Chapter (9)

"I heard rumors that the witch queen has tamed the black serpent, could it be him who hit you?"

The crown prince's brows creased. A serpent? It was not an easy demon to be shoved out of the way easily. The Spirit Forest had become more hideous.

That girl! She might not survive next time if she kept wandering there.

'Why am I nervous about her?'

Even the thought of it made him exasperated that his head heated.

"She might die!"

He whispered.

"Who? The rural girl who saved you?"

Lord Hao Yu could not hide his curiosity, he was the Lord of the Wolf Saints, the crown prince's hand, and his best childhood friend. A faithful strict man who loathed his royal highness's inflexible urge for death!

But, ever since they met, he had never seen him paying attention to a woman he didn't know. He only cared about the queen and his younger sister.

"Find the person who forged this nail."

He demanded, dismissing the other question.

"What about the girl? You mentioned her being around eighteen but how come to have a cub spirit at this age?"

"Hmm, I don't know! I left her my black pearl so she can get out of the forest."

"What?"

Hao Yu almost shouted.

"Don't exchange words about her with anyone and stop chasing her until I ask."

Li Bai turned around and shot him a threatening glare.

Hao Yu shook his head, trying not to burst out in wrath. How could he pass her the black pearl that he had given him? That was why Hao Yu couldn't track him all night and had to use the tassel jade, wishing that he could hear.

"I'd mixed its power with your blood, you know that she cannot use its spiritual magic essence to navigate her path, don't you?"

"I do, that is why I diverted the enchantment and let it be mixed with her blood!!"

"..."

Speechless!

The more Hao Yu was acknowledged, the more agitated his nerves became. His heart was pricked, how could he let go of a given gift?

"So you can find her, whenever you want!" His tone was slow and calmer now and exhibited his deep-rooted anger.

"Yes! You can leave now, send scrolls to all the Lords and summon them. We must meet, our enemy has been getting stronger in the shadows."

'Is that all? Is that what you have to say after meeting your father? Why don't you say that he lashed your back?'

Hao Yu bowed his head and turned to take his leave when he said, "Be careful with that girl. I don't trust her. She might be disguised as a frail person."

'Stubborn Prince, do whatever you want, there is always Hao Yu to drag you out of your predicament! Concubine Xiang will face a decent curse for pursuing the King to lash you.' He told himself and slammed the door behind him.

Li Bai sighed and walked to the table where a tray was set. His father had sent him remedies to make sure his blood was entirely cleansed from any poison.

The trace of the lash on his back healed quickly after applying the remedial paste. It didn't hurt at all.

Picking the porcelain white cup with its amazing crane pattern on it, he grinned mysteriously.

"I rushed to the mountain out of whim, it won't happen again!"

He sipped the remedy and frowned. It was more bitter than the Pink Bride herb the girl had given him.

Its flavor was unbearable!

But he couldn't tell anyone about the girl and the nail that stuck to him.

His father would not refrain from the girl and might search for her. This could ruin her life.

He put down the empty cup and walked to the door that led to the garden. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in but soon the dark picture in his mind reversed to the cub.

"Xiaojiao!"

The cub was cute but he could not say the same if it once were a mature wolf. Aside from that, he had never seen a black wolf before. In the whole kingdom, there was only a rare colored Spirit animal and it belonged to him.

The rest had gray, brown, or mixed colors of white and black, he had never seen a raven black wolf.

Her human also had a charm that allured him, he could not deny that girl fascinated him.

"What is your name?"

Her image was displayed in his mind when a sound broke the wave of his imagination.

"Who? Me? Have you forgotten my name?"

A joyous sound of laughter echoed and made him squeeze his eyelids.

"Lord Xiao Bo, stop fooling around!"

He uttered in anger and opened his eyes. He just assaulted his privacy!

"Haven't you asked Hao Yu to send me a scroll? Why are you sad and surprised that I came earlier? Is it bad that I came because I was worried about you? The news of you being attacked by demons in the Xue mountains had scattered all around!"

Ah, this chatty bird again!

The seventeen-year-old White eagle from Eagle's clan sat near the pond and shifted form into a human in a white and black robe. His handsomeness could not be measured less than Li Bai. His black hair was longer and his face distant. His features matched the clothing and his personality; it was all endearing.

"Perhaps, you want to catch a breath before..."

"Of course, I was sulking with you but you know I couldn't sleep the whole night, how could you go without us? At least you should have taken your knights with you! Those useless wolves can't just accompany their precious Crown Prince!"

'Tsk! He doesn't even let me talk! This silly boy!'

"Wait for others!"

That was all he said, he would get bored of explaining one by one. This one could be a little patient.

"Then, I'm going to visit Jinhai!"

He smiled cheerfully and his cheeks blushed.

The crown prince scowled, "Make sure you help him get on his feet, then!"

Xiao Bo's expression darkened and his smile vanished.

"What is wrong with him?"

The prince hated to say what happened last night but now he had to. He couldn't hide it when the words were flying around already.

"He tried to protect me from the Divine whip!"

He did not clarify more as he knew his smart Lord enough.

Xiao Bo felt his heart drummed in chaos in his chest, he did not linger more and flashed out of the garden like a slim blazing light.