The Dragon Clan Envoy turned around impatiently. The moment he caught sight of Wang Zhaojun, his eyes brightened slightly, and he exclaimed involuntarily, "Well, look at that! Another beauty delivered right to my door."
His tone was entirely confident of success.
"Release him to me at once, or suffer the consequences," Wang Zhaojun said, a dangerous glint flashing in the depths of her eyes as she arched her delicate brows slightly.
"You've got some nerve, trying to snatch someone from me?" The Dragon Clan Envoy swept a look of utter disdain over Wang Zhaojun.
"I will ask you only once: do you let him go, or not? I don't want to repeat myself." Wang Zhaojun's expression remained serene, her tone flat.
"And if I don't, what can you possibly do to me?"
Before the Dragon Clan Envoy's voice had even faded, the crowd saw a blur of motion flash past, and the envoy was sent flying several yards away.
Having broken free from his restraints, Xiaobai hurriedly scrambled behind Wang Zhaojun to hide.
The Dragon Clan Envoy spat out a mouthful of blood, then collapsed limply onto the ground, utterly powerless. Wang Zhaojun smiled gently, though her eyes were filled with chilling cold as her slender fingers swiftly locked around the envoy's throat.
"I won't do anything else. I just want to kill you." Her tone was casual, her voice icy cold.
"Do you know who I am? How dare you be so insolent!" Struggling to pry Wang Zhaojun's fingers apart, the envoy forced the words with difficulty from his throat.
Wang Zhaojun let out a light laugh, gazing indifferently at his purplish-red face as she parted her lips: "I don't care who you are. Cross me, and you pay the price."
Catching sight of her unyielding expression, the Dragon Clan Envoy panicked instantly. He had not expected such ruthlessness from someone so young, and he forced out a plea: "I'll never dare do it again! Spare me!"
"I am not going to let you off that easily." Wang Zhaojun's delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as her fingers subconsciously tightened.
Fairy Zixia arrived in a rush, breathing heavily. Seeing that Xiaobai was unharmed, she let out a slight sigh of relief.
If anything had happened to Xiaobai, she would have been to blame.
Using her magic, Zixia lifted the silence spell on Xiaobai, soothingly patted his head, and said softly, "Don't run off on your own anymore."
"Sister Zixia, I was scared." Xiaobai lowered his gaze and nodded, his small hand reaching out to tug at Zixia's sleeve.
"I'm sorry, I didn't keep a close eye on you." Zixia patted Xiaobai on the back, pulling him against her shoulder to offer silent comfort.
Clearly, he had been genuinely terrified.
Wang Zhaojun glanced indifferently at Xiaobai, tossed the man aside in disgust, and drew a silk handkerchief from her waist to leisurely wipe her hands.
The Dragon Clan Envoy gasped for breath. After all, he was a member of the Dragon Clan; for this woman to treat him this way and casually speak of killing him meant she surely had no intention of letting him go easily.
Just as he was racking his brain for a way out, the envoy's sharp eyes caught sight of the tall and graceful Lord Shaojun standing among the crowd, and he immediately cried out for help to Han Xin.
"Lord Shaojun, save me!"
Daji looked up at Han Xin's elegant and noble face, her red lips parting slightly: "Lord Shaojun, will you save him?"
Han Xin frowned, offering no answer to Daji's question.
Realizing that Han Xin had little desire to rescue him, the Dragon Clan Envoy grew frantic. "Lord Shaojun! If you save me, I have something you want!"
At these words, Han Xin's brows twitched almost imperceptibly, his gaze deepening as he pressed his thin lips together.
He looked toward Wang Zhaojun and said flatly, "Can you let him go for my sake?"
"Is Lord Shaojun really so indulgent of his subordinates' lawless behavior?" Wang Zhaojun turned her head slightly, narrowing her eyes. "For your sake? Tell me, what kind of standing does Lord Shaojun possess that I should grant you this favor?"
"It was my failure to keep my subordinates in line. I will discipline them properly when we return, and I ask Fairy Zhaojun to spare him this once." Han Xin suddenly leaned in close to Wang Zhaojun.
