Chapter 16: Crowned

"What is this about an engagement, Brother Bohai?"

Leng Ling had caught the tail end of his conversation with Miss Li.

"Ah... Um... Ling'er errrr... Ummmmm... Jun'er? It's about you after all, you want to explain?"

Fu Bohai scratched his head awkwardly.

"I had forgotten about that agreement between our Mother's."

Long Junjie looked slightly nervous.

"But, basically they were best friends when younger. My mother came from a side line branch of the Fu Family and became the Empress. Your's from the main line of the royal family in Di Guo and married in to the main line of the Fu Family.

When your Mother got pregnant with you they learnt it was a girl a marriage agreement was made. However it specifically mentioned that the daughter I was engaged to was Di Li's and no one else could be substituted. The agreement would be in agreement until I turn 25. We either married before that point or the engagement would be considered null and void.

I'm not sure why Miss Li would assume that Miss Fu could take your place in that agreement. Substitution is impossible."

Leng Ling studied Long Junjie carefully. He didn't seem to be lying about having forgotten about it. So it didn't seem like he had tried to get close to her because of it. Suddenly she thought of some thing.

"Brother Junjie, I forgot to ask before, how old are you now?"

Long Junjie was stunned for a minute. It was the first time she had said his name.

"I'm 20. We have 5 years left before we either fulfill the marriage agreement or it expires."

Leng Ling nodded then turned away from the others and lifted her wrist and spoke in beast language.

"Laoshi Fengniao, can you hear me?"

"Ling'er, yes I can hear you. Your bracelet works well."

"I'm glad. Can I just checkbon the situation with the Air Bird Tribe? I just interrupted two groups of humans fighting over your Yellow Mockingbird Flower. Was anyone hurt on your side from it?"

"No, the battle didn't get this far, however, Hong'er is attempting to break through to supreme level. I think she could do with a little extra boost for it."

"Ok, give me a couple of seconds and I'll send you some Celestial Water and some pills to help her."

A couple of seconds passed and Leng Ling held a couple of porcelain bottles in her hand which she then put into her bracelet and sent to the Air Bird Tribe King for Hong'er.

"Thank you, Ling'er. Please wait a few minutes. The little ones have made you a gift and they want to give it to you directly."

"OK, I'll wait here for them."

Communications cut off and Leng Ling sat down on a nearby rock to wait. The others were confused since they didn't understand anything that was said. Long Junjie walked over to ask her what was happening.

"Are we waiting for something, Ling'er?"

"Ah, the little ones of the Air Bird Tribe have apparently made me something that they don't want to send directly through the bracelet. They apparently want to give it to me themselves. They're still small so they are a little slower at traveling and might take a little while. Just take a break and rest."

"Ok."

Long Junjie sat down beside her and motioned for everyone else to rest as well. Hu Feng, Fu Bohai and Hu Bai came to join them. Not long afterwards a buzzing sound could be heard approaching through the trees. The Hu Family members panicked a little until Hu Feng told them to calm down.

Soon a half dozen baby hummingbirds could be seen approaching carrying something yellow. As they got closer everyone realized that they were carrying a small Yellow Mockingbird Flower crown.

"Sister Ming, what is this?"

Leng Ling asked bemused in human language. Fengniao Ming was in Supreme level and able to speak the human language.

"You've always been our 10 Thousand Beast Forest's Beast Princess. Dad helped us make it and permanentlybfreeze the flowers so they won't wilt. Now it's official. All the Tribe Kings agreed to it."

Fengniao Ming and her friends carefully placed the crown on Leng Ling's head as the people around her watched in shock.

"Drip your blood on it, Ling'er. This crown is special. When you want it to appear, it will show on your head. If you don't want it to show, it will remain invisible."

Leng Ling did as told and dropped a bead of blood on the crown. It appeared to be fixed in place. When she willed it to hide it turned invisible. When she willed it to be visible, it glowed brightly against her black hair.

Leng Ling held her hands up for the little birds to sit on them. She raised them to her face gently kissed the head of each bird.

"Tell Laoshi Fengniao and the others thank you on my behalf."

Suddenly Long Junjie spoke from beside them and held out a small black stone.

"Here. Give this to your Father to pass around the Tribe Kings. If they pass their Devine Sense through it they will find a memory of the scene just now in it so they can view it themselves."

"Is this a memory rock?"

Fengniao Ming asked. Leng Ling looked at the stone thoughtfully. It gave her some ideas for her bracelet.

"Yes. I had two on me. I used one to record the memory just now so you can share it."

"Thank you, Young Master. I appreciate that. So will my Father and the other Tribe Kings."

The little birds said their good byes to Leng Ling and left back to their tribe. Once they had left, Leng Ling and the others began to leave the forest.