"Miss, don't bother yourself, I won't disturb you any longer," he nodded to Xi Feng then he walked away with Xi Feng following behind him, she wanted to say something else but she felt her tongue was tied, she bit her lower lips in regret.

Originally, she was sold by her step-mother to Ruyi Pavillon for just a measly sum of money and her father who is tied around her step-mum little finger couldn't do anything about it, he just watched while his eldest daughter was sold to a prestigious brothel. The moment she stepped her foot into the brothel, she was determined to climb unto a high position where every other woman will have to raise their head to look at her, in just a year, she managed to overthrow all the entertainers who have been at Ruyi pavilion before her, so she was given the title of the premium entertainer of Ruyi Pavillon. ​​

Although Ruyi Pavillon is considered to be a lowly place to be in for other ladies from prominent families, the entertainers are not obliged to sleep with the men they serve unless it is of their own volition and this is the rule that has remained ever since Madam Ju established the pavilion but no one knows the true purpose of the Pavillon.

The fourth prince climbed the stairs then he entered one of the rooms at the deep end of the corridor, if he was an outsider then it would have been clear to him the rooms in that area are not open for entry but as the owner, how can he not know about the secrets of the Pavillon.

Xi Feng closed the door behind him while Ruansong walked deeper into the room to find the person he is seeking after, his lips curved into a faint smile seeing the beautiful woman standing in front of him, it is almost as if she didn't age but she only got younger, considering her condition when he brought her in.

"Master!" she greeted and immediately fell to her knees with her hands cupped in front of her and her head deeply bowed, since she couldn't go to him, she has been waiting for his visit for over three years. He quickly walked up to her and held her by her arm to pull her up but she still wouldn't rise from her knees.

"Madam, you don't need to be so courteous," the fourth prince insisted softly, the tone he spoke to her in showed that he really cares about the person kneeling in front of him.

"No your highness, I owe you my life although I am been living in pleasure throughout these years, my heart has never stopped worrying about your highness and waiting for your visit," She maintained, her deep respect and gratitude were very obvious to Xi Feng and the fourth prince even though he hasn't seen her for years.

"Madam Ju..."

She finally listened to him and stood up from her knees, she gestured her hands towards the round table in the middle of the large room with three chairs surrounding the table, Ruansong walked towards the chair and took his seat with Xi Feng following after him.

She sat on the chair and waited for Ruasong to speak knowing that his presence here means that he surely has a use for her.

"How have been all these years," he asked with concern written on his face.

"What does your highness think," she answered with a smile on her crimson red lips.

"It is indeed obvious that you have been doing well but what I see might not be the case" Ruansong responded.

"Your highness doesn't need to worry about me," she replied

"Madam Ju, it seems like you haven't trained your premium entertainer well, she dared to speak down on his..."

"Xi Feng!" the fourth prince scolded with a frown on his face but he just bowed his head in apology.

"If she has offended you, I hope your highness will forgive her and not take it to heart," Madam Ju interceded.

"It is alright,"

"By the way, your highness visit here is for..."

"I have been having some ominous feeling these days so I decided to come here and ask about her, the second young mistress of the flame sect," the fourth prince answered, at this point, his worries were pretty evident, Madam Ju smiled at his answer since she has already guessed that he must have come here for her, if not her then the only reason he would need any information is because of the royal family.

"Your highness, It seems like you are still in love with her," Madam Ju remarked with a chuckle along with Xi Feng.

"Even if I can't be with her and she might not remember me, she is still the only one in my heart and I have to protect her," Ruansong said, making the mood change into a solemn mood while the smiles on their faces disappeared and changed into pity.

"Madam Ju doesn't need to pity me, I might be far away from her but my shadow is still there with her," he said with a reassuring smile on his face after noticing the look on her face

"Your highness, if you leave your shadow with her for too long, your power will be consumed and you might not be able to get your shadow back, if one day you have to return to the palace, people might find out that you also have powers," Madam Ju remarked with worry on her face while Xi Feng shared the same worried expression.

"Madam Ju doesn't need to worry about that, the power of the ice saint is not something that can easily disappear, no matter how much power it takes for me to leave my shadow with her, nothing bad will happen to me so you don't need to worry,"

"If your highness is having an ominous feeling then I suspect you have felt something from your shadow, does your highness suspect that her life is in danger,"

"I am not sure but some months ago, I noticed that my internal energy is being channelled into another vessel, the only conclusion I can come to is that her powers are unstable so my shadow has been using my ice power to stabilise her, if that is really the case then I suspect that something is triggering her flame power to make it unstable, if this continues, she will not be able to pass my royal father's test in two years,"

"Although I know nothing about that, there is another news that might be able to reassure you, a few days ago, the sect alliance and the court accused the flame sect of infiltrating the vitality sect and murdering a captain who was recently awarded by the emperor,"

"What!" the fourth prince exclaimed with his calm composure flipped.

