Library of Heaven's Path 2: Eternal Fate of the Heavens

Han Qianchou sat upright in the center, while Han Qianye, who had previously sparred with him, held a whip and stood not far away.

Not far from him, City Lord Yu Longqing and Dean Lu Mingrong were bloodied and bound to a frame, their heads hanging low, life and death uncertain.

Zhang Xuan's fists tightened, his eyes squinted.

Although he had guessed that the two were captured, he had not imagined they would be beaten so badly.

"Go in!"

As he pondered, the powerful guards dressed in golden armor pushed him again, causing Sun Lianxiang to stumble and fall into the room.

Entering the room, the golden-armored guards saluted with their fists: "Reporting to Your Highness, as instructed, I followed closely behind the princess and watched her enter Lord Ling Buyang's manor..."

Han Qianye's gaze was icy, "Before, His Majesty said you might send a message to Zhang Xuan, and I didn't believe it, but now you're caught red-handed. What do you have to say now?"

Sun Lianxiang shook her head, her eyes not showing panic but instead a hint of relief: "Since I've been discovered, I admit it! Zhang Xuan saved my father; he is my benefactor. I wanted to save him and didn't want him to be killed senselessly, that's all."

"Repaying a debt of gratitude? What a lame excuse!"

Han Qianye sneered, "I gave you a prominent position, wealth, and everything you wanted. Have you ever thought that by doing this, you're betraying me?"

"Everything I wanted?"

Sun Lianxiang's face, pale as jade, showed a mocking expression: "My father served as a court musician, playing music for you all his life. Just because he was late once, he was to be killed. I knelt outside the palace for three whole days to save him, and though I did, he was still severely injured and driven out of Han Yuan City, leaving him no place to call home..."

"Then, why didn't you mention 'grace'?"

"I wanted to return to Baiyan City with my father. But you found me pleasing to the eye, forcibly brought me back to your manor, and raped me. For my father's sake, I dared not speak out and had to comply silently. Then, you never mentioned 'giving me everything', did you?"

"I thought that once I endured this period, I could find a chance to escape, but then... I ended up pregnant!"

"This was my first child, whom I cherished very much. I even thought of spending a lifetime with you. But on my first day entering the manor as a concubine, your princess poisoned me, causing a miscarriage. Not only that, but my cultivation was also completely destroyed."

"I reported this matter to you, hoping to be treated fairly, but you accused me of insubordination and imprisoned me... I am just the daughter of a musician, of humble status. You marrying me as a concubine was already a blessing I earned over eight lifetimes of cultivation; the princess was the daughter of a powerful figure, high in status. What do I have to compare? How can I possibly compete?"

"From that moment, I realized that in your eyes, I was just a plaything, without any grace."

"So, I tried to please you, provided you with strategies and helped you cultivate... Only then did I gradually gain favor, and finally one day, due to my plotting, the princess was killed, and I managed to climb to this position..."

"But... what of it?"

"In front of others, you pretend to be obsessed with martial arts, a man who shuns the company of women, celebrated for all his good qualities, but I know very well, you are actually the rapist ranked 14th on the Hunting List, notorious for raping women in their dreams!"

"The number of girls you have violated over the years is no less than a thousand... and you, a man like this, talk of grace? What a joke!"

"This..."

Upon hearing this dialogue, Zhang Xuan was deeply shocked.

Fu Yingying had mentioned the rapist before, even she was riled up by it, unfortunately, she had no idea who it was. He could never have imagined it to be a prince of the royalty!

And one of the most powerful and reputable at that.

No, something was off. He had used the Library of Heaven's Path to check his flaws before; it didn't show any such destiny. If there had been, he'd have found out long ago.

"You're spouting nonsense!"

Han Qianye, slightly conscience-stricken, glanced at his elder brother behind him and then turned to the princess in front of him, bursting with rage, and roared fiercely.

"Nonsense? You think you can fool everyone? Did you really think you could fool someone who eats and sleeps beside you?" Sun Lianxiang sneered.

Han Qianye: "The cultivation I practice is Flowing Light Heavenly Destiny, with extraordinary spearmanship. How could I perform that kind of Flower Picking Destiny!"

"Indeed, your cultivation is Flowing Light Heavenly Destiny, but raping in dreams is not a destiny; it's a special skill, a method of Soul Cultivation! Because of too much raping, your soul is full of negativity, which is why it's so difficult to break through the Travel Realm and you always fail to condense a Primordial Spirit," Sun Lianxiang said.

"Utter nonsense! I'll kill you right now..."

Han Qianye took a step forward, grabbed Sun Lianxiang by the throat, and was about to strangle her when Han Qianchou from the seat spoke out: "Enough!"

Han Qianye stopped and anxiously looked at his elder brother: "Your Majesty, don't believe her..."

