Chapter Thirty-Six: The Little Princess of the Jiang Dynasty

Huaize gradually began to lose ground. Beneath the cloak, a Heartburning Young Gu was hidden in his palm. No one knew what treasure Huaize used to obscure Little Rascal’s vision, but Jiang Jiu clearly sensed a sinister aura spreading from him and took a step back.

Shen Zhao suddenly launched an attack, hurling a folded paper toward Jiang Jiu, forcing her to dodge left. Huaize seized the opportunity, leaping forward and smashing the Heartburning Gu toward Jiang Jiu’s face. Once the Gu touched skin, it would burrow through, invade the body, and gnaw at the heart till death, incurable by any medicine.

Within the barrier, Jiang Ling and Jiang Che saw Huaize’s sneak attack and tried to warn her, only to realize Jiang Jiu had blocked their voices.

Jiang Hou, desperate, tried to gather spiritual energy—just a little, just enough to break the barrier. "Little Jiu, don’t!"

"Little sister! No, no, come back, little sister!"

Jiang Jiu dodged the paper; Huaize landed on the ground, seemingly anticipating what would follow.

Suddenly!

A blurry white figure rushed out, hands thrown up to shield Jiang Jiu.

"Don’t!"

[Master! It’s Shen Yue Ru!]

Jiang Jiu quickly caught the falling Shen Yue Ru. At the moment she touched the ground, the Heartburning Gu had already invaded her heart.

Shen Yue Ru lay in Jiang Jiu’s arms, clutching her chest, barely suppressing the pain:

"L...little Jiu... I came... to find you... Please... don’t be angry with me... alright? I never... didn’t want... to talk to you... it’s just... cough, cough!"

Blood streamed from the corners of her mouth, choking the words on her lips.

Jiang Jiu’s eyes brimmed with tears, voice trembling: "I know, I know everything. How could you be so foolish, coming out to shield me!"

Shen Yue Ru forced a smile, like a flower battered by the wind.

Just yesterday, Shen Zhao had brought a box containing the very Heartburning Gu, declaring someone wanted the royal Jiang family to taste the agony of burning hearts. She had spent the night poring over books, only to learn the Gu was incurable.

At dawn, everyone in the Shen family courtyard had been moved away to join Shen Zhao’s palace coup. Shen Yue Ru escaped pursuit by black-clad men, reached the palace hall, and hid in the rear chamber, witnessing everything.

"Little Jiu... I am... a sinner. This... life of mine... let me... return it... to you..."

Jiang Jiu wept uncontrollably, "Shen Yue Ru! Wake up! Please, wake up!"

[Little Rascal, is there any way to save her? Hurry, search! Please!]

[Sorry... Master, I... am powerless.]

"Ahhh!"

I am just an impostor, but I have feelings too! This pain drills into my heart, as if I were the dead Jiang Jiu at this moment. It turns out, after spending so much time together, one truly comes to accept her past, to rejoice and sorrow for her...

With swollen eyes, Jiang Jiu’s gaze burned red, "I will avenge you!"

A stream of spiritual energy transformed into water, tightly trapping Huaize, constricting like drowning—unable to breathe.

Shen Zhao, seeing Jiang Jiu enraged beyond reason, grew weak, attempting to flee. With a flick of her hand, Jiang Jiu summoned a drifting force that dragged Shen Zhao back from the hall entrance.

Expressionless, Jiang Jiu looked at Shen Zhao kneeling on the ground. "I almost forgot, there’s still... you..."

With those words, she passed sentence.

A power that could shake the heavens erupted from Jiang Jiu, ancient and eternal. Her black pupils held no emotion. Shen Zhao and the black-clad men behind him were instantly reduced to blood mist.

Everyone outside the hall witnessed the scene and collapsed in terror—thank heavens they were allies!

Jiang Jiu floated slowly to the water prison holding Huaize. "Tell me, how should I punish you?"

The Heartburning Gu is an ancient parasite, requiring the blood of over a thousand infants to cultivate.

This is forbidden by the heavens; violators are doomed.

"Shall I rip out your heart? Or cut out your lungs? But even that doesn’t satisfy my anger. You wanted to take revenge on Jiang? Then I’ll make you a slave to the Jiang people for life—unable to live, unable to die!"

An ancient curse, born of the heavens, formed a totem that branded Huaize’s neck.

Unless Jiang is destroyed, any harm Huaize brings to its people will rebound upon him. The oath is eternal.

Huaize will age, sicken, and suffer injuries, but never die. She would make him taste every agony the world has to offer.

It was the price for forging the Gu!

As thunder boomed, rain poured down.

The roof, shattered by spiritual energy, let several drops fall upon Jiang Jiu’s head. She felt a wave of weakness throughout her body; her spiritual energy seemed to dissipate, and she collapsed.

Without her spiritual power, the barrier broke.

Jiang Ling and Jiang Che rushed to support her.

The water prison holding Huaize cracked open.

Huaize, frenzied, grabbed a dagger from the ground and stabbed straight at the King of Jiang, only to be blocked by Jiang Ling’s hand.

Blood gushed from Jiang Ling’s palm—a wound the length of a finger, bleeding profusely.

Seeing the bleeding wound, Huaize suddenly clutched his splitting head; the curse had begun to take effect.

Jiang Jiu, recovering, gestured for Jiang Ling to pull off Huaize’s cloak.

Once the cloak was removed, the King of Jiang’s pupils widened in shock, "A person from Ziliao?!"

Huaize clutched his head, gritting his teeth. "So what!"

A cloak could deceive, but the tattoo on Huaize’s neck could not—it was the totem of Ziliao.

Jiang Ling grabbed a rope and bound Huaize.

Jiang Jiu stood, poured powder onto Jiang Ling’s hand, healing the wound. Huaize lowered his hand from his head.

"What does it matter if you’re from Ziliao? Ziliao itself was destroyed by you, Your Majesty..."

The King of Jiang’s lips moved, but any explanation was swallowed.

"Your Highness!"

Eunuch Lin’s voice drew Jiang Jiu’s attention.

She thought Lin was calling for herself or Jiang Ling and Jiang Che, but upon seeing the identical tattoo on Lin’s neck as Huaize’s, she instantly understood.