I really didn't expect that I, who used to be protected by Lord Liu, who could move mountains and shake the heavens, would now be the one protecting him. How the tides of fortune have turned. I don't know if I should be happy or sad for him.
Just as I was lost in thought, Jun He tugged at me and said, "Don't worry. He still needs Gu Yuan, so he won't hurt him. Besides, who is Gu Yuan? He's as sly as a monkey."
I shot him a sidelong glance and said, "What kind of analogy is that? You're the monkey!"
We both stole a glance at Gu Yuan in the distance, then walked out of the main hall pretending not to care at all. But as soon as we stepped out of the hall, we both instinctively pressed our ears against the palace gate of the Purple Star Palace.
We were dying to know what those two were talking about.
"Yuan'er, you've really grown up. It's been years since we last had a heart - to - heart. Do you still remember when you were a child, you always liked to run to the back hall to find me? You were only this tall back then."
"Oh? As far as I know, Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor never allowed me into the back hall. How would you know my height?"
There was not a shred of warmth in Gu Yuan's conversation with the Heavenly Emperor. Instead, there was a sense of coldness and disappointment towards a father who had neglected him.
"Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, if you have something to say, just come out with it. Don't try to play the family - card on me. I'm not buying it anymore."
"You..." Even through the door, I could sense the Heavenly Emperor's embarrassment.
Gu Yuan had always been so blunt that he left the Heavenly Emperor speechless.
The Heavenly Emperor was silent for a long time before he finally spoke again, "What's your take on Long Lin's rebellion?"
"Rebellion was inevitable. He was just too impatient."
"Oh... Then do you have any countermeasures? After all, Long Lin and you are my only two sons."
"No countermeasures. As an old saying in the mortal world goes: The general trend of the world is that long - term unity will surely be followed by division, and long - term division will surely be followed by unity. It's just a normal state of affairs, so I have no countermeasures."
"Humph, that's just pedantic talk. I've been on the throne for ten thousand years. I believe I've done my duty and lived up to my position. I hurt your mother before, but it was just because I was in that position and had no choice."
When it came to Bai Xiangjun, Gu Yuan chose to remain silent. After all, his mother had also done many wrong things.
But what the Heavenly Emperor had done to him, to Gu Qingcheng, and even to the Netherworld was an indelible mark, like a branding iron searing his heart. It was a pain that he could never forget.
As the conversation went on, they had nothing more to say to each other and both fell into silence.
"The girl outside should be the spirit of the snake scales, right?" After a long - winded conversation, the Heavenly Emperor finally got to the point.
"No..." Gu Yuan said firmly.
"Still trying to lie to me? As soon as she came in, I could feel the powerful spiritual energy in her body. As long as she's here, we're bound to win this war."
"I've already given the snake scales to Ying Gou. Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor should know that very well," Gu Yuan said coldly.
"Me? How would I know?"
"Ying Gou's soul was suppressed by me under the statue of the Goddess of the Netherworld. He escaped just before I came to the Heavenly Court. Wasn't it Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor who did this?"
Although Gu Yuan was asking the Heavenly Emperor this question, I could tell that he had already decided in his heart that the Heavenly Emperor was the one behind it.
And we all knew very well that the Heavenly Emperor would surely deny it.
Sure enough, the Heavenly Emperor was very angry after hearing this. Even through the door of the Purple Star Palace, I could hear the sound of a table shattering.
Jun He and I were still eager to hear more when the door of the Purple Star Palace suddenly opened. Gu Yuan stood inside, looking at us calmly.
"Had enough eavesdropping?" Jun He and I stood up awkwardly and forced a smile at Gu Yuan. It was like a classic scene of social embarrassment.
"If you've had enough, go back to Mistyland." He strode out of the Purple Star Palace, and Jun He and I quickly followed behind him.
I accidentally looked back at the Purple Star Palace. The Heavenly Emperor inside was glaring at Gu Yuan with his dragon - like eyes, looking as if he wanted to kill.
I gently raised my arm and closed the door of the Purple Star Palace as I turned around.
I didn't like having a pair of venomous eyes staring at me from behind when I was walking.
Jun He, Gu Yuan and I returned to Mistyland, which had really returned to its former dreamy and idyllic state.
Gu Yuan didn't say a word all the way. I quickly stepped forward and took his hand, trying to give him the greatest comfort.
Gu Yuan looked at me with tender eyes and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly, giving me a healing smile.
"Let's take a walk in the peach orchard," Gu Yuan said as he interlaced his fingers with mine and ran towards the peach orchard.
Jun He followed behind. He watched us run away and was still in a daze, "Hey, why didn't you take me with you?"
Saying that, he also ran towards the peach orchard. But the peach orchard was a maze in itself. Without a familiar guide, it would be quite difficult for him to get out.
"Will he get lost?"
"Don't worry. He's the Demon Lord. He'll find us. It's just a matter of time."
I gently scraped the tip of Gu Yuan's nose and said, "Jun He described you so aptly."
"Oh? How did he describe me?"
"He said that if you grew a tail, you'd be a monkey, a very sly one."
Hearing this, Gu Yuan, who had just been smiling faintly, finally burst into a full - fledged laugh. His smile was enough to heal the whole world.
Gu Yuan looked down at me. His smiling face suddenly froze.
His expression really scared me. I thought something bad had happened again.
I was about to turn around when Gu Yuan pressed my shoulder firmly and said seriously, "Don't move."
I immediately stood still, not daring to move a muscle. My eyes kept darting around, trying to see what was behind me, but I was too scared to look.
Gu Yuan looked at me with his deep and unfathomable eyes, which made me even more nervous.
My big eyes were wide open. I followed the direction of Gu Yuan's hand until he took something off the top of my head.
When I saw what was in his hand, I raised my hand and slapped at his shoulder. Gu Yuan was quick and dodged easily.
He flicked the petal in his hand, and it landed on my forehead.
Only then did I realize that Gu Yuan was just teasing me.
"You bad Gu Yuan! You almost scared me to death. I thought it was a bug!"
I was so angry that I stamped my feet. I chased after him, ready to kick him. Seeing me angry, he laughed even harder.
We were like two newly - in - love teenagers, chasing and flirting with each other in the peach orchard.
Until Gu Yuan ran past a stream. When I was chasing him, the soil beside the stream suddenly caved in. One of my feet slipped, and I stumbled forward, about to fall face - first into the stream.
"Gu Yuan, help me..." I exclaimed in horror, watching my face getting closer and closer to the water.