After Helian Jiao Er saw it had been solved, she finally stopped crying.
As expected, after the four families came forward, the Huai's no longer said anything. After all, their son had already married a daughter from the Helian's family.
If they did not take the money, then they must be a fool.
So, they instructed the person who came to fetch the bride to leave the General's residence.
However, Helian Jiao Er was still disconsolate. This was because she had fallen from being a prominent and most talented lady in the Capital to a lady who had been rejected from a marriage, and her father had given so much money to them.
How could she just let it go!
However...
"Mother, you have underestimated the Third Prince. In fact, he was not affected by Yun Biluo at all. Have we assumed wrongly?"
Su Yan Mo patted her hand, "Who said that he was not affected? If you think about it carefully, if someone that had been around you for so many years always disappears and reappears all of a sudden on his own whims and fancies, you must surely be unhappy. You see, this time the Third Prince obviously did not forget Yun Biluo. Since he has not forgotten her, then there is still hope."
Helian Jiao Er bit her lip while listening, and said, "But mother, you have no idea, the Third Prince has always been supporting that little rascal, Helian Wei Wei and also helping her out, I am worried..."
"Jiao Er," Su Yan Mo's tone was faint, "She is the Third Princess Consort, and you have taken too little consideration this time when you challenged the authority of the Third Princess Consort in public. The authority of the Royal Family is powerful, these words should not be casually spoken. People like the Third Prince, of course, will not allow anyone to look down on the princess consort that was chosen by him."
Helian Jiao Er took a deep breath unwillingly, "Then mother, what should I do?"
"You shall not go to the academy these few days, and it is also inappropriate for me to attend the gatherings in the Capital recently. Let's wait until your father removes the name of the little rascal from the family tree, then everything will be fine." Su Yan Mo caressed Helian Jiao Er's long hair with her eyes facing toward Helian Guang Yao.
Some time ago, her business was in a complete mess, and she did not have much money in hand. Additionally, she did not even know what Helian Guang Yao was doing recently.
She always felt that he was hiding something from her.
Perhaps she was too suspicious, as when she went and visited the ladies these past few days, she always felt that they had something to say. The feeling of being criticized made her feel very uncomfortable.
She wanted to talk to Helian Guang Yao, but she could not find time to do so.
See, when they had just finished their discussion, someone whispered something in Helian Guang Yao's ear.
Helian Guang Yao stood up and faced Helian Jiao Er and Su Yan Mo, which he said, "There are still imperial court matters to attend to, I have to go now."
Su Yan Mo quickly sent him out.
The housekeeper tagged along behind Helian Guang Yao, and until he could not see the main entrance of the General's residence anymore, then only he voiced out his worries, "Old Master, Miss Lian Er's injury should not be a big deal. It would be better if you stayed together with them at this time because if the Su family knew about it, I am afraid that the situation will put you at a disadvantage."
Helian Guang Yao thought about it, and then he retracted the step that he had initially set out, "I will listen to you, let's go back to the residence after we take a walk."
"Yes, Old Master."
Indeed, both of them took a walk.
When Helian Guang Yao came back, Su Yan Mo was still awake. She was surprised to see him return, so she wanted to talk to him for a moment.
However, Helian Guang Yao looked exhausted, so Su Yanmo gave up her desire. When she thought about dealing with Helian Wei Wei in the very near future, her heart exploded with happiness, hence, it did not take her long to close her eyes and fall asleep.
What she did not know, however, was that Helian Guang Yao did not sleep actually. Instead, he was full of thoughts, but such thoughts were not about her...
The night became darker.
When Baili Jia Jue woke up, Helian Wei Wei seemed to feel a lot more comfortable, and her face had more color to it.
He reached out his hand, wanting to poke Helian Wei Wei's face.
He did not expect anyone to be so uneasy even when she was asleep She took his finger and placed it in her mouth, pretending it to be food.
Helian Wei Wei's bite was not painful though, her long eyelashes were half-bent, and her small tongue slid over Baili Jia Jue's finger, coupled with some warmth...
The only thing that Baili Jia Jue felt was something strange that leaped from his fingertips to his lower abdomen, which was a bit itching.
He suddenly looked down, and without pausing, he leaned over and kissed her neck.
It was probably because this part was more sensitive, Helian Wei Wei immediately tensed, and her fingers grabbed Baili Jia Jue's clothes.
Both of them were very close to each other.
Baili Jia Jue reached out his hand and held the back of her head, and he inserted his finger into Helian Wei Wei's hair, and gently stroked it. Watching her soft hair slid down just like water in between his fingers had all of his attention.
