Chapter 125: The Decision

"Feng Nuan, your brother has failed you!" Feng Xing held Feng Nuan in his arms and wept bitterly, his heart torn asunder, tears streaming down his face.

The man who had always been iron-willed and unyielding suddenly found his formidable defenses shattered. Even in his rare moments of laughter, he had never shown such vulnerability, but now he could not suppress the burning tears that welled up, pouring forth like a breached levee or a thunderclap at dawn.

Liu Li’s eyes grew sore and red, and he sighed heavily. "Feng Xing, this is all my fault!"

Watching this scene, Bai Yu felt both joy and urgency. Feng Nuan’s life was clearly of paramount importance, and now she had the leverage to goad Feng Xing into heading toward the Blue Lake.

"Don't just sit here lamenting! Why not try the Blue Lake? Didn't you also want to venture into the Heavenly Mountains a while ago? General Feng Xing, you have even been to the Heavenly Mountains yourself, haven't you?"

Bai Yu smiled to herself, thinking: Go ahead and try. Perhaps those beings in the Snow Bamboo Realm will help you!

Feng Xing held Feng Nuan, tears still flowing. "Not to mention whether the disciples of the Heavenly Mountains even remember me, even if they did, none would deign to help. Those who cultivate the Way are pure of heart and desireless; they have no ties to me. Who would help me selflessly?"

"Don't you know a few of them? You could certainly ask for their help! Those people are truly kind and generous, and each possesses profound cultivation. I believe that if they were willing, descending to the Blue Lake and saving one person would not be difficult!"

Feng Xing shook his head. "But I cannot accept such generous help that could lead to death or injury!"

Bai Yu paused, her expression darkening. She thought to herself: I did not expect you to be so rational and upright. It seems I must put in more effort! If you do not go to the Blue Lake, how will my scheme succeed? When will my hatred be extinguished?

"Everything depends on destiny; nothing is certain. Perhaps she might exhaust her cultivation and vanish into smoke to save her, or perhaps she might only lose a portion of her spiritual power. After all, there are few precedents for the Blue Lake purifying the mortal realm. If you are willing to watch your sister suffer and fade away, then, by all means, do not go!"

Feng Xing stood rooted to the spot, lost and dazed, staring at Feng Nuan in his arms as he wept.

A faint light flickered in Bai Yu’s palm, instantly transforming into a wisp of thin smoke that slowly coiled around the group.

As the Soul-Binding Smoke dispersed, Feng Xing’s tears ceased, a new resolve took hold of Liu Li, and He Yu let go of her obsessions.

"Feng Xing, stand up!"

Liu Li pulled Feng Xing to his feet and handed him a palace exit token.

"Your Majesty!"

"If you cannot decide, then I shall decide for you! Consider this an imperial decree: you must take Feng Nuan and try!"

"I..."

Seeing this, He Yu also set aside her anger and gently persuaded Feng Xing, "Feng Nuan is still young; how could you bear to let her leave? You will only know if it is possible by trying, and then there will be no regrets. If a master is truly willing to give everything to help, it will be your great fortune, which you can repay for lifetimes to come!"

Feng Xing nodded and bowed to Liu Li. "Your Majesty, I have failed you. Though I wish to support you with all my heart, I always seem to bring more trouble. Thank you for never growing weary of me and for always being considerate of my feelings. From this day forward, I pledge my life to follow you!"

"Stand up! Kindness and loyalty are mutual. I, too, must thank you for your sincerity. I accept your heart, but you must depart immediately. I have important matters to attend to and cannot accompany you."

After Feng Xing left with Feng Nuan, Bai Yu said to Liu Li, "My business is mostly settled. Tonight, I will enter the Second Prince’s dream and give him this bead. However, you must all act your parts well and leave no flaws!"

Liu Li rubbed his forehead, feeling a sense of numbness, and replied softly, "That goes without saying."

Bai Yu glanced at Liu Li, feeling a flicker of doubt: My magic causes no harm; it merely shifts one’s thoughts. No one else has reacted this way, so why does he feel such resistance and discomfort? No matter, I must be off!

"Wait!" He Yu suddenly recalled something and hurriedly said, "While you can enter dreams to investigate and warn the Second Prince, it is not wise to give him the bead directly. After all, it is a dream; if he wakes up and finds the bead, it will seem suspicious and unreal!"

Bai Yu smiled. "Do you have a better idea?"

