Chapter 6
That night, in the Eastern Palace guest courtyard.
Azure Bird stared at the blood-red pearl, no bigger than a fingernail, in my hand. “That’s the vital blood the Daoist kept for himself?”
I nodded. “He saved this bit of vital essence to hold over Zhong Rui. As it happens, he’s saved me a great deal of trouble.”
The Daoist had worked almost all the blood used to bind the charm pearl into the array.
But by keeping this little portion aside, he’d prevented the binding from becoming complete.
The charm pearl still worked when Lu Chuyao wore it. But with this blood in his hands, the Daoist held its lifeline.
He’d told Zhong Rui that he alone knew how to use the blood-fusion array, and he alone knew how to destroy it.
If this last drop of vital blood were destroyed, the array would cease to work.
The charm pearl would not only lose its power; it would dissolve into heaven and earth.
Zhong Rui could certainly torture him to make him hand over the blood. But at any moment during that torture, the Daoist could destroy it.
He hadn’t dared take the risk.
And so the Daoist had been allowed to live, after a fashion.
When he’d called me back that day, he’d given me the drop of blood and said,
“This is a pearl Her Highness the crown princess lost some years ago. She treasures it dearly. Take it to the Eastern Palace and return it. Their Highnesses will surely be grateful. You’ll have no lack of reward then.”
The calculation in his eyes hadn’t escaped me.
He hoped I really would take the pearl to the Eastern Palace. Then the crown prince would know the blood was no longer in his hands.
He meant to divert the danger onto me.
I sat cross-legged on the bed and drew the drop of blood back into my body.
Leaning against a bedpost, Azure Bird asked,
“The Daoist tried to flee tonight. I stopped him. Keep him or kill him?”
“Keep him. I still need him. But let the Eastern Palace think he’s escaped.”
Azure Bird snorted. “The stupid fox has finally grown a brain.”
For once, I didn’t snap back. I said sincerely,
“I know you hardly ever leave the parasol grove. Thank you.”
He gave an awkward huff. “At least you’ve got a little conscience.”
When I let out a long breath and opened my eyes again, the faint red outline of a long tail flickered behind me.
Azure Bird looked surprised. “You’ve grown one back?”
I shook my head. “I’m not a gecko. Once they’re cut off, they’re gone forever. But that conniving Daoist chose his blood carefully. This drop came from the heart of the array. Back in my body, it’s doing more than I expected.”
“Oh,” he said. “What about your cultivation? How much have you recovered? Can you summon your core straight back?”
I shook my head again.
“No. But with the blood from the array’s heart restored, I can slowly dissolve the array, as long as I stay near her.”
He nodded. “It was yours to begin with. Under the influence of your aura every day, it’ll recognize you again soon enough.”
Before leaving, he tossed me another parasol leaf.
“You’ve barely got enough power left to change your appearance. Build it back up soon. Don’t get beaten up again while I’m away.”
I rolled my eyes.
That mouth of his.