"Goose, goose! Gurgle, gurgle..."
The reserves in the Little Garbage Bucket are obviously somewhat lacking, with two hands propped against the chin, fearing any leaks.
Chen Kuang withdrew the bowl and was surprised to find the bottom empty.
This appetite...
To endure five days in prison without starving to death is truly an extraordinary skill.
Lady Liang squatted down, lovingly wiping her Little Princess's chin.
The Little Princess puffed her cheeks, her round, shiny black eyes looking at her mother, proudly pointing at her mouth and then at Lady Liang's.
The gaze was filled with anticipation.
Lady Liang was puzzled: "This is...?"
Chen Kuang twitched the corners of his mouth and said, "She probably wants... to spit the porridge from her mouth for you to eat."
Lady Liang was stunned for a moment, imagining that scene.
Lady Liang's face turned pale.
Lady Liang smacked the Little Princess with a slap, causing her to spit out her food.
"Ugh...wah!"
The Little Princess vomited all over and cried sadly.
Perhaps she really couldn't understand why her pure filial piety, using her cleverness to trick a bowl of porridge from next door for her mother, was not appreciated by her mother but instead earned her a big slap.
Lady Liang cried but couldn't help laughing as she coaxed her daughter.
"Alright, alright, it's mother's fault, but you can't spit out things from your mouth for others to eat..."
"Why not? But Father often has that sister who plays the flute feed him grapes from her mouth."
Lady Liang's face turned instantly somber.
The Little Garbage Bucket probably noticed that she had upset her mother and comforted her instead:
"It's okay, Father has the big sister to feed him, and Mother has me to feed you!"
She was confident: "That blind person next door is easy to trick; I'll do it again next time!"
Lady Liang: "..."
Chen Kuang: "..."
Lady Liang pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes shifting from the mess on the ground to Chen Kuang, her smile turning to worry.
"Mr. Chen...if you are a person of the Zhou Kingdom, you don't need to keep pretending now."
"Zhou people are cold-blooded; if you can't gather information, they might dispose of you."
The beautiful woman hesitated and whispered:
"If you truly need to accomplish something, I do know a secret that perhaps no one else knows and can tell you."
"It's considered as repaying the favor for the meal."
Chen Kuang shook his head:
"I've mentioned before that in this world, there isn't a principle of returning favors. We are clear now; there's no need for you to repay me."
The passive gain of "Fasting" now means this bowl of porridge is not essential.
Although Lady Liang sees it as yet another sacrifice, for him, this act is not about demanding a second reward for favors.
Moreover, dealing with this naive and gentle woman, retreating is the best strategy.
He shrugged and said with a sigh:
"And unfortunately, I am not a spy. Even if I take the secret to seek merit, the Zhou people will not spare my life."
"After today...I hope Madam takes good care of herself."
Lady Liang was momentarily stunned, unsure whether to feel happy or disappointed.
She even...hoped Chen Kuang might truly be a Zhou Kingdom spy.
At least that way, he might survive.
Although they only had contact for a day, Chen Kuang indeed provided her a sense of hope and care during her darkest moments.
Even if it might be false...
But now with this final meal prepared, Chen Kuang might only have a few days to live.
The Zhou people's methods are extreme, and apart from Huo Hengxuan, no one taken away could withstand even three days.
Of course, she doesn't know that, now a humanoid Elixir of Longevity that is Chen Kuang, once interrogated, would reveal abnormalities, and the outcome might be even more tragic.
Therefore, he's chosen a risky move, to divert the observer's attention while creating some value for himself first.
Chen Kuang was so open and at ease.
Lady Liang felt increasingly uneasy, realizing she misunderstood...
Thinking back to how Chen Kuang, to repay a favor she couldn't even remember, generously gave up lifesaving rations.
She lowered her head in shame:
"I am no longer anyone's madam now; if Mr. Chen doesn't mind, my real name is Chu Wen Ruo, and I have an elder brother. You may call me Zhongniang."
Meng, Zhong, Shu, Ji—a traditional naming order by seniority among siblings.
Chu Wen Ruo has an elder brother, and she ranks second, hence calls herself Zhongniang.
Chen Kuang smiled and went along with it:
"Zhongniang."
Chu Wen Ruo hadn't heard that address in a long time; for a moment, she was dazed yet felt suddenly freed from some shackles, inexplicably relieved.
She forced a smile:
"Mr. Chen, it seems you shouldn't have had this final meal; it's because I got you involved."
"This secret might not be what the Zhou people want, but it should be able to save your life. Whether you need it or not...think of hearing it as passing time."
Chen Kuang's gaze instinctively fell on the hazy glows around Lady Liang.
He indeed very much wanted to know what these truly represented?
Chu Wen Ruo softly said: "This secret is actually this Celestial Prison."
Hmm?
Chen Kuang raised his eyebrows; although completely different from what he envisioned, it seemed even more important.
"The Liang Kingdom values literature heavily, and the military forces are not strong. The cultivators from Lingtai Mountain have been reclusive for years, yet Liang Kingdom's long-standing endurance, apart from General Huo's valiant battles, actually has another critical reason."
"This has almost become a legend—the reason Liang Kingdom could be founded is that two powerful cultivators once achieved nirvana here, and their immortal bodies merged into the earth, creating thousand-mile water expanses, ten thousand miles of fertile fields, and an unbreakable National Defense Barrier protecting the Liang Imperial City for many years."
"But in reality, it's true."
"These two powerful ones achieved nirvana here to suppress an Ancient Demon Fiend with sky-high cultivation."
Chu Wen Ruo pointed below:
"Right beneath this Celestial Prison, there's another prison called the 'Demon Suppression Prison'."
Chen Kuang's brow jumped, asking: "Is that Demon Fiend...still alive?"
The situation might be more complicated than he imagined; could this be the Zhou Kingdom's aim? How is it connected to the Elixir of Longevity?
Chu Wen Ruo blinked her eyes, nodding:
"Mm, still alive."
She glanced at the empty cell beside:
"When Zhou Kingdom invaded in full force, General Huo was impeached by a group of civil officials, compelled to hand over the Tiger Talisman, unable to mobilize troops. But even without the military, with the barrier, the Imperial City wouldn't fall so quickly."
Chu Wen Ruo sighed:
"On that day, General Huo defied the order, assembling over a thousand subordinates, defending the city gates, filled with arrows yet unyielding, holding high the Da Liang Dragon Banner, surprisingly scaring the enemy ten yards backward!"
"Such courage could have been used to regroup and rely on the Imperial City barrier for a momentum boost to fight back decisively."
"But..."
Chen Kuang seemed to understand something, narrowing his eyes:
"An internal traitor?"
Chu Wen Ruo didn't speak, silently admitting.
Huo Hengxuan managed to repel the enemy with sheer strength yet couldn't prevent the timid civil officials behind him from ordering the city gate to open widely.
So that's why.
No wonder that old man had such a bitter, widespread contempt for the world...
Anyone subjected to such betrayal would have twisted thoughts...
However, from prior interaction, Huo Hengxuan clearly wasn't as crazy as he seemed.
Chen Kuang suddenly remembered the old man's mad shouting when taken away and his pupils instantly contracted.
Not crazy? So what's being faked?
The elder's hand grabbed the railing...last night, he was rubbing against that railing like a monkey for ages!
Chen Kuang silently took a few steps back, leaning against the shared railing of the left cell.
Pretending to rest, he slowly slid down.
His palm touched the railing, suddenly pausing.
He felt words...
Many, many words!