Chapter 344: Shi Yao Was Right!
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That night, Su Cheng stayed awake too, keeping them company as they sipped tea all night long.
The three direct disciples knelt there all night long.
Ye Qinghan knew deep down that her master was waiting for her to yield.
But she couldn't do it. She knelt out of respect for her master's kindness, yet she never felt she had done anything wrong.
"Shiyao, are you tired?"
"Mmm… Master… Roujiamo… Xiaolongbao…"
"Shiyao?"
Li Shiyu's little head drooped, clearly fast asleep. Her mouth hung slightly open, drool dampening the front of her shirt—a sight both exasperating and amusing…
Dongfang Jue promptly nudged his senior sister with his shoulder, and only then did Li Shiyu slowly stir awake…
Upon waking, Li Shiyu said nothing. She wiped her drool, closed her eyes again, and swayed unsteadily toward the kitchen hall…
"Shiyu?"
"Hm? Master? Why eat breakfast? Shiyu isn't hungry…"
Mid-sentence, even Li Shiyu sensed something was off…
"Um… Is Master hungry? Shiyu will go to the kitchen hall and fetch something for Master…"
"You knelt all night. Do you know why you were punished?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Shiyuo knew all along! Shiyuo will never dare again! From now on, Shiyuo will always listen to Master! Be a good child!"
"Heh, is that so?"
Li Shiyu nodded frantically. Whether she knew she was wrong or not, she knew she was wrong.
Su Cheng smiled. She knew Li Shiyu didn't care about right or wrong at all—she was just hungry.
Her tears weren't born of fear either—just the perfect emotional performance.
"Shiyao, promise your master this: next time you face danger, retreat immediately, okay?"
"Sure thing." Li Shiyu answered without hesitation.
"Now, follow me."
Su Cheng rose and led Li Shiyu back to her room…
Li Shiyu thought to herself, this direction…
Isn't this the Master's bedchamber?
Could it be that today would mark her first time?
She had heard it from the maidservant!
She hadn't conceived because she hadn't kissed!
To conceive, you don't just sleep together—you have to kiss!
If she hadn't known better, kissing wouldn't seem so bad—it doesn't hurt, does it?
But now, knowing she was to conceive with her Master, her heart pounded wildly, and she felt inexplicably shy…
The master's room was spotless, filled with a faint fragrance. Shiyu could tell it wasn't the same incense scent from his usual robes—it definitely wasn't the senior sister's doing.
"Shiyao, why are you taking off your clothes?"
Li Shiyu: We slept together before, so now we don't need to sleep together anymore? We can just kiss?
"Huh? Isn't Master planning to have a child with Shiyu?"
"…Kneel down first. Let me think…"
"Waaah."
Li Shiyu didn't mind kneeling. What cultivation level did she have anyway? Even if she knelt until next year, it wouldn't matter~
"Shiyao, have you kept the six ceremonial gifts your master presented you?"
Li Shiyu's heart tightened. Was Master planning to take them back?
"Yes, Master. I've kept all six gifts you bestowed upon me safe and sound, never parting with them."
"And your life-saving immortal pill?"
"Um… Shiyu kept it in her bosom… Huh? Where did Shiyu put it?"
Su Cheng watched as Li Shiyu began rummaging through her belongings right before her eyes, one hand supporting her elder sister while the other searched through her things.
"No need to look. You gave it to Qinghan. Your master saw everything."
Li Shiyu knew full well she couldn't hide this from her master. She'd assumed he wouldn't press the matter, merely acknowledging it briefly.
Li Shiyu believed she could slip through the cracks once again…
"Master, but Senior Sister has already…"
"Hmm, I know. What I'm asking is, why did you give your own immortal pill to Qinghan?"
Li Shiyao thought to herself, This is definitely going to be a problem!
She couldn't very well say she didn't like the taste, could she?
"Why aren't you answering?" Su Cheng pressed, seeing Li Shiyao hang her head in silence.
"Because… Shiyu didn't want Senior Sister… to die…"
As the word "die" escaped her lips, tears spilled from her eyes.
Just as Su Cheng opened his mouth to speak, a sharp blade sliced through the air, and a figure materialized within Lingxian Hall!
Her silver-white heavy battle armor featured a streamlined design, yet carried a hint of antiquity.
A silver greatsword and a towering black crossbow stood behind her, while a golden sword hung at her left hip.
Over the skirt armor lay liquid heavy reactive armor, glowing with a blue phosphorescence.
Light blue modular reactive armor modules hung from a custom belt, alongside a quiver bag strapped to her lower back capable of holding twelve arrows.
Arrows required arrowheads to be attached before firing. Depending on the mission type and target material, different arrowheads could be swapped in, such as marking arrows, armor-piercing arrows, or explosive arrows.
However, she had clearly prepared everything beforehand. Following her routine, each arrow was placed in its designated position. She could identify the different types of arrows by location without even looking.
Above the breastplate was engraved the name of this armor set—and her codename—Dragon Slayer.
The mask covering her face was the sole black element on her body, signifying she wasn't here for a casual visit.
Even without it, Su Cheng understood her intent. After all, her purpose was written all over her—that massive sword left nothing to the imagination.
Her milky-white hair fanned out as she moved, her combat boots thudding against the floor tiles of Su Cheng's bedchamber.
"Execution Blade, Dragon Slayer of the Clear Moon Inner City Garrison, presents herself before Your Excellency."
As Lady Gu Ai's Valkyrie, she owed no one a bow. This dignity was granted by Xiao Ai, and she had earned it through her own resolve.
Even without bowing, no one would dare criticize her—nor would anyone dare speak ill of Lady Gu Ai.
"Lady Gu Ai asked me to deliver a message."
"Sister Heguang? How did you get here?" Li Shiyao blinked her large eyes, watching Heguang stand tall and proud before Suzhou City, clad in her divine armor.
Heguang said nothing, her mask concealing all emotion.
"Speak."
"Lady Gu Ai says: Those three little ones have been taken care of for you, and the suppression within the inner city has concluded. If you're not too busy lately, please help this little one wrap things up."
Su Cheng cracked his neck and pondered briefly. "Anything else?"
"Lord Gu Ai also said: Shiyao is one of the mansion's people."
Heguang tilted his head. Behind the mask, his species-defying, terrifying visage paired with eyes glowing golden made one's hair stand on end.
"Are you suggesting I must bow to others' whims when disciplining my own disciple?"
He Guang's hand rested lightly on his sword hilt as he replied coldly, "First, this is not my opinion. These are Lord Gu Ai's exact words. As for their specific meaning, He Guang dares not speculate."
The sword hilt dipped slightly as his right foot lifted ever so slightly. "Second, this is not a suggestion. To me, it is a military order. The code of conduct for the Executioner's Blade—I needn't elaborate, Your Excellency surely understands."
Su Cheng sat in his chair, lighting a cigarette as he watched Hakko.
"Hmm. Absolute obedience to Little Ai. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
Hakuo fell silent. Su Cheng clearly understood Lady Gu Ai's intent—she had come to lend her support.
Even if this act seemed childish, that single call of "Little Sister Liu" was truly not in vain.
"Haku, it seems you're eager for an opportunity to act, isn't that right?"
"Heh, Your Excellency jests." His words were light, yet Hakko never loosened the hand resting lightly on his sword hilt.
"Truthfully, it's fine."
"Hmm. I've wanted to kill you for quite some time now." He Guang smiled, though it remained hidden behind his mask.
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