This was Shen Tang’s greatest pain. If she hadn’t been worried that Gu Zhanting would notice and harm Lu Xingzhou, she would have already done everything. How could she wait until now for this female dragon she just met? If things had gone well, they’d have children by now. Now, being pushed around by such trivial matters filled her with anger.

Before Shen Tang could think of a counter-strategy, Yuan Muyu spoke, “Does Your Majesty truly intend to use this method to determine rank?”

Long Qinghuang crossed her arms, “Otherwise?”

Yuan Muyu’s expression was blank, “To my knowledge, Xingzhou has already been with that Miss Pei… If we must use this method, then Your Majesty might need to be prepared to respectfully call her ‘Jie jie’ and offer a cup of tea when you meet her. Oh, by the way, Miss Pei is nineteen years old this year.”

Long Qinghuang’s smile vanished.

Shen Tang also turned to look at Yuan Muyu, thinking, “Sister Zhuoyu isn’t pretending anymore…”

Yuan Muyu wasn’t sure if she was pretending or not; her face remained expressionless. “If I’m not mistaken, a certain Grand Tutor has also been with someone. Your Majesty…”

“Impossible, absolutely impossible!” Long Qinghuang fumed, “How could someone as rigid and old-fashioned as Ye Tinglan truly seek a man? Didn’t Xingzhou say they were just teacher and disciple?”

This time, Shen Tang looked at Long Qinghuang with a hint of sympathy. “Teacher and disciple, and you really believe that nonsense about men? Just like others believe you only value Lu Xingzhou’s abilities?”

However, when others said it, there was no proof. But the one speaking now was Yuan Muyu. Long Qinghuang, who had witnessed the entire Sea Grand Tournament, knew exactly who Yuan Muyu was and her relationship with Ye Tinglan—that was practically ironclad proof. Instantly, she exploded in rage, “Ye Tinglan! How dare you!”

Yuan Muyu gave her a blank look. “What?” “A love-struck fool is truly amazing. You’re not blaming Xingzhou for deceiving you, but blaming Ye Tinglan instead?”

“Well, blame her well, blame her correctly.”

For a moment, no one mentioned the trivial matter of who should be called “Jie jie.” Long Qinghuang would rather die than tolerate calling her sworn enemy Ye Tinglan “Jie jie,” let alone some worthless young girl who hadn’t even matured.

But if they didn’t rank by this method, would they rank by who entered the door first? Shen Tang’s calm and composed demeanor was infuriating.

Seeing their expressions, Yuan Muyu’s small mouth pursed repeatedly. She actually still had something to say… “I was here first.” But in the end, she mumbled for a long time, unable to speak, her previous verbal prowess gone, her expression growing increasingly despondent.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“What am I doing here? Do their arguments concern me?”

Suddenly, she felt a sense of utter despair, her previous dazed state returning. She walked out into the street alone, her steps once again somewhat unsteady.

Long Qinghuang stared for a moment, then whispered to Shen Tang, “What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know,” Shen Tang replied softly, “She’s been like this since I met her, full of worries.”

This time, Long Qinghuang found it a bit strange. How could someone as arrogant as the Yama King be like this? Connecting it to her injured state, it seemed like she had suffered qi deviation. What kind of emotional distress could lead to such severe qi deviation, even making her seem foolish?

Ultimately, as the ruler of the demonic realm, Long Qinghuang wasn’t as quick-witted as Lu Xingzhou, but she was sharp enough. Connecting it to their entanglement, she suddenly wondered if it was because she knew Lu Xingzhou was getting married.

Long Qinghuang suddenly chuckled. “Didn’t you chase Lu Xingzhou away? So you were actually so reluctant? So that time you attacked me like a lunatic in the sea, it was because you were terribly jealous!”

“It made this dragon laugh to death.”

“I loved him so much, yet I never thought I’d go into qi deviation just hearing about his marriage. But I wanted to keep him in my harem forever, never letting him go anywhere. If Xingzhou hadn’t insisted on leaving, do you think I would have let him? You loved him to the point of qi deviation, yet you chased him away. What were you thinking? Is your brain made of swill?”

Long Qinghuang was delighted, glancing at Shen Tang and thinking, “Quick, thank the Yama King, otherwise, not to mention me, you wouldn’t have a share either.”

Shen Tang had no idea what she was thinking. She still had to care for her “sister.” She had already stepped forward to support Yuan Muyu and whispered, “What’s wrong with your injury? Should we stop shopping and go back to rest?”

Yuan Muyu turned to look at her, “Why do you care about me?”

“Why wouldn’t I care about you? No matter how jealous or displeased I am, I still know what’s important, right?” Shen Tang ungraciously helped her back. “You know more about Pei Chuyun and the Grand Tutor than I do. Are you not pretending now? All right, stop being awkward, get some good rest.”

Yuan Muyu suddenly wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

Long Qinghuang slowly ambled beside them, “Her condition doesn’t require support; it’s not that serious.”

Shen Tang said, “Is it a cultivation mishap? We don’t have an alchemist with our group. Your Majesty, could you send a few healers to examine her?”

