Chapter 202: The Empress Caught in the Act, Enters the Battlefield of Jealousy (2)
One can imagine—working so hard, only to make a tiny mistake...
And the punishment for that tiny mistake was this dog tail plug...
Who could endure that?!
"Relax. I'll give you another option—you can find someone to share the burden."
A smile appeared on Su Qing's face as he spoke.
"You mean I can find someone else?"
Princess Consort's eyes lit up instantly.
If she could get a few others involved, she wouldn't have to suffer through this alone!
"Of course, not just anyone. For example... that aloof, untouchable flower on the mountain."
"If it's her, then sure. It's just a matter of whether you can convince her."
Su Qing had a very subtle smile on his face.
"The flower on the mountain... you mean the Mistress of Heavenly Dao Sect?!"
Princess Consort instantly realized who he meant and gasped.
"Naturally. She's plotted against me more than once—I'm not exactly a forgiving guy."
"This whole operation is practically aimed at her."
Su Qing nodded, speaking in a calm tone.
Because of her, the Heavenly Dao Sect was the model among all sects.
No need to go around suppressing them one by one—that would waste too much time.
Take down the Heavenly Dao Sect, and the rest would fall in line.
"Master, you're really bold."
Princess Consort's voice was filled with admiration.
What kind of person was the Mistress of Heavenly Dao?
She was a living legend among the people, with a reputation that inspired countless martial artists to join her sect.
And this boy actually dared to even think of tainting someone like that!
"You scared?"
Su Qing raised an eyebrow.
"...No, I just think this is going to be really fun!"
The Princess Consort's gaze gleamed with anticipation—her curiosity had clearly been sparked.
She had no relationship with the Mistress of Heavenly Dao, so naturally she felt no guilt.
In fact... as a wicked woman, she couldn't wait to see those high-and-mighty figures dragged down into the dirt!
This mission was going to be a wild ride—how could she miss out on that?
At that moment, the Mistress of Heavenly Dao, now in the form of a little figurine, shivered.
Her cute chibi figure trembled instinctively as she looked around nervously.
This kind of malice was impossible to ignore!
Could it be that she'd been discovered by the Empress after coming to the capital?
The thought flashed through her mind—but she quickly dismissed it.
Impossible.
The Heavenly Dao Seal was extremely well-hidden and secure. It couldn't have been discovered.
After thinking in circles and finding no answer, she returned her gaze to Ye Xueyi.
"Disciple, I've given you enough time to think. You should have an answer for me now, right?"
The Mistress's voice was flat.
Though she said that, she was fully confident in herself.
For years, her disciple had always obeyed her—this time would be no different.
Under her pressure, the girl would surely make the right choice.
"Master, why don't you take a good look around you?"
Ye Xueyi didn't answer directly. Instead, she looked toward both sides of the street.
At this moment, she was leading her master on a tour of the capital.
From the bustling, peaceful streets all the way out of the city—there were all kinds of scenes to see.
In the busy areas, vendors called out in every direction, and people flowed like water.
Men and women alike were busy—shopping, running errands, buying things.
Even in the quieter areas, the atmosphere of daily life remained.
Neatly arranged homes lined the streets, and the sounds of women washing clothes and children laughing could be heard.
It was both lively and serene—a scene of prosperity and peace.
In a time like this, who would doubt that this was a golden age of peace?
Ye Xueyi was curious what her master would think after seeing such a scene.
"What is it? Is there some hidden danger?"
The Mistress's expression instantly turned wary, as she looked cautiously around from her disciple's shoulder.
In this form, her power had been drastically weakened.
Her sense for danger was now far inferior to her disciple's.
Could that chill she felt earlier have been the start of an ambush?
Ye Xueyi felt disappointed upon hearing this.
This defensive, guilty-sounding reply clearly wasn't what she wanted to hear.
If one has nothing to hide, why be so paranoid?
It was practically delusional paranoia.
"Disciple, what is that expression on your face?"
The chibi figurine sensed something off and asked.
"Master... this is a peaceful, prosperous world. Do we really need to 'save all living beings'?"
Ye Xueyi took a deep breath and spoke plainly.
If her master couldn't understand, then she would just have to be more direct.
"You..."
The Mistress's voice was full of disbelief.
She never imagined her disciple would say such a thing!
For so many years, Ye Xueyi had never once questioned her.
How long had they been apart? And now her once-familiar student seemed like a stranger.
"Master, what you're doing is purely for your own selfish motives."
"I saw all the recent turmoil with my own eyes—how many people were left in fear and chaos?"
"Why should we, for our own purposes, destroy this peace and throw the people back into terror?"
"We shouldn't interfere with secular power struggles, and we certainly shouldn't overthrow the Empress's rule!"
Ye Xueyi spoke with unwavering eyes, staring directly at her master.
She had begun to grow.
She now had her own sense of right and wrong.
Saying something like this meant she had developed her own will—no longer just a puppet.
"As expected, you've already been tainted by him."
The Mistress of Heavenly Dao was filled with disappointment at her disciple's defiance.
"Master, I haven't been influenced by him. Everything I said comes from what I've personally observed. I..."
Ye Xueyi hadn't finished speaking when she was abruptly cut off.
"What you saw was only what he wanted you to see. Why are you so naive?"
"All men in this world are vipers and cannot be trusted. Haven't I told you this before?!"
The Mistress's voice dripped with frustration.
"That's not true, Master. There are good men out there—I've seen them..."
Ye Xueyi had wanted to talk about the story of the live-in son-in-law, but she was interrupted again.
"Silence!"
The Mistress shouted.
Even in her chibi figure form, the icy glare she gave off was almost tangible.
Ye Xueyi stubbornly turned her head away but didn't apologize.
She'd tried twice to express her thoughts, only to be shut down both times.
She didn't even know how her master saw her anymore.
"Disciple, since you have your own thoughts, then I'll show you the truth myself."
The Mistress looked at the divine maiden's expression and paused before speaking again.
Ye Xueyi didn't respond but looked at her with confused eyes.
"I'll let this foolish disciple see for herself whether he's truly worth trusting—so you can face reality!"
The Mistress said seriously.
Her disciple had grown up and formed her own views. Now, she had to make her give up on that delusion.