Chapter 360: Punishment and Decision, Journey Back to Tian Dou
"Speak. Why did you betray me?"
Dai Yao's cold gaze fixed on Pigeon, his voice void of any warmth.
To him, Pigeon had always been a quiet and somewhat melancholic girl. Because of this, he had given her more care than the others, making her betrayal that much harder to accept.
All eyes fell on Pigeon, and each held a clear look of disdain and contempt. Dai Yao had treated his maids generously—what reason did she have to betray him? Feng Wutong's gaze, icy as a falcon, brimmed with barely concealed killing intent. Cuckoo cast a brief glance at Pigeon, sighing with the dismay of witnessing a companion's downfall.
Their stares felt like blades piercing Pigeon's heart, and she dared not look up. Her voice trembled as she began, "Master…"
"You are not worthy to call him Master!"
Feng Wutong took a step forward, her fury undisguised.
Pigeon froze, her lips quivering as despair filled her eyes. Bowing her head, she forced herself to say, "Very well… Sir."
"Explain yourself. Why did you betray me?"
Dai Yao's tone was measured and cold.
Pigeon's face reflected a deep regret as she surveyed those around her before finally speaking, her voice low. "Sir, when you first selected us to be your maids, I didn't want to join. I had a childhood sweetheart, and we pledged our lives to each other. But then, my family suffered a crisis. Desperate to save the clan, the elders forced me into the selection, clinging to it as a last chance."
She lowered her head further. "The rest you know—I became your maid and began traveling frequently between the valley and Spirit City. Once, while in Spirit City, my childhood sweetheart found me. He told me he… missed me."
She paused, her expression full of regret. "He promised me happiness and begged me to give him time. I was completely enchanted by his sweet words and, without thinking, told him everything he asked about… including the matters you strictly forbade me to reveal."
At this, every gaze turned harsher, and some among them shook their heads in disappointment. Feng Wutong's expression was frigid, her thoughts unreadable. For each of these women, being chosen as Dai Yao's maid meant their loyalty and dedication belonged solely to him. Pigeon's actions were an unforgivable breach of this bond.
"And what happened afterward?"
Dai Yao's face remained expressionless.
"After that, I sensed something was wrong. I warned him not to repeat anything I'd told him. But then those he worked for approached me, threatening to expose me. At the time, I already felt resentment toward my family for separating us, so I gave in and agreed to their demands."
She choked back tears. "But the longer I served you, the less resentment I felt. We all saw how kind you were to us, and I began to resist their control. But it was too late. I was already in too deep, bound to them by far too much… I couldn't escape."
Pigeon covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
"I know I was wrong, Sir. I beg you, please forgive me. Let me stay by your side. I'll do anything you ask!"
She knelt and crawled forward, her forehead scraping the ground with each step as she pleaded, leaving faint traces of blood on her brow.
Seeing Pigeon's pitiful state, the other maids sighed heavily. Since becoming Dai Yao's maids, they had faced their share of temptation. Many powerful figures wanted to get close to him through them. While some of them resisted, not everyone could hold out against such lures.
Watching Pigeon's desperate pleas, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.
"If you realized your mistake, why didn't you come to me?"
Dai Yao's gaze was stern and unforgiving as he looked down at her.
Pigeon's betrayal had caused serious consequences within the Spirit Hall, straining his relationship with Bibi Dong, bringing the dangerous scrutiny of Lion Douluo, and forcing the great elder Qian Daoliu's intervention. Pigeon's mistake had thrown him into a storm of decisions he couldn't avoid.
Pigeon froze, then whispered, "I… I hoped it would stay hidden… I thought if I could just keep it a secret, then nothing would happen."
Dai Yao sighed. It was human nature to hide mistakes, hoping they would never come to light. But Pigeon couldn't have imagined how her betrayal would lead to such chaos.
"Leave. From now on, you are no longer my maid."
Dai Yao's tone was final, devoid of compassion.
"No! Please, Master! Just one more chance, I beg you!"
Pigeon's composure shattered, and she began to weep uncontrollably. Crawling forward on her knees, she clutched his leg, begging through her tears.
Being by Dai Yao's side not only afforded status and resources but had also greatly benefited her family. Without the title of his maid, she had no idea how to face them. And the years of loyalty she had come to feel for Dai Yao left her unwilling to accept being cast out.
Seeing her refusal to leave, Dai Yao's expression darkened. His voice dropped icily.
"I'm sparing your life only because you admitted your wrongs. Don't test my patience—are you really so eager to die?"
Pigeon's face went pale as though thunderstruck. Frozen in place, her spirit was crushed.
"Are you still here? Do you intend to keep being an eyesore to the Master?"
Feng Wutong, her gaze as cold as steel, barked at her. She despised Pigeon's pitiful display, acting so feeble despite her clear guilt.
Dai Yao's leniency was exceptional—betrayers on the Douluo Continent typically faced immediate execution. Not only that, Pigeon was his servant, bound to him by her own oath. Feng Wutong had always seen herself as honored to serve Dai Yao, and even with her formidable mentors, Ling Yuan Douluo and Qing Luan Douluo, she had never considered abandoning this bond.
She vowed silently to track down and punish Pigeon and her clan, convinced that a traitor deserved no place in the world.
Her fierce gaze drained the last of Pigeon's resolve, and her tears stopped. She stood, glanced back one last time at Dai Yao's impassive face, summoned her spirit, and flew off into the night.
Watching Pigeon disappear, Dai Yao exhaled heavily. Turning to Feng Wutong, he said, "Wutong, I've already decided to spare her. Let it be."
