The Anarchic Consort

“Y-Your Highness, I…” Bai Mei tried to explain herself.

Baili Jia Jue stared at her coldly. “Why are you so nervous? Isn’t that your precious sister?”

Bai Mei was trembling uncontrollably. As an assassin, she did not fear death, but she was terrified of Baili Jiajue. She regretted all of her decisions and her recklessness that led to her taking matters into her own hands.

“I had overestimated your intellect,” Baili Jia Jue’s lips curled up as he looked at her. However, his smile never reached his eyes. “She is my prey, yet I couldn’t bear to harm even a single hair on her head. Now look at you guys – aren’t you helpful indeed, filling her mind with ideas on how to leave me.”

Bai Mei almost stopped breathing when she heard this sentence. She tried to explain, “I-I thought Sister Yun was the one whom you-”

Thump!

Before she could finish her sentence, Baili Jia Jua waved his sleeve and sent Bai Mei flying to land heavily on the ground more than a meter away. She coughed painfully, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth.

Baili Jia Jue stood up gracefully. Seemingly unconcerned about her plight, he turned to Shadow and asked, “How are things at the General’s residence?”

“Your Highness, the people at the Huai residence had accepted bribes from the four influential families and rescinded their proposal for Helian Jiao Er’s hand in marriage,” Shadow reported while glancing meaningfully at the shadow guards nearby.

The shadow guards kept their heads down as they carted the unconscious Bai Mei away. All of them understood clearly that from now on, the princess consort should be treated with the same degree of respect as His Highness.

After listening to Shadow’s report, a wicked grin appeared on Baili Jia Jue’s face. “Rescinding the marriage? I was the one who bestowed the marriage upon them, but the Huai’s dared to go against it? How daring of them.”

Shadow bowed his head. It was indeed daring of them; his master was notorious for being someone you should never cross. Despite that reputation, they were still bold enough to make reckless decisions at times like this.

“Turn over all the evidence of corruption done by the Huai family to the Retired Emperor. Since they don’t like weddings, then we shall let them hold funerals instead,” Baili Jia Jue instructed calmly.

Shadow could only imagine how disastrous the fate of Huai residence would be. “What about the General’s residence?” he asked tentatively.

“Let Lan Lian continue; Helian Guang Yao won’t be so carefree any longer,” Baili Jia Jue sneered. “Helian Wei Wei’s methods are still too gentle. People like Su Yan Mo have to face retribution – an eye for an eye.”

Initially, Fire Qilin had intended to stay out of this, but it could not resist speaking up any longer.

“Master, there is certainly no one in the world who is more despicable than you are.” Seducing Helian Guang Yao with an assassin? Only its master would think of such a devious plan.

Baili Jia Jue raised an eyebrow at it.

Fire Qilin shrunk its head timidly. “What I meant was, why are you intervening?” His master had always been of the opinion that the petty fights between humans were beneath him.

Baili Jia Jue placed his scroll on the wooden table. “As a qualified master, I have to know how to raise my pet properly.”

So, it was all for Helian Wei Wei?

“When I was the prey, you’ve never fed me properly!” Fire Qilin extended its neck, protesting for its own rights.

Baili Jia Jue looked at it stoically. “Haven’t I fed you all the vegetables you could eat?”

“But I’m a carnivore!” Fire Qilin bellowed. It could not suppress its discontent any longer.

However, Baili Jia Jue was getting fed up with its ranting, so he started to sever the mental link between them.

Fire Qilin called out hastily, “Master, wait! Wait! I think that you should tell Miss Wei Wei about this.”

Otherwise, everything you have done will be in vain if she doesn’t know about it!

Sigh, it sure is tough having a master who has never been in a relationship before. I have to worry about things like this…

No one can possibly find a more omnipotent mythical beast in the world apart from me!

Mentally, it howled with pride at itself.

Outwardly, it said, “Master, think about it. If Miss Wei Wei knew about this, she will be really touched! When a woman is moved by your feelings, they will practically throw themselves into your arms.” Fire Qilin continued to express its opinions. Usually, Baili Jia Jue would have asked it to shut up a long time ago, but this time, he actually listened to all it had to say.

At this point, Fire Qilin felt that its position in its master’s heart had increased in priority. It felt so proud that it stuck out its chest and fluffed its fiery red feathers.

The little creatures who were frightened by the Green Dragon earlier felt helpless once again. They were so terrified that they huddled together in a corner of the room, as far away from the Fire Qilin as they could.

******

In a secluded corner of the gardens, the man looked at Yun Biluo as he said, “This is the so-called influence that you were talking about?”

“There were some misunderstandings between His Highness and I,” Yun Biluo explained. She pondered for a while before she lifted her delicate face again, “Nevertheless, I believe that our misunderstandings will be resolved soon; just give me some time.”

The man cocked his head to the side and gave it some thought. Then, he stood up and drawled, “Helian Wei Wei can summon even the mighty Green Dragon. How much chance of winning do you think you have?

At the mention of this, Yun Biluo’s fingers tightened. “There is still one final test for the War Dragon Army. There are people other than I who want Helian Wei Wei to fail.”

“Heh,” the man gave a low laugh. “All of these underhanded tactics again. Okay, go. You’re dismissed.”

Yun Biluo retreated, but it took a while for her to suppress her desire to look for Baili Jia Jue. She told herself that if this was the price to pay for her betrayal in the past, then so be it. She was willing to do anything to appease his anger.

However, at this crucial time, she could not seem to contact Bai Mei.

Yun Biluo squinted and walked further away.

The Demon-Transforming Beast that was hiding in the corner watched her leave with its reddening eye. After making sure that Yun Biluo had gone far, it finally revealed itself to face the man. “Master, thanks to her, we had to sacrifice the Blood Serpent Beast. It’s not worth it at all…”

The man’s fingers froze. His expression was clearly one of displeasure.

The Demon-Transforming Beast knew that it should not be saying this, but it continued anyway, “I’ve never seen a human like Baili Jia Jue. Nonetheless, he would not have sensed the Blood Serpent Beast’s presence if it wasn’t for the Fire Qilin at his side. Who knows what had came over the Fire Qilin for it to willingly be bound to that man as his mythical beast. Its presence had also made things harder for our Bone Eroding Beasts to act, for they are afraid of being discovered by the Fire Qilin and expose master’s plan.”

“Then possess human vessels.” The man retracted his gaze. “The will of the elders in the four influential families should be drained by now. After they’ve drank the last mouthful of the mythological beasts’ blood, you can take over their minds whenever you want. Choose whichever vessel you please. As for the Fire Qilin, just leave it to the Green Dragon.”

The Demon-Transforming Beast frowned upon hearing the last statement. “This is impossible. The Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon might be each other’s nemesis before this, but both had once subjected to that man before. I don’t think they would fight each other.”

“Helian Wei Wei might have roused the Green Dragon from its slumber, but she would not be able to bind it with a contract,” the man explained calmly, “Once the Mysterious Ice Iron Chains are off, the might of the Green Dragon would no longer be restrained. Its temperament is tied to the Qi surrounding it. When the Green Dragon was trapped beneath the lake, the air of serenity here at the White Academy was concentrated enough to allow the Green Dragon to maintain its natural disposition.”