14: Chapter 14 Mission Issued: Subdue the Hehuan Cult

Xia Jin had just finished his evening meal when Eunuch Wei hurried to his side, leaned in, and whispered a few words.

Xia Jin had just picked up his teacup and hadn't had a chance to drink yet before setting it back down. He looked at the other with a strange expression, "I say, Little Wei, you mean that woman only wants to talk to this prince?"

Eunuch Wei nodded with a silly smile, "Master, that fellow Commander Qin Hu indeed told me so."

He wore a teasing smile and said, "Master, do you think... that enchantress might have... taken a liking to you?"

Xia Jin glanced at him speechlessly, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "You talk too much."

Eunuch Wei immediately wiped the smile off his face, bowed, and fell silent.

"Let's go," Xia Jin rose and walked straight toward the door. "Accompany this prince to the Heavenly Prison. I am also curious about what this Flower Master of the Hehuan Sect wants to discuss with me."

The carriage Xia Jin was riding in soon arrived at the gates of the Heavenly Prison from the Imperial Palace.

Commander Qin Hu, leading a squad of Imperial Guards, had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Xia Jin step out of the carriage, he hurried forward to pay his respects.

"Prince, I'll have to trouble you again this time. That enchantress is being held alone in the innermost cell."

"Lead the way!" Xia Jin glanced at the gate of the Heavenly Prison and unconsciously rubbed his nose; he didn't like the smell here.

Led by Commander Qin Hu, the three of them soon arrived at the door of the innermost cell.

At this moment, Lady Lan had changed out of her palace attire and was wearing a set of plain prison clothes. The blood-stained area on her waist was neatly wrapped in white cloth. She leaned against a simple stone bed; though her face was still pale, her eyes had regained a certain calmness.

As soon as Xia Jin's figure appeared outside the cell door, her gaze landed on him.

Opening the cell door, Xia Jin walked in and sat directly on a wooden stool nearby. He sized her up and gave a faint smile. "What? Is there a flower on this prince's face?"

Lady Lan didn't speak, just looked at him.

Xia Jin waved his hand. Eunuch Wei and Commander Qin Hu, understanding the hint, bowed and withdrew from the cell, leaving the iron door slightly ajar as they stood guard outside.

Only the two of them remained in the cell.

After a brief silence, Lady Lan finally spoke, "I want to cooperate with you."

She paused and added, "Or rather, my Hehuan Sect wants to cooperate with you."

Hearing this, Xia Jin frowned and then scoffed, "Cooperate with this prince? What... conditions do you have that would make it worth it for me to cooperate with you?"

The meaning behind his words couldn't be clearer—he didn't think much of the so-called Hehuan Sect at all.

Lady Lan didn't seem surprised by Xia Jin's reaction.

She straightened up slightly, aggravating her wound and causing her brow to furrow. "I can tell you the true purpose behind the three sects joining forces this time. Furthermore..." She took a deep breath. "If the Hehuan Sect can be preserved, we are willing to be used by you alone in the future."

After pondering for a moment, Xia Jin suddenly laughed. "While these chips aren't quite enough, this prince has always liked giving people chances..."

"However, this prince is quite curious. Why would you bet everything on me? Logically, your three-sect alliance might actually have a tiny chance of success..."

Meeting his gaze, Lady Lan said frankly, "When the three major sects joined forces this time, my Hehuan Sect was initially unwilling to participate. It was the Sect Leader of the Ming Cult who used pressure and temptation to get our Sect Leader to agree. But I am very clear that regardless of whether this matter succeeds or fails, the Hehuan Sect's fate will likely be to be discarded once its usefulness is over."

She paused for a moment, her gaze toward Xia Jin filled with some trepidation. "Especially... after meeting you."

"My intuition tells me that if we become your enemy, the Hehuan Sect will surely perish. But if we can gain your protection, perhaps there is still a sliver of hope for survival."

"I must say, your intuition is quite accurate!" Xia Jin sized her up with some surprise. It seemed he had underestimated her. "However, can you really represent the Hehuan Sect? As far as this prince knows, besides you, the Flower Master, the Hehuan Sect still has a Sect Leader and three other Flower Masters."

"Please rest assured, Prince, I am seventy percent certain I can persuade the Sect Leader and my three other sisters." Lady Lan's tone was firm. "The Sect Leader... she doesn't actually want to oppose Great Xia..."

When the words "Sect Leader" came out of Lady Lan's mouth, the System notification sounded in Xia Jin's mind once again:

[Ding! Key information 'Sect Leader' detected... matching information... match successful!]

[Triggered Mission: Subdue the Hehuan Sect.]

[Mission Content: Suppress the Hehuan Sect Leader with force and subdue the Hehuan Sect!]

[Mission Reward: Three Blades of the Avici Path (Entry-Level), sixty years of Cultivation.]

Xia Jin's eyes flashed slightly. He had triggered a System mission again?

Not bad, not bad. From the look of it, this Hehuan Sect really did have some "worthwhile" value.

Xia Jin stood up and walked toward Lady Lan step by step. The immense pressure caused Lady Lan's body to involuntarily move back toward the inner side of the stone bed.

He lowered his head and leaned in close to Lady Lan's face. His hot breath brushed against her ear, causing even this Flower Master of the Hehuan Sect to blush involuntarily.

"Remember what you said today. This prince can give you a chance, and give the Hehuan Sect a chance. But chances usually only come once."

Lady Lan turned her head away and whispered, "I understand."

Xia Jin nodded and suddenly said, "Turn around."

Lady Lan was stunned, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. Then, her eyebrows couldn't help but tremble. Could he... as soon as the thought arose, her ears began to burn involuntarily.

She was one of the four Flower Masters of the Hehuan Sect, and although she had infiltrated the palace to replace Noble Lady Qi, she was still a pure maiden... She hesitated for only a moment before secretly gritting her teeth and slowly turning around, her back to Xia Jin. Her body under the plain prison clothes tensed up unconsciously.

"Hey, what are you nervous about?" A low chuckle came from behind. "I say, why are your ears so red?"

Lady Lan was taken aback, and before she could react...

A warm and broad palm gently pressed against her back. A very peculiar True Qi surged from Xia Jin's palm, flowing into her internal organs.

In less than half a quarter of an hour, the faint sound of muscle fibers rapidly growing came from the wound at her waist.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Xia Jin withdrew his palm.

Lady Lan subconsciously reached out to touch her waist. The place where the wound had been was now just smooth skin, with not even a scar left behind.

"What kind of method is this?" A hint of awe flashed in Lady Lan's eyes.

"Rest well tonight." Xia Jin glanced at her. "Tomorrow, take me to see your Hehuan Sect Leader and those other three Flower Masters."

After saying that, without waiting for Lady Lan's response, he turned and walked straight toward the cell door.

The iron door opened and closed, and his figure disappeared into the end of the dim corridor.

Lady Lan sat alone on the stone bed, slowly lowering her head to look at her perfectly healed waist and abdomen, then looking up toward the direction Xia Jin had left.

After a long time, a smile quietly crept onto the corners of her mouth.

"Heh, I've never seen someone like this Prince Jin..."

It seemed her choice was not wrong.

This Emperor of the Underworld, rumored to be cold, eccentric, and bloodthirsty, might... not actually be that heartless?

After tomorrow, the fate of the Hehuan Sect might be completely rewritten.