Chapter 435: Always Impressive
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The stone pavers beneath their feet were hewn from solid blocks of cloudstone, meticulously fitted together. Weathered by wind and rain, and worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic, their surfaces gleamed with a glossy sheen, as if coated in a thin film. Beneath this veil of mist, stepping upon them felt like soaring through the heavens, riding clouds and mist.
The entire plaza within the inner city was paved with these stones. Viewed from afar, it truly resembled a celestial palace built amidst the clouds and mist.
"This is Master's palace? What grandeur!"
Ye Qinghan was speechless. This clueless Yao was such an embarrassment…
"Shiyao… That's the gatehouse. The palace itself lies beyond…"
The Fuyue Hall served as the highest governing body of the Execution Blades. The vast majority of critical combat missions were dispatched from here to the regional branches of the Execution Blades.
Located east of the Council Hall, the Fu Yue Hall's grounds lay beyond the garden to the left upon entering, circling around the Council Hall to reach Xun Ye's domain.
Also known as the Ant Nest, Fuyue Hall—including Xunye's private quarters—was entirely constructed underground.
This was because Fu Yue Hall was originally designed as an underground prison.
Xunye, the sole warden, reigns as the king of this subterranean prison.
The exposed portion does resemble a palace, though it seems to serve merely as a symmetrical counterpart to the opposite Dawn Hall.
Inside the Dawn Hall, aside from two subordinates on duty, there was no one else.
There was no throne here, only a plaque inscribed with the characters "Heaven's Mandate," discarded on the floor like trash.
This seemed to be Lord Xunye's style—far more interesting than having it hung overhead.
Following the red carpet straight ahead revealed the entrance leading down into the underground chambers beneath the Fuyue Hall.
Xunye's office and private quarters were both located on the first underground level. This meant that whether leaving work or attempting escape, one would inevitably pass before Xunye's door…
As mentioned earlier, Fuyue Hall was designed in the style of an underground prison, naturally housing some unsavory characters. Yet with Lord Xinyue present, they were all tamed into docile kittens.
Su Muchan glanced at Lord Xunye striding ahead, then at the adorably dazed Li Shiyao beside her, finally voicing the question she'd been dying to ask.
"Shiyao, I've been meaning to ask—aren't you surprised to see someone who looks exactly like you?"
Su Muchan had assumed Li Shiyu was slow to react, or perhaps hadn't noticed.
But…
Li Shiyu just sat there with her dazed and adorable little face, looking as if she were listening to some fascinating story.
"Someone who looks exactly like Shiyu? I've never seen one, but if such a person really existed, it would be pretty interesting!"
Su Muchan was dumbfounded!
"Huh? Can't you see? That's Xun Ye over there. Can't you tell?"
Li Shiyu followed the direction of Su Muchan's finger and looked at Xun Ye…
"I don't see it, Shiyao doesn't think he looks like her~"
Su Muchan looked utterly incredulous!
"What doesn't look like him?"
Li Shiyu was genuinely confused: "Junior Sister Muchan, are you trying to trick me? This clearly doesn't look like him! Nothing about it looks like him!"
Ye Qinghan and Dongfang Jue had grown accustomed to it. Though they couldn't quite explain it, they understood.
After all, Li Shiyu's big, innocent eyes always seemed to see things others missed.
"Wait, Dongfang Jue, you're saying Shiyu and Xunye aren't identical?"
Dongfang Jue: "Not at all."
"Huh? Are you two doing this on purpose?"
Ye Qinghan: "I don't think they look alike at all either."
Li Shiyu crossed her arms, tilted her little head, and adopted a sassy expression.
"See? Both my senior and junior sisters said they don't look alike at all!"
Su Muchan honestly felt she'd finally figured it out!
It was precisely because Li Shiyao bore such a striking resemblance to Lord Xun Ye that the big fox and Gu Ai had been so protective of her!
There was a reason for all this. The big fox was a fox demon, and Xun Ye was also a nine-tailed fox demon!
Plus, Xun Ye and that ditch had quite the scandalous relationship!
It all made perfect sense!
Though she hadn't read minds to learn about Xun Ye, she suspected Li Shiyao and that Xun Ye might be parallel instances of the same entity.
In the basement, Xun Ye's office was decorated in a cold, killer-style aesthetic.
The dominant black color scheme perfectly matched her fur. The only splash of red in the room was the plush, inviting bed.
Xun Ye had no particular demands for her work or rest environment—her only requirements were a soft bed and the finest carpet.
These were also the two most expensive items in her office—more precious than Xiao Ai's life itself.
Fox demons are notoriously clean. Before entering the room, Xiao Ai always removed her shoes outside to avoid soiling Lord Xunye's carpet…
"Kneel."
Lord Xunye always commanded thus. Xiao Ai was merely a pitiful lodger residing within the Blade of Execution. Lord Xunye had long made it clear to Xiao Ai that everything came at a price.
Even when Lord Xunye later changed his mind, Xiao Ai never forgot those words.
The four of them watched as the once-arrogant and overconfident Gu Ai obediently knelt before Xun Ye's desk.
"There's no bed for you in the Executioner's Blade dormitory. You must move out."
Xun Ye's words were always final, leaving no room for negotiation.
Xiao Ai was already a homeless child. Lord Xunye had no time to provide for her basic needs, only giving her a job.
She was assigned to manage the archives at the Blade of Execution. As for where she lived, Lord Xunye hadn't specified, so Xiao Ai simply found an empty bunk and settled in, sharing quarters with the rough-and-tumble men.
Truthfully, Xiao Ai rather enjoyed being around those rough men. They were far easier to please than Lord Xunye.
Xiao Ai had thought she earned that acceptance through her hard work, but that wasn't the case. It was still Lord Xunye's pity, and that pity came with an expiration date.
As for her attending the Military Academy, that too came about because Lord Xunye had spoken to the principal, arranging for Xiao Ai to audit classes.
After all, Lord Xinyue also taught at the academy, though the specific class schedule depended entirely on when he wasn't busy.
Her pretty face was mostly hidden behind the documents in her hands. Xun Ye's gaze lifted from the papers only briefly, glancing at Xiao Ai before he casually remarked,
"You'll stay here with me. Since you're only auditing classes at the academy, there's no dormitory for you."
Xiao Ai's face registered utter astonishment!
"Stay? With you? Where?"
Visibly, Xun Ye grew impatient upon hearing this…
She watched the documents fly over her head, tossed straight out the door by Xun Ye.
"If you don't want to stay, then go sleep in the trash heap."
"No…"
Xun Ye let out a long sigh, smacking his lips twice: "Heguang!"
In an instant, the four female disciples he knew intimately responded to the call!
Code-named Dragon Slayer, the elite enforcer and trusted lieutenant to two successive Supreme Commanders of the Execution Blades, Hakou instantly materialized at the doorway!
Passing through Li Shiyao's body, Hakko leaned lazily against the doorframe. She glanced at Xiao Ai before turning her gaze to Xun Ye.
"Boss, I was supposed to be off today…"
"Finish your work first, then rest. The documents are outside the door. If his goods leave the city, you won't need to come back."
"Yes, yes, yes. Can I take tomorrow off then? My little sister's waiting for me to celebrate her birthday…"
"Bring back the one who's out on the run, and then you can rest."
"Got it. I'll take Team Two with me."
Xun Ye said nothing. He Guang left immediately. Xiao Ai didn't dare ask about lodging again. Since Master Xun Ye had spoken, there must be a place to stay.
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