The gentle pressure at the scalp made Helian Wei Wei feel unusually comfortable in her sleep; she sighed, and her husky voice made the itch in Baili Jia Jue's heart became more intense!
He stood up suddenly and strode to the copper basin and sprinkled his face with cold water. He looked at his strange self in the bronze mirror and his eyebrows slightly frowned.
However, compared to all these, he could feel the beating of his heart, it was so intense, as though it almost hit through the thin layer of the flesh of his chest.
What is this feeling...
D*mn it!
Baili Jia Jue stared at his legs and looked at his strange self in the mirror. Obviously, he needed to calm himself down.
Since he could not play with his prey, all he could do was to kill it. (Helian Wei Wei: ...So, you see, how many lives I have saved indirectly?)
Baili Jia Jue shifted his gaze from the bronze mirror and then walked out. The shadow guards were three times more than usual. Ever since His Highness chose to reveal his identity, this meant that the White Academy would not be peaceful in the future.
After the Retired Emperor came to know about this, he could not do anything about it, but he was not really worried that those people from the four families would harm Baili Jia Jue. What he really worried about was that once Baili Jia Jue was annoyed, he might fall into the demon's path without being aware of it.
Shadow was aware of the Retired Emperor's worries, so some of the things he prefered not to let His Highness take action on his own.
However, he knew that His Highness was truly pissed off today. From his reaction during the day, Shadow was very clear that there would be follow-ups of this matter.
"Summon Bai Mei." Baili Jia Jue stood under the sparse tree shadow and casually played with the tail ring on his finger.
Shadow was stunned, and without any delay, Bai Mei was found and brought over.
Baili Jia Jue sat on the rattan wooden chair, holding his chin in one hand, whereas the other hand was flipping through a book. In a chilly manner, he asked, "Would you like to know where Hei Zhu is?"
Bai Mei did not understand why His Highness would suddenly mention Hei Zhu, she just felt that the atmosphere was a little bit awkward, and her body felt a little bit cold.
Baili Jia Jue flipped another page and said, "Let her have a look at the thing."
When Bai Mei heard this, she turned around and saw Hei Zhu's face which had already turned blue. Suddenly she panicked, and she knelt on the ground with a loud thud.
Bang!
"Y-Your Highness, I..." Bai Mei tried to explain herself.
Baili Jia Jue stared at her coldly. "Why are you so nervous? Isn't that your precious sister?"
Bai Mei was trembling uncontrollably. As an assassin, she did not fear death, but she was terrified of Baili Jiajue. She regretted all of her decisions and her recklessness that led to her taking matters into her own hands.
"I had overestimated your intellect," Baili Jia Jue's lips curled up as he looked at her. However, his smile never reached his eyes. "She is my prey, yet I couldn't bear to harm even a single hair on her head. Now look at you guys – aren't you helpful indeed, filling her mind with ideas on how to leave me."
Bai Mei almost stopped breathing when she heard this sentence. She tried to explain, "I-I thought Sister Yun was the one whom you-"
Thump!
Before she could finish her sentence, Baili Jia Jua waved his sleeve and sent Bai Mei flying to land heavily on the ground more than a meter away. She coughed painfully, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth.
Baili Jia Jue stood up gracefully. Seemingly unconcerned about her plight, he turned to Shadow and asked, "How are things at the General's residence?"
"Your Highness, the people at the Huai residence had accepted bribes from the four influential families and rescinded their proposal for Helian Jiao Er's hand in marriage," Shadow reported while glancing meaningfully at the shadow guards nearby.
The shadow guards kept their heads down as they carted the unconscious Bai Mei away. All of them understood clearly that from now on, the princess consort should be treated with the same degree of respect as His Highness.
After listening to Shadow's report, a wicked grin appeared on Baili Jia Jue's face. "Rescinding the marriage? I was the one who bestowed the marriage upon them, but the Huai's dared to go against it? How daring of them."
Shadow bowed his head. It was indeed daring of them; his master was notorious for being someone you should never cross. Despite that reputation, they were still bold enough to make reckless decisions at times like this.
"Turn over all the evidence of corruption done by the Huai family to the Retired Emperor. Since they don't like weddings, then we shall let them hold funerals instead," Baili Jia Jue instructed calmly.
Shadow could only imagine how disastrous the fate of Huai residence would be. "What about the General's residence?" he asked tentatively.
