Chapter 124: Shock—An Unexpected Outcome

After dismissing the servants, Mo Yan personally carried a tray with light lean meat porridge and a few side dishes. He walked to the bedside and placed the tray on the nightstand.

"Jin'er, wake up and eat something." As he spoke, Mo Yan tucked the bed curtains onto the bedposts, then leaned over to help Jin'er sit up, placing a pillow behind her back.

Jin'er had been sleeping in the nude. As she sat up, the quilt slipped, inadvertently revealing her chest. Seeing Mo Yan's eyes light up, she hurriedly grabbed the undergarment from the side and pulled it on in a few quick movements.

Mo Yan smiled, feigning that he had seen nothing, and contentedly picked up the porridge bowl to feed her.

Jin'er accepted his care as a matter of course. After finishing the meal bite by bite, she lay back down to rest.

When Mo Yan had finished his own meal and had the tray removed, he returned to the bedside only to find that Jin'er had already fallen asleep.

With a helpless smile, he shook his head, carefully climbed onto the bed, and lay on his side next to her. Propping his head up with one hand, he watched her silently, his eyes filled with deep affection and tenderness.

Last night had indeed been too much, but he loved her so dearly. Next time—he would try his best to restrain himself; he couldn't let her be this exhausted again. With this thought, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

The girl before him let out a dissatisfied whimper. Mo Yan quickly pulled back, realizing his long hair had brushed against her face and tickled her.

At this moment, she was pouting slightly, her small hand scratching her cheek, looking as adorable as a doll. Mo Yan smiled silently, his heart softening like a mass of cotton.

***

It was not until she felt hungry again that Jin'er woke up. She opened her eyes and turned her head, only to see Mo Yan still sleeping with his eyes closed, seemingly not yet awake.

She carefully turned her body and silently watched his peaceful sleeping face. Memories of their time together flooded her mind, and a sweet smile couldn't help but tug at the corners of her mouth. However, as soon as she thought of the future, the smile gradually turned bitter.

"Yan, no matter where I go, or whether we can ever meet again, I will love you forever. I will never forget you." Jin'er stared at him intently, unable to stop herself from whispering softly.

The mere thought of not being able to be with him like this anymore made her heart ache with an indescribable pain, but all her sorrow could only turn into a helpless, light sigh that dissipated into the air.

After a long while, Jin'er, truly famished, rose from the bed with light steps to dress and wash. On the bed behind her, Mo Yan was lying with his eyes wide open, watching her silently. His charming eyes were much dimmer, revealing a faint trace of heartache and unease.

By the time Jin'er returned from outside, Mo Yan had already risen. He walked over and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Why didn't you call me? When I woke up and didn't see you by my side, I was suddenly so afraid."

"Silly, what are you afraid of?" Jin'er smiled and asked.

"Afraid that you would leave me..." Mo Yan said, tightening his arms as if afraid she would vanish if he let go.

Hearing this, Jin'er's heart skipped a beat, and she felt incredibly guilty. Why would he suddenly say such a thing? Could it be... oh no, was he pretending to be asleep earlier and heard her whispering to herself?

No, that couldn't be; he didn't seem like he was pretending at the time.

Secretly steadying her emotions, Jin'er reached out to embrace his lean waist and forced a calm smile. "Silly, aren't I right here?"

The two held each other in silence, each harboring their own secrets, neither speaking another word. After a long time, when a rumble came from Jin'er's stomach, Mo Yan finally loosened his grip and smilingly led her to the dining hall for lunch, his expression having returned to normal.

Seeing that he appeared unaffected, Jin'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief, assuming she had just been overthinking.

Throughout the afternoon following lunch, Mo Yan clung to Jin'er, not letting her do anything else. He insisted she sit in the courtyard with him to enjoy the sun and drink tea, and when she grew tired, he would pull her back to the room for a nap.

Thinking she might have to leave him tonight, Jin'er cherished every second she spent with him. Yet, her heart was in such conflict—wishing for the night to arrive soon, while simultaneously hoping time would stand still.

She had made many efforts to rid herself of the poison, and she had waited for this day for so long. But at the same time, she was so reluctant to leave Mo Yan. If the poison remained, she had an excuse to stay by his side for another day, but once it was removed...

Forcing herself to think of her mother's loving gaze and the scene of her tragic death, the conflict in Jin'er's heart eased slightly.

