What Should I Do After Picking Up the "Dragon Proud Sky" Protagonist as a Pet? (Transmigration) - Chapter 19

Within the dark corridor, Murphy stood at the deepest end of the passage. Before him lay a hollow, soulless corpse. The Captain watched the man before him; Murphy’s gaze was burning, and a faint smile played on his lips.

Yet that smile appeared exceptionally blurry and hazy, like the swaying hem of a demon god emerging from the depths of a nightmare or the drifting ribbons of an evil deity dancing in the water. It was the posture of pure malice revealing a savage corner. Such things almost always carried an ominous sense of threat.

The Captain narrowed his eyes.

He did not fear Murphy. Or rather, had he not witnessed Su Feng’s actions, Murphy would be an ant he could crush with one hand. But without Su Feng as a factor, the Captain would never have spared Murphy a second glance. It was an insoluble paradox.

The Captain found Murphy highly unpleasant to look at.

Driven by a nameless instinct and the sharpness of his experience, the Captain noted the hidden danger within Murphy and recognized his non-human nature. His purpose for being here was clear: having avoided the crowd and Su Feng to seek out Murphy’s trail, the first words he spoke were, “People like you rarely appear in Blackthorn City. You do not seem to be a resident of this place.”

The Captain pointed out Murphy’s mysterious origins. After investigating intelligence within Blackthorn City, he realized the mystery surrounding Murphy. The man was like a visitor who had appeared out of nowhere, an uninvited and mysterious guest.

Murphy narrowed his eyes. He still smiled tenderly, but this smile differed from the one he showed Su Feng. The man was not intimidated by the Captain’s aura. He suddenly said, “I imagine, Great Lord, that you avoided everyone else to seek me out alone.”

“I have words for you.”

“I am Lord Su Feng’s personal servant. I am absolutely loyal to him and would sacrifice my life for him,” Murphy said. His tone was sincere enough to convince anyone, and his gaze was so earnest one could only associate it with pure amethysts reflecting shimmering light. However, beneath this surface, Murphy’s sea of consciousness, his mental form, had already opened a bloody maw. Like a prehistoric beast, he was wrapping a cobalt blue light orb in endless filaments, methodically taking it into his mouth to slowly devour it while simultaneously invading it with a part of himself, chewing on the delivered blood meal from the depths of the soul.

“No matter how pleasant the words, who can guarantee absolute loyalty to a master?” the Captain said. “I am not questioning your loyalty, but I believe you could have a different future.”

Murphy tilted his head, asking back with apparent curiosity, “You want me to leave Blackthorn City?”

“Having obtained the Calamity Crystal and advanced to a Herald of Calamity, can you truly be willing to stay here as a common servant?”

Murphy said, “What would I be unwilling about as long as I can stay by Lord Su Feng’s side?” He paused, then added, “However, the status of a personal servant does not suit me. You also believe I should seek another path, correct?”

The Captain gave a slight nod. The smile at the corners of Murphy’s lips widened further. “In that case, I will achieve that in my own way.”

“As a Herald of Calamity, you have a better path,” the Captain said. An invisible pressure radiated from him, causing the surroundings to fade into nothingness. The corridor and the dark environment shifted. The Captain and Murphy now stood atop cliffs and mountain peaks. As far as the eye could see, everything was red earth radiating heat. A magnificent red horse galloped from the distance, strange divine runes faintly visible on its body. Its long red tail cracked like a whip, and its eyes were a brilliant cobalt blue. The moment Murphy locked eyes with it, his body stiffened, seemingly suppressed by a tangible pressure.

The Captain was not a man of good temper.

He said, “I can arrange everything for you. Blackthorn City is not for you.”

Beneath Murphy’s pale skin, veins bulged. Every inch of his flesh and skin was being squeezed and deformed by the oncoming pressure. Murphy could feel the Captain’s relationship with Su Feng, as well as the malice and vigilance directed at him.

