She LiangLin was winded as the crew saw the white stone steps leading down ahead of them. They curved around the palace until they reached the outer wall of the Imperial Hall.
Looking up at his sisters and QingYu, none of them seemed to suffer as much as he was. He never thought his endurance was this poor, but being in his human form without his snake was really starting to show its disadvantages.
Zhang YaYun could return his body any minute now!
"Are we late?" LiChun squeaked, a light flush sprinkled over her cheeks as she tried to peek inside the Imperial Hall through the great open doors, but LiAi pulled her back by her collar.
"What do you think you are doing, Chun'er?" LiAi hissed as she shoved the second youngest back in the line. "Eldest first!"
"What?" LiChun mewled as she jumped on her toes, eager to see ahead.
LiAi was about to look inside as a smack fell over her head, and she retracted like a turtle, groaning weakly. "Ow, second sis, why did you do that?"
"If anybody should go first, it should be QingYu!" LiYue snapped, waving her fan dangerously in front of the younger sisters.
"There's nobody in there, only some smelly old geezers and that Emperor. Oh, and ChangChang's there too," LiBai shrugged as she stepped back from peeking into the Imperial Hall, and all eyes fell on her. "What? You said eldest goes first."
LiYue arched her brow but said nothing.
"You don't think they are already settling in?" LiangLin asked after getting his breath under control. He felt as if he just walked those dreadful steps up again.
"Brother LiangLin, let's just go back," Lan QingYu mumbled as he clung to LiangLin's robes, tugging at it like a lost child.
"No way in hell!" LiangLin snapped. He didn't waste so much energy to get all the way here and see nothing! The adrenaline was pumping through his veins with such force it was up to debate who was the first one to harpoon the new concubine. His palms sweat and itched from impatience.
"Weird, I just noticed there are no guards to man the entrance to the Imperial Hall. They really are bad at their job here, aren't they?" LiAi pointed out, and LiBai shook her head, smiling at her.
"Silly Ai'er, there is no need for guards, the entire place is filled with old shifters, the stench is incredibly confusing. I think there are one of each of the zodiac animals present."
"Hm, you don't think the concubine is also a shifter?" LiYue said, a little worry marring her tone of voice. "I don't feel good of killing shifters, except for maybe rats, ugh."
"We aren't going to kill anyone! What is with you Snake God's and killing?" Lan QingYu hissed.
"It's not about killing, it's about being confident enough to claim what is yours," LiChun chirped. "Killing is just a necessary by step most of the time."
"But he is not mine, to begin with!" Lan QingYu was kicking his heels now as he tried to pull at LiangLin to leave, but LiangLin wasn't budging.
"QingYu?"
The deep voice startled them, and Lan QingYu froze as a light veil of blush settled over his cheeks. From pulling at LiangLin's robes, he moved to huddle closer to LiangLin's back, trying to hide from Zhang YaYun's questioning eyes.
Both Zhang YaYun and Zhi ChangNing were standing by the entrance now, peering at the snakes while at the same time, hiding them from the officials' curious looks from the Imperial Hall.
"What are you doing here?" ChangNing started as she stepped towards them, moving out of the official's sight. She was talking more to LiYue than the others.
The white snake merely shrugged, "I'm here for mental support and maybe help QingYu hide the body later."
"QingYu, you-" Zhang YaYun halted as LiYue's words registered in his mind and a slight frown formed over his eyes. "Wait, whose body?"
"It's nothing!" QingYu mewled, keeping his eyes tightly on his shoes as his blush deepened under YaYun's heated gaze.
"We came to see this concubine," LiangLin said as he moved between the Emperor and his prey, shielding QingYu for the time being. "We wanted to see the competition."
QingYu's hold tightened over the back of LiangLin's robe, and LiangLin was sure if the green snake kept on pulling, he would be standing there half-naked sooner or later.
"C-competition?"
LiangLin didn't like the way Zhang YaYun's eyes lit up with hope. Somehow, he looked rather punchable with the puppy face he was making.
"QingYu-" YaYun reached out, but his advances were stopped short.
"Hey!" LiangLin nearly bit down on YaYun's fingers. No one was touching QingYu at the current situation. LiangLin would get rid of the concubine first, and then YaYun would be next on his target list. No one ruined his plans then make QingYu sad, period! "What do you think you are doing? I said we came to see the concubine, not you!"