Long Qinghuang nodded, “Certainly. I’ve already sent word.”

Shen Tang said, “Thank you.”

“You’re thanking me on her behalf?” Long Qinghuang wanted to laugh even more. “I think you should thank her instead.”

Shen Tang gave her a blank look. “What?”

The three finally stopped shopping and returned to the courtyard to rest.

Long Qinghuang leaned back in her chair, leisurely sipping tea, her beautiful eyes occasionally glancing at the dazed Yuan Muyu. Suddenly, she asked Shen Tang, “Hey, I overheard quite a bit of your idle chat on the way. There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

Shen Tang said, “Please ask.”

“When Xingzhou was a guest elder with you, you two had already confirmed your relationship, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you only give him the powerless position of a guest elder at the time, instead of a more important executive position to bind him?” Long Qinghuang said, “Don’t tell me he would help you regardless of his position… For Xingzhou, being expelled from the Hall of Yama at that time left him with a great sense of insecurity and instability. Normally, he would greatly need that peace of mind. A so-called guest elder is too transient, as if the partnership could dissolve at any time. It shouldn’t have been what he wanted, right?”

Shen Tang said, “But he wasn’t my subordinate to begin with. When we first met, I sincerely invited him to be the head of the pill hall, but he refused. Later, we cooperated. Matters of the sect couldn’t be like those shops setting up a partner, otherwise he should have been a partner. After much thought, the title of guest elder seemed more suitable. Hmm… at that time, he indeed lacked a sense of security, preferring to just be a landlord. A landlord, meaning the place was his, and if he wanted to leave, only we could leave.”

Yuan Muyu bit her lower lip.

Long Qinghuang slowly said, “A sensitive and heartbroken Xingzhou… truly interesting. If only I had met him then. Just thinking about it, he sounds adorable.”

Shen Tang rolled her eyes exasperatedly. “Why would that be a good thing? It’s good that he’s moved on now. I really don’t know what the Yama King was thinking. Later, when I understood their relationship, I felt that he and the Yama King should have been partners. Even if there was some subordination, he was definitely the Vice Hall Master of the Hall of Yama.”

Long Qinghuang glanced at Yuan Muyu without a change in expression. “It’s normal… When I unified the demon realm, many tribes were only partners or allies. Ultimately, there always had to be a hierarchy; it couldn’t truly be like shops with partners. Even partners have a primary and secondary role, don’t they? If there were truly co-equal authorities, it might lead to killing. I don’t find what the Yama King did to be unusual, just a common struggle for power.”

Shen Tang sighed, “I feel the same way. To do this to someone she raised from childhood… the Yama King is just like my imperial father…”

Yuan Muyu blurted out, “No!”

“Hm?” Both women turned to stare at her.

Yuan Muyu’s lips moved for a moment, then she whispered, “It’s nothing, you two continue talking. Their affairs… I don’t know them well.”

Shen Tang didn’t think much of it and continued the conversation, “Initially, when I learned about this, I felt that Xingzhou and I were incredibly similar—broken legs, expulsion, betrayal by family. We were alike in every way, like seeing another version of myself. At that time, I had Qingli helping me, and Qingli was quite amusing, which often cheered me up a bit. Xingzhou also had Ah Nuo, fortunately.”

“Betrayal by family…”

Yuan Muyu gripped the armrest of her chair tightly, her knuckles white.

Long Qinghuang looked at her legs, “You’ve been standing all this time. Aren’t you pretending anymore?”

“I’ve never been very good at pretending; I’d unconsciously stand up from time to time… In the vastness of the demon realm, I didn’t want to pretend even more. I could only hope that my imperial father was busy and not paying too much attention to me here.” Shen Tang sounded a little helpless. “I know I haven’t acted well, but who can stay in a wheelchair for a long time?”

She paused, then a touch of anger surfaced. “I can’t even endure a year or two of this, I really don’t know how Xingzhou endured ten years. The Yama King had sufficient resources, and her alchemy wasn’t bad, she could have completely healed Xingzhou, yet she allowed him to remain like that.”

Long Qinghuang said indifferently, “Perhaps it wasn’t just neglect; she might have also sabotaged efforts and forbidden others from helping Xingzhou. Otherwise, Xingzhou had considerable power in the Hall of Yama; he should have been able to obtain resources himself.”

Shen Tang said, “That must be it; only that makes sense. But why would the Yama King do that? Just for power? Xingzhou doesn’t care about those things at all. Didn’t she understand that in ten years?”

Long Qinghuang said blandly, “Some things, if you haven’t experienced them firsthand, you naturally won’t feel the hardship and pain. Instead, you might even get used to it, thinking, ‘He’s been sitting for ten years anyway, what’s wrong with continuing to sit?’ Isn’t that right?”

“Heaven knows what kind of person thinks like that.” Shen Tang said coldly, “In my heart, she’s as cold-hearted as my imperial father. One day when I meet her, I will definitely demand an explanation for Xingzhou.”

“Me too,” Long Qinghuang smiled, then turned to Yuan Muyu, “And you, little sister?”