This was an elder who cared deeply for Su Feng and would not allow a dangerous figure to remain by his side.

He was an exceptionally powerful man who could turn Murphy to ash with a single glance.

But Murphy slowly smiled.

His smile remained gentle, yet the curve of it held a demonic charm. Even under the Captain’s pressure, standing before a powerhouse who loved and cared for Su Feng, he endured the weight while continuing to erode Su Feng’s soul and memories within his sea of consciousness.

The Captain did not even know this was happening, nor did he know what kind of torture Su Feng was currently enduring.

Inside the City Lord’s mansion, Su Feng collapsed to the floor. His spine arched high in pain and tremors, his forehead drenched in cold sweat. The study was empty. The man first gritted his teeth in endurance, then, as the discomfort became unbearable, he slumped shakily to the ground, gripping the edge of the table so hard his fingers nearly left deep marks in the wood.

Tears had already welled in his eyes, yet even in this state, Su Feng bit his lip stubbornly. The pain seemed to come from inside his body; Su Feng could find no source or reason. He only felt an intense itch, his whole body shaking because of it.

Something, someone, was eroding his soul.

Was it a hidden trap left by Lanna? The influence of the Calamity Power? A Dark Mage? Or was it Murphy?

Su Feng’s skin was burning. He raised a weak hand, struggling to clutch the Covenant Crystal in his robes. He could only keep hunching over, trying to hold it in his embrace so the crystal would not fall to the floor. The Covenant Crystal was extremely fragile. Once shattered, it would be gone forever, impossible to reassemble.

He had to fulfill his promise to the Captain.

But it was so itchy! His entire body was itching! Su Feng was almost curled into a ball on the floor, unable to bear the sensation any longer. Besides the itch, a cold, sinister power enshrouded his soul, making him feel like a salt crystal under the moonlight, gradually solidifying. He bit down hard on his finger, his handsome face flushed a faint red as he frantically searched for the cause.

He heard a soft gasping sound in the room, only to realize it was his own small, pitiful whimpering.

Once Su Feng realized this, he refused to let out another sound.

Amidst the torture of cold and itching, there was something else, but Su Feng was unwilling to face it and refused to admit it.

Inside Murphy’s sea of consciousness, the aura emitted by the blood contract was sweet and delicious. It radiated a cobalt blue light with a flavor that made the tongue tremble, like a delectable dessert.

Su Feng began to struggle incessantly. Consequently, the blood contract began to struggle as well. However, Murphy’s mental form was so hideous. Once the long, thin tentacles drilled into the prey’s body, they single-mindedly captured the soul of the blood meal, leaving the prey with nowhere to run and no strength to resist.

The Captain was still pressuring Murphy, waiting for his response.

Su Feng’s soul was being devoured bit by bit by Murphy, and the Captain was completely oblivious.

This thrill even caused a surge of delight in Murphy’s heart, to the point where he almost could not help but chuckle.

After obtaining the Tome of Calamity and receiving part of the inheritance of the Spirit-Seizing Secret Manual, Murphy could read parts of Su Feng’s memory during the erosion of the blood contract. These memories were broken and disorganized, just small, insignificant recollections in Su Feng’s mind. The more important memories were deeply preserved. To read them, he would have to completely peel away Su Feng’s soul.

But that would cause irreversible damage. Murphy did not do that. He simply stood in the environment filled with the Captain’s searing magic, eating the delicacies in his mouth bite by bite. Small memory fragments were like cold popsicles in summer, snapping and breaking in his mouth with a taste of ice and sweet and sour zest. Large fragments were like delicious ice cream. When he bit into them, he could feel the sweetness on his tongue. He chewed and swallowed greedily. Realizing the Captain could slap him to death at any moment, Murphy ate with even more abandon and madness.

Halfway through this gluttonous feast, the hideous mental form suddenly paused.

He had encountered an exceptionally large memory fragment, causing the image in the recollection to shatter and fall into his mind.

