(Diao Chan POV)

"It seems Master was really pleased by our performance," I commented.

??

"Fufufu~ Indeed. I wonder if Master would reward us?" Manami fantasised.

Eris stretched her arms, groaning, "I guess our hard work paid off! All we need now is to find somewhere secluded around here with Master and… Heh heh heh…"

Cai Hong tilted her head, "Papa happy?"

Lian Li patted her, "Yes, I'm sure Master is very happy with us now."

"Yay!!" Cai Hong cheered.

We made our way back to Master who had remained at where he had been from the start.

"A spectacular performance, girls," Master praised, welcoming us back with open arms.

Cai Hong immediately dived into his embrace.

"Papa! Papa! Did Papa see Cai Hong? How did Cai Hong do?"

Master patted her head, "Cai Hong was very cute."

"Ehehehe~~ Papa, huggies!"

Master lifted her up in his arms before turning to us, "All of you were stunning on stage as well."

I felt my heart soar at his praise, no doubt the others were feeling the same thing as well.

"Ummm…If Master wills it, I… I wouldn't mind to a… Private performance for Master…" I suggested while poking my fingers together.

"Ufufu~ This big sister does not mind as well," Manami agreed, hiding her smiling face behind her sleeve.

Eris nodded, "Yes, it will be nice if Master would watch us perform again. This time just for Master alone."

"Mmm… Would Master be open to such an idea?" Lian Li asked.

"Hahaha, I do not mind," Master laughed. "It was a treat for me to watch as well. You girls must have worked hard to prepare for this. Well done."

We were still basking in his praise when Manami spotted something, "Ara? Master? Is the grass patch under you… Singed?"

All of us looked down at Master's feet.

True enough, there was a patch of grass at where his left foot was that seemed to have been burnt recently. There was even the slight smell of cooked meat in the air, but that could have been from the nearby stalls.

Master smiled at us, "Ah, don't mind it. It was a bit chilly so I used a little fire to warm the air around for a bit just now. Also, another stall owner came by with a meat skewer for me to try, it was quite nice. I'll bring you girls to his stall later."

As expected of Master's ingenuity, I would not have thought of doing such a thing to warm myself. Meat skewers also sounds rather nice right now.

Lian Li grasped Master's hand, taking up her previous spot, "Should we continue our umm… Date, Master?"

Master nodded, letting Cai Hong sit on his shoulders again before stretching out his other hand towards us, "Shall we?"

Eris and Manami immediately clung to his arms, leaving me with Master's hand to hold.

I was just about to join them when I saw one of the Festival's staff waving at me from the side of the stage, beckoning to me with a finger to his lips.

"Ah… I'll join you all in a while. I should go help them clear the stage," I gestured to the staff that were currently trying to move Manami's instruments away.

Master raised an eyebrow at the scene, "Hmm? You can just leave it to the staff though, they're trained for this aren't they?"

I hesitated, "Yes but… I just feel bad for leaving it to them."

Master smiled at me, "Ah, they asked for your autograph didn't they? I understand, we'll wait for you here."

I don't know what an autograph is but I wasn't about to question Master about it now.

I bowed to Master in thanks before scurrying off back towards the stage, looking for the staff who had signaled to me.

I spotted him trying to move the taiko drums from the stage.

"Here, let me help," I offered, picking up one side of the drum.

The man wiped the sweat off his brow, "Oh, many thanks Missus, ma back ain't what it used ta be m'fraid."

I helped him move the drums to a storehouse where they kept the unused instruments, a distance away from the stage and out of prying eyes.

I glanced around, making sure there was no one in sight before chanting, "'Wistful Spirits I summon thee, bend this plane to suit my need. My words are sacred, they shall not be stripped naked; With your veil you shall aid, hiding from all who seek to parade. Wind Veil!'"

Nothing seemed to happen, but I knew the spell had taken effect and any sound made within a two meter radius from me will not escape out of the boundary.

The man was surprised from my actions.

