Xiao Lin was not one for ostentation, so his birthday banquet could hardly be called particularly entertaining.
After the performers took the stage to play music and dance, only the ministers exchanging pleasantries remained.
Just then, a man entered with a loud, hearty laugh.
The man wore white robes and a jade crown, with a piece of translucent jade hanging from his waist.
"Sixth Brother, I’ve arrived late for your birthday celebration. I hope you won’t be angry."
Though he smiled, his eyes told a different story.
Seated in the main seat, Xiao Lin’s originally gentle expression turned cold upon seeing him.
Xiao Lin stood up. "Fourth Brother."
So this was Prince Zhao.
Su Su quietly observed this Prince Zhao. His steps were slightly unsteady, his eyes shadowed with faint dark circles, and his gaze sharp.
At a glance, he was clearly not an easy person to deal with.
Prince Zhao’s status was also unusual. His mother was the emperor’s most favored consort, and her maternal clan wielded considerable power. In the future struggle for the throne, he was Xiao Lin’s greatest rival.
Prince Zhao Xiao Shen took a seat at another main table. Narrowing his eyes slightly, his gaze fell upon Ye Bingshang. "Consort Ye, it’s been many days since we last met. Why do you look even more delicate and pitiable? Your pale little face makes one’s heart ache at the sight. Could it be that Sixth Brother has not been treating you well?"
His words were laced with laughter, but his gaze roamed over Ye Bingshang’s neck and collar with ill intent.
Ye Bingshang uncomfortably averted her gaze, a faint displeasure coloring her brow. With proper etiquette, she rose and performed a bow.
"I beg Your Highness Prince Zhao not to jest at my expense."
Prince Zhao curled his lips, his hawk-like eyes still fixed on Ye Bingshang.
Xiao Lin’s expression had already darkened. He set his wine cup down heavily.
"Fourth Brother, my household affairs need not trouble you."
Prince Zhao clicked his tongue. Seeing the usually serene Xiao Lin angered, he dared not press further.
This sixth brother had a tolerant temperament, but if truly provoked, the consequences would be unpleasant. Shifting his gaze, he seemed to recall something and looked toward the Ye family with keen interest.
"Even the Third Miss of the Ye family is here."
Upon seeing Su Su, Prince Zhao’s eyes lit with interest.
His impression of this third young lady remained from the past—a sharp-tongued, willful, and venomous young girl. But today’s Third Miss Ye, with a striking floral adornment between her brows, carried an unusual charm.
If the eldest Miss Ye was a gracefully blooming lotus, this third young lady was a peony just beginning to unfurl.
A newly matured maiden, both youthful and alluring.
The two young ladies of the Ye family were indeed quite beautiful.
Su Su hadn’t expected that while merely observing the drama, this Prince Zhao would eventually turn his attention to her.
His gaze was sticky and uncomfortable.
Su Su, however, remained composed. She addressed Prince Zhao, "This humble subject greets Your Highness Prince Zhao."
Then, with a mischievous impulse, she hid behind Tantai Jin.
Take that, you vile fiend! Face Prince Zhao yourself.
Tantai Jin looked at the girl behind him in astonishment.
She met his gaze with a serious expression.
Tantai Jin’s eyes flickered uncertainly. After a glance at her, he turned to meet Prince Zhao’s gaze in her stead.
Prince Zhao gave a sinister smile.
"Hostage, long time no see. Is life in the General’s Manor better than the Cold Palace?"
Su Su felt that this Prince Zhao was like an arrogant crab scuttling sideways—not only lustful but also ill-tempered, picking a fight with anyone he encountered.
Since his appearance, the entire atmosphere of the banquet had shifted.
Tantai Jin said, "Thank you for your concern, Prince Zhao. The General’s Manor is quite comfortable."
"That’s good. I’ve been rather concerned about you, Hostage, my childhood playmate." Prince Zhao swept his robe aside, spreading his legs slightly, his expression tinged with mockery and disdain.Tantai Jin nodded with an unchanged expression and toasted the Prince of Zhao.
The Prince of Zhao raised his eyebrows, quite surprised.
This lowly captive hostage, when he had crawled between his legs back then, had clenched his fists so tightly that veins bulged on the back of his hands.
Now that he had hinted at that incident to humiliate the hostage, Tantai Jin's reaction was remarkably calm.
Interesting.
Su Su's heart tightened upon hearing this. She recalled what the palace matron had said last time—the princes often seemed to take pleasure in tormenting Tantai Jin.
What had the Prince of Zhao done to Tantai Jin?
She couldn't help but glance at Tantai Jin, trying to discern something, but all she could see was the young man's gaunt profile. His long eyelashes veiled his dark pupils, and he appeared excessively composed.
The once harmonious banquet had turned chilly because of the Prince of Zhao. A portly minister smiled and said, "This humble official recently returned from the border of Great Xia and obtained something quite intriguing. I wonder if the two princes and esteemed officials would be interested in viewing it together."
