Chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Princess Was So Fierce
Hu Nuan went straight to Qiao Yu. “Master, I’m not going to the Immortal Realm anymore. My mom ran off—ran far away. I’m staying home to wait for her.”
Qiao Yu stared at her, processing the chaos in that sentence. “When did I ever say I was taking you to the Immortal Realm?”
You were a little Foundation Establishment Stage. I was a little Nascent Soul Stage. Where did this ambition even come from?
“Everyone’s saying it,” Hu Nuan insisted. “They say the ascension ancestor will take us to the Immortal Realm to join a new sect. Master, I’m not going. I’m not changing Masters. You go if you want. I’ll guard Cai Xiu Peak.”
Qiao Yu’s expression went complicated. So she was still thinking about inheriting her master’s “estate.” Truly, his good disciple.
“Tell me about your mom,” he said. “Where did she go?”
Hu Nuan pouted. “She ran off again. She has a new love. She doesn’t want me anymore.”
Qiao Yu’s eyelid twitched. A new love?
“Master, I’m going to tell my uncle!” Hu Nuan declared, and she bolted.
Qiao Yu reached out too late. At least explain it clearly!
Shui Xin had more experience with disasters like Hu Nuan. He caught her and refused to let her run, asking questions left and right until he pieced together what had happened.
Then he sighed dramatically, full of regret. “Aiya. If I’d known, I would’ve gone with her.”
Everyone had assumed Hu Qing was only going to stroll around the outskirts of Heaven’s Grace Continent. A year or two at most, then she would come back. They all had their own preparations, so none of them went along.
Who would have guessed she would run far on her very first trip? She must have run into something thrilling. What a waste.
Shui Xin straightened his back, suddenly brimming with confidence. “Since your mom isn’t here, you all can come with me. Pack up. I’ll take you to the Buddhist Sect.”
Hu Qing, somewhere far away: Unfilial daughter!
Hu Qing had once scratched Shui Xin bloody for secretly teaching Hu Nuan Buddhist teachings. Mentioning it to her face was practically a declaration of war.
Now she was gone. Shui Xin could “kidnap” whoever he wanted.
And Hu Nuan, hearing it was a trip, brightened instantly. “Okay!”
While Hu Nuan’s side gathered into a grand traveling crowd, Hu Qing’s side was the opposite. In the Immortal Realm, she was alone—and increasingly unwelcome.
The Tenth Princess had never taken Hu Qing seriously, but one thing bothered the maids: Hu Qing, a mere Human Clan woman, had never once been used as an outlet for the Princess’s temper.
To them, that was abnormal.
They whispered in private. If things continued, Hu Qing would become the Tenth Princess’s confidant.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Human Clan were crafty. Just look at their Princess’s immortal husband. Every day he insisted he had nothing to do with this woman, that woman—so clean, so innocent. But if he truly had nothing to do with them, why did they cling to him so desperately?
“A fly only lands on an egg with a crack,” Maid One said bitterly. “Only our Princess is easy to fool, swallowing her anger because he sweet-talks her.”
Maid Two frowned. “Then where’s the crack on that female cook? How do we drive her away?”
Maid Three said coldly, “Kill her. We can’t let a scheming Human Clan corrupt the Princess.”
Behind a tree more than a hundred meters away, Hu Qing rubbed her ears, annoyed. Having sharp senses had downsides. Could they plot her murder a little farther away? She could practically see their pores.
Juan Bu said, “You can seal off part of your senses.”
Hu Qing shook her head. “Why? This is entertaining. A bunch of cowards—they talk about killing, but they don’t dare. Perfect. I also want to get out of this situation.”
If they wanted to push her out, she could help them along.
The chance came quickly.
One day, the groom stormed in, grabbed the Tenth Princess by the wrist, and demanded to know what her relationship was with so-and-so and so-and-so.
Worth noting: “so-and-so” referred to several men.
The Tenth Princess stared at the red in the corner of his eyes and gave a light, mocking smile. “Whatever relationship you have with those women, that’s what I have with those men.”
