The Princess Cannot Escape: The Cunning Prince Is Not to Be Messed With

Chapter 287 The Poison of the Ends of the Earth

"Ni Shixuan, you have quite the audacity to collude with a wanted criminal and even dare to steal from me. Are you planning a rebellion?" Yin Quan couldn't bring himself to hate Ni Shixuan, after all, he was a pitiful person. Especially now that Yin Quan still needed his father's help, he had to be even more polite.

She tugged at Xiahou Ying's sleeve, "Let's talk things out. Brother Ni, this Ancient Spirit Pearl is useless to you. What do you want it for?" Ni Shixuan's lips were pressed into a line. He knew this was Yin Quan's last chance for him. He turned to look at Mingyue and Chongyang, who were barely fighting to a draw. The situation looked very unfavorable.

"Your Highness and Your Highness, please forgive us. We also have our own unavoidable difficulties."

“Ni Shixuan, you’re being insolent! Believe me or not, I’ll report you to the emperor when I get back to the capital. I originally intended to spare the last remaining bloodline of the Ni family, but don’t force me.” Mentioning the massacre of the Ni family was like rubbing salt into Ni Shixuan’s wounds, and his face immediately darkened. “Your Highness, I am already a criminal. One more death sentence won’t make a difference. If Your Highness wants to kill me, I will naturally have nothing to say. But before that, I must obtain the Ancient Spirit Pearl.”

Yin Quan could sense Xiahou Ying's rising anger, clearly indicating that he would not give him another chance. Although Xiahou Ying was seriously injured, he was still more than capable of dealing with Ni Shixuan. Seeing his lord take action, Jing Yu naturally would not stand idly by. Xiahou Ying's voice was cold and clear.

"Go and take good care of the princess. I can handle a mere traitor." Although Jing Yu was a little worried, he still obediently walked to Yin Quan's side, staring at her with an expression of looking at a burden. Yin Quan touched her nose. Well, she was indeed a burden.

Gu Lounan leaned close behind Yin Quan and said, "I'll cover you as you take the Ancient Spirit Pearl out first. We can't stay here any longer." Yin Quan nodded, and Gu Lounan led her out. Ming Yue was furious. She was about to miss the Ancient Spirit Pearl, and the Valley Master of Hundred Flowers Valley was extremely troublesome. She rolled her eyes.

"How about we make a deal? We're all after the Ancient Spirit Pearl, but if we keep fighting like this, neither of us will get it. Why don't we join forces to snatch it first, and then figure out how to divide it up?" Chongyang seemed to be tempted by her suggestion, and stopped to ponder for a while, rubbing his chin.

"That's a good idea, but we don't need to team up. Whoever gets it can keep it." Before Mingyue could react, Chongyang rushed towards Yin Quan. Yin Quan was shocked that Chongyang would actually disregard the life-saving grace he had received and shouted, "Chongyang, you ungrateful wretch! We have a revolutionary bond, and you treat me like this!"

Gu Lounan blocked Chongyang's path. "If I had known, I should have eliminated him completely back then." Chongyang sneered, "If it weren't for that monk, I wouldn't have suffered that. I've heard you two have a good relationship. If I can't find him, I'll settle accounts with you instead." Yin Quan thought that after Gu Lounan made such a threatening statement, a fierce battle was inevitable.

Unexpectedly, after rushing towards Chongyang, Gu Lounan only made a brief appearance before flashing to the stone gate, quickly inserting the key, opening the stone gate, and shouting at Yin Quan, "What are you still standing there for? Run!" Before Yin Quan could react, Jing Yu had already grabbed her arm and rushed out.

"Wait... Xiahou Ying! Run!" Ni Shixuan had been at a disadvantage, and Xiahou Ying was able to break away quickly, but Mingyue naturally wouldn't let him escape so easily. Together with Chongyang, they chased after him. For a moment, Xiahou Ying was blocked outside the stone gate. After Jing Yu brought Yin Quan out, he also rushed in.

Gu Lounan glanced deeply at the people fighting inside, and while Yin Quan wasn't looking, he tightened the mechanism to close the stone door. The stone door slowly closed, and Yin Quan jumped up and down in panic. "Xiahou Ying, come out quickly, the stone door is about to close!" Xiahou Ying cursed inwardly. That damned Gu Lounan wanted to keep him here forever; he was far too naive.

"If you don't want us all to stay here forever, you'd better know when to stop. Once we're out, I'm willing to fight you again."

Ni Shixuan and Mingyue exchanged a glance. Being the closest to the stone gate, they were the first to withdraw and slip through. Chongyang had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw as well. With only a narrow passage wide enough for one person to pass through left, Yin Quan was extremely anxious.

"Xiahou Ying! Come out quickly! It's too late!" Xiahou Ying sheathed his soft sword and rushed out at the last second. The stone door slammed shut, catching the hem of Xiahou Ying's robe. Xiahou Ying tore the robe off with a ripping motion and looked at Gu Lounan with a meaningful gaze.

"Do I need to explain what the Imperial Advisor just did?" Gu Lounan looked at the group with an innocent expression. "Your Highness is wronging me. I was only trying to save you." Yin Quan rushed to Xiahou Ying's side. The fierce battle had reopened the wound on his shoulder, and blood had soaked through his white robe.

Yin Quan felt a pang of heartache and tore off a piece of her skirt to help Xiahou Ying stop the bleeding. "Does it hurt?" Xiahou Ying held her hand and shook his head. "It's alright, don't worry." After leaving the illusion, Mingyue and the others found it inconvenient to be in Qifeng Manor. Taking advantage of the crowd's inattention, Ni Shixuan and Mingyue hurriedly left through a side path.