The Prince of Zhao leaned forward and said, "Oh? Minister Li, do not try to fool this prince with something mediocre. Bring it out and let us see."
Minister Li chuckled, "This humble official wouldn't dare." He clapped his hands, and servants carried in a large square object covered with black silk cloth, obscuring its contents.
Minister Li walked over and lifted the black cloth.
Inside the cage lay a majestic lion.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Pang Yi Zhi said, "Minister Li, although lions are not common, they are hardly rare. What is the meaning of this?"
Minister Li grinned so widely that his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Don't rush, everyone. The real show is yet to come."
He took out a palm-sized jade box from his person.
Opening the lid, he tossed the jade box into the iron cage.
Su Su had a bad premonition and stared intently at the box.
A bee the size of a fingernail flew out of the box.
"This is the Crimson Flame Bee. Though small, even a lion is no match for it alone."
No sooner had he spoken than the lion stood up warily. The crimson bee, glowing red all over, flew straight into the lion's ear.
The lion began to frantically ram against the cage.
Minister Li smiled. The next moment, the lion convulsed and collapsed, its head exploding, splattering fluid everywhere.
The previously fingernail-sized Crimson Flame Bee had now grown to the size of a grown man's fist.
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
The women turned pale, covering their eyes with handkerchiefs, feeling nauseated.
Su Su abruptly put down her chopsticks.
This was no rare curiosity—the Crimson Flame Bee was clearly a demonic creature.
How could a demonic creature appear in the human world?
Sure enough, the next moment, the previously amiable and honest Minister Li twisted his face and said, "Now that you've all seen enough excitement, rest in peace on your way to the Yellow Springs!"
Chaos erupted instantly. Dozens of Crimson Flame Bees burst out from beneath the lion's cage.
The bees charged into the crowd, and screams filled the air.
Even General Ye changed his expression, drawing his sword to fend off the bees flying toward them.
Everyone had witnessed the creature's power—if it entered one's body, there would be no chance of survival.
Xiao Lin reacted even faster, striking a Crimson Flame Bee with his sword. He turned and commanded, "Protect the Consort and escort her away!"
His subordinates hurriedly shielded Ye Bingshang as she retreated.
Ye Bingshang grasped Xiao Lin's hand, trembling as she said, "Your Highness."
Xiao Lin replied, "Go!"
He tore off his cloak, wrapped it around Ye Bingshang, and pushed her toward the maids.
The guards quickly escorted Ye Bingshang away.Su Su also knew that trouble had arrived. She had thought the mortal realm was peaceful, but attending a birthday banquet unexpectedly revealed something that shouldn’t have appeared.
Although General Ye was skilled in martial arts, he was still a mortal and had never encountered such a strange and ferocious Crimson Flame Bee.
The Crimson Flame Bees were agile, and Ye Xiao struggled greatly.
Screams echoed continuously in the hall as the Crimson Flame Bees tore through human bodies, growing larger and larger.
Just as one Crimson Flame Bee was about to burrow into General Ye’s head, a gleaming sword sliced it in half.
Ye Xiao turned and saw a pair of beautiful, sharp eyes.
"Xi Wu?"
Su Su didn’t have time to worry about what her father might think. With a flick of her wrist, she executed a sword flourish and held it in front of her.
"Father, we need to leave quickly."
If the Crimson Flame Bees grew any larger, they would become even harder to deal with.
Ye Xiao’s heart sank, but he quickly assessed the situation and retreated toward the door.
These things were far beyond human capability.
Nearly ten Crimson Flame Bees rampaged wildly. Su Su barely managed to kill one.
When she turned around and saw that General Ye had already retreated to the door, she felt a moment of relief—only to realize that Tantai Jin had disappeared.
Su Su: "…!"
Her heart raced. If anything happened to him, she might as well not live, and the Three Realms would soon be doomed.
In that brief moment of distraction, a Crimson Flame Bee flew toward her.
Her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Su Su exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Brother!"
Xiao Lin frowned, puzzled as to why Ye Xi Wu would address him that way.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry and leave!" Although he disliked Third Miss Ye, he wouldn’t stand by and watch her die.
Xiao Lin’s sword gleamed, starkly contrasting his usual gentle demeanor. His blade carried a cold, sharp edge—swift, precise, and deadly.
The Crimson Flame Bees, sensing he was not to be trifled with, dared not approach him and scattered in retreat.
Su Su, caught off guard by Xiao Lin’s rescue, felt deeply moved. Her senior brother had never changed.
With the Prince’s Estate’s hidden guards joining the fray, the situation eased somewhat.
However, some Crimson Flame Bees continued to absorb human energy, growing larger and larger.
Gripping her sword, Su Su ignored her own safety and plunged into the chaotic crowd.
Her heart pounded with anxiety. Where was Tantai Jin? Where had he gone?
Had something really happened to him?
Spotting a man cornered by a Crimson Flame Bee the size of an infant, Su Su didn’t hesitate. She spun around and lunged forward.
