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"What, are you afraid?" Su Jinyan raised an eyebrow.
Xueyi candidly admitted, "Indeed, I am afraid."
"But not for my own safety; it is your well-being that concerns me."
Unless their transgressions were grave enough to be intolerable even to the six rulers of Xianzhou, Vidyadhara individuals rarely faced severe punishment. Even if they committed murder, the harshest sentence from the Ten-Lords Commission would typically be annihilation, allowing them to reincarnate anew.
This leniency stemmed from the fact that the Vidyadhara had lost their ability to reproduce naturally. With each death, their population diminished irreversibly, unable to replenish itself. Consequently, any Vidyadhara executed by the dragon-blade guillotine could no longer undergo rebirth and reincarnation.
It was precisely due to this reason that when Imbibitor Lunae received his sentence, the dragon masters had fervently pleaded with General Jing Yuan to intervene.
If Su Jinyan attempted to execute a dragon master using the guillotine, he would face unimaginable resistance.
Su Jinyan reassured Xueyi, "There's no need to worry about me. I won't take actions without being fully prepared."
Xueyi said, "As the special envoy of the Ten Lords, every action you take represents their will."
"Should it truly come to that point, even if others do not stand with you,
my fellow Judges of the Ten-Lords Commission, your little sister, Huohuo, and others like them will all be by your side."
Su Jinyan inwardly smiled; his false identity as the Ten Lords' special envoy had proven quite useful. It had managed to deceive Xueyi and Hanya for so long without being exposed.
Once the right moment presents itself, he would confess the truth to them.
Upon returning to the Netherworld Manor, Xueyi focused her thoughts and inscribed commands within the Aurumatons, ordering their unwavering loyalty to Su Jinyan.
"The flesh of Aurumatons is susceptible to the afflictions of the five aggregates."
"Only their metallic essence remains steadfast, unswervingly executing the decrees of the Ten Lords."
"Some Aurumatons wield authority surpassing even ours as Judges."
"However, should you wish to enforce discipline on sinners or correct evil and injustice, they shall obey your command."
In the depths of consciousness, Su Jinyan's will instantly connected with those of the Aurumatons.
He distinctly felt that as long as his actions involved "enforcing discipline on sinners or correcting evil and injustice," these Aurumatons would unconditionally follow his directives.
Su Jinyan nodded approvingly, "Well done."
Xueyi responded, "I want my reward."
Instantly understanding, Su Jinyan leaned close to Xueyi's delicate earlobe and whispered softly, "Later, I'll satisfy your hunger?"
Xueyi shivered slightly and slowly shook her head, "Not that kind of reward."
Not that kind? Observing Xueyi's expectant gaze, Su Jinyan furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before suddenly comprehending.
He understood; Xueyi meant to share equally.
"First, I'll feed you until you're full, then Hanya."
"Huh?"
"That's not what I intended," Xueyi replied.
"Then who do you want me to feed first?" Su Jinyan asked, puzzled.
"To feed... Huohuo?" Xueyi turned with uncertainty.
Behind the door, Huohuo felt frightened and whispered softly:
"Tail Master, what does Lady Xueyi mean by 'feed Huohuo'?"
Tail deliberately scared her, saying, "It means devouring you completely, leaving nothing behind."
"Waaahh..." Tears welled up in Huohuo's beautiful eyes. "Does Diviner Su eat people too?"
"But Huohuo isn't tasty; her meat seems rather tough."
"No, you're misleading me again."
"Lady Xueyi clearly said 'feed Huohuo,' not 'feed Diviner Su,'" Tail responded dismissively. "What difference does it make?"
"Even in The Shackling Prison, wouldn't they at least let prisoners have one last meal before execution?"
Inside the room, Su Jinyan sounded perplexed. "Huohuo? Although she looks adorable..."
"...the meat appears quite tough, doesn't seem very appetizing."
"I still prefer your kind of taste."
Huohuo dared not speak further after that.
Tail wasn't lying; Diviner Su truly ate people.
Huohuo had merely come to deliver a document to Lady Xueyi, never expecting to overhear such a terrifying secret.
Will I even make it out alive? Resignation, I must resign!
Xueyi gently turned her head and spotted Huohuo hiding just outside the door. "Huohuo, come here," she said softly. "I have something important to discuss with you."
Huohuo's face paled as she whimpered, "Lady Xueyi..."
"I-I will work really hard, please don't let Diviner Su eat me, okay?"
