"Close..."
Only after Spirit Charm had been gone for quite a while did Su Ruixing slowly straighten up and wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
His hands were still trembling slightly, and the inner robe on his back was soaked through, clinging to him in an icy chill.
This time, if Elder Ice Spirit had not stepped in, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
With Chu Qiushui's temperament, she would surely follow the trail all the way back, letting her fury burn from the Tiele Alliance straight to the Pill Pavilion.
When that happened, as the Pill Pavilion's deputy master, he too would not be able to escape blame, and his position would be lost.
In the end, he would wind up like Xu Cangjin—his reputation utterly ruined, in a fate worse than death.
"Looks like I can't make another move against that cursed star in the future..."
Su Ruixing dropped into his chair, completely drained, limp as mud.
Over this recent stretch of time, he and that young man called Ning Jin had clashed again and again, both openly and in secret. Yet every time, they had returned with feathers scattered, losing men and resources alike.
This time, he had nearly set himself on fire and dragged himself down with it.
He could not swallow this grievance—but he had to.
Because he had no other choice.
In the void.
Blazing flames howled as ten Vermilion Bird Vessels sped through the air.
At this moment, aboard one of the Vermilion Bird Vessels, Chen Changming still had no idea that such a major incident had taken place in the royal city.
Standing at the bow, he watched the outline of the royal city draw closer and silently took stock of the gains and losses from this journey to Black Miasma