Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 470

Chapter 470: The Hidden Balance of the Heart

Mu Lan appeared surprised to meet both sisters from the main line of the Mu clan together. She heard the rumours about Mu Yue, the clan’s second lady how she betrayed them and joined the second prince as his hound.

‘Yet why is she different from the rumours and reports?’

Asura and his group sat in a relatively comfortable private room inside a vigilant restaurant in the eastern part of the emerald dream.

He felt a sense of confusion and hostility from Mu Lan towards Mu Yue at first; there was a sense of déjà vu with how they treated her back in Silvara due to arriving with the first prince of the empire, and both she and the others doubted her reasons for coming.

Even he doubted her reasoning. But now he understood her.

The poor girl clung to life desperately, not for her benefit—instead, she sought to get revenge, building her power and training desperately.

‘I wonder how hard it must have been for Mu Yue to think that even the resistance doubted her. Was there anybody she could even speak or turn to when backed into a corner? Mu Xue always had me.’

“Lady Mu Xue, I truly cannot believe that you survived after reading the reports from our scouts and the secret investigation files.”

Mu Lan’s face was a mixture of happiness and bitterness of remembering that night when most of her relatives and reason for living vanished overnight. The Mu family had their eyes set on a glorious path towards freeing the empire from tyranny, yet they didn’t see it coming at all.

“Mu Lan, I’m also still in disbelief. There is no better gift in the world than learning you, your brother and Mu Yue were alive, to think that many of the branch families escaped it enough for me to feel a sense of joy.”

Mu Xue’s icy eyes flickered with soft blue light while she leaned closer to Asura, her hands squeezing his. ‘After all, I feel at ease when holding Asura’s hands, the soft silky surface and rough skin on his palm and finger pads.’

“Yet how did the current situation happen? What is your reasoning for joining forces with the first prince?”

Mu Xue asked Mu Lan about the events of the last few years.

Thanks to Vela, Asura already knew this information, which became pretty bleak. His mind drifted to thinking about his lovely princess waiting back home while the women discussed the Mu and Féng clans over the past year or two.

‘I can’t imagine having to stay away from her for such a long time.’ Asura missed Vela greatly—he missed his lover. The only saving grace was that he would meet her soon.

“About the prince…”

As they sat chatting in this secluded room, Mu Lan started explaining the situation of the resistance before. Finally, the conversation came to the first prince, Shang Luo. An enemy of both Mu Xue and Asura.

Asura felt his heart beat faster, worried this might be a complicated trap.

‘Can we trust her?’ As he thought about the dangerous situation, he held Mu Xue’s cool hand, squeezing his, before she leaned against his shoulder and placed his hand on her stomach.

A strange feeling enveloped him as all fears and doubts vanished, and only a strange… beat began to throb under his hand.

“Can you feel it?”

Mu Xue’s soft voice floated into his ear, the whisper barely audible as her cheeks seemed red. The benefit of having superhuman senses that reached a divine level was that he could feel his child’s heartbeat.

“Remember, Asura don’t be afraid, I am here beside you.” Mu Xue smiled at him while gently grasping his hand.

Asura’s face became one of a silly fool before the conversation between Mu Yue and Mu Lan entered his ears.

“So the young prince has lost his power, and is fearful his father will dispose of him after their losses to Silvara?” Féng He Ran asked with a sharp voice. Her eyes narrowed as if to intimidate Mu Lan.

“I believe it isn’t far-fetched to think about. The second prince is dead along with his army, so I do believe Shang Luo has no way back into the emperor’s good graces.

Consider the fact he failed three times and came back from Silvara with nothing… no, in truth, he allowed some dangerous people into the city because of his seal, allowing them to skip body searches.”

“So the first prince is fearful his father will replace him. I wonder how the emperor plans to replace the crown prince when he already killed off all of the other male members of his family and will have another son.

Unless there are concubines already pregnant, or he has some bastards hidden somewhere…” Asura spoke up in response to Mu Lan’s words, feeling his courage and willpower return thanks to the woman at his side and the slight bump which held their child.

