Chapter 210

Chapter 210. There Is No Place for Me Under Heaven

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍palace maid hesitated for a long while before finally mustering her courage and saying in a small voice, “Out there… they are all saying that Your Highness is a demoness, that you use demonic arts to bewitch His Majesty… and they also say…”

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for what came next, the little palace maid truly could not bear to say it, so she stopped again.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Cailin was listening intently. She immediately turned to look at the little maid and said, “What is there to hesitate over? Just say it. Besides, it is not as though I have never heard ugly things before, so you do not need to worry about my feelings. Just tell me exactly what they are saying outside.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍little palace maid swallowed hard. Her heart was in complete turmoil as she said in a trembling voice, “Th-they… they also say that the child in Your Highness’s womb is a Demonic Spawn. They say that this Demonic Spawn was born with evil in its nature, and that in the future it will… it will overturn the realm of the Human Race and drive the common people into misery and displacement. They say it absolutely must not be allowed to live.”

Cailin ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had never imagined that the rumor could become this absurd.

Now ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they had even invented a Demonic Spawn?

The color slowly drained from Cailin’s face.

This was utter nonsense. These people had gone far beyond reason.

“Is… is there more?” Cailin let out a bitter laugh, mocking herself.

Was it because she had somehow failed, and that was why she had ended up like this?

No.

She had clearly done nothing at all, said nothing at all, yet every filthy accusation and every calamity had been dumped onto her head.

Seeing how bad Cailin looked, the little palace maid shrank her neck in fear.

She bit her lip, then continued, “Your Highness, they also… also say that you dress up so beautifully every day because at night you have to eat human hearts to keep your beauty. They also say you drink the essence blood of virgin boys and girls to nourish the Demonic Spawn in your womb…”

“That is enough.” Cailin cut her off with a sharp rebuke. She could not bear to hear any more.

These people’s imaginations were far too wild. How could they twist one matter into something this grotesque?

Cailin interrupted her, her voice hoarse.

The little palace maid hurriedly fell silent. She stole a glance at Cailin, then quickly lowered her head again, trembling all over like a leaf.

Cailin had no intention of blaming the girl. After all, the rumors had not come from her mouth. She was merely doing what she had to and leaving the rest to fate.

So no matter how much Cailin questioned her now, it would be useless.

And besides, there was no need to make things difficult for a palace maid.

Waving a hand, she said bitterly, “You… you may go.”

As though granted a great pardon, the little palace maid knocked her head several more times, then turned and ran, as if something terrifying were chasing her from behind.

Watching the girl flee in such a panicked, disorderly way, Cailin sat alone in the pavilion, staring at that plate of pastries without moving. Yet a trace of self-mocking laughter appeared in her eyes.

Eating human hearts, drinking the essence blood of virgin boys and girls, carrying a Demonic Spawn… and even overturning the realm of the Human Race?

To be honest, hearing such things almost made Cailin laugh.

Those words echoed through her mind again and again, like countless needles piercing her until she was covered in wounds. And yet all she could feel was helplessness.

Suddenly, Cailin thought of the day her father died. He too had been killed by cultivators of the Human Race.

That was also why she had resisted the Human Race so fiercely.

At the time, Cailin had still been young, and her cultivation had been low. Her clansmen had held her down tightly, not allowing her to make a single sound. That was the only reason she had survived.

But even now, Cailin still remembered the words that human cultivator had spoken as he raised a three-chi-long blade and smiled wickedly.

“All the Ancient Royal Clans are aberrations. They all deserve to die. Kill them all!”

Cailin also remembered the look in her mother’s eyes as she shielded her and fled, and the way those clansmen had thrown away their lives one after another to protect her.

Live.

No matter how hard it is, you must live on.

And she had survived.

More than that, Cailin had even begun to let go of the cruel things the Human Race had done to her in the past. She had not forgotten the hatred, but she had already laid it down.

But what about now?

She had clearly already given up her vengeance for her father and her mother, yet the Human Race still refused to spare her kind.

Cailin almost wanted to laugh.

No one could choose the circumstances of their birth. Yet they had chosen goodness with all their hearts. They had even let go of old hatred, wanting only to begin again and live rightly.

But even after they had gone that far, the Human Race still pressed forward step by step without yielding an inch, determined to wipe out every last demonic beast among the Ancient Royal Clans.

Was this what they called justice?

She had done nothing at all, and yet now she had become a demoness.

A demoness despised and denounced by all.

The demoness in everyone’s mouths who drank the Human Race’s essence blood, who slaughtered innocents, who feasted on human hearts.

Suddenly, she laughed, tears streaming down her face.

“Mother… you were right. The Human Race truly has no place for me… and they will never make peace with us. We can never coexist.”

And so Cailin sat in that pavilion in the Imperial Garden for an entire afternoon.

When Chu Feng did not see Cailin in the palace chambers, he came to the Imperial Garden.

By then, the sky was already completely dark.

It was only by relying on his memory that Chu Feng was able to make out Cailin’s figure.

Inside the pavilion, Cailin was still sitting there without moving at all, her back looking so frail and fragile.

For a moment, Chu Feng could not help feeling a pang of heartache.

“It is this dark—where are those palace maids? Why has no one lit a lamp for you? How are they attending to you?” He walked over, sat down beside her, and took her hand.

Cailin’s hand was ice-cold, and Chu Feng could not help gently rubbing it between his palms.

Cailin did not look at him, nor did she say anything. She simply let Chu Feng hold her hand.

Chu Feng frowned. Under normal circumstances, he could not even touch Cailin, yet now she offered not the slightest resistance.

At once, a strange feeling rose in his heart.

“Attend me! How exactly have you all been serving Your Highness? It is already so late, and this place is pitch-black. Do none of you know how to light a lamp? And Your Highness is dressed so lightly. Are you servants so blind that none of you thought to bring her a cloak? Let me make this clear right now—if anything happens to Your Highness, every one of you will deserve death!”

Chu Feng rebuked them sternly.

Things had already been unsettled lately, and Chu Feng had grown especially disgusted with these people who obeyed on the surface while defying him in private. He was using this chance to teach them a lesson.

People were like that. Leave them undisciplined for a few days, and they started pushing their luck. The same was true of these servants. Give them a few days without rules, and they forgot who their masters were.

The few palace maids and eunuchs standing guard nearby dropped to their knees the moment they heard Chu Feng’s words.

“Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us!”

“Your Majesty, it was Her Highness who did not want the lamps lit, and she did not want any extra clothing either… we servants could do nothing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Her Highness has been sitting in a daze all afternoon without eating or drinking. There was nothing we could do.”