Chapter Seventy-One: Value

Liu Ru listened quietly.

This was the first time Su Ziye had chosen to lay bare his past and origins before her. If the Liu Ru of the past had not been worthy of such trust, then the Liu Ru of the present—after all she had experienced and chosen—had truly become Su Ziye's companion.

“I think I understand now,” Liu Ru said.

Su Ziye seemed to begin with a story long and ancient, yet all tales of the past pointed to the present. The seeds sown during the chaos of the Hundred Kings had at last sprouted, leading to an eruption that could no longer be contained.

“That’s how things stand,” Su Ziye smiled. “If I stay in the Empire, there’s no doubt I will die. But if I can escape, there’s still a sliver of hope.”

“Even so,” he sighed, “my uncle refuses to let go.”

“My father’s wounds and poison will ensure he doesn’t survive beyond this summer. According to the traditions left by our ancestors, the successor should be chosen from among the most outstanding of his children. The Empire once had a complete system of selection and competition, where candidates received different ranks and resources based on their performance, and only those with the highest rank—Rank One—were eligible for the throne.”

“With such a system, each ruler of Ster was always among the most exceptional.”

“But now, with the ancestors gone, my father’s strength is no match for the forces of darkness. Should my uncle inherit the throne, his first act will be to eliminate all rivals—my siblings, and above all, me.”

“To ensure this, he hired the world’s most notorious assassins. The power and influence behind Darkstar rivals that of a true empire. If I am to survive this hunt, my best refuge is Nightleaf Academy.”

Liu Ru nodded.

She had grasped the full scope of the matter.

In early winter of this year, Su Ziye chose to flee the Empire. His plan was to seek shelter at Nightleaf Academy, using it as a sanctuary. In his scheme, a decoy to divert attention was essential—only he had not prepared one.

Then, at a border town of the Empire, he encountered her, about to be beaten to death. Perhaps it was a whim that made him save her, and he began to train her as his shadow.

He spent nearly half a year for this purpose. Now, in June, with Nightleaf Academy’s three trials approaching, he brought her to see the results.

“How did Darkstar learn you were here?” Liu Ru asked.

“I leaked the information,” Su Ziye replied matter-of-factly.

“Why?”

“I wanted to set up a proper game, to test what I’ve learned and mastered,” Su Ziye looked at her. “Attack is the best defense. Once you prove your worth, people will offer you olive branches.”

“You’ve seen it. I now possess the Blade of Oblivion. With this artifact, I can defend myself even against Celestial-level experts. And Nightleaf City forbids such experts from acting with impunity.”

“Besides, I have many friends in Nightleaf City. The Star Lord you met is a long-term ally, and the Third Prince has always intrigued me. There’s also the interesting Carotes. If I secure their support in advance, I can prevent those monsters from coming to take my life themselves.”

Su Ziye spoke slowly, revealing more to Liu Ru than ever before. Only now did Liu Ru realize the enormity of the foes he faced.

“What benefit do you gain from all this?” she asked.

“The greatest benefit is that I can make the world remember my name,” Su Ziye said. “Already, many know there is a fugitive prince of Ster worth attention. Soon, I’ll bring them more surprises. In this world, if someone has enough value, more people will want him alive—whether it helps themselves or harms their enemies. The world is a vast web; no one can stand alone.”

“But that’s not the most important thing. Ultimately, this is my counterattack,” he continued, gazing ahead. “Even if I escape, all my relatives left in the Empire will die without suspense. The brother I tried so hard to save was murdered before my eyes by my beloved sister.”

“This world is already unpleasant enough. If I don’t do something, I might lose my mind.”

Liu Ru gazed at him in silence.

He had slain all the assassins sent by his uncle, delivering a resounding blow from afar. In the future, under the Academy’s protection, he would continue to grow—a thorn in the side of the future ruler of Ster.

He had proved his strength and brilliance.

“What about that girl?” Liu Ru asked.

On this journey, Liu Ru had met many different people, countless strong ones. Yet none were more unique than the silver-haired, golden-eyed girl.

“Is she very powerful?” Su Ziye laughed.

Though she nearly took his life tonight and killed one of his kin, Su Ziye could still smile when speaking of her.

Liu Ru could not understand.

“Her name is Xingxi. She’s my aunt’s daughter—my cousin,” Su Ziye explained. “But my aunt died when she was born, so we grew up together.”

“Grew up together?” Liu Ru looked at him.

She hadn’t seen any sign of that in their battle—there was nothing to suggest they shared a childhood.

“When she was very young, there was a twist of fate,” Su Ziye said lightly. “That year, our ancestor died, and she was sent as a gift to Darkstar.”

“From that day, we never met again.”

“Today was our first meeting. She’s even stronger than I imagined,” he continued. “Are you curious why she turned out like that?”

Liu Ru nodded.

Su Ziye looked at her: “Because she is a weapon.”