She wants to defeat him in a single move under everyone’s watch, using absolute strength.
She wants every collateral disciple to see—how weak the Holy Son is, how easily crushed, how much he needs her “protection.” Su Xuanxuan intends to shatter the Holy Son’s pitiful self-esteem into pieces, then carefully pick up those fragments and reassemble them into the continuation she finds most satisfactory. Only after the Holy Lord sacrificed his entire life essence was this pitiful bit of bloodline preserved. She cannot afford even a moment’s negligence in protecting and cultivating the Holy Son.
Even if the Holy Son hates her, loathes her, and never forgives her for the rest of his life, she must protect him.
Her delicate body trembling, Su Xuanxuan forces calm, her eyes filled with grievance: “Please understand, Your Highness. This subordinate is doing this for your own good!”
As she speaks, she redirects her spiritual power. Invisible spiritual energy surges from her fingertips, turning into countless unseen threads that bind Chu Yuan. Chu Yuan tries to resist, but the spirit threads condensed by the Fox Venerable carry an irresistible force, like a gentle yet stubborn hand firmly gripping him.
With that, Su Xuanxuan prepares to drag him toward her courtyard.
At this, Chu Yuan grits his teeth and mutters, “‘For your own good’… Venerable Fox, is this what you call ‘for your own good’?” Those three words. In his previous life, he knelt on the cracked bluestone slabs and listened. In this life, he will no longer be harmed by them!!!
He activates the Phantom Ethereal Dharma Robe on his body. Holding the young dragon, Chu Yuan’s entire form melts into the void. In an instant, the spirit threads binding him go slack.
Turning around to see no one there, Su Xuanxuan panics: “Your Highness, what are you doing???”
Chu Yuan snorts coldly: “Venerable Fox, what are you doing? Showing such disrespect to this Holy Son—who is the master, and who is the servant? Or is this your loyalty…”
Unable to lock onto His Highness’s position, Su Xuanxuan anxiously says: “Your Highness, please don’t misunderstand. I would never harm you!”
Chu Yuan rolls his eyes: “If you weren’t planning to harm me, why did you do this? If not for the Dharma Garment the Ancestor gave me, where would you have taken me?”
Su Xuanxuan apologetically explains: “Forgive me, Your Highness! I was just too anxious. Please understand!”
Before she can finish, he suddenly feels the young dragon in his arms stir. Looking down, Gu Su Die’s little claws are gently tugging at his collar. Its eyelids tremble slightly, then slowly open, revealing dark gold vertical pupils.
Seeing this, Chu Yuan is overjoyed: “Sovereign, you’re awake?”
Hearing this, Gu Su Die blinks dazedly. In Chu Yuan’s hidden state, it can only see the flower-patterned windows on both sides of the corridor. Its dragon face is full of confusion: “Where… is this? Chef, where are you?” Its voice is hoarse and weak, as if waking from a long dream, still unable to distinguish dream from reality.
Seeing that the Sovereign can’t see him, Chu Yuan has no choice but to reveal his form and says: “Sovereign, can you see your subordinate now? We’ve already left the Crown Prince’s place.”
Catching sight of Chu Yuan’s appearance, the Fox Venerable can’t help but rejoice, while Gu Su Die’s awareness gradually clears. It remembers how that damned woman in the room earlier sat on its chef and drained Chu Yuan dry, while all it could do was weakly flick its tail, powerless to do anything. The mere thought makes Gu Su Die’s pupils contract sharply. It lifts its head abruptly, its dragon face looking around in all directions, its vertical pupils full of vigilance: “Chef, where’s that bad woman?! Did she bully you again?”
Chu Yuan shakes his head: “Don’t worry! It’s fine for now!”
Gu Su Die sighs in relief, its little claws hugging its chef tightly: “Good. From now on, as long as I’m here, no one can hurt you!!!”
Feeling the young dragon’s unreserved partiality, Chu Yuan’s smile warms. He teases: “Oh? Your Majesty, are you no longer angry with your subordinate?”
Angry? Gu Su Die is stunned. Of course it is angry. Angry that he lied to it in the past life; angry that he always pinned his love on those who didn’t love him; even angrier that to save it, he didn’t hesitate to sign that unequal contract with that detestable woman. But all that anger, seeing that woman bully him, turned into heartache.
Gnashing its teeth, Gu Su Die’s dragon tail lightly flicks at Chu Yuan’s wrist, like a silent, petulant reprimand. “I…” It opens its mouth to say “I’m still angry,” but the words come out as: “Angry about what? From now on, you and I, ruler and subject, united as one—there’s no difficulty we can’t overcome.”
Having said that, Gu Su Die’s dragon tail gently coils around his wrist, as if stamping an “forgiven” seal.
Su Xuanxuan stands to the side, watching this person and dragon “reconcile,” her expression complicated. The tenderness the Holy Son shows this dragon is far gentler than what he shows her. In a daze, Su Xuanxuan seems to see the days when she disguised herself as Chu Yuan’s foster mother, the liveliness and enthusiasm with which the Holy Son looked at her. But now, Chu Yuan’s gaze toward her is nothing but disgust.
