“Don’t talk yet.”
Mo Wen looked quite edgy. When he approached the group, he waved his hand and cast an energy cover to block out others’ soul senses.
“Why didn’t you inform me that you’d arrived?”
Mo Wen laughed bitterly. “I thought you wouldn’t come.”
“How could it be?” Mengmeng replied, “As I’ve promised Nina that I would attend her Coming of Age Ceremony, I would definitely come.”
“The current situation is a little tricky.” Mo Wen cast a vigilant look about and quickly said, “Follow me to the side palace first, for you may attract many people’s attention here. I just learned that the representatives of the Tiger Talisman Royal Family have arrived. Among the forces present, there are a lot of their allies. Zhang Hanyang, there are also some forces whose members you killed last time. If they see you and stir up trouble, I can’t do anything to help.”
“Since we dare to come, we’re not afraid of trouble,” Zhang Han replied calmly.
“Well…”
Mo Wen’s facial muscles quivered.
“So I’m the only one who is nervous here. You people were all sitting there as still as Mount Tai.”
“Where is Nina?” Mengmeng asked.
“Nina is having a rough time.” Mo Wen sighed heavily and said, “For the sake of the general interests, our king had no choice but to release that piece of news. Without a doubt, he’s forsaken Nina. In the past few months, some of our resources have been taken, and some of our territories have been occupied. We can vaguely tell that the Tiger Talisman Royal Family was behind this. But they have not waged a large-scale war yet. Thus, we are just waiting to see how things will develop today. I haven’t seen Nina smile for a long time. She is hurting. I watched her grow up. My sense of safeguarding the general interests is not strong, so I thought that if you came, you could take Nina to someplace far away and wait until this thing blew off before sending her back. That is certainly a solution. But I didn’t hear from you. I was worried sick and had given up that thought. However, surprise struck when I least expected it. Just now, I saw that small boat flying across the sky and felt that it could be you people. It turned out that my hunch was correct!”
“Huh? So this is not what Nina wants to do. She must be very sad.”
Mengmeng became a little worried. “Where is Nina? Uncle Mowen, why not bring her here?”
“Well, His Majesty’s men are guarding her. I can’t bring her here. But…” After thinking for a while, Mo Wen made up his mind. “But I can take you to her. Zhang Hanyang, how about I take Mengmeng there and ask Nina what she thinks of my plan? If she thinks it’s okay, I wonder if…”
“Just go and ask her,” Zhang Han replied without hesitation.
“Thank you.”
Mo Wen nodded, feeling touched. He glanced at Mengmeng and said, “Come with me.”
“I’ll go, too!” Yue Xiaonao leaped to her feet.
“And me, and me! I’ll go wherever Sister Mengmeng goes.” Chen Chuan immediately put down the snacks and volunteered.
“The female can go in, but the male can’t.” Mo Wen looked at Chen Chuan, shook his head, and said with a smile, “You should just wait here for a while.”
“I won’t,” Chen Chuan said crossly.
“Chen Chuan!”
Zhou Fei frowned.
The little boy immediately yielded.
“Chen Chuan, just wait for me here,” Mengmeng said.
“Humph.”
Chen Chuan pouted and sat back in his seat.
In the end, Yue Xiaonao and Mengmeng followed Mo Wen through the back door and left quickly.
They hurried to Nina’s palace.
Along the way, they did not even take the time to admire the scenery on both sides of the road. Nina’s palace was in the middle area. More than a dozen people were guarding the gate.
After seeing Mo Wen, one of the men reached out to stop him.
“Seventh Princess is about to dress up and do her makeup. Whatever you want to see her for, wait until the Coming of Age Ceremony is over.”
“They are Nina’s friends, very good friends,” said Mo Wen, “in their place, there is a custom. Before a good friend is engaged, they must present their most sincere blessings and pray for the friend. They will only go in to say a few words. It won’t hold up Seventh Princess from dressing up.”
After saying that, Mo Wen said something with the Designated Voice-transmitting Technique.
Then, the man in the led cocked his eyebrow and fell silent for seconds.
After that, he waved his hand and said, “I’ll give them a quarter. You shall wait here.”
“Thank you, girls, go in quickly. When the time is up, I’ll call you from outside,” said Mo Wen.
“Well, okay.”
Mengmeng and Yue Xiaonao ran through the gate.
After passing a yard full of flowers, they arrived at the main hall inside. Four female elves were standing at the door. They did not raise any objections when they saw the two girls. Instead, they even nodded and saluted them. They were only responsible for dressing Nina up. Granting people access was the job of the elves outside.
“Nina, Nina!”
