"Princess?"
Hearing Aether's words, the Abyss Lector was briefly delighted.
But Aether suddenly turned, his gaze cold as frost, fixing directly on him.
The Lector immediately lowered his head and said in a deep voice:
"Forgive me, Prince. I misspoke—it is Lady Lumine."
Aether gave a sharp snort, enough to make the man's face go pale.
"I do not want to hear the title Princess a second time!"
"Now that Lumine has joined Mount Shu, she has no ties to the Abyss. None in the past, and none in the future."
"If a mere form of address were to affect her cultivation in Mount Shu…"
A flicker of killing intent flashed in Aether's eyes, forcing the Lector's head even lower.
"Yes, Prince!"
Aether withdrew his gaze and said calmly:
"If Morax could accomplish such a feat, there is no reason Lumine cannot."
"It is not yet time for me to meet her, but…"
"Lumine, as a cultivator, can already break free of the cycle of fate. She no longer needs my protection."
"Station men around Jueyun Karst. If Lumine leaves, find a way to contact her quietly."
"The Abyss Order needs martial strength… Hmph! If I had entered Mount Shu myself, she wouldn't have had to take the risk!"
He muttered this with some frustration. The Lector, too, felt regret.
If he had secured the opportunity back then, why give it to that useless fool? Such a waste of the once-in-an-age Sect-Opening Ceremony.
After agreeing to Aether's orders, the Lector suddenly thought of something and leaned closer, whispering:
"Prince, while gathering news in Liyue Harbor, I heard something you may find pleasing."
Aether gave him a sideways glance.
"Keeping me in suspense?"
From his tone, the Lector could tell Aether's mood had lifted. Smiling, he announced:
"Your Highness, your sister—Lady Lumine—is said to be one of the three Divine Constitutions of Mount Shu, personally favored by their Sect Leader, a master at the peak of Returning-to-Void."
"She is receiving special cultivation."
Aether froze on the spot. Having read many novels, he knew well what a Divine Constitution meant—an innate body that shook the ages.
Lumine, a Divine Constitution?!
He nearly felt ecstatic, but as a ruler he restrained himself, only letting a small smile appear as he nodded.
"Good."
The Lector added:
"Since you and Lady Lumine are twins, if she bears such a constitution, surely your own will be no lesser."
"In time, once you cultivate, you too will rise as a peerless powerhouse."
The flattery genuinely pleased Aether. He gave a slight nod and said softly:
"You have done well to uncover this news—far better than that useless one."
"Hmph! That fool went deep into Mount Shu, yet brought back nothing. Not a word, not a scrap of intelligence. A wasted chance!"
"Enough. Once this black tiger is cut apart, take a piece of its finest flesh for yourself."
As Aether walked the circle around the black tiger, the Lector blinked in surprise.
"Prince, this beast is so powerful—its hide and bones resist elemental force, perhaps even Abyssal power, maybe even divine strength itself…"
"Would it not be better to fashion it into a war machine? That would make better use of it."
Aether curled his lip.
"First, this black tiger is a feral beast, unlike those we usually modify. It has no sentience, only spiritual energy. The chance of successful transformation is almost zero."
"Second, it is, after all, only a peak Foundation Establishment beast."
"Mount Shu has countless masters at Refining Essence into Qi. Such a creature is hardly worth notice."
"Or have you forgotten the sea of black fire in Stormterror's Lair—the devoured souls?"
At the mention, the Lector shivered, icy dread washing over him. Looking again at the beast, he suddenly thought it fragile.
After a pause, he said quietly:
"Prince… about that black fire—I gathered some rumors."
"They came from the Fatui."
"They say… it was a demonic art cultivated by Lisa, requiring the burning of living souls."
"That is why, on that day, all the monsters' souls vanished without a trace."
Aether fell silent. He had suspected as much, but having it confirmed still sent a chill through him.
