Chapter 1.7 Shen Qi
"What's going on here?"
A man in flowing black robes stepped forward from the crowd, the gleam of a silver mask concealing his face. His presence alone was enough to command silence; the air seemed to tighten, heavy with unspoken dread.
The crowd instinctively parted before him like waves retreating from the shore, no one daring to block his path. Fear and reverence flickered in their eyes, for everyone knew who he was, though few dared to speak his name aloud.
"It's his highness, the Third Prince!"
"It's really the Third Prince!"
"The Third Prince!"
"How come he is here?!"
"Third brother, nothing's wrong."
A soft smile curved Shen Qi's lips when her gaze fell upon him, amused by the way he stood silently, defending her without a single word spoken aloud.
Mu Xuan, catching that smile, so sweet, so unguarded, and directed at him, felt his breath hitch. For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to blur, leaving only her in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Feng An's bravado crumbled.
She dropped her gaze, her body trembling as she forced out a greeting.
"Th-this lowly one... greets His Highness, the Third Prince..."
Feng An's voice faltered, and when Mu Xuan's cold eyes swept over her, she instinctively shrank back, shivering as though the memory of that night's punishment still burned fresh upon her skin.
"Is this lowlife causing trouble for you, again? Do you want me to punish her for you?"
When he noticed that the woman in front of him was the same person who dared to hurt his 'sister', Mu Xuan's blood boiled and his brows furrowed dangerously.
He was only away for a minute, and this lowlife was causing trouble for his 'sister' again; it seems that she does not want her life anymore!
Mu Xuan glared at Feng An dangerously as his fist clenched into a fist. He was about to stride towards Feng An, but Shen Qi stopped him.
"Third brother, nothing is really wrong. We were just talking, no need to get angry."
Without a word, Shen Qi reached for Mu Xuan's arm, pulling him gently to her side, a quiet gesture that spoke louder than any retort.
The crowd held their breath, certain Feng An's fate was sealed the moment Mu Xuan stepped forward. Yet, to their astonishment, the princess intervened—pulling him back at the last second, shielding Feng An from his wrath.
They could not help but lament on how kind their princess is and on how evil Feng An is!
It's not like she suddenly became a Saint, but instead she was thinking that she would be the one to personally end Feng An, a blood debt could only be paid by blood!
She will let her suffer ten million-fold for what she had done to the kind-hearted Shen Qi, an eye for an eye!
She wanted to be the one to end her, so she did not let Mu Xuan do the job for her. Killing her is just too easy, letting her suffer most cruelly will be the only thing that will satisfy her.
"......." Mu Xuan's brow furrowed, but he did not say anything more. He just glared at Feng An for one last time before silently staying beside Shen Qi like a tamed dog!
His expression was unreadable.
But if you knew how to read people with face paralysis the way I do—as the ever-reliable narrator—you'd see it clearly: his expression could only be taken as one of bliss, pure and unshakable happiness!
"Well, we still have somewhere to go, so we'll be going first."
Shen Qi, who already has the upper hand, smiled gently, turning away, but then stopped and turned to look at Feng An again.
"Feng An..."
Feng An was just about to let out a sigh of relief as the two Demonic siblings turned away, only for her breath to catch in her throat when the Demonic woman's voice suddenly rang out, calling her name.
"Is there something you need from this lowly one... Your Highness?" Feng An forced the words through clenched teeth, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound steady.
Shen Qi tilted her head slightly, a playful smile curving her lips.
"Ah, yes. It's about what you asked me earlier, whether I like General Li."
Shen Qi's tone was light, almost teasing, as though the matter were nothing more than idle chatter.
Feng An's breath caught in her throat.
She dared not lift her eyes, for she could feel the weight of that burning gaze searing into her, stripping away every pretense she tried to hold.
"Well, here's my answer."
Shen Qi's lips curved into a mischievous smile as she tightened her hold on Mu Xuan's arm, drawing him closer to her side.
"The type of man this princess admires is someone like my Third Brother—both strong and handsome. This princess has no interest in men weaker than my brothers. If anyone dares to seek my hand in marriage, they must first defeat my Third Brother in combat. As for General Li..."
Shen Qi's lips curved into a mischievous smile, her tone light yet cutting,
"..He is so far out of my brother's league that the comparison itself is laughable. Well, that is all this princess wished to say. Now then, if you'll excuse us, goodbye."
The crowd remained rooted in place, frozen as though the very air had turned to stone after what had just happened.
Only when the two siblings finally disappeared did they stir, snapping out of their fearful reverie. Murmurs rippled through them like a restless tide, relief mingling with lingering dread.
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On the other side of the bustling streets, hidden deep within a dark alley where no ordinary soul would dare to tread, a figure was pinned harshly against the cold wall—forced to pay for her so‑called crimes.
The shadows clung thick around her, the silence broken only by the scrape of boots against stone and the ragged sound of her breathing.
This someone was none other than... Shen Qi.
Deep breath.
Exhale.
"Third broth—"
"Stop calling me brother!" His voice cracked like a whip, sharp and unyielding, echoing through the narrow alley.
Shen Qi, pinned firmly against the cold wall, did not flinch. Her expression remained unreadable, her tone flat as she replied, "Then tell me—what should I call you, if not brother?"
The silence that followed was heavy, charged with something unspoken, as though the very air between them threatened to ignite.
"Mu Xuan. Call me Mu Xuan." His voice was low, strained, but as soon as he realized his temper had flared, he forced himself to calm, unwilling to frighten the one he called 'sister.'
"Then Mu Xuan it is." Shen Qi arched a brow, her arms folding across her chest in quiet defiance. "What is it you want?"
"You!"