"Ummm… May I ask what happened?"

"Just making sure there's no eavesdroppers," I stated casually.

The man nodded in understanding.

"We can talk now, what do you have for me?" I asked, pretending to be busy with unhooking the drum from its stand.

"Ah, of course, missus. I have a report from our contact that he has found proof that the Xi Family is colluding with Dark Sects."

I clicked my tongue in distaste, nodding at him to continue.

He glanced around furtively, "We've already dealt with all of the Dark Sect members that have infiltrated into the Festival, so you can rest assured that the coast is clear."

"So it's true then… The rumour that some heretics are trying to harm our Master."

"Yes. But we have yet to figure out what they plan to do."

"Tch… We need to expand our information network. No matter, keep the ones we captured aside, I want to torture some information out of them."

"Of course, missus."

"Double the watch, make sure no Dark Sect member gets away with having thoughts on hurting our Master."

"It will be done."

"I want them strung upside down, whipped to within an inch of their life and all their tendons cut. Both arms should be broken and a chain of thorns wrapped around their torso."

"Ummm… Right… Right away…"

"Is there anything else?"

"Er… That's it on my side… But… May I consult you in some matters?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "What is it?"

"Die."

His hand stabbed towards me, a knife with a greenish blade in his grasp.

My hand was already there to stop him, holding his wrist with a vice-like grip.

"Sub-par acting, I'll probably only give it a one out of ten. The one point being that you actually tried to look busy when talking to me," I scoffed.

The man tried to pull the knife out of my grasp but his hand wouldn't budge.

He clenched his other hand into a fist and punched towards my face.

I caught his laughable attempt with my other palm, my fingers curling around his fist.

"Tch! How did you know?!" The man yelled indignantly.

"Ahahaha! Did you think we have no idea who our believers are?" I laughed. "You didn't even address me by my title nor made any praise to Master, did you think I will fall for your stupid disguise?"

I twisted my hand, breaking his wrists with an audible snap, the knife dropping to the floor with a loud clang.

His screams filled me with pleasure.

"Ehehehe~~ Your attempt at acting was third rate at best too, couldn't even control your facial expressions well."

The man glared at me with hate.

"Mmmm~~ Those are nice eyes~~ I'll properly break you in~~ Let me think of what role I want you to play~~"

He lifted his leg to kick me but my foot was faster, stepping on his knee and kicking it back with a snap. I wonder if I could get him to learn how to walk with a backwards facing knee?

"Ugh… How did you know we know?" He asked in that little pathetic voice. If it wasn't because of the fact I was still holding him up by his wrists, he would have collapsed on the ground already.

"Ehehehe~ You think you can send a threat letter to Master without us finding out? How naive~ Well… As much as I would like to stay and slowly torture you to my liking, I have a date I need to get back to. So I guess I'll get back to you later."

I tightened my grip on his broken wrist, forcing another delicious scream out of him.

My body shook involuntarily.

Ahhh~~ I wish Master would inflict such wondrous pain on me one day. Maybe I could ask that as a reward from him? Ehehehe~~

Ah, must not get distracted, "'Eternal gates that crosses voids, I seek a connection to exploit. Cast ye a gate to cross, deposit my charge without a loss. Sling them across the voids! Through time and space to mine hearth, a journey with the distance scarce. Send them forth with chains that bind, unbreakable bonds that imprison their minds! Slingshot Teleport!"

The man's body glowed before blinking out of existence, my Spell having teleported him to our interrogation cell within our base.

The Spell would also render him unconscious for a while, giving time for our warden to take care of him.

I stretched my arms, at least I know that there are still a few rats like him wandering around. Dark Sects really are quite irritating.

And the Xi Family… Well, we already knew about that little info from the insect some time ago. But how the Dark Sect figured out we knew was another question I needed answers to.

Oh well, that's all secondary.

I should not keep Master waiting any longer.

For making him wait this long… Maybe he might give me a smack on my behind?

Ehehehe~~