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At the Exalting Sanctum, within the Imperial Jade Stronghold's gaming hall:
"Qingque, why do people on the streets seem to look at me with such peculiar expressions lately?" asked Guinaifen.
"How could they not? Regardless if male or female, one glare from you leads to pregnancy," Qingque replied.
"Exactly! Wouldn't anyone keep their distance?" March 7th asked, turning to Miss Tingyun.
Tingyun bit her lower lip wistfully. "I must admit, I'd truly wish for Benefactor's child."
"Sigh, Lady Yukong once warned me: 'If you don't act swiftly, you might miss your chance.' I thought she was joking," Tingyun lamented. "Little did I know, I indeed missed my opportunity, letting that..."
As she spoke, even Tingyun's soft and fluffy tail bristled with agitation.
"Letting that damned Phantylia steal the lead!"
Su Jinyan stroked his chin, deep in thought. Strictly speaking, he had given away his first time to Xueyi. Only later did he unite with Sushang to expel the Phantylia.
Qingque lazily chimed in, "Forget being first; honestly, you wouldn't even get a sip of leftovers."
"It wasn't out of kindness that A-Yan performed this 'exorcism' for Miss Sushang, either."
"Just pretend it was bitten by a dog, okay?"
Tingyun retorted, disgruntled, "What dog gnaws on someone this persistently?"
"Even for a humble maiden like myself," Qingque continued, "my feelings towards Benefactor remain restrained by propriety and etiquette."
"I believe..." she paused, "Initially, Phantylia sought to possess me, then later Sushang, all with the ultimate goal of gaining Benefactor's favor."
Sitting beside Su Jinyan, Phantylia trembled with anger—she had never endured such indignity before. On any other occasion, Tingyun and Qingque would have been reduced to ash by her fury.
But with Su Jinyan right next to her, Phantylia dared not act recklessly. She had witnessed countless worlds consumed by Nanook's raging flames, including being one of those very flames herself. Dancing at His fingertips, she knew well that once the fuel ran out, the flame would extinguish. This was precisely why she schemed relentlessly to obtain an imperishable body.
Now, even the will of Destruction could be forcibly granted new life by Su Jinyan. Could an ordinary human accomplish such a feat? It became clear to her that Su Jinyan had deliberately toyed with her all along, making him far more terrifying than Nanook itself.
Su Jinyan teased, "Little March, how does it feel to be unexpectedly pregnant? Are you feeling quite blessed?"
Embarrassed and indignant, March 7th played a card, "Don't use such vulgar skills on this young lady again."
"Did you hear that, Little Su'zi?"
With a cold smile, Su Jinyan countered with another card, "Ignorance."
"Nowadays, many would beg me to bestow 'Pregnancy Gaze' upon them, but I refuse each time."
"Do you know about Jingliu?" he continued. "The former sword leader of Luofu, she's constantly pestering me for it."
Indeed, ever since witnessing Su Jinyan wield such a remarkable ability, Jingliu's gaze towards him had acquired an inexplicable undertone.
Despite his clear explanation that it was Aha who performed the skill, not himself, Jingliu still insisted he should use it on Doctor Fecundity.
Tingyun's delicate hands trembled slightly. "And if she asks, you'd just give it to her?"
Su Jinyan responded solemnly, "No way, absolutely not. I, Su Jinyan, have always maintained my integrity."
"Even if she's Jingliu, she must wait her turn."
March 7th spat lightly, "Sneaky scoundrel, spreading rumors again."
"Miss Jingliu clearly wants your help to deal with the Plagues Author," Su Jinyan teased, looking mischievously at her. "March, what exactly are you thinking?"
"I didn't say Jingliu was pestering me for anything else either."
March 7th's cheeks flushed instantly. "This young lady isn't thinking about anything! Hmph!"
Qingque urged impatiently, "Aiya, hurry up, don't keep me waiting too long."
It seemed that inviting A-Yan and other women to play cards together wasn't a good idea; it only disrupts my enjoyment of the game.
Honestly, all this squabbling among you—what use is it? The more you compete, the more wary others become. I choose not to engage in such rivalry.
