Did she trust the three of them?
Even the Blue Silver Emperor herself couldn't say for sure. She wanted to take a gamble.
She was betting that she was the choice they would make, and that they would keep their promise.
At least, judging by how they'd acted so far, there was nothing wrong with them.
"It's not that I trust them. It's that, for me, they're the best choice right now."
"Like he said, the human heart is hard to fathom, and schemes never end."
"The fact that he could say that so plainly shows he was prepared for us not to trust them."
"And that's exactly why I'm willing to trust them."
"Of all the humans you've met, how many weren't begging for mercy or buttering you up with pretty words?"
The Blue Silver Emperor's words left the Blue Silver King with no reply. These three youngsters really were different from those other people.
So far, they didn't seem to be hiding anything. They'd come with a purpose and made no attempt to conceal it. If anything, they were rather straightforward.
"So, Your Majesty, you're keeping them here because you want to observe them a little longer?"
The Blue Silver King spoke calmly.
The Blue Silver Emperor nodded gently. "That's the plan."
There was one thing the Blue Silver Emperor didn't say: if there was nothing wrong with them, she would transform and leave with them.
When she thought of her sister Ah Rou, who had transformed long ago, she didn't want to wait any longer.
If Xu Xiao were here, he would surely know who Ah Rou was. She was Xiao Wu's mother—unfortunately, she'd given birth to a little brat who was no good.
Influenced by Ah Rou, the Blue Silver Emperor had begun thinking about transforming and starting her cultivation over. She also understood that, at her current rate, she had no idea how long it would take to reach a million years.
And there was the tribulation. As a plant, she wasn't sure she could survive it. There were too many unknowns.
On top of that, Ah Rou was doing fairly well, which only made the Blue Silver Emperor yearn for that life more.
Meanwhile, the three brothers, Xu Xiao and the others, settled down in the Blue Silver Forest.
The surroundings were tranquil, and life force filled the air. It was a fine place to retire.
"Big Brother, how long is that Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor going to keep us locked up?" Gui Mei looked around, saw that it was just the three of them, and asked without mincing words.
Xu Xiao smiled helplessly. "Second Brother, do you know that all the Blue Silver Grass around us will relay what we say to the Blue Silver Emperor?"
"Ah!" Gui Mei was startled. He instinctively covered his mouth with his hand and cautiously glanced at the Blue Silver Grass around them.
Xu Xiao said, "Don't worry. Just speak normally. We're not bad people."
"Besides, the Blue Silver Emperor isn't locking us up. She invited us as guests. We're guests!"
"Don't get that wrong, brothers."
Xu Xiao reminded them. If Ah Yin were still the lovesick sort, he wouldn't have to be so careful. But the woman she was now wasn't someone to trifle with.
If he somehow upset her, his meager strength wouldn't be enough to matter.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei immediately nodded. Right, they were visiting. They were guests.
"Just relax. The Blue Silver Emperor and the Blue Silver King won't make trouble for us, seniors that they are."
Xu Xiao explained again.
The two were still somewhat tense. The pressure those two gave off was simply too great for them to relax completely.
As Xu Xiao and the others talked, the Blue Silver Emperor really did hear their conversation through the Blue Silver Grass. Her enormous blue-gold vines swayed gently.
"He's a youngster who knows quite a bit." The Blue Silver Emperor grew more and more curious.
These three had no strength to speak of. How were they supposed to protect her?
The three of them wandered around the Blue Silver Forest. There was no war here; only the occasional chatter of birds disturbed the woods, and everything was peaceful.
This was paradise for the Blue Silver Grass. With the Blue Silver Emperor stationed here, and the place hidden away, few powerful Soul Beasts ever came by.
The abundant life force all around pleased Yue Guan immensely. If he could, he would have liked to stay here, but he had already seen the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. The life force there was just as rich, and it benefited his Martial Soul even more.
"Big Brother, once we've got nothing else to do, we could come here to retire. The environment's great, the life force is abundant—it's a good place."
Gui Mei sighed. Since swearing brotherhood with Xu Xiao, his horizons had broadened considerably.
Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, Level 98 Super Douluo, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, the Blue Silver Forest...
All these experiences had helped Gui Mei grow, if only a little.
The same went for Yue Guan.
The first time they'd encountered a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, they'd been more or less panicked. In their minds, Soul Beasts and humans were locked in a fight to the death.
But after going through this, they felt that Soul Beasts weren't so bad after all.
"Yeah. If we want to retire here, we'll need the strength to protect this place, won't we?"
"Otherwise, someone could snatch it from us, and we wouldn't even have anywhere to cry."
Xu Xiao lay in a sea of Blue Silver Grass, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. Ever since they'd sworn brotherhood, he'd been cultivating and looking for ways to obtain resources. He hadn't had much time to relax.
The three brothers chatted idly, moving from their sworn brotherhood to cultivation, and then from cultivation to the Blue Silver Emperor.
And so, the Blue Silver Emperor watched Xu Xiao and the others for five days, occasionally going over to chat with them.
Then, one day, the Blue Silver Emperor appeared beside the three of them with the Blue Silver King.
"Have the two of you decided to let our brothers leave?" Xu Xiao teased as he looked at the two plants.
The Blue Silver King chuckled. The Blue Silver Emperor gently extended her vines and coiled them around the three of them.
The Blue Silver King said, "You brat, did you really think I was happy to have you here?"
"If it weren't for you, my Emperor wouldn't be leaving."
The Blue Silver King was a little indignant. Over the past five days, he'd also heard Xu Xiao and the others' conversations through the Blue Silver Grass.
He'd seen that the three of them meant no harm. They were even a little naïve and innocent.
That was exactly why the Blue Silver Emperor had become even more determined to transform.
She trusted the three of them.
"Isn't your Emperor right here?"
"If she wants to leave, the three of us little weaklings can't stop her, senior. Don't accuse us of something we didn't do."
Xu Xiao spread his hands, looking innocent. He hadn't done anything, and he hadn't urged the Blue Silver Emperor to transform during this time. It had nothing to do with him.
"All right, Xiao Lan. This was my decision."
"Xu Xiao, Gui Mei, Yue Guan, I've decided to transform."
At those words, Xu Xiao froze in place. Transform? The Blue Silver Emperor was actually going to transform?
"Blue Silver Emperor, have you really made up your mind?" Xu Xiao asked in surprise.
Just then, a figure was knocked out and staggered to a stop beside Xu Xiao.
In an instant, the Blue Silver King's vines wrapped around him, leaving him unable to move.
"Senior, wait! This is my Fifth Brother!"
Xu Xiao hurriedly spoke up. He hadn't expected Chen Xin to appear at that exact moment. He could've shown up earlier or later, but he had to arrive right then.
Chen Xin wore a completely bewildered expression. Who was he? Where was he? What on earth was going on?
The Blue Silver King furrowed his brow and stared fixedly at Xu Xiao.
The Blue Silver Emperor also turned an unfriendly gaze on him...
They were both waiting for an answer, waiting for Xu Xiao to explain himself.
"Senior, could you put my Fifth Brother down? I'll explain everything to you."
"Besides, we can't run away anyway!"