A Cunning Pervert in the Cultivation World Chapter 518: The Cold Night.

Lan Suyao narrowed her eyes.

"Talkative? Or are you trying to pull her into your bed?"

Li Feng shrugged with a shameless smile.

"Maybe both. But don’t worry, I didn’t do anything. There are more important things to deal with right now."

Yue Lan stepped closer and gently adjusted his slightly wrinkled robe, her touch soft and caring.

But then she sniffed lightly and murmured.

"...Woman’s scent."

Li Feng coughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject, shamelessly avoiding the topic.

"Ahem. Anyway, let me report what happened."

He briefly summarized his conversation with Concubine Zi, the letter delivery to Concubine Wei, and the subtle probing about the missing suppressing herbs.

He also mentioned Concubine Zhao’s reaction and the Ninth Prince still being in the palace.

After he finished, Li Feng looked at the two women with a serious expression.

"Overall, the situation within the inner palace is even more complicated than we initially thought. The good news, however, is that Prime Minister Mu’s interrogation should be finished soon."

He paused for a moment, then suggested.

"Let’s go check with the Empress to see if she has any new information. It’s better to coordinate before tomorrow."

Yue Lan nodded gently.

"En. That’s a good idea."

Lan Suyao uncrossed her arms and nodded with a serious expression.

"It’s about time we put an end to this."

"Fine. Let’s go."

The three of them then headed toward the Empress’s residence beneath the setting sun.

When they arrived at the grand palace hall, they noticed something unusual.

It was unusually quiet and empty.

The lanterns were lit, but there were no maids or eunuchs bustling about as usual.

Li Feng frowned slightly and asked one of the guards standing at the entrance.

"Where is Her Majesty? We have urgent matters to discuss."

The guard bowed respectfully and replied.

"Her Majesty has not yet returned from the imperial prison. She is still handling the interrogation of Prime Minister Mu."

Li Feng nodded.

"I see. Then we’ll wait—"

Before he could finish his sentence, they noticed someone approaching from the distance.

It was the Empress, Fen Ling.

Her elegant figure moved with her usual grace, but Li Feng immediately noticed that her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she had encountered something troublesome.

Before he could greet her, the Empress raised her hand slightly and spoke in a calm but authoritative voice.

"Envoy Li, everyone... follow me inside."

There was a faint trace of seriousness in her tone.

Li Feng exchanged a quick glance with Yue Lan and Lan Suyao before nodding.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The group followed the Empress into the inner hall.

Once they were inside and the doors were closed, Fen Ling sat down on the main seat and let out a soft sigh.

She looked at Li Feng with a complicated expression.

Then, the Empress spoke directly, her voice calm but carrying a heavy weight.

"Prime Minister Mu is dead."

"...Eh?"

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Meanwhile...

Concubine Zhao had just finished settling the Ninth Prince down to sleep.

She gently tucked the soft blanket around his tiny body, smoothing it with careful fingers so no cold air could touch him.

For a long moment she simply stood there, watching his peaceful sleeping face.

His little chest rose and fell in soft, even breaths.

A warm, gentle smile curved her lips.

He looked so small and so perfect.

But even after she finally straightened, she could not shake the question Envoy Li Feng had asked earlier.

"Missing suppressing spiritual herbs..."

She murmured to herself, her brows furrowing slightly.

She walked slowly toward the window, deep in thought.

Suddenly, her eyes brightened up.

"Ah! I remember now!"

A bright smile appeared on her face as she finally remembered what had happened.

It was something from many years ago that she didn’t remember if Li Feng hadn’t asked.

Concubine Zhao smiled.

"I should let Envoy Li know about this!"

She noticed that it seemed to concern him a lot, so it was better to let him know.

Then she turned around and walked toward the door, reaching out to open it.

"I’ll ask someone to deliver the message right away—"

But the moment she opened the door...

There was already someone standing there.

Concubine Zhao blinked in surprise, but then she smiled warmly.

"Ah! Speaking of the devil. Actually, you came at the right time! I just met with Envoy Li and he asked about a missing suppressing herb... Weren’t you the one—"

A sharp, cold pain exploded in her chest before she could finish her sentence.

"...Eh?"

Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief as she slowly looked down... at the black dagger buried deep into her heart.

Concubine Zhao’s lips trembled as blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

She slowly looked back up at her... friend.

"You... why...?"

"..."

The person standing before her remained silent, their face cold and emotionless.

Yet within those glowing ember eyes was a trace of complicated emotion.

Concubine Zhao staggered backward, her legs losing their strength as she clutched the dagger embedded in her chest.

But her first thought wasn’t to flee.

Nor was it to call for help.

...It was to check on her baby.

With trembling steps, she turned toward the inner chamber where the Ninth Prince was sleeping.

"No... my child... I have to... protect..."

Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper, as blood dripped onto the floor with every step she took.

The person behind her didn’t move immediately.

They simply watched as Concubine Zhao staggered desperately toward the crib, one hand pressed against her bleeding wound and the other reaching toward her sleeping son, leaving a trail of crimson behind her.

Just as her trembling fingers were about to touch the edge of the crib—

The person finally moved.

A second silent stab came from behind, piercing through her back and out through her chest... straight through her heart.

"...!" Concubine Zhao’s body jerked violently as a soft, broken sound escaped her.

Her eyes widened one last time as she looked at her peacefully sleeping baby.

Yet she didn’t scream or cry out... afraid that she might wake him.

Tears blurred her vision, but her expression remained unbearably gentle.

A mother’s final, instinctive tenderness.

Her tear-filled eyes remained as gentle as ever as she murmured softly,

"I’m... sorry... my precious..."

A single tear slipped down her cheek and fell onto the blanket near his tiny hand.

With that, her body finally collapsed onto the floor beside the crib, blood pooling beneath her.

The Ninth Prince continued sleeping, unaware that his mother had just given her life trying to reach him.

Then...

"Waaaah...! Waaaah...!"

The Ninth Prince suddenly woke up and began to cry loudly.

His small face turned red as tears streamed down his cheeks.

It was as if... even in his sleep, he had felt the moment his mother left this world.

His cries echoed through the quiet chamber, growing louder and more heartbroken with each passing second.

...But the night only grew colder, with no more warmth coming to soothe him.