Chapter 242 - 241

As dusk fell, the auditorium was rimmed in a cold, golden light.

Pei Yin rounded a corner and flew in.

In the right wing of the auditorium stood seven golden thrones, eight Beast God Statues, and two people.

His gaze swept across the room. "Why just the two of you? Where are the other two?"

Si Xu turned and took a seat on the highest throne.

That look of his, as if he looked down on the entire world, instantly set Pei Yin off. "Seriously? You have to be so pretentious?"

’Just as I thought,’ he mused. ’Out of all the brothers, I like Si Xu the least now that we’re grown up.’

’Especially after the Si Family started building auditoriums in the Noble Academies across the major planets. His temper became unbelievably foul.’

Duan Feiye raised an eyebrow.

"Hmph." Si Xu scoffed. He was still angry and didn’t feel like talking.

’If he could, he’d take it all out on Pei Yin.’

’But the thought that Pei Yin also had an official claim—and was probably in no better a mood than he was—made the fire in his heart die down a little.’

’Being with a partner who was fated to have seven companions... they were all just a bunch of poor souls.’

Si Xu gazed at Pei Yin, and his condescending expression instantly softened with pity.

He even began to faintly exude a divine aura, like one who pitied all of humanity.

Pei Yin shot him a look, not about to indulge him. "What is wrong with you?"

He rubbed his arms as goosebumps prickled his skin.

’Why is it so hard to get a straight answer?’

Pei Yin turned to Duan Feiye, who stood beside them with a disingenuous smile plastered on his face.

His brow furrowed as he launched an indiscriminate attack. "All you do is smile. Standing next to him like some bodyguard. Even the grimiest grunts firing cannons for the Star Army District have more presence than you."

Duan Feiye’s smile remained unchanged. "Little Pei, you shouldn’t spout nonsense just because you’re angry. That’s not very becoming of you."

He was too good-looking to let a single sentence get to him.

’Grimy grunt?’

’Sure, he might not be as radiantly pale as Si Xu, as white as snow like Sheng Yue, or as beautifully fair as Pei Yin and the others.’

’But he was still, by all accounts, a certified pretty boy with fair skin and long legs.’

Duan Feiye was well aware of his own charms, so he wasn’t the least bit angry.

Of the seven golden thrones, Si Xu occupied the center one, with three arranged on either side.

He glanced at the arrangement before chuckling softly and taking his own seat. "Ayue and the others have gone to Emperor Wolf Star."

Pei Yin froze.

’I was just humoring Si Yan. How could they have actually changed course?’

He walked over. "What are they doing on Emperor Wolf Star?"

They had been getting real-time reports in the group chat for days, but for the last three hours, there had been nothing but silence.

Pei Yin had no idea what was going on, and there was no reliable word from the Alliance, either.

He pressed on, "The Soul Ghost Bodies fled to Emperor Wolf Star?"

"Mhm." Duan Feiye’s smile was inscrutable. "They went to investigate something."

"They’d better be investigating," Pei Yin said, though he couldn’t wrap his head around it.

He said angrily, "The Alliance scours the entire interstellar region and barely finds any Soul Ghost Bodies, and now a whole swarm appears? Besides resurrection, Spiritual Attacks, possession to drain victims, and complete parasitism, they’re not that tough, are they? So how did Emperor Source Academy fall so suddenly?"

Duan Feiye glanced at him. "Are you serious?"

Pei Yin choked on his words.

Duan Feiye shook his head. "It’s a matter of Level suppression. Of course it’s easy for *you* to fight them. But not everyone is as powerful as we are."

Low-Level Awakeners are easily possessed, their minds thrown into chaos.

Those with weaker willpower are prone to going insane during the possession.

If the host’s willpower is strong, the ghost can’t be killed or driven away, and if there’s no Soul Beast to help, the only outcome left for the host is parasitism.

Duan Feiye tilted his head. "And you don’t think parasitism is terrifying enough?"

Pei Yin pursed his lips.

He put on a puppy-dog look. "Is it that bad?"

Duan Feiye nodded gently. "A lot of Awakeners died."

