Chapter Six: The Interrogation

The Second Palace Mistress was at a loss for words and could only dryly watch as the Grand Palace Mistress laughed coquettishly, swaying gracefully as she leaned closer. “Sister, calm yourself. This Hundred Demons Scented Pendant of mine cannot possibly be mistaken. Look, isn’t it still ringing? There must be something odd about all this.”

The Grand Palace Mistress paused in the act of smoothing her dark hair, a flash of lightning seeming to dart through her eyes. She cast a sidelong glance at the Second Palace Mistress. “Oh? Then why don’t you tell me, where does the oddity lie?”

If she could explain, there would be peace between them. If she could not, she would have to argue her case before their master.

“Don’t be hasty, let me investigate.” The Second Palace Mistress fluttered her sleeves, hastily trying to soothe her. Inwardly, she cursed Su He’s ancestors eighteen generations back, but nonetheless released her spiritual sense, probing meticulously, not sparing a single inch.

Suddenly, a hint of triumph curled at her lips. With a sweep of her palm, she struck beneath a pile of rubble, shouting, “Let’s see where you can hide now!”

Trying to trick her with earth-escape and invisibility? Not a chance.

Yet when the stones scattered, Su He was not forced out as she had expected. Only a single golden needle lay on the ground, shining with spiritual light.

The Grand Palace Mistress stepped forward with disdain. “Is this the result of your investigation, little sister? Do you take me for a three-year-old? Yu Su’er, you’re bold indeed.”

“Flower—ah, no, Sister, even if I erred, I did not return empty-handed. Look, this proves the Hundred Demons Scented Pendant was not wrong.” She barely swallowed the name Hua Zhongying in time, then held up the golden needle for her sister to see. “Please look, Sister.”

She brought the needle and the pendant together. Instantly, the pendant chimed even more merrily, beginning to throb in her hand.

“What is going on?” the Grand Palace Mistress asked.

“It’s just that he’s too cunning,” the Second Palace Mistress explained. “He knew we would follow the scent here to kill him, so he used this golden needle to lure us in.”

“So you mean, he transferred the scent into the needle?”

“Sister, you’re clever as ever. That’s precisely it.” The Second Palace Mistress could not help but clap in praise, though her smile did not reach her eyes. Yet those eyes were dazzling and beautiful.

The Grand Palace Mistress gazed at her for a long moment before reaching for the needle.

In that instant, as her fingers touched it, the needle suddenly shot out a beam of light and pierced straight into the Grand Palace Mistress’s body.

At once, she felt her demon essence stir chaotically. She swiftly sealed several key points with two fingers, but before she could turn on the Second Palace Mistress, a cold gleam flashed behind her.

With no way to evade, the Second Palace Mistress abandoned the needle and, with a flick of her water sleeves, pulled the Grand Palace Mistress aside, intercepting the hidden attack herself by channeling her demon power.

She smiled sweetly. “Such careful calculations, sir. You’d strike at my sister without even sparing a glance at me? Did you ask Su’er if she was willing?”

With a wave of her hand, the Hundred Demons Scented Pendant rose into the air. Its chimes rang out, and in a flash, countless demons emerged.

Su He wielded Minshu, his two fingers brushing the sword’s spine as he silently recited an incantation. As the horde of demons closed in, he suddenly reversed the blade, and Minshu shone with a pure, upright radiance. The demons, struck by this light, recoiled as if scorched by the midday sun. Several were burned beyond recognition, others tumbled away clutching wounds and fled back into the pendant. The slowest, knowing only to charge forward, were reduced to ash in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, the Second Palace Mistress felt an acute headache, swiftly recalling the pendant with a sweep of her sleeve. Then she spat out wisps of white smoke—this was the strange fragrance that had felled Su He before, and now ensnared the Grand Palace Mistress.

Shrouded in the hazy mist, Minshu’s swordplay was instantly stifled.

“How is it? Isn’t the taste exquisite? I remember that day, you seemed to enjoy it, praising me so highly.”

With that, she strode confidently toward the staggering figure.

Su He gripped Minshu, swaying dangerously, barely able to remain upright.

“Enough talk. Face my sword.”

With that, he thrust at the Second Palace Mistress. But under the fragrance’s influence, his attack was weak and feeble.

The Second Palace Mistress flicked her sleeve, catching the blade and sliding up to Su He’s side. Circling behind, her hands crept slowly onto his shoulders, trembling slightly as she pressed close. “Come, let me savor you properly.”

Su He broke free, sword raised, but his attacks were easily neutralized.

“Oh my, such spirit,” she teased. “But I’m especially good at taming the wild.” With that, her sleeves lashed out like dragons, binding Su He’s arms. With a tug, he spun like a top and was drawn before her.

“You…” Su He cast his eyes downward, furious and anxious.

The Grand Palace Mistress, steadying herself against a cliff, saw at once that the Second Palace Mistress was up to her old tricks. Her brows arched sharply, eyes blazing. Seriously, at a time like this you have the mind to flirt with men?

“Enough nonsense! Finish him already, or do you want to wait until we’re both dead?”

“Don’t worry, sister, I have him well in hand.” She couldn’t resist a sly caress of Su He’s face, making him recoil in disgust.

“Never mind that, just get it over with. The sooner he’s dead, the sooner we can leave.”

