Mistaken Era 90

Chapter 90

Xiao Xiao flung a Soul-Stabilizing Talisman, but it failed to stop Princess Yongning.

Seeing the talisman’s ineffectiveness, she grabbed a sheet of yellow paper, folded it several times, and swiftly cut out the shape of a paper person. She dipped her finger in blood and flicked it, sending countless paper figures swirling towards the fleeing princess, like a swarm of butterflies, clinging to her back.

With a surge of energy, Xiao Xiao manipulated the figures, lifting the princess into the air.

But Princess Yongning was too strong. The paper figures only managed to delay her, their grip weakening.

Wei Jie, leaping forward, grabbed her wrist.

As he prepared to strike her sleep acupoint, she countered, attacking his throat.

Her movements were swift and precise, her long nails drawing blood.

As they clashed, Wei Jie, facing her relentless assault, struggled to defend himself.

Xiao Xiao had never seen him struggle like this in a fight. He had formed his Golden Core, and despite his shattered divine power core, he was still a formidable force!

Yu Ling’er, stunned, mumbled, “She’s so strong! Was she hiding her true abilities all this time?”

Xiao Xiao, observing Princess Yongning’s graceful, almost masculine movements, realized that her entire aura had changed. She seemed… powerful, her strikes bold and unrestrained, lacking feminine softness, her energy almost masculine.

Wei Jie, weakened by his blood loss, was restricted. He couldn’t use his full strength without risking further damage.

Xiao Xiao, leaping forward, joined the fight, standing beside him, facing the crazed princess.

Her newly formed Golden Core made her movements lighter, swifter. Her arm, covered in golden scales, flashed as she struck, like a golden wing, momentarily distracting their opponent.

Princess Yongning, unfazed, simply smiled at Xiao Xiao, her gaze filled with amusement.

But even together, they were struggling.

Only now, exchanging blows, did Xiao Xiao realize the depth of their opponent’s power. They were only seeing a glimpse of their true abilities. Their movements became sharper, more fluid, as if toying with two inexperienced children.

And then… Princess Yongning’s appearance seemed to shift… not her features, but her aura. She exuded a jade-like elegance, her movements increasingly masculine.

“I don’t wish to stay,” she said, her voice still Princess Yongning’s, but with a soothing quality that calmed the heart. “I want to see my father. Why do you insist on keeping me here?”

That unique tone… she had heard it before…

A realization dawned upon her. She stopped attacking, her voice clear and steady. “There are no flowers here, yet I see a familiar face. Are you well, Gongzi?”

Princess Yongning raised an eyebrow, her gaze lingering on Xiao Xiao with renewed appreciation. She stopped attacking, her hands clasped behind her back, a smile playing on her lips. “You have sharp eyes, Cui Xiao Xiao. You recognized me instantly. You’re quite capable. Even the underworld couldn’t hold you. I underestimated you.”

Princess Yongning’s body was indeed possessed.

And the one controlling her was Ye Yi, the man from the magnolia forest.

He was truly formidable, capable of possessing another person and controlling their actions.

Wei Jie, the Heaven-Punishing Sword held before him, his gaze sharp, asked, “What is your purpose?”

Princess Yongning, or rather, Ye Yi, speaking through her, said calmly, “Princess Yongning and I are engaged. But she was abducted on our wedding day. I’m merely trying to bring her home.”

During engagement ceremonies, a lock of the bride’s hair was placed inside the marriage contract, symbolizing their union.

Ye Yi had used that lock of hair to bind her soul, allowing him to possess her.

“Bring her home?” Xiao Xiao’s voice rose. “Or send her to the underworld?”

Two hours remained before the River of Forgetfulness returned to its normal level.

Princess Yongning had overheard Ye Yi’s conversation with the fake Prince Changshan. He needed her soul to retrieve someone from the underworld!

Ye Yi chuckled. “Cui Xiao Xiao, I’m not the villain you think I am. This hasty action… it wasn’t my intention. Would you believe me if I said I was unaware of this plan?”

Tang Youshu nodded in agreement. “This soul-marrying technique requires not only a person with a specific birth date, but also someone who has lost their will to live, consumed by regret. Only a soul that has severed its ties to the mortal realm can be fully retrieved. But such a person… they’re hard to find. That’s why most soul retrievals are incomplete, resulting in a fragmented soul. It’s better not to attempt it at all.”

Ye Yi glanced at Tang Youshu, surprised by the young scholar’s knowledge of this ancient technique.

“He’s right,” he said, his voice calm. “A fragmented soul… it’s better not to retrieve it. I’m taking the princess home now. No need to see us off.”

His voice, with its magnetic quality, had a calming effect. Xiao Xiao, feeling a strange sense of compliance, nodded. “You can go…”

But before she could finish, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against a broad chest.

She turned and found Wei Jie staring at her, his eyes darkening.

His gaze, sharp as a blade, snapped her out of it.

She realized, with a jolt, that she had been under Ye Yi’s influence, her mind lulled into a hypnotic state, agreeing with everything he said.

It was like their encounter in the magnolia forest.

