Jingrui backed away from Lingyue's horrendous form that stretched towards her. Her bruised back hit against the wall. Despite the blade that she held out, Lingyue stepped forward with no hint of fear. With a wave of her hand, the blade scooted out of Jingrui's palms.

The Empress Dowager's towering figure enshrouded darkness over Jingrui, and her razor nails dug into her shoulder, pulling her away from the window.

Jingrui winced as she writhed against Lingyue's robust hands. "Let go of me."

"How can I let you go, now that you know of the truth?" Lingyue cocked her scrawny neck to the side. Her eyes illuminated within the dark room like a nocturnal that lurked through the night.

Jingrui struggled, trying to pull herself towards the open window before the Empress Dowager could drag her into the deepest depths of darkness.

"You must be afraid right?" Lingyue flashed her teeth. "Don't worry, my dear. Naturally, I should torment you, but since the bastard prince likes you so much, I will not bestow you death. I'll just cage you as a hostage and make you the best weapon against his crafty mind."

Jingrui's eyes darkened. "I won't let you use me to harm him."

The Empress Dowager coarsed out a laugh. "Haven't you already harmed him?" Her brows arched high as she scanned Jingrui up and down. "Since you love the bastard prince so much, I will let you bear his pain."

Jingrui's eyes wavered as she watched the Empress Dowager pull out a glass bottle from within her sleeve. She flicked the cog off with her long nails and the foul smell of blood, which Jingrui had become accustomed to, drifted into her nose.

She felt sick. Her throat jarred, and the residue of tears plastered against her cheeks. The wound on her stomach worsened as each second ticked, making her face bleached white. She didn't know how much longer she would last with her blood flowing like a waterfall.

Although she had known the truth of her sister and master's death, she didn't feel a light cast upon her soul, nor did she feel the moon had become full again.

She felt powerless.

Even when the culprit was standing right before her, she couldn't muster enough strength to avenge them. And soon, her fate would fall the same as Sister Jingyi.

The Empress Dowager's conniving eyes narrowed into a crescent, and her hand shot up towards Jingrui. Her sharp nails dug into Jingrui's cheeks, making her whimper. Her body limbed like a broken puppet.

Still holding a smile, Lingyue squeezed Jingrui's cheek, forcing her mouth to part. Jingrui shook her head as Lingyue brought the glass bottle to her lips and forced the substance down her throat. She gurgled, choking against the liquid.

"Drink it, my dear." Lingyue's laugh rang through the night as her pupil grew small. "Drink it all up."

Unable to suppress it, the bitter substance sizzled down her throat. Her breathing quickened as she snapped her gaze up. "W-What did you just feed me?"

Lingyue grinned. "You love the bastard prince so much, so I'm just letting you experience his torment. It's the same poison I gave that slut, Chen, back then. I told her to use it to blind the bastard prince, otherwise, I would never leave them in peace." Lingyue threw the empty bottle onto the ground. "This poison will slowly take effect. Tonight you may see a clear sky. But by the morrow, you'll lose all the colours in your life. In the next few days, you'll be drowned in a suffocating abyss for all eternity."

Jingrui cowered in fear, but as she scanned the room, her sight was still clear. The gold and marble, the sandlewood furniture, and the passed out Yihuai; everything was still vivid even though her eyes pricked with an odd pain.

"Now then." The Empress Dowager seized her shoulders tighter. "I will take you to the dungeon. Don't worry about hospitality. As the bastard prince's lover, I'll take good care of you."

Jingrui shook her head, digging her soles into her spot. Lingyue cackled and began dragging her. Before she could haul Jingrui into the pit of darkness, an arrow shot in from the window, hitting against the Empress Dowager's arm. She screeched into the night, and her grip on Jingrui loosened.

Jingrui's eyes widened, but she didn't have time to process anything as she shoved the Empress Dowager onto the ground. With all her inner energy, she pushed herself out the window and into the cold night.

Ignoring the bitter pain and the blood that gushed from her stomach, she sprinted out of the Cold Paradise Palace. Daring herself to glance around, the crazed Empress Dowager was chasing her a few paces away like a maniac cheetah. Her dark hair flew behind her, her eyes flashed in the night, and her smile stretched towards her ears.

Jingrui's adrenaline shot through the clouds. As she ran into the Jade Pond garden, a hand slammed onto her shoulder and pulled her from the track. She was about to let out a squeal when another palm clamped onto her mouth.

"It's me," a familiar voice whispered.

Jingrui peered up to meet Yuansong's eyes. A black cloak draped over his body, and a piece of fabric masked half of his face. He brought his finger up to his lips before letting go of her.

They were standing behind the shadow of tall trees, and Yuansong pulled her down behind low hedges when the Empress Dowager arrived in the Jade Pond.

Lingyue licked her lips as her pupils grew frenzy. "Where are you, my darling?" Her knife flickered in her hand. "Come out now, don't be afraid."

Yuansong gulped and turned to Jingrui. "She's after you?"

Jingrui nodded, her heart thumping fast in her chest. "Why are you here?"

"Why else, if not because you poisoned my Prince. I have to get the antidote."

"I have the antidote," Jingrui whispered. "Is His Highness still mad at me?"

"Very." Yuansong furrowed his brows as he watched the Empress Dowager begin to search the garden. "So am I. You dared to stab my Prince. I will never forgive you for it."

Yuansong's face turned grim as he looked at her. "I once told you, didn't I, to stay away from Lingyue at all costs. Once Lingyue wants someone dead, she will search the world for them. Unless you die, she won't ever stop." Yuansong's eyes turned pained. "Although I won't forgive you, you need to make it out of this. So, here's the plan."

Yuansong didn't give her time to reply as he focused his Qi energy, and suddenly, his masculine form faded. Instead, his figure by her side took the form of a woman. As he turned towards Jingrui, it seemed as if she was staring right at a mirror. Yuansong had transformed into a seamless image of her.

He gulped as sweat rolled down his forehead. "I will take your form and lure Lingyue away. You stay hidden and completely silent behind these bushes until it is safe enough. Got it?"

Jingrui's heart immediately sank at Yuansong's words. She shook her head as she felt a lump in her throat. "I can't let you act as a decoy—" Before she could finish her sentence, Yuansong waved a hand and her voice was caught in her throat. No matter how much she screamed at him, nothing but silence engulfed them. Tears brimmed in her eyes as Yuansong stood from the hedges.

Jingrui reached out for him, trying to hold him back before he could hand himself to the murderous woman. Yet, some kind of force glued her feet to the ground.

The Empress Dowager spotted Yuansong, and her smile widened. "There you are, my dear."

Yuansong clenched his fists to stop his trembling. He gave one last glance at the hedges, and a sad smile came over his face. "Live." With that, he walked towards the Empress Dowager, no fear nor regret clouded his eyes.