"So it was Young Master Li." Princess Lingmeng’s expression remained somewhat pale, her spirit unsettled. "May I ask why Young Master Li seeks an audience with this Princess?"

"A few days ago, Your Serene Highness, You Ran came to the palace specifically to request an audience; however, at that time, the Princess was occupied with urgent matters and could not be met. Seeing you today, the Princess’s beauty surpasses that of yesteryear—truly heavenly, peerless in grace, inspiring genuine admiration." Li YouRan murmured, his flattery base to the extreme, yet his voice, like a clear spring, was so pleasant that even if one disliked the words, it was difficult to feel offense.

"Young Master Li overpraises me." Princess Lingmeng had grown up surrounded by sycophants and naturally paid no mind to such insubstantial talk. "Young Master Li must have a purpose in seeking me out. Please be direct, Young Master Li." The unspoken message was: stop beating around the bush; I am vexed at this moment.

"I heard that when the Princess was attacked previously, a mysterious expert from the Tianxuan realm sent a flying dagger to assist, helping the Princess escape that calamity. Afterward, three of those flying daggers were treasured and kept by the Princess." Li YouRan chuckled lightly, his demeanor relaxed and easy, as if engaging in casual small talk. "Might YouRan be privileged enough to view the appearance of those daggers?"

"But for what reason does Young Master Li wish to see that flying dagger? Could Young Master Li perhaps state the cause? Only then can this Princess consider acquiescing!" Princess Lingmeng instantly became apprehensive. What was Li YouRan intending? Why did he need to see the daggers?

"YouRan has no other intentions. Perhaps the Princess does not know, but the other day, while I was away from the city, I was ambushed by mysterious assassins; I was barely spared. YouRan was one step from death. Fortunately, at the critical juncture, a sky-blue flying dagger appeared across the air, instantly repelling the killer and saving my life." Li YouRan's face was filled with sincere admiration and gratitude, along with deep yearning.

"A life debt is a debt of second birth; YouRan remembers it deeply in his heart. For the past few days, YouRan has been secretly investigating, trying to obtain information about this savior. But I am ashamed to say, I have found absolutely no news of the benefactor. Then it suddenly occurred to me that the Princess was also rescued once by a mysterious master. Since both these seniors specialized in flying daggers, could they possibly be the same person?" Li YouRan sighed deeply: "Givers of grace ask for no reward; saving a life, yet departing so calmly—such noble and refined individuals truly make YouRan yearn."

"Is that so." Princess Lingmeng knitted her delicate brows, vaguely sensing something amiss, yet unable to articulate precisely what felt wrong.

"After the benefactor departed, only a small flying dagger remained on the ground, standing against the wind, glittering brilliantly! YouRan treasured it as if it were his own life, keeping it close, never daring to be a Yixuan moment away from it." Li YouRan reached into his robes with his right hand, and when he drew it out, a small, exquisite flying dagger appeared conspicuously!

This dagger was vastly different from the hidden weapons generally circulated in the Jianghu. Its blade was thin as a cicada’s wing, shaped like a willow leaf, with a slightly curved handle and a tiny arc at the tip. Delicate cloud patterns swirled around it, the lines flowing with exquisite softness. At first glance, this did not resemble a throwing knife capable of instant death; rather, it looked like a precious piece of artisan craftwork that one could not bear to part with upon seeing it! Based on what Li YouRan and Princess Lingmeng understood, the number of artisans capable of crafting such meticulously refined artwork within the entire Tianxiang Empire was likely extremely few! So delicate, so intricate! Beautiful to a degree that made one hesitate to even touch it, save for the chilling cold light emanating from it—like a demon’s eye blinking in the night sky, revealing a hint of fierce severity. Though not overwhelming, that bone-deep coldness was unmistakable! Only then did one realize that this small dagger, which immediately inspired fondness, was in fact an unparalleled lethal weapon capable of taking life at any moment!

"If we judge purely by the shape of the blades, the two are almost completely identical." Princess Lingmeng let out a long breath and smiled faintly: "However, while the styles are indeed very close, the forging materials and craftsmanship used for the two flying daggers show very significant differences. There is a vast disparity between them; this much I can confirm!" Since taking out his dagger, Li YouRan’s gaze had not once left Princess Lingmeng’s lovely face. Only then did he casually shift his eyes away, smiling: "It is only the styling that is very similar? I wonder, what are the differences between the daggers Princess possesses and mine? If we were to compare them directly, which is superior or inferior?"

"The dagger Young Master Li obtained is ice-cold to the touch, its chilling aura penetrating straight to the marrow; its texture is utterly unique, its sharpness peerless! In terms of the dagger’s material quality, flexibility, or sharpness, it is tens of times superior to my three. My three daggers, at best, are common iron. But the dagger Young Master has obtained can undoubtedly be called a divine weapon without shame." Princess Lingmeng turned the dagger over in her hand, clearly reluctant to let go.

