2-87 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

Volume 2, Chapter 87 ~ You've Fallen into a Trap! How Could the Villainous Young Master Be the Saintess? In appearance, Jiu Lixue might seem unperturbed and emotionally unaffected, with her fox-like demeanor expertly disguising any internal turmoil. However, morality is something that can't lie. Her every emotional fluctuation was laid bare before Wenny's discerning eyes. No matter how skilled she was at disguising herself, all the intricacies of her performance were rendered meaningless by the virtue system's innate advantage—a specialized insight into the heroines' emotions. Be it the drama queen Aesphyra or the sly fox Jiu Lixue, neither could conceal their emotional shifts from Wenny. The rise in virtue revealed them unequivocally. Witnessing the growth in virtue, Wenny chuckled inwardly. Ha! Keep up the act, you sly fox. This young master is happily collecting these two hundred virtue points. Seeing Jiu Lixue's strong reaction only confirmed to Wenny that he had successfully caught her attention. Thus, he used a psychic scroll to converse with Aesphyra, indicating that he had begun to draw the demon clan's attention, and that she could now safely proceed. "Your Majesty Queen Jiu Lixue, there's no need to be so agitated. I understand that should you become desperate like a cornered fox, my head would fall before I even realized, and this memory stone would be destroyed immediately after. Therefore, let me clarify in advance—this memory stone isn't the original. It’s merely a replicated version. The evidence lies in the fact that it's currently in my hand, and not with the originator of this footage," Wenny said with a slight smile. "And if something were to happen to me, the person who gave me this replica... oh, she'd definitely release the contents to the public, won't she?" Wenny added with a cheerful grin. "So, were I in your position, not only would I refrain from taking action against this pesky blue-haired brat, but I'd also keep a close watch on your subordinates to ensure his safety, otherwise... the consequences could be dire indeed." "You need to think carefully. Are our insignificant little lives really more valuable than your majesty's reputation and secrets, which were fought for tooth and nail from adversity to the throne?" "If this gets out, doesn't your reign end right there, Your Majesty Jiu Lixue? Hahaha," Wenny laughed out loud. 'Virtue +200.' 'Current Virtue: 9204.' It seemed that Jiu Lixue was beginning to take him seriously. Of course, only she and Vanessa knew of that particular piece of Jiu Lixue's past, which was nothing short of a lifelong scandal. How would anyone else have found out? Unless Vanessa had confided in them, there wasn't any other conceivable source. Even if the memory stone he held was a fake, it proved he had seen the footage. Otherwise, how would he know about the secret, particularly when it was so crucial to Jiu Lixue? Moreover, his act wasn't an empty threat; he indeed possessed the genuine article. He still had cards up his sleeve. If Jiu Lixue decided to abruptly kill him and destroy the memory stone, then indeed no second person would ever know her secret. Unfortunately, that was only an "if." Wenny was fully aware of the enormous risk he was undertaking. What if Jiu Lixue resorted to rashness in desperation? Wouldn't that cut off all hope of survival? This was precisely why he couldn't become Vanessa. By retaining his identity, survival remained minimally possible; as Vanessa, he'd be instantly neutralized by Jiu Lixue, the same way Aesphyra had once been bested. For Vanessa appearing before Jiu Lixue changed everything. Jiu Lixue would spare no effort to apprehend her. He had struggled over whether to play this trump card, taking it to the absolute limit, because if the plan succeeded, he himself would land on Jiu Lixue's hit list. But risqué endeavors carry risks. How else would one progress without taking chances? Jiu Lixue seemed determined to turn Aesphyra into a pulp. Why was he hesitating? The adversary was unafraid to escalate matters; why should he be? Lest we forget, he was the infamous rogue of Camila’s capital city. No one could outmatch him in cruelty or wickedness. "So, what exactly do you have? You've piqued my curiosity," said Jiu Lixue playfully. "Your Majesty, continuing this facade is pointless, no? Surely, you wouldn't want that footage released publicly, right? That would be no good for anyone involved," said Wenny, curling his lips into an assured smile, aware that the vixen was still performing. Though she had taken the bait, she feigned complete control, as if she were unfazed. The fox demons and succubi eyed Wenny's memory stone with interest, though skeptical, finding curiosity inevitable given the situation. Behind Wenny, Aesphyra paused for a moment, closing her eyes as she brought her hands together. Between them, a clock adorned with a griffin emblem and encircled by ancient Tyrillic letters and floral wreaths began to turn, emitting slow 'tick-tock' sounds. Earlier, Aesphyra had already communicated this development to Wenny via psychic exchange. 