Tingyun's lovely eyes flickered thoughtfully as she decided to gauge these women's standing in Su Jinyan's heart. "Benefactor, among Miss Jingliu, Grand Diviner Fu, and Miss Sushang, who do you find the most attractive?" The little fox strategically listed those posing the greatest potential threat to her position.
Su Jinyan chuckled softly, "Why aren't you included?"
Tingyun, blushing yet delighted, asked coyly, "Then compared to them, whom do you think is the most beautiful?"
Without hesitation, Su Jinyan replied, "Definitely my Shizun is the most beautiful."
Tingyun blinked, taken aback.
Unnoticed by the group engrossed in their card game, Fu Xuan had silently appeared behind them, her face darkening. Had Su Jinyan not swiftly defused the situation, Qingque might have faced serious consequences.
Upon hearing this response, Fu Xuan's heart swelled with delight as she gently patted Su Jinyan's head.
"Ah, A-Yan, well answered. This venerable one hasn't doted on you for nothing."
Qingque's small hand trembled, causing her Imperial Jade tile to clatter onto the table. "Grand Diviner? When did you arrive?"
Fu Xuan chided her lightly, "Hmph, Qingque! Your lack of ambition is already troubling enough; slacking off secretly might be excusable, but dragging Grand Diviner Su out here to play cards too? How inappropriate!"
"And have you finished your assigned tasks? Did you submit last week's report?" Fu Xuan pressed.
With unwavering confidence, Qingque replied, "Grand Diviner, I'm merely balancing work and leisure, you see."
Fu Xuan remained expressionless. "And when exactly were you working?"
"Of course, you wouldn't think I was truly slacking off, would you?" Qingque hastily defended herself. "While playing cards, I attentively listened to Grand Diviner Su's guidance. Both my body and mind received enlightenment—it's all about harmonizing work and recreation."
March 7th couldn't help but express her astonishment, "Wow, impressive!" She had never witnessed someone justify their idleness so boldly before.
"That's enough, Qingque," Fu Xuan said sternly. "By violating the Divination Commission Work Code, this venerable one will deduct your salary!"
Qingque's face crumpled in dismay. "Grand Diviner..."
Unmoved, Fu Xuan retorted, "Crying now? Even crying counts against your time!"
Seeing that neither persuasion nor pleading worked on Fu Xuan, Qingque turned her attention to Su Jinyan.
"Grand Diviner Su, please be kind—don't deduct my salary, okay?" she begged sweetly.
Su Jinyan gently tapped the table. "That depends on your sincerity, little Que'er," he said. "Show off those card-playing skills and try convincing me."
Qingque's cheeks flushed slightly. "Huh? With so many people around, isn't it...inappropriate?"
Tingyun's beautiful eyes flickered with uncertainty as they darted between Su Jinyan and Qingque. Her keen fox intuition warned her that something might be amiss between these two.
"Qingque, do you remember what you once told me?" Tingyun asked cautiously. "'Anyone falling in love is a fool,' you said."
Qingque looked at Tingyun, puzzled. "Yes, but what's wrong with that? It's not like I'm in love."
Still uneasy, Tingyun pressed further, "And never will be?"
Qingque's expression was unwavering. "Never will be. Whoever falls in love becomes a dog, alright?" She added, "Are you suspecting something between A-Yan and me?"
"Oh, come on, don't overthink it." Qingque continued, "A-Yan and I have always been good friends, but ever since his promotion, our relationship has grown distant, becoming strictly hierarchical now."
Qingque's demeanor seemed genuine, successfully deceiving everyone present except for Fu Xuan, who inwardly scoffed. If not for her vigilance that fateful night, she would never have suspected that Qingque harbored feelings for her own disciple.
A-Yan was exceptionally talented yet lacked restraint; it always fell to this venerable one to clean up after him.
Fu Xuan began pondering earnestly—just who would truly be worthy of A-Yan?
Tingyun likely wasn't suitable; foxes excel at enchantment, and there's no telling when they might bewitch A-Yan's very soul.
Jingliu isn't fitting either; as Jing Yuan's master, disrupting their generational hierarchy would be inappropriate.
Moreover, considering her Mara-Struck condition, with A-Yan's temperament, he could inadvertently trigger her Demonic Yin at any moment.
