”You…youuuuu!” Dong Ling was the first to break the silence, throwing her fists in the air as her muscles spasmed in indignation.
”Abbot, you are so cruel,” the Zhi-Zhu twins and the Li initiates said in sync, shaking their heads in disbelief, but for once pleased that what they struggled to take as truth turned out to be a scam. Only Chun Xu and Yan Le stayed silent—for entirely different reasons.
”Yeees! There has to be a law for being so cruel. Xinzi, I’m done with you!” Dong Ling spun to the side, ignoring our monk.
”A’Xin, wake up! A’Xin, wake up please!” Xinzi didn’t mind, and with flawless theatrical gestures, mimicked Dong Ling’s previous state. Nerves beat on her temple, and she spun back to face him.
”And he is making fun of me! You are absolutely incorrigible and deserve to be damned!”
”Of course I am making fun of you. You do know that ‘Xin’ isn’t my given name, right? So the A’Xin thing was never proper. I don’t really care cause I find it endearing, but it’s always a bit funny. As for ‘deserving to be damned,’ that’s true as well, but who cares? I’m too splendid for anyone to succeed in damning me.” Here, Xinzi summoned a copper mirror and blew a kiss at his reflection. Black lines formed on many foreheads, with the silent Zi Feng marveling at the depth of her master’s shamelessness.
”Then what was true, and what was false?” Chun Xu finally chimed in, failing to keep the relief she felt out of her eyes. Now only Yan Le stayed silent, and though farther than anyone else, her face beamed at Xinzi’s awakening.
”That’s up to you to figure out. Since you’re so clever, I’m sure you will. Was the trip to your satisfaction? Did you enjoy the dangers of Nameless City? The sword hurricane, battle with the Blood Yang Gorilla and confrontation with Xiao Hu?”
”So it was Xiao Hu? Wait…how do you…”
”I am omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. The one and only, born before all, and aware of all matters throughout the past, present and future.” Xinzi didn’t let Chun Xu finish her words, cutting her with a new bout of theatrics.
”…” Another silence, more black lines, some head shaking, and Xinzi wondered if he’d overdone it a little.
”Ok, that was a slight exaggeration. I just sent my goons to work. They found the poem before the Bloodstone Patriarch demolished everything, which narrowed my search. It’s good to have goons, spares you the trouble of wandering myriad lands, looking for 20 gals in the vast expanse of this world. Don’t you all agree?” From the Li imitates to Dong Ling, passing through the Zhi-Zhu twins, Yan Le and Chun Xu, Xinzi’s gaze pierced through each one of the girls, making them lower their heads in a bend of shame and rage—rage aimed at Chun Xu.
”Hum, hum! It’s Chun Xu, she tricked us. We’re all innocent. If you’re angry, be angry at her.” Without hesitation, Dong Ling threw Chun Xu under the bus. Folding her arms below her chest, and looking at the Sword Fairy with a “see how you get out of this one” type of look.
Predicting what he was about to say, Chun Xu did not want to meet Xinzi’s gaze. Still, she wouldn’t avoid eye contact.
”Actually, if you just headed to Chrysanthemum City, considering the situation, I wouldn’t care that much. But you had to bring everyone to Nameless City, almost causing irreparable damages. That…is where I draw the line. Chun Xu, you’ve disappointed me,” Xinzi said, and unable to shoulder the reproach, Chun Xu lowered her head—not knowing what to say.
True, if she could blame the urgent departure on Zi Yao and Hanxing’s plots, there was no valid reason why she’d abuse the girls’ trust to lead them to Nameless City. Anger at Tusha’s soul strand and a thirst for self-assertion led Chun Xu to make this move.
”…” As Chun Xu awaited Xinzi’s judgment, a weary silence settled on the scene. Our monk stretched his hand out. The red sigils flashed on the girls’ abdomens, then broke into particles of red light that flew back into Xinzi’s dantian.
Though only Chun Xu understood what the sigils truly represented, all girls felt a void form in their bellies—if only for an instant. Chun Xu’s eyelids trembled, and subconsciously, she stroked her abdomen, yet still dared not to utter a word. Satisfied, Xinzi smiled at her.
”With that said, succeeding in obtaining the Loose Immortal legacy of the Nameless Sword Emperor is a commendable feat. At the next gathering of the Husband Association, I suppose I can use that as bragging rights. Got tears, blood and a Dao Pledge out of you, let’s just leave it that.”
”Th—thank you.” Following Xinzi’s words, Chun Xu heaved a long sigh, but unlike the Zhi-Zhu twins and Li initiates, who like Dong Ling now crowded Xinzi, she remained on her knees. While the two had been competing for years, seeing Chun Xu humble herself so brought Dong Ling no joy.
Xinzi made no comments, turning towards Yan Le, who just like Chun Xu, stayed on her knees.
”A’Le, what is wrong with you?”
”I…no.” Yan Le’s lips produced no coherent words. Xinzi’s eyes narrowed at her, and his Bloodshifter Heart abilities kicked in, reading through Yan Le’s insecurities. Annoyed, Xinzi turned towards Dong Ling, his face twisted into a frown.
”What kind of dog-shit words did you fill her mind with? The nerve of you.” Before Dong Ling could respond, Xinzi smacked her scalp, then shifted back to Yan Le.
”Come here,” Xinzi said, beckoning towards Yan Le. Unaware of Xinzi’s ability to read hearts if he wanted to, all looked at him in confusion. Yan Le was no different. Still, she obeyed, walking towards our monk. Her steps lacked the usual confidence and grew slower as she neared him.
Xinzi snapped his fingers, conjuring mild suction forces that lifted Yan Le off the ground, drawing her into his arms—her cheeks flushed instantly.