Take her with you too but ensure she doesn't see more than she is meant to see, she is the only one who knows where they are being kept,"

"Understood,"

​​

 - - - - - - - - - -

"Your majesty, the seventh prince is here," the head eunuch announced.

"Let him in,"

The door opened while the seventh prince entered the room, wondering why the emperor has suddenly summoned him.

"Imperial father," he greeted with his head bowed.

"Come up here," the emperor was seated on his bed with his elbow resting on his pillow, his bed-chamber is situated above the stairs leading to his bed that is indeed befitting of an emperor, the seventh prince swallowed his saliva before walking up the stairs with gentle footsteps.

He stopped when he got to the side of the bed, he stood straight like a prince should but his lashed quivered.

"I have been neglecting you for some time now, it is all my fault,"

"How can I dare to think that way, imperial father is busy with handling the court affairs, how dare I entertain such thoughts," he quickly refuted, bowing his head with his hands cupped and raised, the emperor smiled hearing his thoughtful words.

"I have been having a lot of concerns but seeing you have put me at rest," 

"It is my pleasure,"

"I heard you left the palace...."

"Imperial father, t-that was a long time ago," he quickly responded.

"You and the fourth prince were the closest since you were little children, ever since he left the palace using the excuse that the wanted to roam the world for while, I have sent many people to find out his whereabouts but he still hasn't been found, by any chance, did you go to see him?" the look of suspiciousness filled his eyes, he squinted his eyes to ready detect an ounce of lie in his words.

The seventh batted his lashes, he realized that the emperor must be suspecting that he knows where the fourth prince is and knowing how observant the emperor, he must not be too revealing.

"This useless son was just out of the palace to have fun if I knew where my fourth brother is, I would have told your majesty, how can I conceal such an important information," he straightened his poise, answering him confidently.

"Really..."

"I won't dare lie to you," 

The emperor sighed and rubbed his forehead.

 - - - - - - - - - - - 

He felt exceptionally lonely throughout the day she wasn't in the sect, even if he never had the chance to see her in the sect, not knowing she is in the same place with him made him feel like a part of him was missing.

He withheld his urge to secretly enter the cave for some days but now he can't seem to focus on anything else, he wants to at least see her and...and do nothing, knowing that his father and the elders are busy having discussions regarding the sects and he has been ousted from such meeting after losing his father's trust, he decided to take the chance to sneak into the cave.

It has been a few days now since she returned to the wind sect but it felt like half a year for her, after spending just a day outside this cave, she realised just how precious the chance to see the outside world, to be with her family, to feel the warmth of her mother's hug, to play around with friends and to sleep in the embrace of her sister is.

Holding her gown, she took each step lightly as she treaded on the narrow road filled with rock which leads to the entrance of the cave, for some reason, she could feel that the rocks are more slippery than they are normally.

"At this rate, I might not return before Su Ci wakes up, I really don't understand why this necklace always brings me out of the cave every time I come out of the dimension," she stopped and held the jade on the necklace, she examined it but as always, it looked faultless.

She was about to take another step forward when someone called out her name, she missed her step and tripped but before she could fall to the ground, he held her and helped her stand straight.

She heaved a sigh of relief but froze on the spot, if anyone knows her name here then it must be a disciple of the wind sect.

{Does this mean I have gotten caught,}

She clutched her gown tightly, not daring to turn back even though her hair has already revealed her identity.

He walked to her front seeing that she is reluctant to look at him but she quickly turned back again, he sighed and walked to her front again but she quickly turned back, not having any other choice, he held her shoulders and turned her body to face him.

She turned her face away swiftly.

"Stupid, hiding your face won't change anything," he smiled faintly, he wasn't expecting to see the rat here but it also made it wonder how she managed to leave the cave when there is a spiritual barrier in the cave that no one can cross unless they are from the wind sect, regardless of how powerful you are.

She slowly turned her head to face him, biting her lower lips, she raised her head to look into his face but her red orbs lightened upon seeing his face and her scarlet lips widened into a delighted smile.

His lips parted slightly seeing that tender but vibrant look in her eyes, now that he is standing really close to her, those red orbs look...mesmerizing and tranquil, the innocent yet delighted gaze on him puzzled him, how can someone's eyes be so clear and free of worries.

"It's you," she remarked, pointing her fingers at him.

"Huh..."

"You are the one I got angry at before, are you...going to report me," she pouted her lips and lowered her lips remembering this is the second time has caught her outside the cave even if she is not outside the sect.

"You..." he was speechless, she seemed really innocent when she pouted her lips, even her pitiful gaze melted his heart, even if he was planning on doing so, he certainly wouldn't be able to now.

"If you tell me how you managed to leave the cave then I will let you go," he leaned his face closer to hers, in anticipation to hear her answer, ever since the last time he saw her out, he has been wondering how she managed to do it so he might as well, use this opportunity to find out.

"The neck..."

"Neck..." his eyes dropped to her neck, he noticed the necklace with a jade pendant.

{I can't tell him, sister told me not to tell anyone before I left the sect}

"I just walked out of the cave," she quickly completed before he figures she was referring to her necklace.

"Walked out...impossible,"

"Why is that impossible, are we not supposed to just walk through any exit unless...you can't go out like me but I really wanted to leave the cave..." she bit her lower lips and fluttered her lashes with a pleading gaze in her eyes.

"I..."

He heard the footsteps of some people approaching so he quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the large rock then he pulled her down and squatted beside her with his arms around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

He looked out of the rock to see if they were gone but he saw some disciples walking past the narrow road, he wondered what they were doing there since anyone rarely takes that path.

Her eyes went round at the thought that infiltrated her head with her orbs glued his lips, she remembered what her sister said, she pulled his sleeve, he turned to her but his eyes met with that doe eyes of hers, her smile widened as she leaned forward and plastered a kiss on his lips.

Then she giggled, pulling away from him, his eyes went round with a shocked look on his face.

"You..."

"My sister told me I love you," she naively whispered, seeing the shocked expression on his face.

"Huh...what,"

"The last time I got angry at you, my heart ached a lot and I wanted to see you again..." she cupped his face.

"And I missed your beautiful face," she remarked with her lips widening to form that naive smile again, he held her hand and brought it down from his face then he scoffed lightly, not knowing what to say.

{Is this a confession...}

"Do you know what love is?"

She sprung up with her index finger pointed upwards and a confident look on her face, thankfully the disciples were out of sight.

"Of course I know, although I didn't know what it was before, I asked my sister and she told me that love is when you want to see someone every day, you want to be by his side and she also said she kissed Huo Qiang because she loves him so...."

"So...."

"That means I am supposed to kiss you if I love you,"