Qingque is unworthy too; she's far too fond of slacking off.
And Guinaifen certainly doesn't qualify; being from a short-lived race, a relationship with A-Yan would only lead to sorrow.
As for Xueyi, it goes without saying—the Ten-Lords Commission's laws forbid judges like her from entangling with A-Yan.
Sushang, on the other hand, is overly naive; once she matures, she'd undoubtedly abandon A-Yan.
Coming back to reality, Fu Xuan's lips parted slightly, cheeks flushing faintly red.
After much deliberation, it seemed that only this venerable one was truly worthy of A-Yan!
For the purity of our bloodline, this venerable one must reluctantly take A-Yan under my wing.
Did Qingque just say her bond with the benefactor has grown distant? Tingyun looked at her skeptically. "Really? I find that hard to believe."
Qingque, however, felt no guilt or remorse. She hadn't lied; indeed, their relationship had become more formal. If anything, it was all A-Yan's fault—we were merely good friends initially.
However, that night, A-Yan took advantage of me, transforming our pure friendship into a hierarchical relationship.
To put it bluntly, I suppose you could now consider me A-Yan's "little secretary"?
Indignant, March 7th exclaimed, "Little Su'zi, this is where you went wrong. Friends are our most precious wealth. How could you neglect your friends just because you've achieved social mobility?"
Su Jinyan humbly acknowledged his mistake, saying, "Yes, yes, little March is right; Su has learned from this. Recently, I have indeed been too busy and neglected little Que'er. Once I find some free time in the evenings, I must surely mend our relationship."
Qingque's face flushed crimson, and her pale, slender legs involuntarily squirmed.
Don't remind me about what happened that night! Qingque couldn't even fathom how she managed to escape A-Yan's clutches that evening. All she knew was that if she had hesitated any longer, A-Yan would have devoured her completely.
"Ahem, actually," Qingque began earnestly, "I think our current relationship works well enough; there's no need to revert to how things were before." With a serious expression, she discreetly slipped off her small leather shoes and gently nudged Su Jinyan with her white socked foot, signaling him to watch his words.
Su Jinyan looked at Qingque with mischief in his eyes. Little Que'er, you pretend not to care, but secretly, aren't you trying to tease me?
Believe me or not, I'm ready to crawl under this table right now and give you a taste of your own medicine.
March 7th, with her beautiful appearance and kind heart, was a genuinely warm-hearted young woman. She didn't want such trivial matters to create rifts between friends.
"How can that be enough? Qingque, are you still holding a grudge against him?"
"Come on, let me bear witness." March urged them, "Shake hands and make up—followed by a hug should do it."
Qingque remained unmoved; she had done her research after all. To expel the Heliobus from its host, one must render their physical body incapacitated.
Recalling Phantylia's earlier words and noticing Sushang's absence during routine patrols over these past few days...
She deduced that Sushang likely ended up bedridden due to A-Yan's antics. Just imagine: even though Sushang wasn't particularly close with A-Yan, he still wore her out so much! Considering our current relationship, if we take things further, won't A-Yan exhaust me to death?
The real issue is, this excuse won't grant me paid leave either.
Due to Qingque's excessively frequent absences, Fu Xuan suspected she was feigning illness. Consequently, whenever Qingque requested time off, Fu Xuan insisted on seeing a formal medical report from an official physician at the Alchemy Commission before approving her leave.
And there's no way those physicians would risk their promising careers to forge a fake sick note for her.
Imagine if an Alchemy Commission physician wrote on her medical record:
Patient Qingque, female, suspected to have fainted due to excessive pleasure. Recommended rest at home for three to five days.
Forget whether the Grand Diviner would skin her alive—Qingque herself wouldn't be able to face staying any longer!
Little did March 7th know the whirlwind of thoughts swirling through Qingque's mind. Her sole aim was to swiftly reconcile Su Jinyan and Qingque. If Qingque wasn't taking initiative, then why not let Su Jinyan do so? With this idea, she rolled her eyes playfully at Su Jinyan and chided him gently, "Honestly, must I teach you even such basic matters?" As she spoke, March 7th joyfully took Su Jinyan's hand and led him right up to Qingque.