It was a place completely different from Blackthorn City, and even different from the Continent of Dawn.

A younger Su Feng held a ballpoint pen, carefully writing something in a notebook.

His handwriting was neat, and the notes on the pages were meticulous, with occasional doodles in the corners from when he had zoned out. Someone tapped Su Feng’s shoulder. He looked up. It was the youngest yet most miserable period of his third year of high school. Su Feng had pulled several all-nighters and finally found a bit of rest time, only to have to attend Saturday tutoring.

Su Feng’s friend could not take it anymore. He said, “Stop writing. I am about to lose my breath. Physics class is not for humans.”

“But have you not been sleeping the whole time?” Su Feng’s voice was helpless. He turned his head, revealing a handsome, sunny, and exceptionally striking face. His black hair was soft and fluffy, and the dark eyes beneath were lively. When he smiled, he looked gentle and clean, like a pool of water. Su Feng turned to comfort him. “Sleeping in class and not studying afterward, do you want to get scolded again?”

“It is not my fault!” The friend looked around and leaned in to whisper to Su Feng, “My mom wants me to study medicine.”

“You, study medicine?” Su Feng was silent for a moment. “I assume you did not agree.”

The friend sighed. “Even though everyone is a corporate slave after graduation, medical students are treated worse than livestock. My cousin even had to pay the hospital during her internship.” As the friend spoke, he laughed in frustration. “I do not want to study that. If you ask me, the person most suited to be a doctor is you.”

Su Feng said speechlessly, “Urging someone to study medicine is like inviting a lightning strike.”

Su Feng added, “I have my own plans. If you really do not want to do it, it is better to tell her clearly now.”

“I really envy you. Your family will definitely support you going abroad. If you ask me, instead of studying step by step like this, it is better to find an opportunity to start a business.” The friend’s words were startling, but he had no intention of leading Su Feng astray. This was the model student and excellent example in his mother’s eyes.

The friend slumped back, melting like soft mud. “Life in the third year is not a life for humans. Su Feng, how do you manage to read books all day long without feeling tired at all? You are not secretly slacking off, are you?”

Su Feng was not angry at the comment. He knew his friend was being driven crazy by his family lately. Su Feng slowly shook his head and said, “I just like reading.”

The friend took a sharp breath. “How can ordinary words form such a ridiculous sentence?”

Su Feng finished the last major problem and breathed a sigh of relief. He put down his pen and stretched, feeling his bones loosen bit by bit. He rubbed his temples and stood up. Seeing this, the friend called out, “Where are you going? I am hungry, come eat something good with me.”

Su Feng picked up his books and said helplessly, “You forgot, we are supposed to go to the library to review today. Do you not want to go?”

The friend put his hands together in a prayer gesture. “Please, I really have no strength to study. Spare me. Let me copy your review notes, and I will buy you dinner.”

Su Feng was walking out. He turned his head, his fair and handsome face seemingly glowing in the light. He nodded helplessly. The friend immediately called him “benefactor,” earning a roll of the eyes from Su Feng. Just then, the friend asked, “Hey, did you read that book I recommended the other day?”

Su Feng slowly frowned and said, “I took a look.”

“What, you did not like it? Why?” The friend continued, “Murphy is so cool! And his true form is a giant moth. Do you not especially like fluffy things like that?”

Su Feng did not speak.

During that conversation, Su Feng never voiced his inner thoughts, but Murphy could hear them now: “That guy has a foul personality, commits all kinds of evil, is selfish, arbitrary, overbearing, and cruel.”

The voice of the high school teenager was pleasant and clear. His pure inner thoughts echoed in the memory, revealing a secret hidden in the deepest part of his heart.

“I do not like him at all.”

The memory shattered before Murphy. The hideous mental form turned up multiple pupils from its depths, staring at the blood contract it was about to devour.

This was Su Feng’s soul, his memory, and his true heart.

So, everything revealed in his memory was his actual thought.

The man kept denying his own guesses, wanting to overturn that sentence, yet he could find no excuse.