During possession, they only suffer from mental confusion, memory loss, and erratic behavior.

But for those who are parasitized... they lose their lives.

Pei Yin’s breathing grew heavy. "How could a problem this huge happen? What kind of job is the Emperor Source Star’s Army District doing?"

The Alliance has army districts on every major planet, each under the command of a dedicated Admiral.

Take the Imperial Capital Star, for example. The previous Admiral was Xi Yu’s father.

After Xi Mu retired, Si Xu’s father, Si Ji, took over.

Pei Yin’s tone turned peculiar. "Don’t tell me there’s a problem with the higher-ups. See? Our Imperial Capital Star has never had a screw-up this big."

Duan Feiye looked down, deep in thought, and didn’t reply.

Pei Yin glanced over at Si Xu and asked uncertainly, "By the way, what’s he so mad about?"

Duan Feiye followed his gaze toward Si Xu.

Si Xu’s gaze was distant. "Ji Shiyin was drugged with the D7e Forbidden Medicine."

Pei Yin was enraged.

"The D7e Forbidden Medicine? Isn’t that the same stuff Yan Yu brought to Weis Lan?"

’He remembered that drug was almost used on Jian Yu!’

’Ji Shiyin is only nineteen, how could he handle that!’

The eighteen-year-old Pei Yin was filled with rage. "Who? Who did it?! How disgusting! How could someone be as despicable as you?"

Si Xu: "..."

Duan Feiye chuckled to himself.

Si Xu stated flatly, "He went to find Yu."

Pei Yin blurted out, "Find ’Yu’? You mean... like fish? Is he an idiot?! He likes fish, sure, but he’s on *that* drug and all he can think about is eating?"

Then he quickly corrected himself. "Wait... he went to find Jian Yu?"

Pei Yin shot to his feet, his face draining of color. "Did they... you know...?"

’The sky seems a little dark. Has the world caved in?’

Pei Yin’s spirits sank. "Whatever. It’s not like I was the favorite anyway."

He was an expert at easing his own pain through comparison. "Duan Feifei hasn’t sealed the deal yet, so I should be content. Thank goodness for Feifei. If it weren’t for him, I’d still be an unofficial lover with no standing."

The "unofficial lover" in question, Duan Feiye: "..."

’If only I had known! If only I had known!’

’But there’s no ’if only.’’

Pei Yin refused to give up. "My baby’s Healing powers are so strong. Did she really have to... repay him with her body? She was fine that time Yan Yu drugged her, wasn’t she?"

He scratched his hair in frustration. "It can’t be, right? Is she immune to it herself, so her Healing doesn’t work on it?"

Pei Yin’s tone was dripping with envy. "That Ji Shiyin is way too fast. He’s so damn lucky. Good for him. He must be over the moon."

Recalling what Red Snake had said, Si Xu’s expression grew colder.

Red Snake had been too shy to look at the details, so the report to Ling Yanzhi had been vague. But reading between the lines, the conclusion was obvious.

"He’s the best at playing the victim," Si Xu scoffed.

Suddenly, Si Yan’s voice echoed from outside. "Cousin!"

Si Xu looked up.

Silver runes, unique to the Feather Clan, swirled across the auditorium’s pillars.

A streak of cyan light flashed, and Si Yan materialized outside the hall.

She entered the hall in a series of short teleports.

Si Yan had clearly taken the time to change into a new custom-made gown, its white skirt glittering with tiny, crushed diamonds.

She took a deep breath, gathered her skirt, and hurried forward, her voice brimming with unconcealable excitement. "Cousin! You’re finally back! I’ve been waiting for you for so long..."

Si Xu did not get up.

His pale golden eyes swept over Si Yan, his gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at a stranger.

"Get out."

Si Xu’s voice was frigid, laced with impatience.

Pei Yin was delighted. He leaned against Duan Feiye, ready to enjoy the show.

Duan Feiye remained still, merely shooting him a look of disgust.

Si Yan’s smile froze on her face. Her fingers tightened on her skirt without her realizing. "It’s me, Si Yan. I’m your cousin."