Chapter 85 Attendant Thirty-Six
Xiao Dunzi was still as tall and strong as ever. In the past, he looked like a child in front of Xiao Dunzi. However, now, Shinju was as tall as Xiao Dunzi, but his physique was not as robust and muscular as Xiao Dunzi's.
Little Dunzi ran up to Majutsu, carrying a food box in his hand, his eyes full of nervousness.
Shinjuku had just finished bathing, his body still exuding a refreshing mist. He opened the door and said to Kodama, "Come in and sit down."
This was Xiao Dunzi's first time stepping into the side room of the True Abode. Usually, when he entered the Scorpion Shadow Palace, there would always be a head maid who would try to persuade him to leave, but today there was not a single one of them, rendering the excuses that Uncle Wu had prepared useless.
He looked around curiously before sitting down at the octagonal table. Xiao Dunzi's large body took up most of one side of the table, so Shinjuku had to sit opposite him, resting his chin on his hands and glancing at the food box. He casually asked, "Have you finished serving breakfast?"
Xiao Dunzi was filled with questions when, unexpectedly, Shinju spoke first, showing concern for him. His tiger-like eyebrows immediately curved down, and he nodded vigorously.
Have you seen His Majesty?
Xiaodunzi nodded again.
"Your Majesty... how does he look? Is he angry?" Shinju asked cautiously.
Xiao Dunzi was about to nod, after all, the image of the Zhen King as imposing without anger was deeply ingrained in people's minds. However, after thinking for a moment, he vaguely remembered that when the Zhen King walked out of the outer room, there seemed to be a look of satisfaction between his eyebrows. Although he did not know why the Zhen King, who had not yet eaten, would have such an expression, it was certainly far from an "angry face".
So Xiaodunzi replied, "The Emperor didn't seem angry."
"Is that so?" Majutsu seemed unconcerned and quickly changed the subject, "What's in the food box? Did you bring it for me?"
Just as Xiaodunzi was about to open the food box, he suddenly remembered what Uncle Wu had told him, and quickly pressed down on the drawer opening, saying, "Qingqing, are you feeling unwell? Do you have back pain?"
Shinju's golden eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately understood that the matter of serving him in bed had probably spread far and wide. "I am fine, tell Uncle Wu not to worry."
In fact, Uncle Wu had instructed Xiaodunzi to probe indirectly rather than ask directly. Unfortunately, Xiaodunzi didn't understand those subtle nuances; he didn't even know what "serving the emperor in bed" meant.
Xiao Dunzi, however, was somewhat puzzled. Zhen Su appeared to be walking normally, showing no signs of fatigue, and still radiant. According to Uncle Wu, there was nothing to worry about; the rumors outside were indeed unreliable.
So Xiaodunzi simply put all those other thoughts aside and took out the food that Uncle Wu had specially prepared for Masakatsu from the food box.
"Uncle Wu said it's good to eat something light, but also to nourish the body. So he made a white fungus and lily bulb soup, and a black chicken soup with Solomon's seal and Eucommia ulmoides..."
Shinju, who had some knowledge of medicinal cuisine, immediately recognized the secret—this was clearly a formula for replenishing deficiency and boosting essence. A subtle feeling welled up inside him, a sense that his sexual encounters were being watched. He involuntarily recalled the scene from that morning, his breath catching in his throat. The image had been truly shocking; his own essence had flowed down that person's legs. Later, while bathing, he watched that essence slowly emerge, winding like snowflakes, gradually dissolving into the water. And at that moment, the colder the King of Poison's expression, the more restless he became.
Lost in thought, Shinju's eyes took on a cold hue reminiscent of the King of Poison, causing Kodama to think Shinju was unhappy and pause in his hand as he served Shinju his meal.
Shinjuku snapped out of his daze and found that Kodama was holding a spoon, intending to feed him the white fungus soup. Shinjuku took the spoon from his hand and smiled, saying, "I can do it myself."
Xiao Dunzi wanted to get closer to him, and although he was rejected, he was not discouraged and just focused on watching him eat.
