Wen Jiao was stunned.
Looking at Yao Yue's unusually tense expression, she was momentarily at a loss for words.
After a moment, she chuckled and said, " Princess Yao Yue is joking. A complete secret realm is a world unto itself. How could it be eaten by someone? Could it be that you were really beaten by my husband... to the point that your soul is somewhat confused?"
Wen Jiao paused, her tone softening.
"There was indeed some misunderstanding between you and my husband before. After this matter is resolved, I will advise him to be more restrained."
Yao Yue's lips twitched slightly, but her expression showed no sign of softening.
My concern isn't whether he'll change his ways in the future.
She looked back at the long street in the distance, her voice tinged with an undeniable hoarseness.
What I'm really worried about is... whether he'll have a chance to behave himself in the future.
Wen Jiao's brows furrowed immediately.
" Princess Yao Yue, what do you mean by that?"
Wen Jiao stared intently at Yao Yue.
She originally thought that this Qingqiu princess was eccentric and had made a lot of jokes because of Chu Yunfei's absurd methods.
But at this moment, Yao Yue was clearly not talking nonsense.
Her face turned pale.
Deep within those eerie purple eyes lurked a rarely seen trace of fear.
Yao Yue opened her mouth.
"I..."
She stopped abruptly as soon as she spoke.
How can this be explained?
Tell Wen Jiao that a shocking change is about to happen here?
Or should I tell her that a little monster has its eye on this secret realm, and her husband is about to be devoured along with the realm?
If this were to be said aloud, Wen Jiao would probably just think she'd lost her mind again.
A fine layer of sweat appeared on Yao Yue's forehead. She stammered for a long time but was unable to give a complete explanation.
Wen Jiao's doubts deepened.
She followed Yao Yue's gaze and looked into the distance again.
The street wasn't particularly crowded.
Near the alley entrance were several ordinary stalls, some selling spirit fruits, others selling low-level talismans and children's toys.
The only one who seemed a little different was a girl standing in front of the candied hawthorn stall.
The girl was about three or four years old.
She wore a blue-gray short skirt and had two round buns tied in her hair with blue ribbons.
Her features were exquisitely sculpted, and her dark eyes were clear and bright.
She stood quietly by the bustling street, a stark contrast to the noisy square in the distance.
Wen Jiao glanced at it a few more times.
Aside from being exceptionally beautiful and adorable, the girl showed no signs of spiritual energy; she appeared to be just an ordinary child.
Perhaps it was a junior member of a cultivator who got separated from his elders and was attracted by the candied hawthorns.
Wen Jiao withdrew her gaze and said softly, " Princess Yao Yue, if you feel unwell, I'll have someone send you back to the Pill Pavilion first. With Father and several vice pavilion masters here, nothing will happen."
"No need!"
Yao Yue refused very quickly.
As soon as she spoke, she realized that her reaction had been too strong and quickly lowered her voice.
"I'm not feeling unwell, but there's something I need to confirm in person. I'll be back shortly after taking care of it."
Before Wen Jiao could ask any questions, Yao Yue had already stood up from the platform.
She glanced at the long street in the distance, then lowered her black veil and quickly descended to the ground along the edge of the platform.
That panic was as if they were about to face something terrible.
Wen Jiao watched her retreating figure, her eyes filled with even deeper doubt.
The secret realm was eaten?
This claim is utterly absurd.
But Yao Yue's behavior just now didn't seem like a pretense.
She looked again at the spot where the little girl had been.
There was nothing unusual at the candied hawthorn stall.
Wen Jiao finally shook her head gently, refocusing her attention on the Heavenly Mystic Secret Realm.
Chu Yunfei is currently still inside the secret realm.
Nangong Wuhen has already perished, and the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect Nangong Hai, is on the verge of exploding with rage.
The real danger will come when the gates reopen in three days.
As for what Yao Yue wants to do, as long as she doesn't reveal her Demon Race identity in the imperial city, let her do as she pleases.
At the entrance of a long street and alley.
Behind the candied hawthorn stall, a middle-aged vendor wearing a coarse cloth jacket looked helpless.
He had dark skin, a faint scar on his left eyebrow, and hands much larger than those of ordinary merchants.
The Seven Sects Grand Competition begins today, and the flow of people inside and outside the Imperial City has surged.
He had originally planned to earn more spirit stones during the grand event so he could give his hot-tempered wife an explanation when he got back.
But less than half an hour after the competition began, this strange little girl appeared in front of the stall.
The little girl had been staring at the candied hawthorn stall for the entire time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
A pair of large, dark eyes followed the candied hawthorn skewer as it turned, and there seemed to be a hint of suspicious glint at the corner of her mouth.
When the vendor first saw her, he thought she was a young lady from a wealthy family who had gone missing, and spoke to her in a very kind tone.
