Emperor's Reckoning

Chapter 1270: A Way To Reconstruct A Body

Lyon pushed open the chamber door, the golden hues of the room catching his eye for only a moment before his gaze fixed on the phoenix resting inside. Enya, the Immortal Phoenix, lay there with her eyes half-lidded, her alluring expression softened by exhaustion, though the sharpness of her gaze never dulled.

"So, I take it that this is your abode?" she asked, her voice carrying a faint teasing lilt.

"The very same," Lyon replied with a grin, gesturing around. "The Empyrean."

"It’s... nice," Enya remarked, her tone approving but measured.

Lyon raised a thumbs up, his grin widening. "Then it must be really nice if you complimented it!"

Enya smirked, the faintest curve of amusement at her lips. "Heh, I can see the worries and questions written all over your face, Lyon."

He let out a small sigh, walking over to sit beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

With a hint of pride, Enya said, "That daughter of the Knowledge Keeper... she’s something else. Quite skilled."

"Well, you taught her," Lyon reminded, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Besides, she’s definitely better than me at this healing business."

Enya snorted. "Yes... so far, you’re the worst student I’ve ever taught."

Lyon winced dramatically, clutching his chest as if her words physically pained him. "Ouch. You know, you could’ve said something nicer."

"I already complimented your room, didn’t I?" Enya replied, her tone dry.

"I-I meant regarding my training days," Lyon muttered, trying to steer the conversation.

Enya’s eyes gleamed with playful mischief. "Well, you didn’t kill yourself, at least."

"Okay, okay," Lyon sighed, lowering his head. "I walked right into that one."

Enya’s smirk deepened, a flicker of warmth hidden beneath her teasing words. Despite her sharp tongue, there was a deep bond between them, forged from the days of his youth, when he was just a reckless boy under her care.

"Aunt Enya, I shouldn’t be surprised that you managed to get your old body back, but damn, I didn’t expect you could actually do it!" Lyon said, crossing his arms and nodding in acknowledgment, clearly impressed.

Enya raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with playful skepticism. "And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked, her gaze narrowing slightly. "You think I’m some kind of amateur?"

Lyon’s eyes widened, his hands going up in a defensive gesture. "No, absolutely not!" he shook his head frantically, realizing his mistake. "I’d never—"

"I can see you’re surrounded by ghosts," Enya cut him off, her eyes flicking toward the spectral forms of Lyon’s companions—Minx the Sage Rat, Ma the Undying Horse, Rui the Moon Hare, Bapho the Calamity Goat, Sun the Devil Ape, Shen the True Dragon, Muspell Duran the Almighty Ox, and Tiangou the Meteor Dog. They loomed in the background, their presence almost like a shadow that Lyon carried with him.

"Hehehe," Lyon laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, they tend to follow me around... You know how it is."

Rui leaped gracefully from Lyon’s head, landing lightly on Enya’s blanket. The Moon Hare’s curious eyes gleamed. "Enya, how did you do it?" he asked, ears twitching.

Enya raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "What’s this? The mighty Moon Hare needs help from little old me?"

"Oh, you little—!" Rui growled, ears flicking in annoyance.

"What? A ghost is going to punch me?" Enya’s smirk widened, her tone drenched in amusement.

Without hesitation, Rui hopped up and delivered a dropkick aimed right at Enya’s face. But as his feet touched her, there was nothing but a light tap, his ethereal form barely grazing her. Enya didn’t flinch, just raised a brow, her smirk deepening as Rui pouted in frustration.

"What was that? Did a breeze just hit me?" Enya taunted.

Rui crossed his arms, sulking, while Lyon chuckled wryly from the side. "Aunt Enya, maybe... if you could show me the way, I could help the others reclaim their bodies..." His voice softened, the weight of his guilt seeping through. "I owe them that much, at least."

Ma, the Undying Horse, gave a soft snort, his deep voice calming. "Don’t fret about it, my boy. We are with you either way."

Minx, the Sage Rat, squinted, looking at Enya suspiciously. "Enya... Did you use a concoction, or did you meet the Pig?"

Enya rolled her eyes, a half-exasperated, half-impressed sigh escaping her lips. "Sometimes I hate how accurate you are, Minx," she said. "But yes, you’re right. I met him."

Lyon’s eyes widened in shock. "You met him?!"

Enya leaned back slightly, her gaze distant as she recalled the past. "I met him as a ghost, but it was quite a long time ago. I can’t exactly remember when."

