Heaven knows how long he had prepared for this? And Heaven knows what lay waiting for him after he lost this chance.

Meng Fuyao's fingers were pressed against her forehead as she desperately fought back the tears that were threatening to spill out.

She had been too kind to Pei Yuan back then!

She should have killed her much earlier!

During the final round, with her heart despondent, Meng Fuyao decided that she might as well be the first to initiate the round and was about to begin her rampage when Zhangsun Wuji suddenly and unexpectedly turned to Zhan Nancheng and said, "Your Majesty, for the final round, what do you say we have it on another day?"

Zhan Nancheng frowned as he replied, "What does the Prince mean?"

"After today's battles, more than half the contenders are already exhausted. I'm afraid that if they continue fighting, they wouldn't have enough energy left," Zhangsun Wuji gestured lightly and gave a slight smile as he continued, "Especially Princess Ya and Madame Yan; they've both already fought two matches each. If we let them continue straightaway to the final fight of the top five, it would be unfair to them."

Zhan Nancheng remained quiet, apparently deep in thought. Zhangsun Wuji smiled again as he said, "Throughout my entire journey here, I have always heard that this time, the True Martial Arts Meet was benevolent and impartial, even spending much consideration on the design of the lot box. I wouldn't dare to claim to have the true meaning of the True Martial Arts Meet but…"

Zhan Nancheng immediately responded, "Fine."

Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky, her hands tucked in her sleeves. 'Fine, delay a day then delay a day it is, even if they delay a day I'll slaughter them all the same.'

She felt Pei Yuan's cold gaze on her, whether intentional or unintentional. This woman was destined not to get along with her in this life. The one thing that puzzled her was since both husband and wife already knew her ident.i.ty, why didn't they tell the Zhan brothers? It was within reason that Yan Jingchen did not say, but why would Pei Yuan not say either? Was it because her personal hatred was too great that she felt that this secret was of not much use and simply wanted to kill her herself?

She let out an unfriendly snort and strode out of the palace, ignoring the penetrating gaze focused on her back.

'Zhangsun Wuji, don't come and find me tonight if you have the b.a.l.l.s not to.'

It was a pity that the meaning of 'having the b.a.l.l.s' she thought and the meaning that a certain someone thought was never the same…

That evening while Meng Fuyao was eating dinner, she aggressively served food to Yun Hen, saying, "Come, eat, eat more." She continuously piled Yun Hen's bowl with food, as though wanting to use the chicken, duck, fish, and meat to make up for the guilt she felt.

Yun Hen simply ate quietly, eating whatever Meng Fuyao gave him. When Meng Fuyao could no longer pile any more food on his bowl, she suddenly remembered that Yun Hen did not like to eat and usually ate very little. He simply wouldn't be able to finish so much oily foodstuff.

Yet, Yun Hen continued eating quietly, only because he did not want to disregard her good intentions.

Meng Fuyao put down her chopsticks and looked at his serene expression. He was still that cool youth,

He was not despondent nor tearful. He did not think that he had done her a favor, nor did he feel that giving up was a kind of sacrifice, and even did not try to console Meng Fuyao—he knew that the more he tried to console her, the worse she would feel.

Her good intentions seemed unnecessary and superficial compared to him.

The atmosphere at the table became heavy, and Ya Lanzhu slammed her chopsticks down unhappily. "Wasn't it just that I accidentally won against Yun Hen… I didn't even mean it…"

Laughing, Meng Fuyao picked another piece of dongpo meat for her and said, "Yes, it's none of your business, come, eat some meat."

"It's so fatty I'll vomit," Ya Lanzhu declined.

"Just nice, vomit on Pei Yuan tomorrow," Meng Fuyao responded without turning as she watched Lord Yuan Bao kneeling in a corner with a huge stomach, his large eyes rolling around. Unable to hide her curiosity, she asked, "Rascal, what's wrong? Is your period here?"

Lord Yuan Bao raised his head and gave her a wretched smile.

Startled by the smile, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt uneasy. Immediately, she heard Tie Cheng, who had eaten dinner earlier and gone outside, suddenly give an angry shout, followed by the "Hu!" sound of a powerful blade swirling the winds.

Everyone was alarmed, thinking that there was an enemy attack. Zong Yue flicked his sleeve, and a white beam shot out.

The white beam shot out the hall's doors, and suddenly, there was no movement whatsoever. Even Tie Cheng's voice had gone missing. Zong Yue raised his eyebrows, but Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao had already risen from their seats and sprinted outside.

The first to sprint outside was Meng Fuyao since she had already been sitting close to the door and could reach the door threshold upon turning around. She poked her head out and immediately retreated backward again, knocking into Yun Hen who was behind her, before shutting the doors with great force, even dragging a stool to block the door. As though unsatisfied with just one, she dragged another one and another one, and when she reached the third stool, she couldn't drag anymore.

There was already someone sitting on it, donned in pale purple robes decorated with fine silver embroidery.

Meng Fuyao's hands stiffened as her gaze traveled upwards slowly only to see the unholy person sitting firmly on the chair smiling down at her as he said, "Fuyao, how thoughtful of you, you know that I am tired, so you helped me bring a chair over."

Meng Fuyao met the person's gaze for a split second and without a moment's hesitation, unsheathed her sword!

Her blade shone like the snow on the peak of Qiongcang Mystic Mountain, its speed as swift as the shooting stars that flashed past the Evergreen Shrine. One strike and legs were cut off!

The legs of the stool were cut off.

All four legs of the stool were sliced cleanly off, leaving only the seat. Meng Fuyao sheathed her sword, laughing hysterically. 'Sit! I told you to sit!'