Hadn't it been said that it was enough to have once possessed love? She already had many beautiful memories with him—more than many people might have in several lifetimes. Was that not enough?

They say the "happily ever after" of princes and princesses is a lie, that previous sweetness and happiness gradually deteriorate. If so, she would keep this love, which she treasured above all else, deep in her heart, preserving it forever, never to expire.

Night finally arrived...

A somewhat anxious Jin'er was led by Mo Yan to the Imperial Study, where the Fire Emperor was already waiting.

Closing the door, only the Emperor, Mo Yan, and Jin'er remained in the room. The eunuchs and palace maids at the door had been ordered to stand at least twenty paces away and were not allowed to approach.

There was only about half an hour left before Jin'er's poison was due to flare up. Although they could have proceeded without waiting, no one knew how to use the Fire Eye Stone to purge the poison, so they had to wait for it to take effect to observe, compare, and attempt different methods.

At this moment, the Fire Emperor took a delicate brocade box from his sleeve. After glancing at Mo Yan and Jin'er, he slowly opened the lid.

Jin'er stared intently at his hands. As he moved, she saw the round, fire-red gemstone, about two-thirds the size of an egg, resting inside. Its surface pulsed with a soft, floating crimson glow.

Jin'er was momentarily entranced, her small mouth slightly agape, her face full of awe.

Mo Yan, who had seen countless rare treasures in the national treasury, felt no such wonder; instead, he felt a slight disappointment. Since it was the national treasure and the spiritual stone that passed down the Fire Kingdom's royal lineage, this stone seemed a bit too ordinary, didn't it?

Seeming to sense Mo Yan's thoughts, the Fire Emperor looked down at the dimly glowing Fire Eye Stone, feeling a faint, hidden worry.

According to royal secret records, the Fire Eye Stone had originally been deep red throughout, its light brilliant and dazzling; when taken out at night, it could illuminate an entire room like daylight. But as time passed, its radiance seemed to be fading. Looking at it now... he truly feared that this spiritual stone was approaching exhaustion and that little remained. If that day truly came, would the Fire Kingdom's royal lineage perish along with it?

Previously, he had felt he was worrying unnecessarily, because he always believed they were descendants of the Five Gods, so how could they perish? But since the Wood Kingdom had been destroyed, he realized the glorious status of the so-called "descendants of the Five Gods" was surprisingly fragile.

"Jin'er, how does one use this stone to remove the poison? It doesn't look like something meant for eating, does it?" Even if it were edible, the Emperor likely wouldn't permit it.

Jin'er regained her senses and shook her head blankly; she had no clue.

Mo Yan frowned and turned to look at the Emperor, hoping to get a hint from him.

The Emperor only knew that every new monarch, on the day of their coronation, needed to absorb energy from the Fire Eye Stone to receive the Fire God's protection; as for anything else, he knew nothing. After a long period of hesitation and inner struggle, he finally spoke.

***

"Jin'er, normally, this national treasure cannot be seen by anyone other than the monarch, let alone be used by others. But Mo Yan is so infatuated with you, and I truly fear what foolish things he might do if you were to suffer some calamity when the poison flares up. That is why I have broken the ancestral rules and agreed to his request." The Fire Emperor looked deeply at Jin'er, as if wanting her to understand Mo Yan's painstaking efforts on her behalf.

Jin'er bit her lip gently and turned to look at Mo Yan. He was watching her too, his expression neither solemn nor playful, but revealing a sense of sincerity and faint warmth, his beautiful eyes rippling with affection and resolve. As she watched, Jin'er's heart tightened, unable to tell if it was from being moved or from pain.

She saw the Emperor's difficulty and caution. What had Mo Yan done to make the Emperor break ancestral laws?

Before Jin'er could dwell on it further, Mo Yan reached out and took her small hand, squeezing it gently to bring her back to reality. Then, the Emperor continued.

"Later, you may hold the Fire Eye Stone in your palm and try to stimulate your fire spirit." After saying this, the Emperor frowned, turned, and walked over to sit on a chair.

That was a seat reserved only for the rulers of the Fire Kingdom. He truly worried if this decision was correct. But for the future of the Fire Kingdom, he was willing to bear the sin of violating ancestral laws before his ancestors rather than see the Fire Kingdom destroyed in Fan'er's hands during his lifetime.

