I was stunned for a moment. Truly, one could not judge a person by appearances. I had never imagined that Ao Shuang, with her pretty face, pointed chin, and large eyes, could have such a vicious heart—she had actually gone so far as to kill her own father.
Seeing the Old Dragon King searching for us through the mist, Ao Shuang relaxed somewhat. She then looked at me and happened to notice the faint rejection in my eyes. Of course, she knew what patricide meant, but she seemed to have prepared her excuse long ago. She said to me, "Ao Qun may be my father in name, but in truth, he's an old scoundrel. Even when he was young, he was sinister and scheming. He treated his own brothers and sisters well, granting them high titles and generous rewards and giving them the borderlands of Muye. But within his own household, he ruled with an iron fist. When my mother was little more than a child, she merely broke one of his treasures, yet he had her skinned alive. I'll never forget that for the rest of my life! You say I should kill him, but tell me—would that really be wrong?"
I drew in a sharp breath. Looking at Ao Shuang's expression, I could not determine whether her words were true. Still, with her personality having grown into this, the matter was probably not far from the truth. After all, a normal family could never produce a girl this decisive and ruthless—and one bold enough to covet the throne by any means necessary.
"Other than his brothers, whom in the entire Azure Sea has he ever treated well? Under his brutal rule, didn't he slaughter everyone who dared oppose him? If the people hadn't been seething with resentment and