At last, he said softly:
"Tell those operating in Mondstadt to keep their heads down. Avoid major disturbances—and especially, avoid killing."
"Otherwise, they will face the consequences."
The Lector was relieved at this order. To him, Lisa was nothing less than a living nightmare.
To cultivate through consuming souls—wasn't that more vile than the Abyss itself?
Truly, Mount Shu encompassed all kinds.
"How close is Lumine to Lisa?" Aether asked.
The Lector thought for a moment, then answered softly:
"Reports from Mondstadt say they are quite close."
"Lady Lumine's nature is very likeable—wherever she goes, she makes friends."
Aether nodded, satisfied.
Lumine was safer than ever.
Now cultivating, her strength would rapidly return and grow.
She had many strong companions, each formidable in their own right.
And she was favored by Mount Shu's Sect Leader.
With such layers of protection, Lumine could slap even the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles—and he would be the one to worry about her hand.
The thought amused him, and Aether felt more at ease.
Lumine no longer needed his concern. From here on, everything would be about his promises to Khaenri'ah.
Standing before the tiger's massive head, he studied it.
"They say spirit beasts possess demon cores, the crystallization of their cultivation. Too bad we cannot obtain one here."
"But according to cultivation tales, a beast's essence lies in the heart's blood."
"Men! Open the beast—draw out its blood essence!"
At his order, the Abyss mages, already eager, rushed forward.
They brought strange cutting machines to bear, tearing into the black tiger's hide.
Khaenri'ahn technology far surpassed Liyue's; where Liyue's tools had snapped trying to dissect a late-Foundation beast, these managed to slice into a peak-Foundation monster without breaking—though not easily.
Blood gushed, steaming hot, funneled into pipes leading to a giant furnace, bubbling like molten lava.
The sweet, intoxicating scent made nearby Abyss mages swallow audibly.
"Preserve the hide for armor. Eat the flesh—its spiritual energy may ease the curse of immortality."
"At the very least, it will strengthen you."
"The bones can be forged into weapons."
"Every part of this black tiger must be used—waste nothing."
Aether gave his orders lightly. The Abyss mages shouted assent.
But suddenly—
A great crack rang out.
The mages on the beast's back were flung aside, their unbreakable instruments shattered.
They stared, dumbfounded.
Those devices had been specially reforged—capable of cutting mountains with ease.
Yet here, the bones were harder than mountains? What madness!
"Prince! We struck the spine—our tools are all broken!"
Aether blinked in surprise. Stepping quickly over, he saw it: the tiger's snow-white spine, glowing faintly. Not a single mark marred it.
"A treasure indeed!"
His brows lifted, and he laughed.
"This spine, forged into a weapon, would outlast any divine armament."
"If used as raw material for a war machine… we might create something truly indestructible."
The chief technomancer nodded eagerly, then frowned.
"But Prince, if our finest instruments cannot cut it… how can we ever make use of it? Its hardness is too great."
Aether thought for a moment.
"Dissect the rest first. The other bones should be workable. Preserve the spine whole."
"Yes, Prince!"
The dissection resumed. As Aether had guessed, though difficult, the other bones could be cut. Flesh and organs were carefully separated and catalogued.
But caution grew. One careless mage sliced open the stomach—its acid splattered onto his arm, dissolving it instantly.
The others blanched, moving with extreme care thereafter.
At last, after long effort, the black tiger was fully dismantled.
Only the heart remained.
The thick scent of blood hung heavy in the Abyss, yet carried a strange sweetness.
Around the square, mages craned their necks, inhaling greedily.
Aether rolled his eyes at their lack of composure. But even he, after sniffing once, swallowed hard.
This was no ordinary blood—it was spirit energy made fragrance, a temptation few living beings could resist.
Especially…
Within the massive heart floated nine drops of golden-tinged blood essence, shining with vitality even from within a stilled heart.
Aether unconsciously licked his lips.
This stuff…
It was calling him to drink.
To read 220+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554