The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife-Chapter 474: If I Return, This Mortal Body Will Be Torn Apart

As soon as the voice fell, the figure released an immense pressure, and Yao Sheng felt his soul completely tearing apart before he could even scream. His soul was shattered into pieces!

The golden light spread out, erasing every trace of Yao Sheng’s fragmented soul. The figure paused briefly, destroyed the soul-snatching array, and then turned to look at the collapsed body of Ye Siheng.

"This body, although powerful, has not undergone the tempering of celestial lightning. If I return like this, I fear this mortal flesh will be torn apart," he muttered softly.

With no other choice, he flicked his sleeve and sent Qingyang and the others out of the room. With a flick of his finger, the barrier that Yao Sheng had set up was instantly reinforced.

He sighed softly, "It will take some time before my celestial consciousness can fall back into slumber..."

Murmuring a spell under his breath, he raised his hand and pressed a seal onto his own forehead. A glowing sigil formed, locking away his powers. Then, the figure dissipated into streaks of light, slowly merging back into his body.

When Qingyang woke up, it was already night. The first thing he did was shout, "Your Highness!"

"Qingyang has awakened!" the guards exclaimed, gathering around him.

Qingyang felt pain throughout his body, and his head was heavy. After taking a moment to collect himself, he was helped to his feet by the guards. The door to the room was wide open, and though no lamps were lit, there was a faint golden glow emanating from Ye Siheng’s body as it slowly merged back into him.

It appeared as though the prince had passed out.

Qingyang, filled with worry, rushed toward the room. But as soon as he reached the door, he was met with an invisible barrier, forcing him back a few steps.

"What’s going on?" Qingyang asked in shock as he saw the shimmering barrier slowly dissipating.

"Qingyang, this appears to be some kind of formation, preventing anyone from entering," one of the guards explained. "When we arrived, you, Lord Wu, and the others were all outside the room."

This was too strange. The guards looked at Qingyang, expecting answers. They were eager to understand what had happened earlier.

Qingyang finally composed himself, noticing that Wu Changwen and the others were still unconscious. He was the first to wake. His eyes narrowed as he approached the woman’s body. "Yao Sheng! Was this your doing?!"

But the woman’s body was cold and stiff--she was dead. Or had Yao Sheng switched bodies again?

The guards exchanged uneasy glances. "Qingyang, what exactly happened here?"

"I’m not sure myself," Qingyang replied, trying to maintain composure. "I lost consciousness midway."

But he was a man of action. Without wasting time, he ordered the guards to fetch a few key people: three monks from Xuanzheng Temple and the mystic Zhi Mi.

Once they arrived, Qingyang explained the situation and asked if they could break the barrier.

The monks examined the barrier with curiosity but were hesitant to make any promises. "We’ll study it and see if we can figure out how to break it," they said in unison.

Zhi Mi, however, cut them off, "There’s no need to pretend. This formation is far too strong. Even if my senior sister were here, she wouldn’t be able to break it."

The monks exchanged awkward glances.

Ming Pei, one of the monks, offered, "We can’t be certain yet. Maybe with our combined efforts..."

Qingyang shot them a look. "Don’t kid yourselves. You’ve been in the capital for a while now, and you still try to bluff? Do you really believe numbers alone will break it?"

The monks, embarrassed, looked at one another.

Ming Chong spoke up, "Zhi Mi is right. This formation is incredibly intricate and sturdy. Even if the princess were here, it’s unlikely she could break it."

Ming Qin and Ming Pei nodded in agreement.

Qingyang’s face darkened. "But the prince is inside!"

Zhi Mi took a closer look from a few paces away. After some observation, she turned back. "It doesn’t seem like the prince is in danger. He’s merely unconscious."

This explanation did little to calm Qingyang’s nerves. "Unconsciousness is still dangerous! What if Yao Sheng is still inside, doing something to him?"

"Qingyang, I understand your concern, but this formation is beyond our abilities to break," Zhi Mi responded. "Perhaps it’s best to station guards here. Once the prince wakes, the formation will likely dissolve, and you can inspect everything then."

Qingyang’s expression was tense, and the veins on his hand, gripping the sword hilt, were bulging. His anxiety was evident.

The timing of the prince’s coma couldn’t have been worse.

"Is there any way to contact the princess?" he asked Zhi Mi.

Zhi Mi coughed lightly and lowered her voice. "My senior sister is at the Border Nation, which is too far away. The Whisper Talisman won’t work over such a distance."

Their abilities were limited, and they couldn’t activate the array for long-distance communication.

Qingyang’s face grew grim. "Then please set up a barrier around the Wu family, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. I’m going to the palace to report this to His Majesty."

With the prince overseeing the capital, this situation required immediate attention.

Zhi Mi nodded. "Rest assured, we’ll keep everything secure."

Qingyang ordered the guards to monitor all entry and exit points, then quickly mounted his horse and sped off toward the palace.

The night grew colder, and Emperor Muwu, sensitive to the chill, still felt cold despite the warm braziers in the room.

He had only eaten a few spoonfuls of porridge when a eunuch arrived to report that Qingyang had urgently requested an audience.

"Qingyang?" Emperor Muwu furrowed his brow. "Isn’t he the guard serving my ninth brother?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the chief eunuch confirmed.

The emperor gestured, and the eunuch quickly had Qingyang brought in.

Qingyang entered, chilled by the cold air, and after paying his respects, he immediately explained the situation to the emperor.

Shocked, Emperor Muwu sat up quickly, but the sudden movement made his head spin, and he was momentarily dizzy. After regaining his composure, he asked, "Is there truly no way to rescue my ninth brother?"

"Without the princess, we’re at a loss," Qingyang replied.

The emperor closed his eyes in thought for a long moment before finally speaking. "If my ninth brother’s soul is injured, causing him to fall into a coma, the formation protecting him might actually be a blessing in disguise."

Qingyang blinked, realizing the wisdom of the emperor’s words. "Your Majesty is right."

He hadn’t considered that angle. The princess had once said the prince’s soul was extraordinarily strong. Yao Sheng wouldn’t have easily succeeded in possessing him. And just before he lost consciousness, Qingyang had heard Yao Sheng’s terrified voice.

It seemed likely that the prince hadn’t been possessed, but instead had fallen into a coma due to soul injury.

Relieved, Qingyang let out a long breath.

Emperor Muwu’s gaze grew sharp. "But this coma comes at a terrible time... Summon the prime minister." frёeωebɳovel.com

Qingyang immediately objected. "Your Majesty mustn’t!"

He quickly recounted the incident with the Spring Sun Tea. "The prime minister has also consumed the tea. Entrusting him with regency would be dangerous!"

"What?! Then many ministers may also be poisoned... Who can I possibly trust with the governance of the empire?!" Emperor Muwu panted heavily, and even speaking seemed to drain him of strength.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed with anger. "It’s... it’s that treacherous son!"