Fu Xuan and Tingyun wore subtle expressions; both wanted to intervene but hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic without sounding accusatory. Did you perhaps accept a bribe from Qingque, prompting you to assist her like this?
Su Jinyan grasped Qingque's delicate hand firmly and sincerely apologized, "Little Que'er, can you forgive me? I will make it up to you properly."
While apologizing to Qingque, his middle and ring fingers rapidly stroked her palm. He hoped she would understand what he intended to convey.
Embarrassed yet indignant, Qingque whispered into his ear as they embraced:
"That's enough already—why don't you go woo the Grand Diviner instead?" Su Jinyan whispered softly, "She is my Shizun; I mustn't overstep our hierarchical boundaries."
"Tonight, same place as usual. Don't miss it—I'll make it up to you properly."
Fu Xuan blinked, perplexed.
Qingque firmly declined once more, "No way."
"As if no one can see through your little schemes," Fu Xuan retorted. "Are you waiting for the Grand Diviner herself to fall into your arms?"
Fu Xuan and Tingyun were intently eavesdropping on their conversation. However, before Su Jinyan could respond, March 7th interrupted loudly:
"Time's up!"
"All right, congratulations! With this maiden's witness, your friendship has been beautifully restored."
"Let's give them the warmest applause!"
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
March 7th proudly clapped her hands with great enthusiasm.
Fu Xuan stared, bewildered.
Tingyun looked equally puzzled.
Detective March 7th, using just a simple ploy, managed to mend the rift between friends. This time, I won't be modest—it was truly impressive!
It's all about mutual support, after all. If this maiden helps him, he should return the favor. Now, asking Little Su'zi for assistance later won't seem out of place, will it?
Qingque glanced at Fu Xuan, then at Tingyun, hesitating before asking:
"Um, have you realized a serious issue?
"A-Yan was recently transformed into an eternal life being by the Plagues Author, right?"
"Well, he's only twenty this year, which under Xianzhou's laws, still classifies him as underage."
"You mustn't lay hands on him; it would be a grave violation of Xianzhou's statutes."
"Breaking known laws incurs even harsher penalties. Instead of just the Cloud Knights coming for you, it might be the Ten-Lords Commission..."
Fu Xuan chided, "Qingque, why didn't you mention this earlier?"
Qingque's face showed shock. "Have you already... had your way with A-Yan?"
March 7th blushed, discreetly studying Fu Xuan and Su Jinyan, her thoughts unclear.
Fu Xuan rebuked sharply, "Qingque, stop spouting nonsense here.
"This venerable one's relationship with A-Yan is strictly that of master and disciple—completely proper, devoid of any inappropriate involvement.
"Now, that cloud rider Sushang, hmph..."
"If she dares to harass this venerable one's disciple again, I'll have the Ten-Lords Commission apprehend her."
Tingyun hesitated before speaking up, "Lady Fu Xuan, there's something I've been wanting to mention, but perhaps it's not quite appropriate..."
"The young lady here has just turned eighteen, making us perfectly suited for each other," March 7th chimed in coyly.
"Since your relationship with Benefactor is purely that of master and apprentice, why not promptly agree to our marriage proposal?" She looked expectantly at Fu Xuan. "What do you think?"
Coughing twice, Fu Xuan hastily changed the subject to avoid addressing the matter. "Miss March 7th, did you need A-Yan's assistance with something?"
March 7th gazed at Fu Xuan admiringly. "Wow, I haven't even mentioned it yet, and the Grand Diviner already divined my intentions." She continued, awestruck, "As expected from the Grand Diviner—truly remarkable!"
Proudly puffing out her small chest, Fu Xuan declared, "Let's discuss this further back at the Conclave Hall."
"Tingyun, as a capable assistant to the Yukong Branch Director, the Palace of Astrum cannot function without you."
"You should return swiftly so they won't worry about you."
Tingyun wore a sorrowful expression. "Benefactor, having received such immense gratitude from you, I wished to repay you abundantly; alas, your age presents an obstacle~"
"Ah, if this continues..."
"I might just succumb one day and, while my benefactor sleeps, whisk him off this Xianzhou to make a done deal out of it~"
Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow. Very well, challenging this venerable one right to her face, huh? Just you wait.
