"This… did you really write this poem?" Lucia Dong stammered, her pristine, ethereal face awash with disbelief. She could hardly believe that Jason Ji, this shameless scoundrel, could produce something so moving. But the truth was undeniable—she would have remembered such a timeless poem had it existed before.
"Well, what do you think?" Jason's lips curled into a faint smile, neither admitting nor denying. With China's five thousand years of history and his own vast repertoire of memorized poetry, even the so-called "God of Poetry" in this world would have bowed down to him.
"To know the pangs of yearning, one must first step into my heart's door," Livia Dong murmured, reciting the opening line with quiet reverence. She found herself drawn in, savoring the words that, line by line, seemed to distill the essence of love and its unyielding power.
"What an intriguing man," Livia murmured, gazing at Jason, a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips. While she wasn't one to romanticize love, she was still a young woman, and even the coldest of hearts couldn't help but harbor a glimmer of curiosity.
"So, did I pass?" Jason asked, chuckling as he watched Lucia, who was still a bit dazed by the poem's beauty.
Lucia blinked, shaking herself out of her reverie. She quickly avoided Jason's gaze, a slight blush creeping onto her face as she regained her composure. "I… I'm warning you, Jason. You'd better treat my sister well. If you ever hurt her, I'll make sure you regret it."
With that, she practically fled from the peach grove, leaving Livia and Jason to share a glance and a quiet laugh.
"My sister is adorable, isn't she?" Livia asked with a warm smile, her voice laced with affection. For a moment, she seemed less like the sharp, calculating woman Jason knew and more like a gentle elder sister.
Jason watched her, surprised by this softer side. So, he mused, Livia Dong wasn't always the ruthless woman feared by both gods and demons alike. A trace of curiosity took hold—what, he wondered, could have driven her to become the notorious force known as the "First Ruthless Queen of the Nine Heavens"?
As if sensing his thoughts, Livia glanced at him and remarked casually, "Take it easy these next few days. We'll just sit back and watch as everything unfolds."
Without further ado, she left, her figure as graceful and mysterious as ever, vanishing into the depths of the grove to prepare the Tang Lotus of Buddha's Fury.
Jason lingered, watching her retreating form. In the original story, he recalled, it wasn't long before Livia Dong would carry out her first act that would shock the world. She would soon orchestrate the massacre of eight hundred thousand in the Empire of Ascension, marking the start of her descent into ruthless infamy.
After a long sigh, Jason returned to his own courtyard, where he was immediately greeted by Henry Hong, who rushed to him with the enthusiasm of a small bird returning to its nest.
"Big brother!" she called; her voice sweet with affection. Jason held her close, feeling the warmth of her unwavering devotion.
For the rest of the day, he set aside training, choosing instead to spend a quiet, pleasant time with Henry Hong. He grilled fish for her, shared stories, and they laughed under the softening afternoon light.
As night fell, they sat on the rooftop, watching the stars, their silhouettes outlined against the moon's pale glow. When Henry Hong learned that Jason had composed a poem for Livia, she couldn't resist asking for one as well.
Smiling, Jason thought for a moment, and then recited a modern poem he knew, titled A Blooming Tree:
"How can I make you meet me, in my most beautiful moment?"
His gentle voice softened under the stars, and Henry Hong listened, captivated, her crimson eyes sparkling with wonder.
"When you finally pass me by without seeing me, my friend, that wasn't petals falling, but my heart wilting."
A soft smile bloomed on Henry Hong's face, her gaze fixed on Jason with a contented glow. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes, murmuring, "Big brother, those weren't petals… but my wilting heart."
As the evening wore on, she drifted off to sleep. Jason watched her, a faint smile touching his lips. For the first time in a long while, he felt the quiet comfort of being someone's pillar of support.
Yet, his expression turned grim as his thoughts wandered to the Alliance of Righteousness—the group responsible for the massacre of Henry Hong's family, particularly one prominent elder who coveted her Bloodkill Crimson Eyes. The elder's ambitions had left Jason with a deep-seated rage.
"If I have the chance, I'll bring down the Alliance of Righteousness too," Jason muttered under his breath. However, he knew their thousand-year history made them a formidable foe, one he couldn't yet confront head-on. He could hold his own against legendary figures, but a saint-level opponent would be another story entirely.
Sighing, Jason set Henry Hong down gently, covering her with a blanket before heading outside, where he found Shadow awaiting him.
"prince consort, the Grand Princess wanted me to inform you that all preparations have been completed," she reported. "Tomorrow, the message will spread through the Pavilion of Secrets. She asks that you rest easy."
Jason nodded, then remarked, "Tomorrow is Sarah Long and Ethan Ye's three-year duel. I imagine many powers are converging on Chang'an."
"Indeed," Shadow replied, nodding solemnly. "The Protectorate Sect has sent a large delegation, including a few legendary guardians and a saint-level elder. The famed Moonlight Fairy from Misty Peak is also in the city."
Jason raised his eyebrows. Moonlight Fairy—Miranda Murong—was an iconic character in the original story, a woman of peerless beauty and the mentor to Princess Sarah. Her icy elegance had left countless admirers heartbroken, and her fame extended even to the novel's readers.
Shadow continued listing the names, each one a new spark in the ever-growing firestorm. "The Ascension Empire's Prince, Ryan Yu, arrived just a few hours ago with his entourage, and right behind him, the heir to Villains' Valley, Ryan Mo, has arrived alone."
"Cangjian Villa's Wyatt Ye brought a single sword slave with him, arriving at dusk. Ming Sect's Saintess, Sylvia Lu, is here too, flanked by two guardian kings. And lastly, the young master of the Devil Sect, Xavier Lo, has arrived with two legendary experts in tow."
"Everyone's here, then," Jason murmured, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "Chang'an is about to get very lively."
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]