Fang Tianhui rushed forward, straddling Gao Yu and attacking him bare-handed.
"Why! Why!"
"Why did you betray the academy!"
Fang Tianhui cried out in despair, tears welling up, her lips bitten until they bled, her hands growing numb.
Even after Gao Yu fainted, her strength did not diminish, as if this was the only way to vent her boundless grievances and heartache.
"Give me back my father!"
"You give him back!"
Xuan Yuan and the elders turned their heads away, their hearts aching beyond words.
Bai Ran narrowed her eyes and looked at Xuan Yuan. "The person is yours to handle. I will leave soon."
Leave?
She was leaving!
"Girl, you..." Xuan Yuan anxiously wanted to ask where she was going but couldn't bring himself to speak.
It was the academy that had wronged her, making her feel disappointed.
He could feel everyone's blame, anger, and shame after the truth was revealed in the plaza.
He couldn't bring himself to ask her to stay, and he understood that one day, she would leave.
Xuan Yuan lowered his eyelids and sighed.
"Then let this old man see you off."
Bai Ran nodded, and Xuan Yuan followed her out.
"Sister Bai."
Sometime later, Fang Tianhui followed. She knelt before Bai Ran and kowtowed deeply.
"Please, take Hui'er with you!" she said, her head bowed, her expression unreadable.
All that was known was that Fang Tianhui's voice trembled, and her hands were dislocated, bleeding from the blows.
Bai Ran looked at her calmly, her expression unruffled.
"Tell me, why would a disciple of the Star-Plucking Academy follow a traitor?"
As Bai Ran spoke, Xuan Yuan lowered his head, his heart feeling a chill.
Fang Tianhui looked up abruptly. "So what if he's a traitor, and so what if he isn't? Hui'er only wants to increase her strength and avenge her father."
She wanted to become stronger!
Strong enough to kill all demonized people in the world!
Her expression was resolute, and her words struck a chord with Bai Ran.
Indeed, Bai Ran didn't care what others thought. So what if it was true, and so what if it wasn't?
She considered verbal disputes as mere jokes.
If she wanted to destroy the Star-Plucking Academy, would anyone be able to stop her? She wouldn't need such low-handed tactics.
"I'm taking this person," Bai Ran said softly, looking at the burning hatred in Fang Tianhui's eyes, and chuckled.
Xuan Yuan closed his eyes and did not reply.
The three of them remained silent on the way, the atmosphere eerily quiet.
Bai Ran summoned Xiao Zhu, who transformed into its original form, allowing Fang Tianhui to sit on it.
Xuan Yuan looked at Bai Ran, paused, and then softly spoke a sentence that caught Bai Ran by surprise.
"Girl, thank you."
Bai Ran blinked and turned to look at him.
Xuan Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, a warm smile on his weathered face.
"Ran girl, you are the prophesied celestial maiden."
Hearing this, Bai Ran turned away again, mounted Zhu Que's back, and did not look at him or answer.
"Xiao Zhu, let's go."
Zhu Que flapped its wings and soared into the sky.
Xuan Yuan watched the two depart.
Damn girl, coming here without letting him know.
Such a large bloody wound had healed in an instant, did she really think he was an idiot?
The two flew through the sky.
"Xiao Zhu, go to Murong Chen's place," Bai Ran said.
Since there was an insider in the academy, there might be an attack on the royal family. This person could only be that one.
Zhu Que's flight speed was extremely fast, barely noticeable by ordinary people.
In a blink of an eye, the two arrived at Murong Chen's palace gates.
Bai Yang, who was on guard outside, was dozing off. Upon seeing them, his eyes widened, and his drowsiness vanished instantly.
"Your... Your... Your Majesty!"
Bai Yang turned back abruptly, bumping into the door. He rubbed his forehead and calmed himself.
"Your Majesty! Miss Bai is here!"
A commotion ensued, and the door was immediately opened.
"Master!"
"Come, come, sit, sit!"
Murong Chen pulled Bai Ran into the palace.
"You wait outside," Bai Ran said to Fang Tianhui.
Fang Tianhui nodded and watched as the door was closed.
Murong Chen enthusiastically served Bai Ran tea, showing none of the demeanor of an emperor ruling the land.
"Have you found Murong Yun'er?" Bai Ran asked after taking a sip of tea.
Murong Chen's expression turned serious. He nodded.
"Found her. Discovered during the extermination of demonized people."
He hadn't expected Murong Yun'er to escape under heavy guard and be among the demonized people.
It seemed he already knew that Murong Yun'er had betrayed the Vermillion Bird Kingdom.
Bai Ran observed Murong Chen's expression.
"If I'm not mistaken, the royal family's only divine artifact was in Murong Yun'er's possession?"
"Have you investigated the artifact's effects?"
Bai Ran turned her teacup, her questions seemingly casual.
Murong Chen was startled. He hadn't paid attention to such minor details.
"Someone! Go to Murong Yun'er's room and search for the divine artifact!"
Bai Ran listened, looking at her teacup, her eyes dimming.
Murong Yun'er wouldn't be so foolish as to hide the artifact in her room. If there was a place that couldn't be discovered and could be accessed at will, it was likely only there.
"No need to search. Bring Murong Yun'er up," Bai Ran said.
Murong Chen, though puzzled, complied obediently.
Soon, two guards escorted Murong Yun'er up.
Bai Ran looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
As expected of a princess, while other prisoners bore injuries after severe torture, she was clean and tidy.
Murong Chen seemed to sense her thoughts and leaned closer to Bai Ran, whispering, "She said her only wish before dying was to maintain her princess appearance until death, so I granted her request."
These were all mere trivial tricks, and Bai Ran wouldn't fall for them.
"Murong Yun'er, how did you escape the royal family?" Bai Ran approached her and bent down to look at her.
Murong Yun'er looked at the approaching Bai Ran and closed her eyes.
The first time I saw her, I was fooled by her appearance. Murong Yun'er, you were truly foolish.
"You won't say? Let me guess, it was the divine artifact," Bai Ran straightened up and walked around her.
"You escaped the royal family without anyone noticing. That divine artifact must have the effect of concealing one's figure or aura."
Murong Yun'er's expression flickered. It seemed Bai Ran had guessed correctly.
"Your third brother rebelled. The princess who lost her country, with the help of the divine artifact, escaped and immediately sought out her closest relatives because she didn't believe them."
Bai Ran squatted down, staring into Murong Yun'er's eyes, and smiled, speaking leisurely, "She desperately wanted to know the reason for her third brother's rebellion and the situation of her parents."
"Thus, the princess, having been told the situation, harbored resentment and wished to eliminate her third brother and the woman who aided him."
At this point, Murong Yun'er's face had darkened.
Bai Ran looked at her and said word by word, "Therefore, Princess, having no other recourse, you sought refuge with the demonized people."
"So what!" Murong Yun'er suddenly snarled, her expression contorted, and roared at Bai Ran.
"You two scoundrels! You abused my second brother! Killed my father and mother! So what!"