With the Five Elements Transmutative Technique and Swallowing Skill, Xinzi had the means to fix Xiao Hu's condition. But not only did he not have access to those methods in his Zhen-body, but even if he did, he wouldn't dare to use them.
It was one thing for Yuemi to keep him in line by relying on the Face-Erasing Whip's authority, another to trample the Zhen-body's sovereign dignity at every turn. If even those under his protection could be harmed or killed at will, then Hengye Zhen might as well be Yuemi's court jester, a boy-toy granted by Yongye to do with as she saw fit. Thousand-Faced God or not, Xinzi wouldn't stand for it, and as the 1,000 faces at his back watched his every move, a succession of plans and countermeasures filled his mind.
Divine Light wrapped Xiao Hu's body, stabilizing her condition before teleporting her back to her chambers. Xinzi's lips curled up, and when his mouth opened again, his voice boomed throughout the Evernight Palace.
"In my brief tenure as lord of this branch clan and dynasty, I have committed no end of mistakes, let down my Divine Mother's hopes, and failed her aspirations. I realize now that I have much to learn and humbly request the Lord-Regent to take over all affairs of the Night—as she used to till now. She is more competent and better suited for this task. From now on, cultivation and the recovery of the records will be my only priorities," Xinzi said, sending shockwaves throughout the Evernight Palace.
"What is going on? It has not been 60 minutes since the Greatest One returned from a triumphant display of might—preventing the resurrection of the Ancient Spirit lineage. Our spies report that the Taiyang clan is cowering as we speak, what mistake...are we talking about?"
"This is serious. Not once has he referred to himself as 'My Divine Self.' He even 'humbly requests?' HUMBLY? What has Hengye Yuemi done to our sovereign?"
"A coup! It has to be a coup!" Speculations spiraled in all corners of the Evernight Palace, and all came to the conclusion that, by abusing the authority that the Face-Erasing Whip granted her, Yuemi forced Xinzi to capitulate, going from preceptor and overseer to sole master of the Endless Sea. Instantly, from the lowest of Night Spirits to the top elders of the Hengye clan, all seethed with a dangerous mixture of rage, hatred and indignation.
In their eyes, Xinzi wasn't just the future master of the night. No, he was a blessing, an unparalleled blessing bestowed upon this branch right after it'd failed to live up to the main clan's expectations. Hengye Wuxin's betrayal was enough for the main clan to demand mass suicide, but instead, Yongye sent her only begotten son, a future Sovereign God born with all the abilities unique to true deities, and not only gave them the opportunity to contribute to his upbringing but also to be the first witnesses of his Divine Consecration.
What honor!
What glory!
Households of the main clan would slaughter close kin for this right. High Gods would clean mortal latrines for the opportunity. They, sinners, received this blessing. But instead of cherishing it, the crazed Yuemi wouldn't stop reducing their sovereign's prestige, step on his dignity, and whip as she pleased!
"That demented idiot has gone too far! This has to stop! I...can't take it anymore!" Sitting beside the Dao-Cleansing Pool, with first-class maids tending to the Xinzi body, the great elder balled up his fists and stood up, eyes burning with murder-lust.
The Lord-Regent Seal was nothing. But so long as Yuemi wielded the Face-Erasing Whip, even the great elder and the Hengye fossils buried in the underground of the Ancestral Hall, wouldn't dare to make a move. As if that wasn't enough, Yuemi controlled the Hengye-Wuxin Puppet. Throughout the Evernight Palace, there were only five people that it wouldn't attack, the supreme elder, the great elder, Yuemi, Baxian and Xinzi.
All the rest would be battered at will if Yuemi so desired it—making a frontal assault hard to execute.
"Lalala, lalala-lalala-lala...huh?" Twirling as she pictured Xinzi's face twist into grimaces of rage and grief, Yuemi stumbled in her dance, shocked by Xinzi's declaration.
"Impossible. Just for one mortal wench, my Zhen'er will...capitulate? No...NO! I can't accept it!" Enraged by the possibility that even the Zhen-body's Stainless Sovereign Heart failed to extinguish the mortal emotions, Hengye Yuemi vanished from her chambers, and with instantaneous displacement, appeared before Xinzi.
Her wide-open eyes didn't seek Xiao Hu, and rising on her toes, she peered into Xinzi's gaze. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked, her tone growing louder with each word. Before the Lord-Regent's inquisitive gaze, Xinzi merely shrugged.
"It means exactly what it says. I'm tired of fighting you. Your authority comes from my divine mother, so regardless of what I do, I am not your match. What do you want? How do you want it? So long as I am here, I will fulfill any of your desires. With that said, I'd rather focus on my cultivation...but I understand my position, and will deny you nothing," Xinzi said in a quiet tone, his eyes lowered, and his body oozing defeat.
"Is that so? Careful Zhen'er, these are not words that you should toss around carelessly." Yuemi didn't buy Xinzi's words and ignored his display. If the Xinzi-body said this, she might believe it. But the Zhen-body only cared for its sovereign dignity. The emotions and desires that the Stainless Sovereign Heart extinguished wouldn't break out for a mortal worm.
This was too similar to Qingxin's betrayal, and Yuemi refused to believe that her perfect monarch would follow that road as well.
"I mean what I say and can prove it at once. So long as you give Xiao Hu a way out, I will give you all you want," Xinzi reiterated his pledge—adding fuel to Yuemi's rising fury.
"I don't believe it. Did you screw her? No, her primal yin is intact. Yours isn't, however. Who did you screw in your Xinzi-body? No, don't say it, I want to track them down, rip their heads off, and drink overpriced tea from their skulls! Zhen'er, how dare you...DO THIS TO ME?!" Veins beat on Yuemi's temples, and rising on her toes, she grabbed Xinzi by the collar, pulling him towards her.
"I'm confused. Is it wrong to want to focus on my cultivation? Is it wrong to want to give you what you desire? If so, why do you desire it?" Frowning at Yuemi's outburst, Xinzi said. The question left the Lord-Regent speechless. Making her realize how senseless her reaction was.
"Oh, Zhen'er, fine. I see that you're committed to serving your Divine Mother. Good! Now we can play all the games that I dreamed of. Oh, Zhen'er, I want nothing less than to have you crush me under your weight, pin me against a wall, tie my hands, and fondle your way between my ass cheeks," Yuemi said, and flicked her tongue across her lips.
"Just saying it stirs my loins. Make me experience mortal indignities, the rut that they engage in on a yearly basis. I want it all in its most perverse forms, and I want it from you. You want to cultivate? No problem, we can do both." Here, Yuemi leaned back, let go of Xinzi's collar, and tapped her storage ring.. One manuscript popped out of the ring, hovering between Xinzi and his mad regent.
