Iron Fan Princess turned, her phoenix eyes narrowing coldly, “What do you mean by that? Don’t you know those villagers just made their offerings? If this fire gets out of hand, how will they offer tributes next year?”
Offerings were a matter of utmost importance.
Su Fu stepped closer, lowering her voice, “Does Princess wish to see Red Boy?”
At that, Iron Fan Princess froze, her voice dropping a few notches, “What… Do you have a way?”
Su Fu nodded slightly, “I’ve just learned that lately, the Fish Demon of the Tongtian River has been causing trouble. Does Princess know where that Fish Demon comes from?”
“Just say it!” Iron Fan Princess was clearly impatient.
Su Fu whispered, “That Fish Demon… is actually a carp raised by Guanyin. I heard Guanyin just went to subdue it…”
Iron Fan Princess’s face lit up in delight—Tongtian River wasn’t far from them, so—
She anxiously asked, her voice trembling, “Then… has my son come with her? Can I see him?”
Su Fu said, “Does Princess wish to see him just once, or would you like to spend more time with him?”
Iron Fan Princess was no longer anxious, but instead pressed further, “Do you have a way? Of course I’d like to be with my son for as long as possible!”
Su Fu smiled, “That’s exactly it.”
“Why would Guanyin come?”
“Because the people have begged for her help. The fire at Flame Mountain grows worse every day, the people suffer—if someone seeks her out, Guanyin’s compassion wouldn’t allow her to watch them suffer…”
Iron Fan Princess nodded thoughtfully, “You mean… Guanyin will come here?”
“Exactly,” Su Fu confirmed, “And this time, the flames are too fierce for ordinary magic. Guanyin needs your Banana Leaf Fan. And you… you wish to see Red Boy. Isn’t this the perfect exchange?”
Iron Fan Princess understood, “You mean…”
“I can set a condition: lend the fan in exchange for a few days’ reunion with Red Boy. Guanyin is merciful; if it’s to save the people, she’ll surely agree…”
She was excited, “That’s it! So I can’t go now. If the fire isn’t put out, it’ll only burn fiercer. When Guanyin comes, I’ll have helped her, so she’ll definitely let my son stay a few more days.”
Compared to those villagers, her child clearly mattered more.
Iron Fan Princess looked at Su Fu with sudden warmth in her eyes, “Yunsi, you’ve done a great job this time. I’ll reward you handsomely.”
“But, just in case…” She thought a moment, then whispered, “Go add more fuel to the fire yourself—bring Guanyin here as soon as possible!”
Su Fu smiled slightly and bowed respectfully, “As you command. I’ll make sure you see Guanyin…”
“Good, good!” Iron Fan Princess was elated, “If you succeed, not only will I reward you, I’ll consider making you my personal attendant!”
Su Fu: “…..”
‘So now she’s repaying kindness with betrayal?’
She gave Iron Fan Princess a meaningful look and said softly, “Princess, you and Red Boy will be together for a long, long time in the future.”
What can last forever?
Only in death is there eternal rest.
Still, she was curious: if the map collapsed, what would happen to Iron Fan Princess, and how would Bull Demon King’s memory change?
Would these anomalies self-correct?
Or would there be another Iron Fan Princess?
Su Fu left Baijiao Cave, while Iron Fan Princess, growing more excited, even started fixing up her appearance.
Another maid hesitantly asked, “Then… about Flame Mountain…”
“Didn’t you hear me?” Iron Fan Princess raised her brow, “Wait a bit longer! Guanyin’s about to arrive anyway—a little time won’t matter.”
She waved her hand impatiently, then remembered something: “Oh, right, check whether Yunsi’s story is true—see if Guanyin is really at Tongtian River.”
The maid hurried off to obey.
Su Fu wasn’t worried about being exposed by Iron Fan Princess.
She’d just cleared the Tongtian River dungeon, and the Fish Demon was real—Guanyin’s apparition had even appeared.
It was easy to check.
The villagers would surely give an honest account, so no matter how Iron Fan Princess investigated, there’d be no issue.
With the stage set, Iron Fan Princess would have no reason not to willingly hand over the Banana Leaf Fan.
Then—
She’d blow up the map!
Did they really think China had no one?
That she’d just let them copy Bull Demon King and Iron Fan Princess as they pleased?
Su Fu left in a flash, while Murray and the others were left stunned by her seamless maneuver.
“Wait… she really just fooled her like that?” Fox Hart couldn’t understand.
He’d thought Iron Fan Princess would rush out with the Banana Leaf Fan, then find out Su Fu and her team were responsible and strike them down.
But—
He never expected that with a few made-up stories, Su Fu would keep Iron Fan Princess at Baijiao Cave, not even bothering to investigate?
Ji Yao felt dazed, “I really thought they were sightseeing in the Flying Device… But looking at it now, Su Fu was actually scouting the terrain? So that river they saw from the Flying Device was the Tongtian River?”
She was so shocked her voice rose, “She even noticed what was happening at Tongtian River?!”
“But the key is Guanyin and Red Boy…” Kofman’s expression was complex, “So, did she really see Guanyin and Red Boy near Tongtian River?”
Fox Hart: “How?”
Ji Yao: “Of course she used the Heavenly Technique, utilizing Flying Birds, probably even slipped it past us!”
“This Heavenly Technique is just too overpowered!” Kofman couldn’t help but exclaim, “With that skill, she can gather so much key info, and with Su Fu’s brains—wow, she’s unbeatable.”
Originally, Flame Mountain’s events were impossible to conceal, yet Su Fu had managed to divert Iron Fan Princess’s attention using Red Boy.
