Beauty Brings Misfortune! . . .
"Not only is it a challenge for her to live in the martial world, even leading a regular life in the ordinary world could pose problems for her. For an ordinary person, possessing such a pretty face is often a misfortune."
Cha Eun Xiao remained in contemplative silence.
Song Jue's assessment was undeniably accurate. He understood the delicate nature of the girl. Despite her intelligence, her excessive kindness and naivety made her susceptible to suffering in the harsh world. A single misstep could inflict irreparable trauma upon her.
"Even though you can protect her for now, you cannot be by her side every moment of her life," Song Jue remarked.
Cha Eun Xiao continued his silence before finally asking, "What do you propose we do?"
"If something is going to happen tonight, let the girl be a part of it. She needs to encounter something dark, something evil and gruesome," Song Jue suggested. "Especially... she needs to confront the evils that specifically target women."
"We must not be weak. She needs to be exposed to the realities of the world. Otherwise, she might be overwhelmed by them in the future," Song Jue added. "In this world, we can still protect her. But if we were in the Qing-Yun Realm... if we became entangled in other issues, tragedy might befall her."
Cha Eun Xiao's face darkened as he spoke somberly, "Uncle Song, you're absolutely right. I'll let that ignorant prince serve as a wake-up call for her tonight! But I will ensure Bing-Er's safety. I won't let her come to harm."
"Not even a bit!"
"The darkness in this world, we need to expose her to it. It doesn't mean she has to pay the price for it," Cha Eun Xiao said with a grim expression.
Song Jue was irritated. "What are you implying, kid? Do you think I'm so unreliable? I won't let her get hurt. Relax. Nothing will go wrong tonight!"
Cha Eun Xiao gazed upwards as the sun began to set, half-closing his eyes, and uttered in a low voice, "Uncle Song, I have a peculiar premonition."
Song Jue inquired, "A premonition? What kind of feeling do you have?"
Cha Eun Xiao closed his eyes, his pallid hand open, and he spoke in a hushed tone, "I can sense that when the day comes for me to leave this world, I will leave behind a trail of bloodshed. Rivers of blood will flow through this world."
Song Jue, a man known for his fearlessness, was taken aback and somewhat unnerved.
...
As Second Prince departed from House of Cha, a deep sense of gloom weighed upon him.
"You imbecile! You fail to recognize my generosity!" he cursed.
He then instructed, "Take Wang Zhong. Let's return home."
This time, he was utterly humiliated.
Amidst the gaze of onlookers, his most trusted man, Wang Zhong, had been beaten within an inch of his life and thrown out like trash. Wang Zhong lay sprawled on the ground, his blood staining the floor.
What irked Second Prince most was not that Wang Zhong had been beaten, or that his recruitment efforts had failed. No, his greatest annoyance was the presence of an exquisitely beautiful woman by Cha Eun Xiao's side, who appeared like a fairy. [How can a fool like you deserve such beauty in the world!]
[And you had the audacity to reject me before I even finished speaking!]
[You truly do not know how to appreciate a kind heart!]
[Such a beautiful woman. Only people like us, of royal birth, are entitled to such beauty! You are just an insipid, foolish youth. How can you deserve such a lady?]
"This Cha Eun Xiao... He is truly an ignorant piece of trash!" Second Prince muttered to his men. "Does he believe he can emulate Monarch Feng of Ling-Bao Hall? How dare he look down upon royal blood! Audacious scoundrel! Humph!"
His men were well aware of what was running through his mind at that moment!
He wanted... to claim that beauty!
If they hadn't seen Bing-Er's face, they might not have comprehended his motives. However, after laying eyes on Bing-Er, they fully grasped Second Prince's desires.
A beauty like her, perhaps one could only encounter such a rarity every few tens of thousands of years. For someone of her allure, it seemed justifiable to go to any length!
[Raging with anger over a woman like her is utterly...worth it! If it were up to me, I would do the same! I'd claim her too!]
[So willing to go to such lengths...]
[A man who wouldn't do it for her...is no real man!]
[At the very least, ordinary men would all desire her!]
"You all know what I desire tonight, don't you?" Second Prince was visibly excited. "All the palace's forces are at your disposal, and I will send the two grandmasters to aid you. We must succeed. No information can leak out."
"Keep it a secret!"
Second Prince emphasized firmly.
"Your honor, if we are discovered..." One of the guards inquired.
Second Prince's expression turned fierce and ruthless. "So what? This kingdom belongs to the royal family. Don't you understand what you can achieve?"
"Yes, I do. Royal authority is the ultimate power. No one can challenge it."
Cha Eun Xiao had spent the entire afternoon investigating the peculiar power bestowed upon him by Brother Egg.
He noticed that this power within him did not respond to external stimuli. It was gradually transforming his body, enhancing his bones, muscles, meridians, and even his soul and mind.
However, the process felt overly passive for his liking. Cha Eun Xiao had always preferred taking the initiative, and this passive method of improvement didn't sit well with him. Even when he employed the East-rising Purple Qi, a formidable martial art, to assimilate the power, it proved ineffective. This enigmatic power resisted his attempts to harness it.
Cha Eun Xiao remained in meditation for a considerable duration. He could sense his capabilities improving rapidly, almost twice as fast as his previous rate of progress. It was an exhilarating surge in strength. He was now on the brink of breaking through to the sixth level of the Sky Origin Stage.
All he needed was a final push to ascend to the next level, but this achievement didn't bring him much joy.
Cha Eun Xiao couldn't quite comprehend the full potential of the mysterious power bestowed upon him by Brother Egg. He had observed Brother Egg absorbing vast quantities of spiritual energy, and the power within him was connected to it.
He had stood before Brother Egg as it absorbed a tremendous amount of spiritual energy in a matter of seconds, channeling it through his body. It had pushed his body to the brink of its capacity.
Throughout the entire afternoon, he had been meticulously directing the spiritual energy into his dantian, but he still needed more time to fully assimilate it.
He was close to unraveling the mystery of this extraordinary power. Digesting the stored spiritual energy was a priority, but uncovering the true nature of this power was equally crucial.