"Let Lan Lian continue; Helian Guang Yao won't be so carefree any longer," Baili Jia Jue sneered. "Helian Wei Wei's methods are still too gentle. People like Su Yan Mo have to face retribution – an eye for an eye."
Initially, Fire Qilin had intended to stay out of this, but it could not resist speaking up any longer.
"Master, there is certainly no one in the world who is more despicable than you are." Seducing Helian Guang Yao with an assassin? Only its master would think of such a devious plan.
Baili Jia Jue raised an eyebrow at it.
Fire Qilin shrunk its head timidly. "What I meant was, why are you intervening?" His master had always been of the opinion that the petty fights between humans were beneath him.
Baili Jia Jue placed his scroll on the wooden table. "As a qualified master, I have to know how to raise my pet properly."
So, it was all for Helian Wei Wei?
"When I was the prey, you've never fed me properly!" Fire Qilin extended its neck, protesting for its own rights.
Baili Jia Jue looked at it stoically. "Haven't I fed you all the vegetables you could eat?"
"But I'm a carnivore!" Fire Qilin bellowed. It could not suppress its discontent any longer.
However, Baili Jia Jue was getting fed up with its ranting, so he started to sever the mental link between them.
Fire Qilin called out hastily, "Master, wait! Wait! I think that you should tell Miss Wei Wei about this."
Otherwise, everything you have done will be in vain if she doesn't know about it!
Sigh, it sure is tough having a master who has never been in a relationship before. I have to worry about things like this...
No one can possibly find a more omnipotent mythical beast in the world apart from me!
Mentally, it howled with pride at itself.
Outwardly, it said, "Master, think about it. If Miss Wei Wei knew about this, she will be really touched! When a woman is moved by your feelings, they will practically throw themselves into your arms." Fire Qilin continued to express its opinions. Usually, Baili Jia Jue would have asked it to shut up a long time ago, but this time, he actually listened to all it had to say.
At this point, Fire Qilin felt that its position in its master's heart had increased in priority. It felt so proud that it stuck out its chest and fluffed its fiery red feathers.
The little creatures who were frightened by the Green Dragon earlier felt helpless once again. They were so terrified that they huddled together in a corner of the room, as far away from the Fire Qilin as they could.
******
In a secluded corner of the gardens, the man looked at Yun Biluo as he said, "This is the so-called influence that you were talking about?"
"There were some misunderstandings between His Highness and I," Yun Biluo explained. She pondered for a while before she lifted her delicate face again, "Nevertheless, I believe that our misunderstandings will be resolved soon; just give me some time."
The man cocked his head to the side and gave it some thought. Then, he stood up and drawled, "Helian Wei Wei can summon even the mighty Green Dragon. How much chance of winning do you think you have?
At the mention of this, Yun Biluo's fingers tightened. "There is still one final test for the War Dragon Army. There are people other than I who want Helian Wei Wei to fail."
"Heh," the man gave a low laugh. "All of these underhanded tactics again. Okay, go. You're dismissed."
Yun Biluo retreated, but it took a while for her to suppress her desire to look for Baili Jia Jue. She told herself that if this was the price to pay for her betrayal in the past, then so be it. She was willing to do anything to appease his anger.
However, at this crucial time, she could not seem to contact Bai Mei.
Yun Biluo squinted and walked further away.
The Demon-Transforming Beast that was hiding in the corner watched her leave with its reddening eye. After making sure that Yun Biluo had gone far, it finally revealed itself to face the man. "Master, thanks to her, we had to sacrifice the Blood Serpent Beast. It's not worth it at all..."
The man's fingers froze. His expression was clearly one of displeasure.
The Demon-Transforming Beast knew that it should not be saying this, but it continued anyway, "I've never seen a human like Baili Jia Jue. Nonetheless, he would not have sensed the Blood Serpent Beast's presence if it wasn't for the Fire Qilin at his side. Who knows what had came over the Fire Qilin for it to willingly be bound to that man as his mythical beast. Its presence had also made things harder for our Bone Eroding Beasts to act, for they are afraid of being discovered by the Fire Qilin and expose master's plan."
"Then possess human vessels." The man retracted his gaze. "The will of the elders in the four influential families should be drained by now. After they've drank the last mouthful of the mythological beasts' blood, you can take over their minds whenever you want. Choose whichever vessel you please. As for the Fire Qilin, just leave it to the Green Dragon."
The Demon-Transforming Beast frowned upon hearing the last statement. "This is impossible. The Fire Qilin and the Green Dragon might be each other's nemesis before this, but both had once subjected to that man before. I don't think they would fight each other."
