"DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOUR FILTHY HAND ON ME!", Li Xi Rui shouted in that dark cell.

But that man keeps on advancing with a sly smile on his face, "If I dare, what can you do? Are you going to harm me?". The man laughs, "Hahahahahaha! Little beauty, why don't you just give up?"

"STOP MOVING! OR YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A GOOD ENDING!", Li Xi Rui threatened the man. Honestly, she didn't know what to do. She is afraid.

"Hahaha! You will eventually be prosecuted. So before that why don't you let this brother have happy time? Come here~", the man is just a few steps away from her.

"I RATHER DIE THAN LET YOU TOUCH ME!", Li Xi Rui pulled her hairpin and stabs her neck. The blood gushing out from her wound drenched her robe and staining it red. "Ah... This is the end", her sight is getting hazy, her head is getting heavy. In the end, she collapsed on the dirty floor.

"XI-ER!", a masculine voice echoes in the cell.

Li Xi Rui tried to keep her eyes open but she could only see a figure rushing towards her. 'Don't touch me!', even dying, she is still unwilling to be touched by that filthy man. But her unsounded protest was ignored by that figure.

That figure touches her, "No, no, no, Li Xi Rui, don't you dare die!". That masculine voice keeps on shouting in her ear.

'Don't you dare tell me what I should or shouldn't do...', that is her closing argument. That voice is familiar to her but her muddle brain couldn't process beyond that.

"Didn't you say that I am your mortal enemy? I am alive and kicking, so why are you admitting defeat now?!", that man pressed on her neck trying to stop the bleeding.

No matter how that man tried to provoke her, she couldn't keep her eyes open. Her body feels like its floating but she couldn't open her eyes. In the end, she gave up. She gave up living in the harsh world. She didn't want to live in the unfair world anymore.

***

"...Prin...ce..ss....Princess consort!", Xiao Xi shakes Li Xi Rui's body rather forcefully. She has been trying to wake Li Xi Rui up for the past half sichen.

Slowly, the previously sleeping Li Xi Rui opened her eyes.

"Finally, Princess consort you have been sleeping until the sun is high above our head", said Xiao Xi. This is not a normal thing as Li Xi Rui is not a heavy sleeper.

"I couldn't sleep last night", replied Li Xi Rui.

"Did princess consort have a nightmare again?", Xiao Xi asked Li Xi Rui while helping her prepared for a late breakfast. A very late breakfast.

Eating the meal prepared is like chewing on a piece of paper. Tasteless. Maybe due to the nightmare, she didn't have mood to eat. So, she stops eating and tell the maid to clear the table.

'Sometimes the past life is like a disease trying to make me aware of the danger awaits', thought Li Xi Rui. Since the day she has been having nightmares, her heart keeps on being unsettle. She had been inquiring about Rui Sheng but he had been shutting himself in his room.

"Xiao Xi, have you heard that dream can become a reality?", Li Xi Rui asked Xiao Xi without looking at her. In her case, a reality has become a dream. Her heart is not calm. Until now, she never thought to find out who that man was or what had happened to her body afterwards.

"Well, I heard that usually what happened in dream is the opposite in reality. So consort don't have to worry", said Xiao Xi trying to please Li Xi Rui.

"If only that is true...", whispered Li Xi Rui in a soft voice. She knows that Xiao Xi didn't understand. This time she has that feeling that something bad is going to happen. "Xiao Xi, go out and close the door", Li Xi Rui is asking to be left alone.

This request might seem strange at first for the residents in Jian Palace but the princess consort has been doing this occasionally so it is a norm for them. After taking que from the princess consort, except for Li Xi Rui, no one is left.

"Come out", Li Xi Rui commands the shadow guards.

"Madam!", the shadow guards kneeled on the floor.

"I need you to bring me back news from the Qilin sect, my brother and from your Master", ordered Li Xi Rui. Somehow, she knew that something is not right. But what it is, she didn't know. Her heart is heavy.

"Yes madam!", apart from Jie Er, the rest of the shadow guards left Jian Palace.

"No letter from your master today?", Li Xi Rui asked Jie Er. It's not normal for Long Jie to not send her any letter.

"No madam", said Jie Er. Even chief Jie Yi didn't come and mess with him today. It is such a weird day for him too.

"Jie Er, I'm afraid that something might happen to them", Li Xi Rui revealed her true feeling.

"Madam, sect master is one of the strongest man in Jianghu. Even if one tried to kill themselves, one wouldn't dare seek trouble by angering the master", Jie Er meant that no one in their right mind would dare to harm the Qilin sect master even if they're brave enough to sacrifice themselves.

"But now, he is just General Jie not the Qilin sect master", replied Li Xi Rui. This is the most troubling part. To keep his other identity a secret, Long Jie has to suppress his ability to a certain degree. With him suppressing his ability and trying to fend himself, wasn't it a very hard thing to do?

Half a day passed and the rest of the shadow guards had return except Jie Si. All of them have said the same thing that there is nothing wrong with her family. Only Rui Sheng hadn't stepped out from his room. Li Xi Rui is still waiting for Jie Si with a nervous heart.

"Madam!", Jie Si kneeled on the floor. Finally, he has returned. "Master... Master is missing!", Jie Si couldn't lift his head up. His heart is in turmoil. When he went to check in the border, he hadn't met chief Jie Yi. The camp was chaotic and many soldiers are injured. So he disguises himself and asked the soldiers what had happened.

Rushing to go back to the capital, he pushed himself to the utmost his ability and reached Jian Palace in half a day. He feels useless. He could feel the gap between Chief Jie Yi and him.

"Madam?", Jie Er watched Li Xi Rui. Shouldn't the madam be shocked by now? Then why doesn't she say anything?

"Could you repeat that?", Li Xi Rui asked Jie Si. She couldn't process the sudden information and thought that she had misheard.

"Cheng You's strategy failed and the Master is missing. Many are hurt!", Jie Si elaborate. Maybe the madam didn't understand the first time.

Li Xi Rui didn't say anything. She kept quiet. Jie Er and Jie Si didn't dare to say anything.

"Pack up! We're going!", Li Xi Rui stands up and look at the shadow guards.

"We're going to the border", Li Xi Rui left the kneeling shadow guards.

The shadow guards look at each other, but no one understands what is going on. Finally, they look at Jie Er, asking the reason of the madam action.

"Even if I say, you lot would not understand. Lonely guys like you would not understand what is love", Jie Er left to prepare for the carriage. He must make sure that madam and the heir of the sect are not harmed during the travel. The utmost comfort must be ensured for both the mother and baby. Honestly, they could try bringing the madam with their abilities but if the Phantom sect found out, their madam would be in danger. Furthermore, now their master is missing so the members of the Phantom sect are scattered around the kingdom to look for their master. How inconvenient!

Watching Jie Er left, the other shadow guards trailed after him. Only Jie Er understand the madam. As for understanding their master, no one could understand him completely even though they have been with him for many years.

P/s: Guess where is Long Jie....