At first, no one realized anything was wrong. But after the thunder rolled, a terrified howl rang out: "My Night-Luminescent Pearl? Where is my Night-Luminescent Pearl?"
Xue Shengjing, Prince of Yan, was inwardly startled as well. The lightning had eclipsed the Night-Luminescent Pearl's glow, but once it passed, the pearl should have shone as brightly as ever. Its light was enough to illuminate the entire hall, yet that flash seemed to have stolen all its radiance. Most of the guests were still caught in the shock of that peal of spring thunder.
Lamps and candles were finally lit inside the Treasure-Gathering Palace, gradually restoring its former brightness. But that brightness had nothing to do with the Night-Luminescent Pearl. Everyone looked up at the beam from which the pearl had hung. The mesh pouch remained, but the pearl had vanished without a trace.
Hu Xiaotian rose from his seat and rushed beneath the beam, his enormous belly thrust out. The fat man's intrusion instantly spoiled the beautiful scene of the young women dancing. It looked rather comical, but no one could laugh, for everyone had realized what had happened.
Hu Xiaotian looked up and pointed overhead. "My Night-Luminescent Pearl! Someone stole my Night-Luminescent Pearl!"
His heart-rending cry was like a thunderbolt exploding in everyone's ears, loud enough to wake the deaf. Some guests felt sympathy, some gloated, but most were shocked. Such a huge Night-Luminescent Pearl had been stolen beneath everyone's eyes, without anyone noticing-and in the residence of Xue Shengjing, Prince of Yan, no less.
Xue Shengjing's face turned livid. He had been determined to obtain the pearl, never imagining that someone would suddenly beat him to it. His sense of loss was beyond description, especially when he heard Hai Dasheng wail, "I brought that Night-Luminescent Pearl expressly as a