Little Seven took big strides forward energetically until he reached Jiuchong Hall. He threw the two mythical beasts in front of Helian Wei Wei and said proudly, "I caught these!"
Helian Wei Wei was eating strawberries. However, when she saw the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin, furiously clawing the ground within the Beast Binding Rope, she broke into a peal of laughter and asked, "What's going on?"
The Fire Qilin could no longer stand it and spilled the entire story. However, the important point he wanted to get across was how unreasonable the Sky-swallowing Beast was.
Unexpectedly, Helian Wei Wei raised a brow and asked slowly, "Going to the netherworld? To catch dead souls?"
Fire Qilin realized it had said something he was not supposed to. Thus, he refrained himself from mentioning it further.
However, Helian Wei Wei would never let it go as it caught her interest. Furthermore, she was sharp-witted and had already caught on to their intentions.
"Did His Highness meet Imperial Physician Liu today?"
The Fire Qilin stayed silent, and the Green Dragon followed suit.
Helian Wei Wei smiled and added, "You are loyal to His Highness and I admire that, but I admire people who adjust their actions accordingly even more. Little Seven, you can burn the firewood now, I believe the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin would love to talk to us from a pot of boiling water."
To put it plainly, she was planning to cook them.
However, Helian Wei Wei's next words truly terrified them. "Oh, remember to add in some spices like chili powder or something. The food will be much more flavorful that way. Also, summon some mythological beasts to watch this. I'd reckon they would be delighted to watch this scene."
The Fire Qilin, who had always been worried about losing face, froze. Then, he bellowed, "Wait!"
"What is it? Are you planning to talk now?" Helian Wei Wei sat down and looked directly at the Fire Qilin with a smile that made her eyes disappear.
The Green Dragon nudged the Fire Qilin and reminded in a low voice, "You can say it if you're not scared of making Master angry."
"But the Princess Consort wants other mythological beasts to watch us…n.a.k.e.d!" The Fire Qilin felt wronged as he continued, "I will lose face as the boss. Not to mention, I am different from a l.e.w.d dragon like you, I still want to find my significant other!"
The Green Dragon snorted, "If Master finds out about this, not only will you lose your soulmate, you will also lose your life!"
Biting its lips, the Fire Qilin g.r.o.a.n.e.d, "Argh! Why am I always the one getting hurt!"
"Third Aunt, I have brought the pot." Little Seven had always been capable, especially when it came to food-related chores.
The Fire Qilin looked back and almost fainted. Where did this kid get such a big pot? Is everyone in the imperial palace dead? Why did no one intervene?
Little Seven felt the Fire Qilin's provocative gaze. As he lowered the big pot from his shoulder, he huffed aggressively, "In a while, I shall strip your clothes first!"
As the Fire Qilin attempted to protect its fur with its claws, a person stepped into Jiuchong Hall. He had straight legs, firm posture, and moved elegantly. Then, his shining dark eyes landed on the Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon. His flat voice was laced with indifference as he said, "Isn't it lively in here?"
Master?
The Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon turned around in unison to look at him.
Helian Wei Wei did not expect him to be here at this time, and asked, "Why aren't you at the South Chancery?"
"I was there initially." Baili Jia Jue's voice traveled past the ears of the two mythological beasts, as he naturally pulled Helian Wei Wei into his arms and muttered, "But someone made a stupid mistake, so I came to clean up the mess."
When the Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon heard it, their necks shrank as they felt a freezing cold blanketing their entire bodies.
Helian Wei Wei merely smiled and replied, "We're just playing around, I'm sure you also know that Little Seven wants to cook everything he sees for me."
"How are you planning to eat this?" Baili Jia Jue seemed excited and reached out a hand to brush away the stray bits of hair on her forehead.
Helian Wei Wei's eyes gleamed as she replied, "We'll boil them, you know how much the Fire Qilin cares about its image."
"Good idea." Baili Jia Jue's grinned faintly as he planted kisses on Helian Wei Wei's eyelids and said, "But, there's not much to see on his n.a.k.e.d body."
