Chapter 104: Just Like Before

Ji Yunhe rushed into the imperial dungeon expecting a heated battle, but all she saw were jagged ice formations everywhere. However, unlike normal ice, their tips were red as if tinted with blood even though they clearly had not injured anyone. She felt sick with apprehension, and her feet sped up. Her body grew more tense the further she walked inside.

The air became colder and the ice bloodier as she approached the deepest part of the dungeon. Turning the corner, Ji Yunhe saw Princess Shunde standing outside the cage. Shunde abruptly turned her head and stared at her with crazed eyes.

"Ji Yunhe!" she hissed out her name word by word. Her dress was tattered, her hair unkempt, and she no longer had any trace of a princess, only madness. Behind her were giant wings formed out of green gas that filled the entire dungeon. Her hands held up a green magic shield, blocking a bloody ice sword currently wrestling against her.

Ji Yunhe did not see the person inside the cage, but she knew who had the power to cause such a disturbance. Without hesitation, she drew out her sword and thrusted it at Shunde from the side.

Shunde desperately tried to block it, but dealing with Changyi had used up all of her strength. Ji Yunhe's sword easily pierced through her defenses and into her shoulder, nailing her body to the dungeon wall. Shunde let out a muffled grunt, then hung loosely on the wall without further struggles. She seemed to be depleted of power.

Just to be on the safe side, Ji Yunhe pulled out a dagger and ran it through her throat. Blood flowed and Shunde immediately stopped breathing. Ji Yunhe then stepped toward the cage, but what she saw inside stunned her.

Behind the black iron bars, beyond the blood colored sword, was Changyi frozen in solid ice from head to toe. Only his blue eyes still showed a slight sign of life.

"Changyi..."

Just like the first time they met, he was the battered jiaoren imprisoned inside, and she was the demon master looking in.

Ji Yunhe suppressed her panic, conjured a sword and viciously struck at the lock. The entire cage trembled and the lock fell to the floor. Ji Yunhe pulled open the door and immediately dashed in with nine tails appearing in a flash. She ran to Changyi and embraced him, wrapping his body in her fox fire.\n\n

"Changyi... Changyi..."

She whispered his name while the fox fire began melting the ice, slowly revealing him. Ji Yunhe reached out and held his face into her hands. His skin was so cold that the contact made her shiver, but she did not let go. She gently rubbed her hands over Changyi's cheeks.

"Come on, warm up! Touch it and it will get better, touch it and it will get better..."

But Changyi did not move. Until the ice was completely melted and his body softened, he then closed his eyes and fell toward the ground. Ji Yunhe immediately took him into her arms and kept rubbing his cheeks and hands with fox fire.

"Changyi… we went through so much to finally be together... Remember, you said you are going to take me north, you can't go back on your words. You said jiaoren don't lie..."

Ji Yunhe saw the wound on his wrist.