[Unfeeling Divination Machine: Judge Xueyi, recently, this venerable one has noticed that Tingyun harbors improper intentions towards their disciple.]
[He's merely a twenty-year-old youth. If bewitched by Tingyun, what if it jeopardizes his promising future?]
[Snowy Overcoat: Isn't Miss Tingyun A-Yan's betrothed?]
Glancing at Tingyun, Fu Xuan continued texting:
[By parental decree and matchmaker's word. With A-Yan's parents no longer with us, as his Shizun, this venerable one holds authority over matters concerning his marriage.]
[As long as this venerable one does not approve, Tingyun cannot be considered his betrothed.]
[Snowy Overcoat: Understood. In the next few days, when I have some free time, I will summon Miss Tingyun to the Ten-Lords Commission.]
[However, we may require Grand Diviner Fu's disciple's cooperation to fill in relevant information.]
[Heartless Divination Machine: Do not divulge matters concerning this venerable one.]
After sending the message, Fu Xuan smiled faintly, leaving Tingyun feeling uneasy.
Have I gone too far? If Grand Diviner Fu gets upset, what if he lodges a complaint against me with Lady Yukong?
March 7th bashfully covered her cheeks. "Miss Tingyun, why bring up such topics?"
"Are all foxfolk women on Xianzhou so open-minded?" asked March 7th.
"I dare not even imagine how... scandalous it must be," she added hesitantly.
Su Jinyan scoffed, "Scaredy-cat! I can certainly picture it."
Refusing to back down, March 7th retorted, "If this maiden is a scaredy-cat, then you're just a lecher!"
Fu Xuan calmly interjected, "Enough, stop quarreling. It's time to return home."
Sneakily tiptoeing, Qingque prepared to make a stealthy escape while Fu Xuan was preoccupied.
"Fengque, don't even think about running!" Fu Xuan warned coldly. "You'll also head back to the Divination Commission; this venerable one has numerous tasks for you to complete!"
Qingque fell silent, unable to respond.
Within the Underworld Palace, Xueyi spoke up, "Little sister, I have a question for you."
"After receiving the Plagues Author's blessing, A-Yan has become a minor.
"Does Xianzhou law prohibit mannequins from intimate contact with minors?"
Hanya's hand, writing judgments, paused momentarily as she replied gravely, "Big Sister."
"As an Imperial Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission, your duties constrain you. You must not defy the law, nor exploit its loopholes."
"It's true that Xianzhou law doesn't currently include such a provision, but I will report this to Lord Envoy soon and recommend adding it."
Xueyi reassured her, "Little sister, don't misunderstand; at present, my intentions toward him aren't particularly outrageous."
Generally, revising Xianzhou laws required three rounds of review, with soliciting opinions alone taking a minimum of five years. Moreover, a regulation like this seemed utterly absurd—regardless of who proposed it, the Xianzhou Alliance would never adopt such a clause.
Hanya set down the Judge's Brush and sighed softly, "Big Sister, what bewitching potion has he fed you?
"Have you forgotten the utter madness of two nights ago?"
"It's not just you, Big Sister; there's me, Huohuo, Tail..."
"Unbelievably, even some high-ranking officials of the Xianzhou Alliance were left pregnant by his glare..."
Xueyi was momentarily speechless. She had indeed heard whispers about this incident.
Originally, the top brass of the Xianzhou Alliance, with their myriad daily responsibilities, would have been too busy to watch live streams. However, as it involved the safety of the Roaming Immortal Ark, news of Phantylia's attack somehow reached the highest echelons of the Xianzhou Alliance.
That very night, they convened an emergency meeting and immediately contacted the Interstellar Peace Corporation, preparing to dispatch a fleet for full-scale support to the Roaming Immigrant Ark.
Upon learning of the situation, executives from the Stellar Peace Company also tuned in to Little Gui Zi Guinevere's stream to assess the severity of the crisis on the ark.
According to insider gossip, every single attendee at that evening's joint meeting between the Xianzhou Alliance and the Interstellar Peace Corporation fell victim—each experienced the agony of pregnancy and childbirth firsthand.