It was not until that sentence had repeated many times in his mind that he stopped his actions gloomily and unwillingly. The prey struggling in his mouth finally let out a low gasp, nearly exhausted from the ordeal, yet still struggling and resisting with all its might.

Every pupil in Murphy’s gaze reflected an alarming intensity, making his appearance look somewhat demonic.

Who are you!

He questioned Su Feng in his heart. Who are you?

How do you know his identity? How do you know his origins?

Who exactly are you!

Murphy roared inwardly. For the first time in his life, he was this vigilant toward a person, because Su Feng seemed to know his origins and mastered everything about him.

Suspicion and uncertainty filled his eyes. This sudden revelation made Murphy almost want to swallow Su Feng whole, biting every inch of his soul and picking those secrets out from his bones bit by bit. But the words he had heard were like a clap of thunder, repeating constantly in his head.

Vaguely, through the blood contract, he seemed to see Su Feng’s disheveled figure collapsed on the floor, his body curled up and shivering slightly.

His brow was full of struggle, yet he clutched the Covenant Crystal tightly, like a tortured prey that still possessed a flicker of unyielding will.

The blood contract struggled out of Murphy’s grasp. Murphy snapped back to his senses and wanted to bite down on it again, but he paused.

What do his preferences or his will matter to me? Why should I care what he thinks!

The vicious monster used filaments to pierce the prey’s body, plundering everything from Su Feng, yet it paused at the final moment.

Murphy wavered like a beast eager to protect its food but having just been scolded, his eyes flickering.

Those few short words repeated over and over, as if he had heard them a long, long time ago, disliking them, yet unable to deny them.

A faint sound of crying seemed to appear by his ear. In the moment the man felt a splitting headache, the blood contract had struggled free from the mental form’s mouth.

Su Feng climbed up from the floor with great effort. His clothes were soaked, and his palms were covered in sweat. He slowly lifted the Covenant Crystal and placed it in a safe spot. Only then did he half open his eyes in exhaustion, the blue eyes beneath his black hair hazy and misted with water.

But he had endured. The blood contract pulled away bit by bit from the mental form’s restraint. The massive creature just watched this scene, seeing the filaments pull out slowly with a viscous texture.

When the last filament finally detached, the orb of the blood contract radiated its cobalt blue glow once more. The mental form took the gemstone and let the light crawl back onto it.

The massive mental form continued to stare at the blood contract. From its very core, its gaze was eerie and cold, sending a chill down the spine, like a swamp in a forest that devours all things.

Murphy slowly returned to his senses, his eyes flashing. The Captain before him asked, “Have you finished considering?”

Murphy began to smile tenderly. He realized he had lost this opportunity, so now he had to find a way to handle this matter.

After all, if the Young Master realized the truth, the Captain standing before him might actually slap him to death.

Murphy said, “Great Lord, you are truly a busybody.”

The Captain’s breath hitched. He said, “What did you say?”

Murphy appeared somewhat confused. He said, “As a personal servant, I must take good care of the Young Master and filter out strangers and meddlers around him. Although you saved my life and I am grateful, I cannot tolerate you making decisions for him without his knowledge.”

The Captain was silent for a moment. He said, “I am doing this for his own good.”

“For his own good? Taking his servant into your domain without his knowledge and ordering the servant to betray him, is this how you do things for his own good?”

The Captain gave Murphy a deep, piercing look. He was not so easily provoked. “Are you intentionally trying to enrage me?” he asked coldly.

“I am merely stating my feelings,” Murphy replied smoothly. “As for your previous proposal, my answer remains: I refuse.”

The Captain said nothing. Within his domain, crimson flames burned eternally against a blood-red backdrop. The very air seemed to be in a state of constant, scorching combustion. A domain’s power, to some extent, reflects the nature of its master. As the temperature rose, the atmosphere became incandescent and volatile. “Do you think I was asking for your opinion?” the Captain demanded.

