Recognizing the intruder’s strength, Zi Yao did as told, also sitting in the seiza pose. Pleased by the grand priestess’ compliance, Daji’s lips curled up. And though she couldn’t notice Yuemi’s existence, as her Spiritual Sense scanned Zi Yao’s body and soul, the fox girl noticed the various energies blending inside of her.
Daji poured Zi Yao a cup of wine. The former yin matriarch observed the shrouded fox girl with scrutiny, and as her mind buzzed with countless thoughts, silence settled in.
”In the Endless Sea, they say that be it in wine or tea, Qingqiu has the best brewers of the Great Desolation World. Experience tells me that the saying is correct, but you can be the judge of that. Maybe we still have tricks to learn from your nephew.” While pushing a green glass cup towards Zi Yao, Daji broke the ice.
The grand priestess’ eyes and face didn’t fluctuate, but inwardly, Daji’s knowledge of Zuixian struck a nerve.
”A very annoying fellow. I had to have him beaten to a pulp, healed and beaten again because he couldn’t take a hint. But don’t worry, I also paid all the medical fees. He should be fine — at least he was last I checked. But you never know with thirsty fellows. They have a knack for getting on the wrong people’s nerves,” Daji said, and this time, murderous light flashed in Zi Yao’s eyes.
”Oh don’t get angry now. I’m not here to pick a fight. Just thought you’d like to know how your nephew is doing. After all, following the rout that the Bloodstone Patriarch inflicted on your White Immortal Sect, you’ve lost all contact with your close kin. Daughter, husband, and so on. Mhm…husband and wife, such a beautiful pair of words, yet so often rendered meaningless by mismatched or faithless fellows? Zi Yao, what category do you belong to? No, don’t want to answer? That’s fine, like I said, I’m not here to pick a fight.” Daji’s words trailed off, but through this series of verbal jabs, she gave Zi Yao two crucial pieces of information.
First, she came from the mystical Qingqiu Island, home to the multi-tailed White Fox clan and their nine-tailed fox rulers. Second, she knew all there was to about Zi Yao’s background. With this bit of info, Zi Yao realized who she was dealing with — the knowledge adding to her discomfort.
”Beast emperor? Or should I say, empress?” The grand priestess tested the waters. But faced with these lofty titles, Daji shook her head.
”Nah, I see myself more like a gang leader. You can call me boss.”
”…” A cold silence met Daji’s joke. But undisturbed, the fox girl pressed on.
”No? Big sister is also fine. Although we’re not that close, I promise I won’t hold a grudge. After all, we might not be sisters now, but who knows what the future holds for us.”
”…”
”Still no? What a shame…kind of. Oh well, let’s get to business.” Arching her back, Daji passed one hand through her hair, and though Zi Yao couldn’t see her face, she could imagine the teasing look that the fox girl faced her with.
’What an annoying girl. But why does she remind me of…Zhen’er?’ For reasons that she couldn’t comprehend, Daji reminded Yuemi of Xinzi, and the more similarities she saw, the more threatened and frustrated she felt.
”‘Why are you here?’ You might be wondering. Simple, despite Zhenwu Shenquan’s Warlord Seal system, my Myriad Beast Gang has won this war.” Daji made a bold statement, making Zi Yao’s brows arch up.
”Won? Aren’t you getting a bit ahead of yourself? The war has been going on for three months. The True Martial Divine Army has gone undefeated. The imperial city and the Longxi Kingdom capital haven’t suffered a single casualty, and you dare to say…that you’ve won this war?” Zi Yao too couldn’t stomach Daji’s poise. And the more she looked at her, the more rattled she felt.
”Yes, because as far as I’m concerned, this war was never about how many territories my troops could conquer. Look…” Daji raised her right index, and following the direction, Zi Yao cast her Spiritual Sense out.
She wasn’t the only one, colossal waves of Holy Force assembled in the Eastern Continent’s sky, leading myriad experts, nobles and warlords to track the origin of this phenomenon. One gigantic mirror projection took shape, split into dozens of miniature screens that each retransmitted what went on in the Myriad Beast Gang’s conquered territories.
On those screens, from the five subjugated Yanzhou states all the way to distant conquered provinces, the spectators could see a succession of confusing scenes.
Mortal children were being carried to school by Red Dragon Horses, their parents waving them off with radiant smiles while wise crow, fox or whale beast instructors waited inside packed lecture rooms.
Farmers cooperated with mysterious beast bulls and cows to produce milk and till the land.
Plant-based fabric shops led by Crystalline Rabbits, silk-based fabric shops led by Blue-Veined Silkmoths, with mortal tailors that purchased the fabrics to later weave them into clothes — sprawled over bustling streets.
Some of the Spiritual Farms stripped from human and spirit clans had been converted into spiritual-food-producing factories that not only erased the mortals’ reliance on meat but also improved their health, resistance to disease and longevity.
All this and much more took shape before the spectators’ eyes, revealing scenes of seamless cooperation and harmony between billions of mortals and the mysterious beasts that overturned their lands.
Faced with this spectacle, human and spirit cultivators lost their breath. The holy mirror kept expanding, now projecting these flabbergasting images to all of the Eastern Continent’s lives.