"Who is this little beauty?" The owner of the tall figure exuded dragon aura, with golden dragon horns on his forehead. He was about the same height as Yue Zhiyin.
The immortal attendant beside the "Second Prince" quickly spoke, "This young lady is here to purchase treasures from His Highness the Crown Prince."
Second Prince?
Qi Yu immediately realized that the man exuding dragon aura and smelling of alcohol was the second brother of the North Sea Dragon Crown Prince Yuan Yin, Yuan Cang.
"Is that so?" Yuan Cang leaned closer to Qi Yu's face. "Little beauty, what do you want to buy? Why don't you tell me? If you can please me, I might give it to you."
"Thank you, Second Prince," Qi Yu couldn't afford to offend him. She gently pulled her hand away and said tactfully, "I've changed my mind about these items and will find another way. I won't trouble the Second Prince."
As Qi Yu spoke, she turned to leave.
However, before she could get far, she was reeled back by a stream of water.
She was truly fed up.
Why did everyone, one after another, like to tie her up and bring her back!
Yuan Cang looked at Qi Yu's delicate face and inhaled her scent. "Why are you running? Tell me, what do you need?"
As he spoke, he reached out to touch Qi Yu's wrist, simultaneously releasing his pressure to force Qi Yu to comply.
Qi Yu truly couldn't resist.
But she couldn't afford to confront him head-on.
She glanced around and finally fixed her target on a mirror not far away. While struggling, she instinctively retreated.
The immortal attendants beside them dared not intervene, standing far away.
Seeing that she was close enough to the mirror, Qi Yu abruptly flung Yuan Cang's hand away and touched the mirror.
The mirror, which had been used as decoration, immediately showed a silver-white vortex, and Qi Yu shrank into it.
She vanished without a trace.
"A little trick," Yuan Cang said, his face darkening as he shattered the mirror. "There's nothing I, this Crown Prince, want that I can't get. Track her down and bring her back to me immediately."
The shrimp soldiers and crab generals behind him quickly obeyed.
Qi Yu, knowing that the other party would track her by the traces of her spell, did not return to Yuqing Pavilion or the Beiyuan Sect. Instead, she first went to the Xuanyue Sect.
Then, through a mirror in a farmhouse at the foot of the Xuanyue Sect mountain, she returned to the Beiyuan Sect.
And through her own mirror, she appeared in her bedroom.
"Hoo..." Qi Yu hugged her quilt and let out a long sigh, resting for a while.
After changing back into her male attire, she was about to wash off the dragon aura and go to sleep when she suddenly heard the resounding clang of the mountain-protecting bell from outside.
Lights in other rooms around her lit up one after another.
Qi Yu thought Yuan Cang had chased after her and her heart tightened. She threw on an outer robe and strode out.
Not far away, Li Yu and Yu Zhen also walked over.
The gatekeeper knelt on one knee and reported, "Sect Master, something terrible has happened! The Dragon Clan has suddenly attacked the Xuanyue Sect, and many disciples of the Xuanyue Sect are seriously injured!"
Qi Yu's heart pounded.
Could it be that her deliberate act of returning to the Xuanyue Sect first had caused Yuan Cang to attack the Xuanyue Sect?
This was the only explanation.
Qi Yu breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.
She didn't care much if Yuan Cang caused trouble for the Xuanyue Sect. As long as it didn't bring trouble to the Beiyuan Sect, that was fine.
"The Dragon Clan?" Yue Zhiyin's face showed surprise upon hearing the gatekeeper's words. "Which part of the Dragon Clan is it?"
"I heard it was the Second Prince Yuan Cang," the gatekeeper said, then looked nervously at Li Yu. "Should we activate the mountain-protecting formation first?"
"No need. Yuan Cang is just a dragon cub, what can he do to me?" Li Yu said dismissively, with his hands tucked into his sleeves. "However, everyone should still be vigilant. After all, I have so many treasures in my treasury. The Dragon Clan is so greedy, what if they come to steal my treasures?"