Fortunately, Jin'er was about to marry the Prince, so even if both possessed spiritual power from the Fire Eye Stone, there should be no problem; perhaps their offspring would have even greater spiritual power. With this thought, the Emperor felt slightly better.

Just then, Jin'er let out a muffled groan; the poison was taking effect.

Mo Yan hurried to help her sit cross-legged on the floor. He wanted to use his own fire spirit to help her control the poison, but Jin'er refused. Reluctantly, he had to step back and let her handle it herself.

Jin'er closed her eyes, her body trembling as she forced down the fierce assault of the cold poison, quickly stimulating her own fire spirit to contend with the poison within her. However, although her ability to control the fire spirit had improved significantly, this cold poison was even more ferocious. She could feel that if she relied solely on her own power, she would be completely unable to resist it.

At that moment, Mo Yan brought the Fire Eye Stone and pressed it into Jin'er's right palm. "Jin'er, hold this."

Jin'er did not open her eyes, but she exerted her utmost focus to close her palm, clutching the stone tightly. The next moment, she clearly felt a powerful, continuous stream of fiery, hot energy pouring from her palm, then racing along her arm into her internal organs.

The power was immense, forceful, even violent. Her brows furrowed, her body shaking more violently than ever. Large drops of sweat broke out on her face, neck, and all over her body, soaking her clothes and the hair at her temples and nape in no time.

"Jin'er, how are you?" Mo Yan was beside himself with worry, but the Emperor pulled him back, telling him not to interfere.

"Father, did you ever experience this before? Jin'er seems to be in great pain," Mo Yan asked in an anxious, lowered voice.

The Emperor frowned and shook his head. "Perhaps it is because of the poison in her body. Wait! Look, the sweat on her face looks unusual." A light appeared in the Emperor's eyes.

Hearing this, Mo Yan turned quickly and leaned in closer. Sure enough, he saw the dense beads of sweat on Jin'er's face glittering with a silver light under the candlelight.

Thinking of how she had been bitten by a silver snake, and seeing the silver light in her sweat now, it was possible the snake's poison was being purged! Mo Yan was overjoyed; he quickly stepped back and nodded excitedly to the Emperor.

The Emperor understood what he meant, knowing the method was working, and felt quite relieved. Fortunately, it was truly effective.

Thus, the two stood guard silently. However, after the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the new sweat on Jin'er's face no longer showed that strange glimmer, yet she continued to tremble painfully, her face flushed and her breathing rapid.

The Emperor's brow furrowed tightly, a vague sense that something was wrong. "Why is it taking so long? It should have taken less than half a stick of incense." Even with the cold poison in her body, this was taking too long.

"Is there a time limit for using the Fire Eye Stone?" Mo Yan asked, frowning.

"Yes. Because our bodies can only withstand a certain amount; exceeding that, the body will fail. Even if she is poisoned, judging by the change in her sweat color, the poison should be gone. Logically, she should stop naturally when her body can't take it, but I fear she might mistakenly think the residual poison is not cleared and continue." Forcing it any further could be fatal.

Hearing this, Mo Yan's face changed drastically. He rushed to Jin'er's side and shouted, "Jin'er! Jin'er, stop! You can't continue! Jin'er!"

However, Jin'er seemed not to hear him at all. Her breathing became heavy and rapid, her whole body radiating a scorching heat, her brows locked in pain. What shocked Mo Yan even more was that her long hair was beginning to change color.

"Father!" Mo Yan stared in horror at her hair, which was turning a fiery red and beginning to dance wildly without the presence of wind. He was so shocked he couldn't even speak.

The Emperor beside him was also stunned, his eyes wide, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Such powerful fire spirit!! Even standing several paces away, he could clearly feel that immense pressure. He had never felt anything like this; it was extremely powerful, so much so that even he and Mo Yan combined might not be able to resist it...

What was going on?! What was happening?!

Just then—

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Jin'er let out a piercing roar that seemed to shock the entire palace. A powerful blast of air erupted from her body, directly knocking Mo Yan and the Emperor back until they slammed against the wall.

Fortunately, both reacted quickly, avoiding serious internal injury, though the impact left their backs aching.

"Jin'er! Are you alright?!" Mo Yan struggled to his feet and rushed forward regardless of everything.

At this moment, Jin'er finally opened her eyes. They were a brilliant, fiery red, and her flowing long hair had become the most vivid crimson.