Zhengren Hall.
Having skipped the morning court session and even declined the audience with his ministers, the Prince of Zhen lay languidly on his neatly prepared dragon bed, closing his eyes to rest. The sweet scent of agarwood on the bed should have dissipated, yet the unique aroma of Zhen Su lingered in his nostrils. The warmth of their skin against each other had been replaced by the cool touch of the silk, and every inch of skin touched felt as if it had been branded with a clear and unforgettable mark.
Most of the strange sensations in his body had subsided, leaving only one spot that was unbearably sore and weak. Even the slightest movement made it hard not to have the absurd illusion that the culprit was still there. That kid, Shinjuku, possessed truly terrifying strength. Despite being much smaller than himself, he could easily lift and hold him. And the other person didn't seem to exert much effort at all, yet the force exuded a horrifying aura as if it could rip through one's intestines. Yet, he couldn't bear to see the kid's restraint and propriety; his mind was only focused on dragging him into this mire of desire. So, as if the fire wasn't burning bright enough, he continued to pour oil on it…
Later, things spiraled completely out of control, especially out of his control...
If he hadn't possessed the formidable physique of a cultivator, it's hard to say whether he would have died on the dragon's back last night.
But the thought that if that kid kept restraining himself... a cold, sinister glint flashed in the King of Poison's phoenix eyes.
Before his chaotic thoughts had subsided, and less than half an hour had passed since Zhen Su left, Zhen Wang could no longer contain himself and wanted to call him back to his side.
Just then, Zuo'er and You'er came to check on Tang Quan. Not long after Tang Quan left, Zuo'er leaned over to You'er and whispered gossip.
"Did you get a good look at the person who slipped into Eunuch Qing's room just now?"
When You'er saw that she knew the answer already, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration and replied, "I recognize her. Isn't she the one that Eunuch Qing takes such good care of?"
"I also smelled a very fragrant aroma; I wonder what they're secretly tasting."
"You're just greedy. I'll go with you after our shift ends..."
The King of Poison had exceptional hearing and perception. Although the restrictions limited his divine sense, his five senses were already beyond comprehension, so he heard every word of the whispers outside.
The King of Poison, who could hardly lie still, got up and dressed, donning his golden winged crown as he strode toward the Scorpion Shadow Palace. Zuo'er and You'er exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
The soup and broth were rich in flavor but not greasy at all. Both of them took a few bites of the soup, and when they saw that Xiaodunzi was staring at them longingly, they pushed the rest of the soup over to him.
"Is the daily food supply from the bureau enough?" Masaya asked.
“It’s enough. The governor specially allocated the last of the leftovers to me, and even then I could occasionally eat the leftovers, which I would then take to feed ‘Two-Headed Black.’”
His Majesty enjoys pork knuckle and trotters, so the pigs raised in the palace are fed fruits and vegetables, unlike the filthy food of the common people. This is not a waste, and no one else can say anything about it.
This shows that Xiaodunzi's actions are becoming increasingly thorough, which greatly pleases Zhensu. After last night, he could feel that the poisonous veins in his body had been cleansed and refreshed by the dragon energy, with the acupoints breaking through the black shell and turning into a bright golden color with its own flowing light. As he continues to temper his body with poison, he estimates that it won't be long before the poisonous veins are tempered into golden veins, and the reshaping of his golden body will not be far off.
That would be the time of separation. But now it seems that even without him, Xiaodunzi can take care of himself.
Shinju couldn't help but glance a few more times at Xiaodunzi's rugged yet intelligent face, and then patted Xiaodunzi's shoulder.
Xiao Dunzi's body suddenly tensed up, but his tiger-like eyebrows were raised high, and his silly smile revealed an undisguised joy.
At that moment, a bright yellow figure silently appeared outside the side room, and a gaze as cold as the iron of the Tianshan Mountains pierced straight towards the hand that Zhen Su had not yet withdrawn.
Zuo'er and You'er were a few steps behind when they called out, "His Majesty has arrived."