The searing heat singed Murphy’s hair; a stray lock of black hair turned to charcoal. The oppressive weight of the domain felt like a massive mountain crushing down on him. Fine beads of sweat covered Murphy’s forehead as his strength began to fail. “You seem to… have some misunderstanding of me,” he managed to say.

“Don’t make me laugh,” the Captain said. His eyes, hidden beneath his hood, grew deep, reflecting a flicker of reminiscence. “I have seen people like you before. I have heard promises from those far more silver-tongued and eloquent than you. Do you think I haven’t seen through your schemes?”

Murphy’s throat throbbed with pain, and a trickle of blood escaped his nose. The heavy, majestic power, like an insurmountable peak, nearly crushed his physical form. The Captain before him was someone he could neither defeat nor defy.

Yet, there was not a single trace of fear in his heart.

Only desire.

A raw craving for power.

His eardrums vibrated painfully, and blood leaked from his mouth and nose. The Captain had not even truly struck him; merely pulling him into the domain was enough to bring Murphy to the brink of unconsciousness.

The Captain continued, “You are a cunning viper, skilled at deluding others—a hypocritical villain lurking beside people, waiting for the right moment to strike. Staying by Su Feng’s side brings him no benefit; you will only bring him calamity.”

“I do not know what honeyed words you used to deceive him, but I will not allow him to repeat the same fate as mine!” As the Captain spoke, he seemed to recall something painful. His voice rose sharply, and a stray thread of his power leaked out. Murphy’s pupils constricted as a wave of destructive energy tore through his body.

But he smiled.

Murphy spat out a mouthful of bloody water. He smiled tenderly, wiping the blood away with his thumb. After a moment of thought, he chuckled. “You really… think highly of me…” His voice was intermittent; half of his throat felt as if it were submerged in blood, leaving crimson stains, while the other half squeezed out a series of gasps, evaporated by the high heat into invisible grey mist. Even in this state, with the Captain’s aura metaphorically at his throat, Murphy said, “But, do you know?”

The man’s voice became extremely soft—so light it was like the whisper of a skeleton, audible only to the Captain. Murphy provoked him with a voice of ultimate tenderness:

“It is Lord Su Feng who insists I stay by his side. He cannot leave me.” Murphy’s features were as beautiful as a painting, stunning enough to make one lose their senses. He whispered, “If you force me to leave him now, it would truly be the death of him.”

Murphy’s expression was so tranquil, as if he were merely stating a universal truth. The cobalt-blue eyes beneath the Captain’s hood flashed dangerously at him. Just then, a voice rang out: “What… are you doing?”

Both the Captain and Murphy snapped back to reality. They stood in the darkness, looking at Su Feng, who stood on the sunlit path. He was pale, scrutinizing them with a bewildered gaze.

Su Feng saw Murphy give him a faint smile—a smile that looked incredibly weak and powerless.

The blood contract suddenly sent a feedback: the servant on the other end had encountered some fatal danger, causing Su Feng to feel a faint, chilling sensation.

The Captain glanced at Su Feng and explained, “I was just having a chat with your personal servant…”

Before he could even finish the sentence, Su Feng watched as Murphy’s body trembled. The “Dragon Aotian” collapsed right in front of him with a heavy thud.

The Captain: “…”

Wait, are you seriously faking an injury right now?

Su Feng stared at the scene in silence. The Captain looked toward him, intending to explain, only to realize that Su Feng’s face was just as deathly pale as Murphy’s.

The handsome man stood there, and though his body was weak, his back remained ramrod straight. Su Feng did not want others to notice his abnormality, so he had tidied his damp black hair before coming out. However, the Captain still sensed the change in him. Su Feng remained silent, looking at Murphy’s frail state and murmuring to himself, “So, because Murphy was injured, my body also reacted?”

What kind of thing is this blood contract?!

The Captain keenly sensed something. He glanced at Murphy, then back at Su Feng. “You look very weak,” he noted.

