Lotus Seal of Purity

Du Chen stood with his arms crossed, silently observing Susanna. He appeared to be deep in thought, but in reality, his heart was a chaotic mess. His daughter and son were still cold in death, and this captivating vixen had chosen now to proposition him with a grand, momentous business deal! Du Chen’s heart truly couldn't endure such turmoil; after all, even his was a human heart...

Yet, his foster father’s vengeance remained unfulfilled, and the Fiendkind still stirred restlessly within the Labyrinth of Life. Susanna’s business, regardless, had to be discussed!

Du Chen’s mind raced, yet he remained silent. Susanna, however, began her solo performance.

"My Lord, you must already be aware of my intentions! Then, according to the rules of the Clandestine Circles, first, I must confirm my identity!" She placed a token on the table, then gently pushed open the wooden window, gesturing with a delicate finger towards the golden lion carriage outside. "That I can arrive in McAllen's Diplomatic Residence so openly, riding in that carriage, holding this token, should be ample proof that I am indeed the genuine Mistress of the Saint Baton Clan. If Thirteenth Master still doubts, you are welcome to inquire with anyone from the Saint Baton Family; see if I am truly their Mistress!"

Du Chen smirked, "Mistress Susanna's identity is beyond my doubt!"

"Excellent! Next, I shall prove that I have the capability to privately give you the Celestial Capital map!" Susanna's charming eyes sparkled as she retrieved a piece of parchment from her bosom and laid it on the table. "I wonder if Thirteenth Master is aware of a secret concerning the Saint Baton Family: that the Celestial Capital map is tattooed upon four individuals..."

Du Chen glanced at the parchment on the table, which depicted numerous tattoo patterns. "That particular detail holds no secret for me!"

Susanna chuckled, "Oh my, Thirteenth Master is quite well-informed, aren't you? Hehe, then you should also understand how utterly simple it was for me to obtain those tattoo patterns from several men!" Her expression suddenly turned serious as she pointed to a blank sheet on the table. "These are some sample tattoo patterns, taken from the Saint Baton Family Head. I believe they are sufficient to prove my ability to provide you with the complete Celestial Capital map!"

Du Chen nodded.

Susanna continued, "And then, after proving my capability, I must also put Thirteenth Master's mind at ease—after all, some rather unpleasant things transpired between us in the past. Although I myself have forgotten them, Thirteenth Master must surely be thinking..."

She mimicked Du Chen's tone, her manner quite enchanting, "'This woman was once betrayed by me. I caused the death of her uncle and destroyed everything she held dear. Yet now, she comes to me, smiling, not only unconcerned with past grievances but eager to strike a deal, offering me what I desire! Could this woman's transaction be a trap? Is she orchestrating a scheme to harm me in revenge?'"

This was indeed Du Chen's very thought.

Susanna raised the wine glass from the table. "But I must say, there are no eternal friends nor eternal enemies in this world! Whatever happened between us before, that is all in the past. Since Thirteenth Master has not actively sought trouble with me, why should I needlessly create a powerful foe? Especially since my Lord now commands the might of a Titled Battle God..."

She drained the red wine in one gulp, stating crisply, "To be honest, the thought of Uncle Babylon's revenge still stings my heart! However, right now, I can offer Thirteenth Master the Celestial Capital map, and Thirteenth Master has the power to do something for me. Furthermore, we have prospects for future cooperation! These reasons are enough for Susanna to forget everything that has passed and for us to remain friends! Thirteenth Master, my Lord, Susanna believes you will be able to offer me much assistance in the future, and I, in turn, will be able to offer you much assistance. With that in mind, surely you can trust me?"

Du Chen offered a faint smile.

Susanna also smiled. "Then, before I state my demands, Thirteenth Master, being so well-versed in the rules of the Clandestine Circles, shouldn't you express your stance? Is there a possibility? Do you wish to proceed with this transaction?"

Du Chen felt a pang in his heart. If Beibei were here, this would be the moment the little one would use her Spiritual Power to determine if Susanna had any mental anomalies...

Alas, that adorable little imp was no more.

Du Chen did not rush to declare his stance; instead, he asked, "Mistress Susanna, you so casually place these things before me. Are you not afraid I might inform the Saint Baton Family Head that you secretly sketched his tattoos in bed and then used them to deal with an outsider?"

Susanna caressed her own cheek. "You are welcome to do so, but do not forget, a hundred words from a man are no match for a pretty woman's pillow talk... I can make the Saint Baton Clan obediently hand over maps in bed, and I can also make them hate you to the bone in bed!" This mildly veiled threat also carried immense confidence. It was truly a mystery where her confidence originated. Was it merely her prowess in bed?