Executing the Light Swan Sword Art flawlessly, she severed the Crimson Flame Bee’s wings and head.
Only then did she see who the nearly victimized man was.
The man stared at her, bewildered and uncertain.
It was Pang Yi Zhi.
Pang Yi Zhi was a man of literary talent but lacked martial prowess.
He stared dumbly at Su Su, his usually sharp and venomous tongue failing him. "You… you…"
The delicate floral adornment on the girl’s forehead was now smudged and messy, but her striking black-and-white eyes were breathtakingly beautiful.
Like blazing colors.
Su Su pouted. "Lord Pang, why aren’t you running for your life?"
Why was he staring at her? Did she have a flower blooming on her face?
Pang Yi Zhi’s expression was complicated as he turned to flee.
Su Su suddenly grabbed his sleeve. "Wait! Have you seen Tantai Jin?"
"The Hostage—" He lowered his gaze and saw a grimy little face looking up at him earnestly.
The girl held her sword, her eyes bright and stubborn.
Pang Yi Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. He pushed her soft hand away and averted his gaze. "I haven’t seen him!"
Ye Bingshang was being escorted by the hidden guards, fleeing deeper into the Prince’s Estate.As their group passed through the rock garden, a maid suddenly screamed. Ye Bingshang turned and saw a Crimson Flame Bee burst from the maid's body, charging ferociously toward her.
The guards panicked: "Consort Bingshang!"
One guard rushed to block it, but having never encountered such a monster before, his martial skills proved utterly useless.
The guard's eyes widened as the Crimson Flame Bee pierced straight through his body.
Watching the Crimson Flame Bee approach while guards fell one after another, even the shadow guards protecting Ye Bingshang had disappeared. Ye Bingshang stumbled over a stone and collapsed to the ground.
Fear and despair filled her heart—was she truly going to die besieged by these monsters today?
The monster before her was nearly half the size of a grown man! The mere sight of it was enough to make her faint.
Ye Bingshang retreated, her face pale.
The next moment, the hem of a dark blue robe appeared before her.
Ye Bingshang looked up in surprise, but before she could clearly see the person, darkness clouded her vision and she lost consciousness.
The youth raised his hand and caught the enormous Crimson Flame Bee.
The previously ferocious bee that had been killing recklessly now trembled in terror as he grasped its antennae.
Tantai Jin tilted his head and smiled softly.
He murmured slowly, "You could have chosen anyone to kill, but you shouldn't have touched her."
His cracked right hand tightened around its antennae.
When his blood touched the Crimson Flame Bee, it let out sharp, bizarre shrieks and instantly dissolved into a pool of foul-smelling liquid.
The smile vanished from Tantai Jin's face as he coldly watched the crimson liquid on the ground.
He turned and gently lifted the woman beside the rock garden.
Ye Bingshang leaned against the youth's slender but firm chest.
Tantai Jin carried Ye Bingshang to a willow tree by the lake and set her down. Taking her delicate right hand, he smeared his own blood on her wrist.
After completing this methodically, he finally felt assured enough to turn back.
Perhaps he could return to see if the Prince of Zhao was still there.
Wasn't the Prince of Zhao nostalgic for the "warmth" of childhood? He wouldn't mind helping this prince relive those former feelings.
As for Ye Xiwu, he thought indifferently, in such circumstances, she might already be dead.
Tantai Jin passed through crowds frantically fleeing for their lives. In the past, he had been meek and timid, but now it was these high and mighty people's turn to panic and scatter in disarray.
Seeing an official push his own wife toward a Crimson Flame Bee, he couldn't help but let out a scornful laugh.
What was the use?
Sure enough, after killing the terrified wife, the Crimson Flame Bee took only a few seconds to kill the official as well.
Tantai Jin leaned against a red pillar, observing this living hell.
The scent of blood spreading through the air made him narrow his eyes in pleasure. The thick metallic smell reached his lungs, making him cough twice, yet the curve of his lips rose high.
Through the tree shadows, Tantai Jin saw a green-robed man with celestial features tirelessly wielding his sword to protect people fleeing the manor.
Prince Xuan.
Many thoughts flashed through Tantai Jin's mind.
But the next moment, his smile froze. Tantai Jin never expected to see the girl he thought long dead appearing not far away.
Her hair was disheveled, the floral decoration at her forehead smudged, and even her small face was stained with streaks of crimson.
Strangely, she didn't appear the least bit disheveled.
Even in the bustling crowd, one could spot her presence at a glance.
The young woman carried a sword whose blade caught the sunlight, radiating a dazzling, warm glow that burned the eyes.
As she walked, she rescued people along the way.
He heard her anxiously ask someone she'd saved: "Have you seen Tantai Jin?"
The minister repeatedly shook his head.She saved many people in succession, and everyone waved her off.
Tantai Jin watched her coldly.
Where his fingers had touched her, that strange sensation rose again—both itchy and painful.
The young man gasped sharply, then stepped on a Crimson Flame Bee that was killing someone.
"Go, kill her!" Tantai Jin said.
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