Baizhi?
Isn't that the name of the Fox Emperor of Qingqiu?
Everyone looked at Baize and then at Siyin in bewilderment, seemingly failing to understand what he was talking about.
Siyin, who had never suffered such humiliation before, raised a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.
She had been about to reveal her true identity, but hearing that Baize didn't seem particularly afraid of her father, she realized he must be some other mighty figure—someone she could not afford to provoke.
Back in Qingqiu, she often caused trouble, but who among them wouldn't address the Fox Emperor with proper respect rather than shouting his given name?
He must be an ancient monster from the same era as him.
Though mischievous, Siyin was not truly stupid. Gritting her teeth, she swallowed her grievance, lowered her head, and said nothing more.
"What a bore, I'm leaving!"
Even though Siyin had shown utter disrespect and Baize had disciplined her, beating her into severe injury or killing her outright would truly damage his friendship with Moyuan.
Thinking of this, Baize held back. When Moyuan returned, he could simply have him forge a few more suitable magical artifacts for Yaoguang.
"High God, we shall take our leave now."
Diefeng bowed.
The seventeen of them thus watched as Baize and Yaoguang returned to their immortal cave.
From the moment the gates of Yaoguang Palace opened to the moment they closed, only a few blinks had passed.
"Let's head back first. Master is the Direct Son of the Father God; nothing will happen to him. Causing a ruckus at someone else's doorstep only strips Kunlun Xu of its dignity."
...
"Was I impressive just now?"
"Impressive indeed. A dignified High God going out of his way to bully a lowly Immortal Lord—if others found out, they'd certainly laugh at you."
Yaoguang took Baize by the hand and led him to sit together on the daybed.
"You ran into trouble receiving your inheritance—why didn't you tell me? If Emperor Donghua hadn't mentioned it to me today, just how long were you planning to keep it from me?"
"It's not that I didn't tell you! It's just that when I was receiving the inheritance, Elder Sister had a change of heart and fell for someone else. The moment I woke up, I rushed straight over to you, yet you're still mad at me for not telling you."
Having been sent to her by the previous Baize while still very young, Baize had been lively and adorable in his beast form, and his human avatar was equally heart-meltingly endearing.
The old friends Yaoguang knew all doted on him, and even Emperor Donghua spoke of Baize every single day.
He had been spoiled rotten, acting precisely like a pampered scoundrel from the mortal realm.
He feared nothing under the sun and was daring enough to go running off to play in the Demon Realm all by himself.
Yet now, strangely enough, he had become such a crybaby.
His eye rims were red, unshed tears shimmering in his eyes, his long eyelashes damp, and his nose exquisitely straight—making him look like a piece of glazed glass on the verge of shattering.
As his voice trailed off, crystal-clear tears like pearls began to fall one after another onto the floor.
"If I'd known you were going to have a change of heart, I might as well have died during the inheritance—Nmph!"
His mouth was covered by a hand.
Yaoguang's gaze was sharp, the depths of her eyes filled with fury.
"Don't you ever say such things! You will live a long and healthy life for millions of years!"
"But everything else is more important to you than me! Your clansmen, every single living soul in the Eight Desolations and Ten Thousand Realms—they're all more important than me! We just got back today, and I haven't even had a proper chance to talk to you, yet you're already fretting over Moyuan, and you even went running off holding him to see Emperor Donghua!"
Baize's words made Yaoguang feel as though she truly were a heartless ingrate.
Yet she clearly remembered that she had been hauling Moyuan by the back of his collar; there hadn't been any physical contact to speak of.
Three question marks seemed to appear over Yaoguang's forehead.
"Sister Yaoguang, I'm a living soul of the Eight Desolations and Ten Thousand Realms, too! Show A Ze a little more love, won't you? Besides, Moyuan is still around—we can just assist him from the sidelines, alright?"
Baize leaned close to Yaoguang's ear and whispered.
His warm breath brushed against her cheek, sending shivers through her.
