Ling Xi stormed furiously to the Third Palace and barged straight into the council hall where the Third Palace Lord resided.
At that moment, the Third Palace Lord lounged leisurely in the main seat. Upon seeing Ling Xi burst in, a flicker of barely perceptible panic crossed his face, but he swiftly regained his arrogant and domineering demeanour.
“Third Palace Lord, do you know your crime!”
Ling Xi’s willow brows shot up, her beautiful eyes widened, and she bellowed sharply.
The Third Palace Lord, however, appeared utterly unconcerned. He crossed one leg over the other and drawled lazily, “Oh, Fourth Palace Lord, whatever has got you in such a temper? What crime have I committed?”
“You have secretly employed the Divine Clan’s forbidden technique to trap Chen Ping in the void passage. Is that not a crime?”
Ling Xi said through gritted teeth.
The Third Palace Lord burst into hearty laughter. “Fourth Palace Lord, do not slander me here. When did I ever use the Divine Clan’s forbidden technique? Do you have proof?”
“Proof? Yun Xiu witnessed it with her own eyes. Will you still deny it?”
Ling Xi trembled with rage.
The Third Palace Lord put on a shameless grin. “Yun Xiu? Can the word of a mere maidservant be trusted? Perhaps she mis-saw it, or maybe you instructed her to say as much.”
“You…”
Ling Xi was so furious she could not utter a word. She had not expected the Third Palace Lord to be so utterly shameless and quibbling.
Seeing Ling Xi rendered speechless by anger, the Third Palace Lord grew even more smug and reckless. He began spewing vile obscenities. “Fourth Palace Lord, I reckon you have taken a fancy to that Chen Ping lad, which is why you are so eager to stand up for him.
But spare yourself the effort. That boy is likely reduced to ashes by now.
Instead of fretting over him here, why not give some thought to your own situation? Submit to me, and perhaps I can ensure you live comfortably within the Divine Hall.”
Hearing the Third Palace Lord humiliate her so, Ling Xi’s face turned ashen with fury. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her flesh.
But she knew she was no match for the Third Palace Lord at present. Acting rashly would only bring disgrace upon herself.
“Third Palace Lord, you will pay for your deeds!”
Ling Xi forced down her fury and said coldly.
The Third Palace Lord dismissed it with a scoff and continued to mock her. “Pay the price? With what, you? Fourth Palace Lord, save your breath.
If you have the ability, go rescue that Chen Ping from the void passage. But I doubt you possess such skill.”
Ling Xi drew a deep breath, striving to compose herself. She knew this was no time for impulsiveness. The priority was to find a way to save Chen Ping.
“Third Palace Lord, you will regret this!”
With that, Ling Xi turned and departed the Third Palace.
Upon returning to her quarters, Ling Xi racked her brains for a method to rescue Chen Ping.
She knew void passages were perilously treacherous, especially those tainted by the Divine Clan’s forbidden technique, which brimmed with unforeseeable dangers.
Yet she could not stand by and watch Chen Ping fall into such dire straits without attempting a rescue.
Ling Xi first considered the Divine Clan’s ancient texts, hoping they might hold clues on countering the forbidden technique’s effects within the void passage.
She hurried at once to the Divine King Palace’s scriptorium and delved into the vast sea of ancient volumes in search of leads.
In the scriptorium, Ling Xi pored over the texts page by page, her eyes scarcely daring to blink, lest she miss any pertinent detail.
Time ticked by relentlessly, beads of sweat forming on Ling Xi’s forehead, yet she refused to yield.
No matter what, she could not allow Chen Ping to remain trapped in that void passage.
Though she and Chen Ping were neither kin nor close allies, since her return from the Sixth Heaven, Ling Xi found herself occasionally recalling Chen Ping’s visage.
At times, even in dreams, Chen Ping appeared, his image lingering persistently.
Ling Xi had spent her life immersed in cultivation, never once entertaining romantic notions.
But now her heart was in turmoil, particularly upon hearing of Chen Ping’s peril. It churned with chaos, rendering focused cultivation impossible. She wondered if this constituted affection.
Regardless, even at the cost of her life, she resolved never to let Chen Ping perish in that void passage.
