Chapter 363: Chapter 363
"Your Highness, Princess, this is all a misunderstanding."
Chu Yi calmed down immediately, looking to shift the blame: "I was pulled into a distorted time, harmed by a group of strange beings, and almost couldn’t return. I hope Your Highness can make things right for me and find out the insidious culprit."
Nanaki’s cheeks were flushed, her face reminiscent of peach blossoms, with a youthful glow and a hint of lingering redness. Her jade feet, wrapped in white silk, were back in shoes. She stared at Chu Yi with her purple eyes, looking bewildered for a moment.
No matter how you looked at it, it was hard to believe Chu Yi’s words. Clearly, they alighted the carriage together with the princess, so how could he have been attacked and suddenly pounced on the princess as punishment?
"I believe brother Chu Yi didn’t do it on purpose."
Nanaki, as innocent and lively as ever, pulled Chu Yi along with her soft, alabaster-like hand, leading him toward the treasure vault.
Seeing Nanaki acting as if nothing had happened, with slightly flushed cheeks, Chu Yi felt relieved, feeling the softness of her small hand as he stepped into the treasure vault.
The surrounding time solidified, rippling like water until it came to a halt.
An eerie, sinister force permeated the area, causing drastic changes in the section of time they occupied.
The river surged onwards, and from it, a giant tree rose, its thick roots sprawling in all directions, covering three-quarters of the river of time. The numerous roots writhed, with piles of white bones stacked among them.
This giant tree was split into two. One half was flourishing, resembling gold from which a tree grew. The branches and leaves swayed, bearing abundant fruits and brimming with life force. Fairies, holding flower baskets, appeared, with graceful postures, laughing and collecting nectar among the trees.
The other half was entirely different, with a decaying trunk, crawling maggots, and nests built by flies and snakes. Dense white bones intertwined to form branches, resembling skeletal hands dangling threads to fish, or probing into the river of time, hunting forbidden feasts.
As Chu Yi and Nanaki arrived, this sky-obscuring forbidden entity immediately surfaced a huge, hazy human face from a tree hollow, with countless murky white eyeballs appearing one by one, gazing at the visiting guests.
"Old King Withered and Prosperous, pays respects to Your Highness, Princess."
The obscure language fell into Chu Yi’s ears like a cacophonic noise that he couldn’t understand at all.
Suddenly, Chu Yi had a flash of insight, comprehending the general meaning.
The princess, with a calm demeanor, withdrew her prior lively innocence, spoke in a flat tone without any superfluous words:
"The person beside me has been cultivated by the Royal Court, selected to be my future husband, together with me in ruling the court."
She declared Chu Yi’s status within the Royal Court, even seizing Chen Xi’s claim and acknowledging her own relationship first.
This caused the old king, stationed by the river of time and weathered through countless storms, to cast hundreds of glances in astonishment at Chu Yi.
"So it’s the princess’ consort."
Withered and Prosperous trembled in fear; the prosperous side lowered its branches, releasing a myriad of resplendent lights. From amongst them floated a golden fruit, shaped like a fire dragon fruit, covered in scales with the sound of the Great Dao resonating.
It was a Dao Fruit borne of a sacrifice by an Immortal, who condensed their entire cultivation into it. A mortal who takes just a bite can have endless longevity.
Of course, there are minor side effects.
"Upon our first meeting, Withered and Prosperous pays his respects to the King’s Husband, offering a gift and early wishes for a happy marriage for the two of you."
Chu Yi turned his head to look at Nanaki, who nodded, then he stored it in the Space Wrist Wheel.
This fruit immediately reminded him of the Furnace of Life, containing the mighty power needed for biological evolution.
Its quality was top-notch among Dawn Stars.
In Nanaki’s hand, three runes floated and fell into Chu Yi’s body.
Previously repelled by time, now he was integrated into it, receiving a blessing, feeling at ease, and being recognized by the treasure vault.
It was a Treasure Vault Key, bestowed with approval by Aunt Thirteen.
The royal treasure vault was graded, and what Nanaki gave was a part of the river of time, sealing treasures with distorted time, making it a top choice.
True to her word, the quality exceeded expectations.
"Brother Chu Yi, as long as you agree to be my dog, you can do what you did before every day."
Meeting Nanaki’s gentle smile, accompanied by her sweet and soft whisper, Chu Yi was genuinely grateful from the bottom of his heart. He decided that when the time came, he’d go all out from behind the scenes, making it slightly painful for her.
What Chu Yi didn’t know was that countless demons desired to be the princess’s dog, but to no avail.
Withered and Prosperous was as obedient as a dog, its branches swaying, making time ripple and condensing into a towering gate.
Chu Yi stepped inside, letting the waves of time wash over his silhouette until it became hazy, like an ink painting washed away in the rain, traveling to the past.
A door surfaced, time receded, and Chu Yi returned.
"Lord Chu Yi, in the treasure vault, I have three reminders for you."
"Firstly, one key can select multiple times, but if not chosen within half a day, it will dissipate on its own, losing a chance at treasure, so if you have something you fancy, do not hesitate and take it decisively."
"Secondly, the treasure vault is saturated with time, and once you’ve selected a treasure, do not linger, or you will remain in the past, losing yourself and mutating into a time beast wandering the river."
"Thirdly, do not touch treasures you cannot identify, as they might bring troubles, which are karma."
As far as the eye could see, golden lights spread endlessly.
Withered and Prosperous’ reminder transformed into words, appearing at the side.
Chu Yi ignored them, strolling through the past, with his left eye’s Clock Eye flashing in glazy-colored specks, absorbing time!
The purpose of this trip was finally achieved!
Chu Yi surveyed the surroundings; the treasures were numerous, floating mid-air, resembling a sky full of scattered stars, with Radiant Moon-level materials among them, reflecting dazzling treasure lights.
"I need soul-type materials, of Radiant Moon quality, please reveal yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, thirty-six beams of divine light shot out from the starry sky, some with eerie shudders, piled with skulls; some with floral human faces, skin draped; some as pure as the moon, nurturing divine infants...
The thirty-six pieces, all of Radiant Moon quality, were rare soul types!
Once activated with runes, he could enter the past and take the treasures.
The depth of the Royal Court’s resources was evident.
Even the top thieves couldn’t jump from the future to the past to steal treasures, as it was simply impossible, unless they were a deity within the path of time.
It must be said that the treasure-obtaining methods of the Royal Court were truly astonishing.
Chu Yi, perceiving the surroundings, was startled, a chill creeping from his spine to his heart.
This used the river of time, involving the determination of consequences to find causes.
The treasures were sealed in the past, and the person taking them was chosen by the Royal Court, implying that in the past, these treasures couldn’t be discovered, stolen, or unearthed, and the ones taking them were the ones chosen in the future by the Royal Court.
Only those from the Enchanting Demon Royal Court could take them.
Manipulating time and altering causality?
Chu Yi felt a wave of dizziness as this thought emerged, with the law of causality backfiring, but it also unraveled the underlying pattern for him.
His coming to the Royal Court to take treasures—was this also the layout of some big players, setting him up for this outcome of obtaining treasures!!?
Thinking back on the anxiety and hidden dangers throughout the journey. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel{f}ire.net
Chu Yi’s expression turned pale.
He was played by the Royal Court.