83: Chapter 83 A Night of Tumultuous Passion, The Empress's Promise!

The atmosphere in the room instantly froze because of Chen Ran's words.

Jiang Mengli stared fixedly at the young jailer sitting opposite her, her thoughts racing.

Chen Ran seemed to see through her thoughts and chuckled. "Don't overthink it. I'm just here to inform you that you are free to go."

"Go?" Jiang Mengli was stunned, a flash of astonishment appearing in her cold eyes.

She had assumed that Chen Ran had gone to such lengths to save her, even resorting to using that strange Cultivation Technique to control her, must have had some ulterior motive.

Either he was coveting her status as the Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, or he was after the Cultivation Technique and Secret Manual she possessed, or perhaps... he was lusting after her beauty.

But now, he was dismissing her so lightly, telling her to leave?

"What, are you reluctant to leave?" Chen Ran raised an eyebrow, his tone calm.

"Your injuries have recovered. Staying here any longer is not only useless to you, but it will also bring me trouble."

He made no attempt to conceal his true thoughts.

The prison, and indeed the entire capital, was currently rife with undercurrents. Lin Wan's background, the secrets of the Flower Rain Pavilion, Wenxin Hall...

There were too many things going on; there was no need...

"Are you really... willing to let me go?" Jiang Mengli took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart, and asked tentatively.

"Your legs are your own, and the door isn't locked." Chen Ran gestured toward the courtyard gate. "However, I must warn you."

He stood up slowly, his gaze locked onto Jiang Mengli. A heart-stopping chill suddenly flashed through his otherwise calm eyes.

"I have planted a Blood Seed within you. This is not just a method of healing; it is a Restriction to control you."

Chen Ran's voice was low, but every word struck like a hammer against Jiang Mengli's heart.

"As long as you breathe a word about me to anyone... the Blood Seed will immediately erupt. At that time, your blood will flow in reverse, and not even the gods could save you."

Jiang Mengli's expression shifted slightly. She could feel that Chen Ran was not bluffing.

That faint red light dormant within her was indeed under the control of the man before her.

Although she had regained her freedom, her life was still held in his hands.

However, to Chen Ran's surprise, Jiang Mengli did not show much anger or fear.

She fell silent for a moment, her expression turning unusually complex instead.

In this world of deceit, for this small jailer to keep a secret, save her life, and return her freedom, was already a miracle in itself.

As for that Restriction... if it were her, she would likely have done the same for self-preservation.

"What... exactly kind of person are you?" Jiang Mengli looked at Chen Ran and couldn't help but ask.

He clearly possessed great strength and mastered the Cultivation Technique of the Demonic Cult, yet he was willing to hide away in a corner.

He clearly could control her, yet he let her go so easily.

Chen Ran smiled. "Me? I'm just an ordinary person who wants to live a little longer."

Jiang Mengli looked at his carefree appearance, and an impulse inexplicably rose in her heart.

"Chen Ran." She spoke suddenly, her tone becoming a bit more solemn.

"Living in hiding in this prison, have you never thought about achieving something great?"

She took a step forward, a glimmer of burning intensity in her cold eyes.

"The Great Wei Imperial Dynasty is already rotten to the core, its fate nearing its end. If you follow me back to the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, I can guarantee you a lifetime of glory!"

"Once the Great Wei is overthrown, you will be a hero of our Cult, and perhaps..."

She paused, her face slightly flushed, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Becoming a marquis or a prime minister is not out of the question!"

As the last Bloodline of the previous Imperial Dynasty and the Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, she had the confidence to say such things.

Moreover, she still had one final trump card she hadn't used...

And her intuition told her that this small jailer before her was definitely not a common man.

If she could recruit him, he would definitely be a great asset.

However, facing this tempting offer, Chen Ran just shook his head slightly.

"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness."

Chen Ran didn't answer directly, but continued on his own:

"You bear the will of the entire former Imperial Dynasty and the destiny of saving the world; that is your path."

