Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 289 - 228: Resentful Lake

Ji Hua chuckled and waved a hand. "No need. I made my move once, and the Heaven and Earth Oath was dissolved. I will not act against you again."

"You’d better be telling the truth this time."

Ji Hua didn’t mind her sharp tone; in fact, he seemed to rather like it. "I can make a Heaven and Earth Oath. I swear it’s the absolute truth!"

"Fine. Then make another Heaven and Earth Oath. This time, the oath must have supplementary terms: you and your clansmen may not act against me, nor may you have the slightest murderous intent toward me or the South Sea."

"Territorial disputes between the great sea regions are not for me to decide alone. However, I, Ji Hua, am a man who clearly distinguishes between kindness and enmity. I repay my debts. I can make a Heaven and Earth Oath: the entire North Sea will treat you as an honored guest and bear you no murderous intent. If this oath is broken, may I turn to dust and ashes. How about it?"

Sang Luo was stunned for a moment. She hadn’t expected him to make such a dire oath. Then, she smiled. "I agree."

The Heaven and Earth Oath dissipated into the void.

Ji Hua said, "There, there, little one, don’t be angry anymore. I can give you another gift."

"Let’s hope it’s not the kind of gift that sends me to my grave," Sang Luo said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"Haha, you’re an amusing one, young lady. I’m not joking. What would you like? As long as it’s something I have, it’s yours."

Sang Luo thought for a moment. "The one from the Demon Clan you dealt with was the First Demon Envoy, correct? Tell me everything you know about him."

’That person wants my life. If he attacked once, he’ll definitely attack a second time.’

’What in this world could be more important than my own life?’

’I have to eliminate this threat, root and stem.’

Ji Hua tossed her a Memory Stone. "This contains the entire discussion I had with those two from the Demon Clan last time. You can take a look."

"Two?" Sang Luo took the Memory Stone but didn’t immediately inspect it. She handed it to Lou Xianyue. "The last time I faced the First Demon Envoy, his appearance was a disguise."

Ji Hua said, "A Heaven and Earth Oath must be made with one’s true appearance, or it is not valid."

Lou Xianyue checked the Memory Stone and found no issues. "Luo’er, it’s real. There are no runes or curses on it either."

"Fine. I’ll accept this as your apology."

"Young lady, come visit the North Sea more often in the future."

"..."

Ji Hua left.

Sang Luo infused a trace of her power into the Memory Stone. The surrounding scene changed in an instant; the South Sea Imperial Palace turned into the North Sea Imperial Palace, and the figures in the recording appeared before her eyes as if time were flowing backward.

A Memory Stone records a true image of a space; it cannot be forged.

She saw the true appearances of the First Demon Envoy and another Demon Envoy.

After a long while, the phantoms disappeared.

Sang Luo said to Lou Xianyue, "I have to go back."

"Alright. I’ll keep an eye on things here in the North Sea. I’ll tell you immediately if anything happens."

「Phoenix Palace, dungeons.」

Le Xia woke from unconsciousness. She held her head, dazed, and discovered that the poison in her body had been completely removed.

The sound of a lock turning came from outside the door. She looked up and saw Sang Luo enter, a flicker of unease crossing her face. "Did you cure my poison?"

Sang Luo nodded and smiled. "Saving a life is a big deal. Have you thought about how you’re going to repay me?"

"Th-thank you. I really shouldn’t have treated you that way before. You are a very good female. No wonder His Majesty likes you. It was my own shortsightedness. I judged a noble heart by my own petty standards. I apologize to you, noble female. I don’t dare hope for your forgiveness..."

"No need for more apologies or thanks. I’d rather hear the truth." Sang Luo took out a Memory Stone and placed it on the table. "I came here to ask you a few questions."

"...Please ask, noble female."

"What are your thoughts on Yan Jie, the current Clan Leader of the Great Argus Clan?"

"I hate him!" Her face twisted.

"Hmm? Why?"

