This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 156 Reunion with Murong Fenghua

"Young Master, we will certainly obey your orders."

"Since the Ling family army was withdrawn, we have become interdependent, sharing both glory and loss. As per the young master's order, the Ling family army will go through fire and water, even at the cost of our lives."

After Ling Feiyuan relayed Xiao Xingchen's words, those who had rushed in relinquished the initiative like a tidal wave, leaving Ling Feiyuan with no choice but to sigh helplessly.

"Gentlemen, I have already explained the stakes involved. He has given me three days, so there is no need to rush to conclusions. During these three days, we need to send people to thoroughly investigate Xiao Xingchen. We have been lying in wait until now, and this is the first time that someone has found our hideout. This is truly strange. Moreover, what he said is something that we have not yet investigated. I always feel that this person is as mysterious and unpredictable as a fog."

"Understood. I will immediately send people to thoroughly investigate him, and it will not delay the young master's affairs. But if it is found that what he said is true... what should we do?"

"Then cooperating with him is not out of the question. From another perspective, if he had designs on us, he wouldn't have come alone today. After all, the fact that we were able to find our way here means that our identities are hard to conceal."

The room fell silent for a moment. Ling Feiyuan's words were like a sharp sword, piercing straight into everyone's hearts and sending chills down their spines.

Putting everything else aside, the mere fact that one person came to their door already indicated their unfathomable strength, like a bottomless pool. Not to mention Xiao Xingchen's elusive and ghostly appearance.

Leaving Ling Feiyuan's residence, his sword imprint flashed, and he arrived at a pavilion like a light swallow.

To date, no one knows that his strength has been restored, so under the cover of night, he also wants to investigate the doubts in his heart, just like the Night Hawk.

There was nowhere else in front of this pavilion but the enormous imperial palace.

The towering walls, like a sharp blade, cleaved Yong'an into two worlds. He hesitated, wondering whether he should, like a warrior, venture into that unknown territory to find out who that person was.

By now, he had seen through it all. If Consort Xian could weave such a vast web of power as Huayu Tower without anyone noticing, then the late Empress, Consort Xian's greatest adversary, was no ordinary person either.

Connecting with Xiao Jianren's memories from his previous life, there were actually many doubts during their interactions, like countless stars. However, Xiao Jianren's perspective was like that of a frog at the bottom of a well, insufficient to understand the mysteries within. But now, it seems to him that the late Empress may have been even more secretive than the Consort Xian, like the endless night, making her unfathomable.

His heart felt like it was being gnawed by a million ants, with countless questions waiting for him to find the answers himself. However, the imperial palace was like a bottomless abyss, mysterious and unpredictable. He was not entirely confident, so he fell into endless hesitation about whether to risk entering the palace to see the emperor.

After much deliberation, he concealed his face like a chameleon. Xiao Xingchen remained imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, and even if he were discovered, he would have a perfect alibi.

With that thought, the sword imprint continued to flash like a shooting star, speeding towards the imperial palace. The road to the Cold Palace was as familiar to him as an old friend. The sword imprint had a distance limitation, but in his mind, the road to the Cold Palace clearly appeared, as if it were a vivid map.

His figure appeared and disappeared like a ghost on the wall, vanishing into the imperial palace in the blink of an eye.

Lengcui Garden was Murong Fenghua's residence, but also her place of imprisonment in the imperial palace.

Every night, she would be like a lonely nightingale, sitting on a branch, gazing at the sky and drinking and making merry.

Today, just like in the past, this place lives up to its name, as deserted as a corner forgotten by the world.

Although Emperor Wu had intended to send servants to attend to her, she ruthlessly drove them away.

Since it's imprisonment, it should look like imprisonment. The price of outwardly complying but inwardly disobeying is not something easily borne.

Since we've already chosen this path, what harm is there in having a few more maids?

As she gazed at the deep night sky, a hint of indescribable confusion in her eyes, her gaze suddenly shifted, then, as if drawn by a magnet, turned toward a corner of the Cold Palace.

A sword imprint appeared suddenly like lightning, and then a human figure appeared there like a phantom, replacing the sword imprint.

"Huh? What an exquisite technique for using sword seals!"

She couldn't help but gasp softly in amazement. With a light flip, like a butterfly in flight, she drifted from the branch to the ground and landed steadily under the tree.

This was the first time Xiao Xingchen had displayed the power of his sword in front of Murong Fenghua, so Murong Fenghua hesitated for a moment. She asked uncertainly, "It's rare for anyone to come to my quiet courtyard. May I ask who you are?"

