Chapter 211: Destruction of the Mountain and Fusion of the Earth

"What's the matter, sir?" Princess Qianyou frowned, staring at Zhongshan.

"Sir, do you think you can touch Princess Qianyou's shoulder? You're asking for death!" Gu Lin's eyes were ablaze with fury.

"Alright, Gu Lin, the sir didn't mean any harm," Princess Qianyou frowned.

"No harm? Even unintentional acts are not allowed. Qianyou, you promised me!" Gu Lin immediately erupted in anger. Clearly, Zhongshan's seemingly innocent gesture had crossed Gu Lin's bottom line.

Zhongshan felt slightly ashamed, but his mind was spinning. What did Gu Lin mean by that?

"I said it was unintentional. Sir was distracted at the time. Mr. Shuijing, Ada, and A'er can all testify," Princess Qianyou said immediately.

"Yes, Crown Prince, indeed, when Zhongshan reached out just now, I noticed he had a vacant look in his eyes. It should have been unintentional," Mr. Shuijing immediately defended Zhongshan.

"Indeed, Crown Prince," Ada and A'er said immediately. Obviously, the testimony of three Emperor Realm powerhouses confirmed that Zhongshan's action was indeed unintentional.

Gu Lin looked coldly at Zhongshan, as if selecting his prey.

Zhongshan furrowed his brow slightly, clearly puzzled by Gu Lin's attitude, but he couldn't just sit and watch them argue again. He immediately said, "Princess, we cannot go to Misty Lake. Going there means certain death; it's a deadly trap."

"You? Don't make excuses," Gu Lin snapped.

"Enough, Gu Lin. Let me say it again, my affairs don't need your interference, and you have no right to interfere," Princess Qianyou frowned angrily.

"Qianyou." Gu Lin looked at Princess Qianyou, full of resentment.

His words silenced Gu Lin. Princess Qianyou looked at Zhongshan again. "Sir, explain yourself."

"Princess, this is the first time I've advised you. There's hidden danger in this trip. We will face mortal danger if we go. I hope Princess will consider my advice," Zhongshan said firmly.

"Reason?" Princess Qianyou stared at Zhongshan.

"I can't say for sure yet. I just have a feeling this is a trap, there's something unusual about it, many things are still unknown to us. Please trust me on this," Zhongshan said earnestly.

"Hahaha, you don't even know yourself, and you want to deceive us?" Gu Lin snapped. At this moment, Gu Lin's eyes were bloodshot, as if Zhongshan's action just now had ignited a raging fire within him.

Mr. Shuijing frowned at Zhongshan, while Princess Qianyou also stared directly at Zhongshan.

The scene became extremely tense. Apart from Gu Lin's angry gaze, everyone else looked at Zhongshan with certainty, even though Zhongshan himself didn't know where this certainty came from.

"Alright!" After a moment of silence, Princess Qianyou suddenly said.

"Thank you, Princess," Zhongshan said immediately.

But Gu Lin looked at Princess Qianyou with an incredulous expression.

"However, I hope sir can prove it to me," Princess Qianyou said in a deep voice.

"Yes, since it's a trap, someone must be trying to kill us," Zhongshan said.

Since they had agreed not to go, Princess Qianyou also sighed in relief.

"Who wants to kill us?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"I don't know yet, but there's someone who definitely won't kill us," Zhongshan thought for a moment.

"King Julu?" Mr. Shuijing suggested.

"Yes, King Julu won't kill us, and it also involves Prince Han Jue. I suspect that besides trying to kill us, there's definitely another conspiracy behind this operation," Zhongshan affirmed.

Narrowing her eyes, Princess Qianyou stared at Zhongshan, feeling increasingly uncertain. Zhongshan's words were becoming more and more mysterious. Meanwhile, Mr. Shuijing frowned, not even waving his feather fan anymore, staring at Zhongshan as if trying to see through him.

"How will sir proceed?" Princess Qianyou asked.

"We'll pretend to leave the city first, then circle back from another gate. Ada will personally go to King Julu's mansion with an invitation, inviting him to the Western Garden Palace for a banquet to discuss peace between the two dynasties. A'er will go to Prince Han Jue's residence to investigate. As for Misty Lake, we absolutely cannot go there," Zhongshan said.

"Why not go now?" Gu Lin said coldly.

"To prevent tipping our hand," Zhongshan affirmed.

"Alright, as sir wishes," Princess Qianyou nodded with a furrowed brow.

"Thank you for your trust, Princess," Zhongshan said deeply moved.

"Sir has advised me for the first time, how could I risk losing face? I hope sir won't disappoint me," Princess Qianyou said.

"Yes, Princess," Zhongshan affirmed.

Under Gu Lin's resentful gaze, the group slowly flew out of the West Gate on clouds, avoiding the sight of the city gate guards, then circled around the Sky City and quietly returned from the East Gate in groups.

They returned to the Western Garden Palace.

"A'da, take this invitation to King Julu's mansion. Make sure to invite King Julu," Princess Qianyou said.

"Yes," A'da immediately responded.

