Some time earlier, when Wa Lord met Shirou Emiya.
It was Emiya's first time seeing a being like Wa Lord, with a human upper body and a serpent's lower body—not a snake-shaped Death Servant, but a true member of a human-headed, serpent-bodied race.
It was not that he held any prejudice. It was simply that, having known of Chinese Paladin in his previous life, the title "Wa Lord" easily made him think of the Nuwa Clan, descendants of Nuwa from the Age of Gods. Generation after generation, they inherited the divine Nuwa's spiritual power and took it upon themselves to protect all living beings under heaven.
Though at this point in time, the single-player version of Chinese Paladin should have already been released...
Seeing that he had actually drifted off, Wa Lord teased, "The Zhou Family rarely receives outsiders like this. When others see my snake tail, they either tremble so badly they nearly faint, or fly into alarm and anger, thinking they have entered a den of demons. But you? You act as though it is nothing?"
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I got distracted. Nuwa suddenly came to mind..."
Shirou truly had no way of saying, Wow, Wa Lord, you look exactly like something out of a certain game series. In the future, that game will get comics, novels, and film adaptations, becoming a massive IP beloved throughout China. Heroines like Zixuan and Zhao Ling'er, who also have human heads and serpent bodies, will become the dream lovers of countless people...
"Heh heh heh, so you know that Nuwa exists in this world? Thunder Marsh gave birth to the imperial maiden; from the extreme yin, all things were born!" Wa Lord recited a passage from ancient history. The Classic of Mountains and Seas recorded that there was a Thunder God in Thunder Marsh, with a human head and dragon body. The goddess Huaxu entered the Thunder God's domain and, after stepping on his footprint, conceived Fuxi and Nuwa.
Wa Lord then spoke of how the Zhou Family's mixed-blood lineage had descended from ancient Nuwa. Their human-headed, serpent-bodied appearance had been passed down through the generations, forming the Nuwa Clan. Every head of the Zhou Family bore the title "Wa Lord," and only a member of the Nuwa Clan possessing serpent traits like hers could assume the role... Yet as she spoke, Wa Lord suddenly saw that look of understanding appear on Emiya's face again.
What exactly did this brat understand... Where did he learn that from?
Wa Lord puffed out her cheeks, slightly indignant.
"I have to say, you have quite a lot of strange secrets..."
After Shirou Emiya had previously gone on at length about Magic Circuits and Refining Essence into Qi, Wa Lord had developed a deep interest in him. Thus, she had sent Zhou Yuxuan to assess him. She had never expected an accident like a Death Servant attack to occur midway through... But afterward, Emiya had drawn the Dragon Severing Platform without undergoing the Living Spirit test. Those twists and turns had also proven that he possessed genuine ability.
If so, then his so-called Magus cultivation was probably real... Wa Lord's heart burned with excitement. Gathering the essence of heaven and earth for one's own use, drawing the world's mighty power into one's body—this would usher in a new era... It would open an entirely new path to the heavens, a path to immortality, a Path to Godhood!
If it could be widely promoted, then from this day onward, it would likely become the era of cultivators. The ancient, traditional mixed-bloods would be swept into history's garbage heap, and the world would enter a brand-new age. At this historical turning point between old and new eras, the Zhou Family ought to seize a crucial leading position and rise with overwhelming momentum!
Wa Lord pondered it for a moment and came to a decision.
At this moment, Shirou Emiya was about to bring up the aftermath of the Death Servant attack. "...Putting that aside, have the investigation results from that day come out? The matter of you sending someone to meet me should have been confidential. Did those people transporting the Death Servants just happen to stumble into it...?"
"A coincidence? In some ways, you could say that. But in other ways, you could say it was not..." Wa Lord opened her folding fan to cover half her face and spoke words that were somewhat contradictory yet laden with meaning.
"Few people naturally knew that Zhou Yuxuan was meeting with you. But before that, there was another matter known to many family factions."