"Hundreds of years ago, after my father mysteriously disappeared, Yan Jie took his place. He and my father never got along. I suspect he’s the one who murdered my father!"

"He claimed to the public that he was taking me in as his adopted daughter, but he actually coveted me. He tried to forcibly mate with me before I had even come of age..." Le Xia clutched her chest as if she would vomit, slowly shrinking into a corner. Her body trembled, and tears streamed down her pale face. "I was supposed to have a child, but... that child didn’t deserve to be born! I drank a potion to get rid of it, and in doing so, I completely lost the ability to have children!"

"This is all Yan Jie’s fault!"

"Yan Jie harbors deep ambitions. He wants to take over the Central region, so he schemed to cripple Fei Yuan before he ascended the throne and to ensure the Phoenix Clan would have no heirs!"

"I loved Fei Yuan too much back then. I didn’t want any other female to bear his child, so I was bewitched into agreeing to poison him for Yan Jie. But I didn’t know that poison would harm his body; I only thought it would make him infertile."

Le Xia grabbed Sang Luo’s hand. "I’m begging you, please help me kill Yan Jie!"

"If you can kill him, I’ll tell you a secret."

Sang Luo said, "Fei Yuan won’t spare Yan Jie. What’s the secret?"

A look of fear appeared on Le Xia’s face. "I happened to see it once. His body was rotting and gave off the stench of a corpse. Later, I investigated in secret and found that every year, his body would slowly start to rot. He would go to Resentful Lake for a few days, and when he came back, his body would have recovered."

She said, "In three days, it will be time for him to leave for Resentful Lake again. You can set a trap in advance and capture him!"

Sang Luo nodded, asked a few more questions, then left with the Memory Stone and returned to the palace.

Fei Yuan hadn’t returned yet.

She took out a few Spirit Fruits from her storage space. After eating them, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, while she was sleeping soundly, a scoundrel planted a firm kiss on her cheek. And one kiss wasn’t enough; he kissed her several more times!

Annoyed, Sang Luo pulled the covers over her head, but he just pulled them away. A large hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Sang Luo couldn’t pretend to be asleep anymore. Looking at the stunningly handsome face magnified before her, she grumbled, "Your Majesty always enjoys disturbing my sweet dreams."

"What sweet dream? Dreaming of me?" Fei Yuan pinched her cheek. "This Emperor has been taking good care of you. Your face has gotten a little rounder."

"How did things go?" Sang Luo asked. She noticed he had gotten a little thinner. ’He must have been exhausted these past few days.’

"The old Clan Leader of the Great Argus Clan has stepped down. I’ve installed a new one," he said succinctly.

"Someone loyal to Your Majesty."

"Mhm."

"What about the old Clan Leader?"

"He’s long dead."

"But didn’t he just come to the palace for an audience..." Her eyes widened.

"Every clan’s ancestral hall has soul lamps for its members. The key to the hall is held by the Clan Leader, so no one else knows. The new Clan Leader I installed sent word that Yan Jie’s soul lamp had gone out long ago."

Sang Luo gave Fei Yuan the two Memory Stones, as well as a summary of the testimony she had gathered.

After reviewing them, Fei Yuan laughed. "This testimony is full of holes. It’s half-truths and half-lies, extremely misleading."

Sang Luo wasn’t familiar with the major powers of the Central region, but Fei Yuan knew them like the back of his hand and saw the problems at a glance.

"Le Xia is still lying. Her story has many discrepancies with the memories I obtained from her with a spiritual power soul search." Le Xia’s pitiful lies, woven with a humble demeanor, could easily make one lower their guard and believe her.

Sang Luo then said, "The Resentful Lake she mentioned is real. Should we go take a look?"

"She deliberately leaked that information to lure you there. If you actually go, won’t you fall right into her trap?" Fei Yuan pinched the tip of her nose, his voice low and pleasant.

"To lure a snake out of its hole, you need bait."