When Xie Xun exited the Imperial Deity Temple, he saw Jiang Xiaoxiao sitting outside, stuffing a handful of snow into her mouth.
Xie Xun hurried over, pulling her hand away and knocking the snowball out of it. Frowning, he asked, "Why are you eating snow?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao replied, "I've got nothing better to do."
Xie Xun was at a loss for words and didn't know how to respond.
After pulling out a handkerchief to wipe Jiang Xiaoxiao's hands, Xie Xun glanced at Murong Yuan, who had just followed him out, and said with a smile, "We'll have to stay at the Palace of the Crown Prince for a few days while King Chu's Mansion is being tidied up."
Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't care where they stayed.
"Is your title King Chu?" she asked.
"Yes," Xie Xun replied, seeming somewhat distant. Chu Chu was his mother's pet name.
"Huh?" Jiang Xiaoxiao's voice brought Xie Xun back from his thoughts.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at him and exclaimed excitedly, "It's grown a little bit!"
She was being vague probably because she was aware Murong Yuan was listening. But Xie Xun understood immediately.
What Xiaoxiao was implying was that his dragon energy had grown a little. No wonder Murong Yuan had looked so uncomfortable in the temple earlier.
It seemed the Imperial Deity Temple had acted as a catalyst. In other words, whenever Murong Yuan was in front of the deity statue at the same time as Xie Xun, his dragon energy would be greatly affected.
In a gradually improving mood, Xie Xun carefully warmed Jiang Xiaoxiao's hand, then led her forward a few steps.
The sedan chair they had used earlier was still waiting outside the temple. The eunuch who carried it saw Xie Xun and Jiang Xiaoxiao walking away and hurriedly jogged to catch up. "Third... oh no, King Chu, we have prepared the sedan for you."
"No need, you can go back," Xie Xun dismissed him. It was still early, and he didn't want to return to the Palace of the Crown Prince just yet.
The eunuchs exchanged glances. They dared not disobey and carried the sedan chair away.
The snow had stopped, and the palace was buried under a layer of silent white. Snowflakes piled up on the tree branches.
Xie Xun remembered the way to the palace. He suddenly crouched down. "Xiaoxiao, get on. I'll carry you."
"Okay."
Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't know what Xie Xun was planning but obediently climbed onto his back.
After Xie Xun picked her up, his steps became heavier, leaving footprints in the snow with each stride.
"Xie Xun, do you have something to tell me?" Jiang Xiaoxiao asked.
Xie Xun nodded. "I think I've figured out why the person behind Murong Yuan didn't show up last time we entered the palace."
"Why?"
"I purposely tested Murong Yuan earlier, saying that I agreed to stay in the Palace of the Crown Prince temporarily, but I wanted a quiet courtyard, and I didn't want anyone to disturb us for the next three days."
"His reaction was subtle. I suspect that the person behind him knows your weakness and calculated the day we would enter the palace again."
"Today is the day of my enthronement, but it's also the night of the full moon."
Jiang Xiaoxiao understood. "So, that person wants to take advantage of my weakest moment to seal you for the second time?"
Xie Xun nodded. "It's very likely."
Jiang Xiaoxiao was silent for a moment.
"Will it be tricky?" Xie Xun asked.
"A bit," she replied.
Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was completely on a different wavelength than him, said, "The holes I've dug have only buried frogs, never people. I'm not sure how big a hole I need to dig for a person."
Xie Xun: "....You can dig as big as you like."
---
Not long after Murong Yuan returned, he couldn't help but vomit a mouthful of blood.
A man in a black robe happened to walk in, and seeing his disheveled appearance, squinted his old eyes, "What happened?"
"Master...," Murong Yuan lay on the warm couch, looking weak, "Something was off when Murong Xun was crowned king at the Imperial Deity Temple earlier."
The man in the black robe sat down cross-legged and used a spell to investigate.
As expected, the dragon energy within Murong Yuan fluctuated.
The man in the black robe frowned, "You should not have gone to the Imperial Deity Temple!"
Murong Yuan was defiant, "I just wanted him to see clearly that I am the chosen son recognized by the Emperor and embraced by the people of Yan Country."
"Nonsense!"
The man in the black robe was furious, "Don't you know where the dragon energy in your body comes from? Since this dragon energy can make the deity statue manifest, it means that the deity statue is not just a decoration. You dare to show off in front of the rightful owner, it's utterly foolish!"
Murong Yuan was full of regret, "I'm sorry, Master, I was wrong."
The man in the black robe took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve, "For now, take this medicine. When it's nightfall, I will take revenge for you."
Murong Yuan took the small porcelain bottle, his heart filled with hatred for Xie Xun, wishing he could be cut into a thousand pieces.
---
When Xie Xun returned to the Palace of the Crown Prince, Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was on his back, had already fallen asleep.
