CHAPTER 714: CHAPTER 439: AREN’T YOU AFRAID I’LL KILL YOU?

Phoenix Pavilion.

Tang Fei sat in front of Phoenix, speaking indignantly, "I didn’t expect this to happen, and by the time I found out, they had already finished the deed."

"Still, you are the reigning King, and with your critical relationship... I mean, murder is extreme, there was no need for that."

"But you know how stubborn the old man is, once he decides something, not even nine bulls can pull him back..."

Seeing Phoenix silent, holding the green tea that was almost cold, without having taken a sip, Tang Fei couldn’t help but feel heartache.

She was a girl whose eyes and heart were once filled with only him, they met in the Old Land, on that planet plagued with acid rain and frequent monster sightings.

From mutual wariness to sharing weal and woe.

Fighting for water, cooking raw food, hunting beasts, avoiding acid rain, skirmishing with predators, and battling the Flame Shrine...

When the girl boarded the Star Disc and left, Tang Fei felt as if his heart was hollowed out, as if a large chunk had been gouged out.

No, it had become a transparent hole.

She had taken his entire heart with her.

It was then that he realized he had fallen in love with her.

It was also the first time he knew what it felt like to love someone.

Phoenix did not let this affection go in vain, pulling strings to bring him and Little Fatty to New Star, finding a school, providing a house, offering him genuine care and fervent affection.

She changed the lives of Tang Fei and Little Fatty.

How did it come to this?

What would the future hold for him and Phoenix?

Thinking of this, Tang Fei also fell silent.

"Has Shen Xinglan backed down?" Sheng Xinhua, sitting beside Phoenix, asked.

Since Sheng Xinhua’s last entrance into the palace, she hadn’t left.

She knew Phoenix was experiencing the darkest moment of her life; compared to her own family, Phoenix needed her company more at this time.

Adversity reveals true friends.

Considering Phoenix’s current predicament and the forthcoming purges the Zhong Royal Family would face, most people would rush to distance themselves from them.

But Sheng Xinhua had no concerns for her own or her family’s future.

She felt that Phoenix needed her now, so she appeared unhesitatingly by her side.

Never leaving nor forsaking.

This is what true friends are, even closer than biological sisters.

Not the so-called "fair-weather friends" who are all in when it benefits them but flee faster than anyone when danger arises.

Tang Fei looked up at Sheng Xinhua, realizing her blinking was a sign.

Understanding her point, he took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and explained, "After a period of silence, the Fire God Army suddenly gathered, preparing to attack the Phoenix Palace, with Shen Xinglan as the supreme commander..."

"There’s not enough manpower inside the Phoenix Palace, with the current forces, they likely won’t withstand even a single round. If they break into the Palace, those inside will mostly face grim fates."

"That’s why the old man resorted to this desperate measure... I’m not trying to defend him, there really was no better option."

Tang Fei knew that Sheng Xinhua, suddenly bringing this up and mentioning "Shen Xinglan," was trying to blur the waters.

If Shen Xinglan’s actions weren’t mentioned, all the blame would fall on him alone.

Now by implicating Shen Xinglan, others could share the burden...

If Shen Xinglan hadn’t attacked the Phoenix Palace, would they have resorted to such actions?

How else could we let the current King be seen high in the sky, so the outside world didn’t assume he was dead?

Thinking this way, isn’t Shen Xinglan more to blame?

Sheng Xinhua was speaking for Tang Fei, as an observer of their relationship, she also didn’t want the two to really become "irreconcilable enemies."

"The Shen Family has really gone too far." Sheng Xinhua said with a disgusted tone, "They did nothing when waiting for their rescue before. Now that the situation has stabilized, they launch a massive attack... trying to kill us all?"

"They have their own interests to consider..." Tang Fei replied tactfully.

He knew better than to elaborate; it was best to leave it at that.

With Phoenix’s wisdom, how could she not see through the malicious intentions of the Shen Family?

They wanted Zhong Daolong dead more than anyone, preferably by their own hands...

Once Zhong Daolong was dead, the Eldest Prince, Zhong Tianque, could smoothly ascend.

Handle the emperor to command the lords.

Then, they could securely act as the emperors behind the scenes.

If Zhong Daolong didn’t die, their plans would be improper and face obstacles.

This was also why the Shen Family patiently waited when the Phoenix Palace first encountered upheaval, and now realizing Zhong Daolong was still alive and they couldn’t control the situation, they suddenly mounted an attack...

Phoenix suddenly looked up at Tang Fei and asked, "Are you tired?"

Tang Fei was taken aback, then nodded, "Tired."

How could he not be?

This intricate, perilous situation where a minor misstep could result in death...

Along with the entangled emotions between him and Phoenix.

Each aspect required his utmost caution.

"I am tired too."

Phoenix said, exhausted in body and spirit.

...

As they left the Phoenix Pavilion, the old man stood at the door and asked, "How did the talk go?"

"Not so well?"

"Did they pin the blame on me?"

That was the plan he and Tang Fei had agreed upon, to push all the blame onto the old man, letting him bear all the burdens alone.

A man who has ’died’ once already has nothing else to care about.