"The living corpses in the dungeon... General, their bodies got dried. And they aren't moving anymore. All of them." The officer speaks in a loud voice.

"Well... I didn't see this coming." Zhao Yangguang put his leg on top of the other. "So they will end up like that if they can't drink blood?"

"That seemed to be the case." Wang Junjie arrived at the same conclusion.

"Report acknowledged. Stay put." Yin Xiulan commanded.

And the officer responds sternly. "Yes, General."

Zhao Yangguang took a sip in his teacup before speaking. "We need to plan for our next move." They must come up with a plan as soon as possible as the situation may worsen. 

Yin Renshu couldn't stay silent anymore, "Why is Wenyan not here yet?"

"He is usually punctual, why... ugh!" Yin Xiulan rolled her eyes. "He didn't oversleep, did he?"

"Why won't you go to check?" Yin Renshu offhandedly speaks.

In an instant, Yin Xiulan's face turns into an expression that a war god usually wears.

Before she could even say a word, Yin Renshu added. "I must not be seen when he's outside, remember? And I dare not order shizun and Wang-shifu around."

He smiled mischievously that made the Princess General's blood boil.

"Stop grinning. You look stupid." She rolled her eyes and yells loud enough for the people outside to hear. "Liu Chen, go look for his majesty and drag him here."

"Yes, general!" The officer responded before he headed to look for the emperor.

"You're not going yourself?" Yin Renshu said as he pours tea into his cup. He moves gracefully and his surrounding aura is modest. Yin Xiulan's left eyebrow raised. Now that he's acting like Yin Wenyan, she finds it more annoying. It looks so fake to her.

The princess opens her holy weapon and slowly fans herself, trying to calm herself. "You really do want to order me around, don't you?"

"You're overthinking. It's you who loves to slack." Yin Renshu said in a low yet gentle voice, still imitating his brother.

Yin Xiulan's patience died and closes her fan forcefully, making a crisp sound that echoes in the hall. "You...!"

Zhao Yangguang laughed a little. "You guys really didn't change. It brings back memories. Ah, if I could only drag you three back to Wan MoliHua Palace."

"Drag them back, and the sect will be in a mess again." Wang Junjie said coldly but a little weak smile draws on his lips.

"I liked it more when we're on a mess." Zhao Yangguang laughs again. "Even though your Wang-shifu and the other elders are there to accompany me, it's really different when you three are there, it's much livelier. Ah, why do I feel like I am a parent missing his children?"

"Don't be like that, they are now in the place where they truly belong." Wang Junjie taps Zhao Yangguang's shoulder. "Our children grew up so fast, I can't blame you for feeling that way."

Yin Renshu beams a smile and clasps his hands to offer his respect and gratitude. "I could not thank shizun and Wang-shifu enough for recognizing us as your children. It's an honor for me."

Yin Xiulan, on the other hand, got her face red and her heart got excited. They sounded like a couple missing their children. She badly ships Zhao Yangguang and Wang Junjie so bad way back when they are still in the sect. Even though both of them are men, she often witnessed their 'brotherly love' moments.

Just like Yin Renshu, Yin Xiulan is very pleased to hear that their shifu and shizun treats them as their own children. She wants to call them 'father' and 'mother' but who would be the mother? She thinks further, "If I would call them mother and father, shizun must be the mother."

She opens her fan once again and covered the lower part of her face. She said in the back of her head, "He's the 'wife' after all." And a wide grin flashed on her lips.

First Princess Yin Xiulan of the Imperial Royal Family. At the age of 27, she already bears the title 'Princess General'. The first female general in the history of their dynasty. Led an army to the battlefield and brought countless victories.

No matter how fierce she is, she is still a woman after all. The great Princess General can't say no to ladies' temptation and weakness.

"What are you grinning at?" The moment the emperor noticed his sister, Yin Xiulan's wide smile disappeared in an instant. He added, "I suppose you're up to something fun. Let me in!"

Yin Xiulan just rolled her eyes away from his brother, completely ignoring him.

"..." The emperor left speechless. If they were still the same seventeen-year-old teenagers, he would tease her more which would make her angry. The moment she got angry, he will get angry too. And so, they will eventually end up sparring, not willing to go easy on each other. Back in those years, Yin Wenyan's day isn't complete if he can't act as their referee.

Back to the imperial kitchen, Yin Wenyan and Xu Zhengming just finished cooking and were about to eat their breakfast when Officer Liu Chen arrived.

Liu Chen, "Your majesty, General Yin Xiulan asks you to join her and your martial masters in Lotus Hall."

Yin Wenyan just picked his chopsticks only to be put down again. "Ah, how could I forget about it?"

He looks at Xu Zhengming and gives him his signature smile. "Eunuch Xu, enjoy the food without me. I have to attend to my shizun and shifu."

"You're leaving already? You haven't eaten yet." Xu Zhengming casually said before putting a piece of meat in his mouth.

Yin Wenyan nods, "I dare not make them wait for me any longer. I'll eat later. After your breakfast, follow me in the Lotus Hall."

"Yes, your majesty."

Before turning his back on Xu Zhengming, he gave him a gentle smile once again. Yin Wenyan and Officer Liu Chen didn't waste any more time and quickly headed to the hall.

The royal chef sees his majesty off before he hurried towards the little eunuch. In a low voice, he speaks to Xu Zhengming. "The emperor seems to treat you exceptionally nice. Eunuch Xu, tell me, how did you earn his majesty's favor?"

Xu Zhengming smirked, "Believe me, it's not like what you think. He treats his maids the same way. His Majesty is temperamental. He may be nice to me now but not later." Xu Zhengming chews his food.

The royal chef thinks for a while before speaking again. "He really is temperamental? So the rumors are true?"

Xu Zhengming doesn't know whether to laugh or roll his eyes in response. "Yes. It's like he can change into a completely different person in just a split second."