"Helian Wei Wei might have roused the Green Dragon from its slumber, but she would not be able to bind it with a contract," the man explained calmly, "Once the Mysterious Ice Iron Chains are off, the might of the Green Dragon would no longer be restrained. Its temperament is tied to the Qi surrounding it. When the Green Dragon was trapped beneath the lake, the air of serenity here at the White Academy was concentrated enough to allow the Green Dragon to maintain its natural disposition."
"The Green Dragon's temperament is affected by the Qi in its surroundings. When it was trapped at the bottom of the lake, the air of serenity here at the White Academy allowed it to maintain its nature. If the air of serenity is destroyed, then the Green Dragon will be demonized and fall under my control."
The Demon-Transforming Beast's eyes gleamed. "I see! Master always has the best ideas. I will inform the Bone Eroding Beasts now."
The man hummed. The corners of his lips curled upward, a hint of deviousness glittering in his eyes. "It is time for this mankind-dominated world to come to an end..."
Pitter-patter.
The raindrops from the night rain fell upon the wide leaves in the foliage.
When Helian Wei Wei woke up, she tugged subconsciously at her restrained left hand. Then, her eyes fell on the man lying beside her, and at the same time, she realized that someone had changed her clothes. Her stomach was no longer aching, which gave her an indescribable feeling of comfort.
She had taken a very long nap.
She licked her chapped lips, wishing that she had some water to drink.
Baili Jia Jue woke up when she was still in her thoughts. He glanced at her, then reached out and picked up a porcelain cup which he moved to her mouth.
"Drink it."
His tone was no different than talking to a pet.
Helian Wei Wei continued to ponder for a while. Then, she unlocked her restraints with a flick of her fingers. Under Baili Jia Jue slightly chilly stare, she started to drink the water that he had offered to her.
After draining the cup, she returned her wrists back to their original positions and secured the restraints around them, as obedient as a well-trained dog.
As expected, the Third Prince was very satisfied with her behavior. His hand carded soothingly through her long hair as a reward. Then, he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes.
It was hard to describe how Helian Wei Wei felt right now.
However, Yuan Ming chose this moment to butt his head in, his mischievous voice echoing in her head, "He kinda likes you anyway, so let's jump his bones right now. What could possibly be more important than strengthening yourself? Such a stupid woman."
"Shut up," Helian Wei Wei only gave him two words.
Yuan Ming curled his lips lazily as he drawled, "If you don't jump him now, you'd still end up doing it eight days later. Why hesitate when you can get things over with as soon as possible?"
"Do you want me to toss you into a fire, hmm?" Helian Wei Wei threatened.
Yuan Ming snorted, "Alright, alright, I'll stop talking. Eight days, remember, eight days."
Helian Wei Wei felt a headache roar to life at that reminder. When she severed her mental connection with Yuan Ming, she lifted her eyes to see that Baili Jia Jue was gazing at her. His soft-looking lips curved into a smirk. "If you're always this obedient, then I wouldn't need to get mad at all."
Did tying herself up count as being obedient?
"Sigh..."
Of course his mind would work peculiarly like this.
Right at that moment, Helian Weiwei felt an urge to use the toilet. She unlocked her cuffs, slipped away to do her business, and cuffed herself back onto the bed after she was done. Her movements were well-practiced, quick and efficient.
When the Little Seventh Prince came over, he was baffled by what he saw. He had never seen anyone who would lock herself up willingly before.
He turned to Baili Jiajue and asked on reflex, "Third Brother, what's the matter with Third Aunt?"
"Your Third Aunt likes roleplaying," replied Baili Jiajue calmly. His tone was even, as if he was just stating a simple fact. He crossed his legs lazily and curved his arms behind his head.
Thanks to the special education that he had received from his Third Brother, the Little Seventh Prince knew very well what 'roleplaying' meant. Therefore, he gave Helian Wei Wei an indecipherable look and mused, "So Third Aunt is into that kind of thing."
Helian Wei Wei's thoughts were as follows: Excuse me! Who is the one here who's actually into roleplaying?
"Yeah," Baili Jia Jue replied on her behalf.
The Little Seventh Prince tilted his head in consideration. Then, he continued abruptly, "Sorry to interrupt, but I want to have snake meat. There's a snake head at the door, I lugged it all the way here because I was hoping that Third Aunt would grill it for me."
"Is your Third Aunt your personal chef?" Baili Jia Jue admonished as he gave his wayward younger sibling a stern look. "Also, snake meat isn't for everyone, I heard that only pigs would like it."