Feng Wutong was startled; he'd already guessed her intentions. Though reluctant, she caught the determined look in his eyes and sighed in resignation. "Yes, as you wish."
The remaining three maids felt a chill run through them. Only Kongque remained composed, while Egret and Cuckoo grew visibly anxious. They'd never seen Dai Yao so furious, and now their companion was gone forever.
Cuckoo couldn't bear to raise her head. She, too, had once been forced to betray him, and though she couldn't fathom why Dai Yao hadn't cast her out as well, the uncertainty gnawed at her.
Dai Yao's voice turned stern.
"Pigeon's fate was her doing. But she has taught me a lesson. If any of you three wish to leave, you may do so now. If anything like this happens again, I will not be so merciful."
Dai Yao's gaze swept across the three remaining maids, his tone flat.
The three were stunned, and Cuckoo quickly proclaimed her loyalty, "Master, I swear I would never even think of leaving you."
Following her lead, Egret echoed immediately, "Me neither."
Peacock cast a sidelong glance at Cuckoo and finally added, "Neither would I, Master."
"Remember what you're saying today."
Dai Yao glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting late. Get some rest. Soon, things won't be as easy as they are now."
The three maids froze, not fully understanding his words, but quickly returned to their quarters. As they thought back on the night's events, each felt a chill down their spine. Tonight, it seemed, was not a night for sleep.
Once the maids had left, Dai Yao led Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong into the cabin, closing the door behind them.
"Brother Yao, what happened? Why were you so upset?"
Zhu Zhuqing moved behind Dai Yao, gently massaging his shoulders as she asked softly.
Dai Yao sighed, knowing he couldn't fully explain to Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong, as the matter was too entangled with Bibi Dong. He could only say vaguely, "Because of Quail, things have turned extremely serious. From now on, Zhuqing, Wutong—you must stay with your mentors. No matter what happens, don't return to the valley."
The two women froze, stunned by the implication. Dai Yao's warning that they must stay close to their mentors hinted at an impending crisis so severe that even he couldn't guarantee their safety alone.
"Alright, Brother Yao. Wutong and I will protect ourselves and not be a burden to you. But please, take care of yourself too." Zhu Zhuqing's voice was filled with concern.
Feng Wutong nodded in agreement.
Neither woman pressed him for details; they trusted he had good reasons for keeping them close to their teachers. Dai Yao sighed in relief, reassured that Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong would stay safe.
But a lingering worry gnawed at him. Lion Douluo knew about their connections and still dared to threaten him. If this was no bluff, it suggested Lion Douluo had little fear of Ghost Douluo, Ling Yuan Douluo, or even Qing Luan Douluo.
The thought that Spirit Beasts could attempt an attack even under the protection of several Titled Douluo left Dai Yao deeply uneasy. Just how many hidden threats had the Spirit Beast clan amassed in the human world?
Caught up in his thoughts, he instinctively pulled both women into a close embrace, savoring the familiar warmth. This might be his last time with them for a long while.
In his arms, the two women felt a deep blush spread across their cheeks, each aware of the other's breath so close. Living alongside Dai Yao, they had grown accustomed to his respect for them, and the quiet affection stirred unspoken emotions in their hearts.
Dawn arrived, and Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong left the valley, remaining in Spirit City, never to return.
Dai Yao sat alone under a waterfall, letting its heavy cascade crash down upon him. The pressure of the waterfall no longer challenged him physically, but it had become a ritual—a way to find peace amidst chaos. In these moments of calm, Dai Yao could think clearly.
"With Bibi Dong's protection gone, Zhuqing and Wutong will not be safe within the Spirit Hall. The best solution is to send them to the Qinglian Sect. The sect is full of loyal people, and with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect nearby, I doubt the Spirit Beasts will dare provoke us there."
Dai Yao pondered aloud, "Should I agree to Great Elder Qian Daoliu's request?"
"If I do, I'll be bound to support Qian Renxue in Tian Dou. Given the strained relationship between Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, my involvement would likely destroy the fragile balance Bibi Dong and I share. The idea of 'friendship' would vanish."
"Bibi Dong would become that cold and ruthless Rakshasa God, inevitably following her original path."
"Admittedly, I do feel something for her beyond mere respect… but even so, I've never betrayed her. Yet she misunderstands, to the point that she no longer even wants to see me."
Dai Yao sighed heavily. He had chosen to stay close to Bibi Dong because he sympathized with her tragic past, but he hadn't expected the burden it would bring him. He knew how much he meant to her, being the only friend she had in this world. If he left, the faint hope she held onto would be extinguished, and she would fall fully into the darkness of becoming the Rakshasa God.
However, the Spirit Beasts' hidden maneuvering left him feeling unsettled. Uncontrolled events had repeatedly disrupted his plans, and he often awoke from nightmares drenched in cold sweat. He had no choice but to consider every option with caution.
He could not ignore Tang San's looming threat either. Though Tang San was no match for him now, his alliance with Tian Dou Empire could change things. If Tang San obtained the Sea God's inheritance from the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud and reached Sea God Island, the future would become unpredictable.
Furthermore, he had no confirmed path to godhood. If Tang San ascended to become a god and he did not, how would he protect those he cherished?
With this thought, Dai Yao exhaled sharply and made his decision:
"I must journey to Tian Dou. I need to secure the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud to prevent Tang San from inheriting the Sea God's power. I may never need to use it myself, but I can't allow him to have it."
He cast a long look in the direction of Spirit City, his expression complicated.
"As for Bibi Dong… I'll leave our future up to fate."
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