"Your highness doesn't need to worry, this issue has been taken care of meticulously by the sect madam of the flame sect, she is indeed worthy of her fame, my sources inside the palace informed me that she played the emperor's card to her own advantage, making him compensate her sect by allowing her to see her daughter for a day and moving up the test," Madam Ju informed with an amused expression on her face, although she summarised the information she got when she informed him of it, she was deeply impressed by Huo Jingyu.

"That is a relief but if the test has been moved up then that might not be good, if my speculation is right then she might not be able to pass the test," the fourth prince said as he stood up from the seat and paced around the room with one of his hands placed on his chest while his other elbow rested on his hand, he fiddled with his thumb and index finger, trying to think of a solution to this crisis.

"If her mother allowed this to happen then she must have her won plan but if your highness is still worried then why don't you return to the capital, using the emperor's upcoming birthday as your reason for returning to prevent others from making speculations," Madam Ju suggested, she stood up from her seat and walked behind him with her hands folded on top of each other and placed on her navel with every one of her steps ringing elegance.

"Your highness, I agree with madam Ju, the reason you left the palace is because of her because you have to leave your shadow with her, if she passes the test and regains her freedom then the both of will have a chance to be together," Xi Feng chimed in to convince him knowing that his master would never take her suggestion that easily.

"Your highness, this young lady doesn't know all you are doing for her, although I haven't seen you for three years, I am aware that you have been using your internal energy to stop her from exploding because of her inability to withhold such powers within her, why don't you give yourself a chance to be with her?" although he claims to be fine with leaving his shadow with her, he still can't deceive her and Xi Feng, it took many years of his cultivation to be able to separate his shadow from his being, not to talk of sharing his internal energy and his ice power with his shadow, since his mother's years of cultivation were transferred to him the moment he was born, it didn't affect him that much but he will still have to experience a deep pain that is enough to make him lose his consciousness for years once every month until he summons back his shadow.

"I don't want her to know anything I have done for her but I do agree with you, I need to return to the capital, that is the only way I can really protect her," he turned back to face them with a determined look in his eyes, it seemed to them that he had already made up mind to be by her side.

"I am glad that your highness has made up your mind to do so but your highness should still be careful, although you are the ice clan saint and you are immortal, if you are fatally injured, you will fall into a deep sleep," she had the look of a mother in her eyes, filled with concern and worry, he smiled seeing how she looked at him.

"Madam Ju is still the same as before, you are always worried about things you shouldn't be worried about...." he stopped halfway when he sensed her presence in the brothel.

"It seems like she is here," the fourth prince remarked with a smile, earning a confused look from Madam Ju.

"Who is your highness referring to?"

"Madam Ju, master is referring to Xiaodi, the naughty spiritual..." he stopped when he sensed the fourth Prince piercing gaze at him, he pursed his mouth and avoided his master's gaze.

"ahhh, Xiaodi, has she...." she didn't complete her sentence before Xiaodi came through the door with six girls following behind her.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

"Hey! where do you think you are going,"

"Master!" Xiaodi shouted as soon as she saw her master then she ran to him and linked arms with him while he and Xi Feng nodded his head at her naughtiness and raised his head to see the six ladies running after her.

"Madam!" the ladies greeted in unison

"We tried to stop her from coming in but she wouldn't just...." she raised her hand to stop the lady speaking then she gave them a dismissing wave, they bowed their heads and left the room while Madam Ju turned to the seemingly young girl with a confused look.

"Could this be...?"

"Yes, she is Xiaodi, she transformed into a human on her hundredth birthday," the fourth Prince informed, then he turned to the spiritual beast who is still clutching his hands.

"Xiaodi, behave," she unlinked her arms and slowly walked towards madam Ju, she circled her with a confused look on her face.

"Master, I have seen this beautiful woman before but I can't seem to remember where and when I saw her," she stopped in front of her before running back to her master.

"Xiaodi, how can you not remember madam Ju?" then he turned to madam Ju,

"Her senses are not fully developed, I hope madam Ju will not be offended,"

"Xiaodi....it seems like her temperament hasn't changed even though she has transformed into a human," she replied with a tone that showed her amusement.

"Master, I was wondering why you suddenly decided to leave the pavilion today, it turns out that you came here for this beautiful woman but you were never interested in women why..."

"Don't say nonsense," Xi Feng cautioned with a stern expression on his face but Xiaodi glared back at him. Madam Ju couldn't hold her laughter anymore, she laughed loudly but elegantly seeing as there are no changes in the spiritual beast turned human.

"If there is nothing else then I will take my leave now," the fourth prince said

"I will escort you," Madam Ju said, taking a step forward.

"There is no need for that, I don't think that would be appropriate since it would draw too many people's attention to my identity,"

"If your highness says so then I have no choice but to oblige, I wish you a safe journey back," she responded with her head slightly bowed.

The fourth prince nodded and walked out of the room with his two followers, after he left the room she lifted her head and sighed, she hasn't seen him for years but the first time she is seeing him after three years, he is still burdened by his love.