The Second Palace Mistress saw her sister’s seriousness and pouted, swallowing her reluctance. She stole a glance at Su He. Such a man, what a shame not to enjoy him.

Lowering her head, she bit her lip, and her sleeves tightened like iron, layer upon layer.

“Farewell, young sir.”

In a flash, demon power surged through her sleeves, striking at Su He with twice the usual force. The air howled with energy, and in an instant, Su He’s life hung by a thread.

But then Su He suddenly looked up, immortal light blazing around him. In that heartbeat, the sleeves shattered into fragments that danced in the air.

Minshu’s blade rang out, soaring as it swept to kill.

Su He, no longer faltering, took up his sword, summoning a fierce wind beneath his feet, and struck with all his might.

The Second Palace Mistress, caught off guard, had no time to escape and could only meet the attack head-on. She spun a flower between her fingers, conjuring a mass of demon power to envelop the sword’s tip, yet underestimated its force. The blow hurled her several yards back, and she barely caught herself against the cliff wall.

She cast a hateful glance, voice trembling. “Well then, you truly have no pity for beauty. All my affection for you, and in return you truly wish me dead?”

No sooner had she spoken than she coughed blood, crimson trickling from her lips.

Su He was silent, but the killing intent on his brow was unmistakable. He pressed the attack, Minshu breaking through her defenses.

The sword pierced her shoulder, and with a palm of wind and thunder, struck her chest.

The Second Palace Mistress fell like a severed kite, crashing to the ground, coughing blood for several breaths before she could prop herself up. Her once-beautiful face was ashen, terrifying to behold.

She cast a resentful glance at the Grand Palace Mistress. “Sister, do you not care for me anymore?”

The Grand Palace Mistress jolted as if waking from a dream. She ran her fingers through her hair, plucked out a strand, and with a flicker of light, transformed it into a jet-black sword.

“Mo Yu Breaks the Cold.”

In an instant, sword-light blossomed like rain, all flying toward Su He. With a somersault, she landed before the Second Palace Mistress. “How are you?”

The Second Palace Mistress’s eyes brimmed with tears as she sniffled pitifully. “Luckily you intervened in time, or I might not have seen tomorrow.”

“…Take this.” The Grand Palace Mistress, exasperated, pulled out a small porcelain bottle and tossed it over her shoulder. Then, sword in hand, she clashed with Su He again, the mountain quaking and dust swirling.

Su He feigned weakness, luring the Grand Palace Mistress into overreaching. As he retreated, he asked, “Who sent you two to ambush me here?”

The Grand Palace Mistress snorted coldly. “The dead have no need to know.”

With that, she shouted, “Black Sun Devours the Moon!”

Suddenly, a chill wind rose, cutting to the bone. Even the Second Palace Mistress shivered, hurriedly shrinking behind a collapsed wall. She peeked out, eyes narrowed, thinking, “Fight, fight, the more dead the better. Then I’ll collect my reward in peace.”

Seeing Su He falter, she wailed theatrically, “Sister, you mustn’t come to harm! Otherwise, I would be the one to blame!”

The Grand Palace Mistress, angered to distraction, nearly lost her grip on her sword and immediately dodged aside. As she retreated, she stomped, sending a shockwave through the ground that shattered the wall the Second Palace Mistress was hiding behind.

“Yu Su’er, shut up or I’ll send you down first!”

The Second Palace Mistress clapped a hand over her mouth and shook her head rapidly, thinking, “Fine, I won’t say another word. I’ve said all I need. If I’m wounded, surely Hua Zhongying will owe me something.”

The Grand Palace Mistress had no mind for her thoughts, too busy fending off Su He’s relentless swordplay. His attacks pressed her so hard she could barely keep up. Her right arm, gashed to the bone by his blade, trembled with pain, her grip on the sword weakening. She realized that if this continued, she would perish here and needed a way to escape. But Su He’s power seemed inexhaustible; brute force alone would not suffice. What else could she do?

Seeing his chance, Su He feinted with Minshu and, while reciting an incantation, summoned the golden needle lying forgotten on the ground. In a flash, it struck the vital point on the Grand Palace Mistress’s back.

She froze, sword raised, unable to move.

She rolled her eyes at him coldly. “Such petty tricks.”

“Petty or noble, when you two lay in wait for me, you weren’t exactly being righteous. Why should I show mercy?”

“So what? Victory goes to the strong. If you defeat us, it's only because your skills are superior. Kill us if you will, but don’t expect me to betray my cause.”

The Grand Palace Mistress was no fool. She knew Su He’s intentions, but as she said, she would never betray her master. She had suffered so much to earn her place; how could she turn traitor now?

Su He withdrew his sword and walked behind her, finding where the needle had pierced her back. Pinching the end, he pressed it in further.

At once, she trembled, the blood draining from her face. “Ugh…”

“Think carefully. Loyalty and devotion are worthless if you’re dead. Once you’re gone, you can do nothing.”

He cast a sidelong glance at the Second Palace Mistress.

“Second Palace Mistress, you’re as lovely as a blossom. I truly hesitate to kill you. Tell me, what will she say when she returns? That you’d rather die than yield? Or something else?”

The Grand Palace Mistress looked at the Second Palace Mistress and felt a chill from head to toe.

She…