Through further conversation,
An Bulang learned of Azure Kingdom's current situation. It was one of the eight great kingdoms bordering the Soaring Dragon Empire.
The Soaring Dragon Empire had grown increasingly powerful and had begun gradually nibbling away at the regimes of neighboring nations, expanding its influence. Some small countries had already surrendered their sovereignty, but the eight great kingdoms were still struggling to hold on, seeking independence.
Azure Kingdom's king, Ji Yonghao, naturally had no desire to submit to the Soaring Dragon Empire's power. However, his health had worsened by the day, he had achieved few great accomplishments, and his prestige was no longer as formidable as before. This gave Crown Prince Ji Wuye an excellent environment in which to develop.
Ji Wuye had become increasingly forceful, wildly gathering power, building up factions, and maintaining close ties with the Soaring Dragon Empire. Now, he even harbored treasonous ambitions. The Soaring Dragon Empire's shadow lay behind all of it.
Ji Hongxue had obtained key evidence of the Crown Prince's rebellion. This time, she chose to stand with her royal father and intended to hand the evidence to the only person who could contend against the Crown Prince and who remained loyal to her father—the Second Prince.
"My Second Prince, Ji Changwu, is Azure Kingdom's Great General Pingnan. He commands one-third of Azure Kingdom's military strength, and the commanders of the remaining troops all greatly support Ji Changwu as well. With the evidence in his hands, he is the only candidate who can drag Ji Wuye down from the front," Ji Hongxue said as she rode a white tiger.
Seated behind her on the white tiger, An Bulang held Ji Hongxue's slender waist and nodded repeatedly. "So, as long as you deliver the evidence intact into Ji Changwu's hands, your mission will be complete?"
Ji Hongxue sighed. "That is indeed the case. Sigh... If there were a better solution, who would want to see siblings turn their blades upon one another? Second Brother and Eldest Brother are bound to fight. Perhaps that is the sorrow of being born into royalty..."
"Good thing I'm an only child." An Bulang grinned.
"For people of your parents' standing, having only one child is indeed no simple matter." Though Ji Hongxue did not know An Bulang's background, parents capable of raising such an outstanding child as An Bulang were surely extraordinary themselves.
An Bulang merely smiled without speaking, thinking, Of course it wasn't simple! The more powerful the existence, the harder it is to bear offspring. My father and mother struggled for a hundred thousand years just to give birth to me, An Bulang!
It was said that the Yang Seed and Yin Seed had fought for over ten thousand years before successfully merging into a Yang-receiving egg.
How could mortals possibly imagine the Immortal Emperor and Empress having a child? The intensity of it was no less than an interrealm war.
"An Bulang, when you ride a tiger, can you stop letting your hands wander?" Ji Hongxue snapped coyly. "I already allowed you to hold my waist so you wouldn't fall off, but your hand actually slid downward?"
An Bulang looked utterly wronged. "I've been wronged! Your clothes are just too slippery..."
Ji Hongxue's cheeks flushed crimson with anger.
He had taken advantage of her, then blamed her clothes for being slippery?
If this white tiger had not been tamed by An Bulang, and if riding it had not truly been much faster than walking, Ji Hongxue absolutely would not have let An Bulang hold her waist. That was her precious body, yet he had taken advantage of her just like that?!
But time was of the essence now. For the sake of hurrying onward, Ji Hongxue could only endure it!
Roar! The white tiger, a full zhang in length, let out a roar and carried An Bulang and Ji Hongxue onward, seeming to leap even more merrily.
An Bulang truly had not done it on purpose. He had no idea what material Ji Hongxue's gorgeous red robes were made from, but they felt exceptionally smooth. On top of that, her waist had quite a curve to it. Every time the white tiger leaped, inertia made An Bulang's hand move up and down with it. How could he possibly keep it completely still? Unless he wrapped his arms tightly around Ji Hongxue's supple little waist—but that would probably earn him another furious slap.
An Bulang was tormented for a full day and night.
Finally, another day passed.
A majestic city appeared before the two of them.