There was no scent of the other shore flower this time, yet she had still fallen prey to his manipulation. It wasn’t the fragrance, but his voice, his words, that held a hypnotic power.

Who was he, to possess such an ability?

But this technique, although powerful, was ineffective against the Mei people, masters of seduction through song.

Wei Jie bit his lip, transferring a drop of his Mei blood onto her lips. He wiped her mouth, then glared at Ye Yi. “Is manipulating women all you’re good at?”

Ye Yi chuckled again. “I can control hearts, regardless of gender. But you, with your mixed Mei blood, your heart so cold and unyielding… I can’t seem to influence you.”

Wei Jie snorted. He had noticed that everyone except him had been entranced by Ye Yi’s words. It was true. He possessed a powerful ability.

Ye Yi looked at him, his voice laced with meaning. “I didn’t expect to see you again. And under such circumstances… I underestimated you. I didn’t expect you to possess the power to reverse time, to undo everything.”

He knew about Tang Youshu, about their plan to reset time.

Wei Jie narrowed his eyes. “You seem to be more than an ordinary mortal. Why would you assist a villain, help him steal another’s fate?”

Ye Yi, his smile unwavering, his voice gentle, said, “Because you… you don’t deserve to exist. Yet you cling to life like a cockroach, impossible to kill!”

Tang Youshu and Yu Ling’er, still under his spell, nodded in agreement.

Xiao Xiao, held tightly against Wei Jie, the Mei blood coursing through her veins, was now fully alert.

His words, laced with venom, shattered the illusion.

Looking at Tang Youshu and Yu Ling’er, she realized she must have been just as entranced moments ago. No wonder Wei Jie had glared at her.

This Ye Yi… not only did he know about the time reversal, the two-hundred-year reset, but he also harbored a deep hatred for Wei Jie.

What was the source of this animosity?

“Princess Yongning doesn’t want to go back,” Xiao Xiao said, her voice cold. “Release her.”

Ye Yi glanced at the sky, as if calculating the time. “Of course,” he said with a smile. “She wasn’t a suitable candidate anyway. Someone with such a strong attachment to the mortal realm… they wouldn’t make a good vessel for a soul exchange… Look, her father has arrived. I can step aside now…”

A group of soldiers and carriages approached, the lead carriage adorned with the insignia of Prince Changshan.

Beside the carriage, a young man, dressed in fine robes, sat astride a horse. His features were unremarkable.

Xiao Xiao and Yu Ling’er recognized him – it was Ye Yi, the man who had invited them for tea in the magnolia forest!

But this man, slumped in the saddle, his face pale and bloated, lacked the elegance and refinement of the man they had met.

As the entourage drew closer, Princess Yongning’s body went limp, and she collapsed. When she sat up, her face was filled with fear and confusion. “Xiao Xiao… someone was inside me!”

Although she hadn’t been able to control her body, she had clearly felt another presence, another voice.

Free from his control, she called out to Xiao Xiao, fearing another possession.

The entourage arrived, and Ye Yi, looking down at Princess Yongning, her hair disheveled, her red wedding dress wrinkled, asked the guard beside him, “Is she… Princess Yongning?”

“Yes, Gongzi,” the guard replied. “Your fiancée.”

Ye Yi, his gaze lingering on her messy appearance, then on the two men beside her, Wei Jie and Tang Youshu, spoke, his voice laced with disdain, addressing the carriage behind him. “A bride, abducted on her wedding day, spending the night with bandits… what’s left of her purity? And you, Prince Changshan, you insist on me taking her back? Is this how the mighty Prince Changshan treats the Ye family, forcing me to accept damaged goods?”

His arrogant words stunned Xiao Xiao and Yu Ling’er.

This man, despite his unchanged features, was nothing like the refined gentleman from the magnolia forest. He was like a precious jade that had lost its luster, reduced to a common stone.

Xiao Xiao understood. Like Princess Yongning, he had been used as a vessel for a soul exchange.

The man they had met in the magnolia forest wasn’t him.

“Ye Gongzi,” she said, testing the waters. “We meet again…”

Ye Yi, his gaze drawn by her voice, finally saw her.

What a beauty!

Her skin was fair, her eyes and nose delicate, and that red mole beneath her eye… mesmerizing!

Ye Yi, a known womanizer, couldn’t tear his gaze away. “Have we met?” he asked, his voice husky. “I don’t recall. Perhaps in a dream?”

Xiao Xiao, her eyes narrowed, her voice soft, said, “You don’t remember? We shared tea together three days ago.”

Ye Yi blinked. “Three days ago? I was… engaged in a different kind of activity… and then I blacked out… I only woke up yesterday! Oh, are you one of the girls from that establishment? I don’t recall requesting your company. Perhaps we… while I was drunk?”

His words, crude and vulgar, were offensive.

His attendant, chuckling, reminded him, “My lord, you forget. You left that establishment. And you were quite… energetic… taking us on a little… adventure… remember? You met this young lady.”

Ye Yi, his eyes unfocused, seemed to be struggling to recall the past few days.

