“Your Majesty, Elder Qing Yuan of the Fox Clan requests an audience,” a man clad in gray robes descended from the sky, kneeling on one knee as he reported respectfully.
Cang Yan swiftly withdrew his thoughts, the smile that had appeared on his face moments ago due to Yun Qingxue vanishing in an instant. Earlier that day, he had severely punished Qing Mei’er, and now, without a doubt, Elder Qing Yuan’s visit was connected to her.
“Let’s go meet him,” Cang Yan said calmly. When he had seized the throne from the true Beast King, the White Tiger King, Elder Qing Yuan of the Fox Clan had indeed provided him with significant assistance. Over the years, he had never resorted to eliminating his loyal followers after achieving success.
On the contrary, he had treated those who had stood by him generously.
He was well aware that both of Elder Qing Yuan’s daughters harbored feelings for him. Over the years, he had turned a blind eye to Qing Mei’er’s ruthless actions against the women who appeared around him—after all, they were inconsequential.
But Yun Qingxue was different! She was not someone who could be compared to those insignificant women. She held immense value, and she had successfully piqued his interest.
Once she had caught Cang Yan’s eye, no one would dare lay a finger on her!
His severe punishment of Qing Mei’er earlier that day was meant to ensure she learned her lesson and never dared to provoke Yun Qingxue again. As for Qing Yuan…
Cang Yan’s eyes narrowed coldly. It would be best if Qing Yuan knew his place! But if he had grown arrogant from the years of favor bestowed upon him, Cang Yan would not hesitate to remind him of the hierarchy.
“His Majesty arrives~!”
At the Beast Clan’s royal council hall, Cang Yan strode in, and the guards at the entrance promptly announced his arrival.
Inside the hall, Elder Qing Yuan of the Fox Clan bowed respectfully toward the entrance. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“At ease,” Cang Yan said casually, flicking his sleeves as he walked straight to the throne at the head of the hall and sat down, his expression lazily inscrutable as he gazed at the fox elder below.
“Elder Qing Yuan, what urgent matter brings you to seek an audience with me so late at night?”
The elder bowed again. “This old minister has just received word that Jin Lin, the Dragon King of the Water Clan, is en route to our Beast Palace with his envoys. This is the formal letter announcing his visit, and I dared not delay in delivering it to Your Majesty.”
A guard stepped forward to take the letter from Elder Qing Yuan and presented it respectfully to Cang Yan.
Cang Yan took it, skimmed through it briefly, then let out a cold laugh. “Lately, our Beast Clan has been quite lively! First, the Phoenix King of the Feather Clan arrives uninvited, and now the Dragon King of the Water Clan. Elder Qing Yuan, what do you suppose they’re scheming?”
Qing Yuan hesitated, cautiously glancing at Cang Yan’s unreadable expression. “This…”
“Speak freely,” Cang Yan commanded coolly.
The fox elder’s eyes flickered before he replied respectfully, “This old minister suspects that the uninvited visits of these two kings are likely related to the Flower Queen currently residing in our Beast Clan.”
“Oh?” Cang Yan raised an eyebrow, his gaze inscrutable. “Do enlighten me with your insights.”
“Certainly.” The elder licked his lips before continuing. “In the entire Xuanling Continent, no clan is as well-informed as the Flora Clan. The Flower Queen governs all plants—sentient or not, enlightened or otherwise—across the three thousand realms. She can gather intelligence from any clan through the ubiquitous flora. Thus, in terms of intelligence, no clan surpasses the Flora Clan.
Because of this, every Flower Queen has been a focal point of attention in Xuanling Continent. The Beast, Feather, Water, and even the Divine and Demon Clans all guard against her while simultaneously coveting her allegiance. Every Flower Queen is well aware of the countless eyes upon her, knowing that a single misstep could lead to ruin.
Historically, all Flower Queens have maintained neutrality, and the Flora Clan’s royal family has never intermarried with other clans. However, the previous Flower Queen, Lan Xuechen, was an exception! Her love for the Demon King, Yun Ye, was not wrong in itself—but her status as the Flower Queen was. By marrying Yun Ye, she effectively placed the Flora Clan’s formidable intelligence network under the Demon Clan’s control.
This, naturally, provoked fierce backlash from the other clans.”
Here, Elder Qing Yuan paused, cautiously observing Cang Yan’s reaction.
A faint smile played on Cang Yan’s lips, exuding an air of profound mystery.
The fox elder weighed his words carefully. Though he couldn’t discern Cang Yan’s thoughts, everything he had said so far was merely a prelude to his main point.
“Lan Xuechen is dead, but her precedent remains. The Flora Clan’s intelligence-gathering prowess is still a coveted asset among all clans.
The current Flower Queen may lack ability and have been stripped of power by Grand Elder Tong Yun of the Flora Clan, but her noble lineage remains. As long as she lives, Tong Yun’s rule lacks legitimacy!
Precisely because she is powerless, she is far easier to control than her predecessors. Any clan that secures her allegiance could use her status to wrest control of the Flora Clan from Tong Yun. Thus, her allegiance remains a focal point for all clans. Now that Your Majesty has brought the Flower Queen to the Beast Clan, it has naturally drawn the vigilance of others. The sudden visits of both the Phoenix King and the Dragon King are likely closely tied to the Flower Queen’s presence among us!”
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