For some reason, Yaoguang suddenly felt as though Baize had been possessed by something strange.
After all, compared to that fox Siyin, he was much more like a fox spirit, craftily seducing her. And yet...
Yaoguang drank it in willingly.
She pressed a fierce kiss to Baize's lips.
"We'll get married. Tomorrow I'll give the orders and have the maids make preparations!"
She would let Baize carry on acting up for a little while longer; once they were married, she'd make sure he got a taste of his own medicine.
"Alright!"
Having received a satisfactory answer, Baize quickly wiped the tears from his face. If not for his conspicuously red eye rims, one wouldn't have guessed he had just been crying.
Early the next morning.
Moyuan, currently far away in Taichen Palace, suddenly appeared at Yaoguang Palace.
Perhaps sensing an unfamiliar presence, Baize stirred from his slumber.
He had stayed up rather late fooling around with Yaoguang the night before; he had been far too excited and ended up with insomnia, only drifting off to sleep after Yaoguang coaxed him.
As a Baize who took great pride in his appearance, the very first thing he did upon waking up was to tidy himself so as not to show any weakness before a fake rival.
In front of the water mirror in the air, Baize held up one exquisite, magnificent robe after another, comparing them against himself.
"This pink is too flashy, I'm no old Phoenix. This blue... no good. Oh no, I have nothing to wear! Wuwuwu~"
Hearing Baize talking to himself from the doorway, a maid hurried to the front hall.
She bowed to Moyuan, then rushed to Yaoguang's side and whispered urgently:
"The High God is throwing a tantrum!"
Though she thought she was whispering, everyone present heard it loud and clear.
Moyuan smiled helplessly.
"Since you have matters to attend to, I'll take my leave. Thank you for today; I'll investigate Siyin's affair thoroughly."
"There's no need. I only hope you figure out as soon as possible why she possesses that face—I won't have Shaowan hurt!"
Hearing the name Shaowan once more still twisted Moyuan's heart with agonizing pain.
"I know. Shaowan was so proud; I would never hurt her."
Hurt her or not, he had already done the damage, and moreover, Shaowan was already gone.
What point was there in Moyuan saying such things now?
Yaoguang merely found it tiresome. With a cold glance at departing Moyuan, she rose and headed to the bedchamber.
Baize had run into trouble while receiving his inheritance; although a High God, his spiritual power was much weaker compared to veteran High Gods like them.
Consequently, during their play last night, she hadn't quite been mindful of Baize's limits. Furthermore, Yaoguang had discovered for the very first time that the joys of fish and water didn't necessarily require going all the way to be just as blissful.
For a time, she had grown somewhat addicted to the sensation, and her movements had grown ever more aggressive.
Though Baize possessed ancestral memories, he was still an inexperienced greenhorn.
Leaving everything entirely up to her, Yaoguang found herself loving it all the more when she saw her little sweet treat lying so obediently on the mattress, letting her do as she pleased.
Fueled by that delightful sensation, the two of them had carried on their antics well into the second half of the night.
While she could cultivate her mind and restore her spirit, Baize was clearly exhausted, yet too mentally wired to fall asleep.
It had taken a long time of her coaxing him before he finally drifted off.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't have anything to wear!"
Baize, who the maid said was already awake, had burrowed back under the covers at some point, hiding inside the quilt like a little rabbit.
"A Ze has grown up, and your old clothes indeed aren't flattering enough. As it happens, I'll have the Sujin clan make you a few more sets of new robes, alright?"
"Okay! And I want an imperial crown adorned with big pearls—the brightest kind!"
Baize's eyes shone brightly, looking as though they were filled with stars.
That instantly lifted Yaoguang's mood as well.
"Then we shall go to the West Sea and find shark tears to inlay on A Ze's crown, how does that sound?"
"I knew Yaoguang loves me best! I love Yaoguang too, so, so much—like a father and mother love each other... the kind of love where I want to have babies with you!"