The next day, the Xianzhou Alliance urgently debunked the rumors, strongly condemning those who spread them, and identified several employees of the Interstellar Peace Corporation responsible for disseminating misinformation.
Shortly thereafter, the Interstellar Peace Corporation also rushed to dispel rumors, claiming their executives were busy with a meeting and had no time to watch the live stream. They even identified several Xianzhou spies responsible for spreading these falsehoods.
Hanya continued, "Big Sister, you understand his character well."
"What if he deliberately teases me again in the future, giving me more disdainful glances?"
"You being caught between us will surely put you in a difficult position."
Xueyi pressed her lips together, her expression resolute. "He is a rare genius, encountered only once in millennia."
Hanya concurred, showing agreement. "That's true. Before this incident, he was merely a member of a short-lived species."
"Yet his talents surpass those of Etheral Ferriers who remain unaccomplished even after nearly a thousand years."
"On that point, Big Sister, our views align."
"He behaves as such simply due to lack of discipline," Xueyi stated calmly.
Hanya nodded in assent. "Yes, Grand Diviner Fu cannot control him, nor can the general. No one seems capable of reining him in."
"If allowed, I might be able to temper his temperament somewhat," Xueyi suggested.
Hanya tilted her head, puzzled. "Does Big Sister wish to feed herself to a tiger? It feels like your obsession with him goes beyond what appears on the surface."
"Big Sister, on the day Su Jinyan was imprisoned, you asked us to leave, leaving only you alone with him," Hanya said, her curiosity piqued. "Did something happen between you two?"
Xueyi paused briefly before candidly responding, "I allowed him to indulge his desires with my mannequin body."
While not entirely unexpected based on Hanya's suspicions, hearing this revelation still left her feeling somewhat suffocated.
Hanya took a deep breath and asked, "Big Sister, did you really give yourself to him?"
"He insisted," Xueyi replied simply.
In disbelief, Hanya questioned further, "Just because he insisted, you complied?"
Xueyi gently furrowed her brow. "Little sister, at that moment, he intended to make advances towards you, but I intervened to prevent it."
Hanya fell silent, realizing that her sister had indeed done nothing wrong. If their roles were reversed, and Su Jinyan had been adamant about obtaining Xueyi, Hanya would have willingly given herself to protect her sister from falling prey to Su Jinyan's predatory grasp.
"But Big Sister, doesn't your mannequin body incorporate the jade-dawn circuit designed to suppress emotional responses?"
"It stopped functioning long ago—ever since that day." Xueyi rubbed her plump, ivory-skinned legs uneasily, adding, "We don't quite understand why."
Astonished, Hanya echoed, "Even you don't know why?"
"Has the jade-dawn circuit been replaced since then?"
"What did the Interrogation Division artisans say?"
Xueyi's voice grew somber. "Even if Huohuo replaced my jade-dawn circuit with a new one that day, it failed to take effect again."
"And after their inspection, they found no issues."
Hanya abruptly stood up. "It must be related to Su Jinyan."
"I need to confront him and get some answers. If it's merely about restoring emotions, that might still be manageable."
"But what if he tampered with something else inside your body?"
Xueyi shuddered slightly, her pupils contracting. "No!"
If Su Jinyan discovered she had regained emotional responses long ago—
She had intentionally feigned indifference all this time, maintaining a cool demeanor... With his character, he would undoubtedly mock her mercilessly and escalate his manipulation even further.
Hanya's expression turned uneasy. "Big Sister, I suspect he implanted a mind-controlling jade-dawn circuit within you."
"Why else would you consistently favor him?"
Xueyi gently shook her head. "Impossible, little sister. You're thinking too ill of him."
"We've had intimate physical contact before; if he truly tried anything, I would have sensed it."
Hanya lowered her head, remaining silent for a moment before picking up the Judge's Brush once more to continue writing judgments.
She admitted that she indeed harbored bias against Su Jinyan. After all, he had saved Big Sister Xueyi. Instead of blaming him, Hanya should be grateful. Once her tedious official duties were handled, she planned to secretly meet with Su Jinyan during her temporary return to life, without Big Sister knowing.
She was determined to find out exactly what about Su Jinyan had captivated her sister.