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Tucking his hands in the thick cape, Emperor Wu sat there with a nonchalant and distant look on his face. It was as if the others were nothing but ants to him.

A man was taken out of one of the cells.

It was a refined middle-aged man with a square face and a broad forehead.

Upon seeing Emperor Wu, something flickered in the middle-aged man’s indifferent eyes.

“Your Majesty, you’ve finally spared some time for me.” The middle-aged man stared at Emperor Wu and spoke in a tone that was neither too humble nor too pushy. He even sounded a little egoistic.

For he was confident that what he had done wouldn’t get him killed. Moreover, the Zuo family would be pulling every string they had to get him out.

Hence, Emperor Wu wouldn’t let him die, and it was even possible that the man would get away with a slap on the wrist.

“Feng Wu, speak,” Emperor Wu smiled a little and said in an indifferent tone.

Speak? Did he mean it?

Staring at Mr Zuo, Feng Wu recalled how the Zuo family had tried to kill her five years ago!

In the end, it was Zuo Qingluan who had deprived Feng Wu of all her cultivation ability.

And Mr Zuo was one of the culprits back then!

The Zuo family!

And Mr Zuo!

Feng Wu raised her voice all of a sudden. “Mr Zuo, it’s been a while.”

Mr Zuo was bewildered. “Miss, you are…”

“Mr Zuo, do you not know who I am? Otherwise, why are you locked up here?” Feng Wu smiled.

“You’re… Feng Wu?!” Mr Zuo finally recognized her face.

The girl had changed greatly from five years ago, and she only remotely looked like the little girl she had been.

She was stunning now!

The moment he saw Feng Wu’s face, Mr Zuo felt deeply threatened.

Zuo Qingluan had always considered herself the top socialite of the imperial capital in appearance, talent, and cultivation.

However, as soon as Mr Zuo saw Feng Wu, he was astonished by how beautiful she was.

Talk about bringing down cities and conquering the world with one’s beauty alone. The girl had yet to reach her full potential, and when that happened…

Mr Zuo couldn’t imagine how Zuo Qingluan would react when she saw Feng Wu’s face.

“I’m Feng Wu, the one whose exam paper was switched out by Mr Zuo. I almost didn’t make it to the next round. Thanks to His Majesty, our most sagacious emperor, my exam paper was retrieved.” Feng Wu smiled at Mr Zuo.

Mr Zuo fidgeted. The girl might as well have slapped him in public. Such a blatant accusation could embarrass an experienced politician like himself.

He looked up and stared at Feng Wu with a grim look on his face.

The girl was so level-headed. Mr Zuo had been observing Feng Wu the whole time and comparing her with Zuo Qingluan.

Before Feng Wu showed up, Mr Zuo had always believed that Zuo Qingluan was doubtlessly the most eminent young lady of note in the imperial capital.

But his faith was shaken after meeting Feng Wu…

Mr Zuo’s first reaction was to check Feng Wu’s cultivation ability!

Detecting no spiritual essence, Mr Zuo sighed with relief.

That settled Mr Zuo’s mind right away and he no longer saw Feng Wu as a threat. “Your Majesty, I’ve been treated unjustly!”

Emperor Wu had kept his eye on Mr Zuo the whole time. Upon hearing those words, a chilly, unfathomable look flickered in the emperor’s eyes.

“Go on,” Emperor Wu said casually.

Darting a look at Feng Wu, Mr Zuo said in a solemn tone, “The incident with the exam paper only happened because that teacher tried to play up to me. I myself found his conduct unnecessary the whole time.”

“Really?” Emperor Wu said indifferently.

Mr Zuo sounded very calm. “Your Majesty, all crimes have motives. I had no reason to steal Feng Wu’s paper.”

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Emperor Wu remained unperturbed. “Go on.”

“Your Majesty, the only connection between Feng Wu and my family is…” Mr Zuo wanted to mention the crown prince, but the marriage contract between Zuo Qingluan and Jun Linyuan was still uncertain. Mr Zuo didn’t want to offend the emperor, so he changed the subject. “The only connection is that Feng Wu used to have the True Phoenix Blood as Zuo Qingluan does now.”

Emperor Wu nodded.

“But then, Feng Wu lost her ability somehow and became crippled, whereas Zuo Qingluan has risen above all her peers. Right now, she’s already a Spiritual Elder!

“Your Majesty, as a leading figure of the Zuo clan, why would I need to do anything to a crippled girl like Failure Wu? She’s too unimportant for me to handle personally. She’s not worth it.”

Mr Zuo darted a contemptuous glance at Feng Wu.

Back then, Zuo Qingluan had insisted on crippling Feng Wu at the price of exposing herself, and the Zuo clan hadn’t thought much of it, for neither Feng Wu nor the Feng clan was well-connected enough to do anything about it; they had no one to turn to after what happened to Feng Wu.

