The Ultimate Fire Master of Avatar

Chapter 12 The Zu Kou Family

Aozai still learned that Kahn had come to visit—it was the maid who told him.

"I told you to stay away from that lowly commoner, yet you dared to bring him to the palace behind my back! Don't you think you've disgraced our royal family enough?!"

At the dinner table, Ao Zai gave Zu Kou a severe dressing-down, while Zu Kou kept his head down and remained silent.

Seeing Zuko's submissive attitude, he felt bored and instead started talking about Airo:

"That guy Airo, bringing someone like that into the palace, is he out of his mind because his son just died?"

He had remained silent and bowed his head when Aozai insulted him before, but when he heard Aozai's slander against Kahn and Elo, despite his fear, Zuko couldn't help but retort:

"Kahn is not lowly, and Uncle Elo is not insane; they are both very good people."

boom!

"Shut up! You dare to talk back to me?!"

Ao Zai slammed his fist on the table, his voice rising sharply as he said fiercely:

"How dare you? With your meager little brain? With your pathetic fire manipulation skills?! Your weak, incompetent personality doesn't even seem like that of my own son! You..."

"That's enough!"

Ershu slammed her chopsticks on the table and scolded, "How could you say such hurtful things!"

"Excessive? Why would you say that?"

Faced with Ershu's rebuke, Aozai seemed to have lost all his anger, as if he had become a different person, and responded in a rather relaxed tone:

"I'm just educating him, trying to make him understand basic right and wrong. I'm really worried about him if he continues like this."

"There's nothing to worry about. I think Zuko is doing very well."

Ershu interrupted Aozai's speech with a firm attitude.

"Yes, you've raised a good child."

Finally, a slightly sinister smile appeared on Aozura's face. If Kahn were there, he would understand where Azura learned her facial expression control.

He deliberately slowed his speech, looking at Ershu meaningfully:

"His personality is just like yours—kind, gentle. He's like you in every way, except for me."

Before Ershu could say anything more, Aozai waved his hand, looked at Zukou, and said with disgust:

"Anyway, I don't want to hear about that lowly brat again, otherwise—"

You'll never hear from him again.

Upon hearing this, Zu Kou opened his mouth as if to say something, but no sound came out; an indescribable sense of powerlessness washed over him.

Sitting to the side, Azura swung her legs, looking completely detached and indifferent, watching everything that was happening at the dinner table as if it were a spectacle.

But upon hearing Ao Zai's order, she frowned almost imperceptibly, then chuckled and said:

"Wait a moment, Father."

Several people were drawn by her voice and looked over at the same time.

Unfazed by the heavy atmosphere and tense situation, Azura smiled at Aozai:

"I also met my great-grandmother's friend today. I think that guy is quite interesting."

If Zuko were to disobey Aozara's orders on the spot, he would likely face dire consequences. However, Aozara was unusually amiable and spoke with great interest to Azura:

"Oh, really? That's interesting, a rare compliment. Does my daughter have any thoughts on this?"

"Grandma wants to make friends, isn't that a good thing? Why are you stopping her?"

Azura flashed a smile identical to that of Aozai:

"I'd also like to have some 'good' fun with him, and it would be wonderful if my siblings and I could 'good' connect like we did today!"

"Ha ha!"

Azura's words made Aozai smile with satisfaction, and he readily replied:

"Since that's the case, then of course there's no problem. I hope you can 'treat' him well and not be disrespectful to royalty."

At this point, he completely stopped mentioning anything about his royal status.

Ao Zai smiled outwardly, but the smile in his heart was even more intense, twisted, and sinister.

Azura's performance greatly pleased him; this was his child—intelligent, powerful, ruthless, and decisive, perfectly inheriting everything about him.

Listening to the conversation between Aozai and Azura, Zuko bit his lower lip hard, his hands clenched tightly under the table, trembling uncontrollably from the force.

At that moment, a pair of soft, warm hands enveloped his fist. Zu Kou turned his head to look, and Er Shu looked at him with concern, shaking her head.

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence.

After dinner, Azura followed Aozai away, skipping and hopping along behind him like a normal, lively little girl.

Suddenly, she said to Ao Zai in a coquettish tone:

"Father, I'm getting tired of the maid who's serving me now. Can you give me a different one?"

Ao Zai smiled kindly:

"Of course, who would you like to replace it with?"

"Um"

Azura stroked her chin and thought for a moment before deciding:

"How about Xiaotao?"

"sure."

Ao Zai nodded indifferently.

Xiao Tao is the name of the maid who reported the situation to him today.

"Thank you, Father. I'll go back to my room now!"

Having achieved her goal, Azura stopped following Aozai and turned to leave happily.

Unexpectedly, just as she reached the corner, Zu Kou suddenly appeared and blocked her way.

Zuko's sudden appearance startled her. After recovering, Azura immediately said with disgust:

"Are your eyes on your ass so you can't see where you're going?"

Zu Kou's eyes were red, clearly he had been crying.

He said:

"Thank you for not letting Father kick Kahn out, but I will not allow you to bully Kahn."

"But if you really try to bully him, I will never forgive you!"

Zu Kou tried hard to look fierce, but he looked rather comical.

Such a threat seemed so weak and ineffective to Azura; she rolled her eyes dismissively and walked right past Zuko.

"boring."

But to her surprise, Zu Kou grabbed her arm and said firmly:

"I'm serious!"

Azura remained dismissive and quipped:

"Really? Then I'll look forward to your performance."

Zu Kou did not refute her, and left without saying a word after finishing speaking.

Azura patted the spot on her clothes where Zuko had grabbed her with disdain, then looked in the direction Zuko had left and let out a cold laugh:

"idiot."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"I should go see my new maid. Let me think of a 'surprise' for her, hehehe."

Ershu watched the two figures depart from afar, her expression complex. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. In the end, she could only let out a long, soft sigh before leaving as well.

This family was formed from the beginning by a web of mistakes, including bondage, anger, desire, and ambition. Now, no matter what, they are no longer able to control themselves and can only go further and further down this twisted path until they step into an unimaginable and irreversible abyss of terror.

but

Ershu inexplicably recalled the scene she had witnessed today: the harmonious interaction between Zuko, Azura, and Kahn.

Not only did Kahn have great trust in Zukor, but Azura also seemed to treat him differently. Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Ershu's eyes.

Although she was very strict with Azura, how could a mother not love her child?

But she was too deeply influenced by Aozai, and she was powerless to do anything about it.

It remains to be seen whether the arrival of this young man will bring about any changes for Azura.

-

"Achoo!"

Kahn suddenly sneezed, somewhat puzzled. "Could it be a cold?"

After washing the dishes, he walked through the yard and glanced at the sky casually.

Today the sky is overcast and windy, so it looks like we won't see the sun. Every now and then, a rumble of thunder echoes through the clouds, foreshadowing the coming storm.

He casually made a joke:

"A stormy night with a dark and windy sky, it's truly a night for murder."

(End of this chapter)