Right now, watching Gu Su Die’s dragon face flush slightly with emotion, Chu Yuan smiles softly and repeats: “Alright, Your Majesty! You and I, ruler and subject united as one—there’s no difficulty we can’t overcome!” With these words, he has completely resolved the issue of the Sovereign pretending to dislike him.
Gu Su Die, meanwhile, makes a secret resolution, a fierce glint flashing in its vertical pupils: “That bad woman, just you wait! One day, I’ll make you pay!!!”
Seeing the young dragon’s intense hatred for Ji Xuanyuan, Su Xuanxuan sees an opportunity. She steps forward and says softly: “Your Majesty, if you wish to become stronger, I have a way!”
Gu Su Die’s eyes light up: “Really?” Just awakened, Gu Su Die is still unaware of the conflict between the fox and its chef.
Su Xuanxuan slightly nods her head: “Of course! I am of the demon race originally, so I know best how demons should cultivate! In fact, just now I had already discussed it with Yuan’er! From now on, you both can cultivate in my courtyard!”
Seduced by her words, it can’t help but rejoice and quickly says: “Then what are we waiting for! Let’s go!!!” After experiencing the powerlessness of watching its chef being drained, its impulse to become stronger is overwhelming.
Su Xuanxuan’s smile deepens. She turns to Chu Yuan and transmits: “Your Highness, since His Majesty the Sovereign has said so, will you still return to that shabby courtyard of yours? If so, I’ll take care of the Sovereign first, what do you say?”
To this, Chu Yuan grits his teeth. If he could, he wouldn’t want too much contact with this fox. But the problem is, given his current situation, he still needs her resources and influence. Especially when it comes to dismantling the Fake Young Master’s forces, having the fox’s help would be twice the result with half the effort. Struggling inwardly for a moment, Chu Yuan finally sighs and says to the young dragon in his arms: “Let’s go, Your Majesty. We’ll go to the Venerable Fox’s courtyard together!”
Seeing the Holy Son compromise, Su Xuanxuan’s smile grows even wider: “Good! This way, please!” With that, she turns and continues walking toward her own courtyard.
This time, without the Fox Venerable using spirit threads to force him, Chu Yuan obediently follows.
Gu Su Die lies against his chest, its vertical pupils half-open, half-closed, its dragon tail gently swaying on Chu Yuan’s wrist: “Chef.”
Chu Yuan is puzzled: “What is it?”
“If that woman bullies you again, I’ll help you hit her.”
“…Okay.”
“Even if I can’t win, I’ll still fight.”
“Okay.”
“You’re not allowed to stop me.”
“…Okay.”
Gu Su Die closes its eyes in satisfaction, its dragon tail coiling tighter around Chu Yuan’s wrist.
Su Xuanxuan walks ahead, a faint smile on her lips. Within that smile is bitterness and helplessness, mixed with a trace of envy. But she doesn’t complain too much. Although the Holy Son treats her poorly, Su Xuanxuan has finally found the best “spirit thread” to control her Yuan’er.
The two of them and the dragon pass through courtyard after courtyard. The bluestone path beneath their feet gradually becomes unfamiliar, and the surrounding flowers and trees shift from simple collateral courtyards to exquisite, rare spiritual plants. Smelling the faint sandalwood in the air, Chu Yuan realizes this is a unique scent of the Sacred Realm, a familiar feeling washing over him.
Leading the way, Su Xuanxuan walks calmly, neither looking back nor speaking, only silently guiding the “spirit thread” that binds the Holy Son, like leading a bird finally back to its cage. When they arrive at her courtyard, she raises her hand and gently taps the void. Pale golden spiritual power surges from her fingertips, like countless tiny serpents slithering along the courtyard walls, weaving an impenetrable net.
A low hum sounds, and the entire courtyard is shrouded in a translucent barrier, cutting off all external prying. Especially since that Fake Young Master Chu Yunlan is also within the Chu Clan, the Fox Venerable deems activating this formation absolutely necessary.
Chu Yuan, holding Gu Su Die, stands in the courtyard watching the barrier slowly close, feeling as if he’s once again trapped in a cage.
“Your Highness.” Before Chu Yuan can think further, Su Xuanxuan points a jade finger toward a side room in the courtyard: “This side chamber, I have already ordered someone to prepare for you. From now on, you will stay here temporarily. After the Divine Hunt Grand Ceremony, I will take you back to the Sacred Realm.” Having said that, she leads Chu Yuan around the courtyard.
The environment inside is indeed much better than the shabby courtyard Chu Yuan previously lived in. However, for a cultivator, whether the spiritual energy is abundant is the primary concern; everything else can be arranged casually.
Gu Su Die can no longer hold back and urges: “Fox, when do we start cultivating? Hurry up and teach me!”
Pleased by Gu Su Die’s diligence, the Fox Venerable says warmly: “No rush! With Your Majesty’s talent, a little guidance will be enough. But as for His Highness the Holy Son, that’s a different matter. I will have to give him very careful guidance.”
As she speaks, she waves her hand. Nine jade slips fly out from her sleeve, floating in midair, glowing with faint spiritual light. The jade slips are inscribed with ancient seal script: Rage Swordsmanship Canon, Nine Cycles Soul Refining Art, Myriad Transformations Return to One. Each one is a top-tier cultivation technique rarely seen in the Zhen Realm.