Han Qianchou shook his head: "Did you really think I was unaware? Eight years ago, you raped the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, Cui Yanzhi, causing her to die in shame by jumping into a well. At that time, the investigation led to King Ping Yuan's manor, and I took the opportunity to execute him to dispel the matter. Six years ago, you molested the princess of the Han Chi Dynasty who came for peace talks, and it cost me three cities to settle..."

"In short, I have known about your bizarre methods of cultivation for a decade now and have been dealing with the troubles for you. Otherwise, how could it have gone unnoticed for so long?"

Thinking he had concealed it well, yet realizing not only his consort knew, but also the most powerful man in Han Yuan City, Han Qianye's face turned pale: "Your Majesty, I..."

"It's nothing! You, as a member of the royal family and my dear brother, who can inherit the family's heavenly destiny, it's nothing at all even if you really marry a few thousand, tens of thousands of women!"

Han Qianchou waved his hand: "Moreover, being raped by you is their honor. Under normal circumstances, even if they lined up, they couldn't get into your bed!"

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness!"

Relieved by his brother's words, Han Qianye turned to Sun Lianxiang, "Your Highness, how shall we deal with her?"

"Let's not even speak of betrayal—just knowing this information is an unforgivable crime! She loves her father, Sun Chengyou, doesn't she? I've also heard she has several brothers; we might as well kill them all together."

With a wave of his hand and devoid of any emotion, Han Qianchou said, "However, before that, there are some things we need to confirm with her."

Slowly rising from his seat, Han Qianchou walked up to Sun Lianxiang and looked at her.

"Since I could find out about Zhang Xuan, I naturally knew that he had once saved your father... so I deliberately mentioned in front of you that Yu Longqing and others had confirmed your identity and were going to kill you, and, as expected, you fell for it and ran to tip them off..."

"You... You figured out I would do that?" Sun Lianxiang's pupils shrank.

She thought she had well concealed it, but all along, she had been within the calculations of the other party.

No wonder, for the highest ranking and most powerful person in the Han Yuan Dynasty, indeed his schemes were as vast as oceans.

"Indeed!"

Glancing at Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong, Han Qianchou said, "These two guys are tough to crack, always denying they know Zhang Xuan or his whereabouts... so I deliberately told you that Ling Buyang was Zhang Xuan in disguise, planning to mobilize troops for a siege... and you indeed fell for it. I was not sure at first, but now I am almost certain..."

"You..."

Sun Lianxiang's world went dark.

Could it be that she had harmed her benefactor?

She had intended to save someone, but ended up doing more harm...

"Even if you know now, it's too late. I have already informed him of your schemes; unless something unexpected happens, he has probably already left Han Yuan City..."

Sun Lianxiang said.

"Left?"

Han Qianchou shook his head: "I have already ordered all roads leading out of Han Yuan City to be blocked. At my command, everyone in that manor will be captured! His skills are indeed not weak, having even cultivated Mo Dao to the second realm, but what of it? In front of royalty, he is still like an ant, negligible and easy to crush."

"You..."

Sun Lianxiang felt as if the air had been sucked out of her, collapsing to the ground.

She had thought she could save someone, but not only did she harm the other party, she had also put the lives of her entire family at risk.

Looking at her again, Han Qianchou said, "I'll spare your life because there's a task you need to perform. Complete it, and not only will Zhang Xuan not have to die, but you can also continue being a princess, and your whole family will be spared."

Stunned, Sun Lianxiang could not help but look up, "What do you want me to do?"

Han Qianchou handed over a jade bottle, "Find a way to make him take these drugs."

"Even if he doesn't run, he's already on his guard; why would he take any medicine from me?"

Sun Lianxiang sneered.

Knowing that someone was out to kill him, why would he possibly take these drugs?

Han Qianchou looked over indifferently, "It's not for him to ingest but for you..."

Sun Lianxiang froze: "Me?"

Han Qianchou nodded, "Indeed, after you take it, a deadly poison will circulate within your body, then... I will hang you up and force him to come to your rescue! As long as he successfully takes you away, find an opportunity to get close to him. Once successful, the deadly poison will transfer into his body, making him completely obedient to me..."

"You..."

Sun Lianxiang's face changed.

Poisoning oneself and then making the other save... truly cruel and ruthless.

"You have no choice. Do this well, and not only can you live, but your entire family can also survive. Otherwise, you all will die..."

After speaking, Han Qianchou casually tossed the medicine bottle, instructing, "Feed it to her! Oh, and remember, if you don't get close to him after taking this medicine, you will die. How you decide is up to you..."

"My apologies, Your Highness!"

Taking the medicine bottle, a powerful guard dressed in golden armor approached Sun Lianxiang. Just as he was about to pry her mouth open and force the drugs inside, his vision blurred, and a glint of the saber appeared at his back...

With a thud!

His head rolled onto the ground, and the jade bottle fell and shattered.

Han Qianchou's pupils contracted as he noticed a tall, masked man wielding Mo Dao, who had appeared in the room at some unknown time.