Chapter 2688: Chapter 2688
"Alright!"
Though Liu Yunyao agreed, Ye Liuyun still couldn’t shake off his unease, fearing she might be deceived by the demon lion.
He decided that even if he handed the beast over to her later, he wouldn’t remove the slave seal. Instead, he’d help her establish a master-servant contract as an extra layer of control.
When the demon lion was brought into the doppelgänger’s spatial realm by the clone, it was utterly stunned. The sheer vastness of the space exceeded its wildest imagination.
Inside, over a dozen planets already existed—each one a demonic realm—leaving the lion green with envy. What’s more, countless demonic beasts roamed these worlds, their variety far surpassing those on its own home planet.
"Boss, you’re incredible!" The demon lion quickly resorted to flattery.
The clone, however, couldn’t be bothered to entertain it. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the lion onto a random planet, leaving it to fend for itself. Since the entire realm was under the clone’s control, there was no need to monitor the beast closely—it wouldn’t face any real danger.
Despite its low cultivation level, the demon lion had an uncanny knack for sweet-talking its way out of trouble. During its training, it repeatedly encountered higher-level demonic beasts yet always managed to talk itself out of harm’s way. At one point, it even conned a demonic bear into acting as its bodyguard by offering up some demonic crystals it had scavenged.
Ye Liuyun had witnessed its silver tongue firsthand, which only reinforced his decision to keep the creature under tight surveillance.
Meanwhile, after leaving the beast-taming grounds, Lin Qiwen returned to his quarters and pulled out several bone divination plates. It was a habit of his—before making any major move, he would cast a divination to gauge his fortune.
He tossed the bone plates onto a specially crafted circular disc, where they formed a distinct pattern. Lin Qiwen interpreted the arrangement to predict auspicious or ominous outcomes.
But suddenly, one of the plates cracked inexplicably. The unexpected fracture altered the original pattern, rendering the reading invalid.
Frowning in confusion, he replaced the broken plate with a new one and cast the set again.
"Ah!"
The result drew a sharp gasp from Lin Qiwen. The pattern that emerged was identical to the previous one. Even more alarming, the newly replaced bone plate split apart once more.
Startled, he hastily withdrew the bone armor, not daring to speculate further.
"The divination clearly shows this man is undoubtedly our benefactor, someone of immense significance to the Willow Forest Dynasty. But if we interfere in his affairs, it will bring utter ruin upon our kingdom—the Willow Forest Dynasty will cease to exist!"
Lin Qiwen silently recalled the ominous signs from the divination, his heart pounding with dread.
"Who in the world is this man, wielding such power? How does the princess even know him? How should I report this to the king?"
Lost in thought, Lin Qiwen paced back and forth in his chamber, unable to reach a decision.
Suddenly, he halted mid-step and strode out the door, heading straight for the princess’s quarters. He wanted to meet Ye Liuyun face-to-face, to see for himself what kind of man he was. Only then could he make an informed decision on how to respond to Liu Qianzhong.
Meanwhile, Hongling had already prepared wine and dishes, delivering them to Liu Yunyao’s private chambers. When she saw Ye Liuyun, she couldn’t hide her surprise—she hadn’t expected him to revert to his original appearance so quickly.
"Consort!" She curtsied toward him, making Liu Yunyao blush instantly.
"Enough of your teasing!" Liu Yunyao chided, flustered. "Go and make sure no one else enters and sees him!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Hongling replied, arranging the dishes while casting a sly glance at the princess. "Will the consort be staying here tonight?"
Liu Yunyao’s cheeks burned even hotter. She stole a glance at Ye Liuyun, unsure how to respond.
Ye Liuyun considered for a moment. Liu Yunyao’s spatial world hadn’t expanded enough yet—he could wait until it grew larger before helping her claim a planet.
"I’ll stay for a couple of days," he answered. Staying here would require Hongling’s assistance in preparing necessities and keeping an eye on the palace guards, so he saw no reason to hide it from her.
"Understood," Hongling replied, flashing Liu Yunyao a knowing look that left the princess squirming in her seat, torn between embarrassment and nervousness.
Once the table was set, Hongling bowed slightly. "Please enjoy your meal, Your Highness and Consort," she said before quietly slipping out of the room.
To break the awkward silence, Liu Yunyao gestured to Ye Liuyun. "Try the palace’s wine and dishes. They might not compare to your roasted meat, but it’s a nice change of pace."
"Sounds good!" Ye Liuyun replied without hesitation, striding over and taking a seat. Liu Yunyao sat down as well, pouring him a cup of wine.
As they ate, Ye Liuyun casually mentioned his plans to expand the spatial world. But Liu Yunyao seemed distracted, her thoughts preoccupied with how to navigate the evening ahead.
Just as they were chatting, Hongling suddenly knocked on the door. "Princess, the Royal Astrologer is here and wishes to see you!"
"Come in and explain!" Liu Yunyao’s heart skipped a beat as she motioned for Hongling to enter and clarify the situation.
Hongling pushed the door open and bowed. "The Royal Astrologer said it’s about the magical beasts and insists on speaking with you in person. He also..." She glanced at Ye Liuyun before continuing, "He specifically requested that you bring the personal guard who accompanied you during the beast selection."
"He said that? What does he mean by this?" Liu Yunyao’s expression instantly tensed.
Ye Liuyun was equally puzzled. Why would the Royal Astrologer seek him out? He mentally retraced his steps during the selection but couldn’t recall any slip-ups.
"That’s all he said. He brought two guards with him, but they’re waiting outside the hall. It’s hard to tell what his intentions are."
Having served Liu Yunyao for years, Hongling had sharp observational skills and a knack for handling people, yet even she couldn’t decipher the astrologer’s motives.
"I’ll go see him shortly. Stall him for now," Liu Yunyao instructed, sending Hongling ahead to manage the situation.
"Is this astrologer targeting me?" Ye Liuyun asked, turning to Liu Yunyao.
With visible unease, she explained, "The Royal Astrologer, Lin Qiwen, is actually a diviner—someone who can predict fortunes, calamities, and even people’s destinies. This time, he’s clearly after you. He must have foreseen something..."
"A diviner? Rare breed, those. Don’t worry, let’s go meet him. Might as well have him read our fortunes while we’re at it—see what destiny has in store for us!" Ye Liuyun remained unfazed. Even if the diviner had uncovered something, he’d still need the power to act on it.
"He’s incredibly powerful. He might deduce your origins and expose your true identity," Liu Yunyao said with concern.
Ye Liuyun remained unfazed. "So what? He’s already come knocking. Avoiding him won’t solve anything. Might as well face him head-on and see what he’s after."
"Alright. But you must be extra careful," Liu Yunyao conceded, knowing escape was impossible. If the Imperial Preceptor had sought them out personally, he must have uncovered something. The specifics would have to wait until their meeting.
Ye Liuyun transformed once more into the guard’s appearance and accompanied Liu Yunyao toward the reception hall.
The guest hall in the princess’s courtyard wasn’t particularly large. Ye Liuyun’s spiritual senses immediately detected the Imperial Preceptor’s presence.
"He actually has no cultivation realm?" Ye Liuyun transmitted his surprise to Liu Yunyao as they walked.
