Xiao Wu Submits! The Blue Silver King! Charm in Spades!

Blue Silver King's Mansion, rear garden.

The garden was filled with strange flowers and grasses, but the most luxuriant plants were still the Blue Silver Grass scattered everywhere.

Nourished by Tang Yuan's domain, these ordinary plants seemed to have gained sentience, radiating a dense aura of life.

Xiao Wu stood beneath the covered corridor, holding a tray in her hands.

She took a deep breath.

That fresh, vibrant energy flowed through her nose and into her lungs, nourishing every part of her body.

For a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast rebuilding her cultivation in human form, this pure natural aura was more enticing than any heavenly treasure.

Her resentment over being imprisoned and enslaved had unexpectedly faded considerably under this day-after-day nourishment.

Her body was honest.

By Tang Yuan's side, her cultivation speed was several times faster than it had been at Nuoding Academy.

And that bad man's treatment really was quite good.

Fine clothes and lavish food, with no one daring to bully her.

Other than losing her freedom, this place was practically paradise.

"Sister Xiao Wu, Prince is waiting for you in the study."

A maid passing by gave her a quiet reminder.

Xiao Wu came back to her senses and pursed her lips.

"Got it."

She lowered her head to look at the pink gauze dress she wore.

Tang Yuan had specifically ordered it made to her measurements. The fabric was cloud brocade supplied exclusively to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and it felt weightless on her body.

Before, she had only worn tight outfits that made fighting convenient.

Now, however, she had to learn how to be a qualified personal maid.

Xiao Wu steadied her breathing and walked lightly toward the study.

She pushed open the door.

A faint scent of ink greeted her.

Tang Yuan sat behind a broad desk, holding a military report sent from the border.

He looked focused, his brows faintly furrowed.

Sunlight filtered through the window lattice and fell across his profile, outlining features as sharply defined as a sculpture.

Xiao Wu unconsciously softened her footsteps.

She walked to the desk and set down the tray.

With practiced movements, she picked up the teapot and poured the tea.

The tea flowed into the cup with a crisp sound.

Neither too much nor too little—exactly seven-tenths full.

She extended a finger and secretly tested the side of the cup.

The temperature was just right.

This was Tang Yuan's preferred temperature: not hot enough to scald his mouth, yet warm enough to bring out the tea's richest aroma.

"Prince, your tea."

Though Xiao Wu's voice was still somewhat stiff, it no longer carried its initial hostility.

Tang Yuan set down the military report and lifted the teacup for a sip.

"Not bad."

Just two simple words of praise.

Yet an inexplicable hint of joy rose in Xiao Wu's heart.

She hurriedly suppressed the strange emotion.

She only wanted to avoid being scolded. It was not because she wanted his praise.

Without looking up, Tang Yuan continued handling the mountain of official documents piled on his desk.

The Star Luo Empire's reparations, the handover of ceded territory, the reorganization of the army.

He needed to personally review every single matter.

Xiao Wu stood quietly to one side.

She secretly studied the man.

He was clearly not that old, yet he handled matters with the seasoned skill of some ancient monster who had lived for centuries.

Those eyes of his seemed to forever conceal an abyss that no one could see through.

Sometimes, Xiao Wu found him terrifying.

It was a shudder that rose from the depths of her soul, as though she had encountered a natural predator.

But at other times, she felt that he was not so bad.

As long as no one crossed his bottom line, he was actually quite generous toward his servants.

Nor did he, like those spoiled young masters, casually beat and curse people for amusement.

And besides...

He was rather good-looking.

Xiao Wu's gaze fell on the bridge of Tang Yuan's nose, then drifted down to his lips.

His lips were very thin. They said people with thin lips were the most heartless.

Yet that day at the Martial Arts Arena, when he had lectured Tang San, his words had been harsh, but every sentence had paved a path for Tang San.

"Have you stared long enough?"

Tang Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm.

Xiao Wu jumped, shrinking her neck like a startled rabbit.

"Who... who was looking at you?!"

"I was looking at... at the vase over there!"

Xiao Wu's eyes darted about, but her cheeks reddened traitorously.

Tang Yuan did not expose her clumsy lie. He merely pointed at the plate of pastries beside him.

"If you're hungry, eat."

"Stop swallowing your saliva over there. It's giving me a headache."

Xiao Wu's eyes widened.

Was the sound of her swallowing really that loud?

Though she was indignant inside, her body was honest.

She picked up an exquisite osmanthus cake and stuffed it into her mouth.

Its sweet, soft texture melted over her tongue.

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up at once.

It was her favorite flavor.

And today's osmanthus cakes seemed a little sweeter than usual.

That was because she had secretly gone to the kitchen and told them to add an extra spoonful of sugar.

She remembered that when Tang Yuan had eaten this pastry last time, his brows had furrowed slightly, as if he found it insufficiently sweet.

Though he had said nothing, Xiao Wu had remembered.

Sure enough.

Tang Yuan casually picked one up and took a bite.

This time, his brows relaxed.

"Today's pastry chef did well. Reward them."

Tang Yuan gave the order casually.

Standing beside him, Xiao Wu could not stop the corners of her lips from lifting slightly.

That was her little cleverness.

And her little secret.

This feeling of being acknowledged seemed... not bad?

In the afternoon.

Tang Yuan went to the Martial Arts Arena.

As his personal maid, Xiao Wu naturally had to follow him.

The Martial Arts Arena was brimming with murderous intent.

Tang San was sparring with Shui Bing'er.

Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix Martial Soul had extremely powerful control. The ice and snow filling the sky had nearly sealed off all of Tang San's routes of retreat.

Tang Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sharp as fire.

"Tang San, is your Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track meant for running away?"

"Attack!"

"The best defense is offense!"

"If you don't want to be frozen into an ice sculpture, charge through and tear apart her control!"

Tang Yuan's voice was stern, carrying even a hint of rebuke.

Tang San gritted his teeth and stopped dodging. The Blue Silver Grass in his hand transformed into a long whip, forcefully blasting a path through the ice and snow.

Though several bloody wounds had appeared on his body, the fighting spirit in his eyes only burned brighter.

Nearby, Zhu Zhuqing was also training diligently.

She was practicing the techniques for exerting force that Tang Yuan had taught her.

Again and again, tirelessly.

Sweat soaked through her clothes, yet she seemed completely unaware of it.

Watching this scene, Xiao Wu felt something stir within her.

Back at Nuoding Academy, everyone had considered her the boss, a genius.

But after coming here, she realized how narrow her view of the world had been.

Tang San was growing stronger.

Zhu Zhuqing was growing stronger.

Even Shui Bing'er, who had once been so frail, now had a sharpness in her eyes.

All of this was because of that man.

Tang Yuan was like a harsh sculptor.

Using the cruelest methods, he was carving these uncut gems into the sharpest weapons.

If...

If she could receive his guidance too...

Xiao Wu's heart suddenly skipped two beats.

What was she thinking?

She was a Soul Beast!

How could she think of asking a human for guidance?

But she could not deny that desire to grow stronger.

Especially when she looked at Tang Yuan's focused profile, at that air of someone who held everything in the palm of his hand.

He really was captivating.