Chapter 31: Deceit III

Chapter 31: Deceit III

After that, Ruan Yong locked himself in his room for days, not stepping out even once. It wasn't until he learned that a palace servant had secretly infiltrated Shen Yuan's quarters, planning to rescue him, that Ruan Yong emerged. Fortunately, Dian Shan discovered the plot promptly, burst into the room, and captured both the servant and Shen Yuan. At that moment, the servant was being beheaded at the Dongxuan Gate as a public warning.

Ruan Yong knew Dian Shan to be meticulous and cautious; he hadn't revealed to anyone that the person in the chamber was Shen Yuan. Everyone treated the occupant with respect, but since the individual never left the room, no one saw their face.

Though called a chamber, it was in reality a place to imprison Shen Yuan. Dian Shan had invented this cover to avoid suspicion and prevent any leverage for others to accuse him. As everyone believed the person to be a guest, Dian Shan had to maintain the pretense of hospitality.

As a guest, Dian Shan would likely not mistreat Shen Yuan openly, but in secret, things could be different. Since Shen Yuan attempted an escape, Dian Shan would undoubtedly use this as an excuse to torment him.

Determined to intervene before the servant was executed at the Dongxuan Gate, Ruan Yong finally put aside his seclusion and the tasks he had been busy with, carefully hiding the item he had found. He then quickly opened the door and left.

Watching Ruan Yong's departing figure, An Zhi then witnessed Xia Yingtong rushing into the house. She had already pinpointed where Ruan Yong had hidden the object and began her search.

In the end, she uncovered a stack of letter papers.

The pages were filled with cramped writing, and some ink had yet to dry completely.

Xia Yingtong held the stack of letters in her hand and read aloud the two characters on it: "Divine Aid."

Afterward, she began to peruse the contents of the letter.

Fifteen minutes later, she finished reading. A cunning smile curled up the corners of her red lips as she murmured, "I wonder if Dian Shan will still spare you, my brother, after he reads this letter?"

To his astonishment, An Zhi learned that Xia Yingtong's brother was none other than Ruan Yong!

Equipped with this shocking revelation, Xia Yingtong set out to find Dian Shan with the letter.

Since it was her memory, An Zhi could only see what she saw despite being able to roam freely within the Memory Palace. Thus, he was unaware of the servant whom Dian Shan had beheaded at East Pavilion's gate.

Following Xia Yingtong, they both made their way to Dian Shan.

Pushing open the door to the hall, An Zhi found the interior in disarray, with shattered porcelain vases and scattered fragments littering the ground. A pool of fresh blood stained the doorstep, yet to coagulate.

Behind Ruan Yong, Shen Yuan trembled in fear.

Ruan Yong shielded Shen Yuan protectively behind him, facing Dian Shan head-on with a resolute demeanor. "If you want to touch him, you'll have to step over my body first!"

Because of Shen Yuan, he had clashed with Dian Shan.

"Ayong—" There were times when even Dian Shan was at a loss. He seemed like an elderly man burdened with thoughts, his hands clasped behind his back as he paced back and forth.

Following Xia Yingtong's steps, An Zhi entered the palace. Thanks to her brief, curious glance at Shen Yuan, An Zhi could now discern Shen Yuan's current state.

There was blood at the corner of his mouth.

Presumably, that pool of blood by the threshold was his.

He was crying.

He was actually crying!

An Zhi had only seen Shen Yuan cry twice:

The first time was when he found Ji Yiyi's heart-scale amid a pool of blood. He wiped it again and again until it was clean, only to soil it once more with a spurt of his own blood.

He finally broke down, thus shedding tears.

This time, it was in the present.

An Zhi believed Shen Yuan to be resilient.

During that month with the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan under Dian Shan's command, he endured the Pure Source Whip without uttering a single sound; yet, he was also fragile, needing only a slight provocation to weep.

A surge of impulse welled up within An Zhi. He stepped forward and gently embraced Shen Yuan. Even if this was merely a memory from the past, even if his arms couldn't convey any comfort to Shen Yuan, he still yearned to hold him.