The word tore from him before he could stop it. His gaze softened, helplessness bleeding into every syllable.
"All I want is you. You've always known that..."
But even as he spoke, a bitter truth weighed heavily in his chest. No matter how much he yearned, he knew—she would never see him as anything more than family.
To her, he was only a brother.
To him, she was everything....
Shen Qi's expression hardened, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
So my guess was right... Mu Xuan truly harbors feelings for me, his so‑called sister.
"But... you're my brother,"
Shen Qi said helplessly, her voice low.
She knew the truth—though their souls were not bound as siblings, by blood they were. No matter how striking, how dangerously tempting this man was, she could not allow herself to cross that line.
No... he is not him!
"Brother, brother!"
Mu Xuan's voice rose, raw with frustration.
"How many times must I say it? I am not your brother! I told you five years ago—we are not siblings! We did not come from the same parents. You are the late Emperor's daughter, not my father's child! How many times do I have to tell you this?"
His words rang through the alley, heavy with desperation, as if each syllable was a plea for her to see him not as family, but as a man.
Shen Qi's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. Shock rippled through her as the truth settled in. There had always been a hidden thread woven into this story, one she had overlooked until now.
So that's it...
By piecing together the fragments, the subtle hints, and Mu Xuan's every inexplicable action, the answer revealed itself with startling clarity. His constant defiance of the leads, his refusal to follow the path laid out before him, was never mere rebellion.
It was because of.....her.
The realization struck like a blade, sharp and undeniable. Mu Xuan's every move, every clash, every choice... all of it had been driven by the feelings he harbored for her.
'It was all for Shen Qi's sake, he was avenging her death!'
"Mu Xuan...." Shen Qi was at a loss for words, her mind blank as she faced him.
"Sigh... forget it,"
Mu Xuan murmured, his voice heavy with resignation.
"It was always me chasing after you. I tried—truly tried—to forget you all these years. I thought I had succeeded. But the moment I saw you again, everything I buried surged back like a raging river. My heart... it beat for the first time in three years, and it beat only for you."
Shen Qi's heart skipped violently at his confession.
She pressed her lips together, willing herself to remain calm, but her chest betrayed her—her heartbeat thundered so wildly she feared he might hear it. Heat rushed to her cheeks, staining them crimson, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not bring herself to meet his gaze.
She did not know why she was feeling like this, but the familiar emotion just came rushing towards her like a tsunami; it drowned her. She does not like this feeling at all, not one bit.
'She can only feel this way towards that person, but he is not him, is he?'
'It's not completely impossible for him to also transmigrate, if she can, why can't he?'
"System. System! I know you're there, answer me! System!!"
[Good day to you, too, Host! What do you need?]
The System's voice was the same, bubbly and lively, but she could hear a bit of displeasure in its voice.
'I want to ask you something. Could this person right in front of me be... that person? ' Shen Qi asked with hesitation.
[That person? Who's "that person"? Clearly tell me, I don't have time to play a guessing game. I am quite busy now. Yes! I'll be right there! I'm just taking a call, of course, put some gravy on it!]
Shen Qi's face darkened, hearing what her System is saying on the other line, thinking her System as shameless and thoughtless, she finally could not hold it in and shouted inside her head.
'System!! If you do not F*UCKING tell ME this instant, I'll be sure to fail some of my missions and let's see if YOU can still earn your year-end BONUS!!'
Clearly, Shen Qi was threatening the System, which, at the mention of its year-end BONUS, shivered and took Shen Qi seriously.
[Don't you dare touch my year-end BONUS, you d*mn brat! Alright, I'll answer your d*mn question! Yes, he is THAT PERSON!! Happy now?! Then go and complete your f*cking mission and don't h*lla disturb me anymore! BYE!!]
The System then cut off the line with a scoff.
Shen Qi did not know that Systems could also curse; she had gained enlightenment today. But that's not what we are talking about.
Shen Qi was glad that that person was here!
She is so glad that he is alive, even though he's not in his real body; she is glad to know that he is safe.
She didn't even realize the heavy droplets streaming down her cheeks; her heart was simply too overwhelmed with joy at finding him again.
"S-Shen'er, why are you crying?"
Mu Xuan's voice trembled with panic, his hands hovering before gently brushing away her tears.
"Is it because of me? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry... brother is truly sorry. Please, don't cry. It hurts me to see you like this."
Shen Qi shook her head, his words only made her sob harder.
Her shoulders shook as the tears came faster, her eyes reddening until they glistened like rubies, and her nose flushed so brightly it could rival a winter lantern.
No matter how he tried to soothe her, Shen Qi's emotions spilled over, raw and unstoppable.
"Broth--, Mu Xuan, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I'm sorry."
Shen Qi did not even know to whom her apologies were directed. Was she apologizing to Mu Xuan, for the pain she had caused him all these years?
Or was it to that person—the shadow lingering in her heart, the one she could never truly let go of?
Mu Xuan was at a complete loss. He tried to soothe her, but the more he spoke, the harder Shen Qi wept.
For the first time, the genius tactician, the strongest General of the empire, found himself utterly powerless, helpless before the tears of the woman he loved.
In the end, instinct took over. Without thinking, he drew her into his arms and gently patted her head. The motion was so natural, so practiced, it was as though he had done it countless times before.
To his surprise, Shen Qi's sobs quieted almost instantly. She nestled against him, her hiccups soft and uneven, but she made no move to pull away.
It was only when her breathing evened out that Mu Xuan realized she had fallen asleep in his embrace. A fond smile tugged at his lips as he gazed down at her peaceful face.
"She never changed..."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Mu Xuan froze, startled by his own voice.
Why did I say that? Where did those words come from?
Well, that's a mystery that you had to uncover!