After the system set its sights on the dragon throne, the princess started courting death every day.

Xiang An followed closely behind, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito: "They're so audacious as to dig secret passages in the palace, why didn't they think of finding some luminous pearls for lighting? It's pitch black here. It's a good thing I'm dead, so I don't have to walk and won't fall."

Fu Qingbai: "..."

"Forget it, luminous pearls are expensive, and I don't think you have any. I just hope you'll be smarter next time you dig a tunnel and dig a few more ventilation holes. The temperature underground is already higher than above ground, and without other ventilation openings, the air won't circulate properly."

"You're quite the soft-hearted person, actually. Under such harsh conditions, you still dared to bring in another person to compete with you for oxygen. Aren't you afraid of suffocating in here? It's only because I'm dead and don't need to breathe that I'm here. Otherwise—why did you suddenly stop?"

Because of his earnestness and the darkness of the environment, Xiang An unknowingly walked right through Fu Qingbai's body and stood in front of him.

The narrow passage was quiet at this moment, with only Fu Qingbai's soft breathing. He said, "You're not dead yet."

The passage was too dark. Xiang An tried to open her eyes wide, but she couldn't even see the outline of Fu Qingbai's figure. In fact, if he didn't speak or breathe, she could pretend that there was no one in front of her at all.

Perhaps because she hadn't spoken for too long, Fu Qingbai lifted her foot and continued walking forward. Xiang An reluctantly followed, muttering under her breath, "How can I not be dead like this?"

Fu Qingbai: "No."

Xiang An pressed further: "No? Then tell me what I am? A ghost? A deity? No way, Fu Qingbai, even if I didn't say anything at that time, you should have used your brain and know that I am different from a human. A three-year-old wouldn't believe in something, so why would you believe it?"

Fu Qingbai: "I believe you."

Xiang An: "What the hell? You believe I'm a ghost? A god? Or what? I don't believe you're that stupid, you—"

The conversation abruptly stopped, not because he refused to speak, but because Fu Qingbai suddenly stopped again.

Xiang An tilted his head, looked ahead, trying to find a glimmer of light in the boundless darkness: "Have we arrived?"

Fu Qingbai: "You walk on the ground."

"Oh right, I can walk through walls." Xiang An slapped his forehead. "You forgot I was dead again, you—"

"Shut up."

"Okay, okay, I won't say."

Without hesitation, Xiang An floated towards the ground. Fortunately, the barrier was large enough for her to stand steadily on the ground.

A moment later, the barrier began to drag her along, and after several twists and turns, a five-story tower-shaped building with upturned eaves appeared before her.

In front of the building are two bronze crane statues. The cranes have long, slender legs, half-spread wings, and slightly raised heads. Their round eyes shine brightly as they look up at the sky, as if they are ready to spread their wings and take flight at any moment.

A casual glance as she passed by caught Bai He's eyes flash slightly. Just as Xiang An was about to get a closer look, the barrier suddenly pulled her and ran quickly in the opposite direction. Before she could think, she burrowed into the ground.

Sure enough, in the narrow passage, Fu Qingbai was panting heavily and running frantically back the way he came. The dark passage was winding and twisting, and in his chaotic running, he fell face-first into the mud in just a few breaths. The sounds of bumping and scrambling inside the cave were constant, but he was like a fearless ant, oblivious to the pain, and his steps did not stop for a moment.

Following behind him, Xiang An asked, puzzled, "What's wrong? What happened?"

No one spoke in the darkness, only the sound of Fu Qingbai falling and getting up, desperately running and breathing.

"Speak! Fu Qingbai! Tell me what happened?!"

Unable to get a response, Xiang An became very irritable. In this state of knowing nothing, her whole being and her heart felt like they were being roasted on fire, making her extremely anxious and impatient.

Stumbling and bruising their way out of the dark passage, Xiang An could no longer suppress the anger in her heart. She spread her arms and stood in front of him, all the questions she had wanted to ask vanished when she saw his face.

