“Go report to His Majesty immediately!” Xiao Yao kicked the door open only to find an empty room. Sensing something was wrong, she instinctively ordered Xiao Ling.
“I’ll go save His Majesty the Flower King!” Xiao Ling, however, didn’t comply as usual. Instead, she commanded Xiao Yao, “You go inform His Majesty!”
“Your magic is weaker than mine!” Xiao Yao frowned, her heart racing with urgency.
“Hmph! What makes you think I’m weaker? Hurry up and notify His Majesty!” Xiao Ling glared at Xiao Yao.
“You—ugh!” With no time to argue over who should report and who should rescue, Xiao Yao turned and flew toward the royal garden.
“Tch!” Xiao Ling rolled her eyes and leaped out the window in pursuit.
If the Flower King went missing, His Majesty would surely unleash his wrath. Whoever went to report would bear the brunt of his anger, while the rescuer might even earn merit. Xiao Yao had always treated her like a fool—now it was clear!
“Guards! Capture the assassin! The Flower King has been abducted!” Xiao Ling shouted as she chased.
In the royal garden, the battle between Cang Yan and Jin Lin raged on. A lark fluttered its wings and landed before Feng Zihuang, who stood observing the fight. In an instant, it transformed into a young maiden.
“Greetings, King Feng.” Liu Ying bowed respectfully.
Feng Zihuang waved dismissively, signaling her to rise. Liu Ying stood and quietly positioned herself before him, whispering, “The person the Flower King mentioned has made their move. They’re taking him away from the Beast Clan’s palace.”
Feng Zihuang smiled faintly and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Liu Ying fell silent, standing beside him as they watched the duel between the two kings in the sky.
“Your Majesty—” Xiao Yao arrived in haste, riding the wind.
“Your Majesty! The Flower King has been abducted!” she shouted anxiously toward Cang Yan in the midst of battle.
The energy from Cang Yan and Jin Lin’s clash prevented her from getting closer, forcing her to yell from a distance.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ling’s cries of “Capture the assassin!” grew louder, stirring the once-quiet Beast Palace into chaos.
“Your Majesty! The Flower King has been abducted!!” Xiao Yao repeated desperately.
Distracted by the news, Cang Yan was struck by a water blast from Jin Lin and sent flying backward like a great bird.
Jin Lin seized the opportunity to press forward.
“Hold!” Cang Yan raised a hand, his voice thunderous.
Jin Lin halted mid-air, smirking challengingly. “What? Does the Beast King intend to surrender?”
“Hmph!” Cang Yan scoffed. “You overthink, Dragon King. I merely have urgent matters to attend to. Since we’re at a stalemate, let us resume another day. Agreed?”
Jin Lin sneered. “Do you take me for a fool? The Sacred Serpent of my Water Clan is in the Flower King’s hands. If we don’t settle this today, I cannot reclaim what belongs to my clan!”
“If you delay indefinitely, the Sacred Serpent will remain loyal to the Flower King—whom you’ve wed. The two of you would exploit my clan’s treasure!”
“Your concerns are baseless!” Cang Yan retorted. “Regardless of our duel’s outcome, I’ll ensure Yun Qingxue returns your Sacred Serpent.”
Jin Lin frowned, then smirked coldly. “Spare me your condescension. I keep my word—if you defeat me, the serpent is yours. Now, let’s finish this!”
With that, Jin Lin attacked again.
But Cang Yan’s mind was elsewhere, pricked by Xiao Yao’s words. A flash of white light erupted, and a colossal white wolf materialized above the royal garden—Cang Yan’s true form.
The enormous beast howled and charged at Jin Lin.
Below, Feng Zihuang narrowed his eyes. The Beast King was desperate enough to revert to his primal form.
Jin Lin’s gaze turned icy. With Xuexue already rescued, he had to stall Cang Yan at all costs.
As the white wolf lunged, Jin Lin’s body erupted in blinding golden light, his form shifting into a majestic dragon.
**BOOM!**
The two titans collided mid-air, unleashing a shockwave that rippled outward like blades of wind.
Xiao Yao, caught in the blast, was flung back, coughing blood.
Feng Zihuang, unfazed, raised a crimson barrier, shielding himself and Liu Ying from the impact.
Above, the wolf and dragon clashed, separated, and faced off once more.
—
The golden-eyed girl sprinted north with Yun Qingxue, the clamor of pursuit fading behind them.
“You shouted for help on purpose to lure them!” the girl hissed.
Yun Qingxue smiled calmly. “Of course. It was a signal to my allies. How else would they know to act?”
Her cry had been a ruse—to frame her “abduction” on the White Tiger Clan, absolving Jin Lin and Feng Zihuang of suspicion.
As for her “rescuer,” their alliance was purely transactional. The girl had tried to kill her, but failing that, settled for aiding her escape.
Yun Qingxue felt no guilt. Their mutual exploitation was laid bare.
Nearing the palace’s outer walls, a bone-chilling howl pierced the night—
**”Awooo—!”**
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