“So, according to Su Fu’s plan, Guanyin and Red Boy really might come, perfectly satisfying Iron Fan Princess’s wish.”
“Could Su Fu use this favor to borrow the Banana Leaf Fan from Iron Fan Princess?”
“My god, would that actually work?!”
It really might!
Two birds with one stone—get the fan and distract Iron Fan Princess from investigating Flame Mountain.
“By the time she figures it out, Su Fu will be long gone with the Banana Leaf Fan.”
Everyone fell silent.
Su Fu’s mind worked so fast.
In just a few sentences, she completely grasped Iron Fan Princess’s desires.
She used Guanyin and Red Boy at Tongtian River to fulfill Iron Fan Princess’s longing for her son, and besides offerings, Iron Fan Princess really didn’t care about the villagers—she’d nailed it.
By now, it was clear she’d succeeded.
Iron Fan Princess only wanted to see her son without caring about Flame Mountain or the villagers’ lives.
Everyone wondered: ‘could they have done the same?’
Probably not…
Because none of them would have checked out what was happening at Tongtian River.
Even knowing the key about Red Boy, they’d be at a loss.
But not everyone believed in the plan.
“But would Iron Fan Princess really lend the Banana Leaf Fan to a maid for this?” Fox Hart was skeptical and asked, “How would Su Fu explain her need for the fan?”
They all thought, that’s a real problem.
Based on what they’d guessed, it made sense, but Su Fu’s maid identity couldn’t justify borrowing the fan.
Just then, the always-silent Chief Examiner Murray suddenly spoke, “Haven’t you realized where Iron Fan Princess’s key is?”
Everyone was stunned, then understood, “Red Boy!”
“Who says Su Fu has to stay disguised as the maid to borrow the Banana Leaf Fan?!”
Kofman’s eyes lit up, “As long as she’s seen Red Boy, she can use the Transformation Technique—after Red Boy leaves, she can just transform into him and trick the fan away!”
With that, the plan was complete.
Ji Yao was even more amazed, “So once Iron Fan Princess sees Red Boy beside her, the plan is done.”
“My god, this is too brilliant!”
They finally saw: Su Fu had broken a dead end wide open.
From the moment she’d kept Iron Fan Princess at Baijiao Cave, she was already halfway to success.
Everyone grew eager.
Could they really see the Flame Mountain map resolved once and for all?
But Zhou Yu had two doubts.
First: was it really such a coincidence that Guanyin and Red Boy showed up at Tongtian River?
Second: if Red Boy stayed at Baijiao Cave for a month, would Su Fu really just wait it out?
For the first time, he was curious—he couldn’t guess what Su Fu intended.
But that was fine.
“We’ll just have to wait and see.”
But what they saw next stunned them.
After leaving Baijiao Cave, Su Fu didn’t carry out any plan at all.
Instead, she and her teammates found a safe spot, ate and drank leisurely, showing no urgency at all.
“What is this…” They were bewildered, “Is she not going to follow through?”
Hadn’t she just set everything up?
Why was she suddenly slacking off?
Suddenly, someone had a flash of insight and said, “Wait, do you think… is there really a Guanyin and Red Boy?”
Everyone: “???”
‘What a bold idea.’
Surely not, right?
Was Su Fu just making it up?
That would take nerves of steel.
No matter how much they speculated, they still couldn’t guess Su Fu’s true intentions.
But they were now completely hooked, dying to see what Su Fu would do next, glued to her every move.
Who cares about Second Place Achilles or the civilian genius Dairi Russell—those could wait!
So they waited until the next day.
At dawn, after the team had their fill, Su Fu finally made her move.
They saw Su Fu begin to transform.
In a flash of light, she became a woman in white robes.
She wore a jade lotus crown on her head, her skin smooth as jade, a red mark on her forehead.
Holding a vase with a willow branch, sitting atop a lotus throne, she floated slowly in midair.
A golden glow enveloped her—a sight truly transcendent!
“Amitabha.” She pressed her palms together and recited a Buddhist chant.
Her voice was ethereal and distant, as if coming from Ninth Heaven.
Not bad at all—Su Fu was very pleased.
Why did she need to confirm Red Boy’s current status?
Of course, to use Guanyin’s identity.
She’d never seen Bull Demon King, so she couldn’t transform into him to borrow the Banana Leaf Fan.
But luckily, she’d seen Guanyin, and at this moment Red Boy was under Guanyin.
So this was perfect!
The spectators were stunned: “???”
They’d all guessed wrong?
Murray and the others were dumbfounded, “Wait… who did she just become?”
“With a wave—”
Suddenly, everyone reacted.
“That’s… Guanyin?!”
“So she just cut to the chase and became Guanyin?”
Heavens, everyone was floored—she actually dared to impersonate Guanyin?
No wonder she kept bringing up Guanyin and Red Boy—it was all laying the groundwork for herself!
No wonder she wasn’t in a rush, insisting Guanyin would definitely come—she was Guanyin herself!
Everyone felt bewildered and incredulous, yet… it actually made perfect sense!
Why bother with the maid or Red Boy, when she could just cut straight to the top?
Who could be more suitable than Guanyin herself?
Besides, Iron Fan Princess was way too familiar with Red Boy—there was a real risk of being exposed.
But as Guanyin?
Clearly a whole tier higher—even taking her son away, Iron Fan Princess wouldn’t dare complain, just drinking alone at home.
“So is she planning to…”
“Just use Guanyin’s identity—”
“To take the Banana Leaf Fan?”
Everyone: “!!!”
There was never any need for Red Boy—this was all much simpler.
They’d made it too complicated!