The groom exploded. “I have nothing to do with them!”
The Tenth Princess made an amused sound. “Then I have nothing to do with them either.”
The groom’s chest heaved. His lips trembled for a long moment before he finally forced out, “No wonder you’re Demon Clan. You don’t understand shame at all!”
Unfortunately for him, it was not a private fight. A cluster of maids—and Hu Qing—were present. The Tenth Princess had been in a good mood and had called them over to paint nails.
The red on the Tenth Princess’s nails was glossy and vivid. Still, it did not compare to the furious red at the corner of the groom’s eyes. Hu Qing could not help wondering who the Tenth Princess had painted them for.
The Tenth Princess spat. “Shame? You talk about shame while you tangle with those women. Demon Clan have no shame? We’re more straightforward than you Humans. Over one man, either let go or duel.”
She lifted her chin, eyes sharp. “Not like you Humans—every one of you saying ‘no, no’ with your mouth while your heart is busy chewing on someone else’s man. Disgusting.”
As if on cue, a group from Changdao Sect rushed in to mediate—and heard every word.
Several female immortals’ faces cycled through green and red, ugly with embarrassment.
Hu Qing could not help guessing: these were probably the same women who had stirred up the groom, and also the ones who had fanned the flames to bring people here to watch.
The fight exploded.
The Tenth Princess drew a short sword and thrust straight at the groom’s heart, merciless. “Wen Ting, you’ve humiliated me like this. If I don’t kill you, I can’t wash away the shame you brought me!”
Wen Ting caught her wrist with a backhand. “You dare kill your husband? Are you trying to start a war between Changdao Sect and the Divine Eagle Clan?”
The Tenth Princess answered by snapping an order. Her maids surged forward, turning fierce and sharp, attacking the Changdao Sect people on sight.
Changdao Sect: We haven’t even said a single word—
“Wen Ting,” the Tenth Princess said coldly, “my refining emotions was never tied to you. Even if this fails, I will still slaughter every wretch who insulted and trampled me.”
Her red lips curved in a cruel smile. “Including you.”
Hu Qing’s heart lurched. She had thought this might be a bickering couple story. Was it going to turn into love-through-murder instead?
An eagle cry tore through the air. The Tenth Princess’s dowry guards, near and far, turned ruthless in an instant and charged in, cutting a bloody path.
Changdao Sect’s faces went pale. Was this truly about to erupt into a faction conflict?
Wen Ting’s voice shook with anger. “You’d start a war over a private grudge? We’re husband and wife!”
Ha. Now he wanted to talk about feelings.
The Tenth Princess’s gaze was full of contempt. “You still don’t understand. Wen Ting, I don’t love you at all.”
Her voice was calm, almost bored. “Without feelings, you could have respected me and kept your distance. But you never should have demanded I swallow everything just because of a title.”
She leaned in slightly, as if delivering a lesson. “You think everyone likes you? Heh.”
Wen Ting looked like he had been stabbed somewhere deeper than the chest. Even as he blocked her attacks, he spat blood.
Hu Qing exhaled slowly. This was not going to end cleanly.
The sect master was alarmed. Elders arrived in force, trying to pull them apart, trying to make peace.
The Tenth Princess looked at them and laughed once, sharp and humorless. “You’re all on the same side. You won’t help me.”
Her voice carried, clear as a bell. “Now I declare my refining emotions ends here. So I lost. I lost. This man? I don’t want him.”
Her eyes flashed. “Changdao Sect’s humiliation of me will be answered by Tongbei Divine Eagle.”
She turned and ordered, “Pack up. We’re leaving.”
Elders rushed to block her. “Why take it this far?”
The Tenth Princess smiled. “Then don’t pack. Leave it all. Consider it payment for him to sleep.”
Wen Ting spat blood again.
Hu Qing could only think: The Tenth Princess was terrifyingly fierce.
She did not know the truth. The Tenth Princess was simply sick of the endless petty drama. After meeting other male immortals, she had realized how little Human Clan men suited her taste.
Enough was enough. Better to go home early and endure a few scoldings.