The servants of the palace took him to his newly arranged courtyard.
Xie Xun carefully laid Jiang Xiaoxiao flat on the bed and covered her with a quilt.
Looking at Jiang Xiaoxiao's peaceful and obedient sleeping face, Xie Xun's clear and handsome eyebrows relaxed.
He bent down, wanting to kiss her, but suddenly remembered that he had lost control one night and kissed her until she fainted.
Xie Xun had to give up the idea, sat up straight, and stayed in front of the bed.
---
Jiang Xiaoxiao woke up on time for dinner.
After the meal, she asked a servant for a shovel and dug a large hole in the flower bed.
Then she waited with Xie Xun.
She waited until it was nearly midnight, and then suppressed the spiritual power in her body to the initial stage.
A very weak state.
Murong Yuan sent a servant to knock on their door as a test.
"Prince Xun, the Crown Prince said you didn't eat much for dinner, so he sent me to bring you some supper."
Xie Xun's voice from inside the room was cold, "Didn't I say not to let anyone disturb us? Get out!"
After the maid returned, she reported the situation of the guest house to Murong Yuan.
"The doors and windows are all tightly closed, I couldn't see anything. Also, Prince Xun said not to let anyone disturb them, I broke the rule, and he was very angry."
After taking the medicine, Murong Yuan's complexion improved a lot. He laughed coldly when he heard the words and let the maid leave.
He then walked behind the screen and bowed to the man in the black robe, "It's almost certain now, that girl won't be able to use her power tonight. Master, we can proceed."
The man in the black robe hummed in approval and stood up.
Murong Yuan prepared to follow.
The man in the black robe said, "You can't see him until I've sealed Prince Xun."
Murong Yuan, thinking back to the events at the Imperial Deity Temple during the day, was still somewhat shaken. He nodded and said, "Alright, I'll wait for the good news from the teacher."
The man in the black robe moved swiftly, flying onto the roof, and soon arrived at the guest house by stepping on the roof tiles.
He was highly alert, not completely trusting the palace maid's words. Before descending, he first released his spiritual sense to investigate.
He confirmed that Jiang Xiaoxiao's spiritual power had become so weak that he could easily crush her with a single finger.
A sinister smile played at the corner of the black-robed man's mouth. He took out a spirit talisman he had prepared earlier, chanted a spell, and threw it toward the door that carried Jiang Xiaoxiao's aura.
The talisman stuck to the door, and after a burst of golden light, the faint aura of spiritual power inside disappeared completely.
The man in the black robe jumped off the roof and headed step by step towards the room where Xie Xun was.
With a wave of his hand, the door opened automatically.
The room was very quiet, Xie Xun had already fallen asleep.
In a flash, the black-robed man appeared in front of the bed, barely able to make out Xie Xun's profile in the dim snow light from the window.
He was only three years old when his dragon qi was taken away.
Fourteen years had passed, and he had grown so much.
However, regardless of who you are, if you dare to obstruct my plan, there will be only one consequence!
The black-robed man extended his hand, and a mass of dark mist condensed on his palm, hovering over Xie Xun's head.
Just as he was about to perform the sealing ceremony, a voice suddenly came from above.
"Old man, should you ask for my opinion before laying a finger on my people?"
The pupils of the black-robed man contracted sharply, and he looked up abruptly to see Jiang Xiaoxiao hanging upside down from the beam, holding a gleaming kitchen knife in her hand.
At this moment, that kitchen knife was hovering above his head.
The black-robed man was shocked.
This aura, it is clearly at its peak!
He had been tricked!
Just as he was about to retreat, Jiang Xiaoxiao performed a spiral flip, her feet landing solidly on the black-robed man's chest, and she landed steadily on the ground.
Without giving the black-robed man a chance to react, Jiang Xiaoxiao drew a symbol in mid-air. After a flash of golden light, all the doors and windows were sealed.
The lights in the room came on with a "pop".
Xie Xun, who had been pretending to sleep, slowly sat up, his gaze coldly fixed on the black-robed man.
The black-robed man had nowhere to retreat, his back against the door frame, looking at Jiang Xiaoxiao with a glare that was both sinister and sharp.
Jiang Xiaoxiao glanced at him, "I've always been curious about how you would permanently seal Xie Xun for the second time."
"Today I finally understand. You're using life essence to create a deadly seal. You're playing with fire. What are you trying to do?"
The black-robed man sneered, "Brat, I advise you, the Heavenly Master's Mansion does not get involved in court disputes. It's best not to meddle in King Chu's affairs, or you'll have to bear the consequences!"
"Uh-huh." Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded, "I definitely won't interfere in King Chu's affairs. I only care about my husband's affairs."
With that, she looked at the black-robed man, her tone very obedient, "You bullied my man, so I have no choice but to bury you."