Su Jinyan, filled with regret, stepped closer menacingly. "Never thought my secret of enjoying human flesh would be exposed, Huohuo. Since you've discovered this truth, I cannot let you live!"
Waving a small white flag in surrender, Huohuo retreated step by step. "Diviner Su, I-I...surrender..." she stammered. "Right now, I'm still young and not very tasty. Can you let me live for a few more decades before eating me?"
With a thud, Huohuo stumbled and collapsed onto the icy ground, tears streaming like tiny pearls.
"Ah, enough already," Tail chided dismissively. "Stop scaring her. Have some consideration for your position - is bullying a little girl here really that amusing?"
Smiling warmly, Su Jinyan crouched down and asked, "You're Tail, the Heliobus, correct?"
"Phantylia was captured by me not long ago," he continued. "I've imprisoned her in a dark cell, whipping her dozens of times each day."
"Huohuo, wouldn't you wish for 'Tail' to avoid Phantylia's fate?"
Huohuo tearfully pleaded, "Oh, Master Tail, for your sake, I-I..."
Interrupting her, Tail said, "Huohuo, please just let him eat you."
"I certainly don't want to end up like Phantylia."
Feeling even more betrayed, Huohuo's sorrow deepened inexplicably.
"Master Tail? Y-you, how could you?" she stammered.
"Aiya, what do you mean by that?" Tail rolled his eyes. "You fool, can't you see he's been joking with us all along?"
Su Jinyan pinched Huohuo's smooth, delicate cheeks, playfully contorting them into a comical expression.
"Little Huohuo, avoiding being eaten is quite simple from now on—just stop calling me 'Diviner Su'," he teased gently.
Huohuo looked at him pitifully, "Then what should I call you?"
"Call me Grandpa Su," replied Su Jinyan.
Xueyi remained silent.
"H-Hey Grandpa Su," Huohuo stammered, "please don't eat me, okay?"
Tail bristled with irritation. "Hey, hey, hey! Are you trying to take advantage of me here?"
"You want Huohuo to call me 'Uncle' while addressing you as 'Grandfather'?"
"What, now I'm your father or something?"
Su Jinyan responded solemnly, "That's where you're mistaken."
"Many would covet the honor of being my son but can't even dream of it."
Intrigued, Tail asked, "So tell me, what benefits come from being your son?"
With pride, Su Jinyan replied, "Don't Heliobus like experiencing human emotions?"
"Huohuo, with his teary tendencies, doesn't exactly offer a rich variety of feelings, does he?"
"Wouldn't you like to taste more exquisite emotions instead?"
Tail was already swayed. "But remember, you said so yourself. Now then, relinquish control and let this grandmaster inhabit your body?"
Smiling slightly, Su Jinyan said, "Hold on, don't rush."
"You should feel it coming - something big is about to happen."
Tail mulled over these words. "Something big is coming, something big is coming..."
"Sh*t, Huohuo, quickly release this grandmaster! It's f*cking serious!"
Huohuo firmly refused, "No way."
"You clearly just wanted me to remove the talisman and sneak onto Grandpa Su's body," Tail said with anguish. "Aaaaaahhh, hiss, I'm really not lying!" he pleaded.
"Listen up, Huohuo, hurry and let me out—the big one is truly coming!"
"Su Jinyan, you absolute bastard!" Tail cursed vehemently.
Xueyi remained silent, observing the scene unfold.
In the end, it was Su Jinyan who proactively peeled off the talisman from Huohuo's tail.
Regaining its freedom amidst immense discomfort, Tail swiftly darted away. If it had suffered an embarrassing accident right there at the Ten-Lords Commission, not only would it lose all face, but it also risked arousing Xueyi's disgust, potentially leading him to confine Tail within the Crescent Moon Bottle Gourd once more.
"Huohuo, what's wrong with Tail?" asked Huohuo timidly.
"Instructing him firsthand on the feelings humans experience during diarrhea," Su Jinyan replied gravely.
Huohuo fell silent, unsure how to respond.
"During your bouts of diarrhea, does Tail still remain attached to your rear?" Su Jinyan queried.
Again, Huohuo hesitated, speechless.
Finally, Xueyi interjected, "Alright, A-Yan, stop teasing Huohuo now." Turning to Huohuo, he asked, "Did you bring any new intelligence here?"
"Yes, Lady Xueyi," Huohuo responded hastily.
"The latest intelligence reports that we discovered an unfamiliar man at Scalegorge Waterscape with contact to Dragonmaster Suguang."
Xueyi's expression turned serious. "Present it."