Lyon swallowed hard, curiosity and unease gnawing at him. "How is he?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"He’s fine, not dead, but also a ghost," Enya replied nonchalantly. "Though, not for long." She glanced at Lyon. "I know the recipe for body reconstruction. One of the ingredients was... my own tears."

"The ultimate elixir," Lyon muttered, piecing the information together. He had heard stories about such powerful concoctions, but hearing it directly was a different weight entirely.

Enya sighed, frustration flickering across her face. "Sadly, as a ghost, my tears were just a mere illusion in the physical world. Useless."

"He got it, didn’t he?" Lyon shook his head, a crooked smile forming. "Of course he did. He’s the best treasure hunter alive... or dead... or ghost."

Enya smirked. "It was from me."

Muspell, the Almighty Ox, furrowed his brows in confusion. "How could that be?"

Minx, the Sage Rat, twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. "Must’ve been on the day of Lyon’s death."

Lyon froze, the realization settling over him like a heavy cloak. His death, that moment had set things into motion he was only now beginning to grasp. "So... he took your tears then."

Enya nodded slowly, her expression serious. "Yes. It was my last gift before we both became what we were then."

Lyon leaned forward, his interest piqued. "So that means, the pig also has his body?"

"Of course," Enya replied confidently, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

Minx flicked his tail. "Where is he now?"

Enya’s eyes softened. "I have no idea. We both agreed to part ways. It increased our chances of finding you."

Bapho let out a deep chuckle. "Wise decision. He wasn’t wrong."

Lyon crossed his arms, nodding thoughtfully. "Then, do we have what we need to reconstruct their bodies?"

"We would need a giant pool," Enya said with certainty.

Lyon waved his hand dismissively, grinning. "We could use my bathtub for that."

Enya raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Your bathtub isn’t going to cover it. This requires something much bigger."

Lyon blinked, tilting his head. "Well, do you need to be fully submerged? Because I can make that happen right away." His playful tone suggested he could summon whatever was needed in an instant.

Suddenly, Shen, the True Dragon, interrupted. "W-Wait!"

Sun, the Devil Ape, groaned. "What now, catfish? This is not the time for silly questions."

Shen, eyes wide, looked between Lyon and Enya, concern evident in his expression. "I take it that you and the pig... entered some sort of bathtub or pond together? Then emerged as man and woman... naked?!"

The room fell silent for a moment, Enya’s fiery gaze narrowing at Shen’s awkward realization. Lyon scratched the back of his head, trying not to laugh, while the mythical beasts exchanged glances.

Enya sighed and crossed her arms. "If that’s where your mind went, then you’re not entirely wrong, but it’s not as simple as that."

"Ah, lucky bastard! I need to see him!" Shen exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over.

"You idiot, you’re focusing on all the wrong things!" Sun shot back, grabbing Shen and wrestling him playfully.

Just then, Maria entered the chamber, her presence bringing a sense of calm. "Lyon, please leave the room. It’s time for Master Enya’s bath."

Lyon rose to his feet, nodding. "Right. I’ll leave her in your capable hands."

"Of course," Maria replied, her eyes sparkling with admiration as Harvestasya wheeled in a giant portable bath shaped like a cauldron.

With a playful wave, Lyon said his goodbyes and stepped out, leaving the three of them alone in the chamber.

Enya stirred awake from her bed, her eyes shimmering with determination as she approached the steaming cauldron. Without hesitation, she slipped into the boiling hot water, submerging herself completely.

Harvestasya’s tails wagged excitedly, her joy palpable. This was her master’s master—her grandmaster!

The surface of the water rippled as Enya slowly emerged from the cauldron, her fiery golden hair clinging to her neck and shoulders, shimmering like molten gold. Her bountiful breasts, only half-submerged, glistened under the steam, the water tracing delicate lines over her smooth skin. She combed her fingers through her damp hair, pulling it back with practiced ease, each movement deliberate, revealing the elegant curve of her neck.

Leaning against the edge of the cauldron, her arms rested languidly on the sides, exuding a quiet, unspoken confidence. Her golden-red eyes held a captivating intensity, like flames flickering behind a curtain of calm. The glance she cast towards Maria and Harvestasya was serious, a mix of wisdom and authority, tempered by the undeniable allure of her presence. Even in this vulnerable state, she commanded the room with her grace and quiet power.

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