Chapter 298: The Person Behind the Scenes

For a moment, the two sides' troops clashed at a spot.

Fen Tian drew his long sword, pointed at a guard of the Dark Pavilion and shouted, "Die!"

Chi Nan Yi heard his voice, the corner of his lips slightly curled, looking toward Fen Tian with a half‑smile.

The trap of thunder he had set for him was finally about to explode.

Sure enough, before he could swing his long sword forward, the wound on his chest split open again.

The searing, gut‑wrenching pain slowed his movements considerably.

When masters spar, victory or defeat hinges on a breath.

A cold sword edge sliced through, and scalding blood gushed out.

Fen Tian stared with his eyes wide and slowly fell.

"Second!"

"Brother!"

The members of Seek Dragon Gate roared in anger.

"I'll kill you!"

"Heh, better look after yourselves first!"

Chi Nan Yi looked up at the stern‑looking woman in red before him.

"What, do you still need to hide your identity now?"

"Little girl, you're clever, but you must know that in this world, clever people don't live long." She drew a long sword from her waist, the sharp blade held horizontally before her: "Pavilion Master of the Dark Pavilion, heh, you have some skill, but before me it's still not enough to impress."

When she finished speaking, the red‑clad woman ignited, her long sword wrapped in a gust of wind thrust straight at Chi Nan Yi's heart. The blade, reflecting moonlight, shimmered with a faint phosphorescent green, clearly infused with poisonous venom. Chi Nan Yi, already prepared, lightly tapped his toe on the ground, leapt back, twisted his wrist, and the soft whip, sounding like a wind‑cut, coiled around the sword. The weapons met, internal forces collided, and the massive power generated a huge shockwave that knocked nearby people aside.

The two of them simultaneously stepped back several paces.

"I didn't expect you could match me; if you weren't an opponent, I might have spared your life, but now, I cannot."

"Whether one can live long isn't up to you; on the contrary, you, hiding behind Seek Dragon Gate, pulling the strings, propping up a puppet sect master, treating the world's people—and even Seek Dragon Gate disciples—as fodder for poisonous insects, aren't you afraid of retribution?"

"Hahaha, retribution? What is retribution? I am the true ruler of Daqi! His Mo family is nothing but rebels! Rebels don't get retribution, so why would I? Heh, it's not that there's no retribution at all—every prince Daqi can show off is a waste, the only one who isn't a waste is a double‑leg‑crippled loser, hahaha, how is that not retribution? Hahahaha!"

"Who are you calling a waste?"

A deep voice sounded, and the red‑clad woman, who had been laughing at the sky, suddenly fell silent.

Seeing Mo Junyan step toward her, her pupils contracted sharply, her eyes bulged, and she exclaimed in shock, "Mo Junyan? Your… your leg… isn't your leg crippled? How…"

"What are you, daring to cripple This Prince's leg."

He stepped beside Chi Nan Yi, looked at her shocked expression, and chuckled softly, "What, don't you recognize me?"

"Why did you come?"

"I settled some matters, then set out to find you. How could This Prince let you fall into danger alone?"

"You deceived me! Deceived me!"

The red‑clad woman's eyes turned blood‑red, and she shouted angrily, "Mo Junyan! I originally thought that if you were crippled I would spare you, but now it seems I was too merciful; I should have strangled you long ago."

"Is that so? What a pity, you no longer have that chance."

When he finished speaking, Mo Junyan gathered internal energy in his hand, murderous intent flashing in his eyes: "Life has no way back; your fate now is all because of your greed."

"Wait!"

A familiar voice came, and Chi Nan Yi was startled.

He saw a bright‑yellow figure approaching from afar, running while shouting, "Stop! Stop!"

"Mo Yunyan? Princess?"

Chi Nan Yi saw the newcomer, furrowing his brows: "How could she…" Suddenly, those familiar eyes appeared before him, and he was stunned.

No wonder those eyes felt familiar; it was because of her.

Mo Yunyan's eyes were exactly the same as the red‑clad woman's.

While pondering, Mo Yunyan had already arrived close.

"Ah Junyan! Don't act! She's my master." Mo Yunyan, panting, said, "There must be a misunderstanding here."

"Misunderstanding?" Mo Junyan gave a faint smile: "Since she's your master, haven't you noticed that half of her face looks strikingly like you?"

Mo Junyan's words made her pause.

"What… what do you mean?"

"She is the sect master of Seek Dragon Gate, but also holds another identity." Mo Junyan looked at her, solemnly saying, "She is the emperor's concubine, your birth mother, Zhao Shi."

"What?"

Mo Yunyan couldn't help but be shocked and pale.

"My… my…" She was at a loss for words, mouth open but unable to speak for a long time.

"Master, you… you are…"

"Hmph, you stinky kid, you do have some insight." She lifted her hand and slowly removed her veil.

Looking at her face, familiar to the bone, Mo Yunyan covered her mouth, tears constantly welling in her eyes.

"You really are… really…"

"I didn't expect you'd still see through me." With a sinister smile, Zhao Shi murmured, "I have not yet thanked your father and mother for raising my daughter to adulthood."

When she finished, she beckoned Mo Yunyan with a finger: "Daughter, come to your mother. All these years I never told you your true identity, not wanting you drawn into this conflict. Now you're grown; it's not too late to know. From now on, you will be the junior sect master of Seek Dragon Gate. Everything I have will be handed to you. When we retake Daqi, you will be the crown princess, and later ascend the throne; Daqi will be yours."

A hint of hesitation flashed across Mo Yunyan's face.

Chi Nan Yi looked on, his heart sinking.

"Sister Yunyan…"

Before she could finish, Mo Junyan seized her hand: "This is her own decision; don't interfere in others' lives."

"But…"

Mo Junyan shook his head: "Listen."

"Daughter, as long as you come, everything of mother will be yours."

Mo Yunyan clenched his teeth; after a moment, his gaze grew resolute as he walked toward Zhao Shi.

Stopping beside Zhao Shi, Mo Yunyan said blankly: "Master, was everything you just said true?"

"Of course it's true; why call me master? Call me mother—everything of mother is yours."

"So it really was you who framed the Bai family, causing the mother consort to die tragically, right?"

"You child, can't you even tell who your mother consort is? That scum Bai Shi, what right does she have to be your mother consort? If it weren't for her good temper and tolerance, how would mother consort have handed you to her?" Zhao Shi, holding her hand, smiled and said: "But that's all in the past; from now on this world belongs to you and me."

"Heh, is that so?" Mo Yunyan smiled and nodded: "Fine, since you say you'll give me all your things, I will accept them."