Chapter 277: Absolutely Impossible
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Xiao Ai nodded, looking equally satisfied as she casually dissolved the barrier and announced loudly.
"Hehe, this is Xiao Ai's treasured wine! Even for that ditch in Su City, Xiao Ai would have been reluctant to part with it!"
"Xiao Ai's in a good mood today, so I'll let you try some~"
Ye Qinghan chatted for a while before finally letting go~
"Hehe, then Qinghan thanks you, Master's Wife~"
Like Su Cheng, Ye Qinghan wasn't one to drink first thing in the morning. But she noticed something else—Li Shiyu and Xiao Ai seemed to share this trait too…
Lately, she'd noticed Li Shiyao seemed to have developed a taste for alcohol too. Li Shiyao poured all her wine into a gourd and drank it like water whenever she could!
If she had to pinpoint when it started, it seemed to be after returning from Drunken Immortal Pavilion. She had a vague feeling Li Shiyao had been secretly drinking!
Could it be…?
Was this a common trait among little airheads? A fondness for booze?
"Qinghan, Xiao Ai really likes you~" Xiao Ai propped her chin on her hand, leaning on the desk as she gazed at Ye Qinghan lounging on the sofa.
Ye Qinghan rolled her eyes, having figured out this Xiao Ai by now.
She was Xiao Ai, but also the esteemed Gu Ai.
Xiao Ai is adorably clueless, while Gu Ai is fiercely domineering—both styles are right up Ye Qinghan's alley~
Gu Ai wouldn't harm her either—as long as you go along with her, she's mostly Xiao Ai most of the time~
"Thank you, Master's wife~ Qinghan likes you too~"
"Little Ai suddenly remembered what you asked her last time. Do you recall what Little Ai told you then?"
Ye Qinghan pondered. Was she referring to that incident in the Northern Domain?
"Tying Master to the bedside?"
"Not that. Besides, with your strength, you couldn't even bind that groove."
Xiao Ai wore a look of utter disdain, as if she couldn't even be bothered to spare Ye Qinghan a glance—and that fleeting moment of affection had lasted but a second…
"Could you be a little… Have you never seen a man before?"
"I've never seen a man as handsome as my Master~" Ye Qinghan didn't get angry. His Master's wife could say whatever she wanted, as long as she didn't beat him up.
Xiao Ai gave a cold laugh before sighing helplessly.
"Heh, Xiao Ai thinks so too. Want to hear about him?"
Ye Qinghan suddenly stiffened, his expression utterly incredulous!
"Master's wife! Are you really willing to tell Qinghan?"
Ye Qinghan was dumbfounded. Could she really learn about this?
Xiao Ai wore a calm expression, as if looking at a fool.
"It's no secret, really. It's just that Su Cheng's people don't want you knowing too much."
Ye Qinghan thought to herself, That's wonderful!
Even through mind-reading, Ye Qinghan couldn't uncover Su Cheng's past!
Wasn't that secret enough?
"Qinghan would love to hear the details~ I'm actually super curious!"
Ye Qinghan fluttered her fox-like eyes and cradled Xiao Ai in her arms.
"Xiao Ai is his personal attendant. As the name implies, Xiao Ai knows everything about him."
"Even what he wants to do."
Xiao Ai truly clung to Ye Qinghan like a baby, docile as if she were a different person altogether.
"Has he ever spoken to you about the power of authority?"
Ye Qinghan's eyes widened. Finally, she thought.
Unbelievable!
It turned out the Master's wife was the one willing to be honest with her!
What Master wanted to do? Of course! Master had a plan all along!
Though he seemed to do nothing all day, it appeared he had been waiting for something all along!
And she had sensed this long ago!
Lifting the tea Amber had brought earlier from the side, Ye Qinghan gently offered it to the lips of the obedient-as-a-baby Gu Ai.
"Master did mention it, but didn't elaborate."
Xiao Ai smiled, for this was precisely what she had anticipated.
