“So what if you know…” Zhu Bai’s eyes flickered with emotion.
Yun Qingxue smiled faintly. “Nothing much! When I was just born, I lost fragments of my soul due to an accident, leaving me mentally incomplete. That gave Tongyun the perfect opportunity to grow stronger.
You resent the Flower King for being powerless, unable to protect your loyal Green Bamboo Clan?
Then let me ask you—even among the divine, is anyone born strong?
I lost my soul fragments at birth, drifting through life in a daze, surviving countless near-death experiences. Back then, where were you and your so-called loyal clansmen to protect me? Not long ago, my soul awakened by chance.
When I regained consciousness, I was in the Flowerwood Clan’s palace, surrounded by Tongyun’s spies, fighting for my life. Where were you and your loyal clansmen then?
Nowhere! None of you were there!
Only one loyal maid, Qiandai, stayed by my side. She gave her life to smuggle me out of the palace, buying me a slim chance to survive and escape assassination!”
“So… you’re blaming us?” Zhu Bai glared at Yun Qingxue.
“I’m not blaming anyone!” Yun Qingxue met his gaze steadily. “I’m simply stating facts!
You accuse me, as the Flower King, of failing to protect your clansmen. Then let me ask you—during my most vulnerable thousand years, did any of you protect me?”
“We had no choice back then…” Zhu Bai argued stubbornly.
“And was I supposed to stand by and do nothing?” Yun Qingxue countered.
Zhu Bai fell silent but still couldn’t resist retorting, “Fine! Let’s not talk about you! But the chaos in our Flowerwood Clan was caused by the previous Flower King’s obsession with personal attachments!”
“That was the previous Flower King’s doing. What does it have to do with your attempt to assassinate me?” Yun Qingxue shot back.
Zhu Bai’s face flushed red, momentarily at a loss for words.
Indeed, while he and his clan suffered life-and-death struggles, this very Flower King before him had also been living in torment…
But the thought of his clansmen dying one after another over the years, of him and his brother living in constant fear, hiding like fugitives—his heart felt like it was being fried in boiling oil. The pain, the helplessness, left him with no outlet for his rage.
Seeing the anguish, sorrow, and conflict slowly surface on Zhu Bai’s face, Yun Qingxue softened her tone.
“When I first regained consciousness in the Flowerwood palace, I knew nothing of this world.
Without Qiandai, I would have died at Tongyun’s hands long ago.
Back then, Qiandai told me that many loyal subjects of the Flowerwood Clan had been framed and killed by Tongyun for their allegiance to the Flower King.
She begged me to grow stronger, to clear the names of those loyal souls.
Later, when Tongyun grew impatient to seize the throne and moved to kill me, Qiandai shielded me with her life. Even in her final moments, her last wish was for me to become strong…
It was the moment she died that I swore to return, to reclaim the Flowerwood Clan from Tongyun’s grasp!
As the ruler of a clan, it is indeed my duty to protect my people. But some things are beyond one’s control.
Like you said, your Green Bamboo Clan was loyal to the Flower King. If circumstances had allowed, would you have stayed in the Flowerwood Clan to protect me?”
“Of course!” Zhu Bai answered without hesitation.
Yun Qingxue smiled, flicking her fingers to release the vines binding Zhu Bai with a flash of blue light.
“Put yourself in my shoes. If I could protect your clansmen, why would I stand by and watch them suffer?
Not just two hundred years ago, when your clan was in peril—even a decade ago, my mind was still fractured, my life still in Tongyun’s hands!”
Freed, Zhu Bai’s expression darkened with conflict. He lowered his head, still wrestling with his thoughts.
Yun Qingxue stood. “We’re still in the bat demons’ territory. Staying here risks discovery. Let’s leave first.”
“Master, where should we go next?” Daise asked, then cast a complicated glance at the bowed-headed Zhu Bai.
At first, she’d been relieved to find an ally in this dangerous place—only to learn this child had plotted to assassinate her master! Unforgivable!
“Hmph!” She clenched her fists, unable to hold back. “Is this how the Green Bamboo Clan shows loyalty? Through assassination? Truly ‘loyal’ indeed!”
“Daise!” Yun Qingxue scolded sharply.
She understood Daise’s anger on her behalf, but Zhu Bai’s clan had suffered so much, with most of them dead or wounded. After such loyalty, anyone would harbor resentment.
And Zhu Bai was just a child. Bearing such pain, his heart must be aching terribly…
“I… I’m sorry…”
As Yun Qingxue’s reprimand faded, Zhu Bai’s whisper-soft apology reached her ears.
She blinked in surprise—his change of heart was swift.
“I shouldn’t have blamed you for the previous Flower King’s mistakes. Though you both hold the title, you’re not the same person…
I’m sorry!
And…
Please don’t doubt my clan’s loyalty to you and the Flowerwood Clan because of what I did…
We truly had no choice when we couldn’t protect you in your time of need…” Zhu Bai explained haltingly, head still lowered.
“I don’t blame you.” Yun Qingxue smiled, ruffling his hair.
“Though I’m not the previous Flower King, as ruler of the clan, failing to protect my people is still the king’s failure. I won’t make excuses.
But now that I’ve returned, believe me—I will strive to grow stronger, to become a worthy king!”
Zhu Bai looked up, suddenly grinning. “The Flower King and the Flower King’s Decree are the faith of our entire clan. No matter what tricks Tongyun uses, she can’t make all our people submit.
I’ll remember your words today, Your Majesty. I believe you’ll grow strong, that you’ll reclaim the Flowerwood Clan.
Don’t disappoint me—don’t disappoint the countless clansmen like us who remain loyal to you!
Or else… even if I can’t kill you, I’ll still raise my weapon against you!”
“Deal! You’ll be my supervisor.” Yun Qingxue chuckled, pinching his chubby cheeks at his serious, adult-like tone.
“This cave leads to a hidden passage. The bat demons won’t find us here for a while.
I know these bamboo forests well—let me guide you.” Zhu Bai offered.
“Thank you.” Yun Qingxue smiled, ruffling his hair again.
“Master!” Daise tugged at Yun Qingxue’s sleeve, eyeing Zhu Bai with suspicion.
She couldn’t bring herself to trust someone who’d tried to kill her master!
Zhu Bai’s expression dimmed at her reaction.
Yun Qingxue’s heart ached. “Daise, Zhu Bai is just a child.”
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