Mengmeng ran into the palace and called out, “Where are you?”
As soon as she said that, she saw Nina sitting in front of a crystal mirror on the innermost side, in a daze.
“Swoosh!”
Hearing Mengmeng’s voice, Nina came to her senses and slowly widened her eyes.
She quickly spun around, stood up, then looked at Mengmeng with a somewhat dumbfounded look.
Nina was stunned. Tears glittered in her eyes. Was she so moved that she shed tears? Or was it because she had been wronged recently? Or rather she was touched because Mengmeng had kept her words and come to see her despite the danger?
Perhaps all those reasons were correct.
“Oh, Nina, why are you crying?”
Mengmeng ran to Nina, held her hand, and comforted her, “There, there. Now we’re here, don’t cry anymore. I know you’re very sad, but there’s still a solution.”
“Well, thank you, Mengmeng.” Nina took a deep breath and smiled through her tears. It was her first smile in months. “I’m really happy that you came, but you shouldn’t have come. It’s dangerous here. How about…”
“Let’s talk about this later. There’s not much time left.” Mengmeng took Nina to the side and lowered her voice, saying, “Uncle Mowen told me to ask you if you want to go far away with us. You can come back when the storm subsides.”
“Go far away?” Nina was taken aback for a moment, then sighed softly, “That’s impossible. If I were to escape, the entire Elf Clan…”
She could not continue. If she were to take flight, what the Elemental Elf Clan would have to face would not be simple.
“Then what should we do? We can’t just watch you get engaged to a stranger. It’s too feudal!” Mengmeng said discontentedly.
“Yeah, people on our planet are all dating freely. But you elves are still having arranged marriages,” said Yue Xiaonao with disdain, “If you get engaged to a scumbag, your life will be ruined.”
Yue Xiaonao talked like an expert. But in fact, she didn’t quite understand marriage. She was only 15 years old, while Mengmeng was 13, who was even more ignorant in this regard.
“There’s nothing I can do about it. Perhaps this is my fate,” Nina said numbly.
“Actually, you can come with us,” Mengmeng suggested.
As she spoke, Nina suddenly froze, and her eyes lit up.
“I see!”
“You have a solution?” Mengmeng’s eyes also sparkled.
“We can abide by the rules and also avoid the worst consequence you just said. This matter, well…” Nina was still undecided.
“Well, tell us, hurry up,” Mengmeng asked anxiously.
“The rules dictate that I will choose my fiancé at my Coming of Age Ceremony. We can… Well, if Uncle Zhang is fine with this, I can make him my fiancé and go away with you people, then things will all be sorted out,” Nina spoke her thought.
“Huh?”
Mengmeng was stupefied in an instant.
Her expression changed quickly.
Finally, she looked at Nina in a daze and said with a vexed face, “Nina, I treat you like a sister, but you want to hit no my daddy?”
“Very well, I understand now.
“Haha.
“So we’re actually frenemies.
“Forget it.”
Mengmeng turned around angrily and was about to leave.
Yue Xiaonao was also stunned by this scene.
“Oh my god!
“This elf princess that Mengmeng has treated as a sister should plan to be her dad’s concubine?”
Yue Xiaonao sized Nina up and said, “This is really eye-opening for me.”
After that, she turned round to chase Mengmeng.
“Hey! Don’t, don’t go!”
Nina immediately panicked and ran out in a hurry.
She hastily called after them, “That’s not what I mean. You got me wrong! I know Uncle Zhang already has Aunty Zi. I figure if I choose him, it will be clear that I don’t want a real marriage. This way, I will feel safe, too. That’s all. It’s not what you think.”
“It’s too late. I’m already mad,” Mengmeng said dully.
“It’s my fault. I’m sorry. Don’t be angry. At worst, well, I’ll just leave it to fate. Anyway, I’m already very happy that you’ve come.” As Nina said this, despair stole over her. She began to choke with sobs.
Seeing this, Mengmeng and Yue Xiaonao slowed down their pace.
“Humph!”
Mengmeng bit her lower lip and said, “Are you sure you were just joking? No, I’m confused by my anger. Are you sure that was just a bad choice of words?”
“Mengmeng, we are about the same age. I admire Uncle Zhang very much, but I have never wanted anything more from him. It, it just came out wrong,” said Nina.
“Will you swear?” Mengmeng pressed.
“I swear the words I have just said came out wrong, okay?” Nina herself had calmed down. She looked at Mengmeng and Yue Xiaonao with a pitiful expression, saying, “Mengmeng, we’ve been friends for so long. How can you not trust me?”
“Huh?”
