Chapter 116:

“Rebel.”

“Conspiracy.”

“Join the rebels and attack Daqian.”

The room was eerily quiet.

Wu Yingxue’s eyes were hollow, her voice hoarse, as she uttered words that left a heavy weight in the air.

She told Xu Xi about her journey after their separation. Alone, she had navigated the treacherous borderlands, hidden in the shadows, bypassed the guarded passes through secret paths, and successfully entered Daqian’s interior.

Unexpectedly, news about the palace had been easy to uncover.

The information was so shocking that it had spread across the thirteen states of Daqian like wildfire.

King Dingyuan, a third-realm innate warrior sent by Daqian to suppress a rebellion, had, after a brief confrontation, switched sides, joining the rebels and fighting against the empire.

“How is this possible…”

Wu Yingxue’s voice trembled with helplessness. “My father despised evil. How could he side with the rebels?”

To her, the rebels represented chaos and destruction.

Rebels waged war.

Rebels caused misery.

Rebels ruined lives.

These conclusions were deeply ingrained in her mind. She knew Daqian was not righteous, but she couldn’t sympathize with the rebels either.

Xu Xi, however, offered her a different perspective.

“Yingxue, have you ever considered this?” he asked.

“Hating evil and joining the rebels—these two things aren’t necessarily contradictory.”

The night outside was dark, with the bright moon concealed by heavy clouds.

In the candlelit room, Xu Xi held the “Primordial Energy Technique” in his hand, his eyes steady as he spoke to the bewildered girl.

“Yingxue, do you really know who the rebels are?”

The question hung in the air.

Rebels…

Wu Yingxue shook her head absentmindedly.

Were they high-ranking officials?

That didn’t seem likely.

Prominent martial artists or members of elite Taoist families typically held important positions within Daqian. Why would they rebel? Doing so would be akin to destroying their own foundation.

The truth was becoming clear.

“The so-called rebels are actually ordinary people,” Xu Xi said calmly, peeling away the layers of falsehoods Daqian had constructed. “They’re just… people who can’t survive.”

The taxes imposed by the Daqian court were crushing.

Many of the residents in Qingniu Town had become “criminals” simply because they couldn’t pay these exorbitant taxes and were exiled to the borders near the Ten Thousand Mountains.

So what happened to those who refused to pay and didn’t want to face exile?

“They rebel,” Xu Xi said softly. “The government calls it treason, but it’s born out of desperation.”

He addressed the girl’s turmoil, answering her unspoken questions.

Xu Xi had never met King Dingyuan, but he knew that someone in such a high position couldn’t have been ignorant of Daqian’s corruption.

Even if King Dingyuan was the upright, justice-driven warrior Wu Yingxue believed him to be, it was unlikely he would impulsively defect to the rebels.

“The situation must have been far worse than we imagine,” Xu Xi concluded. “So dire that even King Dingyuan could no longer bear it.”

Whoosh—

The cold night wind blew through the open windows, making the candlelight flicker and sending a chill through the room.

Wu Yingxue’s pale face grew even more ashen.

“Father…”

Tears spilled from her eyes before her voice broke.

Crystal-clear droplets streamed down her cheeks as she began to sob quietly.

The world felt sick to her.

Her father had clearly acted out of righteousness, yet he was branded a traitor by the Daqian court. Ordinary people simply wanted to survive, yet they were slaughtered by the empire’s army.

It was as if every corner of the world was riddled with contradictions and cruelty.

Wu Yingxue continued her story, recounting her later experiences.

Desperate to prove her father’s innocence, she had rushed to the imperial capital, only to find the palace in ruins.

Fleeing servants, scattered belongings—there wasn’t even an effort to confiscate the family’s property.

The once-bustling Dingyuan Palace was now silent, its doors stained with blood.

Her father, King Dingyuan, had been killed by a Daqian immortal, and her mother had been thrown into prison, where she took her own life with a peaceful smile.

At that moment, the young princess became utterly alone, losing both her parents and the family she cherished most.

In a daze, Wu Yingxue had fled Daqian, but her journey was fraught with danger. Discovered along the way, she had endured countless life-threatening situations, exhausting all the elixirs she carried. Gravely injured, she had finally made her way back to Qingniu Town.

This was how she had ended up in her current state.

The full story of the girl’s severe injuries was now clear.

“Rest well,” Xu Xi said, helping the girl sit upright. Once again, he infused her with internal energy to restore the flow of qi and blood in her body.

Afterward, he stood and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Unlike Xu Moli or Krisha, Wu Yingxue’s fate wasn’t tied to the Xu family.

She had her own principles, her own thoughts.

Xu Xi understood that what she needed now wasn’t comfort but solitude—a space to grieve and process.

That was all he could give her.

…

Splash.

As Xu Xi walked away, his steps splashed through puddles left by the rain.

The sound mingled with the faint cries coming from the room behind him until both became indistinguishable.

The heavy emotions she had suppressed during her escape finally erupted, breaking through her once-strong exterior.

In the quiet night, her uncontrollable sobs echoed throughout the courtyard, lingering for a long time.

…

[You learned about the secret passage from Wu Yingxue.]

[You now know the full details of Wu Yingxue’s experiences.]

[You are shocked by King Dingyuan’s actions and have gained a deeper understanding of Daqian’s internal instability.]

[Out of compassion, you leave the girl alone to grieve.]

[The girl cries until her voice turns hoarse.]

[She remains silent and refuses to leave her room for days.]

[Wu Yingxue stays locked away, her fiery temper gone. Her eyes are hollow, her face lifeless, as though she’s become a walking corpse.]

What gives life meaning?

This question has different answers for everyone—family, friends, ideals, or beliefs.

These precious things together create life’s purpose.

Having lost her parents, Wu Yingxue lost her will to live. Though she knew she shouldn’t succumb to despair, her sadness numbed her completely.

The Xu family didn’t interfere.

Xu Xi continued practicing martial arts and refining the “Primordial Energy Technique” as usual.

Day by day, Wu Yingxue remained lost, her spirit dimmed, and her energy gone.

Until one day, she noticed Xu Xi repeatedly practicing the simplest forms of the “Primordial Energy Technique.”

“Sir, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice weak and her lips pale.

Without hesitation, Xu Xi replied, “I’m trying to refine this technique into something suitable for everyone—something that doesn’t rely on talent or physique so that ordinary people can practice it.”

The girl stared at him, stunned.

“Are you planning to rebel?”