"You can enter Liu Zhong’s dream, tell him the bead is precious, and guide him to find and steal it. That way, it will be natural and realistic. He will not speak of it to others but will hide it carefully. If someone investigates, they will not see that the bead is fake, nor will they notice any strange behavior from him..."

Bai Yu smiled with satisfaction and said with a lilt, "As expected of a woman in the inner palace, your craftiness is impressive!"

He Yu froze, glanced quietly at Liu Li, and replied awkwardly, "It is merely caution, nothing more!"

Seeing this, Liu Li came to He Yu’s defense. "This matter should indeed be handled with caution. A combination of your two ideas is perfect. After nightfall, I will have Gao Hai hide the bead in the garden so the Second Prince will discover it naturally. As for the dream, I leave that to you, my lady!"

"Easily done! This matter does not seem too difficult after all; it truly is better to pool our wisdom!" Bai Yu smiled and deliberately looked at He Yu for a moment longer, thinking: This woman is quite something—smarter than my senior sister, yet trapped by her own infatuation. She is a kindred spirit! It is a pity she is so arrogant; otherwise, we might have gotten along well.

Night fell, the sky filled with twinkling stars, two red ones occasionally flashing in the distance.

With the gentle breeze, the fragrance of flowers, and the pleasant moonlight, it was the perfect time for action.

Liu Li handed the jade pendant he had meticulously crafted to Gao Hai and whispered, "Later, sneak out and bury it under the second willow tree by the Blue Bird Lake."

Gao Hai took the box, examined the jade pendant, and asked in surprise, "Your Majesty, why hide such an important item there? If you need to hide it, you could just keep it in the palace!"

Liu Li smiled gently. "I don't want it anymore. Looking at it makes me feel uneasy. Why?"

"Oh? Is that so?" Gao Hai scrutinized Liu Li’s expression and lamented, "Your Majesty, were you heartbroken by that young lady? I didn't even notice when she arrived! Why do you dislike this pendant and the bead now? Both were your most cherished treasures. How can you bear to bury them?"

Liu Li could not help but chuckle. "You think too much! Haven't you always been oblivious to such matters? Why the sudden enlightenment? Have you met a woman you love? You’ve grown quite bold, daring to question and speculate about me—are you bullying me because I have no real power?"

Gao Hai was deeply embarrassed. "Your Majesty, please forgive me for my loose tongue! It’s just that seeing this pendant and the divine bead, I couldn't help but feel... it’s a pity."

"Even you can't tell?" Liu Li smiled with satisfaction. "It’s a fake! My real bead glows if it moves more than a meter away from me, but this one doesn't! It is meant to deceive others."

"Really? That’s amazing! So you are carrying the real divine bead with you?"

Liu Li nodded and pulled out his folding fan. "My bead is inside this fan. The fan itself is quite magical and perfect for storing it! As long as I keep the fan with me, the crisis is averted. Who knows, perhaps the divine bead might even bring some benefits to the fan!"

"I see! But how did you remove the bead? It looked perfectly embedded, with no gap to pry it out!"

"What do you think?"

Gao Hai thought for a moment and teased, "Did that young lady come down the mountain to help you? How are things between you two at the Jianqiu Pavilion? Has the bitterness of longing finally been resolved?"

"What are you talking about? She... she didn't come." Liu Li gazed at his folding fan, a long-lingering disappointment and sorrow appearing on his face, which then slowly dissolved into contemplation.

Gao Hai remained silent for a long time, not daring to say another word until Liu Li’s expression returned to normal.

"Your Majesty! I will go with the pendant now!" Gao Hai took two steps back. Seeing no reaction from Liu Li, he couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid the Second Prince will destroy this pendant? It is the only thing the late Emperor left you!"

Liu Li smiled faintly. "This pendant is also fake. Well? Do you admire my craftsmanship?"

Gao Hai looked at the pendant in horror, then looked at Liu Li with extreme admiration. "Your Majesty, your hands are truly skillful!"

"Once this set is placed there, someone will surely come to steal it, but they won't dare to take the pendant! Once that happens, you retrieve the pendant, and I will carve it some more and give it to you!"

Gao Hai was startled, then beamed with joy. "Your Majesty, why are you thinking of giving me a gift? This is the first time I've ever owned such fine Hetian jade!"

Liu Li offered a mischievous smile and said earnestly, "Everything has a price, you know!"

"What price?"

"If you place it there and someone steals it, and it happens to be my treasure, do you think I won't punish you?"

Gao Hai suddenly realized and laughed. "Then how does Your Majesty plan to punish me?"