This question took Mengmeng aback. Her expression stiffened slightly, then she pouted and said, “It’s because my daddy is too handsome. I’m worried about him. Well, that’s it.”
“Okay, enough dawdling,” said Yue Xiaonao. “Hurry up and think, or Nina will be taken away later.”
“Right,” Mengmeng agreed, “I haven’t introduced her yet. She is Yue Xiaonao. You can just call her Xiaonao.”
“Hello, Xiaonao,” Nina greeted, then lost herself in thought again.
“What do I do?
“Seems that I can only resign myself to fate.”
“I think Uncle Mo Wen’s words make sense. Just run away with us and wait this thing out before you come back,” Yue Xiaonao said.
“No, that won’t work. In this situation, if I leave, the Elemental Elf Clan will suffer a disaster.” Nina sighed softly and continued, “The fact that my father has decided to sacrifice me already indicates how grave the situation is. I cannot leave now, otherwise, I will be the sinner to the Elemental Elf Clan.”
“Then are you willing to marry a man you don’t know without resisting? What if he is ugly, a playboy, or a jerk?” Mengmeng asked with conflicted feelings.
“Perhaps this is my destiny.”
Nina took a deep breath and said, “I’ve advanced to the Yuan Ying Realm. This was supposed to be good news, but it doesn’t seem to have much use now. Don’t worry, if things really become nasty to a point, I’ll try to escape. But one thing is sure—I can’t leave today.”
“Have you made up your mind? You’ll escape after today?” Mengmeng asked.
“I’m thinking about it. At the Coming of Age Ceremony, I’ll only be engaged. There is still some time before I can get married. I’m just worried that the other party may come from a too powerful force. In that case, the Tiger Talisman Royal Family wouldn’t be the only one targeting us. By the way, many members of the Tiger Talisman Royal Family will come here today. You people… had better leave first, right? Or you stay temporarily in my palace? If they find out that you’re here, it won’t be easy for you all to leave then,” Nina said, worried.
“Gee, stop worrying about us.” Yue Xiaonao said, “My dad is here with us. What is there to be afraid of?”
Yue Xiaonao knew a little about Yue Wuwei’s strength. With her very mighty father around, she didn’t panic at all while she was here.
“But…” Nina’s expression showed a mix of feelings. Just as she made to say something, Mo Wen’s voice rang out from outside.
“Time is up. Princess Nina, it’s time to dress up. Girls, come out.”
He didn’t call out Mengmeng and Yue Xiaonao by name.
As soon as he finished speaking, several female elves at the door came in with supplies. Nina dissipated the soundproof energy cover and smiled at the two girls.
“I’m very glad that you came. You can go back first. We’ll talk when the Coming of Age Ceremony is over.”
“Well, okay.”
Mengmeng nodded in resignation and went out with Yue Xiaonao.
They followed Mo Wen walking away from the palace.
When they were a long distance away, Mo Wen asked in a hurry, “How was it? Did Nina agree?”
“She said that even if she were to leave, she would at least wait until the Coming of Age Ceremony was over before looking for a way to do it,” Mengmeng replied.
“Wait after the Coming of Age Ceremony…” Mo Wen’s expression changed slightly. Finally, all his feelings turned into a deep sigh.
Generally speaking, the Coming of Age Ceremony of the Elemental Elf Clan would end that very night. It was just a grand banquet. However, when the event of choosing a fiancé was added to it, things would not be that simple. After the fiancé had been selected, according to the rules, the engaged couple would share a bed that night. On the next day, the parents and elders of the couple would discuss and pick the wedding date.
“Is there really no other way?”
Mo Wen was slightly dazed.
His heart ached for Nina.
But now, he could do nothing to help her.
He prayed inwardly, “If it’s all fated to be like this, then I hope Nina can find a good husband.”
After returning to Zhang Han’s group, Mo Wen stood there with a frozen expression. He wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start.
At this time, Mengmeng sprinted to Zhang Han.
“It won’t do, Daddy. Nina has to complete today’s Coming of Age Ceremony and choose a fiancé. There’s no other way around. She can’t escape before the ceremony, but she said she could flee tonight. Shall we take Nina to leave tonight?”
As soon as Mengmeng spoke, everyone looked her way.
They all wanted to see what choice Zhang Han would make.
“Whatever you say,” Zhang Han said with a smile.
“Huh?”
Mengmeng’s expression froze a little. Then, she said tentatively, “Can we take Nina away with us right now?”
“As long as you want to.” Zhang Han nodded.
His attitude was as clear as ever.
Everyone knew that once Zhang Han promised Mengmeng something, he would never break his promise.
“You can do it now?”