Although Shinju had not yet developed his divine consciousness, his five senses were highly acute, so he couldn't help but admire that the King of Poison's concealment technique had not attracted his attention. Shinju stepped forward and bowed, secretly giving a wink to the stunned Xiaodunzi as he lowered his head. Xiaodunzi quickly stood up and knelt down to kowtow again.
The King of Poison noticed Masaki's subtle movements, and his expression grew even more gloomy. He didn't say "rise" or "dismiss the formalities," but simply uttered two words in a cold voice: "Come here."
Shinju slowly raised his eyes, only to see that the King of Zhen was not staring at him, but rather sizing up the little mound beside him. In his divine sense, the surging dragon aura emanating from the King of Zhen was like a huge five-clawed purple dragon rushing towards him, tightly binding him. The dragon's head, exuding imperial majesty, leaned in and stopped in front of him, its dark jade-like dragon eyes staring straight at him.
Projected into reality, it was an invisible, immense sense of oppression looming over him, foreshadowing the imminent wrath of the Poison King.
Seeing the King of Poison's fury, Shinju's first thought was that the King of Poison had finally come to his senses.
The crime of insulting the emperor, the crime of deceiving the emperor—choose one to be questioned.
The moment has finally arrived.
Shinju stood up straight and walked toward the King of Poison with a serious expression.
However, on the eve of his departure, Shinju turned his head towards Kodama, his golden eyes fixed on the King of Venom, signaling the King of Venom to allow him to get up.
The murderous intent in the King of Zhen's eyes could no longer be suppressed. He stepped straight across the threshold, pinned Shinju against the door, and lowered his head to kiss him deeply.
A hint of surprise flashed across Shinju's golden eyes, but his lips and tongue were tightly entwined, and his front teeth were even knocked by the other's frantic, inaccurate movements. Shinju's hand, which was about to push away, instead touched the back of the King's neck, his palm pressing down, his five fingers slightly curled, carrying a strong sense of soothing.
Upon hearing Shinju's response, the King of the Poisonous Birds, like a ferocious beast whose fur had been stroked, gradually calmed down, and his movements finally softened, becoming more tender.
Shinjuku knew that Kodama was behind them. He had looked up as soon as he heard the commotion, and now he was looking at them with red eyes, filled not only with shock and worry, but also with anger. He clearly thought that Shinjuku had been bullied by the King of Venom.
Mayuki suddenly made a stopping gesture with his free left hand, forcefully controlling the figure that was poised to attack.
It has to be said that doing this in front of an acquaintance is somewhat awkward, especially with this reckless guy in front of him whose hands have already moved behind his legs, seemingly intending to lift him up.
Shinju intentionally interrupted the increasingly outrageous actions of the King of Poison, so he closed his teeth, almost causing the King of Poison to bite his tongue.
The King of Poison didn't bother with him, his gaze dark as he admired the lips of the True Monk, glistening from his own caresses. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he led the way out of the side room.
Shinju suddenly grabbed the sleeve of the King of Poison, his golden eyes fixed intently on the King of Poison as he turned around. After a moment of stalemate, the King of Poison finally gave in, coldly saying "Rise," and then led Shinju away.
After the footsteps had faded away for a long time, Xiao Dunzi finally stood up, leaning on the table and chairs. His face was flushed red, but not out of shyness. He didn't even know what a kiss meant. Instead, a feeling of loneliness and panic, of being excluded, gripped his heart tightly, and large tears rolled silently down his face.
"Qingqing..."
Just as Xiaodunzi was immersed in sadness, a surge of spiritual energy suddenly rippled through the clouds above the Scorpion Shadow Palace. Immediately afterward, a muffled thunderclap boomed, and two pairs of azure eyes suddenly appeared in the sky, both radiating intense killing intent. Their pupils moved with an eerie "click-click" sound, and soon locked onto the person in the side room whose mind was most vulnerable.
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Author's note: [Revised] I've polished it a bit; I missed a word at the beginning.
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