PDLP Chapter 493 Things have changed, people are gone, everything is over
Chapter 493 Things have changed, people are gone, everything is over
The flickering candlelight cast indistinct shadows on the dragon-carved pillars in the imperial study.
The emperor, unable to sleep through the long night, gently stroked the jade paperweight on the table with his fingertips.
The paperweight was carved into the shape of a coiled dragon, and the two rubies inlaid in the dragon's eyes had long since lost their luster, just like the fortune of this empire, which was being gradually eroded by the shadow of the demon race.
Outside the hall, the sound of iron boots pounding the ground grew louder as they approached.
The emperor looked up and saw that the Left Protector of the Demonic Sect had already stepped into the imperial study.
He was dressed in a dark gold scale armor, with a few drops of still-wet bloodstains on the armor. Although the smell of blood was not obvious, it still did not escape the emperor's sense of smell.
"Why is Your Majesty still not asleep today?" The Left Protector's voice was low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing on a rough wooden board.
He walked straight to the imperial desk, lightly tracing the memorials on it with his fingertips, and said disdainfully, "Why should Your Majesty bother with these trivial matters of mortals?"
The emperor smiled slightly, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes revealing the weariness of years: "Left Protector, you jest. In my daily life, I always have to attend to some mundane affairs for my people."
After the demonic calamity, the Great Xia Dynasty existed in name only. His position as emperor was merely a figurehead, and all power in his hands had long been stripped away.
Even whether a written decree could leave the Imperial Study depended on the whims of the Demonic Sect.
However, this drama of greed for wealth and glory must continue.
As he spoke, the emperor took out a jade thumb ring from his sleeve and gently pushed it to the table: "This thumb ring was made of warm jade that was presented as tribute from the South China Sea in the past. It is said to be able to warm and nourish the meridians and prolong life."
He gazed at the thumb ring, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes: "Left Protector, you have made great contributions. Consider this thumb ring a small token of my appreciation."
Upon hearing this, the Left Protector picked up the thumb ring and casually played with it.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the hall, and a member of the Demon Cult brought in a young eunuch.
The young eunuch held a brocade box in his hands, the lid half open, revealing a crystal-clear pill inside.
"Your Majesty, this is a newly concocted Heart-Nourishing Pill from the Imperial Medical Academy." The little eunuch's voice trembled. "Please... please be sure to take it on time."
His gaze darted away, avoiding direct eye contact with the emperor, clearly indicating that he understood the deeper meaning behind the elixir.
The emperor remained silent, simply sitting there quietly.
The Left Protector snatched the brocade box and slammed the pill down in front of the emperor, his eyes filled with threat: if the emperor refused to take it, he would "help" the emperor take the pill.
The emperor was used to these methods of control and coercion, but he still had to show some reluctance on the surface.
Under the supervision of the Left Protector, he reluctantly swallowed the pill.
After the Left Protector left, the Emperor slowly got up and walked to the window.
The moonlight, like water, shone on his slightly hunched back, adding to his loneliness.
He gazed at the palace walls in the distance, now occupied by demons; their magnificent eaves and upturned corners now appeared sinister and terrifying in the night.
A strange sense of anticipation welled up in his heart.
"It'll be soon...it'll be soon..." he murmured to himself.
After leaving the imperial study, the Left Protector casually tossed the warm jade thumb ring to his attendant and asked, "Where is the Right Protector?"
The attendant replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Left Protector, the Right Protector has gone to Wenxuan Pavilion."
"Oh, it's that time of two months for visiting again." The Left Protector gave a cryptic smile.
The moon was obscured by dark clouds; otherwise, tonight would have been a full moon night.
Ah Xing was dressed in a black robe, with black iron wrist guards tightly bound around his wrists, and the old wound on his wrists throbbed faintly in the night.
Beneath the Wenxuan Pavilion lies Green Bamboo's prison cell.
Ah Xing was stopped by the guard as soon as he approached.
The guard, clad in iron armor and wielding a long spear, carefully examined the documents in Ah Xing's hands. Only after confirming that everything was correct did he allow him to pass.
The Demonic Sect paid a heavy price to capture Lü Yun, and now their guard over her is exceptionally strict. Even though Ah Xing has now been promoted to Right Protector, he cannot approach this forbidden area at will.
"How is the Holy Maiden these days?" Ah Xing deliberately made his voice cold to maintain his authority.
The guard glanced at the dark palace and replied, "He still stares blankly at that oil lamp all day. Yesterday he even scratched the slave who brought him food."
As the mechanism was activated and the dungeon door opened, a chilling aura rushed out, causing Ah Xing to frown.
He stepped inside and saw the familiar figure in the green dress.
After her identity was exposed and the charity closed down, Lü Yun, with the secret help of the Night Guards, took advantage of the chaos to leave the capital and went to a distant place incognito.
