Cheng Feng looked at the subordinate sweating in front of him. "Explain to me again, from the beginning." He said in a low tone

The soldier quivered "Y-Young lady went to deliver gifts for the soldiers that came back from war and was ambushed on the way S-Sir, the soldiers accompanying her died, and the ones she went to deliver the gifts are also dead. Y-Young lady was found unconscious on her carriage s-sir."

Cheng Feng's face darkened

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE! only come here with a full detailed written report!"

"Y-Y-Ye-Yes sir!" the soldier replied startled by the screams and ran out of there.

Cheng Feng saw the door closing and started to smile.

'She thought she could get back at me by killing those soldiers? haha, a girl is a girl, after all, so naive.'

He shook his head. 'but I should at least show some reaction, deception is never enough after all.'

He called for a maid, Seeing Zhin Zhin trembling with fear Cheng Feng spoke calmly. "Deliver a message to that brothel Zheng Li opened. They are not to open until I say otherwise."

"Y-Yes sir" Zhin Zhin replied

Seeing her still standing there Cheng Feng frowned. "You can go now!"

"Y-Yes!" she hurriedly turned away.

Cheng Feng sighed.

-----------------

In the morning after, Zhi Rui woke up. as she opened her eyes a pang of acute pain came over her skull, She felt it on her whole self as she cringed holding her breath, suddenly it passed she caught her breath as if she never breathed before.

'What the hell was that?! she closed her eyes at once and observed her core.'

'A crack!? on a core? it's supposed to heal itself! I remembered seeing it cracked yesterday. What is happening!?

She frowned deeply.

she did not remember any information regarding core cracking on they own.

and not healing.

"Young lady you woke up!" Zhi Rui looked at the owner of the voice,Zhin Zhin hurriedly delivered a healing pallet.

Zhi Rui frowned a little and swallowed it holding her forehead "What happened?" she asked.

Zhin Zhin sighed and explained to her the incident and asked Zhi Rui if she remembered anything before unconsciousness.

Zhi Rui shook her head slowly.

"Is that so." Zhin Zhin said dejectedly.

She looked at Zhi Rui's eyes and opened her mouth with mirth.

"There's one good new miss. The general sent an order that until told otherwise that vile place Young master bought is to be closed." Zhin Zhin announced proudly.

Zhi Rui squinted her eyes and gave her a beautiful smile, "thank god. he did that."

'Is he trying to show that he's actually hurt for losing those guys? for a general, that's really underestimating my thinking capability. But, oh well. Since he closed the brothel expecting me to be hurt, that means he doesn't know what my actual business is. So better act hurt to avoid suspicion.

after all, deception is never enough. Zhi Rui smiled internally

'Why not start now.'

Zhi Rui got up abruptly, her eyes went red and she stormed away to her bathroom. Zhin Zhin stood frozen in place. She chuckled in exasperation and went out of young miss's room.

'time to report the miss's recovery to the general.'

---------------

Zhi Rui lied down on her tub filled with cold water. 'This crack, if I evolve my core to rank two will it disappear? But what if it comes back again?

and to go to level two I need to raise my talent and aptitude. If I reach rank two with an ordinary talent I cannot reach the places I want to.

Zhi Rui considered seriously. 'It's time after all.' she decided.

She got up to put on a nice simple dress and took a carriage to the teahouse.

As she expected, Prince Julius was waiting for her.

"Hello, Zhi Rui it's been a while."

"Zhi Rui blushed and turned her eyes away, "I-It's been two days at most"

Julius felt his heart beating fast, he found it weird, as that never happened to him. He just stared speechlessly.

Zhi Rui turned back at him and snorted before seating down for a tea.

Julius woke up and seated across from her.

"So where Young miss wants to go today?" He asked.

Zhi Rui frowned and stared at him " You're the men, you're supposed to lead the girl not the other way around."

Julius got flustered again, he felt insulted but not so much, he felt really weird.

"H-how about a look around the city's old places?"

"Oh, I do like antiques, my father has some old books that makes me fascinated." Zhi Rui answered.

Julius felt a light shining in his head that moment. He looked at her with wide eyes,

"Really?! you're gonna love this place then come with me!"

He grabbed her hand and took off, Shizu and the other knights followed after him, Zhi Rui's coachman went along although slightly behind.

They walked until the area of the imperial palace, Zhi Rui looked mesmerized at the big construction.

Julius pointed at a large door "How about it? everything inside has a history. Do you wanna go in?

Zhi Rui did not answer, still mesmerized she walked on to the entrance.

Julius hurriedly followed along, reaching the entrance he showed his token of prince and Zhi Rui did not need to show anything since she was with him.

They walked around, Julius explaining every treasure, as well as the stories of each scroll inside, after walking from here to there for a while Zhi Rui finally saw her objective, a red beast hide with weird writing on it.

She saw the same thing on the images of immortal Hu.

Innocently she took in her hands and asked "What is this? I can't understand it." But her eyes never left the letters in it.

As Prince Julius came close to put it back, she felt something crawl inside her arm from the skin parchment.

Time seemed to stop, all she could feel was the thing crawling inside her.

it passed her arms and went up to her neck it collided with her consciousness causing a horrendous amount of pain.

She fought it, she did not know why or what she just fought it until it gave up and tried to get back but Prince Julius had already taken the hide parchment away. Zhi Rui felt it jump into the crack of her core.

With it came a second pang of pain this time she fell down on the ground.