At the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, Xuan Xiao had followed Qian Renxue back without the slightest hesitation after she invited him.
The fellow looked this way and that the whole journey, as though strolling through his own back garden, never once treating himself as an outsider.
Once inside the palace's main hall, Xuan Xiao dispensed with courtesy, walked straight to the seat of honor draped with a white tiger pelt, and plopped himself down.
His movements were so natural that the seat seemed rightfully his. He even picked up the freshly brewed hot tea on the table and blew at the foam floating on top.
Xue Qinghe's gentle, jade-like face instantly darkened, the corner of his mouth twitching. What sort of invited guest was this?
He was clearly a bandit king here to wreck the place.
He was about to rebuke this beggar for his lack of manners, but before he could speak, Xuan Xiao lazily lifted his eyes and stared straight at the empty air behind him.
Xuan Xiao smacked his lips, sounding as though he were complaining about how awful the neighbors' cooking was.
"Where are the people behind you? Come out. All this skulking around is exhausting just to watch."
At those words, the smile on Xue Qinghe's face froze, and his refined, gentlemanly composure nearly cracked.
His heart lurched. He marveled inwardly at the youth's keen perception. Had he actually detected the Titled Douluo secretly guarding her?
"You're joking, my friend. There is no one behind me. This palace is simply spacious, so there are a few echoes."
Xue Qinghe forcibly suppressed his shock and maintained the Crown Prince's composure, though the veins on the back of the hand holding his folding fan bulged slightly.
Xuan Xiao snickered and set his teacup down with a sharp