The Cry of the Phoenix Which Reached the Ninth Heaven

Chapter 52: Ling Yun, Kill Her

"Ling Yun… why are you here?" The instant Duan Zirou saw Ling Yun, she felt like her heart had been thrown into freezing water. The despair that flooded out from her heart made her feel like her entire world was collapsing.

Ling Yun stood there silently with no intention to answer Duan Zirou's questions. There were some things that were out of his control. If he had the choice, he wouldn't have appeared. This current confrontation was very awkward for him.

"Does this even need to be asked? Naturally it's because Zixiao was worried about this consort's safety and specially instructed Ling Yun to stay behind and protect this consort. You should probably understand now who's the one Zixiao is truly in love with, right? You finally realize who it is that was imagining their love to be reciprocated?" Yao Suluan's poisonous words attacked Duan Zirou's self-confidence and hope. Duan Zirou was now completely in despair. What affection could she have towards a person that had already betrayed her?

"Move aside!" Duan Zirou looked towards Ling Yun coldly, her gaze sharp as a knife. As the person closest to Ye Zixiao, naturally she knew what kind of existence Ling Yun was.

"Ling Yun, kill her!" A soft and dark voice arose. Duan Zirou and Ling Yun simultaneously looked towards Yao Suluan in disbelief.

"What? Didn't you hear what this consort said? Kill her!" commanded Yao Suluan again.

"Yao Suluan, how dare you be so audacious? No matter what, I'm still the grand luminescent princess, the main daughter of Senior Prince Duan! I'm not someone you can kill on a whim!" Duan Zirou looked towards Yao Suluan coldly. In this instant, Yao Suluan suddenly looked like a demon to her, an insane demon!

"Ling Yun, you shouldn't forget who your master is. If you allow this woman to walk out now, Ye Zixiao will die without a doubt. This consort heard that the one thing hidden guards value most is loyalty. Right now is the time for you to demonstrate your loyalty, so why are you still standing there?" Yao Suluan's voice was cold and her eyes flashed with an icy glint.

Beneath the window, Ye Junqing's brows were tightly furrowed and his fists made slight cracking noises from how hard he was clenching them. When Yao Mowan saw that Ye Junqing wanted to charge in, she pulled his hand and indicated for him to look towards the figure that was rushing over.

"Ling Yun, you dare!?" cried Duan Zirou indignantly as she looked towards Ling Yun.

"Princess, can you promise that you won't tell His Majesty about Master?" Yao Suluan's words had clearly been effective since Ling Yun's aura slowly became colder.

"That's my affair. It's not your place to get involved! Withdraw!" Duan Zirou was furious and pushed Ling Yun aside to stomp out.

"Ling Yun, what are you still thinking about? Could it be that you'd only be willing to do it once Ye Zixiao is already beheaded? As a hidden guard, you're actually standing by and watching without doing anything even though you know your master will be in danger! You know what the outcome will be! One moment of hesitation will make it so you can never be a hidden guard again!" Yao Suluan did her best to disturb Ling Yun's thoughts.

So, as Duan Zirou was opening the palace doors, Ling Yun abruptly attacked her.

Just as Ling Yun's palm was about to strike Duan Zirou's back, the palace doors were suddenly opened and a figure moved forward in a flash. Ling Yun was abruptly sent flying backwards and crashed into the ground.

Pfff!

Ling Yun felt like his internal organs were boiling and blood abruptly flooded up his throat.

"Zirou! Are you alright?" Ye Zixiao held Duan Zirou's shoulders worriedly, his face still filled with lingering fear.

Slap!

A loud slap was Ye Zixiao's reply. The tears that Duan Zirou had held back this entire time now fell like a broken strand of pearls that shattered into pieces upon hitting the ground. As she looked at the man she loved most in this lifetime, she felt so much pain in her heart that she couldn't even breathe.

"I'm sorry…" Ye Zixiao pulled Duan Zirou into his arms. When he saw that Ling Yun's palm was about to hit Duan Zirou, he finally understood that he couldn't lose this woman! This woman was the only one he was willing to walk the rest of his life with.