However, her laughter was suddenly caught in her throat.

Across her, at the moment when the legs of the stool hit the ground, there was a white flash, and Lord Yuan Bao rolled over carrying a wooden block, stopping precisely under the seat, stabilizing the stool.

'd.a.m.n it, traitors and their dog followers are the number one beings in the world that should be exterminated!'

Meng Fuyao gnashed her teeth, her gaze traveling past a strange-expressioned Zong Yue and Yun Hen, who was watching them silently. She simply wasn't able to settle scores with this black-hearted forefather here. Kicking the door open and sprinting to her own room, she roared, "Zhangsun Wuji if you have the b.a.l.l.s then don't follow me…"

"Only if I didn't have the b.a.l.l.s then I wouldn't follow." Zhangsun Wuji carried Lord Yuan Bao and followed behind her nonchalantly. "Fuyao…"

"Shut up!"

"Squeak, squeak!"

"Shut your bird mouth!"

Lord Yuan Bao felt indignant; his, was clearly a rodent's mouth, how did it become a bird's mouth?

Using one leg to prop open her room door, Meng Fuyao suddenly felt that something was wrong. What was this called? Luring the wolf into her room? She turned around and leaned against the door frame and said, "If you have something to say then say it here!"

"Do you really want to say it here?" Zhangsun Wuji laughed as he looked around him and asked again, "Are you sure?"

Meng Fuyao raised her head doubtfully and looked out as she grabbed a flower vase from the windowsill and threw it, shouting, "Eavesdroppers will be killed without exception!"

With a 'ping,' the flower vase fell into the shadows of the flower tree in the courtyard and the chickens and dogs scattered hastily in fright.

Having just thrown the flower vase, Meng Fuyao patted her hands and said, "Your Highness, if you have something to say, please say it quickly so that I can sleep, and, don't ask me why I'm angry. Even though you have your reasons for asking, but I must remind you that, if you ask I'll become even angrier."

"I know that if I ask you will become even angrier." Zhangsun Wuji leaned against a tree as he held onto Lord Yuanbao. "Fuyao, I'm so fortunate that you have an inconcealable nature."

Pausing slightly, he smiled meaningfully before continuing, "Thanks to your personality, I finally more or less realized that, this chase between you and me that is destined to always face rejection, might not be entirely hopeless."

Meng Fuyao laughed coldly. "Your Highness, yes, I admit I'm angry, I won't pretend and say that I'm unaffected and be depressed and vomit blood behind people's backs, but please don't be so narcissistic to think that I'm angry because I'm in love with you. I just feel that, even if it's just as friends, one shouldn't swear to be honest and open on one side and hide the truth and do secretive things on the other. This is a serious question of a person's moral ethics, Meng Fuyao is very angry!"

"Fine, I knew you wouldn't admit it." Zhangsun Wuji sighed with a hint of impatience and walked over.

Meng Fuyao leaped backward immediately, "Don't come here!"

His Royal Highness simply couldn't hear her.

Meng Fuyao jumped again. "If you come any closer I'll fight you to the death—"

Thud.

She tripped against the door threshold, and her body fell backward. As she fell, she immediately thought, 'Oh no!' She wasn't afraid of the back of her body coming into contact with the ground, but rather that a certain someone would use the chance to make intimate contact with her.

Hence, she sped up her tumble in an attempt to get out of her disadvantageous position, but a certain someone was always faster than her by one step. She felt her body stop falling and a hand had been placed on her back. Once that hand had secured its territory it did not stop there, hitting her seven vital points in rapid succession.

Meng Fuyao looked at the sky tearfully as she lamented, 'G.o.d, why are you helping the a.s.saulter!'

Zhangsun Wuji carried her up and murmured, "Why did you become lighter again? Sometimes I really just want to latch you to my side…" He calmly carried Meng Fuyao into the room and calmly shut the door on certain invasive stares.

The fire in the room was not yet lit, but Zhangsun Wuji also did not light it. He placed Meng Fuyao gently on the bed and after drawing water, carefully cleaned her face under the light of the moon and stars. His gaze was soft as silk as the sleeve of his light purple robes brushed past her face, smooth as the spring breeze as the hand holding onto a handkerchief patted her face lightly, across her forehead, eyes, cheeks, nose, and finally lips.

His fingers lingered on her upper lip, and at a certain area, he pressed it with utmost gentleness, as though afraid of hurting her. Following that, he let out a long sigh.

He said, "Fuyao… You're always making me worry…"

Unable to move, Meng Fuyao glared daggers at him. 'A hypocrite!'

Zhangsun Wuji seemed unaffected by her glare and after wiping her face, proceeded to wipe her hand, cleaning off the intentional blackish stains. When his fingers brushed past Meng Fuyao's right pinky, he hovered hesitantly for a moment, and, separated by the handkerchief, gently held onto the slightly deformed finger.

For a long time, he held on, his head slightly raised, as though wanting to carve the shape and outline of the digit deep in his heart. The soft rays of the moon shone into the room as he sat peacefully in the shadows, his energy calm and cool.

When he removed the handkerchief, he switched hands and held onto Meng Fuyao's wrist.

Meng Fuyao only felt a jolt through her entire body and a stream of powerful inner energy traveled through her pulse. The energy spread rapidly throughout her body, heading straight to the internal wounds that had yet to recover. The inner energy seemed extremely familiar with its path; it was Zhangsun Wuji's own, and she attempted to raise her own inner energy to repel it only for her vision to suddenly black out.

A certain no-good person had teased her to sleep again.