Chapter 533: Well Done

The elder glanced at him: "Your skill is inferior to others; you deserve this calamity."

Teng Qingxing protested: "Skill? Master! She has no magic at all!"

The elder's eyes flickered: "Now that's what I find most interesting—just a child without magic…"

He pondered briefly: "There must be some unknown secret within her."

"The mage's words are absolutely correct," a man's voice came from the doorway.

The elder turned his head and saw a man wearing a bronze mask standing quietly at the doorway.

The elder slowly rose: "Your Excellency?"

The Masked Man nodded slightly: "Are you the renowned Lu Wu mage?"

The elder nodded: "Indeed."

The Masked Man clasped his fists and said: "Your name as a mage is thunderously renowned; a pleasure to meet you."

Teng Qingxing looked at him, feeling a swirl of emotions.

It turned out this Your Excellency was not lacking in courtesy, just not directing it toward himself.

Lu Wu leaned his upper body slightly, performed a shallow bow, then straightened: "Sir, I understand the purpose of your summons."

The Masked Man slowly walked to the table, sat down, lifted his hand and poured two cups of tea: "Mage, please."

Lu Wu went to the opposite seat, lifted his teacup, took a shallow sip: "Not bad."

The Masked Man smiled faintly: "Your Zhongyuan speech is so pure, truly not easy. Whatever you wish to ask, feel free to speak."

Lu Wu laughed: "You are a wise person; dealing with a wise person needs no further words."

"I want to know who are the few people closest to that child."

The Masked Man replied: "Those closest to her are none other than her family: Prince Ning, Princess Consort Ning, and her three older brothers."

Lu Wu nodded: "Are these people all with her at this moment?"

"Yes."

"My disciple once mentioned that there is a great person in Jingcheng assisting her; may I ask who it is?"

"I don't know. I sent people to follow my disciple to meet those two great figures in Jingcheng, but he saw no trace at all."

"The ancient artifacts or scriptures my disciple mentioned have not been found either."

Lu Wu nodded.

The Masked Man waited a moment, evidently puzzled: "Is it enough that the mage knows these?"

Lu Wu laughed: "That suffices; your country's Daoism values nothing more than moving a thousand pounds with four ounces."

"Since no one knows the depth of this child, and ordinary methods cannot harm her, why focus solely on her?"

"It would be better to attack her soft spot, make her attend to this and neglect that; when she shows a flaw, I can probe further—wouldn't that be twice the result with half the effort?"

The Masked Man's eyes flickered: "The mage is indeed brilliant."

Lu Wu bluntly said: "You don't wish to hurt her; could it be that you intend to use her?"

The Masked Man did not conceal: "The mage hits the nail on the head."

"If one wishes to achieve great deeds, besides meticulous planning, one also needs favorable timing, terrain, and people."

"These are all things that can be encountered but not sought; to put it plainly, it's just a matter of luck."

"That child's fortune is boundless; if I can employ her, why worry that great undertakings won't succeed?"

Upon hearing this, Teng Qingxing suddenly realized; so that's why he wouldn't let me harm the child's life.

He looked at Lu Wu, thinking the Master truly had keen eyes; having arrived here, he could see so clearly.

The Masked Man stared at Lu Wu: "Does the mage need anything else to cast? I will order the servants to prepare."

Lu Wu shook his head: "The great Dao is simple; no preparation is needed."

The Masked Man hesitated: "I wonder how the mage intends to proceed? When will it begin?"

"Tonight."

At the same moment, Tuan Tuan was sprinting toward the central army's main tent, clutching a wooden box.

Xiao Er chased after: "Miss! Slow down! Let me hold it for you, okay?"

"No need! Uncle Er, you come too!"

She ran into the tent: "Father! Brother!"

Xiao Yuanhang was discussing military matters with his three sons around a map when he heard the voice, looked up, and saw his daughter running toward him excitedly.

He reached out, scooped Tuan Tuan into his arms: "Why are you running so fast?"

Tuan Tuan placed the wooden box on the table, her little face beaming with pride: "I have something great to show you! Come see my Xiao Feifei!"

