Inside a magnificent and opulent palace, the curtains of the bedchamber stirred despite the still air.
Qin Changqing suddenly jolted upright from the bed!
His chest rose and fell violently as he gasped for breath, each inhale rough and unsteady. His handsome face was already soaked in sweat, beads sliding down his cheeks and dripping to the floor one after another.
He clutched tightly at his collar, fingers trembling, as memories from two lifetimes surged through his mind like a raging tide.
“I am… Qin Changqing?”
“Your Highness, you’re awake? This servant will go summon the royal physician immediately!” The young maid kneeling by the bed spoke through tears as she struggled to stand.
“Wait!” Qin Changqing grabbed her wrist in a flash, his grip so tight that his nails nearly pierced her delicate skin. He stared at her, voice low but urgent, “You are… Qiutang?”
The maid nodded frantically, frightened by his intensity. The jade bracelet on her wrist struck the edge of the bed and shattered into two pieces, falling onto the ground.
Qin Changqing stared at the broken fragments scattered across the floor. At that moment, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished.
This was no dream.
He had actually transmigrated… into the cannon fodder villain who was destined to die at the very beginning of Ninefold Love Tribulations.
“This…”
His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
“I… wasn’t I playing a game? How did I suddenly transmigrate? And of all things, into a character who doesn’t even survive a few seconds?”
He had played this game countless times, clearing it over a dozen runs.
Qin Changqing, this cannon fodder villain, always died at the very start. Every single time.
“Good heavens! Even if you didn’t let me become some invincible chosen one, at least give me a ‘don’t bully the poor youth’ kind of script, right?”
“I… I don’t even have a chance to lie low and grow stronger!”
He forced himself to calm down, suppressing the storm raging in his mind, and glanced around the room.
Suddenly, a burst of noise drifted in from outside the palace.
Qin Changqing looked at the maid, who was already crying so hard her face resembled pear blossoms in the rain. His expression softened slightly as he said gently, “Go outside and see what’s happening. At this hour, why is the palace so noisy?”
“Yes, Your Highness!” The maid hurriedly stood and ran out.
Qin Changqing stepped barefoot onto the cold floor, the chill seeping into his skin. He slowly walked to the window and suddenly pushed it open.
The moonlight was bright and clear. A faint breeze brushed against his face, bringing a refreshing coolness that instantly cleared his muddled thoughts.
Under the moonlight, a figure streaked in like a white rainbow, arriving silently!
A longsword radiating a chilling aura was instantly pressed against his neck.
He could clearly feel the icy coldness emanating from the blade.
“Don’t speak!”
“Your Highness, take me to the Royal Medical Institute to obtain a thousand-year blood ginseng, or…” A cold jade-like hand wrapped around his neck, and the woman’s voice was distant and ethereal.
“If you dare call for help, this will be the moment you die!”
Out of the corner of his eye, Qin Changqing caught sight of the snow-white sword. His heartbeat surged, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, “An assassin?”
“You are… Luo Qingyi?”
…
Half an hour earlier.
“Assassin! Protect His Majesty!”
A sharp cry pierced the night sky, throwing the entire royal palace into chaos.
Shouts rang out everywhere. Panic spread as palace maids and eunuchs trembled, hiding to the sides. The royal guards rushed about, searching frantically for the assassin.
For hundreds of years since the founding of the Qin Empire, never had an assassin been so audacious as to sneak into the palace on New Year’s Eve to attempt an assassination.
Tonight should have been filled with joy and celebration. The entire palace had been busy welcoming the new year.
The emperor had even hosted a grand banquet, inviting all officials and princes to celebrate the occasion.
The feast was in full swing, and the princes appeared to be chatting cheerfully.
Though beneath the surface, their relationships were tense, filled with open and hidden struggles, they still maintained a façade of harmony for the emperor’s sake.
In the royal family, acting was a necessary skill.
The eldest prince slowly stood, raising his wine cup with both hands. A proper smile spread across his face as he spoke loudly, “Your son wishes Father Emperor boundless longevity. May our Qin Empire prosper, flourish, and enjoy peace and stability!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he tilted his head back and drained the wine in one gulp.
His gaze swept across the emperor and the other princes, a hint of pride in his tone. “Upon hearing that Father Emperor would host this banquet, I specially invited the renowned Master Lin of the capital to perform a piece and add to the enjoyment.”
“Could it be… that Lin Wan’er?” A slightly excited voice rang out. It was the seventh prince.
“Indeed.” The eldest prince smiled faintly. Seeing the seventh prince’s delighted expression, he felt quite satisfied and nodded with a touch of pride.
“Haha, Royal Brother truly has great taste!” The seventh prince couldn’t hide his excitement, his voice filled with admiration.
The seventh prince was fond of literature and poetry, often associating with scholars and refined talents in the capital.
He had long heard of Lin Wan’er. This young woman, widely recognized as a master of music, was deeply admired by scholars and elites alike.
