Sure to Counterkill

Sunlight slanted down from the glazed tiles, casting a bright golden edge before the threshold of the Crown Prince's Palace.

Gu Chengyin stood outside the door, his gaze crossing that threshold, looking far into the direction of the main hall.

The main hall's doors were half open, vaguely revealing the figure seated upright behind the long desk.

Luo Zhao.

The name passed through Gu Chengyin's mind, then was gently pressed down, like pressing down on an inconsequential fallen leaf.

He had returned to the Crown Prince's Palace, but not to visit this Highness.

After all, for now, Luo Zhao was still, in his heart...

Gu Chengyin thought for a moment and found a quite fitting description:

On the same level as a dog.

If anyone else heard that, they would probably be scared out of their wits.

But Gu Chengyin knew well in his own heart that this was half a joke and half the truth.

Besides, Luo Zhao was still in hypnosis at the moment, with no sign of breaking free.

After settling the most urgent matters at hand, he could confirm Luo Zhao's condition later without delay.

Gu Chengyin withdrew his gaze, lifted his foot to cross the threshold of the Crown Prince's Palace, and walked along the corridor toward the main hall.

The soles of his boots landed on the bluestone slabs, making a light and rhythmic sound, startling a few dozing sparrows under the eaves.

This trip back to the Crown Prince's Palace was mainly for Gu Xiaoli's sake.

It was about turning this half-Step Nascent Soul cat demon into his cat.

Speaking of it, when the world-weary loli first appeared,

Gu Chengyin had truly been fooled by her harmless appearance.

He had even witnessed with his own eyes Gu Xiaoli being targeted by several Foundation Establishment-level divine senses,

trembling with fear, and ultimately being comforted by Gu Chengyin.

Half-Step Nascent Soul, afraid of being locked onto by Foundation Establishment-level divine senses?

Thinking back on it now, this was no fear at all; it was clearly just acting.

She acted so convincingly, so naturally, and in a way that made her completely above suspicion.

Gu Chengyin paused slightly in his steps and shook his head in speechless exasperation.

He could say that, so far, among all the living things he had encountered,

Gu Xiaoli was the best at pretending.

She was simply a master of deception.

Gu Chengyin walked to the entrance of the main hall, stopped, and poked his head in to look around.

Behind the long desk, Luo Zhao sat upright with proper decorum, her head lowered as she reviewed memorials.

Her brow was slightly furrowed, and her hand holding the brush sometimes paused and sometimes wrote, presenting an image of diligent governance.

Shangguan Yunying stood quietly at her side, holding a stack of neatly organized documents in her hands, her expression focused and serious.

Neither of them had noticed Gu Chengyin poking his head in at the door.

Or rather, they both pretended not to notice.

Gu Chengyin's gaze swept across the hall, but he didn't see the figure of the world-weary loli.

If she wasn't in the main hall, then she must be in the Ten Thousand Forms Tower.

He withdrew his gaze, turned around, and left.

Heading straight for the Ten Thousand Forms Tower.

Behind him, a female official who was sweeping the corridor quietly lifted her head.

She looked at Gu Chengyin's retreating figure, then quickly lowered her eyes and continued her work.

After his figure disappeared, she set down her broom and tiptoed into the main hall.

She approached Luo Zhao and bowed, her voice extremely low:

"Your Highness, the Junior Preceptor Gu is heading toward the Ten Thousand Forms Tower."

The brush in Luo Zhao's hand paused slightly. She did not raise her head, only gently waved her hand.

The female official understood and silently withdrew.

Silence returned to the hall.

Luo Zhao still kept her head down, as if still focused on reviewing memorials.

But the tip of her brush hovered over the paper, not falling for a long time.

A moment later, she opened her mouth to ask: "Yunying, why is Gu Chengyin going to the Ten Thousand Forms Tower?"

Shangguan Yunying was standing there holding the documents, lost in thought. Although she was physically present, her mind had long since wandered elsewhere.

One moment she was thinking about whether Gu Chengyin would come to find her, the next about whether he would come to find her at night.

Then she wondered what would happen if he came to find her at night and didn't leave.

Hearing Luo Zhao's question, Shangguan Yunying snapped back to reality, blinked, and answered without thinking:

"Your Highness, Xiaoli is reading in the Ten Thousand Forms Tower right now. Could Gu Chengyin be going to look for her?"

Hearing this guess, Luo Zhao’s brow furrowed involuntarily.

Could Gu Chengyin be going to the Ten Thousand Forms Tower to find Gu Xiaoli?

Had he discovered Gu Xiaoli's true identity?

The moment this thought emerged, it grew like wild grass, instantly occupying all of Luo Zhao's mind.

But how could it be?

Even Shangguan Yunying didn't know that Gu Xiaoli was a half-Step Nascent Soul cat demon.

This secret had been hidden so well, kept so tightly, and had never revealed any flaws.

If Gu Chengyin knew, where could he have gotten the information?

Wait.

A figure suddenly appeared in Luo Zhao's mind.

Lin Qingyan.

If Gu Chengyin knew Gu Xiaoli's true identity, then Lin Qingyan must have told him.

Luo Zhao bit her lower lip, her teeth sinking into the flesh, almost drawing blood.

Lin Qingyan was her aunt, someone she trusted deeply.

And now?

Now Lin Qingyan loved Gu Chengyin, becoming his aunt.

Luo Zhao's heart gradually sank.

Gu Xiaoli was an important pawn she had set against Gu Chengyin.

A half-Step Nascent Soul cat demon with heaven-reaching spiritual power.

She could use Gu Xiaoli's strength to deliver a fatal blow to Gu Chengyin at the critical moment.

But if Gu Chengyin knew Gu Xiaoli's true identity,

then he would surely turn Gu Xiaoli into his cat!

That bastard!

The tips of Luo Zhao's fingers deeply dug into her palm, her nails leaving several crescent-shaped red marks on her fair skin.

He had taken her chief female official, taken her aunt, and now he wanted to take her cat too!

Her, Luo Zhao, the esteemed princess, the only Crown Prince of Great Luo.

Why did she have to suffer such humiliation again and again?!

A surge of hot blood rushed to her head, and Luo Zhao almost slammed her hand on the desk.

She wanted to rush out, rush to the Ten Thousand Forms Tower, and snatch Gu Xiaoli back in front of Gu Chengyin.

Then tear off all pretenses and have a proper, dignified duel.

To let Gu Chengyin know that Luo Zhao was not someone to be trifled with!

However, this surge of hot blood cooled down halfway.

Because Luo Zhao knew she couldn't do it.

The existence of the consciousness puppet turned all resistance into a joke.

As long as Gu Chengyin sent the command, she would be forcibly switched, turning into a puppet at his mercy.

If she wanted to attack? Her body would stop on its own.

If she wanted to curse? Her mouth would close on its own.

If she wanted to resist? Her consciousness would be ruthlessly suppressed.

In the end, she would be the one to lose.

Luo Zhao slowly released her bitten lower lip and took a deep breath.

She couldn't be impulsive.

She couldn't tear off her disguise.

As long as Gu Chengyin didn't know her consciousness was still clear,

then the advantage was in her hands. One day, she would turn the tables.

She could definitely counterattack!

But she couldn't just stand by and watch Gu Chengyin go to Gu Xiaoli.

Luo Zhao's gaze wandered around the hall, from the memorials on the desk to the sunlight outside the window,

and finally to the empty cushion in the corner, which was Gu Xiaoli's favorite spot for lounging.

But now it was empty, just looking at it made her feel irritated.

Luo Zhao's gaze continued to wander.

Finally,

it landed on Shangguan Yunying.