Chapter 224: The Calm Before
Zhou Lan’s body shone with golden light for several minutes.
During this period, Yi Chen was standing next to Xie Rou, who was waiting expectantly to see Zhou Lan’s healed appearance.
As for Gao Zhen, she had been silently standing at a distance, lost in her thoughts.
Unlike the outward silence she was projecting, a violet storm was raging inside her mind since the moment her eyes landed on the Golden Firmament Pills in Yi Chen’s possession.
’Even the Gao Clan, with all our resources, has failed to acquire even one Golden Firmament Pill in all these years...’
She pursed her lips while glancing towards Yi Chen.
’To think something as precious as that would be in the hands of a young man like him...’
Even though she had clearly seen the pills and their effects, which matched exactly with what she knew, she still found it very hard to believe.
The Golden Firmament Pills were highly regulated by the Silver Cloud Kingdom’s Imperial family and rarely left their hands.
The only time it was given out to others was during the Silver Cloud Tournament, but that, too, had always been limited to one pill given only to the top ranker.
Therefore, to see a bottle containing twenty such pills in Yi Chen’s hands was truly mind-boggling for Gao Zhen.
So much so that her mind was on the verge of bursting from utter confusion.
’Just how...just how is he able to possess so many of those pills... it just doesn’t make any sense.’
From what she knew, the Imperial Family was only capable of creating five of such pills in a span of a hundred years.
If it were just one pill, then even if it was difficult to make sense of, she would somehow be able to link it to coincidence, luck or accident, but with the number of pills in Yi Chen’s hands, it was evident that this wasn’t the case at all!
’Could it be...’
An absurd idea suddenly appeared in her mind.
At first, she tried to deny it, but the more she thought over it, the more sense it started to make.
"Such never-before-seen talent, a convenient background with no parents, being in possession of such pills...yes, it all started to make sense now..." she muttered under her breath while looking towards Yi Chen.
’H-He...he’s definitely a hidden heir of the Imperial Family.’
Being well-read about the Imperial Family’s thousands of years’ worth of history, she was familiar with how dirty and extreme their internal politics were until a couple of thousand years ago.
However, with time, things became more structured, and the concept of hidden heirs vanished.
’If it’s him then it makes sense...’
She thought while observing Yi Chen.
With such never-before-seen talent, if he were to come out in the open as one of the rightful heirs, then it would be a surprise if he wasn’t sneakily dealt with by the other heirs.
Gao Zhen kept connecting more and more such dots in her mind, making her even more certain about Yi Chen’s hidden identity.
’To think I’ve been talking so casually with someone of this stature...’
Her breathing tensed up at this thought as she couldn’t help but feel an imposing aura exuding from Yi Chen’s figure.
As if sensing a gaze, Yi Chen suddenly turned his head behind, only to see Gao Zhen, who was intently staring at Zhou Lan’s body.
’Hm? Was I mistaken?’ Yi Chen thought for a second before turning back.
Seeing this, Gao Zhen softly exhaled in relief.
Just then, the layer of light that was engulfing Zhou Lan’s figure began to dissipate and attracted all her attention.
It started from her leg and slowly moved up as her pearl-like skin, no longer riddled with injuries, became visible to everyone.
Xie Rou, who was standing near Zhou Lan along with Yi Chen, felt an immense wave of relief coursing through her veins when she saw this scene, and the next moment knelt right next to Zhou Lan’s head.
Gently placing Zhou Lan’s head over her lap, she smiled with tears in her eyes while observing Zhou Lan’s snow-white face, which now carried a healthy glow.
"Lan’er..."
Xie Rou’s fingers gently stroked Zhou Lan’s face and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Seeing her well-kempt appearance, the smile on Xie Rou’s face brightened.
However, a sudden frown formed on Zhou Lan’s forehead, followed immediately by a pain-filled groan.
AGH!
This scene immediately shattered the smile on Xie Rou’s face as she called out with worry.
"Zhou Lan! What’s wrong?!"
She shook her body in an attempt to wake her up, but Zhou Lan’s eyes remained shut as beads of sweat formed on her forehead while the groans kept escaping her petite lips.
"Wake up! Zhou Lan! Open your eyes!"
Xie Rou kept at it with worry flooding her heart as the previously healthy glow on Zhou Lan’s skin began fading right in front of her eyes, turning paler every second.
A tight frown immediately formed on both Yi Chen and Gao Zhen’s faces when they noticed this change.
’H-how...the Golden Firmament Pill should have cured all of her injuries, whether internal or external...just why...’
Yi Chen’s mind became riddled with confusion, being unable to think of any appropriate reason for Zhou Lan’s sudden deteriorating state.
With tightly knitted brows, a similar pattern of thoughts was also taking shape in Gao Zhen’s mind as she took a few steps towards Zhou Lan.
However, unlike Yi Chen, before confusion could take over her mind, she witnessed a prominent black mark suddenly materialise on top of Zhou Lan’s forehead.
"This!"
Her eyes immediately widened, making her rush towards Zhou Lan’s side.
"Let me check."
With that said, Gao Zhen knelt right next to Xie Rou, who was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, before taking matters into her own hands.
Stretching her hand toward Zhou Lan’s face, she carefully pulled open her firmly closed eyelids.
A jet-black eyeball revealed itself the next instant.
Seeing this scene, Gao Zhen’s breathing stopped momentarily as a serious expression formed on her face.