The reason she called Xiao Xiaoxiao a “man-eating flower” wasn’t entirely due to the ferocious way Xiao Xiaoxiao had just eaten. Part of it was also to intimidate Chen Qing and the Prince of Ning.
A man-eating flower, as the name suggests, is no benevolent creature.
By fabricating Xiao Xiaoxiao’s identity as a man-eating flower and explicitly telling the two men that she was keeping such a vicious flower demon by her side to tame, she intended to warn them not to do anything against her. Even a savage creature like a man-eating flower had to submit to her discipline—this alone demonstrated the high prestige she, the Flower Queen, held among the flora tribe. Anyone who dared move against her had to be prepared to face the wrath of the entire flora tribe!
Chen Qing and the Prince of Ning naturally interpreted Yun Qingxue’s words in the way she intended. However, Xiao Xiaoxiao remained oblivious to the fact that she had been subtly used by Yun Qingxue.
She simply thought Yun Qingxue had covered for her earlier awkwardness, so she gave Yun Qingxue a grateful smile.
The dimples on her cheeks made Xiao Xiaoxiao’s smile look especially sweet and innocent.
Yun Qingxue forced a smile in return, lowering her gaze as a pang of guilt rose in her heart. From the moment they first met yesterday, she had been continuously using this girl.
Lying to Chen Qing and the Prince of Ning didn’t faze her, but manipulating an innocent like Xiao Xiaoxiao couldn’t leave her entirely without remorse.
At the same time, Yun Qingxue was acutely aware that lies would eventually be exposed. She had to strike against Chen Qing and avenge A’dai before he discovered that her status in the flora tribe wasn’t as lofty as she had claimed—while he was still wary of her.
The stability maintained by deception couldn’t last long…
As for Xiao Xiaoxiao…
Yun Qingxue wanted to help her track down the whereabouts of that malevolent ghost and send her away before she made her move against Chen Qing. That would at least serve as some compensation for repeatedly using her…
After breakfast, Yun Qingxue and Xiao Xiaoxiao returned to their room together.
Chen Qing went out to make arrangements, intending to set off for the capital immediately. Based on the time it had taken Chen Qing and the Prince of Ning to travel from the capital to Shanggu Town, the return journey, barring any mishaps, would take about five days.
Naturally, Chen Qing was eager to return—or rather, he was eager to bring Yun Qingxue back to the capital.
Yun Qingxue was the harbinger of chaos he had divined. Though her status as the Flower Queen prevented him from acting against her immediately, it didn’t mean he had abandoned the idea of eliminating her.
Chen Qing firmly believed that if Yun Qingxue wasn’t removed, the world would one day descend into chaos because of her. When that happened, all mortal lives would suffer, especially the ordinary humans without cultivation.
Having foreseen this future, he couldn’t possibly stand by and do nothing. However, her noble status meant he had to carefully plan his moves before acting.
Bringing Yun Qingxue to the capital was undoubtedly a crucial step. The capital was his territory, with the human king presiding there. Even if he couldn’t immediately eliminate her—the future calamity—he could at least find an excuse to place her under house arrest.
With enough time, Chen Qing was confident he could devise a way to eradicate Yun Qingxue completely. As for the method—whether framing another race for her murder or simply making her disappear—he believed that as long as the plan was sound, the specifics didn’t matter much.
Currently, the scheme he most favored was framing someone else. He considered it the safest approach.
Simply killing Yun Qingxue and disposing of the body didn’t seem feasible at the moment. Her carefully constructed lies had convinced him that the entire flora tribe revered her as their queen.
Xiao Xiaoxiao’s appearance, along with the identity Yun Qingxue had fabricated for her, further reinforced the idea that many in the flora tribe knew their queen was visiting the human realm. Otherwise, how would this little man-eating flower demon have found her? If Yun Qingxue went missing among humans, even without a body or evidence of human wrongdoing, the flora tribe wouldn’t let the matter rest.
From any angle, Yun Qingxue’s disappearance would point squarely at the humans.
So, until he devised a foolproof plan, Chen Qing concluded that not only could he not harm Yun Qingxue, but he also had to ensure her safety!
But if he found a suitable scapegoat, he would act immediately to eliminate her.
After all, he was the Grand State Preceptor of the human race. His duty was to protect his people.
As for the lives of other races—fish, insects, birds, beasts, or even sentient plants and stones—what did they matter to him? They were all anomalies, monsters, and most monsters were wicked by nature. In other words, they deserved to die!
Chen Qing had always believed that if the world consisted solely of humans, it would be a far more peaceful place.
The convoy was ready to depart, and the Prince of Ning and Chen Qing personally came to escort Yun Qingxue.
At the time, Yun Qingxue was casually chatting with Xiao Xiaoxiao. Since both hailed from the modern era, they seemed to have endless topics to discuss.
Xiao Xiaoxiao was vividly recounting how the underworld had mistakenly taken her soul when the Prince of Ning and Chen Qing arrived.
“Flower Goddess, the convoy is ready to depart at any time,” the Prince of Ning said with a gentle smile, his words carefully crafted to make it seem as though everything revolved around Yun Qingxue, showing utmost respect for the foreign Flower Queen. Whether they left or stayed appeared to hinge entirely on her word.
Yun Qingxue had stopped talking the moment she sensed their approach.
Now, hearing the Prince of Ning’s soft-spoken urging, she smiled faintly but had no intention of complying. She wanted revenge for A’dai, but there was a vast difference between seeking vengeance and rushing headlong into enemy territory to deliver herself to death.
Whose territory was the capital? Ha!
“Prince of Ning, Grand State Preceptor,” Yun Qingxue said, her face adorned with a perfectly measured smile as she gazed out the window at the bustling human streets awakening with the sunrise. “This place is truly lively. Might I have the honor of asking you both to be my guides and show me the sights?”
The moment she finished speaking, Chen Qing stiffened. He stepped forward, taking over from the Prince of Ning. “Your Majesty, the scenery here is rather mundane. If Your Majesty truly wishes to enjoy some sights, the capital has several fine locations. Perhaps we should hasten our journey, and once we arrive—”
“Grand State Preceptor!”
Yun Qingxue cut him off, her smile unwavering, her eyes as still as stagnant water, revealing nothing of her thoughts.
“I find the scenery here quite lovely. However…” She deliberately drew out her words, giving Chen Qing the impression that she might reconsider her request.
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