The beastmen held Orbach as supreme and inviolable. Susanna's actions that day were an act of blasphemy against the Supreme Father God Orbach. Could she, relying solely on her beauty, overcome the beastmen's reverence for the Supreme Father God, not only causing the Saint Baton Family to forgo prosecuting her for sacrilege but even elevating her to the high position of Mistress?

Du Chen admittedly did not fully grasp the influence a beautiful woman held over men, but he was acutely aware of the beastmen's fervent faith in Orbach, a conviction so strong it could even break through Beibei's spiritual manipulation!

How Susanna managed to achieve everything she had today remained a perplexing question! Du Chen mused, *It must be more than just her bed skills!*

Du Chen shrugged. "Speak then. You give me the Celestial Capital map, what do you want from me?"

"So Thirteenth Master believes there's a possibility of our cooperation!"

Susanna's radiant smile abruptly vanished, her expression shifting rapidly. She stated gravely, "April fifteenth marks the one thousand five hundredth birthday of the Supreme Father God. On that day, a grand commemoration ceremony will be held in the Auerbach Grand Canyon."

Du Chen nodded, "I know. I will also participate in the commemoration as a Divine Envoy of Du Chen's Divine Cult, and then formally begin negotiations with McAllen!"

Susanna offered a faint smile. "What I ask is for Thirteenth Master to dispatch Brook, the Nether Blade, your Titled Battle God, to perform a certain task during the commemoration ceremony. For others, this task might be exceedingly difficult, but for Brook, the Nether Blade, it is merely a trifle, a very, very small matter!"

"What task?"

"Oh? Does Thirteenth Master truly believe I would be so foolish as to reveal the most important detail before the plan has even begun or the deal has been struck?" Susanna wagged a finger. "If Thirteenth Master is interested, there are still over ten days until the April fifteenth commemoration ceremony. We can discuss it leisurely. For now, let's talk about something else..."

As she spoke, she leaned closer to Du Chen, her posture alluring. "My Lord, what is your purpose in seeking the Celestial Capital map? Are you, too, like those common folk among the Five Families of Fallen Gods, pursuing that illusory legend?"

Du Chen's heart stirred. He had pondered this question for a long time. What was Celestial Capital? The birthplace of the Holy Alliance, the place where Phil went missing! Du Chen needed the Celestial Capital map to find Phil, but why did the Five Families of Fallen Gods treasure the Celestial Capital map so greatly?

After all, to the Five Families of Fallen Gods, Celestial Capital was merely a place where their ancestors once held a grand meeting, just a venue. Moreover, the journey was fraught with unimaginable dangers. Why would the Five Families of Fallen Gods so fiercely guard a map leading to a thousand-year-old, useless meeting place?

Was it merely to commemorate their ancestors?

From Susanna's words, it seemed the Five Families of Fallen Gods cherished the Celestial Capital map for a deeply hidden legend!

Du Chen knew he couldn't reveal his ignorance at this moment, allowing Susanna to realize he knew nothing. He offered a mysterious smile, "A legend is fine, as is fact! Since that matter has been passed down to this day, there will certainly be those who believe it! The Legend of the Beast Emperor's Seal—'He who obtains the Beast Emperor's Seal shall command the Great Grasslands!' Did that not make both Mistress Susanna and I believe?"

Susanna nodded, sighing mournfully, "It seems Thirteenth Master knows quite a bit! 'He who obtains the Beast Emperor's Seal shall command the Great Grasslands!' Susanna suffered immensely in the past for that very phrase, just to acquire the Beast Emperor's Seal and decipher the secret within it that would grant control of the Great Grasslands! *Sigh*..." She let out a soft, drawn-out sigh. "It was also thanks to Thirteenth Master's 'assistance' that Susanna became a prisoner of the Saint Baton Clan, which allowed me to truly grasp the profound meaning of that phrase! Since 'He who obtains the Beast Emperor's Seal shall command the Great Grasslands' has a reasonable explanation, then the saying about Celestial Capital—'Five Keys Align, Gather in Celestial Capital for Immortality, Path of Gods Ends'—should also have a similar explanation to the Beast Emperor's Seal, Thirteenth Master..."

Du Chen was analyzing the legend from Susanna's words when Dus sent a message: "Francis, get rid of this vixen at once! Come in and see your beloved daughter and son!"

Du Chen's heart trembled. Had something else happened to the little ones?

He lightly coughed. "Mistress Susanna, we have discussed enough for today. There are still more than ten days; we can take our time talking!"

Susanna paused, then chuckled. "Very well. I shall return another day." She pointed to the golden token she had initially placed on the table. "This I leave with Thirteenth Master. With it, you can find someone to contact me at any Diplomatic Residence within McAllen's territory."

The moment Susanna left, Du Chen hastily unfurled the Lotus hidden in the cabinet, closed the doors and windows, and leaped inside. "Dus, what's wrong with the two children?"