Silence lingered within the chamber.
Li Xuan stood beside the bed, his breathing steady, his expression calm. Yet beneath that calm surface, his thoughts moved like a storm.
The poison was not completely gone.
His body was still weak.
And yet—
He was alive.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A soft, cautious sound echoed from the door.
"Your Highness… may this servant enter?"
Li Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Not his maid Xiao Lan.
A different voice.
"…Enter."
His tone was faint, deliberately weak.
The door creaked open.
A middle-aged servant stepped inside, dressed neatly, his posture respectful. The moment he saw Li Xuan standing, a flicker of surprise flashed across his face—
Then vanished.
"This servant greets the Fourth Prince."
He bowed deeply before raising his head, his expression filled with concern.
"Your Highness, I heard your condition worsened last night… how are you feeling now?"
Li Xuan did not reply.
He simply looked at him.
Carefully.
Silently.
This was the same servant who had delivered the wine.
Every ingredient entering the imperial palace was strictly inspected. Poison could not appear without intention.
Which meant—
He had added it himself.
He came to confirm whether I'm dead.
Li Xuan coughed lightly, his body swaying as if struggling to stand.
"…Still alive."
"That is good… very good. This servant was deeply worried."
The words were proper.
The tone respectful.
But the eyes—
Too sharp.
Too observant.
Not concern.
Confirmation.
Li Xuan's lips curved faintly.
Interesting.
A mere servant could never obtain poison capable of killing a Cave Manor cultivator…
Someone else is behind this.
"I drank the wine last night."
His voice was casual. Almost careless.
The servant's body stiffened—
Only for an instant.
"Y-Yes, Your Highness. It was wine prepared by the kitchen."
Li Xuan tilted his head slightly.
Then asked, almost idly—
"Was there poison in it?"
Silence.
The servant blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then shook his head quickly.
"Your Highness jests. How could there be poison within the palace?"
Li Xuan took a step forward.
Slow.
Unsteady.
Yet with each step, an invisible pressure filled the room.
"Then why…"
His voice lowered.
"…did I almost die?"
The servant's expression tightened.
A thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead.
"This… this servant does not know…"
Li Xuan stopped right in front of him.
Too close.
Then—
His hand shot out.
Grabbing the servant by the throat.
"—!"
The servant's eyes widened in shock.
He hadn't even seen the movement.
Even weakened, Li Xuan was still a Third Stage Cave Manor cultivator.
Overpowering a servant—
Was effortless.
"You don't know?"
Li Xuan's voice was soft.
Dangerously soft.
His grip tightened.
The servant clawed at his wrist, his breathing turning ragged.
"Y-Your Highness—!"
"Let me ask again."
Li Xuan's gaze turned icy.
"Who told you to poison me?"
Fear flooded the servant's eyes.
"I—I didn't—!"
The grip tightened further.
Bones creaked.
The servant's face turned red—
Then pale.
"You have one chance."
"…I… I…"
His voice trembled violently.
His will collapsed.
"I was told… I was told to deliver the wine!"
Li Xuan's eyes sharpened.
"Who?"
"I don't know!" the servant cried in panic. "I swear! I never saw their face!"
A lie.
Or a half-truth.
Either way—
Useless.
Li Xuan stared at him silently.
As if weighing his worth.
Then—
He sighed.
"…Worthless."
The servant froze.
Terror filled his eyes.
"Y-Your Highness, please—! Spare me! I will serve you! I will—!"
Crack.
The sound was crisp.
Final.
The servant's body went limp.
His eyes remained wide open—
Frozen in fear.
Li Xuan released his grip.
The corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Silence returned.
He looked down at the body, expression indifferent.
"Begging for mercy…"
His voice was quiet.
"In a place like this?"
Foolish.
Before his thoughts could continue—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Heavy.
"Your Highness!"
The doors burst open.
Several guards rushed in, weapons drawn.
Their gazes immediately locked onto the corpse.
Then—
On Li Xuan.
The air froze.
Blood.
A dead servant.
And the Fourth Prince standing calmly beside him.
No one dared to speak.
No one dared to move.
Li Xuan slowly lifted his gaze.
Meeting theirs.
His expression remained cold.
Unshaken.
"He tried to assassinate me using poison."
A simple sentence.
Flat.
Absolute.
Silence deepened.
The guards exchanged glances.
Shock.
Confusion.
Fear.
Something was different.
The Fourth Prince…
Was no longer the same.
Li Xuan turned away, walking back toward the bed as if nothing had happened.
"Clean it up."
His voice was calm.
Casual.
As if a man's life—
Meant nothing at all.