Xiao Zhaoning looked up and met his penetrating gaze, eyes that seemed capable of seeing straight through everything.
“Yes.” She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and leaned against the battered wooden frame that was all that remained of the door.
For some reason, she instinctively trusted the man standing before her.
Xie Heng used the sword in his hand to support himself, barely managing to stay upright. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips.
Xiao Zhaoning’s pupils contracted. Her fingers unconsciously formed a hand seal.
“You’ve been cursed.”
Xie Heng weakly raised his head. A flicker of surprise passed through his dark eyes.
The young girl suddenly stepped closer and placed her hand over his chest.
His gaze instantly turned cold.
How dare she!
Completely unaware of what was going through his mind, Xiao Zhaoning rubbed her eyes again. She suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him.
When she looked over, she saw countless ghostly figures surrounding him.
Their faces were twisted and horrifying, blood tears streaming from their eyes as they bared their teeth and clawed desperately toward him. Yet they were blocked by a faint layer of purple light and could not get any closer.
Xie Heng’s destiny was actually an extremely rare Purple Star Emperor fate—a destiny associated with supreme authority and the bearing of an emperor.
Xiao Zhaoning instinctively took a step backward until her back pressed against the wall.
A cold wind swept past her, and she felt the chill travel down her neck.
No wonder!
“Your destiny is extraordinarily noble. Someone is trying to forcibly steal it from you.”
Xie Heng let out a cold laugh.
“Oh? Since you can see that, do you know who is trying to steal my fate?”
Xiao Zhaoning remained silent.
How could she possibly tell?
Most mystic masters would never casually reveal their abilities, much less use such sinister techniques to harm others. Any mystic master with such intentions would hide in the shadows and secretly manipulate things. Who would be foolish enough to leave traces behind before committing an evil act and make it easy for someone else to investigate?
With that thought, Xiao Zhaoning boldly grabbed the front of Xie Heng’s robes and pulled them open.
“You!”
Xie Heng’s heart skipped a beat. He instinctively tried to push her away, but his entire body was so weak that he could only allow the girl to do as she pleased.
Ignoring his reaction, Xiao Zhaoning forcibly held his arm down and examined his chest.
A dark-red curse mark had appeared directly over his heart, winding across his skin like a poisonous snake.
“At this rate, I’m afraid you won’t survive more than three months.”
Xiao Zhaoning looked genuinely regretful.
She had been counting on Xie Heng’s Purple Star Emperor destiny to help restore her spiritual energy.
But he was already this sick.
How much effort would it take to save him?
Xie Heng’s gaze sharpened, and the cold aura surrounding him grew heavier.
Where exactly had this woman come from?
He slowly lifted his eyelids. There was not the slightest trace of warmth in his eyes.
“Is that so?”
Xiao Zhaoning’s heart tightened.
How could this man be so calm?
He was the one who was about to die, wasn’t he?
But when she thought about his extraordinary destiny and her own current situation, she cleared her throat twice and spoke somewhat awkwardly.
“I can save you.”
Before she could finish, her entire body suddenly trembled.
A scorching force surged uncontrollably from within her and poured madly into Xie Heng through her palm.
What was happening?
Wasn’t this man supposed to be like a battery charger for her?
Why was he draining her spiritual energy instead?
Xiao Zhaoning’s expression changed.
She bit the tip of her tongue, trying to forcibly sever the connection, but it was already too late.
Her entire body had become completely immobile.
“What are you doing?”
Xie Heng grabbed her shoulder, but it was already too late.
The dark-red curse mark twisted like a living creature the instant it came into contact with her spiritual energy. Its glow suddenly intensified.
Xiao Zhaoning felt as though her internal organs were being burned by raging flames.
She spat out a mouthful of blood, and her entire body went limp as she collapsed into Xie Heng’s arms.
His brows furrowed tightly.
He stared intently at the girl’s face and instinctively caught her securely in his arms. His other hand moved toward his chest.
The curse mark over his heart was visibly fading.
