Chapter 337 - Quack-Ception

The Emperor's host glared at the old man, Doctor Lou spared him a glance and then sighed and said, "But... Since it's rare that the student confounds the teacher, given this monumental occasion, if you tell me how exactly you're doing this... Then I may feel inclined to forget certain words you may or may not have said..." He finished, throwing the blade of grass in the Emperor's direction, and somehow, the blade of grass sailed through the air and landed right in front of the Emperor's - Well, his host's feet. 

The Emperor's host hesitated for a moment, before sighing and begrudgingly saying, "It's the bracelets, I don't know how..."

Doctor Lou stroked his beard, "Hmmm, can I -"

"No." The Emperor's host cut in, "Now, you tell me."

"Tch, no fun." Doctor Lou said, pulling at his beard, "Since you won't let me examine it and that stubborn Xing Xing won't give it either...Then answer my questions or my memory might just fail me~... How does it work?" 

"I don't -" The Emperor's host let out an exasperated sigh, "...It happened that day she got hurt, I didn't know where she was and I was desperate and...it brought me to her, like this, for a single moment. It was how I knew she was here."

"I see..." Doctor Lou said stroking his beard and nodding, "...and?"

"... And I refined the skill - I'm just looking after her welfare." The Emperor's host indignantly said.

Doctor Luo pouted and pulled at his long beard, "You never come to look after my welfare..." 

"Now tell me about the incident." The Emperor's host dismissively said, not at all bothered by the old man's pouting.

Doctor Lou glared at him and then sighed, "...I don't really know the details myself, but it seems Xing Xing and her parents went to some lantern festival somewhere...and then apparently, those irresponsible airheads forgot they took her and left without her. Somehow Xing Xing ran into Shan and his friends and they brought her back, then I ran into them on their return and took her home...The end. Isn't it such a wonderful beginning to a beautiful...something?" He finished, leaning forward with a sly smile as he wiggled his eyebrows at the Emperor. 

The Emperor's host glared at him and then Doctor Lou chuckled and smugly straightened up, stroking his long beard with both hands, eyes closed with a satisfactory smile on his face, "You know, it's still not too late to ask for my help -"

"Mind your own business and if you tell anyone about this, I'll dig up all your treasures and disintegrate them." The Emperor's host speedily cut in.

"Tch...ungrateful brat." Doctor Lou said with a pout, he then sighed, "Always so quick to run - who are you?" He suddenly derailed when he opened his eyes, suddenly looking at the Emperor with a confused frown. 

The Emperor knit his brows, very confused at what was happening now. No one else had entered the cave and the old man was still looking in his direction, the direction he had been facing the entire time, so...

{...Did he suddenly forget who he was talking to?... No, he said he couldn't see him so perhaps someone else is here?...}

"You better start talking while I'm still asking nicely..." Doctor Lou asked with a frown, suddenly jumping to his feet at a surprising speed, his eyes never shifting. 

The Emperor glanced behind him, checking to see if someone was standing there. Doctor Lou promptly said, "I'm talking to you. We're the only two people here, the brat's gone... better start talking while I'm still asking." He warned with a serious expression that was unbecoming of the old man's usual jovial manner.

Realizing the old man was talking to him, the Emperor faced forward and promptly raised his arms to show that he meant no harm, but then he looked at his arms with surprise. He could move again!

"Ah." The Emperor tested and then let out a short laugh, "I can talk!" As he dropped his arms and flexed his wrists. and laughed a little again, fascinated by these little things.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Doctor Lou said with a frown as he studied this intruder, "How did you get in here without me noticing?" He said more to himself than to the "intruder".

The Emperor finally blinked out of his stupor and faced the old man with knit eyebrows, "I've been here the entire time...Well, I think so, I think I was somehow attached to the person you were talking to just now...and now they're gone, right?" The Emperor asked, glancing behind him as if unsure, "... This is a truly odd dream." He said turning back to Doctor Lou. 

"A dream?" Doctor Lou asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Emperor nodded, he still did not understand what was happening, but from Doctor Lou's words, he could guess that the host - the brat that seemed to be in control of his body was now gone. or rather he now had his body. He truly did not understand, but first of all, he introduced himself, "I am the Long Emperor."

Doctor Lou snorted, "No, you're not." 

The Emperor raised his eyebrows, "Yes, I am, we have met, remember?..." He could mention knowing about the old man being his Voice, but he had not forgotten the old man's warning about this knowledge bringing harm to Lei Xing. So he held his tongue and instead said, "Those two that were just in here, one was my wife, my Empress, Xing er'...along with my brother." He finished with a frown as it occurred to him that those two could presently be together. 

"Empress?" Doctor Lou asked, blinking at him with even more confusion, "Xing Xing?"

"Yes."

"And your brother is...?" Doctor Lou asked, looking even more confused.

"Shan....the one that was with her." The Emperor said with a hint or more of resentment

{...Remember, this is just a dream..}

The Emperor let out a breath as he repeated that thought in his head, trying to purge his thoughts. Doctor Lou scrutinized him and then cautiously walked over, drawing the Emperor's attention back to the scene. Doctor Lou stopped in front of him again and went to poke him again and just like last time, he was still air. 

Doctor Lou knit his brows and then put his hands in his sleeves and suspiciously looked up at the Emperor, "So you say you're the Dragon Emperor?" 

**(Long means Dragon...so translated, it's Dragon country)**

"Yes... "Getting the sense that the old man was being strange, the Emperor felt the need to add, "We've met before. I recognize you, you're that Doctor Lou, aren't you? Xing e- Xing Xing's friend..."

Doctor Lou cluelessly scratched his head as he mumbled, "Well, I am a Lou and Xing Xing - well, I guess we are friends... of sorts, even if she is a brat... but doctor -? Well...I do like the sound of it, sounds important. Hmmm, I can accept it, I am THE Doctor Lou!" He announced with a resolute nod at the Emperor, who looked at him with confused suspicion. 

"What did you say your name was again?" Doctor Lou asked looking up at the Emperor with a deep scrutinizing gaze that made the Emperor uncomfortable.

"I didn't say..." The Emperor suspiciously responded, not quite sure what to make of the old man's behavior but still, he answered, "It's Jun Kai..." 

Doctor Lou's eyes went wide and then he narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard as he nodded and quietly said, "Ahh, so you're not the Dragon Emperor, but the place where you are Emperor is called Dragon, therefore you are the Dragon Emperor Kai... I see." He finished, stroking his beard and nodding. 

**(Long means Dragon)**

"Yes..." The Emperor tentatively confirmed with a frown as he scrutinized this strange old man who did not seem to be all there upstairs.

Doctor Lou then suddenly grabbed one of the Emperor's hands, the Emperor instinctively wrenched his arm back but the old man's grasp was too strong. He did not even seem to notice the resistance as he brought the Emperor's wrist up to his eye level and squinted at his empty wrist, "Ah... Now it all makes sense~"

"What does?" The Emperor asked with knit eyebrows as he looked down at the strange old man.

Doctor Lou looked up at him with a smile, "Who knows?" He said and released the Emperor's wrist and then sauntered off with a chuckle and plopped back down on the grass, facing the perplexed Emperor, "So Xiao Kai who has Xing Xing as his Empress and apparently -" He snorted, "Shan as -" Snorted again, " - brother.." He managed and then broke out in a full laugh, even holding his stomach as he laughed.

The Emperor was naturally not amused and frowned at the old man. Doctor Lou promptly cleared his throat and put on a serious expression, "...Now come, tell me about yourself~" He said with a somewhat excited look on his face.