CHAPTER 433
The Past and the Future
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"Senior Sister, you don't seem the least bit worried about our current predicament."
Su Muchan briefly recounted the events that had transpired earlier to Ye Qinghan during their journey.
Yet upon hearing it, Ye Qinghan appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Su Muchan, you needn't go out of your way to befriend me. I equally dislike every woman who seeks to draw near our Master."
"Someone with ulterior motives like you is naturally quite detestable."
"I was naturally concerned about Master's situation back then, not knowing what had transpired. Now that I know Lord Gu Ai is by his side, I'm completely at ease."
"As long as the Master is safe, I have no other worries."
"I trust that even if he can't escape, Master will come find me. It's only a matter of time. I'll just treat it like a little outing."
Su Muchan was a bit speechless. She'd long known Ye Qinghan was a hopeless romantic. Though Su Cheng had said the same about her, she felt even the Master could be mistaken about people sometimes.
Besides, she wasn't human—she was a succubus.
"If that's the case, then Mu Chan can breathe a sigh of relief too."
Following Lord Xunye and Lord Guai's footsteps, the four wandering spirits managed to enter the city. But once inside, they lost track of them…
They all looked like country bumpkins seeing the world for the first time, gawking left and right.
Ye Qinghan observed the attire of the passersby. Even in this world, she hadn't seen anyone else wearing black stockings like hers.
Still, Ye Qinghan marveled at how truly divine this realm was—its civilization far surpassed her expectations.
The races mingled freely, seemingly without prejudice. Humans walked hand-in-hand with the Demon Clan on the streets, while alleys held wolf-kin and…
"One, two, three… Hey? Where's my candy-coated hawthorn? Who stole my candy-coated hawthorn?"
In contrast, Li Shiyao's gaze was fixed on the street snacks. It was no surprise that the "Thieving Immortal" was always up to some mischief.
After hearing Ye Qinghan's exclamation, Dongfang Jue couldn't help but silently give her a mental thumbs-up.
Yes, this was the golden age he had envisioned—a nation prosperous and strong, its people living in peace and contentment. There was no discrimination between races; kind-hearted humans and demons, even immortals and demons, could shake hands in harmony, coexisting side by side.
"Senior Sister, what's written on that city gate?"
"I just heard from a passerby that this is the Gate of Virtue and Triumph. All armies departing the city pass through this gate, symbolizing their certain return in victory."
Dongfang Jue focused most of her attention on the city walls. She had already surveyed the garrison soldiers patrolling the defenses. Their equipment and weapons were no match for the Qingyue Armed Forces at the mansion—the difference was like heaven and earth.
It was clear that the soil nurtured its people. The mansion's soil was evidently richer; its soldiers were robust and muscular, their arms seemingly thicker than Dongfang Jue's waist…
In contrast, the city's defenses here clearly weren't meant for combat…
But it made sense. Lord Gu Ai's Qingyue Armed Forces were the cream of the crop—naturally a different league.
Even if they were a motley crew, these men were clearly trained—though they appeared slack and listless.
The three of them began strolling through the streets as soon as they entered the city. Only Su Muchan was earnestly searching for someone. Though she hadn't found Lord Xun Ye, she did find Xiao Ai!
"Senior Sister, look over there—it's Xiao Ai!"
"Come on, come on! Let's follow her. Don't let her get away!"
Clearly, Lord Xun Ye had used his spatial authority to travel swiftly earlier, otherwise the four wouldn't have lost track of him.
This unnamed city was vast. The four followed from the east to the west before finally seeing Xiao Ai enter a large courtyard.
Hmm, a very large courtyard indeed. But since no one could see them anyway, they boldly followed inside.
Li Shiyao crossed her arms, looking adorably clueless. "Senior Sister, what does that say?"
Ye Qinghan crossed her arms and replied, "I don't recognize it."
Li Shiyao hugged herself and giggled, "Senior Sister, is this a restaurant? Can Shiyao go in and eat?"
Ye Qinghan crossed her arms and pondered for a moment before saying, "I overheard some passersby chatting earlier. This place seems to be an academy. They also mentioned something about a library."
Su Muchan crossed her arms and said, "Why don't we just go inside and see?"
Dongfang Jue… Dongfang Jue placed her hands on her hips and demanded, "By the way, is that really Lord Gu Ai?"
At this remark, Su Muchan's eyes flashed with cold fury as she snarled, "I'd recognize that face even if it were reduced to ashes! She's that gutter-dwelling, flower-seeking Immortal Lord!"
Ye Qinghan chuckled!
"What? You still want revenge?"
Su Muchan retorted bluntly, "I just can't get to her now. If I ever do! Hmph, she loves making people strip, doesn't she?"
Su Muchan's expression at that moment was like a bloodthirsty empress returning to the city, determined to slaughter the Four Great Families!
But ten minutes later…
"Um… Su Muchan, you said you could get to her earlier. What exactly were you going to do?"
Su Muchan stared at the scene before her, her mind going blank…
Following Xiao Ai's lead, they had just stepped into a teaching building resembling a factory…
Inside, people were either clad in military training uniforms or full suits of armor…
Academy? This is fucking an officer training academy!
Who was Xiao Ai? She was one of the academy's most outstanding graduates—a child raised by Lord Xun Ye himself!
Before even graduating, she'd been exceptionally recruited by the Executioner's Blade. She'd attend morning classes only to be summoned for missions in the afternoon—sometimes even mid-lecture!
Who do you think Lady Gu Ai is? Her brilliance didn't just appear today—it's been building all along, culminating in this very moment!
Right before the four of them, Xiao Ai single-handedly surrounded thirty fully armed warriors. It was brutal beyond belief. Even a minor like Li Shiyao, that little dumpling, needed her senior sister to accompany her just to watch!
How tall was Xiao Ai? Not even five feet tall—and that's being generous!
Right now, Xiao Ai wasn't the Godslayer Queen they knew. She wore a tattered skirt, her face a picture of slight grievance. Up close, she looked so pitiful she could make anyone cry!
And those men? Fully armed, who knows what they're up to, folks!
They were fully armed! Thirty men with arms thicker than Xiao Ai's waist were surrounded by a girl unarmed, forbidden from using any weapons or divine abilities…
In less than two minutes, those thirty burly men were nearly torn apart by Xiao Ai, all rolling on the ground!
"Wait, she…" Su Muchan was stunned. This is fucking…
Is this even possible?
She thought she'd caught up with the legendary Gu Ai from her thirty years in Hedong, but this little Ai is just… completely unreasonable!
This particular lesson was only for her training; the others were one-on-one sessions.
After that, Little Ai had other lessons—all kinds of them—leaving the four little dumbfounded fools utterly speechless.
"Senior Sister, is this really the Immortal Realm?"
Indeed, when this mind-bending question was posed, all four of them—including Li Shiyao herself—were stunned.
What did the Immortal Realm look like?
No one had ever seen the Immortal Realm. They had always believed their Master was an immortal descended from the heavens, yet she had never spoken of it either.
It felt as if the four had returned to the world where Lord Gu Ai had once lived. Their master and Lord Gu Ai inhabited the same realm…
If that were true, then Master wasn't an immortal?
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