Seeing Murong Fenghua dressed in fiery red, holding a wine pot lightly in her right hand, like a blooming red plum blossom, Xiao Xingchen was speechless and wondered to himself: Is this still the kind and gentle empress in Xiao Jianren's heart?

After standing there for a moment, Xiao Xingchen stopped hiding and sped out of the darkness like a shooting star. He quickly removed his mask and said loudly, "I told you, I would definitely come back to find you!"

"It's you?"

Murong Fenghua was utterly astonished, as if a boulder had been thrown into a calm lake. She rushed over, grabbed Xiao Xingchen tightly, and together they walked into the hall.

"Let's talk inside. There are many eyes and ears here, and it's easy for trouble to arise."

The main hall was empty except for a lonely bed, as if it were a corner forgotten by the world. The desolate atmosphere was quite fitting for the name "Cold Palace".

Perhaps because of Xiao Jianren, Xiao Xingchen felt no sense of unfamiliarity with this place. He lit the stove with ease, as if he already knew everything by heart.

Murong Fenghua gently closed the door, watching Xiao Xingchen skillfully search for firewood and light the stove. She did not urge him, but leisurely held the wine pot, like a lazy cat, sitting quietly on the bed, enjoying everything with peace of mind.

"I don't know how to address you."

As Xiao Xingchen lit the fire, an embarrassed expression appeared on her face.

"A name is merely a label; why should a cultivator be bound by such things? Now that you have come, have you decided how you intend to face me?"

Xiao Xingchen shook his head dejectedly.

"The Star Pill was already within reach, easily obtained, but the key figure has vanished without a trace, like a yellow crane. I have been searching for him to this day but have yet to find anything. Therefore, you will have to endure the pain of soul devouring for a while longer. I have never forgotten this matter."

"The pain of soul devouring is nothing more than a minor ailment, nothing to worry about. What I care more about is, who exactly are you? What is our connection? If you are willing to confide in me, I would be happy to have a long chat with you tonight."

Murong Fenghua tilted her head back and took a light sip, her eyes glancing, as lightly as a feather, at the nervous young man standing beside her. A faint smile, almost imperceptible to herself, appeared on her lips.

"Before that, I'd like to ask a question," Xiao Xingchen began.

"Tell me what you know, and I will tell you everything I know without reservation."

"Why did you imprison yourself in the deep palace? Who poisoned you with the soul-devouring poison?"

Murong Fenghua's tone carried a hint of barely perceptible disappointment as she spoke softly.

"Huh? You actually asked about that?"

Murong Fenghua looked slightly surprised, and said with a half-smile, "

"This question seems irrelevant to you and won't be of much help to you. I thought you would ask about the whereabouts of your mute wife?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xingchen was struck dumb. He jumped to his feet, his face instantly turning serious. He asked urgently, "Do you know where Daji went?"

"Calm down and don't be so impulsive. Young people should learn to keep their emotions in check so that they are less likely to be caught out."

Murong Fenghua gently raised her jade-like hand, gesturing for him to sit down. Her demeanor resembled that of a loving old mother comforting her child.

Xiao Xingchen took a deep breath, secretly rejoicing. It seemed that his trip tonight had not been in vain. Before coming, he had searched desperately in the sea of ​​memories. It was only when the pointer of his memories stopped on the late empress that he noticed the anomalies in Xiao Jianren's memories. Moreover, after their last meeting at the city gate, he was certain that the late empress in front of him was no ordinary person.

"I lost my composure. It's because I couldn't find any trace of them anywhere. I racked my brains but couldn't figure out who had the ability to take her away."

Xiao Xingchen sat back down like a deflated balloon, this time sitting upright and waiting for Murong Fenghua's answer as if facing a formidable enemy.

Murong Fenghua made no attempt to hide anything. Her gaze, sharp as a cold arrow, pierced Xiao Xingchen's face as she solemnly warned, "Are you sure you want to know? You are like a fledgling bird, not yet capable of touching certain things. When you don't know, those calamities may ignore you, but when you do, they will pounce on you like a hungry tiger. I think this is also Daji's intention; she doesn't want you to know too much."

"As for me, I will answer all your questions without reservation. But you will have to bear the consequences yourself. Are you sure you are prepared to face the crushing weight of karma?"

Xiao Xingchen remained silent; the matter had been discussed, and he needed to ask no further questions.

Based on the words spoken by the illusory figure of the Origin Pattern last time, and these words now, he had already clearly guessed some clues in his mind, which were nothing more than the Jade Capital Heaven.

But if he doesn't go looking for it, won't Yujingtian come to destroy him?

The answer is obviously no.

If that's the case, why should we be afraid of them?

"I want to know, please tell me where Daji is now?"

He asked with absolute certainty.