Hearing this, the Fire Qilin heaved a sigh of relief. Everything could be resolved as long as Master was on his side.
However, to its surprise, Baili Jia Jue's continued, "Don't look anymore, it'll hurt your eyes."
The Fire Qilin glared at him silently with disbelief… Does this even count as saving me? Is Master not verbally attacking me?!
Chapter 726 - 732nd
Helian Wei Wei looked at Baili Jia Jue with smiling eyes and said, "Then I won't look anymore, I'm worried it might affect the baby."
The Fire Qilin had no words… Does no one care for my feelings!
Little Seven knitted his brows together. Then, he released the Beast Binding Rope in his hands and skipped over, asking, "Third Aunt, are you not eating anymore?"
The Fire Qilin thought to himself… Can't you talk about anything other than food!
"Not anymore. Little Seven, accompany them to the netherworld to capture some dead souls." Helian Wei Wei paused and glanced at Baili Jia Jue, before adding, "To feed the baby."
Bali Jia Jue's charming face held its usual elegance. His hand paused from stroking Helian Wei Wei's hair for a moment, as he said with a chuckle, "You found out? Looks like we'd really have to braise the Qilin soup well."
Hearing this come his Master himself, the Fire Qilin felt his skin crawl.
"You're just taking it out on others when things go wrong," Helian Wei Wei mumbled in his embrace.
"Taking it out on others?" Baili Jia Jue let out a low laugh. He tightened his fingers on her chin, his gaze was icy cold as he replied, "My dear, you haven't seen me do it seriously. If you face a problem without telling me again, it won't just be this pair of claws that I'd be breaking, it would be the whole of you."
His words made Helian Wei Wei felt a pang of guilt as she said, "I was just worried that you would feel hostile toward the baby."
"Since when was I hostile toward him?" Baili Jia Jue's gaze swept carelessly over Helian Wei Wei's belly. His laugh sounded a little cold as he muttered, "I can barely hold in my adoration for it."
Mother, he's lying!
What adoration is he even talking about!
The bigger fetus' reaction was especially vigorous.
The smaller fetus' eyelids fluttered from his light sleep as he mumbled, "Brother, Mother won't be able to hear you."
"Did I wake you again?" The bigger fetus pulled the smaller one into a hug and scoffed, "Once I'm out of here, Mother will be able to hear me. I've got to defeat Father. Let's do it together, we'll see how he can still put up a false front then!"
The smaller fetus hummed in agreement and rubbed his eyes unenthusiastically with his newly formed hands.
Seeing him in such a lethargic state, the bigger fetus' crimson eyes darkened. He kissed the smaller fetus on his forehead gently and said, "When we're out of here, I'll give you all the delicious food, so you've got to follow me out, okay?"
"Okay," the smaller fetus replied weakly. The viscous blood-red color glinting in his irises made him appear a little livelier.
The bigger fetus then smiled and gave all the spiritual aura he had stored to the smaller one.
While it was true that Helian Wei Wei could not hear the fetuses' conversation, she was positive that His Highness' tone certainly did not convey adoration.
"What is it? Do you not believe what I just said?" The man regained his usual indifference, his expression implying that he would throw anyone out of the window unhesitantly if they doubt his words.
Heli
an Wei Wei coughed quietly and began trying to please him, "I do, I'm just curious about what Imperial Physician Liu spoke to you about."
Hearing this, Baili Jia Jue stared at the Fire Qilin, who was lying on the ground.
The Fire Qilin straightened his back immediately with a wronged look on its face. He really had not said a single thing, and had no idea how the Princess Consort managed to guess everything.
"I merely taught him a lesson on how he should speak," Baili Jia Jue nonchalantly said.
Helian Wei Wei took a wild guess. His Highness probably threatened him. She ought to send him a gift. Since he was elderly, he could have easily been mentally traumatized by His Highness' threat.
