Golden Radiance turned its head.
It gave her a glance with its large golden eyes.
Then it snorted, puffing out a breath of hot air streaked with golden arcs of lightning.
Su Wanqing jumped, but when she realized the Qilin meant no harm, the tension on her face slowly gave way to a smile.
"His scales are so warm!"
Growing bolder, she reached out with both hands and stroked Golden Radiance's neck.
Golden Radiance seemed to enjoy her touch, letting out a low rumble from its throat.
Watching the scene, Lin Changqing suddenly spoke.
"Want to ride together and take a look around? The Flower Deity Festival doesn't start until this evening, so we can explore the area around the Capital City first."
Su Wanqing's hands paused in midair as she turned to look at Lin Changqing.
Her eyes widened, and her voice was filled with delight.
"C-can I? I can ride too?"
Lin Changqing chuckled.
"Of course."
Su Wanqing was so happy she nearly jumped. She hurriedly turned to give instructions to the palace maids and guards accompanying her.
"You can go back first! Tell Father Emperor I'm with Prince Wu'an, so he doesn't need to worry!"
Seeing the excitement on her princess's face, Cuier couldn't help smiling.
"Yes, Princess."
The attendants bowed and took their leave, sneaking a few more glances at the mighty Qilin before they went.
Lin Changqing swung onto Golden Radiance's back, then held out a hand to Su Wanqing.
"Climb on."
Su Wanqing's cheeks flushed faintly as she placed her hand in Lin Changqing's palm.
Lin Changqing gave a gentle tug, and she gracefully settled onto the Qilin's back.
Right in front of Lin Changqing.
Riding together, they were close enough for Su Wanqing to catch the faint scent of sandalwood on him.
Her heart thumped, and her ears grew warm.
She secretly turned her head to glance at Lin Changqing behind her.
His profile was sharply defined, and the morning light fell across his face, making him seem to glow.
Su Wanqing quickly turned her head away, not daring to look again.
But she couldn't suppress the curve of her lips.
"Hold on tight."
Lin Changqing patted Golden Radiance's neck.
Golden Radiance raised its head and let out a clear cry. Its four hooves thundered with golden lightning as it shot into the sky.
Su Wanqing felt as though a gentle force had lifted her up.
The scenery around them plunged away, and the wind roared in her ears.
But an invisible shield of protective qi enveloped Golden Radiance's back, blocking the gale completely.
Only a gentle breeze brushed her face. It felt wonderful.
The Qilin soared higher and higher, and the Capital City beneath them grew smaller and smaller.
Su Wanqing looked down and saw neat streets, rows of closely packed buildings, and pedestrians walking along the roads like ants.
It was nothing like riding in the Dragon Carriage.
When she rode in the Dragon Carriage, people carried her along while she sat cooped up inside, unable to see anything.
Now, she felt like a free bird soaring through the sky.
"So high!"
She couldn't help shouting, her voice brimming with excitement.
Watching her excitement, Lin Changqing's lips lifted slightly.
"Want to take a look outside the city? The scenery's even better over there."
"Yes!"
Su Wanqing nodded hard and answered happily.
Golden Radiance stepped through the air with all four hooves and flew out of the Capital City.
At the mansion gate, Uncle Liu and Cuier stood side by side, watching the golden figure disappear into the distance.
Cuier clasped her hands together, her face full of envy and wistful admiration.
"Uncle Liu, don't you think our prince and the princess make a perfect match?"
Uncle Liu stroked his beard, smiling kindly.
"A handsome man and a beautiful woman, made for each other. I've lived all these years, and I've never seen a couple more well matched than our prince and Princess Yunshu."
Cuier nodded vigorously.
"Exactly! And didn't you see the princess's expression just now? When the prince invited her to ride the Qilin with him, she nearly jumped for joy! I've served the princess in the palace for so many years, and I've never seen her this happy."
Uncle Liu chuckled.
"The prince is usually cool and distant toward everyone, but he's got a little patience for the princess."
"This old servant thinks there's a chance."
They exchanged a glance, both wearing knowing smiles.
Meanwhile.
In South City, on a bustling street.
This was the most famous market street in the Capital City, with all kinds of little stalls lining both sides of the road.
Some sold candied hawthorns, some handmade wooden carvings, some rouge and powder, and some protective charms.
Shouts rose one after another as crowds streamed by.
In an inconspicuous corner, a peddler selling handmade wooden carvings was busy arranging his wares with his head bowed.
His stall was covered with all sorts of little wooden trinkets, finely carved and reasonably priced.
He looked like an ordinary craftsman.
But when the golden Qilin flew overhead, he lifted his head and followed the golden light with his gaze for a long while.
Deep in his eyes, a fierce hatred and killing intent flashed.
That bastard Red Python was dead, and the Branch Sect he'd spent so much effort building had been uprooted.
Not one of the sect's followers had survived.
Even the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue they'd worked so hard to turn had been arrested, and his entire clan was about to be executed.
It was all because of Evergreen Saint Venerable Lin Changqing!
"Damn you, Evergreen Saint Venerable..."
