Daoist teachings emphasized “letting nature take its course,” and Su Xuanxuan had always viewed Ji Xuanyuan’s existence as the Holy Son’s Love Tribulation.
After passing this tribulation, the Holy Son would likely never show mercy to any woman again.
However, from the moment Ji Xuanyuan entered Xuanji City, Su Xuanxuan felt something was wrong.
According to the information provided by her magical treasure, this Crown Prince was not supposed to have stepped foot in Xuanji City at this point in time.
Furthermore, her [Time-Peering Orb] had gradually turned a blood-red color over the past few days.
This was a highly ominous sign, indicating that the Sacred Realm bloodline would face a great catastrophe in the future.
This was a phenomenon she had never seen in the 1,000 years she had controlled this treasure.
It was evident that this catastrophe would endanger the entire Sacred Realm.
Su Xuanxuan desperately wanted to activate the [Time-Peering Orb] to determine exactly what the disaster was.
However, since peering into the Heavenly Secret was a great taboo, she could only use it once every 50 years to avoid punishment from a Lightning Tribulation.
This was especially true for her, as a Demon Cultivator who was already fundamentally rejected by heaven and earth.
With several months left before she could use it again, Su Xuanxuan felt a sense of unease.
‘What exactly will happen in the future?’
Due to the schemes of enemies, it had been difficult enough for the Holy Lord to have an only son like Chu Yuan.
If anything happened to this only son, the Sacred Realm’s heritage would be completely severed.
Su Xuanxuan had to take this seriously.
In truth, she had a method akin to killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
The purpose of the [Time-Peering Orb] was to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune.
Su Xuanxuan could trigger a secret technique to deduce the true nature of this catastrophe that threatened the Sacred Realm.
The downside was that she would be unable to use it again for the next 1,000 years.
During that time, she would lose the ability to use the treasure to protect the Sacred Realm.
A period of 1,000 years was long enough for her to assist that child in ascending as the Holy Lord and facing an unknown end.
Su Xuanxuan unconsciously lowered her eyes.
She struggled internally over whether or not to use the secret technique.
The more she used the treasure, the more she felt the sheer number of variables in the world.
Rather than using the secret technique now and rendering the [Time-Peering Orb] useless for 1,000 years, she would rather endure for a few more months and make a decision once the treasure could be used normally.
With a wave of her jade-like arm, Su Xuanxuan pulled the [Time-Peering Orb] into her sleeve.
Looking toward Xuanji City, she murmured to herself, ‘This catastrophe is very likely related to that Successor of the Immortal Dynasty who suddenly entered the city!’
‘It seems I must find an opportunity to visit Xuanji City in the coming days.’
—
The next morning.
Xuanji City, Gu Manor, West Courtyard.
Ji Xuanyuan sat in the primary seat of the main hall. The tea in her cup had long since gone cold, but she seemed completely unaware.
Below the dais, Fang Henian, the City Lord of Xuanji City, was bowing as he delivered his report.
“Highness, the handover of the mines has been successfully completed. Initial assessments suggest the underground Spirit Veins are exceptionally pure…”
Fang Henian paused, glancing up at the person on the seat.
The young Crown Prince seemed… distracted today.
Ji Xuanyuan’s phoenix-like eyes were unfocused as she stared at the desk, lost in thought.
She had held the teacup for a long while without taking a single sip, and it was now freezing cold.
“…Highness?”
Ji Xuanyuan snapped back to reality and gave a faint, “Mm.”
Fang Henian exchanged a look with the civil official beside him and asked cautiously, “Does Your Highness… have something on your mind?”
Ji Xuanyuan frowned slightly.
Of course she had something on her mind.
She had tossed and turned all night, her mind filled with the image of Chu Yuan avoiding her.
She wanted to get close to him, but he kept hiding from her.
She didn’t know how to make him believe that her kindness wasn’t born of schemes and calculations!
But how could she speak of it?
Could she say that she, the grand Crown Prince, was losing sleep over a member of a branch family?
Could she say that despite her years of cultivation, her heart was in turmoil because of one person?
The sunlight was bright, yet the more Ji Xuanyuan thought about it, the more she felt a chill through her body.
It was a coldness carved into her very marrow from that rainy day 100 years ago in her past life—a chill that had never truly faded, and for which the sun never seemed to shine.