"Little girl, where are your parents? There are many people in the capital today, so don't wander around alone. If you want to eat candied hawthorns, have your parents bring ten low-grade spirit stones to buy them."
The girl did not answer questions about her family.
She looked up at the vendor and asked in a childish voice, "Can we be friends?"
The vendor paused for a moment.
He looked down at the candied hawthorn, then at the little girl's empty hands, and quickly thought he understood.
This little girl probably doesn't have any spirit stones, and she's greedy, so she's trying to get close to her and get her to give them to her for free.
Normally, giving one string of them as a gift would be fine.
However, the prices of various spiritual fruits and liquids have skyrocketed today, and he spent a lot of money making these sugar coatings.
There are still several mouths to feed at home.
Business is business, but being soft-hearted won't put food on the table.
The vendor patiently explained, "Young lady, these candied hawthorns aren't made from ordinary hawthorns. They're filled with Qingling fruit, and the outer sugar coating is made from low-grade spirit liquid. Each skewer costs ten low-grade spirit stones."
"I run a small business. If I give away spirit stones to everyone who tries to get close to me, I'll be left with nothing by the end of the day. If you don't have any spirit stones, you'd better go ask your family for some."
The little girl blinked.
She seemed completely oblivious to what the vendor was saying, and tilted her delicate face up, asking earnestly, "So, would you like to be my friend?"
The vendor's smile froze slightly.
Why is it that same phrase again?
He suppressed his frustration and explained the cost and price of candied hawthorns again.
The little girl looked down and touched her tummy.
Glug glug.
A faint sound came from under the short skirt.
Her face immediately fell.
They were clearly really hungry.
The little girl looked up at the bunches of fruits coated with glistening sugar, her eyes brimming with longing.
" A Li doesn't have any spirit stones."
She stretched out a slender, white finger and gently tapped the candied hawthorn stand, her tone filled with anticipation.
"So, shall we be friends?"
The vendor was starting to panic.
It's the same sentence again.
No matter what he said, the little girl would only ask if they could be friends.
He had been doing business on this street for over a decade, and he had seen people haggling, encountered people who ate for free, and even met cultivators who used their cultivation levels to forcibly rob him.
This is the first time I've seen someone so persistent in wanting to make friends.
Could it be that this little girl really has some mental issues?
The vendor carefully examined the young girl who called herself A Li for a few moments.
Although the dress was not made of luxurious material, it was extremely clean, and her features were exquisitely beautiful; she was clearly not a child from an ordinary poor family.
If her attitude is too bad, and if she really has a powerful cultivator behind her, I'm afraid I'll get into trouble.
Thinking of this, the vendor barely suppressed his impatience and spoke a little harsher.
"Young lady, I've made myself perfectly clear. You can't exchange candied hawthorns for friendship, and you have to pay with spirit stones to buy things. That's the rule in the imperial city."
"If you truly have no spirit stones, then go find your elders at home first. Continuing to block my stall is hindering my business."
A Li tilted her head, her face full of anticipation.
"Oh, then let's be friends."
The same words rang out again, and the vendor's face darkened.
He had been running a stall in the capital for many years, appearing to be just an ordinary vendor, but in his youth he had also been the third leader of the Black Wind Stronghold.
Later, his mountain stronghold was wiped out, and he narrowly escaped. He then turned over a new leaf, married, and had children.
Over the years, his temper has been suppressed by his wife, which is why he has become much more docile.
But deep down, he's not a good-natured person.
After explaining it several times, my patience was almost worn out.
"Little girl, can you even understand human language?"
The vendor's face darkened, and he moved the candied hawthorn stand back half a step.
"I'm running a small business. The sugar coating on my candied hawthorns is made with spirit liquid, so it's not cheap. If you don't have spirit stones, leave quickly and don't delay my business."
A Li gazed at the candied hawthorn that had been moved away, her little mouth slightly pursed.
She lowered her head and patted her rumbling tummy.
Then he raised his face and looked longingly at the vendor.
" A Li didn't lie to you, A Li really doesn't have any spirit stones on her."
She stretched out her two small hands, as if trying to prove that she was empty-handed.
"How about... we become friends?"
The vendor's forehead veins bulged.
Again.
This little girl is seriously ill!
He finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble, you brat?"
The vendor walked around the stall and raised his hand, ready to shoo the person away.
"If you keep acting so unreasonable, believe me, I'll send you to the city guard camp and let them teach you a lesson!"
A Li looked at the descending large hand but did not dodge.
Instead, his eyes gleamed with extreme excitement.
Here it comes, he's finally going to hit A Li.
A Li can simply steal things from bad people.
But just then...
A terrified scream suddenly came from afar.
"Stop! You human bastard..."