5202

Chapter 5202: 5.0954 Begging for Mercy

She now recalled the Crown Prince's phoenix eyes, like cold jade beads, staring chillingly at her yesterday. Just thinking about that scene made her tremble uncontrollably. She, Yuan Maoyi, truly had a death wish, to be so foolish as to accept such a stupid mission, throwing herself right into the net at the gates of the Qiao residence. She genuinely felt like dying now. She should have known better than to listen to others' instigation, talking about special rewards after completing this mission. Rewards? She was about to lose her life.

"Tell me, what exactly is Tianyun planning? Cultivating your Zhaoguang organization, hoisting a grand banner, gathering public support everywhere – what is this intended for?"

"Is it to collect more test subjects?" Qiao Mu gazed at the Saintess of Zhaoguang intently.

Yuan Maoyi shrunk her neck back in fear. "N-no, I don't know what you're talking about, ah, ahhh, I'll talk, I'll talk!" Seeing her hands about to be forcefully thrown into the Nirvana Barrel, Yuan Maoyi shrieked in terror and quickly said, "I, I swear, I truly don't know the relationship between Tianyun and Zhaoguang. I, I am an orphan girl. I had no other skills since childhood, only good at trickery and acting. Yes, yes, I was picked up."

"The Saint said I was clever and agile, more than enough to be a Saintess."

"I, what I do every day, is just feed that, that Sacred Wood fragment. It's true, every word I say is the truth, Your Highness, it's true!"

"Feed?" Qiao Mu's eyes were icy cold. "Feed with what?"

"With, with blood! The Saint told me to feed, feed the fragment a drop of blood every three days. I, I just, just followed orders." Seeing the little Crown Princess erupt in anger, looking as if she was about to slap her, Yuan Maoyi quickly pleaded for mercy, "I, I don't understand either. The Saint told me to do it, so I did it."

"Please spare my life, Crown Princess, please spare my life!"

The little Crown Princess's cold smile was truly chilling and terrifying.

"I, I will tell you everything I know, whatever Your Highness wishes to ask, I, I am willing to say, say."

"That's very good." Qiao Mu nodded, her hand clutching the Saintess's hair loosening slightly. "Speak, where is the tree seed fragment hidden?" This was the most important thing she wanted to know; as for the rest, they were all insignificant matters.

"The tree seed fragment, hidden, hidden... no, not hidden." Yuan Maoyi quickly shook her head, revealing a cautious expression. "Your Highness, please understand, this lowly one absolutely did not, did not deceive you. It's true. Although this lowly one doesn't understand what Your Highness means, but, but I presume what Your Highness said should, should be..."

"Ah. Wait, wait, let, let this lowly one finish, finish speaking!" Yuan Maoyi's eyes widened in fright. She quickly braced herself against the edge of the wooden barrel with both hands, ensuring her head wouldn't be forced down for an intimate contact with the contents of the barrel.

"Speak," Qiao Mu had no intention of wasting words with her, pressing directly, "Speak clearly."

"Yes, this lowly one dares not deceive Your Highness," Yuan Maoyi answered honestly. "That, that sacred fruit, truly, truly is..."

"I know." This was her concern. That sacred fruit was absolutely not fake, but it was an imperfect, semi-finished product, as if it had been artificially grown with external force. Qiuqiu said that the last tree seed fragment, its wood spirit origin power, surpassed all previous fragments.

The Saintess of Zhaoguang, Yuan Maoyi, is revealed to be a mere pawn, used by a figure referred to as the "Saint" of Zhaoguang. She admits to feeding the Sacred Wood fragment with her own blood, a practice that Qiao Mu finds concerning. Qiao Mu suspects a deeper connection between Zhaoguang and Tianyun, possibly indicating that Zhaoguang is a front for Tianyun to gather "test subjects."

The chapter ends with Yuan Maoyi trying to shift responsibility to her maid, Han Su, who she claims knows more and was directly sent by the Saint. This suggests that Han Su might hold crucial information about the Sacred Wood fragment and the true intentions of the Zhaoguang organization.

What do you think Qiao Mu will do next regarding Han Su and the whereabouts of the Sacred Wood fragment?