LUO FAN
The following morning, I woke up alone in bed. My lip felt sore, and when I touched it, I found it swollen and cracked. Examining myself, I was relieved to see that Ruan Yanjun had not followed through with his threats from the previous night. My clothes were still intact.
I got up and went to the window to peer into the courtyard. Seeing no sign of Ruan Yanjun, I decided it was my chance to escape. Once I made it out, I'd find a way to send word to Jinjing to leave Ruan Yanjun's residence immediately and meet me somewhere else."
I quickly grabbed my things. As I made my way out, I unexpectedly ran into Liang Yuan.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
I stopped abruptly, caught off guard. Gathering myself, I decided to be direct. "I'm leaving."
"Leaving?" His brow furrowed. "Why so suddenly?"
"The reasons are complicated."
"Is it because you can't accept the truth?"
"That's not it."
"Then why? And where do you plan to go?"
"Anywhere but here."
"But you can't leave until we've discussed the plan."
"Shouldn't you ask first if I even want to fight for the throne before assuming I'd go along with any plans?"
He looked stunned, as if the idea that I might refuse had never crossed his mind. "Why wouldn't you want this? It's your destiny. You're the rightful heir to the throne—your uncle stole it from you."
"I thought you fully supported the crown prince?"
"I do, and that crown prince is you."
I sighed. "I'm not interested."
I moved forward, but he blocked my path. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but you're not going anywhere."
"Don't call me that," I replied through gritted teeth.
"It's who you are. Why not accept it?"
I tried to push past him, but he grabbed me around the waist. Though slight in build, he was surprisingly strong, and I couldn't shake him off.
"Liang Yuan," a stern voice interrupted.
Turning, I saw my uncle watching us, his gaze icy as it settled on Liang Yuan.
"Let him go."
"But Leader Luo, he's trying to leave."
"He's not a prisoner. You can't keep him here if he does not want to. Right now, he's still Luo Fan. He hasn't accepted his original identity yet. Until he does, we can only wait."
Reluctantly, Liang Yuan released me, and I stepped back, catching my breath.
I bowed to my uncle. "Uncle, I thank you for understanding. I'm still in shock and confused, and I'm not in a position to make any sound decisions just yet."
He sighed, his expression softening. "Of course. I expected as much, which is why I didn't tell you everything the moment you arrived. I wanted you to rest first."
"You've been considerate," I replied.
"Sect Leader Ruan mentioned that you have been suffering from an ailment. I understand that you are seeking a cure, and until you find it, this group's goals can wait."
"Uncle, even if I am cured, I may not want to join you. I don't wish to spill blood and kill hundreds, or maybe thousands, of people just for a crown. I'd rather seclude in a mountain and live as a hermit like what my former master has done."
Surprisingly, he nodded. "Even if you don't, this group will make sure the truth is known."
"I won't interfere with whatever the group aims to accomplish, as long as my cooperation is not required. I apologize if this disappoints you."
He sighed again. "No need to apologize. Someday, you may find your own path and change your mind. Until then, I'll keep this group alive. You know where to find me if you ever need us."
I lowered my head. "Thank you, Uncle. I must leave now."
"Be careful. I'll send word to my men stationed at the desert to meet you and guide you across the border."
I bowed once more before turning away. I nodded to Liang Yuan, even as he glared at me with disappointment.
Quickly, I moved toward the front gate, hoping to get far away before Ruan Yanjun noticed my absence.
To my surprise, a carriage waited at the gate, with Ruan Yanjun already inside.
*****
Inside the carriage, trapped under Ruan Yanjun's watchful gaze, I couldn't shake the frown from my face.
"I'm taking you to a place where you can meditate," he said. "If you seclude yourself there for a month or so, your condition might improve."
In the first place, if he had not attacked me last night, I would not have weakened.
And now he wants to rectify the damage he has done?
What a hypocrite?
"I'm not going with you this time," I replied coldly.
"We agreed you wouldn't question my decisions," he said, voice steely.
"Our deal was for me to accompany you to Kan Empire. I believe that job's been done. The agreement ends here."
"Ah… so you think this is nothing but a job for you? You don't consider that all of these, I'm doing for your sake?"
"It's more for your ambitions than for my sake. I don't want to wage war against my own relatives for a throne. If your reason for helping me was solely that, then I'll have to refuse any further aid from you. I still owe you, and I doubt I can ever repay you, but this ends here."
He stared at me, disbelief flickering in his eyes. "Relatives? Do you mean the same people who caused you pain, hunted you down, and stripped you of everything? And you don't even wish to fight for your rightful place on the throne? So what will you be? A nobody?"
"I just want to lead an ordinary life. Is that so strange?"
He smirked. "An ordinary life? Didn't you once dream of being one of the greatest cultivators?"
"I did, and that dream still lingers, impossible as it may seem now. But becoming emperor is entirely different. I don't want that."
He chuckled. "Then you're a hypocrite. Dreaming of greatness means seeking power that even emperors cannot attain. That's not ordinary."
I had no answer.
"Everyone dreams of greatness, and they'll do whatever it takes to reach it. Even those who walk the path of righteousness stray from it at times to push their goals forward. It's human nature to use any means necessary to get what they desire, no matter how virtuous they believe themselves to be—including you."
I pondered his words for a moment. "Is that how you see me?"
"I see you on a different level. I see you taking the throne, conquering the north and east, and uniting them under your rule. Your name will be glorified in history as the greatest emperor that ever lived. But in order to attain that, you'll need to bend some rules. It's not called evil if you do it for the common good, is it? I believe that's one of the teachings of the assummed number one cultivator in the world, Han Xi. Don't you agree with him?"
I smirked inwardly, seeing his attempt to manipulate me. "Lord Ruan, you've got the wrong person. I won't stray from my principles. If my stubbornness prevents me from achieving greatness, so be it."
"Are you saying you disagree with the teachings of Han Xi, the so-called greatest cultivator and the chairman of the Light Sect Alliance's teachings?"
"It's your words that I do not agree with. The people are content under Kan's current emperor. If I usurp the throne, many would suffer and die. How could that be for the common good?"
I sensed his anger rising, but he drew a deep breath and returned to his calm demeanor. "You speak this way now because you haven't truly known suffering," he said. "Very well, I'll let you experience it firsthand. Once we reach Xianru, leave the residence with your betrothed and go wherever you wish. Let's see how long you survive without my protection."
"Thank you," I replied.
His smug smile told me he thought I was overestimating myself.
He didn't utter another word again.