Huohuo extended her delicate white hand and gently tapped on the jade divination tablet screen. Moments later, a virtual projection appeared before them:
Sampo, clad in high heels, sported fiery red lips and heavy makeup, swaying seductively.
Su Jinyan was momentarily speechless.
With hesitation, Xueyi asked, "Huohuo, are you certain this is an unfamiliar male?"
Huohuo explained, "The report states that after comparing entry records, this stranger indeed identifies as male."
"His full name is Sampo Koski. He arrived on the Xianzhou Luofu seeking his distant uncle, Diviner Su," Huohuo continued.
Su Jinyan raised his voice slightly, questioning, "Hmm?"
"Huohuo hastily corrected herself, "I mean, Grandpa Su."
Su Jinyan nodded approvingly, "Yes."
Xueyi looked at him skeptically, "A-Yan, is this your distant relative?"
Su Jinyan swiftly distanced himself, "I don't recognize such relatives."
He hadn't interacted much with Sampo. Who would've thought that behind Sampo's rugged appearance lay a fetish for cross-dressing? Truly, appearances can be deceiving.
But being a Masked Fool, any behavior was to be expected; it's just unclear what his intentions were with approaching the dragon master.
Xueyi nodded. "Understood. I will personally apprehend him and bring him to the Netherworld Manor for our little sister's interrogation." With a gentle tap of her delicate, pale hand, the projection resumed showing Sampo's every move.
The Dragonmaster Suguang exclaimed, startled, "What kind of monstrous creature are you? Why dress up in such ghastly attire?"
Sampo looked at him disdainfully. "Stinky man, seriously off-putting."
"Judging someone's appearance right off the bat—how utterly speechless," he continued mockingly.
Dragonmaster Suguang fell silent.
With utmost respect, the maid addressed them, "Sir, this is the Scaledeep Waterscape, a sacred place of the Vidyadhara clan."
"If there are no further matters, we kindly request that you leave."
Sampo glared at the maid. "On what grounds do you assume my gender, old Sampo?"
The maid was rendered speechless.
In a stern voice, Dragonmaster Suguang interjected, "Miss, could you please depart from here?"
"I have no desire to resort to violence against women, but if you refuse to leave, don't blame me for setting aside chivalry."
Quietly, the maid asked, "Lord Suguang, are you certain they're female?"
Hands on hips, Sampo glared indignantly. "Sister, you're clearly wrong here."
"As fellow women, are you disparaging my looks, old Sampo?"
"I-I'm sorry..." stammered the maid.
Sampo cast a flirtatious wink, adopting a dainty pose. "Hmm, so annoying, yet still apologizing?"
"Sister, does saying sorry really fix anything?"
"Can a simple 'sorry' erase your oppression and discrimination against women?"
Xueyi felt slightly uneasy. "Huo-huo, pause for a moment—I feel like I'm about to vomit."
Huohuo's face paled. "M-me too, Lady Xueyi."
Immediately, both Xueyi and Huohuo turned their gazes towards Su Jinyan.
He hastily defended himself, "This probably isn't morning sickness."
"Firstly, Xueyi is just a mannequin and cannot become pregnant."
"Secondly, Huohuo, I haven't even touched you; if either of you were pregnant, it couldn't possibly be my fault."
Xueyi remained silent, as did Huohuo.
It seemed that A-Yan had remarkable resilience, likely having encountered such eccentricities before. However, encountering someone as peculiar as old Sampo was indeed a first for Xueyi.
In any case, they decided to pause the recording temporarily and step outside for some fresh air.
As Su Jinyan continued watching, his confusion deepened—what could be Sampo's true purpose in interacting with dragon masters? Was this heavy makeup and flamboyant appearance a secret quirk of Sampo's, or was he deliberately presenting himself this way?
Soon enough, Xueyi and Huohuo found themselves retching uncontrollably outside the Netherworld Manor.
The howling wind swept through the window, carrying faint echoes of Xueyi's furious voice: "Tail! How dare you relieve yourself indiscriminately within the Ten Kings Division?!"
Xueyi's furious voice echoed outside: "Tail, how dare you relieve yourself indiscriminately at the Ten-Lords Commission?!"
Huohuo gently reminded her, "Master Tail, remember to be polite and courteous; don't—ugh—"
Defending himself guiltily, Tail exclaimed, "I f*cking didn't want this either! It's all because of that bastard Su Jinyan making me sh*t uncontrollably."
"Is it my fault if your eyes get dirtied? Go blame him!" Tail protested.
