Chapter 375: The Master's Wife
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"Hm? What's this? Has the master stopped sulking?"
Before the person appeared, her voice reached him.
Xiao Ai's slightly childish, doll-like voice seemed to drift from the rafters, as melodious as a bird's song and as gentle as a trickling stream. The 3D surround effect made it impossible to pinpoint the source.
The sound of heavy objects crashing onto the courtyard tiles echoed, followed by the clatter of high heels and combat boots stomping across the stone floor.
One by one, dazzling figures clad in armor swept past Yu Lan and Chu Youwei. Like shooting stars, they descended into Lingxian Hall. The Thirteen Valkyries arrived, each announcing the name that bore their honor and history.
"Qingyue Heavy Armor, Dragon Slayer, pays respects to Your Excellency!"
"Blade of Execution, Yu Meng, pays homage to Your Excellency."
"Qingyue Inner City Guard, Disaster."
"Execution Blade, Wasteland. Long time no see, Your Excellency."
Their bodies, capable of instantly slaying men, were adorned with weapons and armor equally lethal to men.
Fully armed Valkyries stood before the table, each in armor and a different stance, offering no formal salute—merely a greeting.
"Inner City Garrison, Shattered Sword Amber, presenting thirteen personal guards to pay respects to Your Excellency!"
Su Cheng remained silent, seated at a distance, awaiting the grand finale—the maiden's entrance. He waited for that hexagonal warrior who never disappointed him, his most exceptional personal attendant.
Suddenly, a fierce wind erupted, whipping even the iron armor into disarray. A black blade forcibly sliced open a crack in space, and a pink little head peered through.
Xiao Ai wasn't dressed casually as usual. It was clear she'd made an effort to see Su Cheng, donning a new dress.
"Gu Ai, welcoming the Master~"
Xiao Ai promptly sat down at Su Cheng's tea table. Everything unfolded exactly as she had envisioned—her master would come for her.
Swinging her little legs, the decorative sword at her waist was now slung over her right hip. Drawing it with her offhand allowed for quicker protection of the Master—a practice Amber followed as well.
"Xiao Ai thought the Master was sulking at Xiao Ai~ Thought the Master wasn't speaking to Xiao Ai anymore~"
Su Cheng watched Xiao Ai beside him. It was a subtle reproach, but as his personal attendant, how could Xiao Ai ever confront her master?
"My apologies. I encountered some matters."
"My lord needn't apologize. Xiao Ai understands everything. Xiao Ai will accompany my lord, no matter what my lord wishes to do~"
With that, the now-cheerful Gu Ai slid off Su Cheng's desk, tilted her head toward the Thirteenth Valkyrie standing before it, and spoke.
"Go fetch the three young ladies back~"
The thirteen maidens, who had been idly standing moments before, immediately knelt on one knee upon hearing this.
"We obey Lady Gu Ai's command!"
However, Su Cheng had no intention of sending these killing machines to wreak havoc. Some matters, he preferred to handle personally.
"Xiao Ai, my authority is with you, but Shen Rui's matter… I'll handle it myself."
Xiao Ai had no intention of monopolizing authority, but…
"My Lord, in your current physical state, you likely cannot sustain Zero Two. That fellow consumes a great deal."
Zero Two required life energy as sustenance. Though Su Cheng possessed a demigod's physique, he simply couldn't satisfy Zero Two's hunger. Forcing the absorption of world-ending power would likely cost him his life.
"It matters not. Isn't Xiao Ai here?"
Honestly, Yu Lan was growing increasingly bewildered!
She couldn't wrap her head around it. This Xiao Ai had just stood by and watched Shen Rui injure her Chengcheng, yet now she was running around claiming concern?
Did that even make sense?
However, Chu Youwei seemed far more astute. The Master clearly placed immense trust in this girl called Xiao Ai.
As cultivators, no one was foolish enough to judge a person's experience or strength based on appearance alone. To be trusted so deeply by the Master, she was unlikely to be a pushover.
Still, she wasn't in a rush to make introductions just yet. After all, Master and the other party were discussing important matters.
"My Lord, the Princess misses you dearly. You can entrust the work here to Xiao Ai and take some time to visit Her Highness."
"That Su Lin fellow must have caused you and Mengdie quite a bit of trouble, right?"
Mentioning that disobedient younger sister, Su Cheng’s face darkened with embarrassment. Though Su Lin appeared obedient on the surface, she was two-faced—one thing in front of others, another behind their backs. She was nothing but trouble.
"As your sole blood relative and the only legitimate heir to the throne, Her Highness faces some dissent. However, with Xiao Ai and Lady Mengdie supporting her, the situation remains calm for now."
"Xiao Ai, you know this isn't what I intended."
"Xiao Ai understands. Just by looking into your eyes, Xiao Ai can tell what you're thinking."
Xiao Ai's smile was exceptionally tender—even more so than Su Cheng's doting expression—as if she intended to drown the man before her in her affection.
"Whatever you wish to do, Xiao Ai is willing to accompany you."
As she spoke, Lady Gu Ai flicked her wrist, summoning a gleaming silver blade. With a graceful flourish, she sliced through the air, creating a beautiful sword flower!
A large black bed tumbled out of the void, landing squarely in the center of the grand hall.
Upon it lay a woman with disheveled hair, clad only in a black dress, sprawled in an unseemly posture—arms and legs splayed wide.
Disturbed by this commotion, the woman clearly looked displeased.
"Zero Two, I need you."
"Fuck you, I need my mom! It's my dad's sleeping time now, get lost!"
Su Cheng rolled his eyes, tilting his head to glance at Zero Two.
Su Cheng had grown accustomed to it—whether man or woman, if you had the power, you could be a jerk.
"Hungry?"
As if awakened from a dream, or perhaps recognizing a familiar voice…
The woman groggily climbed out of bed. Truth be told, this scene was enough to make anyone cringe.
A dozen people crowded around a large bed, watching a disheveled woman sleep…
But Ling Er herself wasn't the least bit embarrassed. She simply didn't care about such things.
Zero Two's body was covered in wounds—all sword and knife cuts, even on her face, partially hidden by strands of hair.
But Zero Two had a fiery figure that made blood rush to one's head. Most people couldn't handle it, but Su Cheng was no ordinary man—he was long accustomed to it.
Yese's hair was long, spilling across the entire bed, making one worry she might sit on or crush it when she rose.
Zero Two sat up, scanning the room and clearly spotting Su Cheng.
"Damn it, you little bastard's still alive? I thought you were dead, you little shit."
"Heh, I'm doing okay."
Zero Two curled his lip, his expression equally unreadable.
"Xiao Ai's a total cheapskate! I've wanted out of this for ages. Your return's perfect timing—find me a place to crash."
"Yeah, got a spot."
Su Cheng flicked his hair, which had been hanging down to the floor, onto the large black bed, then sat down on the edge.
"Gotta handle something. Come back for dinner."
"Will it be filling?"
"You bet."
Only then did everyone notice a faint smile finally appear on Zero Two's face.
If she could eat her fill, she had no reason to refuse such an arrangement. After all, who could turn down a man willing to provide food and lodging?
Even Zero Two, the World-Destroying Demon Sword, couldn't resist the temptation of free room and board!
Rising from the bed, Zero Two smacked her lips twice before stretching lazily like a kitten and chuckled.
"Then hurry up. I'm starving."
With that, Zero Two's slender yet scarred hand instantly pierced through Su Cheng's chest!
Just as Yulan and Chu Youwei gasped in shock, the black nightgown fell to the floor. Zero Two’s figure vanished instantly, as if she had fused with Su Cheng.
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