Upon seeing this demoness, Suo Lun once again felt deep-seated hatred towards the Divine Dragon Temple and the Four Secret Continents.
Zhili had participated in assassinating Suo Lun and assassinating the king. In the end, he could not escape death. Even if he had not been captured by the Divine Dragon Temple, he would have died at Suo Lun’s hands, perishing under the laws of the Furious Wave Kingdom.
However, in every assassination attempt, Demon Continent Princess Yuanyuan had played an unspeakable role.
But who could do anything to her? Even though they clearly knew she had participated in assassinating the king, they still could not bring her to justice under the law.
Now, she had actually swaggered openly and brazenly into the royal city, into Suo Lun’s residence.
Whether it was the Demon Continent or the Hidden Continent, both had virtually become lawless lands within the entire human kingdom. This made Suo Lun especially furious.
And the chief culprit behind all of this was the Divine Dragon Temple, this mountain of sin looming over the human kingdoms.
Today’s Demon Continent Princess Yuanyuan was still devastatingly beautiful. Today, she was dressed exactly like Zhiyan.
Her white dress was like snow. Her stunningly beautiful face also appeared transcendent, like an immortal who did not partake in the mundane world.
Her beauty was second only to Zhiyan and Ji Xiuning, almost on par with theirs.
So this attire truly resembled a saintess of the Divine Dragon Temple. But only her eyes were filled with seductive charm, as if she was constantly flirting and enticing others at every moment.
In short, at this moment, the demoness Yuanyuan was half immortal, half harlot.
The sole purpose of her dressing this way was to mock Zhiyan.
“Zhiyan, I heard you were slept with by Suo Lun? From an immortal becoming a slut?” Yuanyuan smiled.
“You got the first half wrong. It was I who slept with Suo Lun.” Zhiyan said, “The second half is also wrong. I was never an immortal.”
Seeing Suo Lun’s undisguised disgust, Yuanyuan furrowed her brows and said in a delicate voice, “Suo Lun, my dear, why are you looking at me like this? I did try to kill you once, but didn’t you survive?”
Her tone completely dismissed the attempt to assassinate Suo Lun as nothing significant.
“You disgust me.” Suo Lun said coldly, then turned to Zhuang Zhixuan and said, “If you have something to say, say it quickly.”
Hearing the word “disgust” from Suo Lun, Yuanyuan said in a delicate voice, “Suo Lun, don’t think that just because you control the Furious Wave Kingdom and have become the ruler of a kingdom, you are any different in my eyes from the petty noble you were back then. Be careful. Don’t fall into my hands again.”
Hearing this demoness’s threat, Suo Lun narrowed his eyes, recalling A Shi Luo’s fate.
Among the Four Secret Continents, the Demon Continent was the darkest and most evil. One day, he would sweep through the Demon Continent, exterminate the Demon Venerable clan to the last member, and flay and dismember this demoness Yuanyuan before his very eyes.
Turingduo was already dead, and her case was closed. She was a vicious, selfish, pitiable woman. But the reason she had ended up being torn apart by chariots was largely because she had been driven to it by her father, Turingtuo. At the very least, she was not an inherently evil person.
But… this demoness Yuanyuan before him was an inherently evil villain.
She always stood above the human kingdoms, treating human lives like grass.
Since the law could not touch your Demon Continent, then Suo Lun would not use the law. One day, he would flay and dismember this woman before him, making her unable to live or die.
Perhaps that day would be rather distant, but one day Suo Lun would accomplish it.
“Darling, come home with me.” Yuanyuan beckoned towards Zhuang Zhixuan and said, “Don’t forget, you used to be my male pet. Why have you become so womanly now? I don’t like it.”
The moment these words were spoken, certain memories were instantly stirred up in Zhuang Zhixuan. Her body trembled violently, and her face turned deathly pale.
For a long time in the past, she had been dressed up as a man by Yuanyuan, forced to play games of fake phoenix with her.
For Zhuang Zhixuan, this was undoubtedly a dark memory too painful to recall.
