novelraw Chapter 427 427: 231、I am suitable for practicing magic skills.
Chapter 427 427: 231、I am suitable for practicing magic skills.
The Seventh Prince was her master, and Xu Xing was her master too. If the two of them were to confront each other, she would be stuck in the middle. She could see no path for survival, only death.
"Mister, then you are...?"
A bit of respect settled on Lady Qionghai's face as she poured a cup of tea for Xu Xing, asking gently.
She wouldn't interfere with the Seventh Prince. She didn't mind making compromises to assist Xu Xing with matters within her power. On the contrary, having one more ally could only be a good thing.
"I'm curious, what is Nan Lu's position in the Demon Lord's Mansion?"
Without even a sip of the tea that Lady Qionghai had served, Xu Xing set it down, his gaze lingering on her face, as lovely as peach blossoms, for a bit longer as he asked leisurely.
Lady Qionghai was from the Demon Lord's Mansion, so it would be better to ask her about Nan Lu rather than Luo Ying, the "traitor".
"Nan Lu..."
"Twelfth Miss?"
At this, Lady Qionghai's expression flickered with uncertainty.
After remaining silent for a moment, she managed a smile and said, "Twelfth Miss is heavily favored by the Demon Lord. In terms of power, she is only beneath the Seventh Prince and the Eldest Miss in the Mansion. If Senior Yan intends to cause her trouble, it may not be that easy."
"Twelfth Miss?"
Upon hearing this title, Xu Xing's eyebrows knitted slightly. He felt that the situation was becoming more complex than he had anticipated.
Unlike the Mortal World, within the Demon Lord's Mansion, those who were called Young Master or Miss were not the actual sons and daughters of the Demon Lord but the standout cultivators from the Nan Family.
The titles of Young Master and Miss were symbols of status within the Demon Lord's Mansion, similar to the positions of legitimate heirs in powerful Aristocratic Families.
Given that Nan Lu was indeed the Twelfth Miss of the Demon Lord's Mansion, it wouldn't be difficult for her to call upon a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord due to her status.
When he set out, he had guessed that Nan Lu's identity was not simple. But he hadn't expected that even after he destroyed one of her incarnations and severely weakened her, she still retained the position of Twelfth Miss of the Demon Lord's Mansion, and no one else had taken her place.
Knowing that internal power struggles, where even kin turned on each other, were common in the Righteous Path sects, it was likely that such struggles were even more intense in the Demon way.
Could it be that Nan Lu's weakness… no one else has discovered it yet? Xu Xing wondered.
Only a year had passed since Nan Lu's incarnation was destroyed. If she was adept at concealing her condition, it would be natural for those around her not to have noticed her weakness. After all, cultivators often entered seclusion for years, even decades. If she used seclusion as a pretext to recuperate, no one would be able to perceive her weakened state.
"Has the Twelfth Miss acted strangely lately?" Xu Xing looked towards Lady Qionghai, a smile playing at his lips, his eyes gleaming a bit.
"Twelfth Miss is a junior. I serve the Seventh Prince and have long since left the Demon Lord's Mansion to manage Qionghai Pavilion. Therefore, I truly don't know much about Twelfth Miss's affairs..." Lady Qionghai felt a chill run down her spine under Xu Xing's gaze; she quickly swallowed and responded. "The Demon Lord's Mansion is under tight security... Those of us who have left the Mansion dare not pry into its internal affairs," she explained.
"However…"
Noticing that Xu Xing's gaze was turning icy after her words, cold sweat trickled down Lady Qionghai's forehead. With that, she quickly made a suggestion.
"Luo Ying and I are close. She is currently favored by the Seventh Prince and holds considerable power within the Demon Lord's Mansion. With her assistance, Senior Yan will surely be able to get what he wants."
Lady Qionghai proposed this, thinking, I'd rather it be her than me.
"Luo Ying?"
Xu Xing hadn't expected that his inquiry about Nan Lu would circle back to Luo Ying.
"Luo Ying... I can help Senior Yan lure her out of Seven Sufferings Island."
Lady Qionghai carefully observed Xu Xing's expression. Noticing that he seemed to be considerably calmer, she immediately promised, patting her chest.
「Five days later.」
At the Blackstone Island Sea Domain, Lady Qionghai, as per the plan, lured Luo Ying into the trap and activated the array technique.
"Sister Cui, we both serve the Seventh Prince! If you betray the Seventh Prince, it won't end well for you..."
As the array technique inscriptions suddenly rose from the void around her, Luo Ying startled and backed away a few steps. Then she quickly regained her composure and coldly began to confront Lady Qionghai.
She was only a Returning Core Cultivator, while Lady Qionghai was a Dao Pill Daoist—a major realm apart. Even with the special items bestowed by the Seventh Prince, she had no confidence she could survive an encounter with Lady Qionghai. Therefore, she could only invoke the Seventh Prince's name to try and intimidate Lady Qionghai.
"Luo, my dear, I didn't want to do this either. But right now, my life is in someone else's hands. To save myself, I have no choice but to betray you."
Lady Qionghai covered her mouth and giggled, her body swaying gracefully like a flower in the wind.
Although she and Luo Ying were acquainted, loyalty or sentiment scarcely existed between cultivators of the Demon way. This was especially true since Luo Ying was her rival for the Seventh Prince's favor, and he had grown increasingly cold towards Lady Qionghai over the years. If she could use Xu Xing's power to have Luo Ying killed, it would actually be a joyous occasion for her.
To be able to bypass the Seventh Prince's Slave Mark and control Lady Qionghai's life—this person's methods are undoubtedly formidable. And profound methods generally mean high strength. Someone who dares to pluck the Seventh Prince's tiger whiskers... Just based on this courage, it's clear this person is no ordinary individual.
Luo Ying's heart lurched, and she asked, "Who is controlling Sister Cui?"
"It is Yan."
A voice, ethereal and illusory as if coming from all directions, suddenly reached Luo Ying's ears.
Immediately after, Luo Ying's vision blurred.
A stout man instantly appeared in front of her. He easily disabled the voice transmission talisman hidden in her sleeve and then, with a finger, tapped her lower abdomen, completely sealing her magic power.