Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

Chapter 470: The Hidden Balance of the Heart

’yet why is she different from the rumours and reports?’

asura and his group sat in a relatively comfortable private room inside a vigilant restaurant in the eastern part of the emerald dream.

he felt a sense of confusion and hostility from mu lan towards mu yue at first; there was a sense of déjà vu with how they treated her back in silvara due to arriving with the first prince of the empire, and both she and the others doubted her reasons for coming.

even he doubted her reasoning. but now he understood her.

the poor girl clung to life desperately, not for her benefit—instead, she sought to get revenge, building her power and training desperately.

’i wonder how hard it must have been for mu yue to think that even the resistance doubted her. was there anybody she could even speak or turn to when backed into a corner? mu xue always had me.’

"lady mu xue, i truly cannot believe that you survived after reading the reports from our scouts and the secret investigation files."

mu lan’s face was a mixture of happiness and bitterness of remembering that night when most of her relatives and reason for living vanished overnight. the mu family had their eyes set on a glorious path towards freeing the empire from tyranny, yet they didn’t see it coming at all.

"mu lan, i’m also still in disbelief. there is no better gift in the world than learning you, your brother and mu yue were alive, to think that many of the branch families escaped it enough for me to feel a sense of joy."

mu xue’s icy eyes flickered with soft blue light while she leaned closer to asura, her hands squeezing his. ’after all, i feel at ease when holding asura’s hands, the soft silky surface and rough skin on his palm and finger pads.’

"yet how did the current situation happen? what is your reasoning for joining forces with the first prince?"

mu xue asked mu lan about the events of the last few years.

thanks to vela, asura already knew this information, which became pretty bleak. his mind drifted to thinking about his lovely princess waiting back home while the women discussed the mu and féng clans over the past year or two.

’i can’t imagine having to stay away from her for such a long time.’ asura missed vela greatly—he missed his lover. the only saving grace was that he would meet her soon.

"about the prince..."

as they sat chatting in this secluded room, mu lan started explaining the situation of the resistance before. finally, the conversation came to the first prince, shang luo. an enemy of both mu xue and asura.

asura felt his heart beat faster, worried this might be a complicated trap.

"eh...? asura?" mu xue was the most shocked that her husband said these things. she knew a little of his past, and the emotions he held regarding this man and the memories she held herself showed how miserable they both became in their past life when faced with shang luo.

’but... if my husband can let go of some of his hatred, would he be able to smile more often, not to hold such weight on his shoulders?’ with her thoughts coming to fruition, mu xue decided not to interfere and support asura with whatever he chose as she looked at her sister with a faint smile.

"little sister... i cannot make any excuses, i am powerless against my feelings. if i could, then i would kill him now. yet if he truly tries to make amends and sees the suffering of the people. i cannot forgive him, but i won’t seek revenge like a crazed lunatic."

mu xue was the future clan leader, but mu yue was her younger sister and they shared a close bond in the past. no, even now, their bond was still strong; it was a fact that the sisters could feel each other’s pain and suffering.

however, there was a new emotion that began to save mu yue, a feeling that asura had given mu xue in the past. the same thing which she would share with both her younger sister.

he was a man capable of understanding other people’s thoughts, and the power he held in his body right now gave asura confidence that no matter how hard his task or dangerous situation, nothing would take him away from them. ’i won’t let either of you feel fear like before.’

mu yue stared into asura’s eyes as the words of both her older sister and asura hit her, and the complicated feelings inside slowly began to calm.

these feelings didn’t vanish but allowed other emotions to leak out from her frozen heart, giving way to happiness and peace. "i see... sister, i will follow what choice you and asura make."

féng he ran didn’t have an objection because she was from the branch family and knew how much work mu xue and asura had already been doing and going through.

she didn’t force her opinions on them. "let us give the prince a chance, but remain vigilant to him and his hidden purpose."

"that seems like a good idea, he ran."

asura nodded while mu lan’s face seemed to beam with delight.

the fact she seemed to have feelings for the prince became quite obvious. however, none present knew how to advise a young girl with a crush on a villainous prince. find your next read on empire

"i am pleased with that. it means i don’t need to worry about your actions and the resistance in the future." mu lan seemed delighted with this result before she spoke with an odd voice that seemed both mature and childish.

"i know this is abrupt... but we still don’t know how long you will be here in this city. will you remain in the west and meet us slowly over time?" mu lan’s words made mu xue’s heart feel conflicted as if the thought of staying in this city any longer than required.

this feeling was also one that made her happy to have more time with her clan.

’but the others are waiting patiently to be reunited with darling...’