Yuanyuan had been Zhuang Zhixuan’s master for over ten years.
And Suo Lun had only become Yuanyuan’s master for about a year.
Over the course of ten years, although Zhuang Zhixuan’s martial arts had grown countless times more powerful, her fear of Yuanyuan, even terror, had seeped deep into her bones.
Apart from fear, there was also obedience.
The previous Zhuang Zhixuan had never dared to defy Yuanyuan’s orders. That was why she had been forced to give her virginity to Suo Lun.
Because those who defied Yuanyuan’s commands met fates that were extremely terrible, unimaginably tragic, and could not even be described as unable to live or die.
When the demoness Yuanyuan saw that Zhuang Zhixuan had no reaction, her stunningly beautiful face instantly turned cold. “Did you hear me? This is an order. Come with me!”
Zhuang Zhixuan’s face was deathly pale, her delicate body trembling slightly. Her beautiful eyes turned towards Suo Lun.
“If you are unwilling to leave, no one can take you away.” Suo Lun said lightly.
Yuanyuan sneered coldly, “What, have you developed feelings from being slept with by Suo Lun? If you stay by his side any longer, you may only be walking the path of death. I came to save you out of old sentiments.”
Zhuang Zhixuan took a deep breath and said, “If that is the case, then I thank Princess Yuanyuan for her kindness. But I am doing very well by my master Suo Lun’s side, and I am unwilling to leave.”
Yuanyuan said, “You know, he has already become a thorn in the Divine Dragon Temple’s eye. His death is not far off. Are you still willing to stay by his side?”
Zhuang Zhixuan said, “If a person has no dignity, even if they are alive, they are merely walking corpses. If one has dignity, even if they die immediately, they will have no regrets.”
“Very well then.” The demoness Yuanyuan shrugged her shoulders and said, “You missed your chance yourself.”
Then, under the protection of several dozen Demon Continent experts, the demoness Yuanyuan withdrew from the princess’s residence.
Instantly, Zhuang Zhixuan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling that her entire back was already soaked through with sweat.
“Let’s return. The night has grown deep. It is time to sleep.” Suo Lun said.
“Yes!” Zhuang Zhixuan said.
After entering her room, she immediately prepared a large bucket of hot water, then stripped off her clothes and sat in the hot water. Only now did she feel her entire delicate body gradually regaining its warmth.
…
Just now, the demoness Yuanyuan had called Zhiyan a slut. Zhiyan immediately used facts to prove that Yuanyuan’s words were correct.
She once again tormented Suo Lun to the point where he could neither live nor die, until even his toes cramped.
Princess Zhiyan’s stunningly beautiful delicate body lay sprawled atop Suo Lun’s body. The two of them were still joined together.
Ever since she had been afflicted by the Fallen Dream, she had been filled with desire. Her body fragrance had also grown increasingly intense, almost catching up to A Shi Liren.
At this moment, because they had been thoroughly intimate for nearly an hour, the entire room was filled with her enchanting fragrance.
Suo Lun caressed her lovingly, unable to put her down. The curve was simply perfect, as delicate as porcelain, as white as if sculpted from snow.
“Husband, the baby is truly too adorable.” Zhiyan said, “We work so hard every day. Why is there still no movement in my belly?”
Suo Lun stroked Zhiyan’s lower abdomen and said, “You have only just freed yourself from the Divine Dragon Temple’s poisoning a few years ago. Your body needs time to recover. Have you noticed your ovulation?”
Zhiyan shook her head.
Suo Lun said, “Don’t worry. We will definitely have children, and not just one.”
Zhiyan said, “If there truly aren’t any, it doesn’t matter either. Baby Zhiyu is also of the Zhi bloodline. Having him inherit the throne would not be unacceptable.”
Suo Lun’s heart ached. He quickly embraced her and said seriously, “Rest assured, we will definitely have children. Absolutely more than one.”
