As the Third Prince of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, Li Luo stood among the foremost candidates for the Crown Prince's seat.
Extraordinary talent coursed through his veins, paired with formidable cultivation abilities honed under the Emperor's personal tutelage since childhood. He was, by every measure, a legitimate contender for the throne.
Yet Li Luo was not alone in this pursuit.
Two elder imperial brothers shadowed his ambitions, each wielding remarkable abilities of their own. Worse still, they had risen to prominence years before him, their roots already spreading deep through the court's fertile soil.
Li Luo's late entry left him vulnerable, his foundation shallow and unstable.
So he turned his gaze outward.
If I cannot find support within the Dynasty, I'll seize it from without.
The answer materialized in Yun Xi—daughter of the Yun Family's Patriarch. If he could make her his bride, transform himself into the Yun Family's son-in-law, the throne would be his.
With their backing, his ascension would be inevitable, unstoppable. The future of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty would rest firmly in his hands.
From that moment, he pursued her relentlessly.
Yun Feng had known of Li Luo's dogged pursuit for some time. In truth, he'd tacitly approved.
The Heavenly Dragon Dynasty ranked as the foremost power beneath the Yun Family's jurisdiction—subordinate only because they lacked peak-level experts.
But that disparity in leadership belied their true strength. Strip away those transcendent cultivators, and the Dynasty matched the Yun Family blow for blow.
If Yun Xi accepted Li Luo, if the Yun Family then helped secure his throne, the entire Heavenly Dragon Dynasty would bow to them completely.
The Dynasty's strength had always demanded caution, their semi‑independence a thorn the Yun Family couldn't easily remove. This marriage could solve everything in one elegant move.
Yun Feng had presented the proposal to his daughter with carefully chosen words.
Yun Xi had said nothing. She simply turned and left, her expression colder than winter steel.
As a father, Yun Feng found himself powerless against that glacial temperament. He couldn't force her—attempting to would tear the entire Yun Family apart from within.
His daughter's will was absolute, her position unassailable.
When news arrived of his nephew Ye Qian's Qi Deviation, Yun Feng knew he must send gifts and condolences. Propriety demanded it; blood ties demanded it. Yet worldly affairs bound him to his duties, making it impossible to leave himself.
The solution presented itself: send Yun Xi in his stead.
Li Luo recognized the danger to his plans at once.
What if she goes to the Ye Family and catches the Young Master's eye? What if Ye Qian himself takes the initiative?
The thought gnawed at him like poison.
But if he accompanied her, solved problems on her behalf, and proved his worth, his image in her heart would surely improve.
Perhaps he could seize this opportunity and win her over in one decisive stroke.
He would represent the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty in presenting the gifts. The Ye Family's reputation commanded respect throughout the Immortal Realm; no major power would dare slight them.
It was the perfect pretext.
"Miss Yun, my devotion to you is absolute!
I am willing to do anything to prove myself—so why do you still keep me at a distance?
If I have offended you, please tell me how, so that I may make amends.
You will not even grant me the favor of your company on something as ordinary as a trip to the market."
Li Luo's whispered words dissipated into the wind at the ship's bow, bitter and impotent.
Yun Xi had already vanished into the cabin, rejecting his invitation without ceremony, without warmth.
His fists clenched until his knuckles whitened. Rage simmered beneath his skin, begging for release, demanding he lash out.
He didn't dare.
One moment of lost control, one instant of vented fury, and everything would crumble. All his careful courtship, his patient pursuit—wasted.
"Hmph."
He exhaled slowly, forcing the anger down into his chest where it could fester unseen. Then he returned to his quarters, jaw tight with suppressed emotion.
Yun Xi spared Li Luo's theatrics no thought whatsoever.
Excellence attracted admirers like blood drew sharks.
Li Luo was merely one suitor among countless others—nothing special, nothing noteworthy. She felt no affection for him.
Only her father's insistence had compelled her to bring him along on this journey. Yun Feng's intentions were clear; she saw through his clumsy attempts at matchmaking.
Li Luo simply did not please her.
Without her father's command, she would never have permitted the Third Prince aboard her ship.
The magnificent vessel cut through the sky, a streak of brilliance against azure. It pierced through Spiritual Canal Prefecture, bearing straight toward the Ye Family's domain.
...
Dawn found Ye Qian already awake, roused by duty rather than desire.
Under Yue Ming's meticulous care, he changed into fresh robes. Meanwhile, Xia He fed him a delicious breakfast and Qiu Lan offered him a cup of spirit tea.
Today demanded he greet his cousin—a social obligation he couldn't escape, no matter how much he might prefer his bed.
He departed alone in the qilin carriage, leaving Xia He, Qiu Lan, and Yue Ming behind.
Beautiful maidservants attending him would hardly endear him to Yun Xi. Better to avoid potential displeasure from the start.
Yun Yao had sent word at first light, ensuring he knew exactly where Yun Xi would arrive. His mother took no chances with this event.
The qilin carriage launched skyward, heading toward the specified coordinates.
Though Ye Qian appeared unaccompanied, Ye Changkong had stationed hidden experts throughout his route.
After the Qi Deviation incident—after the bitter argument between his parents—both had sworn to provide him absolute protection.
No harm would befall their son. Not again.
The Wind Qilin's enhancement left a trailing ribbon of emerald light as the carriage shot forward at tremendous speed.
Ye Qian watched clouds stream past his window, yawning with undisguised boredom.
If Mother hadn't insisted, I'd still be in bed right now, warm and comfortable.
Then a massive flying ship materialized ahead, its hull bearing the Yun Family's emblem.
"Head toward that vessel."
The qilin responded instantly, adjusting course. The carriage accelerated toward the ship with practiced grace.
Nervous energy rippled through the ship's crew as they spotted the approaching vehicle.
Four qilin drew an extravagantly ornate carriage through the sky, closing the distance with startling speed.
Such opulence spoke of either immense wealth or immense power—perhaps both.