“Is it because Murphy is hurt that your body is having problems?” The Captain’s words made Su Feng look at him with sudden vigilance. Su Feng asked, “What did you do to him?”

The Captain lowered his eyes, his large ponytail drooping slightly in defeat. Now, he truly could not do anything to Murphy.

Su Feng walked over and helped Murphy up. He touched Murphy’s skin; it was icy cold, and the man’s body was limp. Su Feng tentatively sent a thread of magic to probe his internal condition, only to find that Murphy truly radiated a sense of profound weakness, as if his internals had been crushed by an overwhelming power.

Murphy smiled at him. His mouth and nose were still smeared with blood, yet even in this state, he remained hauntingly beautiful. His purple eyes reflected Su Feng’s image as he smiled weakly and whispered, “I am fine.”

Su Feng hesitated for a moment.

Was what just happened really because of the Captain…?

Doubt lingered in Su Feng’s heart, but he had no intention of asking out loud.

It’s too embarrassing.

“I only left for a moment, and you end up on the ground like this,” Su Feng said coldly, though his voice softened slightly. “What on earth were you two doing?”

Murphy seemed heavily injured. Since he was much taller than Su Feng, he could only lean his weight on him, draping an arm around Su Feng’s neck with his fingers resting on his shoulder. It was an intimate distance. Su Feng was uncomfortable with the sensation; he disliked others touching the back of his neck.

But Murphy only gave a regretful smile. “The Captain was just… having a chat with me.”

Murphy coughed lightly. “He seems to have misunderstood something.”

“He seems to care about you very much.” After saying this, Murphy lowered his eyes and said no more.

Su Feng looked toward the Captain. The man stood there, looking somewhat lost, as if he had done something wrong. The Captain took a deep breath, and then he heard Su Feng say suspiciously, “Did you see Murphy using Calamity power for something, go to question him, and accidentally injure him?”

Murphy: “…”

The Captain: “…”

Su Feng continued, “Is that not it?”

Secretly, Murphy gritted his teeth. The “Dragon Aotian” asked back, “Is that really what you think of me?”

“If I truly suspected you, you would already be dead in the City Lord’s mansion,” Su Feng replied. He looked at the corpse on the ground. “Did you do this?”

“I was… getting rid of a threat to the people,” Murphy said.

Getting rid of a threat? The Dragon Aotian?

The prejudice in one’s heart is like a poorly written novel titled The Supreme Lord.

Su Feng didn’t quite believe him, but then he remembered that Murphy had saved him before. His brow relaxed, and he handed over a bottle of healing potion, warning him, “Victims of Calamity power are not allowed in Blackthorn City.”

Murphy paused, took the potion, and forced a smile. “Thank you… Master.”

The Dragon Aotian is being sarcastic again.

Su Feng sighed. “But others shouldn’t pick on you for no reason either.” He looked at the Captain, whose ponytail was still drooping. Su Feng took a clear crystal from his robes and handed the Covenant Crystal to him. “Thank you for your help lately. This is your reward.”

“However, I would also like to know why you treated my personal servant this way,” Su Feng said. “Do you have some grievance against me?”

“I simply believe that such a person is not suitable to stay by your side,” the Captain stated.

“Because of that?” Su Feng asked. “Even my father doesn’t manage me this strictly. Do you want to manage my servants for me?” he joked.

Then, Su Feng’s smile vanished. “I appreciate your concern, but please do not harm him again. He is my…” Su Feng’s tone became vague. “…very important servant.”

To his surprise, a look of despair appeared on the face beneath the Captain’s hood upon hearing those words.

…You like him that much?

The Captain looked at Murphy, only to see the “weak” man from moments ago give him a gentle, yet mocking smile. The Captain was so angry his head throbbed, causing him to forget everything else. When Su Feng handed him the Covenant Crystal, the Captain forgot to reach out and take it.