The Little Seventh Prince, being the simpleton that he was, hesitated before he confessed, "I did try to feed the snake head to the pigs just now, but they wouldn't eat it. They kept trembling for some reason."
"Why did you try to feed it to the pigs?" Baili Jia Jue arched an elegant brow.
The Little Seventh Prince nodded assertively as he said, "To fatten them up for supper!"
"The pigs would never eat anything that you feed them, because they had already seen through your motives," Baili Jia Jue said as he picked some lint off his sleeves.
The Little Seventh Prince wrinkled his thick tiger-like brows. "Is that so? Then I shall hide in a corner and feed them stealthily from there. They wouldn't know where the food is coming from."
Helian Wei Wei was speechless. Who knew that His Highness spends his free time swindling gullible little kids? The pigs were clearly afraid of the snake head, what he said about them seeing through the Seven Prince's intentions was complete horseshit. How shameless.
"Then, can I ask Third Aunt cook the snake for me to eat first? I'll feed the pigs with the leftovers."
Baili Jia Jue had clearly underestimated his own brother's passion for food.
He gave the tiny child another look. "Alright."
After getting Baili Jia Jue's approval, the little tyke was overjoyed. He scuttled over to the snake head on his stubby legs, about to drag it into the compound.
However, Baili Jia Jue was not finished. "Before that though, you have to perform a little dance."
Upon hearing that, the child froze, his hands moving instinctively to cup his buttocks. The action was so cute that even Helian Wei Wei emitted an amused chuckle.
"It's okay, you don't need to dance. There's just one thing though, the snake is a magical beast, right? Would it affect our bodies if we eat it?" Helian Wei Wei knew that if it was a mythological beast, then ingesting it could be harmful for everyone except those who practice the dark arts, who would be nourished by it instead. On the other hand, if it was a magical beast, would it be even more harmful to the regular person?
The tiny one pulled a face, exclaiming, "I can eat everything!"
Helian Wei Wei slapped her forehead in exasperation. "I know that you are a food connoisseur, but are you sure that it's okay?" She had never doubted Little Seven's eating ability, she was just worried about the consequences of it.
"It's okay," Baili Jia Jue finally voiced up to reassure her. His tone was calm as he continued, "He can digest everything he eats."
Helian Wei Wei's mouth twitched. "What is his stomach made of?"
Baili Jia Jue remained suspiciously silent.
The tiny one pulled a meat bun from his pocket. "I'll use this as an appetizer first." While munching on it, he seemed to have thought of something. He turned to Helian Wei Wei and said feistily, "Right, when the Dean gave me this meat bun, he actually wanted me to tell Third Aunt that he will announce the contents of the third test soon."
"You should have said this first." For the first time in her life, Helian Wei Wei felt defeated.
However, where did the cuffs on her wrists go?
Helian Wei Wei glanced at Baili Jia Jue. "I'll be back in a moment."
Baili Jia Jue's eyes were frosty. He did not voice his agreement.
Helian Wei Wei smiled. He gave off the vibe of a noble yet languid Persian Cat. If she stroked his fur the right way, everything would be fine.
So, she turned her face, her lips curling gently before she bestowed a soft kiss on his forehead.
Baili Jia Jue's fingers stiffened. Before he could react, the person next to him had already disappeared.
Of course Helian Wei Wei would not stick around any longer. She hurried toward the Underground Palace with the Little Seventh Prince safely in her arms.
Baili Jia Jue furrowed his brows. Then, he lifted himself off the bed, his long fingers ghosting across the spot where Helian Wei Wei's lips had touched just now.
"Your Highness."
When Shadow walked in, the first thing he saw was Baili Jia Jue's frozen position. A flash of incredulity shone through his eyes.
Was His Highness... laughing?
Since young, His Highness had always been someone who kept his feelings under wraps.
He would only sneer or laugh sarcastically, or at best, lift up a corner of his lips.
He rarely smiled like he did right now.
Did anything joyous happen today?
However, the princess consort was not around.
Shadow had no idea what was going on in his master's mind. Disregarding it for the time being, he bowed his head respectfully and knelt to the ground on one knee. "There has been a development with the crawling beast incident. We have found out that Helian Guang Yao was the one who planted his mercenaries in the academy. He wanted them to verify his suspicion that the princess consort is possessed."
"Helian Guang Yao?" Baili Jia Jue fiddled with the ring on his little finger. His eyes darkened as he said, "It's not him. I don't think he is competent enough to have a mob of crawling beasts under his control. Continue your investigation."
