Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince-Chapter 384: You Must Go to This Place

If Qi Yu were here, she would definitely have realized that the face of this Saintess was identical to that of the purple-dressed maid she had seen in her dream.

The reason for the astonishment of those present, however, lay in the fact that this face bore a nine-tenths resemblance to the portrait of the first-generation Saintess hanging inside the Holy Maiden Temple.

Shi Zhou and Shen Xiheng were oblivious to this, sensing that something was amiss only from the expressions of others.

The two exchanged glances before their gazes simultaneously fell back onto the Saintess on the platform.

Unlike the shock of those below, the Saintess had calmly picked up the purple face veil that had been blown away by the wind, covering again the face that had caused such surprise.

The ceremony continued as if nothing had happened, the preceding event being just an insignificant interlude; once everyone had come back to their senses, expressions of calm returned as if nothing had occurred.

But Shen Xiheng noticed that the expression of the second Prince did not relax; instead, it grew even more grave as he stared intently at the person on the platform.

That look was as though he wanted to devour the person alive.

After the ceremony ended, the crowd watched the Saintess return to the Holy Maiden Temple and then dispersed.

The Holy Sacrifice Day of Tulan would last for about seven days. During these days, all court affairs would be suspended, and the gates of the Imperial Palace would be open. The commoners could freely enter and exit the Imperial Palace, but only along a designated path to visit the Holy Maiden Temple for blessings.

As foreigners, Shi Zhou and Shen Xiheng didn’t have this privilege and could only stay at the hostel, waiting for the Emperor’s summons.

However, the two didn’t idle away their time; they had already disguised themselves and, taking advantage of a moment when the guards outside the hostel were distracted, mingled with the crowd and slipped into the Holy Maiden Temple.

The Holy Maiden Temple was located in the most secluded southwestern corner of the Tulan Imperial Palace. It was said to face a Divine Mountain located in the outskirts and was the most spiritually powerful place in the entire nation.

Those who lived there were blessed with profound fortune and longevity.

Shen Xiheng was dubious about the truth of this claim.

After all, if there were such wondrous place, the King and Empress would have moved in long ago instead of leaving such a geomantic treasure to the distant Saintess.

Longevity was the most tempting bargaining chip for a sovereign of a nation.

The two followed the Tulanese and entered the Holy Maiden Temple.

The Holy Maiden Temple could only accommodate two visitors at a time.

Thus, even before dawn, a long queue had formed outside the temple, with everyone waiting for the Saintess’s blessing.

If they couldn’t enter the Holy Maiden Temple before sunset, they would have to wait until the next day.

When it was their turn, it was just a while after noon.

The day was still young, and the temple was filled with ample light, allowing a clear view of everything inside.

As they entered the temple, Shen Xiheng quietly surveyed the Holy Maiden Temple. In the center stood a white jade statue of the Holy Maiden with two cushions placed before it for worship and prayers.

Seeing this Holy Maiden Statue, he suddenly understood the reason for the Tulanese’s shock the previous day; the Saintess’s face and the Holy Maiden Statue appeared indistinguishable.

However, the statue seemed to exude more compassion, while the actual Saintess had a cooler demeanor.

But the indifference reflected in the eyes was exactly the same.

He looked around the temple and noticed the Saintess was not present inside.

Shen Xiheng lowered his voice and said to Shi Zhou, "These Tulanese are really strange, going through so much trouble to queue and enter the palace, just to worship a statue of the Holy Maiden?"

He had thought that at least they would be able to see the living Saintess herself, so their hours of waiting outside wouldn’t have been in vain.

From the moment Shi Zhou entered the hall, her gaze had been fixated on the spotless white statue of the Holy Maiden.

This Holy Maiden Statue did not resemble the Buddha statues she had seen before in temples, which always depicted the Buddha with a dignified appearance, looking down at all sentient beings from above.

But the Holy Maiden Statue was different; although it stood two meters tall, it did not give off an air of aloofness.

Her hands were clasped together, her eyes slightly downcast, the corners of her mouth lifted in a subtle arc, that seemed both mocking and sighing.

That face was carved exquisitely, as if it were painted.

Moreover, the face of the Holy Maiden was not veiled, her beauty fully displayed for the world to wonder at.

It felt as if one could touch her with an outstretched hand, yet she stood ever so far away, indifferently watching the masses worshiping below.

"Why are there two faces that look so alike?" Shi Zhou didn’t show the same reverence toward the Holy Maiden Statue as the Tulan people did; she raised her hand and gently stroked the white jade statue, then lifted her head to look up at the flawless face.

Shen Xiheng also lifted his head to look and with a slight concentration guessed, "Could it be that the people of Tulan select each Saintess based on the likeness to the Holy Maiden Statue?"

Shi Zhou glanced at him and nodded, "That might be possible."

There wasn’t much time left for the two of them.

They had only taken a cursory glance when a bell reminded them that it was time to go.

Elsewhere, Qi Yu and Li Mingjue had made a round through the Ghost City.

They could continue to survive for a while on the water and food from the space, but it was not a good long-term solution.

And, they couldn’t stay in this place forever.

Since yesterday, when the City Lord had received them, the ghosts in the city had not dared to lay a finger on them again.

This greatly facilitated their movements; no longer did they have to hide, they could walk openly through the city.

The Ghost City was not very large, only about half the size of the capital city, and much of it was empty houses and ruined pavilions, which could be walked through in a morning.

Not long after returning to Ningzhu Pavilion, a Ghost Envoy, dressed in black and with an indifferent expression, came calling.

Upon seeing her, Qi Yu arched an eyebrow, "Does your City Lord want to see us again?"

The Ghost Envoy looked at her emotionlessly and denied, "No."

Qi Yu waited for her to clarify her purpose, but after a moment of silence, the person in front of her maintained her muteness, prompting Qi Yu to ask, "Did you need something from us?"

A struggle flickered in the depths of the Ghost Envoy’s eyes, her hands clenched into fists. She bit her lip, made up her mind, and said, "I will take you to a place."

Qi Yu intuitively felt that the place she intended to take them to was definitely not a good place, but perhaps, it was related to the secrets of the Ghost City.

So, after pondering for a moment, she asked, "Is there danger in this place you speak of?"

The Ghost Envoy glanced at her faintly, her face void of expression, but somehow, it conveyed a hint of mockery as she countered, "What do you think?"

Qi Yu shrugged nonchalantly, "I don’t feel like guessing. If you don’t feel like saying, then don’t."

She detested people who spoke in half-truths. It was clear that the other party needed something from them, yet here they were, acting as if it was they who were eager to seek her assistance.

The Ghost Envoy also knew that beating around the bush with Qi Yu wouldn’t work, so she stopped hiding her intention and stated bluntly, "Whether there is danger or not, it varies from person to person. However, if you want to leave this place, then you must go there."

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