Yue Zhiyin twitched his lips and was about to say something when he suddenly turned to look at Qi Yu and grabbed her wrist. "Qi Yu, what's going on? Why do you have the scent of the Dragon Clan on you?"
Qi Yu then realized that she had come out in such a hurry that she hadn't had time to conceal Yuan Cang's dragon aura.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
Yue Zhiyin narrowed his eyes and looked at her. "Why do you have his dragon aura on you? Did you go out tonight?"
Qi Yu shook her head innocently. After a moment of hesitation, she evasively replied, "I'm not sure."
Her expression was very sincere as she said this.
Yue Zhiyin frowned deeply. Although he didn't say anything, his expression clearly turned grim.
Yu Zhen, holding a cup of hot tea, called out to them, "Alright, stop looking so glum. The Dragon Clan isn't attacking us. As for the dragon aura on Qi Yu, we can investigate tomorrow to see if any of the Dragon Clan came nearby."
Yue Zhiyin nodded and helped carry the tray, distributing tea to everyone.
Qi Yu held the cup in her hands and took a small sip. While she appeared calm on the surface, she was actually contemplating how to explain the dragon aura from Yuan Cang on her.
Perhaps she should just tell the truth when she had the chance?
After all, Yue Zhiyin wouldn't run to the Dragon Clan to ask if it was true or not!
Qi Yu nodded to herself, deciding to do just that.
Thus, an hour later, Qi Yu honestly told Yue Zhiyin about her trip to the North Sea.
Although she didn't mention that she was forced by her "Shiniang" Yu Zhen... she did mention that after leaving the Dragon Palace, she deliberately went to the Xuanyue Sect, which was why Yuan Cang went to cause trouble there.
As for going to the North Sea in disguise... Qi Yu didn't forget, but she didn't mention it.
After all, Yue Zhiyin wouldn't go to the Dragon Clan, and Yuan Cang couldn't find her. Why would she bring it up unnecessarily?
Yue Zhiyin frowned. After listening for a while, he finally sighed:
"Junior Brother Qi Yu, your actions were too reckless. How could you go to the North Sea alone? What if something dangerous had happened?"
"I was wrong, Senior Brother," Qi Yu tugged his sleeve.
Yue Zhiyin remained unmoved.
Qi Yu then performed a hand seal, shrinking her body to that of an eight-year-old boy and pestering Yue Zhiyin.
Seeing Qi Yu's efforts to appease him, Yue Zhiyin finally relented:
"Alright, alright, I'm not angry, I just think it's too dangerous. Come here."
Qi Yu reverted to her original form and moved closer to Yue Zhiyin.
Yue Zhiyin placed his hand on her forehead and said calmly, "I'll help you remove Yuan Cang's dragon aura. Don't go to the North Sea Dragon Palace alone again. If you have to go, you must have someone accompany you, understand?"
Qi Yu nodded.
Yue Zhiyin patted her head. After Qi Yu returned to her room, he teleported away from the Beiyuan Sect and returned to the North Sea.
The moment he entered the Dragon Palace, Yue Zhiyin's appearance changed dramatically.
His original white attire transformed into a black royal robe embroidered with dragon patterns. His golden hair cascaded to his waist. A pair of pure black dragon horns appeared on his forehead, and his pupils reverted to red vertical slits.
At this moment, Yuan Cang was sitting on a chair, drinking with several sea immortal attendants.
Yue Zhiyin's face turned cold. He directly kicked over the table, grabbed Yuan Cang by the collar, and slammed him against the wall. The terrifying pressure made Yuan Cang unable to breathe.
"Brother, why is Brother so angry?" Yuan Cang knelt on the ground, his face pale as he looked at Yue Zhiyin.
"Don't you know what you've done?" Yue Zhiyin narrowed his eyes. "Yuan Cang."