Chapter 62: You Won’t Kill Me Again, Right?

Ning Xuan was unwilling to speak, and he wouldn’t let Meng Jingyang speak either.

Pei Yuan couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward. “The only way to eliminate the threat forever is for a person with a pure divine soul to wield a Heavenly Flame. Only then can the evil spirit be thoroughly slain.”

These conditions.

It sounded exactly like it was describing her.

Those who cultivated the soul had the purest and most robust divine souls.

However—

“I don’t have a Heavenly Flame.”

Meng Jingyang bowed, stating his resolve, “Your Highness, this subject can assist you in going to the Magma Sea to seize the Earth Core Fire Essence.”

Ning Xuan looked up and held his forehead, pacing back and forth in frustration. “An’an, never mind slaying the evil spirit, or seizing the Earth Core Fire Essence from the Fire Flood Dragon, do you know how difficult it is to refine a strange flame?”

Ning Shengsheng asked calmly, “How difficult?”

She looked calmer than her brother.

“The strange flame will constantly burn your divine soul. If you survive, congratulations, you’ve refined it successfully. If you don’t, your soul will be destroyed!” Ning Xuan’s thin lips were pressed tight, his eyes rimmed with red. “If your soul is destroyed, then everything is gone.”

“Older Brother.” Ning Shengsheng raised her hand and gently stroked Ning Xuan’s back, comforting him. “The evil demon suppressed under Taiji Mountain isn’t that simple. You know that, right?”

Ning Xuan’s fingers twitched, and he turned his face away.

He didn’t dare to look Ning Shengsheng in the eye.

How could he not have noticed?

A man who reached the Profound Aperture realm by the age of twenty, who climbed from an unfavored prince to the throne step by step.

How could he not realize that the truth beneath Taiji Mountain was definitely not as it seemed?

“Older Brother, I am the Princess of Ning. My daily food, clothing, and expenses, all the glory and wealth, come from the people of Ning. Moreover, the evil demon is inextricably linked to the ancestors of the Ning clan. Rationally and emotionally, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, I should fight for it for the sake of the people.” Ning Shengsheng was afraid of death and pain, but since she was in this position…

She was not one to shirk responsibility.

“How can tens of thousands of people in the capital die unjustly for no reason?”

For every day they delayed, more people would be harmed.

“Master Meng, we depart immediately.” Ning Shengsheng looked at Meng Jingyang with firm eyes, then turned to Pei Yuan. “I will trouble Master Pei to guard the capital.”

Meng Jingyang hadn’t expected this princess, who was rumored to be arrogant and willful, to agree so readily.

He silently swallowed the big speech he had prepared and bowed solemnly. “Your Highness holds the people in her heart. Jingyang is ashamed. For this trip to the Magma Sea, I will protect Your Highness with my life.”

A flash of confusion passed through Pei Yuan’s eyes.

Was the girl before him still the same arrogant superior who had flirted with and toyed with him?

He didn’t know what opportunity had caused the princess to change like this.

Pei Yuan involuntarily cast his gaze toward the silent young man standing in the corner.

Was it because of Xue Chen?

Ning Xuan was not a heartless emperor.

Although his temper was usually wild, when it came to critical moments, he also understood the importance of the bigger picture.

Moreover.

He vaguely knew that the origin of that evil demon was not simple.

It was very likely a disaster left behind by the Ning ancestors, and not at all about eliminating harm for the people as the imperial decree stated.

“I will go with you.”

Ning Xuan’s decision allowed no argument.

Since his sister was risking her life, as her older brother, he naturally had to protect her by her side.

“Okay!”

Ning Shengsheng didn’t want to delay any longer.

“I’ll go prepare the magical artifacts for subduing the Earth Core Fire Essence. You guys go back and pack.”

“We depart at dawn.” Ning Xuan glanced out the window, turned, and pushed open the door to the weapon refining room.

Everyone went to perform their duties.

Ning Shengsheng rushed back to Zhaoxia Palace to pack her things.

Xue Chen walked by her side, looking down at the anxiety and worry in the depths of her eyes. “Princess…”

“Mm?”

Ning Shengsheng was still thinking about what the evil demon had said to her.

It said it was the ancestor of the Ning clan.

What did that mean?

“Are you not afraid?” Xue Chen asked.

“Of course I’m afraid!” Ning Shengsheng blurted out.