'There'll be noise and movement.' 'Don't worry, proceed as you need,' Wenny replied. Complaining was pointless now. Only he could cover the sound. "My demands are simple. Allow us safe passage, and once we're secure, I'll inform my friend to cease production of the replicas and destroy all memory stones. How about that?" Wenny proposed, raising his voice intentionally to mask the sound of the clock that Aesphyra had activated behind him. Though he appeared to be negotiating fairly, Wenny himself doubted the proposition. Did Jiu Lixue believe it? There was no way. From the onset, Wenny understood that using this memory stone as a bargaining chip to gain Jiu Lixue's tolerance was far-fetched—a notion too naive. Trading the lives of two people privy to her secret for a vague promise? Nobody with any sense, especially not a century-old fox demon, would let them slip away. This tactless boldness bore the youth's optimism, but lacked prudence and forethought. Yet, that was precisely his objective—to have Jiu Lixue perceive his relatable student-like character, granting him the delay he needed. Negotiating with Jiu Lixue was merely for show. He never took it seriously. "Otherwise, I'll release the footage, letting all your subordinates see your grace in its true form," Wenny said, practically gloating. "Young friend, while I can't say what exactly is in your memory stone or why you dare to threaten me, I must admit, I absolutely abhor being threatened," Jiu Lixue said idly, toying with her dainty fingers. "Heh, Your Majesty, I'm not easily intimidated. You're quite aware of what's stored in that stone, better than I am. The scandal is trivial. It's the secret you can't afford to have disclosed, correct?" Wenny continued to reveal details. "Secrets, that even your subordinates shouldn't know!" Wenny added, intentionally casting a glance at Jiu Lixue's entourage. "Hence, I suppose it's time to address your subordinates. Ladies and gentlemen, you might suspect theatrics on my part. But consider, if Your Majesty truly disregarded what’s inside this memory stone, why is my termination so urgent?" Wenny addressed Jiu Lixue's loyalists. "Shouldn’t she dismiss me as a clown for your entertainment? Why the haste? Certainly not like her, don't you think?" "You all are some of the brightest, not here by mere chance. So, if the footage remains unreleased and my head rolls, you must discern one thing—Jiu Lixue is hiding something! Secrets she won’t even share with her trusted lieutenants!" Wenny declared, risking everything just to buy time. 'Virtue +100.' 'Current Virtue: 9304.' "……." None of the loyal subordinates spoke, possibly unsure or unwilling to say anything, as perhaps any words in that moment seemed unfit. "Well then, Your Majesty, what's your decision? Either I release the footage, or you let us go," Wenny continued to negotiate loudly. "Is it possible that you still doubt the authenticity of this memory stone, Your Majesty Jiu Lixue? Alright, I'll give you a clue—'pet'." A sly grin tugged at Wenny's lips as he danced on the brink of peril to buy more time. 'Virtue +300.' 'Current Virtue: 9604.' Ha! Now the she-fox was truly intimidated. "Bahahaha." Just as Wenny was savoring his victory, Jiu Lixue, arms crossed, suddenly chuckled. "Young one, if I were you, I wouldn't have made such a move." "Oh?" "Originally, you might have survived, but now you've completely cornered yourself," Jiu Lixue replied, her smile seductive yet deadly. "Oh, is that so? I have a different perspective." Wenny shrugged dismissively. "Instead, it's Your Majesty who seems indifferent. Are you really sure you want me to release the contents of this memory stone?" "You want me to let you go?" Jiu Lixue's smile widened. "Let you off with an elusive promise so you can continue wielding this memory stone as a threat? Why shouldn't I just capture you and use you as leverage against that friend of yours, forcing her to surrender?" "Given your close relationship—close enough to share such sensitive footage—she surely wouldn't