This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 158 Be honest with each other

Xiao Xingchen nodded slightly; he had already given a long time to consideration the question raised by Murong Fenghua.

Often, to gain someone's trust, you must be honest with them, but your own background is truly unbelievable.

He struggled for a long time, torn between speaking and remaining silent.

Since entering this world, even Daji, he has never revealed his true origins.

But when facing Murong Fenghua, he felt an urge to tell her everything for the first time in his life.

There are two reasons. First, Murong Fenghua's character has been tested throughout his life and he was able to form a deep kinship with someone like Xiao Jianren. The kinship of more than ten years in his previous life is still vivid in his mind. Therefore, he firmly believes that even if he tells the truth, Murong Fenghua will definitely keep his mouth shut for him.

Secondly, Murong Fenghua herself was once a dazzling star, and her vision and understanding are like a valuable resource for Xiao Xingchen at this moment.

With her guidance, he would be able to avoid many detours, which is why he hesitated outside the imperial palace about whether to come and see her in person.

Having arrived here, he could no longer avoid the question of his origins; otherwise, he would be unable to explain his past with Murong Fenghua, and naturally, it would be difficult to gain her trust.

This is undoubtedly a dead end, and the only way to untie it is to be honest with oneself.

As for whether she believed him, he thought she probably would.

If an ordinary person heard about his origins, they would probably think he was crazy, but someone like Murong Fenghua, with such a broad vision and perspective, would probably not think of himself as crazy.

"Chat?"

Murong Fenghua lay languidly on the empty bed once more, tilting her head back to take a sip of the wine from the jug, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Ask away, I just hope you won't think I'm crazy after I tell you." Xiao Xingchen quietly sat back down by the fire, having already made up her mind.

"It seems you have an extraordinary background. Why don't you tell me some things so that I have a better understanding of your situation?"

Surprisingly, Murong Fenghua did not pressure him, which stirred something within Xiao Xingchen, and he immediately abandoned all his reservations.

"My name is Xiao Jianren, and I come from the Xiao family of Nanling. I am nominally the eldest son of the Xiao family!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Fenghua glanced sideways, turning her head in surprise.

"Everyone says that the eldest son of the Xiao family was summoned to the capital, but he disappeared without a trace after arriving at Yong'an City. It was you?"

"That's right. I never intended to go to the capital. Emperor Wu's summons was just a conspiracy against the Xiao family. I didn't want to become a pawn to be manipulated, so I secretly concealed my identity."

"You do have some cleverness, which I can understand. Please continue."

"Xiao Jianren is only my first identity; I have another identity,"

"Another identity?"

“That’s right, my other name is Xiaoxingchen.”

"You're really confusing me. They're just two names, what's the difference?"

Xiao Xingchen was silent for a moment, organizing his thoughts, before speaking again.

"What I'm about to say, whether you believe it or not, I hope you will keep it a secret!"

"Sure, please feel free to speak."

"This story is long and convoluted. After Xiao Jianren was summoned to the capital, he was appointed as the Prince of Kaoshan by Emperor Wu. In the next twenty years, he committed all kinds of evil deeds and became infamous. He deceived officials above and oppressed the people below. However, Emperor Wu turned a blind eye and tolerated his behavior again and again for twenty years. It was not until the moment he died that he suddenly realized that Emperor Wu had forged me into a human sword. When the human sword was formed, I was able to return to the present, back to the moment when I arrived at Yong'an City. Life is like an endless cycle. I was reborn. This is my origin."

Murong Fenghua's composure had vanished, her brows furrowed tightly as if she were carefully observing whether Xiao Xingchen's words were true. She straightened her posture, staring intently at Xiao Xingchen, not missing a single word he uttered.

"You really aren't lying to me?"

The bitter laughter was like a sharp sword, piercing through Xiao Xingchen's helpless sigh.

"No, this is all I know about Jianren's identity and background."

"Then why do you worship me? Could it be because of our future..."

