Chapter 156 - 95: Dog: My Relationship with Little Auntie Is Heating Up Rapidly (Part 2)

Chapter 156: Chapter 95: Dog: My Relationship with Little Auntie Is Heating Up Rapidly (Part 2)

"He left his apprentice—your mother—to continue caring for him. They lived on the island for a year. By the time he left with you in his arms, your mother had already died during a difficult childbirth.

As for your mother, she entered the Yingzhou Immortal Island as a child.

In other words, aside from your father, the emperor, no one knew what your mother looked like.

I asked him for a portrait of your mother, but he said I wasn’t worthy of her face.

So I just gathered a few portraits of women from the Xiang Family and, based on their features, fabricated this devastatingly beautiful face.

So, this face belongs neither to your mother, nor to me."

Zhao Ci was speechless.

Gu Xiangzhu lowered her head, a cunning smile flashing in her eyes. "The real me is a hideously ugly freak."

With that, she smiled and studied Zhao Ci’s reaction.

Zhao Ci just stared blankly for a moment.

Unsure whether he didn’t believe her or refused to, he just mumbled, "Don’t listen to what other people say. You have a good heart."

"I have a good heart."

Gu Xiangzhu scoffed. "Then give me the Alchemy of Wine, hmm?"

Zhao Ci was speechless.

He grunted a couple of times but didn’t say anything else.

Gu Xiangzhu changed the subject. "You should get some rest. I’ll help you find out who the killer is."

"Thank you!"

Zhao Ci nodded and closed his eyes. Soon, the sound of his soft snores filled the air.

Gu Xiangzhu shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. ’I’m growing more and more confident about taming this little puppy. Before, I thought it would be quite difficult. His personality had changed so drastically, making him hard to predict. But this trip to the Black Fog Space exposed his weaknesses. He’s a little too straightforward! As long as you can get him to agree with your ideas, or to accept you as a person, he’ll do anything for you that doesn’t cross his lines. If trouble arises, he’ll protect me just as he protected Kan Luotang today. A man like that, once under my control, will be an incredible asset. Perhaps... I can raise the stakes even further?’

Gu Xiangzhu bit her lip. ’Based on Zhao Ci’s performance today, his potential is limitless. It would be a terrible waste if he only has the Celestial Demon Body, Celestial Demon Tendons, and Celestial Demon Bone. But... that’s a closely guarded secret of the Demon Sect. Teaching it to him before I have him completely under my thumb would likely cause significant trouble. Before, I might have been able to handle it. But now... the Demon Monarch has reappeared. If he were to find out, the consequences could be dire.’

’Why has he reappeared now?’

Gu Xiangzhu’s slender brows furrowed. She couldn’t tell if the Demon Monarch’s return was more of a boon or a bane for her.

’The Demon Monarch and I have severe ideological differences. His return will undoubtedly have a negative impact on me. The influence I’ve spent years building by infiltrating the other branches will shrink dramatically. No one knows better than I do just how fanatical the Demon Sect’s members are about their Monarch. And the financial networks I use to control the other branches could largely be seized by him. Isn’t the only reason Huangfu Song is being so audacious because he thinks the Demon Monarch is returning, and he’s trying to show his loyalty by seizing those financial networks for him ahead of time? The man is just too arrogant. He completely underestimates the Imperial Clan Court, thinking some half-baked frame-up job could fool those monsters. This time, all I have to do is give a little hint, and the Imperial Clan Court will follow the trail right to the source, squeezing most of Huangfu Song’s influence out of Lingge. Of course, the most important reason is that he completely misjudged my stance on the matter.’

’In the past, I would have considered the Demon Monarch’s return more of a benefit than a drawback. But now, with Zhao Ci’s appearance, I feel I have a chance to replace the Demon Monarch myself.’

’Since the Divine Cocoon has stirred, why hasn’t he appeared yet? Where exactly has he been hiding for the past twenty years? His will was shattered back then, and his injuries were so severe. How in the world did he recover? The Divine Cocoon stirred again... Has he broken through once more? Is he being so secretive because he fears for his safety, or is he plotting something else?’

Gu Xiangzhu grew uneasy. ’I should return to Lingge immediately and mobilize all my resources to find the Demon Monarch’s whereabouts. I have to find him before Huangfu Song does and see if he’s still as obstinate as he was twenty years ago. If he is, I must make other plans as soon as possible. If the opportunity arises, I might even be able to kill him! Since he’s being so secretive, he can’t possibly be at his full strength.’

’The Divine Cocoon! The Divine Cocoon!’

A vicious glint flashed in Gu Xiangzhu’s eyes. ’I know all too well how terrifying it is. Back when the Demon Monarch’s Divine Cocoon reached the Seventh Transformation, Xiang Tiange was the only person in the world who could suppress him. If he hadn’t been so arrogant—if he had waited until the Eighth Transformation before fighting Xiang Tiange—he would have become the ruler of the Great Yu long ago. When an expert of that caliber appears, even the most brilliant prodigies are reduced to mere followers. If our goals were aligned, I could tolerate it. But if the Demon Monarch is still as conceited as he used to be... Unacceptable!’

She lowered her head, confirmed that Zhao Ci was already asleep, and gently laid him down.

Standing before the window, she glanced back at his sleeping face.

’Just now, Zhao Ci was at his most vulnerable. It was the perfect time to manipulate him with words. If I had been a bit more aggressive just now, I probably could have made him completely mine. But seeing how helpless and weak he looked, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.’

’Haste makes waste.’

’Best to take things slow.’

She then formed a hand seal for a technique. With a flow of Magical Power, she vanished from the room into thin air.

...

「Fifteen miles east of Qingyang County.」

The Earth Palace was grand and gloomy.

"You bastard!"

"An absolute disgrace!"

"Cowering before the battle has even begun! What punishment do you deserve!"

Huangfu Song stared with a ferocious gaze at the small white insect on the table.

At that moment, a thumb-sized One-Day Flower-Blooming Gu Sub-Insect was pinned firmly to the wooden table by several poisoned needles.