"As for me, I am just a wanderer of the Jianghu with no great ambitions. Being able to have a place to stay in this tiny corner of the capital and earning a living in my daily duties is already enough for me."

He turned around and looked at the night outside the window.

"Our Daos are different; there is no need to force it. Perhaps we will meet again one day."

Jiang Mengli stared fixedly at Chen Ran's back, her heart in turmoil.

Looking at Chen Ran's resolute back, Jiang Mengli knew that she probably wouldn't be able to persuade this man.

"Since that is the case, I won't force you." Jiang Mengli took a deep breath, her expression returning to its cold, aloof state.

She walked to the door, just about to leave, when Chen Ran's voice came from behind her again.

"Your Highness."

Jiang Mengli stopped but did not turn back.

"Next time, don't get caught and thrown into prison again." Chen Ran's voice carried a hint of teasing.

"I, for one, am looking forward to... you becoming the next Empress."

Jiang Mengli's body trembled slightly.

In this cold capital, on this perilous road to restoring her nation, these words, which carried a touch of teasing yet seemed to hold a certain expectation, actually stirred a faint warmth in her long-frozen heart.

Her face flushed slightly in the dim night, and the corners of her mouth curled up into an extremely faint arc unconsciously.

"You... are truly a strange person."

She finally turned her head, biting her lip gently, her eyes smiling.

"If that day truly comes, and my uprising succeeds, and I overthrow this Great Wei..." Jiang Mengli's eyes became brighter than ever before.

"I will certainly leave a good place for you!"

This was a promise, and also an agreement.

Before the words faded, a breeze blew by.

A red light flashed, and Jiang Mengli's figure disappeared from the spot, as if she had never appeared.

Not long after,

With a pop, a brilliant firework exploded in the sky outside the capital.

At the same time, several powerful auras rose from within the capital, shining like a brilliant sun.

The forces of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult that had been lurking in the capital finally received the signal and began to coordinate their actions.

Rumble!

For a time, the sounds of fighting and explosions were incessant, and the entire capital was in an uproar.

In his perception, the Blood Seed was like a crimson meteor, following the boiling river, breaking through the blockade of the capital, and heading straight into the sky.

In the outer courtyard of the capital, the cold wind howled, carrying an aura of slaughter.

Chen Ran looked at the cup of tea on the table that had gone completely cold, his brow furrowing slightly.

The wind in this capital seemed to be blowing harder and harder.

How long could this brief peace last?

This chapter is an extra update.

Author's Note: Today, the book has officially reached 200,000 words. I feel both excited and nervous. In fact, if you, my dear readers, have read this far, you should be able to see that the world-building of this book is quite grand. What you've seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg. This is a very complex world with demons, chaotic times, power struggles, and even many story and character arcs intertwined.

This book looks like a Xuanhuan novel on the surface, but in essence, it is still a Xuanhuan high-martial arts world-view.

Although many people say that newcomers shouldn't write like this, and that following the Golden Finger template routine every day here might yield better results—demanding brainless face-slapping and fast pacing—as you can see, I ultimately chose to prioritize the story, with the Golden Finger as a supplement.

You can rest assured while reading; there won't be any 'doll-within-a-doll' tropes, dog-blood drama, or cuckold plots. I will never let down the expectations of the readers who like this book.

In fact, the data for this book hasn't been great from the very beginning. Bookmarks, follow-ups, urging updates, and comments are all much lower than similar books from the same period, and it has been quite sluggish.

According to the current rules for new books, my rating started quite low, so I need everyone to give more five-star reviews. Those who have read this far must have some interest in this book, and I hope you can spend a few seconds to support it.

You don't need to spend money on big gifts for the author; the environment is not great right now. Just sending some free gifts is enough. Watching three ads in 2 minutes is also a huge support for me!

The author thanks the readers who have stuck with me until now, willing to accept the story I've told in the first 200,000 words. I've been a bit long-winded today; I won't affect your reading like this again in the future. I wish everyone all the best in life!