While Heliobus, as energy beings without fixed forms, would expel pure energy with no discernible odor during such functions, human imagination knows no bounds.
At the sight of bare sleeves, one instantly conjures images of white arms, which swiftly leads to thoughts of full nudity. Similarly, witnessing Tail's diarrhea immediately evokes associations with other unsavory scenes.
Before long,
Huohuo, Tail, and Xueyi returned grumpily to the Netherworld Manor.
Their gazes upon Su Jinyan held an unmistakable unease.
Especially Tail, who seemed ready to tear Su Jinyan apart but was utterly powerless against him.
Damn it, encountering Su Jinyan has been nothing short of eight lifetimes' worth of bloody bad luck. The agony of pregnancy and childbirth still haunted him vividly, and now he had caused Tail more embarrassment...
Su Jinyan relished the sight of others' frustration and helplessness towards him.
"Ah, let's continue playing it. I'm curious to hear what else Sampo has to say."
"S-sure."
The projection resumed.
Sampo gently touched their lips. "Aiya, my dear old Dragon Master.
"Do you realize the impending doom upon your head?
"My friend is quite eager for your life, you see."
Dragon Master Suguang erupted with fury, unable to bear it any longer.
"Guards! Throw out this monstrous aberration, neither man nor woman!"
With a furious sweep of his sleeves, Dragon Master Suguang stormed off.
Several Vidyadhara guards, expressions stern, blocked Sampo's path. "Please leave without forcing us to take action."
Resigned, Sampo lightly snapped their fingers, sending a business card flying into the hands of a nearby servant girl.
"Lovely Little Sister, if the old Dragon Master changes his mind, remember to seek me out again, oh-ho~"
Before the other Vidyadhara could intervene, Sampo skipped merrily away from Scalegorge Waterscape. As they departed, Old Sampo even blew a kiss at the camera.
Xueyi's delicate features darkened slightly. "Provocation, blatant provocation."
Huohuo shuddered uneasily. "Lady Xueyi, I feel nauseous again..."
Tail groaned, "Ugh, not just you two."
"I feel like puking too—just what is this person? Male or female?" Su Jinyan fell into deep thought. Regardless of whether it was truly old Sampo or an imposter, capturing him and having Hanya interrogate him would reveal the truth.
The most crucial question remained: What exactly does "old Sampo" intend to accomplish?
Masked Fools seek ultimate pleasure, going to any lengths for their amusement. If disrupting my plans brings them joy, then their actions make sense.
However...
How did old Sampo know I planned to execute the dragon masters? So far, I've only confided this intention to Xueyi; no one else is aware. Even Jingliu would assume I merely intended to send them into reincarnation, not actually kill them outright.
At this realization, Su Jinyan couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.
I understand now—the mole is none other than myself.
Regardless, the intelligence Huohuo brought proved invaluable. At least Su Jinyan knew there was a Masked Fool lurking in the shadows, attempting to undermine and sabotage his plans.
Fascinating. Is this a declaration of war against me?
Within the Scalegorge Waterscape, at the Dragon Master Parliament, the factions of Pro-Dragon and Anti-Dragon dragon masters continued their heated debate.
Dragon Master Taoran declared coldly, "The ancestral laws must not be defied or altered."
"Dan Feng has long been stripped of his position as High Elder," countered another voice.
"Now he dares to seek reinstatement? How audacious."
"My stance remains unchanged: extract the complete Magic of Dragonification from Dan Feng, restoring order to the High Elder's lineage."
"Our unyielding duty across generations is to preserve the dragon bloodline."
Secretly observing, Jingliu perused the intelligence Su Jinyan had compiled. Dragon Master Taoran was among the most radical members of the Anti-Dragon faction.
Ever since the Imbibitor Lunae Rebellion, he had advocated for abolishing the High Elder title, extracting both the Magic of Dragonification and the Abyssal Pearl from Dan Feng, and establishing the Dragon Master Parliament as the governing body. However, even fellow members of the Anti-Dragon faction found Taoran somewhat overly zealous.
Dragon Master Suguang stroked his beard, responding, "Indeed, my stance remains the same."
"Lady Bailu must become the High Elder; she will be our Vidyadhara clan's beacon of hope."
Jingliu's beautiful eyes grew slightly colder. Despite the old man's eloquent words, his true intention was merely to manipulate Lady Bailu as a puppet High Elder.
The Shimu Binding Chains affixed to Bailu's dragon tail were enacted on this old man's covert instructions. Without Dragon Master Suguang's clandestine guidance, Yun You, the High Elder's attendant, likely wouldn't have dared act independently.
