Chapter 15: I Set the Trap, Please Step into the Vase

When Bloodfeather Lord emerged from the water, the two people had not pursued him. The three distant figures were now almost invisible dots, seemingly still engaged in a standoff and too preoccupied to notice him.

A feeling of fortunate escape from death, mixed with a strange sense of loss, welled up within him. He hadn't expected such an important figure to be ignored in the end. He also had no idea what kind of flame it was that could inspire such profound fear in him.

His massive form gradually shrank. Although it didn't revert to its original scarlet sparrow size, it was now merely the size of a red-feathered falcon. He had originally been a red-feathered falcon. A century ago, he had by chance drunk a few sips of blood from an unknown demonic beast, which had caused him to mutate and embark on the true path of cultivation.

After gradually calming himself, he was suddenly and pleasantly surprised to discover that during the recent battle, the restriction within his body seemed to have been inadvertently severed by the white-robed woman's final sword strike. Feeling the restriction loosen, he was ecstatic, realizing it wouldn't be long before he could break free from these shackles on his own.

Dragging his exhausted body, Bloodfeather Lord glanced back at Phoenix Roost Lake, a strained smile gracing his eyes.

Many years ago, it had been much the same. Severely wounded, he had escaped, believing himself unstoppable. Just as he was circulating his demonic power to heal his injuries and planning his future revenge on the Imperial City, he suddenly heard the sound of crushed fallen leaves behind him.

It was a voice he would never forget:

"You little sparrow, your talent is decent. If you're willing to serve me, I can spare your life."

He wondered who dared to be so presumptuous. Just as he was about to turn and counterattack, he suddenly felt his bones weigh as if thousands of tons, a searing, tearing pain cutting through his skin and deep into his body. Then, his body frantically shrank as if deflating, until he was truly no bigger than a sparrow.

Then he heard the woman's soft chuckle:

"Actually, you don't have a choice."

From then on, he was kept in a cage by a young girl for amusement. The girl was reportedly the woman's daughter, but he never saw the woman herself again.

Bloodfeather Lord lifted his head, the autumn rain falling on him. Recalling his decade-long life as a carrier pigeon, he felt his ambition fade and was filled with a myriad of emotions.

"Fortunately, this misfortune has turned into a blessing. Given enough time, I'll be able to break through that restriction. For now, it's best to leave the city soon..."

Just as he had abandoned the idea of reporting back to Zhao Xiang'er and was preparing to leave alone, a clear, crisp voice sounded from behind him.

"Little Red, where are you going?"

His heart jolted. After a moment, he slowly turned his head to see a young girl in a black dress standing elegantly in the rain, smiling sweetly at him.

Bloodfeather Lord was frozen in shock.

The timeline rewinds to half an hour earlier.

The autumn rain was still merely clouds gathering from all directions. The white-robed woman from the Sword Edict Heavenly Sect was still dozing in her blue-and-white palanquin. The Shaman Lord, meanwhile, was rubbing an ancient scroll, divining a future shrouded in mist, repeatedly pondering the prophecy at the end of the scroll.

Deep within the underground palace, fireworks resembling fiery foxes flickered. The young girl's black dress shimmered with a faint fiery glow, and the small yellow flower on its hem appeared even more enchanting.

Zhao Xiang'er said, "Of these six Destiny Locks, I can sever four for you. Whether you escape is up to you."

The old fox was puzzled. "You still can't kill me while I'm in this underground palace. If I get out of here, what will you use to kill me then?"

Zhao Xiang'er replied, "Shall we try?"

The old fox chuckled, "I couldn't ask for more. Little girl, when can you unlock these six chains for me?"

Zhao Xiang'er shook her head. "Only four of these chains have keys."

The old fox's eyes emerged from the flames, fixing on Zhao Xiang'er. "One from the Imperial Preceptor's Manor, one from the Shaman Lord's Palace, one from Qianyu Hall, and one from the Imperial Palace... Four keys are enough. With these four, I can release four of my divine souls. The remaining two, I'll sever myself once my four souls merge!"

Zhao Xiang'er smiled slightly. "So you knew all along? It seems you've indeed influenced the Zhao Kingdom these past years."

The old fox's figure within the flames grew clearer. Slowly emerging from the furnace that consumed half the underground palace, his form created an illusion of immense, towering height.

"Before my physical body was destroyed, I was, after all, a great demon who had entered the Fifth Path. You suppressed me within the Imperial City for a century; I can certainly offer some 'repayment'."

He narrowed his eyes, looking at Zhao Xiang'er with mockery. "You boldly claim to kill me; it can't be just for this reason, can it?"

Zhao Xiang'er smiled faintly. "Is this reason not enough?"

