CHAPTER 719: CHAPTER 586: DESTINY STAR

The Heavenly Venerate’s indifferent gaze, sharp as arrows, shot straight towards the Empress’s heart, leaving her in a state of alarm.

After much difficulty, Feng Lan regained consciousness but had forgotten everything that had happened in the past.

Qing Feng was also dead.

For years, all the obstacles standing between her and Feng Lan had vanished.

At such a time, it was absolutely impermissible to fall out with the Tongtian Pavilion over an Earth Venerate; otherwise, if pressured, the Heavenly Venerate might reveal everything to Feng Lan.

The Empress made her decision in an instant.

"Heavenly Venerate, please do not misunderstand. I am certainly not autocratic. Since Feng Xun has forsaken the rights and status of the Feng Residence and insists on leaving, how could I stop him? Perhaps the Earth Venerate has also been mistaken. Now that the misunderstanding is resolved, I will not keep the two venerables any longer. You may both leave as you please."

The Empress adopted a kind and affable demeanor.

The Heavenly Venerate said no more; he embraced the Earth Venerate and turned to leave.

"Sister, let’s leave now."

The Heavenly Venerate really couldn’t stand staying any longer in the miasma-filled Beiqing Imperial Palace.

Watching the Heavenly Venerate wrap his arms around the Earth Venerate’s waist and leave step by step, Feng Lan’s hand tightened on the dagger. He wished he could go up and chop off the Heavenly Venerate’s hand.

Startled by his own impulse, Feng Lan realized something was off with him since he woke up.

Perhaps it was because he had been unconscious for too long and was suddenly awakened, leaving his mind somewhat unclear.

"Feng Lan, why do you look so unwell?" The Empress approached with concern upon noticing her beloved’s mood swings.

Beside her, Chen Tuo, who had been neglected for a while, snorted.

"Why are you still here!" It was only then that the Empress realized Chen Tuo was still present.

At this moment, her eyes and heart were fixated solely on Feng Lan, wishing that Chen Tuo could be as far away as possible.

Stung by the Empress’s coldness, Chen Tuo cursed inwardly.

What Feng Xun said was not wrong; Empress Qingshuang indeed was nothing but a bitch. When she was affectionate with him, she was submissive in every way. But as soon as she saw Feng Lan awake, she became boneless, as if she wanted nothing more than to cling on to Feng Lan.

"Your humble servant takes his leave." Although filled with resentment, Chen Tuo ultimately did not dare to confront the Empress.

Especially with Feng Lan’s return, his position as King Kaijiang was likely in danger.

"The hour is late, this servant will also retire." Feng Lan’s mind was still foggy, but he was no fool. Taking a quick glance at the Empress’s disheveled clothing and at Chen Tuo reeking of alcohol, a trace of indifference flickered in Feng Lan’s eyes.

"Feng Lan, you..." The Empress wanted to keep Feng Lan.

But when she thought about the decade-long chasm between them,

and Feng Lan’s temperament, acting too eagerly might backfire. After all, there were no others between her and Feng Lan now.

The position of her Imperial Consort had been vacant, and Empress Qingshuang firmly believed that given time, Feng Lan would surely concede to her.

With this in mind, the Empress quickly changed her approach.

"You’ve all worked hard, go back and rest early. Feng Lan, come morning, I will announce to the world and restore your title as Prince Feng."

Feng Lan did not respond, still engulfed in anger from Feng Xun’s "elopement" and the sight of the Heavenly Venerate embracing the "Earth Venerate" as they departed.

Within the Imperial Palace, the Heavenly Venerate supported the Earth Venerate as they walked out.

"So, you knew all along that he wasn’t dead?" The Earth Venerate, who had been silent, suddenly pushed away the Heavenly Venerate, staring at him as she spoke.

Her hoarse voice, in the cold winter night, rang out as chilling as ice, so cold that it sent the Heavenly Venerate’s heart plummeting into the Bottomless Abyss.

"..." The Heavenly Venerate did not answer immediately.

It was obvious to whom the Earth Venerate was referring, even without saying his name.

After a long while, as ice formed on the Earth Venerate’s black robe,

The Heavenly Venerate finally let out a sigh.

He removed his outer robe and draped it over the Earth Venerate.

"Indeed, I knew back then that he wasn’t dead, just gravely injured. Because his Lifebound Star had dimmed a great deal, but was still there."

In the art of astrology, the Heavenly Venerate was far superior to the Earth Venerate.

Back then, it was also through the power of the stars that he found the severely wounded Princess Qingfeng.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" The Earth Venerate’s body trembled violently from anger.

She had always thought he was dead.

All these years, because of Feng Lan’s death, she felt as though she had died as well.

If not for her lingering thoughts for Feng Xun, she would have followed Feng Lan in death long ago.

The ridiculous part was, Feng Lan wasn’t dead.

Yet what he brought to her was a blow more painful than death itself.

"What would it change if I told you? Qingfeng, you couldn’t defeat Qingshuang before, and you won’t be able to defeat her in the future either! She is the true fated Empress, the reincarnation of Ziwei. She could kill you once, she could kill you a second time. The master is already dead, who could save you if something were to happen again! If even you died, who would be there to save Feng Xun! I am also human, I can’t stand to let the woman I like, go find another man!" The voice of the Heavenly Venerate also sharpened.

The man, usually indifferent and calm, now had his eyes blazing with fury.

Those feelings buried deep in his heart for so long were dug up once again with the resurrection of Feng Lan, leaving a bloody, indistinct mess that hurt the hearts of many.

Her vision became a blur.

The Earth Venerate bit her lip stubbornly, until she tasted blood in her mouth.

She violently tore off the clothes on her body and threw them at the Heavenly Venerate, then turned to leave.

"Where are you going!" The moment the Heavenly Venerate cursed, he regretted it.

His years of cultivation crumbled when facing the Earth Venerate.

"To leave this filthy place, the longer I stay here, the more disgusted I feel." The Earth Venerate staggered away, stepping through the thick snow beneath her feet.

The Heavenly Venerate understood everything she did.

It was a pity, though, that reason and reality were always at opposite extremes.

She knew she couldn’t defeat Qingfeng, yet she still couldn’t let go.

The Heavenly Venerate did not chase after her; he could find Qingfeng then, and he would still be able to find her in the future.

In the end, he couldn’t let go.

Behind him came the sound of footsteps in the snow; the Heavenly Venerate turned around.

Feng Lan stood amidst the snow, with the snowfall growing heavier.

The Heavenly Venerate’s expression was somber; he didn’t know how long Feng Lan had stood there, or how much he had overheard.

"Who... exactly is she?"

The figure of the Earth Venerate had already disappeared in the distance.

Feng Lan hesitated but still spoke up.

"You should have just died back then. Feng Lan, you don’t deserve to know who she is." The Heavenly Venerate scoffed coldly and walked past Feng Lan.

Feng Lan furrowed his brows, a surge of uncontrollable anger rising in his chest.

He detected the provocative tone in the Heavenly Venerate’s words.

But by the time he turned around, the Heavenly Venerate had disappeared.

In the empty Beiqing Imperial Palace, snowflakes like feathers floated down from the sky. The snow grew heavier, as if to bury all that happened tonight and in the past.

Feng Lan stood in the snow, enveloped by an unprecedented sense of solitude. Such snow... it seemed he had experienced it many years ago...