At the same time, the girl’s face in his arms was becoming paler and paler.
Xie Heng pulled her tightly against him, his expression complicated.
Even his gaze toward Xiao Zhaoning had softened slightly.
“You… do you have any unfinished wishes?”
His voice was low.
“After you die, I’ll take care of them for you.”
Once the spiritual energy inside Xiao Zhaoning had been completely drained, the curse mark on Xie Heng’s chest finally stopped changing.
Hearing his words, she was practically furious enough to die on the spot.
What did he mean, after she died?
Even if Xie Heng died eight hundred times and was reincarnated each time, she still wouldn’t die even once!
“You bastard! Is this how you repay someone who saved your life? I just saved you, and now you’re trying to kill me to silence me?”
Xiao Zhaoning shoved him with all her strength.
Xie Heng let out a muffled groan and fell backward onto the ground, staring at the furious girl in astonishment.
Seeing that she still had enough strength to knock him down in one push, Xie Heng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
At least she wasn’t dying.
Just then, the sound of galloping horses came from the distance.
Three armored cavalrymen rushed toward them.
The man in front dismounted and dropped to one knee.
“Your Highness, this subordinate arrived too late.”
Xie Heng tightened the robes around his chest and glanced indifferently at the ashes scattered across the ground.
The assassins had been struck so completely by the lightning that nothing remained.
Still, there were countless people who wanted him dead.
Since they had failed this time, sooner or later they would come again.
His gaze then fell upon the equally exhausted young girl opposite him.
Her face was as pale as paper. A trace of dried blood still stained the corner of her lips, while fresh blood continued to trickle from the wound on her forehead.
“Xie Heng, Prince Jing’s Residence.”
No matter what, this girl had saved his life.
And when it came to repaying a debt of gratitude, Xie Heng had always been generous.
“Oh, I know. My bastard father curses you to die every single day.”
Xiao Zhaoning’s head was spinning.
The lump on her forehead from where she had hit it was throbbing painfully, leaving her barely able to think straight.
Before she could say anything else, she fainted.
“She’s injured?”
Mo Yu’s gaze swept over the girl’s pale face, his brows drawing tightly together.
“This subordinate will take her back to the residence and have her treated immediately!”
“No need.”
Xie Heng tightened his arms around the girl.
“I’ll take her back myself.”
“But…”
Xie Heng’s gaze turned cold, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“I said we’re returning to the residence.”
Mo Yu did not dare say another word.
He swiftly mounted another horse.
“I’ll lead the way.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Heng pushed off the ground with the tip of his foot and vaulted onto the saddle.
He held the unconscious girl securely in his arms, shielding her completely with his body.
The three horses immediately charged forward.
Wind and snow battered their faces as the rapid beat of hooves echoed through the night.
In the blink of an eye, the three horses disappeared into the storm.
Several dark figures then leaped down from the rooftops in the distance and followed closely behind.
The Prince Jing’s Residence was brightly lit.
Servants hurried back and forth as Xie Heng carried the girl into a warm inner chamber and settled her onto the bed.
The charcoal brazier burned fiercely, filling the room with warmth.
Only then did he notice how thin her outer clothing was.
Her feet were also stained completely red with blood.
Xie Heng stood with his hands behind his back at the bedside, his brows slightly furrowed as he waited for Physician Qu to treat her.
After examining her, Qu Zheng looked deeply troubled.
“This… Your Highness, the young lady has suffered a serious wound to her forehead. And there’s something else…”
He carefully checked her pulse, his expression becoming increasingly grave.
“This young lady truly has an extraordinary constitution. Despite being poisoned with Bone-Eroding Poison, she’s still barely clinging to life.”
He glanced at the wound on her forehead.
“That injury alone would have been enough to kill her.”
Yet Qu Zheng slowly shook his head, unable to suppress a trace of sympathy for the girl lying before him.
Even if she still had a breath left, what good would it do?
That poison was completely incurable.
“Bone-Eroding Poison?”