"What about the baby? Why do we need to feed it with dead souls from the underworld?"
Baili Jia Jue's calm tone was a little mocking as he scoffed, "When a devil is formed, a large number of dead souls is needed to maintain its magic or it would bring harm to the mother. Now that it has scared away all the dead souls in the palace, we can only go to the netherworld. Stop worrying so much for the little brat, he's strong enough, despite his foolishness."
"You said you're not hostile, but your tone is so mocking!" Now that Helian Wei Wei understood everything, her mood lifted. She reached down and stroked her belly, saying gently, "He won't harm me."
Baili Jia Jue said slowly, "That better be the case."
Although he spoke with an air of supremacy, Helian Wei Wei could feel a soft tenderness from him. She pulled him into an embrace and buried her face in his c.h.e.s.t, Then, she said with a chuckle, "Even after the baby is born, you'd still be the one I love the most."
His Highness stiffened. Though he remained silent, he smirked slightly as he curled his fingers and tapped Helian Wei Wei on the forehead, saying, "The only good thing about you is your good taste."
Before she could respond, Helian Wei Wei felt the familiar cool sensation of his lips pressed against hers, laced with the intoxicating scent of sandalwood and a smile akin to thawing snow.
It was a beautiful sight, as if rays of sunlight had trickled in and fallen upon the man's light-colored lips. It was a view that was impossible to look away from.
How unbelievable.
To think that a few words from me could make him this happy.
Baili Jia Jue pulled the dumbfounded person before him into an embrace, his smile still lingering on the corners of his lips. He had finally found something more meaningful than luring and reaping souls, and that was to hear this little thing expressed her love for him.
Hmm…
She could be rather dumb, and would fall into a daze while staring at him.
However, at the very least, she was a part of his family, so he needed to keep her safe.
Watching this, the Fire Qilin was petrified. He had never seen Master act so gently before, it was as if he would give up the whole world over the eternal possession of one person.
Master's behavior was too dangerous to him.
If that person disappeared, this world would surely…
The Fire Qilin shook its head and stopped his train of thought as his eyes darkened. As he was about to stand up, he found himself, once again, being dragged away.
"Sky-swallowing Beast, what is it this time?" Has it become a newfound addiction of his to drag them along?
"I'm going to the netherworld. I need you two to open the gate," the little one answered without so much as a turn of his head.
The Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin grimaced silently… Do we look like a key?
When they arrived at the netherworld, the Green Dragon and Fire Qilin found out how the little one opened the gate. He simply hauled them up and swung them against the gates to summon a judge.
The judge was holding a calligraphy brush when he appeared. His teeth chattered as he recognized and greeted the visitors, "L-Lord F-Fire Qilin, L-Lord Green Dragon, for what purpose have you graced us with your visit?"
The judge tip-toed and peered over the two as he spoke. He spent a moment confirming that the familiar evil figure had not come along with them, and let out a long sigh of relief. What a scare, it seems that the Great Demon King isn't with them.
"Is the King of Hell around?" Little Seven asked.
The judge shook his head and replied with respect, "He's gone to the human world." Since both their Masters were not present, a fierce battle could be avoided as there was no reason to fight. Though strangely, his Master seemed rather agitated recently. He had been visiting the human world daily to find the Great Demon King, yet each time he had returned fruitless. The Great Demon King must have concealed his scent.
Upon hearing that the King of Hell was absent, Little Seven's eyes twinkled and roared, "Begin!"
The judge was struck dumb…
Chapter 727 - 733rd
"Do you still intend to fight even though our Master isn't around?"
"That's why we're doing this! If the King of Hell is here, we would have gone for a sneak attack instead!" Little Seven justified as if he did not see a problem.
The judge murmured in his heart. How brazenly shameless!
The Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin concluded that it was indeed a wise decision to bring the Sky-swallowing Beast along with them. As the saying goes, one's character was influenced by the people that he surrounded himself with. Although the kid may seem absent-minded all the time, Master had raised him to be as sly as himself!
