As the Daoist priest entered, Liu Ji felt a chill. Recalling the recent rumors circulating in the army that Consort Yu was a demon, she immediately realized this must be King Huai of Chu's scheme.
King Huai of Chu, originally a descendant of the Chu royal family found by Xiang Liang among shepherds, had been enthroned as the King of Chu. However, not only Xiang Liang but even rebel leaders like Liu Ji and Ying Bu, who had submitted to the Xiang clan, looked down on him, considering him a mere puppet. Only now did Liu Ji understand that King Huai of Chu was no puppet—his political machinations came effortlessly.
Were it not for the fact that King Huai of Chu and Qin were sworn enemies, making reconciliation impossible, she might have suspected his involvement in Xiang Liang's death.
Accompanying the Daoist priest was a soldier whose uniform matched that of Roy's troops in Pengcheng.
Seeing King Huai of Chu seemingly well-prepared, the other high-ranking officials of Chu sat upright, eager to see how events would unfold.
"Master Ji is the youngest son of King Li of Zhou and a descendant of Duke Zhuang of Zheng," King Huai of Chu, Xiong Xin, introduced the Daoist priest, who appeared to be in his forties, lending credibility to his words through his own status.
The others were taken aback. They hadn't expected this Daoist priest to be a descendant of the Zheng royal family, which had been destroyed by Han during the early Warring States period. The founder of Zheng was indeed the youngest son of King Li of Zhou, bearing the surname Ji and the clan name Zheng.
No one doubted the Daoist priest's origins. Since King Huai of Chu dared to bring him forward, he must possess proof of his lineage—perhaps a Zheng royal seal or similar artifact. Moreover, as a descendant of the Zhou kings, and given that mystical arts had flourished during the Zhou dynasty, it stood to reason that the Ji royal family would have inherited many esoteric techniques, making his identity as a Daoist priest plausible.
"The state of Zheng was destroyed a century ago, and the Zhou royal house has long lost its sovereignty. I am now but a recluse, a man beyond worldly affairs. There is no need for such formality, King of Chu," the Daoist priest waved his hand, putting on an air of humility before turning to Roy and speaking earnestly:
"...General Xiang, are you aware that the 'Yu' you dote upon is a demon? Her identity is recorded in the annals of both the Zhou and Zheng royal houses. Were there descendants of the Qi royal family present, they too would know of this 'Yu.'"
His words all but confirmed Consort Yu's identity. If his claim as a descendant of Zhou and Zheng might have been dismissed as baseless, his mention of Qi made it nearly indisputable.
Roy, in fact, believed him.
The founder of Qi was Jiang Ziya, the revered Grand Duke. He would undoubtedly have left his descendants with many secrets. Though the Tian clan later usurped Qi, those secrets must have been preserved.
"This being is an ancient demon even older than the nine-tailed fox Su Daji, dating back to the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. After King Wu overthrew King Zhou, the Zhou dynasty used the Nine Tripod Cauldrons to suppress the world, keeping evil spirits at bay. For eight hundred years, this demon remained hidden. But now that Qin has abolished the Zhou king and the Nine Tripod Cauldrons are lost, with rites and music in ruins, demons and monsters have begun to wreak havoc. This 'Yu' is one such blood-sucking demon."
"...Over a year ago, many Taoist practitioners discovered her traces and sought to subdue her to prevent chaos in the world. Yet their efforts ultimately failed—thwarted by the general. The general did not know this demon possessed bewitching arts like the nine-tailed fox. Just as King Zhou was enchanted by the nine-tailed fox and lost the Shang dynasty, we implore the general not to repeat the mistakes of King Zhou!"
The Taoist practitioner of the Ji clan spoke with utmost sincerity and cleverness. Instead of directly listing Roy's faults, he pinned all blame on the demon Yu Ji, claiming Roy had been bewitched—leaving him no room for anger.
The other high-ranking Chu officials present pondered deeply. Over the past year, Roy had indeed secluded himself in his residence, indulging in intimate moments with the beautiful Yu Ji. Though he had once managed military affairs, after the arrival of the Duke of Pei, he had even delegated army matters to him. Was this not identical to King Zhou's downfall?