"This has nothing to do with you!" YaYun growled as the hope waned from his eyes and instead was replaced with irritation. "Move, I need to talk with QingYu."
"Move? You're the one who should move before I kick your balls in and there is no need for the concubine anymore!"
"You-!" Any remnants of the calm facade of the Emperor disappeared as YaYun took hold of LiangLin's arms and tried to move him aside.
"Er, YaYun," Zhi ChangNing called, but her words stayed unheard as YaYun was more occupied with getting his hands on QingYu. He was busy wrestling with LiangLin and evading the knees aiming for his privates to hear the little gasps LiangLin's sisters made. Or how ChangNing cleared her throat to the point of coughing her lunges out.
"YaYun!" Zhi ChangNing reached out to pull at YaYun's shoulders, but even then, she couldn't break the two apart.
"Oh, did I arrive at a bad time?"
The two wrestling men halted as the sweet, warm voice broke through the tense atmosphere, and both turned to look at the person who owned such a calming tone.
Holy sh-! LiangLin nearly swallowed his tongue. He had never seen someone with such clear, glassy eyes. The irises were bright amber, the colour of molten honey that glistened under the Sun. Long, ink-black lashes framed the slightly slanted eyes, while red, pouty lips were pulled into a smile. Jade white skin had a light dusting of blush, making the man before them look the more ethereal with his long silky hair and thin frame.
But he was a man! LiangLin's mind was running in circles. How could this even make sense?! He turned his gaze towards his sisters, trying to see if they were as confused as him, but to his surprise, all four sisters remained silent and even looked a little worried. What was going on?
Zhang YaYun was staring at the man with his mouth ajar, but quickly gathered himself and turned his attention back to LiangLin and QingYu. "QingYu, I just-"
"QingYu?" The concubine moved over; the light purple robes swayed with his every feathery step. His amber eyes were fixated on QingYu as his smile brightened a notch and he reached out, offering his long delicate fingers to QingYu. "I'm Yating, pleased to meet you."
Lan QingYu's eyes were wide, filled with the fear of the unknown as his hand moved on its own to take hold of Yating's hand.
"No, QingYu, don't!" LiBai snapped, but too late, as Yating's fingers wrapped around QingYu's and nudged the green snake to move closer. They stood eye to eye, and somehow to LiangLin's discomfort, Yating seemed pleased, too pleased of the situation. Why?
"Don't touch him," LiangLin took hold of the man's wrist as he stepped between the two. He tightened his grip until Yating reluctantly let QingYu's hand fall from his. The concubine's smile never faltered as he turned to look at LiangLin. His eyes squinted ever so slightly, the amber irises seemed to darken as they gazed into LiangLin's eyes.
It was a weird sensation - as if something was crawling over every inch of LiangLin's skin. His breath caught in his throat as he stepped back and let go of Yating's arm, allowing a little shiver to rake through his body.
This guy… was not a mere mortal, LiangLin thought as LiYue pulled him and QingYu aside, farther away from Yating.
"I hope we get along," Yating cooed but was met with cold, hardened stares.
"I think we should go back," LiBai whispered as she pushed the two male snakes behind the sisters, towards the way to White Lotus Hall.
"Yeah, we've seen enough," LiAi drawled, fanning herself idly. Despite her uninterested tone, her eyes studied Yating with curiosity before she too turned away and hurried to push and shove at LiangLin and QingYu to move, leaving a sullen YaYun behind.
"What-" LiangLin started but quieted down under LiYue's harsh glare. His body moved with heavy steps as if bricks were tied to his ankles. He had no energy to move, while QingYu didn't look any better. The green snake's blush had disappeared, and only a greyish hue was left on his smooth cheeks. He looked like he was on the brink of death.
"Eldest sister," LiangLin mustered up the energy to groan as they finally saw the gates of White Lotus Hall before them. He wanted to crawl at the moment, but LiChun was holding him up, helping him forward.
QingYu wasn't doing any better, as he too was clinging to LiAi for support.
"What just happened? Why do I feel so tired?"
"Of course, you would," LiBai said as she pulled the gates open and reached out to help LiangLin up the stone steps. "You just had an encounter with a fox spirit."