“Mmm!” Zhiyan kissed Suo Lun. The two of them entwined their tongues, and Zhiyan was once again aroused.
Suo Lun shuddered in fright and quickly said, “Yan, can we discuss something? When we do that, can we be like normal men and women? Don’t use any spiritual techniques, don’t use any dragon power absorption!”
Zhiyan said tremblingly, “But… you also feel very comfortable.”
“It is very comfortable, but… half my soul is lost, half my little life is lost. It’s too ferocious.” Suo Lun trembled.
“Alright… alright.” Zhiyan verbally agreed very nicely.
But her dragon power absorption had already begun, and her spiritual technique was already on its way.
What was a spiritual technique? It was using spiritual energy to madly stimulate Suo Lun’s pituitary gland, causing an increase in hormone secretion. Then, within Suo Lun’s brain domain, it triggered countless illusions, incomparably real and frenzied, incomparably magnificent illusions, capable of completely arousing the deepest desires within the human body.
…
Half an hour later, Suo Lun felt as if his entire body no longer belonged to him. Even his soul had separated from his body, floating in the air above.
Zhiyan kissed Suo Lun’s face and said, “Husband, what do you think Yuanyuan meant?”
Suo Lun let his breathing settle and said, “She came to the royal city on business. The reason she came to our home to take Zhuang Zhixuan away was merely incidental.”
Zhiyan said, “Then what business did she come to the royal city for?”
Suo Lun pondered for a while, then shook his head, not knowing.
But no matter what business the Four Secret Continents had, it could not affect Suo Lun’s rectification of the court.
Now that Zhili was finished, Suo Lun had become the master of the Furious Wave Kingdom.
This meant that all the investments the Four Secret Continents had made in the Furious Wave Kingdom had gone down the drain. So they would certainly take some action.
But because the previous generations of kings had been relatively competent, the Divine Dragon Temple and the Four Secret Continents’ infiltration of the Furious Wave Kingdom was not too severe. They could stir up some trouble, but to say they could influence the Furious Wave Kingdom’s political situation was impossible.
Throughout the entire Furious Wave Kingdom, only Fire Worship City was completely controlled by the Divine Dragon Temple. The remaining nobles were all fence-sitters, swaying towards whichever side had greater power.
“Husband…” Princess Zhiyan raised her head, her tone serious. “Do we truly need to make things so stiff with the Divine Dragon Temple?”
Suo Lun knew she was referring to the matter of Fu’e.
Last night, Fu Lingxi had come to plead with Suo Lun. This could be considered half an olive branch extended by the Divine Dragon Temple.
If Suo Lun took the opportunity to step down, releasing Fu’e, then the relationship with the Divine Dragon Temple would naturally be eased.
But now, whether it was Zhiyan or Suo Lun, they were completely cut off from the Divine Dragon Temple, in an absolute cold war.
Suo Lun said, “Rest assured, now is not yet the time to fall out with the Divine Dragon Temple. I will have a sense of propriety. But you must remember, seek unity through struggle, and unity will survive. Seek unity through compromise, and unity will perish.”
Although the word “unity” was not quite appropriate when applied to the Divine Dragon Temple, the principle was the same.
Suo Lun said, “The moment we show the slightest retreat, the Divine Dragon Temple will surely press forward step by step. Zhili and the Divine Dragon Temple signed who knows how many unequal treaties, such as allowing the Temple Legion to expand fourfold, reaching a hundred thousand strong. And specifically designating half a province as a special ruling area for the Divine Dragon Temple. What if the Divine Dragon Temple comes to demand we honour these treaties?”
Princess Zhiyan nodded and said, “Very well, we will follow your plan. Let’s sleep.”
“Not going to wash?” Suo Lun said.
“I don’t want to wash, and I don’t want our bodies to separate.” Zhiyan said. Then her incomparably beautiful delicate body lay sprawled atop Suo Lun’s body, closed her beautiful eyes, and went to sleep.
…
The next morning, Suo Lun got up with a sore back and waist, entering the royal palace to handle political affairs.
