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--- Chapter 264 ---
After a little episode in the underground, Huan Caiyi led them upstairs and showed them the Imperial Demon Palace.
Yu Long found the palace's interior impressive because the black-golden marble floor and the decoration reminded him of the medieval Western castle.
Of course, there are some eastern touches here and there. One example is the Eastern-style carpet in the middle of the hallway.
It was such a unique blend of cultures.
Moreover, there is one 'main' carving on each wall.
It was a carving of a golden crow, which spread its wings and bathed in red-golden flame.
The carving showed the beast's might and did not play around by using rare materials such as gold jade and other luxury minerals.
"Little-! I mean, Caiyi. Your family is quite rich, huh?" Yu Long couldn't help but comment.
Huan Caiyi curled her lips when Yu Long fixed how he called her and replied calmly, "We are."
"After all, the Royal Demon Family ruled over the Illusory Demon Realm for years."
"But... No amount of wealth can bring my family's life back."
"To me, this palace is just an empty home." She closed her eyes, walking steadily.
Then, Yu Long noticed Huan Caiyi's fingers trembling slightly, which she balled into a fist.
It must have been hard for her.
However, he wouldn't console her. Not until he fully understood what kind of person she was.
Chu Yuechan also noticed Huan Caiyi's trembling fingers, 'She's a strong woman.'
Chu Yuechan can't imagine being lonely now.
In the past, she would do it in a heartbeat as all she thought about was cultivating and breaking through to the Emperor Profound Realm.
But now, such a thought struck fear in her heart.
There is no way she's leaving Yu Long. No way!
Yum~! Yum~! Tempest walked with fish sticks in her hand, chewing on it brazenly. Her EQ is too low to catch the details of Huan Caiyi's body language.
All she knew was that fish is good.
Fish sticks are good good.
The corner of Yu Long's mouth twitched slightly at this, "I'm amazed you can function well all your life."
"God Master, that sounds like praise for some reason." Tempest's eyes lit up. "Did you praise me?"
"..." Yu Long sighed.
Nevermind.
As they arrived at the main hall, fifteen servants greeted Huan Caiyi. They are clad in black-purple maid outfits and bowed at her simultaneously.
"Empress." 15x.
Huan Caiyi nodded and ordered, "Prepare two rooms-! No, prepare three guest rooms."
"Understood!" Nine maids left the main hall.
"The rest of you, prepare a lunch for four in the main garden."
Soon, the remaining maids also left.
The maids peeked at Yu Long briefly before proceeding to their tasks.
They are shocked because the Little Demon Empress has never invited a man into the main palace. At most, the people who were part of her faction would visit her in the audience hall.
So, they seared Yu Long's appearance into their brains. This golden-eyed young man must be extraordinary.
"I thought you were living alone?" Yu Long couldn't help but ask.
Huan Caiyi let out a small chuckle, "Do you think I have time to tend the palace myself? I'm an Empress, and my job is to rule the Illusory Demon Realm."
"Don't worry, those servants are safe."
"Demon Emperor's head maid trained them before she died..."
"That sounds depressing." Yu Long checked the main hall with great interest. "So, where are we going to learn the Enchanting stuff?"
Huan Caiyi stared at him silently.
"Caiyi?"
After hearing her name, Huan Caiyi put on an amiable expression and replied, "To the library."
"Aih, this woman." Yu Long shook his head helplessly.
After arriving at the library, Huan Caiyi handed Yu Long three books about enchanting minerals, liquids, and mists.
[Metal Enchantment]
[Liquid Enchantment]
[Gas Enchantment]
Yu Long raised his brow, "Interesting."
"I don't think these books should exist in the Illusory Demon Realm, right?"
"You're right." Huan Caiyi sat down.
"Around seventeen years ago, I got them by trading with someone."
"Someone?"
"Yes, someone. A wandering merchant, to be exact."
"After trading these books with some medicinal pills, she vanished from the face of this world. I've been searching for her and noticed her disappearance connected to the Demon Star Realm."
Yu Long frowned, "Can you describe her appearance?"
Huan Caiyi closed her eyes and answered, "It was a woman around her mid-thirties. She wore a white robe with a hood, which hid her facial features, but I noticed moles near her upper left lips."
"She refers to herself as Baba."
"That's an uncommon name. She could be an invader." Yu Long made his assumption.
Huan Caiyi nodded, "That's what I thought."
"She also briefly told me about her homeland. It's a place called the Sorcery Realm."
"Sorcery Realm." Yu Long's memory from Ares, Anisha, and Poseidon spun rapidly. After a few seconds, he got some information about the Sorcery Realm.
It was a low-level dimension.
And the natives there are sorcerers or witches. Their powers are Magi Crafts, which most likely this enchantment was.
"Then, you're the one who created the secret passage..." Yu Long gazed at Huan Caiyi in disbelief.
Haun Caiyi tapped her finger on the table, "Indeed. But I'm not that good."
"I've wasted too many resources to build that secret passage."
"I tried some more to connect the palace with other places but failed because my proficiency is still too low."
"No, you're a genius, Caiyi." Yu Long praised.
Huan Caiyi stopped her finger, "What do you mean?"
"That woman actually duped you. These books she traded with you are too advanced, or so she thought." Yu Long pointed at the books.
"She probably thought you wouldn't be able to learn them."
"After all, Magi Crafts required mana that people in the Primal Chaos Dimension didn't have..."
"Then, how did I succeed?" Huan Caiyi was confused.
Yu Long laughed in amusement, "Like I said, you're a genius. As you know, our dimension got invaded, which means outer energy also broke into our world."
"Your body instinctively absorbed that energy, refining it."
"However, it clashes with your profound energy and creates an imbalance in your body."
"Don't you feel that your bloodline is getting agitated every once in a while? And no, I'm not talking about your usual symptoms. I'm talking about the side effects taken after you learned these new arts."
Huan Caiyi's eyes widened, "I always had a headache over the past sixteen years..."
"Is this the reason?"
"Yes, it happened because mana gathered in your brain." Yu Long gave her the summary. "This case is actually rare."
"If you grow in the Sorcery Realm, you will be a once-in-10,000-years genius."
"You're a Witch, Caiyi!" He said teasingly.
"I'm a Witch?" Huan Caiyi found this information hard to process.
"Is this supposed to be a good or a bad thing?"
Yu Long laughed, "Essentially, no. Mentally, yes."
"Having mana in your brain is both a blessing and a curse."
"Think of it as medicine, which improves your brain function and increases your intellect."
"But at the same time, rotting it from inside..."
"Jeez. That sounds bad." Tempest scratched her head awkwardly.
'You don't have to say, Tempest!' Yu Long thought, ignoring the bird.
Chu Yuechan stared at Huan Caiyi's head and asked, "Then, what should she do, Master?"
"Training her brain." Yu Long casually leaned on the chair.
"Training her brain??" The three of them stared at him in awe.
Is that even possible?
Yu Long waved his hand dismissively, "Not that kind of training."
"I was talking about Mental Cultivation. Caiyi must train her mental power or spiritual energy."
"Ooh..." The three nodded in realization.
Still, Huan Caiyi frowned because she didn't have suitable Mental Cultivation.
"Don't make such a face. I can make one for you." Yu Long whistled like it was a normal thing to say.
Huan Caiyi was speechless, "Y-You're going to make Mental Cultivation for me?"
"Yes. Give me thirty minutes. After that, let's stroll around Demon Imperial City."
"Thirty minutes!!"
"..." Huan Caiyi doesn't know what to say anymore.