Ru Yu's face was covered in sweat, her black hair was disheveled, and her forehead was bruised and bleeding from an unknown injury. Her injured arms were bleeding again, and the white bandages were covered in mud, which mixed with the flowing blood, making her look dirty and pitiful. Her face was pale and transparent, and her face, clothes, and hair were all covered in mud. She looked as if she had rolled around in a mud pit and emerged from it, looking utterly disheveled.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing heavily: "Get out of the way!"

Xiang An didn't let him get away with it: "Explain yourself clearly, what exactly is wrong with you?"

Fu Qingbai's chest heaved violently, his breathing very unsteady, but the bulging veins on his neck showed that he was trying his best to control his emotions. After a few breaths, he said in a deep voice, "I want to leave the palace."

"it is good."

Having received a reply, Xiang An stepped aside to make way. Fu Qingbai was momentarily taken aback by her decisiveness and lack of further questioning, as if she hadn't expected it, but she quickly recovered and opened the door to leave.

The gate, which was unguarded last night, now had two eunuchs standing guard. As soon as Fu Qingbai stepped out, the two eunuchs blocked his way: "My lord, please go back."

It’s over.

The moment Xiang An had this thought, Fu Qingbai had already moved. Her long legs, clad in a blue brocade robe, swept through the air, and the two eunuchs slammed heavily against the wall, their eyes rolling back in their heads, completely dizzy.

For a warrior who has lost both hands, his feet become his hands.

"Dead?" Xiang Anxin trembled as he leaned closer to check on the condition of the two innocent eunuchs.

"I'm dizzy." Fu Qingbai said as she walked out, while Xiang An, who was being dragged along, asked helplessly, "How are you going to get out?"

With his hands gone, his military seal and secret guards gone, Xiang Xin had completely taken control of the palace. How could he possibly escape?

"I don't know." Fu Qingbai lowered her eyes, her gaze fixed on something, her right side subconsciously shifting slightly, then stiffening for a moment before her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"What's wrong?" Xiang An looked at him in confusion. Although she didn't know what he was thinking, she was already trapped by the barrier and was destined to be bound to him, so she would listen to him.

"nothing."

White snow and red walls, the snow piled high, making every step on the passageway difficult.

Hiding and dodging, Fu Qingbai entered a secluded courtyard in a corner of the palace. The moment he stepped across the threshold, his frozen legs gave way, and he fell heavily to the ground, rolling in the snow. He lay there panting for a long time, unable to get up.

Xiang An's outstretched hands lightly passed over his shoulders, without a ripple, less powerful than the howling wind: "Sorry."

The hot breath blew away the snow piled on the tip of her nose, and Fu Qingbai, whose head was pressed against the ground, moved slightly, her voice as soft as a whisper: "It's alright."

Xiang An opened his mouth, but after a long while, he didn't utter a single word and stood quietly to the side waiting for him.

The snow fell heavily, and for a moment there was complete silence.

"So beautiful." Fu Qingbai, who was lying on the snow and hadn't gotten up for a long time, suddenly exclaimed.

Xiang An blinked, tilted her head back, and saw that the sky was full of snow. A snowflake drifted down, seemingly about to enter her eye, but actually just floated down to the ground.

A soul without a body cannot even be sensed by snowflakes.

“It is indeed beautiful,” Xiang An agreed, but when she looked down, she saw that he was staring at her intently. “Why are you looking at me? Look at the snow.”

Fu Qingbai: "..."

Xiang An smiled and said, "You're not looking at the snow? Or are you complimenting my beauty?"

Fu Qingbai: "..."

Xiang An surrendered: "Okay, okay, I misspoke, don't take it seriously, go ahead and tell me."

Fu Qingbai: "..."

"Fu Qingbai?" Xiang An shouted.

He was called out in a very ordinary way, in a very ordinary voice, but there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in his tone.

Xiang An: "Fu Qingbai?"

Fu Qingbai: "..."

A single tear slid down her cheek, but the weather was so cold that even the tear was icy.