Hearing Shen Yuan's sobs, Ruan Yong turned around and tenderly cupped his face, using the pads of his fingers to wipe away the tears. He reassured, "Don't worry, I'll help you."

Shen Yuan asked, "Really?"

Ruan Yong nodded, "Mm."

Shen Yuan queried again, "Really?... Will you really help me?..."

Ruan Yong nodded and responded with another "Mm."

Seemingly unconvinced by Ruan Yong's words, Shen Yuan repeatedly sought reassurance. "Is it true?... Will you really help me?..."

Ruan Yong patiently nodded in response. "I really will help you. Don't worry."

Finally at ease, Shen Yuan slowly nodded. He then grabbed Ruan Yong's hand, gazing at him eagerly, as if he had finally found a lifeline and held on tightly, his hands trembling with the effort. "But, but the Emperor wants to give me to the Demon Realm Lord, to serve him... I refuse... I won't agree..." As he spoke, he turned to look at the bloodstains by the doorstep. "If I don't agree, he'll punish me... He says I'm just an impure slave of Shangchi City, but I don't feel like one... Who am I? Who am I? Do you know? If you do, please tell me, okay?..."

Tears instantly shimmered in Ruan Yong's eyes upon hearing this. He extended his wrinkled hand to gently pat Shen Yuan's head, intending to console him.

But reflexively, Shen Yuan closed his eyes, shrunk back, and leaned away slightly, evading the touch.

Ruan Yong's hand hung mid-air, empty.

Realizing his reaction, Shen Yuan apologized repeatedly and pleaded. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Don't leave me... Please don't..."

Ruan Yong stopped him. "You don't need to apologize to anyone; it's we who owe you an apology."

An Zhi nodded in agreement. "That's right, that's right."

Ruan Yong asked Shen Yuan, "Between innocence and life, which do you think is more important?"

Shen Yuan hesitated, his expression tormented and pained, unable to make a decision.

"I'll choose for you," Ruan Yong offered, "Life is more important."

Sure enough, Shen Yuan's choice was the opposite of Ruan Yong's. He countered Ruan Yong's suggestion, but Ruan Yong, anticipating the response, intercepted him, saying, "Agree to Dian Shan's request first. I promise, before we even reach the Demonic Realm, I'll help uncover the truth for you."

Speaking as if to himself, he continued, "I swear, I swear... I know, I know, I'll reveal it all... I don't want to bear the guilt anymore..."

"Someone!"

Dian Shan suddenly called out loudly, startling An Zhi.

Promptly, two guards appeared from outside the hall in response.

Dian Shan instructed, "Escort the guest back to his room. Let him ponder over my words. I'll ask him again tomorrow morning about his decision."

As the order was given, An Zhi watched helplessly as the guards took Shen Yuan away, returning him to his cage.

"Dian Shan..." Dian Shan left behind the charming and lovely Xia Yingtong, rushing instead towards the middle-aged Ruan Yong at the foot of the dais.

Xia Yingtong pouted, stomped her foot, and grumbled, "I clearly saw Ruan Yong's 'Assistance to the Gods'! What new trick is he playing now?"

As Dian Shan stood face-to-face with Ruan Yong at close range, he confirmed, "Ah Yong, you're still mine, right?"

Ruan Yong replied, "I'm already old."

Dian Shan dismissed it, "Our age difference is merely five or six years. As a god, I don't age; if not, we would look similar. I've said time and again that I don't mind. How else must I show you for you to believe me? I can bestow divine status upon you, restoring your youth, as long as... as long as you stay by my side, that's all..."

There was even a hint of pleading in his tone towards Ruan Yong.

But Ruan Yong was resolute, and upon seeing Dian Shan's indirect refusal, either out of ignorance or pretense, he bluntly stated, "I don't care if you mind my old age, but I mind being by your side. I... detest you."

Upon hearing this, Dian Shan's figure trembled almost imperceptibly before immediately regaining composure. The warmth in his gaze toward Ruan Yong abruptly turned profound and sharp.

