CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 45: THE DESCENT OF THE DIVINE FIRE

Lie Rou finally managed to keep up with the pace of the soldiers and arrived at the Youlian Palace, but Yue Chen was nowhere to be found.

Hongling followed closely after Lie Rou, reaching the front of the Youlian Palace. At this moment, the Youlian Palace was eerily strange.

The eaves of the Luli Palace and the Lotus Water Pavilion were all shrouded in a dark haze, completely obscuring the appearance of the palatial halls within.

The several acres of Blood Lotus in the water pavilion, their petals resembling engorged blood. The palace was enveloped by a persistent Black Cloud, with black and red Evil Qi tumbling incessantly.

The Feise Empress Dowager walked to the side of the Water Pavilion, her beautiful eyes looking in a certain direction, her lips curving into a faint, barely-there smile.

Fa Xiaoyi’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, he glanced at the Female Official with slight anger, clearly blaming her for acting too recklessly just now. Fortunately, he had volunteered just before and proactively dispersed the crowd. Accompanying him to the Youlian Palace were over a hundred of his trusted aides from the Fa Xiaoyi’s personal guards.

Upon seeing Lie Rou and Hongling, who followed closely behind, Fa Xiaoyi’s face showed displeasure, but he did not explode in anger immediately.

"Lady Yue, this place is dangerous, please step back," Fa Xiaoyi had taken the lead in bringing the palace’s Divine Crossbow Team here for a reason, with a purpose in mind. The hidden secrets of the Youlian Palace, if they got out, especially to the ears of people like the Empress Dowager, would be quite unfavorable to the Consort.

"Prince, amidst the chaos just now, Chenchen disappeared; he must have followed the soldiers over here. He is still a child, probably getting carried away by the excitement, running off to some corner without our knowledge. Please have someone help me look for him," Lie Rou was fumbling with her words, Yue Chen’s figure was not seen among the crowd.

"Someone take Lady Yue to the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters. Leave the rest to me to handle," Fa Xiaoyi ordered people to take Lie Rou and Hongling away.

"Prince, please send the Lady back first, this servant understands some Martial Arts, and can protect herself while helping to look for Young Master Yue Chen," Hongling said anxiously. The situation in the Youlian Palace was chaotic, and she was worried that the archers would accidentally harm Young Master Yue Chen.

Fa Xiaoyi looked at Hongling again and saw the bow strapped to her back, her eyes bright and penetrating, clearly skilled in Martial Arts.

Within the Little Shang Palace, aside from the Imperial Army personally appointed by Fa Xiaoyun, ordinary people entering the palace were not allowed to carry weapons.

Hongling was no exception. One could see that although she had a bow on her back, it had no bowstring or arrows, seemingly posing little threat.

"Fine, you may stay, but you must obey my command. Any slight disobedience will be punished without leniency," Fa Xiaoyi also gave some face to Lie Rou this way.

After sending Lie Rou away, Fa Xiaoyi immediately ordered the sealing off the entire You Tan Palace, deploying soldiers to guard each entrance and exit.

After sending people to search around, still, there was no sign of Yue Chen.

"Report," several soldiers came forward, several buckets of tung oil and animal fat were brought over.

Each soldier’s arrows were soaked once over, and after being lit up, they aimed at the Youlian Palace.

"All soldiers, on command, by the Emperor’s decree, there are evil doers in the Youlian Palace. At the slightest sign of trouble in the palace, strike with fire arrows, better to misjudge than to let go," ordered Fa Xiaoyi, and the archers responded in unison.

Hongling looked on from the side, secretly marveling at the fact that Fa Xiaoyi, commonly judged as young and arrogant with indulgence in the pleasures of women, was methodical when deploying defenses.

While Fa Xiaoyi was making defensive arrangements, a small figure was moving swiftly towards the Lotus Water Pavilion.

No one knew that in the chaos earlier, the first to arrive at You Tan Palace weren’t the soldiers of Fa Xiaoyi. The first to reach the Youlian Palace was Yue Chen.

Observing the Evil Lotus continually spewing Blood Evil, a strange hue emerged on the small face of Yue Chen.

"Is that you, Ye Zi?" he whispered softly.

After hesitating for a moment, Yue Chen removed the Jade Tube that had always hung around his neck.

This tube-like jade was entirely emerald green, and felt warm and smooth when held in hand.

The people of the Lie Family Mansion, including Yue Jinghua and others, all thought that this jade tube was merely a keepsake left by Yue Chen’s birth parents.

With the lotus leaves in the Lotus Water Pavilion already towering over a person’s height, Yue Chen, with his small stature, soon hid among them and was quickly swallowed by the lotus leaves, making it difficult to see him from outside.

Putting the jade tube in his mouth, an invisible soundwave, imperceptible to ordinary hearing, was emitted.

The water in the Water Pavilion was rising, and with his small stature, Yue Chen barely managed to reach the center of the Water Pavilion, only a few steps away from the Youlian Palace.

For some reason, the path of Blood Evil Lotus, upon seeing Yue Chen, all made way for him.