abandon you, right?" Jiu Lixue teased with a grin. "Wouldn't it be better to capture you both at once?" Indeed, her logic was airtight. The memory stone, initially intended as Wenny's bargaining chip against Jiu Lixue, had now circled back as Jiu Lixue used it to threaten them. Damn it, Wenny had anticipated this. He had known that relying solely on this memory stone wouldn't feasibly threaten someone of Jiu Lixue's caliber. He hadn't anticipated that she'd so openly acknowledge such a compromising position in front of her subordinates. What he hoped to achieve was simply to surprise Jiu Lixue with the fact that he had the stone, creating a dilemma inclined toward caution. Once Jiu Lixue made up her mind, they were doomed! Wenny toyed with the notion of inquiring if Aesphyra was ready, feeling the mounting pressure, yet feared interrupting her. Come on, come on! Aesphyra, hurry up or we'll be done for! Unexpectedly, he found himself aligned with Aesphyra, a situation none could have foreseen—the protagonists and antagonists of the original script now bound to each other's fates. Yet no matter how his nerves unraveled inside, Wenny couldn't afford to show it. "Heh! Your Majesty, is that really your decision? To go all the way and risk having your secret unveiled? Fine, then I shall let your subordinates witness…" Wenny half-finished his sentence, unable to continue. Before he could widen his eyes in astonishment, Jiu Lixue had already swooped down upon him, claws poised to strike. "Lights, camera, action! Catch this!" The quick-witted Wenny acted impulsively, pressing the activation switch on the memory stone before tossing it to Jiu Lixue's subordinates. Either it would start broadcasting its content, or Jiu Lixue would retrieve it. Bold as it was, this gamble paid off, for the stone he held was actually empty! Yet, fortunately, he gambled wisely; Jiu Lixue shifted her focus, snatching the supposedly broadcasting stone to shut it off. This diversion granted Wenny a crucial moment of respite, realizing hesitation was no longer an option. Quickly, he produced the ice crystal earrings, transforming them into the "Fangs of the Ice Drake," unleashing his most powerful ice-elemental spell for that day, the "Roar of the Ice Drake"! All or nothing—victory, once again, lay in the hands of the Ice Drake's Fang! Instantly, the ice lance transformed into a colossal ice dragon, charging toward Jiu Lixue and her subordinates. Jiu Lixue counteracted with fire magic, reducing the ice dragon into shards and slivers of ice with a single slap. Yet, the residual force of the explosion and the mist generated by the spell were powerful. Even shattered, the ice dragon wrapped around Jiu Lixue, creeping up her body and adhering to her fingers and the soles of her wooden sandals! Such is the power of the "Fangs of the Ice Drake"! Even Jiu Lixue couldn't evade being ensnared by the frozen residues for several seconds! Moreover, the fog of ice obscured the view of the demons, concealing Wenny and Aesphyra's activities from sight. In the midst of the icy storm, Wenny stole a glance back at Aesphyra, noticing she had opened her eyes at last. Her violet, gem-like eyes reflected the griffin-engraved clock face adorned with rapidly spinning hands. "Hahaha!" Wenny laughed heartily, the weight on his shoulders suddenly lifted, understanding they had succeeded. "Hahahaha! You foolish fox! You've fallen into my trap!" Wenny's laughter persisted, undaunted by Jiu Lixue's rapid approach. For he knew, Aesphyra wouldn't allow Jiu Lixue to have her way. True enough, a sudden sensation of stillness swept across everything, affecting objects and beings alike. Wenny knew Aesphyra had activated the "Saint's Favor," freezing everyone in time. To Aesphyra, all but herself were frozen in time, including Jiu Lixue mid-flight and the laughing Wenny. In an instant, the scene shifted, with Wenny and Aesphyra landing in a desolate area. Though unaware of their location, Wenny was confident they had escaped. Ha, haha... He recalled the final moment when Jiu Lixue had reached for him, a perilous gap between human and fox. What a thrill; they nearly met their end. Thankfully, Aesphyra's overpowered heroine abilities averted disaster. Otherwise... The thought prompted Wenny to acknowledge Aesphyra, but as he turned, he heard a 'thud' and found her collapsed, silvery hair splayed and lips stained with fresh blood that soaked her collar. 2025/07/08/23/10 『Bookmark for easy access』 Previous Chapter Index Next Chapter Bottom Ad Floating Ad Enter title•author ↑ Home My Bookshelf Reading History