By the time the man reacted, the Covenant Crystal had already slipped from his fingertips. With a sharp crack, the crystal hit the ground and shattered. The oaths within dissipated into the air like visible and invisible gusts of wind. Su Feng heard a chorus of voices—men, women, young, and old—echoing in his ears. He stared at the scene, his body stiffening in shock.

This should have been something very important to the Captain, right? Dammit!

Su Feng looked at the Captain, but the man was watching the scene calmly. He showed no anger or surprise, as if he had seen this familiar scene countless times before. Only this time, the last shred of hope in his heart had completely shattered.

“I am sorry,” Su Feng said. “I will find you another Covenant Crystal.”

“It is useless,” the Captain said slowly. “This is the 102nd Covenant Crystal I have found. But every time, before I can truly obtain it, it shatters due to some accident.”

“I thought the one in his room would be different,” the Captain said. “As it turns out, it was just wishful thinking.”

“I will be leaving Blackthorn City soon. You will be here alone, you should…” The Captain’s words cut off as his body trembled. Something seemed to be exerting a hidden influence on him. He felt dizzy, as if he had touched a bed of thorns. His body shook as he leaned against the wall for support, nearly collapsing.

“What is wrong?” Su Feng asked, not understanding what was happening. He hurried over to support the Captain. Murphy, having just downed the healing potion, watched with interest and moved closer to look.

There, in the dark alleyway, the Captain sat trembling on the ground. He seemed to be in extreme pain. The man slowly lifted his robes, revealing a section of his narrow waist.

Su Feng looked down.

He saw a line of elegant, faintly glowing small characters carved into the Captain’s spine.

It was a language and script Su Feng had never seen before. Even Murphy did not recognize the structure of the writing.

“What is happening to you?” Su Feng asked. Despite the Captain’s strange behavior today, he still felt a sense of kinship toward this “distant relative.”

The characters glowed brightly. Drenched in cold sweat, the Captain pulled his clothes back down. “I have to go… I have to go…”

He scrambled to flee like a panicked red horse. Su Feng, unsure of what to do, heard the Captain say, “He is back.”

“Who?”

The Captain paused at Su Feng’s voice. “Your father… he is back.”

Inside the City Lord’s mansion, the Butler had brewed a pot of black tea and added some dried flowers. Su Feng disliked floral tea, and Murphy only drank plain black tea, so this tea was prepared for someone else.

The Butler chanted a spell, and the entire mansion became pristine. Open books flew back to the shelves; flowers in the garden bloomed; servants busied themselves at their posts. Once everything was ready, the Butler walked to the center of a secret passage where a mirror stood.

The man knelt before the mirror, chanting under his breath and drawing magic circles on the floor. After praying and making ritual gestures over his chest, he touched his fingers together to form a diamond shape.

The mirror’s surface rippled slowly. The Butler quickly lowered his head. A voice, pleasant yet tinged with raspiness, drifted through: “Is everything going smoothly?”

“The Young Master is well,” the Butler reported. “Lady Vina is ready to inherit Blackthorn City. But…”

The voice paused. The Butler continued, “The Mistress has returned to Blackthorn City.”

In that instant, everything in the world seemed to freeze. It wasn’t a hallucination; time truly stood still for a moment. Seconds later, the sound of scales grinding and metal clashing echoed—as if endless jewels and gold were being dumped on the floor. Along with the awakening of the visitor, the gemstones piled in a nest began to vibrate.

The Butler kept his head low. A hand covered in fine, dense scales gripped the edge of the mirror from the inside, followed by a second hand.

The moment Cecilia stepped through the mirror and appeared in the mansion, his scales slowly receded. The man had purple hair and green eyes, with the refined face of a scholar. He looked at the Butler mockingly with those eyes. “And with what state of mind did you dare to hide this matter from him?”

The Butler bowed deeply.

Cecilia said no more. A scaly tail flashed beneath his robes and vanished. After giving the Butler a scrutinizing look, the man took a single step, bypassing the constraints of space, and appeared directly in front of Su Feng.