Shadow accepted his order and was just about to retreat when Baili Kia Kue spoke again. "Start by inspecting the people within the Academy before you move on to outsiders."
"Yes, Sir," Shadow kept his eyes averted out of respect, but his heart was in turmoil. Was His Highness suspecting that those who wanted to harm him and the princess consort was someone in the Academy? That meant that the culprit was either a student... or a teacher?
Shadow broke out in a cold sweat as he thought about this.
When he turned his head to look at his master again, His Highness had resumed his earlier position. The tips of his fingers caressed his forehead lightly, a devious chuckle making its way past his lips. Vaguely, he could be heard muttering, "She's learned to be smart this time. I see that prey should indeed be locked up for them to learn some obedience..."
******
At noon, Tu Sufeng lifted himself gracefully off a chair in the Underground Palace. He gazed upon the row of students in front of him with an unfathomable depth in his eyes. "The final test was not supposed to take place this early, but we have no choice as we had lost another talented member of our ranks yesterday."
"Was it because of the Bloody Snake?" asked one of the elite students who were selected from the four influential families.
Tu Sufeng glanced at him and said, "No, there was a complication at the Forest of Fantasy."
Helian Wei Wei held the Little Seventh Prince's hand as they stood in line. After hearing what the dean had said, a frown appeared on her face.
No one knew what would happen after this.
Tu Sufeng continued calmly, "Our Battle Spirit Forces need fresh blood like all of you more than ever right now. That's why the test was brought forward. I want all of you to face this test with all you have, as the stakes are high. We are no longer betting on victory or failure, but rather life and death. If you were caught by the enemies, then you would have to find a way to survive by yourself. "
While speaking, Tu Sufeng unfolded the letter in his hands and spread it out onto the wooden table, gesturing for the students to come closer and have a look.
"There will be an auction in the Capital tonight." Tu Sufeng paused and continued, "This auction is organized by the mayor of the City of Martial Practice himself, so there would be many long-established martial arts families in attendance of this event. I want all of you to approach this person by using whatever means you can, and extract the necessary information from him without alerting anyone to your true identities."
Helian Wei Wei stared at the name on the letter and raised an eyebrow. "Murong Hongtu?"
Isn't this guy Empress Murong's younger brother, and also Murong Changfeng's uncle?
He was a high-ranking government official in the dynasty, powerful enough to have part of the military under his control. He often behaved tyrannically.
If he was a regular barbarian, then it would be fairly easy to take him on.
However, Murong Hongtu might be a tyrant, but he was also cunning.
The methods he used were ruthless and brutal, not to mention inhumane. Despite that, the monarchs had never been able to get a hold on his weaknesses.
Even those officials who were loyal to the Retired Emperor could not challenge him directly.
Now, they were letting inexperienced greenhorns like themselves take on this mission. There was a high chance that their target would see through their facades immediately.
Four of the candidates had already been eliminated from the previous tests.
There were only six students left. Other than Helian Wei Wei, the Seventh Prince, Han Yu and Yun Biluo, the remaining two were elite students hand-picked from the four influential families.
"We will complete the mission," The two students stared at each other confidently, before looking toward Yun Biluo.
Yun Biluo nodded at them, indicating that she agreed with them.
Naturally, Helian Wei Wei did not say anything. She listened to them quietly.
If their target was Murong Hongtu, then there was one thing that they must be aware of. Who knew if he had done too many unspeakable things and made too many enemies, but that guy never went out without an entourage of highly skilled bodyguards by his side.
To tease the information from Murong Hongtu's mouth without causing a scene, they would have to silence his bodyguards first.
"You can choose whichever weapon and outfit that you like. I don't care what methods you use to get close to him, but my only request is for all of you to carry out this test with utmost secrecy."
While Tu Sufeng's last word fell, everyone had already assembled their equipment and were standing in an orderly row in front of him.
It was not difficult for Tu Sufeng to get his hands on the necessary invitations for the auction. However, they could not enter as White Academy students.
This operation was significantly more complex than the previous tests, where everyone fended for themselves.
It was a lot harder to prove their abilities while working as a team.
Moreover, the two young masters from the four influential families were adept in theories and concepts, but they had never applied their knowledge to a practical situation before. After accepting the mission, they started to delegate roles to every member of the team.
Theoretically, their plan to go with a honeypot tactic sounded reasonably feasible.
Yun Biluo's stunning beauty should be enough to catch Murong Hongtu's attention.