Because she had Zhuang Zhixuan and Gao Yin’s protection, Zhiyan did not follow him into the royal palace. Instead, she remained at the princess’s residence.
The reason for doing this was also to dispel rumours, the rumours that the royal family was eager to discard Suo Lun once the birds were gone.
Two hours after Suo Lun left, a female warrior entered to report that Priest Yanping of the Divine Dragon Temple had come to visit.
Zhiyan thought, at this moment A Shi Liren was within the princess’s residence. And Yanping had once been A Shi Liren’s husband. Could he have come to see his so-called ex-wife?
Unexpectedly, Priest Yanping had actually come to visit Zhiyan, and with great fanfare at that.
“Yanping pays respects to Princess Zhiyan.” Yanping bowed meticulously towards Zhiyan.
He truly looked very ordinary, but his eyes were filled with wisdom and profound knowledge.
His face, his temperament, were truly like jade, filled with warmth and amiability, making one feel as if bathed in the spring breeze.
If he had not once revealed a fierce and sinister face at Liren’s residence, anyone would have thought this was a modest gentleman.
He and Fu Lingxi were known as the rising stars of the Divine Dragon Temple.
He was only in his thirties, yet he had already become one of the sixteen priests of the Divine Dragon Temple. His future prospects were completely immeasurable. It was not impossible that he might even ascend to the position of Holy Priest of the Furious Wave Kingdom.
In this relatively peaceful era, he had infiltrated the A Shi family for over ten years, exposing A Shi Luo as a Hell Knight. This was simply a heaven-shaking merit.
“Please sit!” Zhiyan said.
Yanping knelt respectfully opposite Zhiyan and said, “Zhili has committed monstrous crimes. There is no longer any suspense regarding Princess Zhiyan’s succession to the throne. I offer my congratulations to Your Highness.”
“Thank you.” Princess Zhiyan said.
Yanping said, “Holy Priest Ge Li has returned from the Flame Capital Temple. He has also brought greetings from Lord Ning Er to you.”
Holy Priest Ning Er, once Princess Zhiyan’s mentor.
“Thank you.” Zhiyan said.
Yanping said, “We can now clearly sense that your kingdom’s Regent Duke Suo Lun harbours obvious hostility towards our Divine Dragon Temple. This is extremely detrimental to the relationship between our two sides. Don’t you agree?”
Zhiyan said, “Whether it is I or my husband Lord Suo Lun, we both greatly value our relationship with the Divine Dragon Temple.”
Yanping said, “However, Lord Suo Lun actually captured Count Fu’e and subjected him to inhuman abuse. This behaviour is extremely unwise, simply outrageous. Don’t you agree?”
Zhiyan said, “But Count Fu’e did indeed commit unforgivable crimes.”
Yanping narrowed his eyes and said, “Princess, there is one matter that cannot be avoided. After you and Lord Suo Lun complete your wedding, His Majesty the King will immediately abdicate, and you will ascend the throne as king. But with your relationship with the Divine Dragon Temple in such a deadlock, who will perform your coronation?”
Princess Zhiyan furrowed her brows.
What did Yanping mean? Was the Divine Dragon Temple using the coronation ceremony to threaten her?
Yanping said, “For thousands of years, without the Divine Dragon Temple’s coronation, it means one has not received the Divine Dragon’s blessing. It means this throne is illegitimate, unrecognised. I presume Your Highness would not wish to see such an outcome.”
“What do you mean?” Zhiyan said coldly.
Yanping said, “Holy Priest Ge Li, Holy Priest Ning Er, and Grand Inquisitor Luo Ge are all willing to attend your enthronement ceremony. The Sky Temple is even willing to dispatch a Sky Priest to perform your coronation.”
The moment these words were spoken, Zhiying’s heart trembled.
King Zhibian’s coronation had merely been attended by a Holy Priest.
Only the monarchs of the Eastern Departure Kingdom and the Flame Empire had Sky Priests attend their enthronements.