The old fox's form writhed in the furnace, its laughter laced with an inscrutable sarcasm. "Over the years, I may have killed many people unseen, but those were ultimately the lives of ants, hardly worth..."

The old fox's voice paused, then suddenly softened. "Could it be... you wish to become a saint?"

Zhao Xiang'er did not reply.

Within the roaring flames, a faint, wailing wind seemed to whisper. The old fox's voice undulated like flickering embers. "Before, I held some respect for your formidable youth. Now, it seems you are nothing but a hypocrite, merely trying to use me to cultivate your own saintly seed."

Zhao Xiang'er said, "I merely wish to borrow your blade to kill someone."

The old fox asked, "Kill whom?"

Zhao Xiang'er retrieved an imperial seal from her sleeve and laid it in her palm.

The old fox looked at the imperial seal, his expression trembling. The flame itself quivered with what seemed like an unbearable tremor.

"This is..."

"The National Seal, the first key from the Imperial Preceptor's Manor," Zhao Xiang'er interjected. "Once you swallow this key, you can release a wisp of your divine soul. However, the Imperial Preceptor's Manor is tied to the nation's destiny. If you were to do anything to harm that destiny after breaking free, the backlash against you would be a hundredfold, even a thousandfold."

The old fox looked at the National Seal, his expression wavering between surprise and doubt. "Even with just a wisp of my divine soul, I could kill you. What do you rely on?"

Zhao Xiang'er smiled faintly. "I represent the destiny of the Zhao Kingdom. Furthermore..."

She suddenly opened the umbrella she was holding. Hundreds of bamboo ribs unfurled the ancient, faintly reddish canopy. Now, reflecting the firelight, the umbrella's surface appeared even more vibrant.

In fact, from the moment he stepped into the underground palace, the old fox had noticed the umbrella in her hand. He had used his faint demonic thoughts to pierce through the furnace and perceive the umbrella, but had gained no insight.

Now, with the ancient umbrella open, the young girl stood beneath it. Her smile had faded, her expression serene, lending her an air of pure sanctity.

"This is the key to Qianyu Palace?" The old fox voiced his conjecture.

The young girl nodded. "Kill the Shaman Lord and devour the ancient scroll in his hand; you can then sever another lock. At that time, I will give you this umbrella."

The old fox said, "I know this umbrella might hold secrets, and perhaps a single wisp of my divine soul truly cannot harm you. But with three souls united, these fancy trinkets will be meaningless. I could kill you with a mere flick of a finger."

The young girl, holding her umbrella, walked seemingly unimpeded towards the furnace.

Bathed in the firelight, her figure appeared even more delicate and slender. Sparks danced beside her dark skirt. She seemed like a solitary figure gazing up at a colossal sun, as if a surging ocean of light might engulf her at any moment.

No sound broke the silence in the underground palace. The girl and the fox stared at each other quietly, as if each was confirming something within the other. This strange scene continued.

Amidst the pervasive light, the young girl's back, with her black dress fluttering, gradually overshadowed the surroundings, becoming increasingly distinct.

Gradually, all the flames' heat subsided. Through the crisscrossing black iron bars of the furnace, the young girl continued to gaze at the fire fox, then casually tossed the National Seal high into the air, throwing it into the furnace.

"Little girl, I'm almost afraid for you myself."

The voice erupted in maniacal laughter as a massive, dark figure burst from the flames, snatching the imperial seal in an instant.

"Don't be afraid. I'll collect your corpse."

The young girl pursed her lips and smiled, as charming and elegant as a flower hidden in a sleeve.

The black fox shadow extended its neck and swallowed the imperial seal whole. The brightly lit underground palace suddenly darkened. The sound of chains breaking rang in their ears. Before their eyes, a colossal body arched like a fish's back on the surface of the sea, making the furnace, which nearly reached the cavern's ceiling, seem minuscule in comparison.

A strong wind swept towards her, lifting the hair from the young girl's forehead and making her features appear even paler. The winds were like invisible blades. Countless dark shadows emerged from the flames, one after another, sweeping past the young girl's side, shoulder, and cheek, soaring backward.

They were wisps of divine soul that the old fox had broken free.

The young girl stood still, quietly holding her umbrella, unperturbed.

As the dark souls surged towards the wellhead, the aged voice spoke for the last time:

"Zhao Xiang'er, we will meet again."

The young girl turned and waved at him.

Behind her, the old fox, now considerably smaller, still watched her in silence.

"I'm very curious, what exactly do you intend to do?"

"A wisp of your divine soul has already been released. Since there's no more room for negotiation, why ask?" Zhao Xiang'er smiled sweetly.

The old fox was silent for a moment, then said, "Quite interesting."

Zhao Xiang'er turned her back, waved her hand at him, and said, "I still have things to do. I'll come back to speak with you later."

