SLLBTT Chapter 85
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 85⊱⊷⋇
The Son of Heaven's anger was undoubtedly fearsome. After all, when the Son of Heaven became enraged, it meant a trail of corpses and bloodshed spanning a thousand miles.
The Snow Wolf King was slightly surprised by the Son of Heaven's reaction. He had initially thought the Son of Heaven saw Bai Qingsi as a mere plaything. Otherwise, how could he have subjected him to such torment? Now, it seemed the Snow Wolf King didn't quite understand the Son of Heaven. Though he tormented Bai Qingsi, the Son of Heaven didn't perceive it as such. Perhaps, the Son of Heaven found it to be an amusing game, a process bringing joy to everyone.
Sigh!
It was truly difficult to fathom the Son of Heaven's thoughts!
The Snow Wolf King regretted revealing his assumptions. If he had known the Son of Heaven favored Bai Qingsi, he surely wouldn't have spoken so directly. But now, it was too late for regrets. The words were out. Could he possibly take them back?
Yet, the Snow Wolf King pondered, Bai Qingsi was in a similar situation.
If Bai Qingsi had feigned submission and dutifully served in the Heavenly Palace, a long and peaceful life wouldn't have been hard to achieve. However, Bai Qingsi chose to take risks, and the consequences of the exposure of his actions were now unpredictable.
Bai Qingsi indeed played out the intricate schemes as anticipated by the Snow Wolf King, resorting to false pregnancy and staged death — a desperate gamble with high stakes. His inner turmoil was palpable.
However, the Snow Wolf King's mention of Bai Qingsi "disguising" was inaccurate. Bai Qingsi had undergone a complete "transformation," undergoing plastic surgery to permanently alter his appearance, all in pursuit of a rebirth.
Anxiously lying in the room, Bai Qingsi continued to feign an idiotic appearance. But those attending to him dared not neglect him simply because of his apparent mental state.
Familiar footsteps approached from outside — the sound resonating deeply within Bai Qingsi's memory. Just hearing those footsteps caused his body to shiver, instinctively triggering a sense of fear.
The Son of Heaven entered through the door.
Bai Qingsi immediately closed his eyes, avoiding direct eye contact.
The Son of Heaven walked to the bedside, looking down at the figure lying there. While the physique remained the same, the face was unrecognizable from the past.
The Son of Heaven sat beside the bed and instructed the attendants, "You all can leave."
The attendants complied and withdrew.
Alone in the room with the Son of Heaven, Bai Qingsi felt even more uneasy.
The Son of Heaven sighed softly and said, "Don't be afraid."
Bai Qingsi slowly opened his eyes, maintaining a neutral expression, continuing to feign stupidity in an attempt to deceive.
"You don't resemble the Wolf Noble Lady."
Bai Qingsi gazed steadily at the Son of Heaven.
"But it doesn't matter. I will still cherish you," the Son of Heaven said gently. "I favor the Wolf Noble Lady the most. You should be aware, right?"
Bai Qingsi remained silent.
The Son of Heaven added, "Anything you desire, I can grant it to you."
As the Son of Heaven spoke, he tightly held Bai Qingsi's hand. While kneading those fingers, he became even more certain of whose hand he was holding.
The Son of Heaven stared at Bai Qingsi's face.
Bai Qingsi looked back at the Son of Heaven and, after a pause, said, "You've figured it out."
At these words, the Son of Heaven winced as if pricked by a needle, closing his eyes in pain. "Indeed!"
Bai Qingsi sighed, withdrew his hand under the blanket, and continued lying peacefully. "Did Bai Xiaoxiao see through it? I told you, I dislike him."
"You dislike him?" the Son of Heaven said. "Then I'll kill him."
Bai Qingsi looked at the Son of Heaven with some surprise.
But there was a glint in the Son of Heaven's eyes. "I've already imprisoned him. Just say the word, and I'll kill him."
One word, and a life would be taken.
Such power might instill fear in ordinary folks or spark longing in certain individuals. For Bai Qingsi, however, it was something to reminisce about.
Bai Qingsi paused briefly, smiling. "The Son of Heaven's word is as good as gold. Don't make a mistake."
At this moment, Bai Lingling and Liu Jiao had also reached the Heavenly Palace. Bai Lingling, posing as a northern noble, requested an audience with the Son of Heaven. The palace attendants promptly led them inside.