"A'er, go to Prince Han Jue's place, request an audience with him. If Prince Han Jue is there, deliver this letter to him. If he's not, come back immediately," Princess Qianyou instructed.

"Yes," A'er immediately responded.

Then, A'da and A'er left the Western Garden Palace. Meanwhile, Gu Lin continued to glare at Zhongshan, as if harboring a deep grudge against him.

"Gu Lin, if you keep looking at sir like this, don't follow me anymore," Princess Qianyou said sternly.

"Humph, you're still helping him. Qianyou, you are my fiancée. Only I can touch you. No one else can," Gu Lin angrily shouted.

"Gu Lin, since the day I became a princess, I have the right to decide my own destiny. Our engagement was annulled that day. I've let you follow me all this time, but don't push it," Princess Qianyou said angrily.

"I don't care," Gu Lin snapped.

Mr. Shuijing dared not intervene, while Zhongshan felt quite frustrated. How did he get caught up in this mess?

"Crown Prince, I behaved improperly earlier. I promise from now on, I will stay two steps away from the Princess at all times, never getting close," Zhongshan had to say to defuse the Crown Prince's anger.

But when Zhongshan said this, he cursed Gu Lin in his heart. Seriously? Just because he touched Princess Qianyou's shoulder, he's getting this jealous? I promise you, you're not that important to me. What's the point of making such a promise to you?

Taking a deep breath, Gu Lin looked coldly at Zhongshan and said, "Alright, I hope you remember what you said today."

Looking at Gu Lin, Zhongshan was speechless. Remember? Sure, I'll remember.

"Alright, prepare. From now on, no one in the Western Garden Palace is allowed to leave even half a step," Princess Qianyou nodded. At the same time, she ordered others not to leave the embassy to prevent any leaks.

At the Grand Marshal's Mansion, by the pond.

Yi Yan stood in the pavilion feeding the fish when Tie Xue approached excitedly.

"Grand Marshal, as expected, Princess Qianyou's group left through the West Gate, and Prince Han Jue left through the South Gate," General Tie Xue said eagerly.

"Are you sure?" Yi Yan fed the fish while asking.

"Absolutely certain. There won't be any mistakes," General Tie Xue said.

"Hoo~~~" Yi Yan threw the fish feed in his hand into the pond and let out a long sigh with a faint smile on his face.

"Grand Marshal?" General Tie Xue looked puzzled.

"Everything is subject to change. If His Majesty agrees, it would be much better to assassinate them in the city, where everything is within our sight. But now, I have to keep calculating. Any slight mistake could lead to a complete change of plans," Yi Yan sighed.

"A complete change of plans?" General Tie Xue frowned.

"Yes, since they've left the city, there shouldn't be much of a problem. Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate," Yi Yan said.

"Yes," although General Tie Xue didn't quite understand, he immediately responded.

"Have the soldiers of the Qi Formation been arranged properly?" Yi Yan asked after some thought.

"Yes, the soldiers of the Qi Formation are hidden above Misty Lake. Once Princess Qianyou and her group arrive, the formation will be activated, and there will be no escape for them," General Tie Xue said with absolute certainty.

"That's good, that's good," Yi Yan sighed deeply in relief.

"What about Prince Han Jue? Did we intentionally let him go?" General Tie Xue asked again.

Yi Yan nodded, "Princess Qianyou is going to Misty Lake, and Prince Han Jue is going to the Ten Thousand Peach Forest. Misty Lake and the Ten Thousand Peach Forest are separated only by a mountain. Now, once everything is done, we'll destroy that mountain, turning it into one place."

"Will Prince Han Jue believe that he did it?" General Tie Xue worried.

"With Princess Qianyou's 'invitation' and the fleeting appearance of Princess Qianyou's projection, whether true or false, Prince Han Jue will definitely think it's Princess Qianyou. By then, in order to save himself, he will open the entrance of the Earth Yang Qi, and in the attempt to save himself, he will perish along with the 'Princess Qianyou' group. That will settle the matter," Yi Yan said in a deep voice.

"Yes, below there is an entrance of the Earth Yang Qi, causing abnormal geothermal activity, shrouded in mist on the lake surface, with the spiritual energy of fire steaming. As soon as Princess Qianyou enters Misty Lake, the soldiers of the Qi Formation will open fire and surely slaughter them all," General Tie Xue said excitedly.

"This matter cannot afford any mistakes. You keep an eye on it. Report immediately if there's anything unusual," Yi Yan instructed.

"Yes, Grand Marshal," General Tie Xue said excitedly —

In the Western Garden Palace, Ada and A'er stood before Princess Qianyou.

"Princess, Prince Han Jue left early this morning, and no one knows where he went," A'er bowed.

"Hmm," Princess Qianyou nodded.

"Princess, King Julu said he'll come to the Western Garden Palace soon," Ada said.

"Good, prepare the banquet," Princess Qianyou nodded.

"Yes," a court official immediately stepped forward.

Then, a large number of servants cleaned up the Western Garden Palace, set up the tables, and waited for the arrival of King Julu.