However, they relegated Helian Wei Wei, who had the best performance so far, into the most unremarkable role. She was the scout and whistleblower for the group.
Yuan Ming scoffed, "These people are doing this on purpose. Since you've already won twice, they won't even give you a chance to prove your mettle in this test. This kind of underhanded tactic is kind of shameful, don't you think?"
Helian Wei Wei adjusted her current outfit as a common servant. Her expression was calm as she replied, " Things would not go to their plan. I doubt that their honeypot strategy would be much use against Murong Hongtu."
"I saw you nodding just now, so I thought that you actually agreed to their plan," Whitey spoke up, his tone as aloof as usual.
Helian Wei Wei stood up straight. "I did agree with them, but we should always have a Plan B at our fingertips."
To successfully get what you want from a person, it was important to find out that person's interests. Only then would you have an opportunity to get close to him.
Helian Wei Wei thought that this step was the most important.
However, the others had ignored this step outright.
The two young masters and Yun Biluo, who was an assassin, would have some understanding of Murong Hongtu's character to a certain extent. At the very least, they had an advantage compared to Han Yu and Little Seven.
The auction was organized by the mayor of the City of Martial Practice. Hence, it was natural that Han Yu was given the responsibility to orchestrate their undetected entrance into the auction venue.
In fact, there was no need for Helian Wei Wei to blend into the crowd as a servant at all. It was a completely unnecessary role here because Han Yu could determine Murong Hongtu's location with ease by just asking a few simple questions, without giving themselves away nor rousing any suspicion.
Therefore, this was the reason why Yuan Ming said that it was a deliberate plot by the others to prevent Helian Wei Wei from getting a chance to perform.
"Young Master Han," greeted a man that was dressed like a butler. That person had just walked out of the auction hall, and a warm smile had spread across his face when he saw Han Yu. He turned to the others and asked, "Who are these people?"
Han Yu answered calmly, "They're my friends."
"Oh, so you're all Young Master Han's friends! Please come right in," The butler enthusiastically led them inside. On the way there, he could not help turning to catch a few peeks at Yun Biluo, who had a veil covering the lower half of her face. Wow, such a rare beauty! I wonder what family is she from... Probably a very prestigious one since Young Master Han brought her here.
When they entered the auction venue, they exchanged furtive glances with each other, meaningful in a way that could only be deciphered by those among their group. Then, they dispersed to their respective positions.
However, Helian Wei Wei did not remain in her servant garb. In the blink of an eye, she had changed into a classy white outfit, topped off with a green overcoat. To complement her current ensemble as an affluent young lord, she had also procured a handheld folding fan and attached a jade pendant to her waist.
She looked just like a young lord from a wealthy family, coming for the auction. Of course, 'he' seemed to have a peculiar habit of not bringing any servants along with him. The 'young lord' roamed casually around the venue, eventually making his way to the second floor.
There were several blade-wielding warriors pacing along the second-floor corridor. The bloodlust that they emitted was suffocating, instantly giving off a vibe that this place should not be barged into recklessly.
A warrior who was standing guard on the corridor barred her entry with an arm. "Excuse me, sir. I'd like to see your pass," he requested monotonously.
Pass?
Helian Wei Wei's eyes flashed as she tried to come up with a response. Her mind clicked when she saw the plump businessman that had made his way up the staircase beside her. Her body lurched forward abruptly as one of her hands came up to support her forehead, making it seem like she was inebriated. Her other hand casually tossed a wooden plaque at the warrior, which had been acquired from the unfortunate businessman without his knowledge.
Her arrogant yet careless attitude gave the warrior the assumption that this young lord's identity must be rather extraordinary. He immediately stepped aside and allowed passage without further inspection.
As for the plump businessman, he was still canoodling with his newly-wedded lover, completely unaware that his pass had been stolen. He pinched the lady's chin gently and crooned, "In a moment, you'll see all kinds of exotic specialties that General Murong has brought here today."
"What kind of specialties?" Of course, the woman knew how to please her husband. She leaned on him adoringly, soft as silk.
The rich businessman smiled enigmatically and replied, "General Murong got them from the Forest of Fantasy. You'd become even more stunning after you drink whatever that stuff is."
"Really? Then let's hurry up!" The lady's eyes gleamed with interest.
The rich businessman snaked an arm around her waist and was about to stride casually to the designated room when he was stopped by the warrior who was standing guard. The plump man was dismissive of the inspection, he smoothed his palm along his waist for his pass. However, his expression changed abruptly, then he removed his arm from the woman's waist to check every part of his clothes that could contain the small wooden plaque. He cried out, "Where's my pass? Why is my pass missing?"