He transformed back into the Dian Shan of old. His long, curved eyes were like blades, his smiling lips hid a venomous tongue, and his eyes held only the pursuit of his desires. He would use any means necessary and eliminate anyone who posed a threat, including his dearest loves and closest kin.

"Huhu—" Dian Shan chuckled coldly, closing his eyes and furrowing his brows, a pained expression of reluctance yet inevitability. "I have always been giving you a chance to return—"

"What is he planning?" An Zhi observed Dian Shan's demeanor with a growing sense of unease.

As the words echoed, a "pfft" sound resonated through the vast hall, lingering in the air without dissipating.

Dian Shan had killed Ruan Yong!

The warm blood of Ruan Yong splattered onto Dian Shan's face. Just moments ago, he was begging for mercy from Ruan Yong, but now he had taken his life, watching him fall lifeless into a pool of blood until his last breath.

An Zhi's hatred for Dian Shan reached an unprecedented peak. "I'll definitely kill you!!!" he roared at Dian Shan.

Unfortunately, Dian Shan was deaf to his words. With Ruan Yong's blood still on his cheek, the tenderness he had shown earlier was gone, replaced by a sardonic smile as he said, "Ah Yong—there are countless ways I can torment someone, yet you're the only one who died so swiftly under my hand. In your next reincarnation, remember to tell me if I made you suffer in this encounter—"

Indeed, Ruan Yong had barely reacted before his life was snuffed out. An Zhi was unwilling to accept this, for they were so close to revealing the truth. He knelt down, shaking Ruan Yong's body. "Hey! Wake up! You promised Shen Yuan to help him! You swore it over and over again! What if he listens to your advice and agrees to that damned trip to the Demon Realm?! You can't break your promise, you can't leave him waiting for your rescue in the Demon Realm, suffering alone! You can't let him be ruined by that monstrous king of the Demon Realm!—Hope followed by loss is unbearable! It's enough to drive a person mad with pain!!!"

Meanwhile, Xia Yingtong giggled softly to herself on the side.

Dian Shan wiped the blood from his hands with his cloak and approached Xia Yingtong. "Did you see everything in the Divine Assistance?" he asked.

Xia Yingtong nodded. "Otherwise, why would I know to bring it to you?"

A gleam flashed in Dian Shan's eyes.

Seeing this, Xia Yingtong quickly changed her tone. "In truth, I'm illiterate. I happened to see my brother writing something and thought it was a calligraphy piece. Out of curiosity, I brought it to you to read, not expecting that... A woman's virtue lies in her lack of knowledge. In this world, there's no reason for girls to be educated. Though our family isn't destitute, Mother and Father wouldn't spend their money on me for no reason."

Dian Shan came to her side and, with the hand still stained with Ruan Yong's blood, gently brushed her cheek. Leaning in to sniff her hair, he closed his eyes and said, lost in intoxication, "The fragrance you're wearing today is the same as Ah Yong's favorite lychee scent. But I recall the Empress doesn't like to use perfumes. Why have you started using lychee scent these past few days?"

His words held hidden meaning, but Xia Yingtong only smiled.

Dian Shan pinched her cheeks and pulled her face towards his. Their noses touched. He tilted his head slightly and pressed his lips lightly against Xia Yingtong's red lips, leaving a crimson stain, as if from freshly spilt blood that hadn't been wiped away.

He flipped his wrist, secretly taking a charm and casting it at a mirror in the hall.

Finished, he slowly withdrew his lips, resting his smooth forehead against Xia Yingtong's. His long, wolfish eyes filled with desire, he gazed at her intently and said in a deep, seductive voice, "Although I have a preference for Ah Yong, in some ways, the Empress and I truly make a good match."

He knew who he was.

With that, he fiercely kissed Xia Yingtong. The overwhelming sense of possession suffocated her. As he kissed her tenderly, he led her towards the mirror.

In front of the mirror, he pushed her into it with a raised hand.

Xia Yingtong frantically pounded on the mirror's surface within.

With the pad of his thumb, Dian Shan wiped away the bright red lipstick that had smudged onto his lips, offering a wry smile. "Out of sight, out of mind." After saying this, he casually grabbed a piece of red cloth to cover the mirror.

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