Shenxiao walked up to her and studied her. "Why are you suddenly asking about him?"
"Shenxiao, get this straight: I'm your master. From now on, whatever I ask, you answer directly—no counter-questions, no dodging. Got it?"
Shenxiao sat down on the soft chair beside her, his long legs crossed, and gave it some serious thought. "Alright."
"Then tell me, what kind of person is he?"
"He... is a complete idiot," Shenxiao replied.
Lily Bai: "...Why do you say that?"
"If he weren't an idiot, would he have come all the way from Drake Abyss just to let me out when you trapped me in a formation?"
Lily Bai: "That was just an accident... wasn't it?"
"If you say it was an accident, then it was an accident. Whatever you say goes."
Lily Bai took a deep breath and said, "...That idiot seems to have a crush on me."
Shenxiao looked at her, his gaze suddenly turning cold. A dangerous aura poured off him, like he might pounce and finish her off at any moment.
Even though she knew he was just a fake, Lily Bai still found herself pressured by that aura and edged back a little. She said, "Today the Celestial Empress talked to me. She said if I break the Wildlands Tribulation Thunder Array, she'll arrange our betrothal..."
Shenxiao: "So?"
"I'm so annoyed," Lily Bai said. "My master divined that this marriage could lift the curse over the Eastern Luo Empire. But..."
"So, what really bothers you is whether to marry Henry Xiao or not?"
Lily Bai didn't say anything.
But she didn't deny it either.
"Heh heh heh!" Shenxiao suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Lily Bai asked.
"I know everything about Shenxiao—including the Wildlands Tribulation Thunder Array. I could take you in there and break the array without even lifting a finger!" Shenxiao said.
Lily Bai lowered her head, gnawing at her own fingers, but didn't answer.
Suddenly, Shenxiao reached out and lifted her chin.
His movement was rough.
Lily Bai stared at him in shock.
Seriously?
He leaned in close, staring straight into her eyes. "Master, if you give the word, the Wildlands Tribulation Thunder Array will be broken! The demon-beasts of the Wildlands, including Shenxiao himself, will all be wiped out by the gods working together—and you'll earn great merit!"
She knew this was just a fake Shenxiao.
But his words, and that expression, still stabbed some nerve in Lily Bai. She shoved at Shenxiao with a cold voice: "Then take me there! Right now!"
She pushed, but he didn't move.
Instead, Shenxiao flipped his hand, grabbed her wrist, and suddenly bit down hard on her arm.
"Ah!" Lily Bai yelled. "Why are you biting me!"
He bit down hard, harder and harder, until Lily Bai was nearly in tears. Finally, he let go.
She rolled up her sleeve and looked—her pale wrist now bore a clear bite mark, almost bleeding.
"Shenxiao!" Lily Bai gritted her teeth. "You're just a fake Shenxiao! Not the real one!"
Shenxiao just sat there, gloomy and silent.
"Tell me, what kind of demon-beast are you? Are you a dog or something?"
He still ignored her.
The way he sulked was honestly adorable, pitiful, and kind of lovable.
Lily Bai suddenly felt her heart soften. She tugged his sleeve: "Alright, enough! Don't be mad. Honestly, I don't want to marry him at all—I'm just worried... about the dark cloud hanging over my family..."
At last, Shenxiao glanced at her.
"See? You know what you are, don't you? You were summoned by the Love Command spell, you're the one I was thinking of... Never mind, why am I telling you this? Am I supposed to comfort you? I'm really just bored out of my mind..."