The warrior swept his eyes coldly over the man and snapped his fingers, instructing his guards to cart them out of the building.
It was obvious what their fates would be.
This reminded Helian Wei Wei of a drug tycoon that she had dealt with back in her time. That drug tycoon had a short fuse, but he was also cunning and paranoid.
Whoever acted out of the norm in front of him would immediately be assumed to be a spy and silenced mercilessly.
Seeing what the warrior did just now, it seemed like Murong Hongtu belonged to the same type of person as the tycoon was.
Nevertheless, she did learn something useful from the exchange.
Helian Wei Wei paused, her eyes darkening.
Exotic materials from the Forest of Fantasy that could make a person look younger?
"It must be the blood of mythological beasts," Whitey's tone was chilly. "This Murong Hongtu is most likely the one who massacred the mythological beasts back then in the Forest. Girl, if the culprit is truly that guy, then you have to be really careful. The tactics he used were both malicious and inhumane. I'm worried that you might not be able to handle this."
Helian Wei Wei fanned herself with her paper fan, looking like a true gentleman right now. Her face remained carefree as she conversed with Whitey via their mental link, "Don't worry, going undercover is one of the things that I'm very adept at doing."
What Helian Wei Wei said was the truth. Other than firearms and weapons, her next best ability was her skill in espionage and subterfuge.
As she walked into the room, her lips curved naturally into a devious smirk.
The atmosphere of the room was just like what she imagined.
Clearly, Murong Hongtu was not here for the auction. His true intention was to gather these people in a secluded place without arousing the authorities' suspicion.
It was a small gathering with about six or seven other people apart from Murong Hongtu himself. Both males and females were present, sitting on the sandalwood chairs arranged in the room. They were chatting with each other enthusiastically, their excitement evident on their face.
This gave Helian Wei Wei the feeling that she had just joined an evil cult.
Despite that, she replaced her expression with a lackadaisical smile as she looked around. "Oh, I wonder when will things get interesting? I can't wait to start."
The people in the room were originally hesitant when they noticed the unfamiliar young lord who had just stepped inside. After listening to what 'he' said, their eyes brightened and all of them turned around to look at Murong Hongtu.
Murong Hongtu was still staring at Helian Wei Wei. He was around 40 years old, and had abnormally pale skin. His eyes were especially frigid, which made people feel uncomfortable when they met his eyes.
Despite being under the intense scrutiny of such a chilling gaze, Heilian Wei Wei swayed her way callously to a chair and sat down. She then pulled out a mirror and admired her own reflection from several angles. "Ah, to think that I'd be even younger soon."
Murong Hongtu suddenly burst into laughter. With a smirk, he assured, "Don't worry, you will definitely become younger. In fact, not only would you regain your youth, all of us here would achieve immortality and outlive everyone else in this world. However, before that, you guys have to do a little something..." he paused and gave the servant beside him a signal.
The servant picked up a tray and presented it one by one to the audience.
Helian Wei Wei had no idea what it meant at first.
When she saw the first person, a silvery-haired old geezer, putting cash on to the tray, only did she realize that they were collecting money.
When the tray reached Helian Wei Wei, she slapped a stack of bills onto it without hesitation. There were about ten of them, and every bill was worth a million silver.
It was natural that this action would draw Murong Hongtu's attention, who threw a few more glances in her direction.
Helian Wei Wei acted as if she did not notice his stares and mimicked the others' facial expressions, putting on a facade of overwhelming greed and eagerness.
At this moment, Yun Biluo had finally finished her preparations and was walking gracefully toward their target's location. On the way there, she tuned into the conversation between her accomplices when she heard them mention Helian Wei Wei's name.
"Alright, we are the pillars of success for this mission! I'd like to see how she can hog all of the achievements for it this time. Anyway, how did you come up with this idea? It's awesome!"
"Well, I didn't really come up with it myself. Someone slipped me a note with this plan written on it, and I decided to go with it since it sounded legitimate."
When the sound of their conversation faded from her ears, a faint smile appeared on Yun Biluo's face. Of course it was an insincere and cunning smile, but no one would know that.
She did not do anything untoward, the only thing she did was propose a course of action. After all, there must be someone in the team to take the initiative.
Heh, you only have yourself to blame for having such an ugly appearance. Even though we're both women, the only thing you can do is be a whistleblower instead of being the main driving force of the mission like I am. How pathetic and worthless...