Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Meanwhile, at Changhua Hall.

Sheng Zhaoning had never been without someone by her side. In the past, Tao Rui had been the only one watching over her, but ever since her escape, the guards had been members of the Shadow Guard.

Whenever Wei Yi went to court, the Shadow Guard took turns keeping watch.

Of those who had come through training alongside her, some were dead and others injured. There were very few of her old acquaintances from Liangzhou left. Most of the others had been recruited and trained later, and had never known Sheng Zhaoning.

Shadow Seven had not returned to the Capital City for a long time.

After Wei Yi ascended the throne, she had traveled far and wide to bring various factions under control, rarely remaining in the Capital City.

But though she was away, she had missed none of the news.

Especially after returning to the Capital City just two days ago, the affairs surrounding Wei Yi and Sheng Zhaoning had given her enough fresh material to keep her occupied for two full days and nights.

Bathed in the morning light, Shadow Seven slowly entered the hall.

She waved at the member of the Shadow Guard stationed there. “You can go.”

The Shadow Guard looked up at her and hesitated, but eventually nodded and walked out.

As one of the original members of the Shadow Guard, Shadow Seven held a certain amount of authority among them.

She lifted her feet and walked farther inside.

When she drew open the bed curtains, she immediately saw the lifeless figure curled up in the corner beneath the dim, murky light.

Thinking of everything she had just heard, Shadow Seven crossed her arms and tilted her chin as she looked at her, letting out a mocking laugh. “Stop pretending.”

The person before her did not react.

Shadow Seven was not annoyed. She crossed the room in a few steps, leaned sideways against the bed frame, and brought her face close as she stared at her with amusement. “Back in the Shadow Guard Camp, in that completely sealed space, you were the only one who lasted two months. Even Han Xu lost to you.”

The final stage of training for the Shadow Guard was conducted in groups of five. She, Han Xu, and Sheng Zhaoning had all endured that ordeal in the darkness together.

For two months, there had been no light, no sound, and barely enough food to survive.

Sheng Zhaoning had endured those two months by sheer force. After she came out, she had been dazed for only half a month before quickly recovering.

If she had endured that, surely she could withstand the mere month she had spent confined in Changhua Hall.

Very few people knew about this. Aside from her, only Han Xu was aware of it.

What surprised Shadow Seven was that Han Xu had not told Wei Yi either.

He had simply pretended not to know, allowing Sheng Zhaoning to continue acting this “crazy” in front of Wei Yi.

Shadow Seven stared at her and tilted her head. “Wei Yi isn’t here. Are you still planning to keep up the act?”

Sheng Zhaoning finally moved.

The light returned to her unfocused eyes, gathering little by little. The dullness in their depths slowly gave way to a glimmer once more.

She raised her stiff neck. After so long without speaking, her voice was hoarse and unpleasantly raspy. “Shadow Seven.”

She struggled to call out her name.

Looking at Sheng Zhaoning, who could barely manage to speak, Shadow Seven said, whether in mockery or exasperation, “I’m really not used to seeing you so frail.”

Back in Liangzhou, aside from Han Xu, Sheng Zhaoning had been the most highly regarded.

The reputation of Shadow Ten had spread throughout Liangzhou.

She had always been formidable. No matter what kind of desperate situation she faced, she could always carve her way out with blade in hand.

That cold ruthlessness made her seem overbearing whenever she faced other people as well, as though no one was worthy of catching her eye.

Ruthless and aloof-that was Liangzhou’s most honest assessment of Shadow Ten.

Only in front of Wei Yi did she become as lowly as dust and mud, without a trace of her usual pride.

Sheng Zhaoning swallowed the dry ache in her throat, then looked up at her. “What are you trying to do?”

She had no idea why Shadow Seven had come here.

She had only pretended to be tamed to prevent Wei Yi from using such methods against her again. Otherwise, she would remain trapped forever in Changhua Hall, where no daylight reached, with not the slightest chance of escape.

So she could only pretend to have forgotten everything and let Wei Yi lower his guard.

Shadow Seven knew that Sheng Zhaoning did not trust her.

Though the two of them had fought their way through the Shadow Guard Camp together and were old comrades, the closest relationship they had ever shared was that of comrades who entrusted each other with their backs-not friends.

What was more, Sheng Zhaoning had already deserted. The last thread connecting them had vanished as well.

It was only natural that Sheng Zhaoning did not trust her.

“I’m helping you escape.” Shadow Seven said it without the slightest hesitation.

Sheng Zhaoning froze.

She had never expected such an answer.

“Why?” she asked, her voice trembling faintly.

Shadow Seven had no idea how deeply those words had shaken her. To Shadow Seven, the matter of simply leaving Wei Yi was nothing worth getting excited about.

Her feelings of love and hate were both weak. In a sense, she was an exemplary Shadow Guard.

She needed no emotions and had no attachments. She cared only about life and death.

If she were the one imprisoned here, then aside from being a little bored, there did not seem to be anything particularly difficult to accept.

“I owe Chi Yu a life, so I might as well repay him while I’m at it,” Shadow Seven said.

Sheng Zhaoning remembered how Chi Yu had tried to take her away that day, only to be stopped again. She let out a bitter laugh. “Do you really think I can still escape?”

She had tried every method she could think of.

Assassination and poison had both failed to kill Wei Yi.

Likewise, she had pretended to be obedient to lower his guard, then attempted to escape from the Temple of Ten Thousand Blessings. Yet she had still been captured and brought back within just a few days.

She had neither authority nor power. Facing the exalted Wei Yi, she could not think of any way left to escape.

Shadow Seven gave her the answer she already knew. “You can’t.”

“The whole realm belongs to Wei Yi. Even if you hide at the ends of the earth, he will find a way to drag you back.”

“Then what meaning does any of this have?” Sheng Zhaoning said, crushing the last of her hopes.

Shadow Seven shook her head and sighed. “The living can’t escape. But the dead can, can’t they?”

Sheng Zhaoning’s head snapped up, her whole body trembling.

Shadow Seven pulled two paper packets of powder from her sleeve. Sheng Zhaoning recognized it at a glance.

Quick-Burning Powder.

It ignited the moment it touched fire, burning with astonishing speed and raising a towering blaze in an instant.

Sheng Zhaoning understood Shadow Seven’s meaning at once.

Knowing that Sheng Zhaoning was clever enough to understand without much explanation, Shadow Seven simply relayed the arrangements Chi Yu had made. “Tonight, Chi Yu will find a way to keep Wei Yi occupied. Once the fire starts, jump from the second window on the north side. I’ll get you out of the palace.”

She scattered the Quick-Burning Powder into every corner of Changhua Hall. Then she turned around and handed Sheng Zhaoning a fire starter, her expression serious. “You have only this one chance. Whether you succeed depends on your fate.”