"The power stolen from the gods is called authority. It was originally the gods' authority, only now it's been stolen by mere ants."
"What Xiao Ai and the Master have been doing all along is slaying gods—killing them to obtain their authority, then using that authority to slay more gods."
"That is the origin of authority, but what Xiao Ai wishes to speak of is not this."
"What Xiao Ai wishes to say is that this power possesses a distinct characteristic: any life form that perishes under the authority dies in a uniquely peculiar manner."
Ye Qinghan's eyes widened. A more peculiar manner? To die?
What does that mean?
"Just by looking at your expression, Xiao Ai can tell you haven't understood a thing!"
"In Qinghan's world, humans are divided into soul and physical form. With certain magical artifacts or immortal techniques, one can even achieve resurrection—just like your mother."
"What we call reincarnation—to put it in terms you can grasp—is establishing the rules of rebirth using a magical artifact powerful enough to bear the weight of the world, allowing the deceased to be reborn."
Ye Qinghan nodded thoughtfully. He was beginning to grasp it!
It was about using magical artifacts to establish rules all beings must obey—the cycle of heaven and earth, the karmic wheel of life and death.
"But authority remains unconstrained by these rules. It is a power beyond any world. To be killed by the power of authority means to be utterly erased from existence."
"And Su Cheng—Xiao Ai's master, Qinghan's teacher—wanted to rescue the dead from beneath that authority."
Ye Qinghan nodded, not particularly surprised. Truthfully, she had already guessed the gist of it halfway through Xiao Ai's explanation.
"Then… could Master…"
Xiao Ai gave a bitter smile. "Absolutely impossible."
"I'm sorry…"
Xiao Ai froze, then looked at Ye Qinghan with confusion. Sorry?
Xiao Ai abruptly stood up, staring at Ye Qinghan with a look of utter bewilderment, her expression tinged with slight displeasure!
"Do you know who Su Cheng intends to save?"
Ye Qinghan honestly couldn't be sure. She could only venture a guess, since Ku Mu had mentioned that name.
"Is it… Lord Xun Ye?"
Xiao Ai grew even more astonished. Her pupils instantly flashed gold as a look of wariness spread across her face!
"That Su Cheng, the one with the groove, told you about Lord Xunye?"
Ye Qinghan sensed trouble! She seemed to have stepped on a landmine!
She hurriedly explained, "My master never mentioned it. Qinghan only heard Lord Ku Mu mention the name and knows nothing of the circumstances."
While explaining, Ye Qinghan raced through her thoughts—she'd caught a crucial detail!
Xiao Ai addressed that deceased individual with the respectful title "Lord Xunye," showing reverence no less profound than her own devotion to her master!
"Xun Ye's affairs are not for Xiao Ai to discuss. If Miss Qinghan wishes to know, perhaps you should ask that Groove-Face fellow."
"Uh, Qinghan won't ask then. Please don't be angry, Master's wife…"
Ye Qinghan hadn't expected Xiao Ai's reaction to be so intense. She ruffled the girl's hair and pulled her back into her embrace.
"Qinghan wants to know about Master's wife and Master. Could Master's wife tell Qinghan about them?"
Xiao Ai paused for a moment before nodding with a smile. After all, she was Lady Gu Ai—emotions couldn't hold sway over her for long.
Behind formidable power always lies an uncommonly steady composure.
A woman capable of controlling everything with a single hand couldn't possibly be some fool blinded by emotion.
"He's nothing but a pile of slime. Xiao Ai has always thought so."
"But Xiao Ai is different. Xiao Ai is the most outstanding personal attendant. Even if he is a piece of trash, Xiao Ai can plaster him to the wall~"
Xiao Ai tilted her head, her face radiating self-assurance, her defiance evident in every word.
"But as a personal attendant, wielding absolute power isn't Xiao Ai's primary duty—it's merely sharing his workload."
"The true duty of a personal attendant is to stay by the master's side and watch over him."
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