At that moment, the fourth prince also stood, unwilling to be outdone. In a steady tone, he said, “Father Emperor, your son has also prepared a performance of song and dance. Everything is ready. May they enter and add to the festivities?”
“Oh? Fourth, you’ve put in effort as well. Let them come in.” The emperor nodded slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
Usually, these sons were constantly competing against each other, yet today they all went to great lengths to please him. It brought him a rare sense of comfort.
“Yes, Father Emperor.” The fourth prince smiled faintly and clapped his hands lightly.
Following his signal, a group of women dressed in vibrant dance attire slowly entered the hall.
Music began to play. The dancers moved gracefully, their figures as light as butterflies, their steps elegant and flowing, dazzling to behold.
Especially the woman in the center. Her hair was styled in an elaborate bun, and she wore a red dance dress. Though a veil covered her face, it could not hide her stunning presence. Instantly, she drew everyone’s gaze.
Seeing the emperor’s eyes fixed on the red-clad dancer, the fourth prince raised his voice and said, “You, why aren’t you pouring wine for Father Emperor?”
Hearing this, the red-clad dancer halted her movements. She picked up a wine pot and walked slowly toward the emperor.
Just as she tilted the pot, the wine about to fill the cup…
A flash of cold light suddenly appeared in her hand. A dagger emerged, stabbing straight toward the emperor’s chest!
“Assassin!”
The entire hall cried out, but it was already too late to stop her.
“Clang!” A crisp sound rang out as the dagger was deflected.
It was said that the royal family possessed a treasure garment made of cold iron, impervious to blades and spears. Below the Golden Core Realm, no one could pierce it.
However, the red-clad dancer was an Innate Realm expert. Though she failed to pierce the armor, the force of her full-power strike still sent the emperor flying backward.
Despite being knocked back, the emperor reacted swiftly. While still midair, he unleashed a powerful palm strike.
Only then did everyone realize that the emperor’s cultivation had already reached the Profound Realm!
Rumors had claimed he had barely reached the Innate Realm with the help of pills. Now it seemed that had merely been a smokescreen to deceive others.
Though the strike was made in haste, its power was still terrifying. The red-clad dancer was blasted out of the hall, her figure vanishing into the night.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. The people in the hall had yet to fully react.
When they finally came to their senses, everyone rushed toward the emperor, while the princes surrounded him anxiously to check his condition.
Though the emperor appeared somewhat disheveled, he was unharmed.
After all, he was a Profound Realm expert, while the assassin was only at the Innate Realm. The gap in their realms was not something easily overcome.
“What are you all standing there for? Go capture the assassin at once!” The emperor roared in fury, his voice shaking the entire hall.
The eldest prince hurried in from outside, his expression grave. “Father Emperor, the assassin has escaped. Your son will immediately command the royal guards to conduct a full search!”
The emperor waved his hand, his tone cold. “You must capture her!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The eldest prince accepted the order and turned to leave. Before exiting, he cast a meaningful glance at the fourth prince in the distance.
A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips, as if silently saying, “You’re finished.”
…
Inside Qin Changqing’s bedchamber.
He stared intently at the sword in the assassin’s hand, memories from his previous life surging through his mind.
This was the sword “Shattered Jade,” belonging to the “Cold Jade Fairy,” Luo Qingyi.
In the game, she was supposed to be rescued by the protagonist three months later, becoming his strongest early ally. Through countless life-and-death situations, the two gradually developed feelings for each other.
So why was she here, in the royal palace?
Could it be that his transmigration had altered the original timeline?
No, that couldn’t be right. He had just arrived and hadn’t done anything yet.
Qin Changqing gazed at Luo Qingyi’s face. Though slightly pale, it was still exquisitely beautiful to the point of suffocation.
Even the finest game models could never replicate such breathtaking beauty.
He took a deep breath, calming his thoughts, and said gently, “Miss, there’s no need to act rashly. Everything can be discussed. Why not lower your sword, and we can talk it through?”
At that moment, a series of hurried footsteps echoed outside. Clearly, the pursuers had arrived.
Qin Changqing listened carefully, then lowered his voice and said, “Judging by the commotion, the search party will be here any moment. If you don’t mind, you can follow me and hide for now.”
Luo Qingyi’s sword remained steady, the tip pressed against his back as she followed him slowly into the inner chamber.
He could feel a faint tremor from behind her grip. It was likely due to her injuries.
This delicate yet stubborn demeanor strangely carried a fragile beauty, like a battle-worn fairy from his past life, stirring a sense of pity.
“If I’m not mistaken, you are Luo Qingyi, the one known in the martial world as the Cold Jade Fairy?” Qin Changqing probed.
“Did you come here to obtain the thousand-year blood ginseng to relieve the cold poison within your body?”
Luo Qingyi’s heart trembled slightly, but her face remained expressionless, maintaining her signature coldness.
Seeing her silence, Qin Changqing was already mostly certain.
His tone turned sincere, yet carried a faint, irresistible temptation.
“As long as you agree to a small request from me, I will personally present the thousand-year blood ginseng to you.”