"Ling Yun! Who gave you the guts to attack the princess!?" Ye Zixiao's black eyes immediately beast-like murderous intent.

"It was this consort." When Yao Suluan saw Ye Zixiao pulled Duan Zirou without hesitation into his arms, she knew that if she wanted to continue placing her hopes on Ye Zixiao, Duan Zirou had to die.

"Why?" Ye Zixiao glowered at Yao Suluan. His gaze contained no trace of its past gentleness.

"She wanted to expose our relationship in front of His Majesty. This consort only did this because there was no other choice. Does Prince feel that this consort was wrong in doing so?" Yao Suluan looked towards Ye Zixiao, her eyes similarly cold, as she waited for his reaction.

"Zirou wouldn't…" Before Ye Zixiao could even finish his words, Duan Zirou had already slapped him.

"Why wouldn't I!? Ye Zixiao, this is the great thing you've been doing behind my back!? You can show disdain that my beauty has faded due to age, disdain the fact that I don't understand romance, but the one thing you can't show disdain for is this scar of mine!" Duan Zirou abruptly pulled open her collar. The conspicuous scar that extended from her neck to her chest was like an ugly centipede against Duan Zirou's snowy jade-like skin.

"This prince didn't…" said Ye Zixiao softly. The sincere heartache and love in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

"But that's what she said! Tell her! Tell her how I got this scar!" cried Duan Zirou sadly. She was frustrated with herself, but her eyes refused to listen to her commands and tears continued to overflow.

"Assassins had attacked and Zixiao hadn't been able to fend them off. If it weren't for the fact that you blocked that blade for Zixiao, Zixiao definitely would've died. After being injured, you were unconscious for an entire three days. The bleeding wouldn't stop and you were almost swept to the Yellow Springs. Zixiao will never forget this debt as long as Zixiao is alive." Ye Zixiao sensed Duan Zirou's sadness and indignance, so he complied and solemnly voiced the shocking events that happened back then.

"So what? You did save Zixiao once, but Zixiao treats you quite well too. Even though you're unbearably ugly, didn't Zixiao still allow you to the be the luminescent princess? As of now, there's not a single concubine in the luminescent princess's residence, so what do you still want? Meanwhile, you're sure good at repaying him. Not only are you not grateful, you want to go to His Majesty and ruin Zixiao's everything. Is this proper conduct for a wife?" Yao Suluan looked towards Duan Zirou with disgust and contempt.

"Shut up!" Ye Zixiao bellowed at Yao Suluan, then he walked over to Duan Zirou and pulled her tightly into his arms.

"Prince's attitude truly makes this consort disappointed. This consort still remembers your gentle words from last night. Could it be that Prince was just lying to Suluan?" Yao Suluan looked towards Ye Zixiao meaningfully. She was sure that this man wouldn't be like Ye Junqing and only cared about the beauty and not the country.

"Ye Zixiao, let go of me! Let go! I hate you!" Duan Zirou pounded on Ye Zixiao's chest as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Zirou, things aren't like what you think. Please let me explain!" Ye Zixiao's expression turned a little bitter when he sensed Duan Zirou struggling against him. There were some things that he didn't want to let Duan Zirou know since the more she knew, the more danger she would be in.

"Things are exactly as you're thinking. Zixiao and this consort have been together for a long time and we…"

Slap!

A resounded slap interrupted Yao Suluan's purposeful provoking. When Yao Suluan felt the stinging pain from her face, she looked towards Ye Zixiao disbelievingly.

"Ling Yun, you should remember that this prince is your true master!" After saying this, Ye Zixiao left while hugging Duan Zirou.

In the main hall, Yao Suluan covered her cheek as her eyes flashed with cold light. Perhaps her guess had been wrong. Ye Zixiao was just like Ye Junqing, he was blinded by a woman! However, as of now, Ye Zixiao was her only choice. She couldn't choose anyone else, otherwise she'd make Ye Zixiao an enemy too!

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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira