Blind and Bereft

Chapter 63 | Badblood Brothers

Within the rain, it was as if Zhanying had lost all his senses to sentiment. Had he really liked Bao Bao that much for him to say those words? In the palace where love was an impossibility, had he really held such worldly desires for her?

But his words that day were his. Amongst the countless maidens, he had lost his sense of reasoning because of her. After thinking through it, perhaps he would, for once, gamble in the game of love. Perhaps, his heart had been frozen for far too long that it was time for it to crack. And if he had to be honest, only she was a suitable choice to be his queen.

Besides he wanted to protect her. He was afraid that she would fall into Yihuai's palms and become a weapon against him. If he truly didn't love her, then why would he fear?

Zhanying didn't have time to ponder further. He didn't even have time to get angry at Jingrui for passing out on him when he was pouring his heart out for her.

The next day, the Heavenly Emperor requested his audience, and he had to obey the decree no matter how much he dreaded to.

He left the Floating Abyss Palace early that morning as he went to Yihuai's study hall. His heart was bleak, and any potential fire in it from the previous day extinguished. He returned to his adamant form, rid of all emotions. If Yihuai had requested an audience from him, it could only mean that he was giving him his last warning.

Yihuai's study hall was a castle in itself. Maids lined the path leading towards the towering door. The guards bowed at Zhanying before gesturing him inside.

Candles stacked up to form chandeliers, hanging like vines from the ceiling. Yihuai sat upon a large throne at the end of the hall. Pearl necklaces, diamond rings, and a golden crown adorned his body as he penetrated his gaze at Zhanying.

Zhanying walked up before him, and without looking at him straight, he saluted. "Your Majesty."

Yihuai held a wide smirk on his chiseled face as he shifted, clanking the silver and gold on his body. "Sit, little brother." He spat the word 'brother' as he gestured to Zhanying to sit.

Zhanying felt his way, stumbling as he took a seat on a guest table. "Why has Your Majesty requested for me?"

"I was thinking that you haven't reported to me ever since you returned from the Jade Dragon Mountain." His eyes gleamed as his voice darkened with rage. "You have had quite a leisure time at the Mountain, I assume?"

Zhanying took a deep breath and smiled. "Of course not. Your Majesty had sent me personally to obtain the fruit, how could I have leisure?" He summoned the Jade Fruit he had collected and waved it towards Yihuai. "Here is the Jade Fruit you had asked for."

Yihuai twirled the round Fruit in his palm. The glittering gold reflecting in his keen eyes. "Excellent." He put it down on the table before lifting his gaze. "I heard that the Phantom Lord is dead, is that so? And he also left you with a token. If it is not too much to ask, I'd like to have it."

Zhanying cocked his head to the side. He didn't know how Yihuai had heard of the internal affairs within the Jade Dragon Mountain. It was either that someone from the army successfully escaped the massacre or that he had a lucky guess. Zhanying sighed, knowing he couldn't give Yihuai the scroll nor reject the request.

With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Phantom Lord's emblem knife and tossed it towards Yihuai. "I have no use for it."

Yihuai caught it and examined it with a contented nod; he was always fond of collecting treasures. He grabbed a cup of tea that laid on his table and raised it towards Zhanying. "Excellent work, God of War. Have a toast with me."