Both princes stared at her in horror.

"Do you want to kill me even more now, Father-in-law?"

Full intent flashed in his eyes. Prince Yelang withdrew the sword from her neck and brought it swinging around. Tang Daiyu turned her head away and closed her eyes, not wishing to watch her own death. But she never felt the blade cut into her skin. Instead, she heard a rustling of robes.

She cautiously opened her eyes to see Liang Yingzhou standing in front of her, holding the tip of Prince Heyang's sword in between his index and middle fingers. Swallowing slowly, she took a step forward to come side-by-side with him. Still holding the sword in place, he whipped his head to look at her. Tang Daiyu had never seen such raw anger in his eyes before. Scared, she retreated back a couple steps.

"Zhou-ge," she murmured quietly.

The look in his eyes changed when he saw the dried blood on her neck. But he closed his eyes and cleared his throat.

"Don't speak, Ms. Tang," he said coldly as he opened his eyes. "You'll only make things worse than you already have."

Thoroughly scolded, she nodded and hung her head. Liang Yingzhou turned back to face the two princes. Her eye caught on the black paper lying off to the side. Using what little cultivation she had, she summoned it to her without him noticing. Tang Daiyu swiftly hid it up into her sleeve.

"Excuse me, I'll be taking my mei mei back with me."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and used his qinggong to fly them both up and over the palace wall.

As they landed on the other side, they heard Prince Yelang roar, "Guards! Find them!"

Liang Yingzhou took her hand in his and took off. Tang Daiyu stumbled along behind him before she regained her footing. They ran into the forest and made their way back to camp. On the outskirts, he rounded on her.

"Tang Daiyu, what were you thinking?"

She looked away from him and murmured, "I needed to get something from the Royal Archives."

"If Xia Dongya hadn't worried about you and immediately told me that you had gone into Nanning Palace alone, then what would've happened?"

She hung her head. "I would've died."

"Exactly. Did you think at all about what you were doing? Or were you too focused on your revenge again?"

Her head shot up as hurt flashed in her eyes. "No! That's not it, I swear."

"Then what?"

She swallowed, unwilling to tell him the truth.

If he learns about Twenty Snake Point Strike, I don't know what Zhou-ge would do. And I don't think I want to find out.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Why did you go to the palace, Ah Daiyu?" he asked, pained. "What was so important that you had to risk everything, including your own life, for it?"

Her eyes lowered, and she dropped to her knees. Shocked and confused, Liang Yingzhou stepped forward and bent over to help her up. She shook him off and kept her head bowed as she sat back on her heels.

"I'm sorry, Zhou-ge, but I won't answer your question."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Tang Daiyu, you-!"

"I'm sorry to have made you worry. It's my fault."

Suddenly, a third person joined their conversation.

"Xiao Tang."

Her head shot up. Liang Yingzhou glared at Pei Xinhui.

"Shifu!"

Without a word, Pei Xinhui stepped forward and grabbed her left arm. He pulled the black document from her sleeve and looked at it. His eyes widened with shock.

"Xiao Tang, what have you done?"

She looked away. "I've never used it."

"Well of course not. You're still alive!"

Liang Yingzhou snatched the document away from Pei Xinhui. As he read its contents, sadness and disappointment filled his eyes.

When he had finished reading, he murmured coarsely, "Ah Daiyu... why?"

All she could say was, "I'm sorry."

Pei Xinhui stared at her before commenting, "This never would've worked. The concept's too complex for it to be successful. If you had tried to use this Immortal technique, it would surely have killed you. Even I can't combine the two, Xiao Tang. What made you think you could?"

"I don't know, Shifu. I created this years ago."

He leaned down and flicked her forehead. "Dummy, I know everything there is to know about Hei Siwang. Did you really think I never thought about this?"

Her head lowered with shame as salty tears began to well in her eyes. Tang Daiyu remained silent. Pei Xinhui waved his sleeve in a grandiose manner as he let out a long sigh.

"You're still young, Xiao Tang. Don't recklessly make enemies. They'll stick with you for the rest of your life."

Then, he was gone. Liang Yingzhou squatted down in front of her. Using his right index and middle fingers, he gently raised her chin. She looked at him, despair and regret shining in her watery eyes.

His voice was a cold monotone as he said, "I would suggest you heed your Shifu's advice, Young Lady Tang. Master Pei has a point this time."

Then, he pulled away from her and stood up. Without another word, he turned and walked into the camp, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Guanyin... please help me. I don't know if I have the strength to continue down this path. Guide me, bodhisattva, for I am lost.

She closed her eyes and let tears slide down her cheeks.

I'm sorry, Father, Mother, Baobao. I've failed you all. I'm not worthy of being a Tang.

A few minutes later, Liang Yingzhou returned with a wet cloth and some medicine. He knelt down beside her and gently wiped the dried blood away, staining the cloth red. He cleaned the cut on her neck before applying medicine powder to it. When he was done, he stood and left again without ever having said a word.

"Zhou-ge," she said quietly to nothing but the air and trees. "Dui bu qi." I'm sorry.

Then, she stood, turned, and fled from the camp. Her hair started to come undone as she ran. Not caring, she let the pins fall out along the way.

I'm already damned. What does anything matter anymore?