Chapter 646: Everyone Loves Butterflies, Who Would Love Flies? (II)

Seeing Pei Ye had never expected to see the wheelchair here, much less see Yu Ziliang.

He hadn't killed Yu Ziliang that day, but he hadn't held back either. He and Yu Ziliang were enemies by nature, or rather, he hadn't cared about becoming his enemy from that moment on. In any case, Seeing Pei Ye hadn't expected to see him again within a month.

This young man with braided hair and delicate features was said to be Yu Sicheng's most doted-upon only son—an adopted one, of course. Yu Sicheng had entered the palace as an orphan during the chaos of war at the age of thirteen or fourteen; he would have no biological offspring.

In the capital city over the past decade or so, this fact had been sufficiently verified. Yu Ziliang had acted recklessly among the various wards, throwing gold like dirt in the pleasure districts and fighting fiercely. When cases were transferred to the Ministry of Justice, he would simply sit in the office there.

A decade of such arrogant, young-master living in the capital naturally relied on the Grand Eunuch in the deep palace as his backing. Without Yu Sicheng's unconditional indulgence, Seeing Pei Ye would never have seen him acting so dissolute.

But now, the situation had completely reversed.

Yu Ziliang's face was squeezed out from between the serpent's body and his own left shoulder. He had completely lost control of his limbs, leaving only his expression behind; fear and pleading occupied his entire face.

Beside him, Yu Sicheng stood with his long spear, an iron sword at his waist, his cold, stern face gazing over.

Seeing Pei Ye saw even more clearly now the stark difference between the two faces, which shared no bloodline: one was peach-blossom-eyed, vicious and delicate; the other had deep-set eye sockets and cheekbones like knife-cuts.

Yu Sicheng watched the two approaching for a moment in silence, then withdrew his gaze, as if this were expected, or perhaps as if he simply didn't care.

Yu Ziliang's hoarse voice drifted over, trembling like a sob, every opening of his mouth spewing a mist of blood: "Father, Father... have you been possessed by a ghost? Wake up, please... It's me, Ziliang, your son Ziliang... Save me..."

His shrill crying really did sound like a ghost, but Yu Sicheng looked down at him and remained silent for a long time.

"Father..."

"When did I ever say I cared about you?" Yu Sicheng said softly.

Yu Ziliang's crying choked off, his fearful pupils widening in a daze at that very instant.

"On ordinary days, I never gave you a kind look," Yu Sicheng said, as if to himself. "We rarely spent festivals together, and I never offered comfort for your injuries or illnesses. You, however, spent all your energy sending me things and reporting every little matter to me... Did you never wonder if I actually cared about you at all?"

"..." Yu Ziliang was completely struck dumb, letting the crimson serpent devour his flesh, only able to mutter, "Father..."

Yu Sicheng withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to wipe his long spear. "Cruel and cowardly, breaking promises, stupid, reckless, and short-sighted... Even with the unchecked power of the capital and a top-tier background, you've only grown into a mangy dog draped in brocade... At your core, you're just this kind of rot."

"This little flood dragon has been symbiotic with you for over a decade, your natures intertwined; it is usable now. I hear you enjoy feeding it human flesh on ordinary days; it seems it has grown accustomed to your taste." Yu Sicheng reached out, hooked his fingers into the dragon's body, and with the strength of forged iron, drove his hand deep into it.

The little dragon shrieked in pain while still coiled around Yu Ziliang, devouring him in large gulps, but its own flesh and blood began to flow toward Yu Sicheng. At the same time, Yu Sicheng's own flesh and blood seemed to flow back into it, his long sleeves and wide robes undulating and bulging for a moment.

Then, he carried his iron spear and walked toward Seeing Pei Ye and his companion, Yu Ziliang still clinging to his body.

Since leaving Mount Xincang, Seeing Pei Ye hadn't seen such a horrifying form in a long time.

The purple-gold robe, the dark iron spear, the cold, tall Grand Eunuch, and a twisted, broken, weeping human figure like a lump of flesh.

Flesh and blood... flesh and blood kneaded together as casually as mud.

A sudden sense of familiarity pierced his heart like a needle. Seeing Pei Ye pressed his hand to his sword and stared fixedly at him, enunciating each word: "Who gave you... this ability?"

Yu Sicheng looked at him coldly, his two bodies still merging. He said nothing, merely leveled his spear at the youth with a flat expression.

"He isn't in control," the black cat said in a low voice. "It looks more like... some kind of pre-set execution."

The black cat was naturally the foremost authority on such power, having been devoured entirely once before and reborn in a cat's body through the *Chunshou*. But it was precisely because of that experience that Seeing Pei Ye was incomparably sensitive at this moment.

Why was he absorbing Yu Ziliang's body? Was the little snake on the jade staff a dragon species? What was the point of devouring Yu Ziliang? Why raise this adopted son if there was no affection? Why turn him into fodder now that he was raised?

"The gate to the Luo Shen Palace hasn't opened yet," Li Xizhou said softly from behind.

"..."

Seeing Pei Ye looked over. He had seen this palace wall in a trance outside the Hanging Currents last time, but there had been no gate. Now, there was a gate embedded in the wall, facing them. Was it because of Meng'er?

In any case, it remained closed.

"I think it's because he isn't Meng'er," Li Xizhou said. "Meng'er is the key. It isn't just anyone who can enter just because the gate is there. He still has to rewrite his own body. Remember? You said that yourself."

"Rewrite it into what?"

"Dragon blood. He buried dragon blood in Meng'er's body, so the dragon's blood and flesh gained the qualification for entry," Li Xizhou said calmly, her words chilling. "He already has a dragon's skeleton; he is replacing all his other flesh and blood with dragon."

Seeing Pei Ye narrowed his eyes deeply. "Then what is Yu Ziliang's role?"

"I think... he is likely serving as a bridge," Li Xizhou said. "Humanity's development and use of 【Intent Preservation】 cannot be as casual as the Immortals, who can transform even trees at will. Therefore, to knead a dragon's body into a human form, one might need such a flesh-and-blood intermediary to make the distance between dragon and human no longer so vast."

"But what qualification does Yu Ziliang have to act as this bridge?" Seeing Pei Ye asked. "He might have some kind of 'symbiosis' with that little snake, but what does that have to do with Yu Sicheng?"

Li Xizhou was silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

Seeing Pei Ye stopped walking. He was ten *zhang* away from Yu Sicheng. He turned his head and said, "Stay back."

Li Xizhou nodded and retreated to the side.

Yu Sicheng still held his long spear level, watching him without expression. Seeing Pei Ye lowered his head and brushed his fingers over the *Yu Hu* sword. The tip of the blade seemed to gather a golden thread plucked from the sun.

True Qi flowed from his body after a long absence. He bent down, picked a Luo Shen wood-peach, stuffed it into his mouth, and raised his head. "If you won't talk, then I'll slaughter you."

A muffled sound echoed in the water. The ten-*zhang* distance was crossed in an instant. Seeing Pei Ye's sharp sword light hung before Yu Sicheng's eyes in the blink of an eye.