Dragon Master Taoran sneered audibly. "Enough, Suguang," he spat. "Wind Huan is right—you old fools have grown too accustomed to being mere subjects. You've forgotten how to govern yourselves."
"Bullsh*t!" Dragon Master Suguang retorted angrily. "Aren't I just considering the future of the Vidyadhara?"
"Very well, let me take a step back," said Dragon Master Taoran. "If Dan Feng wishes to reclaim her position, it shall be allowed. Even I believe this would better serve the Vidyadhara's future development. However, I have one condition: henceforth, Dan Feng must recognize the authority of the Dragon Master Parliament and refrain from corresponding with any other High Elders."
At that moment, a crisp young voice echoed through the Dragon Master Parliament. "In my view, once we have High Elder Dan Feng, there's no need to keep the useless Dragon Lady around. Grant Bailu a dignified death, allowing her to depart peacefully from this world."
Instantly, uproar seized the assembly, as curses and denunciations filled the air without relent.
While such thoughts were not unheard of privately, voicing them openly constituted grave disrespect towards the High Elder.
The dragon masters glanced around, attempting to identify who had spoken, but none could pinpoint the source.
As the Dragon Master Parliament adjourned, they failed to reach any significant consensus, ending once again on discordant terms.
Jingliu shook her head slightly; these incompetent fools paled in comparison to even half the capabilities of Xiao Didi.
The relationship between the High Elder and the dragon masters was akin to a balance scale. Only when their power remained evenly matched could equilibrium be maintained. If one side became too dominant, the scale would tilt entirely in its favor.
Before the Imbibitor Lunae Rebellion, the previous High Elder, Dan Feng, amassed excessive authority, completely escaping the checks imposed by the dragon masters. This ultimately led to the calamity of that rebellion.
Throughout Vidyadhara history, numerous disasters arose from the unchecked actions of unbridled High Elders.
Now, the Vidyadhara found themselves at a tipping point where the ambition and influence of the dragon masters threatened to sow further chaos.
What my little brother and I intend to do is bury these foolish dragon masters.
Jingliu emerged from Scalegorge Waterscape, her exquisite face cold and composed.
Being confined in the same room with these ignorant, arrogant old fools was truly nauseating.
Just then, Jingliu's device chimed—it was a video call from Su Jinyan.
Her beautiful eyes softened, and her icy heart seemed to melt like ice thawing in spring.
She opted to project the video onto her surroundings.
Moments later, Jingliu froze, incredulous as she double-checked.
Yes, it was indeed her little brother calling.
However...
Instead of his face, Jingliu saw Xueyi's delicate features on the screen.
With those expressive eyes conveying subtle discontent, slightly parted tender lips, and joyful hums, every gesture proclaimed Xueyi's claim over Jingliu's Xiao Didi.
"Who are you?"
Jingliu's murderous intent surged; she hesitated to grip her jade divination tablet too tightly, fearing it might shatter under her grasp.
"Lady Jingliu truly has a noble memory, prone to forgetting."
"While you were at the Netherworld Manor, it was always Little Sister and I who instructed the golden guardians to care for you. Have you forgotten?" Xueyi strove to maintain a composed tone.
However, Jingliu saw through Xueyi's facade effortlessly. Yet, deep down, she wished Xueyi's acting skills could indeed deceive her.
"What are you doing there?
"Is Xiao Didi with you?"
Xueyi's lips parted slightly, ready to respond, but her words were interrupted by violent shaking on the screen.
The quality of this jade divination tablet is abysmal; even capturing movement appears so blurry.
"A-Yan, he-he-he... Uh, he isn't here..."
"It's me... secretly using his jade divination tablet..." Xueyi stammered before quickly composing herself.
"My apologies, the signal here isn't very good."
Silence ensued.
"Let's continue. Did you gather any useful information within the Scalegorge Waterscape?"
No immediate response came from Jingliu.
Tears welled up in Xueyi's beautiful eyes as she pleaded, "Miss Jing Liu, could you please say something? A-Yan... he isn't moving anymore..."
BEEP—
Jingliu silently draped her blindfold over her eyes and ended the video call.
The intense medicinal energy surged thrice within her pill furnace before finally being suppressed by its icy chill.
Rationally, Jingliu knew that priorities must come first, with the greater picture paramount.
For the Dragon Lady, she could temporarily endure this indignity and settle accounts with her little brother later.
Hmph, disobedient little brothers deserve a proper lesson.