Walking alongside the palace attendant, Bai Lingling inquired, "I wonder if my older brother has arrived in the Heavenly Palace?"
"He has," replied the palace attendant.
Bai Lingling pressed further, "And where is he now?"
The palace attendant smiled vaguely and said, "You'll find out in a little while."
Hearing this evasive response, Bai Lingling felt a sense of unease.
Liu Jiao followed behind, observing the garden's flowers. "These flowers are truly beautiful."
The palace attendant smiled, "Yes, these are peonies. The Wolf Noble Lady used to be very fond of them."
"Oh. They're really beautiful." Liu Jiao admired the flowers, expressing his admiration and unintentionally vomiting.
The palace attendant exclaimed, "Please! Don't vomit on the peonies!"
Liu Jiao turned his head and vomited on the palace attendant.
Consequently, Liu Jiao had to accompany the palace attendant to the dressing room. Seeing this, Bai Lingling said, "Since you're going, I'll come along too. It's boring by myself."
Thus, the three of them entered the dressing room together. As the palace attendant prepared to change, Bai Lingling swiftly slapped him from behind, causing the attendant to collapse, unconscious.
Liu Jiao was shocked. "Lord Bai, what are you doing?"
Bai Lingling simply said, "I sense trouble. I'll buy time here. You go find my older brother. We'll stay in touch by phone."
"Alright," Liu Jiao obediently nodded. Following Bai Lingling's instructions, he put on the palace attendant's clothes, disguised himself, and hurried out.
The Heavenly Palace was vast, much larger than the northern royal palace. Liu Jiao, unfamiliar with the layout, didn't know where to start looking for the Snow Wolf King.
However, despite Liu Jiao's recent changes in appetite and temperament, his senses had become unusually sharp. In the bustling Heavenly Palace, every person, every flower, and every object carried distinct scents, blending in with Liu Jiao's heightened olfactory perception.
However, the distinctive chilly fragrance unique to the Snow Wolf King, like moonlight piercing through the clouds, gently illuminated Liu Jiao's heart.
Without anyone telling him, Liu Jiao instinctively followed the scent, approaching without the need for any guidance.
More urgently than any other day, minute, or second before, he rushed toward the direction where the Snow Wolf King was.
There was no pause or hesitation.
Liu Jiao reached the front of an artificial hill.
Under normal circumstances, Liu Jiao might not have sensed the emanating aura from the artificial hill. But on this day, Liu Jiao, unusually sensitive, paced anxiously around the structure.
The artificial hill was covered with green vines, seemingly unremarkable.
Yet, Liu Jiao, with heightened sensitivity, believed firmly that the Snow Wolf King must be inside.
But how to get in?
There must be a mechanism.
Where could the mechanism be?
Liu Jiao felt inexplicably irritated. To hell with the mechanism!
Liu Jiao jumped up and pounded the artificial hill. After a couple of strikes, a small hole appeared.
As the hole broke open, Liu Jiao saw a faint light inside, and the Snow Wolf King's chilly fragrance intensified. Liu Jiao's heart burned hotter. "Xiao Baizi? Xiao Baizi? Are you in there?"
The voice of the Snow Wolf King came through, "Why is it you? How did you come here?"
"I came to rescue you," Liu Jiao, restless and irritated, said, "How can I save you?"
The Snow Wolf King sighed lightly. "There are many blue lotus flowers by the pond. Go pluck one."
Liu Jiao moved to the side of a pond near the artificial hill, pulling out a blue lotus with such force that he nearly uprooted it.
As the lotus was lifted, a door on the artificial hill swung open.
Liu Jiao quickly entered the artificial hill and saw a stone staircase leading underground. Without hesitation, he ran down the stairs and reached an underground chamber with a narrow stone cell. The Snow Wolf King sat inside, both hands and feet in shackles.
Seeing the Snow Wolf King, Liu Jiao's anxious feeling not only didn't ease but became more intense.
"Great King!" Liu Jiao rushed to the Snow Wolf King.
The Snow Wolf King smiled faintly. "What's wrong? I'm fine."
Liu Jiao, unsure why he was in such a hurry, embraced the Snow Wolf King, feeling his body heat up.