Now Yanping was actually saying that a Sky Priest would perform her coronation. This was naturally supreme glory.
However, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Everything came with a price.
“What are the conditions?” Princess Zhiyan asked.
Yanping said, “Between the Divine Dragon Temple and Suo Lun, you can only choose one! If you wish to gain the Divine Dragon Temple’s support, then you must abandon Suo Lun!”
Abandon Suo Lun?!
Princess Zhiyan’s delicate body trembled violently!
…
Zhidu Temple!
It was still that familiar high tower, the same tower that had once imprisoned Zhiying and her child.
It was still this underground secret chamber, only now the prisoner had become Zhili!
He had fallen from a lofty Crown Prince of a kingdom to a prisoner.
He had been only an inch away from the throne. Unfortunately, everything had now become a dream!
Ji Xiuning, whose sense of justice was overflowing, was brimming with killing intent. She wanted to use Zhili’s possession of demon blood to stir up a monstrous case, to carry out a massive purge of the Divine Dragon Temple’s upper echelons.
She did not trust the entire Zhidu Temple at all. Therefore, the Temple Warriors guarding Zhili were all her direct subordinates from the Flame Capital Temple.
Ji Xiuning certainly knew that if she were the slightest bit negligent, Zhili would immediately be killed by someone!
Therefore, within this high tower imprisoning Zhili, over a hundred people inside and out were all trusted subordinates of Ji Xiuning and Huai Bingyi.
Ji Xiuning had already sent someone to the Flame Capital, asking her father, the Flame Emperor, to dispatch a squadron of Griffin Knights specifically to escort Zhili to the Flame Capital Temple for trial.
She didn’t even dare to travel by land, as that would be completely unable to withstand pursuit from the Hidden Continent and the Demon Continent.
Zhili had been imprisoned here for two days, and would soon be escorted to the Flame Capital.
During these two days, time had both dragged on like years and flown by like an arrow.
He felt incomparably painful, yet also incomparably liberated.
The pain was because he had nothing. The liberation was because he finally no longer needed to fight and struggle.
He drifted along in a daze, his mind not thinking about anything, eating when it was time to eat, sleeping when it was time to sleep.
At this moment, footsteps sounded on the stairs again. Someone had come to deliver food.
The one delivering food was a mute, extraordinarily ugly, his face covered with ferocious wounds, his tongue even shortened by a section.
As usual, this mute delivered simple food and a pot of wine, placing them before Zhili.
This food and wine had already been inspected countless times. This mute had also been searched who knows how many times. He could not carry any hidden notes.
After setting down the food and wine, this mute suddenly said in a low voice, “High Priest Nalu has already committed suicide. If you don’t want your wife and daughter to die unnatural deaths, you should know what to do.”
Zhili was horrified. The mute had actually spoken.
What was even more horrifying was that these Temple Warriors guarding Zhili seemed to have heard nothing at all. These were Temple Warriors that Ji Xiuning had brought from the Flame Capital.
“Wanting to live is difficult. Wanting to die is easy.” This mute said hoarsely.
Someone did not want him, Zhili, to live. They wanted him to commit suicide, threatening him with the lives of Fang Qingzhuo and his daughter.
“Here are chopsticks.” The mute handed Zhili the chopsticks. One of them was sharpened, perfectly suitable for suicide.
“You have half an hour.” The mute said, “Half an hour later, if you are not dead, your wife and daughter will die.”
Zhili looked at these Temple Warriors guarding him, then suddenly let out a strange laugh, “Hahaha… hahaha…”
After laughing for half a minute, Zhili nodded and said, “Rest assured, I know what I must do.”
The mute nodded and left the secret chamber.
Zhili ate with great relish, finishing the dishes and drinking the wine.
Yes, dying was easier than living.
Picking up that sharpened chopstick, it was indeed a fine tool for suicide!
“Fang Qingzhuo, take good care of our daughter!” Zhili muttered to himself, then fiercely stabbed the sharpened chopstick into his own head!