"Master, you're lying, right?" Huo Yang's voice trembled.
He couldn't believe that the master he had lived with day and night for three years, who was like family to him, would have killed his father.
Xiao Fan looked at him silently, his eyes filled with sorrow.
Huo Yang's youthful face froze instantly.
No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, the truth was right in front of him.
The series of devastating blows were too much for his young heart to bear.
He collapsed to the ground, dazed and soulless.
"Seize Xiao Fan immediately!" commanded the royal elder to the surrounding soldiers.
Xiao Fan was gravely injured, making this the best opportunity to capture him.
Xiao Fan didn't resist. From the moment he made his decision, he had chosen this path.
"Stop! What are you doing?" Huo Ling'er hurriedly arrived from afar.
After the disaster struck the royal city, she immediately realized it was related to the Heavenly Fire and rushed back.
As soon as she arrived, she saw the soldiers about to detain Xiao Fan.
"Let him go!" Huo Ling'er pushed the soldiers away and stood beside Xiao Fan.
"What are you trying to do? Rebel?" Huo Ling'er sternly rebuked the soldiers.
"Third Princess, do you know what you're doing?" The royal elder stepped forward, scolding Huo Ling'er loudly. "Xiao Fan plotted against the Heavenly Fire, caused the deaths of the Emperor and the Fire Dance King, and harmed countless innocent citizens of the royal city. He deserves immediate execution!"
Boom!
It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Huo Ling'er's mind.
What had she just heard?
Her father was dead?
Finally, Huo Ling'er noticed Huo Yang, who was lying dazedly next to a corpse, as if he had lost his soul.
Her body trembled, and she nearly stumbled.
Her heart filled with fear, she forced herself to walk shakily towards Huo Yang.
One step, two steps, three steps...
The distance was short, but it felt like an abyss.
As she got closer, her face grew paler.
When she finally saw the face of the corpse in front of Huo Yang, her body and spirit collapsed instantly.
"Father..." Huo Ling'er fell to the ground, powerless, her face devoid of color.
Her mind went blank, and she couldn't speak.
The royal elder, seeing this, felt a mix of emotions.
Such a massive blow, it would be impossible for Huo Ling'er and Huo Yang to recover quickly.
He then turned his gaze to Xiao Fan, filled with murderous intent and anger.
"Men, execute Xiao Fan immediately to appease His Majesty's spirit in heaven!"
Someone had to take the blame for today's disaster.
Since Xiao Fan had already confessed, there was nothing more to say.
"Stop!" Huo Ling'er slowly stood up, trembling as she looked at Xiao Fan. "I don't believe he would do such a thing!"
The royal elder felt heartbroken upon hearing this.
Even now, as a princess, Huo Ling'er was still acting emotionally!
But before he could speak, Huo Yang suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with tears, and pointed at Xiao Fan, crying, "Sister, it was him! He killed Father!"
Huo Ling'er's body went limp, and she looked at Xiao Fan, her pupils trembling.
"Is it... true?" Huo Ling'er's voice shook, filled with fear.
She was terrified to hear the answer.
Xiao Fan looked up at the boundless sky.
He didn't dare to meet Huo Ling'er's gaze, not wanting to see her sorrowful eyes.
"Yes," Xiao Fan said softly, the word piercing through her soul.
Huo Ling'er's face turned ashen.
At that moment, her heart felt as if it was being squeezed, unable to breathe.
The royal elder, not wanting to see Huo Ling'er suffer further, decided to execute Xiao Fan immediately to prevent any unexpected changes.
"Men, execute Xiao Fan!"
But before they could move, Huo Ling'er spoke again, "Wait!"
"Third Princess, you!" The royal elder was exasperated, thinking Huo Ling'er was being emotional again, feeling helpless.
However, things were not as he feared.
Huo Ling'er's face was ashen, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
She slowly drew her sword, walking towards Xiao Fan step by step.
"I brought him to the royal city. If he must die, I will do it myself."
Xiao Fan looked calmly at Huo Ling'er approaching, a serene smile on his lips.
The three years he spent in the Heavenly Fire Kingdom had been filled with happiness and joy.
He had learned so much, gained knowledge, and experienced things he had never encountered before.
He felt the warmth of family and the sweetness of love.
If Huo Ling'er had not brought him to the Heavenly Fire Kingdom, he might have lived his life in isolation in the mountains.
It was enough; he was satisfied.
His only regret was that there were words he never got to say.
Words he might never have the chance to speak.
Xiao Fan looked up at the boundless sky, his lips moving silently as he mouthed those words.
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
Huo Ling'er covered her mouth in disbelief, tears welling up as she looked at Xiao Fan within the mirror.
She understood. She understood the words Xiao Fan mouthed.
During those three years in the palace, she thought Xiao Fan had grown distant, harsher, no longer caring for her.
But now, after thousands of years, she finally realized Xiao Fan's true intentions.
Xiao Fan had loved her deeply all along.
"Why? Why did I only understand now?"
At this moment, Huo Ling'er broke down in tears.
Tears flowed like a spring, gushing uncontrollably.
She didn't care about decorum or appearances, wanting to rush to Xiao Fan, who was now a living corpse in the ancient imperial city.
"Why? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
At this moment, she was no longer the fiery, domineering Heavenly Fire Empress.
She was just a woman filled with sorrow and regret.
The Lunar Yin Empress Wen Yaxian stopped her.
Seeing Huo Ling'er in pain and regret, she too felt a deep sorrow.
She understood those silent words from Xiao Fan.
Xiao Fan had once loved her too, but she had become part of his past, a painful memory.
She didn't feel jealous or blame Xiao Fan.
As long as Xiao Fan could be happy, it didn't matter if she wasn't the one by his side.
Meanwhile, the Northern Empress Leng Ruoxue was fuming.
She had never received her master's love; he had always treated her as just a disciple.
Huo Ling'er's reaction was a provocation to her.
Leng Ruoxue sneered, "Why? Isn't it because you're too stupid!"