‘So this is the baby I created with Mu Xue. My child!’ Asura felt the bloodlust in his heart vanish. It was weird since this was an emotion he felt every day of his life after accepting the monoliths, yet it was a feeling he felt from Lorem, Helliana, and Vela… whenever he touched or came close to his pregnant wives, soft white energy flowed into his body.

‘It feels so calming… and soothes my anger and hatred. Is this the Anima of my child, my children, soothing me with their mother’s power?’

“I do not have solid information, but the Prince has been with us for almost a month and so far he’s helped a great deal.”

Though Mu Lan accepting the prince made Asura, Mu Xue and Mu Yue apprehensive, there wasn’t some bloodthirsty need for revenge inside either of them. The pair of lovers looked at each other and nodded.

A sense of understanding that if one forgave his crimes, the other would accept them and not push it further. The only issue was Mu Yue, who suffered more recently and might not accept their choice. Still, the pair hoped she would respect their choice.

“You don’t care for the lives lost because of his orders?” The third voice in this conversation, Mu Yue, spoke. She had a complicated expression of bitterness and looking at her older sister, then switching to Asura, she bit her lip and looked vulnerable, causing Asura to sigh.

“If he cannot appease the victims, then so be it. I never said forgiving him, but at least if he is alive can he not atone for the sins of his father and the past?”

“Eh…? Asura?” Mu Xue was the most shocked that her husband said these things. She knew a little of his past, and the emotions he held regarding this man and the memories she held herself showed how miserable they both became in their past life when faced with Shang Luo.

‘But… If my husband can let go of some of his hatred, would he be able to smile more often, not to hold such weight on his shoulders?’ With her thoughts coming to fruition, Mu Xue decided not to interfere and support Asura with whatever he chose as she looked at her sister with a faint smile.

“Little Sister… I cannot make any excuses, I am powerless against my feelings. If I could, then I would kill him now. Yet if he truly tries to make amends and sees the suffering of the people. I cannot forgive him, but I won’t seek revenge like a crazed lunatic.”

Mu Xue was the future clan leader, but Mu Yue was her younger sister and they shared a close bond in the past. No, even now, their bond was still strong; it was a fact that the sisters could feel each other’s pain and suffering.

However, there was a new emotion that began to save Mu Yue, a feeling that Asura had given Mu Xue in the past. The same thing which she would share with both her younger sister.

He was a man capable of understanding other people’s thoughts, and the power he held in his body right now gave Asura confidence that no matter how hard his task or dangerous situation, nothing would take him away from them. ‘I won’t let either of you feel fear like before.’

Mu Yue stared into Asura’s eyes as the words of both her older sister and Asura hit her, and the complicated feelings inside slowly began to calm.

These feelings didn’t vanish but allowed other emotions to leak out from her frozen heart, giving way to happiness and peace. “I see… Sister, I will follow what choice you and Asura make.”

Féng He Ran didn’t have an objection because she was from the branch family and knew how much work Mu Xue and Asura had already been doing and going through.

She didn’t force her opinions on them. “Let us give the prince a chance, but remain vigilant to him and his hidden purpose.”

“That seems like a good idea, He Ran.”

Asura nodded while Mu Lan’s face seemed to beam with delight.

The fact she seemed to have feelings for the prince became quite obvious. However, none present knew how to advise a young girl with a crush on a villainous prince.

“I am pleased with that. It means I don’t need to worry about your actions and the resistance in the future.” Mu Lan seemed delighted with this result before she spoke with an odd voice that seemed both mature and childish.

“I know this is abrupt… but we still don’t know how long you will be here in this city. Will you remain in the west and meet us slowly over time?” Mu Lan’s words made Mu Xue’s heart feel conflicted as if the thought of staying in this city any longer than required.

This feeling was also one that made her happy to have more time with her clan.

‘But the others are waiting patiently to be reunited with darling…’