His voice was so low that only he could hear it.
"If the Branch Sect here were still standing, tonight's plan would have at least a seventy percent chance of success. With Red Python Sect Leader's help, the Underground Palace as a fallback, enough people to set up the array, and Qian Youde providing intelligence..."
"But now, we've only got a few of us left, lying low on the outskirts. There's no support and no way out. The difficulty of tonight's plan has multiplied several times over..."
He took a deep breath and set down the wooden carving in his hand.
His gaze turned once more to the golden speck in the sky, now almost out of sight.
More precisely, he was looking at the figure in the pale pink dress on the Qilin's back.
Princess Yunshu, Su Wanqing.
According to the news today, she was the one representing the imperial family and leaving the palace to celebrate with the people at this year's Flower Deity Festival.
"Evergreen Saint Venerable, you're impressive. At the Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak, you killed Red Python Sect Leader with a single sword strike. Even a Pureblood Qilin, said to have vanished long ago, came soaring through the sky to acknowledge you as its master."
His lips curled into a sinister smile.
"But no matter how impressive you are... you can't protect everyone."
"You care about Princess Yunshu, don't you? Good. Then you can watch with your own eyes as she..."
Just then, a middle-aged woman led a child up to his stall.
"Shopkeeper, how much for this little tiger?"
The gloom vanished from the peddler's face in an instant, replaced by an honest, genial smile.
"Three coins each, or two for five."
His voice was warm and natural, nothing like the traitor who'd been gnashing his teeth moments earlier.
"All right, give me two—one tiger and one rabbit."
The woman paid, then led the child away.
The peddler smiled as he watched them go, then lowered his head and continued fiddling with the wooden carvings in his hands.
Yet in his lowered eyes, a cold killing intent still flickered.
At the same time.
Deep inside a private residence in North City.
In an underground chamber, several people dressed as ordinary citizens sat around a stone table.
The candlelight on the table flickered, casting their faces in shifting shadows.
"Is everything ready?"
The leader was an old man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies. His hair was white, and his face was lined with wrinkles.
To the neighbors, he was a candied hawthorn seller who carried his rack through the streets every day, smiling at everyone he met.
But now, his smile had vanished completely, replaced by a grim and vicious expression.
"It's ready," a middle-aged woman beside him said quietly.
"The altars are set up in several of the busiest places in the city. There'll be the most people there on the night of the Flower Deity Festival, making them ideal places to strike."
A young man continued, "The sacrifices are ready too. As soon as the array is activated, Lord Lifeless Demon Saint's avatar can descend through them."
He looked like an ordinary teahouse attendant, usually quick on his feet as he poured tea and waited on customers.
"Good."
The old man nodded, sweeping his gaze over everyone present.
"Listen up."
"The Branch Sect is gone, and Red Python Sect Leader is dead. There are only a few of us left in the city. We have no support and nowhere to retreat."
His voice was low and grave.
"But tonight's operation must succeed. Failure is not an option."
"Lord Lifeless Demon Saint has run out of patience. The Branch Sect kept delaying, saying the time wasn't right, saying they needed more preparations."
"Well, now the Branch Sect is gone, and Lord Demon Saint doesn't want to wait any longer."
"Tonight, no matter the cost, we must complete the Blood Sacrifice Array and bring down Lord Demon Saint's avatar."
He turned to the middle-aged woman.
"Any problems with the altars?"
"None," the woman replied, shaking her head.
"There'll be a huge crowd at the Flower Deity Festival. Our people will blend in and activate the array. The Demon Suppressing Division won't be able to detect it ahead of time. By the time they realize what's happening, Lord Demon Saint's avatar will already have arrived."
The old man looked to the young man.
"When that happens, we'll take advantage of the chaos in the Capital City and get out as quickly as possible."
The old man nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"It's a pity we're short on people, and Evergreen Saint Venerable has thrown a wrench in the works. We can't be completely sure we'll capture the imperial family member responsible for this year's Flower Deity Festival."
"Otherwise, the emperor's most beloved daughter, Princess Yunshu, would have become our greatest bargaining chip..."
He stood up and braced both hands on the stone table.
"Remember, this is Lord Demon Saint's last chance for us. The Branch Sect is gone. If we botch tonight's operation too, you all know what will happen."
The others silently nodded.
Of course they knew. The Holy Demon God Sect never tolerated failure.
Red Python Sect Leader had died because he wasn't strong enough.
But if tonight's operation failed, even if they made it back alive, they'd wish they were dead.
"Good. Get ready."
The old man waved them off.
Everyone rose and went their separate ways.
The old man was left alone in the secret chamber.
He looked down at the map of the Capital City on the table. Several spots had been circled in red.
They were the key points of tonight's Blood Sacrifice Array.
"Evergreen Saint Venerable..."
He murmured the name, with a trace of apprehension in his voice, but a far greater madness in his killing intent.
"Tonight, at the Flower Deity Festival, Lord Lifeless Demon Saint will personally make his move. Then you'll see what a foolish decision it was to offend the Holy Demon Race and our Holy Demon God Sect!"
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