Mengmeng, however, began to ponder. Her big shining eyes flashed left and right.
Zhang Guangyou, Zhang Mu, Mu Xue, Zhao Feng, and the others all looked at her beamingly, because they all knew that after Mengmeng made a choice, the whole team would be in action.
“Wait.”
Mo Wen, who was watching on the side, was frightened.
He said in a hurry, “If you directly snatch her away, won’t the others blame it all on you? If you take action now, you’ll have to face the fleets of many forces outside. The odds of success are kind of low. After the Coming of Age ends at dusk and all the guests leave, Nina and her fiance will stay here to spend the night together. At that time, the security forces will be the weakest, so there will be a higher chance of success.”
One false move may cause lasting sorrow. Mo Wen didn’t dare to gamble. If he failed, the situation Nina was in would be worse. Zhang Hanyang and his group would become the target of many forces, too.
“It’s no big deal to me,” Zhang Han said.
Yue Wuwei said lightly, “The Elf Clan’s Coming of Age Ceremony is the most important ceremony in every elf’s life. If you want to take action, you’d better wait until the ceremony is over. This way, we can get to watch the ceremony and join in the fun. Just as he said, it’ll do if we wait until dusk and then play it by ear.”
“Okay, let’s play it by ear.” Zhang Han stroked Mengmeng’s head with a smile and said, “Don’t worry, your elf bestie will be fine.”
Mo Wen could not speak for a while.
“At a time like this, shouldn’t you be saying these things to me so that I can feel less worried? Why are you ignoring me as if I were the air?”
He felt a little awkward, but the feeling of being moved was much stronger.
He didn’t expect that he could make friends with them after a trip to the Lost Continent. He also didn’t expect that the ones who would help Nina when she was in a critical situation were also them.
“Alas.”
Mo Wen sighed in his head, “If His Majesty had half of Zhang Hanyang’s boldness and decisiveness, things would not have evolved to this point.”
To compromise was never the choice of the strong.
“Thank you, everyone. I…” Mo Wen wanted to say something.
But when he held a few people’s attention, Mu Xue waved at him and said, “There is nothing you can help around here. Just go back and do your job.”
“Huh?” Mo Wen let out a cry of surprise.
After being in a daze for two seconds, he came to his senses and quietly turned to leave.
“That’s kind of stung.”
After he left, everyone sat there, eating and chatting.
About an hour later.
“It doesn’t seem fun here.”
Mu Xue glanced around and said, “The outer area is truly just the outer area. There are no big shots here but some juniors.”
Liu Jiaran whispered, “It feels like a mere ordinary dinner party. This place is just like an ordinary reception hall. Only the VIP rooms inside are where heavyweights stay.”
However, the guests who arrived here were different from the people on Earth. Some were even blue-skinned, and some even had a dog’s head.
Fortunately, Liu Jiaran didn’t say anything about those dog-like people. Otherwise, Little Hei would probably bark at her.
“What’s wrong with you people? Why do you always make fun of dogs? Why not use gorillas to insult others?”
“Eh? Li Mu is here.”
Jiang Yanlan’s expression paused as she looked at the gate.
What was strange was that after Li Mu walked in, he looked around with his soul sense, but he did not seem to have spotted Zhang Han and the others.
The energy cover Yue Wuwei cast randomly was already this powerful. It was safe to say that he had the ability to play Yuan Ying Realm cultivators like a fiddle.
“He had brought many of his men here.”
Mu Xue glanced over and found that there were about 20 people, who were all vigorous and dressed luxuriously. Li Mu, their leader, was wearing a formal suit. But it was not a suit that a man wore on Earth. He was clad in a close-fitting outfit with a gorgeous cloak, which was quite eye-catching.
Li Mu had purchased this suit only recently. In the past, the clothes he wore were each worth about 500 to 700 crystal stones. Since he saw how Zi Yan shopped, his confidence suffered a blow.
He felt that, as one of the Eight Great Young Masters of the Cloud Star Area, he should at least have a few luxurious items.
Thus, he spent 2,000 crystal stones on this cloak.
When he appeared in front of everyone in this cloak, he was quite gratified.
“Needless to say, the feeling of being the center of attention is quite good.” Li Mu felt well at ease at this moment.
It was not that he was poor. There were tens of thousands of crystal stones in his Space Treasure. His total deposit had also amounted to hundreds of thousands of crystal stones. However, the Cultivation World paid more attention to strength. Clothes might be damaged after a fight. Thus, most cultivators had little interest in dressing themselves up. But once one began to care about fashion, he or she would find that those expensive clothes were really beautiful!
After all, those extravagant close could make them look rich and successful.