Mr Zuo snorted inwardly. The emperor was a pragmatic person, and a crippled girl like Feng Wu wasn’t worth going through any trouble for.

Feng Wu knew that as well, which was why the truth had remained hidden.

She could only keep the humiliation to herself.

Emperor Wu darted an indifferent glance at Feng Wu.

“What do you think?”

He was being very ambiguous.

And Feng Wu wasn’t happy about his attitude at all.

The sight of Mr Zuo reminded her of how they had destroyed her. She wouldn’t be holding so many grudges if it wasn’t for her beautiful master, who had fallen into a coma since then because of her.

Even if her beautiful master had a chance to wake up, who was going to make up for the five years she had lost?

Feng Wu couldn’t think of anything else. She only knew that she needed her revenge.

“Your Majesty —” Feng Wu stepped out and met Emperor Wu’s gaze with her cold eyes. “I have told Grand Secretary Fang about everything that happened back then and I’m not going to argue with Mr Zuo today.”

“Is that so?”

“Your Majesty, I saved Her Majesty the empress dowager.”

“Yes, you did.”

“I think that’s a favor big enough to trade for Mr Zuo’s life!”

Feng Wu charged at Mr Zuo like a cannonball before she finished her sentence!

It was quicker than anyone could react!

The next thing they knew, Feng Wu had stabbed a dagger into Mr Zuo’s heart!

Being able to hold the position of the deputy principal of Imperial College proved how capable Mr Zuo was. He was among the most superior cultivators of the empire!

But when he was imprisoned, his cultivation ability had been temporarily disabled.

Because of that, he was completely defenseless when Feng Wu pushed the blade into his chest.

Mr Zuo stared at Feng Wu in disbelief, his eyes opened so wide that his eyeballs could fall out at any moment.

He looked at Feng Wu and the dagger in his chest in turn.

The entire blade was buried in his chest!

Up to the hilt.

Coldness spread out from his heart to all four limbs.

That hurt —

He was scared —

And the fear —

It all happened in the middle of the prison and all the prisoners in the surrounding cells witnessed what Feng Wu did!

She didn’t even flinch! How resolute! It was astonishing!

What a girl!

“You — you —” Mr Zuo shuddered violently.

He had thought that the emperor was here today to release him.

After all, he was the head of Imperial College!

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Even if the emperor was convinced that Mr Zuo had rigged the examination by mishandling the exam paper of one student, Mr Zuo didn’t think that there would be any serious consequences. That was why he had been so bold.

However, he had never expected Feng Wu to attack him!

And it was a killing move!

She was so fast that no one had been able to react in time.

Even Emperor Wu jumped a little!

He shifted his gaze to Feng Wu and the look in his eyes grew colder.

Thump!

Mr Zuo fell back and the back of his head hit the ground first. His skull cracked and blood oozed out.

He was dead before that happened.

Emperor Wu’s gaze locked on Feng Wu, and he looked very grim!

Those piercing eyes!

They had an authoritative look in them, which was characteristic of someone of his status.

It was as sharp as a blade that could kill.

The temperature in the prison plummeted!

No one dared to make a sound. Even the cunning Master Bai and the chief steward, the latter genuinely worried about Feng Wu, shivered like autumn leaves. Neither said a word.

Emperor Wu was furious!

A chilly gust of wind swept out toward Feng Wu!

Feng Wu was frozen to her bones!

She could almost hear them crack!

She was cold, in pain, and couldn’t breathe!

Taking a deep breath, Feng Wu dropped to her knees at Emperor Wu’s feet.

“Feng Wu, how dare you!” Emperor Wu bellowed. “You killed him! Right in front of me!”

Feng Wu bit her lower lip and used all her strength to fight the cold.

She couldn’t use her spiritual essence, for the emperor would notice it right away.

“Answer me!” The chair shattered at Emperor Wu’s smack and he rose to his feet!

Wrapped in the thick cape, his stawalt body gave off an intimidating energy, demonstrating his boundless power!

Feng Wu bit her lip. “Your Majesty, you have my utmost respect, but I couldn’t control myself and I had to kill him! He was one of the people I would never forgive!”

Feng Wu clenched her fists and sounded indignant.

Emperor Wu was so infuriated that he laughed. “Why did you kill him?”

“Because he deserved it!” Feng Wu ground her teeth.

So, it was personal.

“I’ll spare your life if you can convince me. Otherwise, you’re going to join Zuo He very soon!”

Feng Wu’s eyes darted around.

Emperor Wu smirked. Was she stalling?

“Your Majesty, may I speak to you in private?” Feng Wu looked at him with her limpid black eyes and suggested in a solemn tone.