Ji Xuanyuan instinctively reached out to grasp the Heart-Warming Jade she had nurtured for hundreds of years, only to find her hand empty.
That jade, which had once left faint red marks on her palm, did not belong to her in this timeline.
The moment she realized this, a heavy, fragrant sigh escaped her lips.
Seeing the Crown Prince’s sorrowful expression, Fang Henian grew even more curious.
“Highness? If there truly is something troubling you, feel free to speak plainly. I am willing to share your burdens!”
Ji Xuanyuan hesitated.
Thinking that Fang Henian might actually be able to help since he was a man, she said guiltily, “I don’t have anything on my mind. It’s just… I have a friend… who has been troubled by something lately.”
*Cough, cough, cough!!!*
Hearing her say this, Fang Henian nearly choked on his own saliva. He quickly covered his mouth with his sleeve, coughing repeatedly.
The classic opening: “I have a friend…”
Anything that could make Her Highness resort to such a clumsy excuse was definitely a ‘big deal.’
This made Fang Henian even more curious about what it was.
Seeing his reaction, Ji Xuanyuan knit her brows. “City Lord Fang, are you… all right?”
As she spoke, she felt even more hesitant.
‘Has this City Lord… already realized I’m lying?’
At that thought, the tips of Ji Xuanyuan’s ears turned red.
“I’m fine!”
Fang Henian coughed for a good while before finally managing to suppress his urge to laugh. He bowed and said, “Please continue, Highness. I am all ears.”
Realizing she had no other choice, Ji Xuanyuan took a deep breath and continued, “That friend of mine… wants to be on good terms with someone. But that person seems wary of her and always avoids her on purpose. She doesn’t know how to make him… lower his guard.”
Fang Henian stroked his beard in thought and asked tentatively, “May I ask, Highness… did that friend and this person have a grievance previously?”
Ji Xuanyuan fell silent.
A grievance?
In her past life, she had pierced his heart with a sword. That grievance was beyond significant!
‘No! The Junior Brother of this life doesn’t know about that…’
‘But it’s true that he became wary of me because of the incident with the cushion yesterday.’
With that thought, Ji Xuanyuan gave a slight nod. “You could say… there is one.”
Fang Henian asked again, “Then, has Your Highness’s friend ever explained herself?”
Explain?
How could she explain?
Ji Xuanyuan shook her head. “There is no way to explain.”
Fang Henian looked thoughtful. “In that case, forcing an explanation might actually backfire. In my opinion, instead of speaking, it is better to simply take action.”
Ji Xuanyuan looked up. “Take action?”
Fang Henian nodded as he stroked his beard. “Precisely. Human hearts are made of flesh. If that person is wary of Your Highness’s friend, he must have been hurt before. Words are the most hollow of things—”
“Only through action can one’s true heart be seen over time. Highness, perhaps you should consider what that person lacks most right now? What does he want most? Providing help when it is most needed is worth more than a thousand words.”
Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes shifted slightly.
‘What does he lack most?’
‘What does my Junior Brother want most?’
‘Resources? Techniques? Or…’
Ji Xuanyuan’s gaze deepened.
Seeing that she seemed to understand, Fang Henian continued, “Highness, if I may be so bold as to ask, does that person have any difficulties? Or is there something he wants to do but cannot achieve?”
The more Ji Xuanyuan thought, the more lost she felt, and the more her heart ached.
Despite living two lives, she realized she didn’t even know what her Junior Brother’s hobbies were.
Even after his death in her past life, she had only learned of the hidden sacrifices he made for her through the scattered words of others.
The only thing she knew for sure was that her Junior Brother liked being by her side.
Whenever they traveled together, she could always catch a glimpse of him humming a little tune out of the corner of her eye, looking like a puppy wagging its tail.
Back then, he looked so happy, as if he possessed the entire world.
He was clearly a Holy Son of his generation, yet he was satisfied just to be near her.
And now that it was her turn to try and befriend him, she realized she had never actually understood what he truly wanted.
She wasn’t even entirely certain yet if this person named Chu Yuan was truly her Junior Brother.
Ji Xuanyuan gritted her teeth, her heart filled with self-reproach.
‘Why… why couldn’t I have tried to learn more about him back then?’