"Xiao Feifei?" Xiao Ningyuan leaned in, "What is that?"

Tuan Tuan lifted the lid, pointed a small hand inside: "There, it's that!"

The others lowered their heads to look.

Inside the wooden box, a plump white worm lay lazily, its snow‑white, round body slowly wriggling.

Xiao Ningchen's eyes widened: "What… what is this?"

Xiao Ningxun frowned: "Tuan Tuan, where did you catch that from?"

"I didn't catch it!" Tuan Tuan tilted her little head, "Why don't you recognize it? This is the Gu Worm!"

The crowd exclaimed in unison: "What?"

Xiao Er was dumbfounded.

Xiao Ningyuan pointed at the plump white worm in the box, his tone shifting: "You say this is the worm that emerged from the mother's head?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "Yes!"

Xiao Ningchen gasped: "How could that be! That Gu Worm is black and slender, how can it be this big? Its appearance doesn't match!"

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head: "Because it grew up!"

Xiao Yuanhang frowned: "How did it grow up?"

Tuan Tuan answered matter-of-factly: "I fed it!"

Xiao Ningxun's heart tightened, a vague bad feeling rising: "What did you feed it?"

Tuan Tuan stretched out her little finger and waved it: "My blood."

The tent suddenly fell silent.

Xiao Yuanhang's face turned white in an instant, he grabbed his daughter's hand and turned it over, looking: "Tuan Tuan! How could you feed the Gu Worm your own blood?"

"It's fine, Daddy!" Tuan Tuan pulled her hand back, "Just one drop! Xiao Feifei loved eating it, and after eating it, it grew up!"

"As Master said, as long as Xiao Feifei grows bigger than its mother, it will obey me!"

Xiao Ningxun took a deep breath: "Tuan Tuan, you mean this Gu Worm now listens to you?"

"Yes!" Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, "It's so well-behaved, so cute, white and chubby—I just called it Xiao Feifei!"

Xiao Ningchen held his forehead, at a loss for words.

Xiao Ningyuan stared blankly at the white, chubby worm in the box, murmuring: "A Gu Worm, and it even has a name?"

Xiao Yuanhang tightened his grip on his daughter's hand slightly: "What did you make it do?"

Tuan Tuan lifted her little face, earnest: "I made Xiao Feifei tell its mother how it used to treat my mother, and to repay it in kind!"

Xiao Ningxun's pupils narrowed: "You mean Cheng Jing?"

"Yes! That bastard!" Tuan Tuan nodded, smiling sweetly, "Now he must be suffering a headache just like his mother!"

Xiao Ningyuan's Adam's apple rolled: "Did it really work?"

Tuan Tuan arrogantly lifted her chin: "Of course! My Xiao Feifei is awesome!"

Everyone stared at each other, momentarily at a loss for words.

Could it be that Cheng Jing, who always controlled the Gu Worm from behind the scenes, is now rolling on the ground clutching his head?

Xiao Er laughed: "Miss, you're amazing! So satisfying!"

Xiao Yuanhang lowered his head to look at his daughter in his arms.

Tuan Tuan's face showed the little expression of "I did a big thing, quick, praise me!"

"Hahaha…" He burst out laughing, tossed his daughter into the air, caught her again, and planted a hard kiss on her cheek.

"Well done! Not bad for my daughter!"

Xiao Ningyuan grinned, giving Tuan Tuan a thumbs-up: "Nicely done!"

Xiao Ningxun reached out to ruffle Tuan Tuan's hair: "Tuan Tuan, you're awesome!"

Xiao Ningchen, however, put on a stern face: "No using your own blood next time, got it?"

Tuan Tuan poked her little head out from her father's arms, nodding obediently: "Got it! Second Brother!"

Inside the wooden box, Xiao Feifei lazily rolled over and let out a soft chirp: "Ong—"

Everyone lowered their heads to look, and they all laughed.

At night, aside from Tuan Tuan and Xiao Ningxun, Xiao Yuanhang and his wife, Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningchen all jolted awake from their dreams, drenched in cold sweat.