After the account of the Two-Six Guards. Blunda nearly flipped the table beside him in anger; it took a good while before he could suppress the raging fire in his heart, sputtering out in frustration, "Where is Xiao right now? Lead the way!"
The guard knew Blunda was truly furious. Not daring to utter another word, he quickly ran ahead to lead the way.
Meanwhile, Xiao was suffering a hardship only he understood. He finally grasped why the young boy had come to their "South Yu Palace"—it was for a thorough ransacking, it turned out. Although every treasured item caused him genuine heartache, and he knew his mother would surely mete out severe punishment if she found out, dealing with that was still preferable to angering this little devil!
At this time, Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes were narrowed to slits. While these treasures meant little to him, the sensation of plundering brought him immense satisfaction!
It had to be said that the "South Yu Palace" held quite a few treasures. This "Hundred Treasures Pavilion" was stuffed with all sorts of valuables that ordinary people could never afford. And this was merely one storage location in the "South Yu Palace"; there were at least a dozen more "Hundred Treasures Pavilions" like it.
Despite the sheer quantity of treasures, Zhong Shenxiu was incredibly fast in collecting them. In only about fifteen minutes, he had nearly cleared the entire place. This efficiency was certainly owed to a convenient tool like the "Magic Ring."
However, a very disheartening problem now presented itself to Zhong Shenxiu: the space inside his "Magic Ring" was almost full. This meant he could not carry away any more items for the time being. Managing to fit all the treasures from this room was already quite an accomplishment!
The main reason the "Magic Ring's" space was insufficient was that Zhong Shenxiu had already stored many things inside previously, leaving little room to begin with. Naturally, after this sweep, it was completely insufficient!
Coincidentally, just as Zhong Shenxiu loaded the very last item from this pavilion into the "Magic Ring," Blunda arrived in a rush, brought by the guards. An intense, volatile atmosphere could be sensed from a great distance!
"The Palace Master arrives!"
A long, drawn-out announcement echoed. As this sound reverberated, Xiao’s expression visibly changed, and he kept stealing glances at Zhong Shenxiu.
"Greetings to the Palace Master!" The servants beside Xiao hurriedly bowed.
But Xiao remained rooted to the spot, his mind a whirlwind of contradictory thoughts; he both wished his mother would come and wished she wouldn't.
He wished she would come because he longed to be free of this little devil. He didn't want to stay a second longer near Zhong Shenxiu and hoped his mother could teach the little demon a lesson, letting him know that the "South Yu Palace" was not a place one could enter at will.
He wished she wouldn't come because he was unsure if his mother could handle this demon. He still hadn't figured out Zhong Shenxiu’s capabilities. He hadn't seen him make any move, yet his two subordinates were already dead, and he himself was nearly beaten to death by that single strike… As he was lost in thought, Blunda’s furious roar snapped him back to reality.
"Xiao, who permitted you to come here?"
"Mother, I actually—" Xiao started, intending to say he was forced, but catching sight of Zhong Shenxiu’s subtle, half-smile, he choked the words back down.
"Actually what? Are you refusing to listen to my words now!" Blunda, overcome with anger, failed to notice the smirking Zhong Shenxiu beside her for a moment.
"Your child dares not!" Xiao replied, deeply aggrieved. Caught between his mother and the little devil, he was trapped in a terrible predicament, unable to speak or remain silent.
"Dares not then why are you—"
Blunda’s voice abruptly cut off as her eyes stared blankly at the open door of the "Hundred Treasures Pavilion." By the light streaming in, it was clear that not a single treasure remained inside; every shelf was completely empty!
At that moment, Blunda nearly spat blood. While her palace held many treasures, it couldn't withstand such ruinous spending! How could this place be emptied in such a short time? If this rate continued, it wouldn't be long before her "South Yu Palace" was left utterly bare!
I’m furious! Why did I give birth to such a profligate child!
If Xiao weren't her own flesh and blood, she would have unhesitatingly dashed him against a wall!
"You—" "Where did you put everything?" Blunda questioned with the last shred of her reason. The stream of events today was driving her mad!
Xiao dared not answer the question, only looking repeatedly toward Zhong Shenxiu, his expression seeming to imply: He swindled everything away!
It was only then that Blunda finally noticed Zhong Shenxiu standing nearby. Her brow furrowed again, veins showing on her forehead, her voice even taking on a screechy tone, like an enraged shrew: "Who is this child? Where did he come from?"