With that, the young girl slowly departed, holding her umbrella.

The old fox stared at her, its eyes suddenly erupting with blizzard-like killing intent. Zhao Xiang'er did not look back, simply continued on her way, eventually ascending another passage and disappearing from the old fox's sight.

The killing intent in the old fox's eyes slowly subsided.

Once Zhao Xiang'er confirmed that the old fox's demonic thoughts could no longer reach her, she immediately closed her umbrella and ran outwards at an incredibly fast pace.

This passage led to the well located in the Undying Forest.

While conversing with the old fox, she had appeared calm and unhurried, but how could she truly not be anxious? This was a life-and-death struggle truly etched into the fabric of time. Even by proceeding with utmost caution and leaving no room for error, she still lacked complete certainty, which is why she could not afford the slightest mistake.

As for the obstacles and mechanisms along the way, she had long since memorized them and they could not impede her in the slightest. Soon, she looked up and saw the light from the wellhead. A few drops of autumn rain landed between her brows. She leaped, scaling the well wall with agile movements, and in a few strides, she emerged from the wellhead. Then, she sprinted wildly in the direction opposite the Shaman Lord's Palace, which was towards Phoenix Roost Lake.

At that moment, Bloodfeather Lord had also plunged into the lake, fleeing towards the northern part of the Imperial City.

Zhao Xiang'er glanced at the lake's surface. The three small distant dots began to move slowly. A massive current of spiritual energy swept across Phoenix Roost Lake, and several tornadoes, carrying lake water, rose from nowhere. From afar, they resembled giant pythons raising their heads.

"Little Red, were you... trying to escape just now?"

Zhao Xiang'er averted her gaze, looking at the heavily scarred Bloodfeather Lord, and asked softly.

The young girl's seemingly gentle voice struck fear into Bloodfeather Lord's heart. He quickly replied, "Am I not here waiting to greet Your Highness?"

Zhao Xiang'er smiled. "Hmm, it seems you're still very clear about whose hands your life and death are truly in."

Bloodfeather Lord nodded repeatedly. "Does Your Highness even need to say more? Your subordinate harbors absolutely no disloyalty!"

Zhao Xiang'er sighed, then leaned down, staring at him. "You've committed countless evils, destroying cities and killing people. I should have made soup out of you long ago. But you've been quite diligent in delivering messages these past years. Now you're just a step away from freedom, and in the future, you might even get a chance to try and kill me. So, Little Red... please, don't be foolish next."

As Bloodfeather Lord listened to her barely audible words, the restriction within his body flared up, causing searing pain as if he were being cut by knives. He could only prostrate himself on the ground, begging Her Highness for mercy.

Zhao Xiang'er suddenly gripped the umbrella handle and pulled sharply.

With a clear, crisp sound, a soft light flashed before her—silvery bright yet understated, delicate and clear, as if she had merely drawn out a pool of pure water.

It was the sword concealed within the umbrella.

Bloodfeather Lord dared not harbor any rebellious thoughts and quickly cried out, "This humble servant has reformed himself over the years, diligently and conscientiously, without the slightest transgression! Without Your Highness's command, I would never leave the Imperial City without authorization!"

"Drawing a sword isn't to chop you. Are you so scared because you have a guilty conscience?" Zhao Xiang'er smiled faintly, tossing the ancient umbrella, now unsheathed, to Bloodfeather Lord. "Later, once that old fox kills the Shaman Lord and devours the ancient scroll, you will give him this umbrella, and he will let you go."

Bloodfeather Lord quickly caught the umbrella with his beak, carefully asking mentally, "That thing... what exactly is it?"

Zhao Xiang'er replied, "You don't need to know... Just do as I instruct, and don't entertain any other thoughts."

Bloodfeather Lord had followed her for many years, watching her transform from a young girl into a little devil. He always knew which words were spoken in jest and which were serious.

He immediately nodded, discarding the last vestiges of hope from his mind.

Zhao Xiang'er glanced at him, then turned and left.

"Your Highness, where are you going?"

"The Imperial Palace."

"The Imperial Palace is now heavily guarded. Nearly all the masters of the Zhao Kingdom's Imperial City are gathered there, making it extremely perilous. Shall this humble servant clear the path for Your Highness first?"

"No need."

Of course, when she went to the Imperial Palace, she wouldn't take the main route.

Soon, the old fox in the underground palace saw the young girl return. This time, however, she held no umbrella, only a sword as slender and bright as water.

This time, Zhao Xiang'er didn't even acknowledge him, running directly towards the passage leading to the Imperial Palace's well.

This was truly an unguarded path.

Meanwhile, a major change was also unfolding in the Imperial Palace.