Emiya suddenly remembered. "The Tomb of the Three Kings ruins involved multiple families! One family planned this, intending to send Death Servants into the ruins in advance... Then their objective was—"
"The Tomb of the Three Kings was originally developed under the Zhou Family's leadership. No matter what accident occurred, it would put the Zhou Family in an unjust position." Wa Lord's voice turned cold.
"Mm, and besides..." Emiya stared at Wa Lord's lively swaying snake tail. Nearly all the attackers that day had been snake-shaped Death Servants. For something like that to happen in this part of China was practically an open attempt to pin the blame on the Zhou Family.
Wa Lord noticed Emiya's fixed gaze and suddenly smiled brightly, her serpentine body twisting seductively. "Judging by the time, that boy Zhou Yuxuan should be waking soon. Come with me to take a look."
"Sure. With Old Tang looking after him, there should not be much of a problem... Uh, Wa Lord, what are you doing?" Emiya saw Wa Lord spread her arms.
"Carry me on your back."
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate...?"
Wa Lord pointed at the ground. Only then did Emiya notice that the entire serpent-like lower half of her body, all the way to the tip of her tail, was "seated" on a small flat platform and did not touch the ground at all. The long train of her Tang-style dress had also been gathered up.
"You saw it too, didn't you? If you do not carry me, I can only slither along the ground. Then my lower body and clothes will get covered in dust."
Shirou Emiya naturally did not know that Wa Lord usually traveled by having members of her family carry her in a sedan chair. So he could only carry her all the way to visit Zhou Yuxuan. Incidentally, his waist felt the strange, awkward sensation of her serpent body coiling around him the entire way.
Yet after the visit ended, Wa Lord did not end the trip. Still lying on Emiya's back, she waved one pale little hand. Carrying me once is carrying me, and carrying me twice is carrying me. Why not give me another ride? This time, I'll take you somewhere nice!
After adapting for a while, Emiya felt that he had more or less gotten used to the sensation of her serpent body wrapped around him. Thus, in the tone of an obliging old softie, he said, "All right, all right. Wa Lord, where exactly are you planning to take me?"
Wa Lord said nothing. She merely smiled as she looked at Emiya with a gaze carrying some hidden meaning.
Not long afterward, Emiya felt the terrain slope downward. He was walking down a stone-paved path, but after a while, the ground gradually opened up again. Xiangyang had a place like this?
Lanterns hung everywhere here, illuminating a cluster of palaces. The scenery of these underground halls bore no resemblance whatsoever to the underworld. Their ornate decorations were in no way inferior to Tang City aboveground. The doors and corridor pillars were carved with dragons, phoenixes, lotus blossoms, and scrolling vines. Every few steps, a traditional landscape painting rich in ancient charm hung on the walls, while the roofs naturally featured gleaming lead-glazed tiles in brilliant colors.
Emiya clicked his tongue inwardly as he looked around. As expected, real estate was the truest display of wealth. Especially for an old family like the Zhou Family, which had existed for thousands of years—even a random brick they pried out was probably a priceless antique.
But what place was this, exactly?
Wa Lord finally answered, "Where the family elders live."
When Emiya carried her through the main gate, aged faces sat beneath candlelight, staring at stacks of newspapers. Wa Lord gave a light cough, and only then did those old faces raise their heads. Pairs of golden vertical pupils first looked coldly at Wa Lord, then noticed Emiya.
"Who is this?"
It sounded like a casual question, without any accusatory tone. Clearly, the family elders did not care how many people in the Zhou Family they did not recognize.
Wa Lord suddenly wrapped both arms around Emiya's neck and said slyly, "The husband I have chosen."
In an instant, more than a dozen Golden Eyes visibly brightened, and chillingly scrutinizing gazes focused on Emiya.
Emiya looked around in confusion. Is... is the live-in son-in-law plot about to begin?
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