Capturing dead souls was not at all a problem for them. For three ancient mythical beasts, a flick of their claws would easily get them plenty.
The main issue they had to deal with was the King of Hell's Son, who resided in the Palace of Life and Death.
He was troublesome to handle, as no one could read his mind or figure him out. Fending off the angered Son of the King of Hell could be tougher than dealing with the King of Hell himself.
In the past, when their Master was dueling the King of Hell, the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin could not defeat his son even though they joined forces.
It was mainly because that kid fought as if he did not mind dying.
He took advantage of his immortality and activated all the dead souls in the netherworld. The Fire Qilin still remembered that wicked sneer he had on his face back then.
"You go in, Sky-swallowing Beast," the Fire Qilin told the little one.
The little one shook his head and said, "Third Aunt told me not to fight before we came."
Says the one who just pummeled us! The judge thought as he was sprawling on the ground.
The Green Dragon frowned and replied, "We're entering together, Qilin. Let the Sky-swallowing Beast leave with the dead souls first."
"Leave?" said the Son of the King of Hell as he emerged from the darkness. He was clad in an oversized black robe, and his canines glinted as he smirked. Then, he continued, "You have decided to barge in here uninvited while your Master isn't around, you don't actually expect me to let you return unscathed, do you?"
Upon seeing his form, the Fire Qilin knew that things had gone horribly wrong. The malevolent aura radiating off him was sufficient to agitate the dead souls nearby.
However…
"Why are your hands tied?" This small detail did not escape Fire Qilin's sharp eyesight.
"That's none of your business. I'm in a bad mood today, and you people have just walked into your own doom! It is you people who roam the human world freely that I hate the most!" the Son of the King of Hell growled as he cackled viciously.
All of a sudden, the old judge rushed in from aside to hold back the Son of the King of Hell, saying, "Young Master, why do you come out? Quick, hide now. They're here to kidnap you to the human world!"
"They're here to kidnap me?" The malevolence in the eyes of the Son of the King of Hell gradually dissipated as they began to twinkle. He repeated, "To the human world?"
The old judge nodded furiously, "Please quickly hide, Young Master. If Master hears that you are kidnapped, he will turn the entire nether
world upside down!"
"Why didn't you say so." The Son of the King of Hell smiled as he sauntered towards the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin. He reached his arms out in a friendly manner, and said, "Hurry, tie another loop. A little sacrifice from me for the netherworld is nothing, really."
The Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin exchanged a glance. After all that tension, the battle ceased on his command just like that.
The Son of the King of Hell did not wait for them to tie him up. With a stretch of his neck, he squirmed into the rope they brought along and tied a knot around himself, saying, "That's more like it. We shouldn't always be fighting, we should really be more civilized." He smiled like a kid who had just received candy.
This was the first time they met such a cooperative victim. The Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon were utterly shocked.
The old judge blanked out for a moment before realization dawned upon him. He howled angrily, "Young Master, come back! You mustn't go to the human world! Master had instructed for you to reflect on your actions! Didn't you promise the master? You've only written a single word for your self-reflection essay! What about the remaining 1000 words?"
"I don't want to go either, I'm being kidnapped. Tell dad later that I've given myself up to the enemy for the sake of the netherworld, and not to bother rescuing me. I will be enjoying my stay there." The King of Hell's Son shrugged as he turned towards the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin, urging, "Hurry up and go."
Kidnapped? Nonsense! It's obvious that you left on your free will!!! The old judge fought back his urge to bellow at the Son of the King of Hell.
However, he could not bring shame upon the netherworld before the enemy. Not to mention, there was no guarantee that they would be able to defeat the ancient mythical beasts without the Young Master in command.
Meanwhile, although the Green Dragon and the Fire Qilin were uncertain why the Son of the King of Hell was so compliant, they would not let such a rare opportunity slide. They hoisted the Son of the King of Hell by his arms and called out to the Sky-swallowing Beast. Together, they raced out of the gates of the netherworld.
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