Chapter 637: Chapter 637: Puppet Art

Ji Youzhi’s alarm drew the suspicious gazes of those around him. Their eyes all moved to the figure on deck, Mr. Wu, who was entirely shrouded in black and had suddenly gone limp.

Princess Ata bent over and reached out, but all she grasped was an empty black robe. "A Puppet!"

Princess Ata exclaimed in shock, lifting the robe only to find nothing beneath. "How did this happen?" Ji Youzhi asked, puzzled.

The National Master sighed. "From the beginning, I found it strange. Why would Mr. Wu completely enshroud himself in a black robe, threatening us with death, yet always keep so far away? While fighting him, he was steadily retreating. I couldn’t understand it at first, but I do now. He was luring us into a trap!"

"A trap? National Master, what are you implying?"

"I believe the real Mr. Wu is waiting for us up ahead. He tried to use the flood dragon to eliminate us, but he just didn’t expect the flood dragon to submit to the Princess Royal!"

The National Master now understood everything, which left him astounded. Everything he couldn’t comprehend at first was now laid bare before him.

It appeared that Mr. Wu had also realized that the Princess Royal of Great Han was the one who possessed great destiny.

So, the palm strike his Disciple had launched at Xie Pan’Er was also due to Mr. Wu using some medium to control her mind! The goal was to get rid of the Princess Royal here. He just didn’t expect her to tame the black flood dragon.

The National Master, with a significant look, glanced at the Princess Royal who was standing to the side talking to Xie Pan’Er, then he walked towards the black flood dragon. Staring into its eyes that alternated between opening and closing, he spoke softly.

"Your transformation tribulation is imminent. If I am not mistaken, today should have been your fated day of death. Surprisingly, you have successfully resolved it and passed through it. This is truly incredible."

The black flood dragon opened its eyes to look at the National Master, then closed them. When it opened them again, the National Master was heard chuckling softly.

"You’re saying that many years ago, a young man came here and told you that on the day of your death tribulation, a child would arrive? And as long as you did no evil and helped that child, your death tribulation could be averted?"

The National Master was extremely surprised, his face filled with shock.

The Emperor overheard the National Master muttering these words to himself. The Emperor walked over. "So, the National Master also has the ability to communicate with animals!"

The National Master stood up, bowed to His Majesty the Emperor, and said, "I am a follower of the Daoist Sect and naturally possess the Technique to communicate with animals. Moreover, this black flood dragon has already achieved considerable cultivation, so I can naturally communicate with it."

"So that’s how it is. Is this black python already at the stage of transforming into a flood dragon? So, is it a python now? Or a flood dragon?"

The Emperor was very conflicted about this question. After all, his precious daughter had previously said this was a black python, not yet a flood dragon. Yet now, the National Master called it a black flood dragon, which made him puzzled, so he asked.

"Today should have been its heavenly tribulation. By rights, it shouldn’t have been able to pass it. However, it encountered the Princess Royal, and for some unknown reason, its tribulation has been delayed. Thus, it has not yet succeeded in transforming into a flood dragon."

The National Master’s words were so direct; Could it be that he already knows Xiaosuisui is the one who possesses great destiny?

Doubts arose in the Emperor’s mind, and he cast a questioning gaze at the National Master.

The National Master, as if knowing what he was thinking, chuckled softly, turned, and went back to his own room. Before leaving, he also took his young Disciple, Li Yanyan, with him.

「In the National Master’s room」

Li Yanyan knelt on the Cold Ground, large teardrops falling from her eyes.

"SOB SOB SOB, Master, I... I didn’t do it on purpose! I don’t know what came over me then. There was just a very, very strong power. It made me use all my Spiritual Power to strike that Miss Xie. That’s how I knocked Miss Xie and the Princess Royal into the sea."

Li Yanyan wept profusely, snot and tears streaming down her face as she spoke.

"You are young, your willpower is weak, and you are easily swayed by malevolent entities. Cultivate more diligently in the future and be on your guard. Go and copy the Heart Sutra ten times."

"Ah! Copying scriptures again! Master, can’t you assign something else?"

Li Yanyan had been punished by copying scriptures for several days now. At this moment, just the thought of copying made her wrists ache.

"If you don’t want to copy scriptures, you can go and apologize to the Princess Royal and Miss Xie. Beg for their forgiveness. If they say they forgive you, I, your Master, will not punish you."

"I would rather die than beg Li Suisui! She’s a jinx! Meeting her has been the worst luck of my entire life! Want me to apologize to her? Impossible in this lifetime!"

Li Yanyan, showing considerable backbone, immediately went off to copy the sutras.

At this moment, the National Master finally confirmed the Princess Royal’s identity. However, he grew puzzled again. Wasn’t it said that Li Suisui had already died violently? Why has she now become the Ji Family’s niece? It seems the Ji Family knew long ago that Li Suisui was a person of immense fortune. Does that mean Li Suisui’s feigned death was the Ji Family’s doing?

The National Master paced back and forth in his room, turning circles. He pondered for a long while but couldn’t figure it out. He thought about asking Ji Youzhi directly, but he couldn’t bring himself to lose face. Ultimately, he forced himself to sit in meditation, striving to push the question to the back of his mind.

The boatmen and Sailors were beaten half to death. Some fell into the sea and never came back up. Those who did resurface were bound by Princess Ata and Ji Youzhi’s group. Finally, they decided to interrogate the boat master and Aunt Fatty first.

"I just don’t understand, where did we slip up? You even suspected an old woman like me! You didn’t even touch the food today!" Aunt Fatty was the first to voice her confusion, her fleshy face revealing a fierce expression.

"You slipped up in far too many places," Ji Youzhi said. "From the moment we boarded and handed those government officials over to you, you seemed very experienced, immediately locking them in the ship’s hold. When we went to interrogate the prisoners, although the cabin reeked terribly, their persons were surprisingly clean and tidy. What does that indicate?"

"What does it indicate?" Aunt Fatty pressed.

"Naturally, it indicates collusion between you! Ordinarily, you took exceptionally good care of those officials. On this ship, besides Miss Xie, Princess Ata, and the two children with us, you, Aunt Fatty, are the only woman. Those officials were bound by me. You couldn’t possibly have untied their trousers, helped them relieve themselves, and then dressed them again, could you?"

Hearing Ji Youzhi’s words, Aunt Fatty’s expression changed drastically. "You... shameless!" she infuriated, began to curse loudly.

Ji Youzhi sneered. "I knew you weren’t as shameless as I am. That’s how I figured out you were involved!"