Its walls stood a full ten zhang high, blue-black all over, resembling a colossal beast crouching upon the earth.
Well-trained soldiers stood guard atop the walls. Clad in black iron armor and holding white crescent halberds, their weapon edges flashed with a dazzling gleam beneath the sunlight, radiating a chilling sharpness.
Ji Hongxue and An Bulang appeared at the city gates atop the white tiger, drawing the attention of many pedestrians and soldiers.
Part of it was because of the imposing white tiger, part because of Ji Hongxue's beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, and a small part because of An Bulang... and his lecherous hand around Ji Hongxue's waist.
Now that the white tiger was no longer running, An Bulang began to let go and curiously surveyed Autumn Moon City, Azure Kingdom's third-largest city.
Pedestrians streamed through the city gates, while the city itself buzzed with voices and activity. It looked exceptionally lively.
The passing pedestrians did not possess the ethereal, desireless, unfathomable air of immortals. Instead, they were accustomed to wearing their joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures upon their faces. Though the human heart remained difficult to fathom, there was still more truth and simplicity in them than in immortals.
"Halt! Who goes there?" A junior general guarding the gates stopped Ji Hongxue.
Sitting upright atop the white tiger, Ji Hongxue drew a golden command token from her robes.
The general's expression changed drastically upon seeing the token. He immediately dropped to his knees and saluted. "This subordinate, Chen Weiming, pays respects to Her Highness the Third Princess!"
The remaining soldiers all knelt and shouted, "We pay respects to Her Highness the Third Princess!"
Ji Hongxue no longer had the charming, playful air she displayed while bickering with An Bulang. Instead, she bore herself with majesty and said calmly, "Rise."
Chen Weiming led the others to their feet, though a trace of surprise remained in his eyes. Clearly, he had not expected the Third Princess to suddenly arrive in Autumn Moon City.
"Is my Second Prince within the city?" Ji Hongxue asked again.
"The Great General is currently practicing martial arts within Prince De's Estate. This subordinate will report your arrival at once!" Chen Weiming immediately said.
"No need. I'll go find him myself." Ji Hongxue waved her hand.
Chen Weiming tactfully had the surrounding soldiers clear a broad path.
"Come on, let's get off the tiger," An Bulang said.
"Wouldn't riding a huge white tiger into the city look even more imposing?" Ji Hongxue whispered.
"Oh... You've grown attached to riding it? Caught between a tiger and a hard place?" An Bulang laughed.
Ji Hongxue blushed at his words and raised her hand as if to strike him. But mindful of a princess's dignity, she forcibly stopped herself. As she leaped down from the tiger, she muttered, "That's not how you use 'caught between a tiger and a hard place.'"
An Bulang patted the white tiger's rump. "Thanks, little white tiger."
The white tiger looked as though a heavy burden had been lifted. It turned its head toward An Bulang, let out a cheerful roar, and scampered away.
Chen Weiming watched in astonishment. He had originally thought the white tiger was one of the princess's exceptional mounts, but it turned out that the young man had casually summoned it to use for travel? He could not help casting the youth a deep look, wondering which young talent of Azure Kingdom he might be, only to realize that none matched him.
An Bulang and Ji Hongxue entered Autumn Moon City through its gates. Before them stood all manner of shops: weapon stores, clothing stores, as well as many interesting snack stalls and taverns.
An Bulang had no interest in weapons or clothes, but he was fascinated by the local delicacies and ate his way along the streets.
"Mmm, what is this called? It tastes so sweet and crispy?" An Bulang asked excitedly.
"Dragon Beard Candy." Ji Hongxue sounded exasperated. "I truly don't know what world you came from, not even knowing something like this."
"What about this? What is this salty, fragrant thing?" An Bulang found it delicious and kept eating.
"Hand-grabbed Pancake..." Ji Hongxue pressed a hand to her forehead speechlessly.
An Bulang ate all the way there, while Ji Hongxue explained all the way there.
Before they knew it, an imposing prince's estate appeared ahead.
Ji Hongxue sighed. "We're finally here—Prince De's Estate!"