"That's right. About three years later, I was poisoned in the palace and fled to Lengcui Palace in a panic, like a frightened bird. It was you who saved Xiaojianren. From then on, the two of us depended on each other for survival and formed a deep mother-son bond. In my previous life, Xiaojianren unfortunately perished while searching for the Star Pill for you. So when I first met you, Xiaojianren's emotions surged like a tidal wave, and I couldn't help but bow to you three times to thank you for your great kindness."

"Let me catch my breath. So, you're from the future?"

Xiao Xingchen nodded slightly.

"Then let me ask you, besides Emperor Wu bestowing upon you the title of Prince Kao Shan, what other evidence do you have to prove what is about to happen in the future?"

"Of course, I will not only be granted the title of Prince Kao Shan, but Emperor Wu will also betroth Huangfu Lingxue to me. This is just around the corner."

Murong Fenghua gulped down another mouthful of strong liquor, trying to calm the surging shock in her heart.

"Xiao Jianren? Why do you keep using this name to express yourself?"

Murong Fenghua's eyes were filled with surprise and doubt. Years of trials and tribulations had tempered her heart to be as calm and undisturbed as a deep pool, but at this moment, she was truly shocked. She did not doubt that it was a lie, because she saw sincerity in Xiao Xingchen's eyes.

But in these words, she keenly noticed something amiss; he consistently spoke as Xiao Jianren, as if it had nothing to do with himself.

"This involves another, even more bizarre matter."

"besides?"

"Well, there's one more thing, this is what I meant by my second name."

"Speak quickly! Tell me everything in one breath! This is the first time in all these years that I've heard of something so absurd. I must explain it to you properly."

The deposed empress's interest was instantly ignited, burning like a raging fire. She gulped down several mouthfuls of wine and stared at him intently, ready for anything.

"What I just told you was about Xiao Jianren's life. Next, I will talk about Xiao Xingchen, which is myself."

Do you know Xiao Jianxian?

"That's natural!"

"Over the years, I'm afraid everyone in the world has been searching for the origin of Xiao Jianxian. He appears suddenly like a ghost and disappears suddenly like a phantom. No one has been able to find his trace."

"Yes, you are absolutely right. Even Emperor Wu sent people to investigate this matter for a long time, but this person seems to have appeared out of thin air. There is not a single piece of information about him in this world."

"That's because he comes from another world, which is my hometown. We are from the same hometown."

"What? Another world? A realm beyond this world? Or the Jade Capital Heaven?"

Xiao Xingchen shook his head repeatedly.

"The other world I'm referring to is a truly different world, a world where technology is as dazzling as a profusion of flowers, a world with highly developed productivity. In that world, people cherish human rights, and imperial power has long been ruthlessly crushed by the wheels of history. In that world, we call a world like the Great Qian a feudal dynasty, a backward era."

"That world is beyond any world you know. If the so-called Nine Heavens were in our world, a single nuclear bomb could destroy it instantly. Why would it be as troublesome as it is now?"

Xiao Xingchen continued talking to himself, genuinely feeling that if they had nuclear weapons, the Jade Capital Heaven and the Heaven and Earth would all have to cower in obediently. Unlike now, where this is taboo and that is unspeakable, it is truly displeasing.

However, his words struck Murong Fenghua like a bolt from the blue, leaving her momentarily stunned.

She might be able to ignore other things, but she had personally experienced the power of Yujingtian! Now someone was telling her that a mere nuclear bomb could wipe it out. What kind of divine weapon was this nuclear bomb? How could this not shock her?

"You haven't said these things to anyone else, have you?"

"That's natural. This is the first time I've revealed this since I entered this world. Even Daji was kept in the dark."

"Alright, then remember this: never mention these words again, no matter who you are facing. I will put them behind me now. If someone with ulterior motives finds out about your background, you will be doomed. Even a god descending to earth could not save you from this predicament."

Murong Fenghua gave solemn instructions with a serious expression, while her heart was already churning with turmoil.