The divine dragon descended, its might overwhelming.
The voice of the old Ying Long at this moment was like thunder, deafening, causing the complexions of those around to turn pale, their foreheads slick with cold sweat.
Ji Mo, who bore the brunt of it, remained as steady as a rock, unfazed.
He casually lifted an eyelid and said, "Who says a toad can't eat swan meat? In the face of love, all beings are equal. Whether royalty or commoner, who can claim superiority? True love can transcend race, age, and even gender, overcoming all obstacles, clinging to each other through life and death..."
He paused.
He glanced at the old Ying Long with pity and said, "Looking at you, you're clearly unwanted and understand nothing."
For Ying Menglong's sake, Ji Mo suppressed his anger and did not attack, merely retorting.
Just a dragon, thinking too highly of itself.
The dragon meat he had hung in the nearby woods was still there. If it dared to act up again in front of him, he would simply fire up the wok and serve it.
Unwanted?
These three words, like sharp knives, pierced the old Ying Long's heart.
It hurt, it hurt so much.
She was indeed solitary and had remained single until old age.
Ji Mo had struck a raw nerve, causing her to explode in fury.
"Roar..."
The old Ying Long roared.
The clouds in the sky were instantly shattered, and the void cracked open, revealing terrifying fissures.
The old Ying Long raised its massive dragon claw, intending to tear Ji Mo to shreds on the spot.
How could the dignity of a divine dragon be desecrated by an ant?
"Stop."
Ying Menglong flashed forward, blocking Ji Mo, "He is my best friend, and I will not allow you to harm him."
The old Ying Long bared its teeth and reluctantly withdrew its claw.
Its heart grew even colder. Its princess was actually defending a human to such an extent, even reprimanding it in public. This was not a good sign.
It directly sowed discord, "Your Highness, humans are inherently deceitful and cunning. This person approaching you must have ulterior motives and ill intentions. Do not be fooled by him."
"You are mistaken. It is I who have ulterior motives and ill intentions, and I approached him first. He is a very important person to me, and he saved my life, making him my benefactor. You cannot be presumptuous."
Ying Menglong put on a stern face and gravely admonished the old Ying Long, urging it to show gratitude and respect towards Ji Mo.
As she spoke, she stole glances at Ji Mo, her cheeks flushed.
After all, Ji Mo had just said that race was not an issue.
Was this a hint?
The old Ying Long naturally did not believe Ying Menglong's words. Given her status and qualifications, she would not need to stoop to woo a man; it was simply a fantasy.
As for the life-saving grace, it was certainly a lie.
Previously, the princess had never told lies, but now, for a man, she was openly fabricating stories, which only increased her hatred for Ji Mo.
However, she dared not disobey Ying Menglong and suppressed her killing intent.
He was just an ant; she could deal with him later. The priority now was to escort the princess back.
"Your Highness, something major has happened. The Candle Dragon clan has twisted the truth, accusing us of breaking the alliance and killing Zhu Qi. They have already begun summoning Candle Dragons from all regions to return, and a war may break out at any moment."
The old Ying Long's face was grave, informing her of the urgent situation. To prevent further complications, Ying Menglong had to return quickly.
Upon hearing this news, Ying Menglong was furious. How shameless could the Candle Dragon clan be, falsely accusing them and turning the tables?
She asked, "If they frame us, a thorough investigation should expose the truth. Will the Dragon Alliance simply stand by and do nothing?"
The old Ying Long said disdainfully, "The Dragon Alliance has long been corrupt. It is now likely a one-party rule by the Candle Dragon clan. This old servant suspects that if a war breaks out, many members of the Dragon Alliance will side with the Candle Dragon clan. The situation is critical, and we hope Your Highness will return to contribute to our clan."
Of course, the old Ying Long did not explicitly state that the Ying Long clan urgently needed allies, and it might be necessary for Ying Menglong to form alliances through marriage with other dragon clans to secure reliable allies to jointly resist the Candle Dragon clan.
Therefore, for this reason, when it noticed Ying Menglong seemed to have developed feelings for Ji Mo, it harbored killing intent, wanting to eliminate this potential disaster.
As the princess of the Ying Long clan, while enjoying honor, she also had to bear the responsibilities and make necessary sacrifices.
Any feelings that should not exist must be severed early; the interests of the clan come first.
Ying Menglong was unaware of the cruel truth and naively believed that she should indeed fight for her clan, so she nodded in agreement.
However, she also requested to stay for one more night.
She still wanted to spend the last moments with Ji Mo, as she did not know if there would be another chance to meet after leaving.
Night fell, the full moon like a plate, its radiance like water, casting a light veil over the land.
The evening breeze gently blew, carrying bursts of floral fragrance.
Ji Mo stood on the grass with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the moon, feeling a pang of homesickness.
"The moon is fullest on the fifteenth, round on the sixteenth. The Bodhi tree at the orphanage back home must be bearing fruit by now. I wonder how Sister Bao'er is doing, if she's well?"
Ji Mo sighed, recalling that innocent and romantic girl, picking bodhi seeds under the tree and forcing him to recite "Acquaintance," a scene that lingered in his mind.
"Mengmeng, do you know Wang Wei's 'Acquaintance'?"
That childish voice seemed to echo in his ears, evoking a sense of melancholy. Da Feng Novel Network.
Ji Mo, moved by the scene, chanted a poem to the moon, "When Will the Bright Moon Appear?"
Behind him, Ying Menglong, who had been watching him daze, was deeply touched, her eyes welling up with tears.
"May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon across a thousand miles. What beautiful verses. This is probably the only time, and perhaps the last time, we will admire the moon together."
Ying Menglong's face was filled with sorrow.
Perhaps after this parting, it would be forever.
This rascal, with his face full of loneliness and melancholy, reciting such poignant poetry, was he also reluctant to part, just like her?
Ying Menglong's heart was in turmoil, feeling that Ji Mo must have feelings for her too. This guy was just stubborn, saying one thing and meaning another, appearing indifferent on the surface, but his heart was filled with deep emotions.
"You treat me as your own life; I regard you as my own heart. After we part tomorrow, I don't know if we will ever meet again. Then I will leave my most beautiful self for you." Da Feng Novel.
Ying Menglong bit her lower lip, a bold idea forming in her mind.
Suppressing her shyness, she quickly walked to Ji Mo's side and whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, "Bean sprout, you've always wanted to ride me, haven't you? I... I agree..."
After saying that, her face became as delicate as a ripe peach, and she lowered her head, afraid to meet anyone's gaze.
"Really?"
Ji Mo's expression was one of disbelief. The gloom on his face vanished instantly. Excitedly, he grabbed Ying Menglong's soft and boneless hand, his body trembling with anticipation.
He couldn't wait and said eagerly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
"Ah! Right here?"
Ying Menglong was taken aback. Shouldn't such a thing be done in a secluded place?
However, since it had come to this, if this scoundrel liked this style, she would indulge him.
"I... it's my first time, so please be gentle..."
Ying Menglong pulled back her hand, mustered all her courage, and began to tremble as she unfastened the buttons at her neckline, her palms covered in sweat.
"Don't worry, I have quite a bit of experience with this..."
Ji Mo rubbed his hands together, a lecherous smile on his face.
"Quite a bit of experience?"
Ying Menglong froze instantly.
Her little heart ached.
Then, Ji Mo's next words struck her like an electric shock, making her exclaim that she had been mistaken!