Who wins and who loses

Helian Weiwei suddenly found herself frozen in place, unable to react in time. Luckily, the man quickly turned his leg sideways, and the corner of his white robe blocked her from view. He coughed softly and spoke, "Your Highness, is there anything else?"

Baili Jia Jue, with a slight smirk, responded with a hint of inquiry in his cultured voice, "Not at the moment."

For some reason, Helian Weiwei felt a cold sweat in her palms, relieved that she managed to handle the situation. This Third Prince was trying to deceive her once again!

Fortunately, the sick man reacted quickly and had excellent acting skills. Otherwise, an average person would have had no way to deal with him.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Helian Weiwei slumped onto the ground, supporting her chin with one hand, completely letting go of any pretense.

"Then I shall take my leave," the man said as he reached out to lower the carriage curtain. He looked down at her and ordered in a low voice, "Liang Bo, let's go."

The city gate opened, and the carriage wheels slowly rolled over the ground. However, Helian Weiwei heard an exclamation.

"Your Highness!"

It was the shadow, reaching out to support the swaying Baili Jia Jue.

But he was halted by the gaze from Baili Jia Jue.

"Your Highness..." Although it was just a touch, the warmth emanating from his body indicated his deteriorating physical condition.

However, no one actually witnessed it.

As strong as the Prince, he would never show the slightest vulnerability in front of others.

Even now, he simply pressed his finger to his forehead, his eyebrows slightly furrowing, and he issued a cold order, "Continue the search."

"But Your Highness..." The concern in the shadow's eyes was involuntary. Since the fire incident, Baili Jia Jue had been plagued by various health issues, each one potentially fatal.

Baili Jia Jue merely twirled his tail ring slowly. "I said, continue the search."

"Yes." The shadow respectfully lowered his gaze, then raised his hand and led the remaining dark guards into the streets of Kyoto.

When there was no one around, the fire qilin spoke from the fantasy space, "Master, you need to rest."

"That horse just now was a Black Wind Horse," Baili Jia Jue's tone was light, as if stating a fact.

The fire qilin lowered its head. "Nothing can escape the master's sight."

"I didn't even look," Baili Jia Jue raised his head, a distant look in his eyes. "It's a little restless, and it senses your presence." The fire qilin leaped up. "Master, your eyes..."

"They are temporarily out of commission," Baili Jia Jue's voice remained cool, as if the blind one was not him.

The fire qilin furrowed its brow deeply. As it had mentioned before, the fire incident had caused significant damage to its master, and now he was experiencing these issues.

Three days at most, one day at least.

The time intervals seemed to be getting shorter and shorter, and it was unclear whether this was a good or bad sign.

Regardless, the top priority now was to prevent anyone from noticing the irregularities in the Prince's condition.

Lying in the carriage, Helian Weiwei glanced behind her, her eyes emitting an unknown glimmer, giving her an eerie appearance.

"If the lady regrets it, you can alight from the carriage now," the man's voice was warm, albeit with a hint of illness.

Helian Weiwei raised an eyebrow. "Regret? I simply feel invincible. Under normal circumstances, the Third Prince would have easily discovered me hiding in the carriage."

Sometimes, luck plays a crucial role in decisive battles.

Although her current physique wasn't on par with the Third Prince's.

Helian Weiwei leaned back against the soft cushion, exhaustion evident in the corners of her eyes.

"Everyone wants to marry the Third Prince," the man observed her with a faint smile on his lips. His voice flowed like a gentle stream, as if stating an indisputable fact.

Mo Lan's hair cascaded over his shoulders like luxurious brocade, without a trace of imperfection. His face resembled jade, captivating all beings. His star-like eyebrows were like the first melting spring snow, a mixture of happiness and disdain, suppressing the radiance of the carriage.

A man like him made people feel that merely looking at him would tarnish his purity, yet they couldn't help but want to get closer.

Helian Weiwei once again looked at the white-clad man in front of her. He sat there lightly, emanating a calm temperament, as if he could accomplish anything effortlessly, like the gentle breeze.

Helian Weiwei had never encountered someone like him before. He appeared fragile on the surface but possessed the strength to defy the odds.

In the Battle Dragon Empire, there was only one person who fit this description.

Him—the second-ranked Liancheng family in the capital, unparalleled in his generation!

Legend had it that although the Liancheng family was not one of the four major noble families, they held a noble and mysterious status within the Battle Dragon bloodline. They shared a close connection with the royal family, spanning a hundred miles.

Even though they currently appeared weak, each member was a martial arts genius.

Among them, Jing Wushuang, the eldest son of the Liancheng family, stood out the most. Since childhood, he had been recognized as the indisputable heir of the Liancheng family.

The Liancheng family's position was not hereditary but merit-based, disregarding generations. Only capable individuals who could control the destiny of the entire clan could become patriarchs!

Hence, setting aside his creation of those martial arts cultivators, the fact that he gained the Liancheng family's recognition indicated his immeasurable abilities!

"Where does the lady intend to go next?" The man casually flipped through an ancient scroll in his hand. A teapot sat in the middle of the carriage, emanating warmth as tea gently steamed, filling the air with a delicate fragrance. He smiled at Helian Weiwei, fatigue apparent but failing to dim his ethereal demeanor, like an immortal stepping out of a painting.

Helian Weiwei had initially thought of using the man's presence to coerce him into taking her directly to the martial arts conference. After all, Jing Wushuang, as the guild president's son, would surely be a prominent figure at the conference.

But now, seeing the man's lack of resistance and the help he had provided, Helian Weiwei felt awkward voicing her earlier threat. So she said, "Just drop me off beyond the mountain ahead."

The Black Wind Horse galloped swiftly.

After a while, it spread its wings and flew over a mountain.

And then...

The man glanced at Helian Weiwei, who sat beside him, and coughed softly. "It's time for the lady to disembark. We wouldn't want to tarnish your reputation, being alone with a solitary man and a widow."

Helian Weiwei wasn't one to lack tact and face. She understood the underlying meaning. He was afraid she would seize this opportunity to capture him.

Ancient people were more complicated than modern ones, and though she was not yet twenty, she understood their thoughts—believing that women approached him solely out of covetousness.

Helian Weiwei smiled, lazily stretched her body, and casually threw ten taels of silver on the table. "Consider this a token of gratitude. Thank you, Young Master Jing, for mediating on my behalf. Let's part ways here, and perhaps our paths will cross again someday."

The man paused, she had just referred to him as Young Master Jing...