Xiao Xiao, understanding, scoffed. This Ye Yi was an easy target, his mind clouded by alcohol, oblivious to the theft of his time.

It seemed that mysterious individual had taken advantage of his drunken state, possessing his body, and then lured her and Yu Ling’er into the underworld.

Who were they? Why hide behind borrowed faces?

Princess Yongning, unable to contain herself, pointed at the man on the horse. “You… you’re Ye Yi?”

He nodded arrogantly.

The princess exploded. She turned to Yu Ling’er, her voice filled with indignation. “Refined and elegant? This… this is what you consider a gem?”

She hadn’t had high hopes for her fiancé.

But hearing Xiao Xiao and Yu Ling’er describe his exceptional qualities, she had allowed herself a flicker of hope.

Perhaps he truly was as extraordinary as they claimed. Perhaps his deception was for a good reason.

But seeing this vulgar, dissolute man… her hopes shattered, leaving her even more despairing.

No wonder she had cried out in disbelief.

Her words enraged Ye Yi.

Princess Yongning might be attractive, but compared to the girl beside her, she paled in comparison.

And her previous rejection, her insistence on returning the betrothal gifts, had humiliated his family. He loathed this spoiled princess. She was already acting like a demanding wife!

And Prince Changshan’s insistence on him retrieving her, on marrying this… tarnished woman… to protect the family’s reputation… it infuriated him. Who knew what had happened to her during her abduction?

He saw an opportunity to exploit their vulnerability, his voice laced with contempt. “You were abducted by bandits, spending the night in their den! You’ve brought shame upon both our families! You’re damaged goods! And you dare look down on me? You should hang yourself!”

He turned to the carriage, addressing Prince Changshan. “Prince, considering her disdain for me, perhaps we should annul the engagement!”

Princess Yongning, raised in luxury, had never been subjected to such insults.

That imposter, pretending to be her father, had arranged this marriage, condemning her to a life with this… this… worthless creature!

She stormed towards the carriage, ripping open the curtain.

A wave of fragrance hit her, and she saw the bandaged figure sitting inside, his demeanor calm and composed.

Rage surged through her as she glared at this imposter, this man who had stolen her father’s place.

With Xiao Xiao and the others behind her, and Wei Jie having informed the Crown Prince, she was no longer afraid. “I know you’re an imposter!” she shouted. “I’m going to expose you, stop you from pretending to be my father, from ruining my life!”

She reached out, grabbing the bandages covering his face, ready to tear them off.

The guards moved to stop her, but Wei Jie and Cui Xiao Xiao intervened, sending them scattering.

As Princess Yongning pulled the imposter from the carriage, Ye Yi shrieked in alarm. “You crazy woman! Attacking your own father! No wonder the prince told me that if you refused to obey, if you refused to marry me, he would disown you, silence you, and sell you to a brothel!”

His words ignited a firestorm within her. The cloying fragrance, still lingering in the air, fueled her rage. This imposter, this vile fiancé… they should all die!

She grabbed the imposter, her fingers reaching for the bandages.

She had to see his face before she killed him! If he didn’t tell her where her real father was, she would torture him!

The imposter, who had been strangely passive, suddenly convulsed as she pulled him close, vomiting violently.

Princess Yongning, disgusted, released him, her fury mounting. She wanted to tear him apart.

Xiao Xiao, watching the scene unfold, saw her grab a sword from a guard, raising it above the imposter’s head. She reacted instinctively, summoning a stream of water that wrapped around Princess Yongning’s wrist, disarming her.

“Princess, you’re royalty! You mustn’t stain your hands with blood!”

Princess Yongning, her hair wild, her eyes bloodshot, screamed, “He’s an imposter! He dared to insult me, threaten to sell me to a brothel! If I don’t kill him, I’m no longer human!”

She snatched Xiao Xiao’s sword.

This pampered princess, possessed by a vengeful spirit, plunged the sword into the imposter’s chest.

Blood spurted, and Xiao Xiao, horrified, rushed forward, catching the imposter as he collapsed. She checked his pulse.

He had been stabbed through the heart. His breath shallow, his body twitching, he lay still.

Princess Yongning, her rage spent, sank to her knees, her body trembling, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Xiao Xiao hesitated, then reached for the bandages covering his face.

As she unwrapped them, layer by layer, revealing his true face, she saw smooth, unblemished skin, the face of a well-preserved middle-aged man, no burns, no scars.

She had expected to see Prince Can’s face. Instead, she saw a stranger, his eyes wide open, his expression frozen in a silent scream.

Princess Yongning stared at the dead man, her eyes widening, her lips trembling. “Father!”

She lunged for the body.

Xiao Xiao pulled her back, holding her close. “What… what happened?”

The princess’s body shook, her voice choked with sobs. “He… he was my father! I… I killed him! How could this be? It’s all your fault! You said he was an imposter!”

She pushed Xiao Xiao away, her tears flowing freely, and knelt beside the body, her trembling hands tracing his face, his neck.

It was him. Her father. The mole she had known since childhood… there was no mistaking it.