The realization that the woman he liked did not return his feelings instantly plunged Cang Yan’s mood to rock bottom.
Noble as he was, proud as he was—how could he be treated this way?
“Of course, this sovereign hasn’t forgotten!” He smiled, but the warmth in his expression had clearly faded.
Yun Qingxue frowned. She could easily sense Cang Yan’s undisguised anger. Yet, she didn’t believe she had said anything wrong. She had merely spoken the truth. Did Cang Yan actually expect her to fall in love with someone who was using her while she was being manipulated?
That was absolutely impossible! She wasn’t out of her mind or suffering from delusions!
“I hope Qingxue also remembers the agreement between us!” Cang Yan said coldly.
If she didn’t want to talk about feelings, then they would stick to the agreement. According to their deal, Yun Qingxue was bound to marry him—no matter what, she was destined to belong to him. And whether for personal or political reasons, he would naturally ensure her safety.
At this thought, the inexplicable anger rising in Cang Yan’s heart dissipated slightly. Since she was fated to be his, why bother obsessing over whether she liked him at this moment?
There was still a long road ahead. He could take his time, slowly making her fall for him, bit by bit…
“I remember, and I will never forget,” Yun Qingxue replied with a calm smile.
She remembered how she had been betrayed by Zhou Dao, the one she trusted most in her past life. She remembered how Tong Yun had schemed against her right after she transmigrated. She remembered how Qian Dai had died. She remembered the hardships and near-death experiences she had endured along the way. And most of all, she remembered that she was nothing but a pawn in Cang Yan’s hands right now!
What agreement? It was nothing more than her forced compromise and Cang Yan’s condescending generosity when he was in a good mood!
All of this constantly reminded her, fueling her burning desire to grow stronger…
“There’s still a long way ahead…” Cang Yan murmured.
He and she had time. Why had he been so fixated on whether she liked him at this moment? It was so unlike his usual self…
Yun Qingxue smiled faintly. Yes, there was still a long way ahead. As long as she lived, there would always be opportunities and hope for resistance…
Cang Yan’s mood improved slightly, and he personally arranged Yun Qingxue’s daily accommodations.
Yun Qingxue didn’t voice any objections. After all, resistance was futile, and saying too much would only invite greater suspicion from Cang Yan.
Since things had come to this, she might as well obediently follow his arrangements…
On the first day, Cang Yan placed her in a palace in the southern part of the Beast King’s palace. On the second day, he had her moved to a palace in the northwest.
The night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers as Yun Qingxue dismissed her attendants and sat alone before her dressing table.
That day, she had told the golden-eyed girl to meet her at Boxi Palace in three days. Today marked the end of that period. She didn’t know if Feng Zihuang had heard about her relocation to the Beast King’s palace. And if he had, she wondered if he could still find a way to contact her.
And Jin Lin—she hoped he wouldn’t do anything reckless out of concern for her.
The night wind whispered softly…
“Flower King.” Feng Zihuang’s clear voice seemed to emerge from a dream.
Startled, Yun Qingxue looked up toward the window. There stood a man clad in fiery red robes, as if he had materialized out of thin air.
“Phoenix King?” Yun Qingxue was surprised. She had considered the possibility of Feng Zihuang finding a way to see her, but she hadn’t expected him to locate her so quickly.
The Beast King’s palace was the most heavily guarded place in the entire Beast Clan, under Cang Yan’s direct control. For Feng Zihuang to find her so swiftly and evade Cang Yan’s notice—it spoke volumes about the Phoenix King’s formidable abilities.
She couldn’t help but wonder: if Cang Yan and Feng Zihuang were to clash, who would prove stronger? Or rather, which of the two was more dangerous?
Cang Yan was cunning and unpredictable, yet he never concealed his ambitions—at least, not in front of her. Perhaps he simply saw no need to hide his intentions from someone he deemed a “useless waste.”
But Feng Zihuang—was he truly acting out of pure altruism, opposing her marriage to Cang Yan and going to such lengths to help her?
Yun Qingxue pondered silently. Right now, she was a “useless waste” who bore the empty title of Flower King. Tong Yun wanted to kill her and take her place, while Cang Yan sought to use her under the guise of marriage…
Her legitimate status as the Flower King of the Flora Clan was a tantalizing prize in the eyes of these powerful figures. Controlling her—this “useless waste”—meant gaining rightful authority over the entire Flora Clan.
She didn’t believe Feng Zihuang was helping her solely to prevent Cang Yan from obtaining her.
At this moment, the only uncertainty in Yun Qingxue’s mind was which of the two—Feng Zihuang or Cang Yan—posed the greater danger.
“Flower King?” Noticing her distraction, Feng Zihuang called out with a smile.
“Ah, yes.” Yun Qingxue snapped back to reality and smiled. “You weren’t detected by Cang Yan, were you?”
Feng Zihuang chuckled, his tone teasing. “So the Flower King was lost in thought because she was worrying about this?”
“Indeed,” Yun Qingxue replied smoothly. “The night you came to Boxi Palace to find me, Cang Yan found out immediately. At dawn, he moved me right under his nose for closer surveillance. If he discovers you here now, he’ll likely have me placed under strict confinement. At that point, forget leaving the Beast Clan—even stepping out of this small palace wing would be impossible!”
“Rest assured, Flower King,” Feng Zihuang said with serene confidence. “With the Dragon King keeping him occupied, Beast King Cang Yan won’t have the leisure to monitor you. Unless he’s watching personally, even the Beast Clan’s top guard wouldn’t detect my presence.”
Jin Lin was keeping Cang Yan busy? Yun Qingxue frowned, her clear eyes reflecting both confusion and a silent plea for confirmation as she looked at Feng Zihuang.
“Exactly. The Dragon King is deliberately stalling the Beast King,” Feng Zihuang affirmed with a nod.
The night wind sighed through the darkness.
In the imperial garden of the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace, Jin Lin and Cang Yan stood facing each other. Jin Lin wielded a whip formed of condensed water, while razor-sharp wind blades swirled around Cang Yan. The once-lush plants and towering rock formations around them now lay in ruins.
“I’ve long heard of the Beast King’s formidable skills. Testing them today proves the rumors hold some truth—the Beast Clan’s ruler does possess real ability,” Jin Lin remarked with a faint smirk.
“Hah!” Cang Yan let out an indifferent laugh. “Likewise. I hadn’t expected the Dragon King of the Water Clan to be quite capable as well.”
“Indeed. Let’s see just how capable I truly am!” Jin Lin narrowed his eyes and flicked his wrist, sending the watery whip coiling toward Cang Yan like a serpent.
As the whip lashed forward, Cang Yan leaped into the air, summoning countless phantom wolf claws around him with a wave of his hand.
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