Emperor Wu was rendered speechless!

The girl acted as if it was some confidential information! Did she have any idea that if she couldn’t explain herself, she would lose her head very soon?

“Why should I grant you that request?!” Emperor Wu glared at Feng Wu.

Then, he saw the girl shivering a little.

Was his voice that frightening? Crossing his hands behind his back, Emperor Wu snorted!

Feng Wu looked up, darted a pleading look at Emperor Wu, and lowered her head again.

Emperor Wu was intrigued by Feng Wu’s little affectations. Was she trying to read his mood?

However, one simply couldn’t stay mad at the girl when she looked so pitiful.

But Emperor Wu still wouldn’t relax his facial muscles and went on glaring at Feng Wu.

“Your Majesty…” Still on her knees, Feng Wu inched forward until she was a meter away from Emperor Wu.

“Your Majesty, watch out!” Master Bai was on guard. He feared that Feng Wu would charge out again and use another dagger on the emperor.

Emperor Wu gave Master Bai an “are you an idiot?” look. Who did the eunuch think the emperor was? This crippled girl would never be able to touch him. Use your head, man!

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Feng Wu ignored Master Bai. She looked up, giving the others a full view of her stunning face. She then stared at Emperor Wu with her limpid doe eyes.

Feng Wu’s mother was the most beautiful woman in the empire. The apple never fell too far from the tree.

She only needed to mimic part of her mother’s expression, and Emperor Wu couldn’t stay mad at the pitiful girl. He even wanted to reflect on himself, thinking that he might have been a little too mean.

“Your Majesty, I killed him because he was one of the people that was responsible for my losing my ability! I’ll never let it drop! I will have my revenge!”

The first half of her speech was expressed with deep feeling and fervor, but the second half sounded rather willful.

Emperor Wu was surprised.

He asked, “Didn’t you lose your ability because you got greedy and overstretched yourself?”

“No, I didn’t!” Feng Wu defended herself. “The Zuo family did it to me! They’re evil people!”

“And your evidence?” Emperor Wu challenged her.

“I killed him and that’s my evidence,” Feng Wu said matter-of-factly. “Why would I waste such a big favor from Your Majesty if it wasn’t for a deep-seated hatred?”

Both Master Bai and the chief steward were speechless.

Master Bai was astonished by how bold Feng Wu was.

Whereas the chief steward was worried about Feng Wu.

Both men served Emperor Wu day in and day out and they both knew how capricious the emperor was in temperament.

This girl had said the first thing that came to her mind without even trying to restrain herself. How dare she mention “a favor”? Did she have a death wish?!

Master Bai snorted inwardly. He believed that the girl would die before she realized it!

Emperor Wu chewed on Feng Wu’s answer. “Such a big favor?”

Feng Wu looked all innocent. “I saved Her Majesty the empress dowager. Your Majesty, wasn’t that a big enough favor? I informed Your Majesty before I killed him just then.”

Emperor Wu was speechless. So that was what she had been doing? Informing him?

However —

His Majesty smirked. “As a subject, it’s your duty to offer Her Majesty your service. Are you asking for a reward? And how dare you talk about me owing you a favor?!”

Feng Wu lowered her little head reluctantly.

“Speak!” Emperor Wu bellowed.

He was so loud…

Feng Wu slowly raised her head and looked at Emperor Wu with puppy-dog eyes. She mumbled, “If I saved someone else’s mother, not only would they pay me, they would find an opportunity to return that favor…”

She said those words in the tiniest voice, but of course Emperor Wu wouldn’t miss any of it.

He was so vexed that he chuckled.

His face then turned grim. “Are you saying that I’m inferior to some commoner?”

Still kneeling there, Feng Wu stuck out her chest and beamed at him with the brightest smile. She looked wonderful, but not as wonderful as the words that rolled off her tongue.

“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t belittle yourself like that! You’re the greatest conqueror, adept with both the pen and the sword. You’re a paragon of virtue, striking the universe with your greatness. People respect and admire you. Your contributions will benefit generations to come, and it’s a record that has never been nor ever will be reached again. What’s more, you’re eminently talented. You have a casual and elegant bearing, and the manner of a delicate beauty, which will stay unsurpassed for generations. Everyone falls in love with you! Your martial prowess is unchallenged, you’re a genius without peer in your generation, and you have all the virtue of the greatest sages in history! There really is no other emperor like you!”

Everyone’s mouths fell open!

If their eyes opened any wider, their eyeballs would fall out.

Master Bai couldn’t believe it! He almost wanted to give Feng Wu a thumbs up!

He was known for his ingratiating expressions, and he had worked hard to expand his vocabulary. However, compared with Feng Wu, Master Bai felt that he had been thrashed.