"Jin'er, you're okay!?" Mo Yan called out in joyful surprise. However, when he followed her gaze and looked down at her open palm, seeing the Fire Eye Stone reduced to a small pile of powder, his joyful expression instantly froze.

Jin'er's mind was sluggish, and her body was in chaos. The powerful energy was rampaging through her internal organs and limbs, unable to find a place to settle. The sensation was indescribably painful, making her want to vent.

"GUARDS!!!" The Emperor, having finally reacted, let out an angry, sharp cry. The Imperial Guards outside, hearing the commotion, immediately broke through the doors.

"Father!" Mo Yan recovered his senses and turned to him urgently.

"Take her down!!" The Emperor was shaking with rage, his eyes wide, a chilling intent to kill appearing in them.

The Fire Eye Stone! The spiritual stone that passed down the Fire Kingdom's royal lineage had actually been destroyed by her!!?

Mo Yan was about to stand up and ask his father to calm down, but he heard a series of screams. Turning his head, he saw Jin'er had already rushed out the door. Wherever she passed, she carved a bloody path with her bare hands; the dozen or so guards who had fallen were struggling and moaning on the ground.

Mo Yan stood stunned, watching her fiery hair dancing wildly, her sleeves waving to unleash waves of arrogant flames that repelled the guards blocking her. He had to admit: in the short time it took for a stick of incense to burn, her progress was truly immense!

"CHASE HER!! You must catch her!! Mobilize the entire city's Imperial Guard!! Bring her back alive, or bring me her corpse!!!! Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough..." The Emperor, overcome with rage, began to cough violently, and a mouthful of bright red blood sprayed from his throat.

"Father!" Mo Yan's face changed as he rushed to support him. "Please calm your anger, Father, please don't hurt Jin'er!"

"SHUT UP!! You know what the Fire Eye Stone means to our royal family!! What have I done? What have I done?!?" The Emperor staggered back two steps, collapsing into his chair, his face filled with regret and panic, his clouded eyes even brimming with moisture.

***

Mo Yan was anxious and worried about Jin'er's safety. Seeing that the Emperor would not be swayed, he sighed, flicked his sleeves, and turned to chase after her.

"Come back!!" The Emperor shouted angrily as he saw him leaving. However, before the words could finish, Mo Yan's figure had already vanished from the doorway.

Slamming his palm against the table, the Emperor found his breathing labored and could only gasp, trying to adjust his breath.

How could it be? How could she turn the Fire Eye Stone into a pile of useless powder just like that?? How did she do it?!

The Emperor almost suspected that all of this was just a dream—a most terrifying nightmare.

"Your Majesty... are, are you alright?" The Emperor's personal eunuch entered with several guards and maids to clean up the aftermath. Seeing the Emperor with blood on his mouth and a dazed look on his face, he asked with concern.

Hearing the voice, the Emperor finally regained his senses, but he did not look at the eunuch. Instead, he looked at the lusterless powder of the Fire Eye Stone on the floor, hearing the sounds of fighting and commotion growing more distant outside. Only then was he forced to believe that all of this was real.

After a long, helpless sigh, he closed his eyes in despair and leaned back in his chair, his heart ice-cold, as if the whole world had fallen into endless darkness.

Perhaps he had been wrong from the start? He had been so determined to protect the Fire Kingdom, fearing the country would be ruined in Fan'er's hands, but that was never a certainty. And now? He had personally destroyed the future of his royal lineage.

"Hehehe... hahahahaha..." The Emperor laughed sadly, until the eunuchs and maids nearby exchanged worried, fearful glances.

At this moment, every palace lantern that could be lit was burning, and team after team of Imperial Guards, carrying torches, pursued in one direction.

Jin'er held a large sword she had snatched from an Imperial Guard, fleeing rapidly toward the palace gates. From time to time, she met guards intercepting her from the sides, hacking and killing madly, the blade stained with blood.

Because of Mo Yan, she hadn't wanted to kill these people, but since they insisted on blocking and trying to kill her, she couldn't be blamed.

Seeing another team of Imperial Guards ahead, rapidly closing in to surround her, Jin'er gritted her teeth, a bloodthirsty light in her eyes. As they swarmed her, she grit her teeth and unleashed Mo Yan's ultimate technique—Hellfire.

In an instant, the group of twenty or thirty guards was dealt with. Heh, it seemed the spiritual energy within her was truly powerful.

