua had been mentally prepared, she was still deeply shaken by the sight before her; it turned out the genuine Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda had always been hidden here.