“Then why…” His beautiful brows furrowed slightly, not understanding how she could be both afraid and determined.

“Fear is fear, but I will never shirk what I must do. Besides, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.”

“If the evil demon comes out, I won’t survive either.”

Ning Shengsheng had been a bit lost at first, but on the flying ship, she had asked Xue Chen, and he had said that if there was a problem, think of a solution.

Now that there was a solution.

There was a glimmer of hope, so she had to give it a try.

“Princess, you seem different.” Xue Chen stopped walking and looked straight at Ning Shengsheng.

The old Ning An would never sacrifice herself for the people.

Ning Shengsheng looked away. “People always grow up. Besides, I wasn’t that bad to begin with.”

Xue Chen let out a meaningful laugh.

It wasn’t a question of good or bad.

The original Ning An disregarded human life. Let alone dying for the people, she would probably make the people die for her.

“Perhaps.”

Now was not the time to probe her.

Xue Chen ignited a flame in his palm. “This subject wants to say, Your Highness, go with peace of mind. This subject will light the way for you until death.”

The warm flame danced.

The young man’s brows and eyes were dyed with pride and certainty as he made the heaviest vow in front of her.

Was this affirmation and protection for her?

Ning Shengsheng’s heart stirred, and she asked, as if guided by a ghost, “In that case, Xue Wuyin, you won’t kill me in the future, right?”

“What?”

A look of astonishment flashed in Xue Chen’s eyes.

“Ha, nothing, I was just talking nonsense.” Ning Shengsheng hurriedly brushed him off, feeling a lingering fear.

“Didn’t you say you’d light the way for this princess? Let’s go!”

She pushed Xue Chen’s arm, urging him.

“Okay.”

Xue Chen turned around, holding the palm fire as he walked in front.

The flame dispelled the oppressive and heavy darkness.

Ning Shengsheng was annoyed at her momentary lapse just now; the words she blurted out had almost exposed her.

Xue Chen, walking ahead, judged from the rise and fall of her breathing that Ning Shengsheng was actually more anxious now than about going to the Magma Sea.

[You won’t kill me in the future, right?]

He had heard it clearly just now.

Why would she ask that? When had he ever killed her?

Ning Shengsheng, what exactly is your secret?

The initial suspicion disappeared, replaced by a possessive desire that was bound to win.

She returned to Zhaoxia Palace and took the Huan Li egg.

This time, she didn’t let Songgao and Zaoni follow.

Ning Shengsheng left them some magical artifacts and told them to stay in Zhaoxia Palace and ignore anyone who came.

She came back in a hurry and left in a hurry.

The sky was gradually turning light with the colors of a fish’s belly.

Ning Shengsheng boarded Ning Xuan’s flying ship.

Standing at the edge of the ship, she looked down at the capital of Great Ning. Pei Yuan and Nangong Jinghong had set up a formation.

It could temporarily protect the people’s essence spirits.

And she had to return before the evil demon broke through the formation.

“Your Highness, go into the cabin and sleep for a while.” Meng Jingyang came forward to care for her.

She sized up this strongest cultivator of Great Ning.

Speaking of which.

Meng Jingyang was her and Ning Xuan’s cousin.

He had excellent talent since childhood and reached the Half-step Spirit Transformation realm at a young age.

However, this person was lazy and free-spirited by nature, always mysterious and hard to find.

It was said he taught at the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.

But Ning Shengsheng had been transmigrated for several months and had never seen him.

Presumably, the situation was serious this time, and Ning Xuan had used some secret method to recall him.

“Cousin Princess?”

Meng Jingyang reached out and lifted Ning Shengsheng’s chin.

Smack—

She instinctively slapped his hand away.

Both of them froze on the spot.

“Hehehe…” Ning Shengsheng laughed awkwardly. “Master Meng, I was distracted just now and thought it was a lecher.”

“Sorry…”

“……”

Meng Jingyang rubbed his nose. “I used to tease you like this when you were little. How come you can’t take a joke now that you’ve grown up?”

“Could it be…”

“Because of him?”

As he spoke, he put both hands on Ning Shengsheng’s cheeks.

He turned her head toward the cabin.

Xue Chen was leaning leisurely on the soft couch, his pitch-black eyes fixed on Meng Jingyang’s hands.

“Little An’an, look quickly. That kid has an unkind look in his eyes. Why is he staring at my hands?”