Just as she thought this, a heat rose in her throat, and a mouthful of sweet, metallic blood surged up.

From just now until this moment, the powerful energy within her had made her feel terrible, making her want to vent to consume some of it.

However, as she killed her way along, although there was a momentary sense of relief when she struck, the following sensations were even more painful. Just like now, she felt her hand holding the sword shaking uncontrollably.

No, she had to get out of here quickly!

Turning her head, she saw the pursuers behind were close, but she vaguely saw two figures rushing up from the side to fight them, seemingly attempting to block their advance. Although she couldn't see clearly, judging by their figures and intent, who else could it be but Mo Yan and Shi Yuan?

Gritting her teeth, Jin'er watched them for a moment, then turned, enduring the pain in her body and the reluctance in her heart, and continued to flee out of the palace.

Yan, thank you. I had wanted to leave quietly after the poison was removed, but I never expected to leave you with such a big mess. I never thought things would turn out this way; I'm sorry...

"BOOM! BOOM!" Bright red signal flares soared into the night sky one after another, sounding several times.

Jin'er bit her lip, thinking it was a bad sign. Although she didn't know the full purpose of the Fire Eye Stone, since it was the national treasure, it was naturally precious. Seeing how the Emperor had been so angry he wanted to kill, it wasn't hard for her to guess what kind of trouble she had caused.

But she hadn't wanted this... She couldn't control it at the time; the stone had felt like it was glued to her palm, and she couldn't let go even if she wanted to. She had been forced to accept it. And the process had been painful enough that she had wished for it to end early, but she had lacked the ability to do so.

Sigh! What was the use of thinking about it now? Either way, the stone had been destroyed in her hands. If she were caught, she would likely face a miserable death, so she had better slip away first.

When she finally escaped the palace, just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she realized she had rejoiced too soon.

She could vaguely hear loud, rapid footsteps approaching from all directions in the distance. It seemed the signal flares had notified the Imperial Guard of the entire capital to mobilize, right?

The situation was indeed serious... Damn it, and with her body in such agony, she truly worried if she could escape. No matter what, she had to try!

Gritting her teeth, she darted rapidly through the streets in the dark, dodging teams of guards from time to time. Gradually, her steps became unsteady, and the guards appearing around her became more frequent, making it increasingly difficult to hide.

Just then, another team of guards popped out ahead. Jin'er quickly turned and retreated, ducking into a narrow alley. As her body turned into the alley, she was startled to find herself crashing into a solid chest.

Just as she was about to cry out, a large hand covered her mouth.

"It's me." A cold, familiar voice came, and Jin'er's tense body finally relaxed. Surprisingly, she felt a sense of stability and security.

"You lot, go check that alley! The rest of you, follow me!"

Seeing those people about to head their way, Liu Ye suddenly leaned over and picked Jin'er up by the waist, then turned and flew rapidly into the depths of the alley, his speed like a ghost in the night.

This alley was a dead end. As they neared the end, Liu Ye leaped up, carrying Jin'er onto the rooftops. He darted across roof after roof, heading straight out of the city.

Along the way, although they encountered many guards, he was as fast as a ghost, and he hid cleverly. Even when they were spotted a few times, they managed to shake them off without much difficulty.

The wind whistled in her ears. Jin'er frowned, enduring the pain in her body, and closed her eyes, burying her head in his chest. Her small hands clutched the lapels of his clothes tightly, and for some reason, she felt at ease. With him here, those people would never be able to catch her.

All around, near and far, the sounds of clamor rose one after another. The sound of doors being kicked in, shouting, children crying, chickens and dogs being startled... all echoed through the sky above the Imperial Capital.

This night was destined to be a sleepless one for the entire capital.

Liu Ye carried Jin'er all the way out of the city, heading directly to one of his private residences in the far suburbs. It was, in truth, just one of many places he used for shelter. It wasn't very large, but it featured a small, elegant courtyard.

Carrying the scorching-hot Jin'er back to the bedroom and helping her sit on the bed, Liu Ye quickly grasped her wrist to check her pulse, his brow furrowing deeply.

"Your pulse is chaotic, your blood flow is turbulent, and your heart meridians have been backlashed by a powerful force. You must calm your mind and regulate your breathing to suppress the spiritual energy within you. Do not use your internal energy for the next few days," Liu Ye said, releasing her hand and frowning.