Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144: "You can’t be here. Leave."

She continued to vent her fury, kicking Xiang Yu as he took the beating without a sound. When she finally stepped back, her chest heaving and her knuckles bloodied, she expected him to relent. Instead, a malicious chuckle escaped Xiang Yu’s lips as he raised his head. His laughter died abruptly, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his smile vanishing.

"Go on, keep hitting me," he taunted. "I have already won. The man you did this all for only sees me. I have his heart, and you... you have nothing." His face, smeared with blood, twisted into a cruel grin. "Watch me take him away from you and leave you with nothing."

Peng Xiu’s body stiffened, her mind racing with thoughts of how Han Xin had looked at this counterfeit. She became manic, her voice rising in a scream. "No! How could he fall for you? Who do you think you are?"

Xiang Yu stared into her eyes, his voice cold and mocking. "Come on, you must know who I am. Isn’t it obvious? Who hates you so much that they would go this far? You don’t have that many enemies, do you?"

Peng Xiu refused to accept it. How could it be possible? This person couldn’t be Xiang Yu, right? This was clearly a woman before her. How could such strong sorcery exist in this world? Her thoughts turned to Han Xin, and a sudden, desperate need to see him overwhelmed her. She turned and walked out of the prison in big strides, Xiang Yu’s evil smirk following her.

Unbeknownst to them, Han Zhan had heard the entire conversation. He slipped away, his mind racing as he went to report everything to his cousin.

***

The war room was a cacophony of tension and strategy. Han Xin stood at the head of the table, his eyes scanning the maps and documents spread before him. The generals around him murmured in low tones, their faces etched with concern. The army of Zhen remained unmoved, a silent, ominous presence that seemed to be waiting for something. Not a single word or movement came from their ranks, adding to the unease in the room.

"We have to consider all our options," General Wang said, his voice breaking the silence. "A direct assault might be too risky."

Han Xin nodded, his mind racing. "Agreed. But we can’t afford to wait much longer. We need to understand their strategy."

Just as they finished discussing their plans, Han Zhan entered the room and leaned down to whisper. "I have news for you," he said, in a whisper. "I overheard something in the prison between Princess Xiu and... her." Han Xin signalled for him to wait for the others to leave. When they were left alone, Jun De nodded in a gesture to show that it was safe to speak before closing the doors.

Han Zhan continued to say, "From what I gathered, there is some form of hatred between Princess Xiu and... sister-in-law. It’s more like personal hatred."

Han Xin’s brow furrowed. "Personal hatred? How could their animosity be so intense? Did they know each other before?"

Han Zhan shrugged. "It’s unclear, but sister-in-law’s hatred runs deep. She purposefully replaced Princess Xiu and took the most important person to her. That person happens to be you."

Before Han Zhan could digest this revelation, Jun De burst into the room, breathless. "Princess Xiu is here," he announced.

The room fell silent as Princess Xiu entered. She looked ethereal, her delicate features and graceful demeanour a stark contrast to the Princess Xiu they had travelled with. Her aura was commanding yet fragile, and she seemed visibly shaken. Others couldn’t see it but Han Xin could. He could see through her act.

"Gen-general," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "May we speak... alone?"

***

The next day, Xiang Yu lay in the prison cell, glancing at the window as the morning sun seeped through the bars. The sound of rustling caught his attention, and he smiled slightly as a pair of keys fell onto the straw. Xiang Wei must have kidnapped an off-duty guard and copied his keys before having someone toss them down. He grinned, amused by his little brother’s ingenuity.

Using his leg, he pulled the keys closer, managing to hook one on his foot. He leaned down, straining to grab them. Just as he was about to unlock his cuffs, the sound of the doors opening made him freeze. He clenched his fist, hiding the keys, and listened as the guards left. This was what Peng Xiu did when she came last night. She had all the guards leave so she could beat him to a pulp. But this time, he was going to free himself and teach that bitch a lesson.

To his surprise, it wasn’t Peng Xiu who entered but Han Xin. His heart sank at the sight. Han Xin wasn’t supposed to be here. Xiang Yu’s face turned serious. "I don’t want to see you," he said, his voice firm.

Han Xin froze, understanding that Yu Yu was trying to protect him. But he couldn’t leave her like this. Seeing her face swollen, with a black eye and bruises, made his heart clench. This was the person he loved, and he couldn’t accept seeing her in such a state.

He unlocked the prison door, his other arm still in a sling, and rushed over, suppressing the rage he felt towards Peng Xiu. With a trembling hand, he gently touched Yu Yu’s cheek. "I am here. I will take you out of here," he whispered.

Xiang Yu whispered back, "You can’t be here. Leave."

But Han Xin shook his head in refusal. "I am not leaving without you."