Wang Zhaojun stared at Han Xin right before her and instinctively stepped back. That was close! He was actually using his good looks on her! Having not been this close for so long, she felt somewhat ill at ease.
Han Xin frowned, sensing her sudden aversion, and felt a twinge of displeasure in his heart.
Taking another step back, Wang Zhaojun gave a slight nod, looking down at Han Xin with cold arrogance: "No wonder the people of the Dragon Clan are so utterly shameless—turns out they learned it from Lord Shaojun."
Those who knew both Wang Zhaojun and Han Xin caught their breath. In the Heavenly Realm, who didn't know that the top disciple of Immortal Wuling had nurtured a bitter, unrequited love for the Young Lord of the Dragon Clan for centuries?
Now that the Young Lord of the Dragon Clan was willing to yield, she refused to appreciate it. Could it be that she had transferred her affections elsewhere?
Could Fairy Zhaojun have fallen for that pretty little youth instead?!
The crowd turned in unison to look toward Fairy Zixia's embrace.
Another wave of held breath swept through the onlookers. That youth was fond of Fairy Zixia?
Fairy Zhaojun had finally managed to fancy someone else, only for that person to be in love with Fairy Zixia? And everyone knew that Fairy Zixia and Sun Wukong, the King of All Demons, were a match made in heaven.
The onlookers silently mourned for Wang Zhaojun. Having finally taken a fancy to someone, not only was he a tender, underage youth, but it was also a tragic case of unrequited love—with one of her own best friends stepping right into the middle of it.
If Wang Zhaojun had any idea what wild flights of fancy her fellow immortals were indulging in, she probably would have broken down.
Han Xin furrowed his brows slightly as he stood with his hands behind his back. "Then what do you propose to do?"
Wang Zhaojun massaged her temples, her eyes lowering slightly. "Letting him go isn't out of the question. Would Lord Shaojun be willing to grant me a favor?"
"Name it." Han Xin frowned slightly.
"I haven't thought of it yet. Let's leave it aside for now; there will be plenty of opportunities later." Wang Zhaojun lazily drooped her eyelids, a hard-to-read depth lingering in her gaze.
Han Xin pressed his lips into a thin line and said no more. Suddenly, he was struck by an ominous premonition—a feeling that he might soon lose something important.
The gathering of the Heavenly Palace broke up amidst lingering discontent.
"Zixia!" Sun Wukong waited anxiously outside the Heavenly Palace until he finally saw Zixia walk out.
With his sharp eyes, he immediately spotted Xiaobai clinging to Zixia, and without a second word, he grabbed Xiaobai by the back of his collar.
"Where did this pretty boy come from, daring to flirt with my woman?"
"Let me go!" Lifted into the air by Sun Wukong, the tiny Xiaobai struggled in terror, casting a wronged, pleading look at Zixia. "Sister Zixia!"
"You stinky monkey, let him go!" Zixia looked at the wildly jealous Sun Wukong with utter exasperation.
"I won't! You're yelling at me because of him?" Sun Wukong stared at Zixia in disbelief, a hint of grievance coloring his tone.
Speechless, Zixia pressed a hand to her forehead. "You've got it all wrong. Xiaobai belongs to Zhaojun."
Sun Wukong was suddenly enlightened, his dimming eyes brightening a fraction. "So that's how it is!"
He set Xiaobai down, then offered Wang Zhaojun an apologetic look. "My apologies. So he is a kept favorite from Fairy Zhaojun's manor."
Wang Zhaojun frowned slightly, nearly coughing up a mouthful of blood. "It's a misunderstanding, it's not what you think..."
"I understand, I understand." Sun Wukong bluntly cut off whatever Wang Zhaojun was about to say.
In his mind, Xiaobai was simply a favorite kept in Wang Zhaojun's manor, but because she cared too much about Han Xin, she hadn't dared make it public, fearing she would deepen Han Xin's misunderstandings, yet unable to bear centuries of loneliness.