Chun Hai and Monk Du transported into an alleyway by the inn, Chun Hai had intentionally brought them here so they could quietly access the situation and work out a plan before proceeding.

Prince Houyi was not expecting Chun Hai to be back for at least another three days or so. Moreover, knowing Prince Houyi he would be very skeptical of Chun Hai returning without him hearing any news of Prince Rui's death.

After a bit of thinking, they settled on the story that Chun Hai came across Monk Du as he was on his way to Jingli city. Since Prince Houyi had expressed interest in learning the transportation technique, Chun Hai decided to bring Monk Du over instead of continuing with the assassination plan.

That way Prince Houyi could learn the transportation technique himself from Monk Du and could go murder his brother or whoever he wanted himself, the Chun siblings could go free and it was a win-win for all parties involved.

Of course, Monk Du would insist that he would not agree to teach him anything until he sees that Chun Hua and Bao Zhun are safe and in good health. And once the two were brought before them, they will work out their escape.

With Monk Du there, Chun Hai was not at all worried about how things would play out so he confidently approached the inn with Monk Du in tow.

But then as they approached the inn, Chun Hai began to get a sense that things were a bit strange. He expected to be intercepted by security as he neared the entrance of the inn, but no one stopped him. It seemed as if the people on the streets were truly just random strangers going about their lives.

It was odd that but Chun Hai did not think too much of it until he entered the inn to find random strangers sat about eating, drinking, and chatting loudly.

Chun Hai stopped in tracks, confused with this scene. When he had left the inn a few days ago, Prince Houyi and his men were the only ones occupying the inn.

He was right, the situation had changed. There was no way Prince Houyi would leave himself unguarded much less share a residence with random strangers.

Prince Houyi was no longer here.

Chun Hai frowned in annoyance, he now pieced together the was the reason Prince Houyi's men instructed him to contact them once his mission was complete and he was back in Zou kingdom.

Obviously Prince Houyi truly did not trust him and so had moved locations as soon as Chun Hai had left. This way Prince Houyi could ensure Chun Hai's devotion to the cause - he would not meet his sister again until the news that Prince Rui was dead had reached Prince Houyi from a verified source.

This way, even if Chun Hai changed his mind and decided to sneakily return to grab his sister and disappear, he would find nothing. He would be left with no choice but to continue with the assassination or to forget his sister and move on with his life - And Prince Houyi knew Chun Hai would never abandon his sister.

For all Chun Hai knew, Prince Houyi could keep her as a hostage and continue to use him for more nefarious purposes even after the successful assassination of Prince Rui.

Chun Hai inwardly sighed, luckily Monk Du showed, he really was not sure how all this would play out otherwise. Most importantly, Monk Du would be able to find his sister wherever Prince Houyi was keeping her. At the very least, Prince Houyi would not have been able to predict Monk Du showing up in the nick of time.

Chun Hai sighed and walked over to the inn clerk and ordered a room. Once they were securely in the room, Chun Hai turned to Monk Du who had been quietly following him all this time and explained, "Houyi moved her, but you can find her, right?"

Monk Du frowned and Chun Hai became a bit fearful, thinking he had overestimated the Monk's powers or perhaps Monk Du had concluded the twins were now too much trouble and was going to abandon them. So Chun Hai quickly added, "I know you said you were on a mission and I'm sorry about all this, I should have handled things better b-"

Monk Du raised a hand up and Chun Hai went silent and waited, Monk Du then asked, "Will we need to fight?"

Chun Hai carefully nodded, "Houyi is very careful...and -" He paused hesitating, but then continued, "Other than Huayan, there's someone else we need to rescue...if possible. Bao Zhun has been protecting us all this time and is only in this mess because he was looking after Huayan so-...only if we can." He tentatively added.

"I see..." Monk Du said as he walked over to a cushion on the side and sat down, crossed his legs, ready to meditate. He then looked up at Chun Hai and said, "You should rest. Once I've located her, I will wake you."

Chun Hai nodded and turned the bed, but then turned back around and said, "Thank you...for everything."

Monk Du smiled and nodded, and then motioned to the bed and said, "Go sleep...You are safe here."

