Before anyone realized it, the carriage had entered the imperial palace.
"Imperial Brother, we've arrived. Please get out."
Xue Qinghe's gentle voice broke the ambiguous atmosphere inside the carriage. Zhu Huang let go of Dugu Yan's hand and sat up from her arms. The two exchanged a glance, and the look in their eyes grew even more intimate.
Seeing Dugu Yan step out of the carriage with flushed cheeks, a smile at the corners of her mouth, looking as if she were very happy, and glancing at Zhu Huang from time to time with affection in her eyes, Xue Qinghe's gaze flickered, and his smile turned somewhat suggestive.
Dugu Yan's face grew even redder, but Zhu Huang seemed not to notice at all. He praised, "As expected of the imperial palace. It feels like standing before a divine court."
"It can't compare to the peace and quiet of Sky Demon Island!"
Xue Qinghe said with a smile. After joining Ning Fengzhi and the others, they had only walked a few steps when they saw Emperor Xue Ye and the empress coming to receive them. Beside them was a pretty young girl of about ten. Even surrounded by a crowd of palace maids, her looks and bearing still stood out, like a crane among chickens.
"Your Majesty, Your Grace!"
The group cupped their hands in greeting.
"Worthy nephew, Sect Master Ning, three Your Excellencies, Brother Dugu, Madam Dugu, Niece Dugu!"
Emperor Xue Ye and the empress greeted them one by one. The husband and wife looked Zhu Huang up and down several times, both revealing looks of admiration and satisfaction.
The pretty young girl also secretly sized Zhu Huang up, but when Zhu Huang looked toward her, her gaze dodged away, not daring to meet his eyes.
"We have long been