Xiao didn't dare answer, and the servants near him ducked their heads, terrified of being singled out.
Just then, Zhong Shenxiu finally spoke, but not to Blunda. He addressed Xiao, who was still struggling internally: "Shall we go somewhere else?"
He had completely ignored Blunda!
Xiao furtively glanced at his mother, unsure whether to follow or remain still!
Blunda’s already unlovely face was now ashen. Her patience had reached its breaking point!
"Guards! Lock them all up in the prison! No one is allowed out without my express permission. I will interrogate them myself shortly. I refuse to believe they can still be so—" Blunda’s words were cut short by Zhong Shenxiu’s slow, measured voice.
"Hey, who is this old woman?" This simple question instantly made the atmosphere intensely oppressive.
The guards who were not yet informed stared blankly at Zhong Shenxiu, thinking to themselves:
This child is certainly finished. How dare he address the Palace Master like that? He must be tired of living!
Truly, a newborn calf fears no tiger. To speak such words, without even considering the situation!
Such a small child, yet he is about to vanish from this world!
Let us hope the Palace Master does not take out her anger on us!
Just as the guards expected, after a brief silence, Blunda immediately shrieked in fury, "Guards! Drag this… child out and feed him to the dogs!"
Dogs dare eat Zhong Shenxiu? What a joke. They would probably be scared into tears upon seeing him. Who ends up eating whom is still up for debate!
"Mother, wait... wait a moment," Xiao suddenly cried out in alarm, because in that instant, he saw Zhong Shenxiu smiling—the same expression he had when he ordered his servant to strike him earlier.
"What else do you have to say?" Blunda stared directly at her son, her expression conveying: Unless he is your illegitimate son, no one will change my mind!
"Mother… Mother, he… he is not an ordinary person!" Xiao said, while cautiously watching Zhong Shenxiu, afraid the boy might suddenly attack him!
Not an ordinary person? In what way was he extraordinary?
Blunda was momentarily perplexed by Xiao's words. She looked Zhong Shenxiu up and down but couldn't detect anything unusual. Moreover, she was certain this young boy was definitely not some royal kin; killing him would be no different from killing a low-life peasant!
Yet, Xiao's tense expression struck her as strange. His gaze and demeanor did not seem feigned. At least, she didn't believe her son possessed such acting skills!
At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu’s voice sounded again: "You all chat slowly; I’m heading back for a bit. I’ll be back tonight. Remember to prepare all the good things!"
As his words finished, his figure vanished into thin air, much like a ghost dissipating into nothingness.
What… what was that?
Blunda froze, her stunned expression revealing that her mind was completely blank.
Not just her; everyone present was bewildered by this bizarre event. If it weren't daytime, and if so many people weren't present, they would surely think they had encountered a ghost!
It was unclear how long it took, but Xiao was the first to recover, as he knew some of Zhong Shenxiu's background and was somewhat psychologically prepared. He looked around, and seeing that Zhong Shenxiu’s figure was indeed gone, his legs finally gave out and he slumped onto the floor.
Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu had teleported in a flash to the courtyard specially prepared for him.
Coincidentally, Paji and Kaini were chatting by the stone table in the courtyard. Zhong Shenxiu’s sudden appearance startled Paji so much that she let out a sharp, reflexive scream, quite loudly!
Zhong Shenxiu glanced at Paji, ignored her startled expression, and walked straight to Kaini, asking, "Where is Robin?"
"He should be with Diya at Teacher Bellidanti's place!" Kaini replied softly. Through her conversation with Paji, she had learned a great deal, including the fact that Diya’s teacher was Bellidanti!
Zhong Shenxiu said nothing more but did something that nearly made Paji scream again.
He simply waved his hand, and all the treasures he had plundered from the "Hundred Treasures Pavilion" were brought out. Instantly, a small mountain made of treasures appeared in the courtyard, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. Zhong Shenxiu didn't want these things occupying the space in his "Magic Ring"; his ring was reserved for frequently used items, like books and tools for experiments.
"Keep these for now!" With those words, Zhong Shenxiu left the courtyard.
He was going to find Robin because he planned to pay another visit to the "South Yu Palace" that evening. This time, they needed to be fully prepared. With Robin’s "Storage Bracelet," even stuffing the entire "South Yu Palace" inside wouldn't be an issue!
What fate awaited the "South Yu Palace" tonight?