Chun Hai smiled back and then went over to the bed and laid down to sleep as instructed, feeling like a child again following Monk Du's lead. He was not sure if it was something Monk Du did, but his eyelids were suddenly very heavy and within a few seconds of laying his head down he was fast asleep.

Monk Du lightly let out a breath and then closed his eyes to concentrate.

{...*Grandmaster, I need more power...}

Monk Du meditated while he patiently waited for a response. After a long while, the response finally came.

{...*Is she resisting?...}

{...No, I haven't arrived there yet...The Dong descendants are in trouble so I came to them, I will be sure to resolve the situation quickly and return to the mission by tomorrow...}

{...*Alright then, do not waste time...}

{...I won't, thank you Grandmaster...}

Monk Du's body suddenly began to radiate a bright blue fiery glow as he concentrated in regulating the energy flowing into him. He then channeled the energy outward, with invisible bright blue strings soaring through the sky, searching for Chun Hua.

After a long while, the blue strings retracted and flowed back into his body and the light faded until they disappeared, Monk Du opened his eyes and blankly stared at the ground for a bit.

He then got up and walked over to the window and looked up at the full moon and a wry smile tugged at his lips, "I thought I would be ready for the end when it came. But now that it is near, this world suddenly seems all the more alluring...I worry." Monk Du said with a sigh as he glanced at the bed where Chun Hai was fast asleep.

***

Chun Hua sat on the bed, across the room watching Prince Houyi looking through some doc.u.ments. She inwardly sighed, this was not at all going as she expected.

She had thought that Prince Houyi had finally recognized her efforts and seen that she was just as driven as he was for greatness; that he had finally acknowledged that she was worthy to be at his side, but then what was the meaning of this?

Since their reunion a few days, they had been sharing the same room. She had initially been very excited that night when he had said she would be staying with him, but then did not even share so much as a kiss much less anything else happening between them.

For days now they had been sharing the same room, a grown man and a grown woman and nothing has happened.

So she was frustrated, highly irritated, and incredibly confused.

He has concubines so he has obviously been with other women before...Although since he had no children yet, she could not prove that he had actually been intimate with said women, but no, there was no way her Prince could not be impotent. That would be highly problematic for their future and highly unacceptable.

Therefore, the only other conclusion was that he did not find appealing as a woman - which was another acceptable notion. She knew she was beautiful and could not understand how a man could possibly find her unappealing.

He spent all day with her which was great but then at night, he kept his distance within the room, burying himself in doc.u.ments or books and only coming to bed when she was asleep. What's worse was that if she even so much as "accidentally" touched him when she was "asleep", he would jump up and out of the bed, back to his reading.

She could not imagine that prince Houyi was the sort to care about the minor details of wanting their relationship to be official before he touched her. Even if that were the case, they did not at all seem like a couple, nothing had changed, nothing was different, actually, it was even worse than before - Prince Houyi barely looked her way these days.

To make things worse, images of Lei Xing with her Emperor kept poppping into her mind. Chun Hua knew she should not be comparing them, after all, Prince Houyi and the Long Emperor were different people.

But then even if Prince Houyi was naturally a cold man, the Long Emperor was also a cold man, if not colder. Prince Houyi at least spared an occasional glance or two at his concubines, the Long Emperor bluntly ignored their existence, not to mention how indifferent he was during the torture.

Yet when Lei Xing was around he was completely different, his features softened and even he doted on her as if she were the only thing that mattered - that was what a real relationship looked like and that was what she wanted. And even though she told herself she did not need that sort of idiot level of affection, she still hoped she and Prince Houyi could have some affection between them.

So she had spent the last few days wallowing in disappointment rather than the glee she had envisioned. He had shut down her ideas and barely spoke to her now and if she did not know better she would think he was angry with her. He was right here with her, all the time too, but oddly enough, she felt incredibly lonely right now and she was not one to feel lonely.

Chun Hai sighed and then got up, "I'm going for a walk..." She said grabbing her cloak.

Prince Houyi promptly stood up and said, "I'll come with y-"

"No need, I'm fine alone -"

"I insist." Prince Houyi said and then proceeded to walk over to the door, he opened it and then turned back to her and said, "Come along..."

Chun Hua knit her brows and begrudgingly followed. This was what she was talking about. He was clearly doting on her, following her every whim but it was different, it was odd.

This was not how it supposed to be.