This—this must belong to the mysterious savior! Princess Lingmeng recognized it instantly. Only such a peerless master would use an object so elegant and beautiful, so utterly exquisite, as his personal defensive weapon. Elegant amidst bloodshed, composed amidst ruthlessness—this was the style of the dagger! Or rather, it was the style of the benefactor! How could an ordinary person possess such an item? Just like a scoundrel such as Jun Mo Xie could never wield such a weapon of peerless refinement! Since the time of her previous assassination until now, Princess Lingmeng had imagined countless times what the person capable of wielding such an elegant flying dagger must look like—how handsome his features, how refined his bearing and temperament, how utterly composed and unrestrained his manner! Perhaps that was the true countenance of a man! Could a pampered brat like Jun Mo Xie truly be called a pillar of a man? One look and you’d regret it for half a year! Hmph... Perhaps only the Benefactor deserved the title "pillar of a man"!

"The two differ so vastly. Might I be permitted to view the treasures the Princess possesses? I truly wish to know if our respective saviors are the same person." Li YouRan’s eyes held a perfectly measured intensity, like the sudden, almost overwhelming excitement of finding news about a life-saving benefactor.

"Heavens be praised, I, Li YouRan, finally have the fortune to touch the weapon of my savior again. Although the benefactor asks for no reward, how can we who owe him such a debt remain indifferent?" Li YouRan declared righteously: "If one does not repay kindness, what difference is there between them and a beast?!"

"Well said! Although the daggers I possess are not comparable to Young Master Li's, they are still my treasured possessions, never leaving my side, never shown to others for admiration. But based on what Young Master Li just said, I will make an exception." Lady Lingmeng looked at him with no small amount of approval. She hadn't expected that beneath this Young Master Li's demeanor, there was such a principled integrity regarding gratitude and vengeance! After a slight pause, she reached into her robes, retrieved a small cloth bundle wrapped in silk, and slowly unwrapped it. Three unusually shaped, slender flying daggers lay quietly within, emitting a cold, faint glow, faintly carrying the unique, sweet, and rich fragrance of Princess Lingmeng herself.

"They are indeed identical in every way." Li YouRan seemed quite excited, gently placing his own dagger into the silk wrapping. The four daggers were completely alike. Apart from the immediately obvious difference in material, every aspect of size, shape, and casting technique was identical.

"Heaven has eyes, I have finally found you!" Li YouRan exclaimed with emotion, a chilling glint flashing through his eyes. He looked at Princess Lingmeng with a trace of reluctant wistfulness. It was now confirmed: that detestable murderer was indeed connected to Princess Lingmeng! No one else in the world could have forged a flying dagger with such a unique design! But Princess Lingmeng was the only woman Li YouRan had ever been moved by! If she had to be sacrificed now... well, it could not be helped. Li YouRan sighed inwardly.

"I did not expect Young Master Li to also be fortunate enough to aid that Benefactor." Princess Lingmeng looked somewhat delighted, and perhaps thinking of something, she showed a slight shyness. A faint blush spread across her snow-white countenance, inadvertently adding infinite radiance to the already stunning Princess Lingmeng.

"Please take care of yourself, Your Highness." Even the composed Li YouRan was momentarily stunned by Princess Lingmeng's peerless beauty. He quickly regained clarity, gave the Princess a deep look, the extreme regret in his eyes quickly replaced by cold hardness: "YouRan must take his leave. Should time permit another day, I shall pay my respects at the palace." Saying this, Li YouRan gave a dashing bow and turned to leave. As for that flying dagger, he did not take it back, leaving it nestled within the silk wrapping in Princess Lingmeng's hand. The killer was confirmed. The flying dagger was useless to him now. Moreover, it was only a small thing—what matter if it was a divine weapon?

Watching Li YouRan depart, Princess Lingmeng felt a touch of confusion. Young Master Li had just spoken of how highly he cherished the divine weapon of his savior, how deeply he felt gratitude for the life-saving grace, speaking voluminously of repaying kindness, so why had he suddenly discarded it as if it were refuse? This seemed...

Behind her, Mr. Wen whispered low, "The eldest son of the Grand Tutor’s residence—when he spoke just now, his emotions fluctuated unstablely. It was quite wrong, contradictory, one might say! While there was no killing intent shown toward the Princess, nor any overt malice, this old man still feels he is conflicted internally—perhaps... a feeling of great regret! And this feeling was directed toward the Princess. If it is not malice, then he knows something we do not. Your Majesty, for the Princess's safety, we should guard against him."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured, "I also wish to see just who this mysterious master is." Seeing Mr. Wen’s expression turn slightly displeased, he smiled brightly: "Have you forgotten that Ling’er has a bodyguard who never leaves her side? That bodyguard also possesses Tianxuan skill; her safety should be without worry."

"Ye Guhan? If he hadn't appeared earlier, or hadn't guarded the Princess so frequently, perhaps things would be better." Mr. Wen shook his head dismissively: "Now, since the last assassination attempt, anyone who tries to harm the Princess without considering the factor of Ye Guhan would surely be a complete idiot?"

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