Night fell.
Gu Yue left the Spirit Pagoda and returned to a secluded house not far away.
The moment the door closed, the outside world's clamor was shut out, leaving nothing but silence inside.
Gu Yue stood in the living room for a moment, looking thoughtful. At last, she silently walked into her room and sat down in front of the dressing table.
Her reflection revealed a flawless, delicate face, with picturesque brows and eyes. Though cool and aloof, she carried a composure beyond her years.
"Really... what a mystery."
Gu Yue furrowed her brows slightly and spoke in a low voice.
Something was wrong with her perception, and it was a serious problem.
As the Silver Dragon King, she should have known the Golden Dragon King's aura like the back of her hand.
After the Dragon God split apart, the Golden Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's powerful body and strength, while the Silver Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's command over the elements and wisdom.
This perception, born of their bloodline, had never once failed her.
Yet today, two sources had appeared in her perception.
Two Golden Dragon King auras existed in the world at the same time.
One faint Golden Dragon King aura was far away, in the direction of the East Sea, barely perceptible and indistinct.
The other was right beside her, inside the Spirit Pagoda.
"Fang Lin..."
Gu Yue murmured to herself.
She recalled the moment she had reached out and touched Fang Lin that day, when the Silver Dragon King Bloodline within her had suddenly stirred.
That resonance had come without warning, nearly making her lose her composure.
That feeling could not deceive her.
Who else could it be but the Golden Dragon King, who had inherited the Dragon God's body and strength?
The real Golden Dragon King: "This is bad... Our brother's got a girl!"
"Could it be... the Golden Dragon King escaped from the Divine Realm?" Gu Yue wondered, lightly tapping her fingertips against the dressing table in a rhythmic pattern.
"But why are there two?"
That was what puzzled her most.
If the Golden Dragon King had truly escaped from the Divine Realm, there should only be one true body.
The Golden Dragon King was part of the Dragon God, a unique existence. It was impossible for another version of him to split off out of nowhere.
The simultaneous appearance of two Golden Dragon King auras made no sense at all.
Unless one of them was fake.
But who could imitate the Golden Dragon King's aura?
That source power, born of the bloodline, could not be copied by any disguise.
Just as no one could imitate her Silver Dragon King aura, the Golden Dragon King's aura was likewise one of a kind.
"Unless... the other one is also a real Golden Dragon King." Gu Yue's gaze sharpened slightly.
But how could two Golden Dragon Kings exist in this world at the same time?
The appearance of the two Golden Dragon King auras had completely disrupted her original plans.
Gu Yue closed her eyes, her thoughts surging like the tide.
Back then, she had split herself in two, turning into two separate individuals.
One was Gu Yue herself, lying low within the Spirit Pagoda.
The other was Na'er, whom she had separated from herself and sent into human society to lie low at Shrek Academy.
But plans never kept pace with change.
Na'er had gone missing unexpectedly. Gu Yue had searched high and low, yet still had not found her.
What Gu Yue had not expected was that she would discover Na'er the very day she arrived at the Spirit Pagoda.
A complicated look flashed through her eyes.
Finding Na'er should have been a good thing, but Fang Lin's appearance had made everything even more baffling.
Why did Fang Lin have the Golden Dragon King's aura?
What was his relationship with Na'er?
Why did Na'er call him "Brother"?
Did Na'er know Fang Lin's identity? Or was it all just a coincidence?
Questions circled through Gu Yue's mind like a tangled skein of thread, growing more muddled and tightly knotted the more she tried to sort them out.
She raised a hand to press her brow, trying to calm herself.
Night deepened beyond the window. Moonlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, casting a cool silver-white patch across the floor.
In the distance, the Spirit Pagoda's outline loomed faintly in the night, its lights shining brightly.
Gu Yue gazed toward the Spirit Pagoda, her eyes lingering there.
"Di Tian..."
She suddenly spoke, calling out her subordinate's name.
From the shadows, a burly middle-aged man in a black robe slowly emerged.
Di Tian dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully. "My Lord."
Gu Yue did not turn around. She continued gazing out the window, the moonlight tracing the cool profile of her face.
"What do you think? Of the two Golden Dragon King auras... which one is real, and which one is fake?"
"Well..."
Di Tian pondered for a moment, turning countless possibilities over in his mind.
At last, he said, "My Lord, whether the Golden Dragon King is real or fake... it doesn't matter. What matters is that they are both Golden Dragon Kings."
"I see."
Gu Yue nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.
She understood what Di Tian meant.
It did not matter whether they were real or fake. What mattered was that both Golden Dragon Kings were unique variables in this world.
The most important thing was which one she could bring over to her side.
Gu Yue gathered her thoughts and looked once more at her reflection.
If Na'er can stay by his side, why can't I?
Gu Yue suddenly asked, "Di Tian, do you think I'm beautiful?"
The air went still.
Di Tian's mind instantly froze. My Lord... what does she mean? Am I supposed to say yes or no?
He could not say his Lord was not beautiful; that would be a crime against his sovereign. But if he said she was beautiful, wouldn't that risk offending her?
What if he gave the wrong answer and his Lord flew into a rage, sending a Silver Dragon Claw his way? Who would he complain to then?
Cold sweat beaded on Di Tian's forehead. He suddenly realized this was plainly a question with no safe answer.
Say yes, and he was dead. Say no, and he was dead too. And there was no need to mention what would happen if he refused to answer.
He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
"I mean, by human standards, would you consider my current appearance beautiful?"
Seeing Di Tian frozen in place, Gu Yue added calmly.
"Oh!"
Di Tian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. So that was what she meant. But on second thought, this question was just as hard to answer.
He replied honestly, "Based on my understanding of humans... My Lord's appearance isn't particularly outstanding."
After saying this, Di Tian felt that his back was completely drenched.
Cold sweat slid down his face, but he did not dare wipe it away.
"I see..."
Hearing this, Gu Yue nodded thoughtfully.
After a pause, she asked, "Then, Di Tian... who's more beautiful, me or Na'er?"
The air went still again.
This time, even the wind outside seemed to stop.
Di Tian's mind froze again, even more completely than before.
Could he really judge which of the two Lords was more beautiful?
Although Na'er was an independent individual whom Gu Yue had separated from herself, with her own personality and consciousness, when all was said and done, she was still his Lord.
There were two Lords, and he was just a subordinate. What right did he have to judge which was more beautiful?
What if Na'er found out someday and sent a White Silver Dragon Spear his way? Who would he complain to then?
He was caught between a wolf ahead and a tiger behind.
On his left was a Silver Dragon Claw, on his right a White Silver Dragon Spear. Di Tian was the piece of meat caught in the middle.
"Di Tian?"
Gu Yue's voice grew slightly deeper, carrying a hint of imposing pressure.
Di Tian gritted his teeth and steeled himself.
"From a human perspective... Na'er's appearance is more beautiful."
He weighed his words carefully, delivering each one with the utmost caution, as if walking along the edge of a blade.
Di Tian was truly afraid that one wrong answer would get him sent flying by a Silver Dragon Claw.
"Fair enough."
Gu Yue nodded. Her expression was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.