Chongyang didn't seem to care much, and said to their backs, "Hey? Where are you going? Why don't you want the Ancient Spirit Pearl anymore?" Mingyue glared at him resentfully, "Valley Master, there's no need to gloat. Those people are all wolves and tigers. You should know the consequences of trying to get something from a tiger."

Chongyang tidied his slightly disheveled hair and smiled like a spring breeze unfolding leaves. "Hundred Flowers Valley is a good place. If the island lord becomes a pariah in the future, he can come to Chongyang for refuge. Chongyang is willing to accept him." Xiahou Ying and Gu Lounan looked at the unconscious Chongyang and exchanged a glance. "Men, seize him!"

"What are you doing? Is Your Highness planning to kick me while I'm down? I just held them off for you, which gave you a chance to escape. I'm not going to fight you for that thing, just let me take a look, okay?" He then blinked, acting like an innocent young man. If it were Yin Quan, he would probably be fooled by his innocent appearance.

But who were Xiahou Ying and Gu Lounan? Xiahou Ying didn't even bother to lift his eyelids. "A reward of five hundred taels of silver will be given to whoever catches him." The guards' eyes turned red instantly, and they rushed towards Chongyang one after another. Although Chongyang's martial arts skills were almost unmatched in the martial world, one man's fists could not withstand a fourth hand.

This left him quite embarrassed, so he had no choice but to leap onto the roof, his teeth itching with anger. "Prince Duan, our friendship remains unchanged! I, the Valley Master of Hundred Flowers Valley, am not someone to be easily appeased. I will remember the great gift you gave me today." He turned and vanished from everyone's sight like a falling leaf.

The guards were about to give chase again, but Xiahou Ying stopped them with a raised hand. "Forget it, you can't catch up. Summon Wei Jun to the study in an hour. I have important matters to discuss with him." The guards nodded and left. Yin Quan frowned in displeasure. "Are you crazy? You're so badly injured and you're not even resting?"

Although Xiahou Ying's face was pale, he could not hide his excitement. "Don't worry, I'm fine now that I've obtained the Ancient Spirit Pearl. It's just that things in the capital are difficult to deal with." Yin Quan couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she had no choice but to let him have his way.

After their adventure, everyone was seriously injured. Gu Lounan and Jing Yu went to the infirmary for treatment, while Xiahou Ying and Yin Quan returned to their room. An elderly man with white hair and beard entered carrying a medicine box. Xiahou Ying greeted the old man with utmost respect, "Greetings, Doctor Yan." Doctor Yan, however, looked furious, as if he was quite angry with Xiahou Ying.

He slammed the medicine box down on the table and said, "I see you're getting more and more disobedient. I know you have a special constitution and ordinary poisons can't hurt you, but you can't be this reckless, can you? You dare to ingest any poison. Now look what you've done. You were lucky to survive that rare poison back then. Do you really think you're some kind of reincarnated Arhat?"

Yin Quan raised an eyebrow. Among all the rare poisons in the world, if she remembered correctly, she had once been poisoned by a kind of inexhaustible poison. However, after she inexplicably fainted for a while, it was as if nothing had happened. She only vomited a little blood and immediately became lively again.

"Doctor Yan, you said Xiahou Ying was once poisoned? But... Tianya?" Doctor Yan then noticed Yin Quan. Xiahou Ying's expression tightened. "Doctor Yan! I'm fine. These are just superficial wounds. Besides, I've already found a way to cure the poison in my body." Doctor Yan was still somewhat incredulous.

"What did you say? You really have a way? Even I, the number one doctor in the world, can't cure this, and you say you have a way? Are you kidding me, old man?"

Xiahou Ying shook his head, took Yin Quan's finger, and handed it to Doctor Yan. "I have found the Ancient Spirit Pearl."

Doctor Yan was like he had discovered a new continent. He picked up Yin Quan's finger and stared intently at the ring on her finger.

Half an hour later...

"Dr. Yan, could we rest for a bit? Half of my body is numb..." Yin Quan moved her slightly sore arm. Ever since Dr. Yan finished bandaging Xiahou Ying, he had been holding her close, staring intently at the small ring on her hand, and exclaiming repeatedly, "Is this the world-famous Ancient Spirit Pearl? It can bring the dead back to life? I've seen a lot in my life, but this is the only thing I've ever heard of but never seen. I really don't know what's so magical about it."

Yin Quan withdrew her hand and rubbed her stiff fingers. "Doctor, could you please come back tomorrow? I'm really tired and hungry right now. You have to feed the animals before you can visit the zoo. You can't just exploit me like this, can you?" Doctor Yan looked at Yin Quan with a puzzled expression, not knowing what she was saying. However, he could see that the two of them were extremely tired. He instructed her on how to change the dressing and then left with his medicine box on his back, frowning as he walked, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

After Doctor Yan left, Yin Quan walked up to Xiahou Ying, moved a stool over, and sat down with her hands on her hips. Xiahou Ying took off his outer robe, revealing his strong upper body muscles, and leaned against the edge of the bed. The sight of him in full bloom made Yin Quan's throat dry. She quickly shook her head. Now was not the time to be seduced by good looks!

"What's the story behind Tianya's poison?" Xiahou Ying glanced at her sideways. "What could it be? It happened so long ago, how could I possibly remember?"

"Xiahou Ying, don't try to fool me. I didn't understand back then, but Doctor Yan just clearly said..."

"What did he say? The poison he mentioned was the poison the Empress gave me when I was a child. It has nothing to do with you. Also, I have something to ask you. What's the story behind the Miss Yin being from another world?"