With this thought, they concluded that General Xiang had truly become foolish.
Yet Roy paid no heed to their opinions. He was only intrigued by the Taoist's words.
The Zhou royal records actually contained accounts of Yu Ji. Given that the Ji clan's ancestors traced back to Emperor Ku, the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor, it seemed Yu Ji was indeed an ancient goddess who had lived since the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—or even earlier.
From the Taoist, Roy learned fragments of Yu Ji's past.
Seeing Roy remain silent, the soldiers who had accompanied him knelt and pleaded, "...General, we beg you to prioritize the greater good and not be deceived by this demoness!"
"...Back in Wu County, all two thousand of us witnessed the demoness transform from a wave of blood into human form. She even sought to slaughter us all—had it not been for your intervention, we would have perished! The troops believed you would execute her, yet instead, you fell under her spell!"
Over two thousand soldiers had seen Yu Ji's blood-sea form. Unless Roy killed them all, this truth could not be concealed. Though he had treated his original two thousand elite soldiers well with high pay and benefits, some among them had inevitably betrayed him—just as he had anticipated.
The Taoist pressed on, "...On my way to Pengcheng, I learned from nearby villages that livestock—chickens and sheep—had been drained of blood. More recently, several soldiers in the army died gruesomely, their bodies completely drained of blood. This demon is clearly regaining her strength and requires blood sacrifices. If we do not strike while she is still weak, the entire Chu army may be in peril!"
"...I do not speak lightly—this demon truly possesses such power. With the decline of immortal arts, we no longer have extraordinary figures like Jiang Ziya. Stopping this demon will be nigh impossible!"
The words of the mystic sent a chill through everyone present. Although the First Emperor had burned books and buried scholars, arts like sorcery and magic had not yet been completely hidden from the world as they were in modern times. The leaders of the rebel army and descendants of many ancient nobles naturally knew of the existence of the mystical, and even the First Emperor himself was obsessed with it.
Seated at the head of the table, King Huai of Chu, Xiong Xin, looked at Roy, an unconscious smile curling at the corners of his lips. He felt victory was already within his grasp.
Even if Roy chose to kill Yu Ji now, the fact that he had been bewitched by the enchantress was undeniable. Xiong Xin had plenty of reasons to strip him of his military command. Apart from Roy's personal guards, the remaining soldiers would never rebel. By spreading a few rumors among the troops, he could even make them grateful to him, King Huai of Chu.
....
And if Roy chose to protect Yu Ji, that was exactly what King Huai wanted to see—wouldn't that just confirm the evidence of his bewitchment?
In King Huai's understanding, Roy was already too deeply enthralled and would undoubtedly choose to protect her.
When he came to the Xiang residence, he had brought a hundred of his personal guards. Even if Roy were to suddenly attack here, Xiong Xin was confident he could ensure his own safety. As for Roy killing hundreds in every battle on the battlefield, King Huai Xiong Xin found that impossible. That was something no human could achieve—it must have been the enchantress aiding him.
Now, with many mystics he had invited to assist him, how could he still fear that demon?
If anything, Roy had only himself to blame for being ensnared by beauty.
Xiong Xin sighed inwardly, growing more and more excited as he prepared his interrogation.
Roy stood up at that moment. He glanced at Xiong Xin and the mystic surnamed Ji, smiling as he asked, "…Finished?"
"Uh… yes."
The mystic was taken aback, not expecting Roy to remain so composed.
"Since you're finished, then you can keep each other company on the road to the underworld!"
"Hahahaha! I was going to let you live a little longer, but since you've delivered yourselves to my doorstep, how could I refuse? Today, I shall become the King of Chu!"
With a booming laugh, Roy took a single step forward. A terrifying, overwhelming aura erupted from his towering figure, so palpable it seemed to solidify, shaking the entire Xiang residence. Just standing before him was enough to make one's courage shatter. The mystic surnamed Ji, who had yet to cast any of his spells, had his internal organs pulverized by Roy's sheer presence. To onlookers, it appeared as though the mystic had been scared to death on the spot.