However, fate was unkind, and she became embroiled in various conflicts, ultimately falling into the hands of the demonic cult.
Although she has now been crowned a "saint," she is confined to this dark and sunless dungeon, isolated from the world.
She hadn't done anything wrong, and it was only because the Demonic Sect threatened to massacre the city that she willingly showed herself and surrendered.
But now that she is a "holy woman," she is always implicated when people curse the evil cult.
"That roast chicken from back then would have been better off being carried away by a dog!" Green Bamboo cursed viciously, her back to Ah Xing, her body bound by cold chains.
An oil lamp sat before her, the only light in the cell.
The dim light illuminated her haggard face, and her once bright eyes were now filled with anger.
The Demonic Sect didn't seem worried that she would try to kill herself. They knew that although Lü Yun was imprisoned, she still had concerns and resentment in her heart.
What Green Bamboo found tragic was that she truly didn't want to die, at least not just to die meaninglessly.
What if... she really comes back?
When Ah Xing heard Lü Yun's words, he couldn't help but think of the first time they met at the restaurant. It was the woman in front of him who stuffed a large bag of food into his hands, her eyes full of concern.
Back then, she was innocent and kind, a stark contrast to the cold, chained woman she is today.
He laughed and said, "The Holy Maiden is still as sharp-tongued as ever."
His voice was calm, as if he wasn't angry at all.
"Speak, what brings you here again?" Green Bamboo suddenly turned around, looking at the young man who was no longer a familiar face, and chuckled sarcastically, "Me, Alchemist Lu, and your master have all become stepping stones for your rise to power. Now you are the Right Protector of the Demonic Sect, aren't you satisfied?"
Who would have thought that the lovely Pine Forest Lodge would be ruined by a child?
He said at the time, "Because the evil cult is stronger."
Ah Xing's face instantly turned extremely gloomy. He wished he could grab Lü Yun's throat and make her stop talking.
Who doesn't want to be a hero? Who doesn't want to live an upright life? But he had no other way out!
In this world, if you don't climb up, you'll only be trampled underfoot!
Integrity? Can that feed you? Ah Xing has never forgotten his background as a beggar.
He took a deep breath, swallowed the words that could not be resolved by arguing, and said coldly, "I am here to inform you that the sect leader intends to use you for a marriage alliance."
Upon hearing this, Lü Yun's eyes widened. She never imagined that the Demonic Sect would actually want to "marry" her off.
A strong sense of humiliation and anger welled up in her heart.
Why? Whom should I marry?
When she met Ah Xing's eyes, she turned her head away in disgust.
He said that on purpose, hoping that I would ask him for help.
She absolutely refuses.
"Sister Lüyun, I..."
He suddenly whispered in her ear, his voice unusually gentle, rather than the deliberately feigned maturity and coldness.
But before he could say anything, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door.
Ah Xing's face instantly turned cold. He quickly stepped back and adopted his indifferent tone: "Do you know? Recently, three more remnants of the Ten Directions Forest have been wiped out. But that Ji Lingchuan is a tough nut to crack."
"Back then, when the Demonic Cult threatened to massacre the city, you showed up on your own and surrendered obediently. But what about him? This time, when our cult mobilized three thousand refugees to charge up the mountain, he didn't even blink, letting them die in front of him."
“Three thousand people, that’s enough for me to teach blood sacrifice a hundred times.” He said deliberately, word by word, “No wonder you’re Chu Lengyu’s senior brother, just like him, cold-blooded and ruthless.”
"Shut up! What right do you have to mention her!" Green Bamboo suddenly snapped, her eyes filled with resentment.
She reached out to grab Ah Xing, wanting to tear apart his despicable traitorous face.
However, the chains bound her tightly, and she couldn't even touch the hem of the other person's clothes.
The chains clanged, and calluses had long since formed on my wrists and ankles from the friction.
In a fit of rage, she overturned the tables, chairs, and even the oil lamp, smashing them against him: "Get out! Get out of here! Never show your face in front of me again!"
Seeing Lü Yun's frenzied state, Ah Xing left the dungeon dejectedly.
The Left Protector was hiding in the shadows, eavesdropping, and listening with great interest.
Seeing Ah Xing come out, he showed no embarrassment at being caught red-handed. Instead, he pointed outside, and the two left Wenxuan Pavilion one after the other.
The oil lamp fell to the ground and went out, plunging the dungeon into darkness.
Green Bamboo smashed everything in her hand, then silently shed tears in the darkness.
She was so foolish; she trusted Ah Xing so easily back then.
Fortunately, Senior Brother Ji has not been captured yet, and the friends in Wushan are still holding on. Night Guard took the princess to the north, so they can at least leave behind a spark of hope.
As for herself? If the Demonic Sect really wants to force her into a marriage alliance, then the other party must also be a person of high status. She wouldn't mind taking a few more people down with her before she dies.